15 Years Ago Today - during my Soap Opera...

Bailey was born!  Yes, her arrival into the world happened right in the middle of The Bold and The Beautiful!  I gotta tell ya, I was a little irked with her for a while, especially when the Dr. told me that I had to turn the TV off so I could push!   Well... I guess it all turned out for the best and now 15 years later, I've got a beautiful young lady that I couldn't be more proud of and the drama between Brook and Ridge still exists in the world of daily soap opera drama. :)

Ironically, Bailey was born on my sister's birthday and those two definitely share a few of the same character flaws traits! When no one else seems to understand Bailey, I have no doubt that my sister will totally get 'it' or completely understand Bailey's way of thinking...that's just how they are?

So Happy 15th Birthday to my sweet girl - and yes...we will be having  a double decker chocolate cake with chocolate icing - just the way she likes it!

Oh I almost forgot - I must get busy and order the driver training manual thingy - you know she's going to be nagging the life out of me to get her learner's permit.  OY!  I feel a need for more Xanax!

Mouse Hunt Update

Happy to report there were no mouse tracks, droppings, or bodies found in the closet in question! Just lots of junk that was cleaned out and reorganized.  I have no answer for the so-called 'squeaks' that Brit heard during the night?  Who Knows....

.... To be continued....

I have such good intentions...

Really!  I do!! 

I have all of these great pictures on my camera from Bailey showing her heifer at the State Fair to carving pumpkins in our kitchen.  Now where do you think that camera is?   NOT WITH ME!  It's hanging on the linen closet door handle!  UGH!  Good intentions, I tell ya' ... I really do have them!

Honestly, I can't be blamed for my forgetfulness - I've been feeling puny the past few days and I've been awakened in the middle of the night from all sorts of noises.  I've discussed this issue with you before -the stuff that goes on in my house after I go to sleep - well I just can't be held accountable for it!  If you're new to my blog, you can check out the after hours activities here.

Last night was no different than any others unless you consider the awakening I received at 3:00AM when Brit announced to me that she heard a MOUSE in her closet! UGH... Seriously!!! It's 3:00 AM - live and let live.   So instead of jumping out of bed and rushing to her closet to capture the intrusive creature, I suggested she close the closet doors and sleep on the couch - sorry, but at that time of night I really don't care if the boogy man is moving around in your closet.   

My rational thinking mind knows that it's Fall, the temps are getting cooler and the creatures are all looking for a place to snuggle down for the winter.  I also have to remind myself that we live in the country - on a hill - in what was once a cow pasture.  We are still surrounded by live and active cow pastures - mice are gonna happen!

However, my frantic irrational mind is telling me to get home quickly with as many rat traps as I can find and clean out the closet until I find that nasty little pest! Luckily we've only had ONE enter our sacred people space in the 8 years we've lived here and now there's another unfortunate one!  I guess the old mice didn't spread the word to this young one that DEATH happens in our house!  Usually it's death by a cat, but now it's up to Mama and I won't stop until I find the squeaky little nasty creature! 

I'm also motivated by the fact that Brit will not return to her room again until I bring out a carcass of some creature to prove that it's dead and gone! :)  None of us want her taking over the living room and sleeping on the couch  -

it just wouldn't be a good thing.

Anyway, back to my good intentions...I'll share with you a couple of pictures that I stole from Brit's Facebook page of the pumpkins she and her sweetie carved.

This was a first for both of them, and they used one of those cheap little pumpkin carving sets from the big W store.   I'm really impressed with how easy it turned out to be and that it actually does look like the picture.  So of course you can imagine that now Bailey and Briley want to do one too, I guess I'll be stopping off to buy a couple more pumpkins, but NOT before I take care of the squeaky mouse in the closet! UGH!

When Life Was Perfect...

Inside the walls of my favorite doll house...

 Did you have a space in your home that was your escape when you were a kid?  Did you have a favorite toy that took you to a special place in your pretend adventures?  

As I sit at my desk each day questioning my sanity and wondering how in the world I got tricked into being stuck behind a desk every day, and working at the same boring job... I think back to a time when all was right with the world and I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up!  Silly? 

Well of course it's silly; I was FIVE years old! :)

For me, my own personal space and place in the world when all was perfect was the time I spent playing in my bedroom with my very own 1970 Fisher Price Little People Doll House.   I had the Blue 2-story ski-chalet "A" Frame style house with an orange base model.

((I absolutely loved this doll house and it had better still be in the attic or I know a particular husband that's gonna have to do some fast talking! LOL))

From what I can remember, it seems like I must have spent hours playing with this toy and wishing I could be little and play in the house with the 'little people'. 

I knew every inch of this Ski-Chalet and could tell you every single picture drawn on the walls or rugs painted on the floors.  Life was supposed to be just like it was in the doll house, perfect.  Nice and neat, cozy and clean; or so I thought?

Most days I wish I could go back to that innocent age of 5 when all was right in my world and all I had to worry about was when it was dinner time and I would have to clean up my doll house toys.

Of all of the toys I had as a child, this is by far the one that stands out among them all and obviously still has a special place in my memories.  All three of my girls had their own Fisher Price Doll Houses, but sadly I don't think they had quite the same connection to theirs that I had to mine.

What was/is your favorite childhood toy/memory?

Let the fun begin...

It's finally Fall, so for our family that means cows, softball, pigs, and whatever else we can squeeze into our busy life!

This week 'we' are heading to the State Fair of Texas for Bailey to show her heifer.
All of the preparations are in place, the heifer has been washed, blown dry, brushed, fluffed, and probably folded too?


 Seems to me that standing behind a cow holding it's tail and brushing might be considered brave or STUPID?

Bailey is the only one of my daughters that seems to be made to do this 'cow business'. She is not afraid to get dirty or stepped on.  She's not afraid to crawl into a pig pen and do whatever it takes to make these animals ready for the show. 
She has gained so much self confidence in the past couple of years since working with these creatures - it's a great feeling for this Mom to see her walk out into the show ring strutting her Cow's stuff! :)  I am amazed at how much she has learned in such a short time, but then again she is truly interested in working with these animals and the fact that she is actually learning something hasn't really sunk into her head.. ya' know?  She just considers it "having a good time"!  HA HA HA.... who am I to tell her differently?

Now that the heifer is almost ready for the show, I have to get Bailey ready!  She has to have new jeans and a new "show shirt" to wear, and let's not forget that every fashionable cowgirl must have new bling-bling chunky jewelry to wear that will match the cow's halter?  DUH?? How can you possibly show a heifer without the appropriate accessories. 
 
The chaos continues....