I’ve been trying to talk hubby into building a house for many years now with no luck. He was so against it from day one that I finally gave up and accepted it as it was.

Now….(that I have resigned myself to dying in the house we’re in) he has decided that we need a bigger house. He says that the house is too small for five people and even though the kids won't be living at home forever, they will come back occasionally and bring more people with them when they come.

That is one of the points I tried to make years ago when trying to talk him into a bigger house. I absolutely LOVE when I'm right

Anyway.....now that the decision has been made to do something different, we’ve been trying to figure out what is going to work the best for us. Whatever we end up doing, we know it will be at least two years before anything is done but I figure this is good because that gives us two years to battle out the differences in what we want and get our ducks in a row, so to speak.

We’ve pretty much figured that building is the only way we’re going to get exactly what we want in a house but we're not sure if that's the route we want to take.

Our options seem to keep multiplying and giving us more to think about . As we see them, they are............build on the land that we have now..........sell what we have and buy another piece of property with a house on it..........keep what we have now and buy a new piece of land with a house and rent out the old house...........or add on to the house that we’re in now.

The addition to the existing house seems to be one of the easiest ways to go but it could end up costing us just as much money to get it like we want it as it would cost to build a new house so if this is the case……I take new over old.

The idea of buying a new place and renting out the one we have is also tempting for the extra income but right now this is the last option on our list because we’re not sure we really want to go into the headaches of the rental business. This is still way up in the air but not ruled out.

Selling what we have and putting that money towards another piece of property with a house already on it would able us to get more for our money if we play our cards right but this would only work with the right timing. Right house at the right price at the right time. Like now, there is a house that seems right for us on a different piece of property, for a good price, but we’re not in the position to do so right now.

I think when it comes down to it, even though we’re toying with these different possibilities, we’ll most likely build where we are or build elsewhere (I think we’re both ready to move away from where we are). We’re both pretty specific about certain things that we want in the house and how we want it and unless one hell of a deal comes along at the right time, then to get what we want, we’re going to have to build our own.

Now, if we could only agree on the size of the house and where to build it, we’d be doing good.

It's been very cold the past couple of days. We've had to continually break the ice for the dogs so they can have fresh water and not lick an iceblock

Our pond is frozen enough that the dogs walk across it. I don't know why they do this (it's a very small pond). Maybe they think the grass is greener on the other side (4 feet across ) I guess they really haven't figured out that there is NO grass on the other side.....or the side that they left. But hey....this is why I love 'em. They tend to act like me at times

I happened to look in the mirror this morning.....ok...I look in the mirror EVERY morning.......but this morning I really paid attention to what I was seeing.

The first thing I notice is two red eyes staring back at me. They were all shiny, like new marbles with red streaked throughout. I started to tap on the mirror and ask that person what the hell she did with Sybil, then I took closer look and noticed that the same rash on my cheek I've been battling for quite a few days is still there and laughing at me.

At first I thought the rash was just dry skin (and it might be but I'm doubting that theory more and more) but lotion doesn't seem to be helping. It hasn't changed since it first appeared. Same size, color, etc. It really doesn't itch that bad. I guess if it still there in a few days then I will get it checked out but I think it's my body's way of saying "HEY!!! I'm still here and I'm gonna fuck with you just to piss you off" My body can be an evil bitch.

Like the rash isn't bad enough, I move my eyes back up for one more glance at the red-eyed monster before settling on the top of my head. I now know that the Evil Bitch is working her spells. There is a 'target' of grey hair right in the middle of my parted hair. It's like she's planted one there for each year I've been on this earth. Bitch!

Well, little does she know, Wally World still sells hair color. I'll fix her.

It must have been a shock to my system seeing all that ICK first thing this morning because I then started talking to the 'monster' in the mirror

The usual conversation one usually has with oneself.......

You really need a haircut.............Damn, your eyes look like shit (maybe you shouldn't have had that last beer).........Ya know, you really should get that rash looked at...........Mental note...buy more chapstick......Your lips look like parchment paper..........Great, another wrinkle.............Look how puffy your eyes are........and bloodshot......damn......maybe you shouldn't have had the last TWO beers.........Fucking, rash....Mental note....buy new blush brush........Hey...maybe THAT'S where that funky rash came from..........Note to self...check out the blush/rash thing........Holy cow!!!!.......Look at those fucking eyebrows......OMG...I can't believe you're going out of the house with those things!!!.........Fucking rash........If it turns out to be shingles, I'll do major bodily harm to M at the office for dragging that shit around everyone............Jesus....do something with your eyes..........Fucking rash

Now you know why I don't REALLY look in the mirror everyday

I'm not sure why, but it hit me like a ton of bricks the other night......

My son will be 16 in March!!!

I had a hard time with my oldest turning 18 (16 didn't bother me with her) but I've grown accustomed to her getting older and when she hit 19 this year, it wasn't THAT big of a deal. My youngest daughter turned 16 and didn't make me feel funny but she is soon to be 18 and this freaks me out a little. Actually it freaks me out right much. She will graduate then 3 weeks later, turn 18. TWO major milestones in the space of a month but that's a whole 'nother story.

My son turning 16 just floors me. I'm not sure why. I guess it's because he's the last one. I will no longer have anyone that 'will be' 16 or any other age before that. Then he will be turning 18 and graduating before I know it.

Aside from him soon to be 16, he's growing like a weed. I already have to look up to him and from what I understand, boys sometimes hit a growth spurt around 16 . If this is the case then I will end up getting a crick in my neck

I can't imagine he will be that tall anyway since I'm not tall and his daddy isn't tall. Unless he has the genes that other family members have. There are a few that are well over 6 feet but I don't think he will end up being quite THAT tall but ya never know. He sure seems to be on his way right now.

I also notice that he is starting to 'fill out'. His shoulders are getting broader and the same with his legs...they are starting to 'thicken' up and not look so 'kiddish'. Not to mention they're pretty hairy My baby is turning into a man

I joking asked him the other day if he had started shaving yet, whichI know he hasn't, and he just gave me some odd look that I am probably glad I didn't know the meaning of I told him if he's lucky then he'll end up being like his daddy and not being hairy at all. Unless of course, being hairy is 'the thing' for guys. I don't know. Personally, I prefer the less hairy of the species

Oh well, whatever happens, happens. Not much I can do to make him grow or stop (not that I would want to and if I did then I should've picked a different father ). However he turns out is fine by me. It's still a little mind boggling tat he is turning into that 'miniature man' right before my eyes.

After him, I have no more 'babies'

Wow....what a sobering thought. In four years, I could be fighting the empty nest syndrome

Who the hell am I kidding...........they ain't going NOWHERE