Thankful on a Thursday

1. That allergy season is just for a short time, Sweetie won't be miserable too much longer.

2. Driving downtown today to the dentist's office and seeing all the spring colors.

3. Lovin' on my boys today. I've been Grumpy Mommy for a couple days this week.


(this picture doesn't have anything to do with this post, just thought it was a really good one of Sweetie and Thing Two, and I'm pretty thankful for Sweetie.)

4. Finally answered ALL my emails this morning.

5. Had money to cover payroll, that's always something to be thankful for.

6. Yesterday I spent a chunk of the day reading THIS blog. I looked at it as if I was reading a really good book. She's funny, encouraging, funny, inspirational, funny and a whole lot funny. She's does the sweetest thing on Monday's where she encourages us to pray for our kids. Go check her out.

7. Didn't have so many heart palpitations in the last 24 hours. PTL! It's either acid reflux, a lovely early start on peri-menopause, stress, or too much sugar and caffeine. We're still waiting on the results.


(this didn't have anything to do with this post either, but I thought it was such a cute picture, and I am always thankful for this little guy and his dog.)

8. The scriptures that I've been clinging to this week.

9. My pretty pedicure I got yesterday. Thanks Sweetie. I used to get them all the time, though I hate the procedure, I love the way my toes feel afterward. I've been doing it myself for months now, trying to save money, I'd forgotten the agony of getting it done, but also forgot the joy in my toes when it's all finished.


(ah, the pretty toes. please don't be scared at how long my toes are, Sweetie can't really look at them, they freak him out a bit)

10. Snugglin' on the couch with my boys, the dog and my Sweetie tonight.

Hope you're finding things to be thankful for. It's such a blessing. Thank you Crayola Lady for turning me onto being thankful. You were right, it always works!


(this picture didn't have anything to do with this post either, but it's the only one of Calvin that I've gotten lately. He was trying to sleep, I was trying to get him out of bed. He loves his sleep. And his Mama loves him.)


(this picture REALLY doesn't have anything to do with this post, but I hadn't gotten a picture of Sweetie and I lately, this was the best one. I think it's a really great shot of the seatbelt. I know, I have quite the gift with photography, try not to be jealous.)

Gas

So, yesterday I went to the doctor because I've been having heart palpitations for about a month now. I've tried cutting out caffeine, sugar, stress (yeah, that one was easy), over exerting myself (I'm sure you've noted my love of the nap)...anything I could think of. But still had them. Mostly at night but sometimes I'd feel it throughout the day.

They did an EKG and listened and probed and all seemed to be fine. I'll be doing one of those lovely Holter Monitors sometime this week, whenever I can get ahold of the cardiologist. This is so fun.

But this morning while talking it over with a sweet friend, we decided it could very well be acid reflux. Huh. So then I had to tell Sweetie about our 'light bulb moment'. And he just laughs.

Sweetie: 'What do I always say?'
Me: 'Yeah, whatever, it's gas.'

Yep, people that's his answer for everything. Since Calvin was first born and had those lovely fits of rage around dinner time, Jay was sure it was just gas, he needed to poop. Sure enough, gas, constipation. Dave gets some sort of fever, Jay would ask...'when was the last time the kid pooped?' Sure enough, the kid just needed to poop. Any kind of ailment the kids would have, his answer was to go sit on the pot.

Me on the other hand, the boys felt something weird, I'd tell them to go drink a glass of water. My answer for everything that ails you is, you're not getting enough water. An avid water drinker myself, I think it's why I enjoy such immense health. Yeah right, now I'm thinking maybe I just need to poop. Lovely.

For those that can't believe I just talked about poop on my blog, just think how my mother feels right now. She's sure she raised me with better manners. Sorry Mama, it's all Jay's fault, he's completely ruined me.

An Apology

After throwing my husband under the bus, as he calls it, I have been asked to post an embarrassing post about myself. But, alas, there won’t be any pictures because, I hold the camera, I control the blog, and I’m not that stupid.

Just imagine, if you will, knit pajama pants tucked into Jay’s socks, that by morning time looks a lot like MC Hammer pants. Long sleeved tshirt with thumbs tucked in the wrists. Bright pink earplugs. Turquoise sleep mask over my eyes, night bite guard, hair knotted on top of my head like a sumo wrestler.

I'm a vision, it's a wonder he can sleep.

So apparently I offended my husband by posting and saying such rude things about him. But then I looked pretty good after the very nice comments that were said about him. And don’t worry I made it all better with him; waffles, eggs & a cup of hot coffee…like putty in my hands, he was.

Yes, I'm very aware that I'm lucky he married me.

Winston

Now being our only dog, Winston is getting the special treatment.

I’ve been paying much more loving attention to him. After crying and snuggling with him on Monday, we found out that it had been WAY too long since he’d had a bath. I scrubbed him down really good, gave him his doggy massage, brushed his coat and sprayed a little cologne on him. (he now smells like Real Sexy by Victoria’s Secret) I then cut him a new kerchief to wear around his neck.

So yesterday when Miss Lynne came over for our walk together I decided to take the Winston with us. He did really good on the leash. I was praising him and asked Lynne if she thought he looked handsome in his kerchief???

"Well," she says, "I wasn’t going to say anything, but since you asked, I think he looks kinda gay.”

"GAY?!!!! What the heck do you mean by gay??? Winston doesn’t look gay. YOUR dog looks gay!!!"

At which point we both looked down at her dog........she has a rottweiler.

Yeah, Winston looked a little gay.


This is our boy, Winston in his Gay kerchief.


ah, such a cutie-patootie.

My Miserable Husband

So we live in a very 'bad allergy' area. Sweetie's started about two weeks ago, and he's down for the count. He refuses to let me take him to the doctor so he can, say, get some decent meds and stop moaning and groaning to us. No he'd rather we ALL partake of his misery. He's really nice like that.

So since he has to work, and most of it is outside, and then he has to come home and take one or both boys to an outside sport practice, this is how he outfits himself now.


Hat with flaps, breathing mask, and goggles. He's a vision, and he's all mine, girls. That's right, you just keep away, you can't have him. I feel sorry for y'all having to be tempted in such a way. You poor things.

Some Recent Pictures

Please be advised that though this is normally a PG rated site, this particular post has some nudity in it. It could not be avoided, I am sorry. Please use your discretion in allowing your children to view it as I would not want to be blamed for their innocent eyes being tainted.


I found this army man, looking in on me on the counter. He is in watch mode here, I was very worried. What is he looking for? How did he find out about me?


Then I realized that it was actually a SOLDIER DOWN, quick call a medic, soldier down, soldier down! It might have been my cooking.


And this, is me, working in the kitchen. I love that i don't have any pants on, that is often how I work in the kitchen. I also love that I have short black hair.

And for those that heard about some nudity and quickly scrolled down to find it, shame on you....shame.

My life would be so sad if it weren't for the little treasures my boys leave for me.

In Memoriam

Daisy Mae 2008 - 2009

We lost sweet little Daisy Mae today. She was sadly hit by a car. She was gone instantly so we are comforted that she didn't suffer. Uncle Don came and dealt with me and helped since Jay was too far away. The boys weren't home, so they were spared some images. Sweetie was very sweet and buried her in the forest where I can see her from my kitchen window. Dave was tore up just thinking that it could have easily been Winston. Calvin felt guilty that he didn't spend more time with her, but he kissed her goodbye before Jay took her away. I'm dealing with my guilt of not training her better and not spending the time with her that I should have after wanting her so bad. We are watching a movie, snuggled on the couch, hugging the Winston and Kitty.


Thank you to my sweet friends that called and loved on us, you are treasures. We will miss her. Her playing tag with us as we walked outside. Her tormenting the Winston until he nipped at her, and then she'd go back for more. Her waiting by the door for the kitty to be let out and then would pin her in a wrestling move that many would be envious of. Her snuggly soft fur. How very sweet she was.


We will miss her.

A Conversation

To give you a little background, Jay had a golf tournament all day with two friends and our pastor. So it was up to me to take the boys to all their sports stuff. Too much fun. One the way home at the end of the day, Jay called me to check to see how things went...here's what he got...

JAY: So how was Dave's game?

ME: They won, it was so much fun!

JAY: How'd Dave do?

ME: He did great, he was SO cute!

JAY: How'd he do on defense?

ME: Well, he was running around the place a bunch and waving his arms around.

JAY: Wow, did he get the ball.

ME: He dribbled a couple of times.

JAY: Okay, let me talk to Dave.

I'm looking into a career in sportscasting. Someone call ESPN.

8 Things

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To...

-helping set up for Ladies Nite Out at the church tomorrow. then going to lunch with Kathleen & Stephanie.

-my cup of coffee in the morning, i'm really craving it right now, but it's too late to have it.

-when the pollen is done falling.

-Ladies Nite Out at the church tomorrow night. a table filled with some of my favorite ladies.

-taking a shower tonight, i've had a hat on all day and i can't wait to wash my hair.

-snuggling with sweetie, while we see who was eliminated on Idol last night.

-my next visit to CA to see my family.

-the smell of cut grass this saturday.



8 Things I Did Yesterday...

-worked out at the gym.

-talked to my bookkeeper.

-went on a date with Sweetie.

-scrubbed my shower.

-sewed a tablecloth.

-had a good laugh on the phone with a good friend.

-ate really healthly (until dinner)

-cut all my fingernails off (because i broke one)



8 Things I Wish I Could Do...

-lose weight.

-afford to put in a pool and back deck on the house.

-trade my car back in for my old minivan (what was I thinking???)

-be cured from my depression & anxiety.

-be a better mom to the boys.

-go back to college.

-run a business that would make lots of money for Jay so he could retire and take up golfing everyday.

-have lunch with my mom & sister tomorrow.



8 Shows I Really Enjoy...

-Friday Night Lights

-Friends (re-runs)

-Burn Notice

-House Hunters

-24

-The Unit

-Army Wives

-Samantha Who?



8 People I Tag...

anyone who reads this, that hasn't already done this, that wants too...feel free! :o)

Thankful Thursday Morning

1. The quiet time I have in my favorite chair in the morning.

2. Dave hugged me first this morning. Then quickly grabbed HIS (my) phone to check who called him.

3. The 100 kisses I gave him on his soft cheek.

4. Getting Sweetie's eggs perfect this morning. (that doesn't happen very often)

5. Getting 10 hours of sleep last night, ah the bliss!!!!!!!!!!

6. The kitty-kitty staring at me through the glass front door after I raised the shade, I just love seeing his face waiting for me there every morning. He comes in for his breakfast, then curls up on our bed for his nap.

7. The sun is out and filtering through the trees, the new spring bright green is starting to come out, filling in the forest.....absolutely beautiful.



8. Memories of dinner last night with my sweetie, we had such a good time, laughing, complaining, talking, discussing, formulating plans, making faces. He's such a hoot. He even let me have the best bite of his herb crusted salmon (I just love that stuff). We both had been craving Olive Garden all day, so when it came time to pick a place for dinner, it was a no brainer. Salad, yum. Breadsticks, yummo. The chicken lasagna rollatini thingy on special, so scrumptious and enough left over for my lunch today. Sweetie had my favorite, the salmon. Got dessert, cuz' I'd been good all day...those delectable Italian donut thingys. And a cup of coffee...it doesn't get any better than that! Though I do have a hard time going there without thinking of Sara and how much I miss her.

9. Enjoying my cup of coffee while sitting in the sun coming through the window. Love having a laptop.

10. Sewing yesterday with a sweet friend, on my sister's mother-in-law's sewing machine, love that retro thing. It sits in my grandmother's sewing cabinet, she was helpful in teaching me to sew when I was little on that very cabinet, she's gone now, and my heart aches for her, so it was really sweet to sit there yesterday and sew and miss her.



Hope you are thankful for today. Blessings to y'all.

Calvi-Bear

I've said it before, I'm completely ruining my kids. They will definitely need counseling when they get older. But for right now, I think that I'm just keeping them humble, I'm just here to help.

So this is the nick-name that Jay gave Calvin while back. It was cute when the boy was 2. It was cute when he like to strip naked and run around the front yard. It was cute when he learned to crawl on top of the counter and steal all the cookies out of the cookie jar. It was even cute when he threw onions and potatoes at me while I was taking a shower. He was cute when he was 2. And so we gave him a cute nick-name.

But the boy is 13. Looks a little more like 15. His voice is changing. He's got a bunch of hair under his armpits. He likes girls. (Okay, he was charming the nurses in the hospital on the day of his birth). He's taller than me. But I still call him Calvi-Bear at times when I'm really not paying attention to whom might be around. Like, say, his friends.

Yep, I'm a goober.

Last night just as he was drifting off to sleep, I guess he got a text message from one of his friends (they'd been going back and forth all day on their cell phones)... it said, "oh, I almost forgot...'good night Calvi-bear'".

Calvi-Bear wasn't talking to me this morning.

Happy Easter!

Our Easter Family Portrait. Notice I'm laying down, as if they just caught me napping. Typical.


Hoping y'all have a very Blessed Easter.

Thankful on a Thursday

1. Easter week, a time to reflect and remember what my Savior did for me.

2. My Sweetie. So handsome and fun. I'm so thankful that he loves me so much.


3. After spending so much time with Dave while he was sick, it's been a nice week of focusing more on Calvin. We're so thankful to God for the young man he's growing into. And he's so pickin' handsome, dang.


4. The wonderful fellowship we have with our friends from church. They are so special and precious to us.

5. The playdate that Dave had with Mr. Johnnie-Pants. We left Calvin at Nick's house to 'hang' (they're too old to have a playdate, they just 'hang') but the giggles and fun the Dave and Johnnie had was too cute.


6. Buying the packages of little yellow peeps at the store. Those things just make me smile. I always make a trail of them from the boy's beds to their Easter baskets on Easter mornings...it's too fun to see them find their baskets with yellow marshmallowey ooze comin' outta their mouths. Of course last year, I put them out the night before and by the morning, the ants had found them...Dave didn't even notice...lovely, a little extra protein for the kid.

7. For the next two days Sweetie and the boys are doing ALL the yard work. Cutting the grass, trimming, planting, mulching the beds...I can't wait!


8. The boys have been doing really well with school the last couple of weeks. With being out of school for so much last month because of sickness, they've really surprised me with their attitudes, efforts and grades.

9. Spring is here. Everything looks a little more green, though the forest hasn't filled in yet. And I'm still thankful even though the pollen from the pine trees is falling and covering everything, the whole town is covered in this thick yellow fog, and the allergy meds are on the kitchen counter. But we're still thankful.


10. Sitting in the lab yesterday with the boys and having all kinds of conversations with everyone that was sitting in there waiting. This is what I LOVE about living here, everywhere you go, people strike up conversations with you, it's SO comforting to me.

Hope you are being thankful this week.

Isaiah 53

"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

Thinking on HIM this week.

Our Life is Very Boring.

We are not very interesting these days. Sorry. I know my bloggity posts are not very interesting. Nothing really funny has been going on in our lives.

We are having a lot of fun though. This is the weekend of sports. Last night, Calvin's basketball game. Today he started his spring football season. Then Dave had his basketball game. Tomorrow, Dave starts his baseball season. It's too much fun. Good thing Jay & I love doing this sort of thing.


Dave and I waiting for Calvin at his practice.


See, we were VERY bored.


Dave has taken over my phone and is now very proficient at texting EVERYONE! My dad now thinks that my phone is Dave's and just when I think he's callin' me, nope, he's callin' for the Dave. Oh, and sorry Granny Betty..didn't know you didn't have that texting thing on your phone. You can send us the bill. I meant to have Dave call you back, but then we got busy putting ketchup on our hotdogs. Will have him call you tomorrow. Thanks for your prayers.


Jay & Calvin are in this football crowd somewhere. I was battling a really bad headache most of the day, so I didn't feel like getting up and walking closer so you could get a better look. Let's just pretend you can see them, okay?

Here's hoping something fun happens soon, so y'all have somethin' fun to read about. Tomorrow's Sunday, have a blessed day.

Madness

oh my gosh, i'm going to scream. i just had this really long and i'm sure, VERY interesting post about the saga that is our phone service....and just as i'm typing the ending sentence, my hand moved over the phantom button on this new laptop that likes to erase all of what i just typed. lovely.

hope your day is better than mine is showing.

sigh

A Picture Post

I finally figured out that my new laptop was downloading my pictures to the right place but was putting them in a file within the 2006 photos...huh? I need to tell SOMEONE what year it is.

<
Dave sleepin', what he did a lot the past couple of weeks. Though he won't admit it.


A pathetic attempt at playing Wii.


Administrating the meds. He's such a joy. This is the part where I smack him and tell him to take it like a man. Not really. Well, maybe.


Ah, motrin, finally starting to kick in.


Calvin, Mr. Handsome, he has been my righthand man the last couple of weeks. What a stud.


Finally back to school, and their grades have been really good this week. Yippee!


Ah, back to normal. This is as close to normal as it gets for us.


This was my favorite day. Our first day back, running a couple of errands. The boys being...well, boys, in the back seat. Makes a mama happy. And I only had to reach back and slap them a couple of times, life is good.


I don't normally get frozen waffles, but these were free with my new coupon thing I'm doing. I was so proud of myself. The boys were thrilled that I actually found a way to make convenience food healthy.


Another self portrait before I left for town yesterday. I love my boys.


Calvin took this mug shot of my rooster. Poor, Mr. Rooster, he's still not quite sure what he did wrong. But he's very sorry.

****************************************

So we have a couple of nice homes picked out for either my parents or Jay's mom, you know, to live in if they need to come out here for us to take care of them. We would really want to spoil them...so here goes the list, let me know what you think...


House #1, it's close to our home. The donkeys come with it and work as a built in alarm clock, so nice.


House #2, it's right across from the fire station, so I know my sister would visit more. You know it's true, Marcie. (sorry Lance)


House #3, what you don't see is that it comes with laundry facilities, yep, washer and dryer right on the back porch. Classy but convenient.


House #4, probably the one that is most habitable, except for what's written on that yellow sign...something about toxins...but it probably won't affect them too much.

We love our parents. We hope they come to visit really soon.

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So we almost missed it, what being on quarantine. Spring. The cherry blossoms. these trees are so beautiful.



Beautiful.



Tulips. These are for my mom. She loves tulips. Here you go mama, for you.

And because I love you so much, and because you are totally worth the expense, and because I'm thinkin' I need to do something nice for you, what with the whole 'puttin' you in a shack' business...some more tulips...





This is the river that we kayak down during the summer. The one that my bro-in-law thought he was going to die on. It's so much fun, and not at all dangerous. We might have to sell a dog in order to afford to do it again this year, but it's SO worth it.


I love these flowering trees. I don't even know what kind they are, if you know tell me, not that I care too much, I'd still use my name of 'big giant purply flowers tree'. I'm very scientific about these things.


And the dogwood, it's our state flower. I love the dogwood. We've got a very sad one in our yard, very sad. So I'm pretending this is our tree, it belongs to one of our neighbors. I didn't want to embarass myself by walking through their front yard to get a better picture of the thing, plus it was raining really hard at this point and I'd already done my hair...a girl has to have priorities. But I love the dogwood tree.

It's been overcast and rainy for a couple of days here, and today, the sun is out, windows are open and the birds are singing. I need to go put on my prairie dress and run through the fields. Hope y'all have a great day.

(Okay, so don't you know that I'm the worst speller, except of course, maybe for my dad and husband, I don't spell good. So then blogger's spell checker decided not to work. Dang it, I had to use the dictionary just to look up quarantine, because how often does one need that word. I hate dictionaries. But don't tell my boys, they still think that mom was a stellar student. Yeah, right.)