The one where we almost lose our gate, a car and two of my people.

This last weekend as we were driving home from Orlando the Coach mentioned something about wanting to drive his car.  {he hasn't had many opportunities to drive it lately}

Me: I think I'm ready to drive it now. {read: It now has a/c}

It's been over 20 years since I drove a stick shift. And that little Honda that I had was not a 6 speed with  horsepower of any sort.
Guess what? It's like riding a bike.
And I'm pretty damn fantastic on a bike!
I didn't stall out. I didn't run anyone over.
I'm pretty much a professional driver.

LoLo rode in the back seat while I drove and asked 27,000 questions. She has been wanting to learn stick since he purchased this puppy.
They planned to go to an open/empty parking lot the next day, but just for sh*ts and giggles, lets test a little in the driveway.

She was   t  h  i  s  close to slamming into the gate. Coach grabbed the steering wheel.
Ok, maybe I'm being overly dramatic.....but we know that hardly ever happens.

When she got out {unscathed} I asked if she forgot there are NO power brakes?

Lolo: No, it wasn't that. I was so focused on the clutch and the gas, I forgot I was ALSO in charge of the brake!

Oh my. That was a close one.
I'll let you know when she takes it to the streets....that will be a good day to stay inside.

The one where I'm almost tired of traveling.

The fam damily and I went to Orlando {again} last week. That was our fourth and final {fingers crossed} trip there this summer.
I didn't visit any theme parks this time. No college visits. No agenda for me.
The kids {my girls + their boyfriends} went to the Universal parks for 2 days.
The Coach was coaching his travel team each day.
What did I do? 
I walked the 'hood.
I read a book while sitting in the pool.
I watched a few movies that scared the poop out of me. (The Call & Panic room)
I introduced the kids to The Breakfast Club. 
I cooked dinners for our peeps.
I took a nap one day.
I was   t   h   i   s  close to being bored.
It was blissful. I've never been  t   h   i   s  closed to being bored at home. never.

I brought my camera, but never took it out of it's bag....I was so relaxed and my camera just looked too heavy of a burden at the time.
I took a grand total of two photos with my phone, both almost identical to this:

We came home to our pool pump being stuck ON and our water being NOT ON. (we have a well, with an R/O system)
...the story of our lives....this house is demanding of time and money.
I'm ready to sell this compound house and move to a small condo.  Or perhaps I should join a cult...that wouldn't require much work would it? Nah....I don't like being told what to wear.
  Anyone want to rent a room to this crew?

XOXO

Miracle on 31st Street

A few weeks ago I noticed three chrysalis....two attached to our pool screen and one attached to the stucco wall of our house. 

 You can only imagine my excitement. 

Go on. 

Imagine away. 

****

Then, I noticed that the one on the stucco wall was empty. 

*snap* 

I had on my hands an early bird eager butterfly.  

***

The next day I found this little miracle. 

 You can see some of the ooze leaking out. Wait, is that placenta? 

I'm sure someone wants to eat that....

what? It's all the rage now. 

Placenta soup. Placenta Sammies. Placenta tea. Placenta patties. 

 LoLo and I were so excited to see this little guy/girl butterfly. Why should I make it gender specific? I'll let him/her choose himself/herself one day later. 

I am the most politically correct person you know when it comes to butterflies. 

 I must have went out and checked on he/she 6 times over a 3 hour period. 

Good thing I was off work this day...I can imagine calling in: 

"Uh, well, I can't come to work today because a butterfly was BORN in the vicinity of me"....

I kept checking the remaining chrysalis asking if it was READY yet?

Hello?

No answer.

Then a day later, it was empty.

Geeze. 

I suppose some butterflies like to be born in private. 

What does he/she/it think he/she/it is? 

Royalty??

Ok, maybe they are. 

Wishing you all a miraculous Wednesday. 

What's for lunch? I hope it doesn't start with a P....

The sweetest love story you'll read this week....plus talk of an exorcism.

Happy Monday Ya'll.
We've just wrapped up another busy weekend.

 ***

While at my Uncle's wedding last month Linds had a very serious question for me.
Linds: "Who pays the church minister?"
Me:     "The members pay him when they tithe, sometimes they even provide housing."

Linds: 

"Wow, I bet Ministers don't make very much money. 

But I guess they could make extra by performing exorcisms."

Me:      "yep, I wonder if he can fit one in today?"

***

And speaking of my Uncle's wedding, there was a really nice article in their local paper. I thought you might enjoy it as well...a sweet story with a happy ending.

A lot of my long time readers will remember when I was losing my Grandma a few years ago; Joani was such a huge help; she was there helping my Grandma daily and keeping his spirits up too.
It warms my heart to know HE is loved and not lonely.

So, did that fill your insides with sweet little butterflies?
Yes? Well, be prepared, cause you might poop out caterpillars later today.

Oh, and Linds and I had a little chuckle during their ceremony when we found out that Joani's late mom's name was Helen.
Her married name was Kellar.
yeah, because that's what makes us chuckle.


So, what do you call this: Fate? Serendipity? Luck? Awesome-sauce?

Still crushing on SC and spreading the word about hugging safely.

Yes, I'm still going on about Charleston; a little city full of ghosts history.

Cemeteries that are pretty are NOT scary.

Cool homes. 

Lots of color; flowers and buildings. 

We even saw Mary Poppins; except this Mary Poppins doesn't fancy kiddos. 

We couldn't decide if we wanted to purchase this one..

Or this one. Think of the tree hugging climbing possibilities. 

The girls took some time to read; that makes this an educational vacation. I'll be sure to write this off on our taxes....

Lolo and I ventured into a really cool cemetery that was also a gorgeous garden.

See: gorgeous!

We visited a plantation...cause that is what you do here. . The driveway was breathtaking.

The girls were in love with the big trees. I always say, loving trees will never hurt you. 
No STD's or unwanted children....so LOVE on people!

A father-daughter moment. 

This is what my 2nd pretend house looks like. As if...I can't even keep up with my first pretend house.

They had a butterfly garden here too. Lo and I loved it. I won't share a photo of the butterflies we spied who were gettin' jiggy wit it....because that is rated R. Or B. Or something.
I asked Coach if he could build an enclosed garden like this for me. 

His reply: Of course!

The girls had their first Ne-Hi sodas.

And of course....an moon pie!

The ne-hi soda/moon pie combination ensued a sugar high minutes later....I then locked them in the tobacco house.

Kidding. The surgeon general said that would be a bad idea.

Ok, there. I'm done with South Carolina!

One thing I didn't take a photo of was all the streets and sidewalks. Our family lovingly referred to them as 'ankle snappers'. {very bumpy and uneven-The Busy Bee family is known for weak ankles}

Luckily, none of us fell. This time. 

So, when is the last time you visited a cemetery or a plantation, hugged a tree, saw butterflies doing the dirty or drank a NeHi?

Spill the NeHi beans.

Linds and I are off to visit another college today and tomorrow...wish us luck!

I never promised them a rose garden.

But I did imply that we would have a sunflower garden. 

 Too bad that wedding could't have waited for the flowers...

 Bright yellow~

 Light yellow~

 Mellow yellow~

 Inside and out~~~I'm digging them!

Making a Masterpiece

While we were on vacation, my MIL had a birthday. 

{Coach's Step-Mom}

She is always so good to all of us and makes a big deal out of our birthdays. 

 Before we left I told her we had something planned after her day. She was excited as were we.

Girls Night! We took her to dinner and then on to being an artist!

 Not one of us is really artistic. Ok, Lolo is VERY artistic. But for Judy and I, we added wine and voila': Artists!

 We were given step by step instructions....but NOT color by numbers. Promise.

All four of us loved our finished pieces. "Genie in a bottle"

Good news travels fast because the next morning we received a call from Christie's auction house wanting our art work!

{NOT}

If you have a place like this in your town; go and have fun. We did!

The one where she is no longer a teenager.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but where does the time go?
Lolo left her teenage years in the dust this weekend.

I got out the 'celebration' plate and before I could write on it Lolo did.

I won't go on and on about how wonderful she is; been there, done that. 

 A low key weekend. She worked all of Saturday, (her actual day of birth) we had some food delivered and she had prezzies to open in the evening. 

 She is excited about getting gifts....and surprisingly, the power puff girls paper made her happy too.

We rented a movie and chillaxed.

Sunday was going to be a larger get-together/pool party. We DID sit in the hot tub for a while....IN.THE.RAIN. 

{I'm over being soggy}

A nice dinner with all her requests: Steak, sweet potato chips, fried pickles and green beans with almonds. 

And since one cookie cake isn't enough, there were two. 

 I bet you are wondering which of these I baked. 

If you guessed the top one you'd be wrong. If you guessed the bottom one you are also wrong. 

The 'kids' played Corn hole. 

 They played....and they ate.

 yeah, they ate. Would you believe that I did NOT eat one piece of the cookie cake(s)? I don't enjoy cake or cookies. I'm a loser like that. 

I heard at least 14 times this weekend: BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

Yes, my Lolo is full of awesome-sauce. 
IF you cut her, she will actually bleed awesome-sauce...but I'd advise you to NOT cut her; she carries a knife and mace. You know, just for the fun of it. 

Next year, Vegas. Or so I'm told. I'll believe it when I see it. 

XOXO