"Stuck, Just Stuck"

I know who I am. You know who I am. I know who you are. You know who you are. Was there any other logical conclusion that could have resulted?



I know that may seem cryptic to some readers but for the ONE it is intended for it should make perfect sense. Hopefully someday I'll be able to tell about it but I doubt it. It isn't a happy ending... I like to focus on the happy endings. Preferably ones that I can control.

Favor??

So, I finally got around to writing the About Me section on Picture My Every Day. Do me a favor and read it and tell me if it sounds totally stupid or not.

Thanks.

What A Week

I am so glad every week isn't like this one.

Mason has been sick. Mason is never sick.

Now for a little back story...

The last weekend in January my husband decided to go see his grandpa Hansell. (I was so proud he decided this on his own rather than me dragging him down there) So on Friday night we packed up both vehicles because we knew I wouldn't be ready to come home on Sunday and the weather looked okay for the following week. He knows me so well...

After we stopped in Boone for supper at Jimmy's BBQ, which is our go to place for quick and yummy, we part ways and head out of town. I say part ways because he had Mason and the dogs and was taking mostly little state highways all the way down there. State highways as in 55 mph. NO thank you.

Knowing that I had some time to kill because I would get there w a y before them I went to the gas station and got driving snacks... ya... snacks... oh, and gas. Then I put the pedal to the floor and enjoyed a peaceful, radio blaring, window cracked, heater full blast lukewarm drive. Well at least until I got someone going really slow on Hwy 169. The only unfortunate thing about living where we do is that no matter what direction I take it is a 30 minute drive to an interstate.

I'm also the first to admit that I make this drive enough that after I get on the interstate I don't notice a whole lot until my radio station goes to static around mile marker 74. After that it is like a blink until my exit at mile marker 40. If I was going to my mom and dad's I would go all the way to Council Bluffs and backtrack 4 miles but for gpa's it would be like a 20 minute back track.

I also had to go to the store in Shenandoah because Austin called about an hour in to the drive to tell me that he forgot to put the diapers in the truck. Yeah AWESOME.

I got to Hy-Vee just before they closed thankfully. That would have been one long night with no diapers...

I got to Grandpa's just after Austin and Mason.

After catching up on the news from a months worth of the Tabor and Sidney newspapers I headed to bed. Where I had to fight for my half of the bed. The spare bedroom or as most commonly referred to as 'Laura's room', since I visit the most, is only a full size bed. Ha, right, Austin at 6'4" lying cadiewampuz across the bed leaves me with just a little corner...

Saturday morning came way too soon. After a quick shower on the back porch... Use your imagination and imagine no heat... okay a little heat but not enough... I played with Mason and then it was time to make lunch. Hamburgers. Easy!

After lunch Mason and I headed to my parents house and Austin helped grandpa get some things done on his to-do list. That night I went out with Cammie to the bar in Tabor for a little Karaoke. Needless to say we left early...

Another short night and it was Sunday morning. I did a little cleaning for grandpa and then made fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy for lunch.

After lunch we all got the vehicles packed back up and headed out. Austin took the dogs and went home. I took the kid and went to Council Bluffs. My cousin's little boy was having a b-day party. Mason and I stayed at my grandma's that night. My mom and sister, Cammie, came over and we had some take out Chinese.

Monday was a snow day... I noticed that Mason felt warm. Not enough that I gave him any Tylenol but warm. Have I mentioned lately that I am really tired of snow...

Tuesday, Mason was still warm, again not warm enough to warrant Tylenol but just a low grade fever. Not enough to slow him down. In the afternoon we headed back down to my mom's so that we could spend Wednesday with her on her day off.

Wednesday was just a nice day. There was no change in Mason's temp. It was just hovering around 99 to 100. Didn't have to go anywhere or do anything. We ended up eating lunch at Big T'z in Tabor and then ran some errands with mom in Sidney. Mason fell asleep on the way back to the house so I took him in and put him down for a nap and then went to Tabor where Cammie was getting her hair done by Val at V Salon.

Gotta love adult conversation. That and I had to make sure Cammie got it done like I told her to. Last time she looked like Tina Turner and it wasn't Val's fault. I don't know what Cammie was thinking. Anyways ....

After some supper and some play time Mason and I got loaded up and headed home because another little weather system was headed into the area expected Thursday morning.

Thursday morning Mason woke up HOT. Temp was around 102. Some Tylenol and everything was peachy. He was behaving like a normal 2 year old. He successfully destroyed the house and then he did something totally unlike himself. He put himself down for a nap on the couch in the dining room.

Friday morning we woke up to a higher fever and snow. Luckily I got a 9:45 appointment for Mason and so we headed out really early. We are 30 minutes from the hospital and it took us about an hour maybe a couple minutes longer. We get there and get back to the room and they take his temp and it was 97. I explained to the doctor that that was wrong. They took it again and it was 101. I will admit it that he didn't feel warm when we went into the exam room. This concerned the doctor and so off we went to get blood drawn. Mason did awesome and didn't even cry.

Everything came back normal so we went home and were told to just give the Tylenol or Motrin.

Saturday morning we woke up to Mason with no fever but sounding horrible. I was now the one with the fever. Fun...

Mason and I slept in the recliner Saturday night and both woke up feeling okay considering we didn't get much sleep. Sunday was a long day...

Mason and I both slept in our own beds and woke up with no fevers but both sounding horrible. Austin went to work and worked late. He even stopped at the store on the way home. I can count on one hand how many times he has done that in the last 10 years...

Mason fever came back right before bedtime. I'm not sure when mine came back I just noticed I had started to shake. Mason and I endured another night in the recliner. I know neither of slept that much. Especially after Mason puked all over both of us and the blanket and Monkey. After that episode he was exhausted and slept with Austin while I cleaned up. Monkey even got a bath. Poor Mason was so out of it that he didn't even notice Monkey was missing.

Around daybreak Mason fever was around 103 to 103.5. I called first thing and made another appointment at the doctors. We got a appointment for 11:15. We left the house about 9:45 because the roads were so bad. The pickup drug in the snow from the time we pulled out of the driveway till we got to the hard surface road. The hard surface roads weren't much better. We were plowing through drifts about grill high because of the wonderful wind. If Austin hadn't had to take us to the doctor he would have worked home weather and the wind was expected to increase in the afternoon. We were hoping to be in and out really fast but that didn't happen. We had to have blood taken out of his arm this time to check for dehydration because he hadn't been eating and had lost 2 and a half pounds.

While waiting for the blood results we headed to The Mandarin and ate Chinese. We had to meet with the doctor when the results were in because if it was a bacterial infection then he was going to admit him and do chest xrays for pneumonia. Thankfully it was a viral infection and we got to go home with the strict orders to bring him back if his fever went back up.

Mason and I spent most of the day in bed and woke up with lower fevers but unable to speak much.

We are still unable to speak much. You can imagine the frustration. The whole week is just a blur and the only reason I know any details is because I write everything on the calendar.

Now I'm off here to take a nap with my baby and maybe later I'll find the energy to update my 365 blog. I'm so proud of myself because I have remembered to take my photo everyday. Even though the date isn't correct on 4 days worth of photo because my niece accidentally changed the date on my camera and I didn't know it until I was emptying my memory card... Nice...

-------

Conan O'Brien said it best. "Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard, and you're kind, amazing things will happen. I'm telling you amazing things will happen."

Sometimes we just need a little inspiration.

99 Things

Bold the things you have done...

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightening storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France...Stood outside the Louvre count?

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Got a tattoo

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Seriously

So I had to spend part of my weekend over a the in-laws place.

Wednesday we had an ice storm. We lost power for a couple of hours and it was fine. We got it back in a hurry so no problem. Thursday it warmed up and some ice started melting. Friday it was really warm and a lot of ice melted and there was wind. When ice falls off of power lines they bounce and if they bounce high enough they will hit the other wire that is up there also. If that happens then they break and people lose power. We just happen to be some of the lucky ones that lost power.

I called into the power company and they told me it would be 48-72 hours before we got our power back so I packed us up and told the hubby, "We are going to stay with your parents. Warn them that we are coming."

He didn't even argue and he stayed the night.

It was a night full of uncomfortable silences... awkward moments of them trying to interact with their grandson... horrible food... and a huge black lab that likes to lick...

Totally not my definition of fun.

Saturday I had to escape and went and got my hair cut. I have never driven so slow in my life!!

On my way back to their house the neighbor called and said that our power was back on. I have never been so thankful for anything in my whole life!!

Live Healthy Iowa

I got roped into doing the Live Healthy Iowa thing this year.

I am still not thrilled about it.

Anyways... Austin's mom and sister decided that they would like me to join them in it this year. I have no clue what brought the change about, I don't really care. All I know is that I couldn't say no.

Oh, how I would have loved to said no. Couldn't though. Really how would they have reacted if I had said no. There would have been questions and then how would I look when it came out that I don't like his sister. So I am stuck for the next 89 days.

Then I was checking the dashboard for it today, seeing how our 'team' was doing, and I think one of them is padding their activities time. Every Friday we are to record how much weight we have lost and how many minutes we have exercised and what type of exercise we have done. Let me tell you right now that is the part that is going to kill me. I already exercised 3 to 4 days per week for 45 minutes to an hour doing aerobics and walking on my treadmill just to maintain the weight I'm at.

So they sign me up for this group and I have to do all this and how bad would it look if I didn't lose any weight but my cow of sister-in-law did. Great so last Friday I lost 6 pounds and put that I worked out for 3.5 hours. I cut my time in half so it didn't become a huge deal and they wouldn't think that I was padding my time. I won't be doing that this week because there is no way that Raquel and her mom worked out for a total of 8 hours and 25 minutes. NO WAY. That would be about 4 hours a piece. Roughly 40 minutes a day or a little over an hour every other day.

I just don't see it.

If keep at the pace I'm at then I will be posting 7 hours of activity and that is just the time I am on the treadmill or doing my tape. That's not including all the minutes that I spend playing chase with Mason and other stuff like chasing the dogs outside and such... All which totally count.

I know, your thinking that if I can do that then why can't they? um... because.... I was at Robin's this last weekend and her elliptical had dust on it. I know not unusual for things to collect dust but dust where you supposedly stand... and she let it slip that she gets to do her wii fit from 5:30 to 6 and she does it every other day. Hello that would be 1.5 to 2 hours for the week which would leave Raquel with 6 hours.

1. There is no way she is doing it before work because she can't get her butt out of bed to get to work on time she is not going to get up and work out...
2. She works until 5:30. She goes home and cooks supper for her husband and then he leaves for work about 8.
3. After he leaves for work I can track her on Facebook playing games because she post all her scores.

No, I don't give benefit of the doubt. I know I could care less if they think I pad my times because they don't know that much about me. Pretty bad statement when I've known them for almost 14 years.

Woot Woot!!

Today I am celebrating my 6 pound weight loss with a nice HUGE piece of strawberry cake and ice cream...

It has been a crazy week and I'll be sure to update Monday...
1. Why I am losing weight
2. How I found myself stuck at the in-laws for 2 days
3. How clean my house is....
4. Just randomn crap for filler...

I have been doing AWESOME keeping up with my 365 project...

My Cowboy

I love when my son runs around the house in his little cowboy hat yelling yeehaa... Especially when he runs up to me and tips the front brim at me while giving me a cheeky grin. If only he would let me catch this with my camera...
(we might have watched PBR bull riding on tv last weekend. Since then everything is a bull and it bucks him off. EVERYTHING!!)

I Have a Feeling

I have a feeling that my year is going to be very busy...

My brother in law, Jesse, Marianne's husband, has cancer again.

Jesse had a full 6 month petscan done the day before Thanksgiving and there was nothing.

When we had Christmas at my mom's on the 27th he brought down his snow blower and helped my brothers dig out the propane tank and driveway. The next day he told Marianne he thought he pulled a muscle in his neck.

Three days later Marianne could feel the lump. The following Sunday the lump was noticeable on his neck. Two days later on Tuesday he went back to the hospital and had another scan done and it showed the lump in his neck, one in his armpit (where he had it before) and one in his pelvic region. The doctor said they were all on the left side and indicated that this was a good thing.

Friday he went in for a biopsy and had the cancer confirmed. He went through his first round of chemo that afternoon and spent the weekend in the hospital.
He is scheduled to have his pic line put back in on Monday.

Last time he had chemo every three weeks and was able to go on with life like normal. This time they are treating it just a little bit more aggressively and he will spend 3 days in the hospital with every chemo treatment.

Tonight when you hug your family good night and say your prayers please remember to say one for my sweet sister and her little family. Pray for peace, strength and understanding. Peace because their lives have been thrown into turmoil, strength because they have 2 boys, 5 and 9, that are destructively naughty, understanding because they are questioning why right now and don't know the love of our Lord. May they learn to take peace from Him in their time of need and let Him carry them.

I will be driving back and forth quite a bit now and into the future. So my posting will be sporadic. And yes it is possible... I'm hoping to get my BlackBerry to be able to let me post but for right now it will take me to the posting page and let me write the post but then there is no publish button and the couple of times there has been a publish button it hasn't worked. I know I'm spoiled... Austin's works and mine doesn't and that is just not right.

Do You See What I See?

Do you see that smile on my son's face.

Little victories...

International Delurking Week

Today is evidently the last day for this. As always though delurkers can delurk whenever they feel like it though.
I'm always happy to meet new people and I know there are a few out there because I know no one in Nashville, Virginia, North or South Dakota, New York or Texas. I might have missed a few but those are just some states with regular readers... Oh and Canada... that one surprises me because I complain about the snow ALOT...
Anyways... good to know huh?

Picture My Everyday

Well as I said on Facebook I am doing a 365 project. It took me awhile to get it up and going because not only have I not been home but the husband had decided to hog the computer. You can see my new website here.

And since we are on the subject... The husband worked from home 2 days last week... two. whole. days.

I got home from down home on Tuesday afternoon. It started snowing on Wednesday afternoon. Austin worked from home Thursday and Friday.

I know I have talked about my to-do list a couple of times on here. It has recently (um... last Thursday) come to my attention that we need an internet router so that Austin can sit in his recliner and work on his laptop on the days he has thinks it would be safer to must work from home.

Now on to other things...

Big things will be happening with this little blog. I have decided to move it. I just have to think of a new name and figure out how to busy body/idiot M~I~L/S~I~L proof it.

Blizzard 2 of 2009

This is what 14 inches of blowing snow looks like when the wind dies down...

My parents propane tank...


The path down to the propane tank... you would never know it by looking at this photo but this is about a 4 foot drop in grade down to the tank....


Taken where the speed limit changes on the way out of Tabor to the north...


Just south of the Hunter School House/Randolph road...


Second hill south of the Hunter School House/Randolph road right before Bell's house...

I know that by looking at these photos that you probably think the snow plow had a good reason for not plowing us out sooner but let me tell you, this is a state highway taken care of by the state road department... We were on a county east/west gravel and those county had no reason as to why they hadn't gotten to a road full of elderly peole... Oh elderly people and ME!!

Bah Humbug

Thanks to the BLIZZARD of 2009 I didn't end up getting to go over to my mom and dad's for Christmas or the day after for that matter. Not until Sunday afternoon did we manage to get out.

Sunday afternoon we spent over at my parents house. All five of us kids was able to make. Thanks in no part to the snowplow that didn't go down grandpa's road...

It was a good afternoon. The kids played and us adults talked like regular human beings. No harsh words were shared or gag gifts given. On whole a rather successful Christmas.

Naturally no Christmas celebration is complete without the emergency vet visit. Hyde ran into something and punctured his eye on Sunday before we left for mom and dad's. My mom has worked for the vet clinic for 23 years and so she was able to get us in to the on-call doctor. Bonus: This visit was so so so much cheaper than our last e-vet visit that happened up here by the tune of around $300. A week of antibiotics and we should be good to go.

Monday the snowplow finally went by!!

We were so glad to see it finally!! Monday night we went over to Austin's grandma Elaine's and had another turkey supper with her and his Uncle Blaine and his girlfriend Ann.

After supper we headed home. I slept almost the whole way and it was so wonderful. I don't get to do that very often...

Now I have to get my butt ready to hit the road again. I leave tomorrow for mom and dad's for Christmas on my dad's side on Friday and then Sunday for my mom's side up at grandma Shirley's.

That means another 3+ hour drive with grump butt.

Cabin Fever

We are still snowed in at Austin's grandpa's house. We've had around 14 inches of snow and have yet to see even one snowplow go by...
I am really hoping that by tomorrow night we can get out of here...I am not holding my breath though.

Merry Christmas

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!! May you be safe, warm, loved and surrounded by those you love!!

(even if you are snowed in with your husband and child and both are driving you nuts... wait that is just me...)

Well We Made It...

So, I left it up to my husband on wether or not to brave the weather and head south.

I know he one crazy guy and would choose to make the drive... I mean crazy as in C~R~A~Z~Y... Gotta love a guy like that!! He always says he likes to make my life difficult but then he would move heaven and earth to make me happy.

Almost makes up for getting me a crockpot for Christmas... Nothing like a gift that says "make me some dinner woman".

Anyways I digress...

So we start out bright and early at 10. The roads weren't too bad starting out. We stopped in Boone to get gas and it is there that I asked Austin if he took our toiletries bag to the truck and got the big negatory. After a 'quick' $60 stop at WalMart for toothbrushes, shampoo, toothpaste, slippers, etc... we were back on the road.

The roads to Carroll were just wet, south of Carroll the drive got interesting so I just let him worry about the roads and read my book. It really was safer that way.

We got down to around Elk Horn and I made Austin decide if he wanted to continue along to Grandpa's or if he wanted to give up the fight and stop at my sister, Marianne's house and wait it out.

True to form we drove right past Mare's road and it suited me fine. Turns out I'm just as crazy as he is...

Amazingly the roads got a little better the farther south we went. That is until we started having to drive through drifts...

The next couple of days should be interesting snowed in with my husband, son, two min pins, and my husband's Granpa.

If you see my photo in the news you'll know it was justified...

Austin doesn't know it yet but I'm going to trick him into taking me over to my mom's tomorrow... I know he won't be able to refuse going for a drive to see all the drifts...

Oh and did I tell you that as soon as we got to Grandpa's Austin got the truck stuck in the driveway. Yep! I'm just glad it happened in the driveway and not somewhere else...

Now I think I'll go have me some ice cream since it is 82 in here...

Well I Lived

So much to say so little time...

We are waiting out a snow storm... We haven't decided if we are going to attempt to make it to my parents house Wednesday or not... I think it is safe to say I am not happy about it...

On to other news...

Really, what does it matter where we get snowed in at? I think we will just wait it out here and go down Saturday or Sunday... Maybe Wednesday...

So my dining room is painted... almost... We have two coats of the pink, Austin calls it red but it is pink, below the chair rail and one coat of country white above the chair rail. Sometime before Austin goes back to work on the 4th, I know that is way too long and one of us will be crazy by the end, we will get the stripes painted on the bottom. The main catch there is that I have to decide if I want them 6 or 8 inches apart. Mainly because Austin has informed me that we are not painting it a second time.

But then again what does he know...

We had Christmas with his family here Sunday. The day went okay. My turkey was delicious, my rolls were done to perfection, Austin's deviled eggs ended up in the trash, mine were wonderful. Mason was relatively well behaved. Raquel kept her big fat mouth shut (there will be a whole separate post on this later, probably next week). Austin and I argued all morning but pasted on fake smiles when everyone got here. He later apologized because he was in fact WRONG!!

Oh and he got a crockpot... I don't think anything else needs to be said about that. He is dead to me!! Dead I tell you!!

Mason got a spring horse named Lucky. He absolutely loves it!! I on the other think that it is annoying.

Austin got overalls and a shop vac from his parents and The Simpsons Scene It game from Mason and I.

I got a remote shutter control for my camera and a macro lens from his parents... I doubt I will ever use either one... Not because I don't like the idea of them but the quality is shoddy... o'well...

Raquel got me a learn to knit kit. She did good this year because I have been wanting to learn how. I was just so thankful that it wasn't clothing... I have yet to take the tags off anything she or her mom have ever gotten me...

Raquel got a sewing machine from her parents and I almost fell out of my chair! I have never seen anything so funny!! I still chuckle about it whenever I think about it.

Austin got some tie down straps from Dan and Raquel. I was so glad because he needed some new ones and he is too cheap to buy any.

Mason made out like a bandit!! So many new toys and books that we emptied his toy box and only his new ones and the little cars are in it.

I am still not done Christmas shopping for my side of the family but it is all women so I will just raid my PartyLite collection for them. Lord knows I have enough of it.

I know by this post it sounds like I may be just a little gift centered but I truly am not. The holidays to me are about family. It is just so unfortunate that I don't really care for Austin's family so the gifts help. That is why I am so upset about not getting to spend the holidays with my family. (I will also be speaking talking writing more about this in the week to come when I have some time to put my thoughts in some kind of order.)

I think that is all there is to tell at the moment. I have to go clean my kitchen and do some laundry for the just in case we leave tomorrow.

Agenda

My agenda for today was fairly simple and straight forward. I was going to get up and shower before Mason decided to grace me with his presence. We were going to eat breakfast and watch Curious George. Mason was going to play and I was going to finish editing some photos. Then I was going to finish scrapping some wallpaper border off the dining room walls. I was then going to get Mason dressed and freshen myself up and we were going to go to town and do some mailing and then finish up some Christmas shopping. On the way home we were going to stop by Menards and get some paint and painters tape for the stripes in the dining room. On the way through Stratford we were going to stop at the store and get some milk, bread, and lunchmeat.

Do you want to know how much of this actually happened?
I have not showered...
We did watch Curious George...
I didn't get all my editing done... Sorry Tabe I will get it in the mail tomorrow I promise!!
I have yet to step foot on the ladder and my spray bottle ended up being a toy that a certain cute little 2 and a half year old used to 'clean' my windows... all while I was busy being sick in the bathroom... (I think it is the stomach flu, I have been exposed to nothing else but pink eye)
I will not make it to Menards today but for sure will tomorrow because the dining room has to be done by Sunday... As in this Sunday the 20th... I'm crazy!!
Austin is stopping at the store on his way home because I played the sick card and told him if he didn't stop then to not come home....... I'm really hoping he comes home...

That is how my Tuesday has gone... Now I'm going to go get in the shower and get the stink washed off of me. I plan on leaving the house as soon as the husband pulls in the driveway. I don't care if it is midnight.

I do not get sick days at this time of year or any time of year for that matter. Maybe I'll get to sleep in once during the week Austin has off between Christmas and New Years. I can dream!!

We Are Down One Outside Dog

About a week ago Austin's red heeler passed away. We don't know what happened. Austin was working late one night out in the garage and Red and Buddy were out there with him. He said something to me about Red not having as much zip as usual but I laughed it off as it was 11:30 at night.

The next night when Austin got home from work and went to check on the dogs Red was laying at the end of the dog kennel covered in snow as it had been snowing for a good portion of the afternoon. He came back to the house a little flustered and told me that Red was barely breathing. We knew at that point that it was too late to do anything. Red passed away before we went to bed that night.

There wasn't a whole lot we could do in the way of burying him until the next night. The next night we spent over 2 hours digging a hole large enough and deep enough to fit Austin needs...

I say Austin's needs because he wanted to make sure it was perfect. My heart was breaking for him. That is why I froze my butt off out there in the wind and snow and didn't complain once. That is also why I cannot pull that time out of my 'I did this for you...' bank of guilt.

After we got him placed in the hole I went to the house and let Austin be alone. When I looked out the window to check on him after I'd been inside about 20 minutes Austin was still standing there leaning on his shovel staring down into the hole.

I know his heart was breaking because he hugged me close all night...

A New Family Member

Over Thanksgiving we got a new little doggie. Her name is Tootsie and she is a 3 yr old female min pin. Hyde and her get along well enough and have been caught sleeping beside each other a couple of times. She tolerates Mason's playing and is completely house trained.

She is my dog. It has taken her a couple of weeks to warm up to Austin and I am fine with this. It is nice to have someone on my side once in a while.

WE???

Austin and I have decided to 'host' his side of the family for Christmas. Basically that means that they will come over and eat turkey and the fixings and then we will open gifts and they will all go home. Simple enough.

We really didn't want to have to go to Ames to his sister's house and we knew if we didn't host it then she would. Thus we are stuck.

They actually wanted to do it on Christmas. I know can you believe it? Christmas!

I had to put my feet down on that because there was no way I was going to be stuck 3+ hours away from my family on Christmas when the rest of his family lives 10 minutes from my mom and dad's.

Then it came out that they wanted Grandma Fisher and Grandpa Hansell to make the 3+ hour drive up here. The whole time they are telling me this I am thinking 'What BASTARDS!! Too lazy to make the car drive when they have the whole week off anyways. Instead they want two eighty year olds to make the drive.'

Somehow it escaped there minds that I run the show...

We are doing Christmas on the 20th. The grandparents can make the drive if they want but we will be down there the 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th.

I may have mentioned that if it was that big of a deal maybe they, sister and her husband and Austin's parents, could carpool. Needless to say I have not been well liked for these past couple of weeks.

I'll Never Be Lost Again

Merry Christmas to me!!

I'll never be able to use the "I'm lost" excuse again.
Yes that is snow on the windshield. Iowa in December....

Thanksgiving

So this years Thanksgiving festivities started out with a funeral...
My brother's uncle passed away from H1N1. Double lung, heart transplant recipient I think qualifies as previous medical condition...

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving Mason and I found ourselves on the way down to Tabor for the visitation followed by the funeral on Wednesday. We found ourselves in the back row at the funeral seated next to Jen Charon. I was taken aback by the animosity she showed towards me and my son. Never have I said anything bad about her or to her. I've never had anyone treat me that way. Can't say as that I liked it.

After the funeral and luncheon and obligatory family obligations we all headed back to mom and dad's to get ready for Thanksgiving dinner. As with I think about any family we painted the bathroom. I know my mother is crazy... I love her though so I had to humor her and go along with it. I even got paint on my new sweatpants. Awesome!! If that isn't love I don't know what is...

Before we went to bed Mom and Gma put the turkey in the oven and told me they would set an alarm to get up and check on it. RIGHT!! Just to be safe I set the alarm on my phone and got up and checked on it. Thankfully it was done and so I turned the oven off and then went upstairs and turned off my mother's alarm and went back to bed.

Thursday morning started with the making of the pies, cutting of potatoes, noodle making, salad tossing, and turkey carving. Somehow we had dinner on the table by 1. I'm still shocked.

My husband naturally didn't drive with me because he had to work. He filled the truck with wood on Wednesday night and drove down Thursday morning. I thought he was going to stay until Saturday morning because that is what he told he was doing on the way down.

And we all know that my husband cannot tell a lie.........

About 2:30 he unloaded the truck grabbed the dog and told me he was going home. Yep, I guess it is hard to stay the night when you don't have any clean clothes. The turkey butt. He had no plans to actually stay the night and just said he was going to to keep me happy.

And we all know it made me just as happy to see him drive away... If only he would have taken Mason also... I should be happy though that he took the dog.

Like I would have really cared. I didn't care. I still don't care. Why? Because he is easier to get along with if I don't try to trap him somewhere. So... he went home after Thanksgiving dinner and Mason and I stayed.

Darin and Jamie timed coming out just right so that I didn't have to share Paityn. She is so cute and sweet. Darin is so so sooo in love with her. It is so sweet how he holds her and kisses on her. I've never seen him behave this way over one of his kids. Don't get me wrong I'm sure he would have over Emily also if A hadn't been such a big B over the whole deal. (And that is all you will see written about that on here)

That night Mason and I stayed at Cammie and Ricky's so that they could get up at 2:30 to go shopping. I slept until 7 when the nephews woke me up. Mason and I stayed until Ricky got home and then we went to mom and dad's to watch two of my nieces.

Friday night Mason and I went over to Austin's grandma Fisher's for supper. Um... there are no words to describe that event... None. Absolutely none...

Saturday Mason and I went to my Grandma Shirley's and did a little shopping. I actually spent my b-day and Christmas money on myself for once. I know what a novel concept.

So... I've adjusted

So I have adjusted to being 29... Oh, you don't believe me? Well, your right.

I am not fond of 29 so far. Especially when I hear my husband referring to me as 'the old lady' to a friend. I know he didn't mean it so much as old but as in 'ball and chain'. I think I'd rather it was the old.

Then my stupid old self had to prove to him that I wasn't old. Yep, I tackled him in the yard. Now my poor abused body hurts whenever I move. Worse yet I can't complain about it because then he would have some fodder on me and that just isn't acceptable. I don't care if I do hobble around here during the day I am sure to force a spring into my step when he gets home.

But seriously my back is killing me and I think I have arthritis in my knee. Also there is a weird bump on my big toe that prevents me from wearing my favorite little wedges. Oh and this cold weather makes my hands ache.

Yep 29 is great but I am determined to make it the best year of my twenties... If anyone is wondering I would love Aleve for Christmas. Lots of Aleve...

What??

My husband joined Facebook...

I should be very scared...

Little Girls

I'm an aunt again!!

Darin and Jamie had their little girl Sunday.

Paityn Michelle 8lbs 10oz 20 inches.

I cannot wait to see her. While I am home for Thanksgiving I will be taking her newborn photos. Yay!! Needless to say I am excited!! We don't have nearly enough little girls in my family.

I may have gone overboard on the cute little pink stuff...

Yipee

I'm home all weekend. I can't wait till Austin gets home. I have a whole list of stuff we are doing this weekend. Lucky him I have even slotted in time for him to sleep in tomorrow until 9:30.
He should count his lucky stars I'm feeling generous.

Now I'm off to finish Monkey's photoshoot... I might even get to take a photo of Mason too.

I'm OLD

Okay so my birthday is coming up...

I am so not looking forward to being 29. It just sounds so old.

Anyways enough complaining...

This year my husband got me a parenting book. Yes! A parenting book.
A new child by Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman. I'll be sure to let you know if it is a good read or not.

Austin read a couple of chapters last night and liked it. That just doesn't bode well for this book. Austin's taste in literature blows!! He likes very technical stuff. Stuff that puts me to sleep. I actually keep a book of his that he wanted me to read on my night stand. When I wake in the middle of the night and just can't fall asleep that is what I reach for. Works EVERY TIME. I think I'm on page 33 now. Progress I tell! Progress!!

Oh so I was talking about how I'm turning another year older...

Yep... the only consolation this year is that Marianne is turning 31. It is comforting knowing she will always be older than me. It is also great that people think Cameron is older than me. She may not like it but I guess maybe she should be taking better care of her skin and stay out of the tanning bed. Poor girl is getting wrinkles. Don't worry though I don't make too much fun of her.

It also doesn't help that my husband is 14 months younger than me either. I am beginning to love the beard because it makes him look older. Especially with the gray that is showing up at the temples.

Take That!!

So, I guess, it should come as no surprise that Austin and I often butt heads. We don't always see eye to eye and not just because he is 14 inches taller than me.

Austin has this threshold on the amount of questions I ask in one day. I know, totally stupid, right? Anyways I have 20 points everyday. You will notice I didn't say questions because some questions count as more points than others.

For instance, How was your day? counts as 24. There by taking all my credits for that day and 4 from the next day. That leaves me with 16 points for the next day.

Have I mentioned that my husband is crazy...

So this has been irritating me for awhile, as you can just imagine.

Well last night I was brewing for a fight! Why you ask? Because my TV in the kitchen, the room where I spend most of my day, is not working. Now your wondering why that would be my husbands fault. Duh!! Everything is his fault!! Always! Everything!!

Well this one actually is his fault. The TV just has bunny ear antenna and needs to be hooked up to coax cable that is hooked up to the roof top antenna. That way I might get some reception. So anyways... yesterday afternoon I accidently shut the antenna in the cabinet door and it broke and now nothing comes in and he didn't see this as a huge deal when I called and complained to him at work.

As you can imagine this really made me mad because I've had the supplies he needs to finish the job right for a long time and have asked him repeatedly to fix it. So many times in fact that just asking him "please fix my antenna?" counts as 50 points whereas he shuts down and will not listen to another word I say all night.

So last night he gets home in a fairly good mood and I ruin it by telling him to keep his ears open. I know, I know how to poke a sleeping dragon.

I explained to him that I wasn't taking anymore shit and that he was going to have to get it done and done right because I wasn't going to beg and plead for him to get it done. I might have also told him that I didn't marry my father. That really set him off. After all the fighting and the um... fake... tears there wasn't a whole lot he could do with it in the dark so he is to fix it tonight.

I also laid down some other ground rules.
1. when the trash is full change it. If my father can manage to get it done so can he...
2. From now on when I ask him a question ANY question he has to answer. When I ask him how his day was he is to tell me fine because I don't want our son watching him treat me this way. Mason does not need to think it is okay to treat anyone this way let alone his mother or his future wife (who will owe me big time someday)

I recently let him read The Birth Order Book by Dr Kevin Lehman and in it it explains why he is the way he is. After he got done reading it I said "So you are a perfectionist and I am the easy to get along with middle child, who do you think is at fault for all the fights we have?" That's right his fault.

I told him I am done negotiating. I have negotiated for the last 10 years and I was done. From now on what I say goes. I realize this won't last long. I plan to keep it up just long enough that it makes him good and mad.

I figure I can't do any worse than he has.

Starting with the antenna to my tv. He has until midnight to get it done and then I am doing it myself. I told him that I plan to come straight up through the floor behind the fridge. His eyes got huge and I don't think we will have any other major issues with this problem. Time will tell though.

About ME!!

So Austin edited my bio but it's okay. It basically conveys the same thing.

My Bio

This is my bio. It is written from Austin point of view because it is his blog not mine. It should be how he sees me not how I see myself. I personally think it is wonderful but you are more than welcome to give your opinion. I think this is the one he should use because it is light and gives him an out to blame me for everything without seeming like a douche bag.

Laura is a stay home mom with a little photography business that helps her stay sane. She also works at the local gas station to fulfill her adult conversation needs. She only has 20 questions a day she may ask me. Asking me how my day was counts as 24 questions and she is so far in the negative that she may never get caught up to ask me more questions.
We have been married for almost 10 years. The BEST 10 years of my life! She understands my sense of humor and is always there to call 911 if the need should ever arise.
She is in charge of paying bills, cleaning, laundry and watching our son. Basically making sure that I have food to eat, clothes to wear, dishes to eat off of, and making sure that our son doesn’t wander too far from home.
She is the main chaos creator and I could not love her more.

WHY???

Okay, I'm having serious problems writing my bio for Austin's site.

What should I include in it? How much should I include in it?

Why is he making me write this myself???

Terrible Twos

I think the dining room table is in a bad spot...

I was doing laundry and trying to get some things done and Mason was busy being Mason.

First he drug most of his toys out to play underfoot.

Then he decided to color on the back of the chair... again...

Then as I was switching laundry over he decided to hook the dog leash up to the fan pull.

Can I just say AWESOME!!

He looks so proud of himself...

This is what I get when I tell him no.

Sweet...

Jar

My son has decided that his name is Jar.

Do you know how upsetting this is as a mother for her son to rename himself? Okay, so maybe he didn't do it so much as take a nickname. But still, to introduce himself as 'Jar'.

It only broke my heart a little. I am trying to be brave about it.

I know your wondering where he got Jar from... Grandpa Stan has always calls him Jar. Not real sure why, okay, so I know why. Mason 'Jar'. Ha Ha. I know real funny.
I always figured Mason would one day get upset about it and demand to be called Mason but I was so wrong. So very wrong!!

This last Sunday Mason and I went with Grandpa to Shenandoah for dinner (lunch for you all you non-old people) and this friend of Grandpa's asked Mason his name and he said 'Jar'. I couldn't believe it! Jar!! Everyone at the table had a good laugh about it. Everyone but me. Oh I was laughing on the outside but inside I was dying...

I tried to convince myself that it was a one time deal. That maybe, just maybe, he did it because Grandpa had been calling him that all day.

No such luck. On our way home we had a couple of stops and at each one he told people his name was Jar. People that we know, that know his name is Mason. They all looked at me all strange, like I had taught him this new joke or something.

I guess it's better than one of his friends giving him a nickname later on in life.

The Daddy Blogger

My husband has decided to become a daddy blogger. I don't know why. I don't question such things as I probably should.
A couple of months ago he read a dooce® over my shoulder and since then I've caught him reading a couple of different other ones also.
Lord knows he shouldn't run out of material. It has been interesting to see his take on things. I'm noticing it is a little skewed. Okay maybe a lot. Details Details.
At least he can't complain about my blogging anymore...
I am curious to see if he refers to his sister as Princess Hateful also.
And now I'm off to finish my bio for him. I also have to take a photo of Monkey for his banner. I was thinking I would get one of monkey hanging from the ceiling fan pull. I don't know yet though. There are so many possibilities. It really all depends on if Mason will let me touch Monkey.

I'm going to encourage you to stop over and visit him, leave him a little love. Just a little because after all he is my husband and I'm just a little attached.