neglecting the blog

I know, I know... I said I wasn't going to neglect my blog and I have been. I'm too busy messing around on my alumni site, facebook and running around. I'm trying.

Erik told me to post some pictures of him from his trip to California. He wanted to be sure you saw them Joachim.

He actually flew out there for work. He and a friend rented Harley's and travelled up and down the coast. While I was home slaving as usual, he was enjoying himself. He needs to be a mom for a while....

In other news, school is out. Tomorrow is report card day. Kayleigh has all A's again. Not sure what to expect from Harrison's report card! He might be grounded for the summer!

Erik borrowed a book

I walked through the kitchen this morning and what do I see laying on the table??? This cookbook. I asked Erik, "Are you kidding me?" Why does he need this cookbook? He told me that there is a recipe for Possum stew in there I want to try. WHAT?! I informed him that I am never eating anything he cooks again. Ew.

Here is a sampling of the recipes in this book in case you are interested:
Alligator meatballs
Charlie and Steve's Tree Rat Stew
Roasted Squirrel
Yep... it's in there: Possum Stew
Cypress Knee Daiquiri
Coonass coleslaw
Wood Duck Jambalaya

Those are just a few of the tasty treats! There are even little stories in the book. One is entitled: Fifi the Huntin' Poodle.

Can anyone guess who he borrowed the book from??? His dad!

Erik update

Erik had his follow up with the doctor yesterday. He is doing well. The doctor gave him 4 weeks off of work and he starts physical therapy in a week and a half. He is moving the shoulder already much more than he has since he got hurt. And he is finally sleeping through the night! That is a big development! I was starting to consider cleaning out the computer room and making it a bedroom for him! Of course the first night I could have gotten a good nights sleep was Wednesday and Harrison was up puking half the night... Erik and I ended up getting up at 2:30 in the morning to change his sheets because he didn't even make it out of the bed. He stayed home from school yesterday, but was better today. Tomorrow we are having a late birthday party for him. It was the soonest I could rent the gym for a few hours. Tomorrow is actually Erik's birthday, so make sure you leave a comment and wish him a happy birthday!

More updates on Erik

Erik is doing really well. We took the bandages off on Thursday night and he has just three small holes that are stitched up. His shoulder area and under the arm are bruised, but he says he feels a lot better. This morning he was showing me how he can move his arm already, so that's good. He is taking Motrin instead of the Vicodin now. I'm glad because that Vicodin makes him weird.... weirder than usual. LOL. I would post a picture of the shoulder, but I don't think anyone wants to see it! Tonight we are going to a hockey game in Peoria. Kayleigh is singing the anthem with the chorus and playing with the pep band. Harrison has a friend staying the night and he is going with us. Should be fun. I can't remember the last time I went to a hockey game. Hopefully I can tell the boys what's going on....lol.

Erik has a follow up doctor appointment on Thursday, and we'll see what the doctor has to say then!

Erik update

Erik is home and doing well. Here is a picture of him that I took while we were waiting to go up to the pre-op area. The doctor was an hour and a half late. So Erik didn't go into surgery until 3:00. The doctor came to talk to me about 4:45. He said that the surgery went well. Erik only had a minor tear that did not require repairing, however he had a lot of bursitis that they cleaned out and that should help him start to feel better soon. Erik was in the recovery room for a long time. He didn't come out of the anesthesia well. So we didn't get home until almost 9 last night. It was a long day for both of us! He has 3 or 4 small incisions on his shoulder which I haven't seen yet. I can take the bandage off this evening and then let him take a shower and put band aids where the stitches are. Right now he is still a little shaky and in some pain, but he says he can tell already that it is better. I'll keep you updated!

random photo

I haven't had the time or energy to blog, so here is a random photo of Erik in the desert with Tom Brokaw! I have to say this is one of his favorite pictures.

Off to work. Hopefully I will get a chance to blog this weekend and maybe find some pictures! Have a great week!

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving. We spent the day at the farm with Erik's family. Although, in the morning, Erik and Maggie went hunting. And Erik made me take a picture of them with their morning kill. Doesn't Maggie look pleased with herself?

Erik update

Erik went to the orthopedic surgeon today. They took new Xrays and decided that things are healing. He is doing 4 weeks of physical therapy and then back to the doctor to see how he is progressing. He starts physical therapy tomorrow. I bet it's going to really hurt! I hope his whiney butt can stand it. ;o)

Men.... they are nothing like women. They can not tolerate pain or sickness! LOL

Another Erik update!

Erik had an MRI on Friday and the results came back today. Not only is the shoulder broken, but he also has a torn rotator cuff... No wonder he's been hurting. Now we just have to wait to see what the Orthopedic doctor says. Hopefully we will hear something tomorrow. I haven't had much time or anything interesting to blog about, so I haven't been doing much posting. I'll update on Erik when we find out what's next!

Erik update

Erik went to an orthopedic specialist yesterday since he woke up with numb fingers. They did some futher x-rays and discovered that he has a broken shoulder. He is still waiting for approval for the MRI. They still want to do one to make sure he hasn't got more damage than the break. It's taking forever for the military to give approval. He has to wear a sling all the time now and not move the arm. I guess when he gets the MRI we will know if there is anything else wrong. For now we are still playing the waiting game. It's really starting to get annoying.

Erik Update

Erik went to the doctor on Monday. They think he may have a slight tear to his rotator cuff. They are starting him out on physical therapy. They also gave him some anti-inflamatory drugs and he said that has helped a lot. He can't really move his arm they way he should be able to. So we'll see how things go. If the physical therapy doesn't help, then maybe surgery. Erik is too much of a baby for physical therapy! LOL

What are the kids doing on no Video Game Sunday??

Why sitting in front of the tv, what else? At least Kayleigh is knitting. (a scarf... hee hee) I don't know how she can even think about that when it's so hot and humid!

Well, Erik got home at about 4:40 pm yesterday and was in bed by 5. Needless to say, he was passed out and snoring by 5... Harrison was mad because dad was in bed and he wanted to watch TV in our room because he didn't like what I was watching. Oh well... Erik snored all darn night. Woke me up at 6 this morning, when I really wanted to sleep later. Oh well. The kids and I went to church while Erik cleaned out the redneck boat. There were more beer cans in the driveway than I have seen in a long time. I bet he filled a garbage bag. That explains the not being able to walk, being obnoxious and belligerent and passing out in bed by 5. Men! I guess next year I need to go and make sure he comes home right afterward. ;o) Erik said he was tired. I told him that if he hadn't taken part in the drunken debauchery, that wouldn't be the case... Kayleigh was in the kitchen eating breakfast and spelled debauchery for him. She is definitely his child! I asked her if she knew what debauchery meant and she said evildoings... LOL... I about fell out of my chair! Leave it to Kayleigh to put her father in his place.

Random photo

Erik seems to be sensitive about my last post. He says he can't believe I would tell everyone about it. So I thought I would make up for it by putting a picture of him in uniform with his gun and stuff so everyone can see what a big stud he really is.... *gag* So here is my hero on the plane somewhere over in the desert at some time since the war started.... (Shhh.... don't tell him I said he's just a glorified flight attendant!)

Hi Julie! Erik said he gave you the link for the blog. I hope you don't mind me putting a picture of the book and a link to your site on here! :o)

Reading

Erik is reading a book written by a friend of his, Julie Klassen. I had the book sitting on my little shelf over the bed and it mysteriously disappeared and reappeared on the floor next to Erik's side of the bed. Now, anyone who knows Erik will be amazed that he is reading it. He never reads books where there is a female lead character. He does not read romance type novels. :o) I'm curious to see what happens with this book. Wouldn't it be funny if he decided that romance novels weren't so bad and he should read them more often! LOL.. I will put a link for Julie's website below. I can't give a review on the book yet, because I haven't read it. I've been on a supernatural romance/mystery binge, but when that's over and Erik is finally finished with it, I will read the book. Have a great day everyone, and stop in to Julie's site and check it out!!

http://www.julieklassen.com/

Erik

Since I know Erik reads the blog on a regular basis, I couldn't not put a picture of him with all of his fish on here. Some days when he is "working", they are really fishing! This is a picture of one of those days. Erik, put a comment on this post and tell everyone how that works. working/fishing! We have so many fish in the freezer right now, it's crazy! He needs to stop fishing because no one is eating the fish!!!

Almost forgot...

For three years, we have had a medicine cabinet in it's unopened box behind our couch in the living room. I have been harping on Erik for three years to put it in the kids bathroom. That's the reason we bought it! He started to do it when we first got it, but when he went to pull the mirror off the wall, he discovered that it was glued into place. So he decided to do it another day.... well yesterday was finally that other day! Afraid that he would break it and cut himself, I asked if he had safety goggles. He said, yes. Wandered off and came back looking like this! :o) He did get the mirror off the wall without it shattering, and the cabinet is finally up! Now I just have to figure out where the paint is and paint where the mirror was! Erik has to climb under the house and get the paint. How long do you figure it will be before I get that paint??? I am thinking it might be better to go to the hardware store and get a new paint color!!!

Happy Sunday everyone. We are having a family celebration for Ashley, Erik, Raine and Harrison's birthdays at Michelle and Jimmy's house.

Today is Erik's birthday!

He was darned close to being a leapyear baby! I attempted to make a hazelnut torte for his birthday with a recipe I got off the internet, but it wasn't the same as the ones we ate in Germany, so when his mother called, he asked for her recipe. I might try that over the weekend. I miss those goodies!!! Of course, if Erik had his way, it would be Black Forest Torte, but I am not sure I could make that. it's too fancy! :o) Happy Birthday Erik!

Random Photo

This is a picture of Erik with David, Michelle, and Sheridan at his 40th birthday party in 2006. It was a fun time.... right up until the part when all the guys took off in a hurry after mysteriously coming in the house, doing a lot of whispering and acting secretive. As soon as everyone left, the guilt got to Erik and he informed me that one of his drunken friends backed his truck into my 6 month old VW, while it was covered up with the car cover he always insisted on, in the shed!!!! I was so irate! He decided it would be wrong for his friend to pay for it because he had been directing him when he was backing up. It has been a sore spot ever since. Anyways, Erik will be turning 42 on February 28th, so I thought this would be a good picture to post. Nothing else has been going on here this weekend. I had to take my clothes over to the farm to dry them since they haven't gotten the parts to fix my dryer yet. Kayleigh played in the band at the boys basketball tournament in Monticello on Saturday. Harrison has just been an annoying pain in the butt all weekend! He is making us all crazy!!!! I helped him make a mailbox for his Valentine's party and we hand stamped his Valentine's too. Kayleigh and I made some chocolate bar covers for her closest 7 friends. Otherwise, not a lot else to mention.

Random Photo

For anyone who hasn't seen this one yet. This picture is from July 4, 2003 when Erik was flying around with Arnold! I think it's pretty cool.

What happens....

when you spend all day making and smoking deer salami and then leave it out to cool while the dog is outside unattended??? Well, you come back out to the shed and where there were once 7 salamis, there are now 5! This is what happens after the dog brings back the two that she stole. She looks really upset doesn't she?? I think Erik looks like he is going to cry... Poor baby!