Crackin us up

C'man cracks us up. I think about every 2 weeks he goes thru another language burst. The things he says. On Thursday we went to a nearby town to a kids fair. That included car seat checks, and then like a health and education fair. Man of the bldgs in this town have castle fronts, http://www.idagroveia.com/ C'man fell asleep on the way there. He got to skip nap time and hang out at G'pa and G'ma L's, note to self he can NOT go without a nap yet.

While in line to get the car seats checked (which by the way they spent 30-60min PER CAR checking them) he wakes up. His eyes pop open and he looks to the left, then right, the straight, then left again, and he's in just amazement. I think he seriously thought he was dreaming. Finally he says in a raspy voice 'Castles???' Then we said 'yes, what do you think of this". He sat in silence then says 'Airplanes?" (there were old fighter airplanes to his left) and then it's like he realizes this isn't a dream. 'WOW this is SO cool!!!!!!!!!!'.

Eventually I took the kids and DH stayed with the car seat crew and we went on to the Skate Palace where the fair was. The bldg looks just like a castle (check the website again) Both kids were just amazed. Even an armored 'dude' was standing guard. In we go and the first thing we do is a hand print. Miss A wants pink, or that's what I picked for her and what color does C'man want?? Yup Pink, i convinced him to go with the orange!! On to the other tables where really isn't a lot pertaining for us, don't need WIC, don't need state help with daycare, etc We do stop for a tattoo of which miss A wants NOTHING to do with. During our little walk around numerous times I had to look for C'man. It wasn't busy at all so he was always easy to find. Every time he was by some little girl. I think he was trying to score some candy out of her bag, but he'd proceed to tell her some kind of story. I couldn't hear of course but I'm sure it was good b/c the looks the girls would give were priceless.

Then comes the table where each kid gets a TY stuffed animal. There was a dog, pink horse and a brown teddy bear. Miss A wanted none of it. Every one i offered her she'd adamantly shake her head no. But C'man he wanted that PINK HORSE!! DH tried effortlessly to get him to take the puppy. I wanted him to take the bear. Nothing was going to convince him otherwise. Not even the little girl who had the bear. The lady reassures us that she had at least 10 other boys do the same thing. I then told DH that he wanted a pink hand print too:)

Now it's time for pizza. While waiting for the pizza to come C'man is busy with that horse, looking out the window, sleeping, etc then he looks at me and says 'I have to go talk for one minute, I'll be right back" I let him go but rather then go to the table with all the kids he goes and find a waitress. I let him talk about one minute before going to get him. He sees me and points at me and says 'mom SHHH I'm talking just 2 more minutes' So i wait all while I'm thinking he's probably telling our family secrets (LOL) Eventually I get him away and our pizza comes.

Now the last part. On the way home he says to us 'well guys, what's next??"

Trivia Time

How about making Friday trivia day.
A. What famous document begins: "When in the course of human events..."?

B. What is the fastest growing tissue in your body??

You have to submit a comment now:)

Just have to include this b/c i can do one heck of a Barack Obama impression:
'My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it.'
-- Barack Obama

HUH???

Have a good Friday!! Oh and my hair?? I got it cut yesterday feeling much better and after I posted here, the itching went away!

To tell or not to tell

Be honest. Is there anything in your life that maybe others, like family and friends, may like to know but don't?? Why am i asking this?? Well it's about this blog. Know one in my family knows about it and some times i think i should tell them, great way for them to keep up on us, but then i think no I'd best not. Might be opening a big ol' can of worms. Or some of my friends don't know about this either. Some times I think I'll tell them and then I think otherwise. Not sure if it's the idea that I may be letting them see a side of me that they may not like, agree with, or whatever. Or maybe b/c i may 'blog' about them one day. Lord knows I have a slip of the tongue sometimes, and fingers.

I do have my BFF-E and FF-L that 'know' about my blog and I'm so happy they do!! I also have some friends that stop in that while i 'know' them i don't know them personally. Various circumstances in our lives brought us together, from college to IVF, to adoption, to politics.

What do you think, do I share my blog with those that I'm in contact with more frequently? What if they don't approve, what if they think this is all stupid and nonsense, what if they use this against, or for, me:)

Now that you saw where I was going with this post, go back to the top and answer that question:) You can post comments ANONYMOUSLY so go ahead.

By they way, Carson went to the dentist yesterday FOUR FREAKIN cavities. Do I feel like bad mom of the year or WHAT!!! AND $80/cavity plus $45 for the laughing gas. I'm so mad.

Am I loosing it??

Ok, don't really answer that question, but i SWEAR I'm loosing it. In my hair!! WHAT?? you're wondering. I feel like something is crawling on my head. Ok don't freak out here friends. It's only on the one part of my head where my lovely colic causes my hair to part. Here's what i think:

A. It's dry b/c that part of my scalp is exposed to the elements and I like HOT showers.

B. I have a piece, or many, hairs that are moving, you know like when the wind blows thru your hair.

B/c my hair is short, well I guess a combo of both, I think it's my hair moving. But it's freaking me out. Why?? b/c i watched to much Discovery Health where a women had like LARVA coming out of her scalp. I'm having DH squeeze my head, shine bright lights on it and yes I have just taken a picture of my scalp to see if I can see anything. I don't know if i thought something would jump out and wave at me or what!? But DH is like STOP it's NOTHING. I'm like the heck, it's SOMETHING b/c i feel something moving. What's not helping matters is now I'm paranoid. I have made a hair appointment and hope that buy cutting my hair, shorter, it will solve the problem.

In the mean time DH keeps looking and saying things like "oh wait", or "hmmm what's this" all while i scream and whine.

Can anyone relate? Anyone have wierd feelings like this? Or watched shows and been parnoid later b/c of what you saw?? Dont' tell me you see anything either b/c I've closely examed the pictures:)

Oh lets see....

I've added pictures!!!

It's a beautiful day in Iowa. Almost 55 outside and the snow is melting oh so FAST!! To bad it looks like we're in for another active weather pattern. The first snow/rain is for Friday although that's forecasted to go more south of us. The next one, Monday evening/Tuesday. That one they are still watching. Man I'm SO ready to bid farewell to ol' man winter and HELLOOOO spring.

Waiting for C'man to wake up so we can go outside. I went and woke him up but he just grabbed his cozy blanket and rolled over. He is SO not a morning person and once he falls asleep for his nap, he's hard to wake up. Did I mention that he has his binky back too?? About 2 months ago we flushed one down the toilet. I told him if I find a binky downstairs it's going down the toilet. Well you know what happened. He tried to reach in and grab it after HE flushed it but the whirl was to fast and down it went. He cried and cried and actually I almost could have too. He loves his binkies. He's so cute with it too. So a couple weeks ago I NEEDED him to take a nap and I felt the only way i was going to accomplish that was to give him another one of his favorite binkies. He had 2 after the one we flushed but one i snipped the end of, 'it boke' he kept saying, and the other was no better then the snipped one. He wasn't going to sleep well at night either. I figured the heck with it. We were gone that weekend for my SIL's baby shower and being away from home, not to mention the ride HOME on AWFUL roads, I have him a binky. You should have seen his reaction when I pulled out 'the pink binky'. It's more like magenta, but none the less he calls it his pink binky. He was ELATED!

So now the arrangement is that it HAS to stay in his bed. He knows I'm not messing around any more since we flushed one down. He doesn't walk around all day with it, only at night. We figure that when it's time for Addie to bid farewell then he will too. BUT he also knows that he can't go to school if he still has a binky and you know what.....he could have a lot worse. He could still be on a bottle, suck his thumb, not be anywhere near being potty trained, so i just say the heck with it let him have the binky. If it makes my life easier and he goes to bed 100% better, then screw it. Speaking of going to bed, the other thing that helped was I plugged in a nightlight that only goes on if it's dark. He loves that, I love it even more.

At any rate, i have pictures i need to post of us giving the cows hay. On Sunday we all four rode in the tractor to feed the cows. It was fun. Do I have any readers out there that aren't the least bit familiar with 'farm life' (feeding the cows hay, tractors, etc) I'm curious. Don't want to share anything if it's of no interest to anyone.

Furthermore....I need more comments:) BFF-E thanks a million but where's everyone else?? Oh and tell me your remedies again for off setting a headache the day after some drinking. I'm refraining from calling it a hangover b/c i don't think that's really possible after only 3-5 mixed drinks. Is it?? our community center has our St Patricks Day Dinner and Dance Saturday Night. I'm so excited. Lots of DH's classmates and their wives are coming and we have ourselves a babysitter that we won't have to rush home by 930-10.

Thanks everyone!! do drop me a note, or 2, or 3, or 4.....

Tractor trials

Land-check

bigger planter-check

bigger tractor-check

newer van- waiting

house projects-STILL WAITING

husband-IN THE FREAKIN DOGHOUSE!!

DH ended up going today, Friday, to look at this tractor in bohick NEBRASKA (sorry BFF-E). He left @ 7AM and as of now, 1015 PM still MIA!

Him and a buddy left and have yet to come home, oh wait, here they are. THIS my friends is what irks me more then anything. Home ALL day with the kids and he gets to galavant around AND spend 10's of thousand of dollars. And here I sit waiting for a different van, things done around the house....yeah you get the idea.



I'm sure now tho maybe he'll get moving on being more dedicated to getting things done around here right?? Oh I forgot to add a CHECK behind a 40" flat screen TV. Yeah you'd think we actually had money. (tax refund was very generous this year)

Huckabee is out

Heard on the radio last night that Huckabee has dropped out of the race for Republican Presidential candidate. I guess I can't say I'm surprised, as numbers weren't looking good for him. But I really do like the man. Did anyone see him on Saturday Night Live?? Priceless. I love the mans sense of humor and his personality in general. More importantly, I agreed with the things he stood for. But McCain is the nominee and I will support him. I do like him but must become more versed in his stance on gay marriage (I really don't like using those two words in the same sentence), abortion, and illegal immigration. I'm thinking that maybe my new friend , 'Doc', might be able to shed some insight on that. Maybe he could post a comment, or two, about McCains views.

I did have my Central Committee meeting last night. We are preparing for our county convention which is this Saturday. While I'm only an alternate, and none of the delegates have called me to attend in their place, I would like to attend (and still can b/c of my involvment on the platform committee). I put a lot of hours into preparing the platform and just feel I'd like to see it thru. BUT DH has decided that Saturday is the day he'll drive to the KS/NE border to look at a tractor. (BFF-E if i didn't have so much going on, I'd had come b/c he'll be going thru York!!) Then that evening I'm selling my purses at a Dance Night for a local school. MIL said she'd watch the kids BUT I'd like to do a trial run for a babysitter that day b/c we need one for the following Saturday. In addition I think C'man as a touch of the flu so who know's who will have it by the weekend.

Speaking of C'man, yesterday while at Maxine's house with Uncle D, Papa, and Daddy, he showed up with an empty bottle of Allergy medicine. DH rushed him home, I called poison control and freaked out. This is the SECOND time C'man has gotten into things under DH's watch. I had DH talk to poison control I wasn't there when it happened I can't answer all the questions they were asking. BUT he's OK. We don't think he got any b/c he spit out the 4 he had in his mouth. But today he seems just a little out of it. DH was up all night too so we think maybe it is the flu. C'man did eat breakfast and 'Bob Bob's' (mac'n'cheese) and now is tucked in bed.

As always drama, drama and more drama!! I have lots to talk about but I'm sure this has gotten pretty long and has enough thoughts and subjects covered that I won't bring in more.

You've got to be kidding

I'm so embarrased......March 15th our community center (where I work out) is having a St Patty's Day Dinner and Dance. So i've been calling our neighbors that regularly attend these events to let them know I have tickets. The one neighbor can not see (remember this part) so he has to make sure the other neighbor lady can take him. Well I called her and she said yeah she'd like to go and tell Joe I can take him. (feel like an event coordinator) Just about 15 min ago a neighbor (yet ANOTHER one) stopped by to tell me our cows were out. As he's leaving someone else stops by to tell us the same thing. Well it ends up this other person has Joe in the car with him. I yell out the window (remember this part too) let me get Joe's ticket for him right now. I hand the ticket to the gentleman out on our deck. Well Joe decides he wants to pay me right now. He gets out of the car and rather then walk to the door, he walks to the window. So the path to the window is ice, snow and shit covered. SO what do you think happened....................

Only me....

I'm not sure I should even be telling you all this, but b/c it's a true 'Rachel moment' and to let you all know I'm human and do dumb things I shall share. Tonight was circuit training. There was only 3 of us there, thank GOODNESS! We have a new routine in place and this was the 2nd time I've done it. I asked what this one thing was called, sorry can't remember what it is, but you lay on your tummy on a ball. Then with your hands in front of you you roll the ball up your chest, ending up on your knees and your butt in the air. Well....do you see where this is going.....I tried it and went right on over the ball!!! I have such a carpet burn on my chin and my neck was pushed down to my stomach I swear. I was so fricken embarrassed and the other ladies were like oh my gosh, are you OK?? I was like yeah just let me get this piece of gravel out of my mouth that i picked up. I looked in the mirror and this is what I saw:

Now i have this fear that I'll get staph in it and oh dear me what a mess that would be. Any one have any suggestions what i should do with it? Leave it alone? Cover it up (my mother would be freaking out right now making me put a band aide on it) For those that don't know me personally I had MRSA in Oct of 06 and I haven't been able to be 'free' of it for sometime. Actually gave up even doing the nasal swabs b/c I couldn't get back 2 'negatives' So anyway you can see then why this is a big deal.

BUT you can also laugh, I sure as heck am. Truly this could only happen to me. I could really tell ya'll some stories and i think BFF E could share some good ones too, but will pass on those. Instead go ahead and chuckle:) Why I'm smiling in this picture? I guess to show the humor in it...Boy, i look kind of dopey don't I. Not sure what that is all about...got to love those hold the camera and take a picture. The other pictures I took you could see right up my nose LOL

FAP is BS

In case you're wondering where I've been, I've been MIA b/c of my stupid freakin Internet. Trust me I'd rather say some other words but won't. Apparently satellite Internet has this FAP 'Fair Access Policy' which basically says they can shut your speed down to dial up if you use to much bandwidth. Well I did. I think it came from sending out the emails from the purse auction b/c it was my upload that I maxed out on. Being that the purse auction went over like a bomb it so wasn't worth it. SO finally today I up'd our package to a higher speed which gives me more bandwidth. (is it BAN width or BAND??) We only need to keep it for 30 days and since it's a rolling 30 days our speed should continue to get better BUT it means I have to cut back on the number of emails I send. Which sucks b/c being home all day sending and receiving emails is what keeps me sane!
I'm back now and hopefully back on to blogging. I missed it. It's amazing how much I guess my life revolves around the Internet. Kind of sad actually. So many blogs to read, boards to check and here lately I'm working on our planks for our County Convention that need to be typed and EMAILED on. That alone left me with no other choice but to up the speed. Oh did I mention this is costing us about $30/month MORE!!
I'm rather cross about it all. But yeah...moving on.....more snow yesterday and yesterday was the LONGEST day yet of me staying home. I swore bed time was NEVER going to come. Seems that after nap time the kids fight non stop. What seizes to amaze me is that they can be having a spat right at DH's FEET and he notices NOTHING!! I want that ability! Oh wait tho, that means my kids would be brats then.

Rest in peace

We laid Maxine to rest today. She didn't look herself laying in her coufin last night but she looked peaceful. She had a beautiful service. Pastor did just an amazing job with the message, just wondeful. She really made it a rejoiceful time. I played for the funeral today and i played a special song 'It Is Well With My Soul' I could feel her swaying to it with her eyes shut. She would have been so pleased with the service. BUT the weather was another thing. It was -11 this AM. The coldest day of the last TWO years!! If not more! It was so cold at the cemetary and the idea of putting her in to that cold ground makes me so sad. I'm so thankful that it's just her earthly body and that her soul is in heaven where it's warm.
Farewell Maxine. You were such a strong and determined women. Thank you for doing such a good job in helping to raise DH. Thanks for letting C'man sit on your lap and read to him. Thanks for teaching me this past summer how to make tomato juice. You were an amazing women you really were! You're legacy will live on on earth no doubt!
If my internet speed ever picks back up again I will post her obituary b/c it really says it all.

stranded

Hello!! I'm stranded in Eastern IA by a snow storm. It's simply NASTY out there. Although visibility has picked up, they still are advising no travel. I'm here with my parents, sister and C'man. I'm so glad Miss A isn't here as keeping her entertained here would be awful. The pool is over clorinated so you can hardly be in it. We are going to walk next door shortly for lunch. Dad is pacing and very ansty. He tried the roads out but said he couldn't tell if he was on the shoulder or road.

Maxine passed away 2AM saturday. Her last 24 hrs were not pleasant. She was in a lot of pain. We went to see her Friday night and said our good byes. Not responsive but she did moan when I sang. She also responded when I told her her cats are fat and happy. DH said his good byes too. We left him alone with her, he cried. So hard to see a grown man cry. But at least I know he has dealt with it. She is no longer here on earth but her legacy will live on forever.

ok must go. I'm using the hotel computer!!

I'm here but barely

Ok so our internet provider shut down our speed b/c we reached our maximum. I am on the internet at dial up speed. Real briefly i'll make this. I am going away Saturday with out Miss A. I need the time to re-fuel myself. Sorry if i've offended anyone but I need a break.
I jammed my finger yesterday sleddin down our HUGE hill. Have pics, will post later when our speed picks up. I thought it was broken, DH says i wouldn't be able to move it if it was. Its very swollen and hurts pretty bad. Typing is hard. It's my ring finger on my right hand.

I'm working on a big V-day meal for the family. Menu consists of:
Cheddar Mini Meat loafs in a heart shape
Corn Casserole
Cheesy potatos (if DH remembers to bring me hash browns)
Sparkling jello (the jello mold has a heart on it)
AND for dessert Chocolate cake in the shape of none other then a HEART!! (but one heart broke already....think i'll frost it back together)

There ya have it. I'll take pics to show it to you all.

I'll be back but probably not till monday.

Shut the snow machine off

Would someone PLEASE shut that dang snow machine OFF! Yes you guessed it, it's snowing AGAIN!! Another 3-7 inches forecasted for this afternoon in to the evening. Schools are letting out and it's looking like I won't be doing circuit training.

Help me out here, this weekend is SIL's baby shower, across the state. I'm caravaning with my parents and g'parents. Men in one car, women (me driving) in the other. Discussion has been going on about me living Miss A home (did I blog about that??). Mom thinks i'd enjoy myself more without her. Not said in a mean way AT ALL! Just the truth. That little fancy pants takes a lot out of me which in turns leaves me very stressed and un easy to be around. I try to put on the happy face but I must not be doing a good job. So last night, like the last MANY nights, she was awake. Finally I went in her room to make sure all was well. I left and she screamed. DH took her then (the first time in like 12 months???). I laid in bed and thought 'that's it i'm leaving her home this weekend' My parents, well my mom, said she'd pay $20 for a sitter to stay with her while DH is at work. I think I need a weekend away from her. I need a full nights sleep (I know she'd be a bear in the hotel room) and just some time with C'man. BUT i'm feeling guilty and bad. I feel like maybe i'm being mean! But then would she really want to ride in a car for 4 hrs!?

What do you all think?? Take her and pray for the best a long with taking a good dose of anxiety meds:) or leave her home where she and daddy can hang out Saturday evening and all day Sunday?? I'm ready to hear it, good, bad or other wise.

Also my purse auction, what a waste of time. Thanks to those who bid (BFF-E) and if any of you would still like to get in, let me know. They don't end till this week but i'm fairly sure no bids will be coming.

Oh and the spell check is not working on this!? Sorry for all the mis-spelled words but I don't have the time to spend re-reading every post.

And One and Two....

Finally I have some pics of where I work out. (bet you couldn't wait LOL) Sorry none of me actually working out. That would mean someone would have to take them and I don't think that'd work, for fear they too may end up on this blog. WHICH means for so many that don't know I even blog, they'll want to read this. Something about my own family and distant acquaintances reading this, bothers me!? What if I talk about someone that reads this? Or I'm always worried I'll offend someone!? (i know, imagine that!!) At any rate so I've said before the community center is an old school. As I took these pictures I was like, 'wow check out this scenary' I really just love admiring the surroundings around me and here's another place that for a moment took my breath away. ok so the pictures don't do that sentence justice. Next time i'll take some from the 3rd floor of the school!! I took these last Sunday when my friend 'K' and I went to work out. I think she thought I was a little crazy so I didn't want to take to many, oh and I didn't mention it was freakin FREEZING, I will get some of the outside.

The view when you walk in Gotta love those balls

The view as you're leaving

Other news, I met another SAHM yesterday and her 4 year old son. C and him had a blast and I really enjoyed my time with 'Julie'. She used to work at my dentist office before being a SAHM and that's how I know her. There was some 'bond' b/w us that I had no idea was till I learned she had been thru (one) IVF. Infertility once again strikes another! We ran in to one another almost TWO years ago in Payless shoes. I gave her my business card and we conversed time to time via email (me being the slow one to email her back) This past August we ran into one another @ Olive Garden and guess what!!!?? she was VERY preggos!! No IVF this time, another miracle that came to them in a different manner. We did have a great time yesterday with our boys. Miss A was great and her other little 6 month old boy, stayed with his G'parents. The best part of all of this??? they are trying to move CLOSER to my neck of the woods!! At any rate J does know about my blog and I've asked her too to pop in once and awhile and leave a message. Hopefully we here from the lovely 'J'

My parents were supposed to come this afternoon and take us out for lunch as well as drop of things i'd left at there house. They got about 15 min from home and the roads were horrible. It's so windy here again and down right frigid. -6 tonight!! So they turned around. I told them once they reached one of the towns it'd get better. Seems this one town is the breaking point for either better or worse roads. They'll try again tomorrow.

Tonight is a MOPS & POPS supper. (mothers of preschoolers and now pops) I'm not sure will go. I have a sitter lined up but we have to bring the kids to her house (her mom and dad will be helping) and I'm not sure I want to take them out in this weather nor do I want to go out. Need to call MIL and see if she'll watch them!?

Church tomorrow, I play. Same ol' same ol'

Oh and DH bought closet stuff yesterday and actually started working on it. Suppose you want to see pics of that? You might see DH hanging from a hanger. I think i'll entertain kids while he works!

What is everyone else doing this weekend? anything fun? boring?