A Whole New Meaning

If you haven't paid attention to pictures on Flickr, I've got a LOT of things going on.


- I got ENGAGED. Friday the 13th of all days.
- We've been busy planning the wedding - picked the place, working on the caterer (have a meeting this week with him) and then we'll have our date !! (9/19/09) Next will be booking a block of rooms at the nearest hotel, DJ, florist, etc.
- I'm on my third favor ... I picked out on two occasions different favor boxes, decided I didn't want them and we went to 2 Michael's craft stores today and bought the FINAL favor. Cute Chinese take-out containers, which we'll fill with personalized M&M's, white jordan almonds and tie off with ribbon with a wax seal with our last name initial (K).
- We've bought the invitations, programs, RSVP and place cards to do ourselves after we get all the details straight. Saved lots of money doing it this way !
- Mom's cancer grew a tiny bit so they just switched her to a new medication. She also had to go through an echocardiogram of her heart since in the catscan they thought they saw something on her right ventricle.
- Ethan starts kindergarten in one month !! (September 2nd) My mom will be getting him on and off the school bus each day. He stops going to daycare in a few weeks ! It's like getting a $700 month raise when he stops !!

How have you all been ?

Found a few places online. I don't have anything else worthwhile to talk about today, so another meme...

What time did you get up this morning? 6:00 a.m. (after hitting the snooze button for half an hour)


Diamonds or pearls? I'd love a diamond. I've never had one. I'm hoping one's coming soon ;)


What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Forgetting Sarah Marshall (I do NOT recommend it.... horrible and too many s*exual innuendos and frontal views I didn't need to understand the movie)


What is your favorite TV show? LOST, American Idol, anything HGTV or DIY network


What did you have for breakfast? small bowl of cereal and a piece of toast w/glass of O.J.


What is your middle name? right now legally it's Ester (my maiden name) because I never dropped my last name when I divorced ; my middle name I was given at birth is Paige


What is your favorite cuisine? Italian or Seafood... close picks


What foods do you dislike? Mexican isn't a favorite - I'll eat some, but not all.


What is your favorite Potato chip? tortilla chip (which totally goes against my answer above)


What is your favourite CD at the moment? a mixed CD I made...


What kind of car (truck) do you drive? a 2008 Ford Escape SUV


What is your favorite sandwich? PBJ or BLT


Favorite item of clothing? sloppy pj shorts I have had for YEARS


If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? England


What color is your bathroom? 'London Fog' (bluish purplish color)


Favorite brands of clothing? any that fit (Cato's, Lane Bryant, Target, I don't care...)


Where would you want to retire to? near family and loved ones (Hawaii would be my second pick)


Favorite time of day? night when I'm at home


Where were you born? Richmond, Virginia


Favorite sport to watch? don't watch them anymore


What type of detergent do you use? Tide or Wisk - and fabric softener is the Lavendar Snuggle


Coke or Pepsi? Diet Pepsi Caffeine Free (although I prefer iced tea over either of those)


Are you a morning person or night owl? both actually...can get right up (most) mornings and stay up really late every night ; bad habit to break !


What size shoe do you wear? 11 or 12


Do you have pets? yes, one calico cat, Whitney, we rescued from the local animal shelter


Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with everyone? nope...


What did you want to be when you were little? a teacher or nurse (I'm neither btw)


Favorite Candy? peanut M&M's or Junior Mints or York Peppermint Patties


What is your best childhood memory? hard to pick...


Different jobs you have had in your life? worked at a restaurant for a week or so during high school (couldn't stand it and quit), and have worked at the same place for 12 years now (different positions though)


What colour underwear are you wearing? plain ole' white


Nicknames? Brookie, Honey, Sunshine


Piercing? In my ears (had them done early 2007)


Ever been to Africa? No


Ever been toilet papered? No


Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes


Been in a car accident? Unfortunately (Feb 2008) and totaled my car


Croutons or bacon bits? Croutons


Favorite day of the week? Friday nights


Favorite restaurants? Carrabbas, The Boathouse (Local), Taste of Italy (Local)


Favorite flowers? roses, hydrangeas, lilies


Favorite ice cream? mint chocolate chip (but Cherry Garcia Lighten Up by Ben and Jerry's is getting a close second)


Disney or Warner Brothers? Both


Favorite fast food restaurant? Arby's


What color is your bedroom carpet? beige / light tan


How many times did you fail your driver’s test? None


Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail? some spam email


Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Target, Kohl's, Kirklands, World Market, Pottery Barn, Crate n Barrel (not hard for me to shop and spend money !)


What do you do most often when you are bored? read


Last person you went out to dinner with? just me and my son last night


Ford or Chevy? Ford (I've had a Chevy and didn't like it)


How many tattoos do you have? none (but secretly wishing I could get one)


Which came first, the chicken or the egg? don't know ...

Thanks Carol- a new meme...

Where did you grow up? Chester, Virginia

1. A body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks?
a creek

2. Whats the thing you push around the grocery store is called?
a grocery cart

3. A metal container to carry a meal in?
lunch box

4. The thing that you cook bacon and eggs in?
pan

5. The piece of furniture that seats three people?
sofa

6. The device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof?
gutter

7. The covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening?
porch

8. Carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverages?
drink

9. A flat, round breakfast food served with syrup?
Pancakes

10. A long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself?
sub

11. The piece of clothing worn by men at the beach?
swim trunks

12. Shoes worn for sports?
tennis shoes

13. Putting a room in order?
cleaning up

14. A flying insect that glows in the dark?
lightning bug

15.The children’s playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down?
See-saw or teeter totter

16. How do you eat your pizza?
eat all the toppings off with a fork and then eat the crust

17. What’s it called when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff?
yard sale

18. What’s the evening meal?
dinner or supper (when I was growing up that's what my parents called it)

19. What do you call the thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places?
water fountain

20. What do you call the clothing covering for legs worn on the outside?
Pants

in one word? Busy.

My life is consumed right now with courts, documents, lawyer talk, social security office, child support enforcement offices, etc. So not fun. Went to court (Juvenile and Domestic relations) last Friday. Disappointing. I got another court date from the judge in 60 days. Got an assignment from the judge on how to start handling part of the situation, which involves contacting sheriff's office in another state. Yeah, fun and money involved too. And, time off work to handle all the stuff at the courts offices when they're actually open when, oh, I'm normally at work. Ugh.

In other short, bulleted news:

I have been to Lowes, Home Depot, local nursery and bought veggies for our garden (varying types of tomatoes only this year), flowers, hanging baskets, herbs for deck boxes, etc. Rob and I are worn out and got a little sun this past weekend.

Last night after working part of the day, going to Soc. Security Admin. to handle a few things related to the child support stuff, did 2 loads of laundry, folded and put them away, mopped kitchen floor, vacuumed and proceede to then fall asleep on the sofa. Busy day.

Mother's Day is this weekend. This year I won't be spending it with MY mom. We're going to Rob's parents for a cookout. Mom and dad are going to 'babysit' so we can go out to dinner for our 1 year anniversary (a few days early) so I'll see her then. I ordered her flowers from ProFlowers.com which should be delivered Thursday or Friday. It's hard to figure out what to get her this year and her birthday is next week (59 !).

One year anniversary. Ack. One year has gone so quickly and I'm so blessed to have him in our lives. Any ideas for 1 year presents ? Quick !! I have no clue.

Work. All I can say is busy, hair pulling, migraine inducing busy. ACK !

Trying to decide where and when we're going somewhere this summer.

And, last but certainly not least:

House is still for sale. No bites. If it doesn't sell by the end of this month, I think we're taking it off the market and waiting another year...the market stinks right now. Definitely a GREAT time to buy, not so for selling one.

What are ya'll up to ??

Where Meme found while surfing around tonight . . .


is your cell phone? in my purse...

is your significant other? asleep in bed

is your hair? in a ponytail (the only way I can sleep)

is your mother? at home asleep probably...

is your father? at home asleep as well...

is one of your favorite things? in his bedroom fast asleep since 8:30 (my son)

was your dream last night? was in a store shopping for baby clothes (my cousin is pregnant)

can you get your favorite drink? at home in the refrigerator (iced tea)

are you right now? in the home office

is your ex? living in some apartment by himself in Delaware

is your fear? death

do you want to be in 6 years? married, Ethan in middle school, another child in school...

were you last night? at home

was the last place you drove? home from dinner out at Chicago Uno's

did you grow up? about 5 miles from here

was the last place you ate? see above answer - Uno's (I had a sirloin steak)

is (are) your TV(s)? one in living room, one in kitchen and one in the master bedroom

are your pets? cat is asleep in her bed in the master bedroom

is your computer? one at work on my desk and one here in my home office

is your mood? sleepy..going to bed when I finish this - it's 10:55 p.m.

is your oldest friend? at home asleep (my mom)

is your car? in the driveway

is your wedding ring? I don't have one...

is your favorite store? about 10 miles from here (Target)

is your favorite place to be in the summer? somewhere in the A/C or the beach

was the last place you laughed? this evening in the living room at something Ethan said

was the last place you cried? about 3 months ago when my mom had her surgery (February 1st)

are five places you go on the internet on a regular basis?
Scrabulous (online Scrabble)
Flickr
Coupons.com (Thanks Carol for making me more shop-conscious!)
my banking online site
friends blogs

I had no clue it had been 'that' long since my last post. Does anyone else still read this thing ? :)


Our lives have been extremely busy. House is still on market, but only one showing in over a month. We're thinking of taking it off the market for another year. Haven't made our final decision YET.


The rundown of other stuff:
- We will celebrate our one year anniversary together in May !! I'm trying to come up with something to give him that's meaningful. I'm thinking DVD with 365 slides (365 = days in a year) that tell him reasons I love him. Corny ?
- Ethan's signed up for kindergarten. Hard to believe. We have the first supply list too...fun stuff ahead !
- Daycare is going up yet AGAIN. Up to almost $656 a month. Ouch.
- Just got good news - my old car loan is PAID OFF. Had a call last week said I still owed $1200, and get a letter in the mail today saying it's paid. That's all the proof I need.
- We're going to a 25th wedding anniversary party for his aunt/uncle this weekend. We got a really great gift (we think). I'll post pictures over at Flickr once the bow is tied on it. We shopped at Pier 1, Sur La Table, Michaels and the ABC store to get all the pieces - a huge bowl (fixed like a gift basket) with dish towels, bottles of margarita mixes, the liquor to go in it, salt and sugar for the rims of the 2 new glasses also included. Stopped in Michaels and got the cellophane and ribbon to put around it. They're gonna love it !
- Rob's having oral surgery Friday. They're going to have him under for 4 hours. Taking 2 teeth out, skin grafts, stitches - OUCH ! We stocked up on Jello, yogurt, broths, bottled water and Gatorade. And, we've got plenty of ice for the ice packs for his face.
- Mom is doing well. Thankfully. She's got her first symptom of the cancer medicine (Nexavar). The bottoms of her feet and palms of her hands HURT. She's been wearing slippers (ordered Crocs and some type of slip on shoes from Lands End that hopefully she'll be able to wear). Her blood thinner has been working good and otherwise she's doing well.

Respond with one word meme:

Here are the questions followed by my answers:
1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Relationship? involved
3. Your hair? long
4. Work? busy
5. Your sister? one
6. Your favorite thing? sleep
7. Your dream last night? nothing
8. Your favorite drink? tea
9. Your dream car? drivable
10. The room you're in? office
11. Your shoes? none
12. Your fears? death
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? happy
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Rob
15. What are you not good at? patience
16. Muffin? lemon
17. One of your wish list items? house
18. Where you grew up? VA
19. Last thing you did? dishes
20. What are you wearing? pants
21. What aren't you wearing? shoes
22. Your pet? cat
23. Your computer? HP
24. Your life? full
25. Your mood? tired
26. Missing? nothing
27. What are you thinking about right now? sleep
28. Your car? Escape
29. Your kitchen? clean
30. Your summer? work
31. Your favorite color? red
32. Last time you laughed? afternoon
33. Last time you cried? forget
34. School? over
35. Love? yes