Watch out Dr. Suess!!

I LOVE my friends!!!

when they're good

and when they're "bad"

when they're happy

and when they're sad.

I love them on ALL of the day's that end in "Y".  

I love them even when they make me cry.  

I love them during the night and all through the day!  

I love them when they ask me to pray!

Through thick and thin it's always a ball, I love you friends! One and ALL!!

Just wanted you to know that!

:0)

Look what I got!!!

I just needed a minute to tell everyone how Wondermous my friends and family are!!!

Yesterday, while getting dressed to do the feared workout (post to be posted later) I heard the doorbell ring.  While that would make most people excited I cringed inside due to my son's new stalker friend that doesn't understand that we aren't his second home.  (post to be posted later)  All of that to say I was PLEASANTLY surprised when it was the UPS man for me!! ME!!!!!

My tea timing buddy surprised me with this....

It's an electric kettle!  Which is the coolest thing I've ever made tea with in no seconds flat!  

The coolest part is that I can press on.. have tea and finish the book series that my reading buddy has introduced me to!! (The cover is in the car!!!)  For the record... I read the first 3 pages of the second book during our "silent reading" time at school and had to force myself to go back to teaching!!! ERERRG!

All of that to say... 

THANK YOU!!!!!

Woo Hoo!!

I'm celebrating!!!

We're talking clapping and dancing and singing!!!  (When reality hits, probably not so much but for now... just let me have my moment, m'kay?)

Are you ready to know why there is so much celebrating?!?!?!

You're probably going to think I've lost another crayon.  No Worries!  Like I said once reality hits.... I'll certainly feel somewhat remorseful and panicked.  Maybe not remorseful but, certainly panicked..

Have I stalled long enough yet?

Okay....

My washing machine is not working properly! Apparently the spin cycle is not spinning.  Except for the fact I'll spend two days drying my favorite pair of jeans....I'm eggs-static!  

No more laundry!  YAY! YAY! YAY!!!

What are the kids going to wear?!?  I haven't gotten that far.  They weren't real happy the last time I decided not to do laundry and I had asked them to turn their underclothes inside out (KIDDING!).  

I DID finish this weeks laundry and there isn't beside my jeans any "dirty clothes" yet.  So I've got some time.

My hope is that it'll take longer to get a repair man out then to actually fix it and I'll have 3-4 days of laundry-free bliss.  Seriously... it's not in the stars or checkbook for the new machines yet. 

*******

I've been taking little vacays from the computer lately.  I needed some time to get my head in the game... Which I'm still working on.  I spent last week working on finding my kitchen table and reuniting with my children since the only conversations I  feel lately have been through sports type cheering or grade questioning yelling.  

This weekend...... I finished the laundry, figured out there are 51  shopping days left until Christmas, and began to make a list.  

I'm not stressing. 

My goal this year - Finish the shopping before the last day of November and enjoy the month of December at my leisure.  Monster is bought for (pretty much).  Buggy made her list from the Toys R Us big book and Hubby... well, he normally picks it out, hands me the debit card, and I finish the transaction and wrap the present.  Other than that... family members are planned for and just waiting for the right things to go on sale. :0)

Question...... I have a small circle of friends that I'm thinking of a cookie swap with.  Is it wrong to pick a night out to do that in the middle of the busy season?  I don't want to add stress to them but, I miss me some friend time.

Off to cater to the kiddos.

100th Post.

...Are you supposed to do something special for this?!?!?

Overall.. I can tell you this... 

My Bloggy Buddies are the BESTEST!  

A special thanks to all 4 of you for spending the time to read and comment.  (insert smiley face)  

I'm ready for  another 100 posts that are full of chaos, funnies, and most importantly... COFFEE!!!

Love to you ALL!!

~Rho

Date Night.

It all started Thursday afternoon - AFTER my kids were picked up.

I had to find enough time get clean, and beautiful, and non-mommied because I was having DATE Night with Hubby and Fuschia and RedDaddy.  We were going to and adult restaurant and EVERYTHING!  

For a simple side bar..... You MUST establish a DATE night!  IT doesn't have to be with a fellow blogger or any other couple but, spending time alone with your husband is a MUST!  

So our dates picked us up in the grown-up car. In Rho that means, a 4 seater, non-PopTart, convertible Saab.  At least I think it's a Saab.  We have a glorious dinner complete with a very forgiving and humorous waitress.  Then after her 4th visit about dessert (We were heavy into a conversation regarding the conversation with my daughter.) we make the decision to go to Starbucks and return to The House of Rho for possible game playing and/or more adult conversation. As we exit the adult restaurant, RedDaddy decides to let the convertible top down.  MY first thought?!?!  WHOO HOO!!!

... and off we gooooo!!! (movie reference??!?!)

Note to self #1. Bring a clip for long bangs in the back seat of a convertible at fast speeds. (fast being anything above stop)

Note to self #2.  Be comfortable enough with your back seat buddy to hold her hair out of her face as she holds yours when the boys decide to hit the boost down a big hill.

Note to self #3.  Above ALL things.  Laugh.  It's good for you regardless of your hair.

Can I just say this.... We were laughing soooo hard that the "kids" at Starbucks thought we'd been out for more than dinner!!  

We order our coffee, Me - Super Sweet Grande with extra sugar.  Fuschia - Double shot of energy with double shot of cream and ummm...yeah... shaken not stirred... Please.  

Then we get back into the adult car with coffee.  I don't know if it's because the adult car is sacred or the coffee was sacred but, we gave strict instructions regarding speed limit and no boosts prior to entering the vehicle.  Plus, the ride wasn't very far due to the blessing God bestowed upon me when he built that particular Starbucks.  

Did you know??  If you are holding your coffee AND someone else's coffee you tend to resemble Cousin It in the back of a convertible?  Yeah. It's true.

When we get to the House of Rho we hang out on the couches and laugh.  I'm talking L-A-U-G-H.  Spit your water out of your mouth laugh.  We talked about movies, skits, Talula doing the Hula, kids, world problems, you name it.  It was SOOO much fun!!  Around the time we all started to turn into pumpkins, we parted ways with another date set.... Fuschia and I were meeting at 9. in the morning. for another set of grocery training.

I was up until 1:00 getting my list of 22 products from 3 stores together.  

We met and conquered the 3 stores  we visited.  I still had one more store to do after we split up at 11:30.  Total for the week???

I spent - $76.00

I saved - $35.07

ECBs- $5.00

Now, I need to remind you guys - this was only my second trip with coupons.  I think I'm doing pretty good!!  I even made a MENU.  That's leaps and bounds for this cloud jumper!

Okay.. I need more coffee and I'm taking the kids swimming.  I'd visit Fuschia's blog if you can.  Something tells me we'll have dueling blogs regarding our date when we catch up from our sleep and can manage to get back on track.

Thank you for being a friend.

Yesterday, I found out that Estelle Getty passed away.  The spunky mom that taught me about eavesdropping and sarcasm while watching my favorite show on Saturday evenings.  (at least I think it was Saturdays)

That being said, memories of the show The Golden Girls, have been flooding my brain.  I've been humming the song since last  night.

Thank you for being a friend.

mumble-scrumble down and back again

Something, something, pal, and a confidant

And if you threw a party

iiiinvited everyone you kneeeew.

You would see the biggest gift would be from me.

aaand the card attached would say..

Thank you for being a friend.

Okay. Okay.  My memory isn't that vivid anymore because I haven't heard it in forever but, I got the last verse Right?!!?  My point is this... 

I have a relatively small circle of friends.   Friends that I can cry in front of, tell my thoughts to without having judgement (laughter probably, but still no judgement).  Friends that love me no matter what.  Friends that correct me or pray for me.  Friends that are willing to stop what they are doing despite their chaos to help me in my moment.  Friends that I could send the biggest gift to and sincerely attach Thank you for being a Friend as the card.

I guess what I'm saying is, in my mind, I haven't done a very good job of Thanking my Friends.  Not that a large gift is needed -just a simple gesture of love shown or a small note.  Listening instead of speaking first.  Hugging instead of trumping their day. 

So my challenge to myself for this week is to let my friends know that I love them!  My challenge to you....do the same.  Sometimes it's as little as making sure your problems aren't the first to be heard.

Extra Credit Challenge!!!  

I hope you are at least humming the song to understand my maddness.  Try to remember the words to the song.  DON'T CHEAT by looking it up on a lyrics page.  If you don't know the song... make it up!!!