Dragons-Wagon Train-Sweetheart-BusStop-Fair FUN

I have survived my vacation!

Taking Friday off was a really good idea! We made it to Greenville and visited with family for a little bit and visited Jake’s Grandma. The Dayton Dragons game was fun. I myself enjoy the MLB more b.c. I know the players but Dragons were just as fun to watch! After the many walks including Grandpa and Grandma  & Sondra- Jake and I are convinced that Sondra is not ready to go to a Reds Game. We get in the car and mind you Sondra probably sat for maybe an inning total!..1 out of 9 innings. Anyways we get in the car and I ask her- Sondra so you had fun? Yes Mommy. What was your favorite part? Her reply- the baseball game! Lol..ya ok Sondra. Also her cousin Colten has this little bat that you get at games. Well she saw a pink one there. She was determined and Jake was wrapped. Now she gets in trouble for hitting with Colt’s mini Bat..So Jake gives her pink bat and says: Now Sondra You are not allowed to hit people. Her reply: I won’t hit anyone here!... I guess she is honest.

The Clum Family

Grandma & Grandpa w/the Grand-kids :)

Daddy & Sondra before the game

 Wagon Train= Wagon train is a group of people that have horses and you go camp for one week once a year and M, T, Th, & FR you drive your wagon or ride your horse on the road. At the Lunch break we visit somewhere nice or something different. The rides are usually 15 to 18 miles sometimes longer. Each night we have a pot luck dinner at 6:30pm. On Wednesday we have a fun day. We eat breakfast together, the kids have games, and the older kids have a “fun” show and the adults have their own compitetion with their horse or teams(2 horses).  

So the next morning we get all packed up and ready to go to Wagon Train! The initial stress of all the packing and hoping I didn’t forget something was wearisome but it came down to just saying screw it and I’ll buy what I forgot. So we get there and begin to set up. I ended up sleeping in the camper the first night with Sondra and my parents and Jake & Stu slept in the tent b.c. my cot got wet b.c. it rained when we were eating dinner with everyone else.

That first night or 2 I was thinking Man this is going to be a long week. We usually one come half the week but Sondra had so much fun last year we thought we would go the whole week this time. What I didn’t remember was Stuart would only be 1 and he knows no boundaries what so ever so it was hard to keep him contained. He was usually in his play pin or in his stroller. The Screen house was good in theory but what I didn’t research was the Tent house isn’t all concealed and my kids naturally do not stay where they should be kept. By the middle of the week though it was much better. Stuart was accepting the play pin and he would stay in their without much complaint. Although he would throw toys are people who sat close by. Sondra every night would run wild with the other kids until about 9 930 and show up back at the camp fire. Every night she would sit in someone’s lap or lay back in one of those reclining chairs and pass out. J By Friday- I was pretty sad! I was sleeping on a cot in a tent and I was sad! Lol… I could have camped another week.

Stuart on Kristie - my Mom is on the other side ..notice you can't see her! That is a spotted draft. 

The best way to ride in the wagon! 

One of the days we went to a buffalo farm. Sondra was pretty excited. All day she is asking when she would get to see some buffalo!

she had to have a campfire marshmallow but in the end was ticked off b.c. she was dirty!

Stuart's Love 

Why Hello!

 So while we are on the train we take "corn field" breaks. Well at the last break Sondra said she didn't have to go but shortly after it was too late she only had one option.  She hiked up her dress and her Daddy is holding her up while she is peeing! This is one memory that will last a while and a picture that will be on hand for boyfriends and graduation. She is shameless.

Sondra getting her way!

On Wednesday they always have the "small Fry" games. Sondra was acting to bratty and My mom or my cousin Taylor could get her to play. My Mom even stood out with her while she was supposed to be getting ready for the stick horse race and my Mom says whats wrong? And she says She didn't want to ride the dumb stick she wanted to ride Posey! lol..so she brightened right up when it was time to get Posey out. 

So growing up you always have your "crushes" or sweethearts. Well I had a special one on wagon train and since we were having wagon train at his grandpas he was naturally there helping. I loved Jake's remarks about my could of been husband he phrased it. But one thing Jake pointed out to me...He sees him and he asks me why I always loved Mexicans when I was little girl...my other "sweetheart" when I was little girl.. a Mexican. lol.. I guess I just had a type. I only had 3 sweethearts when I was little: Joe Hobensack, Gus Paxson, Anthony Galihibang..all these guys I was 10 years plus their junior..(now I know where Sondra gets her boy craziness from).. so  In honor of my childhood crush that was supposed to marry here is to you!

embarrassing enough he is wearing a hooters shirt...and that is why we would have never worked out lol :) 

 and if any of you are Wagon Train Members- I don't think he knew I had a crush on him when I was little- and I'd prefer it be kept that way! Thank you!

Also my husband has told he would prefer I didn't throw him under the bus on here b.c. "people" read this.. lol..what people! Anyways... anybody that reads this anytime I made any mean rude comments about him I'm a woman so I have these "high" emotions that cause that. lol... joking a side.. this is my place where I spit everything out of my mouth- and sometimes it isn't nice or pretty... in September I'll have this blog for one year... I'm not sure how much longer I'll do this.my journal gets neglected a lot these days b.c. of this....just a thought..but who knows..

Alrighty! So this week is filled with Cleaning the home and Friday is FAIR! I have a little girl that is fair crazy. She can't wait. She seen the rides sitting on trucks and she started flipping out. So probably more than likely we will be out there every single night! I love to catch up with people there and people watch. So fun. Hopefully I survive. Until next time! :)

Vacation TIme part time mom...sittin..Gram & Gramps

4pm can not come soon enough. 4pm and I'm officially off the hook for 10 days straight. Vacation... I can not wait. Tonight is a big night..I feel like a part time mom since my kids have been staying away..well not all the time but they stayed at Jess & Mike's Tuesday Night and I didn't get them back till about 6 yesterday I was able to get my grocery shopping done stress free..and then tonight as soon as I get home I'm going to get the kids ready and take them to Rachel & Chris's to stay the night- that really helps me out b.c. I am going to get all the cooking and baking done that I can do a head of time and the kids get a little "special" time before the unruly Massie Babe comes. :) (unruly=Uncooperative and the gender will be a surprise) 10 days with my hubby & kids...this is going to be nice. Memories being made and fun too!

So this week was the 1st week at their New Sitters my sis in law.... Sondra & Stu are loving it. One thing Sondra can't get the fact that we are going to bring a few toys over and keep them there to play with. She will not leave her babies there. Its a concept she can't learn. Hopefully today she'll get it this time. I think after things settle down and Sondra & Stu go regularly- she'll leave stuff there- its just different b.c. at her last sitters she had a set of ornery twin cousins that Sondra was always "afraid" they were going to break her stuff. LOL...Like Sondra takes such good care of her toys.

Today would have been Grandma Sondra's 74th birthday. I always found it neat this little fact. Sondra was 4 this year. I will be 24 this year. Jess will be 34 this year. My Mom will be 54 years old this year. And Grandma would have been 74 this year. Just neat. I still can't shake the memory of Grandma from everyday life. I see things and think of her. Last Sunday me and Sondra were picking out perfume to wear and I sprayed some and I tried to spray her with the same kind and she says NO Mom I want Grandma Sondra perfume....smile... I have a bottle of perfume of Soft Musk that my Grandma use to wear. Now my Mom said she use to wear another kind but then switched to Soft Musk- but when I smell it- I see her. Whenever I know I'm going to have a tough day or need a lift.. I put soft musk on and whenever I smell it- makes me smile. But Apparently Sondra has seen me put it on and to saying Grandma perfume to know she likes it. Any special days concerning Grandma made me think of her life and my future. I wish she would have met Stuart and got to know his personality and hear what she thought of him. But I am missing her today.

Yesterday I had a driver ask to look at a piece of paper and make sure my Grandpa's address was right. And sure enough it was. And he told me he had worked for my Grandpa(Laking Trucking) for 30 years and seen he was being inducted into the Allen County Fair  Hall of Fame and wanted to send him a card. He also it was about time b.c. of all the work he had done for the fair. Which embarrassingly enough I'm not even sure what he done for the fair. I know a couple years back I found out he was the "official" time keeper for the race horses. That certainly didn't get him to be Grand Marshall of the fair or a inductee. Its a case I'm gonna solve..  Anyways..Grandpa is certainly a pretty neat smart and generous man. I have had many people tell me the 1st time they met Kenny or how Kenny gave them their first Job at Terra/Farmers Commission or through his & his best friend's business they had started.

Well I got to be going..gotta make sure everything is ready to go. Much love and I don't know when I'll post I think this might be the 1st time I won't post next week... I'll send some pictures to my blog if I can figure it out! Later

The Switch Is Turned On & Broken- No Mercy for all XY :)

Men are the causes of my headaches... men are probably the biggest "bitchiest" women ever...seriously..I only work with men besides my Aunt and I can testify...Men can be as hormonal as any other woman...well maybe much worse. Maybe its because I'm related to the boss or my Mom owns a "share" of the business or something but I feel like I'm looked at like some kind of nitwit that takes up space..I don't know when it changed to that.... Less interaction is probably best. I am just sick of the anti camaraderie thing.

Leads me to my next headache...When you walk into someone's home and it appears....dirty..unorganized... you don't think to yourself man that husband needs to get his house cleaned....you think "now why can't she keep a clean house? Why does she want to live like a pig?" ....you and everyone else always goes to the wife..even if that wife works 40 hours a week and takes the larger part of the load her kids ... so as your guessing... you are right..my house looks like a tornado was in it...I"m not joking...I'd post pictures If I wasn't so embarrassed but I'm big enough to admit it. I'm going to take charge and get it organized cleaned up..weeded out- and I'm just going to have to do it and throw clothes out and get rid of what we do not need...the hubby might be kinda upset but no..we don't need 100 plus t shirts...and no we don't this or that. And men like my husband always have the best of intentions when he says he promises to help me but it never happens..and when it does It's like he deserves a cookie or something...Why is so much put on the Wife's Plate concerning the couple's home children duties..I'd understand if I stayed at home but I don't..maybe I just make myself feel that way. somethings are seriously drastically about to change... I have vacation next week and oh man oh man....it's going to be different...really different....

maybe this is my raging hormones after me..but I think a girl deserves to bitch a little...

So Sunday night was the first time Sondra actually really fell of her pony...she has been riding by herself since she got the pony in my parents round pen. Occasionally she'll trot if she can get the pony going- but she is so adamant about going fast...She sounds like Ricky Bobby "Mamma I just wanna go fast"... I've told her No you can't stay in your saddle...well Sunday Jake gave her a twig from a tree to help her to get the pony to move...lightly tap her and stop when she moves...well after so much of doing it and stopping I don't know maybe Sondra got carried away but the pony was ready to do what she wanted and took off... trotting..I'm watching from the top of a horse...uh oh..I'm tensing up...tighting inside...and then she takes off on a run and turns sharp the horse going right and Sondra goes left...she falls unharmed really..but she was not happy..after much encouragement we made her get back on the horse of at least one lap around the round pen to show her its fine....but we didn't tell her that but we told her to show the pony who is boss b.c. it wasn't the pony's fault she couldn't stay in her seat..but we can't let her lose her confidence and not want to ride.... I even did the whole "well lets get rid of Bobbi Daisy..and she screamed out with a  big NO..so that was good..

I am stressed to the Gills it isn't funny... I have to get the 4 of us packed and ready to go to wagon train where we camp for a week..I have to go grocery shopping and just everything..and to top off a dirty house I'm sick of... We leave Saturday for the week and Friday we will be in Greenville and then Dayton to watch a Wizards i meant to say Dragon's (dragons wizards its all the same thing right? game with Jake's Family... so I gotta get his all done by Thursday.... I can not wait for Friday.. stress free..or should be and a great thing is we were considering buying a screen house but didn't want to spend that extra money b.c. we really wouldn't use it much but I put it out there on FB asking anybody and what do you know a Cousin had one we could borrow..but she didn't know how she could get it to us b.c. she lives in Dayton... well heck yes I'm gonna be in Dayton Friday!... Such a nice little happy ending there...Stuart will have a area he can play free..and the kids started their new babysitters Monday and they both are loving it....glad it all works out..anyways..if anyone is still reading and feeling like my "switch" is turned on and broken (my husband likes to tell me that)..and when I mean switch= B**** Switch...Sorry... I'm sick of summer already...there you go..just shoot me :)...

Short! A Hit & Pause on Stu/Weekend Details :)

This is going to be short but I have one of the funniest stories for you guys....

One of the things that I have feared the most Sondra would ever inherit from me came to light Wednesday night. So we are at a friend's house helping process a lamb and Sondra and our friend's son are driving his John Deere Gator ... Sondra loves it..well when we are done we are sitting watching the kids and Stu escapes and goes chasing them Sondra stops so he gets close...well he gets to the side and Sondra takes off...and Stu couldn't move fast enough...and yes...she runs over Stuart's legs and stops with the back tires still on his legs... lol... and the funnest fact... Stuart is just silent laying on the ground arms spread out not one peep or cry. lol....maybe he was shocked that sister would do such a horrid thing whether on purpose or accident.... Sondra lost her electric car license but it was reinstated a little later...and to add insult to injury she ran over one of their small trees ...twice..the 1st time was a "accident"..the 2nd time Jake said he seen her face and she was smiling......and then her license were suspended forever... she could only be a passenger!


So Summer is really going to pick up and become hectic and expensive! I hate when it gets busy and I feel like I'm on a non stop fast forward. This weekend is one of the last slow weekends for a while. SO I'm going to attempt to enjoy it and try to take it easy...who knows? Maybe even sleep in tomorrow morning..hhmm...tonight we are going over to the Jess & Mike's and swim and have a cook out..  Saturday..I'm not too sure hopefully nothing .. and Sunday..its "Music in the Park"...so it all should be good :)


So! Everyone have a great weekend! :)



 

Your Invited to the Despair Party :) Beefy Dilemma :)

de·spair

   [dih-spair]  Show IPA

–noun

1.

loss of hope; hopelessness.

2.

someone or something that causes hopelessness: He isthe despair of his mother.

Despair- that is what I am feeling. It pretty much started last night as I took the task on to organize my kitchen. Cleaning out cupboards- pots and pans... I am getting on this kick of "the time is now" I want this house cleaned pronto... if your own 4 year old daughter says: this house is a mess- we need to get to cleaning. Maybe it is time to get with the program and keep a clean house.  Anyways last night its just me and kids Jake was busy in Spencerville with some wrestling camp or w/e anyways I am organizing throwing out stuff and Sondra constantly is Mommy I'm hungry..Mommy I want to go here I want to go there... Mommy I'm Hungry..after 2 snacks and repeatedly telling her the lasagna is in the oven I just snapped. (I am really trying not to raise my voice/scream with her..but it takes a lot of patience). I scream her name and tell her to shut it and get back to the living room and pick up her toys. To top things off- Stuart my usually happy go lucky buddah baby is really crabby from teething..so not only do I have Sondra nagging at me- but then I have Stuart constantly under my feet...and here I am- Lets face it I only have about 4 1/2 hours with them during the evening each day before they have to go to bed and I'm choosing to yell at them and not paying attention to them to clean...I couldn't take it. I stopped we ate dinner and then we went to the library. Came back home and watched Strawberry Shortcake and sent them to bed :). I'm still on my kick of getting a clean organized house b.c. I would rather go and come as we please and not have to trip over things...

Our Cincinnati Red's weekend was a lot of fun. We went on that ball park tour which was really awesome. That was my favorite thing. The Friday night game was really good even though they lost but the Saturday game was unbearable but I stuck it out- even if I'm not a die hard fan I was going to sit there and smile. It was nice getting away.. Friday we were walking to the ball park from our hotel and Jake says "Isn't this nice. Just not doing anything" I certainly agreed. Sometimes its just pleasant just to slow down leave the kids home- and it just be you 2. Although he did inform me the next game he wants to take Sondra...(am I being replaced?) lol... she will enjoy it I bet. I do Vote our next little vacay with just us 2 I would like a slower pace and not be so booked with Activity. I was exhausted by Sunday. From all the walking sweating and sitting in the dead heat- I felt like I was a old over worked woman... 

This is Friday Night 

On the Field

Anyways back to my Despair- leading up to our weekend away our A/C in the house wasn't up to par...My Car's A/C pukes on me again....it seems like when when it rains it pours... to help counter all this bad blood I say to myself- there are a lot greater things going wrong then my little mishaps... and now I'm starting a prayer list of daily things I need to pray about- it keeps me moving forward.. I always wonder to myself if I pray enough. If I only pray about the big stuff. Or I pray too much for myself or not enough. I always send up prayers for people I know who need prayer..but when it comes to me personally I don't know maybe I don't pray over the small things enough.. So making a list will somewhat help me I bet.

We also just got a feeder calf. My parents got one too. I told Sondra she was going to go with her Daddy to pick up some cows that we are going to butcher so we have a freezer full of hamburger and steak and so forth. She was all gun ho till she came back. She looks at me with a look of anger and says: Mommy! I am NOT going eat those cows!... lol She is a cow woman now...even said she would eat the horses instead of the cows..and then quickly reneged on that too. Just the look in her eyes- she thought how dare you. She kept saying "seriously Mom- I'm not going to eat them."... she has been saying the most funny things lately...She will say "the fact is blah blah blah..or seriously...or no really!.... I'm gonna have my hands full thats for sure! 

I must be going... I got to finish up some stuff I gotta do..and then after work Me & Stu are running to town with Newly.. Mrs. Jessy Abbey. :) while Sondra goes with Daddy to help a friend from his work cut up a lamb... My big ole freezer I think may have some lamb by the end of the night... GGRRREEEAAT... 

This is Sondra Sunday with one of those fake candles while the power was out!

5 YearMoon

Its less than a hour and I'll be off work :). I have to pack our bag and the kid's bag too...I am excited for this long weekend.
Tomorrow is 5 years me and Jake have been married. i know it isn't long long..but it is a milestone I think :). I am really excited b.c. it will be our 1st trip in a long time where it was just us 2..and only us... seems weird...lately it seems we are always busy or really Jake is usually always busy with this Hay making stuff with my brother...its worse than wrestling season... wrestling season he came home at a half decent hour but with hay season they have to get the work done not when they can but when the weather cooperates!..and that means not getting home till past 11 for a couple weeks at a time...its a sacrifice we are taking to help us buy our next house- and I don't mean to throw a pitty party..just how it has been lately..

5 years... hmm... seems odd...I feel like I have always been with Jake... like I don't remember him not being in my life... when you first get together... its all about attraction.. at least it was for me...but... now when I look at him yes I am attracted to him..well when he behaves like a gentleman:)...but I don't look at his looks..I look at him like this is my partner- the father of my children..who I am going to spend the rest of my life with... and there is a lot of comfort in that..

I'll See you guys next week! Have a great week

"My Legacy"

A look into my tradition I have with my children on their birthdays. I don't know exactly when I will give them their letters but they are in a folder for them to have someday. I'll write in their letter a recap of their year, funny stories, or special moments that happened that year. This will be Sondra's 5th letter- and I wish they were all uniformed to a point but they are not. Sondra & Stuart's pregnant letters are very personal because I am filled with a lot of emotion and I was connected  with them at that very moment. The 1st year letter has a lot of detail of firsts and things like that, but I get the feeling after writing Sondra's 4 year letter - they will go in all different directions. I don't know. Its evolving and its important to do it for each child and not rush it. I want my feelings in these letters and not just something put together to get it done ..I would post Stuart's but its long and mushy..and he would be mortified someday I bet if I posted it...So here it is... your the first to read Sondra's.....

Dear Sondra,

            I don't think you can even imagine the love your Dad and I have for you. It is so deep and so wide and overlooks anything. I love you so much it sometimes hurts me. I hurt when your hurt or in discomfort, even if I'm the one who is causing your discomfort. All this love I have for you- it is the reason why you’re still alive. I can't even say I am joking. It makes me laugh rereading it but it is true. Sondra, you are one crazy ornery little girl. I have no idea what will come out of your mouth at any moment. It really worries me!

            When you’re older and in school I will never have to worry that you are falling into peer pressure or you being a follower. I am worried what parents are going to be calling me because their "friend" Sondra did this or done that.

            This year has been a crazy one. We finally welcomed your baby brother Stuart. You love that boy. You are a little mother to him. I constantly have to tell you- "Your Not the Momma, I am!" You can never keep your hands or lips off him too..it drives me absolutely nuts. You are constantly trying to drag him around or being way too rough with him. I love Saturday mornings with you two. We will lay in bed and usually he don't want to lay down but like this morning and many mornings he will lay on your arm and just stay there. It is like he is a little bit more comfortable in your arms.

            Your Grandpa and Grandma Reffitt have got you your first pony this year. You absolutely love her. Daisy is such a good pony. You ride her all by yourself. It makes me sick. I have this fear for you that you don't even get scared or need to. You feel more comfortable on her back then leading her. I don't get that though. I am happy you’re following in your Momma's footsteps and loving horses (like you had any choice?).

             This whole year you haven't stopped talking about Grandpa Sondra or Mystery. It has really surprised me though because I wasn't really sure how much you would remember them. I assumed you would just kind of "forget". I will say that it goes in phases but lately it’s been a lot. Sometimes Sondra you will just say- "Mom, Mystery died". Or say Mystery died and now you got to be happy with Bella". When it comes to Grandma you always mention her in your prayers. I'll hear you pray and you always pray that Grandma is having fun or is ok in heaven.

            This year has so many funny "Sondra Stories". In fact I started a blog last year and I always seem to include a Sondra story. People will comment their favorite part is the Sondra story. I told you girl you and your siblings would be one of my greatest stories of my life!

            Shortly after your cousin Jude was born we went to Melissa and Jonas’s house to visit. Melissa was breast feeding for a few weeks so I thought this would be a perfect time to kind of introduce that you. I knew you would see it so I forewarned you. You were disgusted when I told you. I explained baby animals and babies eat that way. You look at me point blank and say “Well Stuart don’t eat that way!”. After our discussion we go over there. When it came time Melissa says she’ll go into the bedroom to feed him and I say Oh no your fine! You are giving her the stare down inching closer and closer…and then I did not witness it but you poked Melissa right in the boob. Ha oh Sondra. That was one funny story I had to share.  

            Another funny story is during Valentine’s Day. You wanted to get little cards. So we did and at a wrestling meet you filled them all out with all the names of Dad’s wrestling kids. You went around and passed out cards to every guy. You kind of like them boys! It made all the guys smile and you were pretty happy with yourself too. You at 4 are already boy crazy enough for me to handle. When some of the wrestling boys come to Sunday school we will be in class and you will spout out about how you wish they would come in your class and help you. Haha

            My last Sondra story I promise. So Grandma Dee, Me, and you head to Wal-Mart. So I am pushing my cart across to the grocery side when I come up on a little girl saying she wanted a bra and she needed it and blah blah. I quickly realize that the little girl is you trying to reason with Grandma. I had a moment of blank blinking and a smirk & then your Grandma says Sondra one I am not buying you a padded bra you don't have nothing to fill it with yet and 2 it’s up to what your mom says -aw thanks Grandma! So you’re sitting there staring at me and I'm thinking damn it how do I avoid this? You had moved up in sizes so you had not been to "big" girl’s side and spotted the Bras. So I ask you why do you want a bra? Your reply is because you don’t want anybody to see your Boobs and you just really wants one and you have big boobs and you needs to cover them. So I made it very clear to you if you don’t wear her them right and try showing them off- I'm taking them from you!

            This year we have had the challenge of looking for a new sitter for you and your brother. It’s really tough but your aunt Melissa is ready to take the job! I joke if anybody has any inkling of wanting to go back to school just watch my kids for a few months because all of your sitters have gone back to school! 

            I love you more than life can explain. This year you have broken my heart because you’re not a toddler or little anymore. You have grown into this “kid”. You are a kid that dances funny and says silly things. When I look at you I fear nothing. I don’t fear for your future- I already know you will do some great things. This next year I’m probably going to hold you a little longer and kiss you a little more because next year you will start school. You will start to grow up in ways I do not want you to. I wish I could keep you little forever. You think I can do anything and your Dad can make anything work. You want to please me and my kisses make anything not hurt any longer. I love you Sondra Ray and am so very proud of you and who you are becoming. Love- Mom