Almost Friday!

Everytime I think about little Hannah and her siblings I want to just cry. I think about them every second. I just watched a news clip from wlos.com from Monday, I think. I hadn't seen it before. It makes me so sad. I want to call Melissa and check on them daily. Mostly Hannah, of course. Not that she's the only one I care about, just that I know her, I've taken care of her, fed her, clothed her, put her to bed...all that stuff. I did receive a text message from Melissa yesterday that said Hannah had to have a feeding tube placed yesterday. She said she just wasn't eating or drinking. Poor thing. I don't want her to have to go thru any more pain.

Tomorrow the girls will leave for the lake with mom and dad. I will go down Saturday morning. It will be our last lake weekend before school starts. I can't believe the summer is already over! Today was the last day for Sarah's Summer Day Camp. She treated the girls (and Bayley) to Inflation Station and lunch at Papas and Beer. Tomorrow they will come to work with me for a little while. Dad will pick them up around lunchtime and then they'll head down to the lake as soon as mom gets off work. Sarah will go to the doctor for her glucose test - the 3 hour one. She's so lucky. She's getting good at it though - she had to do it last pregnancy too. Poor Sarah ;)

I have no pictures today.

I am off work on Monday for meet the teacher day for both the girls. I am longing for a day when I can sleep in! It will be the last one! Tuesday morning...I dread it already!

weekend recap

This is an attempt to recap the weekend...what I can remember of it at least.

Friday night we ventured out kinda late (8:30pm) for school supplies at Target. It was a great time to go - didn't have to fight the crowds at all. The girls got pretty much everything they needed except for a few things that April will graciously give them later. Those of you that do not know April, she is a coupon queen. Not just a coupon queen, a COUPON QUEEN. No joke. She can make money off stores. She also buys things when they're on sale, not necessarily when she needs them so she's got quite a stock pile of stuff. Anyway, the girls really got into buying stuff for school. They enjoy picking out their notebooks and pencil pouches. Ah, to be a kid again! They are really looking forward to school starting back next week and I am too. Not really looking forward to the 5:30am alarm clock but really looking forward to getting back into the routine - and getting back into the gym. My belly is "round" as Emma-Leigh says.

Saturday we went to Charlotte for Damion, Donald and Brandon to do the racing experience again. This time it was Mario Andretti indy cars. They had a lot of fun!

We stopped in Shelby and had dinner at Applebee's then headed back home. Madison and Emma-Leigh spent the night with Vickie and Donald so that I could shop with mom alone on Sunday for my bday :)

So Sunday I got up around 9:30am (shocking, I can NEVER sleep in) and went to get mom. We went to Marshalls, Target, Old Navy and then headed to the mall. We had lunch at McAllister's Deli then went to TV Nails for pedicures!


my toes BEFORE the rub down - they are pink now :)
After that a surprise dinner was in the works for me with mom, dad, Brett, Sarah & Riley at Papas and Beer!

Surprise! haha. It was one of the best days I have had in a really long time.

Please continue to pray for Hannah Allison, her big brother and little sister. Emma-Leigh is working on a few things to send to Hannah in a care package. She's really having a hard time knowing that one of her best friends is in so much pain :( she told me this morning that if she had been at Hannah's house she would have pushed her and Abby out of the way. She has also not left my side at all. She's terrified of everything and didn't even want her bath hot last night. I can't even imagine how Hannah and her siblings felt when they were on fire and I am sure that thought has crossed Emma-Leigh's mind as well.
It can all change - in the blink of an eye.

sweet Hannah

This sweet child is a dear friend of Emma-Leigh's. Last night she and her older brother and younger sister were burnt very badly at their home. The kids were outside standing around a campfire and the brother put some kind of flammable liquid into the fire. News 13 is saying it was kerosene but I've talked to her ex-aunt who says they think it was paint thinner. Hannah's step-dad is a painter. Their burns are so bad that they have flown them to Shriner's Hospital in Cinncinnati, Ohio - the burn center here in North Carolina could not take them. My heart breaks for them, their family and everyone associated with them. My heart breaks for Emma-Leigh. This little girl was one of her best friends. They were in the same class last year and it kills me to think that this sweet, innocent face may no longer look the same. Please pray for them all.

I can't focus enough to update on my weekend. That will have to come later.

Jen and I went out for our birthdays last night. We went to Fuddruckers for dinner where we feasted on big fat hamburgers and jalapeno cheesy fries! Then we went to Grove Park and walked around for a little while before heading down to Elaine's piano bar. If you haven't been before - you must go. It is my absolute favorite! When I was younger, my parents forced me to take piano lessons...for 6 years. I wanted so badly to take one summer off - they said if I did, I would never go back and guess what happened? I never went back. I hated to practice, absolutely hated it! But I have really long fingers and looking back, I should have stuck with it. Anyway, the guys at Elaine's amaze me with their talent! Not only can they sing whatever you request - they can play it too! Amazing :) no sheet music or anything! It was Jen's first time there and I think she had a good time. We left there about 11pm and came home. I had to work today and she had a drive to Greenville ahead of her. I would love to get a group of girls together and go back one night. Thursday night is ladies night there! $5 martinis and $2 beers. ya-hoo! LoL

Yesterday I had lunch with Sarah, Riley & Emma-Leigh...

Love those girls!

I should clarify my post from yesterday just a little bit I think...Damion and I are fine - couldn't be better. As much as we've gone thru in the past 6 years, I am so proud to be by his side. What really stinks is this economy and the fact that people think they can just walk all over him. I swear I think he is the most taken advantage of person I know. He's such a good guy. He's way too nice to people - he believes that what goes around comes around...we are just waiting for his time to come around. So anyway, I feel a little bit better today.

Tomorrow we will head down to Charlotte for Damion, his dad and Brandon to do the driving school racing thing again. Mom and Dad were supposed to go too but they have a wedding to go to so they won't be going with us. Bummer. I'll take lots of pictures! I love to see the big grin on Damion's face when he gets that full body suit on. haha! Happy Friday ya'll!

I'm not gonna cry.....

I don't want to talk today. I want to be left alone. I don't wanna cry - but it seems I have no control.

My birthday - day was fine. It started with Hannah bringing me a french vanilla extra extra coffee and a sausage, egg, cheese croissant from Dunkin Donuts. Yum! Then I had lunch with the girls at Tupelo. Cindy gave me a white watch that we've been wanting - it's the watch that Sandra Bullock wore in the movie The Blindside (only its a knockoff), Kim gave me this cute plaque thingy that says "friends are like stars. You don't always see them but you know they're there." (it's sitting on my night stand) and April bought my lunch. When I got back to work, Holly had brought in a bouquet of flowers....that began to drip with ants...and Blake gave me a $25 gift certificate to Applebee's. All that was lovely! When I got off work and headed to pick the girls up, it all went downhill. Mom had invited us over to her house for BLT sandwiches but I wanted to wait until I talked to Damion just in case he had other plans for me. The girls were fighting and I just wanted to scream!! Damion came home around 7 or so and by that time it was too late to go to mom and dad's. So, we had sandwiches and chef boyardee! Not that my birthday should be a big party - I realize as we get older that things don't have the same meaning as they used to. I was disappointed but I also know the stress and worry that Damion is going thru right now so no big deal. On Sunday, mom is taking me shopping for my birthday and on Monday I will have lunch with Vickie (Damion's mom). Today, I will meet Sarah, Riley & Emma-Leigh at Ianucci's for lunch and hopefully tonight Jen and I will go to Elaine's as we've planned. To be honest, I'm not feeling it. We need lots of prayers right now - I am not going to go into it right now because I am so sad and full of questions but just pray. And for those of you that read my blog and don't ever comment - you better start commenting because you're gonna get deleted! That sounds harsh but this is the place where I divulge my most intimate secrets and as much as I love you all, if you aren't a dedicated reader...goodbye!

It's my birthday!!

Today is my birthday...at 3:45pm I will officially be 33. WoW. It is also one of my best friend's bday - Jen Meder! So cool that we were both born on the same day.

So today, April, Cindy, Kim and I are headed to Tupelo Honey for lunch. Fun!

Pictures to follow...

It's monday...wow they roll around fast!

Let's rewind a few days...

Thursday night I had a Mary Kay party. We had a lot of fun. I was happy with the way it turned out - small group but it was perfect.

Here's a before and after...


I hate pictures of me but I must admit, the after looks SO much better than the before. Thanks Laura! :)

Friday night..what did we do? I can't even really think back that far...
oh yeah, my car was in the shop on Friday for a recall...Shawn picked me up in his new On Time truck...isn't it nice?


Then we all went to dinner at Cracker Barrel. Saturday EL and I had a lazy morning but eventually got ready and went to Damion's office to get some ant spray - the ants were raiding my kitchen! Damion said it was because of all the rain we have been having but I didn't care why they were there - I just wanted them out!! Of course when we got to the office they wanted lunch so Emma and I went to Target then to Arby's (she wanted curly fries) then to Subway for the guys (and me). After we ate, we met Sarah & her mom at the J Crew sidewalk sale. EL racked up on some stuff but I didn't really have a chance to dig for myself so I didn't get anything. Maybe next time...when I go without her ;) After we left J Crew, I was exhausted! So we went home and chilled out - did nothing for the rest of the day!

Sunday I had promised Emma that I would take her and Bethany to the pool. Only one problem - it was cloudy and rainy. So I decided to take them to the park.

And then we went to the movies to see Ramona & Beezus. It was such a cute movie!! I hate Madison missed it! After that the girls wanted to walk around Biltmore Park a little bit so we went to all the stores, spent some time at Barnes & Noble and O.P Taylor's...

At the last minute last night, Emma-Leigh decided she wanted to go spend the night at Bethany's house. So off she went!! I was thrilled! It is very rare that she wants to go anywhere to stay the night - when she's ready for bed, she's ready for bed and she prefers to sleep in her own bed. So it was really nice! I was able to get up and get myself ready and leave this morning. Hallelujah!!! haha

Well, it's back to North Carolina for Madison and the Whitson's...vacation is over!!

I have missed her so! Cheerleading camp starts for her tomorrow! Hope she has a good time!