Where does the time go?

Things have been good, but hectic.

Brief recap -

The littlest brother and SIL and their untrained puppy moved in during the second week in March. It’s been good, except for working with the puppy. My brother and his wife currently owe us some carpet cleaning, an ottoman and a couch (ref pictures of the pooch’s handiwork). As the cost of rebuying furniture has increased they have finally caved to letting us crate the dog. It’s a dog, it will be fine. Every dog I’ve ever had has been crate trained and is perfectly well adjusted (and spoiled).

I like having them around, plus he's currently entertaining a job offer in another part of the country so it's nice to have some time in before they jet off to a new life (where it would be much harder to see him on a whim).

Job change at work. They finally hired for my old position so I’m working through transitioning stuff instead of doing double duty. Pretty amazed at how much I used to do. Still getting my feet wet in the new stuff – lots to learn.

Location change at work. We are all in cubicles now (no big deal for me but you would think some people are being tortured the way they are reacting) I think it makes me more productive (definitely less likely to go on a blog rant at work when people can walk up behind me and see it). This was a giant whuppin’ because I was in charge of this one too – at least this time everyone knew more of what they were in for and that I was pregnant so I didn’t have to lift anything (yay me).

Manfolk job change. Got a job he loves. Taking a chance on a technology company with part time hours. He was miserable before and it makes my heart happy to see him settling in to his new gig.

TheNugget is growing like crazy and sapping my brain power and energy. Brother and themanfolk painted the nursery last weekend. That’s quite a load off. 25 down… Doc scared the crap out of both of us when he told us that technically the baby could show up at any time from here on out.

All this, plus the normal family, friends and daily craziness has made me a blog slacker. I’m working on it.

They're baaaaaaaaack

I mentioned before that my brother and his wife lived with us for a little while in November between leases and as they were getting married. Well, they had been renting from a friend who now needs the house back all of a sudden (instead of this fall as had been their original handshake deal) so that his parents can stay there. Looks like we are getting roommates once again... next week.

Should be an adventure.

They are going to stay as long as it takes to settle into a place somewhere else (not sure where because they are both trying to switch jobs) and definitely before The Nugget is scheduled to come.

Happy 65th Mom!!

And tonight... we shall bowl.

The birthday girl has requested that we bowl in her honor -- sure why not! We've rented some lanes, the middle brother is getting a cake, it should be fun.

Happy 65th birthday to a wonderful mother (and soon to be grandmother)!!

The Big Day

My littlest brother is getting married right now to a WONDERFUL girl.

CONGRATS!! You finally found someone (even though it was the last thing you were looking for) that has made you whole. I would normally say that that is incredibly cheese-ball, but in your case it is true.

I snapped this shot during my new Sister-in-Law's bridal portraits a few weeks ago and haven't been able to share until now.

If you couldn't tell I'm super excited.

Craziness

The littlest brother is getting married Saturday.

Crazy. It is like we are all grown up or something.

The Gods

So my brother and his fiance moved in this weekend. Their lease is up and the new one doesn't start until the first week of December.

They are staying with us for a couple weeks, getting married and going on their honeymoon, then will be back to pack up and move on.

It's been an interesting change. Four adults, two big dogs (mine) and a brand new puppy (theirs). So far so good - consistent housebreaking of the puppy seems to be the only rough spot so far.

Anyway, the reason I'm giving you the back story -- my brother knows that we are trying to make a baby, so he promptly placed his fertility statue (see picture) in our room. He has a little shield that you put over his junk when you don't want to be fertile, as you can see the shield has been removed. We shall see what happens, it is supposed to be foolproof.

I think he needs a name.

Really?

My father actually emailed me from another country while on 'business' (getting drunk on the beach on a charity's dime) and told me to contact his secretary to schedule some time with him when he gets back because he wants to see me.

Are you kidding?

Call his secretary to book time?

Not a f-ing chance in hell. If he wants to get together when he has sobered up he can call and schedule time with me himself.

What if I told him to call my secretary?

Ever hear the song Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin (or my favorite rendition by Ugly Kid Joe)?

Sheesh.

Happy Easter

Headed to themanfolk's parents for lunch and then keeping our standing date with the extended family for some grillin', beer and washers.

I made the dreadful mistake of skipping Easter festivities with the extended family one year (got a 5 day cruise deal for less than $200 and couldn't pass it up) and was severely admonished. It will never happen again. And I'm ok with that.As much fun as I had on the cruise, I still appreciate the annual Easter gathering even more.

Click here for a little treat for those of you who can't stand humans in bunny costumes.

This is one of my favorites.

"The dog tried to warn them"

Something Happy (by request)

A sweet friend of mine told me this afternoon that my last few posts are making him want to shoot himself so I needed to post something happy.

Something happy... I haven't strangled anyone this week.

Probably not what he was getting at.

Just like people are more likely to take the time to file a customer service complaint than a compliment - it is easier to blog when I am irritated or have something to passionately rant about.

Something happy. How about...

We had family dinner last night. I used to dread and rarely have family dinner at mom's. Now we do it a minimum of once a month. It is crazy, hectic and a lot of laughs. The littlest brother (and maid of honor) brought his girlfriend (who will eventually be his wife) and his roommate (one of the greatest people on the planet) to witness it all. The middle brother pretty much sits through it shaking his head.

My mom is a wonderful cook and extremely tolerant of our shenanigans. Last night's focus was the bachelorette party (a country hopping t-shirt boondoggle planned by the youngest), tattoos (the manfolk just got one the day before - post to follow about that), and some reminiscing about trips to jail and how people meet.

We are a good natured group and (in spite of her occasional weak objection to the fact) incredibly open with one another. I am sure it is overwhelming for an outsider, sometimes it can be overwhelming for us, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It makes my heart smile.

How's that for happy?

Scooter Store and the Fountain of Youth

My mom got a letter from the scooter store the other day - my middle brother and I giggled for a good 40 minutes. She says it is because she is old, we told her that doesn't happen until she turns 70 so she isn't allowed to call herself old until then. But really, the Scooter Store? A little premature for a woman with no medical issues except high blood pressure (which I am pretty sure my brothers did to her).

Happy Birthday Maid of Honor!!!

Happiest of Birthday to my littlest brother, favorite groundhog and rockin' maid of honor.

We weren't close for years, now we are and I can't imagine daily life without you.

Love you.

Sometimes you CAN choose your family

We have friends that are just like family. I am realizing it more and more as we go through the wedding preparations, even just the guest list.

Our immediate family is on there, then some folks that we have been asked by family to invite (extended family) - but we find it mostly populated with friends who we consider just like family.

Friends who know more about us than our family (with the exception of my little brother, we share far too much). People we have grown up with and who have been with us through good and bad - times when, perhaps, biological family would have bailed. People who have been like family when family hasn't.

It is a good mix, and a wonderful feeling to know that these people are out there and that they have been around for so long and mean so much.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Happy happy birthday to my mom (who doesn't know what a blog is and won't be reading this).

Don't know what I would ever do without you.

Family Time

Love my family. They have become a bigger part of my life in the last year and a half and I don't know what I would do without them.

But we have really had a lot of my brothers and my dad lately. Moving my dad and stepmonster's stuff, drama from the middlebro, volunteering for one of my dad's charities, etc. The manfolk has been extremely patient. I think I need a break from the boys in my family.

Fat sack of awkward

So, my parents have been divorced for 12 years or so and my mom has an incredibly strong (and completely justified) hatred of my dad (more stories for later).

Last night the manfolk and I pick mom up from the airport and she offers to take us to dinner. We head over to the local Outback and are joking with the bartender that the coast was clear because my dad* doesn't ever come in there anymore.

Side note: He used to pretty much live on a barstool there, even had his name on it, until one day he got wasted and made a scene and the proprietor told him not to bother coming in anymore (pretty sure he was selectively paying his bar tabs at that time as well). Since then the proprietor has changed and he shows up occasionally, but has pretty much moved to a new hangount.

Back to last night, half way through our meal guess who wanders by the table - stepmonster. She doesn't see my mom at first and makes pleasantries about stopping back by after running to the restroom. Guess it set in while she was in the ladies room because she didn't pause on her way back. So we sat the rest of the night at our table with dad and his wife at the bar facing directly at us. The bartender even put up some homemade caution tape around our booth to keep 'unwanted persons' out (she really earned her tip from my mom).

It was a big bag of awkward. Everyone stayed apart and we waved to dad on the way out. Didn't stop us from having a good meal and conversation though.

Dad was kind enough to call me this afternoon to remind me how awkward it was. Thanks Old Man.

Ugh. Mom and dad have seen each other maybe six times since they got divorced (my wedding was half of those and the other half have been in the last 8 months - twice at Outback).

*the fact that he is my father remains to be proven. I asked my mom for years for Christmas if she would just tell me who my real father was, because he is such an a-hole so often and does the most off the wall things - I figure there is no way I am related to him. She stands by it, but I dunno.

Happy Sperm Donors Day!

Kidding. Kinda. Some dads are better than others and those that do it well deserve to be appreciated every day. Happy Father's Day to the deserving and those lucky enough to have brought life into this world and take the time to raise them right.

Southern Cookin'

I love food.

I am a yankee who transplanted to Texas about 20 years ago and was informed by the manfolk that apparently I still haven't really ever had proper southern cooking... until recently.

Good gracious - he is a Texas boy from a southern family and his mom knows how to COOK.

A few of my favorites so far:
Chicken'n'biscuits - yummy
Apple Dumplins - holy crap one of the best things on the planet
Blackberry cobbler - wow (though I hear it is a finiky dish to make because of the berries - they have to be just right)
Turkey and dressing - why did it take me this long to find it?

One of the best parts is watching the manfolk cook these secret family recipies and reliving the childhood stories as he works. I love listening to the memories and stories of him growing up and a lot of time some of the best stories are triggered as he bakes/mixes/cooks.

The other favorite of mine has become listening to his mom talk about the recipe as she dishes it up to a family that (in my opinion) has been thoroughly spoiled having this wonderful food all of their lives.

Not to say I was deprived growing up - not at all - I grew up in a family of east coast yankees and the food is just different. This southern cooking is a whole new (happy) world for me.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

The mom's in my life are awesome - especially mine!

I am amazed by what I have seen recently as my friends have become moms and how it changes and molds them. I am profoundly respectful of those who have chosen to be moms and love the people who do it right!

Men - spoil the mom's in your life. We all know that you are a momma's boy deep down and even though you may be grown up, you should always show your appreciation the women who have made the sacrifice to become a mom(and yes it is a sacrifice) in your life.

'Round the world (or at least the country)

For the funeral we made a grand adventure to the north.

We flew. A lot. Can't complain when it is free, but wow.

Wednesday consisted of Dallas to Kansas City to Chicago to Buffalo. Saturday's return was Buffalo to Baltimore to St. Louis (apparently we have an attraction to Missouri) and finally to Dallas.




Have to confess the little bro and I did have a $50 bar bill between Baltimore and Dallas on the way home... but who is to blame us. It was an emotionally exhausting week and we were on airplanes for six hours.

Passing of a great man

I mentioned funeral leave in my last post like people know what is going on in my life.

Saturday afternoon my grandfather passed away. Honestly, he has been ready to move on since his wife died suddenly in October 2004. He was my last grandparent and 95 years old. The last few years have been kind of rough for him, near the end it has been difficult to see.

My mom is an amazing woman who has visited him every day (or made sure one of us kids did when she absolutely couldn't) since he came to Texas two years ago and went in to the nursing home. She is taking it harder than I (or I think she) thought she would. She has dedicated a lot of her life to him these last few years and that has got to leave a hole in your heart, even knowing that he is better off.

The family is headed to farm town upstate New York to lay him to rest next to his wife at the end of the week. I have thousands of happy memories of this self made man -- farmer, Realtor, father, land lord, grandfather. Every grandchild should be so lucky. He was an amazing man.

Cheers to a life well lived.