Finally!! Last installment of one year ago this week!

Soooooo.......here we are nearing the end of my little story. Let's see now.....oh yes, I remember! The Mayo, as I lovingly refer to the place, had made contact a number of times over the next couple of weeks, sending me a ton of paperwork to fill out, and return. We were scheduled for a series of tests on Friday the 23rd, for the better part of the day. Then again on Monday the 26th, for most of the morning, at which time they planned to evaluate all of those tests, and determine whether or not I would be in Surgery at the Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital on Tuesday morning, the 27th of March.


The Mayo Clinic is 500 miles away. Fortunately for my family, my husband's parents live about 90 miles from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. We made arrangements to arrive at their place on Thursday the 22nd of March. They had agreed to watch Sass and Fash while we were out living it up in Rochester.


We left Thursday morning from our house at about noon. We arrived in MN, somewhere around 7:00 pm. It is funny how things happen, not as if there is a sense of dread or anything, just that it didn't seem like a joyous visit. Not a celebration, as it usually is when visiting family. We just sort of casually visited, without a lot of discussion with what the next few days would, or could bring.......just painfully casual.


We stayed up too late....way too late. Woo-hoo! Here comes about three hours, of super restful sleep....I'm sure. Mister and I needed to wake up around 4:00 in the morning in order to arrive in time for our tests on Friday morning. Now, I know I refer to a lot of this is "our" rather than "my".....it isn't a typo......and I don't do it intentionally. It is just, it seemed much more like "ours" than "mine." Certainly, more than "my" life was turned upside down.....therefore, it was......and is.....ours.


We checked in a little bit before 7:00 am. What an outstanding facility. First of all, it is absolutely enormous. Exceptionally clean, amazingly designed, and artistically decorated. I don't hope for any of you to need to see it. I hope you never do.......but if you have to, you will immediately see why it is as renowned as it is.


We easily navigated through the facility. Mister and I played a game of "worker-patient" wherever we walked. We would try to identify whether a person was at the clinic as a patient, or a worker. Some of course were easy to identify......for instance, if they had a name badge......worker.......if they were carrying the identifying paperwork, similar to mine....looking for signs.......patient. Others, were not so easy to decide. I don't know who won the game, (I am sure I probably did) or if we were even right........but by our scientific calculations.......it was "pert-near" an even worker, patient ratio.


I had a pamphlet of paperwork, outlining where I needed to be, at what time, and what test would be performed. I know this will come as quite a shock to some of you, especially those who have waited countless hours with crying baby's in clinics, waiting to see the Doctor.......knowing your child has an ear infection......then waiting once your child's name has been called......to sit in the small room for another period of time, waiting to see the Doctor.....so that, yes.....they can say, "your child has an ear infection." We barely had time to take a seat after checking in at each desk, for each test....before they called my name. Mister would find an article to read, just start it, and I would come out........test complete. It was so crazy organized, and efficient. We just continued on to each appointment, Mister never completed a magazine article or newspaper. The final appointment was to get another Holter Monitor for the weekend, and have it turned in on early Monday morning. As luck would have it.......or wouldn't.....however one determines that......when the woman was attaching the device, before she was totally finished, or machine on.......I started to get light headed, and nearly passed out. She told me she saw it coming by my face, and my eyes had dilated......she pressed some "instant read button" and got the tail end of it.


We left the Mayo, and heading back to Mister's parents house for the weekend, to return for further tests on Monday the 26th. Still not certain we would be having surgery on Tuesday the 27th or not. It was sure nice to be able to see my babies again.......my boys are known to be quite spirited, and lively. Interesting how when something like this is involved in your life, no matter how you mask it, it brings everyone to a slower, more relaxed state. My children were more subdued, mellow.......then I have ever seen them. Sass was trying to read books to Fash, both snuggled up in the same blanket. Nobody talked about the next week......not that it was being avoided in conversation.......just more that it wasn't necessary to discuss it, we had given the burden over, and we were just waiting for our next task.


We, Mister and I got up early again on Monday morning......and headed on over to Rochester. We turned in the monitor, I had not had another light-headedness, or passing out feeling since the monitor had been put on, through the whole weekend.


More shuffling from one location to the next, following our outline of appointments. The second to last appointment was with one of the cardiac surgeons at the Mayo. After meeting him, he said we would indeed be having the ablation performed the following morning. He told us it was fortunate the small amount of information caught at the very beginning of the Holter Monitor, because that showed the arrhythmia was still present, and that it was in combination with Atrial tachycardia, and Ventricular tachycardia. Which is sort of like the top portion of my heart wanted to be the boss of the whole heart beating thing.......and the bottom portion also wanted to be the boss......and they were competing, and well........turns out......neither of them are really supposed to be in charge.......(and here all this time, I thought I was boss). The SA node is in charge of the electrical signal.......and everything was discombobulated.....is that even a word, hmmmm....must be....spell check accepted it? Our final appointment for the day was our "consultant" the RN who would walk us through the procedure, and answer all our questions. She showed us the camera, and scoping tools, which would be used throughout the procedure. She also told us I could bring CD's and listen to music the whole time..........nice! We also would be having the lead cardiac surgeon at the Mayo, in charge of the surgery, with his "team." It is nice to have the smart people on your team, don't you think? Surgery was scheduled at St. Mary's Hospital, a couple of blocks from the Mayo, the next morning at 6:00 am.


Mister called his family, I called mine........then we checked into a hotel. We walked around town a little bit.....sort of dazed.....then decided we just needed to rest. The hotel we stayed in.....had been an apartment building converted to a hotel.....and it was old......and it was.....ack. We didn't care a lot though.......we were so exhausted, and knew we wouldn't be able to sleep anyhow.....Mister's brother, and sister-in-law called him, the ones who swooped to our children's rescue both previous surgery's, and told him they were at his parent's house, and would be in Rochester in the morning, so he wouldn't be alone during surgery. He didn't say it, but I know he was overwhelmed, and welcomed the idea he would not be by himself. We tried to sleep....of course, didn't. We stopped for an enormous cup of coffee for Mister......who had a long day ahead of him, and set off for the Hospital.


When we arrived, it was more of the same organized.....get it done facility......except it looked more like a hospital, than an art gallery, like the Mayo had. We were both arm banded, and brought up to our floor, by a guide sort of.....who brought a whole collection of patients......we weren't playing the patient worker game anymore......but if we were......it would have been an easy game. We got checked into our room, and were told it would be the same room I would come back to for recovery, following surgery. Moomie and husband showed up shortly after we were checked in, and then off I went.........


I was first wheeled to a room, where there was my own little t.v. mounted above my head.......I could change the channel......but didn't, I did try some "I dream of Jeannie" head nods to do it. They didn't work......so instead, I just stared at whatever was on....I don't remember. Each person who was going to be in the room during surgery, came over and introduced themselves.....I was a bit fuzzy from something they gave me, and wouldn't recognize them on the street......but I met a whole slew of people that morning.


I can't go into all the details.....and won't. However......the jest of what happened for the next 7 hours is this......they did not give me any pain killers, as it slowed my heart down, and prevented the arrhythmia's from happening.......If the arrhythmia's don't happen, they can't ablate (burn) them. I was awake the entire time, and heard all conversations that were not drowned out by some CD I listened to. They "pushed" through the wall between the upper two chambers of my heart to get to the arrhythmia's in the left atria. I prefer not to listen to the CD's I listened to during surgery. They were very happy with how the procedure went. They accomplished all they could, which was nearly everything......and isolated, they think the final arrhythmia, which was dangerously close to the SA node. There was not any damage done to the SA node, which meant no pace maker..........and......I was "all better."


They wheeled me back to my recovery room, where Mister, Moomie, and husband were.....and I was to lay perfectly flat again for 4 hours. Then I got some good ol' pain killers.....and I was out. They kept them coming for most of the night.....and my recollection of the rest of the evening was pretty vague. Moomie and husband went home. I didn't have any crackers and peanut butter......I don't think I ate at all.....I will have to check with Mister on that. They removed the "tool" they used for the surgery, some hours later......and I was on the road to recovery. I was checked out of the Hospital around 1:00 pm the following day. We got to see our babies that afternoon, and returned home to South Dakota on Thursday, the 29th.


I was taken off one medication the day I left the Mayo. I was taken off another medication in early May......I was off all medications by June! I had a June follow up appointment in Sioux Falls, Moomie came with me, and had an echo cardiogram done. They said I was "normal"! Finally someone thinks so!


I have had another Holter Monitor for 24 hours since then, which also came back with just an abnormal beat....which they expected......otherwise.......NORMAL!!


So now, One full year since it all began and there have been some serious changes. My hair has become so much thicker.........my skin is so much softer......the hair on my legs grows slower.....my energy level has doubled......you wouldn't believe it.......I have a tough time believing it.....and I am me.......


So......there you have it.............I am finally done with my story. Most of my story's aren't this long, but.......like I said before......you have to hear the whole thing to believe it, or you just wouldn't believe it.


Thanks for sticking with me. I hope you have a great New Year! I know I am looking forward to it.

Part 3-Follow up on one year ago this week!

I went back to the heart hospital on December 1st, for a check up, and to further discuss the procedure to happen on the 22nd.

I had my sister-in-law Moomie with me, and we had plans of getting all our Christmas shopping done in the midst of the appointment. (We did get it all done.....hooray.)

I had another Echocardiogram, and an EKG. They both showed my heart was getting stronger......but......Dr. decided he would like to give my heart more time to heal between surgery's and opted to schedule the next surgery about 6 weeks out.

I must confess, I was disappointed, which seems crazy....I wanted of course to have a strong heart for surgery, but I also just wanted to have it done....complete....finished....yet, there would have to be more waiting......and I guess it isn't all bad, not having to be in the hospital over Christmas, and all.

Sooooooo, sometime in early 2007.

I got a phone call in early January from the Dr.'s nurse, Janelle. Surgery would be scheduled for February 6th. With an appointment in January for a cat scan, and x-ray's.

Mister's parents were scheduled to come and watch the boys, and stay at our house while we went in for the February surgery. This way, they could sleep in their own beds, play with their own toys, still be in school.......well.....things don't always turn out the way we would like, now do they.

Mister's father had gotten the flu, the day before they were scheduled to come out to our house.....not the best condition for trying to keep up with my sweet monsters......

Mister made yet another quick call to his brother and sister-in-law, to see if they could drop everything again, and pick up our children, and take them back to their house. They really are the best, without hesitation, they met us half-way, and we said good-bye to our babies, to begin this new trek to the heart hospital again.

We arrived in Sioux Falls later than we had anticipated, due to the meet, and hand off.

We quickly headed out to dinner, as there would be no food for me the next day, not that I don't enjoy some nice saltines, but really......needed some protein!

The moment we sat down to dinner......

Mister says, "mmmm.....my throat is pretty sore"

Me...."well, don't eat the chips."

Mister....."yeah, I suppose...seems like more than that though....."

Me...."strep?"

Mister...."hmmm.....I am not sure....maybe..."

Me...."do we need to find a clinic?"

Mister...."yes."

We quickly checked into our hotel, and asked the guy at the front desk where the nearest Urgent Care Facility was.......just a couple of miles away.

Arrive....Mister's throat is getting worse.....we sit and wait, and watch as three more patients arrive, and go to the front desk, complaining of sore throats.

Mister is finally seen........YEP, rip-roaring strep throat! AWESOME! We explained our unique situation to the Doctor, tell her I am having surgery tomorrow, far from home....etc......etc.......a tiny bit of sympathy she showed. However, she said under no circumstances should Mister step foot into the heart hospital, until he has been on the anti-biotic for at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours.....NICE.....surgery is in 10 hours.....

We finally left the clinic around 8:00 pm.......

Mister placed another phone call to our ever reliable brother and sister-in-law.....tearfully explaining the situation. Moomie left within a half an hour, and made the 3 1/2 hour drive to Sioux Falls, so she could take me to the hospital the following morning.

We arrived at 6:00 am, and Mister waited outside the hospital, while I went in to plead my case. FORTUNATELY, they agreed to allow Mister in, as I had already been exposed, and Mister had agreed to wear a mask. Mister is somewhat of a germ-a-phob anyhow, and will put hand sanitizer on when he is in any sort of medical facility, like he owns stock in it, so I truly figured there was nothing to worry about.

Surgery......I spoke with Dr., shortly before I went in for the procedure. He had made contact with the man who invented the equipment that they were using for my procedure, and he was interested in being a part of the procedure, and had come over from Nebraska, to assist. They agreed I would be better sedated for the procedure than I was the previous time, as they knew what to expect from the previous procedure, and figured they would be able to whip this out in no time, like......4 hours.....

I came out of surgery 4 hours later, and it turns out......they could not find any arrhythmia's to fix!

Dr. said, "it doesn't happen often, but it does happen occasionally......I think with the procedure before, and the medication you have been on......you are cured."

Me..."what do you mean? Just like that, all better?"

Dr......"yes, just like that."

Me...."hmmm...."

Dr. "we would like to schedule a stress test tomorrow, and have you take a 30 day event monitor home, and we can go from there."

They checked me out of the hospital about 6 hours later.......

The following day, I had my stress test. Turns out, guess I am not too stressed. They said I did much better then what they would have expected from someone in my "condition" or something along those lines.

They also gave me an Event monitor, which was similar to the Holter monitor I had previously, except it had only two of those sticker things, and the recording device was much smaller. There was also a button on the recorder, which I was to push if I had any unusual episodes, and then I would "fax" the information over the phone to some company that reads the events, and makes contact with the Dr. if there is any concerns. I was to have this on for 30 days.

We left Sioux Falls, and picked up our boys. Wondering, what in the heck just happened?

As we updated everyone of the surgery results.....there was excitement for me having no further problems.

To tell you the truth.....I didn't believe it, I knew there was still something wrong. However, what do you do?

I just diligently pressed my little button when I felt "funny" or got light headed......I would fax the information in.....they would thank me.....that would be it. It was three days before I was to send the monitor back in, and be finished with my 30 days, when I passed out in the kitchen. Now, not too scary, when I pass out....it had happened often enough before, and it literally lasts about 1 second after I hit the ground.....never hit my head, I just sort of know it is coming, and start to lower myself down......and sit......usually hard, enough for a bruise......but it had never really been scary. (I know, seems insane....) I sent the event in over the phone, and well.....they thought it was scary.

Event monitor reader person, " you need to get to the hospital immediately, I will contact your Dr., and he will call you."

Me....."why, what did it say?"

EMRP, "I cannot give that information to you."

Me....."why not, it is my body?"

EMRP, "are you going to go to the hospital, immediately?"

Me...."I can't go right this second, I need to call my husband.....I have to do something with my children....so no....not right this second."

EMRP, "if you do not agree to go to the hospital immediately, I will be calling an ambulance to come and get you."

Me....."then yes, I am going immediately."

I called Mister......and I was, um a little shook up to say the least, and he was home in about 5 minutes. (Work is only 3 miles away, it's nice like that.)

All the while I don't even know what is really going on, or what they "saw." I try to call my Dr. over and over, as I don't even know what I am supposed to tell the folks at the hospital....."hi, some lady on the phone told me to come here, right away......I am not sure why exactly, but she said I better come, so I am here......"

That all seemed really ridiculous to me, as well as Mister......so we continued to call my Dr., while taking Sass to school, and finding someone to watch Fash. We had just arrived at Sass's school when the Dr. finally contacted us back.....I know, I make it sound like it was a super long time, but seriously.....Sass's school was about 3 1/2 miles away.......

The Dr. said I didn't need to go to the hospital.....it was more of the Ventricular Tachycardia....and it looks like I wasn't healed like they had thought.

Through some discussion, my Dr., who is the top cardiac surgeon in South Dakota, 3rd Cardiac Hospital in the U.S. said he could not fix me, but wanted me to go to the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester Minnesota. The number one heart hospital in the World. He asked if I would be willing to do that.....seriously, what else would I say.......of course.

The Mayo Clinic made contact with me, and they pushed me through to have surgery, scheduled for March 27th, three weeks from now.

They also wanted me to be a part of their research findings....interesting. I don't know that I really want to be "special" but I guess if I am going to be "special" the Mayo Clinic is where I would like to be.

Follow up on.....one year ago this week...

Bleary eyed, Mister, Sass, Fash and I walked out of the heart clinic......with two pamphlets in hand.

One pamphlet was on the Elecrophysiology study, (EP study)......the other on Catheter ablation. Oh yeah, and they told us I would likely be in the hospital for at least three days following surgery, to see how I respond to medications, and observation etc.

It is intriguing to me the sort of things that run through a person's mind during times like this.....I am embarrassed about the things I was concerned about.....seem so silly now.....but, they are the things that go through your mind.

Me-"This is just perfect.....what are we going to do about Fash's birthday.....this totally screws up your hunting plans with your family this week......we are NEVER going to be able to afford this!"

Mister, always the reasonable, sensible, loving man he is......slams on the brakes of Vinnie....and says, "SoDak! I don't really care if we go bankrupt, and live in a tent! We only work with you in our lives, with you healthy, I don't care about anything else after that!"

Me-"oh.....um, yeah....there is that."

Me-"I haven't even called my mom"

Mister-"You can call her tonight"

Me-"kay"

We drove around for a bit......not really knowing what we were doing. We hadn't eaten since morning, and we were sneaking up on 6 pm. I called a good friend of mine from my town, who is a cardiac rehab nurse, and gave her my diagnosis.....to sort of get a feel for what I was in for. I honestly heard her gasp on the phone.....silence.....then she evidently composed herself, and told me over and over...."this is going to be fine.....it is all just going to be just fine. What are your plans for the boys?"

"Crap"

We ended up at a Tac0 Bell, Mister the boys and I went in and ordered, and Mister went back out to Vinnie......not sure what he was doing, but we finished nearly all our food before he came back inside.

Mister-"I called Moomie (sister in love), and she and husband are coming tomorrow morning at about 7 am, they are going to take the boys indefinitely back to their house. I also called Bruce (co-worker) and we will be staying the night with him, he is close to the hospital. I have also called my Dad, and they are going to make phone calls to the rest of my family, I have the dog taken care of, the neighbors will let her out, and I am on vacation.....indefinitely."

Me-"kay"

Mister-"After we finish here, we will go pick some more clothes up for the boys, and pack them up a bag to go to Auntie's house, we can call your family when we get to Bruce's house tonight."

Me-"kay"

We did a serious shopping spree for clothes, grunders, socks, jammies, toys, (as Auntie's kids are grown) coloring books....etc. Clothes for Mister, and chocolates for me, and all the people stepping in to assist us.

I called my family that evening at Bruce's house.....and got to bed about midnight.

6 am- check in, more x-ray's, blood work etc. Auntie and husband got to the hospital about 15 minutes before I went in for surgery, I was groggy, but so glad I got hugs before I went in, now Mister won't be waiting with the children alone.

Right before surgery began, I was told I would be awake during the procedure. They strapped me down flat, with my head completely turned to the side, and I was to remain in this position for the duration of the expected four hour surgery.

After 4 hours.....they called in the other heart surgeon for consult. The two surgeons continued to work for an additional 3 hours, after the 5th hour, they did give me enough medication....I did sleep.

They kept Mister informed of the goings ons every hour. The reason the surgery was as long as it was, seems they expected to find one arrhythmia......but found at least 7. They chose to stop the procedure, after 4 ablations, and schedule an additional surgery. They anticipated an additional 3 to 4 hours longer, to complete the ablation.

I was required to lay completely horizontal for an additional 4 hours, to prevent blood clots, and or the openings to re-open.

I was still groggy, and goofy through the remainder of the night, said goodbye to my babies, who each brought me a balloon......and off they went.

For dinner I had saltines spread with peanut butter, which Mister lovingly prepared.

Would you believe the next morning, though still hospitalized, I felt better then I think I had ever felt as far back as I could recall. I had energy oozing from me!

We were in the hospital for an additional 4 days. During that time I got flowers, balloons, phone calls.....seems everyone was well informed. Reason was, while I was out, Mister kept everyone we knew very well informed via email messages.

We met Auntie and husband, and picked up our boys, what a thrill it was to see them both.

The next day Sass ended up having strep throat, and life began rolling again right away.

A friend of mine contacted practically everyone she knew, and set up enough meals, frozen and fresh for the rest of November, and most of December.......I am indebted to her still. What an outstanding gift that was.

When we left the hospital, we understood, the next surgery to complete the ablations would be scheduled for December 22nd.



Stay tuned for the rest of the story.....coming soon.

One year ago this week......

One year ago this week, I was recovering from what would be my first of three unexpected heart surgeries.

I know totally outrageous......

I have been asked for the low down on this story......some of you have heard it.....some of you don't want to hear it, and if that is the case.....just leave me a comment you are glad I am all better, and leave it at that.......otherwise......get comfy....it is quite a story.

This is how it went down. I had been asking Mister if he was ready to have more babies for awhile, he wasn't. We had gotten into a great deal of discussions on the matter, and his reasoning nearly always came down to......"I can't explain it, but I am worried about your health, and that something would happen to you, and I would have three babies, and no you." I bucked this explanation EVERY time he used it......."That is ridiculous!" Before you think I am too harsh....I will tell you this......I have been very fortunate to have unbelievably easy pregnancy's, and relatively easy births. I have never even experienced morning sickness. I don't have any special sickness, had never been hospitalized, never broken a bone, had stitches once when I was 8.....seriously, except a few extra pounds, pretty darn healthy......I just didn't get it.

We had finally agreed, I would have my IUD removed, and get on an oral contraceptive, so when, and IF the time came to try to have another child, we wouldn't need to make the appointment. This was in May of 2006. There was a new Gynecologist in town, and I could get in to see him the following day, so I jumped at the appointment. The oral contraceptive he wanted me to be on, was one I had never used, and I am not super duper good with change.....but I decided I would roll with it. I read all the packet instructions that came with them, and was on them for June, July and August. I was having some of the symptoms which are labeled as "side effects" and figured, well.....I have only been taking it for 3 months, I should give it another couple of months.......they didn't get any better.

I called and spoke with the OBGYN's nurse, and told her the symptoms I was having, and asked to get a prescripti0n to the pill I had been on before babies.......she wasn't that easy to convince, said she would talk to the Dr. and call me back........

**(irritating, thorough new Dr.'s)**

Well, she called me back and said the Dr. said it made him "uncomfortable" to give me another prescription with these "symptoms," and asked me to see in internal medicine Dr. if he said I was fine, then he would call in a new prescripti0n.....

**(irritating, over the top-thorough NEW Dr.'s!)**

The nurse gave me an appointment with the internal medicine Dr. who was new to town also, and had an opening the next day. They did a complete blood count, and an EKG, wanted an ultra sound of my liver, and an Echo cardiogram of my heart, took x-ray's of my chest, and to put me on a Holter Monitor!

**What on Earth is going on with these crazy new Dr.'s?**

I agreed to the Holter Monitor, the x-ray's, and the liver ultra sound because my liver enzymes were "high." I declined the ultra sound of my heart, as I saw that ALL of it was unnecessary. All I wanted was a different pill for goodness sakes! By the end of the week, Halloween, I had finished with the other tests, and was "wearing" the 24 hour Holter monitor. This is a monitor, that for 24 hours records the beats of your heart. It is put on with those sticky circle things you see in movies, with the wires all over the place, and a little pocket i-pod like device which is the recorder. I figured it made for a good costume, what the heck!

I turned the monitor in the next day around noon........I got a call on my cell phone at 3:00 pm. from the internal Dr.'s nurse.

"Hi SoDak, this is Jenny......Dr. has looked over the results you turned in today."

"yeah?"

"He would like to go over those results with you, um.....what are you doing right now?"

"Shopping the Halloween clearance, at Wa!!mart...."

"Okay, then we will see you in 15 minutes."

click......

**what the....what?**

That just doesn't sound all that good you know.....so I dropped off my boys at Mister's office, and went to the clinic.

Dr. explained things to me, but what I remember was, "this is no good." He called a Cardiologist friend of his in Sioux Falls, explained the results to him, and he wanted to see me within a week. Then he faxed the Holter monitor results to the Cardiologist, who called back in minutes, and said I needed to be in Sioux Falls for an appointment the next day, at noon. I still didn't quite get it I guess....

Sioux Falls is three hours away, and we decided to take the boys in case we wanted to stay the night after the appointment, and do some shopping. We packed an over-night bag for the family, and took off early November 2nd.

When we got to the appointment, at the heart hospital, it was explained to us that I had what is called Ventricular Tachycardia.....which causes my heart to speed up at random times, and go from say 80 beats a minute, to 180 in the blink of an eye. Also, occasionally my heart stops beating for 2-3 seconds. I had nooooo idea. They told us they almost NEVER see this sort of thing in someone my age. They see it in young children, and it can be corrected with medication if caught soon enough......usually at a well child visit. Or very old people, and it is corrected with a pace maker. WOW......

(The thing is.....I never really had any well child visits....my mom worked at a Dr.'s office, and we would get all our immunizations for free....and just not have a "check-up." Also, I had-had a lifetime of shortness of breath, but just thought that was me, I had asked several times in my adult life about light-headedness.....and was told I was dehydrated. I had told my OB's when I was pregnant that on occasion I would get a really rapid heart beat, and I was exhausted.....they said I was growing baby, and that was normal........)

My options were, I could go on medication, for the rest of my life, or I could have surgery in about 6-8 weeks, when they could get me on the schedule.

That is a lot to consider.....like immediately....definitely did not want to be medicated all my life, so we agreed we would get on the surgery schedule. The nurse got us some pamphlets on the procedure, so we could look it over. They scheduled an echo cardiogram of my heart before I left......(psst...you know the one I declined from the first Dr........yeah, that one). Then they would schedule my surgery.

I had the Echo cardiogram, which lasted a half an hour, and was recorded on VCR tape. The technician was really vague when I would ask questions, and would say the Dr. will talk with you. Just kept measuring......repeating.....I could tell she was concerned. She asked me to wait in the lobby, while the Dr. looked over the results. I told her he said I could go following the Echo cardiogram, and she asked me to wait in the lobby, that he would like to look it over.

That didn't seem good......

The nurse came out, a half hour later, and asked us to come back into the room.......Dr. came in.....

"We have you scheduled for surgery at 6 am tomorrow morning."

"What.....what.....what happened to 6-8 weeks?"

"Your heart shows it is functioning at 35%.......and that is where a heart functions, right before a heart attack, we have rearranged the schedule, and you will be the first surgery tomorrow morning......it should last 4 hours."

Oh my..........

Tune in for more soon.........really.......soon.

I'm a Salad!!

Do you ever have those moments when you think your children are smarter then you expect them to be?

We stopped by Mister's office to pick him up for lunch one day. We usually stay inside Vinnie, (the minivan) buckled up, and I just make a quick call, and he comes out to meet us. Sometimes, he may have to finish something up, and it takes a few extra minutes. This conversation happened one of those times, and it has since become a classic, we refer to, when we need an extra laugh.

Fash: When is he coming?
Me: Just another minute or two.
Sass: We should pretend we are invisible!
Me: Okay, why don't you practice right now.....quietly.
Fash: Mom! Mom! Tell Daddy I am a salad!

(I turn around to see this...)

Me: A salad?
Fash: Yeah, a salad! Tell him okay!
Me: Okay, I will tell Daddy you are a salad?....
Sass: A salad? I am going to be invisible!

(Out comes Mister)

Mister: Hi guys!
Me: They can't hear you.....Sass is invisible......and Fash.......well, he is a salad.

(Mister turns around to see this)

Mister: A salad, huh.....

(He starts to tickle Sass, to try to make him become visible.....all the while Fash is holding strong to his salad impression.......)

All of a sudden for Sass apparently it clicks!

Sass: Ha Ha! I get it....it's called a SOLID! Not a salad!

We erupted in laughter! Suddenly it made perfect sense!

2.5 hours twice a week for just me.....I'm lonely!

It is official! My children are in school. Fash has started preschool. He is gone two days a week, for 2 1/2 hours. I initially thought.....wow....so much time, what am I going to do!? I know it might surprise you.....but those days......fly by.....lightening quick. I do feel like I am forgetting him everywhere I go. I do lots of turning around, looking. I am sure I look like a crazy lady everywhere I go....only difference from before is.....I usually look like a crazy lady totting a child or two. Here is the official day pictures! Does he look excited?

I am so proud of him.......he marched right in, took is back pack off.....and waved goodbye....no looking back. Wasn't exactly the magical moment I hoped to scrap book in my head, but it is exactly what I should have expected. Even his big brother says he admires how brave he is.
In his "cubby" on his first day! His favorite thing at school is to paint. Daddy's office is starting to look like a gallery.
Do you know what this means people? At first I thought it meant I was getting old......then I decided, wow.....I look REALLY good for having kids in school!

I sure do love him the bluest!!

This does not a good mother make.....

I have moved into a whole other level of evil mommy. Sass has had two loose teeth for about a month. I do not recall the loss of any of my childhood teeth. Mister remembers his well....didn't remember it being a big deal or anything. I kept figuring.....they will get really loose soon...then they will just fall out....right. Sass said he was moving them back and forth with his tongue....trying to get them looser.....evil mommy wasn't buying it. One seemed a lot looser then the other.....it will come out soon.....just leave it be......I told myself this over.....and over....and over. Seriously.......you know, a girl like me can only hold out for so long! I noticed the adult tooth was coming in........BEHIND the loose one. I figured that can't be good......it should have been gone by now. Well...........after teeth brushing, I put Fash to bed, and asked Sass if I could just "yank that one out......you know, it really WANTS to come out." Shock beyond shock....he said I could. Well.......after I did this.......

He said he was kidding.............oops......yeah......ummm......did you take notice of the very red eyes.....the poofy eye lids....and super confused look? Good.....if you noticed those.....maybe you didn't take time to notice that I actually succeeded in ALMOST pulling out, not one.....but two teeth...............What sort of momma would do that? An evil one.....

Well......after two hours.........yes.....two hours of convincing him I could pull them out, if he would just let me back at them......he finally conceded. See there.....he even has a grin above.....he is grinning because I told him I would give him a buck a tooth, if he would let me just take them out. On a side note.....he made the same agreement with his dad......while I was trying to recover with deep breaths in the other room.....after I did what I did.......

A couple of the things Sass said, that I remember.....
"mom....I am seriously freaked out."
"I am not kidding.....I am terrified."
See....those are things a momma likes to hear from their child....are they not?

So......needless to say......the kid made two bucks off of his mom, AND his dad.......then got some money off the tooth fairy. I'm not gonna tell you what she left.....cuz it was too much.....I did however see a note from the tooth fairy who told him she was leaving that much because it was his 1st AND 2nd tooth....and not to hold his breath for her to drop bank again the next time. Smart fairy.

Sooooo......evil mommy finally got off the chopping block, because I made a cake.....you know....cake DOES always make things better.....SEE....he is smiling!

Picture says it all.....

I do spend a fair amount of time on the computer. I limit the time I spend blogging....much to the chagrin of my dear sweet online friends. I would like to see you more, as I am sure you would like to see more of me.

You might want to get off the computer if your Mister comes up the stairs looking like this. I think he might be trying to get my attention. What do you think?

YEAH.....It is time to get off the computer. I don't know how often I want to see this, so I may be gone awhile.

Rocky Mountain High....Colorado...Nah...Alaska!

Sooo.....I am practically famous.....many know this, and I will now tell those of you who missed it, exactly why I am practically famous.


The summer of 1993....(yeah, I am so old now....I refer to years things happened, rather than my age.....what of it?) I began working at a fishing resort in Alaska. It was on the Prince of Whales Island, named Waterfall Resort. I had an "in" as my older brother Bruv, had spent three summers there before me.


It is a 5 star Resort, which just means fancy schmancy--so there is a share of people who come there to fish, who have fame and fortune. There has been a good amount of professional sportsman.......Football players, golfers, baseball players, basketball players, and boxers. A Couple of those, off the top of my head are: Steve Garvey, Doug Hart, Larry Csonka, to name a few. There was also the professional fisherman, Babe Winkelman, who never misses a year. Ron Popeil, the inventor and infomercial guru....I mustn't forget Barron Hilton...yeah, you know who's.....Grandfather, (who just recently took her out of his will, and is donating her 60 million to charity...tee hee.) He would bring his yacht each year, and go fishing. He is in the second picture......with his guide, who still works there. There was also this one guy who played for the Miami Heat.....I took him for a walk up to the Waterfall.....he was afraid of bears.....apparently......he didn't make much of an impression on me.....cuz I forgot his name.....he did hide BEHIND me when we came upon a black bear on the trail....wuss.


Each year Senators from all 50 states, and representatives all come to the Resort. In addition Federal Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and the Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert (he is in the first picture....with the artist, and wife....and Mr. President) have also come to fish......I know.....I AM practically famous. I worked there, and saw them all!


The biggest Celebrity in my humble opinion would have to be......


This is for you Carrot....who is his biggest fan!..JOHN DENVER! Oh yes my friends, he did......not only that.......I invited him to a bon-fire on the beach.....ME....I did that! He agreed to come.......IF I could find him some Zinc lozenges......mission accomplished! What.......you don't believe me? I have proof!


This is me in the white hat....peering through the windows the day he got off the float plane.....trying to be inconspicuous.....WITH his guitar strapped to his back!



That is him on the left....in the hat....Come on....really it is!

SEE! There he is, singing on the beach, in front of the bonfire!

That is Steve Garvey on the far left, in the tan jacket....I know, right! Only John Denver would do that, and do it with cowboy boots on....could he be ANY cooler? Roasting marshmallows too....I know it is so over the top, I knew you wouldn't believe me if I didn't have proof....I was THERE!
I was his beer girl, yes I was.....I got him beer.....AND opened them so he wouldn't damage his strumming fingers! What, you don't believe me, I was there.....IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?! I was too!

Ah.....see....there I am.....blue jacket....holding a Country Time lemonade......I should have gotten paid for that advertisement.....my pretty red headed friend there is telling Mr. John Denver that I am a star......and I can sing like an Angel! That IS what she is saying....really!

See.....there he is.....in total awe! So is the silly lady in the white turtle neck....she just can't even help but stare at me, because I am awesome! There you have it.....see.....practically famous!

Singing like an Angel.....I brought out the Northern Lights.....even though John Denver told his girlfriend HE brought them for her.....I think it was my singing.....giggle.

Put an X on the calendar!

So.....I know you must have been missing me lately....I have been working on a milestone at the SoDak house. We are venturing into the unknown......we are entering Elementary school. That is right folks. I am going to be a PTA momma. I know from the pictures below, the ones showing my bu-t-t.....you think PTA stands for pretty tight a$$.....but, you would be incorrect my friends......yes you would. PTA stands for.......well.....it stands for something that has to do with the school, and meetings....and carnivals.....and box tops....something like that. Yeah, I am gonna do it. Yesterday we walked Sass to Kindergarten......

Sass.....waiting patiently for his momma and Fash to be ready for our short stroll to school. He chose not to eat breakfast, though I made one of his favorite breakfast foods.....lemon poppy-seed muffins, (or bald cup-cakes if you will) I think he was a bit nervous. It is a BIG deal around these parts......they go ALL DAY, 7 hours!



Sass decided he would like to scooter all the way to school. He also chose to end that, and gave over the scooter to Fash by the time we got to the corner. I think the nerves were getting to him a bit.
By the time we got to school......and he posed his....."I got this mom" smile.....I knew everything was going to be alright. He also agreed to give me a hug on our walk BEFORE we got to school. I feared he would not want to give over the love.....you know, trying to be cool and all. He told me I could have a little hug when we got there........
Yeah, I didn't get the hug I was hoping for......I did get a "knuckle bar" though.....and I settled for that. Hey at least he chose to wear his Glenwood Springs T-shirt for his first day, showing his momma some love. I do love him the reddest.....that is for sure!

Fash sat himself down in this chair when we got there, I think he planned to stay as well. He settled for me taking a picture of him. Yeah, I love Fash the bluest, make no mistake.

I hope your new transitions go as smoothly as mine did. I guess I am going to have to let them grow......I can keep fighting it, or I can show them I am thrilled with their growth. Ack....sometimes it hurts to make the right choice.

**Sass was wiped out when we picked him up......he said the day was like 17 hours long.......today when he woke up, he said he wasn't going to school.....he was just going to put an X on the calendar, and stay home.......I just pretended he didn't say anything.....and took him to school......He told me it was a super day, and went by in like 17 seconds.....we are getting somewhere aren't we!**

Planes--Trams--and Automobiles....

I have returned from my extravagant weekend with some Hawt--totally hawt--woman! I felt like I was at girls camp for grown ups....you know, without the latrines, or the 8 girls riding up in the brown station wagon....embarrassed that their mom is driving.....the bathrooms were fantastic Carrie! Annie was super chauffeur in the beauty mobiles!

Annie and Carrie were complete hostess-with-the-mostess.....better than any Hostess cupcake....which is saying a lot if you know me.

I don't think I can do the weekend justice......so.......you want a recap....you will find it here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here.

I want to tell you about my trip BACK!

We started the drop offs at the airport at about 6:30 am....my flight was at 9:00 am....so I had a little time to burn...not too much, but a little.

I was sitting at gate C38.....at 8:00 am.....after much casing of the joint, I sat down with my lovely book.......'announcement' "Flight 544 service to Minneapolis/St. Paul has changed gates to C36." *I was just comfortable...alright....moving now*

*ah.....C36....now back to my book*

'announcement' "flight 544 service to MSP has been delayed due to weather, and construction....O'Hara flights are being re-routed to MSP...and there is not enough air traffic control to handle the incoming planes."

Okay....hmmmm.....now I have another hour and a half. I have wandered all that I can in concourse C.....maybe I should just wander over to Concourse B.....on the Tram.

*return.....dejected......same stuff over there, as there was here* Guess it is back to the book.

*ACK....I am so bored....maybe I will check over in Concourse A......something more....it is a possibility...*

*return....dejected.....same-o.....same-o....you see one CO shop....I guess you have seen them all....and no sir....I do not care for your pint of milk which costs $2.99*

*ack....so bored....going to ride the tram again.....why....because I can!*

FINALLY....I get to board the plane. So what if I am row 25 of 26 rows....it doesn't really matter right.....WRONG!

It does matter.....when the Captain says, "good day ladies and gentleman....it seems there is some failure with the exit door....and we are having maintenance look it over....we should be off the ground in no time.

Reading....ignoring....reading.....ignoring.....long time passing.....

Captain, "good day ladies and gentleman....it seems when maintenance was fixing the door, there was an error in testing it, and it caused the exit door to fly off, and the exit ramp to inflate....the parts to fix this are in MSP.....we will be exiting the aircraft, and you will need to speak to Customer service about adjusting your flight."

This is where sitting in row 25 is a supreme bummer.......then you are severely at the end of the LONG line wanting to get your flight changed.

*waiting....waiting...waiting.....phone calls....waiting*

We did that for awhile, then they told us to go back to gate C38, as we were taking their plane, and they could all go and sit at gate C36 to wait for the part to fix our plane......sorry sucka's....I am getting out of here! After all......I still have a 7 hour automobile ride ahead of me when I get to my "final destination!"

We got home around midnight.....not bad for starting at 6:30 am......took an automobile to the airport.....tram to the airplane.....tram again, just well...it is a good time....airplane....automobile......and not once did I have my hand between two pillows!

Thanks girls for a great weekend, I would do my trip back 50 times over, after the weekend we had, it was so worth it!

I leave you with this ditty--

The first time I was told I should get a blog....it was because I wrote the ditty below on someone's old blog....obviously....I found it amusing....because then I posted it on someone else's blog....and they told me I needed to get my own blog.....sooooo, either they thought they wanted to hear more from me, or they were kicking me out of their blog.....in a "get your own" sort of way.....in either case.....I continued to bother them both.....and NOW I AM GOING ON VACATION TO SEE THEM.....SO LONG SUCKA'S......yeah, um...see you when I get back.

Enjoy this, until then.

Well, I felt compelled to join you, Annie in your quest of hairy legs. I have succeeded, and have decided to have a go at a waxing. I have an appointment on Thursday.....she suggested I take some Tylenol, and a bottle of wine before I come in! I told her she was freaking me out, and she told me she was kidding, but I am not really sure she was.....ah, the price of beauty...I will let you know how the ordeal goes!

Waxing 101...The woman calls me this morning, to ask me to exfoliate for our tomorrow session, and incidentally, wanted me to be aware the session is expected to last about an hour and a half........what have I gotten myself into?

Alright.....so here is the low-down. I arrive for my appointment a couple of minutes early (what was I thinking?) and began to sweat, which I found to be most unpleasant! My visions of the woman who would be pulling my hair out by the ROOT....were getting uglier, and uglier. I thought perhaps she would have black hair pulled back into a ponytail, so tight she might resemble a face lift gone bad. She might also have one of those mountainous moles on the left side of her chin with 4 long black hairs protruding from it.....a bit long in the tooth, all dressed in a too tight white nurse suit, and black nursing shoes. Thankfully, I was pleasantly mistaken. She was adorable, which of course is also deceiving. Made me forget for a moment what I signed up for, she can't be this cute and torture me, can she? She was about 35, four months pregnant, glasses, mary janes, and an adorable maternity outfit, which sort of made her look like a belly dancer.She walked me back to our little room, which was painted in "ocean" colors (her wording) she asked if I would be most comfortable in my own grunders (my word) or did I want to wear her disposable grunders? I told her this was my first Rodeo, and I wasn't sure. She just laughed and tossed a package on the dentist chaise. It looked like a short white cigar, or a tampon.....hesitate....what to do....grab the package and open it. I unrolled my little package....and I indeed did laugh out loud. This was not underwear! This was a piece of gauze about a foot long, strung with a itty bit of elastic! Was she joking....what... I put them! She came into the room, as I lay on the dentist chair, covered in a sheet....the chair, not me.....as I was out there for all to see.....or at least for Miss Mary to see. I started to laugh uncontrollably, which I think may have frightened her, because she looked all around the room to see what was funny. Well, I told her I was taking one for the team, and reporting back to my friends blog from my experience.....now I had her nervous! Told me she was going to start at my ankles, and work her way up. She had me put my knee up, I suppose so I couldn't see anything, I felt her apply a thin coat of wax with a tongue depressor.....felt like she covered about half the area on the front part of my lower leg, from ankle to knee. She then said, "do you want me to warn you, or do you---RIIIIPPPPP!!!!!!!!! Holy Canoli....I guess go with the surprise, I guess that is what I choose.....I am certain I cursed in another language, though I am only fluent in English curse words, I am perdy, darn sure I said some sort of profanity! Then I started to giggle....as she continued to apply, and RIIIPPPP!!! I continued with an "Ohhh, then giggle" It was totally bizarre, it wasn't as if I was enjoying myself....because let me be very clear on this....it was not what I would classify as a good time. But I couldn't help but giggle afterwards. It was this crazy pain, then she would apply pressure to the spot she just ripped off, and I would giggle. I suppose because it no longer hurt, following the pressure, and I was slightly embarrassed, that I was going through the whole ordeal, of saying "ohhhh...." recalling to myself, I am in a small room, half naked, with a pregnant woman, and three crock pots of hot wax...Giggle...Giggle....It was the strangest feeling. Some areas were far more sensitive than others, for instance....ankles....not a good time.....backs of my knees....quite unpleasant.....bikini line.......NOT NICE! Overall.....two hours later.....Yes my dears, two hours later, don't know if it was just that I was removing a fur coat, or if that was average....she told me it was average for a first timer....She also assured me I was not "offensive" in any way. She says a lot of times, she doesn't even really think about what she is actually doing, but rather, just pleased when she has a really good pull....which by the way, calculates as, a really bad pull for me.....I was a bit surprised that I wasn't embarrassed, partly this occurred I think because, after the first pull, I figured she and I must be best friends if I didn't just punch her in the face for putting me through that, but rather, allowed her to continue. So....I think I am going to probably be asked to be her birthing partner, now that we are so close....after we were complete, she told me I would need to schedule an appointment in about a week for a touch up, being the hair grows in three different stages.....and she will do that for free....sounds like something she might have made up, just so she can see me again....what do you think?

Oh.....and by the way, no blood was shed, and I have never had legs this smooth, even minutes after shaving with a new razor! And I kept the disposable underwear for future amusement! ;)

If you would like a visual of my experience....here you go. Go ahead, click it....you'll like it.

When left to their own devices.....

My sweet, sweet babies let their mom and dad sleep in a little bit today......

First interuption..."mom, can we both have a treat?"

"no....you may make you and your brother some cereal."

Second interuption..."mom, Sass didn't get me a fruit snack...."

*from the background...."Yes sir! I shared mine with you!"

"Fash....Sass was not supposed to have a fruit snack....so....you should feel lucky he shared with you before I knew he had it."

"Oh."

No more interuptions for an hour and a half!

Then.......I got up......I should not have done that.......

I walked into the living room......my smile faded.

"Are you guys eating Dorito$?......Are you guys eating Dorito$ with the couch as your plate?....How many granola bars did you eat?........Is that p!aydough on the living room carpet?.....Why are there cookie cutters on the carpet? Where is the rest of the
p!aydough?..........Why is it in the bathroom sink? Why are all the school supplies scattered on the kitchen floor? Did you make gat0rade? Where is the rest of the gat0rade powder? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU PUT IT ALL IN THE PITCHER?"

**I am going to just go back to bed......THIS DAY did NOT start out the way I had hoped.**

Would you believe I walked back into the bedroom with my head down........and Mister is LAUGHING!!!

Laughing with him I said....."SERIOUSLY! What were we thinking, it would be fun to sleep in......that was not fun!"

First and ten....Warning--NOT FOOTBALL

So...this is my first and ten......has nothing to do with football. I don't even know what 1st and 10 means, or if it is really called that......Don't bother telling me what it means either.....Mister has tried to explain it to me a million times.......all I really hear is *bzzzzz.....whah....whah....bzzzz.....whah....whah*

Nope this is a list of 10 of my firsts......Rated G!

1. 1st time driving----I was 13 years old......my bruv was my instructor.....it was in the church parking lot, during Stake Conferance.......(shhh....don't tell) What was I supposed to do, the American 100 countdown, was only on Sunday, and sometimes you just have to listen to Casey Kasum.

2. 1st automobile----My first car was a Fiat X-19....it was chocolate brown.....stick shift....two seater....removable hard top.....she was a beaut! I bought it for $4500.00, seems insane that I would pay that much for a car, at 16....but I did! So Grandma had to co-sign for the loan.....but she was mine. I taught about 6 of my friends to drive stick shift in that car......great car. I wonder if it is still driving around in Fruita........Annie?

3. 1st time I had stitches----7 years old....I was going to race bruv to soccer practice. He was on one side of the street, I was on the other. I was watching him, and running at the same time....tripped over the sidewalk......and blam! Cut my forehead open. I had to get 4 stitches.....the Doctor asked if the sidewalk was okay....I was NOT amused. I also got blood on my new tennies.....THAT made me even madder!

4. 1st time I shaved my legs----12 years old, I decided, as I was going on my first temple trip, I should shave my legs.....you just never know, I figured I would be laughed at with my super hairy legs. Mom had told me I couldn't.....did anyway...I ended up cutting my thigh about a 4" strip.......had to tell mom.....yeah....I guess I learned my lesson.

5. 1st name at that baptism--The name of the 1st person I was baptized for was Mildred....what an awesome experience.

6. 1st boyfriend--He lived in Ouray, CO, an hour and a half from Fruita.... His name was Paul....we met at a new year's eve party for S.A.D.D. we were the same height.....THEN I GREW! By the time we broke up.....6 months later, I was 4 inches taller than him.....I think that might be why we broke up....I have a sneaking feeling!

7. 1st kiss--14....I know, I know....whatever...the worst part is....it happened at Youth Conference....outside the dorms at Snow, his name was Harlan....yeah, I know it gets worse.....we got busted by one of the leaders, who flashed a flash-light in our faces......we ran......yeah, so.....I didn't do that again until I was 16....I guess I learned my lesson.

8. 1st airplane ride--I was 16, with my mother, and my 11 month old brother. We flew to New York, for my cousin's wedding in New Jersey......I had never even met her.....but...they bought us plane tickets, so we went.......was exciting, except the part where my brother screamed almost the entire flight!

9. 1st time I had a steak dinner--19, Annie found out I had never had a steak, and took me to dinner for my 19th birthday.......it was amazing.....She is the best! I can't remember the name of the restaurant...but it was across from the Ally Cat off Main street, started with an O I think, Annie will remember. I saved half of it, because I thought it was so amazing....I wanted to savor it. BLAST! Took it home, someone else finished it. I hate when that happens.

10. 1st house--The first house we bought together was in Plymouth Minnesota, in 1999. It was built in 1946. We bought it from the original owners.....it is a quirky little house. It is across the street from the house my husband grew up in, and his parents still own, and the house his mother grew up in. We put a lot of money into it. We couldn't stomach the idea of selling it when we moved to SD.....we rent it out now, and maybe we will get to retire in it, who knows.

That is my 1st and 10....how about some of your firsts?

My Very first Meme.....(yeah, ummm....what the heck does that mean?)

Huffalump over at I blog about nothing has tagged me for a meme. This is my first time, so go easy on me.

4 Jobs I've had: Seriously, had so many….I will just pick the most interesting

1. I was a bedding plants manager during the summer…..I kill plants….odd job for me to have.
2. A supervisor at a 5 star fishing resort in Alaska (that’s right, Jon Denver gave us a concert on the beach the year before he died….I opened his beer….me.)
3. Ski clothing supervisor of Sporting goods store….I can't ski, I never even made it past the bunny hill.
4. Shift supervisor at Taco Bell when I was 16….I still love the Taco Bell

4 Places I've lived:

1. Fruita, CO
2. Corvallis, OR
3. Waterfall, AK
4. Plymouth, MN

4 favorite TV shows: I never get to choose….blasted males in the house always have the remote

1. The Office
2. Mystery Diagnosis
3. Court TV—anything on there
4. That 70’s show

4 favorite foods:

1. Mexican food all the way. (I did not know my Father growing up, and I asked my mom once if he was Mexican, cuz I loved the food so much.) *snicker*
2. Chinese food.
3. Sushi
4. Sandwich with all the fixings, on some delicious crusty bread, some pesto..mmm.

4 Websites I frequent:

1. Google.com
2. CapitalJournal.com
3. Snopes.com
4. WellsFargo.com

4 Places I'd rather be right now:

1. Colorado visiting Bruv
2. At a blog gathering, near me.
3. Alaska.
4. On a honeymoon with Mister

4 Movies: What, that I have starred in? Or that I like? I guess I will go with the ones I like.

1. Breakfast Club
2. Stella
3. Pretty Woman
4. Napoleon Dynamite

Seriously....couldn't make this stuff up.

I have a little story for you.

Where I live, there are two outdoor, public pools. I have always gone to the one over the bridge.......there, they actually have two pools, side by side, separated by a short fence. To be in the two foot pool, you have to be 6 and under. I have always gone to this pool, because of this. I can keep a better eye on the boys. The cost is only 50 cents per kid, and I get in for free, as I mostly just sit on the side. I have never been to the pool on MY side of the bridge. There hasn't been a super specific reason. The one on MY side of the bridge has one L shaped pool.....the three foot section, then a rope.....then the "deep end." MY side of the bridge, also charges $1 per child.....I get in free.....(I know it is ultra cheap.....either way). I finally decided I should check out the pool on MY side of the bridge...............I have regretted it, ever since. Here is my story.

We picked up Mister for a quick lunch out, before venturing to the pool for the afternoon. Fash was talking about swallowing too much water at the pool, and it makes him have to go poop, a lot. (Yeah, I said poop....so what) Sass interrupts Fash to tell us.....

"It doesn't make me have to poop when I swallow the water......I just have to pee....and a lot."

*WHAT!?* I usually only last about two hours at the pool.....they always go to the bathroom before we get in.....**click, click, click**

"Sass....I don't remember taking you to the bathroom the last time we were at the pool."

"Well....no mom, you don't have to....I just pee in the water, and I do it A LOT!"

*Ack-ack-double ack* Mister has a bit of a phobia about public pools....he doesn't really like to even talk about it.......much less imagine we go during the summer....by this point he is soooo sicked out.

"Enough.....let's never speak of this again...will you all please stop..La, la, la....I can't hear you.....will you just drop me off here....I can walk back to the office....."

*giggle...giggle....seriously, that is so sick....giggle*

"Sorry dear, we will stop....no wonder they always have a belly ache when we leave the pool....sorry....I will stop." *grin*

The boys and I pull into the new pool.....I take them both to the bathroom....*mental note, take them out at pool break, for a potty break* The boys took off...hit the blue, not yellow-or green water....and never stopped. I eased into the pool, sort of propped myself up on the side, partway immersed. That is when she happened.

A chubby, freckled, red headed girl came swimming over to me, she was wearing a suit, and an over sized light blue t-shirt, which came to her knees. (I like chubby, I like freckles, I like red hair.....it just happen to be what she looked like.)

"Hi, what is your name?"

"So Dak Angel, what is your name?"

"Umm....are you here by yourself, I am.....my Grandpa dropped me off. I am going to be here all day.....while he is at work.......I live with my mom, my dad, my aunt, my uncle, my Grandpa, and my Grandma. I don't know when he is coming back here. Have you ever had a sunburn, I have....it hurts. I have 4 brothers, and 3 sisters....they live in Nebraska....I am nine years old, and I have never been touched by a stranger. Do you have any sunscreen?"

"Ummm.....what?......sunscreen....um, no."

"Do you have any money? I do.....my Grandpa gave me $4 and 50 cents.....he said to let it last all day, I have already had three things and I have some money left, so I am going to have some more, but not right now, because I have to make it last all day....that is what my Grandpa said, you don't have any sunscreen? I forgot mine in my Grandpa's pick-up.....have you ever been to water works? It is a water park in Nebraska....it is really fun, I got scared a lot....and I got a sunburn, and I never got to go back. I am wearing this shirt so I don't get a sunburn, see...here is my swim suit....do you like it? My feet are like raisins....I am just picking the skin off of them, see."

"That is gross."

"Why, it just floats into the drain....see....there is the drain right there."

"It doesn't just float in there, you really shouldn't do that, it isn't very nice for the other people in the pool." *good gravy, why won't she stop that*

"oh.....well......if it doesn't float in there, then they sweep the bottom with a vacuum thing.....then it will just get sucked up."

"Do you have any friends to play with? You are a big girl, why don't you show me how you can jump off the diving board." *Enough.....let's never speak of this again....will you stop....la, la, la.....I can't hear you.*

Yeah.....I am just going to keep driving over the bridge.....I like that pool better anyway.

Ahhh....my little fashion plate!

The boys and I decided to attend story time at the Public Library. As you MIGHT imagine.....we were running late, as I did a few finishing things in the house, I asked the boys to get their shoes on, and "load up," to my shock, and surprise.....THEY DID! They were even both buckled by the time I got outside. Turns out the "Dairy Princess" of South Dakota was there, crown and all (boys said in a whisper..."mooommmm.....she is soooo pretty") to read the story, and talk about good nutrition, and what have you. ***Boy, oh boy....am I ever going to impress this little princess with my sweet, adorable boys....***

As my sweet little nearly perfect Fash was sitting on my lap....I noticed it...........dun....dun....dun....

OH YES HE WAS!!! I looked down in horror at his feet.....sticking straight out in front of him, nearly touching said princess.....**gasp** I can't even explain it......no socks.....two different shoes....one is navy blue....one black....both right feet.....one shoe is a size 11....the other is a size 1.....oh, my....

I did what every reasonable mother would do in my situation.........I started laughing.......poor princess......I am sure she was horrified at me.....AND my darling little Fash's shoes! I gave him a hug.....sweet Fash.....always good for a laugh!

He did however inform me, always so fashion conscious that he is, "they are both Champion shoes, and I like them both.....so I weared (yes...that is what he said) them both, do I look nice?"

Lessons learned......

I know that my children have taught me far more than I have taught them......though sometimes I don't like to admit it.

Sass told me once, while he was in trouble mind you, "mom....sometimes you could be a nicer mom.....BUT...you couldn't be a prettier mom, you are already the prettiest."

You soooo know he was done being in trouble. I guess I could have been hurt, he wishes I were nicer.....but who cares......I AM the PRETTIEST!!

Here are some other things I have been taught.

Dad's don't yell as much as moms, but they yell louder

If you have bunk beds.....you might as well sleep on top

Don't say "the last one there is a rotten egg" unless you know you can beat your brother there.

It is easier to spend your mom and dad's money, than your own

The person on the other end, always asks the question again, when you nod on the phone.

Ask why, until you understand

It's possible to feel full when it comes to more dinner, but NOT full when it comes to dessert.

What have your kids taught you lately?

Good Mail Girls.....revealed!

I KNOW you have all been dying to hear from me on this....

I wanted the good mail I sent out to have a reflection of me, since I did not, at the time have a blog. It took me awhile to settle on the final content of the package I sent out, and I wish I had adjusted some things.....but....that didn't work out, so you got what you got! I love to travel....so the items are a reflection of places I have lived.....Here goes.

Origami--When I moved to Oregon, I knew virtually nobody (not the nobody who is blogging, the nobody.....sniff....I am lonely sort of nobody).....I met a whole group of people from Hawaii, and Guam.....I was shown how to do Origami there.....forgot, re-taught myself from my handy dandy Internet.....
Whale origami--I lived in Alaska for 7 years, during the summers.....1st time I had ever seen a whale
Heart origami--I met my husband in Alaska, he was from Minnesota, I lived there for 8 years with him....the Mayo Clinic is in MN, and it is the #1 Cardiology Hospital in the World.....I have also had heart surgery at this hospital.
Pheasant feathers--I think these feathers are so beautiful, I do some crafting with them, when I am pretending I am crafty.....the Pheasant is the South Dakota state bird.
Good stuff notebook--I try to be organized, and hate to forget things.....I have lists everywhere....thought they would be handy for people like me.....I figure...you are all my people.
Address labels--I like to be helpful, and figured it would assist on motivation to send out good mail. I sent you each nine....cuz I have nine kids..........ah....just teasing....I have 11.
I was going to put a little rock in each package......As I grew up near the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.....I forgot.....so I kept it as forgotten......besides, who on Earth would send somebody rocks, bad enough I stuffed the package with feathers.
If you haven't received anything from me yet...it is coming.....I got another shipment scheduled for Monday.

Happy Independance day...Land that I Love....Community that is FREE!

I just want to take a minute to tell you how great my community is! We have been fortunate to be a part of a great community for a few years now. Here is a fine example of my community in the last couple of weeks.

Capital Community Celebration--We got fire Engine rides around town, got lifted in the fire truck cage through the trees. There was face painting, and beading crafts...fishing for the kids at the Capital lake...poles and bait provided....poloroid pictures of each childs catch, small tackle boxes given out, and boat towels. We were fed hot dogs, burgers, chips, apples, cookies, and soda's, and bottles of water.....frisbee's given out with the plates.....Cost--$0

Oahe Days--parade loot--candy, frisbee's and a t-shirt. Blow up castles, and obstacle course for the kids, helium balloons, magic show, yo-yo expert show, Karate demonstration, BMX bike riders from Michigan, quick draw shoot out at targets, coverband concert on Friday night and Saturday night......Cost--$0

Shanes Pharmacy 1 year anniversary--Hot dogs, soda...Cost $0

Rubber Duck Race--Rubber ducks racing down Missouri river...sign up for ducks, numbers on the bottom, prizes for winning ducks....Cost--$0

Fishing Day for Dad and kids--Fishing poles and bait provided below the Oahe Damn (2nd largest Earthen Damn in the World!) Prizes for certain catches...Cost--$0

SD beef council--Burgers and soda at local Grocery Store...Cost--$0

Car Dealership Summer days--hot dogs, chips, and soda...Cost--$0

Lizzie the Clown story time--Lizzy does tricks and reads stories at local parks, every Monday, throughout the summer....books for each child at each event...Cost--$0

We also had a traveling Carnival come in which offered 10 rides for $10....We did not go.....Mister used to go on Carnival with his Carnie momma.....we don't really trust the rides...so we passed, much to our children's sadness.

Today was the 4th of July parade. I am not over exagerating when I say the parade was an hour and a half long. This is the loot we walked away with. Neither I, nor Mister picked up a single piece of candy, and my boys shared with the younger kids next to us, and we only allow them to run out directly in front of us. Parades are interesting......they go against everything we teach our children...."don't take candy from strangers"..."don't run into the street"...."don't pick up candy off the ground" But who really cares! Look at all this stuff we got!

Living in a Community like this.......PRICELESS! (Thanks Kimberly)

There will also be an hour long fireworks display tonight over the Missouri river...looking forward to that! Hope you all have a great celebration!

Party pictures!

Here are a couple of pictures which got snapped at the party.....we stayed pretty busy....what with the snake and all.....but managed to take a couple of pictures.

We made it!

We made it through the birthday party this weekend! We only had one child cry, and lost another one....both for like a milla-second! I think that would be classified as a successful partay! Kids beat the pinata, showing nooo mercy! It was fun, glad it is over...........Fash took no mercy on me, reminding me his birthday is "coming right up!" It is actually a few months away, thankfully.....so there will be some time to recover, and by then I might just forget that it is a crazy thing to invite 18 kids to my house for a party....I just MIGHT I said!

It's coming around!

So......now that I have made the insane choice to have this partay.....it is time for prep...(you know I have been prepping for a week now....) I started here.

Then I got to here.......

THIS is the finished product........

See more insanity......18 kids beating it with a bat......THAT is insanity! This is the part where I fill them full of sugar....and send them home to their mommas!!