Suzanne's Secret Hideaway - February 07 posts

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	12:45
Today - Mostly sunny. Breezy. Highs in the lower 40s. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph shifting to the west 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Tonight - Mostly cloudy. Lows around 20. Light winds becoming southeast around 10 mph after midnight.
I have started a new group at yahoo. Here is the description and link if anyone wants to join: Original Graphic Lovers ~ This list is for 100% original artists and anyone who loves original graphics. Artists must draw original graphics - not create their graphics that they offer on their site from outlines or tubes. If you create outlines and tubes from your own original graphics, you are considered an original artist. You can advertise your website, updates, sales, adoption shoppes that offer original graphics, or that you are looking for certain original graphics, etc. All members may post. I apologize if I offended anyone - it's not my intention. I have nothing against anyone who creates graphics from tubes and lineart they purchase from others. I have several friends who do just that. There are just several people who really want or like original graphics and I thought that this would bring everyone together. To spread the word and to attract more customers you can grab a graphic in the photos section, to link to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/originalgraphiclovers. Members can add their own link(s) to the Links section to promote their site(s). Don't make any folders, just add your link(s) to the main folder. Thank you for following the rules! Profanity, pyramid structures, jokes, virus warnings, petitions, and other things of that nature will not be allowed. Where I live we didn't get the blizzard, but we got high winds, blowing rain, snow - it was freezing. Parts of our state got hammered though. Today the sun is shining and it's still a little windy. There was another article in the paper here about the fallen soldier - you can read about it here. I think it's great - they started a scholarship is his memory. Ughhh - between kids and animals I may go insane. I just cleaned up a whole cup of juice that Ariana decided need to be all over the coffee table and floor. Rob just cleaned the carpets this morning before he went to work - for the third time in a week. I got her down for a nap and went to tackle another load of laundry - one of the cats decided to use the people bathroom for their own. Cat urine smell is so disgusting. I want to scream! What is wrong with my animals? We are considering giving Sadie, our oldest dog away. She just won't listen, no matter how hard we work with her. She is about 1 1/2 years old. She started a new thing - running off and not coming back for a while. Yesterday with the high winds, part of our fence went down and I went to let her inside and she ran off, taking our puppy Rufus with her. Finally they came back and came inside. A while later, I let them out to go to the bathroom - I have always been able to let them out and they came right back, but no, not anymore. They took off again and didn't come back for a long time. Hubby got home from work and had to go looking and he was so mad. He couldn't find them and it's was blowing snow, really cold and yucky. We usually let Sadie inside when it's really bad or cold out. She doesn't want to stay in - she whines and whines to go outside. If she stays in she won't sit down or be calm - she is hyper - worse then the puppy. She takes all the baby's toys, jumps on everyone - I am not sure what to do. I guess that we were not meant for normal animals. We had trouble with the kittens for a long time with going to the bathroom behind the couches, in corners, by the fish tank, by the baby's toys. We aren't talking urine either. After the one kitten died, the other kitten - Goldie finally stopped doing it. Now it's her or Sox, our older cat that decided to spray. The other day it happened too and I still can't find where - I think it was on one of the blankets I had in the laundry room. I sprayed and cleaned and thought we were ok, then today it happened again. I want a housekeeper. Maybe an animal keeper, lol. In my dreams. I guess I better go. I need to get as much done as possible while the baby is sleeping and everyone else isn't home. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

2:10

Today - Mostly sunny. Cooler. Highs in the upper 40s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight - Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.

I got a haircut today. My hair was really long - just past the middle of my back and naturally curly - not super curly, but some curl. I decided to get more layers in it and thinned out some. My hair is so thick - I lose tons each day but you would never know. It runs in the family - My Grandma is 84 and has a very thick, full head of hair. My Dad is 56 and still has a full head and of course my Mother has tons of hair too. My kids should be all set as far as that goes, lol. I think I like the haircut. I am sure it won't go into the usual hairstyles I do since I got so much layered, but it feels lighter and my curls are more curly and that's good. I don't have to curl my hair if I don't want to - which I normally don't anyway, except for my bangs because they don't sit right without straightening them with the flat iron. The only thing that is bothering me is that I said to not take too much off of the length - she ended up taking at least , maybe 5 inches off of it, then also creating more layers in the rest. She said a few inches, then when it was done she said about 3 or 4 were taken off. UGHH!!! It will grow back I know, but I hate it when people don't listen.

I trade siggies with Kia today - I just love this cutie - it's below. It's so cute. It's a beautiful day again. The sun is shining. Tomorrow it's supposed to get somewhat yucky again. Our extended forecast is below.

Ok, maybe I don't like my hair. I just looked at it in the mirror and it's not looking so great. GRRRR. Oh - I finally picked up the adoption Kellie said she had - I love it. I had better go - I need to get something done around here and I haven't - I never want to get off the darn computer - There are so many things I want to do and not enough time to do them all. This weekend while the three kids are at their Dad's and hubby is working I bet I can get more done on here - it's just Ariana and me all day long - I can put her down for a nap and get online again. Tonight is Montana's wrestling practice so I won't get home until 8:30 pm and then I get the three oldest kids to bed. Next get Ariana to bed, a little housework and if it's not too late, computer. Tomorrow is grocery shopping. Yuck!

Extended Forecast: Friday - Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 50s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Friday Night - Partly cloudy in the evening...then mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of light rain showers after midnight. Lows in the lower 30s. Light winds becoming northeast 10 to 15 mph after midnight.

Saturday - Mostly cloudy. Colder...windy. Light rain or light snow likely in the morning...then snow likely in the afternoon. Areas of blowing snow in the afternoon. Moderate snow accumulations. Highs in the upper 30s. North winds 20 to 30 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent. Saturday Night - Mostly cloudy. Breezy. Areas of blowing snow in the evening. A chance of light snow in the evening...then a slight chance of light snow after midnight. Lows in the lower 20s. Chance of snow 40 percent.

th,

I'm feeling...

Hi 44 ° Lo 22°

Wednesday, Hi 50 ° Lo 23° ~~ Thursday, Hi 49 ° Lo 24°
Chance of snow and rain, Friday - Sunday.

Finally some computer time - a little bit anyway. I have been cramming in things I need to get done on here. Reading emails, replying, finish redecorating - still need to do my graphic site, visiting and posting.

Sadly, there was a fallen soldier from the town where my parent's live and my kids attend school. It's 11 miles away from where I live - he died in Iraq. He was only 20 years old - you can read the article here. I'm not sure if it happened, but they asked my Dad if they could put a flag up at his shop which is a block away from the auditorium where they had the services, and they told him that some people from Kansas were coming here to protest the war - which I think is horrible for them to even consider when these people are grieving someone they lost. To have people come and protest during that time blows my mind. I meant to ask if my Dad knew whether they came or not - I will have to remember and do that.

Have you heard about the peanut butter recall? I had three jars and I have to send all the lids in to get my refund. Scary - 2 creamy and one crunchy and I planned on baking with some and making peanut butter and jelly quesadillas for the kids and I. I'm glad I didn't. You can read more on that here.

I am ready for bed - between the puppy and Ariana I am worn out. Our puppy Rufus - well I am not sure if it's normal or not, but he is doing some really disgusting things. First he has been eating in the house and then when we let him outside, he sneaks Sadie's food. Then he goes to the bathroom even more than usual. I put the newspapers by the backdoor and for the most part he used them, but now only does occasionally urinating. I am not sure of exactly the wording I should use, so I hope I don't gross anyone out. He has bowel movements on my living room carpet!! Right in front of where all the baby's toys and books are. That's bad enough - but then he started to eat the feces outside in the dog pen - he had diarhea last night and it was the absolutely most disgusting thing I have experienced. Remember I have four kids and this tops anything they have done so far in their lives. Rob used the steam cleaner and it took a while, but he got it all cleaned up. He went to bed as he had to get up really early for work. Not too long later the dog does it again - and it's pretty much all liquid by this time. I am trying not to get sick, keep the baby away and clean it up. I was not saying anything nice by this time. I finally got to bed around 12:00 am. Ariana woke up thirty minutes later and I got her back to bed at 1:30. While I was rocking her back to sleep, the dog did it again twice on the couch - thankfully I have had a blanket on it since we got Rufus. Then he vomits three times. I was ready to scream. This all happened while I was trying to get the baby to sleep. UGHHH!!!
He is just going to have to stay outside. I can't do this anymore. He's to be a hunting dog so we can't rub his nose in his messes and he's probably getting spoiled in the house. I am just so frustrated.

I have been trying to post for almost a week. I need more time in the day as usual. I think everyone is all better now - keeping my fingers crossed. It's been crazy. The weather has been freezing! Lots of single digit temps and even below zero. We did have a few more inches of snow as well. I am ready for spring more than ever.

My hubby got me the movie Open Season and a box of Russel Stovers chocolates for Valentine's Day. The kids and I had been wanting to see that movie and I love chocolate! Woohoo! He always gets me the best presents. Mom made us a huge chocolate chip heart cookie. Yummy! I made lasagna, garlic bread and salad for supper. I was so disappointed with my lasagna. I put tons of sauce, cheese - well it soaked up all the sauce and it really wasn't as moist as it should be and I cooked exactly as I should. I hate it when you are so looking forward to something and it lets you down, lol.

I am in the process of trying to get St. Pat's decorations up. I haven't had much computer time again. I want to thank Susan, Kia, Stumbeline, and Stephanie, for all the gifts. Below are a few from Susan and Stumbeline. The rest are in my Valentine's Cottage - aren't they great? I am so spoiled. I need to visit everyone but haven't had the time. Maybe this afternoon. I have to go to town and won't be back till lunchtime probably. I hope to sneak so computer time in. Gotta run - baby is ready to go.

We got snow again! It's bitterly cold. The wind is blowing. I have to go grocery shopping. I got up really early when hubby was getting ready to leave for work - 6:20 am. I figured I had better get ready while Ariana was sleeping. I did that, unloaded the dishwasher, loaded it up with dirty dishes, got baby bottles ready, paid some bills, cut some coupons, added to my grocery list, ate breakfast, blog hopped, blogged, read emails and still she sleeps. It's late and I hate going when there are tons of people. Yuck. I hope she wakes up soon. I want to get this over with.

I received a flower from the flower swap and it sounded like fun, so I made some for me and they are located near the top of my blog, along with the ones swapped with me. Send me yours!

I hope to have more computer time this weekend. Hubby works days and it will be just baby and I, so I should have time. I feel like I haven't been on in ages. I love my computer and get grumpy without having time on it, lol.

A little late, but here is my Friday Fun...

:: Furry Friday ::

1. When you were growing up, were pets part of your family? If so, what kind? we had a dog when I was tiny - can't remember what kind, and cats.
2. If you have a pet (or 2 or 3 or 4!), do you tend to spoil it (or them) rotten? Not really.

3. What is your feeling on pets in clothes? Cute, practical, or too Paris Hilton for you? Not for me - too Paris Hilton
4. If you don’t have any, would you want one? And if so, what kind of pet? We have 2 dogs, 2 cats and fish.
5. Do you have any favorite pet, current or in the past? Not really any favorites.

I think all kids are over the crud - keep your fingers crossed! Okay, baby is stirring. Gotta run!! Have a great weekend.

I thought we were over the kids being sick, but Montana had a relapse over the weekend and started to lose his voice, and Monday when Adelina got home from school, she had a temperature of 101.6. She looked horrible. She spent most of the night sleeping and her fever ended up going to 102.5. She stayed home Tuesday and then I took all the kids to the doctor. He said they all had a virus, and Montana had a touch of laryngitis. We spent 2 hours in the Doctor's office for basically nothing. Oh well. I kept Adelina home again on Wednesday. She went back to school today and I thought that we were finally done with this. Well, I spoke too soon. Montana came home from school today and I thought he looked aweful. I took his temperature and it was 101. He fell asleep and stayed asleep the rest of the night until he came up a little after 9 for water. He never ate dinner or anything. Not too long after that, he came upstairs to tell me he got sick. Poor guy - I hope that this is the end of it and they all stay healthy. I guess it's really spreading all over the area - a bad year I guess. The kids keep telling me about all the kids out sick. Giuseppe said several kids have pneuomonia. Scary! Ariana and Giuseppe seem to be over it all.

The temperature got to 48 on Tuesday. Everything started to melt - there was tons of mud and lots of standing water. Today it's cold and they say we will have freezing drizzle and snow the next four days. Everything is really icy now after starting to melt and then freeze again. Isn't spring here yet? It's so cold. I just hope that it doesn't get really bad like it did last month - it was horrible. Power outages, trees down, businesses and schools closed.

Adelina filled out her valentines for her school party next week. It's so cute to see how excited the kids get over all of that. I have to help out with school parties too. I like to do it and I plan to continue until the kids don't want me to anymore. I think Montana is getting close to that. By 6th grade they don't let the kids do fun things like that anymore. I think that they make kids grow up too fast anymore. They don't get the chance to be kids long enough. Kids know too much also. Things sure are different nowadays - I graduated in 1992 and it's changed tons since then. I wouldn't have thought of half of the things kids do today - it shocks me sometimes. My son is 12 and in 7th Grade. He told me that a girl had an abortion - 12 years old!! OMG! It blows my mind. I never even thought about that sort of thing then. I am so scared as my kids grow older. The world is a very different place. I remember tv used to have more family oriented shows - Every Sunday we looked forward to the Disney movies on regular tv. There aren't many shows that are nice, decent shows anymore. Even on network tv there are a lot of racy story lines. My satellite is locked - the kids can't watch anything over PG without my entering a code. The boys get mad - we watched it at Dad's or so and so's mom and dad let them watch it. Oh well - it's my job to make them mad I guess. Hopefully some day they appreciate what I am trying to do.

I haven't had much of any time online this week - I will be by to visit by the weekend. Between trying to potty train a puppy and having sick kids, I have bearly had a chance to breath. Kellie - I am ready for that CALGON - I will be by to pick up that adoption, lol. I hope everyone has a super weekend!

Happy Groundhog Day! Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early spring. Woohoo!!!! You can read more about Punxsutawney Phil at http://www.groundhog.org. I hope he's right! We are so ready for spring. Adelina is home today - her fever was 101.6 this morning. Hopefully when she is better we are done until next fall or winter. My yucky cold went really quick but the coughing has lingered.

The temps are frigid today. I am all snuggly warm in my flannel pajama pants and fuzzy socks and sweatshirt. Ariana is still sleeping and I am enjoying some computer time. The only interruptions are the puppy and Adelina. Oh - we got a puppy, lol. Now we have 2 dogs, 2 cats, and some fish. Rob got a registered Chocolate lab from his boss at work. He plans on training it to be a hunting dog. Our other dog, Sadie, was supposed to be one, but the people we got it from are full of baloney because she is not a full lab - I am not sure what she is but she is crossed with a lab - very hyper though. When we get her fixed we hope she calms down. Rob named the puppy Rufus, LOLOLOL - nice name huh? Our cats are Sox and Goldie. The puppy is a good dog - a lot calmer than Sadie, but is not quite potty trained yet. It's weird because he only lived outside before we got him, but he doesn't always go when we let him out. I have been cleaning up some doggy messes. YUCK! Then Goldie has some problems - I think hairballs, not sure, but it was not pretty. Between animals and kids, I am ready for CALGON to take me far away on a wonderful vacation, lol. Maybe in my dreams. Okay - I am off to visit. Have a wonderful weekend!!

I can't believe it's February already. My Mom gave me this link for the Farmer's Almanac. This is what the weather said for February - January's was pretty well right on, so I am wondering if this will happen.

February 2007
1st-3rd. Fair weather prevails. 4th-7th. Powerful storm pushes heavy snow across Colorado, parts of Nebraska, Iowa, much of Kansas, Missouri, accumulations of a foot possible. 8th-11th. Drier, but also much colder. 12th-15th. Flurries Northern and Central Plains, points east. Frigidly cold temperatures approach 30 below in parts of Montana, North Dakota. 16th-19th. Fair at first, then stormy conditions. 20th-23rd. Mostly fair weather. 24th-28th. Milder, then some snow for Northern and Central Rockies and Plains, then fair and colder.

I had another birthday - at our family dinner on Sunday, which we finally got to go to for the first time in 5 weeks due to weather. Mom made a chocolate cake with chocolate pudding in the middle and real whipped cream for the frosting. She bought me a Happy Birthday balloon, a people magazine, a Taste Of Home Cooking magazine - which I love - I use them all the time, chocolates, a gift card to Wal-Mart and a little pillow that says push button for maid - if no one comes, do it yourself. Too funny.

It is sooooooooooo cold here! I am ready for spring to be here now. The temps are below zero or worse with the wind chill. And we do have wind. It's just terrible. Makes me wonder how the spring will be - lots of storms? I hope not. Everyone is getting sick it seems. Several schools in Nebraska have closed due to illness. It hit our house. My oldest, Giuseppe got it first. A fever and cold symptoms. Eyes glossy, cheeks red, tired, and just feeling plain yucky! He stayed home two days from school this week. Next came Montana. His school called me on Wednesday saying he had a fever of 101 so I went to town to pick him up. Ariana got it that evening. Adelina had a slight fever when she got home today, but it was gone by this evening, so maybe she will get to skip it. The baby is doing better and Montana has a fever all over again - it had went back to normal, then he seemed to get worse. :( I hope that I don't get it. Giuseppe, Montana and Adelina's Dad got it too. I guess it's a form of the flu. Strange, but I am not complaining because they aren't having other symptoms that would be much worse so at least their suffering isn't severe. I am happy to do without the other yucky flu symptoms.

Thank you to Susan for the wonderful siggy below. I have also receiced some great little gifties from Kellie, Cris, Annette, Annette, Barbara and Wanda Lucia, and they are all at my Valentine's Cottage. Marcy also gave me some valentine's day stationery. Thank you ladies!

Does anyone know of any good links for ringtones - preferably free ringtones? I want to find some for my cell phone. My brother said he found a bunch just doing a search, but I am not so lucky.

Kia tagged me with this game and I need to pass it forward to 6 blog friends. You put this in your blog along with the answers.

Mention six strange facts about you:
1. I hate the sound of a metal utensil scraped against a pan or any aluminum, metal item.
2. I love cartoons - I collect disney movies too.
3. I am afraid of heights.
4. I love to stay in my pjs all day - even after showering I put them on. Staying at home can make you lazy, lol.
5. I can't stand it when someone starts to say something and says nevermind.
6. I don't remember a lot about when I was a child - just bits here and there and I don't know why.

The rules are the following:
Tag six net friends & leave a message in their blogs.
These rules are supposed to be written in the blogs of those who have been tagged.

Toni tagged Neppie, Marge, Pam, Joan, Kathy and Claudia Marge tagged Nancze, Susan, Connie, Kat, Kia and Lori.
Kia tagged Grandma Susan, Suzanne, Sonia, Rachel, Jaana and Susan. ;)
Suzanne tagged Training Hearts, Kris, Pia, Kiki and Kellie. Everyone else seems to have already played :)

I am a little early with my Friday Fun, but I have to do it as I have the time, so here it is...

:: Friday Firsts ::
1. What was your first job? A bus girl at a restaurant - I think I as 15.
2. Do you remember your first crush? I think so - some childhood memories have left me, but I think it as Brian Dizmang. I remember in 3rd grade I just loved him. He called me Sue - No one was allowed to call me a nickname - LOL - he did. We went all the way through 12th grade together as good friends.
3. What is the first thing you do in the morning? Stumble to the coffeepot.
4. What is your first memory? hmmmm, not sure. I think Kindergarten is as far back as I can honestly remember. Sad isn't it? I went to kindergarten half of the year in Colorado and then we moved back to New York for the other half.
5. Where is the first place you visited on the net today? Scholastic - so I could place a book order for my fourth grader.

		I'm feeling...
	th

I did a little redecorating. I want to visit everyone and hope to tomorrow - all the little bit of free time I have had has been choosing graphics and trying to redo pages for St. Patrick's Day. I like how it turned out. It took me forever - I have the hardest time deciding what graphics to use. Gotta run - it's time to hit the hay before Ariana is up - you never know when that is anymore - she's getting the yuckies again. I can't believe it. She is so congested and cranky. My poor baby. Talk to you all soon!!