Friday, February 28, 2014

Back to Fairbanks

We have been back home in Fairbanks since Tuesday at 2am. I did not realize how much I missed "home" until I got back up here. It is so nice to own (well the bank owns it, but you know what I mean) a house and have it to come back to. It's so nice to come back to the hubby. The Bug really missed him a lot and was SO happy to see his Gah (or Dat, depends on his mood as to what he calls dad.)

We had a stop over for 5 days in Seattle where I tried my best to eat everything I missed. Our trip didn't go quite as I had envisioned in my head. Thursday I ate a sandwich at Fred Meyers (and I can eat that in Fairbanks) and then Friday we spent the evening at Children's Hospital for the Bug. I jokes that I went to Seattle to eat good food, and ended up eating in a hospital cafeteria. It was nice to see those that I could, but  the running around really wore me out. I didn't realize how tired I was until I sat down at the airport to board the plane for Fairbanks. I guess traveling with a sick baby does that to you.  My friend Molly helped get all my bags and a sick Bug to the airport. THANK YOU MOLLY. I honestly am not sure how I would have done it. I know I would have, and could have, but it was so much less stress and I really appreciated the help.

Bug went to the doctors on Tuesday and goes back next Friday. I hope he isn't taking after his momma. He has loved chasing the cats and getting into everything. Being sick hasn't slowed him down one bit!! He is walking more and more and really pleased with himself!

I didn't blog much while we were home. I really like writing, so hopefully can get back into the swing of things.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Poopy Flights...

 (I wrote this on the plane last Wednesday....I couldn't connect to the internet to post it....I 'could' go through and change the tense of the post, but no one has time for that!! Pretend. It's fun!)

At some point I know that traveling with El Bug will be easy. 

This morning we woke up to freezing rain, which doesn't help when you need to drive three hours to the airport. My parents and I changed our plan (leave early, eat lunch) to leave with enough time to make it to the airport. Bug's auntie and grandma didn't make it down to say goodbye, the roads were so bad. 

The trip down was uneventful, thank God. We unloaded my 47389 bags, and I made it to the check-in desk with time to spare. For a low fee, I upgraded to first class (after checking to make sure no one would hate me.) That made my bags free, and I could check 3 of them (yay for no carry on.) When I went to pay my credit card was declined. My credit card has NEVER been declined. My wonderful mother (seriously, best mom ever) paid it for me while I called my credit card company. 

Someone had my credit card numbers and was using it at Wal-Mart in North Carolina. Assholes. My credit card company canceled my card, while my mom changed Bugs diaper. He had peed through his diaper and was soaked, so we went through wardrobe change #1. I realized after changing him that I only had one extra set of clothes. The rest were in my carry-on that I checked the whole way through. 

Once we said good bye to the world's best Mimi and Grampy, we went through security, bought a pretzel and an emergency onsie, and made it to our first flight. 

About 20 minutes into it, I felt wet. There was poop EVERYWHERE!!! All over him, all over me. I was mortified. The worlds best flight attendant (Patrick) helped me get back to the bathroom. I took off my shitty clothes, Bug's shitty clothes, and somehow got out in a reasonable amount of time. Wardrobe change #2. Bug sported his fleece snow outfit, and a onsie the rest of the flight. 

I did end up in the bathroom with a guy in a business suit. It was the only way to get past each other. I think he was mortified. I thought it was hilarious. 

The rest of our first flight was fine, the WBFA (World's Best Flight Attendant) Patrick played peek a boo with Bug, and gave us cookies. What's not to love. I gave him a tip, and thanked him profusely as we were leaving. 

We landed in Chicago, and I ran to the only store (I was told) that sold children's clothes. Harley Davidson. For $75.00 I had an extra backup outfit, and Bug had pants again.  I got it big on him, because for that price he is wearing it forever! 

We made it to our gate at boarding. The plane was packed, and I had an aisle seat. Next time, window seats! He likes looking outside, but with no window he likes to look at everyone else. He is cute, and charming, but that only gets you so far. As our plane finished boarding, I realized there was one empty seat on the plane. Next to me!!! Excited doesn't describe it. 

There were a few more poop incidents, but they stayed contained in his diaper. Currently, we are somewhere over Montana (Hi, Denali!) and the Bug is passed out next to me. 

Now for your enjoyment...selfies (in random places, since I am using the blogger app.) 

               
                        
                 




Sunday, February 16, 2014

Sick Bug


     Time has flown! This trip hasn't been what I expected in some ways, but that's what happens. Bug got sick at the end of January and then progressively got worse. Thursday I took him to the  doctors (MedExpress) and after she gave me crap but nothing bringing him in sooner he was diagnosed bronchitis and an ear infection. He never seemed super sick, but he was. Luckily he seems to be getting better and has been on antibiotics since Thursday. Yesterday he wasn't feeling well, and still really wheezing. I called MedExpress and she changed his antibiotic. He is still on a medication for his lungs. I hope he keeps feeling better. We leave on Wednesday. 

   In other words, I just realized that I haven't posted many Bug photos. So, lucky you, a short blog post and lots of Bug pictures. I am using a new Blogger App, so I apologize if this looks weird! 



Sick Bug
Bug and mommy on the same toy, 31 years apart. 

Sunday Confessions #DearXLove






Sunday Confession is the brainchild of More Than Cheese and Beer.  Everyone is welcome to participate.  You can link your blog or post your confession in the comments section of her Sunday      Confession, or send anonymous confessions to her via Facebook or Twitter (@MKitchenWitch).

Dear A, 


I knew the moment I met you that I wanted to marry you. Of course I was drunk, but still, it has to mean something, right? Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being there for me when I didn't believe in myself, or in anything. You have always been there and have been my biggest cheerleader.

When we met I was not very trusting, and had my crazy moments. You didn't let it phase you, and still you loved me. I tested you, expecting you to turn into an asshole, but still you stayed. You loved me regardless and remained your sweet, amazing self, even when I was being a jerk-face.  

You take time to make me feel special so often and I am so lucky. You listen to my crazy dreams, and believe in me when I don't believe in myself. I don't know what I did to deserve you...to deserve the Bug. Whatever it is, I am so thankful. Thank you for loving me. 

While I don't really like Valentine's Day, I like love. Thank you for showing me what true love means. 

I love you, 
Brooke 

Friday, February 14, 2014

Use Your Words

                    
Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.




At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them. 

I’m using:  every time you ~ another fine mess ~ the usual suspects ~ Never know ~ Frankly, my dear ~ Heart skipped a beat, then stopped        
They were submitted by:   Just A Little Nutty 

You never know, as far as life goes.  I think that's what makes life funny. I often think about how boring life would be if it came with an instruction manual. What if your bad days had a star, and your good days had a heart? Better yet, what if there were no bad days! 

Before we had Bug, I was really worried about what kind of world I was going to bring a baby into. For the longest time I said I did not want kids. It scared me to bring a baby into a crazy-crazy world. Every time you turn on the TV or the computer there is something bad happening somewhere. There's another fine mess somewhere.  I KNOW that good happens, but good news doesn't sell as well as bad news. 

When I did find out that I was pregnant, my heart skipped a beat, then stopped.  My brain became flooded with all the thoughts of the scary world he was about to join. The usual suspects told me it would be okay and frankly my dear, they were right. Bug's amazing. He's hilarious, smart, and my joy. I hope that by him being in the world that he will help change the world. That his whole generation will help change this world. 



Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:
Spatulas on Parade               
   


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Love at first Sip.

It's Valentines Day Week! I will say that I 100% hate Valentines Day...that is I love to hate it. Of COURSE I love gifts, and OF COURSE I love flowers, and OF COURSE I love chocolate... but, I hate that guys feel guilted into buying a gift for their girl (and vise versa) and I feel bad for all the people alone. I have mixed emotions about it. I love it, I hate it, I love it...mostly, I love the day after with reduced candy.

At one point in my life I dated an asshole (doesn't everyone?)  After him, I didn't see a point in wasting my time dating someone I couldn't see myself marrying. I decided I was instituting a new policy, I was putting up with no shit.  My mother will tell you that I would date guys for approximately two weeks, and then dump them. I think it was longer than that, but oh well... Why, oh, why would I waste my time dating someone that I couldn't see myself marrying? I just saw it as a waste of my ever so fun single life. Sure, Valentine's Day would come around and for about .3 seconds I would boo-hoo about it, and then remembered that I didn't have anyone to answer to, and I could do what I want. Plus, I didn't need to deal with another (insert string of expletives.)

Then I met him.

(Bug, if you've found this blog, stop reading here...we met at church. Remember that.)

I believe that things happen for a reason. I use to think that was a bunch of bull shit, but after meeting my hubby I have changed my mind.

April 3, 2004 -My girlfriends and I went out to a bar in the next town over. A few of my friends and I were at the bar discussing how our drinks were still too dark (we ordered Malibu and Diet Cokes.) I remember it like it was yesterday (liquor will do that to you I guess, wait? It doesn't...oh well.) I turned around just as another friend of mine came laughing into the bar. The guy with her had given her a wedgie, and they both walked in laughing. It might have been the liquor, but the moment I saw him, I had to meet him. He was friends with my friends. He knew them from High school, and I now worked with them.

He was tall, had a pony tail, a beard, and was HOT. He reminded me of a lumber jack and I was in love. I was also drunk, but I "think" it was love. We ended up at a friend's house, and I french braided his hair. I am 99% sure it was the best french braid job ever. He (sober) reports that it was horrible. I still think I was right.

Being the super nice guy that he is, he drove me home that night and that was it.

 With my motto of "single forever" I didn't think a guy as hot AND nice as him would be interested in me, so I didn't think anything of it. A few days later (4/7) I got a phone call....the first three digits were from the town that I taught and helped to coach basketball. I assumed it was a parent...I almost didn't answer it, but I did, and I am glad that I did!

It was him! He had called around and got my number. Butterflies went INTO my throat. I was so excited. He asked me if I had ever got to a restaurant in my town. When I said "no" he asked me if I wanted to go. I told him no...that I'd rather go to the bar up the road. So, we planned our first date...for about an hour after we hung up the phone.

I ran home, and told my mother in hurried breathes, that I had a date. When I told her his name she told me my shoes were too tall and he was short. My mom was his 6th grade teacher, and apparently hadn't seen him since then. I ran to the bar to meet him and we had a romantic snack of french fries and wing dings. It was perfect.

We were together everyday after that. We went for walks in the woods, we watched movies, we looked at stars. He stole his first kiss (which I would have just given him) by pointing out constellations to me. He pointed at Cassiopeia and kissed me when I went to look at it. (I had Cassiopeia engraved in his wedding band 2 years later.)

At the end of the month he was suppose to be moving about an hour and a half away to work in the National Forrest. I was sad, and worried about our new relationship, but knew we'd see each other on the weekends and we'd figure it out.

The weekend he was suppose to leave, he and his best friend went away to go mountain biking and rock climbing. He was suppose to pick me up Sunday morning to go to a graduation party for a friend's brother, and then he was leaving.

He didn't pick me up. He didn't call. Being a connoisseur of assholes, I assumed that he decided to just leave and not tell me.

Mid morning his dad called.

There was an accident while rock climbing. He fell 30-40  feet and landed on a rock. He had broken his leg in multiple places, three vertebrae, ribs, and his pinky finger (side note: the pinkie finger was the only one he complained about.) He was life flighted to the nearest trauma hospital about 4 hours away. I sputtered out some random words and sat down on my bed as I hung up the phone.

Right then and there I knew that I loved this man. It had been 3 weeks, but I knew.

The next few days were a fog for me. A few days later I planned on driving down to see him after work. My principal at the time was amazing (he had had my hubby in school as well) and came to my classroom around 1, and took over teaching 7th grade English.

After about 10 days of hospital/rehab he was home. I'm sure I drove his parents insane, but I stopped everyday after work to see him. I'd sit and grade papers while he napped or we'd just talk. He spent months rehabbing, but not once did he complain. We'd hang out and just talk, watched movies and talked. I joke with him that he loves me only because he had Stockholm Syndrome. He finally got out and about in June for his first drive (in his truck) with me driving...we were T-boned by a Semi truck and went down an embankment, but that's another story for another day. (See how I try to trick you into coming back?)

We've been together ever since. We have so many stories of our adventures together. I am lucky to have someone in my life that loves me so much, even with all of my crazy. Because of him I like Valentines Day, but he makes me feel special everyday, so I don't need one day to have him prove it for me.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Sunday Confessions #InMyCloset




Sunday Confession is the brainchild of More Than Cheese and Beer.  Everyone is welcome to participate.  You can link your blog or post your confession in the comments section of her Sunday      Confession, or send anonymous confessions to her via Facebook or Twitter (@MKitchenWitch).

When I saw this prompt I thought of ALL the ways I could take this...serious, funny, dark (ha!...because my closet IS dark!) I think I'll just use honesty and talk about something I don't like talking about. 

I'm overweight and not really happy about it. Some days I'm better about following Weight Watchers and staying on track. Other days, well, forget about it....MUST EAT ALL THINGS. I've been doing WW since July and have lost some weight, 27 pounds. I still have about 30 more that I'd like to lose...that I really need to lose. My girlfriends and I are going to Vegas in May. My goal since September has been to lose the weight. In reality I can't believe I stuck with dieting this long. I write about it randomly. Mostly to remind myself to keep going....to keep trying. 

Even when I want to give up. 

So, what does this have to do with my closet? In my closet is a bikini from my early 20's. Keep in mind that I have NEVER worn a bikini, and if I did it was probably a bad life choice. I bought this bikini when I was 22 because it was pretty. It's still pretty. I am 6 feet tall, and have horrible body image. I hates showing that much skin. When I was skinny, I thought I was fat. 

My goal is to wear this bikini, even if it's just in my house, but I want to fit into this bikini and not have love handles, muffin top, etc. 

Someday I am going to wear this bikini...and eat a doughnut while doing it. (Kidding....maybe.) 

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Baby Crazy

This week has been crazy. Not bad crazy, just baby crazy.

The Bug got a cold sometime last week. I don't remember exactly when, but it was in January. He's still sick. Want to know true motherly love? (Or total stupidity, I'd like to think it as true motherly love.) More times then I'd like to count I've kissed him and ended up with a mouth full of bug boogers. I'm not really sure how that has happened, but EWW. He was sick, and he has gotten everyone who touches him sick. I had no voice on Thursday night. I had to be quiet, probably most people's wish!

Not as eww as diarrhea. That's also super fun! (Sarcasm...SARCASM) Today he "talked" my dad into giving him some of his orange. I had to be somewhere today, so my wonderful momma and poppa watched him for me. (OT: It is SO NICE to have family to help out with el Buggo.) Buggy gets diarrhea when he eats oranges, so we don't give them to him. I didn't mention it to my parents (just Kiwi, no Kiwi.) Not a huge deal, just a gross deal.

While our flight back to Pennsylvania was my own personal hell, I have really enjoyed being here. The time ALWAYS flies. Always. I never see everyone that I want to see, and it is even harder in the winter. We've had a few really cold days, and a couple of impressive snow storms. If it was my car I was driving, and I didn't have the Bug I would probably have less fear. Now, now I worry about him all the time.

We are here for about a week and a half then we head out to Seattle. Let me tell YOU how excited I am about flying by myself with the Bug. Not excited at all.



Friday, February 7, 2014

Secret Subject Swap

Welcome to a Secret Subject Swap. This week, 15 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. 



Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:


My subject is "If you could live in any time and place in history, what would you be and what would you do for a living?" It was submitted by Small Talk Mama  

The first thing I thought when I got this subject was, "YES!" I love history. I always have, and this question has passed through my mind a million times. There are so many moments in history that I would have loved to be a fly on the wall. My dad is a big history buff, so I assume I get my love of history from him. I love local history, and would spend hours looking at books and then asking my dad questions about buildings and what they use to be. I love to imagine what something use to look like. 

When I lived in Seattle it was full of history, especially since it is recent history. I loved learning as much about the city as possible, and spewing that information on any unsuspecting soul that came to visit. 

I am making the assumption with this prompt that I can't change history ("Hey! There's an iceberg coming up.") There is a ton of history that I would have loved to witness, and even more that I would love to change. I'm sure that everyone can think of tragic things that have happened in world history that they'd like to change too. I would have loved to see Rome  when Julius Caesar  was boss man. I would have loved to have listened to Jesus preach. To watch Joan of Arc riding into battle (I'm not a holy roller, just into religious history too.) Can I go back to Pre-history? Can I have a dinosaur as a pet? 

This prompt has really got me thinking. I mean, if I could pick ONE time in history...that's hard. I would love to say during the medieval time period, and to be a Queen, but everyone says that. Plus, I really like deodorant. Let's just put it out here. At any time that I have the ability to be a Queen, I'll take that. 

I don't know if I am aware that I am in a different time and place in history, so I am writing this as if I am aware that I have time traveled. 

So, If I could live in any time and place in history....I would live in the 1940's/1950's. I would like to live in the town that I grew up in. My mom was born about 45 minutes north of here, and my dad's family has been in the area for as long as I know. I don't know where they came from before they ended up in Western Pennsylvania. I would like to have a job working at the Glass Plant with my dad's dad. I don't know much about his history, and would love to learn more. 

I would also like to be able to drive (or hitch a ride) north to my mom's hometown to meet my grandmother, and see a young version of my grandpa (papa.) He passed away when I was 7, and while I have memories, I would love to have more. Even if he has no clue who I am while I am visiting. I just think it would be neat to see the towns and 

If I can't know who I am, I want to live in today...and be Kate Middleton. :) 

Monday, February 3, 2014

Bug Mode

I can't believe that it has been almost a week since I last wrote a blog post! Wow. Time flies when I am visiting my family. It's crazy!

This weekend my cousin and her family came in to go to see Punxsutawney Phil. They came in around 7 pm, and we went to bed close to midnight....and woke up at 3 am. There wasn't enough coffee in the world for that. Bug was off on his first sleepover, and the ONE TIME I could sleep all night, I slept 3 hours. It was worth it. My cousin and her family are awesome.

We left our house and got to Punxy around 5:00. We drove around trying to find parking, but could not. I was 16 the last time I went to see Phil give his prediction, so I've done it, and once was enough. After about 30 minutes we decided to go home. I know that sounds stupid...drive the whole way there to turn around, BUT I got to get coffee and then sleep for HOURS without worrying about the Bug. It was nice.

Yesterday was also one of my favorite days of the year. It's like Thanksgiving, but a "snacky" version. I love snacks, so it's right up my alley. Even better was that the SEAHAWKS were in the Super Bowl. I L-O-V-E the Seahawks.

I don't need to analyze the game. I'm not sure that Denver actually showed up. About half way through the game my mom made a comment that she was impressed with how calm I was (I flipped out during the NFC Championships.) No real point in flipping out when the Broncos are getting demolished.

My favorite moment of the game did not have anything to do with the actual game. At the same time Marshawn Lynch got the ball and ran it in for a touchdown, Bug took two steps! Marshawn might go into Beast Mode, but Bug goes into Bug Mode. Bug waking was as adorable as I imagined it would be. He took a few steps today from the couch to the table, but still thinks that crawling is the fastest form of transportation.