Hidden Gems

Found this one on the camera....another self portrait (sort of)

Fellow Americans...What Were You Thinking?????

Okay...I refrain from political talk on facebook out of a desire to retain a relationship with some liberal relatives of mine...but this is MY blog - and they don't read it - so I get to say whatever I want.  

What in this world would provoke someone to vote in a president for a second term who has done absolutely nothing during his first term but drag our nation so deep in debt we will most likely never get out?

I would love for someone to answer that question for me.  As I sit here today...two days later...I am still relatively speechless that we now have to endure another four years with this man.  

And quite frankly, he scares me to death!  I would not be at all surprised if we wake up one day and our 250+ year government has been over thrown and replaced with Socialism.

We had the privilege of watching the election night coverage with my mom and dad, who were visiting from Florida.  So at least we had company to commiserate with - as anti Obama as we are!

Earlier that night

We went to our usual place for dinner.

celebrated Jon and his birthday

and acted goofy

all while blissfully unaware of the election outcome that would blindside us later that night.

And...Another Birthday Rolls Around

My middle son is 20 today.

That seems impossible...no way it has been 20 years since he looked like this:

It just can't be true because I remember that day like it was just yesterday.

- I remember being sick and not wanting to expend the energy necessary to birth a baby.

- I remember thinking I'd take a little nap a mere hour after labor started - you know to gather some energy - only to be told I was already 8cm.

- I remember when he was born that the doctor said he was bigger than C.J. was.  Not true...he was, in fact, 2 ozs. and a full inch smaller.

- I remember having a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup for lunch (after the big event) while shaking uncontrollably, an after effect of the epudural.

- I remember the labor and delivery floor was packed!  And we got moved to the overflow section because we were old pros at parenthood.

- And I remember feeling so completely and totally blessed to have another healthy, beautiful baby boy!!!

Jon, you have been such a blessing to our family.  Such a strong-willed child

with a kind and caring heart... who has grown into such a great young man who is strong in his convictions, intelligent, and personable.

Exercise Your Rights

Vote tomorrow.

I admit it...I am a History geek.  

Is it weird that I am really excited about tomorrow?

A day that comes around only once every four years.

Oh how I love to watch the election coverage and see our electoral college in action.

(Although technically the members of the electoral college don't vote until mid December...it is an automatic assumption that they will cast their vote for the candidate of their respective party.)

Latest projections tell us we will most likely NOT have a new president tomorrow

Amazing that to the eye it looks as if the red dominates...yet because of California, New York, and Illinois...Obama is ahead in Electoral College votes.  

But keep in mind that some of these states are really still undecided and these are just projections (guesses).

Yes indeed I am a hopeless History geek.

And to add to the cool factor, my son gets to vote in his first presidential election tomorrow...on his 20th birthday.  

Unfortunately he is not voting for my candidate of choice so our votes will kinda cancel each other out.

Pathetic Mama's Boy

Normally, our pathetic dog will not go outside with anyone but me.  

He most definitively will not go in the car with anyone but me.  If hubby wants to take him to the reserve for a walk (I won't go now that it is cold out) I have to pretend I'm going along and trick him into getting in the car.  Ugh...pathetic little creature is he.

Anyway, last week, he uncharacteristically went outside with the hubby.  He was surely having a great time running around in the backyard as I was watching him from the patio door.

And then he saw me!!!!!

And within a minute:

  
Wanting to get in by mama.

yep...he melts my heart.

Well...It Wasn't Pretty

Confession...I am a football fanatic!  

I am also a huge daddy's girl. 

 I only mention that because it is the reason I started watching football in the first place. 

 Sometime in my high school years, out of a desire to spend more time with my dad, I began sitting with him on Sundays watching football games.  I am sure there were times he wanted to place a gag over my mouth to stop the never-ending barrage of questions I would ask.  But, instead, he patiently answered each one and nurtured me into becoming one "awesome football knowledge knowing gal." 

I usually watch football whenever it is on and, sadly, go into a semi-state-of-depression once football season is over.

But even though I will watch any game that is on...I do have my favorite teams:

In case you didn't know...but I'm sure ya'll did.

Gator nation has not had much to cheer about since Tebow left a couple years ago...until this year.  They started the year ranked somewhere around 20 and had moved up to number 2 as of two weeks ago with some impressive playing and wins.

But that was two weeks ago...since then...not so great.

Now ranked number 7 after an ugly loss last week, they took the field this week against an un-ranked opponent on their home field...and produced a very ugly 14-7 win.

Which brings me to the saying, "well, it wasn't pretty but at least it was a win."

Umm.. not good enough for me.  I want to destroy my opponent...bury them...cream them...make them rue the day they ever played the Florida Gators!!!   Ahem... you get my point. 

Not happening...the Gators are falling apart and beginning their free fall out of the top ten, I'm afraid.

Unless something changes quickly!

My Husband Has Done Lost His Mind

For the past two months he has been growing something in our garden.  He was very protective of this green stuff, taking great pains to make sure we (dog included) stayed far away.  

It looked like lettuce and I was kinda stoked because we both have been eating a lot of the leafy greens lately.

Fast forward to today when hubby is puttering around in the garden.

Here he is picking the leafy greens out of the garden.  

So...here is the crazy part...these plants are not for us at all!  Nope, he will be making an 8 hour round trip up north tomorrow just so he can spread these leaflets around his deer stand to lure the unsuspecting, innocent creatures.

Apparently, deer are terribly attractive to this particular plant...but we needed to stay away from it so as not to infiltrate it with our human scent.
Ugh!!!