I'm here, just quiet!!


Not a lot to report. Life has continued to move at a nice relaxed pace for the summer. The boys are having a blast on their bikes, I'm enjoying sleeping in a little and sitting on the porch watching them.

Stephanie was gone for a week and it was really quiet around the house without her around, not to mention no card games. It's funny how quickly we all got used to having her around, and how weird it was when she wasn't. I think the dog missed her the most.

I have finally shaken my funk from the last few weeks. I keep forgetting that as I get older PMS can really kick me in the butt and make me feel a lot worse than I would like. Now that is over I feel a bit better, I still miss meepers an awful lot, but I'm not sobbing everyday.

I've been quite social though for being down. One night I we went to my SIL's house for a BBQ. It was really nice to have someone grill for me. Her kids were there so our boys had a blast playing and we all enjoyed the backyard of her new house. I mad an awesome desert, a chocolate brownie trifle that was YUMMY!!

I also got to get all dressed up one night and go to a very fancy(ie black tie) event for the lodge Billy belongs to. They had bought a table as the normally do for this group(The Boys and Girls club) and at the last minute they had someone not be able to make it so they wanted to know if DH would fill the spot. DH had hockey, didn't want to miss it, so I went in his place. I was very happy to find a dress that I bought pre-kids, still fit and I did my hair, make-up, and even lipstick. I felt really pretty, and had a blast. The food was soooo good, prime rib so tender you could cut it with a butter knife. It was also good to know that it was all for a good cause as well.

I survived Monday which is was the anniversary of my moms death. It's been quite a few years but it's still a really hard day. I wish I could forget the actual day and date but it seems etched in my memory forever. I guess the combo of helping making the choice of having the life support removed, being in the room, holding her hand when she died, and the fact it was 2 days before my 1st wedding anniversary, makes it hard to forget. It's funny with memories, it seems to dull the edges of the happy stuff, but the not so good stuff, seems to stay crystal clear. I can still close my eyes sometimes I can see her room and hear the sounds like it was just yesterday. It wasn't a gruesome death by any means, she did pass quietly, and I know she was peaceful and in a better place and all that, but it's just stuck there in my brain.

On to happier subjects. Yesterday was my 17th wedding anniversary. Dh tried to get me to go to the movies with him last night but I told him with movie prices now a days, you can wait a couple of months and just buy the movie for about the same price. Instead we decided to stay home, do the normal Wedneday night BBQ like always. Stephanie did offer to watch the boys but I really wanted to stay home. It turned out to be a good choice. DH brought me home long stem yellow roses, my absolute favorite and the kind of flowers I carried in my wedding bouquet. I only scolded him a little at the expense(and I have to remember it is August, not Valentines Day so they probably weren't too much) and was deeply touched by a hand written card in which he professed his love to me. It was very sweet and made me cry.

Stephanie also stopped at the store on the way home and bought steaks for all of us to enjoy, as well as she grilled them, set the table, cleared every thing after we ate, loaded and ran the dishwasher for me. She also surprised us by bringing up a bottle of sparkling wine, which we drank with dinner and had really nice toast to the future. The last 2 years have been rocky, and yes, there are times when I'm completely frustrated with DH and at times I've been disappointed, but I'm sure he can say the same about me. In the end though, I can't imagine traveling this road with anyone other than him. After the food was desert, cards, laughter, and a really nice night under the stars. I couldn't have picked a better way to spend our anniversary.

We are now pondering adopting another cat. The kids really want another one, DH wants another pet, and my MIL and SIL have bothed offered to cover the adoption fee of a kitty if that is what we would like. We've been cruising the Humane Society website. All their pets come already fixed, up to date on shots, and have been checked over. I do know I don't want another orange kitty, or a cat that looks like any of the others. There are 3 on the site that are adorable and fit the bill. DH is kind of leaning towards a grey/white one named Caesar(his sister is named Balsamic), that is just 14 weeks old. I'm leaning towards an all grey short haired girl kitty named Jazzie, who is a bit older at 5 1/2 months, and D really likes an all black kitty named Jessie. One thing I do know, after 2 long haired cats, the next cat will be short haired. As our long haired kitties aged, even with a lot of grooming, there were many mat's, hair balls, and lets just say they needed some help after some litter box trips. Still, I'm not sure if I'm ready, so I think we are going to wait a little while longer.......

I found some pictures of our cats in a box today, they were cute and it did stir up some memories of when they were younger and more kitten like. I do remember them playing with each other and with us. One of them used to love to play fetch. I had forgotten that because they were all so old in their last years and did a lot of sleeping. Having a kitten to play with would be fun, maybe, I'm torn. If a cat appeared I think I would love it, but I don't know if at this point in time I can make the actual "choice" to get one, if that makes any sense.

I'm still not stitching very much. I did a little and finally finished up one hardanger angel ornament and got a lot of another one done. I did work on getting the ornaments I have stitched so far this year finished, or at least started. I need to make a trip to Jo-Ann's for some floss for tassels and cording. I think I do this every summer, I think I'm going to stitch a lot while the boys are home etc. and I never do. I'm sure in the fall, it will pick up again.

I finally gave up on my order of the JCS 10th anniversary ornament book. I ordered it in the first week of July and for some reason my not so LNS is having issues getting their second shipment to the shop. They have no clue when it will arrive and blame it on where ever the book is coming from. I just know they have had my money long enough so I canceled the order.

My interest was raised in the new Just Nan angel. I have all the others(except for the one that is made into a stocking, but I keep my eyes open for that one on eBay etc). The new one is very pretty, I like the boarder. I just have to wait awhile for finances to allow the purchase. I have school clothes to buy since G outgrew everything he owed over the summer and school supplies to buy first. I'm not sure where that is going to come from but thankfully I have a little time to figure it out since the boys don't go back until after Labor Day. Last year they didn't require any supplies from the kids, but G will need a new back pack and lunch box since he will be there all day now(sniff, sniff). I went to our Old Navy Outlet in hopes of getting a couple of pairs of jeans at leaast but they were all out of his size. I was amazed to see that he is now in a 7 slim. He is sooo tall!!!!

So that is it from me!