I had a dream last night that Dan convinced me I needed to join the Coast Guard. Because I am actually to old to join I was put on board which ever boat he was stationed on to do my boot camp while we were underway. It only took sitting on my bunk bed, and trying to figure out what we would do with the kids to realize I made a total mistake. I was so mad at him for thinking this was a good idea. The next thing I remember is buying draft beers from a Tiki hut on the beach. Sick dreams are so weird.

Our vacation was fantastic. Withrop was nice, but we ended up in Twisp at the Idle-a-while Motel. It was dated, but in good shape. I would recomend it to anyone who wanted to save a buck or two. They even had an indoor hot tub. I wish we had gotten to use it.
We ate at the River Grill, and Three Finger Jacks, both had excellent food. The peanut butter bells at the candy store were to die for. The museum was closed so next time we will check dates a little closer. We drove a bunch of primative roads and took lots of pictures. I am considering the start to a photo journal type of thing. In hard copy. Since I work at a print place I might as well take advantage of putting together a book of the best pictures I have taken. A photo blog would be cool too. DAN.....

My life has been way to hecktic over the last couple months to do much posting. We had our renters in Florida move out, new ones move in, a couple months with Mike in the trailer, the well pump replaced, the deck cave in, a sucessful birthday party for Dan, my work schedule changed, and changed again, we got a dog, planted flowers,...Now we are planning a weekend vacation since I think I will be having every other Saturday off, well for this month atleast. We are ready for the break!

Dan is doing some kind of break in at work, CPO, or CDO, or COD, or some three inital title that means something to the people he works with, and will be gone for three day stints so he can qualify by the begining of November. Its only bad when it happens over my two days off in a row, Sunday and Monday. If you tack Saturday to the front of that, which is only a 4 hour day at work, I get to be alone with my kids non-stop for almost 3 days with no relief. I know why people drown their kids. I can't wait until they are in public school.

My mother has bought tickets from my family to visit over the Christmas holiday. We, Chet, Lela, and I for sure, will be heading to Panama City on the 15th of December and will be staying until the 25th. I will not have been home for a year and a half. I am excited to show my children off. They have grown so much. Lela is talking up a storm, and Chet is becoming a little boy. I have actually caught him combing his hair in the bathroom mirror, and he recognises his numbers and can spell and read his name. I know this isn't a huge mile stone for most 4 years olds, but it is for mine. I think he may actually be ready for kindergarten next fall.

Dan and I are doing good despite the demise of relationships all around us. I guess we are finally to that age where we know more married people than unmarried people, which leads to knowing more and more couples seperating. I am so glad I have someone that has grown and changed with me. I doubt 7 years ago he was any more interested in planting flowers than I was, or creating a farm on Whidbey. I still want to kill him sometimes, but I think we all feel that way about the ones we love the most.

We are now in the process of applying for the DOD buy back program. There is a stack of paperwork to be filled out, and records to be aquired, but I have my fingers crossed that we will be rid of our Florida house before next summer. I have drawn up plans to add some square footage on to our Whidbey house and think we can be ready to get going on it soon after our other house sells. I am planning on taking the living room out four feet or so to where the edge of the front deck is now, and making a real addition out of half the sun porch where I will be moving my dining room table. We also hope to be making a patio where the current deck is in the back yard since we have determined it to be unsafe. All and all it will only add 140 square feet or so, but a couple much needed solid walls for my buffett and our television.

Saturday, VACATION!!! I have left a message for a two bedroom cabin in Winthrop, and asked if it had a kitchenette or not. I am planning on feeding the family breakfast (Dans job) and dinner (my job) and only eating out for lunch in order to save some extra cash. We will also be bringing a case of beer to give us something to do while the kids fall asleep inside. The dog will be coming with us. I figure she will be staying in the car a good amount of the time. The high is 50 degrees so I don't figure she will be in any danger of heat stroke. I just can't forget the jogging stroller, and the backpack. I love my van. Which reminds me that I should clean it out tomorrow morning before I go to work.

Now that Winter is here I hope to post more, and not just about my every day. We will have to see though. I have carpet to replace, tile to lay, moulding to hang, and children to tend to, but not until after our trip.

We only ended up with one dog. We don't know what happened to the other one. I hope she found a home.
We now have a border collie we have named Anna. Chet calls her Hanna, and I do sometimes too. I guess we will give it some time and see what sticks. She is already off leash after only 2 days. She responds when I call her name and mostly stays really close. I have both the doors open right now. She will go out on the front porch and look around, but other than that she stays in the house. I am keeping a close eye on her, and will be ordering a name tag soon. Just in case.
I am not totally sure how to tell if a dog is happy, but I think she is. She wears a bandana, which I think is really cool. I have bunches of fat quarters, and single yards of fabric that I will hem up when I get a chance. I even have bunches of cute flannel from wanting to make Lela diapers. One is a Hello Kitty pattern. I will make Lela some sleep pants that match.
I never knew a dog could be this perfect for us. I don't think I could ask for a better match.

She is a boarder collie, black lab mix, and they are flying her into Auburn tomorrow for us to adopt. I get to pick her up at 3pm. This is all pretty crazy. I found her on the internet two nights ago. Last night they sent the application, and this morning we sent it back with a few snap shots of the house and yard. Next thing you know, around 2pm, we get a call and they have found a pilot and are putting the dog on a plane to Auburn so we can come pick her up. They are putting dogs down like crazy because the shelter is in overload. I wish we could take more than just the one, but don't think we could handle it right now. I am so excited to literally be saving this dogs life. And I think its insane that they are flying this dog out to us so they don't have to destroy it.
I ran out to the goodcheer and picked up a couple dog bowls and a collar, then stopped by the pet store for a bag of food and a brush. Kim saved me some money by offering me a leash since she had several hanging out in her closet. $17 later we are ready for the trip over to pick her up. Of coarse the only other thing is that we don't know what the adoption fee is on her. I hope we don't have to cover airfare.

I just want to say, I love the place I live. It maybe small, and it maybe dumpy, but I love the nature, and I love my new kitchen. Now its time to prepare for animals. I am thinking 2 chickens, a goat, a sheep, and a dog. I am not in a rush, but we need some animal love, and my kids would really enjoy having them around.

I made a garbage can trolly out of an old wheel chair. It needs lots of improvements, but is worth using for the amusment factor. Its so unpredictable I wonder how the Hell your supposed to push around injured or elderly people in it with out planting their faces in the ground.

I divised a plan to get a guest up to the house with stealth. No, I am not cheating on my husband but I have to admit sometimes I feel like I am cheating on one friend with another. I just wish I could talk sense to all of them. I wish I could offer more wisdom, and less emotion.

My grandmothers meant so much to me growing up. I am so happy that my childen have grandmothers that love them and want to spend time with them. I know they will be better people because of them, and they can provide (whether near or far) something I can not as being their mother.

I want to live within my means. I don't want debt, but I don't want to miss out either. I will continue to play it safe, but if a want a Crispito once a week a Crispito is what I will have. (Until they deny my Visa that is)

And Finally, when I have problems sleeping at night I play the alphabet game. Most commonly the topic is office supplies. (go figure) I need help to find a "y"!

Alpha tabs
bankers box
copy paper
double sided tape
eraser
file frame
glue
hanging folders
index cards
jiffy mailers
key tags
labels
money reciept book
number 10 envelopes
oval labels
post it flags
quality park cd/dvd mailers
rubberbands
steno pad
tape
uhu-tack
visa-vis
wetting stick
xerox, its the best I can do
y, maybe for Yellow Book? I know its not really an office supply
z-grip pen

I probably need to watch them all again before I make a final judgement call, but I think the first was by far the best. The second was ok, and the best parts were the flash backs to how Veto became the Godfather. The third was just weak, almost not even worth watching. I love the cinematography in all of them, but the story becomes very sketchy by the end of the trilogy. I guess I should read some of the books. Maybe they will shed a little light on the parts I feel like I missed.

That was probably too much information for most of you, but I bet a couple of you are thinking the same thing right now.
As far as life, I am taking the good with the bad. My family life is stable, except for some possible future financial woes, and there seems to be so many misfortunes for those I love.

My cousin Dick passed away a couple days ago. I really liked him. He was actually my mothers cousin so I am not sure what type of cousins that makes us, but we are family none the less. He left two boys, Men actually, Luke 25 and Nathan 27 (or so), orphains so to say, since their mother passed away 10 or more years ago. I wish I could be there to hug them, and have made it a duty to make sure I see them again soon. Their grandmother is one of 4 sisters, my grandmother being one of them also. Aunt Nell still lives on the family land in Wiggins Mississippi. Visiting there a couple years ago was so fantastic. I got pictures off all the head stones from my family. The women in my family, in order of generation are named, Molly, Lela, Lela, Barbara (my grandfathers name was Robert), Mollye, and Lela. I guess that summs up how we feel about family. My living family members were great too, by the way.

There are other people I love who are dealing with tough times, and I sure wish they were not rubbing off on me as much as they are. I have taken offense to things I probably shouldn't and read things that probably were not there. Dan and I are "playing Switzerland" so to say, and it has made things hard for us. Choosing sides would be harder. I wish I could lock them in the trailer for 24 hours. (not right now, its too damn hot) I don't care how things come out, just that they do. But really, they are working things out for themselves and that is the way it should be. I just have to put on my big girl panties, and get over it, and remember its about them, not me.

And there are others who are having some trouble now. My thoughts are with them also.

In better news, my cousin Amy should be expecting any time now. They are pretty sure they are having a boy (maybe they will give him the middle name Richard, after cousin Dick, seriously guys, no pressure, I am kind of kidding) She is so hippy she has decided to go natural and maybe do water birth. Next time I see her I will give her a pedicure, and baby sit, just for being that bold. I hope she makes it, but its hard after actually going through the birthing process to imagine more than a select few actually having "natural" child birth. They make it sound so good. I personally want drugs if every 5 minutes or so I am going to feel like a bus is running over me. Amy, if you read this I am just kidding. I am sure you will have a fantastic birthing experience. for the rest of you, well, you probably know I am not kidding.
at all.

I am dissapointed to say that I probably will not be making the 3 day walk this year. As much as I wanted to, I don't think I will be able to raise the funds, or walk the 60 miles. I have walked when I had the chance, but I am still depended on at home and at work, and have there forth had to fill other obligations. In truth, I probably could do it, but the stress would not be worth the end result. I will continue to walk with others when I have the chance, and I will still wear pink when I am walking. In some ways I feel this house has been the doom of us. We love it here but its a lot of work.

I send my love to you all. I will write more soon.

Its amazing how we change with time. I feel like I am in constant transformation. I just have to work on it being positive transformation. I don't want to regress.

Chet came in the bath room tonight and acted out movie scenes. He even threw in a few songs. The thing that was really crazy was that when he got stuck and forgot the next line he would repeat the last word he knew and continue on with a scene from a different show that had that same word in it. I didn't keep up with all of it because he litterally knows almost every word to every movie and book he owns, and every lyric to every song he has ever heard atleast 3 times. Now I totally understand when his teachers said his brain doesn't fire like every one elses. I should film it some time. I would love to figure out what scenes he is acting out.

Chet has also picked up singing, "what do you do with a drunken sailor, what do you do with a druken sailor, what do you do with a drunken sailor early in the morning"."Throw him in bed with the capt'ns daughter, throw him in bed with the capt'ns daughter... I am worried that he is singing this at preschool.

Preschool teachers probably hear all sorts of crazy stuff. 4 and 5 year olds are such little parrots learning to exercise their freedoms. My mommy said daddy is a...

What kind of parent teaches their kid "what do you do with a drunken sailor?"

I got my sister in law the most fantastic thrift store gift. Now I just have to wait until September to send it to her for her birthday. I took it apart, cleaned and oiled it. Now its running like a champ. I hope she likes it as much as I do.

I need a little. I am excited to spend an evening and day off with my husband. I have come up with some great ideas about getting my kitchen together. I have an area on my ceiling that needs to be covered and I have been told it would be very difficult to match the popcorn. So I have come up with a few ideas and have had a few suggestions that were pretty good. I figured out the perfect thing to cover the space may be a door. I am not sure if it will be a luvered door kind of thing, or a window shutter, or an old country style door like the one Kimi has between her kitchen and playroom. (your not thinking about selling it are you?) I am sure it will come together though. I am going to make some solid decisions about the walls tonight and I hope to get some work done on Monday. I need my pot rack!!!
If I knew how to post pictures on here I would put up a picture of the new kitchen. I have green cabinets, new white on white appliances, and a rock maple cutting board counter top. I am feeling like a really lucky girl right now. I have temporary counter tops on the rest of the cabinets, but I have a fully functuning kitchen with a sink and everything. Its a nice change, and its going to be beautiful. I am resting and getting geared up to "get'er" done. I am never going to want to move.

I guess I should post something since it have been almost a month.

This property is killing me!!! In 3 weeks we have filled a construction size dumpster, ripped out carpet, cleaned the dirtiest trailer on earth, unpacked, moved stuff, unpacked, moved stuff again, hung fans, moved more stuff. Its crazy. It seems like we have done so much but to say it seems like so little. Our list of projects keeps mounting. Lots of the things we want to do are on the back burner until we take care of all of the things that have to be done soon.

We have all new appliances for the kitchen but don't get the cabinets until the 23rd, at which point we will be installing them ourselves. The counter tops will follow 2 weeks later. In the mean time we had to clean up the trailer so we could use the kitchen to cook our meals. We have learned that the sink fixture leaks and we have been unable to fix it, the drain is pouring under the trailer, not in the septic, and every time I turn on the stove it smells like cooking rat turds. Its bad. I hope the smell goes away soon. It makes me not want to eat. Dan said he threw up in his mouth the first time he smelled it. Things a mother does to feed her family! I wonder if its actually a cooking rat carcus that I am smelling? yummy

With the new carpet and wall washing, the trailer is almost ready for my parents to visit at the end of the month. I do have to move in a dresser, hem some curtains, and wipe down a few more walls, but nothing that should take more than a day or two. I hope they are comfortable. My biggest fear is them saying how dumpy it is, because its hundreds, possibly thousands of times better than it was when we got here. God bless CLR, Mr. Clean, and Pinesol. I will make sure there is lots to drink. That way they won't notice how bad it is. I did test it out, and you can't smell the cooking rat shit in the bedroom, so atleast they don't have to try and sleep through that.

We still have a couple sheds to demo and burn, lots of weeding to do and another shed that really needs to be cleaned and organised. I also want to move the pull behind trailer that is too close to the fire pit, and clear out a lot of the bramble. I am thinking that clearing in the cooler months would actually be the best idea since the plants would be dormant and wouldn't immediately start growing back.

Work is going fine. I wish I wasn't so brain dead from exhaustion. I have made more mistakes lately than usual, and I feel bad because someone else is paying me.

Chet has taken to peeing all over the bathroom. I can't keep anything near the toilet, actually on the bathroom floor period. He goes on the seat, lid, floor, I wouldn't be surprised if he hit the tub, and trash can too. I don't know how much more of it I can handle. I think I am going to have to send him outside since I can't afford depends.

Things are just tough right now. I know it will get better, I just need a little down time.

So, I have not posted in a while, but still dont really feel like posting.

Dans dinner went well. I think I looked good. The box turned out nice.
We are still waiting on a closing date for the house. The apprasial that was supposed to be in Friday is still not in.
Dan has the week off work. I think we need to start packing.
I am still up in the air about wether I should redo the kitchen now or later. I hope we have time to get the walls taken out and put up before we have to move in.
I bought new walking shoes for the 3 day today. I spent $185. They better be like walking on clouds. I also picked up two pairs of shorts and a sweatshirt for a total of $16. I wish it made we feel better about spending so much on the shoes.
Dan is sending me for a tonal healing massage for my birthday. I really need it.
We attended a BBQ last night for mothersday. It was really nice. I had a great time, and I think every one else did too.


I hope every one is doing well.

My husband is out ordering our new appliances because I am feeling really under the weather. They will ship in two to four weeks. I hope all goes well, or we will have a Kenmore slide in stove, microwave hood, and dishwasher all white on white to lug around until they have a use. At 20% off with no tax, and mail in rebate for delivery I didn't think we could lose. I now have to figure out how we are going to pay for the cabinets, and countertop. I figure the 1,200 bucks I have saved so far will help Mike demo and build the new shell for the kitchen, which means I need to come up with another $2000 or so for the rest of the job. It will take a month or so but I know I can do it.

I have been so busy. With work and my husband being gone on all of my days off, and worrying about this new house I have pretty much filled my life slap up.

I decided that I needed to start taking my meds (zolof) again yesterday. I am starting to care what other people think too much and becoming paranoid. Its the paranoia that keeps me at home most of the time. Its the part I know can't just be counciled out of me. It leaves me no space to reason with myself. And just in case your wondering what this means in my world, basically its that I start worring about how everyone "sees" me and let my lack of perfection bother me to the point I figure no one in their right mind would want to have anything to do with me anyway. I become ultra critical of myself. You can see how this would destroy a person. The drugs are also the reason I am up at 4am. I forgot about the rough period.

I worked a pretty good amount last week, and will be working a good amount this week. I told Sara that I needed more time on the computer printing from files, scanning and burning things to disk and such. I know Kimi wants me on my own on Saturdays and the computer is the only thing really standing in my way. I have been going in early to work on inventory for a little while in the morning. I am starting to become more efficient on the POS. Its going to take me a few more weeks to get things on track but I have my fingers crossed that the time invested now will save lots of time in the future, not to mention the fact that almost any employee should be able to do the ordering just in case I am not available for some reason. Boomerang has a good program and I think that by tapping into its resources we can increase efficiency, which will be importaint with expansion.

Dan decided to fill me in on the fact that he has to "sell" 12 tickets to his initiation dinner on May 8th. I have a list of several people I would like to invite, or buy tickets for. That means I will not be sitting alone, or with total strangers at a table in the corner, but it does mean I will be really embarrassed if my essay is mentioned. The event is semi formal and I haven't decided if I am going to try to come up with something that goes with the corset of my wedding dress, or if I am going to go for all new. Either way it will be fun to shop for.

We are planning on closing on the house around May 15th. It seems like this loan is going to work out. Aside from the marble tile, which my father pointed out was not enought to floor a whole room in, we have a couple crazy ceiling fans for the kids room, 5 gallons of green house paint, and a kitchen sink. The paint was $15 and I figured we would have to add a can or two of white to lighten it up a bit, but should be just what we need to paint a shed or two. We picked up the sink for $27 and though I would have liked to have a 9 or 10 inch deep sink, money talks. I will just have to get a faucet with a high arc.

I am still back and forth about the kitchen. If we reuse the cabinets I could redo the room for about $2000 including a new stove and dishwasher. If I decide to do new cabinets I can just go ahead and add another $2000 to that. I am planning on having that much money by the time we close on the house, and I figure I will be able to cover $200-$300 a month additional if I can get a 12 month no intrest deal on either the appliances or the cabinets. Dan said, "ok, we can wait a little while and save some money and do it how we want" which is true until I pointed out the fact that this house has no dishwasher currently, and he really hates hand washing dishes.

My parents have their tickets for the 24th or so of June to come up and help out a little and see the kids. I am planning on doing the back splash with my mother and maybe have my dad help me with floor tile, and re-roofing the large shed. Of coarse its possible that we will still be installing cabinets by then. One thing is for sure, I will have the openings I want in the kitchen walls cut before we deep clean the house. I know first hand how dusty sheet rock and plaster are and I want to be able to clean it up before we move our stuff in. Its going to be a lot to do in two weeks. Its a good thing we have lots of friends.

Dan, Chet, and Lela are all doing good. I guess I better get some sleep since I am working a full day tomorrow.

As the wife of a U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer being initiated I have been assigned to write a 50-100 word essay on why I am proud of my spouse for making the rank of E-7. And since, as of the last period I already used 37 words I have decided that I am going to write this essay my way. First I would like to take a second and explain how to write an essay, next I would like to tell you why I am proud of my husband Dan, then I would like to explain the reason I am not sure proud is the appropriate word to explain the way I feel about my husband making E-7. By the way, we are already past 100.

First an essay really must have a thesis statement, and several sentences to back it up. It should also be ended with a conclusion, generally in sentence structure since its very difficult to convey a complete thought with out a noun and verb. In high school the 5 paragraph structure is taught to keep things simple and clean. The essay I am currently writing is an example of just that method. So whats my point? I don't feel that I can say what needs to be said in less than 100 words, and any military spouse that is truly proud of their significant other should not be able to do it either.

I believe my husband is one of the most fantastic men alive. He is honest and genuine, hard working and dedicated. He always does his job to the best of his ability and strives to be knolagable in every facet. He wants to be on the top and I know he will be. At home he does the ironing, sweeps the floors, feeds the kids, changes diapers, along with keeping up with our finances, the lawn and the grilling of meat. (its a big, importaint job in our home) I am proud of him for taking it all on, for completing projects, for not being reluctant to get his feet wet. I am proud of him for enjoying life and his job, and being optimistic against all odds. But most of all I am proud of him for keeping it all together. An enlisted life can be a hard life, and ours is no exception.

As for my husband making E-7, I am proud of Dan for setting carear goals and for accomplishing them, but I don't feel any differently about him making E-7 than I did about him making E-6. He is deserving. He missed precious moments in our sons life sleeping in a "too small" bunk, eating galley food, and stopping at port calls in war torn countries looking for drug runners and illegal immagrants. I know the hard times are not yet over, mearly postponed until he is underway again, but I am not discouraged because I know together we will overcome. His goals are my goals, and I always believe two is better than one. Proud is a word I would use if he won a ball game, or entered a contest. Its just not big enough to encompass the broad spectrum of what has been earned, and endured.

So this brings us to the concluding paragraph of this little essay. Maybe next time they will challenge the chiefs to write a real essay on why they are proud of their families for helping them make E-7. I am more proud of my husband than 100 words could ever describe, and I will be even more proud on the day he retires Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard. A title he may not yet deserve but will by the end of the next 20+ years. And a word of warning for those who fill Dans past billets, you better be on top of your game, because your Captian will know what its like to have had the best.

By the way, where are my crows?

I have to write a 50 to 100 word essay on why I am proud that my husband made E-7. First off can 50 to 100 words even be considered a paragraph let alone an essay? I don't think so.

I am thinking I will write 3 short paragraphs. One explaining why I am not that excited that he is a Chief, one about how proud I am of my husband in general, and one about why 50-100 words isn't even an essay.

Damn, I guess if I put it together right it may actually end up being an essay. The hard part is going to be making a thesis statement that incorperates all 3 of these thoughts, oh yeah, and not embarrassing my husband while I am at it.

Suggestions?

"I am sorry you had such a bad weekend", and I thought, "Its not that bad. I mean, we are all still here, right. My marriage is still good, and my kids are well. How bad could that be?"

I am feeling kind of down. I hope its just today and not another battle because I have lowered my meds.
On an up note we stopped by the house and the kitchen cabinet doors are wood. They maybe hollow and have several coats of paint on them, but nothing that some time with a belt sander won't fix. There is no sign that the lady in the trailer has done anything to start moving out. I wonder how thats going? I am glad she won't be our problem. There are already enough of those on the property we are going to get to sort through.