*Sigh*

Today I went back to the doctor to have my nose burned again. This time she fired it up. I look a little like a distant cousin of Rudolph, if you know what I mean. I can tell it's going to blister up pretty good. She started out with a regular size swab and then said, "You know what? I'm not getting good ground with this one. Let's break out the Texas Swab. "Texas swab!" I shouted. "Everything is bigger in Texas. Is this what you mean?" "Yep," she answered. She pulled out a swab as round as my pinky. She opened up the canister, dipped the swab, and said, "Here we go!" It burned so bad my eyes started watering. She began to giggle and said I had cotton fibers stuck to my nose. Thankfully it was all over. Haa! "Let's do it one more time," she suggested. She ended up burning it three times again. Twice with the Texas swab. I go again in two weeks. yippee

As far as the place under my arm, I'm still having pain and it didn't look as good as she had hoped. But there was no infection and she said I'm keeping it too moist with the Neosporin and not to use it for a couple of days. My first thought was that my Neosporin had pain reliever in it. I guess I'll just grin and bare it.

I cleaned my parent's home after my appointment. Two weeks in a row, one of them, daddy has spilled fruit juice in the very bottom of the fridge. Last week it was strawberry juice and this week it was mixed fruit. Have you ever tried to clean up fruit juice that has settled in the bottom of the fridge. EWW! But the good news is, daddy made a trip to Mac's Country Store and brought me back an RC cola and chocolate moon pie. Good snack, daddy!

Pam had an end of school party for her children today and invited several moms and their kids over to swim. Since I had my doctor's appointment and cleaned house afterwards, the kids spent the night at her house and were able to join in on the fun today. When I picked them up, Harrison's face was very sunburned and he was very sleepy. He fell asleep on the car ride home and went straight to bed when we got home. He was still sleeping when Bruce and I left for our Friday date.

Oh yeah, Bruce was on third this week, so while I did all my stuff today he was sleeping and we made our lunch date a supper date. Pizza Hut's Super Supreme stuffed crust was on the menu
since he let me choose. It's so hot we decided to try a brand new ice cream parlor here in our little town. It's called I Scream. The parlor is located in one of the vintage stores up town with a tall wooden door and high ceilings. There were a few pictures of the family that own the store along with dozens of pictures of different sports shots. I liked how the old floors creaked when we walked in. We had a banana split. It was so delicious. Instead of the regular chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream, we each chose three different scoops. Mine consisted of cookies and cream, chocolate, and playdough. Yep, playdough. It was playdough yellow and had little bits of red and blue in it. Truthfully it was just colorful cookie dough ice cream. But it was pretty and I had to try it.

On our way home we got stuck behind, none other than an ice cream truck, that we followed all the way home to our dead end street. So Bruce stopped the truck while I called Hannah and Harrison out. Hannah came out but Harrison did not. He was still sleeping. However, when I called his name and told him daddy was buying ice cream from the ice cream truck, that seemed to wake him up pretty quick. They both chose their cold, creamy delight and enjoyed every single bite.

I was going to wash my car when we got home but started blogging and now it's almost dark. Oh well, there's always tomorrow, right?

Before and After and Some Other Stuff

Hannah got her hair cut yesterday and then we went to the DMV and had her ID made for her mission's trip to Puerto Rico.

She's got a new do, her ID, and her plane ticket is with Mrs. Janet. The last thing on her things to do is shop for some new clothes. She's ready for that. I am too. Who's not ready for shopping??

I'm a little concerned about my arm. It's really red around the area where the doctor took off the skin tag. It's also burning a little bit along with the pain that hasn't really let up since Tuesday. I hope I'm not getting an infection. I'm taking an antibiotic, so maybe that will help until I get to the doctor next week. My appointment isn't until next Friday, but if it's still hurting Monday, I'll most likely go ahead on in.

Bruce ran some errands today and then I met him for our weekly lunch date. We ate at a Japanese restaurant. It was good.

We stopped for an ice cream at McDonald's. We chatted for a while and then bought some ice cream sundaes to take home for the children. They were happy to see those when we got home. Bruce and I laid on the couch for an hour and then he got up to go to work and I went to clean mom and dad's house.

Tomorrow morning I'll do my grocery shopping while Bruce works on the washing machine, stop to see some friends tomorrow afternoon, and then tomorrow night Justin and I will participate in a Patch the Pirate Quiz Bowl the fourth through sixth grade class has every year. We'll be heading to Dairy Queen after that. Ice cream is good in the summer time, yes?

Right now I'm going to get ready for bed, doctor my boo boo, and hit the sack! I'm plum tuckered out.

Pillow Talk

Bruce and I were getting ready to turn in for the night. I rubbed lotion on my arms. He checked the doors. I fluffed the pillows. He made sure a hall light was on. I turned on the fan. He turned off the light. We crawled into bed. This was our conversation:

Bruce: What's wrong honey? You've been quiet all night. Did something happen at church?
Me: No
Bruce: Well what's wrong then?

Several seconds passed

Me: You ate my meat loaf.
Bruce: What?
Me: You ate my meat loaf.
Bruce: *snicker* I did?
Me: Yes, you did. But that's all right. I'm over it now.
Bruce: Awww, honey, you didn't eat supper tonight?
Me: No. I wasn't hungry at the time. I was waiting until after church. And when I finished putting my jammies on I came into the kitchen and it was gone.
(He had made a meat loaf sandwich.)

Bruce: Why didn't you say something? I would have gone to Taco Bell and bought you some Tacos. Baby, I'm sorry. I thought I was doing everybody a favor.
Me: What do you mean?
Bruce: Well, I figured you would be happy because your meat loaf was so good it all got gone and Justin would have an empty pan to wash without having to put leftovers away.
Me: Don't worry about it. I had toast and a piece of kielbasa.
Bruce: Oh, Baby Doll, now I feel bad.

When he said that.....I felt better.

It's raining, it's pouring, the redhead's been snorring!

Bruce and I went to lunch after I finished mom's house this morning. We went to our favorite fish camp, Love's Fish Box. When we walked in we saw a man we go to church with. His family has undergone a recent tragedy in their lives and he looked so sad sitting there by himself. Bruce and I sat there with him as he talked about how things were going in his family's life right now. Cried about things. Laughed. As a matter of fact, when he left, he walked out with a big smile on that humble face of his and I know the Lord brought us to him today.

Bruce and I ran a couple of errands before returning home. I immediately changed into warm clothes (jammers) and crawled into my bed. I hadn't planned on doing that, but when I walked into my room, it was as though the bed was gently whispering to me, "Come.....come....." Shortly thereafter, my feather pillows began to echo, "Come.....come......" So I did. There was exactly thirty-two minutes before Bruce had to get ready for work so he came to bed too for a short nap. The room was dark, the covers were warm, and the sound of rain put our thoughts to rest for a good half hour nap. It's funny how thirty minutes takes for ever in the grocery line, but never seems as long when you're napping.

Speaking of groceries....gotta go!

Cleaning, Errands, Friends, Groceries, Friends.....

I got up early yesterday to clean mom's house and then ran by her bank to drop off the medicine she had forgotten to take that morning. I rushed home, straightened up a bit, checked over school work, threw in a load of laundry, and freshened up for my Friday lunch with Bruce. This week was a little different for us because we shared our time with friends....Brian and Amy and their cutie pie son, Cameron, whom we'll just call Chicken Boy. His daddy said he eats so much chicken he's gonna fly away one day. Bruce and I had the gyros from Showmars and they were really good. But the fellowship was better.


Brian was giving Justin a very nice punching bag, so they followed us home after lunch to drop it off. Bruce had to leave for work so as soon as Brian and Amy left, I hopped in the car to do some grocery shopping while Justin carried all the pieces to the punching bag to his room and put it together. Brother Brian, just so you'll know, Justin, Jeremy, and Bruce have already had some great workouts with it.


I rushed through the grocery store, just grabbing what looked good. I know what you're thinking, Rachel, but I just didn't have time for coupons today. Anyway! I'm really not sure what all I grabbed, but I am pretty positive I got everything we needed. Oh wait, nope....I forgot self rising flour. I KNEW I'd forget something. So anyway, I got home with the groceries and while the kids unloaded the car, I put Harrison's pizza in the oven. The other two wanted hoagies..simple enough, just grab some from the deli department! Hannah whipped up some dip for their chips while I, once again, went to freshen up. Freshen up for what you may ask. A girl's night in at my friend, Rebecca's, home. She was very congenial and hospitable. Although the girl's night was for both of us, she made it all about me. Now fess up...who wouldn't like that??? Her husband is a manager of the managers for the Pizza Huts in this area so of COURSE there was Pizza Hut pizza involved. Pepperoni Lover's deep dish for me and cheese pizza for her. Mmmm Here she is with one of her cats, who has the CUTEST little face.


And don't let me fail to mention the table of veg-out snacks she had prepared. By the way, we call it veg-out food, but there is never a vegetable to be found. Anyway, she went all out in the food department and me with nothing in hand but a growling tummy. Those delicious looking things to the left were brownies topped with some kind of mousse and caramel and chocolate topping. Oh me, were they ever good! And the lovely rose was bought for me too. It is now adorning my own table.

Thank you, Rebecca. I had a good time with you, just being a girl and chit chatting away the evening!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everybody!


I got up this morning to make the children heart-shaped pancakes but Hannah used up all of my pancake stuff and forgot to tell me. lol So they got big homemade sugar cookies for breakfast with the word Love and XOXO stamped in the center. Now before you start putting me down for being a bad mother, don't forget that your kids were eating pop tarts this morning! HAHA, just kidding...Anyway, there were certainly no complaints. LOL
I dropped them off for their co-op meeting this morning. Today was Science Day and they took their science projects with them. Hannah said she'd take pics and videos for me, so maybe I'll have something to post.
I would have stayed with them, but since my Valentine had to leave for work at 2:00 and I knew we wouldn't be back in time for me to spend any part of the day with him, I came back home after dropping them off, we exchanged our Valentine's, and then ate lunch at Fatz. I had been hankering for a burger, and they have the best Oniyum burger there. When we came home we had just about an hour before he had to leave for work.
Now I'm just waiting for my little Valentine's to get home. Mrs. Amanda is bringing them home. It's almost 3:00, so they should be here soon unless they have their Valentine Party today.

I had a good day with you today, Bruce! Thank you for my Flash Drive, Thumb Drive, covers, and SD case. I love you, my sweet Valentine!


Last night at SIGMA, Brother RJ and Mrs. Liz planned a Valentine party for the teens. During the preaching, Mrs. Liz, Dana, and I were busy preparing the food.


All of those goodies were for the chocolate fountain. I think I melted the chocolate wrong to start, but it ended up turning out good, thanks to the wonderful kitchen utensil, the whisk!

Before they came into the kitchen, Mrs. Liz and Dana went outside to hide candy bars and Wal Mart gift cards for the kids to find. I don't know who won though. I missed that.
LeAnna and Elizabeth are always up for a silly pose. I'm diggin' the hat, LeAnna.

Here they are in line for the festivity.

Diggin' in!

Mmmm, chocolate! I got tickled at the BOYS that hung around the fountain and did not move. That cracked me up.

But then, who doesn't like chocolate?

LeAnna and Crystal

Matthew

Michael

Parker LOL

Justin W and his friend that he's been bringing the last few weeks. I believe Justin's friend found one of those gift cards.

While the youth ate their snacks, the adults stayed in the kitchen making sure the food supply was kept up. That's Mrs. Dana and her husband Brother Chris behind her. And then our Youth Pastor, Brother RJ, in the black coat.

Mrs. Liz with chocolate on her chin. Look at that smile...she was obviously enjoying her snack.

I hope all of you are having a great Valentine's Day. It's been a good one for me. I'll be doing, Lord willing, one last work night at the church before our banquet this weekend. Mrs. Janet had the carpets cleaned yesterday and I'm excited to see the tables set up and decoarted with the other decorations we've worked on.

On Your Mark...Get set...GO!

Thursday night I spent several hours at the church with some other ladies and a few of our teen boys, decorating for our Valentine Banquet. I was so tired when I got home, I was hoping I wouldn't need to clean mom's house Friday morning. When I called her to see if she needed me, she said no! So I was happy to have my Friday. As I've mentioned before, Bruce and I like to have lunch on Friday when we can.
So on Friday, we ran some errands......

...then to the post office to pay bills...

...and then to Gastonia to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. Isn't ironic that it's located next to LA Weight Loss?

Bruce was ready to DIG IN!

After lunch, we stopped at Bruce's plant to pick up some new work boots. I've never been on a truck store before. That was interesting. We made it home just in time for him to put those new boots on and head back to work.

I had fun with you, honey!

Pam and Joel are friends of ours that have a great house for parties. So usually when we all get together, that's where we end up. She mentioned that nobody ever invites them over to their homes because we all just seem to end up over there. I felt sort of bad about that so I told her I would have them over this weekend. And we did.

We had lasagna and garlic bread. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. After supper, we played a game of marbles and Phase 10.

Pam was upset that Joel was holding cards she needed for her phase.

The guys made a quick run to the store for ice cream. They brought back four kinds...Cookie Dough, Double Fudge Brownie, Real Strawberry, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup...to go with the cake I made.

The games went on for a couple of hours when Brother Joel got hungry again and went back for more lasagna.

They left around 11:30-11:45, and I decided the boys needed a haircut for Sunday.

While I was cutting their hair and getting clothes ready for the following morning, our good friend Meghan was on her way to the hospital to deliver their sixth child. Another little boy to add to the mix. Congratulations Meghan and Daniel, Haili, Malachi, Alanna, Isaac, and Joseph on the arrival of little Ethan. I can't wait to see him.

I taught Sunday school for my mother, who had taken a terrible fall the day before. She banged herself up very badly. She has a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I hope she's all right.

After morning service, Justin, Hannah, and I attended the funeral for Mrs. Hamrick, the grandmother of Brother Greg. I enjoyed hearing this lady's daughter talk about her mother. She told some great stories about her. There was a shawl lying on the caskit. The cotton for that shawl was hand-picked, spun, and crocheted by Greg's grandmother and her mother-in-law. It was so beautiful. She was the seventh of nine children. Actually, Mrs. Hamrick's parents were both married before and their spouses died. So when they married each other, he had seven children, she had four children, and then the two of them had nine children together. That's twenty children!........................yeah.

Sunday night, meetin' broke out and it was really great. This is Pastor Goodman here carrying Marigrace while our group Vintage sings.