Put a little boogy in it!
or how about this one?
“Men should be like Kleenex, soft, strong and disposable.”

Braysen decided to raid the Kleenex box while I was getting ready for work earlier this week. I think he got at least ½ the box out on the floor before I took it away and made him a very grumpy little man! You’ll see in some of the pics that he actually puts the Kleenex up to his nose and blows out. He saw his daddy doing it last month or so ago and actually does pretty well at blowing his snot out into it. Sometimes he grabs paper towels, napkins, toilet paper and just blows ..even with no snot in his nose. Such a funny lil kiddo!

Blowing his nose after raiding the Kleenex box

Today he scared the sh** out of me. I was upstairs getting ready for work and I had taken him up with me to change his diaper but I guess I didn’t latch the gate (when have I forgotten to latch the gate? I mean I ALWAYS do it!!) Who knows what went on in my mind but I forgot. I came out of the bedroom and am calling his name because it’s soooo quiet and this is very rare folks! I look over and the gates open, my heart races and I look down the stairs and there he is backing down all slow like and almost all the way down to the bottom. By the time I got to him he was at the bottom gate. WHEW, I can’t even tell you how happy I was that he actually went down backwards and didn’t fall. I was scared to death….mom without a brain award goes to me that morning!

I started Yoga last week and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I am taking it as a “class” for credit even. Guess I’m officially back in school, if you want to call it that. I actually need (3) credits from this area - HHP: Health and Human Performance so figured why not. It was a cheap $50 course for me and is until August plus it is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Yoga is much more intense then I thought it would be though and definitely more of a workout then the relaxing side I thought it would be. I realize I also that I haven’t completely lost my flexiblity but hopefully that and my balance will improve. The poses we did today were brutal but it seemed like I finally was figuring out the poses, flow and where my body position should be.

Because of Yoga my hours have been completely wierd, plus my boss has been trying to use up her well needed vacation time since campus is kind of quiet. I did get to take guppyman to the pool today before putting him down for his afternoon nap. He went underwater about 6 times and only 2 of them I counted 1,2,3 and put him under a bit. The other times he dunks his own head or face down and even was reaching under for the diving stick I had in my hand. He’s going to be a fish yet!! He gets so happy in the water and he does this goofy frog / dolphin lunge kick thing when you hold him under his belly. It’s so damn cute…what a true guppy!

All Smiles To End With!

(as always ~ images are thumbnailed so you can click to see larger versions!)

I realized I tend to just spam pics instead of updating lately. I guess it’s really because I tend to upload my pics and want to share them but then when it comes to typing up some post on just daily shit I slack off. So this might be a long post! - kiddo napping so it could be long or short I guess depending on him!

Work stuff~ I landed the job of my dreams for being a mom still and going back to school. I now work part-time @ a private college here locally. It’s an amazing opportunity because my hours are flexible. I work currently 9am-1pm but that could change come fall when I start some classes. I’m meeting with an advisor to figure out my pre-req. classes for the program I want to get into and what will transfer from before. Then I’ll work on a schedule to start off nice and easy my 1st semester back. I have a long road ahead of me but it’ll be worth it and my work schedule can move around my class schedule so it’s perfect!!! I get FREE tuition among other benefits - like paid vacation, retirement plan etc. For working part-time I’m stoked I get such great bene’s. It’s really like winning the lotto for me! I love the people I work with. Kiddo is going to my neighbors for daycare during the day while I work. She watches him and a few neighborhood kids, plus Charlotte is only 2 1/2 weeks younger then Braysen so that works out great. It’s the perfect situation and is sooo convenient.

Kiddo~ He’s currently sick!!!!! GRRRR. We took him to the doc yesterday after a long weekend. He has the starts of an ear infection and a red throat, which could or could not be strep. We gave him the amox. (he was on this for his last ear infection) but this morning he woke up with a rash. We took him back to the doc. and we aren’t sure if he’s allergic to it or if he has a viral rash infection of some sort. Either way, no more amox. for him until he’s older and then we’ll try it again to see if he really is allergic to it. He’s finally playing some today though, which is much better then the lay in my lap delirous / acting so unlike him routine of the past few days. He’s eatting a bit more today too but at least I haven’t fully weaned him from nursing because he was getting some from me thankfully. He hasn’t been sleeping worth crap the past 3 nights and that leads to some rough mornings! I just hope he is feeling better soon, it’s so hard to watch him whimper and cry but not able to tell you what’s wrong.

His 1st birthday party went really well and it was fun! I had a great time planning it and decorating etc. I know I went overboard but the 1st is something special I was happy to have my mom,step-dad, step-brother and my brother all in town. I haven’t seen my brother for 3 years so that was really nice and he loved braysen! He flew in from Colorado! My parents I saw at Christmas but it was really nice to have them drive in from Montana.

Spring is here and we are trying to get ideas down for how to landscape our backyard and what new flowers to add to the front! I’m itching with my green thumb to start planting! Think we are going to have a landscaper out to see if we can get some quotes/idea of how to do that backyard. I know next summer we’ll be looking @ buying kiddo his playset. I have some catalogs coming from places so we can get ideas and prices. I really just want a non-splinter wood nice one that has a fort with some swings, monkey bars and the slide of course. It’s unbelieveable how expensive those suckers are tho so I’m definitely shopping around a lot!

Last week I went out with the “girls” from the neighborhood for a Thurs. night dinner thing. I was told I couldn’t say no so we all piled into the converible and drove into town for dinner. We ate out at the rooftop bar at a local place downtown and I don’t think we stopped laughing from start to end. It was sooo nice to get out without the kiddos! We’ve decided that we’ll have to make that more of a regular thing. I’ve gone to a lot of neighborhood book club, girls nite out parties and such. It’s fun to get out and not worry about kiddo but get some girl social hours in! I love living in this neighborhood!

Patrick suprised me big time for my bday this year. We had talked that I wanted a laptop for my 30th birthday…well his brother ended up with another grant from apple (he has been doing some podcast stuff for apple) and anyhow ordered himself a new computer. He knew I wanted a laptop and sold us his Mac powerbook for a steal (i’m typing on it now). It’s taking me a lot to get used to but thankfully I use a mac at work so i’m getting even more adjusted too!!!

Anyhow the BIGGGGGG suprise is not the powerbook thing. We ordered last week me a new desktop computer from www.cyberpowerpc.com I’m SOOOO excited to get it. It should be here in the next few weeks. I’ve been eyeing it’s order waiting to see it say built and shipped! I need a new computer so bad it’s not funny!!! It’s cute too…..I mean you ask how can a computer be cute? BUT, it’s GREEEN!!!! I am just happy that I’m getting one but suprised! Hubby does good on the big 3-0 birthday presents even though this is an early one!!! He did VERY well and wins the husband of the year award.

I saw some drama going on another board and I just want to make it clear here about something. I honestly am NOT here to brag about new things or materialistic things (I hope I don’t give that impression to people) I find myself posting about things that I get or pic whoring because that’s all about the good news or things that I can think of to write about!! I like sharing pics of these things cause they are cool! That’s just my side note If I annoy people or someone thinks that about me then i’m honestly VERY sorry if I give that impression.

Oh, and I have baby fever again. *sighs* I even checked out the chinese calendar to find out when I could conceive a girl We are still holding out until the end of the year / beginning of next year though and it looks like this year and next year are great for girls. haha..I know i’m horrible but i’d love one of each and if not, Patrick is in trouble because we’ll be going for #3! (we will stop at 3 though!) I know 4 women in my neighborhood pregnant right now and it’s killing me! One is only about 8 weeks along, the other are all due in May/June. It’s going to be a baby summer here and I know that isn’t going to help my babyitch!

Well back to cleaning! Hope I didn’t spam toooo long!!!

Dec 23, 2003
Tis the season to be grouchy fa la la la la la……..yep that’s right i’m finally writing here for the first time since August. Lots have been keeping me busy to say the least and even though I’ve thought the blogs / journals on the net were some cool ideas to vent and just babble to my hearts content, finding the time to do that just seems to be missing. So with Christmas Eve tomorrow i’m off to Kansas City to visit my family for the holidays. I haven’t done a xmas there since I think 96 but could be 97. Regardless, it’s been a long time and i’m very excited!

Over the past few months i’ve been doing the wedding planning thing, got a dress picked out over Labor Day while in KC at the Gown Gallery. Great place btw! It arrived and is waiting for me so we have an appointment the day after xmas to try it on and haul it back with me so I can get alterations when the time gets closer. I’ve got some of the other minor details worked out but of course as Spring comes around the planning will kick into full gear. You can look at my wedding pages to see more information and if you are coming then you can find the lodging rates or links to other lodging in the area.

We decided on our honeymoon location though after much thought! Originally I was bound and determined that we should go to Tahiti but it seems we are buying a house! So, to save money we decided to go to Europe. Tentatively we are thinking of hitting Germany, Belgium and Amsterdam since we have some friends over in Amsterdam and further north. I really wanted to do Southern Europe myself but with our time we had to pick an area so this seems like a good place to start. Castles, Beer, Chocolate, Museums you name it I’ve always wanted to go to Europe so i’m sure i’ll spam more on the journal as we start planning and I buy more books on where to go. Of course if you have ideas or suggestions of what not to miss let me know.

The house thing is a pain in the arse! We found a floor plan we like in a neighborhood we think will be great. It’s 8 minutes from where we are now but in Dayton, NV which is a small town and I mean small as in …ONE grocery store!!! No fast food, no stores, no real restaurants!! Although they are starting to zone for commercial and get ready to build things like McDonalds and such out there. Luckily Carson is close to drive in and hit up the stores here and Reno is still not that far of a drive. I have always loved small towns and this one has a really community feel. They are building like mad out there. Lots and lots of new housing areas to pick from but this one is just up the street from an Arnold Palmer golf course (we looked at the houses on the golf course but SO close together and small for the money), the Elementary, Jr High and High School are within a few walking blocks from where the new houses will be built. Overall it’s a great location.

The only problem lies in that they put us on a wait list and originally had told us we’d get a call in November to pick lot etc. Then I called and was told we are #45 on the wait list so that put us at the top of Phase 2 building. Currently they haven’t even started pouring foundation for the first phase. /sighs I’m told that we should receive a call in March to pick our plot and put our reservation down then the house would be done by end of NEXT YEAR. Originally we had thought the house would be done by mid-summer around the time of the wedding or shortly there after. Nope, wrong, please try again. During this time the house has gone up 10,000 in price and we haven’t even locked in yet so god only knows what the price will be by the time we do. I’m just praying it isn’t out of our league and we’ve waisted a whole year on a waiting list when we should’ve looked elsewhere.

You can see the house at www.landmarkhomes.com and then click on Gold Canyon. The floor plan we like is the Overland but with the Elevation C and the optional plan with the great room open to the kitchen and the bigger garage.

During all of this i’ve also gone back to school. All i’ve wanted to do for a few years now is get in school to do web design and graphics communications. I’ve been struggling trying to find a balance between work and school to handle that but have been determined to go back. Finally this fall I decided i’m going back despite with work, wedding, house etc. I had a web design intro class, management principles, and a intro to computer information systems class. Overall it went well but a bit disappointed with 2 of my classes. I do not like Frontpage nor will I ever enjoy working on it but for some reason the one section I picked for my Intro had us using it. The other sections do Dreamweaver which I didn’t find out about until too late. The computer information systems class was well a bit rough considering how I knew most of the information but seem to test / quiz horribly in that class. I don’t know what happened there. In the end my grades are good. My managment principles class which was my hardest I did really really well in. I suprised myself with high A’s and even 100% on one of my test along with a 95 on my oral/written project for the semester etc. I am happy i’m back in school!!

Next semester starts January 26th and i’m taking a Intro to Computer Graphics, Dreamweaver, Visual Basic and an Adobe Photoshop class. Although some of these i’ve been working on for years now i’m still happy to go through a class and learn more. I’ve taught myself almost everything I know regarding web design and graphics so that should say something about my urge to learn. The spring is going to be a little more chaotic on me as the wedding planning becames more involved and school at the same time but i’ll cope as always.

Over the past few weeks i’ve come down with the Flu and then Strep/Bronchitus. I missed some days of work but i’m convinced after last year with my pneumonia issue and 3 weeks of work missed that 2-3 days is nothing. During the course of that we found out that I do have an allergy afterall to a drug. I’ve never been allergic to anything that I know of yet. well…that is until now. I’m allegic to Levaquin and I found out the hard way. I took my antibiotic in the morning and lucky Patrick (my better half) wasn’t feeling good either so he stayed him that day also. Shortly after taking it, I was rubbing my eyes, thinking that I was just tired but then I started scratching a bump on my back. I went to the bathroom and after looked in the mirror and to my suprise / shock my eyes were almost all swollen shut, face was swelling up and I noticed bumps on my back, shoulders and stomach. I called up the doctors office only to get told that they’d call me back. WTF??!!??! I got dressed and Patrick rushed me over to the doctors where they got me all taken care of with Benadryl and sent me over to pick up a Steroid pack to help with the reaction. (they wanted to give me a shot of steroids but thankfully they didn’t have any there at the office!!!) Before the medication had kicked in, my whole body was developing hives and especially around my stomach and neck and arms. I itched like mad and Patrick said he’s never seen someone itch so fast LOL. I fell asleep that afternoon from the largest dose of benadryl i’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve been off antibiotics now and just have an inhaler to help me somewhat but i’m thinking i’m beter or hoping!

Well i’ve babbled on and on here so think i’ll go back to work!
If I don’t write until after the holidays
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

hugs
heather

Well I left my last entry to be continued but since I don’t care to continue that long story =) i’ll just say what’s new.

Patrick and I moved into a new apartment, finally a 2 bedroom one. Living in a 1 bedroom apartment with 2 computers in your living room isn’t exactly the most comfy and inviting place. Now we have an “office” and a living room so we can actually maybe have people over. It’s really nice but the move was stressful and frustrating. Boy, does that really test your patient with your significant other. hehe Men are more worried about their toys then helping with the packing. One track mind “how we going to get the tv moved safely?” We did have help from friends with the heavy stuff but as I know …moving even the little stuff isn’t fun. In fact the big stuff is easier…it’s the little things that pile up and especially when they aren’t pack. /grumbles at her man’s lack of packing skill. I’m convinced next time I move it has to be more organized and possibly hiring people!

We did send in paperwork for preapproval for a house. It’s in a newly growing area just outside the place we live now. So about 8 - 10 mins from here. The house would be built next spring / summer so possibly before we got married. Perfect timing really to move into a new house right around our wedding or i’d prefer right after it. It’s a 3 bedroom house and great to start with imo.

The wedding planning is going..slowly but going. I’m going to try on wedding dresses this week..I think. If I have the guts to. I know it should be exciting but i’m so far away from friends and family to really have fun with it. I’m taking a girlfriend from work with me so maybe that will help make it more fun then sad. The contract and deposit is down for our ceremony/reception spot. The contract is signed for our DJ and i’m waiting on my photographer contract. Only thing I need to work on more is my flowers although I do have some quotes and a few people to call that I was referred to.

Work is going, but stressful at times. Sometimes I have to much for one day to handle…but guess that goes with any job. I am starting back in some classes this next week. Some computer, web design and accounting classes. Not trying to do much but school, work and planning a wedding sure is going to test me some.

Well back to work for me…the fun part of life? no thanks

oh joy!
~~ heather