Before and...

...Well, it's going to be awhile til the after pics are ready!

But, look what Cutest Boy did for me! He tilled my garden spot.

Today, I bought onions and cabbage to plant. I wanted to get potatoes planted but I cannot find the right kind of potatoes - the kind with "eyes"on them. And, I'm in a little bit of a farming pickle...today's St. Patrick's Day and you're supposed to have your potatoes in the ground by TODAY! (That's according to my mom who says it comes from the Farmer's Almanac.)

And she believes in the Almanac. She lived and breathed by the Almanac when I was young. It not only determined planting but harvesting, fishing, raising chickens and most of the milestones of my life, I'm sure. I grew up in a home where the Almanac was more present than a Bible.

I'm not going to garden by the Almanac myself. I'll do it the way I've done most things in my life...by the seat of my pants and on a wing and a prayer!

We had a garden before at the 18th street house and it went something like this: We bought cute gardening gloves. We planted and planted and checked the garden every day for new growth. We talked to the new plants and told them to be strong and grow tall. We about burst with pride and excitement when we got a tomato or a cucumber. Then...the weeds came. They were followed by the extreme Oklahoma sun and heat. An insect or two lived in the plants surprising the farmer in her cute hat and gardening gloves. We couldn't eat another squash and besides they were growing to 10 pounds since we only checked it every few weeks now IF there happened to be a cloudy day. Finally, Cutest Boy just tilled it all up.

But, not this year! I'm older. I'm a southerner. I'm supposed to garden. I will share my bounty with my neighbors and friends and they will praise my gardening skills. I will see it through - all the way to the fall!

Or not! **wink**

But for now, these guys are my new best friends!

We will be spending hours together...working the soil, tending the garden. Can't wait to pull my first tomato off the vine!

Peace, love and garden-grown peppers,

B

Things You Cannot Do with Fakey-Jakey Nails

1.) Pick celery strings out of your teeth
2.) Get a good scratch going (they're smooth as glass)
3.) Pick up the bobby pin you dropped in the sink
4.) Open the "pop top" can of mandarin oranges you want to put in your salad
5.) Text
6.) Clean out your other finger nails

I should get a pool going for how long these lovelies will last on my fingers! The lovely pointing and gesturing is getting old fast and I really need to scratch my arm!!

B

You wan cryt-ul jel?

I am 40-ish years old. One would think that I have done most of the basic things in life by now. I've gotten an education. I've married. I've given birth. I've swam in the ocean. I've eaten calf fries.

But today, for the first time in my LIFE, I got (in the words of the fabulous Laura A) my nails did! Looky at those fabulous snausages! That Marla W...she's pretty incredible with her multi-talented self.

They are kinda cool to have. I'm doing a lot more pointing and gesturing today!

But, in keeping with my A.D.D. self, these nails have caused me to give thought to a few things!

The first is.............what is the most attractive pose for your hand and fingers if you want to take a picture of your new claws? I'm tellin' ya - I took 10 pics and only liked this one! If I had more time, I would have found a hand double!

And, of course, getting my nails done, I could only think of Anjelah Johnson's "Nail Salon" that you can find on YouTube. (If I could link it, I would!!) If Marla had told me I had a crooked finger, I would have wet myself! And she says "You wan cryt-ul jel?" interpreted as "You want crystal gel?" and I fall off my chair laughing so hard! Seriously, you MUST google it! And, don't forget my absolute fave on YouTube, Bon Qui Qui at King Burger. Sweet georgia brown it is hysterical!! Go check it out!!

Peace, love and painted nails,

B

The Weekend by the Numbers - Part Deaux

1 tournament in Overland Park, Ks
16 fabulous Celtic boys winning 2nd place in the finals that ended in a shoot out.
10 hours driving looking at NOTHING (see photo, courtesy JTA-Joshtheamazing)
1:15 a.m. = the time JTA and I got home this morning
2 = number of stink eyes Josh gave me cuz I made him go to school (even though I did let him sleep in!)
3,657,228 = number of calories I consumed this weekend
0 = number of hours spent on the treadmill
7 = number of disks of "The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks I listened to while driving those 10 hours.
0 = number of texts I sent while driving. So sad - did I mention I've given up texting and driving at the same time?? Whatev.

Look at my son on the end of the top row - he's a BEAST!! Go Celtic 96 Green!

My Fabulous Father-In-Law

What a weekend! My FIL (aka Bob, Bobby, Pop or Papa) worked his last day with Frito Lay on Saturday. He was with that company for 34 years!! That's a stinkin' long time. And, during those 34 stinkin' long years, he only called in sick T.W.I.C.E., twice! That's amazing. (Keep in mind that I used to call in twice a month and I only worked 4 days a month making that reason #328 for me to quit my job and never work again!)

Seriously, that fact left a huge impression on me and gave me a little glimpse into why my husband has such an amazing work ethic. His siblings are that way, too.

Retirement = party, party, party!

Saturday, Frito Lay got together a little surprise for Bob. They actually made him work on his last day........SURPRISE!! Now that's a thoughtful gift. (insert sarcasm here) It did get better! They picked us (Nana and his children) up in a limo and took us to his store. Walmart.

Post Highjack: Now this could be a post in itself. Just picture it..........a beautiful white limo pulling up to...of all places...Walmart. I kept my sunglasses on in case someone mistook me for a rockstar or a rockstar's housekeeper or something. A girl selling girl scout cookies outside said "Seriously...a limousine...to Walmart?" Needless to say, we didn't drop any Washingtons for her cookies.

Anyway, they snuck us back to the breakroom (I've never been in the back rooms of a super center!!) where there were a ton of people that have worked with and loved Bob for many years. There was cake and gifts and hugs - and so many words of edification for my FIL. This quiet, easy-going man has impacted many lives along the way.

Then they took us to lunch at Charleston's where we ate ourselves into a diabetic coma! Then the limo took us home.

This is all of us leaving Walmart in our sweet ride after the party on our way to lunch. And, a pic of both in-laws. Aren't they cute?

Sunday, as if one heart-attack-inducing surprise party wasn't enough, we threw him another for friends and family.

Cutest Boy got up to say a few words about his dad, and I almost lost it completely! He acknowledged what a stinker he had been as a kid - along with his big bro, Jerry - but thanked him for his tough love and for all the grace he gave him along the way. Watching a child honor his parent like that is amazing. I ♥ the CBOTB so much for that.

I do have to admit, part of my emotion was realizing I would never get to do that for my own dad. Every day, I wish I could tell him and the whole world how he influenced the person I am today.

These are all the grandbabies - ages 5 to 23!! Vickie, SIL extraordinaire, and I have recruited him to the carpool! Well, he's going to need SOMETHING to do, right?

And, here's a photo of all of Jane and Bob's children and grandchildren. (And one DIL - Moi!)

I am so blessed to be a part of this family. And, I'm so proud of my FIL and thankful that he gets to be an influence in the lives of my children.

**big happy sigh**

Peace, love and parties,

B