It's review time again, folks. Today I'm going to give you my review of the new Brandi Carlile album "Give Up The Ghost". To tell the truth, I really didn't know much about Brandi Carlile. I did see her on VH1 last year sometime and thought her song was pretty good.
I really liked her album. I thought that it was very soothing. It was, in my opinion, a folksy jazz vibe. It had a lot of guitar and very little electric music.
I don't think I would say that she is my favorite artist ever but she is worth checking out. If you like Sheryl Crow or Colbie Caillat I bet you would like Brandi Carlile too.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Pride
Today I need to write a few paragraphs about the human emotion of pride. I have recently read the short story "Bartleby the Scrivner" by Hermen Melville. It is the story of how one person is so caught up in their own self that they can not bring themselves to help someone in obvious need. The narrator of that tale is so worried about how others will perceive him that he goes against everything he know to be caring just to keep his image and thus his pride in himself.
How is this story relevant to today's society? I think it is very indicative of how most Americans behave in general. I think that self-pride and worry about how one is perceived is one of the main factors that has brought on the credit disaster that many Americans are facing today. People have become so enamoured by what others have that they over look what they truly NEED in their lives. It became a vicious cycle that has lead to the ruin of a number of families.
People have lost the simple joy of helping others. It doesn't have to be a large sacrifice on their behalf. Society has forgotten that relationships are the things that bring joy into our lives. It has taken the losing of physical objects to make people see the prideful ways they were acting. If we just take the time to offer a cup of coffee and a chat instead of a boasting session of the latest and greatest "thing" we have obtained, maybe we would all forget about ourselves and learn about the others in our lives.
I think that once people get over the idea of having to live up to other's expectations, they will lose some of that self-pride and become better humans. When you spend your time worrying if you are wearing the right clothes, living in the right house, or working in the right job you lose the joy of your life. You are constantly trying to live up to what you think others expect of you not what you expect of yourself.
How is this story relevant to today's society? I think it is very indicative of how most Americans behave in general. I think that self-pride and worry about how one is perceived is one of the main factors that has brought on the credit disaster that many Americans are facing today. People have become so enamoured by what others have that they over look what they truly NEED in their lives. It became a vicious cycle that has lead to the ruin of a number of families.
People have lost the simple joy of helping others. It doesn't have to be a large sacrifice on their behalf. Society has forgotten that relationships are the things that bring joy into our lives. It has taken the losing of physical objects to make people see the prideful ways they were acting. If we just take the time to offer a cup of coffee and a chat instead of a boasting session of the latest and greatest "thing" we have obtained, maybe we would all forget about ourselves and learn about the others in our lives.
I think that once people get over the idea of having to live up to other's expectations, they will lose some of that self-pride and become better humans. When you spend your time worrying if you are wearing the right clothes, living in the right house, or working in the right job you lose the joy of your life. You are constantly trying to live up to what you think others expect of you not what you expect of yourself.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Five For Fighting "Slice"
Let me start by saying "WOW!" this is a great album. If you like any of the band's other albums this one will not disappoint. It follows in the same singer/songwriter style.
When I first turned on the album, I immediately wanted to sing along. I know that sounds crazy but the songs are beautifully written. You can relate with the lyrics right away.
I put the album playing in the background while I was working on the computer. OK, working may be loosely interpreted to mean surfing the web but still... It was just such a soothing sound. It made me feel peaceful and peppy at the same time.
I, of course, am glad to have received a preview of the album but I would have been just as happy with my purchase if I had bought it. I can't think of any song on the album that I would fast forward over to get to the next one.
When I first turned on the album, I immediately wanted to sing along. I know that sounds crazy but the songs are beautifully written. You can relate with the lyrics right away.
I put the album playing in the background while I was working on the computer. OK, working may be loosely interpreted to mean surfing the web but still... It was just such a soothing sound. It made me feel peaceful and peppy at the same time.
I, of course, am glad to have received a preview of the album but I would have been just as happy with my purchase if I had bought it. I can't think of any song on the album that I would fast forward over to get to the next one.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Reviews are coming!
I get the pleasure of reviewing Five For Fighting's latest album, Slice. I also get to review Brandi Carlisle's album Give Up The Ghost. I've received each from a company called One 2 One Network.
I've been very happy with this group. I've got to listen to a lot of music that I normally wouldn't have bought. There is something to be said for expanding one's music repertoire.
I should have the reviews up by tomorrow. I'm going to listen to them tonight. I'm super excited!
I've been very happy with this group. I've got to listen to a lot of music that I normally wouldn't have bought. There is something to be said for expanding one's music repertoire.
I should have the reviews up by tomorrow. I'm going to listen to them tonight. I'm super excited!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Busy week
We had a super busy and fun week last week. We were able to do things as a family that we wouldn't have even tried while we were working full time.
First we started making pinatas. We made three of them. Two for Jillian's 4-H demonstration and one for her birthday party. We decorated the one for her party like a flower garden. That wasn't the original plan but sometimes you have to go with the flow of the project.
We also planned a birthday party for Jilly. She wanted a 50's party. We had the girls dress up in their poodle skirts and we took them to a 50's style diner. They sat at the counter and had malts. It was a great time for everyone. When they came back to the house we had individual cookie cakes made for them. We then put out different colors of icing and let them decorate their own cookie. I never thought this would be as much fun as it turned out to be. Between the four girls they used two tubs of icing! Talk about sugar overload.
The last part of the party was breaking the pinata. This was really fun. Our pinata was hard to break open. They broke the strings holding it before the pinata itself. We left it on the ground and took turns hitting it until it opened.
Besides all that, we worked a concession stand for 4-H at the Thomas bullriding, went to co-op where Jilly learned to embroider, and did a full weeks worth of school work.
What a great week!
First we started making pinatas. We made three of them. Two for Jillian's 4-H demonstration and one for her birthday party. We decorated the one for her party like a flower garden. That wasn't the original plan but sometimes you have to go with the flow of the project.
We also planned a birthday party for Jilly. She wanted a 50's party. We had the girls dress up in their poodle skirts and we took them to a 50's style diner. They sat at the counter and had malts. It was a great time for everyone. When they came back to the house we had individual cookie cakes made for them. We then put out different colors of icing and let them decorate their own cookie. I never thought this would be as much fun as it turned out to be. Between the four girls they used two tubs of icing! Talk about sugar overload.
The last part of the party was breaking the pinata. This was really fun. Our pinata was hard to break open. They broke the strings holding it before the pinata itself. We left it on the ground and took turns hitting it until it opened.
Besides all that, we worked a concession stand for 4-H at the Thomas bullriding, went to co-op where Jilly learned to embroider, and did a full weeks worth of school work.
What a great week!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Diet Starts
Well, the diet starts today. I have really added the weight over the last year. It is time to get back in shape and watch what I eat. I know I'll feel better once I get back in gear.
I'll give a little product review today.
Guiltless Gourmet Black Bean Dip is really tasty. It doesn't have hardly any calories and really packs in the flavor. It would be a good sandwich spread if you were tired of the same ole same ole. It would say it tastes a bit vinegary (if that's a word) with a little kick at the end. Since it's made with black beans it also has a lot of fiber per serving too.
Weight Watchers Vanilla Yogurt is also a big hit. I can have a whole cup of this stuff for only two points. For those of you familiar with WW, you know that is a bunch of food for tiny points. I bought the big tub of yogurt and it was less expensive by far than the little containers. The only trouble is packing it for work but that is easily overcome.
Those are the only new products I've done today. I'll be sure to post any new dishes I try and if they are a success or not.
I'll give a little product review today.
Guiltless Gourmet Black Bean Dip is really tasty. It doesn't have hardly any calories and really packs in the flavor. It would be a good sandwich spread if you were tired of the same ole same ole. It would say it tastes a bit vinegary (if that's a word) with a little kick at the end. Since it's made with black beans it also has a lot of fiber per serving too.
Weight Watchers Vanilla Yogurt is also a big hit. I can have a whole cup of this stuff for only two points. For those of you familiar with WW, you know that is a bunch of food for tiny points. I bought the big tub of yogurt and it was less expensive by far than the little containers. The only trouble is packing it for work but that is easily overcome.
Those are the only new products I've done today. I'll be sure to post any new dishes I try and if they are a success or not.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Disney Vacation
We just got back from a two week Disney vacation. WOW!! It was a long trip and a lot of fun. I think that we discovered that we are now better suited to visit the area for trips of 4 days or such. This one was just a bit to long. We had several days where we just hit the parks in the morning and went back to the hotel by lunchtime.
This trip we let Drake stay in the room in the morning and then take the bus over and meet us in the parks for lunch. It was stressful for me but he did great. Let me just say that cell phones are a blessing. It kept me sane knowing exactly where he was at any given moment. I didn't think I was so protective of him.
We also let both kids go off together in the parks for a little while. The only problem was when the went outside the turnstiles at the International Gateway in EPCOT to use the bathroom. I didn't send Jilly's ticket with them so she couldn't get back inside the park. Again, cell phones to the rescue. Drake called us and we left what we were doing and took her ticket over to them. Jilly freaked out just a little bit but I think it was because she was worried we would be mad at them. I still don't know why they went to that bathroom but we weren't mad about the situation.
We did a couple of days with the Disney Y.E.S. program. Y.E.S. stands for Youth Education Series. We learned about the International Program that Disney uses to get their workers for the different country pavilions. It was very interesting to hear these young people talk about their home countries and what their experiences here in the USA have been. We learned that each of the young people share apartments with a few other people from different countries. This lets them get to know other cultures and such on an intimate level. The big idea behind this program is to let people from different countries become friends with different people. When they leave the program they will take these friendships and knowledge into the business world. In the end, the world at large will be a better place.
Even with the extended time at Disney we had a great time over all. We will be going back but I think we will wait a while before we go again. I say that every time we leave but we'll see....
This trip we let Drake stay in the room in the morning and then take the bus over and meet us in the parks for lunch. It was stressful for me but he did great. Let me just say that cell phones are a blessing. It kept me sane knowing exactly where he was at any given moment. I didn't think I was so protective of him.
We also let both kids go off together in the parks for a little while. The only problem was when the went outside the turnstiles at the International Gateway in EPCOT to use the bathroom. I didn't send Jilly's ticket with them so she couldn't get back inside the park. Again, cell phones to the rescue. Drake called us and we left what we were doing and took her ticket over to them. Jilly freaked out just a little bit but I think it was because she was worried we would be mad at them. I still don't know why they went to that bathroom but we weren't mad about the situation.
We did a couple of days with the Disney Y.E.S. program. Y.E.S. stands for Youth Education Series. We learned about the International Program that Disney uses to get their workers for the different country pavilions. It was very interesting to hear these young people talk about their home countries and what their experiences here in the USA have been. We learned that each of the young people share apartments with a few other people from different countries. This lets them get to know other cultures and such on an intimate level. The big idea behind this program is to let people from different countries become friends with different people. When they leave the program they will take these friendships and knowledge into the business world. In the end, the world at large will be a better place.
Even with the extended time at Disney we had a great time over all. We will be going back but I think we will wait a while before we go again. I say that every time we leave but we'll see....
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Jillians's Various Writings
Cookies
Today I made cookies. I used cake batter for them. The strange thing is they look and taste like brownies. They are GREAT. My brother also made some cookies. They're good too. I tried to put my brother's cookies in the oven but they were too heavy. So my dad did it. I had lots of fun and hope to make some again.The Library
today I went to the library. I read my book called Diary of a Wimpy Kid : The Last Straw. It was such a good book. While I was looking for a new book Mrs.Carol ,(the librarian), told me she had the second one too. I haven't started it yet but it look's real good. Well, after she showed me the book a reading program lady read us stories about monsters. Then we made monster masks. It was awesome.
Absolute Zero
The show was amazing. Some stuff I did not understand but I mainly understood. It talked about from the french war and down to today the they still are trying to get to absolute zero. It's very interesting seeing these such smart people doing this stuff.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thoughts by Jillian
I went to my best friends pool Actually its her grandparents pool but they play in it. They have the coolest place .Plus they have a diving board AND they have a water slide. Its great there.her Then i i went to her house .We played dress up almost the hole time. Then we went well I went home and guess what they gave us CAKE .
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Quiet House
Well, the rest of the family has went to San Antonio and Corpus Christi for a few days. This leaves me home alone. This house sure is quiet with no one else around. I seem to get all my chores done before 8am.
I wish I had a good book to keep me company. I wonder why it is that when you are really busy you find the best books and have to work at getting them read but when there is nothing going on there is nothing interesting around to read.
Drake is posting updates of their trip on my facebook account. I am really loving that I can "watch" them during the day. Technology is a great thing if used properly.
OK, I guess that is enough rambling for this morning.
I wish I had a good book to keep me company. I wonder why it is that when you are really busy you find the best books and have to work at getting them read but when there is nothing going on there is nothing interesting around to read.
Drake is posting updates of their trip on my facebook account. I am really loving that I can "watch" them during the day. Technology is a great thing if used properly.
OK, I guess that is enough rambling for this morning.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Social Experiment
I had a thought of a really interesting book/social experiment. I think it would be interesting to see if a person could work their way across the US without money. You would have to find people willing to let a stranger work for some cash or willing to give you cash. You would be able to have a car but would need gas money as well as food money.
I wonder if a person could do it. I know that I would be skeptical of a stranger asking for some work. Would I allow someone like that to sweep my floor or mow my grass for a few dollars? I hate to say that it would depend on how that person looked on the outside. If they were clean-cut, I might consider it. If they were scraggly.....I'm not so sure.
If I were to take on this project, and I admit I would be hard pressed to take it on, I would start with a full tank of gas and a full cooler of food. I would stop in small towns before I totally ran out of gasoline. I would check in with the local police and explain what I was doing in the town. I'm not sure what kind of stores I think would make good places to try for work.
What do you think? Does it sound interesting? Would you be willing to help a stranger out?
I wonder if a person could do it. I know that I would be skeptical of a stranger asking for some work. Would I allow someone like that to sweep my floor or mow my grass for a few dollars? I hate to say that it would depend on how that person looked on the outside. If they were clean-cut, I might consider it. If they were scraggly.....I'm not so sure.
If I were to take on this project, and I admit I would be hard pressed to take it on, I would start with a full tank of gas and a full cooler of food. I would stop in small towns before I totally ran out of gasoline. I would check in with the local police and explain what I was doing in the town. I'm not sure what kind of stores I think would make good places to try for work.
What do you think? Does it sound interesting? Would you be willing to help a stranger out?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Spring Concert
I told you that Jilly had a music concert the other night. It was one of the funniest things to watch. Not that it was supposed to be funny but Jilly made it be so. Jilly was on the back riser of the bleachers and there were two younger (2nd grade) girls in front of her. Well, the younger girls started to goof off and not "perform" the songs correctly. They weren't just having fun but really being distracting. The funny part was that the REALLY bothered Jilly. She spent the whole time glaring at this girls. You could tell that she was pissed that they weren't taking things seriously. I thought it was hilarious. Poor thing takes things so serious.
Steve said that this really proved to him how correct the idea of homeschooling is for us. He said that if those two girls could totally distract Jilly from something that she loved doing how easy is it for one kid to distract her during class time. We know she is always sitting by the "troubled" kid because they both have to sit in the front of the classroom. Jilly because she can't see and the "troubled" child because they need to be withing grabbing distance. Well, she won't be distracted for much longer.
Steve said that this really proved to him how correct the idea of homeschooling is for us. He said that if those two girls could totally distract Jilly from something that she loved doing how easy is it for one kid to distract her during class time. We know she is always sitting by the "troubled" kid because they both have to sit in the front of the classroom. Jilly because she can't see and the "troubled" child because they need to be withing grabbing distance. Well, she won't be distracted for much longer.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Nothing Interesting
Not really anything interesting going on around the Drinnon abode. We are enjoying work again. The stress level for us as been reduced tons. I really appreciate the fact that my co-workers understand that I don't want to work full time. They seem to try NOT to call me to work for them and when they do ask it is for worthy causes. I know, who's to decide what is worthy and what isn't but I'm sure you know what I mean by that statement.
We had our first real chance of tornadoes yesterday and did just fine without TV. Jilly was more scared than usual but I think that is because we had the radio on and were listening to the warnings. Before, when we had cable TV, we would just put on the news and they would just update occasionally. The radio was focused solely on the weather.
Our garden is doing very well so far this year. I've been able to pick a couple of bunches of spinach already. The sandwiches taste so much better with home-grown spinach on them. Our potatoes look AMAZING. We still have to wait awhile to find out if there are really potatoes under the pretty plants but the plants sure do look healthy. The carrots look good as do the beans, onions, and our single lettuce plant. I'm not sure what happened to the lettuce. It was either the freeze we had or the stupid cats! Whatever the cause, we only have one plant that made it. We also have a tomato plant, four pepper plants, and some okra that hasn't sprouted yet. Time will tell on these.
Well, that is enough boring chit chat for the day. I have Jilly's spring music concert tonight. I'll try to post about it.
We had our first real chance of tornadoes yesterday and did just fine without TV. Jilly was more scared than usual but I think that is because we had the radio on and were listening to the warnings. Before, when we had cable TV, we would just put on the news and they would just update occasionally. The radio was focused solely on the weather.
Our garden is doing very well so far this year. I've been able to pick a couple of bunches of spinach already. The sandwiches taste so much better with home-grown spinach on them. Our potatoes look AMAZING. We still have to wait awhile to find out if there are really potatoes under the pretty plants but the plants sure do look healthy. The carrots look good as do the beans, onions, and our single lettuce plant. I'm not sure what happened to the lettuce. It was either the freeze we had or the stupid cats! Whatever the cause, we only have one plant that made it. We also have a tomato plant, four pepper plants, and some okra that hasn't sprouted yet. Time will tell on these.
Well, that is enough boring chit chat for the day. I have Jilly's spring music concert tonight. I'll try to post about it.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Yanni Voices Review
As you may know, I get products in the mail and get asked to review them. I just got a CD called "Yanni Voices". I admit that I was skeptical to begin with after all Yanni was the butt of many and '80's joke.
Well, I got the CD the other day and have had it playing in the car. I really liked the male singers songs. I found them very soothing and peaceful. It had me daydreaming while I was driving down the road. Most of the songs are sung in a different language so I tried to figure out what I thought they were singing about.
One day Steve came into work after having driven my car and he said he really liked "whatever was playing". I had to laugh when I told him it was Yanni! Boy was he shocked.
We listened to it with the kids in the car. Of course, Drake didn't hear it because he had his stupid headphones in playing something loud and obnoxious. Jilly listened to it and said that it made her think of EPCOT. I had to agree with her, it made you think of Future World and the background music they played.
So, to sum it all up, I would recommend this CD for all those out there that like to listen to 'easy listening' or 'new age' music. I found it to be a good CD and will listen to it into the future.
Well, I got the CD the other day and have had it playing in the car. I really liked the male singers songs. I found them very soothing and peaceful. It had me daydreaming while I was driving down the road. Most of the songs are sung in a different language so I tried to figure out what I thought they were singing about.
One day Steve came into work after having driven my car and he said he really liked "whatever was playing". I had to laugh when I told him it was Yanni! Boy was he shocked.
We listened to it with the kids in the car. Of course, Drake didn't hear it because he had his stupid headphones in playing something loud and obnoxious. Jilly listened to it and said that it made her think of EPCOT. I had to agree with her, it made you think of Future World and the background music they played.
So, to sum it all up, I would recommend this CD for all those out there that like to listen to 'easy listening' or 'new age' music. I found it to be a good CD and will listen to it into the future.
Monday, April 6, 2009
First Date
Drake had his very first "date" this past Saturday night. He took a young lady names Taylor to the movies. They (we) saw "Monsters vs. Aliens" at the Weatherford movie theatre.
He had wanted to take her to the movies for her birthday. I told him that would be OK with us as long as we all went together. I don't think they are old enough to go alone to the movies yet. He did have to ask her parents permission.
I asked him at the dinner table, the night before he was going to call her parents, if he wanted to practice what he was going to say to them. He looked at me and said that he had already practiced and knew what he was going to say. Can you believe that? He already practiced! Too sweet!
When he did call her house, he asked to speak to Mr. X. He introduced himself and asked if it would be OK if he took his daughter, Taylor, to the movies on Saturday night. Of course, her parents knew the call was coming so their answer was quick.
We went to her house to pick her up and Drake went to the door by himself. Her parents came out to the car and we visited for a few minutes. They are really nice people and we like them a lot.
Taylor was very sweet and talkative. She and Drake didn't act shy around each other at all. She wasn't shy around us either. They listened to their ipods and talked about music.
Drake needs to work on the whole holding doors and walking next to your date things but over all it was a good first date. I was proud of him.
He had wanted to take her to the movies for her birthday. I told him that would be OK with us as long as we all went together. I don't think they are old enough to go alone to the movies yet. He did have to ask her parents permission.
I asked him at the dinner table, the night before he was going to call her parents, if he wanted to practice what he was going to say to them. He looked at me and said that he had already practiced and knew what he was going to say. Can you believe that? He already practiced! Too sweet!
When he did call her house, he asked to speak to Mr. X. He introduced himself and asked if it would be OK if he took his daughter, Taylor, to the movies on Saturday night. Of course, her parents knew the call was coming so their answer was quick.
We went to her house to pick her up and Drake went to the door by himself. Her parents came out to the car and we visited for a few minutes. They are really nice people and we like them a lot.
Taylor was very sweet and talkative. She and Drake didn't act shy around each other at all. She wasn't shy around us either. They listened to their ipods and talked about music.
Drake needs to work on the whole holding doors and walking next to your date things but over all it was a good first date. I was proud of him.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Natural History Museum
We had a good day today. We went to the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History in Norman, OK. It was a good museum with four different exhibit areas. The kids seemed to learn several things. We'll just have to see if they remember it later.
We also went onto the OU campus and went to the library there. It has a really wonderful Reading Room inside. Drake described it perfectly. He said the is was something like out of the movies, like you would see on Indiana Jones. It had all the dark wood, all carved and beautiful. I can't wait to go back there sometime with a good book and just sit and read. I told the kids that maybe one day when we need a change during our school routine we will go there and study. How cool would that be?
That's it for now. Got to go because Drake just freaked out because he found a spider crawling on him. Can't say that I blame him for freaking out!!! YUCK!!
We also went onto the OU campus and went to the library there. It has a really wonderful Reading Room inside. Drake described it perfectly. He said the is was something like out of the movies, like you would see on Indiana Jones. It had all the dark wood, all carved and beautiful. I can't wait to go back there sometime with a good book and just sit and read. I told the kids that maybe one day when we need a change during our school routine we will go there and study. How cool would that be?
That's it for now. Got to go because Drake just freaked out because he found a spider crawling on him. Can't say that I blame him for freaking out!!! YUCK!!
Friday, March 27, 2009
New Day
Wow, what a heavy last post. It sure helped being able to poor it all out on paper. I think that things had just built up until I just exploded over something silly, like time off work. Once I finally fell asleep, I woke up with a new attitude. Several options for relief pharmacists opened up for me and all was better. I guess everyone deserves a good cry every now and then.
Right now we are in the middle of a snow storm. There was even a Blizzard Warning given today. Can you believe that? Blizzard in Oklahoma in March. Strange. It sure is fun that it is on the weekend so we don't have to worry so much about getting out and going to work in the mess. We can just sit back and enjoy the cold. Well, enjoy might be a bit strong but at least relax.
Drake has a girlfriend. He has 'dated' this little lady for awhile. She seems really nice and is from a really nice family. The thing I really like is that she seems a lot like Drake. Meaning, she isn't just "going" with him just to say she has a boyfriend. The share the same style and likes. In a town as small as this one, and for someone as unique as Drake that is quite a rare thing. It is sweet to see him grow up.
Jilly is just plugging along. She is the happiest kid I've ever known. She takes after her daddy. I strive to be as positive as she is everyday.
Steve is doing pretty good. He had a tough couple of weeks with Randall's passing and all but I think he is pulling out of it now. Work stress has been going down and a new normal is starting to arrive on the horizon. I think we will be OK when this all flushes out.
Well, enough for now. I just wanted to post something more positive after my complete break down the other night. Thanks for letting me vent.
Right now we are in the middle of a snow storm. There was even a Blizzard Warning given today. Can you believe that? Blizzard in Oklahoma in March. Strange. It sure is fun that it is on the weekend so we don't have to worry so much about getting out and going to work in the mess. We can just sit back and enjoy the cold. Well, enjoy might be a bit strong but at least relax.
Drake has a girlfriend. He has 'dated' this little lady for awhile. She seems really nice and is from a really nice family. The thing I really like is that she seems a lot like Drake. Meaning, she isn't just "going" with him just to say she has a boyfriend. The share the same style and likes. In a town as small as this one, and for someone as unique as Drake that is quite a rare thing. It is sweet to see him grow up.
Jilly is just plugging along. She is the happiest kid I've ever known. She takes after her daddy. I strive to be as positive as she is everyday.
Steve is doing pretty good. He had a tough couple of weeks with Randall's passing and all but I think he is pulling out of it now. Work stress has been going down and a new normal is starting to arrive on the horizon. I think we will be OK when this all flushes out.
Well, enough for now. I just wanted to post something more positive after my complete break down the other night. Thanks for letting me vent.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Overwhelmed
Today is a day that I'm glad not many people, if any, read this blog. I'm feeling totally overwhelmed right now. Our company boss and good friend, Randall Kourt, died two weeks ago. This threw everything in our lives into total caos. We didn't know where the company was headed, we didn't know who would provided needed functions, we didn't know what the money status of the company was. To make matters worse, Randall was our day off. He was also our vacation relief.
I stepped up and agreed to do paperwork for the company. This is no small task. There are 8 stores in the company. I will have to do daily worksheets, pay bills, and run payroll. I don't think this will take up to much time once I get everything settled. It's the getting settled that is working on me. Plus, now everyone thinks I'm the person with all the answers. I understand that I have opinions that I don't keep to myself. I understand that someone needs to get things done but I'm not seeing the end of the tunnel.
Tonight I just kept thinking about time off from work. Steve and I have no one to cover us. How are we going to be able to go on vacation? We are planning on working 6 days a week. I'm not sure who to even ask to cover a whole week. I'm sitting here bawling like a baby because i can't take a vacation who knows when. It is so stupid!! I know it is stupid yet I can't stop it! I've been able to solve all the problems for everyone else in the company who have been freaking out but I can't solve this!
I guess I just need to go to bed and I'm sure all will be well in the morning. This may be one of those things that I hate to read later on but right now it feels good to get it out. I'm not going to re-read this so I'm sure it will be rambling and full of errors, please over look it.
I stepped up and agreed to do paperwork for the company. This is no small task. There are 8 stores in the company. I will have to do daily worksheets, pay bills, and run payroll. I don't think this will take up to much time once I get everything settled. It's the getting settled that is working on me. Plus, now everyone thinks I'm the person with all the answers. I understand that I have opinions that I don't keep to myself. I understand that someone needs to get things done but I'm not seeing the end of the tunnel.
Tonight I just kept thinking about time off from work. Steve and I have no one to cover us. How are we going to be able to go on vacation? We are planning on working 6 days a week. I'm not sure who to even ask to cover a whole week. I'm sitting here bawling like a baby because i can't take a vacation who knows when. It is so stupid!! I know it is stupid yet I can't stop it! I've been able to solve all the problems for everyone else in the company who have been freaking out but I can't solve this!
I guess I just need to go to bed and I'm sure all will be well in the morning. This may be one of those things that I hate to read later on but right now it feels good to get it out. I'm not going to re-read this so I'm sure it will be rambling and full of errors, please over look it.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Florida Chrinicles Part II
OK, to pick up where we left off.....Steve had arrived in Florida.
He pulled into the first hotel they found. It was a nice Marriott and it only had a suite available. Steve hopped on it. Needless to say he was tired. Who wouldn't be after driving since 5am!
The next morning he was ready to seize the day, Carpe' Burrito, as he would say. The only problem, he has spent the last 16 years having me plan his vacation days. I don't think this is a bad thing. He just hasn't ever developed the skill to plan the whole day on a whim. He, again, is very goal oriented. So he was kind of lost on what to get done.
He called me and I gave him some ideas. His dad was being a good sport and was just going with the flow. Don is a laid back guy and wasn't about to put his agenda on Steve. So Steve got to (had to) make all the decisions.
The went around the town of Clermont. It seemed to Steve to be a very tourist type town. Not a very homey place. He was really bothered by the guards at the entrance to the grocery stores. It was a big strike against the area.
He took Don around to the Disney sites. The took in Downtown Disney, the Poly, the Wilderness Lodge, the Grand Floridian, & the monorail. I think that Don got a good idea why we enjoy it so much. I think Steve also got a better idea of why we like it so much. The reason? Because it isn't the 'real' world. Just outside the Disney gates the 'real' world comes flooding back in.
Steve spent the day growing ever more anxious about the drive back home. I think the idea of spending another day just flitting about while the drive loomed over him was too much. He started to freak out and obsess over the drive. He was done! He was ready to come home! He was tired of not knowing where to drive, tired of reading maps, tired of thinking about what to do next. Again, he was DONE!
So he was tossing and turing trying to go to sleep with no luck. So what does any sane person do? Wake up their father and get on the road at 8:30pm! He knew if he told me I would have freaked out on him. He called me the next morning from Alexandria LA. I was glad he was coming home but worried sick about him.
He made it home safe and sound, if not really sleepy. He learned that we didn't need to buy a house in the Orlando area. If we want to spend several months there when we retire, we will just rent. It is not a place that he wants to make a home. So the trip seemed like a failure but in hind site it was a success. He learned what he needed to learn.
He pulled into the first hotel they found. It was a nice Marriott and it only had a suite available. Steve hopped on it. Needless to say he was tired. Who wouldn't be after driving since 5am!
The next morning he was ready to seize the day, Carpe' Burrito, as he would say. The only problem, he has spent the last 16 years having me plan his vacation days. I don't think this is a bad thing. He just hasn't ever developed the skill to plan the whole day on a whim. He, again, is very goal oriented. So he was kind of lost on what to get done.
He called me and I gave him some ideas. His dad was being a good sport and was just going with the flow. Don is a laid back guy and wasn't about to put his agenda on Steve. So Steve got to (had to) make all the decisions.
The went around the town of Clermont. It seemed to Steve to be a very tourist type town. Not a very homey place. He was really bothered by the guards at the entrance to the grocery stores. It was a big strike against the area.
He took Don around to the Disney sites. The took in Downtown Disney, the Poly, the Wilderness Lodge, the Grand Floridian, & the monorail. I think that Don got a good idea why we enjoy it so much. I think Steve also got a better idea of why we like it so much. The reason? Because it isn't the 'real' world. Just outside the Disney gates the 'real' world comes flooding back in.
Steve spent the day growing ever more anxious about the drive back home. I think the idea of spending another day just flitting about while the drive loomed over him was too much. He started to freak out and obsess over the drive. He was done! He was ready to come home! He was tired of not knowing where to drive, tired of reading maps, tired of thinking about what to do next. Again, he was DONE!
So he was tossing and turing trying to go to sleep with no luck. So what does any sane person do? Wake up their father and get on the road at 8:30pm! He knew if he told me I would have freaked out on him. He called me the next morning from Alexandria LA. I was glad he was coming home but worried sick about him.
He made it home safe and sound, if not really sleepy. He learned that we didn't need to buy a house in the Orlando area. If we want to spend several months there when we retire, we will just rent. It is not a place that he wants to make a home. So the trip seemed like a failure but in hind site it was a success. He learned what he needed to learn.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Florida Chronicles Part I
Last Tuesday/Wednesday we had the brilliant idea that we should look into buying a rental home in the Orlando area. This isn't a totally crazy idea since that is where we really enjoy spending our vacation time and where we plan on spending some of our retirement. The big hold up was that we have never spent any time outside of the Disney parks.
We spent a couple of days looking on the Internet for possible areas to purchase. We looked at several homes that looked to fit our criteria. The housing market there is at a rock bottom. The prices look to be very good. Now we had to go and actually look at these properties. Trouble is, one of us has to stay and work and take care of children.
Steve has been wanting to take a road trip with his Dad and/or brother for awhile now. This seemed like the perfect time to make that happen. So he called up his dad and asked if he was ready for an adventure. His dad wasn't sure he wanted to leave his mom at home. She had been fighting the flu for a couple of days. He wanted a day or so to think about it and see if she got to feeling better.
Thursday night it was decided that he would go and the plan was to leave out on Friday afternoon. Needless to say, we were running around our house on Thursday trying to get everything ready. I made lists of things for Steve to check while he was running around Florida. Things like, get a local paper, go to a grocery store, check out what kind of people are shopping at Wal-Mart, go talk to a local pharmacist, etc.... I was overloading Steve with multiple chores. It took a few hours before I understood what the trip was really supposed to be about. Sure, it would be great to find the perfect house in Orlando but the trip was really a chance for Steve and his dad to spend some time together. I told Steve not to worry about the house so much as to have fun running around with his dad. I think I even talked him into taking his dad to EPCOT for a day.
His dad showed up at the store about noon on Friday. Boy was Steve ready to roll! His poor dad didn't have but a minute to rest his tushie before Steve was herding him into the car again. We had planned out a couple of different routes that he could drive down to Florida. One of them along the coast and the other coming in from the north. He said that he was going to take the one along the coast. I got a call a few hours later saying that they changed their mind and were in Ft. Smith Arkansas. The thought this way they would see new sites right from the beginning of the trip and really feel like they were started. This seemed like a good idea at that time. It was a few more hours later that I got a call from them declaring otherwise. I guess they spent a few hours driving in a terrible thunderstorm, at night, in a town they didn't know! Not a good stress reducer for Steve. The stopped for the night in Memphis TN.
Steve called me from the hotel in a desperate bid to find out what the weather forecast was for Memphis. To me it seemed OK. Well, it was the start of a major winter storm!! Steve's neurotic nature saved them though. He tossed and turned all night worrying about being frozen into Memphis TN for days. So, he woke his father up at like 5am and said "Let's hit the road." Good thing they did, Memphis got several inches of snow over the next day!
Now that Steve had the weather chasing him there was no stopping him. He drove right on through to Orlando with very few stops. So much for stopping along the way and doing fun things. He was scared that they wouldn't make it to the destination. Talk about tunnel vision. He is very goal oriented. In hind site I should have had specific stops for him to make along the way. Thus, he wouldn't have had to think about it.
I'll continue the story on the next blog....It's time for me to get ready for work.
We spent a couple of days looking on the Internet for possible areas to purchase. We looked at several homes that looked to fit our criteria. The housing market there is at a rock bottom. The prices look to be very good. Now we had to go and actually look at these properties. Trouble is, one of us has to stay and work and take care of children.
Steve has been wanting to take a road trip with his Dad and/or brother for awhile now. This seemed like the perfect time to make that happen. So he called up his dad and asked if he was ready for an adventure. His dad wasn't sure he wanted to leave his mom at home. She had been fighting the flu for a couple of days. He wanted a day or so to think about it and see if she got to feeling better.
Thursday night it was decided that he would go and the plan was to leave out on Friday afternoon. Needless to say, we were running around our house on Thursday trying to get everything ready. I made lists of things for Steve to check while he was running around Florida. Things like, get a local paper, go to a grocery store, check out what kind of people are shopping at Wal-Mart, go talk to a local pharmacist, etc.... I was overloading Steve with multiple chores. It took a few hours before I understood what the trip was really supposed to be about. Sure, it would be great to find the perfect house in Orlando but the trip was really a chance for Steve and his dad to spend some time together. I told Steve not to worry about the house so much as to have fun running around with his dad. I think I even talked him into taking his dad to EPCOT for a day.
His dad showed up at the store about noon on Friday. Boy was Steve ready to roll! His poor dad didn't have but a minute to rest his tushie before Steve was herding him into the car again. We had planned out a couple of different routes that he could drive down to Florida. One of them along the coast and the other coming in from the north. He said that he was going to take the one along the coast. I got a call a few hours later saying that they changed their mind and were in Ft. Smith Arkansas. The thought this way they would see new sites right from the beginning of the trip and really feel like they were started. This seemed like a good idea at that time. It was a few more hours later that I got a call from them declaring otherwise. I guess they spent a few hours driving in a terrible thunderstorm, at night, in a town they didn't know! Not a good stress reducer for Steve. The stopped for the night in Memphis TN.
Steve called me from the hotel in a desperate bid to find out what the weather forecast was for Memphis. To me it seemed OK. Well, it was the start of a major winter storm!! Steve's neurotic nature saved them though. He tossed and turned all night worrying about being frozen into Memphis TN for days. So, he woke his father up at like 5am and said "Let's hit the road." Good thing they did, Memphis got several inches of snow over the next day!
Now that Steve had the weather chasing him there was no stopping him. He drove right on through to Orlando with very few stops. So much for stopping along the way and doing fun things. He was scared that they wouldn't make it to the destination. Talk about tunnel vision. He is very goal oriented. In hind site I should have had specific stops for him to make along the way. Thus, he wouldn't have had to think about it.
I'll continue the story on the next blog....It's time for me to get ready for work.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Beautiful Day!
Today is absolutely gorgeous outside! I have to pinch myself to remember that it is still February. It just a wonderful spring day. Light wind blowing and tons of sunshine.
I was able to do the laundry and hang it out on the line to dry. Hanging clothes out is one of the great joys in my life. I totally enjoy the whole process. I'm not really sure why that is. I wait anxiously each year for the weather to turn so I can start again. I know that Steve doesn't understand this feeling. He just slaps the clothes up any which way. He doesn't understand that there is a particular way to hang each piece just so, edges lined up, pairs next to each other, etc...
The smell of clothes that have been lined dried can not be beat. It is as if the sun has seeped into the fabric. I think there are many companies that spend large amounts of money trying to capture that sent in fabric softener. It just can't be done.
The wonderfulness of the day is even making me able to overlook that the drains must be clogged because the washer overflowed in the garage. Thank goodness for wonderful husbands to go along with wonderful weather.
I was able to do the laundry and hang it out on the line to dry. Hanging clothes out is one of the great joys in my life. I totally enjoy the whole process. I'm not really sure why that is. I wait anxiously each year for the weather to turn so I can start again. I know that Steve doesn't understand this feeling. He just slaps the clothes up any which way. He doesn't understand that there is a particular way to hang each piece just so, edges lined up, pairs next to each other, etc...
The smell of clothes that have been lined dried can not be beat. It is as if the sun has seeped into the fabric. I think there are many companies that spend large amounts of money trying to capture that sent in fabric softener. It just can't be done.
The wonderfulness of the day is even making me able to overlook that the drains must be clogged because the washer overflowed in the garage. Thank goodness for wonderful husbands to go along with wonderful weather.
Friday, February 20, 2009
7 Quick Takes Friday
Some of the other bloggers do this on Friday so I thought it would be a good thing for me to start. It will ensure that I write something at least once a week and it's pretty easy to come up with 7 little things to jot down.
1. This week went by very quickly. Sometimes it scares me how fast it travels. Before I know it I'll be ready for retirement. Wait, how is that scary?
2. Jilly had a President's Day oral report that she gave on Monday. Steve was able to go to this program. She did her report over George H. W. Bush. Steve said she did a great job and is a natural performer. She was one of just a couple of kids who would look up from the report and speak to the crowd. She also was able to ad lib little quips that had the audience laughing. She loves the attention and can't wait to have the chance to be on stage sometime. I'll have to look into getting her some acting workshops.
3. Drake is his normal self. He keeps coming home saying he 'earned' money at school. Apparently, he takes money from others to perform tricks/feats/errands. Usually it's just enough to buy a soda from the machine. I'm not sure what to do about this problem. He isn't doing anything wrong, just eating gross things or fetching things for other kids. It seems to me that he has a mind for business. LOL! I have counseled him on how it's wrong to take money from others and he better make sure they understand and 'want' to give him the money.
4. Our pharmacy intern,Travis,isn't coming into work today. His mother is coming home from the hospital today. She has been in the hospital since the middle of November. We are so happy for him and his family. They are such a close family and deserve to spend quality time together. Please, everyone, continue to pray for his mother's recovery.
5. We recieved several textbooks this week. I'm so excited about starting school this summer with the kids. I really think we will make great progress with them. I still get overwhelmed with the details of schooling but know that it is something that will be able to be overcome. Plus, why worry about details, right? ;)
6. I got a sample of India Tulsi Tea this week. I'm not a huge tea drinker but I gave it a try. WOW! It was not what I was expecting at all. I've never had a tea that was spicy before. Spicy, as in tingle the tongue. It was the strangest thing ever. The tea wasn't bad to taste just way unexpected.
7. Steve and Dave are busy again on their story. I think they have changed the latest story from a screenplay into a novel. They strive to write at least 500 words a day. I can't wait to read the finished product. I think the boys have a talent and don't care if nothing ever comes of their work. I think it is important to have the stories for the kids to read something that their father cared about.
Ok, that makes seven. Believe it or not, that was harder to do than I thought it would be.
1. This week went by very quickly. Sometimes it scares me how fast it travels. Before I know it I'll be ready for retirement. Wait, how is that scary?
2. Jilly had a President's Day oral report that she gave on Monday. Steve was able to go to this program. She did her report over George H. W. Bush. Steve said she did a great job and is a natural performer. She was one of just a couple of kids who would look up from the report and speak to the crowd. She also was able to ad lib little quips that had the audience laughing. She loves the attention and can't wait to have the chance to be on stage sometime. I'll have to look into getting her some acting workshops.
3. Drake is his normal self. He keeps coming home saying he 'earned' money at school. Apparently, he takes money from others to perform tricks/feats/errands. Usually it's just enough to buy a soda from the machine. I'm not sure what to do about this problem. He isn't doing anything wrong, just eating gross things or fetching things for other kids. It seems to me that he has a mind for business. LOL! I have counseled him on how it's wrong to take money from others and he better make sure they understand and 'want' to give him the money.
4. Our pharmacy intern,Travis,isn't coming into work today. His mother is coming home from the hospital today. She has been in the hospital since the middle of November. We are so happy for him and his family. They are such a close family and deserve to spend quality time together. Please, everyone, continue to pray for his mother's recovery.
5. We recieved several textbooks this week. I'm so excited about starting school this summer with the kids. I really think we will make great progress with them. I still get overwhelmed with the details of schooling but know that it is something that will be able to be overcome. Plus, why worry about details, right? ;)
6. I got a sample of India Tulsi Tea this week. I'm not a huge tea drinker but I gave it a try. WOW! It was not what I was expecting at all. I've never had a tea that was spicy before. Spicy, as in tingle the tongue. It was the strangest thing ever. The tea wasn't bad to taste just way unexpected.
7. Steve and Dave are busy again on their story. I think they have changed the latest story from a screenplay into a novel. They strive to write at least 500 words a day. I can't wait to read the finished product. I think the boys have a talent and don't care if nothing ever comes of their work. I think it is important to have the stories for the kids to read something that their father cared about.
Ok, that makes seven. Believe it or not, that was harder to do than I thought it would be.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Don't fall in love....
I once heard a quote..."the key to a long life is to not fall in love with your bed." I thought that it was a quote from George Burns but I can't find anything to link him to it.
For some reason this quote has stuck with me for years. When I'm lying in bed and just really don't want to move it has a habit of popping up in my brain. I wish that I could remove it. Really, I do! I want to be able to be one of those people that can just lounge around in bed until noon. I would love to be able to call my kids into school 'sick' because we needed to stay asleep for several more hours.
Then that stupid thought pops up and out of bed I go. Eight o'clock is the farthest I've been able to push it. Isn't that sad? I guess I will have to be one of those people who are out and about at the crack of dawn. Now we will have to wait and see if it truly is the key to a long life.
For some reason this quote has stuck with me for years. When I'm lying in bed and just really don't want to move it has a habit of popping up in my brain. I wish that I could remove it. Really, I do! I want to be able to be one of those people that can just lounge around in bed until noon. I would love to be able to call my kids into school 'sick' because we needed to stay asleep for several more hours.
Then that stupid thought pops up and out of bed I go. Eight o'clock is the farthest I've been able to push it. Isn't that sad? I guess I will have to be one of those people who are out and about at the crack of dawn. Now we will have to wait and see if it truly is the key to a long life.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Cars
As you know I've been playing on facebook.com a lot lately. On the site there is this phenomena known as "25 Random Things About Me." This has spawned several different incarnations, one of which is about your high school days. One of the questions is about your car that you drove during high school. There has been much lamenting about the horrible things that our parents forced us to drive.
Being a parent now, we all know what our parents were thinking...safety, cost, availability, etc... Back then it was a different story. We were all convinced that our parents were teaching us lessons in humility. I know that I drove an abominable car, a orange pinto wagon with racing stripes! Who even designed a car like this? When was it EVER in style?
It got me to thinking what my kids will be driving when the time comes. I do think that I'll offer the use of one of the family cars. Right now the choices are a tan Toyota Corolla or a blue Toyota Matrix. Neither bad looking but definitely not high on the cool scale. Will our kids moan and groan to their peers about what awful things we are subjecting upon them? I know I would have killed to have either of those two choices.
I wonder what my parents thought when we moaned about what we drove. Did they think back to what they had driven? I'm sure there is a story about snow, barefoot, uphill both ways in there somewhere. I'll have to start working on my poor me story to have it down pat for when my time comes to share with my kids.
Being a parent now, we all know what our parents were thinking...safety, cost, availability, etc... Back then it was a different story. We were all convinced that our parents were teaching us lessons in humility. I know that I drove an abominable car, a orange pinto wagon with racing stripes! Who even designed a car like this? When was it EVER in style?
It got me to thinking what my kids will be driving when the time comes. I do think that I'll offer the use of one of the family cars. Right now the choices are a tan Toyota Corolla or a blue Toyota Matrix. Neither bad looking but definitely not high on the cool scale. Will our kids moan and groan to their peers about what awful things we are subjecting upon them? I know I would have killed to have either of those two choices.
I wonder what my parents thought when we moaned about what we drove. Did they think back to what they had driven? I'm sure there is a story about snow, barefoot, uphill both ways in there somewhere. I'll have to start working on my poor me story to have it down pat for when my time comes to share with my kids.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Newtons Third Law
Newton's Third Law of Motion:
III. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Last night when I was tucking Drake into bed for the night (yes, I get to still tuck), he said that they were reviewing Newtons third law of motion in class. He told me that it got him to thinking...."If every action has an equal and opposite reaction, does that mean that since I play video games so much that video games play me?"
I thought this was a very interesting thought. How many things can we apply this logic to in our lives? Really makes you think doesn't it. Not bad for a thirteen year old.
III. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Last night when I was tucking Drake into bed for the night (yes, I get to still tuck), he said that they were reviewing Newtons third law of motion in class. He told me that it got him to thinking...."If every action has an equal and opposite reaction, does that mean that since I play video games so much that video games play me?"
I thought this was a very interesting thought. How many things can we apply this logic to in our lives? Really makes you think doesn't it. Not bad for a thirteen year old.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Viewership
I'm not sure that is a real word or not but I want to wax poetic about 'viewership' of blogs. One of the blogs I follow is written by a lady that was a neighbor when I was growing up. It seems that she has a fairly well known blog. Where mine isn't read by seemingly anyone (note followers).
She wrote a blog about being discouraged about the amount of viewers she gets on her blog. She wondered if it was all worth it etc... While she acknowledged that it was just a momentary depression that needed some outlet, she was still worried about how many people read her stuff. I wonder why that is. Do we really blog to be read by others or just to document our experiences?
I would love to say that I only write here to document my thoughts. I added the follower button on the side to see if anyone checked my blog regularly. It is a vanity thing. It shouldn't be that way. I want to be writing here just so I can look back over a course of time and see that my life has substance. It may not be the substance that others want for themselves but that's the way life. God made each of us different for a purpose. Maybe one day that will sink in to my tiny brain.
She wrote a blog about being discouraged about the amount of viewers she gets on her blog. She wondered if it was all worth it etc... While she acknowledged that it was just a momentary depression that needed some outlet, she was still worried about how many people read her stuff. I wonder why that is. Do we really blog to be read by others or just to document our experiences?
I would love to say that I only write here to document my thoughts. I added the follower button on the side to see if anyone checked my blog regularly. It is a vanity thing. It shouldn't be that way. I want to be writing here just so I can look back over a course of time and see that my life has substance. It may not be the substance that others want for themselves but that's the way life. God made each of us different for a purpose. Maybe one day that will sink in to my tiny brain.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Disney World Food Tips
I thought I would start some data sheets with my family's Disney World Tips. They are only our opinion but these opinions have been developed over several Disney trips.
FOOD
1. Advance Dining Reservations (ADR's) are a must for sit down meals.
2. Eat breakfast in your room.
3. Take snacks into the park with you.
4. Eat at irregular times such as 11am and 4pm.
5. Sit down meals are expensive.
6. Sit down meals can be magical.
7. Character meals are an easy way to have character interaction without the lines.
8. Disney meals typically have very large portions.
9. Allears.net has Disney menus posted.
10. Share a 'meal' and eat more often during the day.
11. Dehydration and hunger are fun killers.
12. Bring single-serve drink mix: the water has a strange taste.
13. Water is free at counter service restaurants.
14. Don't waste time or money on the "castle dinner" if you are on a budget. It isn't all that exciting on the inside.
15. DRINK DRINK DRINK! Dehydration sneaks up on you.
16. In Magic Kingdom don't get ice cream sandwich from a cart vendor; go to the bakery on Main Street; theirs' are huge and 'homemade' (better yet get a cinnamon roll)
17. Meal plans only work if you are staying at a Disney hotel.
18. Chocolate will melt, even M&M's!
19. Pack zip lock baggies & take into parks for leftovers and other items.
20. Meal plans can save you a lot of money if you are wanting to do a lot of sit-down dinners.
21. Popcorn buckets can be fun souvenirs. We use ours for lunch pails.
22. Kids meal plates, shaped like mickey, can be wiped out and taken home as a souvenir.
23. Know where you are going to eat before you leave for the park in the morning. Choosing can be a big time killer.
24. Soda's are crazy expensive; drink water.
25. You can leave the park to eat a picnic lunch that you have kept in the car.
26. The counter service lines are long and crowded. Choosing what you want to order before you get there is a good idea.
27. We don't do a lot of kids meals. We just split a grown-up meal between us.
28. Each restaurant is themed; notice the details.
29. Hotels offer 'free refill' mugs; it's cheaper just to keep drinks in your room.
Now, some of our personal favorite places to eat.
Sit-down meal: Food- LeCellier (EPCOT)
Characters- Akerhaus (EPCOT)
Theme- Oktoberfest (EPCOT)
Fun- PrimeTime Diner (DHS)
Counter Service: Variety- Sunshine Fare (EPCOT)
Food/quantity- Flame Tree BBQ (AK)
Different from norm- Yakatori (EPCOT); Yak&Yeti (AK)
Good to relax and let kids go- Pizza Planet (DHS)
Snacks: Cinnamon Roll- Bakery (MK)
Ice Cream Sandwich- Bakery (MK)
Churros- (Every park)
Hope this helps. I'll be doing other topics in the next few weeks.
FOOD
1. Advance Dining Reservations (ADR's) are a must for sit down meals.
2. Eat breakfast in your room.
3. Take snacks into the park with you.
4. Eat at irregular times such as 11am and 4pm.
5. Sit down meals are expensive.
6. Sit down meals can be magical.
7. Character meals are an easy way to have character interaction without the lines.
8. Disney meals typically have very large portions.
9. Allears.net has Disney menus posted.
10. Share a 'meal' and eat more often during the day.
11. Dehydration and hunger are fun killers.
12. Bring single-serve drink mix: the water has a strange taste.
13. Water is free at counter service restaurants.
14. Don't waste time or money on the "castle dinner" if you are on a budget. It isn't all that exciting on the inside.
15. DRINK DRINK DRINK! Dehydration sneaks up on you.
16. In Magic Kingdom don't get ice cream sandwich from a cart vendor; go to the bakery on Main Street; theirs' are huge and 'homemade' (better yet get a cinnamon roll)
17. Meal plans only work if you are staying at a Disney hotel.
18. Chocolate will melt, even M&M's!
19. Pack zip lock baggies & take into parks for leftovers and other items.
20. Meal plans can save you a lot of money if you are wanting to do a lot of sit-down dinners.
21. Popcorn buckets can be fun souvenirs. We use ours for lunch pails.
22. Kids meal plates, shaped like mickey, can be wiped out and taken home as a souvenir.
23. Know where you are going to eat before you leave for the park in the morning. Choosing can be a big time killer.
24. Soda's are crazy expensive; drink water.
25. You can leave the park to eat a picnic lunch that you have kept in the car.
26. The counter service lines are long and crowded. Choosing what you want to order before you get there is a good idea.
27. We don't do a lot of kids meals. We just split a grown-up meal between us.
28. Each restaurant is themed; notice the details.
29. Hotels offer 'free refill' mugs; it's cheaper just to keep drinks in your room.
Now, some of our personal favorite places to eat.
Sit-down meal: Food- LeCellier (EPCOT)
Characters- Akerhaus (EPCOT)
Theme- Oktoberfest (EPCOT)
Fun- PrimeTime Diner (DHS)
Counter Service: Variety- Sunshine Fare (EPCOT)
Food/quantity- Flame Tree BBQ (AK)
Different from norm- Yakatori (EPCOT); Yak&Yeti (AK)
Good to relax and let kids go- Pizza Planet (DHS)
Snacks: Cinnamon Roll- Bakery (MK)
Ice Cream Sandwich- Bakery (MK)
Churros- (Every park)
Hope this helps. I'll be doing other topics in the next few weeks.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Addiction
I think I may becoming addicted to facebook.com. Not really but still...
It has been a very neat way to reconnect with family and friends. I know that I have talked more to some of my cousins since being on facebook than I have in all the previous years. I know that is a sad statement but still true. All the info I've had on them before was filtered through my dad. I never really understood the personal side of each of them as grown-ups. Now, through this service, I have been able to look at their kids pictures, read about their hobbies, and catch up on how they live on a daily basis. It's pretty neat.
I also have reconnected with a lot of my old high school classmates. Some I would consider former (and future) friends, while others were just aquaintences. Some of the people that I wasn't friends with during school, I've found that I have a lot in common with them now. I just goes to prove that during school we are so caught up in our own little dramas that we don't take the time to really get to know people. Maybe it shows just how little we know of ourselves during that time. It takes years of living to finally settle into who you really are as a human.
I, at first, thought that facebook was only for college kids. I'm glad that I got over that misguided thought and dived into the techno age.
It has been a very neat way to reconnect with family and friends. I know that I have talked more to some of my cousins since being on facebook than I have in all the previous years. I know that is a sad statement but still true. All the info I've had on them before was filtered through my dad. I never really understood the personal side of each of them as grown-ups. Now, through this service, I have been able to look at their kids pictures, read about their hobbies, and catch up on how they live on a daily basis. It's pretty neat.
I also have reconnected with a lot of my old high school classmates. Some I would consider former (and future) friends, while others were just aquaintences. Some of the people that I wasn't friends with during school, I've found that I have a lot in common with them now. I just goes to prove that during school we are so caught up in our own little dramas that we don't take the time to really get to know people. Maybe it shows just how little we know of ourselves during that time. It takes years of living to finally settle into who you really are as a human.
I, at first, thought that facebook was only for college kids. I'm glad that I got over that misguided thought and dived into the techno age.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
School Update
It's now almost 3pm and we have put in a full day of learning. I think the day was a success. We did lessons in every subject. The only one that seemed to be a little thin today was Science for Drake. I found a quiz site online; I let him choose a quiz from the 7th grade choice. Well, 10 questions and like, maybe, 2 minutes later, he answered the questions, about plant/animal cells, and got them all correct. Now I know better than to do the quiz before I make him review a topic.
We even had a music lesson today. Drake showed Jilly how to play the piano. He has done the first two pages of a beginner manual. She now knows where middle 'C' is, how to hold her hands, whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes. He even showed her how to play the opening bit of Jurassic Park, for fun.
Now we will see how it goes from here on out. Maybe we will be lucky and get another snow day tomorrow.
We even had a music lesson today. Drake showed Jilly how to play the piano. He has done the first two pages of a beginner manual. She now knows where middle 'C' is, how to hold her hands, whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes. He even showed her how to play the opening bit of Jurassic Park, for fun.
Now we will see how it goes from here on out. Maybe we will be lucky and get another snow day tomorrow.
Snow day = Homeschool day
Today is our first 'snow' day of the year. I put snow in quotes because there is very little snow involved. We have 'ice' days here. The roads are terrible. The kids got out of school yesterday at noon. Since this was an extra day at home I thought it would be a good time for a trial run at homeschool.
We'll see how it goes. It has already started with Drake saying "I want to play Call of Duty" and me saying "DRAKE!" So, I guess we will need patience with each other.
I have a good plan for Jilly for the day. Drake I have an OK plan. I'll try to add a post at the end of the day to share our success or failer.
We'll see how it goes. It has already started with Drake saying "I want to play Call of Duty" and me saying "DRAKE!" So, I guess we will need patience with each other.
I have a good plan for Jilly for the day. Drake I have an OK plan. I'll try to add a post at the end of the day to share our success or failer.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Sad day....Funny story.
We had a sad day on Tuesday. We found out that a neighbor, that we didn't know, passed away suddenly. He was only 44 years old. The people had just moved and were renting this house by us. I had never seen them outside. Well, I asked one of the EMT workers if they had worked the case and who the people are. She said that it was really sad. She asked the women if she(EMT) could call some family for her. The poor lady said that all their family lived in TX. The EMT then asked if there was a friend she could call and the lady said they didn't have any friends in the area. Isn't that just the saddest thing you have ever heard? Your spouse up and dies on you and there is no one to call.
Well, this really bothered me. I felt like I should do something for the lady but I didn't want to just walk up to the house. "Hey, I hear you spouse died. I'm your neighbor." It felt intrusive to me. Well, the next day I was walking up to work and the lady was sitting on her porch. I went over and introduced myself. I told her how sorry I was about her loss and that I wish I had met her under better circumstances. I even gave her a hug freely. For those of you who know me well, you know I have some "personal space" issues, so this is a big thing. Her name is Linda and she works at the prison near by. She said that his family had arrived that morning and that it had been a very long night all by herself.
I told the kids about the situation and we all agreed we wanted to do something for her. So after school, we made up a batch of cookies. I know it's not much but it showed that we cared about her.
Now the story takes another bad turn...
We gather up the cookies and head out over to her house. She lives on the opposite corner diagonal from us. As we walk the house, on our side of the street, the chihuahua, from across the street, races toward us. Barking at us like it was a rottweiler. I told the kids "just keep walking". Of course, we said "shoo, get" to the little demon. Now guess what happens next. Yep, the dog runs back across the street, toward his home, and promptly gets hit by a car! Thunk Thunk!! We are stunned and freaked out to say the least. We cross the street and I hand the cookies to Jilly. I have to tell the people that their dog just got hit by a car. Not a fun job. I know it isn't our fault but I sure feel guilty about it.
After I tell the people about the dog, we go on down to deliver the cookies. We say all the standard stuff and offer our help in any way. Linda is obviously sad with red rimmed eyes etc. As we leave Drake comments on how sad she looked and that he really feels bad for her. Jilly says she is sad for the lady but feels really bad about the dog.
Now for the funny part (if you have a sick sense of humor like me). Drake says to me "I've never seen a animal get hit like that. It was terrible." I respond, "To tell the truth, Drake, I've never seen an animal hit either." Jilly says, "Me neither. It was so sad to see that puppy get hit." Drake in typical teen fashion yells "You didn't see him get hit! You can't see that far!" She snaps back "Well, I heard the thunk thunk! It's the same!!" For some reason this is so funny to me! Both of them indignant about what they experienced.
Well, that was our sad day. We did find out later that the dog lived, as of today anyway. I also hope this teaches us (my family) to reach out to those in our community. No one should have to go through a death or anything traumatic alone.
Well, this really bothered me. I felt like I should do something for the lady but I didn't want to just walk up to the house. "Hey, I hear you spouse died. I'm your neighbor." It felt intrusive to me. Well, the next day I was walking up to work and the lady was sitting on her porch. I went over and introduced myself. I told her how sorry I was about her loss and that I wish I had met her under better circumstances. I even gave her a hug freely. For those of you who know me well, you know I have some "personal space" issues, so this is a big thing. Her name is Linda and she works at the prison near by. She said that his family had arrived that morning and that it had been a very long night all by herself.
I told the kids about the situation and we all agreed we wanted to do something for her. So after school, we made up a batch of cookies. I know it's not much but it showed that we cared about her.
Now the story takes another bad turn...
We gather up the cookies and head out over to her house. She lives on the opposite corner diagonal from us. As we walk the house, on our side of the street, the chihuahua, from across the street, races toward us. Barking at us like it was a rottweiler. I told the kids "just keep walking". Of course, we said "shoo, get" to the little demon. Now guess what happens next. Yep, the dog runs back across the street, toward his home, and promptly gets hit by a car! Thunk Thunk!! We are stunned and freaked out to say the least. We cross the street and I hand the cookies to Jilly. I have to tell the people that their dog just got hit by a car. Not a fun job. I know it isn't our fault but I sure feel guilty about it.
After I tell the people about the dog, we go on down to deliver the cookies. We say all the standard stuff and offer our help in any way. Linda is obviously sad with red rimmed eyes etc. As we leave Drake comments on how sad she looked and that he really feels bad for her. Jilly says she is sad for the lady but feels really bad about the dog.
Now for the funny part (if you have a sick sense of humor like me). Drake says to me "I've never seen a animal get hit like that. It was terrible." I respond, "To tell the truth, Drake, I've never seen an animal hit either." Jilly says, "Me neither. It was so sad to see that puppy get hit." Drake in typical teen fashion yells "You didn't see him get hit! You can't see that far!" She snaps back "Well, I heard the thunk thunk! It's the same!!" For some reason this is so funny to me! Both of them indignant about what they experienced.
Well, that was our sad day. We did find out later that the dog lived, as of today anyway. I also hope this teaches us (my family) to reach out to those in our community. No one should have to go through a death or anything traumatic alone.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Cable Gone!
Today we turned off cable. We still (obviously) have internet but no TV. If we want to watch TV we can watch it through the internet. This does limit the amount of "live" tv you can watch but you can still get current news & weather at places like yahoo.com.
I admit to being a bit scared to disconnect the cable. When I realized that I was scared is when I really made the decision to disconnect. I thought to myself, why in the world should I worry about not having television! It's only television!! People can survive without watching American Idol! I was a bit ashamed of myself. I think the kids had the same feeling. I hope this will prove you don't need TV.
I also hope this will teach them not to fall into the "must have it now" attitude that our society has right now. I think that is a lot of the trouble with people today. They feel that there should be an instant answer to every question or problem. That's just not the way life works. Some of the best things in life take time.
It is also going to give the kids a chance to watch some "classic" TV. They have already become fans of "The Adventures of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids". I know they would NEVER have watched that if I suggested it while our friend Spongebob was still around. Now, I just have to convince them that "Macgyver" is one of the best shows ever!!
I admit to being a bit scared to disconnect the cable. When I realized that I was scared is when I really made the decision to disconnect. I thought to myself, why in the world should I worry about not having television! It's only television!! People can survive without watching American Idol! I was a bit ashamed of myself. I think the kids had the same feeling. I hope this will prove you don't need TV.
I also hope this will teach them not to fall into the "must have it now" attitude that our society has right now. I think that is a lot of the trouble with people today. They feel that there should be an instant answer to every question or problem. That's just not the way life works. Some of the best things in life take time.
It is also going to give the kids a chance to watch some "classic" TV. They have already become fans of "The Adventures of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids". I know they would NEVER have watched that if I suggested it while our friend Spongebob was still around. Now, I just have to convince them that "Macgyver" is one of the best shows ever!!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Book Review: "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
I finished reading "Outliers". It is a very interesting read. It is about what makes an outlier. An outlier is defined as 1: something that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body. or 2: a statistical observation that is markedly different in value from the others of the sample.
Basically it's about what makes a greatly successful person. It goes into a bunch of different aspects that help determine your life outcome. It is really detailed but easy to read.
I took away from it that anyone could become greatly successful but there is only so much we are able to control about it. Most of the determining factors are totally out of our hands. You could say that it is luck. I prefer to think of it as divine intervention.
I think that God has a plan for each of us. He puts before us a set of circumstances that lets us become what we are meant to be. We control to an extent how hard we work at something and if we choose to follow a certain path put before us. After that, it's fate. If you don't get those "lucky breaks" it doesn't matter how hard you try.
I would recommend this book to those who like to think about why we are like we are. Gladwell has a very reader friendly way of writing. His other books are just as fun to read. They really make you say "hhhmmmm".
Basically it's about what makes a greatly successful person. It goes into a bunch of different aspects that help determine your life outcome. It is really detailed but easy to read.
I took away from it that anyone could become greatly successful but there is only so much we are able to control about it. Most of the determining factors are totally out of our hands. You could say that it is luck. I prefer to think of it as divine intervention.
I think that God has a plan for each of us. He puts before us a set of circumstances that lets us become what we are meant to be. We control to an extent how hard we work at something and if we choose to follow a certain path put before us. After that, it's fate. If you don't get those "lucky breaks" it doesn't matter how hard you try.
I would recommend this book to those who like to think about why we are like we are. Gladwell has a very reader friendly way of writing. His other books are just as fun to read. They really make you say "hhhmmmm".
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Middle Age Hair
One of the questions I've always had is when are you old enough to start doing the once a week hairdresser hairdo thing? And why would you want to do that in the first place? I once asked this in front of an older gentleman that I worked with whose wife did this. He told me that when you got "old" you lose strength in your arms. That fixing your hair was just to hard to do. This seems like a good answer because I know that some days that hairdryer seems to weigh a ton!
Then I thought of my mom. She didn't live long enough to get to the hairdresser stage but she did stop "fixing" her hair. You know what I mean? She stopped curling, primping, or spending the time on her hair that I seemed to need. I wondered, at what age does this happen? Well, I think I have an answer.
I was getting ready for work yesterday when it hit me! I don't spend hours on my hair anymore. It is basically blow dry and go. Does this make me lazy? Nope. Does this make me old? I don't think so. I think that you just get to a point that you understand that God gave you what he wanted and you better stop fighting him.
I've come to grips with my naturally curly hair. I've given up the battle to make it stick straight. I understand that my hair is thick and no amount of pulling is going to make it seem smaller.
I wish that it didn't take becoming "old" to figure this out. I wish that I could save my kids the wasted time in front of the mirror. I know that I won't be able to do that though. Because I'm pretty sure my mom tired to tell me this many times while I was growing up. I was just to busy thinking that she was to old to know how the "real world" worked!
Then I thought of my mom. She didn't live long enough to get to the hairdresser stage but she did stop "fixing" her hair. You know what I mean? She stopped curling, primping, or spending the time on her hair that I seemed to need. I wondered, at what age does this happen? Well, I think I have an answer.
I was getting ready for work yesterday when it hit me! I don't spend hours on my hair anymore. It is basically blow dry and go. Does this make me lazy? Nope. Does this make me old? I don't think so. I think that you just get to a point that you understand that God gave you what he wanted and you better stop fighting him.
I've come to grips with my naturally curly hair. I've given up the battle to make it stick straight. I understand that my hair is thick and no amount of pulling is going to make it seem smaller.
I wish that it didn't take becoming "old" to figure this out. I wish that I could save my kids the wasted time in front of the mirror. I know that I won't be able to do that though. Because I'm pretty sure my mom tired to tell me this many times while I was growing up. I was just to busy thinking that she was to old to know how the "real world" worked!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Back to work
I worked today in Weatherford. It's been awhile since I've worked there. There have been a few changes and new personnel since I was last there. I really like the new people that I got to work with. They are getting ready to open up a new store, while keeping the old one open too. Things seemed a bit stressed with all that going on.
I really liked getting to see some "old" friends today. I put old in quotes because all of the friends are quite a bit younger than I am. It is really good to touch base with them. They make me smile with their stories. I know I'm far from old myself but their lives are at such a different stage than mine. I can remember being that young and excited about all the possibilities that lay ahead. I hope that their dreams come true for them. I know their lives are really going to change in the next few years. I hope they stay as positive as they are right now.
I really liked getting to see some "old" friends today. I put old in quotes because all of the friends are quite a bit younger than I am. It is really good to touch base with them. They make me smile with their stories. I know I'm far from old myself but their lives are at such a different stage than mine. I can remember being that young and excited about all the possibilities that lay ahead. I hope that their dreams come true for them. I know their lives are really going to change in the next few years. I hope they stay as positive as they are right now.
Be aware of God
Yesterday I put an assignment to the family. I wanted everyone to open their eyes and hearts to the little things that God puts in our lives. So, I asked everyone to pay attention during the day and watch for things that they thought God put before them. I reminded them that it doesn't have to be some great big move the earth kinda thing. I want them to find God "in the details" of their lives.
Jilly said that she thought God had a hand in her forgetting her lunch. She was able to call home and have me bring it to her. When I took the lunch up to her, I slipped in a little love note and some extra strawberries. She said that if she hadn't forgot her lunch she wouldn't have had the little surprise from me.
Steve said that he found the chance to help one of his customers that has some finacial difficulty. A doctor wrote a note for the patient to buy something over-the-counter (Miralax). Steve told the man that if the docotr would OK it that he could put a prescription type Miralax on the mans insurance. Steve took the time to call the doctor's office and get that change OK'd. That little extra on Steve's part saved the patient about $14. That money might be the difference between eating a decent meal or not.
Drake worked at the concession stand last night. One of his friend didn't have any money to buy a soda. I know that sodas aren't and essential part of growing up but they can be important to a thirteen year old. Drake gave the friend a dollar so that they both could have a soda while they worked the stand.
I wanted some great story to tell the kids when we reviewed the day. Well, God had other plans for me. I kept watching for some great opportunity to arrive. I was sure that God would give me a great lesson to teach the kids. Instead it was I that got taught the lesson. I was able to give advice to a little girl in Jilly's class and her mother about ways to help study for the multiplication tables. That was it. Nothing life saving. Nothing with great impact. But I was the one that was taught the lesson. God is in even the smallest kindnest we show to others. Who knows, telling them about "School House Rock" on YouTube might make the difference in her learning her math.
In total it was a good lesson that we will revisit time and again. We must all be totally aware of the tiniest chance to spread love, aid, and kindnest to the people and things that come into our lives.
Jilly said that she thought God had a hand in her forgetting her lunch. She was able to call home and have me bring it to her. When I took the lunch up to her, I slipped in a little love note and some extra strawberries. She said that if she hadn't forgot her lunch she wouldn't have had the little surprise from me.
Steve said that he found the chance to help one of his customers that has some finacial difficulty. A doctor wrote a note for the patient to buy something over-the-counter (Miralax). Steve told the man that if the docotr would OK it that he could put a prescription type Miralax on the mans insurance. Steve took the time to call the doctor's office and get that change OK'd. That little extra on Steve's part saved the patient about $14. That money might be the difference between eating a decent meal or not.
Drake worked at the concession stand last night. One of his friend didn't have any money to buy a soda. I know that sodas aren't and essential part of growing up but they can be important to a thirteen year old. Drake gave the friend a dollar so that they both could have a soda while they worked the stand.
I wanted some great story to tell the kids when we reviewed the day. Well, God had other plans for me. I kept watching for some great opportunity to arrive. I was sure that God would give me a great lesson to teach the kids. Instead it was I that got taught the lesson. I was able to give advice to a little girl in Jilly's class and her mother about ways to help study for the multiplication tables. That was it. Nothing life saving. Nothing with great impact. But I was the one that was taught the lesson. God is in even the smallest kindnest we show to others. Who knows, telling them about "School House Rock" on YouTube might make the difference in her learning her math.
In total it was a good lesson that we will revisit time and again. We must all be totally aware of the tiniest chance to spread love, aid, and kindnest to the people and things that come into our lives.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Trying to do better
I'm going to try and do better about writing. I've been posting on facebook quite a bit but it's not the same.
As of January 2009, the Drinnon family is no longer taking karate classes. This has freed up TONS of time. We have been able to eat dinner together every night for over a week now. Not only eat together but eat at the kitchen table. I don't think that my kids have ever eaten that many meals in a row at the table. I feel bad about that fact but am glad to have the chance to change it.
The kids are going to each take one night a week to cook dinner for the others. Drake cooked us chicken and rice yesterday. It was a crockpot meal so it was pretty easy and very tasty. Tonight Jillian cooked reuben sandwiches. They tasted very good. She did a very good job putting them together.
Tomorrow night we won't be able to eat together. Drake has to work the concession stand at the school. It is through the band that he has to work. I think he will do a good job at it. He is a natural salesmen.
As of January 2009, the Drinnon family is no longer taking karate classes. This has freed up TONS of time. We have been able to eat dinner together every night for over a week now. Not only eat together but eat at the kitchen table. I don't think that my kids have ever eaten that many meals in a row at the table. I feel bad about that fact but am glad to have the chance to change it.
The kids are going to each take one night a week to cook dinner for the others. Drake cooked us chicken and rice yesterday. It was a crockpot meal so it was pretty easy and very tasty. Tonight Jillian cooked reuben sandwiches. They tasted very good. She did a very good job putting them together.
Tomorrow night we won't be able to eat together. Drake has to work the concession stand at the school. It is through the band that he has to work. I think he will do a good job at it. He is a natural salesmen.
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