the graying of my life

April 14 th was a long time ago

2009-09-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

Well, i have missed my computer and pretty well everything else too. Since i realize all seven of my followers pretty well know well i have been, there really in no big deal about going into details, but as the the weeks go by and winter comes I will go into details...just so I Have a written diary of the past year.

I can't thank my family for their love,prayers, cares, back rubs and all the stuff that they are so good at. They each have special things that are important to me.

They are many things for me to be thankful for--I am still alive and cooking [not really cooking in the kitchen, cooking in the brain}---i was able to come home on a vent so I could live at night---Years ago I would have ended up in the hosp, nursing home or dead====finally after years of always thinking my house had to be clean 24/7 I decided that who cares????----

I realize now that I might have little changes for the better and then maybe 3 or 4 days of feeling crappy. i might have 2 hours of feeling good of then 6 of feeling bad. I just have to go with the tide and try to stay with it......

Graham is just a delight. He could of not came to be at a better time. He makes me smile just thinking of him....

well that is it for this writing, and did i ever tell you all how lucky I am to have 5 great kids and so many brothers and sisters....I guess i really should count my blessings.

Guest Blog by Kinsey

2009-04-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

Kelsey, Kassie, and I are sitting here talking to my mom and I thought 'Hey I am the only one who hasn't written a guest post.'

So here it is :)

Firstly, Kelsey is explaining her life plan, which I have already listened to because we drove back from Iowa City together.

Secondly, Kassie is a very cute pregnant lady.

Lastly, and most importantly, mom knows some sign language... which is pretty much the best thing ever. She knows it because of working at Woodward for all of those years.

She knows 5 signs: Food, I love you, Bathroom, Medicine and Thank you.

When she first was put onto the ventilator, she signed 'bathroom' to Bridget, and Bridget thought she meant I love you :)

She always tells her nurses Thank you after they help her :)

Mom and her beautiful daughters

Brought to you by the letter "K"

2009-04-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

Guest blog #3
random thoughts of the day...
1) everything smells the same in the hospital

2) Mercy hospital food rocks...and it is fun to order extra food that you know mom doesn't like, so her beautiful daughters can eat it :)

3) Pandora rocks

4) mom says says some pretty funny stuff after about 11.
for example "do you know what kassie has that she has never had before, a growing penis"(kassie is pregnant)
"maybe i shouldn't take another one, I don't want to end up like Dr. House"

5) Thanks Lori for the scotcheroos and chex mix

6) balloons are fun

7) Kelsey rocks at scattergories

8) Kaci had an amazing break today and got to sleep for eight hours and she will be consider the best daughter for a while

this amazing blog was brought to you by Kassie, Kaci, and Kelsey (-kinsey)

Guest post #2

2009-04-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

This is her daughter Kaci again :)

They tried to reduce my mom's meds slightly yesterday afternoon and they led to her having a really bad night where they had to increase her meds to higher than the original amount. This morning was still hard for her. She had a great afternoon because that is typically her best time of the day when she has the most energy. It looks like now that she will be here through the weekend due to her still needing IV steriods. The doctor's want to keep her here as long as possible to make sure that she has fully recovered because they know the better she feels when she goes home the longer it will be before she has to come back. They are also trying to give her a new drug that can possibly have some bad side effects or will be extremely helpful, so we will see how that goes.

Thanks for keeping my mom in your prayers!!!!

A guest post from her most beautiful daughter :)

2009-04-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

This is a guest post from Deb's daughter, Kaci.

On Tuesday night, I called the ambulance to take my mom the hospital because she was having trouble breathing. She is in stable condition but still having a hard time breathing at times. It looks like she will be here at least another day. The doctor's haven't stopped in today yet to give us an update.

Overall she is still in great spirits and as hilarious as ever. :) She just wanted me to tell all of her blog friends (especially Mike) what was going on so they wouldn't worry during her absence.

Have a great day!

30 reasons that I love about my first husband

2009-04-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

My oldest girl wrote a list of 30 reasons why she loves her husband. They have been married for 6 years. I can't not believe this part, it only took her 10 to 15 minutes to do it. That is amazing!!! Then of course she is pregnant {7 months} so the hormones are going crazy. I would also say they are still in the honeymoon part of their marriage.

I been married almost 33 years and it would take me a good 15 minutes to come up with a handful of reasons why I love my husband. I most likely could get a list of 30 if I had at least a month to do it in. So that is my plan, when I am done I will share it with you all. unlike my oldest who thought I should not share her list with my blog readers. [which are 75% family, 20% old friends and 5% my new blog friend mike ] She thinks it is a private list.

So I think it would be a good idea if before anyone get serious about anyone they should make a list of 30 reasons why I love this person. Both people should do it. We should make it a law in our house from now own.

It I had to make a list of 30 things that makes me upset about my husband, it would be a lot easlier list to make, starting with the OMG leaking kitchen sink one, that I have been complaining about for 26 years. After I get done with the one about what I loved about him, I will do the other one [things that upset me]to make things equal out.

Random thought: All of this 30 stuff reminds of a song from my day, "30 ways to leave your lover", I can't get the song out of my head. So I guess I will be singing it all night.

finally someone I don't know makes a comment

2009-04-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

Finally after months of writing postings, someone, I don't know makes a comment on my last posting. That made my day.

That just makes me want to jump right out there and write another post. But due to Net zero error 17, it just takes to long. Right now I am at the Perry library and I have 8 minutes to get this done before I have to get off their computers.

The good news is my son in law is coming to visit me tomorrow from fl. and he is going to check my computer.

So thats the key to my heart, if you read my blog, comment on it. It makes me smile.

WHAT R U ERROR 17 Net Zero

2009-03-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

WHAT R U ERROR 17

I get on the computer, click on yahoo., click on mail box, click on in box, click on first email, read it,hit reply and then:

Net Zero HSpeed has encountered a problem and needs to close. We apologize for this inconvenience. ERROR CODE 17

So i start all over again. click,click,click,click, read it, hit reply and then again: NET ZERO HSpeed etc. ERROR CODE 17

and this will continue until I just give up and go else where, like this blog.
The Net Zero HSpeed doesn't seem to care if I am writing a post. I think it prefers me to do postings instead of surfing the net or checking my emails.

Which takes me to the point that I don't think I have high speed Internet, that is what I have been told my a reliable source. This source also told me I could not get this HSpeed out here in this rural country side.

Is that what Net Zero HSpeed means, that I do have High speed. So does this mean that Net Zero cannot figure out that I don't have HSpeed. You think as smart as these computer people are they would just leave me alone with my low speed dial up. Why are they messing with me?

So maybe I have push a button that I should have not push or someone is messing with my computer. I would appreciated any person knowledge concerning this computer crisis I am having.

Oh , I forgot, I am a PC, I am 55.

THE SALT COMPANY

2009-03-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

I attended "THE SALT COMPANY" parent banquet last night. I was quite impressed with what these students had learned while they attending their services during the week and weekends. I decided that religion should not be hard to learn, that it should be easier like it is done here at "THE SALT COMPANY". There is nothing wrong with making it more enjoyable and or fun.

I also believe if a child was raised this way, maybe they would continue throughout their life with it, as they did as when they were first introduce to it. If you enjoyed something, you will keep coming back. As you do you will learn more and more.

Every time that I have been to 'THE SALT COMPANY" or to their church I have been impressed. They know how to communicate to people and spread the word. I am should Jesus is looking down and saying, WOW, now, that's just what I want!

It is a small world after all.

2009-03-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

Now go to Kelsey blog, "pretty much awesome", find the post entitle, "Yeah, I'm freaked out". It was posted in Feb. and has 13 comments to it. Now read them!!!!!!!

so there you have it, It is a small world after all.

Random thoughts

2009-03-24T06:34:00.000-07:00

So my eldest daughter called me to ask if I had plan all my children to be born in the fall time and if so, why? I did not want the decision making of having to decided whether or not to hold a child back in school or let them start if they had a summer birthday. I figure the best way to avoid that was just to plan my pregnancies so I would give birth after Sept. 15, the cut off.
This seem to work out just fine for me.

I was reading a blog today about Shawn Johnson, a old mom like me was complaining because her kids thought it was crazy, that she was so pro Shawn. Her kids could not understand it, because it was not like Shawn was one of her kids. So there, I am not the only one out there that gets involved in and claims every Iowan who does anything good outside[or inside] of Iowa.

I google " Shawn Johnson" the other day. A blog came up and in it, this girl stated she gave the rest of her votes to Shawn because if you don't the government will actually come and kick you out of the state of Iowa. I thought that was so cute. It made me laugh!!

Speaking of good kids. Kaci spent spring break setting up a kids camp in Texas. I am sure Kaci will have a post up shortly about her trip.

FYI:I would think that if someone [other than Kelsey] spent Spring Break in FL. that they most likely would make a post about it [ not Kelsey, she all ready did].

dreams of hambugers

2009-03-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

I had a wild dream the other night. I dreamed, I was at a restaurant and I just got done eating half my sandwich. The waiter was all upset because I only ate half of it. So he went back and made me 30 more and put them each in their own plastic container. So here I was going around showing everybody in town, acting like I just won the lottery. Then I woke up. Which was probably a good thing. It would of been pretty embarrassing to be that happy over 30 grease cheeseburgers.

good weekend for Iowa wrestling team, bad push by Metcaf [could very well be spell wrong]
good weekend for Iowa state girls BB team.

Dancing with The Stars

2009-03-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

So tonight, I was watching "Dancing with the Stars", just really enjoying it. During breaks I would switch it to NCIS, so I could keep track on what was going on that show, too.

i accidentally push the remote and I seen "American Idol" was on. I can't believe I miss watching AI. I guess this DWTS has won me over. Of course with Iowa's own, "Shawn Johnson" on it, it makes a difference. I honestly had never watch the show before..

I did watch "Do you think you can Dance last year", maybe that got me interested in dance. Two of the dancers from that show are on DWTS, which I think is neat. I also think that cowboy Ty is so cute.

So i guess AI will have to do without me this year. I think Shawn will be in the top 3 on DWTS[that is what the MBs are saying], so I will be watching channel 5 and voting for her.

A mothers job is never done

2009-03-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

A mothers job is never done. You worried the whole time you are pregnant with your child. After several hours of terrible labor [unless you have a c-section, which makes the whole birthing just wonderful] , you have this child which you will worry about for the rest of your life. It is a life sentence, which is good most of the time. but then there is times:

Here I sat this morning waiting for my youngest 2 daughters[21 and 22] to called me to tell me they had arrived in Fl, safe and sound. It got to be about 6pm, no call. So fearing the worst, I Tex their cell phone, "If you are a police officer, the girl who this cell phone belongs to is........from....,Iowa". I received a Tex from my girls, shortly after that, that they were indeed fine.

My 2ND oldest daughter[25] was going to Texas with a group of college kids she works with to do community service down there. She told me they were taking a charter bus and a 15 person van. Without even thinking about it I told her to ride the bus, it was probably safer. You always heard of 15 person van accidents. She goes mom I am driving the van. I wonder if she heard my heart plump.

so my son [31] stop by last week, his eyes were completely swell shut. He had been to the emg. room, they gave him shots and sent him home. He was to be back at the doctors at 9am. All that night, all I could think about was a friend of mine who had a stroke that stem from infection in his face. I called him twice during the night to see how he was doing. Well he did recover, but I am sure I added a few gray hairs to my head over all the worrying I did.

Now my oldest daughter{28] is having her first baby this June, a brand new generation to worry about.

color coded bingo markers

2009-03-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

So I was sitting at Bingo Wednesdays' night. I had my good luck statute, "Wilbur" and my coin purse of good luck out. I looked up and there this lady standing in front of my table looking at my Bingo markers. I thought this is weird. Finally she goes you have a purple lid on your green marker. I thought OK and I have a orange lid on a red marker, I was thinking she must be a little "Monk" like the TV show.

I just looked at her and told her nicely, it does not bother me. She just shook her head at me. I got looking around at the other Bingo players, I was the only one whose markers were not color coordinated. Wow and I thought they were weird ones.

Dancing With the Stars Shawn Johnson

2009-03-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight, starting at 7pm until 9pm on channel 5-----Dancing with the Stars-------Iowas' own Shawn Johnson!!!!!!!!

I have read several articles, most believe she has a good chance at winning it all... It is so neat to have someone from Iowa making news.

How about University of Northern Iowa men's BB team winning their conference. Another reason to be proud of being an Iowan.

random thought: Has anybody else notice that we don't get as much junk mail as we use to, it must be effected by the economy too. Junk mail Monday is no more, I remember I used to get at least 15 pieces of junk every Monday. I miss my Junk Mail Monday.

I also believe I don't receive as many off the wall telephone calls [ do you need new sidling?, credit card insurance etc.]

so there is a few more people out there with out jobs and they were not best paid jobs. God bless them.

For the love of sisters.

2009-03-09T03:11:00.000-07:00

I will continue to say this until I die, people will come and go through out your life, but your sisters will always be there when you turn around. If it is to be good news or bad, they are the ones you want to tell the most. They are the first ones to help you rebuild your ego after a set back in life. They also are the first to pat you on the back for accomplishing goals that you have set for your self.

They have been where you have been, so they sometimes know what you will do before you say it. A sister can bad mouth you all they want, but let another person cut you down, and your sister is there standing up for you.

Friends will come and go and if we are lucky are paths will continue to cross and we will maintain a long life friendship with a few of them. No problems like that with sisters, they are yours and they are not going anywhere. They are a phone call, an e-mail or text message away 24/7.

You are lucky you have 3 sisters, a lot people don't have one. How jealous all those people must be of all of you. {and you know what, they should be]

Potassium

2009-03-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

I got the blood work back from my doctor yesterday. I had problems with Low Potassium since the summer of 1995. At that time I took POT CHLORIDE 10MEQ once a day. This just seem to be a problem in the summer, as long as I ate a banana every day I was find the rest of the year. Therefore I only took the medicine in the summer time. If I sweat a lot, it was more a problem.

So you all know how I have trouble adjusting to temperature in and out of my home, cars or anywhere. I have a lot of hot flashes too. I have also continue to eat one banana every day. My blood work came back at 3.3 for Potassium, so it is a little low. I am on POT CHLORIDE 20MED now.

I have just took this for 3 days now. I don't know why but I actually feel about at least 40 or 50 percent better than I usually do . so i don't know if this relative or not, if I am just having a good day, or maybe this was part of the problem all along this year. time will tell :-]

So there is somethings else you all make sure you get check as you get older, your Potassium level. [genetic make-up, the gift that keeps on giving]

Things I fear

2009-03-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

Things I fear: water or better yet just the fact that I do not know how to swim. I do not put myself in a environment where I will have to deal with not knowing how to swim. I avoid going out on boats. If I get talk into this, I am the first one on with a life jacket. I do enjoy sitting on high ground and watching the water. One of my best memories is sitting at Boston Harbor watching the world go by.

Heights: Once I was painting the old house, I made it up to the roof, thought I was doing fine. Then I looked down, I froze. I sat for at least an hour up there, before one of the area farmers on his tractor saw me, came to my aid and got me down. I have never been on a step ladder since and that was 28 years ago.

cockroaches: One day I was helping a client take out her trash. I pulled a trash bag out and notice her screaming and pointing at my shirt. There on my shirt was 1 and half inch cockroach, it was the biggest one I ever seen. My heart was jumping all over the place.

Speaking in front of groups: My body does exactly what they say bodies do when their owners are scare of speaking in public. This is why I was always so proud of my kids when they were in speech, Drama and also 4-H. { that deserve a posting to itself,coming at a later time} Now I just don't put myself in a environment that I might have to do this sort of speaking thing. To get a feeling of what it is like for me, think about the last race you ran. Remember how you felt at the end, sweating, out of breath etc. that exactly what I feel like and I am just standing there.

swim or not to swim

2009-03-03T23:28:00.000-08:00

Much to my surprise I find out today that my 4Th child who is 22 years old, does not know how to swim. This has me totally awake now, I should be sleeping. I know we never got her swimming lessons but I figure she had pick it up all those summers camping.

I guess it is better to find out now, if I had known that back when we went to Battle Lake every summer. I would had kept a closer eye on her. So now that you are an adult, you will just have to be carefully around the water. Remember if you can't swim when you are sober, drinking does not make you a better swimmer. It might make you a better dancer or singer but again does not help when it comes to swimming.

So this is another way that I left Kelsey down, first I did not let her go out for dance when she was growing up. If I would have let her go out for dance , according to Kelsey, her world would of been totally different now. Almost like Disney World, I Suppose!

Fairy art

2009-03-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

I bet you are, all surprise that I was able to add "Fairy Art of the Day" to my blog with no ones help.
I am quite amaze at myself at being able to do this. I think the Fairies are so cute and they change everyday.

Just to reminded everyone if Kinsey would of been born on her due date, it was yesterday.

There is exactly 100 days until Kassie's' child is due!!!!!!!!!!!!

delayed Karma - sweet story

2009-02-27T11:10:00.000-08:00

One more school blog----delayed Karma

The year was 1971, I was sitting in my high school gym for the annual seniors awards day. I actually thought I might get the most improved student in History award. This would be the only award I would be close to getting. School was hard for me, but I loved history. Over and over again students crossed the stage, collecting their awards. One girl in particular got over a dozen awards. I just wished they would of spread the awards out a little bit. This girl did deserve them but I could not see that, back then. My best friend won the history award, so that was nice. My life went on, no big deal, never gave much thought to this day, and then:

The year was 2006, I was sitting in my daughters' high school gym for the annual seniors awards day. I figure she would get several awards because she had been so busy with community service and school activities during her high school years. To my surprise her name was announced 15 times for different awards and scholarships. I was quite proud of her.

A week or so later I was out driving and it dawn on me, my daughter was just like the girl back in 1971 who received so many awards at my high school. All I could do was smile!!!!

Is that not "delayed Karma" at its best.

We love Kelsey

2009-02-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

I need to set the record straight, at some point either on one of my post or on Kelsey blog, i wrote that Kelsey had ODD behavior. I was talking, odd, like weird, different. Kelsey thought I meant some mental illness, like OCD, but she also claims there is one called ODD.

I am sorry if I hurt Kelsey feelings, but i do enjoy her a lot,because she is odd, it what makes her Kelsey. It is why she got along at Disney so well. Because odd people are so creative. Kelsey makes me smile. :-]

per cent of good teachers out there

2009-02-26T15:30:00.000-08:00

after much thought and talking to my son-in-law who is a lawyer. I decided that my original post where I mention that 92% of teachers were good, is a little to high. My kids had between them at least 100 different teachers.

I was only talking about the ones that I thought should not even be teaching. My daughter reminded me about the math teacher who care less about teaching Math. This might not be important unless you are the kid who want to go into the math field , then it is a major problem.

So now I am lowing it to 78%.

Kiwanis Scholarships vs. Kiwanis Key Winners.

2009-02-26T14:42:00.002-08:00

At the beginning of the students' Senior year of high school, the faculty vote on students on 2 qualities- leadership and academics. 10 or so seniors will receive the Kiwanis Key Award.

This should not be confuse with the National Honor Society, which occurs later in the year. The NHS has 4 areas where a student is judge. This also is voted on my the faculty, but only if you know the student. The student also has to fill out an application and prepare a short speech for entry into the NHS.

The Kiwanis Scholarships are given out at Senior awards day at the end of the school year. The student has to fill out an blanket application for this and all local scholarships. The Kiwanis members looked over the applications and decided who should get the scholarships. The Kiwanis do a lot of service for the community, therefore give their scholarship to local teens who do the same.

My last 3 children all received the President Student Service Scholarship {is given to the student who has done the most hours of community Service in the graduating class]. They also all received the Kiwanis Scholarship, but none of them received the Kiwanis Key award.

.Again, the Kiwanis Key is voted on by faculty members in two area leadership and academic. As all three girls were also on the National Honor Society, academic was not the problem. So is it that faculty members do not view community service, both in and out of school as a sign of leadership. Or is it more important to them, that so and so kid should get the Key, then someone who really does deserve it.

teachers- the good and the bad

2009-02-22T12:25:00.000-08:00

I am going to blog about teachers one more time, then I will leave their profession alone. I realize 92% of them are really good teachers. Some go clear out of their way to make a difference in their students lives.

I remember one time telling one of my children's' teacher, that my child had received all purple ribbons at the county fair that year. This teacher remark was ,"I wouldn't be surprise to see her purple ribbon her way through life". wow what a compliment!

I seen teachers go out of their way to make sure kids had shoes, hats and mittens. They don't do it to get credit or to get notice.

I had a child in 1st grade who was told to mouth the words instead of sing in a school singing program. She waited until High school to tell me this happen, she was so hurt.

My children were very lucky to have some of the best teachers in math and science area. If a teacher loves what they are teaching, it really makes a difference.

Teachers should never call a kid an name in front of the class. Something is definitely wrong with a teacher who has made a kid be the target of his peers laughs. Teachers should never say comments, like so and so parents are problems drinkers. It makes you wonder why this teacher is even teaching.

If a student drops your class, don't hold it against the student for the rest of their high school years. If they deserve an award, don't vote against them getting it, just because they drop your class.

there is a few more things I could bring up, but I think I feel better now. It is just my kids would never let me complain while they were in school. So now that they are all in college and beyond, I feel like I need to get this all this off my chest .

My place of Bingo has change its day

2009-02-22T05:39:00.000-08:00

Much to my shock, my place of bingo has change its day of Bingo from Saturday to Wednesday. Wow this is going to take some getting use to.

first of all I will have to saved back enough money each week to play on Wednesday. Saturdays was nice because it followed payday every week.

My kids always played with me on Saturdays, when they were home if they wanted Mom time.

One of my favorite shows "Criminal Minds" is on Wednesday nights, also CSI [new york]. Now would be a good time to live in this century, here in rural Iowa, where people could tape a show and watch it later. Someday they will come up with a way for all of us to do that without being complicated.

this is Sunday morning as I write this, usually I am sleeping now, but this Bingo thing has me all hyped up. I think I get this from Kelsey. Hopefully she all ready knows where she got the ODD part of her personality from.

I always go to Bingo early [2hours] so I can get my favorite parking place, since I am on 02, I need a close place. To my surprise, when I went to leave I notice no one else was even parked in that area, so chances are I really don't need to leave that early.

The reason they are moving Bingo is because they think more people will come on Wednesdays , we will see. It does open Saturdays back open to me and there is good TV on Sat's nights,so that is a plus.

parents and teachers mtgs.

2009-02-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year, when parents dread and have to attend Parents & teachers mtgs. Since all my kids [5] are in college or beyond. I want to put my 2 cents worth in on these mtgs. I have attended somewhere between 150 to 200 of these mtgs, from pre-school to high school. I do not miss these, it is one of those things as parents you are grateful when they are done.

this is my list why I can live without them:

1. Do we really need someone to tell us that our child is ready for preschool or kindergarten? Can they count, says the ABC's?

2.You have a child who is doing just great in 2Nd grade and the only thing the teacher tells you is that your child needs to speak louder. They are just to quiet. This happen to be not just once but twice, two different kids [not kaci]. At the time I thought it was really nice to have a quiet child.

3.This is one of my favorite stories. I had a child in 5 Th grade, who the teacher told me was always asking if we could do this a different way. That the teacher finally had to tell this child, that this was her classroom and she was the teacher. She also told this child when she became a teacher she can teach it her way. The following year my child had a different teacher who thought this child was just great and rave about all of my child's suggestions. Teachers just like parents see what they want to see. What a difference one teacher can make.

4.After spending a Summer reading book after book, one of my kids as a six grader got a "C" in Reading. This is only time I ever question a teacher about a grade, I think she was shock that I question it. We discussed it. The grade stay, but she never got a "C" in reading again. At the time I would have accept a "C" in anything but not reading, not on this child.

5.Middle school meetings. Is there any valve in these? A bunch of pre teens social problems?

6.now in high school they have all the teachers sit in the gym at tables. You go in get your child's' schedule and stop and visit with each teachers. Of course you get in a short line waiting for the English teacher, and lo and behold , the parent of top student in the class is in front of you. Wow this is going be fast. Oh no, this parent needs reassured that their child will do good in college. i stood there for 15 minutes listening to this teacher tell this mother how great her child was. All along I was thinking, come on lady, it is AP English, your daughter is doing fine. When it did get to my turn, it took less than 30 seconds for the teacher to tell me my child was doing fine.

7.I always save their best subject for last, of course that is the longest line. So i always had to make a decision do I wait for 30 to 45 minutes or do I skip it. It always depended on bad I needed to build my ego. If I did decided to stick it out, it still only took the teacher less than 30 seconds to tell me they were carrying an "A" in the class. Secretly I was hoping the parents in line heard that,so they all know my child was smarter in math than their kid.

8. I really don't think I ever learn anything new at parents & teachers mtgs. My kids were always good about letting me know what was going on. I guess I was lucky to have such great kids.

roommate

2009-02-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

A list of things I now do, know or like to do because of my roommate-my husband. This is a spin off of Kelsey's "roommates" posting at her blog site. You are welcome to go visit her site first. I will wait for your return.

1. That I don't dance and neither does he.

2.That we both just get up and get dress, doesn't really matter what we wear.

3.We both like country music and it is on the radio 24/7.

4.We have " talk time" everyday at around 2:30 pm. the big topics are who died, who got arrested, and whats for supper?

5.Hy-vee deli is only open until 7pm, which is completely OK with us.

6.My husband actually likes coffee and he never drank it to be cool!!!I have never like coffee, to me it taste as bad as beer. I would not drink them to look cool.

7.My husband would take a beer from any stranger, even if they are sketchy looking [ I would take a diet Pepsi}. He most likely would really question why Steph knew these sketchy people.

living in a large family

2009-02-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

we were home from our date by 9:30pm, my husband was so tired he went straight to bed. [To be fair he did work that a.m. from 4a.m. to noon. ] I stay up much later to watch my late night TV shows and didn't go to bed until 2a.m.

we had a great time, talking about the old days, here is a few of the things my side of the table talked about. There was 15 of us there so it is pretty hard to get in the same conversation with everyone.

when my brother Jace was 6, he fell off the back of a hay rack, he was semi unconscious, he laid on our kitchen table for over 24 hours, so my parents could keep an eye on him. Back in those days it was what you did.

Then there was the time i was babysitting [free labor, not paid] my younger siblings. I had told Kate to go take a nap but she wanted me to read her a story. I told her no. Later I started filling guilty so I went to find her to read her a story. She was sleeping but I just happen to notice one of her fingers was black. She had wrapped a rubber band around her finger so tight that her finger was turning black. I got the rubber band off and saved her finger. I reminded her last night, without me she would of had one less finger. For years i would destroy all rubber bands in my house, I was always afraid one of my kids might try to do this also.

Another time I was babysitting [ free labor,it was always free], Jace and Kate started a throw rug on fire upstairs. The worst part was they roll it up and put it in a big paper sack. I go upstairs to see where the smoke was coming from and find this sack on fire. It wasn't that they started the fire that bother me as much as they were dumb enough to put it in a paper sack.

All and all, there was 11 kids in my family, so accidents are going to happen. There is only so much you can do at one time. Think about the lady who has those 14 kids under 6 {i think}. without family support how is she going to do it. I get this feeling from her like she is playing some sort of game. time will tell.

well i am just glad that my children survived to adult hood without to many bruises and scars.

My husband and I are going out tonight

2009-02-14T14:24:00.000-08:00

believe it or not, my husband and I are going out to eat tonight. {notice I now use the term "my husband" instead of the term "your dad', that is because Kaci inform me , strangers might be reading this. Believe me I don't want to confuse any of those nice people. I figure they have as much time as i do, to do nothing and i appreciated the time they take, to get to know me.

today is my sister Bridget 51st birthday. my father is taking all of his children and their spouses out to eat to celebrate. Whenever my father does this, my husband and I have a date, because if we don't call it a date, that would mean period........ we never go out.

my husband loves his TV, playing cards and his friends in the basement or outside on the picnic table in the summer. I prefer bingo at the legion or my TV shows [we don't watch the same shows] from 7pm to 10pm. So if it works, no reason to fix it.

since we raised 5 kids, it was meant to be, that why we get by on cheap entertainment.

I do plan on ordering shrimp tonight. :-]

Another famous Iowan

2009-02-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

I read an article in the DSM Register, Miss Piggy is from Iowa. I would of never guess. The article stated that Frank Oz-once said that Miss Piggy grew up in Iowa; her dad died when she was young and her mother was mean. She had to enter beauty contests to make money.

well it must of work, she went on to make a name for herself, which is a lot better than most the pigs that stay here in Iowa. They usually end up on the breakfast table and they thought Miss Piggy's mom was mean! It is such a small world!!

Hello john

2009-02-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

What a nice surprise for me, John has become one of my followers. Glad to have you abroad.
You made my day. :-}

random thoughts

2009-02-09T16:05:00.000-08:00

wow look for Shawn Johnston (yes, Iowa Olympic girl) on Dancing with the Stars, starting March 9Th. I am so excited i hope she does well.

your dad is building 2 rooms in the basement, he should of done that when we needed the extra bedrooms years ago. At least this keeps him and Tom busy.

Kaci , I am still waiting for your tax information. Kinsey, Melinda mail me yours, i should get them tomorrow. So hopefully i will get your forms done for the federal loan people on wed.

I really want to go on and on about something, rant and rave, yell and scream, I can't think of anything that is worth writing about and I don't have a lot of energy to make something up.

everybody should check Kassie's blog to see my idea for a new list thing.

grandpa and grandma Nixon are planning to go to Nevada 2 days after Bridget Birthday. It will be good for them to go. They always have such a good time. I hope they have a safe trip.

I think at least 7 or more Perry wrestlers made it to this weekend for sectionals. Your cousin Tyler lost last weekend, I seen him on Sunday, he seem to be taking if OK. He is such a good kid.

Sleeping way to much, I think

2009-02-08T19:48:00.000-08:00

So i got a feeling that I sleep way to much,[ or else maybe I really am related to Kinsey]. So I went to bed at 1:30am last night and slept until noon today, which is 10 or so hours. I then laid back down for another hour and got up for good at 1pm.

This sleeping all day is not working out for me. I usually go to bed at 11:30pm and sleep until 10 or 11 the next morning. How many hours do you think I should sleep a day? If i get up earlier I just will have to take another nap.

I don't mind taking the 2 or 3 naps a day. I also realize it is when i sleep that my lungs are repairing them selves.

Just this past Saturday at bingo was the best I have felt at bingo in at least 2 years. I still didn't stay until the clear end, I was afraid of getting stop going up the stairs...this week is Bridget Birthday party....so i will not play bingo for 2 weeks....we will have to see how I feel then..

i feel like Kassie I have gain 7 pounds since Dec. 10Th but i have stay that weigh for a week.

So here it is now Monday at 516am, I have been in bed since 11pm last night unable to sleep so i decide to just get up. I will go back in an hour or so to try to go sleep. [I am also trying to learn a new skill. I have never add anything to a post after it has been previously posted,so we will see how this goes. ]

This happens to me at least twice a week, where i can't sleep at night at all, I take naps all day long then.

now I wonder if I spending so much time on the computer it is messing with all the neurons in my brain. Like Game Boy did when it first came out with that box game. You would go to bed at night and dream of boxes falling down. There is this one game I play all the time, "spot the difference".

Any suggestions from you college educated people.

things that made me smile this past week

2009-02-04T19:49:00.000-08:00

Things that made me smile this week

1.My kids were all home [including Melinda} this past weekend

2.My baby turned 21. My sisters and my baby's sisters help her celebrate.

3.Kaci clean my house for me last week....

4.Kassie had a good check up at the doctors today.

5. The last thing I told Kinsey and Kelsey Sunday was to pick up the living room before they left. I returned and thought---------------oh well LOL

6.John responded to one of my blogs :-]

7.Kelsey--where is that black book I have been looking for all over house????? maybe steph has it? do you think so....

My 7 favorite post cards secrets

2009-02-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

My 7 favorite post card secrets from the "Post Secret" book by Frank Warren. [the book Kaci got me for Christmas]

7. I paid an"F" student [50$} to write my valedictorian speech, and it was way better than mine could ever had been. {just goes to show some of the mot creative people are writers}

6.I make up fantasy stories because my real life sucks and now my fantasy life is starting to suck. {they should dream about stage coaches and house boats, things would be better for them]

5.Sometimes I want to run away from home. I am 38 married with a child. {yeah i remember 38 , oh boy i had 5 kids, I would have took my kids with me.]

4.I believe I will accomplish something truly great in this lifetime. I am going to be 53 tomorrow. [someone after my own soul ;-] ]

3.Once i was asked by a doctor if I heard voices . The voice inside my head shouted TELL HIM NO. [this made me smile]

2.I always wait a few days before returning e-mails from my friends because I don't want them to think I have nothing better to do. [Nada I never do that, everybody knows I have nothing better to do]

1.I bought a bunch of postcards stamps to use for post secret but I used them to write to my friends instead :-] [now that is something I would do]

So those were my favorites --------------------------the one that really bother me was this one: I was seven years old the first time I attempt suicide. [how sad, it grabs your heart

my baby turns 21 today

2009-01-30T20:09:00.000-08:00

So my baby turns 21 today. Who ever said that time does not fly, did not have a child. Of course Kinsey wanted a head start on life so she was born a month early. [ which is really funny now a days,because she is never in a big hurry to get anything done. I also don't think she is unnecessary early for anything either] The doctor told me i had to have a c-section because Kinsey was laying sideways and her arm was twisted behind her back [which would explain the pain I was having]. I always wanted a C-section and after 4 labors,I could have jump out of that bed and kiss that doctor when he told me that. If i seen him today I would still thank him again..I called her "my birth with no pain". They keep saying natural childbirth is the best, but I was very much at peace with my C-section. happy birthday Kinsey.you were a easy child to raise..It has been my pleasure to be your mom.and i loved every minute of it...take it easy tonight....you are only 21 once..

1980 was the year

2009-01-26T10:48:00.000-08:00

OK so i was looking in my cedar chest , trying to find a diary from 1980. I thought maybe i had written comments about about being pregnant with Kassie in it. I thought i would sent it to her, because i also knew i wrote down my weight and measurements around my stomach. I thought maybe she would think it was interesting. Of course i find a 1980 diary, it turns out to be a really terrible year for me.
OK lets take a minute to reflect on something.....you know how sometimes you say something and right way you know you hurt that person feelings. You feel terrible, no matter what you say you cannot take that moment back. On the other hand when you are the receiving end of this, no matter what good this person does, you always remember the moment they were hurtful to you. 1980 i was on the receiving end of a lot of hurtful comments. I am sure my pregancy homones were playing a part in it all, but 1980 was still a really bad year.
After i read that diary, I got looking further in my cedar chest and I found a 9 month diary
that i wrote just for Kassie while i was pregnant. Even I was impress I did this.
So i do believe God gave me such a easy child in 1980 because i was having such a bad year and he wanted me to be happy.
So this all comes down to, is it good to do so much writing down thoughts and feelings. Years from now, will you girls read them. Will you curl up your lazy boys chairs and read them like they are a good book. I was really glad i read 1980 last night, it maybe realize I really am a survivor.

the list!!!!

2009-01-22T09:48:00.000-08:00

This is my list of 17 things
1. When I was growing up, my favorite thing to do was day dream. While I was traveling in a car,riding a bus,sitting in class, swinging on a swing set and so on. My 2 favorite day dreams were riding a stage coach and living on a houseboat on the Mississippi River.

2.Once I found a phamlet at the state Fair-where you could rent a houseboat for a week . If ever i would had the money I would have jump on this chance to take all of you on it. Going to Disney never cross my mind,but this houseboat would have been a magical vocation. People always say if you can't afford don't do it. But sometimes you deserve to do it even if you can't afford it. because maybe you will never be able to afford it.

3.My favorite books while growing up were about stagecoaches and houseboats. {go figure]

4.The first movie I seen at a movie theater was the one with all the black and white dogs in it. The scariest movie i ever seen was the Exodus. The 2 movies i like the best were, "rain man" and "one flew over the cuckoo nest".

5.Each time i visited my parents, I enjoyed that visit more than the previous visit. I enjoyed making my dad and mom laugh.

6. I really liked that my kids have blogs, I feel like I am active part of their lives.

7.The most important inventions of the last 25 years to me are :caller ID,Ziploc bags with zipper on them,Glad wear,crock pot cooking liners and blogs.

8.That I cannot describe how much I loved my kids . Until you have a child you cannot possible understand this love.

9.Things always looked better the day after....I can only remember once in my life being truly depressed.I was about 25 , Rick was 2. I was getting up every day at 445am , dropping Rick off at sitters,taking your dad to work and then going to work myself [we only had one vehicle then]. After work I would pick Rick up and then go sit at your dads place of work until he got off which was any where from 30 minutes to an hour or more. I was doing this day after day after day. I woke up one morning and thought , "Is this all this is to life." I felt terrible all day. Lucky for me the next day when i woke up the depression had move on. I consider myself lucky that I only had major depression for just one day.

10. The worst 5 days of my life started June 4, 1986.

11. I still like writing a letter the old fashion way and I like to get them. I love Christmas newsletters and i would Love to receive them year around from friends and relatives.

12.I love reading the daily newspaper. I love when my kids bring me a USA Today {without being asked to}. They see a USA Today and a bell goes off in their head. "make mom's day`buy a USA for her"

13.Time,Newsweek,MAD,Rolling Stone,Star and Bender are my favorite mag. Now that is a well balance diet of reading.

14When I dig into my cedar chest. There are so many memories in there ,it takes me hours to go through it.

15 When i was in high school 1969-1971, Pres. Nixon was in DSM, They let us out of school early to go downtown to see his car go by. We threw eggs at his limo. Remember this was the day of the Aquarius,hippies and Woodstock.

16.Friends will come and go, but sisters will be yours forever. I am a firm believer in this.

17.I have never had a brand new vechile. As long as a vehicle starts, has workable doors,ac and a radio. I am happy with it.

ok so how did i do that.

2009-01-19T14:25:00.000-08:00

OK so now i figure out how to put a new entry in. It is like the blind leading the blind, except it is just me. This is turning out to be a lot easier than what i thought...This will definite give me something to do on nights i can't sleep or when i am not feeling well.
They are filming a movie here in Perry, John Wayne son is producing it. You would not believe all the semis that are in town loaded up with equipment. Someone said they are looking for extras, at 6 dollars an hour. I will keep you all in form about the progress of the movie. I told your dad to go down there and get a part. They are always looking for guys with beer bellies for movies. It is a story about abusive man, his wife takes the children and escapes. She hides out in small towns and I don't know the rest of the story.

2009-01-19T03:59:00.000-08:00

OK lets see if this will work. The graying of my life. A time for me to look back at everything and try to make sense of it all. I have always wanted to jolt notes down from my life to share with my kids. There is no better time then right now, before i lose any more of my great memory. This is it for now, I just wanted to see if i could do this.....