Saturday

Thanks for all the supportive comments about my post last night! What I didn't say is that my mom, sister, brother, and I are all much better people due to what we have been through than we would have likely been if we had grown up spoiled and materialistic. Today, we are all successful, well eduated, happy, solid people who have worked hard for what we have and appreciate it. I do know that all of my experiences in life have made me who I am today, and I will be honest, I love who I am! So, I work hard at letting go of the old stuff and just being glad that all of it helped to make me who I am today.

Bobbie at 40 Shades of Pink posted this recipe a couple of days ago and I made it last night. It is SO good! You really need to make it!!! It was easy to make and delicious! Cameron & Bryce ate it too and enjoyed it. Bryce isn't all that picky and will eat most anything, probably because he isn't my kid, but Cameron is very picky and he really enjoyed it too. I am already looking forward to eating the leftovers today for lunch!

My sister, Donna, did go to visit JP last night, but wasn't successful in getting to see him. She said when she drove up to the jail, there were fire trucks everywhere and people were leaving the visiting area saying that no visits would be allowed for the night. Now, that happens from time to time if something is wrong in the jail. It is a huge facility that houses 4,000+ inmates, so if there is an attempted escape or a hazard of some sort, they wont allow anyone in and will just cancel visitation for the rest of the visiting hours. Well, Donna said she wasn't about to just leave with all of that going on and not know if there was a fire inside or something! So she waited around until all the trucks left and it was clear that there was no danger. She said she didn't want to call me to say, "well, I went to visit but there were fire trucks everywhere and the visitors had to leave, so I went home." Yeah, I'm glad she waited!! I'm sorry she didn't get to see JP though and I hope she'll go back again soon.

I got up this morning and went to Walmart. I love shopping there, but can't stand the crowds and long lines, so if I'm going, I go as early as I can. I went around 9am and it wasn't bad at all. I got what I needed to last us until we get back from our trip to NEW YORK next weekend! Our friends/neighbors, Cathy & Brent invited us to stay at Brent's boss' beach house on Long Island for Labor Day weekend. Everything is paid except for our airfare, so we decided to go. I am really excited about it, except that i'm a tad bit nervous about flying! I've only flown once when I was 7 years old, but I'm going to "get out of my box" as my mom frequently tells me I need to, and do it. We will get to spend time at the beach, go to Niagara Falls, and are planning to drive into Canada! I'm really excited!

Not much else is happening around here today. The weather is beautiful! It is around 80 degrees with the wind blowing a little bit, and no rain in sight! The pool is still a little green, so I probably wont get in it, but it is looking almost back to normal. I am going to clean up around the house a little bit, bake some COOKIES I bought at Walmart, catch up on some work stuff, and play on my computer!

I hope you have a great Saturday!

Friday night post

I'm so glad it's Friday!! It's been a long week and I need a little rest and relaxation time! I am so excited to have a weekend alone (well, Cameron is here, but he doesn't talk to me much, so i'm pretty much alone). Walter and his 4 brothers are having a weekend alone at his oldest brother's camp in Mississippi. And when I say camp, it's only because that's what they call it. It's bigger than my house, but anyway...this is the first time in the 10 years I've been with Walter that they've ever done this and i'm really glad that they are. They lost their dad last year (he was 89) and I think even though they are already very close, it made them think about their relationships and spending some quality time together. Walter is the 7th of 8 kids and there is a 20 year age difference between the older ones and the younger ones, so that means his oldest sister & brother are in or near their 70's. So anyway, i'm glad that they are bonding with their 4am fishing trips (and very glad i'm not!) and also glad for a weekend alone. I am usually the one off visiting JP in Houston or doing things with my friends, so i'm happy that Walter is doing some of that too. And for the record, his entire family is awesome. I couldn't be luckier or have better in-laws. And I think if we ever split up, they'd keep me instead of him. I'm just sayin!

And speaking of JP, I've been worried about him since the trial was rescheduled because I haven't heard from him much and feel like he may be getting depressed. I mentioned it to my sister, and she is going to go visit him tonight. I am glad she offered. I get a little upset sometimes because he is 20 minutes from her and in the 1 & 1/2 years he's been in jail, she's maybe been to visit him twice (other than when I go and she goes along with me), so I'm glad she said she'd go tonight.

I did not have a very productive day at work. Things got off to a slow start and I just couldn't seem to pull it together!!! A couple of us changed our schedules around to pick up some things from our main office, and once we got back to our office, just couldn't get motivated! I did finally get to my school at 11, just to leave to meet the same 2 co-workers for lunch at 11:30!! Afterwards, I had a meeting that lasted most of the afternoon. I have a Kindergartner who was totally out of control last year while in Pre-K, and I sat in a class with him for a little while this afternoon and he was SO great! He's gotten on some medicine over the summer and what a difference it made. He is one reason I begged to keep that school and i'm glad I can still work with him. Braces Boy is at that school too and was in ISSP (in school suspension) again this week. GRRRRR!!!!! I also have 2 kids at my west side school that are having big issues, so I will have to try to get over there Monday and see what I can do to help, if anything. I'm pretty sure one is headed to our alternate setting school.

I am so happy to be getting more comments now since the Blog Around the World started!!! I really love meeting new people and reading other blogs, so please, leave me a comment so I can visit your page!!

Ok, so you want to hear the story of my dad. I'll warn you now, it's not pretty, but I am an open book and you can feel free to comment or ask me anything you want. First, let me say, my dad & I were never close. My parents never really planned to have children and were sort of faced with having 3 children in 4 years. I wasn't the first child or the first boy - I was the middle child and we just never bonded. My sister & brother have different memories than I do, and different from each other, so this is just the story from my point of view. And I have made peace with my father. It's hard to forgive and forget, but I have tried to understand his position and moved on with my life. But, it is my life and my story, and I do have a right to tell it, so here it is.

My dad was a business man, mostly dealing in insurance, and his business ventures were more important than anything else, including family, stability, etc. We moved so much throughout my life that I never went to the same school more than 2 years. Wherever the money was, that is where we moved, and we definitely had the money. We were pretty spoiled growing up. We always had a big home, fancy cars, in-ground pools, etc. I'm not sure when my dad first got involved with Louisiana insurance and politics, but we lived in Baton Rouge from 1970 - 1973, moved away, then moved back in 1976. My dad was involved in some state insurance business with our former (and now imprisoned) Governor Edwin Edwards. There were apparently some inside deals going on between state insurance and the governor (who should have been indicted YEARS before he actually was), and something went really wrong. Governor Edwards had co-signed a half million dollar loan for my dad, and then something happened...money was being lost, a new governor was coming into office and questions were being asked...papers were being hidden to keep Governor Edward's name from being connected to state insurance/retirement policies that didn't really have any worth - something along those lines. So, suddenly people want to talk to my dad about these things...and he is suddenly KIDNAPPED!

Now, when this happened, in 1982, I was a 16 year old pregnant teenager. My parents had separated a year earlier, but my mom didn't work and he continued to pay all of our bills. I had been living with my boyfriend for several weeks, and things weren't working out when I was notified that my father had been kidnapped. I moved back home to help my mom deal with this situation. The story was that his apartment had been "turned upside down," and there were reports of threats made against him, and he was missing. My sister (18) was pretty much into her own world with her boyfriend, and my brother (15) wasn't able to deal with things, so at 16, I helped my mom, who had been a recovering alcoholic for several months, figure out what to do. My mom had pretty much shut down and was not able to deal with what was happening. We were being sued by every company imaginable in Louisiana for debts my father owed and our house was eventually put up for sheriff's sale, our cars were repossessed, newspaper reporters were in our yard daily (thank God it was before the days of media frenzy like it is now), and we were falling fast. My paternal grandmother, Essie, lived with us, and was an amputee who had her own handicapped apartment connected to our home. Essie was the kindest, sweetest woman I have ever known, and had been living with us for 6 or 7 years, since open heart surgery complications caused her to lose a leg. So, I helped my mom find us an apartment to rent, an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) friend of hers gave her a car to use, I found someone to buy nearly all the furniture from our 6 bedroom house that wouldn't fit in a 2 bedroom apartment, etc. It was a total nightmare, the FBI were calling non-stop looking for information on him, and he became (and i'm quoting from a book) "the most famous missing person in Louisiana since 1968." An uncle of mine showed up from Georgia to rescue Essie, giving us the impression that she would be moving in with 2 sisters of hers, but then put her in a nursing home. If I wasn't already broken by that time, that broke me. I also had to make the decision to give my baby up for adoption because there was no way we could take care of a new baby when we weren't sure how we were going to take care of ourselves, but I knew this was best for the baby due to my age, so that wasn't as painful for me as what happened to Essie.

My dad had cheated on my mom for most of their marriage, and she pointed the FBI to the woman's house where he was likely living. After seeing the kidnapping story on the news, a man came forward who remembered selling a car to my dad, then the car was found at the airport. He had gone to live with a secretary/girlfriend, in Pennsylvania, leaving us to deal with his mess!! The FBI actually went to the woman's apartment to look for him and we were told later that he was hiding in the closet!! They never found him, well, until almost exactly a year after he disappeared. He was found dead of pancreatic cancer in a V.A. hospital in Pennsylvania! The girlfriend didn't even bother to call us and let us know that he was dying.

So, that is why he is in some Louisiana history books. He wasn't all that important, but what he knew about former (imprisoned) Edwin Edwards was very important to those who wanted the information. One book he is in is called "The Last Hayride." He is chapter 13. It was neat because I was able to give Elizabeth a copy of that book when we first reunited and it helped her to see what led up to my decisions about the adoption.

And there is a silver lining to every cloud, as they say! Or I think that is what they say, whoever THEY are! A local investigative reporter was doing a story about the whole Edwin Edwards fiasco and ended up dating my mom and eventually marrying her! They have been married for 20+ years now and he is way more of a father to us than my dad ever was. And yes, I have let him know that and thanked him.

Now, just when you think the story is over, there have always been rumors, some coming from my sister and brother, that my dad faked his own death and is still alive. And at the funeral, the man in the casket didn't look anything like my father, but dying so quickly from cancer can really change the way a person looks. My mother made the funeral home people show her scars that my father had to prove to her that it was him. And really, where would he have gotten a body to send to his funeral? My brother's friend told him way back when all of this was going on that his father was "in the know" on that sort of stuff and that my dad is in the witness protection program. And I have said repeatedly, if that is true, my father might want to be sure to call one of them if he's looking for us, cause I aint answering the call!! Personally, I don't buy into the rumors.

So, there you have it. Any questions or comments are welcome! I don't mind talking about any of it and it is therapeutic to talk about it sometimes.

Questions & Comments:

Kimi asked if I bought my purdy new shirt for work - yes! I like to wear my khaki or greenish khaki jeans that don't look like jeans and I love shirts that go with them! That shirt will match both pairs! And yes, my mom most certainly remembers the Girl Scout incident!!!! I don't know if she'll ever let me forget it!!

Girl Scout Cookies Anyone???

Due to an overwhelming response, I will tell how my Girl Scout career came to a sudden end. I find it funny how that story stirred interest, but nobody commented on my random fact that my father was mentioned in some Louisiana history books. That is actually a juicier story!

Ok, so, I was a Girl Scout for a couple of years along with most of my close friends from elementary & middle school. Most of these same friends are the ones I had dinner with a couple of weeks ago, and yes, the Girl Scout story had to be rehashed and that is probably why it was on my mind when I thought of random comments about myself. Anyway, we all went to camp the first year and it was fun, we behaved, and were still allowed to call ourselves Girl Scouts when the camping trip ended. There were cabins that were shared by 3 or 4 people, and we were closely supervised. Things didn't go quite so well the second year.

We were all around 13 years old by then. The camp had built some new, really large cabins, and I think that is where the trouble started. Everyone was in the SAME cabin - probably 20 or more girls and i'm guessing the adults either didn't stay with us or weren't with us most of the time. I'm guessing this because I clearly recall my friends, Tracy & Gail sitting on the VERY HIGH beams near the ceiling, writing in permanent marker ALL OVER the wood in the new cabin, etc. A small group of us were just silly and determined not to cooperate, for some reason. We hid when it was time to go hiking and nobody could find us. We snuck off to the kitchen and made long distance calls to a friend who had moved to another state. We refused to do pretty much anything that was asked of us and to top it off, it was discovered that we wrote all over the walls and it wasn't coming off. We were generally just difficult, non-compliant, and down right annoying. But none of that got us sent home. Someone finally got some control over us and made us go hiking with them the next time they went. Our Girl Scout leader was a lady we didn't like, and when we were hiking, the poor lady tripped and fell. She rolled down a hill, for what seemed like a really long way. While everyone else was rushing to try to help the lady, me, Gail, and Robin began to laugh. And we kept laughing. And we wouldn't stop laughing. So it was decided quickly that was the last straw! And some of the others who were equally as bad as us, but didn't laugh, got to stay, while the three of us were packed up and driven a couple of hours home by a rather odd male chaperone who was on the camping trip with us.

To make matters worse, it was late at night - probably 10 or 11pm, and we wouldn't tell the man where we lived. Once we got to Baton Rouge, he pulled into an empty parking lot and demanded that we tell him where we lived, but we still wouldn't. He came around to the side of the car and grabbed my friend, Gail, by the arm and jerked her out of the car, so we told him where my house was. He dropped the 3 of us off at my house, didn't come to the door to tell my mom what happened, and my mom was a practicing alcoholic at the time and bizarre and chaotic things occurred all the time, so she opened the door, listened to our story that we were homesick and had come home, and then was kind enough to drop Robin & Gail off at their houses! The next day when the Girl Scout leader called, things weren't so pretty!!!

Another random comment I made about myself was that I would be the crazy cat lady if I could get away with it. Yes, I did mean this!! I love cats SO much and can't resist kittens for anything! I only have 2 cats, but that is because Walter has laid down the law after I took in 9 kittens this year, raised them and found them homes, plus took care of 4 neglected cats from next door, until we found them homes (sortof). I want to foster kittens through the local animal welfare society, bring them to pet adoption days, and help them find homes, but so far, Walter has veto'd that! I really love cats!

Someone else asked for a picture showing the river view of our back yard.

Another reader asked if the screened porch came with the house. Actually, we built the house and the porch! We finished the house a year ago and finished the porch last month. We have a neighbor who does that type of work on the side and he supplied the materials and helped Walter do the work, so i'm not sure where the materials came from.

I received an Award today from Tonya at Small Town Louisiana Girl! It is the Brillante Weblog Award and I am honored to receive it! The rules say that I must pass the award along to 7 blogs that I read, so here we go!
1. Patti at Nonna's News
2. Renee at Cutie Booty Cakes
3. Renie at Renie Burghardt's World
4. Kathi at Tales From the Homefront
5. Dorothy at Daffofil Dreams
6. Nik at Exceptional Voyage
7. LaDonna at My Life

And thanks again Tonya!!! I really appreciate it!!

My friend, Kimi, gave me a gift certificate for my birthday this month and I wanted to show the shirt & 2 sun catchers that I bought with it! They came in today and I love them!!

And finally, work was busy today, but it was a good day. I got my computer working in my office, where I will be spending 3 - 4 days each week, and that made me really happy! Without a computer, I have to go out into the library and check my email, make my schedule, do my mileage form, etc. while all my stuff is in the office and has to be drug back and forth.

No matter how many times we change the number to our fax line, we ALWAYS get calls from bill collectors for other people. It drives me CRAZY! The fax machine needs to be set up correctly to pick up when a call comes on that line, but Walter hasn't managed to get around to fixing that yet! So, this evening, the fax line rings (it's a different ring for the fax line), so I answer it.

Man: Can I speak to Susan?

Me: You have the wrong number.

Man: Is this ***-***-****?

Me: Yes, but there is no Susan here.

Man: Do you know a Susan Webb?

Me: YOU HAVE THE WRONG NUMBER!!!

Man: Susan gave me this number when she filled out an application.

Me: This is the FOURTH TIME i'm saying this to you - you HAVE the WRONG NUMBER!!

Man: Ok, bye Grumpy!

It took me a few minutes to stop laughing, and then I called the number back and asked for a supervisor and told them that the mean man called me names AND harrassed me. I'm sure noone cares, but it made me feel better to tell on him!

Walter has a board meeting to go to tonight, so Cameron & I are going to be hanging out at home. I hope you all have a good evening!

Wednesday

Kelley tagged "anyone who wants to play" in her blog, and well, I want to play!! The rules are to list 7 random facts about yourself:

1. I would have 100 cats and be the "crazy cat lady" if I was able to pull it off.

2. I was on the extended plan through college - it took me 17 years to graduate.

3. I am terrified of Geckos.

4. I was born on Friday 13th.

5. I have been told so many times that I look like Allie McBeal that it's just plain annoying.

6. My father is mentioned in some Louisiana history books.

7. I was sent home from Girl Scout camp when I was 13 and not allowed to be a girl scout any longer.

And I am tagging YOU!!! So if you want to play, go ahead!!!

That wasn't as easy as it looked! If I provoked any questions, feel free to ask! Now, on to something totally AGGRAVATING!!!!!!! I got an email from my cute little mom, who tends to send me things she gets from friends & family, and this email was to "connect to her" and join Reunion.com. Now, I'm a member of Classmates.com and similar websites, and it was free, so yeah, for my mom, I signed up! Within a minute, I got an email from one of Walter's nieces that said "did you send this to me or is it spam?" Huh? So I look at the email she forwarded, and it's from ME asking HER to "connect to me" and join Reunion.com. Rut Roh. Then I look at my gmail and my spam folder has suddenly got 50 spam emails in it, so I look at them and they were undeliverable attempts to send invitations to join Reunion.com. Then the craziness began. I realized quickly (I'm just smart like that) that Reunion.com had emailed everyone in my address book - over 300 people, businesses, work contacts, etc. I got Walter the Wizard to help me and he researched it to find that it doesn't seem to be a virus - just a way to get your email address book. I changed my gmail password, then bit the bullet and sent an email to EVERYONE in my address book to say DON'T OPEN THAT EMAIL FROM REUNION.COM!!! What a mess. My friend, Dana, emailed me to ask what to do if she joined the site??? She said she didn't have any addresses in her work email account, but that she was using her work account and would be in big trouble if it emailed the entire company. We prayed a bit over that and nobody ever said anything, so we think she was spared!! Anyway, how annoying that people would create programs to do things like this. Hopefully, it's over and done and I wont fall prey to something like this again. And don't you either!!!

I had an all day training at work today, which was about teaching replacement behaviors to kids and it was pretty interesting. I really want to focus on helping kids change their behaviors this year, so I was glad to have some new information. Plus, we went out to eat lunch and that always makes me happy! We went to the Picadilly and I had some really good roast beef! Yum! I am alittle behind in seeing my kids due to being in a meeting all day, so i'm going to try to catch up tomorrow. It is taking me awhile to get all their schedules straight and decide when to pull them from class. I also have to fit a lot of meetings into my schedule, which I didn't have too much of last year, so it is going to be a challenge, but I'm up to it!

Walter & I went to Hilltop tonight with Cathy & Brent. It's not steak night, but Cathy & I got steaks anyway. Tomorrow night Walter & Cathy have to go to the homeowners association board meeting, so we had to move steak night up again, which is fine with me. Hilltop isn't nearly as crowded on Wednesdays as it is Thursday - Friday. If you get there past 6 on one of those days, you will find a 1 - 2 hour wait for food AFTER you've waited 1/2 hour or more for a table! But anyway, it was really good tonight and I am STUFFED!

Well, I lied (not intentionally though) when I said we were going to wait to buy furniture for the porch. Walter was at Lowe's last night and saw some rocking chairs that he liked, so he got 2 and a little matching table. We will wait and get a small sofa set later. We tried the chairs in 2 spots, but I like them best in the 2nd picture where they are facing the river. They are really cute and were only $85 each.


This weekend Walter and his 4 brothers are having a "guys only" weekend in Pass Christian, Mississippi at his oldest brother's camp. I am planning a quiet, do nothing weekend and am excited about that! I don't get many of those weekends. I need to sit down and look at our budget for the month that I don't think is going well, which is probably why I'm ignoring it. I will also probably read blogs for 2 days straight cause i'm really enjoying that lately!!!

Just One Word...

I was tagged by Veggie Mom over at Eat Your Veggies! for a "meme." Nonna, the proprietress at Nonna's News, has a super "meme" out there. I am supposed to answer these questions with One Word. It's not as easy as you think!

1. Where is your cell phone? Table

2. Where is your significant other? Work

3. Your hair color? Brown

4. Your mother? Cute

5. Your father? Not

6. Your favorite thing? Restaurants

7. Your dream last night? Erased

8. Your dream/goal? Happiness

9. The room you're in? Den

10. Your hobby? Computer

11. Your fear? Snakes

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here

13. Where were you last night? Home

14. What you're not? Quiet

15. One of your wish-list items? JP

16. Where you grew up? Louisiana

17. The last thing you did? Study

18. What are you wearing? Clothes

19. Your TV? Off

20. Your pet? Big

21. Your computer? Laptop

22. Your mood? Good

23. Missing someone? JP

24. Your car? FUN!!

25. Something you're not wearing? Jewelry

26. Favorite store? Cato

27. Your summer? OFF

28. Love someone? Yes

29. Your favorite color? Blue

30. When is the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? Unsure

32. Who do you want to tag?

Mere The Babblings of Mere

Kelley My Life With My Love

Lizzy The Journey to the Hot Tub

Susie Bienvenue

Tam Momma Song

Today was a better day with Cameron. We talked last night about how we can compromise with the computer/grades/social issues and we came up with some ideas of how we could work together. I am going to let him use the computer when he wants to use it, as long as he's done his "hour of homework" at a set time, eats dinner with us (and pretends he likes us), and makes efforts to be out of his room doing other things. So far, so good today. Bryce came over after school and they asked me to help them study for a Biology test tomorrow, so we spent some time doing that. They both ate dinner with Walter & I (we used to ALWAYS do this - not sure what happened), and now they are both down at Bryce's house. And tonight was taco night, so everyone enjoyed that!

Work was busy but good today. I went to my smallest school to get the schedule of the only student I have to see there currently, then I went to my bigger school where my office is and got it looking good and got the computer hooked up, except it is missing 1 power cord that I will bring from my house. I am really going to like having an office with a computer in the school where I will spend 4 - 5 days. I met with 4 of my new students today and have to work out my schedule to see them.

It is still raining non-stop here. I don't think we've had a day without rain in weeks. I am ready for a few dry days!!!

Do you know these people? They are the Imagination Movers - a phenomenal kids band who are from New Orleans AND I have to say, personal friends of mine! Well, ok, I don't know 3 of them, but I grew up with Mover Dave. He & my brother have been best friends since elementary school. I am so proud of the Imagination Movers, and if you haven't exposed your young children to them, you should! They have recently gotten a DISNEY SHOW and will be premiering 2 new consecutive episodes on Saturday, September 6(10/9c) during Disney Channel's learning-focused Playhouse Disney programming block. It is filmed entirely in New Orleans and the series introduces preschoolers to the Imagination Movers' energetic rock and roll music while emphasizing creative problem solving skills. You gotta see them!

And while I'm advertising...stop by a participating Burger King in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, and New Orleans to pick up a free LSU Football Fan Card featuring the 2008 LSU Football Schedule. Burger King is the only place to get it. It has a beautiful photo of Tiger Stadium as well as valuable WHOPPER sandwich coupons. So, go get em! Walter's niece helped design and implement the promotion!

I've got so many new blogs to read, so I'm going to spend some time tonight doing that! I have really enjoyed meeting so many new people this week!!

Monday

I really had fun with the Blog Around the World post and am excited to see where we go next! I added a bunch of blogs to my blog roll to have a chance to read and get to know some new people. I usually keep the ones who comment back & forth and then slowly lose the others, but hopefully, I will meet and keep some new friends! I am a little disapointed that over 50 people visited my blog, but less than half left a comment. That's the point people!! Leave a comment so the people you visit can visit you!

Work was good today. I am trying to put together 2 "Why Try" groups and have been getting names from teachers of students that might benefit from the program. It is a program to help kids overcome their challenges and improve their outcomes in the areas of truancy, behavior, and academics. If I sound like i'm reading that straight off of the WhyTry.org website, it's because I am! I have never actually done a Why Try group, but one of my co-workers has been trained in it and is doing some groups on the west side with me, so I am going to just do what she does after she does it with me! I am excited to learn more about it because it does seem to be an effective program.

Cameron is home from his dad's, and as I thought, he's still pretty ticked off at me over the computer restrictions! I am willing to talk about it and what he can do to have more freedom with the computer, such as being nice when people talk to him, actually talking to people, using words instead of grunts when asked to do something, etc. The current rule is no computer until after 8. He came in from school and pouted awhile, told me how mad he is, and when Bryce came over, he said he wanted to go to Bryce's to do his homework. I said that is fine as long as he shows me what he worked on when he gets back. As they were going out the door, I said, "what time will you be home??" He said, "AFTER 8!" LOL...I was too tickled to argue and let him go. I called his dad to see what they worked out and I will talk to Cameron and see what we can come up with. His dad did make him do homework at a set time every night, which is going to help Cameron keep up with everything.

Here are some pictures of the completed screen porch project now that all of the tools are put away:

Our friend, Brent, works for a demolition company and had asked Walter if he wanted some lights from an old building to put on our boat slip. I think he is still waiting to get one more, then will put them up. Walter cleaned them up real good and they should look nice!

Here are some pictures of the pier with the swing, dock box (for the swing cushion), and bench.

And this is a project that Walter & our neighbor, Leon are working on...to catch the racoon(s) that keep pooping on our piers at night! I have not gone to see the poop, but apparently, it is a daily problem!

These are the lights that Walter put on the pier. They are really cool looking at night and light the place up nicely!

And this is just a cool view of the river from our pier. I love the way the lights look up & down the river.

That's all for tonight! I hope you all have a great night!

Welcome to Louisiana!!!

Hi everyone!!! Welcome to Louisiana, Home of the Drive Thru Daiquiri Shop!! And for the record, we do pronounce it LOOOOZIANA. I am so excited to be in the 1st state spotlighted by Blog Around the World!!! I would like to welcome you to my wonderful state! Come on in and grab a seat while I get you a plate of beignets (ben-yay) and some Community Coffee!!

Here in Louisiana, we love us some LSU football! You haven't lived until you've spent a football Saturday night in Tiger Stadium! We hold the title of National Champions for 2003 & 2007!


And then there is Mardi Gras (pronounced Mardi Gra or Mardi Graw)!! Have you ever been? If not, it is something that you should make a point to experience in your lifetime!! The world famous Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans (pronounced NAWLINS) and is an ancient custom that originated in southern Europe. Mardi Gras celebrates food and fun just before the 40 days of Lent. There are days and days of parades and fun!! You could go to the French Quarter to celebrate Mardi Gras and be exposed to lots of things you probably wish you'd never seen, or go to a small town celebration and experience an exciting, fun time for the whole family!!
Ok, now for a VERY brief history lesson!! History was never my thing, but since you've come from all around the world, I'll tell you what I know! The population in Louisiana is 4,523,628 and the state was named in honor of King Louis XIV. It is the only state in the union that does not have counties; instead, we have parishes. We are known as the Pelican State, our state flower is the beautiful Magnolia!

And here is our state flag:

We have suffered great losses here due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, that we are STILL recovering from 3 years later. It is incredible the amount of damage that was caused here (as well as other surrounding states) and it is very sad to see the struggles that still occur daily due to the damage that was done. Personally, my husband's family lost 7 homes and camps in Waveland, Mississippi, so we were greatly affected as well, just not here in Louisiana. Hearing about it is nothing compared to going to New Orleans and other Louisiana towns and seeing it for yourself. But we have also learned to work together and help each other to hold our wonderful state together!! And we are always happy to have a Hurricane Party! So come on y'all!!!

And you must have some boiled crawfish and crabs when you come to visit! When they're in season, we eat them often, whether we get them in a restaurant, pick them up "to go" at a store, or boil them ourselves at home. Someone is always having a crawfish or crab boil and it doesn't get much better than that!!


We also have plenty of wildlife to see in and around our rivers and swamps.

So now that you know about my great state, let me tell you who I am! My name is Dawn and I am a 43 year old wife, daughter, sister, mother, step-mother, biological mother, grandmother...ok, you get the picture! I am a social worker/school counselor, love my life, my family, and friends. I live in St. Amant (pronounced SANAMAW), Louisiana which is 1/2 way between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. My husband, Walter, and I have been married for almost 7 years. We live with my 14 year old son, Cameron, on a river in a small community and we love it here. Wild turkey, deer, and other wildlife can be seen roaming around in our neighborhood from time to time. We moved from Baton Rouge 3 years ago to build our home, which we have been living in for one year and it is truly our dream home. I love blogging, although i'm not sure that I have all that much interesting to say, but I love keeping up with my real life friends who blog, my blogger friends, and look forward to meeting more friends all the time!

I am glad you stopped by and would love to check out your blog if you leave me a comment so I'll know where to find you!! Enjoy your tour of Louisiana! I can't wait to see where the tour goes next!!