Red Dirt & Crazy

A New Normal

2011-03-28T15:36:00.000-04:00

If you haven't read this you might not understand this post.

Sorry...I just don't have it in me to go over it again.

Last week "getting back to normal" just wasn't happening.

How do you "get back to normal" after a loss anyway? It's never really "normal" again. Because "normal" was what it was when they were here with us.

He wasn't a part of my daily life but I knew him, I spent time with him, he stayed in my home. For me it won't be a daily routine change like it is for my best friend and her family. But there are several ways that his passing has changed my life forever.

It has made me question so many things. Why are we so far away from home? What possessed us to live this life? Why do we think we don't need to be close to our family and friends? What REALLY matters in life?

I could go on and on with the questions. But there are also the realities of life after the funeral is over.

I have been to many funerals in my life. Some when I was really too young for it to have a major affect on my life. I went to some to support family. Some were uncles or aunts that were older and were ready to go. But I've never gone to a funeral and really...I mean REALLY thought about the life of that family after the funeral...until now.

You know what I'm talking about...we've all been to a funeral and then left and gone out to lunch or supper going on about our lives not really thinking too much about the person that is gone or the family that is grieving.

This past week I have not been able to stop thinking about them. Especially my best friend. Her day to day is completely different and always will be.

I don't mean to say that she will never be happy again. I know she will and she knows she will. And I think she is at peace that he is in heaven with so many other loving family members. It's just the void that he has left behind that it difficult to get past.

There is also the affect it has had on my own thoughts aside from the questions. The thoughts of not wanting to go through this anytime soon with my own daddy or daddy-in-law. They are both so very special to me. I know they will go one day but it's not time yet...at least I don't want it to be time yet. I don't want to start grieving something that hasn't happened but the thoughts are there.

Not to mention the thoughts of how easily your life can change forever in the blink of an eye.

Or how much you learn from seeing how supportive others have been of my friend through this. People have brought food, plates, silverware, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, the list goes on and on. You wouldn't really think of needing some of those things but when you have a house full of people you go through some toilet paper pretty quick. Then you think...it's beautiful to see this but it's so very sad that it is having to be done.

And how about really facing the fact that Farm Boy and I need to get a will together. It's just not something that crosses your mind regularly. But it has to be done to make it easier for our children and family. Having a will is more important than I ever thought about it being.

I could go on and on. But the subject remains...lives were changed when he went to heaven. And I guess what we need to be looking for is a new normal. Because the old normal will never be normal again.

Still kinda sad,
Megan

P.S. I'm sorry this is such a sad subject today. I will find my new normal soon...surely.

Overcome With Sadness

2011-03-16T15:27:00.000-04:00

This has been a difficult week.

On Monday I received the devastating news that my best friend's daddy had very suddenly passed away.

He was in good health. He was only 66. He was larger than life.

He was a good man and he was loved by many. He always had a smile and a joke to share and I do believe his favorite thing to do...aside from being with his family...was laugh.

It is very difficult to find words right now. Words about him, words of comfort, or words of grief simply because it is hard to believe that he is gone.

If you have a moment, please say a prayer for him, his family, and his friends that are grieving.

Rest in Peace Uncle Jimmy.

"Your Girl" is certainly gonna

miss you as well as many others.

Overcome with sadness,

Megan

Despite the Ugliness of the Day...There is Beauty

2011-03-11T15:20:00.000-05:00

I had writer's block yesterday.

Q-Tip was napping. I had nothing extremely pressing I had to do. And...I had writer's block.

So I did what any other tweeting blogger would do and I tweeted about the fact that I had writer's block. And then a dear sweet blogger named Jordy tweeted me back and suggested I write about 10 things I am thankful for in this moment.

Check Jordy's beautiful blog out here.

This was a wonderful idea but I didn't see it until Q-Tip had awaken from her nap. But...I'm thankful that I didn't see it until then because today I have felt thankful for many things that I would not have thought about being thankful for yesterday.

The moment I saw the footage this morning of the tsunami waters rolling over Japan my brain became flooded with several different things. It started with sadness, concern, and fear. And although the damage and loss of life is great...I am thankful for those that survived. And I'm thankful that Hawaii and our western shores were spared such tragedy.

I am so saddened for the people of Japan. I am concerned for their well-being and I am fearful about what other natural disasters we will see in the coming years. But I'm thankful that I have a God to pray to and ask for His protection and guidance. I pray that He pours out His blessings and peace on the people of Japan and gives them the strength to rebuild their homes and cities.

I'm thankful for warning systems of natural disasters so that people can prepare and ready themselves for tragedy so that lives can be saved. And I'm thankful for the men and women that study these things and develop these warning systems...where would we be without them?

I am thankful for the people that design our homes and buildings so that they can withstand such disasters. And I'm thankful for emergency responders and military personnel that help to rescue people and save the lives of those trapped or dying.

But in this moment...the thing that I am most thankful for is that when these tragedies happen...the world bands together and helps one another. And despite the ugliness of the tragedy...the coming together to help our fellow man is a beautiful thing!

Prayers, Blessings, & Love to Japan,
Megan

For the Farmer's Wives & Daughters

2011-03-08T15:32:00.000-05:00

Awhile back I bought a book for Q-Tip called Growing Up a Country Girl. It is a collection of book excerpts, poems, quotes, etc.

It is LOADED with great stuff but there is one piece of writing that struck me the moment I read it.

This is for all the wives, children, and families of famers that feed and clothe our nation. Trust me when I say...I know what you do day in and day out. I know the sacrifices you continually make and the struggles you face and I appreciate what you have done and what you continue to do!

It is especially important that whatever will prepare country children for life on the farm, and whatever will brighten home life in the country and make it richer and more attractive for the mothers, wives, and daughters of farmers should be done promptly, thoroughly, and gladly. There is no more important person, measured in great influence upon the life of the nation, than the farmer's wife, no more important home than the country home, and it is of national importance to do the best we can for both.

~Theodore Roosevelt

Much love from this country girl,

Megan

What to Do In Case of Emergency...AKA...In Case of a Missing Cork Screw

2011-03-03T16:19:00.001-05:00

As always I'm providing you with some very useful information today...just in time for the weekend.

For those of you that limit your wine drinking to the weekend.

For those of you that don't...sorry I didn't post this at an earlier date.

So here we go...

In the event that you are stranded in some cork screw forsaken place with a bottle full of yummy wine...have no fear my friends!

Farm Boy and my big brother are at your service with a step by step tutorial.

Step 1. Find a long screw of some sort. Nothing fancy...it just has to be long. Very carefully screw it into the cork of the bottle leaving 1-2 inches of screw coming out of the top of the cork. Do not screw it completely out of the end of the cork inside the bottle. (Pieces of cork could fall into the wine) (Don't ask me how I know this)

Step 2. Find a pair of pliers. Use the pliers to very carefully pull on the 1-2 inches of screw coming out of the top of the cork. Let me reiterate...VERY CAREFULLY. (Don't ask me how I know this)

Step 3. Enjoy your wine my friends!

The End.

We are not rednecks...we are resourceful,
Megan

P.S. Not that there is anything wrong with being a redneck.

P.P.S. My dear friend Anna just added a very helpful little tidbit...if pieces of cork should fall into your yummy wine, you can use a coffee filter to filter the wine as you pour it into your glass. Thanks Anna!

Diets Suck...But This One Isn't Horrible

2011-03-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

There's been a few changes goin on round here...

Farm Boy and I are on a diet.

And...diets suck.

The End.

Just kidding...

About it being the end...we really are on a diet and they really do suck. Although this diet...as restrictive as it may be...hasn't sucked quite as bad as most of the diets I've tried in my life. And I've tried a few...or 20.

Farm Boy and I are on the HCG diet. I'm not going to give you a link because there is tons of stuff on the web about it and I've not found one source that I liked more than another. And I'm not going to go into what HCG is aside from the fact that it is a hormone that your body produces during pregnancy. I will tell you basically how the diet works. So here ya go...

*Pause* I am no medical professional and if you are thinking about doing this you should talk to your doctor...I'm telling you what we're doing because it's working for us, we're excited about it, and it's my blog and I can do that. Plus...our family and friends can read about our progress and I won't feel guilty anymore because I haven't updated anyone.

Okay...here we go...

This diet consists of 3 phases. Phase 1 is a 2 day "loading" phase and you're supposed to eat foods that are high in fat to prepare your body to lose weight. It kind of tricks the body so that it won't go into starvation mode and hold onto your fat. Phase 2 is a 23-46 (depending on your needs and wants) day low calorie phase and Phase 3 is a 23 day maintenance phase.

We are using homeopathic HCG drops. You take the drops 4 times a day 15 minutes before or after you've eaten. We take them before.

Along with that you stick to a diet of fish, chicken, or very lean beef, a few types of veggies and a few types of fruit. You can have as much water, tea or coffee that you like and you're supposed to only use stevia to sweeten your tea or coffee. There are a few other things you're allotted each day like a tablespoon of milk for coffee but we haven't really used it.

Now...here is where you're gonna freak...your only allowed to eat 500 calories a day during phase 2.

I know that sounds completely ridiculous...I thought it was for a long time which is why I paid no attention to this diet. But then a couple of my friends did it and said that it wasn't like I thought it would be. AND THEY WERE RIGHT!!

The concept of the diet is that while you only eat 500 calories a day...your body is actually burning much more than that. It's burning the fat calories that you already have on your body. The HCG tells it to do that, suppresses hunger, and keeps your body from going into starvation mode.

(At least that is how I understand it all)

We eat a piece of fruit in the morning; have a piece of meat and a veggie at lunch, another piece of fruit in the afternoon and another piece of meat and a veggie for supper. And in the meantime we drink water...or in my case water and tea...out the ~~ass~~ hiney all day.

We have been doing this for 7 days now and it is important for me to point out that we do not feel hungry aside from normal hunger at mealtimes and we are still fully functioning and totally normal.

And after 7 days I have lost 10 lbs and Farm Boy...the little sucker...has lost 20. 20 LBS in 7 days!!! I'm not even joking.

I guess it should be shocking that I lost 10 lbs in 1 week but for some reason it's a little overshadowed by TWENTY...2-0...TWENTY!!

I'm so happy and proud of him for it though!! Really...I am!

Little sucker.

Anywho...there are a lot of details that I haven't gone into like that you can't mix two types of veggies at one meal...stuff like that. But it works and it works fast. And I'm the kinda girl that needs to see results 5 minutes ago or I lose patience. Hence the reason I haven't been successful at a "work out & eat right" diet. It takes too long! And there are too many variables. With this we've got a list of what we can eat and we know how much we can have...boom...we're done. And...you only have to do the hard part for 23-46 days. I mean...you can do anything for that long...right? RIGHT!!

(at least that is what I tell myself when I want a piece of cheese)

Honestly though...I have had the LEAST amount of cravings on this diet than I have ever had and I've had the MOST will power. It's really been a surprise. Cause listen...I am the most sweet craving, cookie, ice cream, cake, dessert eating person you'll ever meet. I LOVE sweets and sometimes my cravings are ridiculous. But so far...I'm holding strong this time.

It could be where I'm at in my life and the fact that I know something HAS to change now and I can't keep going down the Cookie Lane and live the life I want to live, But really...whatever it is...I'm just glad that we are moving in the right direction and that this is working for us.

As my friend Jenn says...

Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,
Megan

P.S. I MUST point out that I could not be doing this alone. If my Farmer Boy wasn't eating chicken and asparagus right alongside me I fear I wouldn't have made it this far. In other words...I'm totally channeling his strength and will power cause I'm a dieting pansy.

Confession on a Friday

2011-02-25T15:37:00.000-05:00

1. So ya know that 4-pack of OPI nail polish I bought the last time I confessed?

Aren't the colors pretty?

The confession is...I haven't used them yet. Aside from the initial single coat of each color on three of my nails to test them out.

As tragic as it is that I haven't used any of the new colors...I have however taken that single coat of all three colors off of my three fingers. That's a plus right?

2. I will spare you a picture of this confession but I feel I must confess it.

The heels of my feet look like a typical day in the dryest dessert during the worst drought imaginable.

I'm not sure how this happens. It seems I just buffed and lotioned them yesterday. But apparently it was sometime last year.

Not really...but maybe.

3. Farm Boy and I started a diet a week ago. One of the stipulations of the diet is that you can't drink any coke...not even diet. Things are going well...even with this stipulation...and I may go against my original decision to blog about it and spill the beans. But the thing I need to confess today is...I very well could find it within myself to murder someone for one of these...

Filled with Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper.

I'm leaving you with just 3 confessions today dear friends because Q-Tip is about to wake up, we have to go pick up Farm Boy at the car-pool lot so we can run errands, and I can't stand looking at the picture of that big, cold, luscious Sonic coke anymore!

TGIF and TTFN,
Megan

The Things That Now Excite Me...In List Form

2011-02-22T16:58:00.000-05:00

Just this morning I was talking with my neighbor who is a first time mom to a 6 month old little girl.

We were chatting about motherhood and things of that nature when she said something like...oh the things that excite me these days. To which I said...NO JOKE!

So...in honor of motherhood and first time moms everywhere who have a LONG list of things to be excited about...

Wait...let me re-phrase that.

In honor of parenthood and first time parents everywhere who have a long list of things they never thought they would be or could be excited about...

Here's a list of things that have had me shouting HALLELUJAH since I became a mother.

1. Poop

When Q-Tip was born there was much focus on her first poop and when it would happen. When it happened we were all excited and cheering that she had pooped. And then there was focus on her next poop and how many times a day she was pooping. And what was the poop like? It seems there was no other way to determine if she was getting enough food when breastfeeding than to focus on the poop. And when we finally got all the feeding stuff squared away and she was pooping regularly...we were excited and cheering again. As she got older there were days of no poop and then we would wonder...why hasn't she pooped? Oh God, is she constipated?! She needs to poop, where is the poop? And now that she is 2 and we have started the process of potty training...it has become THANK YOU LORD JESUS SHE POOPED IN THE POTTY!!!

You have nothing to do but to cue the Hallelujah Chorus on this one!

2. Pee

Refer to item number 1. Insert the word "pee" where all the "poop" words are.

3. Eating

Once again...when Q-Tip was born I was bound and determined to breastfeed. And imagine my excitement when she "latched on" right away with no problems. But imagine my disappointment when I tried everything under the sun to boost my milk production and nothing worked. Then came the task of finding a formula that would "work". We went through countless brands and types before finding out that she had Milk and Soy Protein Intolerance and needed a special kind of formula. And when I say "special"...I mean expensive. But...imagine how excited we were to finally get the food thing straightened out and the reflux thing straightened out and she was eating like she was supposed to be. And then came time for solids and the anxiety rose again. What if she has allergies? What if she won't eat the solids? What if, what if, what if. Needless to say we are past that stage at 2 years old but now we are onto the wonderful stage of...she doesn't like peas today but she loved them yesterday. Oh and the beautiful stage of...grilled cheese sandwiches everyday for a week. And the LOVELY stage of mealtime temper-tantrums because she wants french fries and we have drawn a line in the sand. So with all that...imagine the excitement when she sits down and eats at least one bite of everything you've put on her plate. Ahhhh bliss!

4. Sleep

Sleep...precious, precious sleep. The excitement you feel when your baby sleeps through the night for the first time is immense. Of course the horror you feel when you wake up and realize you haven't heard a peep from them in 6 or 8 hours is a bit unsettling but it fades quickly into the euphoria of 6 to 8 hours of pure and precious, un-interrupted sleep. Then comes the excitement of your new baby sleeping in her crib and the biggie...putting herself to sleep. And finally...when your toddler starts STAYING and sleeping in her toddler bed...immeasurable delight!

5. Movement

Some may argue with this item on the excitement list but I've never been the kind of mom that doesn't want my child to progress when they are supposed to. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Even though a pulling up, crawling baby means more vigilance and essentially work we were excited with each new milestone. So, when Q-Tip started rolling over, pulling up, crawling and walking we were thrilled. Who would have thought 10 years ago that we would have been THAT excited about something moving on its own? Well...we were. Thrilled!

6. Noise

Now how can one be excited about noise? Well, I will tell you. When you become a parent and your baby starts making those precious little cooing sounds you feel excitement down deep in your soul because you know that your baby is normal. But when they start babbling, talking, and singing...that is when the true excitement begins. And even now...as I sit typing this...I am listening to Q-Tip in her bed...not napping...singing Frosty the Snowman and it excites me. Well sort of.

And now she is yelling...mama, go play! Mama...where ARE you? Mama...go play! Wanna go play mama!!

Guess nap time...AKA blog time...is over and I will have to continue my list at a later date. Or maybe tomorrow.

Ahhh the joys,
Megan

P.S. On my continued list I won't go into the joy of her calling out from her bed saying...

Mama...need to go potty!

And you run in and realize, too late...she peed in her bed.

Nah...I won't go into that one.

Remembering Presidents

2011-02-21T15:55:00.002-05:00

Because today is President's Day...

And because my Farmer Boy is home with me...

I dug around in the attics of the internet and found some really great quotes by former Presidents that lived, loved, or respected the life of a farmer or rancher in America.

Enjoy...

"Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bonds."

"Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end
contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness."

~Thomas Jefferson

"Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and

you’re a thousand miles from the corn field."

"The proper role of government, however, is that of partner with the farmer--never his master. By every possible means we must develop and promote that partnership--to the end that agriculture may continue to be a sound, enduring foundation for our economy and that farm living may be a profitable and satisfying experience."

~Dwight Eisenhower

"Every man is proud of what he does well...his heart is in his work and he will do twice as much of it with less fatigue...The man who produces a good, full crop will scarcely ever let any part of it go to waste. He will gather it in due season and store it in perfect security."

~Abraham Lincoln

"I know of no pursuit in life in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman's care."

“It will not be doubted that with reference either to individual
or national welfare, agriculture is of primary importance.”

"I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world"

~George Washington

Our farmers deserve praise, not condemnation; and their efficiency should be cause for gratitude, not something for which they are penalized.”

~President John F. Kennedy

“I do not believe there ever was any life more attractive to a vigorous young fellow than life on a cattle ranch in those days. It was a fine, healthy life, too; it taught a man self-reliance, hardihood, and the value of instant decision…I enjoyed the life to the full.” ~Theodore Roosevelt

And one more by a man that ran for President but lost. However, I loved it and couldn't leave it out.

“Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.”

– William Jennings Bryan

Happy President's Day,

Megan

Sugar, Spice, & John Deere Tractors...Say Wha?

2011-02-18T15:35:00.000-05:00

When the sweet little poem was written about little girls and what they're made of I think the writer left a few things out.

Mainly because I have found that my little girl is made up of much more than sugar, spice, and everything nice.

Although I'm sure some would say that horses, cows, pigs, tractors, and the like...are all nice things.

I would agree...to some degree.

But Q-Tip...I think she would agree wholeheartedly.

Lately she has taken an interest in some of her daddy's tractors. She's always enjoyed playing with them but she has REALLY taken a liking to one lately, his John Deere 4620.

We have to take this tractor all over the third floor with us.

I'm sure she would have it all over the house but I fear her landing on it at the bottom of the stairs wouldn't turn out well.

So...we take it to the bathroom for bath time. She takes it with her to her evening blow dry. She takes it up onto the changing table to put on her jammies and fix her hair. And I know...that we are merely days away from her asking to take it to bed with her.

This all wouldn't be so much of a problem if she weren't insistent upon having the John Deere 348 Square Baler attached.

It makes it rather difficult to handle.

But it's a must.

So we haul it around or square bale the carpet on the way to take a bath.

Pretty soon I'm afraid we're going to have to tell some of her other favorite critters to move over for John.

Or maybe we'll just build a little barn for John beside her bed. John's not quite as soft and plush as Baby Anna, Baby Honu, Frosty, and Horsey.

My little girl is made of so much more,
Megan

A Letter to Ree

2011-02-17T16:40:00.002-05:00

Dear Ree,

Since I found your blog a little over a year ago I have read many times that you were a city girl thrust into the country after falling in love with Marlboro Man.

But...I must say that I never fully understood how much of a city girl you were.

I knew you were from Oklahoma...which is my home state as well and it made me think...she's from Oklahoma, how much of a city girl could she really be.

However...after reading Black Heels to Tractor Wheels I see now that you were very much a city girl living in unknown territory of ranch life in the middle of the Oklahoma prairie. But it didn't really sink in until Chapter 29, when you write about how you wondered if your child would know the fun of sledding down a hill. And how you had lived on the ranch for 5 months and you were just beginning to wrap your mind around the way daily life unfolded...wake up early, work, eat, relax, and go to bed.

And for some reason...after reading that...I fully understood what was going on in your mind. I fully realized how everything about this new place was unknown to you and how "out of place" you must have felt at times.

For me...moving to a ranch in the middle of the Oklahoma prairie would be like putting on an old, familiar, and very comfortable pair of boots. But for you...it was quite the opposite.

And then...just as all of this is sinking in...I realized something about myself. I realized that I am very much where you were when you moved to the ranch. I feel extremely "out of place" and very much out of my comfort zone.

The love I have for my Farmer Boy has taken me from Oklahoma and moved me to three different states I never thought I would have lived in. The first two weren't that difficult but this third one...well; let’s just say there might as well be a mountain lion sitting on top of my car ready to devour me. It is very different from Oklahoma in so many ways. Much like the ranch was for you.

I can easily see how one could grow accustomed to life on a ranch and learn to love it considering that way of life is more in my blood that this city living ever could be. I can not see how I will learn to love living here but I am inspired by you...

To at least try harder to grow accustomed to it instead of continuing to resist it.

To try harder to focus on the love I have for my Farmer Boy rather than the stress, traffic, and busy-ness of where we currently live.

To focus on the fact that this isn't going to be forever and that no matter how much I feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel...there really is. It will be over one day and we'll be back somewhere closer to where we feel we belong.

To dig down deep and find that pioneer woman spirit that I think most Oklahoma women have and get through this difficult time with grace and poise.

I hope that one day you will know...

How much your photography makes me homesick, proud, and happy all at the same time.

How your writing has made me laugh during some of my darkest hours.

How your story has given me the determination to keep searching for myself and my place in the world while also being a wife and mother.

Thanks for all that!

Love,
Megan

My Heart Strings

2011-02-15T16:37:00.000-05:00

Lately I've felt as though my heart strings are pulling me in a westward direction.

Wait...let me rephrase that.

Lately I've felt as though my heart strings are yanking me in a westward direction.

I can't put my finger on the exact reason.

Whether it be because I want many, many things for Q-Tip that living farther west would give her. Or that I am like a fish out of water on the East coast.

I simply can't put my finger on it.

I'm sure it is all of my reasons put together but I can't help but wonder if we lived a little further west...would I even be having these yanking feelings? Or would I be absolutely fine with where we were.

However I will say this...if we lived a little farther west instead of a lot farther west I'm certain that our lives would not involve cows. Or a large chunk of land on a prairie somewhere. Or tractors. Or getting up at the crack of dawn to do the chores.

Hmmm...maybe I need to think about this for a minute. Me and the crack of dawn don't always get along.

Even still...I just can't help myself. The yanking that I am feeling involves all of those things.

It doesn't have much to do with another house in a town that we've never been to, in a state we've never lived in.

It involves a home, on some land, with some cows, in a place that we feel fits us. Or should I say...that we fit in.

Or maybe...it's all because I can't wear my pink boots here without getting stared at like I'm a loony.

I really like pink,
Megan

A Valentine to My Valentine

2011-02-14T15:37:00.001-05:00

My Dearest Farmer Boy,
I'm sorry that I forgot to get a card for you from Q-Tip. But I love you for remembering to get me a card from Q-Tip.

I'm sorry that when you come home tonight my hair won't be fixed, I won't have on make-up, and I will be in my yoga pants and a t-shirt. But I'm so thankful that you still call me beautiful.

I'm sorry that I'm not a very good cook. But everyone knows...you are WAY better at it than I am anyway.

I'm sorry that I don't like living in Maryland. But I will live here forever if that's what it takes to be with you.

I'm sorry that you had to dig your boxer shorts out of the mountain of to-be-folded laundry for a few days. But I'm so thankful that you don't complain and that you love me anyway.

I'm sorry that our bathroom counter is full of my hair dryer, flat iron, hair product, and perfume. But you put a smile in my heart when you helped me clean the kitchen last night and pick up around the house.

I'm sorry that I complain about your piles of receipts that you don't shred regularly. But if those piles mean that I am near you...go ahead and start another one.

I'm sorry for all of the little things that I do that may get on your nerves. But thank you for being my Farmer Boy and no one else's.

You will forever be the one that makes my heart skip a beat...even by simply putting your hand in the small of my back.

Love Forever and Ever Amen,
Me

A Gift To You...Because I'm Out of Blogging Time

2011-02-11T16:49:00.001-05:00

Because I've been shopping for a birthday present for my wonderful sister-in-law for the last 1.5 hours...

Because I found the perfect present for my sister-in-law...

Because I can't believe it took me so long to think of ordering her said present...

Because it's Friday and Farm Boy will be home from work any minute...

I give you this...

And this...

And this...

Happy Friday everyone!

Hope y'all have a wonderful, warm, and snow free weekend!

Still boycotting winter,
Megan

A Few Confessions on a Thursday

2011-02-10T15:50:00.001-05:00

As I was getting ready for a play date this morning I knew that it was written in the stars that I confess a few things to you today.

1. I'm wearing a pair of Farm Boy's socks today for two reasons.

They were the first thing I grabbed off the mountain of to-be-folded laundry that now resides on my bedroom floor.
I'm S & T of being cold and for some reason wearing something that belongs to Farm Boy makes me feel warmer.

2. I have been in a constant state of pony tails and ball caps this week. That's right...I haven't officially fixed my hair since last Saturday morning. Oh I've washed it...I just haven't fixed it.

3. All day yesterday I remained in complete denial about two things.

We still live in Maryland and have no plans to move.
It's winter and it's freezing cold outside.

4. My ability to stay in denial yesterday was aided by three things.

I played my Hawaiian Style Volume 5 CD that I bought in Hawaii all day.
I pretended we were moving to Hawaii and even contemplated announcing it on Facebook and Twitter.
I didn't leave the house or open any of the blinds all day. I was afraid it would kill the dream.

5. The to-be-folded laundry situation in this house is horrific. It's quite possible that it has never been this bad. I'm truly ashamed. And yet...I'm blogging instead of folding.

6. I want to have "Aloha" tattooed on my wrist. For real..

7. I'm determined to replace my Facebook profile picture everyday with a different picture from Hawaii until the snow has completely melted away and is gone. It's my way of boycotting winter.

8. I wish my mom or my grandma was here to fold my laundry, bake cookies and clean my kitchen.

9. Farm Boy is working copious amounts of overtime right now and all I can think about is selling everything, moving back to Oklahoma, and starting a herd of cattle. Oh...and raising my own chickens for eggs.

10. We don't really eat that many eggs but I don't care. For some reason I just really want to have my own chickens so I don't have to buy eggs.

11. We recently started enforcing child labor in our home. Q-Tip helped me clean out the dishwasher last night and...it was awesome.

12. My need to have my own chickens might have something to do with wanting to yell at my children when they are idly whining or fussing to....Go get the eggs from the chicken coop!! It just seems like a very natural and cool thing to do.

13. I bought a new 4-pack of OPI nail polish from their new Texas collection Monday. It has three new colors in it and one bottle of top coat in it. I've currently got Austin-tatious Turquoise on my thumb, I Vant to be A-Lone Star on my first finger and Do You Think I'm Tex-y? on my middle finger. And...I currently have no plans of taking it off.

I'm stopping my list of confessions at 13 because I can. And because my OCD can just build a freakin bridge and get over it! HA!

Aloha and Maholo for stopping by,
Megan

My Very First Ever...Crafting Tutorial - Hooded Towels

2011-02-09T17:18:00.000-05:00

One of my most favorite things ever is doing crafts. Any kind of crafts really...I love them all.

Which also means...I love homemade things. I love giving them and getting them. There's just something very personal about it for me. Knowing that the person spent their time making something for me or my family makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Having said all that it only seems natural that I would share some of the things that I like to make with you.

For my very first ever crafting tutorial I'm going to show you how to make hooded towels.

I received two of these towels as a baby gift before Q-Tip was born and we have used the daylights out of them! They are regular sized adult towels but we started using them when she was a baby because they were so much more absorbent than baby towels. I loved them so much I sat down and tried to figure out how to make them. And I did.

Here we go!

Hooded Towels for Babies, Toddlers, and Kids
The materials you will need to make 2 hooded towels are as follows:

1 - standard size hand towel - Some hand towels come in 2 separate sizes...the larger size is the one I am talking about which seems to be the most common.

2 - bath towels

1 - roll of ribbon of your choice or - 17 inch cutting of ribbon if you prefer to buy ribbon sold by the yard

1 - spool of thread to coordinate with your ribbon choice

1 - spool of thread to coordinate with your towel color

1 - measuring tape

Scissors

Pencil

And any embellishments such as buttons, sequins, or patches if you choose to add those.

And your sewing machine. Sadly...this is not a no sew project.

Step 1
Fold your hand towel in half and cut into 2 pieces.

Step 2
Cut 3 inches off the CUT side of your hand towel.

Step 3
Cut a 17 inch piece of ribbon from your roll and lay across the un-cut end of your hand towel. Leave a 1/2 - 1 inch edge extra on either end.

Step 4
Sew the ribbon onto your hand towel leaving about a 3 inch edge on the UN-cut side. Make sure to cover the decorative strip across the towel with your ribbon to hide it.

Use a straight stitch on your sewing machine and the thread that matches your ribbon to sew the ribbon on to the towel.

Step 5
Fold your hand towel in half with the cut edge on one end and the un-cut edge on the other and the ribbon side on the inside of the fold.

Like this...but the opposite.

Using the thread that matches your towel sew up the CUT edge of your hand towel with a zigzag stitch. Shown here...

FYI...if you use a straight stitch on the terry fabric of the towel the towel could pull apart rather easily. I've found that the zigzag stitch works the best on this fabric.

When you are finished it will look like this...

Step 6
You are now ready to sew your hand towel...which is now a hood...onto your big towel.

Fold your big towel in half and place a pencil mark at the halfway point.

Match the middle seam at the back of your hood with your pencil mark and use straight pens to attach your hood.

Step 7
Using either a straight stitch or zigzag stitch sew the hood onto the towel.

And then...VOILA....you're done!

My preference is to personalize the towel for the recipient and sometimes add a little cuteness to it. I don't have my own embroidery machine...although I would like to...so I found a local woman that does it out of her home for $7 which I feel is totally worth having a personalized gift for someone. I found the buttons at Wal-Mart and I have found that just the ribbon and 3-4 buttons is cute as well. The possibilities are really endless.

I hope you enjoyed my very first ever crafting tutorial! If you decide to make some hooded towels and have questions please feel free to email me at reddirtandcrazy@yahoo.com or send me a tweet.

I'm off to play my Hawaiian CD I bought in Hawaii and pretend its summer!

I love the ukulele,
Megan

My Not-So-Secret...Secret

2011-02-08T15:08:00.002-05:00

If you know me personally this isn't going to be big news to you. But I've been a little reluctant to share it here.

Mainly because I didn't want it to take over my blog and I don't want y'all to get sick and tired of hearing it. And I don't want my feelings on the matter to offend anyone.

But I sorta feel like it can't be hidden any longer. And after all...this is my blog. And I can do what I want on my own dang blog. Right? RIGHT!

Okay...so here goes...

I do not like living in Maryland. Like...at all.

Now...having said that I must say...every trip that I have ever made into Washington D.C. to site see has been great! We have had no problems. I have enjoyed every minute of seeing all the wonderful things there are to see out here and I truly feel that we have barely touched the tip of the ice berg.

But living here...living here is a whole other breed of cattle.

We are used to living in wide open spaces with lots of roads and highways to get to where we need to go. That's not so much the way things are here.

We are used to living in single family homes with at least a driveway but also a garage. Here we are in a townhouse with no yard, no driveway, and no garage.

We are used to be able to go where we want when we want. Here you plan your life around rush hour and you don't necessarily go anywhere that is more than about 15 miles away for fear of being caught in horrific traffic for hours on end simply because someone is changing a flat tire on the side of the road.

There are a multitude of reasons and now that I have gotten this off my chest I feel a little more at ease about sharing them with you in the future. As my need to bang my head against the wall arises.

Farm Boy feels much the same way I do about the area although he LOVES his job which has made it easier for him I believe. I am truly grateful for that.

But for me...living here and finding happiness here has been one of the most challenging times of my life.

I've been working really, really hard to find happiness here. Maybe not doing the types of things some people think I should and maybe not working as hard as some people think I should work. But trust me when I say...I have been doing what I feel I can do and trying as hard as I feel that I can try.

I'm trying to keep in mind that this is only a season and that it will not last forever. And this one thought alone has been what has kept me moving forward.

But in the last couple of weeks I feel like I'm losing the battle which is a really weird feeling to have because how can I lose it? What does losing it mean? I have no idea.

I'm telling you all of this because a) I feel like I have a million things to say about this and I need to get them off my chest b) I am not feeling very funny these days and c) I'm not really feeling much like myself at all. I guess you could say that I'm having some issues with the "D" word and I'm kinda, sorta, hoping that if I am able to exercise the un-happiness demons here on my blog, it will help me feel better.

Of course I don't know that it will help and it may just make things worse.

In that sad case, you will find me sitting in traffic with a crying toddler, somewhere in Maryland, screaming at the top of this country girl's lungs!!!

Feeling a little optimistic,
Megan

P.S. To the awesome people that live here and love it...please don't be offended. There are a lot of neat things about this area and I have loved learning about them. But for this Oklahoma girl...living here is like biting off a bit more than I can chew.

Excuse Me for a Moment Life...I Need to Blog

2011-02-07T16:49:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile! And that little part of my brain that blogging makes happy...most definitely knows it.

The past few months have been good, bad, and everything in between.

When I say good I mean...fun, happy, exciting, and just what my soul needed.

When I say bad...I really mean...stressful, anxiety ridden, and sometimes scary.

The good news is...I've got forever to fill you in on everything. Isn't that great?

Well...maybe I should say that I have forever pending the simple fact that Q-Tip takes her afternoon nap. Which is my one and only blogging time of the day. Which is what interfered with my blogging to begin with.

FYI...if your child is on Prevacid for reflux...don't take her off...just keep her on it forever.

Maybe I should elaborate.

Q-Tip has been on Prevacid since she was about 2 months old. We attempted to take her off of it when she turned 1, again at 1 1/2, and again at 2. I thought surely that by 2 she would be fine so I gave it a little more time with this go round. We had a few pills left so we stuck with giving her a nighttime pill and took away her morning one. About 4 or 5 days in she quit taking her afternoon nap. She also assumed the attitude of a PMSing teenager and started mutilating pacifiers by nawing on them with a vengeance. Oh yes...and guzzling water like a camel that's been in the dessert for a month.

I called the doctor and he said...lets just give it a little more time. I...rather POed...said fine and called my friend back to tell her what the doctor said. She then proceeded to knock some sense into my foggy brain. I called the doctor back and told him I was going to take her to a Pediatric GI and I needed another prescription of Prevacid until we went. He...I think a little POed...said fine.

We went to our appt with the Ped GI and I...expecting to hear that she still has reflux, here's some more Prevacid...got the wind knocked out of my sails. We had to do some blood work and possibly a couple other tests...pending the results of the blood work...to get to the root of the problem. If there isn't anything major then she could possibly just have reflux but considering her age...it's unlikely. We don't have any results or any major plans yet. We are supposed to have a follow-up with the doctor in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping and praying, praying and hoping for some good news!

Good news that would not require surgical procedures or anesthesia.

Anywho...that's been a good portion of the last couple of months. In a nutshell.

Attempting to put down the anxiety,
Megan

P.S. I went to Ulta for some hair product today and came out with some new OPI nail polishes from their new TEXAS Collection! I'm thinkin that the new Austin-tatious Turquoise is just the thing I need for anxiety fighting and kicking some mom blob ass!!

I'll let you know how it works out.

Merry Christmas...From Our Home to Yours!

2010-12-24T14:09:00.002-05:00

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2:6-14

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time."

— Laura Ingalls Wilder

Must Have Baby Stuff - The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer

2010-12-08T14:09:00.000-05:00

It seems like every other week another friend of ours has found out they are pregnant, getting ready to or have just had a baby, or celebrating their baby's first birthday.

I am humiliated to say that I am just now getting around to making a gift for one friend that had their baby back in the summer...ridiculous I know. It's the thought that counts though right? RIGHT!

Anywho...with all these babies everywhere I thought I would tell y'all about a book...or books rather...that I found out about through a friend. This book...or books...saved Farm Boy and I from an extended stay in Crazyville. More than once! Matter of fact I still fall back on these books. They are really priceless.

First of all I must say that Farm Boy and I are planners. We are book readers. We are the type that needs to have things in order and if they aren't then we're going to figure out how to get them in order. We aren't necessarily "fly by the seat of our pants type people". And although there is absolutely nothing wrong with that...we just don't work that way. We need a schedule. We need to know how to plan our day. It's just how we roll.

Now...if you are that type or not this book can be extremely helpful. If you do nothing but learn the type of temperament your baby has from reading this book, thus learning much more quickly how to respond to him/her, how to head off problems, etc...it will change your life. This may cause you to feel the need to send me copious amounts of cash along with touching notes of thanks...this really isn't necessary...just knowing that it has been helpful is payment enough for me!

And here are the books...

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg

And The Baby Whisperer Solves all Your Problems

by Tracy Hogg

In theory her methods are quite simple which is good for any parent of a newborn. But the fact that she goes into depth and explains things and really spells things out is the part that really helped us. The basic daily routine that she recommends will change your life.

We learned how to teach Q-Tip to sleep through the night fairly early. We learned how to soothe her quickly and how to avoid starting bad habits. When it was time for Q-Tip to move on from her bottle it was like any other day in the neighborhood around here because I had learned from the beginning to not feed her before she went to sleep. I learned the importance of sleep as well as the importance of teaching a baby how to sleep on their own. I could go on and on about how much they helped us and how much we learned from them.

The "solves all your problems" book is really great when it comes to fixing things such as baby having their days and nights mixed up, any feeding problems that can sometimes arise, and toilet training issues. It is definitely a must have!

These books are simply a wealth of information and they are the first thing I recommend to parents of newborns.

Ahhhh Motherhood,

Megan

Craft Projects, House Cleaning, Toddler Raising...OH MY!

2010-12-06T20:10:00.000-05:00

There is simply no way possible that it has been 2 weeks since I posted!

No way...can't be.

Okay...so now that we've established that I'll tell you what's been going on 'round these parts.

1. Q-Tip has decided that she no longer needs an afternoon nap. I have no idea what brought this on but it sort of takes me back to when she decided she no longer liked carrots...or peas, or green beans, or sweet potatoes, or basically any foods that are good for her. It's been lovely...really lovely. Today especially! The hour long battle of the wills was my favorite part! I guess it's a good thing I started early.

2. It seems like 25 babies have been born or had their birthday in the past couple of weeks. I've got several projects that I need to finish or start and it seems like every one of them has required going to multiple stores on multiple occasions to get everything I need. You would think I would either learn to make a list or plan better and go everywhere in one day. Or perhaps get over my phobia of shopping online. But apparently my brain is in some sort of fog and I'm having a hard time staying focused on what I need to do for the next hour. My brain does work efficiently though when it comes to reminding me of all the things I need to get done in the next week. Child rearing, Christmas cards, house cleaning, craft projects...not to mention anything that I would LIKE to do. Like maybe some blog reading/writing, scrapbooking, movie watching...ya know...fun stuff. Maybe I will sometime after January.

3. Never, never, never have I wanted a cleaning lady more than I do now. It's a never ending battle that drives me up the wall. I like a clean house people...I admit that sometimes my clean house OCDness is a bit over the top and causes me grief...SOMETIMES. But is it a crime to love being in a clean house? I think not. Is it a crime to want it clean 98% of the time? I think not. It is unachievable and ridiculous to think it's possible? I think so! It doesn't stop me however from wanting it to be so. And yes...Q-Tip is finally getting to the age where it is easier for me to clean house with her in the house and awake. However it does take me longer to get done and then...enter, Mom Guilt. I feel bad because I've been cleaning all day and I haven't played with her. Ahhhh motherhood...such a joy!

4. Due to the craft projects, house cleaning, and toddler raising my computer time has been next to nothing lately. This makes it rather difficult to blog, or read blogs, or have any kind of fun.

I did however make a stunning discovery last Friday that I am hoping will aid this situation. Let me start from the beginning....

Apparently my phone needed an update that didn't take place on its own. I finally called the service desk because I was having one problem after another. Twitter was freezing up my phone constantly, my email notifications weren't coming, my camera wasn't working correctly, etc, etc, etc. SO...I've done this here update and my phone is like a new phone! Thank you Lord! I took advantage of the new Google Reader app so hopefully I can sneak in a little blog reading here and there...ya know...as I'm chasing my child and all.

Anywho...there's lots of things happening here and there and my poor little mind is a little bit on overload and my little bloggy poo has suffered. Hopefully this will only be a temporary situation though!

Overworked and Underpaid,
Megan

P.S. I'm just kidding about the overworked and underpaid part...but not really.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-22T15:54:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving week to you all!

I'm going to be doing some moving around and organizing this week as well as getting ready for Thanksgiving...not to mention spending time with my family so...there may not be much blogging done.

That is unless something incredible happens that I absolutely have to share right away.

You never know I guess.

Anywho...I pray that everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving and safe travels to and fro!

Blessings to you,
Megan

Friday Night in the Big Town

2010-11-19T15:32:00.000-05:00

Oh how our lives have changed......

This thought struck me today...very much out of the blue.

It's Friday and it seems like not so very long ago the anticipation of seeing my boyfriend and going out with our friends was so overwhelming I felt I was going to burst!

We would meet up with them at our bar where our favorite music was playing, chat about our week, tell the same funny stories over and over again...and drink beer. Lots of beer.

It. Was. Great.

Those were some of the best days of our lives.

Farm Boy and I have always known that we have some of the best friends imaginable and that we have something with them that not many people have. There are so many stories and experiences that would make your hair stand on end or quite simply have you falling on the floor crying with laughter...and we love that we were a part of those stories.

But...times have changed.

We are no longer 22 and we are now parents.

Our Friday night will now consist of Farm Boy coming home from work tired and probably needing a little nap. A discussion about how nothing sounds good for supper. Finally deciding on something that we both are settling for because we can't think of...or don't want to bother with...something better. Eating supper. Me doing the dishes. Farm Boy heading into the living room to witness Q-Tip running around unfolding and pulling out every lap blanket in the living room, dumping every Little People toy out of the container, spreading every piece of her Mr. Potato Head set all over the living room...and most generally having a wonderful time. 7:30 arrives and it's off to bath and bed time for Q-Tip. Finally Farm Boy and I settle in to watch our DVR'ed shows from the past week or possibly a movie...IF Farm Boy has had a nap. Otherwise...I'll be watching my DVR'ed shows...AKA Oprah...while he snores on the couch beside me. Then it's off to bed around 11 or 12.

Does that not sound like the MOST exciting Friday night EVER?!

..........

..........

I'm waiting for the OH YES MEGAN, YES!!

..........

..........

Not coming I guess.

To tell you the honest truth...I'm sure you could never have guessed...sometimes I want to go back to those days of overwhelmingly fun Friday nights with friends!

But...when the thought of "oh how our lives have changed" hit me today and I had the flood of all of these thoughts immediately following, they vanished just about as quickly as they came this time as they have hung around a bit longer in the past. I think because the recollection of this morning’s events came to mind in the midst of it all.

I went in to Q-Tip's room to wake her up and she was as happy as a lark. I picked her up and hugged her then carried her to the changing table where she immediately started babbling about this and that. After I had changed her, put her clothes on for the day and put a pony tail in her hair she said...Give mama hugs. Then she wrapped her little arms around my neck and held on while she sang the good morning song that I usually sing to her...

Good morning to you,
Good morning to you,
Mommy loves you so much,
Mommy loves you so much!

She sang it at least 10 times. Squeezing my neck harder with every minute...swaying back and forth.

It was one of those sweet moments that can give a mother another 6 months of trudging forward, making hard decisions, doing the right thing for our child no matter what the cost to us. AND...above all...reminding me to be present. Here, today, and in the future as well as reminding me to be thankful for this stage of life that I am in.

I'm 25 + almost 6. I have 1 child...she just turned 2. Yes I am...Lord help me...older than I once was and life is chaotic sometimes. My 1 child is teething and wants her way...but she is little and sweet and she loves her mommy no matter how ~~old~~ young I am or what my imperfections are. And someday there may be 2 children in this house and my time with just her will be more limited.

So for today when I'm thinking about a Friday night out and about in the big town it's easy to replace that thought with a Friday night at home...with my Farmer Boy and my baby girl.

Feeling blessed and content,
Megan

Fly Over States

2010-11-17T15:22:00.000-05:00

As many of you know I love music. It is one of my favorite things. I love talking about it, writing about it, and of course...listening to it.

Well...I've heard a new song that I am now in love with. It's a Jason Aldean song called Fly Over States. I don't know who wrote it but I do know that whoever it is...gets it.

I'm sure you're wondering what I mean by "gets it". I will try and explain...

Simply put...there are some really awesome places in between the East and West Coast y'all!

I don't mean to say that they are better...but they are interesting, beautiful, full of culture, and just as amazing.

Sure you can say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So I guess that not everyone would think that a field full of waving golden wheat is beautiful...but to some people it is. And I'm sure that not everyone would miss seeing the sunrise or sunset on the horizon everyday...but some do.

Some people feel happy in those fly over states. They feel grounded and secure and at home there.

Fly Over States

A couple guys in first class on a flight
From New York to Los Angeles
Kinda making small talk killin’ time
Flirting with the flight attendants
Thirty thousand feet above, could be Oklahoma

Just a bunch of square cornfields and wheat farms
Man, it all looks the same
Miles and miles of back roads and highways
Connecting little towns with funny names
Who’d want to live down there, in the middle of nowhere

They’ve never drove through Indiana
Met the man who plowed that earth
Planted that seed, busted his ass for you and me
Or caught a harvest moon in Kansas
They’d understand why God made
Those fly over states

I bet that mile long Santa Fe
Freight train engineer’s seen it all
Just like that flatbed cowboy
Stacking US Steel on a three day haul
Roads and rails under their feet
Yeah, that sounds like a first class seat

On the plains of Oklahoma
With a windshield sunset in your eyes
Like a watercolored painted sky
You’ll think heavens doors have opened
You’ll understand why God made
Those fly over states

Take a ride across the badlands
Feel that freedom on your face
Breathe in all that open space
Meet a girl from Amarillo
You’ll understand why God made
You might even wanna plant your stakes
In those fly over states

Have you ever been through Indiana
On the plains of Oklahoma
Take a ride

Feelin kinda homesick,
Megan

How It Came to Be...My Farmer Boy and Me - Part 5

2010-11-15T14:11:00.000-05:00

Continued from here (part 1)...and here (part 2)...and here (part 3)...and here (part 4)...

We were hardly engaged a day when the little wheels in my mind were just about to spin off their hinges.

Who, what, when, and where needed to be decided. But first we had to get through the week.

Farm Boy's brother was getting married the Friday after Thanksgiving and there was a lot to be done that week.

We were all busy with planning and errand running, cooking and decorating. It was a fun but tiring week. It ended wonderfully...their wedding and reception went through without a single problem and everyone was happy.

After that was all said and done we started thinking about what we wanted to do.

We picked a day...June 25...and decided that it would be at his church in his home town. We had 7 months.

Before we knew it the weekend was over and he was heading back to Raleigh. This goodbye was like none before. We had a light at the end of the tunnel now and it made it so much easier.

I would be busy making wedding plans and he would be busy finding us a home in North Carolina for the next few months.

I was nervous about leaving everyone I had ever known but the good far outweighed the bad and I couldn't wait to be with him.

The months passed quickly and in May...one month before the wedding...without me having seen it in person...Farm Boy bought our first home.

We were both ecstatic!

He knew me, he knew what I liked, he took lots of pictures and I loved it! It was a great house and it was perfect for us.

The next month flew by like a whirlwind and pretty soon our wedding week was upon us and Farm Boy was headed back to Oklahoma...this time driving so he could move me back with him.

We attempted to be as cost effective as possible and I think we did pretty good. However...without the help of Farm Boy's miracle working sister I'm not sure what we would have done.

She made the cakes, the flowers,

did a lot of decorating, and helped to coordinate things here and there. She is an asset now I tell you...an asset!

Speaking of cakes...

This was it!

I found a little wooden church at Hobby Lobby (my favorite craft store) and painted it to match my colors and it sat on the tallest cake.

I found a topper online like this one that someone had painted but they wanted a fortune for it. So I searched and searched until I found (at Michael's) the figurine they used. It was like $19.99 I think. Anywho...my mom and I painted a work coat, John Deere t-shirt, and jeans over the tuxedo that the groom was wearing. We also did a little dry brushing to make it look like the farmer is sitting in the dirt. And then I added some flowers onto the wedding dress to make it match mine. It was perfect and it sat on the middle layer of cake.

For the bottom layer we used a John Deere tractor. It looked like the bride was dragging the farmer out of the field and to the church. We loved it. I also loved my cake stands. Farm Boy made them and painted them in the shop at the farm. They worked perfectly...as you can see.

It looked great...if I do say so myself...and I do!

The wedding went beautifully and we were able to involve some of our family.

Farm Boy's uncle is a priest and he married us. My brother read a verse as well as Farm Boy's sister. Farm Boy's nephew was a server as well as his sister-in-law's son. One of my bridesmaid's was one of my closest cousins and Farm Boy's brother was one of his groomsmen. It was quite the family affair and we were glad.

Everything went wonderfully. The ceremony was great, the food at the reception was delicious, and everyone laughed at the slideshow we had made.

It was a beautiful day!

After the wedding Farm Boy and I went to our hotel in downtown Oklahoma City and rested for awhile. And then we went to our other reception. We decided that we wanted two...one at the church and one that was better suited to be a little rowdy.

The first one was the official after wedding reception...dinner, cake, visiting. The second was the official party wedding reception. We stocked the VIP room at our favorite Oklahoma City bar...The Wormy Dog Saloon and had one heck of a party. It was great!

The one thing that Farm Boy and I loved the most about that reception was almost every single one of our friends at the time was there. It is one of our most favorite memories.

At the end of that party though the goodbye's had to be said and they were tough. Farm Boy had already had his going away party when he moved but I guess really our party wedding reception was mine. Thankfully we all had a good time so I guess maybe that saved us from the ugly cry. Oh we all cried when we said goodbye but we didn't ugly cry so I guess that is good. The great thing about it though is that we said goodbye to seeing each other regularly but we didn't say goodbye forever. I still have those wonderful friends and for that I am truly grateful. If it hadn't been for them after Farm Boy left I'm not sure what I would have done.

Farm Boy and I went back to our hotel that night and crashed. It had been a wonderful day that we have never forgotten.

The next day we drove out to Farm Boy's sister's house to open our gifts. It was a lot of fun opening them over brunch with his family. After that we drove over to my parents house to pack my stuff. It didn't take long. We loaded it into the back of the trailer and stayed there for the night.

And then the next day...our second day of marriage mind you...we drove back out to Farm Boy's family farm and loaded my Ford Escape into the back of the trailer. My Escape with all of our presents in it. Into the trailer that had all my stuff in it. It was a more formal version of the Beverly Hillbillies I would say...considering it was all in an enclosed trailer.

After we loaded everything that needed to be loaded it was time to strike out on our honeymoon that wasn't...and oh how it wasn't...

To Be Continued...

Going Back to the Basics

2010-11-10T13:36:00.000-05:00

Hello and good afternoon!

Today's post can be found over at The Red Dirt and Crazy Happiness Project.

Happy Wednesday to everyone,
Megan

Significantly Significant Events - Part 3 of 3 - Q-Tip's Birthday Party & Visiting Grandparents

2010-11-08T14:34:00.000-05:00

Hello all! Did you miss me?

Now that it is officially November I think the past couple months of busy-ness is over.

Although honestly...I don't look for things to really slow down until after January...BUT...I'm choosing to say that things are slowing down now.

Denial helps my sanity stay intact.

After my little trip to the Ozarks with my friends and Farm Boy and I's vacation to Hawaii there was no time to rest for the weary. We had one more big thing to get through. I am telling you about it after the fact because I thought you might enjoy a few pictures to go along with the telling.

And the big event was...Q-Tip's second birthday party. As well as her first experience trick-or-treating AND a visit from her mema and pa-pa. Big stuff people...big stuff!

It was sort of an all in one thing. Mema and pa-pa flew in on Saturday after her actual birthday on Friday so we decided to have her party on Sunday. Which was Halloween. Which worked out quite nicely.

Q-Tip was a Zebra for Halloween this year. She had a zebra print tu-tu...compliments of my very dear friend Pam from My Pamtastic Life...that I wanted to use. So I threw some white leggings on her and made her a t-shirt and some hair bows to match. She looked QUITE adorable if I do say so myself...and I do.

I decided to stick with the Zebra theme and do a zebra cookie cake. It tasted wonderful. I'll do another post on how I did this later.

I thought a cookie cake might be a little easier for a toddler to eat and it was. We cut it into bite size pieces and it was great! There weren't a million little crumbs everywhere. However there were some remnants of black icing around some little mouths. But they didn't care and it all washed off easily. I would highly suggest a cookie cake for any toddler's birthday.

And then came the trick-or-treating.

Do you remember when I told you about how Q-Tip loves to gather up things and put them in some sort of container...and about how she was an egg hunting extraordinaire at Easter...well all that being said again...the child is a trick-or-treating prodigy. She's got the trick-or-treat; thank you and bye bye down perfectly. And the gathering of the candy and putting it in the basket...in the bag! Matter of fact...I think it ranks right up there with Easter egg hunting on her list of favorite things to do.

Next year she will be giving the big kids some stiff competition!!

Watch out big kids...Q-Tip's comin at ya,

Megan

Two Years Ago Today

2010-10-29T14:06:00.001-04:00

Two years ago last night I was as big as a house and Farm Boy and I didn't sleep a wink.

Mainly due to the fact that bright and early the next morning we were headed to the hospital and by the end of the day the two of us...would become three of us.

And two years ago today that is what happened.

The past 730 days has been a whirlwind of a rollercoaster. From baby laughs to dirty diapers, a good sleeper to reflux, pretty smiles to milk and soy protein intolerance, singing happy songs to a temper tantrum here and there...through it all we wouldn't change a thing.

Well...except maybe the reflux...and the milk and soy protein intolerance...and the temper tantrums...but even still...she is ours and we love her.

Happy Birthday to our little Q-Tip...you are our world!

Oh yes and happy birthday to Farm Boy and Pa-Pa J too!

The Day That I Was Dolly...as in Parton

2010-10-28T14:04:00.010-04:00

Me and Dolly are kindred spirits I think. So much so that I even named my dog Dolly.

The big hair...the sparkly clothes...the girliness even in the country. Not to mention the love of music.

Yup...me and Dolly are like peas and carrots. Hot glue and rhinestones. Big hair and aqua net. You get the picture.

So a few years ago when I was thinking and stewing and thinking trying to come up with an awesome Halloween costume...becoming Dolly seemed like the perfect thing!

And it was. At least I think it was and that's what matters on this here blog o' mine.

I got my hair about as big as I could get it that night without the help of a friend to tease the back.

I broke out the rhinestones and glue and made myself a shirt...bearing my character name. I whipped out my pink boots...perfect for an occasion such as this. And then I got me some balloons so that I could enhance my anatomy a little...or maybe a lot. Then I got myself the largest container I could find at the Wal-Marts for said balloons as well as some Lee Press-on nails...naturally the longest ones I could find. It was quite perfect if I do say so myself...and I do.

And then I went to town...or rather a Halloween party.

My costume was quite a hit at the party and for some reason people just couldn't keep their hands off my balloons! I felt violated!!

Well, not really...but maybe a little.

Happy Halloween everyone!!

I still have the shirt,

Megan

AKA: Dolly

All the Pretty Flowers - Almost Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-27T15:34:00.001-04:00

H is for Hawaii!

This one was my favorite.

It is Plumeria and it smells divine!

It was said to be "the scent of Hawaii".

Stalking Tropical Creatures - Gertrude the Gecko

2010-10-26T15:30:00.002-04:00

This post is hereby dedicated to:

Megan

from

Best of Fates

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While away on our vacation to the

Big Island of Hawaii we met Gertrude.

Gertrude the Gecko.

She was hanging out on the wall outside of our condo.

I thought she was pretty so I started taking pictures.

Low and behold...girlfriend started working the lens!!

As you can see in exhibits A and B.

I worked my photography magic while she

modeled her loveliness for quite some time.

And then we parted ways never to meet again.

The End.

Aloha,

Megan

P.S. If you look closely you will see that Gertrude's

tail is two different colors with a distinct line where

the colors meet. I would venture to say that it fell off at

some point for one reason or another and then grew back.

Who can really say.

But I think...there's a story...

(Name that movie)

P.P.S Megan, I love your stories of stalking woodland creatures

and I thought of you while Gertrude and I were hanging out!

Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming...Oh and Aloha!!

2010-10-25T16:14:00.000-04:00

I love starting fresh on a Monday.

It is so much better than starting fresh on a Tuesday, Wednesday or any other day of the week for some reason.

Maybe it's my OCD.

Maybe it's a nasty case of procrastination.

I don't know. But what I do know is this...I don't give a dang.

And the reason I don't give a dang is that me and my Farm Boy are less than two weeks out of a trip to Hawaii my friends and I am convinced that the motto for that great state is...

I Don't Give a Dang...ALOHA!

Said with a great big smile of course and in the context of...

Oh...I'm having a bad hair day...oh well, I don't give a dang...Aloha!

Or...we are getting close to nap time and I have another errand to run...oh well, I don't give a dang...Aloha!

Or...I didn't go work out today...I don't give a dang...Aloha!!

You see what I mean, right? RIGHT!

We had a WONDERFUL time y'all! Wonderful, relaxing, gorgeous, blessed time. The people were so relaxed and happy and everyone was smiling! It was amazing. You absolutely can not help but be relaxed, happy, and smiling when you are surrounded by such beautiful sunshine and scenery. It is hard for me to think about vacationing anywhere else as long as I live.

Honestly...I want to move there...but shhh...don't tell Farm Boy. I've got to break this news in nice and slow.

I loved everything about the Island. I loved hearing the language and learning about the culture. I of course loved the scenery. I loved seeing all the ocean life in their natural habitat. I loved the music and I loved saying Aloha to everyone I saw. But I would have to say one of my favorite things was wearing flowers in my hair...real or fake...I loved it.

And seriously...one of my other favorite things about this trip is that I have come home and I almost feel like a different person. There could be many reasons behind it but I'm going to go with...Hawaii! The beauty, the relaxation, the Aloha...all of it! It's got to be Hawaii!

I have felt so much more relaxed since I've been home. More relaxed than I have felt in probably two or three years.

That sounds terrible doesn't it...but honestly it's the truth. Motherhood gave me a nasty case of the anxiety and I'm almost nervous to say it but I think it may be starting to ease up a bit and I am Oh So thankful!

Aloha,
Megan

P.S. Here's a sneak peak at some of our pictures...enjoy!

A Girl and Her Jessie Doll

2010-10-12T14:39:00.000-04:00

Mi-Mi (my mom) bought Q-Tip a Jessie doll awhile back.

And this is where she's has been ever since.

Swinging around in the air dancing and singing.

Held tightly in Q-Tip's little hand.

Kept every so gently in the crook of her arm.

And when I look at these very scenes

in pictures or around the house...

I can't help but wonder if Jessie is over the little girl that

left her under the bed and happy to be

tucked under the arm of Q-Tip.

I can't help myself.

Jessie comes to life...I just know it,

Megan

Significantly Significant Events - Part 2 of 3 - Hawaii

2010-10-08T12:18:00.000-04:00

If you would like to read Part 1 click here please.

Tomorrow morning in the 9 o'clock hour...Farm Boy and I are leaving on a jet plane headed for Hawaii people!!!

Well...we have a layover here and there but you know what I mean.

We've never been. We are totally excited. We are going childless.

*insert excited yee-haw here*

My parents are here tending to our beloved little Q-Tip while we go off and have the honeymoon we never had.

That's right...it's been 5.5 years and we still haven't had one but it's all about to change y'all!

We're gonna get leighed...we're gonna drink fruity drinks...we're gonna shop and parasail, and maybe swim with dolpins (that is Q-Tip for dolphins)...I can hardly stand the anticipation.

We need this so bad and thank you Matt and your lovely bride to be for giving it to us!!

So there you have it...the second significantly significant event going on in our lives. Have a wonderful weekend and I will think of all of you while I sip a fruity cocktail on the beach somewhere!

I'm gonna take hula lessons,
Megan

How It Came to Be...My Farmer Boy and Me - Part 4

2010-10-06T15:00:00.000-04:00

Continued from here (part 1)...and here (part 2)...and here (part 3)...

He had come home for homecoming at Oklahoma State University. We had a wonderful weekend spending time together and with all of our friends. But when it came time to say goodbye...I couldn't do it. I lost complete control of myself.

It was Sunday night. I was leaving him at his parent's house and going home so that I could go to work in the morning. His parents were supposed to take him to the airport the next day. We stood in the driveway and a river of tears started flowing that I could not contain. His mom came outside and I couldn't even stop them to save myself the embarrassment of crying over his leaving in front of her. There was nothing he could say or do that made them stop. I simply could not tell him goodbye again.

I called my boss and told her I would be late to work the next day. I was staying with him...on the couch...at his parent's house. I would have slept on the floor to have a little more time.

The next morning came and I took him to the airport. It was hard but I was able to control myself a little better.

We said our goodbyes and he flew back to North Carolina. But something changed during that flight home. He was thinking about something. Something he hadn't felt ready for before now. But he had to make sure.

He called his best friend, Matt. Matt and Farm Boy understand each other just about as well as anyone on earth and when they have a huge life changing decision to make they have always asked each other for help making it.

It was after he talked with Matt that he made his decision...the decision that would change both our lives forever.

He was going to propose on his next trip home in November.

He went to his little apartment in Raleigh and went to work researching diamonds and learning all about the four C's...cut, carat, clarity, color. He wanted to know a little something before he went to make his big purchase.

Of course I had no idea that he was planning this and for the next month when the subject of marriage or my birthday present came up he never even gave a hint to his plans.

The day of his arrival finally came and the Sunday before Thanksgiving was going to be the day. We went to church with his family and then everyone went to his sister's house for lunch. Except for the two of us. He told me he wanted to stop by the family farm and look at his brother's new tractor and see how his alfalfa was doing. Nothing out of the ordinary.

We walked to the barn and he looked at the tractor...for about 30 seconds...which I did find a little strange but after all it was cold, rainy and a little muddy so whatever. Then we walked out to the alfalfa field...

(This exact one I might add)

and he looked around for about 10 seconds. Again...a little strange but I was cold...I suspected nothing. And then he just stood there and looked at me.

I began to wonder what in the world...and then he said...So...I need to ask you something.

I said...okaaay.

He grinned and kind of shifted his feet.

My heart was starting to beat a little harder and a little faster.

And then the moment I had been waiting for...he said...Well um...will you marry me?

That little phrase...will you marry me...must have been some cue to my tear ducts that I didn't know about because ohhh did they ever start flowing.

I said YES about 26 times and then he handed me a little gold ring.

(Yup...that would be the one)

Pay attention this is where it gets interesting...

I don't wear gold y'all. I haven't worn gold in quite some time. I'm more of a sterling silver, white gold, platinum kinda girl. But guess what...that ring could have been out of a Cracker Jack box for all I cared...my Farmer Boy was proposing and I was accepting!

And then he said...Do you like it, do you really like it? And looking back I can see that mischievous grin on his face but I was in a vulnerable place y'all. I missed him and I loved him and seriously...I could have cared less if it was a freakin Spiderman Band-aid. So I said yes about 14 times. And then he grinned even bigger and said...are you sure? And I said YES...I'm sure!

And then he said...Good...so I can take this one back then.

And I said...hell no you can not!!

And then I called him a name or two...loving names of course. Or not.

And then we kissed and hugged in the rain. And mud. And cold. In the alfalfa field at this family farm.

In that exact spot. The one with the pump jack and tanks. They weren't there at the time. We must be a good luck charm.

Then we walked back to the truck and went to tell the family even though they already knew what was happening. Well all except for my mom because Farm Boy was afraid she might act a little too excited and I would catch on.

And then the wheels started turning. A date needs to be set...plans need to be made...

To Be Continued...

Back in the Saddle Again

2010-10-04T13:22:00.000-04:00

Today is the first day that I have turned on the computer since I got home from my beloved vacation with my beloved friends. It was beloved y'all!

Yes Oasis in the Ozarks 2010 was a hit!

We slept in, we shopped, we made up new words, we drank adult beverages...it was a large weekend.

And so in honor of the fine weekend that it was I have prepared a list of highlights and a few pictures.

1. FYI...my dear friend Anna does not give blow outs...sitting down or standing up.

Oh yes...a blow out is a blow dry...as in hair. For heavens sake what else would it be?

2. The game Would You Rather... is much more fun to play without the board that comes with it and while your drinking an adult beverage.

I hope your taking notes my friends.

3. We didn't see a single show while we were in Branson and I am perfectly okay with that.

4. Branson Missouri is a significantly significant place to shop. It. Was. Heaven.

5. If you have not been on a 4 days girls trip with your friends in the past 2 years...go...right now and plan one. If nothing else your husband and children will be reminded of what an asset you are. Cause you are ya know...an asset now ~~dammit~~ dang it...an asset!!

6. When you get home your child/children will probably put you through 9 kinds of hell like mine did. Sleep issues and a nasty case of seperation anxiety have just about done me in. But I can say that we are on day 7 of my return and things are getting better.

And no matter how difficult the past few days have been...it was worth it!!

7. For two of our three night stay in Branson my dear friend Pam serenaded me with her guitar while I took a bath. Really she serenaded all of us but I'm choosing to believe it was just for me. I am currenlty looking at applications for someone to do that here in Maryland. It was quite relaxing and I feel that I need this in my life on a more permanent basis.

8. We ate wonderful food while we were there. So wonderful in fact that we decided to eat in all three nights! It was great and it was probably the only time you'll hear ME saying that I don't want to eat out!

9. Time away with my good friends is a significantly significant asset to my mental health.

10. And a follow-up to number 9...I have the greatest friends that anyone could ever ask for!

I love y'all!

Meg

P.S. We stayed at a condo in Branson that my sister-in-law and her husband own. It was SO NICE!! It's beautifully decorated and has everything you need to feel at home...except for your not at home...which is the point right? Right! Anywho...it is super nice and if you would like to stay there click HERE to see the website. Their condo is in building 32 unit 4. Each one is independently owned so I have no idea what the others look like...be sure and ask for their condo specifically.

Maria Anna

2010-09-24T00:29:00.002-04:00

I have a friend named Trish. I don't get to see her or talk with her often but I think of her almost daily.

Trish and I used to work together and I remember when I met her...she was happy all the time and had such a beautiful smile on her face in spite of any stressful situation she may be in. She is still that way today.

I remember when her husband proposed to her. It was right around the time that Farm Boy proposed to me. And I remember how happy and excited she was.

We swapped wedding info and talked and planned together. She got married the weekend before I did and we both attended each other's weddings. Her's was Greek, mine was Catholic. Both were lots of fun!

I remember her saying that she and her husband Peter wanted to have children right away and I remember thinking how brave they were to just jump right in with both feet.

I remember when she found out she was pregnant...she was ecstatic!!

And then little Maria Anna surprised everyone on July 29th, 2006 coming 7 weeks early. She was so very, very tiny but she grew stronger and went home with Trish and Peter after just 3 weeks in the NICU. Even from the start she was showing the world who was boss.

All was right with the world until Maria's six month check-up.

Maria's doctor had some concerns so he did some blood work followed by a spinal tap and bone marrow test. The test concluded her doctors fears and precious little 7 month old Maria was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Pre B on February 23, 2007.

Tragedy, horror, and utter heartbreak.

Maria received one treatment after the other until March 3, 2008 when she rang a bell at the Jimmy Everest Center to tell the world that she was cancer free!

It was the miracle that everyone had been praying for and it brought joy and elation to Trish and Peter!

Everyone was so touched by Maria and her story that she was named the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - Girl of the Year 2008!

Right around this time I found out that I was pregnant with Q-Tip and very quickly began feeling those strong bonds between a mother and child. It was unlike anything I had ever known.

But one month later in April of 2008 tragedy struck again...Maria's cancer was back and it came with a vengeance.

The difference in my life at the time was that I was now a mother. And I couldn't help but put myself in Trish's shoes. Even though I knew that I wasn't feeling a fraction of what she felt.

More treatment and a bone marrow transplant followed. But Maria had fought as long as she could and on September 20, 2008 she went to be with the angels.

I know that the heartbreak I felt for Trish can not compare to the heartbreak she felt herself. And that my friends scared me. Because the heartbreak that I felt was absolutely crippling. I could not and still can not fathom the amount of pain that Trish has gone through and goes through daily.

One month and nine days later Q-Tip was born. It was a wonderful day that resulted in my baby being in my arms.

But Trish did not have that and I thought of her.

And I have thought of her and Maria almost daily since then.

I think about how happy, healthy, and pain free Maria is now. I think about what a beautiful angel she must be. And I often wonder if she is Q-Tip's guardian angel looking down guiding and protecting her.

But even still...Maria's short life and Trish's grace and courage impacted me more than I can ever say.

I never realized until I became a mother myself how your heart can be ripped from your body and yet leave you breathing...to live on in spite of it.

Please pray for Trish if you get a moment...even to this day I know she can use all that she can get!

Thinking of Maria this day and always,

Megan

Maria Anna Arvanitis

July 29, 2006-September 20, 2008

P.S. Trish had a baby boy in March of 2009. His name is Alex and he is happy and healthy. He's going to become a big brother in February of 2011 and Trish is going to have yet another boy to (chase) love and adore!

Packing & Leaving

2010-09-22T13:36:00.000-04:00

I'm leaving for my 5 day trip with just the girls today...Oasis in the Ozarks 2010.

And although I am completely and totally excited about this little getaway...I'm starting to feel a little twinge of anxiety.

It's nothing really.

Just a few thoughts like...

OMG...we're getting low on toothpaste what if he runs out before I get back.

OMG...Q-Tip is getting low on toothpaste I have to go get more today.

What if he needs my tweezers to get a splinter out of her hand while I'm gone...I better leave them.

How will he get it out by himself?

What if she wakes up in the night and needs me and I'm not there?

Do we have plenty of band-aids and peroxide?

Do we have plenty of children's Motrin and Benedryl?

I better stock up on everything so Farm Boy won't have to go to the grocery store while I'm gone.

I need to clean house before I leave so they won't be left in a messy house.

I have to get the laundry done so they won't run out of anything while I'm away.

What if I miss her more than I thought I would?

I know I'll miss him more than I thought I would...I've been away from him before.

But I've never been away from her...I'm not sure what to think.

Y'all...have I mentioned that I'm going to be gone for 5 days and 5 nights?

I'm crazy aren't I?

Someone say no...someone...please...anyone?

But...I'm also looking forward to...

Not having a monitor in my ear all night long.

Not getting up all hours of the night to get drinks of milk.

Getting out of the same ol' same ol' routine for a few days.

Spending time with my friends!

Laughing my hiney completely off!

And relaxing, relaxing, relaxing!!

I'm going to take these next few days and rest, relax and recharge so that I can come home and be Superwoman Mom once again!

HAAA...who am I kiddin,
Megan

P.S. I seriously have no idea why I'm so worried about these stupid little things. Farm Boy is more than capable of handling things while I'm away and I completely trust him. He knows how to do laundry in a pinch, go to the grocery store, and buy more toothpaste if need be. He is quite the handler of the unforeseen crisis. He'll be fine and I know I have nothing to worry about. But I can't help worrying that there will be no one here to take care of the two people I love the most in this world!

P. P. S. I'm gonna miss these faces! Ohh the anxiety!

The Latest Q-Tip Conundrum

2010-09-21T15:24:00.001-04:00

Before our little Q-Tip graced us with her presence we...like lots of other parents...had her room all ready and organized.

Part of this readiness and organization involved a diaper stacker...as shown in the following picture.

I love this diaper stacker. For many, many reasons. I love the organization it provides, I love that it matches Q-Tip's room decor, and I love that it holds more than 10 diapers at a time.

However, we have encountered a problem with said diaper stacker.

When we moved to our present home the 3M sticky hook thingy's that I used to hang the diaper stacker in her old room wouldn't hold on these walls. The only thing I can figure is that the paint is different. Instead of being flat it's kind of shiny. This little problem caused me to have to hang the diaper stacker on the side of her crib where all has been fine with the world for that last 16 months...

Until a couple of days ago when I went in to get Q-Tip out of her bed and found this...

And this...

Which resulted in this...

Which made mama feel like this...

(insert frustrated, irritated, discombobulated...and a few more things...face here)

What's worse is I thought that maybe it was a one time thing so I put it all back and didn't think another thing about it until she did it yesterday...and today. Which leads me to believe the days of the diaper stacker hanging on the outside of the crib are officially...over.

(insert sad face here)

I would really prefer not to put holes in the walls because we tend to move frequently and I'm trying to do the next owner of this home a favor. However...I'm going to have to say goodbye to the diaper stacker if I don't put holes in the walls and I'm just not sure I'm ready to do that. Not to mention the fact if I get rid of the diaper stacker where am I going to put the diapers? It will throw off my whole system AND the organization of the changing table will have to be...CHANGED!!

(insert freaked out face here)

THAT my friends is something that I am just NOT ready for!

(insert determined not to change things face here)

So...until I get this conundrum resolved...I'll be wearing a...

(insert what the heck am I gonna do now face).

Currently befuddled but not for long,

Megan

UPDATE~I hung the diaper stacker on the closet door. It's not quite as handy as it was but it will do.

On to other conundrums!!

Q-Tip just climbed out of her bed!! Woe is me!!

Has the Process Begun? Say It Isn't So!!

2010-09-17T16:26:00.001-04:00

I was shopping in the mall the other day...minding my own business.

And after making my final decisions on the items I would purchase I went to take my place in the check-out line.

I was standing there...looking around at the people and them BAM!!

There was a newborn baby sleeping oh so peacefully in her stroller. She looked something like this...

And then something strange happened. Something very, very strange. A teeny, tiny voice inside me said...It's Time.

And then I said...

Say wha?

Are you freakin crasseee??

Who the heck are you in there? Get out...get out this instant!!!! Do you want to fight you...you...INVADER of personal...thinking...you..INTRUDER YOU?!?!!

And then I thought...maybe...just maybe...I kinda, sorta, a teensy weensy, miniscule bit...want another baby.

And then I slapped myself upside the head.

And the moment passed.

And then I saw a pregnant lady. She looked something like this...

And then I thought...Thank you LAWD Jesus I am not pregnant!! Lawdy, lawdy, lawdy I am SOOO not ready!

But I can't help but think...has the process begun?

Has my (Lord help me) biological clock started its devilish process of pecking away at my brain until it accomplishes what it wants?

Say it isn't so!!!!

I'm not ready....I'm SOOOO not ready!!!

I'm just starting to feel sort of normal again!!!

I've got another year or two right? RIGHT?!?!?!!!

HELP!!! SOMONE PLEEEEASE HELP ME!!

In a crisis of epic proportions,

Megan

P.S. Q-Tip was only a few days old in the first picture. And I was 37 weeks pregnant in the second picture. I'm glad I waited until I was 37 weeks to take my pregnant pictures. They are a wonderful reminder of the "joys" of pregnancy! I was HUGE and I was ready to have a baby instead of the stabbing nerve pain that regularly shot down my left thigh! It was "magical" I tell you...simply "magical"!

An Inspiration To Me

2010-09-16T15:56:00.000-04:00

I guess you could say that I am an easily inspired person.

When I see someone with a good and kind heart it inspires me to work harder to be that way as well.

When I see someone working hard to achieve their goals despite their circumstances it inspires me to quit whining about my own inconveniences and do the same.

The purpose of this post was to write about one woman that has inspired me but I'm going to have to bend the rules a little and write about the WOMEN that inspire me.

Cause that's me...it's just the way I am. A rule bending, multi-inspired...rule bender.

So here we go...

My Mom

She has the most merciful heart of anyone I've ever known. I've needed that example in my life and I think I am a more balanced person for it. She is also very nurturing with children. Without her example of a mother's heart I'm not sure of the kind of mother I would be.

My Mother-in-Law

Her dedication to her faith has made a huge impact on my life. And her strength as a wife and mother is unbelievable. She once said to me...God gives me so many things everyday, every week…I feel I can give him at least an hour of my week and go to church on Sunday. There have been many a Sunday morning that I have remembered that and picked myself up and gotten ready to go to church. I will never forget it.

I could go on and on.

From Mother Teresa who said...Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.

To Helen Keller who said...Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.

And even to a women I saw on Oprah one day. Her name is Monica and after delivering her baby via c-section she contracted a flesh eating bacteria and had to have both arms and legs amputated. Yet she fought to live and return home to her husband and two daughters so that she could be the best wife and mother to them that she could be. Despite not having arms or legs. And she did.

There are so many women whose stories, character, and overwhelming determination and love inspire me. They inspire me to be a better person, wife, and mother daily.

I am a work in progress but I feel that it is because of their shining examples that I am the woman I am today.

Inspired by many,
Megan

P.S. This post is part of Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

As well as the Back to Blogging event going on at SITS. They...with their sponsors Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances are giving away an Electrolux washer and dryer set...of which I am not entered to win!

A Scene From The Exorcist

2010-09-15T15:27:00.000-04:00

I feel as though I am living in a scene from The Exorcist.

My child is in a mood straight from the pits of the black abyss today. And the only explanation I can give...her MiMi (my mom) has been here for a week and left yesterday.

Or it could be teething...but personally I think the detoxification process from the MiMi High is more than the poor little thing can bear.

Lord knows it's more than I can bear!!!

I will spare you pictures of the crying, screaming, and gnashing of teeth...it's been quite traumatic for me. I would hate to do that to you...my dear friends...on this fine Wednesday afternoon.

You will just have to trust me when I say...I am expecting my head to pop off and start spinning around at 100 miles an hour...any moment. It will simply be a reaction to the site of my darling daughters head doing that very thing.

I will leave you with this picture to remember us by.

It was taken during the good times...when tantrums didn't exist at our house.

Hopefully by tomorrow I will have re-attached both our heads and have happier things to talk about. Until then...PRAY FOR ME PEOPLE...PRAY FOR ME!!

Missing the good ol' tantrum free days,
Megan

My Baby the Mama

2010-09-09T22:36:00.000-04:00

Somehow my baby has become a mama.

No...not a real mama.

A pretend mama.

Q-Tip has always loved her baby dolls but recently

it has become a little more real. In a pretend sort of way.

She has started feeding them, changing their diaper, reading books to them, rocking them, kissing them, patting and consoling them, and even singing songs to them.

As a matter of fact taking care of her baby dolls

has become one of her favorite things to do.

It's quite adorable really.

And for some reason, it makes me feel

like maybe...just maybe...I'm doing something right.

The Real Mama,

Megan

P.S. The first two babies she is playing

with were mine when I was little.

My Favorite Movie Ever...Ever, Ever, EVER

2010-09-08T23:28:00.003-04:00

When someone asks you what your favorite movie or song is...can you just pick one?

I don't think I could ever pick a favorite song because...as you know...my favorite song changes just about daily.

Well...at least weekly.

However, I can say with absolute certainty what my favorite movie of all time is. And it has been my favorite since I was 12. So you know that I am certain when I say that I am certain. Cause I am. Certain.

The movie that has stolen my favorite spot for all eternity is none other than My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.

It was released in 1991 and stars Scott Glenn, Kate Capshaw, Ben Johnson, Tess Harper, Gary Busey, Balthazar Getty and Mickey Rooney...just to name a few. It was filmed in Guthrie, Oklahoma and has some rodeo scenes that were filmed at the Lazy E Arena which I have been to many times.

Sadly...you can't buy it on DVD. I'm wishin, hopin, n' prayin that it will be put on DVD someday and then I will snatch it up, burn it onto our external hardrive and put the original in the fireproof safe. For safe keeping.

I even have the movie poster for it and it proudly hung in my room until I got married. And then it was hung over my sewing table. And it is currently leaning up against a wall with all the other pictures that we are going to hang in our office. Someday.

Wait a minute...

Sewing table? Lordy help me I sound like a...seamstress. Although seamstress sounds like I make clothes and there's not so much of that going on at my sewing table.

Okay moving on...

There are many, many reasons why I love this movie. It's partly because it's a love story. And it was filmed in Oklahoma. And because Ben Johnson is in it and he is the epitome of cowboy. And because I love the story itself and the lines and the actors and the music and everything. And it's partly because the first time I saw it...I was 12 and he was 16 when it was filmed...I fell totally in love with Balthazar Getty. Like, totally.

You can breathe easy...I am no longer in love with him.

But I do love this movie and could watch it at least once a week. I have the hardest time watching it without quoting the entire thing which can be irritating to others that are in the room. I personally can not imagine why!

"Jolie...Jolie is that you?"

"Hell-o H.D."

I. Love. It.

I love it so much that one of my children is named after the leading female character in the movie.

Wait a minute...I only have one child. I guess that would be her!

So there you have it...my favorite movie ever. With complete certainty. My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.

And now I must go...I have a movie to watch.

No Longer in Love with Balthazar,
Megan

P.S. Balthazar...if your reading this...it's not that I don't love you at all. It's just that I'm not in love with you anymore. And it's not the little scar that is above your right eye either...it's me really...not you. I'm in love with someone else. I'm sure you will be happy with your wife and get over this in due time. It heals all wounds you know...eventually. If anyone can pick themselves up and carry on after this it is you. You will be fine and I promise you will live to see another day!

UPDATE~It was pointed out to me that some may not know who Balthazar Getty is and who he was in the movie. Here is a more current picture...

He has played in Natural Born Killers, Young Guns II, Ladder 49 as well as a few others. In My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys he played the young son of Kate Capshaw. Well...Balthazar...or Judd (his character name in the movie) as I like to call him...was a long haired, earring wearing punk until he discovered the cowboy within. And then he became a short haired, cowboy hat wearing hottie as you can see from his picture in the movie poster. He's the one on the far right. See? Told ya!

Go Towboys...and Other Things

2010-09-07T13:04:00.001-04:00

There are too many things to say today so a list is in order. After all...I love a list of any sort so here ya go.

1. Q-Tip's top incisors are coming in as we speak...therefore she woke up crying 4 times last night. And I'm exhausted today.

2. I'm not convinced that my tiredness is solely due to the fact that I was up 4 times with Q-Tip last night. I bit the "tired of irregularity and PMS" bullet last week and started birth control pills and I think they are making me more tired that normal. Anyone else ever have that problem?

3. I took Q-Tip to Rolly Pollies this morning. She was a maniac running around that place. You'd think I never take the poor child anywhere.

4. It will be by the grace of God alone if I make it to bedtime today without falling over and passing out where I land.

5. I cleaned house like a mad woman yesterday. All I have left is to clean the kitchen floor with my Hoover Floor Mate. That thing is a miracle worker and it's a good thing it is...I need one on those floors.

6. Thank the Lord for Diet Dr. Pepper!

7. My mom, sister-in-law, and 3 yr old niece are flying in tomorrow afternoon and staying for a week. It is going to be fun, fun, fun! Natural History Museum, Aquarium, You-Pick Farm, the girls are going to love it!

8. It totally amazes me at how I can go to bed at 2 AM and not be nearly as tired as I am when I go to bed at midnight and get woke up every hour and a half through the night. Is it just me or is broken sleep worse than no sleep at all?

9. The weather has been amazing here the past few days and I am LOVING it! I feel like a new person. A person that wants to go outside! It's pretty great!

10. Just in case you missed it...our Oklahoma State Cowboys won their first game last Friday night. GO COWBOYS!! Or in Q-Tip language...Go Towboys!!

That's all folks...

Y'all come back now ya hear?

Over and out,
Megan

Significantly Significant Events - Part 1 of 3 - Oasis in the Ozarks 2010

2010-09-03T16:22:00.000-04:00

The next few months at my house are going to be a complete whirlwind. I'm doing my best to prepare myself and have all things ready before the whirlwind begins but alas...it's easier said than done.

I've decided to tell you about my significantly significant events in parts because after all...each one is significant in its own right.

The first event will be taking place at the end of this month and I can't think of a better way to kick off the craziness. This particular event is very important. As a matter of fact you might say it is vital...vital to my very existence.

I am speaking of none other than Oasis in the Ozarks 2010 people!

Write that down...you may decide that having your own Oasis in the Ozarks is vital to your existence.

So what is Oasis in the Ozarks you say...I'm glad you asked!

It's a 4 day 3 night getaway y'all. A getaway with some of my very best friends, Pam (of My Pamtastic Life), Anna, and Ann. A getaway without kids, without husbands...Godlovethemblesstheirhearts...and without responsibility.

Its purpose is to revitalize and renew the spirit! Events will be, but are not limited to the following...drink beer, shop, lounge by the pool, drink wine, cook a cowgirl dinner party, lounge in our PJ's, drink martinis, sleep in, have a Revolution with Miranda Lambert, drink Sangria, paint our toes, share hair/face product, drink any adult beverage or ten, etc, etc, etc.

Its purpose is also to remind our dear husbands and children...Godlovethemblesstheirhearts...what an asset we are. And what better way to do it than to leave for 4 days. Cause we're assets now dammit...assets!!

I will be flying out of Maryland and into Oklahoma on a Wednesday afternoon. Then on Thursday we will road trip to Missouri where my sister-in-law has a condo...Godloveherblessherheart...where we will stay until Sunday...praise Jesus. And then on Monday...in the wee hours of the blessed morning...I will fly out of Oklahoma and back to Maryland refreshed and renewed...God willing.

I've got my plane tickets booked, the condo reserved, we've had t-shirts made...thanks Anna...we've got a Pioneer Woman cookbook and we are ready to go!!

Y'all...I'm counting down the weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. It is going to be a LARGE weekend and much fun will be had by all!

I haven't had a weekend like this since before I got pregnant with Q-Tip...seriously. And I haven't spent a night away from her since she was born and it's time we crossed that bridge. She will be at home with her daddy having the time of her life...it's gonna be great for all three of us!

I'm an asset now dammit,
Megan

P.S. I CAN'T WAIT!!

Toddlers vs. Teenagers

2010-08-31T16:45:00.000-04:00

This is my niece...she's 14. She's going to be 15 in November.

I remember when she was 6 and the thing

that troubled her the most was finding an audience

to watch the dance routine that she made up.

This is my nephew...he turned 17 this summer.

I remember when he was 9 and the thing that

troubled him the most was his 6 yr old sister.

I think we all know who this is...but just in case...

This is my baby girl...she will be 2 in October. And the thing that

troubles her the most is teething and not getting her way.

The troubles that my niece and nephew have now are completely different than they were when they were little. Now they are plagued with girl problems and boy problems. School problems and friend problems. Bad hair days, acne, dating, girl pressure, boy pressure, peer pressure, popularity, having what's "in style", iPhones, cars, "you're grounded", sports, and the biggest problem of their young life...learning who they are in this world.

And the problems of teething, wanting her way, potty training,

and learning to eat good that my baby girl is

plagued with and therefore I am plagued with...

Wait a minute...

Are they really even problems?

Ugh...no. I don't believe they are.

I'M NOT READY FOR TEENAGERS!!

Luckily...my baby girl has two great cousins...

that are traveling the rough road of Teenageville before her and

they can help lead and guide her in the path that she should go.

Cause Lord knows I'm probably already gonna be in

Crazyville never, ever, ever, NEVER, to return!

Trying to prepare for the inevitable,

Megan

P.S. Niece and nephew...if you lead her and guide her in the wrong path...I'll haunt you from Crazyville for the rest of your days! But I know you would never do that. I'm just being the obsessive compulsive mother that I am. I love you both to pieces!

XO Aunt Meg

A Thank You to My Farmer Boy

2010-08-30T15:33:00.001-04:00

So if you couldn't tell by now that I am forever damned to be a completely hopeless romantic...I am.

There...I said it.

I am a sucker...total sucker...for a love story of any kind. Guy gets the girl. Girl gets the guy. Guy loves the girl and the girl doesn't know it. Girl loves the guy and the guy doesn't know it. Whatever...I don't care...I'll take one of everything. It gives me the warm fuzzies...or the hiney tingles as P-Dub says it...and I like it. I like it a lot! I like it so much that anything that does not give me the hiney tingles I feel is a waste of my time and if it does...well it was time well spent.

This weekend we bought a new CD. It was just released recently by The Randy Rogers Band. If you haven't heard of them...click here. They are probably my favorite band. Rand Rogers is an unbelievable writer and I love his music, and his voice, and his fiddle player, and well everything. He is AH-mazingly talented!

Needless to say there is a song on his new CD...Burning the Day...that I am in love with. He didn't write it but it gives me a million hiney tingles every time I hear it and I have to share it with you. Oh yes and the million hiney tingles that it gives me may have something to do with my Farmer Boy.

Here are the lyrics...

Steal You Away
Written by Jeff Middleton, Mark Mulch and Nick Mulch

I can see you standing with him
He ain’t holding your hand like he should
He ain’t listening to a word you say
He doesn’t look at you the way I would
I should steal you away

I’ve been wondering, are you looking at me
Thinking how it might be if you were mine
Girl it drives me crazy, he don’t know what he’s got
I’m fighting so hard not to cross the line

I should steal you away
I should steal you away
In the middle of the night, come take your heart
I should steal you away

I can see us walking out that door
Not looking back as we roll down the road
I would show you what a man’s supposed to be
Take you anywhere you ever wanna go

I should steal you away
I should steal you away
In the middle of the night, come take your heart
I should steal you away
I should steal you away

Although he did not steal me away from a guy...he did steal me away from brokenness.

We have rolled down the road together and gone so many places that I never knew I wanted to go. And for the past 8 years he has listened to me, looked at me, stolen my heart in the middle of the night, and shown me what a man is supposed to be.

Thank you my Farmer Boy for stealing me away...every day!

We are Headed Straight for the Runway

2010-08-26T16:47:00.001-04:00

Hello and welcome to the

Red Dirt & Crazy Fall 2010 Fashion Show!

As you shop for your fall must have's keep in mind

that it's all about color this year. You can't have to many,

there are no rules, and above all...do not try to match anything!

This season's featured item...the chunky necklace

in these beautiful bright colors.

Our designers are favoring a Punky Brewster look

this year pairing the chunky necklace with a floral print onesie.

And of course no ensemble would be

complete without fur lined snow boots!

They are warm, they are comfy, and

apparently...they go with everything!

Be bold and get a little crazy cause Punky's

mis-matched crazy style is coming back!

In a State of Limbo

2010-08-24T15:13:00.000-04:00

I haven't yet decided if it is a good thing to expose the inner workings of my OCD mind or not. It seems I can't help myself. I can only hope that it helps one answer that burning question in their mind...Am the only one and am I crazy?

No my dear...you are not the only one and heavens NO you're not crazy! At least I don't think so and that's all that matters!

Now...to further expose my ~~craziness~~ saneness. (I love making up new words)

I've told you a few things about some of the home improvement projects we've been doing over the past few months. We've put in all new light switches and electrical outlets. We've changed switch plates and outlet plates so they would all match. We've put up ceiling fans ("we" meaning we hired someone to do it) and yet there is still more to be done.

Like changing out the drawer handles in the kitchen so that they will match the pulls.

Say wha...you say?

Ahhh yes...we are living in a state of limbo people. Our drawer handles do not match our cabinet pulls in the kitchen.

Allow me to demonstrate what I mean.

This is a picture of a pull on one of our cabinet doors.

And this is a picture of some of the drawers in my kitchen.

Dare I say...the pulls are brushed nickel and the handles are gold.

*GASP*

Lawsie mercy what is the world coming to?!?!

Brushed nickel and gold...in the same room!!! We need help...serious help!!!

Currently in a detrimental state,
Megan

P.S. In our defense...we bought brushed nickel handles when we bought the pulls but they were the wrong size. Apparently the handles that we have are an odd size and we've had a little trouble finding brushed nickel in the size we need. But we will my good friends...we will! This can not go on forever!! My OCD brain can't take it!

How It Came To Be...My Farmer Boy and Me - Part 3

2010-08-20T16:02:00.001-04:00

Continued from here (part 1)...and here (part 2)...

My Farmer Boy was moving to North Carolina...

What were we going to do? How were we going to make this work?

I had a million questions. He was just as calm, cool, and collected as always. He simply said...we will make it work and it will be okay.

I tried hard to put it out of my mind. To enjoy the time we still had together which wasn't much. We started making arrangements for him to move and gather the things he needed. He asked if I would drive out with him and help him get set up and then fly home. I anxiously agreed wondering how much harder it would be to leave him there than to see him leave Oklahoma.

Not to mention the fact...I had never flown before in my life. But at that moment it was the least of my worries.

The day approached all too quickly and we loaded up and started driving down that long bumpy road to North Carolina. I had 10 more days...just 10 more days with him before we were 1200 miles apart. It was almost unbearable to think about.

We drove the 20 hour trip over two days. And as you all know I'm not much of a long distance car traveler but we had a good time.

We drove straight to his new apartment where we would be meeting the movers with his stuff. We looked it over and decided to make a Wal-Mart run to pick up necessities and such before they got there.

We walked into the Wal-Mart and were greeted with a scene that made me question the decision my love had made to move to this dreadful place.

A man was yelling and pushing on his wife in the middle of the main aisle and she was just standing there...leaning on her CANE...and taking it. He was yelling horrible things at her and pushing her around and everyone in that store was just walking by like it wasn't even happening. And I...I was freaking out!! I could not believe my eyes! I was one aisle away cussing a blue streak. I wanted to walk up to him and give him a chewing he would not soon forget. And every time I think about that horrible scene...I regret not doing that very thing. Although the man quickly stopped yelling and walked away and honestly I think Farm Boy was a little relieved that he didn't have to save my life 10 minutes after pulling into town.

But...I still wish I would have done it.

We headed back to the apartment and I helped him un-pack and organize for the rest of the week and pretty soon the weekend...Memorial Day weekend...was upon us and two of Farm Boy's college friends...Charlie and Lisa...drove down for a visit.

Now...Charlie lived in Ohio at the time and Lisa lived in West Virginia. They knew each other from college but not well. However Charlie had a serious crush on Lisa that had been present for quite some time. And I will tell their story...with their permission another day. It's such a good one!

They came down for a visit and we had a great time checking out the city. And then it was over...all too soon. The day had come for me to leave.

Farm Boy drove me to the airport and helped me check-in. He walked me to security and we prepared ourselves for the inevitable.

He kissed me and hugged me and kissed me again. And with tears in our eyes...we said our goodbyes.

I stood in line sobbing and then the security guy tells me that I have been randomly chosen to be patted down by a security officer. To which I said...You've got to be freakin kidding me?!!

I can't make this stuff up people.

Yes me...first time flying...telling the love of my life goodbye for who knows how long...is going to be patted down and searched in the security line at the freakin airport...GREAT...JUST GREAT!

So the girl starts the process and I am crying my eyes out and she says...it's okay honey...it's really not a big deal. The poor thing didn't realize that I could have really cared less about being searched. It was the fact that I didn't know how long it would be until I saw his face again. Or felt his arms around me or simply felt the security of his presence.

I boarded the plane and cried my way home.

The next 5 months pretty much went the same. He would come home for a visit or I would go there and goodbyes grew more and more painful.

But not nearly as painful as the goodbye in October...

To Be Continued...

Tornados Suck

2010-08-18T14:31:00.000-04:00

In early May a tornado hit Farm Boy's hometown. Most of his family still lives there as well my best good friend Lyndsey and her husband.

As it was happening we were talking to them, watching the news, and praying that it wouldn't hurt anyone or damage anyone's home. Thankfully our prayers were answered...mostly.

Farm Boy's family and Lyndsey were fine and their homes were fine. But Farm Boy's best friend from high-school lost his childhood home. Praise be no one was hurt but the house was completely destroyed.

(This picture was taken by his sister the day after it happened)

While we were there visiting we drove by and took some pictures. Keep in mind a lot has been cleaned up and the leaves have started growing on the trees. But there are obvious signs that a tornado has been there.

Across the road from their house was another house and some trees...that aren't there anymore.

And in this case as well as so many others...Oklahomans did what they do so well...they joined together and helped one another clean up the mess left behind.

Thank the Lord for good people willing to lend a hand!

I Hate Tornados,

Megan

P.S. Here are a few more pictures of the house. These were all taken the day after it hit.

Notice in this picture there is still china in some of the cabinets and a serving dish on a table.

A Stage or a Vicious Attack on my Sanity

2010-08-17T14:44:00.000-04:00

My child ate 12 cheerios and a teaspoon of ketchup for lunch today.

I gave her the cheerios while I was heating up her food. And the ketchup was to go along with her MEAL...the one she wouldn't eat.

So...when should I be expecting my mom of the year award?

Okay so it was an all natural ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup in it. That's good right?

And she did have a half a homemade hamburger and some peas on her plate. Of course she wouldn't touch any of it but it was offered. Just like I do at every meal. Every meal that she barely touches. But that's good right?

I'm not worried about her starving...I know she'll eat when she is hungry. But she hasn't touched a vegetable in quite some time. Although SOMETIMES...very, very, rarely...I can get her to eat some spaghetti that I have snuck some veggies into. But a lot of the time she won't even eat that.

She either picks up her plate and hands it back to me or starts to dump it on the floor. Or she plays with it for awhile until Farm Boy and I are done eating and then begs for a banana. The girl will eat fruit. But is it healthy for her to only be eating fruit?

Or is this some horrible toddler stage that we are entering that is mainly designed to drive mothers into Crazyville?

Cause that's pretty much what it seems like to me.

Crazyville or Bust,
Megan

P.S. Did your child go through this and what did you do?? PLEASE ...for the love of my sanity...tell me what you did to get through this!

My Little Farm Girl...It's got to be in Your DNA Somehow

2010-08-16T14:11:00.000-04:00

If I ever thought that farm life didn't run deep down in your blood somehow...that thought is now gone forever!

While we were in Oklahoma visiting family and friends we took Q-Tip out to Farm Boy's family farm for a little while. She loves animals and points out cows and tractors driving down the road but she's never really had the opportunity to be close to them until that day.

She immediately ran over to the fence and wanted in the pen with the cows. And after Farm Boy went up and over she was on his heels before we could get a hold of her.

First item on her list of things to do...ride and pet the cows! Yes...I said ride. She was running all over their pen saying "ride the cows" and "pet the cows" over and over again.

She just couldn't figure out why they kept running away. And unfortunately the poor child doesn't know to look out for this...

So Farm Boy started carrying her around. And she didn't like it...not one little bit. She wanted to chase after them herself. And of course they wanted no part of this.

But just before the fit throwing and mayhem of running cows started I snapped this picture...and I'm in love with it!

She soon had the poor cows riled up and in a frenzy and I started worrying that her Uncle would have all our hides so her daddy decided it was time for her first tractor ride.

And that's when I snapped this picture...and I'm in love with it even more.

She would have ridden that thing ALL DAY LONG!

And of course the day wouldn't have been complete without a ride on the Gator with her Pa-Pa, a visit to the pump jack, slobbery kisses from the big doggy, some hay in her hair, a scraped knee, and some dirty little hands.

It was a fun day and honestly...I think Farm Boy and I had more fun than she did! We are counting down the days until we can take her to the farm again.

Feelings A Little Homesick Already,

Megan

P.S. My mom bought the t-shirt Q-Tip is wearing before Farm Boy and I even got pregnant with her. Which just goes to show you how much I am astounded that she is almost 2 and just now riding on tractors. I never would have thought that we would live in a city like this. But it's been an adventure and I'm thankful to have these opportunities to go places and see different things. But oh how I miss the farm!

It Will Be a Bittersweet Day

2010-08-13T15:35:00.000-04:00

The day we have to buy Q-Tip her own plane ticket will be one of the most bittersweet days of my existence in motherhood.

The bitter...it will mean that my baby has turned 2. And that we will have to buy 3...count em...1, 2, 3, tickets instead of 2. And...well, that's pretty much it.

The sweet...little Miss Q-Tip will have her own seat. Sitting in her...oh so comfortable car seat. And although I can not be certain at this moment I'm almost positive that the Fasten Seat Belt sign will remain on for the duration of the flight. At least for those passengers that are 2 and under sitting in my row.

This will definitely give her the sweet end of the deal as well. It will leave her daddy and I with both sets of hands, free to give her anything her little heart desires mid-flight. She will have 2 of her very own flight attendants.

Won't it just be lovely?

AND...chances are...since she'll be sitting in her car seat there won't be any need to utilize the handy dandy changing table that is in the FRONT lavatory of the plane. Considering the fact that she typically doesn't...need a diaper change...while sitting down.

It's a win - win!!

Did I mention the changing table was in the FRONT of the plane? I hope all of y'all that fly with babies...are taking notes! It's in the front...don't forget.

I'm stressing that because I care. And because 1/3 of the passengers on our flight back to Maryland went home battered, bruised and with their sense of smell damaged after I mistakenly carried her to the back bathroom...because we were closer to it...so the poor man sitting next to me wouldn't be robbed of one of his five senses. After I was re-directed to the front I had to walk by all those poor innocent people once again when I never needed to walk by them in the first place. The poor souls. Godloveemblesstheirheart.

Have I mentioned that all those poor people's faces are at diaper level as I walked by again and again? Poor dear souls.

Hopefully one day they will recover.

And praise be that one day Q-Tip will have her own seat. Or we won't have to fly to get home for a visit anymore. I'll take either.

Ohhh the bittersweet it will be!

Counting Down the Days,
Megan

Home Sweet Home

2010-08-10T14:27:00.000-04:00

Ohhh the things I have to tell you!!

But first...we are home and heavens above are we glad!

As busy as we were...and as tired as we are...I will have to say this was one of the best trips to Oklahoma that we have taken in a loooong time.

We saw family, we saw friends, we ate at our favorite restaurants, and there was hardly any stress the entire week. It was great!

I wish I could say that I took a gazillion pictures but of course...I didn't. I always regret not getting a picture of this or that but when I'm in the moment of this or that I just don't think of the camera. Maybe one day I'll master it.

I did take a billion or so pictures when Q-Tip rode the tractor and had a little chat with the cows. Or maybe I should say...attempted to have a little chat. Or maybe I should say...darn near had them stampeding out of the pen. Anywho...she loved it and I will share all of that with you soon.

But first...let me share a few things I learned during this trip.

1. I will take 105 degrees in Oklahoma over 90 degrees in Maryland ANY day!
Low humidity + nice breeze = Oklahoma
HIGH humidity + NO breeze = Maryland

2. Flying with toddlers on your lap SUCKS!

3. I missed my family and Farm Boy's family more than I realized. It was so good to see them and so hard to say goodbye!

4. Spending time with my friends was like a breath of fresh air! I think I need some of that air a little more often.

5. Q-Tip is a farm girl at heart. I'm not sure why I would ever think she wouldn't be.

6. It was pure agony to leave Farm Boy's dad almost in tears in his driveway as we pulled away on Sunday. The image of it has burned into brain and left me wondering if we are making the right decisions.

7. Flying with toddlers on your lap is EXHAUSTING!!

8. I'm not sure there is a mattress on the planet like a Tempurpedic. Ohhh how we missed ours!

9. The joy I felt as I walked into my clean house was unparalleled. I'm so glad I cleaned before we left!

*intro Hallelujah Chorus*

And because I'm stronger than my OCD...I'm leaving my list with only 9 items.

HA...take that!

Contently Tired,
Megan

P.S. For the record...Q-Tip sat on Farm Boy's lap through the entire flight out and most of the flight back. I was in charge of getting things from bags and holding crayons, snack cups, iPods, and changing diapers. But either job is grueling! But thank the Lord for my Farmer Boy!!

I couldn't do it without him!

I'm The Reader of the Month!!

2010-08-05T23:17:00.000-04:00

Y'all...I've died and gone to bloggy heaven!!

I am the reader of the month over at Confessions of a Young Married Couple!!!

Can you believe it?! I can not.

Katie is an unbelievable blogger. She is an awesome writer and posts everyday without fail. AND she's an amazing wife and mommy!!

She's my idol. Along with the Pioneer Woman of course.

Anyway...she picked me to be her reader of the month so go check it out. There's some juicy details in there about me that you might not know and there's a new family picture of Farm Boy, Q-Tip and I that we just had taken this week!

Click HERE to read Katie's post about me.

I hope y'all enjoy your weekend!! We are off to a family reunion at Lake Texhoma. If you are going to be there look for me...I'll be the one melting under the shade tree in the 110 degree heat!

Forever Heat Intolerant,
Megan

It's Got to Be a Syndrome

2010-08-03T17:51:00.000-04:00

I have been in Oklahoma for 5 days and I've taken 10 pictures.

I have either forgotten to bring my camera or forgotten I had my camera with me at almost every stop we've made. And THAT my friends is ridiculous!

It has to be a syndrome. A syndrome that prevents me from getting good pictures of things we are doing or people we are visiting.

Oh my heavens...I am suffering from Nikon-b-gone!

Nikon-b-gone has invaded my brain and taken over. I would imagine that treatment plans for this horrible syndrome are tricky to say the least. I need something to aid me in keeping my camera visible and easily accessible.

Ahhh HA! A Cami-Clip. Ya know...like a paci-clip but a cami-clip...for the camera!!

I can't possibly be the only one that suffers from Nikon-b-gone. I just may make it my life's mission to rid the world of this dreadful disease!

I could start an Etsy shop and sell bedazzled cami-clips to help ease the sufferings of others. And because I'm a giver...I could give a 10% discount to those with a diagnosis of this tragic illness.

Have no fear my friends!! I am on a mission now...I will find a cure! I must!

Of course there is a possibility that my multi-tasking skills aren't so great anymore. That the ability to tend to Q-Tip, engage in conversation with friends and family, channel my inner pack mule AS WELL AS take pictures of everything going on is more than I can handle.

Nah...it's got to be Nikon-b-gone!

Your Nikon-b-gone Savior,
Megan

P.S. I did take some pictures today of Q-Tip at the farm. Look for those in the next few days. Until then...here's a picture of Q-Tip and her daddy in my aunt's pool.

(This would be 1 of the 5 I took at the

first stop on our busy vacation.)

Back to the Prairie

2010-07-28T14:36:00.000-04:00

We are headed back to the prairie this week y'all and we are counting down the minutes!

Back to see family. Back to see friends. Back to Oklahoma!

We have big plans for the next few days big plans!

We are going to take Q-Tip out to the farm and ride tractors and see cows and donkey's and play in the dirt...it's gonna be great! She is gonna love it!

So...that being said...the next few days I'm gonna be in and out. You may not hear from me quite as often but I hope to have time to blog in the evenings after Q-Tip goes to bed. At least that's the plan anyway.

But you know how plans go sometimes...out the window with the dish water. So cross your fingers.

Well...I'm off. Off to pack and plan and plan and pack and try to fit the kitchen sink into the luggage. Cause you know I'm a planner and a packer and I like to be prepared for whatever may come our way. So ta ta my friends until we meet again!

I will miss you forever,
Megan

I Take It Back...Mostly

2010-07-26T13:30:00.001-04:00

Do y'all remember the day that I said...sometimes I wish I were Amish?

I take it back. I take it all back.

We had a little storm blow through yesterday afternoon about 4 o'clock. It got dark really quick and when Farm Boy and I looked out the window we thought we were in the midst of some tornadic activity. There were leaves blowing all over the place which to us...being from Oklahoma...resembles debris. Which in turn...made us want to start screaming....DEBRI...WE'VE GOT DEBRIS!!! (name that movie)

We turned on the news and it was just some high winds so we calmed down and went back to what we were doing. Which was watching Season 1 of Friday Night Lights.

We got Netflix remember...that's gonna be a whole other post though...it's worth it...trust me.

Anyway...we were watching Friday Night Lights and then...HELLS BELLS...we lost power. We sat there for about a minute and it popped back on. We got Friday Night Lights going again and HELLLLLS BELLLLLS we lost it again!!

And this time...it didn't come back. Not until 6 AM in the blessed morning did it come back.

And I'm telling you all of this so that you understand what having no power in this house means. It means no air conditioning. And no air conditioning in this house means the upstairs is hotter than Hades. Which means no sleeping will be done by any part of this family upstairs. Especially the toddler.

We...ALL THREE OF US...ended up sleeping in the living room.

Q-Tip in her pack-n-play, Farm Boy on the big couch, and me on the love seat.

We started Q-Tip out in her room with her bedroom door open and against my better judgment because of THIS little incident...in nothing but a diaper. But thank the good Lord we didn't have to cross that bridge again. However...she woke up hot and crying so we decided to set up her pack-n-play and put her in the living room. Well she was all excited about the change in routine and was in no mood to go back to sleep. But it was night night time and it is not negotiable in this house. So after she realized we weren't going to take her out of her pack-n-play...she started playing and singing to herself and begging for a drink of water and singing more songs and begging for another drink of water and pretending she was a bucking bronc kicking her back legs up and then begging for ANOTHER drink of water and then begging mommy to sing songs and then ANOTHER drink of water and then FINALLY...around 2:30 in the AM...went back to sleep.

At this point...mommy was just a teensy weensy bit fussy.

SO when Farm Boy started leveling a rain forest on the couch beside me...just as Q-Tip was getting quiet. It was almost more than I could bear.

I had to wake him up and tell him to ROLL OVER. He did...and got quieter...and I FINALLY fell asleep. Only to be awakened around 6:30 this morning to Farm Boy tapping my leg. He told me the power was on and we debated about moving Q-Tip to her room. It's much darker in there so we knew she would sleep longer but taking a chance waking her up moving her was scary too.

We took the chance and moved her and ended up getting another hour and a half of sleep. Thank the good Lord!!

Needless to say...I am exhausted and cranky today. Farm Boy is too pooped to peep. And Q-Tip is worn out and fussy. It's like a Greek wedding on steroids around here...but NOT.

So...it is more than safe to say that I can not live without electricity and apparently that is one of the prerequisites to being Amish...therefore...I can not be Amish.

But they are some really cool people.

I will love electricity forever,
Megan

A Collection of Thoughts

2010-07-23T13:43:00.001-04:00

Hi. My name is Megan...and I am addicted to Twilight.

Just kidding...but not really.

1. Farm Boy gave me crap last night saying I was going to go through withdrawals because I didn't have the next Twilight book to read. I knew he would do that so I mentally prepared myself to show him how completely wrong he was.

2. I totally went through withdrawals last night because I didn't have a Twilight book to read. I seriously considered starting the first book again or going to Borders and paying $20 for Breaking Dawn. I suffered through with nothing. But of course I pretended all was well.

3. I went to Marshall's today and happened to see The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella on the shelf. I bought it. I couldn't help myself. What have I become?

4. Did you know that you can get a replica set of the jewelry that Bella Swan wears in New Moon? AND...you can get a replica of the engagement ring that Edward gives Bella in Eclipse. Which from the looks of it doesn't look much like the description in the book. Of course I wouldn't buy them but it is interesting the lengths people will go to and the things that companies market. I do have to admit though...the jewelry from New Moon is kind of cute.

5. Enough about Twilight.

6. We are going to Oklahoma next week for family reunions. I can't wait to get there and see some wide open spaces and familiar faces!

7. I am putting off doing laundry until its closer to packing time. I really, really, really don't want to do laundry twice between now and then but I'm afraid it's inevitable. I dug a pair of jean capris out of the laundry basket today and sprayed Downey wrinkle releaser on them. Shhh...don't tell anyone.

8. Q-Tip's had a cold for about a week now. It's caught up with Farm Boy and is giving him a run for his money. I feel like a sitting duck.

9. Whenever Q-Tip gets sick and starts feeling better...she always seems to have progressed by leaps and bounds. Her speech progresses, she says more words, she sings more songs we didn't know she knew. It's kind of weird. A good weird...but weird.

10. We joined Netflix people. I didn't think we ever would...not sure why. Just didn't pay much attention to it. How in the world we lived with out it I do not know. It is AHHH-mazing! So amazing that I may have to write a whole post about how amazing it is. Stop what you are doing now and sign up for their free trial membership. It's worth it...totally worth it!

I'm off to catch up on some blog reading...I mean start laundry. Yea...laundry...I'm going to do laundry. Seriously...laundry.

Recovering Twilight Addict,
Megan

My Most Recent Trip To Crazyville

2010-07-22T14:59:00.001-04:00

As I stated yesterday...I've been in Crazyville for a few days. I am doing much better today but still a little on edge. Probably due to the fact that I have a million things to do in the next 7 days. But...I thought I would share with you what helped me endure this most recent trip to the dark alleys of Crazyville.

I pretended I was vampire.

Just kidding...but not really.

Twilight people...it was Twilight. Well...I guess you could say it was the first 3 books in the saga. Yes...all 3.

My friend Amanda and I had a nice little chat on Skype last week and while we talked about the recent events I could see the worry in her eyes. And then she asked...have you read Twilight yet? I told her no...I had been holding off because I knew I would become obsessed.

Y'all...I have absolutely no defenses when it comes to a good love story. I might as well be there right in the midst of it breathing the same fictional air as the fictional people in the fictional story. It can be quite ridiculous at times and Farm Boy gives me 9 kinds of hell about it. And I knew...as much as everyone raved about the books...he would never let me live it down as I sat crying over which one Bella would choose...Edward or Jacob.

But she said...YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THESE BOOKS. Everyone woman needs a little Cullen in her life.

And I thought to myself...self...maybe it is just the distraction you need at the moment...but didn't go much further with it. We happened to be going to Sam's the next day and there it was...for $7.04. How could I resist $7.04? I couldn't...I threw it in the cart. Farm Boy rolled his eyes of course. I didn't care...much.

I took it home and resisted it a few more days until Farm Boy and I sat watching TV one evening after Q-Tip had gone to bed. There wasn't much on...so I picked it up. And...2 days later...I was at the library checking out New Moon. And...2 days after that...I was at the library looking for Eclipse. And THAT'S when I almost hyperventilated right there in the middle of the stinkin library.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT!!

So like the Twilight crack head that I had become...I drove to K-Mart...it's the closest store to the library...and bought Eclipse for $9.87. And...3 days later...which brings us to this morning...I sat crying...picturing Jacob running away into the forest on two legs and then leaping beyond the tree line and landing on all four paws as a wolf...heart broken.

Shhh...don't tell Farm Boy I was crying...the teasing will never cease.

So...like the planner I am...I called the library this morning to have them put my name on Breaking Dawn so no one would steal it away until I got there. They were out. Terror came across my face. I asked them if any of the other branches in our county had it. They didn't. Panic...started to run through my veins. And at that very moment...I was never so glad I had called ahead of time so that I could hyperventilate at home in privacy.

She told me between all the branches they had several copies and no one was on the waiting list so it shouldn't take long to get one in and to the branch close to my house. She either understands my plight or could sense the urgency in my voice. I'm thankful either way.

So...until I get my hands on a copy of Breaking Dawn...I'll be in the dark...wondering.

What happens to Jacob? Does he ever get over Bella and find his mate?

Does Bella go through with the wedding? Does she turn into a vampire? I heard she has a baby...how the heck does THAT work since Edward is a vampire? Does she ever see her family again?

Does the Vultori come back for Bella?

I'm not sure I can bear the torment!!

Waiting in Agony,
Megan

P.S. No...I can't go buy Breaking Dawn. It's not out in paper back yet and my copies of Twilight and Eclipse are paper back. Then the set wouldn't match. And if I bought all of them in hardback what would I do with my two paper backs? I would have to give them away or sell them. And who wants only two books in the series? Even for free. Probably no one. It's a torturous predicament I tell you!

P.P.S I'm a little concerned that I will never be able to read another series of books again with the same urgency or passion for reading. I love Twilight!! But has it ruined me for reading? Or will I simply have to read them over and over and over again for the rest of my days? Maybe I should invest in the hardbacks.

Lots of Prayers and One Murmur-Be-Gone Dance

2010-07-21T17:11:00.001-04:00

Thanks to many prayers and one Murmur-Be-Gone dance...Q-Tip is as healthy as a horse!

She had her appointment with the cardiologist this morning and after an EKG and an ultrasound of her heart he gave her a smiley face sticker and sent us on our way.

He said the EKG looked great and her ultrasound looked great as well. He also said it's a soft murmur and isn't really something that needs to be monitored and that if it is still being heard in 2-3 years then he might need to take another look (not that we will live here that long) at her but otherwise she is fine. Thank you Lord!!

And I'm pretty sure that since he said those words I have exhaled deeply about 4,523 times.

Over the past month I have tried really hard not to stew and worry over this. I thought I was doing a fairly decent job of it. But apparently...anxiety got the best of me because I started crumbling a few days ago.

It felt like the least little thing was more than I could handle. So needless to say...I've been in survival mode for a few days.

Translation: I've been in Crazyville.

Translation #2: The house cleaning and the laundry did not get done this weekend. If a meteorologist came to the house he would swear the damage was done by an F5 tornado.

And...I've got one week to get ready for a trip to Oklahoma.

No rest for the anxiety ridden.

But...my baby is healthy so who the hell cares about the house right?! RIGHT!

WE. ARE. BLESSED!

I love you all,

Megan

P.S. This is the text I got from my friend Pam today after I had told her the news.

Hooray!!! I did my murmur-be-gone dance this morning before I went to work! I'm glad it did the trick! My back is a little sore from my special moves...but it was totally worth it!!! LYMI

And this is the text I got from my friend Lyn...

God is good! Now you can work on you a little. Love you!

Now I ask you...what in the world would life be like with out friends?! I shudder to think of it!

And these are just two examples of all the well wishes and kind words that we have gotten through this little ordeal.

There aren't adequate words to express the gratitude...but thank you all very much!

A Bad Case of the Drama

2010-07-16T14:07:00.002-04:00

Because it's Friday...and I'm at a loss for words...I thought I would share a video with you.

It was taken in November of last year right after Q-Tip's first birthday. She had just finished eating her breakfast and decided to play one of her favorite games with her Mi-Mi...my mom.

It's fraught with drama...beware!

Happy Friday everyone!!

I hope you have a great weekend!

The Valley of the Shadow of Teething

2010-07-15T16:52:00.000-04:00

Good news my friends...good news.

Q-Tip's blood tests came back normal. No hypoglycemia. I am glad and relieved that there isn't anything wrong there but a little perplexed about her symptoms.

We plan on talking to the Cardiologist about all of this next week when the heart murmur situation is addressed.

All of this leaves me to wonder if her lips turning blue and the shakiness are completely different problems which are not related to her absolute meltdown behavior lately.

I assumed that the meltdowns were a result of her being in pain or not feeling right. But maybe it's nothing...aside from teething that is. Because we know she is definitely in the midst of that right now.

We haven't really had too many behavioral issues with her...like ever. Even while teething. Aside from being a little more whiny and chewing her fingers to nubs. But I'm beginning to wonder if that is a thing of the past. Which if that is the case...part of me feels like maybe I need to give her a little bit of a break, and when she is melting down and asking to be held and rocked to give her that. But then I worry that she is just being demanding and wanting her way at every single turn lately. And if that is the case...Katie Bar the Door! We're gonna be havin us a little "come to Jesus" meeting.

But I feel so unsure. So torn about the situation.

Has my child become possessed by some evil little toddler hood goblin?

Or are we simply walking through the valley of the shadow of teething?

And if we are...should I cut her some slack or bring down the wrath of mommy?

I NEED HELP!