Amazing...

As most days in the Young house are, last night seemed unusually busy. Not sure why, we didn't have gymnastics (yeah), we didn't have homework (yeah, b/c homework stresses me out) and we didn't have to be anywhere. So why were we so busy??

I picked the girls up from the sitter and headed down to the 'new' Wal-Mart in Osceola to get groceries and I couldn't find a dang thing - isn't it law that all Wal-Mart's have to be in the same layout?? Well, then this one broke the law, b/c it wasn't! We rushed home, Jeff made dinner for us and for Grandma and Grandpa Austin, I delivered it. I rode with mom to NV to get her car from Bart's and at 9:30p I finally got to sit down, ahhhhhhh.

(here comes the amazing part)

I got a call from my BFF SR @ 9:50p telling me that she's pretty sure Lola's in labor and she needs a box for her to give birth in. For those of you who don't know who Lola is, she's a well behaved, beautiful Boston Terrier. So, b/c I missed watching the last time she had puppies, I told SR I would look for a box but I would be coming up to check this process out. So, of course since Allyson was still up she wanted to come, I stood strong and said NO. I was being a little selfish, bad mom, but dang it, I am 34 years old and have never seen anything born besides my nieces and nephews - she was threatening my view, oh yeah, she was. Soooooooooo, Allyson and I were there from 10p until 12:30a and got to see 5 baby puppies born and it was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Thanks SR for letting us share in this moment, and for letting us video it up close and personal like so we could show Emily who slept through all the excitement. Again, amazing!!

All is right in my world right now, hope it is in yours too.
Luv, L

My baby turns 9 today...

Allyson Kae Young is 9 today!! I can't believe it. I'm trying to figure out how my baby is 9. Eight years & 364 days ago (May 19th) I was laying in a hospital bed at Mercy, with Jeff, mom and my sister Julie thinking I can't believe I'm going to have another baby just 15 months after having my first, and what do you mean we can't watch Meet Joe Black, we rented it for this occasion, no one in this room is going to sleep, come on!!

Grandma Austin said I wouldn't have this baby on the 19th, it would arrive on the 20th, like Julie and I were both born on the 11th (Julie March and me April). I, personally, thought Grandma was crazy but she was right.

At 10:16am, May 20th 1999, Baby Girl Young entered the world. Everytime I watch the tape that captures it all, I can hear the gasps go around the room when Dr. Valone (hottie) announces "SHE'S HERE". What?? Are you sure it's not a boy?? We only have boy names picked out, are you sure??

Emily came in with Grandma Deba and kissed up her new sissy, who didn't have a name, and then tried to hold her by her neck and then proceeded to jump up and down on the hospital bed until she escorted her baby sister (with the help of dad) back to the nursery. On the day we were set to leave, Jeff and I were told that Baby Girl Young couldn't leave the hospital until she had a name, so we searched frantically thru the baby name book and finally came up with something that I think suits Allyson well. The middle name came from Grandma Deba, thanks Grandma!!

So, here we are, 9 years later and I honestly can not picture life without Ally Kae. I do know one thing, it would be very boring :)

Happy Birthday Allyson Kae, we've loved you from the first moment we laid eyes on you that hasn't changed in 9 years - yes even when you cut the biggest farts and giggle until you can't giggle anymore....who's kid are you anyway??

L

Happy 9th Birthday Allyson! Mom and Dad Love You!

Fishing....

The poles have been re-strung with new line, thanks to JY, the tackle box has a few new things in it, so it looks like we're ready to go :) We headed out to put our lines in the water for the first time this year on Saturday evening. It was wonderful out, a little windy but the weather was fantastic!! On the way out to one of the ponds we frequent, the Young's Jeep (Greta) blew a tire. So JY had to huff and puff and change a tire. We get back out on the (newly graveled) road and I hear this load pfsssssssst and dang it if we didn't slice another tire. So, I ask, what are the odds of this happening?? Pretty slim if you ask me!!

So, Greta's getting new tires and the Young's will be staying clear away from the pond we were heading to. One of these nights we'll get to throw out a line, then it's on like donkey kong :)

Kisses,
L

Mushroom update...

We are having the crappiest year finding mushrooms. I don't know what the deal is!! Mom and I go into the timber almost every night and we get nothing except exercize :) Tonight we went out and looked and looked and looked and finally gave up looking. We were headed back down the same path we've been traveling for the last 3 weeks (almost 4) and complaining about not finding anything when I stumbled (literally) over an old mushroom we've been walking over the last 3 weeks. So I picked up a stick and started combing the bank and ended up finding 2 more we've been walking over the last 3 weeks.

So, the most recent count - Austin/Young's 71 and Krumm's - 1. Come on kids, you need to catch up!!

Next up, fishing!!

L

Ally's birthday invite...

Make a Smilebox postcard

mushroom update...

Austin/Young's - 68 and Krumm's - 1.

Kisses, L

Princess has left the cage....

It is with regret that I tell you that our precious Princess has passed on. For those of you who don't know who the heck Princess is, she's the gerbil who's been residing in our house for 2 very long years. She was purchased by Emily (illegally I might add) on a birthday shopping adventure with Granny. I say illegally because she was purchased without the express written consent of Emily's parents. So, for 2 very (I said very, right?) long years I hounded and pleaded and reminded whoever would listen to me in this house that her: #1 cage needs cleaned, #2 Princess needs water, #3 Princess needs food and #4 have you even held that thing in like, forever?? (Lesa, the 80's called and they want their 'like' back) That gerbil drove Lybbi nuts when she first came to live with us, and especially when she jumped out of her cage and ran around the house for 2 very long weeks until she was captured and sent back to her cage sporting a brand new lid. Who knew gerbil's jumped?? I didn't, that's for sure.

So, we said a few words and buried her, in a Coach box, in the back yard under a tree. Emily said she would miss her and put up a little marker that reads today's date and that she was loved and will be missed. I captured the moment with pictures.

It was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced. So, good-bye Princess, rest in peace.

L

Mushroom update :)

Since issuing the challenge, everyone has had a couple of days to give me their totals. Austin/Young's - 66 and Tana & Kurt - 1. I'm hoping the rain will have them popping out all over the place today. Happy hunting.

L

Happy 4th Birthday Sabryn (May 6th)! Aunt Lesa Loves You!

I put the hex on us....

I might have issued a little challenge, shall we say, to my cousin Tana - who can find the most mushrooms (this season??). As you know, mom and I have been hunting for the past 2 weeks and the grand total is 64. Tana hasn't gone at all, her total is 0. I put the vibe out on the super mushroom hunting network, my buddy Jodi, and she found 17 in her back yard today. So, I spread the word around that we need to hit the timber tonight!! And hit it we did. I jinxed us, we didn't find one. None in the back yard, none in the timber and none at the secret hiding place I thought for sure would have some. I won't quit, I will win. There are pic's with this challenge, I will be posting them as I get them (and yes, I take the camera with me everytime we go out hunting).

We did, however, have a record number of ticks on us tonight - mom -1, Allyson -6, Emily -3, Jeff -3 and Lesa -5. I hate those things. I ask the question, what is their purpose in life?? To gross me out??

Stay tuned for more mushroom hunting updates. Luv ya cuz!!

L

Random...

It was a busy weekend for the Young's. I thought maybe now that jam-nasty was over we would have nice, relaxing weekends. Not so. Saturday we had a belated Easter/early Mother's Day celebration at Jeff's mom's house in Stanhope. We had a fantastic Easter meal with all of MY favorites. Bruce and I fought over the pickle wraps (I think he hid the last 4 on me :) and Stanhope Locker beef jerky (if you've never had it, you'll have to drive to Stanhope for some because it's the best around and no, I don't share, not even with family members). After dinner we had the most wonderful Easter Egg hunt. I said to Deb, no wonder you needed an extra month to have Easter, it wasn't because there was still snow on the ground, you had to get the easter egg hunt figured out...LOL. It was a huge scavenger hunt that included EVERYONE, even Grandma Lois and Grandpa Orlyn. The kids loved it, I think the parent's did too. Thanks Deb!!

After the festivities, Jeff decided he would take the girls bowling. Does anyone know how much it costs to go bowling?? You have to take out a small loan to go. However, we went to Air Lanes on Fleur (sp) where you can bowl all the games you want in 2 hours for $10.45/person. So, Jeff and the girls bowled 5 games each, the bowling alley lost $$ on the Young's, bummer for them. And for those of you keeping track, regular price/person was $3.65, take that times 15 and you got the Young's saving some $$, yeah baby!! However, what we saved in bowling, we spent at the concession stand...It was still fun!! Unless your Emily who got smoked each game.

Today was a lazy day, or started out that way. I slept in, YES, and got up thinking, I bet the mushrooms are out in full force. So I called mom and we took off for the timber. Yeah, we found a dumb 3 mushrooms...bummer. So a combined find for the last 2 weeks, 28. Mom fried them up and we ate all of them, yummy!! So I'm lounging on the couch, when Emily says, mom, granny is yelling at you to come quick and bring a sack. Mom had been out mowing when her mower quit running, RIGHT IN FRONT OF A MUSHROOM. She backs up and noticed that she has mowed over about 10 others, RIGHT IN THE BACK YARD!! So, Emily, Allyson, mom and I start scouring the edge of the timber looking for more (because really, mushrooms are kinda like dear, where there's one, there's 5 more, right). Out of the immediate back yard we found 36 mushrooms, including a few of the ones mom butchered, WAHOO I say!! I have pictures that I will post as soon as I get them off the camera. My poor friend Jodi, who loves the little boogers as much as I do, has only found 3. I'm sorry Jodi, mushrooms are kinda like the Stanhope beef jerky, I don't share.

We ended the weekend with a birthday party for my niece, Sabryn, who will be 4 on Tuesday the 6th. She got lots of sparkly things and very girly things....too many dresses and a prissy little Fur Real Friends puppy w/ a purse to carry it in from Aunt Lesa and family. I told her I wanted to take it home with me, I thought maybe she would punch me, she kindly said, No Aunt Lesa, it's mine. I guess she doesn't share either, bummer for me, I love that girl.

Well, I hope everyone had as full of a weekend as I did. You can't get enough of spending time with family.

Luv, L