You Don't See That Every Day

We've had some very emotional days here the past 2 days. Today we had to put our sweet Mudge (aka Montana) to sleep. He was so sick, something that wouldn't really ever go away, and would take daily medicine to keep him going. We knew something was wrong these past few weeks, but we were hoping it was temporary, something that would clear up. However, because of his past, and his hugely overweight issue when we got him, I don't think there was anything we could have done to prevent the disease. Montana, aka Mudge, was a very sweet, gentle, loving lab. He let the kids do just about anything to him. My original plans of making him to a running partner never materialized ... but it was fun while we tried. We love you, Mudge. Little Princess says, "See you in heaven!"

Setting: Dining Room at suppertime 11 yr old son, " This is so good! I'm having seconds !" 4 yr old daughter, " Me too! I'm having minutes !"

Just yesterday I was telling my kids, "I don't think it is going to snow here this year." The kids are grinning today!

My husband is an amazing guy ... in my humble opinion. The past few weeks/months/ years he has spent many hours fixing our home. The previous owners seem to not have had a clue on house maintenance. This month he has nearly finished the back deck that was rotting. We decided to stay with the same footprint that was there, instead of expanding and making it ' real nice '. We figure that since we plan to sell it anyway, we just need to get it done (but done right). This past week he has tackled the main bathroom ... one that was black for the past 10 years and is now turning into a lovely neutral color. I think 2 owners ago, at least, had it in a blue seashell pattern. We are finding multiple layers of wall paper that is hard to remove. Sharing a bathroom among the 6 of us has been a challenge, (showers on Sunday morning to say the least) but I know G is working hard to get done what he can as he can. I just wish I was able to do more than send the kids in there to act as 'go...

Christmas isn't just one day in this family. There are many events that lead up to the celebration of Christ's birth. The fun started at least a week prior to that. The girls had their first ballet performance/Christmas party. Right afterward, we sent them off with their Uncle D and Aunt L and G and I took off. We ran away. We fled the city to my old hometown. What a lovely time we had ... alone! We slept in, we ate a leisurely breakfast, we shopped away for gifts. we had more luck on the kids' gifts at Target than we did at the mall. Although Class E Professor store had some awesome finds! After a terrific dinner at my high school friends' parents' home, the next day we had to head back home. But first a quick stop at a local iconic landmark, the big Black Bird. While we were away, the aunt and uncle were spoiling the kids rotten. Plenty of movies and late nights and goodies. They decorated little house made with graham crackers and their choice of candies. And the...

There's something about black and white photos that can be so ... eye catching. I've been trying to cull a few from my vast photo collection, so that eventually I can print them out and make a special framed gift for someone. So far these are ones I have come up with. What do you think?

I have been listening to a lot more music recently. Maybe because it is the holiday season and it just makes me feel more in the Christmas mood. I like most of the Christmas songs they play but when certain ones come on the radio, or CD, I have to crank up the volume. For example, Baby It's Cold Outside (when sung by Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting) is one of those special songs. It brings back memories of a time in college, and karaoke. Plus the back and forth of the singers, and the blending together, sounds so good to me. Another one is O Holy Night . I think it is my all time, most favorite, Christmas song! I always want to belt out "fall on your knees" along with the singer. One that I have liked since my childhood (and I am not sure if this is the name of it or not) is Do you see what I see? I've just always liked it ... can't explain why. And the top one for this year, a new song, is How Many Kings . I first heard it in church earlier this month, and t...

Have you bought all your gifts? Wrapped them up? Mailed them if needed? I haven't. It's been a slow process for me this year. I have gotten the one shipped out that I needed to get to Texas; and the kids' other teachers have gotten theirs. My husband is ahead of the game this year. We have some great memories of him being stuck, literally, at the mall on Dec 23rd or 24th while I waited at home. This year he went out and bought me some jewelry - yesterday actually. We were talking in our room this morning, while he examined my jewelry box rather surreptitiously, when he realized I already had pearls, and he needed to return the ones he bought! What a dear! I wonder if I'll get the cowboy boots instead.

It's been a busy week! We're trying to finish up a bunch of lessons before Christmas break. And the girls are busy practicing for their ballet performance this weekend. Then there are the doctor appointments this week, and planning for a weekend away for G and myself ... phew .. typing it all is tiring! Oh, then there's all the Christmassy things to take care of ... cards and presents and decorating and such. This past weekend we finally got our tree and set it up in the playroom. We have been going to the same tree farm for the past 5 years; the kids love it. We can ride a "train", pick out our tree, and head back to the 'barn' for hot chocolate and cookies. This year the kids hauled the tree out of the "forest" a little ways. And there were horses to pet also, besides the dogs. I think my son has the dogs memorized... I don't remember them like he does! No cards have been sent out from this house, but I am working on it at least! I love get...

I spent the morning doing housework - you know, washing bedsheets, cooking a turkey, reminding the kids to straighten their rooms, etc. This time around though, I put on a new CD, "I Will Sing Your Praises," that I bought at church last week, " And that has made all the difference ". I'm not haranguing the kids. I am not mad at G for being downtown. I'm singing instead and I am actually listening to it for the second time around now. I keep going back and hitting play again on certain songs, because I like them so much! You can see it at their website www.natelizdunn.com or on Amazon too.

This is what we do when the temps are below freezing outside.

G is traveling this week. Which means I get to watch my choice of netflix. So I chose This American Life ; it is an series of snippets on American people and their lives, their peculiarities, their unique paths. Ira Glass from Chicago Public Radio hosts it. Have you ever read one of those Life books that have photos of people across the country? It is sort of like that too, only more ... animated . I am on season 2 now. The first season was so interesting I decided to delve further into it. Someone on a blog - I can't recall just which one - (? perhaps My Sisters Farmhouse ?) was the first to mention this series and tweak my curiosity. And I am fascinated by it. There was a guy in Salt Lake City who paints portraits of moments in Christ's life, using real people as models. There are the 2 prison inmates who tried to escape using a huge long rope made of dental floss. I even found myself praying for this one man who had his live changed ... destroyed... by a mugging/beating. I...

This year for Christmas I am going to give the kids a box, some ice and some leaves. They'll be happy. That's what they have been playing with for the past week. We have a bunch of empty boxes around the house and the kids have had all kinds of fun in them - making forts, walking around blind, hauling animals around; what more could you ask for? The trees in our yard have a plethora of leaves coming down, so every few days I get the kids out there to rake them up. This week they decided to make a maze of some sort to play in before the leaves get hauled out to the curb. Hours of entertainment. And the ice? Well it is cold here, but not that cold. No, the ice comes from our large, outdoor freezer. I went past it this morning and noticed the door was not closed all the way. "Those kids!" I thought to myself. Later this afternoon I walked by again and noticed the door ajar. Grr, I thought again ... but then it struck me - no one has been home but the dogs, we've been...

1998 2003 Today my son turns 11. He started the countdown yesterday morning. "14 hours," he announced to us at 10:45 am. He asked throughout the day - "Where were you at this time?" It was the Monday after Thanksgiving, 1998. I had gone back to work after the holiday at my in-laws. 2005 Throughout the day I was having terrible back pain. The baby wasn't due until the 21st, so the idea of contractions did not cross my mind! 2007 Then the pain spread to the front, and I decided to drive home instead of sit in my cubicle. I made the half hour drive home, somehow, that afternoon, and called my husband. He was also about half hour drive away. 2008 It wasn't until after 5 pm that he could get away - his boss wasn't convinced I was in labor. By this time I was pretty sure I was. As soon as G walked in the door, my water broke. He called the hospital, and we drove, rather fast, up the freeway. 5 hours later we had our little boy in our arms! 2009