Birthday Pictures

Yay!! I figured out how to upload, seems multiply is only being wonky for large uploads (like trying to do them all at once). Going five at a time worked!!

So ... enjoy ...

 

Birthday Party 2012

Butterball and JJs combined birthday party. Butterball turned two, JJ turned one.

Birthday Catsup ...

I mean Catch up ... our modem died late on the 18th, I'm suspecting the Gremlin had something to do with it ... no chance to blog until this evening. Please don't mind the offline blog that I wrote and pasted here. It's late and I'm sleepy, too sleepy to try to write a proper blog. LOL.

December 18, 2010

LOL. I don't know if I'll have time tomorrow to blog, it's the big StarFleet Christmas Party. Seems it's tradition to have it on my birthday anymore. But then, I'm used to my birthday being upstaged by Christmas, lol. Company parties, school parties, church youth group parties, you name it. I'm not bitter, lol, in fact I always thought I was something special by being born so close to Christmas!

You know, when I was growing up, I never realized that Hallmark (or the others) made anything but Christmas paper. My birthday gifts were wrapped in Christmas paper. Brother Deere, born January 5, also had his birthday gifts wrapped in Christmas paper. It wasn't until I was eight, when Little Bro was born on Valentine's Day, that I found out that Hallmark made more than Christmas paper. They also made Valentine's paper! Who knew? Dad was born on the Fourth of July, Mom's birthday occasionally falls on Easter - yeah we're a family of holiday or near holiday babies, LOL ... yet they never had gifts wrapped in birthday paper either ... Mom always had so much extra inventory of Christmas paper that that's all we ever saw gifts wrapped in (besides Valentine's paper)!

Today there's presents to wrap, cookies to bake ... okay, who am I kidding? I'm not baking cookies, I'm cheating by stopping by the bakery on the way to the party tomorrow. Two dozen chocolate chip cookies should cover it. Plus the stuff Single Son said he'd bring ... pop, cups, cheese and crackers and ... and ... oh I hope he remembers what else he said he'd bring.

As long as I'm wrapping gifts for the Trekkie Party, I may as well wrap family gifts, too. It's either that or I'll put it off until literally the last minute.

I'm so relieved that the shopping is done. I picked a great day, too, to go shopping! The one store I went to ended up not only having everything on my list, but everything was marked 50 to 80 percent off - an in-store unadvertised sale! Yes, 80 percent off. Eureka!!

Seeing as part of the shopping today was to buy my own birthday and Christmas gifts (from Mom) I really hit the jackpot!! Blue jeans for ten bucks, and a beautiful sterling silver amethyst and marcasite ring (valued at $90) for $18 and change!! Combine that with the Flylady order, and Mom spent 25% less on my gifts this year. And no, I didn't run around the store trying to spend the rest of the money. Let her enjoy some savings, LOL.

Speaking of running around the store, I'm beat!! Three hours in one store, unheard of for me! But I did search high and low, far and wide (and circled the place a few dozen times) in search of the perfect gift at humongous savings.

Sore as I am now thanks to *someone* wearing the wrong shoes for marathon shopping, and a few too many wayward carts rammed into the back of my heels by people not paying attention to anything but shelves and I can tell you I'm ready for a soak in the bathtub.

And soak I plan on doing, as soon as Alien gets here to pick up some mail and a ring I told her she could have. We both love amethyst (it was my brother's birthstone). I didn't tell her, but the mail is a check from Aunt Silly ... a hundred dollars to help Alien with Christmas for the Butterball. Now how sweet was that? But that's Aunt Silly ... generous and loving.

Well, I was going to post this ... We've lost internet about half way through my writing this. Seems our router just died. I'll post when I can (hopefully it'll come back to life, even if for only a few hours).

Hmmmm, nope, not the router it turns out, but the modem that went poof.

Nope, no such luck. Single Son said there was a small “explosion” followed by a stench. Great. Monday I get to call AT&T and order a new modem. I wonder how long that’ll take?

Until then, I blog offline, I’ll play catch-up with ya’ll when I can.

December 19, 2010

Just got back from the Star Trek Christmas party. Had a great time! We ate way too much delish food, opened presents, had birthday cake and played the game “Apples to Apples” while the *guys* held their end of the year Star Fleet teleconference call.

Our hostess, “L” had mentioned she’d sent me an email early this morning to ask me to bring a deck of cards, which of course I wasn't able to read, when I said that our modem had died she got all wide-eyed “we have three extra modems here, you’re more than welcome to take one home”. Yay!! As I type Single Son is working on swapping out the old, dead modem for the new one. And I mean new. They never used the one they gave us. It’ll be nice to be back online tonight. Hopefully tonight anyway.

You really don’t know how much time you spend online until you can’t get online. Haha.

It looks like I will be going to Port Huron for New Year’s after all. Single Son pretty much has to go for the swearing in of our new Star Fleet Commander, but he won’t be staying too long after midnight. So, knowing that he’s not staying overnight, or that I won’t have to drive the distance at night, I decided to go. A break from my normal tradition of meditation and reflection as the new year comes.  

A Screwy Sorta *Murphy* Birthday

Thanks everyone for the birthday greetings and wishes!!!!

It was definitely an interesting birthday.

Started off I went up to OCC to finish registering for classes. Ha!!

My car won't start! Never fear! Single Son is home, I'll just borrow his van. I wake him up, tell him I'm taking his van, that my car won't start, and I *need* to go. No problem he says and off I go to OCC ... and couldn't get registered! I am in the process of trying to get my Pell Grant transfered over, and having a hell of a time doing so (probably because of the holidays?). So that done I hop in the van and ...

Ha!!! It won't start!!

Crying won't help, neither will getting mad. I called Married Son ... he's back in town. Why is it the day Married Son gets back to town Single Son and I have car problems? Hmmmmm. But, yup, he'll be over to rescue me. Hang tight. By the way, Happy Birthday Mom. Brat! Well, he was busy and after about an hour I said phooey on it, and called the campus police. They jump-started the van. I'm good to go.

So, yeah, it was an interesting birthday.

Never a dull moment.

Didn't do anything else today. I think I was too afraid other plans would backfire, too. LOL!

I have a doctor's appointment later today to discuss diabetes and the surgery. I have not yet started the car. I'm praying it'll start. I'm doubting it'll cooperate with me though. Not that I'm being pessimestic .. but hey, never fails when I *have* to be somewhere. I'll probably blog later about how the docs appointment went.

12-19

So just for giggles I went to a birthday calculator site today ... considering it's my birthday after all.

As of 12/19/2007 9:49:16 AM EST
You are 48 years old.
You are 576 months old.
You are 2,505 weeks old.
You are 17,532 days old.
You are 420,777 hours old.
You are 25,246,669 minutes old.
You are 1,514,800,156 seconds old.

There are 366 days till your next birthday on which your cake will have 49 candles.
Those 49 candles produce 49 BTUs, or 12,348 calories of heat (that's only 12.3480 food Calories!) . You can boil 5.60 US ounces of water with that many candles.

I FEEL OLD!! And damn, can't I get through turning 48?? They have to remind me that next year I'll be 49?? OUCH!!

Catching up ...

LOL!!! Guess I've been a little sketchy with information on why I need surgery ... so ... without giving ya'll the gory details ... I've got what's called a "partially strangulated umbilical hernia" ... a hernia involving part of my intestines - they've become partially twisted by the surrounding herniated muscles. We need to do this surgery before the intestines become fully strangulated (twisted). The big hang up comes from a battery of tests I've had to go through. They're still unsure (will be until surgery, I guess) IF they need to remove any of my intestine or not.  Fun, fun. NOT!

That's what's been causing the pain I've been in lately, among other symptoms that I haven't blogged about (they fall into that TMI category). It was pre-surgical testing that uncovered my diabetes. Weird thing is, the 55 pounds I've lost to date was from the diabetes, and not the hernia. So ... that's where we stand on that. I'll just be glad to be pain-free again! Then I can concentrate souly on the diabetes and my continuing weight loss. And college, of course.

During one of my many doctor's appointments lately, I had a chance encounter with a job placement counselor (head hunter). We got to talking. I mentioned I was going to Baker College - not to be confused with Baker University (a fab institute of higher learning, btw). He said they don't make it a practice of hiring graduates from certain schools. Guess who one of them is? Yup!! Said they're considered "McEducation". McGreat!! Just what I didn't need to hear. Anyway ... I did a little further research, called some influential people I know out in the computer world, and dammed if he's not right ... they won't hire graduates of certain "institutes of mediocre learning".

I just found out this morning that I've been accepted to OCC. If I weren't in constant pain, I'd be doing the happy dance here.

And it gets better!!

I've twice gone to OCC. Once in 1979 and again in 1988-90. They dusted off my old transcripts. My old GPA of 3.452 is still good!!!!

I'm a happy camper!! What a great birthday gift to myself!!

Speaking of birthday, LOL, I'm going to help my mom wrap gifts on my birthday. Don't want a fuss this year because of my health. Told Mom that we'll do something for my birthday after surgery, when I can enjoy food again. Red Lobster to be exact. A birthday tradition.

Ya'll have a great week. I'm still working on catching up with ya'll.

HUGS!!

Happy Birthday Son!!

Twenty five years ago today my second son, Married Son was born. Growing up he was a happy baby. Very content. Easily entertained. My cuddle baby. Said "I lub you, Momma" a million times a day.

Married Son was my adventure seeker. Was? He still is! He's the truck driver, the one who has always looked for the unconventional jobs, different from the norm. Definitely marches to the beat of a different drummer.

Growing up, he and his brother were pretty much sparring partners, I never thought there'd be a day they got along. He rarely started it, it was usually Single Son who started the fights. Poor Married Son always took the blame. Today they're best buds. And like his older brother, he's fiercely protective of family. He's extremely close to both of his siblings, and me. Loving husband and father of one of the cutest little boys I've ever seen. Then again, as Grandma to this cutie, I use my *Gramma Bragging Rights* often!

Married Son has grown up to be one hell of a man. Hard working. Helpful. Generous. He'd give someone the shirt off his back if they needed it.

Happy Birthday, Honey. I'm proud of you!! I love you.

Happy Birthday, Son!!

Today is Single Son's birthday. He turned 28. Damn, where have the years gone? Seems like just yesterday he was born!

And in all honesty, this child of mine is my hero ...

My first born. I was only 19 when he was born. His birth wasn't easy. He was breech. The doctors decided they needed to do an emergency c-section to deliver him. They discovered the cord was wrapped around his neck. Had he been a normal delivery we'd have lost him in delivery.

His delivery was to become the first of many times that he'd pretty much cheat death.

Single Son was barely five weeks old when he started to projectile vomit. He barely weighed seven pounds, but could puke with such force as to hit a wall twelve feet away. Calling my doctor in a complete panic on the day before my 20th birthday, we took him in. He refered us to a pediatriac specialist. He'd lost a pound and a half during this time. Pre surgery weight was 5 1/2 pounds. Diagnosis: Pyloric Stenosis. Basically it's a closing of the pylorus, the muscle at the bottom of the stomach that regulates digestion. He couldn't digest his formula, so it would be vomited back up. Forcefully. Surgery would be needed to cut the pylorus in half to allow digestion. Surgery was scheduled for the day after my 20th birthday. It went well, although during surgery he "coded" on the doctors a few times. Then a few days after surgery he stopped breathing again, this time for eight to ten minutes. Twice at the age of six weeks he cheated death!!

Single Son was a dream child after that rocky start. He was always cheerful. He barely cried. He was always laughing, always curious. Stubborn and determined, but cheerful about it. LOL! Elementary school was trying for us. The school kept trying to tell me he had an attention deficit problem. I knew better. They wouldn't listen. The school file (that we have possession of now) is full of "mother is difficult to deal with. In denial there's problems with this child". Never once did they ever test his IQ. Had they, they'd have discovered what I knew all along. His IQ is extremely high. The boy acted out because he was BORED ... and why was he bored? He wasn't challenged at all. The day he graduated with honors from High School I so wanted to track down those people that swore he was ADD/ADHD ... shove that 4.0 GPA of his in their faces!!

He again cheated death at the age of 20 when he was in that car accident I've blogged about before. Even then, he didn't let the accident stop him. Within three months of the accident (with a broken pelvis and his ruptured spleen being removed) he was back to work as the head of security at the local mall. That boy ... I swear, nothing stops him.

He's had strange things happen to him all his life. Gee, I see a pattern here. Me, him ... our guardian angels are warped!! He's had many close encounters of the animal kind ... something we still tease him about. He's been attacked by a monkey at work (pharm. lab), been cornered by one very pissed off possum (work), encountered a lion wandering downtown (work), and while on foot patrol one evening a car hit a deer - sending the deer flying into him, breaking four of his ribs (son's ribs, not the deer). I could only laugh while sitting in the emergency room with him. Who but my son could get hit by a flying deer and live to talk about it?

From the time he was a little boy, Single Son wanted to be a cop. He's worked hard to get his college education so he can be one, and is still continuing his education in Law Enforcement to be the best cop he can be. He graduated the Police Academy 2nd in his class. He's worked long hard hours and has managed to become a Sargeant at the age of 27. He's well known and well loved within the community by citizens of all ages. He's one of a handful of "Youth Bureau" officers. His "kids" love him!

Besides being a full time cop and full time college student, he also works full time as head of security in one of the plants of the Big Three Auto makers.

He's moved back home to help me until I'm on my feet again. Sacrificing his independance to help dear ol' Mom here.

He's a tough kid ... kid nothing. He grew up to be a hell of a man. The pride I have for him brings tears to my eyes whenever I think of him ... of his first weeks of life. Of what he's had to overcome to reach adulthood.

And he blushes when I tell him I love him.

Happy Birthday, Son ... I love you ... 

Turn Around ...

I can't believe it's been 16 years already. Sixteen years ... where does the time go?

Seems like just yesterday I was bringing my third baby home from the hospital. The third. Last of a "limited series". My only girl. My princess. No longer a baby. Not a child, either. Soon she'll be a woman.

When I was born my dad loved the song "Turn Around" by Harry Belafonte. It's become a tradition to give a copy of this song to those who have been blessed with the birth of a daughter. It still tugs at my heart to hear it. And as my baby grows up it's even more special to me.

My baby, ever closer to being a woman.

"Turn Around"
By Harry Belafonte

Where are you going my little one, little one
Where are you going my baby my own
Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four
Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door
Turn around (turn around)
Turn around (turn around)
Turn around and you're a young girl
goin' out of the door

Where are you going my little one, little one
Dirndls and petticoats, where have you gone
Turn around and you're tiny, turn around and you're grown
Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of your own

Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door
Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of your own

Where are you going my little one, little one
Where are you going my baby my own
Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four
Turn around and you're a young girl going out of my door

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I love you, Boo!!