~Dogs

Did ya know that yawns really are catchy? Every time I yawn my dog and cat start doing it too lol Did ya really think I could post something without talking about Gunner & Ozzie? My kids will barely let me take pics of them anymore, guess I've crossed that 'Too dang many pictures' line, so I have to take pics of my other babies.

Courtney wanted me to put this pic on for Brooke and Bub. She made her webkinz dog some bone shaped cookies. She wants to submit it to the webkinz site in the craft section.

~My guilty pleasure.....

MTV heeheehee I've been watching the Real World since year #2. Why stop now? Just because I'm in my 30's? I don't think so. I'll admit that I look at these "kids" thru different eyes now that I'm older. When I was 18 it was like "they look like fun!" now it's more like "stupid kids! what are they thinking?" But when I think about it. Back at the beginning the kids were no where near as Risque` as they are now. The show was much calmer. Or if things were going on, they didn't show it on the show. Back in the day the worst thing that happened was puck ate out of the peanut butter jar after picking his nose (gross!), Jon sat around doing nothing, Dave pulled the blanket off Tami and there were some racial arguments. Now a days they are having sex under the covers on the night vision cams, pole dancing, getting completely utterly drunk, getting arrested and who knows what else. So far I'm liking this years cast, they seem......I don't know, I just like 'em better than the past couple seasons. Even tho they have already started fighting beginning with Kim saying Ghetto to Bri which started a big ol fight. And she's so very southern (columbia SC) that she pronounced it GeT-Toe. Joey is sure to be interesting, he says he's over the the club/drinking/partying thing so he stayed home with the girls and they did mud masks. Greg seems like a pompous jerk but I think he had great negotiating skills in the last episode. My personal favs so far are Sarah & Dave. I used to love Road Rules too--in the beginning they just traveled around working odd jobs like at ice cream shops and alligator farms to make money. It was like Real World on wheels. Lately, it's gotten so goofy I don't even watch...it's just not the same anymore. I do however love the challenges/gauntlets. I love those and I laugh so hard when the new kids call the 'older' cast members grampa/grandma because they are like.....gasp.....34 years old LOL I remember when RR2 had to break into the RWmiami house and steal the 8 ball, I thought it was so cool that they were mixing the 2 different shows. yes, I'm a dork :-) I'm not ashamed to admit that I've seen every episode, probably more than once (in the beginning anyways) and I'm not ashamed to admit it......Ok yes I am!!!

~LOL

I just can't help laughing when I see these signs. The roads are horrible right now, no, make that Hideous! I feel like I'm in some video game when I'm driving down the road, and the goal is to avoid the pot holes and try to make it home with the car in one piece. Don't shake the bumper off and you get bonus points! I think that by putting these signs up they think it'll somehow make it ok--take the sting off a little. Like we'll say "well, there were signs warning us, so it's ok" HA funny thing is, you can tell exactly where the county line is, because there is literally a line across the road where the OTHER county DOES maintain their roads and it becomes very smooth.

That's the downside to living in the sticks, but with the bad, comes the good. And I will never get over the views we have........... This is my amish neighbors string of gourd birdhouses that they put up and I'm seriously coveting them.....think they'll notice if I steal just one??? :-) One of my other neighbors has a red one, but it's only one and it doesn't have the same impact as a whole slew of them. The neighbors across from these guys also have a dozen or more that are unpainted. They're so pretty!

~Who needs World Market, I've got the Country store :-)

I had fun at the nearby country store yesterday :-) I was going for a German theme but a few of the things were from Croatia, Switzerland and Greece. The coconut chocolate bar was amazzzzing! I even got a Mothers Day card that's in German. My MIL will like that because she can read it. I had the old german lady that works there translate it for me just to be sure it was in fact a Mothers Day card. It sounded like it had the right amount of sappiness in it so I got it :-) The mustard in a tube is good and the kids think it's funny cuz it looks like a toothpaste. The coffee, the crackers (& swiss cheese), the forest berry jam + the chocolate are all very good. I haven't opened the pickles yet (i'm pretty sure that's what they are even tho I can't read it LOL) I'm so glad the snow is gone so I can get out and explore again and visit some of my favortie places with my MIL

HEINIS http://www.heinis.com/ where you can try all the different cheeses
LEHMANS http://www.lehmans.com/ where it's just fun to shop
AMISH DOOR http://www.amishdoormarketplace.com/category.sc?categoryId=17

and of course Das Dutch Kitchen where they make awesome HUGE creme sticks
and Duane's Uncle Melvins (amish) General Store in Maysville where we (duane's cousins & I) pick on my MIL and buy our meat and cheese, No other state I've lived in has swiss cheese like here :-) I always have a blast there. His cousins are onery. There are lots of fun little places to go that are off the beaten path and not in the tourist brochures. Those places are always the best.

~Finally........

I FINALLY got a dining room rug. It took quite a few returns and one wrong delivery and lots lots lots of trying to make a final decision, but I've finally got a rug. I called the company to make sure that "midnight" meant black and NOT blue before I ordered it, and they assured me that it was black and even in this pic it DOES look kinda sorta black, but IT'S NOT!!!! If you stare at the "black" long enough you can tell it's navy. But you know, after 5 months of trying to get 'the perfect rug' I just don't care anymore. Just a simple braided rug is fine with me. It's not anything like the one I had ordered from overstock, but sometimes simpler is better. Cuz you know I'm gonna change my mind in 5 month anyways :-) I'm off to go sew something.............

~I just can't help myself!!!

......... cuz I think they're cute!!! :-)

Don't worry, I'm just kidding-Ozzy was just eating food, not mickey. I'm smart enough to take the hamster out of the food bowl before giving it to the cat. We took the pic of the 3 amigos just now, look how nice they're being!!! Sheesh Mickey looks as big as a guinea pig!!!

~In case of Emergency.......

Eat this in case of Emergency............( It's all gone, I've needed a bite here and there often the past few days )

Being the brilliant lass that I am, I only buy DARK chocolate so that the kiddos don't get into my emergency stash

~This weeks goodies

Started a new collection of things on my pie-safe. I found this moonshine jug and brown crock at a vintage shop this weekend. The other crock is from my mom and the brown bowl belonged to my Grandma Marshall. I'm eventually going to have Duane put the brackets on the wall with a board for a shelf. They used to be in a doorway at my old house but they just don't seem to work anywhere here. Then I'll HAVE to buy more goodies to go on the shelf :-) hee hee

~A sure sign it's Spring!

A sure sign it's spring.....

Blue skies!!!!! That's a big fat clue :-) That and the amish kiddos have been walking to school barefoot. Most of the amish schools are just about done for the year because it's planting time, which also doesn't require shoes.....



















Another sign it's spring.....
The sap is running, there are sap buckets and bags (they keep the sap cleaner) all over the woods which look sooooo pretty when it's sunny out because they sparkle! (sorry bout the glare on my windshield) The picture doesn't do the buckets justice at all. There are so many that I can only get a bit of them in the pic at a time. I would pull in and take a 'good' pic but it's too muddy and then I'd have to find some amish dude and his horses to pull my car out. Which reminds me.... I was at the dollar general the other day (seriously, quit laughing, it's the only thing closeby) and this young amish fella was totally checking me out!!! :-) I still got it!!!.... that or he was checking me out cuz I had my hair pulled up in a bun. OK Quit laughing!!!

It must be spring because I've busted my springy green purse out of storage. Yay for color!!!!

~Groundhog Squirrel

This is our Squirrel, Hammy. He was sooo fat last fall I thought he was a groundhog at first, until I saw him run up a tree! Winter has taken it's tole on him (that or he's been hitting the gym and dieting) as he's slimmed down a bit. But I'm sure he'll plump back up cuz he was eating corn off our porch today. The cat and dog sat by the glass door staring at him, I think they were trying to figure out what he was :-) There were a couple deer out there today too. Good thing Duane wasn't home! I love that it's spring and all the critters are coming out. I found a lil white snake when I was raking but he was too fast for me to catch. I didn't even mind the spider that crawled by my foot when we were fishing the other day. A sure sign that I've been stuck inside too long and winter has made me go pure nutso.

~Gunners weakness

Be careful if you ever eat pizza at my house. My dog is Coo coo for the crust and he will stare at you like this..... until you give it to him. No manners I tell ya!

~Prayers

My friend Todd Lockyers baby, Gracie is in the hospital & is in need of our prayers. Her story can be found at http://caringbridge.org/visit/graciejeanlockyer This breaks my heart, Courtney had to have heart surgery when she was 3, putting my trust in the Dr's hands is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I don't even have words to express how I feel for them when I think of this lil 1 month old fighting for her life. My prayers are definately with Todd and his family right now.