090 – Saturday with Family, Toile Decision, and a Little OG

I spent most of the day at my Mom and Dad’s house today.  Tyler went with me and went golfing with my brother-in-law.  While at my Mom’s, four out of six of us Goulet girls were there at the same time.  (Where were you Shar #9??) That doesn’t happen all that often (unless we randomly run into each other at Walmart or something).

When I got home this evening, Tyler came to visit with a (cute!!) friend.  They are silly… I found a few of these on my phone this evening:

…Talk about perfect teeth!

She has an adorable little girl, named Mattie, and we had the best time with her at the Pizza Hut and then Petco.  That seems to be our M.O. - feed ‘em pizza and take ‘em to look at the animals! Ha!

Some of y’all mentioned letting you see my bathroom with the black toile.  The problem I’m having isn’t so much how the federal blue on the walls goes next to it – but how the bluish “marble” shower clashes with the white/black.  Of course, I can’t change the shower stall, so I need to find a color that will work with it.  See what I mean? …

The color isn’t really true.  The blue-ish looks more yellow-ish here, but you get the idea. (I’m going to get another rod and hooks when I decide on which “look” will work.

I LOVE the toile, but just not with the marble blue.  So, here are some other looks I’m considering:

What do y’all think, now???

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that a while back I mentioned how sad I was that the Olive Garden was discontinuing their manicotti.  Well, they added the Lasagna Rollata al Forno to their menu in its place.  It’s very similar in taste… you can have them exchange the five-cheese marina with their regular marinara if you want.  I thought it was really good!

089 – TJM and Target

Today was my last day to return a pair of too small swim trunks I got for David.  I didn’t mind at all since they were from TJ Maxx!! So, this afternoon I made a quick trip to Branson.  This may be my last TJM trip before our local store opens in August.  (Have I mentioned how excited I am that we’ll have a TJM within 20 minutes of my house???)

After TJM, we ran into Target and I ended up coming home with a new bathroom… well, things to go in my old one.  Like…

… a couple cute rugs, a black toile shower curtain (and fabric liner), and a toile hand towel.  I’m not sure I just LOVE how they look after all, so I may take them back.  I’m trying to decide.

Have y’all heard that Chelsea Clinton is getting married? Hahahahaha!

088 – Two Things and More “Pill Pocket” Miracles

Two things I’m thankful for today:

- I ran into this on my way home from town this evening…

 

Unfortunately, it didn’t last long, but I LOVE a summer rain… especially the way it smells!!

- We have air conditioning at the house again as of today!!!

I went to Ms. Charlsie’s this evening to take her some stuff she asked me to pick up at the store.  Her little dog, Sweetie, has early stages of renal failure and is supposed to take a Pepcid every day.  She told me last night that she hasn’t been giving them to her because she can’t get Sweetie to take a pill. At all. 

So, I went to Petco this evening and picked up some of those “Pill Pockets” that worked so well with Holly.  I got SO tickled when she tried to shove it down Sweetie’s throat.  I tried to tell her to offer it to her like a treat, but she either didn’t hear me or didn’t trust me, I dunno.  Anyway, after a few attempts, Sweetie started licking her lips and could taste the Pill Pocket.  I loaded another one up with the pill and told Charlsie to try to just set it in her food bowl and see if she’d think it’s a treat.  As Charlsie leaned down to put it in the bowl, Sweetie just took it from her hand and ate it. Charlsie got so excited and said, “SHE ATE IT! RIGHT OUT OF MY HAND!” Thrilled her to no end.  She’s a hoot.

087 – Sunset and a Laundry Question

I took these pictures with my phone tonight as I was about to leave church.  I might’ve had a better shot if I had my camera, but the sky was beautiful and I wanted to catch it.

I have a laundry question for y’all…

I bought a 3-bin sorter for my laundry room a while back (I think it was March) and it didn’t hold up well at all.  I am not a fan of laundry (is anyone?) and I have never liked to pile it in one place and then have to sort it… so I love having it already sorted and ready to throw in the washer.  I’m on the hunt for one that is more sturdy and just as functional. 

What do y’all do?? Do you pile and sort? Do you have a handy laundry sorter??

086 – Big Job!

Tonight we had a maintenance/clean-up night at the church.  We vacuumed and painted and changed out light bulbs and generally worked the place over.  Keeping a church clean is a BIG job… be sure to thank your church custodian for all their hard work.

085 – Prayer Request

Would you mind praying for my cousin, Jeannine, and her family? Her husband, Keith, was killed in a motorcycle accident yesterday evening.  She and Keith JUST released a new book (Cupid's Playbook: How to Play the Dating Game to Win!).  In it they share how they found each other and how others can find the love of their life as well.  My heart is just breaking for her today.
* * * * *
I took this photo of the full moon last night.  It was beautiful!!  I wish I had Kale’s camera for stuff like this…

084 – Sunday Bit-O-Honey Fix

Church was really good today.  And after church tonight we had a home-made ice cream social. YUM!!

I didn’t do much today other than a little laundry, changed my sheets, cleaned out the inside of my car, vacuumed and steam-cleaned my living room carpet and gave Izzy a bath. Come to think of it, I got a lot done.  No Sunday nap here.

Every Sunday after church we go eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant.  There is a Dollar General store right next door and David has a weekly candy habit that he supports there.  He wanted you to know that it is LOW fat. You know, we’re all about health and fitness in the Wallace house…

 

(I have always like David’s hands.  Is that weird?? Even when I was 18 and he was 20… I remember loving to look at his hands.)

083 – School Shopping with a Kindergartner

This morning I went to “town” with my sister (Suzanne #3).  We met up with her daughter, Becca, and grandson, Noah.  Noah is quite a character.  He kept us laughing all day.  We had a fun time helping him pick out new clothes for kindergarten… then we went to lunch.  (Can you tell I love Chili’s?)

 

When I got home, Tyler was here after he’d been to Ms. Charlsie’s to mow.  He brought his new dog… he’s trying her out for a week to see if she’ll fit in to his lifestyle.  I’m not sure it’s going to work out, but she’s a really sweet dog.

I’m sitting here with my laptop and guess who decided that she didn’t get enough attention from me today…

082 – Staying Cool

This morning while I was getting ready for work, our power flickered for what seemed like forever… when it finally righted itself I noticed the air conditioner had quit… and it didn’t sound good.  After a little investigating I realized it wouldn’t come back on.  It’ll be sometime next week before it can be fixed, so this is what we have tonight (in two windows):

It has been SO hot here, so I was really worried about it, but can I just say what a blessing it is to have air conditioning, for one, and good friends, for two?  Several people offered to let us come stay with them and someone else loaned us one of the window units.  What a blessing!

So we are going to be using the window units for several days, but it sure does beat the heat!!

Tonight we ate at Chili’s with the Howards.  Then we went to Lowe’s and Home Depot, because TJ Maxx is still 4 weeks away from opening.  (Have I mentioned how much I am LOVING that we are going to have a TJ Maxx within 15 minutes of my house????)

Afterwards we stopped at David’s new favorite place… A&W/Long John Silvers, for some ice cream.

Hope y’all have a fun weekend!

080 – My 30 Year Old Baby Quilt

My sister, Valerie (#4), was the first of my siblings to have a baby.  When she was pregnant, Suzanne (#3) made this baby quilt for her…

That was back in 1980.  Jeremiah was born in January of 1981. 

After Valerie got done with it, I think Suz’s kids might’ve actually used it.  Then, later it got passed down to me.  It was seven years old when I got it and I’ve had it ever since… 23 years now.  I got so attached to it…I couldn’t bring myself to pass it on.

When it was new it was super thick.  You could barely fold it because of how thick it was.  Time (and the washer and dryer) have worn it almost completely out.  Look at how many holes have made their way into it.  The batting is coming out, the material is so faded… but it has been a favorite of mine for all these years.

I don’t know if Suzanne even knows what ever happened to it… but it found its home with me.

080 – Someone Give Daniel Boone His Coon-skin Hat Back

I have been going through and scanning LOTS of pictures for the Preacher's 25th anniversary celebration that’s coming up in just a few weeks. This was what my desk looked like today:

Jamie and Micaela’s mom sent that little black box full of fun photos and they brought back some great memories!! But, I am just going to be real with y’all.  This is me and David (and looks like our two Secret Service Agents) back in 1991:

(I know you are still laughing.)

Dave says he thinks we might be getting ready to head out to a John Cougar concert.  I think it looks like there’s a large COON on my head!! Why in the world did he let me go out of the house looking like that???

079 – Garden Goodies and Exciting News! (No, we’re not having another baby)

Look what came out of the garden and into my breakfast bowl today…

(We discovered that Izzy likes cantaloupe too!!)

And a couple more items thrilled me to no end today:

1.  I reserved plane tickets for two to Houston for Labor Day weekend!!  We’ll be seeing “the K’s” again in a month and a half!!  We may have to break out the shirts again, Kale.

2.  This was in my email inbox this morning.  It’s COMING!! …

O Happy Day!

078 – Typical Monday

Today was a pretty typical Monday.  (Although this morning at work, several of our youth loaded up to go to church camp for the week.)

At noon, I went to my typical lunch spot:

 

Then I ate my typical lunch:

I have to say I was missing those cookies today.  Trying to steer clear of them!!

After work, I headed to Walmart for groceries. (We’re down to crumbs.)

Flippin is a small town with a small Walmart.  But, I always see someone I know there and spend a little time talking.  Well today, I saw my sister, Suzanne #3, and chatted with her for a pretty long time (we haven’t caught up in a while).  Then I ran into my little brother, Kevin #10, and talked with him for a few minutes.  And a few minutes later, I ran into my sister, Valerie #4, and her son, Hunter.  There are only 11 of us Goulet kids… and FOUR of them were at the Flippin Walmart at the same time.  That’s not typical!

And to think my little sister, Kristin #11, came up last week for the Ranger Dealer Meeting and I didn’t even know she was in town until she left!! (I know, I know, you were BUSY, Kris!!)

077 – Cicadas

When I took Izzy out today, I saw this little feller.  It reminded me of when the boys were young.  A friend of ours introduced them to the cicada and told how they shed their outer shell and leave them behind hanging on trees, fence posts, or anywhere they land.  He even took the time to catch one shedding on video!!  Kale got SO into them as a kid.  He’d take baggies and go around the yard collecting all the shells.  It became a bit of an obsession.  I used to open drawers and find bags of them.  Ick!!

It has been so hot here (and most other parts of the U.S. as well).  It got me to thinking about how much longer we have of summer and this heat.  Then, I remembered that we’ve built a fire as early as late September before… that’s only 2 months away.  Crazy! I love the summer, so I’m not wishing it away, but the thought of our first autumn fire always excites me.

And Christmas is only 5 months away!!

076 – Saturday Catch Up

I spent most of today catching up my finances (and my laundry too).

I’ve used Quicken Deluxe software for YEARS.  Kale keeps telling me that I really need to get with the times and use what all the tech savvy people are using these days (Mint.com, etc.), but I’ve used Quicken for so long and have developed my own electronic “envelope” system with it that it would be SO hard to give it up.  Plus, I like to be able to know what I spend every penny on (that’s good and bad) and have access to all my tax information with the click of the mouse.

My only issue is that I would LOVE to be able to put my purchases (debit card, credit card, etc) into my phone and have them sync with my Quicken software so that I don’t put it off for two weeks and then have to spend the day like I did today… playing catch up.  So, Kale did a little investigating for me the other night and found an application (Pocket Money) that I can use on my new phone to enter my purchases and later export it to my Quicken file.  I downloaded it and the syncing software today and I think I’ve got it figured out… it’s a little cumbersome, but I’m going to give it a try.  I’m hoping Intuit will realize there are people out there that want to sync with their desktop Quicken software.

So that was my Saturday… but I guess it beats being out in 100 degree heat!

Wish Kayla was here, we might’ve got out the $2.50 rafts instead.

075 – TGIF

After work today, Jodi and I had hair appointments (note the damp hair above) and then before I headed home I stopped by Ms. Charlsie’s to check on her and sort her medicine.  She was about to eat a sandwich, but quickly put it up when I came in the door.  I always ask her to go ahead and eat, but she won’t hear of it.  While I was there, I told her I wanted to show her how my new phone could take our picture and we’d be able to see what it looks like before I snap it.  She got a kick out of the technology.  After I showed her the photo, she said, “Is that me?”  So cute!

For supper, we met up with the Howards and Tyler for pizza.  We drove around just a bit before heading home and I am getting more and more excited when I see this sight:

The grand opening is scheduled for August 22!!! Oh my! my weekends are fixin’ to change!

074 – Almost Friday

Today was a pretty quiet day at work.  The “bug man” was coming to spray at the house today, so me and this girl…

 

…spent the morning together in my office.  She likes to sit under my desk (under my feet) while she’s there. 

It’s been a busy week and I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend.  Tomorrow is Friday and JoJo and I have hair appointments after work.  Thank goodness!

Are there any good movies coming out this weekend???

073 – Music in the House

There’s been a little talk on Kayla’s blog lately about house-hunting… and that has precipitated a little more conversation about where they would put this:

Ever since 2005, I’ve had it in my living room…it is huge!!!  (I wrote about Kale and his senior year project here.)  This is the second of the two pianos he bought that day (January 1, 2005).  It is his “baby”… next to Kayla, of course.  Someday, probably sooner than later, he is going to have it sent for and I will have a huge hole in my living room.  I’m going to have to fill that spot with another (maybe an old upright) so that when he does come home… music can fill the house again.

When they were home a couple of weeks ago, I got emotional just listening to him play.  He plays pieces like “Canon in D”, “As the Deer”, and several classical compositions (I think Chopin is his favorite).  He even pounds out enough of “The Phantom of the Opera” to get me all excited. Ha!  He says it’s been too long and he can hardly play anymore (he didn’t have much access to a piano in college), but I LOVE the sound of the piano in my house… and I can’t wait until he’s able to be playing his very own piano again in his very own home!

Now to get Tyler to come and perform for me on occasion…

072 – Son(s) Know Best?

Look what was delivered yesterday!! I’ve been a faithful Blackberry user for the last (almost) three years… so this is a completely new ballgame for me.  My boys have been telling me forever that I need to give in and get an iPhone.

I always told them I was happy with my “crackberry”, but just LOOK at what this thing lets me do…

 

I think I’m in LOVE!

071 – Crockpot Meal and Bad Bread

I wanted to make a meal for a family last night, so I put a roast in the crockpot before going to bed.  I also put some country white bread in my breadmaker… the roast (I hope) turned out fine…

…but, here lately, this is about all my breadmaker does! What’s up with that?

 

Needless to say, the bread didn’t leave the house. Ha!

I spent the biggest part of my workday working on a slide show for a funeral at our church tomorrow.  It is always an incredible honor for me to be able to do this for a family that I care so much about. It’s one of the things I love about my job.  And I hope it helps, in some small way.

070 – Stormy Day

We had a great day of worship today.  Our youth group just returned from Glorietta, New Mexico, and shared their testimonies tonight about what God’s done in their lives this week. They are a remarkable group of teenagers who have a heart for the Lord and for serving Him.

It’s been a stormy day.  (And decent nap weather, although, I only took a short cat-nap.)  After church, I had to run to get a few groceries and I caught these pictures of the sky JUST before it started storming again.