The Head of the House

Everyone knows that in traditional families, the man is the head of the household. Our society is struggling today as we re-examine the roles of the family. Conflict can happen from undefined roles. Mako Man and I have worked all of that out. Twenty two years ago this Saturday, we were married. I was 18 and he was 20. I married him for his sensitivity-

for his work ethic (he never goes anywhere without a reminder of his favorite tackle store :))

for his ability to put up with my "great ideas..." (Hey honey, let's get some tortoises for the girls to raise. Lugnut really wants one and if we get two, maybe they will mate and we can earn our money back)

and most of all for allowing me to be a partner in his life instead of just a part of it. Love ya' MM!

(By the way, Mako Man has been telling EVERYONE that we have been married 23 years. Please do the math-1986-2008. I did not marry him for his math skills)

Halloween Countdown

It is almost time. If you haven't gotten a costume for your kid yet, chances are they are bugging you to pieces. Here at the Fishy Girl household, costumes were bought in September and now we are tweaking them now.
Peanut is going to be a vampire. She has the jewels, the cape, the teeth, and the black hairspray. We are working on the part that goes under the cape.
Lugnut is a cemetary fairy. Don't ask. The best way to describe it is a fairy that has gone punk and likes purple.
Our neighborhood is a great place for Halloween. We have a lot of kids who go through the loop in our neighborhood. I know some people who live on the loop and they were spending about $300 on candy and they were done by 8:30.
What am I dressing up as for Halloween? Shhh. It's a secret!

My Journey Into Motherhood

It is important to take some time out during the day and reflect on what your goals are and how close you are to meeting them. I try every day to remember the important things in life-my family. That is what is important. I am so blessed that both of my girls are close. Lugnut spent the weekend playing with Peanut. WILLINGLY! Every time I see my girls getting along, my heart sings and thank God for the blessing he has given me.

I don't know if I have shared this with you out there is cyberland, but I was told that it was unlikely that I would ever have another child after Lugnut. I had so much trouble carrying a child to term that I prayed to God and asked him to give me just one healthy child. I promised him that if he did, I would not go through fertility treatments but I would adopt if that was his will. Before everyone emails me bashing me, I have absolutely no problems with people who choose fertility treatments. I do not think I have the stamina to do it, hence the promise. God gave me that healthy child and I kept my end of the bargain. No fertility treatments and we started the adoption process when Lugnut was 5. I became pregnant with Peanut and we dropped out of the adoption process and focused on keeping this baby to term. Blessed? You bet'cha!!

Friday's Top Ten List-Company Girls

Since it is Saturday already, it is time that post Friday's list. I know, I know, I am a day late and probably more than a dollar short but here you go...

10 loads of laundry waiting on me downstairs. Any OCD people out there wanting to give fishy girl a hand?

9 hours of cleaning this week-not a lot but hey people, there is a lot going on here.

8 times a day that I call Mako Man to remind him to do something. Don't worry he still forgets.

7 hours spent each day for the past two days in a classroom. It felt so good. The kids were awesome, the lesson plans were terrific and I still need a job.

6 hours a night of sleep, if I am lucky

5 days of making lunches...add cheese, I don't want cheese, hold the bread.

4 times a day reminding the "nuts" (lug and pea) to pick up their __________ (bookbag, lunchbox, jacket, shoes)

3 hours a night spent with the family telling them how blessed I am to have them in my life.

2 days of no school for Lugnut-she has the crud!

1 great partner to help make all the craziness work


You see people, times are tough and that means that Mako Man and I are doing everything we can to make ends meet. Mako Man is working at the store and doing any construction work he can find on the side. Me? I am tutoring some great kids after school 2 days a week, substituting when I am called, and working on the REBOUND program that I told y'all about earlier. That means that we have some major adjusting to do on who does what at the house. Interpret this to mean that I collapsed in a heap the other day and said that no longer can I do it all.

I am not complaining, just stating reality for me and millions of others like us in the world today. But the one thing that I absolutely do not want to lose sight of is the fact that Mako Man and I have been blessed with a great family. No matter how bad things get, we have each other. Now go buy some stuff at our store!

Bye-Bye Capt. Caveman

One of the things that happens when you own your own business is that you get to meet a lot of people. A few of those people make little to no impression on you, a few you would rather never see again (although for us this number is extremely low, like 2), and then there are quite a few people who enter your shop and wind up entering your heart. We have made so many great friends since opening the store...

Our first good customers were the boys who stayed with us during the tournament. They have become like family. I think of them like my sons who I had during a previous life because they are WAYYY too old to actually be mine. (hack, hack, cough, cough, snort)

We have met people like Richard and Neil, lawyers and up and coming fisherman. Can't wait to put you guys back on the fish next season. You light up our day when you come in the store. Your adventures in fishing and your wonderful attitude are infectious.

Then there is Jeff and Jennifer, a young couple out of Salisbury. Jeff has been so good to us, even offering us a place to stay during the last hurricane threat. Y'all are the greatest.

But there are a few who are able to come in all of time and they completely invite you into their lives. One of those people is Capt. Caveman. Even though he is a Neanderthal, he is a lovable one. He is the kind of Caveman who knows where the fish are, doesn't whack you over the head too often and cooks some mean tuna steaks and spaghetti. (even cavemen have to eat, right?) Capt Caveman had to find a new career and that career path took him inland to the Charlotte area.

How is a caveman going to survive? We have a sneaky suspicion that there may be a Cave Girl around there somewhere. Someone he can eat some brontosaurus burgers with...If you are there Cave Girl, you take care of Capt Caveman, make sure he gets some free time too. Also remember that Cave Men have rocks for brains so don't expect them to change. As they get older, the rocks get smaller but they are still, well, rocks.

If any of you are in the Charlotte area and need a local fishin buddy then Capt Caveman is your guy. Shoot him a message on our board-I am sure he will respond. Just remember that you will have to wait awhile because Cavemen don't type fast. Give him a Caveman hug from the girls. We miss ya already Capt.!

Hot, Hot, Hot

When the weather cools down, Mako Man looks for me to keep him warm. Not only by cuddling and hugging, but also by cooking him some good stuff. This is my salsa that I make by scratch in the crockpot every year. You need tomatoes, onions, and lots of peppers! This is my spicy batch so I also add 3 jalapenos and a few other secret ingredients.
The onions and some of the peppers are marinating, just waiting to be added to the pot.
I like to add green, red, and yellow bell peppers. It adds color to the mix. I am all about color. Maybe that is why I was an elementary school teacher in a previous life. Still looking to get back into it. (Tap, tap, tap...are there any principals out there? Any wives of principals? Friends of principals? Are you there? Anyone? I will make you some great salsa!!)

This is what it looked like right before I dished it up. YUM, YUM!

**FishyGirl Note: I have never used gloves when cutting any peppers. I have never had any trouble with it. Until now. Mako Man must have grown some hot ones this year because about an hour after cutting up the last jalapeno, my hands started stinging. 3 hours later, they down right burned. For anyone who every goes through the stupidity of NOT wearing double (yes I said double) gloves while cutting jalepenos, I have found something that works. Instant hand sanitizer. The alcohol dries up the oils left on your hands. It may take several attempts to get back to normal, but it works. The blonde in my hair may be dyed brown, but it is still there.

Visit With The Family

I went to see my Aunt's new digs in Virginia. She recently moved back to the area after leaving for awhile. She is living in this awesome senior's apartment complex. It is too cool. Here is her sunroom.
Her living room and dining room combo is nice and spacious.
Her kitchen is perfect for her. It is big enough to get the job done.
She has a big bedroom as well. Nice and spacious.
I love her light. It reminds me of Granny.

I am glad that she moved back. I went out with her and my cousin and we had so much fun. She went shopping for her and tried to buy things for us but we wouldn't let her. She has a scooter that she needs because of her bad knee and when we were shopping, we kept losing her in the store. Have you ever tried to find a woman who because of a scooter is about 4 feet tall? And also because of this scooter can move around as fast as you can at a jog? Thanks for the good times ladies, I will see ya' soon.

A Week In Review

Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary had an awesome experience with her family this week. She wants to know what all of us have been up to. Well Company Girls, I'll tell you...

For this week in October, my family gave to me-

12 new gray hairs
11 hours straightening up
10 arguments about taking a bath right now
9 minutes of free time
8 hours making homemade applebutter
7 times that I have been running late
6 thousand times of throwing the dog's ball
5 bags packed for Lugnut's trip!!
4 days of homework completed
3 times a day pushing the snooze button
2 days without Lugnut
1 hour a day talking with Mako Man

Mountain Girl

Lord help me, my eldest baby has left with her school to spend 4 days up in the mountains. WITHOUT ME...WHAT WAS I THINKING? I know that she is going up there to bond with the rest of her AVID team and to tour colleges, but daggone it-she is still my baby girl.
The worst part about it is that the night before I had to work in the store so that Mako Man could go on a fun fishing trip. Why did I agree to that? Mako Man also "forgot" to set the alarm to the correct time so we had exactly 5 minutes to get ready and get her to the school. I love you Mako Man, but honestly, what were you thinking man??

Then all of these bad thoughts start going through my head...What if she falls off of the mountain? She gets nose bleeds, motion sick, and she has bad knees. OK, I need to stop this, I will play with Peanut.
Peanut fell asleep after crying for her sissy. It is so sweet how close they are. She really misses her sister. That's why I have agreed to let her sleep in her sissy's room this week. She knows how to play me. Yep...that's why she is the baby.

What if Lugnut comes back on the back of a bike with someone named "Rat Poison Joe" on the front? My head hurts...I am going to bed. Goodnight Lugnut, whereever you are. Please call your mama so I know that Joe does not have you in his evil clutches.

Sweet Tink

Do you remember when I showed you a hairy mop head of a dog and claimed that she was a poodle? Well, she is and here is what she looks like when she is trimmed. Isn't she adorable? It is hard to believe that this dog completely runs our house. Mako Man does her bidding, the girls do whatever bark command she gives and even sweet little ol' me does more than I should for this 3 pound fury.

I wonder why that is....

Where The Boys Are

The boys from the previous blog fished hard, but they came up short. Ricky caught fish that could have been mistaken for bait and Nate caught NOTHING, but they rest of the boys caught a few. Many of their fish were short. I think JF caught fish because he was willing to sleep in Peanut's pink room. You go boy!

That's OK boys, there is always next year! Y'all enjoy your deer hunting this fall. If the stripers come down we will see ya' in the fall.

Fish Or Cut Bait

This is for all of you who are coming to my blog from the tackle store's website. The Nags Head Surf Fishing Tournament is this fweek, starting tomorrow and the knuckles say it all.
Six people teams fish for points. Fish over 11" score. The team with the most points wins after 2 days. We have a team staying with us.
You need a BIG tackle box to fish this tournament. You have to be prepared for anything out there. Termite is ready. You go boy!!
Mako Man and the girls are ready for tomorrow.
Yep...the young guns are here. I'll let you know tomorrow if all of the talk going on tonight was just talk or if they could back it up.

The Great Pumpkin

Remember when I told you that I worked at Peanut's Pumpkin Patch Festival this weekend? Huh? Huh? Do you? I bought this pumpkin. I told Lugnut to pick out a large pumpkin that could stand and this is what she picked. (Note to self: Don't ask a pre-teen to pick out a large pumpkin unless you are prepared for the consequences!)

Just to give you an idea of exactly how big this thing is, I put my shoe up next to it. My shoe is a ladies 8. Yep...this is one big pumpkin and guess what? Lugnut and I had to unload this monstrous beast all by ourselves. Why? Because Mako Man was at the store. I love Halloween. I love decorating and dressing up and scaring little kids. Not major scaring, but a little scare now and then never hurt anyone. Ask Lugnut about the wampus cat. Kept her from running away when she was 6.
I created a "Witches Kitchen." I set up a corner of my kitchen to be like a witches kitchen. All for the scare factor.
I love this pumpkin. It is so shimmery and pretty and perfect. It is a lot lighter then the one that Lugnut picked out too.

Pumpkin Patch Weekend

I have finally recovered from the weekend enough to blog. I was so exhausted Saturday that I actually fell asleep before 8! I was at the pumpkin festival at Peanut's school from around 8am until 5pm. I was so busy, I didn't even get to take pictures.

Sunday the girls and I took a trip to Virginia to see my nephew and attend his party. Happy b-day AG! Your friends are just as sweet as you are.

Anyway, I hope to pick up the camera later today from the shop and get some great pics of the pumpkin that we purchased at the fair...just wait until you see it.

After School...Before School

Have I ever let you all in on the secret that Peanut acts just like me? Well, if I haven't told you before-she does. Here she is after a long day at school. Do you know what she is doing? Playing school. That's right, she can't get enough of it. She even (gasp) chooses to eat lunch WITH HER TEACHER as a reward for good behavior! What is in the water around here?
Lugnut is having none of that school mess...she is working on a puzzle. Notice her total concentration. She would rather eat the puzzle than do homework. Thank goodness she has me to (nag) remind her every 5 seconds to do her work until she is finished.
In the mornings, the girls get up and eat breakfast. I do cook them breakfast sometimes, but today was a Toaster Struedel kind of day. "Hey girls....are you ready for school?"
I sure do love how serious my kids are all of the time. I can't imagine having goofy kids. No way. Not me. (At least not in my Calgon moments......"quit beating on the bathroom door...I'll be out in just a minute.")

Fall Family Follies

Do you see this family? Well, it is my family, bless their little hearts and no matter how frustrating it can be, it is wonderful when we are all together. I know for most of you that is probably a daily occurrence. For us it is a rarity. With Mako Man working at the store about 60 hours a week, me working at the store about 12 plus working at the local tutoring center 3 times a week it is just plain difficult for us to find time.
You can tell that Peanut loves her daddy. She grabs him and hangs on when we are together. I think she is trying to be an anchor to keep him home. Mako Man loves to use sign language. That way he doesn't have to try to get a word in with three females in the house.
Then there is these two. Talk about two peas in a pod. Lugnut is the female version of her daddy. She looks like him, walks like him, talks like him, and she even is stubborn-just like him. One of our friends said that looking at her is like looking at Mako Man in drag, which is kinda scary and creeps me out just a tad so I won't talk about it anymore.
When you add in Tink the Terror, it is just chaos and mayhem. Bedlam doesn't happen until Shadow gets in the picture as well.
But these two girls melt my heart. I am blessed to have great girls who are stubborn, loud, crazy, terrific, wonderful young ladies. I just hope I can survive the next 12 years to see them as young adults. Lord give me strength to survive this whacky family. I think they might need me.