Hopping on the Bandwagon

First let me say that I am not a Lula wannabe. Not that there's anything wrong with that; Lula is awesome. And between her and Heather , their blogs keep me smiling (sometimes peeing my pants in laughter...you have got to read Heather's Barbie posts). Lately I have become intrigued by their frequent references to this book:


So I told my sister about it. And Michelle went out and bought the book, which she read cover to cover in three short days. Then proceeded to tell me how I HAVE. TO. READ. THIS. BOOK. Today. Now. So we can talk about it, obsess about it, see the movie together in December when it comes out, and yes, jump on the bandwagon with these other crazy blogger girls.

I really want to. I love to read. I always have a book to read. Always. So I headed to the local library, where all the books were OUT. That's okay, I put my name on the waiting list, then drove to my Kroger Marketplace to buy at least the first book, Twilight. Not a single copy to be found. So I drove to (gasp) Wal-Mart. (Hey, desperate times and all). No luck there, either. Half-price bookstores, nope. I am short of breath, a little sweaty, and stressing out here. Michelle has already promised her copy to my niece, Danielle, so I can't borrow hers. And I have to work two twelve-hour shifts these next two days, so I have no time to go to Barnes & Noble.

Help! Michelle is going to be done with the second book before I even get the chance to START the first. I know I am being whiny here, but I really want to read Twilight. I love getting hooked on a new series, and a new author who must be absolutely fantastic, from the sound of it. Lula, I can't believe Heather won the copy of Twilight from your giveaway! This Heather needed it so much more!

P.S. I seriously think we need to have a blogging party to see Twilight in December. Couldn't that be our Christmas presents from our hubbies? Heather lives in sunny California...how about there? :)

Hocking Hills Bo-cation

Welcome to the tour of our Hocking Hills "Bo-cation", in Gabe's words, told from Gabe's point of view:

Two or three days ago, or yesterday, I don't have a very good sense of time yet; anyway, the other day, Mommy cleaned the whole house, washed all my clothes (and Sissy's and Lijah's and Daddy's and Mommy's, too), and packed the whole van, while Daddy played on the computer the whole day. Then after a very long time of waiting, we finally got in the van and started on bo-cation to Hawking Hills, where I guess they have a lot of hawks, I know, 'cause I heard them hawking and flying around. After a long long drive (one hour and 45 minutes), we finally got there. First we went to a cool beach with sand and kids with Hot Wheels...I didn't want to leave! And the bestest thing: Mommy let me swim with my clothes on! My underwear got full of sand, but I didn't care, it was so much fun! After a long time (two hours), we went to our hotel. It was the awesomest hotel I have ever seen! (It was a Holiday Inn Express). They had a pool! We got to go swimming any time we wanted, which was all the time for me! For some reason, Mommy forgot to bring her camera to the pool (maybe because of all the splashing I was doing?).
I loved this water! There were timey little fishies swimming all around me. I kept telling Mommy to "take a pitcher o' me" and then I would say "cheeeeese" real loud. I am very good at saying cheese at the camera. Mommy likes it when I do that.

Here is Mommy and Lijah. Daddy took some pitchers with Mommy's camera, but he did not make them say cheese. I said it for them.

Mommy kept telling me to quit splashing everybody, but then Daddy told Sissy to go ahead and splash. At Mommy's camera! He is probly in big trouble now.

I loved hiking at bo-cation, almost as much as the pool. We were at a place called Old Man's Cave. I did not see any old man; I guess he was hiding (Mommy did not tell me that he is actually dead and buried here; maybe she thought I would be scared; she forgets that nothing scares me). I like when Mommy dresses me and Lijah in the same outfits...I think it's very cool.

I'm not sure what Daddy was doing here. I was saying cheese real good, though, can you tell?

A very nice family with two big dogs took Mommy's camera and made us all say cheese again. I am the only one saying it though; I don't know why...

After we swam at our hotel some more, then had a yummy breakfast, we went hiking a whole bunch more. It was very chilly (62 degrees) and we only had our summer clothes on. I am very lucky that I still have a blankey...he kept me very warm. Me and Lijah had on our matching clothes again!

This was Ash Cave; it was huge! I was very daring, jumping and climbing all these rocks and having lots of fun. Mommy kept trying to hold my hand; I think she was scared of all those rocks. We saw two deer, a squirrel, and a pigeon. No bears, though. There were lots of people at these hikes, and Mommy would say hi to them even though she didn't know their names! I kept asking, "what's hers name", and she didn't know. So then I just started to say hi to those people, too. It was fun. People on bo-cation are very friendly to each other, I think.

Lijah took Mommy's camera and got this pitcher of them at the cave. It took a long time for him to figure out which button to press, and Daddy got a little mad, but he finally took it. Don't they look like they're having fun?

Here's me and Lijah in the cave. My firetruck blankey was so nice and warm, and Mommy figured out how to make it be like a cape. She's so cool like that.

I liked this waterfall at Cedar Falls. We did not see any snakes, but Mommy said they were probly hiding under those rocks. I tried to find them, but they were very good hiders.

Sissy is so silly. I don't know what this sign says, but it made Mommy hold my hand tighter. Usually that bugs me, but there were some very high places here, and I was glad Mommy was there next to me. Sometimes she even carried me, and I am a very big boy (42 pounds). I think my mommy is very strong.

This was Rock House, and it was a little scary, but a lot of fun. I fell down three times, and then Mommy carried me. I don't know who lives in this house. No toys, no TV, no blankeys or pillows. Not very comfy, I think.

I was very afraid in this pitcher; I thought I would fall out that hole behind Mommy. But she kept me safe on her lap, so I said cheese real quick so Daddy would hurry and take the pitcher and we could get down outta there.

That was our last hike. We went back to our hotel, went swimming some more, ate dinner at Bob Evans, went swimming again, then went to sleep. I got to take a shower with Lijah, and that was great. I am such a big boy (almost 4)! I got to sleep in Mommy's bed this night, and it was so comfy. I had so much room to roll around and stretch my legs and arms all night, right in the middle of Mommy and Daddy. I did not want to go home this morning.

I wish bo-cation could last forever.

Birthday Dinner

Thanks for all the sweet comments for my MIL's birthday...she was lovin' all that comment love! Thought I'd share some pics from her birthday dinner celebration. We had a great time, the food was awesome, and we reached a milestone...Gabe made it through the entire dinner being a good boy and not requiring a trip to the bathroom for a "talk". You have to know Gabe to know what a huge deal this is!

Kay got to choose her restaurant: this is one of our favorites...


Bob and Kay...thanks for treating us, Bob!

Birthday celebrants (is that a word?):

Gabe refused to open his eyes and smile, so he got a "head-butt" from Daddy.

For some reason, the waiter forgot to bring out my steak. For, like, ten minutes. So not only did I get a fresh, hot dinner for FREE, but they also gave us the dessert of our choice. Kay picked the Chocolate Decadence, which was enough for all seven of us to share. Yum!

Of course, Gabe ended up wearing some of it, thanks to Mamaw Kay! She has Way Too Much Fun with her grandbabies :)

After we rolled ourselves to the van, we went back to our house for a Euchre tournament. Although you would think that the men would let us win (it was Kay's birthday, after all), we only won one game out of three, despite my THREE loners! But, we had fun...no sore losers here. One more time, Happy Birthday, Kay! We love you!

I Love Saturdays!

I got to sleep in until 9:30am this morning! That alone makes me happy. Despite the mountains of dirty laundry and dirty dishes that I need to do before going to work tonight; despite the fact that I need to get everyone packed up and ready for our trip to Hocking Hills; despite the fact that I want the house to be clean and sparkling while my MIL is here looking after the puppy...seriously, I'm not stressed out at all (yet). For while I was making my morning pot of coffee, wondering why the house was so quiet, I looked out the kitchen window and saw this:

A sister entertaining her baby brother with bubbles, while the brother entertains us all by playing "bubble baseball" in his jammies and helmet. You just gotta love that.

And now, all three kids are helping me clean (while I sit here, drinking my coffee and blogging about it all). Isn't it grand?

Happy Saturday, everyone! Oh, and make sure to stop by SITS this week and enter the contest for the iPod giveaway. Tell 'em I sent ya!

Dear Dad

Dad, it's been almost three years since you left. I know it wasn't your choice. Sixty was way too young. I hope you have forgiven us for letting you go. I know you weren't ready. But I pray that while you were laying there in the ICU, you made your peace with God. I remember vividly that day in June when I had worked all night, and stopped by to visit you in your room to check in before I went home to sleep. Your pneumonia was a little better, and you were in a chatty mood (very unusual for you, Dad). So I stayed for three more hours, and listened to you pour your heart out about your fears and about what you knew was coming. You were so scared. And all I prayed for was that you would find the peace that comes from believing in Jesus Christ, and the fact that it only takes faith the size of a mustard seed to get started, and God will take it from there. You struggled to the very end, Dad. It was heartbreaking to watch, and even more heartbreaking to make the decision with Mom and Rhonda to take you off of the machines and let you go. Lung cancer refractory to treatment, emphysema, and MRSA pneumonia, not to mention years of smoking...I know this is what killed you in the end, not us. I am a nurse, I have helped families make this Very Same Decision for fourteen years now, but I never knew how much guilt there was to deal with afterwards.

At your funeral, we played "I'll Fly Away" and "I Can Only Imagine"; songs that gave us comfort, not any particular favorites of yours. When I tearfully read the eulogy that I had prepared, my heart broke into a million pieces. For months afterward, I can't tell you how many times I picked up the phone to tell you about a book that I had read, or something funny the kids had done, or just to hear your voice. Mom kept your message on the voice mail until Cincinnati Bell made changes and deleted it. I hated hearing it, and I loved hearing it.

When Elijah turned ten this year, I stood in the shower thinking back onto the day of his birth, and all of a sudden, I burst into tears. You were on my heart all that day. I was wishing that you could be here to watch his Little League games, and remember how many evenings you watched my softball games. I was remembering all the things you and I did together: walking our dog, Kelly, around the block; staying up until the wee hours in the summer, each of us reading a book and eating Spanish peanuts or soft pretzels and drinking Coke straight from the can; sitting in the "blue room" and listening to all your old 45's, you in wonder that I would like "your" music...Roy Orbison, Conway Twitty, Patsy Cline; watching "Sweet Dreams" and "Blue Velvet" for the hundredth time...God, I have so many great memories of you. Sometimes I am so mad at you that my kids will never know that guy. They know of you through me, and through my stories and photos, but they don't remember You. Gabe reminds me so much of you. He loves scary movies and Nascar (Hot Wheels, mostly, for now) and his ears are just like yours. His skin is darker than yours, but not by much (remember all those tanning sessions at ole Brookville Lake?).

I am truly grateful for the time that I had with you...over thirty years. But can you blame me for being selfish, and wanting just a few years more? I love you so much, Dad, despite the fact that you wouldn't Listen To Me when I Begged you to Please Stop Smoking. I know you tried. But knowing that doesn't really help me out right now.

About two weeks after you died, I dreamt of you (every now and then, I still do). In my dream, I asked if you had gone to Heaven, and you said "Well, Yeah, of course I did". I asked what you were doing back, and you said "I just missed you all so much. But you wouldn't believe who was here waiting for me!" And right there beside you was your mom and dad, and little Papa, and some other people I didn't recognize. It was so real and vivid, and I can recall that dream to this very day. So, Dad, I miss you, too. And I hope you're right there waiting for me when it's my time. 'Cause I'll be really pi**#@ if you're not. Just so you know.

P.S. Did you know that Mom bought a cat and named him Billy, after you? Then "he" turned out to be a "she", so she named her Billy Jo, or something like that. Just wanted you to know. In case you want to have some fun and get even with her for it :)

(FYI, my dad Hated cats. We probably had over ten cats in my childhood, one at a time, going to meet their Maker in odd ways, each one of them. Through no fault of my dad's, just the Klenk Cat Curse. Now that I am no longer a Klenk, the curse has been lifted, and I have had the same cat for eight years now.)

Thanks for letting me vent. Feeling melancholy tonight, I guess.

My Sweet MIL

Usually when one hears the words "Mother-in-law", one cringes with thoughts of an overbearing woman who doesn't think her child's chosen spouse is worthy of her own offspring. That couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to my sweet MIL, Kay. I loved Kay from the moment we met thirteen years ago, when Joe and I started dating. We clicked from the start, sharing interests in reading, movies, shopping, babies, and our views on life. When Joe and I announced our engagement (hopping up and down with excitement), she was just as thrilled as I was. We lived with Kay and Bob for the first 8 months of our marriage (Joe was still in school), and never once did we butt heads. Kay loves my babies as much as I do, and she spoils them rotten with love and attention (and Nintendo DS's and clothes from Justice and Hot Wheels galore). So in true blog birthday tradition, here are a list of ten things I love about Kay:




1. When Joe and I got engaged, she told him and I quote: "When you guys get into a fight, I will take Heather's side, because I know how you are." And she always has.

2. When I had long hair, Kay would French braid it anytime I asked her (I still have not learned how to do this). Now she braids Isabel's hair, since mine is too short.

3. Joe and I got married on Kay and Bob's wedding anniversary. On our wedding night, we had dinner together with them at the hotel (we paid for a room for them as a gift). And it didn't even feel weird. They have supported us so much in our (almost) twelve years of marriage...I don't know if we would've made it this far without them.

4. Kay has always admired my scrapbooks, and I even got her hooked on card-making. We have spent endless hours making cards, shopping at Hobby Lobby and Archivers for supplies, browsing Splitcoaststampers for ideas...She has been my best Stampin' Up customer, too.

5. She saved every card I made for her, all of which made her cry, which is of course the goal (same goes for this post, as well).

6. Joe and I started dating in August of 1995. On my birthday that October, we went on a hayride with their church, stopping by Kay's house first. She had made a homemade carrot cake with cream cheese icing just for me, along with a sweet card. How could you not like someone so incredibly kind and thoughtful?

7. When we went on a cruise for our ten year anniversary, Kay (and my mom) took care of all three kids for the whole week. I didn't have to worry about a thing. And everyone survived the week intact (including the grandmas).

8. She reads my blog, looks at my scrapbooks, and thinks I'm "all that". What she doesn't know is that she is my model of what a "Christian woman" should be.

9. She has the most beautiful voice, which she only uses to sing to my babies. Elijah would sit in her lap for hours, listening to her sing "Zaccheus" and lots of other bible songs.

10. When we were looking to build our house, living so close (ten houses away) to my in-laws was considered a good thing. And it has been. After six years, we still get together at least twice a week, eating dinner or playing cards or going out for ice cream...whatever. We enjoy each other's company, and some of the best memories we have are of our trips to Gatlinburg with Kay and Bob. Just today, Joe and Kay took the kids hiking at Caesar's Creek, and gave me a break before I had to go to work. Ahhh...

So, Kay, this one's for you. I love you more than you can know, and so do my babies (and you know Joe does, too, but he can do his own tribute). As I have said before, God truly blessed me when He put you in my life. Have a great happy birthday!

Fear not...

Monday morning, I headed out to the farm of a photographer friend (who just bought some baby chickens) for a photo shoot with my kiddos. The weather was perfect, not too hot, and a little cloudy...I couldn't wait to see how good the pictures would turn out.

Look at these adorable chicks, all fluffy and yellow...

Once we picked out the perfect spot for the shoot, we poured the chicks out of the bucket and got the kids to come and sit down. Elijah and Isabel were so excited to hold the chicks, but Gabriel, not so much. The kid who fears NOTHING was Terrified of these baby chicks! I tried so hard to be a comforting mom, but it was difficult not to laugh. Honestly, this boy who adopts live cicadas to be his best friends; who rides his bike around the block by himself (while I'm not looking); was scared beyond belief of these feathered furballs with beaks. It took me thirty minutes of cajoling and bribery before Gabe would sit near his siblings with the birds in the grass in front of him. He refused to touch them or let them on his lap...it was pretty hysterical. When I get the pictures from Amanda, I'll post them with the comparison shots of three years ago, when he was letting those chicks sit on his head! Too funny!

Gabe found a cicada shell, which I told him would "protect" him from the chicks. He had to hold onto that darn thing throughout the entire photo shoot. It worked, though.

Notice the red, white and blue shirts on the kids? That's right, a scrapbook page in the making...

The poor baby was exhausted after all that drama! Probably dreaming of a remake of "The Birds", this time starring baby chickens...

Outdoor wedding in July...during a heat alert.

So, let me tell you how much I was dreading going to this wedding last Saturday. Joe's friend, Luke, was finally getting married (he was in our wedding twelve years ago!). Joe was a groomsman. He was involved in all of the wedding party stuff, including sitting with them at the reception. I don't know any of these people. Luke's new wife is 25 years old, and we have very little, if anything, in common. And following a Catholic ceremony, the reception was outside at the bride's parent home. There was a heat alert, temps in the high 90's. Oh, and did I mention that all three kiddos were tagging along? Then, to top it all off, after Joe left for pictures and to get ready at Luke's house, there was a car accident in our neighborhood, a gas main was ruptured, and our entire subdivision had to evacuate! I had one kid still in the tub, the other two getting dressed, and my hair was not even fixed...talk about emergencies! Luckily, my BFF Becky came to the rescue, and we evacuated to her house to finish getting ready, making it to the church with two minutes to spare. Gabe almost made it through the ceremony, and then we staggered to the reception, the kids hot and hungry, and me in desperate need of a glass of wine. Look at some pics, and then I'll tell you the rest of the story...


Joe, so handsome in his tux. Wow, this brings back memories of our wedding, so long ago.

Isabel (in her awesome bargain $4 dress from Kohl's, originally marked $56!), with Elijah at our designated table. This was one time I was glad for arranged seating...I didn't know anyone, anyway. We ended up sitting with an older lady and her two grown sons, she being a nurse who used to work at a hospital in Middletown where I once worked. So we did up hitting it off. Quite honestly, it is hard to find someone that I won't talk to. Just ask my family...

A random picture of Gabe, coming down the slide on the playset. They were very prepared for kids at this reception...a playset, a trampoline, finger foods, and plenty of room to run.

Don't you hate it when the person you ask to take a picture doesn't notice the freakin' Portolets glaring in the background? There were a dozen evergreen trees just to the left, which would have made a beautiful backdrop. Oh, well, at least we're smiling :)

Joe thought the wedding topper was the bride "whipping" the groom...really, she is "catching" him with a fishing pole. Apparently, Lindsay really likes to fish...

After a delicious catered dinner, (and two glasses of wine for me), the band started playing and we started dancing. Isabel and Joe make an adorable pair, don't they?

This little doll, Ashley, tried to get Gabe to hold hands with her for an hour. He finally succumbed to her wiles, and that boy danced the night away. Literally, for two hours straight, he danced and ran and jumped, pausing only for a drink now and then. At the end of each song, he would take a bow, then jump up and down until they started the next song. He loved this "wedding party"!

So, as you can tell from the pictures, we ended up having a really good time, despite my reservations. I'm so glad I went, and really glad that I took the kids. They loved it! This was Gabe's first wedding, and now that I know he can behave and have a great time doing it, it won't be his last.

Oh, and the house was still standing when we got back home, natural gas-free, with only a busted fence at the entrance to our neighborhood to show for all that drama.

Blast from the Past

July 19th was my sweet sister's birthday, and I couldn't let such a special day go by without a blog birthday tribute. Rhonda is such a jokester, so I couldn't resist posting this picture of her in our other sister's wedding, circa 1988. Note the peach satin bridesmaid dress complete with parasol and side-updo hair...gotta love it.

So here's a "Top Ten" list of sorts...things I think of when writing a top ten list about Rhonda:

1. When I was little, I would get so excited when Rhonda was coming over to spend the weekend (she lived with her mom; we are "half-sisters"). I would shout "SISSY" at the top of my lungs and run to greet her in the driveway. I loved the way her clothes and sleeping bag smelled (Bounce dryer sheets, I think), and I always wanted to use her pillow to sleep on.

2. We loved going to Brookville Lake with our dad, laying on the scratchy "army" blanket and eating Doritos and drinking Coke, getting sunburns and loving life.

3. When I was about 6 or 7 years old, she tricked me into eating hardened Crisco grease, telling me it was "leftover icing". Yuck!

4. When I was about 10 years old, she bloodied my lip with a softball while playing toss in the backyard. She says it was an accident.

5. When I was 16 years old, but looked much older, she would take me to Chi-Chi's and buy me margaritas. We had a system, and I never got carded.

6. I loved getting her hand-me-downs. Just because they came from Rhonda, they were cool.

7. After her third miscarriage, I offered to have a baby for her. I didn't know she was already pregnant again. She was so afraid of losing another baby. The next day, I was anointed with oil in her honor at church, and our entire congregation lifted Rhonda and the baby up in prayer. The next day, Rhonda had an ultrasound which showed everything was perfect. After a very rough and scary delivery, my niece, Katlyn Mary MacDonald was born. God is so faithful!

8. One of the favorite times of my life was taking care of Katlyn when Rhonda had to return to work. I did this until Gabe was born, and it was just too much (I could barely take care of my own family). I love her babies as much as my own, and I love that they are pretty close in age to mine.

9. Rhonda had a crush on David Lee Roth from Van Halen, and was convinced that she would marry him someday (I think it was the hair...have you seen him lately? Not so hot, anymore).

10. We have an uncanny knack of reading each other's minds. We've always had it, and joke that we always will . We play a mean game of Pictionary (no one wants to play against us), and we say that when we're old and gray and living side by side in the nursing home, we won't even have to talk anymore, we'll just look at each other and nod and giggle, and everyone will think we are crazy :)

11. I know, I know, I only said ten things, but this one is important. Rhonda is the connection that brought Joe and I together (they played volleyball on the same team). Rhonda is seven years older than me. We share(d) a dad, and even though we never lived in the same house, we are as close as sisters can be. Sissy, I love you. And even though I don't come running out of the house screaming for you anymore, I promise that you mean the world to me, still. And sorry about the picture; I couldn't resist.

Shades of Summer

I received a box in the mail the other day from a complete stranger. I couldn't wait to open it and see what was inside. A card, a gift certificate, money...the possibilities were endless. When I finally got through all the packing tape and opened the box, I saw it was this pair of yellow sunglasses and a baggie full of photos. At first I was puzzled, then I remembered this. Elizabeth Kartchner from Creating Keepsakes had the great idea of the ultimate "chain letter". Sunglasses mailed across the U.S., each participant taking a picture of themselves with the "shades of summer" on, posting it on their blog, enclosing it back in the bag of other photos, and mailing it off to the next person on the list. What a great idea! I thought long and hard of how I was going to pose for my picture. Lounging poolside at the Y (and let the whole world witness me in my bathing suit? no, thanks); typing on the computer (boring photo); let one of the kids wear them and take their picture (cute, but defeating the purpose, I think). So, I finally decided to take a picture of me doing what I love best...reading, especially reading a book by Diana Gabaldon. Elijah took this one of me out on our deck, where I have spent hours doing just that. After Elizabeth gets all the photos back, she plans on putting them all together in a scrapbook...isn't that cool? She is so full of great ideas, and the girl just had her second baby like, a minute ago. No wonder she got "Scrapbooker of the Year"!

Hope everyone has a great weekend. We have a wedding to attend tonight, with an outdoor reception to follow. Have I mentioned that there is a heat alert, the temperature is 100 degrees today, and we don't have a babysitter for our three lovelies? I foresee lots of wine in my future, with hubby as the D.D. Oh, crap, we have to drive separately, since he's in the wedding. I guess I don't see wine in my future...

Happy Day!

Yay, I'm finally feeling better! I was looking all over the internet for a picture appropriate for a "healing" post, but couldn't find one I liked. So I went back to my stash of photos in Kodak Easyshare, and found this one right away. I love how cute Gabe looks here, but more, I love the look of absolute joy radiating from every fiber of his being. Oh, to be three again (not that I really want to...who wants to ever go through those teenage years again? not me!).

This morning I was reading a little "Joy for the Journey" book I received as a gift years ago. I found a great verse that was so fitting for the way I am feeling today, I just had to share:

"But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31

This has never been on my list of "favorite" verses before today, but I am going to add it. What more do you need as a woman, a mother, a wife? I ask God often for "enough" energy to get me through the day, and here He has already promised me this. This past week has sapped my strength, and I am ready to receive this promise more than you can know.

So infuse me with energy, God. You know the condition of my house, my van, my bank accounts, my children. Today is the day I need to start taking care of all of these, and boy, do I need help. Do I hear an Amen?!

Can you tell I'm bored?

Sometimes at work, on a slow night, I will (gasp!) get online and look at my favorite blogs (see sidebar). If my patients are cooperating at 0300 (we use military time at the hospital), I may even have the chance to be the first commenter on The Secret is in the Sauce blog (they are based in California). There's no prize for being first, but it is still a coveted spot for us crazy lady bloggers. Anyway, I digress...

My point was this. If one of my coworkers happens upon me while I am chuckling out loud reading Lula's latest post, or saying a silent prayer for Melissa, they usually will ask what I'm looking at. I will mumble, "oh, just a blog" and hope they walk away and leave me to my five minute "blog fix". Invariably, I will get the question, "What the heck is a blog?". To which I have to stop and think for a minute before I can answer. So, tonight, while I am forcing myself to take it easy and rest, I thought I'd look up the definition of "blog" on Webster's Online. Here it is:


blog
Main Entry:
blog
Pronunciation:
\ˈblȯg, ˈbläg\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
short for Weblog
Date:
1999
: a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer; also : the contents of such a site

There you have it...the definition a blog. Can you believe it's been around so long? I haven't even reached my one year "blogaversary" yet (September 4th is the day). I read somewhere that the birth of the blog was 9/11, when people were using their Instant Messaging systems to write about the events in New York and beyond on that fateful day. I like to think that such a postive thing could have come about out of the destruction. What a way for us to unite, not just here in America, but around the globe. Today my friend, Catherine, posted this on her blog. Blogging is definitely one way I keep from feeling lonely, but to be honest, I'm already doing several of the things suggested in the article she writes about. One of my very best friends, Becky, and I have been doing the workout meetup since last fall, and I love it! We have become so close, and after having to miss this week's workout so far (darn you, kidneys), I am missing her companionship like crazy. Girlfriend, when I am all better, we have so much to catch up on!

Clearly I am all hopped up on lemonade and oven-popcorn (what my kids call it when I pop the corn on the stove homemade, instead of in the microwave in a bag). I am rambling, and can't stop. Can you tell I've missed you guys? Thanks for all the nice comments on my "Sick Day" post...misery loves company, and sympathy, too. :)

I should be back in the game tomorrow (I hope). Until then, Happy Blogging!

Sick Day

When a woman has a career, a day job, if you will, how many sick days do you think she gets? 5 per year, maybe more? A day where you pick up the phone, call in sick, roll back over in your bed, and sleep until you feel better. That's how it works, right? Oh, and you still get paid, because it's a "sick day".

Why don't moms get sick days?

Sunday afternoon I started with a back ache. I thought it was from turning and lifting heavy patients all day at work (and cleaning up poop not once, not twice, but seven times...no one ever said nursing was a glamorous job, for sure). By Sunday night, however, I had a fever and my lower back was killing me.

Anyone who has had a kidney infection knows these symptoms are a red flag, but I was in a bit of denial. There is no time for me to be sick. I was scheduled to work a 12-hour night shift Monday night. I started drinking lots of water, cranberry juice and downing the ibuprofen.

Monday morning, still having a fever and back pain, worse now. Thank God for my friend, Becky, who urged (demanded) me to call my doctor and make an appointment. So I did. And kidney infection is what the diagnosis is. Cipro and ibuprofen and lots of fluids is the treatment. Oh, and rest. Yeah, right. I have three kids, remember? Do I get a sick day? Nope. I lay on the couch and try to rest, watching the house fall apart around me. Joe was actually very helpful, driving me to the doctor, fixing lunch for everyone, and buying us dinner. But today, all the things that didn't get done yesterday are still waiting for me to do them. The dishes are climbing out of the sink, the dirty clothes are screaming to be washed, and there are toys everywhere. Chaos, and it drives me crazy. I feel sicker laying here looking at the mess then I would if I just got up and took care of it all.

So I do. The dishes are done. That's as far as I got. Now I sit and blog, waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in so I can start the laundry.

What I would give for a sick day...

Ain't that the truth?

I know this boy is adorable...that alone saves his life on a daily basis.

But cuteness alone is not helping the fact that he is a Stinker with a capital S. He has gotten into a bad habit of hitting people...let me clarify: he hits me, he hits Elijah, and he hits Joe (hardly ever Isabel, I'm not sure why). Nothing is working, either. I put him in time out on the step; he's "sorry", he apologizes to the victim, he claims it was "an accident", then five minutes later he is hitting again. And laughing. And now that he is older and bigger, his little punches hurt. The boy is getting ready to go to preschool...he cannot be a hitter. I am at a loss. Spanking doesn't really seem to be appropriate in this case...you hit me, so I'll hit you, and that's okay 'cause I'm bigger? My next idea is seclusion in his room every time he hits, accompanied by a "talk" (he really hates these). Unfortunately, this only works when we are at home. I know he is looking for attention, but seriously, he gets a lot of attention from all of us.


Does anyone have any suggestions? Please tell me that I am not the only mom with a boy this ornery? I am at my wit's end here (whatever that really means?). Thanks in advance for any comments posted...I'm about desperate enough to have a give-away for the commentator whose suggestion works. Hmmm...not a bad idea...

My (First) Blogger Friend

I have been "blogging" less than a year. I started it as a way to advertise (for free) for my Stampin' Up! business, and also to share pictures with family members who lived far away. It was great for the family stuff, didn't really work out so well for the business part. Slowly, I became aware of other bloggers out there, women a lot like me, who were blogging and (gasp) commenting on each other's blogs like they knew one another. At first I was a silent blog stalker, just peeking in on the lives of these other women, enjoying the comraderie, even if it was one-sided. Then I found a couple of blogs that I really liked. After reading their entries, I began to feel as if I knew them. Jen from Texas was one of them. I found her blog from a comment she had left on another blog, and after reading one of her posts that I could totally relate to, I finally got up the nerve to leave her a comment, and invite her to come and check out my blog. Now, I could tell that Jen was a professional blogger...just look at her site. Mine was the plain "Blogger" template, nothing fancy, not even a music player. I was a little embarrassed to even invite her "over", but I did. And we have been "blogging buddies" ever since. I feel like I know her. And when one of her very good friends, Catherine, found out she was moving to Ohio, no less than 30 minutes from me, she left me a comment requesting my email. Now, I already knew Catherine was planning on moving to Ohio, because I had been "stalking" her blog now and then, from Jen's blog. Her children are adorable, and I couldn't wait to see where in Ohio she and her husband decided to settle (they were debating between Kentucky and Ohio). I left her a couple of comments and gave her my email address. We contacted each other, and when Catherine finally moved to Ohio, we set up a date to meet each other. This is where you would think I would get nervous. My dad was probably rolling over in his grave right about now..."You don't know anything about this person; they could be crazy; it could be some strange guy, stalking blogs and pretending to be a mom from Texas"...scenes right out of a novel by John Sandford would be springing to mind.




So, to make a long story, well, a little longer, Catherine and I finally set a date to meet and have dinner and drinks, just a girls night out. We met at Abuelos, a Mexican restaurant in town. We had chatted on the phone for a few minutes the day before, and again that day (while I explained why I was running late). I was not nervous at all. It is so weird how you can meet certain people, and feel instantly comfortable with them, and just be yourself...that is how we both felt; like we had already known each other for a long time. We talked and ate and drank and talked, until the employees had to turn on the lights to Make us Leave. We talked about how much fun we would have if Jen from Texas would join us here in Ohio someday (hint, hint, Jen). There are lots of fun hotels on the Ohio River...we could have an awesome girls night out!





So, here's to my first official real-life, not-a-crazy-psycho-killer, blogger friend, Catherine. I'm so glad we found each other, and I hope you feel the same (because I promise I'm not crazy, either).

Go, Reds!

No, not the Cincinnati Reds of the Major League...it's the Trim Parts Reds of the Minor League. Last night, Elijah's Little League team took home the (huge) trophy for winning the 2008 Championship Tournament! It was so exciting to watch these boys play hard and have great attitudes all through the game. Their defense was awesome, and (finally) they were getting some good hits. The team finished the season with a 9-7 record, and then were undefeated throughout the tournament. Great job, Elijah...we are so proud of you!

Look at those tired eyes...the first game started at 5:30pm, and they played until 9:30pm. Pure, unadulterated joy mixed with exhaustion...I can't wait to scrapbook this page!

My Mom...Carolyn Sue Conley Klenk

Tomorrow (July 11th) is my mom's 63rd birthday. Since she still doesn't have a computer at home (come on, Mom!), I wanted to give her this birthday blog tribute when she could see it from work (shhh, don't tell her boss she's surfing the net while she's supposed to be taking orders). This one's for you, Mom. I love you. Happy Birthday!



My sister, Michelle, helped me scan these old photos of Mom. This is one of my favorites. How old are you here, Mom? 22? I love the smile on your face (and the cool hairdo).
This was taken about the time my parents started dating. What a hottie!

Ahh, the seventies...Sideburns on Dad, Peter Pan collars on the girls, non-complementing color scheme for the whole family. And what is up with that baby? (Ohh, that's me...what is that expression all about?)

Mom, her dad (my "little Papa"), and her only brother, Steve. Taken in our backyard, circa 1980's. Mom in her Dr. Scholl's wooden sandals, and Papa in his hot red short shorts. Gotta love it! I love this picture, even though it highlights the dark wooden paneling (yuck) in my childhood home. The days when silkscreen sweatshirts were hot (as in, trendy). And tinted glasses, oh my! You and Dad look so happy, Mom. Man, I miss him.

Little Papa, me and Mom, right after my 1992 high school graduation, before I left to go on a road trip to Vermont with a girlfriend.

Some of my favorite memories of my mom:

Having tea parties with Snickers bars and playing "Dukes of Hazard" boardgame on Friday night, while watching Daisy and Luke Duke and the General Lee on the TV.

Learning how to cross-stitch, and spending hours on each end of the couch, stitching away and watching "Murder, She Wrote" (I've never seen this one before).

Reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz and talking about them with Dad afterward.

Playing Jeopardy on the TV, with Dad keeping score. I usually won.

Going to Louisiana, Florida and Tennessee. Visiting Twitty City and Graceland, and liking it :)

Learning to love country music and the oldies, especially Conway Twitty and Roy Orbison.

Going to Metamora, browsing through all the shops and eating at the old bank safe restaurant.

These are just a few memories I can think of, while my kids are running around and crying and begging to go swimming at the Y. You always tell me what a great mom I am, and how proud you are of me. I have to tell you, Mom, that the only reason I am who I am today is because of the awesome childhood I had with you and Dad as my parents. I had a life full of love and attention; I never doubted who I was or what I meant to you; I always knew you were proud of me, not because of what I accomplished or what grades I got in school, but only because I was your daughter, and you loved me.

Thank you.

I love you.

Happy Birthday!