Thanks!

Gotta admit, my e-mail has been much more interesting since I joined Reunion.com!

Made a few connections from high school that have brightened my day.

You know who you are!
The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Celebrate

This weekend will be spent making Kar's graduation announcements.

We hit the scrapbooking supplies at Michaels and Joanns earlier this week for the papers, and now it's all up to our imagination.

It's amazing how much we are saving by not doing the school-ordered, but they hadn't even decided on the school insignia when the orders were due in January! They were so formal, not fun.

It's also not just about the cost. I have gotten Kar into scrapbooking this past year, so it will be a project for us to do together.

And Kar has even decided on the postage stamps!
The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Cheap labor

Yay! It's my day off and it's going to be 75 AND bright AND sunny AGAIN!

Today's agenda includes taking the dog for a walk to the post office. First, I must do up more senior pics for Karina to hand out and to send to The Grands. (Hence, the PO trip.)

They live for this stuff.

That's why I took some great pics of Karina when we were in Vegas. There are a few others that are beautiful from last summer (in Chicago) and fall (at the playground), too. It's just hard to beat Vegas, you know?

After that, my plan is to plant my new pine shrubs. Three out front and 3 on the kids' side of the house. There are a few bush saplings that need to be dug out.

Unfortunately, the patio blocks will have to wait til this weekend. I have the design all done up on an Excel spreadsheet and it looks SWEET, but 16 (2'x2') inner blocks need to be replaced. Considering their weight and price, it's not a good idea to tackle alone. Rick-the-expert-on-building/repairing/replacing/etc. has promised his assistance for a mere case of beer and T-bone steak dinner!
The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Special thanks to Bethany

Seven years of my life was spent working as a personal assistant to a human-interest journalist. Bethany taught me how to interview, edit and write. My natural curiosity worked well on the investigative side. Her features weren't hard-hitting or earth-shattering, but stories of hope, family, love and often, overcoming adversity. We had a ball and every day was a learning experience. No two were the same.

My style is nowhere near as polished as Bethany's. Words flow onto my pages just as easily as hers, but never as eloquently.

Bethany was a fantastic teacher for the 7 years we spent together. Such a blessing! She fine-tuned my basic skills, so much that without a day of college education myself, it is interesting to note that I proofread for Those With College Degrees.

What is typed here is more conversational, less perfection. That is a whole different animal than formal biz writing! When the occasion warrants, I clean up well!
The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

A mother's guilt

Went to bed last night at 9:15 p.m. Completely exhausted. Woke up at 5:10 a.m. Couldn't believe I slept for 8 hours! Felt so guilty, I did a load of laundry and let Nik out, before going back in to lay down til the sun came up. Took Nik for our daily 2-mile walk at 9 a.m.

Got home, Rick was making Egg RickMuffins (w/bacon and chez, pls!) Then, the four of us jumped in Rick's truck for a trip to Home Depot. My idea, you could have knocked Rick over with a feather when I suggested it.

As we were driving along, I asked Kar about her date last night. I felt guilty for being a bad mommy, not staying up for her like usual.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked warily. Never a good sign.
"Um, let's see, because I'M YOUR MOTHER!"
"But mom, I already told you about it!"
"You did? When?!!?"
"When I got home last night! Don't you remember us talking?"
"What time was that?"
My stepson chimed in, "Sheila, you got up with her and both of you were sitting on the couch talking when I came in at 11:30. You said good night to me."
"Ah, Rick, help me out here. Do you remember me getting out of bed last night?"
"Nope, but I was sleeping. That's what I do in bed. Sleep."
"And snore," I reminded him. Then shot him a silent scowl that reminded him that sleep is NOT all he does in bed.

It's very, very rare for me to sleep-walk/talk. Maybe has happened 5 times in my life. Amuses Rick to no end.

Kar went on to say that we'd spent about 30 minutes rehashing her date on the living room couch. When she came in to tell me she was home, I put on my robe, walked out of my bedroom and into the kitchen to grab a glass of Diet Pepsi. She never guessed I wasn't awake. We chatted while I pet my dog and cats. Never said I was tired. And I don't remember a damn thing!

Then, it hit me. That means I did NOT sleep for 8 hours straight! And I am a good mommy!
The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Like thy neighbor

We have great neighbors. It's odd that I know my neighbors better than most people who live in subdivisions. That's not the way I grew up!

It's not uncommon for us to have an impromptu BBQ with the family next door. Or everyone, kids included, sits around a Saturday night fire chatting. The girls watched our kitties daily when we took our month-long vaca a few years ago. I drive the girls to/front school occasionally. Rick and Rod share much of the same interests: repairing, hunting, fishing, drinking beer and telling tall tales.

We also enjoy riding our Hondas together in the summer.

Of course, we have a family of "city-transplanted" hillbillies on our other side. They are weird people, but we are still friendly. New house, but the work was so shoddy, they are suing the builder and the builder is suing them! Last year, we finally had to formally complain to the village about the huge blue tarp covering their roof...for 3 months!

Our next favorite neighbor, the tractor dealer guy whose name is on our road. Rick helps out in his shop some nights, since the guy is nearing 75. His grandsons are just a bit younger than our kids, but nice boys. They hang out over here quite a bit with the girls, my stepson and the Rick and Rod. They all ride dirt bikes, snowmobiles, fix cars, etc. Or just sit out on our patio and shoot the breeze.

That's what you get in a dinky town with a population less than most elementary schools!

The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

University of Las Vegas?

Sure, it's warming up nicely here. Temps in the 60s with sun and a breeze.

After 5 days in the Vegas warmth, Kar and I are still finding ourselves cold. Maybe it's time for us to look into Rick taking a Southwest branch!

If I didn't love my house and village so much, I might be on REALTOR.COM right now. Oh, and I doubt my Samoyed would do well in the freakin' desert!

And I hate to move. But my kid doesn't. No fear. She's ready to price University of Las Vegas tuition and move out there all by herself.

Great....my drama queen goes Vegas showgirl!

The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Free babysitter

This weekend is Birth Control Saturday for Kar.

I have volunteered her for kidsitting duties during a friend's baby shower. For free.

Stuck with kids in an area much too small on a Saturday afternoon and not getting paid. Anything they do bad, WILL reflect on you. They are your responsibility.

That's motherhood.

She'll have fun, but she will be tired after. Motherhood is not just the fun of baking cookies, playing at the park and taking naps.

It has been good birth control to talk honestly with my daughter about my past and try to show her the harsh realities of early motherhood. My mantra: please don't make the same choices as me, your kids deserve better!

After Kar, there were no more babies, so she never had siblings to deal with daily. (Cody is a few months older than her and had the every-other-weekend/all holidays thing going.) Perfect in some ways, not so great experience in others. Kar always acts like an older sister to the neighborhood kids, she's very accepting of the younger ones. But her "mothering/big sister" skills have only been stretched for a few hours at a time.

Thankfully!
The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Friday 5s

Catching up on my Friday 5s.

CHANGE (April 11, 2008)
1. If you had the ability to legally change your name, would you? To what? Nope. I've grown into my name. And I suck at change!
2. What do you with change that you receive from banks/purchases/find on the ground? Goes in a jar that Munchkin uses for lunch money.
3. If you could travel back in time to change the course of one historical event, what event would it be? It sounds odd, but I'd wouldn't change history. One event removed causes a chain effect and not necessarily for the better.
4. Would you rather live a safe, stable, moderately interesting life or one where every day was dangerous, volatile, and different? I live a fulfilling life.
5. What do you think you'll be remembered for when you die and, if you could, would you change it to something else? Doubt I will be an AP story, but hopefully, I will be remembered for being a good person.

IN THE KITCHEN (March 28, 2008)
1. What type of food do you most like to eat? Rice. It's my comfort food. Chicken rice, salsa rice, broccoli/chez rice...it's all yummy!
2. What type of food do you most like to cook? Chicken: on grill, rotisserie, fried, breaded, etc. There's a recipe for my every mood!
3. What ingredient could you not live without? Lemon pepper
4. What do you never let in your kitchen? Bologna. EWWWW!
5. What is your favorite drink? Diet Cherry Coke

NAME FIVE... (February 22, 2008)
... things you can't live without. People and pets aside, I need my car, computer w/Internet access, my debit card, my watch and toilet paper!
... of the best moments in your life. When my daughter was born, the first time I met my husband, our wedding, my high school graduation and the day we bought our home.
... celebrities you can't stand. Katie Couric, anybody affiliated with American Idol, Dr. Phil, politicians and Tom Cruise.
... books you enjoy(ed) reading. The Death series, The Plum series, The Harry Potter series, The Left Behind series and anything by Grisham.
... items in your purse/backpack/on your desk. In my purse: debit and credit cards, work fob, pen, biz cards and cell phone.

SOULMATES (February 1, 2008)
1. Do you believe you can have more than one soulmate in life? I don't go with the whole "soulmates" concept, but of course, if something happens to me, I hope Rick finds someone to love dearly. (And no, I haven't sold my soul!)
2. Are you with that soulmate now? I've been with my husband for 13+ years now.
3. If not, how long did your relationship with your soulmate last? N/A
4. Do you still think about your soulmate, if you are not together? N/A
5. IF you're not together, do you think your soulmate still thinks about you? N/A

The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Mother Nature at her finest

Michigan spring-time is so beautiful.

The other morning, it was warm after rains and the worms were slinking in full force. Big, fat, juicy nightcrawlers and skinny angel-hair worms covered the ground.

Just walking out to my car made me a mass worm murderer.

As the ground thaws and the April showers visit, there are many temporary ponds in the area. With lots of temporary ducks/geese swimming and splashing.

Probably the most joyous part of Spring for me is longer daylight hours. I’m no longer going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark. Now, I can open and close the branch with plenty of sunlight to take Nik for a 2-mile walk around town before I leave in the AM or when I get home in the evening. (Or does he take me?)

It's so refreshing to watch the Spring rebirth: flowers popping out of the ground, trees pushing out their new leaf buds, etc. Truly new beginnings!
The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Nice 'n Easy

About the turn of the millenium, my first gray hairs were appearing at the nape of my neck.

For my genetics, I have great hair. At 37, I'm not balding or excessively gray. I'd still put me at about 10% gray, mostly framing my face and the nape of my neck. Most people think they are highlights.

I've thought about coloring, but it almost seems wrong. Rick has the George Clooney-thing going on quite nicely. Of course, both gorgeous guys are 40+.

My look is more natural. No makeup, not even lipstick. NADA!

What you see is my own hair color, if I decide to dye it, it won't be because of pressure from society.

I still curl my hair, a true vice and vanity.

The kids are fast approaching college; I can easily blame my daughter and stepson for each gray follicle.

The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

The beginning of the end

It was nice to walk into work this morning and have my staff happy to see me. They held the fort down quite nicely. Lucky for me!

Both of my assistants were all smiles, especially while they opened their gifts.

Lunch dates were set up with my two best friends for later this week. One may turn into dinner since we are planning a baby shower for another VP.

Kar is officially in the final stretch of her high school career. It's surreal. What was once years ahead is now just a sneeze away. The years once seemed to be dragging by, but this exciting time is flying quickly through her fingers.

Thank goodness, we are well-rested for the coming crazy days!
The Last of Sheila (Coburn)

Leaving Las Vegas

Vegas was awesome! We had so much fun in such little time. We really could have stayed a few more days, just to experience all of it.

Of course, no wedding chapels. teehee

Now, I'm hard at work creating the online photo albums for everyone to view, plus Kar's latest batch of senior pics.

The Last of Sheila (Coburn)