08-08-08

Good morning everyone....happy Friday to say the least!!

Today represents a couple things to me.

1 - it is my youngest nephew Nick's 7th birthday! He's getting so old!!! His brother, my other nephew Justin, turned 20 on the 31st...sheesh!! Here's a fun picture of Miranda and Nick. HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK IN A BOX!!!! We love and miss you!!!

2 - My oldest brother, Scott, passed away on this date back in 1980. Today is 08-08-08 and he passed on 08-08-80, today is a Friday, that day was a Friday....kinda wild huh? Scott was 17, my other brother Mike was 14 and I was 10 when he passed. So weird to think that he would now be 45 years old now. I wonder what he'd be like? Married, kids, job...I just wonder. I'm sure Mike wonders the same. We love you Scott!

Ok ok onto other topics. There is a place here that has Free Friday concerts. I REALLY want to go to tonight's because it is CHRIS CAGLE!!! Not only is he one of the yummiest country music singers to look at, he is actually a really good artist. I have seen him hmmmm 3 times I believe?? If I end up going, I am taking my camera and will attempt to get close enough to get some nice shots of the man! Hope everyone has a great day!!! I am SO ready for this week to be over!!!!!

Is this week over yet???

I am utterly exhausted today. I feel like I have gone in 50,000 directions at once! Just when I think I have something under control, new issues happen! I keep saying 'one step forward 5 steps backwards' to my boss and she totally agrees with me. I did get a really nice kudos email from the big wig for the client I am working with right now. It's nice to hear that I am doing above and beyond what I should be doing and that I am appreciated for it. Looks like I'll be working tonight and this weekend some but I'll live. The kiddos are with Grandma Rose so I actually have peace and quiet to work in. The doggies just need some lovin every now and then which is a nice break for me as well.

I guess the Chiefs play the Bears tonight in Chicago so I can have that on while I work. I am so excited for football season, I love love love my Denver Broncos and can't wait to watch them on snowy Sunday afternoons!!! Every year I do a Yahoo Pro Pickem fantasy game online with a bunch of friends and family. I have done it since like 2002 or something and usually have the same people join every yeary. It's a fun little rivalry each year! I'll be sure to let you know each week where I rank in the group!!

Blogger Layouts

I left a comment on SITS today, I want to know where everyone gets their cute background layouts for their blogs...I'm tired of the ones they give you when you start your blog.

ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!

One week til school starts!!

I enrolled the kiddos in school today and paid the big fat fee...sheesh! Miranda went with me and she enjoyed seeing some of the teachers that were helping with enrollment. In my little town, all the schools are within a block or so of each other so enrollment for all the schools was done at the highschool which was nice, one stop = one check!

We have all their supplies bought and Miranda already has her first day outfit already laying out! She can finally wear flip flops around her bandages so she's ready to go! Kyler is so picky, he still needs to figure out clothes. They are going to Grandma Rose's this week for a couple days so hopefully he will find something when they go shopping.

They aren't in the same school, actually they won't be at the same school until Kyler is a senior and Miranda is a freshman haha! I told them they will be dating each others friends then! Neither thought that was funny. The schools here are small. Cottonwood has K-2, Sunflower has 3-5, the middle school has 6-8, then the highschool is 9-12. Kyler is going into 7th and Miranda is going into 4th so they are both in the middle grades of their schools.

School starts on Wednesday the 13th. We have Back to School night on the 12th after I attend a parents meeting for Kyler's football. He gets to play for the school this year which will be cool!!

One more long week...then my house will be nice and peaceful during the day so I can actually get some work done!!!

My Yard

So I bought my house a year ago...when I looked at it, the yard was one of the things that really caught my eye. Very nicely landscaped, lots of bushes and trees. Now that I've been here a year, um yea I'm tired of mowing around everything!!!

The previous owner had those curved landscape bricks EVERYWHERE!!! It was a big pain in my you know what to constantly mow around them! Besides that, it's a real pain to keep all the cute little areas clean of weeds and such. I just don't have time for that.

So today was the day I decided to pull up each and every one of those bricks. Holy cow...that was a job but even how crappy my yard looks now, it looks sooo much better! All the little holes are where the bricks were...ugh!

So besides the ton of bricks, there were random placed paver stones. Can't quite figure out the rhyme or reason for their placement in the middle of the yard but here is a sample of one.

Before

After

Now I have this massive section to deal with next. I want to get rid of all of it. I'm sure some of you are thinking why in the world would I do that but I have kids and dogs, they need a yard of grass to play in don't ya think???

Front side and back side

A couple things I do like that I will either modify or keep are some large stones and a walking path. I want to take the mulch out and do some type of paver stones or stepping stones. The current mulch path goes from my deck to the shed then continues out to the sidewalk. It's a nice thing to have for the kids so that they aren't walking and riding their bikes in the grass. The big stones, well they are kinda cool so they can stay.

It was only about 100 degees today...no biggie right? haha!! Oh well, I had a wild hair so I went with it. I'll be sure to take more pictures as things progress more :)

Funny video about where I live

I was trying to save and attach this video but I can't. This comedian, James Johann, is from Paola, where I live and he did a video about and around the town. It's so funny!! The ballfield is where Kyler plays, the middle school is where Kyler goes to school, the bouncy ducks is at the square a couple blocks from my house, everything is right by me!

http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/167031/homegrown-paola.jhtml?id=1566374

Enjoy!!!