soft and fuzzy

The little critters below are guinea pigs. They are all just babies or so the pet store told us. They are suppose to be all boys, because they will mate and mate and mate... I am pretty sure they didn't mess up sexing them, because I threatened bodily harm if we ended up with a cage full of babies!

David was very sad with the passing of big dog, and he wanted to get a new puppy. I can't do a new puppy. My heart just isn't in to getting a new puppy. Right now I don't ever want to get another dog. You just grow to attached to them, and it hurts to badly to lose them. So we started looking up pets on the internet and found guinea pigs. They are not suppose to bite, they are very social, and they are easy to take care of. So we sat down and gathered information on these little guys. They are orginally from South America where they are grown as a food source in some areas. They can be litter box trianed, and they are much cleaner than hamsters. They really don't have any smell to them. You can brush them and bath them. They eat lots of leafy greens and other veggies and fruits along with hay and pellets. We had to build them a special cage, because the pet store ones are really just to small from them. They like to have a lot of space to run and play and chase each other, and they also like to be held and petted, at least 2 of the 3 do. Speedy likes to explore, but when he gets tired he goes and crawls into Coltons lap. I thought he would be timid of Colton because he is just a little kid, but they have developed a bond. However him and I have no bond what so ever. He likes to bite me. It doesn't really hurt that much when he chomps down, but I don't think he likes me very much and all I have done is be gentle with him. Colton on the other hand squeals when he runs up his shirt and gets a little rough with him, not overly rough where he will hurt him, but he chases him around with his hand and it is just funny to watch the 2 of them. Now the other two they see me and they come running to me to snuggle up against my neck and purr at me. The more I talk to them and the more I pet them the louder and longer they purr at me. The boys will set still and watch tv and the little fur balls will stretch out against them and take little naps. I didn't think that I would get very attached to them, because we had hamsters when I was a kid and they just didn't bond with you. These things they really develop a bond. Tank eats from your hand and everything.

They have in no way taken the place that Doc held in our hearts and home, but I think that they have been great at taking everyones mind off of everything. I still have certian times during the day that I break down and bawl, but I am getting better every day.

and they talk

Meet Speedy



Here's Fireball


This is tank

In loving Memory

Doc was almost 2 when Steve and I started dating. I think he was probably the main reason I kept coming back over. We developed an instant bond, me and this four legged furry creature. He would whine at the top of the stairs when I had to leave for work. I would come over after work and Doc would leap from the top stair and I would have to catch him, which wasn't easy considering he was over 100 pounds. I often wonder how I managed to get pregnant with David in the first place, because Doc was always in the middle of Steve and I. I would get into bed and he would snuggle his back against me and we would drift off to sleep together. While I was pregnant with David I would prop my belly against him. I think Doc was the first one to feel David move. He stopped jumping off the stairs then too, and would just bound down them to great me. After David was born Doc got responsibility. I swear he thought we were horrible parents. D would go down for his nap and Big Dog would pace between the crib and me, or lay in the hall and moan and whine. He wasn't happy unless that baby was close to all of us. I would put David down in the bouncy chair and Doc would lay with his head on the baby. Sometimes he would just look at me and sigh, and I am pretty sure he was thinking "It's a damn good thing you have me around to raise this kid, because you just suck!" He grew more comfortable with my mothering skills with the next 2, but he was still protective of them.

Doc knew all my secrets, my fears, my hopes, and my dreams. I told him everything, because he was my best friend. He listened when I was sad, he hovered over me when I was sick. He was joyous when I was happy. Doc took a part of me with him today, a part of my heart that I freely gave him over the last 9 years. Thankfully he gave me a part of his heart to keep with me forever. I will miss you more than you know my big dog, and I will always love you.

It's been a long hard week

I am going to go get Doc tomorrow. I will be bringing him home to spend one last night with us. I can't stand the thought of his last night being spend away from everything he has ever known. They are leaning toward pancratic cancer, because he is just not doing any better. They have been through several different things and nothing is working for him. Well I shouldn't really say that he starts to get a little better and then just gets sick again. I need to step up and do what is best for my baby and it is the hardest thing I have ever done.

Doc

I loaded Doc in the van, bawling all the way to the vets office knowing that he was not coming home with me. We get there and they help me get him back to the room. I sit crying hesterically on the floor with Doc's head on my leg. Our normal vet was off yesterday and we saw one of the others in the office. She was a very nice lady, who I really like. She didn't just treat Doc she treated me as well. I told her I didn't think it was a pinched nerve or nerve damage making him not walk I told her I thought it was something internal. She knew that I had come into that office with ever intention of doing what was best for my baby. The more I talked to her the more she listened and then she said "Let me get a blood draw on him." She took blood, went back to have it tested, and I sat and waited with Doc. About 15 minutes later she comes back and says "I think this big guy has pancreitis." Everything seemed to point to that. So she got a bed ready in the hospital ward, and they hooked him to the IV's and I left him in their care. She called this morning and by no means is he completely out of the woods but everything is looking a whole lot better today. I am fixing him some chicken bites and rice to take down so that when he can eat again they will have something there that he likes to eat. I am very hopeful that he is going to get to come home next week! Thank you all for keeping him in your thoughts and prays!

Nine years

It isn't very much time when you think about it. Nine years goes by in the blink of an eye. I kept hoping that the pills they put Doc on would kick in and he would start getting better, but if anything he has gotten worse. I take him outside to pee and I have to hold him up so he doesn't fall down now. He doesn't even try to get up off the floor without my help now. I don't think there is much they can do for him honestly and I know that putting him down will be one of the only options I have when I take him back to the vet tomorrow. It's funny how a dog can become so important in our lives. Doc was 2 when I moved in with Steve, and it was love at first sight. That is how it is with Doc he just loves you with all he has. He is 11 which they say is pretty old for such a large dog. I know that this house is going to be very empty without him in it. I am looking for a mircle right now, in a place where no mircles exist.

Odds and ends

The hockey season is almost over, and I am overjoyed. With 2 of them playing this year seemed extra long. D man has one more game on tuesday and Cam has his awards night that same night. D will have his awards night on thursday and we are done for the year! Cam isn't ready for the season to be over and David is experiencing a little burn out. He said he isn't sure if he will play next year or not. I think part of that comes from his little brother playing and playing so well. David isn't the only star in the family anymore. I hope that he plays he has a passion for it, David plays with all his heart in the game most of the time. The only reason I would want him to quit playing is if he didn't love the game anymore.

Something is wrong with our oldest lab. He can hardly get up and walk. He is getting up there in age and I am worried that they won't be able to fix him. He has been getting stiffer and stiffer over the last year, but this isn't like stiffeness. It is almost like he has pinched a nerve in his back or something.

I have had a headache for about 3 weeks now, not one of those dull achey headaches this is a strange headache. I may go to the dr someday about it.

The boys start swimming lessons and soccer next month. I will have a whole 3 weeks between things going on. I think Colton is the only one playing soccer.

I am so ready for school to be out. The weather is slowly starting to get warmer and the days are getting longer and I would much rather be playing outside with them instead of making them go to school all day.

David is going through another round of IEP testing. He is doing a lot better this year, but he is still behind most of the kids in his class. The thing his teachers have noticed this year is that he trys harder than most of the kids in his class to get it. He puts a lot of stress on himself. I think that is part of his problem. I feel so sorry for him struggling with it.

back through the years

We were all sitting around watching animal planet the other night, when a picture of a goat popped up on the screen. One of the boys made a comment that we should get us a goat. Now my experience with goats is limited, and there is a reason why I enjoy keeping it that way. It all started when I was a young girl. We were attending a family reunion in Colorado Spring. We discover a little place called Santa's workshop or as I like to call it the place of the evil child eating goats. We got our tickets, which were very much like the lift tickets you get when sking.

So there we are wondering around this little place and we come upon this pen full of cute little goats. There must of been about 100 of these awful devil creatures lurking about the pen. Oh they knew the game all to well standing there looking all innocent and friendly. My Aunt, sister, mom, and I all wander in to feed and pet them. They were excellent hunters, stalking their prey, waiting for just the right moment to strike, my mom and sister left first followed closely by my aunt, and that is when it happened. The gate swung shut behind her and the goats made their move swarming around me, pushing and crowding. They began taking bites out of my ticket, my coat, my hair, and anything else they could put in their mouths. I struggled to get away from them, trying to push them away from me, but the more I pushed forward the more they pushed me back. Finally my aunt notices that I am no longer with the group and turns to see that I am about to be goat lunch. She yelled to my mother, and came charging in to rescue me from these deranged child eating goats. I will forever be greatful to her for saving my life that day! We quickly put the goat pen behind us and moved on to some rides. We get to the first one and I say I can't go they ate my ticket. So mom tells the guy what happened and he goes "yeah they do that all the time." My aunt and my mom were horrified that they let people in with man eating goats. All I could think was I wonder how many children they actually eat before someone noticed they are gone, cause at the rate they were chewing on me they could had me devoured bones and all in about 3 minutes!

Cold and flu

So the boys gave me their sick. Yesterday I layed on couch slatered in vicks, running a fever, coughing and miserable. I didn't really know how sick I was until Cam got home from school and said to me:
"You smell funny mom."
"What do I smell like honey?" thinking I hadn't done much of anything to smell to bad.
"You smell like minty dead people."
I was much worse than I thought! So later I told them I was going to go take a shower and then cook them dinner to which Cam replies "It's ok if our food stinks mom. I know you don't feel good."
I thought that was very kind of him considering I was knocking on deaths door!

What happened to the paddle?

When I was a child I never got sent to the principles office, not once. I was scared to death to do anything that might put me there. See when I was a child there were consequence for your actions, and the bigger the action the worse the consequence. Well a few weeks ago Mr. Colton was being an awful child. He was smart mouthing his teachers sticking his tongue out and just being horrible. His teacher, who is also a friend of mine, sent him to the office. When I went to pick him up she came out and told me what went on, and Colton knew he was in for it when he got home.

I told her the next time he does that to call me and I will handle it right then and there. Now at 4 he has already learned that being sent to the office means you sit on the bench for awhile. That is the punishment you get, a time out so to speak. I am not a big fan of the time out. It has never worked with any of my boys. I can tell you that not one of them enjoy a swat on the butt, and they have all gotten them. Spanking a child is an art that most parents have mastered I am sure, and there is a wide gaping hole between a spanking and abuse. I have never abused my boys. I have left them with a stinging butt check, just enough to get their attention.

So what did my 4 year old learn from his office trip? You don't have to worry about getting into trouble until mom finds out. Now if they had taken him into the principles office and that big wooden paddle was hanging on the wall, and they had explained that the next time he was going to get a spanking with it the chances of a next time get pretty slim.

Now I know that some parents are going to say "I don't want anyone spanking my kids" and that is all good and fine when your kids get into trouble the school should be calling you and you can leave work and go to the school and take care of it yourself that minute. The lessons children learn follow them through life, and if they learn at an early age there are no consequence that is exactly how they are going to live their lives.

Ice Ice Ice

The wind was howling like a banshee, piling the freshly fallen snow into 5 foot high drifts. The thermostate quivered at -15 factor in the wind and it dropped to -39 degrees. Between the wind and the cold my first thought was curl back up in my nice warm bed and lazily drift back off to my pleasant dreamworld, the only place where the cold couldn't touch me. "Mom? Mom it's time for my game." The little voice breaks through the barried my mind has tried to create witht he real world. I jump up look at the clock and we are running late, we have an hour to get to the rink, and the drive takes 20 of those. I scramble to my feet, grab some cloths, rush around like an idiot. Tell David to get his gear on, and notice he is almost back asleep on the couch. Steve goes over to him and starts to get him ready.
"Jenn he's burning up."
"What?"
"He has a fever." Steve says to me again as I walk over to my oldest baby. Sure as shit he is about 104.
That was how our Monday started out. The boys had their last big tournament this weekend, and the D man was sick through it all. He played in all the games except for the one that morning because there wasn't enough time to get his fever down. He wanted to play with the fever, but mom said NO WAY and it was a big maybe if he could play the afternoon game. So I gave him some meds and sent him back to bed, or rather dragged him back to bed. It took all of 5 minutes and he was out like a light. Cam had to be at the rink by 9:30am so we still had a few hours that D could rest.
In the end it all worked out well. Cam's team took the gold metal and David's team took 4th out of 6 teams. They were all disappointed that they didn't win, but they played well and I was proud of them all. Cam's team was stoked they took first! David was just mad at himself because he didn't play well, and mad at me for not letting him play in the morning game. I told him he has many more games to play in his little life and that one tournment was not the biggest thing that was ever going to happen in his life.
The crud that is going around here is nasty. It seems to last about 2 or 3 weeks, and everyone is getting it. It runs through the whole gamma of symptoms from the throwing up to sore throats and coughs it is like the stomach flu, regular flu, strep, and a cold all rolled into one and one day you think "oh good I am better today" only to be knocked back into bed the next. Tonight Cam started that seal bark after hockey practice. I am debating weather to even take them to the dr. Most of the people I know who have been get treated and nothing comes from it. I think this stuff just has to run it's course.

I am not sure if I will contuine to try to keep this blog up. It isn't fun anymore. It is something that has become almost a burden to keep up with. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I just don't have anything to say lately. They boys are still just as crazy as they always have been and they offer a wealth of storied to choose from. The things the dogs do could fell novels. My marriage, my extended family, my in laws, are all topics that I could spend months writing about, but I just don't seem to have the ability to put it all together and write it down. I think I am having one of those leave everything behind and move on moods. I have them sometimes, lets just hope I don't pack up and leave Steve, the boys, and the dogs with no forwarding address...

So time will only tell if I plan to share my thoughts and stories here in the future or not.

email from my sister

This may solve many of my problems. I may have to get a bottle. This made me laugh so hard I had to share it!





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Support?

I've been following the comments over here. There was a comment alluring to the fact that if someone doesn't support our troops that doesn't mean they think we should be spitting on them when they return. Figuritly that is exactly what these people are doing. Everytime one of our soliders hears negitive thoughts from these people it is no different than spitting on them. I had the honor of being in the checkout line behind a young man and his father at Christmas. I was buying camo pants for the boys, and the father said to the son, "I bet you never want to have to wear those again." and the young man smiled and said "not for awhile". I of course asked if he had just returned from Iraq and he nodded and said "yes ma'am". The guy behind them made some rude comment about the war. The young man lowered his eyes to the floor and hung his head in shame. I hugged his neck and I told him "thank you". The father smiled at me, he was proud of his son, and hurt by the words of the asshole behind them. We talked while my purchases were rung up, he was getting his mama a Christmas present that day. I told him I was very glad he made it home for Christmas and I left, but I left with tears in my eyes, because some idiot with his stupid anti war comment had made that kid feel ashamed. So anyone who thinks they are not spitting on these kids with their words is just plain wrong. I believe that old saying if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all!

You're giving me a headache!

We got up and went to hockey practice yesterday, then we went straight from there to walmart. We did our shopping and standing in the checkout line the lady in front of us decided she would pay with her income tax refund. Well they will only let you do that if you spend so much of the return. The lady didn't even come close to spending enough. Then she gets all shitty with the poor checker like it's her fault, and she says "I just paid this way last week with a refund check." I looked at the checker and she looked at me. We both found that very suspious, but the manager came over and let her do it beings she had 2 baskets full of crap she didn't need, half of which she paid for with food stamps. This all took about 30 minutes, but my stuff was on the counter already so I was stuck waiting. Well Colton was getting board and he started to whine and I told him to knock it off. He looks at me and says "Quit talking to me you're giving me a headache!" The man behind us and the checker started laughing. I don't have a clue where he gets this stuff from, I would never tell my kids to be quiet because all that noise is giving me a headache!

Conversation with my mom this morning:

"I talked to your aunt, and she told me she talked to Colton for awhile this weekend."
"Yeah David and him were downstairs with my cell phone and they called her. I didn't even get to talk."
"She said David got on the phone talked for a few minutes and then he told her he had to go get his brother out of that box and hung up."

I have no clue what box he was in. I thought they were down there playing air hockey.

The Visit

I was sitting here with the kids monday and I got a phone call from my uncle. He was in town. I don't see him much because we live on different sides of the state, so it was really good to get to spend some time with him. The boys think he is great, probably because he reminds them of their grandpa, which is funny because he is my mom's brother, not my dads. We did what all the Olree's do when they get together eat! It's a family tradition. We had a good visit, and I am so glad he called.

The boys are still playing hockey. Cam got 4 goals in his game the other day, only 3 counted in the game, but 4 counted for him! David still loves it that is all he thinks about really. After the season is done he wants to play 3 on 3, and he asked if he could be on the travel team next year. I may let him try out, but I don't know if we can afford all the out of town trips that gets a little spendy always having to stay in motels.

I watched Million Dollar Baby the other night. That is a really good movie. At first I thought "oh a woman boxer movie that is going to suck" but it isn't what I expected at all. If you have not seen it you should.

Words of advice.

We are driving along the road coming home from hockey the other day, and as we come along side this car parked on the side of the road the driver all of a sudden decides that he is going to pull out in front of us. Steve veered over into the other lane, and thankfully there was nothing coming. The car didn't stop, didn't slow down, in fact I don't think they ever even saw us. I look at the plates Texas. Well I don't know how you people do it there, but here the car in the road has the right of way, and the car that is parked must stay parked until the lane is clear. Ok I didn't really give much thought to the fact they where from Texas until this morning.

I am taking the boys to school and it snowed last night so the roads are covered with ice and snow. I just dropped the boys and turn down the side street to head back to the house. Coming right down the middle of the road is a truck, yep from Texas. He doesn't slow down, he doesn't move over, in fact I don't think he even saw me coming straight at him down the little road. I have driven past many cars and trucks on that very same road. I know there is room from 2 vehicles to pass each other. I see he is not going to go for that. I pull the van as close as I can get to the parked cars along the right side of the road. I watch hoping that I am over far enough he doesn't side swipe me, oh and did I mention the fact that there isn't one car parked on his side of the road so he has miles of room to move that damn truck over. As he drives past the mirror of his truck actually hit the mirror on my van.

Now I don't have anything against Texas. I have a lot of family from there, and I love my blogger friends who reside there. You have a beautiful state, with wonderful people, but it's apparent to me that you people have different traffic laws there than we have in the rest of this great nation. So please for the love of all that is good stay in Texas we will all be safer!

You say it's your birthday...

Because someone I know had a birthday yesterday, and as usual I forgot I wanted to say HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you guys found a crab dinner last night! I love you girlie!

and speaking of birthdays today Elvis would have turned 71.

Cam's birthday is at the end of this month, and I have no idea what I am going to get him for his birthday. Not to meantion the fact that it depresses me beyond belief that he will be 6 in a few short weeks. He should still be a tiny baby!

Knowing is the hardest part!

I lead a dull life. I never really understood how dull my life was until I started blogging and in less than a year I had already told all my stories. I couldn't write a good post if my life depended upon it, and thankfully it doesn't! So another jumbled posts of thoughts and ideas is what you few people who actually read this are going to get.

My grandfather died in the sunshine silver mine in Idaho in the early 70's. My dad relived it watching those poor miners who were killed in the exploision in West Virginia this week. My thoughts go out to those families.

Why would anyone in their right mind live in Oaklahoma? It's hot, it's humid, and it's way to close to death by fire or tornado. I think if you live there you should just sell everything and move home! (I'm only kidding, but that was a little scary when mom told me how close the fire was to your house!)

I really want the new Martine Mcbride CD Timeless. She has remade a bunch of old classics like satin sheet, til I can make it on my own, and you ain't woman enough, and I never promised you a rose garden. She has a beautiful voice and I love those old country songs. I had hoped I would get it for christmas, but we all know how disappointing that was!


I am dieting again. It sucks. I have cut sugar, chocolate and anything good out of my diet. Now I just have to build up the whole excersize thing in my head!

our oldest lab had to have surgery on his eye monday. He had this awful looking tumor growing on his eyelid it was gross, but he is home and everything is well with him now.

and now I leave you with a picture of our silly none lab dog.
Buddy the baby

Showing my age

Well I am up on this cloudy New Years day, and I have been up for quite some time now. When I was younger I would have just been falling into bed about the time I got up this morning. It's funny how time and age can change a person so much. I use to celebrate the new year, and love to watch it come in, usually the party didn't stop until the sun was rising. The older I get the less exciting the prospect of a new year gets. The New year means the boys will be another year older, and that much closer to growing up, I will be another year older and that much closer to death, and everything stays pretty much the same. This year I have no resolutions. I refuse to set myself up for anymore failures. Life is to short and already has enough pitfalls without putting more in my way.