Just Another Hump Day.

Exercise"
0 miles

Couldn't do it. Just couldn't. My hamstrings are so tight. Just walking is a pain...literally. I started jogging on the treadmill....but it was torture. I knew today wasn't going to be a "good" day for that. I know I should rest my legs after a 10 miler...but I already took all my rest days. That's what I get for taking Monday off. I shouldn't have.

The boys had sooooo much fun yesterday. They swam. They played. They did everything. Boys and Girls Club....awesome choice. They went back today. Matthew's only gripe....they don't give "seconds" during lunch and breakfast. Oh, please! So I told him to take a snack if he was starving. He didn't. Dork.

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. Bobby asks what I want to do tomorrow. Nothing. We don't have the funds...well, we will, but it's already spent for bills. We have to save.....that includes our anniversary. Maybe we can go to the movies. The boys will be at the "club" so we might go see the DaVinci Code or something. I don't know. We just don't have the money. At least he's home for it. He's usually somewhere where the government takes him and it's usually our anniversary or my birthday.

Right now, I wait for Bobby to get ready so we can go and pick up his uniform. It kind of sucks to be able to not get up and go wherever I want and not worry if I'm wasting gas or money. And driving on post drives me insane because it sucks up a good $5-$10.

Eric "Skywalker"

Eric wants his hair to grow out and look like this!!

We'll see......

Boys and Girl's Club

Exercise:
10.01 miles=7-8mph, 81:30 minutes, 0 incline

I almost didn't run this morning. I'm just stressed out and depressed from always being broke. We have no idea when this will let up. I might get a job...but then where would Lauren go? What's the use of getting a job if all the money goes into daycare? That's my dilemma. I could babysit...but I won't go there. UGH!`

Today, the boys joined the Boys and Girls Club of America. They were so excited. Heck, I was excited. The summer program is FREE. The breakfast and lunch is FREE. And if they decide to stay with the club it's only $10 a year. A YEAR! Now the boys can play constructively without driving me nuts about being bored. They won't hoard the TV all day...no video games, no cartoons. They can swim all day if they want. This club they are at has a natatorium so they get to swim and swim and swim. That means.....EXERCISE! That is what they need. Matthew especially. Kid is chubbin' out. Anyway, around 5:30pm, I'll go back and pick them up. A whole day of peace. They can call me if they get tired. They might. But I doubt it.

Yesterday, we didn't do anything much besides that morning's trip to the park and parade. Nothing special.....not even an outside grill out. All of our friends are in TN or in Iraq, so no parties to go to which was a good thing, I guess. Bobby did make hamburgers on the indoor grill. LOL! We did play a round of Life but didn't get to finish because it was the boys' bed time. Actually it is my bed time so they have to go to bed when I do.

Purple Collar People Biter?

Exercise:
A stroll along the walking path at the park....approximately 1.25 miles. We had to stop because Daisy was getting "lazy".

Well, I didn't run. I got dressed. Did the normal routine. Then thought to myself..."This is a holiday. Most people take time off and enjoy holidays. Why can't I?" So, I turned around, after drinking my coffee and my usual stuff, and got back in bed. I slept in until 6:45am!!! That is late for me. I got the "brood" up and we all went down to the park. They had a Memorial day parade. They were supposed to have a whole bunch of stuff going on but there was nothing else. No jumping contraptions, no booths, nothing. In the paper it looked like it would have been a "big" deal. Even the parade was approximately..what?..2 seconds long. LOL!

Anyway, we brought Daisy with us too. We have discovered that she is very "leary" of people. She growled at my Mom. She was hesitant with Bobby's brother but was okay with his parents. She was all happy with Brett and Breanne. So when we went to the park and all the people who saw her were like, "Look at the cute puppy. Can we pet her?" Sure, we say. Well, she would start to cower and hide. She growled at a few people. THE TOTAL OPPOSITE OF HEIDI. Totally! Where as Heidi loved to be loved by people. She loved people's attentions. She was, as I called it, aggressively happy. If you didn't give her attention, she'd take it from you. Not Daisy. She's content to hide under your feet. The only time she didn't growl was when this "little girl", about 2-3 years old, came to her. Daisy was still fearful but let the little girl touch her. Yes, Daisy needs some serious people socialization....BIG TIME! We don't want a people biter. No way, no how.

It Felt Like a Saturday

Exercise:
6 miles=65 minutes, 0-10 incline, 4-7mph

Today, I wasn't all into running this morning. I've exercised for 5 straight days because I took Sunday for a rest day and Monday I felt sick to my stomach. So today it was lots of walking and jogging. I ran maybe 10 minutes out of the whole thing.

We weren't home much yesterday. We went and saw the movie X-Men: The Last Stand. It was good but not great. I was so mad that they killed off some very important characters. I don't remember that in the comics. But I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Kelsey Grammar was the Beast. LOL! He did a good job too. We were going to the see the very first movie. But when we got there, the parking lot was busy. Uh-oh! I couldn't believe it. When we got in line, the first movie and the second were already sold out. Dang it! So we bought tickets for the 12:30pm show, went home to eat lunch, and then came back. Uh-oh, again! The parking lot was then so full that we had to park out in the boonies! I've never, ever, ever had to do that! Then when we got into the theater, we had to sit in the second row. IN THE FRONT! My God. Now that sucked!

Well, we got home. Boys went out to play. Bobby goes online and discovers that the dress shirts he ordered haven't been shipped. Um, now he panicks. So I tell him we should just go see if we can find some in these rinky-dink army shops. (We have to agree that "this place" should have more decent army shops. They don't. Where as Ft. Campbell, which is a smaller post comparative to this one, has some "rockin'" army shops.....Eagles of War and the US Cavalry. When clothing and sales doesn't have it, someone should. Not here.) Well, we lucked out, and went to...can't remember the name...a "rinky-dink" and he found everything he needed. So, we didn't have to worry about that. We come home and he cancels his order that he previously made. But later, around 7pm, I realize that while we were out and about, we forgot to get his dress uniform. Darn it! Now Bobby is peeved! So hopefully, this morning, alterations will be open so he can pick it up...just so he can drop it back off again with his patches!!

Anyway, later that evening, we pulled out the old Monopoly and we played a game for an hour before the boys went to bed. As usual, Matthew won. Kid has a lucky "streak" or something. On his 7th birthday, he won 3 Nintendo Gamecubes. He just seems to win. I know he doesn't cheat. He does lose sometimes but wins most of the time. Weird.

Anyway, that was most of our day yesterday. Today, my Mom comes down and is visiting and will stay until tomorrow.

That is all for now. Ta-ta till then.

The Partaking of Fat and Sugar

Exercise:
7.03 miles=63 minutes, 6-7mph, 0-3 inclines

Man, oh man! I stood on my treadmill and thought that I really didn't want to run. I really didn't. I was jealous that all the men in this house get to sleep in. Why don't I? Because I've been overweight and lost most of it....and they haven't. I hope Lauren will never have to go through that. Right now she is "skinny Minnie".

But anyway, I did do it. The first 20 minutes is always the hardest. That is when most people give up. Don't! That is when you body adjusts and goes into "fat burn" and the adrenaline kicks in and you get that "high".

Well, last night....or should I say late yesterday afternoon we went to CiCi's Pizza. I only had 4 slices but I over-"partook" of the brownies and cinnamon rolls. Mmmm! Oh, and Matthew had to bring home all the cookies that I bought for his class! What??? The teacher could have kept them for herself or given them in goody bags or something. But don't give those unhealthy things back to me! Please don't. But she did. So now I have a butt-load of generic Oreo's and chocolate chip cookies sitting on my kitchen table.....just "screaming" at me to eat them. Can't you hear them? My God! Okay, I admit. I OVER-"partook" of the chocolate chip cookies. I couldn't help it. I really didn't.

Then last night, we had family night. Instead of playing Life or Monopoly, it was too late and those games would have lasted forever, we chose to play cards. Go Fish!, that is. And I must say that was the most fun I have had in a long time. How could a plain jane card game be so much fun? I don't know. We played two games before going to bed. Maybe it was the antics of Eric and Matthew...they were so goofy. LOL! But I will say, I wouldn't mind playing again tonight.

Pat-A-Cake

Lauren has learned to clap her hands! She can roll it, pat it, mark it with a B, and put it in the oven for her......Mommy!!

She does it for me, for Bobby and the boys, and just now was caught doing "it" for Daisy! LOL! All you have to do is sing the song and the clapping begins...............

Out Of School

Exercise:
7.02 miles=62 minutes, 0-2 incline, 6.5-8mph

Hmm? What is there to talk about? Well, today is the boys' last day of school. It will be a half day. I'll take them for their annual out-of-school ice cream cone and annual out-of-school trip to Chuck E. Cheese to play the games. I don't know how I'm going to pull it off since we have Lauren now. It will be her nap time when they get out of school. Hmm? Maybe I'll have Bobby take them instead and I stay home with Lauren. That's if Lauren is still asleep. I might put her down early for her nap. We'll see.

Lauren is now able to sort of cruise around the furniture while standing. It is slow and not so noticeable.

Not so much happening. Same old, same old.

I might have more to talk about later................

The Graduate!

Eric and his favorite teacher, Mr. P.!

Shout AT the Devil!

Exercise:
7.52 miles=64 minutes, 0-1 incline, 7-7.2mph

I can't get this song out of my HEAD! I have not heard this song in ages. I don't know how many times I sang it in my head while running. Can you imagine? Over an hour?? UGH! And it still goes on......

Maybe it's the fact that I've been watching waaaaay to much VH-1. It's a month of METAL, ya know. I guess it all started when I watched the show SUPERGROUP. I see Sebastian Bach. I think of SKID ROW. Then I go back in time when I was in high school. I start thinking of OZZY. Then I think of METALLICA. Can't forget BON JOVI. GUNS-N-ROSES. Yes! Well, somewhere down rememorabilia road comes MOTLEY CRUE. I once remember thinking they were disgusting. Eeeeek! I was too busy with my infatuation with DURAN DURAN. I was into all things DURAN DURAN. I worshipped DURAN DURAN. Lord forbid, that someone should speak negatively against Simon, John, Nick, Roger and Andy. (Yes, I remember their names. I'm not that old!) Oh yes...back in the day..........

I'm going off topic here. SHOUT AT THE DEVIL! Metalmania. MOTLEY CRUE. They were never my favorite band but I did own an album or two. Wait! Maybe it was my friend Laura who subliminally put it in my head. She mentioned Nikki Sixx in her blog. Yes, it had to be her. Okay, who knows but that darn song is haunting my brain! Errrrr!

And I'm hungry like a woooooooolf! (Okay! I tried.)

Shout! Shout! Shout AT the deviiiiil..........

CORRECTION~"Just Another Manic Monday"

Bobby said he had 2 sausage patties! He just thought you all should know...................

Come!

Yeah right! Stupid puppy! We are having a hard time teaching her this command. She'll come when she wants too.

You let her outside to do her "business", you wait, she's done, you tell her to "come". She looks at you with a "twinkle" in her eye and "wild hair" up her butt. She takes off. You call "come". She stops, cocks her head to the side, her ears flop over. You move toward her and as you reach to grab her....she takes off. Errrr! You wait. Again, "come", as you think of ways to beat the living daylights out of her. Again she stops. She wags her tail, she lowers the front of her body as her "tail end" is up in the air. Oh, she is just enjoying this. Stupid puppy! I walk up the stairs to the back door. She follows. I open the door and grab a puppy treat that I have conveniently sitting by the door. I show it to her. She gets closer. I reach to grab her. She jumps off the lower step and "away she goes". Argh! Kill the puppy! I've given up on the chase. "Fine. Stay outside" I think to myself. And as I go inside she follows me. She sits by the door. And she waits for her treat (because she sat by the door which I've been training her to do). I give it to her. She walks inside...."as easy as you please". Yeah, she's gonna die today. LOL!

Da Bears!

Exercise:
10.06 miles=82 minutes, 0 incline, 7-7.7mph (I started off on the "right" foot but by the end of the run....my legs were large pieces of lead and my legs felt like they would break.)

Matthew is now a Bear Cub which means I need to go and buy his hat and book and we can start on his Bear badge. He's looking forward to this. (I have to get Eric's green belt too.)

Well, last night was a bit hectic. Bobby and I drove in both vehicles. We all got to the school and sat down. We were a bit early but that was okay....lots of people milling about. By the time the "official" pack meeting started, Bobby had to drive Eric to his Scout meeting. Bobby made it back just in time for the "cross-over" ceremony. LOL! That was a bit rushed but then this pack is enormous. Poor Andy (the cub master) was trying to "do his best" to get everyone crossed over so we could eat cake and go home. Yeah, I had 3 pieces...but they were so friggin' small. I forgot to add that before the actual "crossover" ceremony, they had achievement awards. Even though Eric is no longer a "cub", he still recieved a LOT of awards he didn't get while as a Webelo. He got those taken care of. And Matthew, my gosh, got so many!!!! (A lady sittin' behind us made the comment, "Matthew M***** sure did a lot this passed month. Did you count his awards?") Bobby and I giggled quietly. They gave all the awards in ziploc bags at once but on the awards agenda sheet that was passed out, all you saw was Matthew M***** written in almost all the slots. LOL! He was pretty darn proud of himself.

Just Another Manic Monday.........

Exercise:
Sick day

Couldn't make myself run this morning. I was okay then I got sick to my stomach. Really nauseous. It was either my daily vitamin or sinuses or a combination of both. I went back to bed after making coffee and drinking it. I lied there and literally hugged my pillow for dear life. I just didn't feel right.

I then got up at 6am to take care of the boys. I made breakfast. EGADS! I. MADE. BREAKFAST! I just thought since this was their last week of school I could make them something nice. And, of course, I got critiqued from Matthew. He would rather bathe in cereal than eat scrambled eggs with sausage. He doesn't like eggs, he says. When did this happen? Well, he did eat 5 sausage patties, 2 pieces of toast and a spoonfull of scrambled eggs with cheese. Now, Eric...he ate a serving of eggs w/cheese, 0 sausage (because he saw "red" things and wouldn't eat it), and 2 pieces of toast. Bobby, well, he didn't eat any sausage either but ate the eggs. See where this is going. I can't make them all happy with the same things. And you wonder why I hate to cook? Everyone is so darn picky.

Well, later we went to Clothing and Sales (Army crap) and renewed the Jeep's registration. Have to do all this before "his highness" leaves. Well, at C and S, it was a bit of a pain. Let's just say we spent a minor fortune. Bobby had to buy some Class A uniforms and have them tailored. Well, he went back and forth (literally) from the main store and the alteration shop. The alteration shop kept telling him he had the wrong size and it was the women in the main store that chose his uniform for him. It was nuts. What should have taken, maybe, 15 minutes...took about 30! And that doesn't include the other "shopping" of necessities we had to get while we were there too. We finally got out of there around lunch time. Finally.

Tonight...Matthew's cross-over ceremony. He will go from Wolf cub to Bear cub. While that happens...Eric has Boy Scouts. So Bobby'll have to drop Eric off and then come back to the ceremony and then we go back and pick Eric up. Lots of driving tonight. Don't like it but we have to do what we have to do. Next Monday...no more Cub Scouts...Boy Scouts only. Yea!!

An 8 Month Old Can Drive You Crazy

It is at this time for me to write my Will and Testament. Why? Because Lauren is going to send me to my grave early.

She is a very obstinate child. Yeah. O-B-S-T-I-N-A-T-E. If I'm not telling her "no!" for one thing...I'll be danged that I'm not running into another room to tell her "no!" for another. She is pulling all books off shelves. All things on low tables..."buh-bye". Puppy food...Mmmmm! Tasty! DVD's and tapes....great chew toys. Playstation and VCR.....will be junk soon. TV...still figuring out how to push the buttons. Freshly folded clothes.....well, they were folded. And now she like to crawl into our bathroom and "play". UGH!

And she's not walking yet..............

Lazy Sunday

Exercise:
Rest Day!

This will be a fast post. Nothing much planned today might do some laundry. I think Bobby wants to go on post. He shaved and all...on a Sunday! That must mean something.

We have to pick Eric up from his camping trip this weekend at around 11:30am. We might go out to eat for lunch. We didn't go yesterday which is shocking since the weekends are when we go most often. We really didn't need to yesterday anyway. We did get Matthew a small Blizzard since I owed him for all of his awesome spelling tests. Each one.....was a 104 A+. Since the bribes, to make him study, his tests have been outstanding. LOL! He'll do anything for ice cream. LOL!

Tomorrow, Matthew crosses over....which means he goes from a Wolf cub to a Bear cub in the Cub Scouts. Lots of horrible food there....which means it might be a 10 miler tomorrow. LOL!

The Booby Monster..........

..............has finally transitioned to bottles. Yea! She is now officially babysitterable. (Is that even a word? LOL!) This morning, I saved some "Mommy" milk in a bottle. When she woke up, she took it with no fight. Either she was really hungry or she doesn't care anymore. I don't think she cares. Great! I'm still breast feeding her....but it's nice to know I don't have to whip "it" out anymore.

Now I get to go and buy new nipples. The ones I have are for slow suckers....0-3 months.

I Want My MTV!!

Exercise:
8.05 miles~65 minutes, 7-8mph, 0-1 incline

Okay. I started thinking about this when I was watching VH-1. Remember when MTV was music videos, all day, all the time, 24 hours, 7 days a week!!!?? Remember when VH-1 was the dorking station that showed stupid videos of dorks or "old people's" music!!!!???

I'm flipping channels. Do that a lot now that my usual line-up during the day was changed. I flip it to MTV. Some stupid reality show. As usual. Then I change it to VH-1 and they are showing music videos!! And my favorite.....hard rock, heavy metal. Evidently it's Heavy Metal May this month and they are emphasizing this. Even better! So I'm watching Sebastian Bach (the most gorgeous dude in Rock and Roll history host a top 40 best Metal videos....yeah!) and I start thinking about the day when MTV was this cool. Then it hit me. Smack in the face. MTV=Music Television! Why aren't they showing videos? What happened?? It's reality TV, all day, all the time, 24 hours, 7 days a freaking week!! Okay, yeah, VH-1 does show some reality TV but not all the time. I watch video's on there. It's mainly during the day when most people are at work! But they do show them.

So what is the deal MTV? Why have you sold out?

I WANT MY MTV!!!!!!! or is it.......I WANT MY VH-1!!

Houdini? Is That You??

I get home from Eric's Field Day. Mind you, I had been there this morning for Matthew's. And there is junk EVERYWHERE! Dirty laundry, trash, dog toys, baby toys, hangars...you name it. And who greets me, with tongue hanging out, tail wagging, and black coat feverishly jumping on my legs? Yeah. It was HER.

Everytime we leave for anywhere, we put her in her kennel that is in our bathroom. It is a collapsible with zippers that close the front. Well, she figured it out. She figured out how to unzip the front to get out. What the.....??? I think Ben, the big, fat cat, has been in his spare time teaching her tricks. Great.

Daisy has been messing with her inner Houdini. Now if she would just learn to "fetch".........

On My Pedestal

Britney Spears

Yeah, I'm talking 'bout her. I'm no fan. Will never be. But I'm just "up in arms" about the publicity turned on her lately. A new post says she stumbled and almost dropped the baby. Okaaaaaaay. So how does that relate to her being a bad mother? That would have been an A-C-C-I-D-E-N-T!!! Okay. She drove with Sean in her lap. That was justifiably STUPID. She is driving with her carseat forward. I don't know California law. My carseat says I can either have it rear OR forward facing. So whatever her carseat said is what she is going by. I'll admit I don't know every state law in my state. I MIGHT be breaking one. Heck, if I know. What I'm trying to say is...she is a new MOM. We, females, weren't given the absolute on child-rearing. Trial and Error. Isn't that what it's all about? She is young and will make LOTS of mistakes and will make some with the new baby she is now pregnant with. People! Give her some slack and leave her alone! From ONE MOM to the NEXT MOM.

Now, I'm stepping down.

Thank you.

Field Day

Exercise:
7.52 miles=65 minutes, 0-1 incline, 7-7.3mph

Just got back from seeing Matthew's Field Day. They lucked out. Early morning. Still cool from overnight. Sun hasn't started the warm up yet. They are loving it...except when they got wet. Poor kids were shivering with cold. But that mean 90+ degree weather will be here quick! I'm sure they are all dry by now.

I went and picked up Eric's uniform. Oh joy. Now Lauren is down for an early nap. Then we head off to the school again for Eric's field day. His will be in the sun...DIRECTLY. There are no trees for shade. School is new so the trees aren't but sapplings right now. So Lauren and I will have to rough it. Oh joy. *Just remembered...Eric's 5th Grade social is tonight! Darn it! He's going to miss it because they are leaving tonight for camp. Double darn!! He wanted to dance with a girl he has a crush on. Her name is BUNTY! Yes, a weird name...I think she is German or something.*

Nothing much left for the day afterward. CiCi's...definitely. Drop Eric off afterward...yes. Come home and wish I hadn't eaten so much pizza.....probably.

Lauren vs. the VCR

Well, that time has come. It's a new milestone. Time for the VCR to be put to "sleep" OR put it up high. The other day her hand got stuck in it. The "flap" came down and when she pulled it got tighter. Tore a bit of skin off a finger. It happened again today. Same hand, same finger. You'd think she'd have learned that the VCR "bites". But no! Have to keep testing it....to see when it might be nice. *And as I speak, the VCR bites again!*

Packing and Stuff

Exercise:
8 miles=7-7.7mph, 0-1 incline, 65 minutes

What a morning. Bobby got up when I did. LOL! You have to blow a horn in his ear to wake him up for PT but not today. He was anxious and excited (sort of) to see his old buddies and to say "goodbye" to another.

Water was on this morning. Thank you and "Hallelujah"! So I was able to get a couple cups of coffee and have a nice, long, warm shower. Ahhh! Yesterday, didn't happen for both.

Lots of packing happening tonight and tomorrow. Why? Well, the boys have to pack for FIELD DAY at school. Yeah...pack. That's what I said. They are having water "activities"....soooooo......they have to pack extra clothes, sunscreen, swimming trunks, and a hat. Oooooooh. Then Eric has to pack for camping this weekend. Yes, camping. Again. This time with the Boy Scouts. We don't have to go.....Yea! So that has to be done. And I took his uniform in to have a patch sewn on. So that will be ready tomorrow morning. Yea! Then....Bobby is going to start going through his "stuff" for Eric's summer camp this June. And might I add...he (being Eric) is driving me crazy over this. Got to get this done. Then.....Bobby has to start packing his "stuff" for school. June is only a few weeks away.........

A Recipe for Stress

Exercise:
None

Well, for starters, I didn't run this morning because I woke up with no water. I go to fill up the coffee carafe and once I turned on the water......nothing came out. UGH! They are building lots of new houses out here and I have a feeling it had something to do with that. Anyway, I can't run and not take a shower. No way! That's just gross. So run I did not.

I guess that was a good thing. I was not feeling well anyway. Bobby was so stressed out yesterday evening. And that gets me stressed out when he is worried. We are coming down to the wire once he goes to WOC school. We have NO clue if he'll stay here after school is over. So we have to find a way of getting rid of this house. But we don't know how...in the time allotted. And, worse, we have been so tight with money. Yeah, part of it is our faults. Buying a cup of unnecessary crap. Then let's add 2 cups of gas money. A cup of Boy Scouts. A cup of military clothing. A teaspoon of baby odds and ends. And, finally, dashes of truck and house maintenance. Bake that for a year and you get a recipe for stress cake.

Oh...and don't forget to sprinkle restaurant and entertainment expenses on after stress cake cools.

Army Sgt. Jeffery S. Wiekamp

*"Wee-Wee" as Bobby and the crew affectionately called him. May he REST IN PEACE.*

Army Sgt. Jeffery S. Wiekamp23, of Utopia, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum N.Y.; died May 5 when the CH-47 Chinook helicopter he was traveling on crashed during combat operations east of Abad, Afghanistan, in the Kunar province. Also killed were: Pfc. Brian M. Moquin Jr., Spc. David N. Timmons Jr., Spc. Justin L. O’Donohoe, Sgt. John C. Griffith, Sgt. Bryan A. Brewster, Staff Sgt. Christopher T. Howick, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher B. Donaldson, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eric W. Totten and Lt. Col. Joseph J. Fenty.

UTOPIA, Texas — A Texas flight engineer was among 10 soldiers killed when their transport helicopter fell into a ravine during a mountaintop landing in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Jeffery S. Wiekamp, 23, was aboard the CH-47 Chinook that crashed Friday east of Abad, in Kunar Province. The Army is continuing an investigation into the cause of the crash.

Wiekamp was a native of South Dakota but his family lives in Utopia. His wife, Ashley, is deployed to Iraq, the military said.

Family members declined to comment Wednesday.

Wiekamp enlisted in the Army in August 2001 and was deployed to Afghanistan in February, the military said.

All soldiers were assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y. Wiekamp was part of the 3rd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment.

As of May 10, 2006, at least 234 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Department of Defense.

Puberty in Public

Exercise:
10.12 miles=7-8mph, 80 minutes, 0 incline

Eric, God love him. God love his naivete.

It was Friday. We go on our ritual Cici's Pizza night. At Cici's, you pay before you attack the buffet. As I am writing my check...Eric, with chest puffed out, hands on hips,...announces that he is going through puberty. UGH! Where is the nearest hole you can bury yourself into? The girl looks up with dismay as Eric grins the most toothiest smile he can having lost a few in the past few days. I sort of give her a lop-sided smile and through my teeth, I mutter....."He just saw the tape today at school." She replies with an "oh!" and we quickly grab our cups and plates and try to blend with the dinner crowd. And forget that it ever happened.

While at our table, once Eric finally found the Alfredo cheese pizza, we tell him as politely and quietly as we can that you just don't tell strangers that you are going through puberty! He asked, "Why?" So we explain about "certain" body parts without trying to embarrass ourselves. Eric replies, "That's just gross!" So now mums the word. Puberty hasn't been mentioned in public again.

A Band of Brothers

Another death. More pain. Bobby just discovered a "brother" died in a Chinook crash in Afghanistan last week. We discovered Friday when the list of names came down. Bobby wasn't expecting to see a name he knew. But, he always checks.

He spoke to another "brother" at Ft. Drum. That is where the one "brother" was stationed before he was sent to Afghanistan. The "brother" he spoke to is bringing the body back "home" to his resting place in Texas. Bobby, I think, is going. He took his Class A's in this morning to get them "fixed" for wearing. It's going to be Wednesday.

This said "brother" was Bobby's soldier when they first went to Iraq in 2003. They were in the "war" then. When the elite 101st Airborne Division was assigned to go. A Band of Brothers. They were one of the first to cross the border from Kuwait. A Band of Brothers. Bravo Company/101st Airborne.

This isn't Bobby's first time to see a name he knows. He's lost a few friends in the past years. But having that scab ripped off everytime when you least expect it.....hurts everytime. And, it reminds me, evertime, that my husband used to fly in those things. He might still.

A Band of Brothers...not to be forgotten!!

A Camping We Did Go....

Exercise:
7.5 miles=7-7.5mph, 0 incline, 62 minutes
Let me start off by saying....I ran. I didn't like it. Just did the motions but wasn't comfortable. It was forced. I knew I had to do it to burn off the bad food we had over the weekend. UGH!

Let me just say this....I will never, ever go camping with Lauren again. She did NOT sleep. DID. NOT. SLEEP. Do you understand? UGH!

We left Saturday morning. We dropped Daisy off at the kennel. Drove to the nearest gas station and filled up the Jeep. Got the boys and myself a soda and bought a bag of ice for our perishables. Then away we went. Now the drive wasn't long. Actually it was quite short for the drive. We couldn't believe how fast it took. Not a far drive and wouldn't mind going there again. Lots of trails, trees, even a small park for the kids to play at.

Well, we arrived at the state park. We paid our entrance fee. Oooh! A whopping $4. Ooooh! Then we found the campsite which wasn't too far away. Bobby and the boys set up. I couldn't really help because I had to hold Lauren the whole time. I wasn't putting her in the grass with ant hills and "God-knows-what?" on the ground. Bobby forgot to pack the stroller. UGH! Then we sort of parked our chairs by our "neighbor's" tent and talked a bit. Well, we discover our cubmaster was going to be late. How late? We didn't know that answer. So we sat and sat and sat and sat. I was bored! I wanted to go and do things. The kids were playing in a dried up ravine with downed trees as bridges. They were very, very happy over there. LOL! About 1-2pm...I was fed up. So I rounded up some boys and parents and we went hiking. I remembered, at least, to bring Lauren's "backpack" to put her in and away we went. The hike was only about....2 miles, I think. I'm not for certain. They weren't marked. We saw an Indian cave and a "rock" tower. Lots of dried up ravines and downed trees. It was very pretty. Being where we live...you don't really see a lot of "big" trees. My boys said these were the tallest trees they've ever seen. They must have forgotten the trees in TN and KY...LOL! I must take them to see the Evergreens in CA!! Then they'll see the tallest trees they've ever seen. LOL!

Anyway, back to my story......we got back. People still sitting around. We did eat our lunch we brought. Sat around some more. Then the cubmaster shows up finally and anounces he wants to go on a hike!!! LOL! Well, Lauren was pooped and I wasn't going again. Not that I didn't want to. I really wanted to go. I love hiking! Just too much for a 7 month old, ya know? So Bobby and the boys went again. This time they went to a "wash" pond??? Don't exactly know what that is. They came back, we ate dinner. I was getting restless....must have S'mores! I was looking forward to this and felt our cub leaders were just running a "little tooooooo slow". One of our neighbors let us use her "coals" to cook our marshmallows. Just wasn't the same as a gool old fire pit. Well, I guess, someone got wind that I was cooking S'mores because within 15 minutes a fire was built. Made me mad because we were almost done eating ours. UGH! Anyway, we headed down to the fire and sat around it. Our cubmaster, I must say, is a very good singer. He played his guitar and played classic rock songs and country songs. The cubmaster and asst. cubmaster made some classic desserts on the pit. I was so full from my S'mores I didn't eat any. Just the thought made me sick. Some Mississippi Mud pie and Cherry cobbler was cooked over the fire. Now all this time we were there....Lauren slept only 30 minutes max. She just wouldn't sleep. LOL! Around 10pm we finally went to sleep in our tent. Lauren was on her 10th wind! She just would't sleep. But finally, she went down...but then...the storms came!! It was, maybe, midnight, I think. I didn't have a watch. They woke her up and she fought me the rest of the night. I think it was 4am when she went back to sleep. But that was with the help of the car seat. We rocked her in it. We didn't get up until after 7:30am I guess. I could hear the camp moving about. I was so tired. I was pitiful. I admit it. It wasn't just a bit later we could hear more thunder and we got hit again. UGH! We had to pack the tents quick!!!! Since I had Lauren, I tried to pick up trash and clean out the Jeep for a quick get-a-way! We were supposed to have had a Mother's Day breakfast made by the cubbers but most of us were "DONE" and were ready to go home. I didn't care...just wanted a nap. So the breakfast was "scrubbed" and we ALL left.

I really think it would have been better if they had more planned for the boys and if Lauren would get used to sleeping "out". I'd love to go camping again....just better planning next time and when Lauren is waaaaaay older. LOL!

Toothless No More

IT'S OFFICIAL

My Lauren, my darling daughter, has now broken the gum line and is getting her first tooth. Yes! A tooth! I felt it. The first feel of jagged edges through the wet, rubbery gums that once were barren of teeth. I'd say in the next week, it will be more noticeable rather than having to stick a finger in there to feel it. Yep, now the tooth fairy has to get her bearings and get ready for her next victim. He-he-he!

Damn Those Cookies

Exercise:
7.5 miles=7-8mph, 60 minutes, 0-1 incline

Man! I must kill the husband. Yep, kill him. What did he do to warrant this? Well, let's just say he brought home some FREE Girl Scout cookies from work. Four boxes!!! Two boxes of Tagalongs and two boxes of those deliciously evil Thin Mints. Yeah, I ate a whole freaking box of the Tagalongs. Tagalongs contain peanut butter. Ummm.....I have a freakish addiction to PB. Can't get enough. When I was pregnant with Lauren...ummm...I'd eat a whole jar of the stuff in one sitting. It was terrible. I would dread the day I had to get WIC and on that list was an 18 oz. jar of PB. And, as soon as I got home, I would hide the blasted jar away hoping the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" would work. But it never did. I could sniff it out of the cupboards, where I hid it, a mile away. So, just imagine how I felt when he brought home those damned Girl Scout cookies. They taunted me most of the evening. Oh, I gave the boys each a box of Thin Mints. Once I gave those to them...I was safe. But then those two boxes of Tagalongs still just sat there......coaxing me. Laughing at me. I ate just one...then two....then the whole freaking box. Yeah, I have no self-control when it comes to those things. So you see why Bobby must die..........

And, why is it that the first year Girl Scouts are called Brownies? They aren't cute, chocolatey pieces of moist cake. Are they named this just so we can be deviled into the world of sugary creations down the road?? Get us ready for the push of crazy named cookies?? What am I in for when my Lauren comes home from kindergarten one day and says, "Mommy, I want to be a Brownie?" A Girl Scout!! Then that leads me down the road to selling those addictive, yet yummy, yet hideously sugared cookies that are stupidly named. And we all know I support my children 100% and always buy something to support their cause. UGH! How in the hell am I going to go about buying those evil things and not EAT them?? I know I have about 5 years down the road before Lauren can become one of those creatures. But now, every year when I see one of those leprechaun green uniforms in front of WalMart or any superstore of that nature, I'll be dreading that day when it comes when once I used to look forward to it. UGH! Damn those cookies!

Geez, and I still have those frozen ones to eat.....................

Lazy Daisy

Exercise:
10.o5 miles=80 minutes, 7-8mph, 0 incline

Oh yea! Just called the radiology department at the hospital and they are open 24 hours. I wish I had known this because we were on post yesterday to finish the boys' physicals. So, again, I will pick the boys up from school and ski-daddle on down to the hospital to get Eric's x-ray of his back to check for scoliosis or whatever that "bump" is. I don't think anything will come of it but you never know. I don't see anything. It just might be something that will fix itself. I hope.

Also today, must take "stupid puppy" to finish her vaccination schedule. Then we can board her this Saturday while we are camping. Yea! My problem is....she isn't 10 pounds anymore. She is too big to fit on the bottom of the stroller. Too big to carry. I'm sure you are asking yourselves, "Why doesn't she walk her on a leash?" Well, "stupid puppy" isn't just a figure of speech. She is stupid. LOL! She won't walk on a leash. Where as Heidi loved going walking, this one is lazy. Hence the name...Lazy Daisy. That's what I've been calling her lately. Sometimes she is Crazy Daisy too. But mainly Lazy. LOL! We are trying to leash train her but will take time. She walks around with a leash attached to her collar most of the day just so she'll get used to having it. It doesn't seem to work....but then I'm not patient. I looked into "puppy classes" at PetsMart and those are $89! UGH! But we need to get this started soon. She is definitely an alpha female. Very much set in her own ways. We are trying to curb those. Naughty puppy.

Give Me The Creepies!

Exercise:
None

Just changed my plan out of the blue. Decided I'd take today as a rest day because we aren't going camping until Saturday morning. It might change again. Who knows?

Now on to better and creepier things. Okay, I got this freaking surprise this morning. I had been sitting on the couch....posting...go figure. I got up to put a box fan in the window. (It was nice this morning.) Anyway, as I was walking into the kithen, I felt something crawliing on the back of my leg. I wipe "it" off and what falls to the floor???????????? It was the most gigantic, HUGE, enormous looking roach I'd ever seen!!!! We don't even have roaches. Where in the hell did this thing come from? We don't know. It might not have been a roach....it was just shaped like one and was brownish-black and about the length of my middle finger. I'm sure you are all now looking at your middle finger, aren't you??? Don't deny it. The only thing I do know is....it's been rainy and it must have come out of hiding because of it.

Ramble On

Exercise:
6.5 miles=6-7mph, 0-3 inclines, 61 minutes

Ran a slow one today. I wanted to take a day off but since we are going camping this weekend...those days will be my rest days. So a slow run day, was better than nuttin'.

Right now, I'm going through my head what we can eat while we are camping. Ugh! I just don't want to bring prepackaged food. I guess Bobby and I'll start making a menu of what we'll eat. I don't know if we are having a communal fire, or if we'll make our own fire. Are their barbecues there? I've heard that some of these campsites do. We really don't know how this cub scout camping trip is supposed to lay out. I guess we'll just bring "everything" than not enough of "everything". Better safe than sorry. Oh joy.

Eric called me this morning. The ding-dong forgot his choir shirt. Today they have a field trip to a skating rink somewhere around here. They will, of course, sing but get to skate too. I gave him some money in case the pizza doesn't fill him up. I think they only get 2 slices....and I know that won't be enough....especially since it's PIZZA. While I was at the school, he gave me a permission slip. As I was reading it, grief washed over me. It was a permission slip for the "talk" they get at school before they cross-over into Middle School land. You know the "talk" and movie they show.....about "changes". Ewww! I can already see his face all scrunched up. It says I can go...but do you really think he wants his "Mommy" there when they are talking about boy "changes". LOL! I'll save him the embarrassment. LOL! Then I walked into the Nurse's office to grab their vaccination records. Good Grief! Why does the Army make my life a living hell? This was so simple. Why can't they just call up the school or call up Ft. Campbell, as a matter of fact, and get this information themselves? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. It's a privacy act issue. But when has that stopped the government? And Ft. Hood has the right to have our info transferred from Ft. Campbell to their data records...don't they? Aren't the hospitals like wired on the same system or something? That would be too easy to do....and save our guys from going through "holy hell" getting the hard copies. Like I said too easy. And the government couldn't have that..can they? LOL!

You Want Me To Do "What"?

We just got back from the boys' physical appointments. UGH! Well, at this moment I'm hating Ft. Campbell! They have a problem with recording vaccines. I'm told the boys are missing a few. No they aren't. It seems my records and Ft. Campbell's overlaps some how. And the post we are at now doesn't have a thing since they haven't had vaccines here. Duh! So the Dr. couldn't give me their physical forms for Boy Scouts until we remedy the "vaccination situation." UGH! I will go to the school and get copies of their records. That would be way easier. They have to be current for the boys to go to school, so they must right. Right? Sooooooo......I will do that tomorrow. Geez, that's a pain. And....Eric has to go and get x-rays! I had mentioned before that the school nurse noticed a "curve" or "hump" on his back when they did scoliosis checks. Well, he does have something. We don't know for sure. This kid has seen a doctor for EVERYTHING! LOL! Geez-a-lou! The doc said it didn't look serious but it does need to be checked. UGH! Oh, he-he-he, the boys had to pee in a cup for the first time and had to disrobe to their underwear for the doc. LOL! Oh, the look of fear in their eyes. It was a hoot. And Matthew had to get his blood drawn for the first time too. That was priceless! LOL!

Where Have I Been??

Exercse:
Saturday~none
Sunday~10.01 miles,7mph-8mph, 0 incline, 80 minutes
Monday~5.50 miles,4mph-7mph, 0-10 incline, 60 minutes

Friday afternoon~
Let's just say...Breanne did the ultimate! Like I have said before, we live in the city limits but on the outskirts. So we sort of live in the country too. Anyway, our neighbors, we recently discovered, have baby bunnies under their house. Yes, baby bunnies. Let me tell you how Breanne did the ultimate....................

As I was walking through my kitchen into the hallway, I hear Breanne tell Brett to "look what I got". I want to know what she got. As she turns around when I call her name, I see a "foot" hanging out of her shirt. Now at first I thought it was a kitten. I tell her to take it out of her shirt. She just stands there looking at me. I tell her again. And again, she just gives me the look that says "F. U. B****". I start getting angry. So I grab her, and pull out the "kitten". Lo and behold, a 6-8 week old baby bunnie. GREAT! Just GREAT! I tell her to put it back. And she just stands there. I then bust her butt. She moves. Hallelujah! We go outside. She takes the bunnie and throws it down over the porch!!!! ARGH! The poor baby. I run down the steps and check it out. It just looks at me with fear. The poor baby. I grab Breanne and tell her to PUT IT BACK where she got it. As she moves toward the neighbors house, I notice the "skirting" of this said neighbors house. ARGH! I'm seeing red I tell you. The "skirting" (we live in a mobile home community) is torn away from the house. Torn away!!! I'm freaking out. This 4 year old tore away the skirting to get this said bunnie. I think I'm going to swoon from so much anger. I then give her the bunnie and tell her to put it back. She does it grudgingly. I then do my best to put the skirting back but my hands are shaking. UGH! I give up for now. Our neighbor was at work so I knew I had time to fix it. I turn around and I see the little "twerp" run into the house. I then proceed with the chase. She was MINE! I find her in the boys room. She knew it was coming. She got the spanking she so knowingly deserved. Then was put in the corner for a few hours. Actually until I was able to fix the skirting well enough for the neighbor to not notice. UGH! I couldn't believe she did that. From that point on, she was the perfect "angel". Yeah, right.

Later that evening, we took the kids to Cici's. Then went to the school carnival. The carnival was nice. I just wish they had spread the activities out. The lunchroom was over crowded. They had stuff outside too....but could have put more of it outside. But in the end, everyone got something.

Saturday~
I didn't run. I couldn't. I was just tired. Stressed? Maybe. It was a rough Friday. LOL! Took Breanne and Eric with me to the commissary. Why would I do that? I didn't think Bobby could handle the "angel". LOL! Well, I thought Eric would help me watch her. Heck no! That was too much to ask for. He was encouraging her. I could have killed him. The ding-dong. After the commissary, I spent most of the day washing clothes. Bobby took Brett and Breanne "home". That was a long evening for Bobby. I felt so sorry for him. He had so much he had to do to get things ready to turn back into the Army. I did wash some stuff for him. I hope we got them clean enough for the Army to take back. Cat hair....BAD! So I was pretty busy and wasn't able to write. Sorry!

Sunday~
Yeah! Scarborough Faire was great. This time my sister and her hubbito came along. It wasn't as hot as last year. Thank the Heavens. Last year, I got so burned, I was miserable for days. But this time, it was cool in the morning and took a long while for the sun to warm it up. It was Lauren's first time, officially, to go with us. Last year, I was pregnant with her and didn't know it. We saw Don Juan and Miguel and the London Broil show. We did see a joust but wasn't all that to me. Maybe because we were standing too far away. There was a show that had a man playing "bells". It was weird but yet awesome. It was like the Phantom of the Opera. The piano had bells sitting above it. I wish I had a link for that. There was food beyond belief. I myself had a chicken sandwich, fryed ice cream, a waffle cone, a HUGE pretzel, a Diet Pepsi, and some of the King's nuts (LOL! Just roasted pecans and almonds with vanilla and cinnamon). Yes, the day was spent all day there. We left at 7:30 am and didn't get home until almost 7:30pm. Poor Daisy! Had to stay inside holding "it" for 12 hours. Can you believe not one "accident"? Not a ONE! We had her "locked" up in the kitchen. The area that separates the kitchen from the living room was blocked off by boxes and things that we could move. It kept her in there.

Now as for today~
Well, it started off fine....then I got invaded with ANTS! UGH! And what is worse they invaded the baby bag that was on the couch! Yes, the baby bag. One of the sippy cups (I forgot to put the valve in it), leaked inside. Well, some pesky ant called all his friends over for a party and took it over. I am freaking out. Luckily, my couch has a "cover" and I took that off and through it in the washing machine. Heh-heh-heh, die ANTS die! Then I grabbed an ant trap and put it where I could see them coming into the house. Hopefully they take the bait and kill the colony. That would be so nice! Geez, I'm scratching all over just thinking about it. And thankfully, I have a spare baby bag. So switch, I did.

Anyhow, I'm tired to just think about this past weekend.

Now I must get off of here......Lauren has invaded the living room table and is pulling everything off. Oh joy.

Top Brass

Exercise:
7.53 miles=6.5mph-8mph, 0-1 incline, 63 minutes

A good night for the family, I think. Eric's choir played for the final time last night. The end of the year concert. So many songs. Two from the Sound of Music. One written by Babyface. One they sang in Swahili....and then sang in English for us to understand. It was really nice.

Now Eric had a hard time controlling body movements. He kept fidgeting. Scratch of the head, rubbing of the nose, rubbing of the eye....over and over. Drove me nuts. He might have been nervous. Whatever it was....it's on video now.

After the concert, I had to drop Eric and Bobby off at the Middle School. They were having some function that for those who chose band as their primary elective had to go up there so they (the school) could determine what instrument you were better for. Well, Eric, it seems, will be playing in the brass section. From what Bobby told me, he was good at the clarinet and the saxophone (I played that in middle school), but he was better at the brass instruments. I think Bobby was hoping he would choose the French horn....but Eric told me this morning, as a matter of fact, that he wants to play trumpet. So trumpet it is. LOL! Then, Bobby tells me this morning that this school district is SOOOOO RICH that we don't have to rent the instruments. The school district will provide them. And they aren't the run-down kind either. Bobby was going on and on this morning about the French horn and a special "gadget" on them that make them more expensive and the district gets those. Huh? Amazing!! That had me worried since we are financially struggling. If I had to go to the plasma center and give every freaking month, I guess I would have just so Eric could play. Thank You KISD!!

Eric, the band geek........LOL!

Mean Aunt Sheree

Exercise:
7.3 miles, 62 minutes, 0-1 incline, 7-8 mph

Headache X 2=1 niece and 1 nephew. Like that equation. How about? 1 puppy + 1 baby + 1 niece +1 nephew=total chaos. Or how about? 1 Mom + 1 Aunt=1 wish for a nap.

My gosh the day has started off on the wrong foot. I was running on the treadmill and my niece wakes up. I tell her to go back to bed....it was 5am after all. Well, she didn't. She pulled everything out of their dresser drawers and night stand. UGH! I went postal. I couldn't believe she did that. Then while I was in the shower, she pours herself a drink. Red PowerAde. Everywhere. Thankfully it was everywhere in the kitchen...not the living room. And, yet I'm still finding "spots" here and there. UGH!

Now it's the afternoon. Being the good Aunt that I am, I take them to the park. We get there, they play, and then SHE starts a fight. Well, a 4 year old version anyway. She starts calling another little girl names, then she plays rough, and then the "straw that broke the camels back".....she starts kicking the little girl. Again, I go freaking postal. And to top that, it was in front of the little girl's mother. UGH! I call her to me. I make her sit down. Brett follows, he thinks he is in trouble too. I send him back. He won't without his "sister". UGH! He is such a big baby sometimes. Can't do anything without her and she is the younger one. Maybe he was protecting her...but then they've always had each other. Anyway, I send him back. She is in time out. I, of course, lecture her. Do you know what that little brat did? I could murder her. She tells me that I'm NOT HER MOM. Duh? And that when time out is over she'll kick the little girl again. HUH? What? So she is done for the day....and we'd been there what? 5 minutes. We didn't stay for no more than 3o minutes I guess. Brett couldn't enjoy himself without his "sister". Oh then she tells me on the way home that she wants to go to Burger King. No! Then she proceeds to tell me that I am supposed to since Nana said I would. No! Nana was wrong if she said that and I'm sure she didn't. Then she tells me to go to McDonald's because she had no fun and it's fun there. No! I tell her it was her fault that she had no fun. Let's just say it's the battle of wills with her. She tries my patience with every turn...but she doesn't realize I don't give in....AT ALL. She can't play until she eats....and that means everything. I know, I know most of my "friends" are saying I shouldn't do that....childhood obesity and all that Ummm...she says she wants it. Then she takes 2 bites if that and says she doesn't want it and then wants something else and the whole process starts over. I'm not doing that. Nana gives in. I'm the mean Aunt Sheree and she will do what I say. She is 4 going on 5 and is the most brattiest, meanest, most selfish child I have ever witnessed. This is why my boys HATE this cousin. I don't blame them. I just hope that Nana finally gets a backbone with her or mean Aunt Sheree "breaks" this awful personality. Oh, it isn't just me. She gets bad reports from pre-K for hitting or kicking "her friends" or mouthing off at the teachers. No, I will nip this in the bud now. Even if it is just at my house. My house, my rules. Too bad, so sad. And Brett, Heaven help him. He's so sweet, but so loud! And he is terribly overprotective of his sister. They don't have friends they can play with on the street....not a very child friendly environment. Bobby's parent's chose this place for a reason....not knowing that a few years down the road they would be "raising" their oldest son's children. Long story.

Anyway, right now, Breanne is walking aimlessly through my house for something to do. I'm sure she'll find something to annoy me with. My house isn't very girl friendly at the moment.....Lauren is still just a baby. It's mainly LEGO's, Star Wars, video games, and pirate stuff. No dolls, Barbies, that type thing. I'd better go check on her. You know what they say about "idle hands"...........

A Headache

Exercise:
None

Well, the main reason I didn't run this morning.....tight left quad. Second reason....stress. I'm just sick of worry. So much going on in my head right now. We are tight right now with our money situation. And when Bobby starts to worry, it makes me worry more. Especially since I'm the one who controls it.

This Warrant Officer Candidate School is going to cost us.....an arm and a leg and our children. Bobby says he can't stay at the barracks because he'll be considered an officer. Officers DO NOT stay in the barracks. So where will he live? In an apartment or somewhere other than the barracks. We can't afford that. I don't know how much the housing situation is there...but I don't see an apartment costing less than $600. If he gets a room with a fellow soldier...it would help but not enough. Our savings, I see in the very near future, is going to dwindle...FAST. We really need a break...soon.

Then last night, Bobby's Mom called and asked us to watch our niece and nephew. (How funny because I was just telling my Mom that I couldn't figure out why they didn't ask us to watch them as soon as we heard about Bobby's Uncle.) The "people" who were supposed to watch the kids....bailed, I guess. I don't really know why. I wasn't told. But now, Bobby has to drive up to get the kids. Like we have GAS money to do this. No, we don't. And then I'm told we have to drive up again Saturday to drop them off. UGH! It's bad enough that we had planned to drive up Sunday to go to Scarborough Faire. This is going to cost us....because these drives are 2-3 hours to and from. So each trip we have to fill up. Ummm? That is almost $60 each time. There goes $180 for the week....that we don't have. This month is going to be really, really, really tight. We aren't usually like this but having to pay for summer camp, GAS, Boy Scouts, and other things (that we shouldn't have really bought but were too stupid and bought anyway)...is costing us now. So a LOT of crunching and belt tightening is going to be needed this month. We are still going to Scarborough Faire...but that is it. I hope. Oh, we have to go camping (Cub Scouts) Mother's Day weekend...but that shouldn't be toooooo bad.

Just getting a headache thinking about all of this............

To Be or Not To Be....a Puppy??

My. Daughter. Is. Driving. Me. Crazy!!!! I can't keep her out of the puppy food. As soon as I redirect her to another room or area or plaything.....and turn my back......off she goes to the kitchen and has her way with those "tasty" morsels of kibble. Ick!! It's tiring me out. Do you understand? Tiring me out...chasing her down...to defend a bowl of puppy food. And Daisy...just sits there and has this look on her face that says..."I'll share with you."

So we have the puppy food situation. But! We have another. My daughter, I guess, is thinking that she is a dog. Why not?? She "walks" and "runs" on all fours. She likes puppy food. But now lately.....she "growls". SHE GROWLS! If I don't feed her fast enough...she growls. If I don't pay enough attention...she growls. If I put something in my mouth while nursing her...she growls. If I look "cross-eyed" at her...she growls. She is 7 months old....she growls.

Now I wait to see if she lifts her legs for deserted trees or fire hydrants.............

Can I Be Honest?

Exercise:
7.5 miles=63 minutes, 7-8 mph, 0 incline w/4mph cooldown.

Can I be honest? I know it was May Day yesterday and many a foreigner (non-green card carrier) and those who supported them walked "out" from work. Why? I don't mind you coming to America...just don't do it illegally. And why would you keep your children out of school? That doesn't stop teachers from teaching but makes your children behind in class by a day. If you want to make a point....stay out for a week. A day is just a "bump" in the road like a snow day is to school.

Can I be honest? Last night, my eyes were opened. At last night's Boy Scout meeting, we watched a film. It was jolting. It was intriguing. It was scary. It was sad. It was SUDAN. OMG! I was crying. Why does the United States ignore this suffering people? The children!! They are being stolen. They are being brain-washed. They are being tortured. They are being raped. They are being forced to kill other children or they themselves will be killed. Imagine your son, daughter, brother, sister at the age of 8......killing another with a machine gun. Imagine them carrying machetes......chopping the hands and feet off of a child of the same age. Imagine. It's sickening. It's disheartening. We spend so much time worrying about Iraq, Israel, Iran....for oil. Why aren't we worried about these children....the future of this forgotten country. These children are invisible....no record of them alive or dead. Nothing. Invisible. See the Invisible Children

Off my soapbox for now......

Quote of the Day

"Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."

- Louisa May Alcott

The Desperate, The Grumpy, and The Broke

Exercise:
7.62 miles=7mph-8mph, 61 minutes, 0 incline

Did anyone watch Desperate Housewives last night? I always do. That show always leaves me laughing or shocked but has never, ever, ever left me in tears. Last night's episode showed Gabriel having her baby taken away because the "birth" mother changed her mind and wanted the baby back. Through many episodes, we've watched Gabriel grow up and LOVE this child. As I watched them take the baby, I imagined it to be Lauren. I was sobbing. It was awful. I knew how Gabriel felt. I couldn't stand the thought of someone taking my baby away. UGH! I just couldn't believe it. And to watch the next few episodes of Gabriel without the baby is going to be more heart-wrenching.

This morning, Lauren woke up early again. This time it was only an hour early but enough to cut my planned 10-miler today to only a bit over 7 miles. UGH! Since I didn't run at all yesterday, I felt the need for an extra few today. Well, that was scrapped. I'll try again tomorrow. I hope my legs and heart will be into it. But, back to Lauren. I don't know if it's teething, allergies or a combination of both. She is grumpy.....didn't take more than a few 30 minute "cat" naps yesterday which just made it worse. She woke up with a slight fever this morning. I gave her some grape flavored Tylenol. I'll probably give her some more later before her scheduled nap and see how that goes. She is acting like she is tired now but I can't let her take the nap now or the whole schedule will be off. Oh, hell no!

Saturday, we AREN'T going to the air show. Bobby and I decided we could skip that. We only have 4 weekends left together before he heads out to Alabama. Oh joy. Plus, we really need to save money here. It's dwindling dramatically.....damn gas prices. I swear if we didn't live out in the boonies Bobby would be bike riding. We like to go places than sit at home and our vehicles sure love the taste of petroleum. Geez, we are going to Scarborough Faire and that is 2 freaking hours away. UGH! We just have to do what we have to do..........and that sucks.