NESTING RAMBLING

Today I basically got the house back together after the Christmas holiday. How come one little holiday can trash your entire home in just moments? I have hit this huge "nesting" phase where things can't be clean enough and I don't feel like leaving the house very often unless it's to go to my moms.

In the next few days I am hoping to get all of the clothes Cassie really doesn't wear anymore put in boxes and organize her dresser drawers so they aren't such a mess when Grandma Hanson is here to help take care of her. I am also going to get the box of 0-3 month baby clothes out of the closet, dig out all the unisex outfits and all the onesies and get them washed up and ready to go.

Tomorrow my dad is coming over and he is going to help Darren put in a new toilet in the bathroom....finally....it's going to be nice to actually have a working toilet in the back bathroom again.

I don't know what we are going to do for New Years yet but I would like to do something. I don't want to sit in a bar because I'm so pregnant but this is really the last weekend that Darren and I can get out for a while because he has to work Saturday of next week to work ahead of his schedule to have the section day off. After the baby is born, it's going to be a while until we have a night out together again so it's important to me to get out one last time.

I baked Pumkin Squares tonight. They are basically a pumkin pie cake with a cream cheese marble. They are cooling off now and them smell wonderful and they taste so good. Another thing that I can't get enough of lately is chocolate milk, the God of all dairy products. I have been buying the Hershey's syrup and I can go through a bottle in about three days. I don't know if that much chocolate milk is good for a person but it's better than soft drinks.

I also have to get a pic of my belly taken for the new baby's scrapbook. I got to thinking about it and I haven't had a picture of me taken since Cassie's birthday party....well, and Christmas too...but I don't have a good pic that really shows off the belly and I need one.

~14 DAYS~

QUESTION ABOUT ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, OR MINERAL

I have decided to throw a question of my own out here to everyone in blog world since it has been a while since Doug has given everyone something to ponder.

Mr Toast has the once-ever-popular Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral game on his blog. I have to admit that I played the game off his link more than a few times. Face it, who hasn't when they went and checked it out.

Now maybe Doug and Mr. Toast could help me with this...

I was reading The Chronicles of Narnia, one of the gifts that I got from Darren as a Christmas present, and in the very last paragraph of chapter ten "The First Joke and Other Matters" a bulldog asks Uncle Andrew "Now Sir, are you animal, vegetable, or mineral?" and right away I thought of the game. I have no clue where the game originated and I don't feel like taking the time to google it. Is it possible that the game originated from one of the Chronicle books or is it coincidence?

YADDA YADDA YADDA

I need to clean my house up tomorrow morning. Around noon I am going to take Cassie over to my mom's place and lay her down for her nap there so when my mom comes home around 3, Cassie will either still be sleeping or up from a two hour nap and my mom won't have to worry about that when I go to my doctors appointment. I don't like going to a doctor's appointment that I know is only going to last about 10 minutes at the most every week until the baby is born. I think that's one of the most annoying things around this time of pregnancy...all the what-seems-to-be-useless doctor appointments.

The weather is supposed to be really crappy tomorrow and we could get up to 3 inches of snow in the later part of the afternoon and early evening. The last thing I want to do is get stuck some where without a phone, not get to my appointment, or get stuck in town while it snows. I was thinking of stopping at the Antiocha Cemetary where Tanya is buried since I won't have Cassie with me, but if the weather is crappy I'm not going to be able to.

Today Darren had me run into town and deposit a check that he got from his dad over Christmas into our checking account. It was something that I could have done tomorrow but wanted it done right away. After I stopped at the bank I got food from Mc D's and Cassie and I had lunch with Nana at the hospital. Since it was Wednesday, I went up to the hospitals 1st floor where they have Baby & I to visit with Mary Anne and some of the mothers since I will be joining them soon. Mary Anne and I talked and walked around for a while after the other mothers went home. I miss talking to her and I hope that I can attend most of the Baby & I days.

I also got a hold of my Creative Memories representative and got some more stickers for Cassie's scrapbook. Creative Memories is really expensive so I try and buy most of my paper and things at Wal-Mart but I do like the CM stickers....and I needed them to finish some pages. I will have to start some pages for the new baby and start working on a Big Sister page in Cassie's book. I am going to wait until after the baby is born to buy an album for the pages because I can get the albums cheaper on Ebay.

My dad took his house cat to the vet today. It's the same cat that was beat up by a tom cat a few months ago. The cat hasn't been acting right since the accident. She stopped eating her dry cat food so they have been buying soft stuff, she has been throwing up every where, crapping on their carpets, my mom doesn't dare leave anything out cause the cat will get up on the counters and chew threw the tin foil and ziplock baggies to eat what's inside, She has been taking food off the counter in plain site of people...she even was eating cookies that mom took out of the oven and had just put on the cooling racks!...yeah, the list goes on. I guess the cat was really dehydrated and they wre going to give her fluids and check her over. If she doesn't get better after a few days of being in the vets care the vet is going to put her to sleep. I nor my dad think the cat will be coming home. The poor little white and orange kitty that my dad tried to save over the summer never came back home from her vet visit either. I am thinking it's possible that my dad's cat could have caught whatever disease that poor kitty had.

Since Cassie is already in bed and sleeping I am going to watch a little TV before I go to bed. There is this special on Discovery Health Channel tonight about a woman that was pregnant for 46 years!!! I think she miscarried but the fetus never expelled from her body. An episode of Nip/Tuck had a woman that had a petrified fetus for at least 15 years and they discovered it during her lyposuction and I was very curious if something like that could actually happen. I guess it can. So I want to see that before I go to bed at 10.

Have a good night Y'all.

~16 DAYS~

OUR CHRISTMAS

We have had a very busy Christmas holiday.

Christmas Eve afternoon we opened gifts at our house before starting out the day. Then we all cleaned up and Darren took Cassie and I to my mom and dad's while he ran to Rugby to do some "Santa" shopping.

Mike and I had to run into DL around 3:00 to get some last minute gifts for my mom and my dad.

Darren showed up at my parents house shortly after Mike and I got back from DL. We had lasagna for supper and then opened gifts. Cassie got a bunch of cool stuff....Dora the Explorer toddler bed set, Candy Land game, very stylish clothes, books, DVD's, a little pink guitar, and she even got a HUGE hobby horse from Santa that was left at Nana and Grandpa's house.

We didn't get back to our house until 11:30. Little Cassie was VERY tired and went to bed shortly after we got home. Then Darren and I set out our Santa stuff and we went to bed too. Cassie was up around 9:30 and we all ate, showered, packed the car and went up to Willow City to spend Christmas Day with Darren's parents.

We had steak and fan-tailed shrimp for Christmas Day dinner and then opened gifts. Cassie got more books, clothes, and a Dora the Explorer plush chair. We were at his parents house until 6:00 and we decided to come home. Darren drove through town and noticed that one of his high school friends was in Willow and stopped to see him for a bit before we left town. Cassie was already sleeping in the car so I told Darren that I would wait in the car with Cassie. I don't know how long we were waiting because I fell asleep in the car waiting for Darren...if I had to guess I would say we waited about an hour then Darren came back to the car and we headed home.

We stopped back at my parents house because they always leave "Santa" gifts for us by their fireplace so we had to pick them up. I think Cassie was sleeping for the night because the light inside the car woke her up and she cried for at least a half hour. I felt bad and Darren was getting pissed but my mom took her to one of the bedrooms and got her calmed down. We didn't stay long and we went back to our house. When we got Cassie back home, we was sleeping in her own bed before 10.

I didn't get too many good pics, my camera doesn't like to take good indoor pics, but I should be getting some from people soon and I will have to go through the good ones that I have and post them for everyone to see.

~18 DAYS~

~20 DAYS~

GIFT WRAPPING, VISITING, AND MORE GIFT WRAPPING

The only thing productive that got done at my house today was that I washed the dishes and I got all of our Christmas presents wrapped.

Cassie fell asleep on the floor around 2:30 pm while watching Frosty The Snowman and I picked her up off the floor and put her in her bed. She slept until 5 pm. When she got up we went over to my mom's where I started to wrap the gifts that she needed to have wrapped.

After a little bit I needed a break from the whole present thing so I took a dozen home made buns and two cookie trays over to Curt and Marcie Broden. It was nice to talk to them for a while. I think I was over there for close to 2 hours. Marcie showed me this scrapbook that was mailed to them recently by a neighbor of Jesse and Tanya's in Commerce City, CO. I guess the neighbor got the pictures from Jesse, and there were many pages because Tanya took a camera with her every where she went. It was very beautiful and very sad. There were so many pictures of Tanya and how happy she and Jesse were together. It almost made me cry. Marcie said that the whole family sat around it and cried the day it came in the mail. While I was with Curt and Marcie, Cassie was being entertained by Tiffany's cat Dexter and after a while Cassie went downstairs with Tiff and they played with stuffed animals and Tiff's makeup.

Close to 8:30 I left Broden's and went back to my parents house to finish wrapping gifts. mike was home and Cassie was REALLY excited to see him. They played together and Cassie listened to Uncle Mike play guitar while I was busy...which was a big help since I didn't have to worry about her getting into too much. I am so tired of wrapping gifts. Thankfully nobody has a birthday anytime soon.

Cassie laid down shortly after we got home, which was past 10 pm.

Tomorrow we go to my parents for Christmas Eve, we will probably open gifts here at our house before we go over there. Then we head up to Willow City on Christmas Day to spend that time with Darren's family.

I hope that you all have a happy and safe Holiday.

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS STORY

'Twas the night before Christmas--Old Santa was pissed.

He cussed out the elves and threw down his list.

Miserable little brats, ungrateful little jerks.

I have a good mind to scrap the whole works!

I've busted my ass for damn near a year,

Instead of "Thanks Santa"--what do I hear?

The old lady bitches cause I work late at night.

The elves want more money--The reindeer all fight.

Rudolph got drunk and goosed all the maids.

Donner is pregnant and Vixen has AIDS.

And just when I thought that things would get better

Those assholes from the IRS sent me a letter,

They say I owe taxes--if that ain't damn funny

Who the hell ever sent Santa Claus any money?

And the kids these days--they all are the pits

They want the impossible--Those mean little shits

I spent a whole year making wagons and sleds

Assembling dolls...Their arms, legs and heads

I made a ton of yo yo's--No request for them,

They want computers and robots...they think - I'm IBM!

Flying through the air...dodging the trees

Falling down chimneys and skinning my knees

I'm quitting this job there's just no enjoyment

I'll sit on my fat ass and draw unemployment.

There's no Christmas this year now you know the reason, I found me a blonde.

I'm going SOUTH for the season

BUSY DAY

It was tough dropping Cassie off at day care this morning. She wanted to go to Carson's house instead. I told Cassie that we may not be able to visit Carson for a little bit because he's been sick. Cassie cried really hard when I handed her over to Donna, the day care lady, I am hoping that Cassie didn't make too big of a fuse. I felt really bad leaving her while she was crying like that but they do say it's always harder on the parent than it is on the child.

I got to my dentist appointment early. It was nice to just sit and half-sleep in the waiting area. I was regretting the appointment because someone from the dentist office called a day earlier to let me know that the dentist ran out of gas and wouldn't have any until after the first of the new year so the only thing he would be able to use was novicaine. Which was alright by me because since I am pregnant I can't be given the gas anyway and when I made the appointment I told them that. I was surprised though, the dentist didn't have to use any numbing medication and was able to fix my chipped tooth in about 20 minutes. I waited longer in the waiting room than it took for the tooth to be fixed.

I drove right to DL from Edmore and I picked up two mocha's and a sandwich from The Liquid Bean and took them up to the hospital and I ate with my mom.

Then I ran to the grocery store, K-Mart, and Only Deals before my doctors appointment. I also had a cute T-Shirt made for Cassie at Creative Impressions and then went to Ramsey Photo to chat with April for about a total of three minutes.

The appointment went really well. The baby's heartbeat was around 122 to 133....an old wives tale says that any heartbeat lower than 140 means it's a boy and anything about 140 is a girl...It was also brought up that I hadn't been scheduled for surgery yet at the DL hospital so my doctor was going to call the OBGYN performing the section and make sure I was scheduled. I am also going to my doctor appointments weekly now.

Then I ran to Wal-Mart to finish my shopping. There is still one item that we need to get and I am going to send Darren into town to pick it up on Saturday while I stay home. After today I am really beat and I am sick and tired of shopping and I don't care to go back into town until next week.


~22 DAYS~

YESTERDAY

Yesterday didn't have much going for it. Around 5:30 pm Cassie and I went over to my mom's and put more ornaments on her tree and wrapped more presents. I am really depressed because I wasn't able to put up my tree. It's not Christmas without a tree. I can go without cards, baked goods, decorations, snow even.....but no Christmas tree just isn't right.

Mom also gave me a gift for the new baby. It's a really pretty knitted bunting outfit with a hood. I totally love it and it's going to be perfect to bring the baby home in since it will be cold out. I will have to take a pic and post it.

We came home kind of late because Cassie didn't get up from her nap until 5 pm so I knew she wouldn't be going to bed at 8 pm.

Tonight I have to run over to my mom's house and turn the lights and stuff on for her Schwan man, we may even wait for my mom to get home and hang with her for a while. I have to leave a note for my Schwan man tonight too if I am going to be gone tonight

I just haven't really decided what I am going to do. That's one of the things I don't like about winter. It's too cold to go anywhere but I get bored in the house all the time and I have to find something to do.

I have a dentist appointment tomorrow at 11 in Edmore. Then I have a doctor appointment in Devils Lake at 4. I am hoping that I have enough time between appointments to drvie from Edmore to DL and get my stocking stuffer things, do grocery shopping, and pick something up to eat. Then I can get right home after my doc appointment. Cassie is going to day care tomorrow around eight and then I am goint to get breakfast at the cafe and take off. My mom is going to pick Cassie up for me from day care when she gets home from work that way Cassie isn't there all day.

~22 DAYS~

BABY COUNT DOWN

My apologies out to Karissa. She wanted to know where the Baby Count Down went. I had stopped posting it cause I didn't think anyone was too interested and I had figured that since everyone knew when the section was that I didn't need to post it but I guess I was wrong, there are some of you that are interested and do watch the Count Down. So....

~23 Days~

And just to let all of you know, we don't know what the sex of the baby is so it's going to be a suprise for everyone. AND WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A GIRL NAME picked out yet.

CHRISTMAS TREE AND PRESENTS

Today there wasn't too much going on. Cassie and I went into Leeds and ate lunch at the cafe with Brandi and Carson. Then we went over to their house for a while.

Around 3:30 I went over to my mom's house cause she wanted me to help wrap Christmas presents and she wanted me to finish put the decorations on her Christmas tree. Cassie had a lot of fun helping me put the ornaments on. Unfortunately she also likes to take them off and rearrange them too but it's not a big problem.

Before we came home, Cassie threw another fit at Nana's house. This time it was over eating a cookie in the kitchen. Instead of the kitchen, Cassie wanted to take it into the living room and eat it over Nana's nice white carpet but that wasn't going to fly with Nana and that pushed Cassie over the edge. However, Grandpa saved the evening peaking at Cassie from around the kitchen corner and Cassie thought that was pretty funny and soon she was herself again.

We got home a little before 9 pm and Cassie was really tired when I laid her in bed. It only took reading one book and she was fast asleep. I pray that she stays sleeping tonight.

Tomorrow we are going to go back over to Nana's and help her with some more present wrapping.

Cassie reaching for an ornament that fell on the floor. 

Cool, I get to help mommy put the ornaments on Nana's Christmas tree!! 

One right here... 

...and one right here 

TADA! It's finished. 

WHAT A NIGHT

Last night was one of the worst nights I have had with Cassie in a very long time. She was in bed and sleeping before Darren left for Harvey in the evening and all was nice and quiet until 3 am and she came into my bedroom. I took her back to her room and laid her down and she was sleeping after about 45 minutes.

Then Cassie was up again around 5:30 so I put her back to bed. After about 15 minutes I could hear her but she was in her bedroom so I didn't get out of bed and I decided just to listen to see if she would put herself back to bed. After about 30 minutes I heard something bang in one of the back rooms so I got up to check things out and here Cassie followed the cat into the bathroom and Cassie had pushed her potty chair up to the dryer and was standing on the potty chair to pet the cat as she was eating (I keep the cat food on the dryer so Cassie doesn't play in it). I took Cassie by the hand and put her in bed AGAIN and it was about 7:30 when she fell back asleep then I went back and laid down and I think I fell asleep around 8:30 and then Cassie was up for the day at 10.

I don't know why that kid couldn't sleep last night. She wasn't acting sick and she didn't say that anything hurt or bothered her. I am hoping that we don't have a repeat of that night anytime soon.

FRIDGE

I was inspired by Karissa's blog to clean out my fridge yesterday. YUCK!!

I took all the trays and doors out and washed them and I even washed down the inside of the fridge. As I was removing stuff I found this bag that I didn't even know it was in there, something totally 100% liquefied in it. I have no clue what it was and I didn't hold on to the bag long enough to find out what it was.

There was only about 4 tuperware containers that had their own penicillin projects growing inside them. That's one of the reasons I hate leftovers, I never eat them and they just sit there until I just throw the tuperware and everything away.

I think it took a good 40 minutes or so to finish the fridge but now at least it's clean and it better stay that way for a while.

Thanks Karissa for motivating me to do the grosses thing yet since I have been pregnant. I needed that.

WHAT A DAY

Brandi and I had a pretty good time in Devils Lake. It was nice to go out together without the kids and have our own time together. I don't get too much of that anymore and I probably definitely won't get that after January.

I spent more than I had expected to at Wal-Mart and I wouldn't have bought anything at K-Mart but all their baby and toddler clothes (notice the E, April)are 40% off right now and they had a lot of cute stuff that I would have blown $100 on easy but I only got two nice warm sweaters for Cassie and I bought this really cute white with green snowflake outfit for the baby.

Then we ran to Only Deals so that Brandi could get wrapping paper and some marshmallows. Then we headed off to eat.

It was really cold out, and dark, before we headed home. I called my mom around 5 pm when we were still at K-Mart and asked her if she could pick up Cassidy for me because we weren't going to be home before 6 pm. My mom was waiting for her buns to rise so she said it wouldn't be a problem. I don't know what I would do without my mother. She helps me out so much that I just don't think I could do the whole children thing without her.

Today is cold and icky so I am dusting, vacuuming, and doing laundry while I work on more pages of Cassie's scrapbook. My goal is to get all the pages caught up before Christmas.

Is anyone else having a problem with Doug's blog? Every time I check out his blog, it freezes Explorer and I have to close it and then open it back up to get to another web page. It's starting to really tick me off. I don't have this problem with any other web page but his. Maybe my computer is becoming anti-dougie or something.

I'M ON SANTA'S NICE LIST

Christmas Naughty or Nice List I am on the The Nice List After checking the North Pole database I had : 829 nice entries 143 naughty entries Check your name on the Christmas Naughty or Nice List at JokesUnlimited.com

HELLO

Holy, 3 whole days without posting. I bet you all thought I died or something.

Not too much has been going on. Cassie and I wrapped Christmas presents on Sunday and Monday. I would really like to get my Christmas tree up but it won't fit in my living room because we have too much furniture. I need to get rid of this hide-a-bed couch that we have and then when that's gone or out of the living room then I can get Darren's Lay-Z-Boy recliner and tree in the living room.

I can't even remember Tuesday.

Yesterday, Cassie and I went into Leeds and at at the Cafe with Carson and Brandi. After lunch we went over to Brandi's place and hung out a bit. It was great timing that we got back to Brandi's when we did because the Cable guy pulled up right as we got into her house. We sat around and watched the cable guy work for a while then I left Brandi's and went over to my mom's. My mom wasn't home for more than 15 minutes and then I grabbed Cassie and left because Cassie was pitching the worst fit I have ever heard her throw. Cassie was hollering that she wanted to go home, then when I got her into the car she started screaming that she wanted to stay and see Nana, when I talked to Cassie and said that she had to be good and not scream, cry, and holler like that in Nana's house she just got mad again and I said piss on it so we left. By the time we got back to our house it was like nothing happened and she was great.

Cassie had an early bath and was in bed and sleeping before 8:30 so I got to watch the news and CSI without interruption. However, I woke up at 3 this morning to Cassie playing with her blocks on my glass coffee table. I don't know how long she was up before I woke up. I came out of my bedroom and asked her what she was doing. Cassie said "I'm awake, I watch cartoons now". I told her no and it was to early to be up and I walked her back to bed and read her some books and she was sleeping again by 4.

I have to take some of the baby things I have in my closet and start washing them. I am going to take out the receiving blankets, onsies, and the unisex clothing (why was all the girly things just yet) so that will be ready and I can some of that with me to the hospital.

When I thought my uncomfortable pregnant phase couldn't get worse the baby must have changes positions a little bit and it feels like he/she is doing a handstand with both hands on my hips, pushing down, and kicking my stomach right above the bellybutton with everything he/she's got. The baby constantly kicks now too. The only time the baby actually seems to be "OK" is when I am standing, when I am standing I'm not as uncomfortable either. I'm thinking it's a really big baby. Sometimes the kicked and pushing is so bad that it almost makes me physically sick. I thought I was in trouble a couple of times when we were out eating with April and Kevin. But this is pregnancy, God ever said it was going to be easy and isn't that why they call it Labor? I don't think most men would make it past month two in the pregnancy.

I hope that I get a lot of visitors in the hospital. I didn't get too many with Cassie but everyone lived different places then and Cando is a little far off for everyone to go. I hope delivering in Devils Lake will help the visitor thing.

Darren's been telling me to "get on the ball" with potty training. Well, my toilet is still broke so guess what isn't going to happen. I just found out the other day too that Cassie's potty chair comes apart and I can actually put the chair seat on top of our toilet and the bottom of the chair is a little three step stool. So, that would be cool if I had a working toilet and Cassie might like that better and not be scared of it so much. And, she would be using the big potty and may help her her more like a big girl and she would want to use it.....oh well. Hey, if any of you can fix my toilet, I will give you $100 if you come out and do it. Seriously.

Well, Brandi and I are going to take Cassie and Carson to Day Care for a few hours and we are going to run to Devils Lake so that we can do some Christmas shopping and have a Girls Day...we both need it something terrible.

Well, that's what I have been up to. sorry for not posting in 3 days.

~30 Days~

LAST NIGHT

Darren and I went into Devils Lake to Christmas shop around 4 pm. A little late in the day but Darren wanted to watch the Vikings game and then shower afterwards. My mom came and picked Cassie and I up and took us to her house so that I could get Cassie napping at her house before we left. Needless, I never did get her sleeping by the time Darren came over to my moms.

We ran into April and Kevin when we were in Wal-Mart and made plans to go out and eat together when Darren and I finished in Wal-Mart. We had been shopping for a little bit and then went to Electronics to check some stuff out and an associate from Wal-Mart started following us around from Electronics until we walked up to the check out. I am glad that they are trying to take measures to stop theft in their store, but the need to be a little more descreet about it and not be so damn obvious. It was making Darren and I so upset that when we were walking up to the check out, Darren was going to turn around and tell her to stop following us and he was going to push the full shopping cart of stuff to her and say, "You can keep all of it. I am going to do my Christmas shopping at K-Mart". It was really bad and I have thought about calling the manager at Wal-Mart.

It was wonderful to spend a little time with April and Kevin. We don't see them a whole lot and it's nice when we do. It seems like when we get together all we do is laugh. Darren and I have the best times with them.

Unfortunately we spent more time eating then we wanted to and we didn't get all our Christmas shopping done and we will have to try and finish it this weekend. We didn't do too bad though, all we have to shop for now is basically my dad and we only have to pick up the other halves of Darren's sister and my sister's gift and then do our Cassie shopping. I'm proud that we should have everything a week or so before Christmas, usually we are still buying stuff on Christmas eve day.

CASSIE'S FIRST SLED RIDE

Darren was taking trash to the dumpster in town with the 3-wheeler and sled that we have. Cassie was watching him from the window and started hollering at Darren cause she wanted a ride so when Darren came inside, we put Cassie into her snowpant, jacket, and other winter accessories and went out for a sled ride. I was a lot of fun. Cassie had a great time and I even thought it was a blast. I didn't get any pics of the sled ride but I am sure there will be plenty more before spring. I can't wait until we go out again. Afterwards Cassie played in the snow and had to pet all the animals and we got a few cute pet shots.

Where is dad with that 3-wheeler and sled? I am ready to go!! 

This is my horse Luna. I love her to death. My dad bought her for me when she was only 1 1/2 yrs old and she's almost 15 now. 

Here horsey, have some snow. 

Whoa! What a big horsey!! 

Can't forget a pat for Tucker too! 

SANTA DAY

Yesterday Brandi and I took Carson and Cassie to Santa Day in Leeds at the Community Center. We made it up town just in time for the last hay ride. It was chilly in the wind, but the kids didn't mind it. Some of the women wanted to sing Christmas carols as we went around town, but ironically nobody knew all the words to any carols except for Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. When we got done with the hay ride, Santa was already at the Community Center. Cassie was really excited to see Santa and could hardly stand in line waiting for her turn to sit on Santa's lap. Poor Carson didn't like him one bit and wouldn't even sit on his lap. They were running out of food and there wasn't much they had that Carson and Cassie could actually eat except for brownies and bars so Brandi and I went to the restaurant and ate there with the kids.

After lunch, I came home and Darren had to get some stuff in Devils Lake so we headed into town. The weather wasn't too bad when we left and Cassie fell asleep in car not five miles into the trip. We did our quick shopping and then ran to the Pizza Ranch to eat. We swung by April and Kevins to see if they wanted to come eat with us but I had forgotten that they went to that auction in Thompson.

The drive home wasn't too bad but you didn't dare go very fast.

Today we are heading back into Devils Lake to hopefully finish our Christmas shopping. We didn't do it yesterday because we wanted to get home before the weather got really bad. My mom is going to watch Cassie for us that way we can do a little shopping for her too.

~34 Days~
(if anyone is getting sick of this, I can let you know when I have 10 days or less to go)

Mom and Cassie before the hay ride started. I love how she is checking out her glove as she is waving. 

One chilly Cassie during the hay ride, but not cold enough for a wave. 

Cassie with Santa himself!!! She was so excited to see him and could hardly wait in line for her turn. 

WHY WHY WHY

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, "It's all right?" Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, "That hurt, you stupid idiot?"

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my FAVORITE......

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

MORE ON TANYA'S ACCIDENT (THIS IS MOSTLY FOR APRIL)

I know most of you are getting sick and tired of April and I talking about Tanya Broden but I thought I would post this, mostly for April, because Tanya's parents were going to talk to a lawyer to see what could be done about Tanya's accident.

I was reading the Benson County Farmers Press at my mom's place today and the article I read stunned me. This is the article.


"DOT says road properly signed"

A traffic review team from the ND Department of transportation (DOT) has concluded that the intersection of US 281 and ND 19 north of Minnewaukan had all the proper sings when an October 27 accident claimed the life of Tanya Broden, 24, of Colorado. She was on her way to Leeds to visit her parents when her car went off the road and into the lake.

Speed appears to be a factor in the accident. The so-called "black box" in her car indicated the vehicle was traveling 69 miles per hour five seconds before the air bags inflated. The sensors also indicated the vehicle had slowed to 34 mph in four seconds.

The DOT news release stated, "The NDDOT review team examined the work zone and found that it complied with construction engineering standards; that traffic control signage in the work zone met national and state standards; and that work zone signage was properly placed at the time of the crash."

The only thing that I can possibly think of why she was going 69 miles and hour was that Tanya might have fallen asleep shortly before the intersection and that's why the car was going so fast. When Tanya hit the intersection it woke her up right before the car went into the water and she tried to slow the car when she awoke. Though, this is all assumption. I feel really bad for Broden's because since she was traveling 69 in an 45 mile an hour work zone, I don't think they will be able to bring this matter to court.

I WOULDN'T MIND IF THE WIC LADY DIED

I was chatting with Brandi on MSN today until about noon. Around a quarter after twelve, Marie Williams from Lake Region WIC called me and asked if I still planned to come to my WIC appointment that was at noon because Cassie had to be recertified today. I had totally forgot about it, but that is what happeneds when WIC comes to Leeds after not being there for three months and not sending out any reminders. Again we run into the case of "hey, mom's since you don't have anything better to do you can remember your WIC appointment" and Marie was actually pretty rude during the call.

I told Marie that I could leave right away and I would get there at 12:30. Then she hums and haws about it cause she has another client coming in then and if that other client got there before me then I would have to wait. I told Marie that was fine but Cassie is on a good schedule and she takes a nap at 1:30 so if I don't get in by then I would have to take Cassie home for her nap. Well then Marie says that she can call her other client and see if they don't mind coming in at one which will give us time for the appointment. I said OK and headed out the door.

I get to WIC and take off Cassie's coat and the first thing out of Marie's mouth is "Oh, she's in a t-shirt! Brrrr!!" At the same time, I took a zip up hooded sweatshirt and started putting it on Cassie. Then Marie says, "Oh you have a sweatshirt. Good." I looked at Marie directly and said, "I wouldn't put her in just a t-shirt in winter." And then Marie smiled and laughed a little as she said "Oh, I thought you just kept it really warm in your house." I have been in no mood lately to put up with crap, especially when it was coming from Marie so again I stared at her and said "fuel prices aren't that nice".

I think she got the point I wasn't there to chit-chat with her after how rude she was when she called me because she shut up. She asked me to bring Cassie over to be weighted and measured. I saw her turn on this little machine that reads hemoglobin. Now, there was no way in hell I was going to let her poke Cassie after I saw her try to get the hemoglobin from Billy's son AJ about five months ago. I sat down in a chair away from the table that the machine was on and Marie said "I need you and Cassidy to sit right here." I asked her "for what?" and then she got really snotty and said "You need to sit right here." again I asked her what for and she said she had to get Cassie's hemoglobin. Marie isn't an RN, LPN, or even a CNA so I never let her do that to Cassie unless someone medically trained is there. I told her in the same tone of voice that she gave me that Cassie had her two year check up in October and they took her hemoglobin and I wasn't going to do it at my WIC appointment. I told her what it was and she wrote it down.

Then I get home, I am all fustrated because of how Marie acted just because I forgot about the appointment, I put Cassie down for her nap and I started to work on a few pages of Cassie's scrapbook to calm down and relax before Head Start came over. Then the phone rings at 2:30. It's Marie, she forgot to give me January's WIC checks and also forgot to setup an appointment for February and she says it all nice and polite like there wasn't anything wrong with HER forgetting anything. I told her to mail the checks because I wasn't going back into town to get them since Cassie was sleeping and I told her that I will be having Baby & I starting on the 18th of January and Baby & I goes from noon until two so anytime before or around 11 would work. Well she says she has a twelve o'clock and a twelve forty five open. I was about ready to blow up and say "DON'T YOU LISTEN TO ANYONE!" but I didn't. I just repeated that I was busy from noon until two and wouldn't be back in Leeds until after 3. "Oh, yeah, you have Baby & I from noon until two, I forgot" is what she said. I swear she made that phone call just to piss me off more.

Marie said I would have to bring the baby and Cassie into the next appointment because we are going to have to recertify Cassie for the program. "Wait a minute. Didn't we just do that today." I said. "Do what" was her response. "Recert Cassie, didn't we just do that today!" Marie was quiet for a bit and then said "oh, yes, we did so you aren't going to have to bring her to the next appointment then if you don't want to." Oh my God! If I was in my car at that moment and if I saw her crossing the street, I swear I would have run her over not even giving a crap about the consequences. I made and appointment for 11 and hung up.

I am starting to hate WIC. Well, not WIC it's self, but the woman we have here is just rude, mean, and just forgetful as we are but it's okay for her to forget but not us. I am thinking about writing a letter to someone but I don't know who. I would like a different WIC lady.

THE CARVER

For those of you that watch Nip/Tuck. There has been a charater stalking people who believes that "beauty is a curse on the world." The last few seasons he has been cutting the faces of "beautiful" people and has warned Dr.'s McNamara and Troy that if they correct any of his work that he would come after them. Well, they have done several plastic surgery corrections and The Carver, at the end of the last two seasons, cut both Dr. Troy and Dr. McNamara and has just recently attacked Kimber (a porn star that left Dr. Troy standing at the alter cause she couldn't sign the fidelity agreement in the prenup). At the end of yesterday's show, there was a little video clip from The Carver and he has his own blog now at www.myspace.com/thecarver where you can actually talk to him, discuss who you think The Carver is, read about what he's going to do next...ect...and he even answers back!! I think this is really cool. Every Nip/Tuck fan should check it out. I'm hooked.

WHAT?!?

I need to call All Seasons Water in Bottineau tomorrow. I checked my meter today and the meter showed that I have used 700 gallons in one week. Now, I know that I have been really excited about having rural water, but I can't imagine that I was excited enough to use that much water, especially in one week. I must have a leak in the line that they put in because neither the faucets or toilets are leaking in the house so the leak has to be outside. I just hope they don't have to come and rip my yard apart again.

STUFF

I never got crabby or pissy when I was pregnant with Cassie but I think I have now reached that stage with this baby. I have been really good holding my temper and patients with Cassie but everything is making me mad and upset and I see to get ticked off over the simplest things.

Cassie decided to test the limits when I layed her down for her nap today. I could hear her running back and forth through her room and then she would run and slam her bedroom door shut. I think I went and opened it up about 3 times and told her to stop and that it was nap time. After the third time it wasn't too long and she did fall asleep, thank God, because my patients was very VERY thin by then and I didn't know how much longer I was going to be able to deal with that.

Today I made my birth announcements. I didn't totally finish them though. Everyone who knows me knows that I like to make all my invitations and cards (except Christmas cards) myself. I got on Microsoft Publisher today and made and girl and a boy announement so it can be filled out, printed, and mailed after the baby is born so I don't have to worry about making them after the baby is born. I was going to post them so everyone could see them but, there is only 38 more days so I just figured that everyone could wait until then.

Well, I am off to look for more baby names and maybe I will find something this week.

ROBBERY, LIVER, AND SOME STUFF

Saturday Darren had a truck load sale in Harvey. He was going to see if he could get out of it because it was super cold but he found out that the boss put out radio advertisements about the sale so Darren had to do it. Since Darren wasn't home I cleaned my house, top to bottom, and everything is clean now. I am hoping that I can keep it that way for 5 weeks because then we will have company here when the baby comes. So far, I have been able to keep up with it really good and I plan to keep it that way or my house will never be clean with two little-ones running around.

Darren called during a slow point in his truck load sale and said that the manager was running a route up near Belcourt. The manager had the truck stopped along side a road and a young native American came up to him and asked if he could get a box of an ice cream novelty and asked the manager if he had change for a $20. The manager told him he did and got out of the truck to get the guys ice cream and when the manager pulled out his wallet to make change for the $20, the guy grabbed the wallet, pulled it so hard that it broke the wallet chain that keeps it attached to the drivers pants and jumped in his car and took off. Darren said it took about 30 seconds and the manger was like, "I was just robbed". The manager called the police and the BIA. I guess when the manager told people around the housing district he was in it made a lot of people mad that someone on their reservation would do that and there were a bunch of people out looking for the guy because the manager did get a really good look at him. I can't believe some people. And they wonder why and complain because sales people don't go out there and sell to them except for Schwans. However, that is the risk you take going anywhere.

Darren's dad has an appointment in Minot today with a doctor. I guess Darren's dad had some blood work done at the clinic in Bottineau and the tests came back showing some problems and there is something wrong with his liver so they referred him to Minot. I hope that his doctor appointment goes okay and there isn't anything too serious. I know that Darren is concerned. You can't live without it, hence the name LIVEr.

Cassie is doing great with her bed. She really likes have a big girl bed. She hasn't fallen out of bed for a while now so I hope she got the hang of where the edge of her bed is. I still read her a few books before nap time and bed time, when I am done with the few books I kiss her good night and take the books with me and it doesn't take her very long and she falls asleep. I am so glad that she took to her bed so well in only a few weeks. Now I am not worried about nap and bed time when the baby gets here. It shouldn't be a problem and the adjustment wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. I am happy that I had the time to do it before the baby.

WHAT A WASTE OF TIME

I am really glad that my mom was able to come with me and watch Cassie during my appointment yesterday.

Cassie and I went into town early so I could stop somewhere and grab lunch really fast somewhere (and I am glad that I did) and Cassie and I went to Same Day Surgery and ate with my mom. All the patients were discharged so it was pretty quiet. At a quarter to one, we headed over to the clinic so I could fill out paperwork and give them my insurance and Medicade numbers. We were in the waiting room before one o'clock, the time of my appointment.

We waited....and waited...and waited. Cassie got really bored and my mom was running out of things to do with her. They had already rode up and down the elevator 20 times (it was kind of funny cause Cassie found the emergency alarm button and pushed it once when she and mom were in the elevator), Cassie had a candy cane off the Christmas tree in the lobby, they played on the little chalkboard forever. We had been waiting for close to an hour and I asked one of the nurses how much longer it would be because my mom was still punched in at Same Day. They said that they didn't have any paperwork from Dr. Petty's office and they were waiting to recieve it and they had just gotten it by fax so it shouldn't be too much longer. Well we were waiting about another half hour so mom took Cassie and went to punch out at Same Day then she took Cassie to the cafeteria for a cookie and while they were gone I finally got into an examination room where I waited about another 15 minutes. It was close to 2 hours before I even saw Dr. Billings. He just had some general stuff to go over. Said that I am the only surgical he has right now for the 13th so the surgery would be scheduled for 8 am and I would need to be at the hospital 2 hours before hand. He measured my stomache and he checked the heartbeat and then he answered the 30 questions that I had for him. He said that if all goes well, I may be discharged at soon as the following Monday. Only three days in the hospital kind of suprised me because I was in the hospital for a full week...Monday through Friday...when I had Cassie. But then I did a have an abnormal amount of blood loss too during Cassie's section.

We finally got out of the doctors office by 4. My mom, Cassie, and I ran to Wal-Mart fast to do some quick shopping and then came home. I have all my house clean now but the kitchen and I am going to start that now and after the kitchen is done, Cassie and I are going to go to my mom's and wait for Darren to get home.

~42 Days~

WHAT A WASTE OF TIME

I am really glad that my mom was able to come with me and watch Cassie during my appointment yesterday.

Cassie and I went into town early so I could stop somewhere and grab lunch really fast somewhere (and I am glad that I did) and Cassie and I went to Same Day Surgery and ate with my mom. All the patients were discharged so it was pretty quiet. At a quarter to one, we headed over to the clinic so I could fill out paperwork and give them my insurance and Medicade numbers. We were in the waiting room before one o'clock, the time of my appointment.

We waited....and waited...and waited. Cassie got really bored and my mom was running out of things to do with her. They had already rode up and down the elevator 20 times (it was kind of funny cause Cassie found the emergency alarm button and pushed it once when she and mom were in the elevator), Cassie had a candy cane off the Christmas tree in the lobby, they played on the little chalkboard forever. We had been waiting for close to an hour and I asked one of the nurses how much longer it would be because my mom was still punched in at Same Day. They said that they didn't have any paperwork from Dr. Petty's office and they were waiting to recieve it and they had just gotten it by fax so it shouldn't be too much longer. Well we were waiting about another half hour so mom took Cassie and went to punch out at Same Day then she took Cassie to the cafeteria for a cookie and while they were gone I finally got into an examination room where I waited about another 15 minutes. It was close to 2 hours before I even saw Dr. Billings. He just had some general stuff to go over. Said that I am the only surgical he has right now for the 13th so the surgery would be scheduled for 8 am and I would need to be at the hospital 2 hours before hand. He measured my stomache and he checked the heartbeat and then he answered the 30 questions that I had for him. He said that if all goes well, I may be discharged at soon as the following Monday. Only three days in the hospital kind of suprised me because I was in the hospital for a full week...Monday through Friday...when I had Cassie. But then I did a have an abnormal amount of blood loss too during Cassie's section.

We finally got out of the doctors office by 4. My mom, Cassie, and I ran to Wal-Mart fast to do some quick shopping and then came home. I have all my house clean now but the kitchen and I am going to start that now and after the kitchen is done, Cassie and I are going to go to my mom's and wait for Darren to get home.

~42 Days~

APPOINTMENT AND A LITTLE RANTING

Today I meet with my OB/BYN who is performing my cesarean section. I don't know what is going to be done at this appointment so my mom is going to meet me over at the clinic and she is going to watch Cassie for me while I am with the OB/GYN. I have seen this same man before in Minot for my PCOS so he's not a total stranger, but I have only seen him for my PCOS and nothing else so I am a littel uncomfortable around him yet. I would still like my regular doctor to do the section because we have already been there done that and he has already seen me naked. So personal comfort with the OB/GYN isn't there right now hopefully I will feel more comfortable when the time comes.

After the appointment Cassie and I will probably have to grab something to eat and then I was going to head to Wal-Mart and finish Christmas shopping for Darren's fam. I only have one or two more things to get for Darren and I have finished his Christmas shopping. The only person I have gotten gifts for is my mom and I still haven't gotten Cassie anything. There are a few things that I really want to get her so we will have to see what happends cause I really don't want to buy her stuff when she's with now because she has a great memory. When she was an infant it was great cause you could take her with to do gift shopping and she didn't know the difference. I don't even think she knew they were for her....but she does now.

There is a shower for my Aunt tomorrow in Grand Forks. I don't know if I am going to go or not. My aunt from Fargo is helping host the shower and she wants my grandma to be there....PERIOD! Well, grandma is a little slow, her memory isn't good, she shouldn't have all that sweet food because of her diabetes, and she isn't social (she doesn't talk to anyone, she just sits there). In some respects it's not much of a difference between taking care of my grandma and taking care of Cassie. If I went to GF, I would want to do some xmas shopping while I am there and if grandma was with she would need a few breaks to sit, it wouldn't go very fast because she isn't, then we would probably have to stop and eat some where because my grandma has to eat her meals around certain times because of the diabetes and it takes my grandma over an hour to eat somewhere (I'm not joking about that either). It would be nicer to go by myself because I can get to the shower, do shopping, then get the heck out of GF and be home at a decent time. If I had to take someone I would probably take Cassie cause things go faster with Cassie then my grandma. The whole thing that gets me is why my aunt didn't call around and work this out a month ago instead of two days before the shower? My aunt from Fargo was one of the people that send out invites so she should have thought about that at the same time. But she has been like that lately...she always wants grandma to be involved and brought along to places but she doesn't want to do it herself and it's my poor mother who gets stuck with it all the time and my mom is the one they holler at if she isn't taken somewhere and then she gets 100 questions as to why mom didn't take her or why they didn't go at all. Yeah, my grandma is my mom's mother so why shouldn't my mom do it and not feel ungreatful about it...but just like everyone else my mom works, she has her own family, her own house to keep up, her own running around, and her own problems to work out without having to worry about my grandma all the time and isn't that why they all decided to spend $1600 a month for my grandma to be in assisted living so that they, and especially my mom, didn't have to watch her all the time? It blows my mind how much my mom actually does for grandma but yet the rest of her family expect more. Well you know, she is their mother too and just because they may live over 100 miles from where she lives doesn't mean that just because my mom lives closer she can do all the work. They could help out more than they do too!!

My mom wants me to check with my aunt from Minot because if the weather is nice she was thinking about going and if she goes she could pick up grandma, otherwise I am supposed to check with my cousin and see if my cousin will pick her up....and I know that if I go, my aunt from Fargo will be all over me for not bringing grandma so I almost don't want to go just because of that.

Wow, I am sorry about all of that. I guess it was just my time to get it all off my chest. If you are still reading after all of that, Thank you. I'm done on that subject.

~43 Days left and counting down~