A little Tuesday fun........

Okay....so Heather (Applehead's cousin - not my sister Heather or the Heather from my old Church....there is sooo many of them....) tagged me to do this little meme (where did that word come from anyhow?). I did it once before but I'll use a different book this time. In fact I didn't have a book near me since I have been on this little cleaning spree and took all the books off my desk and placed them on my newly cleaned off book shelf. I decided I would turn my chair and whichever book I spotted first, I would use. It turns out to be a good one. It is red. I think that is why it caught my eye.

Here is the meme....

Grab the book closest to you.
Open to page 123 and find the 4th sentence.
Post the next 3 sentences on your blog.
Name the book and the author.
Tag three people.

"The Revolution" A Field Manual for Changing Your World edited by Heather Zydek

If I preach on Sunday morning about those that the church helps, if I say, in effect, "See! We love poor people because we have a low-income housing project and a clothing donation box. We love the hungry because we have a soup kitchen. We love unwed mothers because we support an adoption service and provide counseling," then the congregation will say what a good Christian I am and shower me with "God bless you."

But if I follow Jesus' instruction to "love your enemies," praise from the congregation lessens just a bit.

Well....Pooh. Who wants to love their enemies? I haven't actually read this book but now I think I am going to get around to it. It really belongs to someone else...someone I wasn't planning on talking to again. I need to return it....I suppose. I'd rather avoid it. Oh the irony.


Okay....I tag Correction G, Toys R Us kid & Kellen.

Answers to the Quiz....don't read if you haven't taken it yet.

Okay, first things first. What is with you guys not putting your real names. How nice. Drive Delilah crazy trying to figure out who knows what. I don't even know who got 100%! Not fair at all, if you ask me.

Most of you were able to see the answers after you took the quiz but I wanted to give some explanations.

1. Magazines. I love magazines. I'll even read a Hunting magazine if given a chance. I currently have a subscription to Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Ohio (it came free???), some scrapbooking magazine, Southern Living and I think I still get Mother Earth News (although it may have expired). Believe it or not you can get magazine subscriptions for almost free on line (ebay and other places).

2. I LOVE blackberries in any form. My sister suggested that I should have put Blackberry dumplings and she would have gotten it right. If you invite me over and ask me to bring a dessert it will probably end up being Banana pudding. Easy, fast and yummy. Strawberries & cream...who wouldn't love those & creme brulee....mmmmmm. So the truth is I probably wouldn't turn any of those down but blackberry pie is my fav.

3. I have a tattoo on the BACK of my ankle. It is of a dove and I got it when I was 31 years old.

4. My dream job....this was tricky....almost ever single person missed this. When I was in middle school I wanted to be a cosmetologist. Seriously. I used to do EVERYONES hair that would let me touch it. I have pics of my cousins (yes you G) that I had punked out their hair. Also, I once put peroxide on Heather & Christie's (neighbor girl). They were both already blond but I really bleached it out. Our parents thought it was from the chlorine in the swimming pool. They didn't find out until much later. Oh....I think Heather was in 5th grade and that would put Christie in 3rd! Yes, I bleached a 3rd graders hair. I was bad. Oh, once I got to 9th grade I decided I needed to be a Psychiatrist because my English teacher said it would be a great career....you'd never run out of customers. It sounded good to me. My guidance counselor, when I was a senior, sat me down and told me that perhaps I wasn't cut out for medical school and I should be a counselor. Nice.

5. My soundtrack.....used to be Dancing Queen. I lost that a long time ago. Now & probably really always has been How to Save a Life.

6. I have a cat. I have had her for TEN years. I love my cat. She gets me. Oh, and she likes to drink my bath water. Ha ha.

7. Her name is Molly. I wanted to name Elise, Molly but Jake wouldn't let me. I also wanted to name her Willow but Jake wouldn't let me. Cleo is my old room-mates cat.

8. My husbands REAL name is Jason. He goes by Jake. I even put Jake on our wedding invites so many people don't know. So, if Jason Miller shows up on your called ID....well, now you know who is calling.

9. I went to Kent State University and loved it.

10. My major was psychology. A few people picked Child Development. Don't you know I don't like kids. ha ha ha. Just kidding. Well, kinda.

11. My favorite color is black. Well, to wear anyways. I also like gray. If I was forced to pick a real color I would probably say Red. I can't stand purple - lavender is ok. Green is okay.

12. Tori Amos is my favorite singer. I have loved her since I heard her first song on MTV back in 1991 or 92.

13. I used to wear my doc martens with everything. Dresses, shorts, jeans, whatever. To go dancing, to go to work, to go on dates. I did, however, go through a brief Chinese sandal stage. I would only wear them with select outfits. I used to hate flip flops because I was too self conscious to show my toes. I obviously got over that.

14. My first real boyfriend was Mitch. I had other "boyfriends" before him. We wrote notes to each other and sometimes talked on the phone. Mitch was the first guy I dated.

15. My favorite season is Fall, although I love something about each season. Most people voted for Summer, which tells me really maybe summer is my favorite. See you guys taught me something about myself. I do love warm weather and gardening. But I also love turtle necks & the leaves turning colors.

16. I haven't been to NYC. I know that is crazy. Everyone has been there. Many of you voted for the Virgin Islands, which is where we went on our honeymoon. I can't believe applehead got that wrong. Well, we went on a Caribbean cruise, which included 2 of the virgin islands.

17. The last concert I attended was Nine Inch Nails. I did go to 2 conferences since then and there were musicians there but it wasn't a just a concert. BTW...I saw KJ-52, Zoegirl, Natalie Grant and Avalon. Not bad.

18. My bday is May 29 (Jake's is July 29)

19. My anniversary is Dec. 29

20. I graduated in 1991...Thank you to all those that said 1993 & 1994. I know I look young. Ha ha ha ha.

Thanks for doing my quiz and listening to my explanations.

A Quiz to See How Well You Know ME!

It's All About Me....Isn't It??? Take my quiz! Take This Quiz | See Scores | Make Own Quiz

In Case You Were Wondering.....

I am starting to feel a little better. Yeah. I am so glad. I am not 100% yet but I feel like I am definitely on the mend. I haven't been throwing up so much. I think part of it has to do with my diet modification. I have stopped eating anything that basically has flavor or milk in it. Milk never sits all that well with me but when I am pregnant....lets just say it doesn't sit at all. I thought pregnant women are supposed to love ice cream & pickles. YUCK!!!! Last night I made burritos. I didn't eat any of the meat because it has taco seasoning in it. I am a little confused though....I can't understand how it is that 1. I have been barfing for weeks 2. I am eating much less & 3. I am eating much healthier that I haven't lost more weight. Yes, I know that I shouldn't be concerned about that, now while pregnant but since I have been suffering I think I should get some benefit. I have lost a total of 6 lbs. Although, at my last doctors appointment my weight had remained the same. I think my method of weighing myself is more effective. Here is why...I weight myself at the same time of the day (morning), after going to the bathroom, nude. At the doctors office I was weighed at different times of the day, wearing different clothes and on different scales. So there. Okay enough about my weight....

I actually got out of the house this week. I am feeling caged. The weather is doom & gloom. It is cold. The kids are on a schedule. I am home all day. So, getting out of the house was good. My sister came down on Wednesday and we went out to lunch. Then we went to the mall and walked around. I don't think either of us bought anything but we walked around the whole mall and looked at stuff. It was fun and the kids even liked it. Jude kept saying it was Silly Day so he wanted to do silly stuff. The big excitement of the day was riding the escalator and walking through the pet store. Yesterday I also left the house. I know....shocking....twice in one week. I took the kids to Kriegers (farm market) and to the library. Jude decided we needed to buy a coconut. The library was not fun. Jude wanted to look at the books and do normal library stuff. Elise, however, wanted to run around, yell and pull books off the shelf. And you all think she is such an angel. She is really a handful. By time we got back home it was time for Jake to get home. I was in a very bad mood. So, Jake decided to punish me (ha ha) and made me go to the gym after dinner. ARGGGHHHH. I wasn't happy but I went. We put the kids in the little child care thing and we just walked the track. It turned out to be kinda fun. We only walked for about a half hour but that is a good start. And we were able to just talk. I hate to admit it but it was a good idea. I guess we should do it more often since we have the gym membership and all... Speaking of the gym. It was PACKED! And there were many more unshapely bodies than last time....especially since it was a good TV night. I was suprised. I figure it is all the people who are trying to fulfill their new year's resolutions. I think that is cool.

Well, have a great day!

Thrusday Thirteen #10....Songs I Love!

I actually recycled this list from a post I wrote almost a year ago. It is a list of 13 songs and a quote from each song (an added bonus!). If you would like....tell me a song you love and give me a quote! Have a fabulous day!

If you would like to see more Thursday Thirteens and get to know fellow bloggers better....GO HERE!

1. Wait by Huffamoose
"Hold me looser still, throw me like I'm wet clay."

2. You Can't Always Get What You Want by Rolling Stones
"You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes you might find You get what you need"

3. Always on My Mind by Willie Nelson
"Tell me, Tell me that your sweet love hasn't died,Give me, Give me one more chance to keep you satisfied,I'll keep you satisfied."

4. Happy Phantom by Tori Amos
"And if I died today I'll be the happy phantom and I'll go chasing the nuns out in the yard and I'll run naked through the streets without my mask on."

5. Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley
"But kiss me out of desire, babe, not consolation Oh, you know it makes me so angry 'Cause I know that in time, I'll only make you cry this is our last goodbye"

6. Vertigo by U2
"Girl with crimson nails Has Jesus 'round the neck Swinging to the music Swinging to the music Woooao"

7. Wonderwall by Oasis
"There are many things I'd like to say to you but I don't know how Because maybe you're gonna be the one that saves me."

8. Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle
"At the cross, You beckon me. You draw me gently to my knees, and I am Lost for words, so lost in love, I'm sweetly broken, wholly surrendered."

9. To Have & To Hold by Depeche Mode
"I need to be cleansed, It's time to make amends, For all of the fun The damage is done And I feel diseased I'm down on my knees And I need forgiveness"

10. Unknown Road by Pennywise
"Do you think that all the years that passed you by we're all well spent"

11. Just Like Heaven by The Cure
"You, Strange as angels, Dancing in the deepest oceans, Twisting in the water, You're just like a dream..."

12. Thank You by Led Zepplin
"if the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you. When mountains crumble to the sea, There will still be you and me."

13. Lonely People by America (or Jars of Clay)
"This is for all the lonely people thinking that life has passed them by Don't give up until you drink from the silver cup And ride that highway in the sky This is for all the single people thinking that life has left them dry don't give up until you drink from the silver cup you never know until you try"

The Auction....

While we were in Tennessee I wasn't feeling very well so we really didn't go out and do much. On Saturday evening my parents mentioned going to the auction that they like to go to. I thought it sounded cool and I've always wanted to go to one. My dad advised that we not take the kids so my mom offered to spend the evening with them. Jake, My Dad and I headed off to the Auction. It was set to start at 7 P.M. I knew where the auction was but I guess I hadn't really ever paid much attention to the building. We get there and it is in this old convenient store. The parking lot is FULL of pick up trucks. My dad commented that it is a busy night. As we walk up I see tons of junk on the outside of the building. It must be retired auction items or you could call it plain old trash. We walk in and are immediately hit by a thick wall of smoke. There is STUFF everywhere. Boxes, bins, furniture, books, junk, junk, junk..... There are chairs set up in an audience type fashion. Most of them are folding chairs but there are a few old recliners. As we grabbed a seat I could not help but notice a few very obvious things. One was - almost everyone was smoking. Seriously, out of about 50 people (kids included) probably 30 were smoking. The other thing was that almost every southern/hillbilly stereotype was represented in that room. It was as if Jeff Foxworthy had written the scene himself. I am not making fun. I am serious. I am going to tell you exactly what I saw - no judgement or tone implied. I was just sitting there looking around. They had a little concession stand that sold hot dogs and Frito pies. There was people of all ages sitting around. Before the actual Auction started they sold raffle tickets. They were a dollar a ticket or 6 for $5. People were snatching them up. When they picked the winning ticket it belonged to this little kid, who was probably 6 or 7 years old. He was so excited. He went up to collect his $72 prize. He took that wad of money (mostly ones) and rolled it up and stuffed it into his pants pocket. He was set for the auction. His dad (who was missing one of his front teeth) seemed pretty proud of his son.

The auctioneer grabs the microphone and he is ready to go. This is how this auction works. People offer to bring their stuff to be auctioned off. It is set up ahead of time. They agree to give the auction house a percentage of their earnings. This particular night there were 3 different people showing their stuff. The auctioneer did the typical auction banter. I thought that was pretty cool. The first guys didn't really have anything all that great. It was mostly stuff you could buy at the flea market for $1. I did bid on this cast iron butterfly candle holder thing. I bid $1. It went up to $3 - out of my price range for something that would probably end up in my next garage sale. My Dad did get some hack saw blades. He said it was a good deal. The second guy came up and he was something else. He had tattoo's all over his arms. His arms, down to his second knuckles were black. You really couldn't tell where one tattoo stopped and the others started. He was a BIG man and had his eyebrow pierced. He had a woman helping him, who was wearing camouflage pants, work boots and was pregnant. He had some serious junk. I think he had cleaned out an old garage or something. I bid on a boomerang and won! Yeah...only $1. I don't know if it works yet or not. I did let a few things go that I should have snatched up but by time Jake and I discussed it- well, it was too late. Jake is far to contemplative for the auction scene. The third guy had more junk. Old, old stuff that no one would possibly want. He had three ironing boards. No one was even bidding on them. He was frustrated so he put a dollar bill on the ironing boards. Someone did bid on them. They went for $1! I saw him pulling stuff out of a junk box and there were 3 telephone books it the box! Who would want that. Believe it or not people were snatching stuff up like crazy. I asked my dad why and he said they take the stuff and sell it at the flea market or at other auctions. Crazy! Remember the little boy, who won the money? He left with 4 trash bags full of stuffed animals and 2 boxes of toys. He was in heaven. He also had a pair of old army boots that were way too big. He was wearing them.

Here are some things that sold at the auction.....

• Norman Rockwell collector plate (sold for $4.50)
• Military Stretcher (sold for $1) - I wanted to bid on it...Jake said no.
  
• Numb Chucks
• Food Processor from the 80's.
  
• Toilet Auger & Drain Snake ($1.50 for the pair)
  
• old love seat
• a glider
• lamps
• old dishes
• box of religious books
• Bible on tape, KJV, missing two tapes

So, overall it was fun. At least it was entertaining. I'd like to go to more auctions and I'll even go back to that one when I am visiting Scott County.

Kids....Free entertainment

Aren't kids funny? Jude is at a great age. He has all these ideas about things and he is so good at communicating what he is thinking. He has started remembering his dreams. He is always saying, "Mommy, I haded a dream last night." He told me he dreamed he and Indy were in Poppy's truck and they were driving it but they needed help. I wonder where all that comes from.

Last week Jude told Jake that he didn't have any friends, so he wanted his friend (on again off again friend) Jacob to come over. So Jacob reluctantly came over for dinner. When Jake went to pick him up he was attached to his mom's leg and was refusing to go but Jake told him he could play with Elise and he was like "okay" and was fine. Watching two 4 year olds interact is a hoot. Jacob & Jude don't get along very well at all. One day the Sunday School Teacher pulled me aside and asked me about the two of them. She said they get into fights during class. Nice. Well, we keep trying. They did really well while Jacob was over for dinner. They did have a little tiff. It went like this..."(crying) Jacob said he is not my friend." Jacob follows..."No, Jude, I am your friend." Jude instantly stops crying and says, "Oh, okay, I am your friend too." And off they went. I didn't even have to do anything. A little later we could hear music blaring from Jude's room. Jude & Jacob came down all proud that they changed the CD and turned it up themselves. Jude said "Mom, Dad we are listening to music." We let him know we can hear it. It was Mozart. Out of all the CD's they picked Mozart. So, Jude says "It is the funny hair guy". There is a picture of Mozart on the CD so Jude always calls him the funny hair guy. Isn't that funny?

Yesterday I was getting ready for Church and I heard Jude go into the bathroom, where Jake was, and this is what he said, "Dad, Elise's doll has a penis!". I stopped what I was doing....I wasn't sure I heard what he said. So, I asked Jake what he had said and he told me (he looked a little embarrassed). I asked Jude what he was talking about so he grabs Elise's Baby Cabbage Patch doll that Elise had disrobed earlier. He points to the outty belly button on the doll. He thought it was a penis. I tried to explain to him that it was a belly button but he didn't believe me. He has never seen an outty and because the doll is small the position of the belly button is sorta low but..... Either way, he was amused.

Scott County Intro and Ramblings....

So, I've been sitting on the idea of writing about Scott County and my family for a couple of weeks now. A couple of people have mentioned that they are eagerly awaiting the edition to my blog. Here is the thing. I have to be careful. Like many families, we are very complicated. There is a lot of stuff that is not pretty and although it may make for a very interesting story (and intense psychological study....trust me) I think it may really make some people angry. Also, I have found that while writing, even if I just state the facts, people add their own spin on it and make it into what they want me to say - which is usually not pretty. After my many pleas I still have people who read my blog just to make sure I don't talk about them or anyone else. If they interpret something I say as "bashing someone" they call the people and let them know. Gossip and troublemaking - I feel like I am always complaining about this but I can't believe there are people (the same handful of people, by the way) that keep doing it. But, I digress....back to the matter at hand. So, I don't know....I am torn. For today I will give you some background history about my family and stats on Scott County.

Where do I begin???? Scott County is located in northeast Tennessee. It borders Kentucky. It is 65 miles northwest of Knoxville, although it takes about an hour and a half to drive there. I did not grow up in TN but my parents and their parents all did. As a child, I did spend a lot of time there and it is quite beautiful. The way of life is so different down there. There isn't much diversity and it is in the heart of the Bible Belt. Most of the God fearing people down there are Baptist. The entire county only has 22,000 people. That number has been growing over the last few years. To give anyone who lives around here a comparison....Summit County is 413 square miles and has 547,000 people living in it. Scott County is 533 square miles and as I said earlier, has 22,000 people. Pretty much everyone knows everyone and their business. 99% of the people are white. The area is economically depressed. The unemployment rate is 7%, the national unemployment rate is 4.5%. The median household income is $24,000 the national average is $42,000. The poverty rate is almost 20% not surprising since on 60% of all people over the age of 25 has a high school diploma. Because of the economic problems there is quite a bit of crime. I tried to find the crime rates but gave up. I know a while back I saw the crime rate for Scott County was higher than Summit County but don't be fooled by that....there is far less crime just less people. Make sense? The largest percentage of arrests involve Drugs & Alcohol, followed by theft and domestic violence. Scott county has a HUGE drug problem. You'd think with all the farm land and wilderness that marijuana would be the big problem but just like everywhere else, I don't think people even count that as a drug anymore. The area has been plagued by Meth labs and believe it or not...prescription drugs. Xanax, Vicodin, Oxicodone and Oxycontin. I don't know why and I am not sure if it is the same here as well...but down there it seems like anyone can get a prescription for narcotics. Headaches, backaches, toe hurts??? Get a prescription with unlimited refills and sign up to get a social security check. My Papaw called it being on the draw.

Scott County is beautiful. There are mountains and lots of wildlife. It borders the Big South Fork National Park. The air quality is better than 90% of the United States. My parents grew up there but moved to Ohio because that is where the good jobs were. I grew up in Vermilion but knew many people who lived there that were from the same area as my parents. Once, I was at the store, in Oneida, and I ran into a girl from my 6th grade class. We ended up being best friends. Currently, there is a man I went to HS with who lives in Scott County. Crazy,eh? Anyhoo....while I was growing up, my parents never planned to move back to Tennessee. In fact they always said they wouldn't. But....life happens and they changed their minds. After my dad retired they built a very nice house on top of a mountain in the middle of the wilderness. Where the paved road ends, my parents driveway begins. They seem to be very happy there. They have a great church family and are close to their family. My dad claims to be the Mayor of Wolfcreek, although that position doesn't really exist. He is, however, really the Vice-President of the Community Club. He also drives the cancer van (you have to drive to Knoxville for chemo and many people can't get there on their own). They have a big garden, a dog and 118 acres of land. I think my mom would prefer to be closer to shopping areas but she is content. My parents like to go four-wheeling. I think it is cool.

When I was a kid my parents had decided to move to Tennessee and build a house. We lived in a mobile home while the house was being built. I can't recall how long we were there but I did start kindergarten in Tennessee. I don't think I went there very long before my dad decided to go back to work for Ford. He went to Ohio and bought a house. My mom didn't even see it until the moving van pulled up. Crazy? I sometimes think how different my life would be if I had grown up in Scott County. I am a country girl at heart but I do love the city being close. I guess I like a balance. That is pretty much it for today. I have MUCH more to tell you and to talk about but like I said...I am still contemplating. In the mean time if you want to read more about Scott County and some of the locals (or way of life) there is a web-site that is very interesting. I've talked to the guy who it belongs to and I've even contributed some pics. There is a cool story about my Grandma Wright. Check it out.

Here is a picture of my Dad when he was a kid.
Here is Aunt D.

Thrusday Thirteen #9.....Things

I am having a little writers block today. So this is just a random list of things. Enjoy!

1. The Weather...mild then cold, freezing then mild again. MAKE UP YOUR MIND.

2. This crazy web-site where you can design trauma in your life. It is very difficult to explain you will just have to see it for yourself.

3. Scrapbooking. I am really behind. I need to get back on track. I feel a little motivated by recent card making & Christmas scrapbooking.

4. Potty Training - Elise needs to learn to go on the potty. 20 months is not too early.

5. Mandy - She is a young lady (26) that I know. She has cancer. It went away once but has returned and tumors keep growing. She is in a lot of pain and is currently in the hospital. Please take a moment to say a prayer for her.

6. Laundry - Man I have a pile of it. I have to start washing those maternity clothes. I don't need them yet but I want them to be ready when I do.

7. Shawna's Birthday - She is 30. Happy Birthday Shawna!!!

8. Igloos - It snowed yesterday and Jude has been begging me to make an igloo. I told him the snow was melting and he is convinced we can scrape enough up to make an igloo.

9. Exercise - I need to get some.

10. Groceries - I need to get some of those, too.

11. Free Babysitting - Our babysitter gave us a gift certificate to the movies and a free night of babysitting for Christmas. I think we should use it soon.

12. Archiver's - I LOVE that store and I want to go there and spend A LOT of money.

13. Phone calls - I need to return phone calls. I haven't done that for a couple of weeks. I have people to call and places to go. Hopefully my nap does not interfere.

For more Thursday Thirteen go HERE.

Wordless Wednesday...

Okay, okay....remember the picture my husband had blown up to poster size and framed for a Christmas gift last year? Well, here is pic. Enjoy.

For more Wordless Wednesday go HERE.

Amish? Christmas in the Woods...Year Two.

Well, we made the trip to West Virginia again this week-end. Are you saying to yourself, "do these people ever stay home?" Well, we aren't going anywhere for a while. I am tired of living out of a suitcase. I am a horrible packer. I used to seriously over pack. Since I have children I have so much extra junk that I try to travel as light as possible, which means I usually forget several things. This time I forgot PJ's for Jude. He borrowed a pair for Nolan so it worked out. We also forgot Elise's baby that she sleeps with every night. We borrowed a "stand in" from Lydia and I don't think she even noticed a difference. How convenient. Luckily I remembered my toothbrush...who knows who I would have had to borrow one from. That was just a joke (ha ha ha).

The week-end was nice. I felt pretty decent except for the fact that I seriously over ate. So much food and so little room for it all.... Saturday we celebrated Christmas. We got up and walked over to the Applehead family's home for the festivities. We started with a lot of just laying around but finally did get motivated enough to eat breakfast and open gifts. I think everyone was happy with their loot. Our big gift was a Sony Home Theater. Jake is putting it together now, which is why I am blogging instead of watching TV. I hope it is done soon or I will probably have to fall asleep in bed instead of the couch, in front of the TV, like I usually do. Plus, I think Desperate Housewives is a new one. I really think we should just throw the TV away because I am not disciplined enough to not watch it at night. During the day is no problem...but I digress. Stephanie made us a basket of homemade canned stuff. Yummy. I can't wait to dig in. Don't you love those kinds of gifts?

After the gifts we sat around reading. Paul & Jake both got books. Stephanie got 2 cookbooks and Linda got a cookbook. So we all had something to look at. Then we ate Seafood Stew. After feasting someone got the great idea to take a walk to the barn to feed the animals. Grrr... I know I need the exercise now more than ever but I almost didn't go. In the end I decided to go and it was nice to get some fresh air. We got back and the older kids wanted to see Papaw's new saw mill in action. He is cutting the logs he & Jake cleared for the electric poles to make wood siding for the house. Lydia & Jude went to feed the rabbits. It wasn't very long before we heard someone crying. Steph thought it was Kellen but then it stopped so we just closed the door and went about our laying around. I was preparing for a nap on the couch when Ashley & Kellen came in and said Miles had broke his leg. I guess they were sitting on some logs, one rolled, trapped Mile's foot and he fell and the rest is history. A complete break. When they came off the hill I am not sure who looked worse, Eric or Miles. Eric looked like he had seen a ghost or maybe he just looked like a ghost...I don't know. Miles was yelling, Ashley was crying, Eric was about to pass out.....what a scene. The little kids were just standing back with scared looks on their faces. Well, Paul, Linda, Miles & Eric spent the next 5 hours in the ER getting x-rays & a temporary cast. Miles has to see an orthopedic dr. on Monday before he can get the real cast. What a bummer. We just laid around the rest of the night and ate cheesecake. Mmmmm....Wish I had a piece now. Okay...gotta go for now. I think the TV might be ready.

Thursday Thirteen #8 - Lists I'd like to make but probably won't...

Here is a list of LISTS I won't be making in the future.

1. 13 stupid things I've said while drunk. (ex. I said to my friends new boyfriend, "I heard you are a coke head.") These things all happened a long time ago - back in the drinking days.

2. 13 embarrassing moments I've had with bosses. (ex. I went to a wedding and my boss was there. He was doing some threesome/sandwich dance with his wife and another woman he knows from church. People were talking about it for months afterwords.) How embarrassing?!

3. 13 stupid fights my husband & I have had. (ex. fighting over who parks where in the driveway).

4. 13 things I have eaten and regurgitated in the last week. (no examples needed).

5. 13 people I could have lived without knowing. (ex. ex-GUY friend's crazy girlfriend who wanted to beat me up because of myspace.)

6. 13 people I sent Christmas cards to that didn't send them back to me. (ha ha....that would be a funny one, except there were a few people who sent me cards that I never got around to sending them cards....sorry).

7. 13 movies I fell asleep during. (ex. I fell asleep during Terminator 3 at the theater!)

8. 13 bad gifts I have received in the past. (ex. Dale Earnhardt Jr. action figure)

9. 13 colors that men should not wear. (ex. pink)

10. 13 shocking things people have said to me. (ex. this lady was telling me something about ethnic baby names - she said "they go through the produce isle and get their names from there...like rutabaga.") I was very uncomfortable.

11. 13 stupid things I have said while sober.

12. 13 bad pictures of myself. (ha ha...I could put the double chin poster picture here...ha ha)

13. 13 things I'd rather be doing besides blogging. I wouldn't be able to come up with 13 things.

Have a great day! If you want to read more Thursday Thirteens go HERE.

Happy New Year (Two Days Late)...

Yes, I know....I've already heard it, "when are you going to blog more?" Well, for now it will be hit and miss. Although I am not working, it seems like my time has been filled to capacity. Today is no different. I have lots of stuff to do: take down the Christmas tree & all Christmas decorations, work on one last hand made gift for this week-end, wrap all the gifts, finish the laundry, clean (....I don't know if it is the hormones but I swear I am more aware of the unsatisfactory condition of this house) and last but not least - go to the grocery store. This is all in addition to taking care of the kids....I sure hope I have a good day.

I haven't really told anyone how the holidays have been thus far...so I guess I should catch you all up. We had our little dinner party. It was fun. I made a huge pot of Seafood Stew but I overcooked the seafood a little. I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a bigger hit but I felt much better when I took the leftovers to the Millers and it disappeared in no time. Either way, the party was fun. JenF and her new hubby stopped by so my friends who had only heard of the legend of JenF finally got to meet her. Our other VERY generous friends gave us a Bread Machine for a gift. Yea!!! I am so excited. I made a loaf of bread the next day that didn't make it through the night (uh, we ate it). I made another loaf for the Looman's but it didn't turn out so hot....of course it didn't - they probably think I can't cook. I bought a new Bread Machine cookbook so I plan to get started on some new breads today (after the grocery store).

Christmas Day we woke up and the kids opened their gifts. It was a lot of fun. They were totally happy and satisfied with what they received. Jude just ripped into his packages but Elise had a little system....first she would take the name tag off then gently open the gift by the seams. It was cute. We were planning to head for Tennessee the next day but after realizing there was nothing really to do after the gifts were done we packed up and headed off for West Virginia. It is actually about half way between here and my parents house so it worked out perfect to drive half way, spend the night and get up early and drive to TN. We were there by 1 PM instead of 5 or 6. So, that all worked out. I did have to pack in a rush though and that never goes all that well. It worked out. Our stay in Tennessee was nice. The weather was warmer and my Mom took care of the kids the entire week and LOVED it. Elise wouldn't even let me change her clothes...she wanted Na Na. I spent most of the week puking or sleeping. That isn't fun but at least I had someone to take over the kids. I did go out on the four wheeler once and we went out for our anniversary on FRIDAY. We went to Historic Rugby and had lunch then went to the movies. We have done that the last 3 years (I think). It was nice. We ended up staying a couple days extra and stayed until the New Year. We didn't do anything for New Year's Eve since I can't even stay up past 10 PM. Oh well, we'll catch up next year.

I've been thinking about a mini series I am going to be writing. It is going to be about life in the South and my family. I can hear the cringes already. Don't worry it won't be bad but I do want it to be realistic. Life in Scott County Tennessee is so different than anywhere else that I have been. I hope to get started on it soon. It depends how this week goes.

Okay, I never made any New Years Resolutions yet. I still plan to....maybe that will be my Thursday Thirteen.

Have a great day!

Where has the time gone???

Well, I thought I would take a moment to post one last post before we say good-bye to 2006. It has been one crazy year. Of course, isn't life one crazy year after another. To send the year off properly I am going to re-cap (in my delilah sort of way) our 2006. Here are some of the things that happened...

• We helped Justiene move away from the Evil Ted. She is doing okay now. She still has her issues with him because of the kids (his kids she was raising, remember). She has had a little streak of bad luck lately so everyone say a prayer for her and send good luck her way.
• Jake changed jobs. He didn't want to be a custodian anymore. Too much DRAMA. Seriously, those custodians are always fighting with each other. Well, the hours were horrible anyhow... He got a new job thanks to a friend. He loves it and loves his boss.
  
• I retired from teaching abstinence to take on a new career, selling insurance. I have since "retired" from selling insurance. I was actually laid off from my job but when I signed up for unemployment he decided to fire me. He still hasn't given me any kind of official notice that my employment has been terminated (except through the unemployment office). I've only ever been "fired" from a job once in my life and that was for not showing up or calling off, back in college. My boss told my husband "because we are friends, I thought she would understand...." Where do I find these people? I have been HORRIBLY upset and distraught over the situation. And it keeps getting worse. Now my boss's brother is telling people the business will go under if he has to pay my unemployment (he is responsible for 6%) and I only talked on the phone when I was there. It infuriates me. I was NEVER reprimanded even ONE TIME for not performing my job duties. In fact I did more than I was hired to do.......I could go on and on.
  
• We left the church we had been attending for 4 years. We tried to leave gracefully....but people's feeling get hurt and yada yada. I am not sure what we could have done differently. We have found a new church that we feel is our home for the time being. There are a handful of people from the old church that we still talk to and love very much. There are some others who will probably never talk to us again. Once again, I am sad but slowly getting over it.
• We moved in June to the Pink house. We are comfortable and like living there. We will probably stay until 2008, when we can buy our dream house in Peninsula (subject to change).
• We did some traveling in 2006. We went to West Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina (the Outer Banks).
  
• After our Outer Banks trip, Jake and I hit a little bump in the marriage path. No we weren't getting a divorce or anything. It was just one of those fights you don't get over in one night - every marriage has them. Some marriages end...some endure. I guess ours will endure because before I was completely over it...I found out I was pregnant. Not the best news when you are angry but it puts things in perspective. We have two beautiful children already and we'll be adding to the mix. We were both happy about it (Jake was initially happier than I was....jumping around the house like a crazy man). I am scared. How will I handle three????? Yikes. We had been talking about getting pregnant but I had been stalling... I guess it all happens in God's timing- which isn't always when I want things to happen. In the end, no problem is bigger than our marriage and the commitment we made to each other. Jake is a good man and I love him in spite of his flaws and he loves me even though I don't have any and it makes him look bad. ha ha ha haha. Well, you all know I am joking about that part. Pregnancy is taking it's toll on me though. I have been puking my guts out and sleeping like a champ. I have to snap out of this soon....it is awful. Anyone who knows me knows that I like to multitask and I don't sleep that much, normally - so this is out of character for me.
  
• Oh, and don't forget that Jake was sick back in the Spring and was in the hospital forever. That was nuts.
  

So, that is a slice of the Miller's past year. I know there will undoubtedly be someone who complains about "too much" personal stuff. I just want to be real.

Please have a fabulous New Year. We will be traveling tomorrow and I may write some when I get home. I want to make some "resolutions" for the new year. I don't usually do that but what the heck, right?

Thursday Thirteen....Happy Anniversary Hubby!

Today is our 5th Anniversary. In one way I can't believe it has been 5 years and the other...I can't remember what life was like without him. So, here is a list of 13 things you might not know about my husband (Jake).

1. He is 4 years younger than me. Is he ever going to be 30???? Once we were talking about dating age differences. I told him when I was 27 I dated a 23 year old. He sounded shocked and said who? Ha ha ha. It was him. Silly.

2. He did an internship as a Youth Pastor and also has worked in youth ministry for 10 years or so. He is quiet but when he is with the kids he opens up.

3. He used to go backpacking every year. I don't know where all he has been but I know he has hiked in Alaska, Colorado & Canada. Before we had actually went out but after I decided I would date him (long story) he went to Alaska. I didn't have to wonder how it was going because I watched it all on the news. Someday he will tell you about this trip. I've been waiting.....

4. He writes with his right hand but bats with his left hand. He also bowls with his left hand.

5. He has a very BIG tattoo on his arm of a cross.

6. He owns a guitar but I think he can only play one song...at least that is all I've ever heard him play. It is a nice song though.

7. He likes to sleep in the middle of the bed.

8. He does the dishes most of the time.

9. Once I laid a roast out to thaw. He saw it and wanted to be nice and prepare dinner for me. When I got home from work I found him grilling the roast on an electric grill we got as a wedding gift. Ha ha ha. I never let him forget it. It was very tough to chew.

10. One of his favorite bands is the Flaming Lips.

11. We met at work. He asked me out but had also been hanging out with this other girl from work. He actually asked me to go to an Indians game with him after she had turned him down. I did not know about this until we were already married. If I had known before I would have dumped him so fast - I was very FICKLE and I would have NEVER been okay with being his second choice...although he says they were just "friends". By the way....I had hired that girl as a volunteer and she almost stole my man away (oh wait... I think I stole him away). Can you believe my quiet husband was a player???

12. When we were dating he would write me letters and leave them on my desk every day.

13. Last year he bought me a poster sized picture of myself with the kids, in the woods, with a baseball hat on, no make up and a double chin. He picked it out because he thought I looked beautiful. It is hanging at the bottom of our stairs.

Happy Anniversary Jake! I love you.

If you want to read last year's post about the wedding...I highly recommend it. Go HERE.

For more Thursday Thirteen's go HERE.

Writers Block.....

I can't believe it is Friday. I barely wrote anything this week. I haven't been feeling well and honestly, I don't really have anything that nice to say. Better not to say anything at all, right? It would be a lot more interesting if I just let it rip and said all the bad things I want to say but alas..... Well you know how it is. Maybe I will post later today.

Thursday Thirteen #6 - Dinner Party

This Friday, I am having a dinner party of sorts....well, I don't even know if I'd call it that...I am having a few friends & family over. I want to have people over for dinner more often but I am just not that good at planning. I might add it to my new years resolution list. For now, I am "setting up" my imaginary dinner party and inviting guests (dead or alive) to come on over and enjoy something yummy to eat. I borrowed this idea from another Thursday Thirteener...sorry I don't remember who but Thank You!

Thirteen Dinner Guests (Yes, all at the same time....)

1. Tori Amos - She could play a little pre dinner music on the baby grand piano I would have tucked in a random corner of my large dining room (to accommodate all the guests). I've always been a Tori fan and I think she would be a lot of fun.

2. Natalie Grant - Yes another musician...I don't think I will only invite music people don't worry. I saw Natalie in concert twice this year and I think she is just so sweet and real. She could sing a song or two as well.

3. Slyvia Plath - As depressing as she might be, I think she would be a very interesting addition to the dinner party. I think she & Tori would probably get along really well.

4. Judy Blume - When I was a kid I LOVED her books. I read everything she wrote...even Forever, which was not a kid book at all. I still remember the stud in the book was named Michael Wagner. Judy is a creative writer & was a part of my pre-teen years. I'd love to have her over.

5. Hmmmm...only women so far. I better invite a guy. Matthew McConaughey. He is very good looking and down to earth. I heard he doesn't use deodorant and really walks to the beat of his own drummer. He would be nice to look at and quite entertaining as well. Don't you think he would be quite the charmer? I think he'd be complimenting all the ladies and flirting just enough to boost everyone's egos. Do you think it would be rude if I asked him to come shirtless? ha ha.

6. Lebron James - I don't really care anything about sports and I am not really a Lebron fan (not that I am anti-Lebron) but I would invite him for my friend who is a huge fan. So, that is my generous invite...not for me but for my friend.

7. Abbie Hoffman - Political Activist. I think he would be sooo interesting. Oh and the controversy....I love it!

8. Jesus Christ, of course, a given...a radical himself. I love the wave makers.

9. The Wiggles - Weird, I know. But I really like these guys. Wouldn't you like to know what they are like in real life?

10. The last 4 Presidents. Bush Jr., Clinton, Bush Sr., Reagan. And their spouses. Just to sit back and watch them interact with each other and with all the crazies at this party....waahoooo. That would be fun.

11. Rachael Ray & Martha Stewart. They would have to balance each other out. Plus, my mom said that she "heard" Martha can't stand Rachael because she isn't a trained chef. I am not sure how or why my mom knows that but she does and now you do. Although...I don't know if it is true.

12. Johnny Depp. I've been a fan since 21 Jump Street. I had a poster of him on my wall when I was 15. It is about time we finally met in person.

13. Paula, Simon, Randy & Ryan. C'mon...you know them. If they aren't all available I would definitely choose Simon first, Ryan second. I think they could really add to the atmosphere.

And I would invite all of you.

If I don't see you until next week, Have a Merry Christmas.

For more Thursday Thirteen go HERE.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas....

Welcome to our home. I am glad you decided to stop by today. I actually forgot you were coming until I rolled out of bed and stopped by Stephanie's blog for a visit and saw that she had invited you over today! So, I quickly got things together to share my humble abode with you.

We live in Northeast Ohio. There are many jokes around the area that involve the weather. People always say, "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute and it will be different." So last week when I read there was going to be a Christmas Tour of Homes I took advantage of the wintery weather and snapped a photo of our front door. BTW...we rent this house so please excuse the "good & plenty" pink. We didn't put too many decorations outside because they all seemed to clash with the house. Ha ha.
Here is our Christmas Tree...what would a Christmas tour be without seeing the tree right? If you want to take a little detour and get a laugh at my expense, stop by my hubby's blog and look at our Christmas Tree Drama pics.... I also added some pics of a couple ornaments. One that I just think is pretty and the other to entertain my loyal readers with my son's little obsession.


This is a little difficult to see but it is our front window. My parents went to an auction and bought hundreds of this window clings for $2. My kids are having so much fun with them. They don't just put them on once, they "redecorate" all day long. Endless fun.



We are celebrating Christmas with my family today! My parents live out of town and this was the only time we could all get together. So, here are the gifts I have to load up to take to my sister's house today!

My hutch and this giant candle and wreath holder thing I made a long time ago.


This is the archway between the living room and the dining room. I am trying to fill it with Christmas cards. I am still waiting for yours....
I don't have my house all that decorated so I was looking for signs of Christmas to show you... Wrapping paper in my kitchen...hmmm....definately a sign of Christmas.


I started making Sand Art Brownies but I ran out of brown sugar so I had to put the project on hold. I did go get some but I haven't had the time or energy to finish them. If you look closely you can see that I didn't have a lid for the wide mouth jar in the back either so I had to use a paper towel. So typical....
Last but not least.....probably the biggest sign that Christmas is around the corner in the Miller household. My creative area (card making/scrapbooking) is a disaster area. I have been working hard on several projects.... Are you wondering if I made something for you??? I guess you will have to wait and see. In the mean time I think I should use this photo for a Tackle it Tuesday project. ha ha.

Well, thank you so much for stopping by. If I don't see you before the big day...I hope you and your family have a VERY Merry Christmas.

For more Christmas homes go HERE!

Thursday Thirteen #5 - "If I had a Million Dollars"

Haven't we all dreamed about what it would be like to come into a windfall of money. My husband and I are not much for gambling but we have played the lottery a handful of times since we married, when the prize is over 100 million dollars. One dollar is pretty cheap for the amount of sheer entertainment we got from it...you know, dreaming the dream. What would you do if you won (or were given) millions of dollars? Well, here is my list of thirteen things I would do if I won millions of dollars...


1. I would (obviously) pay off the debt. Student loans, credit cards, car notes...begone! We would never pay anything late again...because we wouldn't have anything to pay. Ahhhh...I feel freer just talking about it.

2. I would pay off debt for friends & family. I've always had this dream of anonymously paying off peoples bills. So, they go to pay their house payment but their balance is a big fat 0. How cool would that be? I guess it would be difficult to do without account numbers and all that but I would try.

3. Buy a House. A big but modest house...if that makes sense. An old farm house or something with character. It wouldn't have to be all Martha Stewart and fancy. I would just like to have space, storage and enough room to have lots of company. Oh, and the yard would have to be big. If you remember from my Christmas list I would like to have an art studio & a big garden...maybe even an alpaca. Who knows.

4. Buy the Millers (in-laws) new cars. These people (Applehead family included) drive thier cars until they are on their last leg (hundreds of thousands of miles). I think they all deserve shiny new cars...afterall it would last them for years to come.

5. Send my parents on a nice vacation. They went out west a few years ago and would like to go back. I'd put them up in the best hotels & they'd only eat at 5 star restraunts.

6. Build the coolest tree house you have ever seen for the kids (wink wink). So the yard would have to have a very big tree.

7. Leave outrageous tips for unsuspecting servers when I go out to eat. I was a waitress for 10+ years. I worked my rear off for every penny I earned (and then some).

8. I would give my tythe to the church.

9. Build a house for a family once a year. Seriously...you've all watched that show Extreme Makeover, where Ty goes out and builds a house for a family in need. Imagine what it would be like if more people and churches did that type of thing for people. You could build a modest house for $100,000 (at least in Northeast Ohio). Now, that is a lot of money to me but on a larger scale that is just a drop in the bucket. I realize it is a very liberal idea but I firmly believe it is our job to help others.

10. I would have a housekeeper. Enough said.

11. I would have fun. Seriously without debt hanging over my head, worrying about making money and keeping the house clean (I use the term lightly) - I could just have so much fun...focus on the good things in life.

12. I'd like to be one of those people who goes around passing out 100 dollar bills to strangers. That would be great.

13. Travel...everywhere from the hills of West Virginia to Barbados.


Isn't it fun to dream? What would you do with all that money?

For more Thursday Thirteen's go HERE.

What Color Purple Are You????

You Are Grape

You are bold and a true individual. You are very different and very okay with that. People know you as a straight shooter. You're very honest, even when the truth hurts. You are also very grounded and practical. No one is going to sneak anything by you. People enjoy your fresh approach to life. And it's this honesty that makes you a very innovative person.

What Color Purple Are You?

Wordless Wednesday....Elise Blue Mouth

For more Wordless Wednesday go HERE. Have a great Wednesday!

So, here is the deal....

I guess I am not done hibernating. I can't seem to stay off the couch. I will try to post more later. I seriously don't remember being this tired. I am such a whiner and I have SOOOOO much to do before Friday, when I have Christmas with my family. I haven't wrapped one gift. Oh wait....I haven't even bought gifts. I am in big trouble.

So, I went to the doctor today and although my according to official dates I am only 6 weeks & 2 days, she believes (from her examination) I am further along...maybe 8-10 weeks. That sounds better to me but we won't know until next Tuesday.

Okay, see you later.

Out of Hibernation....(for now)

I don't remember being this tired for the last two pregnancies. Seriously, I slept half the day yesterday and went back to sleep around 9 P.M. I am normally a 6-7 hours of sleep kind of girl so this really stinks for me. I have a lot of stuff to get done. Hopefully I am all caught up on sleep now. I have Christmas presents to work on and I haven't wrapped a single thing yet. I am making a few things this year. Not like last year, where I made most everything. To be honest, I don't think it was that much cheaper so...I went back to buying what I can and making what I can...balance is always the answer.

Other than sleeping too much the week-end was good. I went to this ladies thing at the new church. I guess they get together once a month and do some crafty thing and have a speaker. It was fun. We made one of those layered cookie jar gift things. There was a ton of food there....which I didn't expect. I had eaten a piece of pizza for breakfast that wasn't sitting too well with me so I only ate some grapes. The speaker was great. She talked about the Proverbs 31 woman...seems like everyone is talking about that lady these days....and how she handled her money. It was very good. It was nice to be with a group of Christian women for 2 1/2 hours and not hear one person gossiping about another person or talking about someone else's problems. Often times those women's events turn into things like that...gripe sessions about their husbands or gossip fests about the women that aren't there. I guess that is where the old term "knitting circle" comes from...women get together to knit but chat it up while knitting...whew more gossip than the National Enquirer. Oh...I could go on & on about this gossip stuff. It is something I have struggled with for...well, my whole life, I guess. So, anyways, I'm happy that it doesn't appear these women are like that...it'll help keep me on the straight and narrow. ha ha ha.

Remember a few months ago I started telling you what I was making for dinner because I wasn't going to go to the grocery store? Well, I really slacked on that didn't I? I wanted to give you an update. My "experiment" went well. I did use every last thing in my freezer before I went to buy any more meat. I did however go to the grocery store several times to get stuff to go with the food I already had. I used up a lot of stuff. My cupboards were starting to look bare. It was nice. I think I am saving money on groceries. We keep track of our spending but we have been traveling a lot lately so we will have to average things out over a few months. I did do most of my shopping at Aldi's last month and Jake got the deer so that helped a lot. Jake only gets paid once a month (uhg). You'd think I'd be used to it by now but I am not because I was getting a check on his off week so it was like we were getting paid every other week. Unfortunately, I won't be getting a pay check anymore. I did get a very small one this month. I have no idea where the money went (so quickly I might add). I've already made up my grocery list & menu for the next month. I am going to get almost everything at Aldi's. There are a few things I may have to get at a bigger store (sweet potatoes). And I am planning on having my sisters family over for a big pot of seafood stew (yummy) so that will skew the stats a little but I am trying to keep the budget tight. If I remember I will try to let you know what we are eating every now and then. Tonight we are having deer steaks, baked potatoes & glazed carrots. Other things on the menu this week include: Navy beans & ham w. cornbread, Chicken Delish & rice, pumpkin pancakes (they are soooo good) and I don't remember what else because the menu is upstairs. How much do you estimate you spend on groceries each month?

Okay, have a great day!

Real Reality....

A few weeks ago I told you about my sister. Wasn't that a funny post? I got a lot of comments on my blog and in person. I thought I would tell you a little more about Heather because I have a HYSTERICAL story to tell you. Heather is a few years younger than me. She went to West Liberty College in West Virginia to learn to be a Dental Hygienist (insert joke here). While she was away at school she met Ivan (I think I have you a little history about that in the birthday post). She and Ivan dated for a couple of years and got married when Heather was only 21. They didn't want to have children right away so she went on the pill to prevent it. After a couple of years they decided they wanted to try (oh wait, I think she decided but I will let her tell you that story in the comments if she wants...it is also interesting). After trying for like a year she finally got pregnant! Everyone was so happy. Unfortunately it wasn't her time to have a baby & she had a painful (physically & emotionally) miscarriage. She kept her baby hopes up. They tried for another year and had no luck. She was actually considering fertility treatments when a nurse pulled her aside and told her she had known couples that went through the expensive & emotionally draining treatments with a disappointing outcome. She said she knew of this herbalist lady that maybe could help before they took any extreme measures. During all this time, I was planning for a wedding. Jake & I got married at the end of December. Heather and I talked about when our periods were going to start. Sorry for Too Much Information but girls do talk about that kind of stuff, ya know. We both made it through the wedding but started a day or two later. That month she & her husband went to the herbalist. She was pregnant by the end of February. Now, at this point she had been married for like 5 years and I had been married for 2 months. When she told me she was pregnant I realized my period was late.....and that is where Jude came from. We were due 3 days apart and actually had our children 6 days apart. She went first & I watched. I almost passed out. Not something you want to watch when you are 9 months pregnant. Okay...I know this is a long story. So we were having fun having kids the same age. When Jude was around 22 months old I got pregnant with Elise. Ivan called Jake and said Well, it is a loosing battle now. Heather was pregnant 6 weeks later. How fun. Pregnant with my sister again. This time she had the boy & I had the girl so we traded clothes. Didn't that work out great? Now I am pregnant. You expect me to tell you my sister is pregnant, right? As far as I know she isn't and she definitely doesn't plan on it. In fact I have all her maternity clothes...she says she is done. I've been teasing her. It would make for a great story ending. Hey, I wasn't planning for a baby that first time. This could be her unplanned (hee hee).

Okay...now for the funny story. On Saturday mornings Heather is home with the kids by herself. Ivan is at work. So, often times she just takes a bath with the kids. It gets them clean and keeps them busy while she gets clean. Plus the kids think it is fun. Last week, Heather was taking a bath with her kids and the water started getting too cold so she moved them to the back of the tub and moved herself by the faucet so she could add hot water and they wouldn't get burned. Her son likes to wash her hair. He always tries to put shampoo in it and stuff. He was doing that last week. All of a sudden she noticed some hair floating in the water. He had gotten a hold of her razor and wasn't putting shampoo in her hair but was running that razor down her very LONG hair! OMG!!!! She said there was hair everywhere. So, needless to say, Heather had to go get a haircut last Saturday. I guess it is just layered now. She is lucky. Ha ha ha. Don't you think she should have another kid?

Have a fabulous week-end. It is really snowy here.

Two Posts....One Day

Okay, so this is my second post of the day. I wanted to do the Thursday Thirteen thing but I did the Wordless Wednesday yesterday and posted pics the day before....I feel like I haven't really talked to you. So, here I am.

First I would like to thank everyone for your baby blessings. I will be going to the doctor on Tuesday. She will probably do an ultrasound to get an official due date. We are thinking somewhere between the end of June & early August. Since I will have a C-section the baby will be born a week before the actual due date. As for being pregnant (not my favorite thing BTW), I am fine. I haven't felt sick or anything. Just a little tired & terrible headaches. I had them with Jude too. Does that mean it's a boy??? I guess we won't know until I have the "big" ultrasound. We do find out. I like to know in advance. Maybe we will find out but not tell anyone. ha ha ha ha. That would be mean.

Elise was sick this week. Well, for like one day. She had a fever and threw up a few times. She seems to be feeling better. That is good news.

Yesterday I finished my last pottery piece that I can give as a gift. I didn't really get much pottery done. Next year I need to start early. I had two really beautiful pieces (if I don't say so myself) but I already gave them away (birthday & house warming gift). Other stuff either warped or the glaze sucks or I just don't like the piece. I have high hopes for my latest cool thing. I am still learning and getting better so I am happy.

Some of you may have seen that Kristen left me a comment apologizing for an earlier comment she posted. I wanted to say thank you to her. We finally talked and everything is okay. I feel really relieved because I was super stressed about the whole situation. As women, many times we try to avoid talking about uncomfortable things (like when someone has upset you or when you are mad about something) and really we make it worse on ourselves. Most of the time when you talk about it you find out the problem either didn't really exist or it wasn't so bad or you find out that you can forgive and move on. I try to be upfront with people but even I mull over stuff too much. And you never know how the other person will react so....it is a little bit of a risk. I guess we have to do what we feel is right and then move on. I don't know. Currently I have two other situations that have been bothering me. In both cases I have sent emails and haven't gotten a response. hmmmmm.... Either way, I did want to acknowledge that K left that nice comment and say everything is cool. Cool?

Well have a great day!

Thursday Thirteen #4 - Dream Jobs....

I was laid off from my job this week. I am sad about the lost wages but happy to have a little extra time with my children each day. I was contemplating embarking on yet another new career and thought I would dedicate this Thursday Thirteen to my internal (haven't sent out any resumes yet) search. Feel free to tell me your own dream job...maybe I will be inspired.

1. A Writer - well, I already am a writer but I would like to get paid for writing. I have thought about this often. I think I would need to take an English class because I rarely paid attention during grammar lessons in school. I use....those dots too much and I end sentences with unnecessary prepositions. I'd like to write a book...I have a few great stories inside me. With all the drama my blog has caused, imagine what a book could do.

2. Radio Talk Show Host - I talked about this last week.

3. College Professor - I'd like to teach something in the Social Science field or Human Sexuality. I think I could make a difference.

4. Youth Advocate - You get paid to hang out with troubled kids/teens and take them to do activities like bowling or shopping. How fun.

5. A Photographer - I love taking pictures. I have thousands of them. I particularly like spontaneous face shots...not portraits so much.

6. A Potter - I would LOVE to have my own studio & just create stuff all day long. I would make mostly functional stuff. I am not one for art that is just for looking.

7. Professional Scrapbooker - Do you ever read any of those scrapbooking magazines? There are actually women who get paid to design scrapbook pages. That is what they do. How cool.

8. TV Cooking Show Host - I would make my cooking show realistic. The studio would be set up like my kitchen at home & my kids would be on the show. If I was distracted and something didn't turn out (like it often does not) I would still air it. It would probably be more of a comedy/cooking show spoof. I would be like Rachel Ray - except nothing would be pre-washed or pre-chopped.

9. Rock Star - enough said.

10. Coffee Shop Owner - I always wanted to open a coffee shop.

11. Florist - over the years I have threatened to leave the Social Service field & become a florist. I think I'd really enjoy arranging flowers & smelling roses all day.

12. Activist - ooooooooo...this one should have been higher on the list. I have a flare for the dramatic & feel very passionate about the things I believe in. Uh, I also like a little controversy here & there.

13. Stay at home mom. I guess dreams do come true....

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Boys....Wordless Wednesday

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