Weekend, oh Blessed Weekend

This weekend was just great. No really, no sarcasm there.

On Friday night, we went to the football game...blah, blah, got cremated, blah, blah, the band was great...same song, 10th verse...or something like 10th.

Then on Saturday, Riley had a hair cut appointment, then we went to lunch together, just the two of us. It was so nice. Apparently, he really does still like me. At least sometimes. When I let him pick the restaurant and pay. Ain't parenting grand?

Then we went home for a while, relaxed, I wrote a little, then I took him to the high school to get ready for their marching contest Saturday evening. And I went to watch one of my good friend"s Angie, sons play football. Wow!

So, I think these kids are 5th and 6th graders and all I can say is, we sure could've used them on varsity this year! The game was awesome! I yelled more at their game than I did at all our varsity games put together. Anyway, the game was the semi-finals, and they won so they play in the Super Bowl (HELLO!) next weekend. Shawn, Angie's husband, who is a nut, said they were going to get Super Bowl Ring Pops if they win. Ha! Hey, I wouldn't mind a Super Bowl Ring Pop.

Then, this is the part I'm most proud of: I drove all the way to McNeese State University, in the dark, by myself, and I didn't get lost!

Something you may not know about me yet, is that I have virtually NO sense of direction. None. Na da. Truly, Riley's sense of direction has been better than mine since he was in Kindergarten. And, I have trouble with maps. Once, I was in Dallas with a friend and I read the map upside down the entire time. We never found the hotel we were looking for.

However, I got map quest diections, pulled it up on the GPS on my phone AND got directions from Angie, who is from Lake Charles, and I made it!!!! Go me, go me...

So, the marching competition was the last one for this marching season and the band did amazing! All ones again! But something funny happened this time. The band got on the field and warmed up, then walked to their starting positions. The announcer announced the band, the drum majors did their salute, and the announcer said the usual, "Drum majors, is your band ready to take the field?" That's when we noticed half of the band's pit was missing.

If you're not a band person, first of all you're missing out, but you may not know what the pit is. It's the percussion instruments and auxillary stuff that is used on the sidleines, and the players don't march. Also, the drum majors podiums are there, too. Normally, anyway, but not Saturday night.

So, Mr. B., the band director, motions to the judges and everybody just stands there waiting. All I can think about is, "God, please don't let this be anyone in the band's fault, because life as they have known it will be over." Mr. B. just walked around on the field, encouraging the kids to relax, then finally here comes the trailer down the hill with the stuff. Everybody in the stands started clapping. I'm not sure if they were clapping because they found the stuff or because after all these years, we realized that you really can load a vehicle down like the Beverly Hillbillies did and it really will drive. Of course, the fishtailing almost threw the xylophone off, but not quite.

Anyway, some bands would've been totally freaked out by this little "hiccup," as Mr. B. called it later, but not our band. Nope, they went on to give a fantastic performance and, like I mentioned, received ones in everything from all the judges!!! I am so proud!!

My take: I love weekends! I love going out to support young people, cheering them on to be the best they can be in whatever talents God has given them. They're the future you know, and, again, I say the future looks bright!

Oh, yeah! How about that extra hour of sleep? Loved that!

Fun Friday Edition: Spaghetti and Surprises

One little guess as to what I'm doing tonight. Anyone? Yeah, go, Raiders, blah, blah, blah...go, Mighty Raider Band!!

So, for the rest of my weekend, Hubby has some sort of surprise for me. That's one of the things I love the most about him: he's a romantic. He really knows how to woo his lady. He sends me little notes or cards, gives me little inexpensive gifts when one of us is gone, and takes me on surprise trips. It's really nice, I love it.

So, tomorrow morning, we're getting up and going somewhere. I really don't know where, but their must be some sort of performance involved, because I've been instructed to bring "Business Casual" attire...and my swimsuit.

The swimsuit I get, but I've never understood "Business Casual" attire. I mean, isn't that an oxymoron? How can clothing be both Business and Casual, I ask you? Anyway, that's Hubby's favorite, and possibly ONLY, clothing description. When forced, as this weekend, I spend lots of time standing in my closet trying, for the life of me, to figure out if I own anything that could be placed in the "Business Casual" clothing category...IF this category even exists...and, I have my doubts...

So, before I move on to the recipe, I thought I'd talk about surprises. People say, "Everyone loves a surprise!" Well, not me, so much.

This idea brings me back to my childhood when my brother and I decided we just couldn't wait until Christmas morning to unwrap all the gifts with our names on them, so we got up in the middle of the night, unwrapped all the gifts, then "rewrapped" them, convinced no one would notice. Uh, we were wrong. And, our mom was not impressed and never wrapped another gift for either one of us before Christmas Eve until we were in our mid-30's. So, not the biggest fan of suprirses, I guess. But, Hubby's kind of surprises are different and I appreciate the effort he goes to to make them happen, so I don't mind them at all. I like them, yes I do!!

Here's the question: when was the last time you surprised someone you love? It doesn't have to be your spouse. It could be your child, a parent, a friend, anyone will do. AND, it doesn't have to be a trip, either. Just a note, a pack of gum (one of Hubby's faves because he knows I love gum,) really anything to say, "I was thinking about you today." I think you might be surprised at how well it's received.

So, give it a shot, because here's my take: Life is short. Too often we let life get in the way of doing those little things that mean so much to the ones we love, you know? What do you think?

Finally, here's this week's recipe. Now, you may have your own Chicken Spaghetti recipe, but, I beg you, TRY MINE!!!! It's SO GOOD!! See you Monday, have a great weekend!

Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (Note: I actually boil mine while they're still frozen. It only takes about 20 minutes and saves time)
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4-1/2 C black olives
Parmesan cheese
spaghetti, cooked

Directions:
1. Cook and cube chicken
2. Boil spaghetti and drain
3. Start with Rotel, cream of mushroom soup and olives, cooking in a big saucepan over low heat; cook until well blended and bubbly, then add cooked chicken
4. Slowly add the cheese, stirring constantly, over low heat, until "sauce" is well blended
5. Combine sauce with spaghetti, then pour into 9x13 Pyrex baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cook 15 minutes or so, just to melt cheese a little.