Brittanie has a new toy!!

We have been tirelessly trying to find a 2006 Honda Civic LX Coupe in Nighthawk Black Pearl. I am not exaggerating when I say that I contacted EVERY Honda dealer in South Carolina plus 4 in Georgia and a few in North Carolina. Finally we found a dealer that could get us one today. We were so excited that we put a deposit on it over the phone....sight unseen. We drove almost 2 hours to Indian Trail, NC....near Charlotte....and got her car. It is beautiful but Honda is selling those things so fast that they don't offer any specials on financing for them and we got a horrible deal compared to what we have been getting with the last few vehicles we purchased. We got 0% on the Jeep and 1.9% on the van we have now. Needless to say, they didn't come close and Tom's credit report that they supposedly pulled was wrong. It showed us having no credit.....as in no financed vehicles or our house. Well if we had no house mortage or van mortgage, we could pay for that car cash. We wouldn't need to finance it. But anyway, I'm going to call the bank Monday morning and refinance it. They should know how to pull a proper credit report. But anyway, Brittanie LOVES it. Tom is very proud of it as well and proud that he could give this to Brittanie. She has been such a joy in our life and never gives us any trouble. She really deserves this. But she will be getting a job starting in the summer to pay for the insurance on it. Here are some pictures of her new ride.

I think that smile is going to be there for quite awhile. She LOVES her new car!

Tom's b-day....part 2

Brittanie and Katie bought Tom a birthday cookie from the Great American Cookie Company and I made him take it to work to share with his coworkers. Rod and Tom's boss, Mark, took pictures of their celebration with Mark's camera and e-mailed them to me. I really appreciate them doing that. Tom tells me Mark's camera came over on the Mayflower so what you are seeing is actually hours worth of picture taking. LOL

From left to right here is Ken, Mark, Tom, Kevin, and Goldie.

Tom works with the best bunch he has ever worked with. We owe Mark big time. He hired Tom to work at Network and then helped him escape Network before the ultimate collapse and now he has the best job he has ever had and actually enjoys his coworkers. He just wishes they would eat out more. They haven't figured out yet that diet is 4 letter word. ;^)

Ever notice that when Tom is nervous he scratches his head? Me thinks he has fleas. hehehe

This is Rod with Tom. Rod is multitalented. He is a pilot as well as a computer guru. I also love his website. He has lots of cool stuff on it. If you have a minute, take a look around. Click here.
After Tom got home from work, we gave him his gifts. He got a Carolina Panthers jersey....
He said he wasn't trying to make a mean face here. It is a weird combination of a mean and sleepy look. Go figure!
Look who's on the Carolina Panthers roster!!
His big gift was a Delphi XM Satellite Radio for his truck. We actually let him open it before going to eat....while waiting for Katie to wake up from her nap. He was having fun registering it and getting the service set up and installing it in his truck. Now he is looking forward to his ride into work tomorrow morning so he can play with it.
After eating at O'Charley's, we were all too full for cake. So we will have to cut the cake tomorrow. In case you are wondering, there were no gripes at O'Charley's tonight. He had his normal blackened prime rib and it was cooked just right and he had a HUGE cut. He got the complimentary O'Charley's birthday cake without being sang to. (He had a duck one year when he was sang to at Ryan's. We won't EVER do that again!) He had a really good birthday!

Happy 36th birthday, Tom!!

Today is Tom's birthday and we have a couple of special gifts for him. He doesn't want to open them until after work so I will have to post pictures of him opening his gifts and doing the cake thing later on tonight. We are also going out to eat at O'Charley's to celebrate. We have gone there for the past two years and he has griped about something both times and both times swore he wouldn't go back. But he says that he likes O'Charley's and part of the fun is griping. Sounds like Tom, huh? LOL Anyway, before going to bed tonight, I'll post pictures. In the mean time, if you see or talk to him today, wish him a happy birthday. If you want to send him an e-card, his e-mail address is ttsig@tuxyturvy.com. Have a great day yall!

I almost forgot!!!

I nearly caused an international incident when we went to Fort Polk! Fort Polk is a Joint Readiness Training Facility. They do things differently than Fort Jackson and Fort Gordon. I didn't know that. When we got to the gates, we had to stop in and get registered at the Visitor's Center. While everyone else was walking into the Visitor's Center, I stopped and took a picture of the Visitor's Center (which was VERY nice) and the "Fort Polk" cement brick sign right by the checkpoint gate. (This is the sign I took the picture of. Now I couldn't take it with my camera but I found this one on the internet.....on the Fort Polk website. Go figure!)

We then went into the Visitor's Center where they looked at our ID's and did a quick background check....we even had to give our Social Security numbers. While they were registering us and our vehicles, the MP took Brittanie and William in the back and showed them some cool high tech stuff and how to do background checks and talked to them about the Army because they both said they were in JROTC and planned on joining the Army one day. They were very nice. We all checked out ok and got back in the van and were following my sister, Jeannette, as she was going to lead us around the Post and Aimee was in our van with us and was going to tell us what stuff was. Well we got to the gate and the security officer at the gate asked me if I was told in the Visitor's Center that we weren't allowed to take pictures. Well we weren't. She told me I had to delete the pictures. Then we were told to pull off to the side and they wrote up an incident report on me taking pictures of the visitor's center and the sign! Once the report was written up, I had to go through the pictures in my digital camera and show him that there were no pictures of Fort Polk on my camera. That was tedious because I had take 75+ pictures already on that camera. It was kinda silly because they didn't check the 4 camera phones that was in the car with us. But we understood since 9/11, they have to be very careful. I was just really bummed about the no pictures rule because Fort Polk is beautiful and it is where my biological mom met my biological dad and where I was conceived. I was going to take pictures of my biological mom's office and everything. But at least we were allowed to take pictures at Alligator Lake, which was outside of the gates. So I still got pictures of me and my sisters. So that was cool.

Anyway, that was my international incident. Tom says he can't take me anywhere. I just cause trouble whereever I go. hehehe

I'm home....finally!

It was quite a vacation let me tell ya! We left on April 8th. It was a smooth trip. We stopped and let Brittanie and William take pictures on the Louisiana sign. Sunday we had a big crawfish boil to celebrate Easter a week early because we were going home the day before Easter. That was alot of fun. I ended up eating left over crawfish all week. It was GREAT!!!!!

Monday, Tom took Brittanie and William to Baton Rouge to see the sights. (I haven't edited those pictures yet but I will.) Well while they were out and about, the engine light on the van came home and it was bucking a little.

Tuesday, the van was fine and we headed to Rosepine to see my sisters for the first time in 15 years. We had a GREAT time. We went out to eat then to Fort Polk, which is where our mom worked most of her life. After touring Fort Polk, we went to Alligator Lake which is right outside the gates of Fort Polk. It was beautiful. Katie loved playing on the playground equipment. Actually so did Tom. I got a picture of him coming off the slide but he jumped off the swings before I could take a picture of him! On the way home, we went through the campus of Louisiana College, which is where I went before going to PCC. It hasn't changed much.

Wednesday, Tom took Brittanie and William to Avery Island to tour the Tabasco Plant. I edited a couple of pictures from that trip but not all. I will upload them when I get them edited.

Thursday, Tom was going to take Brittanie and William to New Orleans but the van started acting up again...pretty bad. So he took it to Sterling in Opelousas, which is the Chrysler dealer there. Meanwhile, I was getting my hair done by my cousin's wife, Tara. It came out GREAT! I LOVE it. I don't have any pictures of it but when I take one, I'll post it. Anyway, Sterling told us the cam sensor was bad on the van and needed replacing and the van would be ready Friday.
Friday, I picked up the van and took Brittanie, William, Katie, and my nephew's daughter, Amber, to Acadiana Mall in Lafayette for the grand opening of Build-A-Bear. When we got into the mall parking lot, the engine light came back on the van bucked once. Because this was Good Friday, the dealer was closed and wouldn't be open until Monday. Friday night, we went to my nephew's house for fried shrimp and Brittanie, William, and Katie rode the 4-wheeler. They had alot of fun.

Saturday, Tom rented a car from the airport in Baton Rouge and headed home with Brittanie and William and I stayed to put the van in the shop again. We were scared to take it home like that.

Monday, I called and they told me to bring the van in Tuesday. So Tuesday, I took it in to Sterling and they told me it was still telling them that the cam sensor was bad so they are going to replace the harness and cam sensor computer but they won't get the parts until Thursday. Well only the computer came in Thursday. The harness didn't come in until Friday and the mechanic stayed late to finish it up. I went to pick the van up Saturday morning, which is when I wanted to leave, and when I left the dealer with it, the engine light was off but the speedometer and cruise control wasn't working. The gas gauge was also showing more gas than I left it with. I had to take it back there and they finally got it fixed. They said the speed sensor had gone out. *sigh* I got on the road at 1:50pm central time and got home at 2:20am eastern time. It was GREAT to be home. I missed Tom and Brittanie sooooooooooo much.

The Wednesday before we left Louisiana, Brittanie FINALLY got rid of Justin for good. She started talking to a guy named Randy from here in Gaston. He would call her on her cell phone while she was in Louisiana. Well two days before coming home, he asked her to be his girlfriend. When she got home from Louisiana, he was waiting in our driveway with three pink roses to welcome her home.
He seems like a nice guy. Tom was able to get to know him first because I was stuck in Louisiana an extra week. Anyway, he'll be 17 in July and is a Junior at Swansea High School. His parents aren't psycho. They are still happily married to each other and are pretty conservative. Randy has a 10pm curfew. He drives a 66 Galaxie 500. He is a Platoon Sgt. in JROTC. He is also on the drill team and will be joining the rifle team next year. He plans to go to college to be a photographer. He is very respectful. Tom likes him and that's something for Tom because he rarely likes anybody. I'm just thrilled to be rid of Justin. He created so much drama in the 5 1/2 months he was around than I have had in all my 36 years of being alive!

Anyway, instead of loading this thing up with pictures from the trip, I uploaded them and put them in a flash player. Here is the link where they are uploaded: Click here

And here is the flash player.

Busy Saturday

April Fool's Day started bright and early as Brittanie had a drill team competition at Scouth Carolina State University in Orangeburg and had to be at school at 6:30am!! Everything started at 8am but Swansea wasn't scheduled to be on the matt until 10. So Tom took mom and Elvin to see where he works....both places....and they were very impressed. He took them through Orangeburg....the upscale side....and let them see Edisto Gardens, which was in full bloom. They loved Orangeburg and told me we need to move there. I thought that was funny....no thank you!! But anyway, this was Brittanie's drill team's first competition. They have only had 9 practices, whereas other teams have been practicing for months. Well we got 1st place in unarmed competition and 2nd place on the uniform inspection. HOOAH!! By next year, they will take first in everything!

Later that afternoon, we all just rested for awhile. Here is a picture of Brittanie, Justin, and Katie chillin out.
Then I took Mom, Mr. Elvin, and Katie to see Tunnelvision and what has to be the world's largest fire hydrant. It did inspire a new redneck joke....If you think a HUGE fire hydrant is art....you might be a redneck. Anyway. Here are some pictures of Tunnelvision (alone and with everyone in front of it) and the hydrant.


This sign (above) made me laugh. Can you imagine how big the dog would have to be to use this hydrant?


All of the pictures are taken in the same parking lot of the Ag First Bank. While we were taking pictures, that's when we noticed the building above, which was to the left of the Ag First Bank building where Tunnelvision is painted and couldn't resist taking a picture. It was so pretty!!


If you notice in the pictures, Katie is frowning in most of them. There is a reason for that. Right before we left to go see Tunnelvision and the hydrant, I told her she had to try to go potty before we left. That is something we have always done....even with Brittanie....when we are about to go somewhere. She threw a tantrum that she didn't want to try. I was about to get the paddle when she stormed into her bathroom and slammed the door so hard that the full length mirror on the outside of the door shattered. It had been on that door for over 20 years and Katie destroyed it today. Well she got her butt tore up for that one but then still came out with an attitude not wanting to put shoes on. My mom said she would carry her. *sigh* So I let her go barefoot but when we got where we were going she wanted to walk in that parking lot barefoot and I refused and that's what the mean look is all about. She is so headstrong. I dread her teen years!!!! I told my mom that she gives in to her too much but she claims that is what grandparents are for. They left at 1am our time to go back home and are taking Katie with them. We are leaving here on the 8th of April and will be spending a week with her in Louisiana. So mom will have gotten 3 weeks of Katie time. I know she will be ready to see her go home after that. hahaha Now everybody just needs to pray that I get caught up on my typing next week. My house looks great now that hurricane mom blew in and straightened it all out.

But I will say, this was by far the best trip we have ever had with my mom. We REALLY enjoyed it and so did she and Mr. Elvin.

Katie loves her Maw-Maw

Katie is having a blast with Maw-Maw here. She sticks to her like glue. She is also jealous of mom's boyfriend. It's pretty funny. I think one of the funniest stories I can tell happened last night. We all (except Tom) went to Captain George's to eat crab legs last night. We were thirsty when we left so we went by a convenience store and got bottled Diet Cokes. Katie was in the far back of my van with Maw-Maw and Maw-Maw had the cap off of her Diet Coke and was talking. Katie told her "Put the cap on your Coke so you don't spill it." Maw-Maw said "What baby?" So Katie repeated it. Maw-Maw said "Say it again?" So again, Katie repeated it. Maw-Maw still didn't understand and said "Awww I wish I could understand what she is saying better." Katie (being Tom's smart alec daughter) said very slowly "Put.....the......cap.....on.....your.....Coke.....so....you.....don't.....spill....IT!" It was hilarious!Mom has found out that she doesn't like waterbeds....at all! She has been sleeping with Katie in her waterbed and she is sore from fighting to get out of it. Her boyfriend has offered to let her and Katie sleep in the king size bed and he will sleep in the waterbed from now on. We will see how that goes.
We told her it is time to go to bed and this is the face (above) that we got.

Those big eyes had to come from Grandma Jill's sister, Jeannie, because none of us have big eyes like that. But they sure are pretty.....just like Aunt Jeannie's eyes!

I've called in the troops!

I called in for reinforcements this morning. My mom is coming to help tomorrow. Her boyfriend, Elvin, is coming with her. They will be here for a week and then taking Katie home with them and we will pick her up when we go to spend the week there the week before Easter. My house is a disaster....actually that is an understatement. Things just blew up here. Brittanie had that bad tonsilitis and as soon as she got over that she had her tonsils out last week and is still in major pain from it and now her stomach is tore up. She has loud grumbling sounds all the time. Her ENT is out of town this week so the earliest I could get her to see him is Monday. I took her to her family doctor Wednesday and he did a CBC and said there is no infection and the stomach problem is probably from swallowing mucus and not eating since last Tuesday. Last weekend Tom got a virus, which wasn't pleasant at all, and he was running a high fever. Now Katie developed cold symptoms. I thought she just had a cold. Well since Brittanie had her tonsils out, she has been sleeping in Katie's room in the waterbed and we put Katie in the room across the hall from us. That's when the cold symptoms started. Brittanie has been in her own room for a few nights now and Katie seemed to be improving. Well night before last, Katie wet the bed and we grabbed up the sheets and put them washing and just put her in the other room again. Within an hour, she was coughing. It was 1am. She hadn't been coughing before. That's when I thought about the comforter that gave her the nasty allergic reaction last summer. I went in that room to see if the comforter was in there and sure enough, it was. It was folded and in the closet. I took the comforter out and put it in my closet and she didn't cough anymore after that. So she is getting better with the cold/allergy symptoms now. My baby sitter miscarried her baby Thursday morning 30 minutes after she got here and ended up having a D&C that same day. This is her second miscarriage in 6 months. I'm 11 days behind on my typing. So I've been overwhelmed and that's why I called my mom for help and just like all good moms, when their baby calls, they come running. She should be here tomorrow night. I warned her that the house is tore up from top to bottom. We are three weeks behind on laundry because I get the babysitter to do that. Well she was off for 2 weeks then this week she had to leave before she could do the laundry....so now it has been 3 weeks since the laundry has been done. We are knee deep in it. I'm so tired from everything. I just needed help. Now I'm just going to pray for a safe trip because I would feel guilty forever if something happened to them while trying to come help me. Please help me to pray that they have a safe trip there and back! And please pray for me that I'll get caught up and back to normal. I go back to the doctor Monday for a recheck blood test to see if my iron level and calcium levels have gone back to normal. I was VERY low on both...to the point where he was considering an IV to put the iron and calcium in. He told me that's why I've been so exhausted and feeling like I need to be in bed 24/7. I should have gone to the doctor when it first started but I thought I was just being lazy.
Anyway, that's what's up on our end. I just really need your prayers right now.

Guess what Tom got in the mail today!

Tom has helped with some things concerning Red Hat (you will have to ask him if you want details). They were so grateful with the help they received that the President and CEO of Red Hat sent him a postcard thanking him for his help. This was a handwritten card....not a form letter. This is a HUGE honor to get something personally from the President and CEO himself!! Here is the card....front and back:

Zeus is such a wonderful company to work for. They have signed him up for Red Hat Certification exams in Raleigh. So hopefully by the end of this year, he will be Red Hat certified, which is one of his goals! I'm so proud of him!!!

Asking for donations

Brittanie has been chosen to attend the Norwich University Future Leadership Camp in Vermont this summer. The problem is that this camp costs $1455....plus the supplies you have to buy to go, as well as getting her there and back. If anyone out there wants to help sponsor her to go to camp, we would GREATLY appreciate it! This would be a wonderful experience for her if we can swing it financially. This year we have big expenses like her class ring, letterman jacket and the big one....her car. She wants to get a job so she can pay for the insurance and the upkeep. But we are saving up to buy her a 2006 Honda Civic. We've done our homework and found that this is the safest and most efficient car in its class. Safety is our main concern. But her having her own car will help us out tremendously because she will be able to drive herself to school, freeing Tom up to take Katie to school for me and still leaving me a vehicle at home to pick Katie up from school.

Here is the brochure about the camp: (Remember, you can click on them to make it larger.)

For more information, you can just go to the FLC website by clicking this link: http://www.norwich.edu/admissions/futureleader.html

To make donations, you can either send it via PayPal (address is mrstalltomm@tuxyturvy.com) or snail mail it to:

Brittanie Sightler, PO Box 98, Gaston, SC 29053.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask and, again, any help will be GREATLY appreciated!!

Hey Mark...its real time bloggin! hehehe

Tom said his boss, Mark, was laughing at my "real time" blogging because I'm posting pictures the day they are taken. If I don't, I get behind and forget. Here is a picture I just took of Brittanie.One of my best friends in high school, who is also my 3rd cousin, Brian, is very special to me and we stayed close all these years. He married a WONDERFUL lady named Colleen and I absolutely love her! Don't tell him but I am closer to her now! shhhhh But she just sent me an updated picture of them. Don't they look great? It's Dr. Phil and Robin! Handsome and beautiful...just like Dr. Phil and Robin!

Brittanie is on the mend....sort of

Brittanie is doing much better. She still isn't eating much but at least she is able to drink now. She was determined to go back to school today instead of tomorrow so I told her she could. Well as she was getting ready, she tossed her cookies. I begged her to stay home. She swears she is ok. She missed a drill team practice the day she got her tonsils out. She is determined not to miss anymore because there is a girl on the team that wants her spot in first string. But even with her being sick, she still looked great this morning. I couldn't resist taking pictures of her.

Katie B looked too cute in the outfit Aunt Melissa and Uncle Jesse gave her for Christmas. She loved it. She loved the pocket and wanted me to take a picture of her with her hand in the pocket. This is the only picture I could get where she wasn't smiling so huge that her eyes disappeared and her lips were curled up. She's too funny.