Friday, July 30, 2010

My View From Here

So far my vacation has been a lot of sitting on the deck of the house which sits right on the beach.  Soaking in the sun, playing in the sand, splashing in the water, taking long walks on the beach, relaxing, snapping photos, searching for shells, laughing, eating, napping, having fun, sharing stories, watching the dolphins at play, and the pelicans soar and search for fish, singing late into the night, and catching up with family.  In other words, just perfect! 
I did do a couple of photo shoots, that was fun too!  Nothing stressful, just family fun.  
Now on to the next leg of the vacation with the rest of the family.  I could get used to this...

Friday, July 23, 2010

Finally Friday!

It has been a long and busy week and I am ready for a break!  Good thing that I have one coming.  That's right, as of tomorrow I am off for vacation.  I will be heading south for a family reunion.  We will all be meeting up on the Outer Banks for a week of fun in th sun, surf and sand and a lot of nothing much to do!  Here:



Don't hate me, I deserve it!  Truly, I do.  Besides, I will be sharing two very large houses with my family which consists of: me and hubby (who will only be there for 2 nights!), Mom & Dad from Florida, Sis & BIL from OH with their 2 girls (17 &16), Sis and BIL from VT with their son & daughter (15 & 11), Sis from VT with her son & daughter (12 & 9) , Sis and SO from CA with her sons (17 & 13) Bro and SIL from CA, withOUT their 3 sons (Daniel passed away this past Spring) and Bro and SIL from CA with their daughter (23) their son and DIL won't be able to make it either.  Sadly my kids can't come.  Michelle can't get off work-Tim couldn't either.  Anyway, it's going to be crowded, but fun!

I'll return home on Thursday, unpack, clean clothes and re-pack as then we will be heading out for a wedding in Erie, Pa.  Jim, myself, Michelle & Bella.  Timmy will stay at the house for us while we are gone and take care of the dogs and such.  Our nephew is getting married on Saturday, so we are heading up there for the wedding.  Busy, busy!

So, if you don't hear from me for a while, that is where I will be. 
I don't plan on taking my computer with me to the beach, sand and all.  But, if someone else has one, you may just hear from me, but who knows!

Until then...

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Sunday Fun!

Last week Jim had taken Bella to the Land of Little Horses in Gettysburgh, Pa. for the day.  On the way there they saw some monuments and passed the Boyds Bear Factory.  That evening at dinner Bella asked us if we didn't have any other plans, if maybe on Sunday we could all go to Gettysburgh as a family and go to Boyds Bear and see some monuments. Well Jim and Michelle were all over that!  They both love to go look at those old monuments.  Me, well I've seen them before.  Lots.  They have too, but still they never seem to tire of seeing them.  But I was a trooper and went along and had a good time, despite a bit of a migraine that had been hanging on for days. 

Our first stop was the Boyds Bear Factory.  That place is really quite something.  It is a four story barn that is just full of bears!  There are different vignettes all over, Noah's Ark, jungle theme, patriotic, Christmas, baby, etc.  Really cute.  Upstairs you can 'adopt' a bear in the nursery-that starts at $50 a bear or you can build your own 'critter' for starting at just $20.  Bella really wanted to adopt but we talked her into creating her own.  Not that we have anything against adoption,  but I think we will have to save up for that!
Working on her 'Critter'
Ginger the Giraffe
In the pajamas Bella choose for Ginger
All boxed up and ready to go!

Then we went to see a few of the monuments.  We didn't do too much, but we did make it to Devil's Den and Little Round Top and a few other sites.  Bella loved to look a them and was especially interested in the monuments that looked like men or horses.  Of course, she loved the castle! 

We saw a group of tourists taking a tour of the battlefields on Segways, that was something that we had not seen before and that looked kind of fun.  Might like to try that out.  I've always wated to do the tour on horseback though, I think that might be fun.  Jim said that the horses would take one look at him and claim they were off duty.  Ha!  
 It was a hot day, but there was a nice breeze so it wasn't too bad.
Atop the rocks at Devil's Den
Even after all the years of going here though, it still gets to me.  The beauty of this place, the sacrifices made here, the number of men who died here, it is staggering. 

We ended our trip with lunch at Dobbins Tavern in the heart of Gettysburgh.  We ate in the Springhouse, which is downstairs and is nice and cool.  The Rev. Dobbins built the house and a school on 300 acres he bought for his family, he lived there with his wife Isabella with whom he had ten children.  She died an early death and he later married a woman who had nine children of her own!  Can you imagine!
Anyway, later the home was used as a 'station' for runaway slaves on the "Underground Railroad" and the house is a museum to that today.  Its pretty neat! 
Lunch was good too! 

It was a very pleasant day and it was a lot of fun to see how Bella was interested in everything.  She wanted to know about the war and why we had it.  I don't know how much she could understand, but it will sink in given time.  What's funny is that night we adults were all worn out and she was raring to go.  She usually goes right to sleep, but she just laid in bed with those big brown eyes wide open for a long time.  Have to wonder what she is thinking about sometimes!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Carole King sang it...

'I feel the earth move under my feet.'  And that my friends is what was the big topic of discussion around these parts on Friday.  Did you feel it?  Did you hear it?  What was it?  An earthquake!  That's right, an earthquake-right here in Maryland.  A very rare occurance indeed, but one that we may live to see again, or not.  Not a very big earthquake in comparrison to California terms, only a 3.6 on the richter scale, but an earthquake non the less.  The largest in this area since they have begun to keep records of these kinds of things anyway.
Friday morning everyone was talking about it.  So I'll tell you my experience.  I was awakened about 5:00 am on Friday morning by a loud noise and I sat bolt upright in bed and looked around.  The dogs were sleeping on the floor, Jim had left for work and the girls were still asleep in their beds.  The house was still and quiet again, so I laid back down and fell back to sleep.  That is my entire earthquake experience, and that was quite enough.  No damage, no injuries, just a loud rumble and a little shake. 
So that was Friday's excitement.  California can keep it.
Now an update on Tim.  He finally saw a doctor!  We nagged him and nagged him but it wasn't until his girlfriend told him to go to the doctors did he go, but he went which is all I care about.  Anyway, he went in and told the doctor that he'd been hit by a car and he knows he should have come in sooner, but he didn't, could he just take some x-rays or something and tell him what was wrong.  The doctor seemed to know he was dealing with a hard headed young man and told him he should have gotten stitches in the laceration in his head (which he hadn't told me about), but it was too late to stitch now, his exam also revealed three broken ribs, a broken finger, and foot and a badly bruised knee.  He trussed him up like a turkey, gave him a note and sent him on his way. My poor, hard headed boy!  Makes me want to stroke his head before I  knock some sense into it! Ha!  Just kidding...Sort of.
  

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Momma's Boy

I am a mother.   MOTHER. 
                                                       MOM.
                                           Ma.
                                                                                   MoMMy.                                                        
 Wikipedia defines a mother this way:  A mother is a woman who has, conceived, given birth to, and raised a child.[1] Because of the complexity and differences of a mothers' social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to define a mother to suit a universally accepted definition. The masculine equivalent is a father.

And although I might take issue with the last sentence in that statement, that is a whole other post in and of itself!


By any name, it means the same.  It helps to define who I am, who I have grown to be, who I live to be.
Can't escape that title, nor would I wish to.  It is something from which we as women, never outgrow.  Once we become a mother, it is a title that we will always carry no matter how old our children get, no matter where they go, what they do, who they become, or God forbid, they should leave this world.  We are always a mother.  The worrying never ends.  Oh sure, it may change a little through the years but it never quite goes away.  Think back to when you were pregnant, your worried that you ate the right things, that the baby be healthy, that you might have an easy labor, what we didn't know was that was the easy part.  Then when they were born, you worried about keeping them safe, your worries became more real, more grounded, it was hard to keep them safe.  Safe from illness, hurt and pain, you worry that you will raise them well, that people won't cringe when they see your child coming, that he won't be known as the terror of the neighborhood, that he/she be a good person and grow to love and know God, be moral, be of good character, hold tight to what is true, to their beliefs.  Some of those things never change, nor does our worry.   
Which brings me to this-
My boy, my son, my child.

Keep him in your prayers today if you will.  Last night he was involved in a bit of an accident, pedestrian vs. car- he being the pedestrian.  He claims to be the victor, I have my doubts.  He was tossed onto the hood of the car and actually broke the windshield of the car with part of his body, I am assuming it was his head knowing as I do, that that is the hardest part of his body, but I am not certain.  He did not go to the hospital instead he went to work, where they promptly sent him home being that they have you know, a brain in their head! 
But  he's okay and I should not worry, he had two waiters check him out- one is an EMT and the other a nurse.  That's encouraging.  Really. 
Or you know- Not! 
I asked him to come home so Mom could love on him.  He said ' Oh come on Mom, that's gross!' 
Gross?  While I beg to differ, I won't argue with him at this time, but I am saving some loving up for the next time, just you wait and see. 
Guys.  Ugh!  Why must they be so stubborn, so bull-headed, so, so, Guyish?!
Trust me, if that had been my daughter she would have had an ambulance take her to the hospital and made sure that if it was driven by cute guys that they carried her stretcher like a throne while feeding her peeled grapes and tasty IV bag, and the driver kneel before her like a suppliant begging for a second chance.  She would have been strong, but not taken any chances.
OK, well that's probably more me than Michelle, she might have fought it too but you get my point.
This driver hit my kid, with a car for crying out loud.  She should have insisted that he be checked out by medical personnel and not taken any chances.  Bet she's not a mom!
So anyway, say a prayer if you will.  That he is safe, that he is healthy, that his  head heals because we know there must be something wrong with it since he won't listen to his MOTHER!!
That's all I have to say.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Weekend Recap!

I'm a day late in posting this, but so what! 
Friday night Michelle and I went to see Eclipse.  It is the third in the Twilight saga for those of you who have been living in a cave.  It was good, mostly enjoyed my time with Michelle.  The movie theatre sure was crowded though.  It was the opening day for Despicable Me and we went to the 8:15 showing of Eclipse and there was a long line for the next seating of Despicable Me!  Jim had taken  Bella to see it earlier in the day and they both really liked it.  Jim said that he would readily see it again, and that is saying a lot!

Saturday I felt kinda lazy and didn't feel much like getting up.  I just laid on the couch for a while watching cartoons with Isabella.  I finally got up and decided to do something so I painted the mud room!  I have wanted to get started on that project for so long now but just have not found the time, so I figured I might as well get going on it.  I got it all taped up and then did the cutting in a took a break, working in a small room like that it gets hot very quick!  Once I was able to start rolling, it went very quickly.  I finished and got all cleaned up and had just gotten out of the shower when Jim got home from work.  Bella practically dragged him in to show him what I had done. 

Then Jim surprised me by asking what my plans were.  I said that I didn't have any, that I had just talked to Durinda.  He casually asked what she and Andy were up to and when I replied nothing much he said good, lets go see them.  So after a little convincing, we packed a bag and jumped in the car and headed on down to Williamsburg to see them.  Got there and Durinda was waiting for me with an ice cold glass of Sangria, how's that for Southern hospitality?!  M-mmm!  We had a great time!  Had a real nice dinner together and I got to totally drool over Durinda's new craft room.  OMG!!  It is just to die for!  Gorgeous!  Durinda designed it herself and it is just beautiful, very well appointed, comfortable and elegant-just like Durinda!
Sunday morning we went to breakfast and then spent some time shopping before Jim and I had to head up the road for home again.  It was sure a nice albeit brief, get away.  Thanks so much you two!

It was nice to get home on Sunday and see Bella though, as she was very happy to see us!  Michelle too I think.  We were able to unwind a bit before it was time to fix dinner and get ready for Monday morning to roll around and the week to begin again.

Monday, July 12, 2010

What did you do?

I've thought about this a lot question a lot, wondering over and over how best to respond.  It might seem like a simple enough question on the surface.  But trying to find a way to respond that is best for me and the person questioning can be difficult. 

Let me start at the beginning for you, where this begins anyway.  Muscular Dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy to be specific.  It is important for me to state that I am not at all embarrased by my disease nor am I in any way ashamed, nor do I feel like I have a particular burden in life to carry.  It simply is what it is.  "Myotonia is a symptom of a small handful of certain neuromuscular disorders characterized by the slow relaxation of the muscles after voluntary contraction or electrical stimulation. Generally, repeated effort is needed to relax the muscles, and the condition improves after the muscles have warmed-up." So, for me this often results in a fairly significant limp or staggering gait, until my muscles have warmed-up or been able to relax.  I can't control it and I don't know when it is going to happen, it is nothing that I can feel in advance.  So it is very noticible.  I have been known to stumble occasionally, although rarely fall.  Sometimes I have no limp at all, sometimes I limp a lot.  So, the question(s) often comes up: "What did you do?" "Did you hurt yourself?" "Are you okay?" or the dreaded comment about my age!  So how do I respond?  How would you? 

I have tried to defer with the 'I'm fine' or waving away the question with a smile and a wink, like I have a sceret or was caught in the act or something.  But more often than not especially at work, the questions persist.  'Really, can I help you? Should you be doing that' and on, and on.  Because I know the questions come mostly from a place of concern I am not bothered by them, it is not that people are nosey but concerned.  And so I answer as best and as simply as I can.  I say that nothing is wrong that I have MD and my muscles are a little stiff but that they'd loosen up in time and I'd be fine.  But then, more often than not it happens, the person in question mumbles something about not knowing, averts their eyes and tries to make a quick escape.  I have embarrased them, leaving them to feel as though they have opened a door best left unopened.  My intent of course is not to make anyone uncomfortable meerly to answer their question.  I don't want to lie and say that I hurt myself or something of the like as that just doesn't seem right.  I am direct and choose to answer that way yet I don't wish to make anyone feel badly.  I don't tell the truth to engender sympathy because I don't  need sympathy.  I am living well it just happens to be with Muscular Dystrophy.  I have been extraordinarily Blessed in my life and have nothing to feel sorry for myself for. I work hard at being a good steward of God's love, a hard worker, and the best that I can be.  Sometimes it is difficult to live with the pain I wont lie, but I really don't think that I have ever thought of myself as having been cursed or saddled with this disease nor have wished that it was someone else instead of me.  It is me and I don't mind talking about it.  I try not to bore people with the details, but if you ask I might tell you. So, why does it make people so uncomfortable?  Is there a better way to answer that question?  What would you do?  If you were to ask me that question, how would you like for me to answer you? 
I'd really like to hear from you.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

From the Mouthes of Babes

Last night I got home from work exhausted.  Bone tired.  After dinner I said that I was going to go  upstairs and get into my pajamas.  Michelle said I looked too tired to go up the stairs myself and offered to go and get my pjs for me and bring them down.  I thanked her for the offer but declined and said I'd go up myself.  So Jim chimed in and asked if I needed help, to which I said sure.  Now it was Bella's turn to chime in.  She turned to Jim and said "You shouldn't talk like that in front of a kid! Mom!"  When Jim started for the steps (heading for his office by the way) she looked at Michelle and said "He never listens to me!"  I have to wonder what she is thinking.  Later when I joined her in the family room she said "That's outstanding GaGa!"  I asked her what was outstanding because I didn't know what she was referring to and she went on to give me the definition of outstanding.  Ha!  She must think she lives with a bunch of dim wits.

Anyway, here are a few more layouts I completed of my favorite subject.
Strawberry Picking, May of This year!


This one is from a random pictures I took last summer.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

How about some creativity?

So I was telling the truth when I said that I did some scrapbooking over the long weekend.  I finally got to it and it felt good.  So here are some pages for you!
4th of July 2009! Only a year behind, ha!

Busch Gardens, August 2009

December 2009, Out of Order!

March 2010, Bella's Stage Debut

These are four of my layouts, more to come!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Busy, busy, busy...

My weekend was full of fun and excitement!  We had a good time.  Spent Saturday evening in downtown at the creek watching the silly boats cruise the creek.  Then walked around the downtown shops and such enjoying the entertainment  and the beautiful night. 
Bella even got to meet Uncle Sam!   We stopped at Ben and Jerry's and got a cool treat, yum!  I kept it low-calorie though and got fat-free sorbet which if their label is correct is 2 points per scoop.  It was light and refreshing too!  We walked around for about four hours though and by the time we got home I felt like a train wreck and quickly got in the hot tub hoping to ease the aches and pains that were making their way to every part of my body.  Ugh!  Old age realy is not for the faint of heart!
Sunday we headed up to Crumland Farms and let Bella play around there for a few hours.  She had a bunch of fun but the heat was too much.  After a while we had to head back home to get a reprive from the heat.  We rested up and cooled off for a while before we headed back out to the Park.
My All American Cutie!
Once at Baker Park we were overwhelmed by the amount of stuff there.  There were all kinds of rides, demonstrations, activities, food, music, games, anything that you can imagine.  We stayed there for a while and had fun.  It was just soooooo HOT!  The mercury hit 98 and when you factor in the humidity, it was unbearable.  Then Bella went on a ride that spun her around & around and when she got off she wasn't feeling her best and wanted to go home.  She didn't look so good either, so we headed back to the car. 
Once home we had a chance to shower and change out of our wet, sticky clothes and have dinner before we headed back down to the park for our concert.  It was far too hot to see all of the concerts that were down there, but we did go back to see Lee Brice.  He put on a great show and at one point called Jerrod Niemann on stage with him to sing a song that the two of them had written together.  It was a lot of fun, and the crowd was wild! 
After the concert was over we went home without waiting for the fireworks.  Bella made it clear that she did not want to hear them and we were not in a rush to fight the crowd that was sure to be fighting their way out of the park area after the display, so it was all good.  We went home and watched A Capitol Fourth on TV in our nice air conditioned home! 
Monday Jim had to go back to work and we girls slept in, especially Isabella.  She didn't wake up until 9:00 and then she wasn't ready to get out of bed so she turned on her TV and stayed in bed for another hour or so!  She was one tired little girl.  Though we had thought about staying in our pajamas all day, we did eventually get dressed because I had to make a run over to A.C. Moore to pick up a package of brads that I needed to complete a layout that I was working on.  Yes, I did scrapbook yesterday!  Believe it or not and I have the pages to prove it.  But I'm not going to post them until tomorrow-make you come back and see. 
I got several layouts done and really thought I was making some headway in getting caught up, that is until Michelle let me know otherwise.  She very carefully went through my album (at my prompting) and wrote down what events I had yet to scrapbook.  When she had filled one full page and hadn't gotten to 2010 yet, she asked if she could stop!  Oh well, if I was caught up what fun would that be!  Right? 
Be back tomorrow....

Friday, July 2, 2010

Happy Independence Day!

I am excited to have a three day weekend ahead of me!  Currently we don't have too much planned, and that's okay with me.  Usually our weekends are so jam packed that I barely have time to take a deep breath, so a laid back couple of days sounds good to me. 
Last year we took Isabella to a local farm where they had their first 4th celebration for kids.  She loved it and would like to go back.  It is during the day on Sunday, so we will probably do that in the morning when they open before it gets too hot.  They have pony rides, farm rides, slides, animals, that kind of thing and she had fun.  Saturday evening is float parade at Caroll Creek, which is a fun way to kind of kick off the holiday weekend so maybe we'll go down there for a while.  The city has so many things going on and most of it is free or very little cost.  I just may find myself hanging out at the park on Sunday.  Doesn't hurt that these three will be there:
Justin Neiwman                                           Josh Thompson
Lee Brice
They will all be singing on the country stage in Baker Park.  Different times, but they'll all be there! 
So, we have plenty of options but no solid plans.  I like it like that!
I would like to get some crafting time in-that would be fun and different. I'd also like to clean my house, not so much fun but different.  Ha!  Jim is working on Saturday and Monday, so the runnning around from place to place will be done on Sunday because that is what he likes to do.  (I much prefer to sit on my bum and relax!)  He never seems to tire of going places, I guess I should be grateful for that.  Fireworks will be viewed on the television, we learned our lesson with Isabella at the baseball game-she does not like to hear the fireworks.  She would much rather watch them on TV.  Fine with me!
Overall, I am just happy to have a few days off with no traveling to do, no appointments to keep, no company coming.  Just family time.  If I don't want to put makeup on, I don't have to.  Not like that's going to happen, but you get the idea anyway. 
So what are your holiday plans?  Going away?  Staying home?  Fireworks?