Thanksgiving visit

We had a really nice thanksgiving. Dad made it in a little early tuesday and Carlton and his family arrived late wednesday evening. We enjoyed the fried turkey, it was really moist and surpising to me, went well with dressing (smoked turkey does not, so I don't like having it on thanksgiving). Alex and Amanda had a great time and I hope they come stay for a while this summer. Shawn brought Shae over for a while, it was nice for everyone to meet her, they are usually over at Dennis and Rachel's. They also went to her Aunts and then came back. Dennis and Rachel stopped by for a while, but they missed meeting Carleton and Laura.

I have only hunted once this week (yesterday morning) I saw four doe. I shot at one a missed. It was cold and I was sssshhhiiivvering. I pulled or shivered when I shot so I knew I missed her. 3 Other deer ran in behind her. I waited a while and went to check on her and they were all still in the woods right there, oh well, that is hunting! I wanted to go this morning, but was up worrying about school work so I figured it is time to get back to reality. I'm going to have a busy week, well the next few weeks should be busy. I've got to work on my next chapter in reading (and finish reading the first). Do my internet field trip and report, start researching for the 'football stadium' EIS we have to make, study for a quiz in SPED, and work on a project for ecology. And clean the house back up. Oh and get ready for GA's tomorrow. And wrap the presents I bought yesterday.

Rachel, Amberly and I had a nice time shopping yesterday. We left around 11 or so. We only made a few stops and avoided you- oh I mean 'the' crazy people ;-P. We went to Sam's, Show Carnival, Gander mtn., Lowe's and the mall. We made a stop at walmart on the way in for a few groceries and wrapping paper of course. We of course had to eat at Amigo Juan's, although we almost went to red lobster. Rachel and I had a shrimp dish there and it was goooodddd. Amberly got her ears pierced (3rd time's the charm right?). Aeropostale had everything 50-50% off so we got a few good buys there.

It's time now to hit the elliptical hard! I haven't been on it all week, it's been so busy. I've got to really start watching what I eat too. OY-everything is getting tight. OK I better get to work or it would do me no good to skip hunting.... and I want to hunt this evening...

AHHHH

Well it hasn't quite been calgon take me away, and I do have to go to school tomorrow, but I am enjoying the 'break'. I went hunting this morning and this doe came out of the woods and ran along side it (all I could see was the white flag) and then ran and I mean RAN across the line in front of me and immediately back again. It reminded me of the way Bear laps the yard when the weather is cool. She came by again and again and finally someone was following her. I though man she came back fast, but my dh let me know it was a buck. hehe I thought she was playing. Well, the other kind of playing ;-). Then after I waited a while, I heard horns rattling in the woods, I thought they would burst out of the woods at any moment. It was really loud. I knew that sound! I've heard the guys rattle their horns too much, 2 bucks fighting. So I waited and they never came out. that was after about three hours, so then, it was time to pee :P haha. So maybe next time. I enjoyed it though, I would have come in earlier had I not had all that excitement.

So I've been cleaning and cooking the rest of the day. Also trying to straighten out my brother's odd directions to the house. Most of it was right, just street names, but the end of it was just weird. SO I am worn out and will enjoy sitting in my stand this evening because all I will be doing is reading. By the time I get done, dad should be arriving. He should have no trouble finding us, he is from the county1 :-P Shawn also put some deer antlers on the mail box haha. Carleton and Laura will be arriving late tomorrow after dark, so they won't see them. I will do nothing but cooking (and one class tomorrow) for the next few days, but I am happy about it. I love cooking thanksgiving dinner. The xmas decorations someone gave me have made a nice touch to the house. It looks all Christmasy ;-)

It's Beginning to Look at lot Like Christmas...

Well I put up all of my decorations. I lost a lot, so it's basically stockings a tree and one stand of lights outside. I put ribbons on the porch and cut some fresh cedar to make a garland to go across the rail. This year I will use whatever cash I get to buy Christmas decorations when they go on sale. It's going to be fun starting over and buying stuff for the house, even if it takes me a while. I will have to break down and go ahead and buy a strand or two of lights for outside. The last few years I wasn't very interested in decorating, but I am ready to get back into it! I'll have to find some other creative ways to decorate.

I'm really sore this morning, I am going to have to try to get out on the road at least twice a week. The elliptical is good, but it is not the same, lol. OUCH. I just pray my feet will cooperate. They seem better, but I will have to take it slow. I'll start once a week and see how that goes.

I'm ready for thanksgiving, the next few days will be spent cleaning and cooking. My dad is coming, along with my brother and his family. We will have a fried turkey and a baked turkey with all the standard trimmings. Depending on how long my dad stays friday, we may go to the movies friday afternoon.

Listening to the news it sounds like major changes for the health care plan. Hopefully that public option will just come out. I'll have to research and see what else needs to change. I think they are finally understanding that there are a lot of Americans that do not want this. Why they don't make changes in the areas that need it (like lawsuits that jack up the price of health care) I just don't understand.

Ready for a break

I am ready for next week. It will be nice to have a break. Once today is over I am sort of on break, we have class monday (and technically wednesday, but I'm not going at least not to the night class). I have one project (as of right now anyway) to work on, but it is basically entering data, well and research for another, but I think it can wait. More expenses this week for homecoming pictures. OY it's getting to be every week.

They are refusing to fix our heat. Joy. What good is a home warranty if they don't pay? We are getting a partial refund because they obviously were the wrong company to go with. They have been awful from the get go. I'm also having a terrible time getting my last observation scheduled. It was due today, but she gave us an 'extension' of the 30th, which is basically a two day extension because everyone is out next week. I am hoping and praying I can somehow get in and do it this afternoon... It's due the monday after thanksgiving.

Ya'lls blogs aren't updating again and RSS isn't working either hmm....

BRRRR

It's a tad cold out. BRRRR I was so cold after spending the afternoon in the cemetery with the wind whipping yesterday, that I didn't sit on my deer stand and there was deer all over the place. There were 3 behind the dam and I shot a doe, but I hit her in the back leg and she got a way. I would rather miss than hit one and it just run off and die somewhere. I'm going to bare the cold this morning and take my flash cards with me to the blind. I'm not sure I can study enough for this next ecolgy test. The amount of information is ridiculous. I think there is 3 pages of lists alone. It's not difficult material to understand at all, really commmon sense stuff, but I am not good about pulling lists out without purposefully committing them to memory. The last test was easier than I thought, so I just keep telling myself that. I need to do really well on my reading test also. I plan on taking it thursday as I will spend most of today and the morning on ecology. I also have a presentation in Forensics wed. evening. I have to decide if I am going to the 5K saturday or staying home and hunting. Blake was plannig on going, so I probably need to go with him. I just hope it's not too freezing. I haven't run on the road since I got my elliptical, so I am not sure how it will go.

nice weekend

Shawn & I had a really nice evening last night. I won't go into details ;-) but evenings at home make the best dates. We sat on the swing and talked for a long time. That was very nice. No interruptions! Saturday morning we hunted and I missed a doe. I just got in a hurry, I'm not used to having time. We went back out this morning, but we didnt' see anything. I might go back out in the morning since Shawn jr. will be off and can help me if I get lucky. I managed to pull my back friday messing with the table for the puppet show. It is some better today, but I need to get on the heating pad again.

I'm just enjoying some chai tea and going over some flashcards for reading, then I may do some laundry and sit on the swing after I get on the heating pad. I think I am going to take two electives online so I only have statistics for the summer. I'm a little leary because I have a class that is all researched based, but I know I could handle another internet class this semester. I decided against taking the nutty professor every day. That is just too much of him. So I will be there for 12 hours on mondays 10-12 class 1-3 class and 6-10. Then I will have a class at 3 on tuesday wed will be the same two morning classes and then thursday and friday off. Two classes will be internet. The only way I see that changing is if the easy guy is teaching statistics, then I will take it instead of one internet class. It will probably be a boring class too.

school, hunting season...

We went and finally did the puppet show early this morning. I didn't get home till 10:30-10:45 last night, so I got in the bed late. I had to take some cough meds, so I was surpised when I woke up at 4 am. That sure made for a tiring day. I didn't get all my groceries, just enough to get by, so that means another stop or too. Of course, I have to do thanksgiving shopping still. I did get a HUGE turkey. It might be too much, my brother is going to fry a small one and this one is like 20 lbs. Walmart had turkeys for 40 cents a pound but they were out and I was too exhausted to stop and see if Ashdown had any, so the big one will do. I had planned on a ham, I guess I could just get a small one or just not have ham.

My back has been hurting all week and today my chest a little. The doctor said not to worry about it since I am not running fever, that i might have a little pleurisy. It doesn't feel like pleurisy(the 'someone is stabbing me' feeling everytime you breathe is hard to miss!), but I guess if it is mild maybe it's different. Or maybe I am just sore, but I am taking mucinex just to be sure. I am ready for deer hunting tomorrow, then studying. Then Sunday I finally get to go to church. ;-)

Blake and I are going to the Turkey Trot 5K on the 21st. I have been back on the elliptical every day. I'm really enjoying it. I plan on doing 'road running' once a week. Hopefully my feet can tolerate that and I can get back to my long runs. I will try it probably sunday evening. I assume we won't have evening service. I guess I will do my 'run' on the eliptical tonight if we don't have to run around. There was no energy this morning after only a little sleep. We all know I need my sleep!

I almost forgot to mention DH& I are having our date night saturday. Shawn is planning it. (I've waited for his turn for a few years now, lol). The kids are going to friends or relatives so we can have the house to our self. Nights in are really the best dates!

let thing eyes look RIGHT ON

"Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee." Prov 4:35

Christmas is coming

I am 'well' now, at least enough that it is time to get back to work. (still coughing and congested) I managed to go to school yesterday, but it sure wore me out. It is funny now that I thought I would go to school thursday. I shouldn't have even gone wednesday(because of germ spreading), but thurs. morning I thought I could suck it up and go. I wasn't even in shape to be driving. LOL Hopefully, tonight I can stay up past 6. I have been sleeping for 12 hours at a time. Finally this morning, I woke up at 4 (after going to bed sleep around 7). I'll have to try to stay up tonight.

I'm not really behind, but I have to get busy study for my upcoming tests so I have time to hunt and do GA's this weekend. I'm really getting ansy about finishing up. I am ready to graduate and focus on other things in my life. I look back and wish I hadn't quit when I did, but I also realize my family needed me, so no regrets. I think I'm going to suck it up and take the nutty professor so I can take all days next semester. That leaves me only with one day to deal with how Amberly gets home (i'll get home about 5),but also only one day for homework during the week or to sub. I was hoping to get called in to sub today, I can use the money for Christmas, but I'll take whatever they send.

I was pretty upset with my Sped professor for not telling me I could submit my report via email on thursday. She waited until sunday to tell me that and it's supposed to be docked 10 pts per day. I was steaming hot. She wound up counting off 11 pts. I guess 10 pts for being late and 1 pt for something ? I got a 100 on the last one.

Amberly is ready to put up the Christmas tree. I could almost let her if it didn't get in the way after awhile. I am excited about the holidays this year. Things will be tight, but this will be our first thanksgiving/christmas in the new house. I have family coming on thanksgiving and will have our Christmas Eve gift exchange here also. There might not be much under the tree this year, but I think it will be the best one ever. :-) I haven't even wanted to decorate in years, but I sure want to now. I will have to be creative because I don't have many decorations. I will hopefully stock up during the after christmas sales.

Well I have to find out what to study for SPEd and study for ecology, then reading. Then I need to work in the house and do some major catching up. The family helped some, but you know how that is, there are some things that only mom gets done.

OH PS Freckles is potty trained, PTL. We still keep her kenneled at night, but as soon as it is dry consistently in the morning, we'll try leaving her out at night.

just stuff

Felt much better yesterday, even managed to get to the ball game, but this morning my chest is not real happy. My vaporizer quit working on me and it is a vital essential when I have a cold. I can usually keep it at bay with mucinex and a vaporizer. Hopefully, I will get a new one today and keep with the mucinex and clear it out and not let it get worse. I don't think I have bronchitiis yet, and I want to keep it that way.

DH took Amberly hunting. She is getting more into hunting. I just heard a shot so I hope she hit one. That would be great. I hope to hunt a bit come rifle season. I got to sub in foreman this week and it was really nice. They might have went easy on me since I was new, but the kids were great. The atmostphere was so different than Ashdown. I had Mrs. Womble's class and all we had to do was read and/or do study hall, which can be difficult because the kids are really doing anything, but I only had to say something to the kids in one period, and it was all boys. It was just like the way school was when I was growing up. In Ashdown, you can't really let your kids have the freedom to go to the bathroom or just get up and get a drink of water (at least at the HS, the junior high is not that tight), and it was nice to not have to be so strict. I know some have had trouble there and it is not perfect, but it's really a much better environment than many other public schools.

So football it over. It was a tough game. Shawn made a lot of fumbles (both this game and the last, he doesn't usually do that) and he was throwing up by half time. I am glad in a way that the season is over, but we will miss it. I really enjoyed it this year, more than ever before. I guess we will watch the other boys next year, at least the home games. The stand were packed though, it's really nice the way everyone (well with the exception of one kids parents who were dogging the coaches) supports the team. I think next year will be better.

Lots of work to do this week. Everything is coming due at the same time, reading test, ecology test (with 4 ppt's now UGH- like 200 slides) , that big Forensics project and I'm still trying to get that last observation done. It's is also close to the end of the semester, the end is in sight after this next push. Still debating on classes, but I am getting closer to deciding. Better hurry, early registration is next week...

Day 2

Day 2- I did the workout 1 today, which is what I had DH do. I think I will do a different one each day. I wanted to do one last night, but I don't want to burn out. Poor DH thought he was doing so good yesterday because he ate a Filet O Fish at mcDonalds. I had to burst his bubble, those things are as bad as hamburgers and worse than some. Men really do need some hand holding don't they! So today is buying tires, cleaning house and some school work. I'm hoping to find a mini term class at commerce online, so checking that out too, OH and calling AGAIN on my heat, they didn't call back and are really dropping the ball.

Lovin that elliptical

I got to work out on the elliptical this morning. Did 30 minutes on a preset workout. It's not *quite* as 'heavy duty' as gym quality, but I was able to workout on it full on. Considering how much Gym one's are, I think this was a pretty good deal. Amberly has been on it twice already, lol. So today I am going to also start watching what I eat, well i've been watching it, just watching it all go to my hips, lol. I am busting out of everything. If I hadn't bought those 2 pair of jeans a size up this summer I would be running around naked ;-p. Not a pleasant site as Amberly so kindly told me this morning after I pulled off my shirt while on the elliptical.

I pretty well have my schedule set for Spring. I think I already posted it??? hmmm I won't repost it, I think I already said so. I'll be so glad to have my Wed. back. I hope to hear from the principal in NB, I don't want to call again, but she is going to start docking points if I don't get it set. I also have to call on the heat. We haven't heard a word :/