Missed holidays

I've missed some holiday type entries in the past several days, so it's time to catch up.

Happy Birthday Dad.
Not long ago, we wondered if we'd get to see another one of these.  We held positive thoughts and assured each other that you'd be fine, but we all worried.  My life would never be the same without you in it.  In fact, it'd be a damn sight worse.  I love you Daddy.

Happy Anniversary Kevin.
11 years ago, we got married.  A lot of folks were sure it was a mistake.  Both of our previous marriages had lasted only 2 years, and we each had a son being raised in divided homes.  We made it work, anyway.  I still believe that NOBODY else could put up with either of us, and nobody else could love us like we love each other.  Thanks for being "that guy".  I love you Kevin.

Happy Fathers Day Dad.
I won't repeat all of the things in the "Happy Birthday" section, but they apply here, too.  I learned so much from you, and am still learning today.  My car care skills impress my friends (always a plus!) and a solid understanding of how things work is a benefit I'll carry forever.  You were always willing to let me ride along on an errand, singing off tune with me to Waylon Jennings.  You let us build things and paint our bikes and tons of stuff that was probably distracting and annoying.  I love you daddy.

Happy Fathers Day Kevin.
You don'tplay poker with the guys.  You don't go to bars after work.  You don't leave the child care to me.  You are a part of who they are.  You feel bad when you fall asleep early in the evening, but it's because you are up before 4:00 to head to a very physical, outside job to work 11+ hours to take care of us.  We love you, Kevin.

There we go.  My tributes to the men I love.  Sorry they were lumped together, but you are both lumped together in my heart, so that's my excuse!  I love you guys.  You'll never know how much, but I'll try real hard to show you.

Ride Night

Too many pictures, but we had such a good time.  Everyone slept 9 hours or more after all this excitement.  Two of my good friends came to enjoy the fair with us, and one left a son behind!  Actually, he wanted to take part in the contests this morning.  We're getting ready to head that way now.  More pictures tonight!  (as if you're not already sick of our little fair)

The Fair is in Town!

The local town fair started tonight.  I gotta say, I'm as excited as the girls.  Tonight was a visit to check out the rides.  No riding tonight.  Tomorrow night is wrist-band night...all you can ride for 4 hours for $15.  Yup, tomorrow is ride night.

The girls ran into some friends tonight, which is part of the idea of going on Thursday night.  Friday night is for riding.  I'll rush home to get them up there by 6.  They'll ride until they're tired of riding.  I can't wait to take pictures.

Saturday morning is the fun games and contests, where they can win prizes.  The car show will keep Kevin's interest, and there will be something for everyone.  By bedtime Saturday night, we'll all be wiped out, but glad we went.

I'll be back tomorrow with pictures of "wrist-band night". 

Sorry...if you're not from a small town, none of this will make any sense.

To my parents

Happy anniversary to my Mom and Dad.  You are a couple that was definately meant to be.  Nobody stays married any more.  It's too easy to quit when the going gets rough (I've done it.)  Yet, you keep on going, making it work.

You two shaped who I am, and I'm proud of who I am.  You always did, and continue to do right by me.  I see you daily, but can't wait to spend weekends with you.  I get lonely when you're out of town for the weekend!

You live within your means, enjoy each day as it is, and set a good example of honesty, love, respect, and happiness.

I love you! 

This place has gone to the dogs!

We're dogsitting while Mom and Dad enjoy a weekend at Branson.  The house has never been quite this loud.  Sadie likes to wrestle non-stop.  Hawkeye plays along for about 10 minutes, then lets her know in no uncertain terms that he's DONE.  She leaves him alone and they both nap for 10-20 minutes, then they're at it again.

He has gotten after her pretty hard twice, but won't hurt her.  About 4 times, he sat on her head to make her stop.  That was pretty darn funny, since he's about 3 times her size.  She just wriggles out from under his massive butt and jumps at him again.  I wanted a picture of them both napping, but if I stand up or move to get a picture, they get worried I might do something that they shouldn't miss, so they jump up.  Within a minute, they're back at it again.

Sheesh!

A question from Russ

I offered to answer anything to Russ, since he is so open and honest.  Here is his email:

Answer this in your journal if you like.  But maybe wait for the fourth beer first!  ;)

 

Some married couples have a shared joke that wouldn't make any sense to people on the outside.  What is yours?  What is the story behind it?

 

Pete and I have many because I'm always cracking jokes.  The latest:

 

Russ: (picking up keys and heading out the door to go get beer or cigs or whatever)

Pete: "Where are you going?"

Russ: "To go find a REAL man."

Pete: "Pick one up for me too!"

 

We do that EVERYtime one of us goes to the store.  It's a shared joke between two people who love each other very much.  We also say "I hate you." alot because it's funny to us. 

 

love, I mean 'hate',

Russ

We have so many.  When Larry the Cable Guy gets heckled by someone in the audience, he always says "See ya at the house." like it's his wife.  We end each phone conversation with a hick sounding "See ya at the house."

When I yell at the dog, "Get your fat, lazy, hairy ass outta my way!" Kevin responds, "but I'm not IN your way!"

When I hear Trace Adkins sing, I say "I'd drop you like a hot rock for that man."  When Sara Evans sings, Kevin says, "I'd drop you like a hot rock for that woman."  We would never leave or cheat, but it's fun to think about the folks that make us weak in the knees.

When one of us is worn out, almost asleep, or sore from old age, or...you get the idea, one will say, "you look like shit!" and the other will respond, "I'm not dead!" in our best Monte Python voice.

Kevin has had surgery on a shoulder, and needs more.  He hurts all the time.  He often says, "It's from carrying HER sorry ass for 11 years!"

Most of our references that wouldn't be understood by many are obscure movie references.  We have odd movie tastes.  We like the old cliche' movies like Smokie and the Bandit and Princess Bride and The Jerk.

Oh yeah, The Jerk.  When we are letting the kids pick something out at the store, Kevin is likely to say something like: "you can have anything between the pencils and the chicklets, under the stuffed animals and above the toy dogs."  Nobody else gets it.

That's us.  We're weird and we wrestle and we play hide-and-seek and we make weird references in our jokes.

Consider my ass kicked

Well, it's done.  It has happened.  I always knew it would.  The time HAD to come, but tonight?  I wasn't prepared.

In this house, things are different than in other homes.  We have marathon hide-and-seek sessions, we wrestle, and we talk shit...just for fun.  It's been a while since I kicked Brett's ass, so tonight, when he mouthed off, I was ready.

Ummm, sort of.

I lost.  I don't mean that it was a close call and someone called it quits...I mean, HE.KICKED.MY.ASS.  My shoulder was sore and my wrist was sore.  I iced both, but my wrist will need wrapped tomorrow.  Damn.  It's not his fault...I wouldn't back off.  I kept shouting things like, "I've got you where I want you!" and "Now you're a goner!"  Nope, he won.  I couldn't get out of the hold.

Yes, tomorrow will demand an ace bandage and some ice (since my hand is swollen and I have a fragile wrist) but that's not what bothers me.  This is the first time in his life that I couldn't take him.  He's a stout guy!  I've struggled in the past, but I've always won.  Tonight, I lost.  I have the swollen hand, sore wrist, aching shoulder, and wounded ego to prove it.

He's a man.  He won.  I lost.  There, son, I said it.  *sigh*  Good night.