Two More

Just two more weekends and then I don't have to leave for awhile again. Yeah!!

This weekend I am going to Council Bluffs with Mason for a b-day party and trick or treating.

My cousin, Massive Don, is throwing a surprise party for his wife, Sunshine, on Friday. Her birthday is Halloween. I am not sure yet what we are doing but it should be fun.

Then Saturday night all of us cousins are taking our kids trick or treating around Grandma's neighborhood. (They hand out awesome full size candy bars and such) Afterwards we are breaking out the drinks and the cards and playing some rummy.
The kids you ask will be jumping around on sugar highs like you can't even imagine and the grandma's will be watching them. Don't need anyone thinking we are going to be irresponsible or anything.

I never get drunk so I don't imagine I will have a problem taking care of my own child but the help is there if I need it since my husband,'father of the year', isn't coming. He could care less about Halloween. That is fine with me. Truly. I'm okay with it.

Okay I lie! I was okay with it until he told me that they were switching health insurance at work and we would have to take a physical and they would be charging smokers more. That means they will be checking for nicotine in the blood. That means I actually have to QUIT...

I just want to cry!!

Good thing I quit years ago...wink...wink...

I will be home Sunday afternoon in time to see Austin off to the airport for his trip to South Carolina for work.

Then I am going to be a cleaning fool for the next 36 hours. Why you ask? Because my mother is coming up to visit while her and dad are on vacation. The same mother who will clean my toilet even though she knows I just did it.
I am thinking about not cleaning it at all until she gets here just so I can see her faint.

Our water is well water and really rusty so it turns the bowl a brownish red color in just hours. If you come over and see a white bowl it is because I literally just cleaned it.

So my parents will be staying for a couple of days. I have no clue what we are going to be doing. I guess they want to go see the sights but honestly if you have seen one corn field you have seen them all. So it should be interesting.

Austin gets home Wednesday. I am sure I will be ready for him to be home. He will work on Thursday because they (meaning he) are so busy at work that there just isn't enough time to get it all done. Well that and because he has to take off Friday so that I can leave town yet again.

Friday mid-morning I am going with my friends, Tracey, Jodi and Lisa, to a Hearts at Home convention. I will get home Sunday afternoon sometime. It all depends on how many times we plan to stop and shop.

After that it won't be until Thanksgiving that I leave again. I don't care who's birthdays are between now and then.

Note:
Jacob 11-8
Emily 11-11
Daniel 11-12
Cassie 11-17
Mine 11-20
Ricky 11-23
Little Don and Sarah 11-25

I have just been too busy lately and have run out of care.

HELP!! Make it Stop

This song is on the radio whenever I turn it on or change the channel. I cannot escape it!!

Sad that I've grown to like it. Mason loves it... poor child.

Down Home

I'm cheating!!
Instead of being redundant you can see what I've been up to this last week and a half over at my photo blog.
I'll try to get a more detailed post up tomorrow. You had to know that more went on than just that...

My Son

I'm going to do something out of the norm for me today. I know your wondering what my norm is because I use this blog for complaining mostly. Yes I know. I am working on it. It's just sometimes this is the safest way to get it out without starting a huge fight within the family. Not that I mind the fights but it is upsetting to my husband.

I know I'm playing the good wife there huh?

And now your wondering if this is all I'm going to write about. No.

Today I am going to write about my son.

I know I write about him but that is usually complaining because he has gotten into something or is just being a pill. And trust me I could write all day about all the stuff he has gotten into today but I don't want to. Today it seems almost unimportant that he got into the entertainment center and took out all my photos, or that he figured out the fish tank door lock and got trapped under neath in the cabinet, or that he licked my camera lens, or that he clipped the dog leash to the ceiling fan pull while he was standing on the dinning room table.

Today after every time out he has been in he has come up to me and told me that he loves me and gave me a kiss. I know that this is his way of thinking that because he kissed me he can go do whatever he wants. He learned from the best, his father does this all the time. I am going to have to have a long talk with his father about this. Trust me...

Mason is 2 and some change. He stands about 37 inches and weighs a ton, or about 35 lbs, whatever, weight doesn't matter when it is centered on your hip or pulling your bra strap.

Lately his vocab has just exploded and he does the funniest things. He is currently teaching himself how to burp. You read that right. Burp.

He will get all quiet in the car drinking his water and then pretty soon I will hear noises coming from the backseat that sound like burps but not really, just a deep throaty sound. Once in a while it will actually work and he will really burp and surprise himself. He just starts giggling so hard he will end up with the hiccups. Even though I admonish him for his behavior I secretly love it. I always wonder what he will do next.

Like this morning he came into my room and put Monkey under the blankets beside me and kissed me on the cheek and told me night night and started to go downstairs.

Oh, how I would have loved to lay there and go back to sleep as my eyes were like sandpaper but I know how much damage that certain 2 year old can do to a house.

I love how he pushes his tonka truck around the yard at full speed with his butt up in the air. How he makes the car noises on inhale and exhale. I know multi talented he is.

He watches me like a hawk when I interact with the dog and has started to mimic me. He will go to the door and yell 'Hyde, come, NOW!!'. If Hyde is waiting at the door he won't let the dog in until he gets it all out. It really is cute especially when he tells Hyde to sit and stay.

Lately he has started to use the word 'wait'. This one frustrates me because he will tell me wait and then come 'now'. I pick him up and kiss him and tell him he can't talk to his momma that way. He giggles and kisses me and thinks it is okay.

I love the sweaty little hugs and when he gets all sassy and dances with me in the living room. I know Barney is his favorite singer because that is the only time it is okay to dance with mom.

I love, love, LOVE how he has to take monkey everywhere. It is so cute to see him run somewhere with monkey tucked up under his arm. If he is going to play with something and he doesn't want monkey to 'play with him' he will set monkey in a chair and tell him to 'sit and stay'.

I love to listen to him 'sing' his 'ABCs' or as he sings it 'aeiooyu'. I'm not sure how it happened but the kid can carry a tune. I can't. Nope. I have no clue where he gets this from.

I love how he likes to 'help'.

I love his shoe fetish. Takes after me there. He loves shoes. Absolutely loves them. He don't care if they are 5 sizes too big if those are the ones he wants to wear that day then that is what he is going to wear.

And this mother of a son stuff is hard. We have to learn all these new things. Like car noises, what different things smell like, how to raise a little man who is sweet and endearing while being honest.

But most of all I love how he loves me. Whole heartily and most of the time unconditionally. (Monkey is still not allowed in the bathroom with me) He's two and I killed (washed) monkey.

Every night I pray for the sweet girl that will one day be his wife. I know that me as a wife controls what happens in my house and it would break my heart to think that he would one day marry some she-b!tch that would steal him away from me or marry him for his money and not for him and who he is. Things that I never thought I would have to worry about. But most of all I hope that he always loves his momma and always kisses me goodbye no matter who is watching. That he is always considerate and kind.

I know he better be one tough little kid... I've heard it builds character to be a momma's boy... oh it just gets his butt kicked everyday... well then we better start teaching him to defend himself...I'm not willing to let my 'baby' boy go yet.

Weird

Okay, so, someone found my blog by googling Stratford, Iowa boy who lost hand.
I wasn't on the first 6 pages so I have no clue how they got to my site.

Now If I Had Done That

So we took Austin's Firebird down to Grandpa's on a trailer and he forgot the keys here... at home... 200 miles away.
You can just imagine my day has sucked.
Drive 200 miles home, work for 6 hours, drive 200 miles back to Grandpa's...
Total suckage...
I will fill you all in with pictures when I get back again.

Lens

I got a new lens for my camera and I love, love, love it. I don't think that was near enough loves to convey how I feel about this lens. It is fast and sharp without weighing a ton. Wonderful. I don't see it coming off my camera any time soon.
I'm wishing I had had this lens for Baby T but I got it that next Monday.
Now I'm trying to talk my husband into this camera.
I'm a whole lot closer than he thinks to getting this camera... I might be stashing money...

BOYS

Why do little boys have to be so crazy?

Yesterday I caught Mason jumping off the dining table onto a bean bag chair. Then he decided he could get over the baby gate by running at it full speed while pushing his truck.

Can I just say AWESOME!!

Writers Block...

35mm f/6.3 1/160sec ISO 100

I have a horrible case of writers block over at my photography blog.

I am not one for tooting my own horn and that is exactly what that site is. I have huge problems with it and therefore I don't update it that much.

Today I have to update it with the sweetest little baby. She is so tiny and cute. How do I explain the day I took those photos, or her mom and dad? I am not the flowery writer. That is my husband. He can add fluff and air to anything. Not me.

What I want to write is
she cried
she spit up
she peed all over my blankets
she smiled
she slept
her parents apologized.

I don't have the necessary talent to fluff that up and my husband would have a heart attack if I put it on there just like that.
I think for now I'll just put the photos up and add words later. At least then it will just be mild heart attack...

35mm f/6.3 1/160 sec ISO 100

I know, I added two photos to this post because I don't have a problem tooting my own horn here.
Not one problem with it!! I did a great job on these photos considering baby S was constipated and cranky. She was born early. Really early. She was six weeks old in these photos and weighed a whole 6lbs 10oz.
So I've been busy. Lucky for me word of mouth is spreading and people I don't even know are starting to call. Well they know me from Kum and Go but customers don't have to wear name tags so while I've seen them a hundred times I have no clue what some of their names are. And to think my husband thought I was crazy for wanting to work at the local gas station. How else was I supposed to get out into the community. Well without acting like a crazy lady anyways.

Can't Believe He Even Suggested It

Well remember when I wrote this?
I have been telling my husband for 3 months that I would be out of town that whole weekend. We even fought over who would watch Mason on that Friday.
Austin came home the other night and tells me he will be out of town for work that weekend. I was proud of myself for not just blowing up at him because I realize it isn't his fault. He didn't pick that weekend. (at least I am giving him the benefit of the doubt here)
He actually suggested that maybe I should just stay home.
Yep, not gonna happen!
I called his sister and told her that we needed a babysitter for that weekend and she was so excited. Austin was not so excited when I told him who would be watching our child that weekend. He has since gotten over it and has even laughed because we know that Mason is going to destroy her house and write on the walls and run her ragged.
I highly doubt that she has him all weekend because Austin mom won't allow that. She thinks she needs her equal time.
Mind you we live 10 minutes from his parents and 30 from his sister and it has been 3 weeks since his mother has seen Mason and 6 weeks since his sister has.
Pathetic!!
Sometimes I wish it was my family we lived closer to. It would sure cut down on my cooking...

Just a Funny

I saw this on Be Strong and Courageous today and thought we could all use a laugh!!
I've got to convince my husband into letting us try this...

Work Holidays?

Tuesday night I had a meeting at work. I know you thinking 'what kind of meeting would employees of Kum and Go have?'

Well to be honest those were my thoughts exactly.

Turns out it was just a list of reminders for us 'night' people to make sure that we get done all the stuff the day people didnt' finish and need done for the next day.

HELLO!! I absolutely refuse to complete a job that someone else should have done. I could care less if your stupid burritos are full. Why? Because we don't make burritos at night. Therefore if the burritos aren't full when you need them it is because you didn't fill them. Not because I didn't fill them. Duh!

Then they went on and on about the dress code. We need to be wearing our ties and button down shirts, shirts should be tucked in, no skin should be showing, etc, etc.

I love how he looked at me when he no skin should be showing.

Seriously? I think he might be smoking something if he thinks I would be showing skin. Honestly not going to happen.

Then he brought up the colored bra under white shirt...

I think he was asking for punishment!

He then suggested that us girls wear t-shirts under our white shirts so that our bras don't show through and again looked right at me.

My bra is nude colored and as big as a t-shirt. It will have to do because I am not wearing a t-shirt underneath. Nor am I tucking in my shirt. Sorry! I won't be doing that until I start getting complaints from customers and as of yet all I have are wonderful comments about how much they love me.

Then after the meeting I had to meet with the boss about holidays.

Last week, or so, I left him a huge list of days I was unable to work in the next 3 months. Huge surprise that most of those days are holidays and the days surrounding.

I worked the next day after I left the note and he had wrote a note on it asking if I had checked the calendar.

You see only two people can have off any day at the same time. Two people already had Christmas off on the calendar.

I wrote a note back that yes I did look at the calendar and that we could discuss it after the meeting on Tuesday.

So after the meeting the discussion went like this:

Me: You hired me knowing I couldn't and wouldn't work any holidays.
Him: (silence)
Me: I made it painfully clear that I did not work 3 jobs while my husband was going to college to start working holidays now.
Him: (silence)
Me: You will have to figure it out. I will be out of town every date I have on that piece of paper. If you schedule me I will not show up.
Him: (more silence)

I think he was trying to unnerve me. He hasn't met my in-laws evidently!

Me: Is there anything else you would like to address at this time?
Him: I cannot guarantee that you will have all those days off.

Now he is getting ballsy...

Me: I can guarantee that if you schedule me I will not show up. When you hired me and I told you I couldn't work holidays it wasn't an empty threat. If you would like to fire me that is okay. I don't have to work. I haven't work a holiday in 9 years I am not starting now.
Him: (silence)

I think he was speachless.

Me: If you don't have any other concerns then I'm going home. I have supper to make.

And I walked out.

I thought it was fairly simple. He hired me knowing I couldn't work holidays. Did he think it was going to change. I don't think he expected me to stand up to him. Well I wasn't born yesterday and it takes more than that to intimidate me.

Hearts at Home

Monday we had a play date with our old MOPS group. I cannot wait for our new MAKS group to start up in January!!
Mason had fun playing with the little kids and I had fun talking with other adults. Win/Win situation.
While there we all got signed up for the Hearts at Home North Central Conference. It will be a lot of fun. If anyone is interested in going I suggest getting signed up soon. I think I'm most excited about having a hotel right next door so we won't have to drive. Not that Jodi's driving scares me or anything...
You read that right. I won't be driving. I'm working on my trust issues. Ya... so... this is huge for me. I'm talking HUGE.
I don't think my husband has realized yet that me going to this will require him to be alone with the child for 2 whole days. I have warned him that he will have to get off early on Friday the 6th. I mean early as like noon. Just to get his butt in gear and get it arranged at work I told him that I had talked to his mom already about her watching Mason on that Friday and she said if she wasn't able to get it off early that Raquel would love to have him for the afternoon.
I figure that should get Austin's butt in gear.
Personally I don't care if Raquel watches him or not. I trust her not to do anything stupid with a two year old. Crap she is probably the one that would end up getting hurt trying to keep up with him. She loves him and thankfully he loves her.
We have had to stop calling her Hateful around him because he has caught on to who we are talking about. Amazing. I was surprised when he went up to her and said 'full'. Now we just call her Princess.
Anyways that isn't what this post is about...
This Hearts at Home North Central Conference should be alot of fun. Just moms talking about mom stuff. Better yet 2 whole days with good friends unwinding from the everyday mom stuff. Happy Birthday to me.


Remember to let me know if any of you decide to go.

Untethered

Where to begin... Well lets see we have been busy. At least Mason and I have been busy. Mason maybe more so than me if my house is any indication.

Last weekend I was untethered from the mother leash for a whole night.

Last Saturday I went to my little cousin Jessie's 21st birthday. I left Saturday morning and came back Sunday in time for work. It was so nice to get to ride in a car without playing the 'what now?' game. Blissful silence, then I realized the radio wasn't on and that I could listen to whatever I wanted. In celebration of this event I stopped at WalMart and got the new Sugarland CD.

I know crazy times.

A person can only handle so much Trace Adkins before wanting to throw the CD out the window. Trust me on this...

I got to Grandma's around lunch time. I even passed by McDonalds knowing that Grandma would have something good to eat. Thankfully she didn't disappoint. I hadn't planned on seeing my mom and dad while I was down so it was good to see them at Grandmas.

After lunch Jessie came over and we went shopping. She decided she didn't want to do laundry and needed a new shirt so we went to Rue 21 where my cousin, Little Massive Don's wife, Sunshine, works. After Jessie had tried on every shirt in the store she finally settled on one and then it was off to look at shoes. Shoes are my favorite thing but these were ugly shoes. Thankfully she decided to wear some she already had at home.

As we were leaving my little sister Cammie showed up and we went actual shoe shopping. I got the cutest little shoes. I was a little surprised by how comfy they are. My feet didn't hurt at the end of the night and I've worn them several times since and haven't had a single problem. Wonderful and they were half off!! Score...

Next we went back to Grandma's to get ready to go out to dinner. I was ready by the time agreed upon. I know a huge shocker how fast I can ready when I don't have a two year old hanging on me... Jessie and Cammie though were not. So we had to go to Cracker Barrel for supper. I was not disappointed in the least. They have the best tea. Just add two packets of Sweet-n-low and it is great.

After we dropped Grandma off at home again we went over to the Candlelight bar and met up with everyone else. I'm not a beer drinker and their mixed drinks were not good so I stuck to pop. Probably a good idea since I was driving anyways.

The night went good until around midnight when the MTV crew showed up. You know the show 16 and Pregnant. Well the little skank has a new show. I don't know if it part of the Real World or what but they were following her around.

Now a little back ground on this...

The father of this girls baby is Derek Underwood who was killed in a car crash with Jessie's cousin. No where in the show is this mentioned. You can just imagine the tension in the room when they realized who it was being filmed. Never mind that the girl is just 19. Not even old enough to be in the bar after 9. Especially considering our DD who is 20 wasn't allowed in. But publicity will get you into a lot of places.

So anyways that is the background.

As this girl was leaving we were too. Jessie and Massive Don were drunk and might have been yelling obscenities while they were filming. Whatever. I personally think the girl needs to decide to be a mother and raise her child instead of letting her mother raise it. What do I know though. I think I'll stick to CMT though because you know I don't need all the drama.

After the bar we went to the Horseshoe Casino. I'm not a huge fan of casinos but that is okay because it was fun watching Lena try to walk in her heels while drunk. I played the nickel machines and won 50 bucks so I called it a night and watched everyone else play roulette.

After the casino we went to Village Inn for breakfast. It was horrible. We had the sweetest waitress though and she didn't charge us for everything so it was okay. After all it wasn't her fault.

Cameron and I poured ourselves into bed somewhere around 4. The next thing I remember it was 10:30 and my alarm was going off. So after some brunch and conversation I headed home. I got home with enough time to change for work. Work thankfully went fast. Maybe that was because I just didn't care. Yep that was probably why.

Now for the pictures to go along with the night...

(point and shoot camera in dark bar, and I didn't take these, I'm not real sure who did.)

Sunshine after her 3rd shot.

Massive Don.

Jessie's boyfriend Rafael and his brother Ramone.


Massive Don playing pool with Lena. She beat him 3 games in a row.


Jessie and her dad Big Don.

Cameron, me and Jessie. Not my favorite photo of me but that is okay. You know I try to keep it real.

I Don't Know

My husband just asked if we were in daylight savings time or not.

I have no clue. All I know is that the time changes twice a year. I cannot wait to 'fall' back.

Camping

Labor Day weekend Mason and I went camping with my family. It was so much fun.
Right when we get there Mason found the most dusty spot to play with his cars and got covered in dirt from head to toe. Being a boy and being with all his boy cousins (7 boys under 9 total) they decided to add water to the dirt and I'm sure you all know where this leading...

The first thing I did was unload the car. First came out the tent and air mattress. My husband call the air mattress cheating. I told him that I wasn't going to boy scout camp, I was going to fat girl camp and they sleep on air mattresses.

There was no way I was leaving behind my queen size memory foam air mattress!!

Next I set up my tent. Naturally being that I have this huge awesome family none of them offered to help me set it up. Instead they formed a half circle around my tent and mocked me. Great times I tell you...

Next I grab my mattress from it's hiding place and everyone placed bets on whether or not it would even fit in my tent.

As if they hadn't laughed hard enough already watching me set up the tent they also had to watch me get my mattress in the tent and aired up. You know to see who won the bet and all...

I seriously thought my brother-in-law Jesse was going to throw up from laughing so hard.
They were all thoughly disappointed when I got the mattress in and set up with out anymore hilarious moments with which to mock me with later.

After getting everything ready for the night I went to my car and made myself a nice full glass of punch. Immediatly everyone started asking me where I got it from and why I wasn't sharing. I have never seen Cammie and Jesse run so fast. I had the last laugh though because the car was locked and they sure weren't getting my keys. I did give in but only because I needed a refill.

We didn't start addding the alcohol unitl after all the little kids went to bed. I had never even been tipsy before... ever... my memory is hazy. I only remember pits and pieces. I have no clue what Jesse was adding to my drinks but it took like 6 before I was feeling anything.

My husband was so proud when he called and my speech was slurred. Yep, so was my mother...

I was not the drunkest one there though and I made it to my own bed by myself.

My cousin Little Don wasn't so fortunate. He got to feeling good and went off on how he is tired of being called Little Don. All these little kids call him Little Don. He now wants to be referred to as Massive Don.

Just a bit of Don History;
My father is Old Don
My brother is Donnie
My uncle is Big Don
My cousin is Little Don
My mother is Nancy Dawn
I am Laura Dawn
and my little cousin is Sarah Dawn

Little Don decided that he wants to be called Massive Don. He said Old, Ugly, Stupid were taken, and he would get his butt kicked over Stud so Massive would have to do.

He went so far as to tell our Grandmother that he just wants Massive on all his cards and gifts. He said that Old, Ugly and Stupid would know who it was referring to.

The rest of the weekend was spent trying to keep track of all those boys, feeding everyone, picking up after everyone, and roasting marshmallows.

A great way to spend a weekend.

Now on to the photos. As always if you click on them and it will enlarge and you can read my notes.

A photo of the tents. Disregard Cameron sitting there. Although it is a 'great' photo of her.

My Grandma Shirley even made it out camping.

She didn't 'rough' it in a tent though, she slept in the camper.

Jesse's niece. It was getting dark and I took this over my shoulder with my 50mm manual focus.

I got lucky it was in focus...

I love the nail polish!!

My cousin Little Don called my son q-tip. Never mind that his oldest son is just as albino with just as white of hair.

Note to self: Little Don wants to be called 'Massive' Don.

I have no clue what he was trying to do here.

It looked like he was doing step aerobics.

They say they were playing football but it looked more like follow the leader to me.
What do I know though. I'm just a girl.

My son was fully dressed before this but since he has learned to undress himself

he has decided that anytime he sees a guy without his shirt on that he shouldn't

have to wear any clothes.

I tell Cammie to smile and this is what I get.

Just another photo to add to the 'bad photos of Cameron' folder.

Camping is dirty business.

Mind you we had been there maybe 15 minutes.

It was a great weekend! Mason and I had so much fun with my family.

My husband, you ask, was at home. I have no clue what he did all weekend. I'm sure he had fun also though.

Where, Oh Where, Did It Go

September went way too fast. Where has the year gone?