~Christmas 2009~

WOW, it's over already?!! I am not sure why, but I did not take very many pictures this year. But here are some from Christmas morning...........

My angels in front of the tree with their stockings
Showing a little brotherly love!!
Me and my surprise gift from my mother in law (I have been wanting,drooling, coveting one these for a LONG time!!, now I have one!)
and then I think Gunner and Drake's face sums it all up....(they were pretty excited!)

and I didn't have a picture of Mark, so here is one from vacation :D

Good Christmas.....only 363 more shopping days until we can do it again!

Holy Camo!!!

Look what I now have in my house!!!!!! It is REALLY comfortable though! (they have a couch and loveseat to match :D)

Best Christmas Movie......EVER!!!!!

"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse. "

Back to Realty...

Vacation is over.....Why do they go by so darn fast? Had a great time, sorry it was Vegas, can't talk about it :D...We did have a good time, I did/do have blisters on my feet. Time to start planning the next vacation, this time, I see sandy beaches, sunny skies and cabana boys (Yes, I will get that if I keep dreaming and hoping!!)

Since Vacation is over and it IS time to get back to reality, I guess I better start thinking about christmas. I have a general idea of my christmas dinner menu, but need to fine tune it and then shop for it (and of course then cook it and clean it up). My poor, sad christmas tree is pathetically empty. I guess I better get my butt of the puter and think about getting dressed so I can go christmas shopping. Silly me, I have to go to the mall now, it is almost too late to do my normal online shopping, OY!!!!!

Happy 20th Anniversary....

Again, I am not here actually posting and again, I can only assume (hope) that we are still enjoying our "alone" time. Yes, we are still in Vegas and having a great time......
Today is Mark and I's 20th wedding anniversary. I honestly do not know where the last 20 years have gone. As always, with anything in life, there has been good, bad and ugly. When we met and got engaged, we were both young and had not dated very long. Looking back, it seems like the odds were stacked against us, but here we are. There has been alot that has happened in the those years and other than just staying together, thru the good the bad and the ugly, we have 2 wonderful boys. I think they are the greatest joy! Don't want to get too sentimental, can't tell you what our plans are for evening (maybe will tell you all about them when I get back, or maybe not) I wanted to post a wedding pic from that long ago day, maybe I will when I get back.....

ahhhhhhhhhh....

Sitting at Paris Hotel drinking 2 for 1 martinis (feeling no pain) playing with Marks blackberry. Did I mention feeling no pain? Just finished my last martini ( don't judge it is after noon) headed to a magic/comic show and then Mystere (cirque de whatever) show tonight. Having a ball!!! Sorry no pics allowed, this is vegas!!! BtW I have blsters on my feet from walking...SERIOUSLY!!

Vacation Update....

I am not here, I am just a figment of your imagination. We are still on vacation, alone, just the 2 of us and I am sure we are having a GREAT time! Today we have a tour of the Grand Canyon. Our original plane was to rent a car, drive to the Grand Canyon, spend the night and drive back. For various reasons, we went to plan B (ALWAYS need a plan B). We kinda splurged and are taking an airplane from Vegas to the Canyon, flying over Hoover Dam and some other sights. We will have a ground tour at the Canyon and then fly back to Vegas, at dusk. We are probably taking lots of pictures and having some good "alone" time. Will post actual pictures upon our return.....Having a ball wish you were here! HEHEHEHE

We Interrupt this Christmas Season.....

Because this poster is going on VACATION!!!! Mark and I are leaving (0h about now)on a jet plane for Vegas!!! We will have 6 days of peace, quiet, sin city and each other - OH NO!!- The kids are staying home with Grandma Harrison and we will be all alone. Did I mention alone, just the 2 of us?! :D We will arrive in Sin City about oh beer thirty, just shy of Happy Hour and after a snack, we are off to see Ron White, can't wait. Please don't wake us up on Sunday morning, did I mention it is just the 2 of us? :)...............

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow....

I know this is just wrong, but, hey, what can I say??? I have a twisted sense of humor!

Santa Funny..........

Needed a good chuckle today, I think the Bah Humbugs have set in again.

Civil War - Oregon VS Oregon State

Who is gonna win and who is gonna go to the Rose Bowl. We are a serious house divided......out TV will be tuned to ESPN at 6:00 P.M.. Good night for pizza and kick back for what should be a good football game.

Mark walked in tonight and told Drake a joke "What do you call 40 people watching the Rose Bowl?, what? The Ducks!! HEHEHE, he thought that was soo funny, Drake did not!!

I have my yellow shirt ready, my yellow and green scraf, my "O" earrings and my "O" tattoos, I am ready.......

Our christmas tree is an equal opportunity tree though. Even amounts of Duck and Beaver ornaments. (Beavers in the back, just kidding!)

GO DUCKS!!!

The Stocking are hung by the chimney with care.....

Hey Atleast the stockings are hung too, there may be hope for Santa and presents yet! Tis the season for hope.......
Plus, we have our Chubby snowman plugged in. So far that is the extent of my outside decorations......it's a start...

"It's beginning to look alot like Christmas"....

What a difference a day makes. I am, atleast temporarily, over my bah humbugness. Quick, I better do some cyber-shopping and quick letter typing.....This is how it looks before.......what a mess, why do I have so much stuff.....
and then here is, atleast the tree up and decorated. How sad it looks with no presents under it!!! (even though you can't see the bottom, trust me there is not presents under there)
On a side note, not christmas related. Here is a pic of Gunner with his first goose. He was so excited to pass his test for his goose permit a couple weeks ago, and then got his first goose on Saturday. Its not a very big one, but still it was a goose. (see the smile :D)

Bah Humbug

It is Noon on Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend and I have barely even thought about putting up christmas decorations. Usually I am the one that gets up bright and early on "Black" Friday, not to go shopping (GOODNESS Not on Your Life! nothing I want bad enough for that!), but to put up my christmas decorations, including the tree. I really need to get motivated, I need to find my christmas CD's, put on a little music, turned up really loud, get some boys motivated to help and start decorating!!
The problem with decorating is, then I have to start thinking about presents, and then decide if I am going to do any baking. Have to hound the boys into putting up my outside lights, need to work on christmas pics/letters....OY, I am getting tired just thinking about it. Can we just skip christmas? Plus then you have to take it all done in a month....I just wish I could snap my fingers and my house would be all decorated and everything would done,
but then again, that is the joy of Christmas huh, all the hustle and bustle and the stress and the joy. Give me minute, hour (couple glasses/bottles of wine) and I am sure I will be in the christmas spirit. Now, off to find the damn Christmas CD's :D

I got my new doors, YEAH!!!

Ok, FINALLY, I got my new interior doors and hardware. I am sooo excited, they look sooo nice (except now I see that I really need to repaint!!) Now I really, really want to get the exterior doors replaced. We have talked about it for 2 years, but have not done it yet, maybe this will be the motivation we need :D

Here are pics of the doors and the new hardware. They even changed the handle and hinges on the french doors in our bedroom so they would match. Also, as part of the package, I was able to pick out the hardware and hinges for the exterior doors (they look soo awesome!)

here is the handles......
This is the closet in the living room behind the TV........
and this is the door from the kitchen to the garage and then the closet thingie is where the hot water heater is. It looks sooo clean and bright!! (sorry pics not great, they are off the cell phone.)
All the bedrooms, closets and bathroom have the same doors, handles and hinges.....The only thing I didn't change was the linen closet in the hallway, because they couldn't because it is not truly a door (? - whatever) and then the closet doors in my bedroom. I could have changed those, but the are big and mirrored and really just did not want to mess with them. It was kinda funny, when they were here for the consultation, the installer was trying to talk me into changing them, but I left them........

Anyways, I am sooo sooo happy and they look really nice and I am glad I have them!!

I Love Fall.....

The Leaves are turning (let's forget about the falling part), the days are crisp (let's forget about the raining part) and it's time to drag out all your favorite sweatshirts (hopefully they still fit!).....Must be fall. Of course once Halloween is over then it starts the mad dash for Christmas. Althought isn't there another holiday in there? Thanksgiving or something like that? Seems like there used to be, but now I think it is just a long weekend to eat, sleep and shop (Or like me, this year, WORK - UGH!!).

Anyways, I alway know it is fall, not just because of the rain, or the fallen leaves, or the smashed pumpkins in the street, but because 2 of my favorite things happen......

1st!!! Starbucks starts using their red christmas cups. That also means it is time for their Peppermint Mochas -- YUMMM!!!
2nd!!! Coffemate has their seasonal creamers and my all time favorite of, guess, guess, think about iiiittttt...... PEPPERMINT!!!
I know it is the little things, but both of those make me happy.
Ok, I know get a life!! But Seriously, is it too early to put up my christmas tree???!!!!! (There is only 51 shopping days left until christmas, what are we waiting for?!)

A little Halloween Humor :D

Ok, I give up......

After almost 2 hours of waiting, I surrender and am accepting that I probably won't get to see Garth Brooks in concert in Vegas. I have ALWAYS wanted to see him and the first weekend he is in Vegas is the weekend we are there. I was hoping to snag tickets for the Sunday concert. Oh well.....just have to listen to him on the Ipod

The Weekend is over ALREADY!!???

Where or where did the weekend go?

I can't believe it is Sunday (almost) evening already!!

Yesterday Drake had a football game at 11:00 A.M. It started raining at the beginning of the 2nd quarter and proceed to, not just rain, but POUR buckets until the last minute of the game, literally!! We won't talk about the score, but I did manage to take some pictures from under my umbrella, but my memory card was not in my camera and when I tried to upload them, I lost them!! (that really sucks, trust me!) Poor Mark was doing chains so he was soaking wet!! I had bought a stadium blanket and it, plus the umbrella kept me and Gunner pretty dry, relatively speaking!

We came home, put on dry clothes and proceed to hold down the sectional and the recliner....good afternoon.

Today Mark and Gunner went hunting, I went and bought groceries, came home and ended up doing a mini cooking day....Dinner tonight is homemade French Onion Soup, BBQ Ribs and Twice Baked Potato Casserole. We have ready for the week Sweet & Sour Meatballs, Chicken Enchiladas, Crockpot Chili and in the freezer we have extra Chicken Enchiladas, Stuffed Mexican Shells, Baked Steak Burritos and Mexican Manicotti. It only took me about 3 hours to do all of the above, not much time and boy oh boy is it nice to know it is in the freezer!!!

Nothing else much to report, busy but uneventful week.....so until next time, have a good evening and good week!! (Sorry there are not pictures, but I am still kinda po'd that I lost the ones I took...anyone know how I can searh my puter for them, in case they are on there somewhere??!!))

Ok, here are a couple of misc pics, can't have a post w/o pics, even those the pics have nothing to do with the post :D HEHEHEHEHE (Yes, I nipped the wine bottle for the wine I used in cooking)

"They Call Me Tater Salad".......

As many may know or may not know, this year is Mark and I's 20th Anniversary (plus I turned the dreaded 40 this year, EWWWWWWW). I have been wanting to plan a vacation, but, well heck, life has gotten in the way. I am a firm believer of try, try again, and always have a back up plan or a plan "B". My real wish/desire was to go to Mexico and take the kids but there has been soo much "stuff" going on/happening that it was just not working out. That is where plan B comes in.........

Mark and I have tickets to see Ron White on December 12th, IN LAS VEGAS!!!! Yes, believe it, I was able to convince him to go!! We will leave on the 12th and come home on the 17th. It is not exactly Mexico, but it is a vacation. We will be staying at The Mirage and then we are planning on Wed/Thur renting a car and going to Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. We will actually spend a night at the Grand Canyon and then drive back to Vegas to fly home.

I am really excited (I wonder how decorated it will be for christmas?)!! (The boys are staying home with Grandma Harrison) It won't really be sitting by the pool weather, but it will atleast be warmer than here and again it is a vacation..... I was trying to talk Mark into renewing our vows with an Elvis impersonater, but he wasn't too keen on that idea!.
SO, we will drink, eat, drink, shop, drink, maybe gamble, drink, maybe do that other thing ;), drink, drink some more and just have a really good relaxing time!!

Of course I will still dream of Mexico, sandy beaches, warm sun and cabanas boys bringing me fruity drinks with little umbrellas....We all have to have a dream, right?!

Sports and Injuries.....

Well this is how my day started. Drake was hurt in the 1st quarter of the game (but he made an awesome tackle to stop the touchdown.....). As a mom (or parent) this is never a good thing to see. It was really hard to just sit there...but he is ok, he walked (limped) off the field under his own power. He was not able to play the rest of the game today, a brusied cartlidge or something, but he will be back and ready to go next weekend. (He had hurt his knee this spring in baseball playing catcher, so it looks like he will be back to wearing a knee brace for awhile.) He has had a rough couple of weeks, he has been stung by a bee twice and had sprained his wrist in the 2nd/3rd week of practice. Oy, what I am going to do with him!

Anyways (notice I didn't post a score? well we lost, ok, we got our butts kicked), so on to other topics. Obviously by posting that picture I had to upload pictures from my camera. I have not been very good about posting pictures, so I have updated my shutterfly site and tried to post a bunch of pictures from this summer. It has been a busy one!! Enjoy (can't believe how grown up they are getting!)!! (and yes, Drake really is ok, trust me!)

Shutterfly Website: http://gunneranddrake.shutterfly.com/
Please let me know if this doesn't work or you can't get to the site.

P.S.....

GO DUCKS!!!!!!!


ok and GO BEAVERS!!!!!!!

Where did Summer Go....(and more ramblings)

I can't believe it is fall. Yesterday with the rain was nice, but kinda depressing knowing it is just the beginning.

Summer was busy, did alot, but there was still alot of things I would have liked to do and the last couple weeks have been insane!!!

I think we are all getting back into the whole school routine. Both boys are doing awesome, I am soo proud of both of them. They are both pulling all A's except they both have a high B in math (both are in advanced math..sorry bragging for a moment). Drake has decided to join the Lego Robotics and is really excited about it, I think it will be good for him. Gunner is just kinding laying low, getting a feel for the land and seeing what he wants to do. He doesn't want to get too bogged down yet, so just kinda checking things out (his words).

Football practice takes several nights a week and then Sundays are shot with Football and Baseball games (I think tomorrow is the last baseball game though :D, football goes thru the middle of November). Did finally manage to get my stuff together and have a garage sale (2 actually, long story, not worth repeating). Got rid of alot of stuff (and added some money to the vacation fund, more about that in another post) and got the house straightened up. (I am getting excited for my new doors, can't wait, but then it makes me see/think of all the other things I need/want to do).

Today is opening morning of deer hunting. Gunner was soooo excited, he is legal and ready to shot a deer. He is such a good helper around here and has really helped pick up the slack from his slacker brother that he was rewarded with a new rifle for hunting. Not sure what he got, a Weatherby something or other, he is sooo ready to break it in today......Duck Hunting starts next weekend (Summer Lake), so between hunting and football, once again my weekends are pretty well shot until January, OH WELL, maybe I can get some quilting done :D

I am sure there is lots of things I could/should/need to post about, but I can't remember. I do have a bunch of recent pictures of the boys on my camera, but I would have upload them and then deal with them, so for now they will stay on my camera, but one of these lonely saturday or sunday mornings, I will do it, I promise.

As I sit here in my nice quiet house, all alone (except the doggies), I am thinking of how nice it would be to go plunk my arse on the couch and either watch trash TV (LOVE IT!) or read a book...BUT since it has been, literally, a month of Sundays since I have bought groceries, I think I better go get dressed and head to Costco and the grocery store, sounds cheap and fun huh?!!

Hmmmmm........

So many things I could/should blog about, oh so little time. I would not even know where to start, so not even going to bother. I will post a football schedule below (always possibly subject to change once the rain starts), otherwise, I think this just about sums up, well, everything :D

Wednesday, September 09, 2009 5:00 pm Lebanon High School PW Cowboys - Blue L: 8-26
Sunday, September 20, 2009 12:00 pm Seven Oaks Middle School PW Chiefs - Red
Sunday, September 27, 2009 2:00 pm Seven Oaks Middle School PW Cowboys - Blue
Sunday, October 04, 2009 12:00 pm Sprague High School at PW Bengals
Sunday, October 11, 2009 2:00 pm Seven Oaks Middle School PW Chargers
Saturday, October 17, 2009 11:00 am Lebanon High School PW Raiders
Sunday, October 25, 2009 12:00 pm Seven Oaks Middle School PW Cowboys - White
Sunday, November 01, 2009 1:00 pm Seven Oaks Middle School PW Cardinals

don't have a Fall Ball Baseball Schedule it is subject to change on a weekly basis!....

Until the next millenium when I decide to post, have a good evening! (Happy Birthday Tyler and Happy Late Anniversary Missy and LeRoy!)

Goals For Week

Maybe if I write them down I will be more inclined to get them done. and of course it will be no particular order!!

**Make a list of goals to accomplish (see I am already ahead of the game!)
**Get back into a walking routine (Hmmm, I do own an elliptical....)
**Get Boys off to school (YIKES, High School and Middle School!)
**Upload, order and organize some pictures (I think putting scrapbooking here would be too much to ask)
**Get Hair done
**Get Pedicure, maybe a manicure (I deserve it, wonder if I could sneak in a massage?)
**Meet with Financial person about 401k/pension
**Work on quilt top(s) and tote bag(s), finish a quilt? (NAH, why do that? HAHA)
**Research a vacation (20th anniversay this year, HOLY COW!)
**Clean my bedroom (makes me sound about 14 :D)
**Pack Trailer and buy groceries for Camping -- WAHOO!!!!
**Find stuff, Organize stuff and Think about having a garage sale (Is Sept too late to have one)
**Find out about having wood delivered
**Sit in the sun with a book for an hour, oh wait I can do that camping
**Make Menu, Buy Groceries, Do Laundry, Vacuum, Pay Bills, Dust
**Detail the Expedition (???)

Ok, I think that should get me thru the week.

Karma.

What a Bitch she is!! I don't know what I did to piss her off, but I sure wish she would move on to someone else!! What a week......

I think I'm Ready

For school to start anyways. All school clothes and supplies are bought, New shoes are under the bed, all registered, PHEW!! School clothes shopping was done in a marathon on Saturday. Pretty much everything we bought was on sale, but man oh man my pocketbook took a hit!! Holy Cow!! Drake is really excited for school to start, Gunner's not sure, but it won't take long for him to get in a routine. I will be glad to be back on some kind of a schedule. Although we did get the football game schedule, it is kinda depressing to see every weekend tied up until November, OY! Don't have a baseball schedule yet, oh well.

Well, I finally caved with Drake, bought him a cell phone (yes, his is even purple), WHAT WAS I THINKING!! It is soo funny to see the "newness" of it, just like a new toy....of course it won't be soo funny if he goes over his minutes on texting!!! (I have created a monster!)

About all I know, other than I am ready for a vacation and camping at the coast! I can't believe summer is almost over. Where did it go!?

Craziness!!!!

Where oh where did the summer go. I can not believe the boys start school 2 weeks from tomorrow. 2 WEEKSS!!!!! We had registration this last week, Gunner at the high school and Drake at the middle school. That was a real reality check. How did I get so old? How can I have a Freshman and a 6th grader? I don't feel that old!!! Well school does start soon and guess what?! Little Miss Procrastinator has not bought ANY school clothes yet! I better get to crackin on that. We do have supplies and backpacks (for the supplies I cleaned out a tote I had from the last several years, almost was able to complete Drake's list :D)

Along with the normal, getting ready for school craziness. Drake has started football practice. (He looks so small out there) He is playing up this year and I hope he can make weigh in every week. He is such a twig... That is 4 nights a week for 2 1/2 hours and then they both are playing fall Baseball again (at practice right now as a matter of fact). I know, I know, I said I would not do fall baseball again, BUT, all the games will be in Lebanon (YEAH, no driving to Oregon City EVERY Sunday) and they will be scheduled around football games (YEAH again!) Gunner has decided not to do any other sport this fall, although there have been many that tried to convince him to play football. he wants to concentrate on school (good boy!) Don't know schedules yet for either, other than I do know that Drake's 1st game is Sept. 9th at 5:00 P.M @ Lebanon High School.

That is about all for now. Today was a try to catch up on laundry, buy groceries and get ready for the next week kinda day. That is about all that is going on in our world, just the normal crazy kinda stuff....

Oh yeah, we did go fishing yesterday at Clear Lake and Carmen Reservoir. Both boys caught some fish. It was not as good as when Mark and I went, but they still got to catch some fish. Also, Mark did bring home a Salmom and Halibut last weekend, YUM!!! Going to the coast at the end of the month, hopefully we will get some crab, DOUBLE YUM!!!

Stay cool this week, gonna be a hot one again! Happy Birthday Missy, I know you are either in Vegas now or getting ready to leave, but have a good one, have fun and stay out of trouble (wish I was there):D