12 Days of Christmas

So this year Jordan and I are doing the "12 Days of Christmas" for a family here in town, and I need some suggestions. I want to keep the $$ low, so homemade or cheap ideas would be great. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!!

'Tis The Season For Sharing...PLEASE STOP IT!!!!

Now, before you get all mad at me...keep reading! I HATE HATE HATE reading blogs that are ALWAYS complaining and whining etc. and so I don't like to write negative blogs, AND, if the complaining etc. continues long, you should know that I probably don't read your blogs anymore. Once in a while I will skim them for USEFUL information that I want to know, like a GOOD thing that's happened or a major life event. Outside of that, I've stopped reading. Anyhoo, here's my "negative" thoughts, and after this one, I won't post any for a while. I Promise.

It seems that the holiday season and cold & flu season come hand in hand, skipping happily along in the cold weather to our doorsteps, and this year is no exception! We found out this past Monday (the 8th) that Jordan has bronchitis and walking pneumonia. I'm quite certain that it didn't arrive in a little wrapped package from Santa, so that means that someone SHARED it with him. He's having trouble getting enough air to breathe, he was up all night hacking away, and all in all, he's miserable. I started to feel a little icky on Tuesday, and now, I think I've developed into a cold with a touch of a cough. -Nothing anywhere near what Jordan has. BUT, if your sick, please use antibacterial hand gel and/or wash, disinfect door handles etc. cough into a SLEEVE and not a hand, and just be aware of the things that you're doing that could spread the sickness buggies.

I appreciate the opportunity once again to have that reminder of how I take for granted being able to breathe clearly and freely, and once again, I'm very appreciative of the times I'm well. Point taken, I'll remember!! Now, please buggies, move on to the trash can and STAY there, away from my friends and family.

And, I'll try not to share anything this year!!! :)

Sorry

I just wanted to say that I'm SO sorry things didn't work out. I really wish they did.

An Evening With Christian Kane!!

For those of you who were not aware (and I’m not exactly sure who you would be out there, because I think by this point you are all aware) I’m a fan of Christian Kane. If you’re not sure who he is, check out his webpage for more information (www.christiankane.com) or his MySpace page (www.myspace.com/christiankane). Well, Christian Kane is actually from Norman, Oklahoma (where I’m currently living). He is also starring in a new television series called Leverage that will be aired on TNT. AND, not only is Christian an actor, he is a musician as well. (I discovered his band back in 2005, and promptly went online and purchased both cds that he had available as well as 2 band t-shirts.)

Anyhoo, to promote Leverage, there was a screening in Oklahoma City on Monday the 1st. Christian came to town to promote the show, but also did an acoustic show at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill (which is a bar and grill, just as the name of it says…) right before the screening. I was lucky enough to be chosen for 2 seats to the screening, and so Jordan and I decided to make a date of it.

I took the whole day off work and Jordan and I spent it at the house with the fur kids, just getting things done that we needed to, and just relaxing. When it got closer to “show time” we got around and headed into the city. We decided that since we were going to be at a restaurant (and since we’d probably be getting home later than a decent dinner hour would allow) we would just eat dinner there. The food was good, but I should know better than to expect to have a GREAT chicken Caesar salad at a country bar/grill. The chicken was really good, but the dressing is NO WHERE near as good as my sister-in-law Allissa makes. Jordan had the prime rib, which was delicious (he said), but I just couldn’t bring myself to taste since it was a lovely shade pink. (I need my meat to be somewhere between WELL done and burned to a crisp.)

The show was very laid back and casual, and it was an intimate enough setting that it was just all in all fun. Sad for me to admit, I’ve gotten old enough that I can no longer sit in a huge room full of screaming people (who are crowding each other, stinking up my airspace, and just plain old being rude to one another) with music that feels like it’s loud enough to pop my ear drums. In the words of my friend Shannon, “Oy.” I’m kinda afraid to ‘see’ what I’m going to be like in 10 years when it comes to concerts. I’ve grown comfortable in the thought of just sitting in a nice comfortable temperature-controlled (BY ME) room while I listen to music at the volume that I’ve chosen, by myself, or with people I have chosen to be there with me. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to meet some of the performers out there, but thinking back to all of the concerts that I’ve attended in the past, I was able to get two autographs, but never actually “meet” the artists. AND, those autographs looked like scribbled circles that I got while standing on the other side of a four foot high safety fence/wall thing that blocked off a pathway for them to go from the stage to their tour buses and back. (And, also having to pay anywhere from 3-6 times the price of a cd just so I can enjoy all that!!) All in all, it was nothing really too exciting in retrospect.

But, on Monday Christian played for about an hour, which included my favorite one of his songs “More Than I Deserve”. Afterwards I decided to use the restroom before we headed over to the theater. While I was washing, I noticed the other two women in the restroom were also two other ladies that were at the concert. One of the ladies (the blonde) had a REALLY nice camera and was taking pictures during the whole show, and the other lady (the brunette) was at a big table with a bunch of people who were taking some snapshots here and there during the show. Well, the brunette turned to me and asked where I’d gotten my shirt (I was wearing my Kane shirt) and how I heard of him. I explained how I first heard of the band…Jordan and I used to watch the tv show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which also starred David Boreanaz (who now plays on the Fox tv show Bones). Well, after season three, David got his own spinoff called Angel. Christian Kane played an attorney on that series by the name of Lindsey McDonald. And it was while we were hooked on the 5 seasons of Angel, Jordan discovered that Christian had a band by the name of Kane, and time passes on…here were are today. Anyhoo, the brunette asked the blonde lady if she was with a promo company or something like that, and she replied that “everybody has a hobby, this is mine: concert photography”. (At this point, I’m still star-struck at the fact that I had actually been that close to him, and that I might actually get to meet him, and so I don’t bother asking the brunette how she’s heard of him…which I might add is a dumb move for anyone because 1) it’s rude not to reciprocate the question and 2) you never know what they might end up telling you that could be useful or really interesting.

We all decided it was a great show, and went on our merry way. When I came out, Christian was being interviewed for the news so I kept my distance and waited for Jordan and basically just kinda stood around like a dope hoping to get to meet him and maybe get a picture… After a couple minutes pass by, he’s done with the interview and goes over to talk to the people that were sitting at the big table (which included the brunette)… And guess what? If I hadn’t been so star-struck and rude, I would have found out that the brunette I was having the conversation with was HIS SISTER!!! Geez Louise…

Anyhoo, I stood around for a couple minutes and he talked to a couple people that went up to him, and then I got close enough that he walked over to Jordan and I and told us thanks for coming out to the show and stood for a picture with me. He then asked us if we were going to be over at the premier and when we said yes he told us that he had to get going, but that he would see us there.

Here’s the pic Jordan took of me with Christian Kane

When we went over to the theater, the guy from TNT (Eric) that was there getting everything all set up didn’t really seem to know what all was going on. In the email I got from Brand X Management (Christian’s band manager) I was told that my name would be on the guestlist. And, since I have a really smart husband who told me to print out the email and bring it with me, I was able to show him when he didn’t have my name on the list. After he read it, he points to the second row and says that we can sit in that row. We decided that the 4th seat in from the end was a good spot and sat down. Shortly thereafter another couple came in the theater and talked with TNT Eric, to which he pointed over by Jordan and I and they came up and sat down. (Two names were drawn for tickets, mine and the wife of that couple, Michelle.) We kinda chit-chatted for a little bit while we were waiting for the show to start (and immediately had a bond because we were both wearing our Kane t-shirts). After a little while I glanced over at the sign that was taped to the chair next to me, which said “Reserved Seating, Christian Kane”. Of course I about had a heart attack, but then realized it was the rest of that entire row, as well as the row in front of us. Well, his parents and some friends ended up sitting in the same row, and he sat in the row in front of us, about 6 seats down.

The show itself was really good, although the theater people seemed to have a few issues, like not getting the lights dimmed enough before they started the show, and then also the first approximate 20 minutes of the show the screen was really dark. Christian had them stop it and made them adjust it because he said that the Director would be “really pissed if he saw that they were showing it like this”. It was kinda funny, but a TON easier to see after that. All in all, it was a great show (at least I thought). Afterwards there was a kind of informal Q & A, and one lady mentioned that she really liked it, and that it kinda seemed like a modern day A-Team. Not ever having watched the A-Team, I don’t know that I could agree, but it WAS good. Since I don’t have cable/dish/etc. I will be watching the episodes via streaming on the internet. If you do have cable/dish/etc. I recommend at least watching the first episode, if you don’t want to watch any others. It was entertaining, and at the screening there were even a couple kids there, I think one of the boys was somewhere between 7 and 9 that loved it. During the Q&A both boys (who were with different groups) actually participated in the Q&A and got to talk to Christian. The age range of the audience was from those boys clear up to a grandmother that stood up and her question was “Will you sign my shirt?” It was cool. Everyone there really enjoyed it. After the Q&A we went right outside that theater into the hall where he signed Leverage photos and posters and even took pics with fans there too. That’s where I got the pic of Jordan and I with him.

Here’s Jordan, me and Christian Kane

I’m still debating if I should send out that as our 2008 Christmas card, or if I should go with something a little more traditional… he he he…

Sorry for the long post, but as Jordan (and my co-workers who have had to hear all about it) will attest, for me this was just like Christmas eve for an 8 year old. I was REALLY excited about it, and I’m THRILLED that I got to meet Christian and get photos with him. He was really laid back and down to earth. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or if you’re just plain old jealous!

Thanksgiving 2008

I know it’s a little late, but I figured you might want to hear about our Thanksgiving anyways… This year was a pretty good holiday for us. One of the best things about it for me was that I wasn’t half frozen all day like I was last year!!! This year Jordan and I spent the holiday with Jordan’s brother Chase and his wife Meghan and their daughter (we did this last year too, but this year we went to their house instead). Meghan and I talked with our husbands and made a plan of she and Chase they would make and what we would make and decided we would eat at 4:00.

Last year Jordan got an idea from a cooking show to use oranges and lemons on the bird, and it turned out really good. He looked up the actual recipe on the internet this year (which included a recipe for gravy with the drippings) and made the bird that way. We bought an 18 ½ pound bird so that we would have leftovers, and it cooked most of the day. Jordan and I brought (in addition to the turkey and gravy) a sweet potato casserole (thanks Chase for the GREAT recipe), two kinds of stuffing, corn, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce and beverages. Chase and Meghan provided two different kinds of mashed potatoes (they were both very close to heaven), rolls, green beans (the good kind with the bacon in it), a veggie tray, homemade chocolate dipped pretzels, a homemade pecan pie, homemade cookie dough cheesecake and homemade pumpkin rolls.

Jordan and I showed up late (just like we normally do), but Chase and Meghan are forgiving…

We all ate (including Miss Kate) until we were stuffed and then we headed to the living room to stretch out and watch a movie (Open Season) and then we got desert and watched the last part of The Incredibles on tv and then watched an episode of The Office that came on after The Incredibles got over with. After the shows were over we packed up and headed home. It was a good day, and it was nice to be able to spend it with family. (Even if it was just a little bit of the family instead of the gobs and gobs of family back home!) Hope you like our spread…we were convinced we could’ve fed 20….

Jordan's BEAUTIFUL Turkey



Jordan's BEAUTIFUL Turkey Again



Here's Our Thanksgiving Spread






My eggs... I had to make them since I couldn't eat my grandmother's eggs!

Keyboard Silence...

So, I'm not really sure what happened...but.... I had such a blogging fire for quite a while there. And lately, it seems my blogging keyboard is quite silent. I've lately been feeling like nothing much is going on. Either nothing really of much note to share, nothing I WANT to share, or nothing YOU would want to read. In case you weren't aware, I have depression. It's hereditary in my family. I got that lucky gene. Woo Hoo for me... I only mention this because it seems that it's always in the winter. I mostly just get tired, which I'm sure is mostly due to the darker hours of the day.

HOWEVER... I do want to say that I TRULY enjoy reading all of your blogs, and hope that all of you all keep your keyboards clicking away. I actually do have several posts started, as well as several in my head that will be posted as soon as I get "creative" and post them since I like my posts to not be boring and monotonous.

Well, here it is, 9:40 p.m., I'm sitting here with cold feet (as is the norm in the winter) thinking I should probably make something for dinner so that Jordan has something to eat when he gets home (Hastings has a midnight book release tonight, so... Jordan ended up being one of the lucky ones that "gets" to work tonight...they called him in...he wasn't even scheduled). And yeah, I know that I need to not eat this late and then go to bed. I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW. I've heard it. I believe it. In case you weren't aware, "Dinner" is a bane in my existence.....

Well, till next time...

Free Apron? Count ME In!

If you want to be entered into a drwaing for a really cute new apron, check out Epicurean Style's blog page. She's got some really cute aprons on there, and who knows, you might be the lucky duck to get one! Happy Blogging and Thanks Katie for the heads up!

Happy Birthday to ME!

As some of you might know, my birthday was on Monday the 17th. I had a pretty good day overall I would say. I did have to go to work (wish I could've just stayed in bed and then played all day) but I did get to leave work a little early, so that was nice.

I got phone calls and cards/presents from family and friends (they started coming on Sunday and they're still continuing even today) and lots of well wishes. It was nice to be thought of on my birthday (and afterwards, obviously).

On my birthday Jordan and I met Chase, Meghan and Kate at Red Robin for dinner (my choice... I love going there for my birthday...) Anyhoo, it was nice being able to have dinner (at an actual sit-down restaurant, which J and I hardly ever do) and be in such good company. Kate was really cute, and she kept offering her bear to Jordan to give "loves" to. She even tried handing her bear to the waitress as she walked by. (She's really into giving her stuffed animals "loves" lately. It's really sweet.) She also accomplished drinking out of a straw. She did end up wearing a lot of water too, but still. She was pretty enthralled too when the waitress and a couple waiters came over with a sundae and sang me a birthday song while clapping. It was cute.

Anyhoo, after that we all went back to Chase & Meghan's where we had carrot cake (I also LOVE carrot cake) and ice cream and just visited for a little while (in between my birthday phone calls that is). Here are a couple pics from Monday.

Here is a picture of the flowers that Jordan brought me. He arranged it himself and put in some really beautiful red & gold roses along with a really pretty pink in between my favorite flower... two calla lillies.

Here's a little closer up view of them.



My mom also sent me some flowers too.

And here's a close up view of them.



Here's my cheeseball self at Red Robin.



Here's me with my birthday cake!

I shared some frosting with Kate... She was a little wound-up at this point and was having trouble keeping her balance. (Especially with the bear.)


Here she is just cruisin around with her bear.


Drinking from a straw at Red Robin.

Blog Commenting

Just in case you're wondering, as far as my third quarter goal of commenting on all of the blogs I read, I've succeeded...except for one blog that the author had disabled comments.

However, sometimes I get behind in reading, and when I'm trying to catch up on all you guys are doing, I often feel OBLIGATED to comment, and I really dislike that feeling. I want to comment just because I WANT to.

So, just thought I'd let you know that I will no longer be commenting just so I meet my goal. If you get a blog comment from me, it's because I wanted to, and I had something to say about it. No more obligations. And yeah, I plan on catching up on reading all of your blog posts at least by the end of this weekend! :) Have a great one everybody!

Jill and the Bed

Just thought I'd fill you in on this little bit of information.... When we got Jack, we let both dogs (Miller and Jack) get on the bed, but because our bed is so high (we have it on those little posts/lifters), Jack couldn't get up there by himself. So, I put a couple boxes together, and taught him how to climb those like stairs. After almost 2 years, he's a PRO at running up onto the bed. He doesn't really use them to get down though, he's usually happy about getting down and kinda does a skydiver-jumping-out-of-a-plane jump onto the floor. (It's really funny to see him do this!)

When we got the baby, we wanted her to be able to get up on the bed whenever she wants to as well. WELL, whatever happened in her life before she came to live with us has got her very cautious and timid about certain things. This is one of them. She WILL NOT climb up on the bed using the "stairs". It's frustrating, because she acts almost scared to be picked up and put up there. She tucks her little tail between her legs, walks close to the ground, and usually heads for the space under the bed. However, once she's up there, she jumps around, "dances" (spins in circles), leaps over at Jack and on and on. She LOVES to be up on the bed (so long as Jordan or I is in the room with her).

At night, she likes to burrow down in under the blankets, and usually curls up by our calves or feet, and that's where she plans on staying for the night. And, if there is any movement around her, she gets MAD. She doesn't like the dogs moving around on the bed near her, or even Jordan or I moving our leg or adjusting at all. She's really funny about that.

Well, she did something really cute this past week. I was getting ready for bed, and since it was late, ALL of the dogs were crashed out in the living room. They all know the nighttime routine, so when I started getting ready, they all headed for the bedroom. Well, since Jill doesn't get up on the bed by herself, she had to wait until I was ready. She was really cute, she would walk down the hall to the bedrom, then walk back to the bathroom and peek in at me, and then repeat. When I was finally ready to go to bed, I walked to pick her up, and she did her little tail between the legs and crouching down thing, but this time when I picked her up, she kinda did a little 'jump' to help speed up the process. It was really cute. A couple of times since then, when she wants picked up (and knows I'm going to get her) she will wait in her little crouch, but she happily 'jumps' up in my hand. It's really cute.

Here's a pic of her from Monday night (the 27th) and went to sleep. She was so cute I had to take a pic. Well, of course the flash woke her up! I thought this was the cutest of the ones I took that night.

Haning Out With Kate

On Saturday (the 25th) I got to hang out with my neice Kate for a little bit while her Mom and Dad went out. Well, after Kate had decided that she'd had enough formula, she pulled her bottle out of her mouth and the formula squirted all over her face. It was so cute I had to take a picture. (And I only made her wear it long enough for a picture, I promise!!!)

Guess What???

I noticed this sign at Wal-Mart this weekend and thought I would share it with all of you back home. Enjoy!

And another just in case you didn't see it the FIRST time! :)

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!!!!!

Me Again

So I know it's been a week since I posted, but I've been busy. Not that I could really give a list of things I've been doing cuz I can't really think of anything, but I swear I HAVE been busy. -Ever have days (or weeks) like that? When you KNOW that you've done stuff, but if someone asks, you're left standing there going, "...um....well, I did SOMETHING.... I know I did...." I'm at that point.

So really, I don't have a lot to say that is an interesting update on what we've been up to. Work, school, home...that pretty much sums up the life of Jordan and I.

As for the kids, they're still happily truckin on. They have their daily routine, and they don't really like to deviate from that. When we're gone during the day, they are all in their kennels (each dog has their own so that they have their "own" space) and even though they all have toys and chew bones, I know they spend quite a bit of time napping. So, when a Saturday or Sunday rolls around, and there is a lull in our physical activities (like when we sit down and play a game), a couple minutes later, if you look around our house, it looks like a war zone with 4 sleeping dogs laying around everywhere. (It's a little house....) It's kinda funny.

My "Vent" This Week

I'm a complainer. Anyone who knows me, knows this to be true. Today I feel like just shooting off a quick little complaint, and then I'll feel better. My pet peeve for this week? Music players on websites!!! I LOVE them. I do. Honestly. BUT................................I LOVE them more when they don't start up automatically!!!! A lot of my "reading time" for blogs is done in my down time at work (shhhh....) and so those that automatically start up DRIVE ME COMPLETELY NUTS!!!!! Especially if it's a LOUD or annoying song!!!

Okay, I'm done. Thanks for indulging me!!

A "New" Tagged

In this tag you go to your fourth picture folder, choose the fourth picture, and talk about it. This one is fun to talk about. (I'm at work, so this will turn out differently than it would if I was at home...)

Yeah, I'm one of those people that have personal pictures on their work computers. So SUE me!!! Anyhoo, this one is of my sweet hubby Jordan (of course). I think we were going to go somewhere and he went to go get one of the babies off the bed (and they have a tendency to roll over onto their backs so we can pet their bellies) so he went over and couldn't resist giving a belly rub. I feel bad for all of you who never actually get to see the sweet side of our babies, because they really are VERY sweet and loving. It's amazing to me sometimes just how sweet they are. They both LOVE to give 'loves' and attention and they just want to be with us whether we're playing or just sitting there. And, they are FIERCELY protective of us. It's a nice feeling to be loved that much.

Anyhoo, my sister-in-law Meghan decided to tag me, so I'ma tag Stacie, Amy, Nykki, Tifani, Melissa Boggs, Melissa Despain, Linsey, Ruby, and Chelsea.

To Vote or Not To Vote???

So, I originally posted a blog last October urging you to see where you stand on the issues, and who really supports your ideas. Just for the fun of it, I clicked on it today to see if that link still works. And it does. Here's my original post:

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Monday, October 22, 2007
2008 Presidential Candidates

So, I found this website (my cousin sent me the link) and I took the little survey. It took less than 10 minutes, and I was able to see which candidate best 'fit' me and my beliefs.

Do us all a favor and check it out. MAKE SURE THE PERSON YOU VOTE FOR ACTUALLY AGREES WITH AND STANDS FOR WHAT YOU DO!!!

Then, if you're game, let me know where you stand...you can email your results to yourself or a friend, doesn't matter. Happy "Voting"!
http://selectsmart.com/president/2008.html

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I'm not here to urge you to vote for one candidate or another because I know that each person has their own individual beliefs, and someone telling you to vote for an idividual will not sway your decision. I do, however, urge you to check out the link and answer the questions. Please see who ACTUALLY supports your beliefs and stands for what you believe in (or at least comes the closest). I tried it again today just to make sure that I didn't flip-flop on my ideals or that some 'whim' didn't change who would best represent how I felt. I came up with the same candidate and that reaffirmed to me who I will be voting for this November. Please do so. I think it's VERY important to cast an EDUCATED ballot, and not just casting along party lines or tradition.

Oh, and by the way, in case you're wondering, Jordan and I have (at least more so than not) made ourselves Oklahoman's. We registered to vote here. I guess all we REALLY have left to do is each of us get an Oklahoma driver's license.

Ah, Wednesday

As we are getting closer and closer to the October 15th tax deadline, things have been getting busier at work. In spurts. So, that means that there are times that I'm sitting there wondering what to work on next, and then there are times when I have a lobby full of people, multiple phone lines ringing, the fax going off in the background, some co-worker waiting on me for something, a FULL BLADDER, etc. etc. etc. It definitely swings back and forth between busy and dead. At least it will all balance out a week from now.

For now, I'm sick. I have been since last Friday. Well, that's when I admitted I was getting sick. Jordan got REALLY sick last Tuesday night (that's when he picked it up) and it really started to seriously manifest last Wednesday. Wednesday he was sick (coughing, etc.) and had a high enough fever that he made an appointment at the doctor's office for the next day, and he spent part of Wednesday night at home in a cold bath trying to bring down his 103 degree fever. -Needless to say, he missed his classes last Wednesday. Well, we finally got the fever to break, but he's still been feeling crummy. My symptoms didn't manifest the same as his though. No fever for me. Sore throat for me, none for him. Cough for him, none for me. Swollen glands=both of us. Tired=both of us. Slept most of the weekend=both of us. My main thing right now is being achy and stuffed up. I can hardly breathe, and when I do, I make funny noises, which is also making me sound funny too. And not in the funny ha ha way either. My throat is still sore, and with achy glands, I would prefer to just stay at home in bed all day. BUT, being this close to tax deadline, everyone at work has their function, and if one person is gone, it puts a lot of extra onto one (or more) people. I really don't want to put that on anyone in addition to their normal jobs, but I'm seriously debating it every morning when I wake up. I feel like scum. Scum that's been walked on and squished. I'm pretty sure I look like that too.

Perhaps my next post won't be so whiney. We can all hope, right?

Big Mouth, Lazy Fingers!!!

As I'm sure you're aware, I quite often have a BIG MOUTH!!! I know that my close friends and family just laughed at that... you did, didn't you Linsey Ethington??? He he he..

Anyhoo... my little 'resolution' that I made? Well, it's still going strong. I have discovered though, that I have some pretty lazy fingers. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to read what you're all doing, thinking, experiencing, etc., but I've found that I'm kinda lazy in my desire to comment. I love reading about all the interesting stuff you all have to say. I feel edified and closer to you when I read about it all. AND, I've been tempted to just smile to myself and go on my merry way. BUT, I'm STILL holding to my goal. It would be INCREDIBLY nice if some of the rest of you followed by example though...that way I KNEW for sure who was reading!

7 Things (I've Been Tagged, Have You?)...

7 Things I Plan To Do Before I Die

1. Be a Mommy to kids who don't walk on all fours
2. Buy a house
3. Own two cars at the SAME time
4. Travel to Italy with my husband
5. Go back to school
6. Go to the opera (Phantom of the Opera, preferrably)
7. Go to Hawaii


7 Things I Do Now

1. Text message people more than I call them
2. Miss my friends and family
3. Work at a CPA firm
4. Watch WAY too much TV --but I'm OKAY with it
5. Go to bed every night with at least 3 dogs in my bed
6. Love my husband more and more each day
7. Take a thyroid pill each day so I don't die :)


7 Things I Can't Do

1. Pee standing up...
2. Write my name in the snow :) he he he
3. Speak another language fluently
4. See my family whenever I want to
5. Remember everything I want to
6. Play sports well
7. Run a marathon


7 Things That Attract Me To The Opposite Sex

1. Symmetrical features (no lop-sided eyes, hunchbacks, etc.) he he he.. :)
2. Attitude
3. Firm handshake
4. Masculinity
5. Sense of humor
6. Quick wit/intelligence
7. Kindness


7 Celebrities That I Like

1. Ashley Judd (by the way...she has an AWESOME name)
2. Christian Bale (Pretty sure if I met him before I met Jordan, I might've been Ashlea Bale)
3. David Boreanaz
4. Christian Kane
5. Seth Green
6. Sean Connery
7. Sarah Michelle Gellar


7 Favorite Foods

1. Jordan's Italian cooking
2. Cold Stone Creamery (Mud Pie Mojo)
3. Rainbow Chip Frosting (I know, I know....)
4. Sauteed Mushrooms
5. Garlic mashed potatoes
6. Cheeseburgers
7. Cheese sticks


7 People Who Need To Do This

1. Melissa Despain
2. Linsey Ethington
3. Ruby Weideman
4. Alicia Thompson
5. Tifani Wallace
6. Melissa Boggs
7. Chelsea Jones

"Mini Stroke" or Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Just thought I would bring some information to light that some people might not be aware of (up until yesterday, this included me). I got this information from WebMd, and I think it's a very good thing to know. AND, for future reference, if for some reason someone I care about (like a parent, for example) were to have a TIA, I would like to know. Please contact me...and not a week later.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) - Topic Overview

What is a transient ischemic attack (TIA)?

Some people call a transient ischemic attack (TIA) a mini-stroke, because the symptoms are like those of a stroke but do not last long. A TIA happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or reduced, often by a blood clot. After a short time, blood flows again and the symptoms go away. With a stroke, the blood flow stays blocked, and the brain has permanent damage.

A TIA is a warning: It means you are likely to have a stroke in the future. If you think you are having a TIA, call 911. Early treatment can help prevent a stroke. If you think you have had a TIA but your symptoms have gone away, you still need to call your doctor right away.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of a TIA come on suddenly.
· One side of your body may feel numb, tingly, or heavy.
· You may not be able to move your arm, your leg, or your face on one side of your body.
· Things may look blurry or dim. You may have double vision or not be able to see.
· It may be hard to speak. You may slur or mix up your words.
· It may be hard to understand words.
· You may feel unsteady, dizzy, or clumsy. You may have trouble walking.

What causes a transient ischemic attack?

A blood clot is the most common cause of a TIA. Blood clots can be the result of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis, heart attack, or abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia). Brain cells are affected within seconds of the blockage. That causes symptoms in the parts of the body controlled by those cells. Once the clot dissolves, blood flow returns, and the symptoms go away.

Sometimes a TIA is caused by a sharp drop in blood pressure that reduces blood flow to the brain. This is called a "low-flow" TIA. It is not as common as other types.

What tests do I need after a TIA?

Your doctor will do tests to look at your heart and blood vessels. You may need:
· Tests that show pictures of your brain and blood vessels, such as a CT scan, MRI, magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA), or a cardiac catheterization and coronary angiogram.
· A test that uses sound to check your blood flow (doppler ultrasound).
· An echocardiogram to check your heart's shape and its blood flow.
· An electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) to measure your heart rhythm.
Your doctor will also check to see if something else is causing your symptoms.

How is it treated?

Your doctor will start you on medicines to help prevent a stroke. You may need to take several medicines. If tests show that the blood vessels in your neck are too narrow, you may need surgery to open them up (carotid endarterectomy). This can help prevent blood clots that block blood flow to your brain. Another type of surgery is carotid artery stenting. During this surgery, the doctor puts a small tube called a stent inside your carotid artery. This helps keep the artery open. Carotid artery stenting is not as common as endarterectomy.

You can do a lot to reduce your chance of having another TIA or a stroke. Medicines can help, but you may need to make lifestyle changes too. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.
· If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible.
· Take a daily aspirin or other medicines, if your doctor advises it.
· Take your medicines just as your doctor says to.
· Eat a heart-healthy diet that includes plenty of fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, high-fiber grains and breads, and olive oil.
· Get some exercise on most, preferably all, days of the week.
· Stay at a healthy weight.
· If you smoke, quit. Avoid secondhand smoke too.
· Limit alcohol. Having more than 2 drinks a day raises the risk of stroke.
· Avoid getting sick from the flu. Get a flu shot every year.

What A NIGHT!!!! (Friday night that is.....)

If you're REALLY attentive and happened to notice what time I'm blogging this, you're probably wondering what in the world I'm doing up at this hour. And if you know me really well, you KNOW that I'm not a night owl. Well, there's a GOOD reason I'm up right now. I picked up Jordan from work around 1:30 and drove home (which takes about 10 minutes). Well, we turned on Barkley Street and noticed the headlights of a car coming towards us (no big deal, it happens all the time)...BUT...what's that sound? The horn constantly blaring? So, my first thought is a flashback to Lorne working in Boise and telling me how he rigged his boss's horn up to the brakes so that every time he touched the brakes the horn would go off. It was funny for about 1/2 a second, until I realized the guy was accelerating, and NOT stepping on his brakes. We continued on, then turned onto Barkley Circle. Well, horn guy turned and started following us. By this time, I started to wonder what in the world was going on, and was starting to worry a little bit. We kept watching him in the rear view mirror to make sure he wasn't following us ALL THE WAY home, but he pulled off to the side of the road and parked. I continued on and then we parked and went inside. We heard that the horn was still going, so Jordan grabbed a flashlight and a pair of pliers and headed out the door.

I took the dogs out back to potty and was out there 5 or so minutes and when I came in I looked for Jordan, but he wasn't there. He was still outside. I finally went into our bedroom to put away the laundry that we had on our bed, and while I was doing that Jordan finally came in and told me how the guy down the road REAKED of alcohol. When Jordan (and the neighbor) went over to figure out what was gong on, they noticed the front of the guys truck was smashed like he'd hit something, the guy was OBVIOUSLY intoxicated, and both airbags had deployed. The guy started to give them a line about how he'd just hit a curb and was just going to park his truck and go in his house (the one he parked in front of), which turned into a friend's house, and then might have just been a stranger.... Then the guy mentioned how his airbags had been deployed all night, and it wasn't a recent thing and on and on and on, and Jordan could tell the guy was full of crap and his story was constantly changing. The one constant that stayed the same, was the part about how he was supposed to graduate from OU in December and so he didn't need a DUI and if the cops came he would "have to run". Jordan mentioned that the cops WOULD find him since they would have two witnesses to what the guy looked like, what he was wearing and which direction he took off on foot (because he obviously couldn't drive). The guy kept saying that if Jordan called the cops JORDAN was going to get him in trouble and it was going to be JORDAN'S FAULT he got into trouble. Well, since the guy had obviously hit something other than a curb, and they had no idea if it was a car, house, a PERSON or just what, Jordan KNEW he had to call the police. Once the police showed up, that's when Jordan came into the house.

So, Jordan and I finish sorting and putting away the laundry while he filled me in on all of the details. By this time, we're pretty much awake, so Jordan decided to play a game on the Xbox 360, and I thought I would sit there and watch him for a little while (being the supportive wife that I am). Well, while we're sitting there, all is fine and normal, when all of a sudden, we hear what sounds like could have been something LARGE thrown at our living room windows, or something exploded, or ??????? We have no idea, but it was LOUD and it was VERY close by. So, my mind immediately goes to horn guy (Jordan and I were apparently thinking the same thing--we found this out later) and Jordan opens the blinds and says that there's something on FIRE outside. So we're both thinking that horn guy for some reason DID NOT go to jail, is ticked off, and is vandalizing the house and/or our possessions on the back patio. Well, we open the door and go out there to see a HUGE fire behind our back fence.

There was a pile of weeds/brush back there that someone had been cutting down the past month or so, and apparently someone lit it on fire. WAIT, it gets better. They decided that they really wanted it to start on fire, so they were lighting it with an AEROSOL can. Yes folks, that's how smart these college kids are around here at 3 am and beers have happened.

Of course they don't want to get in trouble, so they are out there hosing it down as fast as they can. Jordan went back to find out just what as going on, and I was trying to kennel the dogs so I could go see too. Well, after I finally get 3 in their kennels (Molly DID NOT want to be caught) I went out to the back and I hear a couple of neighbors yelling over their fences asking what in the world is going on, etc. Jerry (our next door neighbor) was out in his yard talking to Jordan and investigating as well, when he noticed a fire truck up front driving around looking for the fire. So Jerry and I ran up to the front and I shined my flashlight at the firemen (by the time I got there they were about 4 houses down talking to some people that had gathered outside). We told them the fire was behind our houses and the 2 firemen followed me into the backyard where Jordan filled them in on what he knew, and the guys went over our fence to see what the deal was. We heard the firemen asking the guy what was going on and the guy was of course downplaying it. The fireman asking the questions mentioned that SOMETHING was definitely going on, and it was more than just lighting some weeds because they were having calls coming in from a SIX BLOCK radius complaining about the explosion they heard.

At this point, Jordan and I figured that they didn't need us for anything else, and headed back inside. Of course, neither one of us were all that sleepy now, so Jordan started playing his game again, and I decided to share our wild night with YOU!!! Crazy Stuff people!!!

My Family 2008

Here's my family!!!

Family Reunion

Okay, so I'm finally getting around to posting something. Hopefully I'll catch you all up with everything in the next few posts. This attempt, as noted in the title, will be to update you on my family reunion.

The Thomas family reunion was scheduled for a campground in Idaho City (Idaho) this year. Jordan and I both wanted to attend, but since we're driving a Camry, have 4 dogs, and not enough room for 4 dogs, 2 adults and 4 dog kennels in our car (no, we're not going to show up without our dog kennels) we pretty much knew that there was no way that we were going to be able to drive up for the reunion. (We also found out that the campground does not allow dogs, and we didn't want the family to incur any additional penalties for us bringing them there.) So, Jordan stayed home with all the kids and I flew off to Idaho. I headed out of Oklahoma City and flew into Denver then on to Idaho.

Here's a couple pics just after my take-off in Oklahoma City.

Notice all the red? It's the dirt! Oklahoma dirt is mostly red!

Here's a couple I took when I was soaring above the clouds...
(literally above the clouds.....................I wasn't on drugs)

Denver has brown dirt...


Denver again...

I got in to Boise on Sunday the 10th. My little sister Jamie and her family came and picked me up. It was really cool to see them all since it's been just about 14 months since I'd seen them. My little sister and her husband were pretty much the same (not that many adults change THAT much in a year). Her little girl was a lot bigger, cuter and sweeter, so that was nice to get to see her. She is absolutely adorable. AND, she seemed really helpful with her little brother (who was not quite 2 weeks old when we moved out to Oklahoma).

Here's Jamie's baby boy Keegan with my oldest brother Robbie's youngest son Seth

(Hopefully that made sense to you....)

Here's Kali...she'd been running and playing with Keegan and was gracious enough to pause for a moment to say cheese and let me take her picture. -She totally hams it up for the camera. I love it!

Jamie trying to keep her sanity while chasing after 2 kids (waiting on Dad, Mom and I to arrive a couple hours after we said we would) and also being 6 months pregnant I might add. I think she looks pretty dang good! What a sweet little mommy my baby sister has become.

Cell phone pic of Jamie's husband Jeff...

(I told him to smile so I had a pic of him that came up when he called me.... This is what I got.... Not that Jeff ever calls, but still!)

Baby Keegan again


Applesauce faced Keegan


Keegan likes corn on the cob....

Anyhoo, they took me to Parma to my parent's house where I was able to see my younger brother Brandon, my older brother Lorne and his family (wife Amy and kids Bodhi and Taylor), my older brother Robbie and his kids Jake, Matison and Seth. My dad showed up later that night too (he's been working and living in Wyoming--he's an electrician for a company out of Utah and that's where they had a contract at, so that's where they sent my dad).

The newest look of my parent's house (front view)


My oldest brother Robbie


Robbie's youngest, Seth


Robbie's only daughter, Matison (aka Mattie)


My dad


My mom


Amy (at Red Robin)

The family reunion was Monday thru Thursday. Since dad had just gotten home, mom and dad did errands and stuff on Monday, and I pretty much just hung out around my parents and was happy to just do whatever. Tuesday we went up to the reunion and spent a couple hours, Wednesday we drove back up there and stayed the night since we were in charge of breakfast Thursday morning. Thursday morning dad got up and made breakfast before mom and I got up to do anything, so we were pretty much just there for moral support. -I didn't mind.

Here are a couple of pics I took on the way back to Boise after we left the campground in Idaho City.

Thursday night I stayed with my in-laws and had dinner with everyone there, which again, was nice to see everyone since Jordan's brother & his wife had a baby about a month before we moved down here and she was a whopping 6 pounds. She's gotten a lot bigger, cuter and sweeter (I think all the kids did) as well as Jordan's sister's 2 boys as well. It was a fun night being able to visit, and the two boys stayed with Gram and Grandpa (and thus me as well). It was nice being able to reconnect with the boys, but wish I could've spent more time with Ruby. I really miss all of them.

Kai


Beckett


Kai


Jimmy, Kai, Allissa and Beckett


Me, Jimmy, Kai, Allissa and Beckett


Beckett


Here is the picture that Beckett decided he needed to take of me.....
VERY UP CLOSE


Grandpa Thiel (Grandma was running around taking care of stuff like normal)


Beckett


Ruby and her Daddy Mike


Ruby and Mike again


Mom Karen, Ruby and Daddy Mike


Me, Ruby, Karen and Mike

Friday I had a meeting to go to, but after that I met up with my mom Diane. We had breakfast around 9:30 with Lorne, Amy, Bodhi, Taylor and Amy's mom and stepdad (Tina & Ron) because Lorne and his family were going to head back to San Diego. We ate and had a nice meal visiting, then went out in the parking lot and talked for another 20 or so minutes while we took a bunch of pictures.

Speaking of pictures.....

Here's Taylor at Breakfast.


And Bodhi at Breakfast


And Lorne at Breakfast (I didn't have one of Amy at Breakfast because she was sitting right next to me and I was busy talking to her the whole time....)

Here's a bunch of the pics that we took outside the restaurant.

Bodhi and I

(That little sneak gave me bunny ears!!!!)


Lorne and I


Lorne and I again


Lorne


Me, Mom and Lorne


Lorne, Amy, Bodhi, and Taylor


Lorne and Amy


Taylor and I


Amy and I


Lorne
(Taylor took this photo...pretty good, eh?)


Tina, Ron, Bodhi and Taylor


Tina, Amy, Ron, Bodhi and Taylor


Me, Mom, Lorne, Taylor and Bodhi


Me, Mom and Lorne


Bodhi and Taylor


Bodhi and Taylor again

(Bodhi NOT inadvertantly covering Taylor's face this time)


Bodhi and I


Taylor, Me and Bodhi


Bodhi, Grandma Diane and Taylor

After breakfast mom and I did some shopping then went back to her house so she could perm my hair. -Yes, I'm THAT cheap that I waited until I was in Idaho so I could have my mom perm my hair and I only had to spend $10 (my hair is long so I had to buy 2 perms to do all of it).

Here's the cell phone picture of me that I had my mom take so I could send it to Jordan (I wanted him to be the first one to see my new hair).

One thing that was out of the ordinary that happened while I was home, was that after I got to Parma on Sunday, I got to see my younger brother Brandon for about 10 minutes before he went to the ER and was admitted because he had severe abdominal pain, was running a fever and hadn't eaten much in the week prior to my arrival. While in the hospital, they scanned and prodded and poked and questioned Brandon, and finally arrived at the conclusion that Brandon had a pin-sized hole in his intestine/colon that had developed from all of the antibiotics and medicines that he has to take. So, needless to say, Brandon had to have surgery, and was in the hospital the entire time I was in Idaho (except for those first 10 minutes). Brandon was doing SO MUCH better before I got back home, so don't worry about him. (And don't you just love his wife Nykki's new haircut??? -She's so cute!!)

Brandon just chillin' at St. Luke's

The Cute Couple....

Gotta have one with big sis!

And one with mom too!

(And no, mom wasn't mad, I just caught her during a blink)

Dr. Brandon

(Had the mask on so he could walk around without getting some infection)

I feel like I should also mention that while Brandon was in the hospital, and Nykki was still in California working, their sweet little dog Lucky was staying at my parent's house. And, since I obviously love dogs, and I was missing mine terribly, and Lucky's mommy and daddy weren't around, he was my pal the whole time I was there. -I even let him sleep on the bed with me and bought him some toys. He really is a sweet, well behaved, fun-loving dog.

Here's Lucky in the car


Lucky


Lucky again

I flew back to Oklahoma on Monday the 18th (and I'm half retarded, in case you didn't know, so when I was booking my flight back home I didn't pay attention to where the flight left Boise around 6:00 P.M., which then didn't get me flying back into OKC until just after midnight!!!) Anyhoo, I flew out of Boise around 6:00, then into Denver around 8:00 and then on to OKC.

Here's a little bit of Boise as I was flying back to Denver.

These were taken between Boise and Denver, but I'm not exactly sure where we were. Irregardless, we weren't in FLAT ol' Oklahoma yet...

Here's the beginning of a Denver sunset. -For all of you Oklahoman's out there, that's what we like to call a MOUNTAIN that's peeking through the clouds.... he he he.....

And here's the Denver sunset that greeted me as I arrived.

When the plane was about 45-50 minutes outside of Oklahoma City we started getting into some turbulance. When we were about 30 minutes away from landing there was enough turbulance (rain and lightning too) that the pilot turned on the seatbelt sign and made everyone (including the flight attendants) buckle in for the rest of the flight. The girl sitting next to me was kinda freaking out, and was getting a little sick too. She just kept telling me how she felt sick to her stomach cuz she hadn't really eaten anything. I offered her some pretzels (from an earlier flight), but get this....she didn't want to eat any because once she got off the plane she was headed straight for a Braum's! (It's kinda-sorta like a Dairy Queen but with a little store in it for those of you back home...)

Anyhoo, we only got in about 10 minutes late, and my husband was waiting for me there. AND, he brought the babies to see me too (Jack & Jill have been dubbed "the babies" at the house since they're the little guys). All in all, it was nice to come back home to my family, but I sure do miss Idaho!

Sorry it took me so long to post about my Idaho trip (I only typed the message and added pictures in no less than six sittings) so hopefully the gobs of pictures made up for it!!!