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Schools out for the summer... almost !

19 more school days
countless activities , finals, swim parties,wedding showers,ball games
and then..... summer vacation


OK.... its going to be VACATION !!!!! (3 kids remember???)

This summer I want to-
...listen more... talk less
...remember the word gratitude
....read more books
...learn how to take better pictures
..teach my kids to play spades
..get my sewing machine out
...cook more...eat less
..continue working out
..stay in touch with my sister-friends
and relax

How about you ??? How will you spend your summer ?
Posted by diana at 10:46 AM 3 comments: Links to this post 

Tired of the hype about the scandal at Duke University ??? Me too !!
I am bleary eyed and head spinning confused about what the facts are and who to believe.

What I do believe is that in all of this lacrosse-underage- beer keg -stripping-assault-or- not MESS that has taken place at Duke.......
there are LESSONS. ... lessons for parents, coaches, universities, and students. Lessons even though we don't really know who is telling the truth. Lessons because I have teens who will soon be in college and I want to make sure they remember the LESSONS and not the CONFUSION.


PARENTS : If your son pools his allowance to hire $400.00 strippers...he has too much money...take away his allowance and tell him to get a job.

STUDENTS : If you choose to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and choose to use your money to bring strippers and alcohol to the wrong place... you could lose all of you semester hours, your name, your reputation, and thousands and thousands of your parents hard earned money despite your guilt or innocence . You will spend many many years overcoming the consequences of your choice.

COACHES : If you employ a "don't ask don't tell " policy with your teams social-behavior develpment you are flirting with disaster. A disaster in which you could lose your job and your entire program. Teach to the WHOLE child , you have the leverage, use it !

UNIVERSITIES : HELLO ????? How many chances do they get ??? You now have national reputation problems that will take years and millions to repair.

And the lesson for moi ? ...
an editorial in our newspaper summed it up :

Smart parents tell their kids that a failure is wasted if no lesson is learned from it.

Forever and ever amen.
Posted by diana at 5:00 PM 2 comments: Links to this post Popping the ? Chasity's tale of a marriage proposal from her four year old evoked a similiar sweet memory for me :

1993: When I had 3 preschoolers :

3 year old son : " Mommy, I love Tommy. I am gonna marry him ".
2 yr old daughter: " Well...I am gonna marry Mommy !"
6 yr old daughter " You cant do that, I think that's against the law "

3 yr old son : crying... "NO, dont say that !"
2 yr old daugh : crying..." You are stupid" ( to the 6 year old)

Soon the whole family was in tears... the 3 preschoolers with unhappy tears... the 2 adults from laughing so hard they were crying.

So then, the rule in our family was that we would not call anyone STUPID..... and they didn't... they called each other "pid" and then when I nixed that they called each other "stew"... I blew that one off.
Posted by diana at 11:27 AM 4 comments: Links to this post 

I had it all planned out.

I started the minute he left for work that morning having mentally practiced all the steps the night before while he was sleeping.

I dressed quickly and then dressed the baby and put her in her carrier.

Shaking and weak, but determined, I slid into the drivers seat of the car.

As I drove thru the neighborhood towards the highway I talked to my 10 day old baby daughter who was safely buckled into her carseat in the back. I wasn't supposed to be driving yet and I wondered... what would my mom say when she found out ? What would my husband say ?

I continued to talk to my daughter, feeling more confident as I drove. "We can do this" I told her. I wanted to surprise him. He was graduating in six months and I wanted him to have a college ring. I had been saving for months. As we pulled into the University Co-op parking lot I panicked ... realizing I did not know how to open her new stroller...all of these new steps, new gadgets, all of this planning that was required just to go to the store with a new baby...

and I had thought nothing was going to change..... just because I had a baby.

That was 18 years and 2 ring sizes ago.... Posted by diana at 1:56 AM 4 comments: Links to this post 
Thelma and Louise Her hubby calls us Thelma and Louise.

My hubby calls us Laverne and Shirley.

We have been friends for over 25 years.

I never had a sister until I met her.

Back then:

* We loved happy hour and dancing and cowboys

*We wrote our lesson plans while sipping on margaritas... good lesson plans !

*She bought her first house and picked a lot down the street for me.

*She bought a white car and I bought the same car in blue.

*We laughed, we cried, we gossiped, we partied, we dreamed, we schemed

* We loved talking about men.

I knew everything about her and she knew everything about me.. except now we have forgotten over half of it.

Now :

* we love to rehab houses

*we talk about my teens and her grandbaby on the way

* We love to drive thru the hill country in the convertible

* we favor wine over margaritas

* neither one of us married a cowboy .. she married a professor and I married a businessman.

* we favor flea markets over bars

* we still laugh, cry, gossip,dream and scheme

and I am convinced one day we will have retirement condos down the street from each other .

You are my best friend forever ( BFF) Laverne !!!

Thoughts while driving home from lunch on Saturday .
Posted by diana at 12:55 PM 5 comments: Links to this post 
Child Abuse ? I happily do all the laundry in our house. I love the sorting, soaking, folding, hanging, and drying things just the perfect amount of time so that they air dry wrinkle free. I guess my laundry routine fulfills all of those little OCD tendencies that my family is constantly reminding me that I have. NO ONE touches the laundry except me...

Last week one of the teens in our house was battling a rash over much of her body... we tried creams, soaking in the tub and scheduled a visit to the dermatologist .... then last Saturday I looked at her legs AGAIN and had one of those *AHA* moments...

not a deep one like Oprah talks about... but an AHA moment "lite" ..

It was those *!#** dryer sheets that I use when I lovingly dry the bed linens. Bounce was causing her rash.... and sure enough after I De-BOUNCED her linens... the rash is disappearing.

High school princess is threatening to call DHS to report me for child abuse.

I told her I would take a time out instead.
Posted by diana at 7:04 PM 3 comments: Links to this post 
36 Hours and 2 Semesters ago... You asked me,
"It won't ever be the same will it ?"

"No, but we can make it new and improved", I answered.

24 hours later we were moving into your college dorm in the 100 degree southern heat.

48 hours later you were on the phone to me sobbing , begging me to come and get you and bring you back home.

36 hours of college credit and 2 semesters later, you are finished with your freshman year of college and ready to come home for the summer.

It won't be the same, it will be a new and improved summer !

High fives to you my college princess....

Up high... down low

Aren't you glad you didnt go 2000 miles away to Brown ?
Posted by diana at 9:31 AM 1 comment: Links to this post She didnt want her picture taken that day. I can still hear her, feel her little hand, smell her baby smell. She was the last of my babies and I have cherished every day of her because I knew she was the last one. During the first sonogram of her, the technician said "Look she is playing jumprope with the umbilical cord !" Her nickname is Sweetie. I also call her High School Princess.

Last week as my plane landed in Atlanta my cell phone rang.
I answered it.

The voice on the other end said " Hi Diana , this is Mr. C (social studies teacher). " I called to let you know that your daughter and her friend have been frequently using the words "sexy" and "kinky" as adjectives and descriptors to describe countries and maps in class "

"Oh really ?" I flatly replied....and then let his stupidity sit there in the wide vacant space between us. The conversation ended quickly after that.

She makes A's , she loves her mommy and her daddy, she works like crazy on her homework each night,she has sweet friends, she loves kickball and American Idol and Lee Anne Rimes and babysitting. She is loud and funny. She is a goof and she still travels thru life jumping rope with the umbilical cord.

I could not force her to smile for a picture when she didnt want to back then
and I cant force her to not say goofy things in class now.....
but this morning I let it slip that I was counting the minutes until she went to school !
Posted by diana at 9:50 PM 3 comments: Links to this post Ace Who ??? I am sure many of you do not know about Ace...

Five years ago when our High School Princess was a Grade School Princess she loved to read books, play board games, play kickball, and very seldom watched TV. During the summer of 2001, grade school princess began watching a TV program with her older sister and I would hear whoops, exclamations, and "oh my gawdddddds" from the back room of our house. Then, constant chatter about Kelley, Justin, and Tamyra all week long. My curiosity peaked... what was this program luring my grade school princess ? I decided to investigate for myself... and that my friends was the beginning of my addiction to American Idol.

I watch American Idol every Tuesday with my kids and dh.... in fact I dont answer the phone on Tuesdays from 7-8. I love so many aspects about our American Idol experience... I love to see the High School Princess enjoy something so much, I love to see the contestants develop into performers, I love cheering for our favorites, I love seeing the older guest artists help prepare the contestants for a show, and I love that AI is a profanity free program that teens and families can enjoy together. I am truly... hopelessly... addicted... I guess my addiction could be worse !

And so... who is Ace ? He was the latest American Idol contestant to leave the show.
Posted by diana at 4:18 PM No comments: Links to this post I live happily in this hill country house with my family... my hubby and 3 teens. Life is good... no big problems. EXCEPT FOR THE FACT I am keeping a secret from my family.

NO ONE in my house knows that I have a blog and I am feeling guilty about my secret.

I am torn... on one hand I write this journal for me...
on the other hand I also journal to preserve memories of our family.

So... I ask you blog sister-friends ....

Who reads your blogs ??? Please tell !!!!
Posted by diana at 12:18 PM 5 comments: Links to this post Dear College Princess, I am writing this letter to tell you how proud of you I am ! This past week you showed me how wise you have become ... by listening to your gut instincts. An acquaintance of yours wanted to set you up with a fellow who was Mr. Wonderful: he was handsome, smart, and had everything going for him. Well... you talked to Mr. Wonderful a few times on the phone and indeed he seemed very charming in his attempts to woo you for a date. Yet you held back... telling me "Mom, something is just not right... I just feel it inside of me ". The boy kept calling... and the girl friends kept on encouraging you to go . Yet you kept listening to that little voice inside . Later that week you mentioned the struggle you were having to a friend in your kinesthetic class . Small villages that college campuses are, your friend happened to know Mr. Wonderful and told you about her dating experience with him . Her experiences validated your little voices inside. I say HOORAY for YOU college princess....

HOORAY for listening to your gut !! You have reached a vital milestone that many adults have not yet conquered !

Isnt that right girls ???

Love you tons, Mom
Posted by diana at 10:19 AM 4 comments: Links to this post 
Associates ??? The High School princess who lives in our house loves to tell us great tales from school. One of the recurring high school characters in her tales is a jovial, but reluctant student named Dejeuner. Yes dejeuner is the french word for dinner , le petite-dejeuner would be the midday meal. HS princess says that her friend Dejeuner is a pretty girl who resembles Mandeesa from American Idol (HS princess' favorite show). One day during math class Dejeuner was talking about her two boyfriends.

HS princess wanting to confirm the number, asked " You have two boyfriends Dejeuner ?" .

"Yeah girl... I got two boyfriends and five associates " replied Dejeuner.

"Why 2 boyfriends and what is an associate ? "

Dejeuner quickly explained" Well one boyfriend at school and another boyfriend from the neighborhood. Associates are my peeps who move up to boyfriend in case one of the boyfriends doesnt do right and I fire him. ... how many boyfriends do you have ? "

"Oh.....none.... I dont like high school boys " replies my High School princess.

Hmmmmmm.... associates ?????? What a concept !!! This week we went to see In the Lead with Antonio Banderas... I think I will make Antonio an associate... thats the ticket !!
Posted by diana at 6:43 PM 3 comments: Links to this post Wow ! My first tag.... Amy over at happythings tagged me with a 4 things meme. I wish I could produce a link to her great blog, but have not learned how to do that yet. It is on my learn to do list !

1. Camp counselor
2. House cleaning all thru college and thru first few years of teaching
3. Teacher
4. Mom

1. Out of Africa
2. Father of the Bride II
3. It Takes a Thief
4. Sense and Sensibility / Pride and Prejudice

1. Southern California
2. England
3. Lawrence Kansas
4. Dallas, Texas

1. Without a Trace
2. American Idol ( I am hooked)
3. David Letterman
4. Today Show

1. Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs
2. Santa Fe , New Mexico
3. Camden, Maine

1. Realtor.com
2. Google university
3. Amazon.com
4. CNN

1. Jerk Chicken Salad from Zee Tejas
2. Tortilla soup (see a theme here ???)
3. Enchiladas
4. Fajitas

1. Working on a home rehab job
2. Visiting my college princess child
3. Coast of New England
4. Browsing a flea market
Posted by diana at 10:51 AM 5 comments: Links to this post 
One day while car shopping.. Last Friday my dh and I went for a drive , just the 2 of us, which is an unusual event in our life in the hill country. We were going to look at cars for one of our teens and looking at cars of any kind is one of my least favorite activities. As we passed by the elementary school that all 3 of my babies went to, my dh turns and says to me " I need to tell you something and I dont think you are going to like what I have to say " My vision went blurry, my heart sped up, and life went into s-l-o-w motion. "Oh, really ?" I said as I stared at the playground where my babies had played all thru preschool and elementary... "What is it ??????" "Well," my dh continues "Wednesday night while you were asleep I went into the garage to get a bottle of water and heard a hissing sound. I looked down and saw a big brown snake. Its gone now bc I attacked it with the shovel and thew it away. I just didnt want to tell you bc I knew you would never want to go in the garage again !"

Yes my blog sister-friends... hill country hubbies are diamonds in the rough ! Did you ever guess a girl would be so happy to hear that her d hubby found and killed a snake in the garage while she was sleeping ?????
Posted by diana at 3:19 PM 6 comments: Links to this post 
Tuesday morning.. This morning I am getting ready for Tuesday morning coffee. This tradition began ten years ago when our kids graduated from preschool and began kindergarten . A group of moms decided to meet for coffee once a week on Tuesdays after we dropped the kids off at school. Initially the Tuesday coffee group focused on just getting used to the dynamics of our elementary school and the local activities that were going on in the neighborhood. As the years and Tuesdays passed , the group weathered divorces, deaths, 9-11, middle school, drugs, and hurricanes. 10 years of Tuesdays have passed as our kids are now sophomores in High School. I wouldnt say this a CLIQUE as we all have other friends that we play with during the week and most of the time we dont get together outside of coffee on Tuesdays. I have learned and laughed so much with this group of women; with our topics ranging from finding snake stories, to choosing a family counselor, and treating foot fungus with Vicks vapor-rub. The power of women is phenomenal ... I love my Tuesday morning sister-friends as well as all of my new blog sister-friends. Thanks to Corey, Jana, Chasity, and Capello for encouraging me during this last week I so appreciate you reaching thru the computer screen to give me a bloggy hug.
Posted by diana at 3:25 PM 6 comments: Links to this post 
Lets Talk About Me.... Signatures... an identifying or distinquishing feature .
This was harder to do than I originally thought... but here are a few of my signatures:
1.Big sunglasses and Big earrings . I usually wear both... the earrings of choice these days are large hoops.. why big earrings ? partially bc I am a southern girl and my hair is shoulder length.... which leads me to ...
2.My southern accent there is no guessing where I am from,its imbedded in me and I just can't seem to shake it !!!
3.My remodel projects... my friends always ask... " what are you working on now ?" I love to rehab homes ... I have done 3 in the last few years . The attached picture is a photo of my most recent Hill Country rehab .
4.My queso and my cream cheese brownies... those are the items I am always asked to bring for a get together.
5.My apple laptop.... take it everywhere with me... love it.
6.Diet Dr. Pepper and Starbucks !
7. Stacks of books and magazines...love to read
8.Fleamarket decorating.... love to find cheap nothings and make big somethings !
9. My calendar/ organizer... use it faithfully..
10.My chair... I sit there to read, to talk, to work on my laptop, and to think... it is my command central.
Posted by diana at 9:47 PM 6 comments: Links to this post