Alaska...over and out!

Nine long nights, and some really long days too, Greg made it home safe and sound! We could not have been happier for his return. The fantastic Courtney came and stayed with the boys while they napped so the kids and I could go to the airport and retrieve our long lost father and husband. And I was tickled to see him, unshaven, stinky and all. I ordered him to the shower as soon as we got in the house! We now have our freezer refilled with 50+ pounds of fish we are not likely to eat, but he is refreshed and home. I really want him to be able to go and do these trips, but safe to say 9 nights was toooooooo many. I was tired of single mommyhood and to be honest, I think the kids were sick of me. I was delighted to let them be totally lost in their father..until he went to work the next morning. October is not coming fast enough!

Heart 2 Home

So, you have read my posts about Presley. She is a beautiful 2 year old, who, due to a rare genetic condition is in a wheelchair and breathes through a trache. Her family is being considered by the Heart 2 Home foundation for a mini home makeover, so the house will be more wheelchair friendly. Currently on facebook, APX Gives Back is looking to give some big bucks to a charity, and it would be great if Heart 2 Home was that charity! They are in the running, so if you are on facebook and it would be great if you could click over and vote! The monies would go along way to help this organiztion help a family in need, and if it is not my friends, it could be someone you know down the road! Do it! Vote! You know you want to!!

Alaska Day 3

My mom was off today, so I got a little break to go get my car inspected. Should have stayed home. After 2 (yes TWO) ridiculous hours, I find out not only is my car NOT done, after they quoted me 90 minutes, but they have pulled it off half finished so that they could bump an "appointment" ahead of me. After I stared at him in disbelief, I told him to give me my keys, I was done. No one had said they were moving another person ahead of me and they were already 30 minutes over their time quote. I must look like I have all day. Seriously, the only thing saving them from public display of my displeasure is that they gave me the emission test they had finished for free. Needless to say I will NOT be returning, and once I can keep a civil tongue in my head there will be a very unhappy letter going out. But other than that we were good. Court took the kids for Slurpees (she is the best!!!) We had pizza for dinner and now my 2 sweet angels are fast asleep, I think I shall join them! Good Night all!

Alaska Day 2

As I sit here at 10:12pm, I hear the sounds of quiet, not just sleeping quiet, but the true silence of being home alone. It is strange. Really strange. It has been a long time since I was home alone for more than 10 minutes. And I am not sure if it is comforting or driving me crazy. The kids are with their Grandma's. Grandma has Nathan and Gran has Alex. We usually don't split them up, but Nathan has been begging to see a movie and Alex.............well there is no movie that can keep her attention at this point! So they went their separate ways, and I went to dinner with a girlfriend from high school. It was great to catch up with her!
Nathan had his last day of swimming lessons today and he has already asked me to sign him up for some at the rec center. I guess I had better look and see when the new lessons start! A smooth day! Guess I will go finish cleaning up the family room, the way I want with no little monsters following behind pulling out all that I put away!

Alaska, Day 1

We dropped Greg off at the airport last night for his yearly jaunt to Alaska. As usual, there were a lot of hugs and kisses and "I go with you", but the kids and I drove away and left Daddy and Grandpa to the "big airplane" to go to 'laska. And we got home before the crying and whining started. Luckily, they had not yet boarded when we got here, so I let the kids call him, and that seemed to help. I got them to bed in a decent fashion........I still am not sure why it is different, I put them to bed by myself all the time, but somehow it was, and after a zillion more "mom's" I got them both to bed, the dishes done and myself to bed before midnight! Score. Night was uneventful, even though we had a storm blow through, every one (who is small or a dog) slept all the way through the night. Alex climbed in bed with me a little after 6 am and asked where her daddy was...I said Alaska and we both rolled over and went back to sleep. When the alarm went off, I climbed out of bed, and the rest of the day went pretty much as usual. With the exception that Alex slept until 9 am. I think she has a cold, gauging by the green crusties in her poor nose.

Dog Days of Summer

Conan and Roofus (I give up it won't center!)


It is officially the dog days of summer. And that is especially true around here! A little over 4 days ago, we were delivered 2 very large, very young, very lost pups. Big, black German Shepard pups. Conan and Roofus. 10 months and 8 months respectively. Their people are my cousins, twins none the less, who are both in the Army. One flies helicopters, and is on a training assignment, the other is being deployed (again). Their trips were not supposed to over lap. Max was supposed to be home before Zeke left, but that is not the way it turned out, so these pups were left a little high and dry. So what could we do with our 1/3 acre fenced yard. We offered to doggy sit from when Z leaves until Max gets back with his 60 million dollar office. As I am sure the offending terrorist read my blog (hahahahaha!) I won't disclose too much, but to say that Z is going over the pond, to the land of sand. Max is somewhere stateside, as if I can keep track of them, I can't even find my checkbook at present! And I am no longer capable of remembering things like which company or unit they are with. Once upon a time, I knew that information, now I am a looser and just know they are in the Army. Which is probably a good thing, that way I manage to worry a little bit less.
Anyway, back to our house......Nathan is terrified of the dogs. Doesn't help that the first thing he did was take off running and one scared pup tried to coral him. Which just freaked him out more. Alex on the other hand could hardly care less. She does startle when they bark at her...hello they are as tall as she is! But she is constantly running to their treat box for a milkbone. I swear we are going to go through the whole huge box in a week at this rate. Maybe she has learned the most valuable doggy lesson....bribery is good! So things here are crazier than usual, but I am not complaining. Taking care of dogs seems so minor when compared to what my cousins do. They make our country a little safer. It is because of people like them, that my family is able to enjoy such amazing freedoms. Every day, as I feed and care for their pups, I will make sure to whisper my prayer for Max and Zeke to be safe and come home soon. Take care guys, and know that your pups are being loved, and so are you!

Happy July!!

Currently my hubby and little brother are dismanteling our deck so they can get to the broken sprinkler pipe that runs underneath it. Do you know how I know the progress they are making?? I just heard the word "shitballs" Never what you want to hear when it comes to work being done in your yard!! Happy Fourth of July. Or as they put it on Spike TV yesterday during the Star Wars Marathon.........Happy Force of July!!