sing out loud, sing out strong

Alright, it's Sunday night, both band gigs done and I'm exhausted...we still have Monday to go!

Saturday night - backyard band - fun times!  We had a good, family-oriented crowd (all family members and close friends), we sang for about 1.5 hours and then just hung out in the backyard.  I went home about 10 due to 1, tiredness and 2, 2 dogs in my kitchen most likely eating my kitchen floor.  They didn't do too much damage, and I pretty much fell asleep straight away.

Sunday evening - benefit gig - (short aside: this was a benefit for a young family, wife with stage 4 colon cancer and they have an 8 month old baby, so hopefully they will raise some good money and we were happy to be a part of it) went very well.  We were much cleaner than our previous gigs, although when you play outside you kind of lose the sound.  But we had a good set of covers and things went well.  I know people took pictures so I might be able to post some of both nights.

So now Danny is still at the benefit listening to the other bands while I again, went home due to tiredness and dogs.  It's 9:15 and we have to get up tomorrow and leave by 9 am.  I am already dreading it.

Friday night I was awake from 2-5:30 for various reasons and I caught like a 30 minute nap before noon.  Last night I slept fine but Harrison decided we needed to get up at 6am and when I finally got her to nap (I swear I'm ready for a baby) I slept for a couple more hours.  Now, if I go to bed soon, which I plan on doing, I will get a good amount of sleep but I think I'm still going to be tired tomorrow.  

Ah well, I love long weekends and am certainly not looking forward to going back to work, so I'll enjoy tomorrow and relax in the afternoon (hopefully)!

Union Picnic, here we come!

erin

p.s.  Even though we didn't come home at the same time, I still get to go home with the drummer!  Hotness!

Sing, Sing A Song...

Or 12...

This is going to be quite a weekend!

So, this afternoon I am going back to Bloomington with Mom and Dad to again, see the new house. Which means I get to leave work early (again!).

After I get back, there is band practice. This could last awhile. It will be my third night of practice. And here's why:

Saturday night I will be singing with my brother-in-law, Ross, and our friend Nick in his backyard band for their annual labor day party. We've been practicing for a few months and it's something Ross has always wanted to do, so cool that we're really doing it! So that day will consist of packing up equipment, moving a drum set (no, Danny is not the drummer this time, this music is too mellow for his tastes), and getting all that to set up and then performing, drinking and such to follow.

Okay, then on Sunday, the other band, Pearly's Best, has a performance at a benefit. I just read about it in the paper, our band name is listed and we're on the flyers around town. !. Wow, so I CANNOT overdue it at the Saturday party singing-wise so I have a good voice for the Sunday show. We're playing for about an hour there, so not too bad. If anyone would like to come watch (obligatory band plug ahead) we are playing at 5pm and I guess it's $20/person which includes a steak dinner, but I've heard that if you don't eat, you don't have to pay. However, it is for a good cause, so it's not like it's just $20 going to the man.

On Monday, we were going to walk in the labor day parade, but now we have to deliver the 1197 cookies Danny's mom has made for the union picnic and help set up the food and...RUN THE HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT! That's big time stuff, kids. Big time.

I hope to come home and collapse that afternoon. Maybe I will see if Mom and Dad would like to spend Monday with a very cute puppy so I can totally neglect my "dog-mom" responsibilities and nap instead of caring for her. It's usually a pretty easy sell, but I don't know what they have going on that day. We'll see.

That's all.

erin

It's just another day in paradise

Seriously, I have NOTHING to tell you today. It's just another day. I feel like my more boring blogs come on rainy days. I get no inspiration to write anything and I cannot think of anything particularly exciting to talk about.

Here are some fun random pictures to make up for no news...

I'm sorry, but this is like the cutest picture ever.

This is Harrison, hiding from the vacuum cleaner.

That's me and Mike, the bass player, before practice...I am hurrying to make dinner first. I think this is the only picture of my short hair so far.

This is how Danny solved the issue of Harrison getting out of the kitchen during the day while not being confined to a crate for hours. Drastic, but we love it!

And finally, these are suspicious footprints in the dust on TOP OF THE DINING ROOM TABLE!.
Good thing I let the dust build up enough to catch the culprit after the fact!

It's Getting Better All the Time, It Can't Get No Worse

Today is Wednesday. Week half over....sort of. Another "no boss" work week to keep me hanging on.

I've been noticing a lot of other bloggers have a good/bad list to kind of wrap up the week...things that were good, things that kind of sucked. Here is some of that from me, and yes, I know it's only Wednesday.

Good: My tooth is fixed! I was in the chair for literally 3 minutes this morning; my filling had to be filed down a bit as it was too high and throwing off my bite, thus the pain.

Bad: I went to bed with a headache and woke up with a headache. I really don't enjoy that! I still have the headache too.

Good: Today is my 5th day in a row of taking a daily vitamin. Now, you may think that is nothing/pathetic, but in my world, 5 consecutive days of vitamins is fantastic. I'm not sure why I am so bad at taking them, but I am. It's not that I don't believe in their value or that I even forget all the time, I just have NO motivation to take them, so I'm working on that.

Bad: We had a "brown out" on Monday night due to a substation catching on fire. Right before we were going to start band practice, too. It lasted for about 2 hours.

Good: We all just kind of hung out in the front yard with the dogs during said brown out and it was a good time. Talked to some of the neighbors, entertained ourselves without electricity.

Bad: I have to go buy groceries tonight.

Good: I only went grocery shopping twice this month, spending (based on today's upcoming purchases) approximately $150 total. I love that. It really helps to make food from scratch and not buy pre-packaged stuff.

Bad: Waiting for stuff sucks.

Good: When things finally work out, it's wonderful (see previous blogs).

That might be about all for the past couple of days. Have a good one!

erin

Anything you want, you got it

They got their house!

My sister and brother-in-law really had a hectic 24 hours from Sunday night to Monday night. They managed to both sell and purchase homes. Yay! The house they bought (which is of course contingent on everything going through with the selling) is really cute in a great little neighborhood on a cul-de-sac...a nice area.

I really did have a great time helping out yesterday and to have everything work out like that just goes to show that everything eventually works out. Emy and I were talking about how much we hate that sometimes...the waiting and wondering just when things will finally be how you want them to be, but then, you sell and buy a house all in the same day!

They move in the middle of October, so it's coming right up. She will probably post pictures on her blog, so go on over there and check it out!

Our House is a Very Very Very Fine House

Hey, I am late in posting today because I did not go to work...how am I posting you ask (as we don't have internet at home)? I am STEALING IT FROM A NEIGHBOR! I am so excited that I finally found a spot in our house to steal, a neighbor without a password protected internet connection, and a little time to blog this evening before practice.

I was not at work today because I went to Bloomington to hang out with my sister and look at houses. If you read her blog, you know she is stressfully trying to sell her house. Well, I guess someone (read the Sunday blog) was really interested and after a few hoops to jump through, bought the house!! And, she, Nick and I, found a house they really love! So, it was a successful day and really fun, too. So that's what I did instead of working and I had a fabulous time!

Hope everyone had a good weekend. We did. We had a really good time eating with Brant and Ashley and Lauren on Friday, and then they all visited back at our house for a bit afterwards. Dogs and small child got along swimmingly. Saturday we went over to Springfield to get Danny fitted for his tux for the upcoming wedding in October he is in. That evening we went to a party for a bit and then out to listen to a friend's band. Sunday we vegged out and had some family time with Danny's family.

All in all, a good couple of days!

erin

It's a nice day for a white wedding

I was just reminiscing about my wedding with myself (reminiscing like it was so long ago).



What a fun day that was! Even this soon after I don't remember all the things that happened. I was so unaware with what other people were doing, I was just dancing a have a great time! I probably should have talked to my guests more than I did, but I was too busy breaking it down. Sorry guests!



We have already attended one wedding as a married couple, it was kind of weird! Definately an oddly same/different kind of experience. Same in that attending weddings all have the same kind of feeling...the walk down the aisle, vows, rings, unity candle sameness. Different in that, I know I've done that, I know what that is like, what that feels like and that I am sitting in the audience as a married person! In October, we're going to a wedding that Danny is a groomsman for. That, I think, will be even more strange in that my husband will be standing up there with his little wedding ring on and I will be watching him knowing he's been there, done that. I'm sure all you married people understand the strangeness of doing things as a married person that you've done as a single person and can recognize the different feeling of it.

It's fun to be an observer of your spouse while he/she does something cool. Then you can say, yep, that's my husband/wife out there!

I really like being married. Don't get me wrong, some days it's more like...I know there is a reason we got married, though it's kind of foggy right now...but most of the time, it's pretty flipping cool!

erin

I don't wanna work, I just wanna bang on the drums all day

I. strongly. dislike. work. strongly.

So, you ever have those days at work that you get there and everything seems fine, but then you come across someone who just turns the day sour? I have so many of those days. This is one of those days as well. It doesn't take much around here, I tell ya. Oh well, been there, done that...the day will end eventually. People keep asking me if I will ever become a tradition teacher like I went to school for and you know what, I don't think so. A part of me feels bad for that, but another part of me, the larger part, just wants to have kids and stay home. And what is so wrong with that? I grow tired of the asking, like what I'm doing right now is not good enough or right or something. I was teaching previously here where I work, making very little money, and that also seemed not good enough for people, but I loved it. Maybe I'll get to do it again, I would love that. And yes, money is essential in life, but it shouldn't dictate what you enjoy doing and your passions. Whatever, it's just one of those days where I question what I'm doing, and what lies ahead for me and my family, you'll have those days.

Shopping yesterday was fun. Mom and I had lunch and then wandered around a few stores. Picked up a birthday present for a 1-year old party coming up. Got Danny a new shirt for work (exciting), nothing for myself this time, but it was a fun afternoon.

That's all today.

erin

ps. Danny called while I was typing this post just to say hi and hear my voice. I love that guy.

We Love Dirty Laundry

Today I am taking off work at noon! It's 11 right now...so close!

Mom and I are going shopping this afternoon and then I will return home to put clothes away and do more laundry. Laundry is a hang up of mine. I will do the laundry, happily. I will change from washer to dryer like it's a day at the park. I will bring the clothes up from the basement and 97% of the time fold them and not even mind too much. Normally, the "putting away" process would take place here. Normally.

I really don't enjoy the putting away process. I never have. Ever. I feel REALLY accomplished when I do put clothes away. It really makes a big difference as far as house cleanliness goes.

So in my world of laundry, the clean folded clothes sit in the laundry baskets until I have enough dirty laundry to do sitting on the floor of our closet. Then, I have to put all the clean clothes away in order to empty the basket, so I can then fill it again with dirty clothes and take them downstairs to wash, which I do happily, as you read. This is a terrible cycle and I must stop doing it, but somehow by the time the "putting away" rolls around, I just have no energy/desire to mess with it. Plus, Danny NEVER EVER puts his stuff away, so I have to put everything away. No fair, I say!

So tonight, I will put away clean clothes from last week (my mother is like cringing as she reads this) and wash the current dirty clothes and try my best to put them away tonight! I've done it before, it's just so rare an occasion.

In other news, my tooth that was filled last week...HURTS! When I press down or chew, I feel a sharp pain and experience a metallic taste. I feel this is somehow wrong. I so don't want to go back to the dentist (3 times in a month?! Craziness) but I think I'm going to have to. Boo! Although I feel a third trip should be no charge. This is obviously a mistake on the part of the dentist who somehow screwed up a filling (I'm assuming), so I should not have to pay. I will have to investigate this entire situation further.

Everyone enjoy your day, sorry if you are stuck at work, I will send happy thoughts your way!

erin

We're An American Band

We had band practice last night. We're a little roughed up, too.

Danny has been "diagnosed" with tendonitis. A mild case, but he has to wear a brace to work for a while and an ice brace during his down time. They gave him a prescribed steriod, but he isn't taking that because yikes, I don't think it's quite that serious...Ibuprofen works too. He can still drum, but his wrist hurts too.

Jason shot a nail through his finger yesterday. Luckily, it was on his "pickin' hand" and he can still play, but again, his finger hurts.

Mike (the bass player) seems to be alright, and I'm fine, although I was going through puberty last night with all the crackiness in my voice I was experiencing. We did, however, have to do You're No Good like 3 times in a row for the guys to get it together and that's a big time singing song, so by the end of the 3 run through, my voice was done with it.

We have a show coming up on August 31st (Sunday) at 5pm at the Elk's Lodge? Club? out on 27th street. Another benefit (our 3rd one, which means a non-paying gig...again), we're playing for an hour...come on by and have a listen if you're able!

erin

Get Your Motor Running...

I forgot to mention this regarding this weekend...

So...who's husband got to ride in the Tony Stewart tahoe pacecar for like 10 minutes at Macon Speedway this past Friday night? Mine! I know, I know...he's hot stuff.

One of Danny's really good friends from high school works at the speedway and called him down from the Burdick Plumbing party (in the private lounge-by invite only, mind you)* to ride with him in the Tahoe which is being raffled. They went so many times around the track and then he got stuck in the middle of the track with the rest of the crew for a 30 lap midget car race. Very loud!

Anyway, that was a good time. Really good free food and free drinkage.

erin

*if you haven't been to Macon Speedway then you must realize that a classy joint, it ain't. However, the little private room is decent and provides a dirt-clump free, somewhat quieter atmosphere in which to enjoy cars crashing around a dirt racetrack.

Oh Where, oh where has my little dog gone?

Here it is...the story of the weekend:



Sunday was a very nice day. I went with my parents to visit the farm house that my dad's dad built and they lived in. It's currently for sale for $450,000, so even though it would be so cool to live on those 40 acres, that's a tad out of my price range. But a lot of the furniture his parents sold with the house was still in there! Nice stuff too! I thought we should have been able to get it back, myself. Dad managed to get his boy scout oar from a canoing trip he took. Apparently the thing has been sitting in his old bedroom for about 40 years, undisturbed.



Anyway, later, we had dinner and Danny joined us with Harrison. We left for home to do some tree trimming in our backyard...which had gotten a bit overgrown this summer (another reason why we shouldn't be responsible for 40 acres of land-we don't do a good enough job with less than 1).



We trimmed the hell out of our yard. Took out an entire tree (small one), branches, a bush, and lots of weeds along the back fence. It looks tons better. Harrison helped the whole time, though she wasn't sure about the lawn mower noise or the electric hedge trimmer. She did help chew up sticks and branches, however.



So we get done and go inside and wash up. Danny has to go run an errand quickly and as he leaves, I begin making his lunch for work (coincidentally, he is home sick today, so this wasn't even necessary!). I notice the kitchen has become oh-so-quiet and no one is standing at my feet waiting for cheese. Where was Harrison? Had she left the kitchen already? I called her, nothing. This didn't concern me as she doesn't always come when called. I got her treat bag down from the top of the fridge and shook it and called. Still nothing. Well that's odd, she usually comes for treats. I better go looking for her through the house. Hey guess what? She is nowhere in the house. ?!? Where in the heck is the dog?



I call Danny's cell phone...no answer. Did he take her with him? Possibly. Did he say he was taking her? I don't think so, but I really have no idea. Call again. No answer. ! . Call his parents house (he was heading there). No, Danny has been here and gone. Did he have the dog? Yes. Whew! Danny said you told him to take her...what? (At this point I was walking our street looking for her while on the phone...I had turned to walk home upon this phone call).



I certainly don't remember telling him to take her just now. I did tell him to take her when we were leaving Mom and Dad's and he did stop by his parents' house then too. Hmm...



Danny calls. Do you have the dog? No.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I. FREAKED. OUT.



SHE IS GONE! SHE IS NOT IN THE HOUSE, OH MY GOD, SHE IS TOTALLY GONE, ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T HAVE HER? uh, no, rechecking the car here, no. OH MY GOD!

I'm on my way home.



So now I'm frantically running around my street, calling the dog, teary (trying to not cry, as neighbors are starting to look my way).



All I could think was, my dog is gone. Her collar was on, but the tag wasn't on it, she has no chip, she is a pure bred golden retriever. She has been nabbed. She is gone forever. Puke!



A neighbor at the end of the street asks me if I'm okay as I stand in the middle of the road just staring around me. Have you seen a golden retriever puppy with a green collar?!!!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?! No dogs have been down this way, we've been out here for about 20 minutes. Okay thanks. So I turn and start running back down the other way, past our house and I notice the motion light is on. Did I set that off? I ran into our backyard...no dog. Then, something made me go back in the house. Why? I had checked the bedrooms, I had looked in the basement, the little bathroom off the kitchen, front porch, everywhere! I ran into the kitchen and as I ran by the pantry, I flung the door open...





Harrison came running out...you found me!



She had been just sitting, SITTING in the pantry and not making ANY NOISE WHATSOEVER!



Danny runs in the house..



Um, she was in the pantry.



Then I cried...all the adrenaline came rushing out of me.



And Harrison promptly fell asleep on the kitchen floor.



I called Mom and proceeded to laugh until I cried even more for about 30 minutes.



Moral of the story: when in doubt, check your pantry!



erin

Picture

Here are some pictures I've been promising...

Here is the photo collage of wedding pictures that I finally finished after many trips to walmart...

Here it is hanging in the stairway

Here are a couple shots of the dining room in progress...(and Harrison)...drywall

more drywall

Primed walls and new ceiling fan (and check out that recessed lighting!)

And with the final color...and Harrison again.

Looking into the living room (full of dining room stuff).

Kind of dark, but look at those nice clean windows!!

So there is an update!

erin

You don't realize how much I need you

I miss my husband!

In this past week I think I've spent a total of 8 hours with Danny, if you don't count those precious moments that we are both asleep.

Too much working is going on! We had band practice together Monday night, which is always enjoyable and Tuesday I had other band practice with Danny's brother. Wednesday I worked until 10 pm (!) and last night we both had meetings...me, a volunteer meeting, he, a union meeting. Plus, he had to go see the doctor afterwork because he has tendinitis in his wrist (so says the doctor). So I didn't even see him until he got home at 11:30 last night and I was asleep.

I think we need a little quality time together this weekend. We are going to the speedway tonight, so you can count on some special husband/wife moments to happen there, amidst the flying dirt clumps and crashes.

Soon his classes will start again after labor day and he will be gone until about 9:30 2 nights a week. This is what has to be done and I'm okay with that, but sometimes I just miss him.

erin

I have become comfortably numb

I have been back to the dentist. I can't feel the entire left side of my face.

It was a very quick cavity fill, but man, I just don't enjoy the 2 hours of numbness afterwards! I'm trying to stay in my office for awhile because talking to people like this is never fun or very attractive.

That's really all I have for today. Sorry for the shortness...maybe I'll feel more like blogging later on.

erin

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday

It's seriously only Tuesday?! Yes!

I feel like it should already be Thursday. I think it is because I have to work 2 nights this week and I have band practice every other night this week...blah on busy evenings! Sorry babe, no dinners this week!

I have one very sad little puppy sitting at home in her crate today. She hasn't had to be in the crate for weeks. WEEKS! However, yesterday I came home to the usual chewed baseboards (I've determined our kitchen theme is now "rustic") to find a new addition to the remodel. Harrison found the seam in the linoleum (sp?) and RIPPED UP THE FLOOR! Now, she didn't do too much damage, but there was a noticable section of floor pulled back to reveal the subfloor. Frantically, I found super glue in the garage and did my best, but she did eat some of the linoleum, so I put a small rug on top of it until we redo our floors. Which I wasn't planning on for some time. This dog is quite the stylist. She is going to spend at least the next few days back in the crate, although she now knows life outside the crate and puts up quite a resistance to getting in there, and then she will be having morning walks (I really am going to try) before being left in the kitchen. I hope this solves the problem. Good thing she has the cutest face to get herself out of any real trouble!

Man! It's only 3 pm! I just looked at my clock and I really think it should be 5 by now. Longest. Week. Ever. For so many reasons people...so many reasons!

The Bargain Store

This is a song by Dolly Parton. I tell ya, there is a song for every occasion!

Tuscola proved to be a great success! I laid down a few dollars, but needless to say I will not have to buy anything else for my fall wardrobe this year. I'm not saying I replaced everything I own, but I added 4 new tops, 2 pairs of pants (including black-score!) and a hoodie, plus, Danny got a new shirt out of the deal too. I had a really good time!

After shopping, the three of us (me, Susannah, and our friend Millie) we went swimming at Millie's sister's house. Also lots of fun! We had lunch first at a cute little tea room in Tuscola run by a little old lady and I'm assuming her husband. A limited menu, but excellent food! And well-priced for a tea room.

We got home around 6:15 and Danny was gone golfing so I went to my mom and dad's with Harrison for a few hours and finally home to relax and fall asleep by 10 pm. What a great day that was!

Sunday was breakfast made by the hubby (at noon, but still a nice gesture), more relaxation, dish cleaning, opened windows, funny dogs, dinner with in-laws, leftovers, a movie, laundry folding, and bed.

And it's Monday!

erin

ps. Now, I was promised breakfast in bed on Saturday night at 2:30 in the morning when Danny got home from watching a UFC fight at a friend's house (so fun). I have been promised breakfast in bed before in the wee hours of the morning, and usually, that means "breakfast" at noon. This time I had to wake him up because I was so hungry for food! But he made a good spread!

I'm so excited!

That is my ringtone. Has been for quite sometime and I think it's about time for a change.

Otherwise, I am kind of excited and for no real reason. It's Friday, I have some fun weekend plans, I think we're having band practice tonight.

I think tomorrow while shopping, I will look for cute fall tops, black pants, a new pair of capris, maybe shoes?! I haven't purchased shoes in so long and I. love. shoes. I could use a new pair of fall shoes, black, I think. I'll let you know if I'm successful in any of these ventures.

I must also find some time to visit with my girls Ashley and Kayla! It's been a while since we've done anything. That's a goal for next week, definately.

Sorry about the total randomness of this blog. It really has no form or point, but that's my mood at this point. Unfocused, but happy!

Happy weekend to you all!
erin

Another One Bites the Dust!

I went to the dentist this morning. I have a cavity (so the title reference is to my teeth, in case you didn't put it together).

Just one, and I haven't been to the dentist in like 2 or 3 years, so not bad. Still, I have to go back next week and yuck. Oh well.

Then I went to the car place to have my oil changed and brake pads looked at, hoping I wouldn't have to replace them for $$$. I had to replace 2 filters and the transmission fluid for $$. It took an hour and a half.

All in all, a killer morning!

I came into work at 1, so that's a perk and band practice is cancelled tonight due to first Bears' game of the season so I have a night to actually cook dinner and put laundry away. I know it seems like work, but it's actually great! I enjoy an organized house and a dinner that doesn't consist of frozen pizza or cereal. And we are not going to Macon Speedway this Saturday. First, I was told it was this Saturday, then, this Friday. In reality, it's next Friday, so now I have an empty Friday and Saturday night to fill with something. Plus, I am going to the outlet stores in Tuscola Saturday during the day for some girly shopping with friends.

Things are looking to relax a tiny bit. Danny is doing a little dining room work this weekend as he doesn't have to work Saturdays anymore (for now). And, it's finally not blistering outside, rather enjoyable.

Plus, boss is out of town tomorrow!! Get pumped!

Let's break out the weekend early folks!

erin

ps. I have chiggers, not mosquito bites...well, I have mosquito bites, but the chiggers have killed my feet and ankles. Again, yuck!

pps. Mamma Mia - 2 out of 5. Fun in the sense that it's a totally random, unrealistic, over-the-top musical with 1 too many songs. But the evening with the in-laws, fantastic!

Cat Scratch Fever!

Replace "cat" with "mosquito" and you have my Wednesday...


I am itching like CRAZY! I have had about 947 mosquito bites for the majority of the summer and I tell ya, I'm about to cut my legs off. They are huge, red, scabbed over (from the "scratch until bloody" method I currently use), just welts all over my feet, ankles, and back?! This last one perplexes me as I, more often than not, wear a shirt. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the first freeze to hit any time now.


In other news, I'm going to dinner tonight with my mother and father-in-law and sister-in-law and then we're going to see Mamma Mia. Fun! I guess they went to see it and both enjoyed it (go Dale) and told their sons to take their wives. Sons thought otherwise, so they are taking us and dinner at Pastabilities! Nice! I'll review in my next blog.


And finally, I must devote a portion of my blog today to my own father. He is fabulous. Not only did he help me prime the entire dining room plus ceiling, he then took it upon himself to scrap window trim, prime, paint, clean (like I have new windows clean) and paint the walls of the dining room their final color! I only had to buy supplies and then admire the work done each day when I got home. Plus, he took the dogs out and entertained them and even mowed our lawn! A girl can't do much better in the father department, I tell ya. He would love to finish up the project too (crown molding and baseboards and such) but Danny is going to work on that. He also is happier than a clam that Dad did so much work while he endured the 10/6 work weeks. He now wants a piece of the dining room action and he's got a carpenter friend (actually Jason, a band member) who's going to help him put it all up. This will definately not be done as quickly as Dad would do it, but it will get done soon. However, without the "Max" part of the project, we could still be looking at primed, bare walls. So thank you Dad (and don't worry, a personal thank you will also come again the next time we see you) I love you!

Have a good Wednesday!

erin

Life is what happens to you while you're BUSY making other plans

I just ate Subway at my desk.

I barely even have time to each lunch these days. I work 8-5 and Danny works a 10 hour day, so between the two of us, anything that has to get done (i.e. go to DMV to get license plate sticker-late no less) during the week happens on my lunch hour...IF I can get Mom or Dad to let our dogs out for me (which they usually can). This drives me insane. A lunch hour is not enough time to do anything plus eat lunch, and the lunch always comes last to enusre you get done what needs to get done during that hour. Bleck! (I don't know, "bleck" just seemed to work out right then).

So basically, this pesky job of mine keeps getting in the way of my life. We have so many "extra-curriculars" going on that time after work and on weekends just gets swept away as well, but we really enjoy those things, so that's not going to give. The only solution, really, is for me not to have a full time job. At this present moment in time, that's not going to happen, but let me tell ya, I'm working on it. I used to work a part time gig here at the same place that actually used my college degree to an extent (teaching) which paid so very little, but allowed me the freedom to set my own hours and get things done, hell even relax and enjoy myself during the week. Then I decided it was more important to pay bills and so forth, so I had to get something salaried with benefits so I applied for and took another position within the organization. And I'm thankful for having both the salary and benefits. They have allowed me to live a very nice little life. However, now Danny is making really decent money (don't get me wrong, we're not "rich", "loaded", or even "impressive") that we can make work for us if need be. So my entire view has shifted. Plus, it's no secret that we want to add to our little family soon, so my priorities are also shifting. This job, especially this one, is not worth sacrificing a family for.

Like I said, right now, everything will remain as is as far as I know and I'm okay with that, but I would just like to let Life know, I'm open for suggestion!

erin

Go, Speedracer, Go!

I forgot to mention...

Danny informed me of our plans for next Saturday night...

"Hey, don't make any plans for next Saturday night."

"Why, what are we doing?"

"We are going to MACON SPEEDWAY."

"We are?!?!!!!"

"Oh yeah!"

"Just you and me?!?!?!?!!!!"

"No, it's Burdick night at the Speedway. Or at least we get the private box and free drinks and stuff."

"Wow! The private box!"

So friends, I'm off to the speedway. I have managed to avoid this place for like 15 years or so. My sister used to work there (fancy pants). However, I am intrigued by the "private box" and hanging out with a bunch of plumbers. This will be my first "fitter function" (plumbers and pipefitters) as we call them as the wife! And at Macon Speedway, no less? This is big time!

erin

Sunshine Day

It's from that Brady Bunch song...it was just in my head all of a sudden, and its appropriate for the day.

Today is going to be very, very, very, very hot. Love it.

The parade was all in all a good time. Not as warm as expected and I actually rode in the wagon instead of walking so that worked out well. I saw a lot of people I knew along the parade route and the tunes were well-received. And yes, that was my ONLY appearance at the Decatur Celebration this year!

I cleaned my house (finally) on Saturday morning. I dusted, vacuumed, put random things away, and even deep-cleaned my carpets...well the spots on the carpet anyway. And I finally cleaned the bathroom! Whew! I have been threatening it with a cleaning for weeks now and finally got my butt in gear and did it and its much better now. I did not clean the kitchen. I took a break to eat lunch right before I was going to do the kitchen (I did put dishes in the dishwasher) and then my mom and sister called. She was in town picking up Austin and requested I come play over there for a while. So I left the kitchen for another day. (Also, Danny will randomly feel the need to clean the house and always does the kitchen and does a kick-ass job of it and then he makes the beds...that's about it and that's pretty few and far between, but I'm hoping he'll feel the need one of these days).

On Sunday, Danny and I spent the better part of the morning laying in bed...he sleeping, me watching tv because it was dark and rainy and I highly enjoyed it. Then I went out into the world with Mom and finally got my wedding pictures. It was the same lady at Walmart and she was trying to be overly nice about the whole thing, but I wasn't having it. So I said little to nothing, paid, and left. Yay pictures! I finished my wall collage frame and will post a picture of it soon.

So things are getting done and I am happy about it! And now Emy and I have a new blog together that you should all check out! http://www.evansgirlsmenus.blogspot.com/

I Love A Parade

Kind of.

I think I have been in more parades that I have watched in person. I have walked, marched, sat, and ridden in more parades that I can think of. I think I've done the Decatur Celebration parade at least 5 times (twice marching with the youth band, twice for work, one other time for something else I can't quite remember), my high school homecoming parade 4 times (3 in marching band, 1 on the senior float in a prom dress), my college homecoming parade 2 times (with my service fraternity), and last year was my debut in the Labor Day parade as a recently engaged finacee of a union member. This year, I get to be a wife. Last year, we got to ride in a truck, this year I think we have to walk...so much for the perks of marriage!

So that's what I'll be doing tomorrow in the 97 degree weather (heat index of 105). Walking in the Decatur Celebration parade. The theme is "Dancing in the Streets." So tonight while I am babysitting my nephew, Austin, I have to make a cd of appropriate theme songs for the Conservation District to "dance in the street" to. Here is my list:

Dancing in the Street (not the creepy Mick Jaggar/David Bowie version either, probably the Mama's and the Papa's version)
Proud Mary (Rolling on the River)
Shake a Tail Feather - Ray Charles
Take Me To the River
Crocodile Rock
Born to be Wild
Bad Moon Rising
Summertime Blues
Heard it Through the Grapevine
Dancing in the Moonlight
Walking on Sunshine
Spirit in the Sky
Welcome to the Jungle
Hot Fun in the Summertime
Dance to the Music

I have a few backups as well. But the trick was to find songs that A. were danceable, B. had some kind of nature theme in the title (i.e. a season, wild, moon, sun, etc) and C. was appropriate for a crowd. I am the resident music guru around here (thanks, Dad) so I got to be in charge of this. Hopefully everyone will enjoy it.

It's Friday people! Just one workday to go and then a little relief. I have to run by the bank over work and deposit Danny's check...first one with the overtime...yeah, buddy! Although the guy is getting way tired and now maybe has to work 7 tens! That's 10 hours, EVERYDAY. Poor hubby.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Come out to the parade!

erin