Catching a little breather!

So we got home from vacation a week ago Friday.  We had my cousin's wedding Saturday night (an hour away).  Sunday we had to go pick the dog up from my sister's house (about 45 minutes away) I bet my car enjoyed going to work Monday since it's only about 15 minutes away!  We did a lot of freakin' driving.  I'm still behind at work.

I'm posting the vacation posts starting tomorrow!   I'm breaking it up into several so it's not one HUGE post.

So Miss Angela's graduation party is this Saturday!!  I'm pretty sure everything is under control.  We got a lot done outside this past weekend.  My sister Laurie and one of Angel's friends came over to help.  Angel & Maddie scraped & painted the one hideous wall of the garage and Laurie and I tackled the flower beds and actually installed the stone ring around the tree out front!  We were so busy that I didn't get any in-progress pictures, but the afters are great!
                                   Garage before                                                             Garage after

The tree ring after.  The before was just nasty.  Rotted landscape timbers that were falling apart, I didn't even take a picture.  It's not 100% round or level but ya know what?  I don't care.  Laurie and I are pretty proud of ourselves about this. We worked our asses off!

The lawn will need to be mowed one more time and the back yard cleaned up.  The guys are coming Friday with the tent / tables / chairs to set up and will be back Sunday to get them. I need to actually call and order the broasted chicken & taters, but they only need 3-5 days notice.  I'm making a taco salad and Swedish meatballs (not making those - buying them & tossing them in the crockpot!) - Angel was happy about both of those.  Food she will actually eat!  We have a veggie tray coming, jello fluff, fruit tray, cookies and the cake of course. We'll have M&Ms on the tables in her school colors and also a large glass fish filled with.....Swedish fish!  I'm pretty sure that should be OK for noms.  Laurie insisted we needed centerpieces, so I stopped at Michaels and got some small clear glass milk bottles, black river rock and orange silk flowers.  Sitting on black doilies on the orange tablecloths should look pretty nice.

Sorry if I'm rambling - it's like my fingers are talking out loud, checking off one of my many lists.

I went on a quest today for a graduate crown.  I know they had them at Party City, but I think we waited too late.  Shucks.  But I got her a black tank top that says Class of 2015 in bright pink glittery letters.  Some black and orange beads.  She's actually going to wear a skirt and nice top for the party anyway.  

The cats will be locked in the bedroom so I can just close that door and be done.  I took all the pictures down off my dark blue accent wall in the living room and patched the holes (to repaint) so right now it looks polka-dotted.  If I don't have it done.....oh well!  I have to clean the house yet, but that's a given.

But oh my - Party City was entirely too close to a store called At Home (formerly Garden Ridge) and I couldn't help but notice when Randy and I were in there last week that they had much better skeletons than they have had in the past!  These can actually pose & hold it without tightening screws and all the crap.  So this guy sort of ran out and jumped in the car with me!  Too bad my back windows are tinted!  You can't really see him sitting back there.

 Oh an FYI - these are exactly like the ones being sold at Michaels....but for $30 less!

It was so cute - last Saturday was one of Angel's dance friend's grad party.  They had it at a hall with a dancefloor.  When you get dancers together....they dance!  They ran thru several of their competition and recital dances, the ones who were there.  I noticed a little girls glued to a chair at the corner of the dancefloor, just staring.  Found out later she told her dad that she wanted to dance like those girls!  I was standing next to Laura when the dad came up and asked where they dance at.  Guess it was good PR for the studio!

Alrighty - time to start dinner and I know there's a certain puppy who really wants to go for a walk this evening!    Later!

#TFTLS