A VERY Blustery Day

The storm that ripped through our area yesterday caused us to rethink our love for the massive trees that surround our home.

Why is that you might ask?

Here, let me show you...

Yeah...that was taken from the window in the back of our home. That tree uprooted next to our neighbors shed, and fell within three feet of our house.

Several other trees fell as well, but that one was by far the closest to the house. We have some serious clean-up on our hands, but when I think of how bad that could have been, I'm struck by how protected we were.

Now we are just keeping an eye on the creek. It's already running very high. To give you some perspective, that deck you see across the creek? There is a set of stairs that runs down about ten feet to the water that is now completely submerged.

Were you all affected by the storms of the past few days? Are you all okay?

Tomb of the Unknown Onesie

It was a sad day here in the Country Mouse household.

The tiny socks lined up to pay their respects, the stuffed animals mourned, and the pacifiers wept.

A onesie had been killed in the line of doody (ha duty? doody? get it? ooookay...moving on).
His selfless act guaranteed the survival of the tiny sweater and pants ensemble that was worn on top of the onesie...

His sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Andrew is home!

I just wanted to update all of you on sweet baby Andrew. After more than a week in the hospital, he is home! He came home from the hospital last night, and is doing well!

Thank you for all of your prayers for this sweet boy and his family. Below is his mothers thank you to all the people who kept them in their prayers. (taken from Facebook)

"Home sweet home! After a long trying, exhausting week we are finally HOME!!!! Thank you all for your love, support and prayers!!!"

Smile!

Somebody loves his stroller!

A Request

Today, the beautiful blue-eyed baby of a couple we know underwent his second open heart surgery, and I just received a message saying that it did not go well. To be honest, I barely know this family at all, but as a mother I cannot imagine the anguish that must accompany the knowledge that your child is dangerously ill.

Andrew is only a few weeks older than Jack, and he needs your prayers. Badly.

Braving the Frozen Tundra

THE CREEK IS FROZEN! THE CREEK IS FROZEN!
When Matt comes home from work, he likes to have some time with Jack, and since this is around the time Jack usually takes a short nap, that means I am finding myself with some time to myself.

Yesterday I took advantage of this time to take Jaco outside and check out the frozen landscape. As usual...my curiosity got the better of me.
Hey, Jaco! Go out on the ice to see if it's thick enough to walk on!
What?!

Just do it you big pansy...if you fall in I'll save you! I promise!(I find that, as a last resort, name-calling usually works).
I don't know about this...seems questionable to me!

It's fine! Trust me.
I'll never forgive you for this, woman!
My feet are cold!
It holds! Is this far enough?

Thank goodness...because there is no way I was coming in there after you!
WHAT?!

I'm Calling it "Motivation"

Today...two months after having a baby...I bought my first pair of skinny jeans...

...now if I could only remember where I put my skinny legs...

Two Months

How on earth have two months flown by since I had my son? I suspect time travel...it's the only explanation that makes sense.

And now - a question for all the mommies out there. How do you know when it's time to move up a diaper size? Jack is wearing ones, but in the last two days he has blown out five diapers. They don't look small on him, but poop up to his hairline on a regular basis seems to suggest the opposite.

That Sound You Just Heard?

That was the sound of my heart exploding.
Because this gummy smile was directed at me. The sleepless nights, the sore nipples, the stretch marks...all worth it. I barely remember the pain of labor because my son, MY SON, smiled at me. Can you believe that chin? Oh the pudge!
Sometimes I am completely overwhelmed by it all. I don't deserve this. I have done nothing in my life that warrants the pure joy that I have been given.
I am so blessed. It is so easy for me to forget this simple fact when bills start to pile up, dishes don't get washed, dirty clothes litter the floor, and arguments start.
I am so blessed to have these two in my life.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

It's no secret that I live in a...um...rural area. Some people might call it redneck country. Over the course of the past year Matt and I have come to learn that our neighbors are...uh...colorful, to put it nicely.

For example I have seen one of my neighbors towing a boat down the road with a riding lawn mower. A RIDING LAWN MOWER. TOWING A BOAT. I nearly wrecked my car (I also have seen neighbors filling up the gas tanks in the mowers at the closest gas station...I'm just sayin').
I'd like to introduce you...

Directly to our right is Leon and his brood. His grand-daughters are the ones that have massive crushes on my husband and gravitate to our house if Matt so much as looks out of the window. I kid you not, we have had to tell them that it's rude to look into the windows and yell Matt's name. Annoying yes, but really...can you blame them? He's cute, has a job, and he has all of his teeth. That's pretty much Mr. Right 'round these parts.

To our left is...well, I don't know WHO lives to our left, because we have NEVER, not once, seen them. I think maybe they are vampires that can only come out at night? I mean...we see evidence of them, they have a truck, their garbage cans somehow mysteriously make it to the road every Wednesday, but we never see people. I suspect the Cullens. Its strange to say the least. If I were less of a recluse I would have rung the doorbell and said Hi when we moved in, but I'm just not that outgoing.

Across the street is Mr. Wilson. Yes, my neighbor's name is Mr. Wilson..and that's not even the best part. His first name? The name he introduced himself as? PICKLE. Pickle Wilson. Pickle has lived here forever from the sound of things. He just recently introduced himself, we think he waited to see if Matt and I would be good neighbors or if we were trouble. He informed us that he likes what we've done to the place, and that he is having some trouble with the "damn kids and their bee-bee guns on his property".

And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way. Our neighbors may be odd, but they are kind (well...the jury is still out on the recluse house to the left...but they haven't been overtly mean at any rate). I look forward to many summer nights sitting on the porch with Matt giggling over the antics of our fellow rednecks.

Do you have neighbors like mine? Do you even know your neighbors? Are you the redneck neighbor?