I really love my Grandma Lucy.

This started as a comment on my last post, so its a bit rambling.

Thanks everyone who said a prayer.

Its really hard with Grandma Lucy.  She is under hospice care now with a hospital bed in her room and doses of morphine around the clock to keep her pain under control - she was in a lot of pain until yesterday when they started that for her.  She really cannot sit up any longer and standing is out of the question, but she recognized her hospice nurse and knew her name even though she only met her once.  She is lively of mind still, except when coming in and out of a nap - but heck I have that and so does Boo Boo - the "I was thinking of something in my sleep and now it doesn't make sense after I am awake", you know?  Oh, just us then?

She asked me if I thought she would recover from "this" and I told her with lots of kisses that I thought she would feel better.  I don't want her to go, but I know she will get to see my grandpa again and her mother and father.  Its okay - she has had a TERRIFIC life with lots of action.  She is after all the "Original Rowdy".

She told me today I was "squiffy" and I told her that I take after her and she laughed.

She also told me all the things she liked about me and I told her that was because I take after her...and she kissed me more.  I know she didn't want to let go because she is worried...me too.  I want to try and get there again without all the hub-bub of all of us being there.

Anyway, if I am "squiffy" for a while please ignore it.  We got a lot on our plate, but no more than I am sure than we can handle.  I mean I do have T-bone to lean on, he is pretty great.

Love you guys and have a great night.

ML

A to Z of Mommy Lisa

Yup. Glamorous!

A.  Age (For crying out loud do I have to???!!!?) 44 sigh.

B. Bed size: Queen – I would like a King but our room is too small.

C. Chore that you hate: Dusting – I am allergic to dust and I sneeze my way through a box of Kleenex every time I dust.

D. Dogs: I have had three dogs in my life.  Rufus (And yes my cat's name is Roofis, but 'cuz he is CRAZY we spelled it as in "Da Roof is on fire") when I was little – he was a cockapoo and we loved him, but we moved from a farmhouse in Blue Earth to an apartment in Shakopee when my dad got a job so we gave him to a nice family.  Toto was the crazy dog we got and then didn’t have time for so my parents gave him to a nice lady who babied him.  Buck was my dog in Indianapolis – 90 lbs of pit-bull/boxer and he thought he was a lap dog.  When my boyfriend at the time moved out, he took him.  “It’s the dog or the cat.” He said.  And Lucky was my cat for WAY longer so I kept the cat.  I was sure my ex would have gotten rid of the cat and/or ignored him.  Boo.

E. Essential start to your day: Job searching lately.  But the very first thing I must do every day is make the bed.  Yes, I am that person.

F. Favorite color: A very specific bold blue color. 

G. Gold or Silver: Silver – I am too pale to look good in gold.

H. Height: I say 5’5” when asked, but really its 5’4 ½”

I. Instruments you play: I played flute and piccolo in elementary through high school.  I tried taking guitar lessons, but couldn’t fit practice into my routine – yet! I still have the guitar and will try again. 

J. Job title: Unemployed – PTO Secretary – Mommy – Job Searcher – PT LBC for JuiceintheCity.com – too busy and not paid enough – and now Girl Scout Troop helper. 

K. Kids: Three, step-daughter Sair, step-son J-Dogg and @Iambooboolala

L. Live: On the edge.

M. Mother’s name: Mary Ellen – and yes a lot of people call her Mary Ellen, or maybe it’s just my dad? 

N. Nicknames: Dad called me Snicklefritz a lot, in Elementary my friends and I gave each other names – I was Bubbles :P, the first nickname that STUCK was LAB in college.  It was my initials, but everyone called me that for a few years.  Now?  Mama. 

O. Overnight hospital stays: Probably when I was born?  In my late twenties when I had surgery for my neck, then again when the incision got infected!  Then when I had my baby we were there for two nights for some reason…

P. Pet peeves: A lot of things, but right now complicated online job applications.  No lie on one they asked me on the first page to copy and paste my resume, then they asked me to fill out each item on my resume on the next page – no parsing – and you could not move forward until you filled out each section, including HIGH SCHOOL!!!, then they asked me to UPLOAD my resume.  WHO CREATES THESE THINGS???  Online is supposed to mean simpler. 

Q. Quote from a movie: "Men.  You can’t live with them…you can’t shoot them.” St. Elmo’s Fire

R. Right or left handed: Right

S. Siblings: Pete, he’s awesome.
T. Time you wake up: I don’t sleep very well so sometimes 3am – sometimes 7.  When I had to work I had to get up at 4:30 if I was going to the gym before work and 6 if I was just going to work…right now it doesn’t matter unless I have an interview.

U. Underwear: I really like boy shorts.

V. Vegetable you hate: Is red onion considered a veggie?  I hate red onion.

W. What makes you run late: Trying to do too many “things” before I get out the door.  The IshouldjustgodownandputinanotherloadoflaundrythensweepthebasementbeforeIgouptoputawaytowels syndrome.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Hand, ankle, teeth, neck MANY times, chest checking for pneumonia and yes…I had it.  Blah.

Y. Yummy food that you make: I love my cooking usually – but especially my lasagna, alfredo and chicken stew.

Z. Zoo animal: I ADORE the zoo, but I am going to go crazy and say the dolphins.  We were all set to go to our zoo for Family Zoo Adventure – Dolphin Magic tomorrow, but two things.  One of the dolphins injured themselves so it got cancelled and my Grandma Lucy is not feeling well.  Please send prayers for the lady who indulged my every whim as a child.  I am so sad right now – I was not going to say anything about this, but now it’s just pouring out of my keyboard.  My grandma is starting to leave us…her body is just too tired to keep going much longer.  She is still of sound mind, but her poor little body is not cooperating.  My dear hubby is going to drive Boo Boo and me to visit her tomorrow so we can give her kisses and tell her we love her so much.  (Until the ramble I was going to say I also can’t wait to see Dolphin Tale in the theatre.  It must be in the theatre because I want it on a BIG screen.  I will probably cry at that too.) (And YES, its really weird that the link for my chicken stew also brings up a photo of my granny.)

So that is me A to Z.  Link up here and check out more stories and tangents like mine. 

I love you guys thanks for reading.  

Fall Fashion Essentials

I have some fall must-have's but there are not ten....sorry Mama Kat

Number One:  A hot pair of Frye boots

Paired with Number Two - KNEE HI's and Number Three - A denim skirt

Then you have to have Number Four: A cardigan, preferably open and flowing

A little sparkle doesn't hurt.

And FINALLY something you always need - Number Five is V-Neck Sweaters!

I need this one...

There you have it - get shopping, or at least pull out the fall wardrobe from the back of the closet.

Scenes from Country Kitchen

Mom, Boo, Gramps and Grandma walk into a Country Kitchen to have brunch.

B: I want a quarter to play!!! (pointing at the Toy "Hook" Game")
Gramps: I don't have any...
M: No.
Grandma: Maybe after we eat Grandma can find you a quarter.
M: Mom said "NO."
B: *instant fake waterworks*
Grandma: Here, you can have some gum.  Grandma bought you gum.

Yes, Grandma decides to give Boo all her gum instead of let her be upset for about thirty seconds.  Seriously once we sat down with crayons she would have totally forgotten about it.


Sitting at the table with menus...the family works out what to order:

M: Do you want french toast, pancakes...
B: *eyes chocolate chips* PANCAKES!  Chocolate pancakes.
M: Okay then.

Order arrives and Boo has now DROWN the pancakes in syrup:

B: I WANT FRENCH TOAST!!!
M: You had that option...
Grandma: ...here, have one of Grandma's.

Seriously?  Who IS this woman?  ; )

p.s. I love my mommy.

I had to go downtown anyway...

Yesterday I was out downtown trying to source deals and I had heard there was something going on at Target...so I parked in their ramp because its FREE for an hour if you spend $20 in there and I needed stuff anyway.  

So I saw her, "Little" Marina.  I have to say - she may have style, but that is one creepy lookin' doll...

See for yourself and check her out on Twitter and her BLOG!

p.s. I got Missoni Knee-hi's because I love a good boot/knee-hi/skirt combo in fall

HELP! She is going to kill me...

Oh no Mama! Not ME!?!?!?

Yes, you!  That's who.

Dear @Iambooboolala,

Just because you decide to wake up at 6:49 am on Monday morning does not mean your 12:55 pm bus is going to come sooner.  It is HOURS my dear child before Bus Man Scott will arrive at the corner to take you off to school and the wonder that is Mrs. E's room.  

I know, I know, it IS a school day today.  But honey!  School starts at 1:05 pm, not immediatelyfollowinglunch that you have been begging for since 10:22 am. And for the record Bubba, we are not eating until noon at the earliest so you can stop badgering me with the whine of "I AM STARVING." because you are NOT starving.  You got bacon and cocoa crispies for breakfast - AND juice too.  

You will survive.  

Really?  Really?  Daddy HAD to come home and say, "Why aren't you at the bus yet?" at 12:38 pm.  Sigh.  

Now...to keep myself calm and not checking for the bus every second until 3:58 pm when they deliver her home.  

How is your school year so far?

Como Town for My Girls

I am totally serious...have you ever SEEN a cooler hat?  I mean come ON people!!!

My dad got a deal for two unlimited ride wristbands, face painting and water wars for his grandbabies so we went to have a pick-nic - Boo Boo was excited to say the very least.

Huffin' and Puffin'

GLITTER-FLY

ALL ABOARD

Shake ya later Peeps.  Mommy Out.

Why, YES, I did camp over Labor Day Weekend.

Yesterday my husband set up our new tent to put seam sealer on it.

Then he wanted to try blowing up our new air mattress, just to make sure it worked and didn't have holes.

Then my child convinced him to sleep in the tent in our backyard.

Now they are sitting up and playing, "Skunk in the barnyard, P U!  Somebody farted...."

My family is so weird.

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair!

Last Monday at the Minnesota State Fair was Senior and Kids Day - so I convinced my Dad to take Boo Boo and I for some fun.

Yeah, not a lot of convincing necessary, my Dad loves the Fair - for people-watching and Pronto Pups!

@Iambooboolala had to pet EVERY sheep in the sheep barn

Grandpa had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb....

They had a "working" farm for the Li'l Farm Hands to get feed chickens for the eggs, ride tractors, pick vegetables, get wool from sheep, sell all of their wares at the market and then shop for an item.  It was fun once we got through the massive initial line!  AND they moved our wagon ahead as the other wagons and strollers were taken by their owners.  It was cool to just pick-up the handle and go!

 Also I had never been in the Butterfly House - Boo Boo saw it and begged to go inside.  It was AWESOME.  Loved every minute gazing at the butterflies...and they loved me!  At any given time I had  three or four attached to me somewhere.

Radio Disney was in the house!!!  Boo Boo wanted a photo op with Phineas, Ferb, Candice and clan!

And it was a celebration of Mr. Bubble at the Fair too!  She would have been happy if we stayed there
ALL.DAY.LONG - but Grandpa got hungry for some fries.

If you haven't gone to the Fair, are you going before Labor Day?  What is YOUR favorite thing?

Mine.  The memories.

Oh and the Giant Slide!  We went TWICE!