26 September 2006

Quick update

- shopped last weekend. bought scrap book and quilting supplies.
- Need to stop at grocery store
- Worked out for the 1st time in 5 weeks
- Went for a walk last night
- Talked to Tebbe - yay!
- Miss Lauren
- Wanna hang out w/ CA friends
- Need to see the optometrist
- Made appt for oil change
- Need to order pictures... right now
- Fresh peaches = peach cobbler... think I can do it???
- Love, love, love my kiddo
- Hubby is great too
- Got an email from Toby, in Germany
- Need to go home to see family.
Ciao

19 September 2006

Scott's first haircut


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Small fry likes to play with the chickens at Grammy's house. He loved it when she sat him on the stool to play.

Finally got a chance to load some pictures of small fry's first haircut. He is so cute!

18 September 2006

I'm good

I had a great weekend. Friday night, hubby and I headed to the local football game where we joined the regulars. Only, not all the regulars were there but that was okay. We watched a little football while our kiddo entertained everyone around us. We usually sit in front on Lon and he plays with small fry from a distance. When Lon has snacks, small fry goes right to him. I think Lon will be his buddy by time the season is over. K met us there and then hung out at our house after the game. It was good to chat but I was so tired!

The next morning hubby ran out to get some awesome pecan rolls from the Mennonite bakery. Eventually we ended up at a friends house to cheer on the Cyclones even though the majority of people are Hawkeye fans. It was good to lounge around, eat some good food and watch football. We went home and I took a 2 hour nap – it was amazing! That evening, hubby and I headed to town for supper with the kiddo followed by a visit to Grammy’s house.

Sunday was another sleep in morning. I woke early but kept falling back asleep knowing that I didn’t NEED to be up so early. We skipped church and headed to hubby’s cousin’s house for the day. We celebrated 3 birthdays in one meal which works out well. Cousin T, has a baby (see picture in previous post) that is 8 weeks old. It was fun to see the great grandparents holding the kiddos. Best of all was watching small fry kiss his cousin over and over on the forehead.

It wasn’t a busy weekend at all which was just what I needed. I did very little laundry, dishes once and watered my plants. The rest of the time I spent hanging out with friends, pushing my kiddo in the swing and napping. It was very restful. Of course, I hear today that even though Jake was pulled out of the rotation, he unexpectedly pitched 6 innings on Friday night. Go figure!

I stepped on the scale the other day and had apparently lost 1.5 pounds. I better not get back on the scale or it will tell me that it was wrong before! I just want to fit in my old clothes and get rid of my gut. I so need to be out running but alas, I’m lazy and prioritize everything else.

Still no pictures of the haircut – mine or small fry’s. Maybe tomorrow.

14 September 2006

Blah Day

Things are finally slowing down at the office. I'm thankful for that but then it's hard to be motivated to be here when I'm tired or have a head ache or I'm having a blah day. Today is one of those days where I just feel blah!

Small fry got his first hair cut today. It's cute but nothing fantastic. I'm not sure if we'll go back to that lady or not. If we do, I will definitely inform her that his hairline is farther down the back of his head!

Off to a work meeting tonight. I so don't want to go. I'd much rather go to my small group but I've kinda been running the show for this program so I should probably be there.

No baseball this weekend. Jake got pulled from the starting rotation. I'm ticked that we can't get a full refund on our room reservations either! Grr!!!!

signing off-
GRUMPY


Okay, this is a nasty picture of me but my mom thought it was cute. Small fry and I were napping together on the way home from breakfast.

This is Scott's only cousin on hubby's side. He's two months old now. We love him - even if he is an iowa fan!

12 September 2006

Thoughts vs. Actions

I’ve thought about posting now for several days. In fact, I’ve thought about it so much that I was surprised to see that I hadn’t really posted. Yes, my mind has been busy with other thoughts lately…
It was a good and quiet weekend. My hubby headed on a road trip to see his Uncle in Ames and then went from there to Promise Keepers in WI for the weekend. So, it was quiet at home. Mom kept the kiddo on Thursday so I spent the evening helping a friend clean her house. There was a few of us girls and although we were cleaning, I had a great time chatting and the time passed quickly. Before I knew it, it was nearing 11pm and I had a 20 minute drive home, a house to clean and a shower to remove the manure from my hair from chores. Friday morning came way to early but I was satisfied with my accomplishments at home even though I didn’t get the kitchen mopped and the dishes put away. I figured my guest, Uncle Paul, would survive the messy kitchen. Uncle Paul was in Ames speaking at a conference (where hubby went on Thurs) so he drove up Friday afternoon to spend the night with us. I was prepared to cook a meal for him knowing that I like a home cooked meal after being on travel. Fortunately, he understood of my crazy life and we headed out for a Gunder Burger. It was a nice quiet evening at home watching my precious son play on the floor with his great uncle. I rose early Saturday morning when I heard my guest stirring even though my tired body longed to lay in bed. I spent a short time on the couch reading Blue Like Jazz before UP came downstairs. He stayed briefly in the morning before he had to hit the road to catch his flight. I was previously unsure of what my weekend had in store and had several things tentatively planned. That all went out the window though with the weather which was gloomy, wet and sprinkling out. I had a nice morning with my folks on a quick trip to the North for breakfast and a bit of shopping. That afternoon, Scott and I napped together. Only he didn’t nap and neither did I, instead we played on the bed. He has become so interactive lately and is so much fun! He was constantly climbing all over me, calling the dog and playing “boo”. That evening Lauren came over so we could head to the football game. Except, I was enjoying having nothing to do so she agreed to lounge around the house with me which sure beats the cold windy and rainy weather with a kid who hadn’t napped! I fixed a quick supper and we sat down to watch Robots together. It was good to be a home-body. Ryan came home early that night – about 5 hours earlier than I thought so I was glad that I stayed home. Sunday was a bit more running around. I stayed after church for the potluck before heading to Ray and Donna’s to help clean their house. R&D are an older couple in the church with a list of things that prevents them from daily chores. It was fun to do for them and thankfully Beth joined me to lighten the load. Afterwards I jogged back to my mom’s to get my car before heading home. [Now let me just assure you that my “jogging” was no real exercise. They live a block and a half from my folks. And this is the rural Midwest so a block is about 5 houses or so and I was able to cut through a neighbor ladies yard along her sidewalk to R&D’s. In all, I jogged maybe 100 yards!] Anyway, that evening I hung out with the family which was nice. I so haven’t been motivated to work. Last night however, I did the dishes, a bit of laundry, bathed and fed the kiddo, moved the goat and played with the dog all before I sat down. [Now that’s something for this lazy bum to brag about!]

So, that’s my mundane recap of the weekend. I struggle to write recap’s now that I know Cori thinks they’re horrible and boring. But, it’s all I have I guess. Other thoughts…
- I’m on page 60ish of Blue Like Jazz – Non Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality and I’m not sure if I like it yet. I love to write and read (although I don’t do much of either these days) and his style is a bit different than I’m used. I’m also not sure that I appreciate how he approaches some of his stuff. It’s become a popular book and I’m reading so that I converse with people when they bring it up. We’ll see if reading it helps
- I like being a farm girl. Chores are fun when you don’t have to do them lately. I didn’t grow up on a farm but I’ve been involved somewhat since high school. Whether it be showing livestock, riding horses, living on a acreage, etc. But I love feeding the beef cows out in the pasture. And, even though I get the “crappy” 4-wheeler, I love riding the 4W around from farm to farm!
- I appreciate “earning” a living but some days I wish I could continue to get paid my salary to stay home and hang out with others.
- I miss my friends. I told hubby this morning that I was going home to CA when his buddy comes out in October. Now, that really won’t happen but I do miss my friends. I do plan to see one of them this weekend – Go Mariners!!!
- Do you complain about your job? I’m sure I do. Imagine if your income was based solely on your performance. It’s interesting to look at pro sports a little differently when you know someone. Jake is pitching in the starting rotation but in a sense, he’s “trying out” for a starting spot for the 2007 season. How stressful! Not all pro athletes are the stereotypical jocks who make too much money. They have to “earn” their living by performing in front of big crowds in stressful situations.

06 September 2006

Life at a Glance

Notice my lack of writing? My time has definitely been used up lately. Some time ago I heard a message about serving others even when you don’t have the time. That really hit home with me because I do feel like I don’t have the time to do the things that I’d like to do for others. In the last several weeks I’ve been trying hard to appropriately juggle my time at work, home and else where. Here’s what’s been going on lately:
- skipping work outs in the morning so my son can get some much needed rest (and me too)
- Stir crazy at work with 2 huge programs. One is overly detailed and can require lots of time for each contract holder. I’ve been averaging 3.5 to 4 hours each week in over time.
- Head to a friends house to help with chores a couple days each week. Now, this is not hard work, it’s actually fun and gives me some time alone and outside on our gorgeous landscape. My buddy’s mom is sick and in the hospital so I’m trying to help pick up some of the kids’ burden. I don’t know if I’m much help but I enjoy shoveling ear corn and riding the 4-wheeler to feed cows. Visiting with my pal is definitely an added bonus, she’s such a sweetie.
- rush home to do the family thing. Now this is definitely one of my favorite parts of the day but it’s also when I’m the most tired. My kiddo loves his swing in the tree so we spend a while outside most nights. Supper is served – thanks to my wonderful hubby and the evening is spent folding laundry, dishes, playing with the kiddo or sewing on a cute little thing that I’m making for baby Elizabeth.

Monday was Labor Day which also means it was a free vacation day for me. That was much needed and greatly appreciated. I had spent Sunday in the metropolis TRYING not to spend any money and visiting a friend.

[Let’s not forget the kiddo]

Small fry is growing rapidly and he’s doing so much more as a big boy. He’s quite the mocking bird and I’m waiting for the first cuss word. Now, we don’t cuss in our house but others do and I’m sure it’s bound to be said since he’s repeating everything right now. He also sat in a big boy booster seat last weekend at Taco Bell. That was cool to see him sit so nicely and shovel food into his mouth. Poor thing is teething right now. He’s getting 4 teeth at once. It’s nice to get that over with but it’s been a rough time for him. He also had this mystery spot on his leg. I thought it was just diaper rash that was irritated by the edge of his diaper in the crease of his leg. It didn’t go away though and so grammy & papa took him to the doctor for me. It was infected and he started antibiotic. That night, after a warm compress, we got the area to drain quite a bit. We still don’t know what caused it for sure. The next day the kid still has a fever but now he’s really warm. Because he was teething, I knew a little temperature was okay. But now, I had to check it, he was so warm. His temp was 101.2. I called the doc and quickly put a cool wash cloth on the back of his neck. It dropped some and the doc said to watch him. If the temp spiked, I would need to take him in. That was Saturday. Sunday morning he stayed with g&p during church. That noon he was fine but didn’t eat much. Things have been progressively worse. Not horrible at all, but not normal. He’s still happy but isn’t eating really. Last night he had a bit of a rash that I thought it was just his shirt. It’s worse today and has spread. Grr. I called the doc and we’ll see what he says. Hubby thought that if it was the antibiotic causing a reaction that he would have been much worse and it would’ve been earlier on. He’s been clingy and crying. Last night he was up for over an hour during the night crying. I tried everything – Tylenol, gas drops, clean diaper, bottle – and nothing worked. Finally I put him in bed with me and he held tight to my shirt as he tossed and turned until I finally put him back in his own bed. All that to say that I’m eager for the teeth to come through and things to be “normal” again.