The Sisters

My mom was the oldest of seven kids. This is the order the kids were born.  Arna, Chuck, Sandy, Linda, Debby, Danny and Dianne. 

Left to Right: Sandy, Linda, Debby and Dianne.  My mom passed away Nov. 17, 2007.

Left to Right: Dianne, Linda and Arna My mom. 

This was the last picture taken of my mom before she passed away.

The sisters have always been very close.  Not that they don't have their issues because believe me they do.  They are after all siblings.  One will call another one and before you know it they have conferenced called the others. What they talk about is beyond me but let me tell you they can chat with the best of them. 

It is now on the sisters to keep the Yoho family going. Keeping the family as close as it was when Granny and Grandpa Yoho were alive is very hard.  With all of the grand kids grown up and so many of us having our own kids it is almost impossible to get everyone together on any given day. 

Aunt Linda and her husband Dan have had a swimming pool in stalled along with a cabana, play ground, basketball court and zip line.  They also have a fruit tree orchard and a walking path that is a memorial for loved ones that have passed away.  It is gorgeous.  Every year they add a little something to it. For the last few years they have been throwing a 4th of July party as a family reunion. They always go above and beyond.  They provide the meat and the rest of the gang brings the sides and deserts as well as your own drink.  We have all really enjoyed ourselves.

When my mom passed away my aunts were there for my sister and I.  I don't know what we would have done without them.  They have also been there for my dad. We are blessed beyond measure to have the family we do.  I wish everyone of you has as wonderful of a family as we do.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Jackie





Disappointed

I'm so disappointed right now.  Since the trip last weekend my back as been bothering me.  I'm still able to walk but, I have to walk slowly.  If I get froggy and move a little to fast it catches and send a spasms down my leg and up my back.  That is with the stimulator on and with me taking the medication and ice hot on.

Michael came into the room last night and said that Blake's last fall home game was this Sunday.  He wants to go back up there this weekend.  With the way my back is feeling right now there is no way I can even think about going. This disappoints me so badly.  I always want to take any chance I can to see Blake.  I can't risk not being able to walk and missing work. I'm still negative 35 hours on vacation time from when I was out at the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010.

I have to mention I work for the most incredible people.  They kept paying me even when I was out of vacation time.  They allow me to take time off when my dad needs to be taken to the Dr. that is 3 hours away so it takes all day.  They also let me take off whenever I need to for Blake or when ever I need.  I normally try to make the time up because I don't want to take advantage of them or the company.

Even though I can't go I don't feel it's fair to make Michael stay home.  So, I'm encouraging him to go without me.  It stinks but, we want Blake to know he has our support.  Maybe we can Skype.  It's not the same and I won't get a hug from him but, it's better than nothing.

What would you do if you were fact with going to see your son and possibly not being able to walk after or staying home and possibly visiting him on Skype?

Hope you have a wonderfu Thursday.

Jackie

Wild West Casserole - My guys favorite meal

Wild West Casserole is one of my husband and son's favorite meals.  I learned how to make it back in high school when Michael and I first started dating.  It is very easy to make and doesn't take much time. It is not the healthiest of meals but as I've said my guys love it.

The ingredients you will need

1 pound ground beef (or turkey meat)
1 can tomato soup
1 large can of ranch style beans
1 small onion (optional - my guys do not like onion so I don't use it)
1 large bag of Frito's
1 large bag of cheddar cheese
salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Brown the hamburger meat.  Add salt, pepper and garlic to taste and chop up the onion and cook until clear with the ground meat. Drain the grease.  Add the soup and beans to the ground meat and cook until warm.  Get a cake pan.  Pour half of the Frito's on the bottom, cover with cheddar, pour in meat, soup, bean mixture, add cheddar on top of that, put the remaining Frito's on top of the cheddar and the put a final layer of cheddar on top.  Place in the oven and let cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the cheese in melted and is slightly golden on top.

I think this is best served hot.  I don't care for the left overs but my guys love it either way.  Not that we really have much left over. 

Bad back

One of the things I was worried about this weekend and so much travel is because I have a bad back.  I have five herniated disc's. Three herniated disc's in my lower back and two in my neck. I woke up early Sunday morning and was barely able to walk.  I had to take my medication and turn on my stimulator and by the time I got up I was doing quite a bit better. 

When I delivered Blake is when I pushed the vertebra out of my neck.  I felt it pop out.  I had toxemia and high blood pressure and they were giving me medication so I wouldn't have seizures.  I've been having problems with my neck since then.  It used to be just on the right side but now the pain goes down both arms and my pinkie, ring finger and thumb on both hands get numb.  Along with pain in my neck, shoulders and elbows.

I worked at a daycare starting before my Senior year of high school until I graduated.  Then when I got married I worked at a bank after about of year in the general office position I worked in the records department.  After lifting so many heavy things my back started bothering me.  I remember onetime my boss brought in water balloons and I jumped up to get out of the way and when I landed my disc slipped and I dropped to the ground.  Thank God it was a Friday so I had the weekend to recover.  The stinky thing was I had a stick shift and had to drive with my back and neck out.  That was not fun!

The first time my back went out so back that I couldn't walk was after my brother passed away.  I noticed I was dragging my leg but just thought rest would help.  I went to bed right after work one night then got up to get something out of the kitchen and my back went in to a spasms so back I was screaming and immediately dropped to the ground.  I tried for a while to get up but couldn't.  We called my Dr's office and the person on call said the ER wouldn't do anything about it.  So I was on my kitchen floor from ten PM until six thirty am when I finally allowed my husband to call the paramedics.  I was out of work for about a month.  I took pain pills, muscle relaxers and anti inflammatory and when I was able to get up a move a bit I started physical therapy.

The next time my back went out was after my grandpa and cousin passed away.  I think I was out of work for at least a month. again I was on pain pills, muscle relaxers and anti inflammatory and when I was able to get up a move a bit I started physical therapy.

I've been down a week hear and there as the times have gone on.  But this last time I was down  I was in a wheel chair then down where I couldn't walk from October of 2009 and didn't get back to work until mid January 2010.  And then it started out part time.  Even after I came back in January I still had problems walking.  I had to use a walker that has wheels and a seat.  I used it like a wheel chair but would use my legs to move it so they wouldn't get weak. I wasn't able to walk normally again until April of 2010.

 

My back Dr.  ended up installing a stimulator in my back.  It feels like a message.  If you hit the wrong program or set it to high it can give you quite a jolt. What the stimulator does is block the pain in my lower back.  It doesn't take all the pain away.  It just makes it bearable. I  have several different programs I can chose from depending on where I am hurting and how bad I am hurting.

 

The stinky thing is I am still having to take medication on a daily basis.  I don't like it but, I have to work so we can meet our bills.  Michael is awesome. He does all he can around the house so that I don't throw my back out.  I couldn't have asked for a better husband.  He spoils me rotten and is beyond patient when I am hurting.  I honestly don't know what I would do without him.

 

I sure was thankful when I woke up Monday morning with the normal pain and was able to walk.  I never know after a trip how my back and neck will respond. If it wasn't for the medication and the stimulator I think I would have ended up on disability and at forty that would have stunk!  I'm way to young to be confined at home.

 

Do any of you suffer from some kind of pain or illness?

 

Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

 

Jackie

Were back from Poteau

Michael and I both left work early in order to get on the road a little early to beat traffic.  Before we could get on the road we had to get packed, fill up the truck with gas and get dad something to nibble on. My sister came to stay with our dad. She was not able to get there until late because her oldest son Justin and his son Brody came up as a surprise for dad.  Justin had to work late so it put them in Keller later the than expected.

We finally pulled into Poteau at 8 PM.  Blake met us at the hotel so we could go to dinner.  The first place we went was closed so we ended up at Mazzio's.  After we finished dinner we went  back to the hotel and just relaxed, visited with one another and watched TV.  Blake had to be back at the dorm by 11 PM for curfew.

Saturday morning we got up way earlier then I would have liked to but, it was worth it knowing I would get to see Blake again. We hop in the truck fill up with gas again and drive another 90 miles to Clarksville, Arkansas.  The most exciting thing to happen on the drive was Michael poking a hole in his huge fountain drink and trying to keep it from spilling all over until we could get stopped.  When Michael got back in the truck he had another fountain drink some M&M’s for him and Bit of Honey for me.  We start going and he drops an M&M.  I wish you would have been there to see his reaction to that.  To say he wasn’t happy is putting it mildly. I just laughed at him.

We make it to Clarksville and watch baseball from 12 PM until 6 PM.  The Vikings won 2 out of the 3 games.  All of the boys had an opportunity to play.  It was a very long day of baseball.  The weather was beautiful.  It was sunny with a nice cool breeze.  We couldn’t have asked for a better day.   I was very thankful for the shade that we had.  In my younger days I would have stayed out in the sun.  I guess I’ve learned in my old age.

Blake rode the bus back with the team.  Michael and I stopped to eat at Longhorn Steak House.  It was wonderful.  We didn’t get back to the hotel until 9PM.  Blake came to the hotel after he took a shower and got cleaned up.  We got to see the ending of the Ranger game and the Longhorn game.  They both won so the boys were happy campers.  Blake hasn’t gotten to watch sports very much since he has been in Poteau.  So we watched ESPN after the Ranger and Longhorn games were over and talked sports.  Well the guys did.  I put in my 2 cents on occasion.

Sunday we slept in until 10 AM.  We got up and took Blake to brunch.  We were going to do his laundry with him however, when we got to the laundry mat he realized he forgot his laundry detergent.  Laundry detergent is kind of key if you want to have clean clothes. So we headed to Wal-Mart to get the few things he needed.  When we were leaving there was a guy around 20 going in without a shirt on.  When we got in the car Michael surprised us with his shirt off.  We were cracking up.  He is a nut.  As soon as we saw him he hurried up and put his shirt back on.  You never know what my husband is going to do.  He is so funny. 

We originally planned on leaving Poteau around 3PM but ended up leaving around 1 instead.  Blake was going to go to Fort Smith with a friend and we had a long drive home. 

On the drive home I up loaded pictures I had taken this weekend.  I also passed the time reading a new book I picked up called Forever Faithful the complete trilogy by Karen Kingsbury.  I will let you know how it is when I finish reading it.  I also got some sleep.

We finally got home around 6 PM.  We unpacked and then went to the grocery store to get dad all the stuff he would need for the week.

It was a busy weekend but we really enjoyed ourselves.  I hope you had a wonderful weekend as well.

Jackie

A to Z of Me

I found this on Blended so Splendid and thought it would be a great way for you to get to know me a little better.  Most likely more information then you wanted to know. ;-)

A to Z of ME!


Note: I borrowed this idea from: Blended so Splendid

A. Age: 40
B. Bed size: Queen. However I would love a King.

C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning I can't walk after I finish.

D. Dogs: 2 Maverick and Buddy
E. Essential start to your day: Dr. Pepper

F. Favorite color: Blue
G. Gold or Silver: Both
H. Height: 5'4 1/2"
I. Instruments you play: Clarinet (well I used to play it don't think I can anymore)

J. Job title: Office Manager

K. Kids: One almost 20 Michael Blake Hall
L. Live: Keller, Texas
M. Mother’s name: Yoho (oops just read this and that was mom maiden name.  Her name is Arna)
N. Nicknames: Jackie (my real name is Jacqueline) Jack, Cracker Jack, Shackie (a combination of my sisters and my name by my grandpa)
O. Overnight hospital stays: Well I had toxemia so I was in about a week then was let out for a few days over Thanksgiving and then went back the following Friday and had Blake.
P. Pet peeves: Rude people

Q. Quote from a movie: Bull Durham ( I didn't remember all of this I had to look it up.)

Crash Davis: Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the p***y, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.

R. Right or left handed: Right

S. Siblings: One brother Ronnie, One sister Shannon

T. This one is missing, made up by BSS... Tea or Coffee: Tea.
U. Underwear: Yes
V. Vegetable you hate: Lima Beans, Peas
W. What makes you run late: I'm not a morning person
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Back
Y. Yummy food that you make: Wild West Casserole or baked goods

Z. Zoo animal: Lions

Hope you had a wonderful Sunday!

Jackie

Survivor: South Pacific

We have been watching Survivor from the first episode. What is it 20 some odd seasons ago.  We love it. The first season we would be a some practice for Blake anxiously awaiting for it to end so we could hurry up and get to the house and see what was going on. Over time the episodes have gotten little predictable.  On occasion you will have some craziness happen.  That is what keeps you coming back for more.

This year they had two returning players.  Ozzy and Coach.  Both have played two other times.  But neither have won the million dollars.

This season I was expecting the same old Coach.  We are three shows in and he hasn't been his normal out spoken wacko self.  He has finally grown up some what or they are just not showing that part of the show.  He seems like he is trying another approach this season. Heck, it's his 3rd time to play he should have learned something.

Ozzy is my favorite.  I have always loved Ozzy and rooted for him each time he has played.  He knows what he is doing.  And works his tail off around camp.  It always blows me away to seem him climbing up a coconut tree like it's walking on the ground.  I hope he goes all the way. 

Brandon Hantz is Russel Hantz nephew.  Russel was on the show a couple of times.  Oh my word he was rotten but he made the show worth watching.  Russel is one of those players you love to hate.  Brandon keeps saying he is nothing like his uncle.  However, Brandon has already started lying to try and get his way and was busted for it.   I don't trust him.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out with him.

The rest of the cast hasn't jumped out at me.  Maybe a few players ever now and then but two have already gone to redemption island.  One lost the redemption island challenge.  I don't want to say their names just in case you have the show recorded and have not gotten to watch it yet.

Do you like Survivor? Do you watch Survivor?  If you do who is your favorite player and why?

Have a great day!

Jackie