Overalls.

Apparently I wear them everyday. I'm a mad woman trying to get ready to go to Indiana and I just got everyone out of the shower. Tanner showered on his own (isn't that great) and Grace bathed with me. Tanner came in while we were drying off and he said, "are you going to put your overalls on?" My overalls? What do you mean? "You know, those things that hold your nipples." hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha Oh, you mean my bra. Yes honey, I don't go anywhere without it.

We'll be leaving around 5pm today. Everyone have a safe and happy 4th, and thank a soldier for fighting for us so we can continue to enjoy the Indepedence we earned 231 years ago.

Not for the faint of heart.

With regard to my previous post - I was so intrigued that I had to research further. I typed in "female circumcision" in my browser and boy did I get more info. Maybe too much info. Made me squeeze my legs together, want to throw up, and pass out.
I cannot believe that this kind of thing goes on in the world. Thank you God for letting me be born in the USA.
**Warning** Rated R for its violent nature. Do not pursue this if you're weak in the stomach.

Really????

CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt on Thursday finally banned all female circumcision, the widely-practised removal of the clitoris which just days ago cost the life of a 12-year-old girl.
Officially the practice, which affects both Muslim and Christian women in Egypt and goes back to the time of the pharoahs, was banned in 1997 but doctors were allowed to operate "in exceptional cases".
On Thursday, Health Minister Hatem al-Gabali decided to ban every doctor and member of the medical profession, in public or private establishments, from carrying out a clitoridectomy, a ministry press official told AFP.
Any circumcision "will be viewed as a violation of the law and all contraventions will be punished," said the official, adding that it was a "permanent ban".
A survey in 2000 said the practice was carried out on 97 percent of the country's women.
In the latest fatality, 12-year-old Bedur Ahmed Shaker was taken by her mother to a private clinic in Minya, a town on the Nile south of Cairo, for the operation. She died before she could be transferred to hospital.
Her mother accused the woman doctor of negligence, charging that her daughter's death was linked to the anaesthetic and not the removal of the clitoris, for which she had paid 50 pounds (nearly nine dollars). Police have arrested both women.

Do they do this so women may never enjoy sex? I must research further.

A river runs through it.

White caps and all. This was our back yard last night. To say that we are "wet" is such an understatement. We are soaked, saturated, runny, soggy, drippin', and drownin'. It's seems like it's been raining forever and it's still in the forecast everyday for the next 5 days. I'm not sure how much more we can take. I hate to wish it would stop raining - we've been so dry for so long, but enoughs enough!

And I do have to vent a little bit. We've had excessive rain for several weeks now. We've seen HOURS of news coverage of high water rescues - people in trees, on roof tops, swept away in creeks, people in vehicles, etc. Nearly a dozen people have died. It's the people in vehicles that really gets me. It's not like this is the first rain storm we've had in awhile, and people have somehow mysteriously forgotten what happens. It's been going on for weeks! You've watched people getting rescued from their vehicles for weeks! What makes you think that your vehicle is any different from theirs?! If you can't see the road - don't drive through it!! How can you be SO STUPID? People are dumb, dumb, dumb. Frankly, I'm tired of seeing all the coverage of "amazing rescues" because all I can think is "you are so dumb!" OK, I'm done. Have a good day and for goodness sakes don't drive through any high water I'd hate to call you dumb too!

What a waste of a day.

At least that's what CJ said at 6:30 this morning. And for him it is. When it rains nobody in his line of work comes to work. Makes his job very difficult and makes getting our house poured virtually impossible. As I look at the forecast for rain every day this week I just want to cry. Will I ever get out of this rent house? I'm sure I will but I don't feel like it.

If it weren't for that I'd enjoy these days. I personally love a rainy day. The only thing that would make it better is if I could sit on a porch swing with a blanket, a cup of cocoa, and a good book (well, a magazine - hehe). Instead I must try to get things ready to trek to Indiana on friday and try to keep the kids from torturing each other because they are cooped up inside. Some people can't get their kids to go outside - I can't get mine to come in! These days are especially hard for my kids so sometimes I just let them go play in the rain. Not so bad except for the nice red dirt we have down here. Makes for a BIG mess.

Well, have a relaxing day 'all!

Milestones.

Kids. They grow up so fast. Last saturday we were at the store to get Tanner a new pair of tennis shoes. He picked out a pair that had laces. I told him that I would help him but if he was going to get that pair he had to learn to tie his own shoes.


A mere 3 days later he's a master. Yes, despite all the dirt you see these were new just 72 hours before. Amazing.

And, Morgan had his 4 month old check up yesterday.
25 3/4 inches
14 lbs 15 oz

That is 3/4 of an inch and 7 oz BIGGER than Tanner was at 6 ms. Hahahaha. Still makes me laugh.
My Chunka Munka Man. xoxo

Happy Birthday to me!

Yep, my birthday was last weekend and I had a blast. Always do. You see every year right around my birthday GASC comes to town. This year I took two classes which were GREAT. (the pics are the class projects) No pictures on the class projects yet, but they're coming. I shopped and, of course, I cropped. Becky and Katina went this year. A little smaller crowd than normal, but everyone seemed to have other things going on. Never fear, still a great time was had. Sunday, on my actual birthday, was just a lazy day - perfect! Drink coffee, read the newspaper, watch NASCAR, hang out with the kids (cj was working on the house). Overall a wonderful weekend.

I've read and read and read

and here is the truth. Whether you want to accept it or believe it, it is. I challenge you to put your feelings aside and look at the facts. It's been hard for me but I'll forever be fan no matter what team he drives for...

In a rare interview, Teresa Earnhardt didn't just call out Dale Earnhardt Jr. as his team owner, but delivered the maternal tsk, tsk of a stepmother.

"Right now the ball is in his court to decide whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or a public personality," Teresa told the Wall Street Journal last December.

Wednesday, in no uncertain terms, Dale Earnhardt Jr. responded.

He isn't just walking away from Dale Earnhardt Inc, his dad's old company now run by Teresa, for superficial reasons or personal fissures. He isn't going to a new place to advance his "public personality."

Dale Jr. is signing with Hendrick Motorsports, the best and most talent-rich team in NASCAR for a single reason – to win.

He isn't going there to have control, because he won't. He isn't going to a team where he is the most accomplished driver, because he isn't. He isn't going to a company that is desperate for his star power and revenue streams, because it's fine without him. He isn't going to somewhere he will be the undisputed center of attention, because he won't be.

He's going to a team that has won 10 of 14 races this year and six championships since 1995.

He's going to a place where the No. 1 driver, Jeff Gordon, has four Cup titles to his none, not to mention a fan base and fame level that almost can challenge his own. Teammate and defending Nextel Cup champ Jimmie Johnson has four victories this season alone, double Junior's humble two since 2005.

If he wanted to be a public personality or a team owner or a prima donna, he'd have signed elsewhere. If he feared head-to-head competition or the possibility of being proven a lesser driver than Gordon – they'll have essentially the same cars now – he'd have chosen another course.

If this was about fame or fortune or all the things Teresa Earnhardt was talking about, Junior wouldn't be going to Hendrick.

Of course, the idea that Earnhardt Jr. – with his famous name, thick accent and hard-charging style the epitome of old-school NASCAR – would wind up teaming with Gordon – the poster child of the new growth of the sport – is a bit jarring.

For so long to cheer for Junior was to boo Gordon. And now?

Junior has spoken. It isn't about perceived rifts or stereotypes. It isn't about who will up his star wattage or pump his ego. This is about driving, about winning, about taking the championships that the 32-year-old believes he has in him. This is about no more year-plus droughts.

Teresa Earnhardt wondered about her stepson's priorities, publicly questioned her cash machine employee, dared him to respond.

Now he has. Now he walks. Now the answer is oh-so clear.

It's True.

Teammates. Sigh. If it means Jr will be more competitive, win races, and most importantly be in contention to win championships I guess I can live with it. Oh, the agony though.

Hmmmm.

I know I still have some weight to lose but it's very disconcerting when someone asks you when you are due AFTER you've had your baby.
Yes, it happened to me last night when I went to go get a manicure and pedicure (my anniversary gift - yeah me!). Which I thoroughly enjoyed after that moment. Love to get pedicures but I am so stinkin' ticklish it kills me to have them scrub my feet. Speaking of my feet, I have wrinkly toes. Never noticed it before, but when I took the pic I didn't want to publish it because it made me feel funny. I'm 30-something and have 80 year old toes. Oh well, feel the fear and do it anyway...

Then, when the tech started my manicure she asked me what color I wanted on my fingers. The same, I guess. Then she said "you have great nails you should get french tips." I've never had french tips before so lets do it. I'm in the mood to try something different.

I realize some of you are laughing at me right now because this is very ordinary for you, but I feel like a beauty queen. I can't stop looking at them. :-)

Last but not least, we're officially under construction.

CJ is going out tonight to start setting forms for the foundation. We've talked to the company that will be drilling our well and they should be out next week along with the concrete company. Here we go! 4 months and 23 days to the end of our lease. Let the countdown begin.

4am 3 nights in a row.

What happened to my wonderful finally sleeping through the night child? Apparently he's growing and his diapers are too small. He has woken up at 4am the last 3 nights soaked through to his clothes and ravenous. I knew he was going through a growth spurt because no matter how much I nurse him or how much I pump for extra stimulation my supply has not been keeping up with his demand. I've been supplementing milk that I've pumped in the evenings. What is the law of supply and demand? How long does it take for supply to catch up to demand? Hopefully not much longer.