Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Last mail of the year

Mail goodies have been so scarse these past few weeks, but the last day of the year sure was great!! All of this is since the last time I posted my mail freebies:

- Snausages coupon for free treats
- $3 Pinecone payment (email/paypal)
- Patron keychain
- Orville Redenbacher popcorn (walmart)
- Glad trashbag (walmart)

And from today:

- TiVo cookie cutter (super cute!! I was so worried I wouldn't get mine)
- Pedigree treats (walmart)
- 101 Things to do with Meatballs cookbook (Sam's...and it is an awesome cookbook!!)

I'm so glad I finally got the things I had been waiting for today....what a nice way to end the year!

Happy New Year!!!


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I can't believe another year is gone! 2008 was a very rough year, to say the least. Mom had her surgery in May and battled so many ups and downs with it, only to lose the battle in October. Right around that time, Nibbles was conceived. I've decided to make a few resolutions for the new year:

- to continue doing well with this pregnancy and have a healthy baby sometime in June (is that even a resolution?!?)
- once Nibbles is born, I want to continue doing well with my health and lose weight....hopefully reversing my diabetes
- to be the very best mom and wife I can be
- to catch up on tyler's scrapbooks and start one for Nibbles
- to stay in touch with friends and family more
- to post more comments on friends blogs (I just wish more of my friends would start up a blog for me to stalk/comment on....*hint, hint*)

There are so many things I am looking forward to in 2009. Tyler will be turning 5 and starting Kindergarden, Nibbles will arrive sometime in June and family should be visiting around that time. I'm a little sad about Ty turning 5 and starting school, but at the same time I am so excited for him to start this new journey in his life! I can't wait for him to come home from school and tell me about all the new friends he has made and what he learned that day.....ok, who am I kidding....I can wait!!! LOL The joys of motherhood..........

I would like to take the time to thank everyone for all the love and support you have shown me throughout this difficult year. I look forward to sharing our family trials and adventures with all of you again in the new year.

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Frustrated

Ever since getting the new computer I have been trying to re download AVG antivirus. I've been using avast, but I just prefer AVG over all antivirus programs. Well, since I have dial-up it is virtually impossible to download AVG because it says it takes over 8 hours to download!!! WTF?!?!? After i've been online for almost 4 hours PeoplePC kick me offline, so there is no way I can download AVG.........


Just another reason why I despise dial-up!!!!

Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas at the Marshall's

Tyler was awake at 6am, ready to open presents while sporting his new pj's, slippers and robe:



Opening up his first gift,Hotwheel cars from Aunt Pam and family:



A Cars game set with 7 different games from Aunt Dee and family:



A Hess truck from Uncle Dave:



Some Matchbox cars from mommy & daddy (he got two sets):



Leapfrog Tag reader and Spongebob book from mommy & daddy:



Diego Chutes and Ladders from mommy and daddy(it's actually really cute!):



Tag reader case and I Spy book from granny and grandpa (he loves I Spy!):



Cabbage Patch boy baby from mommy and daddy:



Lincoln logs:



Hungry hungry hippos:




Elefun the Elephant:



The Incredibles dvd:



Ty's very own digital camera!:




TUMBLES!!:



Emptying his stocking:



Even Nibbles got a gift! A friend from Z's work gave Nibbles a cute little baby "smoothie": it has a hooded towel, washcloth and finger puppet all set up inside a cup to look like a smoothie:



We had a very nice Christmas! We did end up going to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg Christmas Eve and got our funnel cakes, but we ran into a HUGE thunderstorm while in Gatlinburg!! The lightning was so creepy while on the mountain.....and it rained so hard it started to flood!! I did get to talk to family yesterday. My oldest sister and her family went to my dad's for Christmas, as did one of my other sisters and her family. Plus, my mom's brother (who is also battling cancer) was there. I had originally called to wish my dad a merry Christmas and he had told my oldest sister was there and everyone else was on the way, then he got a little choked up and said "I really wish you could be here, but of course I understand." We talked for a minute or too longer and he sounded so sad. :( My sister Dee got on the phone and we talked a little. I asked how dad was doing and she said he was holding up good, but had mentioned to her he really wished Tyler, Zane and I could be there but said not to say anything to anyone. I knew this holiday would be a little rough since it's only been 2 months since mom has been gone, but it really hit after I talked with my family.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

It's Christmas Eve!!!

I'll probably be scarse for the next day or so, but I wanted to take a minute and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!! I'll be sure to post pics from tomorrow....and from tonight!! Zane said last night he was taking us to see the lights in Pigeon Forge still!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Only 3 more days!!

WOW, is it really only three days until Christmas?!?!? I can't believe how fast it has come this year. I can't wait to see his face when he see's what Santa and everyone got him. Especially the one thing he has been asking for for almost 3 months now.....Tumbles!!! I was so set on not getting it for him, mainly becasue when I saw it in the store it looked so cheaply made and just plain hard. But after reading online about him and the reviews, I figured it would be worth it. This weekend we got a few more stocking stuffers for him, so he is officially done. We got our packages mailed out last week, so everyone should be getting them either today or tomorrow.

I'm still a little bummed that our company isn't coming this week. I was really looking forward to having family close, since this is the first Christmas since mom passed. I've been thinking about her so much lately. Plus, I think we're going to cancel our family tradition of going to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg this year. :( But, i'm sure we'll still have a great Christmas together. Tyler is just SO excited about Christmas morning!!! I'll be sure to get tons of pics and post them here. :)

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

I really wish you could smell......

.......the house right now!! I just finished baking some Peanut Butter Blossom cookies, and the whole house smells SO yummy!!! I cheated and got a huge box from Sam's Club that came with three peanut butter cookie packets and a big bag of Hershey Kisses. All you have to add to the cookie mix is 1 tbs. water, 1/4 cup oil and 1 egg. How easy is that?!? And they taste soooo good. I wanted to make a batch to make sure they tasted ok before I sent them out for Christmas.....plus, I kept looking at that box and craving a peanut butter cookie!! LOL Here is how they turned out:

One of the "perks" of living in the country

Let me start off by saying I LOVE where we live. I love living so far out, and not having neighbors all around us and up our butts. One of the downsides, especially when it's cold.....mice. I found some "presents" of all places, upstairs. Why in the world a mouse would want to be up there I have no idea. Granted the bathroom is up there, but there's no food. Hmmm, maybe that's why it made it's way down into the kitchen?!?!? Yesterday I went to get my handmixer out of the drawer and found a nice little "present", along with huge holes chewed into my bag of chocolate chips. Also, the past few nights i've noticed our cat MeeMee sitting and staring at the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen. Last night I made sure the sticky traps were set up in one of the drawers so I could catch this little "present giver". Well, this afternoon I was in the kitchen making lunch when I thought I had heard a scratching noise, followed by a squeek.......I thought maybe it was Tyler in the other room so I just shrugged it off. A minute or so later I heard it again and instantly thought "We caught the little booger!!" I opened the drawer with the traps and there it was........it's whole body stuck to the trap, trying to get away! I grabbed a grocery bag and a set of tongs (I can only image what I looked like, a grocery bag in one hand and a set of tongs in the other) and picked up the trap to put into the bag. Before I put it in the bag I told him; 'See, if you would have just kept your presents to yourself and NOT eaten my chocolate chips it wouldn't have ended like this!" I mean, didn't he know your not supposed to eat someone's chocolate chips, let alone a pregnant womans chips, right before Christmas?!?!? I quickly disposed of him and made sure I double checked the drawer to make sure the other traps are still good....i'm sure he has friends that would just love to share all their "presents" with me. They had better leave my damn chocolate chips alone!!!!

Monday, December 15, 2008

I would so love to meet

The person who invented the crockpot and give them a HUGE hug and kiss!!! I put a roast in there and it is smelling heavenly. I've used my crockpot so many times before, but since i'm still feeling run down and tired, I love and appreicate it even more! I did run out of those crockpot bags, so i'm going to have to actually put it in the dishwasher tonight....BOO!!! Ok, how spoiled am I?!?!?!? LOL

Hmmm, cooking in the crockpot did free up the oven for me.......maybe some early cookie baking is in order now?!?

Friday, December 12, 2008

Mail for the last month

I've been slacking with posting what i've gotten in the mail, mainly because the freebies have been so scarce!!! Anyhoo, here is what i've gotten:

- Vaseline Lotion/Costco
- Crest toothpaste/Walmart
- Playtex drop in bottle
- Mr Clean Magic eraser (LOVE these!!!!)
- $6 Pinecone (paypal)
- $5 Amazon gc (GSB survey)
- Pama nail polish
- Chex Mix turtle Cereal bar (I didn't like it at all!! Zane loved it, though)
- Ghirardelli Peanut Butter Squares/SheSpeaks (OMG, these were SO heavenly!!)
- Spongebob and Diego toothbrushes
- Kashi cereal bar (yum!!!)
- 30 free Christmas cards from Kodak
- Circulon Butter Warmer (finally!!! I ordered this almost 2 years ago!!!!!) UPS
- Tyler got his free books from Imageination Library

The past few days:
- tons of Christmas cards! (hopefully we'll have the rest of ours out by tomorrow! LOL)
- a few presents from family for Ty

Thursday, December 11, 2008

*cough, cough* BLAH!!!

Ok, enough with this cough!!!! I swear, sometimes when I cough I feel like my eyeballs are going to come popping out of my head and one of my lungs will be coming up. Tyler was kind enough to share his cold with us, and boy is it kicking my butt!! Zane missed work yesterday because he has it too. I had an appointment for the NT test at the high risk ob office, but we had to cancel it yesterday morning. I felt so bad cancelling the same day as the appointment, but they were very understanding. We got the test rescheduled for next Wednesday at 2pm. I know for a fact they would have had a hard time doing any kind of test on me with the way i've been coughing! Everytime I get any kind of cough it ends up like this, and I hate it with a passion!! I can never just have a normal cough.....*sigh* And being pregnant, there really isn't much I can take, but that's fine I guess. Cough syrups never work for my coughs anyway! LOL

So the other night we picked up a few things for ty for Christmas. From Z's parents we got Ty another Leapfrog Tag book and a carry case for the Tag system. It also holds several books, which is nice. We were looking at that Swim to Me Puppy and that thing is HUGE!!! There is no way it would fit in his kiddy pool or our bathtub....and we have a pretty big bathtub! LOL Plus, it was $30 and I just couldn't see getting it. They did have the dog Biscuit on display and when he was messing with it he said "mom, this dog is creepy!" I told him, "Now see, aren't you glad you didn't ask Santa for that dog?!?" He said "Oh yeah!! I'll take Tumbles instead!" I got Tumbles yesterday in the mail for him and it's already wrapped and put away!! I can't wait for him to open that gift! I talked with my oldest sister Dee and she said they mailed Ty's Christmas package on Tuesday, plus he is expecting a package from his Aunt Pam (Z's sister) and Z's parents sent out something else for him yesterday. He also already got something from his Uncle Dave (Z's brother) that is already put away. In fact, anytime we get packages in the mail now we just tell him they're for daddy's work. So far he buys that!! ROFL!!! There has been a time or two when he opened up something that was for Christmas by mistake, but I would much rather have him wait for Christmas morning to open things. :) We're going to hit a store or two early Saturday morning to get a few more things to send out, then hopefully get our packages out right away that we need to send! It's really hard to believe Christmas is only 2 weeks from today!! mmmm, and less than two weeks for going to Pigeon Forge and getting a funnel cake. Ugh, I am so worried about all the goodies this time of year....especially being pregnant!! Not only do we do funnel cake on Christmas Eve, but Christmas morning we make cinnamon rolls........plus i'll be doing tons of baking soon!! I guess I need to make sure i've got plenty of insulin!!! LOL

Well, another coughing attack is starting so I guess that's my cue to get off of here. Hope everyone is having a good week so far!!!!!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

16 days til Christmas!!!

Is anyone else counting the days like we are?!?!? I SO can't wait for Christmas morning!! Ok, who am I kidding....I can't wait for Christmas Eve when we go to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg to see the lights and get a funnel cake!!!! We did find out yesterday that our company isn't coming down. :( But, we will still have a great time!!!

We've been done with shopping for Ty for awhile now, but I think tonight we are going back out to get a few more things. We finally got our reimbursement checks from our health insurance company for the prescriptions we had filled yesterday, so we have a few extra bucks to play with. Plus, Tylers granny and grandpa sent us money to get something for Tyler, so we'll get that tonight as well. (of course, he won't see anything we get him until Christmas!! hehehe) We were going to get that Furreal friends Tumbles dog for Ty from Z's parents, but I found it online for only $19 yesterday so I went ahead and ordered it from us. It's the only thing he has bugged us for since he first saw the commercial months ago!!! We weren't going to get it, mainly because it was $40 and just didn't seem to be worth the money, but for the price we paid and the reviews I had read online, I figured we would go ahead and get it for him. He's also been asking for that dog Swim to Me Puppy, but I have no idea how he will use this thing!!! He only has a small kiddy pool and I told him that, but he says "But mom, it also walks you know!" I think we'll price it tonight and if it's not too bad we'll get it for him from Z's parents. So far, everything he's said he would like he's gotten!! Well, except for that other Furreal friend dog Biscuit.....I told him no way on that!!!!! I think he was just being silly when he said he wanted it, but I told him he has two real dogs at home and doesn't need a $200 dog!! For that kind of money, that dog better clean up after our dogs, AND clean my house!!! LOL

Monday, December 8, 2008

An interesting weekend

So last week, Tyler spent a day laying in the recliner with a fever. It would go away with Children's Tylenol, but would come back. Well, by the end of the night it was finally gone and when he woke up the next morning he seemed ok, just a little "off". His appetite hasn't been the same.....he keeps picking at things and only eating super small amounts, which is SO not like him. Well, by Friday evening he had developed a small cough.....no big deal. Sunday morning at 3:30 am Zane and I both woke up to Tyler coughing so bad, it sounded like a bark. He was standing up saying he felt yucky and wanted to get in our bed. We let him get into bed, but before I layed back down I gave him some more Cold and cough medicine. He slept the rest of the night/morning and but when he woke up his cough still sounded awful. He was so deep and sounded just like a barking sound. Thankfully he still didn't have a fever. Well, we fixed breakfast and all he asked for was a piece of toast, which is definitely not like him. Zane cooked some bacon, and that is Ty's favorite weekend breakfast treat. I made him some toast, and after he would take a bite he would lay his little head back on the table. He only ate three bites and said he was full. I asked him if he wanted to go lay in the living room and watch some cartoons and he said yes, so I went in and got him settled on the sofa......he looked so sad and pitiful. :( While I was getting him settled, Zane had called our doctors office to get the opinion on what we should do. After awhile, the nurse called us back from UT hospital and got more info from us. She asked if she could hear Tyler breath on the phone so Zane held the phone up and asked him to breath in. He sounded to rattly and horrible. She said because of the way he sounded and the fact that he isn't eating much that we should take him to the ER at either UT or Children's Hospital. We chose Children's Hospital, so yesterday afternoon we headed out. they checked us in super quick and got us in the back pretty quick as well. The nurse that came in the room first was so sweet, and just loved Tyler!! She complemented him on his good manners and said they don't see that hardly ever anymore, which made me feel good. :) She also told him he could have a popsicle once the doctor was done, and he was super excited about that! Once the doctor came in and asked him what was going on and listened to him cough and his chest he said Tyler had Croup. :( He said it should really clear itself up, but wanted to give him a dose of a liquid steroid to help it along, and that if he isn't feeling better by Tuesday to take him to see his regular doctor. After we left, he got his popsicle and was a happy camper! That medicine they gave him really made a huge difference right away. His cough is still there, but no more barking sound!!! He's still not eating too much, but is drinking good so we're not too worried right now. He's back to playing today, but only for a little at a time. My poor little pickle....he's hardly ever sick, but boy did he get it this time!!! :(

Monday, December 1, 2008

Our tree

We finally got our tree up this past weekend!!! Tyler was such a great helper with decorating the tree. In fact, he hung up almost all of the ornaments! He was so proud of himself. :)



Zane got to digging around upstairs and found his train he had, so we put that under our tree and Tyler LOVED it!!!!! We had so much fun putting the tree up. :)

So, on Friday we decided to venture out.....not early, though!! LOL We went to Walmart around 9am and still found lots of great deals!! We got Tyler a Spiderman 3 piece pj's set that came with a light up robe for only $10, and we found him Spiderman slippers that were only $4!!! We also found him a HUGE crayola coloring book with the characters from the movie Cars for only $4. They had so many things left for decent prices....I was really shocked! Most of the crazy people were gone as well, so that was a plus. There were still a few asshats out there, but for the most part it was nice.

The last four days were actually nice. Zane was off for those days, and I honestly thought it was going to be a nightmare!!! I love him, but after a day or so together i'm ready for him to go back to work! LOL He actually did alot of things around the house, and even cooked most of the meals for us!! I think by yesterday afternoon he was ready to go back to work, though.......he was starting to get grumpy and pissy, so i'm glad he went back to work today!! LOL

Well, I think I need to put laundry away before I tackle the bathroom. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!!!!!