*waves*

I don't wanna go back to work tomorrow. I don't think I'm going to. I still can't much move my left arm without my shoulder and side of my boob hurting.

In other news, Rotten2 got in trouble at school today for talking. Oops. Rotten1 is in third grade. His spelling list this week, among other words, includes miraculous, phenomenon, anxiety, exertion and commotion. Yikes.

I'm home.

It wasn't too terribly awful. The cysts were perfectly round and surgery went well. Got home around 2:30ish, after a stop at CVS and the post office *waves to Breezy* I've slept off and on all evening with some discomfort, but hey, that's what the pain pills are for :)

DH has been quite wonderful and pretty much waited on me, as needed. The kids' dad even came through and picked them up after school and is keeping them tonight.

Thanks for thinking of me today.

*nervous*

Remember those three "friends" I have living in my left oobie? They are being evicted on Tuesday by unanimous vote. Sequester shall be a lab somewhere far, far away from my oobies.

Wish me luck, say a prayer, hope like hell I get good drugs because I'm going to have to wear a bra 24-7 for ten days after this.

Stupid Villagers!

So Sunday I got a bit bored after doing all my chores and errands and such. So I went to my new favorite game download site and found a trial that looked semi entertaining. It's called Virtual Villagers. Basically, your people shipwreck on an island and have to survive and learn skills and such.

I'm addicted to these stupid little people. Breeding them is hilarious. Hoping like hell that they learn to farm before the berry bush runs out of berries is a bit stressful. Watching them research is boring, but it rewards you with points so you can buy more categories for them to advance in.

*sigh*

Off to check on the breeding, eating, farming goobers.

It's Sunday!

Yay! Today is my favorite day of the week. Or, this week, at least. It means that I have the house all to myself for at least 8 hours. DH is at work, the kids are at their dad's...Yay! Of course, it also means I have a list of stuff to accomplish at some point today....Blah.

In other news, we've decided that Princess Belle (the new kitten) is a spaz. She runs through the house faster than lightening, she stalks and torments the Lab, she's discovered a "fishing pole" with a hairy mouse thing attached that has become her favorite toy and will spend hours flipping, stalking, pouncing and jumping this thing. She's such a trip to watch.

The kids are loving school and their teachers. It seems they've started a contest between the two of them to see who makes more friends first. *rolls eyes* Rotten2 is claiming the lead at the moment because "Ashley has six brothers and sisters and they are all my friends". Seven kids, one house. Can you imagine?!?

*smooches* to all.

Bad, Good, Better...Maybe.

The bad: The cat electrocuted herself.
The good: We now have Princess Belle.
The better: She's so freaking loveable!

The bad: My truck's transmission exploded.
The good: I now am the happy owner of a brand new car.
The better: Gas mileage is awesome!

The bad: The air conditioner in the house caught fire and tried to burn down the house.
The good: DH was home while I was at work, so the house did not catch fire, just the A/C. And the smoke was able to be cleared out of the house in three and a half hours.
The better: We only went for 38 hours without A/C and a "cold front" came in dropping the highs from 106 to 102.

The bad: The septic system aerator pump went out.
The good: It can be fixed.
The better: Well...I'll let you know on that one.

I thought bad shit was only supposed to happen in threes. In the last two weeks I've had four. Five, if you count truck transmission actually crapping out twice. *sigh* I'm trying really hard to find the bright side to all of this shit before I go absolutely fucking loco and am committed to a mental hospital due to a nervous breakdown. Did I mention I'm absolutely effin' broke right now?

OMG OMG OMG....

I'm driving home last night and I lost overdrive. Again. Got it home in "Limp Home Mode" where DH was able to "fix" it again. This morning, I called into work and told them I had to deal with my truck issues or who knows when I'd be back.

Well, I dealt with them from 8:30 am until 4:30 this afternoon.... Meet my brand new 2006 Nissan Sentra in Radium (?) with a whopping 52 miles on it.

We went to look at used cars - an 03 Diamante and an 05 Elantra to be exact. This is what we came home with. It goes back in next Friday for tint. Yay!

Meet the Kitten

11 weeks old

Yay me!

Anyone else stuck watching The Suite Life of Zach and Cody all.the.time? Anyway.

I went out yesterday AM and ran a bunch of errands in my truck, keeping a close eye on everything. I didn't even blast the radio like normal, so I could hear any strange noises or whatever. It's a bit sluggish, but....for the moment, my truck is working semi-properly! Yay! DH is going to check out the transmission and fluid again today and we'll go from there.

So on my errand list yesterday was a stop at Kohl's for their early bird sale. I found Rotten1 a pair of Nikes for school for $21 in a size three. I found Rotten2 a pair of Skechers loafer style shoes with the chunky heel for her skirts and dresses for $14.99 in a size one. Holy shit! When did my kids get that big?! Then it was on to TJMaxx, Ross, and Walmart - where I finally found Rotten2 a pair of tennis shoes on clearance for $9! In case you're wondering, that's $80 worth of shoes for $44. Yay me! Now we'll just have to see if the Rottens like their new school shoes.

In other news, we're thinking about a kitten. The house just doesn't feel right without a cat to torment the dog *grin* I also woke up with a fever blister this AM. Stupid stress.

%^*&*(#(**&#$@

So I'm on my way back to work yesterday after my doctor's appointment to discuss surgery to remove the friends living in my boobs...driving 65-70 on the highway...when my truck's RPMs surge momentarily, I sense a transmission shift and this little light on my dash starts flashing at me out of nowhere telling me that my overdrive is off. WTF?!?! So I push the little button to turn overdrive back on. Nope. Nothing. I push it again. And again. And again. Still nothing. Still a little blinky light taunting me saying "Here I am". So I pull of at the next exit and cruise into a gas station parking lot. I turn the truck off. I get out. I get in. I turn the truck on. The little light is still blinking and taunting. I'm waiting for the little fucker to start calling me names. Called DH, who, thankfully was home yesterday. He, in not so many words, said to get the truck home the shortest route possible. NOW! Crap. That can't be good.

So I get the truck home. It seems that my transmission has decided to up and die. Just.like.that.

Six hours, some nasty little burns on DH's arms, and $80 later we've decided that the truck will live. The light is gone, overdrive is back. We just don't know how long it will last. I could lose it again today. Or the truck may go for another 150K miles. *sigh*

Got any suggestions for cars?

And...School is about to start!

Tonight was Meet the Teacher night at the kids' new school. Both teachers seem very nice. Rotten1's teacher seems a bit strict and has a special certification in reading and places big emphasis on reading. Yay! Rotten2's teacher is cute, friendly, bubbly and very enthusiastic. Rotten2 is going to have a new best friend *grin*

And now? We have three days until school starts!

*pout*

Gizmo not only escaped from the bathroom last night under the door, but made a beeline for the front door as I was leaving this morning. :( She's no where to be found. She doesn't go outside! She's only escaped twice before and then got so scared by the great wilderness that she returned to the porch within 2 minutes.

DH and the kids have been searching the neighborhood off and on all day. I spent 20 minutes this morning calling her and looking for her.

*sigh*

*wipes tear*

And Swami, she was living in our bathroom because we didn't want any infection to spread to the dog or kids from the wound sight.

ETA: One of my most favoritest pictures of Rotten1 and Gizmo in June of 2004, when we got her.

Lookie!

In an effort to keep my mind off the stupid, poor baby living in my bathroom, I made myself a purse today!

Electrocuting the Cat...

Not smart, peeps. Not smart at all. Please inform your kittens and cat children that this is not fun.

Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, apparently, my two year old cat felt the need to chew through a lamp wire behind the couch. I didn't realize it until Wednesday night.

Wednesday morning, I got up and took my shower. Normally, by the time I get out of the shower, she's winding around my legs whining for her breakfast. She wasn't. I looked at her food bowl and saw she still had food. Odd, but whatever. I finished dressing and whatnot and went to work. DH was home yesterday, so I figured he'd feed her when she got hungry again. He didn't see her all day. I got home last night and the cat wasn't in her usual welcoming spot. Odd, but again...she's a cat and cats can be bizarre at times. About 15 mins after I got home, she comes creeping out of Rotten2's room, crouched down low. I picked her up and the smell hit me. It was like super magnified bad morning breath after a massive drunk. I looked at her and saw puss just oozing off her mouth and chin. What.the.fuck. DH and I cleaned her up and started examining her and realized that both sides of her mouth (but not the middle of the mouth) were oozing. We pried her mouth open and there is a diagonal line across her tongue and the entire tip of her tongue is whitish and oozing a bit. At this point, DH and I both started freaking out and I nearly cried. We cleaned her a bit more and rinsed her mouth with mouthwash. Amazingly enough, she barely flinched.

After 2 hours of research on the internet and a call to the vet, we couldn't figure out what the hell she'd gotten into. She's an indoor only cat. DH and I were both feeling very helpless and not sure what to do. I went to the store and bought her some canned cat food, unsure of whether or not she'd eat it. Got home and she more or less licked the juice...but it was something. She was also meowing and walking around...so she was feeling better.

As it got dark, DH turned on a couple of lamps in the living room. Or tried to. The one by the couch and his desk wouldn't come on, so he pulled out the couch to make sure it was still plugged in. That's when he found the cord...chewed clean in half.

*sigh*

My poor kitty. Stupid cat.

Monsty's meme

What curse word do you use the most?
It's a toss up between Shit, dammit and WTF?

Do you own an I Pod?
Nope.

What time is your alarm clock set for?
6:30 am. Although that will be changing shortly when school begins.

What color is your room?It's a whitish wall paper with light colored stripes. I hate it, but DH has forbidden anymore painting in the house for a while.

Flip flops or sneakers?Flip flops.

Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?Take it.

What was the last movie you watched?
I have no idea. None.

Do any of your friends have children?I'll just echo Monsty's sentiments.

Morning bird or night owl?Both, depending on the day, my mood, and the sun's rotation or something.

Do you ever take medication to help you sleep better?Very rarely.

What CD is currently in your CD player? I think it's a mix I made of mostly female country singers.

What kind of milk do you drink? Whole milk, if and when I drink it. Am I the only one who drinks whole milk?

Who was the last person to call you on the phone? My boss

Are you nosey? Kinda. I love to hear gossip and talk about life, but I rarely if ever seek it.

Are you shy around the opposite sex? Nope. Not at all.

Do you own any band tshirts? Not anymore.

What is your favorite salad dressing? Probably Italian.

Do you cry a lot?No.

Who was the last person to text you a message?Probably my DH a few months ago.

Desk top or lap top? Desktop.

Do you have any tatoos or unique peircings? No.

Would you ever date someone with tatoos? Seeing how DH has a tribal band from Cancun on his arm....

Is sex before marriage wrong?No, no, no.

When was the last time you slept on the floor? No idea.

How old will you be at your next birthday? I just turned 29 last week. You do the math.

Do you like cottage cheese? Yes, but I haven't had it in forever.

What will be your next big purchase? Does the A/C for DH's hot rod count?

Last wicked fun thing you did? Went to the farm this weekend. I had a pretty good time.

Friday Night Dinner

So it's Friday night. The kids are at their dad's for the weekend. DH is at work. And I am eating the bestest dinner! A Subway Ham sammich with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, salt, pepper and honey mustard, a huge peanut butter brownie, and a Coke.

What'd you have for dinner?

It's all about ME!

I woke up this morning, the one day a year that is all about me. Spoiled, rotten, ME!

I've had two kinds of brownies, a ginormous chocolate chip cookie, some new Bath & Body Works stuff, a candle, a book, a sweet heart necklace, half a dozen pieces of mail, a hot cowboy, and a dozen homemade cards given to me. I've also had several phone calls! Yay!

Guess why!

China and Crystal

Here's part of the reason for going over to my aunt's house this weekend - my mom and dad's crystal and china from their wedding in April 1973. My aunt (and grandma) kept it all and even added to the collection over the years since my mom's passing in 1980. Up until this past week, I had no idea that anyone still had this stuff.

Segovia #2216 by Noritake

Fostoria - Debutante Gray

I haven't even begun to take inventory of it all. All I know is there are three huge Rubbermaid containers filled to the brim, several pages of order forms from 1990 and handwritten inventory that gives me a 12 place setting of china and almost 12 of each of about 8 different sizes of the crystal. Plus tea cups, saucers, salt and pepper shakers, creamers, sugar bowl and who knows what else.

Now I have to find a place to put all of it...

Boring Day

That is what today has been. I have had very little motivation to do anything lately, and I can't figure out why. I'm just freaking exhausted all the time. So today, the kids and I hung out, washed my truck, watched tons of cartoons, and took a three hour nap.

Tomorrow should be more interesting, to say the least. We're going to my aunt's house, which is a hour or two away. I haven't seen her in a year and a half - since my grandpa died. I miss seeing her. We were pretty close as I was growing up. Then life got in the way and I don't see her as often as I should.

Handwriting Sample

So Jen started it and a few others have followed suit....

The Countdown Begins......

31 more days until the Rottens go back to school! Yay!

Another growing up moment...

So this past week, the kids were at the lake with the ex-in-laws....And Paw and Daddy decided to take Rotten1's training wheels off her bike. She rode it a bit with lots and lots of help then decided to wait until she got home to have me teach her because they were boys. Or something.

Monday night, we started around 7:15 or so. Several (and by several, I'm talking 40-50) trips across the yard later, she had managed to go about 50 feet by herself plus a running start of about 10 feet with me holding one handlebar. By 8:30, she was going an average of 75-90 feet at a time with about a 5 foot hold from me. And then it happened. The big crash. Not only did she manage to jam one handlebar into her chest, but she knocked the chain completely off the bicycle. Of course, this was better than running into the pool. Or so she said after she stopped crying. Then she was madder than hell because I couldn't get the chain back on her bike and it was starting to get dark. *grin* Of course, this resulted in a phone call to DH immediately to ensure that he would fix her bike chain as soon as he got home from work in the morning.

Tuesday night, we did much of the same as Monday. Rotten2 was riding further and stopping better, but still not starting off on her own. Then the Rottens went to play next door and took their bikes. Well, all of a sudden, Rotten2 realizes we aren't there to help her get started. Instead of pushing her bike home, she takes off! On her own! Yay!

Here it is Thursday and you can't keep her off the thing. She's doing great!

Underwear talk

Blame it on Carey.

Do you wear underwear?

Do you know what size you wear?

Do you purchase it or does your Mr/Mrs?

Do you have a favorite pair of underwear?

Eeeeeek! Mouse!

I think we have a mouse. Either that or the cat is stalking dust bunnies under the fridge. She's been parked there for about 4 hours now.

Oh, and I posted pajama pics below.

I'm a sewing fool!

It's official - I've got a new addiction. My sewing machine. So far I've made pajama pants for me and Rotten2 and pajama shorts for Rotten1. Tonight I made a new attempt - boxer shorts for DH. And after a minor confusion with the whole fly/flap thing, I did it! Yay! I even deviated from the pattern and put on a pocket for Mr. Pumpie (DH's insulin pump, so named by Rotten2). Double Yay! Now Rotten1 wants boxer shorts made, too. And Rotten2 is putting in requests for girl boxers and a nightgown.

I think I've created some monsters!

ETA Pictures. First is my pajama capris and DH's boxers. Second is Rotten2's pajama capris and Rotten1's pajama shorts.

4th of July

As previously noted, republishing brings your blog back from the gray screen of death. In celebration, I have these...taken Tuesday night at a nearby small town's First Annual 4th Fest and Parade. The first picture cracked us all up - they had many of the town's children in the parade on their decorated bicycles. This boy took it a step further.

Sorry for the blurriness, but he was riding/walking as I took the picture.

Hello?

Am I here?

I'm going to try something.....

My mom was an awesome seamstress. She could make anything. Seriously. I've seen the pictures, I still have some of the clothes, and my grandma swears it. I've been feeling slightly unproductive lately ... creative juices want to flow and do something .... so this weekend I pulled out my mom's sewing machine. Poor thing had a layer of dust on the case that had to be 1/2" thick. Mom would have killed me!

So last night, on my way home from work, I bought these:


Pajama pants patterns! So...if this works and I can do this, I've found my new addiction. So many patterns, so many fabrics!!! I could have a whole new wardrobe!

Weekend Update

It's Day 3 without the Rottens. And DH is working. Yay! A whole 24 hours to myself! So far today, I've...

*Gone to a job fair. There were 5 pretty good prospective employers there. Cross your fingers!
*Gone to the outlet mall. I only spent $70 in Old Navy - 2 pairs of shorts for DH, 2 pairs of shorts for Rotten1, 2 skirts and 3 shirts for Rotten2, and a tshirt and a tank top for me. Could someone please tell me how, in the process of buying some new shorts for me, which I didn't even buy, I ended up with tons of stuff for everyone else?! Ah well. I'm putting the Rottens' stuff up for school clothes.
*Gone to Walmart and found a baby nursery for the dollhouse, some conditioner, Cokes and Diet Dr Peppers, curtains for Rotten1's room, and some new thread and bobbins for my sewing machine.

And tonight? I plan to watch a couple movies, see if my sewing machine still works, and just veg out. Tomorrow, I will probably do a whole lot of nothing.

*smooches*

Happy 4th of July weekend! Or Canada Day weekend, whichever applies.

Claim to fame

See this? This is literally at the corner of the street where our offices and plant are. You couldn't turn right out of the street! Unfortunately, the police department had it so restricted, we couldn't see anything but the trains. :(

They were here filming on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

Seven Things Mememe

This is all Boo's fault. And like my original twin, I can always think of this stuff until I actually sit down to type it.

Seven things to do before I die:
1. Watch my children grow up
2. Go to Disney World
3. Go to Hawaii
4. Build my dream house
5. Own some horses and cattle
6. Finish college
7. Win the lottery

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Whistle
2. Stand on my head
3. Stay focused lately
4. Control my temper with my ex
5.
6.
7. Win the lottery

Seven things that attract me to my mate:
1. His ass
2. His sense of humor
3. His Wranglers
4. His cowboy hat
5. His dog
6. His love of old cars
7. His smile

Seven things I say:
1. What the hell?
2. Why me?
3. What in the blue hell....
4. STOP touching/kicking/hitting your brother/sister!
5. NO!
6. How many times have I told you....
7. WHAT!?!?!

Seven books I love:
1. The Earth Children series
2. The Little House on the Prairie series
3. Stephanie Plum series
4. Harry Potter series
5. The Little Prince
6. Little Men/Little Women
7. I can't think of anything else right now....

Seven movies that I've loved:
1. Most anything Disney
2. Dirty Dancing
3. Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood
4. Stepmom
5. Pretty Woman
6. ET
7. Shrek

Seven People I Tag:
Is there anyone left who hasn't done this?

In a nutshell...

The Rottens....they haven't seen their grandparents in almost a month. The ex-inlaws are quite agonized over this, as they usually see the kids every couple of days. They haven't been over to their dad's in over 6 weeks. They don't want to go and I refuse to force them. Throw in the nearly weekly sleepovers, birthday parties, and a trip to the farm and the ex-family is a bit upset with me right now. The way DH and I figure it, the kids are growing up, they have several friends and are having fun. *shrug* If the ex and his family want to see the kids, they need to make an effort to make it happen. Since they haven't tried (up until this past weekend), then they have no reason to complain. And speaking of their "efforts," the Rottens are leaving tomorrow evening to spend 10 days at the lake with their grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins.

Me.....I called the company on Friday and told them that regretfully I could not take the position they offered me due to the money they offered. I asked HR to keep me in mind should another position open up. We'll see.

My oobie cysts....I go in tomorrow afternoon for my first ever mammogram. I am dreading this. I'm scared shitless. I will survive and once again, they will tell me that I have fibrocystic oobies. This time, however, they will probably recommend removal.

Breezy.....there is a new Keith Anderson song on the radio with vocals by Steven Tyler. It's called 3 Quart Country and American Rock & Roll. They played it this morning at 7:40 for the first time and I thought of you. I would have called, but...well...there's no Breezy in my cell phone.

Augie....*hugs* Your Keith needs to have his head examined. That is all.

Carey...I'm not speaking to you. Or Jen. Or Glowie. Or mm. Or mtw. Or Catt. Or .... any other person you had meet up with you in SF this weekend. Meanie.

Life in general....dealable. The kids are having fun so far this summer. DH has been in a pretty good mood. And I'm hanging in there. Stressed out, but hey - that's become a normal thing for me again.

Gah!

I just wrote a huge, long post about the Rottens having a life and those adults in their life being jealous and blogger ate it.

Waaaaaaaaaah!

More job news...

I was offered a job this morning. It's for a medical management company, doing accounts receivables and dealing with the insurance companies. I really would like to take this job. BUT...it's a $400/month pay cut and that's $400 we "need."

What to do...what to do...the state of my current job is bad enough that I'm about ready to take the job and figure out our finances later. Yikes.

Update on yesterday and today

Thanks for the Anni wishes. Boo's right, it does seem like we've been married longer than a year. However, that's a good thing!

Rotten2 and I had a brainstorm! Instead of buying her something, I gave her my wooden handmade doll house. She'd never seen it before, as it's been in storage at her Nana's for the last 9 years. We bought new doll people and have decided to fix it up over the next few weeks together.

Rotten1 has been glued to his Playstation2 and 4 new games with breaks to go swimming and play with his friends.

As for the doctor's appointment....*sigh* It's something I've been dreading for a few months now. ***TMI ALERT*** A few fluidy cysts appeared a few years ago. They've been monitored but there was no reason to do anything with them because they were just hanging out. Well, a few months ago, I noticed a slight change in one of them. Thus, today's appointment. So, I now have a sonogram scheduled in two weeks and a follow up appointment to decide what to do in a month. Doc says there's nothing to worry about...so I'm trying not to worry.

Anni, Musings, and a Question

Today is our 1 year anniversary. We aren't doing anything special, just another day for the most part. DH is getting a nearly new riding lawn mower though. It's also Father's Day and Larry's neice's 16th birthday. The kids opted to stay with us for the weekend, even though, once again, they should be at their dad's. *shrug*

DH just called me from Walmart. Apparently Rotten2 has found a tank top that I need, but they weren't sure what size to get. I can't help but laugh.

Tomorrow, I have a doctor's appointment. Wish me luck and good thoughts.

Now, for the question....I'm debating on buying Rotten1 a new Playstation2. He's been in the Dark Ages with his Playstation1 for years. But...if I do this without it being a birthday or special occasion, I feel like I should do something similar for Rotten2, especially since she'd be the only one (DH, her brother, her) that doesn't get something new. But what the hell does a 6 year old girl need? She's got more toys than effing Toys R Us.

Momma needs a meme

So Catt's done it. Dweeze did it. What the hell, right?

Momma needs sleep
Momma needs a bath now!
Momma needs a girls' night out
Momma needs your help right this minute
Momma needs a new pair of shoes
Momma needs some inspiration
Momma needs a new roof (WTF???)
Momma needs her cocktail
Momma needs more smilies
Momma needs a haircut
Momma needs a cigarette
Momma needs plane tickets
Momma needs to pay her credit card bills

How the hell do these folks know me so well?!

Of course, entering my real name brings some effing hilarious results...

(Real Name) needs a visit to The Bunny Planet (How odd that Google seems to link together those in blogland just when they need it most)
(Real Name) needs to shear all her sheep in a matter of days
(Real Name) needs a food we are happy to leave smeared on our faces
(Real Name) needs private support

Shhhh!

Be vewy, vewy quiet.

No. We're not hunting wabbits. But it's quite peaceful in my house. The kids stayed at the farm for the week, DH is at work, and the animals are sleeping. Yay!

Maybe I should throw a party. What are you going to bring?

Vacation Day!

Hooray! *hops* I was quite worried that I would end up having to go in to work today and tomorrow. Seems that every time I take a day or two off, something major goes wrong. So far, I only have one parts shortage to concern myself with and it can be worked around. Let's just hope that this time, no one quits or gets fired.

In related news, DH was supposed to be off work at 7 am. He's still at work. His relief quit yesterday. So who knows when he'll get off work. I'm just hoping he doesn't have to pull a second 24 hour shift, because that makes for a very unhappy and grumpy DH.

We are supposed to be heading to the farm this weekend for the annual car show. The kids will be staying there all next week. Rotten1 has a baseball game tonight, that he's probably going to miss - if DH gets off work. He's a bit upset, but quite ready to get out of town for 10 days. We may head up there later whether or not DH gets off work. He can drive up later or tomorrow.

And now? My right eye is twitching. That can't be good.

What day is it?

Not sure if I'm suffering from wanna-be-summer-vacay or what, but I've had a hell of a time remembering what day of the week it is lately. And this week has really thrown me off, as I'm taking Thursday and Friday off. Which meant I spent all day today convinced it was Wednesday. Ah well.

So.....what's up with you? What day do you want it to be?

Ut Oh

This has been the strangest weekend I've had in a long time. A weekend of firsts, if you will.

It started with DH keeping the kids on their first day of summer vacation. He has been known to keep the Rottens for bits and pieces, but never a whole day. He has gained a new understanding and appreciation for (step)parenting, I do believe. And I'm enjoying the hell out of it.

It progressed to the ex not picking up the kids Friday night. Come to find out, after dinner and ice cream, they didn't want to go with him anyway. How did I find this out? I sure as shit didn't ask them! They told their dad when Rotten2 called him at 9-something to ask him why he wasn't picking them up.

Saturday dawned hot and slightly humid. We took the kids to Rotten1's baseball game, where the ex and his girlfriend showed up. Nothing too odd there, except the ex actually pretended he gives a shit and helped out in the dugout for the first time all season. Of course, it's the second to last game. Then, standing in the parking lot after the game, the kids inform their dad and me that they want me to take them to a friend's birthday party at 4 and that they are going home with me and DH. This is at noon. I had no idea this was coming, so I was a bit surprised but told the kids if that's what they wanted to do they'd best load their butts in my truck. The ex was not happy but blew it off. We went to the party, had a good time, and the kids decided to veer off to spend the night with friends, knowing they were supposed to be meeting up with their dad after the party. Of course, who's left to call the ex and let him know? Me. Yeah. He was slightly pissed and started to get an attitude, which I quickly shut down with something along the lines of "Hey, I'm not going to force them to go to your house when they don't want to."

So, this morning.....I pick the kids up around noon and we call their dad. At this point, they are kind of resigned to the idea that it's the end of dad's weekend and they haven't gone over there. They called. He "requested" their presence immediately. And they started to refuse. Again. Then I guess they figured it'd be okay. Of course, all the way over there, I had to listen to them complaining about the girlfriend's three kids, the girlfriend, their dad, etc.

And now....I've vegged out and napped for the better part of the day. I feel like a truck ran over me and I'm running a low grade fever. No real complaints other than a nagging headache that doesn't want to go away. Joy. I do not want to get sick. I have plans for this week, dammit. I do not need to get sick. I haven't been sick with a fever in almost a year! For the moment, I have a bit of energy, so I'm trying to clean this pigsty I live in. It's absolutely looking like a train wreck.

Off to dust a bit! Then I'll try to catch up a bit more on the blogworld. *smooch*

Quote of the Day

Courtesy of Rotten1 on the way home from his last day of school today:

"You know, Mom...it really sucks that grown-ups don't get a summer vacation."

*sigh* Tell me about it. *sigh*

In other news, Larry started using his insulin pump yesterday. I'm still sending out resumes regularly, although I haven't had any callbacks recently. The dog and cat seem to have some type of skin thing going on with itchy spots that turn into an open sore over time. It appears this will result in quite the interesting trip to the vet's office.

*smooches*

And School is almost over.

Yesterday was Rotten1's award ceremony for 2nd grade, where he was given certificates for A-B Honor Roll, DEAR reading, and the Determination Award by his teacher. The Determination Award was voted on by his classmates - and he was the only one who received it - for always finishing what he starts, no matter what. Here is Rotten1 with his teacher after the ceremony.

Rotten2 also had her Kindergarten graduation last night, complete with caps and gowns and little diplomas. They sang several songs for the parents and showed a movie with pictures taken throughout the year. I know they all grew up this year, but wow. Looking at those first of the year pictures compared to the kids sitting in front of us....Truly unbelievable. And here is Rotten2 with her teacher after graduation.

I have to hand it to this year's teachers. They were both truly amazing, very caring, on top of things, and just all around wonderful teachers for the kids. Very special, wonderful ladies who made this year a joy, a great learning experience, and were easy to communicate with and work with. So, to all teachers, thank you. Without wonderful people like you to influence, teach and enrich, my kids would probably hate school.

ABC's mememememe

A is for Age - 28, almost 29
B is for Booze - Margaritas, Jack & Coke, Rum & Coke
C is for Career - I'm supposed to have a career? This deadend job does not qualify.
D is for Dad’s name - Lawrence
E is for Essential Item to bring to a Party - Drinks, chips and dip
F is for Favorite Songs at the Moment - Gotta be Something More, by Sugarland
G is for Goof off thing to do - Blogging, altho there hasn't been much time for that lately.
H is for Hometown - Of all the places I've lived in Texas, the East Texas area will always be home.
I is for Instrument you play - I played the piano for a few months, does that count?
J is for Jam or Jelly you like - Strawberry jam, peach jelly, blueberry jelly
K is for Kids - As if we don't all know about the Rottens by now?!
L is for Living arrangement - House with DH and the Rottens
M is for Mom’s name - Jeannette
N is for Names of best friends - Tracey, Crysta, and all of you!
O is for overnight hospital stays - 2 - the birth of each child
P is for Phobias - Death before my kids grow up, Mice
Q is for Quote you like - "I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seemstoday, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow." OR "I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back." - Maya Angelou
R is for Relationship that lasted longest - This is a tie - 4 years each
S is for Siblings - one half brother, three stepbrothers, and one stepsister - altho the only one that counts and is a permanent addition to my life over the years is my half brother. The steps have come and gone.
T is for Texas, Ever been? - Do I really have to answer this one?
U is for Unique trait - Very little is unique about me, altho these days, honesty seems to be almost a unique trait.
V if for Vegetable you love - Corn on the cob, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, fried okra, squash....
W is for Worst traits - Stubborness, Hardheadedness, and Defiance
X - is for XRays you’ve had - chest, wrist, ankle, knee, and many dental xrays
Y is for Yummy food you make - Rotten1 loves my tacos, Rotten2 loves my spaghetti, and DH loves my meatloaf.
Z is for Zodiac sign - Leo

Saturday Musings

Rotten2 had a wonderful birthday and says thank you to momma's 'puter friends. She was thrilled about the entire day - so cute.

Now. Who in the world decided that mid-May was the time to bring on mid-90 degree temps? It's freaking HOT outside. I think its already 80 degrees and it's not even 9am. Gah. And I have to go sit at a baseball game at 11:30.

And now for my weekly chore list. Let's place bets on how much of this gets accomplished with no kids and no DH today. Dusting, vacuuming, bathroom scrubbing, mopping, cleaning my poor nasty truck (again!), grocery shopping, bill paying, and....it's my turn to clean the litter box. I need to figure out where the leak in the pool is. It's one of those above ground blue ones at Walmart and it's slowly losing air around the top. We've patched a few holes and apparently have missed one. I also need to drive 45 minutes to the jewelers to have my wedding ring inspected. Holy shit. That means DH and I have been married almost a year. Wow. Where does the time go?!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Update: I was in the shower after cruising the blogs and the dog went Nutz. I mean, insanely cuckoo. So I get out, wrap a towel around me and peek outside. The mailwoman came by and was on the porch because I had a package! A package! Yay! Wait. I didn't order anything. Hm. So I sneak onto the porch in my towel, grab my package and quickly get back in the house. It's a box from Monsty!!! And inside, just in time to head out to Rotten1's game - a Red Sox hat! Hooray! So I finished my shower, got dressed and wore my brand new Red Sox hat to the game.

Also, I got absolutely nothing on my list accomplished. Instead, I went to the game, window shopped, went to the bookstore, got my hair trimmed, window shopped some more, went to Walmart and then Petsmart. Then I came home and took an evening nap.

Happy Birthday to my baby girl

My baby girl is 6 today. I can't believe how time flies. It seems like only yesterday I was in the hospital, fully coherent (which was a complete change from Rotten1's birth) and scared to death that something was wrong. She had been taken straight from the OR to the nursery, before I could hold her because she still had amniotic fluid in her lungs due to the CSection. I was in recovery for only a couple of hours ... so afraid for her and wanting to see her and hold her that I forced myself to walk before I was really ready. In fact, I couldn't feel my feet yet but I managed to walk around the room so they'd let me up to go to the nursery. To this day, I have no idea how I managed that.

Today, she is a confident, outgoing, spirited child. So very girly and prissy, yet has her moments where she will play in mud puddles. Of course, those moments are usually followed by a check of her clothes and shoes and a desire for a bath. She's grown so much this past year - it's amazing how much she has learned and how much more of her personality has developed. She is entirely too much like her momma, that's for sure.

At 1 year...

And today....

Wednesday, already?

Where the hell has this week gone? Oh yeah....baseball, a church school program, and hell/work. Tonight is Lost, cake baking, present wrapping and laundry. Tomorrow is Rotten2's birthday and Friday is baseball. Whew.

Someone please tell me what it's like to have a life. Please?

Weekend Update

After baseball practice last night, Rotten1 & Rotten2 ended up going home with one of Rotten1's teammates and his sister. An unexpected night with DH! So what did we do? Went to sleep at like 9pm. *rolls eyes* It really has been a bizarre week.

This morning, we headed to pick up the kids and stopped at a garage sale on the way. Found a Gateway Pentium II for $15 that needed some memory...so we bought it! Stopped at a local computer repair shop and picked up two memory sticks for $10. Then spent the better part of 6 hours trying to get around the Administrator password on Windows XP Professional. And no, the folks we bought the computer tower from had no idea what the password was. *sigh* Redneck Techie Momma finally ... um ... managed to get it working for DH after he found a little program on the Internet *grin* Then we got the free Compaq working, too. So now I'm in search of two decent used monitors, a keyboard and a set of speakers so both kids will have their own computers again! Yay! In the midst of all of this, we picked up the kids and ended up bringing Rotten1's teammate home with us, too. The boys played and swam all day, Rotten2 left them alone for the most part, and we all had fun. Rotten1's teammate ended up spending the night tonight, too.

Tomorrow? Hopefully I'll get that long list of chores accomplished from below. At least DH got my truck washed today, and the kitchen and living room are clean. I think most of the laundry is done too. Hm...may not be so bad after all.

*smooch*

TGIF

No, really...Thank God it's Friday! I am so glad this week is over. It's just been a bizarre week all the way around. I'm trying desperately to forget that Monday will be here shortly.

The kids ended up spending the night with some friends tonight, so DH and I got an unexpected evening to ourselves. Of course, he crashed early since he was up all night at work and I'm tired, but not sleepy.

This weekend's excitement is geared toward finishing shopping for Rotten2's birthday, yard work, cleaning the house, watching the kids swim and not much else. Yay! What fun will you be having this weekend?

*smooch*

So.

I'm sitting here tonight playing on my computer and it hits me.

It's quiet. Entirely too quiet. DH is at work. Rotten1 is spending the night at his grandma's. Rotten2 is here, though and she usually makes enough noise for seven children. Where is she and what has she gotten into? Last I'd seen her, she was off to color in her room. So I go in there. And at 6pm, she's fast asleep at her desk coloring a My Little Pony page.

So cute, so sweet, so quiet. I didn't want to move her for fear that she'd wake up. But it didn't look comfortable. And besides, if I didn't wake her up, she'd never go to sleep tonight. But she must have been tired since she had a long, late weekend at her dad's AND she'd been there last night.

So I moved her to her bed. She didn't wake up immediately. About 5 minutes later, she came in the living room with me and asked to go to "that new website" her teacher told her about. Turns out, it is one we've been to many, many times - just not to this part of the site. pbskids. *snort*

She has entirely too much fun when it's just me and her. And so do I.

Randomness...

Have you ever bit your lip or the inside of your cheek when trying to keep your mouth shut around a problem employee, stupid manager, the in-laws, or some other annoying individual you are stuck with so often that you've actually caused a sore? I have. Today. And it hurts like hell every time my cheek rubs my teeth.

********

Kim (aka Weltek) is a goddess. Really. These brownies are absolutely wonderful!

*******

Rotten1 pulled his other top front tooth last night. All by himself. Sort of. I'd been helping wiggle and turn it, then he decided he wanted to do it. The look on his face was priceless when it popped out in his hand. I'll try to get the pictures of the former Snaggletooth off my camera soon.

Long, long day

After a nice, relaxing weekend...I went back to work. Argh. It's insane. Orders are up, production is up, you'd think all would be well, right? No. One employee is out with a family emergency and we don't know when she'll be back. Another employee is on light duty due to cataract surgery. Did you know that for a week after eye surgery, you cannot lift anything over 7lbs because you might strain your eye? No shit. I have the doctor's note to prove it. So, what does that leave? One employee who is fairly new and working her way through the year long learning curve. And me. Yay. /sarcasm

Rotten1 had a ball game tonight - a make up game from last Saturday's rain out game. They played very well. Rotten1 scored two runs and had 3 hits! Two of our worst players, and they are bad, even swung well. One actually got a hit! His first all season! Unfortunately, a couple of fielding errors cost us the game :( Ah well....they played very well over all.

Rotten2 is still cranky and crabby from her weekend with their father. I swear, I'm putting her to bed at 6pm tomorrow if this shit doesn't stop!

And on the job front, well. No news. No return phone call. So..no big deal. It was a good practice process for the next run. I sent out a couple more resumes yesterday. We'll see. Oh, and according to some news report? Unemployment is down and the job market is booming. According to Jay Leno, the White House Cabinet has enough job openings to cover all unemployed people. *snicker*

I give up.

I called the HR lady today, she was out sick. I left a message inquiring whether they had filled the position. We'll see. I still am giving up though. If they call, it will be a nice surprise.

The Tooth Fairy left a $2 bill + 2 $1 bills. Rotten1 was extremely excited about this because his best buddy also gets $2 bills from the Tooth Fairy, which I did not know. He's never, ever going to spend the $2 bill because it's very special to him. Color me impressed.

In other news, I went shopping tonight. I bought a new watch, a pair of very casual capris, a skort, two shirts and two pairs of flip flops. I will be taking back another skort and shirt that do not fit properly. I also bought new foundation - I'm trying this creme to powder stuff...we'll see. And, I bought some lotion, a few new hair scrunchy thingies, some Benadryl for Rotten1, dog shampoo, kid shampoo and body wash, and a new toy for the cat. No, they were not all purchased at the same place. I actually went to two different stores! Yay for me!

Now, I'm off to make the blog rounds and watch Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone for the first time.

*smooches and hugs to all my wonderfully supportive friends*

Hi.

As noted below, I still have not heard anything about the job. I'll give it til Friday afternoon and then call them to verify my thoughts. I don't think I got it :( But...what is meant to happen, will happen.

Other than that, not too much exciting is going on. I think we're getting Carey/Catt/mm's weather...it started raining Tuesday and has barely let up and isn't supposed to stop til Saturday. Blah.

ETA: It's mtw's weather too. Men. Sheesh.

And as for the lack of excitement? That went out the window as the evening drew to a close. I pulled Rotten1's very loose tooth, which made for some excitement and little boy happiness. This is his 3rd one - this time the top left (if you're looking at him). Then Rotten2's allergies went haywire and she had a minor nose bleed. Of course, it's just my luck that we're out of Children's liquid Benadryl. Crap. So I go digging in the medicine cabinets and all I can find are Benadryl capsules. Ages 6-12 and 12 & up. Well, she's close enough to 6, so she actually swallowed her first medicine pill!

Damn. My life is entirely too interesting.

Job Interview

So today was my job interview at the hospital. I called in sick to work because I just couldn't schedule another vacation day right now. I got there about 30 minutes early and was able to start some of the pre-interview testing. Did fairly well, if I do say so myself. Then I met one of the HR ladies. She was very nice, discussed benefits, the company, and other details with me and asked a lot of background questions of me. I hate "Tell Me Three Things about Yourself ..." questions. She seemed okay with my answers there, though. We talked a bit about her daughter, who is the same age as Rotten2 and her two older sons - one of them is in the Marines. She walked me over to the main building and introduced me to the guy who would be my manager if I am hired. He and I talked for a long time about the job, qualifications, experiences and personalities. The funniest question of all came after he told me the previous hire lasted for 3 weeks and a day. Mind you, I've walked through 80% of this department and seen the layout of it all on the way to his office. Would an open air environment bother me? I was dumbfounded. Totally stupefied for a minute, until I realized he was serious. Of course, the next question was almost as good...does certain "language" bother me when used in the context of a sentence on rare occasions, whether directed to me or another person or thing. I almost laughed at that too. Instead, I expanded on our slight humor we had going at this point and threw my hands up and said forget it, I just cannot handle that type of stress. He laughed, I laughed.

This job sounds wonderful. The lady I would be replacing, if offered the job, left her position to move up the ladder a bit. So she's there, would be my trainer and seems very nice. I really, really want this job. I was the last interview and it's between me and one other person, who is as different from me as night and day. Yep, that was the manager's exact phrase. I'm not sure what exactly that means, but we are both qualified candidates who are causing him extreme stress over which would be best for the job.

Wow.

I will know something tomorrow.

Double wow.

It's all Augie's fault.

I dug 50 holes in my big flower bed across the front of the house today with the kids' help. It's all Augie's fault. If she hadn't been talking about buying annuals for her flower beds, I wouldn't have gone into the gardening department with the Rottens today. And I wouldn't have dug 50 holes. And NO! I'm not exaggerating about those 50 plants. 8 six packs of petunias, marigolds (or something that looks pretty damn similar but didn't have a tag in it), two kinds of Celosia, Salvia, and Begonias plus two larger petunias. And they are all bright colors - pinks, whites, purples and yellows. And a red something...maybe that was the Salvia.

See how mean Augie is!

Redneck Hillbilly Moment

I went to the grocery store this afternoon after I dropped the kids off at their grandparents. Of course, I loaded my buggy (see also: shopping cart, cart) with the usual - bread, milk, chicken breasts, hamburger buns, bananas, pork chops, steak, veggies (frozen and canned), kids' lunch crap, Cokes, ice cream, etc. And on my way to the check out, what did I see? KC Masterpiece BBQ Beef Jerky. I love beef jerky, but hate paying for it. I usually only get beef jerky in the fall/winter and then it's usually venison jerky. I couldn't help it. The display was calling to me. I had to have some. I picked up a bag and put it in the buggy. I put the bag back. I picked it up again.

I ended up with 2 bags of beef jerky - Original and KC Masterpiece BBQ Jerky. Damn, it's good.

Minute by minute....- Updated

That pretty well sums up how I'm getting through my days right now. In bullet points, here's my life right now:
* DH is working with the insurance companies and his endo to get an insulin pump. I'm working with our finances to make this work for him. Update: Looks like this could go very well for DH. He is diabetic and has been for about 2 years. Given his career, the shots have not been as easily managable as the pump should be. He will have to have it on him at all times (most of the time).
* I'm looking for a new gyno who is on our insurance. This will not be good. Well, in the end, it will be, but the process of finding and going and dealing will not be good. Update: I have found 3 ob/gyn offices that I will be checking out. I am dreading this.
* Rotten1 got clobbered in the mouth/nose last night at his baseball game while playing 2nd base. He ran up to catch the ball and instead of it rolling, it bounced up and WHAM! He's fine, just has a fat lip.
* Rotten2 has a field trip to a local horse ranch on Thursday. She's quite peeved that I will not be able to go, due to work issues.
* Work. *sigh* I hate it, but I'm showing up and doing my job. Right now, that's about all I can ask out of myself. Update: I received a call today from the hospital next door to the hospital DH works for. They want me in on Monday for TWO interviews!!! Yay! The first interview is with HR, the second is with the Construction Project Manager, who I would be working for. Even if I don't get this job, it's given me hope that there is something else out there. Now. WTF do I wear to an interview?!?
* I actually got a full child support from my ex last week. First time in almost a year. I'm not holding my breath for another one anytime soon. Update: Unfortunatly, after a minor shopping spree for the Rottens, most of the money is going toward daycare. *pout*
* 27 more days of school for the Rottens! Yikes! This is a whole 'nother post in itself.
*I need a nap....like a long bear winter hibernation type nap. Not sure if it's stress or what, but I'm constantly exhausted these days.
* Best of all, I'm trying (and partly succeeding) in keeping a good, happy mood going.

A Rotten Easter

The Job Search is ON!

OMG OMG OMG.....I've gone and done it. I put in my resume to several different companies tonight. Only two are local. The other 6-8 are about an hour away, in what I lovingly refer to as my hometown. Tyler is the only place I've lived that I'd gladly move back to. It's big enough that I could be in town and still small enough that there is land and trees to be had.

Larry is currently working about 15 minutes north of Tyler, so finding a job for him is irrelevant. But...we own the house we are in, the kids' family is here. What the fuck am I thinking? I know, it's not like I was offered a job or anything. Hell, all I did was put in my resume. But, Larry and I have been talking about this off and on. He's never lived in Tyler, but he has really come to appreciate the area and made several friends in the 6 months he's been working down there. The kids' grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins go camping down around Tyler about once a month, so they'd still see them regularly - just not daily like they do now.

Cross your fingers for me. It's definitely time for a change - I just don't know how big of a change yet.

Tagged: Six Weird Things

Here are the rules-
1. Reveal six weird facts/things/habits about yourself and then tag six people
2. Leave a "You're Tagged!" comment to let the people you have tagged know they have to reveal six things (or the entire blogosphere will explode and it will be their fault)
3. Leave a comment HERE to let me know when you have completed your mission

SIX THINGS

1. I have worked at the same company for almost 7 years. I have had 6 offices (one, I've had twice) in that time, all but one within the same general subsidy in three different capacities.

2. I rarely watch TV. Maybe a total of 3 hours every week.

3. When I was pregnant with Rotten2, I knew it within days - with no symptoms or missed moments.

4. I have not finished college. I am one hour shy of my Associate of Arts degree. That one hour? was a PE class I dropped when I was 6 months pregnant with Rotten1.

5. I kept my middle name through both marriages and dropped my maiden name totally. The kids only recently learned what my maiden name was.

6. My high school class had 642 kids in it. I was #228.

TAGGING:
1. Bob
2. Boo
3. Arkie
4. Iggy
5. Seana
6. Zombie

Update, as promised

This may not be as exciting as you all hoped.

Friday did turn out to be a Good Friday, after all. After sending the kids to take a nap at 9:15 am, they straightened up within a few minutes and all was right with the world. We straightened up the house, played outside quite a bit, went to the grocery store, and just hung out. We (the kids and I, Larry was at work) ended up staying up until midnight watching movies and cartoons.

Saturday was busy. We had an Easter Egg Hunt at the church from 11-12, a baseball game from 12:30-2 something, then we came home and boiled eggs to color. Of course, it was another 80+ degree day, so we hung out outside most of the afternoon and the kids rode bikes and played baseball and drew a million pictures with sidewalk chalk.

Sunday was Easter! Yay! After Rotten2 woke up twice in the middle of the night to "check to see if the Easter Bunny had come" and walked past their filled baskets in the dark, that is. The Easter Bunny brought the both of the kids several different workbooks - word searches and mazes and such, a puzzle, a chocolate bunny, some Hershey's Kissables, a jumbo pen, a small toy, a paddle ball, some Rocket Balloons, and some other stuff that I've forgotten now. After opening their baskets, Rotten1 asked me if the Easter Bunny was real because one of the boys on the bus said that your parents are the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. I didn't have the heart to tell him and Rotten2, who was sitting on the floor in the living room, that they aren't real. Not to mention, I'm not really ready to let go of that piece of their childhoods. So I got out of giving him a real answer by saying that he'd asked me if we could go out to eat Saturday night and I told him I only had $20 in my wallet so we would be eating at home, and asking if he thought $20 could buy all of the stuff in their baskets. He answered No. And it was left at that. We went to church Sunday morning, too. That was....wow. I haven't been in years, even though the kids regularly go to Wed night activities with the ex-in-laws. I grew up in the Methodist Church, while the ex-in-laws are Baptist. In most cases, it is the same beliefs, just a bit of difference in the practices. So, anyway, the kids and I head off to the local Methodist Church. Wow. It was definitely a sermon I could relate to and the members were extremely friendly and welcoming for it being our first visit on a day when they had many, many visitors. Sunday afternoon was filled with a small nap, lots of playtime outdoors, screaming whistling rocket balloons, bike rides for the kids and just general goofing off.

Today......*sigh* I so did not want to go back to work. But I did, and I managed to make it through the day with only one nasty remark to my boss, who is a complete imbicile. Baseball practice tonight and a quick spaghetti dinner and homework. Oh, and did I mention that we hit a record high temperature? 100 degrees! Yep. It's going to be one hot ass summer.

ETA: I was wrong. Channel 5 Meteorologist says that it was 101 today, the hottest day ever this early in the year. Also, it is 10 pm and it's still 91 degrees outside.

I have an update....

Really, I do. I just don't have time to type it all out. The weekend did get better, MUCH better, in fact. So, until I have time....I'll leave you with a bumper sticker that I saw on my way to work this morning.

If Ignorance is Bliss, why aren't more people happy?

Think it was a sign telling me how my day would be? *grin*

Good Friday?!?!

*snort*

Not in this house. The kids went to bed at about 8:30 last night and were up around 7:30 this morning. We've had breakfast, they've played, and I've already refereed about 85 arguements. It's 9:13 am and I've sent them both to take a nap. I cannot handle an entire day today of arguing and whining.

Somebody help!

New Club

I think we need to start a new club. Monsty tried to break her thumb and did tendon damage. Zombie played in the flowers and got a blister. I raked a billion gazillion leaves, got a blister (or two) and popped the blister on my thumb while raking.

Anyone else with severe thumb damage?

In other news, I have nothing to say. You?

Rotten1's T-Shirt Collection

In the last month or two, Rotten1 has discovered T-Shirts with sayings on them. While at Target this weekend, I bought him three new ones. His favorites are:

A black t-shirt with a white stick figure tripping that says "I Do All My Own Stunts"

A red t-shirt that says, in black and white lettering, "Do I Annoy You?"

A navy t-shirt that says, in white letters, something about his mouth overruling his mind. I can't remember the exact phrase right now. I found it quite amusing and truthful considering how much he has been getting in trouble at school for talking.

A navy t-shirt with light blue big letters that says, "Blame My Sister."

And a gray t-shirt with a huge baseball on it that says "Baseball is My Favorite Subject."

Guess which one he wore to school today.......And tell me about your favorite t-shirt sayings. Or just your favorite sayings.

Question #2

Did Monsty really break her thumb?

Bonus: Since she's never admitted to how it happened, what do you think caused the possible break? Remember, Mr Monstah did buy gummy vitamins the other day......

Question

What time do you normally go to bed?

Argh!

Did ya'll see what Monsty's Red Sox did to our Texas Rangers on Opening Day?!?! Did you see it? Argh! This does not bode well.

In other news, Rotten1 scored a run in his game last night. And one on Saturday during their Opening Day game! And? the backs of my thighs are very sore from all of the squatting and standing I did Saturday during our Year End Inventory for 10 hours.

Favorite Song Thingie

Tagged by Seana.

Instructions: Choose a band or artist and answer the questions using only titles of their songs.

I chose Chris Cagle. Mm.......Yummy. If you don't remember what he looks like, click here.

Are you male or female? Chicks Dig It
Describe yourself: Look What I've Found
How do some people feel about you: The Safe Side
How do you feel about yourself: Look At What I've Done
Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: Wanted Dead or Alive
Describe your current significant other: I Was Made For You
Describe where you want to be: Anywhere but Here
Describe how you live: Country By the Grace of God
Describe how you love: Lovin' You, Lovin' Me
What would you ask for if you had just one wish: What a Beautiful Day
Share a few words of wisdom: You Might Want to Think About It
Now say goodbye: Miss Me Baby

I'm tagging Monsty, Iggy, and Catt.

*yawn*

I don't know why, but I can't quit yawning today. I got some restful sleep this weekend, and almost 7 hours of sleep last night. Oh well. Bedtime will be soon.

I have a question for all of you. Do you use car air fresheners? If you do, what kind? The ugly tree looking things? The Yankee candle ones? The little can looking thingies that you can adjust the amount of smelly it lets into the car? And what scent?

I bought one of those can looking ones this weekend. I usually do not buy these, but I loved the smell - crisp green apple. Normally, I buy refills for the black felt cowboy hat that is in the hidey place under the stereo. But since it's spring, I needed something more springy. And thus, I have the crisp green apple can thingie.

Update!

Yikes! I haven't updated since Tuesday. What is wrong with me?

Tonight I went to the Dollar Tree to buy wrapping paper because tomorrow is DH's birthday and I need to wrap his truck stereo and speakers. Of course, I can't just go in and get that one thing cause everything is $1. *rolls eyes* $14 later, I manage to make it out of the store. I passed the Peeps 4 different times. The first time, I thought of Coco, who thought of me when she saw Peeps. The second time was trying to decide if I wanted blue, pink, yellow or purple colored bunnies or chickies. The third time was deciding I definitely wanted chickies and probably yellow. The fourth and final time, I realized I do not need Peeps. So I bought some chocolate eggs with fudge, marshmallow, or caramel filling.

Then I went and caught the last 20 minutes or so of Rotten1's baseball practice. He's sooooo good! And I'm not just saying that because I'm his momma, either. He really is awesome for a barely 8 year old. This is his first year of coach pitch (we missed last year). He hits about 80% of the balls pitched to him, has begun learning how to throw a fastball, stops about 60% of the balls when playing catcher (for the first time tonight), and can field most any ball hit in the infield. And!!! He actually pays attention to the game instead of picking grass or running in circles like many of the boys. He really loves to play and I love to be able to watch. Reminds me of several years gone by. /sentimental moment

Tomorrow is DH's 33rd birthday. His dad and step mom are coming down to take us shopping at the outlet mall and out for dinner. I think we're also going to get DH a new pair of work boots. Should be fun.

Off to finish making DH's butter cake with fudge icing and drink my pina coladas while I pretend I'm on some beach, some where.

Missing Peeps.

No, not those Peeps. The Easter peeps. I really want some. But given my tooth status at the moment, I know I shouldn't. And they are really nasty. But oh so addicting. Yellow and pink and blue little chickies and bunnies and such.

Okay, Okay. So I really do want to know where those missing bloggie peeps are, too. But I can't call them all by name. I wonder if it would suffice to call out the eight reindeer. Or the seven dwarfs. Or the Sesame Street characters. Or the Smurfs. Or.....

Ow.

Ow. Ow. OW! I have a molar on the top right side of my mouth that has been chipped/cracked for quite a while now. I bit down on my popcorn this morning the wrong way and now my entire effing mouth hurts. And my jaw. And my ear. And now my checkbook will be hurting to. It's going to cost a minimum of $150.00 for the dentist to "take care" of it. Let's just hope it stops hurting soon and pretends like there's nothing wrong with it for a while longer.

I hate my teeth. And I hate dentists.

Spring Break Adventures!

Spring Break is extremely eventful in the Momma house. The first part of the week, the kids were with their dad which included camping with Grandma and a small fishing trip. They came home Wednesday night. Yesterday we went to the Zoo *points down blog a bit*

Today's adventures included a trip to the Dollar Tree, where everything is $1. We found 2 packages of "cool" socks for Rotten2, 2 Easter bunny figures, an Easter basket for the kitchen table, 2 John Deere glasses *waves to Weltek*, 4 C Batteries for the Uno game, 2 Nerf-like blaster thingies for Rotten1, a princess crown and purple headband for Rotten2, more sidewalk chalk, and zoo animal bandaids for a whopping out the door price of $16.16 (with tax). We then ventured to the half price/trade in, locally owned bookstore where Rotten1 purchased 7 books, Rotten2 purchased 7 books, and I purchased 4 Bear Clan books *waves to Breezy* and another book for a grand total of $21.05. Then we walked over to Blockbuster and bought March of the Penguins *waves to Coco* and Madagascar for a grand total of $21.05. Then we went to Walmart for laundry detergent and Twist-Up crayons. Then the grandest part of the adventure was McDonalds *waves to Boo* for lunch, which cost me as much as the damn dollar store. Then it was time to head to the house for rest time and play time before the first baseball practice of the season *waves to Monsty*! Yay!

Tomorrow's adventures, so far, include baseball uniform fittings and going to the "mall" *waves to Carey since she just loves the mall so very muchly* in a nearby town to meet the radio station people, while Larry is at work.

Excitement abounds in this house for Spring Break adventures!

The ZOO!!!!

I'll admit, I was as excited about our trip to the zoo today as the kids were. Larry pretended he didn't care one way or the other, but I caught him getting caught up in the excitement a few times, too. Today was the first time I've taken the kids to a zoo. They've each been once with their daycare, but not to this zoo. This is a smaller zoo (takes 2-3 hours to walk through with the kids) with not as many animals, but all of the staff and keepers are super friendly, all over the place, and very knowledgeable. The park is also extremely clean.

Between the Rottens, we are now in need of a monkey (a small one), a parrot that talks, a zebra named Stripes, three flamingos, an albino catfish, a jaguar (the black one, not the spotted one), a penguin, a toucan, a bird that eats out of your hands, and something else I've forgotten. We took over 120 pictures and this is a small zoo!!!!

There's a cheetah or spotted jaguar (one of the two, I forget) in the middle of this picture.

Hello?

Anybody out there? Carey? Zbaby? Nookie? Monsty? Hello?

Looks like we are going to head to the Tyler Zoo on either Thursday or Friday. Waiting to see the weather forecast in a bit, even though it means absolutely zilch this time of year in Texas. We may meet some friends and their kids at the park on Saturday, again, depending on the weather.

*smooch*

Quiet and Warm

Good Morning! How is everyone on this lovely, windy, 70 degree morning? Spent most of yesterday either enjoying our weather or cleaning house. Larry and I went out for dinner and a quick run through the lawn and garden section of Walmart, where I discovered almost nothing I had to have. We sat outside on the swing until around 9. Sooo many stars! Today, Larry is at work, Rotten1 is at the lake with his grandparents for a couple of days, and Rotten2 is with her dad. I still need to clean the bathrooms, make a run to the nursery (plants and soil), and I may get brave and try to clean out Rotten2's room again. That will probably only happen if the 30% chance of thunderstorms makes it here this afternoon.

Have a great day - and hope you had a wonderful weekend.

*smoooooooooooch*

Spring Break!

I used to love Spring Break when I was in school. Especially the older I got *evil grin* After Rotten1 was born and I was out of school, Spring Break didn't mean much to me. Now that both kids are in school, Spring Break is half nightmare and half excitement for me.

The Rottens are out next week. They are going to spend the first half of the week with their dad. The second half of the week is up in the air. They may be with their dad, they may be with me. I may be taking Thursday and Friday off work. Larry is off those days, too. I'm thinking a trip to the zoo would be a cool thing to do on one of those days, if the zoo is even open yet. Other than that, we have no real Spring Break plans.

Mmmmm..Chris Cagle

I got to listen to my super hot, nummy boyfriend on the radio this morning. One of the local DJs was interviewing him. Fact I didn't know? He went to UT Arlington for 2 1/2 years before dropping out to join a band and pursue his music career. He went to UT because his dad wanted him to get an education, even though Chris knew it wasn't the right choice for him. After dropping out and making it in country radio, his dad is very proud of him!

Keyboard Issues

I need a quiet keyboard. It seems that my keyboard is too loud. Or so DH says nearly every night as he's going to bed and I'm playing on the computer. He's threatening to coat all of my keys in cotton. I guess as the key is pressed it clicks a bit and at 9:30 when he's trying to go to sleep so he can be up at 4:30, it's a bit irritating. I could move my computer, but I happen to like where it is. So I need a new keyboard. *rolls eyes*

Spring!!!!

Yay! I'm beginning to see signs of spring! This winter, while not terribly cold, has been so dreary and seems so very long. Last night, as I pulled into the driveway, there was a squirrel running up one of the large trees in the back of the house. The hurricane mosquito lamps are hanging again on our porch. The barbeque grill is back on the deck, out of hibernation in the storage shetd. There are small patches of green grass shoving their way up in the yard. Some afternoons this week have been perfect for opening up the windows and airing out the house. And best of all, the sun is fighting to come out through the gray skies.

Shallow End.

I have to dive into the shallow end. I just can't dwell on the idiots and asshats today.

So talk to me about blue jeans. Favorite brand? Type of cut? Where do you buy them?

I just discovered that my favorite brand, Cruel Girl, has carpenter style jeans. Same great fit, but a bit more relaxed for those oh-so-bloated, icky, ooky days. Love them!!!

Pro-Birth, Pro-Death, Pro-Life, Pro-Choice...WTF Ever

As Post #498, I'm afraid my thoughts will get lost, so I will copy them here. I have more to say on this and may add more at a later time. Right now, I'm so overwhelmed with thoughts, I'll leave it at this:

I'm quite sure that I will not be able to express my thoughts and opinions as impressively as many on this thread have. However, I feel that I must. Why? Because I am able to make that choice, which is what this entire monster boils down to.

I've made that choice once. I had it made for me another time. I was 18 the first time I conceived with my ex-BF, while on the Pill. A freshman in college. God made the first choice for me by having me miscarry. The second pregnancy was at 19, while on the Pill. At the end of my second year of college. I was asked point blank by my ex stepmother what I was going to do about IT. My baby was never an IT to me. It was my child from the moment I found out I was pregnant. He was not planned, I had no clue how I'd manage to have him and support him, but I knew I would.

HOWEVER! That was my choice. A choice that I am quite thankful I was able to make. You see, I also have a friend who was pregnant at that time. She was in a bad place in life - no family, few friends, very little stability and no money. The child's sperm donor walked out before she found out she was pregnant. Having that child was something that just was not possible for her at that point. And yes, she too was on the Pill.

Pregnancy happens, planned or not, birth control or not. What choice my friend made is not important to the story. The knowledge that she had the choice was enough. She did what she felt was best in her life. And while I could not see myself ever making the decision she did, I respect her for knowing herself well enough to make the decision.

How many children are left to die in dumpsters across this country? How many children are dropped on orphanage, church, hospital or fire department steps within hours of birth? How many children live in foster homes or orphanages for 18 years, never knowing what family is all about because their mother left them in another's care with hopes of a better life? How many children grow up with no clothes, minimal food, and a cardboard box for shelter? How many children cannot read and write because they do not go to school? How many children will never know the beauty of life because their family is in a horrible place that cannot be remedied? How many children can you identify that your child knows, you pass on the street, or hear about in a news story that are abused or left for dead or murdered by "loving" parents? How many parents hate their child and cannot stand the sight of raising it?

How many abortions are performed in the United States each year for whatever reason?

ETA: My ex-DH was adopted, as was his brother. If he had been aborted, my children would not be. Still, that is not enough for me to tell any woman of any age that she has no choice.

ETA #2: Have you ever heard of a story where the doctors try to persuade a woman to have an abortion because it is a severe possibility that she could die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth? I have. My own mother's doctor tried to convince her not to have me because of her health condition. To her, having a child was more important. Was it the right choice for her? I'd like to think so. If she hadn't had that choice....

Only a woman knows.

DH's New Truck

So DH finally found a vehicle he wanted. There were some things at Christmas that had to be taken care of, so we didn't get anything then. So anyway, here it is (sort of):

This is a picture I found on the internet of the same style truck - an 82 Ford F-150 step side. It looks identical to this except his is...yep...fire engine red. *grin* He bought it yesterday for $1000 and we've put about $150 in parts and $150 in TT&L into it and it is beautiful! *bigger grin* The best part? Full coverage insurance is $28.16 a month! *biggest grin*

I even told DH to watch his keys or I might just be taking his truck to work.

Edited because I'm a moron and the truck is a 1982 Ford, not an '85.

*peeks head in*

*looks around*

*tiptoes through blog land*

*runs back into hiding*

---------------------------

Sorry I've pretty well disappeared on you guys. It's not intentional, I promise. Unfortunatly, real life has been a bitch the last couple of weeks. DH is back to himself, the kids are at their dad's for the weekend, I've completed the car window shopping for today, and I'm putting off the housework that is screaming to be done.
*smooch*

Hey ya'll!

How is your week going? Been crazy busy at work again this week plus with Rotten1's birthday...Whew! Tonight, I have the house to myself with DH at work and the Rottens at their grandma's. I think I'll be soaking in a tub, doing a mini-pedicure and playing online while watching Lost. Who wants to play online with me?

*smooch*

Happy Birthday to my baby

I can no longer hug, kiss, or say I love you in public. I can no longer act like a concerned parent unless he says it's okay. I can't say he's cute, only that he's cool. I can't pick out his shoes, because I no longer know what shoes are in style. I can still pick out clothes, but not all the time. I no longer tell him how to wear his hair, because really, it's not worth the fight.

My baby is growing up. He says things like Yes, Ma'am and No Sir without being told. He has been on the All A Honor Roll since kindergarten. He thinks for himself, enjoys a challenge and has an extremely wonderful sense of who he is at this age. He knows what he likes, he isn't afraid to speak his mind, and most of all, he actually knows about respect and the truth. And, most importantly (to him anyway), girls aren't quite so icky and gross anymore.

My baby, named for himself and my baby brother, is eight years old today!

One of my favorite pictures of Rotten1 - at two years old.

And one from earlier this month

*happy dance*

It's Friday! It's Friday! It's Friday! It's Friday!

So what are your weekend plans? It's supposed to be verrrrrrrrry cold with freezing rain and sleet and temps no higher than 35 for the weekend. Poor Rotten1. What crummy weather for his birthday weekend. Of course, that's only my opinion. He's quite excited about the prospect of "snow" on his birthday. Tonight, I'll stop by the firewood place and grab a few bundles and head to the house, where I will stay warm and toasty all weekend. Which reminds me, what do you do about that fireplace smell that seems to linger in the house for a day or so after you clean out the ashes from the fireplace?

MEN! Ugh.

Who takes care of the bill paying in your household? Do you have individual bank accounts or a joint account? If you have individual accounts, do you both contribute the same amount to bill paying? Here's the background. DH and I have individual accounts that our paychecks are deposited into. We also have a joint account that I pay all of the bills out of. Every other Friday when I get paid, I go deposit a significant (80% or better) chunk of my check into our joint account. On Saturday, I pay bills. Lately, I have had to ask DH a few times for money to pay bills (40% of his check or so). I am the primary breadwinner and I also am the only one who has a car payment at the moment. We get paid on the same day. This isn't a new routine. I've decided that I'm no longer going to ask him to give our joint account money. If the bills don't get paid because he didn't put his share into our account, then so be it. It's Thursday afternoon and we got paid last Friday. No $$$ yet. Can we say frustration?

Now, I'm also irritated because this weekend is Rotten1's birthday. He's decided he doesn't want a party like we've done for every birthday he's ever had. He wants his best friend since birth to come over and spend the night Saturday. Okay, no big deal there. DH mentioned last weekend that he might take the boys to play laser tag on Saturday for Rotten1's birthday. Well, Rotten1's friend's mom called last night and they have a Cub Scout thing on Saturday night. No biggie. We'll work around that. So I call DH today to let him know all of this....he tells me to do whatever Rotten1 and I want and we can go do whatever, whenever. UGH! I remind him about laser tag. He's not sure he wants to take the boys. What.the.fuck.

I'm about ready to tell him to pull his head out of his ass and get with the program. Never, in the four years I've known him, has he been as frustrating and irritating as he has been this past week. And I'm not even PMSing!

Alright, Alright. Sheesh.

Can't a girl have a life outside the box? *grin*

Seriously, I've been in and out with a minute here or there to check up on others' blogs and whatnot. Work went stupid on me (again) and I took yesterday off work to go to the kids' Valentine's parties at school all day. Life has just been crazy busy the last few days.

But I'm here. I'm alive. And no, I didn't pass out from all my rum and cokes. Although, I'm wishing I had.

So.
Carey? How is your back?
Kim? How was the hotel? Was Chris surprised?
mm? Did DH leave you alone for V Day?
Sonya? Did Max ask you to marry him?
Tkit? How's the weight loss/gym time going?
Bob? Did you ever write your abstracts? How are your Ramen noodles? Graduate pay must really suck.
Glowbug? How was your first Valentine's Day as a married woman?
Monsty? AllStah wasn't a Valentine lobstah, was he?
Nookie? As Mr Nookie made it through blogland yet? I wouldn't want to miss him.

*smooooooooooooch*

Ahhhh. Bliss.

Weekends are much more enjoyable with coconut rum and orange juice or coke and a fire in the fireplace.

Last night, I wanted to be part of the Friday Night Loser's Club. Apparently, I was the only one online. I slept in til almost 9 today and spent much of the day roaming around the local towns doing a bit of shopping. Found a Monster Truck Jam DVD, a computer game on clearance, and a learn to play your acoustic guitar CD/book for Rotten1's birthday next weekend. I've been playing with a computer game for a while tonight, made beef stew and cornbread tonight for dinner and I'm now relaxing with yet another rum and coke and a fire.

This? is the life. It's 35 outside now and expected to be around 20 in the AM. BRRRR!!!! Hope you all are staying warm and relaxed tonight. *smooch*

Thank Goodness

I haven't been this happy to see a Friday in quite a while. It's been an unbelievably stressful week at work, the kids have been heathens, one of my employees is out with strep throat, and I am in desperate need of a break. The kids are at their dad's this weekend. Work will be over in 8 1/2 hours. DH will be home all weekend, so maybe, just maybe I can relax tonight while he's at work and be ready to go again tomorrow.

Edited to add this bit stolen from Arkie:

Your Candy Heart Says "Get Real"

You're a bit of a cynic when it comes to love.You don't lose your head, and hardly anyone penetrates your heart. Your ideal Valentine's Day date: is all about the person you're seeing (with no mentions of v-day!) Your flirting style: honest and even slightly sarcastic What turns you off: romantic expectations and "greeting card" holidays Why you're hot: you don't just play hard to get - you are hard to get

What does your candy heart say about you?

I'm hungry

I didn't eat breakfast this morning because...well, I don't normally eat breakfast. Yes, I know, it's the most important meal of the day. But, at 6 am, food is just not an appealing thought. Blech. And normally, I don't even think about food until around 10:30-11 am anyway. But today? I'm hungry and it's only 9. I'll never make it til lunch. So, between the Coke machine, the coffee maker, the hot chocolate, and our vending machine...what should I eat/drink? Or, will you send me some of your breakfast?

Cute Rottens!

Since I didn't feel the need to drag the kids to get their pictures taken....I took a bunch in our backyard yesterday.

Four Things Meme

I got tagged by Carey, who got tagged by Catt, who got tagged by Mon Cherie, who got tagged by Dweeze, so here are my answers:

Four jobs I've had:
1. Production Supervisor/Product Coordinator
2. Office Manager
3. Waitress
4. Preschool Teacher

Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Toy Story
2. Pretty Woman
3. Ladder 49
4. Stepmom

Four Places I have lived:
1. Union Valley, Texas
2. Jacksonville, Texas
3. Nacogdoches, Texas
4. Houston, Texas

Four Shows I love:
1. Lost
2. Survivor
3. CSI (The original one)
4. Spongebob Squarepants

Four highly-touted TV shows I detest:
1. Battlestar Galactica
2. CSI Miami
3. American Idol
4. 24

Four books I'd recommend to anyone, anytime:
1. The Stephanie Plum series
2. Little Women
3. Huckleberry Finn
4. Most anything by Nora Roberts

Four places I have vacationed:
1. Kansas City/Branson/Silver Dollar City, Missouri
2. Las Vegas
3. San Antonio
4. Nashville

Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Seafood
2. Mainstream Mexican food
3. Most Italian food
4. Barbeque - ribs, chicken, pork, ham, turkey

Four sites I visit daily:
1. OT
2. blogger
3. ebay
4. MSN/Yahoo games

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Some beach, some where
2. Hawaii
3. Home
4. Picking up the winnings from Saturday's winning lotto

And I'm tagging:
1. Iggy
2. Supes
3. weltek
4. Breezy, who doesn't have a blog.

Edited once cause I tagged Bob, who had already been tagged by Boo. Edited again to remove Sonya, who was tagged by Coco, and mm because she already has hers up

Calling all gardeners......

When are you supposed to plant bulbs? I think I want to plant a new section of garden and I'd love to do some bulbs...is it too late? Early?

Questions

So I was in the shower and getting ready for bed last night and I thought of a few random questions I have.

1. When do you stop getting pimples? Every month, without fail, I will get 2-3 monsters right about that time. Not to mention the smaller ones I get regularly on my chin and near my eyes.

2. Do you drink milk? How often? I almost never drink milk.

3. Besides playing in blogland and on the computer, do you have a hobby? I don't. And I really think I need one. But I don't know what I want to do.

Oh shit.

I was sitting here writing a letter to my Grandma when I realized something so major, such a huge faux pas...I cannot believe I committed this mortal sin. I'm going to hell for sure. I forgot to send my aunt a Thank You card for our Christmas gifts. She knows I'm a flake about stuff like this, but....I feel awful. Is it too late to send a thank you? Should I expect to be cut off for the next five years?

Crap.Crap.Crap.

ETA: I should mention that this is my aunt who is known (and has done it for years) for sending only belated birthday cards or letters she wrote over a month ago and added an update to before sending two months later.

Your mission for today.....

is to say something nice to a fellow blogger.

And no, you cannot refuse to accept your mission.

It's Hump Day - so call it foreplay if you must.