Reason I Haven't Been Blogging

1. spending to much time seeking safety in the basement

2. drawing up plans to build an arc...5 days of rain and the mote around my house is about to overflow

3. menu planning: tea sandwiches, scones and English tea for the royal wedding watching party

4. busy mowing grass between rain drops while wearing wellies
(come to think of it I should probably think about planting a rice field on the side of my house)

5. can probably be found steaming the wrinkles from a prom gown and bedazzling an umbrella to match

I'll be back Sunday with fun prom picks and stories. Till then...  

Not So Much A Good Friday

Yesterday was a day I devoted to scrubbing my frig out, dusting and grocery shopping--dreaming of Ina Garten's Orange Glazed Ham that will grace my Easter feast table...

Most of the day was spent either beating the rain fall, glued to the TV watching "storm mode" or huddling...in of all places Walmart.

Yep huddling in Walmart is what I said!

 I have woke to realize there is no visual effects to being part of a "code black". Which means Walmart locks the doors and instructs its customers that a tornado has been spotted in the area and everyone must gather in the center of the store till an all clear is announced.  Huddling in the center of the store with Walmart mutants is really no fun. They allowed customers to continue shopping which was okay if you were in the market for Huggies diapers, an exersaucer or St. Louis Cardinal paraphernalia; because that is all that was in the center of the huddle zone.  Lucky me the restrooms were in the center cause I needed to pee like a race horse. When I entered the restroom I found around 20 mother and children seeking safety sitting on the nasty bathroom floor, ick! King Ralph moseyed over to electronics to see if the gazillion flat screen TV's were channeled to the weather. [They] "don't turn the TVs to weather in order not to panic the customers". Like a mandated center of the store huddle doesn't ensue panic. Dam, one pre-tween was crying before the wind even started to howl. I don't know about you but hearing my local weatherman tell me Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers came to town this week because they new our area was the hot storm mecca of the week and pointing out the deep red swirled areas on the map is more comforting than a Walmart "code black".  As I stood in the huddle listening to the storm grow in intensity, believing grapefruit size hail was turning my truck into Swiss cheese...turns out there was no hail just the fattest rain drops falling in gallon dumps along with roaring winds.  All this because I wanted some jelly beans.

While King Ralph and I huddled in Walmart we worried about Princess A who was in St. Charles on a party bus celebrating a friend's twenty-first birthday, M at work and D in the city at a restaurant celebrating one of her besties sixteenth birthday. When in "storm mode" mother hen and her rooster want their little chicks close by.  Turns out while our little chicks were fine our communities where hit yet again, neighbors crumbled, airport closed down....  When will this freaky wrath of weather stop? Dear God it's really enough now!  When you can walk away with your life it gives new meaning to Easter blessings.

While yesterday's non-stop storms have passed, birds seem to be singing their morning songs today, we wait...not just for Easter's blessings, its feast of ham, colored eggs and those treasured jelly beans, but MORE STORMS!

(the skies are darking as I type)      

Wordless Wednesday

Lately I've Been Passing The Time Watching The Eagle

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The Girl Who Changed My Name

Twenty-one years ago I gazed down at this beautiful face

and the beautiful face gazed back at me. 

In that moment I became "mom".

One of many of the happiest days of my life.

Happy Birthday Princess A! 

I love you!!  

Season: Sprinter

Who needs words when a picture tells the whole story--yuck!

Expecting 4 inches.

It's About Celebrating The Life That Was

While I Was Doing Laundry

While I was doing laundry my pilot nephew was busy having just another day at the office.

The best part of this first day of Spring, besides being proud of my nephew, is wearing my sunglasses and flip flops not just because but because the weather becons it.  Grilling ribs and chicken, listening to music on the deck and sipping ginger ale.

I forgot to mention there are 49 days in the school year for me and D. Five days less for M.  Is counting down wrong?  H-E-double-L, NO!   

Soon To Be In The Arms of God

Just like the weather has changed dramatically this week (snow on Monday, 83* today) so has the health of our beloved band director/teacher. The warrior fought a good battle. Sometimes you are called to lay down your weapon and make peace with the beast.   

And so we pray.

 

Throw Me a Roll And Pour on the Apple Butter While You're At It!

When I return to work next week I will hear stories of co-workers trips to Vegas and Disney. I am certain the stories will be filled with fun memories but can they say they went to Sikeston? Not just Sikeston but Lambert's--home of the throwed roll?

That's right, for my spring break the girls and I took a two hour drive southeast for lunch. We took D's bestie who had never been. Turns out catching rolls flying across a restaurant was not her strong point--as one clubbed her in the head. When a roll clubs your head it's kind of a killjoy for future roll catching. 


The idea was on a Wednesday the place would be empty; the wait lines short...where sharing the bowls of pass arounds--fried okra, fried potatoes, black eyed peas, macaroni and tomatoes--wouldn't be an issue. Ha! Not the case.  It seems everyone traveling the highway desires a throwed roll. Along with  a heaping plate of food...

Roast beef anyone? I moved the carrots to make space for the fried potatoes, 'cause mashed taters isn't enough startch.

Maybe you'd prefer chicken fried steak and a baked sweet potato? With a liter size cup of beverage?

To ease anyone's panic that we actually ate the ginormous portions of foods...we left with boxes, all of us.  Ate half of the leftovers for dinner with yet enough left for lunch again tomorrow.

Since this is spring break we decided to be spontaneous and take a side trip to the Trail of Tears State Park.

(the muddy Missippi River is earning her nickname with

 extra muddy waters from a harsh winter and tornadoes)

My letter to Jefferson City would go something like this:

Dear State of MO

First you messed with me by letting the bats hybernate a bit longer, keeping the cave closed with no warning posted on the park's website.  Now today you have the visitor center at the Trail of Tears closed.  Not to mention the roads to the campgrounds.  How's a girl to investigate if she wants to park her home on wheels on your turf?  Quit jerking us!

There was one campground open--yuck! That is all I have to say.  I am not crazy about trains blazing in my camping backyard.  Done it before.  Not a fond memory...or a good night's sleep! D's bestie who has never camped before looked at me and said seems like the camp spots are awful close together. She's right! You could reach out and snag a beer from your neighbors cooler, that's how close the sites are. In the end I have decided we can skip the idea of building a fire and roasting our marshmallows here.  

It was fun day. I think this might end up being the highlight adventure of our spring break.     

Before The Snow

Last Saturday was a beautiful day.  The kids were in shorts. The sun was shining and the camper was begging to meet the truck's hitch for the first time. So. Off a camping we went.

We picked our state park soley for the purpose of touring the cave.  Inside the visitor center the time line of the cave's history there was a line that read, "go gaga for Onondaga". Ha! Because close by was a sign that read "Bat Hybernation Cave closed till April 15".  Bologna I say. The cave always opens in March! Why couldn't the website have warned cave seekers of this batty non-sense.  Wake the bats. Tell them daylight saving time was about to kick in.  So what if they are battling white-nose bat syndrome. We wanted the chance to go gaga over Onondaga [Cave].

Nevertheless we had a good over night get away. In 2002 they shut this park down, gutted and rehabbed the entire campground. It is really nice. We had only the company of a couple from Iowa tenting and another family in their mongo fifth wheel.  We all spread far enough apart so not to feel one another's company.

Uli went on her first ever camping trip

since no one was around we defyed the park rules by letting our pouch go leashless

she did take the leash when I went for a run 

the girlies cranked up the music and danced

(we've decided to go one more season with the pop-up

before buying the big boy) 

As the sun was thinking of setting we played B-S

 King Ralph doesn't wear a bullshit face to well

hence all the cards in his hands

Later in the night when the cold night air grabbed hold

we took the cards inside; changed to Uno

and still

King Ralph's sausage fingers grasped the whole deck.

We slumbered.

We made a roaring morning fire.

Ate bratwurst for lunch.

Laughed.

Then came home.

Next Spring Break adventure....   

I Didn't Smell This One Coming

The words Spring-Break usually should include "spring"--

which is officially calendared to begin on March 20. 

Instead we have woke on the first day of break to this:

This photo was snapped at 830am

The snow stopped falling at 10am

All I have to say is...

THIS IS BULLS#*+!!!!!!!

*********

1145am snow coming down again

big-fat-flakes

MORE BULLS#*+!!!!!!!

Do you smell that?

I smell it alright.  It smells like spring break!  In just 7.5 hours--after a half day of work, a staff luncheon and a dreaded training class/test (required by the government) I will be free from scheduled obligation for one week.  YIPPEE!  YIPPEE!   

We aren't escaping town this year for sun and sand.  It is so much more fun to spend a spring break wearing winter coats and long underwear staring at brown grass in the yard.  However that doesn't mean we can't find an adventure or two to experience. At least that is what I am hoping for.

Modeling Vintage

The girls decided a few Friday evenings ago to unearth my treasured fashions: the senior prom dress and my wedding dress.

The prom dress has always been a favorite.  No matter how much I try to convince them to wear it to their own proms; I can't seem to get any takers.  Why I don't know?  It is gorgeous in its aqua cellophane like fabric, with its one sided trio of ruffles.  Believe it or not this circa 1980's piece of fashion could probably be pulled off in 2011.  Acutally the girls are softening to the idea.  The only thing that keeps M from going all vintage to prom is her height and the dress' lack of grace for high heals.  Everyone knows my 5'7 girlie loves to rock those 4 inchers.  (The only thing stopping me from wearing my gown around the house is cough-cough pounds)

My wedding dress has been sealed in a box on a high shelf in the basement storage room going on twenty-four years.  So when they suggested trying it on...I was like go for it!  The air tight seal broken and the pristine white dress with its Corpse Bride-esque vibe (or Beetle Juice-esque aura) popped to life. A wee bit crinkled and rumpled.

The girls danced around the living room modeling my preserved treasures.  M our minor league fashion designer began redesigning the dress...snip this off and that off, add more tulle, cut the sleeves off, rip the waist ruffle off....

switch-a-roo

In the end...why the heck did I save my wedding dress?  To remind me that I was once a skinny beotch. Ya? Maybe. Maybe not.  Actually when my wedding dress was boxed I thought it was the most BEE-U-TEE-FUL thing ever.  No daughter of mine in her right mind would come to me some day asking to walk down the isle in my white wedding frock.  I can envision David Tutera asking why while pouring Kerosine with a strike match in hand. Princess A told me "in fifty years [your dress] will be cool again." 

In fifty years I don't want to be around to find out.

Back in the box went the little white dress.

FLASHBACK

Prom:

My favorite part of this eeeek! picture is the photographer's

desire to create a background with a single fake tree plus the fact that

my date was a bad imitation of Fantasy Island's Mr. Roarke.

WEDDING DAY:

Aaaahhh, my dress looked pretty in 1987. 



Wordless Wednesday

Dorothy We Aren't In Kansas Anymore

While the weekend drew the curtains on the school's musical it opened way to a wicked storm resembling the one in Kansas that took Dorothy to a land full of challenge and reward.  The kind of storm that woke us from our dreamy slumbers and had us scurrying to the basement before we were carried away to Oz.

It was spooky.  The winds howling and hail pelting, 

shaking the house, rattling the windows.

The weather girl saying a funnel cloud was spotted in my neck of the woods.  

What could have summoned such weather
after a beautiful-beautiful day

that was drawing February to a near close? 

I'm thinking this...

four days of killing the ozone. 

Heads of curls that could withstand the high winds worthy of 

carrying anyone off to Oz.  

Or maybe it could be the weather gods weren't happy

when the kids roasted Toto at the cast party. 

 (but I can attest to the fact that a most moving 

eulogy was given in honor of  Toto before

he was charred to his death)

Regardless the long weekend in Oz.

Regardless the spooky storm. 

I was bound to be tired anyway for staying up

 past my bedtime watching the Oscars.    

The Calendar Says

The calendar is inked for the next four days with the words "Wizard of Oz".

While these talented, beautiful and handsome teens have the starring roles...

my little D shines as a munchkin

and a poppie, 

 that is going to slumber an Oz seeking quad to sleep.

D has a favorite new color and it's emerald green (or as close to it as one can find in their closest)

When not wearing emerald green she sure can cut the stage doing the jitterbug

As for me, well, I can be found in the ticket booth

taking your green backs in exchange for the best seats in the house.

You better not make things difficult with large bills or I'll send you know who after you

along with her loyal flying monkeys

By Saturday I can almost guarantee

D will be begging her bestie Grace, I mean Glinda

To help her find some ruby slippers to heal click three times

'cause after months of practice

there's no place like home

In the Mailbox

Dear Higher Education Establishments-

I am hoping this week you can take a break from loading our mailbox to the gill with future education options for D.  You see while I understand your desire to promote your universities to my baby...twenty-five envelopes in a week, well that kind of takes up needed space in the recycle bin.  Plus we are trying to work through the college needs of number two before we move onto number three. 

So while we are flattered take a pause. Please!     

Now I need to leave you so I can fill out my FAFSA forms. 

(When really all I want to do is shop on-line for sandals and research vacation options.)

Couture From Copy Center

M's co-worker created this fabulous hat for her. 

The reason for the hat is to protect her head in the case of a fall

when she faints from her anemia.  

Which happens, or was happening often. 

She goes through phases where the low iron takes her to the ground. 

This isn't any ole' hat, it comes with lots of first aid applications--band aides and mints.

I swear this hat could be all the rage at the Kentucky Derby. 

Since it is a one-of-a-kind hat designed and fitted just for M...

that makes it Haute couture. 

The Great Midwestern Glacier Melt Welcomes the Snowball

Some days blogging seems like a chore; like washing the 1900 square feet of hard flooring throughout my abode...which I did yesterday.  When the region is use to temperatures that freeze toes and suddenly it is okay to run the trash outside barefoot...well, the brain gets to confused to properly form sentences.  So instead of straining myself to be witty and charming with words I am simply posting a few pics from last evening's Snowball--Boogie Down to Funky Town.   Feel free to help caption the photos for me.

M and the seniors

D and the sophomores