Blog Hop and SWAP *UPDATED* Read it Again! :)

Below are Two Posts for the Blog Hop and Swap!
The first one is mine that was supposed to be on Leanne's blog-
but the HTML was wonky and you couldn't see the pics

So this is mine, be sure to keep reading to see Tammy's



I have so many ideas of new procedures and systems  that I want to try in the classroom-
and I have gotten them from these lovely ladies I follow:)

I have made many changes to the way I set my classroom library up- so many in fact,
that I think I have changed it more times than the total amount of years  I have been teaching!

There have been so many wonderful ways to organize and label and distribute and store the books that the children use in the classroom. Today I would like to talk to you about how I organize, store, and FIND the books that I use for instruction.

My second year of teaching, our academic coach gave us a little snippet about
Library Thing. com.
Have you ever heard of it?
OH.MY.GOODNESS!

Library Thing is a way for you to "inventory" what you have, tag it, share it, review it, and most importantly- FIND it!

When I log in, this is what I see:

I can choose to see my books by author, title, genre or other tags that I can create. I can also see them as book covers or just listed titles.
This page happens to be by author and cover.

If you will notice, up there in the corner it shows that I have over 800 books listed in there.

How did I get them in there?

Easy.

I can either click on ADD BOOKS and type in the title or the ISBN number.


I will use this new book I got from CBMC-
C.R.Mudgeon to take you through the process-
First I type in the name of the book I am trying to add.

Next I click on Quick Edit.

Then I want to type in some tags so that I can find this book later. I will most likely use this for some type of feelings, friendship type lesson.

Now, let's pretend (I love to pretend)
that we are in the school year and I am planning and I need to find my books about friendship, emotions, feelings- etc.
So  I go to Library Thing, type in feelings- and VIOLA!!!

There it is, along with 14 other books that I might want to use this week.

Now, where do I physically find the book?


I have my books (the ones that are for instruction) organized in bankers boxes, alphabetically.

Don't worry- I am not "cray-cray" !
They are not in the boxes alphabetically- just by title.
So when I look for those books about emotions/feelings, I see the title on the screen
and I know which box to look in and which title I am looking for in there!
I have to tell you.
I LOVE IT!
Not to mention- every book that I own (for school) is in there.
So if I am planning from home, I have all of my resources right there!

I know what the next question is-
How much?
Well.....Free- if you have 200 books or less listed.
They have different rates- but I paid $20 for a LIFETIME membership!!!
LIFETIME! and UNLIMITED amount of books!
I also invested in the little CatScanner that they sell to scan bar codes-
I don't think that really makes it too much faster because you still have to go in and
type in your tags.

There are resources on Library Thing that I don't use that often, but you can explore!!!

As soon as I purchase a new book, I add it to my library and put it in the correct box- Easy Peezy!!

Keep Reading!
This is Tammy's Post :

Hi.  My name's Tammy from Forever in First.  I'd like to thank Staci for handing over her blog today (to practically a complete stranger, no less).  I promise to take really good care of things while she's away.  

My library, like most classroom libraries, exposes my readers to several different genres, even magazines.  My young readers really enjoy them, but unfortunately there's a problem.  Where are the magazines that are actually readable for your average developing reader?  A few years ago, I tracked one down.

  

My kids love Chirp. They love it, because they can read it.   Finally a magazine that's accessible to my readers.

This shows an example of the text at its easiest level. 

It's got a comic book kind of feel to it.  The stories are fun and kid-friendly. 

Here's an example of a non-fiction section.  (Common Core would be happy.)  There's a little something for everyone.  

I've saved the best for last, at least that's what my kids would say.  There are four jokes on the back of each edition, and my readers will read them over and over and over to anyone who'll listen.

If you've been looking for a great classroom magazine, look no further.  Chirp comes highly recommended.  My kids would give it two thumbs up!  

(Click on the picture to visit the site and its three available magazines.)

Thanks again Staci.  It's been a pleasure to be part of your little world today.

Thanks Tammy!

Despair, De Pooch, and the Dark Side

Happy Friday Night, Y'all!

I KNOW you aren't reading this on a Friday night, right?
It is actually like Saturday afternoon and you are recuperating
from a fun and exciting
evening-
possibly after consuming refreshing beverages
and dancing the night away with your sweetie-

What?!
You're reading this on a Friday?!?!
No Way!!

(Whew!
I'm glad I'm not the only one at home on Google Reader on a Friday night!)

Even if I wanted to- I couldn't go do anything
go anywhere
see anyone...

Before I tell you why,
let me see if you remember these guys?






Can you hear the song?

Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me

I thought of this song today as I
finished giving my oldest son
(AKA Middle Little)
his inhaler.
Because we went to the Dr yesterday
because of a cough

allergies?
summer cold?
"bug"?

Nope.

Pneumonia.

Yep.
It was 109 degrees yesterday as we rode to the DR
and one of the Squirrels has pneumonia!

So we are home.
IN the house
for the WEEKEND.

NO Waterpark.
(sad face)

So this is why I thought of these sad old men on their porch...

"if it weren't for bad luck.... "

Take a look at this picture of Truman-
He looks terrified-
and I think it's funny!
He was laying on his back next to me on the couch-
guess I caught him off guard:)





 I better get a nice one on here too-
just in case he peeks over my shoulder-
I LOVE this one




He looks like he is just
contemplating the meaning of life-
maybe he is wondering what life is like
on the other side of the porch.

He could be missing his "girl"
(Chickadee is staying over with someone)

or he could just be trying to take a nap....who knows?!?!

I am going delirious!!

I need adult company!!

(Not that kind of "adult" company)

This is how I spent my afternoon:



That is a nice little truck if I do say so myself,
and I do.

We also made a plane-fighter-hover craft-thingy:




That was ok.
I could handle that.
This is where I had the problem:




Why is this a problem?


ALL of these little guys have weapons.
He knows WHO belongs to WHAT- Heaven forbid you put the wrong arms on
somebody- Cause he knows the difference!

And when setting up a battle like this-
YOU CANNOT
under any circumstances
put a Jedi against a Jedi
or a Sith against a Sith
(Although you can put Anakin up against the Emperor-
as long as you are saying he did it BEFORE he went to the Dark Side....)


DO YOU SEE WHY I NEED THIS ADULT CONTACT!?!?!?

I hope to see you all tomorrow during the Blog Hop and Swap-
you are going to have to find me.......
(It's a really good teachery post too- I worked hard on it)
So make sure you go looking for me!!!

WHAT THE HECK?!?!?! Wednesday

Yikes! I am cuttin' close-
but with time changes and zones-
it is still going to be Wednesday SOMEWHERE when I finish this:)

(I'm a half-full kinda gal).

Soooooo
I thought that the LTT (Lack of Teachery Thoughts)
would back off a little since we are trapped inside-

What?!?! Trapped inside?
Did something collapse?
Has there been an accident?
HOW DID THE SQUIRRELS GET TRAPPED??!?!?!

Here's how:

WHEN THE HECK did I move to the dessert?!?!?!
I live in TN! It shouldn't be this hot!
I can't even let the Littles out of the house for fear that they
will spontaneously combust
(and I watch Myth Busters- it can happen) :)

We are trapped in this house...
no rain
no wind
no motivation
(and increasingly)
no patience.

Why?
Oh, you KNOW I'll explain:
WHO THE HECK knocked this over and left it???

I don't even know what the original plan was for these anymore?!?!?




(ok, I had a little something to do with why it spilled- but it wasn't this bad)

More ranting-
WHEN THE HECK did these start tasting so good?

You should NOT be able to see through his head already- he hasn't been here long enough-
but I think they are fat free (like I care).

WHO THE HECK was the evil GENIUS who came up with Skylanders???

Have any of you other moms been affected by these?
They are like weird little creatures who play this weird little game that is on the Wii.
See that stage (portal)? When you put the character there- it shows up on the television-

great right? buy a few. play the game.
NOT SO MY FRIEND.
Because the genius who created this game, has made it to where the characters get "tired" and have to
go rest, so in order to finish a level, you have to change them out.....in other words-
YOU NEED MORE CHARACTERS!!!!
No one told Santa this and he brought the "starter" pack- which he thought was all you needed.
TWENTY characters LATER..........


WHO THE HECK is loving the Pinterest idea to use the holes in the sterlite container for ribbon?
ME, THAT's who!!
I am using it to keep my yarn separated- so easy- so smart-
why don't I think of these things? (on my own)

Shameless plug for my Etsy Shop
Click on the pic below:




WHEN THE HECK did the Middle Little get his doctor's degree???

This past Friday, I am awakened by the sniffles and cries of the Littlest Little.
He crawls into bed beside me and cuddles up and says,
Mommy, I woke up and I just don't feel right (sniffle sniffle) and my head just hurts really bad. It's like a really bad one.
(so I was going to do that feel the forehead, take temp thing and see where we were at)
but he says
No, mommy, don't worry- I already took medicine- brother gave it to me.

WHAT!?!?!?
So after running to the front with him and making him show me which bottle and how much, I was relieved to find that it was the right dose and right medicine- whew-
but brother and I had a talk, regardless...

And lastly this evening-

WHO THE HECK loves something- THIS MUCH???

Short background story-
When Chickadee was a baby- her room was done in Winnie the Pooh.
We went to the disney store and bought all of the plush characters
so they could live on her bookshelf.
As she grew a little, she wanted to play with them.
She took a liking to Rabbit.
He was her favorite!
She was only 18 months old and could not say rabbitt,
so she called him "Fat".

Over the years, Fat has had many "surgeries".
There have been attempts to replace- she was not having it!
I even found an identical one on eBay, and when it came in the mail
I told her it was Fat's sister who had come to live with us....
Fat's sister was quickly lost in the bottom of her closet.

We have actually had bday parties for Fat.
I have gone to the bakery and asked for them to write
Happy Birthday Fat on a cake.
Fat had his own car seat for awhile-
imagine strapping in everyone else and having to make sure that
%(#&$ rabbit was safe too!

This first picture is what Fat looked like when he was purchased (this is actually his sister who is in very decent condition because she lives in the top of a closet now)







This is Fat today.
Warning: The following photo is graphic. Viewer discretion is advised.







Told ya!
Have you ever seen Donnie Darko???

She will be 16 in October- and he sleeps with her every night.
We go out of town, he goes.
When she was in the hospital- he was right there with her.

One day, he will probably live in one of those glass display cases that Woody from Toy Story almost ended up in- but I don't think it will be anytime soon and I don't think there will be much of him left to put in there!!!


Have a great Thursday!

My "Condition" and It's Causes

Hellllooooooo!
Where is summer going?!?
Normally I make it to at least the 4th of July before I start
complaining about how fast the summer was-
 guess I am an "early blossomer" this year.

I don't know how well you keep track of me- but you may have noticed
I haven't posted since last week's

WHAT THE HECK Wednesday
(please say you noticed, it will make me
feel better)

One reason could be my LTT.
I was in a remission type stage,
but it has flared up again.
This time around it has been increasingly hard to deal with.


My symptoms have increased. It has been a rough couple of weeks.


For those of you who are not "medical- term" savvy
I will help you out.
LTT = Lack of Teachery Thoughts

I was diagnosed over the last winter break.
It went away once I started back in the New Year.

I expected it to return.
Of course it would.
Did you see all the stuff I brought home
to work on?
I have a whole summer full of projects- but my LTT gets in the way.

(kind of like that creepy blue robe with eyeballs in that medicine commercial)

The Teachery Thoughts are there.
I just avoid them.
I run from them.
I hide from them.



There are a few treatments I have tried.
I have tried committing to a time during each day to catch up on blogs.

I have set aside certain times to work on centers.

I have "Un-DVRed" several shows to get rid of the temptation-
but nothing is working.

As hard as I try,
I still can't get into the Teacher Mode right now.

I feel horrible when I log in to
Google Reader and there is this huge
list of blogs who are on it!! They are showing projects and
sharing classroom ideas.......

With the LTT taking over, I just don't have it in me-

I haven't even been on Pinterest  in a week!!!

I know,
it's bad.

Side Effects of having LTT include (but are not limited to):
wanting to go to the pool, laying out in the backyard, visiting with friends, bike riding with Littles, watching ID Discovery (terrible addiction there), reading on the couch, reading in the bed, napping on the couch, napping in the bed, closing the office door so that you cannot see what is in here waiting, watching movies with Chickadee,
and the list goes on...there are so many other distractions that I couldn't possibly name them all....but I might try- seeing as how it will get me out of the school work I am hiding from  :)

I will keep you updated on my condition:)

One thing that has not helped my LTT at all
is the opening of my Etsy Shop.
I have been a "little" occupied with that-

Feel free to check it out-
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MissSquirrelsShop
I  have been adding stuff everyday- I love playing with the colors!

A blog friend of ours is having a giveaway soon and she is giving away a few of them! BOLO for that!!!

Speaking of blogs- I am participating in the

this Saturday- and I have to put the finishing touches on my post that I am sending
to one of my partners-

I am hoping that my LTT will wane off some this week-
as we are on a HEAT ALERT for the next few days-
I figure if I am going to be in here
I should be getting some stuff done!

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!!!


(If there are some others who are suffering from the same thing,
maybe we can create a support group) :)

WHAT THE HECK (it's not) Wednesday!?!?!

What's the difference between an excuse and an explanation?
Doesn't matter-
because I have neither!

I even told Holly last night that I was going to finish a "show" and then head to the office to post.
I had every intention of getting out of
"comfy" chair, walking into this office,
and posting What the Heck Wednesday....

but I couldn't get out of the chair.
It was awful.
These claws came out.
And it got mean.
And it grabbed my arms and told me "no!"

So I was stuck there.
Unable to chat
or post
or stalk

BUT it was nice enough to let me have the remote-

So I hung out with "comfy chair" and it let me stay...
Until almost 2am
(which made it NOT Wednesday anymore)
WTH???
Therefore it no longer mattered if I posted it
then or now-
because I'm late

*****Disclaimer-
That story was total lie. I was too lazy to get up. And I don't feel "teacher-y".
So I made up the whole thing.
I'm sorry. Don't be judgey. Please forgive.******

And awaayyy we go...

First off-

WHO THE HECK does the MR think he is????

I have discovered that I have been wrong.
I thought that amidst the flurry of
sports scores,
stupid iPhone apps,
the garden,
his job,
and the DVR in general
that he does not hear (nor listen to)
the words that come out of my mouth.

He does.
I talk about what I read/blog-
I always thought he was pretending to listen
because he just smiles and nods
(and that is what I do when he talks)

Well he comes home today and tells me
"I want off your blog."

Where did this come from?
I thought about it and since I don't read it (hurtful) I don't want to be on it.

But you are a part of my life-
Doesn't matter. You don't use my name or yours and I think you might be
getting a laugh at my expense.

(Boy, he really doesn't read it, does he?)

So what does this mean?
It means, no more THE MR.

and he did the unthinkable...







He said : I am copyrighting THE MR.  And I am starting my own blog. So you can't use it.

Awkward silence.
Blank stare.
He looks serious.

And then he laughs
and asks me what went on today in blog land.....

if he only knew.....



WHO THE HECK scheduled me for TWO inservices in a row today????

The first one was great! Very informative.
And I got to see Tangelia from Buggy in Kindergarten and  I met Ms. Tilton from Kindertrips-

Then lunch.

And then in-service number two.
Not as great. Too much info packed into three hours!
I walked away with more questions than answers.
(We are jumping head first into full CCSS for math and ela).

At one point
my brain shut down
it could hold no more new information.
So I started to doodle

Chickadee liked her tail- but wondered what the growth under her chin was.......everyone's a critic.

WHEN THE HECK are these babies' heads gonna turn white??

I mean, if I'm an eagle, I want to look like an eagle!
Do they have to tell the other birds
"No, really, I'm an eagle. I'm just waiting for my head to change colors."
It must be hard to get a date that way.
If I were them, I would be heading to the local
Eagle Mart and picking up some Eagle Clairol and speeding along the process...

The only thing keeping us squirrels from looking like tree climbing rats is the bushy tail...
we all gotta have something, right?

And lastly-

WHY THE HECK isn't there a sign at the pool that states
Please act your age. We are not responsible for any injuries because
you are feeling younger today and try something stupid.
(although that would be a very BIG sign)

I was in with the Littles yesterday and
Littlest Little suggests I try to do a flip.

(I will wait, while you finishing laughing).

Ready?
Well, the flip itself was successful.
I made it all the way around.
But my equilibruim was all thrown off!
 It has been a very long time since I was upside down.

While the execution was decent,
it was the incredible dizzy feeling
and the butterfly in the tummy feeling that were
making me cuckcoo.

So I did what anyone else
(no matter the age)
would do in that situation....


I did it again!
and again
and ....

Littlest Little said
Mama's funny. None of the other moms play like that.

I don't know if that is good or bad-
but we had fun!

I leave you with what I saw as I stretched out on
my towel afterwards.

I love the sound.
If you don't see the video- then Blogger won and I couldn't it to load.

 

I have to get moving because Camille from A Girl, a Granny, and a Goal is coming from Nashvegas tomorrow to make us lunch!!! I hope she brings some Cherry Cobbler!!!
Yummy!

Have a Fabulous Friday!

I Love You, Honey! (or The Secret to Father's Day)

Howdy Folks-
Ready for Father's Day?

I am!
We bought his present,
have pancake batter on hand,
the cards are signed and I am ready
to hand over the Littles!

What?!
It's HIS day, right?

Wrong!

For all of you single ladies (all my single ladies)
and for you newlyweds-
Here's the low down-

Ready?
Cause I am about to rock your world....

Father's Day is really

MOTHER'S DAY....THE SEQUEL!!

I have been a mom now for going on sixteen years

and this is what I have figured out-

Mother's Day is a day for Dad to take the wee-ones and let you have some time to yourself.

Father's Day is a time for Dad to spend some QT with those precious little

rays of sunshine in your life!!!

Ere go...

BONUS!

You get an extra day for yourself!!

Wow- 

Who knew that becoming a baby factory could be so rewarding?

(Too bad you can't "cash in" days per kiddo- )

Really, I'm making the pancakes 

drinking the coffee, chatting it up a bit 

and 

THEY ARE OUTTA HERE!

Either the zoo- and if it rains- movies and 

(well honestly, I don't really care where they go- just as long as 

they bring dinner back with them):)

I am still working on the Etsy Shop-

I have stuff listed- but have to wait for PayPAl to send me something and I have to 

send it back and then I am done.

I will post that link- 

I am excited!

I'm in the middle of a project for "my girl" (Holla) Morgan- it is awesomeness in a granny square-

I will have to share that when I am done.:)

I have some other craziness (imagine that)

to share with you

Did you see this picture?

I was just wandering around my classroom

looking for something to post about one day

and I thought to myself

"Self, you should take a picture of your crayons."

And since I always listen to myself

I did.

And I posted it about a month ago here on the blog-a-roo.

So someone pinned it- gave credit- did it the right way- whoop whoop

and look at this....UNBELIEVABLE!!!

 My crayons are like Movie Star Crayons!!!

Man, if I had a dollar...

No, really- that would be a lot a dollars- :)

That is just wacky to me!

I have gotten so many great ideas from Pinterest and blogging~ 

now I feel a little better- knowing that I 

"Gave Back" a little-

Hardy Har Har

Tomorrow is another Relaxation Day

then Monday I have to get myself on the ball-

I am still jet-lagged from my trip

(hee hee that is what I keep telling the MR-

my trip was in the same time zone.....ain't I a stinka??!?!?)

Have a wonderfully relaxing day tomorrow:)

WHAT THE HECK??? Wednesday

Ouch.
Ouch.
OUCH!

I was able to lay out at one of our local pools today.
The Littles were with me-
but they were too busy to pay attention to me-
so I just stretched out
for  a long time
uninterrupted
and
I got burned
on my calves.
and the back of my ankles!
WHO THE HECK burns their ankles????

Me. That's who.

I remember how much I used to love going to the pool- to see boys.
We would take our makeup and redo it after every
break.
and we always made sure our hair looked just right.
And we would strut around and giggle
and make unnecessary trips to the bathroom-
just so we could walk by
Johnny Peterson (I loved that blonde haired, blue eyed, tanned lifeguard)

WHAT THE HECK happened????
Cause now I go to the pool - to take the boys.
I redo their sunscreen after every break.
I could give a rat's patootie about my hair
Now I strut around and wiggle
I make many necessary trips to the bathroom
and I am now old enough to
be the mom of all the "johnny Petersons" in the lifeguard chairs.......waa.

Before I went on my trip there were these cute little
20 something moms sitting on the edge of the pool.
They were tanned and thin and they had their freshly
manicured toes dangling in the cool water

- and I am sure they were not nice
people- I could tell by how cute they were.
Guess what? I  was right!
One of them had the nerve to ask these sweet little children to
move their little splashy splashy game farther down so they wouldn't get wet.

WHO THE HECK comes to the pool to NOT get wet?!??!?!
I, for one, was not going to stand there and watch this- the nerve!!!
So I said boys, "You know what to do!"
OPERATION CANNONBALL!!!!

One right after the other-
right next to them...
they soaked 'em....and I laughed and laughed-
out loud-
what are they gonna do???



Moving on to our favorite Eagle Fam:

HOW THE HECK have they gone this long without seeing the camera??

 I think we are B.U.S.T.E.D!!!
I haven't seen Daddy in a few days.
We (the MR and I ) think he has a mistress.

(but for the record, these three look nothing like him.......ahem...I didn't know the Eagle world was
so tawdry!! )




A little closer to home...

WHO THE HECK could say no to this face????

Look at the Littlest Little's plate- he obviously can!
I have to either quit giving this pup so much people food or
I have to start exercsing with him...
(I'll give you three seconds to figure out which one is going to happen....
sorry, Truman- no more peeps food for you!!)

But one thing I cannot say no to,
is when he tells me it is time to get off the computer and head to a cuddle spot...

My Nutty Adventure

It is with very mixed feelings that I "blog"
tonight from my desk
in my office
in my house
 in my state

I LOVE that I got to hug my Littles and the MR hello last  night
but I was so sad to hug Reagan and her Littles goodbye yesterday!!!

I seriously cannot remember when I had so much fun
so many days in a row-
there is no way I can post everything-
it would have to be it's own blog!

(Just wait until WHAT THE HECK Wednesday-
I took notes in the airport-
and I was there for a long time
so it's a lot of notes )

First, let me tell you some small deets about the trip

We start this adventure with me waving goodbye to Tn.

This was where I met Judy.
Oh Judy, Judy, Judy.

I was rather proud of myself for traveling alone- although I was walked to the security gate at one airport and met at the baggage claim at the other:)

It was like a scene from a romantic comedy-
When we first saw each other we ran across a field of daises and embraced in a hug!
ok, not really
but we were uber excited to be face to face.

And after we talked we didn't have to enter codes into boxes to prove we weren't robots- so that was AWESOME!

After we had a DEE-LISH lunch we headed to the Tunstall Hacienda
where I was greeted with this:

 Is that not the BEST drawn squirrel you have ever seen?
M. made it for me:) She is very artistic-

It is now in my office and will live there forever:)

This is where my first dinner in Texas came from:

Don't let the name fool you- it was yummy:)


(insert lots of laughs, stretchy elastic pants and LOTS of chocolate here)

We spent day 2 shopping. I loathe shopping.
I love shopping for "stuff"
but I don't like shopping for clothes- bleck!
I bought one pair of capri pants ( which were iffy- but I was running
low on choices)
and yarn.
I know.
I'm a rebel~

We ate at Red Robin.
We don't have one of those- so it was a first for me-
very yummy

 (insert lots of laughs, stretchy elastic pants and more chocolate here)

 Then it was make over day.....whoop whoop
We tried to take a BEFORE picture together
but it was bad
bad
bad
bad
I mean like worse than BEFORE
I looked like Reagan's crazy Aunt Betty from Far, Far Away
Far, Far Away is where Shrek lives.
(get the picture?)

But I did take a picture with my phone
So this is BEFORE-

That is one shiny forehead.

 This is DURING-

I sent my Littles this pic and told them that this was where Reagan made me sleep and she was probing my brain.

and this is AFTER-

Love it???? Me too!

Hee hee
Kidding
Here is the real AFTER-

(I couldn't find my green bow)

So I am very happy with it-
until I go to sleep and then wake up-
because then look like a crazy lady!

Then we went home to rest up

(insert lots of laughs, stretchy elastic pants, more chocolate, and some crocheting here)

We did a Pre Meet up and I got to meet Swersty!
She is adorable-
Reagan and Swersty took me to downtown San Antonio and I got to see the Alamo!!

Hold on this one is really blurry....

Wait, I got distracted by this man walking his child...

Darn it....a tree!

Crap! Another Tree!!! It should be right here in the next one!

Really? Seriously?

OK, there it is...and then the light changed and it was gone.

Reagan, Me, Swersty

Why am I a totally different color than them?
I am like pink....
Aren't they adorable?
Swersty and I played a game called "Do You Have That in Tennessee?"
Most of them were "yeses"- there were a few "nos".

We enjoyed yummy food- adult frothy beverages and then a very, scary walk
down the river walk back to the car.
I actually googled "How many people  fall into the riverwalk every year"
there are quite a few hits.
Luckily my name wasn't on any of them.

And then home, sleepy time....

And then the Meet Up Day-

Swersty and I - she looks too cute so I will no longer be including her in this post...hee hee

Lots of pollen in the air- they were trying not to sneeze...

Just kidding- Isn't Reagan so cute- and her highlights look FREAKIN AWESOME!!!

This is my finger- it shows up in pics at all the best parties!

Lorraine and Farley- we laughed so hard I snorted. Loud. No more adult frothy beverages.

 It was great to meet them both- We rode there together too- so glad than none of them were creepy old men who wanted to hold us hostage in their cellars (that is what my mom thought)- i assured her that meeting
people over the internet is COMPLETELY SAFE!!! NOTHING BAD EVER HAPPENS AND THERE AREN'T ANY WEIRDOS OUT THERE!!! :) (insert initials here...you know which ones) lol

Swertsy- with her meet up door prize- I cropped out her cuteness (refer to prior statement)

Crystal is Hilarious! She had me in tears.

 (Look at Farley's phone- it is kind of like the Land o Lakes butter label- where the image goes on forever...)

See what I mean? She's holding the picture who's holding the picture who's holding the picture.....

This is censored group photo-
I was waving to Lorraine's son and it looks like I am giving the Gristmill the bird in some of the other ones-
to defend myself- I don't give the bird-
I DROP BOMBS- CENTRAL TEXAS B***HES!!!!.

(I am laughing so hard right now trying to decide if I am going to take that out )



Crystal has a great post about the meet up that matches names with faces and blogs.


It was a great day.
It turned into one very steamy night, too.

Not what you are thinking.
I am old and my clothes
weren't breathable- so I got all steamy while we were walking..


(insert lots of laughs, stretchy elastic pants and the last of the chocolate here)

 This is the last picture I took in Texas.
Sad Face.

When I hugged them goodbye and got dropped off at the airport- I felt like I was leaving family.
(You know, the family that you LIKE to visit- not Scary Aunt Betty from Far Far Away family!)

Her Mr and her Littles and her furry friends were the bestest-
(Thank you Genius Boy for teaching me how to use my phone)!!!!

I was one lucky lil ska-whirl to have had such a nutty adventure!!!