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Busy weekend

May 29, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

So we have a pool! It’s not perfect and it’s cold but it holds water and we went swimming in it! So apparently getting the whole thing level is kinda important in the whole process of pool-building. The liner is all wrinkled where we don’t have the liner adjusted just right, we have a “deep-end” about two inches deeper than the other because the sand wasn’t level, the one side of the pool is s-shaped because the beams are aligned right and the pool water is lopsided because one side of the pool is higher on the ground than the other. Oh well. I’m just glad we haven’t had a flood in our back yard yet.

We got in Sunday when it was about a foot full and the girls had a BLAST. Lexi carried the hose around, squirting everyone. She went under a couple times thinking it was like the bath tub where she could lay down in it. She coughed it up and kept on going. Emma had fun as well, running around with me trying to get away from Lexi. Yesterday we had both families over for Memorial Day, mine for lunch and his for dinner. It had 2-3 feet then and Lexi was deliriously happy in the pool and Emma as well. Emma can swim around with her swimmies and Lexi sure tries. Lexi jumps and floats and everything else that says she is not one bit scared of the water. Mom was pretty much shocked at how well she did. I think she is a little fishy made for water. We had to beg her to get out and I think she’d go back in in a heartbeat.

The water has been off and on since Saturday night and we still haven’t gotten it full. But last night it got up to the bottom of the skimmer line where Scott needs to put the skimmer in so it’s on hold for now as he is working today.

Other than that, this past Friday we went out to eat at Longhorn with D&D. Fun as always. I wish we could do more stuff with them. Saturday morning I headed to the gym and cleaned inside a little before heading outside to help with the pool for the rest of the day. Sunday was church and pool. And I already mentioned yesterday. So here we are at Tuesday.

I leave for youth camp on Monday. I need to study the bible study lessons. My printer is out of ink so it has held me back a little. Not sure if the girls are all ready for that. And really I’m starting to remember that although youth camp was fun, it was a lot of work too trying to keep up with everyone and being in the hot sun all the time. They keep you so busy, you barely have time to think. I would like a break from work though. I am SO busy. Which is why I have got to get off here and get started!

wednesday

May 23, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

it’s wednesday and i’m posting. surprise!

Scott has been working really, really hard the past few days on the house. Our friends brought the tractor came and dug up the back yard on Friday. Scott has been working to haul away the remnants of that as well as the front yard where we cut down the tree and are leveling out the ground there to plant grass so he can park his patrol car there.

On a side note, I’ve seen improvement in our relationship. I’ve determined that I should keep the house clean for my own pride and responsibility instead of in fear of his displeasure. If I’m always cleaning for him, it’s always going to be disappointing for me and him and I’ll always have a chip on my shoulder about it. I should keep my house clean because I live there and I should have enough respect and pride for myself to want to live in a nice, clean house. And he seems to have learned to hold back any criticisms and smart-alecky responses that he says just because he can. I’ve found myself wanting to be nicer to him and help him more. Which I think he appreciates. Somewhere along the way we lost just enjoying to be together and wanting to help each other out. Everything seemed to be an argument and a struggle and every criticism just heaped on more bitterness. Hopefully we’re turning that around. I feel like we are and that’s good.

Today is the girls’ last day of school. They are having a picnic with games and activities at the school. Emma will miss Ms. Dawn and Ms. Jeri Lyne and I know Lexi will miss Ms. Terri and Ms. Kay. Emma will always be Emma B. (Bee Dot) because of Emma F in her class. And this will be the first year she said she had a boyfriend at school. And she’s played dr and she’s the “boss” of the class, having “all the ideas”. And Lexi after 2 weeks of crying found a second home. One that she runs to and goes to sleep just to be at the next morning. I’m so glad we decided for them both to go this year. I have them scheduled for 4 days a week next year and it will be Emma’s last year before “big school”. I can’t believe that! They did a height chart and she’s grown like 5 inches just since the beginning of school. She’s gotten so big and smart and I just can’t believe that’s my little baby. I’m getting so old!! I will be 30 a month before she starts kindegarten and also our 10 year annivesary is around there too. I think it will be quite a time next year.

It’s Wednesday right?

May 9, 2007 by Amy 1 Comment

Yeah, so I think about posting today and it’s Wednesday. Imagine that.

My weekend/week in a nutshell:

Went to Fest-i-fun Friday night.
Old restaurant that I’ve visited on many occassions burnt down on main street early Saturday. I’m very sad about this.
Stayed in all day Saturday and cleaned
Lexi got sick Saturday night, confirmed strep yesterday
Stayed in all day Sunday
Stayed in all day Monday and worked my butt off
Went to the doctor and gym yesterday and otherwise stayed in and worked my butt off

I’m ready for a break from kids and work. Really teetering on the edge of insanity at times.

In other interesting news, Heather and Mom saw Justin Guarini and Candace Olson at LAX on their way back from their cruise where 950 swingers were in attendance.

***Update – Justin and Candace were not together…Mom and Heather just saw them both there at different times.

Parents moving

April 17, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

We moved a lot when I was a kid. I think it was 9 places we moved including a small tent for 6 weeks at Jim Bakker’s PTL campgrounds (that’s another story). The house they are in now, they have been in for 17 years almost, since I was 12. So this past week my parents have decided to move to the “other side of Fort Mill”. I can not believe my mom is willing to sell. But both me and my sister are on this side of town and so is her shop. And now that this side of town and Rock Hill is growing up, we aren’t running to Charlotte all the time for shopping and food. I love being on this side of town. Scott and I’s first house was on the other side also. So they went to see a house today they really like and Heather is going with them tomorrow to see it. It will be really weird for them to move so I´m going to call Shiply, a great moving company, to help them move out the large items in their house. I had A LOT of firsts in that house and a lot of memories. I think I will actually miss it if they move.

Day 7

April 15, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

So yesterday I ended up doing lots of stuff. Went to the gym, cleaned out my fridge, including above the fridge. Did lots of laundry. The kids came home around 3 and then we stayed around the house. I cooked here (again-wow). This morning of course was church and then we spent the afternoon and evening here. Easter is over and there’s no choir practice for awhile. And with S gone to Turkey, they played games at church tonight so I didn’t worry about going. I let the kids eat Dora Soup here and Heather brought me some crab alfredo from Red Lobster. Yum. my. This afternoon I also completely cleaned out our kitchen pantry. It now looks like a small grocery store it’s so organized. And also completely cleaned off that messy kitchen counter. Yay me. Scott is going to have a duck when he sees all I’ve done around here this week. I even had the cable company come fix channel 11 finally.

To be honest, this has been one of the best weeks I’ve had in quite some time. I’ve been less irritable, more patient, more productive and just peaceful. I would hate to say it is because Scott is not here. I know I’ve worked really hard to keep the house really clean. And it shows. Even A came over and said hey, this house is really clean without Scott here. Which if anyone knows us, Scott is the ultimate straighten-upper and I am not. But I have worked hard this week to pick up the slack. I’m a very neat, organized person when I try to be. But most of the time I just like to LIVE in my house. But this week, I don’t think I’ve had a dirty dish in the sink or counter for more than an hour. Every laundry basket is empty right now. I even washed some of Emma’s dress up gowns. And I mentioned how much I have cleaned out. And the girls and I have not eaten out once. Sure the family has cooked a meal or two for us but even lunches I have fixed them. And this is all without them in school…which I’ve always thought made life easier. And barebones honestly, Scott and I haven’t been around each other to fight. We don’t fight like throw things at each other fight but we’ve always called them “discussions” but really all of our “discussions” have been quite exhausting lately and not having to “discuss” every thing we do this week has been quite nice. Which I think accounts for the lack of irritability on my part. And people keep asking me if I miss Scott and I do really miss him but at the same time, I’ve had a great week and I can’t really knock that. I know the girls are starting to really miss him. I think Lexi has given up asking Where’s Daddy she’s asked so much. Today I had to give her a spanking and she called once for Daddy and then immediately called for Heather (who has been around quite a bit this week). And Emma, the first thing she asked when she woke up this morning is ask if Daddy was here. It breaks my heart to say no. Only 2 days left though and it surprises me. Heather tonight on the phone says wow, you did good this week. And I thought about that and Scott is really gone a lot. With his schedule, he’s either working or there are so many people that count on him for different things that he’s usually gone a lot on his days off. I guess I’m used to running the house without much help. I sort of picked up the “straighten up” helpfulness he usually provides and it all worked like normal. But the girls don’t have their Daddy to play with in the living room floor and I don’t have my husband to cuddle up with at night. It’s not the same but I guess part of me is pleased that I could at least run this thing by myself with two kids by myself. A 9 day trip certainly isn’t the measurement of single motherhood by any stretch of the imagination but I think if forced to do it I could. I certainly would never, ever ask for that. His time in police academy for 5 months was enough glimpse of that. And little girls need their daddy. I’m just sayin I’m proud of myself for this week. Or I’m happy someone prayed for me this week. Because if that’s it, all I’m seeing is answered prayers around here.

And they’re off…

April 9, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

And by they I actually mean two sets of people. My out of town family left yesterday morning after a good visit. And then the 6 people including Scott left for Turkey today. They should be landing in Germany by 5am, fly to Istabul by lunch tomorrow and then flying to Van the next morning. They aren’t expected to be back until next Tuesday. Another busy week seems to be looming ahead.

Crazy week

April 2, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

I think this is going to turn out to be a crazy week. Thursday I was going to go into work. My aunt and uncles are coming into town Thursday. I have choir practice Saturday morning. Our choir special is Sunday morning and Scott leaves for Turkey Monday at 2:15. I’m guessing between all we are going to do with the family and what I have to do for work and church this week and weekend, it will be quite busy.

Ridin a horsey

March 20, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

My whole life I have hated horses. Well, not horses themselves, but riding horses. It all started when I was about 7 when I road a pony at the old PTL and it pooped while I was riding it. And then when I was in middle school we went to a camp thing with our GT class and this horse bucked up while another student was on it and while they didn’t get hurt, it scared me to death. Then move on to youth camp…they had horses and they made me sit on one but didn’t make me ride it. But just sitting up there I felt so FAR UP THERE and SO out of control. I could not wait to get off. So in high school when my family went on a trip to the mountains, I completely skipped the horse riding trip and stayed at the resort. Nothing really terrible happened to me with a horse, but I had very little contact with them and I guess the unknown was scary. So on to this past Sunday…

The girls were dropped off at Grandma’s, Scott wanted me to go with him to a guy’s house from church who was going to build him a bumper thing for his winch on the Land Rover. I reluctantly gave up my Sunday nap and went. Their house was really cool. They had A LOT of family land that they sold to a developer that built a neighborhood (Jane, you may know Eppington South in FM). Their driveway is in the neighborhood but you can’t see the house from the street and after doing down the driveway, it’s like going into an old country house. Supposedly they are on about 22 acres of land. It’s really nice. So one of the first things I noticed is the little barn with the horse. I thought of it because of Emma and her need to ride a horse. So I’m talking to the guy’s wife about getting Emma over there and I happen to mention how scared I am of them and of course that means she’s going to make me get on the horse. So I did.

I was actually really excited to get on the horse. It is actually their 12 year old daughter’s horse and she assured me the Classy was a very tame horse and not to be scared. So I wasn’t. She led me around their field a couple times and then the Mrs. insisted I be allowed to take the reigns myself. So I did.

I did it all by myself! I actually made him go, made him turn, made him stop and even back up. And I liked it!! I’m so proud of myself.

Of course I told Emma and she is reminding me every. day. now that she wants to go ride a horse. So probably will plan on that soon. I want to go when their daughter is there. Apparently the horse won’t do much without her. And I want to go when Scott is off but he works this weekend so we’ll see.