Green Acres

He´s alive by Dolly Parton

2011-04-15T00:01:00.009-05:00

She's Off To Japan

2010-12-20T08:14:00.000-06:00

This morning our alarm went off at 2:30am. Ugh! I am not a morning person, and I don't move well in the mornings, so the 2:30 alarm was not a friendly sound to me. ha

After we got dressed, we drove an hour to Ashley's apartment to pick her up, as well as Chelsea, who had spent the night with Ashley. They decided to pull an all-nighter (ah to be young again lo)

We took Ashley to the airport, and got her checked in. I made her agree to let me take some pictures and her comment was "Do I have a choice?" ~ She knows me so well. :)

As we said our good-byes I was fine with the "I love you" and "Have a great trip" part. However, when I said "Have a wonderful Christmas", I lost it. I hadn't intended to cry, but realizing this was our first Christmas

without all 3 of our children home with us, is a sad thing, so I think as a mom, I'm allowed a good cry.

But, that having been said, I must also say that I am so super excited and happy for Ashley and Lance to have this reunion and time together. They were married at the end of April, and in early May, Lance went off to war in Afghanistan. He's a marine, so they are right in the thick of things, and as time went on, the stress was starting to wear on Ashley. She wouldn't admit it, but as a parent, you know your child well enough to see it.

Jay and I both were smiling thinking about which one of them will run to the other the fastest, and how long their first embrace will be before they stop hugging. What a sweet image, and part of me wishes I could be there to see that happiness that will be on both their faces. Sadly, she wasn't excited about the thought of me tagging along, so I made her promise that she will take LOTS of pictures, and she assured me she will.

With lay-overs and total flight time, it will take her 23 hours to fly to Okinawa. She left her at 6am this morning (Monday), and she'll arrive in Okinawa at 9pm tomorrow evening (Tuesday). LOL

In 19 days she'll return, and I know it will be hard for both of them. But, as Ashley said before leaving "I know it's going to be hard to leave him, but it won't be as hard as the last time when I knew he was going to war."

One of the last things she said before she headed up the escalators to her gate were sweet words I'll carry with me for the next 19 days "Oh my gosh mom, Seriously? Another picture??"

I wish both my daughter and my son-in-law a wonderful reunion, and lots of wonderful memories of their time together. And I wish for them both a very merry Christmas and happy New Year. I love you both!!

The Last Blizzard of 2010 - I Hope

2010-12-13T10:52:00.000-06:00

We have been so lucky up to this point of the year, in that we haven't had more than a little dusting of snow this year. With my birthday being in early December, any year we don't have snow by the time my birthday rolls around, is a good year in my book.

Well, we got our first snow in the form of a blizzard this past weekend. It made for an interesting weekend to say the least.

First, our electricity flickered off and on, before it went completely off for about 12hrs. When I get cold, my muscles get tight and of course, my pain level increases dramatically, so I bundled up as if I were going out in the storm. I had yoga pants and sweat pants on as well as a turtle neck, heavy sweatshirt, my superthick (old and ugly) pink fuzzy robe, thick socks under my Ugg knock-offs, ear muffs and thick mittens. And I sat under a super thick quilt. I am so thankful no one took a picture as I'm sure I looked uber lovely. LOL

Twelve hours later our electricity came back on. Jay didn't think our furnace was working well enough, so he headed to the basement to work on it. He came back up to go get his saw and some duct tape (still not sure why). It was at that point that I asked people on Facebook to pray for us. Seriously.

Jay came back announcing he had found his power saw and he gave the "Tim The Tool Man" grunting noise. After letting out a couple of "Oops!" he shouted up the stairs asking Austin to come help him. As Austin slowly made his way to the stairs he looked back at me and whispered "Help me." I shrugged and said "If he yells 'Oops!' again, RUN!"

Now this morning we found we had no water, as poor Austin tried to take a shower before school, which meant he had to take a shower at the school. After spending the past two days trying to keep us (and the pigs) warm, Jay had had very little sleep or downtime. This latest situation just about sent him over the edge. I am convinced that if I had suggested moving somewhere warmer, he would have agreed.

Darn - I probably missed that opportunity.

Part of our line to our well has frozen, and they are working to get it thawed as soon as possible. Austin has his school's Christmas concert tonight and I'm really hoping they get the water fixed, or I will say a prayer for the poor unfortunate people who have to sit next to a showerless me. :-/

Today the sun is shining, the wind has gone down, and I have to admit that in spots, it does look kind-of-sort-of pretty, in a IWishIDidn'tHaveToDriveInIt kind of way. There is only one thing left to say:

Is it Spring yet?

My New Toy

2010-12-11T16:08:00.000-06:00

I received a kindle from Jay and the kids for my birthday. When I'm having a flare that is bad enough to put me in bed for a few days, I like to read when I'm up to it. Have you ever tried laying down on your side, or even on your back, and read a book? Not very comfortable.

I have to tell you that I am loving my new kindle. I have downloaded 4 books in different categories: Biographies, Fibromyalgia, Christian, and humor. I figure that will give a good start on a variety of things to read depending on my mood.

Even today, as I'm in the middle of a nasty flare, I am in bed, and I have read for a few hours. The extra nice part is that I got a book cover for it, and if you fold the front cover back, it makes a stand, so the kindle stands up. That way I can lay on my side and read hands free. It's awesome!

We're kind of considered being in the sticks in comparison to other parts of the country. We don't have wi-fi locations on every block, and even if we did, I still wouldn't benefit from it because we live 5 miles away from town.

For that reason, I LOVE having my kindle be the 3G version. That way, no matter where I am, I can download a book, easy peasy!

Ok, back to reading! :)

Physical Results

2010-12-03T08:50:00.000-06:00

I had a complete physical yesterday, and it was one of those rare times when I left the doctors office happy. :)

My lab results were the best surprise of all. I last had blood work done this past Spring, before I went GF and mostly sugar-free as well. I also now eat very little processed food, so I was super curious to see how things were doing, because truthfully my levels were not great the last time.

My doctor said that last time my blood sugar levels were still within the normal range, but they were teetering very close to being too high (meaning borderline diabetes). These results show my levels are now much lower and way down within the normal levels. Yeah!

My thyroid levels are almost the same as they were before, which has my TSH and T4 reading well within the normal range as well. Another Yeah!

Now for what I think is the best news. The following levels are all now within the normal range:

Cholesterol is down 33 pts
HDL is up 6pts (this is the good one that you want to go up)
Chol/HDL ratio is down 2pts
LDL cholesterol is down 17pts

Triglycerides is down 108pts. <---this one is still high, but the doctor is confident that when I get my blood work rechecked in 6 mo, that it will be down in the normal range as well. :)

I originally changed my eating because I had read that it can really help with Fibromyalgia symptoms. Honestly, I haven't noticed much difference with that, however I will continue, because eliminating the food allergies I have is obviously doing great things for my body.

Eating this way is getting easier now that I'm starting to accumulate GF/SF recipes that I actually like really well, including desserts. So now I don't have to feel deprived, which is always a good thing!

Winters Coming

2010-11-30T14:13:00.000-06:00

Ok, I give up. Winter is going to arrive whether I like it or not (and trust me...I do not like it!). Flurries this morning have proven to me that not all prayers are answered. Or at least, not in the way I'd like them to be. lol

Anyhow, to wave the white flag and attempt to embrace winter, I've changed the background and header for this blog.

*sigh*

Have you noticed the countdown to Spring widget? LOL

Dress Shopping

2010-11-29T00:01:00.003-06:00

When Ashley and Lance decided to quickly get married before he deployed, I remember Lance feeling so guilty for taking away her dream of a big church wedding, with the dress, and reception. Jay told him he wasn't taking anything away, and he was giving her a future. He also said we'd give her that wedding, only it will be a vow renewal instead.

Traditional? No, but their entire romance hasn't been traditional. Their tiny private marriage ceremony wasn't traditional. But they were still blessed by God, and this ceremony will be blessed as well, we firmly believe that.

The church has been reserved, the reception hall has been reserved, the photographer has been reserved. She has also talked to someone about invitations, and talked to her hair stylist. Now the fun stuff starts.

A week or so ago, Ashley, Chelsea (who is her maid of honor) and I went shopping for her dress, and the attendants dresses. We had so much fun, and I did really good. I didn't cry, although I felt my eyes welling up a couple of times, because she looked so beautiful.

Ashley has always been a girl who knows what she likes and what she wants. She looked on the bridal shop's website and found a dress she liked. As new dresses were added to the site, she found she kept going back to the first dress. The same thing happened with the attendants dresses.

We went out for supper and then drove to the Bridal shop. We had a few minutes before her appointment, so she started looking at Mother-Of-The-Bride dresses, which of course had me laughing. I have not worn a dress in over 17 years...since Austin's baptism. I had fully intended to wear one of the beautiful chiffon pantsuits you see women sometimes wear. A dress? No. According Ashley, Yes. We'll see who wins that battle.

Ashley tried on the dress she liked online first. It was beautiful, and Ashley's face told us she thought so too. As I told Ashley when she asked what I thought of it: "It makes you look beautiful and sexy, in an elegant way". Her comment was "that works". LOL

She tried on several dresses after that, but her face never lit up as much as it did with the first dress. The lady helping her, said dresses look much different when your hair is up, but we had no hair ties, so she pinned it. Ashley has very thick, fine hair, and we laughed as the lady put pin after pin in her hair to try to get it to stay up. As you can see in the 2nd picture, it was up, sort of, with the help of over 20 bobby pins. haha

After she tried on dresses, they helped her try on different head pieces. First she tried on the tiara, and when she made the funny face you see in the picture, she said "Do I look like a princess Daddy?" She's such a nut. LOL

She had Chelsea try on the attendants dress that she saw on line, and when Chelsea came out of the dressing room, Ashley's face had the same smile she had when she tried on her first dress. Chelsea tried on others that were suggested, but again, Ashley's face was not the same.

In the end, she selected the first dress she tried on, and the first dress she had Chelsea try on. I told you, this is a girl who knows what she likes. :) Three words describe both dresses: simple, elegant, and feminine. All words that describe Ashley.

They were going to have her try on shoes, but in the words her Father would have loved to have heard, she said "I'm not going to get shoes here, we can get them cheaper someplace else."

In the end, the night really was all about the dress. In the picture on the right she has on "her" dress, and as you can see by her smile, she loved it and was genuinely happy, which made me genuinely happy (that and the fact that it was on sale hehehe).

Major Random Conversation

2010-11-22T00:01:00.002-06:00

If I happen to be home, and bored, and Chelsea happens to be at her place, and bored, it's never good because then we end up texting back and forth and the conversations get more random and more silly as the conversation goes on.

This is a copy of a recent conversation we had, and just how weird we really are:

C: (showing me a picture of someone with a scooter on the back of their vehicle) Look, someone else with a scooter thing.

D: You should have pulled them over and gotten their name. I could be scooter buddies with them.
C: haha they have a blue scooter so you could be primary colors pals (gee does that sound like someone who's an early childhood major? lol)
D: Yes, and we can go to scooter conventions all over the world
C: Scooter conventions? about what? backing up 101?
D: Yes. That is very important so that you don't knock over a mannequin (which I've done). Also they could tell you about the latest accessories.
C: Like what?
D: blinking flags so people can see you when you are scooting in the dark.
C: Yes! and how you can get new scooter horns instead of the beep beep one you have.
D: Yes, ones that can be heard and intimidating. Oooooo, an air horn would be awesome!
C: Wow. I would say one that yells out things like bomb! Gun! Fire! But then again, that might be bad. LOL
D: How about if it yells "Get your big behind outta my way!"
C: That could be offensive if they have a little behind.
D: I don't care what size it is, if it's in my way, it's big.
C: nice. Just get a sign.
D: What good is a sign going to do me if they aren't looking at me?
D: If they aren't looking at me, I'm going to have to shout at them to turn around and read my sign. If I'm going to have to do that, I might as well just tell them to get outta my way!
C: Get a flashing arrow.
D: WHAT? lol What am I supposed to do with that?
C: Well, I would say flash 'em, but that's probably illegal haha
D: Flashing a sign at them isn't illegal, but me flashing them is...and not something either of us would want me to do.
C: Yea, good point.
D: Gee, thanks for the love.
C: Wait. What were were talking about in the very beginning?
D: I was hoping you knew.

Donovan's Daughters

2010-11-20T22:36:00.000-06:00

I forgot to blog about Austin being in his school play a week or so ago. Funny thing was, he didn't try out for the play.

One day during lunchtime at school, I got a text from Austin, the conversation went something like this:

Austin: I'm in the play
Me: What? I thought you weren't trying out.
A: I didn't
Me: Wait. What?
A: I'll explain when I get home. Oh, and I got the lead.

Do I need to try to explain just how long of an afternoon that was? I nearly pulled him out of his truck when he got home begging for more information.

It turned out that the kid who had the lead, had something happen and he just decided to quit the play.

This was a month into rehearsals.
This was 3 weeks before the play.
This was a lead role.
This part had over 130 lines to be memorized.
Did I mention it was 3 weeks before the play?

The co-directors of the play scrambled to figure out who they thought could do this, and they both thought of Austin. According to one director, when they asked Austin if he'd do it, he just shrugged his shoulders and said "Sure, why not".

Fortunately for Austin, he is extremely good at memorizing. The one thing he can't do is accents. His character was an Irish immigrant, but Austin is a true, no accent, midwest farm boy. The directors let the accent go.

A week before the play I asked Austin if he'd like me to run lines with him and he said "What for?" I explained that it might help him with learning his lines. He looked at me and said "I've had them learned for a few days now." Uh, ok, nevermind then. lol

I will be honest, I was so nervous on the opening night of the play. I knew this was a lot of pressure, and Austin's never had a lead role before. I wanted this to be a great night for him, but I needn't have worried. He did great!

He never missed a single line and was animated and believeable. Well, as believable as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed teenage boy can be when portraying an Irish father of 5 daughters.

All of the kids did awesome and the play was a great success.

The following Monday after the play, I again got a text from Austin:

A: I'm in Speech now
Me: What?
A: Mrs. V and Mrs. P (speech coaches) told me they saw me in the play and they want me on the team.
Me: So you have groupies?
A: What?
Me: Nevermind

Here's a couple of pictures from the play:

Here's Mr. & Mrs. Donovan. Yep, they sure look Irish don't they? lol

This is one of my favorite pictures. Austin is 5'7", but he looks so tiny next to all those big guys. lol

Mr. Donovan giving one of his fatherly speeches

When a girl is in a play, you normally give her a bouquet of flowers, but what do you do for guys? I knew Austin would die of embarrassment if I gave him a bouquet, so I had to be creative. I decided to take one single red rose and tie it to a big bag of skittles, which happens to be his favorite food of all time (yes, he swears it is one of the food groups). After the play, the rose was on the counter and the skittles were never seen again. If you look closely, you can see the tip of the flower and part of the skittles, hidden behind the congratulations picture his girlfriends little sister had made for him. But at least he survived. :)

Oh, and I thought his hair would be great for the Winterfest dance or even Prom, but I was vetoed by both Austin and his girlfriend. lol

Our New "Baby"

2010-11-11T00:01:00.004-06:00

I'd like to take this opportunity introduce you to "Divot" our new addition to our family. He is a one year old cockapoo that we adopted from a nearby rescue shelter. Austin got to name him, and what else would a golfaholic name a dog, besides a golf-related name, so Divot it is. At first I thought he was nuts, but now I think it's cute and unique.

We lost our Molly a few weeks ago. She had some fear aggression issues that kept getting worse the older she got, and the last time something happened, she bit Ashley several times and drew blood. To know that she was now starting to turn on us was the last straw, and after talking to our vet, we all agreed it was time to let her go and no longer have to deal with the constant stress she had been obviously feeling, so we had her put down.

I cried so much afterwards and I told the vet I had such guilt, but she reminded me that these problems were caused by the puppy mill she had been stuck in for 7years, and that we had done an amazing job at giving her a normal life, so she could learn about love, compassion, and happiness. She was right when she said it was more than she would have ever had the opportunity to learn had she never been adopted, and it makes me happy to know we were able to give that to her for 3+ years.

When we saw Divots picture on the rescue leagues website, I felt so bad for him. His hair was so long that I knew it had to be matted (and I was so right! It was horrible!), and yet, he had a happy look to him.

The shelter gives you a two-week trial period where you can bring the dog back if he doesn't "fit" with your family, and you can get your money back, or adopt a different dog. We've had Divot for about 10 days now and he's starting to settle into our family nicely.

He listens so amazingly well, and he's super smart. He learned how the doggie door works in less than 10 minutes. He has already learned his name, he now knows "Sit" "Stay" "No" and "Down", which was necessary when he kept trying to jump up onto the dining room table. :-/ He is also starting to play fetch and he loves, loves, loves playing with toys of all shapes and sizes. He is just about perfect in every single way, except one...

He plays too rough with the other dogs. When he gets all wound up, he bites and the other dogs were terrified of him. Tucker, who is my baby, would hide under the end tables. Now, Ringo & Gabby have put him in his place so he knows not to mess with them, but poor Tucker is too sweet to ever do that. Therefore we have a behavioral specialist working with us to help us figure out how to get him to stop doing this.

When we brought Divot home, I gave him two days to relax a bit, and then I started cutting away at all the matted fur. Last week I took him to the groomers and oh my goodness, I can't get over how much better he looks!

As you can see, he is all black, except for a small patch of white on his chest and under his chin, which Austin calls his soul patch. lol

I think Divot will be a much loved member of our family for many years to come.

I Rescued a Human Today.

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card, I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.

Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor.

So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

~~Author Unknown~~

Miss Independent

2010-11-09T12:54:00.000-06:00

I used to pride myself on being independent. I didn't rely on anyone for anything.

One thing my illness has taught me is that asking for and receiving help is not a sign of weakness. People don't think less of you if you need help. While I get that, I'll be honest - I still missed my independence.

For the past 2 yrs I could go to a grocery store or Wal-Mart/Target by myself on my good days, because I could lean on a cart. But to go to a mall, or to go anywhere on my not-so-good days, required someone going along to either push me in a wheel chair, or later, lifting my scooter out of the back of the Vue.

We recently purchased a lift that goes on the back of the Vue and it has a ramp so I can drive the scooter on and off by myself.

It was a chance to have my indepence back and I was so excited!

Yesterday my chance finally arrived for me to go to a mall all by myself. The night before I was like a child on Christmas Eve.

But once the morning came, and it was time for me to go, I got so nervous. My face got red, my hands were shaking and my stomach was all in knots. The "What Ifs" hit me and thinking of all the things that could go wrong and having no one there to help me started to freak me out.

Fear of the "What Ifs" has stopped me for so long and I knew I had to push through. Honestly, I had tears in my eyes as I rode my scooter up to the entrance of the mall. I said a little prayer asking for courage, and the doors to the mall opened.

Within minutes all my fears dissipated. I spent over an hour in just one store looking, browsing, trying things on. Things I hadn't done since 2008. Oh sure, I had looked in malls and tried things on, but Jay was always along, and even though he never said a single word, I knew it was pure torture for him. lol For that reason, I would look for a short while and try one or two things on and we'd move on.

I tried on so many clothes yesterday, it was awesome! I went into so many stores and I was really proud of myself.

One of my biggest fears was the food court. Trying to maneuver through all those people and to try to get my scooter through to a table worried me. When I ordered my food, I asked that it be put in a "to go" bag so I could put that in the basket of my scooter instead of trying to balance a tray (yea, that would have been total disaster!). I went around to the outside of the food court and found a table that I could park my scooter right against, and it went well.

I was exhausted when I left the mall, but it felt so good to have my indepence back. I have learned that it's ok to ask for help, but it's also so nice to be able to do somethings on my own again.

And when I look in my closet and see new jackets, pants and shirts in with some of my other items, I can't help but smile to know that I was able to do it all by myself. :)

Halloween Dance

2010-11-05T07:36:00.000-05:00

Only my son (a farm boy who shows pigs) and his girlfriend (a farm girl who shows pigs) would go to their school Halloween costume dance dressed as a man who shows pigs and his prize winning pig. LOL

I do have to admit that while he looked the way I see him dressed most days (jeans, boots, Heeren Farms jacket and hat), she looked so cute! She was most proud of her pink slip on "hooves" that she found for $1.00 at Target.

My New Blog

2010-11-03T00:53:00.002-05:00

As you know I've been Gluten-free since mid-July. I have tried many GF recipes and let me just say that a whole bunch of them are just plain awful!

Over the past couple of months I have begun to find some recipes that we as a family truly do like, and I wanted to share them with others.

There are only a few recipes on there so far. While I've made more, I want to include a photo with each posting, so you know for sure I've actually made this recipe.

Here's the link to the blog: Gloriously Gluten-Free

And here's the link where it explains in more detail why I started this new blog: Introduction

If you know of anyone who is GF, be sure to send them by! As a matter of fact, you don't even HAVE to eat GF to enjoy these recipes. Just rest assured that these recipes ARE good, and they have even passed inspection by the two picky eaters I live with. :)

Guest Bathroom

2010-11-01T16:47:00.000-05:00

Several years ago, I gave up my part of the master bathroom to Austin, that way I could have the guest bathroom as my own. I've never had a bathroom all to myself while living with someone else, so to me this was a huge treat. To really "claim" the space, I repainted the bathroom a very dark pink, and I liked it. I change the bathroom decorations for each season, and it was a color that worked well with all seasons.

After Ashley & Chelsea moved out, Austin asked if he could move his bedroom upstairs, so he wasn't the only one in the finished basement. After some rearranging was completed, Jay's office was now downstairs, and Austin was upstairs.

A couple of months ago, I asked Austin if he would like to move his showering and shaving items to the guest bathroom because it would be so much handier, and he agreed it would. The bathroom is right next door to his room.

This shows the true love of a mother for her child - I gave up my bathroom, my only "girlie" space left in a house full of testosterone.

Then he asked if there was any way the bathroom could be repainted a color that wasn't so girlish. Again - true love prevails and I agreed.

I knew that with Jay being in the field, & Austin having school, cross country, and play practice, there was no way either of them would get it painted any time soon. I also knew that there was no way I could do it, so I went looking for hired help. Ashley was going to be coming home for a couple of days and I asked if she was interested, and she was. Yippee!

I selected a nice calm, light mint green and Ashley started to paint. Even though the paint had a primer in it, we knew it was still going to take a second coat to cover that dark color.

Slowly, but surely the pink started to go away. At first I was kind of sad, because I like bright/bold colors. However, as the first coat gave way to the second coat, I could see how much lighter & brighter it was in that bathroom, and I started to really love it.

The bathroom is completed, the protective tape has been removed and the decorations have been put back up.

Austin loves having it a different color and even referred to the new color as "cool".

The master bathroom had become the "guys" bathroom complete with a golf shower curtain, golf bath accessories, and golf pictures on the wall.

I'm thinking that if I had to change that bathroom, it's time for this bathroom to get a change as well. Not more girlie, but more neutral. hhhmmmm....I think it's time to visit some websites with bathroom design ideas. :)

Here's the before and after shots:

What do you think??

Channeling My Inner Witchiness

2010-10-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

My daughters and I have a Halloween tradition where we watch the 1993 movie "Hocus Pocus" together. If you've ever watched this movie, you know just how silly and funny it is! It's a spoof on what are supposed to be these three scary sister witches brought back to life, but they are just dim-witted.

We have the entire move memorized and we say our favorite parts along with it, as well as sing the songs. It starts Bette Midler, so you know the singing is great! Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are also in it and Kathy is the nuttiest of them all and totally cracks me up. For example, someone steals their brooms so they are forced to improvise, and Kathy gets stuck with a vacuum. LOL

Anyhow, this year, to get ready for the movie night, I bought a witches hat. But of course, not just any hat would do. I would wait until all the decent looking hats are gone, so there is just one more left in the dismal pile of ugly stuff no one wants in the Wal-Mart Halloween section. The one with big ugly flowers on it, and a small piece of net that goes straight out the back. Oh yea, that's a scary one. (insert rolling eyes here).

My daughters arrived and laughed at my hat (not the reaction I was going for but oh well). They took a picture of me looking as scary as I could, but later they said I looked more constipated than scary.

After we enjoyed the movie they caught me in action with a little toy.

What? Doesn't every Halloween witch play a scary tune on their uber-scary melody maker?

Have a fun and safe Halloween!!

Pure Sexiness

2010-10-29T00:01:00.001-05:00

What woman doesn't enjoy a little sexiness on her mans face now and again?

One Year Anniversary

2010-10-28T00:01:00.023-05:00

This week it was one year ago that I finally learned I had Fibromyalgia. One the one hand, I remember crying with relief that someone finally believed me and believed I was really suffering. On the other hand, I was scared to death because I had no clue what that meant for me, or my future.

I had my diagnosis confirmed a few weeks later by a Rheumatologist. It was then that I also learned that I was one of the 10% who had a severe form of it. I've always been an all-or-nothing kind of girl, and that continues even when I'm sick. lol

It took a few more months of trial and (some scary) errors & ER visits to figure out if there were any medications out there to help me.

Even though I hate this illness with every fiber of my being, I have learned some valuable lessons because of it. The biggest things I've learned is that #1 I'm a lot stronger than I ever thought I could be. There were times I would cry out on my bed shouting "God please, I am not this strong. I can't do this" and he'd let me cry it out and show me that, yes I could, even if I didn't want to.

The #2 thing I learned is that I'm ok, just the way I am with all my flaws, extra pounds, and weaknesses. God loves me, my family loves me, and that's all that really truly matters. I'm not hung up anymore on what people think.

Ok, wait, that's not entirely true. I still have a very big complex about being seen with my cane, or even worse, with my scooter. People always want to ask questions, and after you explain what's going on, they always sweetly give you that "aaww you poor thing" look. I hate that look. LOL So yes, I guess I am still vain when it comes to my cane and scooter.

I've learned more about Fibromyalgia in the past year than I ever thought could be possible. I spent a long, agonizing winter last year with my body wracked with pain, and I gained a determination that this year I was not going down without a fight.

I began to read and read and all the research pointed to people benefiting from going gluten-free. My food allergies showed I had an allergy to wheat and gluten, so why not give it a shot.

Let me just say that going gluten-free is not for the faint of heart. It's hard. No really...it's hard! I still miss a good turkey burger on an onion bun. I miss pizza with a thick crisp/chewy crust. I miss bread. Good, soft, multi-grain bread. I miss it all very much. However, if it will help, than it's a sacrifice I have to be willing to make.

It's meant I have had to start cooking. Many days my poor kitchen looks like a bomb went off in it. There's food splattered everywhere, and every single pot, pan, bowl, and spoon we have is piled high in the sink, and somehow I always seem to end up with a scalp full of oregano, even on a day I was making cookies. It has also meant my poor husband and son are having to pay the price as my taste testers, and it has my daughters glad they got out when they did.

Something else I recently started doing is taking an online Fibromyalgia self-help course teaching ways to cope with the different symptoms you experience, and oh my goodness it was such a help to me. I learned tips and tricks that I never would have imagined. I am now a member of their alumni group (with the benefits of a message board and open chat nights), and have signed up for their advanced course. When you do the course you have a moderator and a (MIT) moderator in training. After I finish all the courses, I am interested in paying what I've learned forward and perhaps becoming an MIT and then a Moderator. But that's a long ways off.

For now, I'm content to keep working on what I've learned not only in class, but throughout this past year. I'm looking ahead and praying that I will be blessed with more successes and more lessons to learn....not that I have all these learned yet. ha

No, I'm not thankful I got sick, but I do feel blessed because of it. If that makes sense. I'm also re-learning something I learned long ago...laughter really is the best medicine!

The Littlest Apple Tree

2010-10-27T19:54:00.001-05:00

This little guy to the left is a 4 yr old dwarf apple tree. Isn't he cute? Still just a baby as far as trees go, and just as confusing as any toddler can be as well.

We were told when we bought this tree that it takes at least 4 yrs for a tree to start producing fruit. He didn't grow at all until this year. Seriously, it was shorter than me until a few months ago. I'm only 5' tall, so you know how short it is.

Well that very next Fall, our little 1 yr old tree, gave us 1 cute little apple that you can see here.

Last year, our little 3 yr old tree (that was still barely 4-5 ft tall) gave us an entire tree full of apples. I seriously don't think another apple would have fit on there. It was amazing! Granted, they were all about the size of golf balls, but hey...we had apples!

Now we are on year 4. This is the year we would really start raking in the apples. I was so proud of my little tree for doing a nice job of growing over the past year. It was now around 6' tall and I couldn't wait to see just how many more apples we'd get this year. I waited and waited all year (apples are my favorite fruit after all). I could barely stand the excitement.

I thought of all the applesauce, apple crisp, and apple pies I could make, as well as fresh apple cider. True, I'd never actually make any of those things, because that requires using an oven, and mine is only there because I've heard kitchens without them look silly. But...if I did want to, I'd have plenty of apples to do it with.

Earlier this week I went out to see how the little apples were growing, and to get a guesstimate on how many apples we'd get this year. Look to the left. How many apples do you see? Zero? Me too.

Here I waited anxiously all Summer long, and wouldn't you know it, there is not a single apple to be found anywhere on that silly little tree. Not even one!

I am highly disappointed.

I Want To Be My Dog

2010-10-22T09:55:00.000-05:00

Austin has the lead in the school play, which is ironic since he didn't even try out for the play. The kid who did have the lead quit after a month of practices, and the directors scrambled to think of who could handle the challenge of learning 130 lines in just 3 weeks, and they basically begged Austin to do it.

Thankfully Austin is good at memorizing, so I know he will rise to this challenge. However, this means he has practice before school, and next week will have it after school as well.

That means his alarm goes off at 5:30 to get in the shower. That also means my alarm goes off at 5:45 so I can make some breakfast for him, and to see him before he heads out.

While it's tough enough to have to get up that early, this is what really kills me:

This was taken at 7:30 and Tucker was still sound asleep, even though I had the light on and had been on the computer. I would love to be able to do that.

I want to be my dog.

My tattoo

2010-10-21T19:34:00.000-05:00

I've had my pictures of my tattoo posted on Facebook, but hadn't posted them here yet, sorry about that. I had planned to and then forgot, so thanks for the reminder! :)

Here ya go:

I was in total amazement in the process of the whole thing. I watched what was happening almost the entire time, and my mother was my awesome paparazzi! (Thanks again mom!) Mom, you could have told me to pull my bermuda shorts down a little though so I didn't look like a dork. LOL

She really was incredibly talented at what she was doing, and I kept commenting on how steady her hands were (which of course is a very handy thing to have in that line of work lol).

And Voila! There it is. The meaning behind it is that the butterfly is the symbol for Fibromyalgia, and I knew I wanted that, but I didn't want some cutesy or cartoony butterfly. I wanted it to look artistic. The words come from my sweet husband who constantly says this too me when I get overwhelmed and frustrated with the things I can't do. He reminds me that even on the days I can't do anything "You're enough". :)

I have waited over 30 years to do this, and I'm actually glad I waited as long as I did. I waited out of fear until I turned 40, and then waited until now to decide what I wanted it to be, because I didn't want to get one just to get one, ya know? The time now was right.

So, what do you think of it?

Hello, Dear Blog

2010-10-20T07:20:00.000-05:00

Well hello there dear blog. I have to admit I had forgotten about you for a while. I missed you, I really did, but life got in the way and there never seemed to be enough time.

But I'm back now dear blog, and my plan is to make you more of a priority because you really can be therapeutic, as well as enjoyable.

So what's all been going on? Let's see if I can fill you in:

Ashley decided to not be on the college dance team any longer, and Chelsea decided to not be on the college equestrian team any longer. Both feel their classes are getting harder now that they are juniors and they want to allow more time for studying. I totally get that dear blog, but I have to admit that I do miss watching them entertain and/or compete. I've been watching them do that since they were in dance class at age 4. It tugs at my heart knowing that chapter has closed. At the same time I am so proud of them for wanting to work hard to achieve their goals.

Austin has really blossomed this past year. The shy introverted kid he has always been is opening up, and sometimes it shocks us. We hear that he is liked by all his teachers and can be pretty funny when with his friends. Even when at home, he'll start doing this slow-paced goofy dance when a good song comes on the radio. It cracks me up.

As you know dear blog, he was recently accepted into the National Honor Society and we thought we couldn't be more proud of him.

Then he came home the other day and said he had the lead in the school play. To say our jaws dropped is an understatement. He had told us he wasn't going to try out for the play. He didn't. The young man who had the lead quit the play for whatever reason and with only 3 weeks left until the play, the co-directors scrambled to find someone they thought could handle the challenge of learning over 110 lines in 3 short weeks. Austin was told he was their first choice. As he put it "Mom, they were like begging me. How could I say no to that?" What a good boy.

The rest of the kids in the play have been practicing for a month already, so most have their lines learned. I told Austin that if he ever wanted me to run lines with him, I'd be happy to do that. He really shot me down dear blog. His exact words were "Thanks, but K said she'd do it". K is his girlfriend. Okay then.

Fortunately for Austin, he is excellent when it comes to memorizing. Within 2 days he had the entire first scene memorized, and there are 5 scenes total. He doesn't seen frazzled by the challenge at all, and I have no doubt he'll do amazing!

There have been other things going on dear blog, such as getting my very first tattoo, trying new recipes, doctor visits, etc, etc. But I'll leave those for tomorrow.

It's been so good seeing you again dear blog. I promise to do my best to stop in daily, or every other day. Yea, I'd like that too.

Have a great day dear blog. Bye.

Brag Alert

2010-10-15T08:49:00.000-05:00

I have failed so miserably at the Project 365 in recent weeks. I've been in a bad flare that lets up for a day or two and then I'm right back in bed. Since I haven't participated in 3 weeks, I have felt terribly guilty...and therefore avoided coming here.

However, it is what it is and since I can't change it, I'll just move on. :)

One thing that really made my rough day better was reading this in the school announcements this past Wednesday:

Other Announcements:
Congratulations to our 2010-2011 New National Honor Society members:

Anna XXXX, Taylor XXXXX, Kacey XXXXX, Paiton XXXX, Austin Heeren & Rachel XXXX.

We are so proud of him! He's a pretty mellow kid (just like his dad) and he never acts excited, so when he told

us about it the day before it was along the lines of "Oh, by the way. I'm a new member of the National Honor

Society". As if he were saying "I'm going to take my truck in to get an oil change."

Austin is a very good student.He's always been very concientious about getting his homework done right away,

whereas Jay & I were the type who decided at 10pm on Sunday night that we better get to our homework

done that was due on Monday morning. lol

Ashley & Chelsea were/are good students as well, but they have had to work at it, whereas Austin just has

it come so easy to him. Jay and I on the other hand worked at it (well, maybe not so much) and were

average students.

hhhmmm....I wonder if Austin was switched at birth and he's not our biological child. That would explain

why he's so good at school and so easily, because he sure didn't get it from us. Thankfully he looks just like

his dad, so  yea, he's ours. lol

Before I Eat

2010-09-30T08:34:00.000-05:00

This is so me.....especially the crispy creme on the treadmill. LOL

Project 365 ~ Week 39

2010-09-25T16:37:00.000-05:00

It was Homecoming week, which meant a busy, fun week full of sports and other activities almost every evening, and of course the dance last night.

Sunday - 9/19

A sight I don't like to see - Geese heading south. :-(

Monday - 9/20

Austin had another cross country meet. Thankfully, it was one of the few nice afternoons/evenings without rain.

Tuesday - 9/21

Our Satellite box/DVR combo died and the new one arrived today, much to my delight. I had forgotten how torturous it can be to have to sit through every single commercial! lol

Wednesday - 9//22

While I'm not a huge fan of rainy, yucky days, I am a big fan of beautiful sunsets they can sometimes leave behind.

Thursday - 9/23

Tonight was the Homecoming King and Queen coronation ceremony and the band played the school song. That's Austin in the white hat playing his trumpet.

Friday - 9/24

HOMECOMING! The band did a pre-game show and an tribute to Elvis for the half-time show. They sounded great!

After the game, the kids got ready for the dance. This is Austin with his girlfriend. Their first date was last year for the homecoming dance, so they have now been dating for a year. She really is a sweet girl and she calls me "Mama Dena". lol

Saturday - 9/25

Our passports arrived today! Ashley already has her from her trip to Spain in high school (although she did have to get a new one with her married name), but the rest of us didn't have them. The last time Jay & I went to the Bahamas (for our honeymoon) you just had to show your birth certificate, a passport wasn't needed. Times do change.

That was our week! How was yours? Go visit Sara's through the link in the sidebar to see other pictures!

Crockpot Apple Caramel Pie

2010-09-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

WARNING! This is NOT a low-cal recipe!! But, if you want to make a super easy dessert for your family that will make your house smell yummy, then make this recipe!

I made the following recipe for my guys at home, and they sang my praises! They did the dance of joy around me and chanted my name over and over! They declared me the wife and mother above all others!

Ok, that's a lie. That didn't really happen, but the recipe was a hit!

The hardest part about this recipe is unwrapping the caramels. No, wait, that's another lie. The hardest part about this recipe is having to resist eating the remaining caramels.

Apple Carmel Pie

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.

2-crust refrigerated pie dough pkg.

2 22-oz. cans apple pie filling

1 tsp. cinnamon

12 caramel candies

1. Press one crust into half the bottom of a cold slow cooker, and an inch or so up half its interior side. Overlap by ¼ inch the second crust with the first crust in center of slow cooker bottom. Press remainder of second crust an inch or so up the remaining side of the cooker. Press seams flat where two crusts meet.

2. Cover. Cook on High 1½ hours.

3. In a bowl, mix together pie filling, cinnamon, and caramels.

4. Pour mixture into hot crust.

5. Cover. Cook on High an additional 1½ hours.

This is from the Fix It and Forget It cookbook - one of my favorite lines of cookbooks!

Project 365 ~ Week 38

2010-09-18T22:00:00.001-05:00

For the most part it was a really nice week with great weather for being outdoors. The exception was on Monday when Austin's cross country meet got rained out. Bummer!

Sunday - Sept 12

I actually forgot to take a picture for today, so I'm using one taken this week in place of todays. lol

I took advantage of the lovely weather to be outside when I could, and on this particular day, my son had forgotten something at home that he needed for school. I took one of the dogs with me, and on the way home we stopped at the nearby lake and took a short walk.

Monday - Sept 13

I started an online class today. It's for those who suffer from Fibromyalgia and other chronic conditions, and it's to help teach coping mechanisms for the emotional and physical pain, and tips for improving your quality of life. Because so many sign up for the class, we are divided into smaller "classes". There are about a dozen in my class. The majority are from the US, but there are a couple from Australia, England, Germany & Belgium. We have online discussions, and already we all agree that it's so nice to talk to people who understand.

Tuesday - Sept 14

Another day at the lake. Pelicans are starting to migrate through the area and there were probably 30+ in the group today. I probably sat there for about an hour watching them. They were so fun to watch.

Wednesday - Sept 15

This picture makes me laugh. I met Ashley today and we went for supper at Okoboji Grill. It's hard to see it in the picture, but the first energy drink listed on the left side is called "Cherry Bomb". Anyone who knows Ashley well, knows the car she has (which is the only car she's ever had) is named "Cherry Bomb". She thought it was so cool that it was on there and wanted her picture taken with it. Of course afterwards we noticed the big yellow letters, which make it look like we're excited about the Beer & A Bomb. LOL

Thursday - Sept 16

Today another flare reared it's ugly head and had me in bed. I had fallen asleep, but was soon awakened by Tucker who had decided to lay down beside me...right beside me....on top of my outstretched arm and halfway on my face, beside me. I took this picture with the arm that was pinned down. I guess I should be thankful for the love. ha

Friday - Sept 17

I got out of bed today to give Jay a ride because his pickup was at one field and he was at another. When I got there, he was out there in the combine, just finishing up this field, but was ready for a little break as he'd also get something to eat.

Saturday - Sept 18

Still in bed, but I did get a smile on my face when Jay brought in a package that had arrived in the mail for me. I have mentioned my love for the Life Is Good brand before, so it goes without saying that I was very happy that my package contained a new shirt and a pair of socks that I had ordered. If you haven't tried LIG shirts you really should. They are uber soft and comfy! As a matter of fact, on my flare days that's all I want to wear.

That was our week. Head over to Sara's through the link in the side bar to see more pictures!

Project 365 ~ Week 37

2010-09-11T19:57:00.001-05:00

Another week has come and gone, let me tell you, I think this is my most exciting week of pictures yet. You are about to see just how much of a high society, jet-setting life we live. lol

Sunday - 9/5

Time to give "Ruby" a much needed bath.

Monday - 9/6

Ashley texted me from work because she was bored. She works at an assisted living facility and after the residents go to bed, she has 3-4 hrs with nothing to do. Normally she does homework, but she didn't have any tonight. We got silly and played a little game with our phones. She would take a picture of something there (non-medical related) and I would try to find something our house that was the same. Then I'd do the same to her. She sent me a sunset picture and I sent the same back to her and I said "Guess what, we have the same sunset you do." Her honest response was "Really?" LOL

Tuesay - 9/7

This is a shot showing Jay's softer side. He saw one of the baby kittens sitting in the middle of the horse pen and he was afraid one of the horses would step on it, so he rescued the little guy and took him back to the garage. aaawww.

Wednesday - 9/8

Carpet shampooing company came today, and they also did the upholstery. We didn't want the dogs to get on the furniture until it was completely dry so they were facing the wall with stuff around them. It's a nice look don't you think? :-P

Thursday - 9/9

Austin had another cross country meet, and our nephew Jacob who is in junior high ran also. I tried to get a picture of Jacob, but as you can see, it didn't work out so well. That's him (or should I say, half of him) just going out of the frame. I just caption this one as "Jacob is so fast I couldn't even capture him on film." lol

Friday - 9/10

Ringo helped me put up the decorations for our ISU vs UI party we're having tomorrow. It started out that we just invited 2 couples over to watch the big rivalry game (Iowa's "superbowl"), and it evolved to lots of our friends coming over. It'll be a lot of fun, even though I'll probably have to take a break in the action to lay down for a bit.

Saturday - 9/11

GAME DAY!

This is another one our decorative areas we had set up. I have pictures on top of the big dog kennel, and for the seasons I add in other items as well. For the game I also put up the #1 finger and the little cheerleader.

I'll have lots of pictures from game day, but I know it'll be late before I get to bed and I'm guessing I won't be up too early, which means I'd be very late posting these. Therefore, I'll plan to have this post on Saturday night and I'll link up later. I'll try to get game day pics up ASAP. :)

Project 365 ~ Week 36

2010-09-05T15:30:00.000-05:00

Another week has come and gone. Is it me, or are they going faster and faster? So glad I have been a part of this project to document things I might otherwise have forgotten. I have more than one picture for most days this week, because, well....one just wouldn't do. lol

Sunday - 8/29

A couple in our community celebrated their 50th anniversary today. The woman's dress was to be hung up and on display during the open house, however, to surprise the woman they decided to find someone to wear her dress instead. Problem was finding someone who was tiny enough in the waist to fit in the dress.They talked to Chelsea, and thankfully it fit her! The woman was so pleasantly surprised when Chelsea came walking out in her wedding dress! The husband told me that he instantly felt like he was sent back in time seeing Chelsea in the dress. I helped Chelsea get dressed, and my hands were a crumpled, cramped up mess by the time I got done putting the tiny loop around 50+ tiny buttons all the way up the back of the dress. There were some that went up the sleeves to the elbows too. Oy!

Monday - 8/30

My mother (AKA: The organizing Queen) came up to help me make sense of my hopelessly disorganized pantry. In the first picture she is looking through some of the items, and the second picture shows the finished pantry. I made taco soup for us to have for lunch and you can find the recipe for it HERE. It was super easy and absolutely delish!

Tuesday - 8/31

Today I made some gluten free cupcakes and brownies. yum! Jay devoured the brownies. :)

Wednesday - 9/1

Kitty Co-Op! These two mother cats had litters just a week or so apart. They put their litters together and have been sharing mommy duties ever since. In the first picture, one nurses while the other grooms.

Then they switched. The orange cat finished the nursing while the black/white cat finished the grooming. What a great system, and how adorable those baby kitties are!

Thursday - 9/2

I changed up the theme/decorations in the guest bathroom (which is also my bathroom). I change them every season, so that meant that sadly I had to put the summer decorations away.

Friday - 9/3

Tonight was the first home game for our high school football team. Austin and the rest of the band performed before the game and at half-time. He is a co-lead trumpet player so he is front and center. Makes it much easier to find him for pictures. lol

The band also sits together in the stands and plays during the game after touchdowns. We won the game 42-0, so they played a lot! lol

Jay was a substitute for one of the "chain gang" guys who couldn't make it to the game. At one point he was just standing there with his hands in his pockets and I sent him a text that said "Don't over work yourself lol" and he replied back and said "I am working hard. I'm eye candy for all the ladies". What a goof! LOL

Saturday - 9/4

Today Jay and I took off to go to the Des Moines downtown farmers market. I have more info and pictures posted HERE. I found out about this last year, but I was just not in a healthy position to be able to go at that time, and this year it just hasn't worked out until now. It is a full 4+ blocks long and more like a celebration with food vendors and live music. I was excited to make it to a smaller, more local farmers market last week, and today I was like a kid in a candy store!

Head over to Sara's through the link in the sidebar to see more pictures from this week!

Farmers Market

2010-09-04T11:33:00.000-05:00

Jay and I got up VERY early this morning to drive an hour to the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market. They block off a large part of downtown and it's a festive atmosphere. It goes on every Saturday through October and it features all sorts of vendors: veggies, fruits, crafts, and food. There were several Asian stands with vegetables I had never even heard of.

Looking west towards the Court House

Did you know that Chinese green beans are like 2 feet long? Neither did I!

This food market is four city blocks long, including the side-streets for each block. We were told to get there early as the crowds arrives quickly, and oh my goodness I am so glad we listened. The market opens at 7am and we were there by 7:15. By 9:00 when we left, it was so crowded that it was hard to see the stands (especially for someone like me on the scootermobile lol).

Jay paying for some sweet red onions

Jay was great and opened his wallet anytime I found something I wanted to get. He never once complained, even though I'm sure he was thinking "I got up early for some vegetables?" lol. He even took one load to back to the parking ramp where we were parked since the baskets on my scooter were full. What a guy. :)

I bought the usual things like green beans, onions, peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, watermelon and cantaloupe, but I also found extra things like raspberries, freshly popped kettle corn, homemade dog treats, salsa, and fresh basil and parsley (I keep going to the fridge and sniffing those two items because they smell so good. LOL)

As you can see, the peanut butter dog biscuits were a hit!

Every other corner found a musician playing different songs. One couple played folk type music, one gentleman and his guitar sang oldies songs, one man had different horns and he was more of a jazzy crooner, and there was also an awesome jazz band. I loved the party type feel of the whole area.

One of the many stands full of all kinds of fresh produce, and some of the goodies we bought.

If you're ever in Des Moines on a Saturday morning, I highly recommend setting your alarm very early and going to the farmers market. We have been told that it's one of the top farmers markets in the country, and from what I have now seen, I believe it!

Blueberry Muffins

2010-09-03T08:47:00.000-05:00

Have you ever heard of Udi. Chances are, unless you eat gluten-free, you haven't. Currently, Udi's Gluten Free is in more than 500 stores nationwide, in 36 states, including Hawaii.

When I get groceries, I buy 1 Udi's item to try. This past week I bought their blueberry muffins. I tried one this morning, and let me just say, my tummy is singing!

I consider myself a "snob" when it comes to bakery type items. I like them soft, which is why I'm struggling with most gluten-free foods. Udi's bread is good, and I love it for toast, or a grilled sandwich, but I'm still not totally sold on it for a regular sandwich bread.

Therefore, I was skeptical about the muffins, but I decided to give them a shot, and yes, I am super happy I did! I took one directly from the freezer and popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds. It was soft and sweet as if I had just baked them myself (well, more like if someone who can bake them without burning them had made them). A.maz.ing!

If you have anyone that you know must eat gluten-free, do them a favor and tell them about Udi's products. Udi's sells bread, bagels, cinnamon rolls, muffins and granola. They can also order online if it's not in one of their stores.

You're friend will love you for this!

Taco Soup

2010-08-31T15:53:00.001-05:00

I am trying to get back into regular blogging now that school is back in session and things are settling down a bit. It was a busy Summer, but so much better of a Summer/Fall/Winter than '09 was for obvious health reasons. That fact also has me a little sad because here we are, the last day of August. Summer weather is about over here in Iowa, and I have enjoyed it so much. I have not been pain-free by any means, but I have felt better than I have in over 2 yrs. I was able to be up and around more during the day. My naps were 1-2 hrs instead of 3-4hrs. I could get groceries by myself! I know that cold weather is the worst time for FMS, and I really don't want this "better-feeling-me" to end. I'm trying to stay positive though. If I could survive last years brutal Winter, I can survive anything. :)

Anyhow, to try to get me started again, I wanted to share a recipe that was shared with me. I made it for my mom who came up to help organize my pantry for me (yes, that's right, I'm organizing challenged).

Crockpot Taco Soup

2lbs ground turkey (can also use beef)
2md diced onions
3 (15oz) cans of beans, undrained (can use pinto, kidney, black or garbanzo) -I used a mix of kidney & black
1lg can crushed tomatoes
1lg can diced tomatoes -I used petite-diced because I'm not a fan of big chunks of tomato
1-2 small cans diced green chilies
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (let thaw while getting everything else ready)
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 envelope ranch dressing mix

Brown the ground meat and onions in a skillet; drain the fat, then pour into a crockpot.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Cook on low for 6-8 hrs.

Optional garnishes: sliced green or black olives, shredded cheddar or jack cheese, pickled jalapenos, crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado or guacamole, sour cream, chopped onions, chopped green peppers, corn bread.

This recipe is super yummy, super easy, and it's also gluten-free!

Project 365 ~ Week 35

2010-08-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

This week will have the last of the fair pictures, as this past Sunday was the last day. It's always sad when it's over, because for us that sort of signals the end of Summer. Austin's back in school and we're back into a routine now, which is nice, but still...I miss the lazy days of Summer already.

Sunday - 8/22

Since this is the last day of the fair, we always have certain traditions that we do on that last day, including riding the skygliders. I however am terrified of heights, so I stay below and watch. The first picture is of Austin and his girlfriend, who spent the day with us. The 2nd picture is of Ashley and Chelsea, and then poor Jay rides by himself...which as you can see, he spends his time on there wisely. lol

The fair can (and usually does) get exhausting. Catching a quick cat nap on occasion is usually welcomed.

Seemingly though, all too quickly it's over. The girls started packing up their stuff as they would leave the fair and head back to their colleges. It's a sad day for all of us as we always have so much fun together.

Monday - 8/23

First day of his junior year in high school. As you can see, he just loves taking this picture every year. LOL

Tuesday - 8/24

At the state fair they have a big building where area businesses have booths you can tour and look at their products and/or services. We stopped in at an exercise equipment place and ended up buying an X-Ride. The easiest way to describe it, is like using an elliptical, only you're sitting down. It's something I am able to use right now as I try to build my strength back up. We picked it up today and tonight Jay got it set up.

Wednesday - 8/25

Tucker went back to the vet today because his itching just isn't getting better with the Benedryl they had us try. Plus, before leaving to go he smacked his head on something. I have no clue what, but he ended up with a small gash on his head and a golf-ball sized goose egg. He seriously is just like having a toddler in the house.

Thursday - 8/26

Ashley doesn't actually start classes until next week, and she had the day off from work, so today she came home to wrap another package to send to Lance in Afghanistan. He mentioned to her that a couple of the other guys hadn't received a single thing over there yet, so bless her heart, she quickly packed up a couple of other boxes so they could each get one too.

This afternoon we went to Austin's first cross country meet of the season. He came in 5th to last because he rolled his ankle around the 1 mile mark. I was proud of him for finishing the race, even though he was hurting. He was still limping a little bit the next day, but is better now.

Friday - 8/27

Austin's girlfriend came home to our place after they were both finished with cross country practice. She stayed for supper and then they headed to the football game.

Saturday - 8/28

Austin & I went to the local farmers market and I was like a kid in a candy shop! My fridge is now full of lots of fresh veggies and fruits. It smells so good in there!

That's our week! Be sure to head over to Sara's through the link in the side bar to see more 365 pictures!

The Morning After

2010-08-23T19:56:00.000-05:00

We made it home from the State Fair yesterday evening, got attacked by some very excited dogs, relaxed for a bit, and as we sat there, we realized that we were all so tired that we could barely see straight, so we all went to bed early.

This morning the alarm went off at 6:30. Ugh! It's the first time the alarm has been set that early since early in June on the last day of school. I got Austin off on his first day of school, Jay back to work, and then I sat in a very quiet house. A very, very quiet house. I forgot how quiet it is when I'm the only one home.

As I sat in the living room with only my thoughts to keep me company (our dogs are not morning people either, so they were still sleeping), I started to reflect on the past few weeks.

The week before our county fair (the week of 7/12) I committed to being 100% gluten-free. I also committed to being as close to sugar free as I could be (not including natural sugars like fruit). I will allow myself the occasional treat though (what's life without a treat now and then?). I committed to no Aspartame. I now only drink diet coke with Splenda, crystal light or plain water. I committed to no MSG. If I buy frozen meals, they are all natural only. I committed to eating as close to all-natural (all the time) as I can be.

Those have not been easy choices, but as time has gone on, they have gotten easier. I am not thinking of it as a diet, but a total lifestyle change. I'll worry about weight loss later - one step at a time.

Back to my reflections....

This is my 6th week with my new eating lifestyle. The state fair was a real challenge. Most things there are breaded and fried. It'll be much easier now that we're at home again. While it was a challenge, it was doable and that was a positive for me.

"Ruby" my scooter did great! She made it up and down the steepest hills several times day without fail. She struggled at times with the thick mud leading up to our camper, but everyone struggled with that. She helped me go with friends from building to building from shop to shop, from show to show, all the while having so much fun.

My pain levels were better. I only had 2 "bad" days when I had flares. The day after a flare is always a recover kind of day, which usually involves me sleeping a lot. So in essence I had 4 down days. 4 out of 12 is so much better than I have ever had before, and so much better than I ever expected to have.

My energy level was pretty good. Most days I did get tired, but a nap of about an hour or so and I was good to go again. Most nights I was up past 11:00. The days the kids showed I was up early, but other than that I was able to sleep in until 8 or 9am.

I am having some major digestion issues, which I have heard can happen to some people when they go gluten-free. It's enough of an issue that I am researching what to do about it as soon as possible.

Over all the past month has been really good all things considered. I have to attribute it to the new way of eating. There is nothing else that is different, nothing.

I am praying so hard that it's the eating. I don't want to think that it's due to the summer weather. If that's the case, that means it's going to end. The thought of enduring another Winter like last year and the intensity of the pain I had brings me to tears.

For now, I am choosing to think positive and believe that it's not weather related. I will continue to eat and drink the way I have been. I will continue to do small amounts of daily exercise, and I will continue to do my meditating and reflecting.

And who knows.....maybe tomorrow there will be another new positive benefit. :)

Project 365 ~ Week 33 & 34

2010-08-21T19:00:00.001-05:00

We took our Camper down on Sunday to the State Fairgrounds Exhibitor Campgrounds, and we came down to stay starting on Wednesday. So far we're having a great time, except the heat and humidity was relentless the first few days.

Sunday - 8/8

We've had a lot of rain lately, and I'm sure you've heard about it on the news. We're not sure if it's coincidence, or something to do with all the rain, but we keep seeing these white frogs, which we have never seen before. One actually was inside the house last week. They aren't very big, but they climb up walls, which is creepy...this one is on the outside of a window while it was storming around 10pm.

Monday - 8/9

I took Gabby and Tucker to the vet. I'm guessing Tucker wasn't too thrilled to be there, since he immediately went into hiding mode. LOL

Tuesday - 8/10

Austin washed up his restored tractor before taking it to the fair for judging that will take place later in the week..

Then he came in and put some finishing touches on the write-up that tells all he did to restore the tractor. The judges will read through this when they do their judging.

Wednesday - 8/11

This is along I-35 as I drove to the fairgrounds. The river is behind the trees in the far back, and in front of the trees are some poor farmers fields. At this point the water was still rising, and within an hour after I went past this point, they started to re-route traffic due to water on the roads.

Thursday - 8/12

We have had heat indexes of 110 degrees and higher, with very high humidity. It's miserable. It's so relentless that the a/c in our camper just can't keep up. We ended up putting aluminum foil over the windows to keep out the heat. It had been around 90 degrees in the camper (even at night), but now it's a nice, comfortable 75 degrees. Much better...even if we do look like Rednecks. LOL

Friday - 8/13

I knew a flare was coming. I felt it coming on yesterday, but prayed I was wrong. Jay took this picture of me when I was sleeping in the camper. See how red my face is? That's what is known as the "fibro-flush". Having your face bright red is common before and during a flare. Jay used to always ask if I had a fever, but now he knows what's going on too.

Unfortunately, the flare that had me in bed, made me miss cousin Cassie as she competed in the Cowgirl Queen Contest. A good friend of mine sent this picture she took of her in the barn while getting ready for the contest.

Saturday - 8/14

Super Bull! This bull topped the scales to be the biggest bull in Iowa.

Sunday - 8/15

My family teases me because I like watching Cops on tv. We were in the Law And Flame building today and they took my picture as a "cop". lol

Monday - 8/16

My sister-in-law Jodi and I walking down one of the main roads. You never know what we will be talking about when we get together, but it's usually a random mix of topics.

Tuesday - 8/17

This lady sold candy and dried fruits at a booth, and Ashley and I bought some to send to Lance. When the lady found out where it was going, she put a couple of handfuls of a dried fruit and nut mix in a bag and told Ashley to send those along and to tell Lance they were from the candy lady. She also said to tell him that she'll be keeping him in her prayers. I wanted to take her picture to send along, but she didn't want it taken alone, so the girls got in with her. :)

Wednesday - 8/18

Big Boar! That's a whole lot of bacon! lol

Thursday - 8/19

Nephew Jacob showed pigs in the 4-H show today.

Friday - 8/20

It rained almost the entire day today, so we went and got our passports that we'll need for next Spring. Then we did school shopping for Austin, and we stopped at a Cabela's type store before heading back to the fair.

Saturday - 8/21

My picture of the day won't be taken until later tonight, so I am posting this picture that was taken earlier. This is Ashley with her brothers and sisters in law (minus one brother). The other brother happened to be showing his cow that same day that we were showing pigs, so inbetween his classes they came over to say hi.

Tonight is the night I've been waiting for since buying the tickets a few months ago. Sugarland is my favorite country singing duo. I know almost all the words to all their songs. I bought tickets to go to their show last January, but unfortunately I wasn't able to go due to the severity of my Fibromyalgia at the time. I cried the night of the concert and actually prayed that I'd be strong enough to go see them one day. I never would have imagined they would be coming back here so soon, and I am beyond excited to know that I can actually go this time!

The truth behind deployment!

2010-08-13T19:00:00.002-05:00

Our daughter Ashley posted this on her facebook page. She didn't write this, but when talking to her about it, she said it totally fit with her feelings about her quick marriage before her husbands deployment, and how she has felt since he left.

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The truth behind deployment! - from the wife/girl friend perspective

"You don't know, but I'm the girl who cries every morning, and hopes every night for his safe return.

I'm the girl who drags herself out of bed every morning so that he will be proud of her when he comes home.

I'm the girl who lies in bed longing for him to be lying next to me.

I'm the girl who sits quietly during class because all I can think about is that next moment when he will safely be in my arms again.

You don't know, but I'm the girl with a million things to say, but not one will come out without the thought of him.

I'm the girl who checks my cell phone every five seconds just to make sure I haven't missed his call.

I'm the girl who stops and stares and wishes for him to return soon each and every time another man in uniform walks by.

What you don't know is that I know love on an entirely different level from most. I know the love that spans time and space; that love that most people are constantly searching for.

I'm one of the girls who waits months for a single kiss; a kiss that will make the months apart worth every second. A kiss where everything in the world stops and for what seems like eternity, you can see into that person's soul and know that without them, life is not worth living.

You tell me I don't even understand what love is, I tell you, I know more love in one homecoming, than most know in a life time. You don't know that every time he leaves part of me goes with him and part of him stays with me.

You tell me that people change and I tell you, true love will always remain constant and steady.

You tell me, I'm too young to be married, I tell you, and I'm too in love to not be.

You tell me you know how I feel and that you understand what I'm going through; you have no idea.

What you don't realize is that I understand the true meaning of not only love, but of longing and anticipation.

You don't see, but I'm one of the few who gets goose bumps as my heart fills with pride every time the National Anthem is played.

I'm one of the girls who will stand tall and stay strong on the outside, but be dying on the inside.

I am one of the girls who will make friends with complete strangers for only they can even begin to understand what I am going through.

You don't understand that I picture his face everywhere I go and that he is with me in everything I do.

You think I don't cry anymore, that I have gotten over it, but what you don't know is that I just hide it better.

You don't know the feeling the first time you hear the word deployment or the feeling of his hands as it slides out of yours for what could be the last time.

You don't know what that last hug or kiss means and how important that goodbye truly is.

I'm the girl you see standing alone in the corner of the airport watching quietly out the window with tears rolling down my cheeks.

I'm the girl you see walking by with a disheartened face staring silently at the ground.

What you don't know, is that I know true love and that no matter what obstacles we have to face, our love will live forever, that only we know.

You tell me that you support the troops; I tell you, I'm in love with one. I'm one of the silent, but outgoing; weak, but strong; scared, but grateful.

What you don't see is that without me, he is nothing and without him, I am nothing.

I'm one of those girls; the girl who stands tall behind her Marine, stands proud behind her Hero, stands strong behind her man, watching silently as he serves and defends our country."

The 'Dreaded' Phone Call

2010-08-09T08:25:00.001-05:00

Ever get one of those calls late at night that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up just hearing it ring? We had a call like that last night.

Ashley called us around 1:00am, and was upset. It had been storming, and when she got off work at midnite she drove slowly back to her campus (visibility was very poor). When she got closer, she found the street was closed due to flash floods. Since she knows her way around the city pretty well now, she tried different directions and different streets, but both routes leading into her campus apartment were closed due to street flooding. I had the phone on speaker mode so Jay could participate in the conversation as well.

She sounded near tears and she knew this would last a while as it was still coming down in sheets of rain. "Mom, I can barely see to drive it's so bad and I don't know what to do". Jay in a moment of wanting to comfort his daughter said "I'll come down and help you." "Dad, there's flooding everywhere, and you don't even know your way around and I don't need you getting lost. Plus, as hard as it's raining, it's nearly impossible to see unless you know where you're going. So, no, don't come down".

Jay told her to check into a hotel for the night. She immediately said "I can't afford that. I still have my books to buy for this next semester". Then she added "Hey, there is a convenience store over there. I'll just go there and sleep in my car."

I yelled in to the phone "Uh, helloooooooooooo. NOT a good idea there girlie! Murderers and pervs hang out at places like that overnight. Promise me you will stay away from there!" She laughed at me for being overly paranoid and said I watch too many cop shows, which is probably true, lol, but this is my baby we're talking about!

By this time she started to cry. She was exhausted, upset, and didn't know what to do. Jay again told her to check into a hotel for the night and told her that we would help her out by paying for it. Her comment was "I feel bad asking you to pay that much." Jay had the best comeback "There is never a price we could pay that would be too high for one of you kids, especially when it comes to your safety."

She agreed and called us back about 20 minutes later saying she found a hotel. She said the first place she went to was full from others pushed out/back because of the flooding, and the second hotel had just a few rooms left for the same reason. She was in her room, and all giddy because all they had left were king bed rooms, and yet she said she was so tired that she didn't care if all she had was a cot somewhere.

Well, she may not care, but we do. Thank you God for keeping her safe.

Project 365 ~ Week 32

2010-08-07T21:50:00.000-05:00

This is our last full week before we head out to the State Fair for approximately 10 days. It's such a fun time and it's been our family vacation every year for over 10 years. Last year I was in so much pain that I barely got to see any of the fair, so I'm really hoping it goes better this year. The kids show their pigs for a couple of days, but other than that, we just have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves and celebrate all that is Iowa.

Sunday - 8/1

Austin and Jay were in a golf tournament with Jay's brother and his son. The meal that was served wasn't exactly kid friendly, so I brought the boys each something from Subway. While there I treated myself with a delicious salad.

Monday - 8/2

One of my favorite things about Summer....fresh fruit salads. Yum!

Wednesday - 8/3

We found a nice couch for Chelsea at a local thrift store, so this evening we delivered it to her apartment. She was thrilled that she didn't have to sit on a dining chair to watch tv anymore. lol

Thursday - 8/4

Only two of the 4 babies survived, but look who's eyes are open! :)

Friday - 8/5

I always ask Jay why he isn't sitting by the window waiting for me like the dogs are. LOL

Saturday - 8/6

On my walk today I stopped to look at the beans that are thankfully growing very nicely.

Head on over to Sara's through the link in the sidebar to see more project 365 pictures!

Out Of The Comfort Zone

2010-08-06T10:26:00.000-05:00

My journey through and since getting my Fibromyalgia diagnosis has honestly been one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through. It's made me look deep inside myself and go to places I didn't want to go...places I still don't like going. Places that are humbling, insightful, and sometimes, even terrifying.

I don't like change, never have. So when all the physical and emotional changes started taking place, I recoiled and my zest for life faded. I felt I was a burden and that was something I definitely didn't want to be. I also didn't want the stares and questions. That meant admitting something was wrong with me.

When it even hurts to blink, you have a lot of time to just sit. You can only read so many books, and watch so much tv, so you have a lot of time to just sit and think...and feel. That's that uncomfortable place that forces you to learn some hard lessons.

I've learned that people that I thought would be there for me, aren't, and that hurts, badly. However, some people have come forward that I never would have expected, and they have become such blessings to me.

I've lost friends, a lot of friends that I thought I could always count on. Either they didn't understand, or it made them too uncomfortable, or they just lost interest because there are many things I can't do anymore. That too has hurt so much, and I've shed many tears over the lonliness I've felt. I've come to realize however, that fair-weather friends are just not true friends. They are a negative that I just don't need in my life, and while somedays I still miss them, I don't miss their thinking. My true friends are still very much there for me, and I love them so much.

I've learned that my husband and my children love me. I mean really, completely and totally love me. I've watched my husband fight with doctors and insurance agents on my behalf. He laughs with me, cries with me, and prays for me. My son has matured before my eyes to become this compassionate caring young man who will come lay beside me in bed and just talk when he knows I can't get up. My daughters call to see if they can run any errands for me, or just to see how I'm doing. One even said "Mom, you probably already know this, but I want you to know that I say a prayer for you every day." How can you top that? What else could I ever want?

I've also learned that I miss the old me. The me that I now know will never come back. Accepting that is still my biggest struggle. No matter what, that me can't come back. This experience has changed me in a way that I can't ever be the person I used to be. I've learned too much.

I've learned that it's ok for me to feel this pain without feeling guilty about it. I know there are others who are suffering even more pain than I am, and I know this will not kill me. However, that does not minimize the very real intense pain that I do feel on a daily basis, and I don't have to feel guilty to admit I am hurting.

But believe it or not, I'm now thankful for my diagnosis. Even though I have been pulled out of my comfort zone, even though I have shed more tears than I thought possible, and even though there are many dark lonely days, there is also love and laughter, and a new found pride in small accomplishments.

I have also learned that even though there have been days when I have cried and screamed "I'm not strong enough for all of this", I am. I am so much stronger than I ever knew.

The new me is starting to emerge. I am not to the point of accepting her yet, but at least now I don't scream at her anymore to go away. I don't despise the image I see in the mirror, even if she does look as if she's aged 20 yrs. I am not ashamed to use my cane or ride my scooter when I have to...although using it at the fair for the first time was one of those horrible, tear-filled, terrifying times I mentioned.

I'm not done learning by any means. I know I have a lot more to learn, and to accept. Along the way I expect to learn more positive things and maybe, just maybe, someday I'll be able to look back and give thanks that I've been taken out of my comfort zone in this way. Maybe. :)

It's Tradition

2010-08-05T14:47:00.002-05:00

The Iowa State Fair starts next week. This is a HUGE event, and people literally come from all over the world to visit. Here's a little trivia...did you know that a travel author listed our state fair as one of the top ten things to see and do before you die. Honestly...it's that big.

Our school system has now decided we will now be starting school BEFORE the fair is over. My nephew is scheduled to show his pigs on the first day of school. It's crazy!

Now some people might not think this is a big deal. But let's look at the big picture here. Let's be honest...Iowa is predominately an agricultural state. County & State fairs celebrate that fact. We don't have a Mt. Rushmore, or a Golden Gate Bridge, or even a Statue of Liberty. The State Fair and it's popularity is all we've got to celebrate.

I'll be honest enough to admit that I didn't fully appreciate the state fair before I had children who are raised in this lifestyle. Children who love this lifestyle. I have 2 girls who have actually shed tears over the fact that they only have one year left to show before their are too old. That's how much this is a part of them.

Farming is not just a job, it really is a lifestyle, and as I said, this is Iowa's predominant business & lifestyle. By all these schools deciding to start school before the fair is over, is to us, saying agriculture isn't important. That's a slap in the face to all the struggling farmers who are working so hard every day just to keep their farms going. Tell them it's not important.

We talked to Austin and told him that we would let it be his decision whether he started school or not right away, or if he waited until the fair was over. We also told him that we would support him 100% either way. Austin didn't even hesitate and he said "No way. I don't want to go. That's our fair, and I want to be there for all of."

Therefore, on August 19th, when children will be pulling on their brand new backpacks and heading back to our school for the first day, Austin won't be there. He will be with family, sharing and enjoying not only his lifestyle, but his heritage. And we couldn't be more proud of him for making that decision. Oh, and for the record, my nephew won't be in school either. We'll be cheering him on as he shows his pigs.

So we'll go to the fair and we'll enjoy ourselves.

We'll enjoy ourselves while walking through the baby pigs exhibit, even though we can see them at home.

We'll enjoy ourselves as we celebrate all the different species of livestock that are being exhibited...even cows, who may or may not have something against blondes. :)

We'll enjoy the Butter Lady and her Butter Cow. Yes, it is a cow entirely made of butter. She does the cow every year, but she also does other things such as Elvis, Michael Jordan, and other celebrities.

And we will enjoy being there cheering and celebrating at the big boar contest. This is a picture of last years winner who was owned by Jay's twins cousins (one is pictured). They also won the previous year, and are hoping to win again this year.

And we'll also enjoy ourselves one evening at the best concert of all the concerts (in my opinon) that will take place at the fairgrounds grandstands: Sugarland (weeeeee!!! I'm so excited!!)

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Not only is it is right...It's tradition.

Austin's Tractor

2010-08-03T00:01:00.002-05:00

Austin totally rebuilt a 1949 John Deere tractor for an FFA project. It was judged at our county fair, and he will take it to the State Fair to be judged there as well.

Austin has wanted to do a tractor since he was a young boy, but you need to have completed at least one year in the FFA program at our school in order to be in the classes. So he was anxious to get started.

Jay and Austin found a tractor for him and brought to the school, along with several other students who were doing tractors. Some rebuilt the entire thing, some only did body work. Austin did the full rebuild.

Here's some pictures to show just how involved he had to get in this project:

This is a picture of the front grill. It was green...sort of. Austin had to pound out dents and then totally sand it down before he could even think about repainting it.

The tractor had to be taken completely apart, to see what parts needed to be replaced (many did) and what could be reused. Even the ones that could be used had to be cleaned and sanded to make them look new.

Once the new parts came in, you couldn't just re-assemble the tractor because you still had more body work to do. As Austin said "sooo many stupid dents!" lol

Mechanics is not Jay's strong suit, and the FFA advisor has so many kids he's trying to help at the same time, so he allows kids to have someone come in and help them when needed. Our good friend, Jeff, is very mechanically knowledgeable and he was so great to come help Austin several times.

Jeff was also great when it came to teaching Austin how to put the newly rebuilt motor back together. Jeff talked Austin through how to do things when he helped him, but he made Austin do the actual work himself, so that he learned what he was doing, and why. What a great friend he is!

Once the body has been un-dented, and fully sanded, it then goes into the painting station. All the parts must be painted and if any mistakes are made, you have to sand those out and then repaint. The main parts of the body took 2-3 coats. After that, it's reassembly time.

If you look closely you can see all the nuts and bolts and cables that Austin had to clean or replace.He spent so much time on this project over the past year. They only have 1 1/2 hours each day in class ( although part of that is spent in the classroom). So most kids, including Austin came in before and after school to work on their tractors.

Remember that grill? Looks much better now doesn't it? :) Austin's FFA Adviser came out to our place this Summer to help Austin apply the stickers and logos. You only get one shot with those and he has some special tool to aid in the application. It also helps to make sure you have it lined up properly.

After a very long year, the tractor was finally done. Austin is so proud of the job he has done on it, and so are we! When we asked him about doing another one he said "No way!" It took so much of his time, especially when you figure in school, sports, school music concerts, and homework. He also learned that he does not enjoy mechanics. He is a perfectionist like I am, and therefore he preferred the body work and painting, and enjoyed making sure it was just right.

However, he did say he'd like to redo another tractor without having to do the mechanical parts...just the body work. This next year he is taking a welding class in FFA, so who knows what will come of that. :)

Austin earned a purple ribbon at the fair for all his hard work, and purple is the highest ribbon you can be awarded. We are extra proud because he was the only sophomore, and according to his Adviser, not many first year kids earn a purple.

As for the future of this tractor, it will remain a show tractor. With this being such a strong farming area, many have restored or rebuilt tractors over the years, so they appreciate all the hard work that goes into doing that. People are encouraged to drive their restored tractors through area parades, and Austin plans to do that next Summer.

In the meantime, it will travel to the State Fairgrounds next week to be judged there. We're keeping our fingers crossed!! :)

Chicken & Spinach Lasagna

2010-08-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

I have had requests for this recipe that I posted a picture of in Saturdays Project 365 post, so here it is. This recipe is gluten-free, but you can easily adjust it and use non-gluten-free items if you want to.

Chicken & Spinach Lasagna

Pam olive oil spray
1 each: red, green, yellow bell pepper, cored & diced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, diced
2c frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2c Portobello mushrooms, chopped (I eliminated due to my allergy to mushrooms)
4T balsamic vinegar
a pinch or two of each: fresh basil, thyme, oregano, mint, nutmeg
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1/2c gluten-free chicken broth
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
4c gluten-free marinara sauce (you will need more if using uncooked noodles)
1 box rice lasagna noodles, uncooked or cooked - makes no difference
15oz small curd cottage cheese or ricotta
8oz cream cheese, softened
4oz shredded mozzarella cheese (I grate mine fresh)
4oz grated parmesan (I grate mine fresh)
1 egg, lightly beaten
dash nutmeg
4oz mozzarella for topping - optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of your 9x13 lasagna-style baking dish with Pam.

In large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add peppers, spinach, garlic, onion and mushrooms. Stir for a couple of minutes. Lower the heat and add the balsamic vinegar and herbs; season with nutmeg, sea salt and pepper. Stir and cook for approximately 5 minutes; add the broth. Continue to cook until the liquid is reduced and the veggies are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

When the veggies are cooked, remove the pan from heat and stir in the chicken pieces. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cheeses with the egg, and dash of nutmeg. You can also add some finely chopped parsley if you wish.

Spoon 1/2 the marinara sauce into teh bottom of the baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.

Cover evenly with the veggie-chicken mixture, pressing down with a spatula to make a dense, compact layer. Spoon a little sauce over the layer.

Top with another 1/3 of the lasagna noodles, and press down.

Spread the cheese mixture in an even layer. Top with remaining lasagna noodles and press firmly.

Cover with remaining sauce, allowing the sauce to seep in and around the sides of the dish.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. Add a sprinkle of herbs if you like.

Cover the lasagna loosely with foil. Bake for 50-60 min, or until lasagna is hot and bubbling.

Makes 9 very generous servings.

NOTES:

Allow the baked lasagna to sit for a few minutes before serving. This allows it to set up and makes it much easier for slicing and serving.

If you use uncooked noodles, you will need more sauce to allow the noodles to simmer and soften while cooking.

I froze individual servings into baggies. It reheats great!

When I made this to have for the fair, I stuck with the 9 large servings, because I knew that's all I'd have. At home, I'd be tempted to cut into 12 servings instead and have a salad along side it. You'd still have plenty.

Nutrition Facts

Gluten Free
GF Chicken Lasagna

Serving Size: 1 serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories

468

Total Fat

14g

Saturated Fat

6.6g

Trans Fat

Cholesterol

90mg

Sodium

906mg

Carbohydrate

49.8g

Dietary Fiber

6.4g

Sugars

12.4g

Protein

36.2g

Vitamin A 53%	Vitamin C 158%
Calcium 36%	Iron 18%

Project 365 ~ Weeks 30 & 31

2010-07-31T21:29:00.002-05:00

Wow, I can't believe 2 whole weeks has gone by since I posted anything. So much for my plan to post daily pictures at the fair. lol Ok, that's my new goal for the state fair. I promise I'll try...I really will!

My main reason for not getting pictures posted daily was that it turned out to be a rough fair for me. The weather just did not cooperate. It was hot and humid, and we had storms several nights in a row (all super hard on FMS). I spent much of the time in bed in the camper. :-/

Anyhow, here's what we've been up to the past couple of weeks (be prepared for a LOT of pictures):

Sunday - 7/18

I made a gluten free lasagna that was YUMALICIOUS! I'm not a big fan of cooked spinach, but it added such a great flavor and I loved it. I put the leftovers in baggies and froze them to eat at the fair.

Monday - 7/19 --- OFF TO THE FAIR!

Today Austin had his tractor judged at the fair (he's pictured with it and the judges). I can't tell you how proud I am of this kid and the awesome job he did on his tractor. He put so many hours over the past year into rebuilding the engine and fully restoring the body. His hard work paid off. He received a purple ribbon, which is the highest you can get. They awarded a plaque to the top point getter, and the judges said there was less than 10 points between the top 5 guys, and Austin was told by his FFA adviser that he was one of the five. He was the only sophomore in that group.

Tuesday - 7/20

Tonight was the county fair parade, which signals the official start of the fair. Ashley & Chelsea rode their horses as members of the local saddle club.

Here's Ashley on her horse "Max".

And Chelsea is on her horse "Doc".

The county fair queen contestants ride in the parades in convertibles. Austin drove the convertible for his cousin Cassie who is competing.

Wednesday - 7/21

Tonight was the county fair queen contest. Unfortunately Cassie didn't win, but she looked beautiful, and did a great job. We're really proud of her!

Thursday - 7/22

No picture today. :( I had a bad night, so I went home the night before and was in bed all day. I returned Friday afternoon. I hated missing any of the fair.

Friday - 7/23

I don't remember who it was, but someone asked how we wash the pigs. Well, here ya go...This first picture is Jay who is rinsing Austin's pigs while Austin cleans out their pen. It was super hot all week, so the kids/parents all took turns walking their pigs to the wash racks to cool them down several times a day.

This 2nd picture is a picture of Austin's girlfriend. The kids use shampoo on their pigs and strong bristled brushes. For the most part, the pigs stand there and give happy little grunts. It must feel good I guess. Once they are done getting them all scrubbed clean, they rinse them good and put them back in their pens.

Saturday - 7/24

HOG SHOW! Today is the big day for us and the kids. I'll do a separate post to explain how the show goes (for you city slickers lol), but here's a picture of each of the kids. This first one is of Austin. The show stick he is holding is used as a way to guide your pig your pig in the direction you want it to go.

Ashley won the graduate class for showmanship, and overall senior showmanship!

Chelsea had a great day also. One of her pigs won champion middle weight gilt (girl pig), grand champion gilt (over all gilts and all weights), and then reserve grand champion pig overall.

Sunday - 7/25

Today the "Parade of Champions" was held. Anyone that won a trophy during the week got to bring their trophy(ies) into the show arena along with their winning animal, so fairgoers could see all the winners. Their names are announced and they announce what they won. People usually have someone else carry their trophy(ies). This first picture is of Chelsea.

And here is Ashley in the "Parade of Champions".

After that was the Supreme Showmanship Competition. Anyone that won Senior showmanship with their animal competes. They set up the arena with 8 stations, one for each species of animal exhibited at our fair (and it's usually the winning animal that is used). Competitors go from station to station and basically do an abbreviated form of showmanship, and they answer questions about that species. The top points getter is named "Supreme Showman" and they get a traveling trophy. Since Ashley won with her pig, she got to compete.

Here is Ashley at the swine station answering question on the different cuts of a pig.

Next was the poultry station. Getting the chickens out of the cages can be tricky!

Next was the dog obedience station.

Then she moved on to the rabbit station (she used to show rabbits and won showmanship with her rabbit once, so that was helpful for her)

After that she moved on to the horse station. Here she is trying to get the horse to set up with all four hooves lined up.

That was followed by the goat station. The goat didn't seem too happy to have to be there. lol

Then she moved on to the beef station. Unfortunately the cow must have not liked blondes because she wouldn't even let Ashley near her. Here Ashley is trying to tell the cow who is supposed to be boss, which got a chuckle from the crowd.

Since that didn't work, the handler instead just judged her on her knowledge of beef. That cow really didn't like her. lol

The last station was the sheep station.

Unfortunately she didn't win (although we did hear that she came in 2nd by only 6pts, but that can't be confirmed). Chelsea won last year, and the winner from the previous year passes on the trophy to the new winner, which just happened to be our newly crowned fair queen.

Monday - 7/26

Today is the last day of the fair. It's the day of the livestock auction. Any animal that can be used for meat can be put on the auction. The pigs will go to market and get market price. At the auction, area businesses or indiviuals bid and buy them. They still go to market, but the auction price is higher than market price. Basically it's just a nice thing businesses do for the kids to recognize all their hard work.

The order of pictures is Chelsea, Ashley and then Austin

Tuesday - 7/27

We're home from the fair. After a long and eventful week, I enjoyed a nice long relaxing soak in the hot tub today.

Wednesday - 7/28

Our other farm cat had her 4 kittens and the two mothers started a coop. They actually moved all their kittens together into an old tub in the corner of the garage and they take turns nursing them all. We were going to move them into a box with an old towel under them, but both mothers (who are very tame) hiss at us when we even try to get near the babies.

Thursday - 7/29

This evening we moved Chelsea into her new apartment. She was tired of all the roommate drama, so she is now in a really nice little one bedroom. This was the group asking Chelsea where to put everything.

Friday - 7/30

We had a storm come through this morning. This picture was actually taken around 9:00 in the morning. It was dark enough that our yard security light came on.

Saturday - 7/31

This is one of my favorite pictures of the week. We did a little shopping in the city where Ashley goes to school, so she met up with us. She wanted to look at a shirt, but couldn't find one of those hooks, so she used my cane instead. She got a lot of looks as she did it, and we were both cracking up. But it worked! lol

Whew! There you have it. A very busy 2 weeks. We now have about 10 more days before we go to the state fair next. Can't wait!

See more pictures as Sara's. Use the link in the sidebar!

Project 365 ~ Week 29

2010-07-18T03:45:00.001-05:00

This has been a busy week because it's our last full week before our County Fair. The camper has to be cleaned and stocked, the pigs are checked, weighed and bathed, and food prepared and frozen to take a long. As the week goes on, the excitement for the fair builds, but so does my exhaustion. I'm sorry I haven't made it around to check out other 365 pics from this past week. This week has taken so much out of me that there's been no energy left for much else. I may not even get this post linked up this week either...or if I do, it might be late. We're working hard on packing the camper up this evening.

Sunday - 7/11

Today was our 23rd Anniversary. We went out for supper last night to celebrate because Jay and Austin went out of town this evening. They will stay in a hotel tonight, as Austin is in his final Jr. PGA tournament of the season tomorrow at a course that is 3 hours away.

Monday - 7/12

I made it (for the first time) the full 30 minutes in the sauna without having to open the door (due to my claustrophobia). This first shot shows that I have 5 min left, and the temp it was inside. Hot, hot, hot!

This glamorous looking lady is me of course. You can't really tell in this picture, but I am literally dripping sweat off my body. My hair was soaked around the edges, and notice how my glasses were slid down? I was sweating so much that they wouldn't stay up. lol

Tuesday - 7/13

My yumalicious lunch! I love a good salad, full of veggies, and topped off with a little cheese and grilled chicken.

Wednesday 7/14

We saw the most beautiful sunset on the way home tonight. It's things like this that explains why I wanted a small camera to keep in my purse. Unfortunately, I used the small camera earlier in the day and forgot to put it back in my purse, so I had to use my phone to get this shot. It doesn't even come close to showing how gorgeous it was. Thankfully this is farm country, so there aren't a lot of trees or buildings along this route to block our view, which meant we got to watching it changing and getting more and more breathtaking all the way home.

Thursday - 7/15

Looks like someone will be having her babies very soon! Our other farm cat that had the 3 black and white kittens has gotten super tame now and lets us hold her as well as her babies. This mother cat has already become really tame, which I'm hoping continues because I want to get them all spayed/neutered. There are so many wild cats running around as it is (or people who end up with unwanted kittens so they dump them at farms), that I want to do my part to keep that number down.

Friday - 7/16

I didn't get a picture at all today, so I thought I'd share one that Ashley shared with me this week that was sent to her by Lance. Our son-in-law Lance is 2nd from the left, and the other 4 guys will all be a part of the renewal of vows ceremony next Summer. This was apparently taken in May shortly after they arrived in Afghanistan. They have since all been split up and sent in different directions. It is our daily prayer that they all make it home safely.

Saturday - 7/17

I was running a few last minute errands and stopped for a quick bite to eat. See the soda spilled on the floor. Yep, that would be mine. The poor girl that got stuck mopping it up wasn't too happy with me, and neither were the 3-4 other people who got soda splashed on their legs, even though I apologized over and over. I'm guessing that's not one of the ways to "Win Friends and Influence People". :-/

There you have it...our pre-fair week. I will probably miss next weeks posting because of being at the fair, but I'm going try to post photos during the week as it goes along. Not sure it'll happen, but I'll definitely try. Head on over to Sara's through the link in the side bar to see more pictures from this week!

Poor Jay

2010-07-12T00:01:00.001-05:00

Jay and I celebrated out 23rd wedding anniversary yesterday, and on Saturday we went out for the evening. Before leaving I enlisted Ashley's help in taking a picture of us. Anyone that knows me knows that I can't stand having my picture taken. I have been this way for as long as I can remember (no matter what age or size), so you are getting a rare treat to see the pictures taken.

The main reason I am sharing them is because you have got to see what my poor husband has had to deal with almost every single day of his life since he said "I Do" all those years ago.

For starters, I hate always being the shortest one in pictures, so I decided to have Jay sit on my stool that raises and lowers. Bad mistake. As we worked to get the height just right, one height became just right for me to say "Hey look...we're a totem pole!"

Ashley had us pose like that again so she could get a picture, and when she showed me Jay's expression, it set off a fit of never ending giggles. No matter what I tried, I could not stop giggling.

Ashley suggested trying a more serious pose to see if that would stop the giggles. It would have been a nice picture except for the fact that it's a little blurry, and Jay appears to be studying a game on tv instead of enjoying this special bonding time we're having. *Not to mention the fact that my forearms appear to be channeling my inner Popeye - what is up with that???*

The giggles finally ended and just as Ashley went to snap the picture, Chelsea said something and the giggles returned. This picture shows Jay thanking her for helping the situation. By this time I had tears running down my cheeks.

I tried to stop, I really did. But as you can see here, I was not having much luck, and poor Jay kept saying "what is wrong with you?" Even Ashley was cracking up by this time, which is why this shot is so blurred.

I finally pulled it together for one last shot. It's not the greatest picture of us, but if you look closely at my expression, I am just about to lose it again and Jay was not about to let us keep trying.

Happy Anniversary Jay. Thanks for putting up with me all these years! He really does deserve a medal. LOL

Project 365 ~ Week 28

2010-07-10T23:40:00.001-05:00

We had quite a fun week this week, with many different activities going on! Guess that explains why I'm so tired...ha!

Sunday - 7/4

It poured all day and night, so all 4th of July plans had to be cancelled. No camping. No jetskiing. No fireworks.

Monday - 7/5

Today we went to a parade that was postponed from yesterday due to all the rain. We stopped for Subway after the parade with some good friends of ours. Their youngest daughter just LOVES "Uncle Jay". She loves to pick on him and the reason I think she loves him so much is that he gives it right back to her. LOL

Tuesday - 7/6

Chelsea fell asleep on the couch last night and when she woke up, she decided to just grab a sleeping bag out of the closet rather than having to go all the way downstairs to her room (as if it's a mile hike? lol). This morning she regretted that decision, because when the dogs and I got up, she was awakened with demands to cuddle with her whether she liked it or not.

Wednesday - 7/7

Friends of ours have a cedar sauna that they have read is great for people with Fibromyalga, so they brought it over for me to try it out for a couple of weeks. My biggest issue so far is that I'm very clausterphobic, but I'm getting better with it - slowly. lol

Thursday - 7/8

There is no Marine base located in Iowa, so when Ashley needs to get regulation items for Lance, she goes to the Army National guard base which is about 15 min from her campus apartment. If they don't have what she needs, they order it for her. I wanted to see the base, so she let me go along with her. It was really interesting to see all the buildings and machinery.

These little buildings are the soldiers small apartments. There were tons of these located around the grounds.

Friday - 7/9

A young girl from our church, Amanda, who is 5, was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. Today she is a cancer survivor and her family put together a team for the local Relay For Life event held this evening. Members from our church did a marching routine that included cadences and of course ended with people getting wet. Chelsea was a part of the team.

This first picture is of Ashley with Amanda.You can read more about little Amanda HERE.

This next picture is of the group marching. Chelsea is in the front row on the far side.

After the marching was done, the group released butterflies that people purchased in honor of, or memory of someone who had battled cancer. This picture shows Ashley & Chelsea releasing our butterflies. It was very moving!

Saturday - 7/10

Jay and I went out for supper and I had Bruschetta chicken & pasta. It was very yummy!

I hope you all had an awesome week! Head over to Sara's to check out other pics as well!!

Project 365 ~ Week 26 & 27

2010-07-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

I am back after missing last weeks post. I had a really bad flare that had me in bed for several days and I just wasn't up to it. I did have a picture for every day (even those I was down), but I didn't the energy to put them in a post. So, here is 2 weeks worth of pictures for your enjoyment. :)

Sunday - 6/20

My brother and his family & my dad came up for the day to golf in a Fathers Day tournament together with Jay and Austin. While the guys were golfing, Chelsea played Wii with her cousins and I visited with my sister-in-law.

Monday - 6/21

I took a walk today and took time to really notice how nicely the corn is growing...which is good since we have a wedding to pay for! lol

Tuesday - 6/22

WE HAVE WATER! Our well is finally finished! I can't tell you how excited we were to use real dishes, glasses & silverware again. Oh the luxuries we take for granted.

Wednesday - 6/23

Niece Jenna has a wonderful opportunity to attend a very intensive dance academy in New York starting next week that will run for 10 days. While in NY, the dancers will attend a Broadway production, as well as 3 gala events, for which formal dress is required. Since Jenna has just finished 8th grade, she doesn't have any formal dresses. Luckily for her she wears the same size as her twin cousins, so she had many dresses to choose from. Tonight she and my sister-in-law came over to try on the different dresses we have and to select which ones she'll take.

Thursday - 6/24

We took our camper over to the lake and this time we were able to snag a camping spot with a front row view of the lake. Score!

Friday - 6/25

We have a small memo board on our refrigerator and if Jay has any errands he'd like me to do for him, or anything else I can do to help him, he writes it on this board. Today when I went to get a bottle of water I saw a sweet surprise on the board.

Saturday - 6/26

Austin took this picture for me....and it's a familiar sight around our place....Tucker terrorizing the minis. He loves to chase them and tug on their tails. If only they knew that one quick kick would stop him. lol

Sunday - 6/27

Jay took this picture for me. Every year there is a day long outdoor festival called "Big Country Bash". Eight up and coming new country music artists/groups perform at this event. It's a lot of fun and my girls have gone for the past 3 years and they look forward to it every year. What makes it even more fun is that many of their friends also go, so it's a great time. This year Austin went for the first time. This is a picture of Austin and his cousin Jordan and their girlfriends as they waited for their ride to pick them up. They met up with Ashley & Chelsea and all rode together.

Monday - 6/28

This has been my bed/office/hospital/movie theater for the past few days.Today I finally left this room for the first time other than to get a drink or use the restroom. I even managed to take a shower, which felt great!

Tuesday - 6/29

Spa day for the dogs

Wednesday - 7/1

Spa day for me!

Thursday - 7/1

I bought a new pocket-sized digital camera today. We have a large, full-sized Sony with interchangeable lenses, and I LOVE that camera and still plan to use it a lot. But, I wanted a small one that I could keep in my purse to always have on hand. My phone takes decent photos considering it IS a phone, but well, you know...

Friday - 7/2

I came up from the basement to find Ashley like this. When I asked what she was doing, she said that she had been on facebook, but then Lance texted her, so she was texting him. I laughed and said "that still doesn't explain why your laying on the island". She sat up and said "I have no idea how that happened". lol

Saturday - 7/3

One of our outdoor farm cats had kittens recently, and this morning when Jay came back from doing chores, he found the mother had moved the kittens to our little patio. We're guessing it was cooler here than wherever she had them originally. There are just the 3and all look just like mommy. Chelsea found an old towel in the garage and put that under them so it'd be softer.

That's our past 2 weeks. I hope you have had great weeks as well. Be sure to visit Sara's through the link in the side bar to check out other project 365 pictures!

I Am Not Alone

2010-06-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

The title says it all.

Caroline Peterson

2010-06-25T07:10:00.000-05:00

The above picture is of Ashley & Chelsea on their graduation day two years ago. Pictured with them is their Kindergarten teacher, Caroline Peterson.

Today is Caroline's funeral. She went to Heaven after a long courageous battle with bone cancer. Throughout all the chemo and pain, she continued to smile and be one of the most positive people you could ever meet. She even continued to teach through this past school year.

I have always been so impressed with Caroline and her character, heart, and spirit, and I want to share a couple of reasons why and to give you insight into this special lady.

1. In Kindergarten, Ashley & Chelsea were in the same class. From the second day of school on, Mrs. Peterson was able to tell them apart and never once mixed them up. When I asked how she was able to do that she said that on the first day of school she pulled my girls aside during quiet time and talked to them. She said she studied their faces, voices, and expressions. "They really are different individuals who happen to look alike, and once you take the time to really look at that way, it's pretty easy to tell them apart." I so appreciated her doing that, when other teachers still couldn't tell them apart, all the way up through school.

2. When Ashley & Chelsea were in the NICU for their first two months, the nurses told me to sing lullabies to them. I was embarrassed to tell them that I didn't know any, so I sang "You Are My Sunshine" to them every day for 60 days and beyond. For the Mothers day tea during their Kindergarten year, the kids sang that song to the moms. I of course had tears running down my face, and when Mrs. Peterson asked me later why it affected me so much, I explained. A few days later the girls came home from school they said I had a present from their teacher. I opened it to find a picture of Ashley & Chelsea in a bright yellow frame with the words "You Are My Sunshine" on it. She included a note that said "When I saw this I thought of you."

3. Ashley & Chelsea had their tonsils and adenoids out towards the end of Kindergarten. When we arrived at the hospital that morning there were two soft squishy teddy bears in the room and a note was attached that said "Sometimes when you're scared, the best thing you can do is to get a teddy bear hug". Mrs. Peterson had come to the hospital and dropped those off the day before so they'd be there when the girls arrived. How many teachers would do that? Only the special ones.

When she developed cancer we returned the love by sending her a teddy bear with the same note, plus other notes the girls and I added. She said it made her cry to know someone did that and she couldn't believe we remembered that from so long ago. I told her that she was unforgettable in so many ways.

Caroline made it into 2 remissions, but sadly when it returned this last time it was very aggressive. We heard at her visitation last night that on one of her last days at school she told the children in her class to not cry for her. She said she wasn't scared because she knew she was going to a special place someday soon and she would get to see people she hadn't seen in a long time.

Heaven has been blessed with this newest angel. And she will be forever missed by those of us left behind.

The 3 Little Pigs

2010-06-24T08:59:00.000-05:00

Remember the story of the 3 little pigs? While they were able to be safe in their Iowa farm home, the big bad wolf never gave up trying to blow it down. Hammy, Bacon, & Pork Chop got fed up with that wolf trying to constantly destroy their happy little barn. Their fear was at an all-time high, and their swine-esteem at an all time low.

After attending a self-defense course for pigs (no really...they do have them) they decided it was time to take back their lives...or at least, their part of the barn. They formed a gang and called it "Suínos Louco", which is how you say "Crazy Pigs" in Pork-tugese. They set out to prove they would no longer be bullied by the wolf or anyone, and they went on a wild rampage and became bullies themselves.

Hammy was the leader of the Suinos Louco.

The gang ran down the streets terrorizing anyone who got in their way.

Soon they were not happy with just taking back their part of the farm, but other parts as well. They thought the lush green grass in the horse arena looked like a great place to hang out and enjoy the breeze.

Hammy moved slowly, getting ever closer to the horses, while Bacon & Pork chop watched from a safe distance behind the rusty old wagon wheel. Max the horse gave one powerful kick to Hammy who let out a squeal and the gang retreated hastily. They learned to never try to have a turf war with gang members who are a bazillion times bigger than you.

The Suinos Louco showed up at our doorstep one day. Tucker did his best to try to scare them away, but it had no effect.

As I sat on the steps I tried to reason with them, but they wouldn't listen. How could I show Suinos Louco that they had better stop being bullies to all of us or else?

Then it came to me...

The End

(Editors note: I whole-heartedly apologize for this sad attempt at a funny story. This is what happens when I wake up at 3am and can't get back to sleep. I call it an episode of "Thoughts Gone Wild". :-/ Someday there will be better sleeping medicines that will help keep things like this from happening ever again. Until then, please bear with me.)

May I Have A Drum Roll Please.....

2010-06-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you...... WATER.

That's right, our well is FINALLY finished! We now have good crystal clean water to do laundry in, do bathe in, to drink. Tomorrow night both girls will be home and we are going to dine with real dishes, not paper, and with real glasses and silverware, not plastic. We may even have to break out the candles.

I have to stop talking about it now. It gets me so happy I start to tear up like the Miss America winners do.

Wedding Planning

2010-06-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

They say that wedding planning can be the most stressful time in a couples relationship and I firmly believe that's true....even when the couple happens to be the bride and her mother.

I'm not a "momzilla". You know the kind...they have their opinions on how things should be done and since they are paying for things, planning WILL be done their way. Or there's also the kind with no taste/trashy taste. I'm neither of those. As long as what Ashley wants isn't crazy out of budget, then whatever they decide is fine.

Problem - Ashley is HORRIBLE when it comes to make a decision. She really, really is, and she readily and whole-heartedly admits it. She just hates to make a decision. She's been like this since she was little. She'd put on one outfit for school and then go back and change...sometimes multiple changes. She always second guesses herself and worries it should have been done differently. We even tease her that we're surprised she actually was able to make the decision to accept Lance's proposal. lol

The public wedding and reception is about a year from now. I'm a planner by nature, but people out there even have me beat. We are being amazed by how early places and people are being "reserved". I told her that the big items must be taken care of now, especially since they can't be overly flexible about the date, due to the window of when he'll be home on leave.

So far the church is reserved, the reception location is reserved, the photographer is reserved, the dj is reserved, and the hair salon is reserved (as if that's one thing that had to be done now??? lol, but she was in there getting a haircut and booked them while she was there).

She has someone in mind to make the invitations, but hasn't contacted her yet. She thinks she knows where she'd like to hold the rehearsal supper, but hasn't booked that yet, and she thinks she knows what she'd like to do for the gift opening time the day after, but isn't sure where yet.

I am not pushing her to decide colors, styles for dresses or hair, centerpieces, etc. All that can come later, but the above mentioned items are things that need to get done before they are booked as well. Then we can relax for a while.

Have you ever tried to push a rope? That's what it's like getting this girl to decide on anything. I asked her "most girls who are getting married are over the top excited and are actually making their mothers crazy because they want to plan everything right now. But you act like you maybe don't even want this wedding to happen. Are you excited?" Her response was "Very much so, I just hate having to decide everything. I want some to just say 'it's done' and we're done with it."

The funny thing is, after I push her to decide on something like the reception location, and I push her to set up the appt to meet with the contact person, and I drive her to meet with them, she always thanks me afterwards for doing that. She's happy I've been a "nag". lol

For her sake (as well as my sanity sake) I'll keep pushing her to get these last few "big" items taken care of and then we all can relax a bit and enjoy the summer. If not, I'll just make sure I keep the ibuprofin on stand-by. :)

Project 365 ~ Week 25

2010-06-19T19:00:00.005-05:00

Wow...week 25 already. hard to believe we're almost halfway through the year already!!

Sunday - 6/ 13

This afternoon Jay took Austin to the PGA golf academy for the week. He has been looking forward to this for such a long time....the picture I made him stand and take before they left - not so much.

Monday - 6/14

This morning I went to my first Physical Therapy appointment. My therapist is nice, but lordy be he loves to inflict pain. :)

Tuesday - 6/15

Today Ashley & I met with the photographer she has chosen to do her wedding. Down payment has been paid so it's official...another item we can check off the list.

On a side note, Ashley was told by Lance that he is being moved to an undisclosed location and he will not be able to have any contact with her for at least the next 40 days. She of course was very upset by that news, so I ask for your prayers of both courage and strength for both her and for our son-in-law.

Wednesday - 6/16

Today I took Gabby back in to the vet. She's still having health issues and the Vet is working with top Vets that make medications and they are now putting her on a new antibiotic to see if that'll work. Our fingers are crossed. This is a picture of Gabby with her "cow". Yes, I know...it's not a cow. Back when Gabby was a puppy, she had a small black and white cow she loved. Since then, she only responds to "Get your cow" no matter what her toy of the moment is. For a while now it's been her lamb. She carries it in her mouth everywhere like a child would carry a blanket.

Thursday - 6/17

I picked up Austin from golf camp this afternoon. We talked for a short while about how things went and then he reclined his seat. I turned on the radio and within less than a minute he was sound asleep and slept the rest of the way home. Then he came home and slept another couple of hours. To me that's the first sign of a successful camp. ha! Sorry for the bad angle of the photo. I took it while I was driving, so I just aimed the camera over my shoulder and did 3 shots. I never even saw if they turned out until after we got home and this was the best of the 3. The other two were mostly of my arm. LOL

Friday - 6/18

Severe thunderstorms came through one after another pretty much all day and into the evening.The advantage of living out in the country is that we can watch storms as they get closer, which gives us a heads up about how bad they are likely to be.

This is a shot as the front came through.

Saturday - 6/19

My brother and his family are here and 2 of their children have to eat gluten free like I do.We ordered pizza for the rest of the family, and I made pizzas for my nephews and I. I used my favorite GF frozen crusts, which they have never tried. After just a few bites, I was informed that this was the best pizza they had ever had. Yeah!

There you have it...another week on the farm. Head on over to Sara's to check out the other great pictures!

BBQ Pork Chops

2010-06-18T07:55:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my last Project 365 post, I got a new crockpot, and let me just tell you I am so in love with this thing! Not only does it have Low, Medium & High settings, but it has two different hourly options within each of those. Of course, it also has the always popular "Keep Warm" option. Mama Likey.

I made a new recipe in it night before last and Jay liked it enough to get seconds. You need to understand that he rarely likes anything I make, because I try to cook as healthy as possible and he's old school where he'd prefer everything covered in thick gravy or cheese.

Anyhow, on to the yummy recipe:

BBQ Pork Chops

6-8 center cut boneless pork chops (1/2" thick)

Pepper to taste

1 cup thick BBQ sauce (to keep it more low cal I used Waldens 0cal sauce, plus it's GF)

14oz can stewed tomatoes (my guys don't like tomato chunks in their food, so I ran them through the food processor

10oz pkg frozen vegetable blend

Mix BBQ sauce, tomatoes and vegetables together. Mix well and set aside. Sprinkle the chops with pepper. Spray your crockpot with Pam or insert a disposible slow cooker liner (greatest invention ever!) Spray a skillet and set it on med/high setting. When pan is hot, add chops and quick brown them on each side. Remove them from the heat and place half the chops in the crockpot. Pour some of the sauce mix over them. Then add the rest of the chops and top with remaining sauce mix.

Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook for 6-7 hrs or until meat is tender, but not dry.

***Note*** I had to leave and didn't have the time to wait an hour to turn it down, so I just cooked on low for the entire time and they still came out great.

To go with it, I mixed up some seasonings and parmesan cheese. I quartered some baby potatoes (halved the little ones) and put them in a baggie with the seasoning/cheese mix and shook them well to coat the potatoes. I put the potatoes in another crockpot and cooked them on low for 3 1/2-4hrs.

If you try the chops, let me know if you enjoyed them!

Looking Forward

2010-06-16T15:46:00.001-05:00

My biggest struggles with having Fibromyalgia (besides the obvious physical ones) are accepting that the old me is gone forever. She is never coming back and that's tough to accept. I look at pictures of me from a couple of years ago and I see that FM has caused me to age and gain back the weight I worked so hard to lose. I don't see someone whose hair has lost all it's curls and shine. I don't see someone who looks tired and worn. I see a sparkle in her eyes.

I miss her. A lot.

I read a blog that had a great message that I must remind myself of daily:

My message to my new member was this: Until you learn to let go of who you were, and accept who you currently are, you will not be able to move forward. You will be stuck trying to get back to a “you” your body is no longer capable of being. By continually looking back, you are fostering frustration and anger rather than acceptance and possibility. Examine who you are now, come to terms with it, and then make a plan to move forward.

I need to say good-bye to the old me and let her go, so I can truly move forward. That's not going to be easy, but it's one of those things I have to do.

Everybody's Free

2010-06-15T10:42:00.000-05:00

My niece Jenna's competition dance team did a dance to this song and it was amazing.

You can watch it here. It is 7 min long, but trust me when I say you will find it totally worth your time. Seriously. If you prefer, I do have the lyrics printed below that you can read with it. Listening to it though will give you a visual as to how Jenna danced to it. Just sayin'. :)

EVERYBODY'S FREE
(to wear sunscreen)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '99... wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be IT. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are NOT as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's.

njoy your body, use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance. Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

Everybody's Free

Project 365 ~ Week 24

2010-06-12T21:15:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! We had quite the hodge-podge of activities this week, as you'll see...

Sunday - 6/6

Niece Jenna had her dance recital today. She is also on the dance company's competitive dance team, so we got to watch her performing in all those dances as well. So much fun! The pictures aren't great because I forgot my camera, and my cellphone didn't like how fast they were moving and that I couldn't use flash.

Afterwards we took a picture of the cousins that were there watching Jenna.

Monday - 6/7

Today I took Austin to one of his Junior PGA golf tournaments. This one is at an absolutely beautiful course. The building in the back is their clubhouse with dark wood throughout. Gorgeous! Austin did really well. He placed 6th out of 20+ kids in his age division.

Tuesday - 6/8

No picture today. I started into having a bad flare the night before and was in bed all day today. This picture is one Jay took of me in early April with one of the dogs on a day I was down. They can sense when I'm having a painful day and they take turns coming and laying with me as if they are trying to make me feel better. It's so sweet.

Wednesday - 6/9

This morning we looked out to see a skunk waddling into our garage. Jay tossed some cat food out onto the driveway to hopefully lure Mr Skunk outside so we could get rid of him. It didn't work but the farm cats did appreciate the extra feeding. lol

Thursday - 6/10

I bought a new crockpot and was anxious to try it out. I made Creamy Turkey Tenderloins and they were a.maz.ing. It was a very easy recipe - Lay tenderloins in crockpot. Sprinkle garlic and/or any other seasonings you want over them. Mix together 2 cans cr. of chicken soup and 1 can cheddar cheese soup and pour those over the tenderloins. Cook for 6-8hrs on low. So yummy.

Friday - 6/11

Tonight was the start of our annual town festival. The main street in town is about 3 blocks long and they shut off the main street to traffic. There is great food, live music, and all kinds of fun activities for kids and adults.

Some of the school &/or community clubs have activities that are just ways to give back to the community, or done as a fundraiser. The FFA club had this putting ramp set up and you got prizes for making it in different holes. It was kind of fun for Austin to help with his (he's in the red hat) because not only is he an FFA officer, but he actually made the ramp back when he was in 5th grade and exhibited it at our county fair. He was a golfaholic even back then. ha!

Austin's girlfriend is on the school dance team and those girls had a "pictures with a princess" activity. All the dancers dressed as different storybook and disney princesses. They had pictures to color, tattoos, and beads to hand out, and they took pictures with anyone who wanted to. Austin got his picture taken with his favorite princess "Glinda the good witch". :)

Saturday - 6/12

Our town festival was to continue today with outdoor activities and a parade. Unfortunately storms came through, which mean all that was canceled. So instead, Austin went up to the school shop to work on the antique tractor he has been restoring. It will be exhibited this summer at both the county and state fairs for judging. A good friend of ours has restored many tractors, so he has been coming up to help teach Austin what to do and why. He's doing such a great job on it, and I can't wait to see it all done.

There you have it....our week of excitment. :) Be sure to visit Sara through the link in the sidebar to check out other Project 365 pictures!

Hello God

2010-06-10T10:01:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure how long ago this song was actually sung by Dolly Parton, but as you will hear, it's still very relevant today, and such a beautiful song as well.

Project 365 ~ Week 23

2010-06-06T08:25:00.000-05:00

Last week of school and I think I was almost more excited than Austin. It takes until 10am or so to really start getting my muscles to loosen up. No more having to get up at 6am to make sure Austin was up, and that is so nice.

Sunday - 5/30

Last night Ringo had a spell that the Vet feels was "separation anxiety". He's getting close to being 12 and the Vet said that dogs can be like elderly people in that they get very upset if their "caretaker" is absent for too long. It upsets their routine and they have something like a panic attack. We have the doggie door on our deck so the dogs can go in and out as they please, and we've always just left them home when we camp at the lake. We were camping this weekend, and this is the first time it's bothered Ringo. I stayed home with him last night, and even this morning he was still bad and acting really out of it, so I took him in to get checked out.

In the picture above you can see him laying facing away from us. He did that almost non-stop from the time I got home yesterday. The vet said it's his way of dealing with the stress. It's like how if we were to meditate. So, Ringo went to his happy place. :)

The vet put him on an anxiety pill and a pain pill because she said it's possible he has muscles all tight and sore from the stress. Looks like Ringo needs to join me in doing some yoga. ha!

Monday - 5/31

Today we packed up the camper and campsite and brought it home. Unpacking the camper is my least favorite part of camping.

Tuesday - 6/1

Today I took off our comforter and put on this lightweight bedspread. The comforter is heavy and better for cold weather, so it was too hot now when sleeping. As you can see, Tucker approves of the change.

Wednesday - 6/2

I spent the morning uploading and editing 100+ pictures that were taken over the holiday weekend.

Thursday - 6/3

We moved Ashley from the campus dorms to the campus apartments. Poor Jay had the heavy duty job.

While it's nowhere near finished, we did get her new bedroom set up so at least she could sleep in there. She'll finish the rest of it this weekend when she's not working.

I had fun with little items I found while packing...including the school mascot helmet. lol

Friday - 6/4

Ringo was feeling better, so today he took the short walk with me down our gravel road. Actually, he'd run on ahead and then have to sit and wait for me to catch up. lol

Saturday - 6/5

Today I went out to eat with Ashley & a friend of hers. This is a shot of Ashley and her lunch. Mind you, that lunch of steak, potato and applesauce cost around $15.00. Look closely at it...it cracked us up that the applesauce she ordered just came in the container you buy at the store. With what they charged, they didn't even try to make it look like they made it...didn't even plop it in a dish. We were like 'ok then'. LOL

Well, that was our week. We are now enjoying Summer vacation from school, and Austin's golf tournaments will be in full gear starting next week. Summer Fun!

Why Was She Embarrassed?

2010-06-04T14:49:00.000-05:00

We helped move Ashley from the campus dorms to the campus apartments yesterday. I was in charge of helping to finish packing, and then helping to unpack. While packing I found a school mascot helmet and decided to wear it while we moved her. From that point on she kept saying the same thing over and over "I don't know you. I have no clue who you are."

The Date Has Been Set

2010-06-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

Ashley & Lance have set the date for their public wedding ceremony next Summer.

The church has been reserved and deposit paid.

The reception location has been reserved and deposit paid.

The photographer....well, that's still undecided at this moment. But hey, I feel good we have those two main locations done. We'll keep plugging away at the rest.

Planning this ceremony is a lot harder than I imagined, because the groom is serving in the marines overseas. He won't be back until a short time before the wedding, and Ashley doesn't want him to feel left out, so she wants to confer with him on every. single. detail.

She's so sweet and naive. I keep trying to tell her that when it comes right down to it, he cares is that she's there, he's there, and the minister is there. The rest is just blah, blah, blah for the most part.

Sure, there are some details he is interested in, but if you try to have him discuss whether to have netting or ribbon around the centerpieces for the tables, and you're going to see his eyes glass over.

So for the next year I'll be helping to plan a wedding.

Donations of advil and wine are appreciated.

We Have Water -- Wait, No We Don't

2010-06-01T08:19:00.000-05:00

If you saw my Project 365 post, you saw that the well company was here to dig our new well. However, in all projects there can be problems, and that was the case with our well.

The family owned/operated well company dug down 100'. They were sure they hit water, so they lowered some sort of pipe-thingy down into the hole, but found no water. While trying to remove the pipe, it somehow broke into several pieces.

Houston, we have a problem.

That meant they couldn't continue drilling there, so they had to start all over and drill a new well. I was getting worried that my yard could end up with so many holes in it that it resembled swiss cheese.

Houston, we have another problem.

The owner of the well company then informed us that a year ago they had scheduled a week long family vacation together, and unfortunately it was to start the next day.

So, there sits all the trucks and other equipment, looking like giant, ugly lawn ornaments and I can't wait for this week to be over so we can finally get this silly thing dug!

And when it's done, I just may put on my swimsuit and run through a lawn sprinkler to celebrate!

Project 365 ~ Week 22

2010-05-29T22:56:00.000-05:00

Thankfully this week was less eventful than last week! We're at the lake right now having a wonderful relaxing time.

Sunday - 5/23

Tonight while the rest of the world watched the series finale of "Lost", I watched the Farewell show for Brooks & Dunn, the country duo who has sang together for 20 years. It was a great show.

Monday - 5/24

Ashley came home today for a few days...

And I think she brought an entire semesters worth of dirty laundry with her. LOL

Tuesday - 5/25

Our state has a graduated drivers license for kids. At 16 you get a restricted license which permits you to drive from 6am to midnite alone.Outside of those hours you must have an adult with you. When you turn 17, you can get an unrestricted license (which is just like the license you and I have). However, in order to get that you must have a completely clean record - no tickets or accidents. If you have anything on your record, you stay on the restricted license until you are 18. Today I took Austin to get his unrestricted license. :)

Wednesday - 5/26

The well company arrived today to start drilling our new well. Yippee!

Thursday - 5/27

I took Gabby to the vet today for another recheck to see how she's doing. She kept pulling on the leash trying to leave. lol

Friday - 5/28

Today Chelsea and I went around to lay flowers where our grandparents are buried...

I just love all the beautiful flags that are always flying this weekend. So moving!

Saturday - 5/29

Today the weather was absolutely perfect, which made it a great day for riding the jet ski! This is a picture of Chelsea giving a ride to the little sister of Austin's girlfriend.

I hope you are all having a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Memorial Day

2010-05-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

We're headed out to the lake for the weekend. Have a great Memorial weekend and remember the real reason we have this holiday. God bless our soldiers!

Getting Old

2010-05-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

You know you're getting old when you don't even consider doing any drugs because you can get the same rush just by standing up quickly.

I've Welcomed Back An Old Friend

2010-05-24T18:38:00.000-05:00

I've rediscovered one of my favorite things from my childhood. Juicy Fruit gum. I remember that fruity taste as I'd pop a stick in my mouth. Somedays I would go through an entire pack of 5 sticks in a single day. It was my favorite gum. But then I grew up and moved on to gums that were sugar-free, because that's what grown-ups are supposed to do.

Just yesterday I discovered that Juicy Fruit has grown up as well. It too has gone sugar-free! Woot! Woot!

Am I on the bus that ran late again, which caused me to miss the news or is this really something new???

Project 365 - Week 21

2010-05-22T22:00:00.000-05:00

The weather keeps improving and the school year is winding down...aaahhh. I can feel that Summer is around the corner, and I just can't wait!

Sunday - 5/16

Today Ashley, Chelsea, and I decided to run a couple of errands together, started off our day together at Macaroni Grill for lunch. We've never been there before (not sure why not), but the girls were so fascinated with the fact that they were given crayons to color on the table with. LOL

Monday - 5/17

Not a good day. Poor Austin had the stomach flu (complete with a fever of 102). He was violently sick every half hour or so, for over 12 hours. Bless his heart, he was so miserable. My heart broke for him.

Tuesday - 5/18

Happy birthday Jay! We surprised him with an ice cream cake, which he dearly loves! Both girls were able to come home, so that made his day extra special. Unfortunately Austin was still sick, so he slept through the celebrating.

Wednesday - 5/19

Poor Austin was still so sick and weak that I took him to the doctor. He was complaining of chest pains and a stiff neck, both of which made us nervous. Tests showed it was just a super nasty virus, and he had pulled muscles in both his neck and chest. Also, he was slightly dehydrated. He was told to drink more and continue resting as much as possible, which wasn't too tough. He had barely moved in 3 days.

Thursday - 5/20

Our internet adapter broke as you can see, and today the new one arrived. Yippee!

Friday - 5/21

I spent quite a bit of time this week looking through grilling and crockpot recipes, so I can be ready to go for the camping season!

Saturday - 5/22

This was just not a good week for Austin. Yesterday he finally was well enough to go back to school (even though he was still tired), and then yesterday evening after supper he was out on the jet ski and in a flash his glasses flew off and quickly sank to the bottom of the lake. Thankfully I found a 1-hour optical place and by noon today he had a new pair of glasses...along with a new neon yellow floating neck strap to attach to his glasses.

That was our week. We're still at the lake until tomorrow and it's nice and relaxing to kick back with friends. Head on over to Sara's (through the link in the sidebar) to see other Project 365 pictures.

Ready For The Weekend!

2010-05-21T15:16:00.000-05:00

Whew...what a week!

First, Austin had the stomach flu from h-e-double hockey sticks. The poor kid was so crazy sick that just today he finally went back to school, even though he still felt tired and still had a headache. Somehow, amazingly, neither Jay or I got it. I think it was due to all the prayers we said...and the fact that if Austin even looked at something, it was sprayed with Lysol. LOL

Then our internet adapter broke. Yes, I do have internet on my phone, but I'm still struggling with the whole touch screen thing and typing on it is much slower than typing on my laptop. The good news is that I read more this week than I have in the past month, and I got some really good menu ideas for the summer.

We received our new wireless adapter today, but it wouldn't allow the installation process to go through. With the way the rest of this week has gone, I wasn't surprised. lol I called Customer Service and may I say that "Rebecca" was so patient and helpful. Within about 20 minutes I had internet again and I was smiling!

Then I got a pretty bad fibro-flare on Wednesday. I was really bummed by it because I had actually felt really good for a few days. I was able to take care of Austin, keep the house up, and run errands...and I still had energy to cook supper, and do the laundry. It felt great. Then dumb ol' reality had to come back and smack me upside the head. By today it's getting better again slowly, so I'm going to attempt camping with the guys this weekend. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Still no new well. We're on week 72 with no water. Ok that's a slight exaggeration yes. It's only been a little over a couple of weeks, and technically we do have water (in a giant barrel), but well, it's just not the same and I'm taking a moment to whine about it. :-p

Well there you have it...our crazy week. It's one of those weeks that I am so glad to have behind us. Bring on the weekend!

Is Your Crockpot Too Hot?

2010-05-20T00:01:00.000-05:00

I have 3 crockpots. One is smaller for dips, but I use them all a lot, and love them. They are especially great in the summer when I don't want to heat up the kitchen just to have a good hot meal. However, I have one that seems to cook much faster than the other 2 and it can be frustrating to use. I read a great article not long ago on how to test your crockpot:

Some of the newer crockpots seem to cook at a hotter temperature, probably because manufacturers are concerned about food safety. You can check the temperature of your crockpot this way:

Place 2 quarts of water in your crockpot
Cover and heat on low for 8 hours
Lift the lid and immediately check the water temperature with an accurate thermometer
The temperature of the water should be 185 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is higher foods may overcook and you should reduce the overall cooking time. If the temperature is lower your foods will probably not reach a safe temperature quickly enough, and the crockpot should be discarded.

I checked mine and yep...the one was closer to 200 degrees. Now I adjust the cooking time when using that one so I don't burn things.

Random Dozen

2010-05-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?

Goulash - also a family favorite since my children were toddlers

2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)

Cell phone

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?

Our State Fair. We stay the entire 2 weeks every single year, and I love it!

4. Share one factoid of your family's history.

Each of my children have one toenail on their right foot that grows crooked. They all have it on the exact same toe...their dad has the exact same thing. Not necessarily a factoid or family history, but it's all I could think of. ha.

5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ...."

I prayed I would find a big city man who would whisk me off to live life in the fast lane in the big city. You know the song that says "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers"? Yeah, that. :)

6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?

A live-in cook/maid. I would love to have my own "Alice".

7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...."

According to my family, I say certain words wrong. I say "cimmanon" and "ambliance", among others. They sound correct to me and no matter how hard I try, I can't say them the way they tell me I'm supposed to.

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?

Is there anything you CAN buy for just a dollar? LOL I guess I'd probably buy a can of diet coke.

9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...."

My husband. After almost 24 yrs together, he can still make me laugh like no one else can.

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?

Walking just a little bit further, and not let the fear of the pain stop me from doing it.

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?

I will get my husband an ice cream cake today for his birthday. He hates the idea of splurging on something so frivilous for himself, but he LOVES them and I know he'll love that I got one. :)

12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?

Summer!! (and the thought that I won't be having to be up at 6am every day)

I Thought Flu Season Was Over!?!

2010-05-18T07:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was not one of the better days in our house. I should have seen it coming when I had a horrible time trying to sleep all night the night before. I take a pretty strong sleeping pill, so now sleep usually isn't the enemy it used to be. Sunday night was the exception.

I finally dozed off for a short time only to be awakened by the feeling I had wet the bed, but it went down my leg too. I turned on the flashlight application on my phone and let out a long string of "No! No! No!"s. One of the dogs had gotten sick on the bed - my side of the bed - and I had laid in it! G-R-O-S-S!

I yelled "We're selling the bed!"

Jay scurried out of bed and said "I'm sleeping in one of the girls' beds" and he left me there all alone.

I took a quick shower. Then I stripped the bed and was too tired to re-make it, so I grabbed a couple of blankets and tried again to go to sleep. Again, I managed to doze off for a short time, when Austin stood beside me and said "Mom, I'm sick" and he proceeded to prove it, without giving himself enough time to make it to the bathroom."

The poor kid had it really bad and I felt awful for him. Each time he would get sick it would happen almost immediately, which gave him no hope of making it to the bathroom. After 4 times of cleaning up after his attempts to get there, I finally handed him a small garbage can and he kept that by him the rest of the day.

You all need to understand that I hate the thought of vomiting more than just about anything. I will do anything in my power to avoid it at all cost, and now I have had to deal with cleaning it up 5 or 6 times in less than 12 hours. That's just wrong!

Once he stopped getting sick, the fever set in, and that's when I thought I'd lose my mind. He just could not get comfortable and I felt bad for him, but uff da kid...give your mama a break! As I tried to clean or do whatever I needed to do, I would get a text from Austin saying "I'm hot","I'm cold", "can you re-wet the wash cloth for my forehead", can I have more water", "can you open the window", "can you re-wet my washcloth", "can you close the window", "I'm hot", , etc...repeat, repeat, repeat. This happened every few minutes and went on for a few hours. Because of how much I love this kid, and knowing he felt so miserable, were the only things that kept me from taking him into town and dropping him off at someones doorstep.

Thankfully, around 11:00 last night he finally fell asleep, and he's still sleeping this morning. I'm hoping his fever broke during the night and that he might be able to keep some small amounts of food down today. Unfortunately, he has his last school concert of the year tonight and this means he won't be going, so that's a real bummer.

Oh, and as far as my not being able to sleep on Sunday night...Yesterday morning when I came out to the kitchen, I saw my sleeping pill still sitting on the counter. I guess it helps it work better if you actually take it.

Prayer Request For Lance

2010-05-17T00:01:00.003-05:00

I'm sending out a prayer request today for my son-in-law, Marine Corporal Lance Jones.

Lance is being deployed early this morning to Afghanistan. As of right now, we are being told he will be there until sometime in December and then will be sent to Japan until next Spring.

We pray that God will protect him and all soldiers fighting on our behalf. Please keep them safe from harm and bring them home quickly.

We also ask for prayers for our Ashley. She has had to learn very quickly what it means to be a military wife, and while the past several days have been very hard enough for her, the next year will be equally hard. I'm so glad she has her faith and all her family to help give her the strength and support she'll need.

Almighty and eternal God,
those who take refuge in you will be glad and forever will shout for joy. Protect these soldiers as they discharge their duties. Protect them with the shield of your strength and keep them safe from all evil and harm. May the power of your love enable them to return home in safety, that with all who love them, they may ever praise you for your loving care. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Project 365 ~ Week 20

2010-05-16T07:30:00.001-05:00

Wow....week 20? For real? Doesn't seem possible we're that far into the year already!

Sunday - 5/9

Happy Mothers Day! I had been talking about how someday I'd love to have an outdoor lounge chair that I could relax in...and guess what I got for Mothers day! I was so excited! Plus, they even bought an extra cushion so that on days I'm feeling extra sore, I can still soak up the Vitamin D.

Later in the day our church youth group had a picnic at the park. We grilled meat and everyone enjoyed all the good food. Then the fun began as lots of games were played. This is a shot of Michelle, our Youth Director, whom we dearly love. She is the biggest kid of them all!

Monday - 5/10

Today I picked up Ashley from the airport as she returned home from her honeymoon in Hawaii. Sadly, she had to leave Lance behind as he had to finish up his desert training, which made for a very long emotional day/night for her. I was glad she had the love of her family to help her through it.

Tuesday - 5/11

Today my "baby" turned 17. I still can't believe he's almost all grown up already. *sniff* He had another golf meet today and did great!

Since it also happened to be his coaches birthday, I made cupcakes and put plastic golf balls on each. There are 7 guys on the team (including the coach) and there were 3 cupcakes left out of 2 dozen. LOL

Wednesday - 5/12

Today was Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.

Thursday - 5/13

Today was the sectionals tournament for Austin's golf team. We had no individual golfers make it on to Districts, and our team unfortunately didn't make it either. Austin personally had a rough day, and he really took it hard as he felt he let not only himself down, but that he let the team down. His frustration and disappointment could be seen on the last few holes. I felt so bad for him.

Friday - 5/14

Lance told Ashley that they go through socks, t-shirts and shorts very quickly overseas, so each month she is to send him more. She now has a military ID and she has to go on a local base to buy the items needed. They were out of a couple of things, so they were ordered and delivered to our home this morning. She then got them re-packaged and ready to send out to him on Monday morning.

After that she sent him a message to let him know it would be on it's way. She's learning quickly what it means to be a military wife, and the responsibilities that go along with it. :)

Saturday - 5/15

We went to Thomas' graduation party in the afternoon. Thomas' mom and Jay are first cousins, and we have had the awesome pleasure of living close enough to have gotten to watch Thomas grow into the awesome young man he is today. Sorry your blurry Thomas. ha!

We left there and took Austin to pick up the new truck he bought. Well, it's not new, but new to him. He hates the idea of having to sell his camaro, but this will be so much better on snow and ice than it was. He's super excited!

That was our week! Head on over to Sara's through the link in the sidebar to see other pictures!

FMS Awareness Day

2010-05-12T11:20:00.000-05:00

Today is Fibromyallgia Awareness Day. If you don't know much about FMS, please go here for a lot of great information:

National Fibromyalgia Association.

If you know someone afflicted with Fibromyalgia, please give them gentle hugs of support today. Knowing someone cares can make a good day great, and it can be just enough to make a bad day better.

Soft, gentle hugs are going out today to all my friends and fellow FMS sufferers. Never give up hope that someday there will be a cure.

Happy Birthday Austin!

2010-05-11T00:01:00.008-05:00

Happy 17th birthday to my son Austin. It's hard for me to believe that my "baby" with the bluest eyes I have ever seen is almost a man, but I couldn't be more proud of him.

He is very smart, caring, and has always had a silly sense of humor that never ceases to crack me up. I love being his mom and we're so blessed to have him in our family.

As a toddler and young child, he was almost always called "Buddy". As he got older, he allowed his dad and I to continue that, but we had to shorten it up to "Bud". lol

So, happy birthday Bud. I love you so much, and hope you have an awesome day!!

It's Been Cold!

2010-05-10T00:01:00.001-05:00

I have been saying that it's been really cold lately, and I think this picture of me taken last week does a good job proving it! LOL

Project 365 ~ Week 19

2010-05-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

The weather is trying to get better and our days are getting busier. After a long winter stuck inside, I'm loving the chances to get out when I'm able to, even if just for a short time.

Sunday - 5/2

Nephew Jacob & Niece Jenna both got confirmed today. I'm sorry these first two pictures are so grainy. I had to sit in one of the soft chairs waaaay in the back and my phone can only zoom so far, so there was a whole lot of cropping going on. lol

Each Confirmand is required to write their statement of faith and they are read on Confirmation Sunday. Here is Jacob reading his.

And here is Jenna reading hers. Both did such a great job!

After church there was a reception at the lake in their honor.

Monday 5/3

This is the lounge at Saturn where I sat and watched the Today show for a couple of hours while some sensors were replaced in the Vue.

Tuesday - 5/4

Spa day for the 3 fluffballs. They don't get the true bichon cut, because that's just not practical on a farm. But they still look cute and they always smell so good. :)

Wednesday - 5/5

Today was the conference golf meet. There are twelve teams in the conference. Six are considered large schools, six are small schools. We are on the small school side and we were the conference champions for the 3rd year in a row! They also came in 3rd over all 12 teams, and only missed 2nd place by 1 stroke. Austin was 5th place all conference and earned a medal. I was so proud of him!

Thursday 5/6

Jay hit the fence with the planter yesterday (oops!) and today the 40 mph winds blew all kinds of stuff in, so he spent the afternoon fixing the fence and then we cleaned up the yard. There was a deflated childs rubber ball that blew in. I wonder how far it traveled to get to us? LOL

The mini horses waited patiently while we worked. They were anxious to get back out again.

We opened the gate between their yard and our back yard so they could help keep the grass trimmed down. This was the first time of the season and when Tucker ran out he stopped dead in his tracks as if to say "Darn, I thought you guys were gone!" LOL

Friday 5/7

Jay and I went out for Supper this evening and I'm not even kidding when I say it was COLD! I think the high for the day was 40, and according to my phone, the wind chill was 28!. Craziness! When we were leaving the restaurant, there was finally a break in the clouds and we saw the brightest, most beautiful rainbow.

If you look closely to the left of the rainbow, you can see a faint start to a double rainbow. I told Jay that was God's way of saying the weather will doubly improve: The wind will stop blowing at gale forces, and the temps will improve. LOL

Saturday - 5/8

This morning we went to watch our school compete in the large group vocal and band contests. This is our schools mixed choir. Austin is standing right behind the choir director, so we never even got to see him while performing. :-/

Then the bass choir performed. This time Austin was right behind the piano, so still no seeing him (except for the top half of his head). Sure wish they had used a shorter piano!

Then we moved down to the gym where the bands competed. This time Austin sat behind one of the tallest girls in the school (she's about 6' and Austin's 5'8"). It was not meant for us to see him today. LOL

Well, that was our week. How was yours? Head on over to Sara's to check out more pictures! The link is in the sidebar.