The End

I have decided to move my thoughts, feelings, photos, etc. to another address in the blogosphere. It is not a private blog. You can message me on facebook if we are friends there! Or leave your email in a comment here and I will email you! I don't want to lose any of my bloggy friends so be sure to come find me!

Happy Blogging!

The End.

How We Do It In The Country!

I am MOVING!

Tonight we spend the first night in our new home!

A Quick Sneak Peek

Here are 2 pics {fuzzy iphone pics} of my 2 fave paint colors in the new house!

The "Chamois" walls in the kitchen. Can you tell Cutie is getting used to the huge cast on her arm?! It comes off on the 10th! Woo Hoo!

And "Temptation" in the girls' bathroom. Yes, Wild Child is wearing 2 different shoes. All 3 girls LOVED the color, but I am currently very worried about my hubby's reaction. He is not exactly on board with the color choices for the "kid's wing" of the house.

Sorry I am not around much...posting and/or commenting...my Mom is here helping me! We are scheduled to move on the 13th and 14th! Yippee!

UnStopables

A couple weeks ago I received a box in the mail for a product review. I was so excited!

I joined VocalPoint about a month ago and had been hoping to review some cool stuff. Downy had sent me one of their latest products, Downy Unstopables. It is a scent booster you add to each load in the washer.

You pour as much as you want in the cap and throw them in the washer with your load of clothes. We have a lot of dirty towels...and sometimes they are in the basket a little too long...you know what I am talking about! Stinky towel syndrome. Well, if you add a few Unstopables to your towels they come out smelling fabulous! AND will still be fabulous and fresh when you use them!

I have washed a lot of our blankets before packing them for the move. Now when I pull them out at the new house they will smell fantastic! My mom and I just saw Unstopables in Walmart last week. They were $6.97. After using them at my house, my mom picked up one for herself! I will definitely be keeping them...hope Downy puts out coupons! A bottle will last a long time!

For doing this review Downy sent me a full size sample of the product and these cute socks. Did I mention how well they do on stinky socks?! Try it!

Lining

A sneak peek of a few of my colors for the new house.

I can't believe I am still lining drawers! Love the color of this lining...it's called Brownstone. Makes me think of NJ Housewives.

It took forever just to get the oodles of drawers lined on just one side of the gigantic island.

Chamois is the first paint going on the walls! It is so nice to have a painter doing all that for me. A girl could get used to that...

Happy Weekend!

Don't Be Fooled By The Mismatched Clothing And Grass In Her Hair!

On July 7th around 8pm...my girls and their cousin Beth wanted to go on our nightly ATV ride over to the new house. I had been cleaning and packing and was so tired. I had not even taken the time to eat and was getting a little sick. I let Manga Dork and cousin Beth each take a girl on their ATV. I said, "Go slow...no acrobats." I ate 10 mini corn dogs. Then the girls burst into the house crying and yelling.

Manga Dork said that she looked back and turned the wheel and the 4 wheeler had flipped completely over. I saw Cutie clutching her stomach. I said, "It ran over her stomach!" I panicked! Turns out she was clutching her arm. Just one glance near the elbow and I knew it was broken...badly. We took her to the ER...mismatched dirty play clothes and hair full of grass. Manga Dork had given her a makeover prior to the ride that included LOTS of hairspray.

We left our local hospital a little after midnight after a quick kiss to wish each other "Happy? 17th Anniversary." We drove 3 hours to Columbus Children's Hospital. It took 3 people to hold her arm down for the IV. I felt like I was going to completely lose it. They doped her up with morphine.

She had surgery at noon and received her bright pink cast. Now we have a matching set...leg and arm.

After eating and drinking and peeing enough to satisfy the nurse, Cutie was wheeled out in a wagon at 8pm. We had a lovely anniversary dinner from Dairy Queen in the car as we drove home. We felt like zombies. When we got home my dear Dr. Hubby fell asleep clutching his pjs. I just let him sleep in his clothes.

She has 3 pins that come out of her skin underneath her cast. She gets everything removed August 10th!

Upon further inspection of the ATV, Dr. Hubby discovered it had been in 4th gear. Manga Dork had been untruthful. A bad decision that had terrible consequences...consequences that could have been SO much worse. It hurts to even think about how bad it could have been. Thank God for miracles and watching over my girlies.

You Won't Even Believe What I Have Been Up To!

What a summer this has been! Would you believe I am still looking for fun?! Would you believe I am ready for the end of August to get here?!

Believe it. Here's the story...

My FIL was at Cleveland Clinic. We went to visit for a weekend. It was the first time my 2 littles have stayed at a hotel. They loved wearing all their brand new swim stuff. I brought my niece and nephew to my home for a week so my SIL could stay in Cleveland with my MIL. Then we had a cousin here for the week after that.

My FIL is now here in our town at the rehab center. He may have to have bowel surgery and then they are doing the dye test on his aneurysm. My MIL is so tired and stressed. We take every chance we can to make her smile.

Last Thursday I was too tired to go on the nightly ATV ride over to the new house. Well, I let Manga Dork and the cousin take the 2 littles with them. I hurried and ate dinner cause I was so hungry I was getting sick. About 20 minutes later they all come bursting through the door. Manga Dork had flipped the ATV completely over and on its wheels again. She had tire marks rubber burnt across her leg and a sprained knee. Cutie had been flipped off and her arm was broken. Our local hospital sent her to Columbus Children's Hospital. She had to have surgery and 3 pins put in her arm. Another hot pink cast! They assure me that she won't have to start kindergarten in it! Thank goodness! Dr. Hubby and I had only 1.5 hours of sleep from Thursday morning to Friday night! We were zombies.

Want to feel like dirt? Take a child into a hospital and tell them they were on an ATV. Mother of the Year...I may be banned for life!

Today we finally got some good news! We close on our new house tomorrow at noon! I hope this is only the start of the good stuff! I feel like I am starring in the movie Crappy Scrappy and the Totally Bummer Summer!

Plant Identification

Our new home's previous owner, Maguy, loved plants and flowers and trees and herbs and gardens. All of this is so definitely out of my comfort zone, BUT I am intrigued and hoping I have found a new hobby. I am determined to keep her plants beautiful. In order to do this I must know what they are. Here are two...

I love the orange flowers on this bush. So tiny. It is growing all around my purple clematis.

This is a tree. I thought the large leaves were interesting and then these little brownish things popped up with round things on the end. THEN each little round thing popped out a small flower. I have never seen anything like it.

So far I have figured out rhododendrons, bleeding hearts, humulus lupulus {hops}, roses, and purple clematis. I have also identified peach trees, blueberry bushes, grapes, and blackberry bushes. Dr. Hubby said he believes there is some peppermint in there too. Maguy had several herbs. Holy Moly! I hope I don't accidentally pull out something important.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give my black thumb...lol.

You've Never Had It So Random {We're Moving When!? Edition}

Manga Dork was in the play "A Shotgun Wedding" this weekend. See her there standing in the old pants, boots, and man's shirt. Her character was hilarious! Wild Child would not quit poking her head into the shot...little rat.

I cleaned up a corner full of overflow stuff from my organization for the yard sale and move. While cleaning this one corner we destroyed the entire rest of the house. At least the corner is clean and now filled with several boxes packed and ready to go.

We visited FIL yesterday. He is out of ICU. Because of the medicines and infection and such he is hallucinating. He got really aggravated cause he said someone broke his bag that is collecting his pee and it was all over the floor. He got really aggravated when the nurse left without cleaning it up. He said "this is the nastiest place ever." heehee He got mad at MIL earlier in the day because she couldn't see all the little bugs in the air. I was dying to sit down next to him and say "Ew...what did I step in!" OR start swatting at the gnats. I behaved. I love him so much.

And for the biggest most stressfullest craziest most impossibleness of randomosity E.V.E.R. {Yes, I know most of those aren't even real words}....

My FIL can only come home if he has a walk in shower, open floor plan, handrails, etc. So since they are supposed to moving in my current home in 5 weeks and it has all the above...I HAVE TO MOVE IN 2 WEEKS! And I think 2 weeks is being generous. He will be home at the beginning of next week I bet. I don't get the keys to my new home until the end of this week. I wanted to clean, hire it all painted, organize all this stuff BEFORE I moved. I am so freaked out!

I need some FUN.
Happy Monday!

Enough Already

My FIL is still in the hospital. He is still critical in ICU. He just had a second surgery and is back on the ventilator. My MIL's voice on the phone tears out my heart. She is so tired...physically, mentally, and emotionally. My hubby goes back and forth spending every other night at the hospital. He spends his time with his dad's chart trying to figure out what would be best...consulting with other doctors...trying not to worry his mom too much. I can hear the worry in his voice. My little ones are asking when Papaw and Mamaw are coming home. There are all kinds of little messages on their answering machine. My teen is so worried. She got to go back and see him the other day. I feel helpless. I take all the phone calls here...updating all the worried family and friends. I carry on with tball games, TOPS, drama club practice, organizing our stuff for our new home...busy stuff. I can control the tears until they sneak upon me. Then all the trying in the world won't stop them.

I am ready for him to be back on the farm. I want to see him on the tractor mowing the hay. I am ready for him to say one of his random things that annoy me.

Please continue to pray.

Please Send Up One...or Three!

My FIL is very ill. He went into the hospital earlier this week. While testing his sinuses they found he has a brain aneurysm. It is in a location where they can not do surgery to repair it. Then they thought he was having a kidney stone yesterday. After tests they discovered his appendix had burst. At 5 pm this evening he had surgery. He is in ICU on a ventilator. Please say a prayer.

Thank you.

Giggles Needed

I need something to make me laugh. My stress level is on overload. Tell me something funny.

It's Summer!!!

On Cutie's last day of school she took her preschool teacher a beach bag filled with summer fun...flipflops, squirt gun, kite, chocolate, Debbie Macomber book, sunscreen, bubbles, cute glass with lid and straw, 2liter of pink lemonade, and a beach towel. I can't believe our preschool years are behind us.

Wild Child started Kindergarten with a broken leg in a wheel chair. She ended it by puking all over the classroom. Perfection.

The first summer fun activity includes a bag of puffballs and a glass heart dish. Both I purchased from the Dollar Tree.

The girls earn a puffball by doing good deeds, doing their daily chores, showing kindness to their sisters and others, and eating everything on their plate. Manga Dork can earn a puffball for paying special attention to her little sisters. They lose a puffball for fighting. When mommy's heart is full they earn a day of special F.U.N.!

I can't wait to kick off my annual summer reading book club! More on that tomorrow...

E.X.H.A.U.S.T.E.D.

Last Sunday Dr. Hubby and I cleanded out our garage. It took 12 hours.

Monday...Tuesday...Wednesday...was spent with my mom in our basement...cleaning.

Thursday we cleaned stuff up and got it on the car hauler trailer thingy and on the trailer I have for my yellow ATV. It took all day. Can you spot Santa in the above photo? lol

On Friday and Saturday we cooked in the sun for our community yard sale. I am now $175 richer...and a lot of junk lighter. The money is going into my "I want someone else to paint the entire inside of my new home" fund.

I am still recuperating. I had lobster red arms on Friday and I am turning into a tan babe now. Let's just hope that doesn't evolve into a skin peeling leper. Thank goodness I put sunscreen on my face!

What have you been up to?

Playing Favorites

This is my absolute favorite graduate of the class of 2011. I love this overly excited, adventurous, loveable, intelligent, beautiful, classy young lady like one of my own. I would have kept her from the age of 5 if her parents would have let me. Why not before 5? She was terrified of me. She would hide when I came into a room. She got over it.

Every summer she has come and stayed with us no matter where we have have lived. She once stayed 21 straight days! I'm not kidding when I say I would have kept her. I'm excited to watch our relationship evolve from adult - child into friends.

In pink is her Lil Sis...we would keep her too. Who is the guy?

Her boyfriend who I already love as much as her. He is such a keeper. He fits into our family perfectly.

She LOVED the Longaberger basket filled with school supplies we gave her. She will be attending Marshall University in the Fall. She plans to follow in Dr. Hubby's footsteps by attending medical school. We are so proud of her!

Manga Dork is the next one in our family to graduate. That makes me throw up in my mouth a little! I don't even want to think about it!

The Greatest Little Show On Earth!

The Kelly Miller Circus came to our little town. I went down to the ticket booth early the morning of the show to pick up discount tickets. They were discounted from $15 to $10 plus I had coupons for free tickets for the 2 littles. I ended up buying the upgrade to VIP ringside seats{$2 per ticket}. So instead of sitting on bleachers for 2 hours we got patio chairs so close to the ring we could have touched the animals running around it!

The ringmaster started the show!

There were camels who twisted and turned and bowed...

and little ponies and dogs who jumped and posed.

During intermission the 3 girls rode an elephant...

and got their faces painted. Well, not Manga Dork.

It was fun watching and experiencing this through the kids. My FIL and MIL joined us.

The clowns made us giggle...

and the elephants took our breath away because they were so close.

We felt every flame from the fire eating crazy guys.

I didn't even show you the other clowns, tigers, jugglers, dancers, cowboys with lassos, acrobats, tumblers...

If they come to your town be sure to take time to go. It is the most fun I have had in a long time.

My Spooky Little Secret

Looks like the set of a horror movie...

These are my neighbors. It totally looks like a haunted house! I could see a Halloween party under the big shade tree with that house as the perfect decoration. lol. Don't worry. It is gonna be torn down and removed. Soon.

Here is what is hiding behind the spooky house. Now that rolling pasture will be a much better view from our back yard!

Happy Weekend!

The Final Part of the Tour

Welcome to the dining room. I love that it has lots of windows! {That black thing out the window is some of the furniture from the auction. There is a porch right there.}

I definitely need a new dining room set! The dining room is open into the kitchen. Actually it kinda makes a T shape with the kitchen.

My absolute favorite room in the house! A huge kitchen. I love all the windows. The view from them is the pond. Maguy {previous owner} had wicker furniture in that little area and it was SO pretty.

You could sit in the wicker furniture or slip out the side door to the porch.

I love the island with it cool countertops...the side near the stove is a wood top. I can see lots of cute baskets around the top of those cabinets!

I will probably keep my coupons and laptop here!

It has already become a funny joke that I will be "heating up my frozen pizzas in a professional oven." ha.ha.

I was surprised to see so many doors and drawers on this side of the island. Lots of storage!

I hope you all enjoyed the home tour. I can't wait to get in and decorate and share the "after" shots with you! I think the most intimidating thing for me is all the beautiful flowers, plants, and fruit trees. I can't fake having any knowledge about these. I am not even sure what is a plant and what is a weed. I'm gonna have to study a few books. I do know that I am in love with this purple clematis. When I was over there yesterday the rose bushes were all blooming and I discovered tiny peaches on two trees.

Be sure to pop over some time this weekend. I am going to share a sssspppoooooookkkyyy secret!