New Opera Wallets in

Just in!! Take a look and order yours now! These are new and improved in that they have a specific place for your checkbook!



Sell a couple for me and I'll give you a FREE mini wallet oh AND free shipping:) Email me for details.

Doubles of most colors too!

Happy shopping!

Only me...

It hasn't been one of the best days for me today, well even week for that matter. I actually cried today. Something i haven't done in a long time. But will get to that another time. I have to just tell this story and hoping i can tell it in a way that doesn't make me look like a fool or live like a.... I don't even know!!

OK so this afternoon I was talking to FF-L when this car pulls up. I tell her I'd better go b/c some man was here. She instantly is like 'do you know him? are you scared? are you by yourself?'. (thanks for being concerned!!) I had a pretty good idea i knew who it was and I was correct. No, no Jehovah witness or broom sales person. It was a nice gentleman from NFIB which stands for National Federation for Independent Businesses. He came wanting to sell me a membership which i did get for $100 and you'll find out why shortly.

But really it's a national organization representing small businesses in the US. They represent us in DC on issues such as health care, SILO tax, etc. to senators and congress. Basically a lobbyist group.

But that's not where I'm going with this....so he pulls up and immediately is introduced to C'man who is in the back of DH's yucky ol' pickup. I come out of the house talking on my blue tooth to La and dressed to kill. Hardly, i had on gauchos and frumpy ol' shirt, no make up and i didn't do my hair today. But whatever, the last person he visited that i knew, she was still in her jammies, no bra and pink fufu slippers! So i wasn't to worried. I did suggest he start a lobby group for SAHM's LOL!!

I tell him i really can't go in the house b/c i know C'man won't come in. He says that's fine. I offer him my grill to use as a table!! Oh the fun is just beginning. While we're talking c'man has pulled out boards and a chain out of the pickup and now is building. I look at C'man by DH's pickup and i see this black blob on the road. I was like hmmm...is that the dog? no way to big. The light comes on it's a fricken calf. I immediately say 'oh my...we have a calf out and if it's out I'm thinking the rest of the cows may be too'. I call DH and he can't get over quick enough to do anything and by now the calf is on the bridge. The nice man offers to go get it in. Knowing he has no experience what so ever I'm like ahhh no that's OK. Excuse me for a minute tho. I load C'man up in the van and off we go.

I get to the calf and the darn thing will NOT move. Rather then run the other way he's busy looking at the guy standing 900 ft away. So i move closer and still he doesn't move. Lovely!! I end up being able to pet this thing!! It just stands there while i call DH saying what am i to do. I tried pushing the thing, clapping my hands to no avail he wouldn't move. The 'visitor' then comes to help. I'm REALLY embarrassed now.

Here he is in dress pants, white shirt, tie and nice shoes and he's pushing a calf!! Did i mention the calf is covered in crap on his rear! Also not sure he will kick us either! WE both pushed a couple times. Eventually he gets moving but of course the calf has no idea where to go. I open the gate and the visitor is running down the road after this calf!! I just kept saying 'oh my gosh, this can not be happening to me, what a sight we are!!!'

A pickup comes over the hill and sees our tired less attempts at working with this dang calf. He asks if we have it under control...ahhh does it look like it?? Eventually we get this calf in the pasture but not before Mr Visitor is in the ditch. I told him oh dear me, i can do this you have such nice clothes on you'll get covered in ticks and i'm worried he'll fall. I had to give him a ride back to his car which is still parked 1/2 on the road 1/2 on the shoulder and then we could continue back to where we left.

I guess i couldn't say i was really embarrassed b/c I'm at the point in my life where it is what it is. It's HILARIOUS!! He came to my house therefore he'll have to bear with me as i continue my job (mother, cattle Herder, business owner, etc) I'm sure he goes to many businesses where business must carry on, especially if you don't have an appointment. I told him 'really this is a typical day in my life. Stuff like this happens more often then i care to admit. But I've learned that if i don't laugh I'll cry and it's not worth crying b/c it's funny!'

Now do you see why i paid him the $100 i felt that's the least i could do for his assistance with a stinky, tick covered, shit covered, calf!

Wits End

I'm having a heck of a day, even a couple weeks, with Miss A. I'm really getting to the point where i can't stand her. I feel horrible for saying that but I'm truly at my wits end with her. She has such a temper and now she's back to spitting. I'm hoping the parenting police don't flame me. She spit awhile back and then it stopped. Now it's started up again. I resorted to putting soap in her mouth. That lasted till today which i now have decided to just ignore it.

This weekend i went to my parents after the HUGE indoor garage sale I went to. That was CRAZY!! Another post another day. My parents got to see first hand how she acts. When she spit and i went to put soap in her mouth my mom ran out the room. I can't stand to watch it. Knowing that it was necessary she just was being a g'ma hating to see her g'children disciplined. Even my dad tried to help by raising his voice.(i don't mean like screaming just enough to catch her attention and allow me or him to talk some reasoning with her) I think he did it b/c he felt bad for me. He could see i was trying to get things under control and struggling. It did make her stop screaming but then that made mom mad b/c she didn't think Dad should do anything. But like i said, he was just trying to help me out. I really didn't mind.

Yesterday Miss A was outside walking to the play ground. Mom went and got her and she threw a fit. Mom could barely carry her back. She stiffens her back, kicks, screams and hits! Then the spitting starts. Mom truly felt my pain in that moment.

If things don't go her way it's fit time. Mr C tries so hard to play with her and all she does is scream at him. He hangs his head and walks away, sometimes. Today my FF-S and her kids and us went for a walk on the trail.

We walk to the park, play, eat and then head back. Miss A was very snotty to her daughter. Pushing her away, hitting her, screaming, you get the idea. I wasn't very happy with her. FF-S says 'well Cassie could leave her alone, it's good for her to get whomped on'. Bless her soul but i said it doesn't make it right. She doesn't know any better but Miss A does know better then to hit.

Then tonight at supper she wouldn't eat anything. I told DH NO dessert. It's time for her to learn that. What a fit she thru. I let DH deal with her. Eventually tho, she did eat a couple bites and was able to get her ice cream. She didn't hit, etc but she did her spitting thing. I told DH just ignore it. It's my new way of dealing with it. When i say spit it's more like bubbles.

OK so here's where you come in. Please offer me some suggestions, advice, comfort, WHATEVER I'm pulling my hair out over our constant power struggle. Mom says she doesn't think she's strong willed necessarily but just doesn't mind if she gets negative enforcement. It's like she thinks if i get disciplined I got mommy's attention. If i ignore it well then things could really get out of hand. I'm really thinking a/b taking her to the voodoo doc again.

Did i also mention that sleeping at night has been horrible. Especially at my parents good gosh we both slept horrible. Also her teeth are coming in so this could all be related to the eye teeth coming in. My mom said my sister and brother were just rotten when there eye teeth were coming in. FF-S said Cassie was too ( i happen to remember that with her).

Also do you think she could have an ear infection? She doesn't pull on her ears or anything but definitely could be something like that. FF-S thought she looked pale today. Miss A is eating and drinking, etc

OK that's enough rambling. Please if you lurk, this is one post i need you to reply too:)

PS horrible pic of me, wind blown hair, no makeup, etc but who cares right??

Video Montage

I found this great video montage I can do online! Take a look. It's of the kids:)
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=5d381da970da0bf3ec268a&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Sights and Sounds

It's a beautiful day in Iowa. The sun is out and everything is so green. The trees are in full bloom, farmers are busy in the field and yesterday while sitting outside in a park I smelled the faint smell of lilacs!! B/c it's been such a cold and damp spring the lilacs are just now starting to bloom.

The night and day didn't start off so beautiful for miss A and I think that 'A' is going to start standing for Attitude!! Gosh darn!! Upon turning in for the night at 915 PM, yes i know very early but DH was out planting and I thought why stay up, i noticed my camera was upstairs. I thought i'd take some pics of Miss A sleeping. BAD BAD BAD idea. Bad mommy....you know the 'never wake a sleeping baby' well the same goes for a toddler. She woke up while i clicked away and would NOT go back to sleep. She screamed, cried, I screamed and wanted to cry. I was so annoyed with her and her little antics she pulls. Eventually I threatened she'd have to sleep in the garage to which she said no. She knows what I'm saying to her. I don't know what time she fell asleep. I tried taking her in to bed with me @11 and she just wanted to touch my face. So back to bed. She WHALED!! DH was home by then and tried to comfort her. I was hoping he'd break out his 'THIS IS ENOUGH LAY DOWN GO TO SLEEP' voice that I'm not sure I've ever heard him use but wish he would. He's not very authoritative.

It was close to 1130 before i she fell asleep and she was up by 615! Today was our last MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) and i got to display/sell my purses b/c it was a pamper and shop day. (10 min massages, facials, pedicures) We had to be in the road by 815 and i was by 805! On the way up there i just sat and listened to my kids. Miss A didn't have a lot to say, to tired I'd guess, but C'man was adorable.

I listened to him sing 'Onward Christian Soldiers' with emphasis on the 'YES SIR', and pretended to talk on his phone to which he'd hand over to Miss A and we stopped to talk to a farmer. We pulled away from a stop sign and there was 2 men and a lady but the tractor he was using was an open tractor, no cab just wide open to the elements of mother nature. I thought you don't see that this day and age. So i stopped to tell them that. I pulled up and said 'i wish i had my camera b/c you all are just priceless' to which the older man (70's or so) said 'what her doing all the work and us two men standing here??' I chuckled b/c he was right the wife was loading the corn up while dad and son were talking!! I did tell him 'yeah that too but just your open tractor' he agreed saying 'yeah you should have been out here yesterday it was FREEZING!!' I told him my FIL doesn't plow/plant/harvest etc either anymore b/c things are so different.

We drove away and C'man asked 'where was the door??' Ahhh yes he will not know open tractors like his daddy did. He just knows the nice air condition, computer systems, radio, comfy seat, and 10 years from now there will probably be TV's in there. (probably is in some)

It's so fun listening to him talk. He got his curls cut last night and now is sporting a summer buzz. He keeps saying 'oh no what happen to my hair???' I didn't even recognize him today with the moppet workers brought him to me. He came and gave me a hug and said 'i miss you mommy'.

Sweet child but i think it's time to take Miss A back to the voodoo doc for an attitude adjustment b/c i may need more then a mental adjustment if this behavior continues.

Project Time

I've been real busy here of lately. The weather is finally nice enough that i can stain the windows upstairs. I went to a local paint store in the nearby city to get our trim color matched. I'd heard a radio commercial they they could now do that. Finally i had a moment to do that. Last Monday I had taken Miss A with me and that's just one of the many stops we made. Of course while in there I got inspired to start another project. I've always wanted a metal back splash in our kitchen and i found just what i needed to make it happen.



I stained the windows in our bedroom and the bathroom upstairs and then started this project. B/c it's been raining AGAIN I had to do something different. On Saturday I started this when the kids went down for naps. Well C'man decided he didn't want to nap so now i was doing this with his help. I tried endlessly to get him to watch a DVD but had no luck. So here are the pics and I'll describe after the pics:







This is what i did. I bought paintable wall paper. Here I am laying it out.









This is one of those lovely hold the camera yourself and take a pic. I'm trying to stretch my long ol' arms out to keep the paper from rolling up AND take a pic.







More of laying out of the paper








After 90 min i got the first strip up. Yeah that little piece under the window and then got the next piece ready under the first cabinet. I had to cut the stupid light switch out of the wall paper and it just took me forever. DH says 'measure twice cut once'. I said measure TWICE?? I measured at least 10 times!







I got creative with C'mans help by giving him a pizza dough roller. What a helper










Another 90 min later I was ready to start the next section. At this point i skipped over to this little piece next to the fridge (sorry no pic) thinking I'd better wait for DH to get home to hang the one from the window to the range. I was getting a little short b/c I couldn't get the pattern to line up.



Poor C'man. Mommy snapped at him and he pouted.


Finally DH came home from work and i put him right to work. I was getting PO'd. This is the way it should be!! He's SO much better at this. I'm like you cut it, I'll hang it and paint it, etc. Just PLEASE don't make me cut it. I had this piece up that he's working on in this picture but it wasn't perfect so I took it down. Take 2 was DH doing the cutting.










I guess I don't have any pictures of it hung waiting to be painted. I must have been to annoyed. Well actually we finished hanging it yesterday and i don't think i could find my camera yesterday. So it got hung yesterday and today i painted it. B/c i was painting it such a bright color I had had some left over paint from my dining room that is a bright red. I put a little white in to the red and put that on first.


Here is the bright color. C's reaction was OH MY GOSH WHAT IS IT!! and Miss A said 'woooowwww' needless to say C'man wasn't loving the color. DH came home for lunch and was a little speechless when he first saw this color.

Let me just say it's great fun trying to paint with two little ones. Gosh darn what a project looking after them and painting. I'll spare you the details.
Drum roll please.......................
Before:



AFTER:
hmmm it's not showing really well is it. I may have to try and get another picture.

There you have it. We still have two other areas we need to do. But it looks great!! Totally gives this area a new look!!

Project DYI by Rachel is completed. Now it's to bed and tomorrow it's time to get back to staining windows. Oh the kitchen window you see, it will get trimmed out one of these days!

Oh in addition to in b/w the painting i managed to scrub some walls and clean the doors. I'm going CRAZY cleaning things.

Mothers Day

Sorry to not have posted sooner on this Mother's Day. It's been a good day. Church was great-we had a professional pianist from Nashville that was absolutely AMAZING!! However, he pounded that piano so hard!! I had a headache prior to church and really had one afterwards. WOW!! C'man really got in to it too and does a great impression of how he played the piano.

Yes I got to celebrate Mothers Day for the 3rd year. But it doesn't come without the pain and memories of the many Mothers Day's i celebrated with my mom and not b/c i was a mom. Please readers, remember those women that long to be a mother and for whatever reason are not. It's not easy. I really could care less about even celebrating Mother's Day. Yes I have a mother i honored today but i can honor her all the time. I can remember one particular Mother's Day i celebrated back home with my parents. I remember dreading having to even go to church knowing the entire service would revolve around mothers. Having just came off of another failed IVF i decided I could beat that dispair/hopeless feeling.

I couldn't tho. 1/2 way thru the service i just couldn't sit in that pew one more moment. I walked out of church and my step G'ma came with me. We went to her house and we cried. We hugged, we cried some more, and we ate. You see she was in my shoes years ago. Her and her husband (he deceased years and years ago and she married my g'pa) could not have kids. They adopted 2 and were foster parents to another. She told me she could remember her BF crying to her telling her she was pregnant with #2, then #3 AND #4, and G'ma Gene crying b/c she couldn't have #1. I could relate b/c just a few weeks prior (back 3 years ago) my FF-S called to tell me she was pregnant and she cried and cried when she told me. She had to tell me over the phone she couldn't do it in person. Anyone that knows her, I'm thinking few do, will know that FF-S is not an emotional person. I have NEVER seen her cry like she did when she told me they were expecting. Due in June she waited till the very last possible moment to tell me. God I love her tho, she really didn't have an easy journey to keeping a pregnancy.

OK I'm getting tears in my eyes thinking about all of this again. So yes that mothers day was horrible for me. My mom, sat in church wondering if she should go find me. She then noticed G'ma Gene was with me and decided to let us be. I appreciated that and I hope I didn't hurt my moms feelings. You see she had been there too many years ago. Unable to get pregnant either they adopted my sister.

That was a mothers day I'll never forget. I can remember thinking 'next mothers day I'll either have a baby or be pregnant'. Each year it came and went with nothing but heavy pain in my heart. Wanting something that seemed to come so easy for many but so very hard emotionally, physically and mentally (ah yes financially too) for me. Why me??? That's another post another day.

But we all know this came out with a wonderful ending. Here i am today having celebrated a mother's day with our TWO children. I feel gosh darn it I deserve this day!

My day included gifts in bed, church, lunch with my in laws, hanging wall paper- (boy do i have a post about that) and hanging out with the kids after nap time. It was a nice day. DH was around most of the day. He did the wallpapering for me!!

My prayers and thoughts to any readers (stalkers) out there that don't have children and want them. I know the pain you are feeling. MANY hugs to you. And to the mothers out there?? Way to go on letting your little ones live another year:) LOL!! Just kidding. Give them a special hug/kiss for those that can't do it to their own!!

Tell us what you did to honor your mother or how you were honored. Don't worry you can do it anonymously and will never know who you are. Share please:)

Holy Moly it's a Cattle Drive

I think that's a name of a book right?? I can't remember now as I had just gotten it from our local library a couple weeks.

Yesterday just after I got done posting about my new nephew, and was enjoying some quite time downstairs, DH called my cell phone from up in bed. I was like 'oh get out of here you're calling my cell phone from bed???'. I said 'yesssss' and he said 'go over to the neighbors the cows are out and get them in'. I was like you've got to be kidding me at 645AM I'm going to get cows in alone.

Certainly not the first time and sure as heck not the last. I loaded up the 2 dogs (3rd one is to fat and heavy for me to hoist in to the van) and off I went. I couldn't find them damn cows. But i also couldn't see them in the field. I called DH and said who ever called your dad is blind OR the cows are home already.

When i say home i mean back 'on the farm' b/c we had just moved them 3 miles to our place from the 'home farm'. BUSTED!! I found most of the herd 3 miles from where they were supposed to be on their way home!! I was like oh lovely now what....do i let them go back home or start chasing them the 3 miles to where they belong. At which point my FIL came racing over the hills to help.

He wants to move them back over here b/c I guess there is no where for them to go back home. I'll explain some other time. Well a/b 6 cows are in the neighbors field and the rest, 18 of them are with me on the hwy. Did i mention these cows have calf's making them VERY aggressive. While FIL was trying to get the ones out the field the rest of the cows were freaking me out. They don't like the dogs and the dogs like to tease them. Most of the cattle drives they help move them a long by barking at them. Yesterday they were pretty worthless. Boji got head butted by one of them right of the bat. So anyway this cow here, yeah the one with HORNS was coming after me. I kept walking further and further backwards yelling at my FIL to HURRY UP!!! See my shadow there with my arm out....i was trying to look big:)

The rest of the drive was uneventful other then the passerby's. Not a good time to be on a road (this is a county road so not nearly traveled like a major hwy or even a slower hwy) b/c a bus came by (which actually he helped move them along) and a/b doz other cars. A neighbor drove by at the beginning and asked which way we were heading and when i said the other way I said and can you help us watch gate holes. Put him to work!!

Eventually DH and the kids came. They were awake and he put them in the mail car and off they went. They were so cute in their John Deere hats and just so excited. We had them all in the field by then and DH and FIL were yelling at one another as to how they got out. Yelling is the form of communication b/w them two. Couple years ago FIL got a hearing aide but prior, and still, they got used to yelling at one another. Drives me nuts.

FIL kept saying 'you dumb ol' cows what you thinkin? You got corn stalks to clean up and green grass on the hill. Now get in there you dumb ol' things' He's quite a character and I've learned to laugh at him. The first 2 years of our marriage i was thoroughly irritated with the man. Not now, love him (thanks BFF-E for pointing out what a cute ol' man he is b/c that's what changed my way of thought!!)

At any rate there's a perfect synopsis of how life can be around here. I love excitement. Oh and last night DH had to pull a calf. I'll let him explain b/c actually he's working on his post a/b food prices (during a storm he shut down the computer and didn't save it) and he's also talking about starting his own blog about farming. I think it sounds great, I'm just not sure he's up for the time commitment.

I'm sure some of you have questions about this cattle drive....really, ask away. There is no stupid question so don't be embarrassed. I'm sure if you're wondering it, so our others. D.C. Em I'm sure you have questions right???

Oh and another thing I showed DH the picture of the cow coming after me and he said 'oh her? she's a nice ol cow, i had to pull her by the horns one time when the vet was scared of her and we were trying to pull a calf from her'. He then points out 'i'm sure it was the bright orange sweatshirt you had on didn't help'. He then said 'but yeah the cows are pretty aggressive with the calfs and no your orange sweatshirt had nothing to do with it'.

Trust me i was seriously thinking it was my orange sweatshirt and i was about to take it off.

Week in Review

Mom and dad, my parents, came down Wednesday to take us, the kids and I, out for supper (for my b-day REMEMBER). DH can't go b/c of course he's in the field. I waited ALL FREAKIN day for them to get here. For a couple minutes i thought they were coming at 430pm instead of 530. Not sure where i came up with that, but i was eagerly anticipating there arrival. You see, I NEED adult conversation. I need someone else to be entertained by my kids. The days are getting long, the weather has been less then ideal and I'm TIRED. Oh did I mention DH isn't around much either!? Out late and up early. Oh but wait, that up early part, that's EVERYONE in my house. WHY can the kids not sleep past 630!! WHY O WHY!! Just one hour of solitude in the AM before the house starts rocking would be nice. BUT i don't want to get up at 530 to achieve that, not yet anyway.

OK so back to the chaos. Mom and Dad get here and the kids and I were out swinging and playing race car. The kids have to show them there swing set, etc. Finally we get everyone in the car; diaper changed, potty break, wash hands, change clothes, you get the idea. To the restaurant where my kids are stinkers. Miss A spilled the container of ranch all over her plate. Dad had looked away to take a bite of his food. C'man wanted chicken only to see that G'pa (my dad) had hamburger steak! He ended up with the chicken only to have miss A decide SHE wanted it too. Stupid me gave her a chicken leg and all hell broke out with C'man. In comes g'ma. She tried to get her, or C'man, to take a chicken strip. Nope, plan B anyone??? Yup rip the leg out of Miss A's hand b/c it is after all, C'mans. Besides she ate noodle salad and ranch dressing how could she be hungry. At any rate i don't think i even ate 5 bites of my chicken b/w my parents and the kids. So then we go walk on a great new trail in our town. That was uneventful thank goodness b/c when we came home 2 cats were in the house. Trying to shew the cats prooved to be quite the taske. One retreats to the dining room and the other in the BASEMENT. Kids and g'parents scatter trying to get them out all with Miss A screaming KITTTIIIEEEE and C'man saying I got to go get the cat....and me?? I have GOT to use the bathroom. I got a moment of solitude while i pee'd before being tossed back in to the rat race.

Mom had brought cup cakes for all to enjoy and it was getting late, but first we had to get the cats out. While C'man when downstairs he screeched that there was 'pooters' on the floor. i found crap in the basement. I don't know if it was the dogs (dam things) the cat, (to big for them) OR was it the resident coon that is hiding out in our tree and it had also found it's way in the house. At that suggestion my mother instantly FREAKS. LOL So i yell for c'mans scoop (and a manure spreader) to get it out. All while my dad just shaking his head at all the drama going on around him.

OK so is your head spinning like mine it:) One cat is out and we're ready to enjoy cupcakes with candles. C'man was just SURE it was HIS b-day!! They each got to blow out a candle but not before Miss A tried to grab hers!! She'll never do that again b/c dad, mom and myself freaked out on her!! Following the cupcakes mom nicely gets the kids in there jammies for me, did i mention i was EXHAUSTED. My kids were like monsters not only this day but this entire week.

Bed time can not come soon enough. I can't seem to get enough adult conversation either. After garage sales this AM (SUCKED) i begged DH to not leave me in the house. I didn't know what i wanted to do but i knew i didn't want to stay home. But that's what i ended up doing! Oh the weather continues to be hot and the next day FREEZING!! In fact, on Thursday night, mom and dad had tornadoes up by them!! I think, and have heard, it's going to be a very active tornado season. LOVELY!!!

OK so back to the chaos. As i was 1/2 unconscious from exhaustion that night, i knew i had to tell DH there was a cat in the house. Well Thursday AM he says to me 'did you know cats were in the house??' TO which i replied, 'yeah you wouldn't believe all the events going on here last night and I forgot to tell you there was one cat in the basement' He then says 'no CATS there was 2, Apple and Ethel met me in the kitchen. I opened the patio door and the just walked out' WHAT they just WALKED OUT?? Oh that's right, the screamers aren't awake or they'd be huddled in the basement. I guess the 2 cats got to enjoy a night in the house then. Speaking of cats, Momma Mini MeMe had kittens. On my B-day!! I went to put food in the cat kennel and HELLO there were new born kittens, they look like rats! Will see if Mocha leaves these alone.

So yeah life in this house is crazy chaotic. B/w the kids, 3 dogs, cats (they are to stay outside and truth be known I'd like the dogs out there too), and DH who farms, cold weather, garage sales, committees I'm on, purses, purse parties, friends, always having 'ideas', things do get crazy around here. But you know what?? I LOVE it!! MOST of the time, i really do. I like my crazy life. I like having lots of things on my plate (even tho i may vent in frustration) I'm thrilled that even tho I'm not working full time outside of the home, i manage to stay so busy i wonder if i should cut back on something(s) (news flash, tomorrow night i tell the CCC board DH is taking my place I'm sure THAT will have drama in and of itself-i can't WAIT for the cat squad to come after me with there claws ready to tear me apart over the indoor garage sale and everything i didn't do right, oh and of course miss PERSONALITY herself is queen cat!!)

OK this has got to be one of the longest posts I've done. See I just get going and one word spawns an entire different route!! That is why for my sister to come visit me overwhelms her. She would have been frazzled by the cats and the kids running around, etc but it's my life and i love it!!

My Birthday

I'm just going to share pictures today!! i think they say it all! My FFS made me a b-day cake so her and the kids came over for lunch and cake!! So sweet!! My parents are coming this evening to take us out to eat, I'll try and take pictures! Enjoy!!

My Cake


I look tired! But then i thought i could sleep in today too only to be up and downstairs by 630!

Not to mention my kids were little stinkers. WOW even DH got annoyed with them! We had 7 deer pass right outside our window so that distracted everyone and the kids forgot about all there fussin they were doing!


D and C'man


Miss A! Note that cat on the deck. That white blob is the white momma cat who no longer has ANY kittens b/c mocha killed them ALL!!! Well now 'apple' (named by C'man) is NURSING OF OF HER!!


FF-S and her little guy!

Little C girl

Some miscellaneous pictures.

Miss A loves HATS!! Last night she was in such a pleasant mood! I didn't even put her to bed till 8. Her and C'man were playing so sweet. She came running out of the play room sporting a hat!

C'man loving bath time. Not so with his sister!!

This is C'mans idea of helping me put towels away.

Right now i'm shopping on target.com with a gift card from LaLa!!! THANKS SO MUCH and i plan on spending every penny on ME!!!

VooDoo Doc visit

This AM I had an appt for the 'Voo Doo' Doctor in Jefferson IA. He is a Chiropractor that practices alternative medicine. I made the appt for Miss A and her constipation problem she has been dealing with since birth. She continues to be in a bad mood and HATES being changed. So enough was enough and i finally made the appt. It was about a 2 hour trip otherwise I'd had made an appt long time ago.

Mr C'man went to our old baby sitter and Miss A and I set off for Jefferson. The ride was uneventful although i do question my TomTom's ability to pick the 'fastest route'. The appt was just AMAZING!! I just can not believe it. Dr Miller, aka Voodoo man, worked on Miss A by having her lay on the examination table/bed and I sat on the table up by her head. He poked, pushed, touched, etc different areas of her body. Then he had me put one had on her and hold my other, left arm, straight up and was not to let him push it down. When ever there was a 'weak' area on Miss A my arm would go down. He'd 'fix' it and then tell me to put my arm out again and it WOULDN'T GO DOWN!! She laid there very calmly for him this entire time, VERY relaxed. Then he gave her some vials and did some more resistance things. He noticed that she has an allergy to a drug found in vaccinations, he then rid her body of it.

Then he said 'I'm going to work on your mommy'. I wasn't planning on that. He then had me hold a variety of vials and did some more resistance tests. He says 'you've been very sick' I thought about it and remembered that yes I had had the flu. He said 'no sicker then that'. Hmmm...he said 'you have staph, strep and phenomena, in your body'. I was SHOCKED b/c that would be entirely possible. I had MRSA a couple years ago and have never been able to get rid of it. I had a horrible cold a/b a month ago and well strep is a form of staph. He said 'it's not even just strep, its strep B and that is very serious'. So he 'rid my body' of those infections and said i should be cleared of them now! He can only treat 3 infections at a time. He doesn't even check for any more after he finds 3, however a person could come back in 1 1/2 and he could do another treatment. He said he has people fly in first thing in the AM and then every 1 1/2 they do another treatment and they fly out early evening. YES he has people fly in from all over the USA!

After he finished with me he wanted to do an emotional eval on Miss A. He worked on her and then said 'OK now try changing her diaper'. I did with NO problems although I'm not 100% convinced that was just b/c we were in a different place. But anyway he said she was emotionally damaged. Made me feel horrible but the doc instantly gave me the high five but with the knuckle kind of thing and said i think we're well on our way. I'm sure all those times of changing her and having to take her temp rectally and do suppositories is what made her HATE her changing table. He told me if she still is horrible to change to not tolerate it and get her back in for another session.

$110 later we left. I thought that was a GREAT price b/c we both got treated. Now return visits will be $26! I got right in my van and called my mom and said you have GOT to see this man. I'm wondering how many of you think I'm crazy!? I must say tho that when i was younger, like 10-13 yrs old i went to a doc that practiced acupressure. He cured me, i kid you not, of my nervousness. My dad thought it was CRAZY, as he does this, but he also will kind of bite his lip and says you sure didn't have many stomach issues after it tho.

I encourage ANY of you who live in IA to contact me for more information. I think it would be well worth your trip to see him AND you could even stay over night and do sessions on both days. We won't rush back but I'm not going to put it off.

With that I must express my sadness to my first college roommate who's father passed away Sunday AM from a heart attack. It really makes you realize how quick those you love, can be taken from you. Her family is expecting the first AND SECOND g'babies this summer and fall AND next April my roommate will be getting married. It makes me so sad. I talked to her last night and they are getting by. So if you are in to praying, please send up some prayers for there family. Hugs to you KL!!!

I Survived

And it's nothing short of a miracle, I made it thru the garage sale. Let me tell you, people REALLY need to get rid of stuff rather then pawn it off. We allowed 'donations' of items and then we, the community center, would get the proceeds. What a MESS!! I didn't price any of it and bless the ladies that did b/c I'm pretty darn sure I would have handed people a bag and said fill it for $5.

Yesterday I got there @ 1 to price things. Instead 2 of the men were already putting tables out, which was awesome. That meant I got to place them the way I WANTED!! Score for Rachel! But then that meant we all, 4 of us, had to haul ALL THE LOOT from the weight room to the gym. I tell ya what I've NEVER seen so much stuff. Tons of baby thru adult clothes and lots of just plain junk. I meant to take my camera but forgot it. We had 7 8 ft tables and that didn't fit 1/2 the stuff. We could have filled the entire gym with just donated stuff.

So i got there at 1 and didn't get home till 745PM!! But not with out some drama. Miss Personality came flying in to the gym with her claws OUT!! She was hotter then hot b/c Betty (volunteer) had called her to see if you could come help. Well at the last meeting I said i had the workers all worked out. I mean really, she says that night at the meeting in a VERY snotty tone: 'So i suppose you expect us to work at this?? What about that? How you going to handle THAT?' At which i replied 'oh don't worry about it i have it covered'. I mean really, do think I'm going to ask her help after that kind of question? I'd run the entire thing in 4ft heals before I'd ask HER to help! So yeah, she comes barreling in there yesterday saying 'Do you not remember what you told us at the last meeting that you didn't NEED help??' I was literally caught off guard!! Betty goes over and says 'well we didn't know there was going to be this much stuff." I said too yeah, there is just tons and bless your souls for pricing this all. ( i found out later she did VERY little in that part too) but don't worry about it, i think will be just fine. Then Betty goes over to hug her and she screams 'don't hug me I've just had a biopsy of my shoulder and it hurts' Betty told her to go home and rest and i gladly seconded that.

I feel quite bad for her b/c she's mad at the world. Everything is poor me. She comes from a very large family so both her parents are deceased. She hasn't done much, if anything, to change her quality of life and I just really feel bad she's so angry. I want to so tell her this but yeah, what good would it do. There would probably be a brawl on the floor of her and me. She NEVER smiles and complains ALL the time. Really, who wants to hang around someone like that!? She did come today and she went right over to a table and started flappin her jaws NON STOP and i was getting glares. I thought come on really!? you really think people want to hear you complain about me?! I busted my arse to make everything go and you're going to complain. WOW!!

At any rate the sale itself went good. I was disappointed that some of the people that rented tables, didn't all show. I did sell my double stroller so that means i can get a sit'n'stand! I made about $225 and giving what I had, I was darn happy with.

The donation table looked like nothing even left. And people bought like crazy. We sent most of it to shelters, goodwill, etc and MOST of it went right to the dumpster. I really hope people don't come looking in the dumpster and see there stuff in it. Some of the clothes for babies was so nasty i wouldn't let me cats use it for bedding. I just can't believe some people think they are doing us a favor by what they donated. GROSS i couldn't wait to shower after touching some of it. And shoes?? please just throw them away, unless there little kids. and PLEASE don't bring us your 1x sweater with a BIG ol stain that looks like a ketch up bottle exploded.

All in all I'd say it was a success. People asked if we'd be doing it again and I said not with me in charge. I'm DONE and remind me of this the next time I say I'm going to do a fundraiser for the community center. These women are not who you want to mess around with.

Tonight I'm not cooking!! We actually are going out with DH's family for the March/April b-days which by the way, mine is in THREE DAYS!! Got my presents bought?? If you need my address, let me know (LOL) i got one today from my sister, a very colorful tray and some nice dish rags. I was saying I wanted a tray b/c I'm sick of making 101 trips from the counter to the table! This is perfect!!

How many of you had a garage sale? How many like to garage sale? What's the best bargain you've gotten?? Actually I'll do a 'poll'. Yeah sounds like a good idea. I think I'm going to do a give away!! Maybe a mini flat wallet?? Watch for details!!

Know what it is in 2 weeks???

My BIRTHDAY!! Yup that's right another year older, and wiser I'll become. When i was working outside the home, I'd make a big deal out of my b-day. One of the other girls that I worked with, before she moved to Florida, we had fun planning our 'b-day MONTH' at work. Each year I'd come up with a different theme. Lets see there was care bears, strawberry shortcake, and actually that's all I can think of in my wind blown head (VERY windy here). I'd tell them i was registered at different stores and would make sure they had my invitation list to MY PARTY:)

Of course that was all in fun and games and to be honest, it gave us all something to laugh about and have fun with. But we would order lunch from the b-day persons favorite place and there would be treats and cake. Often years there were some little presents too.

I love presents. BUT i hate suspense/surprises. The biggest torture for me is when someone says 'i have a surprise for you' I kid you not, I will do whatever it takes to beat it out of you. My husband as realized it's best to say NOTHING if he has a surprise. I don't like suspense one bit. I like to be prepared. If you'd throw a surprise party for me and could get it past me, well then you're pretty darn good. Like the time I had a baby shower at church, before C'man was born, and my FF-L flew in from New Jersey and surprised the HECK out of me. Everyone but Jeff and I knew she was coming. It was the most amazing thing EVER. Even the ladies of the church were involved in it. That's probably the only time someone has surprised me like she has.

So anyway, yesterday I told DH I needed to get up to Sioux city to get HIS b-day present. His is the 22nd!! He wanted some ideas for my b-day, ok so maybe i asked him what he had in mind for me. So i obliged. My list consisted of:
Pedicure/facial/massage
a nice outfit like Capri's, shirt
blue tooth for my cell
jewelry (of which i just got it myself and it'll be my present to me)
someone to come in and give our house a 'deep cleaning'
picture frames

I told him that anything on this list would be fine but what he doesn't get, could then be given on Mothers Day (LOL) Now really does anything on that look to hard?? I think the first would be the easiest b/c that would just entail a call to a place and give them his credit card number and wala, done deal.

Want to know what HE wants to get me?? Lingerie. I said heck no, what a waste of money and time. Get me something I really want and could use.

So with that i have a b-day challenge for you readers. I want you to tell someone about my blog and you and them post a comment. Lets see if I can get some of you stalkers to come out and talk to me. Pleeeeaasseee it's my b-day wish from you, to me!!

Time to go finish getting ready for my in laws. They are coming over for supper tonight. Roast with veggies in the crock pot, homemade bread in the bread machine and waiting for DH to bring Vegetable oil so i can finish the cake:)

In the last 24 hours

I tell ya I haven't had this rough of a week since deciding to stay home over 6 months ago (adjusting to that was rather hard). We have all been sick, still sick with colds now, and ALL over tired. We all have managed to get on one another's nerves but i think my nerves are about at the end. I took Miss A to church yesterday b/c C'man woke up in a bad mood. There was NO WAY church would go over with the way he was acting. Since DH was still getting over the flu and within 15 min of waking up C'man AND Miss A were screaming I took her.

Would ya believe me if I told you that some people didn't even know Miss A was with me?? I had to play the piano so she sat on the bench right behind me like a little lady. She was just an angel. Can't believe I'm even using the word 'Angel' in the post b/c it's been anything but that for both kids.

C'man got some much needed cough medicine after a quick, and last minute trip, to the pediatrician early Friday evening. Thank goodness for late hours! While it makes him stop coughing which allows him to sleep, it turns him in to the devil. He just is ornerier then a doz pigs. He doesn't eat, cries at anything, sticks his tongue out me and is anything but sweet.

Miss A just screams all the time. I'm resorted to letting her walk around with her binkie just to keep her quite. It's her way or the hwy which it always HAS been but the last 24 hours I'm not all about it. Yesterday she was in her bed 3 times after just being awake for 2 hours. Timeout for her and mommy!

DH walks around like he's going to fall over and die. He says he has a migraine which sets me off b/c anyone that has had/have migraines know that if you have a migraine you are literally dead to the world if you aren't puking.

SO....this is just another glimpse besides the above that they have done. While getting supper ready yesterday C'man got a yellow crayon and colored all over the NEW flat screen TV, foot rest and God only knows what else!! Imagine my horror when i saw it and new DH was coming home any minute. Thank GOD for magic erasers.

Just a little while ago i found the two of them downstairs with Popsicles that i had meant to throw out outside b/c they were all yucky in our freezer. I found Miss A on the train table with hers and C'man in the toy box with his and his was ALL over him. And not only on him but on the carpet and did i tell you it was a red Popsicle.

I also braved the moods and baked cookies to which I'm happy to say for ONCE they did NOT turn out flat!! I'm ELATED about that. But the little monsters stole two of them which means they will now not eat supper.

So yeah, don't you want to come live at my house?? I'm taking applications.....better yet will someone please come take me away for the day b/c the next post might be from the loony bin!!

Oh and just one more thought if my kids don't make me a drinkin women this garage sale that I'm organizing WILL!!

Crazy time

I feel like I'm a chicken running around with my head cut off. This week is CRAAAZY!! About 3 hours after i posted those pictures I was worshiping the porcelain god. Sorry no pics of that, oh heavens NO!! I got the flu going around. I did double duty (both ends) therefore i feel that's why after 12 hours i was feeling much better. But really, do ya think my husband could have kept the kids downstairs as i was upstairs puking my brains out?? No, Miss A had to pat my back and C'man had his stethoscope. Good grief.

By Thursday AM I was doing much better and last night I was doing a Ladies Night Out. I would have rather stayed home trust me, but the idea that i could be missing out on some good sales and prospective purse party hostesses i HAD to go. It wasn't bad. The weather here is just ROTTEN so i think that kept many, if not most, at home.

Today, Friday, was a style show in a nearby town. I wondered again as the wind blew me to town if it was worth it. Had to drop the kids off with FFS, so she had 5 kids under 3. Then i walked in and another person was there with jewelry and purses. BUT it all worked out I did sell a fair amount of items.

Tomorrow is our Spring Fling and after that I'm FREE!!! That would have been the time to get sick.

HOWEVER i must send out a big congrats to my first college roommate 'Ketta' on her engagement. We found one another again via 'facebook'. It's been great catching up, and even seeing one another. I can't wait to help with wedding planning and I already have an idea for colors. She wants her primary color to be red. Well since I'm all about 'inspirational pieces' I found something of Miss A's clothes that has red and 3 other colors. I need to share it with her first tho....Tell us tho, what color would you accent red with?? It'll be an April wedding....

Off and running.........