~~ODNEAL FAMILY BLOG~~Port of Readlyn, Iowa

Here is Ashley at 20 weeks give or take a few days. Sharon thinks she is having twins and I have to admit she has definitely popped the last couple weeks. She has her ultrasound on Wednesday and I cannot wait. Yep I got invited to join in and see it. So excited. This has made my week seem so awesome. I am taking the afternoon off and maybe going to do some baby shopping once we know the sex. Everyone thinks that I want a girl, but I KNOW boys much better. Never had a girl myself so think I will do and be much better as the "cool young grandma" of a boy. He will think this grandma rocks when I am throwing the football and/or baseball to him! Or if it is a girl she will not be lacking "barbies". Remember that I played with them until I was 13 just never let anyone else know that I did! Have a great week all!

Yes this is Gadget's look quite often. That is why i often call her "little b*#ch". In a loving way of course. She acts that way but loves to cuddle up on my blanket when I'm on the couch, or climbs right up on Bruce and rubs her head under his chin and goatee. Maybe we should have just named her "attitude". Of course that doesn't sound near as cool as saying Gizmo and Gadget! Have a great weekend and enjoy this Iowa heat wave! You can be sure it isn't going to last long.

  I love it that when Kyle comes home on the weekend and these two romp around the living room and have fun wrestling each other. Usually it doesn't involve any blood and they do it without anyone getting hurt too bad. I snapped these pics sometime in the last month. We have been busy with Ty's basketball and just other stuff during the week. Has not been a lot of "blog worthy" news or stuff to write about at all. And January is a busy month for me at work for a change with year end stuff. And so there are my reasons for the lack of posts lately. Sorry Mom & Dad O. since I know you look forward to them no matter how boring they might be. I have some pictures on my little camera but haven't taken the time to upload them. I will try this weekend to get some posts done ahead of time for next week. Sounds like we have a heat wave coming the next couple days. Supposed to actually be in the mid 30's. Woohoo!!!!

Here is my "redneck" bird feeder. It has been fixed too many times to count. Well not really but seriously how much can one cost? I'm just too cheap. First the squirrels broke the plexiglas on one side so Bruce put a new piece in it for me. This last time the squirrels completely broke a hole out in the middle of the plexiglas and it was almost torn in two. I had asked Bruce a few times over the weekend if he could make me another piece to fix it. Well I only wait patiently for so many days for something to get done, so I took it upon myself to fix it with my duck tape. Does it look really tacky? For sure! But the birds and squirrels are very happy to have it fixed and hanging back on the deck. In the mean time I will keep my eye out for a good price on a new one just like it. You know you can only "fix" bird feeders so many times! Have a great weekend and try to stay warm!

These are the photos from our awesome road trip weekend that I took at Kevin & Ann's house Saturday night when we were all playing a very serious game of Uno Attack! I'm not sue why everyone was doing the thing with the fingers, but I think it is because apparently Bruce has proven to people more than once that not everyone can move them this way or do whatever with them. Anyway we had a blast eating too much, having plenty of beverages, and a big thanks to Joni for trying to help me get rid of the hiccups many times that night. I don't know how much water I slammed that night but apparently sleep was the one thing that permanently got rid of them. Unless of course I did have them while sleeping and Bruce didn't notice. That could be a possibility but then wouldn't I have woken up still having them? Anyways as usual a great time was had by all and the hostess Ann won the big game. The next morning she even asked me if I wanted to keep the page showing her...

We took a detour (pee stop) on our way home from the brunch. Of course I was the one that had to go and then when I got back in the vehicle there were three turkeys crossing the road up ahead of us. I snapped their picture of course. These look very small compared to all of the ones we saw on the way up and back. Maybe they were really cold and shrunk or something in size? Or maybe I was just that far away. Who knows. But I am glad that they didn't wander up to our vehicle while I was squatting alongside the road. That would have just been very weird. Enough said. Yeah for gravel roads.

So we had the annual "houseboater's brunch" last weekend and went on a roadtrip with Helen & Louie to stay in Waukon with our great friends Kevin and Ann (pictures of that to follow this week of course), and these are really the only pictures that I got at the brunch. I guess I was way too busy chatting with everyone (well I obviously missed talking to some (Natalie)) so I did not snap many photos like usual and Natalie didn't give out awards or a speech this year so there really wasn't much to snap. I did think it was really funny however that our table got labeled the "naughty kids table". We sat up top because there just wasn't enough room down for our group of 8 to sit together. And I honestly don't think there was enough room even if we didn't. But seriously the naughty kids table? The youngest (me) is 42 and I believe the oldest (Helen) will be 60 on her next birthday. Maybe they just should have called us the rebel fun ho...

So took our first road trip of the year with Helen & Louie on our way to the houseboater's brunch weekend. We stopped at a little "dive" and had lunch on the way to Waukon. Actually the food and drinks were excellent and very inexpensive so I'm not sure you could call it a dive. But you may have trouble finding it as it is out in the middle of nowhere pretty much. I think Bruce and Louie mapquested it so that we had a good idea where we were heading, but it really could be missed very easily. I think they rely on locals mostly. We left a note for some fellow houseboater's that frequent the place. I'm thinking they will be shocked that we stopped there first of all, and the fact that we left them a personal note just might make their day. I bet they are looking forward to spring time and another houseboating season just as we are. Now that I have my camera back I will share some pictures from the brunch this week. Everyone have a great Monday and w...

This oldest son can bring out both the best and the worst in me on certain days. This photo was snapped after the Chief's game Sunday night in our hotel room. Cole pretty much had this face on most of the weekend and we definitely made a total Chiefs fan! Too bad they are done for the year. Always next year. I'm not sure if I'm trying to tell him to talk to my hand or getting ready to smack him! Just kidding. We had fun I hope we can take the whole family to one again next year. Hoping you all have a great weekend! I plan on doing some cleaning out of closets and crap and getting rid of stuff! Have a good one! Stay warm.

I haven't been doing a new blog post this week for a few reasons. Lack of content to write about, very busy this week, and I left my camera in Helen's vehicle when they dropped us off at home Sunday evening. Yep me the "always snapping pictures" tourist looking gal didn't grab my camera. And Louie & Bruce unloaded everything, so apparently noone did a double look see of the back seat and not only my camera got left, but also my new covered cake pan with some Bebe bars left in it, my leather gloves, and I think that might be all. So we had a great weekend in Waukon and Lansing, but I haven't had time to pick up my stuff yet so don't have any photos to post of the good times. SOOO in the meantime since I see from my blog visitors that my posts may be missed, I am posting some photos of my wrapping helpers of Christmas presents. Taylor was a lifesaver after my Saturday shopping, and look even Gizmo & Gadget tried to be helpful! Actually they we...

Wishing a very Happy Birthday to Joey on this windy, snowy Friday. Of course I'm hoping that you are enjoying some 75 degree weather and sunshine on your special day! I think this picture is from last year, and I'm not sure what "story" Bruce is telling us all about but apparently it is funny. Bet you cannot wait until you can be sitting in that exact chair again! Spring will be here before we know it! Anyway, have a great day and do something fun. Just don't go to Mexico and drink too much tequila and forget the day!

This was Grandbaby Odneal's first present from Grandma Kay and Grandpa Bruce.(Oh my gosh are we really old enough to do this?) We wrapped it up and had Cole open it. The scary part is I think he really liked it. Ashley was with me when I bought it, but let me just say that it is may be the very FIRST thing that I bought for the baby, but it is definitely the start of many. Cannot wait to start picking up diapers and supplies and of course fun stuff and just storing them away for the next five months. We are very excited to say the least at our house. And I'm thinking I will be the luckiest Grandma of this baby since I live only three blocks away and will always be more than happy to babysit. And the best part? They live close enough that when I decide I'm too old to deal with it on any given day I know where they live and can take "her" or "him" back home! Yep we are looking forward to a little one in the house. Not sure what the cats will th...

My washer took a crap about a week before Christmas. We had just spent a small fortune last summer to have it worked on so decided it was time for a new set. I don't like the front load so Ty and I picked out this set. In about 15 minutes because my laundry room is small and the space that they needed to fit is only 53 1/2 inches along the wall that they go on. This was the ONLY set that the guy measured and said would work. To my benefit it was the one featured in their ad that day and on sale. So it was time to get the laundry room painted and Bruce even finally trimmed everything out (we've only been in this house 12 years now). My washer got delivered before Christmas, and the dryer came on Thursday before New Years. Lets just say that Bruce got them to fit but had to do so on the floor with his feet pushing the washer into place. The very helpful salesman that sold these to us measured them both on the top across! I learned from my husband that that is NOT where you measur...

Our basement steps were a little scary to say the least. Very steep and the steps were only 8". The basement has very low ceilings so is not really finishable unless a family of all small or short people wanted it finished. It just has the furnace, water heater, deep freeze, water softener, and storage of stuff on shelves. But I do have to go up and down there quite often to the freezer so Bruce decided to rebuild the steps and make them better. He pretty much completely built them out in his shop and then just screwed it all together inside. Lets just say that this was a great project done and although not necessary, it certainly feels and looks much better. I wish we had another week off to get some more projects done around the house but unfortunately we have to get back to work to make more money for more needed projects! Looking forward to tearing out a wall and new living room carpet yet this year. At least I hope that is still on the agenda for this winter! I pl...

Its name is Tank. Bruce calls it "Lunch" because he believes one of the cats will end up eating it. It was Kyle's goldfish at his house but he brought it home yesterday as he has been staying here and noone to take care of it there. I said that I would keep it and try to not kill it. The only question might be when Gizmo or Gadget might kill it. Gizmo got scolded tonight as she was at the fishbowl and knocked something off of the counter. Bruce caught her and scolded her. She hid for awhile but I'm betting it will not be the last time she is messing with Tank. Hopefully it never becomes her "LUNCH"! Happy New Year everyone!

A very Happy New Year from my family to yours! This picture is our immediate family having a great time in KC before the game last weekend. And yes, Kenny is like our other son since he tends to spend a lot of time at the Odneal household. We love him like he was our own! May everyone have a great and memorable 2011. Every year I am amazed at how fast the year flew by, and look forward every January to spring coming and another houseboating season. May we all stay healthy, happy, and prosperous in the new year! CELEBRATE!!!