Giveaway at Green Fairy Quilts

Here's the link to her blog post about it.

Green Fairy Quilts Blog

What's your definition of Veteran?

It seems that there are many definitions of what a Veteran is. To me a Veteran will always be that soldier who fights on foreign soil to protect our freedoms. Why you might ask do I believe a Veteran is one who has done at least one tour of duty? That is simple. Anyone can join the Army and do their time and then get out. Avoiding deployment for whatever reason. Can you really say that those who choose certain jobs knowing they won't deploy are veterans? How can they watch their brothers and sisters sacrifice all going off to war while they stay home on their comfy couch out of harms way? Shame on them. Those soldiers whose courage and honor give them the strength to leave family and loved ones at home while to protect the great USA. While they are sad, lonely, and not necessarily wanting to go off to war their sacrifice will always be felt by those who appreciate their service.

Also, thank you to the many families who sacrifice so much as they support their soldiers while they are off fighting in a foreign land. You are also not forgotten. I know all too well the hardships of deployment and the sacrifices families make.

God Bless our true Veterans and their families!

Commentary: It’s time again to count the cost of freedom

(click the above title for a link to the article.)

By Joe Galloway | McClatchy Newspapers

Veterans Day has come around again, as it does every fall, arriving with a new crispness in the air, the woods painted in glorious color and the days of a year that seemed new just yesterday now dwindled to a precious few.

If none of those signs had signaled its arrival, the advertising of big sales at the malls would have reminded those without more personal and less commercial ties to military service.

In this year, the last living British veteran of World War I died. The last American combat veteran of The Great War died in 2007 at age 108. The last of the Greatest Generation veterans of World War II, who once numbered some 15 million and changed the face of this nation, are slipping away fast now. The veterans of Korea, the forgotten war, are fading away, too. The ranks of more than 3 million who served in the Vietnam War are thinning out, as well.

Our ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are contributing a smaller but steady stream of new veterans joining the ranks. Political and military leaders are analyzing and deciding on a future course in Afghanistan that could lock us into years more of combat and many more new veterans.

Military service today, however, is reserved for the few who volunteer, unlike the days of big wars and conscription or the draft, which filled the ranks with millions of young men.

Today in this nation of 300 million, fewer than 1 percent wear the uniform, and, with their families, bear all the burdens and sacrifice of protecting and defending the rest of us who give little thought to those who pay the price for our freedom.

It isn't right, and it certainly isn't what those bold revolutionaries who ripped a continent out of the hands of a king at the risk of their own lives and property intended for the nation they created.

The least the rest of us can do is show a bit of gratitude and respect for our veterans, old and new, and for those serving under our flag today on foreign fields of battle. They don't start the wars. That's up to the political chicken hawks who so proudly and loudly bang the drums and march the sons and daughters of other, quieter citizens off to bloody battle.

If there were a fair and equitable requirement for national service — if the chicken hawks had some skin in the game — I wonder if they'd vote differently on those resolutions enabling and paying for wars without end. You seldom hear old soldiers prescribing war as a solution for anything.

Today's wars are bringing home hundreds of thousands of new veterans in dire need of jobs, education, medical and mental health care and a warm welcome home to a nation grateful for all that they've so selflessly given.

More than 30 percent of returning combat veterans, many of whom have served two or three or four or more combat tours, are in need of skilled counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Others are victims of traumatic brain injury (TBI) from the blasts of the enemy’s powerful homemade mines and bombs. Still others have lost arms and legs.

We owe them not only respect, but also the best medical care this nation can provide, although that's a less popular a vote for the drum-banging warmongers on Capitol Hill than any measure to dole out billions for the latest defense industry boondoggle.

The same Pentagon bean counters who happily rubber-stamp more no-bid contracts for contractors who've been stealing millions or billions for years also concoct plans to raise the fees and co-pays for veterans' health care insurance.

They also pressure military doctors to search for some pre-existing mental health issue so they can deny a PTSD claim and throw a soldier out the door with no health benefits.

Shame on them for doing that. Shame on us for letting them get away with it.

Veterans Day is just around the corner. Think about what that means besides bargain day at the mall. Think about whom we owe big-time. Write or call your Congress critter and offer him early retirement if he or she isn't voting right on these issues.

If you hear a band playing or read about a small ceremony honoring veterans, go there and say thank you to the men and women who have given so much for your rights and freedoms. It will bring a tear to their eyes.

Ft Knox Army Wives - Monthly Get-together/Craft Exchange?

Hello everyone,

I posted this on a couple sites and I wanted to put it here for those who aren't part of the same groups.

I was just thinking about this today. A Yahoo group I am a part of used to do a monthly get-together and I was just wondering any of you would be interested in doing that. Maybe one day out of the month we can get-together for lunch (kiddos invited of course!).

I was also wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a quilt block exchange or? (Maybe we can exchange them at the monthly luncheon?) We'd need a few people to be interested in doing it for it to work. I had a couple ideas:

1. Quilt block exchange: My idea was to make 8 inch block with whatever design/color you like. Something that represents you. Then a coinciding white 8" square of material talking about yourself, signed, and e-mail address to go with the block for the back of the quilt.

2. Scrap Fabric Exchange: Everyone brings 1 or 2 (amount will be determined if we decide to do this) fat quarter size pieces of scrap fabric that you don't know what to do with and it is the person who receives it's job to make something interesting with it. This would be a 2 luncheon project.

3. Small Holiday Craft Exchange: Set price (say no more than $5) and you have to make something featuring the given holiday that month.

4. Kid Crafts: What is your best craft idea that you do with your kids? Maybe you could bring and example and instructions for everyone.

I'm sure we have tons of crafty people out there of all levels of experience. You might know how to quilt, but know nothing of crocheting. It will be a great way to teach others while we also get to know each other. Something we as Army Wives can pass on to the next base we go to.

Amanda

What A Week!

Wow, I am so glad this week is over! Well, I guess it started 2 weeks ago. Victoria had diarrhea after having eaten some ice cream and got what I thought was a small diaper rash bump on her bottom. It looked like an itty bitty pimple for about 2 days then went away (or so I thought). Well, Sunday evening I changed her diaper and it was back, only 3 times the size. I didn't feel like going to the ER so I figured after I dropped Tom off at the airport Monday morning I'd just call and schedule an appt. Ha Ha. I called the appt line 3 times and each time there were 20+ people ahead of me. So I figured I'd just stop at the hospital and go talk to them instead of going on home. Well, no appts that day so I just walked over to the ER and waited. Luckily it was only a little over 2 hours for the entire ER stay. The docter said it looked like a boil or absess so he scheduled an appt for the surgical clinic the next morning. Ugh...had to reschedule my dentist appt because getting her in was more important. So we go wait an hour for her medicine and I finally get home around 12:45pm (mind you I've been up since 5:15 so far). So now I'm a bit worried for her and on top of that I am alone...Tom is in Alabama at school and I have to deal with this. So I pick myself up and deal with it because that is they only logical option I have. Well, needless to say Victoria decides to stay up until midnight. Thankfully my parents are watching Gabriel and his parents are watching Katheryn (though this makes me even more lonely). So Tuesday rolls around and go to the Surgical Clinic. Thankfully I brought the papers from the ER because they didn't see where they had an appt for her. The doc was really nice though. He tried to schedule it in the OR so that Victoria would be able to be more comfortable (not put to sleep, but just made a bit sleepy). The anestesiologist was ok with it because he had done this before, but hospital rules say...nope, no one under one. Ok so on to plan b. Oh I guess I should say that they are going to take a scalple and poke a small hole in the absess to drain it and take a culture. *Insert Amanda getting nasueus.* Well, they put some lydocane gell on it and do it (with me standing outside the door because I'd probably pass out). End result...no puss inside...apparently it had all drained out already. Ugh. Oh, I guess now would be a good time to say that Victoria had never once cried or complained when I changed her diapers which is why I didn't think it was anything too bad (well until it came back). Even after having this done they warned me she'd be really sensitive and would fuss when I went to change her diaper and that I should expect blood on her diaper (so me the worrier was expecting a lot). Well, I was worried for nothing. There was barely more than you would have if you gave blood and she never once cried not even the first time I changed her diaper afterwards. She has never once acted like it has bothered her. So Friday I took her for her follow-ups with pediatric and surgical clinics. You can barely tell that anything has happened to her there. It's almost 100% healed. Oh and the only time she has fussed about it (aside from when he did it) is when he went to check it at the follow-up.

Oh and I'd also like to say that the best way to get an appt is NOT by calling the appt line. Instead go straight in to the clinic. When I went in on Monday to make her follow-up appt with the pediatric docter, I asked about making a well-baby appt (well, if I needed to make one for 9 months because I was scatterbrained). They said yes and that she had an opening at 2 (it was around 9:45), but that she could see me then. So I was back seeing the regular doctor within 10 minutes of asking! I was surprised because I usually had to wait. There's always a loop hole, you just have to find it. The almost 10 month well-baby went great! Victoria still is eating every 2 - 3 hours (unless I substitute with regular food) and giving me maybe a 4 or 6 hour break at night, but that is normal! I am so lucky to have a doctor (well nurse practitioner) that promotes breastfeeding and reassures me that my baby's is normal. (The first one I had with Gabriel was horrible.)

Oh and my dentist appt went great again! No cavities! Woo Hoo!

Kiddos, Updates, and Ponderings

So, wow summer break is almost over. Gabriel starts school on Wednesday...why Wed...I have no clue. Crazy if you ask me, but they never do. I'm both dreading and looking forward to it. Gabriel is looking forward to it. He has a great teacher (I used to work with her when I worked there before kiddos). I asked him if he was looking forward to school...he said "Yes, so I can get away from you." Wow...brave kid. LOL Apparently I'm too strict, unlike his grandparents. Oh well.

Katheryn is talking non-stop now. She is a princess and will twirl everywhere. (seriously) We are not allowed to call Victoria (Tora as Katheryn has named her) a princess or Katheryn will have a fit. So she is Tinkerbelle (with Katheryn's approval).

Victoria is growing like a weed! She's pulling herself up and standing on things and she'll move if she's in the corner from one side to another, but that's the extent of her walking. She talks at home, but when we go out she puts her serious face on and studies everything. She's going to be my mastermind.

We finished the Pergola yesterday. YAY! Now I get to go get some furniture so we have somewhere to sit. We've figured that since we'll be moving around alot that we're just going to get some stackable chairs and a couple side tables. I'll post a picture as soon as we get everything done.

So something that I read recently and something my neighbor said sparked me thinking about people in general. There are alot of people who for one reason or another have to have every aspect of their lives scheduled. My neighbor recently lost her husband suddenly (killed in a motorcycle accident), said that she never realized how short life was and that you never know when you might die and that she has now just stopped worrying about alot of other things and has been spending more time with their 1 yr old daughter and enjoying the time she has with her. It is sad how tragety causes us to open our eyes to what we have been overlooking. Having been one of those people, I can see both sides. Maybe it took several people dying and the loss of a baby to realize how short and precious life is. The last 7 years I have really changed who I am and have "grown up". LOL I'll admit I was extremely selfish and things had to be my way and I couldn't see past my own nose to really enjoy things. That is one thing I regret when my son was a baby. I tried to make him fit my idea of a schedule in my head that I wanted. I was too busy trying to make sure I stayed to the schedule that I didn't have time to relax. Yes, I enjoyed the time with him, we had fun, but I always felt something was missing. I felt so pressured by "experts" that I tried to make him fit their idea of what he should be doing. After about 6 months, I kinda gave up because I was discouraged. I couldn't take a step back and see he had his own way of doing things. Having lost a baby really changed me. As hard as it was it caused me to take a step back and open my eyes. When I had Katheryn, I decided that I wasn't going to take the short time she was a baby for granted. I took a step back and let her set her routine and then I would tweak it here and there if we were going to do something (I knew she ate every 2 - 3 hours so if we were going to be somewhere I would start feeding her where she would eat right before I left for whatever it was I was doing). She probably started giving me 6 hours of sleep when she started eating solids. So I would give her some cereal and fruit before she went to bed. So, because the feeding on demand and a free flowing schedule worked so good with Katheryn, I have been doing the same for Victoria. Maybe I'm crazy, but this is what works for us. I guess what I'm really wondering is why it always takes tragedy to open our eyes to what we are missing? I've just been thinking about that alot lately. Ugh...

On another note, Tom had another test done (I forget what it's called, but it's where they poke you with needles to listen to your nerve) and has talked with the new specialist. It looks like he is going to have to undergo exploritory surgery on his shoulder to see what damage he has to his nerve. They have it pinpointed to a section of the nerve. The doctor told him though that he's going to have a nerologist in the OR with him because of the unknown damage. He was told he had 1 of 3 possible outcomes: 1) he'll regain movement in his arm/shoulder, 2) nothing will change, or 3) lose movement in his arm/shoulder. We're aiming for #1 with a stop to his pain. We are just waiting on a call back from his doctor with a date for surgery. Ugh!

Free User-made Pattern Site

Hello all my crafty sewing peoples! I just wanted to pass on this site that I just found that has tons of free patterns for anything you can imagine (clothing to shopping bags).

BurbaStyle

Passing on Giveaway Info

Green Fairy Quilts is having a giveaway. She's giving away a pattern and a jelly roll, a quilted tote, a quilt and a honey bun! So go enter and pass on the information.

Amanda

Semi-Finished Wedding Wall Quilt

Ok so here is an updated picture of the wall quilt. I added corners to the back to put a dow rod for hanging and finished binding it yesterday. Now I get to go shopping for dow rods and ribbon to hang it. Let me know what you think (good, bad, or both).

Caleb's Quilt

Wow, so I'm such a lazy bum. I've had this quilt laying on a shelf for months and just now realized I hadn't taken a picture of it (much less got it to Caleb...thanks to sickness and bad timing). Well, now all that's over for a bit and I need to get with you Kathlyn. Let me know when you'd like to go to the coffee place or wherever. Well, here is the long awaited picture.

Wedding Quilt Sneak Peak and 100th Post!

Wow, can't believe this is my 100th post. Time flies...

Anyways, I just wanted to give everyone an idea of what the quilt will look like. It isn't sewn completely together, just in groups. I have to go and get some embroidery thread to finish the middle before I can sew it together. I'm just going to put their names and their wedding date in the middle. This will give you an idea of what it will look like.

Enjoy!

Wedding Wall Quilt - Tulip Block

Wanted to give everyone a taste of what the some of the blocks will look like.

Wedding Wall Quilt

A good friend of ours (one of Tom's best men in our wedding) is getting married in August. So I have decided to make their wedding present or at least part of it. I have also wanted to do this pattern and see how it turns out.

Their colors are purple and green (I added the the invitation to the picture below with the fabric).

I finally got the fabric yesterday and just finished cutting out the pieces. Well, except for the batting because it's drying right now. I wash everything before and after I make something.

Well, here it is so far. There are a bunch of pieces so I organized them (while I still remembered which ones were what) by letter like it lists them in the pattern.


LOL My cutting board is straight...gotta love trying to take a picture and fitting everything in above your head.

Emotional Last Month

Wow, so what a roller coaster ride!

Well, we found out Tom was put on permanent profile (not by doctors, but when he went to fill his paperwork out for pre-deployment...yeah...go army..way to keep on top of things). So we are waiting on a med board to see if he can stay in or not. So it has been very emotional. Tom has been seeing specialist after specialist for around 2 years now (started when he was deployed). We FINALLY got some good news. The latest one says that his nerve problems in his shoulder are operable so this gives us hope that he will be able to stay in! He is pretty down right now because his team deployed recently and he wasn't able to accompany them. They are awesome though because they made a job for him in rear-d so that he won't have to PCS (since this isn't a regular unit). I must say though it was so awesome when he came home from this last specialist because he actually was able to have full movement in his shoulder (he hasn't had this since his last deployment). The doc numbed the nerve.

Now on to the kiddos. Victoria is now sitting up by herself. Though she still falls here and there. She would sit up when you put her in that postition, but for the longest time she seemed content to just lean on one arm instead of sit up. Gabriel has lost 2 of his bottom teeth! Katheryn is Katheryn. She is talking ALOT and very bossy!

I'm Bored Again and Decisions

So as some know I get bored ALOT! Well, Monday I went to have my hair done and decided that I am going to be blond. We had put blond highlights throughout last time I went...so this time it was an all over and we put lowlight brown in. I'm thinking next time I'm gonna put pink highlights in.

OK so lately I've been having a "life change". I was sitting looking out the back door and feeling at peace with nature and just decided that I just needed to get rid of some of the hurt feelings, burdens, etc. There is a deployment looming, so maybe that was one reason. Funny though that after that a couple things happened:

1) Tom found out he was put on permanent profile (without a medboard...not from the doctors, but from people with whom he was filling paperwork out with...). He has been told that he has permanent nerve damage from the first deployment which has been getting worse the longer it's been. He's been told both it is and it is not operable. He goes for his second MRI (because FLW refuses to mail his MRI here). While no one likes deployments, we are more at ease with this one because he is going with a great group of people. He is taking this hard. I hope that this next MRI holds good news. I think that it would drive him crazy to be MED Boarded out. He really enjoys what he does. It hurts me to see him hurting like this. Please pray for us.

2) My cousin with whom I haven't talked to in over 6 years e-mailed me the other day. Without going into family problems, I will say we haven't talked her family or others for the same amount of time because of many problems and hurt feelings. She told me that she needed to try to mend fences for her conscience. While what happens between brothers and sisters is their business even though it effects all the family, I personally was insulted/hurt when they walked out of my wedding reception. The reason I was told (not by them mind you)....was that I didn't have a table set up for them with their last name on it. Uhhhh...ok...I did have a table set up for them with my maiden name...apparently if it's a wedding between x and y...you should include z?

So I do believe that God has reasons for everything. Though it might be many days or years before you see why. I can't help but thing that maybe the reason I had the change inside of me only days before everything happened was so I could have an open mind and not be overburdened with everything.

Pergola and Japanese Water Garden

So, we are going to build a pergola on our back porch. These aren't my pictures, but I will upload pictures as soon as we get it built.



I have a small odd shaped triangle plot surrounded by the sidewalk and porch. I was trying to figure out what to go there that would compliment the pergola. We were at lowes one day and I saw their small ponds and the lightbulb went on. We found a larger pond at home depot though. I am going to try and do my best to design it like a small Japanese Water Garden. The Koi of course will be substituted with Goldfish. I am thinking about the Ryukin Goldfish along with some snails and mosquito fish.



Design the pond area something like this:

Rubber Stamping

Ok so I know nothing about it besides the obvious. Gabriel needed to make a card for his teacher today for Teacher Appreciation Week, so we went to Micheal's and picked up some stamps and cards. So my novice attempt went pretty good. It turned out cute. I have decided to add this to my list of hobbies. So any of you rubber stamping experts, please feel free to share some tips and tricks with me. I would like to use it to make homemade cards for Tom while he's deployed and for holidays/birthdays/occasions.

I'm Back!!!

Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted anything on here! Over a month. Not much has really happened. We've been busy trying to get the updating done on the house and trying to just spend time together.

The March for Babies went well! Tom walked with me so I wouldn't have to walk alone (isn't he a sweetie!). We had a blast! I am so going to do this next year too.

D-day #2 is approaching fast and it's hitting me harder this time. Last time, we had 4 days notice and so I was busy with packing his bags that I didn't have time to think about it. Now that he was given an actual date last week, it's hit! Ugh!

Victoria now has 4 teeth and is about 15 lbs at 6 months! She started biting me while she nurses yesterday. I think she has some of her brother in her. The first time she bit me it was when she first started to nurse and bit me (I think to get me to look at her) and then smiled at me and went on eating.

Gabriel has started acting up more in school. Nothing bad but just "normal" stuff that he knows he shouldn't do (sitting on desks, talking when he shouldn't, moving around when he should be sitting and listening). I'm not sure, but I think some of it is he knows Tom is going to deploy and I think it's also due the fact I think he has night terrors. I looked up the difference between nightmares and night terrors on Friday (because he scared me by how he was acting after he screamed Mommy...like he was hypnotized). It took us 5+ minutes to "wake" him up. So, I am going to try and get an appointment to talk with a doc about it. Ugh...poor guy.

On a good note, Katheryn is trying to potty train. She's telling me when she has to go poop (most of the time) and has on occasion, told me when she had to go pee pee.

Did Yesterday Really Happen???

Wow! So, I'll start out with the small stuff. I tackled a lot of the laundry I had sitting around (both dirty and clean that needed to be folded). While folding the clothes, I had Victoria laying on her back on the blanket on the floor with me. She kept reaching for a toy and was almost rolling over. I decided to get down there with her and "encourage" her to roll over. She finally rolled over!!!!! I'm both excited about her accomplishment and dreading the fact that she's almost semi-mobile. Which means I'll have to keep a closer eye out for small toys, pieces of crayons, etc on the floor. As soon as I find the memory card adapter I will up load the video and lots of other pictures that I have on there of the kiddos.

Tom came home early! Yay! He took me to get my new sewing machine yesterday!!! I'm so excited! I can't wait to get an area cleaned off in my room for the behemoth! I couldn't stop smiling when the lady was showing me what it can do! Great shop up in Louisville! Lots of quilting, smocking, and other sewing items. They also told me about a small quilt shop in Elizabethtown that I'm gonna check out! They said that the lady also does classes. She runs the business in her basement. :-) I'm all for supporting small business instead of the chain stores!


(just looked it up) The store is Uniquely Yours Quilt Shop. Check out her site. She lists Quilting Events and the classes she offers on her site.

I Love My Hubby!

Well, after a few weeks of talking and finding one this past week that I absolutely LOVE and didn't think I'd be able to get. Tom has told me that he thought about it and because I have let him get his toys (28' trailer, huge gun safe, etc) and any others that he would want (new truck - Unimog and well anything else he'd want), he's going to let me get it! WOOOO! I was like a kid in a candy store when I saw it online and pretty much drooling over it, until I saw the price. That's when I figured I wouldn't be able to get it and he didn't seem too excited about the price either. He surprised me yesterday morning and told me I could get it because I have and would still let him get whatever he wanted. It's the new Bernina 830. It's a sewing, quilting and embroidery machine. It's the one I want, but they also sale other brands (brother and viking) at the store as well, so I might find something else I like better.

Here are some videos of it on YouTube.

Business Debate

Well, lately I've been thinking about and debating starting my own business. Tom and I have been talking about it and are going to do some more research on it. We are looking into what is needed to get a license, what do I need for tax purposes, etc. It's all very exciting. It's something I love to do and I will be able to work from home. What more can you ask for?

Baby Quilt #2 - Update 2: Almost Done

Well, I finished piecing the front of the quilt together so I thought I'd post a picture of it. I finally got the batting in yesterday so I need to pre-wash it (for shrinkage). Then I'll layer it, sew it together, and put the binding on.

11 Step Program For Those Thinking About Having Kids

Thinking of Having Kids? Do this 11 step program first!

Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the newspaper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who
already are parents and berate them about their

1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breast
feeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall
behaviour. Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you
will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel…
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living
room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12
pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound)
playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and
go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and
watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work
hard and be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful
and together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out…
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favourite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How
does that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave
it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look
like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the
back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with
your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you
can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent
choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely
take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the
goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys.
Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having
children.

Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side..
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the
swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.
Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street ,Barney, Disney,
the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the
Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're
thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly.
(Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy';
occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required).
Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years.
You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else
continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while
playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready
to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the
room.

This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's
all worth it!'
Share it with your friends, both those who do and don't
have kids.
I guarantee they'll get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a
sense of humour is one of the most important things you need as a
parent!

Baby Quilt #2

This one is for Caleb.
I finished getting all the pieces cut out today and I'll hopefully get it done in the next few days.



Update: 5 March 2009 at 0857

I just wanted to add a picture of the pieces pinned together. LOL

Beauty and the Beast

I came across this about 2-1/2 years ago. I absolutely love it! The artist did a great job!

You should check out some of her other work.

Birth Order of Children

Ok so I wanted to share this with everyone. I finally got around to checking my e-mail today and this was sent to me by a good friend. All the mommies out there, ENJOY! I laughed at how right most of it was. :-D (Kat, this is what you have to look forward too.)

Clothing

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as
your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.

2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.

3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
_____________________________________________________

preparing for the Birth:

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.

2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last
time, breathing didn't do a thing.

3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.
__________________________________________ ____________

The Layette:

1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.

2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and
discard only the ones with the darkest stains.

3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
______________________________________________________

Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper,
a frown--you pick up the baby

2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten
to wake your firstborn.

3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to
rewind the mechanical swing.
______________________________________________________

Pacifier:

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until
you can go home and wash and boil it.

2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it
off with some juice from the baby's bottle.

3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
______________________________________________________

Diapering:

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour,
whether they need it or not.

2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.

3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to
complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
_______________________________________________________

Activities

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing,
Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.

2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.

3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.
_____________________________ _________________________

Going Out:

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter,
you call home five times.

2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to
leave a number where you can be reached.

3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
______________________________________________________

At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.

2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.

3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children
______________________________________________________

Swallowing Coins (a favorite):

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays

2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.

3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!
______________________________________________________


Pass this on to everyone you know who has children . . . or everyone who KNOWS someone who has had children. .
(The older the mother, the funnier this is!)


GRANDCHILDREN:

God's reward
for allowing your children
to live!

Finance...

...the word that sends chills up the spine and has the effect of nails on a chalk board...

...yes...that Finance.

Tom has had to go to Finance twice now because of them paying us too much. They are giving us double BAH. What's worse is they saw this coming! They knew it was going to happen, yet they have no idea how to fix it right now. Hmmm...how hard is it to replace the '2' with a '1' or delete one of the entries? Truthfully how complicated is it? Well, it is Finance and you know they have the best people they can get to overlook our pay. Ugh...I guess we have been lucky. We've only had one or two other issues with pay since Tom re-joined. (For those who don't know, he was enlisted back in the early '90s and got out, went to college and went back in as an Officer).

Little Minion Updates

Ok so it's been a busy week. We've had Victoria's 4 month well baby and dentist appts for Gabriel and Katheryn.

We'll start with Victoria. She is 13lbs 2 ozs and 25-1/2 inches long (81% for height!). I think she is working on her top teeth and going through a growth spurt. She's nursing every 2 hours at night (UGH!) and about every 2 - 3 during the day. She's almost rolling over, she just needs to learn to get her arm out of her way. She sits up really good in her Bumbo chair (which Katheryn uses for her teddy bear to sit in and eat, thankfully she is using the play food from their kitchen).

Katheryn had her first dentist appt yesterday. She did really good! Her teeth aren't as close together as her brothers and she has a bit of an overbite (probably from sucking her fingers when she gets tired). We were waiting to get appts for the next one in 6 months and she grabbed her toothbrush they gave her and brushed her baby dolls teeth. So cute!

Gabriel did good too. They did x-rays and his 6 year molars are getting ready to start coming in and he has his first loose tooth! So I guess I'm gonna put on a new hat...the Toothfaerie! LOL

Mommy's Milk - The Organic Choice for Babies

So I have been thinking alot about Breastfeeding and choices lately. I've never really considered myself a extremist on the issue mainly because I am not publicly outspoken and I don't go bearing all just to prove a point in public. Yes, I have fed my babies in public, but I have also done so "discretely". I have found that the older I get and the more children I nurse (I have 3 now), the more comfortable I am. But why should I have not been comfortable? There are probably several reasons, but are those reasons the same for those who choose not to feed their baby "mommy milk"? I was talking with a friend the other day who said she had never heard anyone say they were "too lazy to bottlefeed" (I said this jokingly). She had only heard the opposite, that they were "too lazy to nurse". That got me to thinking...how hard is it to nurse?

Bottlefeeding you have to:

• buy the formula,
• buy bottles/liners,
• * sterilize bottles and nipples,
  
• hopefully use filtered water,
• heat the water to the right temperature (shouldn't microwave formula already mixed),
• mix it,
• feed baby
• repeat *

Breastfeeding you have to:

• buy nursing bras,
• buy nursing tops or wear loose shirts and sweaters,
• buy nursing pads (either disposable, washable, or lilypads)
  
• put boobie in babies mouth
• wash boobie

Which would be easier to do at 2am with a screaming baby? I can say, having done both, that feeding mommy milk to my baby is WAY easier than bottlefeeding. I look back at when I nursed my first and "gave up" at 6 months and wish that I had stuck with it. I had gave in to social pressure that I had nursed long enough and anything more than that was not "normal". If I had known then what I know now! I do believe that social "opinions" need to change on this issue. In such a knowledgeable country as we are, we seem to be pretty closed minded and stupid (I'd say ignorant, but we are educated and still choose not to do what is best). It is sad when a mother who makes the right choice and nurses her baby has to have laws in place to protect her baby's right to eat in public! Recently, Facebook chose to delete photographs and user accounts because mother's chose to upload pictures of them feeding their child. In looking at ones that were deleted they ranged anywhere from completely covered up to no shirt on at all nursing two babies. Some showed nipples, but most just showed the baby eating. With my first I was told by the pediatrician that he HAD to be on a schedule, wake him up to feed him, he HAD to nurse 15 mins each side, yada yada yada. Do you know how hard it is to wake a baby who is sleeping and force him to eat? No wonder it got tireing and wasn't as enjoyable. With my second I threw that out the window and adopted the "on demand schedule". It worked out a WHOLE lot better. I woke up and fed her when she was hungry for however long she wanted. She gained weight consitatly, had enough wet/poopy diapers, and was happy! I use the same "method" with my third. While I know that she eats every 3 hours or so, I try to schedule being home for feedings (because it's quieter and more comfortable for me to sit), there are times when you can't get home. Then you are faced with the decicion...do I feed a hungry baby or do I make a baby wait who is hungry now? Hmmm...this should be a no-brainer! Feed the hungry baby. What is bad is that I know women who have breastfed their babies make comments on how "she shouldn't do that here" (oh and the mom that feeding her baby was at a restaurant with a blanket covering everything up). I think that is a shame! Hooray for the mom who feeds her hungry baby. A lot of people would say, give the baby a pacifier and feed it when it is "appropriate". LOL Maybe if we used the same "logic" on some people there wouldn't be issues with obeicity! Ok, back to the Facebook issue. So I did a search for breastfeeding groups and came across the "Hey Facebook, Breastfeeding is not Obscene". So I decided to look at it and joined. Take a look at their Content Code of Conduct and tell me what catagory photos of a baby eating are grounds for deletion:

"Inappropriate Content

While we believe users should be able to express themselves and their point of view, certain kinds of speech simply do not belong in a community like Facebook. Therefore, you may not post or share Content that:

• is obscene, pornographic or sexually explicit
• depicts graphic or gratuitous violence
• makes threats of any kind or that intimidates, harasses, or bullies anyone
• is derogatory, demeaning, malicious, defamatory, abusive, offensive or hateful"

Hmm...I personally don't see any catagory it would fall under. Now, in doing more research, how could nursing a child fall into any of those catagories when the Pope publicly approves of paintings of Mary exposing her breast to feed Jesus? I'm not Catholic and I do disagree with many of their stands, but I'm with them on this. Here is another article.Virgin and Child, by Joovs van Cleve, painted in 1525

"The Holy Family" by Rembrandt

Breastfeeding has also been "imortalized" through the centruries and in different civilizations.

Wow, this turned out to be a much longer post that I had initially intended it to be. I will join the "nurse-in" that will be held this saturday. While I am well aware that my one act will not change how feeding a baby in public is viewed in my lifetime, maybe it will help to change it for my children and theirs.

Organic Seedling Offer

Ok so I am going to start growing the plants for my garden this year and I always start more than I need. So if anyone would be interested in any of the seedlings let me know. I am also going to start a compost bin, so if you're interested in any of that let me know. If you would like them, but don't have room for a garden we'll work something out where you can get some of the produce. lol

In case anyone wants to know what I'm using to start them and what type of seeds they are here is the list of what I'll be using.

Ferry~Morse Peat Pots (about 1" sq)
Ferry~Morse Organic Seed Starter Mix

Vegetables (Organic):

• Sweet Corn, Luscious Hybrid
• Turnip, Purple Top White Globe
• Cucumber, Straight Eight
• Tomato, Sweetie (small bite size tomatoes for the kiddos)
• Radish, Cherry Bell
• Sweet Pepper, California Wonder

Vegetable (non-Organic):

• Carrot
• Garden Beans, Stringless Variety
• Peas, Alaska (wilt resistant)
  

Fruit (Organic):

• Watermelon, Moon & Stars
• Cantaloupe, Hearts of Gold
• Pumpkin, Small Sugar
  

Flower/Seed (Organic):

• Sunflower, Mammoth

Herbs (Organic):

• Basil, Sweet
• Chives
• Dill, Bouquet
• Cilantro
• Parsley, Single Italian Plain-Leafed

Herbs (Non-Organic):

• Thyme, Common
• Chamomile, German
• Mint, Spearmint
  

*All organic seeds are USDA Certified Organic.

Baby Quilt - Finished

Well, I finished pulling the loose threads through the baby quilt this morning. Aside from a few things (mainly my sewing machine) I really enjoyed this. I think I'll just have to get a better sewing machine. I just hope she loves it.

Chompers

So, Victoria's second bottom tooth came through the skin yesterday and I noticed her top ones were starting to head down. It's good and bad. I'm glad she has gotten them through because she's not as cranky. The bad part is teeth and nursing aren't always fun. They are sharp little teeth! She's already chewing on whatever she can get in her mouth when she's not nursing. LOL

Baby Quilt Part 2

So, I have been hand stitching the binding to the back of the quilt and my fingertips are getting sore because I'm not used to it. Ugh...there has to be a better way. I think I'm gonna experiment on my scraps for an easier way to sew the binding on. I have 2 sides down and 2 to go! It takes me about 40 mins/side, which I know could be worse so I'm not complaining.

Baby Quilt

So I found some Antique Peter Rabbit fabric and decided that is what I was going to make a good friend a baby blanket with. I love it so I ordered a bunch. LOL My friend is having her first and it's a boy. Now if you listen to "old wives tales" when alot of boys are born, we are going to go to war. I know a bunch of people who just had or is about to have boys... I'm hoping that it is wrong (though I have known it to be right in the past...oddly enough). Anyways, back to what I was talking about. I cut everything out yesterday and took maybe a total of 4 hours to sew, pin, iron, and repeat (getting up to check on Victoria several times). I made two mistakes. Now I'm not gonna tell anyone, but whoever tells me my two mistakes will win a basket full of cookies (their choice) along with some cute things I'll make.

Here's the picture:

Pictures From the Ice Storm

For some reason Photobucket doesn't like me. You'll have to click on the pictures to get the full picture. It's cutting most of them off.


Here are some of the pictures I took from the recent ice storm.

These are from around our house. If you go to the "Winter Storm" post below you can compare some of the pictures.

The above 2 are of the huge Blue Spruce tree we have beside the house. I'm surprised it didn't break any of the branches with the amount of ice it had on them.

This is the Japanese Maple tree.

Just a picture of the front yard. The cable hanging down is the cable/internet line that snapped off the pole.

The spruce tree branch is one with Tom's car. (Same cable line as noted above.) LOL That branch had to be cut from the tree.

Pictures from my parent's house.

Behind my parent's house. The top half of the cedar trees snapped off. We're hoping it didn't bend the back end of the tractor's trailer.

Blackberry vines covered in ice.

The huge tree branch barely missed the corner of the roof.

I just like the icicles hanging from the front.

Ice covering a burning bush.

Just to give you an idea of how much ice we had. The porch rail is about an inch thick. Tom had up to 4 inches of ice on his car.

I'm Finally Back

So we've been without cable for about a week thanks to the ice storm that hit. We were lucky and were without power for 2 days, but my parents just got power back on Sunday. I have lots of pictures from around our house and my parents house of the damage the ice did and some "pretty" pictures of the ice. We were lucky that my parents had a gas fireplace, especially with the little ones. It made me realize one thing. We weren't as prepared as we should have been! But as long as we learn from it and that we are all well, that's the important part.

On a good note, Victoria cut her first tooth yesterday. She had been "working" on it and cranky for the past week or so. She also has another one right beside it coming in so I expect her to be cranky for a lil while longer.

I got the kitchen painted. I've only had the paint sitting around for about a month! LOL Not sure how I'm gonna like the blue color, but I'm sure when we get everything the way we want it that it will look good.

Winter Storm Last Night/This Morning

For some reason Photobucket doesn't like me. You'll have to click on the pictures to get the full picture. It's cutting most of them off.

I just wanted to put some pictures of what it looked like this morning. We got ice instead of snow.

Part of the front yard. The car is parked on the road (it's a circle).

Some icicles hanging from the roof in the back.

Ice on the Japanese maple tree in the front.

Ice on the huge spruce tree.

Not really sure what this tree is called, but I think it's really beautiful with the red berries against the white. Love the ice covering it too.

Ice covering the Hen and Chicks plants in the front.

Hottest New Beauty Secret

I just had to share this awesome new beauty secret with everyone when I found out about it! I just can't believe I didn't think about it before and it was right there in front of me everyday. What is this mystery you ask...

It's called a toothpaste mask! Katheryn let me in on the secret yesterday with a demonstration. You're skin will look like a toddlers after only one use!

Budgeting Money

I have sat here and thought the best way to start this and I can't really come up with anything "catchy". I figured I'd start out with some background that I wasn't the best when it came to budgeting. I have come a LONG way and am very proud of myself. My husband and I came into the Army life with hardly anything in the bank (because he had been without a good job for about 2 years, he worked as a contractor for the Armor Center and after 9/11 alot of gov't contracts were cut, and I had been in a bad car accident and didn't have insurance). We paid all of the bills off and were without debt most of the time, aside from one loan for a car (which we paid off early) and my monthly cellphone bill. We have and will continue to "live within our means". Which I believe many people don't think about when they get in huge debt. Our last car we bought, we saved our money until we had enough to pay cash for. We have also tried to keep enough money in savings in case of an emergency (accident, pay problems, etc). Enough for background.

We recently are buying a house. Back in November we (us and his parents) agreed upon a certain price. We budgeted ahead of time for certain things (remodeling, a good vacation before he deploys, bills, loan/insurance payments, etc). Pretty much everything that we weren't having to pay when we lived on post. Fast forward to January. It was bad enough that we weren't told when we went to get the loan that we would only be given 80% of what we were asking for. We had asked for only the amount that we weren't going to pay out of pocket for (not the real numbers just an example...if we were going to buy it for 200 and put 20 down payment we only asked 180). So now not only are we having to come up with the extra we weren't expecting to pay out of pocket for, they raised the price $10,000 and are denying they ever agreed on the other price. Honestly I know his mother remembers because of her body language and refusal to talk about it and then the fact she said it was a "joke". Now, how can it be a joke when we talked almost 10 times before we came here about the same price?

Now here's the kicker! Without going into details and without saying how much, I will use the latest news as an example. We'll liken it to say the banking industry. The gov't just recently bailed out the banks because they were idiots with how they loaned out money. Because they didn't know or care how to manage their money the gov't came in and gave them money. A lot of money! Now, what does that teach them? Well, when Tom confronted them about raising the price (he did it without me being there so he wouldn't embarrass his dad and to give his dad a chance to own up to the mistake so he could keep his "dignity") they said that they "didn't remember" and that they were going to "bail out" (notice the similarity?) a certain "group". Now this "group" also makes at least twice if not more than what we make. So when Tom told me this I asked the question why it was ok to pretty much take money from one to help out another when they would be putting one tight on money so the other wouldnt' be. You'll never guess the answer he was given....


Are you ready?...


and I will quote "Well then you'll just have to sit down and make a new budget."


I'll let you take that in for a min.


Now this is after telling her what we had budgeted our money for, the loan problem, Tom being in another car accident last week and that we would need to buy another car when he gets back from deployment, and the fact that we will have below what we like to have in the bank for emergencies.

Now if this isn't being a hypocrite, I don't know what is. If this advice is good for one, then shouldn't it be good for the other?

I have to say I didn't believe my husband when we were first together that he wasn't the favorite son. This is "the straw that broke the camels back". They have given this other group a shit load of "help", but have expected us to pay them back every cent that they have loaned us. I've had to defend Thomas when he went back through BCT and OCS (his mother always went on about how he was a wimp and he wasn't going to make it...even to people in public). I honestly am done being angry. I'm done being hurt. I'm done with them. I have great respect to Tom because he always said that you don't do 'x' to family. He has taken alot from them and let it go. He is a good man! He has higher standards for family and how you treat them. Now it is my turn. I am not going to let them think they can just walk all over him on this. Yes we are going to pay the money because I don't want that to be an issue, but that's it. We will be ok because we can stand on our own to feet and we don't need mommy and daddy to bail us out when we get into trouble. We take responsibly for our actions, something I think more people need to do. Right or wrong, I want nothing more to do with them. Yes, I will be civil. Yes, I will invite them to important things (birthdays, holiday party's, etc), but I don't want to see them any other time. Now, I have told Tom that I don't care if he goes to see them and that I still want him to because they are his parents. I don't want him to feel like I would be upset if he did, which I know that would be very wrong of me.

We will be able to make it, that isn't the point. The point is a simple one...it's the principle of the matter.

Jumble of Randomness

Ok so I am just gonna clump all my thoughts into one post.

1) Tom was finally able to find a Wii Fit and surprised me yesterday with it! He does love me. LOL So I got it out today and I must say I am sore, but it was fun. I spent 47 mins on it and it didn't seem that long! I love to hula (though I'm sure I look ridiculous!). I am so out of shape!

2) We almost have the play/family/sitting room done (yes it's one room). I just need to get my console radio from my uncle's house (he bought my nana's house) and sort toys into toyboxs. I plan on using the plastic totes we used to move with and customizing them for each kiddo.

3) I need to find curtains for our bedroom. We are so picky when it comes to patterns it isn't funny. LOL We also will have to then get a paint color that will look good with it. That is one bonus for not living on post. I like that I can paint the walls and not have to worry about repainting before I move out!

4) We are also going to re-tile part of the bathrooms and get new cabinets. Take the border down in the kitchen/dining room and paint. Paint the living room and hang curtains. Get rugs. All at the same time trying to stay under budget (which is hard). Everything is getting put on a priority list and we get things as we get the money for it (lol which will probably take at least a year if not more to get everything done that we want done...we are also doing alot of it ourselves to save on labor costs).

5) Victoria is wanting to sit up more now! She actually fusses if I don't hold her in an upright sitting position (unless she is going to sleep). She is growing so much! I'm glad that Tom is here to see it. He missed alot with Katheryn.

Charlie's Soap

So I gave my washing machine a well needed scrubbing today (film from the previous detergent/softener and non-use for a few days while we moved). So far I am pretty impressed with the Charlie's soap (a natural detergent, that is good for the environment). So we'll see how it handles with our skin (I was told unless you are allergic to Coconut oil then you'll be ok).

Check them out at Charlie's Soap.

Cloth diapers and Poopy

Ok, so I found a lady in E-town who owns a baby store who sales cloth diapers. I have been debating it long enough and I took the leap. I bought 12 to start with (they are adjustable for 8 to 36 lbs...which I liked instead of messing with plain ones and vinyl pants or the ones you have to buy certain sizes for each weight group). She also recommended a natural soap to do laundry in because Cheer, Tide, Dreft, etc all leave residue which will hamper the absorbency. I'm getting in an Organic/Natural kick too. With everything starting to be "bad" for you, I figure if I can lessen the kids exposure to some it will be good. Plus I'm hoping Victoria will not get diaper rash as bad. Her skin seems to be really sensitive.

As for the poopy, Katheryn seems to be getting into a potty training mood. She's been telling me when she has to go poopy and when she pees her diaper (which is also called "poopy" instead of pee pee but she holds her front when she says it). It's a start! Wish us luck!

2 Month Well Baby

Well, we were running a bit late because of the move (well just a couple weeks). And the fact that Fort Leonard Wood didn't put her info into DEERS like they said (we couldn't find the TriCare office because they moved it and we decided to just wait til we got here for that) and we had to redo everything when we got here...

Anyways! Everything went well. They were all surprised at how big she was and LOVED Katheryn. lol Victoria now weighs in at 11 lbs 8 ozs (in the 49 percentile) and measures 23.75 inches (in the 82 percentile...WOW). So I apparently am feeding her well even though she only nurses on one side half the time (well until about a week ago she was only nursing one side then decided she wanted more). Tom has now started saying I have "magic booby milk"...Thanks Tom... LOL

I was worried though that she was getting sick (other than a little cold). She has alot of congestion and a cough, but she assured me she sounded good in her chest. When we got here Tom had to go in to the ER for acute bronchitis, which is why I was worrying.

I'm gonna assume it's allergies. The people before us had 3 cats in the house and the air ducts and furnace is full of cat hair. So we're having them cleaned soon.