Freak accident

Proof positive that my house is officially a three-ring circus.
Sunday was a sick day. A "do nothing because you are too sick to lift your aching head" day. I spent 90% of the day on the couch. 10% to get up and get medicine and use the bathroom. On one of my 3 trips to the kitchen for medication, the dog (apparently while looking out the window) gets her paw caught in the steel furnace grate, lifts her paw and brings the steel grate with her, proceeds to fall into a psychotic tantrum, yelping and running straight for me......she flings the steel grate directly into my ankle making significant contact with my protruding ankle bone. Nice shooting Cheyenne! I yelp, fall to the ground, clutching my ankle, go into a coughing fit and having laryngitis am unable to express to my husband why I am crying and having a coughing fit on the floor. He later finds the steel grate (evidence that I wasn't just looking for attention) and the dog quivering under the coffee table (further evidence that I wasn't just faking it). I was unable to walk on that ankle until the next day which was kismet considering I needed to remain on the couch anyway. Perhaps this was Gods way of ensuring I get the rest I need while sick! :)

Jessie comes to town!

Jessie will be on her way in a few hours! I can hardly wait to see her again! We are so excited! (especially Juliet who keeps insisting that this is Jessie's REAL home)
We are all recovering from a hideous illnesses that range from bronchitis to ear infections to the flu. What a bummer this first week of spring has been. Low 20's and highs in the 30's.....right now we are getting some ground cover in the form of snow! Grrrrr......Spring needs to get here soon!

Jenna and Juliet

Jenna and Juliet in a calm, rare moment.

I am the mother of a 17 year-old

Joshy is turning 17 this week! Unbelievable!!! I am the mother of a 17 year-old!! Very scary stuff!!!

big pink coat

Every year my mother threatens to take my favorite coat and buy me a new one....she usually buys me a new coat, but I never let go of my favorite coat....most of my winter photos are of me in my big pink coat.

Mom has again threatened/offered to take me to buy a new coat...but I love this one!!! It is like a huge pink blanket and although it is obviously worn and old, I get compliments on it every time I wear it!

I finally gave into the pressure and Gabby bought me a new furry/leather coat. I can't hardly drive in it because the sleeves are stiff and it makes my shirt funky underneath the coat.....very dangerous!!!! I have shown skin when I didn't intend to! Perhaps I will have my photo taken with my new coat soon....and I will post it!

Happy Birthday Gabby!!

Today is Gabby's birthday!!! He is a BIG 33 today!!! YEAH!!! We will celebrate today by taking the day off and going up to Frankenmuth! Mom will take the kids and bus them around to their various activities! What fun! Juliet will be hanging with my mom today as well.....watch out, we might run away for longer than a day! (don't tempt me). Josh is doing great, Jenna is being a pre-teen (so I am never really sure how she is doing,,,,,somewhere between depression and delight) and Juliet is smarter than all of us put together. We miss Jessie so much. She made the softball team this week and celebrated by getting hit in the face with a ball and is now sporting a black eye....send pictures Jess!!!!! Gabby needs them for your blackmail file!

Josh and Jessie

Jessie is back in New Mexico. Here is a photo while we waited in line at the gate. We had freezing rain on the way to the airport, but it was 70 degrees in New Mexico. Sounds like a good gig to me! We miss you Jessie!!! XOXOXO

Jessie and mom

Schools In!

YES! School is finally in session! I can't even begin to explain the boat loads of money I have been shelling out for entertainment of all these children. I ended on a smart note by taking Josh to Taco Bell to fill out an application. He spent over $50 on New Years Eve alone (he treated his girlfriend).

Our Holidays were stressful like everyone else's. My moms move the weekend before Christmas put a damper on the entire Holiday, but it was a sacrifice that will last a long time. She is relocated in a wonderful house and other than moving the occasional piece of furniture for her, we are done! Yeah!!!! I didn't decorate this year but the good news is, I didn't have to clean up or take down a tree. That was refreshing. Yesterday was our first day without hard labor. (even Christmas day we were moving furniture in moms garage and I was vacuuming her floors)....No rest!!! But it is over!!!

Cheyenne is growing so BIG. The vet says she is on the largest side of the scale for her breed. We are proud parents of a huge puppy! She is such a biter though....We are working hard to get her over that! We all have many puncture wounds and scratches.

That is the latest from here. We need a vacation soon!!!! Our friends are renewing their vows in 2007 at a private resort near Puerto Rico, so we will be attending that and looking forward to the rest. Here's to a wonderful New Year!!! Happy 2006!

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!!!!