Busy Day

Today was the busiest day I've had probably all summer.

I had to get out of bed before ::gasp:: 11:00am!

I met Dad at the hair dresser so we could both get spiffed up for our 1st day back at work Monday (stayed tuned for a whole other post on this).

Then we brought my sweet husband his lunch, as I have done every single day this summer (yup, I don't think I've missed a day!) and headed to our school.

There, we met with the web master who showed us how to create our teacher web pages. They are going to train us "a few weeks" after school starts, but what good will that do me? If I'm going to have a web page, it needs to be up and running day one. It is much harder to get parents and students to use it after the fact. She was pleasantly surprised by my views on technology, and thankfully the web page is very user friendly.

I might even start a blog on it, just for my students :)

You know, since this one is private.

After working in my room for a bit, Dad & I headed to Southaven to exchange Richie's anniversary DVD player. Richie had thrown out the box (which I was not happy about), so I was nervous about exchanging it. I had my tough-guy story and attitude all ready to go and...I didn't need it. Not an ounce.

The guy let me exchange it for the Panasonic and all was perfect.

I picked up Chinese food on the way home, and Dad got the DVD player all hooked up.

Richie is watching Dexter season 2 in blu-ray as I type this. I'm so glad he can finally use his anniversary present!

The picture is so clear, and coupled with our surround sound, I highly question my use for movie theatres anymore. Well, except for that yummy popcorn with butter they sell. Now if only I could find a way to make it at home, I'd be set.

Frasier

If you know us well, you know we watch Frasier on DVD every day (unless we give Frasier a rest and put in Wings, Cheers, Family Ties or Night Court).

Don't even get me started on the state of current tv. I've become an old curmudgeon at the ripe old age of 26. Sometimes I wonder why we even have satellite tv. Richie wants it for the sports, which makes his sports watching hobby pretty pricey. Well, he also watches Fox News occasionally. I guess there is no way to cut it out.

Back to my original topic, Frasier.

With Richie & I both being ordered to rest, we've gone through four seasons of Frasier in two and a half days. That's a lot of Frasier watching. Something struck Richie during an episode, and he decided we needed to research what Frasier's apartment looks like.

Amazingly, there are people who have taken the time to sketch the place. One guy even used some type of software to recreate his apartment exactly.

We aren't that obsessed.

So we found his apartment plan, and then looked at it for about an hour.

Then we agreed that if we ever have enough money, we will build a house and/or apartment with the same layout as Frasier's apartment.

Check it out! Isn't it great?

Ok, maybe we are that obsessed.

Christmas in July

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays.

Not because of the gifts, but because my family gathers under one roof, we have wonderful meals together, and we enjoy movies on dad's big tv.

I was looking through the pictures on my new laptop when I found an album from Christmas 2007. Figured they would make a good blog post. Enjoy!

This is Chip & Charlotte, our heroes from Saturday night.

My brother's cute pup.

Brother & sisterly love

Me & Aunt Catherine

Doug & all the gifts

Going shopping for a Christmas tree. I love our

traditions. Usually we go right after Thanksgiving, and we all

go together. We also get the tallest tree possible.

As we decorate, we put on Christmas music or a movie and eat

cookies. I love it!

Post-Christmas tree shopping

Christmas Eve dinner preparations. My mom is the best cook!

Ok, so apparently I put these in reverse chronological order. Oops!

I can't wait for the fall and Christmas time! We are halfway there :-)

Blast from the Past

Back to my conversation with Shayne, I told her I'd do a post with some more pictures from our past.

Here are a few from fall 2007.

The first three are from the Alabama game.

The last three are from Richie's "surprise" birthday party. I put surprise in quotes because I planned it in secret, but ended up telling Rich about it the day before. He was talking about making plans, and I worried he wouldn't be there. It all worked out in the end!

This is Richie's cousin Carrie.

This pic was in the Alabama Game folder on my computer,

but I don't think it was the same game...who knows, my memory is a bit fuzzy.

Either way, isn't she gorgeous? And she just became an aunt today. Congrats!

Yes, I had an outfit change.

I made this sign for Richie. If you don't know, I call Richie Lobster (from

Friends, the one where Phoebe talks about which animals

pair up for life...lobsters obviously, and she does that claw thing...oh, just go watch it

and you'll understand).

I used each letter to write something I love about him.

I know, we are saps.

I think for L I wrote, "Loves to watch old TV shows" or

something like that.

I forget why we were in the garage. And why Richie had to blow out

the candles on his cake on top of the garbage can. Hmm...

Check out Aunt Donna belting out Happy Birthday.

It made the birthday even better because Verne was there to celebrate!

Stay tuned for more blasts from the past!

And the decision is...

a new laptop!

Yes, I decided to postpone the new camera and go with a laptop.

I will get much more immediate use from the new computer, and it sets me up to be able to edit pictures from a new camera, when I get it.

So I'm typing this from my new Asus laptop. I LOVE IT!

The keyboard is chicklet style. Very neat.

And it is super fast.

And...it came with Picasa, my favorite picture editing software. Perfect choice!

I do have some buyer's remorse. But I have that when I buy cereal. So I'm not putting much stock in it.

PS- Remember that blue ray player I bought for my wonderful husband for our anniversary? Yeah, well, it is craptastic. Doesn't work. Apparently it is pretty common with the Samsung. We are going to return it for another brand, one with better reviews that actually works.

If you are looking for a blue ray, I'd say stay away from the Samsung. We're going to try the Panasonic, and I'll let you know how it goes.

For Shayne

I was talking with Richie's wonderful coworker Shayne the other day about the blog.

It got me thinking about how often I post and what I post.

I've set a goal for myself. A difficult one but attainable, I think, none the less.

I am shooting for one new post each and every day, except Sundays. I need a break sometime.

Let's see if I can do it!

Next up: Did I decide on a laptop or a computer? I know, the suspense!

Richie gave me a deadline of Saturday night to make the blog private.

But he had other plans, apparently.

Saturday night, Richie lost consciousness while he was in the bathroom. With the door locked.

I freaked out.

Thankfully, our friend Chip & his wife Charlotte were there. Charlotte is a nurse and hospital administrator. Chip is just fabulous.

We got Richie to the hospital, got him checked out, found out he had a bad infection and were sent home with meds.

He has been in bed resting the past few days, with a few more scary episodes thrown in just to make sure I'm on my toes.

Today he seems to have turned a corner. Thank goodness!

So, needless to say, I've been a tad bit distracted.

Look for your blog emails in just a bit.

A Vent

As a teacher, I'm always looking out for good deals on supplies for my classroom.

Back-to-school sales usually have the best deals around, and today's find was no exception.

Office Depot had folders for 5 cents each. The catch? Limit 5 per customer.

"No problem!" I thought to myself.

Last year, Office Depot had composition notebooks for 10 cents each, with the same limit. They were very accommodating. I purchased 50, but had to do it in 10 separate transactions. A little trouble for the checkout woman, but totally worth it for my wallet.

I figured this year would be the same.

Nooooo.

The woman first said I couldn't purchase more than 5. I politely explained I was a teacher, and last year they let me purchase whatever, just in separate transactions.

She checked with the manager.

The manager said I could buy as many as I wanted, I would just have to leave the store and come back in (and wait in line) every 5(5!!) folders.

I need 80.

No thank you.

I handed them the folders, and told them I was on my way to Wal-Mart. They might be 7 cents there, but they don't make me jump through hoops to buy supplies for my students.

Sometimes I think the world has gone mad.

The Great Debate

As you know, Richie said I could buy a new camera for our anniversary.

I was so excited.

But now I am questioning this decision.

I'm thinking I should get a new laptop first. And then try to convince my husband to buy the camera for me for my birthday this fall.

Decisions, decisions.

What do you think?

Camera or laptop?

Camera?




Laptop?
Help?

So...the blog has to go private.

I hate it! I enjoy everyone being able to see it, but for several reasons it needs to be restricted. And STAT.

Sorry for the short notice.

If you would like to continue to be a reader of the blog, just leave a comment with your email or email me @ jippy24@gmail.com and I'll get you squared away. All I need is an email address.

I will make the blog private on Saturday. I know, such short notice. Really, we need to make it private today but I want to give you at least some type of advanced warning.

Again, I'm so sorry!

Comment or email with any questions you have. I promise to make sure everyone who wants to can continue to read about our oh-so-average life ;-) Thanks!

Back home

We made it back home safe & sound!

Yesterday was a looong day of traveling, and I was a little nervous getting on our first flight.

Security swarmed our gate and starting searching only women's purses. It was really weird. Plus there was this crazy girl who was uber-nervous. She was shaking and walking around. I was mighty suspicious, but obviously everything went just fine.

Even though our flights were some of the smoothest we've been on and we weren't delayed even a minute going either way, I still probably won't fly for a long time, if I have my choice. The airlines just make traveling so difficult. And it really doesn't have to be.

For example, we had to check in on-line. No problem. I printed our boarding passes and paid our $30 for checking two bags (that's another reason I won't be flying anytime soon!). Airlines want everyone to do this so they can have less staff at check-in and move people through faster. Faster is always better in my book!

Except, we had bags to check and you need an agent to do that for you.

So we, along with everyone else, still had to wait in line for the one agent that was working.
And she kept saying, rather rudely, "People, use the kiosk for self check-in. You don't need me. Step up, please, help yourself."

If she had looked at the (long) line, she would have seen we all had bags to check. You can't do that yourself.

After the 2nd or 3rd time she (rudely) told us to use self check-in, someone spoke up and said, "Ma'am, we all have bags to check."

She ignored him and then five minutes later said, "I don't know what's wrong with you people. What don't you understand? Use the self check-in! You don't need me!"

Ugh.

Richie & I finally stepped up for her to check our bags. The guy next to us had just put his bag on the scale. It was a pound over the 50lb weight limit. She told him that would be $125.

What!?

The poor guy asked if he could take something out of his bag to make the limit.

Want to know what he took out?

A pair of foam shoes. Yes, foam shoes! Sheesh. He looked at us and shook his head, to which we sympathetically shook our heads back.

Yup, I actually told Richie we might make the 36 hour drive to California next summer.

Now on to the more exciting and happier things, the pictures.

Sweet Emma. Look at that face!

A stocked fridge = my favorite thing in the whole world

This is where Richie worked as a bag boy. I think it was his first job.

Beautiful view

This is Richie's high school

The athletic fields at Richie's school.

It was HOT! This was around noon. I think it hit 110 that

afternoon. Hot!

Richie & his mom dining at a restaurant in Old Town.

Kathy taking a picture of me taking a picture

of the boys.

Another picture of us on the cliffs in San Diego.

All the boats in San Diego.

This is a hotel on Coronado Island. It is haunted, therefore

I will not be staying there. Ever.

Another picture of Emma Rae.

Relaxing and chatting on the comfy couch.

We had such a wonderful trip. I'm sad it is over and can't wait to go back!

California Pictures Part 1

This is John & Kathy's house. Look at that background- beautiful!This is in San Diego. We were standing on a cliff

and this house is on the next cliff. View of the Pacific Ocean from the cliff.

Our shadows. Verne, me and Kathy.

Plus Emma :-)

The boys walking.

I stalked John to try and capture a picture of him smiling.

Close enough!

All of us.

I love this picture!

We drove by the base where Richie was stationed.

This is an aircraft carrier (the type of ship

Richie served on).

Skyline of San Diego from Coronado Island.John's courtroom. I couldn't take any pictures

while he was presiding. So this is just a boring shot.

But trust me, there was lots of action! In John's office.

This is in Old Town, at a Mexican restaurant.

Me and Verne. We missed seeing Mayia so very much.

Stay tuned for LOTS more pictures!