Mother's Day

Wow, my day started out with french toast, scrambled eggs, coffee (all made by my daughters), flowers and the Sunday paper in bed. Then the gifts and an uninterrupted afternoon to make a bracelet that my middle DDD needs to gift to her boyfriend's mother in return for altering her prom dress. Following that was dinner at Logan's Roadhouse and back home to a homemade angel food cake topped with whipped topping and strawberries (that my three girls made this afternoon). And to end the day me and my three girls played the funniest game of Cranium and my hubby is doing our laundry.

What an awesome Mother's Day. I love you all so very much.!!!

It was snowing this morning!! It is April 6, for crying out loud . . .

Happy Friday

Yay, it is Friday. Boy, it has seemed like a long week and I am glad that it has finally ended.

Every other week I have a compressed work week day off. My partner (at work) and I take Fridays off. This is her week to be off; therefore, the looonnnggg week for me :-(

But, watch out next week!!!

Sturage (Studio/Garage)

Here are a few pictures of my half of the bump-out. I know, it is not much, but my 13 yo DD likes to be out there with me and she will usually pester me enough until I let her make a few beads.










Our other studio helper, Cooper, likes to hang out there with us, too.

Ecologically unfriendly company

I've been having a slight issue with a company (which will remain nameless) and I am really amazed by their actions.

First of all there was an order placed with this company for their $1.00 trial offer -- for some mineral make-up -- all you had to do was pay $5.95 plus $1 to try this product for 21 days. Notice that I said there was an order placed; however, I was not the one to place the order. Once I found out that this order was placed (within 1 hour), I sent an email explaining that there was an error made and that I wanted to cancel the membership and trial offer. I received a reply that the membership was canceled but that they could not stop the trial shipment from being sent, nor could they refund the money for shipping, handling and the trial offer. So I responded that I would just refuse receipt and return the product. Ah, but I'm then told no, this company does not accept any refused and returned products back.

So, after 8 days I receive the product which comes with 4 types of mineral make-up, 3 brushes and a make up bag. I guess I should mention that the bag is their free gift. But, if I don't want to keep the product after the 21 day trial period -- which the clock started ticking 8 days prior, when the order was placed -- then I have to return everything (except for the free gift) or my debit card will be charged a discounted amount of approx. $56 (I can't remember the exact amount). This discounted amount is if I wish to keep the 3 brushes and 4 little trial size jars of mineral make-up.

At this point I'm getting a little rattled and I emailed the company again just to make sure that I have to pay the shipping and handling to return all the products (except for the small make-up bag, which is their generous gift) -- for an order that I did not place, that I tried to cancel. And yep, sure enough that is correct. Oh and, it is suggested that I return everything with delivery confirmation -- which is going to cost me more.

So, then I emailed the wonderfully cheerful *insert sarcasm here* service rep that has been trying to assist me because I just had to ask if they re-use the make-up and brushes that have been returned. She responded with, "Oh no, they are all thrown away."

Now, could someone please tell me why, when so many businesses are going green, would a company waste so many resources just to get their teeny tiny little make-up jars back along with their shedding make-up brushes? Is this a company that you would want to do business with?

Their actions really have me shaking my head.

Oh, and if you are just dying to know the name of the company, email me.

WGI Indy Power Regional

Here are a few pictures from this weekend. The Lawrence Central Winter Guard, Open Class, had two beautiful performances at their first WGI event in two years. They placed second in the preliminary performance yesterday and first at finals today.



One more weekend for "Amazing Grace" and then their show will only live on in photos and video. I will miss this show, it is packed with so much emotion.

Amazing Grace

Here are those amazing Lawrence Central Guard girls at Mooresville High School during their preliminary performance at IHSCGA State Finals. They had an excellent run and scored an 88.2 -- the highest score out of all the open guards that were there.

Why aren't the weekends longer . . .

Wow, so I see that I haven't updated this in a while. I've got a very busy weekend to look forward to.

My oldest DD just got home from college for her spring break; so, I will get to spend some time with her in the next week.

Tomorrow the LCWG will have their preliminary performance for the Indiana High School Color Guard Assoc. State Finals -- which I have every ounce of faith that they will do beautifully at IHSCGA. Moreover, I will get to spend most of the afternoon and evening chaperoning those "wretched" color guard girls.

And, finally since we have some warm weather in store for us I can get out in my garage, fire up the torch and kiln and make some beads. YAY!!!!

More of those wretched women

Here are just a few more pictures that I took this past Saturday -- well, actually I took over 200 pictures -- these are just some of the better shots. I finally got a DSLR camera so I've also had fun playing with that.

Wretched women

So, in case you've been wondering what I've been doing with all my free time on Saturdays . . . it is hanging out with these wretched women. These are some of the members of the Lawrence Central Winter Guard Open Class. These girls are amazing when it comes to dancing, or spinning and tossing a flag, saber or rifle.

The show this season is still untitled. However, the music they perform to is Ani DiFranco's version of Amazing Grace. My middle DD is in the second photo and the last photo.

This is such an intense show that it gives me goose bumps just watching it. I'm going to go see if I can get a link to the music up somehow.

Here is a link to her song on youtube. Of course the version that the guard uses has been mixed with some ringing church bells in the beginning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpt6lNFnDOI

Chaperoning again . . . .

Well, Lawrence Central Winter Guard had another great weekend with their second win for the Open Class guard yesterday. However, since I got to chaperone for both the A guard and the Open guard, it sure made for a long day. Spending the day with 28 high school girls and a handful of boyfriends that come along to be the "tarp crew," riding on a school bus, having to answer to the band director when something goes wrong, and walking from one end of a high school to another (multiple times throughout the day) sure makes for a weary mom when it is all over. I have been doing this chaperone thing for the marching band/guard and also the winter guard for the past 6 years now, since two of my daughters have been members of the guard. And it looks like I may have another 5 years to go since I still have another daughter that will most likely join the guard in the fall of 2010, right after the middle daughter graduates. I hope these weary bones can make it that long . . . .

Snow Days

Wow, did we have a whopper today. When I got up at 6:30 to look at the list of closings there was something like 473. Fortunately, my 16yo DD shoveled the drive and sidewalk and my 13yo DD shoveled the back deck and a spot for the dogs to go potty. The news reports were saying that the snow was falling 1/2" to 1" per hour throughout the night. I think there was close to 10" on the ground this morning.

The LCWG (Lawrence Central Winter Guard) is off to a good start with a win at their first competition with IHSCGA (Indiana High School Color Guard Association) last Saturday. Let's hope they can continue with another win this Saturday.

Change

Day 2 and I've already changed my template. I'm wondering why I didn't see all the choices that are out there yesterday. Oh well, change is good, right? Besides, it's my blog and I can change it up if I want to!!

Additionally, the dots remind me of beads and I've got to see them somewhere cuz I sure haven't been seeing 'em in my garage lately -- it has been too dang cold out there.

For those of you that don't know what my stress-relieving hobby is -- besides making jewelry -- it is making glass beads. I'll try to explain for the benefit of those that are not my beady acquaintances. I've got a quasi studio in the bump-out of our garage, which my husband so graciously donated half of to me. So, in the space of approx. 6'x9' I have the following:

• my second-hand Steelcase desk and credenza -- these suckers are old, heavy and did you notice I said steel, just what I wanted so they won't burn;
• my small glass storage cabinet, which sits on top of the credenza;
• my Chili Pepper kiln, which also sits on top of the credenza;
• my second-hand oxygen concentrator; and
• my new purple Cricket from GTT, which I love using, by the way -- even though I've only lit the durn thing about 4 times so far. I finally upgraded my second-hand minor torch last September and I am so glad that I made the switch, even though I really liked the minor, too.

I'm sure you'd get a better idea if I posted a picture. Maybe this weekend I can manage to take a photo. And if you want to see some really awesome glass art and/or jewelry just click around in my blog list. But be forewarned, you may want to hide your wallet.

Oh, and speaking of this weekend, the Lawrence Central Winter Guard will have their first competition at Danville High School in Danville, Indiana. I'm so excited . . .

New Beginnings

Well, I thought it was time to jump on the band wagon and finally create a blog. I'm not quite sure how often I will post, or what I will post about, but I'm gonna give it a shot. So, here goes . . .