For my next 30 years....

Today is my birthday. The big 30. I have had some teasing, some even apologizing as I hit this number. Like 30 is a bad thing. Honestly as I look back over my life I am so very happy to be having this day and the life I have had up to this point. For a long time I was 100% convinced I would die young. My FMS symptoms started in my teens and with so many saying that it was in my head or that I was crazy I was truly convinced that I either was going crazy or something was so wrong but no one could see it because I was meant to die. So I never really expected to hit this birthday. I have had my share of heartache as well. Loosing my babies was probably the worst emotionally followed by the loss of my grandparents and my love's battle with his own issues. Those things though helped shape the beauty that is my life. They helped form the bounty that is my marriage. Many think I make up our relationship but today when I opened my birthday card J.W. had written, "It feels like yesterday you were 17 and I had just fallen in love with you. I know many years have passed but I promise to make each day feel like it was only yesterday." Yeah that is my guy. All day Maggy has been texting me "Happy Birthday" over and over so I know how excited she is that it is my birthday. My email has been beeping like crazy with messages and my facebook even has some sweet words. It is humbling and amazing to feel so much love from so many. I see all of that love and can't help but be excited to turn 30 and eager for the future. I don't know what it holds. I know there will be heartbreak, there always is in life. I also know that there will be joy and love and passion. Thank you guys for being a part of that even if I have been a bit absent lately!

Happy Birthday Gracie!

Today our Gracie celebrates her birthday. She has a passion for helping the furbabies find forever homes and rescuing them from horrible situations. She raises 3 boys who often seem to multiply in their daring escapades. She supports a man who put his life on the line in the bowels of the earth and smiles through it. Her courage and strength are something I will never come close to having. Her patience is inspiring. She is more sister than friend for Maggy and I. Love you girl. Happy birthday!!!!

My Monkey is 3!!

Today my baby is 3. She was a miracle I had given up hope of ever having. After losses and years of trying it looked bleak. Then my grandmother died and that night she let me know in a dream that my little angel was on her way. True to my granmother's spirit she stood on a cloud, kissed a little girl, and shoved her off the cloud. My gram was tough and strong and very no-nonsense. The next day on a whim I bought a test. I shouldn't have been able to tell. I wasn't late at all. But there was that positive test. So with prayers and a doc who stepped in right away to help I carried to term. I love her so much. Her gentle hug. Her big heart. Her love. Her stubborn streak. Her curiosity. Her crazy antics. So happy birthday baby girl.

Birthday fun with Lila!

Today is my 29th birthday! Yay me! Last night my awesome other half took me on a date. We went to a movie. I chose "One Day" because I adore Anne Hathaway. The story also seemed interesting. Of course I had never read the book. I ended up crying my eyes out. Way too emotional of a movie for birthday fun.

Today I was presented with my gifts. All sorts of fun Browning pink & camo stuff for my Durango. Very cute. The pink is also not so overwhelming that my guy hates to drive it. I love it. My seats were getting just a little sunfaded and I was worrying about it. Leave it to my guy to think about the solution in a way I love.

We wanted to shoot today but of course we are under heat advisory and thunderstorm warning. The heat and wet is oppressive and the clouds are ominous in their rolling black waves. Our club is not quite done with the indoor range yet. Sooo home we stay. Eh. I have movies, chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream, and my brother in law is making a yummy dinner. Life is good.

* yes that is me in the reflection taking the pic!

Can't send them to the gun store!

Yesterday was Nephew's 13th birthday. Poor kid has had some bum luck.

Our original plan had been to make the drive to Utah and go to a county fair with family. J.W. and I take our girls every year and love it. The day starts with a lunch of fair food. You can't be at a fair without fair food. Then we visit all the exhibits and animals. Once the carnival opens we do that for a while. Then the fun. Demolition Derby. This is very much a highlight of the year for the county and it often sells out and is a major thing. We love it!

Plans were dashed. Tuesday we found out J.W. was going to have to work through the weekend making it impossible for him to attend. Then Wednesday Nephew was biking to his friends house and completely tanked it. I mean absolute road rash deluxe. He looks like he was ran over. I guess he was crossing the street behind a car when the car braked suddenly. He swerved and tried to jump onto the curb but his back weighed enough that he hit the curb, flipped over his handlebars and then ran himself over with his bike. His face and chest hit the pavement and then his bike tires hit his back. His chest and face are tore up. He almost bit through his lip. He bruised his ribs. He is lucky his nose didn't break. He is lucky nothing broke honestly. But his injuries meant there was no way he was up for traveling. I was going to take my girls alone but my FMS flared and the thought of fighting a toddler in a fair alone just did not sound fun. Soooooo we changed plans.

Friday we ordered dinner in. Nephew ordered Seafood Linguine. He was thrilled. We also had Cold Stone Ice Cream Cupcakes for dessert. Saturday hubby got off of work early due to monsoon conditions. Lightning and welding are not a good mix and he was on his giant metal machine so danger was a bit high. Add not being able to actually weld from the rain and he came home. So the male contingent went to the gun store. Ugggg......... We got ammo. Always good. BIL bought himself a new toy. LMAO. Poor nephew got ammo. He was feeling picked on despite a pretty awesome knife as a present that morning. His dad buy a gun and he get bullets on his birthday, the horror. Then I show up right before dinner with the girls and a pair of guinea pigs plus cage for them. Yet another cool thing bought on his birthday not for him. On top of that we discover he is allergic to the new additions as he puffs up like a balloon. Poor kid. At least we got him an ice cream cake right?

To try to make up for it the male half went shooting this morning. Hopefully that helps him feel better, lol.

Kidding aside I think he was very happy with his gifts. He received a Judge of his own and the ammo of varying types that it uses, a very nice bike that can be used for trick riding, multiple knives, and some cash to spend as he likes. The kid has a knife collection many would envy and stores it in several suitcases. He has his own rifle but this is his first handgun and he is loving it. He received it early but it was a birthday gift. He is a pretty amazing kid. Even when his mom called against his wishes he handled it with an amazing air of maturity and wisdom. He can drive me batty and I told him if he lets real teendom go to his head I'll beat him but honestly the kid is fabulous. I just need to remember not to send him to the gun store with the menfolk on his birthday next time.

Oh, son of a...

It's 9:46 pm on Sunday night. I worked all weekend. I had the plan to do next to nothing tomorrow. And by nothing, I mean organizing my garage, sorting things for a yard sale, canning my raspberries, and making apple butter hopefully. Oh, and picking more peas and probably canning those. And cleaning my house that has sat for a full weekend empty. But...

I just realized my sister's birthday is tomorrow.

I do not have a present.

I have not even fathomed what to get her.

Now, I have less then 24 hours to come up with an amazing present for a beautiful lady who has just about everything.

*insert inappropriate words here*

Breath....

So I have been up to my ears in family and dogs. First off, I picked up a new foster dog who had been attacked by another dog and is now scared of any dog larger than she is. She's sweet and playful and will find a home quickly. I have also been dealing with a neglected dog who's living conditions are becoming better as the days go by and an 80 lb brute who was abandoned by his owner in the back yard. So dog stuff has been keeping me busy.
On top of all the dog stuff, we had a pretty exciting weekend, especially for my middle son Bruiser. He turned eight this weekend and for a Mormon family this is a huge deal. It means he is able to be baptised. His birthday was on Friday and we gave him most of his gifts, little brat got spoiled rotten this year! Saturday he got baptised and even more gifts and a special birthday dinner out. Sunday he got to sit up front with the bishop and was introduced as the newest member of the Church. I was so proud of him standing up there. He looked so grown up in his suit and tie!
Anyway, hopefully now that all the families have gone home and I got the kids detoxed from all of the sugar the grandparents gave them, things will settle down enough to blog more.