Team Mitchell & Crew

Life rolls on....

So from one of the last posts, ya'll know about my little ER problem back in August. Since that post, I really just haven't felt up to writing anything, even though I am as healthy in the Pee Pee department as ever. Just this weird "time" issue sneaking back into my life, and frankly, here lately, I would just rather sleep.

So that's what I've been doing. A lot of it lately! I come in, cook supper, clean up, love the husband and the kid and finally hit a soft spot to land, just hoping to keep my eyes open long enough to read a page or two (did I mention anywhere that the Twilight book series WILL be the death of me?) But no....each night, I barely see 8:30 and I am snoring in whatever chair, recliner, bed, etc that I am on. It's pathetic. Hence, no blogging.

Being pregnant with no child(ren) was different the first time, or was it? Maybe this pregnancy is just different. Maybe I'm over 30 and quickly hitting that brick wall I've worried about. But regardless, I'm sleeping like it's going out of style, my husband is supporting me, Lainie still loves on me and the bills are getting paid. Not bad I say, Not bad!

I am not dead. I will write soon. August is brutal! :)

So the pathway to "you know where" is laid with good intentions....

I had intended to do several things with my Saturday today. Mow Grass (that's just a curse for me this summer), Buy Groceries, Mason's Lodge Picnic, Attending the Fair. Not so much.

It begins.........
I woke up at 7 this morning about to burst. I waddled to the bathroom and realized "it" was happening again.

"It" has been happening for about 5 days now. The inability (read "complete blockage") of the pee to exit my body. Gross. Painful. Generally subsides in about 30 min.

I walk around for about 30 min wasting time, reading a magazine, picking up the house thinking, "maybe now I can go."

Push, Grunt, Scream. Nothing.

Hours pass. Same story. More pain. No movements. Tight stomach (not the preferred type). Writhing on the bed. Push, Grunt, Scream. Nothing.

I am about to burst and can not move. Pain in numbers - 3 to sit still (like being on a long car trip with no exits); to push, grunt, scream on the toilet it's more like an 8. Not a 10.....I have been in labor before.

We send Lainie to MIL at 11:15 and go to Urgent Treatment with Scott. I am referred from there to the Clark County Emergency Room because UTC is so behind and I am soooooo full.

Clark Co. ER at noon. I'm checked in and waddled back to my room. Dr comes in with his series of questions (I am internally drowning in fluid at this point) and he asks "who is following your pregnancy?" I hear it as "who is the father of your pregnancy?" I turn to Scott and choke - "well, he is!" I look at the doctor. I look at Scott. I look back at the very confused doctor and Scott repeats - "who is following the pregnancy...not who is the father" Oh! Pee does weird things to the brain.

So medically speaking, the doctor staff decides to drain me and then run the tests in the lab. Drain me. Hmmm.

Let's just say I would rather be drained than push, grunt and scream on the toilet any day!

400 cc's is what the normal female bladder holds. I gave Clark Co. 1200 cc's. Officially I am not crazy, just really heavy on the urine count.

After 3 hours, I leave CCER. I have no infections, but I still have the blockage with a OB/GYN appt on Monday. They gave me some things to help with the blockage...but few of you love me well enough to hear those details. Let's just say it hurts to walk, I will not be leaving the house, but I feel much better.

Let's just say marrying a man from a rival high school and then living in that rival town has been a growing experience on my personality.



Some background. I am from Maysville. Although I moved there when I was 12, from Northern KY, I consider M-ville my hometown. My grandparents are from there. All my aunts and uncles live there (minus one or two). When people have weddings in my family, it is there. The church I belong to is there. My high school reunions are there. My parents are there. My hand prints in the wet cement at the flood wall downtown from June of 94 are there. That is my hometown.



I walk into Wal Mart and either smile huggingly to greet the person I haven't seen in a while or I quickly turn down the jam and jelly aisle to avoid someone I never want to see again. Oh - quit, you do it too! Maysville is my hometown. Mason County is my high school. I am a Royals fan. I bleed blue.



Yet, I live in Winchester. Home of GRC. Cardinals play ball here and they are red. My nieces play Clark Co. sports. My nephews play Clark County sports. I own t-shirts and pull overs that are red and black and white. I even painted the 6 x 6 foot cardinal in the GRC concession stand last summer. The kids ask me to their games. I go. I am a family member and I am faithful to the family. I wear red. I cheer and clap. I sit and mingle with the locals. I am a Cardinal during the day. I feel that I do pretty good. That is, until they play Mason Co. Then all bets are off.



Well now I am raising a new generation of Royal / Cardinal fans. Lainie has t-shirts from both teams. Paraphernalia that advertises both schools. Her messages from the Cards are much louder than the chanting for the Royals simply due to distance. She's young. She has no clue that she is a Rardnal. She seems oblivious to the fact that she is a Cardyal. Ah innocence of the young.



She just likes to cheer.



So here we are. At the crossroads. She is wearing red. Lots of it and looking majorly cute in it. She loved GRC's Cheerleading Camp this week and apparently they loved her. She got hats, and pictures and frames and t-shirts all week. It was adorable. She had a ball. She gets to go on the field with the "big girls" at the Sept. 26th game against Madison Central at GRC. (Dear heavens THANK YOU that it wasn't Mason Co.) My parents are coming. Scott's fam will be there. Go get 'em my little Royadinal. Great job this week!



PS: Did anyone else notice the dog ears? Only the cool kids could talk her into that!

Yesterday it rained like crazy here. As Gayla, Jenn and I ran across the parking lot to the car at school (with cardboard boxes on our heads) I realized that my feetand legs were getting crazy wet! We were on our way to Qdoba up the street and the rain just wouldn't stop. That's when Gayla saw it. My Mitchell Favorite Things Vol III prompt.

My Golashes. My Rainboots. My oh so cute, keep your feet dry and warm, quit making fun of me cuz you know you want them too - kind a boots. And they were on another girl.

I went home that afternoon and pulled mine out of the closet just for good measure. They are black and white and have have some kind of fancy plaid pattern going on. (I am not a fashion interested person, so pardon my lackadaisical manner.)


Lainie has some too. Hers are green and have a frog face on them. She wears them with everything! Princess costumes, ballet tutus, sweats. Doesn't matter. She cried the other day because hers are getting too small. I silently cried too. I love them.

I was shopping for some today for her. Although the cheapies that I found did not come in her size, they did come in ours. They even had 11's. (Do I really need more boots?) Sha-yeah!!!

Here's the link if you want to join in on the rain boot fun! Don't be left behind!! There is nothing cuter than dry feet!


http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=495501

This has been the best $16 I have ever spent. One afternoon in mid June, Lainie and I both had considered going to the public pool. After we finished our errands around town, it had taken longer than I wanted it too. Ya kow, ya need a good 3 hours to make a good day at the pool and that day we had hit 1:00. Couple that with the 1 hour drive time home, we didn't want to be at the pool until Scott came home. There is something about my man with his "teacher wife" when we lay at the pool until he rolls home after a rough day at work. Fair enough. We try just try to leave by 3. (I am a genious, you can tell me later.)

Anyway, that day, it was already 1 PM and it was overcast outside. We were both disappointed. Therefore, we spent the same amount of money as a day or two at the pool and put it into our own version. It's deep enough for me to sit in and long enough for me to stick my legs out. Laiie enjoys it the most. Today she has been in there since before 1 o'clock. It's 4 now.

She lathered with sunscreen and having a ball. We are truly the lifestyle of the rich and the famous!

It's been a melacholy kind of a weekend here. Anybody else feeling it?

I mean it's summer for heaven's sake! Maybe that is why I'm feeling a little blue. I know I have to go back to work soon and I don't want too?

Scott has been working a lot lately and been away from the house. He's wrapping up SIL Vickie's total kitchen makeover the last two weekends. (I know I was totally gone one of those weekends,) but it seems he's been away for a while. Lainie and I made chocolate trip treats for him, Zach and Steve and took them to see the kitchen. Looks good for a newly painted, new floor, some cabiets in place, every large appliance drug into the living room kind of kitchen. They are making progress and that's what's important.

Maybe it's that I need payday to come desperately. I feel like I couldn't scrape up $2.00, even if I tried.

I'm just feeling lethagic. Kind of like a slug. That's so embarrassing to admit and even worse to visually imagine.....but I don't feel motivated to do much of anything. It's silly, unneccesary and ridiculous. I know, I know.

1. Last thing you just did: ________________
2. Biggest accomplishment of the day: _______________
3. Best thing you've done this week: _______________
4. Age 15 years ago: ____________________
5. One thing you've done this week that you never saw yourself doing 15 years ago: _________

Shawna's Answers:
1. Picked up toys in Living Room
2. Priced garage full of items for kid's sale
3. Snuggled with Lainie more than normally
4. 17
5. Gave a dirty Guinea Pig a bath.

Oh-what we've become!

Answer yours in the comment section. Can't wait to see your #5.

Remember the very addicting, very obnoxious- albeit it very funny "Free Credit Report" kid with the bouncing head and the cool pirate suit on TV? He pulled me in today. We talked. I took the plunge. With him and the encouragement of my hero in the making, Dave Ramsey, I got a hold of my own credit report.

http://www.freecreditreport.com/ (sing as you will..)

I am pleased to announce that I am of little risk to the future creditors that may want to lend me money (they are knowing at the doors, we know!) I am higher than what is considered "good" but with what I am about to tell you, you will see why I am not considered "great."

First, the good parts. I have no car payment. I even have 2 cars in my name + plus the truck in Scott's. Dave would totally tell me to sell one of the cars to pay off remaining debt, but ahem....Dave, 2 kids cannot fit in a Mustang, only in the Mountaineer and I have no plans of ever selling that Mustang! Regardless of the brood of children I bring into the world. Selfish, immature, shameful. Yeah, all that. It's a stick shift and it's red and fast and makes me feel like I am not 32. (Nay-saying friends and family members...you get no comment for this part!) So, point one for me.

Next, since April, I have cut my debt in half and am almost to the end of Dave's baby step #1. To get $1,000 emergency fund. Now, I would totally be there already, but apparently you pay for babies now BEFORE they are born (versus the $300 check I wrote the last day at Central Baptist in 2003), which keeps me from bouncing across town for two months. So I sent Central Baptist $400 out of the emergency fund to pay for Tator Tot outright. No complaints by any means. My insurance is pretty good and for heaven's sakes, we're blessed with another Mitchell addition. No complaints at all. Just now my emergency fund needs a bit more fundage.

I also have all of my debt consolidated into 3 chunks. Our house (not part of the slashed by 1/2 figure), my bad habits credit card that is dwindling, and the "oh my graciousness, the washer and dryer did NOT die at the same time AGAIN" card from Sears that I used in January for said appliances. Again, pretty good.

Another good, I take almost 15% of my check and put it into a separate retirement account through AIG. I started this at 22 when dear sweet Kim L. at school introduced me to Randy the Retirement guy. I had no children, no house, no husband. I loaded it up. Luckily each month, I don't miss it, because I've never seen it. 10 years of that has done really well for me.

So the bad......

According to the report, I had 13 credit cards from college the year we bought our house. In 2000, I spent my summer canceling cards to be able to get the mortgage we deserved. How can grown adults prey on young naive students on campuses and spring break events the way they do with t-shirts and cups and junk?? Look at the mess. I swore I'd never do it again!

Here's the funny part...

I have 13 NEW credit cards since 2000. I am NOT even a college co-ed anymore. I know better! Not one of them has a balance on them. Granted some did...but they have long been paid off. Apparently, now I am a sucker for the save 15% today if you open a ____ credit card. OK! I think 15% of ? is better than 0% of ?, right? Gosh! When I really thought about it, I even remember signing up for two during football season because A. I needed a long sleeve shirt for that night game and $28 is insane at Commonwealth stadium (PS: I totally love that shirt!) and B. that UK blanket looks warm! I mean it was November!!!! So - they got me that way too!

So I now begin the quest of "call and cancel" to the delightfully polite card service members at the debt institutions. At least I can do that while sitting outside in the sun.

Dear Dave, (and Carol Fosson)

I promise I am listening and trying hard. I have 32 years of silliness under my belt and that is a lot of fat to trim. Please be patient. I will get there someday. I'm now off to call the creditors.

Sincerely,
Painfully Getting the Picture

I often get asked why I continue to live in Winchester and make the hour long one-way commute everyday to go to work. Money is usually the first thing that comes to my head. $150,000 for a house doesn't go far in the city limits of Lexington, but it bought us an all brick home with almost an acre in Winchester.

Went to the pool today. I know - hate me. We (Lainie and I) went to Boonesborough's pool, since it is not only the closest, but the niceest pool that is nearby.

After a great surprise lunch with Daddy over a table full of chili dogs at Wanda's (don't laugh if you've never partaken! You wouldn't understand!) we were on our way. Blankets, towels, sunscreen, glasses, books, all set. I decided not to take any snacks because having concessions stand junk food every so often is what keeps me young and vibrant, so I was totally looking forward to some nachos and cheese for my 2:30 snack.

I put off the concessions stand for almost 3 hours. Frankly, I was very pruoud of both myself and Lainie for pushing the our willpower to the top and resisting the temptations.

When the time finally came, 3 hours into our visit, I was nearly panting. Lainie was close to busting from her skin. Nothing like a hot dog to get a 4 year old going buck wild!

They were out of hot dogs. I thought, no biggie, I'll share my nachos with Lainie. Alas, they were out of nachos. They were out of cheese. They were out of chips. Heaven help them if they are out of soda...and it d_ _ n well better be diet. Lucky little guy...diet was all they had. Are you kidding? I asked for a straw, but realized I had just pushed my luck. No straws. Good Lord.

This is the time I realize I was born with the power of "think it" but not equipped with the button that allows me to "say it." Lainie was crying and I am grinding my teeth, I am so upset for her and hungry to boot. I knew I wanted to ask for management, but I saw no one over the age of 'like' 21 - (said just like Paris Hilton) inside any "office" area and I just wasn't going to give any words to someone young and stupid....while I feel so fat and old. I knew I should have told Mr. Genius to high tail it to Wal Mart to buy some dag-gone hot dogs and some cheese to go with MY chips. I also realized that this is why God put certain people in my life and I should travel with them much more often. Like Jennifer. Like Gayla. Like Vickie. Like Angie. NONE of these people would have let this atrocity occur.....but ah. I am what I am....hungry and sun burnt and prego and tired. And just not a master of the verbal language...yet.

By far the funniest statements I have ever heard come out of the mouths of 4 year olds. They are like tiny comedians with no idea how humorous their take on everything really is.


For example:


Tonight's comment as we talked about all of the things we were going to need to teach the baby. Such as how to use sidewalk chalk and hit a tee-ball and blow bubbles and all the big stuff. "Yeah," Lainie says "and maybe we should name it Meatball, since we'll have to teach it how to cook too."


Or the other night as I planned my weekend get away to Washington D.C. I was telling Lainie about how I am getting to fly on my plane and she said, "O.K. Mommy. Don't forget to pack your para-hoot." Good idea Lainie. Always a good idea.


And my favorite one of all. About a week ago, I was going through my tubs of maternity clothes (thank you Andrea P. sharing yours!) since I have recently started exploding out of anything that might be considered my "normal" clothes. My whole living room floor was coated in clothes as I categorized them into Summer, Fall and Winter wear and 1st trimester, 2nd trimester and 3rd trimester appropriate. I was into this project for most of the night. Lainie comes bounding around the corer and announces to the entire house...."Good heavens Mommy, you have got alot of big, fat, tummy clothing!!!) I have NEVER and will NEVER use the words big, fat and tummy together....(nor will my husband.....) so where did this statement come from???? Tell me!!



A picture of the evening to make it all worthwhile.... Notice the teddy bear (or the insane bulge of the bear) stuffed in her tummy. Oh my!

I'm lonely.

The house is quiet.

Lainie is gone until tomorrow.

I'm a bit sad.

It's amazing how much you miss Wonder Pets when they aren't blaring from the living room at 6:45 in the morning. It's weird how you are certain you would love just one day when milk isn't spilled on the floor - but then it isn't really true. Why does a "clean" hallway look so weird when you are used to a caravan of toys layering it's walls moments after you've straightened up? Sadness.

Scott and I even went out to supper with no children last night. We weren't rushed, had grown up conversations and ate all of the food on our plates without badgering someone else to do the same. When we were busy - we didn't notice we were down one (horrible I know.) But as soon as we got home and had complete control of the remote control, we both thought...this is odd. We have a "date" tonight as well. It's Scott's Wish Month....(that's another post entirely, mine was last month), so we're excited about being together again, but still. When you are used to a little body or bodies beside you 99.9% of the time, 0% feels disgustingly strange.

Maybe I'll go to a grown up lunch with friends. Yes - that's exactly what I'll do. See you Saturday Lainie!!!

Lainie's school (Julie McIntire Burgel's new school) is having a Consignment Sale and you are invited to both SHOP and SELL!! Tell your family and friends!

***Contact ME for a seller number and sell those unneeded / unwanted kid's items for CASH!***

Bluejay Boutique Consignment Sale Information
August 8th and 9th
Victory Hieghts Center
150 Maryland Avenue
Winchester, KY

The Consignment Sale will be held August 8th from 5 p.m. to 9p.m. and
August 9th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A special Friends and Family Sale will take place on Thursday, August 7th from 6 to 8 p.m. for anyone who will be helping with the Consignment Sale!

You may drop off your TAGGED items on Wednesday, August 6th from 10 to 1 or 4 to 7 at the Victory Heights Center, 150 Maryland Ave. in Winchester.

You will make 70% profit on your sales and the other 30% will be donated to the programs at the Victory Heights Center for Achievement.(There will be a $5 Advertisement fee charged to all sellers.)

Items Accepted:
Girls and Boys clothing in GREAT condition
children’s shoes—gently worn
Halloween costumes for children
Nursery Supplies and Maternity Clothing
Baby and Children’s Furniture (assembled)
Children’s Books in GREAT condition

Items NOT Accepted: Car Seats, Stuffed Animals, or Clothing that is stained, torn, or missing accessories

Tagging Items:
Please use a white index card pinned to clothing or taped to bags of shoes, bows, etc. The minimum price accepted is $2 and items must be priced in dollar increments…$2, $3, $5, etc. (If you have smaller items such as hair bows, bag them in values of at least $2.00). *contact us for a seller number

A copy of this flyer will be sent to you in the mail if you are interested!

So this week has been so much better already! My post about last week was certainly a fluke and just too much happening at once to digest!

The last few days have reminded me how blessed we are to have such great people in our lives. I feel like we have had a chance to to interact with all sorts of old and new aquaintances the last few days and I wanted to give a shout out about what we've all done together!

I've talked to Kate, Ann C, Mom, Dawn D, Edwina and Carol F on the phone this past week at pretty great lengths. Being that I'm not a huge phone talker, I did well, cuz we had lots to talk about!

Lainie and I have had play dates with Kara and Tripp, Heather, Olivia and Thomas, Ann, Allie and Ginnie, Mickey and Ian. It was awesome to just watch the kids play while catching up with some great friends.

We had a dinner party with Allyson and Eprem and Kellie and John on Saturday. That was fantastic!!! Good food, Good company - Great stuff!

I get a solo night out tonight for Apps @ Harry's patio with Alyssa, Jenn, Abby, Gayla, Sarabeth, Maria and Grant. Super pumped for that one!!!! Can't wait!

Friday, we're spending the day with Evan, Kate and Emma for the 4th of July celebrations downtown. We'll meet up in the AM and go until the kids wear down.

Saturday is Scott's family reunion in Frankfort. We will see the extended family and swim all day. His aunts are such awesome hostesses that we talk about this event all year!

Saturday night we're going to Andrea and Mike's cookout in Lexington. We are packing as much as possible into that day. Sadly we're having to miss cousin Bella's party, because we had committed to the others already. :(

Sunday is the annual Newman's July 4th party. It has a Mardi Gras theme this year. That party is always huge and super fun!! Scott gets to hang with Jonathan and Evan and Roger and Wayne and all the other man folk and their cigars, while the girls talk shop about pregnancies and kids and clothes and jobs and whatever! Can't wait!

Indian Shores, Fla just north of Clearwater for 4 days. DisneyWorld Resort for 5 days. Beaches and Pools and Tans and Seafood and Cartoon characters!! It was wonderful! Shawna, Scott & Lainie

It's happens in threes. (or if you are me and my week it happens in fours and fives.)

Sunday - arrive home from Vacation. Air Conditioning registering 79*. It was colder outside at 9:30 at night. Part II: CHI hair straightener...dead.

Monday - call the AC man. Frozen unit. $98 to repair. Part II: Wealthy friend of Scott's gives Lainie a huge custom made Barbie Dream House and 4 garbage bags full of Barbie items. 4 hours go into organizing and donating non-keepable Barbie items. The run down: 1 house, 3 covertibles, 2 vans, 1 cruise ship, 1 pet land play store, 1 hospital, 2 kitchens, 16 Barbies, 5 Kens, 11 Skippers, 6 babies, 17 pets, gallon bag of shoes, gallon bags of Barbie brushes, and an entire garbage bag of Barbie clothing. My house puked pink.

Tuesday - Laundry from vaca still not started. Dishes in pile on sink....cuz dishwasher stopped. Laundry and tears started together.

Wednesday - Husband stayed home to keep said wife from looping the noose herself. Buy dishwasher, demand in stock availablity. Husband begins installation at noon. Six o clock comes and goes with a trip to Lowes and a fuming wife. $25 an hour my butt. He says it's me. Huh!

Thursday - Friend from high school drops by. Dishwasher now works. Laundry finishing. Actually break a sweat while cleaning and stashing and chucking prior to her arrival. House and Mommy pulled it off. Part II: Buy new hair starightener. $124. Does Dave Ramsey count that as an emergency? I did. Part III: Lost replacement park to attic latch. Attic door remains broken. Husband thinks it's hilarious!

Friday - Mow 1 acre of 2 week old grass. Oh discovery! 3 out of 4 tires on mower are flat. Drive to MIL to borrow hers. She's out of town and I can't find key. Call Tennessee. No service. Eat her Jalapeno cheese dip...the kind that says "serves 4." Yup. Drive back home to inflate said tires. Car too far away from building. Move car. Run over toy of Lainie's. Crying child. Pump flattest tire. Nothing happens. 30 mins more = nothing happens. Send husband a cursing text. He tells me to go to bed. HA! Nephew calls with news of key location. Drive back to MIL and get mower. Can't get it to budge. Call 16 yr old nephew again. Explain college degrees mean nothing in mowing world, so how do I get the tractor to drive. He describes parking brake. Oh! Stupid John Deere. Load tall red head and 4 yr old dressed as an Incredible on to tractor. Drive through Winchester looking like twit. No sidewalks exist between ours and MIL house. Mow grass. Run out of gas. Search for gas nozzle. Call nephew. He laughs. Under seat. Oh! Damn Deere. Start again. Looming rain. Mow near creek. Tire slips over edge. 100% stuck. Cuss loudly. Eat entire box of Kraft Mac and Cheese while watching 10 Years Younger on TLC.

We're home from Florida - officially at 9:30 last night. We drove the whole day from Disneyworld and only stopped 3 times. Our Garmin led us all the way home and even reported that we hit 117 miles an hour at one point. We love our Garmin, but that seems insane (yes we are speeders, but COME ON!) If you travel by car often and have never had a GPS...oh my my, put it on your Christmas list.

Stupid story...while we we're in the middle end of our trip, I was craving "good home cooking", i.e. green beans, carrots, etc. with no luck. If you want cooking like that at Disney, you will pay a pretty penny. So anyway, the 3 of us went out shopping and we punched in the Food listings to see what we could find. Nothing yummy. I then typed in "Cracker Barrel" into the Garmin. Ta-da!!! In 4.5 miles I would be able to eat my yum yum food! (Angie - quit laughing!) Thank you Garmin!

Speaking of journey's... I have 3 adoption blogs that I wanted to share out. Interestingly enough, they are three different stages of the process. Optimistically Waiting is my friend Jenn and her quest to bring Avery home. In Seeking Our Silas, Cara and Jason are meeting Silas this week! Finally, my newest found blog The Path To Lillie, is my long time friend from high school, Andrea and her single mom adventures with Lillie who joined her from China in July 2007. The last one will help give any adopting family strength to know that great things are awaiting, in God's time. Hope you enjoy!!! Please pray for these families and they share their love with others!

I have been so bad! I promise my blogging will improve!

On the flip side...I have been reading and watching Dr. Phil like crazy! I LOVE THE SUMMER!!!

Better as a blog than an email.......from Carol F.

1. What is the time?
2:59 p.m. (almost time for Dr. Phil)
2. What is your full name?
Shawna Christine Worthington Mitchell
3. Of what are you most afraid?
Messing Up with anything
4. What is the most recent movie that you have seen in a theatre?
At the drive in - Indiana Jones...Crystal Skull. Not recommend:)
5. Place of birth?
Covington KY
6. Favorite food ?
Italian
7. What's your natural hair color ?
Red
8. Have you ever been to Alaska?
No - not yet
9. Ever been skinny dipping ?
yes
10. Love someone so much it made you cry?
Yes and sometimes I cried when I really didn't even love them. Long time ago.
11. Been in a car accident?
Yes
12. Croutons or bacon bits?
croutons
13. Favorite day of the week ?
Friday
14. Favorite restaurant?
Ruth's Chris
15. Favorite Flower?
Calla Lily
16. Favorite sport to watch?
On TV: basketball
Live: Hockey
17. Favorite drink ?
Strawberry Pink Lemonade
18. Favorite ice cream ?
Cookie Dough
19. Warner Brothers/Disney?
Disney
20. Ever been on a ship ?
On the river - yes
On an ocean cruise - no
On a gambling boat that took into "International Water" - YES and I hated it!
21. Do you get sea sick?
Yes - see #20
22. How many times did you fail your driver's test ?
0
23. Sleep or Eat?
Sleep
24. What do you do when you are bored ?
Fall asleep
25. What time is 'Bedtime ' ?
11:00 summer, 9:00 winter
26. Favorite Cable Channel?
Food Network and MTV
27. Eat inside or eat outside?
Outside
28. Favorite Movie?
Steel Magnolias
29. Favorite TV shows?
Super Nanny
30. Last person you went to lunch / dinner with?
Lunch today! Carol, Regina, Karen S., Karen M., Cindy, April.
31. Park or Zoo?
Zoo
32. What are your favorite colors?
Green
33. How many tattoos do you have ?
none
34. How many pets do you have ?
3: Dog - Brewtus, Cat - Winnie, Guinea Pig - Red
35. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Wasn't around then
36. What do you want to do before you die ?
Bungee Jump
37. Have you ever been to Hawaii
No
38. Have you been to countries outside the CANADA & the USA
yes - Europe in 94, 96 and 98. Jamaica in 00.
39. Weirdest thing to have happened in the last 2 weeks
2 job offers in one week.
#1: to be a PSA in Fayette Co (said no)
#2: to be a Curriculum Coach in Clark Co. (said no)
Weird week!
40. Time this survey ended 3:17

And where the hell is Dr. Phil? Who gives a rat's butt about golf? GOLF!!! UH!

So I got Lainie a library card last week. She is sooo excited!! We go just about every week, always on Tuesday and almost always at 6:15 - 6:30 at night. Ironically this is the exact same time as craft night. Tonight was a guest speaker to kick off their summer reading program. It was Daily the Reading Pig all the way here from Bristol, Connecticut. Lainie was thrilled to a) be at the library; b) be checkingout library books and c) to do it all in the company of a black pot bellied pig. She asked if we could come back tomorrow. I am so proud!!

Very productive day today! Met with 1st grade beginning at 7 AM (who planned that start time by the way?), merged assessment details with K, touched base with Principal at 10 (she caught wind I was offered another job....of which I had already turned down...but still....she felt the need to recieve details, ate a delicioso lunch including lettuce wraps from Sal Good, more meetings, haircut with Lori (so much more excited now about my fro versus the triangle head I was sporting), manicure out of desperation - that and the toes were embarrassed by the fingers, met up with Scott, hotdogs for supper with Lainie (my little gas station princess) and library time with a pig!! It has been a super good day!!

I had broccolli in my teeth throughout the whole baby shower and no one told me.

The three people I was sitting with have blog links on this page. "Somebody" & Her Boys?" And two girls with bunches of "Adventures" and a few "Going Ons." Hmmmmm.

I got back to my desk and realized it was there...and thought"Man...I have crummy (or blind) friends.

Me and my snaggle teeth sulked back home.

So my phone is stupid!! As much as I love my phone, it is currently making me really mad.

I have a refurbished phone. Scott and I are big into refurbished things...I mean - why pay more for new? It's fixed - right? WRONG!!!

My little mousey on my blackberry jumps around. My buttons are sticking! My screen doed funny things!! It's nuts.I have now been on the phone for 45 minutes and all I've gotten is a completely erasaed phone. (and yes, I'm calling from work FCPS...pbslttttttttttt. (Bad rendition of raspberry in face!))

Oh I hate this!!! It says it is "scrubbing itself clean" with 77 minutes remaining!!!!! NUTS!!!

I love this time of year!! This is the time of year that I start thinking about cleaning out and purging and selling and getting rid of. I have been working since Christmas on prepping items for my 2008 Yard Sale this year with Kelly C. and the best piece of advice I recieved was from my SIL Vickie to tag the items as you put them INTO the box. Therefore, as I put new items away for holidays in December and birthdays in April I put prices on everything I didn't want to keep and then put all the piles in that back bedroom. That idea was genius!!!! One VERY FULL BEDROOM later....I have all of my items priced for our sale on the 5th of JUNE. Good job Team Mitchell!

I am also working on a committee at Lainie's school for the Victory Heights Kids Consignment Sale. Julie, Jenny, Allyson, Becky and I have met a few times and been working on the PR and advertisement end of the sale that will be held in August. This is being marketed as a "high end" sale similar to "Little Lambs" and "His Kids" sales in Lexington which will be a first for Winchester. If you would like to be a part of our Kids Sale, the details are EASY and we would love to give you a seller's number. Tell your friends!!!

So I have eaten at least 20 of those little Hershey chocolate nugget bites in the last 24 hours and I could easily eat 20+ more. What is wrong with me? I mean....come on. I loose 70 lbs. 5 years ago and all I can think about lately is stuffing my face with insane chocolate luvin'? I like chocolate and all, but it is like something illegal is in those little suckers and all I can do is "hit the fix" before I start shaking all over again. Frankly, I blame Vivian. Vivian is the one who purchased them. She brought them to school, for us. She left them wide open on her desk. She offered them to again and again during our team meetings yesterday and mind you I am in all 6 of those bleepin things spanning close to 8 hours and then she is the one with the most quiet office and then was out of the building this afternoon and I used her office as a quiet work space for my melting headache, continuing to gorge myself on mountains of chocolate. (Have you had the toffee ones? Dear God help me!) As you can see....this chocolate issue is completely Vivian's fault. Thank you again for understanding.

So today will be a VERY FAVORITE THINGS post. Many of you enjoyed reading about the blanket that Scott, Lainie and I fight over in the Vol I post, so I thought i would let you in on another one of the Mitchell favorites!

I can't say that my Vol II favorite item is necessarily shared by both Scott and Lainie, but if it were to break (as it did in June 2007) my life (both professionally and pictorally) would come to a screeching halt.

Vol II's post is about my Seagate 6GB flashdrive. Love it. Adore it. Never ever ever leave my home without it. It is in my purse everyday, and I tear up if I can't find it. My motto is - Only make it once...fix as often as necessary. I REFUSE to retype / remake things that can be copy and pasted and refined. That is why I must always have my flashdrive at my fingertips.

My Seagate drive is shaped like a small flying saucer and plugs into my computers at home, at work and at school. It has 10 years of teaching on it and every photo I have every taken (minus November 2006 - June 2007 that died in the meltdown of '07 - see below.) I never got some of my data back...and some of my pictures are lost forever....but everything else is kept with me at all times, in my purse.

Last summer, it died on me. Many tears, panicky phone calls to Edwina and Jenn and $400 later....I was able to retrieve about 60% of the memory from it. Lesson learned - Gayla. I now back everything up on my external memory at home (which has saved my butt a time or two when I lost a file.) But never again, will my day go down the whole because I am "without" my data in some form or fashion! Neurotic..yes...lunatic...no....convenient...absolutely!

For anyone wanting a glimpse into my regular Sunday supper with the inlaws, read my SIL's blog entitled - "Meet the Mob Boss."

I am also a part of this mob....so remember you pick on a Mitchell - you end up with a Mitchell thumpin!

Good post Vickie!!

Oh to be a four year old. Life can be so sad.

Our Dance Recital with LFUCG's Kiddie Kapers was yesterday. Talk about cute. Almost 100 girls, many in tu-tus; spinning and smiling and coated in lip gloss and blush. I love dance recital time!!!

Lainie's piece was a tap dance number to It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want Too. She knew all the moves and even sang along with the words. Her class as a whole did fantastic! So did all of her friends on the stage with her, including Raylee, Allie and Cassidy. It was fun bring in the class with other teachers from school and their girls. :)

Kiddie Kapers is an excellent program for all of you in the Fayette Co. area. Kids 3 - 18 can dance and compete or just dance for performances with the program being very developmentally friendly and helpful! We drive home to get Lainie every week to bring her back into Lexington for dance on Wednesdays. It can be a bit of a headache, and I am soooo thankful to have Gran, Mom, Dad, Scott and Allison to help me rotate through the weeks of getting her picked up and dropped off at the Tates Creek Center. You all made this year so nice and allowed her to continue something she really enjoys!!!

I have pictures....but apparently Blogger doesn't like me right now. They'll come later!

On a better note....my 32nd birthday was Sunday. To celebrate, Scott took me and Lainie out to eat and then to see the Lexington Horsemen Indoor Football team game.

While we were there.....I was showcased on the BABE CAM!!!

The Bam Cam!

I wasn't dancing, wasn't acting silly, nothing! (At UK football games I make EVERY attempt to get on the dance cam. It's never worked.) This time, I was just sitting and cheering and some cameraman picked me out of the crowd. ME! WOW!

32 years old and still a babe!

Best birthday present - ever!

See if you see a problem here!

Lainie, Brewtus and I went for a walk tonight. She rode in her car and I walked up ahead of her. At full throttle her car goes 5 miles an hour - that a pretty decent power walk speed. All was good until I realized:

It's starting to get dark and you're far away from home
The dog is getting tired and you're far away from home
Your chub is really sweaty and you're far away from home
Thy face is turning red and you're far a way from home
My breath is coming faster and you're far away from home
Only rolling hills are left and you're far away from home
You need to go to the bathroom and you're far away from home
I didn't bring a cell phone and you're far away from home
The pains are getting sharper and you're far away from home
Oh my gosh, please hurry up and you're far away from home
Newby exerciser is now running and you're far away from home
Panting, sweating, screaming, sprinting and you're far away from home
All the neighbors turn and gawk and you're far away from home
Scrunch your muscles while you waddle and you're far away from home
Yell at child to drive faster and you're far away from home
Child keeps asking "what's the matter?" and you're far away from home
Take a shortcut through the yards and you finally see your home
Leave car behind, make young child run - you are closer to your home
Large creek seperates you between - you and your home
Make said child run through creek and you dash toward your home
Leave crying child in the backyard of your bea-uu-ti-ful home
Burst into basement beg husband for help - thank you heaven, I am home
Get fussed at by husband that someone might steal "expensive" car - WHAT?! this is home?
Sprint upstairs - because no plumbing in basement - dumb and stupid home
Should have read a book - and JUST STAYED AT HOME!

So here lately, money has been tight. I mean, life is going fine and all bills are paid for, but with the change in jobs (I mean from regular paychecks every two weeks to whenever the home owner thinks is a good time to give out money) it has changed the rhythm and routine Scott and I have gotten used to.

One thing we have really tried to do is to cut back on eating out. This one is good for all of us for a number of reasons aside from saving money. It has helped us keep homemade dinner time important. We are cutting back on processed foods. We are able to be at home to complete tasks and projects here and it's letting all of us try new recipes and foods and maybe loose a little weight along the way. So it's one way we are trying to help the team. Scott has even been eating lunches at home, which is completely foreign to him. All week long he has been eating the Vegetable Soup he made on Sunday. I am so proud of him for A. making and thus eating VEGETABLE soup and 2. coming home for lunch. So much better than the chili dogs at Wanda's Grocery that he loves!

Anyway, being limited on money now is no where near what it was like eight years ago when we got married. I remember planning our wedding and weighing so many options because we couldn't afford what we really wished we could get. Our wedding was amazing and gorgeous in every way. Not too bad for the budget we worked from...but the one regret I had was in regard to my pictures and the fact that we did not order an album. We ordered loose photos and they ended up just sending us the proofs (this was all before digital swept the nation.) So they jipped us and sent us our tiny little proofs that I them slipped into a little album from the engraving place.

Well last night......that all changed!!!

I discovered Shutterfly's Photobook section. I have now catapulted myself into the 21st digital century and made us a Wedding album. I scanned all of our photos (and they look amazing) and created a memory book for only $60! I am so pumped. (Good thing Scott is eating at home.....I'll use that money for my new book! HA! No....really, I'm asking for it for my birthday, silly!)

I'll post some links and wedding pics (ignore my chubby arms, that was 70 lbs. ago) in just a little bit!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Yesterday was a neat day. With the weather having been so nice, Scott actually came home early! (Shocking, I know!) We celebrated his birthday in the sunshine!

I made him his favorite meal - Filet Mignon, Green beans, Jumbo Baked Potatos and Fried Apples. When I went to the store on Sunday to gather the goods, I could not find Filets nor Beef Tenderloin anywhere in the meat section. So I asked the meat man about it. He said that many stores have stopped carrying the high end meats because so many people shoplift them. WHAT? How cold would that be? Yuk! Anyway, with one tenderloin costing upwards of $70, then they have taken them off the shelves. Apparently Winchester's other grocery (at first I was at Walmart and then at Kroger) agreed. I was able to find several teeny filets wrapped in bacon for $3.00 a piece, so I got four. They aren't the caliber of Scott's fav restaurant - the 19th hole, both looked like they'd do the trick.

As I cooked and Scott grilled (Normally, I am the 95% grillmaster, but I wasn't about to destroy these tiny things by multi-tasking so I asked Scott to keep guard. He's really better at it then I am, but typically I just go ahead and do it myself.) That gave me time to pour and enjoy a glass of wine outside while talking to Scott and watching Lainie on the swings. A glass of wine...ah man...on a Wednesday? Gosh, I'm cool! Scott even smoked a cigar. We are such "wanna be" rich people!

We then had Italian Creme Cake (homemade by moi') and ice cream. Lainie sang to Daddy and passed out presents. We even took a walk up to the next subdivision to share some with Scott's mom. Scott said it was a super birthday!

So let's recap: played in the yard, had a glass of wine, smoked cigar, took a walk, had help cooking, husband home early, ate cake? Wow!! Happy birthday Scott!

I absolutely love photography. I thought this might be an interesting time to share some of my recent favorites with you. This past Saturday, I took pictures at a wedding of a lady I work with. This is Vivian's and Gene's wedding from March 29th, 2008. It was a small wedding with only closest family and friends. I was only 6 or so feet from them at any one time. The set up made the photography very easy.