Thursday... lunch with Sue and lots more fun...

Thursday morning was not as hard on me as I thought it would be. I did have 3 glasses of wine Wednesday night... but other than the huge crater sized dark circles under my eyes I wasn't really that groggy. Janell and I got up first that day and Jen made fun of us because we were talking in the bathroom area but when we came back to the bedroom area we started whispering... like it was not the same room... Hey we were trying to be polite anyways

We are excited because we are having lunch with Sue! We shower... get all dressed up in our T's and hoodies...ok I have to take a detour back here to explain my Tshirt situation. I did not request a WWKD Tshirt. I chose not to because of the word ASS... ok I said it... ASS... Craig ask me later if I was an animal rights activist and had something against kicking donkeys. It took me a minute to get it but .....LOL.... that was pretty funny. You guys know I have small kids and I just chose not to let them see that shirt... not that is was scandalous or the F word or anything but .... anyways. Our clever planners... Actually.. I am not sure who came up with the idea but Tracy had me a special shirt made.... I will get a picture of it on here asap. My WWKD shirt said.... One Kick BUM instead of Kick Ass. IT was cute... of course I blushed cause it put emphasis on my prudishness... but still I wore my KICK BUM shirt with pride... THERE was also another KICK BUM shirt that was ironed on backward that they were going to trick me with. They thought if they didn't let me look at it but in the mirror I wouldn't notice and walk around all day with my logo backward... Those sneaky girls... AND I did end up with an ASS shirt anyway because the test sample was LIME GREEN.... SO... I wore it on one of our game nights. You should have seen my husbands face when I started pulling out these shirts and explaining all the stories behind them... He thinks we are all a little nuts but that is ok... nutty people are good people.

So we get downstairs and make a trip across the road with Kathie, Lynn and I think Debbie to McDonalds for Tea, Iced coffee, cokes and various food products. We then went back to the meeting room to hang out for a while.

Soon it was lunch and Sue and Steve took us out to Cunningham's I believe it was. I had a great time there sitting with Cher, Jen, Janell, Morty, Leslie... Ron my love and Bonnie (that Ron is just a cutie pie) We had Sue at our table too and that was pretty cool. We ate talked, did silly things.... then it was gift time.

We gave Sue her charm bracelet and from the pictures you have seen you can tell she was really digging it. Gosh, Sue made out like a bandit on this trip. She got so much stuff. Janice gave her the big cookbook. The scrap book, another needlepoint... Vicki sent them some really cool mugs. There were several dag cards involved in these presentations also.

Tracy gave us helper girls a really cool magnifying glass. I will have to photo it and post it. So clever! I was tickled to get it. Tracy you just spoil me rotten...

They went back to the meeting room with us and Sue signed more stuff and Steve was so patient. I know he was very ready to go. BUT I think he liked us too because he had told us the night before he wasn't going to lunch. I am glad he did. Sue needed back up keeping us all inline.

Sadly our time with Sue ended. We all did our good byes and watched them fade into the sunset. WHAT a time we had. 3 days of Sue Grafton... Priceless....

After this we played the Trivia game and I was out after round one so I will not go on about this... let the victors tell the tale.

That evening Jenjen wanted to check out some of the places from her past... Jenjen is happy now but as we know her life was ripped apart when the OLD Christian decided he wanted to not be married. They were living in L'ville at the time and her life got uprooted and she didn't really get closure. I hope her being there with us and visiting these places and being able to talk to us about them and the things she did there gave her some of that closure. She showed us some really nice residential areas and it was very interesting. She was major craving Bob Evans so we went there and had dinner.

After dinner we cruised a tad more and took our poor Janell back to get migraine meds and put her to bed, went to the meeting room and played games. That was a hoot. I am not a gamer by nature but I love playing games with you guys.

When Jen and I get back to the room Janell wakes up and she is feeling better thank goodness and I think we end up staying awake later then ever.......

Wednesday..lots of fun and our dinner at Sue Grafton's house! woooooooot

Wednesday morning I think I got up first and staggered to the coffee pot. It was a tiny little pot but it got me through the morning. We ran into Kathie, Lynn and Debbie on the way shopping. We moseyed on down to the conference room and then decided to go get gas in the car and find Janell some tea. We didn't have much luck on the tea that morning because what I thought was a Starbucks ended up being a parking garage??? Then we got swooped up in some traffic but never fear the Metalicar made it back to the hotel.

We had snacks and talked to everyone. Name tags and bags were passed out. Jenjen unloaded her books so everyone could go through them and get what they wanted. I brought back a few myself I also got some cool bath cremes. It was a good day for free stuff indeed.

The NO game was introduced. I was a contender for about 6 minutes and I think Lynn took my clips. But that is ok... they had a game just for me... I was the only contestant in the............

RIGHT SAID FRED GAME....

I had to answer questions about Fred. It was a crazy game... I don't know what Janet was smoking when she came up with this one I kept thinking... OH dear lord is fred going to walk in the door at the end or something.... but Fred was a no show

It was all good though. Actually... I had lots more juicy information on Fred that I could have contributed to the game (snort) I was a good sport and won some junior mints, bath and body works spray and a picture of some half naked woman wearing Victoria Secrets.

After all the game play we just kind of fell apart and went every directions... showering... fluffing... primping... ironing (well some of us iron ) all in preparation for our night out with Sue and Steve... I knew we were sneaking to their house so it was exciting thinking about how excited everyone would be when they found out!

Debslo and Craig arrived... just in time to get all gussied up and ready to roll. Deb is gorgeous and has lost weight from the pictures I have seen of her. She looked great! I was so excited to see her. I have to admit that I have had a crush on Craig from the pictures of him that I have seen in the past and he was just as handsome in person. They truly make an adorable couple and were fun to be around.

We meet in the lobby and get our car buddies. The Metalicar transported Janell, RA and myself along with driver Jen. We get to Sue's and it was all oooohs and aaaaahs for a while. I have been to the house before so I had most of my ooohing out of my system but the massive beauty of that house is breath taking even on a second trip. Steve had added more to his treasured garden with that killer to the bone maze. If Noah had been there he would still be running in that maze. Everything goes so well. The food is awesome. I could have lived on the appetizers. I finally had to tell one waiter that if he tried to get me take another meatball wrap I was going to kick him in the kneecap... well maybe I didn't say that but I did tell him not to bring his meatballs near me again... He didn't but some other guy kept bringing me little grilled cheeses.

We finally sit down to dinner after eating a weeks worth of appetizers and wine... RA, Janell, Jenjen and I nabbed a table together... The Metalicar girls stick together. Steve sat with us and that was nice. He talked about his Enigma machine... but I already knew that from last time... Janell seemed to bond with him on that
He also told us some interesting things on Sue and how she writes and gave us a little more perspective on HIS Sue... He is still in love with her after all these years.. you can tell that. He told us about their Thanksgiving traditions with family and that believe it or not he does most of the cooking on Thanksgiving. Liz doesn't have to do it all even if she is there with her husband... Liz has a pretty neat husband too and I think Steve enjoys his company. We just learned a lot of cool things. We learned what their favorite Thanksgiving appetizer was, etc etc.

Gifts were passed out to Sue for her Birthday. She like her bookends. Poor dear must have mistaken them for earrings at first She loved them and Genny gave her that really nice needlepoint. It was a good day for Sue. Good for us... but Steve told us that this was Good for her. She gets letters all the time nit picking and criticizing her for cursing and this and that and it made her feel good to know she is appreciated. I can't imagine how just the past few years this has been done for this woman. I think she knows that we love her to pieces... and I think she likes us a little bit too.

After dinner we were given the upstairs tour. I will let some of the first timers go more in detail of that. I enjoyed seeing it all again of course. I will never take a trip to Sue's house for granted... it is a wonderful place and I cherished every moment of it and the time spent with all of my friends there.

Sue politely ushers us to the door and we get in the Metalicar and make it back to the hotel. We get upstairs and remove all high heels and dress clothes, put on pajamas and go downstairs to drink wine and play catch phrase ok ok I admit... I like catchphrase

We play, laugh talk and then retire to our rooms and go to bed. We stay up to late that night too talking about the night... giggling and all that girl stuff....

Day One of my Louisville Kentucky trip.

I started my Tuesday at 5am. I had to get Abbey up and ready and off to school. While on my way home Tracy calls and has gotten misplaced not too far from my house but I kept driving through dead zones (aka cow pastures) so thank goodness Janet was already at my house to flag her down. Noah and I returned home at about 7:50 in time to see Janet and Tracy off before I had to stick Noah back in the car and take him to school. It couldn't be easy enough that both my kids have to be at school the same time.

I return home with time to spare so I get ready and wait for Jenjen. She got caught in some unexpected traffic and was delayed but let me tell ya... That metalicar did us right. We didn't leave my house till 11am or a little before and we were in L'ville 5hrs later with only one potty, gas stop. The metalicar gets much respect on the highways. We only went on the wrong road for about 145 miles... but all was good we were just on an alternate course.. I would have never known the difference because we got there in the same amount of time that Tracy, Mark and I did last time.

We got to the hotel and walked in to check in. The first people I saw when I walked in the door of the hotel was DKM Debbie and RoseAnne... I knew them at once. It was awesome to finally meet them both. We checked in and made it up to our room and waited to hear from Janell who was very late getting on her plane but only got there maybe an hour or 45 mins after we did. It was great seeing Bonnie, Lynn, Bobbie again... I was excited to stumble upon Cher and Leslie who were our neighbors! Meeting Cher was awesome and Leslie is really cool too. She is a keeper. I hope to see her again someday also.

Janell got there and we got her settled in. Let me tell ya... between all my stuff and Janells I am surprised that Jenjen didn't toss some of it over the balcony. Jen packed everything she needed in one bag and well lets just say Janell and I might have over packed but I'm just sayin

I am leaving out a lot I know... I wanted to start documenting my trip, I knew if I waited much longer my thoughts would be all over the place. I will go back and add pictures later.

We met downstairs for dinner and met Janice, Ginny and Mary (chipgal whom I have no memory of on any of Sue's forums but all was good) and as you have heard Sue Grafton shows up and we get all giddy and giggly! Fantastic... and she looked gorgeous! She was so nice and signed away while we snapped pictures and talked, chewed food and caused a ruckus about the place. It was just fabulous... Sue decided it was time for her to leave so we wished her goodnight and told her we would see her tomorrow.....

After dinner we met in Tracy and companies room for some hard labor. We sorted all sorts of doohickeys and gizmos well into the night. It was fun... we eventually got a good system going and knocked it out. I was not involved in sewing. They did allow me to use scissors but I was supervised. Eventually I made it back to the room and me and my roomies talked way to late as we did every night and the huge dark circles under my eyes all week were proof of that. It had actually been a long time since I had seen Jen and even longer since I had seen Janell so it was fun to catch up with these 2 on this trip.

I will pick up with Wednesday later on this evening.
I have much to say about the day... It was awesome!

Spring happenings at Casa Crump....

Lots of fun times ahead for us... Spring Break this week. So far just lazy. It is really windy and cloudy, could possibly storm tonight. I hope it gets nice so the kids can play out this week. What a bummer if they don't get too.

I finally starting Substitute teaching. Just a few weeks now. I like it. I don't know if it is my calling but I am trying to make it work. There are no jobs out there right now and I need to work so this will be an answered prayer.

Next week is my long awaited trip to Kentucky. I can not believe it is here already. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone again... and meeting all the people I have not had the chance to meet already. I am so blessed to have met all these wonderful ladies and that would not be possible without the wonderful work by Sue Grafton. I am so over the moon to be able to call her a friend because she is such a sweet person. Spending time with Sue is just the icing on the cake.

I have some cute new school pictures of the kids I will scan in later. My duties for today are to clean up this pigsty. Good grief I get so tired of the same chores over and over again.

I see a bit of sun peeking out from behind this huge gloomy doomy looking cloud. I think I will grab the kids and run outside and spin in circles... we may not see it again for days. Hellooo... this is Georgia not Washington State.... where is my Sunshine??

I have many people on my prayer list... you know who you are... I am praying... God will lift you up during this time. I love you all.

Here I go to bust some dust....

March already, tell me no!

What on earth is going on with the time going by so fast? Did we skip February this year? No, several of my friends and relatives turned a year older in Feb. so I guess we went through it. Did I accomplish anything? Nope not one red tootin thing. Did I find a job? Well heck no... I did sell some things on eBay and make a few bucks but that is about it. I learned to slash our grocery bill a good bit. I learned that even though I can't find a job I am going to have to find one.... because we need the mucho deniro. Did I loose 10 pounds?... puhleeze... I am just lucky I didn't gain 20! Well, instead of sitting here whining about what I didn't do in Feb. I will just get my booty in gear and make march my LION month. What is the saying? In like a lion? I am a lion... here me roar.......ROOOOOOOAAAR!
My things that have to be done this month are....
1. Register my baby boy child for kindergarten. This week!
2. Attend the substitute teacher workshop on March 19th
3. Continue to sell on EBay to raise my Kentucky trip money.
4. Keep on looking for job.
5. Find more ways to save money.
6. keep up my workouts and loose that darn 10 pounds.
7. Be a better wife and mommy (now why is this so far down on the list?)
8. Get a hair cut! Good grief this wild bohemian hair do is so last year. It is time to trim this stuff into some sort of trend.
9. Be a better friend (again...why so far down on the list... well I am thinking as I am typing)
10. Cook healthier for my family.... whatever:)
11. Clean up this house! yeeeks... Did I clean at all in Feb? I am beginning to wonder if I was abducted to a alien planet or something... and missed the whole month.

I just finished reading Hold Tight by Harlan Coben. I really enjoyed the book. It was a parents worst nightmare kind of book but reminds you of the things you need to stay on top of as parents. My kids are not teens yet but communication is key... and I don't care what anybody says about kids needing privacy... NO they don't! They are your kids. God gave them to you to raise and protect. It is YOUR job to be all up in their business! Any parents out there with teenagers might want to read this book... It is a mystery who dunit crime drama type but hits ya where it hurts... THE INTERNET and the safety of our kids.

IT is nearing 11pm... I better get my self to bed. 6am comes early on Monday morning...

Much love and smooches

C:)

Things that go bump in the night

Or should I say things that whirl around on his wheel every 15 mins from 11pm until about 5am. Abbey conned her Daddy into getting her a gerbil... or gewbil as Noah calls it. Midnight made his home here last Friday night. I have to say other than the random whirling he hasn't really been that much trouble. That is his cool house. He is a bit messy, especially when Abbey left him home alone one night and he worked all night moving his cage shavings from the bottom floor up to the very very top. Clever little guy... but he spilled a good bit. It is hard to take a picture of a gerbil...

Well, you can't really see him but he is in there somewhere. I think I see a beady little eye or a tail or something.

Hey Glenna

I am blogging baby. I don't have a thing to blog about... Well yes I do. It is Feb. 16th, it is sunny outside. I need to clean house but I just finished my 10th book of the year. Can you see a theme here. Middle of Feb. high book count=messy house.
Abbey got that darn gerbil. His name is midnight. He is kind of cute but has totally redone his habitrail I will post pictures sometime or the other.
Vivian has taken Noah to the store today to buy him a big bike. He didn't know that was what he was getting when they left. I hope he is excited.
How did TBelle do at her meet Friday?

OK now I am going to clean house and plug in my new air fresheners so this place smells springy...

I will do an official blog later....(snort)

We had a superbowl get together...

YES the antisocial Crumps had a small gathering of folk over to watch the ballgame on the Crump redneck theater. Chris invited his old childhood friends over. One guy he had not seen since our Wedding... 15yrs... boy time flies. Another couple that we use to do stuff with that we haven't seen in about 8 years.
Interesting night. I don't like football.... but it was fun to catch up.

Finally the kids Fall 2008 pictures are scanned in

Digital photography has spoiled us. It has taken me this long to manually get the kids school pictures online...
Abbey is in 5th grade and 10yrs old.
Noah is in preschool and is 4 yrs old.

I finished The Twilight Series!

I was so curious about this series. Anything that draws teenagers to camp out at bookstores to buy a book has to be a good read, right?
People are comparing Stephanie Meyer to J.K. Rowling. I don't know who those people are... I just heard talk about it. I have never cracked a book in the Harry Potter series and I don't really plan on it anytime soon. I will if my kids ever show interest. The witch school stuff just does not appeal to Abbey. She would rather read about animals.
All I can say about the vampire series is that I had a definite love-hate relationship with it. Sure, it was a page turner... and I eagerly finished one book and started the next. Thanks so much to my little sis for buying me the series for Christmas!
In my opinion... and like I said I have never read the Harry Potter series but I can say that it is probably an insult to J.K. Rowling to have people compare Stephanie Meyer to her. That would be like me writing a detective novel and comparing myself to my favorite author Sue Grafton. Stephanie.. you ain't bad but you are NOT in the same league as J.K. Rowling... the writing is way to simple. Yes , you have a very vivid imagination and I would say you did some research for your books.
I do not appreciate the message you send out to young teenage girls about how falling in love with the perfect boy is worth giving up your family, friends, and soul for.
In the end I was ok with the way the book ended. I don't think the last book is really that suitable for young teenage girls. It was more of an adult novel. Lots of blood, gore and sex.
I don't regret reading this series and one day I will let Abbey have the choice to read it. Probably not until she is 16. In my opinion it is not really suitable for anyone younger than that.

Holy Twap!....

as Noah would say... There are no part time jobs out there. I am starting to believe all this stuff I hear on CNN day after day is actually true. There are no jobs. I wanna job!
The substitute teaching better work out for a while because I need the money really bad.

It just never dawned on me that I would call places like Walmart, Lowes, Kroger...etc and them tell me they are not hiring AT ALL....

Adventures of finding part time work

I am going to try my hand a substitute teaching! I sign up next week. I am nervous and excited. I also filled out one of those online applications today. CVS Pharmacy. There is one about 5 mins away from my house. First job application I have filled out since 1989.. I am not kidding about that. It was an experience and very time consuming. They had 20 pages of questions not counting the application. I am really hoping I can get some work as a SUB... I am praying about that!

A few holiday pictures

This was taken at my Moms on Christmas day of me, Abbey and my sister Carrie.




Here is a picture of my Dad on his New Years Birthday with Abbey, Matthew and Noah





Two cool dudes in their new robes

My List for Today

1. Don't forget to get Noah from preschool at 11:30
2. Finish up the laundry.
3. Try to list some practically brand new boots on eBay that Abbey never even wore out of the house.
4. Come up with something good for dinner.
5. Remember to encourage Chris on his exercise.. he has went to the exercise room 2 days in a row... woo hoo.. I am assuming he is working out and not sitting up there watching TV... I try not to spy;)
6. Pay some bills with my imaginary money:)

Who is Shawty?

My quest to find Shawty. I hear about her on the radio all the time. I am guessing it is a her.. cause she has those awesome apple bottom jeans and the boots with the fur. I would really like to ask her where she got those... they sound like something I would like to have!
When I work out I have to hear some wild crazy music. It has to keep me going. I can not work out without music. A good upbeat song can add another mile to my workout... I have been so done with my workout and a good song like AC/DC will come on... I don't even like AC/DC but Back in Black last almost a mile and it ROCKS! What really drives me nuts is when I am jamming along and all they sudden they play a Richard Marx song! I mean come on... who can sweat to Richard Marx!

Wintertime Blues

The sun will come out tomorrow... bet ya bottom dollar that tomorrow....There will be sun! NOT
I don't think the sun will shine in Dalton Georgia again. I hate to be ungrateful. We have been under a drought for years. We need the rain. The downside is I hate rain. It makes my entire body feel bad. I am not one of these people that think the sound of rain sounds dreamy on my roof at night. It just reminds me of all the things I have to get out and do while I am getting soaking wet.
Tomorrow is the first day back to school for Abbey and Noah. I have really enjoyed having them home but I am so glad to get some structure back into our lives. I usually start right now counting the days till winter break in February, then spring break... summer break... because I hate the rush routine of school mornings. Noah seems to be a morning person... more power to him. Abbey takes after me. Not so cheery in the a.m. I feel just fine and perky if I can wake up with the sun and not an alarm clock.
I have started back my exercise. Nothing major, just gazelle. I love that gazelle though... I wouldn't be in the shape I am today without it. I need to add more cardio and weights to my workout. I am slowly building back up. I think the first thing I will treat myself to after I go back to work is a treadmill.
Speaking of going back to work, well I will speak on that another day. It is coming really soon. Unfortunately probably several months sooner then I anticipated. The working is not what I dread as much as having somewhere I have to be. I have really gotten use to being on my schedule. The thoughts of my time belonging to someone or someplace else just doesn't appeal to me.
All the clothes are ironed for tomorrow. The kids are tucked into bed after baths and getting their hair all shiney clean. I will be jazzed to get a few free hours tomorrow but it is always nice to have them back home safe and sound where they belong every day.

Reflections from my childhood

Honestly, I was never that crazy about school. If given the choice I might have been a 2nd grade drop out. There are a few things I remember well. One of them is this poem

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Sometimes just out of the blue that poem pops in my head. Amazing, considering I have trouble remembering my grocery list, phone number... etc.... I also will never forget To Kill a Mockingbird, Are you there God its me Margaret and the lyrics to Play that funky Music White Boy:)