We survived the Thanksgiving Holiday...and then some!

I had been fretting for months that my husbands family would not be happy with me due to my recent book I had published. I also feared I would once again be left out in the cold while another family member would treat my husband as the long lost boyfriend and do their fair share of keeping us apart, yes oddly enough this has happened before.  I also worried extensively, as I had said in my last blog, that our flight would be treacherous because of my fear to fly. There was a lot going on in this mind of mine, you name it I feared the worst for the last three months since this trip was planned. As much as my extreme thoughts had me anticipating a trip filled with disappointing moments resembling the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, I found a way to change all that and it rendered our family trip over the Thanksgiving holiday, anything but eventful.  On December 18th, the day we were leaving, I decided that I was not going to worry over anything. Life was going to happen and no matter how much I want to control the outcome so that nobody was hurt or disappointed, I threw caution to the wind and let my guard down once and for all. Doing this was the best medicine that our family of four has been seeking for so many years.  Not only were they happy, it let life fill me with so many moments of joy, happiness and a deeper connection that my husband and I and our boys have needed.

I will say, I couldn't help but wonder when the drama would begin and for each moment that in years past would have resulted in such extreme negative behavior, this time it was just the simple life, quality family time, great conversation and a true inner peace enriched with unconditional love.  This had always been my secret Christmas wish that I longed for, only to realize it had always been there - I just wasn't awake in my mind to see it until now. I had let the hurt of all those moments in years past, constantly dictate my distant personality - I was so tried of feeling so bad for so long, that this idea of changing my worrying ways was the moment in which I found complete peace. At this present time as the words in my thoughts find their way to my pen and paper, I shed tears of happiness and contentment. I can honestly say that my fear of the changes in my life had actually been the fear of would I ever get home in  my mind to be the wife, mother, friend and lover that had been trapped inside me, doing everything and anything to be heard, to be seen, but was suffering inside through my own invisible destruction. I guess the old saying - If ma'ma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy, really was true.

I sit here today, joyful of the moments that I was apart of and memories that will be forever etched into our souls. I can still hear the laughter of my boys and husband as we drove to places such as Sidney, North Platte and Scottsbluff Nebraska. The excitement that filled our SUV as we drove up the mountain to enjoy a weekend in Estes Park, Colorado where we experienced a grand snow during the "Catch the Glow" Christmas parade in Estes Park. Our trip was one of pure relaxation and fun. None of us wanted to come back to the world of reality, but like all things fun, our trip would soon end and we'd be flight bound back to the east coast. But I am happy to report that life has been just as grand at home as it was on our trip. For me, I can honestly say - Hello life, I've missed you. Thank you for bringing me back to reality and helping me see that what is important are the people around me, not the material things we have. That we don't know how long we have in life and to make the most of every day. If you are occasionally dealt with some negativity from others, learn to deal with it, but not consume it. People are who they are and some will never learn the value of changing within themselves and there is nothing you can do to fix it.  I have also found that if you love yourself, than you can show love to those who are important in your life. All my love to the three special men in my life - My husband Ron, and my two sons, Ryan and Reese.



 

 



 






 



 











"Life's not the breaths you take,
but the moments that take your breath away"



"WE BEAT THE BEOTCH! SO LONG HURRICANE IRENE! WE GOT POWER!"

Greetings Fellow Readers - Well to sum it up in four words - Phew We made it! 5 days with nothing but the basics, (candles, gas grill, generator and lots and lots of gasoline) As I was sharing with you in part one, we are no strangers to power outages and roughing it, even through this storm had my husband and I rather nervous. I will be the first to say, this time was different. Usually we plug in the generator to power the fridge and the big screen to watch movies...yes I know...our priorties were really off then. This time we didn't do that. Yes we plugged in the refrigerator and the deep freeze, but there was no tv or anything else. It made it a time that my family needed to restrengthen our bond to make it unbreakable once and for all. I have to say, I loved that our phone, television and computer were inoperable. All we had was ourselves, cards games and a battery operated radio. IT WAS FANTASTIC! 

The biggest challenge that my kids faced, having to entertain themselves...yes they actually got along as teenage brothers could when together and also enjoyed some much needed private time as well. My youngest son learned to enjoy the art of coloring while my oldest son enjoyed the much needed sleep his was missing. Myself, was the same as always, dishes, getting dinners ready, and I even had to gather the dirty laundry to go to the laundry mat, something I had not done in years since the Kenmore sisters moved downstairs in my laundry room - there is nothing like having my own washer and dryer. I did my best to keep the routine the same as if the power was still up and running. The biggest problem I faced was making my husband comfortable after a very long and dirty day at work. I know that when he gets home, the one thing he looks forward to is the peace and quite in a long hot shower. The second is a warm hearty meal followed by a peaceful cigarette out on the porch. Once he has had these three things and he has officially wound down from another stressful work day, then the three of us can pounce him for his undivided attention. Sometime he tells others he wishes he had more free time, and the three of us totally understand that. Yet with a family like ours, our two boys are going faster than weeds and if you take to much free time, you tend to get left out of the fun and time doesn't stop for anyone and the time you take away is time you can never get back.

So, now with the power out, one would think that my husband would be going without his hot shower and his hearty meals. Food, always hearty with or without power, as for a hot shower, well normally, it would be a small amount of hot water heated on the grill to have sponge baths, but not this time. On Monday I found out that our electric was projected to be out until 11:59pm September 2, 2011.  There was no way he was going to last a week without a hot shower. Trust me, I know. So, my brain started working overtime. I don't say it much, but I used to be called MacGyver. If there was something that had to be created, I could do it as long as I was giving ample time to ponder the invention.  This week was by far my best idea - so my husband says. It was indeed a huge benefit to our family and to those around us, nobody went to work or school stinky. Let me explain what happened.

On Monday when I found out how long our power would be out, I paniced. NO WAY WAS MY GUY GOING TO MAKE IT Without his routine, especially not having his hot shower to clean the grime of the day off. Without his shower it would be another Hurricane...this one would be Hurricane Ron. *wink - love you honey* Ok, he wouldn't be that bad, but he wouldn't be a very happy person either.  I needed to do something to make sure that this didn't happen. For about six hours my brain was working overtime (could you see the smoke? that was from me not the hurricane aftermath), when suddenly I had an idea. I recalled seeing in a Cabella's catalog, a shower for campers that had an upflow pump, like what is used in basement bathroom's now to avoid cutting into a concrete floor. I needed to create this same concept, but where in the world would I find the materials I needed to create such a pump.  My first thought - WALMART camp department.  As I marched with pride with my idea and kids and my older sons girlfriend in tow, something had caught my eye when I first went through the garden center of the store - A 2 gallon bright red plastic watering can. 

"Sarah what do you think, could this work as a shower?" I asked her, as my thoughts were spinning again.

"I think so Ms. Stacey" she said in her sweet voice and then smiled, like she totally understood what I was trying to create. My boys, they were still stumped with the outdoor shower gadget I tried to describe that I saw in the Cabella's catalog. All they wanted was a hotel room with a hot tub and pool.

When I finally had gotten to the camp department, the shelves were empty. I was disappointed and felt foolish.

My kids thought my idea was crazy anyways. Was all I could hear in my head, but I knew I was on to something, I just had to figure out the answer.

BINGO! The bright red watering can was the answer! For the low price of $4.00, I purchased it to go with the one I already had at home. My plan, use all my pots that can go on a gas grill and heat enough water for our showers. We'd water each other like flowers in the comfort of our own bathroom shower. Course my husband had the honors of being the water guy for my boys. But as for me and my husband we helped one another. WAA WHOO It worked. We were all able to take a rather hot shower and clean up everyday.  I had gotten my timing down so well that Ron would get his shower, then he would help the boys while I got dinner going and all would be done before the darkness of another night would set it. Now don't think we went hungry. Folks, that is one thing that never happens here. I have learned the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach and with three men in this house, I have my work cut out for me. Today I am not going let my shy side kick in, today I am going to toot my own horn and say, I can cook and a dang great cook at that. (Thanks MOM, thanks Grammie, you taught me well.) 

Ron is always telling people, when the power goes out, they eat even better. my response to that "YOU BETCHYA!"  Monday night was chicken gravy on rice with corn bread and honey butter. Tuesday was hamburgers with potato salad and baked beans. Wednesday was baked cut spaghetti marinara goulash with parmasan cheese and blueberry crunch cake for dessert. Thursday, we actually treated ourselves and went out for McDonalds. Tonight...hello crockpot - Beef Pot roast with carrots, potatos and all the trimmings. Dessert - zucchini chocolate chip cupcakes topped with coolwhip. yum!  So needless to say, we got through 5 days with no power or modern conveniences, and we had the best time. . I am also happy to report that our power came on at 11:59 August 31, 2011.  48 hours earlier than projected. YES! Below I have added a few photos and videos of what things looked like during and after Irene made her debut, a photo of our new best friends we added to the family and what a Friday night dinner, with power, looks like while it's cooking. Enjoy!

Hurricane Irene Aftermath in Annapolis Maryland 2011

Our Sunday following Saturday's Hurricane - Was filled with the glorious
sounds of Rain, Birds and Generators.

A hot meal to celebrate that "WE HAVE POWER"
Pot Roast with all the fixin's

Our two new best friends - Hot and Showers