Poop strikes again...

Yes, you guessed it, Monday morning mom and dad woke up to the black (poop) sludge again. We had a crazy rain storm on Sunday night that lasted 6 hours (how do I know this?? JY was up for the whole thing) and left us with 4 inches of rain on the ground, 12 inches of water in the cellar and black (poop) sludge in mom and dad's lower level. Mother Nature isn't being very kind to the little guys, she's being down right nasty about it. Mom must have had a premonition because when we were together on Sunday she said "I wonder if the sewer will back up into our house again tonight"....I don't know if she jinxed it or she really did sense it coming on, she even picked up a comforter off of the floor by the washing machine. So mom made me proud and proceeded to call every city council member for the City of St. Charles and told them she was having a cleaning party and they were all invited. Guess who showed up?? No one, just JY and mom and dad were on clean up duty...I watched, duh. I'm not a good helper, I'm more there for the moral support - hey my mom said so!!

As for the 12 inches of water in the cellar of the Young's house, we borrowed the sump pump from Tom and Judy, and boy am I glad they don't charge ;) Judy asked me if we wanted a sump pump for Christmas, and the more I think about it, the better it sounds :) But only if it's Christmas in July...

Other than the drama of more poop/water, not much to report from home base. Lylli is getting ornery, much to Lybbi's annoyance. The girls took and completed swimming lessons and passed to a higher level for next year. Allyson's social calendar has been very busy and Emily's has been non-existent, which ticks her off :) And Jeff and I are taking a little time off from work and taking time with the kids for the next couple of days...should be "relaxing" LOL.

Stay tuned....

Luv ya,
L

St. Charles Old Settlers 2008 is in the bag...

And I have never worked so hard to get something done like I did this weekend, which is probably why I feel like ass right now from lack of sleep and just runnin' my fool head off!! Friday I worked 1/2 a day and hit the ground running getting ready for the festivities on Friday night. We set up, told people where they could set up, moved people after they set up, sweat our a$$es off and made a lot of 'friends' ;) While the program was going on, I was helping another committee member set up for the wine tasting (I didn't hit the wine tasting this year like I did last year, thank goodness for me showing a little restraint). I returned home at 11pm that night and went to bed shortly after.

Saturday morning we were up at 7a to see JY off to the 3 on 3 bball tourney that was at 8a. We stayed and chatted for a little while before heading up to the SCOS park were I was in charge of the kids games. This year we had a REAL frog jumping contest where the kids had to bring a REAL frog and it was mentioned prior to the festival that I would provide a frog if you couldn't catch one. Sooooo, anyone who reads the blog on a regular basis knows that I had absolutely NO time to catch frogs this past week, thank goodness for Michelle's kids who caught about 9 frogs for me (one that met it's demise squished under a wooden sign, bummer Slye). So that was pretty hectic and I ticked a couple of parents off because I kinda kept changing the rules as I went - HEY, this was my first time w/ the frog jump, back off!! I'm allotted an hour, the frog jump lasted 20 minutes before I called a halt to the chaos. We had an egg toss that ended up with my nephew Braydon getting an egg on the head. We ended the 45 minutes of kids games with a water balloon toss. I think it went well, don't know if anyone else did, but hey, if they didn't they can do the games next year, yeah :)

We worked on our "Under the Big Top" float that the 6 grand kids were on. Our float was named Backyard Circus kind of a kids in the backyard impromptu kinda thing, ya get what I'm sayin'? Mom and dad weren't sure that we would get a prize because they thought it looked a little sad. I thought it looked GREAT and all the kids had their own little part in it (Allyson was a girl on a rocking horse, Emily and Lybbi did dog tricks, Sophia and Sabryn were on a teeter totter, Brayden was a juggler and Beau was sword swallower) and we had 3 dogs on it, it was sweet!! I had high hopes and Emily was very sure that we would get 1st, because duh mom, we always get 1st. This is true but, you just never know what everyone else is going to come up with. Soooooo, we got first, A-GAIN. I'm glad we didn't disappoint Emily :) I think this makes the 8th year in a row we've gotten 1st. The Egli/Young's just can't be shut down!! I'm kicking myself because I didn't get a picture of the kids on the float and the video attached SUCKS butt, so, sorry you can't enjoy the winning float.

The rest of the day was a blur and I walked into my BFF's house at 1030p with a storm on my heels, stayed for about 45 minutes then called it a night. JY and I had to get up at 6am on Sunday morning for the OS golf tourney that the Net Club sponsored at Deer Run in Indianola. It was a very nice morning that turned sticky and hot about 11a. Poor Jeff played while I rode around in a golf cart taking pictures and staying "cool". We had lunch and made it back to Casa Young at 3pm. We watched a movie, made dinner and I fell asleep on the couch at 830p being woke up every 30 minutes because I was snoring very LOUD - who me?? I woke up and went to bed at 130a.

Note to self for next year, take the Monday after St. Charles Old Settlers off from your real job :) Also, my official title for the weekend was Mary's B*tch and really, I'm ok with that, I certainly don't want to be in charge :)

I hope everyone had as much fun as I did this weekend :)

Luv,
L

Does anyone know...

How long it SHOULD take to drive from Minneapolis, MN to Des Moines, Ia?? I'll tell you, it should take about 4 1/2 hours. But if you're my work buddy Jodi and I, it'll take you closer to 7 1/2 hours, no joke!! Jodi and I went on our very first business trip EVER, leaving Tuesday afternoon and returning Wednesday evening. The whole trip got jacked up from the get go because we were supposed to leave at 12p Tuesday and didn't leave Indianola until 130p because we had to make sure all the bases were covered for the one person we left behind, Rog. From Indy, we had to go to the DSM Airport to pick up HOT KARL (see above pic of work buddy Jodi trying to make out with Karl). I don't think I've ever driven a more hot car, ever. On top of being incredibly HOT, Karl had satellite radio - yeah all 80's all the time!!

So, directions in hand and putting the cruise on 79 mph, we were on our way. Did I mention the rental car was smoke free?? Bummer dude. So, we might have made a few pit stops on the way which put us smack dab in the middle of downtown Minneapolis rush hour traffic and I might mention here that I was driving...not a very good combination. You throw in A LOT of construction and nicotine withdrawal and you have a person who is freaking out going through a tunnel (that you could NOT see the end of) and coming down with a serious case of turrets.

We FINALLY made it to the hotel after taking a detour finding the office (by complete accident) but 7p, did I mention we left DSM at 130p?? So, we hang out in the hotel for a bit until it's time to meet our boss and the peeps from the office we're there for and go for some dinner at 930p. Dinner is over at 1130p when Jodi and I decide, hey, we're pretty close to the Wal-Mart, why don't we bop on over...right. Finally in bed by 1a. Up an at em at 7a and back on the road at 830a. We get to the office (w/out getting lost) with our Starbucks and MacDon's (duh) and hang out there until 2p. Jodi and I navigate our way to another client's office (because really, we're in the neighborhood, so why not?). We are back on the road with directions around downtown at 250p.

On the way back, Jodi's phone starts blowing up over a loan with another client that's going crazy, thus starting our search for wi-fi to work on the loan that's taking a nose dive. After a few thousand stops at random Starbucks, hotels and even Cabala's we can't find any wi-fi to hack we put the car back on 79 mph and head home. OH MY GOD, look FREE wireless Internet IN IOWA at a rest area, that just happens to have a casino named Diamond Jo's. We stop at 6p and don't leave there until 7p. Jodi and I decided, hey, our evening is shot to hell, let's go into the casino for 30 mins and then we're off like a prom dress and headed home. We're getting out of the car when I hear "hey Lesa, I can't find the lap top bag...do you know where it is??" Well, we figured out that it was back in MN at one of the various Starbucks we stopped at. OMG, I'm not turning around, nope, you can't make me!! Missing lap top bag put a damper on the 30 mins we were going to give ourselves for the casino so once again, we're heading down the highway.

We rolled up into DSM at 1030p and exhausted. Jodi and I decided that never again will we be allowed to go anywhere together again.....which is a real bummer because if I had to be stuck in the car with anyone, I'm glad it was her, well except when I almost blacked out while driving because I might have been laughing too hard :)

All in all, I had a great time - even if I did pick up some sort of crazy cold bug that I'm suddenly sick with - and MN doesn't play nice, they won't let me give it back....

Much luv,

L

ps. the top pic, Jodi is getting her ass chewed off....she's pissed.

Hello out there...

It was a pretty uneventful weekend at the Young house. So uneventful that I forgot what we did, isn't that the greatest?? New Virginia Old Settlers was this past weekend and I'm happy to report that we spent a total of 45 minutes there. And that was 45 minutes longer than JY wanted to be there :) Saturday the girls and I took both dogs to the vet, fun times!! Lybbi was glad to be going for a ride in the car hanging her head out the window despite the rain hitting her in the face and poor Lylli was all scared because it was so loud. Both dogs got shots, Lybbi showed Lylli how a real dog takes shots and Lylli just cried and cried (I think both girls and I cried too).

Saturday afternoon was spent at a birthday party (that we were 30 minutes late for, such is the Austin way) for my cousin Tana's handsome and happy little boy Troy. He's soooooooo cute, I just want to take him home with me. Tana tried to trade him for Lylli (who we brought with us, of course) but the girls weren't buying what she was selling :)

Sunday, we met Jeff's mom, Deb and step-dad Bruce in Des Moines for a free meal at TGI Friday's. I mean really, who passes up a free meal?? Never mind the great company!! We all went to Sam's (wahoo) and parted ways. Thanks for lunch Deb and Bruce, as always it was great to see you!!

It's the final week leading up to St. Charles Old Settlers so I wrapped up Sunday with a 7pm meeting. I'm so far behind for next weekend and going out of town for business in the middle, I'm not sure how I'm going to get everything done. I'm sure it will all work out, but dang, I'm nervous. This years theme is "Under the Big Top" and mom, Julie, Jeff and I just figured out what the float is going to be this year. I can't spill the beans so you'll just have to come out and see it!! Emily thinks we'll win 1st place again this year, because, duh, we've won EVERY YEAR since the very first one that Beau (9 months) and Emily (5 months) were Pebbles and Bam Bam way back in the day. Boy, I hope we do win, I wouldn't want Emily disappointed :)

So, there you have it, bor-ing days at the Young's. Stay tuned for some dog video's and tall tales from next weekend's celebration (cause you know a party is in there somewhere).

Luv to you all,
L

Lylli Getting After Allyson

Welcome home Lylli...

Well, she's here!! I went to the store and bought a whole bunch of puppy stuff and when I got home it was decided that we would go get her tonight instead of Thursday, which was the original plan. She met Lybbi, Spike (her dad) and Scooter (her brother from a previous litter) and she got plum wore the heck out. She's soooooo sweet. We love her already, even if I'm up at 120a waiting to take her out again. I'm too old for this :)

L

Happy 4th of July!!

Here is a small sample of our fantastic show on the 4th. I taped it because Jeff, dad and a handful of others help light the night and don't get to see the wonderful show they put on. So, enjoy!! It was amazing!!

L

July 3rd, 2008 - Fireworks ROAD TRIP!!

For those of you who don't know, Dad, Jeff (sometimes Shana) and I have been road-tripping it to MO for fireworks the night before the 4th ever since I can remember. It's a regular, yearly occurance where I drive the birthday boy (dad) the 50 odd miles to Eagleville, MO to see how much $$ we can spend. For the last maybe 4 or 5 years we've been buying our fireworks from a short little white haired dude named Firecracker Phil. Firecracker Phil has a big red and white striped tent where he sleeps in his car to watch his goods for the 10 days leading up to the 4th of July. We've become such great friends that when we arrive (usually at 11p) Firecracker Phil is ready for a beer/cig break where he tells us that he's saved some great stuff back for us this year, or how was the show last year, or just plain makin' stuff up. But he ALWAYS remembers it's dad's birthday and always gives him the same 'cake' for his birthday (suitiblly named The 4th of July, which we always shoot off when we get home, somewhere around 2am). This year, Firecracker Phil surprised all of us by giving us t-shirts saying "I got banged at Firecraker Phil's". We love Firecracker Phil!! See ya next year buddy!!

L

July 3rd, 2008 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dad and Sophia!!

Will he slide???

Nah, Beau didn't slide, he was walked home. It would have been cool tho, just for fun?? Again, this is from the only game I made it to. I do know that they won this game, wahoo boys. I'm so proud of you!!

Luv,
Aunt L