1-1-11

I know.


I haven’t posted anything in a long time.

But if I’m being totally honest, which I am, I haven’t even felt like it. Or really even thought about it since I don’t have anything outstanding to post. Like I ever have in the past but that is beside the point. Although I did fiddle around with a new blog background the other night which felt like a step in the right direction until I began pushing pixels and thought WOW, THIS SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF WORK I THINK I'LL GO TO BED.

And now I’m ignoring all the partially completed backgrounds and the pictures that never made it to my blog porch.

In other words, my motivation is at an all-time low. We’ve been home for a majority of the past week. Only leaving the house on two occasions. Seriously. Two. Occasions. It was bliss I tell ya! One was a trip to buy milk, eggs, and tortillas to get us through the much anticipated “great snow storm of 2010”. (I swear it would be cheaper to buy the whole dang cow than to buy 2 gallons of milk at Safeway) Then yesterday Matt took us out to eat lunch at Arturo’s before two of our nieces came over. Suffice it to say this Monday is going to be a big slap of reality to us. A shock to our system that will require us to once again be out of our pajamas before noon and get back to our so called routine and quit considering three iced gingerbread cookies to be part of a balanced, healthy breakfast. In other words, January 3rd is going to be a major fun fungus full of organizing and cleaning and steamed broccoli and the 30-day shred.

I wish I had something profound to share with you. Some sort of deep reflections about 2010 and all the ways I grew as a person this year. But I’m not sure I do. I feel like it’s been one of the fastest years I can remember and, although it was filled with many blessings, it was also filled with some hard times and tough lessons and a general overall feeling of WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?

And so I think that’s what 2011 holds for me. I want to be more intentional about how I use my time and all the blessings God has given my family. I want to be a better mother, wife and friend. I want to listen more than I talk. I want to quit being so afraid of failure that I don’t even try. I want to listen for the voice of God and go where He leads even if I’m not sure what that looks like. I want to be the person He created me to be and realize that He knows all my flaws and frailties and there’s no sense to beat myself up about them on a daily basis.

I fell in love with a recent post over at Inspired to Action called 12 Words on Selecting Goals for the New Year. Stop right now and go read it. It will change your life.

So, in short, I have my work cut out for me in 2011.

I wish you all the happiest New Year. I hope it’s filled with everything you hope for and even better things that you didn’t even know you wanted.

Tap, tap, tap...Is This Thing On?

Hey,
Yeah, um…. so, you know how when you haven’t talked to a special someone in a really long time, you think about calling her up, but you know that you will have so much to say, and right now you really need to round up the kids and get to swim lessons, so maybe you’ll call after, but then you have cranky kids begging you to make dinner so maybe you’ll call after that, but then there’s dishes and bath time and “mamma when is daddy comin’ home?…will you cuddle “wif” me till he gets here?” and then it’s just too late, so maybe tomorrow, but then tomorrow comes and you wake up with a migraine so you’re behind all day and then…you realize it’s been weeks and weeks and then you don’t call because you know you’ll never have time to properly catch up and so you kind of drift apart but you think about her lots ‘n lots and wonder how she is and so finally you just email at 11:45 at night just to say, “Hey, I just wanted to tell you I was thinking of you,” but you wish it was more, because she’s your friend and you love her and you’d like to tell her all your stories and you’d like to hear all of her stories, but right now you’re doing your very best to just keep your head above water, so you just think, “some day soon I’ll call” and you hope she’s not mad, but you know she’s probably not because she’s a real friend, a good friend, and she knows how it is. She knows how YOU are.

You know?

It’s been like that.

I’ve missed you.

I’ve thought about you.

I’m trying to slow down…to just breath...to have a moment…here and there…where I can let my thoughts wander…draw close to my Lord…wander down memory lane cuz my cuties are growing up too fast…to just regroup.

I’ve just spent the afternoon with my friend Jen² scrolling through the photos taken at the girl’s birthday party. After she left I sat down and looked at all the photo’s I’ve taken and not yet posted here.

Since May 18, 2010!!!!

Um yeah, that was the last time I visited this ol’ blog porch. Wow, I’m gonna need to be a bloggin’/scrappin’ ninja to plow through this list!

click to enlarge photo

Here’s the Chinobilly Notes version, so that we can move on, and act like this long and awkward absence never happened:

1. We planted a garden; it’s going really well but the zucchini are on a mission to take over the garden and my freezer.

2. We’ve spent special time with sweet friends, at the zoo, at the mall, parades, fireworks, camping, playing in sprinklers, and just visiting; you know doing the summer thing.

3. Vacation Bible school was the highlight of May for the twins.

4. But their daddy still rocks their world

5. Matt and I (read Matt totally did all the work) finished the tile job and Abby became Cinderella…I have pictures to prove it.

6. Olivia ate the wall in our laundry room…seriously…she ATE the wall!

7. The wall was only the BEGINNING of the laundry room saga. (You won’t want to miss reading abut THAT adventure…)

8. We took a trip to Colorado, camped out with some of the family, it was wonderful.

9. The girls took 4 weeks of swimming lessons at the YMCA.

10. Abby & Bree turned 4 and they had a “Carni-cus” birthday party shared with friends, fun and food…more on that later…

11. We have preschoolers now…what a rollercoaster of emotions and doubts…for mamma anyway!

12. Summer was just too dog-gone short.

Anyhow, I promise, I’ll tell you the rest of these stories and share pictures soon.

Peace,

The wonder woman wannabe

Where oh where have I been?

Listen.

Do you hear that?

I'm pretty sure you can actually hear crickets on my blog porch right now.

Doh!

In case you were wondering, the answer is no.

My computer didn't crash.

I didn't close up shop.

I didn't spend time in the looney bin.

I was, however, juggling those busy summer days with our girls.

We had a crazy hectic schedule

which required amazing mamma “skilz”,

and quite often feats of strength with a bit of sheer faith to get through the days...

and maybe just a little bit of lazy summerdayitis.

 What?

People blame seasons for allergies so why not blame them for absences?

Although this ol' blog porch has gathered quite a few cobwebs,

I have been right there for my sweety and our two precious girls - who aren’t staying little for long.

So, while I know I should feel horribly guilty

(and sometimes I do)

I am not going to say I'm sorry.

Sorry.

I just won't do it.

Oops.

Okay, but seriously...look at this face:

"Sorry, baby girl, but mamma can't play princess with you

because she has to post on her blog,

share with Facebook what I ate for breakfast and what I may or may not eat for lunch and dinner

and answer 823 emails."

Beeeeeeep!

Wrong answer.

See what I mean? You say no to that face! :)

In all seriousness though,

I have had fantastic time with my family this summer

and thank you for stopping by for a visit...

I plan on chillin’ with ya’ll on my blog porch more often.

xoxox

One Lazy Chinobilly Mamma

My birthday present and some rambling

Matt bought a Mino HD camcorder for me on my birthday. Wow is it easy to use! Here is the first video I took with it. These girls of ours are so cute!

I've been finding it harder and harder to visit the ol' blog porch lately. Blame it on spring fever maybe. Here's what we've been up to though:
We've been working in my garden and flower beds...
And a little demolition in the living room...
A little baking for the family...

And a few family projects...

I'll get back into the swing of things soon.
Kisses,
The chinobilly procrastinator

Ahh, now that I've got THAT off my chest...

Dear Flylady,


We need to talk. Yes, we do. For more than three years I relied on you, but, well, things just aren’t working for me anymore, dear. This may come as a total shock but I must inform you that I am on to you like a fly stuck on a sticky strip. You are not what you seem. Don't get me wrong we once had a thing; I even thought I was in love with you. All those 27-fling boogie sessions, hot spot fire drills, and zone missions we did together you might ask? Fake, sweetie. All. Fake.

Really, let's be honest. I couldn’t possibly read all the emails you cram in my inbox instructing me of what you want me to do for the day. Every stinkin’ day you ask if I “feel overwhelmed, overextended, and overdrawn?” Yeah I feel overwhelmed! Overwhelmed with you sweetie! Oh and don’t eeeeven get me started on the “think of those emails as sticky notes.” I’d be better off thinking of them as sticky strips cause I aint going anywhere for a long while if I try to read all those sticky strips. I’m tired of you gettin’ in my face telling me all the things that I have to do today, even with your little “you’re not behind–you’re just getting started!” ditty at the end of all your reminders, I feel like you just always wanted more. I’d rather find a bottle of rum than take 15 minutes to start attacking that list of yours.

Don’t get me wrong–you have a lot going for you girl, and you brought a lot to the table. I have enjoyed some parts of our relationship. Your shiny sink 101 was inspiring, I’ve identified those hot spots and I  realize it doesn’t take all day to clean if I do it in small chunks. But really, it’s time to say goodbye. No, I haven’t found someone else. Mr. Clean and I well, we’re just friends…acquaintances, really…actually he hasn’t spent much time around here lately.

I wish you the best of luck. Don’t cry, FlyLady. There are plenty of fly babies with empty inboxes who are in desperate need of your wisdom...And your rubba scrubba. You may think it’s just stinkin’ thinkin’, and that I need to really Finally Love Myself a little more, but really, the bottom line is this. You’re smothering me, babe, and I need a little space. AND my inbox! It's over between us.

Sincerely,
A fly washed chinobilly

PS. I get showered and dressed every morning and what's wrong with Fannie in the pink sweats? I get a lot of work done in my sweats and I aint wearing shoes in my house no matter what that dirty ole fly says.

Greetings from the slacker

I’ve been such a Cracker Jack blogger lately. Life and stuff, y'know?

FOR THE RECORD: any of you who said to me "Jenn, after 2 you’ve got it made! 2 year olds are the hardest! bla bla bla" you are all grounded for a week, because that is a tub of poo! 3 is WAY tougher than 2. End.of.story. Dad B, you get a gold star for being the only one to offer any kind of warning.

All joking aside, I am happier than I've ever been in.my.entire.life. Being a mother is such a treasured gift. The joy these little girls have brought into our home is so far beyond the realm of description it's unbelievable. Seeing them grow up before my eyes is breathtaking. It's miraculous. Most of all it's humbling.

We are slowly getting back into our routine around here. Nana has been with Jesus for almost a month now. I still think of her often and especially the night I stayed with her while she was in hospice. It was such a precious night as we did a lot of reminiscing and apologizing and forgiving and praying and crying. I thank the Lord for allowing me to dwell in so many sweet memories. No they weren't all perfect and wonderful but they were part of my story.of who I've become.of who God wants me to be.

Please continue to pray for my Papa, Uncle and Mom as they continue to sort through and process all that has transpired. I don't want to even imagine what it must be like to live without the love of my life of 59 years, or the mother who gave me life. It must be so very difficult.

So thank you for being patient while I take some time to enjoy these precious days with my family.

Since I’m still waiting to replace my camera lens I will just have to recap with more words than pictures in the coming days. For now, I’m off to prepare for church tomorrow morning.

Love ya lots!The chinobilly blog slacker

“Make me to know thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.” Psalm 25:4 RSV

Merry Christmas

Chinobilly Kitchen Organization

My kitchen cabinets were driving me crazy. They had become so unorganized that stuff was overflowing onto the counter tops. I had no idea what was even in some of the cabinets. It was time to do something about it.

While I was recouping from surgery my mom helped me pull everything out and we sorted and cleaned and purged and adjusted shelves and put it all back again.

Ahhh I feel so much better now. It's even more enjoyable to work in my kitchen now. Thanks mom!

Give Me Words To Speak

Here I sit on my blog porch at 10:30 at night feeling the need to pour out my heart. I'm wondering where to start. It’s been a long time since we’ve visited hasn’t it? I’ve missed you all.
I guess I’ll start with a quick update to let you know that the surgery went super smoothly. I've been resting at home, I am healing and I am feeling better and better every day. I'm so blessed to have had such an outpouring of love and support. Thank you from the bottom of my ♥ for all of your thoughts, prayers, and kind words. You all mean so very, very much to me. The Lord has blessed us with THE. MOST. AMAZING. Family and supportive friends EVER. Everyone has been very compassionate and understanding. For that I am thankful.

As many of you know, we have struggled with infertility for most of our 13 years of marriage. And for the last 3 years I’ve been literally fighting the inevitable hysterectomy because I HATE feeling like a failure and a hysterectomy just seemed to have failure written all over it. No matter how irrational that may sound, even to me at times, I fought failure. Failure of not being able to do the job that I was created to do. Looking back through Genesis, Eve was created as a help mate for man and to have babies. I couldn’t do that. So, usually I felt like less of a woman because my parts didn't work right. Tonight was one of those bitter sweet moments when that word…failure…was heavy on our hearts (more on that in a minute…or two...or three…)

I compare the pain of infertility as similar to the grief over losing a loved one, yet it is unique because it is a recurring grief. We grieve the loss of the baby that we will never know. We grieve the loss of that baby who could have had mommy's freckled nose and daddy's green eyes. But, each month, there was the hope that maybe that baby would be conceived after all. No matter how hard we tried to prepare ourselves for bad news, there was still an unspoken hope that “this month” would be different. Then, the bad news came again, and the silent grief washed over us anew. This process happened month after month, year after year. It is like having a deep cut that keeps getting opened right when it starts to heal.

Tonight my family and I attended a benefit concert for our local Community Pregnancy Center. Crisis Pregnancy Centers across the country are near and dear to our hearts. You see, our babies would have been another abortion statistic had it not been for the precious vessels God chose to use during our birthmother’s difficult journey. We praise God daily that she chose life.

During the concert Jamie Slocum shared a song with us about the joys of being a father to his son and how he realized how difficult it must have been for God to allow His Son to take our place and die on the cross for our sins. My sweet husband turned to me with tears in his eyes and said to me in astonishment. “We’re never going to have a son.” And we both wept as we cradled our sweet, oh so feminine, gifts from God in our arms. I felt that punched-in-the-gut feeling of failure to my husband once again.
Funny how certain thoughts hit each of us differently as it seems like Matt just realized this fact yet it feels like it’s all I have thought about since the doctor gave me the news.

These days my Bible remains closed more often than not. I feel so far from God. My mind is a cluttered mess of fears and worries and complaints, and when I try to pray, I can't even form a coherent thought. Most of the time I just sit with my head in my hands. Sometimes I implore, "What is WRONG with me!" which is not so much a prayer, but a cry of frustration. Have you ever been so wound up that you couldn't even pray?

I remember a message our pastor at Calvary Chapel taught about the soul being like a door. We can keep it firmly shut and not let the Holy Spirit in at all, or we can fling it open and allow Him to fill us completely. Or, we can open the inner door, but leave the screen door shut. This lets the Spirit filter in, but we can still keep a part of our soul closed to Him. Right now, it feels like I'm talking to God through a screen door. I can see Him, but His face is blurry. He's right there on the other side, and I want so much to talk to Him, but I just don't know what to say. I know that He is what I need, and all I have to do is open the door and let Him in, but I feel numb, and my hands are frozen at my sides.

During times of weakness, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit can guide, inspire, and strengthen us. If need be, he can even pray through us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” Romans 8:26-27

Whenever I read this passage, I think of the Aaron Shust song, "Give Me Words to Speak"
I'm praying that the Holy Spirit will give me words to speak, because I can't think of anything worth saying.
I'm at a loss for words. Me. I bet you never thought that would happen!

Autumn

When the trees their summer splendor

Change to raiment red and gold,

When the summer moon turns mellow,

And the nights are getting cold;

(an owl visitor 10-2008)

When the squirrels hide their acorns,

And the woodchucks disappear;

(Bree 11-2008)

Then we know that it is autumn,

(Abby 11-2008)
Loveliest season of the year.

(Bree & Abby 10-2009)

Charlotte L. Riser

When Satan Attacks

He uses Google to do it. I tried posting the first in the notebook series yesterday but Google wouldn't let me into any sites operated by them. Strange I know. It seems to be fixed now so hopefully we can continue our series. So sorry for the delay.

The Chinobilly Housewife Twists Off

Many of you have noticed that I have been uncharacteristically quiet on my blog porch this summer. Blogging has become really hard for me - I think it’s just the raging flow of life, and the fact that things don’t really feel like they settle down here until after the kids are fast asleep. This season of life makes it tough to even form a coherent thought, let alone think deeply. But I feel like I SHOULD be here writing down a few thoughts.
So let's see...oh...Ethel (my camera) and I have been hard at work with The Photographers Workshop. I’m learning so much and I have a renewed love for my camera. It's all I can do to keep up with the assignments but I think I'm improving little by little. I love capturing the everyday moments with my girls and this workshop has certainly kept Ethel clicking away!
I’m also attending women’s bible study, A Wife After God’s Own Heart, at my church. I know I have a lot to work on in this area yet it is so comforting to know that my Savior is patient with me and so is my precious husband. I am truly blessed.
I confess my spiritual muscles have grown week over the past three years. As I’m learning the art of motherhood I have foolishly allowed my prayer and quiet time to be placed on the back burner. Oh how I miss my quiet time with my precious Lord. I crave it and I feel so empty. I struggle with the simplest of tasks and thoughts…to utter a prayer amidst the chaos. My heart is burdened. Maybe I just need a break. Time to think, to be still and quiet.
I see this shift in priorities taking over other areas of my life as well. My house is no longer a comfortable haven. I struggle with indecisiveness in what needs to get done first since ALL of it needs to get done. Then I get overwhelmed feeling that EVERYTHING needs to be done and not knowing where to begin so in frustration I procrastinate and end up doing silly jobs that are not very significant. Lord give me direction…my dirty house is threatening to take over along with my dirty children. *wink
My morning got off to a strange start. I’m convinced the Tylenol PM I took last night is still lingering into the AM. I didn’t get a shower in before Matt shuffled off to work which makes mommy c-r-a-n-k-y and I’m mad at myself for not getting up earlier to spend some time with the Lord (something I’ve been trying to do since beginning this bible study). After getting the kids settled with breakfast I go to get a load of laundry to start and see a haze of dust has settled on our bedroom mirror so I go to get a cloth to clean that off. On my way to get the cloth Abby hollers she needs my help to go “peep” (use the potty). While I’m in the bathroom with her I see the bathroom sink is even worse shape than the mirror in my bedroom so I decided that is where I must start. Then the phone rang. On my way to answer it I trip over a box of foam beads the girls had gotten out and sent them flying in every direction. The Caller ID indicates that it is the doctor’s office FINALLY calling me back so I immediately scramble for a piece of paper and something to write with. I see a weeks worth of mail, most to be tossed, so I write a note on a mail scarp. Then Bree spilled juice on the floor so I begin to clean it up only to realize the whole floor needs a good mopping. So I head to the pantry to get the Floormate but the pantry reminds me that I keep forgetting to add some items to my grocery list. Where is that list anyway? I head off to write it somewhere. Then the girls need attention so my “work" period has thus ended for an indefinite amount of time. When all the “fires are put out” I can’t quite remember where I left off. All I know is there is stuff everywhere now and the house looks worse than when I began. So I find myself wasting time on Facebook instead of dealing with the issues at hand. What a discouragement!
How much longer can I do this? My brain seems to have left the building or is shrouded in a fog. I have had the constant feeling of just 'hanging in space' somewhere. Everyday seems like such a battle. My poor husband has hard days as well and I'm sure will be worn out when he gets home too. So, I must vent here. I know it's only a brief season. My little girls are going to be three on Monday. They are growing up so fast and I can’t turn back the clock or shout re-do! Anyways, I'm just in a place of great pressure, and I know it won't be like this forever. As long as I stand strong in faith and persevere, God will come through and we will grow even stronger. Then we'll look back and see how He worked.
Thank you all for “listening” I feel better just getting this out.
Oh yeah, interesting title huh? My gramma used to say the phrase 'twist off' for losing it, or freaking out. So that's why I used it. It just makes more sense now than when I was younger.

Gloomy no more...

*I read this quote that prarie chick wrote on her site and it totally fits my state of mind. Thank you praire chick for saying what I couldn't.*

One day you wake up and the forecast is gloomy,

for the weather and for your attitude alike.

One of those days steeped in the quagmire of melancholy

Wherever you look things are downright messy

and all you can do is pray helplessly for reprieve.

But just when you think you’re about to go down

God sends a helping hand

a listening ear… a shoulder to cry on

and all at once the sun emerges

and the flowers that had closed up tight

waiting for a softer light

open wide and smile at you.

and you smile too.

I finished my chores early today. My kids are were napping. My spirits are lifted after a rough couple of weeks. I promise to be back in bloggy land next week. Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts and prayers.

Fairwell Stinkerbell

**Tissue Alert** For those of you who were blessed to know and love our sweet girl...

Bailee 12-3-96 to 6-18-09

Bailee our precious yellow lab lived a long, happy life. She was such a sweet, gentle, sensitive, loyal girl. She never complained and was a very patient friend. She brought a lot of joy to our lives even in her last days of old age.
Not wanting our sweet dog to suffer any longer, I had to make “the very difficult decision” on Thursday. One of the hardest decisions I pray I ever have to make.
I held her and loved her while the vet did the injections.

Just like that, it was over.

Our “Stinkerbell” was gone...

Now I have spent these past days with tears in my eyes, and wonderful memories in my heart. I miss her terribly already. It feels like there is a huge aching hole in my heart that she used to fill. No one could have asked for a more loving and loyal girl.
Thank you for being such a wonderful and faithful companion Bailee girl, we’ll always remember you.

Rambly Ramblings

Hello, just sitting on my blog porch. Thanks for joining me! It’s been a strange few days; I’m in a funk and bein' a grouchy gus too! Snivel, snivel, snivel.
I babysat one of our nieces over the weekend; such a sweet baby. Having another body in the house sort of threw our whole routine out of whack though. The kids and I are still feeling out of sorts and she's been gone since Sunday morning! Good grief!
I got a great surprise from the mailman on Saturday though. I’m taking 9 week online photography course beginning June 22nd and the instructor, Karen Russell, sent a really neat binder all wrapped up so super cute. Maybe it’s a girl thing but I felt really special receiving such a nice “present” to put all of my lessons in. I'm hoping that I will gain some much needed experience in the photography department. I sure do love learning and hopefully Ethel (that's my camera's name) and I will do well. I'm very excited about this course!

My, my, my it’s a B-I-G binder.

We missed church on Sunday due to some conflicts in the babysitting schedule. I was sort of bummed to miss the last message in the “7 series” but it will all work out. Thank goodness I can listen online while the girls nap. Anyway, Matt and I decided to take the girls to see a movie, their first movie! We were amazed at how good they were through the whole movie. They never sit that still long at home! All of us enjoyed the experience and we are looking forward to seeing Ice Age 3 in July.

Well, I've been rambling long enough. As much as I'd like to hang out in my room all day.

This lovely chore awaites!

The picture is proof that sticking to a cleaning/chore schedule is woth it. So glad I don't have 4days worth (that's 2 loads a day) of laundry to fold EVERY day.

Blessings,

The Grouchy Chinobilly Housewife

To protect and serve

Always on duty...

Even with a sore foot...

Oli spent the day at the vet today. He mysteriously hurt his foot on Friday and it progressively got worse over the weekend. By Monday he wasn't even putting pressure on that foot so off to see the vet we went. Oli spent all day there getting x-rays etc. I think he wants to become the mascot for the animal clinic like that fat cat that greats him at every visit. Maybe their treats taste better or something...

The doctor says she couldn't find anything wrong with him but wrapped his foot up and told us to keep him in "confinement" for 3 weeks. I laughed. I think Oli did too. He knows he has a job to do and he doesn't take his job lightly. His little girls are too important.

25 Random Things

1. I have learned to function on very little sleep since becoming a mother.
2. I love chocolate and rum and believe God DID invent them to make me happy.
3. I’m a Supernanny, Survivor and Extreme Home Makeover addict.
4. I freak if someone touches my knees.
5. Since adopting the girls, pink is my new favorite color.
6. Sometimes I just need a good cry so I pull out my chick flicks collection and let it out.
7. My favorite book is the Bible.
8. My favorite book of the Bible is James.
9. I love baseball.
10. I really, really really love to soak in a hot bath but I don't get to much anymore.
11. I had a crush on my husband in high school; he didn’t even know I existed.
12. I hated high school.
13. My dream of swimming with the dolphins came true 2 months before the twins were born.
14. I’m a scrapbook junkie.
15. I love cookie dough and brownie batter.
16. The Amish intrigue me.
17. I’m a worry wart.
18. Ice cream hurts my teeth.
19. Peter Piper Pizza seriously stresses me out.
20. The Christian group Third Day is my all time favorite.
21. I love the Anne of Green Gables series.
22. I can’t seem to get to bed before 11:00 anymore.
23. Elaine from Seinfeld dances better than I do.
24. I’m craving a Fuddruckers hamburger right now.
25. I am almost always cold but I wimp out in the heat. Yeah I make sense like that!

Greetings from the pig pen

Wow! It’s been a looong time hasn’t it? I’ve been missing you.
Forgive the absence! But real life happens, right? So in real life, I’ve been running around attending to one million and one things all crying out my name at the same time but not getting a darn thing accomplished.
Has anyone else ever felt this way?....Crickets chirping…
So. Lots of reasons why I hope you’ll forgive the long absence, but I won’t bore you with all the details. In a nutshell, this is what kept me away from my blog porch these past weeks:
*Dealing with computer issues: I’m convinced I contracted a rare case of the computer piggy flu from my new computer (I got a new computer for my birthday). Why would I think such a thing you ask?
1. My new computer was assembled in Mexico.
2. My new computer kept rejecting my password which made me want to puke.
3. I was aching about not being able to access my scrapbooking programs.
4. I had trouble breathing *read I was freaking out so much so that I turned blue.
5. I was extremely fatigued/tired *read I stayed up waaay too late trying to figure out why it wouldn’t work.
6. The new computer ended up in quarantine at a remote site, called my friend's husband's office, for a while.
This left me without use of a computer for almost 2 very long weeks. Not good my bloggy friends, not good. I even received phone calls from concerned friends and family wondering if I had died or something because they had not heard from me. Seriously! It's probably a sign that I spend too much time parked in front of the computer and not doing my job as a wife, mother, keeper of the home (refer to blog title).
*Starting a crash course in time management/self discipline/homemaking to answer the lifestyle changes required by the computer emergencies (see above). Uhm. I have to confess: when God was distributing the aforementioned time management/self discipline/homemaking skills, I was way over on the opposite side, lined up in the Digital Scrapbook Addiction area.
*Working on the chinobilly garden…planting, watering, weeding, removing Oliver, removing children, REplanting, watering, weeding, removing Oliver, removing children…repeat every 4-6 hours as needed.
Phew! That’s all for today, folks! More updates soon. Gotta get back to the saltmines!
((((hugs)))) to you!

Oh-By the way. Happy 13th Anniversary Sweety Peachy! I love you babe!

Mema’s Chicks

Mema & Papa have dreamed of having chickens since moving back to the middle of nowhere. It looks like this spring Mema’s dream will come true. She purchased these little cuties with my nephew Joey on Friday. No, she didn’t purchase Joey on Friday he was just with her. Oh never mind!

Nothing says springtime like baby chicks.

The girls thought the chicks were pretty neat.

Oliver

Oliver had a minor surgery last Wednesday ~a $396.97 minor surgery *ouch-it still hurts looking at that number. Anyway, his dewclaws needed to be removed as well as some other parts…ahhemmm. Poor guy came home walking a little funny and has a silly looking cone on his head to ensure he won't remove the bandages from his feet.
The cone is a nuisance to most animals but Oli is quite a trooper. Not much depresses Oliver as long as he has a bone or a garden hose or a sandbox toy or a power cord or honeysuckle or a hat or a shoe or rusty nail to chew on. So while being confined to the laundry room Oli attempted to enjoy a bone and chew his troubles away.

Ahh...a bone...

Who needs TV when you have pets...or children?

Hey honey, pass me the popcorn!

You can do it...

Yes, he did it, the crowd goes wild...

Just look at him. Don’t you want to kiss him? Go ahead I won’t tell…

He did really great with laundry room imprisonment until Friday afternoon when all the family started showing up to play and he wasn’t allowed to join in the fun. Then he got even more upset when I took him to the vet to have his bandages changed without the children. Oli doesn’t like to go anywhere without the children but he really didn’t like going to the vet without them. He usually uses them as protection. Then to add insult to injury after our return from the vet sans children I turn around and load up the kids and go to the grocery store without Oli. Who did I think I was?
I arrived home with two very sleepy girls, unloaded them and the groceries from the car, only to see Oli had meted out my punishment for leaving him behind. That very determined 64-pound puppy managed to get around the cone and remove BOTH bandages from his feet during the 28 minutes that I was at the grocery store.
So I loaded the two very sleepy girls, and Oli and my checkbook back in the car and drove to the vet AGAIN. I swear he had a smirk on his face during the whole car ride ~ until we pulled into the parking lot at the clinic. They were kind enough not to charge me for bandage change number 2 in a single day but warned me I would pay big time *emphasis mine* if he did it again.

Oliver is now serving a 5-day sentence of solitary confinement in the laundry room with no chance of parole. Our prayers go out to the little girls suffering without their 4-legged playmate.