It was a SURPRISE!!

The girls are finally feeling better and back to normal...Too bad hubs has it now. I have lysoled EVERYTHING in this house, even him. HA! I put a barrier on myself in hopes that I don't catch it. I am bound and determined not to catch it. Although it wouldn't hurt to lose a few pounds just not the way I'd like to go about it. I've been trying for a while now to get over and see our friends The Murray's precious new son, Adam. Since he was a preemie, I don't want to take any chances on taking anything that we have to him. Hopefully soon we'll all be feeling better. I woke up early Monday morning with sore throat, sinus, headache, minor aches. My throat feels better but I still have the headache. I am attributing this CRAZY weather we have been having. It went from cold to hot again in a matter of 2 days. I can't believe we are still having 80 degree weather in November. I'm ready to open the windows and leave them open all day and have the cool, crisp air blow in. Hopefully soon.
My dad will be celebrating his 60th birthday this Friday. I can remember when I was young and thought that 60 was OLD. However, I look at my dad and see that it's just beginning. He is still a very active dad/papa. He still goes on his 4 wheeling adventures with his buddies. I'm talking serious 4 wheeling. He has been a wonderful father, a great example of a husband, and best of all the best PAPA my girls could ask for. He mushes over his two granddaughters.Dad and I spent LOTS of time together while I was growing up. I played softball from the time I was about 6 and on many teams he was my coach. Every weekend was spent at the ball fields together. I have always been a daddy's girl. I love you dad!! Happy Birthday! My mom threw him a surprise birthday party this past Sunday and since we had just been there the weekend before dad was not expecting us. I couldn't miss it so Madeline and I drove the 3 hours to surprise him. He had a number of friends old and new there to celebrate with him. He was totally shocked.




Here he is just walking in. He still has no clue.

What is going on? (these were the words out of his mouth)

We were all hiding in the front office and hallway for him to come in. He is thinking that my mom is having a small party with her girlfriends celebrating her new retirement. Little did he know.


Madeline giving Papa the picture she colored for him on the way there.


Getting a big squeeze from Papa. She is a papa's girl.

We had a great time and Madeline even got to play with Garrett again (her favorite part). She just adores him.

Garrett and Madeline.
Madeline and I then packed up and drove back home another 3 hours that night. 6 hours in one day was a lot of driving but it was worth the look and excitement on my dad's face. Madeline was a super companion too.
In other news this week has started off just like every other week here lately. I went outside to put a letter in the mailbox to mail when I find my flowerbeds flooded. Obviously a leak somewhere. Thinking it is probably just our irrigation system and something that hubs, ok our handy neighbor, can fix I wait to call the plumber. Our WONDERFUL neighbor digs down to find that it is NOT the irrigation but a main pipe deeper down. So we turn off the water to the house after everyone had gone to bed to keep it from leaking and flooding even worse. The plumber got here this morning and got straight to work...Look at this mess....



This was before the hole got even bigger. The poor guy was COVERED in mud and after working 3 hours, FINALLY got it fixed. A pipe seal had cracked and came loose. Who knows how long it had been that way. I'm just glad I saw it when I did. Apparently, there was a plant right on top of it and he thinks the root may have caused the seal to break. Good news is it's fixed and we have running water. You really take that for granted until you don't have it.