Thrift Store Fight

I had the golden ticket. I pulled the bottom half of the yellow $24.99 ticket on this totally quirky "mid-century" chair.  The thought crossed my mind that I ought to go tell the ladies up front that I had a ticket to a green chair in the back. But..I kept on shopping. Looking at everything!  I drive my own self crazy because it's like the "slots". As soon as I get up from this machine the next person that sits down is gonna hit jackpot! If I don't look through every rack then the next rack is gonna have that vintage Pucci top. 

The point is...I held on to the golden ticket for too long because this dude came in and picked the chair up and walked it to the front. He tried to buy it. But my girl up there knew that it was not "thrift store procedure" to sell something without a ticket. She told him the chair didn't have a ticket. At this point, the dude tried to buy it with cash in her face. He knew...ohhhhh he knew that this was a good chair and he had to get it before they called for the yellow ticket on the intercom. 

My girl came up and asked me, "you got a yellow ticket on a green chair?" 

I said that I did and I pulled the ticket out and jokingly told her, in a British accent, "I've got the golden ticket, Willy Wonka!" 

Well, this is when I realized I was being watched by one pissed off antique dealer (I knew he had to be bc he wanted this chair a little too much. Which made me want it even MORE!).  He went into a frenzy, saying that I should have to buy the chair right when I see it. He demanded to talk to the manager. 

Have I told y'all I have a temper?

I tried to hold back, but I failed. "HERE's MY $24 for the chair. Here it is!" Then this is when it got ugly... He gave me the evil eye and I looked right at him and said, "You win some, you lose some!" How mean (but true!) I was. I feel a little bad. We bickered back and forth a couple more times and he left in a stink. Then he called and talked to the manager over the phone. All while I was standing there. They had a rule and they stuck to it. This time it went in my favor.  I might be on the other side one day soon. Such is the life of a Junky. 

The chair is divine!

I've been locked out.

I've been locked out of my blog. Well, the door was there and I had a key, but the key had a password that I couldn't remember. When I would fiddle with it to try to create a new password, bla bla bla my DANG (I mean damn actually) old as crank, computer would lock up, sending me into a frustration frenzy and I would quit. I need a new computer badly so if you see Bert, please put in a good word. 

Anywayyy

Peanut is 13, Butter is 11, and Crunch is 9!

I will give you a little update in pics because I don't want this to sound like a Christmas letter and I really want to start posting rants again and I have been dreading this "update" post! 

CRANK NUGGETS! I am 40! I like this photo bc my wrinkly smile isn't showing

My beautiful girl. Soccer, show choir, and socializing r her!

Butter is the most driven little athlete. And the hair! Really? 

Crunch(9) is still crunchy. Hilarious. He loves sports! Who knew?

I found a less wrinkly pic of me...and Bert looks pretty dang cute, right?

This is all the updating y'all need right? The rest I will fit in future posts! I'm excited to get back into blogging. 

This here Funky Junky needs it!

Whether y'all read or not. I get to vent and tell my stories, and all of Facebook doesn't see it unless they try to. It feels a little bit more private?? Haha I just said private! I've never been private. Maybe I'm changing because I am 40. Did I mention that?

This is me being shy and private. 

I didn't know this kid, but hellooooo, he had on a shark costume! FINS UP, baby!

the kids have changed! so has the "house"

peanut, butter and crunch have GROWN and changed a good bit!  Peanut is definitely "teenagery".  butter is still REALLY into soccer, but also has been into watching and learning the game of football.  he LOVES TIM TEBOW, and now practices throwing and kicking the football with his left hand because "tim tebow is a lefty"!  crunch, well, he is learning to read and it is fun to watch him grow and make new friends.  he is developing an interest in sports, SO, for the THIRD time, i signed him up for soccer.  this time, i pray he does something other than stand there and pick his nose.  the past two times we had him in soccer, we quit taking him because he was just rolling all over the field (literally), while the coach was trying to "coach".  the ADHD meds wear off at 2pm so there is NO controlling him after that.  we hope that this go round will be different because he actually wants to play!  i will keep yall updated on that!

peanut, almost 11!

butter, 8 yrs.

crunch, (mug shot) 6 yrs.

things are all together going well with our family.  times are hard, because raising kids is hard.  BUT, God gave them to bert and me.  we are enjoying the "fun" aspects of the kids!  i have had to do some "restructuring" of the "house rules".  well, in actuality, we now HAVE "house rules" and we are sticking to them!  the kids do not know what hit them, but our house is running smoother, and happier!  it is true what they say about people needing boundaries or they wander around like lost sheep.  clarification:  we did have rules.  they were just never written down for the kids to see, and we were not CONSISTENT with them. 

we have cut out all of those "teen" shows and cartoons.  you know the ones.  they really are not healthy for the kids.  i was pretty blind to this for a long time UNTIL i realized that the kids (namely peanut) were mimicking the terrible attitudes of a lot of these characters on the shows.  i have noticed that peanut is no longer "rolling her eyes" at me.  AND, her attitude and happiness at home is much better.  SHE LIKES THE RULES!  crazy!  i know!  we allow 1 hour of tv a night.  we end up watching more "discovery" type shows.  those can be a little hairy at times, so i make sure to watch with them.  i am going to have a talk with the producers of IDOL because of steven tyler's language!  it has to stop!  it is one of the only shows that we watch as a family.  he (and i DO love him) is ruining our "family" show!  

all in all, things are going well here in the "ham"!

off to paint!

I painted a "woody" jeep!

long lost junky posting art on blog (story at ten)

new owl

painted on wood panel "canvas"

the champs!

peanut's team played in a tournament in auburn this weekend. it was a blast. they won the tournament! here are some fun pictures.

warming up to play the other homewood team in the semi-finals

both homewood teams! semi-finalists!

coach jeff with the trophies

the champs!

peanut and butter!

two new owls

i have been in the studio a little bit this week. i painted these two owls and could not wait to show you.

decor change

i found this coffee table at goodwill and have used it for a while. although, i despise the color. so, after my sister, the decorator, told me i had to get rid of it...i got rid of it. i am putting it outside with a "free" sign on it.

here is what the room looks like now. also with a new rug!

chair on the left needs to be scooted in.

a sad story

we have had a dwarf hamster named "rico" for almost three years and peanut has been his caretaker. she has LOVED the hamster. he has been everywhere with us and has been a tiny little family member. a couple of weeks ago, rico lost the use of his back legs. he would spin around on his back trying to get up. peanut would have to hold rico and the water bottle and "feed" him water because he could not get on his back legs to drink. pitiful, sad, and hard to watch. so, yesterday i decided enough is enough. i called the vet and they told me that they would put the little guy to sleep for me. when they saw rico, they had nothing but pity in their eyes. little rico was just laying on his back. so, they put him to sleep. terrible story, i know, but this is our life! peanut was devastated when she got home from school and i told her. then she did her homework and did not cry anymore. i guess little hamsters are hard to lose but nothing like a dog or cat. aren't you uplifted?

my LAST "GROVE" PAINTING EVER

i have been working on this painting of "the grove" at ole miss for three weeks. every little detail took thought. what should they have on? should they be holding a cup? a plate of food? a hand of another? these are all the thoughts that i had to think the entire time of painting this 24x30 monster. i love the end result and i think that the customer will be happy with it. i, although am never doing one again. it is too stressful and detailed. so therefore, this is my last grove painting ever. what do you think of it??

coach sean

this coach of peanut's is amazing. we knew we were getting a great coach for the new travel team but he is a PEACH!! he is from Scotland which makes him a dream to listen to. he is hysterical! peanut comes home from soccer in a great mood because they laugh so much during practice. i am looking forward to updating you on quotes from Sean. the soccer whisperer!

"stop the soccer ball with your butt if you have to"

crunch is in kindergarten!

the kids started school yesterday. it was crazy to see my baby crunch go to kindergarten. after i dropped him off in his classroom, i was off to the "sip n sob" party at the school. this is designed for parents to come and "sob" over their babies going to school. well, i did not sob at all. even when they read "the kissing hand" to us. i just sat there, about to jump out of my seat and yell, "i did it! i made it! my last one is in school! freedom for me until three each day!" of course i did not say that, but i was thinking it. man, the house is quiet. time to paint, go thrift store shopping, have lunch with a friend, and maybe take in a movie (haven't seen "the help" yet).
here are some pics from the GLORIOUS morning!
disclaimer: i love my kids dearly. i just need some down time after 10 years.

butter woke me up at 6:20 with his backpack on. he was "ready"!

ready to walk

walking to school!

the famous "picture by the sign"

crunch's best friend. amazingly out of 9 kindergarten classes, they got in the same class!

we LOVE our teacher!

this is going to be interesting!

beaver creek! this summer. a few pics.

a few pictures from our time this summer in beaver creek, co.

my beautiful three at the RODEO!

peanut

ride em cowboy!!

AWESOME!

among the aspens!

good times.

what in the sam hill is pinterest?

ok, so... facebook. i love it. i check it once or twice a day..or more. BUT, there is something else? PINTEREST? so, i checked it out and it is REALLY COOL. and i joined. i am not going to tell you what it is. you just have to see it for yourself. maybe you will "pin" something from this funky junky. "if liz EVER would post anything" you say, "then i would pin something...sheesh". 
SO, i have been taking a bit of a break for the summer and have not posted SQUAT! in the last post, i was ranting about a bathing suit or something (which, i did not buy). i am still wearing my old maw maw ones. i figure it is too late to buy a new one. enough of that. some news, i am coming out of painting retirement! in january, i decided that i had HAD IT with painting and was done with it! this also began a time of little to no funky junky posting. I AM SO SORRY. i hope that coming out of painting retirement, the beginning of school, and a new lease on life...i will post more. i am ready to share about new art projects, stories about parenting, new adventures of peanut, butter, and crunch.  so, get ready. i have my post fingers out! pinterestingly enough!

dear diary

dear diary,
bert will not let me get a new bathing suit. i am not happy. i only have two maw maw bathing suits to wear now and i am going to the beach in two days. he is blaming it on money...but i secretly think he just wants me to put on my old bikinis and strut my flabby stomach around. maybe no other guys will look at me. this might be his defense mechanism to keep the enemy away! if i keep on pouting, maybe he will change his mind. i will keep you posted! i know you will be chomping at the BIT to know!
love, liz
ps. oh, and diary....please help me to find a CUTE maw maw bathing suit. must at least come to the knee.

bad bad! NO! REBEL!

rebs has a problem. he eats toys and i can't seem to stop him or curb his appetite. when one has a house with two boys in it, there will be small figurines. he has eaten dinosaurs, ds game cartridges, once he chewed on a battery, i CAN'T believe he is still alive. other than the fact that he still poops and pees in the house, and he eats toys, he has taught MOSS THE DOG how to do the same. moss now has taken on reb's eating habits. there is some colorful poo in our backyard (and in my house) that HAD to hurt coming out. yikes! once i saw a lego face smack dab in the middle of a log. it was just looking at me like, "why?" and i could not even look into his eyes as i scooped.

he seems innocent enough...

yummy!

why?

for those concerned for reb. i NEVER have just LET him eat a toy. if i see him, i grab it! the 2nd picture was just for effect. he had ALREADY eaten the head and arm off of "the joker".

my "hiatus"

some might be wondering why i have not blogged in a while. i have been trying to simplify some things in my life so that i can spend more time "being a mom". painting became very difficult for me. so, i kinda "quit" for a while. hopefully, when school starts and all three will be in elementary school, i will have time again to paint and blog more.
crunch is great BUT if he is not on his medicine, he is not easy. butter is so sweet and constantly practicing soccer in our back yard. i think he will be a really good athlete. peanut just made a traveling soccer team and we are all pumped. dad is working hard as usual and trying to balance being a dad and an estimator. my laundry is taking over the house and i NEED a laundress!
REBEL is still awful!