What's that? You've never seen that holiday classic? It was just released this weekend. Blockbuster hit. We highly recommend it. Here's a brief synopsis of the story-line.
This year, we weren't actually having our family Thanksgiving dinner until Friday (scheduling conflict) so my plan was to leisurely cook and visit with family all day Thursday, then put the finishing touches on everything Friday.
I make plans. Life laughs.
Shawn had been battling what we thought was a little stomach bug all week. He soldiered through work Tuesday and Wednesday, but on Thursday his illness peaked. He had a pretty miserable day that day and basically isolated himself in our bedroom to rest and not spread germs. When he was still sick on Friday, we were both a little concerned.
And Friday is when the proverbial "fan" got hit.
The turkey had only been in the oven for a little over an hour when my brother came upstairs from our basement and asked if we had turned water on. Thinking he could just hear water running in the pipes, I barely looked up and told him Shawn was probably just in the shower. "Well, it's leaking through the basement roof." That got my attention. I went rushing in our bedroom to find that our toilet was overflowing; apparently the water was draining down into the basement through an air vent.
I made a couple of phone calls to find a plumber that was working. In the meantime Shawn had been on the phone with his uncle, a family practice physician, and they had decided that he should maybe go to the ER. Despite pushing Gatorade all week to stay hydrated, Shawn had lost about 10 pounds in 2 days. I quickly gave my dad instructions for the plumber and for the turkey, and Shawn and I took off for the ER. A couple of bags of IV fluids later, he was looking a little better.
Somewhere in the middle of all of that, my sister arrived at our house with her crew, and the action really picked up. I set about trying to put the finishing touches on dinner. Kids were getting hungry and starting to whine. I couldn't figure out why in the world the little "done" indicator on the turkey hadn't popped yet. Then I realized the oven didn't seem as warm as it should. Apparently, the oven had accidentally gotten turned off during the ER fiasco, so we cranked it up and tried to pacify the kids with a snack.
Shawn's mom and stepdad stopped by for a quick visit, and they had brought a little singing Mickey for Sam. I vaguely remember someone saying, "We have a bleeder," but I didn't hear any kids crying so I didn't think much of it. The Shawn's stepdad walked over to me holding his finger. He had apparently been trying to put new batteries in Mickey when his pocket knife closed on his finger. So we sent them off to the ER with our blessing to get 6 stitches.
Somewhere in the middle of all of that chaos, Shawn let the dog out, and she found a pile of something disgusting to roll in. She had green goo from her chin to her shoulder. Awesome. My idea was to lock her in the garage and leave her there for the rest of her life, but Shawn thought we should probably bathe her. So she got a bath while the turkey was finishing up.
Long story short, we finally ate our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was delicious. Afterwards, while we were cleaning up, my sister gently suggested that perhaps we shouldn't host Thanksgiving next year, and I couldn't really hold the maniacal laughter in any longer.
So--to recap--our Thanksgiving consisted of:
--a dog covered in unidentified poop
--an emergency plumber bill
--2 ER visits (I think that might be some kind of record)
--cleaning carpet
--a turkey that tried his darndest to stay raw
BUT our Thanksgiving also consisted of:
--a house full of really cool kids
--a lot of laughter (at our own expense)
--a trip to the Horse Park to see the lights
--a few games of UNO around the kitchen table
--two wins for UK
I'm happy to report that Shawn is feeling much better now and was actually able to eat yesterday. I have promised him a re-do of the chocolate pie in a couple of weeks.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thankful Post--Friday
Disclaimer: I know today's post is late. I started it Thursday night with the intention of finishing it Friday morning. I never got the chance.
Today I am thankful for:
1) Hot showers. Maybe a seemingly insignificant thing, but a good, long, hot shower can wake up my tired eyes and make getting out of bed possible. I have thought many times over the last year and a half that showering at night would probably make my life much easier, but I just can't give up that feeling of the water beating me in the face to wake me up.
2) Health insurance. We are blessed to have excellent health insurance that pays for almost 100% of our ER visits. Honestly, I can only think of one time in my 32 years that I have ever had to take a family member to the ER...except in the last 3 months...and we've been 3 times recently...including yesterday. (Everyone is fine.) While I'm grateful that Shawn has this benefit at his job, I'm hopeful that we'll never have to use it again.
3) Plumbers that respond to service calls quickly. I know plumbers charge astronomical amounts for their work, but I kinda don't really mind paying their fees. I mean, I sure as heck don't want to do their job. They deal with some nasty...um...stuff. I'm glad the nice man made it stop raining in my basement yesterday.
Stay tuned for the full rundown of our Thanksgiving holiday. As you can tell, it was...eventful.
Today I am thankful for:
1) Hot showers. Maybe a seemingly insignificant thing, but a good, long, hot shower can wake up my tired eyes and make getting out of bed possible. I have thought many times over the last year and a half that showering at night would probably make my life much easier, but I just can't give up that feeling of the water beating me in the face to wake me up.
2) Health insurance. We are blessed to have excellent health insurance that pays for almost 100% of our ER visits. Honestly, I can only think of one time in my 32 years that I have ever had to take a family member to the ER...except in the last 3 months...and we've been 3 times recently...including yesterday. (Everyone is fine.) While I'm grateful that Shawn has this benefit at his job, I'm hopeful that we'll never have to use it again.
3) Plumbers that respond to service calls quickly. I know plumbers charge astronomical amounts for their work, but I kinda don't really mind paying their fees. I mean, I sure as heck don't want to do their job. They deal with some nasty...um...stuff. I'm glad the nice man made it stop raining in my basement yesterday.
Stay tuned for the full rundown of our Thanksgiving holiday. As you can tell, it was...eventful.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thankful Week--Thursday
Today I am thankful for:
1) Online shopping. I fell in love with online shopping when we lived in Pikeville, and I still love it today. Not only am I not limited by my geographical location, I can shop anytime I want, in my pj's, all while watching an episode of Magnum, P.I. I mean, what could possibly be better?! To sweeten the deal, I don't have to deal with grouchy sales associates or other pushy shoppers, and they always have the color or size I want. AAAAND I can usually find some kind of online coupon code for free shipping or some kind of discount. I plan on expressing my gratitude for online shopping this Black Friday. Only instead of Magnum, P.I., I will probably be watching a DVR'd cheesy Christmas Hallmark movie.
2) Good friends. I am so blessed to have some really awesome friends. Friends that I could call in the middle of the night and they would get up and come bail me out of jail. Friends who would let me stay with them if our house burned down. Friends who know the worst parts about me and choose to be my friends anyway. Friends who laugh with me, cry with me, pray with me and just shower me with undeserved love.
3) The privilege of being a mom. I'm not one of those girls who always dreamed of being a mom. In fact, there was a time when I really wondered if I should have children. I thought I was too selfish to care for another human being 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And while I won't say I'm perfect at it, Sam has been an excellent teacher. Being his mom is the greatest (and hardest) job I have ever had. It challenges me daily, but I am amazed daily at the rewards that I reap. I have given up lone shopping trips, sacrificed sleep and a clean house and abandoned the idea of eating in a nice restaurant for the next 16 years or so. But in exchange I get all of the sticky kisses I can handle, I hear a sweet voice say, "Mommmm" about 50 times a day, and I get to say night-night prayers with my own little direct link to Heaven every night.
1) Online shopping. I fell in love with online shopping when we lived in Pikeville, and I still love it today. Not only am I not limited by my geographical location, I can shop anytime I want, in my pj's, all while watching an episode of Magnum, P.I. I mean, what could possibly be better?! To sweeten the deal, I don't have to deal with grouchy sales associates or other pushy shoppers, and they always have the color or size I want. AAAAND I can usually find some kind of online coupon code for free shipping or some kind of discount. I plan on expressing my gratitude for online shopping this Black Friday. Only instead of Magnum, P.I., I will probably be watching a DVR'd cheesy Christmas Hallmark movie.
2) Good friends. I am so blessed to have some really awesome friends. Friends that I could call in the middle of the night and they would get up and come bail me out of jail. Friends who would let me stay with them if our house burned down. Friends who know the worst parts about me and choose to be my friends anyway. Friends who laugh with me, cry with me, pray with me and just shower me with undeserved love.
3) The privilege of being a mom. I'm not one of those girls who always dreamed of being a mom. In fact, there was a time when I really wondered if I should have children. I thought I was too selfish to care for another human being 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And while I won't say I'm perfect at it, Sam has been an excellent teacher. Being his mom is the greatest (and hardest) job I have ever had. It challenges me daily, but I am amazed daily at the rewards that I reap. I have given up lone shopping trips, sacrificed sleep and a clean house and abandoned the idea of eating in a nice restaurant for the next 16 years or so. But in exchange I get all of the sticky kisses I can handle, I hear a sweet voice say, "Mommmm" about 50 times a day, and I get to say night-night prayers with my own little direct link to Heaven every night.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thankful Week--Wednesday
Today I am thankful for:
1) Craig's List. I have only recently entered the world of Craig's List. We have a basement full of things we need to get rid of. Our neighborhood has a big yard sale every summer and I keep saying we are going to participate, but somehow we have missed it every year. A couple of months ago, in a clutter-induced frenzy I bagged up some smaller items to haul off to Goodwill, but I listed a couple of bigger items on Craig's List. They sold almost immediately, and I was hooked! I got back on the wagon this week by listing a couple of things that I didn't bother to sell last time, and they're already sold! Christmas shopping money, anyone? So now I'm looking around the house for things that I can get rid of while putting a little extra money in my pocket. I think Shawn may be getting a little nervous...
2) Visits from family. Some of our Western Kentucky kinfolk are going to start trickling in tonight. We anticipate there being a steady stream of people in and out of our house all weekend. I have all kinds of fun things planned, including a visit to the Kentucky Horse Park to see the lights, a movie marathon of Christmas classics, an UNO tournament, and the first ever King Christmas Cookie-palooza! (Then on Monday, I plan on collapsing and administering oxygen to myself all day.)
3) The fact that my refrigerator is overflowing right now. Seriously, I know most of us are going to over-indulge this weekend. If my refrigerator and pantry are any indication, we plan on doing A LOT of over-indulging this weekend. And I'm thankful that we can. Shawn and I always have food on our table. We never have to make the decision on whether to buy groceries or buy gas. And while I might have to make the decision on WHAT to feed my son, I have never had to wonder IF I could feed my son. I cannot imagine how hard that must be for a parent. There are people in this country who are starving. Hard to believe, perhaps, in a time when so much emphasis is put on America's tendency for super-sizing everything, but it's true. So today I am thankful that our table will have food on it and our bellies will be full.
1) Craig's List. I have only recently entered the world of Craig's List. We have a basement full of things we need to get rid of. Our neighborhood has a big yard sale every summer and I keep saying we are going to participate, but somehow we have missed it every year. A couple of months ago, in a clutter-induced frenzy I bagged up some smaller items to haul off to Goodwill, but I listed a couple of bigger items on Craig's List. They sold almost immediately, and I was hooked! I got back on the wagon this week by listing a couple of things that I didn't bother to sell last time, and they're already sold! Christmas shopping money, anyone? So now I'm looking around the house for things that I can get rid of while putting a little extra money in my pocket. I think Shawn may be getting a little nervous...
2) Visits from family. Some of our Western Kentucky kinfolk are going to start trickling in tonight. We anticipate there being a steady stream of people in and out of our house all weekend. I have all kinds of fun things planned, including a visit to the Kentucky Horse Park to see the lights, a movie marathon of Christmas classics, an UNO tournament, and the first ever King Christmas Cookie-palooza! (Then on Monday, I plan on collapsing and administering oxygen to myself all day.)
3) The fact that my refrigerator is overflowing right now. Seriously, I know most of us are going to over-indulge this weekend. If my refrigerator and pantry are any indication, we plan on doing A LOT of over-indulging this weekend. And I'm thankful that we can. Shawn and I always have food on our table. We never have to make the decision on whether to buy groceries or buy gas. And while I might have to make the decision on WHAT to feed my son, I have never had to wonder IF I could feed my son. I cannot imagine how hard that must be for a parent. There are people in this country who are starving. Hard to believe, perhaps, in a time when so much emphasis is put on America's tendency for super-sizing everything, but it's true. So today I am thankful that our table will have food on it and our bellies will be full.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thankful Week--Tuesday
Today I am thankful for:
1) Ms. Tammy. Ms. Tammy is Sam's babysitter. She treats him like he is her own grandchild. Every night when I pick him up she gives him kisses and tells him that she loves him. She calls to check on him if he's sick. And while it always kinda tears a little piece of my soul off when I leave him every morning, it makes it a little bit easier to know that he's in such good hands.
2) Cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies. Shawn thinks I'm so weird for liking these. I haven't had the chance to indulge in them much this year, but that's what DVR is for, right? It's nice to sit down and watch a movie from that to time that doesn't have any blood or guts being sprayed across the screen or boobs flashing in my face. The story lines might not be the greatest, but I have to admit I like slipping into a world where Santa enlists the help of us mortals to save Christmas. Where the magical kiss at midnight on Christmas Eve breaks the evil spell. And where the long lost teen rebel finally finds a family to love him.
3) A short work week. Our clinic will be closed Thursday and Friday, then next Monday is my normal day off for next week. All that adds up to one deliciously long holiday weekend.
1) Ms. Tammy. Ms. Tammy is Sam's babysitter. She treats him like he is her own grandchild. Every night when I pick him up she gives him kisses and tells him that she loves him. She calls to check on him if he's sick. And while it always kinda tears a little piece of my soul off when I leave him every morning, it makes it a little bit easier to know that he's in such good hands.
2) Cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies. Shawn thinks I'm so weird for liking these. I haven't had the chance to indulge in them much this year, but that's what DVR is for, right? It's nice to sit down and watch a movie from that to time that doesn't have any blood or guts being sprayed across the screen or boobs flashing in my face. The story lines might not be the greatest, but I have to admit I like slipping into a world where Santa enlists the help of us mortals to save Christmas. Where the magical kiss at midnight on Christmas Eve breaks the evil spell. And where the long lost teen rebel finally finds a family to love him.
3) A short work week. Our clinic will be closed Thursday and Friday, then next Monday is my normal day off for next week. All that adds up to one deliciously long holiday weekend.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thankful Week--Monday
It's Thanksgiving week! I have really started to look forward to my Thankful Thursday posts. Sometimes they are profound...sometimes not so much. But I always enjoy taking a few minutes out of my week to count my blessings. I thought this week it might be nice to do that every day. So here goes:
This Thanksgiving Week, I am thankful for:
1) A daddy's relationship with his little boy.
Sam. Adores. Shawn. It warms my heart to see them together. This morning, Sam saw me putting my shoes on and asked me, "Go bye-bye?" I told him that yes, we were going bye-bye. He immediately asked (for about the 10th time that morning), "Go Dada?" I told him that no, we were going to run some errands but we weren't going to see Daddy. At every stop he again asked when we were getting into the car and out of the car if we were going to see Daddy. So I finally just made the impromptu decision to meet Daddy for lunch. We didn't have anything else going on today that couldn't be postponed, so why not? I love that my little boy loves Shawn enough to miss him when he's not here. And I'm so thankful that Shawn rearranged his day so we could have a few minutes with him. He's a great dad--he can cut loose and act goofy but he can also lovingly correct Sam when he needs it. (And lately he needs it more and more!) I love their bond, and I'm so proud of the two of them.
2) My family's good health. Maybe not the most exciting thing for which to be thankful, but it's too often overlooked. Sam has had a little low-grade fever for the last few days. I suspect it's a tooth making it's appearance or just a little cold, but it has had him a little bit out of sorts for the last few days. When I'm frazzled because he's falling apart over the tiniest thing or refusing to eat, I'm reminded that we know nothing of a sick child. Right after Sam broke his leg, a friend's little boy was diagnosed with cancer, and Shawn and I got a big dose of reality. Yes...Sam is a kid and he will be plagued with various ailments here and there. We will have to clean up puke, wipe snotty noses and may make the occasional ER visit. But so far, our son (and his parents!) have been blessed with overall good health. We don't have chronic conditions that constantly steal our energy, we don't have to take life-sustaining medicine that makes us feel bad, and we don't have to schedule our days around lengthy treatments. So today, I am grateful that Sam has a little low-grade fever that we can manage at home with Tylenol and kisses.
3) A job where I don't have to work on holidays. After working in a hospital for 3 years, this is so nice. At our previous jobs, Shawn and I worked evenings, weekends, holidays, and the occasional 3rd shift. Not fun for this girl who likes her sleep. People don't stop being sick because it's Christmas. But now I have a job that is a little more family (and sleep) friendly. I feel blessed to have this job in a time where jobs can be scarce.
This Thanksgiving Week, I am thankful for:
1) A daddy's relationship with his little boy.
2) My family's good health. Maybe not the most exciting thing for which to be thankful, but it's too often overlooked. Sam has had a little low-grade fever for the last few days. I suspect it's a tooth making it's appearance or just a little cold, but it has had him a little bit out of sorts for the last few days. When I'm frazzled because he's falling apart over the tiniest thing or refusing to eat, I'm reminded that we know nothing of a sick child. Right after Sam broke his leg, a friend's little boy was diagnosed with cancer, and Shawn and I got a big dose of reality. Yes...Sam is a kid and he will be plagued with various ailments here and there. We will have to clean up puke, wipe snotty noses and may make the occasional ER visit. But so far, our son (and his parents!) have been blessed with overall good health. We don't have chronic conditions that constantly steal our energy, we don't have to take life-sustaining medicine that makes us feel bad, and we don't have to schedule our days around lengthy treatments. So today, I am grateful that Sam has a little low-grade fever that we can manage at home with Tylenol and kisses.
3) A job where I don't have to work on holidays. After working in a hospital for 3 years, this is so nice. At our previous jobs, Shawn and I worked evenings, weekends, holidays, and the occasional 3rd shift. Not fun for this girl who likes her sleep. People don't stop being sick because it's Christmas. But now I have a job that is a little more family (and sleep) friendly. I feel blessed to have this job in a time where jobs can be scarce.
Friday, November 18, 2011
He's Aliiiiiiiive!
Our mouse is alive and well. Shawn made a sighting last night. He went downstairs and walked around the corner just in time to see the cat and the mouse having a stare-down. The mouse ran under the refrigerator and after a minute peeked his head out to evaluate the danger level. On a whim, Shawn opened the door to the outside hoping the mouse would jump at his chance to escape certain death. The mouse actually thought about it and was about to make a run for it when the cat suddenly reappeared and chased him under the refrigerator.
Do you think our Thanksgiving guests would be grossed out if we set a place at the table for the mouse? Because it looks like he's hanging around for a while.
Do you think our Thanksgiving guests would be grossed out if we set a place at the table for the mouse? Because it looks like he's hanging around for a while.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Thankful Thursday
This week, I am thankful for:
1) Rubber Cement.
Seriously, is this not the coolest stuff ever? I never really liked craft or art time in elementary school unless it was something we got to glue. Coloring just wasn't really my thing, and I SURE wasn't going to get any bonus points for my drawing skills, but break out the rubber cement and I was all over it. I've been making some very simple, easy-peasy crafts to sell for our clinic Relay for Life team, and I have been painting up a glue-storm!
2) Kroger Birthday Cake.
3) Operation Christmas Child.
What are you thankful for this week? I'll be linking up to Black Tag Diaries.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Day Off Diddies
Here are a few random pictures from my last several days off...
When I'm off, I often will text a picture to Shawn when Sam wakes up. Just a little, "Good morning, Daddy" kind of thing. On this particular morning, Sam wasn't feeling especially friendly. Side note: Check out that rooster tail in his hair!
During Shawn's last late week, Sam and I had a stop to make after work, so we were especially late getting home. In an effort to get him in bed at a decent time, he had Spaghettio's for supper. DO NOT JUDGE ME! After he ate, I immediately dunked him in the tub with plans to clean up the kitchen after he was in bed. Note to self: take the time to clean up the kitchen immediately. While I was busy packing his bag for the next day, Sam retrieved his left-over Spaghettio's from the kitchen table and decided to finish his supper. Molly was doing her best to destroy the evidence so I wouldn't be mad.
This is Sam waiting on his breakfast. Just an ordinary day in our house...chill-axin', waiting on Mom to bring me my milk noon.
Pooh was hungry on this particular day. It's so fun to see Sam starting to pretend. Pooh often has to eat a bite of whatever we're having for dinner, and about the only way I can get Sam to brush his teeth at night is to let him brush Pooh's teeth when we're done.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Hickory, Dickory, Dock...
...the mouse ran up the clock...and under the dining room table...and behind the curio cabinet...and the people tried to catch it while the cat sat back and watched.
Let's back up: Most people have cats to keep mice OUT OF their homes. We are fortunate enough to have cats that want to bring the mice IN. Our cats are excellent hunters. They are constantly leaving "presents" for us on the back porch. DECAPITATED presents...but presents nonetheless. There is a field directly behind our house, so it gives them plenty of gift-giving opportunities. Last Thursday, Ollie's kill count for the day was two mice and a bird. And we know it had to be Ollie because she was the only one who went out that morning. That's one busy day for a cat! She's a regular mouse-assassin.
So anyway, Saturday night Shawn and I were getting ready to go to bed. Shawn went to the back door to let the cat in, but when she came trotting in she immediately deposited a baby mouse in the middle of the kitchen floor.
Time froze for a second. I had a brief flash of deja vu.
And then chaos ensued.
Molly offered her assistance and starting pouncing on the mouse like a big, 70 pound cat. "ROOF!" *pounce* "ROOF!" *pounce*
Shawn grabbed a bucket and started trying to throw it over the mouse. I got the broom and dustpan and tried to trap the mouse with it. We whisper-yelled instructions to one-another so as not to wake up Sam. He's over there! Get him! Don't let him get past you! Then the mouse ran between my legs into the dining room with Shawn, Molly and me in hot pursuit.
Annie, the captor, sat back and watched all of the commotion, calmly licking her paws like someone eating popcorn at the movies.
The mouse ran under the dining room table then skittered behind the curio cabinet. Shawn and I formulated a plan--he would pull the cabinet out from the wall (being very careful to not break anything in it in the process), and when the mouse ran out I would nab him. I'm not really sure where that all went wrong (I mean our plan was foolproof, right?), but somehow the mouse ended up on the other side of the room behind the dog's water bowl. Sure that we had him trapped and could soon get some sleep, we cornered him with the broom, the dustpan and the bucket. He had nowhere to go. Except mice are very good climbers and he just skittered right over the dustpan back into the kitchen.
This is where the cat decided we needed her assistance.
She grabbed the mouse and took off downstairs with him. I tried to jump up from my squatting position and somehow hit my elbow on the door frame...right on the funny bone. My entire left arm went numb, and I started seeing stars. Shawn took off down the stairs after the cat yelling at me to come help him. I had my head between my legs saying, "I'll be right there!" As soon as I can stand upright, that is.
By the time I made it downstairs, Shawn had somehow corralled the cat and mouse into the unfinished part of our basement. Unfortunately, the cat released the mouse when she saw that Shawn and I didn't appreciate her gift, and the mouse promptly ran into the wall frame and behind the drywall. We poked; we prodded; we pleaded...but the mouse was nowhere to be seen. Finally, we decided to just lock the cat and the mouse in the room for the night and we would let her finish what she started.
Sunday morning, I cautiously opened the door to the unfinished room, dreading the carnage that I would encounter...and I saw...NOTHING. No blood, no guts, no self-satisfied cat licking her lips. It was as if the mouse had disappeared into thin air.
And that's where we still are. I am riding on the notion that the mouse somehow found a way to get outside. Shawn thinks he's just become a permanent resident of our house and will make random appearances now and then. Neither of us are willing to admit that there is a possibility that the cat mortally wounded the mouse before he ran into the wall and he's...well...I guess we'll know in a couple of weeks if that's the case. When we will start ripping out dry wall to find the rotting mouse carcass.
Ew.
Let's back up: Most people have cats to keep mice OUT OF their homes. We are fortunate enough to have cats that want to bring the mice IN. Our cats are excellent hunters. They are constantly leaving "presents" for us on the back porch. DECAPITATED presents...but presents nonetheless. There is a field directly behind our house, so it gives them plenty of gift-giving opportunities. Last Thursday, Ollie's kill count for the day was two mice and a bird. And we know it had to be Ollie because she was the only one who went out that morning. That's one busy day for a cat! She's a regular mouse-assassin.
So anyway, Saturday night Shawn and I were getting ready to go to bed. Shawn went to the back door to let the cat in, but when she came trotting in she immediately deposited a baby mouse in the middle of the kitchen floor.
Time froze for a second. I had a brief flash of deja vu.
And then chaos ensued.
Molly offered her assistance and starting pouncing on the mouse like a big, 70 pound cat. "ROOF!" *pounce* "ROOF!" *pounce*
Shawn grabbed a bucket and started trying to throw it over the mouse. I got the broom and dustpan and tried to trap the mouse with it. We whisper-yelled instructions to one-another so as not to wake up Sam. He's over there! Get him! Don't let him get past you! Then the mouse ran between my legs into the dining room with Shawn, Molly and me in hot pursuit.
Annie, the captor, sat back and watched all of the commotion, calmly licking her paws like someone eating popcorn at the movies.
The mouse ran under the dining room table then skittered behind the curio cabinet. Shawn and I formulated a plan--he would pull the cabinet out from the wall (being very careful to not break anything in it in the process), and when the mouse ran out I would nab him. I'm not really sure where that all went wrong (I mean our plan was foolproof, right?), but somehow the mouse ended up on the other side of the room behind the dog's water bowl. Sure that we had him trapped and could soon get some sleep, we cornered him with the broom, the dustpan and the bucket. He had nowhere to go. Except mice are very good climbers and he just skittered right over the dustpan back into the kitchen.
This is where the cat decided we needed her assistance.
She grabbed the mouse and took off downstairs with him. I tried to jump up from my squatting position and somehow hit my elbow on the door frame...right on the funny bone. My entire left arm went numb, and I started seeing stars. Shawn took off down the stairs after the cat yelling at me to come help him. I had my head between my legs saying, "I'll be right there!" As soon as I can stand upright, that is.
By the time I made it downstairs, Shawn had somehow corralled the cat and mouse into the unfinished part of our basement. Unfortunately, the cat released the mouse when she saw that Shawn and I didn't appreciate her gift, and the mouse promptly ran into the wall frame and behind the drywall. We poked; we prodded; we pleaded...but the mouse was nowhere to be seen. Finally, we decided to just lock the cat and the mouse in the room for the night and we would let her finish what she started.
Sunday morning, I cautiously opened the door to the unfinished room, dreading the carnage that I would encounter...and I saw...NOTHING. No blood, no guts, no self-satisfied cat licking her lips. It was as if the mouse had disappeared into thin air.
And that's where we still are. I am riding on the notion that the mouse somehow found a way to get outside. Shawn thinks he's just become a permanent resident of our house and will make random appearances now and then. Neither of us are willing to admit that there is a possibility that the cat mortally wounded the mouse before he ran into the wall and he's...well...I guess we'll know in a couple of weeks if that's the case. When we will start ripping out dry wall to find the rotting mouse carcass.
Ew.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Thankful Thursday...On Saturday
Honestly, where have my last few weeks gone? I'm afraid with the holidays fast approaching, it's only going to get worse. Since November is THE thankful month, I really want to keep up with my thankful posts right now. So this week, I am thankful for:
1. Store-bought pies.
Ordinarily, I don't like to buy store-bought baked goods. I mean, I'd rather just make it myself. I enjoy baking, it tastes WAY better, and it's certainly more economical. We had our Thanksgiving potluck dinner at work yesterday, and I had asked Shawn to stop at the store on Thursday night to pick up the makings for pumpkin pie. He instead came home with a ready-made pie and some bakery cookies. He said he thought I sounded tired on the phone and he thought this would make my night easier. And while I would really prefer to make it myself, he was right. I was tired. And that did make my night much more pleasant. So maybe I'll just have to bake that pie for him this weekend as a special way to say thank you.
2. Saturday mornings.
I never cook breakfast during the week. Believe me, we don't need anything else to make our mornings any more hectic than they already are. Even on my day off, I usually just eat cereal or Sam and I split some instant oatmeal. But Saturdays are different. I usually cook breakfast while Sam and Shawn play. It gives them a chance to have some guy time, and it gives me a chance to cook without my little helper. We keep saying, "Maybe next week we'll get up and go out for breakfast," but the next week rolls around and staying home in our pj's always just sounds so much better.
3. Sweatshirt blankets.
We have this blanket made out of sweatshirt material. It's HUGE and snuggly and warm. I love curling up on the couch with this thing. Whoever came up with this idea is a genius. Genius, I tell ya!
What are you thankful for this week? I'm linking up to Black Tag Diaries.
1. Store-bought pies.
2. Saturday mornings.
3. Sweatshirt blankets.
What are you thankful for this week? I'm linking up to Black Tag Diaries.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Top 10 Tips For Packing Soldier Boxes
Here are a few things I learned during our soldier box experience. If you're interested in sending a gift of appreciation to a serviceman or woman, or if you want to organize a drive at your place of work or church, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
1. The postal service has flat rate boxes that you can send to any military address for a discounted rate. With these boxes, you can pack it full of all of the goodies you can stuff in it and ship it for around $12 or $13. Bonus: the boxes themselves are free! If you are shipping to 1 or 2 soldiers, this is most definitely the route to go.
2. Do your homework. Certain countries have restrictions about what you can ship into that country. For example, out of respect for the religious views of Islam, no pork products can be shipped to our soldiers stationed in countries where Islam is the predominate religion.
3. Check out your normal shipping restrictions. Flammable substances are prohibited by the postal service. Some things are really obvious, like lighters. Some things are less obvious, like aerosolized sunscreen. Just make sure if you get something like that you get the cream form, not the spray. Fingernail polish is another no-no.
4. Know the climate for where you are sending your package(s). Chocolate, while wonderful, might not be the best gift to send to someone.
5. Think about things you would miss if you were away from home. Our soldiers might not have access to current news or sports updates. Sending someone a bunch of clippings from your hometown newspaper or a month's worth of sports pages might be just the thing to brighten their day.
6. Share a special talent of yours. Even if you don't personally know the soldier that will receive your box, they will most likely appreciate you taking the time to personalize your gifts. Do you write poetry? Write them a poem that expresses your gratitude. Maybe you are a scrapbooker? Make a little scrapbook with some pre-designed pages that they can record their memories in.
7. Include your kids. This is one thing I was most impressed with in our boxes. A large number of people included letters or drawings from their children. Or they might have let their child pick out some or all of the gifts. One lady included a Whoopie Cushion in her box and said that flatulence is always funny to her 5-year-old boy so she thought what better way to give a soldier a smile?
8. Try to find out what gifts are most popular to our troops. There are some really good suggestions here and here. Also, check with the soldiers' family members. Chances are, they have requested specific items that they need or want.
9. Don't forget the batteries! If you send small electronic games or anything else requiring batteries, be sure and send the batteries. On second thought, send a couple of spare sets, too. DO NOT put the batteries in the device, however, because it may accidentally get turned on during shipping or inspection and run the batteries down before they ever get there.
10. Most of all, have fun. It's fun to do things that will brighten someone else's day. I think we often fail to reach out to others because we don't know what to do or think it might be too expensive. Honestly, you can put together some really nice gifts just by walking down the bargain aisle at the grocery store. Our soldiers don't really care if you spent $10 or $100 on their gifts...they just appreciate that you took the time to think of them.
1. The postal service has flat rate boxes that you can send to any military address for a discounted rate. With these boxes, you can pack it full of all of the goodies you can stuff in it and ship it for around $12 or $13. Bonus: the boxes themselves are free! If you are shipping to 1 or 2 soldiers, this is most definitely the route to go.
2. Do your homework. Certain countries have restrictions about what you can ship into that country. For example, out of respect for the religious views of Islam, no pork products can be shipped to our soldiers stationed in countries where Islam is the predominate religion.
3. Check out your normal shipping restrictions. Flammable substances are prohibited by the postal service. Some things are really obvious, like lighters. Some things are less obvious, like aerosolized sunscreen. Just make sure if you get something like that you get the cream form, not the spray. Fingernail polish is another no-no.
4. Know the climate for where you are sending your package(s). Chocolate, while wonderful, might not be the best gift to send to someone.
5. Think about things you would miss if you were away from home. Our soldiers might not have access to current news or sports updates. Sending someone a bunch of clippings from your hometown newspaper or a month's worth of sports pages might be just the thing to brighten their day.
6. Share a special talent of yours. Even if you don't personally know the soldier that will receive your box, they will most likely appreciate you taking the time to personalize your gifts. Do you write poetry? Write them a poem that expresses your gratitude. Maybe you are a scrapbooker? Make a little scrapbook with some pre-designed pages that they can record their memories in.
7. Include your kids. This is one thing I was most impressed with in our boxes. A large number of people included letters or drawings from their children. Or they might have let their child pick out some or all of the gifts. One lady included a Whoopie Cushion in her box and said that flatulence is always funny to her 5-year-old boy so she thought what better way to give a soldier a smile?
8. Try to find out what gifts are most popular to our troops. There are some really good suggestions here and here. Also, check with the soldiers' family members. Chances are, they have requested specific items that they need or want.
9. Don't forget the batteries! If you send small electronic games or anything else requiring batteries, be sure and send the batteries. On second thought, send a couple of spare sets, too. DO NOT put the batteries in the device, however, because it may accidentally get turned on during shipping or inspection and run the batteries down before they ever get there.
10. Most of all, have fun. It's fun to do things that will brighten someone else's day. I think we often fail to reach out to others because we don't know what to do or think it might be too expensive. Honestly, you can put together some really nice gifts just by walking down the bargain aisle at the grocery store. Our soldiers don't really care if you spent $10 or $100 on their gifts...they just appreciate that you took the time to think of them.
And a special bonus tip!!!
11. You will have to fill out customs forms for your boxes. These can be obtained from the post office or the UPS store. (If you need several, you can also order them online from the USPS website free of charge.) Make sure you fill these out before you seal your boxes for shipping, as you have to itemize the contents and list approximate weights and monetary values for the items. Also, if filling out multiple forms or if organizing a large box drive, it's a good idea to fill out the forms EXCEPT for the recipient's name and address. Our troops are mobile and might move around frequently. It's easier to fill out the forms and add the recipient's address at the last minute after verifying their location.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Soldier Boxes
I have a habit of composing these grand ideas in my head. In my mind's eye, everything always runs so smoothly. My plan works out perfectly and everyone is always happy. The problem is, I'm not a good planner. So my mind's eye doesn't always foresee all of the little problems that can present themselves when implementing a good plan.
A few months ago, I decided that we should do something nice for one of our friends who is currently serving overseas. My plan was to send Richard a nice little care package with some comforts from home. Then the wheels in my head started cranking, and I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice if all of the men and women in Richard's unit got a care package?" Expecting about 10 or 12 names, I emailed Richard's wife and asked if she could obtain a list of soldiers for me. She replied and told me what a great idea she thought it was...and attached a list of 56 names. This is where that little voice in my head probably should have said, "Um...I think you bit off more than you can chew," but my mind's eye had already painted that picture. Besides, after she told me how excited all of the soldiers would be to get their package I couldn't just let it go, could I???
So I enlisted the help of my co-workers. I distributed names to clinic employees; anyone who was interested "adopted" a soldier and filled a box with American goodies for them. My mind's eye saw all of the boxes arriving together. The soldiers would sit and open their boxes joyfully. In my mind, they laughed and compared gifts. They might even trade here and there. I'll give you 2 packs of gum and some dental floss if I can have your Sports Illustrated!
Then the boxes started filtering in. As it turns out, 56 shoe boxes make quite a mountain of gifts. And I started wondering how I was going to ship all of them overseas. I collected large shipping boxes from various sources, but I quickly saw that I was in over my head. Correction: Shawn saw that I was in over my head. I stubbornly refused to believe that everything wasn't going to work out the way my mind's eye saw it working out.
Finally, all of the boxes were collected, and I gathered them on our dining room table. And they sat there. I tried to fill out customs forms for the boxes, but by the time I went through and cataloged the boxes' contents I was completely overwhelmed. So they sat there a little bit longer. For weeks, anyone who visited our home encountered this:
A few months ago, I decided that we should do something nice for one of our friends who is currently serving overseas. My plan was to send Richard a nice little care package with some comforts from home. Then the wheels in my head started cranking, and I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice if all of the men and women in Richard's unit got a care package?" Expecting about 10 or 12 names, I emailed Richard's wife and asked if she could obtain a list of soldiers for me. She replied and told me what a great idea she thought it was...and attached a list of 56 names. This is where that little voice in my head probably should have said, "Um...I think you bit off more than you can chew," but my mind's eye had already painted that picture. Besides, after she told me how excited all of the soldiers would be to get their package I couldn't just let it go, could I???
So I enlisted the help of my co-workers. I distributed names to clinic employees; anyone who was interested "adopted" a soldier and filled a box with American goodies for them. My mind's eye saw all of the boxes arriving together. The soldiers would sit and open their boxes joyfully. In my mind, they laughed and compared gifts. They might even trade here and there. I'll give you 2 packs of gum and some dental floss if I can have your Sports Illustrated!
Then the boxes started filtering in. As it turns out, 56 shoe boxes make quite a mountain of gifts. And I started wondering how I was going to ship all of them overseas. I collected large shipping boxes from various sources, but I quickly saw that I was in over my head. Correction: Shawn saw that I was in over my head. I stubbornly refused to believe that everything wasn't going to work out the way my mind's eye saw it working out.
Finally, all of the boxes were collected, and I gathered them on our dining room table. And they sat there. I tried to fill out customs forms for the boxes, but by the time I went through and cataloged the boxes' contents I was completely overwhelmed. So they sat there a little bit longer. For weeks, anyone who visited our home encountered this:
If anyone would ask what the mess was, Shawn would tell them that it was my most recent philanthropy project gone awry. Finally, I contacted our local branch of the National Guard and explained the situation and asked for help. I'm pretty sure the best advice she could've given me was "plan better next time" but instead she suggested we take everything out of the boxes and put them in freezer bags to minimize the space required and cut down on shipping costs. Well, duh! So Shawn and I set about doing that.
Long story short, with Shawn's help I finally got all of the boxes packed and ready to go. Over the course of the next few weeks, I filled out itemized customs forms for each box and prepared them for shipping. I'm happy to report that the boxes are now safely en route to Afghanistan. All 8 boxes containing 56 freezer bags filled with candy, toiletries, magazines, snacks, and toys to hand out to Afghan children. My mind's eye envisioned a Christmas-morning-like scene with the soldiers joyfully opening their boxes and examining their gifts. I just didnt' realize it would be almost Christmas morning by the time they got them. In reality, they should get them around Thanksgiving, so I think that's pretty appropriate.
Do something nice for a soldier this holiday season. If you don't personally know anyone who is serving, contact a local office for any branch of the military. I learned that the National Guard has "packing parties" where they pack boxes just like the ones we sent. And they probably are a little better at it then I was because, you know, they know what they're doing.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Oh...Pinterest!
I actually made something I saw on Pinterest. Did I mention that I've fallen in love with that website? Because I have. I really have.
I'm not entirely sure what to call these things. Oh-My-Gosh-These-Are-So-Good Bars just doesn't seem to have the right ring to it. Here's the original source. And here's how you make them:
You start out by layering a cake pan with wax paper, greasing it, and pressing chocolate chip cookie dough in the bottom. You could make your own like in the original, or you can be like me and cheat with the store bought stuff.
Then you add a layer of Oreo cookies. Double Stuffed, of course.
Then you mix up a box of brownie mix.
You might be saying, "Oh, no, she didn't!" Oh, yes, I did!
Then you bake the whole concoction at 350 for about 50 minutes. (Actually, I think I ended up baking mine closer to an hour, but my oven does weird things with temperatures and times.) When you take it out, you have this lovely, layered chocolate explosion.
As you can imagine, this is REALLY rich. So I put a scoop of ice cream and some Hershey's syrup on top of mine, just to balance it out. Totally worth every calorie.
Now I'm thinking about a variation with peanut butter cookie dough and Nutter Butters. Hmmmmm....
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Ride 'Em, Cowboy!
What a week this has been! I haven't even had a chance to post pictures from Halloween! I've got some catching up to do:
Sam dressed up as a cowboy for Halloween. We got a saddle for Molly to wear, too, but it was an epic failure. Seriously. She laid down in the floor and refused to stand up. Like, she went completely limp. So we found a spare bandanna, and she went as Sam's cowhand. When we started putting his costume on, I was a little worried about how things were going to go. Sam didn't care for the vest. Luckily, I mentioned that he had a new pair of boots to wear and it resulted in a sudden change of attitude. My baby loves shoes! This momma is so proud!
We had to make time for a quick photo session before trick-or-treating.
Sam dressed up as a cowboy for Halloween. We got a saddle for Molly to wear, too, but it was an epic failure. Seriously. She laid down in the floor and refused to stand up. Like, she went completely limp. So we found a spare bandanna, and she went as Sam's cowhand. When we started putting his costume on, I was a little worried about how things were going to go. Sam didn't care for the vest. Luckily, I mentioned that he had a new pair of boots to wear and it resulted in a sudden change of attitude. My baby loves shoes! This momma is so proud!
He was, however, pretty excited about his hat.
Momma was pretty excited about those chaps. Too cute!
We had to make time for a quick photo session before trick-or-treating.
This cowboy's ready to wrangle the nastiest varmints in the West!
Molly thought the whole thing was just exhausting.
Apparently, trick-or-treating has changed since I was a kid. We always just turned our porch light on to signal that we had candy to give away. So I was a little confused as to why I was seeing kids walk past our house on the sidewalk but nobody was ringing our bell. By the time we got Sam dressed and got outside, the neighborhood trick-or-treat was in full swing but we had only had a handful of kids. When we got outside, we noticed that most of our neighbors were sitting on their front porch or in their driveways. Aha!
So next year, I've got a plan. It involves inviting friends over, a big pot of chili, a fire pit and my driveway. And maybe a roasted marshmallow or two.
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