Talking About It from Heather Turner on Vimeo.

Growing, learning... from Heather Turner on Vimeo.

Thank you, Aimee!

You can see a better version of it by clicking on it. I know there is a way to make it bigger on this blog. I just don't know the way. Blogger confuses me sometimes. I admit it. Check out Aimee's blog for fun stuff. Interesting stuff. Cool stuff. And Aimee? Thank you again for thinking of me. I am so honored, and so happy. :)

I'm in a photo contest! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Will ya'll vote for me?


*blinks eyes hopefully at all*


You can vote for this one here.















And this one here.





















Thanks everybody! Ya'll ROCK.

Riding the Tonka from Heather Turner on Vimeo.

I'm so tired

I totally know that I am slacking in the posting department. And I just have no clue at all how working parents of more than two children get anything done. Seriously.

Amanda and I chatted on the phone tonight about aspartame. One of the many random things we chat about. Every day. Which is why I love her so. But maybe, just maybe, my Diet Dr. Pepper addiction has something to do with my CRASH AND BURN at 5PM every day? The aspartame and caffeine?

(include in addiction: vanilla Coke Zero, cherry Diet Pepsi, and Pepsi Max.)

Anywho, will try to cut back on diet soda.

I'm working like a fiend. But DO NOT MISS working on the floor. I really thought that I would. But I am diggin' working in the kitchen with the guys. I can curse freely. I can drag a conversation straight into the gutter and not offend. I can burp aloud.

Delicate flower, I am not. So I'm right at home back there.

OK. Will try to post more.

Lovin' you...is easy 'cause you're beautiful...

Oh, how we torture them...

Do the Put In

Yep. He's throwing his diapers away.

13/365

Twelvvvvvve/365

Anniversary celebration + Jaegermeister + trustworthy, beloved babysitter + good friends = shit-eating grins all night long.

Corn

Jackson's first experience with corn ON the cob. I love how he tosses his spoon aside after he gets his first bite. It's very "BRING IT ON, WOMAN."

And that thumping sound? Seth kicking the table. Drives me batshit crazy. To all my parents: apologies for doing that to you. Also? For kicking the seat in the car.

11/365

So, yeah. Broken snake.

For those of you who don't know, we have a pet snake. His name is Sammy. He is a three-foot-long gopher snake, and we've had him for three years.

We love him. He is gentle, inquisitive. Spoiled rotten.

As Seth was holding him, Sammy slowly worked his way into the cushions of the chair. Seth tried to pull him out.

Broken snake.

Seth freaks, comes around the corner with Sammy in his hands. I take a look, and see a laceration (or is it a split? AGGGGG!) across Sammy's belly. I freak. Jackson freaks. Windows are open. We live in a valley. I cannot IMAGINE what the cacophony must have sounded like.

The brave and wonderful emergency vet agreed to see Sammy, though he had never worked on a snake in his life. Estimated cost? $200.

Tears. Sobbing. Pacing. And that was just me. I have become the Hysterical Snake Lady. Decide to put Sammy down.

The cost is just so MUCH, and what if he dies anyway?
This vet has never dealt with a snake before. He doesn't really know what to do.
Oh God...what do I do?

Cost of exam and euthanasia? $125.

So. For $75 more, I can try to save him?

Done.

Sammy is stitched up and sent home with six doses of antibiotic, to be given by injection once a day.

Thank you, Daddy, for saving my ass on this one.

I was going to share a photo of Sammy's stitches and needles. You know, to go along with the story. You get this instead:

I can hear Cathy's sigh of relief from here.

10/365. A day late.

A glimpse of beauty before all hell broke loose.




















The regular dinnertime chaos.

And then...a broken snake. Sammy is fine right now, but wish him luck. He'll need it.

Details at eleven.

9/365

New job. Kicking my ass. LOVE IT. But am having time management issues at home.

Like right now.

Should be in shower. Should be running the dishwasher. Should be filling out New Job Paperwork. Instead? On internet, wondering how to catch up on Flick'r. Email. Photos.

I'm gonna go take a shower.

















"Your Moment of Zen."
~Jon Stewart

8/365. Fun with Lingerie.

?? What is this...this...strapped, stretchy wonder ??




















I will run through the house with it, brandishing it high above me with much joy and squeebling...















Looks big, doesn't it? The stretching capability pictured here is wasted on your humble narrator.
















*sigh*

7/365

6/365

Spring? Maybe. Behold, our local forecast.

"One cold front moved across the Appalachians Monday morning. Another surge of even colder air will move through the region tonight with increasing NW winds. A few snow flurries and snow showers are possible overnight (possibly mixed with rain in lower elevations), especially at western mountaintops with a light dusting to perhaps as much as one inch possible in the highest elevations."

Oh my HELL Amanda!

After vehemently discussing with you the aggravation of typos, I discovered that...ah, GOD I don't even want to admit it...

I spell it like this.

"YA'LL"

*screeeeeeeeeeeam*

5/365

Sunday lunch. Pizza.

4/365

Breaking news: Jackson likes the river. A lot.




















So does his brother. But ya'll knew that already. So, not really news.




















Off to crack open a beer and plop down in front of the TV with a bag of salted peanuts. In the shell.

3/365

It's too bad he looks nothing like his Daddy.
















Spent a relaxing day at the park.


































Then the weather betrayed us. Clouds rolled in and the wind picked up, blowing the hazy smoke from a local wildfire into our midst.

Me and Amanda? Wildfire EXPERTS. Nobody seemed to know about or see or smell the smoke. After internet confirmation that yes, there is a wildfire occuring nearby, we confirmed to each other that we are not crazy. No matter what they say.

2/365

Quiet, cool, sunny morning. Windows open, fresh breezes floating through the house...















Jackson is watching "Bindi the Jungle Girl." Bindi is growing on me. As long as she doesn't sing and dance. I know...I'm a bad and evil person for saying that. It's just that when she does the song and dance, she seems like a puppet of adults.

LOVE Bindi's daddy, though.

Lookee who's come back to gorge themselves on nectar.















I put the feeders up yesterday. Today, while on the porch, the first one buzzed by my ear all in a hurry to GET. NECTAR. NOW. Sipsipsipsipsip, then up into the tree to spread territorial fear on the other two hummers who came out of nowhere.














Don't be sippin' on the Hatorade, bro. The ladies like it when you share.

1/365

Day one.

I have three photos. I couldn't choose just one.

Jackson's most cherished book:


















My mom got this book for Seth when he was a baby. Simply named. "Little Pup." Inside are little animals that pop out of different spots. A cat, A turtle, a parrot, a rabbit. Jackson loses his whole mind over this. How can it be? These animals that appear from nowhere? It is all too much. He dissolves into laughter.
















Self portrait. LURVE the timer on my camera. Now I can have photos of me AND my children, together. Since I am always the one with the camera attached to my face, the timer has saved me.

The messy background adds to the realistic portrait I have lovingly shared with you.

*snort*















This one I call "Messin' with Textures"

Many thanks to Amber and Chris for showing me the way. I will properly inebriate you both with wine when I come to visit in September. If that's OK. Don't want to make you do anything that you don't want to do.

Gonna Try Something New

Maile, one of the Shutter Sisters, posted this today.

I'm going to try it. A picture a day. Posted here. Daily. Every day.
Bear with me. I'm convincing myself to stick with something...

Let's see if photography will kick start my writing.

But it'll have to wait until tonight.

Jackson is asleep, and so begins the mad rush to shower, brush teeth, clean a bit of the house, make lunch...

Creative Vein

I think I have one. I am thankful for the one. However, it is limited in its capabilities. It can only hold one flow of creativity at a time.

Right now, it is channeling the photographer in me. Hence, no room for the writer in me.

Or maybe I'm overthinking it.

*nods of agreement from those who know me*

Lack of time seems to be a more accurate reason for the lack of posts here at HMFT.

Our Week in Weather

If you don't like the weather here, give it a minute.

*SIGH*

February

New Zoo Revue

Yeah, so we have some pets.

I'm always looking for more, and Joe always dissuades me. Rightly so, because we don't have the room or the money.

We have fish. Two fish. Pink fish. Big gray sucker fish-thing beast.

We have guinea pigs. Both with long, luxurious hair. The red one is Jameson, and the B&W one is Griffin. And they are groovy. Aside from monthly butthair trimming (it's long...it makes butt dreadlocks).

We have a five-foot-long gopher snake. Sammy. He is kind and affectionate. IT'S TRUE. Sammy, unfortunately, eats mice. Live ones. I do not look at the mouse. I take the mouse home, put it in the feeding tank, lower Sammy into the tank, and leave the room. Five minutes later, Sammy is fat and happy.

It was feeding time last week. Get mouse, put mouse in tank, go to grab Sammy, and he freaks out. Hissing and rattling and all pissy. Eyes clouded over...he's getting ready to shed. Hence, his vision is shot. Hence...no eating. For me, this is the mouse's ticket outta here. "YOU'RE FREE!" I exclaim as I set him outside in the garden. He just sits there, thoroughly confused and scared shitless.

"OK...I'll go inside, get the critter box, come out and if he's still here, I'm keeping him."

Happy mouse:

Pissy snake:

The Blogosphere

Since becoming an addict of blogs, I am just floored at how other people's lives touch me. People I have NEVER MET. And I always type this when I comment in their blogs.

" Blahblahmyopinionand I've NEVER EVEN MET YOU."
"OnandonandonandI'mcryingand I've NEVER EVEN MET YOU."

How is this? To truly feel like you know people that you've NEVER MET. I have cried for these people.

Tonight, it was Amy.
Months ago, it was Kate, and Ben, and Liam.

Congratulations, Amy. I can't wait to follow your pregnancy through your eyes. It's gonna be AWESOME.

And to Kate. I see Liam in nature. And my passion for photography was given a healthy boost by Shutter Sisters.

Oh My GOD Treat Yourself

Jenny posted one of the best posts ever.

Come see.

There is a reason she is The Bloggess (cue dramatic music).

It's rude. It's crude. It's HEAVEN ON EARTH.

A Study in Southern Culture

Sunday lunch. Table of four, with twin boys. Fourteen months old.

Mom distractedly hands me two empty sippy cups.

"Can I fill these for you? Milk or water."
"Do you have tea?"
"......hot tea?"
"Iced tea."
"?????Unsweetened????" (surely unsweetened, gotta be unsweetened...)
"Nononono. Sweet."

Sweet tea.

For babies.

Lordy lordy.

January video

I think I've got it...

I've settled on a blog layout.

I could not stop changing my mind. Blame it on the moon, or the weather (which can't stop changing its mind, either).

I'll change it again when Spring arrives and things warm up. But for now...simple, easy. Nothing to distract from gratuitous photos of Jackson's unhappiness.

Does this make me a bad mom? Sharing these photos?

He's just so pitiful. And it's just so sweet. He is feeling better. Will fight like a crazed wild cat if you even come near his face with a Kleenex. My SLEEVES, however, are an acceptable nose-wiping apparatus.

Note to self: Wash snot-encrusted jacket before wearing again.

Changes

1. Recycling. We're doin' it. Even Joe is doing it. He laughed at me when I suggested it. Of course, I didn't take it to heart. I do things every day that warrant a good laugh. I am shocked and amazed at how quickly the recycling has become second nature. It really takes a while for changes to sink in to my stubborn soul. Example: I bought cloth grocery bags. Put them in the car. Forgot to bring them in to the grocery store for a good month.
2. Smoking. Not doing it. As much. I have an occasional smoke when I'm out with friends. Since most of my friends are parents, we share a lack of personal time and social life. So...hmm...four smokes a month? That's about right.
3. Photography. I have always, always had a burning interest in it. So I joined a site called Shutter Sisters. Wanna see the photos I've submitted? Check it. I have lots to learn. But I'm going to have fun doing it.

Other news.

Jackson has his first real sinus infection. Oh, it's a doozy. When he sneezes, ungodly amounts of yellow snot fly from his nose. It's awesome. There is something so satisfying about pulling that out of his face. So he's asleep right now, slathered in Vick's BabyRub, propped at an angle to drain his congested head, and snoozing to the soothing sounds of a cool mist humidifier.

My 20 year reunion is in September. GAWD. I'm pretty freaking excited about it. I haven't been back home in, ohhh...six years? My dilemna is: drive or fly. Flying is fast, but it's up. In the air. Above clouds. No likee. Driving is much more appealing to the control freakmama inside of me. But. Fourteen hours. In the car. With two kids.

Shit. What to do.

Too much time on our hands

Now that I am down to two shifts a week (not for long, hopefully), I am bored.

Really bored.

Winter in the mountains can do that to you.

Hence, this.



Look! It's me. As a cartoon. I also made myself into a fairy on Disney's website. It's your lucky day, though. I'm gonna spare you that one.

Also.



A video compilation of idle minds at play.

Linus

I swear, it melts my heart into a big, squishy puddle when Jackson snuggles his blanket. Thank God he is not particular about the blanket. His only requirement is that it is a flannel receiving blanket. It doesn't have to smell a certain way, or sport a particular pattern. Just be flannel. It's that easy.




















He doesn't carry it with him all day. But it does need to be in his vicinity. Within reach.




















Do not try to take it from him. He will give you the distinctive "Squeal of Displeasure."




















This. This is the best.

December Festivities

November, Pt. 2

Apologies for the quality of this one. Definitely thrown together...

November

Winds. Of Change.

Thank God it is January. 2008. A new year. Big changes on the horizon.

November and December were just NUTS.

Joe and I were offered the opportunity to buy The Best Cellar. At a stellar price. A place we helped to open. We were stoked. It is our dream. It is what we aspire to do. WE. WANT. IT. So begins meetings with the owners and the bank. The SBA. Potential investors. Thoughts and ideas zip in and out of our heads at lightning speed. Can we afford it? Can we make a life for ourselves this way? It is all we think about, talk about. Then BLAM! Another offer.

The Mountain Tavern and Grille is a local restaurant where Joe worked for five years. He was their Chef de Cuisine. He was running the line when they won their first DiRoNa award. He quit three days before our wedding, so you KNOW the reasons for his leaving were strong.

They want him back. And they will pay much more than what he makes now. And we may be able to buy that restaurant when the lease is up in three years.

So. Leave Best Cellar he must. And put The Dream on hold we must. And I am relieved and disappointed. Relieved because the time I want to put into a restaurant? Impossible right now. Not until Jackson is in school. Disappointed because DAMN a restaurant just fell into our laps, and I just can't do it right now. DAMN. DAMN. DAMN.

So throw that whole mess into a slew of birthdays, doctor's appointments, holidays, and Christmas parties at the Cellar, and Heather has been a very busy girl.

But January is finally here. And I sigh a sigh of relief. And try to begin writing here again.