I have been working on our 4th of July plans… I invited some friends for a bbq and I am trying to think of what to serve.. so far my menu goes

Hamburgers and Hot Dogs

grilled corn on the cob (with OLD BAY !)

red potato salad

my famous deviled eggs.

watermelon

and maybe a couple other salads Im tempted to try a panzanella recipe I saw on Cate’s blog Sweetnicks or maybe something Martha has on her menu. ..   I dunno. Any ideas? My friend is bringing desert so I dont have to worry about that.

I plan to pick up a few decorations and some fireworks for the kids.. I also gotta figure out some tiki torches for around the pool and probably some citronella candles. I havent had a party in a really long time so I am kinda excited. YAY.

Wanna come?

I have been lax on the old blog this week. Not really to much going on.. napping. Thats what steals my time. UGH.

I picked up another shift waitressing last night. My feets are hurtin’ today. But Thing Two has summer camp a week from yesterday.. and needed a new swimsuit, and some jean shorts. Still have to find her some flip flops for her to wear to the pool.. and then pick up some toiletries.. and snacks. But I can do that Monday night. I am usually far more organized about Summer Camp season.. but then I usually go myself so I have to have everyone else organized too! This year I am working towards a bahamian cruise this fall, so I need every cent I can earn.

Weight watchers is going really really well. Thing One, Steven and I are in day 3 of our project and its not to hard. Its much easier to do this as a team. Steven is being all official about it, made spreadsheets for the computer to track our points and graphs to track our progress. Admitting just how much I weighed to Steven was kind of hard when he wanted my NUMBER to put in the graph. I love that boy so much. He kissed my forehead and said “dont think Im going to let you get TOO skinny. Bony women arent sexy” He knew I was unhappy about it without me even saying anything. I love that he loves me right where I am. Im gonna look so hot thin though. We have to work out some form of exercize for us though. I know myself well enough to know that I need to move to get any weight off.  I wish we could afford to go to curves (T2 and I that is) since it’s to hot to walk outside. We have a pool though. Maybe we can look up some kind of waterarobics routine.

Drama still thick at church. I will be so so glad when this week is over. We are voting as a body about aquireing an old Wal-Mart to renovate into a new church building. At first I was really excited about the idea of the new church. Now after the drama, and the immaturity of SO SO many people in my church (people whom I really looked up to spiritually throwing fits and in one case INTERUPTING THE PREACHER DURING HIS SERMON!! AKKK!!) I dont give a flip what they do, just so that the fussing ends. UGH. My church is my center… the place where I go to plug in and recharge every week and this drama is affecting me physically. YICK. The vote is Sunday night.. should be interesting to watch.

It starts today.. (offically that is, Ive been tracking points since last week) Steven, Thing One, and I are starting weight watchers.. not really, but we are going to be using thier point system. Thing Two is playing along, eating more healthy and going with us to walk or whatever, but we arent keeping track for her.. she IS 8 after all.. and weighs like 60 lbs. Smack dab average.

Thing One is 5′9 and weighs about 200 or a little more

Steven is 5′5 and weighs.. a lot

I am 5′7 and weigh…. way to much.

So we have a long road ahead of us. But I am seeing this system work for people in my life that have had struggles with thier weight thier entire lives. If it can work for them? I can do this! I think that having Thing One and Steven along for the ride will help me a lot. Misery loves company right? lol

Not a lot else going on really family news wise. We had a laid back weekend with not really to much going on. The business kept Steven busy all day yesterday and Thing One was with her Mama this weekend.

I have mentioned a few times that I am working at Shoney’s as a manager for a few hours a day.. but being that I have a few big expenses coming up, the CRUISE deadline is coming SO SO fast! (I cant believe it!) , the Thing’s will be going to Summer camp at $95 a pop, and school clothes time will be here before I even know it! So, Yesterday, I mentioned to my boss that I would be willing to pick up any extra waitressing shifts she had floating around.  This morning when someone called out, she asked me if I wanted to pick up a 3-8 shift. I jumped at the chance.

Let me tell you. Those ladies work hard for thier money.  Its been about 9 or so years since I waited tables for real. My feetsies? Are screaming.  But it was worth it. I worked for about 3 hours (I got called down when it got slow, low man on the totem you know) and made roughly $12 an hour. Thats pretty good money for filling someone’s sweet tea glass. The great thing about waitressing is that you can pretty much control how much money you make, as long as there are tables to be had. The bigger you smile, the harder you flirt and the quicker you are? The more money you make.  I had great fun flirting with grandpas tonight. An extra wink and a grin might be worth $3! lol

Not much else going on. My birthday was nice yesterday. I went for a float in the pool with a trashy novel. Then I took a nap, and then we ordered pizza for dinner from our local pizza place. They have a pretty good greek salad with TONS of feta cheese in it. mmmm so yummy. Then after dinner we went to my parents house where my mom had made a big bowl of calf slobbers for desert

*** Calf slobbers. Just basically a pile of  frozen strawberries mooshed up in some cool whip and poured over an angel food cake. I am told that the strawberry mixture looks a lot like pink, baby cow slobber (ew! right?)  Its what my Papa called it when he was alive.. and thats what we call it. Thing Two, who adores disgusting bathroom type humor thinks its hilarious.***

As far as presents go, my parents got me a top, and the money to order some Crocs Mary Janes (yay! I have been wanting some  for like forever) Steven and I kind of put off buying eachother a present. I think we are going to put our gifts together and get MarioCart. Another thing I have been wanting forever.

yeah. Im 32.

Ever have one of those birthdays? You didnt really have HUGE expectations.. I mean Im not a celebrity or a dead president.. so I dont expect a government holiday or anything. But… oh I dont know.

Last year on my birthday I was ok.. I mean it didnt bug me to get older. Then I read this study about infertility and how much my chances of actually ever getting pregnant and carrying a child to term are getting slimmer and slimmer by the year, and that by 35, Id be considered high risk..

Miss Mary Sunshine arent I? lol

So anyway. It IS my birthday, and I AM blessed. I am healthy with a great husband who treats me WAY better than I deserve, I have two daughters that are wonderful a home I love, and money ( a little) in the bank.

But. Im 32. ew.

I had something really interesting happen to me at work the other morning.

As most of you know  I work at Shoney’s. I am a morning manager and generally work from about 6-10 am. Just a few hours to get out of the house and make some extra pocket money.

The other morning was pretty busy. I was running the register working with one customer, a white couple when  very tall mid 40-50’s black man came in the front door. I smiled at him and said “hey hon, I’ll be right with you” like I do to every single customer that comes in when I am busy. I try to greet every single person. read  no. matter. what. thier. color.

This man sneered at me and rolled his eyes. I didnt really think much about it, some people just dont like to wait for anything. I quickly completed my transaction and sent the nice couple from NY on thier merry way.

When I approached the black man he again rolled his eyes and when I asked if he wished to sit in our smoking section he pointed out an african american server that we have that happened by and said “She can seat me. Dont you worry about me” really sacrastic and ugly like. I smile at him, handed the girl the menus and asked her to seat him. I shook my head, but went about my business.

A little later I was doing what we call a “drive by” walking the dinning room checking on tables and generally making sure everything was looking ship-shape. The restraunt is separated into sections and I try to speak with one table per section. I hate when a manager goes to every table like a robot asking if “everything is OK” In this man’s section I HAPPENED to ask a white family how thier meal was. As I walked by his table he grabbed my hand. I was taken aback a little, when he said VERY loudly “Why you didnt ask how my meal was? How did you get your job?” I was pretty uncomfy, but smiled at him and said that Id applied for it just like anyone else. He then goes on to rant about how you never see a black manager at places like Shoney’s and that he hated that “the strong black woman has to be beat down by the white manager” I was shocked. It was so weird. I told him to enjoy his meal and then went back to the register area. When he came to pay for his meal he slapped the ticket down on the counter and tossed a credit card at me. It bounced off the table and hit the floor behind the counter. I bent to get it and he laughed! I was just basically trying to get done with him so he would LEAVE! When the machine jammed and  had to re-thread the register tape he said “huh. white girl cant do her job” When I finally got the register tape re-threaded he handed me a $5 bill and said “make sure MY waitress gets this” I smiled (through gritted teeth) and stapled the money to the ticket and put it in her box. At that point  I was THROUGH with this guy. He just stood there. I continued to smile at him. When he reached over the counter and snatched the money back and said ” I dont think you’ll give it to her” and stomped off to find her on the floor.

huh.

What year is it again?

   Even living in the deep south I dont see very much racism.  People are people… for the most part. Surely races tend to stick together around here more than they do in the northwest where I grew up. But for the most part that isnt an issue I deal with much. I didnt let this guy rattle me to much, but it sure was an interesting look at how that must have felt in the 60’s and before that.

ahhh. Kids are at my cousin’s house and Steven is helping our construction guy work on the shop.. SO. I  AM going to sit down and finish telling you about my trip north!

When I left off we had just spent a great day at the beach in Ocean City MD.  Thinking back, it was really just the perfect weekend. The weather was amazing, and the company fantastic. I cant wait to get together with Lisa and Shanny (heh, I just learned how to do the linky thingee. THANKS shanny!) again. I cant imagine how much fun we are all going to have on our cruise this fall!

SO. Monday morning we all got up fairly early to get ready to head back to Baltimore. We ate leftover bagels and cleaned the condo really well so that the  next guests to stay there would have a neat as a pin place to stay. It didnt take very long at all and we were on the road… and there we stayed. All day long. The traffic coming back from the beach was horrific. Really terrible. Actually at one point I fell asleep in the back seat and awoke an hour later only to find us very close to the place where I had dozed off! It was crazy.

We did take a quick traffic break in Delaware at the outlett mall. We have outletts here in SC. But my luck has never been really good there aside from the occasional score at OshKosh when Thing Two was small. Here I scored in two places.  The Big Dog stores are closing and while I am very sad about that, (steven LOVES thier polo shirts and oversized t-shirts) I was able to get two xxsized shirts for $12! Thats a great deal.. Then I wanted to just see what Casual Male was. Steven is pretty picky about his clothing, so I didnt expect to find anything, but in checking the clearance racks I found a pair of cords and a polo that were normally marked over $60 and got them for the amazing price of $16 for both! YES! I love me a good deal. After that I was just ready to dance! Lisa and I were really excited to visit the Disney Store and they were having a good clearance sale too. Everything on clearance was an additional 50% off! I scored some cute stuff for the Things.

After shopping we hit the road again, stopping in at Sonic for a drink and a corndog. (mmmmm) It took us something like 6 hours to get back to Baltimore. It sure gave us plenty of time to visit! As we were on the road we made plans to meet up with Lisa’s fiance Pete and her sister Laura, her husband Brandon and thier sweet baby Alyssa! It was so great to meet them after hearing all about them. Alyssa is every bit as sweet as Lisa says she is. I wanted to snuggle her up. We ate at a nice place that had seafood… and I was very happy with yet another plate of Steamed shrimp with lots of Old Bay ! Yummmm they were so so good. We didnt get a chance to eat the traditional crab dinner, as it was a holiday weekend and they were sold out, but we saw some people enjoying them.. missing out only gives me yet another reason to go back to Baltimore to see Lisa and her gang!

After dinner we all went back to Lisa’s and got to spend some time passing Alyssa around and finally giving Laura her baby gifts! I was excited to finally give her the blanket I crocheted last winter! Laura had to work the following day, and Brandon was not feeling well, so they didnt get to stay  too long. But that gave us time to go and take a night-time tour of Baltimore. Thing Two was very insistent that we see Ft. McHenry where Francis Scott Key wrote “Stars and Stripes Forever” so Lisa was very kind to tour us around. We saw the Baltimore Washington Monument, Charm City Cakes (where Duff Goldmand and his crew film “Ace of Cakes” for the Food network, part of the set where a famous HBO cop show is filmed and down town Baltimore. It was so neat. I love seeing new places.

After our amazing tour we came back to Lisa’s and spent some time chatting on the couch (Lisa has a really comfy couch) as she put all gajillion pictures we all took this weekend onto disks! (so sweet of her too.. I look at mine again and again) It didnt take us very long to need to head to bed. I was SO sleepy I crashed out right on the couch.

Next morning I rode along with Pete and Lisa to take Pete to work. It was nice to get to talk with him a little more. He and Steven are going to get along really well. I am glad since Steven is a little apprehensive about going on a trip with people he doesnt know. When we got back, Shanny was ready to go and we packed up and went to breakfast. I could sense Lisa and Shanny getting sad about leaving one another. I was sad myself to see the weekend end. But I know how it is to say goodbye to your best friend when you know it’ll be a while before you see one another again. We went to breakfast at Cookie’s, a really fun, campy place with neato decorations and a KILLER pancake. I also tried scrapple. A local dish that reminded me a lot of crispy liver pudding. It wasnt too bad, but not something id likely order on my own.

After breakfast we stopped at a grocery store for Shanny to get her honey some Tasty Cakes and me some OLD BAY I have since discovered it in every grocery store around here.. I guess I just didnt know what it was so I never noticed it before. Im so glad I can easily get some when I run out! YES! I wont need an Old Bay dealer.

When we returned with the baby it was time to say goodbye.  I tried to be “up” and silly so Shanny wouldnt be tooo sad as we drove away. Its so hard to be away from good friends and after meeting Lisa, I could see how Shanny would be so sad to say goodbye to her! BUT we did have a great day ahead of us together.

Shanny and I got along so well. I dont think Id take an 8 hr road trip with very many other people. She has great stories to tell, and we chatted the miles away. I had mentioned that I had never been to DC (maybe more than I realized?) and that sweet girl took the “scenic route” straight through the city. I was so surprised and tickled. It was just another of the ways Shanny is so so thoughtful. She thinks of others and the way they feel so much. I love that about her. As we drove through the city we were able to see almost every major landmark. From the White House to the pentagon.. as well as biker that got squished. Very neat. I was so happy to have seen it all. We even got a few pictures to bring home for Thing Two (who is very interested in National Landmarks). After seeing it I am even more excited to bring my kids to see it!

After our DC drive-by we got back on the road expecting to hit bad traffic, but honestly it wasnt anything at all. In minutes it seemed we were at…….

IKEA.

I tell ya. DC and IKEA in one day was very close to being just to much for this girl! I was almost tearing up as we pulled into the parking lot. I have heard so many amazing things about this store.To be honest, I felt a litle shaky! Let me tell you, it was everything Id hoped it would be! They had a gajillion things that I will not rest until I have for my house. I marked a TON of things that I want. But, I had to use restraint because I was riding greyhound home (in retrospect, I could have bought a ton more because an extra bag was only 5$. RATS!)  I must have seemed rude to Shanny as I shopped with my mouth open! I kept getting ahead of her. not because I didnt want to shop with her.. but because I was so excited about what I might find around the next corner! We enjoyed a GREAT sweedish type lunch in the cafe and then hit the store again! It was so so fun. I tell ya, those swedes got it when it comes to organizational thingees for the house! I cant wait to save my pennies and go again! (hopefully Shanny will be willing to go with me! I cant imagine going there without her!)

After we shopped till we were ready to drop, we hit the road for Charlotte. Shanny has a great IPOD full of good music and the rain made for a cozy ride. We chatted and enjoyed the time together. It didnt seem like that long and we were seeing landmarks that told us we were getting close to her home! 

When we got there the pugs were MIGHTILY glad to see her. They went WILD. It was so cute to see them so happy to see thier mommy! It wasnt long before I got to meet the famous CSP. It was late and all were sleepy, so we didnt get to chat long. I look forward to getting to know him better on another trip.

Shanny and Jon have a really nice guest room. I was so tired and that bed ws AMAZING. And even though I was begining to get homesick for my babies I crashed out FAST. The next morning came so quickly. I slept in a little and then when we got ready to go we headed out to lunch with Shanny’s sister Sara. It was great to meet her and we had a nice chineese lunch at a place near Shanny’s. The weather was not cooperating with us as it was raining CATS and DOGS. I mean really pouring.

After lunch we said good-bye to Sara and Shanny took me on a rainy-day tour of the area.. we even snuck on the grounds of the Lowe’s Motor Speedway and were able to snap some really great pictures of the racetrack for Steve! He was so excited.. not that Shanny and I risked arrest for him, but the pictures made him so happy!  His opinion is that given enough time togther Shanny and I could find a LOT of trouble to get into. I cant wait to go to a foriegn country with her! Yahhooooo!

After a quick stop at Panera (had an AMAZING sandwich from there for the road, must try it again!) for snacks and a book store for reading material, Shanny and I went into downtown Charlotte for me to catch the bus. There wasnt really any parking, and it was pouring, so unfortunatly Shanny just had to let me out at the door. I was SO sad to say goodbye! I am so glad I took the chance to take a road trip with a near stranger! SO MUCH FUN.

Riding the bus was an interesting experiene. LOTS of different types of people. And chatty folk too. I tried to look secrure and not as nervous as I was. I think that wierdos really can tell when you are freaked out. This very strange woman plunked herself down beside me and proceeded to talk to me until our bus number was called. She must have liked me, as she sat next to me on the bus. yaking and yaking.. all the way to Columbia. I put in my Ipod and was reading a book, yet still she yaked. yak yak yak yak yak yak. Just talking about nothing in particular, to noone in particular.  I had to smile, but, I was so glad to see her grandson waiting outside the bus terminal to get her! That meant she wouldnt be on the second leg of my journey. 

On the second leg I sat behind a very harried young man in a military uniform. He had what looked to be a VERY young baby with him. The baby began crying even before we left the terminal. He looked so upset and terrified. When I asked if I could help, I thought he might cry! He passed the screaming baby to me and I got her settled down. I think she was just too hot as he had her wrapped in about twenty pounds of blankets. When she stopped crying and I was feeding her a bottle he had. He told me that his wife had gone help her mother who was sick, and that HIS mother had been helping him, but had to go back to work,and that he was about to be deployed on an excercize for his job. So he was taking the baby to his siter who lives in Latta (only a few miles from my house.. in fact Im not sure, but I think I know her) I snuggled that sweet baby girl all the way to Florence where Steven and Thing Two were waiting for me!

I was so happy to be home. I had a grea great time. But there is nothing like seeing your kids in a new light after youve been gone for a few days. I fully believe that I am a better Mom when I get to take a break every once in a while.. and hanging with my new friends was a GREAT break! Thanks girls!

Taking cues from other bloggers, I am starting a food blog. I spend a lot of my time cooking and dealing with food things (I work in a resturant) so I thought I would seaparate the food part of my life from the normal every day. Just to try it out. Hey, maybe I’ll become a famous food blogger?

You can find the “new me” at www.momfood.wordpress.com. Its new, and under construction as they say. BUT it might be fun. Come check me out!

I still have two fun days to blog about from my Ocean City Trip.. I’ve loved writing about it.. kinda reliving the fun! I hope to just sit down saturday afternoon and bang it all out! We have been crazy nuts this week with our church’s Vacation Bible School. Its been super fun. The Theme is

We had a great time theming it out. The sanctuary is all decked out like a mad scientists lab. Our kids pastor has done a GREAT job with the lessons, presenting them as an Einstien look alike with a very bad fruedian accent. SO FUNNY. Every night this week I have been helping to corral 25 first and second graders. Each night we sing songs, play wild and crazy games, eat “kid food” dinners , make a fun craft or do a “scientific lab experiment, and a different lesson is presented. All based on Jesus giving kids the power to. Be Thankful, To be BRAVE, to Be respectful,  and Im not sure what tonights lesson is. But it will be along those lines. The kids have had a great time. One Night we made a “lava lamp” It was actually pretty fun! If you want to try it here are the directions.

LAVA LAMP!!

Rise out a 20 oz soda bottle and peel the label

To the bottle add 3/4 cup vegetable oil

fill the rest of the bottle with tepid water leaving about 2 inches from the top.

Into the bottle place 10 drops of food coloring

carefully drop 1/2 of an alkaseltzer into the bottle.

the reaction is NEATO!

You can add as many as you want. When you are done playing you can close up the bottle and the color dropletts are fun to play with. COOL huh?

Its been a blast.. although I am REALLY glad that tonight is the last week. We finished Softball season on monday night with Thing One’s team winning the league! Im so proud of her for taking the risk of joining a sport she’d never even tried before. The girl gots guts!

I am finally getting back to posting about my trip to Maryland with the fabulous Shanny and the wonderful Lisa! (I dont even begin to know how to link to thier blogs with thier names like Ive seen on other blogs… maybe someone can teach me?)

Going back to where I left off I was ready to tell you about our Sunday at Ocean City. We had tried several times before to make this trip, and it actually worked out the best for us that we didnt get to go before this time, because of the holiday we were able to spend a whole extra day at the beach, when normally we’d have been heading back to Baltimore on that day!

Lisa and I were up pretty early and I thought I was up for the day, but was watching the water and boats go by from the comfy sofa, and then next thing I knew it was nearly 9 am! PHEW! That WAS sleeping in for me! Anyway. After our sleep in we all got up and ate bagels we had bought the day before at the bakery, and then decided to meet up with Lisa’s friends Nikki and Jason and the divine Ms. Riley at the beach.

In getting ready, I did NOT do a very good job with my sunblock. By day’s end I was really regretting this move. (It took DAYS for the sunburn to subside) The beach was perfect. It was a really nice day warm, but not hot with a great breeze. The water however was FREEZING. Amazing how a few hundred miles can make a difference in the same body of water. Shanny and I were really interested to make comparisons of Ocean City beach to OUR beach Myrtle Beach. There is something in the sand at OC that makes it courser and it has something darker in it, that makes it like dark brown sugar rather than the light brown/redish tinge we have here in the Carolinas. I love the pedicure that walking in sand gives you… I think OC sand is better for that for sure!

After spending time on the beach we went with Nikki and Jason up to see thier beach condo. It sits about a block or two from the ocean and it is really nice. What a great get away. (Something that in time I plan to have for us too.. maybe a nice 5th wheel that we can park on a lot in NMB) Lisa got some prime snuggle time in with Riley and while they were snuggling she (Riley) drifted right off to sleep. SO we got some time to get to know Nikki, which is really nice since she will be on the cruise with us in November!

After we left Nikki’s we headed back to the condo to rest, shower and get ready to go eat dinner. Lisa took us to a family favorite Greenwood Farms, in a nearby town.. it was really only a few minutes away, but it was kind of out in the country. SO pretty. I love how farm-y and rural everything was. Not like I pictured Maryland really, but very beautiful. The place we went to was really fun. Its like an old timey farm house (thus the name, Greenwood FARMS) decorated just like your grandmas house. With small kitchen type tables that didnt match. I loved the home-y feel it had. The menu was great and we all chose seafood platters. I was really excited since I had never had crab cakes. Lisa assured me that I couldnt go wrong eating them from this place. And she was right. The way this resturant serves dinner is that everyone chooses an entree and then the side dishes are served family style. With our seafood platters we got, home cut fries, stewed tomatoes, green beans, cole slaw (that was REALLY good) muffins and biscuits. There may have been something else.. it just seemed like a LOT of food. Really good though. I could have eaten about 10 crab cakes though. YUMMY. You also got a dish of ice cream at the end.  I was SO SO full!

After we ate we went out into the farmyard and saw thier little animals. I love me a goat. So we had to feed the one horned billy they had there. Lisa was afraid for the mortality of the geese, but Shanny and I assured her that they were alive. After dinner we headed back to OC and the boardwalk.

I love to people watch. I think that may be one of the reaons I love Disney World so darn much. You never run out of crazy nuts to watch. People are hilarious when they are on vacation. Steven and I love to watch people and make up stories about them. (try it some time. just make up a crazy story about people you see.. very entertaining.) I was suffering a little from my sunburn,  it wasnt too bad, but the wind was a little chilly on it though. Shanny and I managed to enjoy some more chocolate covered strawberries. LISA who is doing weight watchers with her honey behaved herself and didnt indulge. (good job girlie!) 

After we watched people for a while we went back to the condo and watched a very strange movie with Jason Biggs in it (from American Pie).  Shanny and I watched it rather and Lisa snoozed snuggled up with Shanny on the loveseat.

It was such a fun day… just thinking about it makes me want to plan another get away with my sweet friends!

We were super busy this weekend and I didnt get a chance to post at all.

BUT This past saturday was my sweet husbands THIRTY SIXth birthday!!! Or Thirty-sexy as my sister in law put it so well.  I can honestly say, this man only gets better with age. LOL (love this picture.. reminds me of Homer Simpson!)