Our Memorial Day Fun

We had BIG plans for our weekend. Jim and I both had a whole 4 days off TOGETHER, at the same time even. We thought about going to the beach, Disneyland, Vegas, somewhere great, until... Jim finally got the horse of his dreams. Jim has been looking at horses for awhile now, looking for the right one at the right price. About 2 months ago he found the PERFECT horse, Kayak, and was getting ready to close the deal when the owner calls him and says "Jim, I am really sorry but I have been riding Kayak for a week now and he is the best horse I have ever had, I just can't part with him" Jim was devastated. So then he found another, he liked him but it wasn't the same, that's why he drug his feet so long. Finally on Wednesday he decided to buy the horse, so he goes by and the horse is gone SOLD!!! Again he was devastated. He calls his friend Eric whom is part of one of the biggest ranches in the valley to see if he has a horse for him. Eric says he'll make him a deal and to come out and look. Now, these horses are ranch horses, cattle herders, just good horses that normally would sell for $9000 to $10,000 for the ones they DON'T want. He was going to sell one to Jim for $4000 which was still way more than we wanted to pay but he was there looking at it and contemplating it when his cell phone rings. (Aren't those wonderful things?) It is the man from the first horse, ready to sell because he was going to have a busy summer (he has a water tender and goes on all the fires) and wanted Kayak to go to Jim. That started off our weekend GREAT!!

So we go to this swap meet where we find these saddles. Now most people know that Jim can make a deal at Walmart and does it quiet often. One of these saddles are marked at $650 and the other for $350, I have a bridle and bit in my hand and a leather holster belt for Trever and those funky fly face covers, for the horses of course. Now I'm not a math wizard but adding that all up comes to somewhere around... WAY MORE THAN WE HAD TO SPEND!! We had $500, for 2 saddles and other tack so I was on my way out the door. Don't ask me how he did it, but we came home with both saddles and everything I was carrying. All for $500. So Friday we pick up the horse and since the kids are at school, Jim and I go out for a nice long ride. It was great! My horse is much like I am, moody and has a bit of an attitude, she let Jim's horse know that she was in charge even though He is MUCH bigger than she is. We were supposed to go camping for the weekend, but I don't like the cold, and out weather took a turn so I camped in my bed. We arose early Saturday morning, took a picnic lunch and loaded up all the kids and took to the trails. Again, we rode all day. We borrow a horse for the kids, Jimi and Alex rode him, Sami was on with me, and Trever was with Jim.

The kids butts were so sore on the back but we all had a great time. Alex was horsed out and stayed with grandma on Sunday while we went back out, each time trying new trails. Monday we all headed out once again, this ride was pretty short since the kids butts couldn't take much more, not to mention mine. Then we had a great barbecue with Keith and Sherri Pringle. Jim and I went out to feed Tuesday after work and jumped on the horses again. My horse is so tired, her feet hurt and she is getting cranky with me. We butt heads sometimes, but I love her. I accept her attitude and she accepts mine. She is part Arabian so she has a nice slow walk, but for most of the time she is a prancer, or a trotter, which translates to a sore hiny for me! I now know why people opt to buy the Tennessee Walkers, for the smooth ride. I have told people that I wish I could sew Jims butt to his saddle, he is a different person when he is on a horse, he is so much happier, I enjoy seeing him like that

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Now it's back to the grind! Only 2 and a half days of school left. I have mixed feelings. Jim keeps reminding me when I get cranky with the kids that we are constantly making memories for them, and what do we want their memories to be? It makes me feel a little like an inadequate mother, like I need to constantly be doing better (which I do) but I hope that when my kids look back they don't remember me always nagging or yelling or punishing them. I have decided that when they are out of school we are going to go room to room and clean EVERYTHING. Get rid of almost everything, start from scratch an find more room for all of our junk. By de-cluttering I know it is going to make cleaning and laundry a breeze. Like my friend Angie, I have a detailed list of the family TO-DO's. But what bothers me is that the time it took me to make that list I probably could have finished half of the stuff on the list.

A Little Late Birthday For ALEX!!

Jan. 2008

We are parents of a teenager. How does that just happen? Happy Birthday to you Alex, May 14th 1995. Early that morning I woke up at around 4am, not feeling a thing, just couldn't sleep. I watched T.V. made blueberry muffins, just sat around. About 7:30am I felt a little tired so I went to lay back down, I had just fallen back to sleep and I have NO idea why but I jumped out of bed and my water broke. FUN!! Then contractions started all around 9am. So off to the hospital where they sent me home and told me to come back by 8pm that night. So, we go home I try to walk but it HURT SO BAD. So after about an hour or so at home, I went back!! They kept me this time, I don't know if I didn't know about the epidural way back then or if I was just out of my mind, but pain medicine didn't even cross my mind. Towards the end I got a little cranky, ok A LOT cranky. I told a nurse where she could go I threw up and got mad when things weren't going quiet like I wanted them. After pushing for 30 minutes of HELL (sorry but it was) and the Dr. finally ripping him out, Alex Wesley Morlang Hurley was born at 5:34pm May 14th 1995. The Morlang is a second middle name, for my dad who is the last Morlang and was a way to keep the name going on. His collar bone was broken, His nose was broken, the whites of his eyes were blood red from broken vessels, he had a blood clot on his head from rubbing on my pelvic bone for the last few months. He was so bruised and cone headed and looking back at pictures he was plain CREEPY! But to us he was the most beautiful thing in the world. He weighed 7lbs 14oz and was 23 inches long, and 4 days early. Alex is a great boy. He is one of the most artistic people I have ever met in my life, he whips out drawings and they are amazing. He is loving and has a BIG heart. He is so smart, if only he would not get lazy. He is so handsome. He has NEVER even one time given us a hard time going to bed, OR getting up in the morning, even since he was a baby. He appreciates what he has. He loves God and loves the scriptures, he reminds us when we need to be more spiritual and is planning for his mission. He is amazing on a dirt bike, and amazing on the ball field. He picks things up really fast. He loves to build things and take them apart (is that a boy thing?).A It sometimes breaks our hearts that others don't always see the Alex that we see. He doesn't have it easy, but he doesn't use it as an excuse. I know that he will always be my baby boy, and he is so loved.

So this year for a party... we are planning a dance. We are going to set up the garage with black lights and a strobe light. Pizza and loud music. Boys and girls. We have put it off until the end of the school year because there is so much going on and we need to make sure that the birthday boy won't be in trouble for grades.... This should be interesting.

March 2007

Sept, 2006

Sept, 2007

I've been caught by the FUZZZZ

Don't laugh! I was on my way to work just scooting along when I see a CHP car coming at me, of course I knew by the time that oblivious me sees the car I had probably already been caught I decelerate (not brake). He flips around, passes the two cars that were tailing me and pulls me over. I have been pulled over a few times (ok, a lot of times) so I know the drill, I was just hoping it was one of the guys I knew and they would be having a good day and feeling like letting the poor working girl off the hook. NO SUCH LUCK!!!

CHP: "I clocked you doing 74 and this is a 55 mph zone"

I am thinking NO IT'S NOT IT'S 60 THROUGH HERE.

Me: "um, ok...." I know creative.

CHP: "I'll just be a minute while I write you up."

I am thinking, that's it not, I'll make if for only 10 over or a warning or something, anything!! Nope, nice BIG FAT TICKET!! On one note, did you know that it IS indeed 55mph in front of James Station? And that's why I don't argue, because I am fairly clueless. But now in MY defense...

Ok, I have NO defense. I deserve it, I have gotten lucky for the past 4 years. The last ticket I had was about a year after we moved here, I was driving the Suburban with Colorado plates that had expired. I was going 87 in a 60. This conversation went much better for me, more like.....

CHP: "hey, you were cookin back there, I got you going 87, did you know it's only 60 through here?"

Me: "um.... yeah" again, creative me

CHP: "How long have you lived here?"

knowing it had been almost a year.. ME: "um, a few months or so"

CHP: "that's funny because I've seen you around for almost a year or so," and without skipping a beat or even looking up he continues, "it's probably time to change those plates over... since there expired anyways."

Now at this point I am NOT stupid, 27 over is wreckless driving, expired tags and never changing my plates over. Not to mention that I had just had the suburban detailed and he had to wait like 5 minutes for me to find the registration and insurance. So I think... well, I've never been arrested, this should be fun.

CHP: "I'll site you for only 10 over, and maybe you could get those plates changed over"

Me: are you kidding me, I didn't say a word, I just sat with my jaw hanging open.

Now I know that my good friend whom is the wife of one of the CHP's that work this area is probably laughing hysterically, not to mention her kind, sympathetic CHP hubby, and you both deserve a good laugh at my expense. I get pulled over quiet frequently, and have been insanely lucky. For those that know me, your probably wondering why I was going 74? You all know and say that "Dany drives 80 everywhere she goes, that van only does 80" I am glad I wasn't going 80 or faster, cause this guy wasn't going to let me out. I do hear that they come into the restaurant quiet frequently and keep us open late, I have yet to see it, but I am waiting for him to come in, where I will say...

"Are you planning to tip me enough to help pay for the ticket you just gave me?" (cleaver huh?)

who are we kidding, he'll say, "didn't I just pull you over the other day?'" and I'll say "um... yeah"

Do I look like a STRIPPER?????

I knew that would get your attention! So, I am working at my FAVORITE Mexican restaurant, El Portal, waitressing. I make really good money for just 4 or 5 hours a night. Usually I bring home right around $100 a night, plus my check every two weeks. In Colorado, and other states, they don't have to pay a waitress minimum wage, but in California they do. It is nice, not big checks, but I get them the Friday Jim doesn't get paid. I average it out some nights and I make like $32 an hour, can't beat that for no college education and really NO stress! So, usually I try to change in my tips at the end of the night so I don't have pockets FULL of ones, but quiet often I an super busy up until they cash out the register and I am stuck with them. So as you all know me, I make the best of it. Every week I pay my tithing in ones, and the trash bill was paid with ones and the grocery store loves me because I replenish their supply. I just smirk, because you know they are wondering were someone gets all the ones. The funny thing is that I mentioned this to another waitress there and she said "Well, if it was $5s and $10s they would just think you were a drug dealer. " POINT TAKEN!

Ok, I am a TOTAL believer in acupuncture. I went from 6 or 7 diet Pepsi's a day to um... NONE! No, that is not a typo, I don't crave them, and when I do I get one and take a few sips and that's it! I can't think of the last chocolate I ate, I don't even think about it. And the first week I lost 8lbs, this week I have lost about 4 so far but we will see at official weigh in on Monday. One think that is hurting the weight loss is the Dr. says eat more than 5 hours before bed and NO starches with that last meal. I leave my house for work at 3pm and don't get home until 9pm. If I eat before, I wake up STARVING! So I have been eating before bed, I can't imagine how much I would have lost if I didn't do that.

OUCH!!

OUCH!!

Well last night Trever dove over this inflatable raft, his brother and sister pulled away from him, (hhhmmm) and he hit his head on a coffee table corner. It is so bad. He had a headache, dizzy, and sleepy. The sleepy could have been because it was 9:00 pm, so he slept with us so we could wake him every little bit to make sure how he was doing. So far so good. Just looks really bad, and almost split it open, and one killer headache. He did go to school today but kept calling it a pimple and thought he would get teased, i told him it made him look tough, I guess we'll see when he gets home.

On another note, my in laws talked me into going to this Dr. in Bakersfield who does acupuncture in the ear to stop cravings of sweets and soda's ( what will I ever do without my Diet Pepsi???) They lost like 10 lbs each this week and he is very against going with the number on the scale and more by what size we should be in. Jim, Kenny, and maybe Terry and Casey are going next Monday night to start. We think they take Jim and mine insurance, but even if they don't it's only $35 a week and that includes the pills and everything. This place also does 30 minute massages for $15 hook me up on that. I'll let you know how it works out.

Jim and I have been able to get the horses out a little more often lately, it sure is a HUGE stress reliever and keeps us talking and brings us closer. I would LOVE to get the horse he really wants.

Who knew the KIDS ran our lives??

So for the last 13 years I thought I was in controll of the family. Boy was I WRONG!!! All four kids are playing ball, the girls on one side of the lake, boys on the other, each has between two to three games a week plus sometimes practices. HHMMMM... now, I am no math wizard but it doesn't work!! Wednesdays we have at least 3 games going ALL at the same time in completely different places, and my darn cloaning machine is in the shop (if it's anything like my van it will be there for 2 months shheesh!) Thank goodness for good friends with kids on the same team, and family because I am now waitressing 4 or 5 nights a week, just to add some pizzazz to my life. So I have this nifty cell phone with the planner in it and I put in all the kids games and little good that does Jim when he's the one running them around, so I finally used a real life olden day PAPER calander to schedual games so he knew where he was going. So far it's working, I don't know how but it is, and Jim is still finding time to do hitting practice with them all. Alex has finally found his game, he is doing GREAT!! He plays first and sometimes second but hasn't sat out yet. He hits great and has gotten a few triples, no home runs yet. Jimi is a natural athlete so it is easy for her, she plays center field and hits and also gets a lot of triples, she is aggressive and steals bases like crazy and her attitude definately comes through. Sami is like Alex, she found her game!! Although the reason she didn't like cheerleading is because she didn't like to sweat, and it has been SUPER cold here so she hasnt had a hot game yet. She is taking after her mommy and playing catcher and sometimes third like her daddy. I would have never thought she would catch she is just so sweet. The first half of her season is coach pitch and she may want to try pitching later in the season. But she hits anything that comes her way and catches everything withing reason. She is working on throwing to second, wich is a HUGE deal for her age and league, but she is close and her coach is very impressed. Trever is again like Jimi, just a natural athlete, I swear the kid could be spinning circles with a bat in his hand and accidently hit one out of the park. His age hit off a pitching maching and he is doing great. They move all the players all the time so they can decide what they like. With all this running around we are thinking twice about football and cheerleading, but don't tell the kids.

Jim survived his tonsilectomy and is now back to work. It was very painful for him and they even sent his nasty tonsils to pathology for testing. GROSS!! He was in a TON of pain and said it was less of a sore throat and more like someone kicked him in the throat. I felt bad for him, it stinks when there is just NOTHING that you can do to make someone you love feel better. It was a hard day the day of his surgery, for both of us. Having the Dr. and anastesiologist come and give you the spill of "We've done this thousands of times, everything will be fine.. blah blah blah.." for us it just brought back way too many memories of the last time with Jimi, and then hours later the chaplin being the one to talk to us. Needless to say we are all glad things went smoothly, and even happier that it's all over. NO more strep for Jim. (we hope)

Sorry no pictures this time, but the kids just got their school pictures back, but for some reason they didn't give us Alex's so I called the place and they are sending them, so when I get them I will get them up. They also just got

they only allow a few photos for each post so here are a few more!!!