American Idol and the Missouri 135th Army Band

On Friday, I went down to the Branson Landing to see Kenny perform in the Army Jazz Band. Not only was I treated to some great jazz music, plus a very hot solo by Kenny, but beforehand, some former American Idol contestants performed! I'll admit I was a little star struck! I've watched every season, haven't missed an episode, so I knew each one by name (Hayley, Scott, Jason, Brandon, Vonzell, Carmen, and RJ) and was pretty excited to discover they were performing before the jazz band! Kenny got to pose in the middle of all the Idols for a picture, and I have to say, I was a little envious! Anyway, they put on a short, but good show. THEN the real talent came on stage (the jazz band).

Kenny has had quite a few performances this last week due to Active Training. He performed at the Landing twice and once at College of the Ozarks. I was the crazy groupie at all of them! He had quite a few solos at these various events, and boy was I proud! He can play that saxophone!

CREEPY!!!!!

I woke up the other night to dogs barking. It was about 2:30 a.m. I got up and looked out the window, and a police car was parked in front of my neighbor's house....really close to my driveway! It's lights were even off! THEEEEENNNNN ANOTHER police car drives up to the parked one! They chat for a few minutes, then one drives off. A few minutes later the first car starts up and drives off too. CREEPY!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS GOING ON? Was someone out there prowling around? Was there a sting operation going down? Maybe they are going to arrest my neighbor for not mowing their lawn............but they wanted to catch them off guard!
WHO KNOWS! But the timing of this event couldn't have been better: there were NO knobs/locks on my front door, because it was being painted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say, I couldn't get back to sleep after that!

HAIR

Okay, okay! I'll give the readers what they want! Here comes the "hold the camera at arm's length and take a shot of my hair" picture. I actually got quite a bit cut...........about 5 inches off the bottom, and about 8 to 9 inches off my shortest layer.

Realizations

1. Bud is a very good car rider! On the way to his yearly vet checkup, he sat in the front seat like a perfect little dog! I should take him for more rides.

2. Putting the new storm door on my house was very difficult. I bought a new door for the front because: a. I hate my current storm door........b. Not only do I hate it, but I'd also have to paint it since it's yellow! So the day of installation arrives (Wednesday). Dad and I tear into the cardboard only to discover that this would involve a little more assembly than we had planned for. About halfway through, I decided that Lowes should have installed it, but we were determined to get this thing on the house. So after 3 hours of trial and error, it was finished........or so we thought. When we tried to latch it, we realized the frame was too far away from the door. So needless to say, it's not finished. We wired it shut for the time being. I don't want to even think about working on it again. Can't wait til Monday. Oh, and does anyone need a yellow storm door?

3. I need a change in the hair department! I've got a 1:00 appt for this change, but I always chicken out once I get there. Normally, you can't even tell if I've been to get a haircut. If I end up being brave, and cut more than an inch or two, it'll be a miracle. I'll post a picture, if I decide to get crazy and you can tell that I've had my hair trimmed! Most likely, no picture will be posted!

Classmates.com

A few years back, I signed up on classmates.com.........a web-site where you can find high school friends. I think I signed up for high school reunion updates or something. I never checked my "profile" or looked up old friends. Until recently, I had forgotten about the site. THEN I started getting random emails from classmates.com that excitedly said some old friend had "signed my guestbook" on my profile. The email also teases you with statements like, "Who is thinking about you?" or "Uncover the mystery!" Of course I want to uncover the mystery!

Clicking on the link takes me to my guestbook where the people have "signed" their names. Only you can't see the names! You have to "upgrade to see who is thinking about you!" AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For someone as curious as I am, that is mean and unjust!! The cost isn't terrible, but it's the type of thing that probably ropes you in! Once I subscribe, will I continue to year after year? Hillary tells me DON'T UPGRADE, but my friend Julie DID upgrade! She can see who signed her guestbook any time she wants!

I'm torn.......what a terrible dilemma! I have thirteen guestbook signatures, and I am dying to know who those 13 people are! SOOOOO I'm taking a poll here: Do I subscribe or keep the mystery alive? Please circle yes or no ;)

Car Update

My Saturday trip to the mechanic yielded some new problems: a leak in my power steering rod (which might be what's causing the belt to slip) and my wheel bearings are shot. BAD he said. So BACK TO the mechanic on Monday! I told them I liked them there, but not this much! He said unfortunately they didn't have a frequent flyer program. On the plus side, I won't have to be towed there again. So to make light of a yucky week of car issues.........................

Two tows...............$132

Three trips to the mechanic...................$450

No car payment.................PRICELESS

Okay, I know I'm a dork for even writing that! After Monday, I might be reconsidering the "priceless" statement!

Car Problems

So my car turned 10 years old this week, and to celebrate, it decided to QUIT on me.....more than once. The first mishap was on Monday. It simply wouldn't start. DEAD. It ended up being the battery, not a big deal! We also discovered a bad fan belt in the process, so after a quick trip to the mechanic, that was taken care of on Monday too.

Mishap two was today: On our way to IHOP, my battery light came on. Kenny thought it might be the alternator, so instead of IHOP we head to the mechanic. On the way there, in pouring rain, it DIED on Kearney. GOOD TIMES! Thanks to Kenny and two nice strangers, we got it into a Walgreens parking lot. Luckily, I had a Henry's Towing keychain in my purse (compliments of the Sertoma Chili Cook-off). Just so you know, towing is EXPENSIVE! To go approximately 6 city blocks, it cost $66! Good thing my insurance covers that. SOOOOOO we get it to my mechanic, they discover it's my fan belt again! It slipped off! Frustrating, since that was supposed to have been fixed on Monday, BUT cheap and simple!

IF ONLY! I am about halfway home from the mechanic when my battery light goes off AGAIN! Panic sets in immediately! Do I go home? Do I try to make it back to my mechanic? Kenny had dropped me off at the mechanic, so I was alone! I'm closer to home, so rather than getting stranded.......this time without Kenny........I head home. Where my car currently sits........fan belt off AGAIN! I get to be towed back to the mechanic again in the morning. I can't wait!

Dogs and Paint

Andrea and Whitney: Your recent blogs made me think, "I need a tribute to my sweet Bud.........Ruler of the Garage and Backyard!"


Bud was very needy today. While painting, he would lay under my ladder. Every time I'd move, he'd move with me. But it gets even better! While painting the lower wall, I'd turn around and find a tail mark right down the side of the house. He'd get right next to me or mom, with his tail wagging like crazy........IN THE PAINT. He had a "ranch mink" tail, and I had to repaint! Somehow he got paint on his paws, and now my patio and garage have ranch mink paw prints on them. So cute! For future reference, I probably shouldn't leave my paint tray on the ground!


As for the house, it is 95% finished! I need to touch up the white brick and trim. Then there's the yellow foundation I'll need to deal with. WHY OH WHY DID THE PREVIOUS OWNER PAINT IT YELLOW?????????????? Anyway, that has yet to be painted, but the majority of the work is finished! Before and after pictures coming soon!

Running, Painting, and the Forbidden Wall

Running: I haven't been running since my FIRST time running........which would be approximately two weeks ago...........so NO itchy legs! Now I have painted legs....by accident........which leads me to:

Painting: SOOOOO the painting of the house is in full swing. Looks like two coats is covering the yellow (which I DO NOT MISS). One more coat on the back of the house, two coats on a small section in the front - which I refer to as the forbidden wall, some trim work around windows, and it'll be finished! No major mishaps.......dad had a minor ladder situation, we've all ended up with paint in the hair or on the clothes, arms, legs, and today the FACE! I was opening the paint container, and it exploded onto my face. Good times. We are close to the end though, so before and after pictures will be coming soon.

Forbidden Wall: So there is ONE wall on the front of the house that mom and I want to paint SOOOOO BADLY, but dad won't let us! Thus I've dubbed it the forbidden wall. His reason???? Well without thinking ahead, we tilled the ground in front of that wall........so with all of the rain we've had, it did become a mud pit. Dad said it was too unstable to hold a ladder, which he proceded to demonstrate to get his point across. The ladder DID sink during his demonstration, but it didn't make the longing to paint that wall go away. Each day, mom and I PLEAD with dad to paint that wall, since it's in the front, and each day we're told the ground isn't dry enough to support a ladder. Maybe tomorrow will be the big day! I was a bit sneaky, and after he left today, I painted about 5 feet of it toward the bottom. I didn't want to waste the paint in my tray!

Home Improvement

So as my summer break begins, I'm super motivated to continue with the fixing up of my house! Since I bought it two years ago, I've only made a few improvements. My very first fix was the mailbox and porch light! They were black. My house had white trim, so the black fixtures DROVE ME CRAZY! I set out quickly to find replacements. Thanks to Lowe's and an online mailbox company, I was able to fix that problem quickly!

Fix number two was my entryway. Now I'm sure the pictures speak for themselves, but let me say, unless you like faded, textured, circa 1967 wallpaper, then you're with me on this. I decided to let go of that lovely vintage, velvety wallpaper and replace it with "Cherry Cobbler" paint. Add an antique mirror and light fixture with a new hall table, and my second upgrade was complete. Well, almost. I still need to paint the trim......

My third fix was my kitchen floor. Now I don't know about you, but carpeted kitchens are just about my most favorite decorative mistake! Not only was the carpet OLD, but it was DIRTY and a multitude of colors, such as orange, black, and olive! Ripping it up was easy..........then Kenny and I found linoleum under it. Ripping that up took a little more effort, but finally we made it to the sub-floor.

Finally we were ready to tile. I am proud to say, after a few online how-to videos, Kenny and I tiled and grouted the kitchen ALL BY OURSELVES!

After seeing all these earth shattering improvements, I'm sure you are DYING to know what could possibly be next??????????????? Well, sit down.................I'm painting the house.............THE EXTERIOR! Yep, starting tomorrow I will be out there with dad and Kenny changing it from yellow to "Ranch Mink." STAY TUNED!!!!!!!!!!!!! Until then, here's a sample of what's to come...........

The picture doesn't do it justice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!