13 DAYS AND COUNTING

YAHOO... 13 DAYS AND COUNTING.

I am all packed and ready to go. When I say all packed I mean all packed. Clothes, shoes, swimsuit, day bag, night bag, pillow for the car, magazine, book and snacks. I am ready to leave. If I could take the extra days off I would of already left. It's funny before I never really got excited to go but for some reason this year I am ready. I am ready go.

Softball has really begun yet. They 4 innings she did play was all. The rest of the games were called due to weather. That means she will miss more games at the end of season when we leave for the other vacation. That is is up in the air also. We still don't have a clue were we might be going yet. Oh well, time relaxing would be good too.

I will be posting pictures on my facebook of the upcoming vacation.

And& Theresa

40 days and counting....

Well it is 41 days till we leave for vacation. 41 days till I can sit on the dock and stare at the sunset. 41 days until I can walk around on the beach and feel the sand between my toes. 41 days till we get to wake up at 4:30 and walk the beach and watch the sun rise. Oh how the time has gone by and now I can't wait.

Softball has been a bust for Theresa. It has rained out most of their practices and the few that they did have she has made it to two of them. We had a garage sale during the city wide. Made a little bit of money considering we just threw stuff together. It will go towards vacation. We are still undecided where we will end up in July. I would really like to go out to South Carolina or even down south to Gulf Shores, but we just can't agree. Maybe separate vacations on the second one? Sounds great to me.....

Take care and probably the next time I will blog I might be at the beach

love Andi & Theresa

70 days and counting....

I now have 70 days till vacation. A real vacation out of the state vacation. A 1600 mile(there and back) vacation. Ohhh I can't wait. I can't wait to see the new boardwalk they put in over winter. I can't wait to walk downtown at night to get ice cream from the local ice cream parlor. I can't wait to hop in the boat and float along in the bay. I can't wait to go crapping or fishing or seeing if we can rescue a turtle. I can't wait to watch the sea gulls fly around the pizza stand at the boardwalk. I can't wait to hear " Please step out of the way, tram car coming." I just can't wait. I really can't wait to go to Hershey and smell the chocolate and eat the chocolate.

We are driving straight through this year. No overnight stops in Lancaster this year. No getting to the hotel before we can check-in, even though the rest of the drive is only 3 hours away. No messing around this year, we will be there hopefully by noon on June 18, 2009. A extra day at the beach, a extra night to eat ice cream, a extra night to spend with family we don't see often enough.

Enough about the next 70 days.

Let's catch up on the past few months. Theresa sold her little heart out for girl scout cookies. Glad that is over and done with. Next she is in soccer, softball and gymnastics. Well not so much gymnastics now, Monday 4/6/09 was the first practice and lets just say if its not me its her getting hurt. She sprained her wrist and now she is out for two weeks of gymnastics and softball. The doc said it was OK for soccer but she has to wear her arm splint. Oh lucky me. She now believes her arm is broke and can't move it the littlest. I will start softball in May, god willing. I will only be playing a few games this year. With all she has going on, and I would really like to go back to school but we will have to see how it all plays out.

Hope you enjoy your Easter !!!

love,
Andi & Theresa

I am ready

OK I only have 124 more days until vacation. I'm not antsy or anything am I? I am ready now. For some reason this new year has just kicked my butt. I am ready for a nice sunny beach, it doesn't have to be too hot but warm. The water is too cold anyways to get in we just like to hang at the beach and play in the sand. I am ready to go and walk the boardwalk at night and look at all the casinos lite up. I am ready to go play at the arcade with my daughter and see what toy we might be able to get (I know cheap but it's still fun). I am ready for some of the best pizza and seafood around. I am ready to spend $35 just to putt putt with my daughter. I am ready to get up at 4:00 am and watch the sun rise on the beach and go back around 7:30-8:00 to watch it start setting. I am ready to go pick up shells on the beach and look for little creatures that we eventually end up running from. I am ready for the 14 + hour trip with all the stops along the way until we get there. I am ready for a needed vacation. I guess if I don't think about it, it might be before I know it.

SO REAL

OK this post might be a little to much, but it is how we are feeling as a family. Monday my little cousin (ok not so little 19) is being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He will be there for 7 months. It is so hard to believe that we are living in a time where people are going to war.

I remember right where I was that day September 11. I was working the front desk for break and someone came and said what had happened. We went to the break room and watched the news. I was numb by what happened. I never never thought I would see this or watch this. It didn't hit me until we sent troops overseas. I never thought I would be living in a era when there was war. Or be raising a child at the same time. Never thought she would have to watch the news and see people being killed or bombs going off. It's not a time that I would ever imagined in my life.

But now it really hits home. My two cousins joined the Marines and now one is being deployed. Never thought it would hit so close to home. I mean yes, I do know of someone who died overseas and yes I know the local National Guard was sent, but this is family. I held him when he was baby. I watched him grow and mature this last year. He is no longer a teenager. He is a man. He is a Marine. He is going so we can have our freedom. I pray every night for people to be safe, be healthy and for people to make the right decisions in life. Tonight will be different. Tonight I will have a special request for a special person.....

Just one request for everyone out there.... Pray for safety of service men overseas.....

Back to the grind....

Ok, I took a little break. But I am back. I had a few issues that need to be taken care of with my daughter. But all is well or is going to be well.

A little recap. Christmas was great we went to Shipshewana after Christmas for a couple of days and hung out. It was great. They had a ice sculpture contest and it was amazing. Well it was nice on December 26 because it was cold but then on the 27th it decided to be 50 degrees and melt everything. I mean everything to the point there was flash floods warning. Wow, crazy Indiana weather. I guess that saying is true, stick around and the weather will change is 5 minutes.

Well lets see January has been pretty uneventful. She started selling GS cookies on the 16th. I have some delivers to make for that. Went to the circus on the 22nd. She loved that. We are planning on going to Michigan here in the next week or two to deliver cookies up there.

I don't know if I mentioned that I have been helping(volunteering) my time to help a lady here in town get a downtown store open. I have done everything from painting to carpeting to cooking and cleaning. These last few weeks I have been going in and baking cookies. Well she offered to count me in a partner in the business. I have mixed emotions about this right now. I love to cook, bake, eat, but mostly bake. I don't want to get to that point that I hate to bake. You know what I mean. But it is a once in a lifetime offer too. I mean it would be fun. It will be a side job, because I love my day job. It would calm me to be in the kitchen cooking knowing that people like what they are eating. Does that make sense?

Well I will be thinking and praying about what I will be doing. But in the mean time, I will be enjoy making the sweets that I am making for people.

Andi & Theresa

Took a little break

OK, well I have survived another Thanksgiving and a Black Friday on top of that. Did the usual shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Didn't really have anything in mind to but just wanted to watch all the people. Yes, I am a people watcher. I watched a lady get mad and leave all her stuff a jewelry counter at one store. They (sales associates) had come around 2 or 3 times explaining you have to have some sort of jewelry purchase along with other stuff to check out there. She heard them say that a few times. It must of been to early in the morning for her to figure it out. Then a few minutes later another one came around and said the same thing and she(the lady) got all huffy and sat her stuff down and told them they should tell people that who are in line. I was like are you serious? Did you not hear them the other 3 times. Of course if you know me I made a comment to the fact of "o goody I can move up now, anyone else that don't understand please step out of the line!" I got a few chuckles. I mean if she would of made it to the front and then they tell her that, yeah she would have a right to be nasty. But she heard it a few times.

We had my moms family get together the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That is always a great time. Food, Family, Fun, did I mention Food. We always have so much food. They are great cooks in that family let me tell you. We played some cards, watched some TV, played some more cards.

Got the Christmas tree up and all the presents wrapped except for 2, one was just delivered and the other should be here tomorrow. Made reservations for the water park in Shipshewana for Friday and Saturday after Christmas. That will be a great get away for the family. The place is super nice and clean. I have been to a few water parks(indoor) and some are not that clean people. This one was great and they have so much for kids. A magic show, story time, ice cream parlor, arcade and the list goes on.

I just can't believe how fast this year has gone. Time just slips right by.

Have my cake and eat it too...

Tonight we are having a little thing for my dad and his birthday. Surprise, yes it is. He knows nothing about this. He hates surprises. Last time I threw him a surprise 40th party I believe a few choice words were used. But we got him.. So If I figure out how to post picture I will do some this weekend. Can't wait to eat some cake and have a great time with family.

Andi & Theresa

Oh my

Time around the holidays is just so crazy for me. It's go here do this, go there do that, make sure you here at this time etc etc. I can't think straight some days. Usually by now I am done with Christmas shopping. Not even close or haven't even started which sounds better. I will go with not even close. It gets so hard to buy for people when you know and they know they really don't need anything or really want anything. Only one that needs everything and wants everything is Theresa. Guess a nine year old has to have to latest and greatest. We we have narrowed down the list. She wants a few WII games, the game Life and of course what could we do without the American Girl Doll. To all you my age....think Cabbage Patch but 4 times more $$. I am thinking I can talk her into a few WII games that we both would like so I can enjoy them also, since I will be sitting there watching her play. The doll on the other hand, not so sure. She has the Bitty Twins from 2 Christmas's ago and yeah she does play with them, but all the other dolls she just had to have not so much. I just keep seeing the $$$ when I see that doll. Not sold on that one yet.

Today is my dad's birthday...So happy birthday pops. And can't forget tomorrow is Mom & Dad's anniversary. Wow how did you do it 32years and counting.

Andi & Theresa

P.S. Congrats to Sarah and Kevin.....can't wait to see HC in person......

Where did the days go?

I can't believe that it is Sunday and the last time I wrote was Tuesday. Maybe because I was so happy to get out of here or just happy to see family. I will give you the run down on the weekend.

Friday 12:00 pm...Heading home to finish packing and low and behold my check engine light is on in my car. So I freak thinking only the worst would happen. Call the dealer and they get me in and all is fine. Well not really I wanted to leave at 12:30 didn't get on the road till 1:45.
Rain the whole way...yucky yucky. Got to Eaton Rapids went to the store. Went out to eat with our cousin, uncle, aunt and me and Theresa. Hung out for a couple of hours and then went back to grandmas. I was out pretty early that night... I hate driving in the rain.

Saturday.... got around and headed to the local coffee house to meet up with a old friend. So odd to call her that, she is family. I meet her when I was my daughters age and we have stayed in touch for all these years. I loved just sitting and talking, crying, hugging , sharing and most of all just being there in the moment. It's moments like this that you never forget and you play over and over in your head. Then we went out to the home and showed Theresa were my parents grew up and meet and then to the cemetery. That was sad. My grandpa died a few days before my dads birthday. He has been gone for over thirty. We shared so many memories all weekend with family and friends. It was great to get away from here.

Sunday morning... 6:30am.. looking out the windows (my grandma lives on a river, with windows from floor to ceiling in the living room) and what the world it is snowing. Not just a little..enough to have to get the scrapper out. It continued to snow.. and snow and snow(just got call and it still snowing.) Stopped by the outlet mall, didn't really see anything I had to have. Picked up some new clothes for Theresa and came home.

Had a great time. Had fun with the family. But always glad to be home...

Andi & Theresa

This week in a whole....

Wow it is Tuesday already. Glad for that, but where did my Monday go? I know busy at work. I can't believe how crazy it's been at work here lately. Usually it is quite and slow, but not the last few weeks. It's like if anything would go wrong it did and everything else happens too. But I would rather be crazy busy than slower than a snail. Enough about work.

Let's see what is on the plate this week. Tuesday, girl scout meeting, Wednesday pack for Michigan, Thursday Dr's appt, Friday leave for Michigan. Wow...Plus do nut sales for girl scouts, mileage club for school, reading time for the reading club and I know I probably left some things out too. But Theresa is excited to go to Michigan. We should arrive around 3:30ish (ish because you know there is a outlet mall on the way). Once we get there we will be going to see my grandpa at the cemetery. He died before I was born (before my dad graduated high school). Theresa has never been to the grave yet. It is very seldom we go(because we don't get to Michigan to often, we really like warm weather not cold) but with it being Veterans day today we need to go this weekend, because he was in the Navy. Next off to grandmothers house. She does not know we are coming up on Friday, Surprise. We will be taking her out to eat and meeting my cousin in town. We only get to email each other every now and then (my cousin and I not grandma) so I thought it would be perfect to set up dinner. After that my aunt will be coming over and we will be scrapbooking some. That puts us to Saturday and mom & dad will be coming up. We have a full morning when they get there. They meet and lived in Michigan when they were in school at a place called a VFW home. It so happens it is in the town we will be staying in. I want Theresa to understand where they came from and why they were there. I remember going there when I was her age because I still had a aunt and uncle still living there going to high school we use to go there and visit and play. It is really a awesome place and to understand why it is there is great. Especially with the war today. There are more kids and family staying there when their loved ones are over sees. To check out more on the subject go to http://www.vfwnationalhome.org/index1.shtml. Then we will eat dinner... Taco bar... here we come.

Sunday we will leave and head home. But not without stopping in Turkeyville MI, yes Turkeyville. They have great food and everything is made from you guessed it turkey. Turkey hot dogs, turkey tacos, turkey sandwiches, turkey and mashed potatoes... great food. That will kill some time until the outlet mall opens in Fremont In. Then we will shop alittle, then stop in the Fort and pick up dinner and head home. To do laundry, and develop pictures..


Andi

Sunday morning.....

Sunday morning start about 7 am in our house. First we read the paper, check out the ads to see if there are any good sales. Then we debate whats for breakfast, eggs toast, pancakes and sausage or a omelet? Well today is biscuits, eggs and sausage...my daughters favorite. Well I guess it doesn't matter what is for breakfast she will eat anything when it comes to breakfast.

We went to the store this morning and ran into family. I didn't move from one spot for about 30 mins. Just chit chatting catching up making plans for the future. This whole time Theresa is excited because she sees here initials on the wall and on a cart. Well...we were in the Tire Lube Express. Her initials are TLE. She thought she owned the place how happy she was to see those letters everywhere. Next time I will bring my camera and take a picture. Now I am having a problem trying to figure out what to get her for Christmas. I have been eyeing the mini laptops or even call net books. I think she would love it the way she is always on the computer. I don't know yet.

We are going to Michigan this week. Leaving Friday afternoon. Going to see family and try to get to see some friends. Maybe a little shopping too. You know me gotta shop.

Andi

TGIF

TGIF, TGIF, TGIF.....

Really can you tell I am ready to be out of the office. No don't take it as me not liking my job, IY my job. I love dealing with people and helping them in any way I can. But I have so much to do this weekend. Tonight, we will be starting a Christmas gift for my dad or papa as Theresa puts its. Tomorrow I need to run to Ft Wayne and pick up somethings, but other than that we will be vegging out on the couch the rest of the day. I don't know maybe I will do some more baking. Last weekend I made chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, Amish cookies (buttermilk), Blondie's. I need to find a good snicker doodle cookie recipe. I love to cook.

Next weekend we will be heading up to Michigan to visit my dad's family. I thought I lived in a small town but many this one is smaller than ours. It will be a nice get away to go. But hopefully we won't have any snow yet. I will be cooking up there as well. Since we will not be up for the holidays, this is ours. Instead of turkey we will be having a taco bar with all the fixing. Homemade nachos and I am going to try Mexican lasagna, seven layer dip and my dads famous salsa. Can we say heartburn.. oh well... I think I am going to stop at a store on the way up and pick up some dessert, cheesecake, brownies, cookies. Man I am hungry now....

Andi & Theresa

Man o Man

When I was little my aunt always made "hillbilly biscuits" today terms buttermilk biscuits. I could eat like 3 dozen in one sitting they are the best biscuit in the world. Well over the weekend I bought some buttermilk to make some cookies and had extra. I gave my aunt a call and tonight we made 5 dozen biscuits. I took my daughter along to help make them because I always had great memories making them with the family that I knew she would love it too. Well not so much helping my aunt and but more fun playing with my uncle. They have this game (reminds me of racket ball) two rackets and a ball and hit the ball all over the house. Yeah I know when I was that little we would of been in trouble for hitting a ball in the house. But they had so much fun all you could do is laugh. It just great to sit back and watch the generations have a good time with each other. Family is what it is all about.........

Andi

Ok I am new to this.....

Well, I thought I would try this out. I don't know if I will carry along with this but it is worth a try. I am a single mom of a outrageous 9 year old little girl. She is my life. There is never a dull moment in our family that is for sure. Take this whole election. She watched every TV show about each candidate and we even went and listen to Sarah Palin speak. She tried to stay up as late as she could last night but zonked out and went to bed. At 6:30 this morning she jumped out of bed to watch the news for the winner. It was indescribable for her. She so had her heart set on a "Woman in the White House" but it didn't happen. She cried... I mean like someone just ran over your dog crying. So if this is any indication of what she might be thinking for the future we better watch out....

Andi