Teacher Gifts

I usually forget teachers gifts at the end of the year. This year I did not forget. I went so far as to MAKE a few of the gifts. Mary Margaret had an English teacher that just went above and beyond her call of duty, looking out for her, etc. So I made her one of my aprons, she gets the yellow one. Taylor's teachers, since she is still in the lower grades, I sent them candles.

This will be the last day for the girls to be baby-sat by Anna. She was accepted this year to MASH for the summer, a program for high school students looking to enter the medical field. Anna and her mom (a high school math teacher) have been life savers these past few years. I've always felt that my girls were safe with them. They also did extra work for me, Sonic Trips, dropped them at piano and gymnastics. So Anna will get an extra bonus and Vickie will get the green apron with the apples. We will miss them so much.



So, to make a long story short...this is what I did with all my SPARE time last night:
1. Went to Wal-Mart to buy the items needed for the aprons..should have been about $12
actually spent $85.00 ( I think that Wal-Mart is pumping some kind of spend money potion in the vents, like Hollister pumps their perfume through the air conditioner - you know they do!)
2. Pushed mowed our Yard
3. Watered all the flowers
4. Cooked steak and fried potatoes
5. Cut and sewed together two aprons
6. Watched 1/2 of "Over My Dead Body"
7. Washed a load and dried a load of towels

Whew. Makes me tired all over again.

Time for a Re-Do

I'm sure this did not turn out the way I wanted it to. The fence to the gate is a lot higher that I thought. The planters do not really work well. I should have bought the planters that fit flat to the wall. This morning when the girls tried to water the planters, the water spilled back out on them. Oops. Its time for a re-do. I will buy the flat planters and start over.

This is the "You are Ruining My 13 year old life". I'm not sure what was wrong with her in this picture, but I'm pretty sure I did it. Because we know the dog "Drake" can do no wrong.

I usually do. I was put on this earth to destroy the teenage years of anyone who gets in my path. I was also put on this earth to make people study when they really don't need to. Seriously, a C is passing and so is a B, why would anyone need to study for 9 weeks test? I really thought that there would be a melt down, I allowed her to eat her sandwich and chips (yes I cooked) in her room. That might have been the peace maker.

Dinner
I meant to take lovely pictures of my dinner process last night. I was really going to try to be like all the professional bloggers and provide you all with my recipes, etc. I forgot. Wife Swap was coming on ABC, way more important that taking step by step pictures. I know you are all disappointed. The next time we make sandwiches and chips I'll give you all a play by play. That could be soon, as I am not in the MOOD to cook.

Bloggers
I've added a few new blogs to my favorites. Ya'll check them out!

STUNNED

This little bit of information warranted a second post for today.

JR. HIGH SCHOOL AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE, hats off to Coach Stepp (Principal) for trying to make our Jr. High a better place. I would have been committed to a mental institution a long time ago if I worked with that many hormones.

I picked Mary Margaret up today and took her to lunch, she needs something special every once and a while, we're not busy in the funeral business right now, so I could actually for a change take a different lunch time. We enjoyed ourselves. (I took Taylor yesterday, our lunch was nice, buy not as interesting as this one today.)

I could tell that Mary Margaret was in deep thought the first few minutes of her pizza. (Mazzio's Pizza two days in a row for me!)

Me: Whats up chick?
MM: Nothing really.
ME: Come on...tell me whats bugging you, is it me, friends, the dog, ants in your pants? (trying to keep everything light hearted)
MM: Okay, I'll say it quick, it makes me want to vomit. This girl tells me to day that she is BI.
ME:(I'm recovering from my heart attack) Do you know what that means?
MM: Yes, Bi-Sexual
ME: Now, do you know what that word means?
MM: Yes, she likes both girls and boys
ME: (LORD HELP ME!) Okay...now what?
MM: Just wanted you to know. I'm not friends with her anymore.
ME:(Am I wrong for saying this to her?) Stay away from that child. You have other friends, you barley know this kid, just stay away.

THERE IS ONLY TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL LEFT.

Was this kind of thing happening when we were in Jr. High? (for those of you who don't know me...I was in Jr. High 85, 86, 87...I do not remember Jr. High being this grown up. My sister-in-law Dianne can say..."I told you so!" I knew it was coming, but it was one of those things that I've been told about but was in denial. OMG will I survive? Will the drama and shock factors be the end of my life as I know it? Tune in next time from "Tell of the Jr. High Crypt Keeper!". I'm sure my punctuation is all wrong, who cares?

Husband's Honey Do's

Tim finished a couple of "honey do's" while we were off on our "mini vacation". He did a great job! We now have a pretty new gate. I bought flowers to plant in front of it to dress it up a little. It's raining so the planting has to be put off. I bought Double Head dark pink rose bushes and some petunia's to put in the hanging planters. I'm excited! He also finished the front porch with lattice, the rain kept me from taking that picture.
Mary Margaret opening the gate.

Magic Springs Slide Show

Magic Springs at Hot Springs, Arkansas

Long weekends, don't you just love them. We left Saturday afternoon and headed to my sister-in-law's house in Little Rock. Nicole invited us to stay and spend the weekend with her and go to Magic Springs in Hot Springs. Two back to back days of Magic Springs is very exhausting but fun! If you all remember, I mentioned the 13 year old PMS... Saturday was very rocky, Sunday was touch and go and by Monday she was happy and having a good time. We left Little Rock last night at 9PM and finally made it home about 11PM. The rain started at Nicole's apartment when we left last night, by the time I was on the 440 crossing Arkansas River we were putting at 40 mph because the rain was so hard. #1, I DO NOT LIKE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT and #2 I HATE HATE HATE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. I survived. We drove with no radio playing...that about killed those two kids! The rain stopped at mile marker 180 just before Carlisle. Enjoy a few pictures!

Mary Margaret rode a few of the baby rides with her little sister Alyssa. I love this picture just because the name fits Mary Margaret so well! (I rode a few of the baby rides with the girls too, the advantage to owning the camera...not many pictures of myself!!!)
Mary Margaret and Nicole on the Hawk. This ride is a free fall that makes a complete circle. I do not do the upside down rides. Mary Margaret and Nicole loved this ride! Look at those cheesy smiles.

This is the Log Ride, I like this ride! Mary Margaret and Taylor in the log ride. Nicole, Alyssa and I were in the next log. Too bad there was no one to take our picture!
This is the Gauntlet Roller Coaster. Taylor and Nicole..can you see the excited look on their faces? Taylor was a little worried and forced a smile.
Alyssa and I rode the scariest rides. We got really brave and rode the carousel. Oooo Ahhh The name of the horse is Molly. She names all animals Molly.
Okay. I rode one roller coaster called Big Bad John. That is me with my hands up.
We were all able to ride the Dragon. Free fall ride that DOES NOT TURN UPSIDE DOWN. Front row: Taylor Alyssa and Nicole, next row: Mary Margaret and Me. There is also a water park inside Magic Springs. I did not take my camera to the water park. The girls and I did the water race slide a bunch. I can tell you this, I won each time. Why? Fat girls travel far and fast! The girls and Nicole did the body slides (not me!) Those things curve one time and the plumett straight down. I did slide on some of the open slides so that I could see where I was going. I played with Alyssa in the kiddie pool while the body sliders were off sliding. We did the Lazy River, Wave Pool, and the Pool with the bubbles. This next picture is the 6 Racing Slides that I was talking about earlier!

The purple and blue slides are the body slides that Nicole and the girls did.
I made Nicole take a picture of me and the girls in front of Olive Garden. (Mary Margaret in the Yellow, Taylor in the Brown, I don't who that person is in the middle, ha ha) This would be by far the most expensive place that I have eaten with the girls. I will probably not take them back, I'll go again with no kids. I loved their salad and bread sticks. The girls felt very grown up when we sat down at the table and there were wine glasses on the table. Nicole told the girls that the wine glasses were for wine samples that the waiters bring around. Mary Margaret said " Great! I try them all!" Oh really? I don't think so! No one ever asked if we wanted to sample the wine.

We decided that since we were going to go back to Magic Springs again on Monday, we would stay in Hot Springs Sunday night. We split the cost of a hotel room and stayed. We had a great 'mini' vacation.

Boredom

I read an article this morning in Reader's Digest about boredom and how good it is for a person to be bored. Boredom brings out your creative side. This is my creative side, a new header and an extra column. To make the third column, go to this website : http://www.bloggerbuster.com/2007/07/create-three-column-blogger-template.html
I'm sure that this header will not last long. I already have the itch to go home and take more pictures of the girls and create a better header tomorrow.

Also, boredom brings out the story telling around the funeral homes. The Burial Association was started in 1935. Kernodle's hired a man to sell policies for them. This man had a chicken coop on top of his car. He would go out, sell policies to people, they would pay with a chicken. He would then come to town and sell the chicken to Stienberg's Grocery for 25 cents and he would then pay Kernodle's for the policy.

Sounds like fun.

Mission Impossible?

Today's Mission: Make it to school without a meltdown and with our glasses.

1/2 Mission Completed: We made it to school with our glasses. We had a semi-meltdown over the air conditioning in the van. Someone was cold. I thought that I would never say this...this subject was never spoken about when I was growing up, my Mamaw Brawner, to the day she died, whispered the words like ovaries, periods, and sex...now I am going to say it...I do believe that a certain 13 year old is experiencing PMS. One second she is a cute little lamb, with her little make up and cute little head band in her hair...and the next second, someone has let a hungry lion out of the cage and we are alllllll raw meat, no one is safe, not even the air conditioner. I felt sorry for me, Taylor and the air conditioning control this morning. Enough said.

Oh, not enough said...I forgot about this yesterday in the mist of the eye glass ordeal. I asked Mary Margaret in code, since there was a MAN present in the van, if she had remember to carry "something" in her purse for "just in case". She said no I forgot, but I have some in a cubby in the back of the Van, I'll get one. (I'm sure Tim knew what we were talking about, the "code" just makes MM feel better) TAYLOR who was not listening because of the blubbering over her glasses says to Mary Margaret..."What are you going to get, some pads for your period? I don't have mine yet. I don't have to wear a pad!" Mary Margaret: "OH MY GOD, TAYLOR. Now I'm so embarrassed! I can't believe you said that! I'm so freakin embarrassed. Now Tim knows everything!!!!" Taylor: "Tim already knows everything, Kaye tells him everything." Mary Margaret: "Now I'm double embarrassed. Gee Thanks!"

So I guess we really had two meltdowns yesterday. I thought that MM's meltdown was funny, (let me point out, I DID NOT LAUGH AT MM, I am smarter than that). The eye glass meltdown was not funny.

How Much I Love My Girls....Let Me Count

1. I mentioned that we are getting pool. Kids: CAN WE HAVE A PARTY Me: Sure, when we get it finished.
2. I now have to listen to them plan their swim party (that will happen at the end of the summer, how smart am I for mentioning that so early).
3. I have to listen to them fight about which friend belongs to them.
4. I love the glasses. Taylor has already had to have her repaired.
5. This morning, Taylor leaves her glasses at home. Tim rode to town with us (he's saving gas) so he was feeling all sorry for her. She was blubbering in the backseat because she really wants her glasses and she did not mean to leave them at home. Don't we have enough time to turn around and go back. ON, and On, and On, etc.
Tim says to Taylor, don't worry, Kaye will drive out to the house on her lunch break and get your glasses for you. WHAT??????? Did I leave the glasses at home NO! I say nothing. I get to work and my cell phone rings...school number shows on the caller ID...I think maybe she found her glasses in her purse....NOT!!!! THAT WOULD BE TOO EASY!!!! Taylor is blubbering again.
Taylor: KAYE KAYE
ME: WHAT
TAYLOR: I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING
ME:WHAT
TAYLOR: DON'T BE MAD
ME: !!!!!WHAT!!!!!
TAYLOR: I LEFT MY GLASSES OUTSIDE LAST NIGHT IN A TREE BY THE TRAMPOLINE!
ME: IN A TREE?!?!?!?!?!!(I think to myself...I have to look in a tree at lunch, get all dirty, we have a funeral this afternoon...I'm gonna....do something to this child)
TAYLOR: YES THE TREE BY THE TRAMPOLINE, I'M SO SORRY!
ME: OHHHHHH. I'M MAD. GOODBYE
I decided that I needed to head back out to the house right then and look for them. My best friend Dianna had stopped by my work (with a treat for me, a cute Vera Bradley Make-up Case and slippers) anyway...lost track there....I ask Dianna to ride back out to the house with me (she's a stay at home mom-bite me)We get to my house walk all the way around the yard to the trampoline and there the glasses are in a tree.....I don't want to say that I could kill her...DHS would hunt me down. Let me tell you this...if Dianna had not rode with me...I would have gotten madder and madder. Taylor should thank Dianna! I took her glasses to the school. She comes down the hall smiling.
Taylor: I love you Kaye Kaye, just let me give you a hug and kiss you right by your cute little eye.
Me: Stuff it. You did not tell me where those glasses were at on purpose. You did not want Tim to know where they were left did you?
Taylor: But I love you so much
Me: love you too

SHE'S SO FULL OF CRAP. But I do love her, let me count the ways.

Another Beautiful Weekend

This weekend was just Beautiful!!!! My niece Alyssa (the girls sister) was here this weekend. I took them to the State Park in Jonesboro (about 45 min from where we live). The girls had a blast. Of course, we also did a little shopping, I bought myself a little something......A LAP TOP...thank you very much! I'm loving it!
Here are a few pictures from this weekend.

I thought that this was just too sweet. Big sister helping the little Sister out.


We also went to Mary Margaret's BFF Dance Recital. Julia is the one in the back. She did a great job. She takes tap dancing. Of course, my girls are now begging to take dance!

Emily Odom, Mary Margaret, Julia Merrill, and Taylor

Alyssa loved the big blow up slide at the State Park. It was family fun day.

Alyssa...I have not worked on this photo yet.

Sunday, I took huge risk and let Mary Margaret drive me around again. She did a great job until someone got behind her and she got extremely nervous! She started swerving like a drunk driver. She also had to make the decision: whether to kill a turtle or KILL ME AND TAYLOR. It was a hard decision, she finally hit the shoulder to avoid the turtle, almost killing me and Taylor.
I let Taylor drive down our road, she drove 10 MILES PER HOUR, no chance of her taking a curve to fast. It was so funny. I had to bite my tounge hard to keep from laughing at her. She was so SERIOUS.

Everyone Needs A Good Basic Shoe!!!!

I have decided that everyone should have at least one good basic shoe in their closet. You never know when you might need that gold patten heal to throw on with your jeans, or that beautiful Cinderella slipper. We, (me, MM, Taylor, Dianna, Taylor and Shelby) all went to a shoe store in Wynne and really wore out our welcome. Dianna even worried that the store would start charging us rent because we stayed so long. Why not have a little fun in our stuffy, hum drum lives? Didn't we all spend our teenage years dreaming of the day when we would be on our own as adults and do whatever the HECK we wanted to do. And what do we do? We get jobs, bills, families and life circles back around and we are adults sitting at home waiting for the day we can just cut loose.

Tonight we half-way cut loose. We played dress up a shoe store and LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! LETTIN' OUR HAIR DOWN AND OUR INNER KID OUT!

The idea for this shoe came from a chiropractor to bring in more business!
Taylor Butler, Taylor Witcher, Mary Margaret Butler
IDK where this child came from. She jumped in our van one day at Wal-Mart and we haven't been able to get rid of her. We fed her, that was our first mistake! Ha ha

We then hit Cato. Nothing got broken...this time!

GYMNASTICS IS JUST FANTASTIC

How Lame is that title?
I thought that you should all see what the girls have learned in 5 months of Gymnastics!

Taylor - getting ready to do a Cartwheel
Taylor mid cartwheel , is it just me or does it look like this coach is on the phone?
Mary Margaret getting ready to do a cartwheel, round off combination
M & M

M & M
M & M finishing the round off. Taylor can do a cartwheel and an "almost" back bend, lots of stomach crunches, crab crawls, jumping jacks, etc. Mary Margaret can do: back bends cartwheels, round offs, hand stands, an "almost" back hand spring, and all those exercises!

This bush grows wild on the ridge. I do not know what it is called, my grandmother called it "Fake Orange". It is in full bloom and very pretty right now. It circles my property, making a nice "hedge" to where now, no one can see my house from the highway. The smell is wonderful. This morning I walked out on the deck before everyone else was up and the fragrance hit me. It really made me miss my grandmother, this was her most favorite time of year. She loved gardening and yard work. Did I ever mention that I transplanted some of her hosta plants? She told me that I could so I did! They are really beautiful and HUGE! (check out my older post, Tuesday, May 9, 2006, she was a pretty lady)

Enough of that EMO stuff...for you non TEXT speaking people that means EMOTIONAL!

I heard MM tell Taylor to stop being an EMO last night, IDK!

Oh, almost forgot. Mary Margaret likes the Bible Club, one of her friends, Rachel McKnight is a member. I think its cool that she wants to do this on her own. I have let them make their own decisions about what they want to participate in school...if it is financially feasible...I let them try!

Mommy Bloggers

I saw on the news the other day an interesting piece on a mommy blogger in Utah...I think that the news anchor said that the mommy blogger was in Salt Lake City...I was going to remember that website...oh well at 34 (that 35th doesn't come until December!) the remembering thing is not that great! Tim was going to surf the channels, but I won. I wanted to see if this story was going to be one the blogs that I like to read...it was not one of mine... Anyway, this woman makes a killer $40,000 per month off of her blog and she is only 32 years old. I've decided I've got the WRONG job! I need to figure out how to make this blog pay me!

Added
My blogger friend in Utah sent me the website I meant to remember. http://www.dooce.com/

I missed the first part of the story on the the news the other night, this means I missed the most important part! She is from MEMPHIS, a true southern gal! Graduated from Bartlett High School! OMG I wonder does she miss Memphis and all its wonderful rich culture. All the homies shooting homies...Mayor Willie

In other unrelated news...
Mary Margaret, 13 year old Drama Queen, has decided we will be speaking TEXT instead of ENGLISH at our home! OMG, IDK, TTYL, LOL, CM, BFFF I told her last night, if I hear IDK one more time I was going to BYB. (does not stand for Bring Your Beer).

Mary Margaret decided on her own to join the Bible Club at school...I took her to school early today for her first and last meeting. (She waited a little too long to join) She will at least get to find out if she will like it.

I had a meeting yesterday at the Intermediate School to go over Taylor's Education Plan, and she has improved leaps and bounds over last year. She was tested Friday (before she got her glasses) in Reading...each test was 10 points and she could only miss 3....she missed 7, 8, 5 which got her a low reading grade. Monday she was tested (we now have glasses) in spelling, word recognition, and math...spelling and word recognition 6th grade level and math a 5th grade level. I believe that her struggle all year has been her eyes.

The count down to summer has begun at our house. I know that you all are on pins and needles waiting to find out what I have scheduled for the Teenage Drama Queen and Sister Whines Alot (my new nick name for Taylor). Last summer, the comment was made that we tried to set a Vacation Bible School attendance record...ha ha, we only missed the First United Methodist and the Presbyterian (we skipped those two, although, we did attend McElrory Methodist because of MM's BFF). My thoughts were this, my kids have to be baby-sat during the day because I work...why not have a little fun that is good, clean fun?

This summer will be a little different...Mary Margaret is too old for Vacation Bible School. So far, they have signed up for the Summer Basket Ball Camp (1 week 1st of June). Taylor signed up for poetry camp at the Library...we haven't found out if she was accepted, they take the first 25 from each grade. I'm sure they will participate in the Summer Reading at the Library and they both want to continue piano. Maybe they will get to go to the Cabin with their grandparents and of course we will have a vacation...don't know where yet, but I AM LEAVING TOWN FOR ONE SOLID WEEK, 7 DAYS.

Oh, I'm getting a pool...so maybe they can stay home a very tiny tiny bit this summer during the day.

My Cry Baby

The weather has been so nice out that we have been leaving our windows open at night. Drake can hear Tim and I talking in bed. He came and sat under our window the other night and whinned for a very long time. Then he jacked up my yard. (That's how Mary Margaret put it!)

Fashion Goddess Part II

Mary Margaret's glasses came in yesterday. She picked these for fashion not comfort. Tell us what you think.

The Bachelor!!!! He picked the one I thought he would pick!!!!

Yard Work

This weekend Mary Margaret learned how to mow. Taylor does a great job with the riding lawn mower, but unfortunately it has a flat. Mary Margaret was all about wanting to push mow...so I let her. I mow a square for her to follow, go inside the house, glance out the window and there are circles mowed all over the yard. How scary is this...next year she could possibly take a drivers test. I went outside and corrected the mow job, started her square again and I stayed outside, she did much better.
She really makes lawn mowing look hard! Even while mowing, she tries to be miss fashion goddess...check out the rose in her hair!



She did a good job with some supervision.
The water leak has been found! Tim and Taylor searched for and fixed the water leak while I was fixing the mower circles. Taylor was in hog heaven getting to help Tim.

Tim got muddy!

Can you believe that 42,000 gallons of water poured through this little pipe? My water bill tells me that 42,000 gallons poured through this pipe!

After "crop circle" girl got all cleaned up and we were all ready to head over to my mother-in-laws (just down the road) I decided to let her practice her driving skills. Tim looked a little unsure. All jokes aside, she does a really good job of driving. The lawn mower must cause her to just go bananas.

I had a really good mothers day. The girls went shopping Saturday and did a great job. I did not take pictures of all my loot, I will tonight. I had a nice long chat with my step-mom Charlene and a quick one with Susan (my mom) she just had surgery and was not feeling good. My brother Andy called me, but I missed his call. I tried to call him back, he was probably fishing...
Happy Mother's Day to all! I hope it was a nice one!

Glasses

Have you ever seen anything this darn cute? Taylor's glasses came in today, we hurried right over after work and had them fitted. SHE CAN READ. She read every sign she saw from Dr. Childers back to the Funeral Home. She is amazed that she can see!

When a Boy met a Girl

18 years ago, around the month of May, a boy looks across the crowded church (Union Avenue Baptist) and sees a girl in the choir. He asks his two friends about her (he is visiting this church with his friends). The friend says...she has a boyfriend.

At the same time the girl in the choir notices a tall, handsome, boy on the back pew that she has not noticed before. She did have a boyfriend, but, the relationship was not looking good, she had decided to that morning to "break up" with the boyfriend. The girl asks the two guys in the back about the boy that was at church with them that Sunday...

The story of a boy, Tim Butler and a girl Kaye Brawner began that day and it is still a work in progress. 18th year Anniversary of our first date is getting close. Future post will be scary...the 80's big hair(we all know I just recently got rid og the 80's hair do) and wonderful fashion may be too much for you to handle...buckle up for safety...more later.

Happy Birthday To Sandy Brawner # 60 and Andy #32

I think that I did pretty well holding in the secret about the surprise party for Sandy! Erin and Ashley threw a 60th Surprise Birthday Party for Sandyhttp://www.sandyspearrls.blogspot.com at their Dad's house Sunday. You all are not going to believe this....I FORGOT MY CAMERA!

Mike cooked Boston butts, Ashley made a beautiful birthday cake, that girl is so talented! They decorated with yellow and white tulips, they put limes and lemons in the vases with the tulips...it was very pretty. Erin brought me some pictures for a video and we all brought gifts. Sandy was surprised, she thought that they were just going out to Mike's to eat steak. Her mom, sister, friends from Little Rock, me and the girls, Aunt Dorothy, Larry & Mary Bob, their son Steve & his girls, Ronnie Joe and Mary were all there. Sandy's birthday is really on May 10, (which is the day that Erin graduates from Nursing School!!!!!!) so having it early worked out well!
I made Sandy an apron for her birthday. She's been wanting one since Erin got hers for her wedding shower.


Isn't it cute?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER ANDY!!!!
I didn't get to call Andy yesterday on his birthday because I really thought today, Monday, was the 4th...so I will call him tonight to see how his birthday went!

Someone left me a comment on "Lazy Weekend" post. I did not realize that I had said anything that would offend or hurt someones feelings. We hardly ever hear about anything good happening in our community any more, which is why I posted. I think that what Make A Wish does for children is wonderful and it is one of the charities that I donate to. I just thought that it was a great thing that Make A Wish Foundation did for this little boy. I have deleted the post and I apologize to whoever left the comment.

Water Bills

Water Bill in March: 130.00
Water Bill in April: 103.00

WATER LEAK ON MY SIDE OF THE METER!

FREAKIN WONDERFUL.

Allergies ROCK!!!!!

I know that everyone sits on pens and needles waiting for the lovely allergy season to hit. I love it. (I'm sure that you all can hear the sarcasm dripping from my words as I type.)

I have been stuffed up all week and it has gotten the best of me!

K