A One Hundred Mile Haircut

Last weekend's busyness just segwayed into a very busy week, too.  The main event of our weekend - a rare weekend in which we not on a road trip, not at the family lodge, just home - was the wedding of a co-worker of Bob's.  Although we don't know this couple very well, we did decide to go and support them as they continue their lives together.

I couldn't help but notice that the color theme of the wedding and all the reception decorations was royal blue and grey/silver.  And I couldn't stop myself from wondering if that color scheme was carefully planned to correlate with the opening of the Penn State University football season.  Gee, the colors are the same, and it's simply a mild frenzy here in Penn State football fan land.  Take a look.

I love this new trend of serving cupcakes on a tiered arrangement instead of the traditional wedding cake.  The bridal couple cut the small cake on the plate, and will be saving the small cake on the top tier for their first anniversary.

There were blue and silver packages of cookies at each place setting, and even Hershey kisses in the same colors.

I did hear a few grumblings at our table about the audacity of folks to go ahead and plan a wedding on the same day as a home Penn State football game.  Imagine that!

Monday morning then, I set out on a one hundred mile drive to see my beautician for a much needed hair color and cut.  Some women will be nodding their heads in understanding as they read this - when you find a person who knows how to work with your hair and make you gorgeous, well, then you just stick with her.  Daughter Lindsay works that magic for me.

And the real reason for  a side benefit of making that trip is getting to see this little princess:

As a matter of fact, seeing Ellie and her big brother Jarrod is ALWAYS worth a one hundred mile trip.  

This little girl has quite the diva digs.  Take a look at her little sleeping area.  It's almost like some sort of tiny amusement park there.

As much as I wanted to, and as much as I DO actually like this, I held myself back and did NOT let Lindsay color and style my hair like this girl's:

I headed back home then after a brief visit with my parents.  Wait, that was technically a two hundred mile hairdo counting the return trip home, I suppose (still worth it).

The next gig for this Germall was as nanny for two days for grandtwins Tori and Brianna.  While their parents are galavanting around somewhere at the beach having a little getaway, I'm on duty back here at home with the kiddos.

Which, I was warned, apparently they were over-the-top excited about.

In fact, when I picked them up from school yesterday, they told me that the school day had seemed sooooo long until I'd get there.  (Awwwwwww.  That was nice enough to make my day.)

They had colored some home made birthday cards for me to cheer me up on that sad day.  Yes, my birthday is on 9/11.  

Brianna showed me the remnants of her removed wrist cast, and assured me her broken wrist is now healed and as good as new.  She seemed a bit disgusted that the doctor had the nerve to saw it off by cutting right down through the center of Germall's name.  She also told me she had sprayed it with a lot of perfume because it smelled funky.

Before dinner we headed to a new playground area in the center of our town, to check out the new equipment.  Although Brianna assured me her wrist was strong, I cringed every time I saw her hanging and twisting by that one hand on the monkey bars.

Some of the playground areas were pretty interesting:

I told the girls that since it was my birthday, I get to choose where we eat dinner.  I warned them that they were just gonna have to suffer through a dinner of pizza and ice cream at one of my favorite joints.  Do they look like they're suffering?

They informed me that usually they're not allowed to have their ice cream in cones because they make too much of a mess, but on this evening Germall let it happen, and they did pretty well.  

After dinner it was shower time, and then we played a few games before calling it a night.

The next morning my alarm rang at 7:00.

Wake up the girls.

Make sure they dress on time.

Feed them breakfast.

Give them vitamins.

Administer allergy medicine.

Put the breakfast dishes and food away.

Brush the teeth.

Comb the hair.

Load the backpacks.

Remember to add the library books.

Remember to load the snack baggies.

Feed the fish.

Feed the birds.

Empty the humidifier.

Sign the homework papers.

Find and put on sneakers and jackets.

Lock the doors.

Leave the house at 7:45.

Buckle up.

Arrive at school by 8:00.

Say goodbye.

Make sure they know where to meet me after school.

Give kisses.

Make sure they didn't leave anything in the car.

Drive home.

Have a very LARGE cup of coffee.

Did I really do this all those years with FOUR children?

And, while all of this is going on, other parts of the family are actively debating whether or not this little guy's eyes are going to stay blue.

What do you think?

Grandson Gabriel is sending you all a smile for your day.

And it all started with a haircut.

A two hundred mile haircut.