We scratched the Southaven football game idea last night and just stayed home and played out in the yard for awhile.

I've been posting on here a little more lately, I guess in hopes of maybe reaching post #400 on October 18, my blog's 1st birthday. Sounds weird, but it is a goal, nevertheless.

I had some really WEIRD dreams last night. Over on this Tigers message board I read, everyone is witching about the basketball season tickets they got at the new FedEx Forum, complaining that they were told to up their donation from the year before, or move to the upper deck. Some of them folks just don't realize that some of us would LOVE just to be able to afford season tickets, would love to be in their shoes. Anyway, in this dream, they made a new rule that ANYONE that wanted to purchase basketball season tickets COULD as long as they could pass an "entrance exam" and be in the Top 6,000 scorers. So lots of people stood in late to wait their turn to go into a room where this exam would be proctored, by a very mean, moody lady, I might add. Interestingly enough, each group didn't take very long to take their test and get out, so we quickly got in, sat down in a school desk, and got handed a multiple page test, stapled together on yellow paper. These questions were like REALLY HARD! I don't know what I was expecting, but one of the questions was "Multiply 18,982 x 687, WITHOUT actually writing it out...do it in your head." Hmmm...I think I'll have to come back to that one. I was tempted to cheat and write it out anyway. I am one of those that still has to count 9+7 on my fingers, lol. The next test question was about ancient Greek history. Every question was totally unrelated to the previous, and finally I got really frustrated and blurted out loud "What?? You can't possibly expect us to know these answers!" to which the mean test lady replied "If you aren't smart enough, you don't deserve season tickets." So we (me and Michael) left our blank test papers on the desk, and stormed out of there. On our way back to our car, we walked past John Calipari's office...not that we've ever been to his office or know what it looks like...and Michael said "Hey, let's stop by for a minute and talk to the Coach," and I said "I think I'll just wait out in the car, but you go on in." About 10 or so minutes later, Michael and Coach Calipari walked outside toward the car, and Coach said "Well Michael, thanks for coming by and asking some questions about the program," and then he waved at me, "Oh hey! I remember seeing you at some games last year!" and then I woke up.

The other dream was more like scary. In this dream, I was getting ready to travel to a road game, and my boyfriend (where the heck was Michael in this dream? I wasn't even married!) called me up to say he couldn't give me a ride, but some of his guy friends could pick me up. Well, these guy friends got there in an old pick-up truck, and they looked pretty scary and rough, if you ask me, and I was quite nervous about riding anywhere with them. Well, we got to our tailgating location, it was about a 30-minute drive from my house, and it was night time (I guess we were setting up the night before the game). There was a BUNCH of these rough looking guys there, and two really trampy looking girls...they must have thought I was pretty nerdy looking. Everybody started drinking, and they offered me something, and I drank it...it was Coke and whisky...WHISKY? YUCK! I mean, I've never actually tasted whisky in my life, or any other alcoholic drink for that matter, but this stuff tasted like some really nasty, strong cough medicine. I was getting really scared of these people, and I told the guy that drove the truck, "Hey, I forgot some stuff back at the house. You think you could take me back there?" and he was reluctant at first, but then said "okay". I told him I forgot my cell phone and a blanket and a few other things. Well oddly enough, by the time we got back to Southaven (I was still living at my parents' house), daylight was breaking. We missed the Goodman Road exit, and so we took the Stateline Rd. exit. What's really weird is the Stateline Rd. McDonald's was still there (it was actually torn down some time ago) and I pointed out some elderly couple walking in, and I said "Hey, just drop me off here! That's my grandparents!" (I lied). "I'll just get them to give me a ride back to the game." So he dropped me off in front of the McDonald's, I went in, sat down to the table with these old people I didn't even know,was relieved to be away from those rough dudes, and woke up.

I guess I need to get off here and go dry my hair and start getting things together for the trip to Jonesboro today. GOOOO TIGERS!!!!!

Have you ever almost hated yourself for something, especially when you knew you had control over it, but were careless anyway? That is exactly the way I feel right now. One little tiny error can cause a snowball effect and screw things up indefinetly. I got a stupid overdraft fee letter in the mail. I am stupid...I suck royaly at keeping track of the checkbook. All over a $11.27 check for Pizza Hut. A $30 overdraft fee tacked on makes that a very expensive pizza. A $41.27 pizza to be exact. There goes the extra cash I made today, right out the window. Our money is so very tight, there is no room for any mistakes, and I made one. I can get mad at the bank all day long for charging an outrageous fee, but it's really my fault. There, I admitted my mistake. Am I supposed to feel better now? Because I don't. I already lose sleep at night worrying about money and bills, and now this. I'm thankful that for over a year now we've been able to squeak by and pay our mortgage, the car note, and put food on the table, but I am also tired of scraping by to make ends meet, and still failing miserably to the tune of $30 every time I screw up the checkbook. It's not that I made a mathematical error...I had everything exactly right down to the penny. My problem is I FORGOT to write an amount down for a stupid pizza. Where is my brain? I am so dang forgetful sometimes! A lot of moms say that having kids will do that, but that's the worst thing a person can forget. This throws off EVERYTHING on our bank account. I think I need to just slap myself upside the head a few times.

The OTHER thing that makes me mad...

Last night, we went to dinner with a couple from our church. We had all been given some Cracker Barrel gift cards for a total of $40 in gift cards. Well, the problem is that the grand total after tax on the ticket was $54 and some change. (We were really stupid and told them just to put it all on one ticket, actually it was the other guy's idea.) So when it came time to pay, everybody but me went up to the register (I stayed behind at our table because Michael had to get some change so he could come back and leave a tip), and at first, the other couple offered to pay the difference, and then Michael said "Naw, I've got it" and then the other couple said "Okay" and left. WTF?!?! Like, you're supposed to like at least say it one more time "No, I'll pay!" Instead of just "Okay" and then leaving. So we had to pay the $14-something difference AND leave the tip. THEY got the free meal, and WE had to put in almost $20!!! Doesn't really surprise me though...they are sort of infamous for that sort of thing, or so I hear.

I really didn't want my weekend ruined, but it's heading down that road FAST!!!

JACOB TOOK HIS FIRST STEP YESTERDAY!!!

This is a huge milestone, especially considering the delay he has had in muscle tone development and the physical therapy. This is definitely and answered prayer.

He has been cruising for about a month now (holding onto objects while walking around them), and just Tuesday he stood up for the first time without holding on. He stood there for about 10 seconds and fell down. Once he figured out it was exciting to me, he kept doing it over and over to get a reaction out of me.

Then yesterday afternoon while I was waiting on Michael to get in from work, I was lying down on the couch, reading, and Jacob stood up to the coffee table, holding on, and he let go and took one step over towards me and grabbed onto the couch. Then a few minutes later he did it AGAIN. He was so proud of himself! Soon he will be RUNNING everywhere and I won't be able to catch him. :-)

I guess we're going to eat an early lunch today and head over to my Mom's house so I can clean it and earn some much needed $$CASH$$. Michael said something about going to the Southaven football game tonight, so we'll see. It's really cheap family entertainment, especially when you have a 3-year-old that's obsessed with football. I think it's like $3 a person to get in the gate, and the kids are free. We'll eat at Sonic beforehand, so we don't have to dump more money at concessions.

Then TOMORROW is the Tigers v. Arkansas State game in Jonesboro, and we're going. My mom-in-law is keeping both the kids for us and they're spending the night Saturday night. I think we're going to head out around Noon-ish to make the drive over there.

I'm outta here for now...my bed is calling out to me, saying "Make me!" , the dishes are saying "Wash me!", and the laundry is saying "Fold me!" But I still say I have the best job in the world. :-)

Several things...

1) I really hate it when Kerry supporters find out I'm a Bush supporter, and they talk so negatively about our President and send me all these stupid links bashing him. I've gotten to the point where I simply refuse to click on such links. It's not funny anymore. You know, I don't sit there and bash these people because they are Kerry supporters, although maybe I should start doing that. I would go into a big political discussion right now, but I'm just too tired. All I will say on the subject is BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!!!

2) Whether you have kids or not, here's a question for you to respond to:

Q. What age is appropriate/inappropriate to let your child ride their bike or walk, with no supervision, around their neighborhood?

I have had the opportunity to discuss this in detail with several people lately in unrelated situations, and am just wondering what some other's opinions would be on this. Seriously, take into consideration that sex offenders live in virtually every neighborhood, whether you know it or not. I will give my answer later on.

3) Just when you think you yourself have some seriously major stuff going on in your life, you talk to someone else that makes your serious stuff seem like nothing at all. If you think about it, please pray for my Mom. Back in June she had a heart catherization and the doctors found a 99% blockage in her heart and 2 other smaller blockages, which they were able to repair. Once August rolled around and she started back to school (she's an 8th grade history teacher, if you didn't know), she has been VERY worn out. Apparently her school has a very tough principal. He requires all teachers to stand up and teach from bell to bell. They can't sit on a stool at a podium and teach. They have to be on their feet. And then between classes every teacher has to stand in the hall to monitor the kids. She told me tonight over the phone that the last 2 days she's been having chest pains, dizziness, and blurred vision. I asked her if she has called the doctor, and she said she hasn't had time. I am worried about her. The kids get out of school at 2:20, and most nights she doesn't leave school until 4:30 or 5:00, THEN she brings buckets of papers home with her to grade, and I'm not exaggerating when I say buckets. This principal even makes them come in sometimes on Saturdays...SATURDAYS. He made progress reports due the day after Labor Day, so that meant the teachers didn't even get to enjoy the extra day off. This principal micromanages everything, and has fired A LOT of teachers...GOOD teachers...for next to nothing. One teacher last year had to have a kidney transplant and she was out for 6 weeks recovering (probably should have been out longer) and when she returned to school, the students were out of control because the subsitute teacher let the students run wild basically, and she couldn't control her class, and she got fired...FIRED! If you complain to the principal about anything, you are automatically on his hit list, and he will FIND a reason to fire you. Hello?? I thought there was a teacher shortage?? My mom says she's going to put in for a transfer to the high school, but I doubt she will do it. There have been several teachers at her school that have told the principal they wanted to transfer, due to family reasons, etc., and he told them "NO" and wouldn't let them out of their contracts! So yeah, please pray for my Mom. She is also dealing with some other stress issues that I can't go into detail about, that would cause one to lose sleep, heck, just thinking about it all is causing ME to lose sleep, so please pray for her.

I am going to go read until my eyes get heavy. G'night.

Holy moo cow!!



That's a section of Interstate 10, in Escambia, FL, near Pensacola. Or what's left of it! Ivan the Terrible is simply that...terrible.

We have a couple friends in Panama City & Pensacola. Thankfully my friend in Pensacola had evacuated several days ago and is in Memphis, but her fiance got called back into work and had to drive all the way back (he works in a hospital). The friend in Panama City stayed put and rode it out. He and his family are okay, but he said the damage is a sight to behold. I was amazed at the number of tornadoes that dropped out of this thing, and so were the meteorologists covering this thing. This is awful. My prayers go out to these folks that live down there or have family down there.

I finally "cleaned house" & made some updates. I got rid of the loud music, and updated the links to the left. I also added links to pictures, an "about me" page, and a links page. It's not a new template or anything fancy like that, but it's an update at least.

Ivan looks pretty angry, ready to devour everything in its tracks. But one thing I didn't know was that Oxford is in its path?



I just couldn't resist, lol.

Well, supposedly everything got settled from the other day, but I have this nagging feeling inside that we barely scratched the surface and didn't touch the root of the problem. But we shall see. People that are natural born complainers are always going to be complainers, so I might as well brace myself for more whining. There are some people, that no matter what you do to try and please them, they will always, always want just the opposite. Mark it down. Okay, enough of that.

I discovered today that the combination of coffee and peanut butter are very interesting, almost satisfying. No, I didn't put the peanut butter in my coffee. I was drinking my cup of coffee and eating a bagle with peanut butter on it.

Lately I've been a media giant! Well, not really, but I did get about 15 seconds on the 5 o'clock news Monday. Monday morning I had to take Michael to work (long story) and while I was in the area, decided to drive over to Tiger Bookstore to do some birthday shopping for him (his birthday is next weekend). Since I had to get out and about earlier than usual, I just threw some clothes on and a ball cap, ran Michael to work, and me and the kids went over to the bookstore. I was hoping I wouldn't see anyone I know, just trying to go "undercover", get in, get out. I wasn't even in there 10 minutes and some reporter from Fox 13 approaches me, starts asking me some questions about the Tigers, and the next thing you know, I am wired up with a mic and a news camera in front of me. Just great! I picked a really bad day to go out without my makeup on!! My arm was already about to fall off from lugging Jacob, and I tried to get out of the interview, but then I decided "What the heck?" The whole time, Travis was pulling at me, saying "I wanna go shoot the basketball!" (he had a small foam basketball in his hand and there was a little goal hanging up in the store.) They interviewed another person shopping in the store and also a store clerk, but they used more of my interview than anyone else's. I got it all on tape when it came on the news, and Jacob looked really cute...I looked AWFUL!!! A little while later I got to thinking "I wonder if anybody from church saw me?" and not even 30 minutes later, the phone rang, and it was one of my friends from church, laughing her head off. She said I looked "cute" in my Tiger Girls cap and that I seemed really calm. I was nervous as heck though, and I sounded like a total hick!! I sounded something like this..."We're really ex-CIIII-ted about bein' in tha top twenty-Fiiiiiive." At least they spelled my name right, though.

THEN (yes, there's more) yesterday on the message board I read/post on, memphistigers.org, someone started a thread talking about Memphis' band, The Mighty Sound of the South, being a lot smaller than usual, and they just didn't have the same sound as in years past. Something else said that it was a funding problem...scholarships had been reduced drastically ever since the Athletic Department decided not to fund the band scholarships anymore...the music department took it all over...kids didn't want to put in all that work for less scholarship money and dropped out of the band. Besides just being in the marching band, they are now required to take private lessons and be in an ensemble...for HALF the scholarship money. So THEN some idiot comes on there and says he could care less about a marching band...marching bands are boring...the money should be put to good use since the University's budget is so tight...he was proposing the University do away with the band. THAT sent off flames EVERYWHERE. I mean, this guy makes a pretty good donation to the University every year, went to school there, so lots of folks that know this guy were pretty shocked he felt that way. Marching bands are part of the tradition, and for him to flat out say that marching bands are a waste of scholarship dollars, that was way off base. Most of the thread turned into one big scrap between me and this guy, and the rest were other folks just saying who they agreed with. Most of them agreed with me. Well, Geoff Calkins, the sports writer for the Commercial Appeal, was lurking around on the message board, and he posted on there and said if anyone would like to talk to him, he wants to do a story on the band situation. So I called him, left a message, and surprisingly he called me back. I didn't really get to say ALL I wanted to say because I was in the middle of making dinner and screaming kids and Michael asking me to bring the steaks outside to throw them on the grill. So I talked to him for a few minutes over the phone, but then e-mailed him everything later on last night. My thing is, if the band has a funding problem, doing away with it won't do anything for the University. Instead they need some way of raising the funds to fill in the gaps...have a band booster club, something! I will admit, the MSOS is NOT anywhere near the best marching band out there, but to do away with it would be a big mistake. If our football program is moving on up, then everything else needs to, too. Can you imagine going to an Ole Miss game with no Pride of the South, or a State game with no Famous Maroon Band? HECK NO! So why even think about going to a Memphis game with no MSOS? It's ALL part of the football experience...it's tradition...it's like taking away the cheerleaders, or the dance team, or not allowing tailgating anymore. It wouldn't/shouldn't ever happen! I know to some people, the band is boring and the least important thing, it's their concession/potty break time when the band hits the field....but don't even suggest getting rid of it. If there's no more marching band, that's 200+ students that are going to choose another school that DOES have a marching band. So hopefully I will get quoted in the front page of the Sports section of the CA. Another 15 seconds of fame, maybe.

Unfortunately I have to get up off my rear now and fold laundry, make beds, and clean things. It sucks not to have a magic cleaning fairy.