My Big Boy is FOUR!!

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Nada

Thats what I got, oh and a crabby hubby who needs a new attitude!

On with the new....paint that is

This is what my past few days have looked like, lots of teal paint everywhere. On my fingers, on my clothes, in my hair & some on the walls too. KAS got a new grown up bedroom set for Christmas cause after all she IS 13 now, and the sweet baby horses running in the meadow has to go. She's had a Company Kids quilt with horses at our house since she was 6 so a change is needed anyways. I have picked up some new pieces of furniture off craigslist and Im still on the hunt for a few other things though.



I have the trim around the ceiling, the inside around the blinds, and the closets.....Ugh! Maybe I can just add doors and forget about the closets right...? In my attempt to do the first closet, (cause yes there are two in the same damn room) this is where I added teal paint to my, pants, Elton John tshirt & hair. Yay!



The new bedroom set is cute, and since there is green but no yellow this was a quick fix paint job only painting two walls, two inside closets, and the inside trim of one window. Its gonna be a teen room makeover! Hopefully she will like it when she comes on Friday. Since she's not a pink girly girl I got the teal bedskirt and yes teal paint. The set was on sale after Thanksgiving, Thank you Target! Im excited about the finished product...to be continued.

gieco gecko

Little friend

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This little guy has been hanging out in the house for months now, I mean several months atlas 4 or more. I don't know how he got in but he's showed up in the bathtub, in the bathroom more than once, in KAS's room more than once, and in KC's room more than once. Tonight we were laying on the couch and saw something moving across the floor and it was him. I got down on the carpet and sure enough it was our little friend. Its been pretty cold here for FL so I don't want to put him outside just yet, but what am I supposed to feed him? Its not like he's in a cage. Wonder where he will show up next.

Highwaters

KC is growing! Poor thing is taking after me in the height department....(hopefully not forever) but he is adding inches. I can tell because all his jeans have turned into highwaters and its driving this OCD mama crazy! He's skinny as can be so all his jeans have been size 2 but now they are all to short. He still has 18 month shorts that fit. I spent Sunday cleaning out KCs closet & room and removed 14 pair of shoes and a kitchen sized garbage bag of clothes, excessive. But Im hanging on to some things "just incase" and giving my friend who's having a little boy Thursday lots of stuff too.



So as much as I hate to shop, Im going to have to =-) I do love shopping on ebay, thats where I find a lot of deals. I like to find a few different sellers who have lots listed so I can save on shipping. Then I resell a lot of the name brand clothes and shoes back on ebay. For shoes I use Zappos.com most of the time, I am a VIP member and I can order shoes late afternoon and have them at my doorstep the next day. If I need to return them they return and reship for free. I LOVE them! I Love purging things to, its such a relief. This is the end product of my day...


Uhhh and the Stanley Steamer guy will be coming this week to! On to KAS's room!

100

Im tired. Im to old to stay out past midnight, The concert was awesome! That is all from me tonight.


But I have made it to 100! Yay!!

99

This would mark my 99th post....yay!

Tonight will be spent listening to great music, with a few friends at a pretty cool place. KC is with his Gigi for the night so I am doing this ahead of time because I know I wont be home before midnight. My ride just might turn into a pumpkin and I will have to do a double check on my prince charming.

Friday Findings

Today was a lazy day, KC played hooky from preschool for no reason really except we were both to lazy to wake up. I did wake up before he did but I didn't do much. We went to lunch with a few friends at Olive Garden and came home. Spent the afternoon eating snacks, playing with play-doh, watching toons, and in between I managed to do some laundry, clean the kitchen, bathroom, and pick up a few other things. To get anything picked up with my little tornado at home is an accomplishment in my book.

My big boy is doing so going in the potty department, he has been wearing big boy pants full time since September but he was only going on his small potty & sitting on the big potty. Now he will go #1 standing up in the big potty or even outside on ants ha! He will even go #2 on the big potty, and whats best is he will do both all by himself. I couldn't have had better luck in potty training him I swear it was either a fluke, or he's just to smart for words. We have now come to the point where I have to go out and close the door. Today at lunch he had to go, so we left the table and went to the restroom. I helped him get up and he promptly told me to go out. Its so funny, but so sad because its just another sign my little man is growing up...and way to fast in my opinion.

Tomorrow is gonna be a fun night with Donna the Buffalo at Skippers, I guess its turning into an annual tradition. Last year when Hubby & I were there it was cold and they were serving warm spiced apple cider with rum and it was tasty on a fridged Florida night. Cant wait cause.....


Theres No Place Like the Right Time - 2009


a fave of mine...The Ones You Love - 2010

Free...

It was a yucky day today, a bad storm woke us up before daylight and the lightning and thunder was terrible. I woke up having to get dressed and ready like I was going to a new job, except I wasn't...I was going to a funeral. Funny how the weather coincided with the mood of a lot of close friends today. I dropped KC off at school and headed to the church where last night over 600 people passed through to pay their respects to a wonderful guy. Today wasn't as crowded but you could feel the love in those four walls. Duanes eulogy was read by Brooke, his sister and also Jeremy one of his best friends who was there when he passed away. I have known these people my entire life and hearing the words and seeing their pain just made me so sad. Brooke spoke about taking your days for granted always assuming there is going to be tomorrow, she thought she would see her brother again in this life not knowing that wasn't to be. She knows she will see him again one day and her faith tells her that. Jeremy talked about all the first he and Duane experienced together, camping, being there when each other got married, and had there first child. Both Duane and Jeremy's mothers had breast cancer and they helped each other through the rough times. Various hunting and fishing stories and many other stories not suitable for church, but this was a first, the first time Duane wasn't going to be there for a first. Jeremy grew up in church and said he considered himself a Christian man and his whole life has always justified things with God has plan. It shook me to hear him say that as the Christian man he doesn't not in anyway understand God's plan in loosing his friend and it was going to take a lot of convincing to get him to try to understand this all. Why would God take a father away from his precious little girl? he asked. Why? It just breaks my heart that a single accident would make a man question everything he's based his life on for the past 34 years. It breaks my heart that Duane's precious little girl is grow up without him in her life. When we were all standing at the cemetery, with our eyes closed listening to the preachers last prayer....the clouds opened up and a bright beam of sunshine shined down on us all for a just a few seconds. I smiled just thinking maybe that was Duane giving us one last reason to smile.

Even though sad moments like this make time seem to stand still, it is inevitable that time will keep right on trucking. The memories have to be positive ones and you have to smile and remember the good times and make that make you keep going. I know I will see my friend Duane again one day, I will see my Dad, and Johnny and all the special people I have lost in my life again. I know I will and I that gives me comfort knowing that I have a lot of special people looking over me too. Until then I have pictures and good memories to carry me through the days & help me keep going.


Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God has chosen for me.
I took His hand when I heard him call;
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I've now found peace at the end of day.

If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss;
Oh yes, these things, I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
Look for the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life's been full, I savored much;
Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seems all to brief;
Don't lengthen your pain with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and peace to thee,
God wanted me now-He set me free

RIP Duane - You touched many lives & that was very evident over the last few days. You will always be missed, remembered and loved by us all, until we meet again my friend.

1-5-11

Today I got my hair done, I had to remove all the grey before going to my friends visitation/funeral. I knew I would be seeing lots of people from high school some that I haven't seen in a decade or more. I hate doing things like that too, I always have hated extremely large crowds of people - call me anti-social I guess. But as a friend should I sucked it up and went. It also gave me an excuse to buy some new clothes. The services are held at a church and tonight at the visitation that lasted 2 hours there were over 600 people thru the doors, if that doesn't tell you what kind of guy Duane was I don't know what does. It makes me so sad though to think about his young daughter that has lost her Daddy. He was such an awesome guy.

The funeral is tomorrow and its supposed to rain, which is quite fitting for a gloomy funeral.

Off to bed, the sad stuff has made me tired tonight.

From the newspaper:

DUANE L
ROBERTS, 33
Carpenter

Florida - Duane L Roberts, age 33, died January 1, 2011 at a Central Florida Hospital of injuries received in a fall from a moving golf cart.
Duane was born in Florida on in 1977. Duane was a carpenter, loving father, avid outdoors man and a member of a Baptist Church.
Duane is survived by his daughter Bailee, former wife, mother & father, sister, paternal grand-mother Dorothy Roberts and many other extended family members and friends. In lieu of flowers the family has set up a savings account for Duane's daughter Bailee at any Credit Union Visitation will be Wednesday January 5, 2011 from 6:00-8:00 P.M. at a Baptist Church. Funeral services will be Thursday January 6, 2011 at 10:00 A.M. at a Baptist Church. Condolences may be sent to the family. Arrangements entrusted to a Funeral Home-FL.

1-4-11

We went to the mall today to get me some things to wear to Duanes funeral and viewing. KC was being a little terror because he's in transition from the holidays. He is for sure my child on the sleeping part, I have always been a non napping, nocturnal creature & he's the same way. I wonder if he will stay that way?

We scored Donna the Buffalo tickets for Saturday night and the circus is in town so we might take KC to his first trip. Always busy, busy doing something.

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Donna The Buffalo - Family Picture

1-3-11

Today was a good day, KC started back to preschool after the holiday break and he was super excited to see his teachers and friends. We came home after lunch and played in the yard and a friend brought her boxer, Bella over to play with our boxers Buster & Rita. While out in the yard we watched a MetLife blimp flying around, and KC thought the airplane was cool! KC has decided he doesnt take naps anymore so its very rare to get a quiet afternoon around here. When he finally crashes out though, he is down for the count!

I went to Wal-Mart this evening to buy a few things and I only took my credit card & $40 cash, no wallet, no bank card. Now any other damn day this would have been fine but since my credit card was my Christmas cushion this year, my Wal-Mart trip didnt turn out so swell. My few things turned into $103 worth of crap in the buggy because any woman knows you cant ever leave that place without spending a Ben Franklin. So Im in the line to check out, swipe my card and a big fat NADA!!! Declined...then tried again with no success... so I pushed the buggy to the side and left. I still needed my few things so I stopped by the grocery store and spent $25. I laughed as I walked out knowing that I wouldnt be coming back to rescue the cart and some poor person would have to put my few things & other unnecessary junk back on the self. Mean for laughing....maybe....maybe not. My lessoned learned is NEVER go to Wal-Mart without a wallet!

1-2-11

Today was a boring day around the house. Un-decorated for Christmas and tried to organize things while the hubby & kids rode the carts.


Maybe tomorrow I will have something eventful to say....right now Im tired and I finished off the World's Finest Chocolate choc. covered almonds and my fat butt is going to bed =-)

1-1-11

A New Year has begun, and my resolution was to write on my blog atleast once a day even if its something lame. I did not make any other resolutions except this one, no Im gonna loose weight or quit cussing or be Paula Deen; just that once a day Im gonna write something, something to leave my mark saying I was here.

We spent New Years Eve home for the first time in a long time, we shot off a few fireworks and sat and listened to the other neighborhood fireworks and gunshots. KC didnt make it to midnight, but Hubby & I rang in the New Year with a first smooch in our front yard. New Years day consisted of sleeping in, a home cooked brunch of biscuits & gravy, and eggs (KCs favorite), a bowl of black eyed peas from my MIL, and taking down Christmas decorations. I also learned that another good friend passed away not to long after midnight, Duane was a close friend and my best friend in high schools brother. He was 33 and he fell off the back of a golf cart & hit his head. He was a son, brother, fantastic father, and a fabulous friend to lots of people. I just dont understand why the good die young.



I hope this year is a great year for my family and also my friends. I am thankful for my life and all the great people in it.

1-1-11, here we go!!



RIP Duane Roberts - 5/16/77 ~ 1/1/11

11:11 - I'm a weirdo!

Ok, I am seriously weirded out. For the last 6 to 8 months I have been seeing the sequence of numbers 11:11, and 1:11 everywhere! I told my friend Ktbug and I send her 11:11 texts, and pictures when they come up so I have proof to someone else that Im not insane.It shows up everywhere, receipts, internet searches, expiration dates, stove, radio, etc, etc. I see it on the clock atleast once a day, sometimes I catch all four times in one day. So I decided to google the 11:11 phenomenon after a friend did some investigating for me awhile back and I have been really freaked out ever since. I remember seeing 11:11 in high school and a friend telling me when you see 11:11 you're supposed to make a wish.

Here are some photos from my phone:
Checking a package being delivered to me

at a red light

mileage check

This isnt even the tip of the iceberg! I try not to think about and just when I think I have succeeded it shows up in some really random weird place. Then I got a new twist on this deal when I forwarded my flight itinerary to my cousin whos picking me up from my flight to Tennessee for a wedding. I read the details and my flight there I'm sitting in row 11 seat A, and my flight home I'm sitting in row 11 seat E.
Flight:
Leg Date Flight Depart Time Arrive Time
1A Wed, Jun 23 198 ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL (MCO) 03:05 pm KNOXVILLE,TN (TYS) 04:45 pm
2A Fri, Jun 25 199 KNOXVILLE,TN (TYS) 03:55 pm ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL (MCO) 05:35 pm
IMPORTANT TRAVEL UPDATE: Flights between Knoxville, TN(TYS) and Orlando, FL will route to/from Orlando International Airport(MCO).

# Passengers Seat Flight 198 Seat Flight 199 Checked Bags
1 Mama SeWELL 11A 11E 0

Ive read about this phenomenon as its called and frankly - I am freaked the hell out! I usually dont get on these bandwagons and the unkown, urban legend, supersticious crap has never phased me, this however has latched on.

Here are some things that I've read from various websites.
For many years the numbers 11:11 have been mysteriously appearing to people all over the world. Often appearing on digital clocks, the sightings of 11:11 tend to occur during times of heightened awareness, having a most powerful effect on the people involved. This causes a reactivation of our cellular memory banks. There’s a stirring deep inside, a hint of remembrance of something long forgotten. The appearance of 11:11 is also a powerful confirmation that we are on the right track, aligned with our highest Truth.

"the universe tapping you on the shoulder"

Numerologists believe that events linked to the time 11:11 appear more often than chance or coincidence.[1] This belief is related to the concept of synchronicity.[2] Other authors believe it is an auspicious sign,[3] and others that it signals a spirit presence.[4][5] The belief that it has mystical powers has been adopted by believers in New Age philosophies.[6] However, skeptics say that Uri Geller's examples of 11:11 phenomenon in world events are examples of post-hoc reasoning[7] and confirmation bias.[8]

These 11:11 Wake-Up Calls on your digital clocks, mobile phones, VCR’s and microwaves are the "trademark" prompts of a group of just 1,111 fun-loving Spirit Guardians, or Angels, and the 11:11 prompt is their way of using our innate ability for pattern recognition to let us know that they are here.

Ummm so yea I am officially friggin off my rocker! I would've rather NOT read any of the crap and just left to wonder what it all means. So this is my psychotic rant for the evening, but if I dont make it back from my flight atleast you know why.

Well jump right in

Thats what Im going to do, jump right in and talk about the big D....no, not divorce though sometimes I have had those thoughts...Im goin to talk about DEATH. In this last year I have experienced death and tragedies more than any other time I can ever remember. Death was apparent to me long before it is to most people much less a child. The first memory I have of losing a person close was the death of my own father at 9 years old, and I have lost lots of loved ones over the last 20 years. This year, I have been to more funerals than ever, and lost several close loved ones. Several that were very young and seemingly healthy, and I find myself consumed with my life and living each moment to the fullest. I have been to 5 funerals since August 10, 2009 when a very close lifetime friend, Ktbug's grandma died after a simple hernia operation. September 29, 2009 our very best friend Taco past away at 38 from a heart attack, another very close friend Ron passed away January 14, 2010 at 59 from bone cancer in his jawbone that was just discovered less than 1 year before his death. On March 2, 2010 my same friend Ktbug lost her granddaddy after a fight with colon cancer, then on March 4, 2010 a woman I didnt know personally, but was well known in the community named Trenda passed away suddenly at age 37, after being diagnosed with lung cancer about a month ago. She also lost her own father a local businessman in August 2009 of a heart attack while driving him to a doctors appointment. Whew! Does that seem like alot? Wait I'm not done....one week ago yet another friend of my hubbys and also my BIL got into a car accident and has been in a coma & on a ventillator since then with severe brain trauma and swelling. He is not expected to make it, and IF he does will "more than likely" never be the same person again. He is only 28 years old. And today, even though its corny, hearing my teenage love Corey Haim died at 38 is another part of my life gone.
I feel emotionally drained just reading over all that. I need a martini or something. Thats how I have felt for awhile now. I have tried to push feelings to the side and replace them with other things that are joyful and happy but they keep creeping back in. I think of death and I feel so many things...but the one that is the one that always comes to mind first is SCARED! Not scared of the unkown or what ifs, but scared of leaving my son. Scared of me not being here when he learns to ride his bike, graduate high school, get married, have children, scared of leaving him to have the same thoughts I remember having as a kid. Thats the most terrifying, thinking of him in my shoes at that age or any age. I never thought about dying until KC was born, never. Its never scared me, I have always known that reality of death, but my mind has never gone there until we lost our friend Taco. Since then I often find myself thinking what would happened if I died today. Sometimes the thoughts are random like that scrapbook page wouldnt be finished, the dog wouldnt have her medicine on time, or I wont be able to go to Disney World. Other times the thoughts are more vivid, like picturing my young son at a baseball game, and everyones there but me. I know others have had similar thoughts we are human after all. But its weird, Its really weird the older you get, the more people that arent here with you anymore. Way weird! I know that I am beginning to sound kind of gloomy so yuck!
I like living without thinking these kinds of things but like I said it seems to find its way back and looks you right in the face. I love my life, and everyone (almost) in it. My life will go on as long as it will. I dont know the answer to that question any more than the next person does. Loosing all these good people makes me want to be a better person while Im here. A better everything. A better me.
Life is so simple, yet so complicated.

This is an awesome poem read at both of Ktbug's grandparents funerals. I had never heard it until August, but I like it.

The Dash Poem
by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came the date of her birth And spoke the following date with tears
But he said what mattered most of all Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time That she spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved her Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own; The cars, the house, the cash, What matters is how we live and love And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left, That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough To consider what’s true and real And always try to understand The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, And show appreciation more And love the people in our lives Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect, And more often wear a smile Remembering that this special dash Might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read With your life’s actions to rehash Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent your dash?

Wow!

November?? Really?? I guess I need to do some spring cleaning around here.

I'll be back!

Wordless Wednesday

Seriously Mama....whyd you let that guy stick me with that needle?

Today I took KC to get his bloodwork done for pre-op, and this was his very fist time having it done. Of course we get there and the waiting room is filled up. At this point Im thinking about not even staying because the last thing I wanted was him catching something else while waiting for this surgery. We have been on lockdown for a week waiting for this thing to come to an end. We stayed, and lucky us almost half the people ended up walking out because they didnt want to wait that long. When they called his name we went back & they had me sit him on my lap. They had me position my arm in front of the arm they werent getting blood from, so he didnt try to grab or move. He didnt like what was going on one bit, & I hated the feeling of having to be the one forcing him to do something that ended up hurting. He cried & wailed for about 20 seconds or so, then he just started sobbing! He was crying these huge, fat tears that just broke my heart in two! It was very quick, and the guy that stuck him was really quick, and theres no bruise or anything so I feel he did a good job. By the time it was over KC was pitching more of a fit to get the gauze and tape off his arm than he was about the pain. He doesnt like band-aids, stickers or anything being stuck to him so he was all pissed when I would let him pull it off. It wasnt as bad as I thought it was going to be, but we did stop for some ice cream on the way home to make it all better! Surgery will be early Friday morning but Im not sure what time yet, we are going to a day surgery center near the hospital as an outpatient deal instead of the hospital. Ive heard good things about this place from several IRL Mom friends, so I feel alot better about it all. Im just hoping the outcome is better than what the last few months have been, hopefully its smooth sailing from Saturday on!



Here is KC once we made it home, he couldnt stand it stuck to him one more second!

Ears, nose, & throat....oh my!

The time has come....to remove KCs adenoids and to add tubes to his ears. This has been an ongoing battle since atleast August with sinus infections, ear infections, fever, lots of snot, & lots of coughs. Finally after what has seemed like forever we got the go ahead for surgery, and although I do not like the idea of my baby boy being put to sleep, or chopped on I am soooooo relieved that this is the end of these horrible past few months. KC has just felt awful, he is whiny, he hasnt ate good in several weeks,and he puked for the first time in his life & it totally freaked him out. He shrieked in terror when the projectile got all over him & me. He had no clue what was going on poor lil feller. I, in return got to clean up my first puke mishap and that was followed up by a nice diarrhea episode the next night. It was a double whammy considering he made it past 2 years old with never having either, man have I been lucky! From what I hear from all my FB friends the majority of kids have tubes, and it has been a breeze ever since. KC did have a hearing test and he was hearing at right below a normal level due to all the puss and fluid behind his ears. The ENT Dr. said that has also 100% been affecting his vocabulary, he said more than likely all KC is hearing is something like the teacher off of
Charlie Brown...wah wah wah wah - wah wah!


The surgery hasnt been scheduled yet, but they said today it would be maybe the end of next week. The sooner the better in my mind, but he has to be fever free for a full 3 days before the Doc will do it, and so far that has not happened. He has been running a fever off & on since Saturday, and he got a new antibiotic on Tuesday. Today is actually the first day he hasnt ran a fever & hasnt been funneling Motrin and Tylenol. Did I mention that Im over all this? I really want to go back to this....

when I had a happy boy, with no cough and a snot free face to kiss!