4th Grader

Much, much, to share. I'll try to maintain my focus and appear to be fairly organized. I am finally feeling less stressed about the beginning of the school year, but man until this evening I thought I was going to be completely consumed with stress, and busyness! Which I am still crazy busy. Honestly it's almost like I thrive on being busy, not sure what I'd do if wasn't busy. Probably get more sleep for 1. Ok so school started, and *I am not embarrassed at all to point out my pillowcases do not match my bed sheets. Heck they don't even match each other. This is a little something I like to call....."They're clean who gives a crap?" Ok so now you know a little too much about me... The blogs all about honesty!
Prince Perry had a good first day. Why Prince Perry you say? Well in an effort to make the first day fun and to hide the fact that I was freaking the heck out, I offered breakfast in bed. And in an effort to provide a healthy breakfast you see there an organic scrambled egg, a banana, and some organic milk (not pictured). Maybe the organic milk will fight off him maturing too quickly and it'll postpone the teenage years to happen when he's actually a teenager and not when he's 11.....just saying. So after breakfast in bed while watching Curious George (anyone else love this show besides me?) we head outside for first day of school pics.


I am sure my anxiety has everything to do with change, the unknown, and PMS. Truely the real routine doesn't start until Monday, which means I'll just have to be stressed all over again. I just hope the new teachers will utilize all the stuff they did last year since it worked and they made progress. The IEP meeting is next Wednesday, slightly nervous, again change, the unknown new teachers who have to learn to deal with me and what I want for Perry. Thankfully I won't be dealing the PMS then and I won't end up crying in front of a bunch of grown women. (Lord please don't let that happen, I'd like to maintain some dignity...thanks that'd be great!) This is the part where I do a little whining about not wanting to be a grown up anymore, and I didn't sign up for this....you've heard it all before. It makes me stronger, and someday when Perry's a grown man and an animator for Disney and he's hooked me up with a nice nursing home he'll thank me!
Ok no pictures for this story, but I may be able to take some tomorrow. Except Prince Perry's Palacial Pad is barely up for any sort of public viewing. So in his room he has one whole wall that's framed from floor to ceiling. Within that frame is half corkboard, and half chalk board. The corkboard is full of artwork. The chalkbaord gets little use but occasionally he'll draw on it. Last night after he'd been in bed for 30 min. I heard him rummaging around. I was like Perry what are you doing go to bed. "He said I'm looking for my remote......" He doesn't have a TV in his room. Never has.....I asked remote for what? He said for my TV, and pointed to his chalkboard.....where he had drawn an old fashion TV set complete with antennas.....the remote, was made out of cardstock with button drawn in the right spot and everything. He found his remote and quickly got back in bed. So I went with it....and said "you can watch TV all night if you want as long as the lights are off." Shocked he asked....."Really??" I said "yep, and if you close your eyes, you'll get better channels." Puzzled he asked again....completely serious..."Really??" I said yep, and with that he said cool, closed his eyes and "watched TV". Tonight he climbed into bed with his Tigger and Fred (the frog Webkinz) grabbed his "remote", clicked on the TV, and I said are you gonna watch TV he said "yep" closed his eyes, and "watched TV".......Ahhhhh may it never ever get old! Have I mentioned lately how much I love my kid? Few parents get to experience this unique kind of joy, I am truly blessed more than I deserve.

Consumed...

Pretty much way overwhelmed. P doesn't have a care in the world, he's not the least bit nervous about school starting. Even knew his room number without me even telling him. I was shocked. Me however, I am falling apart. I'll tell you how life is in a week or so. P even prayed on his own for a good day tomorrow.....my kids awesome.

Drowning.....

I feel like I'm drowning in the business of life. There are little things that give me air to breath. Like hearing a friend from church just had a beautiful baby girl. She's having major surgery as I type this so send up some words for her and her family, she was just born on Thursday, she's strong and should be fine. Her name is Caroline Grace Baker....such a great name!

Another little thing was Perry was so pleased with how I decorated his 3 ring binder for school he hugged it. I was afraid he'd hate it and think it was dorky. Might as well take full advantage of fun alterable school supplies while I can, someday he will think it's dorky. I'll post a picture of it later.

The anticipation of my class reunion helps me to breathe. Getting a nice e-mail from one of my peeps who can't make it because of surgery. Letting me and a few of my other friends know how encouraging we've been these past couple months while planning gave him the strength to do life a little more responsibly. Happy Tuesday!

CHEESE!!!

Cheese defines how I feel after a LOOOOOOONG day of dealing with STUPID PEOPLE. Do not hate me for loving cheese. Seriously if I could act like that and get away with it, I WOULD. Seriously do you people have any idea how many STUPID people you can come in contact on any given day? It's flippin amazing.....and often stupid people are disguised as smart people, and then they start talking.....OMG....


WATCH IT PEOPLE...OVER...AND OVER...AND OVER AGAIN! You'll feel so much better!

GOOD GOD IT'S HOT!!!!

We're talking full on face melting HOT. I was feeling ok about being in the Parade today because it was suppose to be "cooler" in the morning today and only get up to like 89 degrees. Well apparently the asphalt was still hot from yesterday when it was like 102 degrees. 2 weekends in a row walking 3 miles, yet it felt like 100, since it's so flipping HOT. Ron crashed when we got home and napped for like 2 hours.

Um Wheres Perry?
What did I do for 2 hours? I watched The 2 Coreys. It's very possible I'm dummer now. Seriously is the shit scripted or is Corey Haim that jacked? OMG....dude your carreer is over. Except the fact that you were a cute child actor, and now you should probably go get a job in construction or something cause you can't act. Heck you are having trouble doing life in general. Can you believe he's 35? I didn't realize he was so close to my age. I don't think he's ever had to be a resposible adult. He makes the other Corey look very good. I can't help it, if it's someones reality I need to watch it, cause I'm nosey like that.

Shout Out to Mt. Healthy Class of 1987!!

Ok I have 1 week to lose 100 pounds. You heard me. It probably would have been more reasonable to think about this say in December. Or maybe a year ago. But now it's crunch time and my 20 year reunion is a week away. Or maybe some of my alumni can just post a comment here and say "I'm fat too", and I'll feel better. Besides even if I lost 100 lbs, I'd still be all flabby, and wouldn't even look like my former self. I couldn't find a picture of myself when I was in high school on my computer and I'm too lazy to hunt one down and scan it in. Trust me when I say I was a dork. At least I'm a hip fat person, at least fairly hip anyways. So heres a picture of me when I was 4, with my dog Tippy. For the most part all the people I know from High School, have gained weight so I'm good. Maybe not quite as much as me but some. So if you are Class of 87 and you'll be at the reunion be sure to show me some love in the comments. Even if you won't be at the reunion leave me some love.

In other news....BUDGET.....damn it sucks. I am happy to report I went to the grocery and spent only 58 dollars and got everything I needed except chicken since I couldn't bring myself to buy a small package for $5 when I can get a huge bag at Costco for 10 and it'd last me longer. So I think the mans going to allow me to purchase chicken at the Costco. I even bought organic Milk. I've decided Milk is one thing I will buy organic from now on. Crazy hormones in Milk is what I've decided has made giant children....girls develope sooner, and become sexually active sooner, and boys "want some" sooner because of the hormones in the milk. At least that's what I've decided. Oh and Jasmine rice, it's organic also, and amazingly way more yummy than Minute Rice.....a million times better. Oh and organic frozen fruit for smoothies.....I've yet to make one I like, but Ron slurps them right up. So if you have any smoothie pointers gimme a shout.

God Show'd up Today.....

I love it when that happens. God shows up pretty much everyday, but I love it when he's loud about it. He first show'd up with Dave Ramsey, on his podcast. He's good about dropping all kinds of pearls of wisdom. Today he said "Don't let the good things rob you of the best things." in reference to premarital sex. Could be in reference to a lot of things but I liked that quote.

Then I wrote down another quote last week while listening to This American Life.

"To the ambitious for him neither the bounty of life nor the beauty of the world suffice to content , it comes as penance that life for them is squandered, that they pocess neither the benefit nor the beauty of the world. And if they are unable to percieve what is divine in nature which is all arund them how will they be able to see their own divinity which is sometimes hidden." Leonardo Divinci

That my friends is an amazing quote. Which leads me to Erwin, as if I wasn't feeling profound and deep enough at this point. He was talking about as Christians we work hard and intense to discover what is true. That can come easy, reading the bible, and spiritual maturity. I think I am past discovering what is true, I get that. Now I am beginning to discover what is REAL. Erwin has a profound way of putting it. Basically said look into your soul, is Jesus there? Is he real to you? Seems to me so many people are just going through the motions.
Whoa sorry folks got super deep, just keeping it REAL!

Teenagers??

Ok so take a moment and remember 14 would ya? Heres what I was doing at 14. Crushing on boys at school. Nothing ever went any further than that with me. Heck I was lucky to score a date my senior year. We're talking about 14 here.....For excitement my mom drove me and a bunch of my friends to Showbiz pizza place on friday night for Teen night hosted by Pat Barry a Q-102 DJ at the time. While there folks would enter contests lip syncing to Madonna and Morris Day. Steve Barnett won week after week doing the "Bird" a song by Morris Day and the Time. People would wear their parachute pants and break dance.

What do 14 year olds want to do now? Desire to go see a band at a bar in Clifton (scary college town). It's Bogarts people. I didn't go to Bogarts until I was in charge of my own life and lived down the street from the place. I was of legal drinking age, and the band I saw the first time was They Might be Giants, which isn't scary but many scary bands play there. It's across the street from a place called Sudsy Malones....a bar/laudramat, (yes I did laundry there ONCE). Poor kid calls me thinking I'm going to be on her side and help her get there. UM NOT! "Um Aunt Jodi, if mommy doesn't take me will you take me....." LOL......What? Good Lord is it at all possible to freeze a kid at age 10? Why are there not any teen-nights anywhere?

Dang and I was having Fun!

Ok so the man took some time yesterday to take a look at the budget. I was really hoping that wasn't going to come up again. It's rather stressful. So Dave Ramsey has moved back in. Damn it. I had him convinced we didn't need Dave and we could just spend money like we had some. Then there appeared to be a lot less money in our bank account than there should be, and well that was the end to the fun. Time to act like a grown up. So between Dave Ramsey and Weight Watchers, it's quite possible I'm going to be a raving lunatic. But I'll be skinny and debt free this time next year. Plus our food budget should be less since we are eating less.....right.....Pray for me!

August Camping Trip

*This is Ben and Perry. Perry is 7 months older than Ben, yet Ben is a whole foot taller than Perry. Granted Ben is abnormally tall for his age, and Perry is abnormally small. It's just funny when they stand together. It'll be fun to watch them grow.
Finally Scored a campsite at Winton Woods. Was wondering what all the hype was about Winton Woods, it's in the suburbs of Cincinnati, at a park I've been going to my whole life. And theres always a 2 week waiting list to get a campsite. Well due to a cancelation we scored a campsite at Winton Woods this weekend and now I know what all the hype is. It's beautiful, inexpensive, quiet, tons to do, and seriously the cleanest bathrooms I have ever seen at a campground. All this meant an enjoyable end of the summer camping trip for everyone involved.

Now to get ready for School to start. God help me! This includes Cub Scout madness as well. Fasten your seatbelts people....it's going to be a non-stop crazy fall. Thank God Perry does not play a fall sport, or I'd have to quit my job!

Top Secret Mission round 2

Completed. And let me tell you, there is ALOT of stupid criminals in Butler County. I shouldn't call them stupid they go to great lengths to get into the trouble they get into, they just make really bad choices. Heres to making good choices and staying out of jail. Visited the jail last week and lemme tell ya, it's cleaner than a hospital, but incredibly sad.....as in depressing. Which I suppose it's not suppose to be loads of fun. Heres what they feed those in isolation. I was offered a taste, and thank God I declined now that I see the ingredients. BARF!

Warden Burger Recipe
1 large can tomato paste
13 pounds of flour
3 pounds dry milk
13 pounds oatmeal (or oats)
19 pounds beans
30 pounds ground turkey a pinch of salt
Mix with the following items that need to be shredded or ground semi-fine:
13 pounds cabbage
13 pounds carrots
13 pounds potatoes
5 pounds onions
Cook (bake) for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.Serve with two slices of bread. Makes about 144, 8-9 ounce servings. (Enough to feed to 48 inmates, 3 times a day.)

Off camping this weekend. Stay out of trouble people, jail is no picnic!

So Amazing......

God that is. On about a bajillion different levels. I am so amazingly blessed to be a part of an awesome team at my church. On more than one occasion I feel so unworthy to be a part of such gifted people. I felt the same way when I was on the Alpha team. The Vineyard staff does such an awesome job equipting people to do just what God has called them to do for whatever season they are in, in their life. Being part of the Nigeria team is so flippin cool. The team I was praying for returned and we got the report of what went on during that trip this evening. It's just so very cool to be a part of God's work. It makes everyday life completely doable.

Smell the Rubber....

loot, originally uploaded by Yoda0419.

Man I seriously love the rush that is Stampaway, call me a nerd all you want, but I hope theres never a time when I can't go. I want to be like the older lady who has been there 14 years. It's like crazy women high on the smell of rubber, spending lots and lots of money (not me) on all things arty and rubbery. I didn't get the memo to wear a black shirt, khaki shorts, black mary jane crocs, and carry a black bag......I always miss those memo's for some reason!

Behold my partners in attempting not to spend too much money, however getting as much rubber as possible. They do look cute, don't they? If you just glance at the photo, it looks like Julie (tan one on the left) has a face growing out of the back of her head. She doesn't have that in person.

Signs of End of Summer

It's that time again...time for Stampaway!

Is anyone going??? Leave me a comment and let me know you'll be there and we'll hook up. Man I love Rubber!

Did someone say WW?

Ok I generally try not to mention when I am infact doing the WW. Because then if I fail miserably no ones the wiser. Or if I stick to it and suddenly drop some weightage then everyone will be shocked. So lets just say the Sexton's are eating healthier.
0 point tip for the night Tomato's.....big fat juicy from someones garden tomato's.....MMMMM....a tomato fairy or maybe a Garden Gnome dropped some off on my porch....thank you, whoever you might be. We had a super low point dinner, these yummy sausages made out of chicken and apples....sounds odd, but oh so yummy....and organic (they were nice to the chickens before they turned them into sausages). They were 4 points each, we (the grown ups) each had one and a half to make for 6 points. Some red skin potatoes sprayed only with pam (who knew that was possible) ok I lied a lot of pam, but not enough to create pointage. Cut up some onions up in there....yummy.....3 points for a cup....and then some 0 point tomatoes. By snack time I had 14 points left (dude I'm still fat I still have enough points to sustain me) So PB&J it was with skim milk....MMMMMM....
Onto my guilty pleasure. I've been listening to the local pop station lately off and on, because they are the only station who plays John Mayer....so in the process I am catching up with some off the hook dance music, cause lets be honest that's where my roots are, and I must prepare myself to get my groove on at the 20 year class reunion that is a few weeks away. So I present to you my guilty pleasures. OH and my boy John was singing the chocolate rain to the tune of my girl Nelly's song Say it right......she's beautiful! Timbaland ain't a bad looking black boy either.....



And then theres this which I've been driving my husband CRAZY with. It's what I do, I get part of a song stuck in my head thank God it's not the song that shall remain nameless...chocolate rain.....
and I'll sing those lyrics over and over and over again....hummmm, wonder where Perry gets it. To the point where I am chased from the house and locked out. Well this song by Mr. Timbaland....talks about "if you strip, you could get a tip..." Needless to say the mans yelling at me DO NOT SING IT UNLESS YOU MEAN IT......

Avoid it....

Seriously don't even go to Youtube and do a search for Chocolate Rain....it will take over your mind, and you'll forget your name and where you live. I do believe it's part of a terrorist plot. It took several hours of John Mayer to get it out of my head. Which is not bad therapy by the way. But as soon as I was done with that therapy a co-worker just said Chocolate Rain, and the therapy was in vain. All things pop-culture has a way of taking over my life for brief but meaningful periods of time.

I'm happy to report I've lost 2 lbs since the last time I weighed myself which I can't even remember when that was, I just know I was so shocked at the number I suddenly had a fear of being on a fat reality show, and praying to God it wasn't Big Medicine. That show....man, theres a fairly low percentage of those surgeries that go bad, and all the ones that do go bad are on that show. Theres the Biggest Loser, and the new Fat March. My goal is to not be on those show's and become famous after I'm skinny, for a crazy video I put on Youtube singing something I wrote similar to CHOCOLATE RAIN.....seriously don't do it, you will be tortured for days!

Flavorice......

MMMMM, I sure do love me some Flavorice! More importantly it's 0 Points, gotta love that. However, could someone inform my husband that anything that is 0 points eaten in excess=points. Plus we have a whole case of flavorice, and it'd be embarrassing if it lasted us less than a week.....

Cool Video....

Our World is full of the most amazingly talented and creative people.

I'M FAT....

I could have shared that pack of pens....there are so many. But I'm not cause I love them too much to share. Ron was lucky to get the black one.

Ok so I'm fat, whatever....I excersized, I should be skinny tomorrow.

That is all!