A Peak at our summer thus far...

Chelsea's graduation party, started off the summer with a bang! There were so many dynamics to this party it was surreal. As many of you already know we had a very special visitor! Carrie from CandidCarrie came to visit and help us for the party. She brought along two of her adorable children. You would think it would of been awkward, we had never met in person, only online! She was just as funny, caring and down right amazing in person as she is in the computer! In fact my Mother referred to her as Internet Carrie! She helped me cook, scrub and wash while she was here...I never laughed so hard either. I'll show you some of the pictures she took (she downloaded them onto my computer thank you Carrie!) And give you a glimpse of the time she was here!

If you get a chance to meet someone, that you've been friends with online DO IT! It's wonderful, I'm hoping to see Carrie again soon along with her whole family!



Of course her cake table!
A little dancin'
A little singin'
And of course kid bowlin'

Thank you again Carrie for making Chelsea's graduation party a huge success! We all love you!!

A lot has happened since I've been here...

My girl is done with school...let's just say for the time being.

Everyone always tells young parents...

"Boy, when they start school watch out, because they'll be gone before you know it!"

Well, it's true. Ali started college 3 years ago and she's done with college this December! Chelsea starts college in the fall, she'll be done before you know it. My kids are growing up way too fast, Hannah's a senior this year and Gavin starts High School! Chloe's in the 8th grade and Rickie starts 3rd grade! The funny thing is I'm not getting any older AT ALL! At least I don't feel any older. Back to Chelsea, she did a phenomenal job in High School her last cumulative grade point was a 4.16.

We'll be celebrating her graduation soon and I will post pictures...surprise guests will be coming!

Love you Chelsea and Congratulations sweetie!!






My girl at 8 years old!

Adjusting to a new normal...

Happy times with my Dad!!


What is ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment–"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away. "Lateral" identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region.

As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing or breathing. When muscles no longer receive the messages from the motor neurons that they require to function, the muscles begin to atrophy (become smaller). Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies.

_______________________________________________________________

My father, my rock, the man I've always leaned on was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.

We've (my mother and me) been trying really hard the last couple of days to wrap our brains around this diagnosis. Fortunately my father does not understand the gravity of his diagnosis. I think that in and of itself is a blessing. He's telling everyone that there's a 95% chance he'll go into complete remission. We know that this is not true, but we will not tell him.

We all need hope, and my father has found that hope.

Who knows the mind is a very powerful thing and maybe he will go into remission. I will hope and pray for that.

Give your loved ones a hug and kiss, we never know whats ahead...all we really have is today and I appreciate every minute.

This is a therapeutic post for me

I really wish that I could write. Tell all of you what I'm feeling right now. How do you put into words emptiness, pain and hopelessness. That's what I was feeling yesterday for a bit. I say a bit, because I cannot let myself stay in that frame of mind. I have to stay positive and move forward...I have a lot of people counting on me for that.

I'm sorry to say that it's almost become part of my life for the last 8 years. One more tragedy to deal with...suck it up Carey, and deal with it.

You must be wondering...where's her faith? I have faith. Faith, that what ever happens, I am not alone, that I can deal with what's put in front of me. That there is something better for us in the future. All of us.

That being said, I am only human, and I am at the end of my rope. That's basically all I wanted to say today.


More later. Thanks guys for listening, and as strange as it might seem I feel better just putting it on paper...so to speak.

Hey, hello and I'm back!!

I've not posted in so long, I almost forgot how!

My daughter was listening to this song on her iPod, and I really like it. A. Because it's the whole mood/tone of my emotions lately and B. Because I just like Johnny Cash.

I'm going to make an attempt to get back to posting, and keeping up with my blogging buddies. I miss all of you, and I hope you're doing well!

Everyone here is doing well, we've had a quiet winter, health wise, so that's good. (knock on wood) I'm really not superstitious just don't want to jinx anything.








(Johnny Cash and Joni Mitchell The Long Black Veil)

Missing but still here

I've been missing for a while, and I'm still out of commission...be back next week, hopefully I'll be feeling better!

Bella & Tara

My friend Meg shared this with me today, I loved it so much, I'm sharing it with all of you!

I Love Snowmen!

Went running the other day, and I just happened to have my camera with me. This friendly snowman was just waiting to get his picture taken, just in time for Friday Foto Finish Fiesta! Stop by Candid Carries and check out all of the other fotos today!

Vote For Sara Nelms

Our friend Ronda at Ronda's Rants needs all of us. Actually, a young and upcoming star needs us. You see, she has a dream and maybe we can help her achieve this dream by simply voting for her! She would love to tour with a group Little Big Town.

Wait there's more I want you to link to Ronda's Rants and post about Sara's dream...just a minute there's more-when you're at Ronda's blog enter a contest to win an iPod nano! Yes, isn't that great! But more than anything let's help Sara win, so that she can sing her heart out! Don't worry if I haven't explained it thoroughly you'll get all the info here!


Check out Candid Carrie today for Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!!!!

One of the reasons I watch Super Bowl!

I'm not sure if this will air, but this is hilarious!

I get to watch the Superbowl this Sunday with my husband and son and 10 of our son's friends! He's 14. He's growing up. We're getting the food tonight. Ladies this really bonds you with your sons especially, so take advantage of the time together.

He might not hang with me, but I'll have to say, the preparations are just as much fun!

Bud Light Commercial

Sick Daughter, Clean Room, Rewards to boot...

Yesterday, my third daughter was home from school ill. Actually, she's been home all week and yesterday was the first day that she felt a bit better so naturally we cleaned out her room.

When the oldest lived at home (three years ago) they shared a room. I'm backing up here so that you can follow my train of thought. (not many people can you know)


Ali, the oldest had just graduated, and her Grandmother gave her this beautiful locket. She wore it once. She wore it once, and lost it. She was beside herself.

This brings us to yesterday, cleaning sick daughters room out. You know where I'm headed with this don't you? We found it in all places a jewelry box! Go figure. To be fair it was in Grama Pat's jewelry box (Ric's mom) We have no idea how it got there...this brings us to the picture of Ali with Ric on her graduation day with the locket!






This is sickie Hannah in her room. Isn't she a cutie! Oh yeah, when you clean out a room you also get more bonuses! I found two borders gift cards as well, and I'm using them! Who knows whose they are...I figure I earned them!!




Go to Candid Carrie and check out a lot of great FOTOS because, today IS Friday Foto Finish Fiesta!!

Happiness Is A Warm Puppy...

Head on over to Candid Carrie's and check out all the FANTASTIC FOTOS

My Thought Process (unedited)

I'm cold.

I want to eat.

I want to eat comfort food.

Now.

Comfort food.

Country Comfort.

OH MY GOSH, I love Rod Stewart.



Does anyone else think like this? Tell me I'm not alone.

Oh great, now I am hoping to hear voices.

To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With
Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer
At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice!

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write
'For Marijuana'

6. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk, and see how many looks you get.

7. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

8. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go'..

9. Sing Along At The Opera.

10. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.

11. When The Money Comes Out of The ATM, Scream 'I Won! I Won!'

12. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running toward the Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'

13. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go..'

And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity

14. PICK UP A BOX OF CONDOMS AT THE PHARMACY, GO TO THE COUNTER AND ASK WHERE THE FITTING ROOM IS.


I know most of you have seen this, I just thought it was hilarious!!

Monday, Monday...

Can I talk?

I'm just going to ignore that anyone is reading this and vent. Thanks. Maybe throw a few questions out to ya? I know I said I was going to ignore you, but I changed my mind.

I feel stuck. My feet are firmly glued to the ground and I cannot move. I have so many things I want to get done and accomplish lately, yet i don't do them. Is this a menopause thing? Or maybe...just a me thing? I think the beginning of the year goals are already getting to me. I've realized that I didn't accomplish what I wanted to last year and another year went by! ARGH....I hate that. The fact that I'm such a goal orientated person doesn't help.

I go to bed at night stressing and thinking of what I didn't do instead of what I did do. The problem is I never give myself a break. Let me list what I HAVE to do everyday and then maybe I can prioritize from there.

1. laundry

2. exercise

3. meals

4. cleaning (vacuuming, dusting, bathrooms)

5. overseeing treatments

6. blah, blah blah

You get the picture. You're probably asking what is her problem? I know everyone does the same type of things everyday, plus work... the difference is other people find time to have fun, visit people or go shopping (even if their not buying, their getting out)

The issue is I cannot do something fun until all on my list is complete! It ends up being 9 or 10 at night and theirs no time left!

The fun things I'd like to do and can't find time are-

finish a book

go to the library

paint my bathroom

start a book club (had one years ago, loved it)

That's just a few things, give me suggestions. Please.

What NOT To Give Your Wife For Christmas

Well, well, well.

Look at what my husband bought for me.

 

How To Raise A Gentleman A Civilized Guide To Helping Your Son Through His Uncivilized Childhood.

* And yes, it is a great book.

* And yes, anyone raising a son should have this on their "must read" list.

* But no, you don't buy this book and give it to your wife and tell her, "Here Hon, I thought this might help you."

I am just grateful that he bought the book with a hard cover. That way when I smack my husband over the head with it he will be reminded not to buy me any more self-help books.

If you really want to help yourself, head on over to Candid Carrie ... her friends can help you laugh at yourself which is a much better form of therapy.