And the winner is!!

Kelly! Kelly you'll have to email me your info since you don't have a blog :) (email me at rubybeaner at gmail dot com)

Well that was fun!!

Today I am determined to be more productive than I was yesterday. Not that will be hard considering I did NOTHING yesterday!!

Would it be weird to invite the gas station attendant over for coffee?

The kids are really sick of hanging out with me and each other all day. Unfortunately our neighborhood does not seem to have a lot of kids in it, so that's making it even harder. I think it was easier when the kids were younger to introduce them to more people, I mean playgroups make it so easy, but it would be pretty awkward dragging my 15, 13 and 9 year old to a playgroup. I attempted to sign the kids up for swim team here but by the time we got to it the team was already to far into the season and we will be out of town for 2 weeks. I attempted to sign them up for music lessons, but they don't start until September. It doesn't help that they've had such a very long summer with the move.

"V" and I are felling the loss of our social network as well, it's been an interesting move for all of us, and the first time we've all had a hard time getting to know and meeting people. We miss the BBQ's and the crazy parties (see here) and just the ease of being to call up friends to go on different adventures with us, We're a social family and this is definitely not been easy for any of us to get used to.

Thankfully I don't feel completely crazy after talking with another friend of ours who moved shortly after us, they're felling similar, which let's me know I'm somewhat normal, and not quite the neurotic person I feel like I may be portraying to people...

I have decided to draw names first thing in the morning for the giveaway :)

Please don't

go and get in on the Giveaway over at Tatertots & Jello, because I really want to win all of things being given away, but if you do go, make sure you read all about how cool and fun Jen is! I just want to pack my bags and hang with her for a few days!! Of course we would eat cupcakes and Jen would show where I go wrong when it comes to Modge Podge and we would be friends forever!!

If you must enter ( and you really should) just don't brag to much if you win, I will be jealous, unless you like making me miserable...

One final day...

Ok today is the last day for the Giveaway! I'll be announcing the winner tonight!!

Go here if you missed it!

Shhh...don't tell

I want to go to this so bad it's not even funny.... but I would have to go alone.... "V" doesn't seem too excited to go. I don't mind going alone but, I would rather go with someone, that always makes everything more fun (you have no idea how bad I wanted to say funner there but my Mom occasionally stops by and she would have made a comment).

So decisions... do I throw forth the $75 (or more) to go by myself or try and convince "V" to go with me... on a work night.... decisions decisions...

Off to read more of this... hopefully I don't have coke fly out my nose again from laughing at his writing... it stings a little.

Adult talk...

Tonight I went to a book club meeting. I had a great time and it reminded what it was like to talk with other adults. I've been forgetting that there are people in the world who I don't need to remind to brush their teeth or yell at to stop fighting...

I went to the library and grabbed a few books on the Virginia Real Estate Exam and Real Estate in general. Both books I picked up look a bit formidable.... we'll see how the reading goes down.

Ok, now if I can get "A" off the computer and into pajama's I may make it to be before 1am!

Weekend in review..

Here's what we've been up to...

I spent a little time at the Water Park... just to the left outside this picture is a woman who I noticed when I put my phone down after snapping this pic, was coming out of her bathing suit top in a MAJOR way... thankfully I was there to alert her... we both laughed for quite sometime!

"A" was grounded for driving me nuts... don't judge me... everyone has their own way's of parenting...

"V" made me coffee in my favorite coffee cup... I drank a lot of coffee this weekend...

I started reading a book for the Book Club I've decided to join... so far so good....

Unfortunately there are no nudists colonies close to where the Army has decided we need to live so I am forced to do laundry.... way too much laundry...

"V" decided that he would add some accessories to his new "toy"... this involved me holding up said "toy" for about 45 minutes very uncomfortably while colorful words could be heard coming from my garage... good times...

Another accessory....

And another... apparently all of these accessories add up to new dining room table chairs soon for me so I guess I can live with it!

I spent a lot of time watching TV with "A"... this would be okay with me if his favorite show wasn't The Nanny.... ugh....

"V" being awesome as always fixed my super deal table and it is now safely ensconced in the living room... not sure that it will be the final resting place for this table, but we'll see....

"V" and I were out and about pre-scouting for the dining room chairs when we ran across this huge mirror on sale... reg price $169, marked down to $74 and after another sale we paid only $16.82... LOVE it!!

We ate Sushi... it was YUMMO!

I cleaned the messy dining room. Hopefully I will begin to pull the wallpaper in this room next week!

I hope everyone else had a GREAT weekend as well!!

Money doesn't grow on trees...

'D" had his first lawn job yesterday! It was great, a small fenced in backyard that just needed a bit of weed eating and some raking and bagging of leaves!! I think he did a great job and he'll be back to do a little mowing in a few days. I was very proud of him!! I think the kid may have more money than I do at this point... when I asked him what he was going to do with his riches he told me he will be saving it for gas money for the car his grandparents (lucky kid) gave him!! What a great kid! I love it! I mean don't get me wrong the fact that he's old enough to save money for gas kills me, but hey at least he's thinking ahead!!

I am one proud momma!!

Some people call it stealing...

Today was a busy, but somewhat productive day! I found another Tuesday Morning store in the neighboring town and it was probably the biggest one I've ever been in. Tuesday Morning is one of those store that drives me nuts. Some of their stuff I feel is outrageously priced, but then when I dig a little I can usually find a deal...like this little baby!

And I bet you'll NEVER guess what I paid for it....

Can you see that little red ink on there??? Yep! That's right I only paid $15 for it!!!

The top is loose but no biggie!! "V" said he's all over it and will have fixed up for me this weekend!! YEAH!

I see the original price on there is $230... and well I think they definitely inflate those prices...I'm cheap I would never pay that much for that table!!

Don't forget about the giveaway!

The post where I LOSE my mind! And a thank you!

Let's start with the thank you! Thank you for the great tips on the post below! Both were super helpful and I am definitely printing out that schedule!!

Okay on to my losing my mind! Before we moved I completely forgot to pick up our medical records and so I had to request they be sent by filling out paperwork with the records department of our Army Health Clinic. On July 7th while I was waiting for Dale to finish up with the doctor I filled out the records paperwork. I called today over 2 weeks later to be told there was no record of the paperwork I had filled out and that basically no one had any recollection of me being there. The gentleman who I ended up on the phone with was INCREDIBLY rude and made me feel like I was lying about being up there. I was really ticked! I mean not only was the guy being rude, but now I had wasted my time the first time I was there and "V" or I would have to go back up there to start the process again, and I HATE doing things twice!!! SO to say that the conversation with the guy in charge did not go well is putting it mildly! I couldn't even talk while he continuously told me to calm down and get a hold of myself, ridiculous statements from someone who's doing all of the talking! Oh and to top it all of this was the guy who took the missing paperwork from me in the first place! I hung up the phone and quickly called "V" he agreed that we both needed to go up there together. So I drove the 45 minutes to meet "V" we went up there and "rude guy" was nowhere to be found. Thankfully a very nice woman took our info and started the paperwork for us again. I came home and filled out a comment card complaining about the "rude guy" but praising the nice woman.

I had to go back up there this afternoon for the kids school physicals and when I checked in at the front desk, the very nice lady from records told me she was just getting ready to call me. She had most of our records faxed over from the Kansas Clinic!! Can you believe it!! Why couldn't "Rude Guy" just handled things that way!!! Why if you're the person in charge can you not properly handle paperwork or even give decent customer service after you've messed up??? Shoot an apology for not processing the paperwork in the first place would have been appropriate!

What a day!!! But now I have all of the paperwork I need and the kids can finally be fully registered in school! And speaking of school...is summer over yet??? I love having them home, but since the move has given us an extra 2 months of summer...well let's just say I think even they're ready to go back to school!!

Okay rant all done...now we're off to the beach for an hour and then I MUST go grocery shopping...otherwise it's pancakes for dinner...again...

Staying home....

Ok, I am at home ALL day today, and I've finally decided that I SUCK at this domestic diva thing...

How do you do it? I'm not sure I'm cut out for my whole day being dedicated to cleaning the house...I'm not very good at it and it seems to take up my WHOLE day leaving very little time for me to pursue other activities!!

So please tell me your secrets! I need to know how you do it!! Do you have a schedule you keep to, maybe a to-do list???

I'm so used to cramming all the house work into small windows when I'm not working and doing a million other things that I suck at it...

I really only cope well when I'm stressed I guess...

**Don't forget to register for the giveaway below!**

I missed it...but there's still a GIVEAWAY!

Getting caught up in my everyday life has made me miss the anniversary of when I started this Blog...I knew I had missed it...I even thought about it when the day came but, I wasn't prepared and so like a lot of thing I let it just slip by...but now I am here and prepared to go for it!!


I thought long and hard about what I wanted to Giveaway and well honestly I will only tell you about half of the prize! I want there to be a little mystery...I swear it's good!!!

So for the part I will tell you about...I am going to give away a 1 year (6 issues) subscription to Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Magazine! I think it's brilliant and has a LOAD of great info...without a ton of advertisements stuck in between!!

(Pic Courtesy of www.sandralee.com)

But wait! That's not all... I am also going to send you my dear winner

(pic courtesy of http://www.hellocupcakebook.com/)

I LOVE cupcakes! They're cute and tasty, portable, and so smart or little hands! Plus I swear I can eat 3 cups cakes and not gain any weight (not scientifically proven!) So I would LOVE to send you the Hello, Cupcake Book!!


Okay so those are the 2 things I will tell you about and the other half of the prize is a secret!!! A secret that if you enter into this Giveaway you must BLOG all about once you've received the prize!!! It's that good!!!

These prizes are things I've found in the last year that I really do love, the magazine has improved my cooking skills while keeping me fiscally minded in this CRAZY economy! The Cupcake book, well I just LOVE cupcakes, and I love to make them for almost every event!!! It's been fun to even have "V" and the kids involved in the decorating! And the last surprise well in the last year it's something that I've found but not even mentioned in my blog but it makes me happy!!!

So all you need to do to enter is leave me a comment telling me about one thing you've found in the last year that makes you happy. It can be a hobby, a product, a recipe, it doesn't matter just let me know what it is and why it makes you happy!!

So go forth enter! Oh and sure I will give you an extra entry if someone say's your referred them, and my lovely follower's will get one as well!

The giveaway will end on July 29th!

Tut tut...

So when I'm having a down day...like today...I go here, and nothing seems so bad anymore...

Feeling toasty!

This morning I drove my Mother in Law to the airport, she was here for 2 weeks and I'm sure she's happy to get back home to he quiet and peaceful house. The kids and I hit up the water park for a few hours today... hitting up the water park means I sit on my butt reading a book and making sure all of our "stuff" is safe while the kids have all the fun going on all of the sweet rides and having all the fun...I swear I'm not bitter...

Now that our company is gone it is time for me to get down to business, I am going to sign up online for a Real Estate Course, thankfully there is an AWESOME new program for Military Spouses that will cover the cost of training, tests and licensing fees. I think it will be a good fit for me and I do want to concentrate more on the Property Management aspect of the field, but I'm hoping the plan will help me stay around the house a little more for the kids...

Okay only 2 more days until my big surprise giveaway...I have no idea what it will entail or even what I'm giving away... it will be awesome...I think... maybe....

High School...

This morning I took "D" to register for high school. The process was relatively simple, and I was pretty proud that "D" took all of the classes I thought were smart. I am hoping this is the beginning of motivating him to work towards his future goals. "V" and I have always said that we would prefer the kids did not go into the military, not because we don't love this country, but because "V" has been there and we have lived it and although it's not been horrible it hasn't been easy, and I cannot imagine sending any of my babies off to war. That being said last year "D" decided that he wanted to go to the Air Force Academy, and "V" and I relented. For us the Air Force is the lesser of all "evils" ( not that we think any of the services are evil). So I started today talking with him about all of things that need to happen in order for him to accomplish his goals. The one thing I did not tell him was that I wanted him to be a little more self motivating...I think that will be talk I will save after our company leaves.

A testament...

Ok I am getting back on the wagon! Because I really do love blogging, and I know I've been "blocked" lately which is shocking to me because I do have quite a bit of ranting going on in my head, that it's frustrating that I can't just type it all out! So I am going to do my best to get back to it and get all of these thoughts in my head out here on the blogoshpere. You have been warned!

Just not feeling it...

I don't know if it's the move, or the lack of working or what, but lately I am just not feeling blogging. Maybe once our company has left I will feel more up to it but this weekend not so much....

Anyway we are off to the water park!! Woo HOO!!

4th of July Re-Cap!

As always I am way to lazy to do a proper post so here is a run down of photos from our FABULOUS 4th of July weekend! Oh and just so you think I am not COMPLETELY lazy my family and I are collaborating on a giveaway for my upcoming Blog Anniversary!

You have been placed on notice!

Don't you know my Mother in Law arrived yesterday for her 2 week visit??? That means all of you fabulous bloggers who are blogging such fabulous things should wait and go on a short hiatus til I can come back around to reading all of the fabulous bloggy things you have to say... hopefully I will eek out a little bit of time to catch up tomorrow... should be easy if the oldest still has the flu and I skip out on all of the 4th of July festivities! 

I hope you all have FABULOUSLY FANTASTIC FOURTH OF JULY!!!

What a day! I was up at 6:30am trying to get the floors cleaned while everyone was in bed and out of the way. Then it was off to pick up V's mom and I'm pooped!