What?

I am 31 years old...relatively healthy...never had sinus issues until about a year ago, but now, the Mother of all sinus infections has hit me HARD! I am off work for 12 days and I have spent most of them with a headache, sinus pressure and at least one nostril not open for air passage. WTH? I finally dragged both kids off to my Dr yesterday where I was put on a Zpack. With that name, I thought I'd be feeling better about 5 minutes after the first dose, but no, I feel the same 24 hours later. Only better...now I have a back ache to go with all the crap in my head. I have a husband off work today but he's fishing and two kids who are DYING to do something fun...Otterville (too loud), Wonderpark (too loud), the Zoo (too outside), Chuck E Cheese (no way in hell). I'm half tempted to try something new, like one of those places where you paint your own pottery and then can create something for New Years...but somehow I don't think Zac will go for that. Anyone want a 6 year old hyped up on candy and toys for the day? He is quite entertaining and FULL of energy!

Shopping

Why is it that when I WANT to shop and have money and all the time in the world I can find NOTHING, NOTHING to buy? I can roam around Kohls for an hour with money burning a hole in my pocket and sales in absolutely every square inch of the place, but I walk out with a wallet for my husband and underwear for me? Seriously, why? I looked at all the 70% of xmas crap thinking I would find lots of cute items for my house for next year, but nothing jumped out at me. Now, 3 days ago if I were to go there and see all that stuff at full price, I would have wanted it so badly. But no, I get underwear from the clearance rack, a wallet for Terry and head to Starbucks, where at least nothing there is on sale, so there's always something there I want!

If you're bad!

Hey all! REALLY long time since I posted. Too much has been happening! First of all, I am a BUS DRIVER!!!! I passed my test and have a CDL license and cart snotty, er precious cargo every morning and afternoon. So far I haven't had too many mishaps. There's a lot of routes that require you turn around en route...such as back the bus into a cemetery, or a street, or my favorite, in a ditch by a cliff (ok, I exagerrate, but it would be a far fall for a bus!) so that you can get back to school. FUN TIMES! Especially at 7am in the dark! So last week, I backed into this street which is literally at the edge of a railroad track and managed to get my bus into someone's yard! The kids got a BIG kick out of that, as did my boss. Apparently, everyone does that a time or two before they can do it blindly in the dark. Aren't you glad you and your kids don't live in Goshen? LOL!

We also discovered that Lillie is up on her Santa rules. Last week, amidst all the snotty noses and coughs at our house, Lillie told Zac that if he wasn't good, Santa would bring him a COLD! Very matter of factly!!!! I had to leave the room. Then when I could breathe again, I explained that he brings COAL, not a COLD! I guess we have all been bad to get this nasty beast of a cold that we have.

We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and that Santa brings you something other than a cold!

Wow, where have I been?

I didn't realize I hadn't updated in so long, but it's not a popular site, more for my benefit than anything. I have been busy...not totally slacking. This week, I started training for my new job and painted the kitchen in the afternoons. See, I have accomplished something! So, with that said, what am I getting myself into? My new job....school bus driver....is going to be CRAZY!!!!! I started training this week and actually drove a bus today and Tuesday and it's so freakin' fun and terrifying all at the same time. Anyway, after I get the basics down and can pass the driving test and pre-trip test I will officially be a bus driver and have to put up with the horror stories of kids I have been hearing about. I cannot believe what I'm hearing from the other drivers....I know they are trying to make me realize that it's not going to be all "Driving Miss Daisy" but give a girl a break. Cussing, kids that don't listen, kids that hear you and choose not to obey, police, write ups. The other drivers are super nice and some are quite funny....it's going to be a great job. Any job that you can wear sweats to, is a great job! Any job that you can drag your kids along for the ride (no pun intended) and that's totally ok, is a great job!

So, that's my story. Thrilling as it is....new job and a nice "terra cotta" colored kitchen to boot! Maybe I'll update again before Thanksgiving! LOL!

Long time, no post!

Clean! AHHH! That's all I smell around me today! If you had told me that I would spend 1 FULL hour cleaning my OWN bedroom today, I would have told you that you were crazy! My Mom and Dad just got back from Georgia and brought my Aunt with them for a visit. She's coming tomorrow to see our house and WOW, have I let it go! I mean REALLY go! I am home all afternoon alone and had grand visions of painting and cleaning and getting things in order...heck, even scrapping. Know what I've done? Nadda! Nilch! I've shopped and sat back with some Ben and Jerry's and watched my soaps. Really, that's all I've done. I even invested in those blue toilet bowl cleaners that clean everytime you flush, and I haven't touched the toilet brush in about 3 weeks. That's how lazy I have become. And now with company coming tomorrow, someone who has never seen my house, I realized just how much work was needed. I did both kids' rooms (which I did do last week, to be honest but as soon as I'm done, tornadoes whip through them in a matter of minutes!) and then I came into my room. I actually hadn't dusted in there in I don't know how long. Terry and I just shut our door when people come over....well NO MORE! I'm standing up for my Master Suite and keeping it clean, for me and Terry. We deserve a room where we don't step on legos getting out of bed to pee at night. We deserve a room where baby dolls don't cohabitate with the humans. We deserve a room where the TV isn't always set to Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network and the computer isn't hogged by people under 4 ft. Right! Who's with me?

Ahh, anyway, we also deserve a room where the bathroom floor is mopped every so often and the dust bunnies behind the toilet scamper off every now and then. I'm a work in progress though, so we'll see if it can last. At least all the beds are made, the upstairs bathrooms are clean and the closets are presentable. WHEW! Off to grab a snack and watch a soap! I deserve it! LOL!

Zac is 6!!!!!!

Zac turned 6 yesterday and had a whirlwind weekend of events. First, he had a playdate at his girlfriends' house (Annelise). Sunday was his family party and Monday was his bowling party! His actual birthday was spent at school...but Mom and Lillie managed to get into the cafeteria with cupcakes for his class at lunchtime, so all in all it wasn't a bad few days for the kid! Here's some pics! There's one of Zac and Annelise! And one of Zac and Lillie on the first day of school and one of the bowling party!

Funny, school, misc.....

OK, so I have a little of everything to throw into this post, so here goes:
1. Zac made it into the advanced Kindergarten class AND lost his second tooth! GOOOOO ZAC!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Lillie met her teachers and had a great time with them! She played with them and showed them all around her house and yard....very cute!
3. Today, Zac went to his "girlfriend's" house---for a playdate. I was going to do errands with Lillie, but Lillie invited herself once we got there and didn't even tell me goodbye....that's so not like her, but I'll take it for an afternoon of shopping ALONE!
4. Zac was joking with his friend while at his girlfriend's house and it got out that he likes another girl as well. His girlfriend took off running and crying to her room (they are 5, well, Zac is almost 6, but that's still young for love problems!) and when that happened, Zac shrugged and looked at her Mom like, "what's HER problem?" Too funny...he then told her Mom that he cries when things don't go his way too!
5. Lillie was playing at said girlfriend's house with a baby doll that cries. After a few minutes of the crying doll, she politely asked the Mom of the girlfriend, "How do you make it shut up?"---yes, that's what I teach my kids....shut up, not quiet down, be quiet, inside voices, keep it down....shut up, that's what they hear! NOT!

pie-pie

Do you know what pie-pie is? It's a Zac word. It's actually real to him, and everyone has heard of this thing, but Zac has a uniquely cute way of saying it. Pie-pie = Popeye! We love Popeye and his spinach eating, even though we won't go NEAR the stuff....LOL!

Zac's Dream Job

Lately, Zac has been talking NON STOP about growing up and being a soldier. We talk morning, noon and night about the war that's going on (not because I want to people, but because the boy is 110% interested) and about our soldiers that are over there fighting for us. Along with making our home a war zone during playtime at home, Zac has decided the following, stated in his own words:
1. He knows that his Grandpa was in the Navy, as was his Great Grandpa, but they were in the "Old Navy" (like the store) and he's going to be in the new Navy, also known as the real one that actually goes to war.
2. He knows he will be careful and watch out for "bad guys" with guns and swords. I have not yet told him that we fight with guns only...swords are from the "Old Navy" LOL!
3. He will help WIN the war once he's a soldier, but is curious to know how he will get home from the war and how they will know that he's over there and where his exact location is.
4. And last but not least, if he is in fact hurt in battle, he will stay and help his friends, rather than come home to his Mom, because that's the way they do it on TV.

Signing out from a bunker in Goshen, Zac's proud Mom!

Seriously?

In the last few days I have had 3 things BREAK! Saturday, I am flying down the highway at 70 mph when I see my taillight HANGING off my car...ok ok more like flapping in the breeze. I get out, tape it back on (no, I'm not kidding!), and continue on my journey. Find out today, that sucker will cost me $120!!!! YAY! Wake up today and no coffee. You guessed it...our free, 3 year old Gevalia coffee maker has bit the dust. GOOD RIDDANCE--could you at least give me ONE cup and THEN die? Fine, I'll be a caffeineless brat and set off to buy one. I went out and got a cuter, more compact version with a timer, and it's white, to match all our other appliances, big and small. Great!!!!!! Go to work, call home for an address (I shop for others online while I work-lol!) and Terry, the not-so-handy man tells me the dishwasher isn't working. Ok, now I've had it. Last month our Mickey Mouse toaster, this month my tail light, coffee maker and NOW the dishwasher? I feel like I live in a third world country....tape on my car, no coffee, washing dishes by hand. I'm off to find my "Aunt Jemima" headwrap so I can get to work. Anyone know how to unclog a dishwasher drain?

Random thoughts.....

This past week has been BUSY!!!! I'm not sure where the week went, but it's gone. In between it all though, there has been some things--I can't describe them, just things, such as:
1. Lillie walking into the kitchen one morning with my recorder from 4th grade while it was sticking out from her pants....telling me "SHE has a penis too....just like Zac"--this before breakfast, people!
2. Zac telling me he was too shy to sing happy birthday to me. That, and he had sang it enough in the last week (at one friend's party) and was tired of it. Gee, thanks!
3. My birthday dinner consisted of taquitos, cheese sticks, toast and chicken nuggets. Wanna know why? I got a brand new halogen toaster oven, and I cooked everything frozen that I could find in my freezer (it was the day before my every other week grocery shopping extravaganza!)
4. Zac's baseball coach...if I haven't told you about him, that's cause I don't like him. He's an arrogant SOB and was never on time, if he even SHOWED, to the practices and games. He shows up at the picnic today and assumes we all want our kids on his team next year. Thank GOD we were at a state park where wine was not allowed....I would have been loosened up enough to tell him what everyone thought of him. Dummy!
5. Zac told his ENTIRE team and everyone within earshot today at the baseball picnic that his Grandpa has FAKE teeth! Must have been on the subject of loose teeth and converted it to "Zac's lesson in tooth care...don't take care of 'em, you loose 'em"!
6. Lillie refuses to wear clothes around the house...only panties! All the time....everyday!
7. Our hillbilly neighbors DROVE about 10 houses down the street to a party....why? To drop off the case of BUD they were bringing. They actually started a car, drove about 1/10 of a mile (if that) down the street to deliver their BEER!! Ummmm, WOW!
8. Wine goes REALLY fast when you have a "bottomless" glass.
9. This older guy at McDonalds, with his grandkids, burped SO LOUD and did NOT say excuse me....RUDENESS! I was afraid to breathe for like 5 minutes...I didn't want to smell his snack wrap aftermath! Geez!
10. The little girl across the street who is totally OBSESSED with other people's cars! Whenever anyone pulls up in their driveway and Trinity sees it, she's over there like a flash, inspecting the interior, asking questions about where the driver has been, asking to get in, getting in before getting a response, even messing with the handles that make the seats fold down. She threw one lady in the neighborhood falling into her backseat the other day...all from pulling the handle! She's 3 people...future CEO of a car manufacturer!

Well, I'm off to watch some movie with the kiddos!

World's Worst Scrapbooker

I have decided to call myself the world's worst scrapper EVER! I have just spent two houre going thru a HUGE bag of photos. They are in no order, half of them aren't even in the "Walgreens" envelope that I brought them home in, and none of them are in a photo album of any kind. I must have a thousand plus pics, and no place to put them. I have 3 scrapbooks started though! Zac's first year, which was completed hastily so that it could be viewed at his gigantic first birthday party, one that starts to outline his second year of life, which goes to Christmas of 2001 (he was born in August 2000, so I scrapped his 1st birthday party, his Halloween and his Christmas morning and that is all, my friends!) and then Lillie's first year, which isn't even finished! I put together a few pages for her not so gigantic first birthday party, but she's about to turn 4 and has not one picture to show for it. I have the materials, I have the time (if I put down the remote and walk away from the computer....as if!) and I have the pictures, obviously! So what's wrong with me?

Tomorrow I will embark on the scrapbooking journey once again. I am going to the "Stamper of all stampers" house and she is going to help me. She'll probably RUN when she see's what she has to work with...so we'll see how good of a friend she really is. Picture this....a woman that never has a hair out of place, with a 4 year old that's smarter than most 10 year olds I know, again, without a hair out of place, that speaks very well, dresses well and is as organized as a library book shelf! Her house is well decorated and always in order, her car looks better than a model in the showroom (mine has not looked like a showroom car since it left the there...mine is more like the inside of a vacuum bag!) and her scrapbooks are up to date...can you believe that? I am not lying...up to date! Have you ever heard of such a thing?

So, I will scrapbook what I must and chuck the rest back into a bag until I can find a system that works well with my chaos. I'm thinking photo boxes...easy, somewhat organized, and doesn't require much time--that is if I don't have to put my photos in chronological order!

Thankful!

I'm learning more and more everyday to count my blessings and be thankful for all that I have. I hear so many things, see so much sadness and have had some pretty horrible times myself, but I made it through and I'm happy and things are well and I'm content. My sister on the other hand, is having the opposite happen to her right now. Aside from getting divorced after a short 5 month marriage, she decided to get into a specialized field of investments and has since been fired from her last job. Do you know that specialized jobs are hard to come by at this day in age? Hers is! So she married an alcoholic asshole in 2003, to which I toasted them at the reception and made a comment or two (or more, I can't remember!) about how he better treat her right and realize what he gained that day. She ended up leaving him and losing most of her brand new stuff, including her new house in exchange for the dogs that they adopted while they were together. She loves those dogs with all her heart and afraid that they would be abused, she gave up lots to this guy. What she forgot to do was follow through on their joint, open credit card accounts that he was to pay off and close. Meanwhile, she moves on in her career after the divorce, finds a new path, decides to give it a go with a new company, and whammo, gets fired 8 months later. You are now at February in my sister's life. She has been interviewing, looking out for the perfect opportunity and nothing has come along yet. She has been hanging out at the pool this summer and helping a friend run his bar. What a life! Until a few weeks back...on her way to help her friend, she gets rear ended by a uninsured driver, who wants her to lie to the sheriff and say that it was his Mom driving the car. My sister didn't lie, but now's she's stuck with a messed up rear end and has no money to pay her deductible to get it fixed. What is WRONG with this picture? Why isn't the uninsured in JAIL? I bet he would come up with the money damn skippy quick if he was faced with jail time. Makes me want to cancel our insurance and pocket the money. I mean really, if nothing happens to these losers, why not ALL drive around uninsured and just stick to prayer as our insurance? Fast forward to yesterday....sister gets a collection call. From a company that ex-husband was to pay off and close. Guess what the butthead did? He went out and charged a few thousand more $$$ in his and my sister's name! And didn't pay the bill! So now, she's being called upon to fix it! The unemployed girl, divorced from a jerk, hit by an uninsured driver and now, hit again in the gut with her ex! How far exactly is rock bottom and when will my sister arrive? Soon, I hope...we need to see her LIVE again. The worst case scenario....she has to file bankruptcy and lose her career forever and move onto something else. Best case scenario, ex pays this bill and she find a job and can get her car fixed AND find a good man. I'll settle for somewhere in the middle.

All that said....THANK YOU GOD FOR ALL WE HAVE, ALL WE ARE, AND ALL WE DON'T HAVE!

Bank favorites!

I have discovered that although I don't like going to work 4 nights a week, even though I'm only part time, sometimes, the evenings have to make me giggle. Take Sunday evening, for example. This past Sunday I worked 5 hours, took 96 calls and here's a random sample of the things I had to deal with:

---Customer says, "That's all I need"--I reply, "Thank you for calling .....bank, we appreciate your business" and JUST as I'm ready to disconnect the call, I hear, "OH, one more thing..."--people, if you aren't really done with me, don't tease me!

---About 15 of those 96 calls were idiots that lost their debit card. A holiday weekend is upon us and people lose all ability to keep track of a small piece of plastic. If that's not bad enough, they all feel like giggling about it and giving me the same story....and when you've had 3 calls like this in a row, you just want to tell the next person that they are too stupid to have one and you cannot reorder one for them.

---Customer says, "Why can't I withdraw funds at the ATM?" I reply, "You don't have enough funds in your account" to which customer replies, "You usually let me overdraw my account up to $500, so why is now different?"---After looking at the account it seems that everytime payday comes around, this idiot overdraws ON PURPOSE around $500, and then pays loads of overdraft fees until the next payday comes along. The bank has since decided not to let this customer overdraw any longer and she's mad! Are you kidding? It's a CHECKING ACCOUNT, NOT A LOAN!!!!!! Get a grip!

--- My personal fave of the evening....a customer named Frogy. That's his first name...and no, I can't make that up!

Ahh, the joys of working for a bank. And while you all are enjoying fireworks tonite, I will be taking your calls...whether it be lease calls or online banking calls, or "I lost my check card" calls, I will be there, missing all the action. No need to feel sorry....I only have to work 2 hours! LOL! And for good measure, I called in sick last night and our family went to Coney Island for loads of rides, pizza, a hot air balloon glow and fabulous fireworks....and it made me feel much better (HAHA!)

Our friend Sarah!!!!!

She's HILARIOUS!!! She's Lillie's friend, just turned 3 in February, and just started taking tumbling class in a non-air conditioned facility (we are in Cincinnati, the most humid place I know, according to my hair!) I guess the instructor sweats quite a bit, so last week Sara told her that she was leaking! LOL! Her mom explained to her what sweating was and left it at that. So, after tonite's lesson she went up to her instructor and said, "You sure sweat a lot...you should really talk to someone about that!" as sweet and innocent as you please!! I about wet myself when I heard that story!!!!!

Plain cute!

As you all know, Lillie has some speech issues. She has, as of late, worked a lot of them out! Thinking back to last year at this time and to now, she's really come a long way. And since she was accepted into preschool on an IEP for speech for next year, I think she's going to be up to speed before she turns 5. That said, there are still a few things that she says that are not correct, but are sooooo incredibly cute! Her new fave thing...Strawberry Shortcake! We keep getting videos from the library of her, and we sing about her all the time. How does Lillie say it though, you ask? Straw-buh-berry Shortcake! I think that's just how she hears it, maybe, or maybe it's just too hard to say correctly at the age of 3, who knows. I'm not correcting her...she's been corrected her whole life on her speech and pronunciation and this is too cute to correct.

Added for your reading pleasure....

I have FINALLY (kind of) figured out the "blogrolling" thing...and have added links to each blog that I read daily. I don't know how to make them look all fancy, but they are there...to the right. Read away...go find some funny stories, some personal journeys and get carried away in the lives of others! Enjoy!

Screeching Howler Monkey

Ever seen a screeching howler monkey? I bet you have....seriously! Those of you that read this and have met my daughter have certainly seen one. Lillie has transformed from a cute 3 year old blond girl into a screeching howler monkey, overnight. It started yesterday....her first real tantrum. She's had tantrums, but this one was like one I have NEVER seen before in real life. She actually catapulted herself onto the floor and screamed at the top of her lungs while trying to talk and cry at the same time. I was on the phone at the time with our home owner insurance carrier and tried to lock myself in the bathroom to get away from the fight that had erupted (like clockwork...the minute I was taken off hold to talk to a real live person) when Lillie pulled this stunt. The screaming cry made it sound like Zac had just chewed off one of her limbs...it was awful! Then this morning as I was getting out of the shower I heard it again. It's the kind of screaming cry that makes a parent stop WHATEVER they are doing and rush to their child...something must REALLY be wrong...you know the one. Anyway, this time she was screaming because Zac went to the garage to find his Gameboy which has been in my car for weeks now, and she went too. When Zac wouldn't let her in the car first to look around (we have been teaching Zac about the ladies first rule and Lillie has picked up on it) she started scream crying. I rush down there to see what's wrong and she tells me, quit pointedly, that Zac didn't let HER go first...and it's LADIES FIRST and she's a LADY!!!!!! So she bit him and he kicked her and now they're both mad. My head is still realing that my 3 (almost 4) year old is picking up biting NOW, but even more so that she's pissed about a ladies first rule. While it's a serious problem with the biting, I can't help but laugh about Lillie's newfound attraction to the ladies first rule.

Part two--If it doesn't involve fishing.....

Ok, now's the time for me to find out if my theory is true or not (if it doesn't involve fishing, it doesn't get done). Terry went fishing last weekend and came home and cleaned the little guys that he caught and threw the waste in the garbage can that sits in the garage. The next day the smell, fostered with the heat of summer, was HORRENDOUS....there's not a word to describe what my garage smelled like. So we moved the cans outside (hopefully the neighbors didn't mind!) and they stayed there until this morning when the lovely Rumpke truck came to pick them up. I go out just now to get the cans to bring them back into the garage and what's left inside? MAGGOTS!!!!! GROSS!!!!!!! They are crawling all over the can...getting every piece of nasty, rotten, left-over fish junk that they can. So my request is that Terry get his arse out there tonite when he arrives home from his 15+ hour day and clean out the can....it does have SOMETHING to do with fishing, right? I'll let you know what happens....either the can gets tossed and I buy a new one, or Terry cleans up his mess like a good man!

If it doesn't involve fishing, it doesn't get done.

I think this is my new motto for Terry. Seriously, he gets these "hobbies" and then they control his every thought. He will be working let's say on a Wednesday and "ah-ha", let's call Julie to see if we have plans this Saturday. Are you for real? You, of the male species is thinking ahead 3 days and making plans for yourself? This is how I know it's love (for the hobby, not me). The issue I have with this new love of Terry's life is that if things/people/plans don't involve fishing, they either don't get done or don't get made! For instance (and I'm stretching here people...it's 1:50am and I'm wired on caffiene!) tonite I get home from work, tired but wired, and what do I find when I walk into my bathroom? A sopping wet floor with even soggier cat litter that had flown out of the box. There's a PUDDLE under the litter box and all around it. Know what it is? Shower water, from Zac. Know who was "in charge" while he was taking that shower? Terry. Wanna bet I know what Terry was doing? Either watching a stupid fishing show or reading a stupid fishing magazine that he got in the mail yesterday. Wanna know what his response was when I woke him up to tell him I was aggravated about the puddles on my bathroom floor at 1:45am while his alarm is going off at 3:15am (yes, I'm a bitch!)--he was gonna clean it up in the morning. What, was it going to DRY? NO!!!!!! And although it may not sound like a connection, I KNOW that fishing has SOMETHING to do with this puddle I just cleaned up....and there you have it!

She said, she said game

When is a girl too old to play in the "she said, she said" game? I feel, at 30, I should be too old for the game, but feel myself being plummeted back into it time and time again. I can only take it so long once I start hearing things that are being said about me before I go straight to the source. For that, I need help I guess....it just makes the game a continuous cycle that I can't get out of. I am soooo good and then SPLAT, I cruise back in for another round.

I look around me at different events...church, baseball games, playgroup outings and look at the women I am around....are they like this? Or am I immature? Am I MEAN? Am I being punished? Does anyone else I know play in a stupid game like this? I just want out!!!!! I think I will go read a book...fiction, so that for a few moments in time, I can be someplace else. And then maybe I can concentrate on how to be a better friend and make better choices. (Man, do I sound like Tara or what?!)

Where's MY day?

Here's how I pictured my day:
Kids leaving around lunchtime with Aunt Laura, leaving me HOME ALONE! Me, lounging around, reading a book, drinking yummy iced tea (Long Island, anyone?), catching a nap, not looking at the clock wondering what minute my kids would be back.

Here's my day:
Kids leave around lunchtime with Aunt Laura, leaving me HOME ALONE! Me, I make about 35 phone calls for sponsorships for a local fetival, throw in a load of laundry, catch up on gossip by calling my Grandma, watched 2 hours of totally useless TV, told the kid next door that Zac wasn't home....really, he's not home...no, I don't know when he will be back....yes, I will have him come get you when he is back....yes, he will come to your back door to get you.....yes, really, he will come over!!!!!!!!! And then I looked at the clock about 50 times in one hour wondering what minute my kids would be back.

Well, as I told my Grandma, I used to be so consumed with what all I would do if I had a day to MYSELF....ahh, what a day that would be. Instead, it ended up being a day like all the others...only without nagging from me and whining from the kids. Not much of a contrast!

911, anyone?

Got a Zac story! Sunday I get home from church and Terry meets me at the door and looks super SUPER mad! So I ask what's wrong and he tells me that 911 just called because there were two hangups from our location and they wanted to make sure everything was ok. OMG!!!!! Zac called, TWICE, and hung up once the operator came on the line. (Yes, Zac, it's a real number with a real person answering it....we aren't making it up!) The police showed up and everything! It was too late to stop them in route and I guess that they needed to make sure everything was ok anyway. Zac was soooooo upset....he thought he was going to jail when we told him the police were on their way. He was sobbing so hard. We of course made him apologize and the policeman told him that he wasn't mad at him, but next time to only really use it if there's an emergency because other people might really need him and if he comes to our house when there's not a true emergency, then the people who need him won't get him. We explained it all day long as well and Zac seems to get the picture now. What an experience though, eh?

He's been super curious about the phone lately, so I think we might start letting him answer it if we are standing there, just to get the curiousity out of his system.

Mind racing....really....

A weird email comes today that Terry's brothers' girlfriend has commited suicide and Alan (Terry's bro) is being looked at for foul play. They live in Newport KY and they are drug addicts. We helped them out once last summer and once they didn't pay us back they didn't call again. Terry wants nothing to do with Alan, and I can't say I blame him. Anyway, last we heard they had broken up, Joan (girlfriend) was getting clean and living with her Mom and Alan was living off of Terry's Mom and stepdad. Well, guess they got back together, as she killed herself at his new apartment, which he has been kicked out of now and has no place to live. Terry's Mom and SD emailed us to let us know, and to tell us to keep a look out on the news for Alan. HA! My mind tells me he's next to go, and I pray for everyone involved that God is intervening.

And now onto the kids. Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE my adorable kids? They have been so cute lately...doing little things that just melt my heart. Of course I have had lots of fights to break up and whining in between, but nonetheless, they are kids and that's the ups and downs of kids, right? As I type they are outside playing nicely and leaving me alone in this house to type away whatever I want. HEAVEN! Oh, but one thing that they are doing that I can't stand....competition! Everything is a race, a game, a win-lose situation. Today, Lillie was racing bikes with the little girl across the street. She's an only child, one week younger than Lillie and ALL GIRL! So as they ride their little girlie girl bikes, hair blowing behind them, giggling down the street, Lillie hauls off and yells, "Ha ha, I beat you...you're bike is sloooowwwwww!!!!!"--imagine that being sung to the "na-na-na-boo-boo music"....that, from my 3 year old. Lovely!

ETA: Terry just left with the kids for a solid hour and a half baseball practice!!! I'M HOME ALONE!!!!!!!! Of course, I'm making fried chicken, homemade mashed potatoes and sauteed veggies while I'm here, but I'm doing it all alone...watching news and everything! BLISS!

Buzzzzzzzzzzz

Today for the first time EVER, I allowed Zac an all over buzz cut. What an adorable child I have!!!!! He has always had the back buzzed, but the top has always been scissor cut. Today we broke down and got it done, and if my Gateway camera got along with my Gateway computer (it's an old crotchety senior citizen and hates younger people or things!), you'd be viewing pics right now, instead of imagining Zac in all his cuteness with little hair on his head. He's sitting on our bed with the kid next door playing XBox, praying that I will forget about baseball pics tonite and let him play video games alllll night longgggg. No can do...I'm off to find dinner so we can go get this adorable child photographed!

Oh, and side note...Mommy went to the dentist today and has NO CAVITIES!!!! Guess where she headed straight after that? The nearest espresso stand for a non fat Carmel Macchiato....something had to wash the "clean" off her teeth! LOL!

I KNEW it!!!!

Ok, ok, I thought I would NEVER write again about the neighbor that I so fondly remember telling off a few weeks ago, but I have to, just one more time. Life has been peaceful and lacking drama, which I find I AM ok with. It has also been without gossip...which I am learning to live without. And my saying, what I live by...."what comes around goes around", REALLY DOES HAPPEN!!!! Today I was talking to another friend of mine, from the old neighborhood, and she decides to tell me a BIG secret about Kristen and her husband. Well, not so much Kristen, but her husband. You see, this old neighbor of mine has been seperated from her husband since I met her over a year ago, and she has not been totally faithful. Neither has Kristen's husband! Wink wink, nod nod! You got it!!!!! They didn't have sex, but he kissed her on MORE than one occasion...at least once while Kristen was pregnant last year RIGHT AFTER THEY GOT MARRIED and once after we moved out the 'hood (which was almost a year ago now). He wanted more to happen but our old neighbor cut him off saying that it was wrong (so was the kissing, but it made for good gossip and it wasn't my husband so I'm not going to berate her). Apparently, Kristen's husband feels trapped, has felt trapped since before he married her and talked at length to our old neighbor online and in person at night after Kristen had gone to bed--to get his feelings out. Is this hard to follow? I don't care...it's gossip! LOL! So, I no longer feel like I am going to burst...the grass isn't always greener on the other side and Kristen gets what Kristen deserves. Now I just hope that this doesn't come around to haunt me one day.

Ahhh, Cymbalta!

Can I tell you, I love the new drug, Cymbalta! I'm not even using it, and I love it! Terry went on it last week and it has made a big difference in our household already. For example, whenever we have a party, Terry does NOTHING unless asked. He doesn't plan, doesn't clean the house, doesn't get up off the couch unless I specifically ASK! Well, we had a party yesterday and do you know the man not only cooked for the party, but when I went out to do errands, he actually did some laundry and cleaned up after him and the kids AND....drumroll....was vacuuming when I got home!!!! I didn't even ASK for any of that to be done, but he was actually excited about hosting a party and helping out. Ahhh, Cymbalta!

Terry was a butterfly at the party too...usually he's talking to one person and kinda doing his own thing, but he was a gracious host yesterday and I was super proud. Now, if we could just get him to stop smoking....I know I know...one milestone at a time!

And a life lesson....

There's this girl around the corner that just moved in and she has "party plates" on her car...they are yellow license plates with red writing...showing people that you are a drunk driver (or have had so many DUIs)--anyway, I find out she's a preachers' daughter and had these horrible images in my mind. So, today, her 5 year old comes over (wanders over is more like it) and starts playing with Zac and Lil and their friends. Terry goes out and tells him to go home and ask him Mommy if it's alright for him to play in our yard, and he went home crying! So I went over, introduced myself and had a great convo with this woman. She's younger than me (I'm sure) and her son will be going to Kindy this year like Zac. He loves Hotwheels and Playstation....I told her he's Zac's clone! LOL! Very sensitive too! I'm so glad that I have this party girl image out of my head....and that Zac could have another 5 year old to play with. We can see each other's backyards too...very close and convenient! They even invited us to a movie in two weeks...the new Hotwheels movie. FUN! Ok, that's my lesson for today....first impressions aren't always great.

Memorial Day

This may be rather sad to think about, but it will make me feel better about the upcoming holiday. You see, rather than visiting gravesites, I will be hosting a cookout and playing cornhole. So, I'm using today to remember. Here's a list of those who have gone before me that I will always remember, and what comes to mind as I think of them:

Chad--my first ever boyfriend. He was such a "sweet" guy...the kid next door...nothing super extraordinary about him, but someone everyone should have had the chance to befriend. The funniest thing I remember is that he was spelling "Happy Holidays" in lights on his rooftop, and misspelled HOLIDAYS! LOL! He will be gone 10 years this Christmas season, and it seems unreal that I have lived a third of my life now without him. Can't wait to see him again.

Great Grandma Kaper- the woman always had a dollar for me in her "pocketbook"--it was the heaviest black purse I have ever seen with more compartments than a jewelry box. She was full of life and always liked to be right in the middle of things. Oh, and she LOVED Frischs and Friendlys!

Great-Grandpa Kaper--his mole....and I'll leave it at that!

Grandma Rose--I remember going to the hospital a lot to see her at the end, but we weren't allowed up to see her until she was about to die. I remember being scared to touch her, and regret not having more years with her. She also always bought us underwear for Christmas!

Grandpa Harry--the ice cream man! He always had ice cream....and Whoppers for us! And our dogs loved him! He always said he wouldn't quit smoking because if he was gonna die, he was gonna die doing what he wanted and eating what he wanted. Cancer took his wife, heart disease took him.

Great Grandma Finke--I remember how petite she was, and how her house smelled. I never wanted to go see her, but now that I've learned more about her life and how she lived and grew up, I wish I had gone and seen her and talked to her more.

Bob--my friend Marie lost her husband 10 years ago this Fall...what a sad passing and horrible time...right before their first child was born. He was a fabulous man that every woman would be so lucky to have--caring and dedicated.

To all those who have gone before me, I salute you and think of you fondly on this day, and everyday. I will see you again....for sure! Save me a good seat!

Cooking with Luis!

I just find it funny that I didn't need to refer to a cookbook for last night's dinner. I had to watch Noggin (it's like preschool, on TV!). I got last night's dinner idea and recipe from a 5 year old....I was totally inspired! We made (ahem, I made) empanadas, and they were damn skippy GOOD! Lillie and Zac were so excited to be eating something that came from Noggin....I was excited that I could almost perfectly duplicate what a 5 year old had shown me...sad but true! Terry was even happy to see that I had gone outside my shell and made something I had never made before...and that they were good! LOL! Too bad Luis only has a few recipes....I could use some ideas for tonite!

A lot about NOTHING!

Wow, it has been almost a week since I was on here....so much to tell (uh, not really!), so little time! I walked a 3 mile MS Walk this morning in an hour! My legs will be screaming at me tomorrow, although I used to be able to do that 4-5 times a week no sweat! I had to rush out of there as Zac's FIRST ever baseball game was at 10am and the walk-a-thon didn't start until 9am, so I was a little late, but got to see some of the game...what a cute way to spend Saturday mornings. Zac had fun until it was over, and then he didn't want to "slap hands" with the other team and tell them good game. At this point there is no score keeping and everyone gets a chance at bat each inning....so there's only 3-4 innings per game. We are getting basics down for now...the rest will come in the later years. Last night we picked up Zac's uniform from his Coach and he's #4. Zac tells Lillie on the way home that #4 is usually the best on the team.....LOL! Where oh where does my child come up with these things?

Tonite on the entire way home from church (the only quiet moment was when they were slurping down ice cream from the train!) I heard the song, "Who is the King of the Jungle?"---Zac's favorite part is "J-E-S-U-S, YES!" so we sang that part about 100 times...now the kid can spell his name and Jesus! I love when they get in the car now and tell me something "new" about God or Jesus. Lillie made a giving box this week so she is saving some money to give back to church....she's very excited about her purple "chinese take out" box! Zac keeps telling me that God loves him all the time, no matter what he does...as if to say I don't love him when I'm mad at him or he's being bad? Funny how God doesn't have to send him to time out or take away his XBox....I'm always the bad guy! LOL! Totally kidding, of course!

What else happened this week? Well today I took the kids to the Beach waterpark after Zac's game...what was I thinking? I got a pass for Zac, but they didn't allow me to buy one for Lillie...they still state that 4 and under is free, so I will go with that until they make me buy her a pass! She was bummed, as she really wanted a pass with her picture on it too....oh well, I'm not paying $27 to get her pic taken, that's for sure!

As I was plugging in my cell phone to charge last night, I had to unplug Terry's, and as I did, I noticed this picture on his phone. The same pic he has had on there for almost 2 years now...it's a close up of the kids. They used to ask him to take their pic EVERYDAY with his camera phone....they thought that was the coolest thing ever. Anyway, he has had the same pic on there and it's absolutely precious (yes I'm their Mom and I'm biased, but it's absolutely precious, I swear!)--Lillie is in front with a startled yet happy look on her face and Zac is behind her growling. Not much has changed in the way they pose for pics, but they sure have grown...how sad that I haven't been pregnant in almost 4 years....haven't nursed in almost 2 years. WOW! Time is flying...and at this rate I will be hosting sweet 16 parties (NOT like the ones those brats have on MTV...Terry and I can afford at best a "cool" party at home for gracious children!!) and attending high school graduations before I know it.

Well, that's about all that I can remember from this past week...for now. I'm off to clean up from a day where I wasn't home at all...how ever does that happen?!?!?!?

Mother's Day! NOT a Rant!

Real quick....MD has turned out to be rather good to me. I worked at church this morning, saw lots of friends, came home and was surprised by fresh (LIVE) lobster in my fridge....being cooked as I type. Terry is making me a gourmet meal and the kids got me flowers and a Dora card with a "sticker" badge inside that I proudly wore all day. Went to my cousin's Eagle Scout ceremony with all of my family and then went back to my Aunt and Uncle's house for an impromptu dinner (couldn't really eat since I was having lobster for dinner!) and now the kids are listening and are taking a bath, getting ready for bed so Mommy can enjoy her meal with her FAVE TV shows....in peace! What a fabulous day!

WHY????? A Rant!

I feel I have so many WHY questions all the time, and I take them "above" a lot, but I don't seem to hear Him answering them all, so I am bringing them to the blog. Why are some people able to have child after child and not deserve them at all? This is my big question of the day. Why are these the people that have no problem conceiving, that are SHOCKED when they get pregnant again (after just having a baby in Sept 05--and no, I'm not talking about Britney) and are upset about what they are going to do. WHY? And why are there good people, that try everything to conceive and just have no possible way other than a miracle to have a child. These people desperately WANT a child, have the means to be parents, would make wonderful Moms and Dads and can't have their wish? WHY? And why would the "baby factory" decide to rub it in the face of one that cannot conceive on her birthday? WHY? And why do I know this....because these people are in my life. Now I realize, this isn't major crime, death, murder or molestation I'm talking about, but it really hurts people and should be recognized. If anyone knows me at all and the people that have pushed their way into my lives, you know who I'm speaking of. Yes, Kristen is pregnant AGAIN! Her baby is 8 mos old, the twins that her husband created with a lesbian are 5 years old now, and they are having another baby. They don't have a full time job between the two of them, live on assistance and as one friend puts it, "goes in smelling like shit and comes out smelling like roses"--this is their existence. They always come out of everything like God is personally protecting every aspect of their lives. The one thing is though, that they don't live like God would want them to. They are spiteful, they are liars, they are who they are, and it's not pretty. As I type this I realize God wouldn't want me typing this either, but I am who I am as well....not perfect.

So, yesterday was Bobbie's birthday and Bobbie and her husband cannot conceive a child. They really want a child, are wonderful around children, and Kristen call her CRYING on her birthday to tell her she's pregnant and doesn't know what to do. WHAT???? She's 27 and married...not 15 and in high school. I know what she's going to do. Milk this pregnancy for all she can, collect even more assistance and sit on her lazy ass and "mother"--as horribly as she knows how! Does she NOT know how this happens? They don't use birth control and don't realize that this is the outcome for two fertile people? DUH!!!!!!! And why must she find out she's pregnant and call Bobbie, of all people, on her birthday, to tell her. Bobbie who would give anything to be that pregnant woman. And then turn May 12 (Bobbie's Day) into Kristen's day of crisis--which happens way too often to count. WHY? If anyone has the answer and would like to tell me, go for it....I'm too tired of the drama to figure it out. And while I like drama(I thrive on it!), I don't like drama that creates hurt for my friends.

No Sugar Bugs!

The dentist trip was a huge success!!!! The kids did beautifully (Zac had to go it alone while I sat and made sure Lillie was ok) , no cavities, and then got goodies bags from the Dentist. Exciting stuff! We celebrated by going and eating SUGAR! LOL! We went for ice cream at this little dairy whip place in Loveland...the kids LOVE it. My wallet does not. This place is pretty expensive in my book, so we will not be frequent buyers, but nonetheless is was fun!

Nothing else is going on this week. It has been quiet and nice. Except for work. I had a single Mother of 3 cuss me out the other night for not refunding her fees when she's spending money she doesn't have. After the second F U I told her I was hanging up...and I did! That was the highlight of my week I think....the hang up, not the cussing!

In other news around Goshen, Zac's future Mother in Law was in a car accident at the main intersection around the corner from our house. The guy that hit her (at 630pm on Friday) blew a 2.6--drunk as a skunk. The cop that came and arrested him told Connie (Zac's girlfriends' Mom) that this was the 4th person he has arrested for DUI since he came on duty at 4pm that afternoon. GOSHEN IS SCARY!!!!! What in the world...can't these people drink at home in their trailers and stay there? I mean seriously....we are endangering our lives coming home from baseball practice at 7pm and that's not cool. 1am I can understand, but dinnertime is just plain outrageous.

We are off to the bus stop in the rain to ignore the neighbor and get Zac home safely....home the drunkards aren't out at lunch today!

What are the odds?

What are the odds that while standing next to the kitchen table, peeling bananas for the kids, Lillie would drop a small piece of bologna while chewing and it would go straight in between my big toe and second toe? Not big....but it happened. It was too big to get ejected without help, too small to fall straight through to the ground. Why am I even remembering it? Who knows. Maybe it's my lucky day and I should be off buying lottery tickets! I hope it's a lucky day for Zac and Lillie....they are off to the dentist soon and need some NO SUGAR BUGS vibes for them.

And now some good news!

I had to make this it's own post....Lillie news doesn't deserve to be grouped in with loser news. LILLIE WAS ACCEPTED TO PRESCHOOL!!!!! She will go on an IEP for speech articulation and peer socialization intervention (or some fancy words like that). She starts September 5th....my baby will be in school 4-5 days a week....half days, but gone, leaving me at home to do absolutely whatever....laundry(no!), cleaning (no!), catching up on TIVO (maybe!), going out to breakfast or lunch with Tara and Ryan (YES INDEED!)--I'm excited that we will all be starting a new chapter in our lives....school for them, home alone for me! LOL! Way to go Lillie!!!!! She's VERY excited by the way....now we just hurry up and wait for September to get here!!!!!!!!

Ah, a proud moment!

I did it!!!! I stood up to the "neighbor"--the one that I was stuck with at the Zoo last week....the one that seems to stalk my every move. We met them when they moved in next to us at our old house. I got her a job at the bank....she left quickly for another job (yet still to this day I hear about how horrible she was treated at the bank, etc etc...while I still work there!) We contracted on our house and they magically contracted on one across the street and down a few lots. Granted, they didn't have the credit for it, but managed to find a buyer so they could rent it, so they live across the street. Told her about my job at church and VIOLA! She's working at church. Is there any part of my life that I can have all to myself? Guess not.

Anywho...this whole court case thing is about over now (I hope!) with our old landlord and there's still one thing not resolved. Kristen and her husband (Mark) "took" the lawnmower from the old houses...we shared it. It stopped working, we gave it to them to fix/use/whatever and we bought our own, all with the knowledge of the landlord. We got sued in November and one thing in the lawsuit was this lawnmower. When K and M moved out here, they "accidentally" moved it with their belongings. Then the story changed to say that the landlord told them to keep it. Whatever, we are being sued for it, so return the damn thing. The time has come to pay the $200 fine and return the mower and is it too much to ask that THEY return the mower? I mean really...Terry and I didn't "take it" for them...why should WE have to return it? I told her today that we are too busy, quite honestly, to be in charge of returning it, when they have it. Terry works 75 hours a week and I work 30. She took offense....mind you, she doesn't work at all in the week (barely does laundry, let alone housework, but that's none of my beeswax) and M only works when it's nice outside...he's in construction. So what do they do all day? Well I can tell you what they AREN'T doing....returning that stupid mower. ARGH! People really just don't know how to be LAW ABIDING and DO THE RIGHT THING anymore....or maybe it's just these two. Whatever the case...I'm done with them. I don't need people like that in my life....and I don't want them. So there... (spoken like a true 5 year old would say it!)

New outlook!

I have started reading a book called "Captivating"--a christian based book that should lead me to unveil the woman within. I have read the first chapter and already have a different outlook on life. I just finished a group at church through our ID series where we uncovered some things from our past that shaped us into what we are today. Now we are working on tearing down those "fake ids" to become the person God created us to be. I got involved with a great group of 6 women who I didn't know before this series started, and now I have some great friends. We are studying "Captivating" together and I am so looking forward to a change from within.

I am trying to remember where all my negativity came from, but I cannot. I want to be the positive, fun loving, CARING person I was before, but I can't seem to find her. I'm hoping this new book series will help me unravel some of the bad to find the good.

And now onto the kids....they had a great weekend! They earned allowance for helping around the house and even for sharing WITHOUT being asked and within hours of earning this money, it was gone! The ice cream truck came around Saturday night and they were like sugar junkies....standing in the driveway drooling while the truck got closer and closer. That money could not have flown out of their pockets any faster....too cute! Zac is wanting to earn more money already...that kid has the right idea! I hope we don't go broke!

Bliss and more bliss...complete with lots of crap!

Well it's Friday again already. How does that happen? Yesterday was the Zoo fieldtrip that we had been waiting for. Zac had a calendar both at home and at school with the countdown to the Zoo! We were all worn completely out last night. I think that was the first time in a LONG time that I fell right to sleep when my head hit the pillow....bliss! Anyway, we went with all the preschoolers and got stuck with the 2 that I didn't want to be with. My neighbor, Kristen, the one with the twin hellions, went on the trip as well, and brought her baby, so we got stuck with HER. So she was trying to watch 3 kids to my 2, so I was the backup everytime one of her idiots broke free, which was about every oh.....2 minutes. I absolutely HATED my day by the time afternoon rolled around. I literally couldn't stand the sight of those kids...and I have NEVER said that about ANY kids before. After the fish pond fiasco, I am just done.

I had a LONG talk with a very smart friend of mine late last night and she suggested the mother of all advice. Tell Kristen that I can't hang with her, do favors for her, or allow our kids to hang out because of ME....and all that I have going on and......... fill in the blank, but make it all about me. That way, when Kristen's childish side comes out to fight, there will be nothing for her to fight about, because I will not have said that she's a horrible parent or that those kids need way more than public education and an ass swat, or that they are living beyond their means (stalking us!) and that it really pisses me off that they can get away with it while the rest of us really have to WORK for what we have, etc etc etc. She is a funny person to talk with...she can make you laugh about anything, but really, that's about all she has to offer. And that's not enough if you wanna be in my life.

Back to the Zoo...we had a checklist of animals to see, and the kids thought that was oh so cool. They even listed a kangaroo! Funny, there are no kangaroos at our Zoo....so we couldn't check off everything on the list, but it was fun to watch the kids when they saw an animal. We saw a bunch of peacocks and this one was watching the kids eat cotton candy (the dentist will LOVE me next week for that!) and then it started "talking" really loud...the kids were laughing so hard I was expecting cotton candy to come out of their noses. Way cute!

We then came home and Zac and J had to clean out the fish pond next door. Mr. Keith had them bury a fish that they killed (at first, I was a little upset by this, but then realized they truly learned a lesson!) then he handed them ALL the rocks that they threw in and had them reorganize them, then he had them mulch the entire flower bed. GOOD JOB MR. KEITH! He then took them to hose off their hands, where they both apologized again (at Mom's request) and Mr. Keith shook their hands, said he accepted their apologies and he hoped they could still be friends and to ask next time they wanted to "see" his garden pond. End of fiasco! Kristen and I stayed out there talking with Keith about their adoption process etc and while we were doing that, guess what the twins did next? They snuck into MY house and ate Lillie's chocolate bunny....or what was left of it. I didn't know this until they had gone home, so I certainly called over there to "tattle" on them....the little brats. After the day at that Zoo watching them not listen and run off and just have no respect for anyone or anything around them, they do this. Sealed the deal on "no more playing with J & M!"---I can't wait to implement it.....again, BLISS!

Recent pics!

A police report!

After yesterday's charade with throwing rocks into the pond/garden next door, Zac didn't get the chance to apologize. His bedtime came and went and the neighbors still weren't home, so we figured we would catch up with them today to say SORRY! Anyway, they weren't home when Zac got home from school, so I ran over to see if they had "fixed" their pond and put it back in order. What do I find? A note on the windows saying they don't need any help with their pond and that whoever comes in their yard and messes with it again will be prosecuted! WHAT?!?!?!?!? I ran home, called the Mom of the other boy who helped Zac do this and decided that I would put a note on their door to call me or stop by when they got home today. I felt sick to my stomach knowing that these poor, but VERY nice people were so upset about this. I know I would be too, if I hadn't known it was two 5 year olds who did it. I ran some errands and come home to see the Mom of the other boy outside talking with them. So Zac got his chance to apologize and it was like pulling teeth! He was super shy and wouldn't say what we had rehearsed a million times since yesterday. He is going over later today to help fish the rest of the rocks out of the bottom though. Anyway, after expressing to embarrassment and apologizing myself, they told me they had filed a police report. WHAT!!!!!! They thought it was the older kids of the neighborhood that did it, so they filed one just in case they could catch them. Now that they know it was Zac and his friend, they aren't going to pursue it, but still, my child caused damage that resulted in a police report!!!! Actually, Zac's story goes like this:
J (his friend) walked over and decided to start throwing BIG rocks into the pond and when Zac went over to see what he was doing, he invited Zac to join him. Zac decided to only throw little rocks, while J threw a big candle that caused the fencing to come down, then picked a flower and threw that in and then kept throwing rocks. I'm not saying that Zac is innocent, but he really didn't cause the damage that J did, but of course, he's getting roped into it equally. Guess it's my turn to learn that life isn't fair! I have decided that only my children are allowed in our backyard for now unless we personally invite other children over and their parents are there 100% to watch them. Everytime Zac is with J he does things that he normally would never do. You'd think I'd learn my lesson about now! UGH!

Mortified doesn't even describe it!

After countless talks with the neighbors about kids playing within their own yards (and preferably not in mine!) I have now become "one of those parents." Most yards around here do not have fences...it's a brand new community, so it's understandable. Anyway, there are always kids walking thru our backyard, coming over to play on our playset (without an invite!) or even RIDING THEIR BIKES in my yard, but Terry and I have had enough! We have started yelling at kids in our yard, and our own kids know not to stray from the imaginary (soon to be a real) fence that surrounds our yard. But today of all days, I am disowning Zac. He crossed the boundary and then did the unthinkable. He caved to peer pressure!!!!!!!! Our neighbor, who shall remain nameless, was over in another neighbors' yard throwing rocks, hand picked flowers (courtesy of his own hand-picking) and even large rocks and a citronella candle (bucket) into their brand new koi pond! I was the first adult on the scene. It was horrible....the floating candle, the wood fencing floating in the middle of the pond, the large rocks at the bottom....water had even splashed up onto their family room window. And guess who helped this neighbor boy? ZAC!!!!!!!! Zac, the child who doesn't ever leave his own yard, until today. I was speechless when I found out he helped dismantle this work of art. To top it off, the neighbors aren't home, and Zac is waiting to apologize in person, along with this nameless boy across the street. Terry and I can't even think of a good punishment for him (remember, it needs to punish Zac only, so Lillie and Mom can't be involved with whatever is taken away from Zac)---I am totally embarrassed to have become one of those parents. The weird thing is, we (parents) were all right out of eye's reach---the boys had gone in the backyard to play on the playset and the girls, both aged 3 were still our front, so we stayed out front with the girls. The boys have been alone playing in the backyard countless times, so why was today ANY different? Even Lillie is ashamed of Zac and keeps reminding him of what he did. Well, I'm off to work soon, thankfully! Terry might have to take care of this mishap, for once! LOL!

Cancellations and Playland and Court!

Today was to be a joyous, happy day for all. The kids were planning to go to Otterville for 3.5 hours (ish) and lunch and then afterward we were going to head to my friend Bobbie's so she could show us the YMCA pool (indoor) with a cool slide. The kids were SOOOO excited today when they woke up. So was I, I must admit. We get to Otterville, play for an hour or so, order lunch, eat and play some more and about 15 mins before we were to leave, my cell rings. Bobbie isn't feeling well and must cancel. At first I was ok, and then I realized my kids would be devastated. They have not been swimming since last summer and they LOVE water. I started asking questions and found that Bobbie had since hooked up with another friend although not feeling well, and the two of them had decided no pool. Once I laid the guilt trip (which I would normally NOT do, except imagining my kids crying faces made me do it!) she then told me we were going swimming afterall. I then declined asking what exactly was wrong with her....stomach ache? No. Headache? No. She had no answer for me, other than "not feeling well." I finally tell her to forget it....she has cancelled on me at a rate far more than normal and I had 2 good friends sitting at Otterville with me shaking their heads in disbelief. So I hang up, break the news to the kids, promise to buy them a toy at the toy store on the way home (which we RARELY do, so this ended up being a special day, even with no pool) and even go as far as to say something REALLY stupid. Wanna know what that was? "We should go to Playland for dinner!" YAY!!!!! What was I thinking? I guess the fear of crying upset children all day long while Terry worked late tonite was far more than my brain could handle, because I promised the Hell of all Hell. McDonald playland on a Friday night, while it's raining outside. I guess it could be worse....I could have said Chuck E Cheese.

That said, we went to playland as promised and had to leave rather abruptly. What is wrong with parents today that they feel a structure made of metal, wrapped in a pool noodle, is an acceptable babysitter? I wish I could take a book and read, or my laptop and catch up on emails or even a nail file and make my nails all one length, but NOOOOOOOOOO! Instead, I have to monitor my kids...those little people that run around all day and rely on me for basic needs...those little people that need to be reminded to wash EVERYTIME they use the potty...not just when the stool is available....those same little people that can't make good decisions all day long even inside a playstructure. And not only that, but I seem to have to monitor all the freaking kids in playland. The ones that are screaming their heads off, the ones that are spitting at others, the ones that are jump kicking my son, the ones that are hitting Lillie with their feet and not letting her pass to the slide. Do I get paid for that? No. Instead I get a crying 3 year old who gets face paint all over my brand new and "still white after I wore it all day long" shirt. And I get to explain to my kids, who were not being bad to begin with, that we need to leave playland, because there are too many unruly kids there. I know that I am teaching them in some little way that things won't always go their way....there will be cancellations, there will be mean people, there will be short trips to fun places rather than the expected long visit....and that's LIFE!

On a totally different note...our courtcase has been decided on. We WON (we still owe $203, but not the $3k he was asking for--so that's a WIN in our eyes)!!!! Our old landlord is not getting the money that he sued for, didn't win the first time, appealed and now didn't win the second time. We are keeping our fingers crossed that he doesn't take it out of small claims and up to the First Court of Appeals (this would require an attorney for both sides and more likely lots more $$ on his part to file it)--so, keep your fingers crossed for us! Don't you love LIFE sometimes?!?!?

Mud and Baseball

What else is there other than mud and baseball? Zac had his first ever baseball practice last night and he is not shaping up to be the natural I thought he would be! WINK! He was all dressed in his baseball pants and tee shirt and hat and we took his bat and glove. We get there and it's MUD CITY! Lillie wore her new sandals...white sandals, and the mud was squishing in her toes. Poor girl. She hated that, but sat very patiently through the hour and 15 minute practice. Zac gets there, and the first thing he does is start goofing off with one the other boys. The poor coach...a saint actually...just rallied them back to attention to see what they were to learn first. Zac hit a ball or two, tried to catch a ball and then when he was fielding, we look out and he's talking away to another little boy, his glove is in one part of the outfield and he's in another! His coach hollered to him to get his glove and get ready (nice way of saying get your ass in this practice!) and Zac replied "I don't know how to put it on!" Mind you, the child had it on while fielding rolling balls at the beginning of practice and for most of the fielding of flying balls and NOW he doesn't know how to wear his glove? Gotta love the funny child! A few minutes before practice ended the Mom in front of me looks out in the outfield and to her horror, her little boy and another (not mine, thankfully) are fighting over a ball. Rolling on the ground and all. I thought it was cute the first few times that EVERY boy ran to get the ball, and then Caoch explained that only ONE of them needs to go after it...if they are closest, they get it. Most of them caught on. Zac accompanied some of them, you know, in case they needed backup or a travelling comedian! Overall it was a very fun evening for me. I met some other Moms and got to see Zac "do his thing" while he forgot I was watching. He has no problem whatsoever with social skills....I think I have the class clown or "most likely to be in Stand-Up" on my hands. Oh well, I always have Lil!

I guess I should change the name of this....

to Julie's bitch session! Goodness! Yet again, here I sit...I have been shopping for Zac's baseball stuff, shopping for more painting things and then came home from that, did two whole walls of painting and am now going to start a third, with NO HELP from Terry whatsoever. I just asked him to move the furniture out of the way for me, and he gets huffy. Oh no, you don't get the chance to get huffy Mr....you have sat around on your ASS all day long...off work to boot, and watched me do all this while you played XBox. Can you write "XBox" as your reason for divorce? I wonder.

Anyway, I am going to paint the last wall, and then they all will need a second coat, so I was hoping to do that tomorrow, but I have an ENTIRE house to clean and Easter dinner to host on Sunday, so I am thinking one coat is it for now. I did play outside with the kids for a few hours this afternoon....while Terry sat inside and watched a movie. He also entertained a neighbor while his kids were coloring easter eggs and baking easter cookies with me and Zac and Lil in the kitchen. Wow, that's work! Do you see a pattern? I realize the man needs time off, but he came home from work last night and went fishing until 11pm. Isn't that time off? When do I get a full freaking day off? NEVER!!!!!! NEVER!!!!!!!! NEVER, I tell you! He gets every Saturday night from 4pm-730pm alone in this house while I take the kids to Sunday school. Do you know the last time I was alone in this house? It was never, and I mean that. He took the kids out for 6 hours in September (yes, I remember the exact date!) and I threw a baby shower here, and the guests overstayed the alloted "baby shower" time, so I was not alone for more than 20 mins before T and the kids came home. I JUST WANNA SIT, STITCH, and HAVE NO ONE HERE FOR 2 HOURS--oh and a husband that will do stuff around our house to make it nicer....without me asking him to. Ok ok I went too far with that last request. I can ask him to help, but he has to do it willfully and HAPPILY! Haha...too far again! Oh well....off to paint!

Did I miss Spring?

We seemed to have jumped from Winter straight to Summer here in Ohio! The kids are outside sweating in shorts and t-shirts and I know since I haven't bought sunscreen yet that they will get burned (bad Mom, bad Mom). Don't get me wrong, the fresh air is soooo nice in the house, but I certainly don't want to have to turn the air on anytime soon. We are just recovering from those winter heating bills!

Took Miss Lil shopping today. I realized that I am a skimping Mom when it comes to clothes. Last year, Zac fit into almost all his clothes from the summer before, so I barely bought the child anything. This year, however, I go to dress him for school and more than half the shirts I pick out are like "belly" shirts on him now, and the shorts that are 2t and 3t will NOT go on his 5t body. Hmpf! So Lillie and I went shopping for play clothes for brother while he was at school. He doesn't get excited about sales like Lillie and I do. She sees signs now and immediately knows that means SALE! So she asks if she can have this and that and everything with a sign. I did manage to get Zac some play clothes, but really, boy clothes are no more fun to buy than fat clothes. So I took Lillie to the little girls department where I could go NUTSO, if my bank account would allow it. She picked out some really cute things and even got some sandals, since NOTHING from last year fits her. Zac could always get away with wearing at least a few things from the previous year, but Lillie either REALLY grows, or I shrink everything in her closet. I don't know what to believe, all I know is I could do broke clothing her...in a fun way of course. She is wearing 4t and 5t in some things (WOW!) and Zac has moved on to the BIG BOY department....FINALLY!!!! He's a 5/6 in most things, but shorts he can still wear 4t and 5t.

Then I found some things for me....after all, I outgrew my clothes too! LOL! Not most of them, just the ones I like. The diet, however, is going well. I am down 4 lbs in 2 weeks time, so maybe I will get into those clothes after all...even if it IS the end of summer.

Off to watch the kiddos play on the playset. I had to put it together today...Zac was literally hanging on the ropes of the swings (we took the swings down for winter and stored them out of the elements) and thinking that was fun. Um, no! One more ER trip waiting to happen is more like it. So up went the swings, teeter totter and slide. They are outside playing army men on the platform, soaking up the rays. Can't wait to get some myself!

Why

Why Why Why? Why don't my days ever pan out the way they do in my head? I imagine a perfect day, outside gardening while the kids ride their bikes, a quick jaunt to the playground and then a nap for good ol' Mom for ONE HOUR. That's a dream. Here's how the day really went.....get Zac from school, get home and make lunch, sit the kids down for the first time to eat. Sit down to relax while they eat, yell for 45 mins for them to get back in the kitchen, back to their chairs to eat. Threaten the park visit....again and again. Finally they are ready to leave. Go to Home Depot, where they are in and out of the cart so much that I just abandon it and get the baskets and flowers and carry them myself. Meanwhile the kids have NO IDEA that I am ticked. Go to Sherwin Williams...get a few cans of paint (for Zac's room) while the kids decide to have a game of "walking" tag. I tell them twice to stop, then entice them to the counter with candy. Give them each a quarter and buy myself a full minute of quiet time to talk to the man mixing our paint. Go the park (this was actually nice) and all went as planned. Kids left when I said so, no fussing or fighting. Get home to Mom's nap....and no go. Kids play and play and run and play some more. Mom gets no sleep, yet again. Not surprised, but really, I need it. Go outside to mulch the yard, kids decide it's now ok to ride their bikes in the street with the big kids of the neighborhood. Get them out of the street and send the big kids away and my kids go down to the empty lot and start playing. How much trouble can 2 kids get into, right? OMG, I look over and see a HUGE cloud of dust...they are throwing sand, dirt and gravel to make clouds. Wonderful! Into the house we go for showers and bath....and lots of head scrubbing. Fun for Mom all around! Get done with that, look outside at my newly mulched flower beds and realize....I forgot to mulch around the tree. Why?

On a Zac note...did you know that babies are put into your tummy by God? And did you know that it's a bean when it's put there (we're not really sure how God gets it there, but he does!)? And then when it's ready to come out, the Mom goes the hospital where they open her tummy, take the baby out and "work" on it...for a few hours or days, depending on the baby. Then when the baby is ready, they sew the Mommy's tummy up so she can go home. Did you know that? Well that's how it is! Where do kids hear these things????

Easter, video games, and other stuff!

Easter is in less than a week away now. And rather than going to Easter dinner at someone else's house, we have decided to have it here. Good idea? Maybe not, but at least I know I don't have to leave the comforts of my own home, and Zac and Lillie will have plenty of entertainment. My Mom calls this morning to ask if I have invited my uncle, aunt and two cousins. Um, no! I thought Grandma was taking care of that, and I didn't think they were coming. Add 5 people (one cousin has a boyfriend that comes to ALL family functions---none of mine were ever allowed, but hey, who's counting?) so that makes 13 for Easter dinner. Terry called to tell me he could get a rib roast. What planet is he on? Easter means HAM, and HAM only! HELLO! Oh, he means along with a ham....yeah, cause we need that much meat at the table. My family is so old-fashioned/conventional about meals...anything other than ham won't be tolerated, much less eaten. Try telling that to a Chef...where nothing is conventional. He hates when I volunteer for family meals...my family doesn't go outside the comfort zone, and with a Chef who will try anything, they just never meet in the middle. I also told him that's all we have to make...everyone else is bringing the side dishes and desserts---I think that's awesome. He's mad. He wants to make everything....heck, he even wanted to "ham" his own ham. Another thing my family just wouldn't go for...we like it already "hammed" and ready to eat. We don't want to see how it started and go through the process...we just want the end result.

Fast forward...Zac comes home from school, goes STRAIGHT upstairs and sits on our bed to play XBox. The kid is ADDCITED! At 5! (Brief break for lunch) And he just got it taken away...for being a brat during lunch, so I guess I can get off this soapbox....I still hold the power. I am about 2 seconds away from ripping it out of the wall and throwing it in the attic where no one will ever find it. Terry included....that's ALL he did this weekend when he was here and awake...play XBox. Zac even told me when I got home from church that "Daddy won't share the XBox with me or let me play"--how sad is that? A 5 year old tattling on a 31 year old!

We are off to the Post Office, Walgreens (my fave!) and possibly the grocery store....too bad it's not the liquor store! LOL! After the lunch we just had...I could use something stronger than a Diet Coke.

My new favorite store!

I had to go birthday shopping today for my younger, unemployed sister's birthday (which, btw is TODAY! I'm last minute this year!) and my Mom told me that she really wanted to plant some flowers in her garden, but was going to get seeds since she can't afford rent, let alone flowers. I buy flowers every year at this store, but have never really gotten into the store itself since we weren't homeowners until last summer. In case you are wondering, I went to HOME DEPOT! I could spend the WHOLE day there....never thought I'd be saying that, but I am. I walked in at 10:30, just to get some flowers to plant, and walked out 2 hours later with a deck plan, paint supplies (remember, new houses=no paint and I have been promising the kids there would be color on their walls soon!) and lots of garden stuff for my sis, along with about 50 things on my "to buy later" list. I found a glider for my front porch (a MUST have this summer if I expect to sit outside and stitch while the kids play!) and of course our decking materials...can't bbq or watch the kids on their playset without a deck! We need to paint every room in this house. I would love some storage shelves in the playroom, a bathroom caddy/over the toilet stand for our master bath, curtains for our dining room (I'm thinking Penneys for this!) and lots of gardening stuff for our own house. I wish I could say I married a "handy" man, but I did not. My Dad will be helping with the deck (more like doing it, with my help and 500 questions!) and everyone I know is expected to come help us paint (LOL!)--we need to seed our yard, over the sod that was put down so "shoddily" last year--we need to organize our garage like nobody's business. I bet Terry could park his truck in there in the winter if we just perged and organized.

So, with all this newfound love for Home Depot, I wondered why I never got like this last year? I am thinking it's because it's Spring (and we didn't move here until Summer)! And with Spring comes joy in all that is new, all that is fresh. I wish I had a "Martha Stewart" garden or a "Bob Villa" deck, or the organization of one of those TLC shows, and by the Grace of God, I might just get a touch of all that this Spring! One thing is for sure....I will be headed back to Home Depot, and soon!

Did you pull Lillie's hair?

Zac: Um, yes.
Me: WHY?
Zac: because she had a toy and needed to put it down......because it's time to go....and she wouldn't.
Me: So next time you won't eat your green beans or corn, I can pull your hair and you will do it?
Zac: oh.......

Funny how things can get put into perspective with the use of a daily occurence in our house....

And one more thing I noticed today....we went to the park (for a brief, chilly time playing out in the wind!) and while there, the entire time this Mom of a toddler was talking on her cell phone...gossip talk, not earth-shattering news talk. Anyway, as I got to looking at her, I realized I had GROWN UP with her and we went all through our education together, until college. We weren't friends after elementary school, but as I was sitting there realizing who she was, my friends were both sitting there talking about her talking on her phone while her child played in the sand alone. It felt weird to say I knew her, but then again, I guess I really don't. Got me wondering about high school and all those people I knew that I don't keep in contact with....what are they doing now? Weird how a day can take a turn like that.

Pics!

Here's a few recent pics of us! There's Terry and me, after our date to see Tara, our local actress, in her most recent play, Book of Days. We had a great date night! And then here's Miss Lillie...she went to SCHOOL today! She went to get evaluated on speech and socialization (you'd think a child of mine would have no problems with social skills!) and had a BLAST! Didn't play with or talk to anyone, but this "girl" sat next to her at a table....hmpf, the nerve of some people! And then there's Zac, pushing Lillie at our greatest new find...a cool park close to home! It has walking trails, fishing, a skateboard park (which Terry and I decided it too dangerous...even 10 years from now---we saw EVERY kid there without helmets on--ugh!), a nice playground with a big picnic area and CLEAN bathrooms (every Mom's dream!) and lots of places to run around, kick a ball and fly kites. So Zac decided to be nice for a few minutes so I could snap a pic of him....guess he will use this one day to get a badge for cub scouts! LOL! Helping others......

Side note...Lillie is into dressing herself, so I was the Mommy at the park with the cutest little girl wearing all sorts of things that day. What can you do---3 and independent can be pretty wild! And Zac has dodged the haircut trip for 4 weeks now...he's starting to look like an elf!

So, there will be no other news today as I feel like shit. I have a cold, with a throat so big that it's hurting my tongue to talk and my ears hurt with every swallow. Good times.....

And she's off (this will be boring, just letting you know!)

I have decided enough is enough. I lost 30 lbs last year on WW and have gained back all but 10 of it, and it's almost summer!!!!! So, I joined a totally free (which means I do all the work and set myself up to fail!) online program called SparkPeople and am starting it today. For the next 2 weeks, my simple goals are to drink 8 glasses of water a day, NOT eat in front of the TV, and do some kind of excercise while watching TV for 15 minutes per day. Doesn't sound like much, but I like it. I also have to keep count of what I'm eating, and I have to start excercising. The part I can't get is the 8 hours of sleep....unless you count the afternoon I am trying to take once a day (maybe getting an hour to two hours) added to the almost 5.5 hours I am getting on those nights that I work. I guess I will just have to attempt to get as much as I can, right? So one of the goals is to journal about it, so why not do it in my blog? I won't even tell you how much I weigh right now, but my target healthy weight needs to be below 136---WOW! Can't remember the last time I weighed that, and I wasn't heavy until right before I got pregnant with Zac, which was only 6 years ago. So with that said, there goes the weight! Wish me luck!!!!!!

Now, onto the post of my weekend. All was nice...Terry and I took the kids to this cool new park I found last week and fished yesterday. It was so nice to be doing family things. The night before, we had the worst night with Lillie though. How can one little human being stay up for SOOOO long and then scream, and I mean scream her little head off--where does the energy come from at 11pm? Her and Zac have been managing about 10 hours of sleep per night, and they need more. They just play in their rooms when they go to bed, but lately, Zac has fallen asleep and Lillie stays up, goes to the playroom, doesn't listen to us and plays the night away. So Saturday night, we kept putting her back in bed and finally when we put her back for the millionth time, we yelled at her and shut her door. We won't ever do that again, unless we are TRYING to wake the whole town! She got herself so worked up that we have never seen anything like it. I had to take her downstairs and rock her to get her to go to sleep and we haven't done that in over a year. Maybe she's upset that she is going to preschool tomorrow for observation and her big bro Zac won't be there? Or maybe she's just testing us? Or maybe she's just plain tired? Who knows...all I know is, I was happy to be at work last night, rather than battling Lil at bedtime.

Poor Terry too...the cat has managed to puke two times on the carpet this weekend...one of which was last night. What does T do? He wipes it up with a damp towel and leaves the stain for ME to clean up today. I guess it's my job to clean the puke stains out of carpet? Says who? Geesh! Just once I would like for him to do what I do...just once!

So much to say, so little time!

Well, the first news...the asshole that sued us in December over the rental property that we moved out of last summer, LOST! He was asking for $3k and was awarded $200. So now, he's appealing it. So I now have 6 days to decide if I want to "oppose" his objections or let some judge decide for himself that we are all dealing with a true idiot! I was told by a clerk in Small Claims that VERY rarely does a judge overturn a magistrate's ruling, so I hope we aren't the few percent that gets overturned.

I also helped out last night with the PTA, making copies and such for Kindergarten registration. How fun it was to see the parents of the kids that will be "schooling" with Zac next year. Talk about class! I'm getting worried now. You see, we have just moved into a "blue collar turning white collar" area....and most of the white collars are likely sending their kids to private schools! We are not, however, as we are hoping for the best. They are testing Lillie for speech and helping us with that whole ordeal, so I am getting a better scope of the place, but still, I worry. I actually saw one Dad get pissed that he had to wait in line...with his "wife beater" shirt on and all his tattoos showing, reeking of smoke. I can just hope that he was related to the kid I saw at the park that very afternoon. You know, the one that was calling another kid, "Bud Lite" and asking him if he wanted a beer. This kid could NOT have been too much older than Zac....WOW! Where do these kids come from, and can they go to a different school than my son? Then there's my favorite kid on the playground--the one who blocks the tunnel so NO ONE can get through, unless they start answering his question. Lillie came over crying because she couldn't get thru, so I went over there and asked the little boy nicely if he would let her thru. Now, if that were my kid, and an adult came up and asked them that very same question, he would have moved. This kid, did not! He told me he needs to know how old she is before she can go thru. So I told him, "She's 3 and she has my permission to go thru" and he sat there, arms stretched from side to side just looking at me. I SOOOOO wanted to go slap the curls out of his hair, but instead I decided to say as loudly as I could that he needed to move so other kids could get thru....PLEASE! Finally, I hear a woman scream , "DYLAN you need to move out the way for the other kids---NOW!"---and then she returned to the convo she had been having, right there in plain sight of her demon child. Not waiting to see if he listened, not getting her ass up off the wall to go over there, just returning to her friend. She was also wearing a "wife beater"--black, with rhinestones....that must have been her "special occasion" shirt!

One good thing from the park. We have met a babysitter! She is 15, Maranda, and lives near the park and LOVES our kids. They loved her too...she helped them swing, do the monkey bars and sail through the playground. If you are wondering, I was watching my neighbors 6 month old, so I was feeding a baby while this was happening...I wasn't painting my nails or talking on my cell phone, ignoring my own kids. When she came to return them, I got her number and told her I would call her soon. Talk about excitement!!!!!!

Well, I have to get going for now...I have had a few glasses of wine and it's about to thunderstorm and Terry's getting in bed! Toodles!

And I'm back!

Wow, what a 10 minute cleaning frenzy and a locked playroom door will do to a woman! I have asked, begged, yelled and asked some more for the kids to CLEAN their playroom. I don't mean full on clean, but get everything off the futon and off the floor and into the bins where they "think" it belongs--you know, put it back where you got it from. All afternoon they played and played in that messy room, but it looked the same as it did when they went it...not ONE thing picked up. So, in I went with a garbage bag, picked up everything on the floor and futon, closed the bag and stuffed it way up high in the closet so no one, barely me, can reach it. And then what did I do? I shut the door and locked it behind me. The Casey playroom is off limits for the rest of today and quite possibly the entire day tomorrow (sorry cats, you will have to lay in the rays of sunshine in another room tomorrow). Don't get upset....I'm not that mean. The playroom only contains about 80% of their toys, so there are things to play with....until I get in the mood to clean their bedrooms! LOL! Can't wait until they are teenagers!

Zac funny!

I went and registered my BABY for ALL DAY Kindergarten for next year (8:30am-3:30pm!) and his first official "phase in day" is his BIRTHDAY! He will be in school ALL DAY on his birthday. Of course, I'm making a huge deal of it, and Terry just rolls his eyes, but he should be with his Mommy and friends on his birthday, right? I guess we have hit the land of "weekend only" birthday parties. Wow!

Anyway, when I finished with registration I decided to wait around and pick him up from preschool, rather than him ride the bus home. So I waited outside with Lillie and talked to the bus driver when out comes Zac's class. His job of the day was to push Isaac to the bus (Isaac is 3 and in a wheel chair, so everyday someone is in charge of getting Isaac out of the building and all the kids LOVE to do this job!)--just as Zac gets outside, he sees me and yells, "Mommy!!!!!!!" and totally LETS GO of Isaac and starts running toward me! Poor Isaac starts rolling quickly down the incline straight for the bus. Thank goodness there were about 6 adults standing there that could grab him....he thought it was fun of course, and Zac didn't even realize what he had done, until all the teachers, the bus driver and myself were laughing (of course Isaac was safe at this time....we are not that cruel)!!!!! He was then told by Ms. Sherry that he has to complete his job of the day before he goes home with Mom and sister. And so he did!

Clean kitchen and bank fees!

Just a quick brag on Terry! Saturday I was feeling so down, because he is so down and moody lately that I decided to talk to him about it. The chat went very well and he seemed to really listen to me, because Sunday was a fabulous day (well, compared to the others we have been having!) He not only cleaned up the kitchen from Breakfast and Lunch, but he then cooked dinner and cleaned up the kitchen AGAIN! I was shocked when I came stumbling in the door at 1:30am to see a clean kitchen. I had actually imagined my Monday morning consisting of dishes, laundry and more dishes. A++ honey!

Also found him a new Dermatologist. The one we saw on Friday was a complete idiot! He is an older guy, that likes to tell stories of past patients, only these patients didn't really relate at all to Terry or his condition. I'm sorry, but my time and co-pay are much more valuable, and when I want story time, I round up Zac and Lil and we go to the library, where it's FREE!

We also had a 10 year anniversary celebration at church on Sunday and got a very cool music CD of our band...just 4 songs, but they are rockin' songs to sing along to while driving. I must email them to let them know how pleased I am with my free CD!

Work is work....I get some of the weirdest calls and people TRULY don't understand how a bank account works. IF YOU HAVE $10 AND YOU SPEND $10.50, YOU HAVE SPENT MONEY THAT ISN'T YOURS, AND THAT MONEY HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE, MAINLY THE BANK! WE DON'T LEND MONEY OUT FOR FREE, EVER! YOU WILL GET AN OVERDRAFT FEE IF YOU GO OVER YOUR BALANCE AND NO WE WILL NOT REFUND IT BECAUSE YOU ARE YELLING AT US! Is that so hard to understand? Just once I want to say what is going through my mind, to a customer. Just once I ask!

And do you know what, Mom?

I have heard that about 25+ times this morning, and no, that's NOT an exaggeration! Lillie needs a playmate, other than her Mommy in the morning. Usually after I have had little sleep (working until 1am, going to bed around 2am, then getting woken up with screaming and crying over ear pain at 5:30am by Zac, then again at 6am and then having my friend call at 7:45am--leaves little room for sleep last night!) I will nap on the couch all morning and Lillie will quietly play dollies or tea party while sitting on the couch watching Noggin. NOT TODAY! I decided to buck up and drink a few cups of coffee...I have too much to do today to nap. So while I am running around cleaning up messes, getting my house ready for the great grandparents to come over tomorrow, I am getting a play by play of what Lillie and her dolly are doing. Hey Mom, do you know how old my baby is? Hey Mom, do you know why my baby is riding in the grocery cart? Hey Mom, my baby likes you! Hey Mom, my baby is talking to you. Hey Mom, Hey Mom, Hey Mom! AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Any other day, fine, talk away...I can eventually tune it out. But not today. And now, I've been told that while Lillie puts her socks on, I am to be baby-sitting her baby..."she's stayin' witch u!" is what I was told. Well alrighty then!

On other news...I am barging in on Terry's dermatology appt tomorrow. He's pissed, but I have a page long sheet of questions, suggestions and comments and by God that Dr is going to listen to me! I have had enough of living with a person with psoriasis. Give me back my husband already...the one who's not in pain and itching at the same time, the one who doesn't look like he walked through a poisin ivy patch, the one who isn't taking steriods everyday (for over a month now) and the one who's not so moody! Geesh! And just to show I care, I ordered a "Find the psoriasis cure" bracelet and intend on wearing it....I bet he'll LOVE that! It's gray, so it will go with half of my wardrobe of sweats.

And this thing of starting my own business is starting to consume all my thoughts. If I open a drive thru espresso shop, will you come?

Snow Day! And I can't get motivated!

I guess it's the snow day....I will have to go to work tonite, I'm sure (unless the snow gods rain even more down on us and cause chaos at rush hour....please please pretty please!), but I can't get myself up and out of my pajamas! I have done nothing, but talk on the phone, balance my checkbook and just now put in a load of laundry. My house seems a mess (mostly toys that escaped the toy room and catapulted downstairs to look like a mess!) and the kids are prefectly content to stay in pjs and play (loudly!) and run around. UGH!

On a different note...anybody know anything at all about starting your own business? Terry and I (and his best friend and his wife) are thinking about starting a coffee/espresso drive thru shop. We, the girls, would essentially own and run it...with the input of our husbands. We had tons of them in Portland, but NONE out here. Everywhere you go you have to get out of your car, lug the kids in, and order your latte. I would LOVE a little coffee place around here and would love to run one...since I am soooo in love with coffee and espresso drinks. Here's what we are considering... www.mudhenespresso.com

Like I said, they are all over the NW, but not out here in the midwest...and the midwest is starting to adopt a few NW things....like take-n-bake pizza (Papa Murphys!)--so why not drive thru espresso shops? So we are in the early research stages of that...and would really like to do it. Now we just have to come up with the $$! And lots of it!

So, that's my life right now in a nutshell. Can you tell I'm avoiding housework at all costs by typing this out on here?! LOL!