Saturday Update

Whewwwweeee - What a storm. I am glad that Charles decided not to go to Hart, TX - that is in the panhandle of Texas. They had blizzard conditions there yesterday and a friend of ours that is at the auction said he could only see about 15 feet in front of him.

Today we started Sylvan. DD #2 seemed very sluggish this morning about going but once she was there she was very excited. They asked me if she was always that get this - wait now - "QUIET?!" Are you crazy - Nut? She is not usually quiet. But all three of her teachers the other night also insisted that she is. and a very good friend to anyone she comes into contact with. hmmm.

So we ate lunch at the mall, got hair cuts, got DD #1 a phone - as promised for her birthday - only a week late, and another webkinz joined our family - that makes what 17 now? Anyways - Charles lit another brush pile and expects it to burn for 2 days and we have an evening out with some friends tonight at Nelson's! I can't wait. It paid off for me to make a small batch of chili in the crockpot -it is like porridge right - better 3 days old?

Update on Weather!

Soooo - in all of the wind and 3 hail storms we had the other night - the rafters started lifting off of our machine shed we use as a garage. I came home and Charles was in the shed literally hanging to rafters trying to nail them down to keep the shed from blowing away. Yesterday he finished beefing it up some more!

We were lucky since we didn't have as much damage as some people. We had a nice rain though - which was good! Our fields were blowing away.


I will load some pictures later tonight.

No No NO Snow! Please don't snow - I don't like thes snow - and I don't want to drive in snow the first day I take Pedro to Sylvan! UGHHHH That will only add insult to injury with the cost we are already shelling out!

weather

Please everyone stay safe today and through the bad weather! I don't look forward to driving home in it - but maybe I can get a few kewl pics!

Picture of Van's Lakehouse at Lake Limestome!


Picture as we are driving into Dallas from the South headed home!

Spring Break

So we actually did do a Spring Break trip - we weren't going to- but the girls won and we ended up going. We spent all day last Sunday driving to Sherman, TX - just over the OK border. We spent a couple of a days with our good friend there. Let me just say he has an awesome house - a deer he is raising Comet - a dog Lola - Chickens, Cows - and Miss Piggy - a wild pig. On Wed we braved driving through Dallas to another friend's place E of Waco. He had a cool bunkhouse we could stay in at the farm and also a Lakehouse. Each place we were able to go out on a lake on the boat - which is a hard thing for us to do since none of us swim - but we graciously accepted and went. We also went to a Big Game Ranch - That was really neat - I think the kids like the little goat named RJ and Will the best of that whole trip!

Today is Diddie's Birthday today - the Big 15. Nothing big planned today at all for her though- It is kinda sad.

Spring Break Post

Sooo - we were supposed to take off and go to Texas today or maybe tomorrow. But myhouse is a disaster - we haven't even started packing yet - nobody can find a decent shirt or pants that fit or would work for vacation. Yes - we are only seeing a redneck friend - but still.

The girls are busy cleaning - as a punishment - since Charles had a hizzy this morning and has decided he has plenty to do here and so we won't be going. This happens every single time we go to leave to go somewhere - even Manhattan or Clay Center.

The house is a mess because I am NOT a housekeeper! I would like to say that I am and would love to have friends drop over. Never happens. I am torn - do I sit on the computer and E-Bay most nights to pay the bills each month and work my full time job and make a good supper each night. Isabella is now chief dishwasher and laundry agent. Only thing is - she only does it half way. The laundry - only hers.

I guess I will be spending spring break at home torn between whether or not to just take the girls and leave and go stay somewhere or stay here and be miserable and clean my house with no help. Gosh - Just where is that damn fairy godmother of cleaning houses when you could use some help?

So we spent the day at Sylvan getting tested to see if we have a "Crack Baby!" You know - one of those kids that falls through the cracks for help at school. She was very excited about going and getting the testing and has decided that maybe she does need some help. It is an investment in her future of school now instead of a college fund I guess you could say. We grabbed a not so quick lunch at Early Edition. The food was fine -nothing outstaning - and the service actually was very bad. I did see my Great Aunt there is a couple of her friends from Clay Center. I am glad I spoke to her because she really had no idea who I was. I was laughing out loud later though as we both drive the same kind of car and the same exact color! I always knew Aunt Bev had good taste! Makes me feel kinda special that we have some of those same traits!

We went and bought warm weather clothes - because it looks like the place we are going will be in the mid to upper 80's next week! Can we say YIPPEEE!!!

I am worried about our dog though. When we are gone she doesnt' eat and she is sad because she has to stay in her pen outside. Maybe the neighbors will feel sorry and put her in on the porch a couple of nights! We will see!

This won't be my last post yet!

Soooo we are taking a Spring Break getaway after all. The peeps and friends we had in mind to see are not going to be around - so it will be a mini getaway - I will post info when we get back and when were gone. I don't want to post as I want to keep people guessing.

Here is a pic from last year spending Izzy B-day in Colorado with Family. We had a great time and we kinda wish we were going back - but we have been waiting for this trip for what seems like a lifetime also.

I hope everyone has a safe spring break and has some fun with their family also.

Little bit of this 'n that

Yesterday Charles had new tires put on the Buick he bought and then he put new brakes on. I pleaded - please let me drive it - just one day to work - so I can see what it feels like to think I am big and important in that boat! Wellllll - let me say - I am going back to my Honda tomorrow! People were passing me left and right and I wondered if my lights were even on. Of course - wouldn't ya know it - I had a Highway Patrolman following me for part of the way - never did get stopped - so I know the speed and the lights were all working!

DD #1 had Forensics yesterday and Saturday. She must finally be getting the hang of it. Out of I think 25 yesterday at Wamego she said she got 4 and 18 - whatever that means. I am going to take it that is "OK."

DD #2 and I had a struggle last night. Her room is awful - just completely bad - messy - can't walk. I told her before we go anywhere to have fun it has to be clean. Her answer for that was - "That is fine - I will just stay home!" Ughhhh - Battle of the stubborn I guess. I will try again tonight - to at least see if we can make a path. She did get cleaned out from under her bed - was probably the least congested under there I would suppose.

My bedroom - ahhh the bedroom where everything gets stashed if someone pulls into the driveway. I never proclaimed to be a housekeeper - I don't want to be a housekeeper - but - I started cleaning on my room also last night - trying to get a race going with DD #2 to see which of us could clean more in 30 minutes. I managed to throw some things away that were just accumulating. I ended up taking two trashbags of just stuff - stuff we have accumulated - to the dumpster. Once it goes in there it can't come back out.

Nothing much else going on - we are trying to make plans for next weekend but they all seem to be falling through - looks like maybe a quickie vacay to KC for a couple of days - besides the money factor.

Beautiful Day

Yesterday was a beautiful day here! I love the sun!

DD #1 loved softball practice yesterday even though she did have a little bit of coughing problem - she said she successfully got through it !

DD #2 finished her Kansas Assessments yesterday! I can't wait to see the scores. We have decided to go ahead with the Sylvan testing. That will be taking place on one of my vacation days. There is approx 4 to 6 hours of testing. It will be a good way to tell if she just isn't that into school or if she really truly is struggling. If she is struggling and is on the so called "crack babies" that is falling through the school system then we can go ahead and bite the bullet and get her the extra help she needs.

Charles did field work yesterday and accomplished quite a bit. We are having new terraces put in on one of our farms. In another note one of our longtime landlords passed away. We will be attending her funeral on Saturday. We are keeping her family in our thoughts!

Today looks to be a great day also! I am hoping there will be some rain so we can possibly burn a couple of brush piles. We have a friend who is having a birthday party at Nelson's tonight so we may stop by to help her celebrate that.

Ohhh that reminds me - DD #1 will turn 15 two weeks from tomorrow! I think Twilight will be the object of her affection that day since it comes out that day!

I hope everyone has a fabulous Friday and make the most of this weekend!

Some things on my mind!

There are some things on my mind today. Not really bothering me - but in the back of my mind.

I need to go to a store today to buy dog food - Guess it will be another trip to Wal-Mart. When does the frequent buyer discount come into play with that place?

DD #1 is still sick. Says she doesn't want to go to school. Her chest feels tight - is this because a certain boy is stalking and taunting her or because she doesn't want to go to Softball and doesn't want to tell us. Or is she really genuinely sick?

Our extended family had a very tough day. Kolton Blue Range was buried after they found his body. They had a private burial for him with his immediate family. This has drug up many feelings for our Freshman class at RCHS - not only because of this am I sad - but because he was also an extended part of the Dugan Clan. My heart is very sad for Shelley and Lonnie as these days will be extremely harder - even with some closure. It does make me feel good though knowing that he is near Alfred - Shelley's dad.

Charles bought another beater car for him to drive. SOoooo - we now have 4 cars on the Dugan Ponderosa. How exciting. He is getting a 1996 Buick Park Avenue! Why oh Why then am I jealous? I can't wait to steal it just for one day to drive it to work!

I am still debating Spring Break! I know deep down in my heart I should spend the whole week Spring cleaning - but who wants to do that - I know my kids especially don't. I think we will hold off till we see what the weather says and then go to where it looks the warmest!

Sorry to rant and go on for so long but it feels good to just put some of that down on "paper" somewhere to clear my mind before I turn the switchboard on for the day at work!

Have a Great Thursday!

Wow it is Wednesday!

So the battle of sickness continues at the Dugan Household. DD #2 and DD#1 were sick approx 4 to 6 weeks ago with ginormous sinus infections. I am like a good friend of mine - I go behind the kids with Clorox wipes and Lysol Spray. Needless to say - in my job I am around a lot of different people and we have also had a rash of something going through my place of employment. Needless to say two weeks ago I started coming down with a sinus infection - which 99% of the time will turn to Bronchitis for me! Well - it happened and I am still battling - though not feeling like I was in a fog like last week. The problem is everytime something aerosol is sprayed my bronchials close up like a weed that has been sprayed with Round-up. Needless to say - no Lysol had been sprayed. Charles came down with the whole sinus infection thing last week and he seems to be overcoming it with no problems. DD #1 called yesterday from school feeling achy and feverish - please come get me and take me to the Dr! This child detests going to the Dr - so we haul her in and she has an upper respiratory infection. Not a good combination with softball practice which started Monday. Hopefully since there will be a few nice days again we can open windows and get the crud and germies. Mucinex has also been a staple at our house. Hopefully we can all overcome the crud before Spring Break. We are still in a holding pattern on Spring Break until we know the schedule for practices and such. I am adding a favorite Softball Pic of DD #1 signaling the start of the season! This was a very Hot Hot Hot Dodge City, KS last Summer for Summer League Softball with Coach Al and the girls took Third in the National Tournament there!

Hopefully I can start putting some more pics with the blog. I did add a family photo that was taken at the Church after Charles' mom's funeral service December 07. Not very often do we get a family picture taken all together. Maybe that is something we can make a priority to do over Spring Break also!

Spring Break

We are trying to figure out where to go for Spring Break. I have a whole week and a day of time off from my schedule to plan. I know some of these days I should spend working on finishing cleaning the basement up so we can completely finish it once and for all and attempt to clean bedrooms and weed out closets.

We would like to take about 3 to 4 days away from home. Having bit into our vacation budget to purchase a car for DD #1 has depleted some of our funds! If anyone has any ideas - be it KC, Colorado, St Louis, or Texas even - please send me some ideas!

The Dugan's

New To Blogging!

Well - I have never done a blog before but reading so many other people's - Like my Sister's - has inspired me to give this a go!