A trendsetter.

Rowdy is a trendsetter.
He does not conform.
He is the boss of himself and makes his own choices.It doesn't matter if anyone agrees with him or not.It's his way, or no way.

He is way ahead of his time.Maturity.Size.Independence.Knowledge.Many times, I often wonder how I had a part in creating this handsome creature.

He walks with confidence.Talks with confidence.And likes to show everyone his muscles.When I need help lifting something, I ask my 7 year old son to help.And he does.Confidently.

He has so many unique qualities that I just want to bottle him up as this young boy with so much future ahead of himself.So I can show him how special he is.And how proud I am of everything he does.

I want him to always be a trendsetter.
To not conform.
To always make his own choices and be the Boss of himself.

And to live with confidence.Even if he is wearing coveralls, rubber boots and a cowboy hat.

Go here to see more PSF

Stanky Studley

Studley smells like stinky ass.
There is no easy or polite way to describe it other than stinky bum.
I tried to love him despite the stench, convincing everyone around that it was his ears...his teeth...anything but stinky bum.
Then I just couldn't ignore it anymore.

I didn't enjoy walking into the house and smelling ass.
Rotten, dog ass.
And I could tell Studley didn't enjoy it either.
He looked at me with his almost blind, cloudy eyes saying, "Help me. I'm drowning in my own stench."

I bathed him multiple times.
I cleaned his ears and stuck my nose right in them over and over again to make sure the smell was not serious ear infection.
I inspected his body in areas I do not wish to discuss.  And I think it embarrassed Studley just a little bit.
Just a tiny little bit though.  His {blog} name is Studley after all.

He still reeked no matter what I did.
So I bit my tongue and called the Vet. It takes alot for me to call the Vet because I know it costs $65 just to walk in the door.
It also takes alot for me to call the Vet and explain to them that my dog smells like stinky ass.
But deep down, I knew something was wrong with my canine baby and it just couldn't be ignored any longer because people refused to come in our house.
They refused to love my dog despite the "odd, foul smell" surrounding our home.

I had prepared myself for the worst.
An infected sore I could not find anywhere.
Infected anal glands.
Even bum cancer.
But after a {very} thorough examination by our very well paid Vet who almost plugged his nose and grabbed a mask, the diagnosis was this.

Studley stinks.
He stinks because he swims so much in lake water that is almost soup-like and has developed some sort of yeasty/bacterial reaction.
WhatevertheHellthatmeans.
$96 later and we have medicated shampoo.

Please cross your fingers that we can all breathe normally soon.

15 Things You Don't Know About Me..Until Now...Because I'm Going to Tell You

I spend alot of time talking about myself...my kids...my hubby....my animals....my life.
Sometimes I think I started blogging just so I could talk about myself but I really didn't.  Honest.  The talking about myself just kinda happened.
Sorry.
Some bloggers are crafty, great cooks or fashion divas, but me....I just talk about...umm....me.

And tonight as I sit here watching the Bachelorette, I feel the need to share things about myself that not everyone knows.
Consider yourself part of my inner circle.
Even if you don't want to be.

1.  I eat bananas on my eggs.  Yep.  Really.  Fry an egg.  Slice up a banana. Drop slices on egg and soak it all up in runny yolk.  There is nothing better.

2.  Sometimes I do my gardening barefoot.  I say it is because I want to be "One with the Earth", but really it is just easier than getting dirt in my shoes.

And yes, I scrub my feet clean when I am done.


3.  I call Studley "Boob" or "Boobie".  Why?  I don't know.  But he listens.......


4.  I wear a mouthpiece to bed.  It is sexy.  I have ground my teeth so much that you can now see down inside my bottom teeth.  My dentist even told me that it is the worst case of "teeth grinding" she has ever seen.  I asked her to take a picture and do up a story about it.........

I'm a hawt sexy Momma. 

If you are a robber and come into my house, be prepared to be greeted by a Momma with a huge contraption in her mouth with drool hanging out.
Its sexy.

5.  I hate beer.

6.  And red wine.

7.  I miss my Grandpa.  After burying him this weekend, it all became final and I realized that life at my favourite place in the world will never be the same without him.

And, my Grandma will never be the same without him.

That makes me horribly ill to my stomach.

8.  I {not so secretly} dream of the day that we can live on this lake.


9.  I would rather pay for a foot massage than a full body massage.  Why do I love it so much???

10.  I never book a vacation or any sort of reservations online.  I will make the effort to use the telephone so I can talk to a human being and have my questions answered.

11.  I never use the self check out at stores.

12.  I have alot of freckles in one armpit but none in the other.  Weird.

13.  I say "Wow" alot.  Too much actually.

14.  I still know all of the words to Eternal Flame by The Bangles.  You're jealous, I know.

15.  I have an addiction to Pinterest that is interfering with the rest of my life.  Why do people continually think of genius ideas that suck up my precious time?  And why cant I think of stuff like that and become a gazilliionaire so I can pay someone to watch my kids???

To be continued....when I am in the mood. 

Go see more WW here.  She talks about herself too.

A cute boy.

Middle child is the complete opposite of his big brother.
Like black and white, I tell ya.
Oil and water.

Middle child is loud. I really don't think he will ever have an "indoor voice".

He is a do-er. He does things and then thinks about it later.
And usually when he is doing it, he is very loud.

Give him wide open spaces and other children to play with and he will run...and climb...and swim...and jump...all while being very loud.

When I am not looking for earplugs, I admire these qualities in my middle child.
Not having any fear and just jumping into a situation without any hesitation.
Having the attention of others whenever he is around.He totally takes after his Father.

I know all of his wonderful qualities are just the beginning of a great story and I cannot wait to see how it all turns out.
With my earplugs of course.

Check out more PSF here.

Simple

I love the word simple.  I like to say the word simple.  I love simple things.  I love it when my children do too.
Like when Princess was given some cups and bowls and played for hours in the water.




I am totally saving these pictures so when she asks for $100 pairs of shoes and jeans, I can whip them out and say "You used to love the simple things."
Think it will change her mind???
Ya, I don't think so either.

Workshop prompts were given by Mama Kat. 

I bet her children love simple things too.....right now.

He is still alive...

..barely.

Studley is an old man dog who doesn't get up and down the stairs very quickly. He just doesn't move very quickly. Err...um...he just doesn't move very much at all.
Unless he is close to water.
Even seaweed-filled, lily pad-filled creeks.

Our almost 12 year old Studley loves him some swimming time.
If there is a body of water that he can see with his almost blind eyes, he is in it before we can yell "No".
But even if we yell "No", it doesn't mean he actually hears us because he is old....and almost deaf.
But anyways.

I love to watch my old man dog make his way around walking and paddling through the water.
He just looks happy. It makes me happy watching him be all happy.

And, in my somewhat depressed, warped mind I think to myself, "I just want Studley to live out the rest of his life happy."

"Even if it means he is all stinky and has icky ears from all of the swimming."

Just as long as my first baby is happy.
Sappy, I know.What is happening to me?

See more WW stuff here.

Boys and a Trampoline.

The boys want a trampoline.
Badly.
They want a trampoline so badly that they are actually behaving themselves.
And they are doing things around the house to show us that they are "responsible" and "mature" enough to own a trampoline.
Just like they said before we got Ike and Duke the horses.  They haven't shown much interest in Ike and Duke since they walked off the trailer, into our barn.

But, apparently this trampoline is different.
They want it so badly that they "dream about it".
They even said that it would keep them busy so they wouldn't get on my nerves.

Imagine that.

Having children who play together outside all day jumping on a trampoline together.
Taking turns.
Laughing.
Because they are all responsible and mature...and stuff.

I am totally going to play this up until December when it is too cold to have a trampoline.
Momma needs a foot rub.
And a clean basement.
And children who get along.

Deep Stuff Gives Me the Heebie Jeebies, but I am going there........

Sometimes I wonder how much I should share of my life.
Sometimes I wonder if people will think differently of me or judge me after reading what I write.
But, I also remember why I started this blog in the first place.
I started it as my therapy.
My therapy.
If people are going to judge me or think differently because I am not perfect, then they don't belong in my life at all.
And shouldn't read my blog.

So I will share.
And you can accept me the way I am, or continue your search for someone who is perfect.
Good luck with that.

I see a counsellor.
Yes, I admit it, I am weak.
I am not the perfect soul that I wish I was.
I have my flaws. 
*gasp*

In my 36 years of life, I have experienced the greatest of sorrows and the greatest of joys.
During the last few years, I have come to realize that I am not unbreakable.  I have come to realize that finding coping skills does not always erase the damage.
Eating chocolate makes me feel better....until my jeans don't fit.
Drinking pop is yummy...until you get cavities.  And your jeans don't fit.

You just get to a point when you realize that your coping skills aren't working.

While talking to my counsellor, I have had a few "aha moments".
....I only think of making others happy, not making myself happy.
....I have lost who I am because I have been too busy taking care of others
....I have no flippin clue what makes me happy.  Just me.

Have you ever really thought about that?

What truly makes you happy? When you stop thinking about your children/husband/job, what do you do/want that truly makes your life enjoyable???????

Women give and give and give.....and give........until they forget who they are.
Or maybe it is just me.
And I don't know how to find a balance.
Am I the only one???
Please tell me I am not or I might end up moving in with my counsellor.

Summertime

I am thinking about moving south so we can live in warm weather year round.
Winter is for people who like to stay indoors without any daylight.
Me?  I enjoy daylight for 15 hours a day.
And I enjoy colour in my skin....and no socks.
But I mostly enjoy watching my children experience new things with smiles on their faces and exhausted bodies at night. 
Snorkelling son of mine.

Muddy mud

Happiness

Splash

Clematis

Quiet moment captured

 

A bug and a beer.

Not much ticks my hubby off.
Unless you count the times the dog has peed/pooped on the floor.
Or when children scratch his vehicles.
Or when we realized that the kids dirt bikes were stolen...for the second time.
But what irks him more than anything is when he leans over, grabs his glass of cold beer and sees this.

Personally I think the bug might make it taste better.
Because, to me it all tastes like cold pee.
Not that I have ever had a cold glass of pee, but you get the jist.

More Wordful Wednesday stuff is over here.

If I Die Young

I want to be surrounded by lilies.

Pink, white, orange, yellow. I want the room to be smothered with the beauty of lilies everywhere people turn.

There can be pictures.
People can tell stories about the funny stuff I did.

Like when I picked the onions out of the garden months before they were ready.
Or when I hit the curb at Costco and busted a tire.
But I still want lilies around.

And maybe some songs that I love would be nice too.
No sad stuff though, because a room full of lilies should make people smile.

The End.

Poop

This is a post about poop.  This is a post about me pooping.  Don't judge.  We all do it.


When I am in different places, my system gets freaked out.
If I am somewhere unusual or new, my body reacts by telling me to find a bathroom fast.
Really fast.
Like before I crap my pants fast.
It really is some sort of cruel, psychological joke that my body likes to play on me and, to be quite honest, it ticks me off.

I must know where a bathroom is at all times because my worst fear is being somewhere different and not being near a bathroom.
It is normal for me to scope out the washroom before enjoying myself.
Once I know where the washroom is and know that I am close to it, I can relax (alittlebit).
But if I don't know where it is, my body senses that we are in foreign territory and in an "unsafe zone" so it freaks out.
And...well...you know.

It is totally shitty.
Pun intended.