Hmmmm…well let’s see, it is October 6th, I believe my last entry was August 30th. That my dear reader is called a blogging break.
If I recall, my last entry was introducing the newest member of our family, Gracie Mae. 100% Shitz Tue and 100% PUPPY. May be that in its self warranted a 36 day blogging break?
I am happy to report that Gracie is STILL a member of our family. That comes despite at least 7 of the past 36 days posing the mere threat that THIS birthday present was going BACK! Can any one guess what happened? Approximately 2 weeks after the ‘FUN’ of having a puppy left, ME (aka. Mom) was left holding her ‘birthday present’ singing, ‘Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me..happy birthday to me….happy birthday to me!’ I like to refer to Gracie Mae as the gift that just keeps on GIVING!
I am still in wonderment given all of the recent changes in our household (more later), why o! why… my family would feel that mom needed to add another helping on her already over flowing plate of life? Did I not mention I also was longing for a new Nikon mega-zoom, optical lens, lithium ion camera? Do I not love trips to the spa, coffee out with friends and crafting in my woman cave? Who can ever go wrong with a treat at the movies, lingering scents from Bath & Body Works, and trips out for Mexican food? Obviously the ‘occasional’ mention of getting a Shitz Tue PUPPY was louder than any of the above listed ideas.
So after some stern reinforcement of what this GIFT all entailed, the family once again has risen to the challenge and picked up the slack of ‘puppy rearing’. That is not to say that they too may fall of the wagon any day. Thankfully my ‘strict’ puppy training regimen was reinforced just yesterday on Gracie’s first trip to the vet, where Mr. Milo heard it from the words of the vet, himself. “Gracie either needs to be outside, in the kennel, or being watched or held ALL THE TIME!’
Gracie, goo Bear, or ‘my French pap pay’ has yet to go 2 days consecutively without any accidents. However we are sleeping through the night after 3 LONG nights of crying. Did I mention, crying ALL night? Thank goodness, she is too stink in CUTE to be mad at for any length of time.
Riley is ‘adjusting’. The realization that this new addition is not going any where is sinking in. She is also starting to tolerate the endless nipping and biting at her feet, as we all do. If you can imagine the cartoon with the BIG dog, Spike and his little counterpart, running as fast as she can just to keep up, panting and crying out, ‘Hey, Spike what are we going to do today? What do you think Spike? Is it going to be a good day, Spike? WOW, aren’t you excited Spike?’ Yep, that pretty much sums up their relationship.
Max, the cat on the other hand is still wishing that this rodent thing that we dragged in would just leave!
So after stopping over at my ‘neighbor lady’s’ house the other night to see her newly published ‘blog book’, I deemed it necessary to get back on my blogging wagon. I couldn’t let ONE more day go bye without documenting the latest. After all you can’t leave a well documented account if you don’t document?
So what else has happened in the last 36 days you ask?
School is back in session and in full swing at our household. Back packs, schedules, violin & saxophone lessons, dance, an 8th grade football manager, confirmation, friends, and friends.
The summer décor has been packed away and replaced with my favorite décor of the year, FALL! Warm hues of yellows and oranges adorn my mantle, while pumpkins and mums the front step. Halloween costume creations are well under way. Of course we can’t unveil anything until THE day! But let’s just say, this year ROCKS to the tune to a tin ‘girl’ and a beautiful fairy!
Windows have been washed, at least on the main level and the patio furniture is holding out for at least a few more weeks in order to gather around some evening bon fires.
My reality TV spree has started with Dancing With The Stars (not crazy about the cast), The Biggest Loser (BEST cast to date), America’s Next Top Model, Survivor, and The Amazing Race. So a few nights a week I give myself permission to lay like broccoli, snuggle up in my favorite quilt, and stitch the night away watching ridiculously STUPID TV!
And in the mean time I will continue to long to be twirled and swirled on the dance floor, yelled at by Jillian Michaels. Wishing for once they would make a plus size, model show for 40+ year olds. Wondering how long I would last in the same underwear for days on end and looking for the PERFECT partner in a race around the world and an experience of a life time. I am still working on my pastor at church to be a part of the pastor & parishioner team. It would be SCANDALOUS!
If you are wondering, which I am sure you are, I am STILL working on that mammoth cross stitch project I started in June! May be by NEXT June it will be done? But it is EXACTLY what I look forward to every night curled up tight in my quilt.
Milo is plugging along with the start of his new business. Some days are good and some days not so much. I am praying that by January 1st and a year later, the hard hit of a job loss cloud will be lifted and new passions will be ignited. Time will only continue to direct us on new paths, new passions, and ventures in store.
Speaking of JOBS, God does have a way of making me laugh sometimes. You know that part-time gig at the funeral home that was suppose to be a little something to help us out during a transition time? THAT has taken on a life all its own. November 1st, I will begin as a full-time Family Service Counselor, assisting families and individuals with pre-planning needs as well as meeting with families who have just lost a loved one to assist in securing a burial location. Seriously most days I shake my head in wonderment, asking how did this just happen? How did I go from answering the phones for a few hours a day, to serving as an after-care counselor and helping to improve that program, to covering for a few vacations, to a Family Service Counselor? In retrospect it is amazing how things work out. This will provide a full plate of benefits for our family, the opportunity to use much of my past 12 years of sales experience in a new challenging environment, and a means to replace much that was lost last December. Thus alleviating much stress from my husband’s weary mind. AND after the past 12 years, I am completely enjoying NOT working in the evening and most every weekend. Work is at work and home is at home.
So essence we have encountered a ‘role reversal’. He has picked up all the child transportation, is in the beginning stages of reading new recipes, grocery shopping is the next to pass off, and house cleaning, well lets just say we are ‘working’ on that one.
20 years of embedded roles in our house are not easy to transition over night. That coupled with my years of household managerial experience, a bit of OCD, and some control issues?
Like I said….’we are working on it’.
So that about sums up that past 36 days.
And you ask what about the next 36 days? Hmmmmm…well I can’t divulge too much. I do know that is will consist of a much needed stress reliever weekend for Milo and the boys in Milwaukee for the annual Packer game. We can’t forget about a romantic, fun filled weekend in Galena for Milo and Jill to celebrate the milestone of turning 40, no puppies allowed! Did I mention that Milo turns 40 in November? We will have our traditional Halloween dinner and my 13 year old will be turning 14!
So there will be lots to share in the upcoming weeks, coupled with new things to learn with on the job training, more puppy rearing, some reality TV moments, window washing on the lower level, some dirty bathroom cupboards and closets that need to be cleaned, and of course making it through the crazy thing we call life.
I am B…A…C…K!
P.S. Did I mention, I am being nicer to myself? (more later)
If I recall, my last entry was introducing the newest member of our family, Gracie Mae. 100% Shitz Tue and 100% PUPPY. May be that in its self warranted a 36 day blogging break?
I am happy to report that Gracie is STILL a member of our family. That comes despite at least 7 of the past 36 days posing the mere threat that THIS birthday present was going BACK! Can any one guess what happened? Approximately 2 weeks after the ‘FUN’ of having a puppy left, ME (aka. Mom) was left holding her ‘birthday present’ singing, ‘Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me..happy birthday to me….happy birthday to me!’ I like to refer to Gracie Mae as the gift that just keeps on GIVING!
I am still in wonderment given all of the recent changes in our household (more later), why o! why… my family would feel that mom needed to add another helping on her already over flowing plate of life? Did I not mention I also was longing for a new Nikon mega-zoom, optical lens, lithium ion camera? Do I not love trips to the spa, coffee out with friends and crafting in my woman cave? Who can ever go wrong with a treat at the movies, lingering scents from Bath & Body Works, and trips out for Mexican food? Obviously the ‘occasional’ mention of getting a Shitz Tue PUPPY was louder than any of the above listed ideas.
So after some stern reinforcement of what this GIFT all entailed, the family once again has risen to the challenge and picked up the slack of ‘puppy rearing’. That is not to say that they too may fall of the wagon any day. Thankfully my ‘strict’ puppy training regimen was reinforced just yesterday on Gracie’s first trip to the vet, where Mr. Milo heard it from the words of the vet, himself. “Gracie either needs to be outside, in the kennel, or being watched or held ALL THE TIME!’
Gracie, goo Bear, or ‘my French pap pay’ has yet to go 2 days consecutively without any accidents. However we are sleeping through the night after 3 LONG nights of crying. Did I mention, crying ALL night? Thank goodness, she is too stink in CUTE to be mad at for any length of time.
Riley is ‘adjusting’. The realization that this new addition is not going any where is sinking in. She is also starting to tolerate the endless nipping and biting at her feet, as we all do. If you can imagine the cartoon with the BIG dog, Spike and his little counterpart, running as fast as she can just to keep up, panting and crying out, ‘Hey, Spike what are we going to do today? What do you think Spike? Is it going to be a good day, Spike? WOW, aren’t you excited Spike?’ Yep, that pretty much sums up their relationship.
Max, the cat on the other hand is still wishing that this rodent thing that we dragged in would just leave!
So after stopping over at my ‘neighbor lady’s’ house the other night to see her newly published ‘blog book’, I deemed it necessary to get back on my blogging wagon. I couldn’t let ONE more day go bye without documenting the latest. After all you can’t leave a well documented account if you don’t document?
So what else has happened in the last 36 days you ask?
School is back in session and in full swing at our household. Back packs, schedules, violin & saxophone lessons, dance, an 8th grade football manager, confirmation, friends, and friends.
The summer décor has been packed away and replaced with my favorite décor of the year, FALL! Warm hues of yellows and oranges adorn my mantle, while pumpkins and mums the front step. Halloween costume creations are well under way. Of course we can’t unveil anything until THE day! But let’s just say, this year ROCKS to the tune to a tin ‘girl’ and a beautiful fairy!
Windows have been washed, at least on the main level and the patio furniture is holding out for at least a few more weeks in order to gather around some evening bon fires.
My reality TV spree has started with Dancing With The Stars (not crazy about the cast), The Biggest Loser (BEST cast to date), America’s Next Top Model, Survivor, and The Amazing Race. So a few nights a week I give myself permission to lay like broccoli, snuggle up in my favorite quilt, and stitch the night away watching ridiculously STUPID TV!
And in the mean time I will continue to long to be twirled and swirled on the dance floor, yelled at by Jillian Michaels. Wishing for once they would make a plus size, model show for 40+ year olds. Wondering how long I would last in the same underwear for days on end and looking for the PERFECT partner in a race around the world and an experience of a life time. I am still working on my pastor at church to be a part of the pastor & parishioner team. It would be SCANDALOUS!
If you are wondering, which I am sure you are, I am STILL working on that mammoth cross stitch project I started in June! May be by NEXT June it will be done? But it is EXACTLY what I look forward to every night curled up tight in my quilt.
Milo is plugging along with the start of his new business. Some days are good and some days not so much. I am praying that by January 1st and a year later, the hard hit of a job loss cloud will be lifted and new passions will be ignited. Time will only continue to direct us on new paths, new passions, and ventures in store.
Speaking of JOBS, God does have a way of making me laugh sometimes. You know that part-time gig at the funeral home that was suppose to be a little something to help us out during a transition time? THAT has taken on a life all its own. November 1st, I will begin as a full-time Family Service Counselor, assisting families and individuals with pre-planning needs as well as meeting with families who have just lost a loved one to assist in securing a burial location. Seriously most days I shake my head in wonderment, asking how did this just happen? How did I go from answering the phones for a few hours a day, to serving as an after-care counselor and helping to improve that program, to covering for a few vacations, to a Family Service Counselor? In retrospect it is amazing how things work out. This will provide a full plate of benefits for our family, the opportunity to use much of my past 12 years of sales experience in a new challenging environment, and a means to replace much that was lost last December. Thus alleviating much stress from my husband’s weary mind. AND after the past 12 years, I am completely enjoying NOT working in the evening and most every weekend. Work is at work and home is at home.
So essence we have encountered a ‘role reversal’. He has picked up all the child transportation, is in the beginning stages of reading new recipes, grocery shopping is the next to pass off, and house cleaning, well lets just say we are ‘working’ on that one.
20 years of embedded roles in our house are not easy to transition over night. That coupled with my years of household managerial experience, a bit of OCD, and some control issues?
Like I said….’we are working on it’.
So that about sums up that past 36 days.
And you ask what about the next 36 days? Hmmmmm…well I can’t divulge too much. I do know that is will consist of a much needed stress reliever weekend for Milo and the boys in Milwaukee for the annual Packer game. We can’t forget about a romantic, fun filled weekend in Galena for Milo and Jill to celebrate the milestone of turning 40, no puppies allowed! Did I mention that Milo turns 40 in November? We will have our traditional Halloween dinner and my 13 year old will be turning 14!
So there will be lots to share in the upcoming weeks, coupled with new things to learn with on the job training, more puppy rearing, some reality TV moments, window washing on the lower level, some dirty bathroom cupboards and closets that need to be cleaned, and of course making it through the crazy thing we call life.
I am B…A…C…K!
P.S. Did I mention, I am being nicer to myself? (more later)
