USPS

Brown paper packages tied up with string...

Mailed my swap package today, did you?! If you didn't please let your swap partner know when you planning on doing so...

Pinky swear?

So Very Thankful

Thankful for the huge giggle I got out of this morning.

Was out at 2:45am in line for Old Navy (um, no I didn't actually need anything, but it sure was fun!) and the line extended through the shopping center past several other stores. Of course headed to Target thereafter at o'dark thirty and hit Starbucks. With about a $20 exception, I am done shopping. Amen.

Anyway...

We happened to be in line in front of REI (ew! I am terribly indoorsy, but I digress) and there was a man, well, camping out.

Camping out in camping gear in front of the camping store waiting to buy, well...more camping gear.

I have no idea why I find this to be both Alanis-style ironic and terribly amusing. 12 hours later I am still laughing out loud about it.

Happy Lasagna Day

Never been happier in my life to not be cooking. Headed out to eat more pasta than we should at 2pm. Have a fantastic day! Love you all and am so Thankful for you!

An Elephant

...never forgets.

I have not forgotten you! Coach did not have me taken out to cash in on my life insurance either.

Taking a few days off from just about everything!

But promise you're working on your swap gifts? See you very soon!

Much love and lasagna,
Clemsongirl

So Romantic

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, more romantic than life insurance.

Just upped Coach's by $200K.

Man, I love him.

Sweet

Although I will NOT be cooking for Thanksgiving this year (reservations, thankyouverymuch!) in Atlanta, I will find the opportunity to rock this cute new addition!

When I was in Charlotte this weekend, I went to visit our old Nanny, Miss Ellie, who got married and grew up right before my eyes! She had this treat on the bed when I arrived and it is darling!

I have loved Miss Ellie from the very first time she watched my minis at our previous stop on the Coaching Tour. She quickly became not just our beloved caregiver, but my friend. I was walking around her new townhouse this weekend and noticed something.

She has lots of pictures of friends and family all over. I love looking at pics and start to realize that she really has grown up. You know how I know? Because there are photos matted and framed on her wall, and she's not even in them.

I pink puffy heart Miss Ellie.

They go together...

Here's the scoop, blog links or email addresses in the comments section of the 2 swap posts from earlier. Please leave a comment that you saw this post and that you are able to find your partner's info. I am much too sleepy to post links.

Share your monogram, etc with your partner! If I left anyone out, please let me know...nicely!

Plaid Ladybug & Clemsonlocal

Angie & Lennye

The Lawyer's Wife & Monogram Chick

Mrs. Preppy in Pearls & Emma

Mom of 1 for Now & Betsy

CM & Mags

Maureen & Dear Hannah

Zookeeper & KLS

Rachrea & Susan

Mrs. Big & Nicole "Pigtails"

Gwen & Trez

Nina & Wacies' Way

Amanda & Adriene

Teralyn & ANFQ

Aimee & Southern Living: Preppy Style

Creative Gal & Major's Wife

Shell & Becca

Clemsongirl & Molly Lou Gifts

MGBHLH & A Texas Gal

Claudia & Constant Frivolity

Princess & Michelle

Cathy & CAC Muffin

Kathryn & Hillcrest Acres

* Budget is $25-30, not including shipping, but feel free to bargain shop all you want.

* Mail your package by November 30, the Monday after Thanksgiving.

* The contents of your package are up to you...just make them Christmas decorations that are preppy and fun! You might want to exchange emails with your partner to get an idea of her style. You can include anything; ornaments, paper, kitchenware, wreaths, decorations, stockings, garland, containers, treats...you name it.

Matchmaker

Swap Partners on Tuesday. Last chance to join in!

Road Trip

I have been on the road on solo road trip since Thursday morning. I have make stops in just about every city between Atlanta and Charlotte. I have visited with almost 20 girlfriends on said trip.

Alone.

It's a combination mid-life crisis/mental melt down/Christmas shopping trip.

Coach is home with the minis. He is having a big old time.

As am I.

Heading home on Monday. I'll match swap partners then. If I return.

Deluge

Not being cliche or glib; not avoiding a "real" post.

But seriously? What is the deal with the rain?

It's Atlanta. Part of the reason I agreed to move (be dragged here kicking and screaming) was the weather. The promise of sunshine and magnolias.

So far, it the 3 and a half years we've been here, I have experienced a devastating drought of epic proportions. That devastating drought was followed by a 100 year flood.

And today? Rain. Again.

My name is Curly McGee and my hair can't take this weather. Sigh...

Swap Details

CLEMSONGIRLANDTHECOACH Christmas Swap

As promised, I am hosting the swap again this year!

Here are the specifics, just like last year:

*Sign up by leaving me a comment ON THIS POST with your blog address and your email address. If you want to swap and don't have a blog, leave me your email

and I will match you up, too!

*Deadline to sign up will be next Sunday night, November 15.

* Copy this photo and add it to your blog as a linky back to me.

* I'll assign partners Monday or Tuesday the 16th/17th.

* Budget is $25-30, not including shipping, but feel free to bargain shop all you want.

* Mail your package by November 30, the Monday after Thanksgiving.

* The contents of your package are up to you...just make them Christmas decorations that are preppy and fun! You might want to exchange emails with your partner to get an idea of her style. You can include anything; ornaments, paper, kitchenware, wreaths, decorations, stockings, garland, containers, treats...you name it.

Swap

We're totally having a Christmas swap again this year, right?!

That Mom

I'm really not very pious. I admit to having many, many faults. However being disorganized and late, just isn't one of them. Being organized for me is important because I am lazy. Huh? Yep, I don't to get up and help the children find the Bionicle part they are looking for. I want them to know exactly where it is and be able to easily put it back when they are done with it. I lay the minis clothes out by the week and make lunches at night. I don't go to bed with stuff unfinished and nothing ever "got lost in my car". So far, so good.

However.

Today was just that kind of morning. The kind of morning Coach and I swore we'd never have. The disorganized and confusing morning we have managed to avoid. Until today.

Minis got up and took showers, got dressed and got their hair moussed up (keeps away the lice, FYI) and headed downstairs for breakfast. While I assemble breakfast, they get their shoes from the garage and put them on. Jack got his on and sat down at the table.

Ryan? Notsomuch. Could not find his sneakers anywhere. Which is ridiculous because we don't wear shoes in our house. The children each have a monogrammed metal buckets where they keep their shoes. His? Not in there. Not in his room, the car, the porch, the backyard. Nowhere. Literally disappeared. At this point we realize that the children are pushing it timewise and are going to be late. There are no piles of stuff around where the shoes are hiding. Nothing is under the beds or shoved in the bottom of a closet. Shoes. Are. Gone. Vanished.

Damn.

No biggie, he can just wear Crocs. Except it's PE day. Double damn.

OK. Regroup. Take him to Target enroute to school. Buy new shoes. Check him in to school tardy. All's well that ends well.

And you can be sure of this. Next time you tell me you're a little disorganized or having a rough morning? I'll empathize.

More than ever.

No Good Deed

As you may remember, Coach and I adopted a darling little lab mix puppy last Mother's Day. Ergo, we are now "dog people".

So, over the last couple of days we have been preoccupied by a black and white dog that appeared to be roaming the neighborhood. He was wearing a collar, cute as can be, but seemed a little skittish.

Yesterday, Ryan managed to get a hold of his collar, but the dog ran off before we could get a number off the tag.

The sweet dog has been hanging around our house and the 2 houses on either side, and barks alot. Not in an annoying way, but in an "I'm lost and a little wigged out" kind of way.

Today I feel like a can of arse. I am so sick I can barely function. Coach comes home to me in my flannel pjs and a ponytail, holed up on the sofa with magazines and some tea. But.

But he is all worked up about the lost dog. We went outside several times tonight and tried to lure him over to us. Me in my pjs and the gold sequined flip flops I keep in the monogrammed bucket on the front porch, calling for the dog and tempting him with treats.

About an hour later, we opened the front door and the dog walked right in. Success! Sweet thing let me get the number off his collar.

Disconnected. Figures.

The plot thickens when I reverse lookup the address and find that it is 20 miles away. Ooooh, the owner is going to be so happy! We found your sweet dog! I get a working number and ...

Turns out the jackleg college students who rent the house next door are long term dog sitting. Damn dog is hanging out in the driveway there BECAUSE HE LIVES THERE.

Sheesh. He comes here to get him, tells Coach that the dog "just gets out" and if we see him out again, "just leave him, if he gets run over, he gets run over." Idiot.

No good deed goes unpunished though. I go to add his cell phone number to my Blackberry address book and save him as "Dude Next Door". Except instead of saving him, I texted him that. He responds via text telling me I can add him as "Jason Next Door."

OMG. I let him know, he will forever be "Dude Next Door."

Sick

As. A. Dog.