viagra?

 

Last night was so much fun. We had our usual house full, and I got to get to know Jake's mom Jolynn.

Then something happened to Rusty. I swear someone slipped him some viagra! After round number five I was like dude did you forget to take your blood pressure medicine? Then this morning it was more of the same! What the heck? Oh do not get me wrong I am not complaining I am just wondering what they Heck. ROTFLMAS!

Today Jolynn and I went down to base to watch a friend play softball. It was so nice to just sit and get to know this awesome lady. Then I took Jolynn out to Burger King and we took it back to the beach to eat. It was so nice down there. Then we headed back to watch another softball game. I am so glad that I got to know Jolynn and I am a better person because I met her!

Not only did Jolynn and I get to see some awesome looking marines in tight pants play softball, but the iron man thing was going on. Yummmm there is nothing better then looking at hard bodies. Just when we thought we were done looking at them a big group of them came running up the road. I to slow way down so that we could take a look. Hey we are married, not dead!

Today Nikki went and passed out flyers in hopes of getting some stuff for her yard sale. Only one person called back. However this one guy thinks that it is so cool that Nikki is trying to raise money to go on a mission trip. This gentlemen is a member of the black sheep. They are a Christian biker group! This gentlemen told us to let him know when our yard sale is and that he would post it for all the black sheep to see, and that he would spread the word that we are looking for more stuff! All I can say about that is ......Faith.

Tonight we are having Lazagna, garlic bread and fruit for dinner. Nothing fancy, but man I am starting to get hungry.

Well everyone, I better get busy and go finish dinner.

finally friday!

Well it is finally Friday and I have a lot to do. I am hoping that the children will pitch in. Notice I said hope. Actually I have good children, but they will not do much if you do not ask them to!

Well, Our children have started spring break this week. I do not think that I will have to much of an issue trying to keep them occupied. Amber will be working and I think her and Sam want to go to Disney. Nikki is going to a lock in tonight and I am sure that she will be spending a lot of time with her boyfriend.

Today one of the "marines" mom and sister will be coming in. I am looking forward to meeting her. I love meeting new people. Everyone I meet brings something into my life.

Oh wow Nikki is pinning a quilt for me! That is one less thing that I have to do now! LOL

So yesterday I went and spend that gift card! I bought a vacuum, some new rugs for the kitchen and the bathroom and I bought myself a new top. Oh I also bought so more material. I am seeing more quilts in my future!

Poor Rusty came home from work and fell asleep at 7:30 last night! I knew he would be worn out, but man did he crash hard. I had to wake him up a few times and ask him to go back to his bed so that I could sleep in mine!

Nikki's birthday is next month and she has decided that she wants to go get henna done. I think that is so cool. I have wanted to get henna done for a while, so I think I will also get a henna done! I have been looking for a place around here that does henna, but I think I am going to have to go up to L.A. to get it done. Oh well.

I guess I better go get into the shower and get my day started. I am sure that I will not get everything done that I need to, but at least I will be clean! LOL

right angle?

Right Angle

Definition: Right Angle

Right Angle Noun 1. The 90 degree angle between two perpendicular lines. 2. A quarter of the circumference of a circle. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

So here is the deal. Ryan says to me last night " mom what do I do on this page?" I said " what do the directions say?" Ryan attempts to read the directions. He is SUPPOSE to circle all of the right angles. So I asked Ryan what a right angle is. He had no clue. This does not surprise me since he is only working on a first grade level. How many first graders know what a right angle is? Anyway, I wrote another nasty note to the umpa lumpa.....a.k.a. Ryans teacher.

I scored some good stuff at the thrift store yesterday! I got one sweater and a shirt, a wallet, a necklace, and a new purse.

So when Elle and I got home I was cleaning out my old wallet and I found one of those pre paid visa gift cards. I called to see if there was any money left on it, and there was $175! Woo Hoo. I am so glad I called before I just threw the card away.

I do not have that much planned for today. I need to put together a quilt and get some cleaning done. But for now I am going to sit here and drink my coffee.

Rusty must be so worn out this morning. Rusty had to work yesterday and then he had to go get his boss from the air port. Rusty got home about 11 and then he decided that he wanted pig sex. That's all fine and dandy, except he had to get up at 4:30 to take Elle to the airport!

Yesterday was the first time Butter had been to a park. I must admit that he did very well. One lady lady said that he was very handsome and then he tried to lick her hand off. I am glad that I can now take Butter more places, but I still need to work and training him a little bit more.

Well I think I am going to go back to bed and watch some t.v.!

Amber just came in here all frantic. She dropped her phone in the toilet while she was going to the bathroom! I asked her if she bought the insurance on the phone? She can't remember. Oh I need to go back to bed!

shhh

Everyone got up late this morning, so they were all running around and trying to get out the door. Now everyone is gone and the only sound I hear is my fingers hitting the keyboard.

Last night Nikki asked me if I had made another "good" journal entry. Nikki said that some of my entries make her cry. So I read her the one that I wrote yesterday. Nikki took that entry and even the pictures and posted them on her my space account! I came back about ten minutes later and told her that she needed to post that I wrote that! I want some credit! LOL

Today I am going to do a few things around here and then Elle and I are going to hit some thrift stores. I so love going to thrift stores!

My boss came over the other night to pick up all of the work I had done. While he was here I offered him dinner and he gladly ate. he is a single guy so home cooked food is a real treat for him. Then he asked me how the fund raising was going for the girls. He gave Nikki $20 and said here is 1% towards her trip! I was so shocked. So to all my readers if you would like to donate 1% please let me know. (Nikki has a smaller amount to raise, but she has a shorter time frame to get the money.)

I called a girlfriend yesterday and asked her what she was doing and if she could take me to wal mart. So she swung by and got me. She said that she was heading that way anyway. We got to talking and we have come to the conclusion that we are going to start car pooling again. We both go to the same stores, and with gas being $3.09 a gallon it will save us both some money. I like saving money!

I so want to go soak in a hot tub and just relax. Oh wait I can do that! O.K. I am off to warm up some home made bread, and then I am going to go soak in a tub.

Shhhh the house is still quiet.

women unite

Women are the glue that holds families and nations together during conflict, and they are the ones who pick up the pieces after the cameras are gone.

I read that saying over the weekend, and it has caused me to stop and think.

Women really are the glue. As women we can be anything that we want to be. We can get a big fancy degree or we can be the soccer mom. Neither job is more important then the other.

As women in the United States the sky is the limit for us. We are very blessed to have the modern items  such  as a dish washer, t.v. and even running water. But what about women around the world?

I wonder what it would be like to be a women living in Iraq. As moms I am sure that they want the same things that we want for our children, yet they have so many more struggles. Do these women lay down at night with a weapon, just so they can protect their children? What do they do when the males in their lives are killed? After all these women cannot do anything without a male taking them around. How many of these women go to bed hungry? The questions are endless for me, and yet as a mom and I wife I can only imagine what their life must be like.

I am sure that these women are the glue. I do know that these women are very hard workers, and that most of them do not have a basic education, and yet they move on doing the best they can for their families.

If all of the women all over the world did something for another women could we change the world? If we bought some food for a single mom who is struggling would that a make a difference? Well it would make a difference to her.

Do we as women need to go to a foreign country to make a difference or can we start by making a difference right where we are? My questions are endless and yet their seems to be not clear cut answers.

I do know that in my own life, I am the glue that hold this family together. I do know that I do not live in a war torn country. I do know that I am blessed to be living in this great land. Most of all I know that we all need to get off our asses and start changing the lives of women in our own communities.

If all of us would united then we could change the world.

Girl Time

Today was so nice. Elle and I went and ran some errands, But man it was so nice just to hang out with a girl! I am usually surrounded by guys, so girl time was nice!

Tonight I cooked tacos for dinner, and I had enough for our family, and then all of a sudden I was feeding 15 people! Some how everyone heard that I was making tacos for dinner and everyone came up! I swear I am getting good at cooking for crowds.

For those who asked, yes my curls are all natural! I so love them. While I was growing up I was not happy with them, but then curly hair came in style and I was so in. Then I went back to straightening it until one day Rusty asked me why I did that. I really had no good reason. Rusty said that he loves my curles, and from then on out I have never done anything to my curles.

I miss the first episode of the deadliest catch! I so love that show. Elle laughs at me because she lives in Alaska and sees that stuff all the time.

Well, tomorrow I am going to go do some shopping and that is going to be about the extent of my day! Oh I am putting on a pot of chili and I will be making some home made dread tomorrow! YUM

here are some pictures

This weekend has been so busy! A group of us went up to look out and then we hiked out to the water falls. As you can tell from the pictures there was no water there! We have not had any rain to speak of in 2 years!

I have been working on this stupid paper work all weekend, and I am about sick of it. I am however almost done, so I am going to burn the midnight oil, and get all of this done so that I can get paid on it.

Jake and Rusty cooked up a big breakfast this morning and man was it good. I think we have had a big breakfast every Sunday since the boys got back. For some reason Jake likes to cook.

This morning all of the children continued to shoot each other with these foam darts. They think they are just going to go buy an ass load of dart and run through the house shooting each other. The boys say that it would be cheaper then playing paint ball. I still have not figured out the difference between men and boys. I will ponder that subject later one.

I am so glad that Elle came in. I just seeing all of our friend. Elle said that Rusty is looking good and that Rusty's new job must be agreeing with him. I think Rusty looks great. he has lost about 40 pounds and he likes his job.

Rusty will have a long week this week. Thursday, Friday and Saturday he will be working a tent sale down on Base. Rusty does not usually work on the weekends. Rusty said he was going to take Monday off, but now I feel really bad. I would love to spend that day with Rusty, but I told a friend that I would go with him when he went to have his stress done.

I do not know. I do not want to let either of them down. I think I am going to suggest that Rusty and I go out that night. just the two of us.

Anyway, work is not getting done, if I am still writing in this journal. I am almost done, so I need to get busy and just bust out this paper work.

Elle is coming in!

Our dear friend Elle will be here this afternoon! I just love it when she comes in. I so miss Elle when she is in Alaska, but I am so glad that she comes back here a few times a year!

Well Kevin or Rusty were suppose to go get Elle, but I found out this morning that neither of them could do it. So I will be making the great trip. I just hate the drive, but it will give us time to catch up.

I was reading Gerris journal today and it reminded me of something that happened that happened yesterday. While I was at the dairy, I was walking around the petting zoo. They had brought up a calf, and he was so young that he still had his umbilical cord! I have never seen a calf that young. I will add that to my list of new things for this year.

What the hell just happened? Did I hit something on the keyboard? Why is it writing like this? Oh well...

I do not have that much planned for today. I will need to get some work done and then I need to get Elle. I am going to ask Manny to hang out today in case the children need anything.

Well I am off to start my day. I know it will be a good one, because I have good friends coming in and that will always make me smile.

Not as planned

Well, as usual I did nothing that I had planned for the day! LOl That's o.k. I still had a good day.

My day started by finding a stray dog that looked like she had just had babies. I called animal control, and they said that I could bring the dog in. This dog was so sweet. She came to me when I called her and she let me chain her up. I gave her some food, but she would not eat it. So I gave her a good bath before I took her to the shelter. This dog was so sweet, So I think she is someone's pet that just got out.

Then Manny and I drove up the mountain so that he could see Lake Elsinore from above. We spent the rest of the just looking at houses, and running children around.

Ryan has been bugging me to take him to the lake so that he can drive his boat. I was going to take him today, but then the lake got choppy. I AM going to take him to the lake tomorrow if the lake is calm.

I still have a lot of work to get done, however Amber's boyfriend has been helping me out. I told him that I would pay him $7 an hour cash! He jumped on that.

That is about all that is new in my dull life. However I am going to enjoy the dull time, because I know that my Life will get busy soon!

good friends and good tea

I have worked most of the day, and let me tell you.... I am so sick of looking at petitions. I guess I should get use to it because the season is getting ready to kick off.

I called a friend today because I needed some have some papers notarized. I have not seen her in a while, it was ..... well life. Anyway she came over and did all of the paper's that I needed done. I put the kettle on and we had a blast drinking tea. My friend and I both share a Love of the OLD Pyrex. So it was nice to sit and talk about dishes with her.

I guess because most of our friend are guys it was nice to just sit and chat about girl things.

Tomorrow Manny and I are going to go tour some vineyards. Temecula is full of them and so we said what the heck. I should spend tomorrow working, but they will be doing work on our power lines so the power will be out most of the day anyway.

I am off to bed. My back hurts from sitting in this chair for so long.

Not for the faint of heart

This has been on my mind for a few days now. I must warn you that what I am about to say is real and is not very nice.

Last week I had several conversations with all of the marines that were here. I know rule number one of deployment is to never ask what happened or what they did. I stick by that rule and Rusty never told me what he did. He said that I did not need to know.

With that said. I was talking with Jake one day and he broke out his camera. He showed me pictures of the hummers that were blown up. He told me that while they were out on patrolls the children would run up to them and say "fuck your mother". The guys would just aim their guns at them.

C.J. was telling about what it is like to have bullets go past his head. He told of one of his friends that should be dead because they had to inject so many drugs into him just to TRY to keep him from screaming. C.J. told me how scared he was to watch his friend get put on that air craft, and that he still does not know if his friend is dead or alive.

What do you say to this? I could say nothing. I just sat there and listened to these BOYS tell their stories. I wanted to give them words of advice, I wanted to hug them, but instead I just sat there.

At that moment in time I wanted my dad, I knew that he would tell me what to say. Oh that's right I can't talk to my dad any more. Rick I will call Rick. No I can't talk to Rick either. (Rick is Rusty's dad) Why is it that the men that could answer my questions are gone?

Then I started to think. Do I know any older military wives who I could talk to. Nope. Am I on my own here?

I finally said to Rusty "C.J. and Jake said some things to me that I did not like" Then I explained my self to Rusty, he said that He knows what to say and that I can lean on him for my answers.

I know that in the moments when the boys were talking to me that I grew up just a little bit more. In that moment My eyes had been opened to the reality of war.

Someone once told me that Rusty got meaner after his last deployment. I did not see it, but over time I have. He is not mean to his friends and family, But Lord help the person that even thinks about hurting his family.

War changes people. The marines are different, and I am different. Yes we still dance in the living room, and laugh around the fire, but I can see it in them. I see the look in their eyes that says don't fuck with me. I see them walk around with their fist closed, I see a certain sadness in their eyes.

As their substitute mom I often wonder about these marines. There is nothing I can do for them. I cannot take away what they saw or undo some of the things that they have done.

I do know one thing that I can do. I can open my home up and give them a soft place to land. I just hope that a warm place to sleep and a home cooked meal helps them some.

Happy Birthday Ryan

Well my little man is 12 today! We are going to surprise him big time today. I am going to wrap all of his gifts and have them in the trunk of the car. Rusty is going to call me and get everyone's order for McDonald's, and then we will meet up at the lake. I do hope that he has a great birthday!

I have some stuff to finish up around here. To my great surprise I got everything cleaned yesterday! Well....except all of the glass, so I have to do that. It is nice to have a clean house again.

Yesterday, my boss stopped by and asked me to do some work for him, so I am going to able to work at home this week and then I should be back to work full time by the beginning of next month. Rusty is not happy about this because he does not like me working at all. I am going to go ahead and work another petition season, the money is good, and even if we don't need it at least it would be nice to have some extra play money.

I am hoping to get started on another quilt this week. We met this awesome marine, and his name is Manny. He is older the most of the marines that come through this house and it took me a while to get to know him. Manny joined the marines because he ran out of money while going to college. Now Manny will be able to use his G.I. bill to help pay for his masters degree.

Manny is very quiet, until you get to know him. In this house there are always hugs and kisses when someone walks in or when they leave. Manny would not allow that. Now that he knows us, he is hugging and playing with the children. Yesterday Manny even went and laid down and watched t.v. with Amber! I am going to miss him when he leaves.

A friend called me last night and I asked her what was going on. She just cried and said that she was drinking wine and wanting to come back to California. I so wish they would move back here. I miss the whole family!

Well I should be getting busy.

life happened today

Last night I went to bed with a really good idea as to how today was going to go. I was going to sleep until I was no longer tired. I was going to clean up the house, and then if there was any time left I was going to work a quilt.

OH NO that is not how today went! I got woken up at 2 a.m. by Amber throwing up while sitting on the toilet. Nikki is trying to find something to settle her stomach and is slamming every door in the kitchen.

O.K. back to bed at 3 a.m. I did get a few more hours of sleep until Amber came in and told me that she still felt like crap. So she crawled into our bed and has been there all day.

Then I forgot that I had a meeting at Ambers school. So up to the high school I went. Ambers teachers actually said a lot of good things about her, and next year she will be able to take some of her classes as college classes! Go Amber! I did freak one of her teachers out because he saw me from behind and thought it was Amber. We look so much a like that it is scary.

Then I had to go to the store and get some stuff to plug up both ends. That's always fun. Then I came home and tried to get some cleaning done. I have managed to get half of the house cleaned so I cannot complain.

Tonight everyone is getting chicken noodle soup and sandwiches for dinner.

Can you believe that I have been so busy that I forgot that Ryan's birthday is tomorrow! So yesterday I had to go shopping for him, and tomorrow I am going to go buy some cup cakes. Rusty and I got him a remote control boat that shoots water. I think he will like it since he can take it to the lake. So tomorrow we are just going to grab some McDonald's and go down to the lake and eat dinner, and then let Ryan open his gifts. One of our friends is giving Ryan a t.v., so some of the other friends are getting him a video card.

Everyone is determined to bring us up to date on video games! Oh well.

So I am off to attempt to get some more cleaning done. If I don't then it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Oh, my old boss called me and asked me to do some work for him. So I am going to work a few hours this week and then I should start to work full time next month.

here is what happened

I have put the kettle on because I finally have time to sit down and fill everyone in on what has been going on here. So pull up a chair!

I am so glad that I had a few really good days in a row, because yesterday and today were not so good. Lets start with yesterday. I will set this up for everyone.

Nikki- middle daughter who is 14

Brenna Nikkis girfriend 14

Jake- 19 just got home from Iraq

Sam 17, Ambers boyfriend

I had not slept much Thursday night and I got up early to help Amber with her yard sale. Nikki needed to be picked up from school and then taken back to Brenna's house where they were going to spend the weekend. Brenna's parents went to vegas, so the girls were going to be there with uncle Joe. Uncle Joe had been sick, but it was not that bad.

Jake told me that he would go and get Nikki and Brenna from school since he needed to go to the store and to the mall anyway, so Jake told me to go take a nap.

I told everyone else in the house that I was going to go lay down and to wake me up if they needed anything. I plugged my cell phone in and went to sleep. I heard my phone ring, but I let it go to voice mail.

Then Amber comes into my room and said "Jake just called me and Nikki needs you and you need to come right away"

I jumped out of bed and grabbed my shoes. I ran down the hallway and slid around the corner. That's when I remembered that I needed my glasses. So I went back to the bed bedroom at full speed. When I finally got back to the kitchen I started screaming because I could not find my keys. Sam grabs me and my purse and says " come on mom I will take you where you need to go".

Sam starts to drive and he finally asks where we are going and told him that I needed to go to Brennas house. When we got to Brennas house their were fire trucks outside, I ran from the truck so fast that I almost fell. Sitting on the bench was Brenna and Brennas little sister and little brother. Nikki is standing next to them with this nasty look on his face. Jake is just shaking his head at me.

I grabBrenna and her siblings and just started hugging them. That is when one of them said "he is dead" I just hugged them a little bit tighter and said a prayer for them. That is when the grandparents showed up.

I went over to Jake and asked him what happened. Jake said " I dropped the girls off and Nikki called me screaming, so I came over here. The uncle was in the chair, but looked dead. I got him on the floor. Nikki had called 911 from the house phone and was arguing with the operator. I started cpr, but it was to late, and that is when the fire trucks showed up."

I walked over to Nikki and said "Baby girl you did the right thing at the right time. You called 911 and then called us. I am proud of you". Then she started crying.

The police show up and start to question everyone. I am still walking around giving hugs and trying to be of some help. Brennas mom calls me and I told her that Brenna could spend the weekend with us and that I would take Brennas sister over to a friend house. I also told her that the girls did great and that they exactly what they should have done, and that she should be proud of them.

One of the aunts took Brennas younger brother and she asked me to please get the girls out of there before they removed the body from the home. Jake got everyone together and took off with the girls and Sam brought me home.

Nikki calls me and tells me that Brenna and her boyfriend want to come by. I was not happy, but I thought it would help the girls. OH Nikki and Brenna are dating brothers! Anyway, little did I know that they were going to be staying for a while.

Now I am not only tired, but mentally drained. The house is still a mess because there is gear everywhere and 13 people are living here. Now the boyfriend and their mom is coming over? I so do not feel like entertaining anyone! oh to top it all of they stayed for dinner!

When the mail man came there was a package addressed to me from Jake's mom. I opened it and was expecting it to actually be for Jake, no it was for me! I was so shocked. She sent me some candy, and some tea and this really cool mug that was made in her home town. That did give me a boost. The best part of it is. Jakes mom stuck a note in there thanking me for taking care of her son. She so did not have to do that!

This morning I got up and helped Amber set up for her yard sale, and Jake cooked a big breakfast. The adults had planned on going shooting today, but as you can tell I am still here.

We had originally planned on going shooting first thing in the morning so that we would be back in time so that Amber could go to work. However, now we have Brenna and Nikki here who had made planes last week to go out with their boyfriends, and by the time breakfast was done and cleaned up it was 11.

I asked Rusty what time they were leaving to go shooting and he "said well aren't you going?" Now this get bad...

Me " I can't go, it is to late and no one will be here to watch Ryan once Amber leaves"

Rusty "make Nikki and Brenna stay home"

me " that is fair to them since we said they could go out last week"

Rusty " well I am sick of not being able to do things because something always comes up"

me " well I am sorry that your life is not going as planned"

Rusty " I don't see why you won't make Nikki stay at home."

me "The girls will be caring for Ryan for most of their adult life, and they do not need to start doing it now"

Rusty walks away and starts to get ready to go shooting.

So Amber is catching up on sleep and Ryan is playing in his room. Everyone else is shooting. I once again am stuck at home while everyone else is having fun. I guess I better get use to it.

I am going to go clean our bedroom.

Oh Amber made $185. She is a little dissapointed because she needed to make $250. Oh well she tried and I will give her credit for that!

bad day

I just got back. I had to go over to Nikkis friend house. Nikki and her friend were suppose to stay at the friends house for the weekend, but when they walked into the house the the friends uncle dead.

Our friend Jake got there before I did. He tried to do cpr, but the uncle was dead.

The girls are on the way back up here.

anyway, I need the words to stay to these girls. I need to be strong for them.

Sorry for not commenting today

faith

Well people just keep calling Amber and we have so much stuff, so we are going to have to have a yard sale this weekend! I just knew that somehow and some way she would get the money for this trip.

Nikki has starting talking to some ladies at church and now there are some of them who want to sponsor her! I just know that she will get all of the money that she needs.

I know that I have faith, because I often take leaps and some how everything works out.

Today we all took the dogs down to the lake. It was so funny to watch butter try to swim. I thought that all dogs could swim, but he was not doing a very good job of it! Rascle on the other hand just ran right in the water and started swimming. Rascle has been to the lake before, so I am not sure if Butter has ever been swimming before. Anyway, both of the puppies are so worn out!

I just showed Amber all of the nice comments that I have gotten from everyone.... when everyone came home. She said that I should show all of the marines. I have showed them a few of my blogs, but for the most part not many people here my journal.

I am have to get up early because I will need to help Amber set up for her yard sale.

good morning

All is good in my world today. The marines are still here and I am just loving every minute of it.

My house does smell like ass. I noticed the smell a few days ago and then it hit me. That is the smell of everyone's gear. I will put up with the smell.

There has not been to much going on around here. Just a lot of talking and catching up. Today we going down to the lake, and I am thinking about taking the dogs, so they can play in the water.

Sam, Ambers boy friend, is spending a few days with us. So last night the marines said that they would make sure Sam slept with them! Poor Sam, he just can't catch a break.

Well, I need to get busy and get the house cleaned up some.

 

everyone is home

Right now in my house there is a bond going on  that I will never understand. There are a group of Marines standing around the back yard laughing and telling war stories. I will never be able to be involved in their conversations. I will never be able to say, I remember when. I will never know the bond that the marines share. I will forever only be able to look in and wonder what it is like to have that bond. Sometimes I feel that I am on the outside looking in.

However, from time to time each one of these marines have has come up to me today and has thanked me for opening our home up to them. Maybe someday when they are old and their are telling stories to their children, maybe they will look back and smile, and remember me.

Yesterday our friend Beth came home. A marine named Manny went up to March Air Reserve Base with us. Manny told me that he had never been on the welcoming end of the troops coming home, and that he thought it was nice. Then we got down to Pendleton Manny got to watch us storm past some marines and run up to Beth.

Beth brought a friend back to our place and his name is Chris. On the way home Chris said "Thank you for allowing me to go back to your place. That is really nice of you". I just looked over at Manny and said " Now you know why we do what we do". Manny just smiled.

Today our Friends Jake and C.J. came in. They came into a different base so we were not not able to greet them as the left the air station, however we were there waiting on them to get off the buses. As soon as I saw Jake I just screamed his name and ran to him. I actually jumped on him! Then we went to look for C.J. and we finally found him.

My home is such a mess. I have gear everywhere, but that is o.k. I would rather see my house a mess then to not have our friends home.

Well..... I am going to go attempt to clean something, but I have a feeling that it is pointless! LOL

so sorry

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have turned off my alerts. Our friend Beth came home today and two more of our friend are coming home tomorrow.

I am going to be spending a few days with them. I am so glad that everyone is coming home and that they are all returning safely.

yesterday was awesome

Yesterday was so great and I just know that the next few days will be just as awesome. Yesterday I got nothing done that I had planned on doing!

Kevin called and said that he some people were coming up and wanted to know if we wanted to go to a car show. So we loaded up the children and headed off to the car show. It was such a nice day, and I enjoyed walking around in the sun.

I took Amber around to drop off flyers and she got so much stuff for her yard sale! So in two weekends she will be having another yard sale. I am so proud of my children for getting out there and doing the work.

Then last night us adults went down to the vfw for a fish fry. I saw a lot of people that I had not seen in a while and it was good to see them. Kevin was talking with a guy and this guy was asking Kevin about his service in Iraq. Then the guy sticks his hand and shakes Kevins hand and says "thank you for your service to our country". Kevin said that it was a very strange moment for him, because he never knows what to say when someone does say thank you.

Later on that night I told Kevin the guy that said thank you knows the price of freedom. His grandson was killed in Iraq.

We shot some pool last night, and I have not done that in a very long time, so that was fun. I do not shoot pool very well, but I do have fun with it.

Oh! I got a new shower curtain for the children's bathroom yesterday. It is white with some pink flowers on it. Nikki comes out and says " our bathroom is like crapping in a large marshmallow, everything in there is white!" I just had to laugh.

Kevin and Amber are at the store buying stuff for breakfast. I am just glad that I am not cooking breakfast, but I sure will enjoy eating it.

I am going to chill out today, and maybe start getting ready for everyone to come home tomorrow.

I know that today is going to be just as awesome yesterday!

another saturday

Well it is Saturday, and I should be up doing something, but I am still sitting here! I am just not in the mood right now.

Anyway, Nikki had a great time at the hockey game yesterday and she just loved it, Nikki said that going to a hockey game is something that she will do again. I am glad that she went and tried something new.

Amber wants me to take her around and to try to get more stuff for her yard sale. Her next payment is due in May, so I suggested that we get an early start since she will need to raise some extra money since she will be gone for two weeks in July.

I am so not looking forward to the time change. Ryan does not do good with any type of change, and the time change just throws him off. I guess it is part of life that I will have to deal with.

It is suppose to be a nice day, so I am going to do some work outside. I hope everyone has a great Saturday.

another link

Here is another link to check out!

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=27774

wind in my sails!

I am having such a good day! When I got up this morning Rusty told me that he had gotten an e mail from one of our friends and that she will be home on Monday. Then I checked my e mail and another friend that he and another guy will be home on Monday! So it looks like everyone is coming home on the same flight! I know that things could change, but I am going to enjoy this moment.

I went to work with Rusty this morning. He said that he needed my help, so I went. Rusty did not really need my help, he could have done the job by himself. I think that he just wanted to spend some time with me. That is cool. I did enjoy our time together.

Tonight Nikki is going to see the Ducks play Hockey. I have never seen a professional hockey game, and this will be Nikkis first game. I do hope that she likes it, but if she does not like it at least she can say that she has seen it.

While I was down on base today I was looking through one of the base papers and found out that someone made a statute of "the kiss in times square". Here is the link http://www.sculpture.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/955/size/big/sort/1/cat/500

So check it out. It is huge! It will be in San Diego until the end of 07 and then it will move onto another city. I so want to go see this!

I do not have to much planned for tonight. Nikki will need to be picked up 11, but other then that I just have no idea what I am going to do. I might get a jump start on the cleaning that I wanted to get done tomorrow, or maybe I will just do nothing.

Well, I better get busy, and find something to make for dinner.

bummed out

Oh how I wish the luck of the Irish would have fallen on me today! I got a call from one of our friends today. He is STILL in Iraq. His unit got bumped so they wont be home until some time next week! I so hate that!

Rusty and I are going to Vegas next weekend. He has to work the gun show. So I am going to go with him. I think that one of our friends is going to go with us, so that way I will have someone to hang out with all day while Rusty is working.

Kevin's cousin came out here for a visit, so they are staying here. I do not mind having the extra people here. I was happy to have the company today!

I also got a box from my mom and inside the box was a picture of my dad holding me when I was about 4 days old. I just want to cry. I so miss my dad. One of these I am sure that I will be able to look at the picture and not cry, but I have not reached that point yet.

Tonight I am going to go make some chai tea and then I am going to go soak in a tub. I am going to spend the night in my room just doing nothing.

humming birds

I for got to mention that the people I work for took me out back to show me a humming bird nest. There were even two little birds in the nest. I thought that was so cool! I have never seen a humming bird nest before. I can now add that to my list of new things for this year,

Our friend Kevin has been here all day, so it has been nice to be able to sit and visit with him. Kevin was also kind enough to clean the kitchen for me! LOL

I am going to try to make some more head way on cleaning off this desk. I think I should just go get a really big trash bag and just throw everything away and then we can start from scratch.

So Rusty thinks that Nikki's boyfriend looks like howdy doody, so we had to come up with a name for Amber boyfriend. I said that he looks like Charles manson. So Amber goes and looks up Charles Manson, and then comes back and tells me that her boyfriend does not look like Charles Manson! I swear sometimes Amber does not have a sense of humor.

I have three days left until the rest of my boys come home! I am just so happy. I am also trying to get as much house work and other little things done, so that when they do come home I can spend all my time with them. I just can't wait to hold them in my arm. I just them home! Here is a scary thought, one of the guys that is coming back is only 18 and he is already a veteran! I guess he a new face of what veterans look like.

So I better get off the computer and get my little but in gear.

NEW THINGS I HAVE DONE THIS YEAR:

1. welcomed home the troops up at March air reserve base

2.saw an osprey fly

3. ate Brazilian food

4. ate fried bananas

5. saw a humming birds nest

how much dust do you need?

I am just so warn out, yet I cannot even take a shower and relax! Pout Pout! I am not sure Amber will need a ride home from work or if Nikki will need a ride home from Drama practice. So I was sitting here looking at this mess that we call and desk, and I lost it.

Rusty keeps telling me not to touch anything. I am just so Freakin sick of seeing this mess! So I figured if it has two inches of dust on it then it is out of here! I am so sick of seeing stack of stuff with dust on it. Am I the only one who has a husband that can throw nothing away, but can manage to stack everything up so high that it falls?

Anyway, the desk is starting to look a little better. So here are just a few items that I found so far. A chop stick. Not a pair of chop sticks but just one! Is Rusty on some diet that I know nothing about? I found Ambers saving pass book, that she has been looking for. I found Nikkis tickets from her mission trip last year. Oh Lord help me as I finish to sort through this desk!

Work went well today and the people that I am working for are very nice. I am glad that they are not stuffy people! I must say that I could not figure out what was wrong with their house, then it hit me. They have no pictures of their children or of anyone anywhere. I think that is strange because I have pictures everywhere! I just love having my walls covered with pictures of our family. Oh well to each their own.

I have been noticing a trend among the journals. Well here is my low fat nachoes.( is that how you spell it) Oh and we had this for dinner tonight. I brown a pound of ground turkey, and drain off the fat. Then I add about 3/4 of a cup of cooked brown rice and the taco seasonings. I follow the directions on the back of the package of taco seasoning. Tortilla chips are fat free! Then i use low fat Cheddar cheese to top it all off. The children just gobble this dish up. The brown rice is not only very low fat, but it also helps me to stretch this meal a little bit further. I know that is cheap.

I do not see myself getting out of bed to early tomorrow. I know that I should because there are still a million things to do around here, But I think I am just going to sleep until my body is not tired anymore. This desk is so gross. This deskon the top of my list of things to finish cleaning in the morning!

another nice day

Well yesterday it was almost 90! All of the children left for school in shorts today. I am just loving this nice weather!

Today I have to go work and then after that the girls want to go spend their gift cards on some new shorts. So it looks like I will have a full day.

I have started a grass roots movement! The last time I had to drag people up to March to welcome home the troops, now I have people calling me asking me what time they need to be there on Saturday! One of our friends even said that he was going to come back to our house, and that he would get dinner started for our friends. That way when they get home they will have dinner waiting for them. I am just glad that more people want to go welcome home the troops.

Rusty is going to get a break at work. He has been working so much and he asked his boss if he could hire someone to work 3 days a week. Finally yesterday Rusty got the go ahead to hire someone. So now Rusty's work load will not be as bad. I am so glad. I just hate seeing him busting his ass 24/7.

I think next month that I am going to go buy myself some new clothes for summer. I have not had new clothes in a very long time, so now it is my turn! I must admit that I do hate shopping for clothes. I have a very hard time finding stuff that will fit me, so I end up trying on 5 pair of shorts before I find 1 pair that will fit. I would like to know who is making these clothes. I am a real women and yes I do have curves!

I need to get busy and get a few things done before I head out the door.

juicing

O.K. let me explain juicing! LOL For me it is not a diet, but a way of life. My juicer broke a while back and now I have a new one, so I am back to it. My hubby says it is just one more of my hippy things.

I bought a juicer from wal crap. There is no need to buy an expensive one, the cheap ones work just fine! Today I went and bought my fruit and vegi's for the week. I try to buy what is on sale because that means that I will get something new every week. This week I will be having apple, tomatoes, green peppers, cauliflower, and broccoli. I do need to try to find another fruit, but I will do that tomorrow.

Anyway, I will try to use equal parts of everything. I run everything through the juicer. I try to make about a cup and a half of juice. Because it is still has to much pulp for me I stain the juice as I am pouring it into the cup. I then add a scoop of soy protein powder and mix well. Then I add a straw and drink! I do this in the mornings and it really gets me off to a good start. Don't get me wrong, I still have my coffee!

If you type into your search engine the benefits of juicing, you will find so many articles that you will be amazed. Here is the place where I order my protein powder from. www.nelsonenterprises.wwdb.biz Yes, that is our web page. They sell all of the hippy stuff that I like. Everything from organic laundry soap to our protein powder. I am not trying to plug our store. Anyway if you type in protein powder the stuff I use should come up.

So that is juicing. I do it for my health.

So anyway. Today was so nice here. It was almost 90 degrees! I just love warm weather. Tomorrow I have to go work, and then the rest of the week is mine! I think I am going to wash all of the cars. It will give me an excuse to be in the sun and I can do something productive!

I off to finish a baby blanket.