Tuesday Thoughts

It's Tuesday however when I woke up I  it was Wednesday. Apparently working Sunday made my brain think it was Monday not Sunday. 

Later this week one of my best friends is coming back to Missouri I am super excited to see her and spend time with her. but sad she's coming back for the last days with her mom before her mom passes away. 

I just hope I can help her somewhat thru the difficult time. I've known her mom my whole life and is a super sweet person mad that cancer is taking her away from her daughters granddaughters and rest of her family. 

Over the weekend Kenny took the boys hunting in their new hunting trailer my stepdad built for them. I haven't seen it in person but the pictures make me want to go out and hunt. That thing is huge and nice. 

He put chairs and a bed in there so the boys could have room to move and stretch and take a nap. I love the walls and ceiling and of course the boys love it. Kenny is taking off work a couple days this week and one of those days he is taking Nathan hunting and he's super excited!

Last night I got ambitious and drug the step ladder in the kitchen to put my old tins on top of my cabinets. I had got these at an auction last month but they sat in a box in the dining room until last night. 

Don't mind the flowers in the pictures my counters are loaded with flowers from the funeral last Thursday. 

I'm glad to finally have some decorating done since we have been in the house a little over a year. 

Weekly Chase

I haven't done a Weekly Chase post in way way to long. So decided that while I was eating my poptart and drinking my soda (bad breakfast I know but needed sugar and caffiene bad after a long night at work) Lunch will be much healthier.

Goals for the week:

1-Get in at least 2 workouts during my lunch breaks, I fell out of that habit when work was crazy busy and I know it will help my mood and stress level.

2-Drink only water, milk and juice at home. Have a case of Dr. Pepper and find myself having one during the evening way to often.

3-Be better on eating healthy breakfast and lunches prepping things the night before.

4-Spend more quality time with the boys.

Not to many goals this week but a good way to get back in the habit.

Weekend.. Time for a fresh start..

This weekend has flown by as they always do. I worked friday night and was home all day and night Saturday. At work now for a 24 hour shift. This week was hard Nathan was clingy we had a funeral and visitation. The kids did good for the visitation but we opted to not have then attend the funeral. Blake's teacher sent Blake flowers with a stuffed animal and suckers to the funeral home he was so happy. I was shocked she did that she has been an amazing teacher for him this year.  

Saturday I took Blake grocery shopping with me and to find him a new winter cost was a nice morning with just him. 

Snapped a couple pictures when the kids were actually playing well together. 

This week also starts the HBBC 2013 challenge I signed up for. I'm excited and plan to try my best to earn points and get lots of exercise 

Also this week my best friend who lives in Hawaii is coming home for a bit. I'm super glad to see her but knowing she is coming home to spend the last days of her moms life sucks. We hope to get a couple workouts in together while she is here. 

Blake's First Deer

Blake went out on the youth hunting weekend a couple weeks ago. He had went out last year and saw a deer but couldn't get a good shot on it. So I hoped he would have good luck this year and get a doe however he wanted a BIG buck....

The first day they went out it was cold and yucky it was also the day of my Grandpa's memorial so they didn't have much time in the morning to hunt. After the dinner they went back out and Blake called to tell me he took a shot at a small buck and they would go look for it soon. I had to work that night so I was bummed he would have his first deer and I wouldn't be there to help him search for it and take pics... They never found that deer and he figured he may have shot to high.

Sunday they went back out and was gone ALL day Nathan was quite upset that Bubba and Daddy were hunting without him. About dark Blake calls and tells me he shot a big buck and that they were going to wait a bit before looking for it.

I got myself and Nathan ready and we met Kennys Brother and Girlfriend at my parents house (they were hunting on some farmland my stepdad has) to go look for his deer. He was super excited and so was Nathan he wanted to go help look for the deer. I was a bit nervous having both boys out there in the dark and woods searching and always made sure they were each with an adult at all times. As we were walking I was hoping we would find the deer and thinking that maybe his great grandpa was looking down on him that day for him to get such a lovely deer for his first one ever. We looked and looked and walked and walked and finally we stumbled upon his deer.

Blake was a mix of excited and scared hes not a fan of the dark and then he was scared of the deer getting up and coming at him. But finally convinced him it was dead and he was excited first thing he wanted to count the horns. He told me he counted them before he shot it and it was an 8 or 9 pointer and sure enough he was right was a 9 point. Of course next words out of his mouth were daddy can we get it mounted!

Of course he really wanted no part in gutting the deer but Nathan was all about it and in there watching and wanting to help!

Later that week the boys took the deer head to the taxidermy guy Blake was on cloud nine all week showing off his picture of his big deer and telling everyone it was bigger than the one daddy and him got two years ago. I am glad he got his first deer and a big one at that I think that excitement is just what we needed after the long month we had and the memorial the day prior.

Now all 3 boys are looking forward to going out this weekend for deer season Nathan wants to help get a deer. The way it looks I am going to have to practice shooting and start hunting so I can take one of the boys and Kenny can take the other out during deer season.

Not sure how to title this..........

Not really sure how to title this post or if I am really ready to write it yet.

Last week I took a few days off from my full time job and wasn't scheduled at my EMT job. Those were some good days. However if I stayed home and not super busy while there thoughts started catching up with me. Guess I still haven't delt with my Grandpa's passing easier to stay busy and keep ahead of those thoughts. Plus I am still trying to make sure Grandma is ok and dealing with it all, so far I think she has been.

Saturday morning I went to help with an auction for the fire dept. It was a last minute one the auction company called us to do and we were short handed but not a big deal. In between cooking I was standing with one of my best friends and she and I were wanting to bid on some cool old jars. Well about that time my phone rang and got a phone call I wasn't expecting at all..... Kenny called to tell me his Grandma passed away. We weren't expecting it at all she was older had some health issues but nothing to make you think ok any day could be the day. I was shocked and trying to take it all in, Kenny and I have been together for 15 years. My mom and her were best friends for over 25 years so for 25 years she has been a part of my life and the last 15 an even bigger part. I had rode to the auction with another friend so I didn't have my car. Luckily one of our guys was heading home early to prep for a party for his daughter and I went back to Vichy with him.

She had been living in a nursing home for a couple months and had adjusted and seemed to enjoy it. They had Bingo which was one of her favorite pass times for years however at the nursing home you win a quarter and well she didn't care much for that! She was used to winning big (100.00) money when you won! Well I got to my in laws house and was told the funearal home wasn't picking her up until her daughter from St. Louis got there to see her..... She had been dead several hours and they asked me what to expect. Before we headed to the nurisng home a very good family friend Connie stopped by my in laws. Was surprised but so very glad to see her and of course the boys were happy to see their Nonna :) Kenny, me and his two aunts headed to the nurising home and the boys headed home to Nonna's for a bit I am so so glad she took the boys to play as they were confused and not sure what all was going on.

I am NOT a fan of nursing homes they always smell and feel grimy yucky however I was impressed with this one it didn't have that nursing home smell or feel to it. After we saw her the funeral home guy was there to pick her up. He was alone which I thought was odd (they sent two when my grandpa passed but it was a different funeral home). I asked the guy if he needed help and he was like well I can try to get the nursing home staff to help. Well in the time we had been there I hadn't seen ONE employee. So I said ok lets do this which one of the aunts was like well you can't  help him I said yep I can and I will. Kenny stayed in there with us and helped some but I knew it was hard and he only stayed because I did. I helped the guy get her moved and then covered and out to his vehicle. He was grateful for my help and I was glad to help him. On our amublance runs we are always glad for an extra set of hands when we are busy or have to much going on so it was nice to know I could help someone out.

I worked a 24 hour shift on Sunday at the ambulance and tried napping in between the phone calls and texts from people wanting to say how sorry they were and ask about arrangements. Mable was a staple in our commuity for years all of us kids in our area grew up with her as a part of our life. She owned a  small bar in Vichy for years and years and most weekends there were more kids there than adults. Our parents would visit and have a good time while us kids played outside and inside on the pool table and pac man games. Oh and played many a songs on the juke box most of us still can hear a song on the radio and know which number it is on the juke box.
Monday morning I met Kenny his aunts mom and cousin to go to the funeral home to set arrangements. It was a long process that was very hard but I do believe she will have a visitation and service she would smile about. Of course those that knew her knows she would find one thing to not like but that was just how she was.

After sitting there for 2 hours going over that it made me glad I didn't have to do the same thing with my Grandma a month prior. It felt odd not having a funeral for my Grandpa but yet he knew what he wanted and what he was doing. And know that he was right that Grandma wouldn't have been able to withstand a visitation and funeral after his passing.

So my time off work started nice but ended sadly and now I have to be strong for Kenny and his family all the while trying to figure out how to deal with this on top of Grandpa... And of course my mind is jumping everywhere wondering if Grandma will be next and it scares the tar out of me.

Random things

This week is a short work week for me today is my Thursday! Makes Monday seem a little nicer!!! I haven't taken off days all together for just me to do what ever I please ever. I have been here 10 years and my times off have been for fire dept things, kids appts, birth of my kids and doctor appts for me. So I am looking forward to having Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday off from both jobs. Sunday I work at the ambulance and then off both jobs on Monday.

This weekend was youth deer season and Blake went out Saturday morning for a bit but said it was to cold and came back in after an hour or so. Later that day they went back out and I got a call and he said he shot one but they would look for it soon. I had to work Saturday night and they never called so I figured they never found it or he didn't hit it good.

Saturday was also the day for my Grandpas Memorial and Dinner and it went very very well. I think my Grandma had a good time visiting with people she hadn't seen in years, neighbors that she don't talk to all the time and people from the community and church that knew him and wanted to pay their respects. Was very very good food of course dinners like that with the ladies who love to cook home made from scratch everything is the best!

Sunday Blake went back out hunting again once I got home from work. Nathan and I went and got groceries and spent the day getting asked. When will bubba be back are they going to shoot a deer, why can't I go out and hunt. Oh and then lots of meltdowns that made your head spin. Didn't help I felt like crud all day between working way to much the last 7 days and getting a cold/sinus stuff going on I hit the wall and was blah.

Sunday evening Blake calls me right before dark and tells me he shot at a BIG deer and hit it. But they were going to wait a bit before tracking it so it wouldn't spook and run if it wasn't hit good. Half hour later Kenny came home to get flashlights and to get Nathan and I so we could help him find his deer. We looked and walked forever in the dark in woods on a farm my step dad has cattle on. But we found it. I will do a separate post with more pictures and his story on how he got his first ever deer.

He is one proud boy but didn't want to help gut it (don't blame him). I am printing pictures today so he can take one to school and show it off.

Halloween 2013

Even though I had to work last night I had a few hours in between jobs to take the boys trick or treating. We tagged along with our sitter her grandkids and some other friends. So that when it was time for me to head to work the boys could continue on. 

Our first stop was at the fire department in the town I work for the ambulance. As we were walking up to the building I heard their tones drop and they would be heading out on a call. We had a group of 8 kids and my two were the only ones excited to watch the trucks leave. Yep that's my boys :) 

If they had not left I would have been able to show the boys the trucks since I knew most all of the fire fighters that are there. But they were happy with seeing them leave. 

Our next stop was a nursing home where my great grandma lives as well as a grandma of other kids that were in my group. I went in to my great grandmas room and she was asleep so I left her that way. She wouldn't have know. Who we were anyway. 

Our third stop of the night was the veterans home and it was a long line to get in kids got antsy as did I watching my clock. However it moved quickly and kids had fun. Nathan got over being shy and started saying truck or treat to all the residents handing out candy. 

They got TONS of candy 98% of it they won't eat so it will disappear soon. But was glad they did get some things they so eat. 

I went on to work and was lucky to have a nice calm shift no calls for my partner and I. Which was much needed after my last three shifts. 

Tomorrow I have my grandpas memorial and dinner then work that night. I'm not really looking forward to tomorrow but it will be the end of all of it and can put it behind me.