"Come on Coop, let me brush your teeth!" This is a nightly battle. The child, known affectionately as Coop, hates having his teeth brushed. Finally, he gave in & let his father, known as Matt or Dad to the child, began brushing, unaware of the looming threat.
The Dad accidentally hits a sensitive spot in child's mouth, his stomach sucks in and everything begins to go in slow motion.
"You ok buddy?" Father looks at child, pulls the culprit out of his mouth and BAM! Matt gets hit with a torpedo of vomit, "AHK," then he gets pelted with another, "OHH, SICK!" It is then the husband realizes he is under a full blown attack.
Matt sits, stunned by his wounds. The wife instantly begins gagging and dry heaving as she is not as strong as her masculine and extremely handsome husband. But she attempts to muster up some courage and helps her husband rise up to take the child to the bathroom. But first, she must grab the most important thing needed at a moment like this; air freshener and Mentholatum.
She applies the Mentholatum to her nose thinking she's on an airplane. "You put your mask on first then help your loved ones," she remembers hearing. Then she puts Mentholatum on her husband as the battle has only begun.
The wife heads back to the scene of attack with a bucket of soapy water, SHOUT, carpet cleaner, sponge and paper towels. She begins clean-up, all the while thanking her God that He has created Mentholatum, soap, water, carpet cleaner, paper towels, sponges and SHOUT but most importantly air freshener.
She clears away the chunks of chicken the assailant had for dinner. From the bathroom, come noises only known in war time; gagging, dry heaving and tears.
The child and husband wash themselves clean. The wife can not get the smell out of the microfiber recliner. She worries of its survival.
Once cleaned the child gets put to bed, the husband sits on the couch trying to suppress the recent events. He only wants pie; pie the wife made the night before.
From the bedroom of the assailant come cries. The masculine husband walks into the room and notices the bed is under attack and the child is crying, "Made a mess, made a mess." The hearts of the husband and wife break and realize the child is under attack NOT them! It was an astonishing revelation.
The child gets cleaned again.
Husband holds child with a t-shirt in hopes to block what ever might come out of the child's mouth.
"I'm hit, I'm hit!" yells the husband. Sure enough, he was injured again and took another bath with the child.
Then began the night of war.
War is ugly folks, war is ugly.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Big Cedar Cont'd
For my 30th birthday I made reservations for Matt and I at our favorite place on the planet; Big Cedar Lodge. I reserved the usual cottage; the ones we have always stayed in.
When we checked in, the man behind the counter spoiled Matt's surprise...
Matt finagled an upgrade to this!
We have always wanted to stay in these cabins on the water, but they are expensive. My dear husband was able to get ours for the price of the cottage! It made me love him more and I didn't think that possible. To this day, he won't tell me what he said to make this happen.
I walked inside and there was a birthday cake from BCL and flowers from Matt! He had them delivered.
The cottages we usually stay in have a full size bed. The cabins by the water have kings!
Stained glass is all over the whole place. Each building has wonderful stained glass windows.
The bathroom had a jacuzzi tub and a shower with four shower heads on the wall and one in the ceiling. I didn't use the jacuzzi out of fear of getting over heated, but Matt put it to good use.
My cake.
The cabin had a magnificent deck with views of the grounds across the lake.
Looking at our cabin from across the lake.
View from Worman House, where we eat breakfast, enjoy a cup of coffee and get mesmerized by the vistas. The first morning, we met the man sitting next to us. He was wearing a BassPro shirt and all the waiters and waitresses knew him. We began talking; he was local. Through conversation we learned he is a published author.
Now, he never told us the names of his books or what he has written, but Matt knew this guy was somewhat important. How did he know? The obvious, he was wearing a BassPro shirt. *said with great sarcasm* I mean we are on BassPro property just outside of Sprinfield. Ya the shirt is definitely a symbol of importantness.
It wasn't until we got home and saw what he has accomplished. If you check out his site, you will see one particular item Matt was very excited to see. Any guesses?
Thursday night we went to Buzzard Bar for a birthday dinner and entertainment. A singing cowboy comes in the evenings. He is so funny and very talented. There were a few people who had too much to drink and the cowboy made so much fun of them. Oh my gosh, Matt was cracking up and I cracked up at Matt laughing.
Don't worry dear ol' pond, I'll return soon.
Until then good buddy, catch a fish.
They have fabulous deals going on for the month of February! You can score a cabin like ours for the price of the cottage! Make a reservation, I promise it's worth it!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Big Cedar Lodge
As you may have read, my 30th birthday was Thursday. Anytime there is a special occassion ie honeymoon, birthday, anniversary, we head up to our favorite place...
Big Cedar.
Big Cedar.
Five Year Anniversary and I was prego with our second child. I couldn't find a picture from our honeymoon.
Matt's 35 birthday.
My 30th birthday.Thursday, January 21, 2010
Happy Birthday To Me!
I turn 30 today.
Yep, I'm no longer a twenty something person. I'm a thirty something person.
If someone were to say, "About how old did she look?" They would respond, "Oh she's in her thirties." I'll have to make sure not to break the law and have them describe me on television as so my real age doesn't get revealed.
I was in Wal-Mart this past weekend. It's the place where I choose to spend my Saturday mornings. Good times.
Amongst my food and toiletries, were some travel sized shampoo/ conditioner and a travel sized baby lotion. The checkout girl said, "You going on a trip?" I was tweeting at the time about the loud mouth in aisle 4. I look at her completely confused, wondering if perhaps I know this girl and thinking I should be tweeting about her.
Then it hits me, she was scanning my travel sized items, "Ohh, yep. I turn 30 on Thursday, so the hubby and I are taking a trip." It was then I realized I had just divulged too much info to a chick that might be 19, but I continue talking, "Kind of nervous about being 30."
Because of her many years of wisdom behind her she says, "Well, at least you aren't 40."
To that I spat, "No at least I'm not 20."
She looks at me like a deer in headlights, "Why is that?" She asks needing validation for her baby of an age.
"Because life is more fulfilling at 30. I have a husband, a house, family and children that I love dearly. I didn't have that when I was 20. I mean, college was a blast, buuut, it was just college."
"Oh well, I don't party." Implying that to have a blast in college, you must be a partier?
"I didn't either, but college was still a hoot... I had great friends."
"Most people don't say they are happy to have kids."
"Well, I'm not most people, I guess."
She hands me my way too long receipt and wishes me a happy birthday.
Yep, I'm no longer a twenty something person. I'm a thirty something person.
If someone were to say, "About how old did she look?" They would respond, "Oh she's in her thirties." I'll have to make sure not to break the law and have them describe me on television as so my real age doesn't get revealed.
I was in Wal-Mart this past weekend. It's the place where I choose to spend my Saturday mornings. Good times.
Amongst my food and toiletries, were some travel sized shampoo/ conditioner and a travel sized baby lotion. The checkout girl said, "You going on a trip?" I was tweeting at the time about the loud mouth in aisle 4. I look at her completely confused, wondering if perhaps I know this girl and thinking I should be tweeting about her.
Then it hits me, she was scanning my travel sized items, "Ohh, yep. I turn 30 on Thursday, so the hubby and I are taking a trip." It was then I realized I had just divulged too much info to a chick that might be 19, but I continue talking, "Kind of nervous about being 30."
Because of her many years of wisdom behind her she says, "Well, at least you aren't 40."
To that I spat, "No at least I'm not 20."
She looks at me like a deer in headlights, "Why is that?" She asks needing validation for her baby of an age.
"Because life is more fulfilling at 30. I have a husband, a house, family and children that I love dearly. I didn't have that when I was 20. I mean, college was a blast, buuut, it was just college."
"Oh well, I don't party." Implying that to have a blast in college, you must be a partier?
"I didn't either, but college was still a hoot... I had great friends."
"Most people don't say they are happy to have kids."
"Well, I'm not most people, I guess."
She hands me my way too long receipt and wishes me a happy birthday.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Underestimating Prayer
I am guilty of underestimating the power of prayer.
When I heard of the devastation in Haiti and saw the pictures, I immediately began thinking, "How much can we give? What 'things' can I send? Could I go?" At that moment, we didn't have any money in the bank to send, I was hearing 'things' weren't needed and I'm not sure if I physically can handle hot weather under stressful situations, so I began to feel guilty.
I don't have boo coos of money, things were not needed and I couldn't go.
I remember walking into the kitchen, crying because the images were just too much. I remember feeling so guilty because I could not provide the money necessary to help the Haitians survive.
Then God hit me.
"Megan, you are not believing in the power of ME."
He was right! I was wallowing in my misery because I couldn't send money. What those people need are some sold out Christians to get on our knees and pray for God to help, heal, rescue, give Life and fill hurting hearts with amazing hope.
I realized money doesn't fix the problems of this world. At this point, money isn't going to fix the problems in Haiti, it will help, but what I need to do is pray my butt off....
... and quit underestimating the power my God has.
When I heard of the devastation in Haiti and saw the pictures, I immediately began thinking, "How much can we give? What 'things' can I send? Could I go?" At that moment, we didn't have any money in the bank to send, I was hearing 'things' weren't needed and I'm not sure if I physically can handle hot weather under stressful situations, so I began to feel guilty.
I don't have boo coos of money, things were not needed and I couldn't go.
I remember walking into the kitchen, crying because the images were just too much. I remember feeling so guilty because I could not provide the money necessary to help the Haitians survive.
Then God hit me.
"Megan, you are not believing in the power of ME."
He was right! I was wallowing in my misery because I couldn't send money. What those people need are some sold out Christians to get on our knees and pray for God to help, heal, rescue, give Life and fill hurting hearts with amazing hope.
I realized money doesn't fix the problems of this world. At this point, money isn't going to fix the problems in Haiti, it will help, but what I need to do is pray my butt off....
... and quit underestimating the power my God has.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Animal Lover
Here are three facts about our Chloe Joy.
1) She is an animal lover.
2) She is a huge animal lover.
3) She has been wearing the same dress for approximately 72 hours straight and refuses to remove it and I refuse to argue. So yes, she did wear it to church along with her dress up princess plastic shoes
About a month ago, Matt heard a noise coming from our back porch. "Megan, do you hear that?"
"Nope."
He gets up, goes to the back door, opens it, "Aww,there's a kitten on our porch. Oh, and it is trying to come it."
Instantly Chloe races to the back door, "Awww, it's so cute Dad."
Now, it was a cold night, and I felt sorry for it. So I fed it some turkey and milk. I couldn't let it in the house because I'm kind of a germa freak, so I placed a towel in a box and put it outside. The kitten proceeded to cry at the door for an hour and my heart proceeded to break for 2.
The next morning, I decided if the cat were still there I'd help it. I open the back door, and in the little box was the kitten. Matt was at work, so I knew Chloe and I could plot and scheme without him knowing.
I let it in the house.
I called the local radio station that announces on air pets that have been lost or found.
A few moments later, I get a text saying a woman at the station was willing to foster it. She wanted a few pictures.
I go to the bathroom where I am harboring the cat. I open the door and am hit with the smell of poo. I had laid newspaper on the floor, but did it use the paper? NOOOO! It used the tub!
I call a friend at the station and ask them to hurry and come get the cat.
A few hours later, they get the cat and I proceed to bleach every nook and cranny in my bathroom.
Jump to about a week ago, Chloe says, "Mom, I think your heart would be happy if you got me a dog or a cat."
I hold up 5 fingers and say, "When you are this old you can get a dog or a cat."
1) She is an animal lover.
2) She is a huge animal lover.
3) She has been wearing the same dress for approximately 72 hours straight and refuses to remove it and I refuse to argue. So yes, she did wear it to church along with her dress up princess plastic shoes
About a month ago, Matt heard a noise coming from our back porch. "Megan, do you hear that?"
"Nope."
He gets up, goes to the back door, opens it, "Aww,there's a kitten on our porch. Oh, and it is trying to come it."
Instantly Chloe races to the back door, "Awww, it's so cute Dad."
Now, it was a cold night, and I felt sorry for it. So I fed it some turkey and milk. I couldn't let it in the house because I'm kind of a germa freak, so I placed a towel in a box and put it outside. The kitten proceeded to cry at the door for an hour and my heart proceeded to break for 2.
The next morning, I decided if the cat were still there I'd help it. I open the back door, and in the little box was the kitten. Matt was at work, so I knew Chloe and I could plot and scheme without him knowing.
I let it in the house.
I called the local radio station that announces on air pets that have been lost or found.
A few moments later, I get a text saying a woman at the station was willing to foster it. She wanted a few pictures.
I go to the bathroom where I am harboring the cat. I open the door and am hit with the smell of poo. I had laid newspaper on the floor, but did it use the paper? NOOOO! It used the tub!
I call a friend at the station and ask them to hurry and come get the cat.
A few hours later, they get the cat and I proceed to bleach every nook and cranny in my bathroom.
Jump to about a week ago, Chloe says, "Mom, I think your heart would be happy if you got me a dog or a cat."
I hold up 5 fingers and say, "When you are this old you can get a dog or a cat."
(Chloe when she was 2 and yes that is the back of a dog. The dog is real.)
I think that promise is going to bite me in the butt in about 1.5 years.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A Joke To Make You Smile
I think we all, those who have been watching the news, are in need of a good joke. Am I right?
My dad sent me this joke.. I can't stop laughing!
Enjoy your day that the Lord has made.
I was in the restaurant yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to pass gas.
The music was really, really loud, so I timed my gas with the beat of the music.After a couple of songs, I started to feel better.
I finished my coffee, and noticed that everybody was staring at me....
Then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my iPod.
My dad sent me this joke.. I can't stop laughing!
Enjoy your day that the Lord has made.
I was in the restaurant yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to pass gas.
The music was really, really loud, so I timed my gas with the beat of the music.After a couple of songs, I started to feel better.
I finished my coffee, and noticed that everybody was staring at me....
Then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my iPod.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
My First Sewing Creation
The first thing I ever made on a sewing maching.
I made this apron for my mother-in-law for Christmas.
She loves seeing the grandkid's handprints and wears an apron when she cooks, so I thought it fitting to put the two together.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Rice Bag Addiction
When I married into the Knox family, I was introduced to many 'new' things that my upbringing didn't provide me, such as dessert after dinner, casseroles, a dominoes game called Moon, zwieback rolls, did I mention dessert after dinner, and corn bags.
The corn bag is a cloth bag filled with deer corn, sewn closed and then heated in the microwave to be used as a heating device.
My mother-in-law recently converted from corn to rice filled bags because the rice doesn't need rinsing like the corn does.
Since I recently acquired a sewing machine, I decided I need to make these bags for me and my house.
The first one I made was a little larger than the normal rice/corn bag, so I made another. It was perfection!
Then on one chilly night right before Chloe's bedtime, Matt thought it a good idea to heat up my perfectly made rice bag and lend it to Chloe.
Chloe has now become a rice bag addict. Matt laid claim to the larger than normal rice bag and Chloe has claimed the perfect one as her 'warm bag.'
Matt thought he was doing a great fatherly task by letting his daughter use my rice bag for a night, little did he know what the future would hold.
2:30 am "Maaaawwwwwm," Chloe says in a whisper, "Maaaawwwm." I get up thinking something is wrong. "What honey?" She looks at me with her beautiful and tired eyes, "Can you heat up my warm bag?"
So at 2:30 in the morning, I am standing at the microwave, on our freezing floors, waiting for two minutes while the rice bag heats.
Once, Matt took the bag out of her room when she had fallen asleep. He thought it would be the husbandly thing to do, if he heated it and put it on my side of the bed so it would be warm when I came to bed. This is what happened.
1:00 am "Maaaaawwwm," Chloe says in a whisper, "Maaawwwm." I get up thinking something is wrong. "What honey?" She looks at me with her beautiful and tired eyes, "Where is my warm bag?"
"It's in my bed."
"Can you warm it up for me?"
Once you've felt the warmth and comfort only a rice bag can provide you will never want to be without.
The corn bag is a cloth bag filled with deer corn, sewn closed and then heated in the microwave to be used as a heating device.
My mother-in-law recently converted from corn to rice filled bags because the rice doesn't need rinsing like the corn does.
Since I recently acquired a sewing machine, I decided I need to make these bags for me and my house.
The first one I made was a little larger than the normal rice/corn bag, so I made another. It was perfection!
Then on one chilly night right before Chloe's bedtime, Matt thought it a good idea to heat up my perfectly made rice bag and lend it to Chloe.
Chloe has now become a rice bag addict. Matt laid claim to the larger than normal rice bag and Chloe has claimed the perfect one as her 'warm bag.'
Matt thought he was doing a great fatherly task by letting his daughter use my rice bag for a night, little did he know what the future would hold.
2:30 am "Maaaawwwwwm," Chloe says in a whisper, "Maaaawwwm." I get up thinking something is wrong. "What honey?" She looks at me with her beautiful and tired eyes, "Can you heat up my warm bag?"
So at 2:30 in the morning, I am standing at the microwave, on our freezing floors, waiting for two minutes while the rice bag heats.
Once, Matt took the bag out of her room when she had fallen asleep. He thought it would be the husbandly thing to do, if he heated it and put it on my side of the bed so it would be warm when I came to bed. This is what happened.
1:00 am "Maaaaawwwm," Chloe says in a whisper, "Maaawwwm." I get up thinking something is wrong. "What honey?" She looks at me with her beautiful and tired eyes, "Where is my warm bag?"
"It's in my bed."
"Can you warm it up for me?"
Once you've felt the warmth and comfort only a rice bag can provide you will never want to be without.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
What I've Been Up To
Lately, I've been trying to get my blog into print. I found a website blurb.com that will turn your blog into print. It's a really neat thing, but very time consuming. I have to edit each page so it looks a tiny bit uniform.
I haven't written because I'm afraid Blogger only allows 365 posts to be stored and I don't want to delete anything until it's printed. I'm starting with 2008, then on to 2009 and so forth.
I started this whole thing to vent and express my thoughts, but along the way the kids became topics. It's those moments I don't want to forget, so printing this is the best option.
I hope everyone is doing well and staying warm.
I haven't written because I'm afraid Blogger only allows 365 posts to be stored and I don't want to delete anything until it's printed. I'm starting with 2008, then on to 2009 and so forth.
I started this whole thing to vent and express my thoughts, but along the way the kids became topics. It's those moments I don't want to forget, so printing this is the best option.
I hope everyone is doing well and staying warm.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
2010 Realization
A few days prior to the New Year, I went back and read some of my posts from 2008. It was then that I realized something...
... this girl is funny!
As I was reading through the older posts, I was laughing at what this stranger was saying and how she was saying it. I thought, "I like this girl. I want to be her friend." I kept reading, kept laughing, enjoying what all she had to say, wanting to write like her. Then I realized something...
... this 'girl' is ME!
I began to mope.
In August, my life changed. Life as I knew it became more serious, more fragile. I haven't learned how to balance its fragility with laughter. I haven't learned to let go of the seriousness and laugh. I haven't been able to find the humor that comes with life's challenges and life's changes.
I am searching for the girl that was funny, for the girl that wrote silly posts about farting in the tub, losing her ability to whistle, evil squirrels, kids and psychopathic grandmas. That girl is still sitting here, she is just lost within herself.
She will be back. She will be funny again. And it is then that we can all gather around, hold hands and sing Kumbaya.
... this girl is funny!
As I was reading through the older posts, I was laughing at what this stranger was saying and how she was saying it. I thought, "I like this girl. I want to be her friend." I kept reading, kept laughing, enjoying what all she had to say, wanting to write like her. Then I realized something...
... this 'girl' is ME!
I began to mope.
In August, my life changed. Life as I knew it became more serious, more fragile. I haven't learned how to balance its fragility with laughter. I haven't learned to let go of the seriousness and laugh. I haven't been able to find the humor that comes with life's challenges and life's changes.
I am searching for the girl that was funny, for the girl that wrote silly posts about farting in the tub, losing her ability to whistle, evil squirrels, kids and psychopathic grandmas. That girl is still sitting here, she is just lost within herself.
She will be back. She will be funny again. And it is then that we can all gather around, hold hands and sing Kumbaya.
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