This is why I never did musicals in high school!

Felix and I goofing off the other day. One of my most favorite songs because I LOVE summer and the sun.

I am posting this because I know that in 3 years or less, she will not want to sing crazy with her mother, nor will she want the incriminating video posted on the Internet. I'm taking advantage of this moment in time!

She may hate me later, but oh well. It was fun singing with her.

Not to mention, in three years (or less), my hair will be completely grey and this is one way to remember it's former color! How funny is that!

Things that make me happy

There are some things that make me happy. Not over-joyous, just kind of happy. I was thinking of a couple of these and thought I'd share.


My shirts color-coordinated. Before this, I had them in order of sleeve length (spaghetti, tanks, short, 3/4 elbow, long). When I was teaching at MMSC, I would need to make sure that I wore either long or 3/4 long sleeves, so it was easier to have them in sleeve order. That way, I knew exactly where to look.
Now that I'm not teaching anymore, it seemed a lot easier to have them in color order. This looks very orderly to me and makes me happy that I know exactly where the pink shirts are located or the brown shirts.

Many of you who may know Lucy (my mum) might think that I'm channelling her; you could be right. But EVERYONE has a little bit of OC in them and those who are without that, may cast the first stone.

Robee's annual haircut. I say "annual" because that's about how often he gets it cut. Once a year.

This is before. I don't know WHEN those damn incisors are going to come in but it's been almost eight months.

This is after. To the buzz-cut aficionado, you may not see a difference. But the "mullet" is gone as are the sticking out curls in the back AND I can see his eyes again.

That makes me happy. I love to see his eyes.

Ditching the reading glasses.

Awhile back, I posted a blog talking about my having to wear reading glasses to see up close and I was wailing and gnashing my teeth about it. Yes, I know it's vain, but I've been wearing the freeking things since 2nd grade and I would like to not have to go back to them so quickly in my life.

I spoke to an optometrist about it (I finally broke down and went to a real doc - not located at Walmart) and asked him about CRT (which is NOT CHOOSE RIGHT THE) but a lens that you wear at night which reshapes the eye so the nearsighted wearer can see in the daytime -- without lenses! Isn't that great?

Great for those who qualify that is. I'm so blind (20/horrible or 20/800 if you need a number) that I don't qualify.

However, there is something called mono-vision where they correct one eye - usually your dominate one - for distance and then under correct the other for close up. So one eye sees distance and the other close up. I know it sounds dizzying but your brain actually figures out which eye to use to see what it needs. I didn't believe it either until that day when I started reading again (after the dilation wore off, that is) without having to move my contact and close one eye.

It's a miracle! I believe!

So, there. I'm happy. For the moment.

Another Tournament, another can of whoop a**

We attended our last Canadian TaeKwonDo tournament on Saturday. We left about 6:30 am, thinking we would arrive before line-up.

Except that -- being female -- I forgot to pack the male support devices (ahem) absolutely NEEDED for sparring. Not only needed but required. Hey. Would the guys remember my sports bra?? Doubt it. So there is no reason I should be required to remember their protective gear.

Anyway, since we were already on the road, we decided to stop in Bellingham and hopefully find a Walmart and grab two on the way.

Couldn't find a Walmart but found a Joe's which didn't open until 8 and we were there at 7:30. So to kill some time, we found a Starbucks and grabbed our favorite Green Tea Latte and waited outside Joe's.

8:00 am and Thomas is in the store, found the stuff and we're off.

The wait at the border was quick since no one is going to Canada on Saturday; they're all coming here to shop!

Got to the tournament late anyway and missed line up because we had to register late. So there was no warming up, no stretching out, no practicing the form before our turn. Thomas, Felix and Robee were all in the first round and I was in the second, so I got to run around to three rings to watch all their forms and sparring.

Saturday was not a good day for the Black Belt Neeleman Family.

Robee got half way through his form and then blanked out. Once you blank out, it's hard to get the rhythm again. He pretty much tanked.

Felix blanked at the end of her form and so she was toast.

Thomas did part of his form twice (which he wasn't supposed to do) and so tanked.

Now it's up to me, last of the BBN, to bring home the trophy. I only had three other women in my group. Piece of cake.

Start my form, doing good. Finding my stride. Looking okay. Got the side hook kick down. Then ... I turn the wrong way. I find myself turned completely around and had to stop and wait until my brain could figure out how to recover from this horrible position.

I had been cursed.

I came in fourth out of four. Sucks.

However, I did okay in sparring. I took second. So it wasn't all bad.

We have two more tournaments before the end of the season. They can be really fun but tiring. We were exhausted yesterday and today it's still hanging around.

Yeah for martial arts!

Happy Birthday Maxito!!

Happy Birthday to our 2nd grandchild, Max. He is 5 years old today!
I call him Maxito. I don't know if he likes this, but he always knows that it's me when I call and say "Hey Maxito!" I figure if he really hated, he would say something.

I'm so glad that he is doing so great after his eye surgery! He's a great kid and we can't wait to see him again. It's hard being so far away from our other three grandkids.

Hope you had a great day!!

Thomas Birthday photos

Birthday boy with his cake.



As everyone knows, the best cake is homemade yellow cake with chocolate fudge frosting -- at least 2 inches of frosting. My recipe for the cake comes from my Aunt Betty and the frosting recipe is from my Uncle Duncan.

Ya know, Robee seems to get in EVERY picture -- even if it's not his birthday. Such a little turd. I hope he never loses that quirk.