Linda's Sunflower

Corby and I went to the Warren yesterday afternoon to see "The Proposal" - the new Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds movie. Also starring was Betty White, one of my all-time favorite comedic actresses (who could forget her on The Golden Girls?). Bullock plays Margaret, a bitchy New York book editor. Ryan Reynolds plays Andrew, her executive assistant. She frightens all the employees just by walking into the office. Margaret, a Canadian by birth, finds out that her visa has expired and she is going to be deported. She and Andrew concoct a green card marriage so she can stay in New York. Well, Margaret concocts the idea and blackmails Andrew into going along with the idea. Most of the movie revolves around a visit to Andrew's family in Sitka, Alaska (gorgeous scenery) to celebrate his gram's (Betty White) 90's birthday. The movie was really good - lots of funny moments - most of them involving Betty. For 87 years old, she can still out-act a lot of younger folks. I had ...

We lost three entertainers this week, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Ed - I loved watching Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show, and Ed was the best sidekick. I have many happy memories of skits they performed together, but my favorite was Carnac the Magnificent and how Ed used to crack him up. Farrah - Yes, I watched Charlie's Angels. Perhaps I wanted to look more like Farrah, Kate or Jaclyn since they were all gorgeous. I remember the flack Farrah got for quitting after the first year, but I think she showed her acting chops in "The Burning Bed." Michael - I remember the early, early years when he was in the Jackson Five. I was always more of an Osmond fan, but Michael was great in his early solo years. Thriller, Billie Jean, Beat It...how could you NOT dance to his music? I wouldn't have wanted to live his life, and we all know his history with young boys, plastic surgery, and perhaps whitening his skin. But I still say he was one of the most talented...

Happy Birthday to the BEST husband in the world! We took him to Famous Dave's BBQ for his birthday dinner. I wasn't prepared when they brought him this dish of ice cream with a sparkler in it, so the picture doesn't show the sparker, as it had died out before I got my camera out of my purse. Great meal with great kids and a GREAT husband. I love you hon!

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Happy Father's Day to Corby - our kids are so lucky to have such a great dad! They are sure going to miss his cooking and car knowledge when they head to Manhattan! It's HOT! HUMID! NASTY! But at least our tomato plants are doing well. Abby & Muffin have been hanging out in strange places...not sure why they were laying on this afghan. They knocked it off a basket under my drafting table. Abby likes to climb behind the blind in the window on the south side of the basement. I rarely open that blind. I've caught her climbing between the slats. Hopefully she won't get stuck and choke herself. We've been playing the computer / monitor / TV shuffle today. Kaleb built a new computer for school, so we had an extra hard drive. We took the LCD TV out of our bedroom and made it the monitor for my computer - then took my old monitor and put it on Kaleb's old hard drive so Corby will have a computer!!!! Can you believe it? I'm finally getting him into the technology...

Had a couple of busy days at work early in the week, and then Wednesday, Kaleb, Kaitlin and I left town at 5:30am to head to K-State for enrollment. It was a LONG day. They met with the whole group at first, then separated the kids from their parents for different sessions. Since I had gone to the parent sessions with Brandon two years ago, I opted to skip them and visit with other parents who were skipping too! After about an hour, they brought everyone together again, then herded the kids off to enroll, leaving us parents in the auditorium to get MORE information. I stayed for a little while, and actually won a grab bag of K-State goodies. They asked if this was your 2nd child to go into engineering at K-State to stand - so I stood. When they asked if it was your 3rd child, I stayed standing - along with one other guy. He actually had put 6 kids through K-State, but this one was his 3rd in the engineering program. So we tied. The tie-breaker was who drove the farthest. Since he came ...

UPDATED: 6/15/09. Kaitlin and I headed southeast to Miami, OK on Friday for a Rascal Flatts concert. The trip was nice, through the rolling hills of southeast Kansas to Parsons, then south to Miami. We located our Super 8 motel easily, then we headed off to the concert. The directions on mapquest to Buffalo Run casino were incorrect, so after a short drive in the wrong direction and a stop at a convenience store, we made it. It had rained in Miami that morning. Gates were supposed to open at 5pm, but they didn't have the amphitheater ready because of the muddy grounds. We were in line for 3 1/2 hours, alternating between sitting in our lawn chairs, standing wherever we could find shade, and sitting in the sun. We had premium tickets, so once the gates were open - we made our way through a bunch of line cutters (security tried to keep it orderly and keep them out, with little success) and high-tailed it to the front of the stage. We were sloshing through tons of mud. They had thrown...

Check tomorrow for a new post on the Rascal Flatts concert last night in Miami, OK...AWESOME!

The last few days have been pretty stressful and hectic at work. Worked late when I really needed to be home working on garage sale stuff. I was so busy today that I didn't take pictures of the sale, but we had a decent sale, and I made enough to pay off most of the cat's vet bill. YEAH! Went to the doctor yesterday morning. I've been having numbness in my right foot - since last fall actually. I'd worn the "walking" shoes like I was supposed to, but it never really got better. The last few days I've had tremendous shooting pain in my big toe (right foot) when I go to bed at night. It feels like needles being shoved into my toe. My doctor is sending me to a podiatrist for the numbness, but says I need to have the toenail removed on my big toe. It's had a fungus under it for 2 years or so. When I went to see him last year he told me the medication is so expensive ($800+) and insurance doesn't cover it. He suggested just waiting for the toenail to fa...

I'm not normally one to share my political or moral beliefs, but with what happened in Wichita on Sunday - the George Tiller murder - I'm going to share my thoughts. I am - for the most part - pro choice. I feel a woman should be able to make the choice on abortion. However, I DO NOT think abortion should be used as a means of birth control! That said, the abortions that George Tiller was performing were legal. He was performing a legal service. I know for some of my friends and family, my position is difficult for them to understand. But I think you have to understand - women that are in dire straits - for whatever reason - their pregnancy is a result of rape, their fetus is not viable - are not taking their decision to abort lightly. I know several people - friends, or daughters of friends - who have had to make this terrible decision. I doubt that I, personally, could have an abortion, but I don't feel I have the right to tell other women what they should do. There - my ...

We dropped the boys off at Rockfest on Saturday, and Kaitlin and I went shopping at Oak Park Mall. We made it back to the Westin Crown Center, where we were staying. The boys had fun at Rockfest, but didn't make it to the end of the concert (12+ hours long). Great hotel! The only negative - partiers from Rockfest who were partying all night long on their balconies. We saw the most awesome fireworks show at the end of the concert. The hotel overlooked the Liberty Memorial Park, where the concert was held. Needless to say, we had a wonderful view of the fireworks at the end of the concert. We also overlooked the pool. Kaitlin and I went down Saturday night and hung out at the pool and hot tub. GREAT fun! Sunday we went to the Royals game. Zach Grienke was pitching. His record is 8-1, but he didn't get a decision in this game. He left the game when it was tied 4-4. We left at the end of the 7th inning, and the Royals ended up losing 7-4. Boo hoo. It was toasty warm in our seats, ...

Heading to KC early tomorrow morning. Kaitlin and I will drop the boys and their friend, Brady, off at the Liberty Memorial for Rockfest, an outdoor all-day (WILD!) concert. We will do some shopping, hanging out, and if I'm brave enough, some hot tub/pool action. We're staying at the Westin Crown Center, which is only about 6 blocks from the concert, so the boys can walk there and back and we can avoid most of the traffic jam. Sunday we're headed to the Royals game. It's probably been 6 or 7 years since we've been to a game, so we're looking forward to it. Corby is staying home to help our neighbor, Paul, build a new deck. He's also on "sick cat" patrol. Hopefully we can let Sugar out of the downstairs bathroom (where she's been since last Saturday) tomorrow. She's better, but nowhere near 100% yet... Later gators!

Poor Sugar...she is getting better day by day, but she is still confined in the downstairs bathroom. And let me tell you, sharing one bathroom with 3 adult children (well, they THINK they're adults) is a pain in the tush. We could use the bathroom downstairs, but it's fairly small, and with a litter box, food bowls and a sick cat, we've opted to share the upstairs one. She's taking lots of medication. Kaitlin giving her meds She's not too thrilled with us. Corby talked to the vet today. Hopefully we'll be able to let her back outside in the next day or two. After tomorrow she will have one pill twice a day. We're not sure she will hang around to get those pills, but we're going to have to let her go soon. The kids and I (and a friend of Brandon's) are headed to KC for the weekend. We will leave early Saturday morning and drop the boys off at Rockfest - a big outdoors concert at the Liberty Memorial. Kaitlin and I will hang out, shop, swim at the hote...

To all our veterans and those we've lost who have fought for our country...GOD BLESS YOU and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

We hosted a family cookout yesterday, and celebrated my sister Rhonda's 55th birthday (May 30) and Brandon's 20th birthday (May 16). Brandon wasn't here for his birthday celebration, as he had to work. He managed to get 40 hours this week, and needs the money. He wasn't able to ask for the day off in time unfortunately. Rhonda reading her birthday cards (with our sister Marilyn) Our nephew Nick Mike, Nick, Corby & Sandy My sister-in-law Diana and MOM I took this picture holding the camera at arms' length. Not too good, but Kaitlin & I were having fun. She had to work, but got off in time to get in on some of the festivities. We did a LOT of reminiscing, with mom telling us we should write down our memories. She says that by the time we are her age, we'll forget all of them. She did pretty darn good keeping up with us though! Good music (stereo blasting in the garage) and a great time with family.

We picked Sugar up from the vet today. We are $806 poorer! And she's still a sick cat. She's having problems with urination and diarrhea. She's taking 4 different kinds of meds. We have to keep her confined for at least 3 or 4 days. Right now we have her in Kaitlin's bedroom, but I think she'll soon be moving to the downstairs bathroom due to her "potty" problems. I'm already washing the sheets and blankets from Kaitlin's bed. UGH! If she doesn't get better in the next few days, we may be putting her to sleep. They really weren't sure about sending her home, but since it's a holiday weekend, we could NOT afford to let her stay 3 more days! One thing about this experience, Kaitlin is now thinking about becoming a veterinarian - again! She always wanted to be one, but a couple of years ago she decided she didn't want to spend 8 years in college. So she's starting K-State in the engineering program (and has an engineering scholarsh...

Other than the twins graduation on Tuesday, this has not been a good week. On Tuesday afternoon, our outdoor cat, Sugar, who had been missing for 3 days, came home very ill. Kaitlin and I took her to the vet. She has a kidney stone and some kind of infection, and was extremely dehydrated. It's Friday evening now, and she is still at the vet. We are going to have to pull the plug soon, as the bill is getting pretty darn high. I honestly should have put her to sleep on Tuesday, instead of all the expense we are incurring, but I couldn't do that to Kaitlin on her graduation day. She would never have forgotten it. Then, sometime late Wed. night or early yesterday morning, someone ran into Kaleb's car - he was parked in the street. With 5 vehicles, we can't all fit in the driveway! Anyway, it was a hit and run. He called the police, but there isn't much you can do when you don't know who hit it. It's not a huge dent, but it's right at the crack of the drive...

I now present to you... without further ado... Kaleb & Kaitlin Joplin with mom & dad with Brandon with Terry & Sandy with Melody Kaleb with his friend, Raven Kaitlin with her friend, Maddie Kaleb & Raven being silly and Kaitlin telling us another "high school" story!

The previous pics are garage sale items...maybe. I'm not sure I'm ready to part with Kaleb's Scooby Doo yet...or the ancient dominos...we'll see. Muffin checking out the flowers outside the basement window. Our bradford pear tree - which didn't bloom the white flowers this year because of the snow & ice in April! Cinnamon, a front view and a back view of her newly shaved fur... And, our poor basketball goal needs a new net.