To pixie or not to pixie?

I am really tired of flat ironing my hair and I am thinking about going shorter. What do you think? I am really kidding with the last one. Maybe. I am kidding.

Great weekend!

We had a fantastic weekend. Much needed! We went to Stone Mountain Park on Saturday afternoon. It
s funny to me that they have a whole park based just on this big rock. I guess it's no different than a "world" based on a mouse. ANYWAY, we just had fun being together and Bella thought the laser show was neat. As everyone knows, we are having a gas "problem" as in, there is none. We thought we had plenty to get down there and back and if it got close we would find a gas station somewhere. Well we are big fat goobers. Last week Joe filled up several times and never had a problem finding a station and I only went to three before i found one with gas, so, it didn't seem far fetched at the time. Our gas light came on on the way home and we were panicked. Joe has a gage on his car that tells you how many miles you can go until you run out of gas. We got down to were it said 0. I really don't know how many stations we went to. We were even on the phone with Kelli who was on the interent searching for stations for us. We FINALLY found one and filled up the truck. We cleaned and rearranged the house on Sunday. Not as much fun, but definatly a good thing. Bella started her second week of school today and it was a good day. Thankfully! The teacher did tell me on Friday they would have "old Fashioned day" and they would be churning butter and making biscuits. i swear they are trying to think of ways to torture me with Dairy.

Mys sister, Kelli, posted on her blog that she was feeling down. So my last post was for her. The two "dancers" are my nieces, Keelin and Kinsey.

To make Kelli smile

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cuffed jean trend

I try to be up on the latest styles. Wow, that really made me sound dorky and old. But, I don't want to be like Mariah Carey who is still rocking thing 90's look. My sister, Brenna, pointed this out to me and the next picture I saw of Mariah she had on short cutoff shorts that were rolled up with a pink athletic jacket with her initials embroidered on it. you might have to see it. Point is, I just want to look up to date at least. Even though my other sister, Kelli, and I wish the baby doll dress and doc martin look would come back in style. I try to mix stuff with my own style. I don't know who I am kidding because I only in recent years started properly matching. Occasionally, I put together an outfit and after I have worn it all day I'll catch myself in the mirror only to think "oh my gosh, why did Joe let me walk around like this". One time before Bella was born Joe and I went on a trip and had bought this shirt that I thought was really cute, but I wasn't sure the right way to wear it since it was see through. I decided to wear it out and I thought it was one of those shirts that wasn't "that" see through and if I just wore a black bra, it would be fine. NO NO NO! I got the picture developed and I just looked like a goober in this SUPER see through shirt and Bra. It was so revealing. I have no idea why I thought it would work. I want to blush just thinking about it. People were staring at me because I was a nerd in basically just a bra and not because I was super cute. JEEZ! Not CUTE!! If I can find the picture I'll post it.
I have gotten way off track. This all started because I really do NOT understand the whole rolled cuffed jean look. Katie Holmes wears this look a lot now and I just don't get it. I just saw a picture of Sarah Jessica Parker and she was wearing the look, too! I think it looks horrible and is really not flattering. I just don't get it. It's like the half glove thing that was a little popular. That just looked stupid. Am I the only one who feels this way?
So I have gotten

New favorite thing

This is kinda random, but I have a new favorite thing. I get excited when a frozen food tastes good. lol Amy's Tofu Scramble. It is so yummy! It has the vegetable-scramble thing and then hasbrowns with tomatoes. It sounds crazy, but it really tastes like something you would get at a good breakfast restraunt.

So...Crazy DAY!!

So Bella had her first day of school!!!! OH MY GOSH!! I was a wreck! This was a big deal for us. It in the end went well, but we had a rocky start. I had concerns and I was kinda treated like a panicky Mom. Joe met with the Principal and teacher and they gave him very clear answers that they did not give me even though I asked the same questions. Joe sorted it out and everything is fine. Bella was excoted to be there and was excited to go to school today. Great start! I still don't understand why they have to do so much with food. Just because you read a book that mentions food does not mean you have to eat that food. Really?! I hear on the news about kids and obesity...maybe if they could read Green Eggs and Ham and not have to eat greeen eggs and ham in school. Just a thought.
Joe had to go sort out the school stuff because my first day of work was yesterday. I was so frustrated that the one thing I had worried about, I had to deal with it the first day. The principal asked me to come in for the meeting at 1 yesterday and it just killed me to have to tell her I couldn't come in. I didn't want to have a job like this because I wanted to be there anytime Bella needed me. But, it worked out and I hava an amazing husband that drove an hour each way from his job site to be there. It's so stupid becasue I am sure Joe spent more in gas that I made at work.

You know your a Mom when.....

You know your a Mom when your "words of encouragement" come from a Disney movie. Finding Nemo to be exact......Just keep swimming, swimming. But, that's what I'm gonna do, is just keep swimming!

My beautiful Bella

Bella had her immunizations today. So, there is nothing in our way now to enroll her in Kindergarten. I continue to have mixed feelings about this. We are going to try public school. The school she is going to be going to is the smallest in the county with only 400 students. The principal seems really great and on board with being flexible about Bella's dairy allergy. The school nurse handed me a Food Allergy Action Plan. I was thrilled that they didn't treat me like a crazy Mom. I know I am a crazy Mom, but don't want to be treated that way. Especially, when it comes to Bella's allergy. I HAVE to be taken serious about it.
I did get a job. I just got the call today that I was hired. Again, mixed feelings about it. It is a job at a neat place called Crimson Moon. It's a restaurant/coffee house/music venue. I will be a server and it is only part time. I know I am being a baby about it. Lots of Moms work and I do work (I just don't collect a paycheck) but, I really do not like to be tied down to other things than my family. I want to be available if she needs me. If there is a school function or something, I want her to feel like I will be there no matter what. It is just part time and we will see how it goes. I was very upfront about when I could and couldn't work and what my priorities are and they were really great about it and assured me it would really be part time and sporadic to start out with. So many changes happening. I am not really good with change, unless it is my idea. lol
Things are not bad and I am trying to stress less and just have faith. How can you be in a bad mood when your daughter tells you, you are a beautiful Butterfly?! She's the best!

Well, we are just trying to stay positive. Money stinks. That's what I worry about most is MONEY! I went to church with my zoo friends last Wed. and the message was to dig a well. The pastor talked about visiting Israel and he saw big wells that had been dug and big sisterns (I am sure I didn't spell that right) that were being built. He thought it was kinda funny considering that in one stop they made the tour guide said had been a guide there for 18 years and had never seen it rain. The pastor said it spoke of their faith that in a drout they were building these wells with the anticipation of the rain and were trying to prepare to capture it. I hope this is making sense, but I decided I needed to dig my own well. Figuretvely of corse.

Never Boring

Of course life is never boring. I don't think I would want it to be boring, but it can be stressful!! So, as you may know, Joe took a new job at the beginning of July. It required that her work in Gulf Shores Alabama for 4-6 months on a project. We knew it would be hard, but we thought for sure we could do it. We could just live like Gypsys for awhile. A little unconventional, but that's not new to us. we started out by Joe going down by himself the first week and Bella and I came down the second. Joe's boss had this idea that he wanted everyone on the job to stay in one house. It was horrible. The house he rented wasn't that big and the owner lived there. Everyone besides the boss was miserable. Bella and I came back after that week and stayed up here for 3 weeks. After the company rented a house just for Joe and a coworker Bella and I went back down for 3 weeks. If I put everything that has happened into this post it would be a novel, but basically the Boss was crazy. This is just my opinion, but I think I am right! One day he would be thrilled with Joe, the next he would say things like "disgustingly disapppointed". Joe was working 7 days a week and he works harder than anyone I have ever met. He has a strong sense of integrity and this drives him. So, to hear this man say things like this to Joe, I just wanted to claw his eyes out! Then he crossed a line. I think he wants his employees to be single and not have families. Like I said there is just too much to post, but he started telling Joe he wanted Joe to tell one of the employees he couldn't go home every other weekend like he was doing to see his wife and two kids. Then he started telling Joe that Bella and I were a BURDEN and too needy. I am condensing because this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as insane behavior. Sunday he called Joe and told him that he would have to choose between his job or his family. REALLY!?!?!?!? Joe had been home for the weekend. WE dropped Bella off at my sister's house (thankyou KElli, Mom and Brenna) and we headed down to Gulf Shores to get his tools and his belongings from the house. We gatherd Joe tools and packed up his stuff. The next morning he made the call and told his boss he has made his choice and that it was never really a choice, his family would always come first. I know it seems like I am making a huge deal out of this. People change jobs all the time, I know. But, to us this is HUGE . This job was more money than we had expected to be making at this point in our life. It was a dream come true, we thought. A chance at a stable paycheck, a chance for Joe to get his hip replaced. It was just a chance at a lot and we were so excited. To us this is like turning down a lottery win. The drive down was hard, but also wonderful because I got to spend so much time talking to Joe. We decided that this must be some kind of a test from God or something. I mean really, someone saying "Your family or a job" Who says this? But, we decided that it felt more like conformation than a test. confirmation of how much our family means to us and how much we need eachother and NOTHING is worth us being apart. It's one thing to have to work out of town and see your family everyother weekend or have us come down there. But, it far different to have someone say you can't go home and they can't come see you for the next 6 months. And what happens after that a different job in a different city with the same crazy boss. It really seems stupid with the economy the way it is to walk away from a paying job. We laughed that this is either the smartest thing we have done or the dumbest. I really think it is the smartest for our family. Money wise, I am not sure. I am really nervous about money. Nervous, but not scared. I am thinking I might have to get a part time job. Hopefully I can still go to the farm/zoo as it means so much to me to be with the animals as well as the people there. I have a ton to figure out, insurance, cell phones, etc. But, I have my Joe back!

So, I was trying to take a picture of my new hair and every picture just looked dorky. I felt stupid smiling while taking my own picture and then I felt even dumber not smiling becaus it looked like I was trying to be too cool for school. Then I tried making a funny face. The whole thing just went downhill from there. In the end I posted them all because I decided they were equally bad. But, you get the idea.

Last night Kelli and I went to Good Clean Fun to get her birthday present, a new tattoo. Jamie really out did himself. Kelli got a bird with with a banner that has Kinsey's name on it. it also has Scottish thistle around it. I had no idea what that was, but it is a really pretty flower. The whole thing is beautiful. i also had to get a new one. It is on my wrist and is Gaelic and translates to "Pulse of my heart" and has Joe and I's wedding date under it. I also had one of the flowers on my foot touched up. We had so much fun. I am sure Jamie thought we were were goofy because we just laughed and told stories. Whatever he thought I know he was having more fun than the guy tattooing in the next space because the girl he was tattooing was reading him poetry she wrote. GAG! Today, I got my hair done and I went BLONDE! I really wanted to try it just to see what it would look like. I have been red since I was 14, I think. We have to do it in stages to get it as blonde as I want it. So, it's more of a strawberry blonde. After that I headed out to the farm to get dewormer for my goats. being in Gulf Shores for so long I had really missed the farm. There were so many new baby goats. They also had a few new Kangaroos and a baby porcupine that was sooo cute. They also had just gotten a hawk. I am NOT a bird person, but he was beautiful. I got to help my friend Shauna feed him. She took him out of his cage using a big leather glove and she put him on a lead/leash. I stood across the room with another big leather glove on and some food for him (you don't want to know what it was) resting on my gloved hand. She pointed him in my direction and he flew to the food on my hand. He grabbed my gloved hand with his really big tallons. It was crazy to feel how strong he is. He sat on my hand and ate and then flew back to Shauna. I had to leave way too soon, but I am going back on Staurday to help Shauna deworm the goats and sheep. So, that was my crazy day!

So, we are back!!! After a 12 hour drive (that should have only taken 6) on Saturday night, we are finally back. Joe has even gotten to stay up here for at least this week. My Mom called yesterday and asked if Bella could come stay with her for a couple of days. Bella and my Mom have a special bong that I am so thankful for. To explain the 12 hour drive I will give th super condensed version. First we left Sat. at around 8 wih my van strapped on the trailer that Joe's truck was pulling. The traffic out was really bad because of everyone trying to evacuate from New Orleans. Almost evry license plate was La. We had to go 45mph in a 70 mph zone. Drove Joe nuts. About 30 minutes south of Montgomery we noticed one of the tires on the trailer was smoking. So, we pulled into a gas station that we joked looked like spring reak. The little gas station was packed with cars that were filled with people's belongings. I felt bad to see the cars and trucks packed with the possesions that they had deemed most valuable. I had been nervous watching all week to see where Gustave was going to head, but I had a home to run to not one to run from. I am truly thankful and felt a new appreciation when we finally reached our house. I kinda got off track. We pulled my van off the trailer at the packed gas station only to find a huge bubble on one of the tires, not the one smoking. We decided just to keep on and I would follow joe in my Van. Just 30 mmin. later I was on my cell phone talking to Kelli and saw something that i thought was a deer or something running along side my van then shoot off into the woods and I realized it was a tires. We pulled off to a rest stop that was packed with people. it looked like a tailgating party with people sitting in truck beds and on the ground. We saw people with blankets and sleeping bags on the side walk. i guess people didn't know where to go or if they had gone far enough away from the hurricane. We discovered the runaway tire was from the trailer, but we decided to keep going because the trailer was driving okay and we didn't want to use the spare because the runaway tire was not the one with the bubble. The final setback was just south of Atlanta where the bubble tire finally blew. Long story short (too late) it was a very long and eventful ride home.