Dance Diva-NOT!

I am afraid that my poor daughter has inherited my two left feet- the poor child just does not get dance- when the group is going left- she is twirling to the beat of her own drum to the right and in a different outfit, another stage, another planet, and just not with the group.

This is year three in dance- we have tried tap, ballet, jazz, and now hip hop. I feel for the child- but we love her teacher and we really want her to be in some activity so we will stick it out for a few more years- besides we get great recital pictures like this of her:

and in the picture- she looks like a dance diva and that is all that really matters right?

Perhaps, I am not American....

because I think I am the only person in the US who does not enjoy, nor understand football. I know, I know it is crazy. I have 4 sons who play and I just don't get it try as I might. There are too many rules and positions and it is complicated and dumb. I love baseball- but football not so much. I also hate to be cold and football is played, at least part of the season in the snow!

Football has started this week, and we went to Toby's first game yesterday- he is number 32. It looks painful, and taking pictures is difficult when I can't follow the stupid ball- the fakes outs get me every time. Last year he was a running back and made a lot of touch downs- this I know. Now this year he is bigger, in 8th grade he is 5'11" and 175 pounds, and a size 15 wide shoe- I know this is big so he is a full back- which I guess does not make touchdowns because he is bigger and can't run as fast.

Then I guess he plays another position on offense or defense- which I told my parents was point guard and they informed me this was the wrong sport- so I had to ask Toby again what position it was and it is nose guard, OK stupid name- still not really sure what that does but at least I know the position name.

I have had people try to explain the game to me- but I just don't think my brain has room for the information- I am slowly getting some of it though- like I know when our team is running with the ball to cheer- but I just have to admit, I will never be a football fan.

Pictures from the first game below- can't give you any comments because I know not what I do....

This picture however looks like he is trying to choke out some much smaller child and I am just not sure that is very nice.

Now the baby!

So, the Princess started Kindergarten. She had a full week off from when her brothers started. She was very excited and I did not even cry, perhaps because I have done it 5 times, or that she went to Pre school for two years, or that I am so looking forward to some much needed free time- but for whatever reason I was just as happy as she was on the first day!

She loves her backpack and now wants a lunch box.

I think Jen was more emotional then I was, even took the whole morning off from work

She looks so grown up getting her breakfast tray and all


In front of her new class. Mrs. Miller is her teacher, Dylan had her in third grade and we sure love her.


Finally to her desk to color.


I love you baby girl- enjoy school and Mama will miss you and have more energy for you after school. Stop growing up so fast my little darling.

School 2011

First day back at school for the boys. While I would like more time with them, I also know they missed their friends and routine.

Bryce is 17 and a Senior. Still not able to drive because I am the mean mom and require "C" grades or better. He hates me I am sure. The day after school started I had his wisdom teeth pulled.

This is Toby. He is 13 and in the 8th grade. He has all GT classes and is already playing football with his team.

This is crazy Trey. He is 11 and in the 6th grade- this child was blessed with get sporting ability and he is quite the ladies man!

Dylan, also 11 and in the 6th grade- he is a love bug- playing football, wrestling, baseball and whatever else sounds fun.


Not sure where all the time went- they are growing up so fast!

Puppies, puppies, and more puppies!

Because we just do not have enough to do around here- we decided to try home artificial insemination- WHAT? yes, you read that right. You see, we have a male who is just too tired to "do it"- he looks at us like- really? You want me to chase her around and get stuck with her for 20 min? I think not. We have had many missed breeding's with him because he is a lazy SOB- (oh did I say that out loud?). So Jen did an Internet search and found out how to collect a sample on You Tube- you can find anything on there. We used a zip lock bag and inseminated a female twice- and look what we made:

Oh my aren't they beautiful? A litter of 10- split exactly 5 girls and 5 boys. So excited that we were able to do this!

Well then we had 6 more females come into heat- because dogs are just like woman and they cycle together- so not sure if this would work we bred 2 females. Litter one was due on August 17th, litter 2 was due Aug 26th, and litter three August 28th- nicely spaced apart and life was go- so we wait. All three ladies took and the babies grew. The AI litter was the one due in the middle on the 26th.

So, litter one has been holding her puppies and not delivering- it happens sometimes- but yesterday on the 23rd- AI litter decides to come early- ok I got this- thus the 10 beauties above.

Finished cleaning all that mess up- when the late litter decides it is time to come- see below- she had 6 pups 4 girls and two boys.


OK, we are good- I walk into my bathroom and I hear babies crying- so I go to check on the 10 from litter one- when I see the female due on the 28th has just dropped a pup- seriously? is this happening 3 litters in one day? OK, no time to think, here we go- she had 9 pups- 7 boys and 2 girls!



So, now I have 25 newborn babies to take care of- CRAZY! The good news is that 17 of them are already sold- but I may be bald in 8 weeks.

Thankful for my blessings, and all in all I was in the mode so delivering one right after the other wasn't so bad- at least they were all not birthing at one because I would not have been able to do that. We have to help deliver each puppy, cut the cords, dry them off etc. so it is a lot of work.

Now that all the kids are in school, I needed something to do right?

lovin the water

Jen took the boys up to camp and Taya wanted to go-an 8 hour car ride is hard on a little girl so Jen stopped to play a little- they enjoyed getting their toes wet Love these girls.

This child loves the water

Oh, and Jen bought her a toilet candy- really? Like Dip a stick- you put the powder in the bowl and dip the sucker in the powder- a sick person thought of this and en even sicker person let her daughter buy it!

Please let this be the answer....

Well, it happened again. Monday I started getting sick. I held on for the day but Tuesday was in the ER for fluid and pain medication. Came home, and had to go back after the medication wore off because I could not stop throwing up. This time I got the "dick" Dr.- you know the one that knows everything? He wanted to do a CT scan- I refused- I have had so many and they never show anything.... so he medicated me and sent me home again. A few hours later I was wanting to die again, so I called my Dr. who said to go back to the ER. Really? Can't someone just help me?

Back to the ER we went- with the same DR. on shift. I knew they were going to admit me this time- because my Dr. had said so- but he insisted on a CT scan and said my white blood count was like 30,000- I guess this is bad. I just wanted meds- to stop throwing up- I mean really when you have three emission basins going at the same time- there is a problem right?

Got the CT scan and he said there was a small bowl obstruction- he would call a surgeon and admit me. Off I went to my new room. It was about 10:30 p.m. by now. Jen went home to get the kids settled in, and take Taya to her parents. The next thing I know the surgeon is in my room. He can't believe that I am functioning- hello I have been doing this for almost 6 years now remember? He says he has no clue what to do with me but he really wants to open me up and take a look- that is "fun" to him. This scares the pants off me. We live in a small town, not a big hospital, this guy is new in town, and my nurse friend has told me not to let him touch me, and he thinks it will be "fun" to cut me open. He says that he wants to talk to some more experienced surgeons tomorrow to figure out what to do with me and that he will make me comfortable through the night. Great- we have a plan.

A few hours goes by and the meds wear off.... OK I am in a hospital, it should be easy to get meds right? Nope- the new surgeon, who is not my Dr. of record, is in charge and he has decided that I have had enough nausea medication for the night. It is midnight and I am puking bile about every 30 seconds- I am not exaggerating- he says I can have Benadryl and more nausea meds at 6 a.m. Do you know how many times I can throw up between midnight and 6 am? MILLIONS! and Benadryl? Really? Isn't that for allergies? I, needless to say have a horrific night. Thinking about it now, with a clear head, I should have discharged myself and go to a bigger hospital, but I was so sick I hated to move.

The next morning, Mr. Surgery is in my room, waiting for calls back from other Dr.'s. He gives me some meds- so I am OK for a few hours. He is fine to give me pains meds every hour- that I don't want- but nothing for nausea. he did offer to have the nurse put an NG tube in my nose to drain the bile, but she told me she had never done one and was not for sure how far to insert it- so Jen told her no way! I talk to Mr. Surgery about a stomach Dr. that I had gone to before that was supposed to be really good, although he also was not very sympathetic about my throwing up a few years ago.

Finally, he comes back to my room at noon. He has talked with three surgeons about me, including the one I gave him the name of in Greeley, all of them want to see me. I have a bad taste in my mouth for the surgeon in Greeley, because he used to be a real Righteous surgeon, knew he was really good, and like I said, not very helpful when I went to go see him, but Mr. Surgery tells me to consider giving him a second chance, I say a prayer, and decide to follow that path. Once I give the go ahead things get rolling. I am taken by ambulance to Greeley- about an hour drive. Mr. Surgery will not give me any more meds- so I blessed the back of the ambulance with my puke most of the way! (As a side note, the ambulance was a Suburban converted, so the top of the car was inches from my face, I now know what it is like to ride in a hearse).

I am told I will go to a room in Greeley and see Dr. Asshole in the morning. It is about 6 pm when I arrive, so I expect another bad night. We get out of the ambulance and things are moving quick. They take me right to the surgery area- not to my room. They are pushing and pulling, and having me sign things, and I guess I am going right into surgery. Dr. Asshole comes in, tells me I should have taken care of this years ago? Hello, I did come see you remember? He looks at my CT scan and tells me he will stick a camera in my belly and see what is going on. They say 10 mins until surgery- they have called in a team of 12 people, and my only thought is 10 more minutes until I am out of pain- bring on the gas mask!

They wheeled me into the OR, after a pregnancy test of course-lol, and I tell them I am gonna puke- they say it is nerves- I tell them nope- they have nothing for me to puke into- so they hand me a blue towel as I begin to lose my cookies- if you have ever thrown up in a towel it is pretty gross. Next thing I know a tube is going down my nose- I hear the nurse say something about Dr. Asshole asking for that after I was asleep, but the Anesthesiologist says nope, I am getting it now. I hear later that they got 1800 cc's of bile from my stomach with that first tube- I told everyone I was nauseated! Finally I get the gas mask- I have never taken such deep breaths to take me out of this pain!

A few hours later, I am out of surgery- I have pain, but it is a different kind of pain, a familiar pain that I know is OK- a pain that will heal. I find out what was going on. I had a hole in my stomach- so contents were just leaking into my body. I had an 8 inch bowel obstruction that they cleared, and a hernia. My bowel had someone slipped through the hole in my stomach and pinched off like a balloon- so waste was just baking up. Dr. Asshole was able to fix it all. I sleep well, for the first time in days.

I see Dr. Asshole the next day, he is actually a little nicer. I guess he pulled my chart and saw that maybe he dropped the ball on me a few years ago. He does not come out and say it- but he shows it. He shakes my hand and says he feels like he has fixed my problem of the last few years- PRAISE GOD! I spend 5 days in the hospital- I have a huge 10 inch incision in my stomach and a million staples- but I will take it if it solves my health problems.

I got out of the hospital today. I am feeling better and getting stronger everyday. Please God, let this be a new beginning for me.

Fourth of July 2011

We had an amazing Fourth! Started the day with the parade, which is always fun to see folks that we have not seen in awhile. The kids enjoy getting wet by the fire trucks. For a small town- it is an enjoyable parade.

We had a BBQ afterwards with 60-70 people. We got a jump house for the kids and at one point I counted 26 kids in the pool! It was an enjoyable day with great weather.

Fireworks were awesome, it was bittersweet for me- because next year Bryce will be at boot camp- that will be so weird.

Hope everyone else had a nice fourth!


Toby is at that age where he hates his picture taken, but I got him in the background! Dylan, Taya and her friends.


Why? That is all I have to say.....

Trey is huge next to his friends and brother. Never misses an opportunity to take off his shirt!

My love!!!!

Arianna, my Grand baby- isn't she cute?

Dance, Dance, Dance

Taya had her dance recital-this child does not always want to go to dance class- but she loves the big stage. She does not always get it- sometimes her friends are going left and she is going right-but she seems to enjoy it and that is what matters!

We started the 2011 baseball season well....

Trey was having a great time playing baseball- he catches most of the time, but sometimes plays first base. He understands the game and is always thinking two plays ahead.

The child can not stand to be on base- he steals all of the time and never gets caught- he gives me a heart attack sometimes- but he loves to steal!

Then about 6 games in he broke his thumb catching. The pitcher did not cover the plate- so he dove to get the kid out and the bent the tip of his thumb backwards. He would not leave the game- even though this was the first inning- he stayed to watch his team play.

He had a total of 6 casts- purple and pink-it helps that one of his coaches was also his Otho Dr.- However, the kid loves baseball- it is in his blood and he kept playing- his swing changed some, but he still hit home runs. His team lost any game he did not play in- not saying he was the reason- just saying that he is a leader and he loves the game.

He never lost his fun attitude- he would get frustrated sometimes because he wanted to do more with his hand. He wanted his cast off earlier than the Dr. would agree to take it off.

One game he got kicked out half way through because the other team told the Ump that he could not play with his cast on- so per the rules- the next game we wrapped 1 inch of carpet pad and bubble wrap around his cast and he had a club- do you think that stopped this kid?

No way! It made him more determined to play better and show everyone that he could play, and play well, with a huge club arm. I told you this kid loved the game! Here he is on first base with the club- not in the outfield- but right in the heart of the action!

He enjoyed the games where he "just" had to wear a cast because no one said anything to the Umps. He gets intentionally walked a lot- and I have to say, not just as his Mom, he is good-he is a great catcher, and I really enjoy watching him play. He is stubborn and determined. Most kids would have just sat out the rest of the season- but not Trey- he is not capable of giving up. I am excited to see what his future holds! I sure love you my baseball boy!

Were in the Army Now!

OK, so not the Army- but I didn't know a Navy slogan-Bryce joined the Navy! He was sworn in this week. How is it even possible that my first born is in the Navy? He was just born.

It is a dream of his that he has always talked about- and now that he is a Senior he was able to do it. He passed all the tests and his physical and he signed up for 8 years! He will ship out on June 26, 2012.

We are so very proud of him, it was a very emotional day for Jen and I- to sign over custody of him to the Government- but he is so happy.

RIP Beth

I am sure folks think I am crazy but I am so sad that Beth, our Emu passed away today. We got her as a 4 week old chick and she was the best bird. How many times can a person say they have pet an Emu?

I really wish I knew what happened to her- but something attacked her about 10 days ago and really tore her up- we found blood and feathers far away from where she lives- she survived the attack and had made it this far so I was hopeful- but she lost the fight.

Emu females make the most amazing drumming sound from their chest- it was so nice to be doing farm chores and just listen to her drumming away- knowing she was happy and content. She would just watch, and pace back and forth while I would be watering, or feeding the other animals- always present on our farm.

She was a beautiful bird, so curious and amazing- RIP Beth- I will sure miss you!

I am a loser

OK, go ahead and say it- "Kate is a big loser!"- there- do you feel better? I do. So the 30 day blog challenge stressed me out and I was not getting it done, so I stopped blogging because I forgot where I was and what I still needed to do- so tonight I decided to just scrap the whole thing. I failed at the challenge- stupid to let something like that stress you out huh? That is me- I worry about stupid stuff- stuff that no one else would even notice- like we broke a kitchen chair- so one chair has been missing- drove me crazy- Jen never even noticed! I worry and stress and have dreams about stupid stuff- like my blog- so now I have a clean slate.

We have been so busy and I need to catch up, but I really hate it when people post 75 blogs in a day- so I am not going to do that- but I will catch you up over the next week or so.

For now- to be neutral I am going to post some pictures of a few of our dogs- mostly because I was updating the website and I had the pictures handy. I have 5 females in heat so I have been really busy and I even learned a new trait- I can now artificially inseminate my dogs on my own- I know TMI- but I am excited about being able to do this- I have gotten rid of many a dog that I loved because it would not breed! So now, I will not have to!

I sure hope everyone has been enjoying summer- we have been busy with baseball, Trey broke his thumb, Toby, Dylan, and Bryce just finished wrestling, and Taya was beautiful in her dance recital! More to come.


This is Nui- her Mom is one I had to get rid of because she would not breed!


This i lo- she is a butch female! She was imported from Hungary!

This is my baby Leihua- imported from Russia- she hated people when we got her.

This is Luakele- we just got her from a breeder who did not like her.

This is Da Kine- isn't he a stud! He was imported from Russia and is so handsome!

Ok, these are a few of our beauties that I had to share!