Apple Bobbing

Tonight was the family halloween party. Those who know me, know I'm not really a big fan of the holiday, but how can I turn down a good family party? I put some pictures up on my facebook page, so if you are wanting more, go check those out, but if you just want to watch a few little videos of the night, stay here and catch these out.

One of the games tonight was apple bobbing. Reece was a animal. He ended up winning, getting 16 apples in 1 minutes. He threw his whole head into the bucket and was actually pretty good at snagging up those apples. Hmmm, are there professional apple bobbers out there? I think we found our sons true calling.

After the three boys, who were the only brave willing to do it, Madison decided that she couldn't be shown up by the boys, so she tried it out too.

My Darling

My Darling

You don't come around very often
In fact, I seldom do see you.
You like to stay away for months at a time
Usually only staying a season.

I think about you mostly in the mornings
But pine after you at night too
You are on my mind so often
Why do you play with me so?

When you show up I grow faint
Can this really be?
Is it you or are my eyes deceiving me?
It is too good to be true.

My Beloved, come home with me
You add so much to my mornings
You are the perfect ending to my days
We will spend so much time together

My Darling Peppermint Mocha Coffee Mate Creamer .
Welcome Back.

Wonder What I'll Be Doing

I bet you are out there wondering what I'll be doing this Saturday since my husband works and my laundry is almost non-existent with my super big loads being done during the week. With the free time I'll have this weekend, I think I need to use it doing something messy. I mean, really, with that free time I should use it to clean up right?!

I think I'm going to make these. You really need to go and check these out. I'm already thinking of a few people who would be delighted to receive something so warm and gooey.

Wanting To Do Laundry

I'm so giddy. I know, odd right?

Me, giddy?! Oh, so strange. I don't get giddy. I wasn't giddy this afternoon, but this evening, I'm giddy.

It's Saturday. The only day of the week that I am actually home ALL DAY. I like to spend my Saturdays in my pj's and cleaning up my own home. I like to work on all my laundry and fold it while watching a movie . . . of course, still in my pajamas. I make an extra big pot of coffee and sip on it all day. Ahhhh, pure bliss.

Today started off well. Mike and the kids decided to go garage sale-ing with his mother and sister, so I woke up to an empty house. Wow, not only did I get to drink my coffee and put around in my pj's, but I got to do it undisturbed . . . a total treat.

I did a few dishes while my coffee brewed and then decided to hit the computer before going out to get my laundry started. The laundry pile was huge. My washer has been limping around on it's last leg for months now. It doesn't like to spin and I have to go out and give it a good push to get it going. As you can imagine, my clothes have been coming out pretty wet and making my drying work overtime, often taking a load of towels 3 hours to dry. A bit ridicules, I know, but I haven't had the money to spend on a new washer. Plus, I decided I would get every last bit I could out of my washer before letting it give up the ghost.

This morning I finally went out to get my laundry started. I had picked out a movie and was ready. I first went to my dryer. I had already dried this load twice, so I expected it to be done. It wasn't. I was annoyed. I started it up again and then went to my washer to check that it had spun out my towels. It hadn't. So I went through my normal procedure; pushed the button in to trick the washer that it's lid was clothed, pulled the nob out to get the machine running on the spin cycle, and gave the inside drum a big spin to get it going. This time, it spun for a second and died. It used to keep on, but this time it wasn't having it. My machine was done. Too tired to go on. I worked a while longer to try and get it going. Finally, only having two towels left in the machine I tried to get it to spin, it still wouldn't. Now what?! My pile of laundry is out of control already because of how long it was taking to wash and dry, it was putting past piles to shame. I got back online and pouted at the screen while looking again, at washers.

I'll skip the next part because well . . . . . I did a lot of pouting. Mike finally came home and I told him my frustrating news. We didn't want to head into Portland to get a washer, so we decided to trot on over to our local furniture/appliance store and see what we could settle on. I had been doing my homework on the price of washers and what I wanted. I had been saving up for the past few months knowing I was going to have to spend money on a new washer soon.

Long story short, I got the washer I had been wanting. The ORIGINAL one I wanted. The BIG MAMA one. The manufacturer had a special that Sears never told us about, so my sweet baby was the same price as the other top brands that I had thought more affordable. Throw in the local rebate from our utility company and tax rebate and I'm saving even more money. PLUS, I didn't have to go to Portland and haul it back. Mike got it all hooked up and I'm dancing around. Who'd a thunk, huh? hee hee. It's a huge mama bear washer too . . . . 4.7 cu.ft . . . ahhh, it makes my heart sing. It washes in 19 minutes, and spins the tarnations out of the clothes. My old dryer is drying them in 25 minutes . . . we are talking drying TOWELS in 25 minutes!!! I HEART my Electrolux.

Tuck In

"Mommy, tell me why Tinkerbell (our newest little puppy) has those holes on her belly." Says Grace, as I tuck her into her bed tonight.

"Those are puppy titties. When Tinkerbell grows up and has little puppies of her own, that's where she will feed her little babies." I reply.

"They will eat there?!"

"Yes, that's how God made girls. When we grow up and have babies, we nurse them. Mommy used to nurse you."

"And Maddie and Reecie?" Grace asks.

"Yep."

"What about Peyton? Did Aunt Krista do that?" Grace asks full of wonder.

"Mmhmm."

"Aunt Morgan and Anni?!"

"Yes, Gracie. They both nursed their babies." I replied as I shut off the light.

"THAT'S DISGUSTING!!!"

"Goodnight, my darling girl. I love you." I smile and blow a kiss.

"Night." Says Grace and she rolls over and tucks her little face into her cozy blankets.

Our First Time Out With The New Toys

My husband bought a couple new toys this past week. Although I am not happy with the timing of purchase, we have always talked about getting said purchase one day. What is this new toy, you ask? A new video game? Nope, jet skis.Tonight we decided to take them out for a couple of quick rides to test them out. We hitched up the trailer (I say 'we' but we all know, it was more of a hubby thing and I really had nothing to do with it), threw our life vests in the back, grabbed our extra cans of gas and we were off to the lake.

After we got there, Mike decided we would just unload one. I was the lucky one to go first. Hubby showed me how to start it and then I was off. Waves splashed and I flew across the top of the water. Oh . . . how I love to jet ski!! I pulled the trigger all the way and I was going full throttle. I let up a bit and start into my first turn. Bam . . . . it stalled. After a couple of tries I was able to get it going again and I was on my way back to the dock to give my hubby a turn. After throwing my dear hubby his life vest, he jumped on and ran a quick loop by himself. He came back and Reece was first up to take a turn. I gave Reece a little pep talk (not that he needed encouragement, he was very excited to go). I reminded him if he fell off, don't panic, the life vest will bring you right back to the top of the water. Reece flashed me a great big smile and climbed on. Mike and Reece were off. Grace and I stood on the dock and watched them for a few minutes. We saw Mike stall and then start back up again.

I turn my back to take this picture of Grace and I . . .

. . . . I turn back around and see the guys have tipped and are in the water. I can't really make anything out, but I can see the jet ski on it's side. I'm staring it down, waiting to see some kind of movement, but the boys are too far away to really see anything. Then I see it . . . the jet ski gets turned back up and I see the boys moving a bit. 5 minutes go by and I don't see the boys getting on. I keep on standing and watching. About this time a car with a older man comes into the lake area near me and sit and watches out over the lake. Then he takes off. I keep standing there watching. It looks like the jet ski is getting closer. I figure the guys are swimming it in and they had probably flooded it. As I keep standing watch, listening for any kind of yelling from them, and praying for our Lord to let everything be Ok. A woman starts to yell from the shore.

"ARE YOU ALL ALRIGHT?" she yells.

I was pretty sure everything was ok, I had no panic the boys were hurt. They were not going fast and I had seen them moving around.

The lady comes over and asks me if they are all alright. I tell her yes, I believe so, that they just tipped and it looks to be flooded. She tells me she has 911 on the phone. That a man, from the restaurant on the other side of the lake, saw the guys arms flinging around. I have a moment of panic. Could I be wrong?! Are my boys hurt?

By this time the boys are closer, they are swimming it in and dragging the now sinking jet ski behind them. Still too far away for me to see them clearly, but closer than where they tipped. I yell out to them if they are ok. I hear Mike yell back they are Ok. I tell the woman who is talking to 911, that they are ok.

At this time, in pulls the ambulance. I go to meet them and tell them what happened and that I heard my husband yell over that they are ok. Since they have no other calls, they said they'll stick around and help bring the boys in. I grabbed a rope out of the truck and we walk to the end of the dock. The sheriff pulls in now and makes a funny comment about forgetting to bring his water wings. We all giggle. Another 10 minutes pass and the boys are close enough. The ambulance driver tosses the rope to Reece and tells him to hold on, he is going to pull him in. Reece grabs the rope and instead of just holding on and being pulled to the dock. Reece only grabs the rope with one hand and swims over to his daddy and grabs Mike's vest so he can bring him in too. It was a moment I will never forget. It brought me to tears. My dear son, although scared and trying so hard to hold it together and be brave, freezing cold, wants to save his father. The Ambulance People and Sheriff all look at me and smile. They pull the boys in and I whisked Reece away to get stripped and wrapped up into a warm towel and heated truck. There is a little space between the dock and solid ground that has lake water. You have to make a big jump when you come off the dock so as not to step in it. When we reached this, sweet Reece melted down. Relief and the whole big ordeal swept over him. He cried and told me how scared he was. I hugged him and told him how brave he was. Even when he was scared he kept his head and helped his daddy swim all that way pulling the sinking jet ski back in. It's only a brave and strong man that keeps on even when scared and that was him, my Reecie.

Mike got helped in and they helped us load up the jet ski. I guess a plug didn't get put back in and the jet ski was taking in water. Which was why it was stalling on us earlier. Mike was embarrassed 911 had been called and said they were fine the whole time, just very cold.