Our snowman/girl and an awesome neighbor

We are blessed with an off-the-wall, random, hilarious neighbor. She usually has in her possession the one thing I need to complete a meal without going to the store. When Brenda found out we were moving in she called and asked if I 'neighbored'. I told her I really wasn't quite sure what she meant. She said 'neighboring' was allowing free reign to pantry and refrigerator items. I of course said yes! How wonderful is that? We don't replace either. I've learned that. She won't allow it. She has replaced one thing, one time, in all 11 years. A can of crushed, name brand, pineapple. I thought it was the name brand thing but she said it was because she had taken one of her daughters and as she was taking it out her daughter mentioned she was stealing. She had to make it right. Since then we just take.

She also shows up at any party with plenty of food to share. If we're having a 4th of July pool party she will come over and mow for us and then show up with drinks and tons of meat to share. They just don't get any better than Brenda. If her children come over to swim she will show up with a snack to share with the girls and me. She has also made my family food just because. She'll just walk in with a casserole.

When the girls went to build the snowman they ended up in Brenda's yard. Her four children, my three, and another neighbors three built two snowmen. Well, and threw hundreds of snowballs. Brenda, being the hilarious, off-the-wall person that she is, donated her hot pink leopard print bra for our snow, now girl, to wear.

It's just the type of person that she is.

A few days later we were mortified to find that all the snowmen/women in the neighborhood had been destroyed. The second one our group built was scattered around in several directions. It was hard to look at. The snowgirl was like this. I must admit, it was hard to see. Assuming that the age and gender was teenage boys (and I don't know that, I'm just guessing) I was amazed the bra was still there. And today, 24 days later?? The bra is still in the front yard. No snow, just the bra. The bandanna might also be there, but I just focus on the hot pink leopard bra when I drive by. Wouldn't you?

And who couldn't love Brenda??

I don't always want to hug her but I do always love her!

Would This Freak You Out??

Because of this crazy Oklahoma weather I have been driving a completely filthy car around. Luckily 95% of the cars on the road look the same way. On the one day that the temperature was warm enough for the car washes to be open I knew I had to go. I usually leave that to Shawn. I can't explain why, but that's a guy job to me. But on that day Shawn wasn't available so off I went. I did choose the place that he prefers. I had no idea what package to buy, and settled on the cheapest because driving home I'd hit snow, dirt, and puddles anyway.

This place does it right. They push my side mirrors in for me (something I hate to do for myself) and pre-wash with hoses and cleaning solution before you even enter the brushes.I nervously got my tire in the slot and stopped at the right time, and even remembered to put it in neutral.

I was cruising.

I sat back to enjoy the ride.

But I saw something up ahead. Could they really have someone standing in the middle of all the brushes spraying my car? And if so, why only on one side?

Then I started feeling sorry for the worker because they were standing basically in the middle of a car wash. I'm sure the raincoat didn't offer much help to keep the water from going every direction.Luckily it was a mannequin. But I have to wonder how many people have been honestly startled by this. I had to go again today because my car was dirty but also because I had to take pictures for all of you!

So I have my pictures, I have my squeaky clean car, and I have a sore hip.

Oh wait, we didn't discuss the hip, did we? As much as I love them putting my mirrors in for me...I sure wish they had someone at the end to get them back out. The one on the drivers side is of course, no problem. But the passenger side... Well, I could have of course gotten out and walked around but it was busy and I didn't exactly look my best. So I did what I thought would work. Roll down the window and throw my body to that side of the car. But my extra large hip and the low steering wheel met and decided to get stuck together. I of course took a sip out of my Sonic Diet Dr. Pepper while deciding which way to go. I won't bore you with the rest of the details because Lord knows I've given you plenty of boring ones already. I did get out. And I now have a wonderfully clean car both inside and out thanks to the hour and a half I spent vacuuming and cleaning every surface. My house is also clean. Dusted, vacuumed, and picked up.

Wait, who is this?

New Camera Love

My sweet husband hasn't always been the best at giving me gifts. He gets that from his dad. I have been given an apple/corer/slicer as a gift and also a vacuum. I have taken to picking it out and telling him where to get it. Don't get me wrong, he has the best intentions and I have gotten some wonderful surprises. And he does so many other wonderful things for me that it's okay.

This year Christmas morning I got the gift I wanted from the girls, a Chi straightener. But Shawn had them wrap it in a box 20 times larger than necessary. I was a bit worried. So when I opened the present from him I wasn't concerned that my new camera was in a long, flat box. I wondered how he'd made it almost flat, but wasn't really concerned. Guess what? It was a laptop. A brand spanking new one that completely surprised me. Completely. I was so grateful...but I'd really wanted a camera. I feel like I've gone as far as possible with the Sony Cybershot that I have. To take some classes in town that I'd wanted I had to have a dslr.

He followed me into the kitchen and I told him how completely grateful I was and how I was about to tell him something awful. Being the awesome guy that he is, he understood and said he'd get me the camera I wanted. He'd just thought that I'd outgrown my laptop and would like a new one. I convinced him to keep the laptop for himself knowing that I could put a bunch of my pictures on there if needed. I'm so smart:c)

I started looking online to compare. But not knowing much, I decided to just look to see what The Pioneer Woman owned. When looking for those on e-bay I almost fell off the couch. Hello high prices. When I just did a Dogpile search for cameras I wasn't smart enough to read the reviews. I need to find a website where they talk to me like I'm six. Thankfully Shawn stepped in and started helping me. He'd been given a Canon EOS Rebel 35 mm camera for college graduation. He took some incredible shots with it. He knew all the ins and outs. He could make that camera stand up and bark. We decided on the digital version and he braved the icy, snow covered roads to run out and get it for me. Have I mentioned how amazing he is?

That was the day after Christmas. I have taken approximately 1100 pictures since then and still have not a clue what I am doing. I have read the owners manual front to back. I have underlined, highlighted, and bent the corners down on half the pages. I still have no idea to make it do what I want it to. I'm really needing to find a class. Or another brain. I can do everything it says to do in the manual but when I start to take a picture I don't know which setting to use.

Ugh. Still, I'm having fun. 1100 pictures worth of it.

Here are some from the first day that I took it out. From a crazy neighbor wearing a robe, shorts, and boots, snowman building, to another neighbor asking to be bombed as he drove by, to a snowman with two actual eyes made out of coal...here you go.

And if anyone knows of some good photography websites that talk to you in elementary terms, please let me know.

I'm still alive....sort of

Well, I seem to have disappeared from the blogging world here lately, haven't I? I am still here. Just insanely busy.

McKinley made Junior High All-State Choir this year and we have spent the last three days staying in a hotel in another town while she attended daily rehearsals. Three hour rehearsals. It all culminated with an amazing concert yesterday afternoon at our church. It was amazing. The $200 a night hotel did not have free internet in the rooms. What's up with that?? I did sit in the lobby to use it but it was cold and I really wanted to be in the rehearsals.

That is another post for another day though. I even have a few pictures.

You've been warned.

For now I have to decide if I want to unpack or just live out of my suitcase until Wednesday morning when I leave with Kennedy and McKinley to go out of town for Children's All State Choir.

Such tough decisions I have.

So stay tuned, I will be back.

I know you're on the edge of your seats:c)

You've Been Warned

We are blessed at our school to have a wonder, amazing, awesome choir teacher for K-6th grades. She is also a friend of mine and we attend church together and are in the same Sunday school class. I love her. It's that time of year though when she is over committed. With two honor choirs and over 50 students involved she spends a lot of time at school after hours. McKinley and Kennedy have three practices a week from 3-4. After these choirs are over it's time for the All School Musical. She puts in many long hours for that.

Reagan and I really enjoy staying for the practices. The students singing are the best at the school so it's a really good sound coming out of them! I had to run in her office to borrow something recently and saw this.I love it!

Since I am going to be out of town five of the next nine days because of choirs, I can understand perfectly!