Schoooooool's out for. ever.

Actually not quite. On Tuesday though I will be done with the Spring semester. I'm taking 19 hours right now, and another 12 this summer. Yikes! I did, however, take my hardest final this morning, and it lived up to my expectations. I walked out of there feeling very bad about myself, lol, but that's how it goes. I have another final this evening, and then another one due tomorrow evening. After that only two more due on Tuesday. Geesh, that actually sounds like a lot.

When I graduate I'm thowing myself a HUGE party. Even if I'm the only one attending... haha. I really despise studying, and doing homework, so, school is hard for me. I am expected to graduate next May though. One more year, and now that I've had Taylor the years seem to be going by much faster, so, before I know it I'll be done.

Everyone wish me luck tonight thru Tuesday. I think I'm going to need it. Have a great Friday everybody!!!

Barking dogs, trains, and birds

How is anyone expected to sleep anymore? I live in a small rural community with about 12 people in it, but apparently everyone has a dog, a train, and squacking birds in their backyard that only come out after 10:00pm. I can't take it anymore! Ok, really there's only ONE train, but a million dogs and birds.
An ongoing joke between myself and my family is how seriously I take my sleep. I'm in bed by 10:00 every night, and I do not function well on anything less than 8 hours. Well, this leads me to the last WEEK of my life. I have one dog. A big stupid dog. He barks at his own shadow, and he does it right outside my bedroom window. Our neighbor... our neighbor has 4 dogs. 4!. We live less than 200 yards away from the railroad tracks... which is probably the only thing that keeps this town up and running, anywho, this last week a train has come through about 30 minutes. We don't get the nice conductors either.... we've got the a-holes that pull the horn in one long, loud stream from one end of town to the other, even though it's the middle of the night!! Jerks. As if that weren't enough, we have two rather large trees in our front yard where some very obnoxious birds have taken roost, and like to SING in the middle of the night. I can't believe it. My 22 month old daughter doesn't even keep me awake anymore. Geez. What's a person got to do to get a good nights rest anymore?
My rant ends here. I'm going to take a nap. =) Everyone have a great Wednesday!!

Blog award!

Thanks Jess!! I even figured out how to put the picture of the award on my blog all by myself! HAHA... like I said, I'm figuring it out one step at a time.

Why I love to blog?? Because it gives me a way to "meet" other people just like me, and to meet people who aren't like me at all, which is even better sometimes. I love to read the different styles of writing (I'm sort of a Language Arts person), and blogging is my way to vent when I'm having a rough day, or to share funny stories about myself or my crazy family!! Whom I love with my whole heart.

Im passing this award on to:

Jessica - Life on Brixton Lane

Ashley - Ashley's the name

Both beautiful people, and very interesting blogs. Go leave comments!!

Monday Mournings :-(

This is my contribution to everyone out there who mourns the loss of their weekend, and has to start a whole new week with the worse day possible. MONDAYS! Hence the title... Monday MOURNing.

Just my way of helping to put a smile on your face!

Look to the left of the bucket. Do you see the "Don't put the baby in the bucket" sign? Oops.

Here's me looking rather ridiculous. I'm putting my own image on the line for you people!! =)

A laundry basket? You may ask. Well, Taylor decided it would be a great idea to make herself comfortable inside the laundry basket. Yes, a real prodigy ladies and gentlemen.

I'll be working on the something clever for next week's "Monday Mourning". Try to have a great day everyone!

Water bugs.... *high shriek*

I honestly, 100%, with all of my heart believe that water bugs is God's way of earthly punishment for humans. I do. What other reason could they possibly have besides complete terror?? They're sneaky, they hide, they're ugly, and they generally only come out at night. Need I say more? No. But I'm going to anyways. Apparently these bugs are different than your every day roaches... your house doesn't have to be dirty in order for them to invite themselves over. I keep a clean house for those skeptics out there!! They like the sewer, so, living in town is apparently NOT the place to be if you have "water bug phobia" (which I do). Septic is the way to go! I've found these little bastards in my sink, bathtub, hiding in my mixing bowls that I leave on my counter, and once one of them ran across my living room floor. I'll spare you a picture of these creatures because honestly, I coudn't stand doing a search for one. Ugh. My poor husband will get woke up in the middle of the night if I find one. Killing them is almost worse than the actual sight of them. Almost.
It's a huge fiasco when I'm home alone and one decides to show it's ugly little face (if you can call it that). I generally wait for my hubby to get home outside.
Why the ranting you may ask?? I just found one in the bottom of my bathtub, and now I'm completely grossed out. Why God? Why water bugs?? Eternal damnation in the firey depths of Hell isn't enough??? Ok... I'm getting a little dramatic, but I hate water bugs. Hate them.

Sleeping Beauty

Just a thought:
How can my little girl be so beautiful and peaceful one minute (usually when she's sleeping), but the next be a tornado with flaying arms, running through walls, and screaming her tiny head off??? It's CRAZY!!
Don't get me wrong, I am actually very lucky, and 90% of the time Taylor is very well-behaved, but the other 10% is Rosemary's child.... seriously.

Flashback Friday (I wanna play too!!)

My baby girl just one day old... we're still in the hospital at this point.

My beautiful family just an hour or so after Taylor was born. =) I'm so proud.

The best for last!! My baby girl was only 4 months old, and anyone wanna guess who that handsome fellow is?? Only 2 or 3 days old... they day after they came home from the hospital.

CADEN LEE!!!! (duh!)

I need help!

So, I'm new to this blog community thing, and I'm following the people I know personally, and they're following me cuz they're good sports =) LOL, but how do I branch out and find other great people to read?? I mean, I can click my buddies profiles and read other their new friends profiles and blogs, but how do I find people on my own... I know I know... I must sound very ignorant, but to this stuff, I guess I am... anyone wanna offer any advice??

Anyone like enchiladas?

Here are a couple of recipes I've used myself, and are very easy. They're pretty basic, and are meant to be added to if desired, but I've eaten both recipes plenty of times without changing a thing and are VERY good. My family loves them.

The first is a spicy, green enchilada recipe:
Ingredients:
4 pieces of chicken
Corn tortillas
1 family size can of Cream of Chicken soup
2 jalapenos
Shredded cheese
1 cup of water (approx)

Start by boiling chicken until its cooked. While you're waiting on the chicken to cook you can fry the corn tortillas in about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (Don't over fry because they still need to be rolled).
To make the sauce use the family size cream of chicken and 1-2 jalepenos (depending on how spicy you want it) You put about a cup of water and the jalepenos in the blender until it's a n ice liqued. Then add the cream of chicken and blend that. (if you are making a lot u can double this step). Pour the sauce into a saucer pan on the stove to keep it warm if desired.
Once the chicken is done just shred it. Spray the bottom of your baking pan with PAM, and pour small amount of your enchilada sauce into the bottom (Just enough for a small layer to cover the bottom). Roll the chicken and a small amount of cheese in the fried tortillas until the pan is full. Pour the remainder of your sauce the top, and sprinkle the rest of your cheese on top of that. Cover with foil then bake in the oven at 350 degrees long enough to melt the cheese!

This is recipe is a white person version of sour cream enchiladas =): But very tasty!!
Ingredients:
6 pieces of chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup (normal size)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (normal size)
2 can rotel tomatoes (the heat level you desire)
shredded cheddar
chredded monterrey jack
16 oz of sour cream
Flour tortillas

Boil the chicken until done. Mix the soups, rotel, and sour cream in a large bool. Spray the bottom of your baking pan with Pam, and pour a small amount of your sauce into the bottom to keept the enchiladas from sticking. Shred the chicken once done. Roll the tortillas with chicken and a small amount of cheddar cheese. Once the pan is full pour the sauce over the top. Cover with the rest of your cheddar cheese, and your monterrey jack. Cover your pan with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. This one takes a little longer to heat because we didn't warm the tortillas ahead of time. You want your flour tortillas to remain soft. This recipe makes A LOT of enchiladas... for my family I usually half the recipe.

I hope you give these a try sometime. Ask if you I didn't make anything clear! =)

Guess What....

Nothing good actually. It's 5:30, and I've been up since 4:30 because I can't seem to stop sneezing!! Grr... I love my sleep, and I hate when it's being interrupted. I don't have to be in class until 8:00, so, it looks like I'm going to be studying, or not, for a while before I get ready to go. I hate killing time. Can anyone tell I'm a little grumpy this morning? LOL

Taylor did great last night in her big girl bed. We didn't have to go back in and lay her down at all. She just went right to sleep, but if I know my little girl she was just a little too nervous to try it last night. Now that she's slept in it once, tonight or tomorrow night will be completely different stories, she'll start testing the waters soon I'm sure.

Michael should be finding out this morning when he's leaving to go offshore, for sure, this morning... I'm kinda hoping it's NEXT Monday, but we really need a paycheck, so, I guess whichever will workout. I'm gonna go try and study now. grrr...

We did it!!

We just turned Taylor's crib into a daybed. When we were through she ran from the doorway and JUMPED into her bed and just layed there. For the past 15 minutes she's been getting in and out of her bed, turned the fan on and off, and saying "night night"... lol... I think we're going to have our hands full tonight when it's time for her to go to bed, but I'm glad she's enjoying being able to get in and out of her bed by herself. =)

Back in the game!

You may or may not have noticed that I haven't posted a blog in a few days, well, that is because my darling child BROKE my laptop charger. I'm not exactly sure how, but it doesn't matter anymore. It cost me $90, but I got a new power cord, and now my outlet to the world is charging away as I post my blog. YAY!! I'm so excited. From now on, though, I'm putting my laptop UP, where she can't reach it. Little turd.

We've taken a leaf out of Jessica's book, and are converting Taylor's crib into a day bed today. I'm a little sad, but it's time. She's almost two, and I have to let her grow up. And now that's she's dang near completely potty trained, she needs to be able to get to her potty during the night.

Michael will probably be leaving to go offshore for the first time on Monday. It's not confirmed yet, but it's the way it's looking. I'm really excited for him, but I'm not looking forward to being home alone at night again. That part really sucked, but I guess the good part is that it he'll be gone during finals week, so, I won't have as many distractions or excuses not to study. =) I'm trying to think positively.

Hey... anyone got any ideas for dinner??? I'm feeling pretty tired today, so, I'm looking for something easy.

wanna talk about the weather?

Because it was amazing today. We spent the entire afternoon when we got home from church outside... and enjoyed every second of it. We took turns laying in the hammock at my dad's, Mike and Ashley came over to play too, and we watched the kids run around and played with the dog. For dinner we grilled ribeyes over some logs in my dad's backyard, and the guys even ate outside. Ashley and I would've, but we were in charge of making sure that Caleb and Taylor ate their dinner. I just wanted to say that this Sunday was one of the best I had had in a very long time. Missing Michael so much this week probably was the reason. I just enjoyed having my whole family home and around me.


Tomorrow we are headed to Austin to get Michael's truck fixed. Hopefully it won't take all day. I would like to spend some time cleaning my house before my week really starts. On Tuesday poor Michael has to drive all the way to Houston for a 15 minute appointment then turn around and drive back home. How frustrating, but it has to be done so he can go offshore.



Anywho... it's bed time again.

new layout for blog

THANKS JESS! I think we spent an hour and a half this evening working on making it pretty. =) I think we did pretty good if I do say so myself.

I also just took my LAST English Lit quiz for the semester... all that's left now is the final. This semester is finally starting to wrap up... geesh. This last month has taken forever.

I'm so tired tonight. I didn't sleep well since I was up until almost 4 waiting for Michael to get home, AND Taylor ended up in our bed last night, and she moves a lot in her sleep, so, she kept waking me up. I can't wait to go lay down. That's where I'm headed right now, so, Good Night every one!!!

~~Taylor's photo contest!!!~~

Howdy to all of my family and friends!! Taylor needs your vote and your long arms to reach anyone you think might want to vote for her. This is a photo contest for the Waco Trib newspaper, and the contest starts Sunday the 26th. Her picture will appear in the paper, and will be online for you to vote on at http://www.wacotrib.com/.

We're shooting for first place so please help us out. If she wins her photo will be featured in the summer issue of Waco Today among other things. I've paid for her first 150 votes, and any votes beyond that will only be 10 cents each. If you decide to purchase votes you can do so by sending a check to the Waco Trib, dropping it off in person, or voting and paying online. The proceeds of this fund raiser go to Newspapers in Education. Newspapers In Education is a national program that promotes literacy through the use of the daily newspaper as an instructional aid in the classroom.

I've attached the photo we've submitted for the contest so that you an be looking forward to it. I'll send out a reminder next week before her picture appears in the Sunday edition.Email me if you have any questions. Thanks so much!!!

a rerun of Missing Michael!!

Let’s see… Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night. Michael is still out of town working in Louisiana, and won’t be back until very early Saturday morning. The house is making new noises, and I’m beginning to think something is living under the floors. During the day it’s like everything is the same because I stay so busy, but at night… at night is when it gets hard. Taylor really started noticing something was missing yesterday, and asked for her daddy quite a bit. She does talk on the phone now, though, so that helped Michael some, getting to talk to her.

Today is Michael's last bit certification before he can go offshore. It’s called HUETT training. They’re going to strap him into a helicopter (just the cab of one, and it’s in a controlled environment), “fly” it over a pool, then crash it into the water upside so, and the guys have to unstrap themselves and reach the surface using their safety techniques in order to pass. Can someone say SCARY?! Screw you buddy… I’m stayin’ right here until you come to get me.

***Side note**** I was watching David Letterman, and he had Rascal Flatts on singing their new song “here comes goodbye”… would’ve been a great song if I didn’t have to listen to it after every other song. WAY over played. Why do they have to do that? Just let it be, and let us look forward to ago do song coming on by chance.***

Anywho, here are some Easter pics… I have such a pretty little girl.

sadness

Easter was today, and was fantastic. Church was amazing, and the weather turned off amazing. The downside you may ask? Michael left for Louisiana this afternoon for a week's worth of training. he won't be home until Saturday. I didn't cry when he left, but I've teared up a couple of times since then. It's hard without him here, and we just don't spend this much time apart, so, it's definitely going to take some getting used to. Even if the paycheck IS good. =)

Well, some more big news. Taylor used the big girl potty for the first time tonight....I'm so proud and sad at the same time. She's just not a baby anymore, and I'm not handling that very well either. MY life seems to be going by so much faster now that I have her. Watching her grow and learn speeds everything up.

I'm gonna go TRY to lay down without Michael now. I'm scared of the dark so I'm not sure how well this is going to workout. I guess I'll let you know tomorrow.

YIKES!!

So... a procrastinator I am!! I have known about my 15 minute presentation in my Animal Behavior class since January, but did I take the initiative and get a head start? Nope. In fact, I'm presenting my project to the class on Tuesday and I haven't even started!! That's a 15 minute slide show and a 5 page paper... hello.

Well, I'm FINALLY adding a picture of our house, as you can probably see on th left. You may not think it looks like much, but you would've had to of seen it before I guess. Before we moved in to this house it was awful. The front yard had no grass, and the sidewalk was sunk into the ground. The WHITE siding was tan. And obviously there were no shutters or gutters, and no red pain. We put that small flower bed in that you can barely see on the right. Our shrubs are still babies, but they're hanging in there. I'm so proud of our home... the inside is a whole OTHER blog. It would take too long to explain everything we did to it just to move in, and then things we've done since then.

So, let's move on. We sold Michael's TransAm, and used that cash to buy him a truck. It's a 2003 Chevy Avalanche. It's SWEEEET! LOL... ok ok... it's pretty cool, and we're very excited. We got it for a great deal, and it's much more family oriented than his car. Getting him this truck also made sure that I wouldn't have to be making anymore 8 hour trips to Robert, LA. Whew! I hate that drive. Michael starts his new job in two weeks. We can't wait! I'm going to miss him like crazy, but I'm tough, and Taylor and I will make it just fine.

Yesterday, Michael went to Mud Nationals and Taylor and I went to the Wal-Mart Easter party at Hewitt Park. Here a couple of pics just in case you're interested. Isn't she beautiful?? We have another Easter party to go to next Saturday at the church. Speaking of church... we have so much going on right now. We're fixing to start a church wide experiement, Michael and I are joining a small group that is geared toward young married couples. We meet for the first time tomorrow evening, and I can't wait! Also, I've started volunteering more when I can. I LOVE to work in the nursery, and my newest adventure, working on the weekly newsletter, has been fantastic.

Well, I guess this blog get's everyone caught up on what's going on. Lata gater!

What a great day!!!

Today has been one amazing day!! Yesterday evening I posted Michael's car on Craig's List and Myspace, and before the evening was over we already had 5 inquiries, and another two this morning. I left to go into town at 10:00 this morning, and by noon Michael was calling to let me know that the car had sold and gone... woohoo! The whole reason we sold his car was so that we could use that cash to put a down paymnet on a truck for Michael to drive back and forth to Louisiana in.

Well, Michael was online looking at Carmax, and found a truck for less than $13,000. So, we called, told the guy our situation, so, he ran our credit, called us back 10 minutes later and told us we had a truck!! Michael is SO excited. It's a 2003 Chevy Avalanche, black. The truck is in Fort Worth, so, we'll probably go sign the papers and pick it up on Monday. YAY!!

Tomorrow it's back to the grind. I have 2 exams tomorrow. Also, an update I read my friend Jessica's blog about "letting herself go"... even though she's absolutely beautiful, I knew exactly what she was talking about while I was reading her blog. That's me that's me!!! Back in December I started going to the gym 3 or more times a week, and about 6 weeks I finally got my hair cut and colored after more than year!!! and just this week I bought a month's work of tanning. All steps to find me again. Because I woud love to be a mom, a wife, and me. So, kudos to you Jess... we all need that kind of break every once and a while.

I must go study now. Good night!!