sygnetcreations

You are probably thinking, What happened? Did they make it? But then again you are more than likely one of only two people who actually read this blog and know the full story already! Just in case let me recap a bit.........

After a few days in the Morton, Illinois hotel we headed out on a 14+ hour drive west. There were a great deal of cars abandoned as we reached the Iowa/Illinois border. After coming across a 5 tractor trailer accident from the day before, we were very thankful to have stayed the extra day. The drive was great up to Sioux Falls, SD. From there to the west has to be the longest, and most boring drive I have ever taken..lol. We reached our final destination at 8pm Thursday(Feb 3rd) night. We were here!!!!

Isn't it beautiful!!

If you ever find yourself in a blizzard, Morton isn't that bad of a town. Today we ventured away from the Quality Inn in search of gas, food, and something to entertain four cooped up kids and two cranky adults! For lunch we stopped by the Steak and Shake. Yummy food, unfortunately being one of only a few places open it was packed to the walls with customers. The kids colored and decorated their placemats while we waited for our lunch. After a quick bite we drove around the corner to give the "beast" some gas and buy a much needed scrapper. That is when we noticed the Walmart just a block away. How could we resist the urge to wonder aimlessly through aisles of STUFF escaping the four walls for just a few more minutes. It was a productive trip aswell. I got Neela a new coat then decided all the girls would have one too! Then the kiddos (dad & mom too) picked out new DS games for the trip. I had to get the newest Professor Layton!! Last but not least daddy needed a pillow pet. After sitting shotgun on the last leg, he realized he wanted one too. It is quite a sight to see....as I lay here typing this up...my sweet hubby lay next to me peacefully sleeping on
his fluffy little penguin ;)

Amanda~ SygnetCreations

Our first night ended in Clarksville, TN. We woke early that next morning on our way north west. Plan A was to travel through St Lewis on to Kansas City. That quickly changed to Plan B, head north to Chicago then west on I90. All of these plans would have worked had there not been a huge wall of winter weather blocking our entry. Plan C was soon put into action...head right in the middle of Illinois and staircase our way through Iowa and so on. You should be seeing the irony in all this...I know I am ;). We left the road at 5pm local time with visibility at zero. Here we sit amid other stranded travelers in Morton, Illinois waiting patiently for roads to open and plows to clear our way!

Amanda~ SygnetCreations

We have officially left Florida! Our plan today is to make it to Nashville, TN. Tomorrow is already planning to be the most adventurous day. A huge winter storm spanning from Washington state to the east coast, is expecting to meet up with us and cause delays. We are confidant that our winter driving skills will keep us moving but rest assured we will take it slow and safe. If you live in the midwest, stay warm!

Amanda~ SygnetCreations

The day is finally here. Movers came today to collect all of our belongings and send them on their way to the great snowy north west. We couldn't be more excited! Now all we have left is light cleaning and final out of housing and base. We leave Monday for new adventure...can't wait!

Amanda~ SygnetCreations

Just weeks before the movers arrive I find myself wondering if this is REALLY going to happen. Are we really going to move? We have been here so many times in the last seven years that I can't help but be skeptical. It's difficult to be excited when previous experience only showed stress and heartache. This time it HAS to be different. We are going to travel north, enjoy the snow and sights, and reinvent ourselves in a new domain.

The only thing left is the packing of household goods and finally out of base housing. If all goes well, we will be hitting the road two weeks from Monday. I still hope to blog from the road and share our adventures along the way. Until then.......

Ever so often Google sends me little tidbits floating around cyberspace that pertain to swans and cygnets. Here are a few pieces from an article I read recently that made me giggle!

One of the first things that you need to know about raising swans is that they are social creatures. They mate for life and will continue to produce baby swans, called cygnets. The cygnets will learn to adapt to life by watching the parents. The male swan will be part of their lives and will help care for the tiny creatures. When the cygnets are fully grown, they are ready to leave the nest. As is the case with other animals, the parents are indifferent to the cygnets upon maturity.

I just knew we were doing this right! Hubby particularly liked the part about ' they will continue to have babies'....lol. Its funny how these little things come to be when you need a little laugh now and then =)

We’re STILL giving away THOUSANDS of prizes
every day, until December 31, 2010:

• Gift Cards from Target, Amazon, Lowe’s and Starbucks
• Plush animal toys
• Fathead wall graphics
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• …and more!

Any friend or family member could tell you that I have had my share of ups and downs. One might say I've had a touch of bad luck..and they may be right. Today, however, as I sit and ponder about the last year I find myself smiling. Smiling a sheepish grin as I realize just how fortunate I have become. I can not think of a single BAD moment that hasn't resulted in a peaceful ending. Not one!! Its not that I am an optimist or up beat, lemonade from lemons type of person. In fact when I am down my 'give a sh!t' meter is pretty busted. It takes a lot for my husband to convince me that everything will turn out for the best. Its funny how that works out when you think that Murphy invented a law just for you...things seem a little bit brighter.

My beautiful daughter turns 9 years old this Sunday and I couldn't imagine my life with out her witty comebacks, sensitive nature and loving personality. It is awe inspiring to watch her grow before my very eyes knowing that just hours after her birth our world was turned upside down. On November 21st, 2001 my daughter was born with a subarachnoid hemorrhage from a traumatic delivery. In the hours that followed she had 3 seizures, one lasting over 15 minutes. Her pediatrician told me to expect the worse as they loaded her little isolette onto a medivac plane. Even if she survived they anticipated permanent brain damage, blindness, or slow to no motor skills. She spent 7 days in the NICU hooked up to a ventilator and numerous monitors. Her doctor did one last CT scan. He wanted to check the degree of hemorrhage and discuss the possibility of surgery. The news we got was nothing short of a miracle. There was no blood...no signs of damage... her body had reabsorbed the blood and healed itself....and in his exact words. "I have never in my life seen this happen". A day later she was taken off the ventilator and a day after that we took her home!

Today the most she has to show for her ordeal is asthma and pretty blue glasses. I am thankful for every snarky comment, every preteen scoff, every dorky laugh.....and every time she looks at me and smiles I know just how lucky I am!!

Hurry...time is running out!!! Click on the image above or click here and vote for your favorite stocking stuffers from above. One lucky VOTER will win a gift box filled with prizes worth over $100!! You heard me right... over $100 in ETSY goodies from the EtsyFriends Team..... Hurry though Giveaway ends Nov 8th!! - See blog for details. Make sure you put your email address in hte comments so they know where to find you if you win!

The men in our lives seem to be the hardest to shop for during the holiday season. Here are a few items available for the men and boys in your life!

Had a bit of a tween moment when my ten year old son proceeded to yell at his father after being sent to his room and called back for talking under his breathe..... Oh my word if this is the start to the teen battle he may not make it to 11! I laugh or I might nail him to the wall feeding him only bread and water. He has never talked this way...well he talks back on occasion but has never openly yelled at his father who out weighs him by at least 170lbs.... I know that if it were me standing there calling him back he probably wouldn't have mustered much of a peep.

Why is that? Is it because I don't allow him to get away with anything or because I am home all the time and thus the disciplinarian?

He's not a bad kid but if you were a fly on the wall your jaw would have hit the floor when he flew down the hallway and began yelling at his father before even turning the corner. I was all the way in the dining room and I about flew from my computer chair to ring his neck... No worries, no children were harmed in this episode. He did however have to call his friend and explain why he wouldn't be attending open rec tonight.

Those who have teenage boys... please tell me this is short lived and he will go back to occasional taking back without the over the top outbursts?!

Parenting is an up hill battle...one day you are pushing the buggy and the next day you are flat on your face with tire marks!!