Happy New Year!

Well, I'd like to say that I made it to midnight with a drink in my hand toasting in 2009. The truth is, Jason and I watched Iron Man snuggled up in our pj's on the couch and called it a night at 11pm. Today has been a lazy day spent mostly in our pajamas, I ventured out to some craft stores to spend some Christmas money and giftcards I received.

I hope you had a wonderful New Year and wish you a blessed 2009!!

Poor Charlie!

My poor little guy got to go to the vet today which he normally loves. Well, he usually wakes up, goes outside and goes to the bathroom, jets back inside to eat and goes about his day. HOLD ON! Not today.

Today, my little 6 month old turned into a man. He got neutered. Charlie is a complete ball of sheer unadulterterated energy ALL-THE-TIME! Today was no exception on the way to the vet.* We drove Charlie to the vet this morning at 7:30 am, he was all fired up and excited to see everyone, sniffing everything, you know...Mr. Popular!

When Jason & I went to pick him up at 5:00pm tonight, he came out with a bandage on his paw from where the iv was (sorry, at his request, he asked for no pictures) his ears lay down as he was severely doped up, as today, he got neutered, chipped, and many other final shots he needed to be out in the big bad world.

We got him in the car, and as I was driving, Jason sat in the back with him. I am not kidding when I tell you that Jason was sitting directly behind me and Charlie was sitting on the opposite side of Jason, staring away from him. It's like he knew what had happened. We know he hates us for doing what we did. We don't want to be grandparents at our age. Can you blame us?!

Charlie is recovering well and has a large stocking from Santa waiting for him...

Scenes of Christmas

I decorated for Christmas a few weeks ago and have just now taken pictures to post on the blog! This picture of Charlie we used for our Christmas card with the caption "Got any treats?" He is such a good boy and really has been a joy in our lives. Jason went to take him for a walk the other day and when Charlie went out the front door, he saw the reindeer in the second picture and began growling and being aggressive towards them. Once he got closer and realized they were wood; he backed off. He's going to be a GREAT guard dog one day. :P These reindeer Jason and I purchased at the one and only Klaas Auction in Jerome, ID while we were visiting there this summer. Charlie is not friendly with these reindeer as noted above.

This is a view of the front of our home in about 10 degree weather...brr!

And here is a table where an elf has vomitted...

Our lovely Christmas tree where our cats love to sleep underneath and drink the water. There are pine neetles everywhere.

Finally, the stockings were hung by the faux chimney with care.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope that you're surrounded by the ones you love this year!

xo

It's been awhile

I've been bogged down with finals of my English 2 class but now that it's over and I've gotten an A, I'm feeling very excited about the holiday season upon us. We've had a lot of snow in December which has pushed me along in getting the Christmas decorations out and baking more than I usually do.

I am grateful for the friends and family in our life and am excited to see what 2009 has in store for us.

From our snowglobe to yours; we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

My man...

1. What's your husband's name?
Jason

2. How long have you been married?
5 1/2 wonderful years!

3. How long did you date?
4 months, then we got engaged.

4. How old is he?
32

5. Who eats more sweets?
I'd say we both eat our share...

6. Who is the better singer?
Probably me

7. Who is smarter?
He is. He's taught me a thing or two!

8. Who does the laundry?
I wash & dry, he folds and we both put away, what a system huh?

9. Who pays the bills?
Jason, he likes to have that control. Just kiddin' ;)

10. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
Jason, he has the "closest to the bathroom" route

11. Who mows the lawn?
Jason, he's good to me like that!

12. Who drives?
I do, I always drive Ms. Daisy around.

13. Who asked who out first?
I think Jason asked me out first.

14. Who kissed who first?
I think Jason made the first move, but it was a joint effort.

Livin' the good life

This is Charlie in his usual spot near a tree and soaking up the sun. There are some days I have to check and make sure he's breathing-it's one of the rare times he sits still.

Here is Chip enjoying his time in the morning sun...trying to avoid the paparazzi.

This is Belle in her all time favorite spot and not having to worry about anything-well unless it benefits her. :o)

7 Random

Rules:1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about you.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Linda tagged me!
7 Random Facts about Me:

1. I have been playing acoustic guitar since I was 8 years old.
2. I have full-on conversations when I'm asleep to try and convince my husband I'm really awake.
3. I'm completely afraid of the dark.
4. When I was 19, I moved to New Jersey to be a nanny for 4 kids.
5. I used to catch shoplifters for Target-and even got beat up in the parking lot!
6. I am a stickler for grammar and spelling.
7. I like to call myself the baby whisperer-I think little kids love me!

Now I'm going to tag:
Connie
Colleen
Orice
Selene

Things...

I feel like a 12 year old girl who got her cell phone taken away. In actuality, I am a 33 yr old woman who cannot use her cell phone until mid-Decemeber. How did this happen you ask? Well, it turns out that being home gives you this uncontrollable urge to talk to everyone you've ever known. EVER.

Turns out I have chatted our minutes away until previously mentioned mid-December. So, I'm going to write my woes here. This has never happened to us before so it's a lesson in tough love. Now I'll get to experience what life was like before a cell phone. I was with a friend this weekend and turns out-we needed a cell phone. We had to stop at a pay phone to get directions to another friend's house.

It'll be fine-actually probably a relief. Now I'm off to churn some butter and milk those cows! :P

He ate a what?

Gotta love puppies, right? They're cute, they have the smallest bark and above all...puppy breath! Well, our little angel is growing up...today, I let him outside for just a few moments to get some water and run around the yard. I ran downstairs to start some laundry and when I came back upstairs, I found our sweet Charlie barking at the wall.

Uh-oh, this can't be good. He either has a small rodent cornered, or is barking at my watering can again. I open the door to find to my surprise that he has eaten and destroyed our grill brush. This thing is a bristle brush on one side and a scratch pad on the other with a blade in the middle. Our grill is a little high for him so I was surprised to see he had gotten a hold of it!

The scratch pad side was destroyed and strewn all about the patio. He was barking at the brush still while I was picking up its remains. I keep telling myself to be patient, he's just a puppy. Well, he's just a puppy who is slowly destroying my wardrobe and our grill. We love him very much and wouldn't trade him for anything, but each day is something new I'll tell ya.

The last hurrah

I have just a few sessions left for my English 2 class. This was my first semester back to school in...15 years (that hurt.) Our final 16 page paper is due on December 8th. Spring semester begins in January. I'm having a hard time deciding what I want to be when I grow up...STILL! I go back and forth debating on whether I should puruse a degree in Human Resources or something completely different. I definitely want 'that piece of paper' but I feel like I'm still a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

I have debated between majoring in spanish, business or something completely different. I feel like my life is about to change in a good way. I'm just waiting to see what's in store for me. It's exciting and nerve-racking all at once. I know it'll work out, I'm just trying to be patient about it.

Grateful

I feel fortunate for the things I have and I wanted to jot down some things I'm grateful for.

1. I'm grateful to be alive
2. I'm grateful for a wonderful, loving and supportive husband
3. I'm grateful for an amazing family
4. I'm grateful for the gift of friendship, and the awesome friends in my life
5. I'm grateful to have a roof over my head
6. I'm grateful to be able to share the gift of laughter with the ones I love
7. I'm grateful for the gift of patience
8. I'm grateful that our animals wake us up in the middle of the night, it reminds us that someone is dependent on us
9. I'm grateful for the creative jeans that I have inherited
10. I'm grateful that we can give to those less fortunate
11. I'm grateful to live in this amazing country
12. I'm grateful for the obstacles that life throws at me
13. I'm grateful for the support and love I receive every day
14. I'm grateful that things don't work out the way they're supposed to

What are you grateful for?

Dibble dabble

Over the last couple of months, I've been making jewelry. Some of my friends and family have been the recipients of some 'market test' earrings. I really enjoy making them and it's another way for me to express myself. I can now make a pair of earrings to match any of my outfits-and I think that's pretty cool. =) I have posted just a few of the hundreds I've already made. (Okay, hundreds is probably exaggerating, but at least 150 pair...Enjoy!

A Hairy Houdini

Charlie has had his first taste outside the confines of our yard. Yesterday afternoon, I was calling him to the door for a snack and he was nowhere to be found. I searched one side of our fenced yard and he wasn't where he normally was. When I got to the other side where I was sure he would be...there he was-OUTSIDE THE FENCE. He looked at me as if to say "well, aren't you going to come and get me?" So I picked him up up and brought him inside.

I kept him inside for most of the evening. I let him him out to go to the bathroom and literally not 5 minutes later, I hear this barking at our front door. You guessed it...POOF! There he was-magically not in the back yard anymore.

Jason got up the next morning and thought that taking him for an early morning walk would be helpful. He was gone for awhile and again, after the walk, gave Charlie some water outside. Jason was making himself some breakfast and went to get Charlie back indoors...AHA! Fooled you again humans! He had jumped the fence and was barking at us at our front door.

We have a 4 month old escape artist. I am going to Home Depot today to get some extended fencing so our little magician can practice some tricks like sit, stay and no biting!

Now to get the incessant humping to stop...

Research and homework

So here I am doing everything I can to not do my research paper. It's on an interesting topic-puppy training. I have to do my works cited and quotes section. I have to gather 40-60 quotes by Monday. I have 5. YAY! I'd rather clean the litter box than do that right now. I'm finding that I work best under pressure-that's when my creative juices really flow! Since I've been 'doing homework' today, I've made 2 necklaces. Shows you where my priorities are. I'll get there.

Today Jason is off of work so we went out for lunch, drove to get coffee and got our pumpkins. They're HUGE (that's what...oh nevermind.) So, we're gearing up for a great weekend. The weather is brisk-fall is definitely here.

Happy Friday!!

Down for the count

The other day I decided to take Charlie for a walk and he's still learning what to do and how to do it...so I take him out the front door and he does this thing where he loves to walk behind me and in front of me quickly. So, I hurry up and switch the leash to the opposite hand so I won't be tripped.

Well-we head out the front door, he does his 1-2-switcheroo and before I know it, he clotheslines my feet and I fall FLAT on the front lawn. Of course this is the day that the neighbors are out doing yard work and such. I yell out "DAMMIT!" and of course he is loving it, licking me and barking like crazy.

I pick up myself and my dignity and we go about our walk.

The neighbors must think I am an early evening drinker. *gulp*

Guess who's back

Well well, here I find myself wanting to blog again and feeling like I need an outlet to express myself. I started taking some courses at the local community college. I am taking just one class, English 122. I am hoping to finish my Associates degree and continue on to get my bachelor's. I thought I'd want to pursue something in Human Resources but a life event recently has shaken up my snow globe. So, the English class along with this blog will hopefully help me to un-cork the writer within. I won't make promises I can't keep by saying things like "I'll write soon" or anything in that regard...I'll just let you peruse this blog at your leisure.

Monday Monday

So now that I have put my blog out there again for the world to see, I thought I would write something today...how appropriate huh? The holidays were a whirlwind, the winter still hasn't left yet, as it snowed today...that was bizarre! So, now it's April. I can't believe how fast the year has gone by and every year I have goals that I can never seem to reach. I start out with so much ambition and drive then by February it's pretty much gone.

I hope you enjoy reading, I'll make it a point to blog more regularly-PROMISE!

Happy reading!

Thanksgiving weekend

Hi there! I know it's been an even longer time than the last since I've written. Jason & I decided to host Thanksgiving at our home this year. For those of you who don't know, I have a small phobia of raw meat. So thawing, and de-necking and de-gibbleting the turkey were not on the top of my list to do. I DID IT! I successfully cooked a 21 lb turkey and all of the sides. I'm gaining more confidence and not gagging as much.

Jason & I went shopping the day after Thanksgiving. It's very exciting to know that the holidays are upon us.

Wishing you all the magic of the season. I'm off to put up the yard ornaments and decorate the inside of our home to look as though an elf threw up all over our house.

xoxo

Fall colds and laptops

Well here I am again apologizing for not writing lately. I am alive in case anyone was wondering...just kidding. Another surprise, I haven't peed my pants today! :D I have managed to catch a cold, the weather here has been so completely backwards, it's unbelievable! One day its 45 degrees when you go to work, the next day, it's 90. So now I have this raspy (not sexy at all) voice and an enormous case of the sniffles. I've almost lost my voice (good or bad, you decide).

I just got a new laptop today, so that means no more arm wresting Jason to use his computer or watiting for the old one I had to boot up. Other than that, not much is going on. I hope everyone is doing well...Happy Fall Y'all!

Pee pants

Hey everyone, I know it's been awhile since I've posted, but quite honestly, nothing exciting has happened. Here's a little something for you. It's Monday afternoon, I'm at work drinking a ton of water because it's hot and I'm trying to stay hydrated. I notice I'm going to the bathroom quite often and it's a little painful, but really don't think anything of it. So, I leave at4pm, I go to the bathroom 1 last time before I leave, because I have to stop at the store to get a few things.

I go to the store, about 10 minutes from work. I grab a shopping cart and head to the back of the store for some milk. I have that uncontrollable urge to urinate again, (here comes the good stuff). So, I am heading up to the front of the store and all of a sudden BAAM! I feel myself urinating. Yes, you read it correctly. So, I'm wearing dark corduroy, luckily because it was a rainy day about 63 degrees. I am trying to stop this urgent, uncontrollable flow of fluid, but it doesn't happen.

I head to the bathroom and have the most unbelievable pain in my back and bladder. I drive home telling Jason through the tears of my unfortunate accident. It gets worse; when I go home, I'm using the bathroom every 5 minutes-literally. Within about a 1/2 hour of me getting home, it turns out to be much worse.

We go to the ER because I'm totally freaked out, and in an incredible amount of pain, wait 2 1/2 hours for them to tell me that I have a bladder & kidney infection. I've never had one before and I never want one again!!

I'm on medicine now and feeling ok, it feels like my kidneys are rocks in my back, but I'm slowly feeling better. If you've seen Talladega nights, there is a part where Ricky Bobby's son says he peed his pants all day and he "sat all day in his pee pants". I feel humiliated and sad all at the same time, but I knew posting it here would help and give you a good laugh. Enjoy.