When is enough enough?? I'm talking about the CCC I'm on. The Community Center board and Miss Personality. We are working on our annual Ladies Night Out. It's a night of shopping, wine tasting, and a great meal. Well last year i sold my purses at it, had a great time. Well this year since I'm on the 'board' I'll be helping putting it together. I said I'd take care of getting all the displayers of which I've been working on.
I didn't make Sunday nights meeting b/c of other things going on (harvest='s no DH, my parents were here, etc) So i told one of the ladies i have a group of displayers and it's all looking good. Yesterday i get a message from Miss Personality that she too has a list of people. LOVELY!! She had to remind me that there was a meeting Sunday night too!! I should have reminded her about the previous meeting that she wasn't at. But i digress.
We talk and sort it all out who's who'. I just got home now to another message saying that she has another lady that might be coming. Well this other lady sells jewelry and purses! I told her i don't think that's very fair b/c i sell the same thing she does and i was trying to stay away from doubling up. She said 'Rachel, that's not very fair. She's sold lots of cookbooks for us and I don't' think we can tell her she can't come' I said 'oh really.....' Why the heck was she even asked. So i just said 'OK!?'
All while I'm thinking, do i need to continue to deal with this crap. I get nothing but grief from her and I've had it. I have so much going on in my life that maybe i don't need to do this community center stuff any more. Seems all it does is bring me grief. But if i stop doing it what about my Zumba that i have going and going over VERY WELL!!! Or the circuits that we are doing on Thursday nights, or the number of memberships I've gotten. Who looses more, them or me?? Am I playing right in to her hands if i say I'm done!? I've just had it with one person and I'm not sure if it's worth me getting all worked up and tense about every time i hear her voice!
She's very snarky when she does talk down to me and yeah, when is enough enough? I'd love to tell her off. Would i ever.
Talk some sense in to me one way or the other.....now that I've vented I NEED to get working on my MOPS presentation for TOMORROW!!

Video

I'm busying working on my MOPS presentation about Infertility and Adoption and came across this youtube video on Wendi's blog. It couldn't speak the truth any better then i can write it!
How Does Infertility Feel

Misc Things

Another one of those posts where I'm going to lump a bunch of things in to one post. Just way to much going on in our lives i tell you! I have so many ideas of what to blog about in the media, like POLITICS but just don't have the time. Although i must say, I just read another blog swarming with Obama supporters thinking the Republicans are to blame for the current banking status. I'd like to remind them who we inherited this from, AND that do nothing Congress we have with the majority being Democrat. How can we get anything done when we absolutely can NOT work together. Lets just get something worked out please! Of course I'm not sure what the solution is and I'm thinking DOC will have some suggestions on that. But why are the McCain/Palin supporters so silent when it comes to the public support Obama supporters offer? Has anyone read the Left Behind series? Does any of this remind you of that??
OK I'll stop.......

So us, I have been a canning fool. Here's what it's been looking like here:

First the coveted apple tree:
Me picking the apples. Good thing my mom doesn't read this, she'd freak out seeing this.
I had this long rod thing that i shook the branches with to make the apples fall. They were everywhere and not very easy to get to. I have SO many scratches everywhere. I tried to get C'man to help but that didn't last to long. It was much easier for him to crawl in there then me:
Miss A isn't to much help. She'd rather sit in the van and watch DVD's. But they both like to help daddy in the tractor.
This really doesn't even show how many apples. There was 8 bags chucked full!

Now the canning part. We made Applesauce. It worked out great b/c C'man liked to do this part:


I HATE running the apples thru the food mill. What a process. I had DH doing it last night. But here's the applesauce ready to be canned. I've done 3 pots of it so far:
I've also canned peaches, peach jam, pears and apple pie filling. Of which i made an apple pie last night, WITH a store bought crust. It was AWESOME! My hands are completely cut up and I'm really sick of apples, BUT i think I'm going to have to do some more apple pie filling!!

Other things, oh my van that i said had a little accident. Here it is:
My dad backed in to it! I'll say no more.

Friday night was our schools Home Coming. The kids love parades so we like to hit this one. Always LOTS of candy that i end up tossing BACK to the kids on the floats:) C'man loved it as you can see

Miss A preferred to stand behind Daddy's chair.

The middle of the month we made it to the Clay County Fair. I guess it's the largest county fair in the US!! It was kids day so they got to meet Clifford. There was a story too. They loved the story but not to sure of Clifford.
For me besides the food, the highlight was these geese. It's Santa with his 12 geese AND each one of them has some theme. See the baby on the back? one has a flask tied around it, another a binky, just HILARIOUS! I have a video I'll try and download. But what they did is they drank soda from a liter bottle! Each kid got to let them drink from it. It really was comical!

OK i have to wrap up this post. I have a purse party tonight and I'm excited about it. It's for one of my new friends i met thru MOPS. I'm looking forward to hanging out with friends and eating! I did have a purse party last Tuesday that went really well! I'll have a craft fair this weekend too. Business is picking up. As always, let me know if you are looking for a new purse or wallet. 20% discount if you mention your a blog reader:)

Apple Trouble

Before you read this, if you pick no other in the past to reply, for whatever reasons, START NOW with this one!! I have a dilemma!
So we have this AMAZING apple tree in a ditch on a gravel road that goes to our farm. The road is a public gravel road and the ditch is too. I guess you could say the state owns it. This apple tree sits right in the ditch and produces the most AMAZING apples every TWO years. I've been at the mercy of my FIL one time a week or so ago, to pick some in the bucket of the tractor and then last week we picked more.
OK back to my dilemma, DH calls me on the cell and says 'you'd better get going, some lady is picking the apples'. I immediately start freaking out. For one wondering why HE couldn't stop and talk to her and two, two years ago the same thing happened and some person took EVERY FREAKIN APPLE and left us with nothing.
SO....being the kind of person i am I'm all worked up. I hop in the old van (another post in and of itself lets say it involves a little fender bender) parked down at the end of the driveway. But wait, the door is locked. Run back up the driveway to find keys and see C'man is awake.
Oh the child police would have a hay day knowing i was going to drive 3 miles while my kids were sleeping in the house. C'man came with me and off we went.
DH's last words were 'tell her she'd better not eat them, we sprayed them' he tried to think of some toxic spray to tell her but couldn't. I wasn't going to listen any way. If i had had a gun I'd had strapped that on me and been on my way.
I get there and she's pulling away. I flag her down and proceed to tell her 'you pickin those apples? We sprayed them!!"
Her face went white. 'Oh dear she said, what a horrible time of the year to spray them, what did you use?'
"ahhhhh I'm not sure" Mean while I'm thinking about sending my son to the back of her van and unload those apples but quickly realizing he's in his underwear and not big enough to do such a devious act.
We proceeded to talk about the apples, how she asked permission to get them from the land owner (remembering this tree belongs to know one per say) and she is just a real nice lady. We talked for some 10 min. We ended the conversation by her calling me tonight to find out what kind of spray was used.
I told her it was probably what ever the crop duster used but wasn't sure.
I call DH pissed at him for setting me up like that. WHY couldn't he had just talked to her, WHY did he tell me to tell her it'd been sprayed, etc but he said she should know it was sprayed with the hi boy and more then likely the crop duster 'dust' wouldn't have gotten on it.
SO in you come...................what do you think? Do you think i was cruel, lying, deceitful crazy lady?
My plan is when/if she calls is just to tell her that DH said it was the hi boy that got it and just wash them really well and wish her well. Oh and that I'd love some of that apple cider she plans on making.
Thoughts?? Are any of you peeing your pants in laughter?
Any responses i will put a number in the hat and will personally mail you some of the coveted apples! Don't be shy, i would like more then one or 2 responses. Oh and really they are SAFE to eat!! No spray, well other then i guess insecticides but even that shouldn't be much, if any. I just ate one myself and I'm still kickin!!

The Big O....

Oh dear, i hope you weren't thinking i was going to talk about THAT now did you?? Get your minds out of the gutter:) No i'm referring to Omaha. My brother, SIL and my nephew are flying in from DC tonight. They have a wedding to attend tonight. My parents and then my sister from MN are all meeting up in Omaha tomorrow. DH isn't' coming b/c he wants to get in the field. They planted some early beans b/c they need to seed that ground down to pasture. Those beans are ready. Oh speaking of 'farming' i guess DH has gotten a different combine. He had gotten a different one last year ($50,000) and it needs some work done to it. SO the salesman, his friend, said he'd give him what he paid for that one toward this other one. WHICH is $90,000!!!!!!!! Can you believe that. My DH is spending $90g on a piece of equipment used about 3 months out of the year. And actually to buy a NEW COMBINE would run you up over the $150,000!! No wonder I got a 'newer' van.

Back to the weekend. We are staying at this hotel and it has a great indoor water park. Bummed that my niece won't be able to make it, but not as bummed as C'man will be with my sister pulls in tonight and there's no JoJo. JoJo has a volleyball tournament she is playing in this weekend.

What's all you readers doing this weekend?? Come on ya'll we need to put some comments in here. Make me feel better about this blabbing:) BFFE- you're good at this THANKS!

I must be out of my mind with this canning business. I've canned: Tomato Juice, Tomato Soup (still hot), Spaghetti Sauce, Pears, Cinnamon Pears (yesterday), Peach Pie Filling, Peach Jam, Froze a BUNCH of peaches and in the crock pot now is apple butter.

Tomorrow, or Friday, I will be canning a flat of peaches. The pears and peaches came from the organic store down the road from us. I'm not sure why i ordered so many flats but i did. They are the best dang peaches and pears you'll ever taste. Oh and i had gotten blueberries a couple weeks ago too! OH and Strawberries, waiting to make jam with them. Froze them till i had time.

I can can while the kids nap if i stay focused. Both kids have been napping for 3+ hours the last couple days. That allows me to get it all done. I'm trying to avoid using the pressure cooker. That thing scares me! Not to mention it hasn't been used in over 2 years so we're not sure how accurate the gauge is. None the less, I've called on the, 'canners for life' mentor and she advised me for the soup I could just do a hot water bath.

That's what I've been up too the last couple days. OH and picking apples. On Monday I entrusted my FIL with my life and let him hoist me in the air with the bucket on his old tractor. I was rather frightened. More by what my mother and husband would say if they saw me. At one point he about cut my head off by shoving me in to the tree to far:) Today was DH's turn to pick apples with FIL driving. I opt'd to climb the apple tree. Yes, that too was a sight. I got poked in the bum by a branch and nearly fell out. It still hurts.

So anyway, need apples come on over. We have plenty. I'd also like to hear any recipes you may have for canning and any stories you have about doing it!

Zumba bumba

WOW what a workout this Zumba is. Here's a link to our instructor at a local dance event. She's been on the news quite a bit with the Zumba. She is so cute too. Click on ZUMBA to see the news clip.
Back to me doing the Zumba. I think my legs and arms were all over the place. It was SO MUCH FUN! I just am so glad there was no camera crew, mirrors, or anyone behind me, b/c i felt like an octopus. The turn out wasn't to bad. Not the best, but not bad. I think those of us that were there LOVED it and will be busy talking about it gaining more interest by our enthusiasm.
We had 2 classes just this time. I did both classes. WOW! i was sweating so much my hair was just soaked. What a great work out! I do need to get different shoes tho. My arches starting hurting and now my big toe hurts. I think it's b/c i do so much of it on my toes!?
But it was fun and will be a great work out. I did notice that I'm going to have to miss one Monday night b/c i scheduled a purse party. Daaa
I'm talking tonight with a young lady that is at the beginning of her and her DH's infertility journey. Actually they've been on it for awhile but have just now visited with an Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE). They live out in PA, originally from near me. I'm so hoping I can be the support she needs as well as help her, encourage them, and just answer any questions they may have. I feel that I've been down this road one to many times and know exactly what they will experience.
I'd better get going, she's do to call any minute.

Zummmbaaa

Guess what i'm getting ready to go do. ZUMBA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Hxw_Jf2B4

Oh it ought to be interesting with my 6ft body trying to do this!! Stop the chuckling BFFE, SML, Laura:)

STay posted for my take on it all!

My Mouth May Hurt

but not my fingers! I can still type. Dear me, what would happen if i couldn't do that. So lets see....what's on my mind.
Right now the little monsters, i mean children, are playing in the basement. I hear screams of delight coming. Delight to them may be oh DEAR to me! I have already changed Miss A twice before nap time. BUT she did 'pooters' in the potty! She then woke up from her nap, pulled her diaper off and i didn't know that, so when i got her, she had pee'd in her bed. SO that was time #3.
C'man changed clothes after coming home from the farm and being just covered in dirt. 1/2 inch of rain on a farm equals LOTS of mud! Then after his nap I dressed him for the 3rd time only to find him on top of a dirt/mud pile with NO SHOES! He had worn boots out there but they go stuck in the mud. However, that didn't cause the big mess. That darn sand and water table i got off of craigslist is what did him in. I hate that table. It's going back ON craigslist. The sand never stays on the sand side so that means I'm stuck cleaning sand/water/muck and my kids are constantly covered in it.
WHY did i think that would be such a wonderful toy to get them. It has caused nothing but grief. Even the cats like it, I've found them pooping in it. So BYE BYE! Anyone want it???

Yesterday was our first MOPS meeting of the year (mothers of preschoolers). This is my 2nd year. I am also a table leader and i can say I have a great table. We aren't very crafty, so we were thrilled yesterday when our table made this dipped pretzel 'dude' and it was already dipped, had the mini chocolate chips for his buttons and all we had to do was tie licorice for his collar and the other 'dude' we had to put a dab of frosting on the tip of the pretzel, put a gummy ring on and then his hat which was a gummy drop. It actually was really easy for us! To bad our kids didn't get to eat them. I know 1/2 of us ate it right there!! Fun times

Speaking of MOPS next month I'm the speaker. I will be educating mothers about infertility and adoption. Something I'm not sure any of the mothers have experience. Considering i think 5 moms have 4-7 kids out of 40, I'd say not. But still I'm sure some have struggled to get pregnant with one. I won't go any further b/c I'm sure you'll be my sounding/reading audience as i prepare for it.

What's on your minds? Not much reaction from my previous posts. Lots of 'hits'/readers but no comments. Not sure what to make of that. But i would appreciate any feedback:)

Off to see what the monsters are doing they are coming to find me!!

My Achin Mouth

Here you thought you were done hearing about my mouth. WRONG! I had my root canal today. I'm not very happy. It was HORRIBLE! I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, not even ahh...Obama! (ok well maybe)
I told the doc. that my dentist really had to numb me up, like REALLY numb my mouth. He said oh don't worry we will.
He shot that med. in to my mouth and pain ripped across my lips. I even said AHHHH.
Then he started with more needles, and then grinding, then me jumping b/c i was not all the way numb. I don't know how many times he had to give me more numbing medicine, at least a doz times. It was just awful. My entire body was as stiff as a board waiting for him to hit another nerve. At one point i was sweating but i was shaking.
Are you cringing in pain with me yet??
It took a good hour to get it done. My mouth was pried open for a solid hour. Now my mouth can move for a solid hour of talking, but NEVER this wide open. When it was 'over' they had to take an xray. After finally getting my mouth shut, i couldn't open it again to have that thing shoved in to my mouth. I just couldn't do it.
Well Mr Dentist, or whatever that guy is called, got it in there alright. Shoved it right in, i almost puked on him.
OK well I'm stopping now b/c i think I've said everything i can and I'm rather cross. I'm working on canning spaghetti sauce. Another process in and of itself.
I still would like some feed back on my previous post. I know there has to be someone out there that either disagrees completely or has something to add to it.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be opening a big ol' can of worms but if i am, I am. I've been struggling lately with the question/thought of how can a Christian be a Democrat? I follow a variety of infertility support groups on line and some topics I'm just avoiding such as those in strong support for Obama.
Repeatedly he has voted against ending partial birth abortions. I just don't understand how Christians can possibly think that's OK? I realize abortion may not be #1 in your reasons to vote for a candidate but it shows how 'liberal' he is. Then on top of all of this i read about many women who are infertile and think it's OK for women to abort. Really?? you want a child so bad that you think this is OK? Or those who have adopted, do they realize that had that mom chosen abortion that child wouldn't be with them? Does that alone not make you want to end abortion, or at the least, partial birth abortion?
We've all heard the stories where the nurse sits in a dark room holding a child that was just aborted and he/she lays there in the nurses arms trying to cling to life that it's mother determined was not to be.
It saddens me beyond belief. Abortion aside, we still have the appointment of judges. Do you really think Obama will appoint anyone that is just remotely conservative? not a chance! That is a big concern as there will be openings on the court and if we want to keep marriage b/w a man and a women we need someone to fight for that. Conservatives believe marriage is b/w a man and a women. God says marriage is b/w a man and women, so wouldn't a Christian feel the same? Maybe you're thinking it's not for me to determine. Well you may think that till little Johnny comes home from school and says guess what i learned today mom!?
It won't stop there either. This nation was founded on the belief of God. We are getting away from it and look where we're heading.

I don't think all the decisions Bush has made are right. Who likes war? Christians don't, know one does. But our freedom is being tested, much like our faith, and we need to stand firm. We are at a point in our history where we have to fight for our freedom. I strongly believe that JMC will get business taken care of and get out. Pulling out right now would mean loosing everything we've fought for. Our nation will always be at risk of terrorist. That's the way my children are going to be raised. But i will not worry about that with JMC in office.

Well, i think I've said enough and probably offended many. But i truly do want to know how a Christian can be a Democrat. I know i have hit just the tip of the iceberg, but that's what's front and center with me right now. So please if you could take a moment and respectfully agree or disagree, I'd appreciate it.

John McCain

Sorry i haven't posted sooner! Are some of you surprised? Well I'm sure you won't be surprised that i was thrilled with JMC (John McCain) speaking at the RNC. While i don't think he has the speaking qualities that Palin did, I thought he did great. Did it make anyone else sad when he talked about being held captive for 5 years?? I just simply can not imagine I had to kind of tune it out b/c it was so disturbing for me to listen to.
I'd like to hear what you all thought. What were parts that you liked? Questioned? Didn't like?

Home Run

Does anyone else think Sara Palin hit a home run last night at the RNC? Man I continue to stand by my statement that she's the one. This women means business. She has a look to her like a school teacher that could take a ruler and tap a couple kids on hands if they aren't listening.
A couple things of note from last night. I noticed she was wearing a skirt. I liked that. I was hoping she wouldn't take the Hillary look and do the pant suit. While i find them just fine, myself having worn many of them, I thought the skirt was a better choice. The last thing we need is comparison to Hillary.
I loved that when she said the Gov't was going to help AL build a bridge she said will build it ourselves. She has been behind an extensive oil pipe line that is nearing completion. She is fiscally conservative. Even sold the Governors airplane on eBay and got rid of the cook. Man that would have been hard to do without the cook. (i hope that cook wasn't union, will never hear the end of that. Oh wait, i'm sure they hooked them up with another job)
She believes in the value of the life of an unborn child. When many may have aborted a down syndrome baby she didn't give it a 2nd thought. She is firm in her convictions and I like that.
I think for domestic issues she's got us covered. She is strong where McCain may be weak and vice versa. I feel she will stand her ground and not be bullied. I can tell she has a great level of respect for those protecting us, her own son being one of them.
She stated that yes her family struggles with issues just like every one of us.
And her husband, can we say WOWSA!! Besides the fact he is HOT!!!!! he appears to be an average citizen trying to make a living. He is a fisher man and does something with snow machines?? Didn't catch all of that. Boy will his life change!
And her daughters boyfriend, well golly darn, i think I'd wrap a ring on that finger too.
While thinking about her daughter my friend Shannan pointed something out. While I'm not sure if marriage is necessarily the right choice she, the daughter and her boyfriend, are doing what's right by marrying one another. Shannan pointed out that the age group of our parents and older believe that that's what should happen when a girl gets pregnant. The man should take responsibility and step up to the bat. I think she has a valid point.
In a way i wish adoption was an option, and maybe it was something they discussed. But to be honest, no matter what she does it won't be the right 'solution' for the liberals. But at least she didn't abort.
So yeah, at any rate, I think she did an amazing job. That little daughter of hers is adorable. Licking her hand and then smoothing her little brother's hair. PRECIOUS! Waving like she's Cinderella on that stage.
I think Sara has a grip on family and work. While I personally feel the mother should stay home when at all possible, i certainly don't condone those that choose to work. Or are forced too. I do not hold that against her or any mother. I've done both and some days i wish i was still working:)
What do you all think? don't be bashful! You can leave comments anomalously if you so choose. I don't even know who would leave them.
Tell us all what you thought. What you liked? disliked?

Labor Day

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Lakes, specifically Arnolds Park . Arnolds Park is home to this wooden build roller coaster. Built in 1927, the Legend roller coaster is actually the 13th oldest wooden roller coaster in the U.S. Check out the link b/c there is a video of the roller coaster. No i didn't go on it either. About 5 years ago I went on it with my dad and neither of us said a word when it came to a stop. We didn't say a word the rest of the day in fact. It whipped our neck in ways we never knew was possible. With Dad's bad neck already and me heading that way, it was NOT what we should have done.


DH and JoJo did go on it, but only once. DH is complaining of whip lash.





This is the perfect place tho for C'man and Miss A. Even JoJo has fun. They have little rides just right for the little ones. Like the fish:


Miss A could have ridden this all day.





Then the little roller coaster that C'man must have forgotten that he didn't like the last time. But before he could remember it he hopped in the last car and off he went. I think the pictures say it all. But i must add there was not a dry eye b/w any of us or any that happen to see him. We laughed so hard at the expressions as I'm sure you will too.
They forgot to tell him to prepare for take off.


Oh my gosh is it over yet? Nope 5 more rounds sweetie


The scrambler and tilt a whirl were also big hits. I stayed off of any rides. My tooth hurts when i brush my teeth and all that blood rushes right to it.





It was a run day. We finished the afternoon off with pizza before heading back to mom and dad's camper. There we got the kids ready for bed and headed for home. They didn't fall right to sleep like i thought they would and eventually DH ended up in the back seat with them. LOVE that middle 3rd seat in the Odyssey. The last 30 min. no one was awake. It was a long drive.





I'd say the day was a hit with everyone!!!

Have we had some interesting conversations lately with C'man. When talking about him and Miss A being babies he said A got milk from mommies bump. I replied:

"from where"
C'man: 'your bump on your shoulder'

Me: LMAO! You mean my boobie.

C'man: Yeah that

HOW does he remember this stuff. He was Miss A's age when she came around.

Then yesterday coming home from the farm we drove by the calves with there mommy.
C'man: The calf is with his mommy getting some milk

Me: Oh really? And where do they get there milk from:

C'man: The cow's weenie

OH MY GOSH!!! This kids is cracking me up. And he is right the cows teats do look similar to his wee wee.

Have a good Labor Day. We are heading to the lakes and going to the little amusement park. We will be with my sister, niece, and my parents. The kids will have a BLAST! I shall post pictures.