birthdays!

So many things to say to some folks out there....A HUGE Happy xxth Birthday to Anna. I won't divulge her age but she isn't altogether that much older than me and still looks the same as when she was in her twenties when we first met all those years ago. She and Jim (and kitties) must be thanked for the gift certificate we discovered today in our email inbox for Clare's 8th birthday. I hope we can all see one another soon. Have a wonderful birthday devoid of clowns and bees and hope you get at least one Stella Artois in for your special day!

Speaking of Clare's 8th birthday, it was fairly low-key. Just visited with my parents and had dinner/cake/present opening session with them. We will do some sort of group celebration later this summer with friends. Clare wasn't too specific about what she wanted so we just had a good time buying various gifts for her. She got some new art supplies and a cool game I can't wait to play, American Kennel Club's Dog Show board game. Some Groovy Girls stuff along with a lip gloss making kit (she loves those kits where you can make such things as lip gloss, bracelets, key chains, etc). I also got her a cute as a button outfit at Old Navy...a printed pink skirt with scallop-edged pink top. I will get a photo posted when I can. My parents got her a remote controlled car ~purple, of course~ because she did ask for that. She has had fun tormenting the dogs with it. :D

Today a package from Casey and Crew showed up....thanks, guys! Coincidentally we had just gotten back from Wal*Mart with a gallon of Ortho spray to get rid of the bugs around here...but I know in her explorations outside Clare will find a butterfly or a frog to temporarily house in the new bug container. She loved it...thanks!

Clare received gift cards from my aunt and uncles as well as some birthday money from her great-aunt & uncle...so she had a pleasant 8th birthday.

I have spent very little time online, hence the lack of updating. Since being forced to migrate to dial-up, a move I have been none too happy about, we have had our share of issues and finally have the computer working well enough to get online sometimes. But recently, I found out our phone company is charging us PER MINUTE (just like how it was in Ireland on dial-up) in lieu to what we pay monthly to the seperate Internet provider. Obviously the computer must dial directly to a number, even though it is local via a phone call, and that results in a penny and a half charge per minute. How they came up with a penny and a half per minute I don't know. But that's what Sprint says and I have made a mental note to get rid of Sprint once and for all when we move back to town.

Yep, you heard it right. We are moving again.

"But you just moved!!!", I can hear several of my friends and relatives say. Well we have had a slew of circumstances which have forced us to switch gears and get back to the city. Some good, some not so good, but all in all a move we must make. The collection of boxes has commenced yet again. Greg commented we should have saved the outlandish stack of boxes.

At least we kept the bubble wrap!

Happy 4th everyone.....