tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161747413051252772024-03-19T02:02:45.561-07:00From Lynne's TablePipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.comBlogger216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-8423645659958445902012-01-18T09:16:00.000-08:002012-01-18T09:17:29.253-08:00Highlight of the day--Firehouse Grill in Ennis, TexasIf you are ever in the town of Ennis, Texas, head downtown. There are some interesting places there. Over the next couple of days, I am going to highlight two or three of the places we have gone to.<br />
If you go downtown and turn right just before crossing the railroad tracks and head over a couple of blocks, you will find an old firehouse that is now a restaurant properly named, Firehouse Grill. To look at it from the outside, you might assume it's a burger place but you would be so wrong. This is a real sit down restaurant with a laid back, easy going feel to it. The waitresses are friendly and willing to let you know what their favorites are if you ask. There are fire house mementos everywhere from old to new. History teems all around you.<br />
My family (all boys) decided that they would try the chicken fried steak. It was huge. It covered the whole plate. Not only that but it comes with two or three sides (all tasted homemade) and rolls. For once, my boys took home about half of their meal because they couldn't eat it all. That is saying a lot! I ordered the bread pudding and one of the boys ordered the chocolate pie. Both were amazing!<br />
This restaurant is locally owned and operated. I have the privilege of going to church with the owner's brother and his family. (I didn't know that til later). If you are looking for good food that fills you up then this is definitely the place to go.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-63365432377076748502012-01-17T06:42:00.000-08:002012-01-17T06:42:04.398-08:00Highlight of the Day--Horny Toad Bar and Grill, Cranfills Gap, TexasI know I haven't blogged in several days but I was out of town and then life caught up with me and well, I just enjoyed my family for a bit without the computer in my hands constantly.<br />
Today's highlight is a place I have mentioned before but I felt like it was worth mentioning again. If you like to travel the back roads and just want to explore Texas then make sure you head out State Highway 22. Cranfills Gap is located 42 miles northwest of Waco and in this sleepy little town, there is a fantastic place to eat. It is called the Horny Toad Bar and Grill. Our family first heard about it in "Ride Texas" Magazine. So we loaded up the car and headed out.<br />
We were pleasantly surprised. This little place has tons of charm and great food. We have been there several times now and every time we are not disappointed. I highly recommend the burgers and onion rings. They have an extensive menu and I have liked every thing I have eaten. On the weekends they have live music and it is a packed house. Although it is (for all practical purposes) a bar, it is still a great place to eat. We have gone during the day and it is more family-oriented during that time. The road to getting there is just as much a part of the journey as the eating. The beautiful winding roads make this a great outing. It is truly a place to "get away" from the hustle and bustle of life.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-91683631155202309882012-01-14T06:09:00.000-08:002012-01-14T06:09:36.832-08:00Highlight of the Day--HEB, Waxahachie, TexasI haven't been home lately so I haven't been able to post my highlight of the day. But I am back again and in full swing.<br />
I told you previously that I a self-proclaimed foodie. I really love to bake and when you love to bake, you need to find stores that you really like for the things you use in baking.<br />
Strange as it seems. I love HEB. This is a grocery store chain that I have know about all my life. It originated in Corpus Christi, Texas (where I grew up). I remember driving down Ocean Drive and my parents and grandparents pointing out Mr. Howard E. Butt's house. I am a third generation in my family to shop there.<br />
The Waxahachie HEB is wonderful. They always seem to have really good meal deals and there is always someone around to help you. You don't have to wonder if anyone actually works there. I kind of wonder if they "station" someone on each aisle so that they can help people. Also, if you are in one department and you are looking for something clear across the store, they not only know where to look but will walk you to it. Personalized service and all done with a pleasant attitude. I remember being in this store one day and a lady screaming at the employee. Because they recommended a particular brand. The employee never got rude, they stayed calm, and eventually the lady calmed down and asked for help from this same person. I would have been fired for telling her off. This employee was great.<br />
But that is how it always is there. When I check out the employees smile and visit with me and it is just uplifting. I can have a horrible day but they seem to know the right thing to make me smile or just wish me an encouragement.<br />
I called the other day to let them know that the checker was friendly and they seemed amazed. They shouldn't. Their employees are worth their weight in gold. <br />
So if you want a great place to shop for groceries and get some personalized service, go to the Waxahachie HEB. Best grocery store around.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-5975156897085173322012-01-11T08:41:00.000-08:002012-01-11T08:41:35.178-08:00Highlight of the Day--Mo's Cafe, Maypearl, TexasEven though Maypearl is a small town, there are several places to eat. Today's highlight is on Mo's Cafe. This is an interesting place. It is tucked away next to the Exxon Station at the corner of FM 157 and FM 66 in Maypearl, Texas. When you walk in, it is a cozy, country atmosphere complete with a fireplace and slate floors. Many of the locals gather there for breakfast, lunch, and supper and any time in between. <br />
I have tried their breakfast menu and the omelets are wonderful. They will fill you up. Not only that but with the omelet you get biscuits and gravy. Now that is a Texas breakfast. <br />
Their main meal menu has a wide assortment of items on it. I have slowly been working my way through their menu. The portions are good sized and very filling. I think my favorite item at this point is the their Monte Cristo Sandwich with the Raspberry Chipotle sauce. Incredible is the only word I can say for that combo. I have heard several people say that the fish and shrimp there are good and the fajitas are well worth it. <br />
The staff there is friendly and treats you like they have known you forever. There is a laid back feel to the place that comes with the small town. <br />
One thing I do know is that Mo's is the only place in town that will deliver meals to the teachers at the local school whenever they need them. <br />
So if you are ever traveling through Maypearl, Texas and looking for a good homecooked meal where you can take a load off for a bit. Stop into Mo's!Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-31762971620902955522012-01-10T05:54:00.000-08:002012-01-10T05:54:06.816-08:00Highlight of the Day--Lone Star PizzaToday's highlight feature is Lone Star Pizza. This small, family owned pizza place is located in the town of Maypearl, Texas. Maypearl is off the main highways. It is located halfway between Grandview and Waxahachie, Texas on FM 66. If you are a biker then you are quite familiar with this town. <br />
Lone Star Pizza is owned by Kaaren and David Lynch. They put their heart and soul into this place. It is not a large place. It is set in an older building but it has charm and character. The pizza is made fresh and doesn't sit under lamps waiting to be eaten. This is one of the few pizza places that still deliver (even on Christmas Eve!)to anywhere in the area. The owners have even been known to deliver the pizza themselves. It arrives hot every time. <br />
They have a large selection of pizza types and toppings. They have two types of crust. Hand tossed and cracker thin. They do have a stuffed crust for those who like that style. The sandwiches are excellent. If you order a side salad, you get a salad with more than just lettuce and dressing. It is definitely a salad with lots veggies, croutons, and the such. <br />
My personal favorite pizza is what I call the supreme. They do have one called the Mayor's special which has every topping they have on it. It comes in one size--extra large. It is huge. With 3 boys in my house, they can eat pizza. 2 pizzas from this place fills the whole family up.<br />
If you are ever in the Maypearl area and are craving pizza then stop by and soak some local atmosphere and chat with those around you. It is well worth the drive.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-30866894624243207742012-01-09T06:20:00.000-08:002012-01-09T06:20:29.788-08:00Highlight for the DayI have been thinking about this a lot and have decided that every day I want to highlight some restaurant, book, movie, etc. that I have found interesting enough to share. Today is the first day so........<br />
Today's Highlight is <b>R&K Cafe</b>. This is a small family owned cafe tucked away in the town of Grandview, Texas. Now oddly, enough in Texas, there are 2 Grandviews. This particular one is located about 45 minutes south of Ft. Worth, Texas off of IH-35.<br />
At the R&K you get service with a smile and an atmosphere of family. Everyone knows everyone and if they don't then by the time you leave, you will have developed some new friendships along with a full stomach.<br />
The menu is fairly simple but well worth it. Every day there is a list of specials and sides. Most meals come with 3 sides. The meals are prepared by wonderful cooks who have been doing this job for a while. The portions are Texas-sized all the way around. If you are looking for a smaller portion then you might want to order the Kids portion. <br />
For dessert, they have some amazing pies. Everyday, the pies are made fresh and when they are gone, they are gone. You might want to order dessert before you have your meal. <br />
R&K also does a mean breakfast. It is made to order and very filling. IHOP has nothing on the breakfast here. Crispy bacon, fluffy biscuits and pancakes, sausage and eggs. The Omelets are amazing!<br />
I personally recommend the Western Omelet for breakfast and my all time favorite meal at lunch or supper is the Chicken Fried Chicken. I have tried the catfish (served as all you can eat on Fridays), the Chicken Fried Steak, and the Grilled Chicken. They are all wonderful. So far, there hasn't been a thing I haven't liked.<br />
So if you are ever driving through North Central Texas between the hours of 6:00am-9:00pm and feel the hankerin' for a good, fill ya up meal then stop by the R&K in Grandview. You won't be disappointed.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-5942049771923467172012-01-09T04:42:00.000-08:002012-01-09T04:42:30.543-08:00ShowersWell, for once I am up before 7:00am. I love to sleep and normally, I sleep til then.today though I woke up enough to hear the rain falling outside my window. It is a soothing sound most of the time. Unfortunately my first thought was "Great. How the heck are we gonna move the winter guard floor in the rain?" I stopped and realized that instead of enjoying the blessing of rain (which if you live in Texas, then you consider it a blessing), I was already groosing about it.<br />
Once I realized that, I stopped and listened again. I closed my eyes. I focused on the rain. Then I heard the soothing sounds that I love when it rains. It was refreshing. It was like all the worries of the day were being washed away and the day was getting a shower of blessings.<br />
There are times when I am too quick to jump right into the yuck instead of focusing on the beauty. I am working on trying to see the beauty before the yuck. It makes for a much more pleasant day, event, etc.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-75447714501310357872012-01-08T20:23:00.000-08:002012-01-08T20:58:00.875-08:00My boys and thoughtsIt has been a while since I have actually written in my blog. I felt the need to tonight. I was thinking about my boys. You see the youngest one is constantly letting me know how much and how fast he wants to grow up. It appears that I am stifling his formative years because I don't do things on his timeline. He is still young and has a couple more years before he leaves the nest. The middle one is getting ready to face driving, college, and being independent and well, I admit it. I am not ready for this phase of his life. I am trying really hard but while he sees it as an adventure, I see it as another baby leaving. The oldest is the one that my heart is truly breaking for. He is facing the cold harsh world. I have and am still doing this. It isn't pretty. He is looking at it through the eyes of needing a job, debt to be paid off, etc. If it were up to me.... Unfortunately it isn't. He has to make decisions for himself because no matter what, this is his life and he has to live it. All three of them do. They are past the point of running to me to fix their problems. Now when they come to me, it is to let me know about the problem that they are working on themselves. Do I agree with their way of fixing it? No. Will I ever agree? Probably not. But then again I am the momma.<br />When my oldest son started dating, he would introduce us to the girls. He would later come to me and ask what I thought. Most of the time, I would tell him "Jesus said no.". He thought I was kidding until one day he realized that I was serious. There have only been a couple of occasions when Jesus didnt say no. My middle son is not much for dating. Takes after his daddy. I figure one day he will walk in the door and introduce a girl to us and tell us that they are just friends and that will be that. My youngest has started dating and he takes me serious when I tell him what Jesus has said. I know it seems silly but Jesus really does speak to my heart about the girls that my boys go out with. I just hope that they listen to what He says to them as well.<br />I told you in the beginning of this blog that I was thinking about my boys. They are no longer babies, toddlers, little boys. They are young men and adults. It happened so fast. I blinked. There is a song that says, "You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back." Boy were they right. My babies have grown up and are facing the world. Where did the time go?Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-74731406490159543712010-11-20T21:59:00.000-08:002010-11-20T22:12:45.533-08:00It's been a long time.I haven't written in so long because I haven't been on the computer in so long. I haven't been on partly because I haven't felt like it and partly because I haven't had time. I was planning on doing the 30 days of Thanksgiving but again I haven't been on the computer. <br />My Wall of Fame has taken off at school and we are excited daily to see what is going to come in the mail. The kids are really into it and are excited that this is happening. <br />I am making headway with my Math class. I feel like I am finally getting a handle on it. We are moving forward and it is neat to see the kids make the connection.<br />As for the homefront, I am wanting to get back into my baking and be creative there. I miss it. I need to get back into it for my own sanity. It keeps me focused. I need that more than anything.<br />I am thankful for a lot of things and I am so grateful that I have a wonderful family and that they put up with me. I do think about things that I am grateful for and I feel blessed everyday.<br />I gave serious consideration to signing off the blog for good but a piece of me just couldn't let it go. So I will continue to blog hopefully more than once a month.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-7318194107996989742010-10-26T21:26:00.001-07:002010-10-26T21:45:40.283-07:00Happenings in my LifeWhere to start... Here we go, buckle up your seat belt and hang on. <br />On Saturday, I went to the grocery store and when trying to pay for everything, was informed that my driver's license was expired. Apparently, DPS no longer sends you a reminder. When I got home, I discovered that my amazing hubby had started working on our messy bedroom. I jumped in and by the time the evening happened, we had cleaned up the mess that had been building up. It was wonderful. We were working together and talking and I enjoyed it so much. <br />On Sunday, we had birthday lunch for Grandpa and my youngest. I did really well. I didn't cry in front of anyone. I made it through lunch and then our church dinner club that happened that night. I waited until I had gone to bed to let out what I was feeling. My youngest is turning 14 and this was a time when I felt the loss of Jeff's mom once again. <br />On Tuesday, I went to renew my license. I went during my conference period and got there a little before 10am. There were 5 people behind the desk and only one happened to be working. One lady was actually filing her nails. I finally got done at 11am. It was so annoying.<br />The high point of the day was when the mail came at school today. My principal came in carrying a box. He was like a kid in a candy store. He read the letter that was sent to my class. In the box with the letter was a mini helmet signed by the coach of the Philidelphia Eagles, Andy Reid. There were bookmarks, pencils, and lanyards for the kids. It was so great!! I had blogged previously (I think) about my letter writing campaign. It is now paying off. Although a lot of people have asked when I am planning on writing to NBA, WNBA, Hockey, and Baseball leagues. I just sent out over 100 letters. I am getting ready to send out the next set. I am just working my way through. My Wall of Fame is growing by leaps and bounds. The kids are excited and so am I. We can hardly wait from one day to the next.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-88533992805094608842010-10-22T23:21:00.000-07:002010-10-22T23:33:58.225-07:00Can you believe it?First, don't go into shock that I am writing 3 posts in one day. My hubby tells me to spread it out but lately, if I don't just do it then I tend to forget. That is a posting for another time.<br />I know I have probably mentioned in previous posts that I write letters to all kinds of people. It isn't to get stuff...well it is to get a letter but that's all I am asking for. About 4 years ago I started writing letters to famous people in an effort to get them to write and encourage my students. I wanted my students to know that they could fulfill their dreams, wishes, desires of becoming someone. (Heaven knows, I became someone.) :D Anyway, that first year, we heard from the Queen of England, President G.W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Carl Edwards, and another race car driver. One of my students got Bill Bates to autograph a napkin so that we could hang it on the Wall of Fame. After that, every year I would send out 100-150 letters to athletes, politicians, actors, actresses, singers. For the longest time, we received nothing. This year, I decided to be aggressive. I went after addresses for David Letterman, Jay Leno, Clint Black, Reba McEntire, the entire NFL, the president, local blues singers. Anyone that I could think of, I sent a letter or an email. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs.... No one is beyond my scope of getting a letter to them. I am even considering Fidel Castro. (You never know, one student might be seeing dictator as his future goal.)<br />This year so far, we have had a personal letter from Joe Biden, Ms. Marcy and her Texas Sugar Daddies, Billy Worthington, and the Buffalo Bills. I did receive an email from the San Fran 49ers. They only support California students. At least they wrote and told me that instead of just never answering my letter. I am still on the hunt. Tonight, I was given several other names of famous people to write to. I am hoping that we continue to see more and more people write to the students. They love reading the letters and they are amazed that the people who do write care about them enough to write to us. <br />I will post a picture of the Wall soon.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-91626222093075856812010-10-22T23:10:00.000-07:002010-10-22T23:21:00.506-07:00Pink Out!!!Today, our community held its first annual Pink Out! What is that? Well, Pink Out is Cancer Awareness Day. The Pink is mainly for Breast Cancer Awareness but we also wore ribbons that were yellow and turquoise. Those represent other types of cancer. The district had a pep rally and we honored 3 people who are fighters of cancer. <br />One was a 9 year old boy who had tummy aches starting in April 2010. In June, they discovered that he had stage 4 cancer. This next week, he gets to have surgery to remove the tumor because it is now 50% smaller than when they discovered it.<br />The next person was Vicki Williams, our high school secretary. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008 and within the year, she was in remission. Sadly, earlier this year, it was discovered that the cancer was back but now it had seeped into her hip bone. She is fighting daily through the chemo, radiation, and medicine they give her. She always has a smile and never lets on how really sick she is.<br />Coach Farda is the other person we honored. He has had cancer return to him. He is a fighter and he comes to work; hurting, sick, etc. yet he smiles and stops to talk to you.<br />All 3 of these people are amazing! I cried over each of them. I cried over the fact that we too have dealt with cancer in our own lives in this family. But today, I wore the pink shirt with pride. I love the slogan on it that says "Pink Out for the survivors, the fighters, and the taken." So I will Pink Out and I will continue to pray for those who are fighting.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-67147359123343084232010-10-22T23:01:00.000-07:002010-10-22T23:10:53.312-07:00Cleaning out ClutterI know that Spring is when you are suppose to clean out and do all the deep cleaning but for some reason, this mood hits me in the fall. Maybe it's the cooler weather or maybe it's the fact that I get tired of having a lot of stuff around. I recently told some family members that I would love to take EVERYTHING out of my house and then only bring in the most needed items. This would apply to everything from pots and pans to clothes, shoes, etc. <br />We have lived here 3 years now. There are things in my attic that I haven't used or missed so I know that it is time to get it out. I still have books in my garage from when we moved in. I am still waiting for the promised bookcases to appear. Hmmmmm..... There are still boxes in my bedroom that are filled with things that my hubby deems important and "he will get to one day". (Hopefully that one day is this weekend.) <br />I am just tired of the clutter. I used to think that I didn't contribute so much to it but I am as guilty as the rest of them. I haven't bought any magazines in almost 4 months. All my subscriptions have run out so, I have eliminated that form of clutter from my pile. Now if I could just get a handle on the rest of my clutter.<br />I want, desire, dream, and wish that my bedroom was a calming, soothing place to go to but right now it is the storage center, the dumping grounds, whatever you want to call it. There is so much clutter in my bedroom that I hate going in there. Hopefully that will change this weekend. I intend to spend my weekend just cleaning up and getting rid of a lot of clutter. Goodwill, get ready cuz here I come!!!!Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-55823858366570712232010-10-17T12:30:00.000-07:002010-10-17T12:47:52.637-07:00FashionWell since my birthday, I find myself becoming more eccentric. One day this week, for absolutely no reason, I decided that I was tired of being beige. That is a figure of speech of course but basically it was this: I have always been brought up to match my clothes, shoes, purse, jewelry with whatever color the outfit is. I have had enough matchy matchy. I decided to kick it up a notch and break out. Now part of decision came about when I was flipping channels on television and some fashion show was on and the host was telling the camera that fashion is what you make of it. No one really knows what fashion is. Put something together and wear it. What makes it fashionable is wearing it with confidence. If you wear something and are obviously uncomfortable with doing so then you just look awkward but exuding confidence while wearing whatever shows others that you are a fashionista and then you pull it off. That being said, I decided to start breaking out of the mold. I wore red shoes with a black and white outfit this week. I had more compliments on that than I have ever had before. It was amazing. One thing and everyone noticed. So, I am now determined that I will wear something bright and unusual everyday. Today, I wore one of my grandmother's pins. It was a big blue flower with a bright green stem. Again, compliments over one little accessory. <br />I am thinking about creating the "Lynne Look" and seeing how that goes. Mind you, I am all about the comfort zone and keeping certain things covered. Maybe if I were skinny and a size 6, I might be all about high heels and such but I am what I am for now. I just need to remember "Be Bold, Be Strong. Right or Wrong." I encourage you to step out and be your own fashionista. Why let society dictate what is in and what isn't. We are who we are and we should be proud of that.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-77002240501302224892010-10-09T17:46:00.000-07:002010-10-09T17:47:52.080-07:00It's been a whileIt has been quite a while since I blogged. I was reminded about this not too long ago. Someone told me that they missed me writing and that I needed to get busy on it. They were right. I have missed writing. I know that I don’t write novels or such but I do write about what is on my mind at the time.<br />I recently turned 44. Yes, I am proud of my age. I don’t try to sugar coat it like my grandmother use to. She would tell everyone that she was 39. When she died, we had a horrible time finding out how old she really was. Turned out she was older than my granddaddy and that was what bothered her. That is the reason she would tell everyone a fake age. Jeff’s grandmother was proud of her age and she told everyone how old she was all the time. She died when she was 92. She didn’t look more than 70 something. I want to do that. I love the thought of living to a ripe old age and living life to its fullest. I seriously try hard not to give into the whining about aches and pains. I feel if I give into it then I will end up an old lady way before I am ready to be an old lady. I am also learning that 50 and 60 are not that far away and aren’t looking so bad. Happy Birthday to my aunt Betty Lou and Jeff’s uncle Jimmy in the month of September. We remembered you.<br />For my birthday, a small group of ladies and myself went to Salado for an entire weekend. It was so much fun! We went to every antique store, hole in the wall shop, and little venues that we could find. We ate at a little bakery and had amazing food. That night we ate at the Stagecoach Inn and was absolutely blown away by the amount of food they served us. It was really good. We intended to play games and talk but the travels of the day had worn us out. We were all asleep by 11:00pm that night. We hit the trail again the next day going to places we had missed. We also did some sight seeing of houses and trudged through the local cemetery looking at the historical markers and graves. We meandered home, refreshed, and relaxed.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-1476725372725785812010-09-09T21:21:00.000-07:002010-09-09T21:31:10.166-07:00Date Day with Aunt WeeI finally feel like I am getting my feet on the ground with work so, I talked with my sis-in-law and asked her if I could institute Date Day with Aunt Wee. She seemed to like the idea and plans were made. I go pick up one, two, or even all three kids and then we go off and allow their momma to have a breather and I get the pleasure of spending time with my nieces and nephew.<br />Today's plans weren't suppose to go the way they did today. The weather caused the change. So, the three kids and I took off this afternoon and headed out to Walmart in Midlothian. There we found legos, a giant pink ball, and a Dora baby doll had ended up in our basket. We decided they all needed a home and we checked out. This adventure was followed up with dinner at Sonic in Venus. We meandered back to their house and relaxed while waiting for their momma to get home from the grocery store. My nephew played with his new legos and the girls played with the ball and Dora. We piddled around and then took baths and watched a princess movie. Their momma made it home with the much requested milk and I went home. It was a great time with them and I just hope they had as much fun. I also hope their momma got the breather she needed to get her through the next few days. There are pictures and I will add them tomorrow.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-75085444938465422212010-09-01T21:25:00.000-07:002010-09-01T21:41:04.995-07:00God smacked me upside the headOur pastor has been preaching on Galatians 5:23 over the past few weeks. He has discussed each part of this verse and this last part was over self control. It was such a powerful message and I so needed to hear it. He tended to rabbit trail from time to time but everything was what I needed to hear. Not what I wanted to hear particularly but I sure needed to hear it.<br />One of the things was that he continued to say that the anger and hurt that we hang on to is satan's hold in our life. We give satan that foothold she we don't resolve our differences. With all that has happened over the past year, I have certainly allowed a ton of anger to build up. I knew that my prayer life had been low and I knew that I felt totally disgusted whenever I thought of the problems going on. It was life it would dredge up over and over again. Always when I thought it was past. <br />Well, I made the decision to have some self control and move past the anger and bitterness. This week I have made an effort to be nicer and to treat people better and as a result, the week has been better. I also got to thinking that I didn't want to be that person that everyone avoids because all I could talk about was the same problems over and over. Complaining and griping over and over. I am tired over reliving the nightmare over and over. So I made sure that I made an effort. It was such a good decision. I am glad I made this decision. I have to say that I am glad when God smacks me upside the head.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-46028488150954876652010-08-21T19:40:00.000-07:002010-08-21T19:53:36.423-07:00Out of TimeThere never seems to be enough time. It seems like the more I try to cram into a space of time, the less time I have. School starts Monday and I don't feel like my room is ready so I am stressing over that but at the same time, I want to spend time with family. So, I made the conscious decision to not go up to the school over the weekend. Instead, I went grocery shopping, took my wonderful niece shopping, and had dinner with extended family. Did I get my house clean for the 18 people coming tomorrow? No. Did I get the preparations started for it? Yes. Did I sit down and just be with my hubby? Yes. I will hopefully pull it all together before everyone arrives tomorrow night. My house will at least be picked up. I hate that it won't be as clean as I want it but again, so much to do, so little time.<br />As for school, I will have to just finish it up on Monday afternoon. It will come together but just not when I wanted it to. I thought I was good at budgeting my time but lately I have been having trouble with that aspect. Hopefully I will get better now that I have a schedule starting up again. I need to get better at it or I will have trouble this year. <br />I read a blog recently that said, "There must be more to life that dishes and laundry...." I am here to say--There certainly is.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-20245187287151884382010-08-09T19:57:00.000-07:002010-08-09T19:58:55.466-07:00Under ConstructionPlease excuse my mess. My blog is undergoing construction at this time. I hope to have it completed and looking cute before long.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-85536237179514085302010-08-04T16:36:00.000-07:002010-08-04T16:46:02.772-07:00The Start of School RandomnessI have been working on setting up my room at school this past week. I have to take the boys into band camp so I figure I can get my room set up while waiting on them to finish. What I didn't take into account was that I am getting volunteered to do things. I admit that it doesn't bother me too much right now. Once the year officially starts, I am not so sure that I will be willing to be volunteered so much. <br />Anyway, I am slowly working my way through all the boxes and such trying to get my room in place. I have decided that I am going to go with basic colors this year for decorating. I weeded out a bunch of material that I have had for a while and not used. I also decided not to use curtains this year. I am turning a corner in my life and that means that I am cleaning out and reducing. I have pack ratted for too long. <br />Now I have to get my lesson plans up and going so that at least the first couple of weeks worth.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-91887231692541199632010-07-28T19:38:00.000-07:002010-07-28T19:45:51.109-07:00I know my hubby loves me.My husband loves me. I have many ways that I know this but there is one in particular that cracks me up. I have an aversion to people touching my feet. I don't even go get pedicures because I just can't handle anyone touching my feet. Well, the last few months, I have been trying to get over some of my irrational fears so I asked him to rub lotion on my feet. He got excited and grabbed the lotion. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes. He did a good job but I am still not over my aversion. How many husbands would want to rub their wife's feet with lotion? I know of people who beg their husbands to do this and I am the one weirdo that begs her husband not to touch her feet. Maybe one day, I will get to a point where I will enjoy the procedure but for now....<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">mmm</span>, I don't think so. I love my husband for trying.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-30615634188967874362010-07-26T19:10:00.000-07:002010-08-04T21:50:21.591-07:00A Day Out With Aunt Wee<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKjMKYhrMO1zaqdmBc6NI_x2WpdXKnpy5CRctgrev1nHrn_LYzaxRJ-mBKcAT-XuZHkCJid2QX43YJl3bCTfeF0KVLJeo5oA3Q47korL_R3Vtb1om7-5a74FX7gx_bNqbWXCDhQ4OaHsl/s1600/DSCN2439.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498405533640080002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKjMKYhrMO1zaqdmBc6NI_x2WpdXKnpy5CRctgrev1nHrn_LYzaxRJ-mBKcAT-XuZHkCJid2QX43YJl3bCTfeF0KVLJeo5oA3Q47korL_R3Vtb1om7-5a74FX7gx_bNqbWXCDhQ4OaHsl/s400/DSCN2439.JPG" /></a>Sorry this is late in posting but we have had internet trouble. My nieces came to play with me a couple of weeks ago. The pictures actually loaded in reverse order but that's ok. My little girlies (nieces) got to come play with me. I took a ton of pictures and they are on my facebook picture file but I choose a couple of them for this blog. We started the morning shopping for new shoes. Every girl needs new shoes from time to time. Then we had lunch at Chick Fil A followed by a short trip to the park. It was too hot to stay long. This was all followed by rest time and Bambi.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICOOZQihEpwZyjaLEG0iad24oQnZ72hkh2jHwwSOhTiT7WgjKNr8j9unWMJmiQhFFyVPjR_FLwRUtpDN7V5YHQCzVw_hFpKmfUFHMQL3VHc4BvO3hP4tJy1bO641NhokQFD5vAMXZdzZG/s1600/DSCN2434.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498405525340001650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICOOZQihEpwZyjaLEG0iad24oQnZ72hkh2jHwwSOhTiT7WgjKNr8j9unWMJmiQhFFyVPjR_FLwRUtpDN7V5YHQCzVw_hFpKmfUFHMQL3VHc4BvO3hP4tJy1bO641NhokQFD5vAMXZdzZG/s400/DSCN2434.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOHtMJLeCbaFIRmUfr0Ld-eqdjjh7TarQ1hiYzh-InLGdHre6iAdBv84YqaMSecYCjI5GEmcxEFhx13JwI7XZQIKSr1lrpVrJ_ywe9Ob6Vw32nZXeFFk-VXc78-iHOkEsaRMyHqx_gtmd/s1600/DSCN2424.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498405515765324434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOHtMJLeCbaFIRmUfr0Ld-eqdjjh7TarQ1hiYzh-InLGdHre6iAdBv84YqaMSecYCjI5GEmcxEFhx13JwI7XZQIKSr1lrpVrJ_ywe9Ob6Vw32nZXeFFk-VXc78-iHOkEsaRMyHqx_gtmd/s400/DSCN2424.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh_8YDUDkqtcfYPFDLYCBs96rA1TNdeJb2TKn-xIPsagoMN6REmIW9HDoHO6FCOTro-vX37Es02MSFThmZr4ML7Ht0dT0G6oY28ypRnEKR7uQ2A5kN1Pf-XJ5txdoDGnG835_YNNlLBso/s1600/DSCN2422.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498405514212200226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzh_8YDUDkqtcfYPFDLYCBs96rA1TNdeJb2TKn-xIPsagoMN6REmIW9HDoHO6FCOTro-vX37Es02MSFThmZr4ML7Ht0dT0G6oY28ypRnEKR7uQ2A5kN1Pf-XJ5txdoDGnG835_YNNlLBso/s400/DSCN2422.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLZmdxWJq_Slhy1NjF5wKgHvA63G_hyoUZ3uBlYorLMD6lPSXKLHlvZ8iAxQQRvYRjSsxcQZh2swIbmvoKRy6xbtma51KZpMDL0a2F2V-zyHAnhmn38B9XcrCNrJlxDbhOE9R0Tq0At88/s1600/DSCN2420.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498405501650200530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLZmdxWJq_Slhy1NjF5wKgHvA63G_hyoUZ3uBlYorLMD6lPSXKLHlvZ8iAxQQRvYRjSsxcQZh2swIbmvoKRy6xbtma51KZpMDL0a2F2V-zyHAnhmn38B9XcrCNrJlxDbhOE9R0Tq0At88/s400/DSCN2420.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-8642178706085536722010-07-21T19:50:00.000-07:002010-07-21T19:57:59.054-07:00Watch out cuz here I come!First, let me say that this is a celebratory post. It is my 200<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> post!!! I never would have imagined I could blog that much. Cool! I know I already blogged today but I felt the need to post again. I have been looking at pictures of friends on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">facebook</span>. Friends I went to college with mainly. One of the girls I went to school with is constantly happy. She was a clown then and appears to be a clown now. She looks like she totally enjoys life. She also looks like she enjoys her family. She is an ER nurse at Scott and White and I know that that is a hard job. Yet, it looks like nothing gets her down.<br />I want to be like that. Instead of hiding from the camera or scowling at the camera; I am going to start smiling more and hamming it up. I want to be known as a happy person. Not sour or depressed all the time. LB is an inspiration to me. She has fun with life and I am thinking that she has the right idea. Now I married a guy who is serious and who is matter of fact but that is him and not me. He knew that when he married me. I am going to find that person he married. She got lost along the way. I want to be more carefree and nutty and I want to enjoy life instead of just <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">existing</span> through it. Watch out world. You have no idea what is in store for you.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-36340453695270337802010-07-21T16:02:00.000-07:002010-07-21T16:17:00.193-07:00Memory DayI had the pleasure of having lunch with my oldest and my youngest today. (My middle son was off hanging out with friends.) We discussed many things. Most of which were deep and really on a level that I could only hope for. We discussed drinking, drugs, girls, what they should and shouldn't be doing and when. What their dreams were. What they aspired to be. They asked questions of me as well and I answered them the best I could. It was one of those times that I will treasure. They are few these days with the kids going in different directions. It was one of those lunches that I will record into my memory forever. It was a great day.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-516174741305125277.post-47070959825160821012010-07-19T16:13:00.001-07:002010-07-19T16:31:00.629-07:00My ExperienceI wanted to post this and let everyone know about my experience. I went to Ennis to go to training. The training was good and I enjoyed it. I started home and realized there was a vibration in my car. I pulled over to the side of the road and thought that the right side looked low. I turned around and headed back into town. The first place I came to was the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kwik</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kar</span> oil change place. The guy there put air in my tires and helped me to locate the screw in my right rear tire. He then told me where the tire store was. After detouring through town because of a wreck, I found the tire store (Supreme Tire Co. in Ennis, Texas). I pulled in and was nervous because I noticed that there were a lot of men and no women but that is the way most tire stores are. As I walked up, all the men turned and looked at me and started staring...not at my face. I waited several minutes and finally a guy came over and asked what I needed. I told him I had a flat and showed him where. He told me it would be a "few minutes". 20 minutes later and them taken 5 trucks (with men driving them) ahead of me, I finally asked why they were taking all these other people ahead of me and I was told "they were ahead of me". I was getting mad and about that time, the head dude came out and told me to get my car. I drove it in and then waited while they changed my tire.<br />I left there and ended up at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Walmart</span> because I was still feeling a vibration and the warning light was still on. Norm at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Walmart</span> was wonderful!! He took my car into the bay and let some air out of the tires (they were over inflated) and checked the tire that they fixed. He told me it should be good to go.<br />I finally got home. The ordeal seemed to last forever and I now need a shower to get rid of the gross feeling of those guys staring at me. *Shudder* <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Eww</span>. I so wished through this all that my hubby and/or my boys had been with me. I bet the service would have been quicker and without the staring. I know that other women have had similar experiences but I wanted people to know what happened to me in Ennis, Texas on Monday, July 19, 2010.Pipesvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012334421106439124noreply@blogger.com0