A Weekend In Saint Louis

Joan before the ceremony with her new step daughter Destin

Joan is my closest friend from Law School, so naturally I was thrilled for her when she told me she was getting married. She met a wonderful man (Bill) on E Harmony and was lucky enough to be getting 2 step children as well, a son and a daughter. I just had to run up for the wedding, any reason to visit Joan.


I left the great State of Louisiana at 3am on Friday morning. I love driving at odd hours, when everyone else is sleeping. I do my best thinking when I drive. I am sure it has everything to do with having to focus on driving, as well as the peace and quiet. It is so beautiful watching the sun come up on the road in Arkansas with the trees and the rolling hills, a very happy thing.

I got to St Louis and was wrapped up in the festivities from then until I left on Sunday. The wedding was a Catholic Ceremony. I loved the length (about an hour) you felt like you actually got dressed up for a reason, not just a hit and run 10 minute ceremony. I have to say the whole weekend was well done and lovely. Joan couldn't have been a more beautiful bride and her new husband Bill is one of the nicest men I have ever met.

I got to hang out with Joan and my friend Heather (also from school) and found out that she is expecting twins! She and her husband have wanted children for a few years now so they are so excited to have 2 at once. Life just keeps moving on.

Heather and Joan before the wedding

Joan and I before the ceremony

Joan and Bills new house in Saint Louis

Short Trips

Well TJ is off on a great adventure. I dropped my youngest off in Dallas at the airport for a direct flight to his Poppa and Oma in Arizona. He is off for a couple of weeks to play with CC who will be there Thursday. They plan on going to the Grand Canyon and other National Parks. Tuck is thrilled to play in there pool and see all of the fun things that live in the desert.

I wish I could travel with him, but I am off on my own trip this week. My good friend Joan is getting married in St Louis on Saturday, so off I go. She has made a weekend of it with rehersal dinner Friday, Saturday is the ceremony and reception with brunch, and gift opening on Sunday. I really could not be happier for her since she has waiting for a long time for a good man to come into her life. They are happy and have just bought a new home together.

Scouts

Just an FYI try not to hold a scout meeting outside next to a pool. It's amazing how many boys "accidentally" fall into a swimming pool when its 80+ degrees outside. I also made my neighbor 2 banana cream pies. It was his birthday and he and his wife are not only good friends to me but they are good to the boys, always inviting us over for Barbeque's and such. Just great people.

We did laundry (I hate going to the laundromat) its not horrible just time consuming and I hate the pile of clothes stacking up. We cleaned up lots of other junk as well, tonight we are going for the shed with a vengeance.

Surviving Week 1

I made it! Week one down only 51 more to go on the extra job front. I figure if I give myself a deadline for stopping then I have something to look forward to.

The boys and I actually had some fun squeezed into the madness. It was a really busy weekend though, Mitch and I both seem to be running in opposite directions lately. Oh well, it was bound to happen at some point. It is in the 80s again today so Tuck and I are going to go and swim this afternoon. Unfortunately, our washer is broken again (this has been going on and on for 6 months) I love my front loader but this is getting ridiculous. The repair guy has ordered parts again, this will be the 3rd control panel, door lock, and pressure switch. Hopefully we will have it up and running by this weekend but for now we have to run to the laundromat tonight. We are piled with clothes.

Other than that, Tuck and I need to get moving and put in our veggie garden and plant some more of the roses I bought. I have 2 rosebushes that need homes right now. I will always find a place to squeeze in flowers.

A little boy called me today at work and said he was lonely, but he would be allright. So for lunch I ran to the house to give him a hug, he smiled and told me he was just fine now that Mitch was home. Whatever will we do when his big brother moves and gets his own place? I also almost forgot we are doing the boy scout meeting tonight at our house. We are working on geology and I printed up handouts, a quiz (short and fun facts not work) and made up a hardness scale that they can create themselves with regular junk around the house. So I think that I am set for tonight. No rest for the wicked!

Visa's Recovery

It's early, I am at work sipping coffee, working, and watching the sun come up. It is amazing that I made it in on time today. I worked until 2am last night and am going back for more tonight...

I know I have lost my mind.

My justification for the madness is, I am planning to move down the road and I want to pay everything off as quickly as possible.

It is alot even for me, it will be interesting to see how long I can keep this up. Oh well, on another note I finally caught our little patient for a photo. He has begun to come out into my room (I guess he finally had enough of under my bed) it is really sad to see him hobble around. But all in all he is doing really well for just having surgery.

Storms

Tuck is doing really well with his home schooling. He loved doing things on his own schedule. I have no idea where he gets that from... Maybe because both his father and myself are extraordinarily independent and a little hard headed. He is much happier though, especially when his big brother plays Nerf gun wars with him like he did last night.

On another bright note Tuck is regularly bathing due to pool season, I just have to make sure the chlorine level says up enough to strip the dirt off of him :).

Officially Pool Season

Yesterday Tuck called me and asked "can Mitch and I get in the pool?" now Mitch is 19 and can make that call on his own. Perhaps it was just a check to see if the chemicals are ok being that we just filled it??? Anyway, I am glad he asks and doesn't just jump in. Of course he then goes on to say a new face mask would be nice.

Tuck just loves swim goggles, they are always stuck on his head. So on my way home from work, I ran to the store and stocked up. We are now the proud owners of noodles, lounges, a huge floating turtle, and various water guns. When I got home Tuck was in the pool and Mitch jumped in and out. Still a little cold, but very nice. I was in it for a little bit myself. It is just so relaxing to float and have it be warm outside. The sun shining with the water so clear and blue and all of the trees green, a practically perfect day.

Mitch ran to work so Tuck and I ended the day with grilled Tilapia and a bacon ranch pasta salad that is his favorite. Anything with bacon and ranch together in the same dish makes Tuck a happy kid.

Happy Easter

Tucker hunting Easter Eggs
Tucker and Mitch on Easter morning looking a little rough

Tucker being himself, he puts anything and everything on his head!

The weekend was packed full. The Easter Bunny visited our home and brought Tucker Nerf Guns, a whistling football (I love those!) and treats as well as Easter Eggs scattered throughout the backyard. Mitch got the new Scotland yard movie, I tunes gift card and everything Reese's (he loves chocolate and peanut butter). We went to my friend Jenny's home for a barbecue and the kids swam in their pool. It was in the 80's officially pool season for the south.

Mitch and I worked like dogs on Friday and pressure washed our pool. We finished it up on Saturday and began filling it up. I will paint it this year with the rubberized pool paint but for now it is full and clean. I am going for new pool floats this weekend and I plan on soaking in it every spare minute.

Tuck giving me and his brother a hand with all of the work

My big guy Mitch working on the pool with me all day long

The end result, our pretty, clear blue pool

We had a tragedy on Thursday our cat Feisa (Tuck has changed its name to Visa now and I hope it will stick) was laying on the dining room table acting strange. I rushed him to the vet with Tuck and it turns out he had a broken hip. Completely fractured. Well, 1k later and emergency surgery, we brought him home on Saturday to recover. He has not come out from under my bed since we brought him home other than to eat and take meds. I am sporting quite a few scratches from administering his meds (antibiotics and pain meds) and now he runs when I come near.

We have no clue how he received such a horrible injury but now everyone knows to be really gentle with our kitty's. The kitty's new name is quite appropriate considering the current vet bills.. Oh well, I am a sucker for a pretty face and Visa is sooo cute!