Things you understand if you lived in upstate NY

Some of this is a little crude so, please forgive me but these are all very true to those of us from upstate NY. One of my old classmates who still lives there sent me this list and I couldn't help but laugh all the way through it because it is so true, most of it anyways. One of the things that I still relate to the most is #64 so, I just say near Rochester and Syracuse because my town was so small we didn't even have a stop light. I would love to know from some of my dear transplanted friends here in NC if you can relate to any of these things.

1. Your idea of a traffic jam is 10 cars waiting to pass a tractor on the highway
2. "Vacation" means going to Syracuse for the weekend
3. You measure distance in hours
4. You know several people who have hit deer more than once
5. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day
6. You stay in your house most of the summer because you aren't used to the heat
7. You drive at 55 mph through 10 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching
8. You see people wearing hunting clothes at social events
9. You install security lights on your house and garage but leave both unlocked
10. One of your neighbors constantly has bonfires
11. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them
12. There are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at the supermarket at any given time
13. Your idea of a huge party is one with lots of cheap beer and some people you go to school with
14. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled in with snow
15. You think sexy lingerie is silk pajamas from wal-mart
16. You know 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, cold, construction
17. It takes you 2 hours to go to the store for one item even when you're in a rush because you have to stop and talk to everyone in town
18. At least 6 people that you see a day have beards and stains on the front of their shirt
19. Cows are just part of the scenery
20. You or someone you know has a car that sounds like a big truck and can barely make it 20 miles yet no one says anything about it.
21. At least fives times in your normal travel day you will pass or be passed by a beat-up, old car that has had an attempted pimping out, such as a brand new oversized spoiler on a rust covered trunk, spinning HUBCABS, or everyones favorite, the performance exhaust on a car running on barely three cylinders.
22. You know that the phrase, "Goin up ta," applies to going north, south, east, or west, up or down in elevation, and pretty much any other way you can travel.
23. The smell of freshly spread cow manure doesn't bother you.
24. Its perfectly normal for your life's aspirations to be working for the county.
25. Getting "dressed up" means tucking your shirt into your jeans and putting on clean work boots.
26. Holloween costumes are always designed around a snowsuit and winter boots.
27. You appreciate the delicacy known as Croghan Bologna, and serve it at all social gatherings.
28. On the same platter as the Croghan Bologna is a selection of flavored cheese curd, which you also love.
29. You know very well that the verizon guy didn't walk through your town going, "can you her me now" because reception is, at best, limited.
30. Your proud of your redneck-ness and where your from.
31. You can name everyone you graduated with.
32. You know what 4-H is.
33. You went to a party that was held about 20 miles down a deserted dirt road.
34. You used to drag "main."
35. You said a curse word and your parents knew within an hour.
36. You schedule parties around the schedule of different police officers since you know which ones would bust you.
37. You ever went or thought about going cow-tipping.
38. School gets canceled for a sports team going toState
39. You could never buy cigarettes cause all the store clerks knew how old you were.
40. When you did find someone old enough to buy smokes for you, you had to drive down country backroads to smoke them.
41. You never missed a Homecoming parade.
42. You still go home for Homecoming.
43. It was cool to date someone from a neighboring town.
44. You had a senior skip day.
45. The whole school went to the same party after graduation.
46. You can't help but date a friend's ex.
47. Your car is always filthy from the dirt roads.
48. You think that kids who ride skateboards are weird.
49. The town next to you is considered "trashy" or "snotty" when it is just like your town.
50. Getting paid minimum wage is considered a raise.
51. You refer to anyone with a house newer than 1980 as the "rich people."
52. The people in the big city dress funny then you pick up on the cool new trend two years later. 53. You bragged to your friends because you got pipes on your truck for your birthday.
54. On Fridays, anyone you want to find can be found at Main Street or the Dairy Queen.
55. Weekend excitement involves a trip to RiteAid.
56. Even the ugly people enter beauty contests.
57. You decide to walk for exercise and 5 people pull over and ask you if you need a ride.
58. Your teachers call you by your older sibling's name.
59. The closest "cool stores" are at least 45 miles away.
60. The local phone book has only one yellow page.
61. You leave your jacket on the back of the chair in the cafe, and when you go back the next day, it's still there, on the same chair.
62. You don't signal turns because everyone knows where you're going, anyway.
63. You call a wrong number and they supply you with the correct one.
64. You have to name six surrounding towns to explain to people where you're from.
65. Driving to the party on a four wheeler is quite normal.
66. The town population increases by one-third when the universities go on break.
67. When somebody says "Thats billy fucillo HUGE" you know exactly what they are talking about
68. You laugh your head off reading this because you know it's true and then forward it to everyone in your address book, which is actually half your town

Wheat and Lactose allergies HELP

Look at this handsome little man. We love him so and he is such a joy to play with but his tummy is making him a very unhappy little guy right now.


















"Are you serious that I may not be able to have any more cows milk?"


We took the boys in for their usual check up before school starts this morning. The boys are growing in height but not in weight both actually have lost weight especially Gabriel. Landen has lost weight due to his high matabolism and Gabriel well, due to other reasons.
Over the past couple of months Gabriel has been refusing to eat complaining that it hurts his tummy. He really has gone on and on about this and when he was even turning down hamburgers we knew something was definitely wrong. I explained this to the Dr and how when he eats certain foods he gets a tummy ache. Now some of these things include cake and cookies which to most children are very yummy. Gabriel doesn't like them and says that they hurt his tummy. The same things has been happening with milk and dairy products. Gabriel explained that it feels like spikes are stabbing him.
These symptoms show symptoms of lactose and wheat allergies so, the Dr sent us to the lab. They are testing Gabriel for these allergies and for the next week he can not have any dairy products at all until we hear back with the results. If we find out that he indeed has wheat allergies we will be a wheat free home. Do you know how hard this is going to be???
I can only imagine... I am thankful though that if it is all of this we have caught it while he is young and that he will no longer be living in pain after every meal.
I would love to hear any information that you ladies have who may be experiencing this yourself. I am getting closer and closer to scheduling an appointment with some of my friends Dr. "Hey Lindsay do you think you can ask him about that 1/2 price for 1/2 the organs?"

Pool time

Lilly and her buddy Ernie chilling in the pool. Landen finally decided to take the plunge.

This has two slides so let the fun begin. As you can see these two LOVE it! Gabriel is not in these pics because of his asthma he prefers to stay inside during the day due to the heat.

Our children have been asking us to please buy a pool for the back yard. Now our yard is big enough for an inground pool which I am steadily working on but it will probably be next year (hopefully Daddy?). Anyways this afternoon I thought I would surprise our sweet angels and pick up a small pool to put on our back patio.

I though that I had the coolest thing ever it looks like a dragon for the boys and has two slides for the girly. But to my surprise Landen was not impressed. This is for babies well at his age any small pool is for babies but after it was blown up even he decided to take a dive. It will keep them cool and they can have some fun no matter what time of day.