Our Mini Hike

She's here !!!

What an exhausting week! I was so anxious the night that Tai flew in. I really should say morning. She flew in at 1:23 am Wednesday September 20. Since I got off at midnight I picked her up, it was just easier that way. She landed early so she was actually waiting for me. If you know Tai, you will know that she is never early or on time, you are ALWAYS waiting for her! So that was a nice change from the norm. We went straight home we were both tired. She had a long flight and well, by the time we went to bed it was 3 AM. Nip/Tuck is one of my favorite shows so we watched that together before calling it a night.

Andrew was up bright and early as usual, and instead of making his normal way into my room he was side tracked by seeing his Auntie Tai sleeping in the office. He did not come in my room once, which was very odd but yet funny! He was really thrilled to see her! We, wasted no time and go dressed and ready for breakfast. We eat at iHop. I love a full course breakfast! Andrew was just thrilled. He loves pancakes, but it is funny because Andrew sometimes needs constant reminder to eat his breakfast. He had scrambled eggs , a sausage and 3 baby jack pancakes. He eat is all , with no reminders. I was very pleased with him.

After breakfast we headed to Target. ( I had to make a stop at Hallmark to pick up a card ) We just farted around and just hung out. It was so much fun. It really hit me this time how much I really miss her and miss having my best friend around even just to have someone to do stupid things with. We have been friends for many many years and as time grows I realize how much of a special person she really is to me.

Dead Corn!!!

If you read my blog regularly you will remember me ranting about my corn fit! How I stocked up with about 50 ears of corn. Well, let me tell you. With the busy little life that I have, I bought the corn and decided hey, it will be okay for 1 week until I find time to peel it. So it sat happily in my kitchen on the corner... All 50 ears. I finally get some time to peel it this weekend and the damn corn went bad. Some of the husks were a little mildew ( but not the corn ) so I decided to still peel some and inspect the corn. Blasted! The corn was all wilted and the kernels looked like an 80 old lady =( I had to throw all 50 ears away. Needless to say I was shedding some tears while this was happening. My precious corn. I will never do that again.

Kristi was telling me how she would not mind some corn, and since Sloughouse is not really a hop skip and a jump away her suggestion us to go together was not a bad idea. So, bright and early we got up met and Aunt Carmen's and we hopped in the Explored and went for some more Corn. ( Kristi and I both made our Coffee stops prior) I was worried they would not have any more left. They were really low last week when I went last. Hooray, they had some left. Not much, but maybe a weekend or 2 left. ( Maybe ) I will be peeling that corn when I get home tonight or for sure when I awake in the AM. I will do it early before the sun beats down my back yard.

After we got back we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa McClain's to see how Grandpa was doing. He was having a time after they removed the catheter, but he is good now. During out visit we FINALLY set some dates for camping. We were not going to go all together with Grandpa having surgery and all but he said he will go as long as he is just relaxing, and that is just what we will be sure he is doing =). So, we will be heading off October 18 -21. I cannot wait. We will be by Santa Cruz/ Monterey so we are going to go to the Aquarium while we are that way. ( Daddy surprised us by stopping by for a bit on his lunch )

After our short visit we headed to scrub boys for a much needed washing for my poor ol Neon. She was filthy. Now she is really clean and shiny! By this time it was late and we were running close to getting ready for work time. We pretty much eat, let the dogs out and back out we went to drop the boy off and Leigh's ( Daycare) and mommy off to work.

continued

Saturday:

I was able to get up just fine this morning. Was not tired, nicely rested. I just felt bad because I was going to be gone most of the day. I hate being away from Andrew and Steven. I think partly too is that most of the things we do is all together as a family. I headed out at about 11 or so. I was on my way to a bridal shower which started at 1 and still needed to get her something... Which is why I left so early before it started. I ended up getting her a gift certificate to Victoria's Secret. I hate buying stuff like that... It is so personal... Too personal almost. I rather give them a GC and let them pick exactly what they want.

Off I went to Rancho Murieta ( as if I had not been out that way enough in the past couple weeks ) to the most amazing house. The party was at my good Friend's ( Jody ) mother's house. It is Jody's brother that is getting married. So, of course I met the bride Alicia through Jody. She is such a sweetheart. She deserves this.. It is going to be a beautiful wedding as she will be a beautiful bride. The party was nothing short of perfect. Vicki ( Jody's mom) had a chocolate Fondu fountain there. I had never done/seen/ or tried one. It was the coolest thing. I kept dipping the rice crisp treats in the chocolate and eating them.. OH YUM. Now I need to add that to the list of things I want along with the Iced Tea maker. Among other things Jody's spanish rice was killer. If you are one to know me well you will know that I am a sucker for Mexican food. To top it off was the 4 Margarita's I had!! It was a nice thing to be able to drink ( since I know I was not preggers ). They invited me to go out with the girls that night but had to pass since we had B's party that night. I am not much of the " partying type" anyways. I would much rather be mingling with family....

I headed home about 5 to get a short rest... I changed then sat and relaxed with Andrew for a while... We eat and hung out. Started getting ready and headed out at about 7:30 ish. With all the craziness we had no time to stop and get something for B , so we gave her some cash so she can pick something out. I hate doing that but man ... There is just not enough hours in the days.

The party was fun.. It was at Bouncetown off Bradshaw. It was from 8:30 to 10:30 YiKeS. Good thing I hit the hay early Friday... I did not get to bed until midnight that night. Andrew slept until 10 the next morning.. Yippie!!!

Run, run, run...

What an exhausting weekend this was! ( 9/8-9/2006 )

Friday:
Today started bright and early. Too early for someone who did not get to sleep until like 1 in the morning. I was not happy but managed to get through the day without my beloved friend Startbucks. ( I am trying to cut back to see if that helps my chances of conceiving sooner rather than later) We started at 7 or so.. Steven was taking his car in to have the handling kit he got put on. ( I am bothered that he put this much money into a car that he drives to and from work everyday when mine is sitting here needed work ) WHATEVER!!! Anyways ~ So, we drive out to Auburn Blvd in morning traffic to leave his car at Sac Mustang. After this we headed over to mom and Dad's so Steven can mow there lawn since Dad is still recovery from surgery. ( BTW the Dr. got the Biopsy back and reported the cancer completely gone!! ) While he did that Mom and I went over to Target so she can get some things. I picked up a couple things myself. Can always find something at Target! By the time we got back , Steven was done. We headed back home so he can take a shower. I made the bed and curled my hair.... Then we headed back out to do our shopping. First stop the Slough house, again!! I wanted to get some more corn to freeze before they ran out. Selection is getting sparse .... All the crops are gone too which means I would have to wait another year for it. Wanted to get as much as I could to hold me off. 50 ears is enough dont you think? Then we headed over to Costco to do our normal shopping. By this time it was late afternoon. We went home to unload the groceries. Headed BACK over to Auburn Blv. to get Steven's car and then BACK over to the n-laws to eat some dinner. It was kinda nice not having to cook. I was supposed to have my friend over but would have been too hard with all the running around all day. After dinner we headed home. I cleaned up again, we tucked Andrew in bed , and you would not believe this. For the first time in I cannot tell you how long I was able to get in bed at 8:30. I could not believe it! It was amazing. I probably fell asleep more into he 9:00 hour but none the less I was in bead ready to get some good zzzzzzzz's. NOW, remember I blogged that when I get the time to really get some good rest? Yea, well Andrew woke up crying again ( as he has now for the past couple weeks on and off , it is kinda bothers me too. I think there is something about his room that scares him. ) So, Steven was on the couch when I walked by to get him, I am not sure if he was awake but the TV was on. I bring Andrew in bed with me and back to sleep we are. THEN I am not sure what time it was at this point , but Andrew falls off the bed and naturally starts whaling!! Man, can I get a break around here - lol-! So I hold him tight and lovey lovey him. Once he calms down we are back to his Thomas bed ( where I find Steven sleeping! - lol-. That is o.k got the rest of the early morning sleep to myself.

Will you help me plant my corn?

Tis the season for corn and let me tell you I am all over that like flys on stink! I have been having this craving for some corn! Not just any corn, Slough House corn, sweet yellow corn!! Makes my mouth water... We made our way down 16 and picked up a bag on 21. Along with some huge juicy peaches, Cucumbers, small red potatoes ( those are the best kind ), Banana's and some yams. I have been eating the corn like crazy. Last night at like 10 I had 2! At least it is better than eating a piece of cake or something , right?

Carmen has been telling me she has been wanting to try some fried green tomatoes. I saw some there! It was going to be hard for her to get there because Tom was in the hospital and just getting released so I drove back out there to get some for her as well as got some corn for them and my parents too. I picked myself up some more potatoes and peaches, but will be needing to make another trip this weekend since Steven has been eating my Peaches. I knew he would like them, they are pretty big and juicy. I will be picking up 41 more cobs of corn to freeze for the winter time. Since they are seasonal I have to stock up!

Okay now, I'll stop with the corn. It is just so yummy I had to blog about it!

The very long draft party..

Yesterday being Labor day was actually the boys Fantasy Football draft party. Since I was off, I was able to keep the house tidy for all the company, and since Frank has been sick, I feel like all I have been doing is wiping up nasty ass dog diarrhea. ( As a side note, the plus off being off yesterday allowed me to get in bed at a decent time, meaning some time before 12AM. I was in bed and asleep by 10:30 or so... Which is awesome. Working swing , even on my days off it is hard for me to get in bed at a decent time, so I was thrilled. It never fails though, I have a sinus infection so any extra rest I can get I will take. Sure enough I'm sleeping and good at that and I start to hear one of the dogs hacking.. It was Opie ( great now both the dogs !! ) one shitting and on barfing! So, my night that was supposed to be solid relaxing sleep was a night of making sure my dog does not barf on my clean bedding. He did it like 4 times. Then early in the evening Frank gets down to go to the bathroom, so I let him out. Well, I must have been half asleep because I could have sworn that they went back in the room, so I closed the sliding door and went back to bed.. Fell back asleep and then I have no idea how much longer later , they are scratching at the back door. So I am thinking WTF?? Steven is sound asleep btw. Once again I get up and let them back in! Damn, now I love my dogs, but I feel like they are always such and inconvenience, I cannot help to feel that is a shitty thing to say but it honestly never fails! I either never get sleep or constantly picking up poop, we always have to find someone to watch them on vacation and not everyone wants to watch and Grumpy and Dopey - literally. I just have to vent because I would prefer to have this one less irritation whatever! I suppose I will deal with it as I have been the past 4 years. I guess I never thought my sweet little Frank would turn into a mean dog, which I really do not want to deal with in an animal. I think he is getting out of control, but what can you do ?

Alrighty then! Back to the draft party! =) So yea, It started at 4pm.. The last person finally arrived at about 4:30. I went and got the food and they were JUST starting when I got back, which was about 4:50ish. I spent most of the time on chat telling Tom every persons pick, which got old, I did not realize I would have to be doing that. Then come to find out , he went and eat and did not tell me , so I was sitting there typing all this and he was not even sitting there! lol he finally calls to tell me this. So, I gave the phone to Steven and washed my hands of it. I was glad though because I got to help/ play with the babies. They did pretty good, Peyton was all content and Sydney was not having the lack of rest bit for one min, finally mommy got her calmed down after a while. They finally got it wrapped up a little after 8 or so and it seemed like they were all literally running for the door- I think it too longer than expected, and then you have everyone trying to pick Tom's team and Marcos's and Roldolpho's team. I think that was harder for the boys!

Anyways, that was the night , there some smack talkin, I think Eric was getting pist...It was funny watching them and fun hanging out with Kristie and the babies....

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin Killed ... Crikey!

I have to blog this! Not only is there some inside joke to Steven Irwin at work, but the man has done some stuff I would never consider even if someone told me I never die! I do chat support for the Asia Pacific region, and one of the big countries is AUS. They always make fun of me at work.. Talking like this guy and saying that I should rustle crock's.... So it was really funny we would all joke about throwing boomerang's and chasing kangaroos... yea I feel like I am 10 blogging this! lol

CAIRNS, Australia - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray while filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.

Irwin was killed by a stingray barb to the heart on Batt Reef, off the remote resort town of Port Douglas in northeastern Queensland state, his wildlife park Australia Zoo said in a statement.

Crew members aboard Irwin's boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead a short time later, the statement said.

Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword "Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter," which was first broadcast in Australia in 1992 and has aired around the world on the Discovery channel.

He rode his image into a feature film, and developed the Australia Zoo as a tourist attraction.

"The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," John Stainton, Irwin's friend and producer, said in the statement. "He died doing what he loves best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. Crocs Rule!"

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who used a photograph of his family at Australia Zoo for his official Christmas card last year, hailed Irwin for his work in promoting Australia through projects such as "G'Day LA," an Australian tourism and trade promotion week in Los Angeles in January.

"The minister knew him, was fond of him and was very, very appreciative of all the work he'd done to promote Australia overseas," Downer's spokesman Tony Parkinson said.

Irwin's dedication to conservationist causes led him to become a vocal critic of wildlife hunts in Australia. The federal government recently dropped plans to allow crocodile safaris for wealthy tourists in the Northern Territory following his vehement objections.

Irwin told the Australian television program "A Current Affair" that "killing one of our beautiful animals in the name of trophy hunting will have a very negative impact on tourism, which scares the living daylights out of me."

However, Irwin had also received negative publicity in recent years. In January 2004, he stunned onlookers at the Australia Zoo reptile park by carrying his month-old son into a crocodile pen during a wildlife show. He tucked the infant under one arm while tossing the 13-foot reptile a piece of meat with the other.

Authorities declined to charge Irwin for violating safety regulations.

Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken.

He is survived by his American wife Terri, from Eugene, Ore., and their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December.

The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991 and visited Irwin's Australia Zoo; they were married six months later. Sometimes referred to as the Crocodile Huntress, she costarred on her husband's television show and in the 2002 movie, "The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course."

Stingrays have flat bodies and tails with serrated spines, which contain venom and can cause cuts and puncture wounds. The creatures are not aggressive and injury usually occurs when a swimmer or diver accidentally steps on one.

I'm so excited!

I am absolutely thrilled that I get to see my best friend in a few weeks. After high school she immediately found it necessary to get as far away as she possibly can, landing her self in Maryland for a while, until school did not work out... Falling down to FL. I literally mean falling down too. She pretty much moved to FL for a guy! #1 bad move! 2 She found that when she got down there Morgan State put her ass in collections because they did not honor her scholarship. Well, 5k in the whole and the school refusing to release her transcripts she finds her self not in school, working in Banana Republic and dealing with a BF she is currently questioning her relationship with. First of all never move to another state with or for a guy when there is no ring on your finger. That is just how I feel bout the situation, however she is my Best bud and I will support her and be there for her through all , as we currently have been for one another up to this point. It really seems that no matter the most horrible issue, or distances apart, or months with no talking our friendship never wilts or fades.. It is just there... Waiting for it to be picked up at the last place we left it off at. So for the past 11 years, we have been the best of friends. Some might say it is a strange friendship, and I would not deny. But She means the world to me, she is literally like my sister!

O.k too the point. She is coming for a week on the 20th. I get to pick her up from the airport at like 1:23 A.M Which works out fine considering I get off at 12 AM. We will most likely be grabbing a nibble to eat, just a table to sit and talk at. I get her all to myself and do not have to worry about someone showing up other people not being around so we would not be able to talk. I am sure it will make for a long night.. So I will have to ask for Wednesday night off, otherwise I will be pooped.

I got my calendar marked and I cannot wait!