My Forever Pet

There's something missing in my home,
I feel it day and night,
I know it will take time and strength
before things feel quite right.
But just for now, I need to mourn,
My heart -- it needs to mend.
Though some may say, "It's just a pet,"
I know I've lost a friend.
You've brought such laughter to my home,
and richness to my days.
A constant friend through joy or loss
with gentle, loving ways.
Companion, friend, and confidante,
A friend I won't forget.
You'll live forever in my heart,
My sweet, forever pet.
-- Susanne Taylor

Self Check Out

HH and I have decided that when you go to your local grocery store you should have to pass a time test in order to use the self check outs. You know, like you scan your discount card and then if you take too long the next time the annoying voice that tells you to move your item to the bagging area will instead tell you "I'm sorry but you are a dumbass and must move to a check out with a human being" and then refuse to allow you to scan your items. Seriously, I think this is a fabulous idea.

I know I'm not the only one that has been stuck behind the little old lady who can't see the screen or the mom with 3 kids who are fighting over who is going to scan and who is going to bag and while they are doing this they do it wrong, making the girl that watches the self check outs come over and clear an error every 2 minutes...and then OMG, they want a candy bar...and where did she put those coupons...and oh wait, let me count out my change.

People...if you are going to use the self check out, be prepared. Have your money/card out...scan and bag, scan and bag. The people behind you and the girl standing at the desk filing her nails will thank you. If you can not scan and bag your own groceries, please do not use these machines. Save them for people like me, who don't have time to deal with the dumb check out girl. Don't even get me started on her. (no offense to any check out girls out there, I'm sure you are not the dumb one I speak of)

Wordless Wednesday

The Fat Cat

Saturday night around 7 Handsome Hubby and I noticed the cat hadn't been around. This is totally normal for him when it's hot...he hides out in the basement. Plus, we were rushing around a lot, T1 had a friend over...lots of commotion. The boys were playing outside and going in and out...that was the red flag. Four is an indoor cat and is always trying to sneak out. Once he gets out, he never knows what to do so he usually goes back to the door and cries until someone lets him in.

So I searched the house...no Four. Searched around the neighbors houses, no Four. (he'll sometimes chase a bird over to the neighbors but never goes far...and never for very long...he's kind of a pansy even though he has claws)

Earlier Saturday morning our friend that lives next door told HH that he'd had to pull a cat out from his car. The cat had crawled up inside the engine and couldn't get out when he started his truck. The car was running funny so he pulled in to Midas (about 7 blocks away)...it took 3 mechanics 30 minutes to get the cat out. It was badly burnt but moving and alive. He took it to the local animal emergency hospital. Now, when he told HH about this we didn't think anything of it. Four is an indoor cat, there is no reason we'd think it was him....until 7pm when we realized he's missing.
Our friend/neighbor insisted we go down to the hospital to check...we honestly didn't think it was him b/c our other neighbor swore he saw Four around 6pm. We have a lot of strays around here, so it's hard telling. Jared finally went down there around 9:30pm...it was him.

I went down after the boys passed out. He was all wrapped up but he still had the fur on his face, tail and hind legs. There are no strays that are that fat and his face/paws are the same.

We don't know when/how he got out. We're guessing he must have run out at some point Friday night. How I didn't notice him missing, I don't know, b/c he sleeps on my feet every night.

They said he was critical, if he made it 24 hours then they could go from there and we could decide what to do. I bawled for hours. Cats are different from dogs and some people will probably read this thinking how on earth can you be that attached to a cat...but I was. And even though HH complains about the fat cat, he was upset too.
HH went down on Sunday to get the good and the bad news. At that point, we had to talk money. You can't put a price on a member of your family but at the same time, we knew there was a max at what we could afford to help our kitty. Luckily, the vet rocked and was willing to give us every discount he could and while the bill hurt...bad...it's something we're willing to do. We might be eating rice and beans for the next month, but in a week we'll have our partially bald fat cat home.

I just called to check on him, he's doing well but still not eating on his own. He managed to pull his tube out so they had to re-sedate him to get it back in. Poor Kitty, I'll bet he misses his big food bowl and our nice comfy couch that has a permanent indent on the top from his fat ass.

And when I say fat ass...I'm really not kidding and I say it in the nicest way possible. That cat weighed in at 17 lbs!

BFF!!!

1. Handsome Hubby kind of sucks.
We have a wedding to go to this weekend and I needed a dress. I managed to find one that I was pretty happy with. Here was the conversation when I tried it on at home:

HH: You like that pattern, huh? *laughing*
ME: What are you talking about? (I really thought this dress was different then any others I had)
HH: Grinning (he thinks I buy the same style of everything)
ME: I don't have a dress that looks like this
HH: Don't you have a bathing suit with almost the exact design?
ME: Well...kind of, I guess...
HH: *walks away*

Really, would it have been so hard to say 'wow honey, I really like that' or even 'your ass looks huge, take it back'. SOMETHING...grrrr.

2. I need to get my ass moving and start eating better and working out. I'm almost the same size I was at this time last year...but oh wait, I was still PREGNANT!

3. I'm stressing out over T1's teacher next year. I'm hearing a lot of mixed reviews...and none are particularly stellar. Some are just 'not so bad' while others are just plain upsetting. He's staying in the school no matter what...but I have a feeling it'll be a long year. Plus, his best bud is switching schools for this same reason. :(

4. Speaking of school...T1 goes to a Montessori school and I never realize how opinionated some people are on Montessori vs. "regular" school. Seriously...it's crazy. We're not going there b/c I'm hardcore in to the teaching style, it was just the best school in the area that we could send him to. I have no issues with "regular" public school...I just have issues with my local public schools. If you read THIS post, you can probably guess why. That being said, I do love his school...like really LOVE it and I think it's good for him.

5. I was kicking myself as I thought of good BFF material that it was only Thursday and not Friday...and then I remembered that I'm a dumbass and I can set it to post in the AM. Of course, now that I'm finally sitting down, I forgot all those blog farts...so you get the junk posted above.

Oh...one more.
I'm setting up a pay pal account to accept donations to me and my family. You know, we have 2 kids and we live in the borderline ghetto...and well, times are tough. So, if you'd like to send us a donation to help us out, we'd greatly appreciate it, really we would.

What? The Duggars are accepting donations, why can't I? I have kids to feed too ya know!

Thanks for visiting :)

The cost of mommy brain

Car Wash - $8
Lunch and Ice Cream - $20
Park - $0 + sunburn
Sprinkler - $5
Shorts - $6
Sunscreen - $8
Dress b/c you didn't have time to shop around - $34
Gift for baby that big brother had to buy - $10

Not realizing your 6 year old had to be at school 2 hours early for the Fire Station field trip - Heartbreaking.

Listening to said 6 year old tell EVERYONE that he was skipping school and why - Priceless

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

Yep...we were just that close. I mean, how were we to know that our friend would have a panic attack sitting up so high and we'd have to get moved almost to the floor. ;)

Ah...the joys

So I lovingly refer to my neighborhood at the borderline ghetto. It's getting less and less borderline and more ghetto by the day. I fall asleep at night to the sounds of car doors slamming and girls screaming at boyfriends, boyfriends calling girlfriends whores and skanks, neglected dogs barking, cars racing down the street, babies crying and usually a siren in the distance. I've gotten used to it...I've accepted that this is what we have to deal with for the time being. Eventually we'll be out of this place and I'll get to fall asleep to silence or maybe crickets. Crickets would be nice.

Tonight, as I was trying to think of something to blog about and coming up empty handed, handsome hubby relayed a conversation he'd just had with a friend of his. When it doubt, turn to the ghetto for blog material.

Apparently the local convenience store sells cigarettes for 40 cents. No, I'm not talking about the candy ones that we had has kids or the bubble gum ones that if you blew on a puff of "smoke" would come out...actual cigarettes. SINGLE cigarettes for 40 cents each. Yes, this is illegal but apparently they've been doing it for years. Catering to the local junkies who spent all their cash on god knows what and now just a quick nicotine fix...don't have $4 for a pack, no worries...you can buy one or two.
Ah yes, I love the ghetto.

And sadly...Hubby's friend is buying a single b/c he's quitting tomorrow and doesn't want a pack. hmmm...yea, I'll leave that one alone.

Favorite Things Swap!

I signed up for my first swap over at Country Girl, City Life last month and I really wasn't sure what to expect. Noelle and I were assigned to each other and became quick bloggy friends. We both live in a crazy house full of boys, love to cook, have an unhealthy need to see the inside of a Target store on a regular basis and have found many other things in common over the course of the weeks leading up to the swap. Little did we know, we already shared some 'Favorite Things'!

Noelle totally spoiled me!! Seriously, when the box showed up I was rushing in the door to tear in to it. Knowing that it would be full of all sorts of goodies...and boy was I right!!

My youngest son 'ate' the note that was included, but I'm pretty sure the pictures speak for themselves:

What was hiding in all that adorable paper?






Thank you again Noelle! I love everything!!!

I'm just not dealing with it

That is what my 6 year old exclaimed today while getting dressed.
What on earth could possibly have him so disgusted that he felt the need to toss clothes across the room, put his hands on his hips and sigh, stating that he's not dealing with it?

Socks.

Yep, you read that correctly.

Apparently I gave him the wrong socks today. They were the short socks that he doesn't like.

I tried to tell you that he acts more and more like a 13 year old girl. Granted, the socks are a bit small on him but they're clean! I can't keep up with his ever growing feet, I swear every 2 weeks he's grown out of the socks I just bought to replace the LAST ones...and socks aren't cheap damnit!

I made him wear them, he pouted and decided he was wearing his crappy Batman t-shirt if he had to wear the short socks. Whatever, I'm not dealing with it.

The post you've all be waiting for

Or...maybe not...but it's the post I've been saying I was going to make.
I have all of 30 minutes before I need to actually get ready to leave and this is how I decided to spend my time. See, you should feel special.

Okay...here are the family pics from the Scleroderma Photoshoot. Callie from 831 Photography took ours and I couldn't be happier.
Btw, for anyone interested, the walk is on June 6th and you can easily make a donation online. For anyone who knows me IRL the info is on my Facebook, if you're not on there, let me know and I'll get it to you. Dummy me used my first and last name so I'm not posting it here. :)

Okay...here goes. I still need to order them!

Hey, look!!!

-------------------------------------------->
I have my very own button! I know you are so excited that you just can't wait to grab it and stick it on your blog. Come on, don't deny it!!

How do you like the new blog design?!?! Check out Sara @ Subjective Beauty! She's a dream to work with and I don't know about you, but I'm likin' the new look!

Happy Mommy's Day!!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Mother's Day!
My husband kind of sucks with holidays and birthdays...which sucks for me b/c I LOVE holidays and birthdays! LOVE!
This year I woke up figuring it would be more of the same since he didn't bother getting the very awake baby out of bed when he got up.
After changing and giving him a bottle, I went back to bed...and handsome hubby quickly figured it out. When I got up he made me waffles and eggs and then gave me my gift from the boys...Twilight, the movie and a GIANT bag of kit kats and mini reese's cups. I sat on the couch most of the day watching tv and eating chocolate. It was FABULOUS!!!

Here is a picture from last year, taken by Felicia Lewis for her annual Moms helping Moms photoshoot:



And this year:

Double Whammy Friday

I sent him a text to see if he cared if I went out to get a drink tonight.

His reply: Of course not.

I don't ever feel the need to ask permission to do something but I do feel like I sometimes go off doing my own thing and forget that maybe he might want to actually, you know, do something. He doesn't go out much, I on the other hand start to twitch if I don't get out frequently. :)

He rocks b/c he lets me do my own thing, hang out with my girls and go out for drinks without so much as a second thought. He knows it make me happy...and playing video games makes him happy. :)

...and again...no proof reading. I'm very busy around here, you know!

It's Friday...you know what that means

1. I'm a total raving bitch right now. Everything annoys me and makes me want to rip my hair out and scream like a lunatic.

2. I finished off a pan of brownies for breakfast.

3. I'm PMSing and it's not pretty, obviously.

4. I can't decide if I'm going to leave names and what not on my blog or take them out. Damn statcounter informed me that someone out in WWW land downloaded the Easter Eve pic of the boys. That bugs me...who downloads pics of other kids, except weird pedophile types. So then my over active imagination kicks in to high gear and thoughts of people stalking my children and trying to grab them come to mind. I'm not paranoid but I do have a far too descriptive imagination.

5. I want a drink tonight...a very large drink...or two.

6. I have a million things to do...and yet here I am. I can not get my brain to function properly, I can't seem to get my shit together. I have no idea what my deal is!!

7. I hitting submit without re-reading what I wrote. If it sucks or there are misspelled words, so be it.

Longest update ever, sorry

It's been a whirl wind of a few days!!

The weekend started out great...hit up yard sales, started organizing for my own yard sale, Thing1 had his first soccer game and won (even though they don't actually keep score). The weather was beautiful and things were going pretty smoothly.

At 2:30 on Sunday my mom called just as I was getting ready to head over there and pick up Thing1. My dad had gone camping with 'the boys' and while driving home started having some severe stomach/chest pains. He managed to drive himself to the hospital and checked in to the ER. He was there and not doing so well, could I come and get her and drive her out there. So, I picked her up, left the boys with daddy and off we went.
Now, before you think it, no it's not the swine flu. Come on, don't deny it...anytime someone turns up ill you think way back in the back of your mind that just maybe they've got the swine...well no worries folks, no swine here.

Long story short, his small intestine had a kink in it. He was in extreme pain and was given every pain med under the sun until they found a combo that worked...this from the man who doesn't even like to take nyquil for a cold.
They put a tube through his nose and down his throat to try and get it unblocked (at the time they didn't know for sure what was causing the block). It was one of the hardest things to see my dad like that. I expect this stuff from my mom, she rarely goes a year without some kind of hospital stay...but my dad, never. He's the invincible one...he's the one that just keeps going, no matter what.
He was transferred to his local hospital that evening where we got to hang out in the HALL for 3 1/2 hours before he finally got in to his room. Yep, no beds so we were in "hall 2", the guy next to us was "hall 1" and had been in the ER for 6 hours when we left. If I end up needing to be in the hospital, I told Handsome Hubby to send me to the first one. It was in a tiny little town, it was spotless and quiet and nice. I want to go there, even if it is 45 mins away.

Dad is still in the hospital but should be home tomorrow, the kink is working it's way out and the tube is out now. Still no idea why it happened but he's doing better so that's what matters. Of course he smokes a pack or more a day and hasn't had a cigarette since 11am on Sunday. Needless to say, he's a little grumpy.

Hmmm...what else.

Oh... I got my "my favorite things" swap package and it rocks. I'll dedicate a whole post to that this week!

AND!!!! Ian took STEPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIKES! Only 2, walking between my cousin and I...but definite steps. Today he's been standing on his own for a minute or so at a time, he then realizes what he's doing and plops down in graceful infant style, on his butt. That folks, is the real reason those diapers are padded...otherwise, they'd have bruised bottoms all the time!! He's getting too big, too fast.

I got a sneak peek at my blog design tonight...it rocks, I can't wait for the finished product!

Have a good night, I'm crawling in to bed with my book now.

Like a kid on Christmas

Kati did a giveaway for her 21st birthday. I know, right? It's her birthday and she's giving stuff away. She actually did several giveaways, she's a pretty kick ass girl. :)

Well, I ended up being her grand prize winner and she sent me a package filled with a few of her favorite things.

I pulled in to my drive and as soon as I saw the brown box sitting on my porch I couldn't get out of the car fast enough...I was, literally, like a kid on Christmas...b/c you know, as adults, how often do we get really GOOD stuff in the mail? Sure the occasional card might be thrown in with the bills and I do like it when the coupons show up...but this was way better then $2.00 off Huggies.

Here is what was in the box...



I've already eaten half the bag of chex mix. What? There's 50% less fat then regular potato chips.