DISAPPOINTMENT IS:

when you put you frozen dinner in the microwave and you think you hit start but then the phone rings and someone distracts you for 15 minutes asking why their daughter got arrested and then you go back to the microwave expecting warm noodley goodness and instead you have FROZEN SLUDGE. that is disappointment and that is all...

Assassination at the coke machine...

One of my duties for the next two days is running the control board that opens the electronic doors to let people in and out of the detention center and jail. Coming from the lobby to the detention center you have to pass through one door, then a sallyport that has a lockbox for weapons, then another door.

All officers are to leave their guns in the lockbox because no guns are allowed in the jail for obvious reasons.

So here's the interesting part: EVERY SINGLE TIME an officer leaves the detention center he feels the need to strap on his gun. I see it happen. Sometimes he's back in like 45 seconds (asking for me to open the freakin door again) so I can only assume he's going to the coke machine.

I know that being a law enforcement officer is exciting. It's a job that should come with respect and absolute responsibility. I realize that carrying a firearm is part of that responsibility but HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU PLAN TO SHOOT AT THE COKE MACHINE?! Seriously? REally? Do you expect there to be a revolt in the lobby? A gunfight so fierce that started over the last diet coke? Really?!

WHEN IT WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE...

So Monday night we stayed with my mother in law which is never the most comfortable thing because while there I sleep on a love seat. Now I know what you're thinking "um isn't a love seat those little tiny couches that are like 2 feet long?" And yes, you would be correct on that but it's not really horrible because generally I curl up in a ball to sleep anyway. So normally I sleep on the love seat and Cooper sleeps in a portable crib beside me. Craig sleeps on the big couch because he's a whiner and always goes to bed first.


Well on Monday the portable crib wasn't there because someone needed it for her second SURPRISE illegitimate grandchild. (That's another story for another time).


So Joann's like "why don't you sleep on the couch with Cooper?" Ummmm yeah I don't know because maybe my butt is as friggin wide as the f-ing love seat to begin with so I fear there would be NO ROOM LEFT FOR COOPER. And by the way thanks for the heads up that the crib was no longer at your house BEFORE I left my house (which has both a bed AND a crib).


So me and Coop ended up on the floor because OH YEAH Craig had been asleep on the big couch, for I don't know, HOURS. Joann was kind enough to make us a "pallet" so I mean, what else could I ask for? So we lay down and it's all I don't know, 1000 degrees in her house so I turn two (2!) fans on in the hope that we don't spontaneously combust during the night. It was so hot at one point all I could think about was taking my pants off. And nothing says parenting at it's best than laying pantless on a pallet with your baby.

Maybe it was because we weren't at home, maybe it was because we weren't surrounded by cats and MAYBE it was because we were laying on a f-ing hard wood floor but whatever the case Cooper would not go to sleep. He was completely restless. He would thrash and kick and roll and this was completely unfortunate because every time he rolled he rolled into the wooden coffee table and every time he thrashed he managed to hit his head on the hard wood floor and every time he kicked he managed to freakin kick me.

I've always heard of people complaining about their kid moving around so much while sleeping and how they can't stand that and I've always been like I love it when Cooper moves, just one more indication that he's breathing and okay, well now I get it, NOW I FRIGGIN GET IT. It is not fun to be kicked in the head while trying to sleep.

So we made it through the night and I have never been so glad to get up early and go to the dentist because that just means that someone is probing in my mouth and causing me great pain and that indicates that the night is over and anything is better than laying pantless on hard wood while being kicked in the head.

COOPER, 13 MONTHS OLD!

one year, one month, thats how old you are! how amazing is that?! you are over a year old! we have known you for over a year! you have gotten to experience every single month, every single season and every single holiday, ONCE! you are awesome and i thank God for you, little one. we are blessed through you.

you have an attitude now. a very distinct attitude. and also you throw temper tantrums...horrid i know, but still i love it! because it's so...you!

you have a playful spirit and im pretty sure you're going to grow up to be a tease...last night you kept running toward your daddy and you'd hold your little arms up for him to get you. once he picked you up, you'd squirm to get down. then you'd do it all over again. after about the third time when you came running up to craig he said, "i bet he's going to want me to pick him up". well you got to him, you started to hold your arms up and then you said "NO!" and turned around and went to other way. you proceeded to do this until we were cracking up laughing hysterically!

we have so much fun, the six of us (you, me, your daddy, jay-jay, mercy and dudley). sometimes we all curl up together and watch a movie...these are my favorite nights.

you eat real food now. (hamburgers and spaghetti are among your favorites, i knew you were my kid)!

you drink from a straw now!

you say "please" which comes out "pes" when you really, really want something. (and i mean, seriously, who could say no to that)?!

you are full of energy, excited about everything and you have a zest for life. i love you my darling! my sweet, precious baby boy, everyday i count the hours until i get to be with you again, to hold you, to play with you and to just enjoy being your mama.

love you,
your mommy

HAPPY FIRST B-DAY COOPER!!!

So i have completely, utterly and without a doubt dropped the ball on blogging...BUT i must pick it back up because you, my baby, are growing, GROWING, GROWING too fast and if i dont try and write it down now i'll never ever remember it all!

You are no longer an infant. You have passed that stage in your life. You can now be considered a toddler!!! Im loving it, every minute of it! You are seriously more fun now than ever!

You walk. Seriously, like all by yourself. Sometimes it's just 2 or 3 steps but sometimes you really get going and you make it half way across the room, then you collapse and resort to hysterical laughter! It's the best!

You talk. And sing. Mostly it's in your own language but that's okay because it's beautiful anyway!

You have 5 baby teeth! wow! You are definitely making up for lost time on the teeth thing!

We had your 1st bday party and it was awesome! You wore your tux and we decorated your high chair with balloons and you had a crown and your very own cake and AUAHGHGHGHG too much fun! You had a TABLE FULL of presents! So many that we are getting them out one at a time so you aren't overwhelmed.

But you know what my very favorite part of the day was? After everyone had left we took your new things home, unloaded them and then went back to the fellowship hall to clean up. So it was just me, your daddy and you all alone at the fellowship hall. We vacuumed and you chased the vacuum cleaner! You loved the wide open space to walk, crawl, run and flail about. You were totally content to stay there and play with us and that vacuum cleaner all night! We had a ball, just the three of us! Then we went home and sat on the couch and played with your 3 kitty sisters, life just doesn't get much better than that!

This year has without a doubt been the most exhilarating, most trying, most learning and finally the absolute best year of our lives. God changed our hearts when He gave us you. I never ever knew I could love another person as much as I love you. I never thought it was possible to want to give another human being so much of yourself that it hurts. You complete us, you make us a family and we love you more than you'll ever begin to know...thank you for the best year ever and I can't wait to start the next chapter!

Love you my little Cooper Douper!

<><><><
your mommy

COOPER month 10...AND month 11...

Cooper-
So pretty much I have sucked lately at this blogging thing. I blame you and all of your cuteness and the fact that I want to spend every waking moment with you, not on the computer! But years from now when you're reading about your young life and you question why I combined month 10 and month 11 basically I'll have no good answer...

It's sad too because I don't even remember what all you were doing last month because this month you've totally mastered all these new skills and you've overwhelmed us with your abilities!

Now you can drink from a sippy cup. At first I thought you didn't understand how it worked. I tried it with juice...then water...then a different kind of juice and you just didn't act like you could get any so I gave up...then in good mommy fashion I tried it with coke...you guzzled it...then I tried tea and you gulped the whole thing down so BASICALLY you fooled your mommy...you knew exactly HOW to use the cup you were just waiting for something that you actually liked in it...

You can stand alone now! You still haven't taken any steps (at least none that I know about, who knows, maybe you walk around at ms. karen's and your gran's) but in my presense you only stand there all balancing, all adorable and melt my heart!

You now say "hey" and throw your little hand up in greeting but because you're a little country boy it comes out sounding like "hiiaaaayyyy" your daddy called you his little nasal redneck. IT IS HILARIOUS!

You love to torment the cats by laying on the couch and then grabbing them as they walk by. You never tire of this game...thats more than I can say for the cats...

Your most used form of mobility is crawling...FAST. Grandma made the comment that you could crawl faster than she could walk!

You now open cabinets and shut them. Open and shut. Open and shut. Another game you love.

Your grandpa frosty and your daddy are still your favorite people on the whole planet...

Next month is your very first birthday and I am super excited about planning your party! I can't wait. But I'm also a little sad because you're growing soooo fast! This time last year you were still in your mommy's tummy! I can only say that for a few more days and then you'll officially be a big boy, no more infant! But good Lord how I love you, my little boy. I could never explain it...I could never portray it...I just have to hope and pray that I show you every single day how I couldn't live without you. You complete us...

Happy almost birthday my big boy Cooper!
love,
your mommy

the one where i die a little on the inside

Yeah so ummm....yeah...

Cooper last night you pretty much broke your mommy's heart and then took the pieces and then you just stomped on them with your tiny baby feet.

We went to karate with your daddy and ms. karen was there and so you reached for her. Okay no big deal, so you wanted to tell her hey. I didn't panick. I felt a twinge of jealousy but it passed.

So then when she was ready to leave she handed you back to me AND YOU CRIED. While she was placing you (MY BABY) into my arms (me, THE ONE WHO CARRIED YOU FOR ALL OF NINE MONTHS), you cried and you reached back for her and THEN, RIGHT THERE, you took my will to live and crushed it and pretty much kicked my soul.

I mean when you're reading this years down the road don't feel bad or anything...don't feel bad that I did my best to give you all the good things in life...yummy moo, nice toys and all the cats you could ever hope for...and what you did to thank me was crush me a little on the inside...

I love you anyway my little sweet potato!

love,
your (one and only) mommy

INTERVIEW WITH GOD

okay you must, must MUST watch this...you will not be dissapointed...
click on the link, then choose "watch presentation"...ENJOY!

http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/

A Sliver of Chance for Life on Mars REALLY?! SERIOUSLY?!

"A Sliver of Chance for Life on Mars" This was the title to one of the featured news stories on yahoo today. The article goes on to say that because at night a PHENOMENON happens when some of the water vapor in the atmosphere evaporates and creates dew...DEW...and apparently this means at one time this "dew" could have supported life in a martian climate.

You know what? I couldn't give a TINY RAT'S DO-DO MAKER (thank you elliot) if there is life on mars, if there WAS life on mars of even if there is going to be life on mars eventually. What pisses me off is that there is PLENTY OF LIFE ON EARTH AND THEY'RE STARVING!

Nasa has spent almost a year on this mars/dew theory.

They have a special instrument they've been using: (see quote from article):
[The TECP "was like the Swiss army knife of instruments," says Aaron Zent of NASA Ames Research Center. It was equipped with a four-pronged fork that could be stuck into the ground to measure soil moisture and temperature. It also had a sensor for relative humidity.]

Hell, couldn't they have just stuck their hand in the soil to see if it was wet or not?

I won't harp on my opinions of the wasted money going to the space program but I will leave you with this note:

NEXT TIME INSTEAD OF SPENDING A YEAR, CREATING SPECIAL INSTRUMENTS AND WASTING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO COME WITH A CONCLUSION AS GOOD AS "A SLIVER OF CHANCE FOR LIFE ON MARS" HOW ABOUT WE TAKE THAT MONEY, THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT WORK FORCE AND USE IT TOWARD:

~FEEDING THE HUNGRY CHILDREN? WHAT IF WE WENT TO BED AT NIGHT AND KNEW EVERYONE WAS AS FULL AS WE WERE?

~HOW ABOUT WE REBUILD HOMES AND HABITATS. WHAT IF "THE HOMELESS" BECAME THE NEWEST ENDANGERED SPECIES BECAUSE THEY FOUND HOMES?

~WHAT IF WE USED MIGHTY RESOURCES AND CREATED JOBS FOR THE UNEMPLOYED. WHAT IF WE HAD TO COME UP WITH NEW JOBS FOR THE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE WORKERS?

~WHAT IF WE CONCENTRATED ON WORKING TOWARD A SOLUTION TO FERTILITY AND ABORTION...WHAT IF WE DISCOVERED A WAY TO TAKE AN ALREADY IMPLANTED EMBRYO OUT OF A WOMAN WHO DOESN'T WANT IT AND PUT IT INTO A WOMAN DESPERATE FOR A CHILD? HOW MANY WOMEN WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THIS INSTEAD OF DESTROYING HUMAN LIFE? HOW MANY LIVES WOULD IT SAVE?

I don't know if there was ever life on mars. I know there's life on earth. Precious life that is too easily discarded, so...."sliver of chance"...how about a new title "LIFE ON EARTH? YOU BETCHA!"

If i choke to death while typing this...

marie is not here today. she had a conference to go to. her absence was most noticed when i made my ham sandwich and realized that i didnt have a drink to go with it. (because every single day marie brings me a drink from dipper's).

so...against my better judgement (because i am so very cheap), i scrounge the change together to go get a coke out of the machine. i have what i believe to be barely enough. on the way to the coke machine i pass the snack machine. i make the mistake of glancing it's way. FRICK ON A STICK, THEY HAVE SOUR CREAM AND ONION CHIPS! they never have SOUR CREAM AND ONION! i nervously look at the change in my hand. there is a decision to be made and...yep thats right, i am just that fat, i went with the chips!

now you're probably saying, "wait, but wern't you concerned with needing a drink when it was just the sandwich? now you're planning on chips too and you still dont have a beverage? is that smart?" but you don't understand, they're SOUR CREAM AND ONION! so i take the plunge and put my money in and push B4....it whirls and whirls and...my SOUR CREAM AND ONION gets stuck on the mechanism...i mentally stomp my foot and consider trying to rock the machine until i remember all the horror stories of people being squashed under machines they were trying to rock for things less than SOUR CREAM AND ONION even...

i silently and defeatedly walk back to my office. i have no more change. i have no drink and i have no SOUR CREAM AND ONION. then i have a PLAN! i cant get into marie's office because it's locked but if i could find a master key...she always has change laying around and she always tells me i can help myself if i need some for the machine...so...i go on a hunt for a master key. most people at this point would have just given up but I AM JUST THAT FAT.

so i finally find an important person with a key and i break in. i steal enough change (with a mental I.O.U.), to not only ransom my SOUR CREAM AND ONION but to also get an icy cold beverage. i lock the door, return the key and head back out. i go to the coke machine. i have $1.10 in change. the chips are $0.50 and the cokes are $0.60 cents (or so i thought).

i stare at the coke machine. SIXTY FIVE EFFING CENTS. if i spend 65 cents i'll not have enough for the chips...BEAVER DAMMMMMMMMM IT!!!!!!!!! so i did the only logical thing to do, i forgot the coke, and bought the chips and since i already had a bag hanging in the balance i got two. 2 BAGS OF SOUR CREAM AND ONION!

i was giddy happy until i remembered that it meant that i had a ham sandwich and 2 bags of chips and still no drink...not a very good combination for NOT choking...

standing...

So now you can stand up! You STAND on your VERY OWN TWO LEGS. Standing Up.

On valentine's day you crawled (really crawled) for the first time. Then we took you home and I put you in a rubbermaid container (sounds cruel but you love it), and OBVIOUSLY I don't put the lid on it.

Anyway so I put you in this box and give you some toys and go about making dinner. I glance over and FRICKY FRICK, YOU'RE STANDING UP! I was like, "OH MY GOSH, COOPER YOU'RE STANDING UP." You gave me a look like, "yeah..." So I figure it's this freak thing (because who would guess that the same day that you crawled would also be the day you started all freakin walking around?) So anyway I set you back down and you're all like, "OH NO, YOU DIDN'T" So I turn around to look at supper again and as fast as I can turn around you're standing again! You pudgy little hands are curled around the top of the container and your chubby legs are ridgidly standing in triumph and you're peering over the side of the box, looking at the world below.

This happens like I don't know, FOURTEEN MILLION times and even though I am truly excited and gleeful I have a realization: you are no longer containable...there is no where that I can put you and then expect you to be when I come back.

Your very own journey has now began...

You Know You Have a Problem When...

I am admittedly cheap. Everyone who knows me knows this. I love a good bargain and my heart leaps at the word "CLEARANCE".

I was looking through the petco sales paper just now and on the back page I saw parakeets advertised for ONLY $12.00! And my first thought was "crap, that's cheap, I may need to get some..."

It was then that I realized that I was talking about PARAKEETS. LIVE BIRDS. Do I want birds? No. Do I have any desire to house them? Absolutely not. But I was still so shaken by their "rock bottom price" that I, for a fleeting second, I considered stocking up...

It was then that I had a realization, I May Just Have a Problem...

coop and aunt bec

another reason why i'm glad i have cats

(The characters named in this story are in fact real, not fictional but their names have been changed to protect privacy and pride...)

Among reasons like curling up on my feet while i sleep and sweetly nuzzling my neck the NUMBER ONE, ABSOLUTE NUMERO UNO REASON that im glad I have cats is the fact that they do NOT eat their own or anyone else's poo...

I wasn't sure what to blog about today but then I read "gretta's" blog about how her adorable tiny puppy "bess" has taken to eating her own poop...

Now I'll admit I'm not a dog person...well that's not entirely true, I love all things furry and loveable BUT I am much, much more of a CAT PERSON...I've even been referred to as the Crazy Cat Lady...but anyway I mean seriously WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL EATS THEIR OWN POO? Certainly not cats...I think if it was up to cats they wouldn't even poo...they're JUST THAT CLEAN. They would rather hold it in and be miserable than do something as disgusting as actually expelling it from their tiny bodies...and then there's dogs...dogs who not only enjoy pooing and peeing all over the blasted place, right there in the open in front of God and everyone but then sometimes they roll around in it and I've just learned that sometimes they EAT IT.

IT'S. A. PILE. OF. POO.


People, wake up and realize that cats rule.

PACI'S, THUMBS AND DOOBIES

Okay so most parents try to discourage their babies from dependencies like thumb sucking and pacifiers and later on in life drug usage. Now I'm not saying that I would approve of him lighting up a doobie but I have to say that I am thrilled to see that maybe Cooper might be a thumb sucker. I mean as I watched him lay in his bed, his thumb in his mouth, his face a look of peaceful content I had thoughts of how very much I LOVE THIS KID and MY GOSH, HE IS THE CUTEST BABY EVER and OTHER SHOUTED THOUGHTS of this nature...

Who doesn't think a baby with a thumb is adorable? Possibly the most adorable sight ever...put a fluffy kitten in his lap and there would be no doubt.

Thumb sucking is not only marvelously cute but also very practical. I mean you always have your thumb. Even if there is no "moo" there is a thumb. Even if the paci has dropped in the floor there is thumb. ALL THROUGH YOUR LIFE THERE IS THUMB. And I can't chastise thumb suckers because I'm a nail bitter. And I don't apologize for that. It provides great comfort. When I'm upset I bite. When I'm nervous I bite. Also when I'm excited, bored and feeling pretty much in other emotion I bite. I don't smoke, I don't drink and of all the vices to have nail biting (or thumb sucking), is pretty mild.

So this morning Cooper was a little cranky having to be woken up and dragged out of bed and put into a cold carseat. I handed him a paci (something he hasn't had in months), not from lack of trying, he just doesn't seem all that interested. So this morning I give him the paci and he sucks for a minute, then takes it out of his mouth and examines it, chews on the side a little then proceeds to put it back in his mouth with his thumb stuck in the hole of the paci, essentially sucking his paci AND his thumb simultaneously...and then, at that very moment, my heart exploded into a million happy pieces from the sheer volume of ADORABLENESS...

COOPER-month 8!

Eight months old! Eight! It's hard to believe that in just four short months we'll start calculating your age in years...unreal...People told me it would fly by and they were right, it has. But at the same time I have enjoyed every single minute of it. Even the 3:00 am feedings!

You are still working on teeth...ugh baby teeth. I will be glad when this part of our life is over. I feel like baby teeth hate us both.

You are *almost* crawling! You do the whole getting up on your hands and knees thing but then you don't really go anywhere but BABY you are close! Everyone says I'll regret encouraging you so hard because once you become mobile there will be no stopping you!

Last week we lost one of the most important people in our lives, our nanny. I have contemplated and wrestled about what I could possibly write to you, what I could possibly try to pass on to you to tell you just how very much she loved you. I have decided that there are just simply no words. There is no way I can ever tell you, my only hope is that she instilled enough of it in me that I'll be able to pass that love on to you all the days of my life.

She was 69 years old which to you has to be ancient. Even by the time you can read this you'll think that she was the probably the oldest person to ever live but I promise you, by the time you're mommy's age you'll realize that 69 is just barely scrapping the surface of old age or the supposed golden years. For a while I struggled with this and I thought about all the people that had made it way past 69, some even into their 80's and 90's and it seemed so unfair. Like we had been robbed of precious time that was owed to us. More time for her to get to see you crawl...and walk...and talk...and grow up to be a magnificent little boy and young man. But my consolation is this: it was truly her time. She was asleep. She wasn't sick. It wasn't expected. It was sudden and it was fast and of all the ways to go it was a blessing. While she was sleeping God just whispered in her ear, "Come on home..." She didn't suffer and I can't even argue that her time was cut short because I can promise you, God always knows what he's doing.

Right after you were born your gran told me something that to this day still makes me cry. She said that right before you were born she could just picture Jesus leading you through the streets of Heaven letting you say goodbye to all the loved ones you already had up there. We talked about how you saw your papa mincey and your grampy jones and your grandpa gilleland and how they probably told you to be a good boy and that they'd "see ya after while". That image still gives me chills and no doubt, you, little one, have been in the presence of the God.

At the funeral home I thought of something else. Nanny is no longer here to hold you but she is Heaven, holding your little brother or sister. And I'm not sure when they're coming here to earth, but it's weird, it's like I know they ARE coming...one day.

Right now we're enjoying you and all of your quirks and all of your personality and all of your bubblyness. You are the happiest baby ever.

You now say "dadada" and FINALLY "mama" and "hey" and "hi" and most recently "na-na" which is close to "ma-ma" but if you listen real close you can tell the difference. And I have to believe that it's you own little way of giving a shout out to our beloved nanny.

In other news Gretchen and Joshy got engaged and are planning a wedding at the beach which will probably be your very first beach trip so that will be exciting! Getting to feel sand for the first time and wade into the ocean and pick up sea shells, I CAN HARDLY WAIT! (Which is weird because normally I hate the beach but getting to do anything with you for the very first time is SPECTACULAR and I love nothing more than to watch you explore and learn and experience).

Tomorrow is your grandpa frosty's birthday so we'll gather at grandma mincey's for food and no doubt she will have not forgotten about you and she'll most likely have sweet potatoes or peas or some other mushy food for you! You'll get all the lovin you can stand on friday night and then your mema joann is supposed to come up on saturday SO...you are going to have one awesome weekend surrounded by people that you love.

It will be fun and exciting and busy but you know what? On Sunday night when everything is over and everyone has gone home me, your daddy, your kitties and you are going to curl up on the couch and watch tv...or not...and just be together...just enjoy each other...even if the kitties are wild or your fussy or your daddy is cold or im hot, it's not going to matter because we'll be together in our own comfy home, with our own little family and we'll just be...

I love you more than I ever thought possible,
mommy

sWeEpS dAy 7

For todays contest i thought i would try to win something cute and trendy so i went to the seventeen magazine website. Unfortunetely what they were offering was a pair of "BLACK POCKET SEQUINNED RAMPAGE DENIM" jeans (most likely size 1/2) and since im not that "young" or "fresh" i declined to enter for the jeans and instead found something more useful. i went to http://www.mylicon.com/vcrc/offers/nmcampaign.jhtml?id=vcrc/offers/myl_pamper.inc&oid=5479&bid=29&formType=C

and signed up for a baby contest from mylicon in which im hoping to win a BABIES-R-US gift card. woo hoo!

BRIE for FREE for ANGELA!

in honor of angela's b-day (today)! i used my "one contest a day plan" and entered her in a drawing for FREE BRIE! A BASKET OF CHEESE! YAY! im so excited because if she wins i wont have to get her a real present...

http://iledefrancecheese.com/sweepstakes_home.html

and even if she doesnt win she's still bound to get lots of CHEESE FLAVORED SPAM...(the email kind...)

THE ONE *almost* titled "THE ONE where shannon says SCREW IT ALL"

When people ask me if it's tough being the black sheep in a SEA OF PURE WHITE i just want to say..."no...it's comforting actually"

CAN I JUST SAY IM GLAD COOPER IS A BOY...

a perfect example of why girls suck and why we let DRAMA LLAMA rule our lives...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vxzIamlzoA

watch until the end...i especially like it when "natalie" becomes inconsolable....hehehe

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA! (day 5...sweeps)

grandma,
sorry we're not all together celebrating your b-day on a glorious cruise...

maybe if i win one of the contests....one day...(i'm beginning to think they're all rigged...)

http://www.freshstartsweepstakes.com/Home.1.lasso

kroger baby! day 4

yes i know i'm one day behind but i'll catch up today...at some point...

TODAY'S ENTRY: $25.00 KROGER GIFT CARD-WOO HOO!

compliments of one of my VERY FAVORITE websites:

http://www.5dollardinners.com

DAY 3-HILTON HEAD BABY!

for today's contest i went to http://www.womansday.com and entered to win a vaca to hilton head-WOO HOO! I HEART HH!!!! so im keeping my fingers crossed for this one!

THE ONE in which you find us all in snotty heap...dead.

So Cooper has RSV...sucks majorly. He also has an ear infection in BOTH count em BOTH ears! (According to my grandma, this is all my fault because I let him run around naked, ie: fully clothed minus the socks...) And I want to be all like, "grandma I don't think I'm the problem, the infection is in his ears NOT HIS FEET." If he had contracted gan-green then SURE I might take the fall for that one...but this, I'm not going down for.


Anyway so he's pretty miserable but THANK THE GOOD LORD IN HEAVEN much, much better than at the first of the week. He gets a breathing treatment three times a day and an antibiotic twice a day and we suction his nose as often as we feel like taking our lives in our own hands because seriously have you ever tried to stick something up the nose of a very strong octopus? Have you?

So I am thrilled and thankful that he is on the road to recovery and I have to give a shout out to Craig (my house husband as of this week), who has taken care of Cooper the majority of the time. Him and my mom took him to the doctor. Craig picked up the meds. Craig has given him all the breathing treatments and the antibiotic too for that matter. And he's also been the chief bottle maker (and dish washer), HOW LUCKY AM I?!

The reason Craig has taken so much responsibility is that my job has required me to be here this week. We have a new sheriff and administration taking over and the chaos is imminent and frowned upon if missed by any employee. Yay me, barrel full of fun...

So about that snot. I'm pretty sure I'm getting sick. I guess I have the adult version (aka: much milder) of RSV. I'm sniffing, coughing, wheezing, all cold symptoms apply. Granted I would much rather be sick than Cooper and if I could take this illness from him I would, however nature had a different approach in mind. Nature feels that if one in your herd gets sick that the whole herd is condemned and then it does it's best to weed out the weak ones from the pack. Currently nature is trying to wipe the Sexton's off the map...


As of now Craig is not sick....I'm holding my breath but...Craig has the immune system of a half dead donkey...seriously, he usually catches whatever is going around. I attribute him not getting sick thus far as nothing but the Sovernity of God since I really couldn't miss work and Cooper really needed one sober parent (not doped up on Robitussin), to take care of him. But it's probably coming. Change is coming and I fear that, that change for Craig is his health. I mean seriously can you live with two sicklings and not catch it yourself? I think not. Especially when one of them does things like COUGH IN YOUR MOUTH. (I was informed by Becca that today while visiting Cooper she leaned down and opened her mouth and he went AUGHHCK right in her face. So yeah, she's going to get it too...

So Monday (if we're not dead by then), Craig is supposed to write down when he wants to use all of his vacation/sick days...Yeah he's expected to KNOW when he's going to be sick for twelve months...is this realistic? Not in the least. Vacation I could understand (it would still be annoying to try and figure out when you're going to need that work reprieve most so you don't go postal, so far in advance but I still get it for vacation). But when your days double as vacation/sick it's pretty much impossible to utilize any of them as sick days...ughghgh. Just one more thing to look forward to, you can count on at least a couple of days when you are sick and have to take an unpaid day...Did I mention "ughghghghgh"...

So to recap we're all either sick or getting sick and we're destined to die in a snotty heap while NOT GETTING PAID for it!

Day 2: cash from G.E.

my contest entry of the day;

http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/coupons_offers/lighting_style/entry_form.htm

be back later for a daily post...

a shout out to my most newely ENGAGED cuz!

CONGRATS TO GRETCHEN AND JOSH WHO ARE NOW OFFICIALLY ENGAGED (even though my mom and craig claim to think they've been engaged for months)!

for the whole story click it---> http://gretchenandjosh.blogspot.com/

THE FIRST CONTEST OF THE YEAR!!! (hope i win)!

Okay remember when I said I thought it would be interesting to enter a different contest everyday and see if I win anything...so, we'll see...wish me luck!

(to see what contest I entered and read about a pretty amazing couponer follow the link...)
http://jane4girls800dollarannualbudget.blogspot.com/