Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Trumpet

My LLB has a new Xeno trumpet as many of you know. She needed to step up to a professional model and it has made a HUGE difference.  The new trumpet requires far less air to make music, and therefore, can produce a much larger sound with less effort. We could definitely hear her on Friday night.
She used it in class last week and found that she was a bit... umm.... loud.  The director kept telling her to "LLB, SHH!!! I can only hear you!"
She didn't think that was such a bad thing...

Monday, September 19, 2011

God does have a sense of humor

While creating wives, God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the world. 
  
. . . And then He made the earth round.

(I found this in my e-mail box this morning and just had to share!)

Friday, September 16, 2011

Friday!

So tonight my LLB plays her solo to start the half time show with her brand new trumpet. I think she's nervous, but one can never tell as she hides it well.  This new trumpet requires so much less air to play, that she gets amazing sound out of it with very little effort.  I am SURE we'll be able to hear her quite well tonight - even if all the people in the stands can't be quiet...
Speaking of quiet - I've got to make some posters for the band dads to hold up like they do at the golf games!!  I'd best get going on that this afternoon...
My dearest oldest friend is coming in for a visit today. I'm so excited! We have a great weekend planned including football, band uniforms, polo, wineries, and seeing a cow -- she want's to see a cow... It's not my idea of excitement, but if that's what she wants to do - we'll go see a cow.  :-)
 

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

It's been a while...

So it has been a while since I posted. Sorry about that, but life takes over when you least expect it.
My #1 is off to VMI.
He is really enjoying it - although the first 9 days were pure torture.

When we saw him at matriculation, he looked like this:
Check out the poor kids behind him... they look like they might just puke!

He took the Cadet Oath at New Market. This is a very special occasion and the first time we get to see the kids since we left them at matriculation. When we saw him at New Market, he looked like this:

His requests have been simple:
1. Mom, can you send me a Swiffer?

Now, how many college students do you know ask for a Swiffer? Yeah... mine is probably the only one.  BUT - they passed room inspection with those nifty Swiffers I sent. I sent the Swiffer wet, the Swiffer dry cloths, and the Swiffer duster. There was no dust or dirt to be had in that room.  I think Swiffer ought to do an advertising campaign at VMI - those kids sure do know how to clean!!

2. Mom, can you send some of LLB's cookies and some other snacks? I'm starving. The food sucks!

We have sent cookies, peanut butter cups, granola bars, slim jims, chips, and more. Friends have sent brownies. I guess mess hall food is not what it's cracked up to be.

3. Mom, can you send brass polish?

How many of you out there with college kids have ever even thought about sending brass polish? Well - I sent the best: Simichrome.  I haven't had any complaints about polish that doesn't work since I sent that stuff. That stuff is magic!!

By the way, under that hat, he looks exactly like he did when he was six and had a buzz cut. He looks like this:

Monday, September 05, 2011

Towligator

I was asked to review this nifty little item: The Towligator.

It is AWESOME! It's absolutely brilliant!

Basically it's an alligator clip with a long bendable tail.  I use it to keep my towel on my chair. I clip the center of my towel in the clip and and then bend the tail over and hang it on my chair.  If the wind blows, my towel stays put. No more chasing my towel across the pool deck.  I also keep track of my swim goggles with Towligator. I clip my goggles in his mouth and loop his tail over the chair and they stay put. I always know where they are.  This has proven quite useful since we've had hurricane force winds come through here and sure enough... my goggles stayed on that chair -- no problem!

He works great at the beach, too! You can clip the corner of your towel in the Towligator's mouth and then band his tail over and shove it in the sand. Thus, your towel stays put even when it's windy!
Some people stick the tail in the sand and then put their cell phone or iPod in the Towligator's mouth to keep it from getting all sandy and dirty.

We love Towligator! He is cute, fun, and extremely useful.
I currently have one in the kitchen. He is holding my dishtowel with his tail looped over a drawer pull.  The drawer pull was too small for the dishtowel, but this works great!  I have my dishtowel where I need it and he is so cute, too. I've gotten many compliments on my Towligator!!

This is what they said:

Toweligators are a must have for every beach bag, boat, and pool deck! Don’t miss an opportunity to order this season’s most popular, most talked about innovation. The Toweligator is NOT only seen on TV!
Vacations and days by the pool are supposed to be relaxing and fun, not spent chasing your towel. No more dual role hair clips, tying knots, finding safety pins or constantly adjusting your towels. Let a team of Toweligators grip and fasten your towels right where you need them.
Originally designed to hold your beach towel securely in place, either in the sand or on your beach chair, its practical uses are endless. Use your imagination, then allow team gator to hold your glasses out of the sand and your snack bag sealed on YOUR towel.
The unique and well-researched design allows the bendable tail to attach almost anywhere to make it the most versatile and fun clamp on the market. The tail can bend around chair backs, closet rods, tree limbs, and boat decks making the Toweligator not just a beach clamp, but the everywhere clamp. The strong gator-grip jaws ensure your belongings stay where you put them. Take your Toweligators everywhere!
Buy'em for gifts, buy'em for vacations, or buy'em for laughs. Just buy'em!


I think this year, Towligator may find his way into some stockings around here at Christmas time. There are a gazillion uses for them and they are so unbelievably cute!

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign my Family Review Network on behalf of Towligator and received a complimentary product sample to help facilitate my review and to thank me for taking the time to participate.


Friday, August 05, 2011

An Interloper

We found this itty bitty froggy floating on the pool thermometer this morning. I think he wanted to celebrate LLB's birthday with us today.  We are a few months late celebrating -- we were waiting on the pool and then we had to wait for everyone to come home!
Hopefully, the rain will stop and the sun will come out. If not, we'll swim between the raindrops.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Affresh - Round 2

I was asked to review Affresh - the stainless steel cleaner.
I have now used it for 6 weeks and I can honestly say that it is terrific!  I used in on the bottom of our popcorn popper -- it's a movie theater style popper with a stainless tray on the bottom.  Even with all the salt and popcorn kernels and oil spatter, the popper cleans up beautifully with Affresh. The Affresh makes it easier to clean -- the goo seems to just wipe right off. It's great!

My sink continues to wipe up nicely as do Gram's appliances. They stay cleaner longer. It's almost like magic!  The water spots on Gram's refrigerator are gone and the fingerprints don't seem to stick.. I'm telling you... This stuff is awesome!
If you have stainless steel appliances, stainless steel sinks, or stainless steel that gets grungy frequently -- use Affresh! It works.


 “I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of affresh and received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”