Fall is here...

Day 249


Michigan weather is screwy.  I hesitate to say fall is here because it will at some point get back up in the mid-70s I'm sure.  This always happens.  But, I was a bit shocked the other day when I got in my car to go to work and I saw that this was the temperature...

Seriously?  Are we at this point already?  I'm not ready for winter.  Can't we just hover at a comfortable 60ish for a few more months?!?!?!  *sigh*

Get used to it...

Day 248


I have this new found love for reptiles.  Well, not all reptiles, pretty much just Louie.  So, you're going to have to deal with the random pictures of him.  This was his first full day with us.  I was not yet brave enough to take him out myself.  Phil had to get him out and put him on my shoulder.  Weird, eh?  I wouldn't pick him up, but I would let him crawl all over me.  Whatever, somehow it was logical in my mind I think.

Gone Goth?

Day 247


Here we go with my other apparent fetish...feet.  Can I just tell you that I do not like feet.  I find them gross.  Other than baby feet - baby feet I think are precious.  But if you're over the age of like 8 months - feet are gross.  That said, in the summer time, I do paint my toenails.  Not so much in the winter cuz I almost always have socks or slippers on, but it's pretty much imperative in the summer.  


Well, I got a little wild and crazy the other day and decided on a new color.  I usually go with the dark reds or maroons or the obnoxious neon colors.  Yeah, not this time...

Reptiles Rock!

Day 246

Please say hello to our visitor for the next couple of weeks.  His name is Louis....Louie for short.  He's a bearded dragon not yet full grown.  Isn't he cute??  The green stuff laying there would be his dinner.  He isn't a fan of keeping his food in his dish.  The white outline on the glass?  Well, that was the other part of his dinner.  That would be the outline of a cricket after being covered with calcium.  He crashed against the glass as he fell in.  Gross?  Nah, it's actually rather cool.

Yep, again with the food...

Day 245


Right, so after I spend weeks eating next to nothing and when I did eat it was minimal calories, I wanted real food.  So, we ordered food at work for what reason I don't remember but we did.  What did I order??

A frickin salad.  I assure you, it was not overly healthy.  But it was damn good!

Where's that again??

Day 244


Yeah, I talk about these people from time to time.  Why?  Well, because we're with them a lot.  "Those" people I'm referring to are those that I fondly refer to as the Garage Crew.  Recently, I've taken to "checking in" at Murph's Bar.  Is it a bar like the ones you go out to with your friends?  No, but I assure you - we have just as much (if not more) fun.

The morning after...

Day 243


I remember putting it on my leg.  I apparently forgot to take it off.  I found this the next day - after I had left the hotel and gone home.  I was laying in bed...still in my lounging pants, not yet ready to shower and had an itch.  I pulled up my pant leg and well...

Don't hate...it happens.

Weddings

Day 242


Weddings can be fun.  Weddings can be nightmares.  Weddings are stressful.  Weddings (usually) make me want to scream.  My little sister got married.  The reception - well, I had a blast.  My daughter was less than impressed with me, but I had a blast.  This would be how the reception started for me...

I can't show you pictures of how it ended, cuz I was no longer able to take pictures =)

Our life...or lack thereof

Day 241

What's that, you ask??  That's our family's calendar for the month of September. The darn shame here is that it's not entirely filled in.  I didn't put on here cross country practice until 5 Monday through Friday and I left off my kickboxing on Wednesday nights.  So, all you people that seem to think I ignore you during the week...I do. 


I know we're not the only busy people on the planet.  We're also not the only family with multiple children in multiple sports.  I get that.  BUT I also have homework during the week and *gasp* on the weekends.  So, if i'm ignoring you during the week, trust me, I'm busy.  And if I'm not busy, I'm relaxing because I need a breather because otherwise I will explode. Deal with it.  I will get back with you eventually.

Lil' Phil

Day 240


So we have a mini-me, a devil dog, and a lil' Phil.  That name is from many years ago when he was little.  This kid is the polar opposite of me and of his sister.  He is the family comedian and the peace keeper.  He is amazing.  I'm pretty sure I would be suicidal if I had two Megans.  She's not a bad kid - she's just crazy.  Jason is the one that will cuddle up with me and confide in me.  He's not a sissy but he's sensitive.  He's my baby.  And I seriously HATE that my baby is growing up.

This was the first day of school.  This is my baby getting off the bus for the very first time.  This is me hiding behind the camera with my heart breaking because my baby is growing up.  This is me blogging about this right now tearing up.  Ugh.  When people say "it goes by so fast" they aren't kidding.

Devil Dog

Day 239


And then there's this creature...

I was looking at pictures the other day of Ziva when we first brought her home. She was so tiny.  Now she's a mini-moose.  She spent the first year and a half with us driving us insane.  She's slowly becoming a decent dog.  That's not to say that she's perfect, but at least she doesn't (usually) bite us anymore.  We still can't get her to go up or down the stairs, but she does let us just sit with her now.  Bottom line - she's perfect for us.

Mini-Me

Day 238


I jokingly call her mini-me.  The thing is, she's so much more than anything I have ever been.  She's beautiful and crazy intelligent and talented beyond words.  There are times when things are going all wrong when I wonder what the hell I did to piss off God that he dealt me such a shitty hand.  Then I stop for a minute and realize that I obviously did something right to be given this...

She pisses me off and drives me crazy.  There are times when I want to ship her to my mother permanently.  I can't live without her though.  I don't tell her enough how amazing I think she is and how beautiful and intelligent and talented.  I am in awe of what she has done and can't wait to see what she will do with her life.


I love you, Megan.

Family Portrait

Day 237


When I saw this sculpture, I laughed.  It's so my family.

Jason is the one on the left...squatting and waiting for the war to end.  I'm the one at the back standing all pissed off looking.  Phil is bent over pondering what in the hell he did to deserve this and Meg is up front in the fetal position crying her eyes out.  *snicker*  Whatever, we all have days like this, don't we?

Sexxxxyyyyyy...or something

Day 236


I work in an office full of women.  We laugh, we joke, we bitch, we cry.  You know, typical office full of women.  We also snicker about the men that come in who obviously prefer speaking with certain people.  I'm totally bummed that this picture didn't turn out.  This is one of the bus drivers.  I think he just got married or something, not real sure as I don't ride the bus and I don't like people so I don't make friends with (most) creepers.  BUT he has a crush on one of my bffs who just happens to work with me.  He LOVES Carri.  He's come into the office multiple times just to see her and the couple of times that she wasn't there - he was obviously heartbroken.  


Sexy he is not.  Creepy, he definitely is. We will call him, Leo the Latin Lover.  (He's not Latin...)

Again, Jamie? Really?

Day 235


Shut up.  We've determined multiple times that I like food. My fat ass proves that.  For the past month, however, I have denied myself most of the foods that I love.  I had to give in, though, when I saw this...

That box of yummy goodness is the new breakfast the hospital is making called the "breakfast skillet."  What this means, basically, is that they've got a bunch of food that they need to use and they know some schmuck will eat it.  Say hello to said schmuck.  Peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, ham, eggs, hashbrowns, and cheese.  Seriously, who could pass that up?!

So what?

Day 234

Yep that's a picture of my kids swimming.  So what, right?  This is the FIRST time that we were able to get Jason to trust the life jacket enough to get in the water and swim.  We were way out in the lake.  There's no shore close by.  It's not shallow.  He can't just drop his feet and stand up.  My son is swimming.  Those of you that know Jay know that this is huge!  I was so proud of him.  The best part?? He didn't want to get out of the water.  It was great.

The deadly ride...

Day 233


So, I love the water.  I love boats and I love tubing.  My uncle likes to try to kill me anytime I go tubing.  Secretly, I think he's heart broken when he doesn't succeed.  For some reason, I reverted to my younger years - in other words, I forgot that I'm a mid-30 year old, fat, out of shape, grown woman and thought I was a young in shape 18 year old.  I let my daughter talk me into riding on the flat tube....

That right there is the tube of death.  I laughed it off when the younguns' told me when that thing gets wet your screwed.  So, I let Meg ride first so I could watch.  She, of course, handled it like a pro.  I got on there and did pretty good to begin with.  Yeah, until he took that last turn.  At which point, I flew.  I turned about 3 times on top of the water before I fell in.  The best part??  I realized AFTER I dropped down into the water that my bathing suit bottoms were at my ankles.  Good grief.

You did WHAT?!?!

Day 232


Yep, I already blogged about it and already posted the pictures on facebook, but it bears repeating.  Yes, I surely did ride on a motorcycle....or 2 or 3 or maybe 4.  I lost count.  I'm not going to go through the whole thought process again as that would be redundant, but I thought it would be appropriate to put the picture in the picture blog, know what I mean?!

Nanny McPhee??

Day 231


So, I work in a...ummm....nastier? part of Lansing.  It's not the worst, but it's sure not the best and it's quickly going downhill.  Anyway, sometimes on my way home I stop by this Quality Dairy. I should know better than to do this as there are always creepers in there but I still do it.  Maybe it's because I need to feel better about myself?  Or need a good laugh?  I don't know. I did laugh pretty hard at this one and the picture surely doesn't do it justice, but I couldn't get her from the front without being too obvious.


She looked like a black version of Nanny McPhee.  She had the nasty teeth and the wart looking thing on her face and her outfit - I SWEAR - was almost identical to the one that Nanny McPhee wore.  She was only missing the magic cane...

Skillz

Day 230


Eh, say what you will, but it takes a certain talent to be able to do this...

The funny part is a 13 year old girl started this and then Chris just had to finish it.  It's impressive...just admit it.

Those who never ask why...

Day 229


We've all experienced tragedies in our lives.  Some more extreme than others. Sometimes tragedies turn into something beautiful.  Oftentimes, we ask why. What always amazes me is the people who don't ask why.  Those people are generally the strongest people you will ever come across. I am blessed to have people like that in my life.


Meet my cousin Ryan.  He is probably one of the most amazing people in my life second only to maybe his mother.  Ryan and his mother are inspirations to anyone who meets them (and his dad and sisters).  Both of them are beyond amazing.  The best thing about Ryan??  I swear the kid is permanently happy...and it's infectious.

Sometimes it should be outlawed...

Day 228


Karaoke that is.  Then again, if freaks weren't allowed to sing, I would have no one to laugh at and pick on AND on those occasions where I have had enough adult beverages to not care, I wouldn't be allowed to howl into a microphone.


This would be my husband, and my friends "singing" and "dancing" in the garage....and I'm sure after this posts, I will no longer be loved, but it's worth it =)

Random = Good

Day 227


This is just a random picture and somehow it got out of order.  My organizational skills in regard to this project apparently suck, but whatever.  It's my project and I can do what I want, right?  So, it doesn't much matter.  Nevermind that if I didn't tell you it was out of order, you wouldn't even know.  Alas, I digress.  This is suppose to be about the picture and not about my stellar procrastination skills.  


This picture is of me with someone I love with all my heart.  She was probably my very best friend in kindergarten. We remained friends until I had to move.  For many years we lost touch, but are back in contact again.  I love her with all my heart and am so glad that she is back in my life!


When this picture was taken, we were sitting at this little bar just outside Grand Rapids.  It just so happened that not long after we placed our order, the damn bar lost power...go figure.  We still had fun and that's really all that counts.

WHAT THE HE???????

Day 226


So, I'm chillin at the salon - that happens to be owned by a good friend of mine - waiting on my hair to be turned into some color unnatural for my head.  I think we had just finished watching a video of her daughter's gymnastics meet.  Anyhoo, we're just sitting there relaxing and chatting when I looked down and saw this...

That right there is like the world's largest cricket.  I'm not even kidding a little bit.  He was frickin HUGE.  Gotta love country livin....