Bit of an update...

It's a big muddy mess at my house.  The snow melted so fast over the past three days, it's like a swamp in my front yard, my driveway that badly needed re-graveled is so muddy, I could hardly get in my car this morning, and the normally dried up creek at the bottom of the back hill is gushing with water.  Yes, I have pictures, no, I don't have them with me.  Why?  Because computers are stupid!!

My laptop crashed so I spent the weekend trying to save my files and get the thing back up and running.  I did manage to save almost everything and I ended up having to reload the operating system.  I still have to go online and get some more drivers for it so I don't have any photo software re-installed yet.  Everything is sitting on my camera memory card.  Hopefully, by tomorrow, everything will be back on track.  I guess I'm going to have to buy a new laptop....I hate spending money!  It will have to wait though.

So, on the school front, I have a research paper due by Sunday and then I have a break until April 5th.  Lots to do around the house and with Kellen's homeschooling during break time.  We are getting Kellen ready to go back to public school next year.  He will be in 6th grade at the Middle School so I hope that goes well.  I've only homeschooled him most of last year and this year so it's not like he has never been to public school.  I just don't like this school system but Sean and Brooke did well at the Middle School and I had no problems with it so Kellen should be fine. He is excited to get back.

Right now, Kellen is working hard to do good in his studies as he has been promised a Playstation 3 if he does well.  Yes, I realize this is bribery but it's good motivation and I'm not out for the Parent of the Year award. :-))  I just want him to do good in school, he is so smart!

Cleaning and letter writing tonight!  Now I should really get back to work.  I am by myself today so I will need to get motivated as I can be very distracted when my boss isn't here to make me work.  Maybe I can reward myself with a Playstation 3....Although, I'd love a trip to Italy...hmmm

Matea in the snow

We were throwing treats for Matea yesterday to see if she could find them in the snow.  I love when she runs because you can see how much she loves it.

Matea in the snow

Kellen and I in the snow today

Kellen and I went for a walk in the snow today.  We took some pictures along the way.

The snow is about 24 inches right now.  A LOT for us! 
My foot prints to show how deep:

Then we saw tracks

and decided they were deer tracks...so we followed them

Must have been two deer, they usually aren't alone...

They finally went off into the woods, we didn't follow any further...

we were pretty far down the hill by now, there is a creek at the bottom and this hill goes up the other side of the creek.  the trees to the left were bending over from the heavy snow.

Some more pics we took along the way, this shed is down the hill far from the house, we don't use it.

Thistles holding a pile of snow.

I thought these trees looked like snow cones or ice cream cones. lol

some more pretty trees with snow...

and the deck steps..

and finally my mailbox (on the right), it's still a little crooked from where Brooke knocked it down with the car.  :-)

And that was our walk.  It wore me out trudging back up the hill in the snow but we made.  Kellen took a rest.

I have some video of Matea but it takes forever to load so I will load it tonight when I am done with the computer.

Another Snow Day!

I am still here!  Just been kind of distracted lately and not on the internet.

We had a snowstorm last week and we were snowed in for a couple of days.  It started snowing again early this morning and so we are snowed in again today.  I took a couple of pictures this morning and I'm trying some video.  I finally downloaded my video software that I have had for about two years now. lol  This video is of Matea and Xena my snowdog and snowcat seeing the snow (ignore me talking).As soon as I figure out how to edit some more, I will hopefully have better video.  I will take 'Tea and Xena out later with Kellen and get more video and pictures this afternoon.

The Eastern Bluebirds have been seeking shelter in a bush just outside of my front door. 

I will be back later tonight to post more pics and maybe video.  I am still practicing with the video so don't expect too much. :-)

I am glad I got to the shelter yesterday because there is no way I could get there today.  I am off now to post the pictures I took of them for their petfinder ads.

Grandpa and Grandma

When I was little my grandpa was away a lot because he was a truck driver.  But I remember after he retired in 1981, my brothers and I used to take turns going to my grandparents house to spend the night on Saturday.  Grandpa would take us over to Cincinnati to a bike shop to buy parts.   He had a bike shop of his own in Bellevue and all the kids came to him to get their bikes fixed.  During the summer and after school we went there until my mom got off work and then we would walk home together.  I remember sitting in my grandpa’s recliner eating peanut butter toast and watching Scooby Doo every day after school.  My grandma would read to us sometimes or she would sing a funny song and do a funny little dance.  In the summer, she bought us a little pool and we would play in the water when it was hot.  She had a big “cigar” tree and we would stand on the back wall and jump as high as we could to reach up and pull the cigars off the tree.  Grandma had a dog, a pekinese,  named Lucky.  He was a grouchy old dog but he loved my grandma and she loved him. 

Grandpa died in 1994, not long after my second child was born.  It was a great loss to our family, all those years ago.  And now, at 2:45 this morning, we lost Grandma after many months of battling a terminal lung disease.  So I sit here waiting for a call, my mom is on her way in from out of town, so I can join my family to mourn her loss.  Rest peacefully Grandpa and Grandma.  I love you.

New Blog

Ok, I started my new blog:
Chic My Trailer    It will not be associated with this one.  I have this one set to the most private settings I could get but the ChicMyTrailer blog I have open to everyone everywhere.

It will take me about a week or so to get things going.  I'm trying to finish up school work that is due Sunday night.  Then I will have the next month off school!! Yay!

A nice day, a bad day, and a good day.

It seems that I am becoming a blog slacker.  Way too early for that I think. I better step it up...

Saturday, Brooke and I had a girls day out.  It was so nice.  We got our nails done, which is not really my thing but Brooke likes it. We ate at O'Charley's and then went to get Brooke's hair cut.

Then we went to get Kellen a gift he has been wanting.  A little mouse, he named her Puffy.  He was at his dad's so we set up everything for her in his room so it would be there when he got home.  I went to pick him and on the way home we told him we got something for him.  I can't believe he never guessed because I told him I would get him one soon.  He loved it when he got home and saw her.  That was fun day.

Sunday was yucky.  Over a year ago, I had a problem with vertigo, and it came back again.  It isn't too big of a deal but makes you dizzy and nauseous.  I got medicine for it yesterday so it's fine now.  I sat around most of Sunday and so I didn't get anything done.  My house was a mess and I am behind on my school work, classes end this coming weekend. 

So, Monday I decided to stay home from work, I needed to get the vertigo meds anyway.  I started working on the house, cleaning and getting wash done.  Not a whole lot of regular cleaning but a lot of wash and the bathrooms.  I also got the tile done in the bathroom.  Only took a couple of hours but I just never did get around to it.  Cleaned Kellen's room...that was a chore.  He had a ton of clothes in there that needed to be cleaned out and gotten rid of.  I have two big bags to give to someone I know that has a boy for these clothes. Kellen cleaned up the rest of the room.  It was a very good, productive day!

Today, I am at work and the kids are at home.  Snowed a bit during the night so school was called off.  Brooke is supposed to be cleaning her room and bathroom today.  When I get home, I'm cooking a quick supper and getting my school work caught up.  I like to have lazy days sometimes, but if I'm behind on things I just can't relax.  I don't mind staying busy, I like to have things to do even if it is housework.

Oh, and I decided on my other blog.  It will be called "Chic My Trailer" and I will post about redecorating my little house, money saving tips, good finds on items for the house, maybe some crafts for the house to make yourself, etc.  I'll let you know when I start it.