It's Dylann's first Halloween! Isn't she the sweetest little penguin you've ever seen!! She wasn't very happy about the costume, but she did sit still for a few pics. We took her to 3 of our neighbors houses and that was about all she could handle. She is already in bed! We're just about out of candy, so we'll be turning the light out shortly. We have a scary movie to watch...I won't make it, I hate scary movies! That's ok, I'm exhausted and I think I'm gonna go to bed early!

Cold again!

It's even colder this morning than it was yesterday! I broke down and got out my winter coat and a few sweaters. I don't know what it is about Floridians, but we try to go as long as possible without dragging out the winter clothes. Maybe we think that cold snaps are too short to go to the trouble...remember, the winter clothes have been put away for about 6 months now...it's a pain in the neck to dig them out! Whatever the reason, I had to dig way into the back of my closet, contorting my body to find the rubbermaid tub and pull out whatever was on top. We have a small space heater that we keep under the bathroom sink...well it's on top of the sink now warming up that bathroom! Oh and that leads me to another Floridian quirk...we never turn on the central heat...never. Give it a few hours and it will warm up on it's own. Funny. Well, I am going out to brave the cold and get my big diesel truck cranked up and get the heat blowing on high for about 15 minutes before I get in! Have a good day! Keep warm!

It's cold!

Wow, what a shocker when I woke up this morning! It's in the 40's...bbrrrrr. I'm a Florida girl through and through and I can't stand to be cold! I had to put on slippers and a sweater over my jammies this morning. Dilly woke me up coughing this morning. I laid there waiting to see if her mama would get up and get her, but after about 15 minutes of it I figured she was probably ignoring her...she couldn't have not heard her. Last night at dinner Katie said that Dylann is exhausting!! My hubby and I looked at each other wide-eyed. Katie gets ticked off pretty easily so instead of making a snide comment I just said, "yeah, can you imagine if you lived alone and didn't have me to help!" ...it still ticked her off. Oh well, the truth hurts baby!

So, today I have no plans. Before I quit work I would have loved a day like today. Now that I'm home everyday, I feel as though I must clean the house on days like this. It needs it...so I will feel guilty if I don't do it! Then again...there's always tomorrow! ...and therein lies the problem! I'm not used to being home everyday...I worked for 24 years of my life and now I don't know how to be a housewife! I can manage an office like nobody's business, but I can't manage a house! It doesn't make sence. Does anyone out there have any house-management advise for me? I need a schedule...a mission for each day. Unfortunately I don't really care that much. I guess I'll go turn on Judge Judy.

Roseola

We just got home from the pediatrician...Dilly has roseola. It's symptoms are a high fever for 3 days and then when the fever goes away a rash develops on their torso, neck and shoulders. All 3 of my kids had it but it wasn't until this morning when I saw the rash that it occured to me that it could be roseola. So, she will be fine! She is already 99% better. She is very sleepy and cranky, but no more fever. The rash doesn't itch or bother her at all. So hopefully I will not have any more sick baby posts...yeah!!

Baby is doing better today.

We had another long night, but at least Katie was home and she and I took turns sleeping with Dylann. She was scorching hot again all night long, but is only slightly warm right now. She's been cranky and fussy all day, but I can deal with that as long as the fever is gone. Katie being a new mom started to panic when she felt how hot she was in the middle of the night. I remember those days and so I know that there isn't much more we can do. We have her on antibiotics and baby fever reducer. We are also trying to keep her drinking the pedialyte and wiping her down with cool rags. If she isn't better by tomorrow morning we will be taking her back to the doctor. She and Katie are both napping right now...I might join them!

Plans were made to be broken

Well, so much for the game. I was up all night with a sick baby and she is still running a fever. Her mama was out of town for a friends 21st birthday party...I don't even want to know... Poor Dilly has been trying to get sick again and by the time I got home yesterday afternoon her fever was up to 100. By 9:00 it was 102. She finished her antibiotic for her last bout a week ago and had some left over, so I started giving her that plus infant motrin and it seems to work for a little while. After I put her to bed, however, she started to throw up...let me rephrase that: after I put her into MY bed! Then the "comedy of errors" began...it wasn't funny then, but now that everything turned out ok I can chuckle about it. Here's the play-by-play: I lay her down on my bed and then I begin to take off my jeans so I can climb in with her. I have one leg out of my jeans when she starts to throw up. I quickly reach for her and pick her up so I can make my way to the bathroom...one leg on and one leg off. As I'm quickly hobbling to the bathroom I am trying to shake the pant leg off, but it just turns inside-out and won't come off! I have double doors leading into the bathroom and one side of the doors stays latched up at the top. My pants became stuck up under the latched door. As I tried to make my way toward the garden tub with Dylann vomiting the whole way, my pants refused to come with me and caused me to trip and fall while holding the puking baby. I did a great job of cradling her and she didn't get hurt, but I landed on my knees and elbows. FINALLY, I dragged my leg out of the pants and made it to the tub and held her over it as she continued to throw up. My bed is covered in it...I am covered in it...she is covered in it...there is a trail from the bed to the bathroom...the bathroom floor where we fell has a puddle...and now the bath tub is splattered. Unbelieveable! She finally stopped and I got her cleaned up with a fresh bottle of pedialyte on a blanket and boppy in front of the TV. I change myself and the sheets...grab her and climb back into the bed. She was pretty hot most of the night and I mopped her brow with a cool rag throughout the night. Hubby was home, but he has a bad sore throat and he was asleep in the recliner through it all. I am exhausted, but she is feeling a little better this morning. Her mama will be home this evening and I'm going to take a bubble bath (in the no longer pukey tub) and hide out in my room. Well, I hope I made somebody laugh today...or smile at least! I hope you all have a great day!

Rainy Day

It's a yucky rainy day, but I shouldn't complain because we really could use the rain. We are about to go into the Florida dry season and we haven't had much rain in the past couple of months. Dylann is at home with a fever. She was a little warm yesterday, but last night she was getting hot and this morning she was hot again. Her mama is staying home with her today. I work at my old job on Friday's to help out. I worked as an administrative assistant at my church for several years and when I quit this past June they didn't know if they would replace me with a full time person or a part time person. So, I've kind of helped out on Friday's since then and it's working pretty well. I am getting tired of it, but it's only for a few hours once a week and they are paying me, soooooo.......

Tomorrow I am going to the Gator game. We are Bull Gators and have really good seats with access to the clubhouse and a large buffet for free...it's very nice. It's about a 2 hour drive and although I love it once I get there, I'm not usually excited about it. I love my Saturday's... they're mine! So when I have to share them I get a little testy. Now that I'm not working it's harder for me to complain...isn't everyday mine? Yeah well.... tomorrow is the big Mt. Dora craft fair and I'd rather go there. I will have a great day...if Dilly is better it will be her first Gator game...a right of passage in our family. I'll take pictures, of course!

Dylann goes to the Pumpkin Patch!

Babble...babble

Well, another day. I stress-ate a little yesterday. I think today will be better...less stress since the puppies are gone. It's 7:30 am...so far, so good.

The girls and I are taking Dilly Bug to the pumpkin patch this morning. I plan to bring my camera, so I'll have a great slideshow to add this afternoon. We bought her a cute outfit to wear, but it has long sleeves...hopefully it won't be too hot! You never know in Florida. This Saturday is the Fall Festival at our church. I'll bring my camera for that too, I don't want to miss Dylann's first pony ride! Robert bought her a horse right after she was born, so she needs to practice! Common sence doesn't exist in his world, he's putting a big wooden playground in our backyard for her for Christmas! Who cares that she'll only be 9 months old! She'll grow into it!

Well, I've babbled on long enough. It's time to get some work done around here.

They're Gone!!

Well, I got up a 5:30 this morning to help my hubby load the puppies up into the truck to head on down to their new home at the farm. They have a brand-new, shiny pen (thanks to me!) and a big beautiful 3,000 acre farm with other hunting dogs there waiting to play with them. Praise the Lord!! Happy Day!! Now let me get busy scrubbing the floors and vaccuuming rugs and putting the lanai back together. By the way...read my lips...NO MORE PUPPIES!

Puppies WILL be gone in the morning!

I made an executive decision! I went to Tractor Supply and bought a 10 x 10 chain link dog pen! I called Robert and told him to swing by the store and pick it up in his truck on the way home...and he did! It's tied to the bed of his truck and tomorrow morning I am going to help him load these little pain in the neck dogs into the backseat!! It has been 2 days of pure hell at this house! One of my neighbors came by the house this evening (while I was out buying the pen) and told poor Besty (who was doing her best to keep the puppies entertained) that he was having a hard time relaxing on his back porch with all the howling and barking. I wish he had said something to me! I guess all my neighbors will be happy tomorrow, but not as happy as me!!

Puppies are still here!!

It's tomorrow...... finally! I got up early to help Robert load these obnoxious puppies into his truck...I tried to look sad to see them go. HA! Was I ever surprised when he said he had to leave them home one more day...he has to build them a pen. One more day? A pen? A pen in one day? Kelli, I think I'm gonna do what you said you'd do...cry. They start "picking" (hubby is a tomato farmer) today...there will be no time for pen building. I am on my last nerve right now...at 7:35 am. (Here is a picture from yesterday when we introduced Macie and Dixie to our yorkie Squirt. Look how happy he is to see them, he's smiling!) On top of all that I slithered up onto the scale this morning for a sneak peak...I've lost 2 ounces in 8 days. I've been doing good on this diet! I've stuck pretty close to the 1000 calories per day and I've exercised almost every day! I've had to ice my knee every day!!! What the heck is going on. I'm not gonna quit...I want to look and feel better...I want a tummy tuck and a boob lift in the spring. Heeheehee.

Wake up call

Tuesday's are my "not-a-thing-to-do-all-day" day. I love Tuesdays! So, this morning I was happily snoozing at about 7:00 am with Dilly Bug in bed with me. She woke up at about 5am, but I brought her in bed with me and she went right back to sleep. I wake up to the sound of my Nextel (downstairs in my purse) being alerted. Beep beep beep...beep beep beep...beep beep beep. Are you kidding me! My husband and son are the only ones who "two-way" me, so it had to be one of them. Why can't they call the house phone? It's sitting on the night stand! So, I pick up the house phone and call my son. Here is the jist of the "alert": Dad and I found 2 blue tick hound puppies on the bulletin board at the gas station and we need you to go get them. WHAT? Like I need 2 more dogs. So, he gives me the sellers phone number and I hang up and immediately call my husband. Yes, he confirms that I am to go get $300 out of the bank and run over to this guys house and pick up 2 puppies. What are we going to do with them? I live in a subdivision...and I have a mini-yorkie! He plans to take them to the farm.........tomorrow. Tomorrow is a day away from today. A whole day...with 2 hound dog puppies and a yorkie. As I type I can hear a duet of puppy howling coming from my beautiful screened lanai. I feel like going outside and shouting at the top of my lungs "They'll be gone first thing in the morning!!!!.....sorry!!" Oh boy, how are we going to get through the night? Tomorrow can't come soon enough, but when it does, I'll let you know how we made out. Help!

Diet update

Ok, so we started the diet last Tuesday. We, oh forget it, I'm gonna write about me...just me. I did great for the first 4 days, then the weekend hit and I did pretty good over the weekend. Not too many bad choices and I did do my exercise every day. Then Monday I had jury duty and I was at the courthouse from 7:45 am to 5:00 pm and I had to eat lunch at a diner. I had a sandwhich and ate it like a salad tossing the bread out...I did have a teeny tiny bag of chips, but other than that I did fine. By the time I got home I was ready to eat the dog, so I grabbed a quick bowl of fiber cereal to sooth the beast and then later I had a shrimp kabob and some southern cooked yellow squash made with bacon and onions and I licked the bowl clean. I didn't pig out, just a small bowl, but I enjoyed every bite. I didn't exercise at all that day, but I don't hate myself for it...it's ok to miss a day. Today I have done well and I feel like I'm back on track...except I haven't done the exercise video because I've had to ice my knee every night since starting the darn videos due to all the lunges! My poor knees can't handle lunging anymore. I guess I'll have to modify that portion of the videos too. Before long I'll have modified them so much that I could sell my own video series for those with bad knees and heavy breathing! I have 3 more days till the 10 day challenge is up and I can weigh...I'll let you all know how it goes!!

My latest decorating project

Leslie at 2807 Sunflower Lane blog has inspired me to post about my latest home decorating project. She did a "quickie" in her bathroom and it's great! I got a wild hair up my butt to redecorate my family room...I can't really call mine a quickie although it started out that way...with the "wild hair" and all. Our old family room layout just wasn't working...it was too closed in and there wasn't any room. So, we ditched most of the large furniture...kept the couch and love seat and rearranged them to open the family room up to breakfast area. Taking out our old 9 ft long entertainment center left the largest wall in the room empty...what do you do with a 16 ft long wall? Well, the picture above is what I did. I ordered the gallery shelves from Pottery Barn and went through lots of family photos to find just the right ones. I bought all new picture frames in dark wood and silver and put it together in an afternoon...it was great fun. Thanks to my dad who helped to hang the shelves...drilling into concrete walls is a real pain in the arse! Anyway, it's done and I love it. Here's the room!

Fabulous Day!

What a wonderful day I had with my old college friend Sandra. We had a blast talking and laughing about our days in the dorm and double dating. We all decided that none of us have really changed a bit! Robert was having a big "dove shoot" out at the farm and Rodney and their son Brooks went out there and had a great time eating and hunting. We have made plans to get together again in November...can't wait! There's nothing like old friends!

So excited!!!

I am sitting here waiting for my friend Sandra and her husband Rod to to get here! I haven't seen them in 25 years! We all went to college together...Sandra went on a double date (not with her current husband) with Robert and I on our very first date. They should be here any minute...I've been cleaning and freshening my house up all morning. I will post some pics after our day together!

Update on Dilly Bug

Sweet little Dilly is gonna be fine. She has a cold, but because she is so croupy they put her on a short course of steroids. She'll be on them for about 5 days. She has never taken any medicine before and she HATES it! We are only giving her 1/2 teasp, but you'd think we were trying to pump kerosine into her! She gags and shudders...it's precious (of course I think everything she does is precious!) She was doing better this morning and her cough was less congested, so she is on the mend! I hate when they are sick, but I do enjoy the extra cuddle time they let you have! She's only 7 months old, but she is already trying to get down when you hold her too long...get down? Where the heck does she think she's gonna go? She can't even crawl yet! She hasn't even perfected sitting up! OOOooo we're gonna be in trouble when she walks!

Dylann is sick...honey love.

Here's a picture of my sweet baby girl...Dilly Bug. I took it this morning while she was watching BabyTV. She's not feeling well today. Her mommy has taken her to the doctor because she has had a croupy cough for several days now. I just thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and have her checked out before the doctor's office closes for the weekend. I don't know why, but it seems like my kids always got sick on the weekends. They haven't gotten home yet, but I'll be sure to post how she's doing later on.

I hope everyone likes alot of pictures, because I am the picture-taking-queen! I bought myself a Nikon D50 for Christmas 2 years ago. We were spending Christmas in Vermont and I wanted to document our trip with the best camera I could afford and it has been a.m.a.z.i.n.g.! So, I plan to put lots of pictures of Dylann on here...like it or not!

My Diet

Ok, so my daughter Katie and I started a diet. I wasn't sure if I was ready to put it out there, but, well here it is. I guess once you've admitted it publically, then it's real. We are doing the... (yikes, do I dare say it?) ...Beachbody Ten Minute Trainer. There, I whispered it. I'm a little embarrassed that I am doing an infomercial diet, but it had me at "10 minute". We are on day 3 and doing rather well I must say. We decided to kick off the diet with the "Lean Jean Plan" for the first 10 days for quicker results. Aside from the fact that I cannot move a single muscle in my body without pain, I think it's gonna be great. If I live through the first 10 days, I'll have it licked. The hardest part is the exercising...yeah, the 10 minute part (Isn't it funny that starving to death isn't the hardest part?). They intend to get a 30 minute workout done in 10 minutes. On day one I thought I would die on minute 2. I kept going doing my own version of some of the moves that I just could not possible manuever, but I was proud that I made it for 10 minutes. The kicker is, on the "Lean Jean Plan" you have to do (2) 10 minute videos a day. Cardio plus another ie: lower body, full body, abs or flex yoga. Let me just say, the lower body is awful...the full body is awfuler and the abs...well, I filled in with alot of crunches. Tomorrow I have to do the awful lower body again...when can I do the stinkin yoga!...Sunday, how appropriate...thank you Lord.

I'll be keeping you all abreast of our progress...my little 125 pound daughter can knock out 2 videos without a break...not to mention keep up with them. Did I mention that I hate her? Until tomorrow....

An old friend

I am very excited today. I found an old friend...well it wasn't really lost, but I'd kinda pushed it to the back-burner of my busy life and today I resurrected it...my AOL Journal. I kept a journal for a couple of years and then as my life got busier, I just quit posting. I got an email from an old J-lander friend the other day and she gave me the directions to turn my AOL journal into a google blogspot and "wallah" (I made up the spelling for that!) it's here. It goes way back and I'm telling you, I'm having a ball catching up with my old life...soooo many changes!!!! It's crazy to see how funny I used to be...well, I probably still am, but haven't found my inner funny person in google-land yet. Well, if any old J-landers find me...hello again! I promise to be better at posting often...at least weekly!

When is the cool weather coming??

I live in the Sunshine State so I don't know why I am surprised that it's still hot...in mid October! After living here for over 20 years, it still amazes me when the temp is 90+ well into October and even later most years. My mind and body are screaming for cooooool. My poor little pumpkins are sitting so proudly on my front porch with beads of sweat dripping from their brows as the afternoon sun beats down on them. Just the sight of a pumpkin on my porch gives me a false sense of coolness. My parents are in the Carolinas, bragging about their cool morning walks...you almost need a light jacket. My brother-in-law in Minnasota has sent pictures of his kids in a pile of leaves wearing warm jackets and I just can't bear to look. Please Lord...just a little bit of coolness...I sound like the Rich Man in Hell asking the Lord for just a drop of water to cool his tongue...it's not that bad...really.

A new appreciation for my crock-pot!

I am following a blog about crock-pot cooking and I have been inspired to get mine out and dust them off (yes, them, I have 4). Last night I put 2 of them into action and it was a yummy night! I roasted a pork loin (which was wonderful by the way) and to go with it I made crock-pot mac & cheese... Mac & cheese is my all time favorite food. In the other crock I made dessert...yes, dessert! Crock pot brownies-in-a-mug topped with Edy's French Silk ice cream...my heavens! It all came out perfect and I even had pork loin and mac & cheese for lunch today too...too bad there weren't any brownies left, but I did have a little French Silk hehehe. I LOVE food, but I do pretty well with refraining from too many helpings. I really love to cook too and I swear, I spend 1/2 my day planning, shopping for and preparing dinner. Tonight we're having Mahi Mahi Tacos...awesome! I've made them a few times before and they are a big hit here with the fam. Well, I promise to keep my crock-pots a little busier...thanks for the inspiration!

Blogs of Note

I am a true Wallflower. I have been searching for some interesting blogs to follow and I have found a few, but when it asks if I want to follow publically or anonymously, I panic and click anonymously!! I am happier watching the fun than having the fun...always have been. I mean I really panic...sweaty palms and all. I'm sure I'll settle down and find a few blogger friends, but jeesh! not today.

It's about time

Well, I guess it's about time that I post...after all this is a blog...and I have had it for several months now. I had a journal on AOL for years and just found out that AOL is getting rid of their journals...wow, that's a big step! There are millions of journals on there. I had quite a little following for a while, but as I got busier and busier I posted less and less and eventually I lost contact with everyone. I was pretty obsessed with my journal for awhile and was contantly being made fun of by my family for spilling our "family guts" to total strangers...well, if the shoe fits! I have been inspired recently by my cousin Amy http://www.thebarbafamily.blogspot.com/ . She has the sweetest blog and it's followed by many in our extended family. My mom is always asking me if I've read Amy's blog lately. I'm sure she will be reading mine as well. Amy is a newlywed and began posting alot of recipes until she became pregnant and now we get to see her pregnancy progress. I am very interested in keeping up with her progress as I am a brand new grandmother and I documented every little detail of my Katie's progress...mostly in pictures...which I have since made into a book on http://www.picaboo.com/ It was VERY easy and I came out perfect. Well, as I'm sure I'm only talking to myself right now, I'm going to get going...lot's of dishes and laundry...yuck.