Oh me, Oh my it's been forever!

Yes, it's been forever since I've posted something but I just don't have the time to blog. I'm very busy with work during the day and networking in the evening for work. I now sit on the Board as a Director for the Lupus Foundation (we have a walk coming up on Sept 12th) and I'm also very busy with Alzheimer's Association (again we have a walk coming up Sept 19th) plus trying to keep up with the things at home I'm running about 150 miles per hour if not faster.


I hear from people all the time who say they miss the updates on my blog and I tell them I'll try and get something up soon because I too miss blogging but I never find the time.

I really wanted to get the word out about these two walks and try and raise money for them because they really mean so much to me. Working with families that are affected by Lupus and Alzheimer's makes me really want to fight hard to find a cure for both devastating diseases.


Please join us by either starting your own team or

you can just make a donation to our teams.

Lupus Walk: Sept. 12, 2009

Walk For Lupus Now

For details on these two walks and how to make a team or donation you can email me at amyplumb@gmail.com or for the Lupus Foundation Indiana Chapter, donations can be made to the Simko Striders walking in memory of Richard Simko. For the Alzheimer's walk the donations can be made to the Home Instead Senior Care team Capt. Amy Plumb (Merrillville, Indiana)

Alzheimer's Walk: Sept. 19, 2009, Memory Walk

We're On The Move To End Alzheimer

Darn Groundhog

Before the groundhog saw his shadowAfter the groundhog saw his shadow
Crazy but true we plow the yard so Mike can walk the dogs

Yesterday it started snowing and it's still snowing as I take these pictures

Makes for beautiful pictures but we really don't need more snow
school was let out early and cancelled today

County tries to keep our county road clean but we are not top priority
so over the weekend they were working trying to clean it up

Thanks county I know your trying!

The rest of these pictures are from the weekend

Rexie was having a blast running the trails like it was a race track

Rexie walking with Pongo in the top picture

Rexie walking with Angel in the top picture

All three dogs pose for a picture in the snow

I don't know why but the dogs love to eat the snow

and they never eat yellow snow don't worry

Happy 40th Birthday Honey!

Just because you turned the

BIG 40 Today

doesn't mean you'll grow up

or stop having fun

or stop working so hard
won't find another project to work on

because that's just what you do

doesn't mean you'll stop being cool either

it just mean you'll be a little older and cooler

Happy 40th Birthday!

Friday Foto - Sunrise

As I was cooking breakfast this morning for Keanen I looked out and saw this amazing sunrise. The color was so bold and you can see the sun is trying to burst through in the middle.

Small dog, Small brain

He's cute, there is no question about that but that is all. Rexie is just cute, poor thing has such a little brain and he can't help it. And I can't help but love him. That look says it all, I know I'm so bad but please keep me.

The other day I was cleaning the master bath and Rexie was running around in the master bedroom playing with what I thought were his toys. I was so wrong, it was a roll of toilet tissue he had stolen for the bathroom and decided to eat and play with while I was busy scrubbing the bathroom. Once I took that away he was again looking for something else to play with but found the shower had some yummy cleaner to lick instead. Little dog, little brain still living.

History in the making

History in the making today as our new President is sworn into office. Exciting but at the same time I'll be glad when it's over.

We live so close to Chicago that we not only get the National News coverage of President Obama's every move but also the Chicago News as well. It's just too much sometimes the crazy things they cover just to talk about the man and his family. And the people they interview on t.v. are a hoot. The things they say about President Obama, who they don't know but he has changed their life because he is president.

I wish President Obama the best but I don't want to know his every move - when he sleep, eats, and goes to the bathroom or what dog they decide to get. All I want to know is the important stuff such as what's your plan of action for our troops? Let's stick to the important things that matter.

Deep Freeze

We may live in the country but we are still considered part of that Chicagoland area that is in the middle of a DEEP FREEZE!

At the beginning of the week we were under a BLIZZARD storm watch. And it did snow and to tell you the truth it seem like it was never going to stop snowing. Mike would plow the driveway, shovel the porches and then start all over again. We have so much snow, I haven't seen this much snow in years! Now we are under a DEEP FREEZE warning with temperatures below 0 then factor in the wind chill and your talking -20 this morning in some places.

Of course they called the kids off school today. I think I have the only kid who was upset he couldn't go. I did check to see if he had a fever this morning don't worry.

Well maybe this polar bear is upset too the kids didn't go, ya think?

This weather is suppose to be like this for the next few days, UGH!!!!

Someone get this guy some medical attention for his tongue, and fast!

Over the weekend before it got too cold Keanen had two of his good friends stay the night. Friday night they went and played basketball with the youth pastors from the church and then Saturday played games all day and Sunday they went ATV riding in the snowy farm fields. Which turned out to be educational, they found the remains (skeleton) of a deer while riding. Pretty cool I think. I asked Keanen if he wanted to go back and gather it for Biology class, he said no.

Mike and I had a date night Friday evening and took our other son his t.v. before he left to go back to college. Saturday and Sunday were big football days at our house and then Sunday night was Season Premier of 24, Mike's favorite show. All in all it was a good weekend.

I found these cool things I could get for Mike, you know his birthday is just around the corner. I mean who wouldn't want an action figure of Jack or how about the Chloe mouse pad for their desk???

Awesome Buy of 2009

We took Keanen to the Outlet Mall to spend some Christmas money that was burning a hole in his pocket. Being a teen he wanted to spend most of his money on clothes, shoes and maybe a game for X-Box.



He found some good buys on a few shirts, couple pairs of jeans and new designer sweat jacket, you know to look good when he sweats. Teenagers! Then he wanted to look at shoes. What you don't know is Kean has a lot of shoes. Maybe not shoes he can wear everyday but he has a lot of shoes. Why? Well, it's because of sports and believe me they are not cheap at his age. So when he wants shoes and doesn't really need shoes he knows that comes out of his money. And being at the outlet it was a good place to be looking. He ended up not finding a pair he liked, it's o.k. though it saved him money he really didn't need to spend. Keep reading what I found though....................



If you guessed shoes you are so right. But here is the kicker, the shoes I found were for yes the one and only - Keanen! O.k. call me crazy but here's what happened. I found a pair of NIKE Track shoes for - you should sit because this will blow you away - $16.99. They are the kind that when you pick them up they are as light as feathers and they have the little spikes on the bottom. Perfect for this Spring when he runs High School Track his Freshmen year.

You can't beat the Outlet Mall clearance racks. Now if I could only find all of his sport shoes for that price I'd be the luckiest mother in the world, instead of the poorest mother in the world.

2009

Wishing Everyone Happy New Year!

Diamonds are a girls best friend but......

Mike surprised me with a five stone diamond band for Christmas.

He broke our promise about no gifts this year for each other

but it was easy to forgive him.

Although I will admit I love diamonds the best gift this year was that all four of us were able to be together and celebrate Christmas.

Keanen, Mike and Rexie Christmas Eve

Christmas morning Keanen showing off his new AC Milan soccer jacket

Michael and Keanen just being silly

With faces like this I can't help but love them even if they are up to something!

One more smile, I promise it's the last picture

We did a lot of eating over the Christmas celebration Even Rexie had a good Christmas, here he is playing with his new toy

Rexie in his new Christmas sweatshirt

Rexie playing in the wrapping paper Christmas morning

I couldn't ask for a better Christmas.

I had both the boys here and all my family together, it doesn't get any better.

Christmas in our home

Please come in

When you enter my home you are reminded that

the magic of Christmas lies in your heart

Santa in his rustic truck trying to deliver snowballs to
children who have never seen snow before
Our Christmas Tree

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that......

Rexie ready for Christmas in his new outfit

A tradition we have done since Keanen was little

Count down to Christmas

Santa is always watching

Christmas family blanket with all our names on it

There's just a little peek into our home at Christmas.

I hope you all have a Wonderful and Merry Christmas.

They are the Champs!

Keanen and his team ended their indoor

Soccer Session 1 this past weekend in 1st Place.

7 Wins 1 LossKeanen is the one in dark green Keanen is number 3

Major action shot

This was fun, fast paced, very exciting and a great learning experience.

I hope he gets to do it again.

Way to go Keanen, great job again!

What's been up

A lot has gone on since I posted last. I quite my job, it was time for a change.

So the things I love to talk about.

Keanen had an indoor soccer game last Friday and 90% of the team didn't show. I'm the team manager and we also have a team coach who I'm so very thankful for because I don't know how to coach high school soccer. Kicker, he had two games that night at the same time so I was left to coach our team without him. Of course Mike helped me and we gathered some players from other teams and a few of our players finally showed up late but they showed. First loss of the session.

Over the weekend Keanen had his best friend from youth group come over and he stayed the entire weekend. Keanen had a blast having a friend over all weekend.

They played a lot of basketball outside in the cold.

Sunday we had a family birthday party to attend. After that we finished the night off with watching football till it was time for bed.



Monday Mike took the day off and we took all three of the dogs to the Vet for yearly shots. The big dogs love the Vet and they do well there but you might remember Rexie's last visit (in Feb)when I blogged about it how his face swelled up like a balloon. Because Rexie's allergic to his yearly shots they have to give him more shot so he doesn't have an allergic reaction. This time the other shots to stop this swelling balloon like reaction caused him to act crazy, paranoid and freaked out like a dog on drugs. It took about 48 hours for him to return to normal. All he wanted was for me to hold him and every little noise caused him to go into a barking freaking out running under the furniture shaking ordeal. That was Monday and the next 48 hours.



Mike was out of town for work this week again, but being at home made it so much easier this time. I wasn't pressed for time in the morning to walk and feed the dogs plus get myself and Keanen ready for school.

Other than that not much is going on around here besides getting ready for Christmas.

Waiting for Santa

This year we have three decorated Christmas trees up so Santa has plenty of room to leave gifts because we seem to have a slight problem. Look really close under the tree that's not the skirt it's Pongo laying on the skirt under the tree.

Rexie has never laid on the skirt but he has tried to eat the sparkles off the skirt. He is so bad that way! Here he looks so cute all curled up sleeping waiting for Santa to bring him a new toy.

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday we had Keanen's indoor soccer game. Turns out this has been their highest scoring game so far putting up 15pts. and this is the first time Keanen ever was carded during a game. I still don't agree with the call that got him the card. I think they all just got tangled up going after the ball, heck they all ended up on the floor! This indoor soccer is really fun but pretty wild, Keanen had bumps and bruises again after this game from being slammed against the boards. What's the saying "No pain, no gain" They remain undefeated!

Saturday was Movie Marathon in our house we watched all the Ocean's movies, then watched two more movies called Linewatch and The Happening. Very relaxing Saturday you could say.

Sunday the cleaning and laundry had to be done. Keanen helped his Papa again lay wood floors in his house. And always football was watched.

All in all it was a relaxing weekend.

Favorite Christmas Music

My favorite Christmas song and CD

Amy Grant, A Christmas to Remember

I will listen to this 100 times over during the Christmas season.

What is your favorite Christmas song or CD?

Please share with me I would know or should I say listen.

Toxic Gas

If you haven't figured it out by now I'm going to tell. I'm the only female in a house with all males and three dogs. You can only imagine what it's like living with males and dogs, lots and lots of gas! Yes, even dogs have gas.

Yesterday Mike left for business out of town so you would think there would've been some relief coming my way with one less male in the home. Right? Wrong, So Wrong! I just don't get it, I really don't. What is wrong with my dogs and having such bad gas and I mean LOUD bad gas????

They only eat dog food, no people food.

This went on all night long. It was so loud when it happened the dog that did it and the other two dogs looked around wondering what that noise was. I'm thinking to myself they don't smell that? Do they not realize one of them just let off the biggest stink bomb? Really! I'm dying here.

I love my wonderful dogs but the gas has got to go.

Business out of town

Mike is out of town on business for a couple days. Rush job that came into the office so off he went leaving me to attend to early, early morning and late night walks with the dogs in the freezing cold. I don't mind out of town trips in the warm months but these cold months it just sucks!

The positive side to his out of town trips -

I get some special time together with Keanen (we always order Chinese food, yummy)

I get the big bed all to myself kinda (Rexie can be a bed hog)

I get to control the t.v. remote

I get to drive myself to work and turn up the radio as loud as I want

If I can remind myself of these things when I'm out walking the dogs in the freezing cold maybe it won't be so bad. NOT!

UGH!

Back to work and school UGH! Sunday night Keanen said, Mama I wish we had a four day weekend every week. The nice thing for Keanen was Monday morning he had a two hour snow delay. What a nice way to get back into the routine of things.

Over the four day weekend we were able to accomplish most of our Christmas shopping. I was able to decorate three of the Christmas trees we put up this year. I wanted to put up four but Mike said I think three is enough. I love the Christmas trees, I have tons of decorations. I also decorated entire house. I'll have to take pictures and share.

I love this time of year for many reasons, one is because of all the decorating that goes on. I love having a new look in the house after months of the same old, same old.


If you want to know how my Holiday went read here - Thanksgiving was an A+ @ Simple Living in the Country

Almost Thanksgiving

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Are you hosting or going somewhere to visit and eat? I'm ready, I've been ready all week to start cooking. I'm like a kid at Christmas waiting to open gifts.

I love to gather with my family and laugh about crazy silly stuff that no else thinks is funny.

This is one of the best Thanksgiving pictures I found this year and just had to share.

My Thanksgiving advice to you is eat and eat some more. No one likes left overs there is never enough room in the refrigerator. And you only live once, so enjoy!

Thanksgiving around a ping-pong table

No matter how old I (or my kid) gets I still love to watch this every year. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving if we didn't watch Snoopy and the rest of the Peanut gang.

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday night was our normal routine, Keanen's indoor soccer game. His team is now 4-0 which is really exciting. There is only 4 more games left so I hope their winning streak stay with them.

When we got home Keanen went to the school pep rally and dance for the start of the basketball season.

Saturday I was up before the sun, not sure why I was so restless. I got up feed all the dogs walked them just for a minute because it was cold. Did a little cleaning then decided I would cook an egg and sausage casserole for breakfast.

After breakfast we went to visit my mom and dad for a while to talk about the big Turkey Day coming up. I'm so excited I wish it was today, I can't stop thinking of about it.

Then we went grocery shopping for some of the food which makes my mouth water even more. And of course I've been watching every food program that I can about what is the best way to prepare the side dishes. I haven't drooled this much since I was a baby.

Mike and I had a date Saturday night, we saw a movie and went to dinner. When we got home I had big plans to relax in the hot tub for the evening but instead I sat down on the couch and my eyes closed and that was it for me. I won't even dare tell you what time that was because it was so early, but it was so early when I got up that morning.

Sunday I did more cleaning and laundry (Mike helped me), watched more cooking shows. Mike watched football. Keanen help his Papa due some work around his house. Sunday night we watched the long awaited 24 two hour movie that aired.

I think that wraps up our weekend.

A few things about Thanksgiving

Here's a few things about Thanksgiving I'd like to share with you.

This year I'll be hosting Thanksgiving. That means it's my first Thanksgiving Dinner I'll be cooking. I'm excited to take on this challenge. I cooked last year at Christmas and everything turned out great for my first big dinner.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holidays because it all about giving thanks. There is no pressure to buy and exchange gifts. Instead you can gather with your loved ones and just be thankful. I wish every holiday was like that.

Now you know we are dog lovers and they are just a little spoiled, just a little. And you have heard me talk about how the dogs get into the garden and eat the veggies, the neighbors pumpkins and they eat the corn out of the farm field behind us. Well, come to find out that's not so bad.

There are safe foods that you can share with your pets at the holiday.

Turkey - Yes turkey, if you take off the skin and fat it's fine for your pet.

Pumpkin - Pureed pumpkin but don't add sugar, if you'd like to add a little cinnamon that won't hurt. This is a good source of fiber and Vitamin A.

Sweet Potatoes and Yams - Healthy and yummy for your pet unless your pet has health issues because they are naturally sugary. So if your pet has diabetes and cancer avoid giving them these two items.

Cranberries - Fresh cranberries cooked are great for your pets' urinary tract but hold the sugar if you want to sweeten try Stevia instead.

Before & After

As the Holidays roll around it's a reminder of the blood, sweat and many, many tears we went through finding our house. We are slowly approaching our two year anniversary.



We knew what we wanted, finding it and getting it was another story. Every time we found a piece of land or the land and house it didn't work in our favor for what ever reason. Things became so bad that the realtor thought we had a jinx on us. Other realtors made jokes, wanting to use us to look and be interested in some of their properties that wouldn't sale. They thought once we looked and pretended to be interested they would sale (you know because we were jinxed).



It then came to the point when I would call to set up the appointment to just go look they would call me back right before the appointment time saying don't come the owners have accepted an offer. O.k., we can't even get to the looking stage and the rug is being pulled out from underneath us. I thought I can't handle this anymore, maybe we can look again in 6 months, I just need a break from the emotional ride we are on.



A week or so later an email came in about a house I'd looked at on line a while back. It was everything we were looking for it was perfect but at the time I brushed it to the side because the price was way to high. There was plenty of land, it was a custom built home with a lot of special items we would've wanted our home to have but cost would've played a role if we were building and could afford it.

In the email the realtor made sure she told me about the price reduction because they were moving and the house had not sold yet. She also pointed out I don't think we should waste time call me ASAP. I thought for a few minutes because I didn't want to get back on this ride again. That little voice in side me said this is a new home custom built, reduced in price, you loved it once when you looked at it on line here's your chance to finally see it, go for it! So I did. I made that call and we saw the house that night. The realtor knew we would love it and had the paper work ready that night.



I go home and that night and I had a dream. I dreamed about my gram (who is passed on) she comes to me at a pool side giving me a gift of warm fuzzy socks. (I always have cold feet) I'm so excited to have the socks and see her because not only does she give me these socks but she gives me this overwhelming sense of peace like everything is finally going to o.k. In the morning when I wake I'm crying, but it's a good cry. A cry of relief and that's when I knew we would get this house.

Because it's what they call a ReLo it took some time but we finally got the word one day CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW HOME! I think it was around Christmas but then all the paper work that goes with a ReLo it was still not till Feb. that we were moved in.

When we moved in all the walls were, I guess you could call them a tan and the custom molding is white. Very beautiful I thought but after a while I felt like I needed color and bold color so we painted. Here are some before and after pictures. Once we got done I thought why didn't I paint sooner what a difference this makes. I'll post more pictures of other area's in the next few days.

Looking at the front door entryway (before)

Standing at the front door in the entryway (after)

Looking down the long hall way (before)

Standing in the long hall way (after)

This is what I love to work on at home decorating,

I work slow changing it a million times but I finally will get it how

I want it driving everyone crazy in process.

First Big Snow Fall

Mike is in the shower before me, I know he's not leaving for a job site out of town? I wonder what time it is? What is he doing up before me? After he gets out and is turning on the t.v. to see the news he's telling me we got a lot of snow last night. What, SNOW! Snow, that's what he is doing up early, he has to shovel and plow the snow this morning. (he loves this stuff)

Mike then tells me things will be moving slow out there this morning so we need to get a move on it. First thing that goes through my mind is Keanen and school. Is there a delay or call off for school? Of course after listening to the radio there is a delay, ugh! As a working parent these are things you hate hearing.

Morning routine continues as normal but when I look outside I realize I have to get a picture of this. It was unbelievable we were buried in the prettiest, whitest and fluffiest snow, grab the camera turn it on and the message was - no card present. I looked all over for a card couldn't find one so no picture for the blog.

Looks like winter is on it's way!