Christmas

We survived Christmas - Nothing Special - Nothing great - Other than a stupid blizzard.

I have been so busy working extra at work and our basement is tore up because Charles is in a dilemna now with the false ceiling and so we have turned the heat down because of a black mold problem starting and I don't wanna E-Bay mood. Yeaup - that pretty well sums it up!

Hopefully while I am off work on Friday I can do some updates.

Have a wonderful New Year - and please stop sending snow!

What's Been Going on? Sun, Snow, Sparkle

Well - since I last updated- hmmm Thanksgiving weekend we have had Sun, Snow, Snow, and Sparkly Days and Weekends.

There hasn't been much update since Thanksgiving other than we have all had a cold now for the last two weeks - Except for Izzy - and we can't get rid of it. I wish I could find someone to take it.

Charles decided about the first week in December to start working on the floor in the old Barn - needless to say - it hasn't been easy or cheap - so we tore out part of the old floor and were ready to pour concrete in the first 1/3 and guess what - a cold spell has set in and it won't leave. Today he has a concrete truck coming - so I hope he can get that poured. Since he hasn't been able to work in the shop since he tore some of the floor out he has been in the basement. My present this year is the dropped ceiling and he has got the outside edge put up. This weekend my goal is to clean out the sotrage room, move stuff from the middle of the basement floor to the storage room, and then we can get started next week putting the grids up.

Pedro has been doing awesome in school and actually liking school. Since starting her on ADD pills amazingly enough her grades have came up 2 letter grades at least. She broke into the 500 page club at school - actually into the 1000 page club. I can't even believe she is the same child. She is excited for Christmas and a break from school though - her Christmas list consists of a Guitar and lessons and money to go shopping for new clothes.

Diddie has had a busy past month. She and "B" are still are still dating. They have date nights either at our house or his house supervised by siblings or parents. We did let them go to Winter Formal together. Diddie has been busy studying and taking finals this week and is maintaining her 3.50 GPA. We are very proud of her. I have been taking her to some pitching practice on Sundays in Riley at the Grade School. It is great to see her get back into the pitching routine. She is getting stronger every weekend and I know we are both ready for the nice weather so we can open the shed up again. Izzy has a new I-Pod, perfume, money, clothes, nail polish, make up - all of the teen girl things I suppose.

I am still busy at work - 1/2 days as receptionist and the other half of my day is spent in Audit Services helping to process and proofread reports. I am really liking the availability of being able to do this.

Now the snow thing - Ughh - I hate snow, I hate winter - NO - Not an exaggeration. Anyways - here is a picture of why I couldn't get to work one day. The road was blowed shut with a 7 ft drift.

Fall Fishing

So we went fishing on 11/28. Doesn't sound exciting to some - but it was so still and so pretty outside I couldn't stand being in the house any longer. So we pulled Charles out of the shed from tearing out the shop floor and loaded the fishing poles up and headed to our pond. Charles started things off right with a 4 inch bass - and they kept growing - bigger and bigger - well - till I lured the 4 pounder in and he crossed the line and sunk his jig in my fishing spot and got the big one. In case you can't tell - Pedro caught a nice little bass - I caught two other nice 7 to 10 inch fish and well Charles was Bass Master of the day - with my help of course. Poor Diddie - the past Bass Master - didn't do so well - maybe because she was on the phone, casting and reeling - all at the same time. Who said she isn't talented - I just wanna know what Brian would have thought if she had caught the 4 pounder and chucked the phone into the pond or behind her in the grass when she got to reeling him in. Anyways - Enjoy the pics.

See this - this is making us nervous at our house. But in a way a calm also. This is Izzy's new BF - he is nice. Daddy Dugan still isn't sure about this - but he has told us he is in for the long haul. We will see.

Harvest still continues on - double crop beans are low moisture but it is a lot slower going with the beans being so short.

Pedro has been doing much better in school. After meeting after meeting we have decided to go ahead with some meds to help with her focus at school. All I can say at this time is - there is definitely more focus!

I am working extra at work. My job has been split and I am now working receptionist half days and for audit services helping with reports in the afternoons. It is amazing and I am liking the change, though there is much detail work.

Volleyball

Izzy had an awesome night the other night with 12 serves in a row scoring 12 points for her team! Go Izzy.

I have Pedro's test results back from the School Psych. Hmmm - everything is marginal or below. Imagine that. Finally - an answer - I see a Dr in Manhattan next week to talk about all test results to see what we can do for her.

I am catch a cold - so I am headed to bed.

Charles is hoping the sun comes out and stays out long enough that some cutting can be done. But - there is rain back in the forecast for Tuesday. 820 acres of beans left to cut. blah.

Duno

Just thought I should post. I am having migraine's again - ughh. I slept most of today - so no laundry has been done for the second week in a row. grrr. We hung out with some great friends last night. It has been so cold I don't even want to go outside. I think it is time for long underwear.

Pedro seems to be recovered from her Mono. She still complains a little of getting tired - but hey - in this weather who doesn't.

Izzy has one home volleyball game left - also Sr night.

Charles has started cutting beans but without daylight - they still just aren't dry. The cold snap the night before last finished off any that were double crop and still green. They look so sad.

Updates Finally

So we made it through a week of having Pedro home. Thanks to Mom for coming to stay some of the time so i didn't use all of my vacay time. We are saving it for a trip to Montana next summer -I hope.

Friday night was homecoming and so I took Pedro on Fri afternoon to the parade and some of the activities. The class was happy to see her.

Here is a couple of new pics of the kids.

We Have.....

Mono. There - Ughhhh. Just saying it I wish it would go away. No - I wish that the person who had decided to slobber, cry, or whatever they did to my poor baby - that I could beat their butts. It has been a long three weeks around this house. Wondering why my little sassy Pedro has been lethargic, running continuous fever - high one day - normal 1/2 a day - low fever for days on end - only to spike again. well - they did a blood test today - which that means the 2nd one in three weeks to confirm it. Soooo - no school for this week for her. Yesterday was an inservice day already but. So here on our old couch will lay Lazy Pedro, Pedro who today has a stomach that has now decided it doesn't want a drop of food or drink or meds in it - lays on my couch. The same Pedro when we were in the Dr.'s office 4 hours ago said that her throat is the size of a drinking straw because her lymph nodes are so swollen. The size of her spleen very large - due to inflammation. A common side effect of MONO. and I was also told that if we had waited just one more day we coulda went to the Happy Hospital. Ya know - that might not have been so bad - at least then I wouldn't be worrying like I am now - with a migraine to top it off. No AntiAnxiety pills don't help. Ughhh. No contact sports, roughness, no running, jumping, playing, carrying a heavy bookbag for 6 weeks? The teacher sends her work home and it says - don't tackle all at once just try to do all the daily assignments and keep up - OK - who is she kidding.

Charles and I will work out a schedule later tonight to be able to take turns staying home with her for the week. I rushed into work without all of this diagnosis not sinking in and had a mental anxiety breakdown before I could get to my bosses door - and I threw the person that was in her office so I could have 5 mins of poor me time with her. I poured my heart out and bless her - she told me to take whatever time I need - she is the best. She says "Kids are the most important thing in our lives - next to ourselves of course!" Love Her and love the peeps I work with since they will be making up for my absence this week.

Poor Diddie has Volleyball in Rossville tonight and a quad at home Thurs night. We will see how everyone is faring as far as who goes and who stays home for that one.

The first blood test we had taken about 2 weeks ago was for ADD or ADHD - whichever. Tomorrow night I have a meeting with that Dr also. Can someone send Prozac - quickly!

I am off to make homemade chicken and noodles for the fam. Maybe even the broth with be enough to bring Pedro back to some life.

My weekend so far

Friday I had the day off and had the oil changed in my car, made Charles come to Manhattan to pick me up while I waited and we headed to Wamego to buy him new Boots. The last pair lasted well over 3 years - so it was def time.

Sat we spent time in Eskridge at a Volleyball tournament for Izzy. She played for may 20 min out of 7 matches. Whatever - I don't want to talk about it.

Today at about 2 am I received a call from my mom that she had my dad at ER in Clay Center. His heart rate extremely low and they didn't know for sure what was going on. Charles drives me to Clay after finding out that more than likely he will be sent to Topeka. So - at 4 am I am driving mom, goob and myself to Wakefield to pick up a few necessities and off to T-Town in the fog I drive. Ughhhhhhh. Anyways - dad is stable - for now. They are installing a pacemaker Tues!

Labor Day Weekend

Sooooo - big weekend coming up - what are we doing?

Volleyball Tournament for JV at Eskridge all day Saturday. Izzy played the position of Libaro the other night at the first quad at Chapman. I guess this means she gets to run on and off the court without having to stop the game to sub. Whatever. She is happy - that is what matters.
Sunday traveling to Yoder, KS to pick up a truck and a tractor.
Monday -Nothing - I have plans to do nothing - but I bet that we do ten loads of laundry, help get a tractor running, take pictures for E-Bay, take a nap.

Pedor had another great week at school. Need to work on that math grade though.

what have I done?

Not much - oh wait - yes I have - I cleaned out a freezer that got left open by mistake on Sat night - so that took all afternoon Sunday since it isn't a self defrosting freezer. UGHHHHH. So we then had fajitas for count it - 4 nights - in a row!!!! Finally Avery got to eat the last of it - she was impressed! Last night it was a big pan of homemade scalloped taters with pork chops on top in the oven. We finally had to put it away in the fridge so we would stop eating so that the law of economics would work out for leftovers tonight. Friday night is fall sports preview - Volleyball at 5 pm in the new gym for Diddie. After that - barring no rain - burgers at the football field.

Pedro has one more Saturday of Sylvan. Yeah - not because she is done - but because honestly - we can't squeeze any more extra out of our account at this moment. Maybe once bean harvest is done we can look at some more skewling. Poor crack baby - we wanted her tested at the end of the school year last year - it didn't get done. Now I am having words with the new school psych on laws and such of what they do and don't have to do for her. I am calling the KS Board of Education in Topeka today over lunch hour. I will figure out what my rights are as a parent of a child that shouldn't be left behind - but is getting left behind. UGHHHh.

Last night we went online and took another step towards Diddie's future. We officially signed her up as a college student at Cloud County to get dual credit for her Chemistry class. WOW! and another check wrote.

I am also reading a new book - actually several - "How to Talk so Kids can Learn." and How to talk so Teens will listen and Listen so Teens will talk. So far - very informative - I think that every single parent and teacher should read these books.

Hopefully I will have pics from Volleyball and last day of Sylvan to upload Sat night. I will try to get those done in between E-Baying.

Then and Now

Do you see the similarities? Izzy in 2005 and Pedro in 2009.

Leonardville Hullabaloo Show Results

Whew - that is all I can say. We had a very successful, albeit confusing, day for our tractor show. It decided to sprinkle and gently rain off and on but then the sun came out and it went away and turned into a beautiful evening for a parade. The wind blew and kept us cool for most of the day. We had over 90 tractors at the show yesterday - and yes, John Deere was Outnumbered. Next year our goal is over 100 again. The parade I heard several people say was way better than any show Manhattan puts on. Don't know - Just repeatin what I heard. Pedro and Diddie both started their own tractors and drove them threw the parade themselves this year. Charles got his Spoked Flywheel D runnig like it should - it was the first D sold at WW Smith & sons in Clay Center. We are looking for information about this tractor so we can bring it to Piotique. We paraded in the morning to the nursing home. I wish I would have counted how many tractors there were - well over 30 I bet that paraded with us. It is nice for the nursing home residents, since the parade route has been cut off from that way now.

First and Second day of School RC 2009

Here are pics from Pedro's First day of 5th Grade and Diddie's First day as a Soph!

Leonardville Hullabaloo Link

Since I am "Special" and haven't quite figured out how to do this all - here is the gosh darn link to the Hullabaloo. On the left hand side is a 2009 link you can find an agenda for what all is to go on that day.


http://sites.google.com/site/leonardville66449/Home/index-of-articles-on-this-website

Leonardville Hullabaloo Info

Saturday August 15th, 2009 is the Annual Leonardville Hullabaloo. I keep trying to upload pics and it doesn't work - so here is a link to go see what it is all about on a facebook page.

On another Note - Izzy started her own tractor last night also with assistance from Daddy! It was great.

A lot has happened in the past few weeks - dog eating the tomatoes, school shopping and enrollment is done, a few sprinkles of rain here and there - though knock on wood the bean crop still looks excellent, Pedro's room STILL isn't clean, we babysat my niece and nephew, had the brakes replaced on my car, went to Geossel to the tractor show (one of those big beasts will be at Leonardville), talked to our great friend Danny from Tx, and we are dreading the start of school Thurs. How can you make children go to bed early to get into a routine when it is still very light outside? Anybody? Oh well - If I can get them to load - a couple of pics of Goessel and a way back when one.

Pedro started her own tractor

So Mr Dugan just called me at work to brag on his littlest Pride and Joy! She started her own BR. They had to replace a water pipe on it today and they put it back together like the puzzle that it is. With that - I am not sure where it went from there - but she started her own tractor. Seeings how it is one of those you have to crank and crank the round thing on the side called a flywheel - pretty big stuff!

Here her and daddy are in the parade last year I think. That tractor will be there again this year - along with a few more of our others. If you can make it over to come sit and visit with us this year on August 15 - we will enjoy visiting and seeing you! the Parade is at 6 pm.

What I am doing today!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/pineapple-zucchini-sheet-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/?print=1

Random Photos

Grrrr Ughhhhh Sheesh

OK - I had a nice big huge blog post the other day all typed out and I saved it and pushed PUBLISH Post - well - it did not publish.


Soooooo - instead of ranting and raving and going into detail:

Jewelry Party we had for the girls was awesome - they did fashion show thingy with the Jewelry -got my new bling bling Sat night - Lovin' It (More than McDonald's)

The Krispy Kreme sales went well - we made over $600 bucks on the doughnuts - Awesome fundraiser if you can find some poor lovin soul to drive to KC and drive back
with Hot Dripping with syrupy icing Fresh Doughnuts! Well worth the fundraising effort!

Week in Hutchinson for World Series lots of $$, girls had fun - at the salt mine- the pic of a tractor in the salt mine with my family - what is the chance? ( also please notice Pedro is almost as tall as Diddie -5 years diff there people) chance of a liftime. Girls played like they didn't know a darn thing - heartbreaking - probably the reason I got to stay at home by myself with the dog. Thought I did attend a slowpitch softball game of my neighbor lady and who knew Army Guys could look good in baseball pants also! I also got to see a lady I work with freak out as her son is riding Bulls in Clay Center at the fair! I snuck in late for the free show! Loved it! He is a very brave young man - good looking - and has a wonderful mom! I can't say that I would be any different with the nervous break down thing before seeing him get on the bull and come out of the chute!

This past weekend - we had family reunion - never enough time to sit and talk and figure out who all the relatives are that you haven't seen in a long -long time. After that we put away 28 qts of "Incredible" corn in the freezer! Cold winter night - chicken fried steak - garlicky mashed taters with homemade graby and Incredible corn! Yummmm Yummmmm

Water heater is on the fritz - still not fixed. have HOT water still - but it is slowly leaking still all over the floor.

School starts 2 weeks from tomorrow! UGHHHHHHHHHHH where did summer go!

Please keep this little boy in your thoughts today and on their trip to Boston!

Fab Friday

So this week was supposed to be dead week right - NOT. Volleyball, Krispy Kreme Sales - Thanks to all who bought - the team raised over $600 on that one! and what else - oh yeah - enrollment of Izzy into HS into the 10th Grade! She has a loaded schedule Chemistry, Geometry, World History, Soph English - Body Conditioning - Family consumer somethingor other - oh yeah - that is the one where she gets to pretend she is preggo and bring a fake baby home. Whatever happened to just carrying around an egg like I did - you didn't know if it was hardboiled or not till the end of the week - if the baby even made it that far.

Pedro has had a busy week running and doing also. But Big Sis has been generous and took her to the pool a couple of times. Hmmm - couldn't have anything to do with a certain boy being at the pool could it Izzy.

We ate at Joe's CrabShack last weekend - Yum Yum! after that we browed Bass Pro and decided we needed to win the $50,000 cash prize they were giving away to buy ALL of the fishing gear we need - including a Chevy Tahoe to haul around the new Bass Boat we will buy - along with poles and jigs of every make, model, and color! (I promise to load the pics - No softball this weekend)

Izzy has National Tournament all week long next week in Hutch. I couldn't find relief to cover my receptionist desk duties - so Daddy gets to take her and some screaming teenage girls for the week. A week ago he told me already he is scared! If this isn't a wakeup call that Diddie is growing up - then nothing is! Pedro and I will head that way next Friday if they are still playing.

As for me and Pedro - work and home and eat a bowl of cold cereal in a plastic bowl with a plastic spoon - No Dishes! LOL - Pedro will be staying during the day with some family friends with two little ones - She will be their entertainment!

Have a fabulous weekend and we will catch up again soon!

Pedro Softball

Last night Pedro had her last softball game in Abilene - I think. She caught one inning - a quick one at that. In the last inning they changed it up a bit and put her at Short Stop. And just like the inning before - sure enough - that girl hit that ball right to that very spot. Pedro fumbled the ball a little bit but recovered nicely and got the third out at 1st base. End of Game - Finito- We Won like 14 to 1. Granted - you only get 5 runs per inning - but seriously - these games are like watching paint dry. The girls are pitching - it is 10 and under age group - and most of the balls don't make it over the plate as strikes. Most of the runs at these games are by walking.

The game before we played in Ft Riley and the girls did great there also. Pedro got two hits to the grass and got to 2nd Base. Quite an accomplishment - see paragraph above for reference to strikes - She got on the phone and told a great friend that evening that she had a double double - Hence a new nickname now!

Gotta run - a virus is attacking my stomach and time for another dose of Immodium - Hope I can get this cleared up before we leave today for another tournament this weekend.

Pics to go with my stories