Tuesday...perfect day!

Is this not PERFECT WEATHER?!?!?! 

I'm just SOOO happy to not be at work today so I can enjoy it.  I'm off Friday thru Sunday this week and the weather is supposed to be cold.  Everyone will be in the Emergency Room next week sick too!

Well, Ashley has written me from somewhere in the great unknown, BUT...she sent pics! So, I have to share them with my fellow bloggers!

Me and Dad think Ashley is the one in front judging from boot size and she's holding some kind of wrench, which she has told us in the past that she uses.

This view is taken as the Helo is landing...I believe Ash said she is in the center weating blue...

Ain't she beautiful!!!

I wanted to include this pic so you could see her boat...

I'm just glad there's NETS around the boat incase they fall off!

Anyway, there's loads more pics here...http://picasaweb.google.com/JoanBuddy/ForwardHeloTieDown#

She emailed again last night and said she had been on a strict DIET and exercising alot, including RUNNING...so she can look good in...Cozumel!  

 WHY DOES SHE WANT TO LOOK GOOD IN COZUMEL?  

WHERE is this COZUMEL and 

WHY is there this need to impress the Cozu-smellians? 

She's also making E-3 next week and should go on the A-School list next week as well, which means this is her last patrol with this particular boat! While in A-School, she can pick from a list where she wants to be stationed for the next 3 years.  

Her Daddy and I TRUELY wouldn't mind like...Hawaii or one of those caribbean stations...GREAT vacation spots.  ha

We want her to go and do things she won't ever get to do again.  I guess tying a helicopter down would count as one of those!

That's it from me today! have a great day everyone!

Joan

It's 80 DEGREES TODAY!!!

I'm finally off work for a couple days and I wanted to start my wonderful day off by updating my blog.  I personally don't have anything to update it with because I haven't done anything except work and I did go to a Mexican restaurant last night and watch Courtney win $50. singing karaoke!  WOO-HOO! Come to think of it, I never actually SAW the money, she shoved it in her pocket so fast, but she was happy!! and so was Mike!!

Mike's family got back from California as I mentioned below and I finally saw them !  They took a LOAD of pics from all across the US...I will put them on here as soon as I get them to my computer...hopefully today.

My parents also have pictures to share, of which I have access to.  Firstly, they went to my Aunt Rheba's house to visit and then drove to her son Tommy's house that he is wanting to buy.  They said it was absolutely GORgeous!

Can you imagine living HERE!  OMGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  If you look closely, you see Mom and Aunt Rheba looking thru the windows...geeeze.  I hope noone was home.

Here is a pic of the BOAT HOUSE!Now, if this was MY place, that would be MY little house within my place. NO KIDS ALLOWED. I LOVE it!

I just think it's beautiful and Tommy, I know you don't read my blog, but if you ever do and you buy this place, feel FREE to invite me ANYtime to your house and I will make the pilgramage to your Mecca.  

Then, the next day, Mom was sick, so Dad went to Aunt Aurelia's house to celebrate my Uncle Dale's birthday! They like to celebrate stuff....and EAT!

Dad sent me pics of that too.  Here is a pic of my cousin Kristie (Uncle Dale's daughter), whom I haven't seen in Y-E-A-R-S, her 2 kids, who I believe I saw when they were just infants and her boyfriend/husband/fiance...not sure whichbut will clarify with Dad.

As I have said MANY times before, we McCauley's got some purty genes! 

Anyways, Kristie works at the Travelers Rest Police Dept. as a dispatcher and her boyfriend/husband/fiance is a COP there!  

Now, if ya'll remember back some time ago, Courtney received her first warning ticket there, but this guy wasn't the cop.  Course it was pitch dark and the blare of the flashing blue lights was quite blinding and the howl of Courtney squawling was deafing against the shrillness of Mike YELLING BESIDE MY EAR, but I'm certain this wasn't him. BUT, it's good to know we got kin in the po-lice dept. up there!

Did I already mention how purty our genes are?? I ain't quite sure what Esther is doing...maybe napping?!

I KNOW it must make him proud to have his grand-daughter, like, TOTALLY into tech stuff! It makes ME proud and I'm her cousin! sniff sniff....

I love this pic...two cousins staring at a computer screen...

Ahhh well...I wish I could have been there, but AS USUAL, I had to work.  Maybe this year they will be at Aunt Aurelia's house for one of the holidays when I'm there.

As for our news, Courtney bought her prom dress, which is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  I would put a pic of it on here, but she would kill me.  She will have the "unveiling" on prom day and Dad and I will capture it then.  She's going with a bunch of girls and they're planning a whole day of it...an "EVENT" of it.  This bunch of girls she is friends with are VERY nice and all come from good families and they all go to church together.  What more could a parent as for?  At least she ain't going with some FREAKING boy and I'd have to listen to AND watch Mike pace the floors till she got back home. 

Well, that's about it.  The weather ouside is going to be just about perfect and I plan on enjoying it as I head to Wal-Mart later on.  I might even get wild and go to Big-Lots!  ha

l8r-

Joan

Our Blizzard 2009

As EVERY March, it snowed!  WOO-HOO!  What I can't figure out is WHY there was NO SCHOOL YESTERDAY?!  I think the Greenville County School System looks at my work calender and determines school closures based on my days off.  Even Courtney...COURTNEY, wanted to go to school yesterday!!

That's Mom and Dad's barn...that's alot of snow!

So...the boys LOVED the snow day!  They were just BESIDE themselves!

BAH-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!   I couldn't get them to move off the couch!  Courtney was laying on the couch, then we moved Harley's bed on the couch and I had started a fire.  This is what they did all day yesterday.

This is Boomer frolicking!  HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  (I just made my own self laugh!!)

Then, I was poking around on the puter and GUESS what just POPPED up on my puter?

Now, HOW did he get here?!  I promise I don't know how these things happen

I was poking around on Dad's web album and saw where they had went to an Old Peoples dinner at Enoree Baptist Church.  SO, I know Lauren and Ashley are two of my loyal readers, so I wanted to educate you in addition to entertain you...

This is a pic of your Great Uncle Hugh...Your Grandpa's Dad's Brother and your Aunt Betty.

I thought that was a great pic!

Here is ya'll's Uncle Harry and Ester...And Uncle Dale and friend...I don't know her name, but I've met her and she's nice!

And here is your Grandparents...The rest of the pics were of people I don't even know. MAN we got some HOT LOOKING GENES!  Ain't we purty!

**ASHLEY UPDATE** - Her boat departed from Portsmouth yesterday headed back to the caribbean...where it's WARM and the water is actually BLUE and Flipper lives! Actually, they were supposed to leave around 9am yesterday morning, but the "GYROSCOPE" sp?? broke and they had to return back to the port and fix it.  She called me at 2pm and they were still waiting on it to be fixed, but hoped it would be by 4pm and they would leave out then.  She said it was FREEZING on the boat deck....sniff sniff...my baby was COLD.

Ashley...be careful and don't fall off the boat and don't give your cell phone number to any strange boys (or ANY boys for that matter).  IM me from your Blackberry Curve 8330 in PINK to MY Blackberry Curve 8330 in PINK!  HAAAAAAAAAAAAA From Blackberry to Blackberry Instant Messanger is FREE anywhere in the world!  I HEART BLACKBERRY!

L8r everyone!

Joan

Well, that's about it for the moment from here!  Have a good day everyone!

Joan

The BIG Dig-out

As I'm in my warm house, Mike is outside scraping snow off the truck so he can take me to work...

and here are some icecycles..........and here is mike again....HAAAAAAAAAAAAA....gotta go to work now....YES, I have my walking boots and GPS..."HE" insists on driving...

JOAN

SNOWWWWWWWWWWWW

YES...we have SNOWWWWWWWWWWW!  This is when it first started snowing... Here it is...a view of across the street towards Mike's parents house...That's Mike's dad pulling out of his drive way, only to pull back in again...not sure why!

Then...after it was dark and snowing like CRAZY, I took the tape measure out and took a pic of what it's done so far...

Is that not the WORST PIC I'VE EVER TAKEN???  It was pitch dark out and the camera wouldn't focus...OH WEL...3 inches so far!

This is actually a picture of a tree in the back yard!  BUT, it wouldn't take it, so I thought this was a neat pic of the actual snow flake anyways!  COOL!

I also wanted to let ya'll know that I have been RIPPED OFF BY TV.  I was watching my usual Star Trek Enterprise show and this STUPID INFOMERCIAL came on about this FLIPPING container you can buy to grow your FREAKING TOMATO PLANTS - UPSIDE DOWN.  HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  Did I not do that year before LAST?!  I actually did a comparison study...one upside down and right underneath that, so that it would get the same amount of light and water, I planted another one in the ground.  The upside down one did FAR better.  

WHO'S BEEN STALKING ME?  OMGEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeee.

It's hard enuff people always trying to emulate me because of my strong genes and gifted talents and creativity, but to actually market my ingenious inventions and SELL THEM ON AN INFOMERCIAL?! This is WAR.

Well, I guess I need to get ready for work.  Mike is taking me in the morning due to our blizzard like snow drifts of 3 inches and I need to get prepared... to WALK to work.  His driving skills are exTREMELY lacking, but he doesn't think so. Why is it men think because they are men, they can drive better?  I think our lower insurance premiums suggest differently...but who am I to say.  I'll pack my snow shoes and turn my GPS locator on, on my Blackberry Curve 8330 in PINK, just to be safe.

Be careful in the snow everyone!

Joan

TWITTER!!!

OK...so me and Court are Twittering and now Mom is at this very moment, signing up so she can twitter also!  

My twitter is....http://twitter.com/joanarnold

I KNOW....VERY NERDY....

If you look to the right, you will see my twitterings with Mom and Court....

Well, Mom and I are twittering, so I'll go.  If any of my faithful viewers TWITTER, leave a comment and let us know!  

Joan

New Stuff...

In my newly found freedom from WORKING so much, I have discovered new "BLING" for my Blog! 

I was poking around other people's blogs and noticed they had some pretty neat stuff they added.  So, I have added some to mine!  After all, I can't be out done by the "ordinary", so my blog must be EXTRAordinary!

If you will look to the right, you will see a visitor count!  How many times have you guys read that I have been wondering how many people actually DO visit my blog since nearly EVERYONE doesn't leave comments?  Well, now I can keep count.

Under that, I added a "Quote of the Day". I like it, so therefore, I have it! It changes daily, so you can check back tomorrow to see what it says!

I will be adding more as I discover it!!!

Joan

HEY!

Just a short update to update!  I'm off today thru Sunday!  YIPEE! I have the BEST schedule in the world and I LOVE IT! Working 3 days a week is a dream and I waited along time to get it!

Well, Court and I decided to TWITTER!  I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I have signed up for it.  So far, my Blackberry Curve in PINK hasn't twittered nor has this computer.  hmmm.... I'll update if I figure out what it is.

That's about it for the moment! I'm sure it will get more interesting as the weekend approaches.  Ashley leaves out on patrol again on Monday and she's excited.  She's going "Patrol shopping" today!  I don't know how that will differ from any other shopping she's been doing! She's also moving into a different barracks.  The Coast Guard has some town homes right off base which are apartments.  Has washer/dryer etc...so her and her girl buddies are moving into that today also. What a life!

Mike just called and informed me that I must go get the oil changed in the car today. SURE...I'll get right on it!  hee

Joan

Pics from Spartanburg....

I think we're all coming out from under the rock now...we've ALL been sick!  Just when I thought I had my head cold licked, I sneezed and threw my back out!  geeeeeeze. It actually hurt to sit straight up in a chair, so I haven't posted anything.  My back feels tight but good this morning!  WOO-HOO!

Yesterday morning, Court calls me from school and said she was nauseated.  SO, once again, I go get her from school...why is it she ONLY gets sick when I'm off work?!? Anyways, she actually WAS sick!  If ya'll remember, she had stomach surgery a few years ago which makes it nearly impossible for her to throw-up...she can, it's just extremely painful.  Well MAN was she sick.  Her stomach and back muscles hurt her so bad last night after she started feeling better.  Poor baby...but she's going to school today. period.

I, once again, have no pictures to add here.  I did take a couple with my BLACKBERRY CURVE in PINK of the dogs, but they aren't really blog-worthy...just Ashley-worthy.  I sent them to her.

Mom and Dad, Uncle Harry, Ester and Aunt Aurelia and I'm not sure if Dale went, but they all went to Spartanburg to see a show at the auditorium.  Dad was there with his camera and took loads of pics. Here are a few of those...

I'm assuming that's Ronnie McDowell...I thought it was Liberace's NEPHEW at first!  BAH-HAAAA!

Here are all the ones that was there...Mom and Dad said it was a really good show...TOOOOO bad I was sick and couldn't go!!!!

Here is a link to all the fun-filled pictures Dad took-

http://picasaweb.google.com/larryandjewel/LegendsAndMemoriesConcertSpartanburg22February2009#

Well, that's it from me for the moment.  

Hopefully we're over all this sickness...Mike's Dad has been pretty sick too with a head cold...he said yesterday he was feeling a little better.  GOOD.

Ashley texted me last night and said SHE has a cold!  She was having to drive herself all the way to 7-eleven to get her own juice.  sniff sniff....IN THE FREEZING COLD! ALL BY HERSELF!! and it was COLD!  sniff sniff....

I guess I'll have to add vitamin C to her next care package!!! POOR baby!

later-

Joan

Still Here!

I didn't want any of my readers to think I had dropped off the planet...I'm HERE!  I just haven't done anything blog worthy...except catch Courtney's cold.  I haven't felt like writing anything creative whilst sick.

Mike's Mom, Grandma, Uncles and Aunt have driven to California to see Darrell, who had to have emergency brain surgery.  This was on Tuesday.  He's holding his own, is the latest word. We're pulling for you, Darrell!!!

That's about it!  I'm working the next 3 days, so I won't post anything probley till Monday UNLESS something blog-worthy happens.  I hope not...I like things nice and boring while I'm working these long hours.

More soon!

Joan

Powderpuff Football

Last night was the BIG GAME as I mentioned before.  Our baby did great as the "hiker" for the team.

Notice her in the middle! What poise!

Here she is showing what she's made of-

OH the ANGER!  hee

Of course, she has to take a moment to pose for her fans!

They actually did play some....Of course, then they had to get a water break or two in...and hug each other for a well taken water break...and then the coach had to tell them where to run...and then more hiking the ball...and more discussing...and RUNNING....MY BABY RAN!aand then another water break...notice the super dooper industrial strength MOUTH GUARD!and finally...THEY WON!!!!!it really was a good game, if not slanted for the SENIORS to win...but our girls pulled thru anyways!

Enjoy everyone and more later!!!

Here is a link to all the nights fun...http://picasaweb.google.com/larryandjewel/CourtneyPlaysInMHSPowderPuffFootballGame10February2009#

Quick update with pics

This week has been terribly busy, even tho I was off Monday and Tuesday.

First, I HAVE to tell Darrell, one of my faithful blog readers AND Mikes Uncle who lives in California, I hope you are back on your feet soon. You have NO idea how much you and Connie are both missed by all of us here and everyone is pulling for you.

We all miss and love you both!

Now.  The Mauldin High talent show was Monday night and of COURSE Dad and I were there to capture all we could on camera.  Court sang, "Stronger" by Faith Hill and it was great.  She was the only singer to place, but won second place.  A break dancing group won.  SO, Courtney holds her reign as, "Queen of 2nd place" !!! She had tons of support from friends and she had a blast-

Also, she got her BRACES OFF!  WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOEY!!!!!

Between all three girls braces, Mike and I could have bought a BRAND NEW CAR!  BUT, who needs a brand new car, their smiles are SO worth it and more! 

LAUREN- you're now the Braces Queen!  You wear them well and your smile is even prettier than ever!  Let me add here that my genetic code is very POWERFUL!  Not only does my brains AND beauty run to my daughters, but also has imprinted itself onto my neice and nephew! Ya'll are SO LUCKY!  hee

Here is a pic of Courtney getting her award:

Here is a link to all the pics Dad took-

http://picasaweb.google.com/larryandjewel/CourtneyAtMHSTalentCompetition9February2009#

She had her Powderpuff game last night and the JUNIORS WON!  YES, Dad and I were there again to take awesome photos...

Lauren if you EVER want to learn to take an incredible pic, just ask your Aunt Joan!  BAH-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA You could ask your Grandpa, but the quality in your photos wouldn't be as superior as if I taught you!

Anyways, I haven't had time to download mine and Dad hasn't put his online yet, so ya'll can see them tomorrow when I post them.

Have a great day everyone!

Joan

What we've been doing....

Well, I'm off work again today!  WOOOOOO-HOOOOO!  I'm working three 12-hour days this week and man is it NICE!  or SWEET as the girls would say!

Last night, Courtney decided to add another video to her youtube.com page...here is a screen shot of that-

 

This is her youtube page:  http://www.youtube.com/user/joan006

This in our den in her pajamas.  Typical Courtney!

I also have been working on Ashley a Valentine's box, which I finished up this morning and mailed it out.  I took a pic of the box contents before I wrapped it up-

 Notice the expertly crocheted scarf, which if you can read the note I taped on it, said she BETTER FREAKING WEAR IT.  I had knitted her some Clemson colored socks for her Christmas box which she opened on the boat at Christmas and she HUNG THEM UP FOR DECORATION!  See if she ever gets any more hand-knitted socks from ME! She had the nerve to tell me that people on her boat LAUGHED at them!  geeeeze.

Anyways, I also baked her some cookies and other stuff....I better get a pic from her with that scarf around her neck!

Well, that's it from here for the moment!

Have a great day everyone!

Joan

Guess what Courtney got??!

Here's a prelude....nerves are a flying!  Stomach is rolling...talking 10,000 miles an hour!

OK....then "THEY" call her name and off she goes to try for her LICENSE...here she is parallel

 parking...yes, I was there to sneak and capture the actual test!!!

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.....then after two attempts, the BIG MOMENT!!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Congratulations, BABYYYYYY!

Post Superbowl

Hellllo everyone!

I woke up this morning, on one of my days off, thinking it was MONDAY!  Then I remembered it's TUESDAY!  Nothing significant about that or any other day this week, just weird to wake up not knowing what day it is.

What I AM happy about is it didn't SNOW! woo-hoo!  COURTNEY HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL!  WHOO-HOOOOOO!! I'm off work and it's sunny!  Woo-HOOOOO!

O.K. - nuff celebrating!

As alot of ya'll know because you've already seen the pics, I went to Ma and Pa's house to get my "Super-Bowl 3-D Glasses" and for those of ya'll, which is EVERYONE, who know's Dad, KNOWS I had to get my pic taken with them on.  Geeeze. 

Of course it took Mom several attemps before she took this pic.  Dad took this one...

Dad told us to look straight ahead but Mom wanted to watch TV instead, so this is what you get!

Even Chanda was doing as she was told!

I am feeling the need to head to Wal-Mart.  Maybe I'll take Courtney's camera with me and see what interesting pops up! 

I don't know what I'd do if it wasn't for Wal-Mart.  I wouldn't have anywhere to go when I don't have anywhere to go! 

AND...as I look around at all the other shoppers, who are nearly all women, I realize THEY ain't anywhere's to go either! Hard to believe, I know!

Have a great day everyone...and Courtney wants me to post on here that her braces come off on MONDAY and her POWDERPUFF Football game is TUESDAY night.  Mike ain't happy about that not one little bit.  He's headed to Dick's Sporting Goods store this week to get her some heavy-duty, industrial strength, super tuff MOUTH GUARD. 

Courtney's position on the football team is "Hiker".  Mike has it in his head that all 50 girls on the other team will all pile on Courtney's teeth after she hikes the ball. If I could survive powderpuff football when I was her age, she can too...AND they didn't even have industrial strength mouth guards back then!

I did ask Courtney how would she know which way to run after she hikes the ball and she said the "Umpire" would tell them which way to go!  Geeeeze. So during the Superbowl, I asked Court WHICH "Umpire" on that field was telling those guys which way to run, and she said that's why they, "like all huddle together, Mom...to figure out which way to go!!" Umpires don't tell guys where to go. wow.

Have a great day everyone!

Joan