Riley's Sweet Reward

Today Riley and I started a "Good Girl Chart" for her.

She can earn stickers throughout the day for good behavior and if she earns three stickers she gets a special reward at the end of the day. If she earns five she gets a special reward and a special treat. ( I also remind her that I have the right to take stickers away for bad behavior....that is the most powerful part of the program. She cannot stand the thought of losing any once she has earned them.)

She worked really hard all day today and she did earn her three stickers. She did a little happy dance each time she earned one and chanted her usual..."uh huh, oh yeah, uh huh" while she shook her little fanny.

What did she request as her special reward....Mommy and Daddy's bed all to herself to watch 30 minutes of cartoons before she had to hit the sack of course!!!!! Staying up 30 minutes longer than baby brother is "so cool".

I had to share a picture of her enjoying her reward. I am tickled pink that this tactic worked so well today. My hope is that it continues and becomes natural without the chart. (The picture is kind of blurry because I was banished from the room so I was trying to be sneaky to get it and only had one chance.)

Way to go Ri!!!!!!

Wish us luck tomorrow!

Flowers For Mommy!!!!

Both of my babies picked me a flower today! (Riley picked the big one and Samuel picked the small one.) It appears they still love me even though I was grumpy yesterday!!!!! This type of flower/weed only lasts for 5 minutes at the most so I took a picture to share and frame for my kitchen. (I love my new photo printer.)

The picuture of my flowers will remind me that even though I don't feel like a great mom sometimes they think I am and they love me and that is a really great feeling!

Have a good day all and hug your babies!!!

Would It Help To Weep?????

Today has been very trying for me. I woke up grumpy and the day was just H.A.R.D.

I think both kids followed my grumpy lead today so we pretty much just made each other miserable.

I have gotten the carpets steamed, dinner cooked, served and devoured, both kids bathed, one of the two in the bed the other currently having quiet time to unwind and now I am here...dreding the dirty dishes to wash, laundry to fold/hang/put away, the wrecked house to clean...I need to declutter, sweep, mop and clean my bathroom in the worst way.

So I ask...would it help to openly weep???

I am tired, every muscle I have hurts from my STUPID daily visits to the gym and YAY it is PMS time again!!!!!

I am a mess today!!!!! Pray for me girls....just pray for me.

Potty Training Stinks...Literally!!!!

Okay, so I THOUGHT potty training Riley was bad and sucked and all that.....oh no no...it was a big fat honkin piece of cake compared to Samuel!!!!!!!

I think I need medication to make it through his potty training and his case of terrible two's!!!!! I am dying here!!!

Jamey is stopping at Ingle's on his way home as we speak to rent a carpet cleaner...AGAIN because while upstairs for his nap Samuel decided to poop on the floor in several places!!!!!!! Honest to goodness I wish I could ship him off to potty training boot camp and get him back in two weeks!!!!!! (I am sorry for the TMI factor but I had to vent!!!!!)

Riley was pretty much done in a week with just a few sparatic accidents to follow over the next couple of weeks. We have been working with Samuel for EVER!!!!! He just doesn't care and is quite lazy!!!!!

Like I said yesterday about Riley giving herself a hair cut....EEEEKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pictures of Riley's Hair Handywork

April requested pictures of Riley's new do....so here you go.

The first picture is what her hair looks like before I work a little magic on it to disguise the damage.

I still feel sick about it because her hair simply does not grow.

Riley Cut Her Hair...AGAIN!!!

A year or so ago I got a phonecall from my mother-in-law and she started off by saying, "it isn't that bad but"....

On that particular day Riley had found a pair of scissors in my mother-in-law's sewing bag and had slipped off an given herself a mullet. It was not a pretty sight for a while.

Today we were all outside playing, Jamey just got home and Riley came in to potty...or so I thought. She had found a pair of scissors in the garage and proceeded to come inside to her room and chop off her bangs and shear a little off of the side of her head as well as give her "my size" doll a great makeover as well. She bebopped back outside only like 5 minutes later and I flipped. I found the scissors, the hair and the pityful looking doll upstairs in her room. I have never laid eyes on that particular pair of scissors in my life. They must be a pair that was in some garage sale boxes from Jamey's mom. (I only own 2 pair and they are beyond out of Riley's scissor obsessed hands.

You have to understand, the reason I am so upset about it is because Riley's hair grows EXTREMELY slow. This "haircut" will be this way for the next 6-8 months. Her birthday pictures a week from Sunday that we take at her party will showcase her work. Eeeekkkkkk!!!!!!

Between Riley cutting her hair and Samuel stating his little independance all day via spitting and hitting all day I think I need a drink or two after they go to bed tonight!!!!

Terrible Twos PLEASE Go Away....Do not come back another day!!!!

My laid back, easy going baby boy has been taken over by a little monster suffering from the terrible twos!!! I really want my sweet little man back....his replacement is getting on my nerves!!!! Luckily there are enough of the old Samuel shining through to give me hope that he is still in there somewhere but for the most part he is the little monster.

Some of his symptoms include:

- He now has the ability to comletely turn his hearing on and off...mostly stays at the off position. He will completely ignore me when I call his name, ask him to stop, etc.

- He has taken to spitting his disagreement to things....example....I will ask him to do something like get into the bathtub and he will spit instead of responding to me verbally. I REALLY HATE SPIT!!!! It is gross and one thing I really cannot tolerate.

-If I pick him up to carry him from point a to point b he will hit at me and/or try to spit at me...he has never been a hitter....or a spitter and it is driving me INSANE!

Has anyone out there experienced this with their little angels????? What can I do to stop the hitting and spitting???!!!!

Why People...Why???

I often opt to go the grocery store alone after the kids are in bed safe, sound and fast asleep....I think Jamey likes it too because he has a couple of hours (because I shop at Walmart) to himself to chill with remote in hand.

So I am walking around Walmart last night from about 9:00 - 10:45 and I was amazed an appalled by how many people had their small school aged kids there at that late hour on a school night! (There was not a shortage of toddlers and infants either....I tried to give those parents the benefit of the doubt. MAYBE they were stay at home mothers who may be on a schedule that is a little more lax...maybe they sleep until 9 or 10 so with a nap in between it would be as bad that they didn't get in the bed until later...but the school aged kids I know have to be up and at 'em very early.)

People please take your kids home and let them get some rest before school!!! People wonder why their kids "act up" in school and at home....could it be because they are exhausted because they are dragged all over creation and don't get enough sleep???? Most of the ones I saw were really dragging their little feet. You could tell they were tired.

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said "If you aren't appalled you aren't paying attention". I agree. The car zoomed away before I read the rest so I don't know if it was referring to something in particular but it could apply to endless things.

Maybe I am just an old fuddy duddy and a mommy to the core but it ticked me off...that is my gripe for the day!!!

Trip to the Shriner's Circus...was is April or August Today????!!!!!

We loaded up today and headed to the Shriner's Circus. We left in plenty of time to make it to the 1:00 show. Of course we get just outside our subdivision and when ask Jamey if he had the tickets he looked at me like it was my fault he left them behind...they were on top of his wallet in the basket he keeps his phone, keys and wallet in.

I did have to remind him that I could not possibly remember everything. Here is a list of things I packed for our day trip today. All he had to remember was the money and the tickets and he forgot them and gave me that look.

Diaper Bag - Contents of diaper bag included but not limited to:

Pull Ups

Wipes

Change of clothes for both kids - including socks

Sunsreen

Camera

Extra Batteries

Kid's sunglasses

My sunglasses

Two bottles of water

Two juice filled sippy cups

Two juice boxes

Two Capri Suns

Two packs of peanut butter crackers

My cell phone

Directions to the circus

Pack of sugar free gum (my kids can almost always be pacified with gum)
Two bottles of bubbles
DVDs for the car

Hand sanitizer

So we turn around and loose some precious minutes (that I didn't really realize were precious at the time) to go back to the house for the tickets.

After heading back out again Jamey seems to be bothered that everyone has sunglasses except him and he informs me that he is going to swing into CVS to buy some on the way. Again, more precious minutes gone.

So after he gets his sunglasses we hit the road AGAIN. Then he notices that the frames are gold and not silver and that seemed to bother him. I laughed and called him a girl and told him that he just paid 17 bucks for them so he better grow to love them.

Our MapQuest driving directions totally screwed us up and we missed the 1:00 show by like 7 minutes because when I calculated the time we needed to leave I didn't take into account the tickets being forgotten, the sunglasses that had to be purchased and the excessive time we were lost...I did take into account a few minutes of being lost time but we were REALLY turned around!

Do you know what time the next circus show was after the 1:00????!!!! 4 flipping 30!!!!! We had to entertain our small children for three and a half HOURS in the blazing heat!!!! Riley was scared of 90 percent of the kiddie rides so riding rides took like 15 minutes of that 3 1/2 hours.

Hind sight really is 20/20. If we would have been smart we would have left and came back and just paid another 3 bucks to repark. But...we didn't...we toughed it out and about died of a heat stroke.

Anyway...we were all together and there were times when the kids had a great time. I have attached some pictures...I dont' know if they are above or below but you will see them hopefully.

Good night everyone!

Shock and Heartbreak

I am sitting here at 4:21 am and I am still in shock and my heart is still broken for children I don't even know other than their names.

Some of you may recall entry that I posted a little while back regarding the neighbor across the street who was ugly to my mother in law while she was visiting my house...I wrote her an ugly note asking her to not yell at any of my visitors...etc. Well, her children were taken by the Department of Family and Children Services late last night.

Jamey and I noticed that the Sheriff's Department deputies have been over there quite frequently lately and one neighbor was told that the mom was the one who was constantly calling them over to help her discipline her children. The neighbor was also told that they repeatedly told her that they were not responsible for disciplining her children...they would make their reports and leave. Then we were told that she had been arrested and had lost her license. Over the past few days we have seen a steady stream of visitors some looking like case workers...clip boards in hand. Come to find out the visitors before yesterday were from the children's school(s). The gentleman who came over yesterday was the social services case manager.

We noticed he stayed for several hours yesterday and we would keep peeking out the window well into the evening and still saw his car parked on the street. Around 8:30 last night our doorbell rang and it was the case manager. He had come to ask us some questions regarding what we have witnessed across the street. Our slight reluctance to get involved disappeared very quickly because the mother's behavior has disturbed me for quite some time. I noticed more since I haven't been working.

We told him about the yelling, her cussing directly at her children and neighbors, her middle son always jumping out of the car at the stop sign and running home or her leaving her middle son forcing him to chase her car down the road, her erratic behavior, the bus driver being forced to wait in the afternoons for her to get home to let the smaller children off the bus and so on. I also told him that I am actually somewhat afraid of her especially since he was getting a statement from us.

Within our conversation with the case manager he told us of the living conditions within the home and it was heartbreaking to hear. We knew she was erratic and mean but honestly we had no idea what the conditions were in her house. The ONLY furniture in the house was a couch and a table....no chairs at all. NO BEDS for anyone!!!!!! There was NO FOOD in the house!!!!! Most of the interior doors and all the flooring had been removed leaving only plywood through the whole house.

He said he was totally shocked. So were we!!!! The house is a very big, very nice house on the outside. It was listed for about 20,000 more than what we paid for ours. You NEVER know what is going on next door!!!!

I am so heartbroken for those kids!!!! I am not sorry they were removed from such terrible/unimaginable conditions but I am sorry for the fear, hurt and confusion they must be feeling. We saw them get taken away. I am hoping it was by a foster family and they were fed and tucked into an actual bed last night.

I feel that I could have done something! I should have known! I should have taken food over there or talked to the oldest child and asked questions, SOMETHING!!!! Several of the neighbors got together last week and all agreed that DFCS should be called. But honestly, I thought the most that would be discovered would be that she needed anger management counseling and/or physiological help...maybe medication to calm her erratic behavior. I had no idea what was really going on just across the street.

According to the case manager she was told that he was going to speak to several neighbors.
When speaking with us he did assure us that our statements would be kept confidential. He had already made the decision to take the children prior to speaking with us but she may not know that and I am very afraid she may want revenge.

I am more than a little frightened that she may try to do something to us or our home. I am picturing anything from cussing me out every chance she gets in the yard with my kids within earshot to torching our house. If she really is mentally ill she may twist things around in her mind to blame us for her losing her children and I don't know what she may do. If her behavior up to this point is any indication we have cause to be worried. I told Jamey that next week I am going to load the kids and my dog up and stay at my mom's during the day to avoid her while he isn't here.

I did mention to the case manager that I am afraid of her and he told us that if she harasses us at all to call the police and to call him day or night....immediately!!!!!

I would like to ask everyone who reads this to pray for the kids involved. Pray that they adjust to their new living conditions and that they feel safe, welcome and loved. Also pray that the mother gets the help that she needs and that she realizes that none of this is anyone else's fault. (If you have time in your prayer please pray that she doesn't seek revenge on any of the neighbors.)

Have a great Saturday everyone. Hug your kids tight and continue to keep them safe, fed, protected and adored...not all kids are as lucky as ours today!

I Love...

We had a very busy, very fun day yesterday and throughout the day random thoughts of things were flowing through my mind. Last night when I was reflecting I realized that most of the random thoughts were regarding things I love about my day to day life. I think that sometimes we get so caught up in things we hate and things that annoy us to no end...and believe me I have plenty of those things and will probably post those later but for now I am in a happy place so I thought I would post the good things. (I wish I could have posted last night but Jamey was trying to clean our computer up a little...our 7 year old Dell is getting kind of slow now days.)

I love:

-my family...with my whole heart, soul and spirit

-looking at my house from the street at night...it looks so cozy at night from the street...we are so blessed to have such a great house

-listening to Riley interact with her friends...she is so growny and girlie...I can't believe she is a big girl now!!!

-watching Grey's Anatomy...I have been addicted from day one...it is one of my guilty pleasures

-to hear Samuel say "wub ou too Mommy", to hear Riley say "I love you Mommy, your the best Mommy"

-to ask my kids a question like "who wants ice cream" and to see them bounce up and down chanting "me, me me me" with their little eyes all aglow

-text messaging my husband

-getting magazines in the mail

-taking pictures of my kids

-blogging/reading blogs of friends

-the way the air feels before a storm and the high winds blowing the trees before the rain starts

-the smell of scotch tape...it has to be scotch brand...don't ask...it must be linked to a Christmas memory or something but I could sniff it for hours...very weird I know

-eating other people's cooking

-peeking in on the kids when they are both fast asleep...little angel faces!!!

-stepping back after I have just cleaned my entire house and just looking and smelling for a minute....it only looks and smells that great for a minute and it is heaven for that minute!

-listening to Samuel tell his little jokes...like when we are singing "Five Little Monkey's Jumping on the Bed" he will say "Jumping on the Poo Poo" instead and crack himself up

-having Samuel ask me to rock him...I want him to stay a baby as long as possible...it thrills me that he still likes to be rocked....my little man

-having Riley ask me to hold her....when she was tiny she would hold her arms up and say "hold you" when she wanted me to hold her...I guess because I would ask her "Do you want me to hold you?" I can't believe she will be 4 soon!!! Where does the time go????

I could go on and on for days and I have probably already bored most of the people who read...all 4 of you...but I am in that kind of mushy, lovey mood lately and I wanted to share it. I will probably be back to my stressed out self my the end of the day today and I will post all of that then. ;-)

Have a great day everyone and take some time to notice the good, sweet things all around.

Samuel Is Not Sleeping...Neither Is Mommy

Samuel keeps getting up at night and it makes for a long night and a long day the next day. Last night I think it was around midnight and he was up and wide awake. I finally got him to settle down with me on the couch but I must say he kicks like a baby kangaroo...I haven't actually ever slept with a baby kangaroo but I am imagining it would be about as pleasant as sleeping with my little stinker.

I think I will probably fall over by the time the day is over. Naps are going to have to be mandatory today!!!! If we have time that is. We have to go to the gym this morning for their play date and my torture session and then we get to venture to the Laundromat to wash my big fat comforter. Penny (my fat spoiled dog) got sick this morning and she happened to be on my bed. GOOD TIMES!!!!! The comforter is way to thick to wash at home so off to the Laundromat we go. Can't wait to try to entertain the kids for about an hour and a half while we are there.

I am kind of worried about Penny. I think she may be getting a little senile...she pooped in our shower Monday! I must admit that around here nothing really surprises me but that was kind of a surprise. It was actually hilarious because Jamey was the one getting in the shower when it was discovered! We keep our shower curtain closed all the time to prevent mildew. Well I guess she slipped in there did her thing and slipped out. Jamey came along and he just reached in, turned the water on and stripped down. When he stepped in there was the surprise. His face was hysterical!!!! He actually got out and came all the way in the living room to tell me about it before he cleaned it up. I asked him what he expected me to do about it. Between my kids and my dog there are very few dull moments around here.

Well, I better get up and moving...I have to get breakfast served, clean up a little, get everyone ready to go, pack a bag full of entertainment items, snacks and drinks for the Laundromat and actually herd everyone out the door. I really dislike mornings. I am not a morning person anyway and when I don't get to sleep all night I feel even worse...the secret is just to keep movin' and grovin' this morning...if I slow down I might fall out.

Have a great day everyone!!!!

So Far....So Good

Well, I sucessfully loaded up both kiddos and we all went to the gym this morning. Day three is offically done of my two week challange. I am hoping by the end of the two weeks the good habits will have taken hold and it will continue on from there...that is my goal anyway. Sweating isn't too unpleasant when it is literally the only time you have to yourself during the day, the gym is pretty much deserted because the rest of the world is at work, you have a great book to read while biking and you have a great selection of songs on the ipod....imazing how time passes quickly when it is set to music.

The kids loved going to play today. Riley got a little teary eyed when we got out of the car but when we walked into the play room I signed them in and when I looked down they were gone. They were already having a blast...not even a little kiss or hug for Mommy. Neither one of them were quite ready to leave but they didn't fuss.

Yep, we are going EVERYDAY!!!! Too bad I am already so sore I can barely lift my kids. The good side effect is that I am sleeping like a rock! The restlessness has been gone for the past few nights and working out is the only thing that is different.

I thought today was going to be bad from the get-go because Samuel decided to wake up and come downstairs at 4:00 this morning. I fed him a super early breakfast and snuggled him up in my bed with me and he was out until 8:15 so all was okay afterall...thank goodness!

Everyone in the Wheeler house has been happy and cooperative today so far. I am counting that as a very big blessing because the past few days of short tempers and temper tantrums were beginning to get very old and annoying.

Well, that wraps up my ho hum day up to this point.

Two Week Challange

Okay, so I get the bright idea yesterday to kick off a two week challange. For two straight weeks I am going to go to the gym every morning and totally give up soft drinks and try to stay away from junk food. I am also going to take my dog for a walk each night for some additional cardio. Walking around my subdivision is considered cardio because I literally live on a mountain and these hills make you feel the burn.

The best part of all is that my gym has an awesome child care program. It is a big open space with tons of activities, an indoor play set, t.v. area, video game area, etc. I never wanted to take the kids when they were babies and I hesitated at taking them recently because sure enough I would get all ready to go work out and they would cry and/or refuse to stay in there. One weekend I somehow convinced Jamey to take them with him and they LOVED it.

Riley had school yesterday and today and after dropping her off I went to the gym and Samuel had a grand time. Riley is excited that she gets to go tomorrow. I see this as a win win situation...they get a playdate and I get to work out, which I DESPERATELY need to do. I really REALLY hate to sweat but I think I hate being fat worse than I hate to sweat so we will see how the two weeks go.

Until tomorrow...good night and sweet dreams everyone!

Calgon...Take Me Away...Right Now!!!!!

I am not going to pad this entry any...I had a really bad day today!!!! (Actually my day was great until like 1:30 or so and then it was pure torture!!!!) The kids acted terrible 99.9% of the time after 1:30 and I was short tempered and miserable. (PMS truly is evil!) I kept reminding myself not to raise my voice but it didn't work....neither did counting to 10. I just longed to escape for a moment but there was no where to go. I have seriously considered hiding in my closet for a few minutes when I start getting so ill but they would surely find me and my fantasy hiding place would forever be known.

Everything was an issue today and the kids were being mean to each other, Samuel wouldn't nap, they wouldn't share, they wouldn't stay away from each other but wouldn't stop picking on each other. I can handle all of that but not combined with never ending wining. It seems to stab my brain like an ice pick.

When Jamey got home his mood was slightly more foul than mine so that was a treat for everyone as well.

I hate days like today when I feel so irritable and boxed in. Nothing soothed me or them and we were all pretty much just miserable together...and misery definately didn't love company today. We would have all probably been happier in seperate rooms.

All is great now...Samuel is in the bed and Riley is snuggled up for a few minutes of quiet time before bed...she hates sleep and has to transition into it slowly most nights.

Dear Lord, please let tomorrow be better.

Proving a Point Backfires Sometimes

I got the bright idea to be lazy today and just let everything go to show Jamey that I really do A LOT that he doesn't even notice. (It seemed like a great day to do it because I had crazy nightmares all night and got little to no rest at all....I kept dreaming about attacking bears of all things. They were those really bad nightmares that you can't quite shake when you wake up and you are still scared stiff...not quite convenced that it was just a dream.)

I have laid around all day and have not done any of my household maintenace. He did notice that I really didn't feel up to par so he took Riley to a movie leaving Samuel and I to nap. Now he and Samuel are gone to my mother in law's house to visit for a few minutes to offer more support before her first Chemo treatment tomorrow. Even with him giving me a break from each child individually he has not picked up or moved one toy from the middle of the floor, cleared the table of clutter, offered to do the dishes, made the beds, swept the floor, folded any laundry or anything else I normally do at least once if not multiple times each day. I could tell he did notice that the place is a wreck and he would have to be brain dead not to realize why it is a disaster....I think he was afraid to mention atomic bomb like debris littering the whole house. He knew I would have sternly suggested that he do something about it and he really didn't want to do that I am sure.

I am glad I proved a point but now I get to clean it all up at once...the rest and relaxation I got today was divine but I am not quite sure it was worth having to deal with the looming tasks ahead this evening.

Pleasant Surprises

I love pleasant surprises and the giver of my pleasant surprise today was my daughter Riley.

We were on the go all day long today...lunch, haircuts, grocery store, thrift store and ended the day with a four hour cookout/party at my mother-in-law's house. She was so good all day. Little to no wining escaped her lips and she seemed so grown up to me all day. She went with the flow all day and I kept thanking her for her good behavior which made her little face glow with pride. Normally Riley questions everything endlessly but not today...like I said she just went with the flow and for her that is a very BIG deal. When we got to my mother in law's house one of her neighbors let her little girl come over and play dolls with Riley for a little while and she was such a gracious little hostess to her guest...she was so attentive (even offered the little girl a juice box), shared beautifully (which is quite rare for Riley without my intervention), did not make a scene when the Meg's mom came to get her and even hugged Meg and thanked her for coming without me asking her to. I was so proud that her manners came shining through several times!!!!

It truly does not take much at all to make me happy.

Of course, the other surprise of the unpleasant variety was Samuel...my little laid back guy. He was not happy all day today until getting to Grandma's. It is almost like they traded personalities for today...maybe they had a Freaky Friday moment that I didn't notice. I am very afraid that Sam is entering his terrible 2's a few months late and I am hoping that Riley has finally grown out of her's...it is only a couple of weeks until her 4th birthday it is about time!!! (She entered them around 15 months old so we have been stuck there for quite some time....I am more than ready to let them go in her case. Even her very dry, slightly weird pediatrician told me that she was bad sooner than most children...he didn't exactly say it that way but he was referring to her awareness of her dislike of going to the pediatrician and that she seemed more aware of her distaste sooner than most children.)

Anyway....Riley was great all day with NO meltdowns!!!!! She is turning into a little lady!

Really Great Friends

Do you have a friend that you hardly ever get to see but you have known each other for so long that when you do get together you kind of forget you never get to see them? I have someone like that and I love her dearly. We have always clicked and we have known each since way before we were who we are now. To be with someone like that feels so comfortable and simply good! When we do get together it feels to me like we see each other every day, like no time has passed at all. Very strange but true.

Jess, it was so good to see you today and catch up for a few minutes! I know that our lives have gone in completely different directions and yet we are still connected and still friends. I hope you know that you can always depend on me and I know the feeling is mutual. I adore you and your wonderful family and I am so glad that I have been lucky enough to have a true friend for all of these years...."all of these years" makes me feel really old....but were not...30 is the new 20 you know!!! :-)

Sometimes, especially in the Summer, my mind wonders back to all of the wonderful Summers...go back for a moment with me "four wheelers and cute boys","The Bottoms","big red gum and a Dr. Pepper","222,"Calhoun and my calling card","Flying J Truck Stop","Strawberry Hill","Halloween Night 1997", "Boat ramp at Macedionia", "okay, tough guy!"...the list could go on and on but I know I am probably annoying the crap out of the people who are reading and have no clue what I am talking about. We are lucky to have each other to talk about the good ole days with...so many people don't have that.

You're the BEST and I hope I made you smile remembering when.......

Don't Wanna Go To Bed...Don't Wanna Stay Up

I was browsing through some pictures, checking my e-mail, etc and realized I should probably go to bed but I don't want to and I don't really want to stay up either. I just feel restless. I have a big day of entertaining tomorrow and I really need to get some sleep so that I will feel great tomorrow but I'm not in the mood to go to sleep. I may read some of my sappy love story for a while....I am just so BORED!!!!! I haven't said that in so long...I am VERY BORED...that is my problem. I feel like calling my mom just to tell her I am bored...she used to hate for us to say that growing up. That would be funny to call her and wake her up just to tell her I am bored. Nah...I won't do that but it would be funny.

Okay...this is boring too...better go to bed...or not....or read...or something.

Later Gaters!

Old Soul

I really should be cleaning right now because we are having out of town guests come into town. They are scheduled to arrive in like an hour but I'm having a problem mustering up the motivation to get started. The house isn't a complete wreck but there are things out of place and I have a sink full of dirty dishes. I really hate doing dishes...I have a much too intimate relationship with my sink now days! We have always had a dishwasher and have never used it. To me it is much more of a hassle to pre-rinse, load, remember to unload and then unload. I would rather just wash by hand and have an excuse to not be able to do anything else for 10-15 minutes....I would rather do that but that's not to say I enjoy it by no means or stretch of the imagination.

The visitors are not staying with us at night but will be over here white a bit over the next few days during the day. I am actually really looking forward to the visits. My next few days will be different than my everyday! Yea! One of the people coming is my husbands grandma Ann (my kids adore her and call her Nannie Annie) and she is WONDERFUL! She and I laugh and say that we are close friends not grandmother in law and granddaughter in law. We talk several times a week and e-mail back and forth. I have always thought of myself as an old soul and it seems that my friendship with her confirms it. I am really a 75 year old stuck in a 30 year old body I guess! I have always made friends with older people quickly and easily. If people would take time to get to know them they would be quite surprised to discover that most of them are very fascinating and have so much wisdom to share....they have pretty much seen it all and lived through it so why not try to learn a thing or two from them? I just love being around her...the hours just fly by.

Well, I have procrastinated long enough I guess...dishes are calling me!

Groundhog Day????

Okay so today is Wednesday...I think. There really isn't a great distinction now that I don't work. I don't know if anyone who reads this has seen the movie Groundhog Day...it wasn't a great movie but for some reason it was somewhat memorable to me. For those of you who haven't seen it you didn't miss much but basically it was about this reporter (played by Bill Murray) who is sent to this tiny town to cover the Groundhog Day festivities and basically he keeps repeating the same day over and over again and it continues until he becomes a better person or something.

I feel like the character in the movie. Going through the motions of my days...my pretty much identical days.

Even considering I am stuck in my same old ho hum routine I am still happier than I have been in way too long. I feel like myself again. I feel like there were so many things about me and aspects of my personality that were buried so deep under stress that they were pretty much forced to lay dormant for a very long time. From the moment I lost my job and that stress was forever removed I felt myself coming back to life again in a way. I fell like my sense of humor and the little bit of creativity that I have are coming back to life and that is a GREAT thing. Life is too short not to be happy...I really need to remember to remind myself about that when I slip into my occasional funks.

Oh Housekeeping.....

After Jamey got home today he entertained the kids outside while I cleaned up inside. I really really love him for that!!! He comes home after working all day and spends about two hours solid with the kids while I straighten up, take a breather and cook dinner.

Anyway...I was upstairs cleaning the kids rooms and I thought to myself...where is housekeeping when you need them???? You know...the wonderful, invisible people who slip into your hotel room while you are on vacation and you walk down to the beach for a minute. They are wonderful...whisking away dirty towels, replacing them with fresh ones, making your bed, wiping down the counters and straightening a little. Why can't they come home with you when you leave your hotel????

Yep, like so many other moms in the world...I am housekeeping...and that stinks.

I have attached a before and after picture of our precious daughter's room. Jamey calls her the little wrecking ball. She can destroy a room in record time. :-)

Herding Cats....

I was at the post office the other day with my two wild children and when I was coming in saying my normal..."hold my hand, you have to hold my hand....people driving cannot see short people, come on guys, this way, walk a little faster Riley, Samuel don't pick that up it's gross, Sam watch your head (as he bumped it on the door...the child seeks things out to bump his head on), this way, stay with me please", etc this man looked at us and smiling said that it is kind of like herding cats. That is exactly how I feel anytime I take my children anywhere by myself. You would think walking from the car to a store and visa versa would be a simple task....not with my two. It is so stressful just getting them from the car to the safety of the store and back to the car again. My children have NEVER been stroller babies. They both started walking at 9 months and from that moment they refused to ride in a stroller or even be carried half the time. If I try to carry one of them and hold the other's hand I have either the one on the ground going limp in a hissy fit wanting to be carried for the one in my arms going limp wanting to walk with their sibling (if I am really lucky both hissy fits happen at once)...basically mom can't win. They also tend to scatter like sands upon the wind when I get them home and I am dying to pee. I try her herd them into the house and basically have two very upset kids because they want to stay outside more than life itself. I ask them to go inside nicely the first 2-3 times but after that I usually have to get my mad mommy face on and demand that they get inside. (Before I wet myself...oh, the joys of having a 9 lb 14 oz baby last time...bladder is not what it used to be!)

The reason I wrote about this today is because we just got back from lunch, the post office, the bakery and had a major incident in the yard and it took me like 10 minutes to get them herded into the house.

Okay so I was supposed to try to balance good with bad....let's see....the kids were perfect angels at lunch and they are being very good right now...actually playing very good together for the moment. I love those little buggers more than I could ever put into words. I thank God every day for my beautiful, healthy babies!

Focusing on the negative????

I looked back at some of my recent blogs and I wondering if I have been focusing on negative things too much lately. I really don't want to be that person but I do want to use this as an outlet...and all of what I need to vent about is the negative. I am going to try harder to balance negative and positive.

I have a great life and I am afraid that my views on that haven't been coming through enough in my posts.

Some Days......have you ever put panty hose on a Barbie doll?

Some days I feel like I am simply in autopilot mode....just going through the motions. I really hate that feeling!!!! When I read April's blog about what she would do with 48 hours if she had her choice it made me desperately wish I had 48 hours to myself.

I would say 95% of the time I love every aspect of being a wife and mother but during the other 5% I long for time alone....completely alone. I feel so guilty when I feel that way but I do long to have a little more time to just be Joy....no one following me to the bathroom EVERY time I go, no one spitting slimmy candy in my hand, no one wanting me to put panty hose on a Barbie doll 50 times in a row, no one showing me their hands which are covered in poop because he stuck his hands in his dirty pull up, no one looking at me with a quizical look and ask why I didn't have time to touch the laundry, no one wanting to get romantic when I am dead on my feet and I haven't had a shower all day or shaved my legs in a whole week. Yea...sometimes I just want to be Joy...just for a little while. I think that is why I love the evenings so much but they are so short and even though the kids are asleep I am still wife so that doesn't count.

Okay...I am done wishing and being selfish....for now. :-)

Simple Household Project? Not With My Husband!!!!

We had a wonderful Easter weekend! We attended church on Sunday and the music, special programs and the sermon were emotionally charged and so touching. Jamey's mom performed an interpretive dance and with her recent diagnosis of cancer combined with the lyrics of the song, her body language, and the raw emotion on her face the whole congregation was in tears by the time the dance was over.

After church Jamey's mom took the kids to an egg hunt at one of her girlfriend's parents house. Jamey and I decided not to go because the whole shelving system in my closet collapsed late Saturday night and I had clothes everwhere so we decided we would fix that while the kids were entertained with an egg hunt. (We did go to my family's big egg hunt on Saturday so I did watch my kids hunt eggs the day before...I am not that terrible.) :-)

How long could it possibly take to run to Home Depot, grab some wood, screws and paint and slap up some reinforcements for the closet rods????? Five flippin hours if you are my husband!!!!! He literally stood on the screw isle for like 15 minutes....got the wood....went back to the screw isle.....got the paint.....and NO KIDDING went back to the screw isle!!!!! I refused to go back that time. We get home and I was in charge of priming the wood after he cut it to size. He was moving at snails pace and honey I was slapping primer on like my very life depended on it....he didn't like how I was doing it so I came in and started reading. Hours ticked by, my mother in law took the kids back to her house after the egg hunt and I eventually just went over to her house and left him to his task. After 4 hours he only got my closet done. He still has two more closets to go...they didn't collapse but they are only hanging on by a thread so we want to reinforce them too. I am definately going to be gone that day!

He is such a perfectionist and that does have it's advantages but should you really take like 4 hours...which does not include the time it took to shop for materials...to finish a very simple household task? The reason it really made me feel like I could pull my hair out strand by strand is because when I got back home with the kids the house was pretty much torn apart....ladders, extension cords, scrap wood, my clothes on hangers piled on my bed and he wasn't able to help me with the kids who were binging off the walls on due to their severe sugar highs. I finally got everything put back in place, the kids bathed and in bed by 10:00. I have a strict bedtime of 8:00 for my kids and I was very frazzled that they were getting in bed so late...especially on a school night.

All is well now, my closet is fixed and Jamey feels like he has accomplished something. I think every man should use a power tool every now and then...I guess it is food for their soul....kind of like shopping is for us! :-)

Crazy Weather and Sluggish Mood

I am so glad that the storms that swirled around this area for the most part passed us by. It got kind of hairy for a little while.

I have got to kick my fannie in high gear for the rest of the weekend. My mood was so sluggish today. I just couldn't get going and when I did it was just because I had to. We have got several events we have to juggle and there isn't going to be time for dilly dallying on my part. I am the one that has to keep my whole home and the people within "movin and groovin" as I call it and when I drag the whole operation (aka our family) drags right along with me. No time for that!!!!

I still haven't even bought Easter goodies for the kids. I guess I am making a SUPER early morning run to Walmart in the morning alone and an egg hunt/party at 2:00. On Sunday we have church, another egg hunt and my mother-in-law's birthday party that night.

I love all of the festivities but I know by Sunday afternoon I am going to have two very tired and oh so grumpy kids.

Like I said...there is NO time for Mommy to slow down...big wheels keep on turnin!!!!!

Make it a good rainy Good Friday everyone....

I woke up in a foul mood this morning but was almost instantly cheered by Samuel's cheerfulness at 6:15 this morning. Riley just got up and I wouldn't describe her as cheerful but she is definately not grumpy...which in comparision to her normal sour outlook in the mornings I guess it could fall in the cheerful category if I want to put it there....and I will put it there. :-) It is so funny how my children have completely different outlooks first thing in the morning and I unfortunately fall in the middle....I think it would be better if I was completely in sync with at least one of the two of them in the mornings but I'm not.

I love Easter weekend and all it represents and I am going to force myself to stay in good spirits!

I hope the rain goes away because we have to venture out at some point today but I am not going to rush things today. Everyone was so exhausted after all of our adventures yesterday that I think we need to take it slow and easy today. No rush...just going with the flow. If we don't end up getting out I will take Samuel while Riley and her daddy have a date night. (We take her to the movies from time to time and when just she and Jamey go she tells everyone she is going on a date with her daddy....so sweet....and Jamey absolutely melts. She has gone to movies and sat through the entire movie since before she was 2....she loves it...the whole experience...the popcorn, the big streen, the fun chairs that fold her up...she loves it all....Samuel on the other hand could care less and he is so wild at times that we haven't even attempted to take him...it would be a waste of time and money at this point.)

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys their Good Friday!!!!!!

THE LONGEST DAY EVER!!!!!

Today was the day that would never end. The kids and I did have a great day but it just drug on and on and on...almost like it was in super slow mo!

When my father in law as here a week or so ago he bought Samuel one of those battery operated riding toys for the yard.....OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I hate that truck!!!!! From the moment Samuel opens his eyes that is all that is on his brain! "Mommy, Samuel wants to ride Samuel's big truck fast, take Samuel outside Mommy....okay Mommy?????" He mostly refers to himself in third person which I think is cute but in your mind repeat that request 500 times before you have time to go to the bathroom and cook their breakfast.....it is beyond torture!!!!! Then you think the torture will end when I get outside but that is when the fun really begins....he is in his truck and Riley is on her battery operated 4 wheeler and they zip around the yard getting stuck at various locations and I am running from one to the other giving them a little push to get them going again....CONSTANTLY. Then you think surely I would get a break when the batteries eventually die.....NOPE....Samuel's truck has two batteries and he knows that and if I don't put the other battery in he begs and begs....nothing else on this planet other than taking them somewhere will satisfy him or stop the constant begging. (He is really cute crusing around in his first set of wheels...I attached a picture.)

Today my mom came over for an hour or so, she left and after battery number one died I bribed them by taking them to lunch. I let them play at Micky D's until they were actually tired of it. Then we went out for ice cream and then to my mom's to let them play. Even with all of that we were still back home by like 5:00...I told you... the day was in slow mo. When we got home Jamey was grumpy because I pretty much said..."Tag your it...I'm cooking dinner." So he hung out outside and let Samuel kill battery number two for the day.

The kids were exhausted after dinner so everyone was fussy and even the bath didn't cheer them up much.

As soon as they were tucked in I grabed a wine cooler and went outside to take a breather for a minute.

I told my mom that if it doesn't rain tomorrow we would probably come back and play. My mom has a great yard that is almost completely shaded and the kids love the trampoline...but BEST OF ALL THERE ARE NO RIDING TOYS THERE!!!! My yard is okay but completely in the sun so we have to constantly slather up with sunscreen.

I did survive the longest day ever...and now I am enjoying my own personal time!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Dog with Insomnia

So I am sitting here and I feel like I have been run over by a bus, picked up, whacked over the head with a bat and tossed down some steps.

I got NO sleep last night....at all.

Penny is our almost 7 year old Cocker Spaniel and she was up all night. I think she was suffering from either insomnia or an upset tummy. I got up with her so that she wouldn't keep Jamey up. She would run from one room to another and with our wood floors and her nails it makes a mind numbing, unbelievably load click click click sound...it is annoying in the middle of the day..imagine ALL NIGHT LONG!!!! She would then jump into the recliner stay for two seconds, jump down with a huge kaboomp, jump on the loveseat stay for maybe a minute, jump down with another huge kaboomp and then jump up on the couch with me literally stand on me or walk across me pulling my hair in the process and then jump down again....this went on for hours!!!! Nothing helped, giving her fresh water, taking her out 10 times, trying to sooth her just seemed to tick her off.

How in the world am I going to make it through the day. Luckily my mom and little brother are coming over today to play with the kids. Maybe the abnormal routine will help keep me awake....lets hope....as of right now I am about to fall over. Don't worry about Penny she is snoozing away as we speak...I can tell she is getting her best sleep too because she is splatted out on the floor with her back legs completely streched out behind her....rotten dog!!!! She will get her payback today when the kids chase her around all day.

Lunch with the girls....adult conversation....

I met my girlfriends from my former employer today for lunch and it was wonderful!!!! We spent an hour and half catching up, laughing and pigging out on some wonderful Italian food. There were several people who could not come because of meetings and others that were out of town for spring break this week but I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with the ones who did come.

I really miss those girls!!!! I do not miss my job but I sorely miss the relationships and the day to day contact. Our office was so close knit and I think the stress and suffering made us closer as well. Sounds like a great place to work, huh?

I have already set up another lunch date with one of the other ladies that didn't come today. I want to make it a priority to get out of the house for "me time" from time to time...for my own mental health.

I hope everyone got to enjoy the sunshine today and there is more in line for tomorrow....and hopefully nobody else has a crazy neighbor lady yelling obscenities across the street all day every day. Hopefully she won't beat me up tomorrow for the note I sent to her today. We will see because the kids and I are going to be outside all day tomorrow...maybe I will just smile and wave.

I had to write an ugly note to my neighbor....

Let me say first that I love my neighborhood. I am on a first name basis with the neighors on each side of us, the neigbors across the street to the left and across the street to the right. When we were looking at this house one neighbor actually came over and introduced himself then. We talk to our neigbors often, one lady bakes for us at Christmas and the ones across the street on the right side have identally aged children as Riley and Samuel within just a few weeks of each other so we get together in one yard or another quite often and exchange clothes for the kids, etc.

The problem is the wretched woman directly across the street from us. (Let's just say I REALLY miss the people who moved out of that house a little over a year ago.) She is horrible. She has four children ranging from 17 down to like 3. She literally cusses each one of them each and every time they are in the process of loading up into the car to leave. The cops are over there at least twice each month...as of this morning it has been twice in one week...I am assuming it is for domestic disputes. When the cops were leaving this morning her one of her middle children ran out screaming...."come back, come back!" Poor kids!!!!She has accused us as well as the neighbors who have the same aged children of being racist (she is white, her two youngest appear to be hispanic and her two oldest are black) because we don't allow our children to play with her children....they addressed that issue with the other couple who quickly told her that we weren't but that we really didn't want our children playing with her children because they are very violent and they also cuss like sailors. Her two oldest children are boys like 17 and 11 years old and I have heard them call me a f*%$#@ B*&%$ and I heard her call me several names the other day....hummmm wonder where they get their award winning attitude from? She does not know me from Adam's housecat. When she first moved it I attempted to make friends with her but quickly realized that it probably wasn't going to happen. I feel so bad for the kids. There is no father in the picture just a few guys that come and go. I don't know what the lady's name is so I call her "the hooker" because she doesn't work and I have no idea she affords such an expensive house. That is really ugly but it kind of evolved over time.

Okay so that is the background on the mom of the year across the street...well today my mother-in-law was over here keeping the kids so that I could go to lunch with some former coworkers. While she was outside in my yard playing with my children and the neighbors were having their normal drama trying to get loaded into the car and she was cussing her kids. Then she looks over and screams "Oh, get in the house and watch t.v. lady!" to my mother in law! My mother in law had enough class not to yell anything back in front of her four kids and my two..she didn't want to give the woman the satisfaction of an argument...I wonder if I would have had the same amount of retraint??? I think some redneck may have come out but I am not sure.

After my mother in law left I was still fuming. So I wrote my lovely neighbor an ugly note...not really ugly but direct. (I really wanted to talk to her face to face but they left minutes before I went outside so I decided a note may be better anyway. I do not want to have an argument with anyone in front of my kids but wanted to get my point across. I feel quite certain she would have turned the conversation into an arugment...and again I couldn't guarantee the redneck wouldn't have bubbled out of me.)

I wrote:
Do not sream at people visiting my home. You can yell at your family if you like but do not yell at mine. You cannot expect not to receive curious glances with the amount of choas that occurs outside your house!

I taped the note outside her house. I saw one of her kids take it inside.

I doubt the note will do any good but I wanted her to know that some of her outragous behavior will not be tolerated.

I will keep you guys posted on the "hooker drama" as one of my friends who lives on the other side of the neighborhood calls it. Every time she hears sirens she will send me a text message asking if it is the hooker's house again.

From Pajamas to Pajamas

Today was a day that went from pajamas to pajamas. I got up this morning...never got out of my pajamas now that Jamey is home from work I am going to hop in the shower and change into more pajamas. I also slyly got out of cooking dinner by talking Jamey into going down the road to get a $5 hot and ready pizza. Ahhhh...life is good!

I get to meet a whole group of girls that I used to work with for lunch tomorrow...already have the babysitter all lined up and ready to go....I actually have a reason to get out of my p.j.s tomorrow that doesn't involve grocery shopping!!!! Yea me!!!!!

Dumplings and a Haircut......

Okay, I have come to realize that I have the most boring blog in the history of boring blogs but I really don't care...I love just being able to recap my day, vent a little, etc. The title was interesting at least....

The crazy and very boring path I am taking for this one is dumplings and a hair cut.....yep....dumplings and a hair cut......

Okay, I was cooking dinner yesterday and ended up making chicken and dumplings...I had chicken in the crock pot to dice up into some pasta and noticed that it created all of this nice broth, I also remembered seeing instructions for dumplings somewhere so I made some and they were delicious!!!! I love chicken and dumplings...usually order them anywhere they are on the menu and have always been somewhat afraid or too lazy to ever try to make them and I did yesterday...my thought was...hot damn I made a dumplin....I usually don't cuss but I was very happy....which in itself is quite sad....one of the highlights of my day is successfully making a dumplin???!!! Jessica if you are reading this....please call me soon so that we can get together...I need to talk to an adult...BAD!!!!! :-)

The other thing that I have been pondering is getting all of my hair chopped off....I am so sick of my look, my hair, my body...pretty much my everything!!!! I want my hair short and easy to deal with. No matter how I get my hair cut it always morphs back into this same drab style...it has a mind of it's own really. I have started excercising AGAIN....and I would really like to be 10 pounds lighter by Riley's birthday in a month and I know that may be close to impossible but it is a dream....I cannot believe she is going to be 4 years old!!!! I remember the moment I held her for the first time like it was 4 minutes ago...not 4 years!!!! She isn't a baby, she isn't a toddler, she is a preschooler!!!! Yikes....I am getting old!!!!

Well...that is my boring...blog with an interesting title...I wonder how many people will read it just because of the title and then think...dang...that sucked! Again...I really don't care but I think it's funny....in so many ways my blog is a big part of the little bit of sanity I have most days. You can tell when I am having a bad day when I blog more than once. Will this be a mutiple blog day???? Never can tell!

Sleeping TOO Good...

I think I slept too good last night....if that is possible. I was so comfortable and had wonderfully peaceful yet crazy dreams. I really wasn't ready to get up and going this morning...I am in trouble if I feel this way all day today....I am still in a fog and can't get motivated to do a anything!!!!! Luckily I have done a pretty good job of keeping the house clean since the marathon clean the other day so as far as house work goes I am pretty good for the day...all I really have to accomplish today is playing with kids, picking up behind everyone and cleaning kitchen after the meals....maybe it will be a good day after all....we shall see.....

Lord, may my kids be in a good mood today and give me the patience and creativity to get through a day trapped up inside...ALL DAY!!!!! With my current state of mind I need all the help I can get today.

Trip to Chattanooga

We all loaded up this morning and took off to Chattanooga to the aquarium and we had a blast. Riley loved everything she saw...Samuel was a little more reserved from the beginning...he loved the escalator rides but freaked out when he and Jamey went through the revolving door. Jamey ended up carrying him through about 80 percent of the building but fun was had by all and everyone was in a very good mood.

It was so much fun to watch Riley and hear her describing what she saw, answer her two million questions and laugh with her in her amazment in what was exploring. Samuel was so funny. He wasn't really scared but he was leary...I am not quite certain that he understood that they couldn't get to him....but even with his reservations he was a real trooper. He took everything in with wide eyed amazment and didn't really talk much until he saw the sharks..he loved the sharks! Scared of the jellyfish...not of the shark...who knows! :-)

So we loaded up, drove there, paid over $50 for all of us to get in and the kids seemed to have more fun outside the aquarium. There were all of these empty water fountain structures that all of the kids were climbing in/on and they loved that! I do believe that my children are really part ape...if there is anything to be climbed on...they will find their way over to climb on it. I put just a couple of pictures of them below as well as a picture of a really cute penguin we met. I am so glad we got to get out and enjoy the day...I think we are in for yucky cold weather coming up...that means being trapped inside...eek...I really dred that!

Okay, so my picture adding skills lack a lot to be desired but I tried and I will hopefully do better next time. I guess the trick is not to type up the blog first then try to add pictures. I am too tired to start over...I really had no control over where the pictures were put...I kinda wanted to go in order...the ones of them sleeping would be at the end...oh well...I'm going to bed...too tired to care.

I hope everyone else got to enjoy the day too!

Our Daily Bread

As I was putting groceries away yesterday I realized something that I do, that I have always done since being married and being our on our own but really didn't realize I did until yesterday.

When we get home from the grocery store Jamey always carries them in and I aways put them away and as I put them away I realized that I always give thanks during the time I am restocking our pantry, fridge and freezer for the week. It always go through my mind and heart that there are moms who may not have enough food for their family and I always send up a little prayer for them.

I realize how very blessed we are and I know that we should bow our heads over every meal and I admit that we do not but I did realize yesterday that in my own untraditional way I give thanks and ask a blessing over each and every item I put away.

TGIF!!!!!

I am so very glad it is Friday! Not that we have a terribly exciting weekend ahead or anything but I am glad it is Friday. I have a fresh stack of books from the our library trip today and am SO looking forward to snuggling up tonight in some comfy p.j.'s and a good sappy book. I am totally addicted to sappy love stories!!! I would rather read than watch t.v. any time.

One rare thing is going to happen tomorrow...the weather is supposed to be pretty and I get to run arrends....alone. Yea!!

Jamey and Samuel are going to hang out tomorrow to do "guy stuff", Riley is spending the night with my mom tonight and probably won't be ready to come home until after lunch sometime so I will be free to do my running around all by myself! It is totally sad that it doesn't take very much at all to excite me but I am excited all the same!

Oh, I know what I need...I rarely drink...literally only like twice a year....but I would love to have a four pack of some fort of fruity wine cooler or something...yum....those would go perfectly with the books I checked out. Yep...neeed to make a run to the liquior store! :-)

Later Gaters!

The Butthead and an Apology

After my last post yesterday describing how overwhelmed I felt regarding all I needed to do yesterday in order for my house to be livable again I busted my butt and got everything done and had time to get the kids outside to play an hour before Jamey got home.

I was so happy with the work I did....scrubbed bathrooms and floors, de-
cluttered the entire house, clothes were hung and put away, dishes were done and put away, all beds were made, etc....the house looked and smelled awesome and I was quite happy with myself.

As soon as Jamey got home I left to go to my mother-in-law's house to print out some documents that I have to submit in order to keep the life insurance from my former employer. (Our printer is sick.) I wasn't 2 of the 3 miles down the road until my cell phone started ringing...it was Jamey and there was already a mini crisis at home...gimme a break! Riley had slipped into the house while Jamey and Samuel were outside and she decided that she would cover herself and the bathroom with baby wash...there goes my perfectly clean bathroom....Jamey did attempt to clean it up but I had the majority of it to deal with when I got home. I was confident that he would be able to handle it and I took my time, printed what I needed to print and stayed to chat for a minute with my mother-in-law.

When I got home no more than 45 minutes later and I could tell by Jamey's face that he was glad I was back and quite grumpy. Welcome to the day I had honey!!!!!

I stayed outside for a little while chatted with neighbors and watched the kids play and then I went inside to cook dinner. When Jamey and the kids came in I waited on him to comment on how good the house looked...he didn't so I complimented myself..."house looks great honey, thanks, I worked really hard on it." He looked at me like I had lost my mind and then he repeated that it looked good but that he doesn't even notice the house anymore. WHAT?! So he notices when it looks bad and makes comments but not when it looks and smells great?! SO NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!! We went down hill from there...we were snippy for the rest of the evening...anything he could think of to gripe about he did...he even got onto me for wasting sandwich bags for crying out loud!!!!! I don't waste them....I use them! Hello....that is why we buy them!!!!!! I could have screamed in total dismay!!!!! Finally I just went to bed and when I was almost asleep he came in there and apologized.

I am trying to sympathize with him. I know how it is to work all day and come home to all of the responsibilities of home. I don't however think he is putting forth a lot of effort to sympathize with me. "Staying home all day" isn't as easy and he thinks it is. He was quick to say that he has stayed at home with the kids all day before...I was quick to remind him that his idea of staying home is letting them destroy the entire house while he plays with them and/or watches TV the entire time...why, because he isn't the one who has to clean up after them. I really could have smacked him! I am feeling the urge to smack him quite often lately! :-(

This change in our family structure is going to take some getting used to by all of us. We just need to find our groove and roll with it. Lord, please give us strength and patience.

Where do I begin????

First the good news....my father in law just left to go back to south Georgia!!!!! Yea!!!!! He has been here since Friday and stayed with us the whole time...what is it they say...garbage and company start to stink after 3 days....I totally agree.

Now the bad news....my house is completely wrecked and I don't know where to begin to clean it up. There are toys all over the place, the floors are nasty, the kids rooms look like a bomb went off, dirty laundry is overflowing, breakfast dishes are in the sink calling my name, the bathrooms are a disgrace and even my car is a mess and needs to be cleaned out! I don't know what to do first so I thought I would sit at the computer and complain about it for a minute which is doing absolutely no good at all....smart I know.

I have a goal of pacing myself and getting the house whipped into shape today before Jamey getts home. He made a snide remark yesterday about the fact that I was home all day yesterday and the house looked worse than when he left that morning. (I bit my lip to keep from saying that actually I was gone for 2/3 of the day because of Riley's Easter activities at school and the McDonald's lunch fiasco and during the 1/3 that I was there I was kept hopping by our kids and HIS dad!!!!!....Lord please give me strength to not smack him when he says things like that now that I don't work.)

Well, I guess I really do have to get up and start the monsterous task of making this house livable again....where is a fairy godmother when you need one...or a magic nose that you can twitch and objects magically put themselves away....ahhhhh if only! :-)