Meet Sven!

Yep. That's a thing that happened last weekend.
Sven is (another!) DRNA rescue that was calling my name. He, like Lucy, came from Dachshund Rescue of North America and was staying in a foster home in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. (Lucy was in Ohio)
He is about 2, scruffy, and I think only part doxie. Which is fine with us. He is still long, and pretty low, but he is taller than his brother and sister and has weird ears that don't flap quite like theirs do when he shakes his head (and slap momma in the face!)
Sven rode home with me on an airplane and we have had him home for about a week now and so far so good. Oscar was a bit snippy the first few days, but he seems to have calmed down a bit and we have caught them all three playing together!
More on Sven and the rest of the "kids," later. I have yet to finish putting up our Christmas tree with 4 days to go...so I had better get on it!

10 on Tuesday...

For 10 on Tuesday this week I wanted to post 10 Christmas activities we will try and accomplish this year. a sort of "Christmas time bucket list," if you will.
I try and make one every season so that we don't forget anything! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. This year is busy, so we will see...

1. Decorations. This is the first Christmas in the new house, so my decoration plan from last year may or may not work As well. There is a lot more house this time, and a lot of rooms are still a hot mess...boxes and junk in them. But what I feel like are "must haves," are the two trees...
We have one large, seven footer, that houses all of our family ornaments, ornaments from trips, ornaments from my childhood. Etc. The other is the dog tree. It is only about four feet and holds all the doxie ornament. Yes. There are enough for an entire tree.
Christmas "Village." I'm not a huge fan of the little ceramic, light up houses. I want to do something a little more like our good friends, Stephan and Mary...who have an entire lego Christmas village! We started with the K'nex Ferris wheel and it looks awesome!!
Stockings, some outdoor lighting, Christmas card display, and possibly a 3rd tree. Haven't decided on the theme of that one yet. Maybe a color scheme...turquoise and black?? Or maybe a themed tree. Like skulls, or action figures/Legos.

2. Christmas town at Busch Gardens. Went last year, it rocked!

3. ICE at the Gaylord hotel at National Harbor. That was Christopher and I's first date...like not hang out at the Komar's house, but real, go somewhere, date... believe it or not! He came with all 3 kids and their parents. I knew he was a keeper after that!!

4. Send out Christmas cards BEFORE Christmas! Last year I put them in the mail on Christmas Eve. Slacker.

5. Baking. Baking. More baking! I'd like to have either a baking party with friends and co workers, or maybe a cookie exchange! Either one would be fun!

6. "Family" photo with Santa with all the dogs! And/or take Jackson to see Santa at fair oaks mall, because supposedly, Santa's whole area this year is done up like Elsa's ice palace from frozen!

7. Handmade ornaments/gifts for family and select friends. Started these a few weeks ago. I also want to handmade a tree skirt for my big tree.

8. Ugly Christmas sweater party! Christopher and I first MET at one of these. We hosted it last year, but I think the Komar's are going to be doing it this year and I'll help Gioia with games/prizes/food, etc

9. Briner family Christmas Eve traditional Chinese food. Love. Love. Love.

10. Get a new dog. Say what?? Whomp whomp. More on this soon.

Happy December, everyone!!

'Ello!

Hell 'ello there!
Number one...I got my laptop fixed. So I can pot legit pics now and actually finish the 25 blog posts that I have sitting, done...with no photos.
Number two...it's almost Turkey day. Which is basically almost Christmas. Time to make the holiday bucket list!
Number three...life is nuts. I love my new job, but I'm tired, y'all. Also we are getting a new dog and hosting a few parties I'm the next few months. Hang in there and bare with me!!

Soon to be Mrs....

So today was a day that I have been looking forward to for a long time!
My "baby," sisters bridal shower!
She's only been engaged since April. But I've known for-ev-er that she and Joshua were going to get married some day.
And that I'd obviously be her maid of honor (obviously!) and since party planning is my jam, I knew I'd most likely be the one throwing/hosting this shindig.
I'll be super honest, I'm exhausted right now. So this post won't be very long. I'll post at a later time about more of the details and definitely more photos.

A had some easy finger foods, desserts, and wine. Lots of wine.
I didn't go all out on the food because it was 2pm, so it's not lunch and its too early for an evening meal...so just snacks. And wine. Lots of wine. Lol.
My mom and my best friends helped with food. And Joshua's grandma made the cake.

I did some basic decorating. A cute sign out front, a few garlands and paper lanterns, and pretty table cloths, plates, silverware, etc.

I made the favors and prizes for the games. More on those later.

I had a henna artist come and do traditional mendhi designs on anyone who wanted them. My sister Erin, best friend Gioia, and dear friend Mary all got awesome hand pieces done! Some others got cute things on their wrists and arms. Me?
I had to do my shoulder because my work has a very strict no tattoo policy and I'm sure they wouldn't like this. Also I wash my hands 500,897 times a day...so it just made sense to do it up there so that it would stay longer!

We played just one game, because Hannah didn't want anything at all cheesy or awkward. She also hates to be the center of attention...which is kinda hard when you are the bride, but I tried.


Then we opened gifts and drank more wine. It was very low key and fun and I think everyone had a good time.

But like I said, I'm effing exhausted and I'm going to end this here. I will post most pics and details of what all I made, etc later.

Ill close this with a classic Briner girl photo. We really don't take good pictures, so we just eff it up on purpose. That's how we roll.

Goodnight!

Guilty as charged...

Text from a former coworker who lives near my house: Are you outside at 7am, spray painting something in your underwear?
Um. Me? No! Never.
Ok...guilty.

 Happy Friday!

10 on Tuesday...this week is weird...already...

I'm tired. I feel like it must be at least Thursday...but no. Nope. Definitely not.
Still Tuesday.
This week, well the last few days, have been really weird. Just strange things happening. Kinda bad stuff. Nothing life shattering. Just weird.
So my
10 on Tuesday is a list of weird things that have been going on.
Enjoy. And here's hoping that by writing this, I'm not jinxing myself to something weirder.

1. I've been in the medical field a long time. Since I was 16 and in EMT class. So 14 years. I'm no rookie ladies and gentleman. I've seen a lot of things that would make most people's stomach turn. All in a days works I suppose.
Well this week I saw something I've only heard about on those crazy "I survived..." Type TV shows. Flesh eating bacteria. The struggle is real, folks. This guy got a small cut in between his big toe and the next one and nearly lost his whole leg, and died! They cut the flesh away all the way to the bones and tendons in his whole foot. Then took a big chunk if thigh meat and replaced it. Ew. I can't even. It takes a lot to make me say ew, and I'll say it again...ew.

2. Three girls I know, from all different walks of life, lost their babies this week. Miscarriages. It's a hella sensitive subject so I won't go into detail. But THREE...in one week.

3. The moon has been so bright at night it wakes me up shining in the window. Maybe it's because the curtain fell down in our bedroom. But damn. I don't ever remember the moon being SO freakin bright! Maybe that's why everything around me is batshit.

4. My head...it doesn't hurt. That's just effing weird. Not that I don't welcome this change. Because I've got another issue going on now, but yeah. No headaches for about a week now.

5. My mom smashed her truck all up. She's ok. But her Highlander, not so much. Totally random and out of the blue this big SUV full of kids smashed into her. I can't ever remember my momma even being in a fender bender.

6. Oscar has never been a huge fan of thunder storms. He is ok if you are with him though. He just sits in my lap and everything's fine. No more. This week he has lost his shit every time we got a single clap of thunder. Crying, shaking, pacing. The whole nine yards. My poor boy. We got him a thunder shirt and I'm going to trying tonight, it didn't do shit for Lucy when she was having bad anxiety but they've been helpful for some of Hannah's dogs. At home and at the shelter.

7. I won a raffle at work and got a $25 gift card to Shell for gas. Now I'm in no way complaining about this. It's just weird. I never win anything. We are doing a food drive. For every 5 items you bring in, they put a ticket with your name in it in a drawing. I've been bringing food since I started there, and they draw weekly and nothin. Ill take it though. Woop woop.

8. I finished making, stuffed. Addressed and sent my baby sisters wedding invitations. She's just a baby! Er, she might have turned 25 over night. November 1 is coming SOO quickly ya'll!

9. The last two nights I've woken up out of a deep sleep and swore I heard one of Oscars pigs squeaking. Both dogs were fast asleep and Christopher was next to me. I don't know if I'm dreaming about squeaky pigs, or some spirit is in my house randomly squeaking them. If that's the case, I wish it would do something more useful, like clean the bathrooms.

10. All of this being said. I love my life. I have an amazing family and boyfriend. The perfect dogs. A beautiful home. A car that gets me from point A to point B reliably. Food in my belly. Clothes on my back. Life is good. Just weird.

so...it's been a while.

As I've said before, blogging on my ipad is near impossible. Especially for anything longer than a few lines and/or with pictures.
And that's my excuse.
I got a new job, actually...I got TWO new jobs in the last month. On August 4 I started at the GI office doing procedure scheduling.
It was ok. I didn't love it though. I did little to no clinical things, and the money wasn't really what I had expected.
I worked there two weeks when I got a call from another place, which I had applied and interviewed for back in June. I really thought I was a shoe-in for that job and was bummed when the nurse manager called and told me that they had chosen someone else because she had ortho experience.
Well. I went back in, spoke with the nurse manager and the physician who needed a new MA and boom! She hired me for her pain management docs, instead of the orthopedic docs.
I had previous worked for a pain doc/center...so I was familiar with things and it sounded perfect for me.
I started there on this past Monday. And I love it.
It's very close to home, the doctors and the rest of the staff are fantastic, and the money ain't too shabby either ;)
So, I've been busy learning everything there is to know about my new job, as well as resigning and wrapping up my old job, making Hannah and Joshua's invitations, and trying to maintain some kind if order in this house.
The struggle is real, guys. Laundry is a bitch, and our dishwasher is broken...so please don't stop by unannounced! Haha. You'll be in for a surprise! It's like something straight it of a "Hoarders," episode!
The dogs have been good. I can tell they miss me, but it's so much more enjoyable to spend time with them in the evenings when I have been away from them all day. It makes my patience seem a little stronger, and they get on my nerves a lot less.
Here are just a couple pics from the last few weeks. Nothing too exciting.

10 on Tuesday

So, I got a job.
I've been not working since September of last year.
For the record, I haven't been looking all this time.
I've been taking the time to get better, work on myself, and do some thing that I haven't ever had the time to do.
Kudos to my amazing boyfriend for keeping us above water for the last year. There is no way I would have survived without him.
I feel better than I have in 3 years. Also I'm getting sick of being home all the time. It's not like I can run around and do things, because I have no money.
It's kind of a catch 22. If you have a job, and money...then you don't have time to run around, get pedicures, paint murals, go on vacations, etc.
But when you don't have a job, you have plenty of time on your hands, but no money to accomplish anything.
I interviewed at 4 different places. I would have taken any one of these positions, and really one in particular made me so upset when I didn't get a call from them...but life moves on.

So my 10 on Tuesday this week is about work.
10 thoughts on working, finding work, and being happy with where you work.

1. Adult conversation. Wow. There is really something to say for being able to interact with adults everyday. I guess I just took this for granted before. Sometimes doctors or patients can be irritating, but man...when they Aren't around, you will miss them!

2. A regular schedule. I've been taking naps like a champ for 10 months. Part of that was because I was sick. 97 days of a migraine will do that to you. But I'm so happy to have a reason to get up and go to bed at a reasonable hour from now on. Also eating meals on a schedule will be amazing.

3. The best way to get a job, is to have a job. Period. People don't like to hire people who have been unemployed for a while, no matter the reason. So get out there and do something, anything.

4. Getting dressed for work every day is FUN! I mean, I have only worn scrubs to work, and a pretty basic uniform as an EMT...but it's something. It's so easy to fall into a yoga pants coma if all you do is hangout at home and maybe go to Walmart.

5. Be prepared. I've learned to show up with everything you could dream of in my bag, like Mary freakin Poppins. I went to an interview where they had lost my résumé, boom...I've got it. Also once I was asked to shadow another employee to see if I liked it. It was a holiday week and they weren't sure when they could squeeze it in. How about now? Boom...stethoscope. Rocked those patients like a hurricane.

6. Write legibly if filing out a paper form once you arrive at the employer. Even though I had the resumes sent to me via email, I used to ask people to do a paper application because I wanted to see that handwriting. If its awful, guess what...not going to happen.

7. Leaving  those dogs/kids behind. I love my dogs more than anything. However, my patience with them lately has been running thin. It's hard to deal with two hyperactive dachshunds 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. A little time apart will do us good!

8. I feel like I have a purpose again. I've been a bump on a log for a while now. I hate that.

9. New people, new skills, new environment. Amazeballs. I working in a specialty that I've never done anything remotely close to, ever.

10. Relax. No need to panic. You've got this. (Or at least that's what I keep telling myself!)

10 on Tuesday

And it's Thursday...don't hate.
I got a job this week, and took care of a cranky Jax for 4 days. Woot.

Anyway. Now that we are back from Massachusetts, I've kind of turned my focus into cleaning up from being on vaca, but also our home.
So in honor of our little abode, lets do 10 things/projects I want to complete in our house ASAP. Preferably before my sister's bridal shower here in September.

1. Paint/have someone paint the living room. I haven't decided on a color yet, but this flat...builder grade crap has got to go. The ceilings are vaulted in there, so it's likely that ill pay someone to do it because I'm not trying to climb up 10 feet and paint.

2. Hang up gallery wall of family pics and artwork in said living room. I had a small gallery wall at the old house, but this time I can go big, and I can't wait!

3. Make our bedroom super comfortable but also fantastic to look at. I have a head and footboard that someone gave us, but it needs to be sanded and painted. So I'd like to fix that, put up black out curtains, and repair our bedside tables black or charcoal grey. New bedding might be in our future as well. I bought a duvet cover at Ikea, but I'm not 100% on it. I might use that in the gust room instead.

4. Paint the downstairs bathroom and hang up art work, etc. I have a theme, color, and shower curtain in mind...just need to move forward with it.

5. Have something done with this lawn. Good god. There are weeds in the back that are as tall as the deck. Also, I feel bad for our mail lady, because its mega overgrown down by the mailbox and she has to reach through it to  get our mail in.

6. Paint the kitchen, with one wall as a huge chalkboard using chalkboard paint. The other walls will probably end up some shade of turquoise. Hang curtains on sliding glass door.

7. Paint dinning room table and chairs. Table black, chairs red, turquoise and apple green. Likely with chalk paint. I hear that's good stuff. Boom.

8. Fix pavers in the front. It looks like a drunk man laid them. There are 3 different kinds of pavers and they go every which way.

9. Find or build a platform/storage bed for the Guest room. Right now it's just a mattress on the floor, which is fine for Hannah and josh to come over, but not so much for the in laws, or anyone older than 25.

10. Redo the insulation upstairs. Our home inspector guy, Paul, told us that it wasn't the greatest. Barely passes inspection. And it gets so freakin hot up here. W crank the AC at night and have a fan. I'm sure it will be chilly up here in the winter. Which I'm ok with, but it's not good for our checking account when we have to work so hard to keep it comfortable up here. Also, we want babies sometime soon, and they would be sleeping in the room across from ours up here, and babies like comfortable temps.

A vacation from our vacation!

I started a half million posts about Disney. Reviews on hotels, food, parks...what we packed, what to never leave home without, best souvenirs.
Well...they're all still sitting in blog format on blogger. Why?

I needed a vacation from vacation! Disney is wonderful and fun and millions of happy memories...but it's freakin exhausting!

So I've been working on getting all of our vaca laundry done, continuing to turn the house into our "home," playing with my dawgs, playing with the kids, and oh...planning another vacation.
Say what?

Christopher has a meeting in Boston at his main office this week. And we decided to drive up together, he will leave me at his parents in Gloucester, and then he will join me in a few days and we will send the rest of the week on our New England vacation.


While I am really missing work and have been on several interviews lately, trying to find something full time and comfortable for me, this is one advantage of not working right now. This is the third time in less than a year that I've been able to come with him for a work thing :)
Next week, back to the grind though. Full time job search, house cleaning, and hopefully blog updating?!!

Have a great week, and I'll smell ya later. Also if you are a creeper and think my home is empty right now, eff you, I'm way ahead of ya? I write a week behind because of assholes like you!

10 on Tuesday

Going to try and start a weekly count to ten on whatever I'm doing or thinking at the time.
I'm a chornic list maker, so this should be amazing.

Anyway, this week we are vacationing on the north shore of Massachusetts. My mouse is from here and it's pretty sweet, but I've noticed some things that are super different about the area, as compared to the dirty south.

Here we go.

Ten things I've learned about people on the North Shore.

1. People love to take an enormous old home and break it up into apartments. Seriously, huge house, 8 mailboxes on the porch. I've seen this maybe 4 times in my life in oth regions, but here, it's a thing.

2. Air conditioning, optional. Ugh. FMLx 1000. We have been to two resturants where it was easily 100 degrees inside. Also Christopher's childhood room has AC, but the rest of the house does not. When I leave his room and walk into the hallway, my glasses fog up. This shit doesn't fly down south.

3. Politics, like whoa. Maybe this is more prominent here's in this home because his brother and mom are so into them. But it's all on TV, and political signs everywhere. I mean, they do this in the south, but it just seems so extreme here.

4. Mosquitoes have giant teeth or something. You would think southern bugs would be worse, but I'm here to tell you, I've never had a hurtin like these Mass mosquitoes have put in me this week.

5. Restaurants available on every corner: pizza/sub places, Dunkin. Period. Not a lot of Thai or Chinese. A lot fewer chain places.

6. Alphabet and phonics, optional. The ways that words are pronounced baffles me. I know I have a little bit of a drawl, but in general, I pronounce words the way that they are spelled. Example...the town of Peabody. North Shore'ers say Peabiddy, rhymes with PDiddy. Weird.

7. Big dogs. We went it the dog park today and we were the only ones in the "small dog, " section. Seems most people around here have big old furry pups. Also, I have not seen one wiener dog the whole time. Usually I see one walking around at home at least once every few days. Must not be as popular here I don't know why not...they're the best.

8. Totally appropriate to wear beachwear into stores and restaurants. Even when pretty far inland.  To each his own.

9. Giant is called Stop and Shop and I don't like it.

10. Seafood everywhere. Even fast food places and roadside carts have good seafood. At home, you sure as hell don't order seafood from a non-seafood restaurant unless you have a death wish.

Five months and counting.

So...if you aren't local and don't follow me on Facebook...let me be the first to tell you the amazing news that my "baby," sister Hannah is getting married to Joshua!

I couldn't be happier for these two, and I cannot wait to stand next to my sister as she marries the love of her life. She is so beautiful and amazing and happy. And Joshua ain't so bad himself. I just love these two jerks.

So...November 1 is the day! And that's only FIVE months from today! 

While her and my mom are doing the majority of the planning, I still feel like I have a lot to do! I'm throwing her an amazing bridal shower in our new home...and I can't wait!!

Anyway, I took them to BJ's the other day. They wanted to look at some things and price them for the wedding. And I just went along because

A) I'm the maid of honor

B) I'm the one with the BJ's membership.

A bought silverware, Coke in glass bottles!, hand sanitizer for the bathroom area (the fanciest ports potties youve ever seen!) and a case of Red Bull. Next time we will probably get more drinks, cups, plates, and napkins.
The financial aspect of wedding planning is easier if you do it a little at a time over months. 

Here they are looking at stuff. 

Love them :)

I've fallen and I can't get up!

Ok so maybe I've been a little harsh on everyone I've met for the last 30 years that was OBSESSED with Disney.
I've been twice before, and I guess I had forgotten how simply amazing this place is
 I've fallen...for Disney...and hard!
We all have :)
More in Disney and my reviews on all of it later!!!
Happiest place on earth, y'all!

My very first migraine.

I can remember having these headaches in my early adult years...in college I remember breaking down after a three day battle with the beast (that's what I sometimes call the headache,) and asking the one roommate that I did not get along with to please, please take me to a hospital before I lost my shit...again.
I remember staying home from high school because of them. I remember puking and loosing my vision in 4th and 5th grade when I was going through puberty and my hormones were all out of whack.
But my very FIRST memory of a headache, I was about four I think. I know this because I remember my sister Erin being there, but not Hannah. And Hannah was born when I was five.

I remember my mother being there, and it was the late eighties...because my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and my dad all still smoked in the house. Eww. But seriously, it was the eighties...and while it wasn't like Mad Men, with everyone smoking in offices and all Betty Draper-chain smoking while pregnant, it was much more accepted and done in buildings than it is today.
I hated the smell, but loved being at the farm. I distinctly remember hating that my clothes and hair smelled that way after leaving the farm or my grandparents office.

It must have been a holiday, everyone was there eating and I couldn't manage even mashed potatoes. I felt so awful.
I got up from the dinner table without asking and my mom asked me to sit down. She didn't know I was feeling yuk yet. My Ma said I could come and sit with her if I wanted...and I did.

After everyone finished eating, I went into the front guest bedroom and curled up in a chair...it was a comfy, upholstered arm chair. It smelled like cigarettes.
I laid there for hours and my mom said that she thought I was probably getting strep throat, because I always got a headache when I had strep.
Well, it wasn't my throat. It was my first encounter with the beast. After a 4 hour nap, I woke up and was fine. Strep throat, and most other illnesses do not go away with sleep.

It wasn't until years and years and years later that I realized that I had a migraine at age 5. Not until I was an adult and was asked by my neurologist at the time how long I'd had the headaches.

So that's it. The beginning of my journey from a migraine triggered by cigarette smoke as a five year old to where I am today...30 with a chronic, every day headaches/migraines.

Good morning momma!

Curtain love

I'm totally smitten with these new curtain panels that I found on the Target website!
So perfect, and cheap too!
They are actually shower curtains. I was able to get 5, 72x72 inch panels for under $100 with rings and pull backs as well!
Shower curtains can be expensive (I saw some at Disney that were $140,) but they can easily be found in fun patterns and textures for under $20 each if you keep your hopes up and keep on searching!
I was convinced that these very expensive Anthro curtains were the only thing that would work in my living room, but I'm so glad that I kept at it and funded these!!
I also have an extra one that can be used to make pillows for the couch! You couldn't even buy a nice piece of fabric for pillows for the $16 I paid! AND there is enough for tons of pillows with room to spare!
Good luck out there! Keep your eyes open!

God save the king!

Writing prompts, good? Bad? Indifferent?

I've seen a few blogs where some writers use writing prompts to spark a good story, or an interesting read.
I kind of like the idea.
I took creative writing and journalism in high school. I loves writing. I still do. Almost as much as I love reading!
Same goes for my blog. I love love love reading a good blog. I will sit there and read every entry ever once I find a good one!
I'd like for my blog to
 a) tell my story, let it out, and let it go,
b) be a source for my friends and family to keep up in what we are doing and
c) be a good read!
So since my life is fairly boring, I think I might start using prompts once and a blue moon...just for funsies and to generate some really random, fun stories about moments in my life.
Have an amazing Thursday everyone!!
Today is our last day at Disney and we are up and at it early today to make this last day count!! Wahoo!
Look for prompted writing in the days to come!

Happy Hump Day!

We are all feeling a little goofy down here :)
Happy Wednesday!!

Guess where we are?!?

The Happiest place on earth!!!! Wahoo!!
A million pics and reviews to follow!

Currently...

Eating: not much. Nauseous as hell today. Thanks migraine.

Loving: this house. Every inch of it.

Listening to: Eli Young band, Macklemore, 90's on Sirius

Should be: finishing packing for Disney World in 4 days.

Missing: working, no...I'm serious.

Watching: Orange is the new black, Grey's anatomy, Royal Pains, Mad Men, Call the midwife on BBC.

Feeling: stressed

Jax is two!

Happy second birthday to our sweet baby nephew, Jax.
I loved you before I met you, and I always will. You and your brothers have made my life so bright and shiny.
Mouse and I are lucky to have you.

New house shenanigans

 With all my favorite boys. Mario Kart and pizza.

Yup...

Da fuQ?

This evil looking thing and ten of its brothers have been crawling up my house.
I looked it up, it's just some kind of moth caterpillar. But seriously. The stuff nightmares are made of.
Good defence tactic, bro. Well played.

Beware of the dog(s)

So, I think the dogs and I are in love with their new, outside accommodations.

 So...Oscar has lived in a home where we could just open the door and let him out for most of his little life. In Chicago we had a tiny backyard in a condo/townhouse complex and he could just last out there and sun himself all day long of he wanted.
Then we moved to my parent house in Virginia. They have 6 dogs and 1/4 acre of fenced in goodness.
When Christopher and I were looking to rent about a year and a half ago, we made Oscar our priority and knew we couldn't live in an apartment with him comfortably (his legs are 3 inches long...he doesn't do stairs all that well.)
So we found our cute little rental house, and it did have a big yard. But no fence. We planned on building a small pen off of the back door. Well...that never happened. The back door was broken and very hard to lock/unlock. So we just ended up walking him on the leash. Rex too. And then Lucy.
For a while, I let Oscar out offleash. Unfortunately there was a cat chasing incident, and he lost his privileges.
Also. Our neighbors and their children in Manassas were horrible. The kids were constantly in my yard or the yard next door of a home that was abandoned. Ain't no dachshunds got time for that. I didn't trust the kids not to bother him while he was out there, or a cat, etc. and he would just be barking non stop anyway.
Fast forward to April 2014 and we are looking to buy our first home. This time, we had to wieners...and I was totally done with the damn leash. Lucy is a terrible leash walker and honestly, I just didn't want to do it anymore. Even though Christopher does 99% of the actual walks, I was the one home with them all day and having to leash up for potty runs.
So we found our amazing little home of my dreams. On a whole acre. Surrounded by farms. We also had three, count them...three functioning doors with locks.
We do have some fencing...but it's mostly broken and there it does not completely lock the yard down.
So I ordered these two x-pens at the suggestion of my dear friend, Michelle. A build a 16 foot circle at the bottom of our deck steps

Having sisters.

Since my last post was about family, I thought I'd bring it home and end up the weekend talking about some other super important family members. I know I've said this before, but they rock my world...my two little sisters, Erin and Hannah.

119 pages could be written on how awesome each of them is, and how much they mean to me, but ill spare you.

I just wanted to share one little thing that has been happening this week as I am still unpacking boxes, cleaning, and putting together our home.

I've found at least 4 pairs of underpants. Not mine.

One might think I'd yell at Chris, accusing him of something serious. I don't. Not at all. Not one bit.

You see, I grew up with two sisters. My home had girls underpants from one end of it to the other. Erin and I are only 20 months apart, so roughly the same size. Now our mom is basically the same size too.
It's never been easy to keep whose is whose straight, and even though I've been out in my own and the three of us haven't lived together under one roof (except for briefly after my divorce,) for almost 10 years...their stuff, uncluding underpants is still mixed in here and there.
As I'm sure mine is with theirs at home.
Life is good. Sisters are good. Underpants are good. And I seriously doubt things will ever change.
Here's to sisters.

Happiest of Father's Day!

Oscar and I just want to take a hot minute and say happy happy happy Father's Day!

I happened to be born to the most amazing dad in the world. He loves unconditionally, no matter how ridiculous I have been in the last 30 years...is likely the not person on this planet who can have me belly laughing in 1.3 seconds...is an amazing artist, athlete, and one of the smartest people I know.

He also has been an true example of what a provider is/does. He has worked 2 and 3 jobs to support us, ridden a bicycle to work in all weather when he had a car issue when I was little, worked jobs he hated, worked through sickness and pain...and gives the world to my mom and us three girls.

I can't say enough about my dad...so I won't try to say it all or I'll be here for a week.
Thank you for being you, daddy. I couldn't imagine my life with out you.

Also a super happy Father's Day to my Daddad. He is 87 years of amazing. From such an early age in life, he pushed and aimed high to get what he wanted out of life. He is amazingly strong and I watched as he took such good care of my Ma. The love of his life...and he did it better than any nurse or nursing home I've ever known. I would not be who I am today if I hadn't been a "Daddad's girl," from day one. I love you so much and can't wait to see you tomorrow :)

My bad...

So it seems a month may have flown by and I haven't posted on this blog, barely checked my email, and might have moved 30 miles west to God's country...

That's right! Back "home," in Fauquier county! Also...no longer renting! This bad boy is all ours :)

It's not been easy...moving tries every little bit of patience that you thought you had. It tests your physical strength and ability in ways that will make you cry...ugly cry. Parts of you will hurt that you had no idea you could injure. I pulled a muscle in my chest, ya'll...for real?!?

Mentally and emotionally, we have been test as well. I think we have fought more in the last month than we ever have. I've cried at least once a day about stink bugs, furniture placement, closet space, trash pick up and a broken freezer.

Now that we have been here a little over a week...and the Manassas house is empty, clean, and keys have been handed off to the landlord...I feel much better. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of our shoulders.
I feel comfortable walking around this joint in as little or as much clothing as I feel necessary...no close neighbors, no worries. I feel excited to plan for paint colors, new furniture, and finding all of
our treasures.
I can tell the difference in Christopher as well. He drives a little bit further to work, but honestly...it doesn't take him much longer than it did to get out of Manassas during rush hour! Literally no traffic until he gets to Manassas. He is enjoying doing little projects around "his house." Ahh it feels good just to type those words.
The dogs are SOOO much happier. No kids screaming or bouncing basketballs against our house ( don't get me started...ughhhhh) and an acre of land of explore. We don't hear our neighbors every move anymore. Only their roosters, and that's just fine with us!!!

So yeah, moving suck ass. It's fucking hard work and at more than one point, I really thought we would have been better just staying in Manassas. But seriously...seriously ya'll...I love this house. I don't ever want to leave!!!

I'll end this with some cute pics of the doglets...lovin on their new home!

Ticks me off!

...and then life came and kicked my ass again.
A tick. Lone star tick. Little asshole. And all of the drama that comes with it.
Back pain.
Fever.
Worsening migraines.
Sweating.
Ugh.
Two positive blood tests and two weeks of doxycycline. Eff.
Everything I've read says ill need more antibiotics, likely a month or more.
I already have autoimmune issues, so this is scary as hell.
Fuck ticks. They're gross and scary. And now my back hurts as bad as my head.
Oh and as I mentioned before, I'm totally off of pain meds. Uggggggggh.

Taking control...

Six weeks ago, I was admitted to the hospital in the middle of a two week migraine with a heart rate of 170. Wowzers.
Since then I've kinda decided that I needed get some shit under control.
Life is hard. Down right shitty sometimes.
But you can't just let it knock you down. I mean you can. Or you can choose to kick it in the ass. And that's the choice I made.
How? Well...
1. Gave up caffeine
2. No alcohol (wasn't drinking much to begin with)
3. Less gluten, working on becoming gluten free
4. No pain meds at all
5. Current meds are topamax, verapamil, propranolol, cymbalta, buspar, aspirin everyday
6. As needed meds are phenergan, benedryl, zanaflex and naproxen
7. Essential oils for pain, nausea, calming, etc
8. PTSD and regular counseling
9. Art therapy

I think that's it. It's more than enough. Ugh. Most days I still feel like shit, but I've lost 13 pounds and my jeans fall straight off of my ass. Good news I suppose. I wish the weight would come off of the ol'  belly.
I've been trying really hard to at least get myself in a better place to deal with pain. That's 400% of my problem. It's like I get to a certain point of pain and I flip because I can no longer deal and I shut down.
So anyway.
That's all I got. It's been 6 weeks with 1 ER visit for a dislocated shoulder, not a migraine.
Woop.

Back to back...lean on me.

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on.
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on.

To my mouse...

There are a million things I want to say about this guy. And right now, the only word that just keeps repeating itself in everything I try and write is "amazing." 

It's true. Everything he does is amazing. I don't love that he makes a mess of the kitchen, and of course we fight, but in general...life with him makes sense and its amazing ;) 

So while I could keep writing about things he does or doesn't do, and all of the little things I love, or his many accomplishments in the last 28 years, I won't.

I'll end just by saying

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTOPHER 

I loves you!

Lions and Tigers and Elephants!!! Oh my!

I took Christopher to the circus last year for his birthday, his first time ever at age 27!
Not just any circus. Ringling Brothers you all. Greatest show on earth!!!

We had a great time, and probably were amazed and laughed more than most of the kiddos there! We ate our weight in cotton candy and junk food and wore funny hats and stayed up until 0330 because damnit, we are adults! Haha.

Anyway. When I saw that it was coming back to town near his birthday week again, I asked if he wanted to go. I didn't even really need to ask, I knew the answer :)
But he said, "we should bring Monkey."
Yeah!! He will love it. Hmm. Or he will scream the whole time. Hard to tell with a two year old. Yikes.
Thank bananas he loved it! He laughed and clapped and danced the whole time!! He flipped the eff out for elephants, and "cycles." The kid loves his motorcycles! Just like his Mom and Dad!!

Here are some crappy phone pics. Sorry so ass-tastic. The photos are already kinda blurry, and then I had to take a pic of them with my phone.
1. Just us, last year.
2. All 3, this year.
3. Monkey and I, this year :)

From a fellow spoonie...

Just having one of those days, and received this from a fellow spoonie.
Fit my day perfectly and gave me a little laugh so I thought I'd share.

Crazy Lucy faces...

My two idiots

Love these two idiots, really I do.

Painsomnia...

Painsomnia has been looming again here lately.
Combine chrinic every day migraine with chronic other auto immune craptastic etuff including joint pain, nerve type pain, etc...
and add in a tear in the rotator cuff and you get painsomnia.

Doctors ignore it. Hell, I try to ignore it.
But it's very real my friends.
Just thought I'd give that quick update.

And someone who doesn't ignore it, and is always good for a 2am chat...
Mr. Oskie Roo

Babies no likey...

...when Momma goes away!!
I was in the hospital for 2.5 days for some migraine related shit (again!) ugh!
I'm feeling better now and I'm in some new drugs, and hoping for some relief. I'm changing direction in my treatment plan and I think things will improve. Fingers crossed.
As much as I hated being there, there were 2 little furry babies that hated it even more, and definitely let me know that as soon as I got home.
Oscar especially would not leave my side!!

Thrifty Thursday

It's been a LONG time since I've posted any thrifty/yard sale finds.
Honestly, winter time is rough. No yard sales, and no extra cash.
Anyway...I was sick as a dog the past week...and my momma took me out for some necessary items at Walmart and we stopped by a new thrift shop in town on the way home.
I was too sick to do too much browsing, but I did find THIS for 50 cents. Perfect for Mouse House Christmas!
I actually put it up on the front door last night, because I'm not done with my spring wreath...and it's so cute.
Love love love my Christmas Mousch!!

Fast and furious...

...snow storm.
Literally. We left our house and it was coming down, but it wasn't even sticking to the road or grass. Came back less than three hours later.
Boom.
Middle of March, fast and furious snow. Wowza.