Um.....

*gasp*

*splutter*

*inhale*

*breathe out slowly*

I'm alive and the family is doing fine. This has just been one hell of a semester at work. I don't believe I have ever been this busy. Thankfully spring semester is quickly winding down and I'm waiting patiently for my calendar to start opening up.

The etsy shop is doing well (although I haven't listed any new markers in the past couple of weeks, I'm in the middle of felting 100+ beads to then embroider then wire up.)

Update:
Shelby is now 18 and has been accepted to UT.

Jed is 4 1/2. He is doing well overall although we have some concerns with some sensory issues. I've been battling with the decision whether or not to send him off to kindergarten next year. If I sent him, I would save gobs of money however I wonder about him being the youngest in the class and am seriously leaning towards keeping him out one more year. I've heard that parents can regret sending their child to kindergarten too soon but they rarely regret holding them back.

I finally got a new car. The old XTerra had over 207,000 miles and was sucking down gas at an alarming rate. Things were starting to rattle and fall apart. A couple of weeks ago I traded it in for a little Nissan Versa hatchback. It is so cute (although every other day I look at it and wonder if it is actually ugly) and the gas mileage is phenomenal compared to the old car.

Jay is working again which has been a huge relief although I'm a bit worried what I'm going to do for that week and half that Jed will be out of school in May.

We are getting ready to put the garden in and it is even larger than last year. I'm wondering at what point will my husband stop enlarging it each year.

I need to catch up with everyone else but first I have to get through Prom weekend. All this stress of corsages (omg what if is not a wrist corsage) to dresses is making me crazy but it should be over this weekend. However I'm guessing it will just be replaced with stress about graduating.

*deep breathe*

Okay that wasn't that hard. You know when you put something off for a long time and then you just keep putting it off longer because you have put it off for so long in the first place and it just keeps getting worse? Well that was me and updating the blog. Now hopefully the next update will be even easier and much more timely.

Jelby Update...

Thanks to Jen at Piddleloop, my etsy shop has taken off. By the end of the weekend I had sold half of what I had in stock and have that many more custom orders. I'll probably fall asleep while counting all of the sheep.

Here is part of my first shipment out.




I'm also now putting together some sheep stitch marker holders. They can also be used to hold keys, usb drives or whatever you feel like.



At this rate I think I am going to have to teach Howard and Jed how to felt and embroider.

No, Howard Did Not Eat the Computer...

Howard really hasn't torn anything up! It is unbelievable. This is the best dog I have ever met. A friend of ours had found a bunch of abandoned puppies. He gave Howard to his dad but when his dad priced out a fence, he decided that he really couldn't keep him so he sent him back. My husband had his eye on this pup from the very beginning. So when the puppy was returned, my husband acted quickly. (Our friend's father is still regretting giving up the dog.)

He came to us already potty trained and knowing how to walk on a leash and how to sit. He has since learned Down and Shake. He and Jed get along fabulously although Jed tends to be a bit rough with him which is good in a way since it establishes Jed as more alpha. He takes a small interest in the cats but only when hyper otherwise he pretty much ignores them. He realizes when he is allowed on beds and couches (in the evening) and when he isn't (at night while we are sleeping). He is a bit mouthy however that isn't unusually for puppies this age.

Our two outdoor dogs have accepted him. There still is a little growling here and there but overall they are getting along very well. We are still feeding them separately and Howard does stay inside at night and during the day some while we are home.

As you can see he is totally at home here.



The other things which have kept me busy over the last few weeks too. Not just my wonderul new puppy. Weekend before last Jed and I went to visit my college friend Lori and her family. She has twins the same age as Jed. While there we went to a Halloween festival. There were hayrides, bounce houses and one of those painted forms where you put your face in and get your picture taken.



And there was pumpkin bowling:


Then there was Halloween. Thankfully Jed asked to wear his costume from last year. As you can probably guess the costume was HUGH on him last year. It seems to fit a bit better this year.




We also got Shelby's college application submitted. Now to wait until January to find out if she got accepted.

I've also been busy making felt beads and stitch markers. I finally opened my etsy shop. The sheep stitch markers seem to be a bit hit so this weekend will be devoted to making a few more of those. I'm also bouncing around an idea for Christmas ornaments with embroidered sheep. If you want to check out the shop, you can find it at jelby.etsy.com. While you are there, hop on over to Piddleloop and check out her wonderful project bags. There is one in my future once I sell enough markers.

Meet Howard...

More info after I get back home. I hope the house is still intact.

And the Countdown Begins...

...to the day my car falls completely apart.

I have over 194,000 miles.

The fabric panel on the backseat door is coming off.

The driver's side visor just broke over the weekend. Unless I tie it up, it dangles annoyingly.

I have a scuff of white paint on the front bumper from losing a battle with a pillar in a parking garage.

The trunk light is burnt out.

My driver's side window is now hesitating a bit before going up or down.

Every now and then the entire instrument panel will zero out, even when doing 60 on the interstate.

And I only have one more payment left.

Mediocre Wednesday...

It was one of those good/bad days...

Good: Yesterday I received some previously thought lost cash. It was an old account that I had in college that I had completely forgotten about. This month has been a tight one so the extra cash is definitely welcomed.
Bad: I couldn't find the check this morning on the rush out so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to deposit it.


Good: I got everyone to school on time, including the teen who had to be there 30 minute early but neglected to get up in a timely manner. Jed is still insisting on being dropped at the door.
Bad: While waiting for drop-off time to begin, Jed and I sat in the car listening to the radio while he proceeded to show me every single one of his favorite Pokemon in his Pokedex. Unfortunately my battery died from the 20 minutes of radio listening (probably because of dirty battery terminals, an old car and the fact I had forgotten I had my lights still on.)

Good: I finally received my invite to Ravelry over the weekend (man is that site addictive if you have a love (or even an interest) for knitting or crocheting. I've already picked out my next project.
Bad: I won't have time to get the yarn until this weekend. Which in a way is good since I really should finish up the tank for Shelby, some reports and some felting.


Good: It is Wednesday, only 2 more days until the weekend.
Bad: Still two more days until the weekend.

Reputation...

Today I stopped at my local Starbucks for my weekly treat. It was the usual location where I had "The Incident". I ordered "Caffe Latte", *pause*, "add Cinnamon Dolce syrup."

The barista looked up from the register at that point and said "Oh!". I sheepishly replied "Yeah it's me!"

So apparently the memo was sent to the store informing them that I am correct in my ordering practices. I'm not sure whether to be proud that I made a difference or embarrassed that I'm now known as a troublemaker.

Does It Make Sense...

...for a 17 year old to be driving a Jaguar?

...that today's high is supposed to be 90 and it is October 8?

...that although it is already 80 outside, I am literally freezing in my office?

...that someone I know who is in jail has more spending money (for cokes, junk food and such) than I do right at this moment?

...that I have to lock my house down airtight every day now for fear that a family member might go in and steal yet more stuff from us?

...that it is only Monday and I really wish it were Friday already?

Spreading the Happiness...

(otherwise called being lazy and borrowing from Cursing Mama's What Makes Me Smile Wednesday comments box and expanding upon it here, just may be a regular Thursday item round here...)

What makes me smile...

Yesterday we finally received the ACT scores we have been waiting on. The teen took the test back in spring and did pretty good however it was on the lower end of what the college of choice is accepting, about 4 points below the average incoming freshman. Since our list of colleges is short (due to location, in state tuition and the fact that we get a discount at a few) we wanted to up her chances of getting admitted. So we signed her up for an ACT Prep class over the summer. It cost an arm and half a leg but thankfully she dedicated herself to the classes, all 32 hours of it with nary a word of complaint about attending even though it did take up some of her free summer time. She worked hard and it paid off. She pushed her composite score up 3 points by increasing 3 of the 4 subscores between 4-6 points. Only one went down but that didn't matter since she rocked on that one in spring and the college supercedes the scores which means the top score out all attempts count. So taking the reading score from spring with what she got this fall she actually hit the target score, the exact average of the incoming freshmen. I am so proud of her (and so glad that the money was not wasted on the class). The next step is to get the application in before the priority deadline of November 1.

Add this also to my son who now INSISTS on being dropped at the door. He actually complains a bit if I even suggest walking him in which actually is a good thing this week. It is Book Fair week. It is ever so difficult to walk a child down a hall lined with new books especially when they include books with sharks, Pokemon, Transformers and fish on the cover. I'll probably relent on Friday and let him pick something out since he has ever so nicely asked to get something from the Book Fairy.

And to round out everything, this morning I bought my first latte in quite awhile from my usual location. And they rang me up just as I asked without a single argument. I wonder if they already received the memo from corporate.

Oh and one more thing that causes me to smile is just now remembering that it is Thursday which means a new Grey's, Ugly Betty and Dirty Sexy Money.

This,That and the Other...

After waiting 2 weeks for another reply from Starbucks on my supposedly illegal ordering method, I finally broke down and called the 800 number. HA! The customer service representative completely and totally agreed with me. I have the right to add any syrup on the menu to any drink that I want without paying for the "Special" drink. He is supposedly sending a memo out to the location where the girl basically argued with me. Plus he offered me a couple of free drink coupons.

I have the hiccups right now. Blech.

Monday began the first day of No Smoking in any enclosed workplaces such as restaurants and bars (the only exception are those places 21 and up only). The local radio station had their General Manager announce early Monday that they were instituting a ban on smoking in cars while listening to their station. They also mentioned that they had equipment that could detect smoke in cars and in the future they would be able to disable their radio while the driver was smoking but until then everyone was on the honor system. To further their point, they started calling people on their cell phones telling them they knew they were smoking and asked them to refrain from smoking in the car since it was polluting the djs' work place. One guy called in and said that his co-worker was so mad upon hearing this that he went out his car and chain smoked 3 cigarettes, blowing the smoke directly into the radio. What amazed me were the the number of people who believed it and then got seriously angry.

My hiccups are now gone thanks to my (should be patented) hiccup removal routine. Seriously, I have found a way to get rid of hiccups 99% of the time. I unofficially collected during my college drinking days. I would see someone with the hiccups and would talk them through getting rid of them and it worked almost every time.

Found out over the weekend that our lawnmower is also equipped with Squid Power.

My Tivo is getting full very quickly. Too many good new shows and great returning shows. I'm trying to stay caught up however the last few evenings I've gone to sleep around 9:00, not to get up again until morning. Often I'll sleep a couple of hours and then when my husband comes to bed, I'll get up for a few hours and watch a couple of shows. I cherish those few hours. A couple of times Shelby will come down and ask to sit with me but I always run her off. After spending the day taking care of people I need my Me Time. No one there talking, asking questions, or anything. She doesn't quite understand but then again she can retreat to her room anytime she wants. For moms, it's just a bit harder to escape everyone (and being at work doesn't count). So hopefully tonight I can catch up with a few things still on my Tivo (Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Heroes and last nights Dancing with the Stars.)

I really need my Me Time and possibly a second Tivo box...