Jessie

Cheyenne Bearpaw

Jessie comes home!

YES!!! Jessie is finally here!! Just in time for the holiday! We are soooo glad to see her. She was exhausted when we picked her up from Metro Airport tonight, she had a 15 hour travel day and almost missed a connection which made it that much more stressful. Jessie got to see the new pup and Grandmas new house!!! Yeah!!!
Jessie came from 70 degree weather in New Mexico to frigid temps here....we will definately have a WHITE Christmas!!
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Jenna's Band Concert

Jenna had her first "official" band concert and it was held at the high school in their new auditorium. It was wonderful and fabulous regardless of the extreme cold. We had a great time and Jenna is doing great on the oboe! (Although one of the kids in class call her the "hobo" because she plays the oboe)....

And Dog Makes Six?

We got a new chocolate lab. Her name is Cheyenne Bearpaw. Here is a pic. I will write more later....dealing with pee and poo right now!!! FUN????

Josh Changes His Address

Joshua is officially becoming a Michigander....He is leaving New Mexico on Wednesday and will be here and attending school in Michigan! We are very excited and looking forward to getting some better pictures real soon!!! Welcome home Josh!

My baby's' Daddy

My husbands' bad jokes/antics were revealed to my mother on the worst of occasions....dinner---at her house.

The snitch? The young Juliet. There was no place to hide. You see, Gabby has this really "fun" game he plays with Juliet---it is called "Do you want to smell my feet?" It starts with dad beckoning for Juliet to come closer to him (this is similar to the old "Pull my finger" game, but not as loud---similar scents)....as she nears her dad, he demands she "smell my feet". It ends with Juliet saying no and then running away with dad chasing her....fun right? Well, I think my mother is convinced that Gabby is an abusive father. During a recent dinner at mothers house...the young Juliet, sitting smartly in her high stool, throws her leg/foot onto the table in my mothers face and demands "smell my feet!" My mother wasn't certain of the demand so Juliet clearly repeated the demand with a more forceful tone "smell my feet!!".

I wanted so badly to rat-out my husband so my mother wouldn't blame me for the disrespectful display at the dinner table, but Juliet took care of that for me stating that "Papi tells me to smell his feet and I say no!" I played dumb and just continued to eat and managed to change the subject to Jenna and homework....and dinner was saved! No feet were sniffed during dinner.

Man Down!

Juliet decides to take a quick nap while returning her shoes to the front door....wait, she never got the shoes off! My loungewear is courtesy of post-surgical requirements.....

Back from the adventure

We are back in action. Today is my first day feeling human....
Gabby underwent his final surgery and all is well with him, he is doing great, I am done with gallbladder removal surgery and am just starting to get back into the swing of things. Recovery was much longer than the one day my mother promised (although she knows several people who went back to work the day after they had their gallbladders removed) call me a slow healer then!!! Anyway, it is good to feel less pain. I am so completely bummed about missing my 20th class reunion which took place this past weekend. I have been anticipating that reunion for years! I was looking forward to catching up with all my friends. I was just too sick to attend and unable to eat or drink much of anything, and I know I would have needed an adult libation or two for the occasion. I guess I will have to be a big girl and stop my pouting on that one.....eh?

Jenna and Juliet

Juliets' Birthday!!!!

Something that hurts worse than drug-less childbirth

I finally found it....not that I was really searching for it---something that hurts worse than natural, drug-free childbirth. It is called a gallbladder attack. Yep, I can personally confirm that it definitely hurts, there is much pain involved, and it isn't fun. I have been enlightened! I guess I am blessed with life experiences. I hate to be one of those people to say that I have been there and done that--but I am starting to become a little annoying as I get older and have more "learning" experiences.
Josh started his own blogspot this month. It is sports related and I am thrilled he has done it considering he is a rambunctious 16 year old that I NEVER thought would take interest in writing! Perhaps there is a sports-writing career in his future- you never know! His site is www.sportsdogrus.blogspot.com.
My friend Kelly is PREGNANT!!!! I am so happy for her. She is a person that was born to be a mom. She is one of the most maternal people I have ever met. Congratulations Kelly and Mike!!!!!!
That is the latest from here.....Oh, forgot to mention, Gabby had Kidney stone surgery and has one more coming up in a week. Cross your fingers for us!

Who Eats Tomato Soup Off The Floor?

Things were crazy busy yesterday, not unlike every other day that passes, but this day was different. Filled with opportunities to make money....but everything had to happen NOW....before 5pm! In the midst of me making phone calls, typing proposals and sending off emails.....I hear my husband say to the children, "yep, your mom will be leaving to get groceries any time now.....".

Realizing my entire family was starving for dinner, and my husband had to leave for work in two hours.....I became overloaded. I think I even muttered the "f" word aloud for all to hear. I do remember telling him that dinner would NOT be served tonight and I was too busy to even consider getting groceries. He took the hint (rare occassion, marked the day on my calendar later that evening) and took the children grocery shopping with him. He only spent $100 bucks and came home with 15 minutes to spare. (ie: he needed me to put away groceries, cook dinner and have it complete in 15 minutes while he showered).....At the same moment, I receive an email that I lost on one of my proposals...so I freak out....actually stomping my feet and feeling like I am 5...swearing I will never ever ever send a proposal to that vendor ever again....Gabby is in the fridge, putting away groceries as I have obviously lost all touch with reality, when my huge, immense labor intensive filled pot of home-made, hours and hours of stewing tomatoes, perfecting the seasoning, spaghetti sauce comes tumbling from the second story shelf and lands promptly on the linoleum floor. Lets talk about switching paradigms. My kitchen looked like the bloodbath I was envisioning in my head when I was insane with anger after losing on my proposal. It felt comfortable for a brief second....then reality hit. WHO WILL CLEAN IT UP? Naturally, the roles have reversed. Gabby is now insane with rage...."WHO put that pot on top of this tiny plastic bowl????" (Jenna did)...I took the blame and found myself on the floor, scooping up cold, wet tomato sauce including all the little tomatillos that I cut into quarters......how sad is that? All of it went to the garbage....all of the hard work, love and seasoning I put into my creation (Yes, I am allowed to be emotionally attached as I never cook.....). I was comforted in a small way when Luna (my loving cat) came on the scene and tasted the floor. She didn't stick around to do any more tasting...but at least someone tasted my creation.

After all of the mess was cleaned, won-ton soup was made and Gabby was out the door...I called Mary. We talked about how work is supposed to be fun. That is my next goal. To transform all of "this" into fun.

First Middleschool Dance

First Dance....not exactly how I envisioned it! First off, the dance is on a Tuesday, afterschool, and in jeans and a t-shirt? Alright, it is middleschool, but a dance??? Whatever happened to the months of anticipation, the ugly dress your mother buys for you and insists you look "adorable", the ribbon in your hair (that makes you look more like a 5 year-old than a pre-teen). When I was in middleschool, or, as we called it back in the old days, Junior High (I like that much better), these dances were what first boyfriends were all about. If a guy asked you to the dance, he was automatically your boyfriend (if only for one day), heck, if a guy asked you TO DANCE ----a slow dance....(and he was cute) he was automatically your boyfriend---never mind the 17 other chicks he had been dancing with all night!!! Those memories are fun and embarrassing all wrapped together. Anyway, I digress....
Jennas first dance was as she says "really fun"!!! I am not sure I believe her though. No one asked her to dance, and she says the music was so loud,it blew her ears out. When I asked what was so good about it----her reply? They had really good snacks and also slushies that you could buy in different flavors! THAT is fun!!!

Strange child

Juliet and flowers

Carpe Diem!

This is the hardest goal for me. Always looking forward or backward, but never enjoying the here and now. I need to find a way to do this. The moments are slipping away!

See more progress on: live in the moment

Dancing Paul

Very cool website for those who are in need of a good laugh. Kid friendly....Jenna wanted to play with it....hours of entertainment for the feeble-minded!!!!
http://www.dancingpaul.com

THE STONES in concert!

Wednesday night was great fun at Comerica Park in DETROIT! The Stones are amazing STILL!!!! Keith Richards had a solo, the stage was a LARGEST EVER! 4 stories tall, it looked the a building front. Tickets to sit "backstage" in the levels of the stage were $400. The stage moved into "the round" and the guys were amazing...full of energy. They entered in a Navigator Limo, which dropped them off at the stage. There were fireworks and pyro to boot! Great effects, great show! What fun we had! This is my first night out in years....and it was fabulous!! Thanks Gabby!!! xoxoxo

Jessie at the Beach

Jenna bug

First Day of School!!!

What a morning we have had today!!!
Everything that could have gone wrong, did....the morning included, missing the bus (although we were at the bus stop 25 minutes early) tears, running mascara, confusion, forgotten items such as Oboe and planner and immaturity, drama, headaches up the ying-yang! I need a nap!
The good news is, she made it to school, thanks to me! She isn't sure how to get to her locker from where I had to drop her off so I can't wait to hear how that went and she has a gym teacher (first hour) that thrives on dramatic, wimpy, little girls. (The gym teacher is an old friend of mine who used to brag about how she picked on these kids) JENNA will be eaten alive! I would be afraid of this teacher!
We are also watching Hurricane Katrina this morning. I have been up since 4:30am tracking it. My step-son lives in Mississippi and we are worried that they will get hit or flooded. CRAZY!
Happy Monday everyone!!!

Tent Camping 101

Has It REALLY been 20 years???

CLASS REUNION!!!
Panic! Run!
I have submitted this photo to Classmates.com for fun.....I am excited and dreading it at the same time. So why would I go you might ask??? There are many friends I would LOVE to see again and how can you grow old and say "I missed my 20 year class reunion"??? VERY cool stuff! Everyone is going back to school on Monday, seems much to early, we didn't finish our vacationing/camping yet!!!
More to come..........

Vacation?

Hello everyone! I am back! Never really went anywhere just been neglecting of my blogger obligations!
After our first camping adventure, you would think that would have been our last....but NO....we kept going back for more....adding to the formula each time...bicycles, hiking, swimming, a camper....complicating the event and adding to my "to-do list" each trip. The kids never enjoyed it. We tried different parks, different activities, and eventually did the "add-a-friend" for each child (we had 7 kids at one point). It became tiresome and nothing that resembled fun or relaxation. (let's remember, that is what vacations are all about)....we went camping almost every weekend this summer and I feel like I have been hit by a Mack truck!
During one of the trips, our family pet, Luna, escaped from our home and went MIA for two days....she ended up returning home with some battle scars that we didn't see (she is a black long-haired) that ended us in the pet hospital with hundreds of dollars in vet bills....she is still recovering....so much for the "free kitten" eh?
Josh and Jess leave this Thursday for New Mexico to start the school year. It has been a wild and crazy summer. Parenting a 16 year old versus a two year old is quite a dramatic paradigm shift!
This is starting to look a lot like an "update" but it has been so long....I have lost my creative juices. I will have to tend to my blog spot more often!!!!
Happy Summer!

Bears in dem dar woods!

Camping was very interesting. Sleeping against the hard earth on an incline is definitely challenging and uncomfortable! The first night, I raced to the campsite from work and we had the most awesome site! We were surrounded in an alcove of trees...it was perfect. The mosquitoes created havoc with the happy campers, but they disappeared when the temperature dropped....

Then, just before bed, things got crazy. All the girls were in the big tent sleeping and I was sitting with the guys by the fire....I heard a rustling in the brush, then breaking twigs/branches then GROWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.....Gabby made a motion that I thought meant "take cover" (I later realized he was getting a weapon, just in case) so I literally dove into the big tent, broke a nail and was hyper-ventillating while telling the girls nothing was going on but don't open the window! I was trying to figure out how I was going to protect my girls with only a thin layer of nylon between me and the "creature" that I mistakenly identified as a bear.....It ended up being a few raccoons fighting, then trying to get their paws on our garbage. When I came from the big tent in the morning, Gabby took my arm and told me he owed me an apology...that he had proof it was a bear and he was sorry he made fun of me. He lead me to our van and showed me the tiny paw prints of the raccoon and thought it was funny for some reason....But I have never heard a growl like that before! It was so scary! The next night, the raccoons invaded BIG TIME. (this is after I told Gabby to make sure he took the garbage to the ranger station) He ended up taking it to the ranger station at about 2am after we were awoken by a group that invaded the site, got up on the top of my van (where we placed the garbage) and were dining on baked potatoes. Gabby had to become aggressive with the big raccoon in order to get him off the van....it was very interesting!! We had so much fun, we might go back again this week!!!!

Teenage Insanity

How do you harness the energy of a hyper-active 16-year-old and infuse it into his two siblings that must possess resting heart rates that mock near-death? Perhaps force him into finding a job, while lighting the house on fire to make the other two actually move from the sofa? Not certain that I am prepared to sacrifice my home just yet, but this past week, I have experienced anger and frustration that makes me understand the mind of a violent, child-abuser! Being the non-violent, vegetarian-type, child abuse and violent acts of destruction are out of the question for me, but I need to find alternate avenues for these children that sit on both extremes of the energy/attitude scale. Sending them all to a military-type camp is extremely attractive to me, but I am sure the cost would blow us out of the water, so I have taken on the near-insane project of taking the entire family camping! (this includes my 2.5-year-old that probably won't sleep the entire time we are gone)
I am the girl who is lost without my blowdryer and makeup. I am the girl who hasn't been camping since I was caught drinking beer with strangers/boys on a canoe trip when I was 14 or 15 years old. This should be interesting to say the very least. I am sure that my fantasy visions of the children running through the woods, playing in the playground and having loads of fun while I lounge in my favorite lounger, are merely pipedreams. How will they survive sans PS2 or TV or the Pistons Game??? Not certain yet. I veto-ed the "lets bring the TV and DVD Player" idea, and made myself VERY unpopular among the natives, but I did "OK" a small camping radio, and we can listen to the game on that, just like in the olden days!!! What fun!!!
The Pistons have given us all hope that the impossible is actually possible, so I am going to ride on some of their awesome energy and courage and do this crazy camping thing! GO PISTONS!!!!

Jessica 

Joshua pretending to be an Abercrombie&Fitch model (gotcha Josh!) 

Finally, a recent photo of me, taken yesterday by my aspiring photographer son, Joshua 

The Gangs All Here!!!

I hope eveyone is enjoying the summer as much as we are! We have had an awesome heatwave for the past two weeks and were finally cooled off today with some much needed downpours and storms. I just love summer and thought you might enjoy some photos taken yesterday at home and during a picinic. Enjoy!

Best friends Jenna and Nika 

Juliet 

Joshua  

Important update on Armando, the Toad

Armando the Toad is still with me, in my driveway, flattened. I guess in the heat of the moment last night, I ran over him with the car. I saw him when I left the house at 11:00pm, after a horrible storm. I was on my way to mom's house after she called and said "trees are down, there is a man here banging on my car window and all the electricity is out". Josh and I sailed over to be with her and see what damage had occurred, and on our way out, Armando hopped out of our garage where he must have taken cover during the storm. I was glad to see he still knew his home....And now he is dead. Talk about poetic irony! I was hoping Gabby would have had him cleaned up when I came home today, but he found it funny to let me see what Armando looked like from the inside. Nice husband eh? That is the sad but true update. I wish I could say I was making it up!

Pet For Two Days

While I was gone this week, my husband decided we needed a pet when he befriended a toad in our garden. He seemed to believe he was an accomplished, great hunter upon harnessing the feisty creature and was compelled to phone me and brag on his latest catch. I was predictably unimpressed and slightly annoyed at his boyish endeavors but I played along with it anyway, being the good sport that I am (and with the support of some good prescription drugs).

Upon entering our home, I was greeted by my family and our "new" addition, ARMANDO, THE TOAD. Not certain why he acquired a Latin name, but Jenna called him "Frogger" just to spite her dad. The family had already been to the pet store and purchased various items including 15, gross, creepy crickets. Gabby thought it prudent to feed Armando ALL 15 crickets at once! Well, the scene was a gruesome one that my nightmares are now made of. The crickets took over Armando's home including his body which became furniture for their party. They were even walking on his eyeballs! VERY RUDE! I demanded they promptly remove the crickets from Armando's home and place them back in their little container, which Gabby did. So, Armando was lonely, bored and probably hungry for quite a long time, until Gabby came home from work and decided to first give the crickets a meal, then feed the creatures to the toad. Good plan....he just needed a bit more information on what crickets eat, but in lieu of lack of research time, he fed them a single Parmesan/Garlic Cheez-it. The crickets swarmed the Cheez-it like it was Thanksgiving in Cricketland and just as quickly, began to roll over and die!! It was another gruesome scene. Crickets were convulsing and breathing their last breaths and just dying in there! Ok, they were either in comas or dead (I'm not sure, I do not profess to have a Veteranarian degree) until Gabby removed the Cheez-it, thusly saving the lives of 5 (five) crickets!!! MY HERO!!! (yes, 10 lives were lost that day, and we grieved....)

Well, their lives were not extended too much as Gabby fed the remaining 5 crickets to Armando, the toad. We can't be certain, but the toad has one extremely fast tongue, because those little crickets just disappeared before our very eyes, without our ever catching a glimpse of Armando's tongue. One minute the cricket was there, the next millisecond "disapero!". Quite a lot of excitement for the kids before bedtime, but we are live-on-the-edge parents and very forward-thinking.

The next day, we released our pet to the wild. Gabby says our cat will probably catch him and eat him, but I think that he is certain for a successful life in the wild with his new, Latin name and full belly and fond experiences from "the inside". Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!

Queen of multi-tasking?

Ok, after a working weekend (only one warm day) and taking on a new position, I am feeling overwhelmed. I love that my friends, colleagues and even acquaintances have more confidence in my abilities than I have in myself, and I appreciate everyone being so very encouraging and supportive. Thanks to all!!!!

It seems my endeavors are many at this moment and I am savoring it. Along with working in the salon, selling Mary Kay cosmetics, supporting my husbands' business (the majority of my working hours LOL), and being a full time mom, I have partnered with my former corporate colleague to form a computer equipment and maintenance company! (called The SMB Solution....my cheesy plug...sorry!) Very exciting stuff huh??? I am actually excited to get my hands back in the pot of corporate America! (never thought I would say that)....I guess I have missed it a bit! It is wonderful to have so many interests that I am able to work in each field and get the best of all worlds. What fun!

Anyway, I am going to keep everyone updated as to the latest goings-ons as I am sure this will prove to be an interesting study in my juggling abilities and I hope to stay sane as I take on new tasks. I think I am afraid of becoming lazy, so I will fill my plate and run with it! (a little more running might help my figure!)
Have a great week!!!

Vonzel is gone

Well folks, we are down to the final two on American Idol. I like the rocker "Bo" personally, but we'll see....Gabby says it is time for a blonde chick to win (statistically speaking) so it is now a waiting game.....Can't wait!

We have re-configured our living room to incorporate our computer/media center, so I will hopefully be able to write more, but I fear it won't be as high quality because the "Dungeon" had a special magic that helped me to be funny and intelligent....I don't see how that can happen now. For example, how witty and intelligent can I be when I am in the living room, watching Sesame Street (literally) whilst typing these words? Elmo doesn't strike me as the sharpest garden tool in the shed. I need to surround myself with better people (is Elmo even human? ... SCARY!)

I have heard tell that Michigan is going to have a nice, semi-warm weekend this coming weekend. It is just a rumor and I will have to see it to believe it, but at least there is hope....I am getting tired of praying for above-freezing evening temps, in order to save our outdoor flowers and plants....Is this a result of Global Warming??? Please say NO!

The Emergency Room

It has been a week now, so I can debrief and satire-ize the humor I found in the ER.
Talk about DRAMA! It was bad enough that my mom calls me at 6:30am "I don't feel good, when you take Jenna to school (@ 8:30am) come over and take me to the Emergency Room"....I reply "what is happening?" "Chest pains, can't breath, can't stand up" etc.....

Oh my gosh!!! This woman is suffering chest pains and wants me to wait TWO HOURS to take her to ER??? You've gotta be kidding me!!! She didn't want to "worry" Jenna! Anyhow, we get there, she is waiting behind a super sick man in a wheelchair (she is also in one at this point) and they are both suffering chest pain, and other symptoms of a heart attack. With only one triage nurse on duty, she attends to the man who came in first (they were sitting in a row in their wheelchairs)...the man is so bad they skip triage and send him in (appears to be in the midst of a heart attack--YIKES)....I am anxious to have the nurse come out and tend to my mother when a woman in the waiting room has her husband wheel her IN FRONT of my mother!!! I can't believe it! The woman is moaning something fierce and saying something like "oh, the pain, the pain!!!" when the nurse comes out, she tends to the 'squeaky wheel' but tells her that stomach pain takes a second to the woman suffering chest pains. The 'squeaky wheel' insists she must be dying and needs immediate attention throwing in "my chest hurts too, I hurt all over". Now I am ready to show her what it is like to hurt all over!!! I thank God the triage nurse knows how to handle this situation and we get mom into the ER for attention. I walk in to the ward hearing what sounds like an actual PIG in the ER. I can't image what could be making such an authentic "OINK" sound....Well, it was a human, although she had the physical appearance of a pig, she was sleeping on her side, without a sheet to cover her excess weight and OINKING!

As luck would have it, they placed my mother beside the human porkchop and then in comes the squeaky wheel....and you guessed it! They place her on the other side of my mom....How can one person moan and groan so much? As they were tending to mom, giving her doses of nitro and morphine, the porkchop continued her restful slumber and the squeaky wheel continued her moaning. After about an hour they carted the porkchop off to enjoy her rest elsewhere but the squeaky wheel continued on, without pause for over 2 hours. They gave her dose after dose of morphine and after about 6 hours, released the squeaky wheel without being able to find any problem. (I'm thinking perhaps an addiction to morphine, looking for a cheap fix?)

Good news is, mom seems to be getting better although we have yet to determine what caused her symptoms (I am still convinced she has some circulatory/heart issue, but I am no doctor-as my husband reminds me almost daily). This setting seemed to be the perfect backdrop for a Mad-TV skit! Only it was LIVE and in person!

The Monster on a good day 

Jenna Posing 

Little Orphan Juliet 

Finger soup?

What a crazy past two weeks!!! Those of you closest to me know the chaos that has ensued and soon I will have the hindsight and distance to laugh about it all, but for now, here is the latest in news-reporter format. Gabriel (my hubby) chopped off part of his finger last week during his Culinary Arts final exam.....(yes, we have heard every feasible derivative of the "Wendys finger soup fiasco" and Arbys finger nastiness and the latest ice cream factory mishap flavor of 'chocolate fingertip sundae' so DON'T EVEN go there!!!) Then my mom decides to get sick and have what appears to be a heart attack this past Monday and is in the hospital all week (she is better now and they think she had a "virus" which any Einstein knows is Doctor code for "we have no frickin cluebag").
On a lighter note, we have a new digital camera! Yah! Gabriel deleted all the cool shots I got of Juliet, and he took some shots of her in her t-shirt and shoes (I was obviously at work or she would have NEVER looked like such a rag-doll)...so just for poops and giggles, I will post that photo later.
Have a great weekend Y'all!!!!

The roof is on fire!!!!

When I was young (in the 1980's) there was a popular song sung by some one-hit-wonder or something that had the lyrics: "the roof, the roof, the roof is on fire, we don't need no water let the mother --- burn, burn mother----! burn!!!" Anyways, we chanted this walking down the isle during graduation (you guessed it, I started it, but didn't get caught and thusly didn't get in trouble). Well, we always referred to our school burning down when we chanted the lyrics and it seemed to be a totally bogus fantasy!

I got the call at work last week from the Haviland Elementary School Fan-out. "There has been a fire," states the unknown woman, "everyone has been evacuated to the middle school". I ask "any known injuries?" "We don't have that information" says the voice on the other end. Naturally, my God-given gift of jumping to the worst possible scenario kicks into full gear and I rapidly race to the middle school, prayers being stated aloud to ensure they are heard clearly. I call my husband who points out my knack for thinking the absolute worst and that I am demonstrating my other gift of drama queen. OK, got it, but I want to see my kid!!! Every student and person in the school were alive and well and accounted for, Thank God! They did a great job keeping these kids safe. My daughter was among a handful of students actually in the building when the fire alarm went off (before school had started). She is currently writing an "Eyewitness Report" on the fire as she passed the fire on her way out and therefore is a bonafide "witness". Talk about excitement and drama. Fortunately, there was minimal damage and though the kids missed that day, they were back to school on Monday.

Hummmm...would the phrase "be careful what you wish for" be appropriately pasted here?? Jenna laughs as I re-ignite my fire for home-schooling.....(not that I am really qualified, just a little paranoid when it comes to my chldren).

Great find! Now the OTHER 64% of women can get there too! Whoo Hoo!!! 

PET CEMETARY

For those of you with mortality issues or a shallow sense of humor, I redirect you to the lovely photos of my buddy Sven......

For my friends with a sick sense of humor and appreciation of all things morbid, read-on!

My past death-of-a-pet experiences have been many. I have had to chime the bell, and bellow "bring out your dead" to watch the procession of two ferrets, a guinea pig, and a hampster meet the cold hard earth and go back to the dust from whence they came. Jenna would solomnly bring each one out in a shoe box or other proper coffin.....ready for burial. All of which, was very sad at the time...(please note, not all of our pets died on the same day....) This time, I was smarter.....I brought out the "almost" dead. Yes, as sad as it sounds, I tried to trick death and all the ickyness that occurs by encouraging the animal to actually die outside. Pretty sneeky eh??? Flopsy, I'm sure appreciated it. She got to hop around, enjoy the sun and the fresh air and the grass before she took her last hops on our lawn and thus, her last breath. Yes, it was sad to see her pass on, but my morbid humor has taken over just a few days later--proving that I can find humor in just about anything! So here is my tribute to a lovely, funny, sweet, lop-eared bunny that graced our family for 4 years. She is already missed, but will always be loved by all, especially Jenna. (ok, I cried like a baby for 3 days...but I am better now!)

SVEN! 

Note to the Ken Gola Fan Club

Hey KEN fans..... Here is the offical "MONEY SHOT" from Ken's competition. I know most of you have already received it personally from Ken, but you might want to ask him to autograph it for you so you can say "I knew him when...."

The Vigil

I'll bet ya'll thought this blog would be about the Pope eh? Wrong-o! (although my family has been touched by those events and I am not insensitive to the impact on the world) Our vigil started with Luna. The evening we were watching the news all night to hear about the Popes worsening condition, we were lighting a candle for our beloved (but STUPID) cat-Luna. She decided to go play in an unauthorized area by sneaking into a closed but mistakenly opened bathroom door, jumping into the tub and playing in the foot spa I had soaking with BLEACH! Ok, from all my non-medical training, I somehow know that bleach can burn and KILL if taken internally (all you have to do is read the label, Einstein) So Luna saunters out of the bathroom, and my husband yells to me "what do you have in the foot spa?" I respond "oh my gosh, LUNA!!! It's bleach!!! Did she drink any????" Of course, there were no eye witnesses, so using the same "breathalyzer" system my mom used to use on me when I came home from parties, I sniffed her breath REALLY close up. Yep, she smells of bleach. We immediately began to cry (ok, my husband didn't, but Jenna and I did) and tried to figure out how to live without her.....
I put the girls to bed and had them say a last goodbye to our Luna (who seemed to be having difficulty with balance and vision) and I tearfully watched the news rehashing the Popes life of greatness, would we get another cat? Can our hearts handle such a loss so close to the one-year anniversary of my fathers' passing?
Well, miracle of miracles, Luna is still among the living and seems to be just fine, don't know how but I won't question it at this point. Now, just two days later, we are holding a vigil for our other pet -Flopsy, who most surely needs a miracle, but she may be without a prayer at this point. Why is she seemingly dying? I don't know. She is very old and the basement is very damp. But I hate to see her suffering so much. I am sitting vigil with her tonight in the damp basement again....after staying up this morning until 4am. I came to the perfect solution at dinner tonight, and announced "we just have to NEVER, EVER get another pet again, then we won't ever lose another pet"....simple but no one was buying it. So, as the world looks to mourn and replace the Pope John Paul II, we look to mourn and replace our pet bunny with floppy ears.

Ken on "judgement day" 

Congratulations to KEN!!!

Congratulations to my fabulous Physical Therapist for having an amazing body!!! Ken took 2nd at his body building competition last weekend after a year of training and hard work. I will work on the tedious process of getting a link to his pic for your viewing pleasure. In the meantime, Ken, would you like a dozen Krispy Kreme Donuts? My treat! I am very happy for you!!!!!

Enough Already!!!

I awoke this morning and was greeted with sunshine and beauty, my joy came to a screeching halt when I realized that my down comforter wasn't keeping me warm and upon going outside to warm up the van for the millionth time this winter, found that it was a balmy 10 degrees. Enough already! I do not consider myself old enough to start being a "snow bird" and migrating to Florida every winter, but Florida in the winter is looking mighty fine right now. I can barely stand to talk to my dearest friend in North Carolina without wanting to beat her when she tells me she is sitting on her deck, sipping a nice glass of wine and oh-by-the-way it's 8pm and still 72 degrees! UUUGHHHH!!!!! My milk and carrots are freezing in the fridge even though it is on the low "winter" setting......this is ridiculous!!! I have had it! I have been wearing shorts in the house just to spite winter....perhaps Michigan will get the hint one of these days and begin to welcome spring and warmth! If anyone has some warmth to spare.....send it my way...we are freezing up here!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Has it almost been a month since my last post? Unbelievable!!! I guess the minutes on my cell phone can attest that I have been social, just not with my fingers....YIKES!!! I have spent the past month getting better acquainted with my doctor, my pediatrician and my physical therapist! What a fun month!!! Lets focus on the good stuff. My physical therapist is proved very helpful. He is in training for some competition (body building) and I take his workout advice on good authority. I have agreed to trade off services with him.....manicures for personal training....what a bargain!!! I don't think there are any guarantees that my abs will become washboard-like, but he can at least lead me in the right direction so that I don't do stupid things that hurt my back. I am very excited!!! Jenna is off with my mother on a cruise in the Caribbean somewhere. She will return with a savage tan for sure! Valentines was a bust! Gabriel has his unrelenting schedule of full-time school and full-time work. I don't know how he can go 3 days with 2 hours of sleep. One day without sleep for me and I am willing to sell my soul to the devil for a pillow and a bed! We did manage a nice dinner for two (that he prepared) and it was yummy! I hope you all have a great Valentines Day!!!

My "Good" Excuse

I have a good excuse for not making it to the gym. I have a doctor to back me up too! It is called a herniated disc. Very painful. Why haven't I been consistant for the past 8 months prior to the back problem? I guess I don't have a doctors note for that one....but I am told I can get back to the gym maybe in 3 weeks. I have been what I will term "heavily medicated".....Some people might like the feeling, but I just feel stupid and dizzy most of the time....(all three meds state 'may cause dizziness'), so life is very interesting right now. I think I am in an altered state. But that is my good excuse for not exercising, cleaning the house, changing the beds, grocery shopping and any other task I usually complete. Although my husband isn't buying it......