Memorial Day

I hope you have all had a Happy and Memorable Memorial Day.

I spent the day wearing my pink bathing suit while Kyle and I worked in the pool getting it cleaned and beginning to fill so we can swim in it this summer.  Once the water level was a few inches high, we sat on our chairs and floated for a couple of hours while I read to Kyle.  (The Storm Testament, Volume 4.  REALLY good!  About the Mountain Meadow Massacre.)  Just got out of the shower.  Now I don't need to wear pink... cuz I AM pink!  (grin)

I also spent the day thinking back 23 years ago to when I spent a day laying in a bed in Rockledge Hospital talking with my super anxious husband, my supportive and anxious in-laws and assuring my doctor I was not going to sneak out and go riding the Wave Runner.  (Despite having one on a trailer behind the truck... we were SUPPOSED to go to the river that day.)  The day before, we were in Orlando playing putt putt golf and soaking in a friend's pool at his house warming party.  The weekend before I was, in fact, riding the Wave Runners on the river.  But on none of those occasions was I in labor.  LOL  (Ok, I was in VERY early labor while playing golf, but I thought it was just more of those endless braxton hix things... It is pretty challenging hitting a golf ball when you can't SEE the golf ball past your giant belly...) On the drive home from Orlando, stuff started moving a little more, so we decided to camp out at Tim and Angie's apartment (on the pull out couch) since they live in Rockledge.  Lots closer to the hospital than our house in Palm Bay.  I timed contractions and faithfully wrote them down all night long.

Memorial Day morning dawned (finally) bright and clear.  We headed to the hospital and spent the day and most of the evening in a nice little private room, laboring and waiting and waiting.  At midnight we moved to the delivery room.  And at 1:16 we FINALLY welcomed our Jim.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=194808293898531&set=a.194106643968696.46150.100001080844894&type=1&theater

Unfortunately all my baby pictures are "real" and I don't have any of them on this computer.  But Burke graciously put some up on Facebook!  LOL

So.....  Happy Memorial Day.  Thank you to all you veterans and their families who served, suffered, and died to protect our freedom and the freedom of others.

And early Happy Birthday to my first born son.

UPDATE:  Rod and Jim are spending (hopefully) their last night in their motel room in Chattanooga, TN.  Tomorrow they should get their license plates, necessary papers, and marching orders.  Jim started a new job last year on his birthday (selling VW cars) and it looks like the tradition might continue this year.

THURSDAY

I love living in Florida.  I especially love living on the Space Coast.  I was thinking the other day - ever since I moved here, there have been space shuttles.  The first one launched right after we got married and moved here.  Watching the space shuttle launches has been an integral part of our lives here.  We have watched them from the beach, the back yard, the roof, the windows of various office buildings, even a cruise ship!  (Our first year wedding anniversary...) 

This week while Endeavor launched for her final flight, we watched with mixed feelings.  It is always exciting and moving to watch it lift off above the trees.  Your heart is in your throat and there are many prayers in that heart.  Let them be safe.  Let them return.  Let them find those at the space station in good health and offer them a little bit of "home".  And of course, there is pride.  Many of my friends and family work at the space center and have helped in this incredible accomplishment.

Look between the trees... this is our view from the backyard

Not a cloud in the sky!



Getting higher and higher, you can actually SEE the boosters separate and fall to earth.  SO COOL!  Time to listen for the Bumble.



A friend's photos from the launch site

All that POWER.  We hear that seconds after the launch - we call it the "bumbling".

As we listened to the bumble (and Kyle noticed that you could actually FEEL the roof shake!) I realized that there is only one more.  One more launch.  One more bumble.  One more chance to reach up and touch the sky.  And I cried a little...

Little Birdy

Kyle went out to work on his dirtbike track in the pasture the other day and came back in rather disgusted.

Said he was going to have to change the whole thing.

Because of what he found out there.

Silly birds built their nest and laid their eggs right smack dab on the top of his jump.  LOL

He was out there riding and said the bird was standing on its nest with its little wings all spread out, ready to fight to the death to protect its eggs.  Ready to take on a dirt bike!  Tough little bird! 

I went out to take pictures and instead of standing there threatening death, it did the "broken wing, come eat ME instead" thing.  Unfortunately, as good as the eggs are hidden, the bird has even better coloring and I couldn't get a picture where you could actually SEE the bird.  Noisy, but nearly invisible.

Its nature at its finest.  Hopefully the eggs will hatch and the little birds will survive.  We have 3 dogs - but I've seen them all walk right past a bunny and not even see it.  So the birds might have a good chance... 

Friday the 13th

Nah.  I'm not superstisious supersticious superstitious nuts. 

But I AM leaving town an hour early for the drive down to Boynton Bch.  Just in case.  Ya know?

We are all getting super excited for the Endeavor Shuttle Launch on Monday morning. 

UPDATE:  Rod and Jim are both stuck in their locations until Saturday. Rod is in Atlanta, making friends with a little family owned restaurant Grandma.  She is feeding him WELL!  Jim is in Pamona, CA working at the truckers rodeo.  (Not it's real name, but it's what I'm calling it....) 

Thinking about my sister today.........  (she takes a good picture, especially since she was in the throws of SERIOUS food poisoning... take out chinese... hmmmmmmm)

Have a wonderful weekend.  I'll check in over the weekend - in between grading test papers and sending results emails in the middle of the night Saturday.

WOO HOO!!!!!

Jim just called.  He PASSED his upgrade and is now a full-fledged professional driver.  The Safety Officer (does the testing) had some really nice things to say.  So he was excited.  They are doing a trucking championship thing in California for the next 2 days that he and Allan (his trainer) are helping out with.  It’s like a truckers rodeo.  Lots of different driving tests – obstacle courses, etc.  Sounds like a lot of FUN!  And with the pressure of training and testing behind him, he can just relax and enjoy!  They will be done there on Saturday and then catch a load and head east.  But this time he’ll be a driver so he’ll get paid by the mile.  (Trainees get a flat weekly salary…) 

Meanwhile, Rod has turned in his truck and is sitting in a cute little restaurant next to his motel in Atlanta eating a HUGE plate of food in a little diner.  Those are the BEST.  He took a picture of his meal and texted it to me.  I told him the cook was probably a grandma.  He said nope – they are oriental.  I said, what, orientals can’t be grandmas?????  LOL  He’s so silly.  He will stay at the motel until Saturday morning and then catch a shuttle to the airport, pick up a rental and drive to Chattanooga, TN.  Drop the car at the airport there and catch the shuttle to the company orientation center.  Orientation starts on Monday for 2 days and then it’s just hurry up and wait for Jim to get there and for them to get assigned a truck. 

Then it’s on to the next chapter!  So cool……………

Tueday in Paradise

Good morning!  I'm having a GREAT morning this morning.  Just one of those days when you feel great.  When I got up this morning, I headed out to let the dogs out, then took my camera and checked out the garden.  And this is what I found.  (And they are DELISH!  LOL)

Cherry Tomatoes

Row of cherry tomatoes



Two green pepper plants

PEAS!!!!!!!

Lots of tomatoes to come...

Cucumber - with flowers - can't wait to put cukes in my smoothie!

Watermelon - with little flowers

Andy peeking in

Ok, enough pictures already... let's do BREAKFAST!

So, then I went back inside the house to check the goodies in the kitchen.  Last night Kyle made some beef jerky (3 different flavors) and I made YOGURT!  Yup.  Never made it before... it was amazingly easy and so yummy!  I forgot to take a picture in the crock pot, but here's the finished product.  (less the stuff I ate this morning in my smoothie....  YUMMMMMM)

 

Yogurt!

1/2 gallon milk
2 T powdered milk
1 small tub yogurt (for your starter)

Pour milk into your crockpot and turn it on LOW. Set a timer for 2.5 hours.

(right after work)

At the 2.5 hour mark, unplug the crock but leave the lid on.

Reset the timer for 3 hours.

(while eating dinner, watching House and Top Gear)

At the 3 hour mark, (just before bed) remove 2 cups of warm milk and put into a bowl.

Add the starter yogurt and powdered milk.

Stir well and then pour back into the crockpot.
Put the lid back on, then wrap the whole thing (still unplugged) with a heavy beach towel and go to bed. (Or just leave it alone for 8 hours)

Presto! Yogurt!!! I used vanilla yogurt as my starter, so it was already flavored and yummy. My friend who does this all the time adds a package of jello at the end. The gelatin helps thicken (as does the powdered milk) and also adds flavor and a cute little bit of color. (good if you are feeding to kids...)

Before making (and eating) my smoothie, I did a workout, dry brushed, showered, dressed and THEN made my smoothie.  All with all the doors and windows open so the glorious morning could come in.  (and a stray dog... Ozzy seems to think he's invisible and he can come inside and check everybody out...  silly dog.)

Hope you are having a glorious morning too!

UPDATE:  Rod is in Illinois, spent the night at the delivery place so he could deliver this morning.  Was leaving Chicago last night - getting fuel and weighing the truck in Legrand, IL.  Called Jim.  Asked where he was.  He said he was at WalMart.  Where?  Legrand, IL.  WHAT?????  They missed each other by about 30 minutes!!!!  Anyhow, they gave Rod a new load, heading to California for a Saturday delivery.  Which would be fine, except he's QUITTING and Friday is his last day.  LOL  He talked to the dispatcher who said he "remembered you saying something about that now..."  Those poor guys are so busy and trying to remember everybody's everything has GOT to be hard! 

Jim is heading to California so he can upgrade and then head back east to Chattanooga to meet up with Rod.  Then they'll get their own truck and hit the road as the BUFFALOE HERD.  (small herd... but powerful!)

Mothers Day

It was a busy busy weekend.  Taught in both Boynton Beach and Miami.  Had a good turnout - 35 students at my review, up from 17 last time!  Just over half of them were within 10 points of passing...  

And when I finally got home, Kyle had cleaned the house, it was wonderful!  And Jimbo had sent flowers.  They are beautiful!  I am so blessed to have such great sons.  

   








Please note the darling boy in the background...


UPDATE:  Rod is in Chicago waiting to deliver in the morning.
Jim is in Oak Creak Wisconsin waiting to deliver in the morning.  Then he's heading to Chicago - but he'll get there right after Rod leaves.  Maybe they'll get to honk at each other on the road.

True Confessions

Ok.  Time for true confessions.

I'm SO embarassed......  because:

1.  This morning was trash day.  So I gathered all the trash from the house (2 tall kitchen bags) and carried them out to the truck.  Now, I have a pretty long driveway.  And I need to get to work.  And I have an electric gate.  So I can't just open it, walk through and then close it behind me - it swings the entire width of the driveway and then back again.  So...  I put the two bags of trash on the hood of my truck.  And then I drove to the end of the driveway.  As I approached the end of the drive, I gunned the motor and then slammed on the brakes.  Successfully sliding the two bags of trash off the hood of my truck and neatly in a pile right where the garbage man will be expecting them to be for pickup later.  And then I looked up and there was my posh next-door-neighbor in his fancy Cadillac SUV.  Sheesh.  I am SUCH a red neck.

2.  Last week I sent out cute little hand-written notes to each of my Visiting Teaching Sisters to come to a "Meet and Eat" at the local Tropical Smoothie on Monday at 12:30.  We meet every first Monday each month.  An nice, fun, easy way to get together with them! 

Except I totally FORGOT!  And I even SAW one of them on the way to the office that morning!  Now, normally I'm working at least in the morning on Mondays and I do have it on my calendar at work, but Rod was in town - leaving later that day - so I only stopped by the office to send my school papers up to Atlanta.  Didn't even look at my calendar.  And then I spent the rest of the day with Rod - running around doing errands and just enjoying my last few hours with him for another month.  Didn't remember until about 5:30 that evening when I saw something on Facebook.  Sheesh.  I am SUCH a goof!

3.  For days and days and days I have been hearing ads on the radio and thinking in the back of my mind about Mothers Day coming up on Sunday.  And now here it is Wednesday and there is no way on EARTH I'm getting a card or anything else to Canada by Sunday.  (We don't really "do" what we call Hallmark Days here at my house - but my Mom loves stuff like that and I love my Mom!)  I am SUCH a bad "holiday" daughter. 

However.  I had a really good smoothie this morning.  So I'm not ALL bad, right? 

Yup, my actual smoothie on my actual BLUE kitchen counter.  (I did NOT pick the counters... came with the house...)  It was yummy!

UPDATE:  Rod is somewhere between Hattiesburg, MS and Jackson, MI.  On his way to Dallas, TX. 
Jim is in Denver, CO.  Dropping a load, I think.  Love that Google tells me where he is all the time, but unfortunately I missed his call last night so I don't know WHY he is in Denver.  Or where he is going next. 

6 Week Challenge

I'm participating in, yet another, 6 week challenge put on by Teresa Tapp.  This one is learning to get more veggies during the day by drinking green smoothies and ways to "sneak in" little fitness movements throughout the day.

With Rod being home over the weekend, I didn't start on May 1 like I was supposed to.  (Plus it was Fast Sunday - not a good day to start a new eating program...  LOL)  Then Monday we went to Waffle House for our traditional Monday morning breakfast.  (except Kyle got to come with us this time - it was fun!  They were BUSY - we sat at the counter and Kyle said it was like breakfast AND a show!)

Anyhow.  I started this morning with my first official green smoothie.

Yup.  It's GREEN.  This is not mine - but a picture I snagged off the internet.  I didn't have the presence of mind to snap a picture of mine this morning.  But it's basically what it looks like. 

I was expecting it to taste like liquified grass clippings.  I was pleasantly surprised!  It was really good!!!  Ok, there was a little of the grass clipping thing - but I think we all know I'm part horse, so it was cool.  Mine included some spinach, some kale, a banana and a hand full of frozen strawberries with a little coconut milk and water to thin it a little.  It was actually pretty yummy!

I wasn't starting to feel hungry until noon, so that's good. 

UPDATE:  Rod is heading north to Jackson and then west to Dallas.
Jim is in Kentucky.  I'm sure I know where he is headed - but can't seem to put my finger on it this very second...  LOL