My Vacation

Yesterday when I got home from Sioux City I called a friend and we went to Hobby Lobby and met another friend for supper. After supper we went to Target and WalMart. I didn't get home until midnight last night. I had forgotten what it was like to just goof off with girlfriends.
The poor little dog had only spent about 3 hours out of the kennel yesterday afternoon.
Then this morning I was only able to sleep in till 8:30.
Literally. I could only sleep till 8:30. How disappointing. I didn't have to leave until noon today and that was all the later I could sleep.
Pathetic.
Just PATHETIC!!
Today I had a MOPS meeting at our new church with the pastor. The meeting took a lot longer than I thought it would and pushed me off schedule the rest of the day.
After the meeting I had a mini newborn shoot. (just the poses she wanted)
It went well and the baby slept the whole time. We sweated. Oh, my, was it ever hot and humid today. We took the photos on her screened in sun porch for the natural light. Baby was happy but we were miserable. I am fairly sure Baby didn't care though.
After that I finally got to come home. To my nice quiet house. I can finally get some work done without someone screeching at the gate or asking me what is for supper. I'm taking advantage of this.
It is amazing how much work I can get done without those two distractions.
Tomorrow I have to meet with a gal that was on the MOPS steer team and get some stuff from her. Then I've got to work at 4.
I figure Austin and Mason will be home by the time I get home from work. Even though he has told me he won't be home until Friday afternoon I know how he works. I'm not stupid.
So now I'm off to learn how to burn CDs on the Flash (my new computer). I decided to name it such because it was bought with my flash money.
Guilt trip for Austin. We'll see how long till I get my flash now.

He Killed It

Austin killed my computer Sunday.

Literally killed it.

I told him I was going to unload my camera from my shoot I did that afternoon. He told me to give him ten minutes because he had to do something first.

I didn't realize that what he had to do involved killing my computer.

So Monday morning we headed to Best Buy to buy a new computer. Austin has been waiting for Windows 7 to come out so we just got a mid price range bridge computer. He stills plans on getting one when 7 comes out. That's fine with me then we each have our own computer. Sounds like a plan to me. He even upgraded and got the 22 inch monitor for 40 bucks after some haggling. I kinda regret teaching him how to haggle but anyways in this instance it got me a nice monitor.

Thankfully Austin was able to get the old computer going long enough to back up the files he wanted. I already had all my photos backed up because I just had a feeling it was getting ready to take a dive.

Now to the real unfortunate part.

The money for the computer had to come out of my flash fund. I was so close too. Within 50 bucks of my goal.

Let me tell you it is enough to aggravate a person.

Ugh... Paint...

So I tried my 3 sample paint colors last night and didn't like any of them. As in I would go crazy with any of those colors on my walls. I had more color swatches with me and asked Austin's opinion. It is always fun to ask his opinion. He doesn't like the oranges, yellows or browns.
I asked about the reds and he said "Light red would be okay. Nothing too dark. I don't want to be sitting at the computer and be thinking 'red room, red room'."
Last time I checked 'light red' was also known as pink. So I brought that up and he said "More red than pink. I don't want to feel like I'm sitting in cotton candy."
Then I get this urge for Turquoise but more green than blue.
I am going to chuck this all up to hormones. I'm usually a very level headed individual but this color choice is making me crazy. I spend a huge amount of time in the office and so I don't want to pick the wrong color. I don't want more green because the carpet is green and the bathroom is green. I don't want it to feel like the bathroom if that makes sense.
Then I get this thought about a light lilac color or purplish gray. Then I wonder about slate gray or medium gray.
I guess the color I finally choose will be just as much of a surprise to me as to anyone else. I am determined to get it painted today. Like in before I go to bed this room will have some color of paint on its walls.
If I didn't know better I would swear I was nesting. No way that is going on though Aunt Flo took care of that threat.
My poor husband. I feel bad that he has to put up with me when I am like this. Only sometimes though because I know a majority of the time he totally deserves it.
Wish me luck I'm off to buy my paint! What about stripes...

Few Things

Austin's sister, Princess Hateful Raquel is coming for supper tonight. She was unable to make it to his party because 'something came up'. I don't believe it for a moment but anyways she is coming for supper and I haven't told Austin yet because he will bolt and then I would be here alone with her. Not my idea of fun. So I have some cleaning to do. Not much but the dishes need washed. My ankle hurts so stinking bad that I just don't want to stand on it and wash the stupid dishes.
I sprained my ankle over a week ago and it hurts still. Yesterday I actually went to the doctor to have it checked out. After x-rays and everything the doctor can't find any broken or fractured bones. She thinks I might have tore that little muscle on the outside behind the ankle bone. She told me to take it easy. I have been on my feet a lot lately. Cleaning and sorting through kitchen cabinets. I am trying to getting everything cleaned out so that I can paint them on the inside. I have never liked the red and after Mason has been playing in them they need to be organized.
I went and got samples of paint yesterday for my office. I just can't decide. I brought home samples of a light yellow, medium green, and a warm brown color. We'll see. I would like to get the samples on the wall today anyways. If I don't like any of those I have a couple of other paint swatches that I am thinking about. I'm usually not this indecisive. It is driving me nuts. I thought I wanted a warm color but then I saw this really pretty blue color and now I just don't know. My helpful husband suggested that I just paint each wall a different color. After I decide on a paint color I need to decide on curtains. Yay that should be tons of fun! I have been looking for a big mirror to go on one wall but they are expensive so I might improvise and just get a big cheap mirror from WalMart and just have my husband put trim around it on the wall. I am still deciding. I do know that the Cincinnati landscape is leaving.
I had the urge to clean my red shelves yesterday. Thankfully, I resisted the urge. As if I don't have enough projects going on right now.
I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and spent a total of 5.31. It was a rather disappointing trip. I was looking for some interesting fabric but was let down. I also went to Joann Fabrics and nothing jumped out at me so I am still on the hunt. Looking for fabric for a shower curtain since I can't find one in stores that I like.
Next week I am taking down the wallpaper in the dining room. No debate on paint color there though. I have a really cherrie (as in upbeat) rose color for beneath the chair rail and a white for above. I need to decide if I want to stripe the bottom or leave it alone. My husband will have to be out of town when I paint that room. For sure it is a ask forgiveness project because I refuse to ask permission to anything inside the house. I figure he has the whole garage he can do what he wants in there. I wouldn't complain if he made it a man cave. Well as long as I was welcome in it anyways.
Well I have tons of stuff to do so I better get to it...

Oh, so easy!

So my husband has been on vacation this week driving me nuts. I have been having to create stuff for him to do.

I told him that I was painting the office a pink color and I thought he was going to flip. He was not one bit happy with me so I told him that I would paint it a different color if he made me a new desk. He then asked what color I would paint it. Surprised me a little I figured he would ask what kind of desk. Good thing I'm quick thinker and asked what he had in mind for a desk.

By asking him what he was thinking about for a desk it allowed him to go off on some big shpeel about good points and bad points on desk. Placement in room and everything that goes with it. I had to sit and listen to *engineer talk for a little bit but it was a good way of avoiding the color question. I needed to keep the color in my control for bargaining purposes.

Thankfully we were thinking the same thing for the desk so I didn't have to use the paint color bargain too early. He wanted it a little taller than I did but I figure it is easier for a short person to work around something tall than it is for a tall person to work around something too short.

I then told him that the wood didn't have to look great because I planned on painting it. Talk about instant mad. It was rather fun to watch but I told him if we stained it a cherry color and varnished it then he lost all veto power on paint color for the room. There by getting everything I wanted.

What I got-

• new desk
• my paint choice for the office
• total power over color theme and decorations
• nice cherry stain for the desk

What Austin got-

• tall desk

I clearly won that exchange and he thinks I don't know how to manipulate him.

Last night when I got home from work he had the desk portion finished and in the office. He isn't putting drawers under it. Instead we are putting our file cabinets under the desk. We don't generally have a need for drawers. I don't keep clutter and our pens and pencils are in a pencil holder on top of the desk. Envelopes are kept in the kitchen. Stamps are kept in my purse.

Next on my to-do list is to box up all my books and take the bookshelf up to Mason's room. It literally just collects junk and I'm tired of it. I figure it matches Mason's bedroom fairly good and he can keep toys or other stuff on it. We will have to attach it to the wall so I had better be sure.

I'm sitting here looking at my new desk thinking it is missing something and it dawns on me I need a little bookshelf/bench under my window. If only I had thought about all this on Monday to keep him busy. I need to brainstorm on how to get it from my husband without giving up anything I've already gotten. Maybe I'll mention it after I get the room painted.

My poor husband really never stood a chance. I'm the middle of 5 kids so I have been manipulating people for years.

*engineer talk is anything that I don't care about or am not interested in. Austin uses it as filler to formulate his arguments. After a bit it stops being 'engineer talk' and ZING! ZING!! ZING!!! All these reasons why we should or shouldn't do something. A couple times he has stopped mid-sentence. Annoying as crap.

No Excuses!

I have no good excuses for my lack of blogging. Well you know other than the hormonal bitchiness that has become my life lately.

The Metformin seems to be doing its job. Thankfully! Now if I could only remember to take it at the same time everyday... I've now got it in my phone on a daily reminder, annoying but it works.

Last week I bought Photoshop Elements 7 and have been playing around with it a little bit. I don't generally have time to get on the computer very much anymore with the weather starting to get nice. So needless to say I haven't been getting much sleep.

It rained all weekend so we are inside today. Thank God for tv and IPTV. My little boy is trying to drive me nuts. Literally.

Mason thinks it is great fun to throw tantrums at my feet. He doesn't even have to be in trouble or told no for this to happen. Nope it could be something stupid innocent like his car falling off the table, or my favorite, Hyde sniffing his little monkey. I know some of you are thinking so just walk out of the room. I do and guess what the little boy just picks himself up giggles and follows me to the other room and proceeds to continue throwing his tantrum at my feet.

I seriously doubt there is any of me in him. He is just a little replica of his father. It is on days like today that I have to check my sanity.

I don't think Austin will be letting me go to Best Buy alone anymore. I went in to buy Photoshop and came out with photoshop and a new tv for the kitchen. I have been thinking about a new tv for awhile and my tv fund finally got bit enough. It is a miracle it did because I kept taking out of it for my photography purchases.

I decided the tv in the kitchen didn't have to be anything special. Basically able to change volume and channel was enough so I got in on a pretty good sale. I had to do something because my old tv would no longer turn off and was starting to smell if it was on for more than 20 minutes.

With the left over tv money and what I had in my photography account I had more than enough to buy my new lens that should be here on Friday. FRIDAY!! I should have enough to get my flash by the end of May.

Austin was a little worried about my timeline. Ha! I might have neglected to tell him that he was getting paid 3 times in May. If he gets paid 3 times in May then so do I. Amazing how that works out. I get 75 in fun money out of his pay check and then all of my checks in May go to fun money. If he was that concerned about it he would just take over the budget. I don't see that happening so he will just have to get over it.

I have to work tonight. Our assistant Manager quit last night. Our manager is a nut job and she got fed up and just quit. He had better not have changed my schedule. I am not even digging him out of this mess. Someone else can have the hours.

I've been so busy...

I forget what it is like to spend any time on the computer for any amount of time longer than to check my checking balance. I find myself asking 'when the hell did this happen?' Honestly I don't know. It just feels like everyday we have somewhere to go, something to do. I don't mind when it is something for Mason but let me tell you I am tired of the doctors office.
So what have we been up to lately... I know we have been busy so I should be able to come up with at least 5 things but I am drawing a blank. Funny how that happens...

I think Austin is trying to drive me crazy. Every night he starts a new project. I can go outside and there are 5 projects waiting to be finished. There is stuff all over thedriveway. When I explained to him that he needed to finish what he starts he got a little peeved with me. That is fine because everytime I open the back door to let the dog out I get a little peeved with him. I don't like chaos and that is what it feels like outside.

I know I should be a little bit more understanding with him but I just can't be. I realize he is stressed out because of the layoffs going on at work but that doesn't mean he needs to come home and destroy stuff. Okay maybe not destroy but I am sure he would feel a whole lot better if he actually finished something.

I have told him that tonight we are finishing one of his little projects so he had better decide which one. I don't think he was too happy with me but then again I don't care. I told him we could get the patio cleaned up or the fence finished or the weeds last years flowers picked up but that at least one would be getting done. He said we could work on the rocks. Um... yeah... that wasn't on the list.

You see we have rock around the perimeter of the house and there is nothing planted in it. Just rock to the sidewalk that goes around the house. Well this last summer there were a lot of weeds so Austin, in his nervous energy, decided that he would take up all the rock and put down new paper so that the weeds won't grow. He has half the rocks up but it will take more than one night to get it done and I really want to get something finished tonight because it is to rain all weekend. He is pretty sure we can get it done in one night. I am going to call his bluff though because between me dealing with supper and getting Mason down for bed there is no way it will get done. I think I will just lock him in the office with his latest project.

I have no clue what possessed him but he decided to try his hand at stained glass. Let me just say this is fairly expensive little hobby. I love stained glass. I love to work with my hands and be creative like that but I am fairly certain that my husbands attention span is not long enough for stained glass right now.

And To Think...

We have had a somewhat busy week. Wednesday night I worked. I love going to work. I really thought I would have problems with it but haven't yet. When I first started looking for a job my first choice would have been an office job but I decided that I didn't want to give up my time with my baby. I know Kum & Go might be a gas station but it allows me to work evening hours a couple of nights a week and the pay doesn't totally suck. I have found I am a much happier person now. Well that and I told Austin that I am doing whatever I want with my pay checks.


Funny argument that was. He was appalled that I would suggest such a thing. He thinks that money should go to bills. All my money has always gone to bills and his has always gone to whatever he wanted. That is how he got the motorcycle in college. He saved his paychecks (that didn't even cover his gas for the week to get back and forth to work) for that motorcycle. Then he got the big TV. So when I tell him that essentially that is what I am going to do with my paychecks he throws a huge fit. All I have to say is shut up big cry baby.


I hadn't been that worked up in a long time. It is like he has forgotten how to fight with me. I was enjoying myself so much that I drug it on for a little bit before I totally annihilated him. He should have known better than to dictate to me how we were going to spend my money. I know I could have just agreed with him and then done whatever I wanted to do anyways but I couldn't let him think that he could get away with that.

Yeah... that was... um... yeah...

So we got tons of snow two weeks ago. We got somewhere around 8 or 9 inches in one week. We were expecting the wind to start blowing Saturday afternoon which would then create blizzard like conditions.

We had planned on getting together with Austin's parents for their Christmas on Sunday so I made the executive decision to just go over on Saturday and stay the night. That way we wouldn't have to worry about traveling even that short distance with Mason.

Saturday everything is going good I have the car loaded with everything we are going to need and extra. I say extra because I already had Mason and I already packed to go down to southwest Iowa for Christmas and instead of pulling out just what we would need I just put our whole bags in the car. Which turned out to be a good thing.

So, anyways, Saturday is going good. It isn't too cold out the wind isn't blowing yet and Mason and I are just about ready to go. Austin has agreed to come over later and bring the Wii with some games.

Just as I am taking Mason out to the car the wind starts up. So off we go. By the time I get to the highway... I can see nothing.

Don't think I let that stop me.

Nope.

I knew that it would only affect me for a couple of miles. About an hour later we get there. They have a really long and curvy driveway we get about halfway down it we can see the house and we get stuck in a snow drift to the side of the drive way.

Jeff's plowing abilities leave something to be desired. It is like he is afraid to lower the bucket anymore. There was probably a good 4 inches of snow still on the drive.

Jeff had to come rescue us. He finally got the car to the house later that afternoon after he got it stuck again and then had to hooked the tractor up to it.

Mason was in heaven playing with Cheyenne (playful 7 year old Black Lab) and Boots (2 year old kitty). Saturday afternoon I helped Robin get ready for Sunday. I made my bread while she made the cherry dessert and pumpkin pies. I was to bring the rolls for lunch on Sunday so I don't think that was considered helping but I didn't make a bigger mess anyways.

Her kitchen is set up very weird. As in she has things in the most illogical places. I don't know how many times I would ask her where something was and she would have to open several doors or drawers to find it.

Austin finally showed up around supper time. We had chili with cornbread. It would have been perfect but Robin didn't have baking powder. Who doesn't keep baking powder in the house? The corn bread was still good it just didn't raise like cakes usually do.

After supper we all played Wii and got beat at bowling by Robin. Austin beat us all in Golf, at least the first game. I took the second which is how it should have been anyways.

Mason went to bed around 8:30 like normal and was good. The rest of us stayed up later playing Wii. I finally gave it up about 10 and went to bed. I thought Austin would follow later. I wake up at 3 to let the dog outside and Austin wasn't in bed.

My first thought was that crazy bastard is staying up all night playing video games.

Imagine my surprise when I go upstairs and everything is dark and his pick up is gone out of the driveway.

Yep!! That crazy SOB went home. In blizzard conditions. I was less than thrilled.

Don't even begin to think that I stayed up all night worrying about him. NOPE! I went back to bed and slept peacefully until Mason woke up at 8. I figure he had a cell phone on him and would have called if he had run into trouble.

The next morning was Sunday and we were celebrating Christmas. Austin showed up around 10:30. I didn't even get a chance to give him a proper tongue lashing because his mother took care of it for me. She was mad. Austin took it all in stride and actually laughed at the end.

Princess Hateful Raquel and Dan showed up around 11:30. I don't know what it is about her but Hyde just loves her. He jumps in her arms and whines when she puts him down. I don't get it. It is a little annoying when my child follows the dogs lead and follows her around and gives her kisses.

As annoying as she is at least she doesn't talk non-stop. I swear Dan doesn't shut up. I know in a normal house this wouldn't be a big deal and would most likely be considered starting a conversation but this isn't a normal family. It just feels like he asks a hundred questions.

This family doesn't have normal conversations they have heated debates. These debates are not rational and are not held before lunch they are held after dessert over a game of cribbage. Everything else can be considered polite chit-chat.

We didn't end up going home this day either because it was too darn cold out and the roads were too bad. Austin drove through drifts that came up to the bumper on his truck. He sure didn't let that stop him from going home though. He got to go home and ended up playing Wii all night.

I ended up having to sit through some uncomfortable silences. I am sure it didn't feel uncomfortable to Robin and Jeff but it was for me. How was I to get comfortable with my M-I-L reading my mind all evening. It did get better when she got out her new camera and started playing with it. At least until she started to ask me a hundred questions. Not that I mind answering questions it is just the way she asks them. Like she has perfect timing that as soon as I start to do something else she calls me over again. I think Austin gets this from her because he does the same thing.

Monday afternoon Robin and I took Mason to town. First we went to lunch at Perkins. Mason charmed all the young college students that were stuck working during break. There was a young couple there sitting in the booth across from us and Mason kept turning around and flirting with them both. Just being generally cute and the husband says 'If you could guarantee that our kids would turn out like that I wouldn't mind having one or two.' The wife was so happy after she heard that. After they left Robin looks at me and says 'Man are they in for it. They don't know that Mason threw 2 tantrums just on the way into the building.'

Next we went to see Santa. Mason was so excited to get to sit in Santa's lap and pull on his beard. Thankfully we got one with a real beard. Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas and all I could understand was truck and baby and then he throws his head back and laughs. Santa was surprised and asked me his age twice.

By the time we got back home the roads were good enough for Mason and I to go home. So I loaded up the car and attempted to get the car out of the driveway. It only took two tries and the tractor.

When we got home the house looked like I hadn't been home in a month. There wasn't a clean dish or any silverware and there was just junk everywhere. I was less than thrilled considering I had just cleaned it Friday and it was only Monday.

After some power cleaning and doing some major laundry it sure felt good to sleep in my own bed considering it would be the only time for over a week.

Oh, My

So I have been trying to teach Mason to say 'Merry Christmas'. It isn't going so well. Most of the time he just looks at me like I'm crazy. A couple of times he said 'No, Momma.' A couple of other times he said 'Tada Raura, No Momma', and my all time favorite and what earned him nap early was 'Eeve I lone' (Leave me alone). What a wonderful sweet little boy I have.
I am determined that he will know Merry Christmas by Christmas. I don't care if that is the only phrase that we say all the way to my mom and dad's. It would make for a very long 3+ hour car ride though. I think he'll be able to say it. Honestly I am surprised he hasn't said it already. Words usually come so easy to him. As long as he doesn't 'You Butt' to me again or while we are there I will be a happy though.
Well I better head to town and buy milk. The weather people think there is going to be a good sized storm come through here tomorrow. One station says 4-6 another says 2-4 so we'll see. I wouldn't mind some snow. Even if that means my husband has to work from home.
I understand we have had our differences about it in the past and we have agreed that as long as he doesn't expect me to acknowledge him during the day we will get along good. For some crazy reason he expected me to take care of him during the week like I do on the weekends.
Well obviously that just isn't going to happen. I cannot help it if he isn't smart enough to know where the cereal and peanut butter and jelly are located.
I summed it up fairly easily for him I told him that he never takes care of me and that maybe he should try to get his work done and take care of me at the same time. He told me I was crazy. So I said Yeah during the week between the hours of 7 and 3 you are not my responsibility. He wasn't real thrilled with this but has gotten over it and we have gotten along great the last couple of times he had to work from home.
I even left Mason home with him and went to MOPS last time. I know he wasn't thrilled about it but got over it. Well kinda, I told him to drop it or we were having Ramen Noodles for supper the rest of the week. Amazing how fast that shut his yapper.

My Lucky Day...

The roads were passable so Austin went to work today. I have never been so glad to see the tail lights leave the driveway. I didn't even complain when he had to take my car.
Before anyone goes thinking I am a cold hearted person they should know that he was a royal pain in the rump yesterday. I even reminded him that if the roads were too bad he could work from home today again.
I had to play the good wife all day. I made him breakfast lunch and dinner. All in the same day. I felt used. I don't think my being a 'good wife' should mean I have to cook all three meals on a weekday. I even made corn bread for dinner to go with the chili. I really do spoil him.

yep

Big storm tonight. Austin working from home tomorrow and Thursday and most likely Wednesday because of weather... um... yeah... we'll probably be getting divorced by next Monday. That is way too much time together in one house... alone... together... with just Mason for an ice breaker. Yeah. Pray for my husband. He will need it.