I cant say I was awake to bring in the New Year... because I was sound asleep!! LOL Stacy stayed up with the kids... even tho he had to work bright and early in the morning. He is quite the trooper!!
I have our goals up and so far we are doing a pretty good job of keeping up with them! (Knock on wood)
I am really glad I cracked down with the budget issues we have been having! I have even gone as far as putting our monthly "allowances" and the "family entertainment month in labeled envelopes. Once the money is gone... it is gone for the month! This seems to have made spending a real reality for the kids!! I even have the kids keeping track of what we spend as we put things in the cart at the grocery store... we take along a calculator!! THIS was a real eye opening experience for the kids!!
I am glad that we switched to this way... it has really made EVERYONE aware of what we spend!! It is always so easy to just whip out our check card and buy... not anymore! :-)
Another real positive with our goals is the no more bought "quick" snacks! I am making ALL of our snacks now! Sooo much healthier!! Granola bars taste so much better when I make them... and sooooo much less expensive to actually make! I even found a recipe for "pop tarts"... havent tried it yet. I have never really bought pop tarts for my kids... they are so unhealthy!
Another HUGE bonus to making all of the kids snacking foods--- NOTHING ARTIFICIAL!! ;-)
I am down 3lbs since our Christmas vacation!
My only real problem is dealing with all the Fibro pain am having right now. This knee issue is really throwing everything off for me... so exercising isnt real easy. My surgery day is fast approaching... and even tho I am REALLY unsure of going through with it... I am hoping it helps.
I have also set an unwritten goal of working with the rest of our dogs more.
Gunner usually gets most of my attention... as far as training. I am starting to focus more on the others.
Nanuq and Sakari have a real barking issue... and I am about sick of hearing it! I started focusing on Nanuq this weekend... and have already decreased his barking by a ton!! Sakari will be next!
Sprocket and Gunner are both working on "tricks"!! I have them both doing "spins" for treats... and Gunner is really picking up on that. No hand signals necessary for him anymore! He is so damn smart! I think next weekend I will start "duck and cover" with him! He still wont go anywhere near the agility equipment! Sprocket is my star agility dog!! He LOVES to run through the tunnel.. and is pretty good at "jumping" too.
The kids are close to the end of the 2nd marking period!! They are both ahead on all of their lessons... so that will be nice when I have my surgery!
Next week, Stacy is taking them snow tubing! I obviously cant do it... but I am sure those 3 will have fun!
Tomorrow is Courtney's IEP meeting... should be interesting! I finally got OVR to push her eligibility through... now to push them to get her enrollment for HGA started!
Josh and I are having a failure to see things eye to eye. I found out last week that he has been lying to me, even more than I already knew. And I am about sick of that shit!
I also think he needs to get his ass in gear and get a full time job and a place of his own. He is really starting to remind me of my mother!!! BUT, my grandparents are allowing it. He will be another person completely screwed if/when something happens to my grandfather. I guess he and my mother will both have to learn the hard way.
I have completely stepped out of the Josh shit now as well. We are done paying his storage. It has been a year now... and he is still in the exact same position as he was. No effort at all to better his situation. It is time to spare myself the money and heart ache.
He and Ashley broke up... and I cant say I much blame her, if all she told me is true.
Well, that is the going ons around here for the first week of 2013.
Time for me to cut up granola bars... and get dinner started.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
2013 GOALS
So... here is when I list my goals for 2013. This year is a bit different... I dont have nearly as many. With all I have going on right now, I decided to focus on keeping up with my past goals and only adding a few new ones. I also had the kids pick 2 goals each for the year!!
Here they all are-
Mine:
-At least 6 family camping trips
-Hiking at least 2 times a month over the winter... 3 times a month during good weather
-Walks at least 3 times a week from Spring to Fall
-Keep a photo journal of all of our adventures (since a written journal didnt work out)
-Use my "NeatDesk" to its fullest
-Keep track of ALL of ourl expenses... (maybe using NeatDesk)
-Make all of the kid's snacks from scratch. No more bought granola bars or PB crackers etc.
-Continue making 95% of the bread we eat
-Buy even MORE locally
-Make and stick to our 2013 budget!
-Enroll in Photography School... and stay on track with the classes
-Continue to SIMPLIFY all aspects of our life.
-Continue to avoid artificial dyes, flavors and perservatives
-Once again use ALL of my garden beds
-Start and maintain a fitness program-Try 1 or 2 vegetables in containers over the winter months
-Hold at least 1 "gathering" a month with friends/family (card nite, dinners, movie nite...etc)
-Start putting making and putting various crafts away for next season's craft fairs
-Keep up with our "Happy Memory" jar
-Get at least 1 weekend away ... just Stacy and I
Courtney:
-Do more cooking
-Work on becoming more independent
Brittany:
-Become a better photographer
-Try more new things... in gymnastics and out of gymnastics
Nathaniel:
-Take better pictures
-Try to airbrush things
Here they all are-
Mine:
-At least 6 family camping trips
-Hiking at least 2 times a month over the winter... 3 times a month during good weather
-Walks at least 3 times a week from Spring to Fall
-Keep a photo journal of all of our adventures (since a written journal didnt work out)
-Use my "NeatDesk" to its fullest
-Keep track of ALL of ourl expenses... (maybe using NeatDesk)
-Make all of the kid's snacks from scratch. No more bought granola bars or PB crackers etc.
-Continue making 95% of the bread we eat
-Buy even MORE locally
-Make and stick to our 2013 budget!
-Enroll in Photography School... and stay on track with the classes
-Continue to SIMPLIFY all aspects of our life.
-Continue to avoid artificial dyes, flavors and perservatives
-Once again use ALL of my garden beds
-Start and maintain a fitness program-Try 1 or 2 vegetables in containers over the winter months
-Hold at least 1 "gathering" a month with friends/family (card nite, dinners, movie nite...etc)
-Start putting making and putting various crafts away for next season's craft fairs
-Keep up with our "Happy Memory" jar
-Get at least 1 weekend away ... just Stacy and I
Courtney:
-Do more cooking
-Work on becoming more independent
Brittany:
-Become a better photographer
-Try more new things... in gymnastics and out of gymnastics
Nathaniel:
-Take better pictures
-Try to airbrush things
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
ChristmasWeek
Well, it was an interesting start to our "vacation"...
The kids were suppose to go up Sunday morning with my grandparents... BUT, snow had hit and my grandfather found it best to wait for me and Stacy.
Soooo.... We all (including Josh) headed out Monday morning, Christmas Eve.
The sun rise that morning was beautiful!
Once we were all packed up... we went back in the house to double check everything. That was when my phone rang... it was my Dad. My stepmother had passed away just a few hours earlier. Needless to say, I felt pretty bad about leaving for the week.
We loaded up, kid's with tears in their eyes, and headed out.
It was a fairly easy and normal trip up... Until we got to the road back to the cabin...
Josh didnt even make it onto the road!
Josh's car got taken back to the Black Forest Inn to sit! AFTER we ripped his bumper off and I hurt my back and knee trying to get it unstuck. I wasnt very happy... because I had told him to leave his car back there in the first place! Does he ever listen...??? NO!
We all managed to make it back to the cabin. It was "iffy" for my grandfather... but, he too is pigheaded. When we first walked into the cabin... it was a VERY chilly 20 degrees!! Even my big dogs were shivering! LOL!! We got the fire going... and put lunch in the oven... I think we saw 65 degrees before bed time!
It was a very awesome Christmas Eve!! We followed our tradition of reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas"... and I had all 4 of my kids together again to enjoy it!! THAT made me happier than I could put into words!!
Stacy also did a great job putting up some lights for us...
It was a perfect first day... if you ask me! Even with Josh getting stuck, freezing our butts off, and the usual drama when we take the kids anywhere with my grandparents... AND adding our dogs to the mix!
Christmas day started out with PRESENTS...of course. Like I said before, we did a "Christmas Lite" this year, since a ton of money went into the trip and boarding Gunner. But it didnt seem to bother anyone! We even had a tiny Christmas tree... supplied by Grammy Graff!
The day after Christmas...
Stacy, Britt and I headed out to do some hunting! Britt and I saw some great sights!!! The snow made it sooo much easier to track the deer!! BUT, no luck with getting anything.
Later in the day we decided since a HUGE snow storm was about to bear down on us... we better get my grandfather's car out to the Black Forest Inn. Yep, you guessed it... he ended up stuck too!! Good thing I have a truck that can handle these types of things!! LOL!!
We ended up waking up to 12 more inches of snow the next morning!!! I was BEAUTIFUL!!!
Pictures just dont do it justice... it was amazing... and wonderful... and beautiful... and soooooo much FUN!!
This day was also me and Stacy's 4 anniversary!! :-)
Needless to say... we spent A LOT of time out in the snow with the kids and the dogs! Sprocket LOVED it!!! We wrapped him in orange and let him run! Our only mistake was when we let him AND Sakari off leash at the same time... They got soooo involved in a game of "chase" that they took off down the road and we lost them for a few! Brittany and I took off after them... and they eventually realized that they couldnt see us and turned around!
By this point Brittany was pretty sick. She was having an allergic reaction to something...I am pretty sure it was the wood we were burning. She broke out... her mouth, lips and tongue swelled up at one point... her eyes swelled almost shut... Good thing we had benedryl!!! She always seemed to feel better when she was outside... soooo, we tried to get her out as much as possible!! She is a trooper... she hung in there and made the best of it.
Stacy also took another shot at hunting... I wanted an "anniversary deer"... LOL
He used the snow to track down a doe... and came face to face with it!!! Aimed, fired... well, at least tried to... the gun wouldnt go off! LOL!! He tracked down that deer and tried to shoot it 6 times... and his gun would just not fire. Too much snow and moisture, I guess. I felt pretty bad for him... but he had a nice story to share! After that... he was DONE hunting...LOL
Stacy and I also took a ride... We wanted just a few minutes of "alone" time on our anniversary... BAD IDEA!!
See what happens when I let Stacy drive my truck.....
Yea... that was a big ditch on the side of the road. Good thing there was that embankment... or we may have ended up on our side!!!
And dont think for a second that the come a long you see Stacy hooking up was in fact operated by Stacy!! Nope... I was the one out there cranking on that damn thing for an HOUR trying to get us out! Stacy got to "drive". Let me tell you how scary that sight is!!!! Wheels spinning in that HUGE ass truck... aimed right at me! UGH! ( I am pretty sure I saw Stacy's deer wander by, laughing at him... AGAIN! LOL)
I am still paying for that day. I really hurt myself there. But, it was an adventure. He never did get me up to the Vista that day... LOL!
Once me managed to get back to camp Stacy and the kids got out on the snowmobiles again. It wasnt easy, because of all of the snow we had... but they managed to make the best of it!!
The following day we packed up, cleaned up, and headed out! I managed to get about 400 pictures by the end of the week! LOL
It was an absolutely amazing trip... and I am sooo glad we did it!!
The kids were suppose to go up Sunday morning with my grandparents... BUT, snow had hit and my grandfather found it best to wait for me and Stacy.
Soooo.... We all (including Josh) headed out Monday morning, Christmas Eve.
The sun rise that morning was beautiful!
We loaded up, kid's with tears in their eyes, and headed out.
It was a fairly easy and normal trip up... Until we got to the road back to the cabin...
Josh didnt even make it onto the road!
We all managed to make it back to the cabin. It was "iffy" for my grandfather... but, he too is pigheaded. When we first walked into the cabin... it was a VERY chilly 20 degrees!! Even my big dogs were shivering! LOL!! We got the fire going... and put lunch in the oven... I think we saw 65 degrees before bed time!
It was a very awesome Christmas Eve!! We followed our tradition of reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas"... and I had all 4 of my kids together again to enjoy it!! THAT made me happier than I could put into words!!
It was a perfect first day... if you ask me! Even with Josh getting stuck, freezing our butts off, and the usual drama when we take the kids anywhere with my grandparents... AND adding our dogs to the mix!
Christmas day started out with PRESENTS...of course. Like I said before, we did a "Christmas Lite" this year, since a ton of money went into the trip and boarding Gunner. But it didnt seem to bother anyone! We even had a tiny Christmas tree... supplied by Grammy Graff!
After presents and breakfast we took care of cleaning up, burning all of
the wrapping paper... THEN... out to snowmobile!!! Since even more
snow came down over night!! :-)
Stacy, Britt and I headed out to do some hunting! Britt and I saw some great sights!!! The snow made it sooo much easier to track the deer!! BUT, no luck with getting anything.
Later in the day we decided since a HUGE snow storm was about to bear down on us... we better get my grandfather's car out to the Black Forest Inn. Yep, you guessed it... he ended up stuck too!! Good thing I have a truck that can handle these types of things!! LOL!!
We ended up waking up to 12 more inches of snow the next morning!!! I was BEAUTIFUL!!!
This day was also me and Stacy's 4 anniversary!! :-)
Needless to say... we spent A LOT of time out in the snow with the kids and the dogs! Sprocket LOVED it!!! We wrapped him in orange and let him run! Our only mistake was when we let him AND Sakari off leash at the same time... They got soooo involved in a game of "chase" that they took off down the road and we lost them for a few! Brittany and I took off after them... and they eventually realized that they couldnt see us and turned around!
By this point Brittany was pretty sick. She was having an allergic reaction to something...I am pretty sure it was the wood we were burning. She broke out... her mouth, lips and tongue swelled up at one point... her eyes swelled almost shut... Good thing we had benedryl!!! She always seemed to feel better when she was outside... soooo, we tried to get her out as much as possible!! She is a trooper... she hung in there and made the best of it.
Stacy also took another shot at hunting... I wanted an "anniversary deer"... LOL
He used the snow to track down a doe... and came face to face with it!!! Aimed, fired... well, at least tried to... the gun wouldnt go off! LOL!! He tracked down that deer and tried to shoot it 6 times... and his gun would just not fire. Too much snow and moisture, I guess. I felt pretty bad for him... but he had a nice story to share! After that... he was DONE hunting...LOL
Stacy and I also took a ride... We wanted just a few minutes of "alone" time on our anniversary... BAD IDEA!!
See what happens when I let Stacy drive my truck.....
Yea... that was a big ditch on the side of the road. Good thing there was that embankment... or we may have ended up on our side!!!
And dont think for a second that the come a long you see Stacy hooking up was in fact operated by Stacy!! Nope... I was the one out there cranking on that damn thing for an HOUR trying to get us out! Stacy got to "drive". Let me tell you how scary that sight is!!!! Wheels spinning in that HUGE ass truck... aimed right at me! UGH! ( I am pretty sure I saw Stacy's deer wander by, laughing at him... AGAIN! LOL)
I am still paying for that day. I really hurt myself there. But, it was an adventure. He never did get me up to the Vista that day... LOL!
Once me managed to get back to camp Stacy and the kids got out on the snowmobiles again. It wasnt easy, because of all of the snow we had... but they managed to make the best of it!!
It was an absolutely amazing trip... and I am sooo glad we did it!!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thankful!!
Before I write a long drawn out blog about out week... I want to take some time to just be thankful!!
Dear God,
Thank you soooooooo very much for our amazing week away!!!
You gave us the snow that we wanted...you gave us good times and awesome memories. I took over 400 pictures to prove that one!
Our basic needs were met the entire week... and we all managed to live! LOL!!
Everyone stayed safe.
Everyone had fun.
I heard great giggles from my kids as they had TONS of fun on sleds, the snowmobiles, and just being knee deep in snow playing!
We had a great hunting adventure.. and got to see some pretty cool things! And even tho Stacy didnt get that deer... I am glad he had the chance to hunt in knee deep snow and track that deer all over the mountain... too bad his gun didnt fire any of the 7 times he was face to face with that lucky deer!! ;-)
(By the way... I LOVE Mtn Laurel... It is beautiful... but geez, that stuff really grabs ya and pulls ya down!! LOL)
I had all 4 of my kids together, with us, on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.
My grandparents were able to share in our traditions for this Holiday....and they both seemed to enjoy that. Neither of them imagined they would be up in that cabin with their GREAT Grandchildren!
I am very grateful for Carol taking Gunner for the week... he had awesome care and I didnt have to worry about him at all. (Although I did worry if he was having a nervous break down because we left him...lol) I am also thankful that they openly give us advice about him... because I just dont know!
I know there are TONS of other little things I am forgetting to mention here... But I know that I made sure to say "Thank you" as they happened!
~Amy
Dear God,
Thank you soooooooo very much for our amazing week away!!!
You gave us the snow that we wanted...you gave us good times and awesome memories. I took over 400 pictures to prove that one!
Our basic needs were met the entire week... and we all managed to live! LOL!!
Everyone stayed safe.
Everyone had fun.
I heard great giggles from my kids as they had TONS of fun on sleds, the snowmobiles, and just being knee deep in snow playing!
We had a great hunting adventure.. and got to see some pretty cool things! And even tho Stacy didnt get that deer... I am glad he had the chance to hunt in knee deep snow and track that deer all over the mountain... too bad his gun didnt fire any of the 7 times he was face to face with that lucky deer!! ;-)
(By the way... I LOVE Mtn Laurel... It is beautiful... but geez, that stuff really grabs ya and pulls ya down!! LOL)
I had all 4 of my kids together, with us, on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.
My grandparents were able to share in our traditions for this Holiday....and they both seemed to enjoy that. Neither of them imagined they would be up in that cabin with their GREAT Grandchildren!
I am very grateful for Carol taking Gunner for the week... he had awesome care and I didnt have to worry about him at all. (Although I did worry if he was having a nervous break down because we left him...lol) I am also thankful that they openly give us advice about him... because I just dont know!
I know there are TONS of other little things I am forgetting to mention here... But I know that I made sure to say "Thank you" as they happened!
~Amy
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
So much...
So much is going on... I dont know where to begin! And really... I'm not even sure where my head is at.
I am still waiting on MRI results for my knee... the good thing is, it hasnt been bothering me as much as it was before. I have been really careful about what I do.
I have seen my pain management Dr... I have been in to see my PCP... I have been to about every Dr I have!! Just trying to cover all bases. LOL
We are at a stand still with getting Courtney into HGA... which really pisses me off!!! The person in charge of doing her eligibility seems to have her thumb up her ass and is taking her time. I am losing hope on an April start for Courtney.
We all (us, the kids, Josh, his g/f, and Stacy's parents) went to Christmas Village last weekend. It was amazing to see!! It was a really good time... and even getting lost on the way home! LOL
It is getting close to our week away for Christmas!!! The next few days I will be packing and preparing. They are calling for snow up there... this weekend!!! I am hoping it dumps enough on us to make our trip FUN! Stacy and Brittany have plans of doing some late season muzzle loader hunting while up there. Maybe they can get a deer yet! :-)
Yesterday was a long day.
The kids went to the CCA sponsored Science Day. They LOVED it!
While they were doing that... I went to visit my Dad and Linda. Unfortunately, Linda is back in the hospital. :-(
It was really hard seeing her the way she is right now. Soooo bruised from ppl touching her too hard and trying to get IV's in and blood taken. I dont understand how those in the medical field cant be a little more gentle!!!
I guess when you do these things day in and day out... you just get numb to the fact that your touch could be causing someone else pain and bruising.
Whenever they use tape on her... it just peels her skin away right with it.
I will say that her Aid for at home (Lucy) is AMAZING!! They are lucky to have someone that truly does care! When Lucy came in, she got more of a reaction from Linda than anyone else!!! BUT... there I was trying to be quiet. NOT Lucy. Her loudness and positive energy filled that room real quick!!!
I guess I dont have to be so quiet...LOL!
After my visit I ran back and picked up the kids... then headed to my grandparents for a bit before I had to pick Stacy up from work.
My grandfather told me he has mesothelioma. He said it so calm and carefree. Well, it hit me like a ton of bricks!!!
My grandfather makes me freakin crazy. He is hyper and sometimes just plain nutty. BUT... he raised me. He was the closest think to a father I had. He always made sure I had everything I needed and he was always the one to come through when I needed someone the most. He paid my way through Catholic School... helped me buy my first car... helped me establish credit of my own... EVEN when I was tossed out by my mom and grandmother! He would sneak behind everyone's back to make sure me and my kids werent suffering without some basic needs being met.
Even still... When we clearly dont need his help... it makes him feel better to buy the kids a pair of shoes or hunting gear... or anything their little hearts desire to spoil them.
And it means the world to him to have been so involved in his GREAT grandchildren's lives.... hunting, watching them grow up, taking them to camp every year even tho there is fighting and bickering and he stresses so much about meals... LOL! (We were just arguing yesterday over his need to plan out every single meal for next week!! He stresses about this shit WAY too much!!! It will all come together... we camp all of the time...we got this!)
He may be a nut case... but he is the most selfless person I have met. Even approaching his 80's... he is STILL taking care of those around him.... Neighbors, sister in law... my loser, piece of shit mother who sucks the life out of EVERYONE she can. NONE of those ppl care about him or his needs. Even with a DX of mesothelioma... the phone still rings at his house... people wanting him to help them in some way or another. (Mostly my asshole mother) I am sure she is looking at this as an opportunity for him to get more money... so he can continue to pay ALL of her bills. (I HATE HER)
Even my grandmother treats my grandfather poorly. And it pisses me off. (Dont get me wrong... the man does get on a person's nerves... rather quickly.) Her solution is for him to just shut his mouth. But, I think she is in denial. Or they just have no clue what this disease really is. Well, I know my grandfather does... because he was a bit choked up when he started talking about getting the kids out hunting with him next year... he wants to get them out for the youth seasons... so he can say he hunting with 3 of his great grandchildren! (Thank God for my awesome husband... who is going to see what we need to do to get him a senior license, so we can get him more places in the truck... and he wont have to walk as much, since he has been falling in the mountains more)
So yea... I am pretty devastated. And I have to find a way to explain all of this to my kids. And stay strong for them. And myself.
I know I dont talk to him every day... but I know he is there. I cant imagine a point in life when he isnt. He raised me. He is the closest thing to a father I have ever had. And he was the only grandfather I ever had.
I guess I should go start packing and cooking for our Christmas at camp...
I am still waiting on MRI results for my knee... the good thing is, it hasnt been bothering me as much as it was before. I have been really careful about what I do.
I have seen my pain management Dr... I have been in to see my PCP... I have been to about every Dr I have!! Just trying to cover all bases. LOL
We are at a stand still with getting Courtney into HGA... which really pisses me off!!! The person in charge of doing her eligibility seems to have her thumb up her ass and is taking her time. I am losing hope on an April start for Courtney.
We all (us, the kids, Josh, his g/f, and Stacy's parents) went to Christmas Village last weekend. It was amazing to see!! It was a really good time... and even getting lost on the way home! LOL
It is getting close to our week away for Christmas!!! The next few days I will be packing and preparing. They are calling for snow up there... this weekend!!! I am hoping it dumps enough on us to make our trip FUN! Stacy and Brittany have plans of doing some late season muzzle loader hunting while up there. Maybe they can get a deer yet! :-)
Yesterday was a long day.
The kids went to the CCA sponsored Science Day. They LOVED it!
While they were doing that... I went to visit my Dad and Linda. Unfortunately, Linda is back in the hospital. :-(
It was really hard seeing her the way she is right now. Soooo bruised from ppl touching her too hard and trying to get IV's in and blood taken. I dont understand how those in the medical field cant be a little more gentle!!!
I guess when you do these things day in and day out... you just get numb to the fact that your touch could be causing someone else pain and bruising.
Whenever they use tape on her... it just peels her skin away right with it.
I will say that her Aid for at home (Lucy) is AMAZING!! They are lucky to have someone that truly does care! When Lucy came in, she got more of a reaction from Linda than anyone else!!! BUT... there I was trying to be quiet. NOT Lucy. Her loudness and positive energy filled that room real quick!!!
I guess I dont have to be so quiet...LOL!
After my visit I ran back and picked up the kids... then headed to my grandparents for a bit before I had to pick Stacy up from work.
My grandfather told me he has mesothelioma. He said it so calm and carefree. Well, it hit me like a ton of bricks!!!
My grandfather makes me freakin crazy. He is hyper and sometimes just plain nutty. BUT... he raised me. He was the closest think to a father I had. He always made sure I had everything I needed and he was always the one to come through when I needed someone the most. He paid my way through Catholic School... helped me buy my first car... helped me establish credit of my own... EVEN when I was tossed out by my mom and grandmother! He would sneak behind everyone's back to make sure me and my kids werent suffering without some basic needs being met.
Even still... When we clearly dont need his help... it makes him feel better to buy the kids a pair of shoes or hunting gear... or anything their little hearts desire to spoil them.
And it means the world to him to have been so involved in his GREAT grandchildren's lives.... hunting, watching them grow up, taking them to camp every year even tho there is fighting and bickering and he stresses so much about meals... LOL! (We were just arguing yesterday over his need to plan out every single meal for next week!! He stresses about this shit WAY too much!!! It will all come together... we camp all of the time...we got this!)
He may be a nut case... but he is the most selfless person I have met. Even approaching his 80's... he is STILL taking care of those around him.... Neighbors, sister in law... my loser, piece of shit mother who sucks the life out of EVERYONE she can. NONE of those ppl care about him or his needs. Even with a DX of mesothelioma... the phone still rings at his house... people wanting him to help them in some way or another. (Mostly my asshole mother) I am sure she is looking at this as an opportunity for him to get more money... so he can continue to pay ALL of her bills. (I HATE HER)
Even my grandmother treats my grandfather poorly. And it pisses me off. (Dont get me wrong... the man does get on a person's nerves... rather quickly.) Her solution is for him to just shut his mouth. But, I think she is in denial. Or they just have no clue what this disease really is. Well, I know my grandfather does... because he was a bit choked up when he started talking about getting the kids out hunting with him next year... he wants to get them out for the youth seasons... so he can say he hunting with 3 of his great grandchildren! (Thank God for my awesome husband... who is going to see what we need to do to get him a senior license, so we can get him more places in the truck... and he wont have to walk as much, since he has been falling in the mountains more)
So yea... I am pretty devastated. And I have to find a way to explain all of this to my kids. And stay strong for them. And myself.
I know I dont talk to him every day... but I know he is there. I cant imagine a point in life when he isnt. He raised me. He is the closest thing to a father I have ever had. And he was the only grandfather I ever had.
I guess I should go start packing and cooking for our Christmas at camp...
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Quick run down
It has been a busy week around here!
I had the "joy" of going through a hip arthrogram... wouldnt recommend you adding that to any bucket list!! LOL!
Had another Ortho appt... to be told my hip is fine... but my knee is messed! (GO FIGURE... I think I have been telling them my knee is far worse). Now the Dr wants to do knee surgery ASAP!
I am no on his surgery schedule until Jan 23... but they insisted on putting me on the cancellation list. BUT...I am tellin ya ... there is NO WAY I will be having surgery before our Christmas week at the cabin!!!!!!!!!
I go see my pain management Dr today... and my Chiropractor. Between the 2 of them I am sure we can find a way to get me through to the end of the year!
I also have an MRI of my knee tomorrow.
Courtney managed to get a stomach bug. The girl NEVER gets sick... so this was a real learning experience for her!! She is doing better today... Just gotta get some food in her now.
I am hoping the complete disinfecting of our house will keep that germ from spreading to everyone else in the house.
Other than that...
We are just counting down the day until we head up to camp! :-)
Next week I will start my portion of the cooking and baking. And then packing.
I am pretty excited!! We even figure out a way to rig up heat in the out house! LOL!!
NOW... if it will just SNOW... all will be good!!!!!!!!
I am still hard at work on my photography classes!! I LOVE them!!!! I am glad the sun is shining today... I have some assignments to get done.... in between Dr appts.
Well... that is the short and sweet version of what is going on around here. I gotta run... gotta get some things done before I have to head out!
I had the "joy" of going through a hip arthrogram... wouldnt recommend you adding that to any bucket list!! LOL!
Had another Ortho appt... to be told my hip is fine... but my knee is messed! (GO FIGURE... I think I have been telling them my knee is far worse). Now the Dr wants to do knee surgery ASAP!
I am no on his surgery schedule until Jan 23... but they insisted on putting me on the cancellation list. BUT...I am tellin ya ... there is NO WAY I will be having surgery before our Christmas week at the cabin!!!!!!!!!
I go see my pain management Dr today... and my Chiropractor. Between the 2 of them I am sure we can find a way to get me through to the end of the year!
I also have an MRI of my knee tomorrow.
Courtney managed to get a stomach bug. The girl NEVER gets sick... so this was a real learning experience for her!! She is doing better today... Just gotta get some food in her now.
I am hoping the complete disinfecting of our house will keep that germ from spreading to everyone else in the house.
Other than that...
We are just counting down the day until we head up to camp! :-)
Next week I will start my portion of the cooking and baking. And then packing.
I am pretty excited!! We even figure out a way to rig up heat in the out house! LOL!!
NOW... if it will just SNOW... all will be good!!!!!!!!
I am still hard at work on my photography classes!! I LOVE them!!!! I am glad the sun is shining today... I have some assignments to get done.... in between Dr appts.
Well... that is the short and sweet version of what is going on around here. I gotta run... gotta get some things done before I have to head out!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Going ons...
The time sure is flying by me! It's as tho in a blink, 3 days have past!!
We did our "mini" decorating this year. Since we wont be home the entire week of Christmas, I didnt want to go full bore, like usual. So instead... we bought a small potted tree with little red bows from WalMart, and added battery powered lights! It is cute... and gives us the feeling of the season. I also put out my small ceramic tree and of course, Stacy put up some outside lights. Just not is typical display. We are taking some to camp with us to decorate some of the outside pine trees!! :-)
Stacy got the snowmobiles mostly cleaned off. It was pretty sad that they were stored like they were and completely covered in shit! Once we get them registered and legal to run on state game lands... they are gonna be stored in our garage. Buck's buddies will have to find other snowmobiles to run... since Buck surely doesnt need them. He has 2 new ones... and only 1 ass to sit on them!
Muddy River K-9 Academy has agreed to take Gunner for the week we will be gone over Christmas!! I am soooo very thankful!! He will be safe and well taken care of... and get a bit of training!! And I wont have to worry about him trying to eat my grandfather! RELIEF!! I am kinda sad that he wont be with me. He is my right hand man for all things outside... and alot of inside too! I will miss him. But, the break will do us both some good! THANK GOD, for Tim and Carol... I wouldnt trust ANYONE else with him!
The puppies will also be spending that week away!!! They will be hanging out with one of the potential new families! ;-) It will be a trial run for them... and help them decide who, if any, they are up for! AND... it will be 2 less little bodies I will have to worry about while at camp! :-) I am hoping that when we get back, this family decided to take them BOTH... I would really hate to see them separated... and I am ready for them to go into homes now.
I started this years ORNAMENTS!!! OMG... they are turning out far better than I could have expected!!! They are beautiful!!! I LOVE THEM!! And, 4 yrs later... I am finally finding ornaments that can use all of the big glass balls we had for our wedding reception! ;-)
I spent the afternoon yesterday cleaning out my truck...and washing it!! I am about sick of ppl leaving their shit in there! ESPECIALLY the ratchet strap fiasco that always ends up under my back seats!!! It took me about 45 minutes to detangle and wrap them up... and put them where they belong!! That is insane! My husband really needs to start cleaning up after himself! I am tired of doing.
Anyway... My truck is all pretty... for now! Cant wait to get my new organizing pieces for in there!
The weather yesterday was wonderful!! I was very happy to get to be outside. I wanted to get some pictures for my classes... but I got caught up in cleaning my truck. The sun was down before I knew it.
As for my classes... I signed up for another through PennTech. Which makes 2 now. If I handle them well... I will be enrolling in NYIP full program! I just want to make sure I can manage it all first.
I am also working on making some changes around the house... to accommodate some time without kids up my ass. Some expectations have changes around here. And, with the help of the therapist the kids are seeing.... I am hoping we see some positive results!!
We are requiring Nathan participate in his skating lessons from now on!! Not just when he feels like it... and we dont care if he likes being part of the show or not. He seems to want to pull out of ALL things "kid"... and at 11... that just isnt an option! He seems to think he is an adult in an 11 yr old body... and it is starting to have some negative results! I like that he is smart... and I want him to be able to try and experience new things... but I think I want a little far. Soooo... time to fix it!
I am still having trouble with my knee and hip. I scored a real fun hip MRI for this Thursday!! Cant wait... LOL!
My knee has been KILLING me tho... and all they keep doing is handing me more steroids!! It is starting to piss me off... and cause me to blow up like a balloon!!! NOT COOL!
It has been 3 weeks since my "slide" on the trail... time to figure this shit out!
I guess I should be thankful it isnt my back.... and I am. I am just tired of being in pain.
OK... I guess that about covers most of life... for now. I gotta get some laundry done and do some sort of straightening up around here. Clutter is taking over.
We did our "mini" decorating this year. Since we wont be home the entire week of Christmas, I didnt want to go full bore, like usual. So instead... we bought a small potted tree with little red bows from WalMart, and added battery powered lights! It is cute... and gives us the feeling of the season. I also put out my small ceramic tree and of course, Stacy put up some outside lights. Just not is typical display. We are taking some to camp with us to decorate some of the outside pine trees!! :-)
Stacy got the snowmobiles mostly cleaned off. It was pretty sad that they were stored like they were and completely covered in shit! Once we get them registered and legal to run on state game lands... they are gonna be stored in our garage. Buck's buddies will have to find other snowmobiles to run... since Buck surely doesnt need them. He has 2 new ones... and only 1 ass to sit on them!
Muddy River K-9 Academy has agreed to take Gunner for the week we will be gone over Christmas!! I am soooo very thankful!! He will be safe and well taken care of... and get a bit of training!! And I wont have to worry about him trying to eat my grandfather! RELIEF!! I am kinda sad that he wont be with me. He is my right hand man for all things outside... and alot of inside too! I will miss him. But, the break will do us both some good! THANK GOD, for Tim and Carol... I wouldnt trust ANYONE else with him!
The puppies will also be spending that week away!!! They will be hanging out with one of the potential new families! ;-) It will be a trial run for them... and help them decide who, if any, they are up for! AND... it will be 2 less little bodies I will have to worry about while at camp! :-) I am hoping that when we get back, this family decided to take them BOTH... I would really hate to see them separated... and I am ready for them to go into homes now.
I started this years ORNAMENTS!!! OMG... they are turning out far better than I could have expected!!! They are beautiful!!! I LOVE THEM!! And, 4 yrs later... I am finally finding ornaments that can use all of the big glass balls we had for our wedding reception! ;-)
I spent the afternoon yesterday cleaning out my truck...and washing it!! I am about sick of ppl leaving their shit in there! ESPECIALLY the ratchet strap fiasco that always ends up under my back seats!!! It took me about 45 minutes to detangle and wrap them up... and put them where they belong!! That is insane! My husband really needs to start cleaning up after himself! I am tired of doing.
Anyway... My truck is all pretty... for now! Cant wait to get my new organizing pieces for in there!
The weather yesterday was wonderful!! I was very happy to get to be outside. I wanted to get some pictures for my classes... but I got caught up in cleaning my truck. The sun was down before I knew it.
As for my classes... I signed up for another through PennTech. Which makes 2 now. If I handle them well... I will be enrolling in NYIP full program! I just want to make sure I can manage it all first.
I am also working on making some changes around the house... to accommodate some time without kids up my ass. Some expectations have changes around here. And, with the help of the therapist the kids are seeing.... I am hoping we see some positive results!!
We are requiring Nathan participate in his skating lessons from now on!! Not just when he feels like it... and we dont care if he likes being part of the show or not. He seems to want to pull out of ALL things "kid"... and at 11... that just isnt an option! He seems to think he is an adult in an 11 yr old body... and it is starting to have some negative results! I like that he is smart... and I want him to be able to try and experience new things... but I think I want a little far. Soooo... time to fix it!
I am still having trouble with my knee and hip. I scored a real fun hip MRI for this Thursday!! Cant wait... LOL!
My knee has been KILLING me tho... and all they keep doing is handing me more steroids!! It is starting to piss me off... and cause me to blow up like a balloon!!! NOT COOL!
It has been 3 weeks since my "slide" on the trail... time to figure this shit out!
I guess I should be thankful it isnt my back.... and I am. I am just tired of being in pain.
OK... I guess that about covers most of life... for now. I gotta get some laundry done and do some sort of straightening up around here. Clutter is taking over.
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