An Email I Received....(It's long but good)

Spoiled Brats

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So, being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?'' Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year? Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.

Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if,while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bulletproof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation during the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig. So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way...... Insane! Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

WE ARE THE MOST BLESSED PEOPLE ON EARTH, WE SHOULD THANK GOD SEVERAL TIMES PER DAY.....

It's Going to Be A Good Week!!

That's my confession for the week. It's already going pretty good.

Last night the family and I went to "open gym" and got in some good exercise. The school opens the gyms for three hours every Sunday night for anybody that wants to shoot around. This isn't the first time we've gone but it was the first time I decided I could play a game with the big guys. By big guys I mean high school players and male adults. Yeah, it was a little intimidating but I can lift my head high. I ended up playing four games and had a blast. I had surgery on my left knee (ACL reconstruction) last spring so I did baby that and not run full speed, but I kept up and held my own. I even made a few shots... and missed a few shots. It was so much fun. I was nervous about how my body would be reacting this morning, but thanks to Aleeve I actually crawled out of bed all on my own. YAY!!! It was however, a wake up call to just how much I really should get back into shape. These winter months have added some extra weight that really must go. Think I could get all those guys to come back to the gym every other night just so I could get in some good conditioning? Probably not, but that would be a fun way to do it. I suppose the treadmill and I should just stop glaring at each other and become best friends for a few months.

I got asked to play on a softball team this summer - that should be fun. Due to my knee I wasn't able to participate in to many things in fear of it "going out", hence the decision for the surgery. So now I can play instead of just watching. I was also asked to help coach a teen girls softball team. I'm not sure if that will work out or not, but I hope so. I would really like to get on a volleyball team too, but I don't know if there are enough nights in the week. My summer is starting to once again look very busy and full of sports - I love it! Trevor plays softball, Kale plays baseball, Nikia plays softball, and now I get to play too. Not to mention the games we attend of my nephew and nieces. The only thing I don't like about being so "on-the-go" is that it seems like summer goes twice as fast.

Before I sign off I have to mention that Kale had his last basketball tournament on Saturday. He is a 2nd grader but he and his best buddy played on the 3rd grade team this year. I know they both had so much fun and learned a lot. This isn't the last time you'll hear of these two boys. Last year they participated in a local triathlon and got 3rd place.

I took the boys to the movie "Bridge to Terabithia" on Friday. If you have not seen this movie, you need to. It's a Disney movie and rated PG. I even cried through some of it. It's a really good one. The boys liked it too. I'm not going to tell you anything about it - you have to see it for yourself.

Okay, enough rambling.

Post Slacker ~ That's Me!

I admit, I've been a post slacker lately. I just haven't had anything great to write about and no ambition to make anything up. I have been making my rounds to the other sites I enjoy, but still no inspiration on what to write.

I have been feeling so BLAH lately (not to mention I've been sick the last few days -ughh). This is the time of year when my life slows down to a halt and it just gets so depressing for me. The basketball games are done and the spring sports don't start up for awhile. Not that sports are my life, but they are a big part of my life. They always have been and always will be. I get so used to heading to a game almost every night that when the season ends it's like "now what". It's just this in-between time that gets to me. Soon I'll be helping on the farm, doing yard work and heading to baseball/softball games, track meets, and much more. I can't wait! I'm eagerly waiting for those days.

So keep up the interesting posts ladies...I'm reading, just not writing so much. Maybe my juices will be flowing on Monday.

Tonight Nikia asks if I care if she sleeps downstairs in the living room since she doesn't have school in the morning. I told her that was fine, thinking she would just sleep on the couch. Nope. She brought down her Hello Kitty sleeping bag and set it all up on her own. It's the kind that has the air mattress built right in. She pumped it up and climbed in.

Before I okayed it for her to sleep downstairs I reminded her that she wouldn't be able to sleep-in since she'd get woke up from the rest of us being up early. She said "that's why I want to sleep down here, so that I won't miss Daddy. I want to tell him goodbye in the morning." She's such a sweetie.

Lose, Win, Lose = 6th in State!

Yes, I am disappointed that we couldn't have pulled off a win the first game. That doesn't mean that I am disappointed in the girls at all. I just wanted to win that one against that team. I am so amazed at how well our team played all season. Just making it to State 4 years in a row is amazing in itself. We have so many young girls on the team and I know they are going to be fun to watch again next year. Hey, 6th in State is not bad at all. It's awesome! I think of all the other teams that didn't make it and it just makes me that much more happy and proud for the girls.
The kids had so much fun swimming everyday, sometimes twice a day. The weather was soooooo nice. There was hardly a trace of snow anywhere. It made it hard to come back and see we still had snow on the ground. Yuck! I hate that whitish, blackish, brownish stuff. Just melt already!

Did ya see me on TV?

Spearfish, here we come...

Well, we'll be heading out soon. The bags are packed, the munchies are loaded, the movies have been selected, and the music has been downloaded. Oh yeah, I better make sure we don't forget the kids. We have to go to the school to pick them up. They're so excited we're pulling them out of class early.

Gosh, hope I didn't forget anything. If I did, I don't think it's going to fit anyways.

Yesterday at the pep rally Nikia saw her boyfriend, a senior whose name is Lee. She absolutely loves this guy. He came up to her and asked her if she was going to the tourney and she said yes. Lee told her that he wasn't going to be able to make it because he had to work this weekend. He asked if she would please cheer for him too. Of course she said YES! After he walked away Nikia came running up to me and said "Mom, I'm so glad Lee isn't going to be able to come out to the games." I said "Why.? She said, "Because now I get to cheer for Lee too, won't that be great!"

I am so excited. I couldn't be more proud of these girls if they were my own. Since Hamlin came in bottom seed we play the top seed, which is Milbank. During regular season we lost to them by only 2 points. So, right from the get-go it's going to be some awesome basketball to watch. I know the girls can do it. They know they can do it. Now they just have to prove it to the whole State. Can you tell I'm already pumped up? I am!

Anyways, I better get off of here so we can actually take off. I hope Trevor's not in the Suburban waiting for me.

Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go Chargers Go! Go

Trevor's going to be quite upset with me if he finds out I was doing this and not helping him load....YIKES!

Packing...

Yes, packing, that's all that is on my agenda today. Well, almost. I'm getting the oil changed on the Suburban. Plus, I think I'll head to the school for the pep rally send off and tonight Kale has a basketball game. So a little more than just packing, but that's my main task.

It shouldn't be too bad. I got the laundry done yesterday. I also ran to town yesterday to get snacks, drinks, and munchies and some things to keep the kids entertained for the long ride (about 8 hours or more). So now it's just the decision of what everyone should wear. We are leaving tomorrow around noonish and won't be returning til Sunday sometime. So, I have my work cut out for me.

Now, for some I'm sure this isn't a big deal and you'd be done in no time. For me, however, packing is something I always struggle with. Especially when the weather could change from snowing, to 50+ degree weather. Which I hear is going to happen. I always lay everything on the bed in outfit piles so I know I'm not missing any important article of clothing or accessory. But then my problem is all the extras that I think I need to bring. You know, like maybe extra shirts or extra pants in case a stain or spill should occur. Or, what if it's cold in the morning and hot in the afternoon and a change of outfit is required. And, just how many extras should I bring for each kid. Oh, what about the clothes for just running around the hotel and sitting by the pool. You see, I am just not good at making these very important decisions so quickly. In the end I always have more than we all need, but I figure I'd rather have it along than not. I'm sure Trevor would enjoy the bags being a little lighter and maybe not so many of them but I'm sure he enjoys his family lookin good too. So off to the closets I head to pack, pack, pack!

Imaginations....

So just what is a kid to do when the weather is so bad outside and watching tv is not appealing anymore? Well, you set up a farm and ranch and start to use your imagination. This all started in the kitchen and then began to grow into the living-room and finally into the computer room. Kale and Nikia played with these toys for hours. It was so fun to listen in on their conversations about the farming and chasing cows. They were talking in different voices and even acting out the animals too. Nikia was the hired man, the farm dog, and later turned into a horse (of course) and Kale was the farmer.

Kale showed me his genius idea of tie-down straps for his semi loads. He used Nikia's hair rubber bands. Pretty good thinking if you ask me. Even the animals are strapped in tight. :)

They probably only used a fourth of the farming equipment that Kale has. These are just the little toys. He has the much bigger sizes also. I was so glad they didn't bring the rest of them out. The floor was covered the way it was. My kids are getting old enough that I'm not use to a bunch of toys on the floor all over anymore.

Tomorrow the kids are back to school. After spending so many days snowed in, the house is going to seem so empty. I think I'll go shopping. :)

Heading to State!!!! Go Chargers!!!!!

This is my niece Natasha, #22, and my nephew Tylor.

Just quite possibly 2 of the cutest fans at the game!

This is Kale with his girlfriend Jade (a senior). She scored 26 points tonight.

The Regional 2A CHAMPS!!!!!

Another Day Of .........

snow, cancellations, outdoor fun for the kids, SNOW, popcorn, movies, SLEDDING, hot chocolate, cartoons, games, snow, wrestling in the living room, naps, music, computer gazing, snow, msn chatting, blog reading, telephone calls, movies, snacks, SNOWMOBILING, snow, no school



SNOW...SNOWFLAKES....SNOWBALLS....SNOWMEN.....SNOW ANGELS...SNOWCONES....SNOWMOBILES....SNOW.....

Please dont take offense to this......

I just got this picture in an email and I had to share it with some of my other winter weary friends. I know I just got done with a post that said I would try not to complain about the cold anymore, and I'm not. I'm just showing you a picture of someone else complaining.

Remember, this is not in my yard and that's not my finger, and I don't even know who created this artwork. But, nonetheless, I found it to be absolutely laugh out loud funny.

A Mountain of Snow

Over the weekend we received 10 inches of snow which made for a weekend of total outdoor fun for the kids. When Trevor cleared the driveway he made a HUGE mountain of snow for the kids to play on, slide down, and to dig through.

My niece and nephew and a friend of theirs came over and joined in the fun as well. They made a big ol' tunnel, threw snow balls and pulled the sled around. Needless to say - fun was had by all of the kids.

I did venture out for a while and even took a ride around the yard on the sled. It was fun to listen to the constant laughter, giggles, and excitement the kids all had.

I know I complain about the cold weather alot, and for good reason. I just don't like the cold. It makes me chilly. It makes me shiver. Brrrr. Just talking about it gives me goosebumps. Yes, I have good winter clothing. Any South Dakotan does. It's just packed away somewhere. I don't mind the snow - it's the cold I don't like. If we could have snow and warm weather (55 degrees or warmer) well, I'd be all for that. I love the snowmen, the snow angels, and the tracks the kids leave behind on their walk down the driveway to the bus. I love the look of the trees when they're holding a big pile on each branch. I love the moisture it brings to the fields for the farmer's crops. And I love a good snowball fight.

This is the view I have from my kitchen window. Kind of pretty, huh!

I'll try to quit complaining so much about the bitter cold. I guess things could be worse - I could live in Alaska.

You're letting him drive that?

Kale is only 8 but I swear his Dad thinks he's in his teens. I find I'm more reserved when it comes to letting my kids try new things that I feel could possibly take their life. My husband on the other hand thinks there is no time like the present to encourage the kids to try new things. The responce I get is "Aahh, he's fine. He won't get hurt." Over the weekend these are the toys my son drove because "Dad said I could".


These aren't the smaller types for children. No, no. These are the adult full-size toys.

In the summertime he drives this truck that my Uncle gave to him. Oh, I didn't mind this toy until last summer when Trevor decided to TWEEK it so it could have more power and speed. Yep, now Kale can spin out with it and he slides the back tires around. Oh, Joy! I just know Trevor is puffing his chest up thinking..."That's my boy!"

What's that phrase that Trevor loves to say? Oh, yeah, "All you need is speed and RPM's." Nice! I don't have grey hair yet, but when I do, I'm blamming it all on Trevor.

Now, in Trevors defense I will say this, he does make sure that Kale knows how to start and stop the "toy" and how to handle/work these large toys. But honestly, I do tense up when I see my little boy on these big toys. It's so hard to see him growing up so fast.

Quoting Kia ~

Trevor told the kids that school would be starting 2 hours late tomorrow and Kale got very excited and started cheering and Nikia joined right in screeming and dancing around. Then, she stopped suddenly and said, "Wait. What exactly does that mean anyway?" She is such a silly squirt?

ZZZZzzzz...

I took this a couple of years ago. We were on our way to Trevor's softball game driving in a steady sprinkle of rain - hence the raincoats they're wearing. Both kids loved to go watch their Daddy play and were full of chatter. Before we made it to the game we got the call that it had been postponed and so we turned around to go back home. I thought it had gotten pretty quiet in the back seat, so I turned around and found this....

It still melts my heart today.

My Girl

This morning Nikia and I decided to have our own little photo booth. What fun it was!

MY GIRL

She has one of the most contageous laughs...

She has a smile that brings out her joy and excitement....

She is my morning sunshine....

She loves to give hugs and kisses....

She is full of imagination....

She is tender and compassionate....

She is my princess....

She is my goofball of silliness....

And she is mine.

Basketball, Basketball, Basketball

I just can't seem to get past this, so I am going to vent a little.

On Monday night our boys basketball team traveled to another town in the area, well I'll just come out and say it, HOWARD. I was going keep the town name out of it, but when they entertained the way that they did - it should be said just exactly who they are!

Let me say that I am a huge fan of our school's sports. I can probably count on one hand the number of games (football and boy and girl basketball) that I have missed in the last three years. Yeah, I'm that much of an athletic supporter (I ment that to be funny). I have a niece and a nephew that play on the JV and Varsity level and I also know all the players (one of the great things about living in a rural community).

Back to Monday night. I was told that HOWARD had not won a game yet this year, so I prepared for our boys to do very well - until I saw the low level that Howard plays at. They were the dirtiest players I've ever seen. They were sassing back to the refs., slapping the backboard, taunting one of our players that had fallen down, staring down our coach, pushing, shoving, holding, they even tackled one of our guys. Did they think this was a football field or a hockey rink? The refs. let them play like that. They called no T's! I repeat, they called no T's! I have never seen such terrible reffing in my life. What made me even more upset was that their coach let them play like that. Does he realize what he's doing to those kids?

I am a person that has no problem hollaring during a game. Usually, I'm full of encouragement to the players, to which our players I remained. On Monday I, along with every Hamlin fan, changed our tone a bit. No, we didn't say profanity or horrible things, but we did let the ref. know that they were doing a terrible job and why should they allow that kind of play.

I couldn't have been more proud of our boys. They just kept playing good basketball and never stooped to HOWARD's level. The scoreboard showed that we lost by 3 points, but if that's the only way HOWARD can win a game, so be it. I don't know how you could be proud of it though. I feel sorry for those kids and for any other kids that are under that coach. I'd like to send him a copy of the movie "Facing Giants". I haven't even seen the whole movie but on Sunday I saw two clips from it and that was enough to know that it's a good one with good lessons to learn.

The Districts have started and our girls will be advancing to the second round due to a good win last night. My best of luck to all the players and as always, I'll be in the stands cheering them on.

It's A Good Day!

I woke up this morning to send the kids off to school and to send my husband off for a guys (8 guys to be exact) weekend of snomobiling in the Hills. I promptly burried the phone under the pillows and went right back to bed. I woke up at 12:00. Man, it felt so good to sleep in. It's a beautiful day of flurries falling and such a calmness in the house. I love days like this. I know there are things I should be doing but I'm not going to do them today. It's just a day of nothing. It's a good day.

Would You Be Brave Enough To Use This?

COULD YOU PEE IN THIS? Makes ya think doesn't it. I really don't know if I would be brave enough. It does look a lot cleaner than the typical public bathroom or porta-potty.

I saw this on another blog site that I love to check out just for the pictures. http://designersblock.blogsite.com

The Email I Sent Nikia's Teacher This Morning....

UPDATED BELOW....

Good Morning!

If Nikia complains that her tummy hurts today she’s probably telling the truth this time.

In the middle of the night she woke up crying in pain. We sat her on the toilet and she passed a lot of gas. Then back to bed we all (Nikia, Trevor and I) went. About 30 minutes later – enough for me to get back to a deep sleep apparently – I woke up to a stinky smell and to her hollering for me in my bathroom. It was obvious that her body decided to start functioning in the lower department area with no control to Nikia. She left a gross little brown trail from her room all the way to my bathroom – on the carpet. To which I quickly awoke Trevor and told him to take care of that lovely mess while I tended to Nikia. Did I take the lesser of the two evil jobs intentionally? YES! I figure it’s good for Trevor to help out around the house once and awhile.

A can of carpet cleaner, a few gags on Trevor’s part, about six very damp spots on the carpet that I’m really hoping he cleaned good, a shiny sparkling clean toilet, a freshly showered little girl, and 30 minutes later, we’re all back in bed.
NICE!!

Yeah, I’m sure you really didn’t want all the details but oh well, too late now. Ha Ha!

If she complains of a tummy ache just have her go sit on the toilet for a while. Better not make her wait too long – I don’t know if you could get Trevor to come to the school to clean up after her.

Oh, by the way, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY ! ! ! !

Amy


UPDATE: this is the email I got back from her....

I think you did the right thing to make Trevor clean up the floor and you tend to Nikia. So far she has not said anything and seems to be all right. Hope you have a Happy Valentines Day.

Cindy


Mrs. H is a wonderul teacher. Both of our kids love her alot. She was Kale's Pre-School teacher and Nikia's Pre-School teacher last year and moved up to Kindergarten this year. We both love to gang up on Trevor about anything we can think of. Now, if I can think of a way to get her to move up to 1st grade next year!

We Have A New Kid !

Sunday when we came home from the cities Trevor went to the barn to do chores and found our newest little kid.

Isn't she cute. She's a little goat not a lamb. Kale has named her Snowball. She's only about 10 inches tall. We have 6 other pygmy goats including her mama. I got them two years ago just to have some animals in our pasture and for my kids to learn the responsibility of chores.

Hats Off To My Honey

We had a wonderful and relaxing weekend.

I guess maybe before I tell you about the weekend I should let you know what it is that Trevor does. He is a Sales and Marketing Manager and an Agronomist. In a nut shell, he sells seed, fertilizers, and chemicals. He basically does all he can to help farmers make money and have excellent crops by studying the soil and making recommendations using tools like satellite imaging. Of course there's more to it than that, but now you get the idea. One thing that I have always admired about Trevor is that when it comes to his job, he always thinks of the farmer first and not how a sale could benefit him or for that matter how it could benefit his company. I know that God knows his heart and that's why he's been so blessed.

Okay...the weekend. Well, I guess to begin with it almost didn't happen for me. I woke up Friday morning with Nikia staring right in my face saying she had a tummy ache. Long story short...she threw-up twice with in an hour. I thought I was going to have to stay home and I held off packing till the last minute. She seemed to be okay and Mom (the babysitter for the weekend) said to just go, she'd handle it.

Friday night was the big fancy dinner. Before we headed down to eat we set the camera and snapped a picture of ourselves. We were told that they would be taking professional photos and thought that would be nice since we've never had one since our wedding. We found the location and jumped in line for that. As we got closer and could see what the photo set up would be, we saw it wasn't what we expected at all. But anyways, this is how ours turned out.

Trevor is shaking hands with the VP of Croplan. It turned out to be alright since the next day when Trevor actually received his certificate, jacket and pin I didn't have the camera. Good one, huh.

Did I mention that there were 1100 people at this convention. I knew only Trevor. So most of the time I did a lot of "people watching". That's what I call it when I scan the room and pick out people and in my head make comments like: Nice outfit. That hairdo looks terrible on her. I can't believe she wore that to this kind of a meeting. Wow! He's handsome. Sad, I know - but that's me and I love to "people watch."

The whole weekend every event the spouses were invited to attend. So I did. They had a motivational speaker that was excellent. I even took notes. What a nerd I can be. Here are a few things I thought I'd pass along.

~A parent is only as happy as its saddest child.

~Stop multi-tasking so much. Picture a little boy talking to his Daddy who is reading the newspaper. "Daddy, you need to listen to me with your eyes, not just your ears."

~Little changes make big differences.

~Manage the effects of stress. Many of us have the same stresses in our lives. It's how we manage them that makes the difference.

~Sources of work/family conflict: when colleagues fail to honor family life, and/or, when your family fails to honor the work place

~Even a sideways glance can pierce the heart of a child.

~Believe in yourself, Believe in each other.

~Be generous, Be gracious

~Make each kid feel like they're your favorite. (loved that comment)

Of course there was much more, but I know it all sounded better coming from him and hearing him explain it in his own words.

The last night for entertainment they had "the dueling piano guys". What a riot! These guys were so funny and amazing. I bet they played over a hundred songs. They never took a break and they played pretty much non-stop for 3 1/2 hours. Yes, I admit. There was drinking involved. But not to a drunken stooper mess. Trevor and I don't drink to get drunk. That's a commitment we have to each other. And we stick to it.

Next year they're moving the convention to Orlando, FL. Yay! Warm weather! Trevor has already this year qualified in sales #'s for that trip and hoping to qualify in the Elite level as well, which is a 5 day cruise.

I didn't get any shopping in, which was fine. We were busy most of the time with different meetings to attend and during our breaks we hung out in our room and took some good naps. Yes - just naps!

It was a fun and enjoyable weekend. I was so proud of Trevor and all that he has done.

Oh, by the way. When we returned home we had a big surprise waiting for us. You'll just have to check back tomorrow to see what we found. I don't have a picture of it yet, but you'll want to see one (I think).

Trevor and I are headed for the cities this weekend. He's being recognized with an award for his sales #'s last year. Yay! Way to go honey!

Have a great weekend. I'll be back, ready to catch up on the reading Sunday night.

Ta! Ta!

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Last night we all ventured out into the cold to celebrate my Mom's birthday. We arrived early and we were still the last one's there. - go figure. My brother and his wife and kids, and my sister and her husband and kids and my favorite Aunt and Uncle, from Minneapolis, were able to join us as well. My Dad missed out do to an annual hunting trip out west - hope he is staying warm, having fun and seeing a lot of wildlife.

My family all live very close by, which I love, and we see each other a lot, but I still love get-togethers like this. There is nothing more important to me than my family, my whole family. I had lived away from them in another state for awhile and realized nothing and nobody can replace them. I have a great relationship with all of them and can talk to any of them about anything.

This is Mom and I. Isn't she beautiful? She turned 60 something again this year. She is a remarkable person and one of my best friends. She is the christian rock in our family, she is a prayer warrior, she is a loving grandma, she is a big fan at all the family's sporting events, she is a great cook, she helps out on the farm with so many things, she is a very hard worker, she is bolder than me when it comes to tagging calves of an angry mama cow, and she is much, much more. I wouldn't have made it through my terrible accident with out her. The thing that Mom and I love to do the most together is gardening and anything with our flower beds. We're always scoping out places in our yards for new beds. She's taught me so many things and is a great example for not only me, but also for my kids.

Thanks Mom, not just for the wonderful person that you are, but for who you are to me. I love you.

This is Aunt Kay, Nikia, and Mom.

Nikia gave us all a laugh last night when the waitress came to get our orders. Nikia was ordering a hamburger off the children's menu that also comes with french fries.

Waitress: "the burger with fries?"

Nikia: "Oh, no, I don't want fries!"

Waitress: "what other kind of potato would you like?"

Nikia: "well, I would like a white one"

Of course, since this caught all of us as funny and we all laughed, she got embarrassed and started to cry.

This is Kale with his cousin Kylie. As you can see, he decided to be "joe cool" and wink right when I took it. Thanks buddy - you rock!

This is all of Mom's grandkids. A great group of kids - even if I do say so myself.

The In-Laws Are Coming!!

Yes they are. So what am I doing sitting here in front of my computer? I should be cleaning like a mad woman. Making sure every little corner is dust bunny and cob web free. Trying to get the house in top shape. Cleaning old left overs out of the fridge. Making sure the kid's rooms look perfect. No rings in the toilet bowel and a clean mopping to the floors.

But yet I still sit here. I guess I've come to the point that yes, I like a clean house and all that, but on the other hand I think it is ridiculous to make it look like it's not lived in just to impress someone. I have a cousin that is someone whom I admire a bunch. When we go to her house, it's obvious that she wasn't running around in a frenzy cleaning to make it spotless. She and her husband are the best host and hostess ever. They make you feel so welcomed and you always have the time of your life at their home. Not because of how clean the house was but because of who they are and how "real" they are. I feel comfortable there and not like my kids need to be on pins and needles as not to mess anything up.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because company is coming I don't want to put on a show of something that we're not. I want our home to reflect who we are and that we do live in this house. It doesn't have to be spotless or perfectly neat and in order. We are a regular family and there are a few dust bunnies that probably live here somewhere. There is no reason to stress over stuff like that. Just doing something to make a good impression isn't worth it. Whoever I think am trying to impress will eventually see the real me anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I will do some cleaning but not just to make it look like my home is always perfect. I hope to relax and just enjoy the company - even if it is my in-laws.

Ever have one of those times when you just can't seem to get warmed up? Last night I had a sweatshirt on and I cuddled up in a blanket while watching the Super Bowl. I was still chilly and decided a cup of coffee would do the trick. Did I choose the decaf.? NO! Should have I? YES! Usually, caffeine doesn't really have an affect on me. Maybe it's because I ended up having 2 big mugs - I don't know. At 2:00 am I laid in bed wide awake desperately wanting to get back to sleep. After tossing and turning, for what seemed like forever, I decided to read a book (with the aid of a flashlight). Reading usually makes me tired right away. I'm not sure how many chapters I got through but I think around 5:00 am I finally dozed off.

I guess now I have a good excuse for a nap today.

I Need Some Advice - Please!

How do you stop your children from putting clean clothes in the "dirty clothes basket?" I know they only do it so they don't have to hang them up or put them away. At least that's why I did it as a kid.
The other day Nikia came downstairs with a new outfit on I had just recently bought her. I told her that she would have to take it off and put something different on. So, today when I was doing laundry where do you think I found that outfit? Exactly. In her "dirty clothes basket." Brand new. Never worn. Not a spot on it.

Kale does it too. I find clean clothes in his basket all the time. I have explained to them that it just makes more work for mommy. I have even explained to them that it costs money every time I wash a load of clothes. For a while I told Kale that for every piece of clean clothes I found in his basket he would owe me 10 cents. This worked until I practically drained his piggy bank.

Does anybody have a good solution for this? I don't get a thrill out of doing laundry to begin with. And especially not if the clothes are already clean. Yes, I know my children are young, but I believe in teaching good habits at a young age.

What A Guy!

I am the first to admit that I am a big baby, wimp, or whatever word works, when it comes to cold weather. But then who really enjoys weather when it's in the "below zero" category. Thank goodness my husband is always gracious enough to take care of anything that might need attention outside. This morning when he went out to do chores I asked him to read the electric meter on his way back in. Well, he forgot but quickly turned right around. In the mean time I was helping Kale get all his things together for school, bb practice, and a sleep over tonight. So when Trevor opened the door and hollered in what the meter read I heard it, but I didn't write it down thinking I'll remember it. So off to school Kale goes and Trevor leaves for work. I sat down to figure what I have to pay for electricity and do you think I could recall that number. Of course not. I quickly called Trevor's cell phone to see if his memory was any better than mine - nope! But, you know what he did? He turned around and came back (he was a couple miles down the road already). I didn't even ask him to or even hint at it. What a guy! Don't worry, I wrote it down this time. As long as I'm bragging him up....he also plugged in my Suburban (which sits inside a garage) so that if I need to go anywhere today it will warm up faster for me.

An Email I Received.....enjoy it....relate to it

After 21 years of marriage, My wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you." The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. "What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. "I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you," I responded. "Just the two of us." She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much." That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I saw that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited at the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was radiant as an angel's. "I told my friends that I was going out with my son, and they were impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting." We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu, for she could only read large print. Half way through the entrees, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said. "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation, nothing extraordinary, just catching up on the recent events of each other's life. (We missed the movie.) As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed. At home my wife asked: "How was your dinner date?". "Very nice; Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered. A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates -- one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son." At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time : "I LOVE YOU" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."

This isn't just about being a mother, it's about appreciating the people in your life, while you have them....no matter who that person is.

My Day Yesterday

Well, what I planned to do yesterday since both kids were in school, was run on my treadmill, take a shower, go to town to run a few errands, look for a dress that I need by next weekend, tan, get back home and clean up the house before the kids get off the bus. Then we would get the homework done so we could eat in town at a nice restaurant with daddy (who's been out of town since Monday morning), and then head to church.

Instead, it went something like this:

Tuesday night my sister calls at 11:00 pm to see if I could watch her 17 month old who is sick and not feeling well. I told her that I had a full day planned, is there anybody else that could watch her. She said that Mom could take her a little later in the day. So - okay, I'll watch her.
Wednesday morning I get the kids up and going with the constant reminder "hurry up or you'll miss the bus" phrase. Which, come to think of it, is actually repeated non-stop every school morning. My sister arrives with Shayne (my niece) before the kids get on the bus, which causes my kids to want to play now. After instructing them several times that they don't have time to play and to leave Shayne alone. I am now beginning to get upset because it's drawing near the time for the bus to arrive and my kids need to finish breakfast and brush their teeth. Nikia gets finished and ready to head out the door while Kale is still in brushing his teeth. I happened to look out the window and see the bus lights at the neighbor up the road. I told Nikia just to go on ahead and yelled at Kale to HURRY UP....again. So while Kale is putting his snow boots on, which seemed ever so slow, I can hear Nikia yelling all the way down the driveway "THE BUS IS COMING! THE BUS IS COMING! THE BUS IS HERE!" I practically shove Kale out the door and turn around to see Shayne just standing there staring at me. I'm sure thinking, thank heavens this is not where I usually spend my days.
By 9:00 Shayne has fallen asleep. I held her for a while just because I miss that part ever since my kids learned to fall asleep on their own. I layed her down in my bed and headed out of the my room to the computer. I messed around on there for way to long and decided I should get some stuff done. Well, now I cant run because the treadmill is in my room with Shayne. I cant take a shower because my bathroom is in my room with Shayne. I'd like to get dressed but if Shayne wakes up and mom comes to get her soon I can still run so why bother changing clothes twice..right. Okay..so I'll do some cleaning - which I did. I even washed down the outside of all the kitchen cabinets (I have a lot). Still Shayne is sleeping and Mom hasn't called about getting her yet.
Fast forward.......Shayne took a 4 hour nap, and my Mom called at about 1:30. I ended up just keeping little Shayne darling for the whole day and cleaned some more while she played. The house looked pretty nice until......
The kids came home and unloaded their book bags everywhere. Then Trevor gets home and tells the kids to look in his bag. The meeting he went to had a bunch of free "stuff". So he decided to load up and treat the kids with can coolers, sunglasses, pens, mugs, and more can coolers. Needless to say my nice clean house was now trashed with school papers, books and "stuff" everywhere.
My sister didn't come to get Shayne until an hour before church started so we had to go to a fast-food joint.
Oh the joys of motherhood!!!