The hubby has been on vacation since December 21st. I joined him on vacation for the most part only working a couple of days during that time. The kids have also been home during this time.

Which means...

The house looks like a tornado has moved through it.

So today, the hubs went back to work. I decided, when he left at 5:00 am, that I would clean/organize the basement today.

Oh what a job awaited me!

Our basement is completely finished with a family room, bathroom, bedroom, laundry room, and storage room. The bedroom gets all the clothing not worn during a particular season. The laundry room...well is a laundry room. The storage room is where all the Christmas items are stored, along with hunting equipment/clothing. So...yep...it is a mess. The family room is where the kids entertain and roam so its pretty much a given it looks like crap. This room also holds an 'office' which is where all the papers get thrown that you're not sure what the heck to do with them. Then there's the bathroom that never gets used and when it does its by the kids...you get the picture.

Needless to say, the basement is somewhere I tend to avoid and the area that the hubby has asked several times to organize. He would by all means clean the rest of the basement but going through the paperwork he wouldn't know what to do with any of it.

So I decided to surprise him by the time he got home (plus there was a guy coming to fix our broken washer and didn't want him to see the mess).

I started at 10:00 am and didn't come back upstairs till 3:00 pm.

The finished results are...the room is clean and since I was so busy cleaning I didn't have time to eat crap.

So since I didn't snack on crap and was constantly bending, standing, vacuuming, and dusting...that's exercise right?

I think so....I even dusted the treadmill while I was down there!

Blue Funk

Ever have those days where the funk just takes over and puts you in a foul mood?

I was in a good mood until this afternoon.  Then I was asked a question that just P-@-#-!-$-* me off.  This person meant no harm.  There was no malicious meaning behind the question.  We were having a conversation and they just asked a question.

So why did this set me off?

Because now I have to admit the reality behind that question.  In the back of my mind I know its there but don't you sometimes have a perception that is a little off from reality?  Yep.  Sure do. 

But the real reality is, while although I know the question holds truth, why do I not fully mentally feel it?  And is that a bad thing?  I guess so.  What I mean about not fully mentally feeling it is...while I know the reality (and trust me its there like a huge elephant), there are days I feel there is nothing wrong, that all is right and beautiful.

So now what to do?  First and foremost, I will start praying.  Second.....I pray God will give me the answers or the tools to make it better.  I give it up to Him.  This is something that I know I cannot do without Him on my side.

House Guests....Annoyance or Great?

Who in the blog world enjoys house guests?

Or do you consider them an utter annoyance?

To tell the truth I'm a little torn on what I consider them.  I guess if I know they are coming and have time to prepare then I can muddle through.  But when you find out they are coming in about 2 hours I don't have time to prepare.

By prepare I mean, clean house, do some laundry (so its not in their way), declutter the spare bedroom (you know the room that everything gets thrown in because you rarely have houseguests), and then just the mental preparation of "hey....you can't run around in your underwear for awhile."

However, if I would get over my selfishness, I would realize that typical houseguests are those individuals that you don't get the opportunity to see on a regular basis.  Its the friends that live in another state that you haven't seen since college.  Or the family that maybe you only see once a year during a family reunion.  Or maybe its medical reasons.  There are a hundreds of reasons why a house guest may be staying.

I just get over my need to run around in my underwear, watch reality TV all day long, eat when I want to.  I'll just man up!  Besides...they won't stay forever.......or will they??

The Joys Of Being a Dad!

I am sure any household knows the feeling of extracurricular activities that send you immediately out of the house when it seems you just came home to from work.  Well, it all started as a typical Tuesday late afternoon/evening in our household.

We had barely made it home from our respective employment when we were getting ready to turn back around and head out to our destinations for the eveing that week. For Craig and Dalton that meant baseball practice. For Megan and I we were headed to a PTA meeting.

The boys were packing up their gear and Craig decided to grab a sandwich for a snack.  So as he stands in the kitchen giving me a quick run down of his day and gulping on his sandwich, I hear, "MOM! Could you come into the bathroom?"

Now for all you mothers out there....those words...from that room...is NEVER a good sign.

I walk down the hall to find my dear sweet Megan standing over the toilet and thats all I needed to see. 

"Did you just puke?"  (Yes, I said it like that!  I'm not politically correct when it comes to body functions)

Then the tears. "Yea"  Why do all kids start crying when they get phyiscally sick?  Heck, I even remember myself crying when I got sick as a child.

I looked down at the hallway to Craig who was still standing in the living room.  He gives me that 'what now' look.   "What?"

"She just puked!"

Now for some reason, and I'm currently blaming a sinus infection/cold, I could not handle cleaning up bodily fluids.  So I proceeded to give Craig the 'please-save-me' eyes.  "You need me to clean it up?"

"Yes please!"  I did.  I. Said. Please! "I don't think I could handle it tonight."

So my dear sweet husband puts his half eaten sandwich down on the arm of the chair, tells Dalton to watch his sandwich from the two ankle bitter creatures staring it down, and comes into the bathroom as my knight in shining puke man.

Have I mentioned yet I much I am blessed?!

After the mess is cleaned, the area disinfected, hands washed, my baby laying in bed with the comforts needed, my hubby goes back to the living room.

"Huh, didn't I put my sandwich here?" and looks at Dalton who is fully engrossed in an NCIS episode he probably shouldn't have been watching.   I looked at Craig, "Seriously?  You can still eat after that?"  That is when I received the 'you-really-are-blonde' look.

"Dalt. Dalton?"

"Huh? What? Yeah Dad?"

"Hmmm...where's the rest of my sandwich?"

"What sandwich?"

"The sandwich I asked you to watch so the dogs wouldn't get it?"

And before he could really finish the sentence we are looking over to the two furry creatures now licking their chops.  

 I turned to Craig and say, "The joys of being a Dad!"

What happened?

Ever sit back and think what happened to all those friends you use to hang out with?

Maybe I'm feeling a little blue tonight and longing for to talk to someone other than my husband and two kids.

As I sit here I am thinking, does this happen to everyone that is married? Or is it just me?

I know other married people that seem to have get togethers with friends.  Or they have their "Girls Nights".  I don't have that. And why don't I have that?  Am I too difficult to get along with?  Do I put family things before getting together with others?

Am I making more of it than I should?  Do I really need anyone other than my husband and kids?

I'm not sure....

Maybe I'm just throwing myself a little pity party.  ;-)

Loss for words...

Why is it when I decide to post a new entry onto my blog my mind goes blank?

What can I write about?

Is it really that important?

Does anyone really want to read it?

Hmmmm.....I guess I will eventually find something to write about! :-)

Rekindling the Romance

It was winter time almost 15 years ago when I received a dare.  Yes a dare!  This was the point in my life when I was young so why take a 'dare'. 

A male co-worker of mine had stated he had a new roommate and wanted to know if I wanted to meet him.  I tossed the idea around for a couple of weeks but never really committed to anything.  One Friday evening we were having a "Going Away" party for this co-worker.  Before the get together he said to me, "I bet you don't have the guts to go to where Craig works and ask him out."  There it was....the dare.  To which I replied, "Yeah, yeah....what.  ever."  Then it was like a scene out of the movie, "The Christmas Story."  He said, "I triple dog dare ya." 

Game on buddy!!!

I hoped in my car and drove to Craig's work.  A little background...Craig's work was a grocery store.  It was a Friday evening, around 5:00 p.m..  It was busy.  Nonetheless, I walked into the store, made my way through the crowd, and marched up to one of the cashiers.  "Is there a Craig Trussell that works here?"  The cashier gave me a weird look.  So I said, "Craig Trussell?  I've never met him but he's suppose to work here."  All she did was point in the direction behind me.  I turned around and there he was....right behind me.
(there's a little more to the story but I'm not gonna bore you with the details)

And the rest they say is history....

I may have made the first move, or I like to tell people I picked him up, but let me tell ya the man was a charmer.

So last night, we went grocery shopping and happen to be close to that grocery store (we probably haven't shopped there for 15 years).  Upon walking in I remembered that night. 

"Aww honey, this is the place where we met.  You wanna relive the moment."

"Nahhh....I don't need to charm you anymore...we're married."

Nice.