Ugh. I don’t like Monday’s. They’ve never been a favorite day of mine. Usually it’s a day to go back to work or school, though it doesn’t mean either of those two things for me for another month. I just don’t like getting up on Monday morning. I mean, it isn’t like I have partied hard over the weekend and am regretting it Monday morning or anything. I just don’t like Mondays. “Back to the grind.” Oh, well.

Anyway, today is full of things to do. I’m making the boys’ new chore charts for next week…well, for next month, but they’ll start on Monday. I’ve also got some menu planning to do so that when school starts for me, the rest of the family isn’t left to starve at night, lol. Not that dh can’t cook. He can. It’ll just be easier for him if I have stuff already done and he just needs to warm it up.

In the spirit of getting into the week, here’s my Manic Monday post.

Every person you have ever slept with is invited to a banquet where you are the guest of honor. No one will be in attendance except you, the collection of your former lovers, and the catering service. After the meal, you are asked to give a fifteen-minute speech to the assembly.
What do you talk about? Ok, This one’s easy. I don’t! There is no assembly. Just dh.

What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Read a book

Are you a window person or an aisle person? Why? Window person. I love seeing the outdoors and I’ve only been on a plane a couple of times so being by the window and looking out at God’s beautiful landscape is always breathtaking to me.

blogging, life, memes | 2 Comments »

Other than my post in CT last Sat, I haven’t had time to post anything! We’ve been super busy since we got back Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening the boys and I went off to the kick-off party for the Steve Tasker March of Dimes Golf Tournament. Monday was the tournament. It was a long day, but it was fun. Well, it’s been a long two weeks, really. My sisters shower went smashingly and our trip to CT was loaded with fun, even though it was during some of the hottest days of the year! I thought I’d show off some of our pictures from our trip to CT. I’ve embedded them as slideshows and there are 2. You’re welcome to click on them and see the stills in my webshots photo album.

These pics are from CT. The first half of the pictures are from Quassy, one of only 11 trolley parks still remaining in the U.S. We had a lot of fun, especially at the Saturation Station (the water park.beach area).

Connecticut 2008

These pictures were taken on Saturday when Brian and his dad took the boys to a Yankee’s game. They only stayed 3 innings, but in their defense, it was 100 degrees out that day! The boys said their favorite part was riding the subway. Funny, but no surprise since they love trains so much, lol.

Boys Day Out

Here are the pics from the Golf Classic.

March of Dimes Charity Golf Classic

Happy Friday! Enjoy your weekend

Brian, Family, The Family, The Inlaws, blogging, fun, life, pictures, the kids | No Comments »

Today was boys day out here in CT. Daddy, grandpa Lou and the boys went to take in a Yankees game today. I really feel so sorry for them. It was nearly 100 degrees today with a heat advisory for the city. But, as this is the last year for Yankee stadium, fil really wanted them to experience Yankee stadium before it’s torn down. I hear they had f un. Fil and I took the over-under at 3 innings and that’s exactly how long they lasted. They just arrived home and I’m sure are exhausted. I’ll post more later after I’ve seen them.

Mil and I went to one of her friends’ houses and had tea and scones, which was delightful. Now it’s time for dinner and a brief dip in the pool before heading off to bed and them back home tomorrow.

Family, The Inlaws, blogging, the kids | No Comments »

I have no picture of the “before” for today’s tackle. It was sort of an impromptu thing. A few months ago, we bought a big potted plant with 6 different herbs and a tomato plant. In my kitchen window a basil plant has been sitting and so has Zach’s pea plant that he planted at school. All of these things have needed re-potting in bigger (or separate) pots for quite some time. The poor little kitchen basil plant looked all but dead, or dying, anyway. And Zach’s pea plant had nearly overtaken the basil plant and had grown up my window! There are even 2 little pea pods on it!

So, tonight while at WalMart, we picked up a couple of pots and some potting soil and decided to replant our herb garden appropriately. Here is the end result:

The kitchen window planter has (from l to r) rosemary, sage, oregano and dill

The left planter has the 2 basil plants together (the one from the kitchen window and the one from the big planter). The right planter has the tomato plant (with 3 little tomatoes!) and the parsley, which really took off and nearly took over the whole pot!

This last little pot is Zach’s pea plant from school. I really never expected a school plant to do so well! He’s so happy about it. As you can see, we had to rig some thin dowel rods and loosely tie the pea plant up. Maybe we’ll have a bunch of pods by the weekend?

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DH is at the Indy Car race at Watkins Glenn with a friend today. He was thinking about me enough to get me an autograph and a picture of one of my favorite Indy Drivers (or, past drivers), Arie Luyendyk. Isn’t he sweet? Here’s a picture of Arie giving an autograph.

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Today is a great day (although, admittedly, I’m really tired. I haven’t been sleeping well at all.) It’s a beautiful day and I’ve shooed the kids outside to play. We will be joining some church friends for a barbecue and fireworks later this evening. I am excited to see what Rochester has to offer for fireworks. There are fireworks downtown and in just about every ‘burb, so there are plenty to choose from. We’re heading to a neighboring ‘burb to see them, since that’s where our church friends typically go.

I hope everyone has a great Independence Day!

Oh, and thank you to all active and retired military personnel. We should be thanking you every day, not just on holidays that remind us of our freedoms.

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Today, amidst barbecues and fireworks, my favorite Nascar driver announced that he’ll be returning to a full cup schedule next year. From Mark Martin’s website:

Mark Martin, a 35-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner and the all-time leader in NASCAR Nationwide Series victories, has signed a two-year agreement to drive for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2009.

Martin will race the full 2009 Sprint Cup schedule in the No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolets, becoming teammates with Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. It will mark his first full season of Cup competition since 2006, when he finished ninth in points.
A Batesville, Ark., native, Martin also is slated to run a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports in 2010, sharing the No. 5 Chevys with a to-be-determined second driver. Martin will enter 26 events, including the non-points Budweiser Shootout and NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

I was crushed when he “retired” from full time racing after the 2006 season. I have wanted nothing more than to meet him, but have never had the chance. And although my first NASCAR race will be next month at Watkins Glenn, he won’t be there. Since he only runs a partial schedule, he does not run the road course races (he doesn’t really like road courses…can’t say I blame him, lol). However, my luck will change next year! I’ll finally get to meet him at Watkins Glenn next year.

I’m just really happy to see him trying one last time for the championship that has eluded him for something like 24 years. He’s finished 2nd four times. I really see his move to Hendricks as a good thing, and possibly the best chance he has to win the championship. Go, Mark, Go!

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The boys, patiently watching the chocolate chip cookies bake in the oven.

Family, blogging, pictures, the kids | 2 Comments »

I thought we were a miserable people here in the US. At least that’s what the libs keep telling us. But according to the newest WVS, we’re happier now than 25 years ago. Huh.

From the Science Daily

“Though by no means the happiest country in the world, from a global perspective the U.S. looks pretty good,” says Ronald Inglehart, a political scientist at the university, who directs the study. “The country is not only prosperous; it ranks relatively high in gender equality, tolerance of ethnic and social diversity and has high levels of political freedom.”

Researchers measured happiness by simply asking people how happy they were, and how satisfied they were with their lives as a whole. Ninety-seven percent of respondents–an exceptionally high response rate–gave answers that strongly correlated with how satisfied they were with various aspects of life such as gender equality and tolerance of minorities.

Interesting considering this news, also cited in the same Science Daily article:

According to a public opinion poll released by the Pew Research Center in April, 2008, some 81 percent of Americans say they believe the country is on the “wrong track.” The response is the most negative in the 25 years pollsters have asked the question.

In addition to the war in Iraq and the threat of terrorism, observers contribute high dissatisfaction to talk of potential recession, home foreclosure rates and unemployment.

“Americans’ dissatisfaction with the country’s current direction pulls down their sense of subjective well-being,” says Inglehart. “But this is partly offset by other factors. The fact that Americans live in a free and tolerant society has more impact on happiness than economic prosperity or even additional income.

“Ultimately, the most important determinant of happiness is the extent to which people have free choice in how to live their lives.”

So, happiness is directly related to our freedom? Wonder why so many people are hell bent on taking away those freedoms? Interesting thing to ponder…

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