I have a great....

husband! Now for you friends that have been reading for sometime, you may think that I only have complaints about the hub-a-roo.  NO, really!! 

He is the kind of husband, dad & son that only wants those around him to have a fun time.  To make sure that each person is busy, & doing something fun (sometimes he gives the girls ideas of things to do so that he can lay on the couch & take a quick nap....do you really blame the man?!)

Well, when Greg's mom was with us we shuffled our work week around so that we would have one of us home each day...it was not easy, but it was doable!

So, Greg works 2/10 hr. days & I work 2/10 hr. days....thus giving us a 40 hour work week.

 Greg was home with the girls just a couple weeks ago and put them thru the paces of "school".  Oh, he had a music class, writing class, art class, gym class & the girls' favorite (Greg's too I think) nature class!!

We live in front of 80 some wooded acres that belongs to my dad, grandpa & uncle. So we have quite a bit of space to "explore" for our nature hikes.  Not to mention there is a wonderful babbling brook & laughing river back there too!

Of course, if people get to go on a hike, so do the animals....Maddie, one 14 year old beagle/boston terrier mix & our feral cat "litttle Mammma" who came to us pregnant,  about 4 years ago.

To tell the whole story here I have to tell you that Maddie is quite the hunter.  She to this day, that we know, of has caught & killed 2 of these, many of these, a plethora of these, and sadly at least a couple of these.

She's a beagle/boston terrier, you can't really blame her....

Here's the scenario....walk in the woods with camera, bucket (for all the cool things found), dog, cat, dad & two girlies!!

Everything's going great, they are finding the usual detritus from the woodlands.

Pine Cones

Wild Strawberries

A Babbling Brook

Then they happened upon a most EXQUISITE find!!! Well, actually Maddie came upon it...literally drug it out of hiding....

An Adorable Newborn!

Being a good little critter & hiding away under the bushes...where momma prob'ly put it.  Until the meanie Maddie came & drug it out by it's hind leg!!

Please, hold the comments until the end...they kept Maddie from gnawing on the poor little thing (closed her up in the garage so she couldn't go back out there & have fresh meat for dinner)!  Greg & the girls left her right there where she was found.  Greg & I walked back there that night with Maddie & let her sniff around....no baby was found!  Momma must have come & led the little one away from danger!! YEAH!

Of course not before the girlies got a chance to do something they may never do again....

Lauryn & the fawn...

Liyah & the fawn....

Of course the girls had to get daddy holding it!!

All ended well, and the girls (Greg too) got to see nature at it's sweetest!  I'm kinda bummed that I didn't get to see the cute little critter!!

NOTE: All photography in this blog was taken by Lauryn, & her picture was taken by daddy! Thanks for the great pics Lauryn!!

What's up!!

Yesterday was Memorial Day! We as a nation celebrate the freedoms we have, by remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice of life! We also remember others who have died before us.

We live right across from a large cemetery. So every Memorial day weekend we see more traffic than we see through the majority of the rest of our year.

Monday morning my thoughts were to go to a large flea market in the area. Meet up with some friends & spend the morning walking around & drooling over some vintage things.
It wasn't meant to be!!

My mom called at 8:30, & told me she was gearin up to plant the garden...our garden. The plot is on mom & dad's property, but for the past 2 years we've all enjoyed the planting, harvesting & EATING the fresh produce!!

So that's how I spent my Memorial day....the morning atleast!



Planted: radishes, carrots, beets, cucumber, corn, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers & winter squash!!




TOMATOES!! prob'ly my fav summer food!!




Yep, the girl's garden was growing too! White lilacs off my Mom's bush!! Heee!




Of course, this is how we do it in our neck of the woods!! Barefoot, hillbilly style!!

I truly hope that your Memorial weekend was full of family, fun & the focus of our freedom!!


--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

A little about the Insanity...

at the Frumpy House.  The home, and the people who live therein.

It has been 2 1/2 years since I started writing the blog.....calling Sane a 4 letter word.  We do NOT use 4 letter words in our house (although, if I'm being all truthful & such I have thought of plenty 4 letter words). 

We opened our house for Greg's mother to come & live with us 2 1/2 years ago.  She had been diagnosed sometime in 2003 or 04 with frontotemperal dementia.  Unable to live alone after a few years, she had lived with some other family members that were able to care for her.

Then in January of 2009, we were able to take her in and care for her.  Well, as some of you readers may know that is what led me to start this blog....the insanity that ensued was almost the end of me!!  I think that if there were no nights to sleep & recharge I would have so been in the looney bin!  You see the blog title has nothing to do with dementia...it's all about this momma's sanity, and the testing thereof!!

At that time Patty was still able to do some things for herself (and even when she couldn't she tried...) the girlies were both little,  everything seemed to be going on at once.  I wasn't working outside the home at the time, although for sanity's sake I did start working in December of that year.

Now, tho' it's a pretty quiet house.  There isn't the insanity that I experienced the last 2 years.  The girlies are both older, more settled & not into everything (only her own closet & drawer, Liyah).  They are looking forward to summer vacay & both being in school this fall!!

So.  This is my question....should I change the name of my blog?  It being no longer insane, & Sane being more freely spoken of & used in context to our daily lives.  What's your opinion?  I have an etsy shop that is called "The Frumpy House"....it could be a tie in title to this blog.  Sharing more of our family, everyday, thrifting, crafting, life experiences.  Things that we are doing as a family, not so much focused on how momma has to hide in the closet to keep from devouring her young.  

I'd value some other bloggers opinions....you can leave me some comments (please, it's like a dry and barren wasteland in my comment box...I've seen a vulture circling for the last 2 months, & even he's getting skeletal looking)

If you think the change would be to difficult for the 24 followers I have to handle....I understand....change has been a little difficult for us lately too!  Bear with me tho'.  I don't want to be just known as the insane mum who only writes about her craziness....so what do you think?  Should a change be in the works....or shall I keep Sane on my 4 letter word list???????

PS...for those of you desperate to read a missing post here's one I wrote that got posted @ the beginning of this blog (as if it was my first blog post).  Here'tis: http://mynew4letterword.blogspot.com/2000_12_01_archive.html

Some pics....

Not much to say. I KNOW surprising huh!!??

I just thought I'd share a few pics I've taken w/ the Instagram app on this sweet iPhone I own. Yeah, the one my mom said I couldn't live a week without!!

Anywhooo! Enjoy!







A couple pics I snapped on my way home from work last Friday!!







A walk in the woods after work. 2nd pic is wild strawberries, they seem to be all over this year.







This is what happens after a busy week, fell asleep 1/2 way thru Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets.











Enjoying the wonderful weather outside Sunday afternoon & evening. It was cooler out under the cherry tree than in the house!




On my kitchen windowsill...they just make me smile!



After breakfast...couldn't help but take this pic cause the colors were so pretty!!

Eh, it's a lazy post. I will say that there is a really fun post coming this Thurs. or Friday!!


--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

O happy day....

I get the extreme privilege of weeding the front flower beds. Two years ago when GP moved in (that January) making & tending some flower gardens was....let's just say, therapeutic! Let's just say they were/are LARGE! Actually, I don't remember them being as large as they were today....



Hey, you gotta imagine this all covered w/ dead leaves, last years flower detritus & quack grass up the yahoo.
It's a big bed tho' I hauled in over 100lbs each of top soil & manure to fill it....yeah, you thought GP had the mental problem!

Well, I spent 3 hours out there. My trusty shovel, hoe & rake helping me. Funny after about 5 minutes of picking up stuff I hoed up that was the only help I had, seeing the 2 legged ones disappeared!



This girl was no help either, although she was entertaining me batting @ the grasses I pulled out.



This little dude, & 2 others I came across, will help out in many different ways!



Finally, got my Mother's Day pansies set in the garden. With the daffodils my mom planted for me last fall....& our little rose bush we planted for GP 2 years ago!!
My holly hocks are growing big!! We've got some seeds to plant later today (after mommy tries to get rid of this sinus headache w/ some medicine & a nap!!)



Then I think I'll just have the big, strong man of the house take care of this mess....




Happy planting to you!!!

--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

This little girl....

has been sick w/ 103 degree fevers this past week. She had a negative on strep test, but since her tongue & breath (which could still knock over a bull, & we know what they sniff) indicated strep she put her on antibiotics. Finally, today, no fever!!

So this is how she celebrates....

While she's out celebrating, this is what big sister is doing....










Week #2 here we come.....

--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

A late Mother's day.....

Picture Post:



I'm obviously a poor self-portrait taker....
This girly made me breakfast in bed....she of course came in to tell me to stay in bed while she made it. I drowsily said, "okay" & dozed off until she brought it in.



This little sweetie gave hugs & kisses...& homemade cards.



Both of my girls sang a beautiful song for a Mother's Day special @ church! Lauryn even had a brief solo part!



After a wonderfully, delicious lunch buffet....the girls picked up sparkly rocks & I snapped a few pics of them.



Lauryn's Sunday school class gave the kids some pretty pansies to give to moms....now to find time to plant them!!!

Yeah, for mothers & getting a special day!!! I enjoyed mine, how 'bout you?


--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

I'm not a cookie baker...

never have been. More than likely, @ this stage in life, never will be. Something about the scoop, bake, repeat every 10 minutes that doesn't appeal to me.

Being a mother with daughter's, I do want to teach them their way around a kitchen. My 5 year old seems more interested in the domesticity of life than the 7 year old.
The other day when I asked them if they wanted to make some cookies I got an enthusiastic response from both. It may have something to do with the inherited sweet tooth, it may have something to do with getting down & messy!
I had just been out that morning yard saleing & picked up a Cookie cookbook, for .25!! Score!


Since I'm not a baker...I don't usually have a bunch of "fancy" ingredients for special cookies. The girls wanted something they could sprinkle some colored sugars on (don't ask how long they've been in the pantry!?!)



Let's take a quick look @ this recipe shall we....ingredient #4 is, buttermilk or sour cream. Now, let's give me credit for this, I know that vinegar mixed with regular milk will make the equivalent of buttermilk. I had sour cream so we took off with the measuring & the mixin'.
Can you tell who didn't like the smell of sour cream!!!?!!


Ha ha, both girls were covering their noses & whining...ah, yes just another reason I don't like to bake, picky kids!

So we made the required messes (something this momma doesn't like...)& finally had our finished dough!



On to the fun stuff, scooping & sprinkling & baking!!









Then momma gets to do the rest of the work....






We made a pile of 'em as the recipe made 5 dozen!! Then come to find out....both girls liked the raw dough better than the cooked version! Yeah for me & my diet......



Then of course no one wants to help with this part of the baking.....yet another good reason I don't like to bake!!!


--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

A time for everything....

& everything in it's time!

Last weekend was Easter weekend. As most blogs that I read & follow are mother/family oriented there were Easter pictures & family moments a plenty that were shared. If any of you were looking to this blogger to fulfill your need for Easter bunnies/candy/decor/dinner sharing, well you missed out. I apologize that I wasn't there to keep all your pastel & Peter rabbit dreams alive.

I was here.....



In the ER w/ Greg & GP. She had severe dehydration & severe UTI (something that took me a few days to figure out due to her not being able to talk).

She was there all weekend, came home on Tuesday & we were able to get her settled in the Assisted Living Home on Wednesday. I'm glad to say that she is doing great. Our plan is that she gets stronger & able to get up & about on her own accord real soon!

So this weekend, the hubby & I had no GP responsibilities, & my mom volunteered to take the girlies FOR BOTH FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHTS!! Woot-Woot!!

Greg & I had bought tickets for his 40th birthday for a Need to Breathe concert on April 30th.
Everything in it's time right!!

So, after catching up on some sleep (this crazy, lazy mom slept til 9:30 on Saturday morning & 10:30 this morning!) & enjoying some quiet uninterrupted coffee we started getting "dressed up" for our big date!!

Here it is in pics....much quicker than me babbling on & on & on.....




Checking under the hood, and filling up on gas!! The man learns his lesson folks!!




The handsome Hubs driving & enjoying adult conversation (not THAT kind of adult....but no kids talking/yelling/whining...you get the picture)!




Freedom of the open road! Are you parents ever tempted to take an "extended vacation" when you are free of kids, enjoying the company on a road trip? Yeah, we went there in our minds...




Of course dinner was a given before the concert...have to have energy to keep up with all the youngins in the mosh pit....HAH!
Greg's choice, he can't say no to Cracker Barrel. Of course, I've never had a bad meal there so I didn't complain!!




Mmmm- that's how they do dinner @ CB.....greens, okra & cornbread!




At CB they have this fascinating peg game, just in case you didn't know how dumb you were before you sat down!!




We weren't too far back in the line....that's because when we stopped for our last potty break I didn't wait in the long ladies line...I used the men's room when Greg was done!! HAH again!! Ahem, maybe I'm not looking so dumb now, am I, little peg game....







THE BEST NIGHT IN A VERY LONG TIME!!!! Yeah for good music! This group has been asked by Taylor Swift to open @ her summer tour concerts. I must say, TS has a large following (I'm not a fan) but these guys in Need to Breathe are gonna show her up in talent, lyrics & musicality! I'm not partial....just sayin!

Well, things around here seem too happen in one way or the other. This week it was a fast process of getting GP healthy, settled & paperwork done! Then a whirlwind weekend! As always around here we were a little insane. Running around like crazy between ER, hospital, home & nursing home amidst getting the girls to school & regular family details. Yet, this weekend made up for all the crazies!

I'm blessed! How was your week?


--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone