Boy Scout

 Look who is a Boy Scout!  This is huge for Nate...those who were his leaders in the past would be shocked.  And the best part....he WANTED to do this.

  We took some time off from Cub Scouts in the 3rd and 4th grade and then Richard saw the benefits of the scouting program and encouraged Nate to start again.  Nate tried a few times to act like he didn't want to go but Richard persisted and won:)  Nate relaxed and started to enjoy himself...and now he is an official Boy Scout!

hug...

Last week Nate gave me a real hug...he actually returned the hug.  He wasn't a stiff board that I was wrapping my arms around.  He actually put his arms around my torso and gave a little squeeze!  It melted my heart and made me smile for a few days after.

Not sure why this happened- was it because he had just gotten back from ice skating with the Young Women?  Could it be the new conditioner he is using on his lovely locks?  Did he get enough protein that day?  I am not sure but it was so nice.  He hasn't returned my hugs for years.  He rarely refuses my hugs but would just stand there like a board.  This time was so different that it actually shocked me.

I sure am lucky to be his momma!

Nice people...

Last Sunday the speaker made the comment: "Only nice people go to heaven"

Nate replied, "Then heaven won't be crowded"

This past Tuesday Nate told me he was "accidentally nice"....ha ha ha.  He was moving a chair at the exact time a classmate was trying to get around it...so it looked like he was being kind and considerate...but we all know Nate and he wouldn't do anything like that when others are watching!

North Georgia Corn Maze

 I got a great deal on tickets to a Corn Maze...something I have always wanted to do....but it was 3 hours away....but that didn't stop us!  The Maze is located near Helen, Ga so we just made a day trip out of it and visited that city as well.  We had a blast.

 They had hay bales where you could jump from one to another.

When you enter they give you a post card with a 'map of the maze'...and 6 or so places you needed to locate to punch your card....dont' know how else to explain that...

 Sophia is punching her card and I am trying to figure out which way to go next.  Reading the map was like reading a foreign language....turn right by the corn stalk and go past the 3rd stalk with 4 ears of corn ....and look for the stalk that is bent at a 38 degree angle then take 5 steps backward....

i found it!

We decided to divide into teams....boys vs. girls?  no...parents vs. kids.  RIchard and I would tear through the maze and yell "we found it!" and then wait to hear Nate and Fia yell, "they found it over here!" and as they were running towards us we would take off in another direction laughing the whole way!  I haven't  giggled that much in a long time!

Well....we let you win Mom.   

When got to the end there was this cool bridge where you could look out onto the whole maze...it was a pretty spectacular sight!

then we went on a authentic hay ride....we were riding with a mom and her 3 year old daughter "Sophia".  They were nice company....well at least I enjoyed them...not sure what Nate is thinking....

And a final picture with the Jack-o-Lantern hay bales....Nate can't contain his excitement any longer.

Villamor Family Christmas

Every year Richard's family gathers at someone's house.  This year we travelled to Pooler, Ga where Butch and his family just moved.  It was the usual Christmas festivities....

 The cousins sang some Christmas carols and did other talent.

 We were able to have all the Villamor children take part.....Richzer, Evan and Ethan via Skype from the Philippines and Babe and RJ via IPhone face-time in California.  They also did talent...

This is all the family trying to do the Dougie dance.  RJ was teaching everyone via face-time on the IPhone. 

 Then we had the annual take-a-picture-in-front-of-the-tree pictures....

Nothing was going to make Nate smile...it was after midnight and he was tired!  and cranky!

Randolph "Boyet" and his wife, Shela and their children Vic and Lourdes

Ronald "Bobet" and My-My, and their children, Femi, Rovic, and Kyla

There was an incident with a nerf gun and we didn;t get a picture of Butch's family....but here is the mother and her boys!

Nate always celebrates his actual birthday while we are with the Villamor's....he enjoyed the attention...and this lovely chocolate oreo cake!

It was a very lovely time.  And I will end with this picture of myself....why?  because it turned out so nice...and I am learning to be vain like Richard...ha ha ha.  

small furry dogs....

While we were in Savannah visiting Richard's brother we were introduced to their little Shi-poo dog "Oreo".  Oh man....I took to that dog like glue. He was just the right size for neck snuggling...and he loved to be rubbed.  He did this cute little butt scoot when he would run around.  I found myself taking him on walks and taking him from the kids just so I could rub his soft fur.  I think I was going through withdrawals.....

He reminded me of another small furry dog.....

we had to put her down in 2o11 (or as Nate would say..."she was assassinated by the doctor" .  

In her glory days she had more fur and wasn't covered in those age spots....and could hear...and see...and liked to snuggle....

I sure miss that little girl.  She was so easy to carry!  And fit under your arm perfectly.   And just loved to sit by you on the couch while you did whatever.  And loved to sleep under the covers.  And would lick my feet.   She never once thought my feet were stinky...such a sweet girl.  

Playing with Oreo also made me miss this little "big" guy......

I was very happy to see him when we returned home...he is 3x the size of little Cricket and doesn't like to just 'hang out' on the couch with me while I am watching TV....but he is so fun to snuggle with when he is sleeping.....but don't stay long because he likes his space!

I am already planning when i will get another little furry dog.....it may be a few years away....but it is good to have a plan!

Hell....

I have this list of items that really "grate my nerves" or "get my goat" or makes me " see red" like these 4 items.



1:  Carpet.
It is very lovely when brand-new.  So soft under the feet.  So nice to lie down on when watching TV or whatever.  It is all fun and games until someone spills a whole cup of Sunny D and doesn't tell you about it until days later.  Or when you are trying to potty-train a cute puppy.  Or when a child tracks mud and other grime from outside.  I know we could have avoided a lot of the muck if we had the "no shoes inside" rule or didn't get a puppy....but I like wearing shoes and love my dog and children....plus I didn't want to stress over the floors anymore than I had to!!


When my parents built their house in 1980 my mother wanted all hard-surface floors.  NO CARPET.  I never understood until I had my own home.  We built our house in 2002 and went ahead and had the carpet put down because it was included in the price...but we knew eventually it would be trashed.  A few years later we got hard wood.  Best. investment. ever.  I respect the "no shoes" rule at other people's houses and have lots of respect for their clean carpets!  

2.  Grout
Ok...so a few years ago Richard and I (mainly me) installed our own tile in the kitchen and sunroom.  HUGE project.  never do it again.  unless I have to.  Saved thousands though and only messed up once....which you really can't do since it is permanent...but that isn't my complaint.  The grout.  It gets dirty so easily.  Yes...i sealed it.  twice.  If I could change something it would have been the color I chose.  Our tile color is a little lighter than this picture but the grout was about that shade of beige.  In the beginning you could see the dirty grout...but now as I look around it all looks the same dark brown/ dirt color so it is OK:)  I don't notice it as much.   I have looked into cleaning products but that will not last that long.  looked at better sealants and/or staining it another color ....who cares, right?

3.  Holly Bushes
Sure...they are cute when they are small(just like a puppy) but they grow up(although my dogs have stayed cute!).  And before you know it...the 14 holly bushes that were planted along the front of your house are  thick and prickly and overgrown and taking over your sidewalk.  As they got more mature they were very difficult to control and i swear they grew overnight.   Oh...and trying to haul away the clippings....torture.

So what are your options?  Hack away with a dull shrub trimmer  and lop off the bottom branches?  Try to shape them but cutting away so much that it looks like a midget tried to prune them....so you just cut it down to the ground level?  Or borrow a chainsaw and cut them all down while laughing maniacally?  All of the above.

The ONLY good I saw from these devil-bushes was keeping away the riff raff like in this picture  (when I was googling a picture of the bushes this came up...."ways to keep your house safe"...it looks like 2 teenagers trying to escape...not burglars!


















4.  Weed Eaters or String Trimmers

Oh...this is making me 'see red' and I haven't even written 20 words!  Imagine your yard needs to be mowed....and you know those places where the lawn mower just won't reach...no matter how many times you back up and bump the swing set and almost run into the house?  Those places the need a string trimmer?  Ok...so imagine you have just spent an hour mowing the lawn and are ready make your yard sparkle by taking care of the trim work.  You make sure the trimmer is gassed up....have pushed that little bulb 10 times...moved the choke to 'full'....done all the steps and then start pulling.  nothing.  you go through the steps again and start pulling.  oh...you get excited because it starts to cough and then it dies.  once again all the steps and it starts!!!  angels start to sing.  Ok....so you move the choke down to the "run" position and it dies.  Imagine doing this for 20 minutes. Oh...yes it did eventually run for about 5 minutes and then die....so i would have to start. all. over.
I have never "screamed out of frustration" so loud-and so many times-  in my life!  I didn't even care what the neighbors or the missionaries thought.  Oh...and when you do get the demon started and then the string runs out...what now?  Try restringing it.  Just try.  Aint' that easy.  And then you remember how much you paid for this machine....putting up a little more money to get one that would start each time.  geesh.  Makes me want to put down astro turf like they do in Florida!

So there is my list of items that are probably in Hell.  Carpet, Holly Bushes, grout and String Trimmers.  The end.