friends and family

came to visit at the hospital, I did not get pics of everyone but here are some who i DID get.

My Neice Brittany got there and have to have some baby holding time, she LOVES babies.

 and is not really good at sharing in holding time but it's all good we are glad she got to come visit

 then the jackson's came.  they are friends from way back and live pretty close to us. Faith (wearing glasses) is just 10 years old.  and has grown over a foot since I saw her last. STOP IT FAITH you look GROWN! Her older sister is my other daughter, Shaniquia and Martha were best friends when they were 14, 15, 16 years old but when their mom was sent off to war and the girls had to leave and stay far away with family their friendship took a hit, they love each other dearly but their lives took such different paths. I love that child she is the sweetest most loving girl ever made.  Their Momma Juanita has been a wonderful friend and has helped us so many times over the years. I hate that our lives and time frames dont cross very often. She is one of the most POWERFUL women I have ever met and I love her to peices and wish for her strenght and ability to communicate.

 Aren't they just Beautiful women :)

 this is a smaller version of her momma... I really must dig out some baby pics of Martha.  We tried on the newborn outfits martha had packed and they were way too big... so Schlena (our lifesaver) stopped and picked up some premie clothing which Fit PERFECTLY :0)

 Miss snuggle bunny was warm and comfy and even with 10 LOUD people in the room never woke up until I changed her diaper.  then while Erin tried to get her to eat she conked back out.

 Juanita is "splainin" things to Halo

 Aunt Carol ... oops GREAT AUNT Carol and cousin Erin came but somehow  I did not get a Pic of Erin... shes another neice who is great with babies ...came to visit too... :)

Marthas Friend from work came, and her best friend becca came and Kerrie and Savannah came as Lori, Schlena, Erin, and I were leaving. I dont think I am missing anyone but, wont totally swear that I am not either.

Since I got home last night I have sneezed 4000 times each worse than the one before and I resorted to Niquil before I went to bed last night. I woke up this morning with no less than what feels like 500 gallons of snot impacted inside my head, even the neti pot (medi bottle) could not break through my sinus mess...

It never fails if I am at the hospital for anything My sinus' go nuts.

yesterday every 3 hours and 40 minutes I knew it was about time for more sinus meds as my nose would start and make me aware that it was time...

Today I am not going to go to the hospital, you know my house has been neglected  when I finally got home and my HUSBAND has attempted to wash dishes... :) the cups glasses and plates were clean THANK YOU HONEY.

anyway unless things change Martha and the baby are supposed to go home tomorrow, Martha got up and after her shower was wandering the hospital and hunting FOOD ... as we left we saw her dr and she was ordering food. anyway Hope you all have a great day.

and Happy New years EVE I pray for A PEACEFUL new Year .  ok semi peaceful??? a little peace? ok I give... healthy new year.

Halo Alaiah-Juliett

WasBorn By C section at 6 14 pm dec 29th, she is 5 pounds 15 oz 19 1/4 inches long and as you see quite beautiful.

 her momma is quite pleased and glad to have her on the outside.

 and very worn out... her labor was a thing of beauty strong wonderful contractions even after the epidural her contractions did not slow or stop they stayed strong and her body worked hard but, Her cervix apparently did not get the message as she never dialiated,  the dr said after delivery that she has a very small pelvis.  Maybe now she will believe me when i tell her she is LITTLE
WE love baby toes :) they are delishious

 and oh so cute

 she got her first feeding from Grandma as Mommy was busy with the nurse when she decided she was ready... she gobbled down her feeding like it was the easiest thing ever but like her momma shes going to be a tough one to burp.

 she was sending Grandma a kiss :)  ok so I can believe just what I want :D

 Aunt Schlena is tickled pink with a new baby girl to love on :)

and i have many more pics and much more to tell but I have to get back down to the hospital this morning so MY child is not alone.   Her, Lucky to be alive boyfriend,who best mind his p's & q's, spent the night with her.  And Thankfully is going to work today for a few hours. Anyway Hope you all have a wonderful day :)
THANK YOU ALL FOR SO MUCH SUPPORT AND LOVE AND ALL THAT YOU GIVE TO ME.
Laura

well... today is

the day... Martha was finally admitted about 1030 pm last night, they had an emergency Section and who knows what else happening at the hosptial that prevented her from being admitted earlier.
she called me about 1130 and they had just gotten an IV in after 4 tries... SHAMEFUL that kid has awesome huge veins but i noticed she has alot of valves so unless someone KNOWS what they are doing inserting they will mess up every time... apparently whom ever was doing hers... does not know.
she was still waiting on the cervix softening suppository when I talked to her last so it may turn out to be later in the day that I hope before this baby is born. 
I went through the clothing that martha left here (she took all she wanted to her house) and sorted by sizes and hung things up  in am attempt to get the babys bedroom ready here.  MAN Michelle and Candace and Schlena have great taste and TONS of clothes they gave to this baby. 
I went yesterday to Marthas to put the crib together and will have to go back at some point with the allen wrenches to tighten the screws and turn the bar that martha had assembled around so it is correct but that should be a fairly easy fix.  I still have not taken the crib out of the shed here but maybe later today or tomorrow I will get that done...
Needless to say I have very mixed emotions about today... I am happy to finally get to see and hold this baby, yet i am so very sad by the situation... My husband is sad and feels cheated yet would DIE before giving in and i totally understand as it has been a year and 2 days since martha left home and in that year THEY have proven over and over how right michael has been in what he feels.  His note this morning said I wish things were different.  Such Powerful pain in that.
Stephanie said she wants to try to make cory go to the hospital ... Yet cory and martha both are hardheaded and hold grudges ... I told her not to force him he will come if HE wants and same goes for his dad... see even though the girls are not exactly speaking to each other they both would but... sigh anyway you get the picture.
Lori is here. I am so glad of that, just wish she felt better she has a bad cough sinus probably a cold and when you dont feel good that simply makes for little fun.  I have my usual sinus crap but sudafed zyrtec and tylenol make it bearable for me. 
Got to wake her in a few minutes and see how she feels then should finish a few things here then head to the hospital... am somewhat suprised martha has not called yet this morning.
Dad you have not mentioned annything so have you found this blog are you keeping up... will be calling you in a few minutes ...
ohhhh My phone bill was way over this month... I got to looking and realised that with martha being out of verizon that i was limited to 500 texts with her and anyone else who does not have verizon... so i paid the bill then called them to see what i could do to prevent it from happening again... the lady changed my plan to 5000 out of network texts and unlimited in network, AND she made it retroactive and gave me a credit for half of the amount I was over... WITHOuT me even asking... I was shocked and pleased. a first for me to be HAPPY with verizon...
well I must get moving got supper in the crock pot in canse i am not home this evening ... will be texting and calling when the baby is born so ... :)  keep martha and halo in your prayers for a safe delivery and of course healthy baby.
love n hugs Laura 
ps... and my sanity because its run away and i need it...

Baby information...

martha will be admitted tuesday at 5 pm to labor and delivery... she will get the stuff to soften her cervix and IF labor has not begun wednesday morning when the dr makes rounds (early) then piticon will be started... so SOMETIME WEDNESDAY we will have a baby... if I have your phone number I will text you if I do not i will be posting when i get home. 
baby Halo is fine she is 6 pounds 4 oz approximately according to the sonogram today... the reason he is willing to induce because school is starting back and Martha only gets two weeks leave and cant afford to miss any more so she can graduate.

it's monday already? wow.

where did the week go?
MJ goes to the dr this afternoon... and is planning on begging to be induced.  I think the Dr might agree to it since he is in total agreement on her getting back to school asap. In fact he OFFERED to her induction the first day of break but she wanted to work up until christmas eve.

NOW, YES it has snowed a bit here... and I have pics for you :)  this was in the morning about 9 ish

 Hank is a fat and sassy cat who DEMANDS his feeding by sitting at the door meowing until someone responds...

 I have promised pictures of the front... It is now safe for Bradley to be on the front porch albeit much too cold with the blustery winds.  He will love it this spring though when he can ride his worm on the porch

 I absolutely love it, 6 years is not too long to wait to have it completed!

 the end of the trailor is now a house... it has more wood under the siding that new houses built today... because every inch is covered except of course the windows which will help with keeping heat in dust and cold out and in the summer of course keeping the heat out. 

 the little bit of snow we got in the morning before it took a break... and since some have already asked... Michael put two sections of the siding vertical to break up the 70 foot lines that would have been it is different yet makes no real difference in what the siding does... I like it it is unique :0)

 this was about 530 pm... I am not positive that my thermometer is not stuck... its hovered around 40 for quite some time... of course it does not take into account the wind chill.... BRRRR

as you can see it had begun to snow again about 4 pmish and left a good bit more snow as the little in the morning had all melted off in the early afternoon

Hank likes supper to be on time as well... the flash on the camera whited him out though.

the snow is pretty and thankfully will not stick around long... it will probably be melted off today when it reaches 40 degrees out this afternoon... bad thing with that is 2 hours later it will freeze again and leave ice in places.  you can see where michael has been driving in the front yard cleaning up the mess from building the porch rails... and if the weather cooperates he will finish the stair rails this coming weekend.  then comes the rest of the roof and the facia board that fell down last summer.

and the view from the other side.... all the neighbors roofs are quilted in the snow. :)

and today my sister is to come to Georgia for a week :) I hope she drives carefully and has a safe trip I cant wait to see her!!!!!!!  she moved toSt louis this past summer and Is doing well up there but, I miss being able to see her anytime that one or the other of us felt the desire to drive the three hours she USED to live from me.

Have a wonderful Monday keep safe and warm :)

christmas....

This afternoon Stephanie and Bradley came to see Grandma and papa... and have some Chili.

 Bradley says Grandma's cooking is number one... Ok I say he said that he does all kinds of fun stuff when eating.

 and he LOVES to show off for the camera.

 he got a cool lego type toy....

 then immediately CLIMBED IN the net that holds the bits...

 and sat on the turn table and proceeded to toss peices across the room,

 then he had to check out his dump truck...

 and he LOVED the light up ball, it has another ball inside that lights up he SQUEELS and runs all over then brings it to you to make it light again.

 Here Grandma make it light for me....

 AGAIN.....

 then it was time to go to the other grandmas house and even later in the evening to his aunts and stephanies dads side of the family so I am sure he has had  BIG day and tons of fun for christmas :)  he will be back tomorrow when mommy and daddy are at work....

A bit later MJ showed up to eat and see if santa left anything for her... and to claim what grandma grandpa and grandma sent her.... Halo Alaiah-Juliett is procrastinating... and apparently finding it much to comfy INSIDE as she was resting all day and only started flipping and flopping this evening late so... who knows maybe sometime tomorrow... Its supposed to snow tonight so that would be typical...MAKE me get out in bad weather... lol

 this is a purty pic....

 Santa did not get the memo that MJ was BAD this year ... and got her a camera... but I suppose that all new parents  really should have a camera ....

she loves the camera... and had blown my phone up all evenign and night with texts...told her a bit ago... dont call or text again unless shes having contractions and they are 3 minutes apart... I am tired... and eventually would like to go to bed. 


My darling hubby got me a kindle... and I am totally blown away by it... its the kindle 3 if that means anything to anyone... this thing will READ to me LOL... and It will read blogs and so much more that I have not begun to figure out... I have some amazing books already all free except the bible which was 99 cents... I started reading THE SCARLET LETTER... have not read that since 11th grade and back then I am pretty sure I used cliff notes... and refused to read the book. 
when I turn it off these AMAZING pictures come up I love this one and have no clue where they come from or if they will come back

 and Idid not ask for this but had mentioned that I love the skeleton keys...and so he picked this out all by himself... YOU really dont know how  monumental this is... I LOVE IT :)

anyway santa Got Michael all kinds of much needed clothing and some other little things he wanted so... in all a lovely Christmas.   Now if this baby will come on and come...
oh lemmie go peek outside and see if it is snowing yet....Nope just rain and very cold out there...

OHHHH I dont have pics yet but michael has been working on the house... We now have a closed in ... no thats not right... ummm RAILS  that Bradley cant get through and a gate and basically a wonderfully HUGE outside place he can play safe when we go out in the front.  the siding is all done the roof over half and anyway its looking QUITE BEATUIFUL I am Loving it!!!!!!

oh wow ... it is 1 am I really have to go to bed... Bradley will be here in the morning .
Hope you have had a wonderful christmas and Thank God for the real reason  for the season :)

Merry Christmas!

Since it is 20 past midnight it is officially Christmas... so :) Merry Christmas Ya'll

today I got a BOOK in the mail... I dont recall ordering it... so that means someone thought of me and sent it :) 

who ever sent it... THANK YOU I cant wait to sit and read it :) I have been wanting new reading materials.
I also recieved some christmas cards today JoJo, Alice, MPM,  thank you ladies love the cards :) I got a few earlier last week and loved those too!

Well baking did not get all done... only got the pumpkin bundt cake and cinnamon rolls done... Cresents MAY get done in the morning after I make the chili and it is simmering away... OR NoT... we shall see...

Had a bit of issue with the bread rising... IT IS TOO COLD in my house to promote Bread rising IT TAKES FOREVER... I started the bread around 12 30 ish.. it was not done till 7 pm... when I was SUPPOSED to be at my cousins... Bradley and I got there late but the rolls were still warm and they loved them.

it all worked out well as when I was ready to leave Stephanie was getting off work so I just carried Bradley to her job and sent him on his way..

I wish I had thought to take a picture... Schlena got Bradley a AFLAC duck and HAVE MERCY it talks when you squeeze it... it says... AFLAC. AFLAC.... AAAAFLLLAAAACCCCKKKKKKKK.!!!! it is soft and huggable and Bradley loves it...almost as much as he loved the gift bag BWHAHAHAH typical kid...

anyway Halo watch is ON... she's due the 26th.... I would love for her to come today but.... so far nothing... MJ's next dr appt is monday so I am sure if she has not come by then the dr will induce.

seems like there is something else I wanted to share but, for now the brain is on sleep mode so ... Merry Christmas again and see you all soon!!!!! :)
love hugs and Blessings

merry Christmas Eve

I just wanted to pop in and wish you all A Very Merry Christmas and hope you have a wonderful day with food family friends and Jesus tomorrow :) ... ok I wish that everyday but a tiny bit extra for tomorrow :)
Now off to bake... oh what to make... am thinking Pumpkin strussell cake, cinnamon buns, and cresent  rolls to go with the pot of chili for tomorrow :)   we shall see what I actually end up making :0)

when you go out to eat...

are your expectations met or are you left hungry and sad?

Yesterday, I had some shopping to do.  It was also my nephews 10th birthday.  My niece wanted to go to a sit down nicer type place to eat ...I am game for that because it is not that often that I go out to a sit down place to eat so apparently my expectations are way to high. 

we went to Chili's  and I have been to this particular place twice and BOTH times it was NOT good.
this time I could not even eat the food it was so bad. 

THREE of us ordered rib eye steaks... My nieces ordered them medium well... I ordered mine medium.  They both got french fries I got the sides that come with ... loaded mashed potato's and broccoli.

Theirs apparently were good and how they ordered them. Savannah ate all of hers,   Kerrie ate most took the rest home... Martha had soup and salad and ate most of it.  Brenner ate his corn dog... BUT, POOR ME... sigh

My potato's were tasteless rubbery and cold so I asked for some butter... that started the fiasco... they were out of butter and could only offer garlic butter YUK... the toast that comes with was so soggy from the veggies that it was inedible... and my medium rib eye was a piece of well done shoe leather.

We went late it was 130 so the place was not packed... it took our poor server girl over 10 minutes to bring us our drinks after we ordered them... Martha and Kerrie got appetisers which both were good but SLOW coming...

I was rather appalled that they had no butter so the girl got the manager.  He of course asked me if there was ANYTHING I would like to have different but ,see the thing to me is when you go in with your family you want to eat at the same time and since I had had a crappy steak there before and WAITED the 30 minutes and made my family wait long after they had finished eating for me to eat I simply did not want to do that again.  plus I just lost my appetite. 

The manager came over three times and my nieces specially Kerrie finally lost it laughing ... because I was not mad and told him I was not  however I was SAD and told him that too... but even I had to laugh when he said mam we don't put butter in our potato's and before I could engage brain mouth filter I said ... maybe you should then they would taste better.

Finally after chewing 10 minutes on the shoe leather I gave up and had them take my plate away... needless to say I was not charged for it but, I am still somewhat sad and I was DARN hungry when I cooked supper last night I made Chicken and rice and Mac and cheese (for Brenner ) but there was enough for Michael Savannah and I to have all we wanted too ! 

I realised when eating supper that maybe my expectations are just too high and it ruins the eating out thing for me because I know I can cook much better and I do believe in that type of place I could improve parts of their menu LOL...

Now to the more funner stuffs  When we went out yesterday I stopped to get gas and told Martha to go inside and get Brenner some lotto tickets for his Birthday ...she got 10.00 worth of scratchers.  When I gave them to him he was soooo cute he said Aunt Laura are they winners?  I laughed and said I sure hope so.  So he gave them to his momma to hold and while we were waiting at that place above... we taught him how to scratch them off as he had never before.

 If you click to embiggen you will see he won 50.00 on this one and he also won 15.00 more on another :)

he was thrilled :)  when I told Michael last night he laughed and said two things...
1. I need to buy him some tickets
2. I have ruined the child forever cause he may be disappointed next time he has some tickets

Martha, Savannah, and I ended up going to Academy Sports, Rue 21, Old navy, Bed bath and beyond and Walmart then it was time for Martha to go to work and me to come cook Brenner's Mac and cheese and of course supper.  Savannah Cracked Michael up when we were eating and she looked up and said I am eating here from now on. :)

about 8 ish I took Savannah  home and took Brenner his mac & cheese and went to have some birthday cake... then came home and watched some TV then called my Aunt.

While we were talking I wrapped the stuff I had bought and started digging in the closet hunting something and found the Big Rubbermaid things full of Christmas stuff I had bought after Christmas several years back... and I decided to see if the little tree I had made would fit on the roll top desk ...

 It fit perfectly... My Aunt has One I made thats, what made me go look for it, and Martha had picked one and taken it home with her

 I see I need to straighten my pictures up HA HA

 then I started hanging some garlands

 wrapped presents and there are only a couple things left to get... stephanies gift certificate for uniforms and soft peppermint candy for Lori :)

at 5 pm taking Martha to work the moon was HUGE so I handed her my camera and told her to get some shots they actually turned out pretty good I think I like the trees she captured with it.  *remember you can click to embiggen any and see great details.*

 it was really pretty dreary out

 I think the one above is my favorite.

I went to bed at 2 am... and of course woke at 6 when Michael left for work... OHHHHH AND
He told me last night that he  had gone yesterday and PICKED ME OUT SOMETHING all by himself...THIS IS HUGE PEOPLE REALLY HUGE :)  He spoils me to a point that I am HARD to shop for so for him to go pick something out all on his loney is GREAT and makes me Happy....

Oh one other thing... just so you are not deceived... NO I am still not in the mood or happy with things but I do believe that sometimes faking it will eventually make it ...and I did promise to try :)
Love Hugs and happy Tuesday to you all.