I'm BAAACK

Ahhh here I am back at home after a divine long weekend away. I left BEFORE the butt crack of dawn on Thursday. As in 415AM!!! DH drove me to the airport in dense fog AND a car that wouldn't/couldn't go faster then 65mph. I ended up getting to the airport 45 min before my flight left AND being that I'm so used to going to the same terminal, I went that way. Well guess what?? Yup, it was the wrong terminal. Back out, mad dash to the OTHER terminal, oh did I mention I had to hold my pants up while I ran. I had taken my belt off to get thru security and didn't want to put it back on only to have to take off. Once to the other security check point I got behind hokey, pokey, dopey, and gang, who for whatever reason decided they should go thru security with, change, belts, camera equipment, shoes WITH LACES, and good grief I don't even know what else the one dude was pulling out of his pockets. I asked if I could go around WHICH landed me in the 'pat down' section. Of course i looked nervous/panic stricken, I was about to miss my flight!!

None the less I made it with time to spare for a bathroom break, quick as it was. The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful. For me, that's pretty rare. I met a nice lady traveling from Nebraska to PHL too so we grabbed our connecting flights together. We stopped for a quick potty break and a cup of coffee. Which again, the Starbucks people must not have had there cup of espresso. They were so slow getting the 2 people BEFORE me drinks, while mine came right away!? It was rather humerus b/c the one customer had to keep repeating what he ordered. Mind you we all THREE ordered the exact same thing BUT mine was decaf. It was very comical. I can't remember what I said after the 3rd time of the poor guy being asked but we all about lost it in laughter.

It was so fun getting off the plane and being greeted by someone you know! I miss those days where you anticipate the first glimpse of your family. My niece Megan was there:) Then we walked on out to greet Laura. So fun!!

We had lunch on this big ship before heading home to Laura's.

Friday we had lunch @ Laura and Mario's restaurant and the went to the beach. It was to cold to swim, altho the water wasn't all that bad, still beautiful as ever. We walked up the almost dead boardwalk, but again, still great to see. On our way home we stopped for drinks and appetizers along the Washington River. Great place however I had one to many mojo's?? with clams and spent the early AM hours of Saturday sick!!! In fact, I never did feel 100% the rest of the weekend. Could function, but not to my fullest ability. To much rich food combined with just a couple drinks that I'm not used too.

Saturday was NYC!! That place is a fricken ZOO!! There is no other place in this country like it, seriously. There are people everywhere. AND the driving? You so much as blink? you'll get blown off the road. Traffic moves fast with little to no regards to objects. That could be people. You have to think fast, there is no hesitation. That hasn't changed in the years since I can remember it. We walked around Battery Park, drove in very slow traffic and eventually ended up @ Carmines for supper. BTW the people sitting next to us, they ordered 1/2 a cow, i mean prime rib. Seriously that was the biggest prime rib I have EVER seen. Also i gave them my blog address, so maybe they'll pop in for a visit. Better yet, maybe they'll send me a pic so I can post how huge the prime rib was.

We had a nice supper there before heading up to Broadway to see Mamma Mia which was AWESOME! Laura upgraded our seats. So instead of sitting way up high in the back, we sat front and center. It was simply amazing and I would see it again and again. By the time we got out it was raining. Jumped in a taxi, well actually we walked for blocks to FIND a taxi, and headed home. We didn't get to bed till 2AM that night!

Sunday I honestly had to recoup. I ended up taking a short nap even. Unheard of for me. I just was so tired I felt sick. It was a rainy/dreary day but we did manage to get fall decorations (pumpkins, corn stalks, etc) bought and put up at the end of Laura's driveway. I have pictures I will upload. We played Apples To Apples, of which I won:), and ate Paella.

Monday we left for home. It was nice sitting in the airport with Megs. The time flew by in no time. Talk talk talk we did. I actually finished 'Dare To Discipline' as well as a good start on a book about the pasteurization of milk and how bad it was! I got so much reading done! Even slept on the airplane. Totally unheard of these days.

Got in last night and was home by 1030. Was nice to the kids and DH. Altho C'man screamed and tried to hit me when I opened the van door to say hello. I guess I can't blame him. DH said they whined about wanting to get on the plane.

The best news tho?? the kids did GREAT at mom and dads. Few, very few, issues with both kids but most amazing was Miss A who didn't ask once where Mommy or Daddy were. Prior to them being at my parents, when I called home Miss A would answer and say 'come home mommy'.

There is a quick nutshell of events. Seriously not sure if I'll ever get around to posting more detail. BUT MEG if you are reading, you should do a post on your thoughts of NYC !! Email me about that.

NYC/NJ Bound

I can't believe I haven't done a post about my up and coming trip to the east coast. I've been so busy with canning, of which I do not want to see ANOTHER jar upon my arrival home. I am so sick of it all!!
So yeah, I leave Thursday and get back Monday evening. JUST ME!!! I'm going out to see my friend Laura and her husband. AND my lovely niece, Megs, is joining me there. She'll fly up from Orlando. I'm so excited. Excited to see Laura of course but also excited to see my niece. I enjoyed her company when we were in FL and thought I think I could 'travel' with her:) I invited her along and she willing accepted. Now lets hope she feels the same about me! I want to share her with Laura and vice versa.
I love these two women:) Meg will be great company. She's outgoing, but not in a radical, loud kind of way. She's easy to talk to and can carry on a conversation with anyone. Example, I know she'll talk with Laura and Mario, and be genuinely appreciative of them and want to know more about them. If you ask Megs how she is, she'll answer but also ask in return. She can start and carry on a conversation. I don't like silence:) I like people to be involved. She will fit right in with Laura and I, no doubt!!

Have you ever met people who talking to them is like pulling teeth. They just are not involved in the conversation?? OK so you get the idea.

I bought tickets to Mamma Mia of which Meg and I will go to on Saturday night. Prior to the show will all eat @ Carmines!! DIVINE PLACE!! Laura has seen Mamma Mia before so she's just going to hang out while we go. I can not WAIT for the who. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that DVD! Will spend the day in NYC and I can't wait to show Megan the city!! Maybe she'll move there someday:) and I can come visit her. I hope she likes it, of which I'm quite certain she will. I like the city WAY better now then I ever did in the 17+ years of vacationing out there when my G'parents lived there.

So yeah, there's my big news on my trip. Not sure if I'll get around to posting anymore this week as I'm busy cleaning up the canning mess, I thought about calling our neighbor lady and asking what it would cost for her to deep clean our kitchen, packing myself and the kids up. The kids will be at my parents from Friday afternoon till Monday evening. I'm PRAYING Miss A does not act like she does here or starts crying for us. She's NEVER been a way from us.

Oh and there is talk about getting my tattoo while out there. Or maybe it's a thought that I have. Stay tuned!

Frustration

I'm beginning to HATE that word. It's becoming a normal part of my way of feeling. I'm typing this while waiting for my in laws to come watch the kids SO DH and I can go to our church for the 'Fireproof' Marriage Study. I'm beginning to think this is not a good time for us to be doing it.

During the night Miss A was up with another one of her screaming fits yelling 'I WANT MY DADDY' at the top of her lungs. We've been putting a gate across her door otherwise she gets out and wonders here there and everywhere. Last night I just let her scream it out, eventually she got back in bed. Well @ 630 AM she started up again by saying to me 'mommy I get dressed?' I said in a little bit. And she followed with screams which woke C'man up and got DH and I against one another. I don't have a problem letting her scream it out UNTIL she started kicking and kicking the gate across her door frame. Or the constant screaming after 15 min. I think she should have been told, by DH since he rarely gets on her in any form, that this was enough screaming and it has better stop now. DH said that by even going in to her room or talking to her is going to give her the satisfaction that she got our attention. I do not disagree with that approach entirely just after 30+ min of such behavior is to long to not get SOME sort of attention.

What I got was a bunch of tears, crying on my part and DH saying he knows what he is doing. Me crying that she is disrespecting and while I agree with letting her 'work it out' letting her kick endlessly at the gate, screaming, etc has got stop.

I've read Dr Dobson's book, The Strong Willed Child, I've talked with other moms and I know that if we don't nip it NOW it's going to continue to get more and more out of hand.

Eventually she kicked the gate down and DH went in there and told her enough and that she'd better get in her bed. When she is quiet he will come back and get her, but only then. Well GUESS WHAT!! she cried a little longer and then went back to her bed and was QUIET!! But then DH went and got her and our day carried on. No talk about why that behavior is not acceptable. Nothing. 0!!

I don't want to turn this in to a DH bashing post. I do agree with some of the things he did, little as they may be. What I want to know, hear about, etc are do you and your partner have these kind of discipline issues?? Do you know someone who does?? Or most importantly, do you know a counselor that could help us in dealing with Miss A. And honestly I don't think distance is an issue if we can communicate via video, emails, etc. I just need help. I'd prefer a Christian counselor and looking on line via Focus on the Family, there aren't any in our area. Not even in Omaha that are listed on there web page.

Would You??

OK so this is an entry that I want/would like to see some comments:) Thanks to my faithful commenter's in the past, keep it going. Getting to the point.
Would you ever have YOUR spouse take YOUR last name?

In the past 6 months I've met two couples where the husband took the wife's last name. I don't really know the reasons behind it but none the less, the husband is now wearing her last name. What do you think of that? Would you ever do that?

Now, my thoughts. I kept my last name and took DH's last name too. Kind of like having the best of both worlds:) Now the reason. My family worked hard for where they got, I know what family hasn't. I wanted to honor my family by keeping my last name. I'm proud of my dad and his accomplishment. I actually didn't give it any thought, that was the way it was. Since our marriage our family has continued in a well known last name. At least in the political and business world. I am recognized by fellow politicers, and politicians by my maiden name more then my married name. AND my maiden name was short, although hard to pronounce, and my married name is short. Had my maiden name been Van Peepunaskep or something a long those lines, I really might have reconsidered. But it's short and it fits great with my married name.

I think had I had DH take MY last name it would have been a complete shot below the belt. Like your last name isn't good enough, or it comes with to many bad connotations, so lets take my name. I also think it reflects the nature of the marriage. A wife is to be submissive to her husband right? So taking HER last name what would that set the tone for the marriage? The 2 people I know, and by know I mean not personally, but enough to know the tone of the marriage, the wife TOTALLY wears the pants. She says how it's going to be.

And your thoughts? Anyone know anyone where the husband took the wife's last name? Do you know why? What would you do? I realize not everyone would agree on me keeping my last name, but some will. Thoughts???

If you would have asked me 10 years ago if I could be spending days, yes DAYS, canning I would have laughed at you! Well times are a changing. I am so freakin busy canning it's almost an obsession. Hence why I have been MIA. Not b/c of lack of things to write, oh heavens no, but from lack of time.
I'm in the midst of pitting/stoning plums right now that we found right on our land. WHAT a job. I'll be making plum jam. Better taste like gold!
Then apples are in plenty which we didn't think would be the case this year. I'm not 100% sure if I'll do applesauce or not. I can buy organic applesauce for way less then what I can make it and quite frankly the kids don't know the difference. I also have canned apple pie filling from last year still left over.
I got two crates/lugs of peaches too on Tuesday that are calling my attention.
This past Saturday I did tomato juice and again, not sure if I'll do more or not. My SIL and BIL have like an orchard full of tomato's:) My BIL got a little crazy and planted like 100 plants!! My SIL has been busy canning away and is done now. I can't let tomato's go to waste!! Not to mention we have about 12 plants here that hopefully, some day, will start turning.
So yeah, I'm busy. On top of that C'man is NOT liking school. This week, he goes 2 times, he is not lovin it. I'm not sure what the problem is other then possibly he thinks Miss A and I are having more fun at home without him OR he's not liking the structure. When we're home we do what the spirit leads us to do. If that means going from the chickens to the hot cycles to the kittens then so be it.
Speaking of CHICKENS, yes there is updates. We, kids and I, picked up 10 more yesterday. They are white and laying white eggs already. HOWEVER, they are not very social. Our 'original 10' come running to the fence when they hear our voices. Like to be held, peck my feet (have to wear boots now) and these huddle in the corner all freakin out on me.
BUT we are getting eggs!

So yeah, that's life right now. In the midst of this are meetings and more meetings. Need to run as we need to pick C'man up from school.

How are you all doing?

Oh Dear It's Chickens Again

Hold on folks, I'm getting more Chickens!!! Pull your mouths up:) Get ready for drama. Here's the deal. I love craigslist and on my local craigslist, which rarely has ANYTHING on it, was a posting for chickens. Actually here's the post:
Ready for this: OK never mind. I posted it and it's about as long as my blog, as in on and on and on AND ON. So...in a recap this lady has everything. Chickens, goats, horses, rabbits, ducks, calves, and on and on. She gave a very detailed list of every animal!! And I'm getting the chickens. DH is lucky that's all I'm getting! I tried convincing him for a goat, that lasted all of .1 seconds. The lady tried to convince me to get rabbits. I said we have enough of those and they wouldn't last with the dogs. She said they are good meat. I gagged and so heck no!
Back to chickens, they have 35, yes THIRTY FIVE chickens. We are getting 10. Yes, ONLY TEN! I'm quite hesitant how it'll go b/c we can not afford to loose any more. But I want more eggs. We're lucky if we get ONE itty bitty egg a day. The lady said they just started laying.
Am I crazy?? OK don't answer that.
Stay posted as I'm sure drama will be coming.

Very quickly in other brief updates:
Miss A is having a better 'life' now that we are home. I thank Gem for her comments and encouragement (can it be called that) that this appears to be a 'stage' then something wrong with her. Thank you!!! And Jen and BFFE thanks too for your posts and perspective. I REALLY REALLY appreciate what you all said but also the fact that you took the time to leave a comment.
-My parents bought a house at the lakes. I can't believe it. TOTALLY can not. I will post pictures and more details later. They are not selling there current house. This will be there 'lake/weekend home'. I'm proud of them!!
-I think i FINALLY found a bed for Miss A. What a process it's been.
-FIL no real changes or maybe it's more I'm to exhausted to talk about it anymore. Doesn't do me any good to verbalize any concerns b/c I either am not listened to or don't understand. They are thinking he WILL be returning to home. Can't afford for him to stay in the Assisted Living. Again, more another time
-C'man is doing good at school
-Miss A is starting a home schooling co-op music class tomorrow. Meets 1st and 3rd Fridays. C'man will join too when he doesn't have school

ok i think this is enough. It's getting late and my bed is calling!!

OH MY GOSH edited to add that I'm going to NYC/NJ the end of this month! How in the heck can I not have posted this sooner. I'm going to see Laura AND niece Meg is meeting me there! Oh yeah, and just me from this house hold is going!!! Woo hooo

Found: My Fertility

That's right, my missing fertility has been found. Duggars Announce They Are Expecting Baby Number 19 - Pregnancy - FOXNews.com

I think we've all heard of the Duggars right?? Michelle has my fertility, that's it. It's been confirmed by this recent news:)

I do mean that smile. I really like this family I don't care how many kids they have. They seem to really have a good grip on things from child rearing, finances, etc. I could NEVER have that many kids and be CALM!! I mean look at me after ONE strong willed child. BTW where is there strong willed/spirited child?? (children). I'd really like to see how they'd handle that.

HOWEVER, what about her body? How can it handle this many pregnancies? I've been told it can take 2 years for a women's body to fully recover from childbirth. So while i don't totally AGREE with them in having this many children due to risks to mom and babies, I say way to go Jim. He has some WAY happy 'boys' and there is definitely nothing wrong with her eggs!! Good luck!

BTW when do they have time for sex???