Legitimate Reasons

My oldest had her 16th birthday last week. Wednesday, to be exact. She is now a tad bit upset with me because I haven't done her birthday post as of yet. I've been working on it, but this one is pretty special. Plus, I took lots of pictures that evening that I want to share with you.

The following reasons are why I didn't get her post out on time.

1. I went to the doctor on Tuesday and she gave me a new nerve medication. That I took Tuesday night. Wednesday, I was in a stupid fog. Drove me crazy. I finally had to sleep a few hours Wednesday afternoon so I would hopefully have my wits about me to enjoy my daughter's birthday supper. I have not taken that medication since.

2. Wednesday, after we got home from the birthday supper, my husband sneezed as he was getting out of the truck. He then started complaining that his chest hurt. I chalked it up as he pulled a muscle when he sneezed.

3. Thursday, my husband calls me from work to tell me he is going to the hospital since his chest still hurt. I met him up there around noon. Approximately six hours later I came home and left him there as an overnight guest. Of course, they were running many many tests on his heart and it was going to be an overnight deal with a treadmill stress test first thing Friday morning.

(All tests came back fine on his heart. It was either a pulled muscle or acid reflux.)

4. Friday morning found me cleaning house like crazy as Neighbor Debbie and Neighbor Greg were coming for the weekend. Losing Wednesday and Thursday threw me way off in my cleaning. I spoke briefly with my husband who had not had anything to eat since the previous evening. I kept cleaning and calling periodically and he finally got that test around 11 a.m. I was getting very frustrated as I still needed to get groceries before our guests arrived.

5. I picked my grumpy caffeine deprived hubby up around 2-ish (with Diet Coke in hand) and we did a quick run through the commissary. We arrived home to guests waiting on us.

6. I did not get to see much of my laptop the whole weekend as I was enjoying time with my friends.


See? I have totally legitimate reasons for not having her post up yet! I want it to be special and fitting for her. Plus, I have a new laptop and haven't figured out how I want to upload pictures to it. (I know, bad grammar.) Last week was honestly a blur (with one hazy drugged day-won't do that again.) Please say that when I get her post up and available, we can all pretend it's still her birthday and you'll say great wonderful things? Thanks, Internet. You are the bestest.

Participation

How many of you participate in blog giveaways? I've been blogging for a while now so my list of daily reads is a tad long. A few of the regular ones I read have really gotten into the blog giveaway realm of free goodness. I am jealous as I would love to get on that bandwagon, but I do my best to support those I consider fellow blogger friends.

One rule of thumb I personally go by is that if I don't really like the item in the giveaway or it's something I can't use? I don't enter. Why would I? Someone out there really needs or wants that particular item and I'm not going to enter, because if I won? I wouldn't appreciate it as much. It's just a personal thing and how I roll.

A few weeks ago, I mosey'd on over to my friend, I am BoyMom's blog. She had a right nifty giveaway going on with pest control. You could choose between indoor and outdoor. Being a new homeowner, I SO wanted one of those...especially the outdoor deal. I'm more cautious about what we use outside since we now have our Prissy Girl. Bless her Shih Tzu heart, she's close to ground and to be honest, I've got way too much money invested in her 7 lb. butt to let her get poisoned by yard chemicals. This product is eco-child-pet friendly and right up my alley.

I was contacted and told I won! Woo hooo!!! This past Saturday, I received a box in the mail full of my prize winnings. My family was here and my Dad was way impressed with the products I received. I tried to explain to his computer illiterate self the blogging world and giveaways and such. He kind of zoned out on my explanation, I think, but told me to keep up the good work!

I snapped a quick picture with the handy dandy cell phone (admit it, you've missed my cell phone pictures). I emailed Miss Boymom to tell her I "got the goods" and thank her yet again for a cool giveaway. (Proper manners dictated that, you know.)

You really need to stop by and visit her if you get the chance. If you are my friend on facebook, I try to post in my status now and again if there's a good giveaway going on. Take a chance and enter! What have you got to lose. My kids can now recite my mantra, "Someone is gonna win..why not me?" You can't win if you don't take a minute to say, "Hey, this is cool!" I'm not saying there's a giveaway every single day. Some times you gotta appreciate the real life posts (and they're good!).

Thanks again, Miss Boymom! Keep those cool giveaways coming, girl!

I don't know about you, but I always look in the background of pictures. It's like peeking into someone else's life. Let's see. First, admire the awesome goodness of the prize received. Second, that's my glass of sweet tea to the side. Third, those are Scoop chips we were eating to enjoy some dip I made. You can see Makenna's cute pink purse to the left and back. I believe that was my Mama's sonic cup over there. Way in the back is the nail station Paige set up. She was doing everyone's nails all weekend long. Yep, that should do it. Oh, and I'm debating on what to do with that table. The hue of the wood doesn't match my kitchen and I've received threats from some people when I mention maybe painting it black. How about that? A picture is worth 148 words!

** You can click on Miss Boymom's name anywhere in this post and be taken to her blog!

Birthday Goodness- Hello 6!!!

Well, now, would you look at this. That little man of mine has gone and turned six years old on me.

I know I could go on and on about how time has flown by, etc. etc. and all, but I'm not.

Let me tell you what six years has shown me.

Six years with The Boy has shown me more patience than I ever dreamed I would need. It has shown me that education concerning your child's needs is one of the most important things you can do. Six years have shown me that when my son winks at me? It's cool to wink back. Six years have shown me the pure unconditional love of a young male that may love the ground his Dad walks on, but he still loves to snuggle on the couch with Mama.

I never knew that little boy love could be so amazing and good. When meltdowns occur (and they do), the storms are hard and rough. You know how God always promised a rainbow after the storm? Yeah....my baby's rainbows are beautiful blessings.

I am in constant awe of his amazing brain. The ease in which he does math....the determination to read (complete with furrowed brows)....and how hard he works to get that good behaviour mark every day.

I may have a little twinge that my baby isn't a baby anymore. I get past it as I see him grow and learn and flourish. Instead of crying over how fast time if flying by, I'm going to make memories to last me a lifetime.

Vitt, I sure do love you. The day you were born....I knew my life was finally complete.