Sunday, August 29, 2010

Hoerth Family Rules

Our weekend was lazy yet productive… is that possible?! It wasn’t overly fun or even too enjoyable, but it was nice for us all to be home together for a weekend without having anywhere to go, but by this afternoon I was wishing that we sort of did have a place to go. Ayden was behaving great and playing good. Jay was working outside. And I was…

…BORED!

I could have started to read an assignment or something like that, but heck classes haven’t even started yet! Instead I got started on a project that I had recently seen online. The one online had used a blank canvas, but we didn’t have one of those laying around the house and Jay and I have recently decided to go a month without buying anything that wasn’t necessary (ie: groceries, gas, house hold items like toilet paper) and so it was kind of out of the question to run to the store and get one (even though I really wanted to).

But then I remembered that we have a bunch of scrap plywood in the garage and I went to see if we had a big enough piece. Guess what? We did! I just needed Jay to cut it to size and then round the corners for me, which took all of maybe ten minutes. I then sanded it and painted it and did everything else. I love how it turned out so far, even though I need to put a coat of poly on it yet. The paper isn’t completely flat, which is my fault since I didn’t put them on ‘just so’ like I probably should have, but I think it adds a little character to it.IMG_0881 IMG_0882

I burnt the edges of the paper by myself too and now I have a small burn on my thumb because of it. Did you know that if you light a lighter over and over and over and over, the top becomes hot enough to burn your finger. Oops, but it’s not too bad and I like the effect that it gave the paper.

For the font, I did it on the computer and then printed it off, taped it to the window and put the scrapbook paper over it to trace it like a light box. Like I could write that cool, ha! I maybe would have made the words a little bigger too, but oh well!

Now, I just need to find a place to hang it, as if I don’t have enough stuff on our walls?!IMG_0884Tomorrow… Ayden and I are headed to work together and then off to his well child check up! I almost forgot about that! Oops!

CIAO! LOVE ME!

Friday, August 27, 2010

On my… John Deere Tractor!!!

 IMG_0841 IMG_0845 IMG_0847  IMG_0850 IMG_0879IMG_0848IMG_0852IMG_0851 IMG_0853 IMG_0854 IMG_0855 IMG_0856 IMG_0857 IMG_0858 IMG_0859 IMG_0860 IMG_0861  IMG_0863 IMG_0862IMG_0868IMG_0871IMG_0865IMG_0869 IMG_0870  IMG_0873 IMG_0874 IMG_0878CIAO! LOVE ME!

Emergency Room Visit

Jay and I have only had to take Ayden to the emergency room once so far… when he was a baby with a high fever because of an ear infection. Otherwise, any and all other illness have been able to be accommodated by a doctor visit. We thought we were going to have to go once shortly after we moved up to Point when Ayden bit into his lip and Jay started freaking out. He was halfway out the door when I took a closer look and realized it wasn’t nearly as bad as Jay thought it was and didn’t warrant an ER room visit. And so… because of that, I don’t know how to access the ER from their entrance at the hospital in town and so… when we had to go this morning, I took the long way in, smart, right?! I know better for next time, but keeping my fingers crossed its FAR from now.

Why did we decided to visit the emergency room? Oh… we thought it would be a fun thing to do on our Friday morning. It’s not like I had any other plans.

Okay, so that wasn’t really why…

Last night before Ayden went to bed he complained that his head hurt a little bit. I told him to lay down and go to sleep and that we would see how it felt in the morning. Unfortunately, it was A LOT worse this morning. Jay and I were up before Ayden laying in bed when I thought I heard talking or whimpering coming from his room. However, we had the windows open and so we couldn’t determine if it was actually him or if it was coming from outside. We listened a little longer and sure enough, it was Ayden.

We went in there to see what was wrong. Turns out, Ayden couldn’t even get out of bed because his head and neck hurt so bad. Uh-oh, not how I wanted to start my morning. Jay carried him out to the couch and Ayden was in tears. I felt so bad! We decided to wait an hour or so and see if he started to feel better. Jay left for work and I showered. After my shower I asked Ayden if he could get up to go to the bathroom and when he still couldn’t move, I decided it was time to call the doctor. This being only about an hour after he got up. His doctor couldn’t fit him in until the afternoon and didn’t feel comfortable waiting that long so she told us to head to the emergency room.

Off to the ER we were, although I almost turned around and came back home when we got out of the car and Ayden said he was feeling better. Last thing I wanted to do was walk into the ER with a kid who wasn’t showing any symptoms, but thankfully I decided to still have him checked out (because up until then I was neurosis mom thinking the worst was wrong with him) because as we made our way to the ER his head started to hurt pretty bad again.

We were there for about an hour a half, most of it waiting, but that’s okay. The diagnosis turned out to be muscle tension (can’t remember the fancy word the on call doctor used for it) on the right side, which was the side that was hurting him. The doctor said that there really isn’t specific cause for it. Ayden didn’t have any head trauma yesterday, ear pain, or throat pain, so anything viral was ruled out. The doctor said that the muscles on the right side of his neck were a lot more tense than those one his left side and when they are tense they tend to creep up on the scalp which causes the headache. They gave him some ibuprofen and had us wait about a half hour or so to see if it would help any. It did help and we headed home.

Ayden and I both took a nice nap this afternoon and he is feeling much better now. He said his head still hurts a little bit, but he is up and moving around and active. Definitely beats this morning when I had to carry him to the bathroom and he was in tears. :(

I hate seeing my baby in pain so I was happy to hear that it wasn’t anything too bad and that he was feeling better halfway through the morning. Definitely worth the trip to the ER so my little dude feels better. It’s back to his doctor on Monday for his well check visit, which is good I suppose. I told Jay this morning, it was either call the doctor today and take him in or end up at the ER tomorrow when he was still in pain and the doctors are closed. Guess it was the ER today, no problem!

At least the sun was shining today!

CIAO! LOVE ME!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Chores chores chores...

The housework is never complete! And I wish I could be young again and not have to worry about it either! I hate housework! Okay, so maybe not as much I that statement might make it seem like I hate it. I should say that I hate it when a certain person neglects to do any housework unless I shove it down his throat! Argh! I know I've complained about it before, and I'll complain about it in the future, but it just frustrates me when Jay doesn't do anything more than... well nothing!

His two jobs of the house are to do the dishes and clean the cat litter. One of which, the dishes, he does precisely about once a week... when the counter is over flowing with dirty dishes and there isn't any clean silverware left, the other of which he does... whenever I harp on him enough to do it. That's right, he cleans the litter box... when I tell him night after night to get the damn thing done! And my friends, that amounts to probably once a week as well! It would smell a LOT less like cat piss in our basement if he'd clean it every OTHER flippin' day! I'm just a little frustrated about it. I really don't want a basement that smells like cat pee, really I don't! You can't smell it if I keep the dehumidifier running constantly and Jay has just cleaned the litter box, but after a few days, yes it does! And it bugs me! I know it doesn't help that our basement smells musty to begin with, hence the fact of the dehumidifier, but ugh!

It's not only that, but Jay gets things out... AND DOESN'T PUT THEM AWAY! Literally, his drill, a tape measure, and some screw drivers have been sitting on the kitchen table for the PAST MONTH! And if it weren't for me, a huge piece cardboard would still be laying on our living room floor! How can he just look past all of the stuff and NOT PUT IT AWAY! I think the getting things out and not putting them away is what bugs me the most. Seriously, how hard is it to put things back where you got them from?! Really?!

What gets me now is that I realize that he's turning in Jim... my mom's husband. If you know Jim, you know that is a dig on both him and Jay. Bummer yes, but it's true. Okay, so Jay has a job and has had one for the last how many years (can't say the say for Jim), but Jay starts something... and then DOESN'T FINISH IT... unless it benefits him in some super important way immediately upon completion. Take our landscaping for example... we redid the rock along the sidewalk in the front of the duplex and started something in the back. Well, the something in the back isn't done yet... and it was... get this... STARTED BACK IN JUNE!!! And, we still have a rock (albeit small) pile in our driveway! And, for some reason unbeknownst to me, somehow our garage has become a mess of a workshop because I haven't been able to park my car in it ALL SUMMER, and yet Jay is NEVER out there! Don't even get me started on the mess he calls our office!

It's just uber frustrating me right now. It's not that I expect Jay to come home from a long day of physical work to launch right into another four hour cleaning marathon at home... no... I just wish he'd help out a LITTLE more than he does or take A LITTLE more initiative than he does. It's not like he is working a back breaking 12 hour day either. He is home by 4:30ish every day! I do a lot, and most of it I don't mind, but every now and then... just help out a little bit! Even if all you do is clean the tub after you shower instead of leaving hair clogging the drain and a ring of sand around the bottom. Yes friends, he does leave that! It drives me nuts! Or... put your sodas in the recycling instead of leaving them pile up next to your computer. Sweep the kitchen when you see crumbs piling on top of each other. I'm not asking for him to dust every picture frame or wash the windows for crying out loud, just the 'normal' stuff!

I'm just venting, that's what it is, because well, even though my honeykins needs his brains knocked on to help around the house a little more, he is the bread winner right now and for that I am grateful!

I whipped my own butt into gear today and did some housework that needed to be done... like picking up the basement and starting to put the garage back into order, cleaning the kitchen (that didn't involve any dishes, I hate doing dishes), putting away clothes, and semi cleaning the office area (which meant recycling a lot of things Jay long forgot about, hehe)... it needed to get done and I'd been putting it off. I don't like housework, but at least I know what needs to get done and I do it.

Tonight's agenda... finish up Ayden's birthday thank you cards. I had him write in them today... I'll add a little bit and then get them in the mail.

Yesterday I got some super deals at Staples. They had reams of computer paper for 50 cents (after mail in rebate) and packs of 100 pages of Kodak 4x6 picture paper for $1 after mail in rebate. Normal price of paper reams... $5, normal price for picture paper... $13! I saved almost $30 yesterday (seeing I could only get two reams of paper and two packs of picture paper)... well when I get the rebates back, but still! What killed me what the printer inks I needed to buy, ICK! But we 'needed' it so I 'had' to get it, right?! Lol!

We aren't sleeping over anywhere this weekend. The annual corn roast is this weekend at one of Jay's uncle's houses. It is about a two hour drive from where we live. Not that I don't want to see his family, but I don't really think I want to go. I'd rather just sit at home than drive four hours in one day, especially since I am not all for corn cooked on the grill. It really just doesn't appeal to me that much.

CIAO! LOVE ME!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Ayden's Birthday Weekend

Our weekends just keep on rolling by... so much going on! And then there is SO much to blog about, but I don't want to actually sit down and write it all out then... bad blogger I am, haha!

We had a great weekend this past weekend. Jay and I ended up leaving for his parent's house a little earlier than I had anticipated, but it was good because we knew that some bad weather was probably going to be heading in and I really didn't want to be driving in it. Bite my words!

We stopped at a state park on the way home that I will be taking pictures at in a few weeks so Jay could get his park pass (came with all of the animal tags he purchased this year for hunting) and we decided to drive around it a little bit since neither of us had been there in YEARS and I wanted to see if we could find some good picture locations. We were winding through some of the roads and then the wind started picking up and it got really dark. Oh ick! I told Jay that we should probably head out and off to his parent's house, we were only like fifteen minutes away yet, and so we did. And then the wind picked up even more and it started pouring and all I wanted to do was make it to his parent's house in one piece.

Shortly after we got to his parent's house their power went out. We still needed to head into town to get some groceries and pick up Ayden and decided that then was the time because the storms weren't supposed to let up all night and well, wasn't much we could do at the house with no power. We stopped at my dad's house and got Ayden and then went to the grocery store to get the food for his birthday party the next day and got poured on the whole time! Smart us, eh? A little rain never hurt no one, right?! Didn't think so!

The power was still out at Jay's parent's house when we got back from getting Ayden and the food which was kind of a bummer, but we made do. We played a new card game that Jay had learned at my family camping the weekend before by candlelight. It was pretty hilarious actually because it was a gambling game and we had little tee light candles set around the board so we could see what we were doing… and I totally rocked the game! It’s played with nickels and I ended up winning over $2! How awesome is that, especially since part of the game involved a hand of poker and I don’t know how to play poker to save my life and I am not a good bluffer AT ALL! It was a fun night and after about three hours with no power, it came back on!

Saturday was Ayden’s birthday party. In the morning we went over to Jay’s aunt and uncles house so they could give Ayden his birthday present. Actually… it’s Ayden’s godfather’s house and he hasn’t been to a single birthday party YET! Hideous I know! Anyways, even if there wasn’t a family ‘feud’, they wouldn’t have been able to make it to the party since they had a wedding to attend. In any case, it was nice that they were able to give him the gift personally this year instead of just sending it along with Jay’s grandparents to the party. We even made plans for Ayden to rid in the tractor when it is time for the corn to come down. It was a good start to the day, even if the sun refused to come out until like 5pm! I mean seriously, when they say sun, I expect sun!

The party went great and lots of family was able to make it! I was happy and Ayden was happy and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. It started at 2pm and my mom and her parent’s didn’t leave until almost 8pm and Jay’s mom’s parents shortly there after. And… the best part… Grandma Hoerth cake, hehe! It was delicious!!! And… we had left overs! OMG was there gobs and gobs of food left over. Maybe one or two people had contacted me asking what they could bring for food and I told them. The rest didn’t really even bother to RSVP, much less ask if they could bring anything. That was totally okay with me because I found out who was going to be able to make it and who wasn’t and I’m not the type of ‘host’ to say that everyone needs to bring something. So, when I thought no one else was bringing anything, we stocked up on food, wrong choice! We had SO much left over!

I feel like I should share that these photos are straight out of the camera unedited pictures because I usually don’t post anything that is unedited, but I’ve just been taking so many pictures every weekend that I am behind on editing and wanted to share some anyways. Not that they are bad, but oh well, whatever… enjoy!IMG_0442Ayden with his birthday sign that Grandma Michele made for him!IMG_0477Ayden and Alexis! She will be six in just a few short weeks! Aren’t they so adorable!IMG_0479Getting some cuddles in with Uncle Casey!IMG_0487Auntie Emmy was so kind to read Ayden’s cards as he opened them so I could sit and take pictures! He was so excited when he saw he got some money!IMG_0528And even more excited when he finally opened his Nintendo DS! I kept teasing him all day that he wasn’t getting it, but instead was getting socks and undies from mom and dad, hehe!IMG_0539Delicious Grandma Hoerth cake! Yummy!!!IMG_0542On Sunday we went to the Milwaukee Zoo with my mom and sister. My mom’s work sponsors a day for their patrons or whatever you call them each year. (She works for a life insurance agency so everyone who gets life insurance through them gets the cheap tickets.) Anyways, my mom, being an employee, got two free tickets and the other three tickets for only $11 total plus fee parking. That is less than the price of one regular priced adult admission, not including parking. Heck yeah! They also give out free soda and sell food tickets for the food stands at half price. We stocked up on soda and food tickets and spent less than it would have cost just myself, Jay, and Ayden to go on all five of us getting in, eating, and having ice cream! The weather was great and we got to see a lot of the animals! It was overall another great day! But… I was so ready to be home at the end of it because after driving to Milwaukee and back from ‘home’, we still had to drive back to Point that night. Bummer!

Here are some picture from the day!IMG_0823IMG_0550 IMG_0574IMG_0591 IMG_0619 IMG_0654 IMG_0692 IMG_0697 IMG_0711 IMG_0714 IMG_0743 IMG_0749 IMG_0756 IMG_0783Ayden and I are enjoying this week… my regular babysitters start school tomorrow and were only able to watch Ayden yesterday so that left me in a bind. I could either take him to work with me for the rest of the week or find someone else to watch him. That’s when it hit me, I thought of my friend Robin who’s son is only a few years older than Ayden. Although he is starting school on Wednesday too, I thought if she was home she might watch Ayden. I asked and she said of course! It’s only for a few short hours today, tomorrow, and Thursday and today she didn’t even have to do much of the watching since Ayden and her son played the whole time. It was super cute and I totally trust her so that makes it easier. That, and Ayden doesn’t have to sit bored at work with me. He’ll have to come with me next Monday and Tuesday, but that is okay, he can deal with that.

He’s been very good the past few days and that makes the days go a lot easier. Of course every child has their days, as with each and every other person on the planet, but I enjoy the good days even more! Who doesn’t?

I’m not looking forward to starting class again in a few short days, but I know that once the semester starts it will be over in the blink of an eye and that is okay with me. I think more than anything, I’m not looking forward to the homework part of it. I like learning the different things, but the whole studying and testing thing sucks mega, lol!

One of my long time penpals/friends from Australia just found out that she will be interning at a museum in Washington D.C. for the month of October this year. We’ve known each other since before Ayden was born… so that’s a long time! Anyways, we’re talking about a possible get together! She’s always travelling and has been to the States a few times now and I told her that she can’t come back and us not meet up! I love Australian’s accents! They are SO cool! Or at least I think so! Anyways, we don’t have anything set yet, but I think it would be super cool to go to DC for a few days or for her to come here! I’d prefer to go there, but that’d cost lots of money for all three of us to go!

Oh, and I finally decided on my next tattoo! I’m so excited, however it is going to cost a little bit, or a lot a bit. It is going to be by far my biggest piece yet and I can’t wait. Of course it will probably be a few months, but that is okay. I found a good place as well, comes with many recommendations and the artists’ galleries are amazing! Plus, I asked a friend of mine who got one done there what hers cost and it was less than I had thought so I’m thinking mine will be reasonable for the size. Tattoos are definitely not for everyone, but them, and piercings are for me, although I think I’m done on the piercings things. I’ve let my nose grow shut as I don’t wear it anymore. This tattoo will not be visible either so I don’t have to worry about work stuff. When I got the one on my wrist I got the ‘lecture’ from my mom about it hampering the possibility of getting a job in the future. I didn’t think it would then and I still don’t because anyone who won’t hire me because of a tattoo that is NOT offensive or covering my entire arm is not a place I want to work anyways. And, in all of the client’s I’ve seen over the last three semesters, I’ve only had a handle of them ask what it was/stands for and never in bad taste. I think that many more people think tattoos are acceptable these days than in previous years. In any case, I wouldn’t redo it, it is a part of me and I still love it! And in fact, even though it is right in front of my eyes everyday, I often forget I even have it! I totally forget about the one on my back the most because I never see it.

Time for some White Collar!

CIAO! LOVE ME!