WOW - Brad Pitt is SO hot in the movie, Troy!!!! (Sorry, had to get that off my chest - Tyson's watching it right now & I keep sneaking peaks.)

Anyway, hello to all my fans out there! I am delirious & exhausted! So much for all that positive crap & feeling caught up...

The guy stopped calling already, which is fine & all, but just leaves me wondering why I even bother or if I really want to & I started training the new girl on Monday. She seems bright & has a nice, mellow demeanor, but I'm definitely getting behind in work again & it just leads to a lot of frustration when I'm constantly interruped by patients, who seem to be more crabby & insulting than usual. I'm trying to decide if this is my transferrence of my own feelings or if people are actually being especially rude - it may be a little of both. As a result, I'm apparently grinding my teeth again, since my teeth are hurting again & that shouldn't be possible where I had root canals performed & there aren't any nerve endings left.

Last Saturday, Allen & Tyson & I went & had our pictures done by my friend, Terri. I posted a couple of my faves here. I had a candle party on Wednesday & my brother was a big help. (Also wanted to mention that he sent me a beautiful bouquet of daisies at work, also pictured here.) The party wasn't all that successful as far as sales go, but it is nice to sit in a yummy smelling room & enjoy the ambience with a group of friends.

Tyson had his beginning band concert on Tuesday & I had my Booster Club meeting for his school on Monday. Tonight I'm drinking wine & going to bed as early as possible, which is my big plan for the weekend. The only other thing I plan on doing is to shop for a pair of black pants & maybe to look around at cars again, since I won't be able to borrow my friend, Lisa's, car to drive to AZ like I thought & really would rather not drive the Jeep due to the gas mileage & would like to maybe have a more comfortable ride, since it's something like a 16 hour drive. (This will be the day after I get back from Bend for Kristin's wedding.)

Well, I need to run Ty to basketball practice, so I'll try to write more before too long....

Well, my niece got her own place in Medford a couple of weeks ago & my big brother, Allen, has taken her place on my incredibly uncomfortable futon. I have to say, my family is always so considerate when they stay with me (even visitors, like Laura & Kathy & Mom).

Ever since San Diego, I've tried to reprioritize & it seems to be working - I'm getting caught up at work (since the disappearance of my last assistant & going in on the last two Saturdays) & I don't even feel like I do transcription all the time. I'm experiencing a transition phase in my life. I know that it's more important than ever to be involved with what's going on with Tyson as he enters puberty & the joys that accompany it, but I am also ready to start having a life of my own. I mean, I've always had my friends & work, but I think I really am ready to get out there & experience some romance, guilt free. Of course, some of this change is brought on by the guy I hooked up with at the wedding, but more than anything, he's just helped me to realize that there are nice guys out there & that I do deserve an intelligent & interesting companion. I have no idea where this is headed, if anywhere (since he is moving to Italy in May), but I believe that everyone is brought into our life for a reason & maybe he'll just be here to help me get off the ground. I saw my therapist today for the first time in quite a while & came away knowing that I want to make some changes & release some of my need for control & to trust a little more. I wish that I could also quit obsessing over future hypothetical possibilities, but I know that one's gonna take a lot more work! Anyway, I think I'm on the right track & I know my stress level has decreased since reexamining things in San Diego. I haven't been grinding my teeth anymore.

On the morning of Thanksgiving, Allen & I got up & were just hanging out & started talking about what the family was doing in Eureka & we looked at eachother & were like, "hmmm...why don't we just hop in the car & surprise everyone?" So we did, picking up an Indian hitchhiker in Klamath named Herman along the way, & showed up just as they were getting ready to pray - talk about good timing! We also ran into my niece on the way out of town & told her that we would be down there, so she drove down with her boyfriend & came back home with us the next day. So, there was my dad & his new girlfriend, Sally, my mom & her two brothers, Uncle Gene & Uncle Wayne (whom I haven't seen for about 10 years!), my two other brothers, Joe & Deland, my ex-sister-in-law, Mindy, & her 11 y/o son, Brandon, my niece Heather, & my nephews, Johny & Joey. After dinner, we attempted to do some karaoke, but we had a bit of a limited selection & most of us only knew the chorus on the songs, so we were all mumbling together until the chorus, when everyone would sing it loud & strong, which was pretty hilarious! In case I didn't mention it before, Ty was with his dad. We dropped off Mary & picked up Tyson on the way home & he returned to school & I returned to work on Monday.

We made a decision & hired a new assistant for me today. I'm not looking forward to being taken away from my work in order to train all over again, but this is part of the new me & I'm going to handle the training & delegation a little differently now & I think this girl will be a quick study & a hard worker. Well, I should get upstairs & tuck my boy in for the night & settle in.

I was reading my sister, Kathy's blog & she had the great idea of asking her 4 y/o daughter, Miranda, the answer to the "Why Did God Make Mothers?" email. I enjoyed her answers so much I decided to ask my son the same questions & have copied them here verbatim - no editing (unwise on my part, perhaps...?):

1. Why did God make mothers?So that there would be more people on the earth, because if you didn't, the human population wouldn't be here.

2. How did God make mothers?How am I supposed to answer that?

3. What ingredients are mothers made of?Sperm & eggs.

4. Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?Cause they have more in common, I guess.

5. What kind of little girl was your mom?A he/she.

6. What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?That they would get into so many fights.

7. Why did your mom marry your dad?I don't know, why can't you answer that? Cause he knocked you up..heh, heh...it's probably the truth! I was like 5 when you got married.

8. Who is the boss at your house?Me. I'm the man in the house, so I'm the boss.

9. What's the difference between moms and dads?Dads help you out with your physical needs & moms help you out with your intellectual needs - usually.

10. What does your mom do in her spare time?Transcription. Oh, & what are you on now? Blog.

11. What would it take to make your mom perfect?A lot. That's my answer.

12. If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?Umm...that you were more athletic so we could play basketball together.

I'm back from San Diego, so I thought I'd write a quick note to summarize:

Lisa took me to the airport on Wednesday at noon, which was great because it gave me a chance to pack, since I'd spent every spare moment I could doing transcription...The flight went pretty smoothly, but I just wasn't feeling great. By the time I got to San Diego that evening & met Sarah at the airport, I really felt like crap. We headed to her place & then made plans to drive over to Maya's to see her & Tarra, who was up from Texas for the wedding. On the way over, I really started to feel sick & I tried to roll down the window in time to avoid throwing up in Sarah's car, but didn't make it in time. It was horrible! Needless to say, by the time we got to Maya & Corey's place, I said hello & passed out in the bedroom while everyone else visited. So the visit was off to a beautiful start!

The next morning, I awoke feeling 100% better, thank goodness! Sarah & I drove the car (with me sitting in back, I might add) to a town called National City close to the Mexican border to get it detailed. It was pretty sketchy there. The guy had quoted us $69 on the phone & then told us it would be $120 when we showed up. It was going to take 2 1/2 hours or so, so we hopped a bus downtown (thankfully it was free that day, because it was getting pretty cold & drizzly). We went to one place & had chips & salsa & then down on down to the transit station, where we got some coffee & hot chocolate & killed the rest of the time until the car was ready. Later on, we went back to Maya's & hung out there with Corey's family, along with Phyllis (the girls' mom, for those of you who may not know), Daniel (their little bro), Tarra (their big sis), Auntie Pat & Linda Herman from Pistol River. We had a great visit & took off after a while to pick up our friend, Macy, from the airport. (She went to school with us since 7th grade & flew in from Redmond, OR.) Afterward, we went back to Sarah's to get some sleep.

On Friday, I honestly can't even remember what we did up until the afternoon, when we drove to Ensindas to the vacation rental where they were going to be having the wedding & worked on all the bouquets & centerpieces & flower girl baskets, etc. & had a couple of practice runs for the ceremony the next day. Pretty much everyone was up there, so it was also a little bit of a party at the same time.

The next morning, Daniel drove Macy & me up to the houseto do cleanup & setup for the wedding while the ladies all went to the salon for hair & makeup. The wedding was at 4 pm & my job was to make sure that nobody got into the house once the bridal party arrived, which was no easy task, especially with so many out of town visitors. Overall, I was pretty successful. Just before the wedding, Sarah's significant other, Mike, showed up with his friend, Frank, that I'd met on two other occasions when I've visited in the past. He showed up for Thanksgiving last year when Tyson & I were down there & he had just gotten divorced about 6 months before that. Anyway, to make a long story short, we hung out for the rest of the day & evening & he offered to give me a ride to the airport in the morning (I had to be at the airport at 5 a.m.), so we cruised around San Diego - I finally got to go to the beach & we parked by the water & looked at the city skyline & ate breakfast at 3 a.m. at this diner that was packed with gay people & transvestites, which made for a weird & fun dining experience! Anyway, I made it to the airport just in time & fell asleep the moment my butt hit the seat in the plane. I didn't even wake up for takeoff & I slept until the wheels landing on the ground in Salt Lake City, UT woke me up. I had a 2 1/2 hour layover in the airport there & then went promptly back to sleep as soon as I got on the plane headed for Medford, where Lisa & Tyson picked me up. I came straight home & fell asleep & woke up just briefly, then went back to sleep for the rest of the night. It was WONDERFUL!

I got up this morning & headed to work. I don't think I mentioned it, but the new girl we hired to help me in the billing dept quit on Tuesday, the day before I went on vacation. So, work had piled up pretty well, but it went very smoothly & I had a great attitude all day, just from having the time away. Lisa & Becky & I went to lunch today so I could fill them in on the trip & so we could drive in Becky's new Suburu Forester.

I had a few tapes of transcription to do, but that also went pretty smoothly. And now, I need to get off here & get to bed. G'night!

Busy, as usual - trying to get caught up at work & stay caught up on transcription while filling in for another transcriptionist right up until I leave on Wednesday for Maya's wedding in San Diego! Sorry for cheating, but I copied this from my sister, Kathy's, blog & just pasted it here for some filler. Hey, at least I'm posting SOMETHING, right?!

1. Are you ready for the upcoming holiday season? Why/why not?

Is anyone ever REALLY prepared?! I have to say that I've gotten better every year. I actually started getting some gifts/decorations at the After-Christmas sales the last couple of years! My friend, Lisa, agreed to swap vehicles, though, so that I can drive to AZ, so I'm getting prepared for the trip! Can't wait!

2. Are you going to get into the spirit/participate in any of the next 4 (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's) major seasonal activities? How so/how not?

Halloween has got to be one of my favorite holidays, because I love to play dress up! I actually had two costumes this year - the 3 Blind Mice for work & a Boxing Ring Girl to go along with Tyson's "boxer" costume (I wore one of those T's with the lady's body in a bikini, with nylons & high heels & carried around a sign). For Thanksgiving, Tyson will be with Seth. My only plan is to go to Lisa's mom's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Other than that, I'm hoping to just relax for a change!!

Christmas, as I stated before, will be in AZ with my sisters & nieces & nephew. Still not sure if my mom is joining me or not.

Haven't thought about New Year, but I'm sure there will be alcohol involved...

3. Do you like holidays? Why/why not?

I love ANY reason to celebrate - isn't that what life is all about? Love to dress up, love to be thankful & hear other people being thankful for what they take for granted the rest of the year & of course I love to celebrate the birth of Jesus!! I also enjoy the Christmas carols & cider, baking & gift-giving/receiving & the time with family making memories!

Phew - it's been a whirlwind lately! Sorry I haven't written sooner. My mom made it here for her visit & we had a GREAT time. We were able to work out all the details of her dialysis & rides, etc. I know it was really rough on her to make the trip & she was a real trooper in having to keep up with me & my crazy schedule. She even made it to Tyson's Cross Country meet (yep, 1st 6th grader again!) & went out to a work party at the doctor's house & then on to do a wild night of karaoke with me, my brother, Lisa, Lisa's parents & several of my co-workers! (Thanks, Mom!) She was here for a week (during which I had to work day & night, as usual, dangit) & the day that she headed home, my 18 y/o niece, Mary, came to stay with me. She's ready for a change of pace & decided to take me up on my offer of giving her a place to stay while she checks things out & gets settled in the area. She's already made friends here, which is amazing!

Ty's Cross Country is over & basketball tryouts for AAU are on the 30th, plus he will be the manager for the 8th grade team. He's been going to the YMCA every chance he gets to practice & stay conditioned. He got nominated for Student of the Month. Here's what his teacher said when nominating him: "Tyson is a natural leader. He leads by example everyday in my class. He shows up prepared, works hard & volunteers to help. Tyson is one of those kids you would like to clone!" Talk about one proud mama!

Work is crazy, as usual, and maybe a little crazier than usual. We had our reviews last Tuesday, which is never fun, but went okay I guess. Can you believe I've been there over 5 years now?

Last weekend I went up to Eugene to see Krista & Dustin & the kids. I had planned to go on up to Portland for the annual Out-of-the-Darkness Walk, but I was just too exhausted to pull it off. I actually almost cancelled the Eugene trip, but decided that, if I stayed home, I'd probably wear myself out more! It was a nice visit, albeit way too short, consisting of thrift store shopping (I got SO many bargains!) & going to the Haunted Corn Maze. Tyson was going to come with me, but Seth finally got a weekend off (he usually has weekdays) & so he stayed with him, instead.

Tomorrow, Tyson & I are going to his Grandma Robbin's for a Halloween party. My costume this year is one of the three blind mice, along with Becky & Lisa. Get it - we work at the Eye Center?! That was my clever idea. When we were at the Halloween store, I made a joke to Tyson when I saw a boxing costume that he could be "Tyson" for Halloween & he loved it! We're having a terrible time finding a costume in his size, though, so tomorrow the hunt is on! Tonight we rented Transformers (good movie!) & Next (haven't watched it yet). Mary is staying with her friend for the weekend while her parents are out of town.

Well, that's all for now, folks!

It looks like my mom is coming to visit next week! It's taken a little bit of planning, since she is on dialysis 3 times a week, but considering the fairly short notice where this kind of thing is concerned, it fell into place pretty smoothly!

Worked sucked all...freakin...week...looooooooooong...(and, in the words of Forest Gump, that's all I got to say about that!)

Not much else has been going on. I'm just trying to stay on top of my transcription & housecleaning & Tyson's school stuff, which keeps me plenty busy! I am really starting to look forward to going to San Diego for Maya's wedding, though.

Lisa & Allen are going to Eureka this weekend to pack up the rest of his stuff & put it in storage, so the move will be complete.

Tomorrow, Tyson has a "Buddy Walk" through his leadership club. We will pick a buddy & walk with the mentally challenged. I think it's going to be fun & I hope that Tyson gets a sense of the innocent & happy nature that these people generally have. I know it makes some people uncomfortable, but I rather enjoy hanging out with people who are undoubtedly genuine & don't judge you. It's a nice reprieve from the norm. After the buddy walk, I planned on stopping by to visit Allen at work & to hopefully pick up some pumkins for carving this weekend.

Tonight, Tyson is at a high school football game with Seth & his brother. I probably should utilize this time to do transcription, but I'm kinda thinking I'd like to just stay home & drink a glass of wine & watch a chick flick (maybe after a nice hot bubble bath?).

So, as I'm sitting here posting, the phone just rang. As most of you already know, I like to hear who's calling before I committ to picking it up, so I let the machine get it. It's some girl for Tyson (and not his girlfriend!) and she says, "Hi, Tyson, this is Amanda & I just want to tell you that you're awesome!" I swear that kid is such a ladies man - and the funny thing is, he really doesn't want to be bothered & lets them know this. I wonder if I should start taking lessons from him!

So, Allen, Lisa, Becky & I all went to the Foreigner concert last Thursday. They were really, really great, just as I'd hoped! When they came back on stage to perform their encore, I meandered on down to the front row in the reserved seating area & got some really great pics & video. The lead singer was having the crowd be his choir & he kept on pointing at me to sing with him, so I got that on film. Allen had to inform me that the drummer was Jason Bonham, who is the son of John Bonham, the drummer from Led Zeppelin. The lead guitarist was the originator of the band & apparently the only original band member. He threw out some signed guitar picks & I managed to get two of them, so I gave one to Allen & kept one. After the concert, I went into the bathroom & set everything down to have my hands free, including my camera, which I proceeded to leave the stall without & which of course was gone when I realized this & returned less than two minutes later! I was SO bummed! All's well that ends well, I guess, because I went ahead & ordered a newer version of the Canon PowerShot 570 with another memory card & it only cost me $148! It still really sucks that I lost all those pics, though!

In other news, let's see...Lisa, Allen & I went to Gold Hill for Becky's brother's going away party (don't know if I mentioned it before, but he's moving to Vegas) on Saturday night. That was fun & I saw this guy that I'd kinda sorta almost hooked up with (Becky's bro's best friend) & got to get the akward stuff out of the way. Turns out he's moving back to San Diego anyway. I also heard from the "unrequited love" mystery man after the Foreigner concert & he continues to disappoint me at every turn, so I'm sure now about my decision in that regard. The next morning, on Friday, I got a call from my high school sweetheart (well, I was in high school, anyway - he was older) & we finally met for lunch, after not seeing each other for 13 years! That was actually a great experience, because he had really hurt me & I didn't think I'd ever get over him (I was actually rebounding from him when I stumbled upon Tyson's dad), but I was able to see him & remember the nice things about him instead of being hateful. He also told me that things didn't work out the way that he'd wanted them to, but I don't think he was trying to hit on me or anything. That made me feel good - like it wasn't necessarily as one-sided as I'd come to think. Anyway, we had a good time catching up & laughed a lot, so that was really cool. And it was a relief to me that I wasn't all ga-ga over him like I used to be! Not only that, but I go through Dutch Bros & who's back? Yeah, that's right - the guy that I had a little crush on & that I gave a card with my phone number on his last day, since I figured I'd never see him again! So, rather than ignore it or act all embarrassed, I told him that he wasn't supposed to be there & explained when he asked me why that I would've never given him that card if I thought I'd run into him again. He thought that was great & told me that he'd see me next Thursday, whether I like it or not. I was telling Lisa at lunch today that it's just weird that all these things happened with these guys from my past this week. I think (hope?) I've been given a chance to resolve all these things because something really great is just around the corner that I wasn't ready for before. So, I will be taking some good advice from a wise man who suggested that I quit expecting & start anticipating!

I went to my second Booster Club meeting last night & that went really well. These people are really nice & I feel like I'm accepted there. I haven't felt that way in the past when I tried to go to PTA meetings in Ashland. Tyson had his open house on Thursday before the concert & he is still getting straight A's (he did have a B in PE, which is crazy, but it turned out his PE teacher didn't know that the reason he'd missed PE a couple of times was for the Cross Country meets, so he bumped his grade up now that Tyson talked to him about it)! His teachers seem very pleased with him & not just for his academic ability. His Health teacher actually told me that she just loves having a kid like him in her class & that he's a real leader. I was one proud mama!

Work is still fairly crazy - we have a luncheon tomorrow that includes a mini-training & Q&A from the people who we bought the new software from. Then, on Thursday or Friday, I have to go to Medical Eye Center to shadow their billing dept to see how they do things & come back & put some of that into practice & teach everyone else. On top of that, the docs are having a get-together next Friday after work, which will be the day after a get-together for my friend, Denise, that her office is throwing her for her birthday. In addition to that, I have another collections seminar coming up sometime this month (can't even remember the date right now) & the worst part: a coding seminar that I go to every year. It's not so bad that I have to go, or even that it's in Eugene or even that it's on a Saturday, but it happens to fall on the very day of the Out-of-the-Darkness Suicide Awareness & Prevention march that I do every year in honor of Shannon (ironically, the first one was on her birthday, Oct 16, and they always fall within a week of it)! I don't know what to do!

Well, that's all I have time to write for now (not to mention that those of you reading this probably have better things to do!) & I've got to get started on some transcription & some dinner.

Wow! Joe Bonnamasa put on a GREAT show last night! Allen, Lisa & I went to the Rogue Theater in Grants Pass too see him. My brother has been telling me about this guy for at least a year, but I really had no idea. There's just nothing like a live show. The music was awesome & we had a lot of fun. After the show, we tried to get on Joe's tour bus or at least to sign some CD covers, but the bouncer & his drummer said that he wasn't feeling well & after a while we decided togive it up & went to an all-night diner & hung out eating breakfast & Mexican food and entertaining the entire restaurant, along with the waitress. A couple of guys sitting next to us had just been at the show, too. When we left, the waitress literally hugged me & begged us to come back & see her again! I guess we make an impression, lol! Next week, we go see Foreigner at the new Lithia Ampitheater in Central Point out by the fairgrounds. I can't wait for that, too. I'm sure Joe has them beat hands-down as a musician, but it's always fun to go see a show where you know all of the songs.

Tyson had his second Cross Country race last week & once again placed first out of all the 6th graders competing & came home with a medal! Gooooooooooooooo, Bulldogs!

My silly dad - he thinks that I didn't know that he moved his ex-lover back in & is worried about telling me because I told him I think she's a psycho & he should've been happy when she up & married someone the same week she left him with only a note & that it was a narrow escape as far as I was concerned. (Wow - what a sentence!)

Dad, first of all, I've known for about a week. Second, hey, if you can deal with the mistakes I've made in my love life & still love & respect me, I think I can do the same. I just don't want to see you get hurt or have a love affair with somebody for the wrong reasons. Just lookin' out for my old man! I'd love to see you happy & if Polly does it for you, then so be it. But she'd better not pull that crap or anything else like it on my watch...Anyhoo...thought I should address that. I tried to talk Lisa into saying something like, "Oh, yes, Polly, I've heard about you from Mandi" and leave that open to interpretation. I guess she's just not the passive agressive hoochie mama I can be sometimes.

In other exciting news, the Season Premiere of Prison Break starts tonight (at 8 pm on Fox) & I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited! I haven't watched any TV for a long time, but all of my shows are coming back for the fall lineup, so I'll have to work my transcription around that. Unlike my spoiled rotten big sis, I don't have Tivo. I do plan to miss one Prison Break a month when I go to my Booster Club meetings for Tyson's school & I'll just have to watch the episode online, which is so cool that I can do that! BTW, the last Booster Club meeting went well & I got my foot in the door by volunteering to "spearhead" the box-tops & Campbell's soup labels project. I figure, why not? I've been saving this stuff for years!

Trying to stay on top of everything in my life, this blog included. I don't know why it feels like a constant juggling act. Actually, I do - I have a very full life & I'm always going in many different directions at once. As crazy as it sometimes makes me feel, I do believe it suits me!

I have removed one thing from my life (hopefully for good) & that is the unrequited love that I've been carrying around with me for my whole life, but especially in the years since my divorce. I thought it was reciprocal & that someday circumstances would change & we'd live happily ever after, but I really have to face the facts & move on with my life. I've been in limbo for way too long & I know that I deserve more than that.

I am pleased to report that Lisa & Allen are still going strong. They went down to Eureka this weekend to settle some things & bring some stuff back so that Allen can move in. I was really hoping they wouldn't move in together right away because this will be the first time since Anthony was 6 years old that Lisa & her son have had a place of their own & they really only have 3 more years left until he's out of the house. But Anthony seems gung-ho & really digs my brother, so who am I to interrupt the flow of wherever this will lead? I do wish them all the best. Great people deserve other great people!

In other news, I've managed to stay caught up on all my transcription throughout the last week, even with the new dosc from the surgery center & the money will be rolling in soon! Thank goodness, since I've been spending more than I have these days, between all these unexpected expenses with Tyson's school & sports & my own binge-shopping!

And on the topic of finances, as some of you may know, I'm flying to San Diego in November for my friend, Maya's, wedding. I purchased the ticket a little over a month ago & then, unbeknownst to me, she changed the date of the actual ceremony to the day that my flight leaves first thing in the morning! Now I'm having a heck of a time, because apparently, it costs $50 to change the dates with the airline & another $50 with Cheap Tickets, where I bought the ticket online, not to mention any extra charge that the new flight difference will be (I'm hoping I'm wrong, but when I plugged in a search, it told me it would be an "additional $321")! My tickets are non-refundable, so I can't just cancel (although that's another $100) & purchase new ones. So I'm freaking out a little bit, since I already couldn't really afford to pay all this $ for the original ticket, but I do try to make it down there once a year to see them, so I justified it that way. So, we'll see...

September 21, Allen & Lisa & I are going to see Joe Bonamassa play in Grants Pass. This is the blues guitar legend that my brother has been raving about for so long, so I decided to investigate further! And then, on the 27th, Lisa & I are going to see Foreigner at the KBOY 40th anniversary bash (I bought her tix for her birthday).

Anyway, that's what's been going on in my world...off to do one last tape of transcription, then maybe to clean my room...?

I just picked Tyson up from his first Cross Country meet. He placed 18th out of 140 kids from 15 different schools in the 3000 meter (1.86 miles of up & down hills & across creeks & through trees, etc.) & was the first place out of all the 6th grade runners, so he gets a blue ribbon! He said that motivation was all around him because there were all these tall, skinny runners whose jaws dropped each time he passed them. At one point in the race, they were running through the woods & he said that one of the people ahead of him totally biffed it in the creek. This is pretty hard core stuff! I thought it would be running laps on a track, not like this! Anyway, just wanted to brag on my boy a little. Toodles...

Busy, busy, busy!! But I called in sick from work today, so I figured I should take the time to post, since I never know when I'll get the chance again! The visit in Eureka was awesome - it's always so great to see everyone & it really lifted my spirits. The first night, we went straight to my brother, Allen's house & picked up my oldest brother, Deland. Our other brother came over with his son, Joey & we surprised them by bringing Heather (Joe's daughter) down with us. Allen bought pizza & beer & we all just hung out & did some karaoke, including Lisa, who usually won't sing, but I think she got warmed up by all the air-rocking that we did in the car on the way down. We didn't get over to Dad's house until 2:30 a.m. The next morning, we got up & I went to get Allen & Joe & Joey to bring them over so we could all have coffee & chit-chat. Mom had dialysis that day (Saturday), so we just visited until it was time to pick her up, then we all went to the park for a picnic/BBQ & to walk through the zoo (an old family tradition). Afterward, my niece, Mary, & her boyfriend, Matt, met us in Old Town Eureka for an Art Walk they do there. We wandered through the galleries & listened to musicians on almost every corner! It was pretty cool. Also a nice way to introduce Lisa to Eureka, since she'd never been. From there, everyone went their separate ways & we headed back to Dad's for some much needed sleep. On Sunday morning, we hung out some more at Dad's over some rice & chocolate gravy (my dad's specialty!) & waited until Mom got home from church, then headed over to Fortuna to pick up Heather, who had stayed the night with Mary, & go see Mom. Deland, Allen, Lisa, Heather, & I made a detour by the restaurant where Mary is waitressing. (Joey & Tyson stayed at Dad's & played Deland's video games & watched movies.) After visiting with Mom, we all headed back to Eureka for the final night of our stay. After much begging, Dad reluctantly pulled out his guitar & serenaded us with some of the old favorites, including "Amanda" & "No Use Pretending", two of my personal faves. We headed back Monday around 1 p.m. & didn't get home until 5 or so. The next day, Tyson had a half day at the middle school, his first day as a 6th grader! He really likes most of his teachers so far & thinks middle school is pretty cool. They have lockers, they have PE uniforms, there are all kinds of clubs to join & I guess the lunches are better than some restaurants as far as selections go. On Tuesday night, they had an open house for new students & 6th graders & their parents, so we went & I got to see Ty's locker & meet his teachers. He is signed up for Leadership, a club that sends the kids into the community to help elderly & disabled people, which meets every Wednesday morning before school, Lifers, a drug-free club, which meets once a month during lunch period, & Cross Country. His first meet will be this Wednesday & practices will be every day after school following that. We went in to talk to the Chess Club advisor (Tyson loves chess!) & it turns out that he's also the basketball coach. (I'm incredibly grateful that there's a big, buff sports guy teaching chess so that Tyson won't feel the stigma of "only nerds play chess" & sees that he can be smart & athletic!) Since only 7th & 8th graders are allowed to play for the school, the coach suggested that Tyson could be his manager & travel to all their away games with them & maybe even practice running drills with the 7th & 8th graders if he shows that he's good enough to hang with them. That won't start until November or so, right around the same time as the Chess Club. Tyson has chosen Band as his elective this year & we found a trumpet at a yard sale with a case, the cleaning equipment & the book that they need, all for $75, so he'll be playing trumpet. Tonight is the first meeting of the Booster Club, which I'm planning to join so I can get involved in Tyson's school & fundraising efforts & also meet some of the other parents. Thank goodness we live so close to the school! I don't know if I mentioned previously, but I picked up more transcription work for the docs at the Surgery Center, so that's been a challenge, but I know that it will get a lot easier as I get more comfortable with formatting & terminology for these docs. This last weekend, Lisa & I drove to Crescent City to meet Dad & Allen & to bring Allen back to Medford with us to help Lisa & Anthony move into their own place! (This will be the first time in over 9 years that they've lived together without anyone else & I'm SO happy for them!) On Saturday, we got all their stuff from storage & made some progress on getting the townhouse set up. Allen & Lisa have really hit it off & I'm praying this will be a good thing for both of them. They both deserve so much happiness & have settled in the past. My own love life is still non-existent but I just hope that, if I stay busy enough with Tyson & work, I eventually won't notice. Here's the link to the pics from the Eureka trip: (Thanks for the suggestion, Kathy!) http://picasaweb.google.com/amanda32876/VisitToEurekaLaborDay2007

WOW! It really has been a while - sorry, but not lots of time to post. Just here to confirm rumors that I'm going to Humboldt County to see my bros & parents this weekend! Quick update consists of: Ty & I didn't go on that road trip. Basketball is over & practice will start again any day for the upcoming season. Ty starts 6th grade (GASP!) on Sept. 4th at the middle school. I picked up another two doctors' transcription from the surgery center next door to work & that's going pretty well so far. Speaking of work, they finally hired me an assistant in billing & she's way cool - very smart & has a really great subtle sense of humor & is a good worker, to boot! My friend, Lisa, and I went to see Chicago perform at Britt last night & they were AWESOME! I got to see my childhood best friend for the 1st time in almost 20 years & it was AMAZING! I'm sure there's more, but that's the skinny on the highlights, anyway...Oh - the party: my friend, Becky's, parents have a really great place in Gold Hill & they threw a huge party in honor of her return to OR from So Cal. Live band, open bar, great people, one guy hit on me but never called afterward & a good time was had by all.

I did some much needed sleeping in this morning & figured I'd post real quick before I get started doing my transcription, which I'll most likely be doing for the remainder of the weekend.

I feel like summer is slipping past. I've been working more hours than ever because of this whole computer program & catching up at work & now I'm doing extra transcription, but I don't do this all the time & I want to keep her business. I just feel like I haven't spent much time with Tyson & I know he probably doesn't mind because he's been so busy with basketball & his friends, but I know that it only gets worse from here with him having his own life & I want to make the best of the time before it just becomes routine & we hardly see eachother. It's looking very much like he'll be my only child & I want to make the most of this.

This week has been the fair (Seth is taking Tyson today & I might try to go later so I can see Joan Jett) & I've been working, plus had my big bro, Allen, & his friend, Nancy, come stay a couple of nights this week on their way over to Klamath Falls for a high school reunion. We mostly just visited here at the house because I had to work. We looked through a ton of old family photos that I have of Mom's, most of which he'd never seen, including pictures from his first wedding!! I also had Allen come in to work so he could meet all my friends there & everyone thought he was a real character & couldn't believe how much he resembled Tyson.

I bought my plane ticket to San Diego for Maya's wedding in November yesterday! I'm still not quite sure what I'm doing with Tyson. I'll be gone for 3 nights. I'm VERY strongly considering taking Thursday & Friday off next week & driving with Ty up to Portland the first day, then on up to Seattle the next day & going to OMSI & the zoo in Portland, maybe the Organ Grinder for dinner, & visiting the Space Needle & the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Seattle, then coming back down on Saturday. I'd like to stop by & stay the night with Krista & Dustin in Eugene, but I think Tyson has a game on Saturday, so we'll see. We just really need a break & to spend some quality time together with no distractions.

Anyway, I really should get started with my transcription, but I'll try to keep current on my blogging (I've been doing much better lately, right?).

Saturday was my friend, Terri's daughter's wedding (7/7/07, of course) & I performed the song "My Best Friend" by Tim McGraw. I was a little nervous, since I hadn't been able to practice it with a mic or in the room to test out the acoustics. As it turned out, they put the background music onto a DVD that played during my song with all kinds of pictures of the two of them together over the years, so the DJ had no control over the volume and I was singing with his mic, which was really loud & had quite a bit of echo, so I did my best to soften it up & blend in with the music. It actually turned out really well. So well, in fact, that I guess a lot of people didn't realize that I was singing live in the back of the room, but thought it was a CD. I got a lot of really nice feedback & I felt like all my practice had paid off. The wedding & reception were a lot of fun & very well planned by Terri & Samantha (the bride). Lisa, Susan, Bel, Michelle & her hubby & daughter & I all came from work & hung out together & Susan & Bel danced the night away with me. They rented the local hip-hop DJ from KISS FM & he did a great job with music selection. Played a lot of motown & disco & mixed it in with a little newer stuff, so all ages were having a blast.

In other news, Tyson had signups for summer league basketball (with Triston, too, of course) tonight. They have their first practice on Thursday & their first game on Saturday! The boys & I went to the mall yesterday & got some new basketball jerseys & Ty got some hand weights & some pushup handle thingies that save your hands & wrists while increasing your workout during pushups. I also had to hit Bath & Body Works for the last day of their sale (Wow - vanilla body sprays originally $10.50 were $1 apiece!!!) & ran into Denise & her daughter, Krista, there.

We're going to be dog-sitting Jelly again starting tomorrow, just for a couple of days, & I'll also be filling in doing some extra transcription for Brenda beginning on the 19th. I just realized today that the Jackson County Fair is July 17-22 & that Lynnard Skynnard will be there, as will Joan Jett! I might just have to go on both nights!

Anyway, speaking of transcription, I do have some that needs to get done, so I'd best get on it! Try to write more soon & I'll also add some pics from the wedding as soon as I get some from Terri.

Some pics from the Hoop World Streetball Tournament last weekend:

Well, tomorrow's the 4th of July again...Isn't that supposed to be, like, in the middle of summer?! In my opinion, summer should last for at least 6 months. With all the stuff you have to do on a daily basis, there's just not much time left for enjoying the sunshine & the wonderful warm summer evenings. Tomorrow, Tyson & I are going to Lisa's dad's place (along w/ Tyson's best bud, Triston& his mom) for a BBQ & swimming in their pool, which I hear is pretty spectacular & all rock. Afterward, we will go watch the fireworks somewhere, of course. Speaking of amazing pools, though, Tyson went to his friend, Luc's, aunt's house & their entire living room was a pool. The entrance leads to a balcony & you look down & see this olympic sized pool! Awesome!

Work's been getting a little bit better. I sent out my patient statements for the first time in two months, so yesterday I was inundated with calls, but not half as bad as I thought. My biggest fear was that I wouldn't be able to figure out which screen to go to to get the info I needed, with the new software, but I think I'm really starting to get it! To top it off, I am FINALLY getting an assistant! It's so nice to know that they recognize how hard I work & that I can't continue to do it all on my own.

I got a call from Krista today & she said that a friend of Dustin's that he'd considered going into business with, committed suicide yesterday, leaving behind a wife & kids. Apparently, the marriage was in trouble & his business was flourishing & just became too much stress. Another tragedy that just makes no sense. Don't people realize that everything changes eventually, if you just give it enough time? And if you can't wait it out, then you can change it, rather than taking your life & having no opportunity for better things to come and hurting so many people that you love in the meantime? Anyway, if they end up having the memorial this weekend, then Krista & Dustin will be coming down.

Kristin came down from Bend on Friday & we went shopping until the mall closed, then headed over to Chadwick's & hung out with a couple of guys that she knew from college. On Saturday, I accompanied Lisa down to Redding to meet up with her ex & drop her son off for a visit with him. We're thinking that when we go to pick him up, we should bring Ty & go to the water slides there & then camp at Shasta Lake on the way back up. On Saturday night, Tyson & I rented a couple of movies & snuggled on the futon & slept in on Sunday & watched more movies & I even took a nap, then went to lay out by the pool. I've just been SO exhausted lately, that sometimes you just need to drop everything & recouperate!

My mom is thinking about moving here & I need to get out & start looking for a place for her, too. It's just hard to make the time, especially when I don't know when the move would take place & she has a certain kind of place in mind, but anything I've looked at with any kind of yard/acreage is SPENDY! Maybe you guys could send out some prayers her way & include my dad in them, too? I won't go into it, but he's going through a rough time & could use some prayers.

Well, I've pretty much posted about everything I can think of, except that Tyson will be signing up for summer league basketball sometime this next week or so. Hope everyone's having a great summer so far! Oh, upcoming events for the rest of summer include Becky's party in Gold Hill (her parents are renting a band & will have a full bar & BBQ, and I had such a great time last time I went, and this is supposed to be HUGE!), hopefully the Douglas County fair August 9th (Poison & Ratt will be performing & I just love those 80s hair bands!) & then the Chicago concert with Lisa & her parents at Britt at the end of August!

All right, I guess I'll try this dang thing again - I'll take Kathy's advice & copy & paste just in case I lose it when I go to post...

Let me start by saying that it's entirely WAY too late for me to even be up, much less posting on my blog, but I know that the suspense has nearly killed all y'all!

So, some highlights:

*Ty's 5th grade graduation June 11. He received the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence, as well as the Social Studies & Science award (to add to his Math award from earlier in the year). Not to brag or anything...Seth stopped by briefly & cut out early, even though it was his day off (yep - he's actually working!)

*Work - getting better, still sucking, but learning more...

*Visit from family!! Kathy & the kids drove up from AZ & stayed just over a week with me. Laura joined us Saturday through Tuesday morning, when they drove back. We had an AWESOME visit! The weather was ideal, the kids got along well, we played in the pool, went shopping, visited & did KARAOKE!!! I just love having a sister that loves to do this as much as I do! So, they arrived on Monday evening & on Thursday, Kathy & I went to the Red Lion, where we'd hear a rumor that the guys from Whose Line Is It Anyway? would be doing some karaoke prior to their show at the Craterian the next night. We couldn't be sure, but figured that even if it weren't true, there would still be karaoke...Well, sure enough - they sauntered in & we joined the rest of the groupies & took a bunch of pics & just hung out with them. Obviously, these are some funny guys, but I was really impressed by how well most of them sang (oh, and also how hot a couple of them were)! Then, on Saturday, when Kathy & Laura came back from Eureka for my niece, Mary's, graduation, we all went out to Chadwick's. We decided to drive the jeep there & get a cab home so that we could all drink & be silly together, which we promptly proceeded to do. I have some incriminating photos of Laura underneath the table & Kathy hugging a complete stranger like she was her best friend. We won't discuss the incriminating photos they got of me! I just LOVE my sisters & hanging out with them! We really had a blast.

*End of baseball, on the street ball hoops tournament June 23-24 downtown Medford, sponsored by KOBI & KISS FM. Tyson has been setting this up for a couple of months now, with very little assistance from me, & has organized four friends to join his team (it's a 3-on-3 tourament, & he can have 2 subs), set up practices at the YMCA & the school & made up plays & collected the $100 entry fee. So we did that all weekend - good times for the most part. Tyson being the little competitor had a hard time with losing all their games, but they were in a 13 & under division, since the next division was 10 & under & they had one 10 y/o & four 11 y/o. I kept having to remind him that he was getting to spend an entire weekend with his best buds (and his girlfriend, who was also on the team) doing his most favorite thing with the music pumping & the streets closed off for vendors & meeting real street ball players & that it was a great experience, win or lose. Halfway through, I decided that if he wanted to have a bad time, that was his call & he did just fine.

There's really even more to tell, but I need to crash for the time being & will try to fill in the gaps soon (I know, that's what I always say...I really will try!)

I can't believe this, but I just spent 45 minutes posting & my hand slipped & I lost it all! The story of my frustrating & exhausting life these days. Sorry, but there's no way in hell I'm about to do it all over again!

Don't stop checking in - I know I'm way overdue for an update & I'll try to do one later but, if not today, soon! In the meantime:

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOM!!!!

10 on Tuesday:

I haven't done this in a while, but here goes:
Ten Things I Like to Do By Myself (in no particular order):

1) Shop
2) Read
3) Drive
4) Play/sing/write/listen to/burn music
5) Watch TV or movies (no interruptions!)
6) Walk
7) Sunbathe
8) Look at old pictures
9) Pedicures/masks & pampering in general
10) Go to the park or a coffee shop & people watch

Due for an update, I suppose...Let's see...I dunno if I already mentioned that Seth moved back to the Valley. We haven't seen or heard from him much, which I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, it seems pretty crappy to be so close by & still not make the effort with Tyson, but on the other (more selfish) hand, the less we see of him, the better, as far as I'm concerned. I know that sounds mean, but I just don't want Tyson to follow in his footsteps. Seth actually called me this morning to ask me to pick him up from work & take him to the hospital, since his dad had a heart attack, so I did.

We had Tyson's 11th birthday party a couple of weekends ago. I got him a LaBron James jersey he's been wanting but I couldn't afford & The Simpson's Season 4. He had baseball practice on Friday & we had two of his buddies stay the night afteward, then had two others meet us at Pizza Hut, where we played video games & ate a really yummy Dairy Queen Blizzard cake. Lisa met me there so that we could bus the boys over to the skating rink & we got ourselves a nice workout there, too! On the night of Tyson's actual birthday, I took Tyson & his friend, Triston, to Red Lobster (Ty's favorite restaurant) & we pigged out. (Of course, I, the sea-food hater, ordered chicken!)

Tyson has been on a health kick for quite a while now & wants to work out at the workout room here at the apts all the time in addition to meeting up with several friends to play hoops at the YMCA. He also will only eat junk on special occasions. It's really paying off for him - he looks really nice & lean, even though he will always have muscle mass. I'm really proud of him for his committment. He's actually at the Y right now while I was at home doing some extra transcription work for Brenda this week. It was surprisingly easy, which is nice, but will mean a smaller check...

Last week was a killer. We had to get all of our charges & payments posted & everything billed out etc. in time to close out Medical Manager by noon on Friday. Now we won't be able to use Med Mgr (although we can access it for a reference, but can't make any entries etc.) ever again. Our data is currently being converted to the new software & we will be live with Centricity May 7. During our training, I was still never taught how to post a payment, make an adjustment or do any billing, so I'm just a little nervous...It's been very draining.

On top of all the work stuff, I decided to be a good Mom & volunteer to be our baseball team's official scorekeeper. This didn't sound like much & I figured, hey, I'll be at all the games, anyway, so why not? Well, let me tell you - it is an entirely different language, mostly made up of hieroglyphic-type codes, or so it seems! I've done 2 games now & I know I'm not doing everything right, although I really am doing my best. I just hope it's enough of what they're looking for to be helpful & that I'll get the hang of it soon!

In other news, after much flirting back & forth, I got asked out by a little cutie-pie at one of the restaurants that Lisa & I frequent for lunch. By little, I mean that he's 24 years old & I've never dated a guy more than a year younger than me - my theory is that men already mature so much slower than women & I'm pretty mature for my age, so if anything, I should be dating older guys (although I'm tentatively hopeful that the men have mostly caught up by age 31)! Anwyay, this guy wrote down his myspace addy so I could check it out and thank goodness I did! I was already a little trepadicious because of the age discrepancy, but he's even less mature than I gave him credit for! He literally stated on his profile that he is an "unmotivated stoner"! Boy, do I know how to pick 'em, or what?! I've decided that I'll still go to the restaurant, because I really do like their food & it's closest to my work, and I'll even still flirt with him, 'cause it's fun, but if he tries to ask me out again, I'll just tell him that we are from two different worlds & he's gotta settle for being my little cupcake from the restaurant! This little experience simply renews my conviction that the Man Upstairs is keeping me from guys until the one that I've been waiting for is in the position to come whisk me off my feet!

Here are some pics from the Coos Bay trip:

Wellll....Yesterday was my 31st birthday & I just want to say that I have the greatest family & friends EVER!!! I think I heard from EVERYBODY! I felt incredibly special & surrounded by love ~ it really was a fantastic birthday!

Yesterday was also the first day of Centricity training at work - we are converting our entire practice (which includes 6 companies & 5 doctors) of 23 years of Medical Manager to a new computer system. It's going to be great & really computer friendly once we get everything transfered & learn the new system, but it's been mind-boggling in the meantime & very overwhelming when you consider that every aspect of my job will change (not to mention that we will eventually be going to centralized billing, which will be handled by yours truly)! I heard somewhere that it doesn't pay to be too good at your job, because then you become indispensible & I'm really feeling that right now, although of course it makes me feel good that they have so much confidence in my abilities...

Basketball season is over (after a very disappointing weekend at the Coos Bay tournament in which Tyson got to play about 2 whole minutes - no exaggeration - and it just broke my heart to watch). We have now started baseball, and Tyson's coach has said that he will definitely be one of three pitcher/catchers on the team, which Tyson was thrilled about!

Seth came into town unexpectedly last week & I was already planning to go to Eugene to celebrate Krista's & my birthday (and her daughter, Paige's), so I offered to let Seth stay here at my place with Tyson so they could spend some time together. I've been feeling really good about how we've been handling our co-parenting relationship lately, but I have to tell you - I picked Seth up from his brother's place, which is roughly 2 miles away from my apartment, & we got into 2 fights en route! Then, when I tried to call a truce, he said that he hadn't realized we were arguing - which just reminded me that arguing doesn't have a natural place in the lifestyle that I've chosen, but it's such a regular occurance with him that he doesn't even notice it! Anyway, Tyson seemed to enjoy the time with his dad for the most part. While I was in Eugene, I went on my first Harley ride!! It was awesome & the guy was even pretty hot, but I'm recommitted to holding out for the guy I believe to be my soul mate, as I received a call from him after almost 2 years a couple of weeks ago that renewed my faith in that possibility...

Enough about my secretive love life - back to the whole Seth thing: he told me last night that he is planning to move back to the Rogue Valley - YIKES!!!! He said, "I know that you'd prefer it if I stayed 3 1/2 hours away, but there's nothing for me there." Since I have come to learn that Seth doesn't always do what he says he will, I took it with a grain of salt & simply agreed that the distance did make it easier to get along, but we'd just have to work it out...all the while screaming inside, "NOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo!!!!"

Anyway, I really am sorry that it's taken me so long to update my blog & thank all of you who have been patient with me & continue to check on the off chance that I'll get off my lazy buns & let y'all know what's been happening!

See, I actually posted a really long update here, but the text all disappeared, so I gave up!

At long last, the slacker has once again returned to visit her own blog...

I've been sick, Tyson's been sick, I've been working, watching a lot of movies & trying not to do anything else that requires energy or imagination...Therefore, not much to write about!

The only activities that I have been involved in consist of Tyson's sporting events. I was telling my friend Susan today at work that it's kinda sad that I equate the changing of the seasons with which sport my kid plays! Last Sunday was Tyson's last basketball game(s). Our coach called the day before the games to let us know that he & his son couldn't make it, because their whole family had the flu. So he called a dad on the team & asked him to coach, which actually worked out pretty well. Our first game, Tyson came out ready to play ball. He was everywhere & playing hard & with a lot of style! He scored 15 points of the 21 at the ending score, and that was just in the first quarter (aka half, since they only play 2 quarters vs 4, like the normal games). He played the entire first 1/2 & had to rest up a little bit during the 2nd half. The last game was actually tied 28-28 (again, Tyson was the lead scorer, but I lost track of his points) & went into overtime, where the other team won by just one basket. It was a pretty good game to end the season on, even though it would have been nice to win a game!

The really cool thing is that Tyson's coach called after the game to ask if Tyson would be interested in playing for the next level up, since they were short 2 players & have a tournament this weekend. Of course, Tyson was thrilled & more than happy to extend the basketball season for another week. We went to his first practice tonight & he was a little disappointed because he won't be the starting point guard like he was on the other team, but I nipped that in the bud. I told him & his friend Triston, who also will play on this team with him, that they should feel honored to be asked to play up & will be lucky if they get any play time, since these guys have been playing together all season & they just need some backup for their tournament. They'll only get to practice with them one more time, on Thursday. The tournament will be on Friday & Saturday in Coos Bay. This means that Tyson will miss his first baseball practice, but I spoke with his new coach & he was very supportive & assured me that it would be fine. So, Tyson will have his first baseball practice the following Monday! No breaks for my boy, but it's good for him - especially for him. He thrives on physical activity & needs the encouragement, not to mention the male role model/companionship that sports offer.

In other news, my friend Kristin moved to Bend today. I'm planning a trip up to Eugene the 24th-26th to celebrate Krista's & my birthdays (hers is the 18th, mine is the 28th). We are planning to do a day spa or something to that effect. No matter what we do, though, it will just be nice to see her & the family again!

I really, really am trying to get better about being more consistent with my posts here! Let's see - I went out with my friend Lisa from work, along with her mom & her mom's friends from work. We did the comedy/karaoke thing as usual, & it was a blast! The comedians were really great, so that is always a bonus! My friend Kristin joined us toward the end of the night, too. It looks like she'll be moving back to Bend before too much longer. Her fiance has accepted a job there & is going through a lengthy training for his police officer stuff, so she'd never see him if she stayed here; besides, her family is all in Bend, so it makes sense. Samantha & I are meeting up tonight to do dinner & then maybe do karaoke somewhere - she likes to sing, too. It's cool, because we grew up together & that was one of our biggest bonds & we both really enjoy it & sing well together. It's nice for her to get out of the house every once in a while, since she's a stay-at-home mom with a 1 y/o & a 3 y/o.

Aside from all that, Tyson is continuing to do well in school & still really likes it - he actually said to me last weekend that he likes it so much he was looking forward to going back on Monday! Of course, some of this may be due in part to his new girlfriend!

I got my taxes back & paid off bills, which is always a huge relief. My one "splurge" is the score that I got on patio chair cushions & a new umbrella at BigLots. I've been looking at WalMart & the cushions I liked were $35 apiece & the cheap-o umbreallas were starting at $75. At BigLots, I got even better cushions for $20 a pop & spent $26 on a really nice canvas umbrella with a wood stand. I was very excited! I can't wait for the nice weather. I'm looking forward to getting tan & being able to take the top back off my jeep again!

Anyway, I guess I'd better get ready to meet Samantha. That's all, folks!

Boy, am I a slacker or what?! Actually, I've just been trying to get caught back up after filling in doing some extra transcription again, which means that the rest of my life is temporarily put on hold, with the exception of Tyson's school & games etc.

I did manage to go out with a couple of girlfriends a few weekends ago...other than that, I'm just keeping my nose to the grind & life is generally pretty boring! I also had a candle party last weekend which turned out to be pretty lucrative & enjoyable at the same time, which is always a bonus!

Tyson's basketball team still hasn't won a single game, but I'm just proud that he is one of the best on the team & is so self-motivated.

Really, this is probably the most pathetic posting in all of my blog posts. See, this is why I don't post anymore! Because I hardly have a life anymore! Tomorrow my big plan is to take my kitties to the vet to remove their stitches from getting spayed & to go to Tyson's basketball game. I may end up going to lunch or a movie with my long-lost-friend, Samantha & I also might pick up my niece to hang out after the game if I hear back from her. I did get invited by my friend, April, to watch the fights & go out afterward, but I doubt that I'll go. I'm already planning a "girls' night out" with my friend, Lisa, & her mom, both of which don't go out much & they've been wanting to do the comedy/karaoke thing I like to do. I adore them & I think we'll have a really good time, if it actually pans out. All I've got to say is, thank goodness for girlfriends!!!!

Figured I'd better post something, already, or people will stop checking my blog!

Well, once so much time has passed, I just update with the short version to get caught up:

Went to Eureka. My niece, Heather, was planning to come with, but wasn't able to get the time off work. I made it down by 3:45 p.m. Saturday & stopped at my brother, Allen's house. My other bros came over & we all went to the mall to see my nephew Johny, who wouldn't be able to make it for the Christmas party, since he had to work. We were also looking for a board game that I desperately wanted us all to play, called Encore, but never did end up finding while I was there. From there, we drove over to my dad's place, where his girlfriend, Polly, had set up a really nice buffet-style dinner & we all visited, sang karaoke & opened presents. The party finally broke up around 12:30 a.m., so I drove about a 1/2 hour south to my sister, Laura's. I camped out in my niece, Mary's, room & we stayed up talking until about 4:30 a.m. (Note: My sister is moving to Arizona to join her new hubby & my niece will be getting a place with her boyfriend, so this was very likely the last "girl talk sleepover" that we'll get to have!)

I got up the next morning & visited with Laura & her talking bird, Baby, until about 1 p.m., then headed up to my mom's, which is about 5 minutes away. We went out to dinner & rented some Christmas movies & got all cozy with new jammies & blankets that we'd received as gifts & ate banana bread that she'd baked for the holidays. It was a really nice visit, and long overdue!

The next morning (Christmas Day!), we got up & drove back to Eureka to go to my brother, Allen's, and met up with the other siblings & did many more hours of karaoke. Afterward, Allen & I went to the nursing home where he volunteers & visited with some of the old folks there. That felt really good, knowing that some of them may not have had any other visitors that day. They sure do love my brother!

From there, I dropped Allen off & headed over to my dad's & got to visit with him & Polly (who I just met this visit for the first time & already adore!) until a little after midnight. The next morning, Polly & I got up & hit the after-Christmas sales at Target & went to lunch at Applebees. We came back & it was time for me to head back to meet Seth & pick up my boy!

I was about 20 minutes late meeting them in the Redwoods, but it was fine. Tyson & I were really happy to be back together & chattered the whole way home telling each other everything that had happened. We got home around 7 p.m. or so & had our own Christmas! The next day, I had to go back to work, but we spent all of the evenings that week just hanging out & trying to get back on track.

We went out to Eagle Point for New Years & stayed the night out at Alex & Ed's. Krista & Dustin came down & all of the other neighbors were there, along with Kristin & Loren, who arrived around 10 p.m. We got up the next day & came back home to put away Christmas decorations & get ready for school/work the next day. (Over the weekend, we also saw Eragon - which we had read together at bedtime; Ty's now reading Eldest, the second book - and Pursuit of Happyness, both really good flicks!) So, Tyson's back in school, I've been back at work, but did have to take one sick day...I had the flu for four days last week - ugh! Things are gradually getting back to normal & I've even gone walking again the last two days!

Uh, yeah, so...so much for my "short version", eh...?