Thank GOD for Kleenex, Advil, Motrin & Alternators!

Good GRACIOUS!!!


The Bibbs family has been some sickies lately. It started last Saturday with Mister M. being taken down for the count. Me and Jayla tried our darndest to stay away from him. But being that we're a loving/touchy/feely kinda family, it was pretty impossible. Not to mention, he "worked" from home all week in an effort not to make his co-workers sick. And I was the good wife and checked on him quite a bit, as well as made several soup, OJ & medicine runs to the store. But alas, it finally attacked me too.


By Monday, I started feeling that scratchy feeling in my throat and even woke a couple mornings sounding a little like Barry White :-). But I was hell BENT on not getting sick. I was determined to fight it! And fight it I did...albeit for nothing.


Jayla managed to avoid it a few days longer than I did. Until Wednesday morning when she woke up with 102.5 temp! Poor baby! "Welp, no school for you today, young lady!" For those of you who either know or know OF Jayla...you know that the words, "No school for you today" are fueding words. However, she must've really felt bad because after her quick dose of Motrin, she was back in slumberland. We were able to keep the fever at bay for the entire day. So much so that she was doing cartwheels (literally) :-) She even woke up yesterday with a "normal" temp, and was able to go back to school. And just in time too...yesterday was Fall Picture Day :-)


She WAS fever free...I SWEAR!!!

I know, I know...I'm a scrapbooker and I love myself some pictures. And yes, I'll admit it...school picture day is very important to us - ahem, ME! She was so stinkin cute...


ANYWAY...she successfully made it through the day, still fever free. UNTIL...this morning when she woke up with a 101.3 temp. ARGH!!! Again, no fight to make her stay home. And as of right now (8:34pm EST) she is still fever free.


Backing up a bit...yesterday afternoon, I was about to leave and take my rightful 1st spot in the carpool line, ONLY to have my van not start. What? Are you kidding me?

Now my VAN has a cold too???

I told Mister M. and he comes downstairs and tries to start the van with HIS keys...lol...don't ask, it's a man thing, I'm sure. Anyway, I was right, the van didn't start (HAHA). So I have to take his car to pick up Jayla.


When I get back, we brainstorm and try to figure out what might be wrong with the my soccer mobile. We come to the conclusion that it's the starter. So I called the shop that we get our vehicles worked on at, and tell them what WE think the problem is. They quote us $350 to replace the starter. It is suggested that we call a tow truck to take the van to the shop. 45 minutes later, the tow truck comes and the driver says, "I betchall a hunnerd dollers that it ain't the starter. It's your battry...I betcha!" He then says, "I betcha if I jumpya wit my truck, she'll start ryte up...I betcha!" So he grabs his jumper cables, hooks them up to the "battry" and plugs the other end into his truck...all while giving us a nice glimpse of his Hanes and a little BC (butt crack) ACK!!!


ANYWAY...he was right. Cuz, like he said..."I know my vehicles...I betcha!" So he saved us the additional $10 it would've cost to tow the van and just followed us the 3.75 miles to the shop...just in case.


The long and short of this story is...it was not the starter. But a "dead as a doornail battry" and a bad alternator. They kept it over night and got it fixed up for us...all to the tune of $551.47! Well, there goes a little bit (more) of our nest egg. But the van is running fine...I betcha!!


Ok, that's about all I've got for now. But before I go, how bout a flower fix to start off your weekend...

Have a great weekend!!

.......uhhhh, errrr, welll...I'm speechless!

...Ok, for those of you who know me, you KNOW that it's not often that I'm left without words. But being that I AM Jayla's mother, it happens.
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Allow me to share this with you. I pick Jayla up from school yesterday and the following conversation takes place...
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Me: "Hey sweetie, how was your day today?"
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Jayla: quizzical facial expression - "It was ok."
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Me: "Just ok? What happened? Did you have a bad day?"
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Jayla: "Wellll, kinda."
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she has now proceeded to take her purple folder out of her book bag and open it to show me.
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Jayla: "Today we got our weekly reports...annnddd, I will understand if you tell me I can't watch TV when I get home today. I HAVE to learn my lesson!"
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Me: quizzical facial expression with slight jaw droppage - "Wait a minute now, WHAT happened?"
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NOTE: we are now in route to the gas station and she's trying to show me this purple "Thursday" folder. I tell her to wait until we get to said gas station and I'll look at the folder there. So we stop, I start pumping the gas and I read the paper in the folder. Which SIMPLY states that Jayla had a "minor" issue with talking too much (big SHOCKER) in class and in the cafeteria...on Tuesday and Wednesday. So as I'm reading this "send her up the river" worthy info :-D, Jayla has this PAthetic look on her face and says...
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Jayla: "Mom, I'm VERY sorry about my talking. And I understand if you want to punish me by not letting me watch TV anymore. It's the only way I can learn my lesson! I KNOW better than to be a talker at school. I'm SOOO sorry, Mommy!"
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Me: still bearing the quizzical facial expression - "Jayla, I know you're excited about starting back to school this week. However, although you should try and control your talking, this is not THAT serious! You know when it's okay to talk and when it's not ok. Just try and work on that, ok?"
*
Jayla: "But MOM! I need to learn my lesson! And it's ok with me if you need to punish me! But starting tomorrow, I will think before I talk too much at school."
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NOTE: we are done pumping gas and are now on our short ride home.
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Me:...yep, still looking confused and wondering whose child this REALLY is, says, "Ok, when we get home, you can get your snack and you won't be able to watch TV for 30 minutes!" (it is 2:45 when we get home...keep this is mind)
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Jayla: "Mom, you're the best mom ever! I will learn my lesson, I promise! But maybe I should get my snack and not turn on the TV until 3:30! Doesn't matter to me...cuz, that's what I need!"
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Me: "I think 30 minutes will be fine, Jayla!"
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3:00pm
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Jayla: "MOM!! Can I watch TV now? It didn't take me as long as I thought to learn my lesson!"
*
LOL
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ANYWAY...we have successfully made it through the first week of school. Although, Jayla has accused me of picking her up too early (@2:30-school lets out at 2:15). She was also upset with the teacher because not only did she NOT give them homework one day...but she doesn't give it on Fridays...EVER! Again, I ask, WHOSE child IS this??? :-) I PRAY that this girl always has this type of enthusiasm for school and learning. However, I also pray that she stops being so hard on herself when she does "wrong". Love her to death though! What an AWESOME little girl!
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How bout a flower fix? (bout time, right?) ;)

Enjoy your weekend!

2nd Grade...here she comes!

Where did the summer go?
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It almost makes me sad that we went on our vacation so soon after last school year let out. But we had a fun summer and as always, I just love hanging out with Jayla.
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Speaking of Jayla, today is her first day of 2nd grade! Ya'll, when I tell you that this girl was Soooooo excited to be going to school today...TRUST ME!!! She all but bolted out of bed this morning, lol. EVERYTHING about this morning and what this day holds just made her giddy!
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And OF COURSE we had to take pictures of our cute little 2nd grader...check her out.
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Oh, wait...before we see those pictures, let me share one more thing with you. For those of you who have little girls...more specifically, "brown" little girls, LOL...you KNOW that the hair has to be done. And what a major undertaking it is. Especially if you have a daughter who needs a touch-up or some hot comb action :-). Check out Jayla...BEFORE the touch up...

...a HOT MESS, right? I tried to have her make a sad face for her BEFORE picture. But the girl just can't NOT smile. lol

...And the AFTER....Ahhh, now that's better! She was royally freaking out on me while I relaxed her hair. We were clearly in MELT DOWN mode. Poor thing was just crying. But once we got done, she said, "The burning was all worth it...cuz I look KA-YUTE!" :-)
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Ok, back to today...check out my little 2nd grader.
(note: Jayla told me to mention to whoever saw this picture, that she's not holding up the Peace sign - this time - that's a 2 for 2nd grade, lol)

I think this is my favorite picture of the day. She looks SO happy and SO KA-YUTE!!! :-)

We can't leave Trae out! He wants to take a picture with HIS 2nd grader too :-). Look at his tongue sticking out...love it!

Here she is at her new desk. Still looking as happy as can be.

...And we've gotta take a picture with daddy. Can't start the day off without ONE MORE hug.
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Welp, that's about it for now. I can't wait to pick Jayla up from school this afternoon. I hope she's still excited. It'll be interesting to see how this week progresses. I mean, will the excitement continue? We'll see...stay tuned!
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Enjoy your day!

Just what I need...

...aNOTHER hobby!

Yes, I've picked up, yet another hobby. I need another hobby like I need a hole in my head! Well, I can never say that I'm bored and don't have anything to do, can I? :-)

This is the new thing I've been making...

Wrist loop keychains. Whatcha think?

I don't know about ya'll, but I always seem to be fumbling around for my keys. I finally found a way to keep up with them...especially for when I'm only away from my vehicle for a short period of time. I waste more time digging thru my purse looking for my keys. Now, all I have to do is put them around my wrist. But something tells me that I'll forget they're there too :-).

I laugh when I say that because I remember when I was younger, my mom use to have me searching all over the house with her looking for her glasses...only for them to be on top of her head the whole time. :-) lol.

So, now I'm on the hunt for fun ribbon to make up several of these keychains. I've also found a good use for that 2" wide flat iron that I no longer use. Glad I didn't throw that away...comes in handy when fusing ribbon to webbing :-).

Tell ya what, while we're on the subject of hobbies, what do you guys do as a hobby? Do you have more than one? I'd love to hear what interests people out there have. Who knows, I may find something ELSE to take up ;).

Enjoy your weekend.