I didn't hear no fat lady!

If it's true that it ain't over till the fat lady sings, then I still have time to blog in 2012 cuz I don't hear her! The New Year began with a promising position as a Staff Development Director, but ended 3 weeks later when I resigned due to ethical concerns. I was then hired by a great home health and hospice company in April as Intake Coordinator Nurse, then laid off in July due to a reduction in force. I exhausted all my unemployment thru all this, and here it is October and I am still struggling.  I'm grateful for family, or I'd be homeless.
 I became an aunt for the 13th time to little Addisyn "Sweet Pea" Elizabeth Bylund in August.  She's beautiful. I wish they lived closer! 
My sweet Nugget and sister Haili moved to Washington in July for her husband's job. My heart broke.  I was especially close to Caden and thank goodness for Skype, or I'd go crazy!
September brought some unpleasant but necessary surgery, and my official "indigent" status according to the hospital's financial aid dept. Too bad I wasn't an immigrant, pregnant, incarcerated, single mom, disabled or recently returned from war or I could have received assistance from the very fund I have paid into my whole working life!  Again, grateful for family. They literally have saved me!
Hopefully 2012 will end with things headed in the right direction!

New Year = Better Blogger

2012 will mean better blogging, since all the ones I follow are so dang good and serve as journals. I wanna be like them!

Bad Boyz Bad Boyz, whatchu gonna do?...

Bag of new meaty treats......................................$6
Bottle of thyroid pills............................................$45
Trip to vet after eating bottle of thyroid pills...$140
Look on their faces after being snowed by meds to induce vomitting....... Priceless!
And then there's the $45 to buy a new bottle of thyroid pills and the $40 to replace the vet's Dockers!
I'm a bad, bad mother! I left a full bottle of Sabre's thyroid pills on the deck railing next to the new bag of treats I'd just bought for them. While I was in the house getting them fresh water, Ryatt knocked the bottle off the deck to the patio below and ate it. When I came back out with the water, he dropped the mangled bottle at my feet! I thought Sabre' had probably eaten some too since they fight over everything and share, but his vomit was clear. Poor dude hacked and got snowed for nothin'! What an adventure! Having to empty my car in a nano second to stuff em both in there and go to the vet was hilarious...to anyone watching, not so funny to me. But! They're OK now. The morphine to get em to hack, snowed em for the rest of the afternoon, but we're all OK now.

Da Boyz

Meet my welcoming committee. Da Boyz live on the deck and stare thru that door all day long! I love having 'em here. When they hear the garage door open, they're standing there, if a new light goes on in the house, if they hear me walk around, if they hear me talk on the phone or even flush...they come to the door for treats and lovins. Ryatt has yet to become aware of the length of his snout, so the glass is a mess, but I don't care! They fight for that spot when the sun is out which is pretty funny to watch...they're just like kids!

Otis 1995-2007

"Lovings, Scooty-Butts, Tada-Hah, Lover deBusque, Butterscotch, Nuisance, Odie..."

Our sweet little Otis now plays in heaven without his bad joints and health quirks. By far our favorite little companion and champion lap dog. Managed to consume TV guides, Kleenexes + box, chocolate bars + wrappers, Mom's Cherry Chocolates, and kids blocks with no problems. He was dad's early morning buddy and mom's vacuum and lap buddy for scriptures. He knew when it was 5:00pm and would sit and stare/bark at you until he got his dinner. He knew he got 4 pieces of popcorn and sat there until he got all 4. His command to "speak" was us yelling "come in!" His command to stop barking was spotting the water bottle. Always gentle with the little ones, loved his belly scratches and gently pawed at us if we said "can I stop?" Gave sweet kisses. Lived to be acknowledged and thought every furry visitor was a threat. Always lying in the middle of the action and in the line of foot traffic. He left us with funny stories, sweet memories and the ability to love God's creatures...no matter how quirky!

Amateur?

I took this photo on Antelope Island the day after Thanksgiving 2004. My friend Larry and I were the only ones there besides the ranger and some deer. It's the first time I've ever actually watched the moon rise. Beautiful end to a great day!

First Timer

I'm new at this bloggin' stuff, so be patient! I created it so I can keep in better touch with Aaron, Heidi and my little Jelly Bean (Ashlee) who just moved to Texas today. I miss them already! I'm boarding Sabre and Ryatt until they can go live with Heidi's aunt, so this blog is mostly to let mom Heidi know how they're doing!