Redneck town

I know I live in an area of rednecks simply from all the dead animals I see in the windows I drive by at night. During hunting season it is not uncommon for us to see a truck ahead of us with a dead dear or elk hanging its head out the side. At first it was a little shocking, but now we just laugh.

True story: When we first moved here a neighbor friend of mine mentioned in passing that their pet pheasant had just been startled by a dog and leaped up, whammed its head on the top of the cage, and died.
"Oh no," I said.
"It's all right," she said, "We have it at home in the crock pot."
This is the same neighbor who got a licence to shoot an elk, then went out and popped herself off a huge one. They got a family picture in front of it with all six kids, just beaming proud of their mom. (I may have told you this story before--I just love it too much.) Then one day I walked over to borrow something and there were legs sticking out of the trash. Her husband had butchered his deer right there in their backyard-- in a wheelbarrow. No I am not lying. So when I told the kids they said they already knew because all those crazy redneck boys they have over there were running around in the front yard with those same legs! I swear to you these boys are so unbelievable. They are lean, impervious to cold, and mean as the day is long.

My other friend has some massive animal her husband shot in Africa jutting out of this giant wooden stand she has to have in her living room just because it won't fit anywhere else. She is one good wife, I'll tell you. I'd have myself a bonfire in the backyard. The whole hunting thing I can tolerate, but please just don't bring it home and put it up on your wall-- especially in the half dozens. Have I mentioned before how I love that Peter does not hunt as a hobby? Or endlessly watch sports? I love my computer/tax nerd to death. It makes me hot on him just to watch Dwight on "The Office."

There are other rednecky things here too, but I don't really mind. I like them just fine--some of the most honest people I've known. No pretenses here. I had to laugh though last night at Nathaniel's basketball game when one of his exceedingly redneck coaches huddled the players around and said they were being too predictable with their passes, "They knew where we was gonna pass the ball before we's even passed it!"

I had to commit that one to memory immediately just so I could write a post about it. I am telling you I need to get a picture of these coaches. The head one is hilarious. Lily and I text endlessly about her desire for him. Last night he also told the boys if any of them wanted to pay the fancy photographer 15 bucks for a picture out in the lobby they would go ahead and set up a time. Those manly boys all eagerly agreed they didn't need no pro-fess-e-o-nal fo-tog-ra-fer. We'll just take the picture with someone's camera, make copies at Walmart, and git 'er done just like that.
Now that's my kind of thinking!

Happy Birthday to me

So today is my 35th birthday. Nathaniel was being difficult this morning and doing the teenager crank thing. I know he was tired. But then I got annoyed and told him he could at least be nice to me today. When he asked why I told him it was my birthday and then I think he felt guilt.
Good.


My friends TraceCe and Shawn gave me a two year subscription to this magazine and took me out to lunch yesterday. I have thought about getting a subscription to one of these magazines before but just never have. I thought it was a very clever idea.

I got this from Peter.
He left Sunday for California and will not return until the beginning of February.
The note is always my favorite part of getting flowers from Peter.

There are 24 roses here.
(I counted:)

We went out for an early birthday dinner on Saturday to the Macaroni Grill with
Lily, Sarah, John, Peter, Grandpa, and myself.

Grandpa's mustache is growing in more now.

John was very good because I think he was feeling crummy with a cold.
He ate all his macaroni and cheese. It is a pretty big deal when he actually eats at a restaurant.

While Peter is gone

While Peter was gone this last week gearing up for the tax season it snowed at least 10 in. I shoveled for hours and then decided to do something more productive.

So I bought three different kinds of salsa at Costco and spent the rest of the day sampling.
I recommend the artichoke garlic:)

Christmas Day 2009

John and Rebecca's stocking and Santa stash. John was up until at least 1:30am. I was ready to lose it. He woke Rebecca sometime around that and they came down and went through the stockings. I think he came into my room around two or so.

Stereo?

"There's nothing like shoes. There's nothing like shoes."

Rebecca got her first American Girl doll this year (Emily). She also got a bed and several outfits.
Santa must have thought she was a very good girl.

Blocks!

Rebecca embraces the scooter she has been hounding us for for months. It was pretty emotional.

What it actually looks like she needs here is a new robe!

John thought he already knew what this was by the way it was wrapped.
He was right. Lava lamp.

Sarah got her green ipod.
As you can see she also got a crimper from Grandma Tracy.
She was very excited. Those were the two things she really wanted.