The End of the Weekend...

And I thought the work week was long! HA!
We had a fantastic time hanging out with K5 at The Meadow! She's a hoot! Everyone had a great time with her. She raked leaves and threw sticks with me. We threw rocks into the creek and found fossils and salamanders and got wet. She played in the sand with her baby brother and hugged him a lot. She got to ride on the tractor with her pappy and take a golf cart ride with her Gigi, baby brother, and her other Nana. She hung out with her Mimi, Auntie, Uncle, and her Aunt K. And she learned about mermaid rock. We made plans for camping out this summer. My K5 is a special girl.
After a day spent doing physical labor and having fun, we dropped K5 to her mom and then rushed home to shower (and check for ticks) before heading to an anniversary party for our very good friends parents. It was directly across the street from our house, which was convenient and we weren't late. They had good food and it was a good time. They're awesome people and I'm glad we could celebrate with them!
We kept Baby B Saturday night. He hated his bath, but went right to sleep when it was bedtime. Only... He woke at 2 am and stayed up until 4 am... And then... he was ready to face the day at 6 am... OY!!! He had his breakfast and played and was down for a nap before 9. Nanners also got a little (very little) nap. But then I had to be ready to go to the baseball game.
K3's school was represented at our local minor league ballpark today. We managed tickets through that man's work. We took K3's best friend with us. We're all a little sun burnt. K3 and his fellow students did an awesome job singing! We left after that (it was during the 7th inning stretch and we were all exhausted and burnt...)
We had an awesome dinner with the teenagers. We watched Frozen. I wrote. And now it's bedtime... And I'm more tired than I thought was possible...
Tomorrow starts the week again... I'm ready... I think...
Only a week and a half until the New York trip and only about 18 days until retreat!!....
Behave!

Weekend Wrapup...

Look at this face!!

 Isn't she the cutest thing you've ever seen?
Meet our new baby! She is still without a  name, but we're working on it!
We went to see her yesterday and instantly fell in love. She's four weeks old right now, and we have until the end of the month until we can bring her home.
The people we're getting her from are awesome! They spend a lot of time with the puppies (fourteen of them - all with homes), calling them their new names, loving them, holding them. She'll be very socialized when we get her, which is a good thing. Their other dogs are very well trained and lovable.
We're all in love. (Yes, I know I said that already). K4 was holding her and she snuggled in against her neck and went to sleep. She's just... so sweet and such a lovey.

I know we'll have days... days that make me wonder why we decided to add to our family. I know there will be frustrations, training snafu's, chewed up and destroyed things.
We've been talking and reading a lot about training and consistency. She's not our first dog, but we know there are things we could have done better with Abbie, and there are things specific to her mixed breed that will be different.
So, now we wait and gather what we'll need to take care of her.
And I go back to nursing this horrific cold that slammed me against the wall yesterday and hasn't stopped making me want to crawl under the covers and cry.
That is all...
Behave!

Ugly Sweater Head....

We had our First Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party tonight... It was low key due to funds. We weren't able to invite as many people as we would have liked. It was family this time! We're hoping next year is way better! (So if you didn't get invited, you most likely will next time!) It's going to be a tradition! Because... We had a blast!

This is That Man's Ugly Sweater Head... He and K4 had this secret scheme cooked up shortly after we decided to have this party. They went shopping for paints Friday night - hiding the whole process from me because it was a surprise. I died laughing. K4 did such a good job painting this ugly sweater on her dad's head. Yes. His head is shaved to look like male pattern baldness. It was epic!
There was a lot of food. A lot of good food. Not much booze, which was absolutely fine. (it was byob and it's Sunday night. Most people have to work tomorrow!)
The winners of the Ugliest Sweater Contest were divided into several groups.... Cutest. Most Creative. Ugliest, New Category.
My niece's boyfriend went all out. He had a really ugly sweater that included battery operated lights. He won first prize. My not-biological sister's (but should be) boyfriend won for most creative. My adorable grandson won for cutest with his elephant sweater that included a trunk and a tail. The new category was created by my awesome brother-in-law who showed up looking like an identical copy of Eddie from Christmas Vacation. Perfect and AWESOME!! (I would post the picture, but my phone is not dropping photos to iCloud like it's supposed to and I can't access the pictures! Something is wrong with my new iPhone! Yikes!)
Besides the ugly sweaters, we had a ton of fun! A ton!
I can't believe Christmas is in less than three days! That Man and I had a blast yesterday during our day mostly alone in honor of our 27th anniversary. We had K5 in the am...for breakfast and shopping for her momma - which has been our tradition with her. K5 wanted to buy her mom a razor to shave her face! LOL! Silly and no, S does not need to ever shave her face. K5 found some good and some silly gifts after not eating the pancake she was dying for... We had a snowball fight, a lot of selfies, Great-grandma visiting, pretending we were sleeping, bunny slippers, plan making, and fun. God. I love that kid. So much.
After we dropped K5 off, That Man and I tackled our immense shopping list while K1 & J took the younger K's home with them (because they are awesome!). And we got the shopping done, except for two things... Two things that are stressing me out! I hope to take care of that stress tomorrow!
Other than that, we're ready. Presents are purchased (even though some might not make it under the tree in time! Dammit!) We took care of the wrapping and had a fantastic day alone with Chinese food, adult beverages, watching movies that were then wrapped and put under the tree! LOL! I missed being with him like that! It was so good! We slept in this morning, cleaned, grocery shopped from now until Christmas, cooked, and laughed a whole hell of a lot.
So... It was a good weekend!
I hope your pre-Christmas weekend was good as well!
Behave!!

Brutal...

The past day and a half have been absolutely brutal.
I have been with my sister in grief. I have held her as she sobbed. More times than can be counted. I have watched her cry with those that feel his loss. I have seen the grief and heard the words that come with losing someone so young and so incredible. I have learned things about him I hadn't had the chance to learn yet. I have felt at a loss to help.
I have felt the loss of a great man.
Also...
I have almost pulled hair out.
I have almost slammed a face into a counter.
I have almost punched someone.
A bunch of times.
And multiple someones.
I have lost sleep over a woman who is so heartless she doesn't deserve this sentence.
I have bothered a funeral director to the point where he may or may not have walked away from me at one point. (I followed.)
I have been outspoken, but not loud or obnoxious.
I have been told to cool my jets.
I have also been told my bail, should I need it, would be covered.
Yes. It was that bad. Brutal.
All of this as my sister mourns her best friend, her soul mate, the person who successfully saved her from herself, and the love of her life. (All things she was to him. Without doubt and verified many times over the past day and a half)
I played it cool. I didn't start anything. I kept my mouth shut and my fists of fury in my pocket. My sister didn't want me to make a scene. My husband was the voice of reason. My dad told me to cool it. The funeral direction said he had the cops on speed dial. My uncle said he'd post my bail. (see that conflict?)
We stood together as a family - my parents, my sisters, my brother, my sister-in-law, my daughter and son-in-law, my nieces, my uncle, my sister's friends, my nephew, my niece-in-law.  (and my son and daughter-in-law who tried so hard, but couldn't be there, but were there for discussion and venting.) We constantly reminded each other that everyone knew the truth of the situation. We saw it. Everyone saw it. We witnessed people proving they also knew the truth.
But, yet, it was brutal.
From the "party scene" mentality going on in front the open casket, to the complete and total lack of respect shown to anyone who wished to express their grief. The wake was more solemn and quiet that the services.
In the end though, it's about my sister and having to make a new life without her soul mate. It's about being with her and here for her as she struggles through what comes next. It's not going to be easy.
And today we learned of another passing - the mother of a dear friend. It wasn't unexpected, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Cancer sucks.
Behave!

Date Night!

*This was supposed to post Saturday night. I don't know why it didn't. I swear I checked and it was there...
Or date day!
I woke to the smell of coffee, followed by breakfast in bed - complete with the coffee and flowers! That Man said it was the beginning of our date.
It was a good beginning.
We talked over several more cups of coffee, and made more flowers for the bridal shower (these flowers are going to kill me, I swear! But they're so pretty and easy to make - unless you have to make a million of them...Oy!) He had plans to do yard work while I went to my writing meeting.
I skipped lunch after the meeting. I wanted to go, but we're totally under the gun with upcoming events and upcoming visitors (we have a month until That Man's brother arrives and the bridal shower - shhh!!). Plus, it was date night!
There was a massive amount of yard work already done when I got home. I helped, but not too much since I had to make flowers, and at this moment in time, I have only one pair of jeans and didn't want to get them dirty before our date.
We dropped the only kid home off at a friends for the night and went to a local steakhouse to use our gift certificate. The service was phenomenal, the food was pretty good, too, and so were my margaritas. We laughed, talked, and had a real chance to just "be" together. After dinner we did some normal errand running - craft store for supplies, grocery store. Then home to sit around the fire with our adult beverages. Alone.
It was a very nice date!
Behave!

Fun Stuff...

Today the crew went to the Ren Faire for my niece's 21st birthday. 20 of us in 5 cars and all super excited. That man and I hadn't been since K2 was 3 or 4 (we used to go several times a season). K3 had only been once with school, and K4 had never been there. I was so excited for them to go and thrilled that they loved it so much.
The kids took off to spend their money with instructions to meet us at the jail at a specific time so we could decide on lunch. Most of us walked around, checking stuff out, tasting wine, drinking hot mulled wine, or having beer for breakfast, (but just one, because it was expensive!) and laughing hysterically. We ended up changing the meeting place to the mud pit since the show was starting. That was very funny.
Then we moved on to lunch. Food costs weren't too bad. Sure, I spent a little more than fast food, but less than a sit down restaurant. That man and K3 ate turkey legs. Holy crap, they were huge! K4 had pizza and half of my perogies. I had perogies and then a gyro. So good.
K3, K4, and I got sidetracked by one of the musical performances, but we eventually met up with everyone again. More walking. More wine tasting. More shop visiting. Ended up following some awesome music and staying for the show...then buying a cd and getting it signed. K4 loved it because the band had a violin lead who was so super fantastic! When she got the cd signed, the violinist encouraged her to visit her website and check out the sheet music and forums after she found out K4 also plays the violin. So cool. K4 was thrilled.
We caught more music, met up with most everyone at the pub, did a little more walking around, watched the pirate auction, went to some more shops, tasted some more wine, met up at the pub again. Then decided we were done in... it was cold, though most of us have sunburned faces. K4 was falling asleep on the bench, That man's knees were killing him, and a few others were hurting, too. A quick stop at the wine / gift shop for one last wine tasting / tshirt and wine purchasing, then a random group picture (though some of our group had already left due to pain), mayhem trying to get out of the parking lot...met up at the 'rents for hanging out and cake. Pizza first, talking, laughing... then birthday cake (my s-i-l makes the best cake ever!). More hanging out... then home.
So tired, but such a great day!! My love for the Ren Faire has been reignited. I can't wait to go back and my whole family feels the same way!
And, I did my words for the writing challenge! Whoo!
Behave!

Watch This....

Watch this...
The woman who made this video is one of the best friends I've ever had. We've been through some really stupid and crappy times, as well as some of the best times of my life (and I think hers, too)! She's my sister (not really, but yes, she is), my children's aunt, and a great person.



I think it's obvious where I stand on this issue...

Love is love. And love is beautiful.

Behave!