I've been tagged!!!! Whoopie!!!

I got tagged ya'll! I love getting tagged!!! Our very own QuiltingFitzy http://quiltingfitzy.blogspot.com/ tagged me for a Meme. heehee Here are the rules...and hold onto your hats cause you just might be tagged too. :)

1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.0

Okay, 7 random things about lil' ole me.

1. I can pick things up with my toes much to the horror of the Capt...and I do it often. :) I am multi talented like that.
2. I love to make burnt toast...smother with peanut butter and plop an over easy egg on it. Mmmmmmmmmmm Got the craving when I was pregnant with Boo-Bear and it has never gone away...much to the horror of my family.
3. I always have to read the last chapter of a book first. Always. Must be done.
4. I cannot eat crepes..I throw up. Who knows why as I can eat most anything else (see #2) but those things get me every time.
5. I loves me some Phil Collins. I want to live next door to him cause I know he would love to do a duet with me...I sing a mean Easy Lover!! I can see us, in his backyard by his pool with a huge waterfall...the tiki torches lit...a drink with an umbrella in hand....a spotlight on us...Barry Mannilow at the piano...and Phil being amazed at my singing talent. He would ask me to tour with him and be his muse. Sigh.
6. I can't read directions. Really. Ask anyone who has known me for any period of time. It must be a math thing cause I can't do that either..I can read a book in under two hours no matter how long it is but ask me to read some directions and STAND BACK!! I will get it wrong every time. You know how everyone links to another blog?? I have to actually spell out the entire thing cause I can't for the life of me figure that thing out!! Yes, I am the mother of three children....god help them. I am directions-y challenged and I'm okay with that. :)
7. Whenever I'm sad I go and look at all my fabric. Weird I know but it makes me feel better every time. I take it out and stroke it and call it my precious. Then it talks back to me telling me the world is really a better place then I think it is and no one understands me like it does...especially the blue print and OH MY GOSH THE RED TOILLE!! I love the red toille. I want to make little red toille babies and live happily ever after. (I don't think I can spell either as my spell check is trying to figure out what Toille is...just overlook and move on heehee)

Now who should I tag next....hmmmmmmmmmmmmm Okay....here we go....I tag
1. Bek....at http://www.bekahbyrd.blogspot.com/
2. http://quiltoholiker.blogspot.com/
3. http://deputyswife.blogspot.com/
4.http://ourwildarmyadventures.blogspot.com/
5. http://sugar-mommy.blogspot.com/
6. http://wackyhappenings.blogspot.com/
7. http://ozcountryquiltingmum.blogspot.com/

Come on girls!!! Get to posting!!! hahahahaha
dawn

An Open Letter To My Father...otherwise known as the time you move along if you don't have tissue handy!!

Dearest Daddy,
Tonight while I was kissing Boo-Bear goodnight she says to me.. "remember that time Grandpa came to visit and he let me sit in his lap, outside on the balcony, and look at all his crinkles??" Then, while I am trying to catch my breath, because at that moment I missed you so much I couldn't breath, she says to me...all quiet like... "I miss him."
After she was all tucked and kissed I went in the living room and remembered the time I left on a jet plane for the States while you and mom had to stay behind in Sicily. I was all of 18 years old and felt I was grown and knew all there was to know. There was no stopping me. Tonight I remembered that as I was going to the gate I turned and looked at you. You had this look on your face of well...just bewilderment. I am sure you wondered what you had done wrong in a prior life to get such a "prize" as I was that year. Mom wouldn't let you give up on me. For that I am eternally grateful because now we have wonderful times. I have grown up. Had a couple of kiddos myself and know in my heart you did the best you could. For that I love you. You know what my biggest regret is?? That while I was there, visiting you after your surgery, that I didn't...wait for it...I didn't rake those leaves!!! (private joke) Save some for me okay. I will be there in June. I will rake leaves like there is no tomorrow. I will vacuum and when you point out a spot that I've missed that is no bigger then an atom?? Well I will vacuum that darned thing with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. I'm so sorry that this darn chemo has gotten you down. I wish I could be there now. I am thankful every day that our next assignment is only a mere 5 hours from you guys. What I'm trying to say My Daddy is hang on...your little girl is coming home.
dawn
p.s. Give mom an extra hug tonight cause without her none of us would get through the tough times...well we would but it would be twice as hard!

My newest quilt..

I wanted to make a quilt to commemorate leaving Korea and heading back to the States. I wanted something patriotic-ee. This fit the bill nicely! I used scraps from my bins..lots of blues, whites, creams and reds with a touch of burnt orange thrown in. I love how it turned out. Now I just have to keep it out of my momma's hot little hands and I can put it behind the couch in our new home.

I got the pattern from.. McCall's Quilting magazine...the October 2006 issue. The designer was Gerri Robinson and is called Americana. Hope I put everything down I was supposed to!! :)

The end is finally near!!!

Today is the day that the Adashees finish the balcony's! They are in the house right now, walking around, standing on stuff, out on the balcony's, puttering and lifting and re-working wires. Soon and very soon I will have all of the balcony stuff out of my computer room and back on the balcony's where they belong!! Whoopie!!!
As for the move, we are in "wait" mode. Soon things will be hopping...plane tickets will be purhased...plans will be made....the housing office in Ohio will be called....movers will be booked...things sorted. Soon. For now we wait.
Hey, at least the Adashees are almost done!!!

another morning with Boo-Bear..

Dear Lord Up Above...she is in there...right now...in her room...at the totally Un-Godly hour of 7 in the ayem...practicing her RECORDER before school.
This is my punishment for drinking half of that bottle of mad dog 20/20 in high school and my mother having to pick me up isn't it!!!!!
CURSE YOU MAD DOG 20/20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My buddy...

During the week the Walkers Jen and Leigh and I get together to sew...go out for lunch...explore Korea...spend us some Wons at the market...fun-friend stuff.
Walker Jen still has a kiddo at home. This guy over here to the left. He comes with us whenever he is not at daycare/school.
I love this kid. Yep. I do. He has my heart in his cute little hands and has since the moment he grinned at me and said in his little boy voice that he liked me. I melted all over the rug, made promises to buy him things, then followed him around the house giggling at the things he said. He had a fan. It was me.

I mean, can YOU resist this face??? We usually start our day out by going for coffee and fortifying ourselves with a muffin or a donut. This cutie and I share. For some reason my food tastes best. Honestly people, alls he has to do is look at my donut and I hand it over just to see him grin. It gets me every time.

I totally think that Walker Jen should face facts...he and I are meant to be together. The other day, when we were at the fabric market, I took his little hand in mine and we went to the convenience store on the bottom floor while the "Walkers" shopped. I told him he could have whatever he wanted. I couldn't help it. When we walked in the door he looked at me with the biggest smile that the words "whatever you want" practically flew out of my mouth. He picked a snack and a martian.....





As we were leaving to find his momma, he was chattering about boy-stuff and I was all "Oh really??" and "Uh-huh" that's when it hit me. This little guy would be leaving in a couple of weeks due to his daddy getting a new assignment. No more sharing muffins. No more sharing donuts. No more hugs when he sees me. No more telling me all about the world.

I am so gonna miss you Buddy.

Perfection...

This morning I am waiting ummm patiently, yeah patiently, for the kiddos to get the heck outta here already so I can head on over to Walker Leigh's. Today is our weekly sew-day. Usually we get together over at Walker Jen's to sew but she is having the movers come tomorrow so she is ummmmmmm how shall I say this...HOLDING ON TO HER SANITY BY A VEEEEEERY THIN THREAD. Going over there is not in the cards for us so we decided to have it at Leigh's. My stuff is packed, I have the debit card to get us some Burger King, the dog has been walked and I'm having a good hair day. Wahoo!!!! Perfection thy name is "sew day"!!!!
Have a good one everybody!
dawn

The Move.....

We are getting ourselves geared up for the big move. You know the one, the one where we move to Ohio. FROM KOREA. Oh yeah, I'm excited. Bleck! We should be getting our orders this week(it is a piece of paper that officially says we are moving) and then things will be a rockin and a rollin. We will have appts. Many many appts. There are tickets to buy. Logistics to work out...like my leaving before my men so we can get these animals out before it gets to hot...how long the girls and I will stay at the rents' house waiting for them to pick up the van in Seattle and drive it across the country. So many things to do...so little time. The first thing a military wife does when there is an impending move is to do the purge/clean. This is where you go through every room in your house to see what you are taking, what goes to the thrift store and what gets thrown away. I usually do a room a week. One day to think about it. One day to do it. 5 days to rest up. :) See we only get to move a certain amount of pounds. When you live overseas they take into account how long your spouse has been in...their rank....how long you've been overseas. Every pound over we have to pay for. If you've read my blog for any amount of time you know I have a sickness called Boughtalotoffabric-itis. Fabric is heavy folks. I need to get rid of a little bit of poundage (and not on my behinny heeheeheeheehee) so that no one looks twice at all of my bins. My hubby has been wincing every time he goes past the Bins Of Wonderfullness. I decided to go through all of the magazines I've accumulated here and take out just the projects I will be wanting to do in the future. Then last week I decided to go through the bedrooms. While I was deciding which one to do first I got a tad overwhelmed. This is a normal reaction to an move, I assure you. Any military wife gets a little overwhelmed during move time. This is because the hubby will decide "He" has a ton of stuff to do at work and could you please just handle everything while he stays at work til 7 every night. When I could feel myself getting overwhelmed I went and sat by my fabric. Then I took out a few pieces and folded it. Then I talked to it and told it how much I loved it and how pretty it was. Theeeen my kids all left me to go to parts unknown cause mom was loosin it. Works every time! kidding! What I really did was to decide that since we don't have paper orders yet I should just wait. Wait til The Capt comes home with all those copies of the letter saying we are moving and then tackle it. I have about 3 weeks before the movers come so I have at least a week of down time before I hit it and hit it hard. Hmmmm What to do?? I know! I started a new quilt. This is going to be my moving from Korea quilt. It has been so much fun to work on!!! I love everything about it...from the colors to how the blocks are turning out. There is no greater balm for my soul then to sit at that sewing machine, with some lovely music going all while I quilt the day away. As soon as the hubby goes to work this morning I'll take some pictures of how the block is turning out. Right now he is all in a huff cause he is trying to get ready for work and we have to take the van to the body shop cause someone rammed into him the other day. Also the kiddos are extra needy today since it's Monday and he can't understand why I am not catering to them all. I told him I needed to do some online banking. See when I do my banking online everyone leaves me alone for some reason. I have had ten minutes of bliss while he barks orders to all from Mt. High. If I hooked the camera up to the puter' he would totally know that I was blogging. :) Gotta be sneaky round these parts some times!
If you ever wanted to know what a military spouse goes through during a move then stick around. Today is your lucky day!! I plan on blogging all about it the next couple of weeks. It's also a great way to get sympathy!! hahahaha
Have a great Monday everyone!!
D-Money

More about Boo-Bear...

This morning went like any other. Boo-Bear took forever getting ready and I took about 5 minutes to get mad. Every day I tell myself I'm not going to let it all get to me and some days I succeed. Today, not so much. She was poky. I was prodding. She poked some more. I prodded a little louder. Then she hit me with the big guns. "Mom, today is the day I have my big report..I need my costume." A COSTUME!!! What did I say....."@#$%@#$^$%%^*#%@#%$^#$%^#$%&#^*$%^*!!!" Ahem. No, actually my face popped off and rolled around the room. Then she told me....30 minutes before she was due at school that I..."I" forgot to make her the corn bread and they need it for their report. My face popped off again and rolled out the door. Oh boy. I may have yelled a little and told her that it took her almost 11 years but she broke me. I. Was. Broken. I also may have told her that she was on her own from now on, in the morning, and that she was no longer allowed to come in the room...that she was old enough to get herself ready. All the while she is standing there not saying anything, biting her lip, tears running down her face.

Yep, I suck.

I have told them many a time that they are not allowed to remember stuff the morning of. If they do then they are out of luck. I had a couple of adashis coming to fix some stuff in the house. I had gone through the hour long explanation party where they don't understand a word I say and I don't understand what they say. I was not about to let this appt go. I got myself together and told her she could be late a couple of minutes for school and then hurried to make some cornbread. She was so appreciative. She tells me..."Mom, I'm sorry for not remembering. Don't worry that you can't come to our presentation, you never really come to my stuff anyway and it's okay, I love you." Take out heart, stomp on it, spit on it, rub it in the mud, put in back in chest.

Sigh. The cornbread came out really good. I wrapped it up and she gave me a huge hug, thanked me and then hustled to school. The adashis came early. They were done by 9. Her presentation started at 9:20. I warred with myself whether to go or not. Should I teach her a lesson?? Should I stand firm?? It took me all of 5 minutes to cave and run out the door. Yep, my name is Dawn and I am a marshmallow parent. I walked in her classroom and as she looked up to do a double take that I actually came, her face lit up and she yelled out "Momma!!" I got the biggest hug. I watched her performance, she sang a solo. I sat there in that hot classroom for an hour watching a bazillion 5th graders do skits on the civil war. It was a little bit of Heaven. I was the only parent that showed. Yeah, my name is Dawn and I ROCK! When I left I got the biggest hug. Then I floated all the way home and my girl had the best day ever.
Tomorrow, when she wakes up to get ready for school, she will be poky. I'll prod. She will poke some more and I'll prod a little harder. We are oil and water she and I.

I wouldn't trade her for all the tea in China.

Sigh...Dooce, wherefore art thou Dooce??!

I have a dream. A secret wish. Something hidden deep in the recesses of my heart. Something that makes my soul sing and giggle and then sing and giggle some more. I want to be Dooce. Don't know her?? Where ya been?? She is a blogger. She is fab-u-lous and fierce all at the same time. (you may visit her at Dooce.com) She has something I want more then anything...7,389 subscribers on bloglines. Can. You. Even. Imagine?? Oh, and she takes awesome photos of her dogs...Which I love more then anything. Sigh. I while the day away sometimes wondering what it would be like to be her. To walk down the street and have people fall prostrate before me. For people to secretly peek at me while I am at Starbucks ordering a (snicker) low fat machi/frapa/whip/twist coffee thingie and a totally non-fat carmelly cinnamon bun. (all the low fats are for the hubby who bemoans my ever increasing lack of exercise...or PT if you are in the Air Force) Again..sigh. I have a secret desire to be famous. Do you think I would get more readers if I told you all that right now I am in my jammies..under my covers..blogging..all the while trying to hide from my youngest who just, for the love of all that is good and holy, cannot get it together in the morning?? Would I get more subscribers if I confessed that the hubby (or the man who I am going to refer to now and forever more as "HE WHO SHALL BE REPLACED SOON WITH A POOL BOY NAMED PACO CAUSE HE DON'T PRE-CIATE THE PRECIOUS JEWEL HE MARRIED!) that we had us a fight last night over the marriage retreat our church is having this week. We did. I am still not speaking to him but I don't think he properly noticed this fact so when he comes home tonight I plan on being in the same room as him, sighing and lamenting and then sighing some more until he asks me what's wrong and then I can say to the room at large that I am no longer speaking to him and if he can't figure out why then I just can't help him anymore! Hmph.
Get it together, reflect, relate, release, cuum-by-ya.
Hmmmm Maybe if I posted more pics of my kiddos. They are pretty cute ya know.
Maybe I can write a book like Judy over at http://www.patchworktimes.com/.
Maybe if I held a contest to find my "one true love, Paco the pool boy, who totally understands the inner workings of my heart and soul. hmmmm
What to do what to do?? Maybe I can pretend to live is Australia like the wonderful Tracey over at http://ozcountryquiltingmum.blogspot.com/ Her life is pretty exciting. I know I could get at least 546 readers if I was like her.
Or maybe I could be a wonderfully talented designer like Walker Jen over at http://reannalilydesigns.blogspot.com/
This is a conundrum wrapped in an enigma.

wistful sigh....7,389 readers.

Sometimes You Gots To Dance!!

In the morning the hubby and my chilren' all listen to different music. Loudly. Did I say loudly?? I sit on the bed and catch up on my blog perusing all the while they sing...dance...and try to out do each other with how loud their music can be. Usually when I hear a song I like, I stay on my bed and let my arms do my dancing for me much to the amusement of my kiddos. There are even times when I try to sing along to whatever the "song of the moment" is.
Other times, other glorious times, the music gets in me. It permeates my soul. It starts to vibrate in my toes and I just gotta dance. It can't be helped. There I am, minding my own business, reading all about "you "and "your" lives, when it happens. My feet need to bust a move. Usually I need to go in the hallway and do the running man (remember that one??) much to the horror of my children. I let loose people...waaaaaay loose! I drop like it's hot. I jiggy with it. I pop. I lock. My flow gets to go. I am one with the tunes, man.
Today, while I was getting my groove on, one of my little darlings (hmph!) told me to never EVER do that again.

I plan on doing it tonight when her boyfriend is over. :)

I dance, therefore I am.

Green Hair Brush...

I am in my bedroom this morning...it being Monday and all...(this means I am hiding from my kids. It doesn't do any good though cause they keep finding me.) and I can hear my daughters fighting. What are they fighting over you ask?? Hairbrushes. Specifically the green hairbrush. Seems Middle Daughter purchased a green hairbrush that, according to her, cost more then the national debt and she is not wanting to share. This has caused our Boo-Bear no amount of consternation. (hows that for a $4 dollar word early in the morning!!) Boo-Bear wanted her hair straightened today so while Middle Daughter was in the shower she "borrowed" it. I guess the straightening iron works best with the green brush. Everything would've been hunky dorey cept for one thing....she forgot to put it back in the same place. This has caused WW3 in our house. When Middle Daughter came bursting in my room (aka the hiding place) to share this bit of news with me I tried to explain that this is what little sisters do. They borrow things...then forget to put them back...or lose them...it is their job. Boo-Bear does it well. Then I kinda tried to laugh it off. Like she would appreciate this Monday morning humor. Hmmm not so much. Then I tried another tactic and reminded her that just this weekend I needed to look in her room for my hairspray...lotion....earrings....powder....perfume....annnnnd comb. Her reply??? "But mom! I NEEDED those things!!!"
um-hmmm
Update: seems I am not as funny as I think I am...Middle Daughter did not find my post at all humorous. This means one thing....I must blog about all of her business now!!!!!! heeheeheee How's that for Monday Morning Humor!!

So here is my empty balcony...the one to the left. I woke the two oldest kids at the ungodly hour of 10:30am Saturday to help me move stuff. They were less then thrilled but we got the job done.
Here is what used to be our computer room. It is full. Full. Really really full.
This is the cutie pie who helped move the "big" stuff. He is showing his muscles in case I forgot they were there. heehee I didn't.
Please overlook the mess as I am going for good reporting here and wanted to journal the whole debacle from start to finish.
Here is my macho man bringing the couch in from the balcony to the right. I sit out there and survey all the happenings while having a cup of coffee. I love this balcony. sob..it is no more.
This is what a person with OCD does when her computer room is chocked full of "stuff"....she shuts the door and pretends all is well. (the batting on the wall is my design wall area for my quilts. )

Tomorrow I will attempt to get pictures of adashis as they pillage and plunder and drill and hammer. I will try to do this incognito. :)

It Has Begun...

Sssshhhhh...they are here. It has begun. The Adashis are outside right now with power tools and plumbers cracks. They are fixing the balcony's. They have been out there since 8am power sawing, smoking, talking, laughing. They don't get to my floor til Monday, which is good as I haven't started to clear off either balcony. :) I am silent protesting. It is not working. Yesterday I had to drive by our building and I saw them on the scaffolding with clip boards. They were peeking into balcony's to see who was ready and who was going to need a stern talking to. There was much discussion when they got to mine. I waved and kept on driving. Since today is my birthday we (me) decided to tackle this whole thing tomorrow. Saturday everyone will be home so we can hit it and hit it hard. Don't you worry though! I will take pictures!

I have to go. It's been 10 minutes since I stuck my head out the window and I don't want them to get worried about me. Have a wonderful day everyone!!!



Word to your Mothers.

It's my birthday!! da da da da da!

Today is my birthday!! Yep, I am the big 3-9 today! My last year til I enter in the 40's. I was thinking about what to write today when I came up with the idea to write myself a letter. You know how mommies write on their blogs when their kiddos celebrate another year?? Um-hmm. So here goes...

Dear Dawn,
Today you are 39. Where did the time go?? It seems like just yesterday you were frolicking around in your cute lil' barbie pull-ups while singing, loudly, for all the world to hear. Oh wait, that was yesterday. No wonder the neighbors like you!
So how did 38 treat ya?? You seemed to enjoy yourself. You took full advantage of living in another country by doing and seeing everything you could. You made some great friends this year...both real and the one's out there in blog land. You quilted. You even ate a bug at the market just to show you could. What a gal! You love your family with abandon and still flirt with your husband even after 19 years of marriage. You took this last year by storm and are leaving 38 happy and content. We can't wait to see what you do this, your 39th year.
So enjoy yourself girlfriend! Laugh a lot. Love even more. Don't forget to stop and appreciate the little things. Be content where you are. Appreciate your friends. Appreciate your family. Love yourself and learn not to be so critical of the things you cannot change in yourself. All in all you do okay.
Happy Birthday,
the Universe.

Whoever invented spring break is the devil!

The person who decided that we needed a spring break must've been hittin' the ole crack pipe hard that day! Why do we need a week long break from sending the kids to school so that we can make breakfasts..lunches...dinners...beds..have laundry up the ying yang....give out money for all kinds of "wonderful" "fun" "exciting" things....hear them fight because they are bored...hear them fight over the tv..hear them fight over the computer...hear them fight because the person next to them is breathing loudly. AUGH!!!
I just looked in the computer room. I like to do a walk through to make sure no one is perusing porn. :) Yep, ever vigilant, that's me! Anyway, I went in there and my head popped off and went rolling out the door. My son, the fruit of my loins (do women even have loins??) made a mess in there and then went happily out to "hang". Oh he's gonna hang allrighty.
So is Mr. Let's Make Spring Break A Yearly Thing guy.

Secrets....

It was Saturday night in one of the nicest hotels I've ever been in. I had two of my girls with me. We were in our jammies. Havin' a couple of cocktails. We turned the lights down low and let the evening commence in the way that evenings do for girls. We told secrets. Our deepest/darkest/funniest secrets. Secrets we swore to never tell so help us God or be struck dead with lightening and/or have all of our hair fall out. There was much "YOU DID?!?" and "With what???" and some of "He said that??!?!" and maybe a little gloating...along the lines of "YOU DID????!!!!" and "Oh my!!" There was much giggling. Let me say this...you are never, ever, never to old to giggle with a bunch of girlfriends over cocktails and secrets.

It was a perfect night.

The next morning we woke up and went to Osan for a little more shopping and some lunch at Chili's. (chili's is THE PLACE to eat when you go to Osan. See, we are so starved for American food that when we walk into the only Chili's down there the Heavens open and a choir sings.) After lunch we headed home. Back to our families. Back to our lives. The great Ya-Ya weekend s officially over. It was back to the scaffolding watch. Dinners to make. Children and husbands to take care of. We were tired but happy. Closer in every possible way. The only thing missing was our Walker Jen...gallivanting all over Japan with her college buddy.

Sigh. Perfect. Simply perfect. :)
The End.

Okay I'm back... on to part 3

Now...where was I?? Oh yes..we had made it downtown. One of the things we wanted to do was to see all there was to see at the Seoul City Market. We had heard it was miles and miles of wondrous things and we three love us some wondrous things. We get to our stop, hop off the subway train and walk up the stairs expecting to see the market. We see one of the busiest streets ever known to man. There were cars and buses and trucks and people and noise. Had we taken a subway to New York??!

Walker Leigh takes a look at the map, assures herself we are in the right place and then she contemplates what to do next. Paig-ee and I stand quietly awaiting orders. We decide to do the point and ask thingie with the map.

A man tells us we are in the right spot we just need to walk about a block ahead of the light and then we will be in it. He keeps saying "market sooo big! Market sooo big!"

He was right. It was big. It had buildings...and streets...and miles upon miles of stuff. Oh, and did I mention the people?? There were people everywhere. I started to get the stirrings of some claustrophobia. The three of us got quiet.

We wanted to find some fabric as we had heard through the grape vine that there was a place in the market that had 5 floors of fabric and notions. Here it is.....Leigh checked the alignment of the stars and found it with no problem. It was 5 huge floors of this stuff. We got even quieter.

Around this time we spotted...no lie! Walker Jen!!! She had a friend from college visiting and they had just gotten back from exploring Tokyo and were now exploring Seoul. We were very nice to the friend even though she was totally "the other woman" and was taking our Jen time. :) Just kidding!!! She was lovely!! We chatted for a few minutes and then they were off to see a couple of temples. We on the other hand turned a corner and saw this.....

One question.....why? Who made this and why??? Did they have "No Bootie Syndrome"????? It was in a stall full of underwear so I'm thinking that that's what they were. If anyone needs a pair I'm your gal! I can ship them no problem-o!

We turned another corner and came across miles and miles of these things......ribbon and thread. Miles and miles and miles and miles of it. By now we all had a look of desperation about us and no one was talking at all. We were overwhelmed and wanted to leave but no one wanted to be the "Whiny Ya-Ya" so we were all just trudging along.

Finally after walking for 80 years, one of us..not sure who...said "are we enjoying this??" Then we all sighed a huge sigh of relief and decided to get the heck out of dodge! We didn't take the subway either!! We got a cab! We had the cabbie take us to a much smaller market to do some shopping because the only purchase was a small spool of ribbon and that just wasn't done. We get out of the cab...look at each other...aaaannnnddd head to Outback for some lunch! Now we're talking! After lunch we dropped Paig-ee off for a nap and went to the sitting area in the hotel to read and people watch. We were gearing up for a night of sharing. It was to be the "GREAT SHARE SECRET-A-THON"

to be continued....

Saturday......

Hmmm where did I leave off...oh yeah. We went to sleep. :) Our Ya-Ya Weekend was off to a great start!

A fabo' room in a huge hotel - check

lunch at said huge hotel with a little cocktail - check

first massage - check

saw Walker Leigh naked (heehee) - check

did some shopping - check

had some more cocktails in the room and shared every tiny secret I had in me - check

mumbled ga-nite and fell in a happy stupor with a grin on my face - check

and that was just Friday! We woke up Saturday to a really interesting find: the sun is pretty bright out at 7:30 ayem after a night of secret sharing and cocktail drinking! I opened up the blinds to take a little peek...just a little one...and Paig-ee started yelling something about her burned retinas, I shriveled to dust as soon as the evil rays hit me and Walker Leigh started to cry. Then we all took showers and went out for breakfast! We needed sustenance to get us to the great Seoul City Market Of Greatness. Walker Leigh was in charge of getting us all navigated through the subway. She is a directional savant. I've never seen anything like it. You could put a blindfold on her....drive for 80 days...spin her around and she'll go, "hmmmmmmm we are in Texas"and she would be right. It has something to do with the way the gravitational pull of the earths axis speaks to her. Anywho Paig-ee and I just did what she told us to do, paid when we were supposed to and walked single file behind her. Don't even ask me what this map says...I just remember Leigh saying "orange to blue! orange to blue!"

Here is Paig-ee being all scared thinking that she and I might be in charge of getting the three of us around...

If that were the case you'd never hear from any of us ever again as we would be walking around in circles down there til the end of time. :)

And here is Walker Leigh after she figured out where we needed to go and what tickets we needed to purchase...

There was some intrigue we were a part of while we waited for our subway train. See this couple......

He sat next to her and spoke quietly to her with these cheesy grin on his face all while she looked at the ground and said maybe three words. She never smiled..she never looked at him. Then they got on the subway together...all while he grinned at her in a leering way and she looked at the ground. Walker Leigh, Paig-ee and I were flexing our muscles and getting ready to pound on him if he did any funny business. Yes, we are super-heroes. Was there any doubt??

Oops.....I smell my dinner burning...gotta go...tomorrow will be all about the market (horror!) and a picture of underwear that just is not right. Plus a pic of Paig-ee I snuck while she was sleeping. :) yep, I'm a great friend!! heehee

The Great Ya-Ya Weekend....part 1

I am back!!! I have three words to describe the trip.....restfull...wonderful....F-U-N!!! We had such a good time! Wanna hear all about it?? k! On Friday Walker Leigh picked up Paige and I. Just 4 short hours on the road, 28 songs sung loud and proud, dreams shared, hubbies talked over, children discussed... and we were at our hotel. The Dragon Hotel in Seoul is really nice. It is huge! and the view from our room was spectacular! We got all checked in, looked around, looked at each other, had lunch in a wonderful restaurant and then hit the spa! Paig-ee had a hair appt so Walker Leigh and I debated what to get done. We chose the 40 minute all over body massage. Two ladies came to get us. We went into a room that had three beds on it. On the first bed was a small Agimah getting her massage so I stood next to a bed and Leigh stood next to one. Then we awaited further instruction. Our ajashees (young women) came over with a small basket for each of us and told us to take off all clothes except our underwear. We looked around for a changing room filled with the all - covering towels. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. We looked at each other. The ajashees looked at us. Then they took matters in hand and quietly told us that it was okay. We were to undress right there in front of God and everyone and hop up on the table and then we would be covered. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. We looked at each other. The ajashees looked at us. I said, "right here?? In the open?? Just like this?? Right here?!" My ajashee said, quietly cause we were in the massage room...everything was said in a whisper..."yes, it's okay. Take off clothes." Hmmmmmmmmmm at that point someone whimpered. It may have been me. Then we got the giggles which was not appreciated by two ajashees trying to keep everything quiet and serene. It took exactly 4 hours to get everything off! hahahahahaha We looked at each other again and just decided to go for it. Why not?!?! When would we get the chance to have a massage..at a spa...in Seoul for goodness sakes!! Plus my blog fodder had sorely been lacking in anything decidedly upbeat the last couple of postings and I needed some material! Anyway, we get all undressed and then tried to suck everything in...think thin thoughts...and hop up on the table. First they massage every inch of your front then you roll on over and get your back done. As I was getting my front pulled, kneaded, rubbed and pulled some more the little lady next to me finished up. She hopped off of the table and took a look around. I saw her glance over at me. She was clearly fascinated by my toned tanned self. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yep! There I was, hanging out for all of Seoul to see! I just closed my eyes and again thought thin, skinny thoughts and tuned it all out!!
By the time the ajashee was finished with me I was a pile of goo. Warm fuzzy pink goo. The stress had long since waved the white flag and fled in defeat. She pushed every tired thought away. It was, in a word, wonderful. After we got finished they told us to sit up by the side of the bed so they could help us get dressed. Every have someone help you get your bra on??? Hmmmmmmmmmm it was ummmmm interesting! hahahahahaha They are so tiny I think they may have been a little curious about the hmmmmmmmmmmmm shall I just call then the Himalayas??! Bras on, we then had to stand up and get dressed. I felt drunk. Just all warm and fuzzy. We left our room and went to find Paig-ee. She took one look at us and said, "Good God!!" but in a good way. hahahahaha My hair was standing straight up and Walker Leigh had a dazed look in her eyes with her long locks all tousled and tossed. I think that may have been why the whole spa went quiet when we walked out. Paig-ee was still getting her hair worked on so Walker Leigh decided to get a new hairstyle. I went to the room to lay down.
After we got all beauti-fied we cleaned up and hit the shopping area. Then we came back to the room to get in PJ's and have cocktails. After a looong night of laughing and sharing it was decided by all that there was nothing.....absolutely nothing! that we didn't now know about each other. It was a perfect day. I think at some point it was talked over that we should probably go to sleep and that folks is all I remember til I woke up the next morning and burned Paig-ees eyes when I cracked the curtains open. Next, stay tuned for the Seoul Market Shopping Trip That Totally Ummmmmmmmmm Wasn't What We Expected! heehee and a picture of the perfect gift for the friend who has the No-Booty syndrome. :)

Ya-Ya Weekend is here!!

Yesterday, while I was hanging out of my window looking at the scaffolding go up I turned around and saw my dog. She was peeking around my bed, looking at me annnnd shaking. Yep. She knows I have lost it and she is going to go down with me cause that's how we roll in this family. Nobody goes to the crazy farm alone here at Chez' Owens folks!!! hahahaha I knew then, truly knew, that I needed a weekend with my girls. This morning I am packed, perfumed, legs shaved, cute yellow track suit on, hair done with a snappy hair bow on, dollars, won...I gots it all guys! The "GREAT YA-YA WEEKEND IS HERE!!" Paig-ee should be here any minute and we will take our cute selves downstairs to await Walker Leigh. She stopped at Burger King for two Number 1's and will be our designated driver today. We will get to Seoul in a couple of hours, check in, look around and then...........................hit the town! Walker Jen is gallivanting around Japan with a college friend but should be at the same hotel we are staying in tonight. That means a cocktail or two. I will be able to be with the girls, have a cocktail or three (notice how the number has gone up?) and it will be bliss...sweet bliss.
The whole family is glad I am a-leaving on this rejuvenating trip. They know, as do I, that really this whole audashi-scaffolding thing is not the real issue. It is my daddy and being so far away when I really want to be there cleaning out his tracheotomy and vacuuming for him and just staring at him with little pink hearts in my eyes. I miss him darn it and I ain't ashamed to say it! This is the way with the women in our family. Lose a limb?? We are there to attach it. Cut an artery?? We will sew it back together. Then, after about a week it hits. Someone leaves a cupboard open and we cry. The hubby comes home late for work three days in a row and we just know he is unhappy with us (me) (all while he backs slowly away from the crazy lady) and we cry. We are good in a crunch, so good it's scary, but we have to have a breakdown later. Please send sympathy pains to the hubby. He handles all my many moods with the calmness of the ages. I am off now, Paig-ee is here. Nirvana people. Sweet Sweet Nirvana.

Feelin better, thank you very much!

I spent the day with Ya-Ya Walker Leigh. We much maligned the hubby. It was thoroughly discussed as to how insensitive to my feelings he was being. We discussed the fact that he does not appreciate the precious jewel he has (me) and that I should for now and for ever more be in love with Paco The Pool Boy. We haven't actually found Paco yet but we know he is out there. Furthermore we discussed the fact that if said hubby (grit teeth) asks me one more time if I have worked out.....translation "you sure do need to!" I will poke him in the eye with a hot poker.
I am feeling much better now.
Amen and The End!

OCD Chronicles.....part 3

I promise to post something wonderful after I get back from the "Ya-Ya Weekend At Seoul" but for now I am obsessed with the Ahdashi's outside of our building. They did half of the scaffolding yesterday and now they are out there...at 7:30 am...talking about the good job they did...and what they are going to accomplish....and, oh, smoke break...and oh why is that woman on the 3rd floor peeking out of her windows at us like we can't see her...nother' smoke break.

I did finally ask the hubby if he could (eye roll) help with the cleaning out of the balcony's (nother' eye roll) and like support (huge eye roll and sigh) me and staying at work til 8 every night is not supportive and I AM NOT LIKE LIKING HIM VERY MUCH RIGHT NOW CAUSE HE IS NOT BEING SUPPORTIVE AND HASN'T BEEN VERY GOOD AT THAT SINCE I WAS A YOUNG INNOCENT OF 15 AND OH MY GOD MY MOTHER WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO RIGHT ABOUT HIM! I SHOULD JUST PACK MY BAGS AND LEAVE HIM THE WHOLE KIT AND CABOODLE....THREE KIDS...THE CAT..NOT THE DOG CAUSE I LOVE HER AND NOBODY ELSE...AND LEAVE HIM THE BILLS AND THE GROCERY SHOPPING AND FOR THE LOVE OF PETE HE WILL NEVER TOUCH ME AGAIN AND CAN THIS WEEKEND GET HERE ANY FASTER CAUSE I AM LOSING MY MIND AND I HATE ALL AHDISHES AND THEIR STINKING SCAFFOLDING!
Why yes, I am about to start my period..why do you ask??
I am off now to find some chocolate AND NO FREAKY WORK OUT HUSBAND OF MINE I AM NOT GOING TO THE GYM SO THERE! Have a wonderful day everyone. :)

Update on the OCD Chronicles...

Oh. My. Gosh. They brought the scaffolding. I may or may not have poured boiling oil on them and then run screaming sans pants down the road.

The OCD Chronicles.....

Okay, confession time.... a couple of years ago I was diagnosed with a tad bit of OCD coupled with a tendency to get a smidge anxious. Since then things have been right as rain thanks to a small tablet (I call my vitamin) that I take every night at bedtime. I am able to handle it all now. It actually takes a lot to get me close to the edge. Well this week?? I am staring at the edge. I got home from my parents house...where it is all cozy and quiet...to a house that is so noisy we have people from China calling and telling us to hold it down. Not a problem, I was just tuning everything out. Though, since I'd been gone an unheard of three weeks they had gotten needy and had afixed themselves to my side and that was throwing my fung-shway off a bit. I could feel the blood pressure start to rise every time someone needed me in the morning...and can I just say they needed me a lot. Still, holding on remarkably well was I. Then I got a note on our door. Not just any note...noooooo...THE note. We have two balcony in our home. One is used for storage (and it is filled! Filled with a capital FULL) the other balcony is a nice sitting area. It has a comfy couch out there and a corner cabinet with cute little country things. My hubby likes to go out there when he is feeling Captain-ish and partake of a scotch whilst he smoketh a cigar. I sit out there and wax poetically in my head about his muscles whilst he is doing thus. Anyway, the note said that for the next month we need to clean out the BOTH balcony's of all stuff while they put up scaffolding on the building and re-do them. Umm did I mention we also have packers coming soon cause we are leaving in June?? Where in the world am I going to put everything!?!?! I could feel my breathing start to go out of control while I thought of the mess in the house for a solid month. Then I sat down and put my head between my legs. As soon as the hubby came home after work I showed him the note. He said, cause he is very supportive and loving, "hmmmm okay." WHA?! No! Not okay! I informed him that this was to much!! Much to much for me! He should call someone and explain that I cannot handle mess of that magnitude and that I understand they are scaffolding the WHOLE apartment building but that I do not care and they will need to come back after we are gone and re-scaffold to do my balcony's. I waved my arms and maybe, just maybe, I looked a tad panicked...but really! Can you blame me???? You know what he did then?????? Hmmmmmmm??? Do you??!?!?! He sighed and walked away. Then my head quietly exploded all over the house and I recalled every mean thing he had done to me since we were 15 and that really this whole thing was probably his fault anyway! I even thought to myself that the next time I took a shower I would get a towel really wet and put it on his pillow. heehee Yep, that sure would show him!!!
The balcony-re-fixer guys will be here in 4 days. I am not sure what I am going to do. Right now I am happily ignoring the whole thing in the hopes they will forget that there is a 3rd floor and just bypass me. In the meantime, if anyone out there has any xanex that they aren't using you can mail it to me along with some chocolate to

Dawn
1234 losing my mind Ave
All Holy Heck Is Fixin' On Breaking Loose, Korea
12334

I thank you for your time.
The End.