Child Care Woes

I could not sleep last night because I was suddenly freaking out about possibly getting the job (which would be wonderful) and not having child care lined up for the two days each week that I need filled.

I logged onto Care.com and saw a lot of great looking profiles but I am not comfortable at all about leaving my children with a total stranger and to have them come into our home makes me even more uneasy. Those reservations along with the fact that the average pay for anyone with any experience at all is like $10-15 per hour I scratched that idea completely. (I know the employees of the daycares are strangers as well but they will not be completely alone with my children.)

First thing this morning I started calling daycares and it was somewhat difficult to find a daycare that A.) offers partial week care B.) has a good reputation C.) has a convenient location D.) has a classroom type environment and D.) rates aren't completely astronomical.

Riley is going to be in Pre-K at First Presbyterian Monday - Friday from 8:30 - 11:30, Jamey's mom is going to keep the kids Monday - Wednesday and can pick Riley up each day from school, Sam will be in daycare all day on Thursday and Friday and I will pick Riley up from school on Thursdays and Fridays during my lunch hour and drop her off at daycare for half a day.

Luckily I found a reputable daycare in the perfect location for morning drop off and mid-day drop off and the rate is okay....and they accept partial week enrollees!!! According to the lady on the phone I can come anytime for a tour and she did warn me that spaces are filling up very quickly. If I did land the job I really hope they let me know SOON!!!! Thank goodness I found one!!! My fingers are crossed that there will be room if I contact them again next week!!!!!

I really hate that their care is going to be so "choppy" and there is going to be so much back and forth but we definitely can't afford nor would we want for them to only go to daycare, Jamey's mom really isn't in a position to give up her part time job on Thursdays and Fridays and we would never dream and have not right to ask her to (and she won't take money from us), Riley and I both love Presbyterian and I would not dream of uprooting her from that program (this will be her 3rd year), and my mom just isn't able to keep the kids week in and week out with her back and knee issues. So, here we are...choppy child care!!!!

Uh huh...oh yeah...uh huh!!!!!

Today has been a very nerve wracking day!!!! I didn't sleep well because I was really nervous about the job interview I had today and the kids were kind of wild. Jamey got off early enough so that I could get ready and compose myself in peace before leaving for the the meeting.

I arrived about 20 minutes early and was called back almost immediately. I was welcomed by the lady who is the supervisor over the department containing the vacant position. She was so warm and welcoming that I was immediately at ease. (That is until she gave me a forewarning that I would be interviewed by three people at once...her and two others would be conducting the interview....I was thinking.....YIKES!!!! I somewhat imagined that it would be more than one person but to hear that my fear was reality was a little intimidating!!!! She assured me that I should not be nervous and smiled warmly again and again I was at ease....thank goodness.)

When I entered the room I was introduced to the other two ladies who would be helping conduct the interview. One was the HR Director and the other was actually a member of the community. (I thought that a citizen of the community was a rather unique idea.) I was asked a series of various questions regarding multiple topics and as I answered there was a lot of smiling and nodding by by interviewers as they jotted very detailed notes. I was very comfortable and feel that I made a very positive impression on them.

I am trying very hard not to let my hopes take wings soar away. I asked when they expect to narrow the applicants down and when they expect to notify the finalists and was told it may be about a week or so. They have other applicants to interview and with the current job market I feel sure they are going to have a lot of highly qualified people applying.

I do feel very confident that I did my very best and the rest is up to them.

I think I may have floated out of the building and if Riley had been there I would have initiated a fanny shaking dance with her in the parking lot...."uh huh...oh yeah...uh huh"!!!!!

Mommy, Me And Sam Are Gonna Marry

For some strange reason Riley associates a man and woman dancing with them getting married. Well, her and Sam like to dance together and when they dance they say they are "marrying". It is so cute I can't bring myself to try to explain to her that they are just dancing and that getting married is something entirely different.

So anyway, last night Sam put on his little camouflage vest (for some reason this is what he always puts on when they "marry") and he asked Riley if she wanted to marry. Riley said yes and ran upstairs to get her special dress and tiara on. I walked upstairs to do some laundry and straighten up a little and this is what I witnessed;

Riley was in her room frantically getting dressed in her wedding attire and Samuel followed her upstairs and was quietly in his room waiting on her to get ready. I was standing at the washer and dryer when she walked past me to go into his room. When she got in his room the dialog began.

"Hey.", Riley said.
"Hey! You want to get married?", Samuel asked.
"I don't even know you yet!!!", Riley replied with a stern look, bobbing her tiara crowned head with her little hands on her hot pink sequined gown clad hips.
Riley grabbed Sam by the hand and walked him into the hall where I was standing.
"This is my mom." Riley explained to Sam.
"Were gonna get married." Riley informed me.
"It's gonna be awesome!" Sam said with a funny little grin.
I laughed out loud at that point.
Riley shrugged her shoulders, smiled and said, "My boyfriend always says things are awesome."
After that statement they walked downstairs hand in hand to "marry".
When they got downstairs I hear Jamey and my FIL start to crack up as they started their special dance!!!

I love those little boogers!!!!!!

Wooo Hooo....I Landed An Inverview!!!!!

Okay so I knew I would probably get an interview at the very least for this wonderfully perfect position for me but I am was still dancing around my house after I got the call to set up the appointment. I dropped off my information Thursday and I got the call today!!!! I am thinking it may be a good sign that they called me so quickly!!! I am beyond excited and nervous about this! I already have the perfectly professional suit, shoes, purse and jewelry laid out and ready to go!!!!

I am going to read up on more interviewing pointers and practice answering some of the tough questions they may ask...."Please describe your greatest strengths and weaknesses" for example!!! The horrible thing is I am pretty sure I am going to be interviewed by two people at once. It is kind of intimidating knowing you are going to be outnumbered in an already stressful situation.

If you think about it on Wednesday at 3:00 send up a prayer because you know I will by a nervous wreck at that very moment!!!!

Never Stick A Sticker On Your Pee Pee-er

I think I have mentioned that I am in the middle of potty training Samuel and that he is so laid back that it is taking F.O.R.E.V.E.R.

Well, he seems to spend more time than usual naked now days and he was just running around a little while ago in his birthday suit while I searched for clean dry undies and he decided to stick a very sticky princess sticker on his "pee pee-er". Bless his little heart he kept saying "owww owww owww" but would not let anyone near it to take it off. I kept telling him to pull the sticker off and he would just look at me with pitiful eyes, pull his mouth tight and say "I can't, I can't, it hurts".

He finally got enough nerve to pull it off and somehow Jamey and I managed not to laugh at him during his crisis. I never thought that I would have to utter the words, "Never stick a sticker on your pee pee-er Sam."

Being a parent is hysterical at times!

What Goes Around Comes Around

I guess being nice really does pay off sometimes.

Last week I encouraged Jamey to go play poker with the guys and now I get to go out with the girls this week!!! Yay!!!!!! I am so excited!!! I don't care what we do or where we go...we could go sit on the ground somewhere for all I care!!! It will be so wonderful to be around other women just to relax and get away for a little while!

I am going to come up with a fun itinerary for Jamey and the kids for that evening so that I will be guilt free while I am gone and then I will be set!

I am counting down the day and hope our plans work out!!!

The House Is Quiet

The kitchen is clean and the house is quiet....not because my kids are tucked into their beds but because they are still outside playing. When my FIL visits we pretty much throw our normal schedule out the window because the kids have so much fun with him. Last night they ran laps around the house with flashlights until like 10:00 and it is already 9:15 and they are still outside playing with Daddy and Pop Pop doing who knows what. The last time I glanced out the kitchen window both of the little boogers were in the back of Pop Pop's truck jumping around like monkeys.

The good thing about them running themselves ragged during the day is that they sleep until like 9:30 or 10:00 the next morning.

I dred tomorrow...Jamey goes to work and I am here with the kids and his dad to entertain. It shouldn't be too bad. We will probably take the kids out to lunch and to the park, which after they sleep in, will take up the majority of the day...I hope.

I posted a couple of pictures I snapped tonight.

I Hate This Feeling

I really hate the feeling I have lately. I will elaborate.

I have applied for a position that would be perfect for me with my insurance and employee benefits backgroud. I am already familiar with this particular employer's benefits as they are a current client of the company I used to work for. I would basically be doing the same job I did at my former employer except I would be only working for this one employer instead of performing benefit related tasks for over 100 clients. I already have had a couple of people put in a good word for me and one person from my former employer is going to be attending a meeting there on Tuesday and is going to drop my name to them as well as mention that I have already dropped off my resume and letter of interest. Since I had the inside scoop on the open position I knew about it before it was posted and I had my information there first thing the morning after the evening it posted.

If we weren't in the middle of a big fat recession and the job market wasn't flooded with tons of qualified people looking for positions exactly like this one my confidence would be significantly higher than it is right now. I do believe that I will land an inverview based on my 6 years of experience, the fact that I am a licensed Life, Accident and Sickness agent and especially because they are coming up on their open enrollment and want someone in the vacant position FAST and I have some actual experience working on their account BUT am not as confident that I will actually land this oh so good to be true postion! Whoa...that was a long sentance...run on and on!!!

I have only been on three interviews in my live and only had those three jobs...so far I have been lucky I guess. I just feel so nervous and sick about this! Could things possibly work out this perfectly for me? This position coming available right around the same time my MIL is completing her chemo...thus making it possible for me to work again???? I lost my job just before she started chemo and now I have an opportunity to get this job just before her chemo ends....maybe this is God's plan....if not I will soon discover what is.

The deadline for applicants is August 3rd and I don't know if they are going to wait until then to start the process or if they are going to contact people along and along. I hope I hear something sooner rather than later!!!!

I Am Really NOT In The Mood

I cannot get motivated to clean the house before Jamey's dad arrives today around 3:00.

Maybe I am not eager to clean because I really wish he wasn't coming this weekend....but me going on a cleaning strike will not change anything so I better get up and make the house presentable. Luckily it isn't completely wrecked so I am hoping it won't take long to get finished.

The floors aren't that bad so a quick trip through the house with my steam mop should get them whipped into shape. I need to clean the kids rooms, make my bed, do a quick bathroom spruce up, finish up a little laundry and I should be done.

There is only like one week out of the month when I seem to have any energy at all and feel like I can actually keep up with everything. I wonder if my hormones are out of whack? Who knows!

I really hope my FIL doesn't stay until Wednesday like he typically does. Friday afternoon - Wednesday morning is his normal schedule. Geezzzzz I am really not looking forward to it.

A Friend From Way Back....

I must admit that I love Facebook. I log on several times each day and really enjoy seeing photos posted by people I may not have seen or talked to in years. I love getting friend requests and the moment of suspicion wondering who it will be. I do think some people may be a little obsessed with the site and I hope I never get that way!

I received a friend request today from girl who was a very close friend from middle school early high school and was very pleasantly surprised. Immediately after accepting her request I received a chat message from her and before I really knew it we had been chatting for like 45 minutes.

My memory is a little fuzzy as to why we stopped being friends way back then. I remember some details but not all of them. Looking back now it seems so senseless...we were so close at one time it is quite sad we didn't stay in touch all these years. I had wondered from time to time about her and how her life had turned out and now I know thanks to Facebook.

I was delighted to discover she is now the mother of not one, two, or three but four girls and is very happy. It was really fascinating to catch up with her and be given a glimpse into her life after all of this time. We both look forward to chatting more and maybe meeting up in person one day.

Various Subjects

I am sending Jamey off to play poker with the boys tonight. (He was shocked that I said I wouldn't mind if he went.) I am hoping to get the kiddies in the bed at like 8:00 so that I will have a little time to myself before Jamey gets back.

I swung by Staples this morning, had my resume and letter of interest copied onto nice paper, spiral bound nicely and hand delivered it to the office of a potential employer. I am very excited and nervous about applying for this position. It seems way too good to be true. If I were to be hired I would be working for a client of the company I used to work for. I would get to work hand in hand with some of my former coworkers, which would be wonderful! It would be a perfect fit but the job market is flooded with other highly qualified people looking for positions exactly like this and competition will probably be fierce! My fingers are crossed and there is a prayer in my heart that this will work out if it is meant to.

Will the media ever get their fill of reporting every minute detail regarding Michael Jackson?????

My couch camper (FIL) will be here tomorrow. He literally comes every 4 weeks or so. I try not to complain because he adores my children and they him but good grief!!!!

Jamey and my FIL will be on the golf course all day Saturday...I am bargaining for a "Mommy Free Day" on Sunday...anybody want to get together for some girl time?

What if I do get the job??? My sweet summer with my babies will end sooner than I thought! What if I don't get the job???? We will be poor longer. Sometimes it stinks to be an adult with responsibilities and worries!!!!

The potty training crusade has been very successful today!!! Go Sam!!!! Pee pee in the pot-TAY....Poo poo in the pot-TAY!!!!!!

I really want to drag all of my old pictures out, get them organized and create a really nice album.

I am so tired today....why did I say Jamey should go play poker? I am glad he is getting to go do something fun but I am beat.

I better get up and whip up the side items for the chicken that is on the grill.

Later Gaters!!!!

Fun In The Fountain

Jessica was my rescuer today! She could sense I needed to have a great friend call and suggest I drive to the big city of Cedartown to let our offspring play in the fountains at the park!!!

We had a good time despite my potty training toddler peeing in the play equipment at Mickey D's!!! I don't think it was intentional...I am pretty sure it was a swimming diaper malfunction/defect.

I had GREAT company today and the park was really nice! I would love to go back and let the kids play on the playground first, get hot and then hit the fountains!!! We need to have a Mommy club meeting one day and let all of the children run wild!!!

I discovered today that I have GOT to get more zoom for my camera. Jess let me look through hers and I was drooling over how much more I could zoom in with it...mine is pitiful really!!!) I found several used and refurbished 55-300mm lenses online but I will have to wait a while before I slide that request to the "boss man". :-) I am looking at used and/or refurbished because new ones are in the $500 range...uhhh NO and the refurbished ones are like $169 or so...still ridiculous to my budget and for my skill level....but I REALLY want it!!!! I can already tell this is going to be one of those things that really bugs me until I find a way to get it. Since I really only take pictures of my kids I really need more zoom because they are usually not right in my face doing the cute things they do and when I get close to them with my camera they usually stop doing what they were doing to talk to me. Yep...need that zoom!!!!!!!!! Sorry...I didn't mean to get off on my materialistic wants there for a minute.

Anyway...I did take a couple of pictures that could have been much better with great zoom!!! Okay I will shut up about it...here are the pictures but of course they will probably to to the top of the page because I am a goof who has not idea how to make the pictures go where they are supposed to go and don't really have time to care or learn how!!! :-)

I Have GOT To Get Out Of The House Today!!!!

I can feel that if I do not get myself and the kids out of the house today that I am going to blow a gasket!

The kids have already been fighting and I think Samuel has already turned his hearing off for the day.

The early vibe I am getting for the day is not agreeing with my mood so we are taking this show on the road...which makes my kids happier and happy kids is just what I need today with the mood I am in.

Too bad it is like an hour and a half process to get us out the door to go anywhere...days like these I wish I were a man...get yourself ready and pace around until your wife gets herself and the kids ready and everything required for the trip packed....unless your told SPECIFICALLY what to do and how to do it which takes time and ticks your wife off that she would have to ask you so your wife just does it herself....it's not like you have watched her go through the same routine for YEARS!!!!!

Let me paint a little picture of my husband of seven years now that drives me batty....

Jamey does not clean...at all....ANYTHING!!!! He does probably half of the laundry...when I worked he did it all BUT laundry for him is seperating, washing, drying and folding and putting away ONLY his clothes. That leaves me with heaps of my clothes, the kids clothes and towels to fold and put away. The bad thing is that he is bad to wash and dry things and just toss them out of the dryer and not tell me they are there...by the time I discover them they are so wrinkled I have to put them back into the dryer to attempt to get some of the wrinkles out...of course they never really come out so guess who gets to iron more than normal????? Jamey also keeps our yard work done...he never lets it go longer than he should...like clockwork he mows the grass, weedeats, edges the driveway and blows the clippings off the driveway. He NEVER moves or picks up ANYTHING!!!!!! If a toy is in middle of the floor he will step over it....REPEATEDLY!!!! It will remain there until I ask the kids to pick it up or I put it away.

****Real life and recent example of the madness....(I guess I am hormonal or something!!!) Last night before bathtime I gave the kids coloring books, blank paper and crayons for a little bit of art time. They had a good time coloring and drawing pictures for us. After bathtime I was getting them in their p.j.s and I noticed that Riley had left her crayons spread out on the loveseat. Instead of picking the crayons up and putting them back into the cup they go in Jamey left them there and sat on the arm of the loveseat. I grabbed the cup and said, "This is the crayon cup, this is my hand, this is how I use my hand to pick up the crayons and put them in the crayon cup. If you pick up the crayons you wouldn't have to sit on the arm of the loveseat! That wasn't very hard!!!" I know that he goes to work all day but that is no excuse for not picking up a pile of crayons!!!!! It ain't the easiest job in the world being here all day! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell that I am in a really bad mood today???? Yep...we are definitely going somewhere to get away from these walls!!!!! That is a new best for me...I manifested an argument to have with Jamey and he isn't even here!

Later Gaters!!!!

To Spank or Not To Spank....That Is The Question

I rarely spank my children and when I do I feel super quilty after I do. (Spanking for me consists of my hand on their fanny over clothes.)

Being a parent is hard!!!

How do you avoid spanking a toddler who says he is going to pee on you and then tries to follow through with his treat and pees close to your foot on the floor?????

Grrrrrr.........................

Thank Goodness!!!!

Jamey had an appointment with his doctor today for a physical and everything checked out AOK!!!!! He quit dipping last Thursday after like 15 or 16 years of the nasty habit. (Go Honey!!!) Well between the worry and stress of his mother's close call with her health recently and the extended hospital stay, the anger/rage over his bum of a sister and his nicotine withdrawals he thought he may have been having a heart issue over the past few days.

According to the EKG they performed in the office and the physical exam his heart is fine he is obviously just experiencing some stress. I am going to encourage him to get back into the gym which is the best therapy in the world for him. I think I am going to suggest that he go straight from work to unwind a little before coming home in the afternoons. He gets off at 4:00 so he would be most of the after work crowd.

I just talked to him and he said that knowing the EKG was okay he already feels better...thinking something may have been wrong was adding to the stress.

It really stinks to get older!!!!

Our 7th Wedding Anniversary

Trip Down Memory Lane......

Seven years ago tomorrow Jamey and I were married in Gatlinburg. (Really Redneckish of us I know!)

We checked into the "Love Nest" and were married at the Little Log Chapel at 8:00 that Saturday night. I got married at night like I always imagined I would and the stars were beautiful that night!

I remember we left on that Friday morning before we got married and we totally dodged everyone's phone calls until after it was official. (His mother would have found a way to track us down if she knew what was going on...she would have found a way I KNOW she would have.)

We had all day Saturday to bum around town, get our marriage license, shop for some shoes for me to wear...yep...I went to get married without white shoes to wear with my dress, grab me a bouquet from a local florist and away we went!!!!

I never had dreams of a wedding. I never wanted the whole hoopla....the "bow on the butt" wedding was not something that appealed to me at all. I love attending wedding celebrations and have served as Maid of Honor in two and a bride's maid in another but I hate to be the center of attention and had no desire for a fuss to be made over my wedding. (I also knew that my future mother in law would have totally taken over it and I would have been powerless to stop the madness!) The idea of it just being us really appealed to us at the time so we eloped. Looking back I think we could have done something simple and included our family and most intimate friends. I somewhat regret not having our parents and grandparents witness our ceremony. I think we hurt several people's feelings...mainly our mother's.

During and after the ceremony a "photographer" snapped a few pictures and we were off...Mr. and Mrs. James Wheeler.

On the way to dinner we called our family members to give them the good news.

The next morning we got up, ate at a local pancake house, stopped by the chapel to get our tiny photo album (consisting of like 10 pictures) and we were on our way home.

Jamey had already moved out into "our" rental house and I was dying to move in too so that very Sunday when we got home we packed up my things from my room at home and we were set. We lived in our cozy little rental house from July 20, 2002 until we bought our house in May of 2004.

In November of 2002 Jamey bought me our dog Penny for my birthday and she has been with us ever since...she made our little house a little more cozy. We found out we were pregnant in December of 2003 and later in February of 2004 we suffered the heartbreak of the miscarriage of our twins and my D & C procedure. A few short months after being in our new home we were elated to find out we were pregnant again in July 2004. On May 4th, 2005 our lives were forever changed when we welcomed Riley Faith Wheeler into our lives! She was an 8lbs 4oz...2 1/2 week late miracle who changed our lives forever. In March of 2006 we found out we were pregnant again and were over the moon with excitement! On December 15th, 2006 Samuel Charles Wheeler arrived and was 9lbs 14oz of pure sweetness! Our family was now complete and Jamey and I were happier than ever before!

We have suffered the loss of twin babies and other loved ones but we have remained strong and in love with one another. We are very blessed and thank God every day for the love we have and the family He has given us.

Happy Anniversary To Us!!!!!!

Happy Laid Back Sunday

Today has been really great.

Sam slept unil 9:00 and Riley didn't get up until closer to 10:00 this morning! I guess they were really tuckered out after the busy day they had yesterday. I actually went upstairs to make sure Riley was still breathing...that is what woke her up...she would have probably slept for another hour or so if I hadn't thought she was in a coma.

After lunch we loaded up and went Walmart to try to find Thomas the Train shoes for Sam. (He has a pair that he LOVES but they are completely worn out and S.T.I.N.K! Gotta love "pleather" kids tennis shoes!) Sam decided against Thomas and went with his "awesome" Spiderman shoes that light up. When we left Walmart we headed to Manning Mill Park in Adairsville with a cooler packed with drinks and snacks. We fed the ducks and let the kids play on the playground for like 2 hours where they made plenty of friends and had a wonderful time. (I did think that Sam was going to fall on his face several times because while he was running he kept looking at his new shoes instead of where he was going!!!) After the park we headed back home just in time to get an icecream from the icecream truck and then we played outside in the yard for a couple more hours.

Everyone is back inside now chilling out and watching T.V. waiting on the burgers to come off the grill.

I love days like today!!! Simple and good!

Ever Had An Argument About Hamburger Meat????

Jamey and I actually got into a pretty heated argument about hamburger meat!!!! Let me say that at times my husband DRIVES ME NUTS!!!!!!

This is obviously the most ridiculous argument I have ever been a part of!!!!

Wouldn't You Get A Clue????!!!!!!

Imagine, if you will, a person........

This is a wonderful kind hearted person.

This person is a natural "giver".

This person is a HIGHLY educated person.

This person also possesses high levels of common sense as well.

Now imagine being this person and having not only one or two but EVERYONE in your life trying constantly to no avail to open your eyes to the truth....not perceived truth but the honest to goodness, undeniable, undiluted, bonifide, right in your face breathing it's stinky, foul moist breath on your cheek...T.R.U.T.H!!!!!!

I truly believe that if each and every person (except one...the one in question) in my life that I love, honor and respect...and actually don't treat me like total crap REPEATEDLY tried to open my eyes to something or a certain subject that I would think to myself...."Hum.....maybe they are right, maybe I have been being taken advantage of for the past 10-12 YEARS!!!!...I am a complete dumb ass!!!!!!"

I know the feeling of a mother's love...I get it. Your children are as much a part of you as your own heart or right arm....BUT...what if your actions have never helped your child (adult child)???!!!! How do you let yourself go on enabling and in turn helping the child you love so much ruin their life and RUIN you financially....literally????!!!! I do not get it. I do not understand how you can not see the situation as it really is....your child or not!!!! How can you LIE to your other family members to cover for said ADULT child? How can you defend that adult child to the very end to anyone who dares speak an unkind word or toss an unkind glance in response to their latest antics???

Side note...how can you overlook your adult child (who lives with you along with her husband and preteen step daughter...mooching off of you) being MIA when you get home from an entire WEEK in the hospital???? What a homecoming! They love and respect you so much they pawn their daughter off on someone and go out to party for your homecoming...how sweet and considerate of them!

I hate the situation described above!!!!! It is heartbreaking, endless, hopeless, sad, infuriating, mind numbing, anger inducing and beyond ridiculous!!!!!

How could such an intelligent person be so clueless to the obvious? It really puzzles me!

I need to calm down so that I can get some sleep.

Later Gaters!

I Actually Have Plans Today

I get to go somewhere today that is just for fun...not an errand!!!!

I am taking the kiddies swimming at a friends house after lunch today and I am SO ready to blow this joint!!!! I have literally been a hermit crab since getting back from vacation...between being sick and being poor I haven't had a lot of options or opportunity to get out of the house.

This particular friend has a little girl Riley's age and they are so much alike it is scary and they get along really well. I can't wait until time to go!

What Keeps Me From Throwing My Kids In The Garbage Some Days?????

It has to be their eyes!!!!!!! (And they know how to use them!)

STEP UP, SUCK IT UP AND GROW UP WHILE YOUR AT IT!!!!!

There is one particular person in my life who drives me crazy with every immature action and decision she makes!!!!!!! Almost every word that passes her lips makes me bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from exploding!!!!!



I cannot fathom someone being so selfish, self centered and be over the age of 25...well over the age of 25! Sometimes I want to literally stand in her face...and scream to the top of my lungs....."NEWS FLASH B*&%@!!!!! THE WORLD DOES NOT NOR WILL IT EVER REVOLVE AROUND YOU!!!!! STEP UP, SUCK IT UP AND GROW UP WHILE YOU ARE AT IT!!!!!"



Lord, please give me strength to continue to hold my tongue and not strangle this person!



I am very sorry to vent in such an ugly way but I REALLY had to!!!!!

MIL Not Doing Well.....

I visited my mother in law in the hospital today and she is not doing well at all. She is going to have to get blood transfusion number 4 today.

Today while I was there they said that her bone marrow is not producing blood. That can be a side effect of the chemotherapy. The doctor did go on to say that her blood count is slowly getting better but that with the serious infection that she has or did have that she probably would not feel better for 4-6 weeks.

They are calling physical therapy in to work with her and get her moving around more. When she is resting her already low blood pressure gets even lower. She is having a hard time breathing and has NO energy...that will be a hurdle with the moving around she needs to do to get her blood pressure up I am sure.

If it is possible I am more worried now than I was before. I am very uneasy about the treatment she is getting and the lack of improvement so far.

Please keep praying for her.

Blood Transfusion Number 3 Today

Please continue to pray for my mother in law. She is still in the hospital and is having her third blood transfusion today...the third one since late Monday afternoon. I don't really understand what in the world is going on.

She has been in hospital since Sunday afternoon and we don't know when she will be well enough to be released.

(She was moved to a regular room from ICU but it seems to me that things are still not improving very much.)

I HATE HOUSEWORK!!!!

Housework is a wonderful stress reliever for me but when I am not stressed I would rather not do it...actually I hate doing it and will make tons of excuses not to! If I let things go too long it actually causes stress as well...thus I clean it up to relieve that stress....

I have come to the conclusion that I pretty much suck at being a housekeeper. I can't keep up with the demands of the job. It is a never ending cycle of dirty sticky stuff that constantly needs washing, floors covered in sand from the sand box outside and substances from a potty training toddler and an aging dog, laundry Laundry LAUNDRY, DIRTY DISHES ALL DAY, scattered toys, unmade beds, soap scum tubs, full trash cans, grimey counters, dusty blinds, finger paint explosions, crayon marks on the wall, hand prints EVERYWHERE....

I love it when I get all caught up and the feeling is wonderful but it only lasts like 3 seconds and then something is wrecked again. I have to try to get caught up today since I am feeling a good bit better.

Why Oh Why Did I Go To WebMd???

Am I the only person who gets freaked out by the symptom checker on WebMD...it can literally turn a hang nail into cancer and what do I do...look up my symptoms of course and where did my search lead you may ask...oh, just PANCREATIC CANCER THAT'S ALL!!!!

I really need to go to sleep and let the doctor diagnose me...someone who has gone to medical school!

Is Riley 4 or 14????

On the way up the stairs to bed I had two grumbling kids who wanted to stay up late. (Riley is ALWAYS the ring leader of requests like that and Samuel is a very eager and loud participant in the requests/demands/pleading.) On the way up the stairs I reminded them that they do get to stay/play with a sitter tomorrow while I go to the doctor. I also mentioned that they have to get up early and they need to feel good in the morning so they can have lots of fun...yaddie yada yada. Riley seemed happy with that for like 1/2 a second and then she folded her little arms, turned around to face me and said, "Fine I WILL go to bed but I will NOT close my eyes...humph!!!!!!!"

I pray that her preteen and teen years will not do me in completely! I may need therapy way before then!

Prayers Needed

My mother in law went to the ER yesterday. She has been diagnosed with Cellulitis (sp?) which I am told is a type of staph infection where her mastectomy was done, her hemoglobin (sp?) is VERY low and her blood pressure is EXTREMELY low.

She is on medication to get her blood pressure up, is going to get two units of blood to get her hemoglobin up and is on some very strong antibiotics.

I know in this day and time of modern medicine we get kind of comfortable assuming that things like breast cancer (which sadly seems very common nowdays) will always be cured and that the person will be fine and live happily ever after.....well that is not always the case sometimes and I am really worried about her. I really want her to be one of the happily ever afters!

Please pray for her and her recovery!!!!!

I know that everyone has totally different views on things but I would like to post my view on blood and organ donation. I truly do not understand why people who are able to give blood do not give blood. (I do understand that some people have a very big problem with needles and actually can get sick or pass out...they should definately be excused along with people who for some other medical reason cannot donate.) It only takes like 30 minutes of your time and it saves lives!!!! I give blood whenever I can and feel so good when I do! If you need incentive other than feeling like you probably helped in saving a life they usually give you a free t-shirt you can clean the house, work out or sleep in and around here they normally throw in a free Chik Fil A sandwich certificate...so there you go...you helped save a life, free t-shirt and lunch!!!!

I am also very passionate about organ donation. I remember the day I signed my organ donor card. I was in high school and we had a guest speaker in our health class. The guest speaker showed us a picture of a little white boy and a little black girl playing together...they both looked about 3 or 4 years old. He told us that they were very good friends and they were connected in another very special way. They each received organs from the same donor. I first thought of the miracle both children and their families were given. Their beautiful children were alive and well! Then I thought of the family of the donor. They had lost their precious child...but look what came from that child's death. With that one decision they saved two (probably more) children. Could you imagine you or someone you love needing a life saving organ and just being told you are on a list and good luck? When so many people die every day and take those organs to the grave with them?

Okay...I will step down off my soap box! I guess with Veronique needing a blood transfusion it got me to thinking about those two subjects.

Thanks in advance for your prayers.

Big Girls Don't Cry and Mommies Don't Get Sick!!!!

I want to cry and I am sick. I woke up last night with chills and a fever and did not get much sleep at all.

Today I am so weak, no appetite and just feel yucky all over. I would give a million dollars if Jamey would think of somewhere he and the kids just had to go for the day, a house cleaning fairy appeared to waive her wand to clean my house and I could sleep the day away to get myself better and ready for next week.

Grilling Ribs Takes Too Many Beers Honey!!!!!

******Disclaimer....one part of this post is gross....just so you know!!!!

Okay do you guys remember a recent post when I talked about how Jamey is the griller in the family and he judges lengths of cooking time of the meat by the number of beers he drinks when he is cooking.....well.....he slow cooked/smoked some ribs today....they took WAY too many beers to get done!!!!! 12 to be exact!!!!! I had no idea he had drank that much outside and he didn't act "drunk" at all when he came in to eat after the 3 1/2 hour cooking time for the meat.

Jamey drinks beer every week. He may drink 1 or 2 one night after work...skip a night or two....drink 3 or 4 on a weekend afternoon/night....skip a day or two drink a few that day....you get the picture....he is not a heavy drinker...a frequent one perhaps but in small doses. Well....today's 12 cold ones were fine and dandy when he was cooking and SOMEHOW he even had room somewhere in his self to eat after that....he was still fine...jolly happy and festive actually.

The ride to the fireworks did him in. I drove us there of course and 2 seconds after getting in the car he got VERY quiet...TOO quiet. He started slumping lower and lower in his seat. If you know me at all you know that there are certain situations when I have NO sympathy at all for people. This was one of those times so off to the fireworks we went.

Well, needless to say he was too sick to get out of the car to watch the show so he slumped over in the car to sleep in between opening the car door and throwing up "beer and corn" right beside the poor people in the car next to us! I was a little embarrassed but not enough to leave and disappoint the kids. He isn't a person who is loud when he throws up and honestly I don't think the people noticed what was going on. (they seemed like a family that would have spoken up). I will put a huge guilt trip on him tomorrow about the whole thing. How could you keep cracking them open when you know what you normally drink and what your limits are.....big goof!!!!

The kids and I really enjoyed the fireworks...especially Riley who was delighted and amazed. Sam was more like scared yet fascinated. Other than Daddy -O getting too plastered to watch the fireworks we had a perfect 4th of July! I guess if I had to pick I would pick a husband who is silent and nauseous over a loud and belligerent drunk husband any day of the week....it could have been a lot worse.

Happy Happy 4th of July!!!!!!

My Kids Crack Me Up!!!!!

I didn't know that having kids would provide me with free and frequent comic relief but it does.

I was giving Samuel a bath earlier this morning and he totally cracked me up.

He flipped over and was laying on his belly "swimming" with his little fanny sticking out and he tooted. Well that cracked him up and I asked "Did you toot?" and he said "My tooted...I'm a choo choo train...wanna ride on my fanny?"

I love that funny little guy. He cracks me up like 100 times each day. Riley cracks me up with how grown up she acts. She is like a 44 year old woman in a 4 year old body and it is hysterical to me sometimes. To see her stand with her hand on her hip spouting out orders and off the wall comments is too funny! She takes herself so seriously and honestly things she is a grown up.

Facebook

Okay so I resisted joining Facebook because I was afraid I would become addicted to it. I am already addicted to my blogging and didn't think I could devote anymore time to being online.

A former coworker somehow sent me an e-mail and in order to see what she posted for me I had to join Facebook...I don't really know how it happened I am totally ignorant when it comes to social networking and the inner workings of the sites. So anyway, I set up a username and password, read what she posted for me and I logged out without setting anything else up.

That same day I got 3 e-mails from Facebook with names of people who wanted to be friends. I accepted those and posted comments on their sites. I looked Jess up and invited her to be friends so I could view her stuff but still didn't really want to set up my site.

Well today I get like 6 or 7 e-mails from Facebook regarding people who want to be friends. I guess I better set up my site tonight so that my friends won't just see a cartoon silhouette and no info.

I am kind of excited about being on Facebook now that I know people actually want to be my online friends. I have got to set limits on the amount of time I spend online though....so addiction for me please!!!!!