What to blog

I've been slacking a little in my posts! I promised myself I wouldn't do that if I was going to start a blog! Just trying to adjust to my "new" schedule I guess with working a little more and helping my 3rd grader with all her homework every night. She has more that my 7th grader some nights. I need to learn to get organized and stop procrastinating.......pick a project and do it. I have a list of things I want done but when I think about it I get overwhelmed thinking it's too much and do none of it. Instead of picking something and just doing it. Argh!

I also sometimes wonder if I get myself started on too many things I don't need to be doing. Like the daily photo blog I mentioned a few posts ago. I like the idea of a photo blog and sharing my pics but I guess with this, now that I actually started it, I'm not so sure it's what I want. I just feel so limited and restricted in what to post. It's a city daily photo (and you're part of a group of other city bloggers) so they pretty much want you to stick to your city or close to it. I also feel kind of pressured to go out and take pics so I can stick to the city. I have tons of pics on my computer but not a ton from my own city. So not sure if you checked it out but I'm not so sure how long I'll be sticking with it. Maybe I should just start posting more pics here instead. Then I can post what I want, when I want. I also have a few other photos sites I want to get more involved in that have classes and contests and a couple with ways to earn some extra money.

Speaking of the photo contests I've been meaning to post about this. I belong to betterphoto.com and right now only have a couple pics on there. But I entered the pic of Multnomah Falls in Oregon that I posted here in July, in the monthly contest. I didn't win but it did get labeled and "Editors Pick"! Check it out here.

Have a great weekend!

Go Peeps!!

Yesterday we participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walk to Cure Diabetes at the Milwaukee County Zoo. It was a beautiful day, perfect weather! There were over 7,000 walkers. I sure felt sorry for anyone who just showed up at the zoo not know this was going on because it was packed.

We had a small family team named Paige's Peeps with a purple stuffed peep named Penelope as our mascot. I think we did a great job. We had 8 registered walkers and a few tag along family members and we raised $1575!!! Yay us! They had some activities for the kids before hand. All of them got peeps painted on their faces and Paige got to make a hand print in the shape of a heart for a quilt they were making. There were checkpoints along the way where they could get treats and stickers and have their hands/arms stamped. It wasn't just for the kids, many adults had stamps up their arms including me......see the pic at the bottom. The first pic is the start of the walk. I have pics of our team but didn't want to post others kids pics without permission.

Addicted to Netflix

I've only got 60 titles on my Netflix cue. What do you think? A little excessive? lol Actually, many of them are TV series with multiple discs per season.

I just started watching the first season of Friday Night Lights. My mom has been raving about how good the show is. I never started watching last year because I had something else going that night I think. So since the first season is on DVD and the second doesn't start until Oct 5, I thought I'd add it to my list.

Netflix is great though. Choose your movies or tv shows and they come in the mail within a couple days. You can keep them as long as you want, then just stick them back in the envelope and send them back. Before you know it you're next one is here. The turn around time is super quick. Usually when we return a movie, it gets there the next day, another is sent out the same day and we get it on the third day. Not too shabby. Beats taking the time to go to the rental store and not being able to find anything because of limited selection or all the good stuff is out.

Survivor: China

One of my favorites is back.....for the 15th season! Wow, I can't believe I've been watching it for that long. Well, for the past 7 years anyway, since they do two seasons per year. It's always fun "getting to know" a new set of castaways. I always joke with my hubby that one of us should do the show. Though I KNOW I never could! The kids and I watched tonight, they love the show. We always look forward to watching it together. We're ready for another interesting season. One team already seems to be standing out as the "stronger" of the two....but we'll see.

New photo blog

I came across a website a few weeks ago called City Daily Photo . It's a community of bloggers who post a photo from in and around their city on a daily basis. It's a pretty cool site, there are people from all over the world participating and it's a way to see these cities through the eyes of those who live there. Since I love taking photos myself, I've decided to start my own blog. Like I don't already have enough to keep me busy! But this will hopefully be something I will enjoy. And it will hopefully get me out there and see some new things around town. Feel free to check it out http://oconomowocdailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Go Fly a Kite

We spent Sunday afternoon at the lakefront in Milwaukee at the Annual Kite Festival. It was fun, the kids loved it and there were kites everywhere. I loved watching the stunt kites. These six kites.......


were being flown in formation by these six people...

That's gotta take some practice! One of my favorite shaped kites was this dragon ;-)

Of course we had to get in on the action. Here's the kids getting instruction from dad.

On Saturday while running errands the kids and I stopped to check out the Lineman's Rodeo that was being held in our town. Here's a pic from the beginning of that. We didn't stay long because it was taking a while to get going and the kids were hungry. Neither of them wanted to take a ride in the bucket because you had to go up with one of the linemen. Then by the time we walked over there a line was forming and they didn't want to wait.

September 11, 2001 Never Forget

I'm not usually one for country songs, but I really like this one by Alan Jackson. Where were you that day? I had just gotten my oldest daughter on the bus and a neighbor and I were taking a walk in the neighborhood with our pre-school kids and another neighbor yelled out her door to us. We had a neighborhood play group that day and we all just sat around in shock listening to the news.




(Alan Jackson)
Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children?
Or working on some stage in LA?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor?
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?

Did you burst out with pride
For the Red White and Blue
And the heroes who died just doing what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is Love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?
Teaching a class full of innocent children?
Or driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor?
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?
Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened?
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages?
Speak with some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow?
Go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent home movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns?
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers?
Stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family?
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is Love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in our rock and our wren
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is Love

And the greatest is Love
And the greatest is Love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?

It wasn't on the list!

There are some things that no matter what, when you go grocery shopping you get them. I'm sure every family has them. Things you use or eat daily and by the time you go shopping again you need them. My husband can't seem to get that through his head and he'll forget them if I'm not shopping with him. And of course usually they are things that I want.

I went to have a ham sandwich today for lunch.......same thing I eat almost everyday. There is just enough ham to make my sandwich and no new package. I know if I ask him when he gets home he'll tell me.........."It wasn't on the list". I hear it every time he goes without me! I have plenty of cheese for my sandwich though!
But that's only because it was on the list.

Eating out alone

I try to avoid it at all costs. I don't know it's one of those things, like going to a movie alone that just has a bad stigma for me. But I did it the other day. I was out running errands, it was around lunch time and I was starving. I wasn't close enough to stop home, plus I don't like to do that. I like to get it all done in one trip. So, I went in to Cousin's for a sub. I made sure I brought some stuff in that I had picked up earlier to read. Had to make it look like I was "busy". Too busy to eat with anyone else! lol
It just always reminds me of having to eat by myself everyday in Junior High when I was the new kid.

BTW, I have never gone to a movie by myself!

Nap time

*yawn*
This getting up at the crack before dawn everyday to get my daughter up for school is wearing me out already! I'm not a morning person and got in the habit of sleeping in over the summer. Now she needs to get up around 5:45 to have time to take her meds, get ready, eat, have her shot and pack a lunch before catching the school bus which comes before 7am. School starts at 7:25.

I had to work for about 5 hours today and I'm beat already. I'm practically falling asleep as I type zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Uninvited guests and Ellen D

Ants are invading our home! Ewww! We noticed a bunch by the front door the other day so we cleaned it up good and vacuumed the area and sprayed along the whole entrance. We kept and eye on it for a few days and thought we were good. Until tonight. I came upstairs from the basement and into the kitchen and there were dozens of them swarming some cracker crumbs one of my kids graciously left on the floor for them. Who do they think they are coming in uninvited?
Oh, and the mosquitoes are joining us lately too. Not too happy about that.

But I am excited that Ellen's back! She started her season yesterday from New York. This is one of my favorite shows, one of the [too] many I've been looking forward to coming back this season. If you're not watching her, you should be. She is hilarious! I've been flipping through the fall preview TV guide trying to decide if there are any new shows I'm interested in. Not that I need another show to keep track of!

A million things went wrong today

At least that's what my oldest daughter claimed of her first day of school. Oh no, my fears for her came true. Not really. Turns out it was more like 5 or 6. I taught her something, she sure knows how to exaggerate! And all my worrying throughout the day for was, of course for nothing.

My younger daughter....no worries for her. Sounds like she had a pretty good day.

One day down.

Dueling polar bears

Hit the zoo yesterday, one last time before school starts tomorrow. As did about a gazillion other people! I hate crowds. Lucked out though and got a front row view as the polar bears got into a little spat. Seemed as though the big one in the water didn't want to let the little one in. They were growling and biting at each other for quite some time. Usually they do a whole lot of nothing when I've seen them before.

Hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend and had a nice Labor day. Back to 20+ hours a week for me now that the kids are back in school.

BOR-ING!

I know it's been a few days since I posted. There hasn't been much going on with me, pretty boring lately. And I just really haven't had much to say. But is there really anyone out there waiting with bated breath for a new entry from me?? :)

We just visited my brother and niece for a couple days. Finally saw his new house. Well, not quite so new. He's actually been there a year now. Oooops! Bad sister! He has a dog and this is the first time we've stayed with him since he got it. Spending a couple days in a house with a dog just reinforces the reasons we don't have one. Sorry dog lovers, nothing against them at all. But living with one is just not for me. We came home with black dog hair over EVERYTHING!

Then I turned on the TV to sit and watch some stuff I have recorded on Tivo and find out 3 of my episodes of Army Wives have disappeared. Upon further investigation I realized we were running out of room. My daughter taped umpteen hours of tennis and didn't delete the one she finished watching. Guess this will teach me to save so much stuff. I better get moving on putting the stuff I wanted to keep on DVD!

I guess it's back to laundry and cleaning for me. See I told you......BOR-ING!!