It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
Really.

The sun is shining. We're expecting warm weather all weekend. It will be a great time to head to the mountains to explore for a bit. I just walked out to take some trash outside and there was a little bird sitting on the street sign… so very Disney! This can be such an idyllic place. I hope I never lose my sense of wonder and excitement at the world around me.

I saw a lizard yesterday and laughed… it reminded me of Florida…. Seemed like I could never make it from the car to the condo without encountering some slithering beast.

Here I can't make it home without coming across some sort of roadkill. Yesterday evening it was something - I couldn't quite figure out what - that was belly up on the side of the road with all four paws STRAIGHT up in the air. I know dead animals aren't funny but the position of that animal just cracked me up! Just like last Sunday - there was a little bambi on the side of the road with it's neck broken. His head was completely cocked back underneath of him. It reminded me of "in case of emergency, put your head between your knees… and kiss your butt goodbye".
Sorry to make light of roadkill. It's just everywhere around here. More wildlife by the square yard, I imagine.

I also thought it was pretty funny when I passed a bank yesterday with a sign out front advertising an upcoming customer appreciation day. Free tomato plants for everyone. I realized that Austin is really assimilating when he said, "are you going to stop and get one?" He likes the little hanging bag dealie that they keep advertising on tv. We walked through the gardening section of the Ingles last weekend. Austin wanted to take all these poor homeless plants home with us. "Why son? Why would you want to condemn a plant to death?". I can't grow anything.

Yesterday I was driving home from work with my window down and I heard a little thud like a rock hitting the edge of the car door… then I felt something land on my right hand and looked down expecting to see a pebble or something… it was a bee… a big bee… that was either dead or knocked unconscious. I didn't wait to find out, I shook him off. And laughed.

That's my Disney nature environment here - roadkill and dead bumblebees.

Austin has apparently been under an IEP for too long at school. The ninth graders went on a trip to Washington DC. His school is ONLY 9th grade so that took a big chunk of the school. Austin moved here after the sign up and deposit deadline had passed and … honestly… I couldn't have afforded the trip anyways. Our pastor's daughter Abbie, and her friend Mary (our deacon's daughter) both are at the 9th Grade Academy with Austin and both have downs syndrome. I missed Abbie on Wednesday night and asked Austin where she was. He said, "she has already left for DC. She and Mary have an ACCOMODATION on their IEP that prevents them from riding the bus with the other kids on the field trip so they left earlier". I cracked up! He knows way too much about "accomodations" and "IEPs". Abbie and Mary are so sweet together. I'm glad they have one another…

We've done so well on our no spending diet. I'm really proud of us. Last night we had grilled cheese sandwiches and roasted chickpeas for dinner. I've really stretched a dollar farther than I ever imagined possible! There are still some tough budgeting decisions ahead of me but I'm encouraged. The trick is to stay on the no spending diet even when we have a little cash on hand so that we're living cheaper. Last Saturday our splurges were boiled peanuts and a carrot raisin muffin from the German bakery. This Saturday I'm going to plan to take a little picnic into the mountains. I want to take Austin to Blood Mountain. It was a special place for his dad and I… I'd like him to get the connection. It will be a great weekend to walk in the woods… which is free! I've also been doing a good job of brown-bagging, carrying leftovers for lunch and I actually REALLY like it better, not having to try to figure out what I want to eat at lunch time. Today I'm having an egg salad sandwich with mango on the side. It's a perfect day for a car picnic.

Better get back on track… been marketing pretty hard today and needed to take a break from rejection, voice mail and hang ups. *laugh* Hope you have a great weekend! Love and hugs!