Mall Adventure

We hit the mall for some serious walking to try and persuade Charli Jo to come and join the rest of the family... these are just some quick pics of our short adventure...

raccoon hands and wholes in my door.

can everyone picture what a raccoon's hands look it. terrifying. now can you picture a pair of those hands coming under your front door. i can. george and the raccoons (yes plural- 3 to be exact) got in a fight one night and as he was holding two of them back the third was coming towards me and the open front door. i got my recycling bin and was screaming and throwing all my cans and bottles at them. george finally ran in and i slammed the door and checked him for battle wombs. he went to hide under the bed. i hear this scratching at the door, thinking it is him, i look over to see two sets of raccoon hands clawing at the underside of the door. i kicked at the door but they wouldnt go away and all i could think to do was get some pepper and pour it all around the door and it got in their faces and they left. then a couple days ago, i heard the scratching again and the hands were back. this time trying to reach george's food bowl- which is no longer located near the door as it was before. then i came home the other day to find a big whole in the bottom of my door. they were trying to tear their way in. then yesterday morning i had let george out and went back to sleep and all the sudden he was on the bed. the whole is not big enough for him to "let himself" in and out. im fixing it today but yikes.
just wanted to make you all laugh a bit maybe at my misadventures in life.
(brannon please read this to dess and tell her i told her so about she's got nothin on my bad days)
oh no i am about to post a cat story. i am that crazy aunt that talks about her cat. oh no.
love and miss you all tooooo much.
kiss all them babies and big kids for me.
and maybe pinch their cheeks a bit too. i think that will be my new thing - cheek pinching to go along with the cat stories.

<3 <3 <3
monkey

SCHOOL DAYS

Well, here it is, almost fall again. Lindsey's last first day of school, Katie's first day at college, Dessie's first day of middle school, Kamryn's first days of pre-k, Roxie's first try at being a teacher! And a baby on the way! Wish I could slow it all down and make it last a little longer! The babies grow up way too fast, and the long days of summer don't seem nearly long enough! (at least not from where I'm standing!) -- I love you all! -- Mom

Catchin' Up

Hey all my babies!

Kate, Monkey and I had a fine ol' time in Nawlins (New Orleans) - had the best-by-far gumbo of my entire life! AND, we had these yummy delicious mouth watering crab-stuffed jalepenos that I'm now trying to re-create. AND, I trapesed (is that a word?) around the French Quarter until I found the St. Peters Guest House - still there, basically unchanged - which is where your dad and I spent our honeymoon 28 years ago! The folks there were tickled that I stopped in, and said if I will e-mail them a picture of the bed we stayed in (well, the room, but the rooms were priced by how old the antique bed was - ours was high dollar - a Louis the 14th canoply bed - original stuff) they'll see if they still have it and we can book the room again for a return visit!

Okay, Rox, Guam does look like a beautiful place, and it would be great to visit there -- but I'm really enjoying getting to see you all more often than once a year! I'm a whiner, I know, but those babies (the big ones and the little ones) grow up so fast, and I don't want to miss it. But, where ever you go, we're still a family, and we're still close, and no amount of miles can change that. (but I'd be lying if I said I haven't enjoyed you being closer to home!)

Brannon and Milah - I like the "Charli" spelling (no e) - a little more girly, seems right for a baby girl. I'm mailing some things down for the August 16th shower -- Roxie, maybe you and your girls (doesn't that sound nice, "girls") could go?

Well, gotta get to bed -- I love you all, and glad you're mine!

Mom

Whats with all the GUAM bashing?

Ok, so its waaaaay far away. But everyone needs to Google " about Guam" and then you will want us to get orders there so you can come and visit. The temp is between 70 and 90 ALL YEAR. They have two seasons, the wet season and the dry season. I'm just thinking I could handle living on a secluded island for 4 years. I have heard the natives still live pretty simply, and things aren't quite so...........busy, and commercial. But who knows where we will end up. The Guam was a Postal job, which means he would work for the post office on base. He is still looking so who knows. Well, I got to get on lunch before all my sweet little ankle biters over take me, and raid the refrigerator them selves. You think I'm kidding. It could happen. Its 4 to 1 and when they get hungry they are capable of some crazy things. Love you all.

Oh So Close

Just wanted to say 'ello to all. Everyone's good. Dessie's just spending the summer with her girlfriends (I swear she's 14 and from outerspace). So far so good with Charli Jo... same kid just think we might drop the "e" off the spelling of her name. What do you think? Doc says all is good. We have a hospital tour this saturday and our next appointment is August 11th. They'll do another sono so hopefully i'll have more picks soon. The doc moved up the due date for us! He wants to induce September 11th at 38 weeks. Milah and Charli(e)s shower is Sunday August 16th and your all invited! If you can't make it I talked to mom and we'll probally come home after CJ's born and do a shower their too. Sorry havn't blogged lately... miss all of you. Charli is kicking like crazy. I swear that kid wants out NOW! Hope to see you all soon.

Hello from Nonnie

Okay, so Roxie has tripped my guilt trigger, and I'm going to take a minute and do some "blogging" -- who came up with that term anyway? Personally, the idea of having my daughter, son in law and 4 grandchildren a zillion miles away in Guam does not make me smile! (Were you serious about that?)(and what's a "postal position"?) And the idea of Daniel being unaccessable for 3 or 4 days at a time is also a little frightening. And North Dakota is really, really cold! So I'm hoping there are some other options out there between now and 8-1-2010! -
I will try to get Dad on the ball and get the pics downloaded from the camera and onto the Blog -- there are some good ones. -- Well, gotta get back to work! Love you all! Mom