Blog Fart Fridays

Blog Farts – noun. Def: Crappy ideas that are too short to make a real blog post, but when combined, join forces to make one unified, albeit half assed, post.





~One year ago today, M2 came home from the hospital for the first time. He was six weeks old. Next Friday I'll tell you that he came home from the hospital for the second time. He was seven weeks old. I really need to tell his complete story.

~I finally got my Etsy store opened. I don't have a lot in there but I am working on more stuff all the time. I'm really excited about finally having it. Take a look around and let me know what you think. Any thoughts welcome.

~Our Siberian Husky got a new home this week. We've had her for 6 years, we got her from a Husky rescue. She was Hubby's dog, he loved her. He always wanted a Husky. She never liked me. M1 was terrified of her, she didn't like our new home, and we just didn't have time to give her what she needed. I feel terrible, but I just don't think over the last year she has gotten 1/2 the attention or care that she needs and deserves. Any one that knows Huskies knows they are a lot of work, and probably not the best dog to have around small children. She has a new home and a new Daddy. Hubby is very happy with her new home and thinks she will be very happy there. He's happy about the change, so I am happy too.

~We are having a yard sale this weekend. I HATE yard sales. I hate everything about them. I would really rather donate all the crap to the Kidney Foundation, but I need the money, and I need to get rid of all the crap, so yard sale it is.

~I am participating in Shannon's Hometown Swap, see my button over there to the right? Head over to her site to participate. If you decide to participate, please tell her I sent you over!! I've never done a swap before, but who wouldn't want something from lovely Ohio!!

~For more Blog Fart Fridays check out Jaci.

Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce Giveaway and the World’s Best Burger

World’s Best Burger

Yep, it really tastes that good.

I was contacted by Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce asking if I would be willing to try their sauce and give a review, followed with a giveaway. I said yes, I had actually been interested in trying the sauce, and was bummed when I didn't win a giveaway for the sauce on another blog. Country Bob’s sent me two bottles of sauce in the mail along with several recipes.

It's 'Grillin' Season' here in small town Ohio, so we decided on the World’s Best Burger recipe. Yep, it is the World's Best Burger.

Here’s what you’ll need for World’s Best Burgers:

2 1/2 lbs. ground sirloin (I used ground chuck, we buy that in bulk, and that's what I had)
1/2 package of Lipton Onion Soup mix

3/8 cup Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce

1 Tbs. seasoned salt (Country Bob’s also has seasoned salt, but I didn't have any so I used the 'off brand'.

Combine all the ingredients and form into patties. Grill.

We added extra Country Bob’s Sauce after the burgers were cooked. I also added cooked bacon, lettuce, cheese and tomato.

These burgers were GREAT!! Country Bob’s Sauce has a sweet, and somewhat tangy taste. It added so much flavor to the burgers, and Hubby and I even dipped our fries in a side of the sauce. It really was great. We can't figure out the taste, not Honey-ish, not BBQ-ish, just really flavorful. We were both surprised and impressed by the taste. These will definitely be made throughout the summer!!

Now for the Giveaway! The fine people at Country Bob’s is going to give away 2 bottles of sauce to 2 different winners. All you need to do to win is leave me a comment on this post by Tuesday, May 5th. I’ll pick 2 winners on Wednesday, May 6th.

Good Luck, and hope you enjoy the sauce as much as we did. I'm thinking Country Bob’s Meatloaf for Sunday dinner.

Wordless Wednesday-Almost

M2 tries spaghetti for the first time. He ate this meal naked, except for a diaper and bib...... and he loved every minute of it.

And yes, he did eat the entire plate of spaghetti.

For more WW click here and here.

100th Post, 100 Things, and a GIVEAWAY

I can't believe this is my 100th post! That's just crazy!! Who knew I had so much to say??? Well probably my Hubby...

Any who, I've see this around and thought I would do this for my 100th post... Give away is at the bottom!!

What I've done is in red:
1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you're not sick.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to truly be satisfied.
38. Seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo's David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served in a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Been to the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the paper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had Chicken pox.
89. Saved someone's life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

Now for the giveaway.....

The rules are: One entry per comment on this post, one entry if you add the '100 things' posting on your blog and link back to this post, one entry if you become a follower. Entries are doubled for current followers.

You have untill Friday May 1st to enter, I'll pick the winner over the weekend and post it on Monday May 4th.

What do you win? A homemade Red, White and Blue wreath. I've been making wreaths for years, and this is one of my favorite wreaths to make.

And if you don't win, but still want one, you can always get one at my Etsy Shop. Yep, I've got one of those now too! There isn't that much in there yet, but I'm working on it. Check out my shop and tell me what you think!

Good Luck!

One year ago today...

One year ago today my (then) 5 week old baby got his trach.

One year ago today my 5 week old baby began the road to coming home.

One year ago today I left the hospital for nearly 24 hours. It was the first time in 5 weeks that I had left his side for more than a couple hours. M2 was completely sedated and could not be moved or picked up for at least 24 hours after surgery. His wonderful nurse, Grandma Becky, called me every 2-3 hours to update me.

One year ago today words like tracheostomy tube, trach ties, sterile q-tips, split 2x2's, Heat Moisture Exchanger or HumiVent, trach guard, sterile water, Saline Bullets, sputum, Sputum Culture, Specimen Trap, 3.0 & 3.5 Shiley Neo Natel, lead electrodes, suctioning, Suction Machine, Ambu bag, Apnea Monitor, Cool Mist, Passy-Muir Valve, site care, pseudomonas, Tracheitis, obturator, tracheostomy mask, Little Neo Suckers, 8 French Catheters, RSV, Synagis, and stoma all became 'normal' words in our vocabulary.

One year ago today site care, tie changes and trach changes all became part of my routine.

One year ago today I cried because I felt like we gave up the battle when we let the Drs give M2 a trach.

One year ago today I was scared to death of being able, or not able, to take care of him, and his trach.

One year ago today I was afraid that M2's trach would change how much I loved him.

Today I still remember that time in the NICU like it was yesterday, the 5 weeks before the trach surgery and the 2 after.

Today, I know that there is no better place for M2, or all of us for that matter, than at home.

Today I know that taking a break, even if it's a short break, is always helpful.

Today I know that adding new words to my vocabulary isn't always a bad thing.

Today site care, tie changes and trach changes is second nature to me, I can do them fast, and though, I've never tried, probably in my sleep. I have even been told several times by his pediatrician, his ENT NP and several RN's, that M2 has one of, if not the, cleanest trach site they have ever seen. And yes, I know it may seem silly, but I do take pride in that.

Today I realize we didn't give up the battle we just chose to fight it at home.

Today I know that I am completely able to take care of M2, and his trach.

Today I know that if anything, M2's trach made me love him that much more, because of everything he went through. And how hard he fights.

Today, the countdown begins. July 20th is his follow up with Dr. Cotton. On July 20 he will be exactly 16 months. The minimum age he can be for Dr. Cotton to schedule his reconstruction surgery. On July 20th we will (hopefully) get an exact date of his surgery. His trach (if all goes well) will come out 6 weeks after his surgery. Today, the countdown begins, to a new life style.My, things sure have changed in a year....

A (Week) Day at the Zoo....

I know you all want to ask the same thing: "Mommy of Ms, how did you go to the zoo on a week day when you work full time?" Well to answer your burning question, I may/or may not have called in sick.

You see all my vacation time is already spoken for, with clinic appts, dr appts, and surgeries, so I don't get any real time off work this year. Sure, all those things are worth my time, and I don't mind doing it, anything for M2. But no vacation time, means no vacation, or days off. You need those every once in a while!!

I have had this terrible cold *cough, sniffle* and this particular day I woke up feeling terrible. So I emailed my boss and told him I wasn't going to make it in, then I hoped in the shower and got dressed and had breakfast. By the time the boys were up and dressed and eating breakfast I felt much better.

It was going to be such a nice day out that Mamaw and Papaw had already planned on taking the Ms to the zoo. And amazingly by 9 when it was time to go to the zoo, I felt so much better that I tagged along with them. And had a wonderful day.

I have a picture of M1 in this exact same corner of this exhibit, I'll have to dig that out. Too cute!!

I love turtles. Hubby and I even took a tour of the turtle farm on our Honeymoon, in the Cayman Islands.

M2 is enjoying himself too much to stop for a picture.

M1 LOVES this carousel. We stop to ride it every time we go to the zoo. M2 didn't enjoy it as much.

He did, however, enjoy his nap.

Please excuse the flash. The baby elephant in this picture was only 1 week old. His 'official debut' to the public was going to be on the weekend, but the handlers had been taking him out for a couple hours every once in a while to get him used to the idea. We just happened to be that when he and his mama came out.

M1 loves elephants. And I have a ton of pictures of him sitting on this little guy. He was even an elephant last year for Halloween.

The Flamingo was always my favorite animal as a kid. They are just so pretty.

Too close for comfort.....

M1 and Papaw stop for a snack.

M2 gets a ride with a view.

I so enjoyed my sick day, *cough, sniffle*...

I think the boys did too, Mamaw even bought them both their own snakes!!

Wordless Wednesday

M1 and his love....
For more Wordless Wednesday visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Syringes and Acid Reflux

Thanks to M2's amazing pediatrician I got to throw these away today.

M2 has really bad acid reflux and has been taking Prevacid. His ENT NP prescribed it but she prescribed it as a compound suspension. The only pharmacy in town to make compound suspensions is the pharmacy at Children's Hospital.

Every month it's a pain in the a$$ to get the RX. I have to call 3 days in advance so they can mix it. Then drive downtown (completely out of my way), then pay $2 to park, then wait in the longest line ever, just to get the RX.

Every month the stupid pharmacy tech tells me my insurance has declined the RX, and every month I have to explain in great detail that 'No, the insurance did not decline the RX, it's already been paid.' You see when I call 3 days in advance to reorder the RX, the pharmacy runs the insurance claim right then. My insurance (which by the way is amazing) pays the claim by direct deposit within 12 hours. So when I go to pick the RX up 3 days after I called in the reorder the stupid pharmacy tech reruns the claim, and it's denied from the insurance b/c they had just paid it 3 days earlier. Make sense?

Well last month when I called the refill in, I called on a Thursday evening, and said I needed it on Sunday, figuring we could just pick it up after church. The stupid pharmacy tech said they don't mix compound suspensions on Sunday so I would have to get it on Monday. I asked if I could just pick it up on Saturday, she said no, I didn't call far enough in advance to get it on Saturday. She said I could pick it up on Monday after 10am. Which means after work to us. I sent Hubby after work to get the RX, traffic into and out of the downtown area is crazy, plus after standing in line and explaining the situation to the stupid pharmacy tech it was 7:45 when he got home with the RX, and M2 was already asleep. He didn't have his medicine on Sunday or Monday, and then puked on Tuesday, from the reflux.

So after explaining all this drama to The M's Pediatrician she prescribed a NEW kind of Prevacid that is a pill that dissolves in water. Meaning no more syringes and no more trips to the stupid Children's Hospital Pharmacy!!

Getting this month's prescription should be easy, I can get it at the CVS down the street!!

Have I mentioned how much I love our Pediatrician?

Blog Fart Fridays...

~ I made a facebook account, I didn't even have it for 24 hrs and Hubby's family started driving me crazy with it. I think I'm going to close it.

~I LOVE my new blog design and layout!! Thanks to everyone's input last Friday.

~I am working on opening an etsy shop. I've got my profile set up and can't wait to get the shop together. I heart* etsy. *That would have been so much cuter with an actual heart there.

~Prison Break returns tonite!! At 8, oh I am so excited I love me some Wentworth Miller. *drool*

~Spring cleaning starts tonite at 6:30, and I am excited. I'm also certain that Hubby feels the same way. (insert devilish grin and giggle here) Although we will have to break from spring cleaning from 8-9 so I can drool (Read: Watch) Wentworth Miller in Prison Break.

For more Blog Fart Fridays check out Jaci.

Awards...Thank you

Aleigh gave me this award sometime ago and I never posted about it. Not because I'm not grateful, or because I don't care, I am grateful and I do care. I started to post about it and then got sidetracked and then my posting got lost/buried in my lists of posting and I just never got back to it. I know, excuses, excuses. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

Did you read that? She thinks I'm charming. I've been called a lot of things, but charming has never been one of them. Thanks Aleigh, I really do appreciate it.

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I have also been awarded with The Mom of the Year Award by Melissa. Thank you so much, I am truly touched!

Rules for Mom of the Year Award: Admit one thing you feel awful about involving being a mom. Get it off your shoulders. Once you've written it down, you are No Longer allowed to feel bad. It's over with, it's in the past. Remember, you're a good mom!

~I feel really guilty that the first 2 months of M2's life was in the NICU, and that he couldn't be home with the rest of the family. I know there was nothing I could do to prevent it, but I don't want him or M1 resent that he was there. I spent every possible second with M2 I could, which left my mom to take care of M1. It's very hard as a mother to think that you are needed in two places at once, and to decide which baby needs you more. The 2 1/2 year old at home that knows you and misses you but that is being taken very well care of, or the newborn that has no idea who you are and doesn't know that they need you, but is left in a crib by themselves. I know neither of them will remember those 2 months, but I will. And it's a hard thing to remember.

Remind yourself you are a good mom, list seven things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you. These are the things to remind yourself everyday that you Rock!

1. I love that when I pull in the driveway at night there are 2 little blond boys standing in the doorway waiting for me.

2. I love that M1 looks at me and says 'Cheese Indeed' every time he sees me with a camera in my hand.

3. I love that somehow M2 can put his arms around my neck and wiggle himself up my body so that I end up holding him. I have no idea how he does it.

4.I love that M2 will only hug me. No one else.

5. I love that when I tell M1 I have a surprise for him he asks me if it 'Is for eating or playing?'

6. I love that my boys love each other.

7. I love that my boys are always happy, smiling and laughing. They both
always seem to wake up with a smile on their face. They are both little balls of energy.

Send this to five other Mom's of the year that deserve credit for being great moms and remind them that they are the best moms they can be!! Remember to send them a note to let them know you've selected them, and add a link to the person who nominated you.

This is the hardest list to make!! So many of my bloggy friends are great Mothers. I'll pass it on to:

Aleigh My NICU buddy, and NICU giver-backer. I think I just made up a new term!

LadyBird Have you seen her baby's eyes? That is one cute baby

Caitlin Tell Brian to be impressed

T Rex Mom They don't watch TV!! We live for Noggin.

Carin, I'm forever in blue jeans too.

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The third award is the Lemonade Award, given to me by Caitlin. Caitlin is definitely one of the funniest blogs I read. Srsly. I laugh out loud at her posts DAILY.

This is an award reserved for blogs who show gratitude and/or attitude.

~I'm not sure which one I show, probably the attitude, but I'll except the award anyway!

I'm not listing anyone to award the Lemonade Award and Friendship Award too, just because I like to break rules, (and this is already a really long post)but if you are reading this post, then you may award them to yourselves, from me.

Man, this is a long post, and took it forever.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - The Easter Recap Edition

Hubby's basket... M2's basket...

M1's basket...

The Easter Egg Hunt...

To facebook or not to facebook??

I know, I am so behind the times. I know everyone is on facebook, everyone but me. But everyone had a blog waayy before I did too. Maybe I don't understand it all but here's my problem with facebook...I don't want everyone to know where I am and what I'm doing. Wait, sounds like my blog!?!?

Let me clarify, I come from where we like to call the 'Middle of BFF', small podunk town with ONE, count 'em, ONE traffic light. I moved away AS FAST AS I COULD, (Read: as soon as I graduated from school) and never looked back. I don't go back to visit, I don't talk to anybody I went to school with or was friends with. I've been there twice in 12 years. And I'm ok with that.

I didn't go home during the summers or breaks from college. I was one of about 6 people from my class that went to college, and there is nothing wrong with those who did not go to college, they all stayed and went to work in the fields and factories, and that's fine, that just wasn't for me. So I HIGHTAILED IT OUT OF THERE!

So why get on facebook just to find all those people again? I can't imagine that I have one.single.thing. in common with these people. Of course, maybe the Internet isn't even available in my old town. You can laugh, but I'm not joking. I didn't have cable till I went to college.

And then there are the inlaws. I don't really care for them, they don't really care for me, it's mutual. Hubby and I don't tell them much about our lives. Not. Much. At. All. I don't want them to be able to get on facebook and find out information about us that we don't want them to know.

There are a few people from college I wouldn't mind catching up with, but it's been so long since we've seen each other, at this point why bother??

So, do you facebook?

The cold that just wouldn't go away...

Remember this post? It's been 6 weeks since I first went to the doctor for a cold/virus/sinus infection. I had this cold for over a week before I even went to the dr and I just couldn't get rid of it. I was so congested that I literally could not breath without my mouth open. I couldn't sleep and I was having a hard time eating because when I closed my mouth to chew I felt like I couldn't get enough air. My dr had exhausted all antibiotics and eventually sent me to the ENT dr.

Turns out it wasn't a cold at all. I have a deviated septum. It felt like I was constantly congested because the inside of my nose was so swollen that I couldn't get any air in. The swelling had literally closed off my airway. And the 'snot' that continuously ran, that was drainage from all the swelling. And the constant sneezing, that was my nose trying to get the swelling out.

The inside of my nose was so swollen that the dr couldn't even tell how badly deviated my septum is. The ENT dr gave me cortisone and an anti-inflammatory, I have to go back in 3 weeks. Depending on how bad the damage is after the swelling goes down, I may have to have surgery. The medicine is working, I can breathe now, and I've had a few good nights of sleep. I don't think I've slept good since I got the 'cold'. Now that the swelling is going down my cheeks and
nose and eyes hurt.

Oh, and the cause of the deviated septum? The Ent dr says it's pretty common for mothers of toddlers to have this problem. And asked me if I'd gotten hit in the face recently. More like daily... I've taken a hard head to the face quite a few times, sometimes tears have even sprung up and lips were cracked enough that blood appeared. That has happened countless times, and there is no way to figure out which head to face incident caused the problem, or how long it's been that way.


Ah, the joys of motherhood.......

Brain Fart Friday.....

Does anyone know where to by those baby leggings? I want to get some for M2 before he goes in for his airway reconstruction surgery.

M2 got his LAST RSV shot yesterday. He was supposed to be done in March, but the RSV percentage for our area was really high so his AMAZING PEDIATRICIAN wanted him to have it for one more month. If his trach is out before next October he shouldn't have to get the shot next RSV season. The shot has to be given every 30 days from October to March. It's VERY expensive, about $2,550... per month.

I'm going to make SOMETHING and donate to Kelly for her 3 day walk for Breast Cancer. I just can't decide what yet. Either way, I am SUPER excited to help out with GREAT cause.

I want to change my blog to 3 column, anyone have an EASY code for that?

I just realized I am very close to 100 posts....I'm thinking... GIVEAWAY. Wait, why do WE give things away when WE hit 100 posts?? Shouldn't stuff be given to US? Ahem.


Hope everyone has a Happy Easter!!

Sorry, I couldn't have a post without a picture!! But you knew that right?

For more Blog Fart Fridays check out Jaci.