I am the MOM

My RED Kitchen

2008-08-10T11:17:00.003-04:00

Years ago, I found the cutest lil' creamer in a thrift store. It was covered in tiny strawberries with lime green dots. Upon turning the piece over, I found the name of the pattern printed on the bottom to be called "Strawberry Swiss Dot".

And with that lil' ole' find, two obsessions were born...

Ebay and a ridiculously RED kitchen.

After the acquisition of the strawberry creamer, I diligently searched and found, piece by piece, the rest of the entire Strawberry Swiss Dot set. I have four dessert plates, four coffee mugs, the cake plate, the sugar bowl, and the teapot.

I added lots of strawberry items to my kitchen.

Upon noting my love of all things strawberry, my Mom gave me a beautiful set of embroidered strawberry place mats with matching napkins.

When I couldn't find anymore strawberry items, I focused in on cherry items.

My Mom painted this picnic basket with cherries and ladybugs. She also added the sweet cherries fabric liner. I love it!

I started collecting vintage cake carriers, tablecloths, aprons, colanders, trays, ice buckets, granite ware / enamelware, thermo serve items, and condiment holders.

This beautiful tablecloth was my grandmothers. My Mom tells me that grandma used to put it out on the fold away card table every time her friends would come over to play pinochle.

I then took a liking to anything that was red gingham.

And things that had to do with old time diner images, like burgers, popcorn & hot dogs.

I started looking for nifty things that had to do with Elvis and Vegas... as long as they had some red in them.

The buffet hutch drawers are full of wonderful textiles.

I honestly do not have room for another thing, but you know if I find something special... I'll make it "fit" somewhere.

They're Back

2008-08-08T14:02:00.001-04:00

And the world is as it should be once again...

Mark and I went to the grocery store this morning to fill the fridge and pantry for the kids.

Jake and Sara both have a friend over today to spend the night.

We've been to blockbuster to rent movies and a game for xbox.

We've been to the dollar store to buy candy and old fashioned paper pop corn bags for the "movie marathon night" the kids are planning.

The fridge has been opened at least 20 times.

The screen door has slammed shut more than that.

The phone is ringing off the hook.

"MOM"! has been called down the stairs about 15 times so far.

GOD! It's good to have them home!

I'm NOT Eating That

2008-08-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

There is a Sara Lee Chocolate cake within the confines of that cake saver.

I AM NOT EATING THAT!

I had a Smoothie for breakfast and a wonderful lunch consisting of grilled Talipia, brown rice and a salad.

Yesterday, I rode the stationary bike for about 45 minutes.

I'm trying to eat healthier and take some weight off. My pants are a little loose, but I don't know how much weight I've lost because our scale is broken. That's probably just as well. I can become ridiculously obsessed with the NUMBER, that shows up in digital RED, from above the toes of my feet, when I step on it.

At the age of 44 and having lost a loved one recently, I just want to do what I can to live longer. I don't want to freak out about a number of pounds, but would rather just see myself in a smaller size while feeling better.

I can smell it...

But I'm not going to eat it!

My kids come home tomorrow. I'll tell them to invite their friends over and have at it...

Cedar Chest Memories

2008-08-01T10:53:00.000-04:00

There is an antique cedar chest, passed down to me from my Mother, that sits at the foot of our bed.

It holds all my sentimental items from my children's baby photos, all the little pictures and gifts my kids have made me to every single card my husband has given me.

Every time I lift it's squeaky lid, I am flooded with the smell of cedar and an almost overflowing collection of memories.

Mark and I recently celebrated our 9 year wedding anniversary so I was putting the anniversary cards away in it.

Feeling a little melancholy today and missing my kids... I know I shouldn't have "lingered" there...

But I did...

And although I teared up a little at some of the children's precious projects and words to me, I also smiled a lot when I came across my high school yearbook, scrapbook, wedding album, as well as an old photo of my sister and I.

Here is my graduation picture.

Here is Mark's (husband) graduation picture. We both graduated in the same class at the same school in 1982.

Here is a yearbook picture of Mark and I in the halls of our high school.

These are my best friends from high school. From left to right: Bob (Bobby to me, lol), Irene, Mark (my husband), Me, Darrin (my highschool sweetheart of three years) & Dave. This picture was taken on Senior Skip Day. My boyfriend Darrin was good friends with my husband Mark. Bob & Mark are still best friends to this day. Bob dated my best friend Irene so we were a pretty tight group back then.

This picture was taken on Graduation night when all of us seniors had a bon fire at the lake to burn all of our homework and term papers. Left to right Bobby, Darrin, & Mark.

Here's Mark and Darrin at an "after prom party" that we went to. Mark and his date, Bob & Irene and Darrin and I all went to prom together.

Here is Mark and I on our wedding day, July 25th, 1999.

Now I'm so nostalgic over these photo's and memories. I'm listening to 80's music and reminiscing.

Here's the picture of me and my sister. We are 9 months apart.

They're Gone

2008-08-01T10:52:00.001-04:00

My kids left on Wednesday at 5:00pm to go to their Dads for his first extended vacation with them. They won't be back with me until 9:00am next Friday (8/8).

I don't think I'll make it :(

Blame it on the Pillow

2008-07-30T10:55:00.003-04:00

See that pretty little pillow, with the roses on it, gracing the middle of our bed?

Well... let's just say...

If my husband and I were to ever divorce...

We can blame it on the pillow.

I acquired that pillow from an auction on ebay. It was made from a salvaged vintage Wilender rose patterned tablecloth. I really like the way it ties our light blue gingham comforter and bedding to the little pink roses in the dark blue wallpaper, that covers the bottom half of the walls.

We have a beautiful, queen size, mahogany wood, four poster bed. It sits so high off the ground, that I will require one of those little sets of steps to get up into, when I get a little older. It has an excellent mattress set, covered with a down mattress protector, followed by Egyptian cotton sheets, followed by a lightweight down comforter, with yet another decorative comforter on top of that. The end of the bed holds a vintage popcorn chenille bedspread with an heirloom style quilted blanket throw on top of that. There are 6 pillows at the head of the bed and two layered white eyelet lace bed skirts, under the box springs, to cover the enormous space between the frame and the floor.

Most people could and would do without ALL that stuff on their bed, but I truly like the way it looks, and more than that... the way it feels. All the fluff makes me feel safe and cozy.

My husband makes that bed everyday. I kid you not... he makes our bed every single day. He pulls the flat sheet up and folds it over the the two comforters, making sure that each layer is shown. He picks up and straightens the two blankets that have inevitably slipped down onto the cedar chest, at the foot of our bed sometime during the night. He fluffs up the pillows and even arranges them so that the three different sets of pillowcases match up side by side as they are stacked three deep.

But... he won't pick up, and put back, the Wilender roses pillow that he "flicks or swats backhanded" off the bed every night. I find it every morning, on the floor, next to my side of the bed.

I've asked him about the pillow in a joking manner a few times. I always get a vague, slightly unresponsive answer, as to why the pillow remains on the floor day after day. It doesn't make sense to be able to put together a bed that most men would find intimidating and challenging, yet leave that one little ole' pillow behind.

Every once in awhile I will find the pillow on the bed, but turned vertical like the picture below.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. I could never be mad at him about the pillow on the floor. The guy makes the bed. I can pick the pillow up. No problem. I just find it humorous.

Like a cat that shows it's protest by peeing outside the litter box... I believe that leaving the pillow on the floor is my husbands way of saying...

There's enough shit on the bed.

Shock & Sadness

2008-07-27T11:03:00.000-04:00

I haven’t had a whole lot to write since I’ve been back from our short holiday with the kids.

Our arrival home was met with a very sad phone call.

My Uncle Vince died while we were on vacation. My Mom, Sister, and oldest daughter waited until we got home before telling me/us.

My Uncle went in for a scheduled hip replacement surgery the other day. I had made a mental note to send him a card when I returned home from vacation.

The surgery went well and my Uncle was recovering nicely but then his blood started clotting. The hospital put him on thinners and he was told to lie very still. They told him not to even cough. But he died anyway.

This is such a shock to our family. He was only 60 something. He was a healthy person. He always exercised and watched his weight. His passing wasn’t even a remote thought to any of us.

Life just isn't fair sometimes.

I’d love to tell you about our special family bond to Uncle Vince.

My Uncle Vince “was” married to my Aunt Betty. Aunt Betty is my Mom’s sister. Uncle Vince and Aunt Betty have been divorced for years and years now, yet always remained friends.

Through the years, my Uncle Vince had become one of my Dad’s best friends. They were poker buddies. My Uncle used to work in marketing at the Mandalay Bay out in Vegas before retiring to Tennessee, where half of my family now resides. I’ve written before about meeting in Vegas for family vacations every year and so our visits out there always included time with Uncle Vince.

When my Aunt Betty decided to marry Karl in November of 2000 at The Monte Carlo in Vegas, it was my Uncle Vince that “gave” her away. Karl was always a big enough man to accept and embrace the love our family had for my Uncle Vince, despite the fact that his new wife was Uncle Vince's former wife.

We’re all originally from Michigan. Aunt Betty and Uncle Karl moved to Tennessee first. Then my parents retired there a few years ago. Then my cousin Rachel and her daughter moved there (She is Aunt Betty and Uncle Vince’s youngest daughter). Then Uncle Vince finally left Vegas for Tennessee. My sister and I are the only ones left here in Michigan now.

When Uncle Vince was waiting for the closing on his home, in Tennessee, it was Uncle Karl who insisted that Uncle Vince stay with him and Aunt Betty until it was time for the move, rather than stay in a hotel.

My sister and I, and our respective broods, would vacation in Tennessee during the summer. You should have seen “our family” take over “The Golden Corral Buffet” when meeting for meals. With the restaurants long tables, and food choices to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters, this was the best way to get together all at once, without a big mess to clean up afterwards. It was so nice to look across the table at this wonderful group of people laughing and sharing life.

And so we have been “one big happy family” for years. I always felt special to be a part of this unique family, because it wasn’t just my Aunt Betty and Uncle Vince who made it work. It was my Mom, it was my Dad, it was my cousins, it was Uncle Karl, it was us. And I had the pleasure of viewing my ideal version of what family life could be like after a marriage no longer worked. You’d never know that “divorce” was part of the equation. There was no “ex-husband”, “ex-wife”, “step-Dad” drama. There was no bitter animosity. Never was there a threatened insecure “new” spouse.

There was just a lot of love from an incredible family.

And we miss him.

The Step Drama Conclusion

2008-07-22T11:56:00.001-04:00

I picked up my kids this morning from their Dad's house. They've been with him and their Step Mom for the last 5 days. (They'll be with me and Step Dad (their other Dad, they call him) for the next 9 days.)

A conversation ensues as soon as I back out of ex's driveway.

Daughter - "Friday was the best day of my life. Chris (Step Mom) was having a complete melt down. She was throwing things, screaming and swearing."

Me - "How does that become the best day of your life?"

Daughter - "Because Dad finally yelled back at her. He told her she was self-centered and that he was sick of her melt downs and tantrums. He said that she thinks of no one else, but herself."

Wow! Hallelujah! Their Father is finally standing up to her. It's about freaking time!

He may actually NOT loose his kids if he can manage to retrain his 2nd wife on the proper way to behave and treat him and his children.

There's a favorite line that Dr. Phil always says and that is:

"You treat people how to treat you."

It's so true.!

Everyone's been walking on egg shells around Step Mom for so long now. Nobody wants to put her in her place or call her out because she's trying to have a baby and can't. Oh well... sorry about that. I honestly am. But you can't just be a witch forever because life didn't go the way you wanted it to.

And my ex-husband can't allow his wife to do and say mean things to our children because she is hurting over the cards she was dealt. He can't sacrifice our children because she is on hormones. I'm sure his wife isn't screaming, swearing and throwing things at her place of work. That wouldn't be allowed. But she's been able to get away with horrible behavior in her own home for so long and hopefully it will get better now.

Anyway... the kids are here now. They are excited about our vacation and are helping each other pack.

The drama is over for us for the next 9 days.

(But not for my ex-husband, I'll bet ... *wink* *wink*)

What Did She Just Say??

2008-07-22T06:14:00.000-04:00

Five weeks ago, I gave the dates to my ex-husband for my two 9-Day, uninterrupted vacations, that he and I both get during the summer with our kids. These uninterrupted vacations over-rule our normal split custody.

I took my first vacation with the kids a couple of weeks ago.

My second vacation with them starts tomorrow (7/22).

My daughter calls me yesterday (Sunday 7/20) and here is our short conversation.

"I'm forced to call you."

"What's going on?"

"Dad & Chris told me to call you to find out what we're doing on vacation with you."

"Why?"

"Because they want me to go to Volleyball camp. I don't even want to go. It's not through the school. And we're going to be on vacation, right?"

"Well, when is volleyball camp?"

"Tommorrow."

"WHAT? Tomorrow as in day after today????"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm sorry, you'll be unable to go. We will be on vacation then. We're going to CP & SC for a couple of days."

"That's what I told Chris (Step Mom) and she said,
well... your Mom can change her dates on that."

NOW...

Insert LOUD HYSTERICAL UNCONTROLLABLE laughter here as I try to spit out coherent words in response to that RIDICULOUS statement...

"Ummmmm, *Snort* *ROTF* I am not changing my dates on anything. Have your Father email me if he'd like to discuss it."

"Ok, that's what I'll tell them."

And we hang up.

SIDE BAR 1:
My ex-husband and his wife are FOREVER signing my kids up for stuff, year round, non stop WITH never a consultation or inquiry to me about it. Even when it interferes with my court ordered parenting time. We have gone back and forth on this for years and I won't go any deeper into that drama today, but lets just say, that I am very accommodating to my children's' sports schedules because it's something my kids want to do. I adjust my schedule for my children.

I have let my ex-husband know that I will happily cooperate with schedule adjustments so that "J" (our son) can play hockey in the fall/winter and lacrosse in the spring. "S" (our daughter) can play any school sport or be involved with anything through her high school during the school year. BUT there are to be NO COMMITMENTS during the summer. If you choose to sign them up for "stuff" in the summer, they will NOT be available during my court ordered parenting time.

(As a Mother who values time with my kids, family & friends, I don't think it's too much to ask that my children have some "down-time" from constant commitments and continuous weekend games/practices/tournaments for the precious 2 1/2 months of summer vacation)

SIDE BAR 2:
Did I not give him/them 5 weeks notice on this vacation?
Do they have their heads so far up their a$$'s in attempts to produce yet another child to neglect, that they can't manage to mention "volleyball camp" a little sooner than TWO DAYS BEFORE IT STARTS??? HELLLLLOOOOOOOOO???????

We could have switched our plans with proper notice. My husband took 3 days off of work this week. We are NOT changing our plans with two days notice because they don't have their crap together. DUH!!

What NERVE! I can't even believe that Biotch had the hormonal balls to say "well... your Mom can change her dates on that."

But then again, I can.

You gotta almost feel sorry for the crazy woman. Poor thing. She can't control what we do on our time and it drives her batty.

So my daughter called today to tell me her Step Mom's response to us being on vacation at CP & SC.

"Chris said,... well maybe we're not going to pay for you to play volleyball and soccer this year, since you're obviously not committed."

WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY????

My vacation, planned FIVE WEEKS AGO! has nothing to do with my daughters commitment to her sports.

I am the parent. I made vacation plans with MY kids as I have the RIGHT to do.

DO NOT VISIT YOUR ANGER OF YOUR INABILITY TO CONTROL ME, ON MY DAUGHTER!!!

God! That Biotch makes me so mad. She's just talking out of her a$$ and is constantly making threatening comments such as that, like the immature baby that she is, just to hurt and assert her power over my kids.

Take your "hostile uterus" and Go to He11!

Cause "we're going on vacation!"

Stepmama Drama

2008-07-21T14:45:00.002-04:00

I have avoided posting, in detail, the fact that my children's Step mom has been trying to have a child of her own with my ex-husband. (She has no children).

The go of it has been unsuccessful for them for at least of couple of years now.

Not that it is any of my business, I personally, along with many others, do not believe that my ex-husband actually wants any more children. He had 3 at one time, stopped talking to the oldest, has no idea how many times the middle one wants to walk away from him ... so, why would he really want to attempt his fate with more? I'm sure he "goes along" with his 2nd wife's desire and need to have a child between them, because... gee... what else can he do? Besides, if the child care responsibilities are anything like they were when I was married to him, she'll be doing most of the work, but I digress...

His 2nd wife has a "hostile uterus" as she herself has exclaimed the doctor's told her in one of her blog posts.

Really?

A hostile uterus??

Go figure, right??

Could it possibly be the cortisol that obviously runs through her veins from the constant stress she brings on herself, by trying to pretend I don't exist or ever slept with the man she is now married too???

She actually blamed me once for her inability to get pregnant, in yet another blog post, because I referenced the church I married my ex-husband in at one of my daughters volleyball games when my daughter was playing that same Catholic school. (Next time, don't sit so close to me and you won't have to eavesdrop on my conversations that aren't with you in the first place)

There I go again straying from the point of the post ... sorry.

Anyway, they/she tried everything, including in vitro as recently as July 4th of this year and apparently, the three eggs implanted, did not "stick".

I honestly do not take any pleasure in her inability to get pregnant. I'm not a hurtful hateful person. I am only interested how "what she does" and "what she says" affects my children. Period.

Unfortunately, my children are in "that house" while their Step mom suffers with her sad news, until tomorrow morning at 9:00am, when I pick them up for their next 9 day vacation with me.

My kids have called me often since they went to their Dad's Wednesday evening with claims of not being able to wait to get back home with me.

"We have so much to tell you Mom when you pick us up on Tuesday. Me and "J" (my son) can't wait to get out of here."

My kids aren't supposed to even know they're trying to have a baby. "They" (ex-husband and Step Mom) haven't discussed it with the children, BUT because of frequent screaming sessions and chats in "the crying room" (the basement where Step Mom goes to vent), used pregnancy tests found in the trash, and overheard phone conversations, my kids started asking me questions a long time ago and they know. DUH!

They know that "their college funds" have been tapped.

They know that "they" (ex-husband & Step Mom) can't afford ANYTHING. At all. Ever. (And that somehow, this is also supposed to be attributed to me, because Jesus H. Christ, ex-hubby had to pay me child support 5 YEARS AGO, when they DROVE the oldest daughter to come live with me full time. They paid child support for 9 months 5 years ago. Are they in debt over that???)

Did I stray again?

I did, didn't I?

So ... I imagine it's been pretty stressful over there at Dad's house this past week.

Understandably so.

Poor kids. I'm sure it's not been much of a summer vacation while having to deal with the trauma over there, yet not having the ability to speak of it or ask questions.

Tune in tomorrow when they spill the beans to me over our 23 mile trip back home ...

Jealousy & Envy

2008-07-21T07:56:00.001-04:00

In my first marriage, I can remember feeling jealous and envious of friends and family more times than I’d care to count.

The reasons were always ridiculous and immature.

“They have more money than me.”

“Their house is nicer than mine.”

“She’s thinner than me.”

“Their kids are better dressed than mine.”

Blah… blah… blah…

What a waste of time and energy. Looking back now, I realize how unhappy I was. I was in this very unsatisfying marriage for years. It drained the life right out of me. I became petty. I could gossip for hours. I felt lonely and angry.

Ugggghhhhh. I cringe at the thought of that person I once was.

But when I married my second husband, my true identity came out and something within me really started to shine. I could honestly feel a physical/emotional change from the moment I fell in love with him. I laughed much more. Rarely found reason to raise my voice in anger. Gossip became something I had no time or desire to engage in.

I truly started appreciating the gifts in my life.
I became a better Mother, a better Sister, a better Daughter and a better friend. I can’t tell you how many times friends and family have literally said “I can tell you’re so happy” to me. I changed almost instantly and it was a fabulous difference from the woman I had been before.

I have not felt jealous or envious of anyone or anything in years. And I know it has to do with my husband.

I wouldn’t trade my happiness with him for anything.

Not for more money

Not for a nicer house

Not for a thinner body

Not even for better dressed kids ;)

His friendship and love allowed me to be the person that was always jealously and enviously waiting to live her life.

Triple Milled Soap

2008-07-20T04:32:00.004-04:00

I like to shop at T.J. Maxx. For those of you not familiar with that store, I would describe it as a place to find nicer “name-brand” items at discounted prices. I would even go so far as to say, you can find unique stuff there too.

Most of the store inventory is name brand clothing. I’m not really into clothes (or name brand anything) It’s the small amount of luxurious bath products and few home goods isles that draw me in.

I love to smell all the lotions, fragrances and soaps. I’m forever tipping the bottles and boxes upside down to see if the price is reasonable. The prices, even at a discount, are rarely reasonable, in my opinion.

But every once in great while, when they have done their seasonal markdowns, I will actually find something at a good price and buy it.

About a year ago, I saw a lovely purple box of Lavender triple milled soap. The box was covered in a fleur de lis pattern and had a satin ribbon tab for opening. Over the two bars of soap sat a piece of vellum paper, claiming the soap to be hand made of the finest natural ingredients. When I turned this beauty of a box over, the red markdown sticker, on the bottom, read $2.00. “Mine” I exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear as I gently placed the treasure in my cart.

Oh how I have loved this box of triple milled soap (whatever triple milled means). I’ve opened it often throughout the year to take in the scent of lavender. I enjoy the way it sounds when I lift the lid up by it’s regal lavender ribbon. The bars are embossed with “Fior di Campo” (again… whatever that means… sounds fancy)

I have been saving this special box of soap for almost a year. It has graced my dresser, my vanity and the bathroom counter at different times through out the past months.

I never intended to actually use the soap. I just wanted to “have” the soap.

Dare to use one of the special triple milled lavender $1.00 bars of soap? Oh, I couldn’t… I’m saving them.

Saving them for what?? Am I leaving them to one of my girls when I die? (I wouldn’t bother leaving them to my son since he has shown himself to have no use for soap ;)

Today, when I went to shower, I noticed the bar soap, on the soap dish, was only a sliver so I went in the linen closet to get another bar.

We’re out of bar soap….

We’re out of bar soap, except for the special triple milled lavender soap in the regal looking box.

Can I shower without soap? I think NOT!

So, I reluctantly took out a bar of my special soap for the shower. It was difficult for me. I was saving that soap.

But, I’m OK now. The soap was really creamy and smelled delicious. I may actually use the other bar sometime, though highly doubtful.

The $285 T-Shirt

2008-07-19T04:30:00.000-04:00

My husband has a favorite T-Shirt.

Wait a minute…

My husband has MANY favorite T-Shirts. He has a bunch of IT (Information Technologies) shirts that he gets through the work he does. He’s got a bunch of Detroit sports T-Shirts. He has two large dresser drawers devoted to nothing but T-Shirts, but I digress.

One of the T-shirts he wears a lot is the $285.00 T-shirt.

A couple of summers ago a group of our friends and family flew out to Las Vegas to vacation together. Although we enjoy staying at the Treasure Island, we often find ourselves down at a little joint called O’Shea’s. It’s this Irish themed casino right in the heart of strip, located somewhere between The Flamingo and Bally’s. They always have drink specials and you can play Black Jack there for $5.00 a hand.

This particular summer, O’Shea’s was running a promotion for Black Jack players. If you got a same suit Black Jack, you got a really cool O’Shea’s T-shirt. The shirt says “I got lucky at O’Shea’s” pictured with this cute rockin leprechaun on it.

Well… don’t you know, I won “my” T-shirt within an hour of playing on the first day we were there. My husband and I stayed to play Black Jack for hours that day, hoping that he could win a T-Shirt too. He didn’t. So we went back the next day. My husband had plenty of Black Jack’s… just no same suited Black Jack hands.

He wanted a T-Shirt in the worst way. You couldn’t buy them. They weren’t for sale. You had to win one. I offered to give him mine. (I don’t really wear T-Shirts anyway) Nope… he wasn’t having that. It’s not the same as winning one. He was becoming obsessed. Would somebody please get this guy a damn shirt already!

Jesus H. Christ… $285.00 later, he won his T-Shirt.

Thank God!

He wears his shirt to death. The other day, he wanted to wear it to a friends house for dinner, but when he went to put it on, I noticed a stain on the front.

“Sorry, honey… you can’t wear that shirt today. I can get the stain out with a bleach stick, but not before we have to leave.”

Oh my Gosh… poor guy. He was bumming.

I let him wear mine ; )

Company Inspires Cleaning

2008-07-18T04:30:00.000-04:00

My sister and her two kids came over on Tuesday to spend the day with us. They were to arrive around 11:00am so that we could take the kids to lunch, go play a game of Lazer Tag, take a spin in the bumper cars, and then come back to my house for an afternoon in the pool.

My 15 year old daughter had done her weekly chores a couple of days earlier, but my son had not yet. So, I called him downstairs to do his part. He had to sweep and mop the kitchen (Whoever invented the Swiffer mop, I thank you from the bottom of my heart), empty all the trash cans (there are 6 of them), shake the rugs on the front porch and sweep it too.

I found myself wiping down the guest bathroom, vacuuming the living room, my office and my bedroom, cleaning the master bathroom (even though it's in our room and nobody will be using it cept hubby and me).

There was a time, back in my 20's (some 20 years ago) that my whole identity seemed to sadly revolve around a clean house. I was ridiculously obsessed with every detail. I had regular cleaning rituals each day and would get so anxious and downright crabby every time I threw a party or had company coming over. Geeze... what a looser!

I'm not that person anymore. Housework is way down on my list of priorities. I'm not a slob. Our home is always neat and I will scrub out a toilette if I've waited long enough for a ring to form, but I no longer have a cleaning day.

With the help of teenagers, the general surface housework gets done weekly around here. The kids dust, vacuum, clean their own bathroom, mop, sweep, unload/load the dishwasher, fold and put away their own clean clothes. They get paid an allowance for this and it really relieves me of a lot of work.

But thank God, we have company once in awhile, cuz it is then, that I really take a closer look at the things that may have been neglected for longer than they should have.

I should invite some friends over this weekend. The house won't be this clean for months.

My Smoothie Morning

2008-07-15T04:28:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to take some weight off this summer and although I don't/can't do the no-carb diets, I have found that low-carb eating works well for me. Staying away from high carb foods helps me loose weight while not being hungry. (I hate being hungry)

In my efforts to find healthy alternatives to cereal for breakfast, I have become obsessed with fruit Smoothies.

Today's fruit was fresh raspberries from our garden, but I love them with pineapple, mandarin oranges, mango, blueberries, strawberries or 1/2 banana. Once all the ingredients are added together, it makes almost 2 Cups of drink and it keeps me full till lunchtime.

My cute little 2 1/4 Cup blender is just perfect for the job.

I start most mornings with the following recipe.

2 TBS Milled Flax Seed
1/3 Cup Light & Fit Vanilla Yogurt
1 Cup Vanilla Soy Milk
2 Scoops Whey & Protein Powder
1/3 Cup Fruit

That works out to about:

333 Calories, 10 Grams Fat, 7 Grams Fiber, 20 Grams Carbohydrates, and 36 Grams of Protein

YUM!!!
Good Morning Y'all. Have a SMOOTH day!

I Couldn't Be Happier

2008-07-10T04:27:00.000-04:00

My husband and I had a delightful 4th of July weekend together. The kids were at their Dad's, so we had lots of time to do stuff and "nothing" together.

We swam in the pool on Saturday and played board games out on the back deck well past darkness. It was so fun. We listened to music, slept with the windows open and ate breakfast with fresh raspberries from our garden.

Our little 3 year old granddaughter came over for a visit and of course, we just love spending time with her.

Then when 9:00am on Tuesday FINALLY arrived, thus began a 9 day "uninterrupted" vacation for me and my children. And so far, I have savored every moment of it. You may or may not know what it is like to be without your children for periods of time. It is, sadly, a casualty of divorce in my situation. On one hand, I'm am happy that their Dad chose to remain a part of their lives. He wouldn't settle for being a weekend Dad and I do commend him for that. On the other hand... days go by that I don't see my kids. In the beginning, shortly after our divorce, being apart from them was excruciating for me. I couldn't make it from Wednesday to Sunday without some kind of meltdown from missing them. I always ended up in tears by Sunday at 6:00pm. But as time has gone on, I've been able to adjust to the schedule. It is what it is. I learned to accept it.

And so, since my kids have been here, we've been hanging out together. Eating together on nights that they are usually with their Dad. Watching TV shows that they are sometimes not here for. Playing cards. Swimming in the pool. Watching movies. Playing volleyball. Making brownies.

There is more laundry this week. The dishwasher is running every day. There's grass all over the back stairs and towels strewn over the chairs on the deck. We're running out of food.

There are still 6 more overnights together.

And I couldn't be happier...

Solicitors

2008-07-02T18:00:00.001-04:00

I had two solicitors knock on my door yesterday.

The first solicitor was a girl, about 18 or 19, selling magazine subscriptions. She was very well spoken, very polite. I think she said that she was earning points for something to do with college.

I told her "no thank you" as politely as I could. I honestly get a ton a magazines. My mom, sister and I subscribe to many of them and share.

Then she wanted to know if I wanted to "donate" a subscription.

Again, "no thank you."

She practically begged me.

Later in the day, a young man knocked on my door. He looked to be around 20 years old. He was nicely dressed in a shirt and tie.

As soon as I opened the door, he shoved this can of air freshener in my hand claiming it to be a free gift. I was a little shocked and stunned. He was talking so fast and bouncing up and down on the porch. He asked me if I would accept his free gift and I said, well... I guess so. He thanked me and said, "I'll be right back." He ran to his car parked in front of my house and out pops another guy, around the same age, dressed the same way, and they both proceed to head up my porch steps with this big box. I said "What is this all about?" And one of them said, "Oh, we'd just like to show you some cleaning products."

I said, "Oh, no... I am not interested in seeing or buying cleaning products. I don't clean." (lol)

He said "That's ok, I know you're not going to buy anything, but I just want to show them to you."

I said "No, I don't want to see them. My husband will be home any minute and we're going out." (It was Wednesday night = Date night)

He said "Just let me clean a little area of your carpet."

I said "We have hard wood floors."

He said "I can clean that too."

No thank you.

Good God!!

I feel really sorry for the people who subject themselves to this kind of door to door sales tactic. Does anyone really ever buy anything?

They are relentless and don't take no for an answer.

I don't like to be abrupt or rude, but Gosh... it was really annoying to have to fend off two of them in one day.

Wash Your Hands

2008-06-30T18:06:00.000-04:00

Wash your hands.

It is a three word sentence.

At times, it is a plea. Other times ... a command.

Wash your hands.

How many times have I uttered these words?

I have three children. My oldest daughter is 22. I stopped telling her to wash her hands years and years ago.

My middle daughter is 15. It's been quite awhile since I had to tell her to wash her hands.

But the 13 year old boy that lives here... ???

Not a day goes by, when he's home with me, that those words don't find their way out of my mouth.

WASH YOUR HANDS.

It all started with the boy right around the potty training years. He was approaching 3 years old. He would go to the bathroom and I would make him wash his hands.

And just like anything, consistency and routine were the order of the day to train him to wash his hands ALWAYS after going to the bathroom.

But, 10 years later, I am still waiting for this boy to manage this passage on his own.

Wash your hands.

I don't want to say those words anymore.

I want the boy to wash his hands after he goes to the bathroom.

In the early morning hours, he used to try to sneak to the bathroom, closing the door ever so quietly, NOT flushing the toilet, then tiptoe out, just to avoid washing his hands. But I'd bust him as he would inevitably run up the stairs to his room, cluing me in to what he was doing on the first floor. I'd come flying out of my bedroom and make him come back down to wash.

He used to flush the toilet and just run the water in the sink, leading me to believe he had washed his hands. He'd come out of the bathroom and even wipe his "wet" hands on his pants to drive home the point to "whoever" may actually check to see if he really washed his hands. I caught on to that one when I stood outside the door one day and actually caught him with dry (filthy) hands.

He then moved to, turning on the water and sticking just his fingertips in the water and then flicking the water on me to prove he'd washed. His sister caught him wiggling an inch of fingers in the water one day, sans soap and figured out what his latest hand washing hoax was.

He graduated to squirting soft soap in the sink and running the water for long periods of time, making a ton of bubbles. He'd spend so much time on this, that I was just sure he'd washed his hands, but sadly found out that he'd only gotten the sink really clean, not his hands.

And once I caught him just putting soft soap on his hands, rubbing it in like lotion, and walking out of the bathroom.

He hates getting caught.

I hate catching him.

Why won't he just wash his damn hands???

It's a simple task. The water's right there. The sink is just right for his height. The liquid soap comes out of the pump easily. The towel hangs right next to the sink.

Simple.

Right?

But don't you know, I just told him to wash his hands.

How Do You Do It?

2008-06-25T12:48:00.000-04:00

How do you do it??

Blog... that is.

Some days, my brain feels empty or maybe just uninspired.

Some days, I don't feel like talking, sharing or blogging. Not because I'm in a bad mood or anything... just not feeling it, ya know?

Some days, thoughts or happenings from my past inspire an article.

Other days, it's simply outlining what I did for the day or the day before.

If I haven't checked "my friends" blogs in a couple of days or so... I feel a little anxious and overwhelmed. I'll start at the top of my buddy list and make sure I've read all the articles I have missed since from them since my last visit.

I comment on just about every article I read.

I visit the blogs of the new visitors that have visited my page, and usually add them to my friends list.

I try to be positive and encouraging when commenting. I would never intentionally hurt someones feelings.

I have my own opinions about many topics.

I feel everyone is entitled to their own opinion too, so I don't criticize or try to maneuver anyone to my point of view.

That's how I do it.

The Adopted Son

2008-06-24T12:47:00.000-04:00

We moved in this house the second weekend of October in 1998.

My son was 4 years old. My daughters were 6 & 13.

We were all playing in the driveway on a Sunday afternoon, after unpacking all weekend long. A little boy kept walking back and forth in front of our house. After a few minutes of this, it occurred to me that the little boy probably wanted to play with my kids. So we invited him over. His name is Nino. And he was 4 years old, just like my son.

It wasn't but a few short minutes that Nino was playing with us, when his Dad came looking for him. He introduced himself to me and my husband and welcome us to the neighborhood. He told us that his wife had just died of ovarian cancer a few short weeks ago. Poor guy. He could barely speak without crying. He and his son were going to be staying with his parents, three houses down from us, for awhile.

Unfortunately, Nino's Dad was involved in a serious car crash shortly following our first conversation with him. The accident left him badly injured, unable to walk without the assistant of braces/crutches.

That was almost 10 years ago now. Since then, Nino has become a part of our family. He is our "unofficially" adopted son. He's the dark haired boy that shows up everywhere with my two blonde kids. He's the child that sits in the middle of the back seat when we ride in my car.

He spends at least one night at our house during the weekends that my kids are home with me. He's here for hours on end. He eats here. He swims here. He plays here and sleeps here. He knows my children's visitation schedule with me, better than any other relative, living outside of this house, does. Our granddaughter thinks he lives here.

We take him places with us. To the movies. Putt putt golfing. Blockbuster. Lazer tag. Dairy Queen. Go Karts. Shopping. He has long since stopped having to ask permission to go anywhere with us. It is a given that he is safe when in our care.

And so, I've had a subtle hand in raising this boy. He knows what words I don't approve of. I've warned him about too much sarcasm. I've told him to wash his hands, shut the door, throw that away and quiet down right along with telling my own kids the same thing.

My husband and I have told him good job, nice manners, thank you, and you're welcome, as we echo those words to our kids.

Nino is my son's best friend. Another brother to my daughters. An uncle to our granddaughter.

His Grandma has thanked me countless times for all we do with Nino. I know that she and Nino's Dad are grateful that we take such good care of him.

But we are truly grateful Nino found us.

My kids have been with their Dad since Wednesday evening. I just picked them up this morning.

And there's my adopted son Nino, at the front door now ...

Hail to the Graduate!

2008-06-22T12:45:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, my husband and I attended a graduation party of one of our dear friends son.

The party started at 2:00pm. Our group of friends planned on all getting there around 4:00pm.

Earlier in the day, my husband and I were working on installing a fountain for our pool. My oldest daughter walked over to our house with her daughter to go swimming with us. I commented on what a beautiful day it was for the graduation party and how grateful I was for the hosts.

It was warm and sunny. I got a little sunburned.

I went in the house around 2:30pm to shower and get ready for the graduation party.

Dark clouds moved in quickly. There was lots of lightning and thunder. It was super windy.

Then it started to hail.

Hail like I've never witnessed in my life!
It rained so hard, the streets were flooding. The temperature dropped 20 degrees.

The graduation party was only 20 minutes from our house. I prayed that our friends had the where with all to rent tents, but even then, the rain was blowing sideways.

We made it to the party. Thank Goodness, there were tents, which we were all huddled under for most of the evening.

We had a great time visiting with all of our friends. This was the first "kick-start" party of our summer. We made plans and promises of getting together this summer. There is a girls get away day in the works. Our group of friends and our kids are meeting at the Dream Cruise in August. And we're all dying to try out Bill and Gayle's margarita machine so we've set aside a night for that.

The Missing Elusive Sock

2008-06-20T15:26:00.000-04:00

Wouldn't you know... On my last load of laundry today, I come up with a lone sock missing it's mate.

It prompted me to find my old "sock" article and repost it.

THE ELUSIVE SOCK:

There are times when I've done the laundry, as most have, and come up with a missing sock. The missing socks in our home always turn right up in the next load. A sock is never alone for long here.

But two weeks ago, one of my husband's socks was missing it's mate and it didn't turn up in the next load... or the next.... or the next.... never!

This really troubled my organized (anal) husband. He was sincerely bothered about the missing sock. He was concerned about it's whereabouts.... what happened to it.... well, where was it.... how can a sock just disappear?? .... (You'd not really believe how many conversations turned to where the damn sock was or did I find it yet, lol)

So ... not only was he concerned about the missing sock.... he simply did not know what to do with the "non-missing" sock! He actually asked me "What should I do with this sock??" (HUH?!)

I put the lone sock in his sock drawer with sure anticipation that it's mate would soon turn up. My husband took the lone sock out of his drawer. (He couldn't have the lone sock in his drawer... it apparently messed him up, LOL)

So the lone sock sat on top of his dresser for a couple days. This must have mis-aligned him with the planets, and caused sever anxiety, because he moved it to the top of my dresser. Now, I'm bothered. Why do I have to have his lone sock on MY dresser? Why do I have to look at his lone sock for weeks anyway??

So... I put it in a place where it could be found when the mate turned up.

The mate never turned up.

FAST FORWARD A COUPLE OF WEEKS!

I get a phone call from husband while he's at work.

Husband:
"Do you want to hear something funny?"

Me:
"Of course, I do"

Husband:
"I got to work and went to rest my arm on my desk and felt a bulge in my shirt sleeve."

Me:
"OH THE MISSING ELUSIVE SOCK!!!" (ummm... THANK GOD!)

Husband:
"Yeah, the sock. I walked around all morning, at home, with this shirt on. I drank coffee. I brushed my teeth. I shaved. I put my coat on. I drove the kids to school and then drove all the way to work. And it was only when I put my arm on my desk that I realized there was a BULGE in my sleeve."

Me:
"Cool...I'll go tell the good news to the lonely sock and prepare him for the reunion."

Dang it, I can't find it! Now that sock is missing.

ps. I guess I'll start checking shirt sleeves.

Artists

2008-06-20T13:04:00.006-04:00

For all the artists and art fans out there ... Allow me to introduce some of my Uncle Jack Beal's works to you.

These next (4) murals hang in The Department of Labor in Washington D.C.
I have only had the pleasure of viewing them once while vacationing there. It is quite magnificent to see. The paintings are HUGE.

Beal Murals, 17th Century.

Beal Murals, 18th Century.

Beal Murals, 19th Century.

Beal Murals, 20th Century. (That is my Aunt Sandy, Uncle Jack's wife, in the yellow hard hat.)

These next two are paintings were turned into mosaics and can be seen in the Times Square Subway Station on 42nd street.

The Return of Spring (above) / The Onset of Winter (below),
Two 7'x20' glass mosaic murals at the 41st St. IRT mezzanine,
New York City, 1999 and 2003, respectively.

The pair of mosaics "The Return of Spring" and "The Onset of Winter" depict various New York City street scenes and were paintings translated to mosaics by Artistic Mosaics Travisanutto of Italy. They were first unveiled to the public at the Gallery of Modern Art in Udine, Italy, in 1999 and 2003 respectively. "The Return of Spring" depicts construction workers and other city dwellers in front of a rendering of an original IRT subway kiosk. The scene depicted in "The Onset of Winter" is a crowd (some with faces of the artist's friends) watching a film crew record a scene of a woman entering the subway, as the first snowflakes of winter come down on the background New York skyline.

(Source: udine.it)

You can view the installed mosaics in person at the Times Square/42nd Street IRT Subway station.

If my childhood memory serves me well, our family spent a week or two during summer vacation at my Aunt and Uncles farm in upstate New York and my Grandma would pose for this work. She is "Charity" (on the right) in the painting and she actually owned and wore that shirt with the hands on it.

Hope, Faith, Charity
Oil on canvas, 72 in. by 72 in., 1977-78.
G.U.C. Collection

My Uncle Jack is married to my Aunt Sandy. She is a wonderful artist too with many beautiful water color prints. They have been married for over 50 years. A couple of years back our family all met at their farm to celebrate their anniversary. It was a big, huge bash. So much fun!

I Wish He Knew

2008-06-19T15:23:00.002-04:00

My kids left yesterday (Wednesday) at 5:00pm to go to their other home with their Dad.

They won't be back with me until 9:00am Tuesday morning. That seems like forever at this point, though I know it's not.

Usually Wednesday evenings are date nights for me and my husband, but I didn't feel like going out.

I'm trying to get it together so that we can go out tonight instead.

But ... something is bothering me.

It's the same thing that bothers me from time to time, over the years. It's the thing that I feel helpless to do anything about. It's the train wreck that shows itself to me through my children's actions and words about their lives at Dad's.

It's what I wish "He" knew...

"He" ... being my ex-husband. Father of my children. The man I was with and married too for almost 10 years. The man who abandoned our oldest daughter. It's the man I haven't spoken a verbal word too in over 3 years. It's the man that I have forgiven now... the man I actually feel sorry for...

For what I wish he knew...

And what I wish he knew... Is all the things I know.

Things like how my children feel about him and their stepmother. Things like how they would live with me in a heartbeat if I lived in "Dad's" neighborhood.

Things like...

How I stick up for him when my children complain about him.

How my sacrifice to actually stay put, living in the same neighborhood we all peacefully lived in once, has actually bought him more time with his own kids, because they're forced to live in both homes. And hopefully the children will mature enough (past their Father even) to come to terms with the unfairness of their situation to understand that Dad must have done the best he could at the time with what he had.

I wish he knew things like...

How I gently push my children towards accepting him to try and maintain a relationship with him, for after all... he is their Father.

I wish he knew how they feel the need to smuggle "their own personal possession's" between "their" homes.

I wish he knew how our son will not share his drawings and comic series with them because his step mom will comment that he should be studying instead of drawing.

I wish he knew how annoyed our children are that their step mom still insists on marking their underwear and bras with their initials in permanent black marker.

I wish he knew how sadly guarded our children have become when expressing themselves in his home.

I wish he knew the psychological games our children have had to master in order to cope in his home.

I wish he knew that the counselor I used to take the children too said that the one and only person who actually needs the counseling is their Father, not the children.

I wish he knew how our kids hope and pray that their Dad will pick them up from me instead of their step mom, because she will complain, harass and badger them all the 23 miles to their other home.

I wish he knew how upsetting it is for our children when their step mom talks bad about me or their older sister in front of them.

I wish he knew how many times our 15 year old daughter has called me crying from his house.

I wish he knew how often I've pleaded with the kids to communicate their feelings to their Dad.

There are truly a hundred things I wish he knew, but most of all...

I wish he knew that these kids don't plan on having a relationship with him when they actually have a choice about it.

I wish I could stop what is in the works, but I know that I can't.

I couldn't stop it between he and I.

I couldn't stop it between he and our oldest daughter.

I wish I could fix it.

I wish he knew that our youngest daughter just called me from his house this very second, said a couple of things about what she was doing today, and then whispered quickly "Dad's coming... I gotta go... love you... miss you already... bye" ... as if she's not "allowed" to be speaking to her Mother while at that house.

I wish he knew...

Sweet Sounds Of Summer

2008-06-18T15:21:00.000-04:00

For the last couple of days, my next door neighbors K & M have been teaching their oldest son, K Junior to ride a two wheeler.

Back and forth the little guy goes past my house, followed by a parade of siblings chasing after him on foot.

K Juniors Dad will count...

One...
Two...
Three...

And then off little K Junior goes ... trying to master it.

I can hear encouraging shouts of "Pedal, Pedal... PEDAL" from his Dad.

His Mom can be heard from her watchful post on the porch steps saying "Ohhhhhhhh .... you almost had it" when he falls down.

K Juniors younger siblings make excellent cheerleaders.

Is there any nicer sound?

Oh wait... here comes the ice cream truck!

Ahhhh.... The Sweet Sounds of Summer!

Summer Vacation ~ Day 1

2008-06-12T15:20:00.000-04:00

Today is Monday June 16th.

It is the first official day of my children's summer vacation.

No lunches to pack.

No 23 mile drive to the school to drop them off.

No 23 mile drive to the school to pick them up.

No after school practice, game or study session.

No homework.

My husband is working from home today.

There are 3 kids and 1 adult in the pool playing volleyball.

There are 3 more kids on their way over to swim.

There are beach towels strewn all over the deck.

Every window in the house is open.

It is a warm, breezy, mostly sunny day.

I can hear the sounds of water splashing and laughter all through the house.

Life is good!

Out Of Towners

2008-06-12T15:19:00.000-04:00

My Mom and Aunt Betty drove up here to Michigan from Knoxville Tennessee to visit with us for a few days. They are staying at my sisters house.

So we have plans together everyday while they are here.

I went to my sisters house yesterday with the kids to visit with them. The kids (cousins) played and we had a nice time.

Today, my sister, Mom, Aunt and I spent the day down town. We went to Greektown for lunch and stopped by the fabulous bakery to bring treats home to our families.

Tomorrow, we are all meeting at a Mexican restaurant for lunch and then off to a movie.

Saturday, everyone is coming to our house for the day for a BBQ. My oldest daughter will be off work, so she'll be able to come with her daughter. All my Mom's grand kids will be here. There will be 4 generations in my house.

Weak Internet Signal

2008-06-06T15:18:00.000-04:00

We have cable internet service and at one time the internet service wouldn't stay connected. It kept disconnecting (right in the middle of my work which was driving me nuts) The constant disconnections were because of a weak signal due to the cable splitters we had connected to all the TV's in the house. So my husband made an adjustment to make sure my computer wasn't splitting the signal with anything else. And that worked.

Until 3 days ago.

For the last three days, I have been disconnected from the internet more than I've been connected. We called the cable company and they said we had a bad modem. We went to Best Buy to buy a new modem. Nope... that's not it.

My husband "attempted" to work from home today, but found himself disconnected almost the entire afternoon.

So now we don't know what's causing the problem. Obviously I'm connected right now. So my husband is catching up from all the work he missed from being down this afternoon. I've got to go catch up too because I got so sick of it disconnecting me right in the middle of work, that I just stopped trying.

I hope we get it worked out soon. Our land phone line is connected through the computer, so when the internet goes down, so does our ability to receive or make calls on our house phone. (We have cell phones, so we're not desperate, but this is annoying to say the least)

Visiting Day

2008-06-04T15:17:00.000-04:00

I have a nice day planned this sunny Thursday.

I'm having my monthly lunch date with my friend today. We are having Thai food, yum.

Then a little shopping after lunch since I'll already be out and about.

I'd like to get my bedroom dusted and vacuumed, but we'll see how that pans out.

My husbands brother is flying home this evening to attend a golf outing in northern Michigan for the next 4 days. He moved to Connecticut a few years back, but he comes home at least a couple of times a year. We're picking him up from the airport at about 6:00pm and then heading downtown to the casino.

Then tomorrow is Friday again.

This week flew by.

It's supposed to be in the 90's tomorrow. I almost can't believe that, since it's been unseasonable cool for months now. It will be a hot and humid weekend. We'll probably have to run the AC. Humidity zaps the energy right out of me and sometimes gives me a headache.

The Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. I could hear all the horns blowing from cars last night and some folks were shooting off fireworks. A little good news for Detroit right now is just what we need. All the celebrators behaved themselves too... so that's good.

The View I Love The Most

2008-06-03T15:15:00.000-04:00

The view from my front porch

holds a man that I love so dearly. A man that never ever raises his voice, doesn't curse and makes me laugh every single day.

The view from my front porch

holds a visit from my grown daughter every now and then with ice cream and McDonalds for her sister and brother and a kiss for me.

The view from my front porch

holds a teenager girl with blond hair, blue eyes and the most beautiful smile you've ever seen.

The view from my front porch

holds the last baby (boy) I'll ever have who has just become a teenager, yet still says "I love you Mom"

The view from my front porch

holds the precious granddaughter that we didn't know we needed so badly or could love so much.

Yeah... The view I love the most, ... is my front porch looking in ...
(Lonestar)

You Know What I Hate?

2008-06-02T15:14:00.000-04:00

I hate when I "unknowingly" step in pet poop in my own front yard when I don't even own a pet.

I hate the first wave of realization that there is a strong odor of poop suddenly, in my house.

I hate that it wouldn't occur to me that I could possibly have poop on my shoe... because... again... I don't own a pet... but sure enough, upon lifting my foot... there is poop on my shoe.

I hate when I turn around to find that I've tracked said poop through the house.

I hate when I have to start Monday morning by mopping up poop tracks across the kitchen floor, down the stairs and onto the landing.

I hate when I have to scrape my shoe with a stick to get poop off of it.

I hate the smell of poop!

And finally... I'm not very "fond" of people who either let their pets poop on my front yard, or let their pets roam the neighborhood, to poop anywhere they can, except their own dang yard.

We Are Those People

2008-06-01T15:13:00.000-04:00

On an early beautiful Sunday morning ...

We open every window and door in the house to let the cool breeze in ...

We close the doors to the TV cabinet ...

We listen to the melancholy lyrics of slow country music ...

We read the Sunday paper ...

We speak in quiet whispers to each other ...

We make pancakes and bacon for breakfast ...

We look forward to the sunny glorious day ahead ...

We thank God ...

We are those people ...

Everybody Into the Pool

2008-05-29T15:12:00.000-04:00

Well...

Attempting to open our pool this weekend led to a trip to the pool supply store for a

Plastic filter cover ($29.95)

3 foot plastic hose ($5.95)

and a Solar Cover ($59.99)

Filling the pool to the right water level led to another trip to the pool supply store last night for an

Automatic Chlorinater ($39.95)

And some fiber glass marine epoxy ($3.74)

But now... It is time!

EVERYBODY INTO THE POOL!

The water temperature is cold as heck and I'll have to charge a cover fee to make up the cost to "open" it...

But you're welcome to come on over for dip.

Good Friends

2008-05-25T15:11:00.000-04:00

I have been close to the same group of friends for over 20 years now. Some of us are family by blood. Some of us are family by marriage. The rest of us are family by choice. We are all very close in age. There are boys (men now) that looked after my sister and I in our late teens and early 20's. They would fix our cars when they broke down or bring donuts over to our apartment some mornings. There are girls that I consider bonus sisters. (These girls are still married to my ex-husbands brothers and we are still family to one another to this day) A bunch of us all worked in the same restaurant as servers, bus boys, and bartenders, basically living our lives around each other while most finished college.

As a large group of co-ed friends, we would camp together, go to ball games together, BBQ/Picnic together, etc. We would go out partying & dancing till we closed the bar and then go out to breakfast at 2:00am. We all lived within 5 miles of each other. We would get together almost every weekend. Good times!

In a few short years, all but one of us got married. We took turns standing up in each others weddings. Our group of friends got bigger as each one of us gained a spouse. So many couples starting their new lives together. Me and two of my guy friends got married during one summer. All the bridal showers and weddings kept us close to one another.

In a few short years, we all started having kids. There were 3 babies being born every year for about 7 years straight. Baby shower after baby shower after baby shower. Christenings & Baptisms... 1st Birthday parties, 1st Communions... Confirmations. This was how we kept in touch and our families grew close.

A fews years after all the babies were born, we would each take a turn every month to have a party. The host would plan games/prizes for the kids. We'd play musical chairs, have scavenger hunts and throw water balloons in the summer. There would be pumpkin carving contents and touch football in the fall. Sometimes the party would be at someones house. Sometimes we'd all meet at a park. We all still live relatively close to one another. Our children have grown up together.

Four years ago, the chain of high school graduations for "our" children started with my oldest daughter being first in 2004, followed by her two cousins in 2006 and 2007.

Today, in the mail, was my first graduation invite for this year. I smiled as yet another of "our" children has reached that milestone. I'm excited to see my friends at the party as it was New Years Eve when most of us last saw each other as a group.

Graduation invitations will be coming in the mail for the next 7 years until the last of our babies has finished high school, followed shortly and sometimes overlapping, with wedding invitations and/or birth announcements from our older kids.

Good friends are a blessing.

The Dealership

2008-05-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

A few years back I had a fairly new Pontiac Grand Prix lease, about one year old. We got a brochure in the mail from a Chevy dealership offering to pay off our current Pontiac lease and put us in a new Chevy lease. The brochure also said, "We'll give you $5.00 bucks just for stopping in". We were skeptical that they could pay off our current lease because we had only had the car a little over a year of the three year lease. But we figured, if they can pay off this lease and put us in a new one with lower payments, then we would go for it. So we went down there to see. They couldn't pay off the current lease, so we took our $5.00, "just for stopping in", and went about our day.

In the mail recently, we received a brochure from the same Chevy dealership stating that they were looking for 2007 Pontiac G6's to fill some order or something. The flier went on to say that they would pay off our current lease no matter what we owe and that they'll put us in a new Chevy lease. And it also says, "Get 5 scratch off lottery tickets just for stopping in".

I have a 2007 Pontiac G6. I'm not looking for a new car, nor do a want one. I love the car I have. It's red with a killer sunroof that I begged my husband to let me have for the extra (unnecessary) cost that it was going to add to the monthly payment. I don't want to get rid of this car. I just got it last year.

But my husband said, "well... if they can pay off this lease and we can get you another new car with lower payments... then it's worth looking into".

So we proceed to the Chevy dealership, that is right next door to the Pontiac dealership, where both of our cars were purchased in 2007. A salesman meets us at the door and hurries us over to his desk. We show him the brochure and he asks "So, what kind of car are you looking for?" Right away, I answer... "I'm not looking for a new car, but you guys sent us this brochure about buying off this lease and putting us in a new one."

The dealer asks "How many payments left of your current lease"?

My husband answers "23".

The guy just about fell out of his chair.

"23 payments?! We can't pay that off."

My husband said, "Well that's what we figured, but you guys sent "US" this brochure".

So the dealer takes the brochure to see which moron in marketing or advertising sent it to us.

He comes back very quickly and says, "I'm sorry folks, we can't help you at this time". And then he proceeds to give us our 5 - $1.00 lottery tickets, "just for stopping in".

I won $4.00 on two winning tickets.

Then I proceeded to call my parents (both retired from 40 plus year careers at General Motors) to tell them that I think I know why GM is loosing profits.

The Holiday Weekend

2008-05-23T15:06:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day weekend is here at last.

Three days off from business as usual.

When my husband called me at lunch yesterday (Thursday), we engaged in the small talk of "what's going on?" "Are you keeping busy?" etc...

And then I asked, "How many are taking tomorrow off?" (meaning the Friday before the Holiday weekend making it a 4 day weekend for some)

My husband replied "I am". I thought he was kidding. I asked, "Really, you're taking tomorrow off?" and he said "yeah, I really am".

I was so excited. My kids are with their Dad until Tuesday, so it will be a lovely 4 days of marital bliss with my husband. I'm not being sarcastic. I love this man. I love spending time with him. We always have fun, no matter what we're doing. Even a trip to the grocery store his entertaining when he's along.

I just caught up on all the work that I'm going to do. All the shipments are out. The questions are answered. I'm done.

Now... what to do with our 4 days, lol.

We have no plans at all. It would be a good weekend to go up to Northern Michigan but with the price of gas, I highly doubt that we will. With my husbands 110 mile, round trip commute to work each day and my 44 mile, round trip commute to drop off and pick up my kids from school... well... need I say more than our disposable income has taken a big hit this year.

The weather is beautiful here. A rarity for the Memorial day weekend. I swear it's usually raining and cold, but not this year. So I know we'll be outside most of the weekend. We have great parks and trails around here. A hike or bike ride would be splendid. Maybe a bonfire tonight... get the telescope out and wish upon the stars.

So... the sky's the limit...

Unfortunately... money isn't. Always a limit there I'm afraid.

News Boycott

2008-05-22T15:05:00.000-04:00

I think I'm going to boycott the newscasts for the next four days.It's nothing personal that I hold against the stations or the anchors. I simply do not want to hear what they have to report.

I am sick to death of hearing the gloomy predictions and lousy realities of the rising costs of everything.

I am tired of hearing the bad news about the housing markets and the latest total of foreclosures.

I am more than saddened enough about the world tragedy's and the mounting death tolls.

I am disgusted about the rising gas costs and the projected highs they will reach.

I am angry that the cost of food keeps going up.

I am fed up with Mayor of Detroit.

And frankly, I need a break from the sounds of all this nonsense.

I need to hear some good news. Is there any out there?

Date Night Wednesday

2008-05-22T13:29:00.000-04:00

My husband and I have a date night every week. It's usually on Wednesday's or Thursday's.

We had our weekly date night last night.

We went downtown to one of the three local casino's near us to catch the baseball game, have a couple (few) beers and do a little gambling.

It was fun. We both won a little here and there and actually left with $20.00 more than we went in with.

We were home by 9:30pm.

I'm convinced that taking the time to nurture our marriage and relationship is key to "it's" happiness. So many couples garner all their attention towards their children and forget about each other. I am guilty of this in my first marriage although there were many other reasons it fell apart too.

Take a minute to hug the love in your life. Look into their eyes to tell them "I love you". Call them at lunch to say "I was just thinking about you". It goes a long way.

Working From Home

2008-05-21T13:26:00.000-04:00

As the owner of an online business, I always work from home... or from any computer I find myself in front of when the mood strikes me. I have worked from my laptop while on vacation. I have worked while visiting friends. I have worked from my back deck whilst watching the kids in the pool. I have logged onto computers in various electronics stores just to see what's going on with my store... and then I leave my store webpage up. It's FREE ADVERTISING until someone navigates to another URL. LOL.

I like being able to be anywhere and still run my business.

I like waking up in the morning to see what sales were like overnight. While I was sleeping, others were shopping.

And for the record, I do work and I work hard. I work all different hours of the day. I work on the weekends. I work on vacation... all by choice of course. It is my choice when to work although timely shipments of sold goods are a must and so most days require a shipping schedule. If I'm out of town or on vacation, a delay in shipping message goes out before purchases can be made by customers so that there are no issues with the wait.

My "working from home" routine goes something like this:

Up at 5:00am to make the coffee and boot up the computer in my office.

Drink my coffee and see what sold overnight, check and answer business questions from customers and see what the "competition" is up to.

Then starts the shipping. Usually 10-20 parcels a day. The post lady picks them up from my front door. How cool is that?

Lunch around noon. A phone call to or from hubby.

Afternoons consist of replacing and adding inventory to the site.

Pick the kids up from school. Attend what ever sporting event one or both kids have.

Make dinner.

Kiss husband when he walks in the door.

Check on business during the commercial breaks of our favorite shows

And that's about it.

It's a lot of work. People who've "watched" me work or have stayed with me for extended visits say they couldn't do it. It's too confusing. It's too difficult. It's too much. But I love it. I make my own money. I figured it out on my own. My husband is proud (in awe...really) of what I've accomplished.

I'm lucky enough that I don't have to work if I truly didn't want to. It wasn't a financial issue that led me to this. My husband was happy to provide financially for us while I was raising the kids, volunteering at the school, keeping the house immaculate (as if!) and cooking dinner. But as my kids "outgrew" me, I wanted to do something that didn't interfere with me being a full time Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend and now Grammy (Grandmother).

I found that "something".

And it's a great gig.

Shouldn't Light be Less?

2008-05-21T13:14:00.000-04:00

It has long been a game of mine, a hobby if you will, to see how much I can reduce our grocery bill, by shopping the ad paper for what's on sale while using a coupon for it too. It takes time to do this, but the money savings are worth it. I've saved $102.00 on a $211.00 grocery bill. That is my all time record savings.

At the grocery store that I frequent the most, they'll run a special for many different items at 10/$10.00 with the 11th item being free. You can mix and match any of the 10/$10.00. One week the items may consist of Pringles, salad dressing or pasta sauce, etc. In order to take advantage of this offer, you really have to pay attention to how many or each item you're getting.

A couple of weeks ago the grocery store had their name brand salad dressings as part of the 10/$10.00. So I picked up 3 bottles of Light Ranch along with (8) other 10/$10.00 items to make a grouping of 11 items for $10.00.

It wasn't until I got home and took a look at my receipt that I realized that just because I had purchases the light salad dressing, my Light Ranch dressing was not part of the 10/$10.00, but full price... thus messing up my "grouping". Not only did I pay FULL PRICE for this salad dressing, I didn't get my 11th free item. Boo! BAD FORM!

So my question is... Shouldn't Light be less? Why aren't the light varieties included in these promotions? Since they are "light", isn't there "less" to them? Making them cheaper to produce even?

Dang... you really have to pay attention.

I was in Walmarts on Monday and they had Pringles (which I LOVE!) for 88 cents a can. I could only find (1) can of "Light" Pringles so I took it to the register with my other purchases and asked the cashier to check first if the "Light" Pringles were 88 cents like the BBQ, Sour Cream & Onion, Cheddar Cheese, Pizza and Regular varieties. Sure enough... NOPE! $1.97 for the Light variety. I told her, never mind. I'm not paying twice as much for less calories. She giggled at me, said she didn't see any reason why the light ones weren't marked down... especially because they were with the ones that were a lower price... and reduced the price manually.

Justice at last!

Does that seat have your name on it?

2008-05-20T13:10:00.000-04:00

As I was getting my coffee this morning, I heard the makings of an issue between my son and daughter in the living room.

It seems that my 13 year old son had the absolute nerve to sit in the spot on the couch that my 15 year old daughter sits in every morning. OH MY! Although my daughters stuff (crap) was spread out over "two teenage butt's" worth of space on said couch, leaving only one clear spot to sit in... she had this entitled perception that the boy was in "her spot". As if the whole entire couch belonged to her.

We have other places to sit you know. You can sit in the recliner chair. You can sit on one of the bar stools at the counter that faces the living room. You can sit on the stool. Or ... you could even move your soccer equipment, yearbook, book bag, purse, blanket for the car-ride and whatever else is piled 4 feet deep on the couch to another location, thus freeing up two more spots on the couch.

And then she said it. "But that's MY seat!"

And then I asked it. "Does that Seat have YOUR name on it?"

With total conviction in her voice, it was declared that her brother was just sitting there (in her spot) to start trouble. Both kids have been known to occasionally "push the buttons" of each other, but frankly... it's 5:30am... and my son is simply too tired to think that hard this early in the morning to get one over on his sister. In fact, he's so tired that he plopped himself down in the first convenient, free from "stuff" spot, closest to the TV. Heck, I'd have sat there had he not beat me to it.

So I ranted for about 2 minutes about how none of the seats in the living room have "any body's" name on them and how she was being ridiculous and irrational and how this was a crappy way to start the day... and on and on.

Then I took my coffee into my bedroom, shut the door and didn't even say goodbye to the kids when they left for school with my husband.

So there!

Nostalgic Playing

2008-05-19T13:07:00.000-04:00

My kids each had a friend spend the night on Friday. My 15 year old daughter and 13 year old son have a very close relationship with each other. They share many of the same friends and get along oddly well together as siblings and in their group of friends. In this day of video games, computers, myspace and online IM-ing, I was pleasantly surprised when my kids and their overnight guests grabbed baseball mitts and a couple of softballs out of the garage and walked to a nearby elementary school to play.

My kids are involved in sports about 3/4 of the year so I've never been real pushy about "making" them go outside to play. They swim almost every day in our pool during the summer. As a family we play volleyball, basketball and 4-square often together. But to see these kids get together to walk and play something, uninspired and uninvolved by us, is sadly a rare occasion.

I can remember gathering neighborhood children to fill the baseball diamond at the local elementary school with two FULL baseball teams. We played hide and seek, red rover and rode our bikes all the time. We'd be gone ALL day long, often skipping lunch because we were simply having too much fun to stop and eat...only returning home for a brief dinner... then back out again past daylight. The kids in our neighborhood just don't do a whole lot of that. Up until very recently, I wouldn't "let" my kids out of my sight to go and play. My husband and I would play with them or go with them to play together. We live in a safe neighborhood, but that means nothing these days. Folks just don't feel the same about letting their kids run the neighborhood all day long like we did as kids.

And so... on one hand it was nice to see the kids "go play". But, on the other hand ... even though my kids are 13 & 15... and even though they had their cell phones with them... and even though there was plenty of daylight left... and even though they weren't that far away... My husband and I got on our bikes "just to check" on them after they'd been gone about 1/2 hour. We rode up to school to find them playing catch together in the school yard. They were laughing and having a great time, rolling around in the grass after making tough catches, encouraging each other's fabulous athletic abilities.

My husband and I stayed with them until the kids decided they were done playing and we all went home. I can't tell you how good it felt to be "running" the neighborhood with our kids and their friends. It made me want to stay out past dark.

The IRS or a Root Canal?

2008-05-01T13:03:00.000-04:00

A letter from the IRS or a Root Canal?

Hmmmmmm.... which one to choose?

Oh wait a minute!! I GOT BOTH!!!

Oh what fresh hell is this??

Part of my "crappy" last few months consists of both of these "events"!

So... which was worse?

Hands down, the root canal.

The letter from the IRS turned out to be a "fixable" mistake that we made on our 2006 tax return. This has been taken care of... whew! But I have to say... when I saw the FAT white envelope and started to open it... my heart was literally beating loud enough to hear it and I had to hold the letter far enough away from my face, as I feared I would vomit on it, and then not know what kind of trouble I was in!

The root canal? NOT FUN!! I'm pretty sure I've made it quite clear on the other site that I absolutely HATE going to the dentist... but I do go... every 6 months... So when my jaw started hurting just 4 months after my last check up, I was just sure I had oral cancer. When my dentist pulled up the ex-ray and said, "Terri... you have to have a root canal"... well... I just started crying. Really crying ... real tears... streaming down my face.

My dentist was just so sweet. He's got to be in his late 20's... cute as can be, empathetic, concerned, sympathetic... I either want to marry him or adopt him. He asked me what I was so upset about? I could tell he was just beside himself because I was crying... like unexplainable crying.

It wasn't JUST about the root canal at that point... I just cried cuz I had JUST had it. Enough with the bad news. Enough already... what in the world could I have possibly done to deserve this?

My motto is "what comes around goes around". I say it all the time for both the bad and good in this world. But what has been coming around to me lately nearly took me down. Was I an axe murderer in another life? It's the only thing that explains my sudden, compacted, "give it to me all at once" run of bad karma.

I've been a grateful person up till now. I've been a tolerant, giving, forgiving person up till now. I've let go of anger. I've let go of animosity. I've just let go. I'm not in control here. And the minute I stopped questioning "it"... the minute I just "let go".... things started getting better. I started getting better.

Life happens. I have to learn to accept it as it happens. I'm not in control of it. I'm only in control of how I deal with it... good or bad.

Date Night

2008-04-09T18:47:00.003-04:00

Well... it's Wednesday.

That means it's date night with my husband. I love the fact that we go out every Wednesday. It's a great way for us to stay connected. We both look forward to Wednesday nights for all kinds of reasons.

I don't know where we going tonight and I don't know what we're doing... doesn't matter. I'll be with my best friend. It's always good!

Does it really need to become a law?

2008-03-03T16:57:00.004-05:00

It looks like a local nearby city is going to pass a law against texting while driving. HUH? Do people really text while their driving? Who does that? A law needs to be passed to punish and ticket people who get caught doing this?? UNREAL!

As if driving didn't require my full attention to the road while I am forced to "watch out" for (stupid) drivers yacking on their cell phones. It's inconceivable that I am also on the road with an even more ignorant breed of people who are actually trying to type in letters on a little key pad while stepping on the gas of a 2000 pound vehicle.

At some time or another... my children, husband, granddaughter and/or parents are in my car with me. There is nothing that I need to "type/say" more important than protecting the people that I love most in this world. It is absolutely ARROGANT AND IGNORANT that someone honestly believes that they are capable of driving safely while texting.

UNBELIEVABLE!

Great Weekend

2008-03-03T16:44:00.003-05:00

My birthday is tomorrow.

Wow... I'll be 44. Where did the time go?

My husband took me downtown to a casino and out to eat to celebrate. We had sooooooo much fun together. We walked out of the casino $300.00 richer than when we walked in. Then we went to a great restaurant with fabulous greek food. We had saganaki, lemon rice soup and gyro's. Yum! Then we came home and settled in for the night with a couple of good movies. I'm sure I've mentioned before how much I love and adore my husband. We'll celebrate 9 years of marriage together this year and my love for him grows stronger every day. He is a perfect match to me and so satisfying to be in the company of.

Yesterday was spent reading the paper, listening to music and just relaxing together. My husband and I did not want the weekend to end nor did we want to get out of bed this morning. But it's Monday. We both have work to do and it's back to the routine of the week.

I'm off to make dinner for my wonderful husband. I get butterflies still... knowing he'll be walking in the door soon....

So it's been forever

2008-02-29T10:12:00.003-05:00

So it's been forever since I've blogged. Life has been so nice, peaceful... full of satisfaction and content. I think I just didn't want to jinx it. Everyone is doing great. We are happy. Nothing to complain about. Nothing real exciting to talk about.

We are patiently waiting for winter to end as spring leads into all kinds of new beginnings.

The Perfect Gift

2007-12-20T12:56:00.000-05:00

So I'm really excited about the gift I got my parents this year.

They are well off. They don't need anything that they can't buy themselves. They don't want anything. They asked my sister and I to stop buying them gifts a couple of years back. And truthfully, I was kinda relieved about it. I mean, my Mom... she's a sap. And she likes all kinds of little goofy "stuff" that we would get her. But my Dad? Oh my God. He's impossible. I may have posted earlier this month that he duct tapes his wallet, his slippers, his briefcase, his suitcase and whatever else needs duct taping. My sister and I would make our best effort attempts to give him the new wallet, the new slippers, the new whatever that would joyfully replace the old whatever. But he's still wearing the duct tape slippers. I just saw them by the back door when I went to visit them over the summer.

But this year....

I created a photo book for them from this past years photos. I take photos almost daily and for every occasion and event. (It drives my kids, friends and family nuts, but too bad!) So I chose some really nice choice photos from each month of 2007 and had them created into a hardbound book.

Since my parents retired to Tennessee a year ago and they have missed most of the family functions and yearly events back here in Michigan, they are really going to treasure this album. There's even a picture of all of us with them in it when they were here recently visiting. We were actually able to get all children, all grandchildren and the great granddaughter in one spot at the same time, set up the tripod, set the timer on the camera and wah lah! ... family photo just in time for Christmas.

Now they'll have photos of the kids birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Summer vacation, kids sporting events, Halloween, Thanksgiving (I put a couple of our Vegas vacation photos in there) and Christmas. It's being shipped directly to them as we speak and I can't wait for them to get it.

It didn't cost me much, but they'll think it's priceless... the perfect gift indeed.

Christmas Home

2007-12-20T12:55:00.000-05:00

The house is decorated.

We have this village that sits on top of the bar that divides my office from the living/family room. (Our house isn't that big and this is prime seating area, but whatcha gonna do?) Every year, we had more "stuff" to it. It's getting harder and harder to find room to put everything.

The kids picked the perfect tree!

The tree in the living room has red, white and blue ornaments. Patriotic Santa's, stars and stripes bulbs.

What Happens in Vegas

2007-12-20T12:54:00.000-05:00

What Happens in Vegas...

Gets Blogged about!

Sorry I've been away for so long. Between a busy business, catching up after vacation and some kind of horrible cold working it's way through my family, I was unable to do get to my Blogsterville home.

I'm feeling better, but my husband and son are sick. Hopefully everyone will be healthy and well for Christmas.

So... On to the Vegas trip!

We left early Thanksgiving morning... like 4:30am EARLY, lol! But this was to our advantage as we found a parking spot in the covered garage close to the shuttle pick up and since I checked in and printed our boarding passes from my home computer, we just breezed through security, grabbed a Starbucks and waited to board the plane.

I usually choose to sit in the middle seat on the way out so that I can enjoy the window seat on the way home. An oversized gentleman took the aisle seat next to me and inevitable "took" part of my "space" as well, lol. Oh well.... small price to pay I suppose.

Upon arrival in Vegas, we were able to check it right away as we were "invited" guests. Woo hoo... I didn't even realize we were "invited" guests, but because we got a postcard 3 days before leaving with a comped winter invitation, we received 3 free nights, some free play and 2 buffet comps.... COOL!!

After unpacking and freshening up, we met my parents and Aunt & Uncle in the Mirage poker room for a fabulous Thanksgiving spread. My (step) Dad has been playing poker there for about 20 years now. They treat my Dad and his family very well. After dinner, I was wiped out and decided to go to be early.

My husband and I spent the next day hanging out with my Aunt and Uncle. We walked up to one end of the strip and down the other. We checked out the conservatory at the Bellagio which was decorated beautifully for the fall season. My husband won a rubber duck at the new Hooter's resort and casino, lol and he won a keychain at the new Planet Hollywood casino in a slot tournament.

So all in all, we ate terrific food, cashed out here and there will enough money to only have to spend 1/2 of our budget that we brought with us for playing.

The weather was decent. In the 60's during the day and sunny. (I haven't seen the sun here in Michigan in days now!)

On the last day that we were all in Vegas together, we had a nice dinner at The Outback. I really love spending time with my family and I miss them already.

I Am Thankful For Much

2007-11-21T09:13:00.000-05:00

A LOVING HUSBAND

3 HEALTHY CHILDREN

AN ADORABLE GRANDDAUGHTER

A SISTER & BEST FRIEND

TERRIFIC PARENTS

GOOD FRIENDS

A COZY HOME

I Need To ....

2007-11-20T09:36:00.000-05:00

I Need To ...

Get my son's hockey fund raiser money in a marked envelope

Buy hairspray

Ship 2 packages

Fold one load of towels

Turn in the change jar (It's full and we've been saving change for a year for "extra" money for our trip)

Make a deposit

Set a vacation "away response" for my email and my business

Send my best friend a birthday card

Lose 20 pounds before Thursday

If you are in the volunteering mood, please pick one or more tasks from my list and help a fellow blogger out.

Thank you

Before & After

2007-11-18T17:18:00.000-05:00

Here is the shot of AFTER everyone dug into the Thanksgiving feast which is also the shot of BEFORE the kitchen got cleaned up.

And here is the shot of AFTER the kitchen got cleaned up.

The feast was nice. We ate at 2:00pm so that my oldest daughter would able to join us before she had to leave for her afternoon shift at the hospital. Our granddaughter was here for for most of the day. All three of the kids said thanks for the meal, each in their own way.

We watched the football game and my husband even looked like he wanted to take a nap for a little while (If only I'd let him, he said... LOL).

We ran into a small snag when the grandbaby came running down the stairs yelling "poop" over and over again.

Since I was cleaning the kitchen, Grandpa was left to attend to this "poop" matter. He was handling it quite well until he said

"Honey, come here."

I dried my hands on the dish towel and proceeded to the bathroom. There the two of them stood peering into the toilette.

"She dropped her little hair clippy thingy in there" he said.

The toilette hadn't been flushed since the .... shhhhh poop.

"Well, what'd you call me for? I don't want to see it." I said.

"Well, what should I do?" he asked.

I said "What would you like to do? Either fish it out or flush it down."

"Fish or flush, fool!"

He chose to flush it. (I hope we don't have to disclose that to the next homeowners of this house, LOL)

So all in all, it was just like a real Thanksgiving Day, which was our point.

Mission accomplished

Happy Thanksgiving y'all.

The Leaves

2007-11-18T10:30:00.000-05:00

The leaves.... are taking a long time to round up with a granddaughter kicking at the piles. Can you tell how upset her Grandpa is about it?

The Turkey

2007-11-18T09:10:00.000-05:00

It is 9:10am.

My husband is preparing the turkey for our Thanksgiving feast today. (As posted earlier, hubby and I will be away from the children on Thanksgiving this year)

Husband:
"Ummmmm .... Honey, I can't find the giblets."

Me:
"They're in there."

Husband:
"I don't think so."

Me:
"Did you search both ends."

Husband:
"What??"

Me:
"Did you look in both openings of the turkey."

Husband:
"They are two openings?"

Me:
"Yeah, what'd you do? Just go up the butt?"

Husband: (cracking up)
"Yeah, I guess I did."

Husband: (after 30 seconds)
"Oh, there they are. They're in the neck cavity. Ewwwwww .... yuck!! ... , it's like a birthing packet!"

Me:
"Thanks for sharing!!!! What the hell is a birthing packet anyway??"

Off to a Good Start

2007-11-16T06:09:00.000-05:00

Thank God, it's Friday. I have been waiting for this particular Friday for weeks, months even.

Today marks the start of what is sure to be, a fabulous stretch of 11 days for me and my family.

I get my kids today after school. They will be with us until Wednesday at 5:00pm.

I'm making Meatloaf in the crockpot for dinner tonight. Everyone in this house loves it. In a few short hours the wonderful aroma will start to fill the air, seeping out of any tiny cracks in the windows, making the construction guys, who are fixing my neighbors foundation, jealous with envy for a home cooked meal.

I will fill my gas tank up today in my lil' red Pontiac G6. What's so great about that you ask? It was exactly 2 weeks ago that it last needed a fill up.

We are decorating the house for Christmas this weekend. It is a family affair. It is fun. It is tradition. We will listen to Christmas music favorites. All family members will help and all will be joyful.

The University of Michigan will play (and beat) rival Ohio State in a great football game tomorrow.

Our pre-Thanksgiving family feast will be cooking in the early morning hours on Sunday. My children will awake to the smells of the holiday and the bustle of happy parents. The oldest daughter and granddaughter will join us for dinner. Everyone will recite what they are thankful for.

The kids are off from school on Wednesday and I plan on spending every moment of that day doing whatever they'd like to do with "Mom."

After the kids leave for their week at Dads at 5:00pm on Wednesday, I will start packing for our early morning flight that departs on Thanksgiving day out to Vegas. At about 8:30am (Vegas time), I will be re-united with my Mom and Step Dad whom I have been desperately missing. Later that day, my favorite Auntie Betty & fabulous Uncle Karl, will join the rest of us in the poker room for Thanksgiving dinner. We will watch the Detroit Lions in the sportsbook and retire to our rooms early, tuckered out from all the fun.

Friday morning, we will get up early and go walking to see "whats new" since last year. I will win a huge jackpot that day and bestow large amounts of cash and gifts on all my family and friends.

The rest of the Vegas vacation will be terrific. We'll come home on Monday afternoon, have the evening to relax and get the kids from school on Tuesday. The children will be thrilled with the "Vegas" T-shirts we got at 3/$10.00.

The End

A Visit with Grammy

2007-11-15T06:08:00.000-05:00

My granddaughter came over today for a little while. Her parents work schedules overlapped a bit, so she was here for about an hour.

If you give her candy, she'll say I love you.
If you give her candy, she'll smile for you.

She picked something out of the candy bowl. It was sour something or other?
Can you tell?

Evil Step Monster Is At It Again

2007-11-14T06:46:00.000-05:00

The horrible evil Step Monster is at it again. She has spent the weekend spewing hateful hurtful comments at my two youngest kids.

My son had a hockey tournament this past weekend. It was hosted at the home ice arena of the hockey team that my oldest daughter used to play on. Her team, the Michigan Capitals won the State Championship, for their AAA travel hockey division, back in April of 2002 and then went to Alaska to compete for the National title.

So, as State Champs, my oldest daughters hockey team picture is still proudly displayed in her home ice arena's showcase. My son and younger daughter were so excited to see their sister's picture. My son was told by his Father "NOT" to mention the photo or his sister to his team mates. My son told his team mates anyway when his Dad wasn't around. I am so proud of him for that!! My two youngest kids are barely allowed to acknowledge the very existence of their older sister when they are with their Father and Step Monster. Because my oldest daughter no longer has a relationship with her Father (because of Step Monster), Ex-husband and Step Monster like to pretend that she no longer exists.

FIRST HATEFUL COMMENT:

When my youngest daughter mentioned the hockey picture of her older sister to her Step Monster, her Step Monster said, "Well, if your sister wouldn't have gotten herself knocked up, she'd still be playing hockey."

What is really CRAZY about this comment is that the reason my oldest daughter stopped playing hockey is BECAUSE HER FATHER STOPPED PAYING FOR IT 4 DAYS BEFORE THE SEASON WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN! Step Monster convinced my ex that it was just too expensive and that if "they" were going to ever be able to move away, (from me) he would have to eliminate that bill.

I believe that my oldest daughter's Father taking away the very sport that almost identified who she was, and rejecting her, had much to do with her getting pregnant at 18 years old. She was an honor roll student every year. She was a talented hockey player, the top goal scorer for her team, with huge potential. She was being scouted by 2 colleges for hockey scholarships. She graduated from high school with honors and academic scholarships. She was a great kid who is know a GREAT young woman and GREAT Mother despite her Father's betrayal and absence.

And for that horrible woman to say such a degrading UNTRUTHFUL thing to a child who loves, adores and looks up to her big sister is nothing short of EVIL. It's HATEFUL!!

SECOND BOUT OF HATEFUL COMMENTS:

The ice arena that they were at for my son's hockey tournament is in my neck of the woods. So ex-husband/ Evil Step Monster and the kids wanted to go to Buffalo Wild Wings to eat dinner. My youngest daughter obviously knows her way around our city as she's lived here her whole life. So she says the street name of the Buffalo Wild Wings near our city of Lincoln Park.

Step Monster says, "We're not eating in Stinkin Park."

Daughter says, "It's Lincoln Park, NOT Stinkin Park. I don't like it when you call it Stinkin Park."

Step Monster says, "No... it's Stinkin Park."

Daughter says, "My Mother lives in that city and I live in that city and I don't like when you call it Stinkin Park."

Step Monster says, "No, you don't live in Stinkin Park. We moved you out of that city. You live in Canton."

Daughter says, "I live in Canton with my Father 1/2 the time and I live in Lincoln Park with my Mother 1/2 the time."

Step Monster says, "No, you live in Canton with your Father. You go to school in Canton. Your Dad's address is what is listed on your school records."

Daughter says, "I don't care what address is listed on my school records. I live with both of my parents. One lives in Canton. One lives in Lincoln Park."

Step Monster says, "Well, I don't care... I"m still going to call it Stinkin Park."

Side note:
The city that I live in is the same city that my children live in when they are LIVING with me 1/2 of the time... it's the same city that my ex-husband shared a home with me and lived in for 6 years .... it's the same city that my ex-husbands Aunt/Uncle live in, right around the corner from me.... it's the same city that borders the city of my ex's parents home that they've lived in for over 20 years now.

My kids are getting old enough now to stand up and fight for what they believe in. They used to show indifference, out of fear of fighting back, to nasty negative comments about me, or their sister, or the city that I/we live in. But the kids are growing up. They don't like having their identity and loved ones trashed anymore.

Their Dad and Step Monster can pretend I don't exist. They can try to deceive my son's team mates about him having an older sister. They may fool the school into thinking that the kids only live with their Father and not me too. They may even delude themselves into thinking that I am only a visitation to my children and not an actual participating parent.

None of that matters to me or to my children.

After all ...
The relationship between my children and I, that endures and grows, despite evil attempts to extinguish it, ... does indeed exist.

And we grow stronger with each one of their efforts to snuff it out.

Grocery Husband

2007-11-13T12:53:00.000-05:00

Since we are going to Las Vegas to meet my Mom/Step Dad & Aunt/Uncle for Thanksgiving, my husband suggested that we have a Thanksgiving dinner celebration with the kids this weekend.

Great idea honey!

So he calls me from work at lunch yesterday to go over the menu for our feast. He was oddly excited as we talked about food. Turkeys are on sale. If I buy a turkey and $10.00 worth of food and 2 cases of Pepsi, I get a $15.00 rebate. (He says maybe he'll go back again tomorrow, do the whole deal/rebate/buy/spend thingy and have another rebate sent to my oldest daughters house. Only one rebate per household. You know the drill.)

He volunteered to go to the grocery store on his way home from work to get the goods.

Ok... what gives?? He doesn't like to grocery shop... And... he hates doing anything alone, let alone grocery shop.

Anyway, he calls me on his way home from the store, after he has shopped, to tell me to get the kids ready, unlock the back door and turn on the porch light.

Why?? Have you been drinking??

No, because I have a lot of stuff and I need all your help. Be ready to help in 5 minutes to come outside and give me a hand.

So the kids happily and with much excitement (NOT) got their shoes on and waited by the back door for him to get home.

We all grabbed bags and filled our arms with groceries. Between the 4 of us, we managed to get the food in the house in just two trips!

My husband placed a 19 pound turkey on the kitchen table and made us all "come see"

Come see what? The turkey? In it's plastic wrapper? What are we looking for .... or at? And why do you have that goofy look of satisfaction on your face? It's just a turkey, right? Or is there a winning lottery ticket up it's butt?

No... no lottery ticket, but look how much money I saved on the turkey.

Oh.... I'm sorry.... ok...of course.... good savings honey (children giggling in the background)

My daughter asked "What is all this stuff for anyway?"

We had wanted the dinner to be a surprise, but with enough food to open up a shelter, I had no choice but to reveal the pre-Thanksgiving feast plans.

"Oh great" she says. "Who else is coming over?"

Ummmmmmm...... no one, why?

Mom, we just filled two refrigerators with food. The turkey will take 4 days to thaw. Come on Mom... who else is coming?

Nope.... no one else.... Just go with it honey, your Step Dad is not too familiar with moderation.

And he's way to excited about all the money he saved. I will stroke his genius, money saving ego some more, and I may never have to step foot in a grocery store again.

Happy Birthday Dad

2007-11-09T08:39:00.000-05:00

Hi Dad,

I remembered your birthday today. You would have been 68 years old. I can't believe it's been 21 years since you left this earth when I was just 21 myself. The only granddaughter that you ever so briefly laid eyes on is now 21 herself.

I think about you all the time. I miss you terribly. Every year that goes by, my love and appreciation for your presence in my life continues to grow, almost as if you were still here. The impact you had on me shows itself more strongly as I creep up to the age that you were when you died.

My self-worth and self-love stem from the constant and consistent love you showered on me since the day I was born. If it's only one thing I was ever ever sure of growing up, it was my place in your heart. I knew I was special because you told me so. I knew I was the most important thing in your life, because you told me so.

Even though you and Mom divorced when I was in the third grade, you never missed a Sunday visit with me. Not once in all those years. Those Sunday's were crammed with a weeks worth of quality. You introduced me to Abbot & Costello, Shirley Temple and The Three Stooges. My love of baseball comes from you. Your silly sense of humor made me light and easy going. The sensitivity and empathy you displayed towards others led me to reach out and love without fear. You taught me to laugh, to live in the moment, to cherish friends, to take nothing for granted and to give back.

Even though you're not physically here, you're always within me. My life is a perfect example of all you ever cared about.

The world is no better for having lost you, but heaven is happy to have you. This I know.

Happy Birthday Dad. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

The Detroit Institute of Art

2007-11-08T12:12:00.000-05:00

Last year, in between Christmas and New Years, my Aunt Sandy had one of her watercolors displayed at The Detroit Institute of Arts.

My Mom & Dad, Sister & Brother-in-Law with kids in tow met my husband & I, with our kids in tow, downtown to check it out.

Pretty exciting!

She and my Uncle Jack , whom is also an artist, are as close as my family gets to celebrities, lol

Bullseye

2007-11-07T10:47:00.000-05:00

I was telling my sister the missing sock story and she said that her husband had done something funny just last night.

After he exited the bathroom, he said "Do you want to see something?" to my sister.

She's said, "ummmmmm I don't know if I want to see something after you've just left the bathroom"

He pulls up his shirt and there is a BIG RED round stain right there on his chest.

Apparently a red pen in his shirt pocket had leaked. The leak wasn't apparent from the front of the shirt.

My sister said it looked just like a bullseye.

That'll teach him to carry pens around in his pocket, (nerd... lol)

Funnier Still ...

2007-11-07T10:46:00.002-05:00

So my husband calls me for second time this morning.

Husband:
"Do you want to hear something else that is funny?"

Me:
"Of course, I do"
(thought bubble in my brain .... "oh what stupid thing did their step mom do or say now? LOL!"

Husband:
"I got to work and went to rest my arm on my desk and felt a bulge in my shirt sleeve."

Me:
"OH THE MISSING ELUSIVE SOCK!!!"

Husband:
"Yeah, the sock. I walked around all morning with this shirt on. I drank coffee. I brushed my teeth. I shaved. I put my coat on. I drove the kids to school and then drove all the way to work. And it was only when I put my arm on my desk that I realized there was a BULGE in my sleeve."

BACKGROUND ON THE MISSING SOCK:

There are times when I've done the laundry, as most have, and come up with a missing sock. The missing socks in our home always turn right up in the next load. A sock is never alone for long here.

But two weeks ago, a sock was missing it's mate and it didn't turn up in the next load... or the next.... or the next.... never!

This really troubled my organized (anal) husband. He was sincerely bothered about the missing sock. He was concerned about it's whereabouts.... what happened to it.... well, where was it.... how can a sock just disappear?? ....

And not only was he concerned about the missing sock.... he simply did not know what to do with the "non-missing" sock!

I put the lone sock in his sock drawer with sure anticipation that it's mate would turn up. My husband took the lone sock out of his drawer. (He couldn't have the lone sock in his drawer... it apparently messed him up, LOL)

So the lone sock sat on top of his dresser for a couple days. This must have mis-aligned him with the planets because he moved it to the top of my dresser, which bothered me. Why do I have to have his lone sock on my dresser? Why do I have to look at a lone sock for weeks anyway??

So... I put it in a place where it could be found when the mate turned up.

After my husband called to tell me about the "bulge", I went to retrieve the mate.

I can't find it!

Funny ... . But Sad

2007-11-07T10:46:00.001-05:00

On the mornings that my kids are with us, my husband drops our high school-er off at her bus stop on his way to work. Then he pulls into my ex-husbands driveway to drop my son off so that the boy can catch the middle school bus from there 1/2 hour later.

Two years ago, when my son was in elementary school and my daughter started middle school, the kids started school too late in the morning for my husband to drop them off and still get to work on time. So I would do it. In the beginning of that first year, when the kids had different start times, I would drop my daughter off at her bus stop and then drop my son off at his Dad's so that he could catch the bus 1/2 hour later.

After about two weeks of doing this, my son begged me not to drop him off at his Dad's anymore on my mornings because his step mom was bothering him. She would analyze his outfits, his backpack, his lunch, his teeth, his hair... etc.... and make critical remarks about anything and everything. She took the key chains that he was collecting (from me) off of his back back and told him "they look gay". She made him take off his rubber "support our troops" bracelet (from me) and told him "it was girlie". Her behavior towards him literally made him sick to his stomach in the mornings.

So for two years while my kids had different start times, my son and I would "hang" out for the 1/2 hour difference so that he wouldn't have to deal with her.

Now that the boy is in the middle school and his Dad works from home, (Dad wasn't working from home two years ago and wasn't there to witness, stop, prevent or protect my son from his stepmother), my son feels like he can deal with her better or just avoid her in the mornings if he has too. (Remember the "Are you trying to grow a mustache?" post?)

So today, my husband calls me right after he dropped the kids off and said "the kids were really excited when I dropped them off this morning."

So... here's me..... before he could tell me why... I'm thinking.... oh... maybe they're going away over the weekend... maybe their Dad got them a surprise... Oh... what wonderful thing can it be?

Finally, I asked him "What are they so excited about?"

My husband said.... "Because their Step mom's car is not home."

"You would have thought they were going to Disney World"

Funny..... But Sad

Weird Boy

2007-11-06T12:07:00.000-05:00

The Boy Can be so Weird

Scary Donation

2007-11-06T08:55:00.001-05:00

My husband took Friday off, which was really great. He helped me get the grocery shopping done for the following week. He filled my car up with gas and was nice enough to accomplish a couple other "assignments" that I needed done around the house.

The last few bags of donations from my massive clean-out were placed in my car trunk on Friday with the intention of dropping them off at the local Good Will before picking the kids up from school.

Well... time ran out and we didn't get a chance to deliver the bags on Friday like planned.

On Saturday evening, my son and I were preparing baked french toast for Sunday's breakfast when I realized that the 24 pack of eggs that my hubby and I bought on our Friday grocery run had NOT made their way into our cart or car .... grrrrrrrrrrr

So my son and I decided to run up to the local store to get MORE eggs. As I parked the car and turned off the radio, we heard this faint noise from within the car. It was kinda muffled. It was a deep voice. It was groaning and grumbling. It was a scary sounding.

My son slowly turned his head towards me in the driver seat with a look of sheer terror on his face. His eyes were really wide; His body movements were delayed as he strained to listen "where" the horrible sounds were coming from. He whispered... "Mom... what in the heck is that??"

I immediately recognized it as the talking Morphman monster that my son had decided he no longer wanted two weeks ago when we sorted out his room.

Apparently something was pressing up against it, making it talk. It was only in the silence that it could actually be heard. That toy always sounded as if there were a murder taking place so I was glad to be rid of it.

I was cracking up so hard once he realized what it was. And then he laughed too, although he admitted he was "REALLY freaked out" for a bit.

Go BLUE!!

2007-11-03T03:28:00.000-04:00

Today's the day!

The biggest college football rivalry in my home state.

University of Michigan (Gold & Blue) vs Michigan State (Green & White)

My husband and I are die hard U of M fans.
My son wants Michigan State to win.

I have friends who are die hard Michigan State fans. My best friend went to Michigan State. The game is at Michigan State, so she told me to watch for her and her hubby on TV today .... they'd be the two in the green shirts, LOL!

We are flying our U of M flag and having friends (Only the UofM fans, LOL) over to watch the game.

GO BLUE!!!

The losing teams die hard fans have to fly the rival flag for one week.

Again... GO BLUE!!!

Halloween Pics

2007-11-01T07:44:00.001-04:00

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween!!

UPS & XBOX

2007-11-01T07:32:00.001-04:00

Our XBOX 360 broke down a few weeks ago!

I couldn't believe it. It is less than a year old. It was the only gift that my son got (and wanted) for Christmas last year. It was almost $400.00 so it became his birthday gift for this past March too.

10 months of use and the hard drive crashed. RIDICULOUS!

However.... XBOX is fixing it for free because luckily it is still covered under warranty. They sent a box for it to be returned to Microsoft for repair. We sent it out about 3 weeks ago.

So... I got an automated phone call from UPS today stating that a package from Microsoft was due for delivery tomorrow (Thursday).

Yahoooooo..... my son will be so excited (and my husband too!)

The package will be delivered between 8:00AM and 7:00PM.

Ummmmmmm..... thanks for narrowing that down for me UPS!!!!
(Worse than the cable guy!)

Tough Love vs Spanking

2007-11-01T07:31:00.000-04:00

Most of America 's populace think it improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of "those moments."

One that I found effective is for me to just take the child
for a car ride and talk.

They usually calm down and stop misbehaving
after our car ride together.

I've included a photo below of one of my sessions
with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.

I think this will work with grandchildren, nieces, and nephews as well.

Last Years Halloween Pics

2007-10-30T08:37:00.000-04:00

Halloween is tomorrow. This is the first year that all three of my children will not be going out for trick or treating from our home. Of course my oldest daughter stopped going a long time ago. My 14 year old daughter and 12 year old son will be at their Father's this year.

Luckily, we have a 2 year old granddaughter to start all the traditions that my 3 kids will eventually outgrow. She was a pony last year. I can't wait to see what she comes over as tomorrow.

Vegas=White Trash??

2007-10-24T16:47:00.000-04:00

Please allow me a petty gossip moment.

If you've read my "Viva Las Vegas" post, you know how much I love to vacation in Vegas.

And if you've read my "The Answer of Avoidance", "She Sends Her Evil Comments" or "Am I the Only One" posts, you know how much (and why) I don't like my children's Stepmother.

I share joint physical custody of my kids with their Father, therefore, I let my ex-husband know when/where I'll be when I go on a vacation. (This also means that his 2ND wife, my children's stepmother also knows where I'm going)

Our yearly trip to Las Vegas is approaching next month and recently my kids stepmother told my kids
(and I quote) ...

"Las Vegas is for white trash"

Up until that comment, I truly did not know exactly what white trash meant, so I've taken the liberty of copying the definition that I found on the Internet below.

DEFINITION OF WHITE TRASH

an offensive term for White people who are impoverished

White trash is a derogatory term with a classist component targeted almost exclusively at non-Latino white people and connoting low social status or poor prospects (i.e., downward mobility) or lack of education. ...

That poor woman is just so obnoxious!

Hockey Parents

2007-10-24T07:21:00.000-04:00

Hockey has been a big part of our family life for about 15 years now. My ex-husband has played on a "senior" league since I've know him. He's been playing hockey since he was a child. This interested our oldest daughter who started playing hockey at the age of 6 and until she was 16 years old. Our son has been playing hockey since he was 4 years old.

Recently we attended one of my 12 year old son's hockey game. It started out nice enough, but progressed into something ugly and loud by the third period. And I'm not talking about the players. I'm talking about the parents. As our home team pulled ahead by two goals in the third period, several parents from the other team started shouting and hollering at the ref's about every call and one lady screamed "HIT HIM" at the top of her lungs, several times, I presume to her own child. This comment got some parents on our team heated and "talking back" at the other team's parents. It became difficult to just enjoy watching my son participate in a game he has loved since he yielded a mini hockey stick in diapers.

The children on these two teams are still tweens. They're out there skating and having fun, trying to enjoy the game, while some parents are projecting their own emotions and passionate need to win on their children. I truly was disgusted by some of the parents display of poor sportsmanship and their aggressive demeanor. Their anger was written all over their faces and clearly amplified in their shouts.

These kids are not going to be professional NHL hockey players. They're not going to the be in the Olympics. I just hope the good memories these children should have by just loving to play the game are not overshadowed by their parents ignorant embarrassing behavior.

Las Vegas

2007-10-23T07:12:00.001-04:00

My husband and I go to Las Vegas every year. We're never there alone. It's a big production.

It all started 15 years ago with my sisters wedding. About 30 of our family members and friends met out there for the event. Many of us have been going back every year since. My parents along with my husband and I have consistently met up in Vegas with whoever else could make it that year, for the last 9 years. I guess you could say we are the constant consistent originals of the group.

Most people might assume that vacationing with other people, let alone a bunch of people would be difficult. But, somehow from the beginning, it's always been easy and tons of fun. Obviously we can't, nor would we want, to do everything together all the time, but we plan a meal a day together and coordinate itineraries to meet for cocktails, sight-seeing, or shows etc. throughout our stay.

Some of the very best times in my entire life have been while vacationing with these people.

The month long countdown before we all leave our various locations in the USA to meet starts today. I truly can't wait.

Juicy Juice

2007-10-23T07:11:00.000-04:00

My 12 year old son doesn't like fruit. He won't eat it. At all.

He likes broccoli, cauli flower, green beans and corn... but that's about it for vegetables.

He likes juice... apple, grape, and orange.

Enter: JUICY JUICE HARVEST SURPRISE

100% FRUIT & VEGGIE JUICE
No sugar added
120% Vitamin C
The first three ingredients are pear juice, apple juice & carrot juice.
A good source of BETA CAROTENE

Juicy Juice Harvest Surprise contains 25% of your child's recommended combined servings of fruits & vegetables in every 8 ounce glass.

He loves it. I was pouring it for him every morning because I didn't want him to see the label. (See pic)

One day, he went to pour himself a glass. He happened to see the label (darn it), started backing slowly away from the counter as if he were going to catch cooties from the bottles contents and said:

"Whoa!... Hey... whoa.... whoa... wait a minute... what's this veggie juice stuff?"

I said:

"Relax. That is the same juice you've been drinking all along for weeks now. Ignore the label. You already like it."

And he does.

(Gotcha little boy!)

The Dentist

2007-10-23T06:33:00.000-04:00

I have a Dentist appointment for my 6 month cleaning next Tuesday.

But... as luck would have it, the dentists office tracked me down yesterday, on my way to pick up my kids, through my cell phone with exciting news ....

They had a cancellation and could fit me in a week early ... meaning today.

I HATE (HATE HATE HATE) going to the dentist... HATE IT!!!

I can't handle the scraping. And no matter how well I floss and brush... there is going to be scraping.

I clench my fists. Every muscle that I didn't know I had gets tight. I get hot. I can't breath. Did I mention that I hate it??

Oh.... how easy it would be to just NOT go....

But I'll go. It will take less than an hour. I will be slightly dizzy and white as a ghost. I will check out, pay my deductible and make my next 6 month appointment.

And at last... Before I drive away... I will have no choice other than to sit in my parked car for a few minutes awaiting the return of normal blood pressure and color to my face.

I hate it ...

Good Morning Recipe

2007-10-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Good Morning ...

I thought I'd share a favorite recipe of mine. You can prepare it the night before and just put it in the oven to bake the next morning. It makes a terrific "special" breakfast for the holidays and weekends.

It's a family favorite in our house.

BAKED FRENCH TOAST

1 Loaf of Cinnamon Swirl Bread (or Raisin Bread)
6 Eggs
3 Cups Milk
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Layer the bread in a 9x13 glass pan that has been sprayed generously with Pam. Use the whole loaf. (You'll have 2 full layers of bread. I just put any remaining "odd" pieces across the top too.)

Beat the eggs, milk, brown sugar and vanilla together with a whisk and pour over the bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. (Check on it after 45 minutes. The top should be golden brown and slightly crisp while the inside is soft)

Serve with butter and syrup or fruit topping & whipped cream.

Speaking of Elvis

2007-10-21T06:07:00.000-04:00

I am a HUGE Elvis fan! Everyone who knows me knows this about me. I'm not the kind of fan that would have thrown myself at him. It's not love or lust. I just have this tremendous empathy for his struggles near the end of his short life. I have cried watching his last concert performance. My heart breaks because he's no longer here.

And so of course ...

I have most, if not all of his music. I have seen many of his movies.

I have an Elvis overnight tote bag that I get many compliments on from older folks down to the girls on my daughter's volleyball team.

I have an Elvis figure that hangs from the rear view mirror of my car. The hips are attached to the torso by a spring and so with every movement of the car... so goes Elvis.

I have an Elvis clock in my kitchen.

I have an Elvis purse complete with sequins that I take with me every year when I go to Las Vegas.

I've been getting Elvis Christmas ornaments from my kids and/or husband for years now.

Elvis is popular in my house and with my children. We listen to his music all the time. My kids sing along. They know all the words to his songs. And they like to introduce the music of Elvis to their friends. It was the popular CD of choice when I would chaperon their elementary school field trips in my car. My favorite song is Suspicious Minds followed closely by Blue Christmas. The kids like Jailhouse Rock and Hound Dog.

Whenever we are out at a restaurant, or shopping, etc and I hear an Elvis song come on, I'll say "Who's that on the radio?!" And whoever is with us at the time, be it kids, friends, parents, family .... they will simultaneously shout out "ELVIS!" I love it!

When I'm gone from this earth, (hanging out with Elvis) ... I hope that whenever my kids are together and they hear an Elvis song, they will turn to each other and simply smile.

Who's The King?

2007-10-20T11:31:00.000-04:00

In the summer of 2000, we took our two youngest kids to Mackinac to visit all the "must see" tourist attractions in this historic city.

At Fort Michilmackinac, there was an interactive demonstration where the children got to go up with the soldiers. They were taught briefly how to handle the rifles and march within an army. During this demonstration, our group was also getting a mini lesson in history about the French, Europe... and whatever. (I wasn't really listening well because I was so busy watching how cute my kids were)

At one point in the lesson, one of the soldiers asked "Does anybody know who the king was?"

One little boy shouted ... "ELVIS!!"

The entire group was cracking up. Every parent was videotaping the event including my husband.

Two years later we were all watching "America's Funniest Videos" (It's still a family Sunday night ritual for us) The video was part of the show! My kids faces were blurred out, (legal reasons, I'm sure) but there they were! So cool.

Cousins

2007-10-18T14:34:00.001-04:00

My sister and I are 9 months apart. We are the best of friends.
Between us, we have 5 children. They are growing up together.
We hope our children will be best friends too!

07/1999

12/2000

06/2001

12/2001

07/2002

12/2002

7/2003

12/2003

12/2006

05/2007

I love Fall!

2007-10-18T10:54:00.000-04:00

And Scrapbooking!

The Cable Guy: Part 2

2007-10-18T09:31:00.000-04:00

GOOD NEWS:

The cable guy showed up at 9:00am and was only here for 20 minutes.

BAD NEWS:

He was lacking in personal hygiene to say the least.

He used my guest bathroom, apparently thinking that someone was lurking in the bathtub, because the shower curtain was 2 feet away from the wall went I went in to spray.

He left the toilette seat up.

He did not wash his hands.

GROCERY LIST:

Lysol

The Cable Guy: Part 1

2007-10-18T07:08:00.000-04:00

I got a message on my answering machine yesterday that the cable guy that is coming to install cable internet service for us will be here between 8:00am-10:00am today.

I'll start looking for him around 4:15pm.

Visiting Grandma

2007-10-17T08:20:00.001-04:00

We have to fit in one more visit this year to my husbands Grandma.

We have been there three times this year.

She lives 4 hours from us by car, so a clear non-threat of snow or foul weather weekend on the calender is needed to make the trip before this year is up.

The first hour of our visit will consist of hearing which grandchild came when, who sent a card for Grandparents day, which grandchild is coming back next, whom has called the most, whom has called the least, who borrowed money, etc...

The next hour will consist of deciding where we will eat lunch. And the prayer Grandma will say at this meal will go something like this... "Dear Lord, Thank you for getting the kids safely to visit me FINALLY (emphasis on the word finally) ... hope they'll be able to stay LONGER than last time (emphasis on the word longer) ..." etc...

Then we'll go back to Grandma's and spend the next hour deciding where we will eat dinner ...

Repeat all of the above about 6 more times over the course of a weekend with lots of awkward silence in between ...

But, we love her ... and so we go.

Homecoming Dance

2007-10-17T06:29:00.000-04:00

Buying the very first dress that she tried on ..... $80.00 on Chase Master Card

Finding matching shoes at the store next door .... $29.99 on Capital One Visa

Purchasing the perfect jewelry ensemble ... $15.00 on a Citi-Bank Master Card

Disposable Camera ... $7.99 on Bank of America Visa

Clutch Purse .... $12.99 on Discover Card

Knowing how to shuffle my credit limits without being declined even once .... PRICELESS!

The answer of avoidance

2007-10-16T07:04:00.000-04:00

My 12 year old son's stepmother had him cornered not that long ago while she attempted to get him to answer a question about me with a response that suited her agenda of making me look bad.

Side note:
My ex-husband and his wife continually sign the kids that I share joint physical custody with up for nonstop sports all year long without any consent or input from me nor any regard for what I or the kids may want to do when they are with me. Sometimes I am unable to comply with their plans for my week with the kids. Most of the time, I go ahead with it for the sake and peace of my kids but God forgive me when I make wholesome family plans during my children's time with me that doesn't include the animosity and negativity of my ex-husband and his overbearing wife packed into hot gyms and cold ice rinks.

So the conversation went something like this:

STEPMOM: "So... what do you think about your Mother not letting you go to hockey this weekend?"

Side note:
We were taking the kids to an indoor water park resort for a weekend getaway in the dead of winter... I know... "terrible parents".

My 12 year old son stood there trying not to answer the question because his answer would NOT be what his step mom was hoping to hear. He was excited about the water park, but couldn't tell her the truth because that would make her mad. He wasn't going to lie. So instead of answering her question, and with the intent of changing the subject, he looked at her and said...

"Are you trying to grow a mustache?"

The story looses something as it's told in writing as opposed to my son (oblivious to the hilarity of his comment) innocently telling my family about it. He was not trying to be mean. He does not know why we find it so funny. He answered her question with a question of his own to deflect the attention away from the current uncomfortable inquest from her.

Any time someone in our family (parents, kids, sister, aunts, uncles... even friends) asks an uncomfortable question or if we simply don't know how to answer one another, or want an easy chuckle... we answer with "Are you trying to grow a mustache?"

It has become our choice answer of avoidance. And it makes us laugh every time one of us utters it.

Awkward Moments

2007-10-12T12:39:00.001-04:00

I was over at The Erin Experiment the other day and she requested awkward moment comments, so I thought I'd repost my comment here too.

So my Mom is in Las Vegas at one of the casinos and she has to use the restroom located on the opposite side from where she is sitting. She walks all the way over there. Mind you, she has a legitimate balance problem and often looks like a drunk while walking. She uses the ladies room, walks all the way back to the machine she was playing at and proceeds to continue (throwing my inheritance away) playing. After a few minutes, she feels as if something is just not feeling right about the waistband of her pants. She reaches behind her back to adjust whatever the heck is annoying her and discovers not ONE, but TWO toilette seat covers hanging out of her waistband, flapping in the wind. My Mother is not anything if she isn't a lady so she discreetly pulls them from her pants (as one would do in this situation), daintily crumbles them into a ball and heads to the nearest trash can, followed by a FAST exit outta there!

I can only wonder what the security surveillance camera operators thought. I'm sure they've seen thousands of victims with the dreaded toilette paper stuck to their shoes, but this? How does one get a toilette seat cover stuck in their pants? But more importantly, why did she need two?

Ummmmm... Less is More

2007-10-12T09:13:00.001-04:00

My husband was excited to show me what he had done in our front yard to decorate for Halloween last night. So... I went out to look.

"Looks great honey. nice work;" I said.

It is modest and tastefully done. There are some orange lights on the front bushes, corn stalks flanking the four posts of our porch, a few large pumpkins, a bale of hay and a scarecrow. Nothing too much; Nothing over the top;

Then I slowly turned my head towards the lights in my peripheral vision to look across the street at the neighbors house. I didn't want to, but it's like an accident that you pass on the freeway... you just have to look. As I peered around their large recreational camper van that is perpetually parked in front of my home directly in the middle of our double lot, I was blinded by the light-up plastic "decorations" that are lined up across the front of their home AND their adjoining second lot (decreasing the value of all other homes on our block).

Now ... our address is posted in two places in the front of our home. We are the 9Th house on the right when coming from the main road. We have a country front porch complete with Cracker Barrel rocking chairs, and two GM cars in our driveway. BUT ... if you really want to find our home quickly, without hesitation or question... We are "the house across the street from the house that has all the plastic light-up shit in front of it." Google our address... it's true.

So, while we have chosen to build more home and house on our double lot, our neighbors have chosen to use their second lot as a display area, a shrine if you will, for lawn ornaments. Even when it's not a holiday, the entire lot is lined with things like ... a donkey pulling a cart, one of those lawn jockeys holding a lantern, a bear complete with honey pot (not Winnie the Pooh though), a dutch boy & dutch girl kissing, Hansel & Gretel's house, two windmills (the traditional wood Dutch windmill and the large metal farm kind), Snow White AND ALL of the seven dwarfs along with some things I just can't make out due to their fading paint. BUT when it's a holiday... look out, put on your sunglasses at night, and double check to make sure they are not hacking into our electricity! It is insane. And they just keep adding more stuff (junk) every year and every season. We have witnessed them out there contemplating where the new piece/pieces will go (fit) as they dump a bunch of green and orange outdoor extenstion cords from a plastic bag marked ACO HARDWARE onto the lawn.

Not that long ago, I came out of our bedroom at night to get a drink. Our living room which would usually be pitch black at this hour was lit up with a red light that was continuously spinning and flashing around the perimeter of the ceiling as it found it's way in through the half-circle shaped glass window of the front door.

"Honey, come out here... there's an ambulance out front or a fire truck or the police (again)."

Upon opening our front door to look (gawk) at whoever was going to the hospital or who's house was on fire (this time), or who was going back to jail, our eyes were drawn to a large light house, sitting in the middle of the neighbors second lot (devoted to all things plastic and/or glowing) It was at least 20 feet tall with a SUPER BRIGHT beacon of a light, that was not the expected color of white, but RED?! It was beaming, spinning, and flashing like a strobe light in a disco (whore house)! We don't live on the water! We don't live in the red district (anymore). Not that it matters. This isn't Disney World either, but there are enough characters over there to start up a small theme park or miniature golf course.

Most of the time, I'm a "live and let live", "to each his own" kind of gal and I really don't care how much they add to the decor of their property. But this time, their latest lawn addition was invading our home, flooding our living room like a spot light at the Emmy's. I was afraid that this light flashing all the time all over the walls would cause our family to suffer seizures. But I didn't have to worry long, because by the next night, the light house was gone. Someone must have complained (wasn't me). Maybe the coast guard? Perhaps air traffic control? I caught a glimpse of the light house in back of their garage later that week after the boat, two cars, three motorcycles and two picnic tables with umbrellas were put away till warmer weather, unblocking my view. Now leaving more than enough room in their driveway for the above mentioned recreational camper van to be stored on. But the only time the obtrusive van cannot be found parked (stored) in front of our house is when the street sweepers come every Tuesday morning between 8:30am - 11:30am because they'll get a ticket otherwise. They probably continue to park it in front of our home because they just can't bear to look at our boring minimalistic seasonal decor.

And so last week, as our family piled into the car one evening after dark, my 14 year old daughter's attention was inevitably averted from opening her car door to all the lights across the street. Upon looking (as she couldn't help it) she whispered "Ummmmm.... less is more."

Just wait till Christmas. There's stuff on their roof for that holiday! I'll try to get a picture on a Tuesday when their van isn't blocking my view.

Today I am torn

2007-10-10T09:22:00.000-04:00

I am always torn between my two distinct lives every other Wednesday. As my children go to their Dad's tonight, I segue from being a full time Mother this last week to a married couple without kids this upcoming week. Every other Wednesday is simply bittersweet for me.

This week, I will miss my kids not being here. I will miss meals with them. I will miss the sound of their laughter (and even the sound of their bickering). I will miss their week here that is focused on family togetherness, chock full of the things we have come to enjoy as a family, like movie nights, bonfires, trips to the park, baseball games, basketball in the driveway, poker on the back deck with the CD player playing our favorite music or playing a slew of board games.

It's all about my kids when they are with us. We do what they want to do. They know this. And they have grown to cherish this.

This week I will reconnect with my Husband. We have the opportunity to do just what he and I want to do. With such a terrific friendship that is our foundation, we both look forward to whatever exciting adventure we want to embark on during our "childless" weekends like checking into a romantic hotel with a jacuzzi AND a fireplace, going antiquing, (YES, he enjoys that.... I know... "lucky girl"!), meeting friends for dinner and drinks, staying in our sweats all weekend to watch movies and eat carry out, or working on home improvement projects.

It's all about my marriage when my Husband and I are alone. We do what we want to do. We know this. And we have grown to cherish this.

I miss my children when they are not here and yet I enjoy the intimacy and reconnection their absence allows my Husband and I. In our situation, life consists of the perfect balance. We are lucky. (We know this. And we have grown to cherish this).

She sends her evil comments through my kids

2007-10-09T10:24:00.000-04:00

I haven't had anything but recent eye contact with my children's Step mom for years now. No emails. No phone calls. No chit chats.... ZIP ... NADA... NOTHING! That's not the problem. She sends her evil nonsense to and through my kids.

Step mom won't use my name. She calls me things like... "the birth mother", "she who shall not be named", "YOUR EX-WIFE!!" and believe it or not... has referred to me as "SATAN"... etc...

Step mom solicits money from me through me children with comments such as, "We can't afford for you to text your Mother, because we're still in debt from the last time she took us to court", "If you're mom's taking you to registration, she's gonna need about $100.00", "We're not buying your yearbook, get your Mom to", "We're not buying your homecoming dress, get your Mom to", "We can barely afford food in this house from the last time your Mother took us to court" etc...

Side note:
I took "them" to court because they moved 23 miles away from me (without telling me) and TOLD me they were enrolling the two youngest kids in the school near them. WHAT??!!! No you're not! I am the stay at home Mom who takes these kids to school, who picks these kids up from school, who knows every teacher, secretary, janitor and principal in their school because I've been THAT involved since they were in pre-school. (By the way... I won the lawsuit. When you have Joint shared custody of kids, one parent cannot unilaterally try to change school districts without the other parents consent, BETTER YET KNOWLEDGE.... DUH!) "They're debt has absolutely nothing to do with me and definitely NOTHING to do with the children.

Her comments serve to alienate me and make me look bad to my children. But since they are 14 and 12, that is simply not going to happen. What she has managed to do is make my children dislike and distrust her and more importantly, wonder why their Father can't/won't save them from stepmom's hatred of a Mother that they love dearly and want to protect.

Am I the only one?

2007-10-09T07:15:00.000-04:00

I have seen hundreds of blogs written by stepmother's about their awful dealings with a bio mom and I sincerely feel for those step moms. But I have yet to see a blog where the tables are turned where the bio Mom is trying to make the shared custody situation work and the step mom is making it DIFFICULT!

I am the Mom and have to deal with a horrific step mom to my children. I share custody of my kids with my ex-husband. It's nearly 50/50. I have always been very involved with my children, yet this 2ND wife came along and felt the need to insert herself as my children's mother. She's been competing with me (by herself) for about 5 years now. I will not compete. I don't need to compete. I'm just living my life as a wife, daughter, sister, grandmother, and mother.

I was all for having my ex-husbands new wife as a friend. A companion that I would share stories about the children with. An addition to the bleachers as we watched the children compete in sports, concerts and plays together.... NOT TO BE!

From day 1, this new woman in ex-hubby's life deemed my friendship with ex-hubby, ex-in-laws, ex-brother in-laws, ex-sister in-laws INAPPROPRIATE! WHAT??? Lines were drawn in the sand. It was the beginning of the end for any hope of my children's childhood remaining peaceful. And her venom has affected almost every single member of my ex's family as some struggle to maintain their strong bonds and friendships with me. Those who have chosen to remain friends with me are not spoken too any longer by ex and his wife. (This includes 2 brothers and their wives and cousin here and there)

My oldest daughter has not spoken to her father in over 2 years. She has lost her paternal grandparents and her place in her father's side of the family. It was just easier for her, by her own decision as an adult to just drop out of the hatred and the pressure to "choose" a parent. I never made her choose. Stepmom made her choose. And so Daughter did. Who couldn't see that one coming??

Can I possibly be the only Mom who has to deal with this?