well, it is almost 2008 everybody! are you ready? resolutions? i don't usually do resolutions...but i figured this year should be different. after all i am going to be 30 this year.
1. i want to be more patient with my kids. i am tired of yelling all the time. i am tired of this being the only way to get their attention.
2. i am going to get healthy. i am going to exercise. i am going to be a more fit, and healthy role model for my children.
3. i am going to try to keep the house clean more. i am going to try to do better about getting rid of stuff we don't need, and keeping the house picked up.
that's it. that's my list. i know it's only 3 things, but they are major items in my life. basically i am going to become a total and completely new person.
well, maybe i won't go that far...just better the person i am.
as 2007 comes to a close, it makes me think of how my kids are all getting older. this coming year, my 2 girls are going to be 6 and 9...and that's just this coming month! my boys are going to be 12, 4, and 3. CRAZY!!!
jeff and i were talking about puberty today. you see, my almost 9 year old girl is getting oily hair. jeff didn't realize this is a sign of puberty in girls. he freaked when i told him. he thought that was something we didn't have to worry about for a few more years (like atleast 3 or 4). i told him about a friend of mine who started her period in 5th grade. we were 10. he almost passed out. to think his baby girl could be on the road to womanhood...ahhhh! so now i have to think of ways to have "the talk" with her. jeff had it with our oldest. i get the girls. how do i say "you are becoming a woman, but not really a woman yet"? i mean, puberty is the start womanhood, but you really aren't an adult. you aren't even mature physically as a woman until late teens, right? i just want to make sure she knows more than i did when i was a kid. i had no idea what a menstrual cycle was until we learned about it in school. NO IDEA! my mom never told me anything about any of the changes happening in my body. i was totally freaked out by it. i want to make sure my girls feel like they can come to me about this stuff. my mom tried, i guess, but anything i asked about...the way she responded was more accusation than answer.
example: me "mom, i think i have a urinary tract infection".
mom "oh yeah? whatever" and she stomped out of the room.
why? well, later she told me she thought i wanted to tell the doctor to put me on the pill.
(by the way, she never did take me to the doctor for that. i got it treated a year later...when i was pregnant.)
but you know what? i have to thank her for that. this was a major example of the relationship i don't want to have with my kids.
thanks
Monday, December 31, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
a nephew, a trainer, and a black hole
well, my nephew will have surgery on his neck on wednesday. the family is giving blood, he has already needed 2 units, and they are wanting to be prepared in case he needs more.
i joined the gym my husband belongs to. with my membership came a visit with a personal trainer. trina was so very nice. we had a lot in common. she recently lost about 60 pounds, and was a stay at home mom, and she watched kids too. she totally kicked my butt too! i am not too sore yet, but i know it's coming! i need to get some cardio going today. she showed me how to work several machines, and some really good exercises for my whole body. she recommended several classes for me, and let me tell you, she totally rocks! if i had $100 extra a week, i would totally do the personal trainer route. (that gets you 3 sessions)
i think there is a black hole in my house. i have no idea how so much stuff comes up missing! it is seriously getting scary. it started out with shoes. ok, i can see how that could happen, we do have dogs after all. now, it's my broom. i am dead serious here! how do you lose a broom? i saw it in the living room...laying on the floor. the next morning it was gone. i have checked the house from top to bottom. i checked every bedroom (i do have a 2 year old and 3 year old), the laundry room, the basement, the garage, the bathrooms, i have checked EVERYWHERE! no sign of it anywhere. i guess i have to run out today and get a new one. i need to get out and get a new vacuum belt too. for some reason, the only bissell revolution belts jeff could find were way too big. so now i have to look all over and try to find one that works.
thank you for your continued prayers for my nephew and our family. it is very much appreciated.
i joined the gym my husband belongs to. with my membership came a visit with a personal trainer. trina was so very nice. we had a lot in common. she recently lost about 60 pounds, and was a stay at home mom, and she watched kids too. she totally kicked my butt too! i am not too sore yet, but i know it's coming! i need to get some cardio going today. she showed me how to work several machines, and some really good exercises for my whole body. she recommended several classes for me, and let me tell you, she totally rocks! if i had $100 extra a week, i would totally do the personal trainer route. (that gets you 3 sessions)
i think there is a black hole in my house. i have no idea how so much stuff comes up missing! it is seriously getting scary. it started out with shoes. ok, i can see how that could happen, we do have dogs after all. now, it's my broom. i am dead serious here! how do you lose a broom? i saw it in the living room...laying on the floor. the next morning it was gone. i have checked the house from top to bottom. i checked every bedroom (i do have a 2 year old and 3 year old), the laundry room, the basement, the garage, the bathrooms, i have checked EVERYWHERE! no sign of it anywhere. i guess i have to run out today and get a new one. i need to get out and get a new vacuum belt too. for some reason, the only bissell revolution belts jeff could find were way too big. so now i have to look all over and try to find one that works.
thank you for your continued prayers for my nephew and our family. it is very much appreciated.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
update on my nephew
he is off the ventilator!!!! he is talking. he will need surgery for his neck. before he was off the vent, he was spelling things out with this chart they have in his room. so we are really hopeful about no major brain damage. i think we are going to try to get up there to see him today. it depends on when jeff gets off work. thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!
the kids have handled this pretty well. they all wanted to go see him. the older three got to go in and see him. they weren't scared and they were really positive. zack and josh mostly provided some comic relief for my niece and sister in law. my niece is zack's god mother.
i am still trying to recover from all the christmas. i am exhausted! trying to put everything in it's place is really tough...especially when it's 5 different kids getting all kinds of stuff. my main floor looks like a war zone!
i think we have decided to try to find another home for black sally. she's a great dog. she is just too much puppy for us. i think it's just the puppy thing. she's too mouthy with the little kids. she doesn't realize they aren't puppies like her. if we find her a home, i would be happy. if we don't, that's ok too. i'm going to be picky when it comes to someone wanting her. i'm not going to get rid of her just to be rid of her. she really is a sweet dog.
i think all the kids were happy with what they got this christmas. it was definitely overshadowed by my nephew's accident, but in a good "more grateful" kind of way. after seeing the pictures of what the car looked like, well, let's just say it was a miracle anyone survived. please pray for the family who lost a son in this accident. no one should have to lose a child in that way...especially at christmas.
the kids have handled this pretty well. they all wanted to go see him. the older three got to go in and see him. they weren't scared and they were really positive. zack and josh mostly provided some comic relief for my niece and sister in law. my niece is zack's god mother.
i am still trying to recover from all the christmas. i am exhausted! trying to put everything in it's place is really tough...especially when it's 5 different kids getting all kinds of stuff. my main floor looks like a war zone!
i think we have decided to try to find another home for black sally. she's a great dog. she is just too much puppy for us. i think it's just the puppy thing. she's too mouthy with the little kids. she doesn't realize they aren't puppies like her. if we find her a home, i would be happy. if we don't, that's ok too. i'm going to be picky when it comes to someone wanting her. i'm not going to get rid of her just to be rid of her. she really is a sweet dog.
i think all the kids were happy with what they got this christmas. it was definitely overshadowed by my nephew's accident, but in a good "more grateful" kind of way. after seeing the pictures of what the car looked like, well, let's just say it was a miracle anyone survived. please pray for the family who lost a son in this accident. no one should have to lose a child in that way...especially at christmas.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
update on my nephew
ok. he is going to live. he is not paralyzed. he is still on the ventilator and will be for another week or so. he fractured several bones in his neck, but only bruised his spinal cord. his skull is fractured, but they can't do anything about it until they deal with the neck. they aren't sure yet about brain damage, but he does recognize people when they come in to visit. jeff and our oldest three went in to see him yesterday. i stayed out in the waiting area with the younger two. i don't do well with hospitals. i have a nasty habit of passing out in the presence of very sick or injured people. because of this, i stayed home on christmas eve when everyone else went to the hospital and cooked dinner for everyone. my very small contribution. christmas day, we all went to the hospital. thank god for all the family and friends. they have been really great and supportive. thank you all for your prayers. we aren't out of the woods yet, but it is definitely looking better. my sister in law's family will be coming in on sat or sun. her grandfather passed away christmas eve. they are coming down after his funeral.
this brought up a lot of painful memories for my family. my mom's cousin was killed in a car accident on the 23rd of december thirty three years ago. he was also a teenager. he had been sitting in the back seat, and wearing a seat belt. it was a freak thing. the way the car was hit, his neck snapped the wrong way, and he died. it was the same injury christopher reeve had. he was my mom's best friend.
this brought up a lot of painful memories for my family. my mom's cousin was killed in a car accident on the 23rd of december thirty three years ago. he was also a teenager. he had been sitting in the back seat, and wearing a seat belt. it was a freak thing. the way the car was hit, his neck snapped the wrong way, and he died. it was the same injury christopher reeve had. he was my mom's best friend.
Monday, December 24, 2007
prayers needed badly
my nephew was in a really bad car accident early this morning. we aren't exactly sure what happened. he is in a drug induced coma. he has a fractured skull, some damage and swelling in his brain, some fractures to his vertebra in his neck. he is responding to pain stimuli in his feet, but he couldn't or wouldn't squeeze his hand when told to.
as bad as it is for him, his friend in the backseat died. his friend in the passenger seat has only a bruised shoulder. please pray for all these families...but especially for the family that lost a son. please pray for my nephew. not only is he going to have to recover from his physical injuries, but he is going to have a lot of emotional issues too. he was driving, and his friend died.
so far as we know, drugs and alcohol were not involved.
again, please say some prayers for them all.
merry christmas,
amy
as bad as it is for him, his friend in the backseat died. his friend in the passenger seat has only a bruised shoulder. please pray for all these families...but especially for the family that lost a son. please pray for my nephew. not only is he going to have to recover from his physical injuries, but he is going to have a lot of emotional issues too. he was driving, and his friend died.
so far as we know, drugs and alcohol were not involved.
again, please say some prayers for them all.
merry christmas,
amy
Thursday, December 20, 2007
disney curse
i have decided that i will not be letting my kids become disney stars. it seems that those kids end up going a little bonkers. of course i am thinking of brittany, and christina, and now brittany's little sister. alex asked me if they were going to have zoey be pregnant on zoey 101. i told him they were most likely going to cancel the show.
teen pregnancy does happen to be a topic near and dear to my heart. i was a senior in high school when i found out i was pregnant with my oldest. i turned 18 thirty days before my son was born. it wasn't exactly the easiest time of my life. i started college on my due date. i went a week and a half past it. i was one of the lucky girls. my husband was right there with me the whole time. i went to the local middle schools for a couple of years to talk about teen pregnancy and abstinence. so many of the girls i met were single moms. most of them, the fathers left when they found out she was pregnant. my hubby and i had only known each other for 6 months when i got pregnant. it was pretty difficult, dealing with pressure to get married right away, or have an abortion, and we were still getting to know each other. we got married when our son was 9 mos old. i finished the first semester of college, but didn't go back. i didn't want to be anything but a wife and mother. i don't regret that. i am planning on returning to school soon, but it has to be on my terms. i am a mother, and a wife. those come first.
teen pregnancy does happen to be a topic near and dear to my heart. i was a senior in high school when i found out i was pregnant with my oldest. i turned 18 thirty days before my son was born. it wasn't exactly the easiest time of my life. i started college on my due date. i went a week and a half past it. i was one of the lucky girls. my husband was right there with me the whole time. i went to the local middle schools for a couple of years to talk about teen pregnancy and abstinence. so many of the girls i met were single moms. most of them, the fathers left when they found out she was pregnant. my hubby and i had only known each other for 6 months when i got pregnant. it was pretty difficult, dealing with pressure to get married right away, or have an abortion, and we were still getting to know each other. we got married when our son was 9 mos old. i finished the first semester of college, but didn't go back. i didn't want to be anything but a wife and mother. i don't regret that. i am planning on returning to school soon, but it has to be on my terms. i am a mother, and a wife. those come first.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
where have you been all my life?!
these are a few things i just recently found out about. i love them. really, if i could marry them, i would.
mucinex. i probably just butchered the spelling, but i love it. i haven't used anything that worked this good in a...well, ever! it didn't just shift everything around. you know like when you can breathe, but don't bend over because your head will explode. i love this stuff.
ammonia. i love smelling this stuff. it really cleans the palate. yes i am kidding...about the smelling part at least. i never washed clothes with this stuff before. oh my gosh! i was totally missing out. you see, i am not that good at laundry. it probably has to do with the fact i hate doing laundry. so sometimes i don't get the clothes out of the washer right away...or even the same day i started them. occasionally, they may sit in there for a few days...never more than a week! but anyway, as you know, laundry starts to stink if it is wet for too long. ammonia is the answer. it even works on pee smell. (kids, people, not me) i love it. it does a great job with the smells and everything actually ends up smelling cleaner than before. why didn't anyone ever tell me about this stuff?
on to the daily buzz...
we went to jeff's work party last night. we closed down hooters. jeff and i were the last ones to leave. i had a few daiquiris and (not much, i was driving) got to meet some of jeff's co-workers. they seem nice enough. definitely different. very different. but very entertaining. everyone had a great time.
time to go...the kids took all the cushions off the couch and are now jumping from the steps to the couch. i need to catch them before we end up needing an er visit!
mucinex. i probably just butchered the spelling, but i love it. i haven't used anything that worked this good in a...well, ever! it didn't just shift everything around. you know like when you can breathe, but don't bend over because your head will explode. i love this stuff.
ammonia. i love smelling this stuff. it really cleans the palate. yes i am kidding...about the smelling part at least. i never washed clothes with this stuff before. oh my gosh! i was totally missing out. you see, i am not that good at laundry. it probably has to do with the fact i hate doing laundry. so sometimes i don't get the clothes out of the washer right away...or even the same day i started them. occasionally, they may sit in there for a few days...never more than a week! but anyway, as you know, laundry starts to stink if it is wet for too long. ammonia is the answer. it even works on pee smell. (kids, people, not me) i love it. it does a great job with the smells and everything actually ends up smelling cleaner than before. why didn't anyone ever tell me about this stuff?
on to the daily buzz...
we went to jeff's work party last night. we closed down hooters. jeff and i were the last ones to leave. i had a few daiquiris and (not much, i was driving) got to meet some of jeff's co-workers. they seem nice enough. definitely different. very different. but very entertaining. everyone had a great time.
time to go...the kids took all the cushions off the couch and are now jumping from the steps to the couch. i need to catch them before we end up needing an er visit!
Monday, December 17, 2007
a weekend of crazy
cookie bake day was just ok. in the past, grandma had tons of cookies already done and we had lots of us there to bring in different cookies to share. unfortunately, my aunt was sick. she usually brought the cookies the kids decorate. and grandma decided not to do a big party this year. i guess it's getting to hard for her. maybe i will help her out and do it next year. i don't think anyone else in the family would be able to. it's kind of weird though, my mom and one of my aunts' are living there with them, you'd think that would be enough help. but my grandpa has emphysema and he has been having a tough time with it lately. maybe that's why she's having a tough time. that and their dog humps everything in sight. i swear, if he'd have jumped on one more of my kids, i would have kicked him into next week! maybe not literally (that would be pretty difficult), but seriously!
we got several inches of snow. the kids had a blast playing in it. they built an igloo, snowboarded and sledded down the pond dam (not into the pond!) and just played for hours. it's been a long time since they've been able to do that!
i've decided to edit some of my posts. it seems that if you google some of the names in my posts, they give you my blog. now i don't know why, but that makes me just a tad uncomfortable. so i am trying to figure out what exactly i will start calling people.
one of the little girl's i watch won't be at my house for a while. her mom has pneumonia. she is still in the hospital. she went in on friday, they let her leave with some meds, and then called her on saturday and admitted her. it seems the infection is in her blood stream. iv antibiotics are what they have her on. she will hopefully be home today, but that depends on how the infection is reacting to the meds. please pray for her speedy recovery. she has a husband and 4 kids that need her home!
last but not least....
peanut butter blossoms
1 and 3/4 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of shortening, 1/2 cup of peanut butter, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of milk, about 48 hershey kisses.
preheat oven to 375, mix all ingredients (except kisses) well, roll into balls about 3/4 inch diameter, bake cookies for about 12 minutes, when you take them out, press a hershey kiss in the center. (right away!) voila! best cookies ever!
this year though i made peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips. i had the chips, and with the nasty storm i decided i wasn't going to leave the house if i didn't have too. they turned out awesome. the kids ate all of my extras. 6 dozen went to grandma's house, and the kids ate 3 dozen.
we got several inches of snow. the kids had a blast playing in it. they built an igloo, snowboarded and sledded down the pond dam (not into the pond!) and just played for hours. it's been a long time since they've been able to do that!
i've decided to edit some of my posts. it seems that if you google some of the names in my posts, they give you my blog. now i don't know why, but that makes me just a tad uncomfortable. so i am trying to figure out what exactly i will start calling people.
one of the little girl's i watch won't be at my house for a while. her mom has pneumonia. she is still in the hospital. she went in on friday, they let her leave with some meds, and then called her on saturday and admitted her. it seems the infection is in her blood stream. iv antibiotics are what they have her on. she will hopefully be home today, but that depends on how the infection is reacting to the meds. please pray for her speedy recovery. she has a husband and 4 kids that need her home!
last but not least....
peanut butter blossoms
1 and 3/4 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of shortening, 1/2 cup of peanut butter, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of milk, about 48 hershey kisses.
preheat oven to 375, mix all ingredients (except kisses) well, roll into balls about 3/4 inch diameter, bake cookies for about 12 minutes, when you take them out, press a hershey kiss in the center. (right away!) voila! best cookies ever!
this year though i made peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips. i had the chips, and with the nasty storm i decided i wasn't going to leave the house if i didn't have too. they turned out awesome. the kids ate all of my extras. 6 dozen went to grandma's house, and the kids ate 3 dozen.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
a little of this and that
yesterday, i was home all day with 2 kids that had pink eye. somehow i didn't notice alex had it when he left. he got to school, and at church, his eye started itching and hurting. they called me at 9am. thank goodness i could just use the drops i got for both him and grace.
jason's girlfriend doesn't have any kids. apparently that was the other girl he had been dating. she was bartender/singlemom contemplating joining the military. he is actually dating unemployed girl contemplating joining the military while sponging off those around her. whew, what a mouthful!
that wasn't very nice of me to say. she will henceforth be known as the job-impaired girl he is dating.
that's a little more PC isn't it?
anyway, the annual cookie-bake at my grandma's is this weekend! this is one of my favorite things in the universe. i really do look forward to this day all year long. you see i have a bit of a sweet tooth. i also like to eat cookie dough. it is actually to the point they make 5 times what we need so all of us cookie dough addicts can get our fill. i think i will be making peanut butter blossoms again. those are a peanut butter cookie with a hershey kiss in the middle. awesome when fresh out of the oven.
i think tomorrow i will try to come up with a cool christmas post. we still have to put up the tree. maybe i can get the tree done tonight, and the post done tomorrow. we shall see.
jason's girlfriend doesn't have any kids. apparently that was the other girl he had been dating. she was bartender/singlemom contemplating joining the military. he is actually dating unemployed girl contemplating joining the military while sponging off those around her. whew, what a mouthful!
that wasn't very nice of me to say. she will henceforth be known as the job-impaired girl he is dating.
that's a little more PC isn't it?
anyway, the annual cookie-bake at my grandma's is this weekend! this is one of my favorite things in the universe. i really do look forward to this day all year long. you see i have a bit of a sweet tooth. i also like to eat cookie dough. it is actually to the point they make 5 times what we need so all of us cookie dough addicts can get our fill. i think i will be making peanut butter blossoms again. those are a peanut butter cookie with a hershey kiss in the middle. awesome when fresh out of the oven.
i think tomorrow i will try to come up with a cool christmas post. we still have to put up the tree. maybe i can get the tree done tonight, and the post done tomorrow. we shall see.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
ode to the beatles
yesterday, how i long for yesterday (think beatles). well, my day at the spa was fantastic! my stepmom ended up getting me a manicure, pedicure, facial, and haircut and highlight. i got there at 10 and left at 2. it was awesome...except for the fact that i ended up leaving jeff with the kids. not just the 3 he was expecting, but 7 more. you see, school was canceled due to a downed power line. so he let me know how thrilled he was. and he took the kids out to the new playtime party center for lunch. it was a very expensive trip. i think he said it was about $100 after all said and done. i was not happy. he can be so freakin' irresponsible with money. it's not like there wasn't plenty of food to feed the kids here. he just didn't want to deal with them. but anyway, the kids had a good time, and they all liked my haircut. the kids that is. jeff always says the same thing, "why do you even ask, you are going to do what you want anyway". i guess he likes the white trash look i get when i have anything but a short cut. fine hair and long hair don't play well together.
now today, i still love my hair! i also love taking antibiotics for a sinus infection and uti. i also love getting called to pick up my daughter because she looks like she may have pink eye. i love it even more when i get confirmation that she does in fact have pink eye. i love taking children to the doctor with me for my appointment and for grace's and letting my husband sleep until 1pm because he just doesn't feel like getting up. thank god for my hair cut, and my nails. atleast i can look at them and remember yesterday (all my troubles seemed so far away).
what is normal blood pressure? i was always like 120/65 or 70. today i was 140/over 80. i guess it was close enough to normal for them not to say anything. or maybe they thought anyone bringing 4 kids 4 and under to the doctor with them should have blood pressure about there. i don't know. maybe it is weight induced. who knows.
thank god for my stepmom getting me this hair cut. who would of thought something so simple could help so much.
now today, i still love my hair! i also love taking antibiotics for a sinus infection and uti. i also love getting called to pick up my daughter because she looks like she may have pink eye. i love it even more when i get confirmation that she does in fact have pink eye. i love taking children to the doctor with me for my appointment and for grace's and letting my husband sleep until 1pm because he just doesn't feel like getting up. thank god for my hair cut, and my nails. atleast i can look at them and remember yesterday (all my troubles seemed so far away).
what is normal blood pressure? i was always like 120/65 or 70. today i was 140/over 80. i guess it was close enough to normal for them not to say anything. or maybe they thought anyone bringing 4 kids 4 and under to the doctor with them should have blood pressure about there. i don't know. maybe it is weight induced. who knows.
thank god for my stepmom getting me this hair cut. who would of thought something so simple could help so much.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
it's begining to sound a lot like christmas
i am not going to post about how stressed out i am this time. i promise. i thought of something else. today, we are cleaning up so we can hopefully get our tree up today. as i sit here listening to old school rap (some fat boys, snoop dogg, and warren g) it made me think of something.
perhaps not what it may make you think of.
what is your favorite christmas carol and why?
mine is "The Little Drummer Boy". i don't think i even knew why. i tear up every time they sing the line "i am a poor boy too". i loved the movie. i remember people saying things like "why didn't he just give him the drum? why did he play it for him?" well i think it was a lesson on the gifts we give god. we can honor him in so many ways. could we just give god our children (for example)? maybe, but do we honor him more by teaching and caring for them? god doesn't want stuff. he wants us to give of ourselves. as a catholic, i hear our priest talk about the 3 T's...time talent treasure. god wants us to give of ourselves. time is first because it is hardest to give up. talent is something that is great to donate...if you have one. treasure is actually the easiest. how often do we spend a few extra dollars just for the convenience of not having to spend more time on it. we will spend $20 for shipping instead of having to go to the store and pick it up. same goes for lots of people at church. i know quite a few people that would rather give money than have to volunteer their time. that's fine. we need those people too.
now as i write this, i am thinking "after all my big talk, what am i going to do as a gift for god?". i really don't know. sometimes (alot of the time) we lose sight of what this holiday is all about. trying to get to see all our family, rushing around trying to get gifts for those we buy for, we don't take the time to think of god. for us catholics, christmas is the second most important holiday of the year. (easter being the most) i think we forget why it is a holy day.
disclaimer: by the "we" above, i was meaning my family only. i don't know about anyone else's family, and did not mean to point fingers
i am helping grace write her christmas list right now. top of her list...baby sister.
sorry babe, not happening. although jeff told her in a few years we will be adopting. and i think he plans on a girl, you know, to even it out. she seemed ok with that, but she is still asking for a baby sister.
i wonder if the next thing will be mommy and daddy's divorce...because i am sure if i came up pregnant, that would probably be next.
perhaps not what it may make you think of.
what is your favorite christmas carol and why?
mine is "The Little Drummer Boy". i don't think i even knew why. i tear up every time they sing the line "i am a poor boy too". i loved the movie. i remember people saying things like "why didn't he just give him the drum? why did he play it for him?" well i think it was a lesson on the gifts we give god. we can honor him in so many ways. could we just give god our children (for example)? maybe, but do we honor him more by teaching and caring for them? god doesn't want stuff. he wants us to give of ourselves. as a catholic, i hear our priest talk about the 3 T's...time talent treasure. god wants us to give of ourselves. time is first because it is hardest to give up. talent is something that is great to donate...if you have one. treasure is actually the easiest. how often do we spend a few extra dollars just for the convenience of not having to spend more time on it. we will spend $20 for shipping instead of having to go to the store and pick it up. same goes for lots of people at church. i know quite a few people that would rather give money than have to volunteer their time. that's fine. we need those people too.
now as i write this, i am thinking "after all my big talk, what am i going to do as a gift for god?". i really don't know. sometimes (alot of the time) we lose sight of what this holiday is all about. trying to get to see all our family, rushing around trying to get gifts for those we buy for, we don't take the time to think of god. for us catholics, christmas is the second most important holiday of the year. (easter being the most) i think we forget why it is a holy day.
disclaimer: by the "we" above, i was meaning my family only. i don't know about anyone else's family, and did not mean to point fingers
i am helping grace write her christmas list right now. top of her list...baby sister.
sorry babe, not happening. although jeff told her in a few years we will be adopting. and i think he plans on a girl, you know, to even it out. she seemed ok with that, but she is still asking for a baby sister.
i wonder if the next thing will be mommy and daddy's divorce...because i am sure if i came up pregnant, that would probably be next.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
stress extravaganza
i just have to hang on until the 11th. if i keep telling myself this, maybe i won't go totally nutso. of course i may already be.
what happens on the 11th? well you see, i called my step mom and asked her if she would mind if i made an appt for a haircut. seeing as she owns the shop, i always like to call her first. she tells me she will call me back about what day and time would be best. long story short (because the long story is long and boring) i am now going in at 9:30 for a pedi, facial, oh yeah and a haircut. is she not the best ever?
dawn's new girlfriend is in town. she is really nice. she had a horrible car accident last month. i say horrible because if you saw the car, you would have a hard time believing anyone lived. she had no major life threatening injuries. but she did have extensive damage to her left hand. the doctor said it looked like she stopped her car with her hand. she lost her index finger because it was so damaged. she broke no bones. she just had muscle trauma and major road rash on her hand. she is lucky to be alive.
i was not good company last night. we went out for jason's birthday to o'charley's. home of the kids eat free deal. being as i have 5 kids, this helps when going out as a family. but wait there's more. i also had 4 extra kids. why? well one of the girls i watch, her mom goes to school in the evening. her mother watches the kids normally because her hubby works until 9 or 10. her mother couldn't watch the kids. she had no one else to ask, so of course i said yes. she's a nice lady trying to better herself. her kids are nice kids. they were all fairly well behaved. i just was done with kids. you know you can tell when you are getting pretty stressed. i can atleast. i can feel it in my chest. i had that feeling last night. my sister in law (kim the funny one) asked me if i was ok. sure i am. but, i was thinking i might like another table...closer to the bar. she cracked up. she knows. she's lots of fun. we are definitely getting out for a girls night sometime soon.
oh rachel, no one knows about this, and i hope they never do. i wouldn't be able to make fun of them as easily if they know i'm saying it for the whole webworld to see. so shhhh!
oh yeah, i found out my dad had colon cancer. he had it removed on monday, and found out yesterday it was cancerous. they got it all, and he doesn't have to do anything else right now. but he has to have another colonoscopy done in a year. thank god my step mom kept on him about getting the test done in the first place!
what happens on the 11th? well you see, i called my step mom and asked her if she would mind if i made an appt for a haircut. seeing as she owns the shop, i always like to call her first. she tells me she will call me back about what day and time would be best. long story short (because the long story is long and boring) i am now going in at 9:30 for a pedi, facial, oh yeah and a haircut. is she not the best ever?
dawn's new girlfriend is in town. she is really nice. she had a horrible car accident last month. i say horrible because if you saw the car, you would have a hard time believing anyone lived. she had no major life threatening injuries. but she did have extensive damage to her left hand. the doctor said it looked like she stopped her car with her hand. she lost her index finger because it was so damaged. she broke no bones. she just had muscle trauma and major road rash on her hand. she is lucky to be alive.
i was not good company last night. we went out for jason's birthday to o'charley's. home of the kids eat free deal. being as i have 5 kids, this helps when going out as a family. but wait there's more. i also had 4 extra kids. why? well one of the girls i watch, her mom goes to school in the evening. her mother watches the kids normally because her hubby works until 9 or 10. her mother couldn't watch the kids. she had no one else to ask, so of course i said yes. she's a nice lady trying to better herself. her kids are nice kids. they were all fairly well behaved. i just was done with kids. you know you can tell when you are getting pretty stressed. i can atleast. i can feel it in my chest. i had that feeling last night. my sister in law (kim the funny one) asked me if i was ok. sure i am. but, i was thinking i might like another table...closer to the bar. she cracked up. she knows. she's lots of fun. we are definitely getting out for a girls night sometime soon.
oh rachel, no one knows about this, and i hope they never do. i wouldn't be able to make fun of them as easily if they know i'm saying it for the whole webworld to see. so shhhh!
oh yeah, i found out my dad had colon cancer. he had it removed on monday, and found out yesterday it was cancerous. they got it all, and he doesn't have to do anything else right now. but he has to have another colonoscopy done in a year. thank god my step mom kept on him about getting the test done in the first place!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
new girl
hey now, i know what you are thinking, "what the heck, does she not have anything better to do?". the short answer is "no i don't".
anyway, i think i may have mentioned before that we met my brother in law's new girlfriend. she seems nice enough. even with the cheek piercing. but not really his type. or atleast what i would consider to be his type. i also have heard thru the family grapevine that this girl has a 5 or 6 year old daughter. jason, jason, jason! what the heck are you thinking!
it's not that i think he shouldn't date someone with kids. that's not it at all. it's more that he was just in a 4 year relationship. it hasn't even been a year since he broke up with kristen. not to mention the rest of us (the family) are still mourning the loss! she was awesome! she was cute, perky, smart, motivated, basically perfect! we loved her. the kids all loved her. his parents loved her. every one (that counts anyway) loved her! apparently not him. this new girl will have to live up to alot.
it took jason 4 years to realize that this relationship wasn't working out. that's a long time. if this new girl has a kid, he can't just leave. we are talking a whole new kind of relationship. if you decide it's not working after 4 years, you aren't just breaking the girl's heart, you are breaking the heart of a child too. that is not something to take lightly. i hope he takes it really slow. don't meet the kid until you are sure that this is it.
this katie seems nice. i only met her for 10 minutes, but nice enough. i feel sorry for her. she is going to be compared to kristen for a very long time. (our vacation pics with kristen are still on my screensaver)
anyway, i think i may have mentioned before that we met my brother in law's new girlfriend. she seems nice enough. even with the cheek piercing. but not really his type. or atleast what i would consider to be his type. i also have heard thru the family grapevine that this girl has a 5 or 6 year old daughter. jason, jason, jason! what the heck are you thinking!
it's not that i think he shouldn't date someone with kids. that's not it at all. it's more that he was just in a 4 year relationship. it hasn't even been a year since he broke up with kristen. not to mention the rest of us (the family) are still mourning the loss! she was awesome! she was cute, perky, smart, motivated, basically perfect! we loved her. the kids all loved her. his parents loved her. every one (that counts anyway) loved her! apparently not him. this new girl will have to live up to alot.
it took jason 4 years to realize that this relationship wasn't working out. that's a long time. if this new girl has a kid, he can't just leave. we are talking a whole new kind of relationship. if you decide it's not working after 4 years, you aren't just breaking the girl's heart, you are breaking the heart of a child too. that is not something to take lightly. i hope he takes it really slow. don't meet the kid until you are sure that this is it.
this katie seems nice. i only met her for 10 minutes, but nice enough. i feel sorry for her. she is going to be compared to kristen for a very long time. (our vacation pics with kristen are still on my screensaver)
vet
haley recently told me that she wants to be a vet when she grows up. after taking the dogs to the vet yesterday, i think i am going to hold her to it. that way, instead of having to spend $360 for sami to get her shots, her heartworm preventative, and frontline, and the puppy to get her first round of shots, she would do it cheaper (for her favorite mom in the whole world), and she would have lots of money to take care of her dear parents in their old age. $360 seems like alot to me. am i crazy? this is with her only getting 6 months worth of frontline. and to have her spayed...another $180. jeff actually made the appt. why did i send him? oh wait, i remember, he didn't want to stay home with all the kids. so now i have to cancel the appt and find a place that does it cheaper. seriously, it would be cheaper to let her just keep having puppies. i also think i would rather do all the shots we can at home. it would be much cheaper, and easier on me. have you ever tried to get just one dog and 5 kids in a vet's office, and then again in the little exam room? not an easy feat. we would still have to bring them in for their rabies shots, but that's nothing. by the way, black sally weighs 15lbs. this is how much the rest of the puppies weighted 2 weeks ago. i am hoping this means that she won't get any bigger than sami. she ended up weighing 75lbs. considering how she looks right now, she is at the perfect weight.
i guess i just need to foster haley's love of animals. so for christmas, she will be getting any animal loving present i can come up with.
i guess i just need to foster haley's love of animals. so for christmas, she will be getting any animal loving present i can come up with.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
family
i went to my aunt's wake last night. she was a sweet woman, and it showed! the place was packed the entire time i was there. i got to see my aunt nancy and her husband kevin, my uncle bobby and his wife shirley, and my uncle gerry and his wife terri.
nancy is one of my dad's younger sisters.
my uncle kevin is a great guy. he was always nice to us kids. now my aunt nancy...not so much. she wasn't mean, but she wasn't nice either. she always seemed like she was uncomfortable. they have 2 kids that are 16 and 17. it makes me feel so OLD, i used to baby sit these guys!
bobby is the oldest of the 11 kids
my uncle bobby and aunt shirley are the nicest people. they were never able to have children, so they spent their time building their business up. when they sold it a few years ago, i believe they made several million dollars plus they still made a salary as consultants.
gerry is the second oldest.
my uncle gerry and aunt terri are really nice too. out of the above named aunts and uncles, i know them the best. i am around the same age as their kids, my dad and uncle gerry worked together for years, and we all got together alot when i was a kid. i found out my cousin ben (gerry's oldest son) and his wife are expecting another baby. their first child has had major health problems. i believe he stops breathing when he gets upset, or sleeping, or just plain stops breathing. his first year he was in and out of the hospital all the time. he has a trachea tube to be hooked up when he sleeps, and he is very behind developmentally. he doesn't talk, just started walking a year or two ago (and i believe he is 4 or 5). they have him in a school for autistic children now. he just started a month ago. please everyone, pray for this new baby to be healthy, and for their oldest to improve!
from what i understand, my uncle kenny and his wife ann were there too. it's a shame to say it, but i didn't recognize them. they decided several years ago, they didn't want to be a part of the family anymore. well, his wife decided anyway. we haven't seen their kids in 15 years. well, except for amanda. i saw her for the first time this past november. she happened to be at the same restaurant we were at. she went to college with my brother, so he knew who she was. i guess it's silly, but when i think of those kids, they are still little kids. last time i saw amanda, she was, i think, 8 or maybe 9. she was the oldest of their kids together. ann had a son from a previous relationship, and i believe he was a couple of years older than me. ann never got that being in a big family is different than being in a regular sized family. my grandparents had 11 kids. my youngest aunt is 9 years older than me. and i was only the second grandchild. grandparents have a harder time doting on grandkids when they still have their own kids at home. unfortunately, some people don't get that. when you marry into a large family (as i did) you have to be a little more understanding and flexible.
perhaps, i can give you my thoughts on this another time, right now, i have kids to get ready. bryan freeman is in town (his mom broke her leg really bad and is in a wheelchair) and we are going to see him and his mom.
nancy is one of my dad's younger sisters.
my uncle kevin is a great guy. he was always nice to us kids. now my aunt nancy...not so much. she wasn't mean, but she wasn't nice either. she always seemed like she was uncomfortable. they have 2 kids that are 16 and 17. it makes me feel so OLD, i used to baby sit these guys!
bobby is the oldest of the 11 kids
my uncle bobby and aunt shirley are the nicest people. they were never able to have children, so they spent their time building their business up. when they sold it a few years ago, i believe they made several million dollars plus they still made a salary as consultants.
gerry is the second oldest.
my uncle gerry and aunt terri are really nice too. out of the above named aunts and uncles, i know them the best. i am around the same age as their kids, my dad and uncle gerry worked together for years, and we all got together alot when i was a kid. i found out my cousin ben (gerry's oldest son) and his wife are expecting another baby. their first child has had major health problems. i believe he stops breathing when he gets upset, or sleeping, or just plain stops breathing. his first year he was in and out of the hospital all the time. he has a trachea tube to be hooked up when he sleeps, and he is very behind developmentally. he doesn't talk, just started walking a year or two ago (and i believe he is 4 or 5). they have him in a school for autistic children now. he just started a month ago. please everyone, pray for this new baby to be healthy, and for their oldest to improve!
from what i understand, my uncle kenny and his wife ann were there too. it's a shame to say it, but i didn't recognize them. they decided several years ago, they didn't want to be a part of the family anymore. well, his wife decided anyway. we haven't seen their kids in 15 years. well, except for amanda. i saw her for the first time this past november. she happened to be at the same restaurant we were at. she went to college with my brother, so he knew who she was. i guess it's silly, but when i think of those kids, they are still little kids. last time i saw amanda, she was, i think, 8 or maybe 9. she was the oldest of their kids together. ann had a son from a previous relationship, and i believe he was a couple of years older than me. ann never got that being in a big family is different than being in a regular sized family. my grandparents had 11 kids. my youngest aunt is 9 years older than me. and i was only the second grandchild. grandparents have a harder time doting on grandkids when they still have their own kids at home. unfortunately, some people don't get that. when you marry into a large family (as i did) you have to be a little more understanding and flexible.
perhaps, i can give you my thoughts on this another time, right now, i have kids to get ready. bryan freeman is in town (his mom broke her leg really bad and is in a wheelchair) and we are going to see him and his mom.
Monday, December 3, 2007
the very busy weekend
hello again, it's time for another installment of "the very busy weekend"!
the "breakfast for dinner with santa" (what a long long name!) went well. except for the hour i waited in line for the breakfast for dinner part. yes, an hour. i'm glad the kids ate a snack before we came up! they got pics with santa, bought some presents for each other, and ate pancakes and sausage. alex opted out of coming with us. apparently there was nothing he wanted to buy for zack at the workshop and there was no way i could get him to take a santa picture.
the craft fair went surprisingly well. we ended up with about 20 vendors and an attendance of around 100 people. i had to take the kids with me (minus alex of course) because everyone was busy. they were so good. i stuck them in a closet and locked them in...hardly heard a peep!
just kidding, i didn't lock them in. they watched a movie in there, colored, and ate untold amounts of candy. it was right behind where i was working, so it was a perfect spot. the weather was rotten, but not nearly as bad as was expected. i think we may do this again next year!
sunday was the big car club party. they raise money every year for a children's home down south somewhere. it's for kids that were neglected, or their parents are meth addicts. they try to give these kids a good christmas, so they were able to raise around $1000 for the kids. they all talked about how cute my kids are (tell me something i don't know!) and i think they all had a great time.
unfortunately, the weekend was not without it's sadness...my great aunt regina died. she was a great lady. she always had a kind word, and i believe she was my dad's favorite aunt. unfortunately she had a weight problem, and i am sure this must have been one of the reasons she died so young (only 68). it also makes me think of my grandma. it will be 10 years this may. she died 3 days after i found out i was pregnant with haley. we hadn't even told anyone yet. atleast uncle dale will have his kids, and my grandpa to help him thru this.
aunt regina, you will be missed!
the "breakfast for dinner with santa" (what a long long name!) went well. except for the hour i waited in line for the breakfast for dinner part. yes, an hour. i'm glad the kids ate a snack before we came up! they got pics with santa, bought some presents for each other, and ate pancakes and sausage. alex opted out of coming with us. apparently there was nothing he wanted to buy for zack at the workshop and there was no way i could get him to take a santa picture.
the craft fair went surprisingly well. we ended up with about 20 vendors and an attendance of around 100 people. i had to take the kids with me (minus alex of course) because everyone was busy. they were so good. i stuck them in a closet and locked them in...hardly heard a peep!
just kidding, i didn't lock them in. they watched a movie in there, colored, and ate untold amounts of candy. it was right behind where i was working, so it was a perfect spot. the weather was rotten, but not nearly as bad as was expected. i think we may do this again next year!
sunday was the big car club party. they raise money every year for a children's home down south somewhere. it's for kids that were neglected, or their parents are meth addicts. they try to give these kids a good christmas, so they were able to raise around $1000 for the kids. they all talked about how cute my kids are (tell me something i don't know!) and i think they all had a great time.
unfortunately, the weekend was not without it's sadness...my great aunt regina died. she was a great lady. she always had a kind word, and i believe she was my dad's favorite aunt. unfortunately she had a weight problem, and i am sure this must have been one of the reasons she died so young (only 68). it also makes me think of my grandma. it will be 10 years this may. she died 3 days after i found out i was pregnant with haley. we hadn't even told anyone yet. atleast uncle dale will have his kids, and my grandpa to help him thru this.
aunt regina, you will be missed!
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