A First

Last night Fred and I got a date night! The first one we have had in a long time. We really are more football fans than anything, but then again, we have never had an NBA team here before. But, with the relocation of the New Orleans Hornets to OKC, even temporarily, we decided to go show our support!

We had a blast! The game was exciting and high energy and we won! YAY! We beat the Milwaukee Bucks by one point with .1 seconds left on the clock. Very exciting! Fred cheered so much he got hoarse, and (upon my horror) started dancing like one of the Hornet's HoneyBee cheerleaders! Of course, I had to make him stop immediately before I died of complete embarrassment! But, all told, we really had a blast!

Today the NBA will be announcing whether or not the Hornets will stay in OKC for another year. I can't see any sense in moving the team back to N.O. right now. The NO/OKC Hornets are averaging a crowd of about 18, 200 in attendence at every game. In New Orleans they were nearly last in the league for attendence. Practical business $en$e would say to leave them where they are most successful. Hopefully we'll get an opportunity to host them again next year, and perhaps even on a permanent basis!

"All those who think they've got it made, please step forward! Not so fast there, Sarah!"

Yes, apparently I am not as lucky as I thought I was when it came to escaping the germs being passed around the house. It seems that obsessive hand washing and clorox wiping everying was not enough. About 2 am yesterday morning I awoke with chills and with the most awful "headache" I have ever experienced. Turns out I have a severe sinus infection.

Against my better judgement I went to work today. By 11 am I could take it no more and left. Came home, tried to sleep, couldn't stop coughing, so I gave up. The girls were still at my mom's so I decided a movie was what I needed. My favorite movie was calling my name. No matter how many times I watch it, I'll never get tired of it. Father of the Bride. It just brings back good memories of when I used to dream of my own wedding. And if that wasn't enough when that one was done, I went on to watch Father of the Bride, Part II. There is just something so perfect about the comedic timing of the Diane Keaton/Steve Martin/Martin Short trio that I cannot resist.

I am off to try to sleep, hopefully the coughing will go away, and I'll be better for work tomorrow. If not, I guess it's more chick flicks for me. :)

I've been hit!

I am apparently "IT." I've been tagged! Or as Fred would say "Gotcha last!" So here are my answers, and be prepared readers, you may be "it" next!

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was in my first year of college with no idea my High School boyfriend of two years was about to break my heart! Oh well, in the end it was all for the best. Actually, I think it was right about this time 10 years ago that I first heard of the American Studies Program in Washington DC that I would eventually be so honored to participate in that, and where I met such wonderful friends.

What were you doing One year ago?

One year ago at this time I think I was doing about the same things I am now, minus my new laptop I got for Christmas this year, and my girls had just turned one.

Name 5 snacks you enjoy

Chex Mix

Red Grapes

A bowl of cereal

Oyster Crackers

Hot tea - Madagascar Vanilla Red

Name 5 things you would do with a million dollars

Tithe

Pay off the house

Put money away for the girls education

Travel

Wood floors in the house

5 bad habits

picking at my thumbs

procrastination

hitting the snooze button

tootsie rolls

being disorganized

5 things I like doing

reading

playing the piano

traveling

playing with the girls

cooking

5 things I would never wear, buy or get new again

bikini

trucker hat

playstation games (we always get them used)

daisy dukes

???? can't think of anything else

5 favorite toys or games

Trivial pursuit

UpWords

Sequence

Hot Shots Golf Fore!

Mr. Potato Head

I was tagged by Tracy, and now I am tagging Earle-girl!

Wish me luck!

It's that time of year again. Every agency is planning their yearly updates for us Congressional staffers. I just received my invite to the yearly National Guard breakfast in Washington, D.C. This experience is not just another meeting...NO...it just couldn't be. We first start out with the flight to DC on a C130. Sounds painless enough, right? Guess again. Last year on the way there, for the first time in my life, I was air sick. It was the most turbulent, uncomfortable ride I have ever been on -- and I like roller coasters.

Then there was the whole series of events leading up to me almost not being let into the Pentagon. It was nothing serious, it's just that I only had three forms of I.D. instead of the required 157 they needed! Then you have to get a photo I.D. made once you get thru the front door. I get tired just thinking about it.

I am happy to report the flight back was much better, but I am still somewhat worried. Especially when my contact at the Guard emailed the invite to the State delegation telling them that in my honor they have added air sick bags to the list of carry-on items needed this year. Nice! At least I have until March 1 to prepare myself!

Maybe I can talk Fred into coming up with me. That would be fun!

Memories from last year...

Look familiar?? I know what you're thinking and no! I didn't photoshop this! :)

And lastly, it's a little hard to see, but this is President Bush waving from the door of Air Force One about to take off from Andrew's Air Force Base, where we were about to take off! By far the highlight of the trip for me!

Play Day!

Yesterday I had the day off which meant I was able to stay home and goof off with my girls. We had a ton of fun! We ate "awfuls" (waffles) for breakfast, raced around the kitchen table playing "gotcha last", and our most fun was playing with the Mr./Mrs. Potato Head they got for Christmas. We had lots of fun putting eyes where the arms go, ears in the mouth and so forth. :) They discovered that Mrs. Potato Head's earings worked well for them too! Rachel handed them to me and said, "On?" When I put them on her she smiled and said, "Mommy, me picture!" How could I refuse such a sweet request?! I grabbed the camera and told her to smile! So, without further delay I present to you the fabulous and most glamorous Rachel and Rebekah!

Rachel

Of course Rebekah was not to be outdone by her sister!

Craziness!

This is what our house looked like when we woke up on Tuesday morning. Today we nearly hit a record high for this day with a temp of 76! I have never seen such a crazy winter! Now the meteorologist are saying that we could get snow again next tuesday. We could use it!

I finally decided to take the girls to the doctor, and it's a good thing. They both have ear infections and chest congestion. They are on antibiotics now so hopefully they will get better. Fred had to go to the doctor too and he has RSV!

I think Earle-girl was right on about the handwashing and water drinking keeping me from it thus far. I am praying it continues to!

I am so happy it will be a three day weekend! Yeehaw!

Yea, tho I walk thru the land of sickness

O, Lord, deliver me from the land of sickness!
Let not the germs infect me or the snot run free,
Don't let my relatives pass on their tortured coughing
Protect me from the sickness so that I may live and function
with a voice, and I will praise you all the days of my life!

So, yes, I am still on the One Year Bible track (although I am doing it at night. 5:30 am is just a miserly hour that no sane person should rise at), and if you can't tell everyone around me is sick, sick, sick! Fred has NO voice and is coughing miserably, the girls have been running fevers on and off and still have that hacking cough. My Dad has battled it and my mom has been fighting it as well. I am determined to do everything I can to resist!

I know it's the crazy weather. Saturday it was 75 degrees! IN JANUARY! That is unheard of! Tonight it's snowing! We so desperately need the moisture, as we had more fires over the weekend and passed the 300,000 mark in acres burned, but it's no wonder everyone is sick!

Nothing else really new around here. Oh, I did get a new hair color over the weekend. What do you think? It's a little more red in person, but I still like it. Forgive the funny eyes as I had been dicing onions for a vegetable/cabbage soup I was making, YUM!

TGIF!!!!!!

And that's all I have to say about that.

It broke my heart

This morning when I went in the girls room to get them out of bed. I was getting clothes together before I got them out of their cribs. While I was doing this Bekah kept saying, "Sorry, Mommy. Oh no, Mommy" in the saddest little "forgive me" voice. When I walked over to her crib I discovered she had gotten sick sometime in the night and not only was it all on her bed, it was in the back of her hair too.

I told her it was OK, and that mommy was sorry she was sick, but all she kept saying was "Sorry, Mommy!" The poor thing. When she woke up from her nap today at Grandma's house that she started saying it again. I feel terrible! What have I done to this poor girl that she feels so bad about being sick! UGH! Being a Mommy can be so hard. Are you sure there is no instruction manual somewhere?!

I made sure I gave her lots of extra attention, that's all I could figure out to do.... Hopefully I haven't caused any permanent damage.

Baby Socks, BEWARE!!!!!

For some reason Elvis has this compulsive habit of finding baby socks and depositing them in his water dish. I just don't get it? No matter how hard I try to get them all put away so that no stragglers are left behind, somehow they still get in there. Maybe he has a hidden stash somewhere that I don't know about?!

I can't believe it's all over! It always seems like the Christmas season goes by so fast. Maybe it's because everything gets so busy, but whatever the case, it's all a done deal. Of course, it was a great Christmas -- other than sleeping on the floor of my mother-in-law's house because our air mattress sprung a leak. The girls had a great time ripping open presents, and I am happy to report that they need no new toys for the rest of their life! Their favorite so far is a toy kitchen with fake food and lots of little pots and pans just like mom's.

Now it's on to a new year! I don't really make "resolutions", I guess. But I do like to set goals for myself for the new year. This year I am doing the one year Bible reading program. All my life I have been going to church, but I have never once read the entire Bible in which I profess such strong faith. With some dedication I intend to change that this year. Besides, my dear husband has done it twice, and I have to admit the competitive spirit in me needs to catch up. :)

Well, it's back to the grind tomorrow. I suppose I better get some sleep so I can get up at 5:30 for some reading!