The Unexpected Gift

On Christmas Day after we had eaten breakfast at my parents' house and done the gift thing, I was getting Christmas dinner ready at my house. When my parents got there they both walked into the kitchen where I was trying to make some organization out of the meal and my dad handed me this blue plastic case and said "I didn't want to give this to you in front of your boys" I honestly looked at the box and thought it was a Dremmel Set. Then I read the front of the box and it said "Springfield Armory". I set the box down and what was in it was my father's .45 stainless steel automatic pistol.

(Springfield Armory 1911-A1 Champion)

Right there, like right now, my eyes filled up with tears and I just looked at him and he nodded.

I just said "Daddy, I can't take your gun."

"The other .45 I have is your brother's and it's time for you to have this one."

I gave him a huge hug and told him he wasn't supposed to make me cry on Christmas. And for the first time in a long time, he actually hugged me back.

Why is this so heart felt for me???? Let me tell you....

I was raised in a home with lots of guns. I shot silhouettes competitively starting at the age of 8 with a .22 rifle. My brother also competed and actually went to the Olympic training center twice. I was raised with a great respect for guns and was taught to be responsible with them at a very young age. Guns and shooting was very much a family activity for the first 12 years of my life.

Any trip we ever went on, my father always...I mean always carried a stainless .45 with him. Not this stainless mind you, but it was always a stainless .45 automatic. When we would go to the practice range, he always let me shoot it before we went home. He always made fun that I could empty a clip faster than anyone he knew....but I always hit the target several times too. At anytime I looked at the top shelf of his closet, there was a stainless .45 right in front with the magazine beside it. Over the years my dad has had hundreds of guns, but that one was always in the front. When methhead pulled the gun on me in Smith's parking lot, I called my dad and told him what happened and that I was waiting for the police, when I got home he had the .45 out just in case methhead decided to visit.

This gun symbolizes to me the respect I have for my father, as a parent, protector and teacher, and for him to pass it on to me I hope means that I have finally earned his respect as well.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

BE SAFE!!

The Unexpected Gift

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/unexpected-gift.html

Christmas 2006

Christmas 2006

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-2006.html

Eye Rolling Day (actually tear filled eyes day)

(I do have Christmas pictures...

but I'm at work and they are at home and the computer isn't fixed yet.......

but I will get them posted)

My mom called around 10 am and she was back from her dermatologist appointment. Right before Christmas she had a "oil sack" removed from her forehead and had to get the stitches out today. Good news, it is healing great...bad news....it's skin cancer not an oil sack. She had two more removed today around her nose.

Then as I was getting off the phone with her, my other line rang. It was my dad and he was crying. I can't even remember the last time I actually heard my dad cry and I knew he was crying. He asked if I knew about mom and I said yes. Then he asked me to teach him how to run the washer and dryer. I, of course, asked why and he said cause he had to wear dirty clothes to work today because she just can't do it anymore. I told him I would start going by at lunch and starting a load and putting one in the dryer and stopping by after work to do another. Then he told me that they've been going thru the bill together to pay them, but she hasn't been paying them like they discuss when they go thru them--she keeps getting confused. They almost got their life insurance cancelled. So I need to devise a system to do that too.

While I was at their house during lunch I checked out their freezer...it's all Schwan's stuff. I guess she doesn't or can't cook anymore. So I am now surfing for freezable meals that I can make for them that is more than just one food group. I'm also thinking that if I rearrange my work schedule, I can get off at 4pm and get dinner fixed for all of us and taken over to their house so it will be ready by 530pm ish when they normally eat. Except Mondays, when we have basketball practice then they can frozen dinner it. Which wouldn't be bad cause that's what we do... I looked in their hall closet there must be 20 tubes of toothpaste...I think I need to take over the shopping too. Need to talk to dad about those things.

I did call my brother on my way at lunch and actually got to talk to him. I told him what was going on and he actually seemed concerned. I told him about dad and the crying thing and told him he needed to call dad at work. I really hope he did.

Now before I have a tear fest at work......I guess I am done for now......

Eye Rolling Day (actually tear filled eyes day)

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/eye-rolling-day-actually-tear-filled.html

Trip To Purgatory--HELLA SNOW!!!

Well okay, I've seen more...but not in a while..

Special Note to Blog Buddies: My computer is flippin broken some kind of memory thing and I am stealing the teens to do this. I will get to everyone's blogs as soon as he leaves and I can get to his computer in his overly messy room.

Had to return the boot to the ski resort and my mother insisted on going. I don't know why....but she went with.... We of course had to stop by Starbucks on the way out of town and get two Venti White Chocolate Mocha's with vanilla and some carb snacks (butter criossant and a scone)

Note: Try to remember that mom isn't open to me taking pictures while driving down the highway at 65mph. She has no sense of adventure.

I didn't have to go see the sheriff. I went to find the head of security at Purgatory. There was massive amounts of skiers up there and I am sure he was swamped to the guy at the info kiosk radio'd him and told him I was there he said "Thank you very much" and he said he would tell the deputy that I returned it. No Foul, No Harm...I guess....

We stopped at Honeyville on the way home and I got my dad some true Honey Mustard for the meat fest tomorrow. Snagged mom some strawberry rhubarb jelly and Amaretto whipped honey.

We also had to stop at JCPenny's in Durango (mom has 500.00 in gift cards for that place she gets for selling eyeglass frames at her work) We got a few things and then headed home via A&W for a gallon of root beer for the boys.

DramaMama came by to brave the clutter filled house and had some egg nogg minus the nogg. We visited for a while then she had to return to her family festivities. It was cool. Later I had some more egg nogg with the nogg and ended up crashing out early.

I'm a cheap date, what can I say......

Note: Don't try to fix the blogger beta slide show thing while boiling eggs for deviled eggs tomorrow. when they run out of water they make a horrible smell and a very loud POP when they finally explode...

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Trip To Purgatory--HELLA SNOW!!!

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/trip-to-purgatory-hella-snow.html

CHRISTMAS GIFT

Ashton informed me that he is much too old to sit on Santa's lap....the Scrooge!!!

We braved the mall today to confront Zumie's about the teens ski jacket. We paid almost $300.00 for it and he has worn it twice and yesterday the zipper broke. She was way cool and gave me 25% off of the ski pants we bought and gave me the info for a seamstress the store uses for her to fix the jacket.

Because the teen will be going snowboarding for a week, he got another suit for Christmas among other items.

Then as we were snacking in the food court....ring ring goes the cell phone.

It's my mom...hysterical and in tears saying my dad's truck has been confiscated. I said..."What, it can't be I have the truck out at the mall." Quickly I have the teen go check the parking lot and it's still there.

Whilst snowboarding with friends in papa's truck yesterday....there was drama

They parked in front of a friends condo because the kid said they could. Then as they were leaving the mountain they saw a paper on the windshield that had something written on it....that the teen claims he could not read. There was a boot laying against the tire that they just picked up. It wasn't locked on or anything so they threw the boot in the back. A purgatory worker walking by told them they might as well since he knew they didn't have the money to pay the $200.00 fine. So the teens blazed a trail home.

Well of course Purgatory security got grandpa's license plate and then reported them to the sheriff's department when the same worker went and told that they removed the boot. Hence the call to grammie.

I've talked to the Sheriff's deputy and he was really cool (wonder if he is single...I have a thing for guys in uniform) I told him I didn't think they were being malicious, they were just teenage boys that thought they were in the right. He said he would talk to security. Then I told him I would be more than happy to pay the $200.00 fine and I would return the boot.

Hopefully AJ won't get banned from Purgatory.

How's your day???

After post note: The deputy just called. I only have to return the boot tomorrow morning and all is good. No fine, no banishment....YEAH ME!!! and THANK YOU MR. DEPUTY.

One of these days I will have to stop standing between the world and my teen, but I'm just not there yet.

CHRISTMAS GIFT

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-gift.html

Secret Stalker at Large!!

On my last post, one of the comments said something about wishing they could of held my hand anyway. I have no idea who this is.

Because of it's sappy and Hallmark content I immediately thought it was O'Gherkin. So I made a sassy remark and he said "What???" "WHO WANTS TO HOLD YOUR HAND!!!!!" After I finished laughing I had to back track a bit and explain.

AND...... I've been getting these weird text messages from "5000" Which means someone is on the t-mobile (my service provider) and sending me text messages from there......

The one this morning said....and I quote......"THEONEFORYOU/GOOD"....I'm almost emotional....

Have you ever gotten totally pissed off when you are texting and driving down the highway at oh say 65 mph and you type in home...and it comes up "good" on the message then you have to delete and start the word over.......or...you are trying to type "me" and it pops up "of" and you don't catch it till you are like 6 lines down......

4 MORE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!!

Secret Stalker at Large!!

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/secret-stalker-at-large.html

Trip Well Done!!

We survived the trip to Albuquerque and so did they!!

We left here about 600 am and made the traditional stop at Dunkin' Donuts for munchkins and chocolate milk. We were on time and all of us in a good mood. The gamecube and dvd player were hooked up and the boys had their headphones on and were actually getting along.

It is a 189 mile trip one way and about 100 miles into it my cruise control kicked out, check engine light came on, and a green flashing light came on. I pulled over and got out the trusty owners manual. The weird looking green light meant my full time 4 wheel drive had failed or broke or was just emotional....I don't know. But the book said to take it to a dealership when as soon as possible and I could keep driving....so I did.

We we stopped for a candy and bathroom run and when we got back in and I turned the car back on, the check engine light was gone. COOL!!! I drove the rest of the way without the cruise control just in case. You never realize how much you use the cruise control until you can't...

We got there and methhead's wife had been called into work so it was just him and his mom. The boys don't really remember her. Especially Alec, he was only 1 or so last time he saw her. Anyway, they opened presents. Then they gave their dad and MeeMaw their presents and they opened theirs. Then we went to eat where methhead's wife works as a a waitress. They claimed the food was great. Mexican food made by Greeks????? Needless to say it wasn't great but it was eatable. Methwife got off of work while we were there so they wanted to take the boys to a toy store to get them each one more toy of the boy's choice. So we braved Coronado Mall. This mall was the biggest in the state when I was younger and it was PACKED with people. We were gonna stand in line for Santa Clause, but the line was about 2 miles long and we had to leave ABQ by 300pm....so we just went to the toy store. The boys each picked out a toy and then a plastic weapon. Alec got a battle axe and Ashton picked out a sword.

Alec asked me to "untangle" his axe after they were purchased it. Then in the middle of the mall methhead whipped out his rather large knife (didn't think he could have one on parole and it wasn't a pocket knife) to cut the ties on Ashton's sword. I just looked at him. He quickly got the Marines' attention at the toy store for toys for tots. I told him to put that away unless he wants to get arrested in front of his kids again. He just looked at me. Idiot.

Anyway we got back to their apartment and they played and talked to their MeeMaw while I hooked back up all the electronics in the back seat so they would be entertained on the 3 hour trip back.

We actually left on time and was home by 6:03 pm....

How was your weekend???

Trip Well Done!!

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/trip-well-done.html

The Fog Is Clearing!!!

Feeling better now that I am not taking dayquil. What is the deal with that???? I have felt horrible for about a week now and started taking dayquil 2 days into it and I wasn't getting any better. I finally got sick of trying to swallow PILLS (thank you O'Gherkin for that snicker) and stopped taking all medicine and I was instantly over night better. Maybe my dayquils were laced with a cold virus....hhhmmmmmmmm

Anyway, I took a vacation day today and got all of my Christmas Shopping DONE!!! Well except the eyebrow powder for my mom and it's at Dillard's and I didn't want to brave the mall just yet.

I am totally insane...and got Ashton these....

But, it has a volume control.....so it's not as bad as a traditional drum set.

Alec got a keyboard and.....

And the teens main Christmas is...he is going to Park City, Utah to snow board for 5 days with his friend and his parents.....so the cash for that is his main gift.

I have ordered the smoked ham for dinner and my parents are bringing ribs from Outback Steakhouse and I am sure my father will sneak in some giant shrimp for him and the boys to munch on while dinner is getting ready. We usually have multi meat for Christmas and a few sides....my dad is a meat guy.

How is your shopping and Christmas festivities planning going???

The Fog Is Clearing!!!

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/fog-is-clearing.html

EEErrry glow

I thought there was something seriously wrong with my camera or that my house was haunted....When viewing the picture on my camera I just saw a glow...I had to down load to the computer to figure out that "Buddy" aka Damn It Cat, had managed to get on that high shelf and hide behind the pictures....

I've been in a dayquil coma the last 4 days and I have tomorrow off!!!!YEAH!!

Ashton's birthday party is Saturday. We are going for ice cream sundaes and french fries and then he and 8 of his friends are going to see "Happy Feet". I hope people show up!!!

Sunday we are venturing to see methhead for Christmas visit. Despite last weekends b.s.. His mother will there...so Joy for me... Methhead, his wife and his psycho Cajun mother....

Wish me luck.......

How's your week??

EEErrry glow

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/eeerrry-glow.html

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY ASHTON!!!

Yes, today is Ashton's 9th birthday.

His last year as a single digit dude!!!

He always picks out the simple cakes...but they are always good!!

He just loves it when I wake him up with the camera flash..

He isn't in the best of moods.

He is on the mend from being sick and he sneaked a pick at presents and he had major guilt!!!

I love the one sock on one sock off thing....

I finally got a smile...

My parents got him a hot wheels race track that looks like a comet. Very cool. Alec got him Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and AJ got him 2 kids rock CD's. His dad sent him $20 and ICE AGE 2 and his dad's mom sent Ashton $20. So he did pretty well and his day was looking good....

until.........................

8:12 pm ring-ring....it's meth head and he asked to speak with Ashton. No "Hi" no nothing. So I know something is up. So I have Ashton use the kitchen phone while I stay on the cordless mute button pressed. Ashton is trying to talk to him and methhead keeps rambling on about what size of basketball Ashton uses in practice. And then he tells him he is going to buy him one for his birthday....HELLO, MCFLY!!! Ashton keeps trying to tell his dad about his birthday...and methhead keeps sticking to the subjects he wants to talk about. After about 4 minutes, I tell Ashton to tell his dad that he loves him and say good bye. So Ashton did and I took the phone from him and told methhead to NEVER CALL HERE DRUNK AGAIN!!! he of course said "huh" I repeated my self and then hung up.

Then I had a crying 9 year old on my hands. Why the hell does his father always have to ruin "special moments" for us? Well now it's mainly the boys. I'm so pissed off. I gave Ashton a lotion foot rub....I don't know why he likes those but he does. I hugged him for a while then made him a peanut butter sandwich.

He became better and said.."I thought he stopped getting drunk".

I didn't know what to say. I just hugged him and said "That's why I can't leave you over night with him. I can't trust him to stay sober and take care of you the way a parent should. He isn't supposed to be drinking because of his parole and he is--so that tells me he hasn't changed some of his bad habits."

The reason I said this is that Ashton asked me last week why he can't spend a week of Christmas break with his dad like some of his friends are going to do. I freaked on this question. So I guess, depending on how you look at it. Methhead's calling drunk is a blessing in disguise because it made it easier for Ashton to understand why I won't let him stay with is dad over the holiday break.

How was your weekend???

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY ASHTON!!!

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/happy-9th-birthday-ashton.html

Friday Babbling

School called and Alec wasn't feeling well, so I am home today. A whole lot more work to do at home then at work...let me tell you....

So, since I have some time....I thought I would sit down and write on my blog. No rushing, no testing stuff...just write and maybe a few pictures.

so here we go!!!!

Last night about 6:45 pm (Alec and I were home alone) Handsome the wonder dog suddenly took off and headed for the front door at high speed and barking. I freak, he never barks unless it's serious or the little boys are doing something bad. So I head for the front door as well. The big wood door is open (guess Ashton didn't get it closed all the way on his way out to Twae-kwon do) and the screen door had just latched. Handsome was still on guard, but I didn't see anything. I was a bit leery since this time last year someone broke into our other house and stole my purse and Drama Mama just had a weird episode with a stranger at her door. So, I made sure the door was locked and gave Handsome a jerky treat for being such a good dog. I called my mom and told her and we kinda figured it might of been a cat climbing on the screen or something. Then this morning when I talk to my mom she told me that their neighbors (one street over from me) had 4 police cars at their house last night. Retired couple who have had their house robbed 3 times during the holiday season in the past 5 years.

So maybe it wasn't a cat!!!

I need to give Handsome another jerky treat!!!

(I know I have already used this picture in my blog....but I LOVE IT!!)

Now this is incredibly funny....

The teen got home around 10pm last night from a basketball gave.....PV vs FHS (two high schools same little town). He said it was AWESOME!!!! I go to bed and I can hear him clanging around in the kitchen getting something to eat. Then I hear him in his room, then about 12 minutes later I hear this blood curdling scream. It's the Teen!!! Handsome barrels up the hall way, the teen is now in the hall way and says "Handsome, it's okay, it's me!!" We have tile so of course the dog can't stop and he slides into AJ. They both come into my room...


"What the heck was that about?"

"I felt something in my bed, so I moved my foot and it wrapped it's self around my foot and BIT ME!!!!"

"Let me see (upon examination of the foot, I saw no red marks, puncture marks or bruises..I did however find an excessive amount of toe jam....eeewwww) Let's go check out your bed"


We go into the teens room and he is so terrified that he won't even pull back his covers. So I flip back his bedspread--nothing. Then his blanket---nothing. Then is sheet, and do you know what I found????? A COUGH DROP!!! Yes my 18 year old, second degree black belt son was terrified and attacked by a individually wrapped Hall's Cherry Cough Drop.

I just looked at him and went back to my room.

How's your week????

Friday Babbling

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/friday-babbling.html

Are you a good Girlfriend/Boyfriend??
Loyal Lover

You are a loyal love. You will stand by your mate's side through thick or thin. Hopefully your signifigant other knows they have a great catch. Just be careful not to come off to clingy, this may make you single sooner then you think.

Take this test

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/are-you-good-girlfriendboyfriend-loyal.html

Turning In The Keys

I turned in my keys to the old house
Saturday......

This is who I
thought I turned them in to...



When in reality, last night I realized

I turned them into this



I hired "MerryMaids" to clean the house after we moved out. We picked up
everything that couldn't be sucked up by a vacuum cleaner.

Why clean when you have hired someone to do it for you....right???

Well the maids were late getting there, so when I went thru the house with the
landwitch they were still there. They were working.

When she called last night, I asked how the maids did. Because I had
turned in my key, I couldn't go check. She said

"They did great considering what you left them."

Hello??? I was paying for it not her. Anyway the wonderful
conversation progressed and she finally said,

"To my calculations I owe you $1,000.00 plus interest which is
$66.00. Wells Fargo bill pay is down right now so I will try it again in
the morning and if it's still down, I will look for my old check book and write
you a hand check. If I were an "on top of it" landlord, I would just send
you the $66.00 and be done with it."

What the hell is she trying to say????? I paid $1,980.00 to move
in. First and last months rent, $200 cleaning deposit and $300 dog/kid
deposit (which I think is illegal to have an extra deposit for kids but they
used the dogs too). Okay so take away the first month's rent and you
have $1,240.00. So I am guessing she is keeping $240 for what
ever. I have painted the horrible bathroom, installed cable in every
room and 4 additional phone jacks, oh and had the tree branch removed...all at
my own expense on top of paying rent. AND SHE IS BEING BITCHY.

I guess I will see if I ever get my money back.....I am so glad my
renting days are behind me.

How is your week so
far???

Turning In The Keys

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/turning-in-keys.html

What Disney Princess are you?
Belle

You see past the bad things in people. You also don't settle for someone who is below your standards. You care about your education and you love your family. It takes a lot to win your heart, but once someone does they can count on you to be loyal.

Take this test

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/what-disney-princess-are-you-belle-you.html

Week In Review

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

The teen turned 18. He spent his $40 in birthday money buying tobacco products. He learned that you don't take long drags on cigars....it will make you puke...knowledge is a wonderful thing.

I have officially been a mother (counting 6 months preparing to be one) 1/2 of my life. I wouldn't change my children. Maybe their fathers...but that is the price for having my wonderful children and hey...it's made me strong and cautious.

Decided to paint the kitchen all one color of white (it is about 5 differnt colors of white right now and flat paint...icky)and trim the cabinets in "avid apricot" by Sherwin Williams.

What is in the garage that needs to be put in the house, with the exception of Ashton's bike

What is on the back porch that needs to be put in the garage.

Little boys watching TV today hoping I don't have anything else I am going to make them help me with

How is your weekend????

Week In Review

http://peebugg.blogspot.com/2006/12/week-in-review.html