My lil hiccup!!

Well, I got to see my lil hiccup last night! My lil hiccup is, of course, my niece, Braylee. Next to my own daughter and son, she is the best thing in the world. She is just a month old now and the sweetest lil thing. I nicknamed her my hiccup b/c only a few minutes after she was born she was looking around and got the hiccups. She is very alert and loves to look around and see what is going on. She is going to be a handful when she is older and a heartbreaker, now doubt. I absolutely love her to pieces!!

hhhmm...

Ok, so I am fairly new to the "blogger world". Obviously. I have started following the blogs of a few people I actually know and from their pages started looking at other blogs. I have decided from looking at these blogs, that mine is probably pretty dull. So I will try to come up with better ideas to make this thing more interesting. I guess I am a pretty dull person huh?

We found out Friday that my dad's cancer is for sure back and it is not looking good. So I have been pretty down the last few days. Its not easty to accept the reality of the situation, even though I should be looking at the blessing that it actually is. I got an extra year with my dad, an extra year they did not think he had in the first place. I got an extra year to spend more time with him, say things to him I should have said a long time ago, and make peace with him over things I should have made peace with him over a long time ago. But still, the reality is still hard to face.

Crazy Week!

This week has been absolute chaos! First, I get up late Monday, I was an hour late for work (luckily, Monday was a holiday so it didn't really matter b/c we only worked part of the day anyway). I didn't get ANY housework done last weekend so I was hoping to catch up Monday, but b/c I was late, I got jack done. Then, Tuesday, I have to update my computer b/c its acting all retarded and apparently I needed to update the Windows service pack. So I update. and afterward...OMG...It has erased all of my dictation that I had not finished just yet, erased my connection to my scanner and my printer was acting up. Nevermind that it took half the day to update so I had to work on my second computer at the office. Yes, our office is sometimes so crazy and I get backed up and need to work away from the phones and front door that we actually have a second work station in the back for me to work on. Sad huh? :) anywho...Well, then yesterday I can't get anything done for the computer being retarded and several disability appointments. Today? My printer QUIT. It quit! Ok, for those of you that don't know, a legal secretary without a working printer is like a faucet with no spout. basically, useless. So for half the day, while my boss drove to Benton to get a new one, I was unable to do much of anything. So my Friday, which is supposed to be my short day, will no doubt be an extremely LOOOONNNGGG one. Boo.

Oh, and they are coming to tape and mud my walls and get ready to spray my ceiling and walls to get them ready to paint and my house is a wreck and nowhere near ready. I have weeks worth of laundry to catch up on. I need to do the billing at the office (I reckon I will be bringing that home to do). I just look at my little pig pen and go "why me?" I can clean it immaculate and when my hubby and kids walk through the door its as if everything I just cleaned goes 'WWWOOOO HOOOO" and jumps back into the floor, or on the bars, or the book shelf, or the couch and the laundry magically appears back in the hampers. Its crazy.

On top of the stress and anxiety I have about my house, I am very nervous about my dad going back to the doctor tomorrow. I am so nervous that it is going to be bad. Please pray for him. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in July, 2007. We have been so blessed to have had the last year with him. He spent Christmas and New Years of 2007 in the hospital struggling to survive and since he came home in February, 2008, I have been trying to stay closer to him than I have in the past. I am so thankful the Lord felt compelled to bless me and my siblings with another year with him. He got to see my little brother have a baby. He got to see his granddaughter start softball, which was a huge part of his life prior to getting sick. The last year has truly been a learning and growing experience for my family. So keep him in your prayers that everything turns out okay tomorrow!! I am going to attempt to get some sleep tonight, although that hasn't really been in the cards the last couple of days! :)

Until next time...

Wedding Planner

My sister in law is getting married in two months. She is nineteen and they have been together for YEARS. She only has two brothers, I married the oldest and the other is in college and as far as I know has never had a serious girlfriend ever. So I am really the closest thing she has had to a sister. I love my sister in law to pieces and could not be more excited for her. I have soooo wanted to help out with the planning and everything, especially since Derek and I planned our wedding in barely over a month and there were so many misteps (even though my wedding was beautiful, had everything and everyone I wanted there - it was just sloppy in some areas and there are a few things now I wish I did that then I didn't really care about). But, its her day and I did not want to step on my mother in laws toes or Alli's toes by "butting in". So I have waited for them to ask me for help and they did...FINALLY! I was busting at the seams with ideas and within three days, I had the bouquets roughed, the arch figured out, the candleabra arrangements done...as you can see, we are doing it ourselves which I LOVE. We went to the church last night just the three of us and we went over everything. Where the decor would go, where the party would stand, everything. And then I came home and picked out her music. Luckily, Alli and I are somewhat alike and I have a pretty good idea of what she would like and what she would absolutely hate. Its a simple, beautiful, small town wedding in a small town church that she and her brothers grew up in since infancy...and I must say...it's turning out perfect. :) I could not be more thrilled. Here's a few of the pictures of the "rough" bouquets and the trial run on the candleabra that I did....tell me what you think!!

Poker Night!

We went to our bff's house last night. The kids were begging to spend the night with their great grandmother,who they are extremely close to, so me and the hubby had a night out. :)

We just hung out. The guys had a few beers and we all sat down and played poker. We are goobers and when we play poker we play for change. Or at least we used to. Trav got a new set of poker chips around Christmas and I was not aware we were going to use those. So I got a roll of quarters for nothing! Anyway, Derek and I started with $5.00 each. By the end of the night, Derek was flat broke and I had made $13 (well, $17 if you count the $4.00 I gave him through out the night...ha ha ha). I was pretty stoked! I kept my money, took Derek's and made some money! I was so proud of myself. :)

Well, it was an early night for us. Derek has to work for the next three nights so I will be all by my lonesome. Its also Saturday night so the kids will be with my inlaws (or they usually are). I am supposed to go to my brothers house for a party tonight to hang out with my friends. Its not every weekend that my kids go somewhere every night, but this happened to be an exception. Plus its a long weekend for them, I think they should have a lil extra fun!! Tomorrow is Sunday, which means housework for mom! Boo!!! Talk to you later!

**Courtney**

Hello!

Well, you can find out more about my family in the About Me section of my blog. We live in the country and I would not have it any other way. I love being outdoors and in the woods. Its a huge part of me and I don't think I would survive if I didn't live in the woods somewhere.

I am helplessly addicted to shoes and purses and I love to find cute jewelry cheap (who doesn't?). Another thing I am hopelessly addicted to are beauty products. I love hair products and I try pretty much everything new when it comes out. Same with beauty products. Facial cleaners, scrubs, mascaras, lip gloss, you name it, I try it. Oh and cleaning products, I hate to clean but I love to buy cleaning products. It is crazy!! When I find somthing I like, though, I shove it down everyone's throat, so trust me, when I find something great, I will let you know!!

When I have time, I love to read. I enjoy cooking for my family and friends, and I hate to clean. There is some background on me. Enjoy and I will post more later!!