Hubby is home!

My husband went in for back surgery this weekend.  Nasty business, but I, for one, am glad that it's over with. Now we just have to get through the 6 months of recovery.


(sigh)~~

Any and all prayers and well wishes headed in our direction will be welcomed and made at home.

1 comment Tags: husband, surgery, back problems

JJQ #25: Snow Day

"Did it snow much when you were a child - tell something about it, what did you do?"


When I was a child, we had snow almost every winter, sometimes up to two or three feet of snow and sometimes as little as a quarter of an inch or so.  Whenever it snowed, me and my brothers would rush to the coat closet and throw on all our snow duds (coat, boots, hat, mittens, scarf) and go out and build.  With my brothers, it usually meant snow forts and, following that, snow fights.  One time, though, we tried to build a snow couple; a snow man and a snow woman.  The snow woman fell apart before we could get her completely built.  Another time, we had so much snow, we tried to make an igloo.  Of course, our fingers froze before we finished it and, the next day, all the snow had turned into ice.  The day after that, we had a thaw and so, what little we'd accomplished was destroyed.

I think the best part, by far, about playing in the snow, though, is being able to come inside for a nice, hot cup of cocoa afterwards.  Sometimes, as a special treat, my mom would float marshmallows in it, either a handful of the mini ones or one of the regular-sized ones.  We'd sit around the dining table with red noses and red fingers just huddled over our mugs of cocoa, like we were trying to drag the smallest amount of warmth from it, and just sip it.

I miss that.

1 comment Tags: snow, journal jar

A Sliver

Yesterday, my daughter got into some sort of accident which shoved a piece of wood underneath her left big toenail.  Poor kid.  I managed to get it out with a pair of tweezers and a very small precision screwdriver, but not without the help of my husband, who had to hold her down and hold her foot still so that I could grab the splinter with the tweezers.  When we finally got the thing out, it was probably about half an inch long and about an eighth of an inch wide.  My daughter was profuse in her gratitude and we were both shaking when it was all over.  Considering the size of the sliver and the emotional ordeal we'd both been through, I thought it wise to take her to Baskin Robbins for icecream.  While we were there, we met some rodeoers from Oklahoma who were here for the fair and said that they had just pulled a nail from the heel of one of their horses because it was placed wrong and giving the horse pain.  I felt sorry for the horse and the rodeoers seemed nice, too.  After that, we went to Hastings and bought some books for me and a stuffed owl for my daughter.  We both agreed that, even if we knew ice cream would be involved, we never wanted to go through that again.  Ever.

2 comments Tags: accident, injury, princess

My Life According to Journey

I got this one from the blog of my husband, jaklumen.  Who he got it from, I have no clue.

How to play if you want to play, too:

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to people, including me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost it as "My Life According to (BAND NAME)

1.Are you a male or female?
Good Morning Girl

2. Describe yourself:
Midnight Dreamer

3. How do you feel:
a. Feeling That Way
b. Loved By You

4. Describe where you currently live:
City of the Angles

5. If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Mystery Mountain

6. Your favorite form of transportation:
Walks Like a Lady

7. Your best friend is:
Can't Tame the Lion

8.Your favorite color is:
Lights

9. What's the weather like:
Winds of March

10. Favorite time of day:
Why Can't This Night Go On Forever

11. If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
Destiny

12. What is life to you:
Don't Stop Believing

13. Your current relationship:
Stone in Love

14. Looking for:
Escape

15. Wouldn’t mind:
Kiss Me Softly

16. Your fear:
Ask the Lonely

17. What is the best advice you have to give:
Be Good to Yourself

18. If you could change your name, you would change it to:
Suzanne

19. Thought for the Day:
Never Walk Away

20. How I would like to die:
Loved By You

21. My motto:
Patiently

1 comment Tags: meme, life, journey

Rest in Peace Bill and Ted

Gravesite of Bill and Ted
Gravesite of Bill and Ted
This is something I put together using MS Paint.  My husband often suggested that these kinds of things should be on their gravestones when they died, even if they were only graffiti'd on.  The full names and birth dates are all accurate.   I got the death dates by rolling a 30-sided and 12-sided dice.  Enjoy, Dudes!

PS. For those who aren't conversant with Bill and Ted, check the following link: Bill and Ted

2 comments

Photos!!!

Under pressure from various family members (you know who you are), here are some of the very latest pictures I took with my our brand-new camera.

This is the most recent photo of me.  Unfortunately, it illustrates just how fat I've become.  Then again, it also showcases my favorite hat: the Pirates of the Caribbean ballcap.  Now, I know, just looking at it, that it looks thrashed.  Believe it or not, it looked like this when I bought it.  I like it because, no matter how long I own it, it will always look as good as new.

After I took this picture, I wasn't sure why I did.  Jak contends that, if you look closely at it, observing whose hand is on top and the fact that his fingers appear to still be reaching out, you'll understand.  Anyway, that's why it has the title it does.

This is Jak in his hat.  Yes, it's a cheapoid straw hat he picked up in a supermarket.  I think he looks good in it (I know, I'm biased).  He bought it to keep the sun off his face and the back of his neck.  So long as it does that, who cares what anyone else thinks?

This is my son.  When I took these pictures, he was strapped into the stroller.  The shot to the left came first.  I just stuck the camera in front of him and, when I went to snap the picture, he smiled big and reached for the camera.  Classic!  The second one I took because the first one sort of chops his chin off.  Unfortunately, he didn't grin as big the second time, but he still looks almost unbearably cute.  Don't you think so?
This is Jak Jr. in his leash and harness.  I forget exactly where I got this, but man is it ever useful.  I stick him in it when I want to control where he goes without limiting his mobility.  Check out that huge smile!  He was fussing a lot after Jak and I'd been resting a while, so I let him out of his stroller, stuck his monkey on his back and let him loose.
When I let Jak Jr. loose, Princess offered to hold on to his leash.  So, I told her to make sure that he didn't go to far or out into traffic, gave her the leash and let her handle it.  When he stopped to pick flowers, I called to her and asked her to smile.  This is the shot I got.

Well, that's all I'm posting for now.  If you want to see more, you'll probably have to take a look at my web album on Picasa. I didn't put all the pictures there.  Just the good ones.  Search for "wavemistress" if the link doesn't take you straight to the album.

1 comment Tags: family, photos

JJQ #23 Count Your Blessings...

"Write about the blessings you have in life.  Make a list and count them!"


I've been thinking about this one for a while.  It's hard for me to want to discuss my blessings for a couple of reasons.  I feel weird discussing them in public and they make such a long list that I'm afraid it would be too long.  How-some-ever, here we go.

  1. My husband-He's so great.  Even when I'm being singularly lousy company, he's still right there loving me.
  2. My daughter-She's such an amazing girl.  Sometimes, I like to watch her and sometimes she likes to watch me.  However, it's well established that we tend to pal around together.
  3. My son-My other little treasure.  What a patient and sweet li'l guy.  I call him my boy friend, but really he's my sweet angel, even if he is two.
  4. My body- Such as it is. Those who know me well often suggest I should take better care of it.  Know what?  They're right!
  5. My home-  It's true, thanks to various and sundry organizations, I am not homeless.  Thank the Lord (Yes, I mean it)
  6. There is food in the storeroom
  7. There is a comfortable bed for me to sleep in.
  8. I don't have to ever be by myself in the dark
  9. I can walk
  10. I can talk
  11. I can see
  12. I can hear
  13. I can smile
  14. I can drive a car- That's one I'm sure my folks thought I'd never do.  I didn't even get my license until I was 28!
  15. I have my own computer.
  16. I can stay home and look after my kids/ I don't have to go out into the world to support my family.
  17. I have a car to drive
  18. I have a gym membership and a good friend who takes me there as often as possible.
  19. Jesus Christ - Do I really need to say more? (If so, PM me and we'll discuss it in private)
  20. My daughter is doing well academically.
  21. I've been married for nearly ten and a half years with no possibility for parole (-impish grin-)
  22. My husband likes to vacuum, clean the bathroom and take out the trash!
  23. Books
  24. I have a vibrant imagination
  25. I can fix my own meals
  26. I can wash my own clothing
  27. I can go where I want when I want
  28. I know what responsibility means and how it's applied in my own life
  29. I'm not willing to compromise on my children's safety
  30. I have shoes to wear on my feet
  31. I have clothing that fits me
  32. I have nice bedsheets
  33. Neither of my children are developmentally challenged
  34. I know a thing or two about how to put together a working budget.
  35. I know how to appreciate beauty in every living thing.
There are others, but this is, as I said, taking far too long so I'm going to stop here.  If you're on my friends list, feel free to comment.

4 comments Tags: blessings, journal jar

Jak Jr.'s Expanding Vocabulary

This is a post about my son.  He's a beautiful boy and, since he's two, he's beginning to speak more clearly.  Here's a list of some of the things he's begun to say along with translations into English.

Jak Jr.
Jak Jr.
  • "Wa wah-yer?"  I want water.
  • "Aye laf a-fa-thah!"  I love applesauce!
  • "Ah-sye-dow"  Upside down.
  • "Bah  bye bye" Good bye.
  • "Nah nite. Nah nite (makes snoring noise)."  You are/ I am tired.
  • "Mowk"  milk
  • "Sirstee"  Thirsty
  • "Huh-ree"  Hungry
  • "Issa cat. meow meow"  It's a cat.  Cats say "meow."
  • "Say-ba-day!"  Save the day! (a line from the TV show "Super Why and the Super Readers.
  • "Bah see gwa-mah."  Back seat drivin' with Gramma! (a line he's heard from the TV show "Sid the Science Kid."
  • "Poopy?"  I have poopy pants.
  • "Yeah!" or "Yeth"  yes.
  • "No! No! No!" I don't want that!
  • "Issa pay-poo"  It's a paper!
  • "Mah-ser. Koo-key!  Nahm nahm nahm!"  I'm pretending to be Cookie Monster!
  • "Kwi-koh kwi-kow willow thstar..."  Twinkle twinkle little star.
  • "Ippy bippy pie-doo"  Itsy Bitsy Spider
  • "Pah cake"  Patty Cake
  • "Fank-you fank-you"  Thank you
  • "Wikkom" You're welcome
  • "Coo me"  Exuse me
  • "Grik"  Drink
  • "No" (pointing) nose
  • "Thin" Chin
  • "theek" cheek
  • "her" hair
  • "er" ear
  • "Tee" teeth
  • "Tongue"  tongue
  • "Issa heh-vee" This is heavy.
  • "Ah-poh" Apple
  • "Orzh" Orange
  • "a Na-na" banana
  • "Ass Eh-moh wer" That's Elmo's World.  (Sesame street Addict)
  • "Eh-moh laf you."  Elmo loves you. (see above)
  • "Huh?  Huh?  Wer see go?"  Where did she/he/it go?
  • "Peep boo!" Peek a boo!
  • "Wah wah you?"  Where are you?
  • "Dorzh" George (as in Curious)
  • "Siu!"  shoe
  • "Deh yar!" There you are!
  • "Deh diz!" There it is!
  • "Wow!  Wookit dat!"  Wow!  Look at that!
This is all of them that I can think of right off hand.  He is a very chatty boy and loves to talk, even if it's only to babble.  He can also count to ten and recite most of the alphabet without help.  Best of all, he loves to sing and adores swimming.  Whenever we go to the Court Club to go swimming, he always gets so excited, I just can't help but laugh.

3 comments Tags: talking, jak jr.

It's "Select Comfort" For The Win!!

We finally had our new Sleep Number (c) Mattress delivered from Select Comfort.  A pair of fire fighters came by and set it up for us and everything.  Then, after it was all set up, our old mattress and boxspring hauled out, and we each had our individual firmness set, I had about an hour's nap in it.  Normally, for me, a nap means sleep for more than an hour.  However, HRH woke up early from his nap this afternoon, so I more or less had to get up.  When I did, though, I felt so well-rested.  I'll tell you, it's amazing what a single hour of restful, comfortable sleep will do for you.  I can't wait to see what kind of change is worked from a full night's sleep.  I also never really realized just how tired I was and how hard our previous bed was making sleep for me.  


Anyway, the model we picked was the P5 with the deluxe features like massage and adjustable foundation, etc.  For those living in my area, there's a Select Comfort showroom in the Columbia Center Mall here in Kennewick, if you're interested in trying one for yourself.  It's true that they're expensive, the price for ours was in the thousands of dollars, but, for a good sleep like that, I'd say that it's well worth it.  Not to mention that, if it helps my husband's back, then it'll pay for itself within a few years of us owning it.

Now, I know this is just a first blush opinion and many of you will be skeptical so I promise I'll include an update tomorrow on how well I sleep tonight.

Update:  Two successful and restful night's sleep later, I can comfortably say "I LOVE MY NEW BED!!"

1 comment Tags: sleep, bed, select comfort

Crazy for D&D

As you may or may not already know, I've gone bezonkers for D&D 4th Edition (or D&D 4e).  I've bought the three core books, The Player's Handbook, The Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual, plus a bonus book the Player's Handbook 2, the basic Starter Set and an extra adventure, Keep on the Shadowfell.  Then, in a frenzy of excitement, I bought D&D 4e for Dummies.  Now, all I really need, barring studying the books so that I know what I'm doing, is some players.  I'm really excited.  The new version is interesting, if still a bit complex.  Personally, though, I don't think it's as complex as the original version was.  Still, I have a good deal of unlearning to do.  I've been playing the second version (called Advanced Dungeons and Dragons or AD&D) since I was twelve.  Anyway, if you know anyone in my general area who's interested in trying out D&D 4e, please send them my way.  I promise I don't live with my mom and I don't have a basement. ;-)


UPDATE:  Yesterday, I bought a DM screen and a 2'x2' reversible battlemat.  I still need to buy overhead projection markers.  Also just finished reading the monster manual.  I'm telling you, there are lots and lots of great ideas in there.

5 comments Tags: excitement, d&d

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Princess Thunderstorm

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Princess Thunderstorm
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"People who say something is impossible are simply afraid to believe in themselves" -me

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