The day has come and gone!

Today went by really fast- I woke up around 7 AM and enjoyed the morning playing my games on Facebook and not so patiently stalking my online class area looking for my grades - which of course I still don't have!
Alex was supposed to go get his hair cut and portrait taken today- but typical Alex - " I don't want to today" - I didn't feel like arguing with him- it wasn't worth it- he'll get it done when he feels like it.

Meg was filling out paper work for college yesterday and you have to submit a photo to be used on the college ID- whatever happened to them taking a photo once on campus, I have no idea- but this lead to Megan needing to have her hair cut- which she's been wanting to do anyways. After her hair cut, instead of just using the digital camera to take a photo, Meg thought we should get a portrait taken- well- it's only $9 at WalMart- so who cares- if that makes her happy- so be it- (even though we just had senior portraits in the fall) - so off to Walmart we went to have it done- quick, easy and we were out in about 10 minutes- couldn't have been any faster.

Next stop was the vision center right in WalMart. Megan has been seeing the same eye doctor there for a few years now. She has perfect 20/20 vision, but the muscles in her eyes don't work correctly- he refers to her as having a eighty year old persons eyes - basically when she watches to much TV, reads to long, computer, and so on, everything goes out of focus for her and it's blurry- so, things don't work exactly as they should. She had a pair of glasses that had a "crutch" in them as the eye doctor called it to help with this, but after several months, it was no longer working. For the past few months, he's had her trying to do eye exercises to strengthen the muscles, but they give her terrible headaches and make her eyes twitch terribly at times. On the visit today, he fitted her for another pair of glasses with another "crutch" in them- but basically told her, there really isn't a lot to be done for her unfortunately- there is no operation to fix the muscles and she doesn't require glasses for vision- her eyes are almost a mystery as to why they are the way they are. We will wait a few months and see how she does with these glasses and until after she goes to see the neurologist in June and go from there to a specialist if we need to.

After this, we came home and I supervised hubby planting the rest of the flowers in the new flower bed in front of our deck. We need to get about 5 or 6 more to finish it up- hopefully I'll do that in the next day or two. Ben has worked really hard at the flower bed and it looks great.

Been doing laundry and picking up the house because Meg has a friend coming home with her tonight after bowling to spend the night. They are supposed to work on their senior scrapbook- but I don't know how much she will get done!

This day has just flown by and I'm headed to bed really soon!

The Missing WalMart Bag

When Ben went to town yesterday, I asked him to stop at WalMart and pick up a cord that Alex needed to allow him to use his TV as a monitor to his computer, instead of the monitor. He came home with the cord, but when Alex hooked it up after school, he had picture only and no sound. I called WalMArt and asked them if we needed a different cord or what? They said, we needed an additional cord and it was $6 ( we already spent $20 on the first one). I told the guy working that my daughter was coming in to town and asked if he'd hold the cord at the counter so she could just pick it up. He agreed.

Megan was going out with her friends to the bowling alley, so I asked her to stop by WalMart and get it which she happily did. She then continued on to JoAnn Fabrics across the streeet and got herself a tote to put scrapbooking things in and then to the movie rental place. She placed all these items into the trunk when she went to the bowling alley.

Once again, Ben had to go to town to get some things to finish planting flowers around the deck tomorrow. I asked him to take my set of keys and stop by the bowling alley and grab Alex's cord-then he wouldn't have to wait for Meg to get home to hook things up. He agreed, so he comes back home with the cord about 8:00 PM.

About 9:30 PM Megan calls me on her cell phone and says almost in hysterics- "MOM!!! MOM!! Someone stole the cord- someone stole the WALMART BAG!!!!!" - I played it up a little bit asking her what she was talking about- and she reminded me how she went to WalMart, got the cord and so on- and now it was JUST GONE!!! But everything else was there and she had Dustin and Nick searching the car- under the seats everything and couldn't find it- by this time, I was laughing so hard I had tears running down my cheeks- she didn't quite get it and kept saying NO MOM you don't understand it's GONE_ someone broke into the car! I finally got out that it was ok that I had it- the only part she heard was "it's ok" - and she was still in hysterics saying NO MOM, it's NOT OK.. they STOLE IT!!! -I said MEG- I  HAVE IT IT'S OK!!! - Then she real calmly says- what?? you HAVE it? How'd you get it? and in the same breath she says DAD CAME TO TOWN DIDN'T HE?!!?!? - I started laughing again and said yes and she turns to the guys and tells them and  they start laughing as well- somehow poor Meg didn't find the humor in this AT ALL.
Never did I think she would do anything with the items until getting home - and I even wondered if she would remember that she had gotten the cord. Well, she figured she'd take the stuff out of the trunk there at the Bowling Alley instead of at home in the dark. I did feel badly for her but in the end, it was still REALLY funy and she laughed about it once she got home too.I don't think this is one we will forget for a while.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's day to my mom Nora Lawton- as I've gotten older, these "holidays" seem more like a great way to sucker people into paying for over priced greeting cards and candy- which I refuse to do anymore. When I was younger- up until a few years ago even, I always bought a gift for every holiday imaginable- sent flowers, bought cards, or something- but now, I hope that my mother ( and others in my life ) know that I love them 365 days of the year- it doesn't take a holiday to have to tell me that I love someone.

As I tell my kids, everyday is Mother's Day, and Father's Day and so on- I don't expect or want a gift- having them as my children 365 days a year is gift enough. I don't need a national day to be recognized. Trust me, I'm recognized quite enough- hundreds of times a day I hear the word mom from my kids- that's all I need. I'm thankful to have them- lucky to be their mom and although we have our ups and downs and disagreements like any other family, I wouldn't trade them for the world. They make everyday worth it.

Just as I know I was a pain in the butt growing up sometimes to my mother- things have changed since I became a mom and grew up some I guess. My mom and I enjoy each other's company going shopping and doing things that women do and we talk everyday on the phone. Living across the driveway from them, we are able to sit on the deck and talk with each other and watch nature at it's finest. Life is good, I love my mom and have learned to appreciate my mom as times gone on.

Be sure to tell your parental figure how much you love them while you can- not just today on Mother's Day, but everyday.

Made it through another year

Yesterday ( since it's after midnight now ) was my wedding anniversary- I'm happy to say we've made it through some really rough times - although it's not always easy, we both hang in there. Today we decided to go for a drive and ended up going to the Casino up on the reservation in Hogansburg. Neither of us had ever been and it's only about a 45 minute drive. We spent about 2 1/2 hours there and that was enough for both of us- we didn't win anything- well, what little we did win at one point or another we lost again. We spent about $40 between the two of us and had a really good time. We only played the penny and nickel machines- but there were quite a few to choose from. I wouldn't want to be addicted to this- you could drop some serious cash in a matter of moments- they have $1, $5, $10 and so on machines- just before we walked out the door hubby had one $1 bill left in his pocket and dropped it in the machine and pulled the handle- nothing- zilch- nadda- but the $1 gone in a pull of the handle lol- all in all it was a really fun day though- something out of the ordinary we don't normally do.

On Saturday ( May 1st), Ben and Alex went to Gouverneur to his nephew Roger's wedding. He married Brandy finally. They had a really great time up there- it's been about 3 years since Alex has seen some of the relatives up that way, so he was really happy to have everyone in one place. I didn't go because I've been battling throat issues all week and didn't feel up to it. Thankfully the antibiotics are kicking in though and starting to feel a lot better.

On Saturday Megan took her grandma( my mom) to see Little Shop of Horrors at the school- both said it was an amazing play put on by the kids at school and they really enjoyed themselves.

So, we had a pretty busy weekend - but one enjoyed by all it seems- hope you all had a great one too- this is my last 10 days or so of college- hard to believe the semester is winding down already- but will be nice to enjoy the summer- I'm looking forward to getting out and doing some geneology work with my father and hopefully finding my long lost great Aunt's Burial place!!

Glad to be among the living

On April 6th, my Aunt Rhoda passed away. Rhoda was married to my father's brother Dell ( who passed away in 1974). I honestly don't know if I ever met Dell- I will have to ask my father that one. I do remember taking a trip to Maine to see that family when I was very young- maybe 3 years old- I asked my mother about it today, but she couldn't recall if Dell was alive or if he had passed away when we made the trip. All I remember about it was there was a BIG hill in the road and Aunt Rhoda and her sister taking us to a ceramic shop. I don't have a lot of early memories of my childhood- but every now and then something triggers a memory like this one. I wouldn't say I was close to Rhoda, in fact, I honestly barely knew her, but always grew up knowing she was my Aunt, even though I was only 2 or 3 when Uncle Dell died (depending on just when he dies in the year). Whenever I was around Rhoda, she always seemed like a very nice woman and my parents always spoke highly of her and was always considered part of the family.


Of course, I've already mentioned Kelly's little boy Ethan passed away as well. My hear breaks still for that family, although I'm sure glad little Ethan is not in pain anymore.

Today, heard Mr. Larry Andrews passed away. He started teaching at my high school when I was in 8th or 9th grade- can't recall just which one -but I had him for 9th grade social and he was a 'new' teacher. That was back in 85-86. He was still teaching at the school until earlier this year. The brief obit stated he was 63, so he must have been about 35 when he started teaching at school. He was a man of very dry humor in my book, and honestly reminded me of Hitler with his mustache the way it was. I never overly liked him, but didn't dislike him either. He has meant a lot to many kids over the course of his career though and coordinated many over seas trips for the kids from school as well.

Then of course we can't forget John Forsythe and Dixie Carter passed away last week.

It always seems to happen all at once doesn't it- you can go months without anyone passing away that you know or have heard f and then it seems to all hit at once.

I for one am so thankful to be among the living, and for the health of my parents. I am blessed to have both of my parents living still and I get to enjoy their company, humor, wisdom, laughter, and everything else. Although I don't visit their house everyday, living across the driveway has it's advantages as we get to exchange waves, call the other and say - hey there is a deer across the road in the field, or has the mailman come yet - all things I cherish- it's the littlest things in life that sometimes mean the most.

Life is short, and each day I realize that more and more.

Ethan has passed away

This morning at 6:30 AM little Ethan passed away at home being held by his mom. My heart breaks for this family, and I hope they are able to find peace soon. I am so very sad Ethan's life has ended at just 2 years old and he will never get to experience life as he should have. Last August he was a happy go lucky little boy and in 8 short months, this familys life has changed forever do to childhood Neroblastoma cancer.

You are in my thoughts Kelly, Ken and Sarah.

Cancer - Enough Said

I have a lady (Kelly) that I have known online for a few years now- truth be told, I know her friend Danielle a lot better, but none the less- know Kelly as well. Last August her healthy 2 year old boy was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma Cancer- this was a shock- he was out playing in mud puddles one day and a few days later, their world changed forever. Ethan has been a fighter these past several months enduring rounds of Chemo and surgery- but, 6 weeks ago, they took out the remaining tumor in his abdoman and when they did scans this week, found it was back and bigger. Kelly was told today that they will do one more round of Chemo for 5 days, an intense treatment by the sounds of it- wait a few weeks and if the tumor has shrunk, they will go to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh for radiation. If it has not, they told her this was it, they can't do anything more.

I can't imagine being this family or any family dealing with something like this- my stomach is literally sick feeling over it. My heart breaks for kelly and her family- and it certainly puts into perspective life in general.

I certainly am thankful for the many good things in my life- especially my kids- and especially thankful that the health issues we deal with are certainly minor compared to what they could be. I'm thankful they are happy, healthy teens.

Kelly is a strong woman- I honestly don't know how I could breathe, let alone go on day to day facing the challenges she is with a child of mine. I hope I never ever have to find out.