Clampett Style

We loaded all of Jo's things in the truck Clampett style...if only they'd had duct tape!! She didn't have much. Not many kids her age do. Just enough to fit in a small one bedroom apartment.

The backseat was filled with boxes and blankets and more memories than I could count.

I only took a couple photos of the inside. I will take more when I see her in October. They have a nice living area complete with T.V., chair and a futon (for those pesky visits from ME!). 

Their room. Big enough for a bed and two small dressers, and hotter than blue blazes!! Had a hard time sleeping. 

The other side of the room...the BIG dresser...to make up for the not so big closet. Oh well. They will learn to be very organized this way.

Tiny but functional bathroom. There is a nice sized linen closet to hide all their junk...if they'll use it.

The step saver kitchen has a cozy feel...like being upside down in a sleeping bag with your sister sitting on your feet. Cozy...

To take these pictures I didn't even have to move my feet. So convenient!!

Even with it's creaky floors and lack of cross breeze ventilation...this apartment is so cute. It could be because my baby Jo and her bestie Steph live there that I can't help but like it. She is going to love her independence and living so close to all of her friends. I will tell you about my (almost) pod of people moment. We were on our way home and we stopped at a gas station. I was washing my hands in the rest room and turned to grab a paper towel to dry them with. A person came out of the stall and I froze. I would have sworn in that second that this person was not the same gender as I. At that moment I didn't know who had gone in the wrong door...but I was sure it had to be me! I was so freaked out that I was in the men's room that I flung my paper towel somewhere near the trash and RAN out of there. Luckily I did not try to speak. Who knows what bad things would have happened then. I went to the pop cooler to find my love and I something to hydrate ourselves with and that same person was coming to the shelf next to me. Upon closer inspection it turns out she really was in the right place and SO WAS I!! She had the manliest haircut I've seen on a woman and the most painful looking facial piercings ever. Her tattooed arms and gruff demeanor finished her overall appearance. She was a woman...and a butch one at that. If she noticed my scramble for the door she probably assumed that her appearance somehow had me ruffled. While that is somewhat true...that fact of the matter is I really thought I had screwed up and gone into the men's room. So all is well that ends well I suppose. Fun things always happen when you least expect them....and usually in the bathroom!!!

Now That She's Gone

Now that Jo is in her own place I felt I could really clean her bathroom and it would stay that way for more than three days. This isn't a true before photo. I would DIE if you saw the real before. Let's just say that is photo represents two hours of sweat and maybe a little swearing.

I needed to replace a few things while I was at it. I'll give you a complete run-down when I get the paint touched up and everything. We seem to have bright red hair dye ON EVERYTHING! I put some contact paper n the shelves to hide the dye. I like the way it turned out.

This clock was upstairs but looks good here and is functional. See, the outlet goes dead when the light switch gets turned off. Great if your daughter forgets to turn off her flat iron....bad if she uses an alarm clock in the bathroom to tell time. 

Not a ton of accessories. No cute matchy, matchy towels, just a clock, a candle and some q-tips in a jam jar. 

I'll keep working on it and let you see the rest when it is done. I am so excited for it to BE and STAY clean!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Epic Fail

 I have to say, I am not proud of the photos you are about to see. In fact I am appalled and disgusted. I just want to show you them as a cautionary tale. My daughter's room isn't one I walk by very often, and her door is closed most of the time. 

I'm not saying I was deluded enough to think it was in pristine condition. But I really wasn't prepared for the sight I encountered. A little context...the bottom right picture is of some biscuits from KFC that we had for dinner on JUNE 29TH!!!! Gross.....

Dishes, old food, dvd's and clothes are just the top layer. The book "Not About Birds" is from the bookshelf of my parents 30 years ago!! If you want them to feel like crap about themselves and never want to have sex....have your kids read this!! Jo did have a bit of a hoarding problem. She LOVES the bags from Victoria's Secret and other stores. She feels terrible throwing them out.

These are some "during" photos. You can see some definite improvement. The clothes are either put away or in the hamper. The dishes are gathered up and we are beginning the "Store", "Donate", and "Trash" piles. At this point, I wanted to give up. I was tired. But we pushed through and made more progress. Just a side note....never, ever let your kid use hair color in their room ON THE CARPET. I thought that it would be a common sense thing...maybe not.

I'd like to say that these are the "After" photos....but they're not. There is still a little to do...but after four hours, I tapped out. We will finish it up before she moves it all out in a couple weeks. Until then, at least I won't vomit looking at it. 

So I will deal with my failure as a Mother and try to impress upon Jo the value of doing a little everyday so it doesn't get out of control. With a bruised ego I encourage you all to make sure your kids know how to clean....and how to stay out of the sty :) I thought I had. Kevin seems to have figured it out. I guess Jo will too. Sheesh.

From the Sky Box

We were treated to a ballgame last night. Sara Lee bought tickets in the open air sky box (covered but not air conditioned). We were treated to an awesome view of the game and dinner.

It was Pink Out the Park night with various fundraising and informational booths devoted to breast cancer. It was fun to see everyone in their pink.

The sun was shining and it was HOT! When we got to the park it was 98* and boy was it muggy!!

I loved sitting up so high. We really could see every part of the field with no difficulty.

The ballpark invited any breast cancer survivors to participate in a balloon release after the National Anthem. It was very cool to see the moxie of these women. The are survivors in every sense of the word.

The folks out on the berm were roasting in the sun. We had shade and a breeze and we were still boiling in our own sauce.

One group was handing out bags and t-shirts (we missed out on the t-shirts). I do love the pink!!

Every Friday night at the ballpark is Fireworks Friday. We can hear them from my house but we can't see them. 

They never disappoint.

There were quite a few folks in our party who had never been to Werner Park. They were impressed with our little ballpark.

We are taking Jo and Ally tonight for a game before they move to their respective colleges. Lots of changes in my life this year. A whole lotta mile stones reached. What a fantastic way to end this chapter. My last baby is getting ready to fly away. I can't wait to see what we do next :)

Back To My Birthday

 I found these pictures in a folder today. When my sister and her family came to visit for my birthday we hit a couple splash parks. The end of June started our 100+ degree weather and it just hasn't cooled down!

This is the little splash park by the mall. Kim and Matt and I sat roasted in the only shady spot we could find. We swam in our own sweat. Good times!!

Bridger isn't afraid of anything. Even leaping and jumping on wet concrete!

Warming up or cooling down, we may never know.

The other splash park was a little bigger and had more kids at it. Cylie wasn't sure it was to her liking.

Especially when the water really got going. She doesn't love to get her head wet....huh...come to think of it, neither do I!

The puddles were more her speed. Mine too :)

Of course, she has the BEST Mom ever!! Kim just picked her up and ran through with her.

Not like we were really all that dry anyway.

A pink water cannon for the princess.

Bridger figured out the timing of the water dumping buckets. It took most of the kids forever to figure out where to stand to get the full effect....but not Bridge...kid has mad skills!! 

In my defense....it was late. And Jo was taking a million pictures of herself and I was giving it a try. Not my best work.

And apparently it runs in the family. We are totally awesome!!!

Speaking of Jo, she hates pics of herself when she is laughing...but to me they are the best pictures of her.

Unless you count this one...priceless. Cindyloo Hoo is her alias...she has my heart.