Happy 16th birthday, Jake!

Jacob and Josh all dressed up for homecoming.

Well, my little man is now the tallest man in my house. He's right around 6'4"... just a tad taller than Josh and Ryan. Jacob just turned 16 on Sunday and he is officially "allowed to date". Heaven help us all. Jake is loved by everyone... guys and girls alike...he is a very sweet kid and has always been special in his own way. Jacob has always been a very spiritual and prayerful kid...he loves God and isn't afraid to proclaim his faith...as a matter of fact, we always thought he might grow up to be a priest. Then puberty hit. 'Nuff said. First thing he said to me was, "does this mean I can have a girlfriend?" Oh bless you, my child.

We celebrated Jake's birthday with a family dinner and birthday cake. We got him the NCAA '09 video game for his X-Box. He disappeared for the rest of the night to play the game with his bro on the big screen TV downstairs. The cake was simply delicious...some triple chocolate threat I bought at Sam's club.

I still haven't fixed our computers. They are running extremely slow and aggravate the heck out of me. I haven't found my digital camera either. I cannot imagine where it went. My washing machine is leaking water from underneath. Right now it's up on some wood blocks so we can put a pan underneath it to catch the drips and the dryer takes for-ever to dry anything. (usually two dryer cycles per load.) It seems like everything is breaking down and I am on the verge myself. AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The weather has been beautiful and it is the only thing I can say positive about this week right now. I am just sick about the outcome of this election and the fact that both of the Michigan Proposals have passed. I am turning off the television and immersing myself in some projects to take my mind off this tumultuous world we live in. All I can say is thank God He is in control.

Random things I'm addicted to and other observations

So I've decided that blogging is much easier on me if I imagine I am only writing in my own little "dear diary"... after all, this is my blog where I'm able to spill my guts, muse about daily events, document special happenings with my family, projects I've been working on, etc... all for some future entertainment for my kids to read back to me when I'm in the nursing home. (oh dear God, please don't put me in a nursing home!) Let's just say, you can read it back to me when I'm old.
ANYWAYS....

That being said, I realize family members, friends, online friends, and total strangers peek in now and then...and I'm totally okay with that- but... if I imagine I'm writing for a specific audience... I am not necessarily "spilling my guts" without reservations. So I'm just gonna close my eyes and pretend nobody's there.

Random observations and musings:

I have decided that I really have an addictive type personality.
Right now I am addicted to:

Fox News on TV and on XM radio. Lately it's all I listen to and have since the Presidential conventions began. It's on in my car at all times. (unless my kids are riding with me...they crank on some whiny ass country music that makes my ears bleed.) Anyways...this Fox News "fair and balanced" media fixation will be coming to an end real soon. I will probably turn it all off the day after the elections. Especially if "my guy" doesn't win. I'm a sore loser like that.

My other addiction:
Crocheting. I cannot begin to explain how soothing and calming it is to my crazy life that primarily exists in my scrambled head. I have crocheted a bazillion dishcloths and now today I made my first scarf. It turned out awesome and Jordanne just walked out the door wearing it. It was made out of Lion brand Homespun yarn. It was quick and fun and so relaxing. I am seriously thinking about taking a run to Walmart to buy some more yarn. I'm addicted.

I am also slightly addicted to Tim Horton's hot apple cider. Some days I have to resist the urge to run out and buy one. I can generally quell the impulse by having a cup of my other addiction, which is coffee. I cannot live without it. (I drink half caff so it's not a physical caffeine addiction I'm dealing with here.)

And this week's temporary food addiction is Mrs. N's sugar cookies. MMMM mmmm. I frosted them in autumn colors and sprinkles...and when I ran out of powdered sugar, I melted white chocolate and frosted some with that. So anyhow...the white chocolate ones are tormenting me. They are seriously calling my name and like a herioin addict, I am drawn...drawn, drawn to the little BEASTS. I gave Jen and Josh a bunch of them today to take to the Notre Dame game tailgate party. (but alas, I hoarded those white chocolate frosted ones.) They should be all gone by tomorrow. Thank goodness there are others in this house who are addicted to them too or I'd be an even bigger fatty boomba-latty than I am now.

I have also decided that I am addicted to Chinese food. Anything Chinese sounds delicious any time of the day. Right now I am craving an eggroll and some crabcheese. I just ate at my favorite Chinese restaraunt yesterday for Pete's sake. What is in Chinese food that is so addictive anyways?

Over the years I have had odd food addictions and I've decided there are definitely some nutritional needs in the body that sparks a craving. Such as addictions to eggs, grapefruit, raw lemons with salt, tomatoes, cucumbers, liverwurst and toast, dried apricots and PRUNES!!!!!!?????? You know I'm quite certain I was just listening to my body when I indulged in thes odd cravings. Must be some vitamin I was lacking like iron or potassium or something.

Other times I have been addicted to websurfing the internet, listening to Christian music, reading mystery novels, exercising (gosh, I wish I'd get that addiction back), sewing, painting, crafting, just to name a few.

Glad they aren't bad addictions like smoking, drinking, sex, or gambling. I guess I'm a discerning addict.

I wish I was addicted to folding laundry because that's what I need to be doing right now.

Missing my camera

I know I have been whining about how much I want a new digital camera...but now I have lost my old one! NOBODY seems to know where it went. ARGH!!! I wanted to take some pictures of my latest serenity fixation: crocheting dishcloths! Okay, shuddup...I know this is a craft reserved for the elderly and arthritic BUT I find it to be soothing and mindnumbing and quite frankly, it's saving my sanity. (*By the way...this is a web pic, not my own since I had no camera to photograph mine.)

I've made them in a multitude of colors and plan to give some out for Christmas gifts. I just wish I could find some more fun bright colors in cotton yarn. Mine are red, yellow, orange, beige, and white... still searching for blue and green yarn.

I can't believe it's almost November! Where on earth has this entire month gone? Uh...save the fact that I've been at a zillion doctor's appointments this month...

I'm getting excited to start Christmas shopping...you know, dumping money back into this dying economy before it COMPLETELY goes in the tank. One little problem... My money tree hasn't bloomed yet this year and seems it's been hit by an early frost. *sniff. I guess I will be giving out a LOT of crocheted dish cloths this year. Maybe I should google crocheted socks, scarves, and mittens too.

Tuesday catch up

Yesterday was the day that Pat and Josh went back into the "real world". I think it was best for both of them to resume their lives, although I must admit, sometimes it's nice to take a break from the "real world".

Josh went right from school to physical therapy and he called me on his way to double check the time. While I had him on the phone, I asked him how his day went. He seemed a bit agitated and a little down and told me he'd talk when he got home.

The kid who walked in the door was NOT the same kid I spoke to after school. He burst into the door calling "Mom, Mom, look what I can do!!!" As he limped into the kitchen minus the crutches. I was in shock! I never expected him to be walking without crutches so soon after his ACL reconstruction. His therapists were very impressed with his progress and obviously encouraged him to continue his positive attitude and tenacity. It was nice to see him so happy and hopeful for his recovery. I was pretty worried that he might fall into a little depression considering this is a kid who has played sports since he was 3 years old. Now I realize it's going to be a long winter of rehabilitation, but having the right mental attitude is half the battle.

EW!!!!!

You know that cute, cuddly little puppy picture a few posts back? Well that dear sweet teddy bear cuddler is not what he pretends to be. He is a bonafide bunny killer! I realize he is but a mere animal himself...but for some reason we like to think our domestic pets are above KILLING innocent bunnies, squirrels, birdies, etc. To think I've shared an ice cream cone with this sweet cuddly bundle of fur!

This morning Pat let the dog out for his morning romp...I was getting ready to head out the door for my morning walk and I happened to glance out the kitchen window. The dog was perched above a dead rabbit with blood and guts on his face. EW. EW. EW!!!!! I called the dog in the house to get him away from the dead bunny. I threw him into the shower to disinfect him with Suave for men antibacterial body wash. (So much for his foo-foo showers with Victoria's Secret Very Sexy shampoo and conditioner.)

When the water hit his face, a chunk of bunny fur plopped off his face! EW! I am so totally skeeved out! I just cannot even look at my puppy in the same way! YUCK!!!!! Pat went outside with a shovel to remove the bunny and he said the dog had been eating the bunny's face! He got a taste of bunny blood and now he'll never be the same! GROSS!

I spent the morning worrying that he was going to barf bunny face all over my floor.

Update

Josh had his surgery on Tuesday morning and everything went well. They kept him overnight and I stayed with him. I don't care how old you are...you still want your mom when you're not feeling well, if you're exhausted and overwhelmed, etc. I know this because I just had my mom visiting this past weekend and it was so nice to have her here...in the middle of all this chaos. Pat is still out of work with his biceps tendon surgery...he's been cleared to return to work on MONDAY. Jennifer was having pain in her side which indicated a possibility of gall stones, although all the bloodwork and ultrasound showed no gall bladder involvement. We still don't know what is causing her right sided pain, but I was relieved to find out it wasn't ANOTHER surgery. Josh will be cleared to go back to school on Monday too. This week he'll be laying low. I'm exhausted after spending all night with Josh in the hospital. He's crabby and irritable from all the pain meds and I'm crabby and tired from not getting any sleep. I think I'm going to sleep while he's sleeping...just like the good 'ol days when he was a little baby. *sigh. I only wish I was as young as I was then.

I want his life!

For any of you who ever wondered what your dog does while you're away...well, folks- we've got an exclusive. We caught our puppy red handed. This, my friends... is the life of an extremely pampered primadonna Lhasa Apso. I was doing some housework and left the house abruptly to pick up a kid. This is what we returned to. Notice The teddy bear's hand on Duke's head as if to say, "There, there...everything will be all right."
Don'tcha ever feel like just cuddling up with a teddy bear and taking a nap?

Josh had his doctor's appointment yesterday. The athletic trainer from school even came to his appointment. At one point there was 9 people in the room to see the freakshow. Josh in the wings waiting for surgery and Pat in a sling 5 days post surgery. They are starting Josh on some rehab BEFORE surgery to get him stronger for his recovery. The doctor couldn't believe how well he has progressed. The kid has a torn ACL and a meniscus tear and he's prancing in without a limp, swinging a cane, and asking for surgery tomorrow. Yeah...well, as I said...he's starting some rehab and will probably get scheduled on the books for surgery in a few weeks.

Just as I was writing this post...Dr. W's office called and said they would do his surgery on TUESDAY morning. As in 6 days! Oh my gosh, Josh is going to be thrilled when he hears this news.