Am I Cool or WHAT?

I made this album for my dad for Christmas last year. Designed it all digitally using a kit I purchased and had the book made from Shutterfly. Just wanted to share. *insert grin here.* Digital isn't really my strong suit, and I still design like I'm using paper and forget the cool things you can do digi-wise, (and my drop shadows stink!!!) but I think it turned out o.k.

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My marvelous mother, along with her sister and friend, have written 3 books. "Almost Sisters," "Three Tickets to Peoria," and the upcoming "Surprise Packages" compromise the "Company of Good Women" trilogy. My MOM won't even let me read the third book in advance. ANYWAY, despite the maternal snubb, I redesigned the site for their books. It still needs tweaking, because 1) I have an abnormally large computer monitor so things that look fine on my comp are not fine on my mom's, and 2) I need to upload pages with the registered version so there's not this bright blue WEB PAGE MAKER logo on the bottom of every page.

I'm feeling particularly proud of meself because I had no idea really how to do it and figured it out and made it in a day. (Hope it doesn't look like it!)

Ch-ch-check it out at www.virtualsisters.net.

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On a completely and totally unrelated note, I've got a WWYD for you:

First of all, my oldest DD is a GREAT kid. She's kind, respectful, modest, semi-responsible, and just an all around easy-going teenager.

And, she runs track.

Track practice often got her home after five. On Tuesdays, she often would have very little time between track and her church youth activities. (We call it "Young Women.") She runs track in a tank top (with a sports bra underneath, so no strappies showing,) and running shorts with bike shorts underneath, (so no cheekies showing.) One of her leaders also had a jacket she let Bree throw over the tank top.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, AFTER track season, (which means my daughter was normally dressed, in a henley and jeans,) some lady whom she didn't know came up to her and said,

"I guess someone else is working the street corner tonight."

She said this to MY daughter, who, on a 99 degree summer day, REFUSES to wear shorts that don't reach her knee. Her track shorts are the only exception, and, like I said, she wears bike shorts underneath to make sure they're modest.

Lady, who Bree says seemed to "sort of" realize how she sounded, (perhaps because of the dropped jaws of the other adults present,) goes on to say how Bree's dress was distracting the boys and not allowing them to pay attention.

Now: 1) If this lady, or anyone else for that matter, had a problem with Bree's appearance during track season, doesn't it make sense to mention it DURING track season, when she's wearing the outfit and NOT two weeks later when she's not?

2) Even if Bree was a "troubled" child who dressed inappropriately as a matter of course, there is NO situation in which that "lady's" comment was appropriate. She called my daughter a PROSTITUTE. My 15 y.o., won't-listen-to-the-"Shake it"-song or watch-R-movies, made-the-honor-roll daughter.

So, first of all, I REALLY want to know who this person is.

And second, I have no idea what I'll do when I find out.

What's the appropriate lesson? Forgive and forget? Or "Mom won't let anyone treat her children like crap?"

I'm still mad.

Random Ramblings on this 2nd of June...

1) I can't find my wallet. That, in itself, is a fairly common occurrance. But still, it gives me anxiety until it's found because I have all these mental images of someone cleaning out what's left in my checking account by going hog wild at McDonalds. I really need to pay attention to where I put things....

2) DD is going to Raging Waters today for school (my tax dollars at work!). She tried to leave for school using her swimming suit as a top--(it's a tankini.) I may be the most unhip mom to a teenage girl in the world, and I realize she will be wearing said top AT Raging Waters in full view of all the same boys she would have seen at school, but there was something just not. right. about wearing it TO school...even though she'd be leaving for the water park around 10. Was I right? Wrong? Discuss.

3) I have GOT to stop staying up so late.

4) Tonight is the kiddo's first big dance recital. I'm nervous for them and excited for them at the same time. I'm worried about Ike in particular, because, even though he's learned a lot REALLY FAST (they've had 2 months to learn what the other kids have been working on since January,) I can tell he's still hestitant and unsure about where he's supposed to be for some of the songs. Add to that the fact that the teacher hadn't even GOTTEN to practicing the last two songs until last week and I'm a nervous wreck. Plus, Sadie hasn't ever performed this stuff before and at the last practice she looked so DONE with it all. LOL! Crossing my fingers that it goes of with nary a hitch.

5) One of my dear friends and former teaching partners gave her notice and will not be returning to teach next year. This makes me SO sad...she is really the only person there who made an effort to be my friend on a personal level. (I love all the ladies there, but I always have a hard time *fitting* into established groups. I seem to linger on the outside fringe.) Janice just....made me feel like she liked ME because she wanted to, not just because she worked with me. I will really miss her.

6) ACKK! I have a new mini project and I'm not sure how to start. At church, I'm the primary president (which means I'm in charge of Sunday School for the children under 12.) A few weeks ago, the father of two of the children committed suicide. (He'd been in and out of jail, and had problems with drugs.) I always have my camera at our activities, and had snapped a few of this dad at the last one where he wanted to come along. After the activity, I had posted a collage on the bulletin board that included one of those pictures. Yesterday, his sweet son (10 years old and very quiet) pulled me up to the bulletin board, pointed to the picture of his dad, and asked if he could have it when I was done. I told him I'd make him a big one (this one was just wallet size as part of the collage.) Then his younger sister asked if I had one of her and her dad too. Turns out that this family really doesn't have any family pictures at all.

Anyway, I went home to see what I have. I'd love to do a little album for them since I don't think they have pictures at all...I don't think they even have school pictures. But I'm not sure what to include or how to go about it, since it would be just pictures and no journaling. Unfortunately, the only pictures I have of the daughter and her dad have her talking to him, with her back to the camera. It literally breaks my heart.

I guess that's it for this bright sunny day in which my daughter is NOT wearing a tankini top to school. Thanks for stopping by! :)