"Craftitis"

I have a syndrome, uncommonly known as "craftitis". Definition- the swelling of one's craft supply. It can be fairly serious. Symptoms included but are not limited to the over abundance of craft supplies. There is no known cure at the present. Therapy may be helpful with some patients, as well as, the act of organizing one's supplies and distributing them to needy preschools, church classrooms and the like.
My, oh, my, what a large craft supply. With the event of moving looming on the horizon, I have spent the last two evenings, literally, cleaning up and out my craft supplies. I have rubbermaids full and labeled (Allison would be proud) of various forms of crafting. Sewing, fabric, scrapbooking, glue and other adhesives, jewelry findings, ribbon, cardstock and colored paper. You name it, I probably have it. I found 4 paper hole punches, several pairs of scissors, floral tape galore. I have realized I have a problem. So many ideas, little time and enough crafting junk to last the rest of my life. Somebody stop me! I have shed a tear or two, while getting it all put together. I feel wasteful.
I'm determined to move into this house in some form of orderly fashion. Last year when we packed boxes, some were packed with care, others not so much. Boxes were scattered between storage space in the rental and the storage unit. I felt very discombobulated. Finding certain items was not easy. So when Eddie emptied the storage unit this past weekend (thanks to Alan for all his help), I was hoping and thought I had asked for certain boxes, such as decorations, all be placed in one specific location. That did not happen. I had a melt down. I cried. I needed a release. Its not so much that the boxes didn't get put in the right place, or that boxes that belonged together upstairs in the bonus room, where placed way down in the basement, as it was that I was/am exhausted. I feel like I've spent an enormous amount of time painting, caulking, talking about the house, running errands for the house, dealing with the bank and their deficiencies, making phone calls, pricing supplies, making decisions. I am so thankful that Lana has been able to help with the cleaning up, window cleaning and the like. She has spent many hours vacuuming and windexing. I spent an hour on Saturday trying to figure out how to put the grills in the front door windows. I was apparently doing it all wrong- for an hour. When I finally had a light bulb moment, it took me 5 seconds- literally. I think my brain is just fried. So if I seem a little out of sorts, its because I am. If I seem a little distant, a little spacey, don't hold it against me. If I don't call as often, or return a call as quickly as usual, its not because I don't want to. I'm ready for normalacy. I'm ready for our lives back.

Don't touch my (hair) do!

Sometimes kids surprise you, don't they. This morning started off to a rough start. Today was picture day at school. And if anyone reading this knows, Matthew, while fairly photogenic, is not a big fan of having his picture made, unless I'm behind the camera. So, needless to say, when told this morning that he would be having his picture made, he was not happy. I tried to calm his "fear" by telling him that, he would just have to sit there and have one picture taken. I asked Cameron to tell him that was all he would have to do. Cameron said "well... actually you have to sit there and they have to position you on the stool, and they make sure your shirt is o.k. and they comb your hair..." then the tears came. " I don't want anyone to comb my hair...." And again, if you know Matthew, he doesn't like to be touched by people he doesn't know (remember the hug tag game in gym from a few weeks ago), and he is particular about his hair. As a toddler, he loved to have his Nan brush his hair at church and now he proudly brushes his hair every night after his shower, but for a stranger to do it, is torture. I told him I would write his teacher a note and explain to her that he was nervous and that to let the photographers know that I could care less how he looked in the picture, but that I did expect him to be big and have his picture made. In the end, that seemed to help him over this hurdle. Off to school the boys went. My day went on. Packing boxes, dealing with unprofessional, lying loan officers, etc... just another typical day, right? I picked the boys up and the first thing his teacher said to me, was that he did great at pictures, he sat so well and let them comb his hair! Surprise! Cameron is just so easy going. He could care less. Last night he had a soccer skills clinic and he did very well. And since I don't have enough on my plate, I volunteered to coach Cameron's soccer team as well (I'm also co-coaching Matthew's). Cameron was really excited and for that reason alone, I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm sure I'll have some help too.

Great Green Gobs of....

Dr. Oz's energy drink! I'm trying it. On a friend's recommendation. Its green and thick. We'll see if it does the trick. I need energy- there are porch pillars to caulk and paint, vanities to paint, rooms to clean.... O and maybe I should start packing. Hopefully, we will have a certificate of occupation by the end of next week and can start moving things in. Can't hardly believe its almost over. Note to Rho- i had thought about taking a picture of it, just for you.

Who's Phillip Fulmer?

I'll get to the title of this blog entry in a minute. But first, I'll update whoever may be reading this on what's been going on. School, work, painting, caulking, building, theft.... we've been busy, busy, busy! School- I had really intended on titleing this entry " Matthew's first tear-free morning", but I didn't have a picture to go with it. Friday, of last week, Matthew had his first tear-free drop off at school. It only took 3 weeks, but it did happen. Monday and today went just as well. The boys seem to be doing well and enjoying school. Cameron doesn't say much, but he was really proud of some art that he did on Friday. They were looking at pictures by MC Escher and drew pictures of hands. I went on Monday to the art room to take a look. He did a great job. He's a very good artist in my opinion. Work- Eddie is working hard. Apparently, he has decided that his goal is to see 600 patients in the month of August. His nurse showed me the tally sheet, she keeps at her desk. Bless them. Painting, caulking, building- I've become quite the little construction worker. Over the past several days, I've caulked nail holes and stairs, sanded stairs, and painted them, as well as, shelves for closets. Today, I caulked the back porch pillars and will paint them tomorrow. I'm also getting ready to distress the stairs that I painted. Theft- Cameron's four wheeler was stolen from the new house garage. The day before the garage doors went on. Of course. We had taken it over there so the boys could ride while we worked Sat. and Sunday. Could bring it home because Eddie let one of his partners borrow the trailer to try out his four wheeler (we're selling that). Monday, I had figured one of the workers moved it when they were putting the garage doors in. Tuesday morning, the boys asked me if I knew where it was, that it wasn't at the house. After several phone calls, a hike around the property and neighborhood, it was no where to be found. So I filed a police report and had hoped it would be covered on our renters insurance. It is not, because it is a motorized vehicle. Goodbye another $1500. It makes me want to puke. The kicker is that whoever took it, had to roll it down the driveway and heave it in to whatever they hauled it away in, because the key is on Eddie's keychain.

OK- the title of this post. On Saturday, we all got to go watch a UT football scrimmage at Neyland Stadium. From the new sky boxes! and we also got to "meet" Phillip Fulmer and have him sign something. The boys kept asking "who's Phillip Fulmer?" they just thought it was cool to sit up that high and eat cookies and watch football. Anyhow... the picture is from that day. We went with one of Eddie's partners, his son and two of our mutual friends' boys.