Cluster

I am a giant cluster fuck tonight.
Yes, I cursed. No, I don't care. There are just sometimes in life that the f-word is needed.
I spent the day doing work stuff, K spent some needed quality time with her grandparents and Scott hung out with Uncle LaVerne and Aunt Lynn for the afternoon.

I managed to keep myself together for the work stuff but it's like my brain turned off about the rest of my life. I forgot to get Scott's new meds picked up which also means I forgot to pick up the medically supplies that we are completely out of. I could have gotten it done too. I had the help and I had the few extra minutes, I just didn't get my act together and get it done.
*Head, wall*

No harm came from my stupidity. Fortunately. It just made for a harder dressing change for me. I guess that's what I deserve for forgetting.

I've held off saying this for a few days but I have some medical news to report on Scott.
I'm debating in my head if I lead off with the good news or possibly bad news. Hmmmm...

Good news wins - Scott's thigh incision that has been open from the 4th thigh surgery has finally closed. January 18th until just a few days ago. Hallelujah it's a miracle. His lower leg is still a hot mess but I'll take one fewer complex dressing change a day.

The not so good news - Scott's been having some hearing troubles the last 4 days. He's got no signs of a cold and this was a quick on-set. He's also had more vertigo than usual (which is a lot). Getting it checked out tomorrow. Hoping it's something simple, preparing for the worst.

My aunt and uncle stopped by for a visit on their way home from Tennessee. Enjoyed a great dinner with them and my parents. Scott got lots of visiting time which he loved.

Here are a few other photos from our visit with Nefarious.








We're already planning our next horsey adventure.

I'm sure there is stuff I'm forgetting but this cluster fuck is done for the day.

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Sneak Peak - stream of consciousness



Jay'me invited Kate and I to go with to play with her 2 year old gelding Nefarious. Such a beautiful baby boy. Many more photos tomorrow.
Jay'me then went home and posted Wordless Wednesday on the other blog. My feet play a staring role. Go over there and make a guess so you can play guest photographer.

A long night spent celebrating my brother Matt's birthday. Mom and Dad returned from Tennessee in time for dinner, peach pie and a few presents. Miss Kate wrote Matt's name on the card as well as signing her own name inside. This is a first for her. The letters were even kind of recognizable. So proud of her.
Happy 34th birthday Matt.

You all know me too well. Scott12 was the first correct guess in the giveaway . S12 you are now the proud winner of a $20 gift card to Starbucks*. I can think of no better gift, well except a fisheye lens or a super telephoto lens or... well... $20 at Starbucks and maybe you can use their free wifi to find a new lens to lust after.
I highly recommend enjoying a pumpkin spice latte while they are still here for the season or if you're a real rebel the toffee mocha is out of this world.
I loved playing with a slow shutter speed and the zoom to take that photo. Here is my favorite of the group of photos I took that night.


Time to say goodnight. Kate is up crying again with leg cramps. Poor kid is growing like a weed and her little legs just can't take it.
******
I'm back. Had to give Kate more Advil. Junior miss has been up 5 of the last 6 nights multiple times with leg cramps and sore knees. Fellow parents, reassure me that this is typical. I keep waiting for her to wake up and be 6' tall.

*This giveaway is sponsored by me and only me. Starbucks corporate doesn't know me, they would however miss me. I'm ashamed to admit that my local Starbucks does indeed know me but they did not sponsor this contest. The prize and on-going Starbucks raves are my way of making other people addicted so that I feel better about myself. Thank you, 10-4, over and out*

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Hey Jude, it's a giveaway

St. Jude that is.

Chili's was having their annual St. Jude's benefit tonight. While this isn't enough to get me to brave taking Scott and Kate out by myself we had to be out anyways so we decided to participate in the charity event and have some dinner for a worthy cause.

This was our first dinner out just the three of us. We usually have my parents with us but they are still in Tennesse from attending my cousins wedding this weekend, so we had to go in it alone.

Things went just fine, as I knew they would.


We even played Sugar while we waited for our dinner.

In this episode of Sugar, Pinkie(Kate - Sweet n Low - socking I know) wanted to go to her friend Blue's (Scott - Equal) house but Dixie (me- pure sugar) wanted to go to the park to swing instead.
It's a great way to pass the time.

To make the evening a complete success, we made a stop at the bank on our way to dinner and a stop on the way home.
To find out where we stopped on the way home just tell me what this picture is of.


Not only will you be super cool for guessing but the first correct guess will win a secret, special prize. I can't tell you what the prize is yet... but trust me, it's GOOD!

Just leave your guess in the comments section.

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Want to hear something funny?

You should have been at our house during dinner tonight.
Scott was watching Pearl Harbor when Kate and I got home from a late afternoon photo shoot. I made a quick dinner and we all sat down at the dinner couch (yes we eat on the sofa sometimes). Scott had never seen Pearl Harbor so the movie was left on, replacing our usual dinner viewing of Dora or Diego.
Kate was full of questions on why the men where shooting and why everyone was fighting. Poor Scott got to attempt to explain the beginning of the American involvement in World War II to our 3 year old.

"But, why they shooting?" "Why those men so mad?" "How did they get hurt?"

I sat here listening and silently laughing.

Our afternoon photo shoot didn't work out that well. Our morning photo shoot turned out quite a bit better.

Kate and I went and played at a corn field.

Running through the corn.

Pulling off an ear or two.

There was even a little taste testing.

I can't believe how beautiful our little girl has gotten.

And of course for Kate's good behavior she got to play photographer.

Right near the corn field was an old abandoned barn.


Kate was obsessed with looking inside it.

She talked about the animals that probably once lived inside. We decided it must have been goats.

It wasn't big enough for horses or cows.

A beautiful, crisp, bright, fall day.

We even got a chance to break out Kate's pumpkin hat. My grandma (Grams) made this for Kate for her first halloween and Kate has worn it every year since.

Still looks good on her, doesn't it Grams?

And because I stumbled upon this while uploading these photos, here is Kate sporting the hat in 2008. She was just 17months here.


So long summer. Hello fall. Stay around for awhile please, I'm not ready for winter... yet.

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Intense

My kid has an incredible intensity about her.


When she gets something in that little mind of hers, there is no stopping her.


She plots, plans and works until she's finished.


She doesn't care who is working with her



Or who is wanting her to come play.


She is perfectly content in completing her mission solo.

My apologies Brandon and Nicole for her single mindedness. We still had lots of fun playing with you guys on Thursday and we're looking forward to dinner on Saturday.

Doing our best to keep busy. Life is too short for anything less.

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Yelling

Driving home from a long day at Rush. Kate is in her seat kicking me in the back, Scott is trying desperatly to stay awake and I'm lamenting about a numb ass (which was rather rude considering Scott's ass is always numb). I flip the channel on the radio station and Kate says....
"Mama, who's this?"
"It's Led Zeplen"
"Wed Zepwen?"
"Yes, honey, Led Zeplen."
"What's his name?"
Scott answers - "His name is Robert."
"Wobewt?"
Scott again - "Yes Robert."
"Mama, why he yelling?"

Good question Katie, very good question.

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Rejects

It was my post day over on the other blog. I had a hard time trying to decide what to do.

A cute picture of Kate with a worm


my downspout waterfall, following the storm tonight


my idiotic jump in the rain puddle

Seriously, have I mentioned that I twisted my knee recently. I'm such a moron sometimes.
Not to mention I had to do this to take the photo.


Or should it be a picture of Kate playing in the puddles.


Too many choices.
In the end I didn't choose any of these and I didn't get around to taking the pictures I had planned in my head at the start of the day. But you know what, I like the picture I decided upon best of all.

Rush Patient Advisory Council meeting tomorrow afternoon. Scott and I are planning on going. Crossing my fingers that Scott can make it that long. To all of our Rush family, please don't be upset if you don't see us while were there. Trips down there just keep getting harder.

Life just keeps getting harder. But as long as I can take the time to enjoy experiences with those that matter the most to me, I'll be just fine.

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Let The Fall Photos Begin

We had a blast at the tractors for charity event on Saturday.
Mom and Dad joined us as did Kristen, S12, Brandon and Ethan.
Here's some photos of the day in no particular order....

This would be all of us staring at the pumpkin launcher. This giant cannon shot pumpkins at a car. It was awesome!



We could have stayed there all day but Kristen insisted on going on the pumpkin train. Forcing the kids to go with her.

My apologies to my Aunt Lynn but here's a tractor that my Uncle LaVerne should own. It was beautiful.


Even Brandon liked it.




They had a great petting zoo. They kept the animals a little too hungry in my opinion but we managed to fend them off.

This horsey had one blue eye and one brown eye. He was very cute but very snippy. I had to channel my Grandpa Jake and give him a little horsey discipline. I miss you Papa Jake. I can't look at my Katie without seeing you in her eyes.
This goat was so sweet. He literally snuggled me. He got to be big spoon.



Dad and Scott really enjoyed watching us safely on the other side of the fence.

On our way out we hit the giant corn crib.
Scott and Ethan got buried.


After some prompting from Kristen, I got in on the corn crib action.
As an aside, how awesome is Kristin's hat? I wanted to steal it off her head all day.

Boy am I glad Kristen convinced me to climb in. Kate and I had a blast.



Thanks Mom for taking so many wonderful pictures.

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