We're Back On!

What a BIG day! The video is not that good. I had to save it very small in order for it not to overload blogger. We were not going to get the Wii for them. We kept saying it was too much money, but Ethan never could think of ANYTHING he wanted for Christmas except for a Wii. Well, when we wouldn't buy it, they were everywhere. When we caved, there were NONE! Dumb luck intervened on our behalf. A friend of a friend just happened to be in Walmart when 10, only 10, came out of the "back". We ended up telling Ethan we would buy the Wii for a family present, but we wouldn't be able to get one until the end of January. So, we gave him an IOU in one of his presents. He never had a clue! It was GREAT!

And in other news......we are moved into our house. There are still plenty of boxes in the attic, but everyone's bed is off the floor and we all have clothes to wear and plates to eat off of. So, all is well. I have even painted the living room. Peanut Brittle. I'll post a picture later. The kitchen is next, kind of a terra cotta color. We are all well. Had a great Christmas. Hope all of you did too.

Farewell For Now

It's like Christmas at our house. All of our favorite things that we haven't seen in so long! I have done laundry at the laudramatte for so long, I looked for slots for quarters on my washing machine. It was a beautiful event to walk across the house to do laundry....and NOT have to put quarters in! We closed on Friday at 2pm. We have almost everything moved. And THANK YOU to everyone who helped us!! You're all wonderful!

And now I must say farewell for a while. We do not have internet at our house. We are not going to have a house phone. No dsl out there yet, so what's the point?? And no cable! So, until we figure out what our plan is, we will have nothing. SIGH!! I will miss blogging, it's so fun. Hopefully, we will have a plan soon. Is everybody feeling sorry for me yet??? That is the idea, you know. Love to all!! Happy Thanksgiving!

This is What Happens When I'm at Work

This answers a lot of MESSy questions!

New Game

Now we have a Thanksgiving game at the bottom of our page. Test your skills!

Halloween Pictures

There they are. Can you see the earpiece going into Ethan's jacket. He wore that all day. I took Emily's picture after trick or treating instead of before. So, she is minus the apron and the hat. I'm sure she will have it on again. And the jacket!! It's always either just barely hanging on to her shoulders or just off of her shoulders. Someone please tell me why!

It's all done!

All done! We don't have the letter of occupancy yet. And we are not getting along with the builder. BUT, we SHALL overcome! Our close date is November 16th. And it will be a beautiful day. Can't wait!

I got some great post Halloween deals at one of my favorite stores, Target. You should have seen the crowd, though. It was like the day after Christmas sales. Crazy! Emily and I are shopping warriors. We went in, fought the crowd and got exactly what we went for......and then some. My giant pumpkins. We got the last two! Their great! Can't wait to see them in the house.

Halloween was fun! Went Trick or Treating in a friend's neighborhood. They had the GOOD candy! Lots of fun! Emily was a 1950's car hop, minus the skates. Ethan was a CIA agent. And John decided he was too big for all of that. He didn't even go door to door. He liked hanging out with the grown ups. And that was fun too.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I made a link to a fun Halloween Hangman game at the bottom of my blog. Go try it out.

My Blessed Life

Ok, so I didn't get a camera. I was informed that would be for Christmas. And we will hold him to it. I love presents way too much! I got a very cool present. An mp3 player. Very nice. It has a screen and it holds pictures. So, I can load pictures on it and force them on people everywhere, even in the grocery line. Isn't that great?

17 years!! On one hand it feels like 50 (in a good way) and on the other it feels like it has gone so fast. And as happy as I was on the day we got married, I couldn't even imagine how wonderfully happy we are now. What a lucky girl I am.

Our Song....sigh...

This song was sung at our wedding by a guy who looked an awful lot like Luther Vandross. That was such a great day! We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. I swear the sky was the most beautiful shade of blue just for me. It was just awfully warm. That year, 1990, is the warmest October on record. Ok, I'll save most of the sap for Saturday...the BIG day.

What were you doing...

...17 years ago today?? I was getting ready for my wedding. Our anniversary is Saturday. I was hoping to be in our house so I could scan a wedding picture. But they are all still packed.

When are we moving in, you ask?? Maybe next week. We were supposed to be closing tomorrow. But the carpet is not in. Therefore, the final inspection has not been done. Just enough to make you crazy! The carpet will go in tomorrow. And when it will be inspected is anybody's guess. My blood pressure is very high.

But I am excited about celebrating our anniversary. It's going to be a great day!

I want a new camera

I need help convincing John that I need a new camera. Mine doesn't work well enough to make me happy. It doesn't do well in low light and zooming is terrible. SO.......if you talk to John (feel free to email him) tell him, subtly, that his wife needs a new camera. Our anniversary is coming up. 17 years!! I have put up with him for a long, long time. I deserve a new car and all I'm asking for is a camera. And don't let him tell you I'm getting a new house. That does NOT count!

And what am I getting John for our anniversary, you ask. I don't know yet. I was thinking about a new truck. What do ya think?

As long as you don't go inside

.....it looks all done. There is not much left. Carpet. Finishing the hardwoods. Shelving in the closets. Tile around the master bathtub. And that's it. Good grief, we may actually move in this month. So, if you live in Virginia start lifting weights in prep for helping with the big move! Although, I am thinking of tossing everything out and starting over.

I got to help someone do some interior painting today. I love to paint. It got me all excited about painting my CEILINGS, and all the rooms. So, again, if you're a friend in Virginia, you've got that to look forward to also. And I'm guessing if you're a friend in Virginia, you will no longer be taking calls from the Thompsons.

I need to take a minute to brag on Ethan. His school is taking him and several other students out to eat on Monday because they made a PERFECT score on the SOL (Standards of Learning) test last May. And I don't know why they chose to call it the SOL test. Beyond me! Way to go Ethan!! After dinner they will return to the school for an awards ceremony.

While I'm bragging on Ethan, I should just take a quick moment to tell you all what wonderful parents John and I are. We had parent/teacher conferences this week. John, Ethan, and Emily are doing quite well academically. All of the teachers took an extra moment to express their gratitude to John and I for having such wonderful children. So, to the world, I say.....you're welcome, we'll keep up the good work.

Flashback Not Quite Friday

It's hard to believe they used to be so little. Aren't they cute?? This is December 2003 right before John went to Iraq. This was a very good Christmas. I even got jewelry!

Is progress in the toilet?

Yes, actually, it is!!! We have plumbing!

Dishwasher!! I have been without one for a long time and I still know what one looks like. I wonder if I will remember how to operate one?? Maybe the kids will.

Emily wants everyone to know we have running water.

I love to stand in the laundry room. It is the most done of all the rooms. I can pretend that the house is finished and I am waiting for my handsome delivery man to deliver my washer and dryer.

Let there be light...

We may actually be able to move in sometime soon. We are looking at closing the middle of October. Really! Yeehaw!! It's good to see some of the final work getting done. It just makes me feel so good!

The Paint

Well, here it is. I know it doesn't look that bad, but ceilings ARE supposed to be WHITE!! It does look better now that some of the trim is painted white, but I haven't been able to bring myself to take any more pictures. AND there's not really anything new besides the trim. Are they moving too slowly or does painting really take that long. They will not be finished by the end of September.

Emily started dance this week. Very exciting! She is taking ballet and jazz. Loves it! Ethan's teacher quit this week. Today is her last day. He is not very happy. She is the teacher that he hoped he would get. It was a hard day for him when he found out. Hopefully, his new teacher will be just as lovely.

Alright, I am going to try to go back to sleep. I woke up at 3 and couldn't go back to sleep. I will be grouchy today and jittery from too many sodas. But I get to sleep in tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it.

Alright, I am over feeling sorry for myself and ready to sociable again. A few things happened last week that just got the best of me. John was almost activated and sent to Baghdad. Some things went horribly wrong with the house that I can't fix until we move in. For one, in some GREAT misunderstanding the ceiling got painted the same color as the walls. Kind of an off white color. Cost to fix $2000. In the budget? No! &%#@%$#!!!!! Very frustrating! And a couple of other minor little things. It was just one thing after another. BUT, things are going well this week. John is not going back to Iraq. The house is getting finished, however slowly. And I will paint the ceilings as soon as we close.

I've had a long week.

Catch Up

Just wanted to tell everyone about the fun weekend we had before school started. We went to Outer Banks, NC. Everyone, but everyone has an OBX sticker on the back window of their cars here. OBX stands for Outer Banks. So, we had to see what all the hoopla was about. It is a really fun beach. The waves are better than Virginia Beach and OBX is not so busy. We had a great day. We did not go to the Wright Brother's Museum. Another day. Most of our day was spent on the beach relaxing. Before we left Outer Banks we visited Jockey's Ridge Sand Dune to watch the sun set. It is HUGE! And what a workout! Climbing the dunes is exercise. We had a great time. What a good way to end the summer!


I'll spare you all the beach pictures....except for this one. This is Ethan's sand castle. Ethan is a very determined boy! One day in the 3rd grade Ethan had math homework. It was over some new math concept that they had learned that day. He was quite frustrated because he couldn't grasp it. I could tell that he was getting upset when I thought his eraser would go straight through the table while he was erasing. I told him to take a little break and go back to it later. He could NOT do it. He sat there and cried and fussed until he figured it out. And then it was as if the crying never occurred. He got over it that fast. It wasn't as easy for me, but good for him. I needed a good long nap after all of that. What does this story have to do with a sand castle, you ask......we got to see that version of Ethan all over again when he was trying to build "the perfect" sand castle. It was very entertaining. Trying and optimistic alternating with crying and despair. But here is the result. Beautiful, isn't it? And he is so happy.

And now school has started. I'll keep it short. I know your eyes are probably tired by now. Everyone had a great first week at school. Even John. Ag is his favorite class. I survived first week too. The first two days were nail biters, though.

Thompson Sweepstakes

Here's the question......what is this picture??? The first person with the correct answer will win a free year subscription to ThompsonFamilyTales.blogspot.com. Good luck! Many will enter, all will win, blah, blah, blah, blah.....answer below.

Meet the Teachers

Last Thursday was Meet the Teacher Night at the schools. We had a fine time at the elementary school. Emily loves her new teacher. AND her BFF (Best Friends Forever) is in her class. Fortunately, they are not sitting side by side. Ethan got the teacher that he wanted. She is also very nice. What great luck!! They were both very excited by the time the meetings were over. They just can't wait to go to school on Tuesday. Emily is still giddy from finding out that her best friend is in the same class. ...........And then we had to go to the middle school..........OH MY WORD! It's so big, so busy! Those kids are huge. And they all look mean. What a big adjustment this is going to be for John. He is a tough kid, though. He'll be just fine. I'll be the one with the adjustment issues. He is going to have to change classes, which I think he will enjoy. He will probably have a tough few first days of school. I certainly will on his behalf. Feel free to call me next week and hold my hand. I couldn't even get a picture of him at school because he was already overwhelmed and I didn't want to add to his stress. He has a very nice homeroom/science teacher. And the guidance counselor was very good to us while we were trying to figure everything out. So, once he gets over the trauma of the change it should all be very exciting. He gets to choose four electives that he will do nine weeks at a time. He will do ag first, then drama, of all things, then Spanish, then technology. I can't wait for him to do drama and see how he likes it. Will Hollywood be knocking at his door??? I'll keep you posted.

Laundry Day.....it's everyone's favorite

Or is it? John and Ethan tell us how you really feel about it. We have been going to the laundromat since February. My laundromat days are numbered. It is such a pain! Down two flights of stairs, fight with the kids, out to the car, across town, out of the car, fight with the kids, does the change machine work?, start the washer, actually get along with the kids for a minute, go from the washer to the dryer, are the kids riding around in the carts?, fight with the kids, fold the clothes all the while fighting with the kids, get the laundry in the car, bring heavy laundry baskets back up the stairs, and put the laundry away. And that's when the real fighting begins. It's been great!

Is that the countertop???

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!! Progress! Doesn't it look great? I was so worried about going dark with the countertop, but I think it works. If you don't like it, please keep it to yourself. Just let me walk around thinking everyone loves it. The builder says he will be done in a couple of weeks. He has said that before. This time I actually believe him. It looks like a real house with the the countertop in. I am so happy! It feels really close now.

School Already???

I need to post, but I don't think I have anything to say. School is going to start on September 4th. I am not ready. We didn't do a whole lot this summer like we did last summer, but it was still a very good summer. I wish it was in me to home school, but it so very much is NOT. I put off buying school supplies and clothes until just now. We bought some clothes last night, but we have hardly made a dent in the supply list. AND I think it gets longer every year.

I am ready for fall, though. I have been daydreaming of decorating the house for fall and Christmas. John says I don't have enough time to paint before then, but I am determined. Determined! I want at least the living room and kitchen painted before Christmas. I also cannot wait for John to start working in the yard. There are so many things to do. And I want them all done at once. That should work out well, shouldn't it?

Alright, that's all I have for now. We don't have anything exciting scheduled. Well, Open House for school is next Thursday. If I am going to get pictures of John at middle school I will have to do it then. He will not tolerate it once school starts. He's way too cool to have his picture taken. I'll be lucky if I get one at Open House. I walked him into summer school and someone called him a mommy's boy. Can you believe it? Kids can be so mean. You can hardly touch them with someone looking and they get made fun of. I just love him and he's got such soft cheeks. Ethan, also, is getting to where he doesn't like me to walk him to class. Someone may be looking, you know. Emily, on the other hand, wants me to sit in the desk next to her and spend the whole day with her. I will have to hang on to those moments. I'm sure it won't be long before she feels the same way as John and Ethan.

The Beach

What a fun time we had at the beach! Just a little note to all the mom's reading this. You must add more sunscreen after lunch! I did not, sadly. I really gooped everybody with sunscreen in the morning, but did not reapply. Oh, my poor children. I sat safely beneath a beach umbrella; they are all burned. But, we all had a good time while we were there. We liked watching the big ships in the background. We even saw dolphins swimming just beyond the swimming area. Emily and I made a sad little sand castle. The weather was great. We had a beautiful day. I love the beach.

Not much new going on at the house. The only new thing is that the doors are all in. The interior doors. And some of the baseboards. Which I thought was odd. Wouldn't it be easier to paint first?

Things that make me happy

I am so happy!!! Once again....doing cartwheels through the daisies! Don't they look great??? Tell me what you think. I can't wait to paint!

We are going to the beach this weekend. Another something that makes me very happy! The kids are so excited, they are not even arguing about doing chores. We will leave as soon as John gets home from work today. We are staying in the Roach Motel. It's the only one we could find, but we don't care....we'll be at the beach!

My camera is broken. Sort of. Enough that I am on the brink of needing a new one. And yes, that makes me happy. I have not really enjoyed this camera. And I already have another one picked out. I picked it out last year, actually. And this year it is less expensive. And that makes John happy.