We are all sad.

Taiko has ran away again.
Back in January he ranaway and got put in doggy jail. But as of tonight, he was not in jail again. And he is no where to be found.
So if you see an ugly chug/puguahuah (that is what he is) in grand prairie, please call the number on his collar. It is too hot outside for a dog like him to be without food and water. And we miss him here at home....

Come back Taiko!

McLinky Tuesdays....3 Things You Don't Know About Me

Well I am sure if you have been a long long long time reader of my blog, then you may know these things...but since you probably are not...this (and me as a matter of fact) is a new.

#1 I don't like the phrase "by the hair of my chinny chin chin" because I resemble that remark (the hairy Persian genes were inherited by me...blah)
#2 I once peed on myself in kindergarten coming back from a fieldtrip. I almost made it...I was at the stall door...close but no cigar.
#3 When I was 12 I won a bubblegum blowing contest, the bubble was roughly the size of my head (that took 8 pieces of gum...but I won.).

Memorable heat.....

It is soooooooooo stinkin' hot outside....
I have accomplished a very few of the tasks I have had planned to do. I blame the heat. Why does it seem that it is hotter outside the older I get?
I hate sweating.
HATE IT
.My favorite summer thus far as an adult would be the summer I spent in Quincy, Illinois. It was wonderful.I ran across my journal I kept from that time, and I see how much I raved about the cooler weather.
I watched Shakespeare in the park in the middle of a July afternoon and didn't sweat a drop of anything.
I walked every night, there was no humidity to sweat to, and at times, I walked the whole 30 blocks to the Mississippi river and enjoyed the cool breeze...
*sigh*
It only got hot in August, and in September it cooled off like it was supposed to do.
Oh how I long for Quincy weather again!

Blog hop beggings.

This picture makes me happy. Today I woke up after our morning nap and I have Ainsley's arm around my neck. She cuddled me while I slept..isn't that sweet? Well I thought of this picture as soon as I saw a "blog game" going on.... it i called Favorite Photo Blog Hop. Join in the game and you will get to tour the blog world and see a bunch of fun pictures.

Retirement at its best

I went to pick up my grandmother yesterday for our 4th of July bbq. And after I got her in the car I had to return her motorized chair to her apartment.
I worked that thing like a champ. Now this is what I am talking about. Only it may take some time to adjust... Being a first time driver I felt like a drunk driver swerving all over the place - running into the wall of the elevator- and almost hitting an old lady.
I may need an elderly license to operate that thing. Or at least get off the phone:

This is how we are doing it this year.

We bought a grill (does that make me a grown up?) got my Grandma for the night Matt (in the bottom pic) grilled I cooked and we all ate.
After Jason ate he left to watch fireworks with Aaron. Whitney Matt Grandma and I are vegging out watching fireworks on TV in the air conditioning sans mosquitoes and humidity.
Only if I can convince someone to wash dishes and clean the dishes I will be a happy camper.

Happy 4th of July. Thank you to all the service men and women protecting my freedoms. My cousins and uncles have fought the freedom fight in all the military organizations. A special thank you to them. I love you.

A Letter of sorts.

Dear bloggy people....

I have got a real lazy hair lately when it has come to my blogging..... and to a few other things in my life (namely couponing and cleaning) I guess I am in a funk....I had been so busy with things that I guess I needed a break, and without my permission, I took one.
Hopefully I can say that I am back in business, I have a few blogs in my head brewing....but I don't want to promise anything, because then I could be called a liar if I don't produce...

See ya later!
Layla

Not just an ordinary top 5

Top 5 Things I did today...

5 - Got lots of sweet baby kisses from Ainsley. Now she is older, she is understanding things like when I say kiss, she leans in for a slobber kiss.

4 - Ate yummy left overs from Olive Garden. Yummo.

3 - Cleaned up my twister wrecked livingroom.

2 - Chased down the icecream man barefoot on the hot concrete.

1- Announced my recent (as of last night) ENGAGEMENT to Jason. Yes you read correctly, we are engaged. Whew....long time coming, and I honestly never thought it would get here....but it is.

I have actually known that he was going to ask me to marry him for a few weeks. BUT I am old fashioned and didn't want to announce the good news until after it was official. That my dear interpeeps is why I have been absent for a while...because all I wanted to do was tell you about it, so if I can't keep my mouth shut, I had to not be here at all.....

This is my temporary ring......my real ring is still being paid for, and then also created.....so until then, this is what my hand looks like.

I will get around to it soon.

I had mentioned a few months ago that I had to blog on my Lufkin adventures....I didn't forget it, I am just having a hard time putting into words the things that I need to say....just keep waiting...it will come.
This is a blog of "what is to come" I have lots of news, but do not have the ability to share it....but I want to, I am actually busting at the seams....
Some of you who know me, knows what happened this weekend (not bad at all)....but please, limit any comments on the event, because it is a real sensitive subject (can bring me to tears at any point) and the delicate news has to be shared with others in a manner that will not cause family/friend issues.....so please....help me out.

But oh the things that are on the horizon are so clear now.....be ready for news.

*sigh*

I need help.

I am the worlds worst when it comes to cleaning. And I know I have mentioned it before on my blog, but I seriously need help.
I can clean.
I was once paid to clean.
BUT I get soooo discouraged when things are not going my way...
for example. I hate my apartment.
To me, there is no where to put anything. No real proper storage. I feel cramped and piled on top of myself.
I have things piled in one part of my livingroom WAITING for me to have a garage sale...I have a huge pile of clothes sitting under my bar WAITING for me to wash them, but I have to get caught up on our everyday stuff, that I never get around to it....I hate our washing machine (though I am grateful I have one) because it is a small one, that holds only half a load.
I have piles of coupons for me to organize, I know I can save tons of money if I use them, I have saved almost 80% of my total using coupons, but because I don't have what I feel is the necessary items to organize them, I don't want to do it....I have piles of craft projects some started and forgotten, some waiting and some just imagined.....I have a desk that looks like a black hole, gobbling up anything in it's way.....
I have cleaned, organized and became anal retentive over these things, but it keeps coming back because I get discouraged at the way others don't respect the hard work I have done and can't pick up after themselves.
I know this is just an excuse, but it is one that I can't get over.....

Help me internet friends, how do you stay at home moms do it, how do you have to drive and desire to keep trucking even though piles and messes continue to happen. save me!