Friday, December 2, 2011

Sell this house~The stranger merry go round

It's now December and were still living in our house. The new house is finally showing real signs that we've been working on it. Most of the painting is done, the carpet is in all the bedrooms, linoleum gets put in the kitchen and dining room today. There's still the hardwood floor in the living room, and a bunch of little thing that need to be done, and then of course there's the basement. But the worst of it will be done and it will be just about ready for moving in.

Now we just need to sell this house. We've had quite a few showings, at least 2 or 3 a week but no bids as far as I know. It's only been on the market for a couple months and I know that's not to bad and I'm not really stressing about the length of time it's taking, it's the showings themselves. That part is kind of a nightmare. First you have to deal with the randomness of the timing, my relator will call me with anywhere from an hour to 2 days notice, I've actually had them call me 9:50 and say someone is coming between 10 and 11. I then have to run around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to make sure the place is presentable. Because try as I might I just can't keep the house clean enough,(thanks kids for all your help on that).

Then there's the fact there are strange people traipsing through my house. I know it's necessary to sell it, but there's strangers in my house. Logically I know they could care less about my personally possessions, but it still weirds me out. I can never get this book I read once out of my head. In the book this perfectly unassuming guy would go to an open house, and after everyone else left he would stay behind by hiding under a bed or in a closet, he would then kidnap the unsuspecting female do horrible things to her and kill her. Needless to say I've had some sleepless nights and a nightmare or 2 since this process started, it definitely didn't help when one of the relators forgot to lock up on their way out.

We don't have a lock box either so someone needs to be here to let each showing in before we can leave, so I've had the pleasure of seeing most of the potential buyers and though most of them have been normal everyday people a couple have just added to my OMG I'm so going to have those nightmares tonight. One guy even looked exactly like the guy described in the book, I almost sent him away.

On top of all that it's the holidays so now I'm all stressed about weather I should go all out and do my regular decorating routine, or if that will turn off a potential buyer, but I don't want to ruin my kids Christmas traditions because someone that's looking at the house may not like my mistletoe being hung from the door way. I just can't wait till it's over and I don't have to hear the words we have someone scheduled to come look at your property today at blah, blah, blah. That will be nice.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Remembering The Band's Babies

October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Something everyone of us has been affected by in some way. Maybe you've lost a baby, maybe you've miscarried, or maybe someone close to you has gone through one of these.


So on Saturday October 15 Band Back Together will be~


Remembering The Band's Babies


The Band will have a post that will be continuously updated with your babies you want to remember. To participate please send the following to jana@bandbacktogether.com with the subject OCTOBER 15.

Baby’s name (or names for twins, triplets or multiple losses)
Dates and the cause of death (miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, heart defect, group b strep, etc.)
URL to your blog or a post about your baby(ies)
Your first name if you want it included


If you'd like to share your stories here you can e-mail me at rsavu30@gmail.com with the same information as above. We may not have our babies here with us physically, but their memories never leave us and deserve to be shared.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Yea I'm a union wife

The hubs is a United Auto Worker. He works for the company that didn't take a bailout. His father before him worked for the same company. My grandparents both worked for rival auto companies. Needless to say I grew up understanding that the UAW was important and that they were what helped keep food in my belly and a roof over my head. But I also understood then and now what they did for the labor movement. Without the UAW workers rights would have been and still would today be trampled all over. Safety would be next to non existent. I'm not saying the UAW did this on their own, lord knows unions all across this country in many different forms made a difference but the UAW is what I know. They're the ones that have taken care of me and mine for pretty much my entire life in one form or another and I'm sick and tired of sitting back and listening to people bash the union and it's members. Now I'm not naive I know they're not perfect. I know there's corruption, I know there are area's that need improvement. But I also know without the UAW there would be 10s of thousands or more men and women unemployed or working at unreasonably low wages with craptastic to no benefits. These members fought long and hard to get what they have today and without doing what they've done, people in other industries would have no map to follow to fight for their own wage increases, better benefits etc. These are hard working men and women who go to work everyday, they have earned and deserve what they get. Sure they're are some that have learned to work the system. They're are always going to be a few bad apples. But to sit and call an entire group of people lazy and worthless because of a handful of people is ridiculous. I hear almost daily how the unions did what was needed and just aren't needed any longer. Really? Do people really believe if they just went away that big business wouldn't just do away with all the hard fought for and earned rights they gained? Who would be there to make sure they were kept in line? Government? I somehow doubt it when in most places it seems our government is hard at work looking for ways to get rid of our unions. What about health and safety? Who will look out for the health and safety of the workers? Again I don't see the government doing this, they can't even look out for our poor. The wages of the union members have helped keep economies going, think I'm wrong look at areas where plants have shut down. Take away those jobs and money is no longer being spent in those areas before long those areas dry up. Flint, Michigan is a perfect example of this, and I'm sure that many of you can think of other areas this has happened to. Take away the unions all together and we go back to the days of big business being our overlords and all the rest of us being their serfs. Maybe I'm wrong and I'm just holding on because of the hubs job, maybe if he was in another industry I would feel differently but some how I doubt it. Oh and for the record the average income of an hourly worker in 2010 was not $109,000 as one idiotic Michigan news station reported, nor do workers make $58 or more and hour. The average income in 2010 was around $74,000 if that person was lucky enough to pull in overtime maybe more if they worked 65 to 70 hour weeks but I guarantee you the average was no where near what was quoted. (I know this because the hubs worked every minute of overtime his building allowed and didn't come near that and he had the highest hours in his building) and $28 an hour is the max that any worker is making without o/t. Yes they do receive pretty good benefits, but don't hate them for that.If you want to be mad that your employer can't or doesn't offer the same be mad that the system is so screwed that it's not affordable for everyone, or that insurance companies are allowed to get away with the crap they are. Either way all the ills of the world are not the UAWs fault they can only do so much and their jobs are to take care of their workers. At the end of the day unions aren't the enemy, corrupt government, to big business, and jealousy are the enemy.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

When puberty strikes

My princess is 9,her next birthday is about 5 months away and she'll be the dreaded double digits. I really haven't been that worried about this age, not like I worry about the impending teen years.

But I've noticed some changes lately that have made me realize the teen years aren't that far off, and she doesn't need to be a teenager to have things start happening that are freaking me out a little.

A couple days ago as she was getting dressed I walked in her room to hurry her along, (she is so slow in the mornings I'm starting to think maybe getting her up and hour earlier is necessary)so I walk in and notice these 2 little points poking out of her shirt. Well hell really she's only 9, I grab a cami and tell her to put it on under her current shirt and sure enough there's 2 pointy little nips poking out. What? When did this happen? This is my baby girl right? When did all this growing up start? Where the hell do I find a sports bra in her size?

At least now I am starting to understand her mood swings and emotional outbursts a little better. But cripes I thought I had a few more years. So I talked to a friend of mine with 3 girls one of which is the princesses bff, and 2 that are older and she informed me that nope it can start this early and even more fun is in store within the next 2 years. Lovely.

We've already had the talk about what she can expect when she gets her period. We had this talk for many reasons one is because the girls in our family do tend to develop young but not quite this young. I just keep hoping that this is a really slow process. But if the last few months are any indication of what we can expect it so won't be as slow as I want it to be.

I can just imagine how much fun the next oh say 5 or 6 years are going to be around here. For now I'll be planning a shopping trip for some mini sized bras oh what fun.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Choosing to let go

Some friendships last forever, some for a short period of time. Sometimes they're worth fighting for with everything you have, other times you have to make the decision to let it go and walk away.

I've recently been faced with one of these choices in this particular instance I'm going with the latter. I thought this person was a good friend I've been there for them through some serious amounts of bs in their life. But when someone decided to go all kinds of high school and bring my name into their family drama instead of talking to me like a true friend this persons first reaction was to turn on me and accuse me of things I didn't say or do. I chose not to fall into this crap, I told them I did nothing wrong,but if they wanted to throw our friendship away over this that was their choice, I wished them well and told them I was done, and that's exactly where I stand.

Since I made position clear this person has sent me several messages wanting answers at this point I refuse to respond any further. I understand they've had a rough life and have trust issues but I wont be dragged into these kind of dramatic high school games no matter who is behind them. I have more than enough going on in my own life to worry about my friends turning on me too.

It's sad and I'm sorry to say goodbye to someone I once considered a good friend but sometimes that's just the choice that has to be made. I have to do what's best for my own life and family. I wish this person the best in life and hope that they can find peace and happines in their family, unfortunately I just can't be apart of that lif any longer.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

New name same great Becky

I'm sure a couple of you noticed there was a change of name on my blog. I figured I should give a quick explanation. I received a very cordial cease an desist order, in the form of an email stating that apparently my previous blog name is already in use and has been for some time. So being the nice person I am I changed my blog name and url.I didn't really have a choice the person who had already been using it has had it since 2006 and it really is only right. She was pretty nice about it too. So if you follow me please be sure to update in you feed etc.

In happier news I finally figured out how to blog from my nook and android so there will be more posts coming in the near future.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Weekly ramblings

~The hubs worked on a buddies Mustang the other day and when he was finished he had to drop it off at work for the guy. I haven't driven a really nice Mustang like that since before the hubs sold his a few years ago so he let me drive it. The whole time it took everything I had to behave and drive like a responsible adult, especially with that damn voice in my head chanting "Drive it like you stole it, drive it like you stole it" over and over. I didn't but man did I want to. He's lucky we didn't have to take the freeway or I totally would have given in to the voice. I still keep dreaming about that damn car, now I feel the undeniable urge to steal it.

~After dropping off his buddies Mustang the hubs stopped to talk for a minute while I went to park, as I drove by I heard someone ask him if that was his daughter driving. I laughed a lot. Hubs is 32 in a couple weeks & I just turned 31. That's just funny. I asked him later about it, he said the guy thought I must be his daughter because he thought his wife was fat and ugly. Now I'm wondering what the hell the hubs says about me at work. It's driving me a little nutty wondering. 

~The last few weeks at the new house have been spent on cleaning out anything that's garbage, needs to go to the garage sale, or does not belong to someone in my immediate family or my MIL or BIL., and peeling wall paper. Lots of wallpaper, some of it painted over. For the love of all that is holy if you have wallpaper you don't like and you decide you want to paint, scrape that crap off first. You or the future owners of the house will appreciate it in the future. Besides I'm pretty sure it's like bad house juju to paint over wallpaper, or at least it should be.

~The princess is so cute the hubs and I are getting new phones and I told her I was adding her pick up and go phone onto our contract because it was cheaper. She say's "well since your getting a new one you can just give me your old one, I don't want a junky old flip phone anymore" Right darling daughter because a 9 year old who only uses their phone for emergencies and to call mom for a  ride or to say good night needs and Android 2, with a $50 a month data package. I think not lovely. Next thing I know the 4 y/o will be demanding a phone too. Sheesh.

~About those new phones I had to go to the Verizon store to get the hubs a new one since his well is useless, can't even shut his alarm off now the screen is so cracked and he's way over due for an upgrade anyway. So I go in expecting to have to deal with another airhead (the last 3 times I've been there the chicks I've dealt with have been 27 grams short of a pound) but yesterday I was pleasantly surprised by Ed he was spectacular. He understood what I was telling him about my account (that one of the previous airheads totally screwed up) the first time and was able to help me right away and he hooked me up with a free phone on top of the hubs new one so yay for once I didn't leave confused or angry by what just happened. He even let me know when he'd be in so I could bring the phones back in so he could transfer all our stuff over. Ed is my new bff at the Verizon store. I'm totally calling ahead from now on to make sure he's in.


~ I've learned that staring at things does not suddenly make what you want to happen. EX: staring into the freezer will not make the last ice cream cone reappear after someone and theived it, nor will staring at my humongous pile of dirty clothes or dishes make them wash themselves. I find this to be ridiculous. Also I want that damn magic wand I was promised in a dream.

~It occurred to me yesterday that there's only 4 more weeks left of summer vacation, this both saddened me and made me want to dance a jig. I'm sad because the sooner school starts the sooner the leaves will fall and the awful 4 letter word will come, I want to run around dancing like a crazy person because this mama needs a break from her kids. (I'm not the only on right)

~While most people I know are whining about the amazing amount of sweat inducing heat we've had this summer, I've for the most part reveled in it. I can not abide by the cold. In fact I take great issue with my parents producing me in such and arctic wasteland. I think I should become a snow bird now even though the hubs and I are no where near retirement age. Don't get me wrong I love the Mitten for about 4 months out of the year, sometimes 5.



Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Downy Unstoppables

About a week or so ago I received a nifty little package in the mail that said blogger exclusive on it. Well now my curiosity was piqued. This was the first time I had received anything as a blogger so I have to admit I was pretty excited. So I rip into the packaging and it's a full size sample of Downy Unstopables from Vocalpoint which they would like me to try out and if I would like to share my opinion on my blog they wouldn't mind.

Ok I can handle this. I like free stuff, I definitely don't mind giving my opinion so here we go.




What it is:

Downy Unstopables in wash scent booster is a new laundry scent booster. The dissolving scent beads go in before you start the wash. (They say to do it before so more scent infuses into your laundry and that the scent lasts for up to 30 days, I haven't had it for that long so I can't prove it but I can guarantee it lasts at least 8)

How to use:

1) Gather a load of laundry
2) Shake a little or a lot of the Downy Unstopables into the cap
3) Pour directly into drum of washing machine
4) Add detergent
5) Add laundry
6) Enjoy the lasting fresh scent


I decided to start with a load of towells for 3 reasons. First it was the biggest load I had, second they were all damp and starting to smell kind of funky and third I'm notorious for forgetting them in the washer for at least a few extra hours and them starting to get that smell (you know the smell).

So I liberally filled the cap and poured it in and proceeded to fill the washer with my detergent and towells. After the cycle was finished and I went to pull the load of towells out the scent was a little over powering and I decided I had been a little to liberal with the scented beads. So on the next load I cut the amount from a full cap to a little under a half cap that was much better.

It's now been 8 days and the towells and sheets that were washed with the Downy Unstopables still smell as fresh and clean as they did fresh out of the dryer.
 


Disclaimer: I received no compensation from Downy for this review. Vocalpoint did send me the sample for trial and review purposes. 

If you or anyone you know are interested in becoming a Vocalpoint member and getting the chance to sample exclusive products  and give your opinions visit their website at www.vocalpoint.com

Thursday, June 30, 2011

I'm just floored

In my last post I talked about my personal experiences with the loss of my father and the more recent leaving of my father in law. Now my father in law leaving was rough on the family but all his children are grown, he didn't abandon any of us. He is just taking a different path now in what I guess you could call his twilight years.

But the night I posted that I talked to a pretty close friend and found out her husband is leaving her and her kids. Just totally walking out on his family. This floored me, hell it devastated me. This was a couple I thought would be together forever. I've only known them for about 6 years but in that time I've seen what I would call an extremely close family, and a couple that could survive damn near anything, and from the stories I've heard they had. But not this time.

I don't know all the details and even if I did it's not my story to tell but there's some old demons that have reared their heads again. Apparently this time he just can't or won't find the strength to exorcise them. So instead this man whom I always thought very highly of is walking away from his beautiful wife, his high school sweet heart, the mother of his 3 beautiful girls, the woman whose stood by his side through everything and not just her but their children. He's just giving up on all of them and leaving, not just the home but the state. I don't understand.

I'm trying not to judge him because I haven't spoken to him, nor have I walked in his shoes. But I'm having a hard time seeing anything that makes how he's handling this situation ok. The youngest daughter is the princesses very best friend in the whole world and like a third child of ours and I can't stand the idea of anything hurting this child, and she idolized her father.

My friend is one of the most amazing, strongest women I've ever met and I had to watch her fall apart while she told me what was going on. I don't blame her for falling apart, I wouldn't expect anything less, what upsets me is that someone so strong that has been through so much in her life should not have to go through this. She should not be worrying about how to get her girls through this, or thinking what she did wrong, or to deserve this. She's not perfect none of us are but damn it she deserves happiness and to have her family. She should be making plans for family camping trips, summer bbq's, our get togethers to the beach. Not stressing out about making sure her kids don't see her upset, or worrying about getting them into counseling to deal with the fall out.

The whole situation just really suck and I wish there was more I could do. But all I can do is be here when she needs a friend and keep telling her it's not her fault. All I can say is WTF, and hope and pray that they all make it through this ok and maybe just maybe he comes to his senses and realizes everything he's walking away from.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

When fathers leave

I've been thinking about dads a lot lately. Yeah I know fathers day was over a week ago but this isn't really a fathers day post anyway. I'm talking about more when fathers leave your life for one reason or another. Be it their choice or lifes.

Ok yesterday would have been my dads 59th birthday. But my dad died 13 years ago this August, and his birthday, fathers day, the date of his death, really a big chunk of summer is really hard for me to get through with out thinking about him. Obsessing over things left unsaid. Wondering if he would be proud of the woman I became. Wishing he could have been here to see his grandbabies, would he have liked the hubs, would we be as close today as I think we would have. Regretting all the little moments he should have been here for from giving me away even though I had my amazing poppy to do that job I still wish my dad would have been here. Or for my sisters graduations, or for the births of my kids or to talk some sense into my sister when she started dating the ass jacket she's with (though I know she never would have felt the need to be with some loser like him in the first place but that's a different story altogether) there's just so many things in all our lives I know would be so different if my daddy were still here. A piece of all of us died when he left this earth and nothings ever been the same.

I think this year it's hitting me a little harder than most because of every thing going on with my father in law. Today he leaves for Romania and were not really sure were ever going to see him again. He basically gave hubs and I his house, has said he has no intentions of returning to our state at all if and when he comes back to the states and we only have a vague idea of where he will be in Romania. On top of all that the man is in his 70's and not in the best of health to begin with. It's kind of like were saying our final farewell. Only I didn't get to do that. I tried to go say good bye to him yesterday but he wasn't around like he was supposed to be. And today I won't be able to go with the hubs and kids to take them to the airport because I'm watching my girlfriends kids and I can't drag 3 extra munchkins with us.

I'll be the first to admit I'm not always my FIL's biggest fan but I still love the old guy. But most of all I  know that his leaving and the possibility of never seeing him again is really hurting the hubs. He's not saying to much about it but he loves that old man and he's gonna miss him something awful. I just hope and pray for him and the kids sake that this isn't the final goodbye. That they get at least a little more time even if it's just a visit here and there. The not knowing where he is and how he's doing is the worst.

I know in my FIL's heart he feels were all going to be fine without him.So he's not needed any longer and for the most part he's right we can all take care of ourselves. But we still want our family around, we'd like to know he's ok and to see him from time to time. I guess for now we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Update: I did manage to go for a few minutes and see my father in law before the hubs and kids took him and the wife to the airport. So I was able to say my goodbyes and was shocked to find myself choking up and ready to cry like a baby. I can't believe how heart breaking it was for me to realize I may never see the old man again. We may not have always seen eye to eye and agreed on everything but I really do love the old coot, he's family and such a huge part of my life for the past 13 years I don't know what were going to do without him around. I just hope and pray this isn't the last time we see him. The good news is this time we do have a phone number and address so we can at least stay in touch,

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Vacation fun and back to reality

The family and I just returned home from a wonderful 9 day vacation to sunny, fabulous Florida. No one really wanted to come back to the Mitten. Why would we? It's beautiful down there, the weather was amazing (I love hot, not cold) and well there was no craptastic family bs to deal with. 9 days of not having to deal with all the crap of our daily lives. It was heaven.

We went to visit my mom who I hadn't seen since last summer when we were there, and I can't even begin  to describe how good it was to see her. No matter how old I am I still miss my mom and I have to admit it kinda sucks not having her around all the time. But I guess if she has to live 1000+ miles away at least it's somewhere great to vacation.

We didn't do anything huge this year like Disney or Sea World. We did go to the Jacksonville zoo which is absolutely beautiful. Other than that we spent time with my mom and grandpa, did some shopping at the outlet mall and visited my great grandmother. Oh and of course practically lived at the beach. The beach I'm very sad I can't be at right now, the beach that I love almost as much as my family. I've been going to this beach since I was just a little one and I'll go back again for probably the rest of my life but for some reason this trip the beach was just well like home. All of us had so much fun, playing in the waves, walking along the shore, picking up shells, building sandcastles. Both kids were totally into playing in the ocean this year, even my timid little guy that wouldn't leave his tidal pool last year, this time we couldn't get him out of the water for love or money. Pretty sure they were meant to be beach bunnies not snow bunnies.

So after 9 wonderful sunny days of vacation we had to pack the van up and head back to our reality. Our reality is we our moving from the house we've lived in for the last almost 10 years into the house the hubs father signed over to us. The problem with this is my father in law is leaving town and all he is taking from the new house is his personal belongings (clothing, paperwork, a few photos) everything else is being left behind. Were talking 4 or 5 peoples worth of stuff from over 40 years. We get the pleasure of cleaning out all of it. Almost like if he passed away only without all the sadness of him actually passing. (thank goodness for that). But It's a shit ton of work, every room is full of furniture, knick knacks, clothing, etc. Not to mention that the house itself needs work.

Every room needs no less than a coat of paint and new carpet. But many of the rooms have wall paper that my wonderful FIL and his wife in all their wisdom decided to half ass paint over, some worse than others. Any room they decided to redecorate in, well fixing their work is going to be an exercise in patience not to mention a giant pain in my ass.

I'm trying really hard to be excited about the move the fact of the matter is the house is much bigger than the one were in, the payment is way cheaper and were going into it with equity already. The neighborhood is nicer, and the school district is supposed to be better. (not that the schools matter since I'm not really planning on moving the kids schools for at least another year). But there's so much work.

As if the work we have to do there isn't enough we still have to worry about packing and moving all our stuff. Deciding what were keeping and getting rid of from both houses and consolidating them.Having at least 2 garage sales to get rid of the stuff we don't want worth selling, several trips to the dump to get rid of the stuff not worth keeping or selling. Then there's finding a place for and moving my MIL and BIL which is another issue all on it's own.

All this reality pretty much smacked us in the face as soon as we returned home because you know real life waits for no one, and to make it all that much more fun we went from sunny 90+ degree days on the beach to rainy dreary and not even hitting the 70's. (Someone forgot to give Mother Nature the memo it's summer in the Mitten too).

Talk about wishing we could turn around and go back. When we got back, heard the weather for the week, started making lists and plans for all the things we needed to get started on the hubs and I looked at each other and both said we should have stayed the rest of the week and just enjoyed the last few days of our vacation before coming home to deal with this.



 



Thursday, June 2, 2011

The summer that will change everything

I usually look forward to summer vacation with as much anticipation as the kids, and this summer is no exception I do very much look forward to the break from all the craziness that is the school year. However this summer will bring with it a lot of changes that are going to shake my little family up and all I can do is cross my finger and pray that it is all for the best.

We (meaning the hubs and I) decided recently we are going to get rid of the house were currently living in and take over the house his dad wants to get rid of. If everything goes well it should be a win-win for all of us. The new house is bigger, in a better area and the payments are way more in line with our budget. Of course this wouldn't be my life if there wasn't a whole list of cons and stress factors involved.

To begin with there is of course getting rid of the house were in. But that's really the least of our worries, were kinda at the point where whatever happens, happens. Our mortgage company has screwed us around, over and under and we just can't take it anymore. We would like to be able to work something out that doesn't mess up our credit for life but we'll see how it all goes down. We are talking bank of America here and if anyone has dealt with them your well aware it's akin to bargaining with the devil.

Then there is the cleaning out, packing and moving of 2 households worth of stuff. Yes 2 houses worth of stuff. My father in law is leaving the country and decided when he signed his house over to us that with the home came everything in it. So on top of having to box up and move my entire house I have to figure out what to do with a lifetime worth of his belongings.

Luckily we will have help with that and some of the stuff is already spoken for. We know a few things are staying in the house. My MIL, BIL, and SIL are all going to go through and decide what they want and after all that has been done the rest will be sorted, boxed and transported to our house to sell in our yard/moving sale. There may possibly be 2 of these depending on the amount of stuff we have from both houses. 

As if all of these issues weren't enough to deal with there is of course the human element. The princess and lil man are both coming to terms with the idea of moving, but nothings been packed yet it's all just words to them right now. I'm not sure how well this is all really going to go over once the boxes come out and possessions move from one house to another, fingers crossed they take it all well. I have a feeling it will take some time to adjust though. On top of moving from the only house they've ever know they will be losing their grandmother who has lived with us for the last 6 and a half years. She will be getting her own place not far from us but it still won't be quite the same.


There are a few other things that keep adding to the stress level and hopefully they can be dealt with, without bloodshed or any serious arguments. But I have my doubts on a few of them I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. I do know that a few of them were not part of the equation when our decision was made and those ones will be dealt with swiftly, and maybe not so pleasantly if they become serious issues over the coming months.

In 8 days the princess will go to school for the last day before summer vacay starts, then we will go spend 2 weeks in Florida with my mom. When we get home the craziness of this move will begin and my summer will pretty much be spent cleaning, packing, painting,  oh and selling off all the stuff that none of us want.

This summer may very well change everything, I just hope it's for the better for all of us. I think if we all come together as a family and work through it we'll be fine, now if everyone can just get along long enough.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The end of an era~kinda

I can't believe it. Today is the last day of preschool for my son. It seems like just yesterday I was dropping him off and crying because he was totally ok with me leaving him, and now it's all over. It's like the end of an era or something.

This year has just flown by so fast, and been so amazing to watch him  learn and grow as a little person. When he started he couldn't read or write, his social skills were well lets say they left a little something to be desired. But now he can read many a sight word, he can write his name as well as the alphabet and most of those same sight words that he can read. He knows his abc's and 123's, he is so much more social and less shy when it comes to making new friends. He went from being utterly terrified of school to loving it and wanting to go even on the weekends and over vacations. I think more than anything or anyone else I have his
teacher to thank , she is an amazing woman who I never had a qualm about leaving my child with. She's now taught both my children and they are both better for it. She's a very special woman, one of those rare teachers these days that you know is in the profession 100% for the kids and the love of teaching not just because she needs a job. Unfortunately the economy has been hard for our district like so many others and our preschool is being effected yet again, and though she'll have a job in the fall she doesn't know where at the moment but where ever it may be I hope the parents that get her next year realize how lucky they are to have such a caring, wonderful teacher for their kids. I wish her the best and will miss seeing her at our school, but I know there are still many generations left that will benefit from her.

As for my baby boy he'll head off to kindergarten next fall fully prepared because he had someone as wonderful as her guiding him this year. I have no doubt he'll be ok, because she would never let him go if he wasn't ready. Now if I can let him go is a whole nother issue. 


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

When did I start hating the phone

In my younger days like many a teen girl I pretty much had a phone glued  to my ear. Now my teen years are way back in the dawn of time you know right before everyone had a cell phone and texting was the norm, before any of us really knew what the internet was, let alone how to email or IM. The most advanced gadget we had was a pager which was just a way for someone to get you to call them when you weren't at home.

So the phone was my go to communication device for obvious reasons. When I turned 18 I got my first cell phone, nothing fancy still just a way to make and receive calls. Which was fine, I was a talker and that was all I needed. After a couple years I upgraded to push to talk cell ( the walkie talkie like Nextel/Sprint phones) still these phones were all about talking. It wasn't until I was in my mid 20's I got my first phone that took pictures and could text message. Now I adored these new features but I was still a talker. I've since upgraded a few more times and now have the do it all Droid 2 with more features than I even know how to use.

Somewhere along the way I stopped being a talker. Now and then I like to have an actual conversation, but for the most part I would rather text, email or FB than pick up the phone and talk. It has nothing to do with the people on the other end of the line, I don't love them any less, I just don't feel like talking. Now weather this change has more to do with me aging and changing or the changes in technology making it so much easier to be less personal I don't know.

Recently I've come to pretty much despise the phone for it's intended purpose. I'm happy to use it to text, email, post an update or a tweet,or play a game of angry birds, just don't ask me to make a phone call. I forget to call people back even the ones I really intended to call, if you have a cell and especially the same service provider I will text instead of calling . When it rings I get all annoyed without having a clue who it may be, just the ringing annoys me, and it's not the ringtone I've tried changing it, it doesn't help. I don't know exactly when my feelings about talking on the phone changed or why, but I actually kind of hope I get over it. I'm starting to feel like an asshole, shut in, whose not going to have any friends left because I can't be bothered to pick up the phone and return a call, or answer when they call me.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Veggie garden time

I love spring for so many reasons. The weather is starting to warm up, Yay! No more snow, another Big Yay. Grass is starting to grow, leaves start coming back, my flower beds start filling out again. My flower beds are a huge thing for me since I finally got them just about where I want them a couple years back and very little tweaking needs to be done to them each spring. Just the basic clean up and weeding and I can sit back and just watch all the hard work I put into them come back again and again. I love that.

But one of my favorite parts of spring is planting my garden (my vegetable garden). Every year I try and every year something goes wrong. Something will grow but only one year did everything I put in the ground actually grow and yield fruit or veggies. But this year I have a feeling things are going to be different. I haven't done anything massively different, it's just a feeling.

I started most of my seeds indoors in greenhouse flats, this is nothing new I've tried this before and failed miserably. But this year I waited until the middle of April and things began sprouting almost over night. I now have over half of 2 flats filled with starter plants that will be ready to go into the ground by next week as long as all chances of frost are gone. That shouldn't be a problem, but this is Michigan and it's not unheard of to get frost in the last week of April but I think by next weekend we should be safe.

I'm super excited about having fresh veggies all summer from my own garden. Last summer we had tomatoes,cucumbers, and peppers and just having those 3 things fresh on a regular basis was amazing. Not to mention money saving since we eat a lot of salads around here. I also love teaching my kids about providing for themselves, as well as others since any excess we have that we won't be able to use or can in time we will donate to local shelters or food banks. The kids will help with everything from planting, to weeding, harvesting, and if all goes well canning and preserving for winter. They will also go with me to donate any extras.

Until then I will be dreaming of all the fresh yumminess  that will hopefully be coming from my own backyard in the next few months. How about you, do any of you have plans for backyard gardens? If so what will you be planting?


Monday, April 11, 2011

Going to the North

This past weekend the hubs and I decided to take the  munchkins and all our toys up north. For those of you unfamiliar with Michigan lingo that is any where north of the thumb area where we reside. In our case it was about 5 hours 200 and some odd miles. When we told the kids we were going up north my son (the 4 y/o) immediately started saying we were going to the north, like were from the Confederacy and were heading into Yankee territory.

So we pack up the kids and the 4 wheeler, and dirt bikes, and go~kart, and hit the road in the wee hours of the morning. It was fairly nice weather in our area and all the snows been melted for at least 2 weeks. We get to our friend T's land at around 9:30 a.m and it's a little chilly but not bad definitely not bad enough to explain the large patches of un~melted  snow everywhere and still frozen ponds. We unloaded set up and gassed up all the the machines.

We  explored a few trails that didn't work out so well due to the snow,and we all look forward to getting back up there and seeing them when they're clear. But we did find some really great riding after awhile. The day warmed up and we found a pretty perfect clean path that the Princess was able to ride like a pro I swear I think she is better than me on a 4 wheeler, Apparently the go~kart is a pretty smooth ride or the boy was just that tired cause he actually nodded off at the end of the day in the passenger seat (wish I had a picture). For once the hubs actually got to let off some steam since I was there to watch the princess while he road his dirt bike.

A  couple really good old friends of ours were with us too, our friend T whose place it is we stay at and his cousin will just call him K. Anyway the princess had a grand time chasing them down on their 4 wheelers and trying to race them. She cracks me up sometimes last weekend she was at a pom competition, this weekend she was riding around on a 4 wheeler chasing down grown men and getting all muddy and loving every minute of it. Not to be out done the boy would backseat drive from the passenger seat of the go~kart and demand I catch the princess as she was not to win. 

We only got 1 day because the next morning we woke up and it was cold and raining like crazy. Everything was just a huge mud puddle mess. Which would have been all kinds of fun if a) it wasn't cold and b) we had more clothes but we had already gone through everything. But our buddy goes up every couple weeks, so we can go back up just about anytime and stay longer. Now it's just a matter of figuring out when our schedules mesh.

Oh well I'm not complaining even that 1 day away with the family to just go hang out and have fun doing something we all love together that really is just priceless.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Another Saturday another Pom competition

The princess and her pom team had Tri~States yesterday. It's like the 4th competition  shes's done in as many months. But for the first time I think she really enjoyed herself. She loves pom and she loves performing, but the being there all day is kind of boring for her.

Usually we all go as a family to her competitions, but this weekend the hubs had to work, and this one was a 2 hour drive one way on top of being an all day thing so I got my little sister to babysit the boy for me, because otherwise I would have spent the whole time running up and down bleachers telling him no and pulling my hair out. So it was just me and the princess. Which was kind of nice we don't get a lot of time just me and her.

On the drive there we talked about what she didn't like about comp. and mostly it's just how long it is and that she gets bored. I asked her if she ever watched the show or if she just hung out with her friend.She said no she never really got to watch , because her one friend didn't want to, and she was still getting to know the other girls because this is her first year on the team, and most of them have been together for 2 or more years. So I suggested that when she wasn't practicing with her own team she actually try to watch the other teams performances and if her one friend didn't want to watch then she could come sit with me or try hanging out with some of the other girls who were sitting down to watch.  When we got there the baton teams were still going on, and her team mates were all loosely gathered so we found seats in that general vicinity got her stuff together and off she went to visit. But every once in awhile she would come find me and sit down for a few to take in the other teams.

When it came time her team went out there and totally rocked. They performed twice once for open and once for championships. They placed 1st for open and 2nd for Championship. Yay!!!

On the way home she was exhausted but in a better mood than she normally is after a comp. I asked her if this one was better for her than the ones before and she agreed that yes it was. She had more fun, she actually liked watching the other teams, even the ones she was hoping her team would crush, she was starting to make more friends and that made a world of difference as well. She also really liked that it was just me and her and no little bother running around annoying her all day. Can't blame her there he can be a pain in the rear.

So all in all even though it was a long, exhausting day she was pretty happy about it all in the end. Now we have a break until the next one in May.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I'll love them even if they're gay

I read a blog this morning that got me thinking about what I would do if one of my children came home and told me they were gay.It's something I've thought about before, and even discussed a little bit with the hubs.

But after reading some of the stories in the news about a certain not so nice church group whose name I won't mention because that's what they want and reading this lovely blog it got me thinking some more.

How would I really respond if my beloved son walked in the door and said "Mom this is Mark, he's my boyfriend and I love him". I think I would have no problem embracing my son, telling him how much I love him and letting him know that he is who he is and no matter who he loves, none of that will change how I feel about him. Same goes for my daughter. She's a little older and already talking about boys so I don't really think there's much chance of her bringing a girlfriend home, while my son is only 4 and still thinks girls are icky and not anywhere near the stage where dating is on his radar. But you never know it's still awfully early in the game for both of them, and at this point they don't know who they are so I'm sure as hell not going to try and figure out what their sexuality may be in the distant future.

I can't say I don't have hope that they'll both be straight, and go on to live what most of us consider normal lives. But not because I see anything wrong with being gay or even because I think the lives of homosexuals are abnormal. But because I know how hard it can be for them. I want nothing but the best for my kids, I want them to lead long, happy successful and productive lives. If in the end they lead those lives as homosexuals that really is fine with me, and I will do everything in my power to make sure those lives are just as long, happy and productive as if they were straight. Because at the end of the day their sexuality wasn't a choice they made, it's who they are just as much as their Italian/Romanian/Irish heritage. I'll never stand by and let someone put my children down or make them feel less than for being who they are. Be it over the color of their skin, their culture, or sexuality.

If the day comes that one of these beautiful vibrant souls, that I gave life to comes to me and says I'm gay I will embrace them just like any other day and love them just the same. My only hope is that they find someone worthy of them regardless of their sex, race, or religion.

Friday, March 25, 2011

For Paige

 This blog is copied from Tiffany at mom-nom.com  it was a story I just had to share. 

 

For Paige…

I’m terrified I won’t do this family the justice they deserve.  However, I also feel I will be doing them a disservice if I don’t tell you all about a little girl named Paige Ryan…and how you can help the world remember her.
Over the last year many of our online friends have had babies.  Several had them premature – including a girl I love dearly,  Jenny from What’s the Blog? – I’m sure you know her and her adorable triplets by now.  Many of our lives have been touched by the miracles that occur in NICU’s all across the country, everyday and the amazing research that the March of Dimes and other organizations do that help save lives…
Paige and Patrick were  born at 23 weeks old on February 9.  Many of you know, just from hearing those words, that the severity of this birth was rather high.  To make matters even more complicated, their daddy was in Fort Bliss, preparing to deploy to Iraq for his second tour…looking forward to coming home in May for the twins’ arrival.
At birth, Patrick weighed in at 1 pound, 7 ounces and Paige weighed 1 pound, 5 ounces – and they were beautiful - just like their parents.  As you can imagine, their first few nights were rocky, unstable at best.  Fortunately the Army had given Shannon a little over a week for emergency leave – so Amanda had him by her side  – and together they were finally a family of four.
Unfortunately, after a week of fighting for her life, Paige Ryan passed away at Nationwide Children’s Hosital.
Her daddy and mommy were by her side.  Her brother nearby.  And, as you can imagine, they are devastated.  
Patrick is still fighting – currently they are trying to figure out his stoma/bowel issues and hoping to regulate his blood pressure.  While Amanda stays in a Ronald McDonald home at the hospital, their daddy is on his way to Iraq.  Everyday Amanda updates all of us on her CaringBridge site.  She shares her highs and lows and allows us to share them with her.
And everyday I read her words and can’t imagine what she is going through.
So there you have it, friends.  A mother, like us, has just lost her daughter.  She has a son fighting for his life.  And her husband is in Iraq, serving his country.
Can you take a moment, for me, and wrap your brain around that?
And what are they asking people for?  What is the one thing that is on their mind constantly? 
How do they help the world remember Paige Ryan? 
How can they ensure their daughter is not forgotten?  That her legacy lives on?
And, in the midst of their sorrow and sadness, they have started the Paige Ryan Project.
Directly from Amanda & Shannon -
During the past month and a half, we’ve quickly realized there’s not much about this whole situation we can control. It literally has been a rollercoaster ride, full of short-lived highs and the lowest of lows, and will continue to be for many more months to come. We’re experiencing things so incredibly heartbreaking – the loss of our daughter and watching our son struggle with daily obstacles – that sometimes it’s difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But we continue to be hopeful and focused on the things we can control – how we respond/overcome, how we choose to remember our little girl and how we can help other families.
For those who know us well, you know we’re not ones to sit back and wallow in our hardships. Fairly soon after we lost Paige, we discussed what we could do to help others. We weren’t sure exactly what we wanted to do, but we agreed our little girl deserved a legacy. Her life, though short, had a purpose and as her parents, we want to make sure it is carried out.
We were surprised at how many husbands and wives are in similar situations as ours. One of them may not be deployed to Iraq, but many are separated just the same. There’s a couple in our unit from the UK who had their baby while on holiday here in Columbus. The mom is still here with their baby while the dad is having to remote parent from England. There’s another couple from North Dakota – the dad had to go back home for work and the mom is now here alone. So as you can see, we’re not the only ones relying on technology to communicate during a time when spouses need each other most. Unfortunately, many families in the NICU cannot afford laptops, ipads and/or webcams. So an experience that is already hard enough is made harder because of the limited tools available to communicate with loved ones, especially those who are far away.
With this in mind, we’ve decided to start a fund within Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The Paige Ryan Project will support the hospital’s technology efforts, specifically by purchasing ipads for the NICU in Paige’s memory. Families will be able to borrow an ipad when they are in the unit visiting with their baby. This will enable them to skype with family members, update their CaringBridge sites, research important medical information about their child, etc. right from the bedside. It really will be an invaluable resource for so many.
If you’d like to show your support by making a donation, please make checks payable to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and mail it to Cathy Kellerman at the address below. You can also call in credit card donations to Cathy as well. Please reference Paige Bibbee on all donations. All donations are tax deductible.
Cathy Kellerman, Foundation Director, Donor Relations
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
700 Children’s Drive
Columbus, OH 43205
Cathy.Kellerman@NationwideChildrens.org
614.355.0817
Shannon and I may never be the same after all of this, but we’re hoping to somehow emerge a stronger couple, more appreciative parents and even more compassionate people. With your support, and with the help of our own special guardian angel, we know it’s possible.
Thank you all for everything,
Shannon & Amanda
My challenge to you is this:
Donate $5.
Skip your lunch today.
Don’t buy your Starbucks.
And, donate.
Give this family the joy they so desperately deserve.  Help them build the legacy for their daughter – a daughter they never got the chance to fully know.   I know you are all generous people.  I know you understand the depths of this.
I know you know what this would do for their grieving souls.
And, even if you can’t donate, I would really appreciate it if you would help me spread this message.  Either by Tweeting my post, copying and pasting my post onto your own blog or emailing it to your friends.  This is the greatest gift I can give them right now. 
I owe them this.
For Paige

Thursday, February 24, 2011

She'll find her way

I have this incredible woman in my life, she means well almost as much as my kids and hubs to me. I won't say who she is exactly because this is her story and she deserves to stay anonymous till she's ready to come out with it on her own. But for now I have some things I have to say about the whole situation that just can't be kept silent.

Here's the back story: this exceptional young woman meets and falls for a guy who everyone knows isn't really good enough for her, but she cares about him so we all put up with the guy because we love her.We even go as far accepting him and trying to give him a chance , even though we all have our reservations.  He's not what any of us would have asked for, for her. She had ambitions and goals, plans for her future. Him well he's content to sit around and play video games and let her take care of him and work bs odd jobs now and then to get gas and cigarette money. After awhile she finds herself pregnant, no one is thrilled but again we love her and stand behind her decision to keep the baby. The guy doesn't run off, but neither is he a grade A catch. He still isn't working a real job, he's collecting unemployment ( I won't get into how he is doing this when he didn't actually work the job he's collecting for) So during the whole pregnancy he doesn't work but she does, up until  she can no longer do her job (she was housekeeping in a hotel, cleaning with chemicals yo) but she does look for other work after leaving this job, but it's not easy finding work when your out to there preggers.

When the baby was born he still wasn't working, but finally went out and found work when unemployment benefits ran out a few months later. Can you say lazy, good for nothing. He didn't bother to look once during the time he was collecting those benefits he chose to wait until they were exhausted and hope he'd get lucky. She on the other hand began looking immediately after her six week post natal appointment with the Ob.
He did get lucky and found a decent job working afternoons, she also found work pretty quickly.Her mom watches the baby for them to help them save on the cost of a sitter. Here's one of the things that really burn mine and just about anyone who hears it's ass he works Mon-Fri on the weekend if she works you'd think he could keep his son. Nope she has to have her mom or someone else babysit so she can work because he can't handle it when the baby gets whiny. Apparently he's even said he'll just get rid of the kid if she leaves him with him. Throat punch anyone?

Most of us noticed over time she was gradually becoming more and more unhappy, I began to suspect  postpartum depression, but I also knew there was something going on at home with him. Her and I had always been super close but now getting her to confide in me was like pulling teeth. She went from telling me everything to slowly but surely shutting me and everyone else out and telling us what she thought we wanted to hear.

I began suspecting that not only did she have a case of postpartum but that the boyfriend was abusive both physically and mentally. I had no proof and she wasn't telling me anything but I've known her all her life and she just can't hide things from me. Other people had suspicions that they had come to me with, bruises they had seen that were clearly from someones hand gripping an arm to tight, marks near the neck that were not hickeys, and then of course there was her behavior. At first she defended him, and made excuses, then slowly she began to let on how unhappy she was. I began to tell her I what I thought was happening and that's when I knew I was right when I told her I thought he was abusive she didn't even try to deny it this time.

The other shoe finally dropped this week I don't know if she finally hit that wall or what but she remembered who I was and that she could trust me and finally opened up to me and told me whats been going on. For the last 2 years maybe a little longer. Sadly I was right about him. The good news is she says she's ready to make a stand and take her life back, she's scared but she knows he's not going to change and her and her son deserve better.  So she's making plans to start over without him, to get him out of her house and her life, figuring out how to tell the people in her life that matter and need to know whats been going on.

It's not going to be easy for her, and unfortunately she does share a child with him and if he wants to see his son and doesn't do anything to stupid  he will have that right ,she will have to continue to have him in her life but she gets to choose now how far into that life he gets. She will have the control now, because with the help of those who love her she's going to learn how to take it back.

I just pray that she sticks to her guns and does what she know she needs to do, and doesn't let him dupe her into believing he will get better and that anything will change. As a former victim of domestic violence I know all to well they talk a good game but in the end the only way that next hit will be the last is if you leave.

Baby girl if your reading this don't be mad, your story is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. I meant what I said when I told you the only one who holds any shame in this is him. Your doing the right thing by making him leave both for you and your child, what happens to him is not your concern yours and your sons safety and happiness comes first. I'm with you every step of the way, the rest of them will be too. You have a lot of people who love and care about you and no one will be disappointed in you, I promise. If one single person gives you any shit they'll have to deal with me, I don't care who they are understand. No one is going to step on you anymore I will not allow it. I love you doll, time for you to start loving yourself again because your totally worth it.


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The political war on women ~It starts with healthcare, but where will it end~

I usually try to stay away from most things political. I'll be the first to admit I don't fully understand all the legal jargon, but as a woman and a mother I just can't stand back with my mouth closed any longer. Every day I read or hear something more disturbing and we females are the target of this bullshit.

For years there have been raging debates about abortion. I've personally never had one, but I do know a couple people who have. That was a choice they felt they had to make at that time in their life. It was a choice that wasn't made lightly, and it was a choice that was only theirs to make. I don't feel anyone has the right to make that choice for another, no matter what your beliefs are you don't have the right to push them on another. You don't know where someone is in their life or in their head. Yes there are women who would love to have a baby and can't, who would happily raise that one, it still comes down to it's her body and her choice. There are all kinds of arguments for pro-choice and pro-life it all comes down to individual beliefs and choices. You choose for you and I'll choose for me. That's what free will is all about.

Now we have issues like no health insurance coverage for abortion. Ok my personal opinion here is unless it's for a medical necessity, such as the health of the mother is in jeopardy, or in the case of rape or incest, that insurance should not have to cover abortion.  I'm not sure about anyone elses views on this, but that's mine. But now there are certain lawmakers trying to change the definition of rape to only force able rape.   So unless you've been beaten you will no longer be covered? Rape is rape, weather you were beaten, drugged, fought back or not. In some cases a rape victim is so afraid they don't fight because they are just to terrified or there is a weapon being held on them, what about the victim of incest? Should any of these victims be forced to carry a pregnancy full term that came from a crime committed against them because some fat, pompous bureaucrat didn't feel that what they went through was traumatic enough to be considered "rape". The wounds these women and girls suffer may not be visible to the naked eye but they are there just the same and are only going to be made that much worse by being forced to either a) carry an unwanted pregnancy full term or b) seek out a back alley abortion that they can afford that may possibly cause them further damage or even  death.

There has also been bills introduced in congress that will allow doctors and hospitals to deny abortions as health saving measures to pregnant women who could quite possible die if the pregnancy continues. So in other words if the doctor or hospital decides the life of the unborn child is more important than that of the mother oh well. Mom could quite possibly forfeit her life and there is no legal recourse because again some asshole in the government decided she wasn't that important anyway.

Congress is also trying to end all federal funding for Planned Parenthood. I know many pro-lifers would like everyone to believe that Planned Parenthood is an abortion machine. They're not. These clinics help so many low income women and teens across America. With things like birth control, cancer screenings, low cost yearly exams, pregnancy planning and care as well as adoption help and yes if you choose that route abortion choices. This one hits close to home for me. As a teen I used the resources they offered from getting my low cost yearly exams, and cheap birth control  and free condoms (which helped keep me from becoming a statistic). When I was 21 and took a home pregnancy test that came out positive it was to Planned Parenthood I first went to get my blood test and letter to help me get insurance. Not once did they try to convince me to abort my child. They loaded me up with information on how to stay healthy and resources to help me as my pregnancy progressed. They did inform me of my options, but that's what they are there for to help women and teens get all the information and health resources that they can.

I also read recently that a bill was introduced in South Dakota making it legal to kill an abortion doctor if you disagree with the abortion. To this I say WTF. So you call abortion murder, but this is ok. A woman can't choose to end the life of a group of cells growing inside her own body, but you can now choose to end the life of a living breathing fully grown human being that has a life, family, and probably children of their own that are also living breathing human beings? Seems to me there are some seriously screwed up priorities not to mention not quite right in the head people in the government of that state.

Today I read North Carolina introduced a bill to establish "choose life license plates" which will create funding for "crisis pregnancy centers" you know the ones that will blatantly lie to women about how far along they are, about how abortions are performed, and any number of other things just to keep them from making an informed choice with their own bodies. If they aren't offering funding for Planned parenthood should they really be funding these types of clincs?

I'm sure there are more I've missed here and I may have not gotten these exactly right but this is the gist of it. Basically the government is out to put women and our health back in the dark ages and once they've done that it's only a matter of time before they find ways to start taking all of our hard fought for rights away. There is a reason for seperation of church and state and this craziness going on today is it. When men get it in their heads that they know whats best for a woman and her body there is a major problem, everyone of these men need to be removed from office and someone needs to start telling them what they can and can't do for awhile. Let them see how it feels to be treated like a second class citizen.

It's time for these men to realize without women they wouldn't exist, we are just as important as them and we deserve the same rights as them. We deserve, no we demand the right to have the say over what is done with our bodies and our health because we know better than some man what is best for us. What does a man know about being pregnant? What right does anyone have to tell you or me we must go through with a pregnancy we don't want for any reason? What right does anyone have to say well the babies life is more important than the life of the mother? What right does anyone have to say my religious beliefs are more important than your health?

H.R.3. No Tax Payer Funding for abortion act

H.R 358  Protect Life ACT

H.R 217 Title X Abortion Provide prohibition act

South Dakota Moves to Legalize Killing of Abortion Providers

Choose Life license plate

So ladies educate yourselves, talk about it, tweet, blog, put it on your facebook. Write and call your state officials make your voices be heard before they find a way to silence us all. There are far more of us than them if we stick together and stand up for ourselves and our rights they won't win.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

My angel baby

Today my baby girl turns 9. It's a bittersweet day for me, like most moms. It's a joyful day because I've gotten this beautiful little person through another year healthy, happy and even better she's flourishing. But it's a little sad because she's another step farther away from that sweet chubby cherub I brought home. Another step closer to womanhood and leaving me for bigger and better things.

I know my main goal as her mother is just that, to equip her to go off into the big bad world and take it on and succeed at whatever she chooses. This I have no doubt she will one day do, what saddens me is that one day is not as far off as it use to be, she's not so little anymore everyday that passes she's closer to her destiny whatever that may be. Everyday she seems a little more wise, a little more grown up and she's not even trying it's just the natural development of a growing girl.

For now I will just enjoy every minute I have with her. This precious child of mine who came into my life and changed everything. My little angel who saved me and made me a better person than I could have ever been without her. I barely remember the days before she joined us here on earth and I don't ever, ever want to imagine a day without her. I am still amazed that this beautiful girl with a heart of pure gold, is mine. I don't know what I did to deserve such a wonderful gift in my life because that's exactly what she is a gift, an angel sent straight from heaven to love me as much as I love her.

I know as a mother it's my job to brag about my kids but with her it's so much more she really is special. She's almost abnormally well behaved and has been since the day she came home. She was a quiet happy baby, an easy toddler, and so far a wonderful student.  She's the kind of friend you want for your little girl, she's sweet, and sensitive, she is understanding, sympathetic, empathetic, loving, and fun. She rarely gets upset and when she does it's usually for a very good reason, like someone else being wronged. She is truly a joy to have around, and I've been told that by many of her friends parents so I'm not blowing smoke.

One day she will grow up and leave home, go off to college, have a career, marry some incredibly lucky man, and maybe have babies of her own.She'll probably do something really amazing because that's who she is.  But no matter what she does in this life or where she goes she will always be my angel baby.

So with tears in my eyes, love in my heart and a smile on my face I wish my angel baby a very Happy 9th Birthday. Mommy loves you with all that she is baby girl.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

9 Years ago today

I was still waiting ever so impatiently to meet my baby girl. I was large and waddled when I walked, everything ached, my ankles (well what were once my ankles) hurt and were always swollen, as were my feet, and lets not get started on my back. Today was my due date or at least my second due date I had passed the first one days ago. I knew she was coming soon but it wasn't soon enough I was miserable, not to mention I was so over waiting to meet the little hellion who had moved in and had been partying it up inside my womb for the last 9 months. (And I mean partying the girl never stopped she was always moving, and if I was driving oh sweat baby jesus, she beat on me I had internal bruising for years, may even still have it)

So while impatiently waiting as many a soon to be mama will do (maybe) I went shopping with my mom and a dear friend. I remember feeling a little off all morning but can't put my finger on anything in particular. Then came the definitive moment we were at the dollar store, I had wandered off down one of the aisles, and this horrible hot blade of pain shot straight through my girlie bits and almost toppled me to the ground. Thankfully there was a sturdy rack to hold onto and I managed to stay upright. The pain passed after a moment and I was ok, a little shaken and felt this pressing need to use the rest room (real unusual for a 9  1/2  month pregnant woman right) I found my mom and friend but didn't say anything because I thought it was one quick pain and nothing else was happening so why get excited yet. We finished our shopping and left, as we headed home I mentioned the incident in the store and the both began to laugh hysterically at me and told me in unison "your in labor" I didn't know weather to believe them and if they were right weather to laugh, or cry. Was this really it, was it time?

Turns out it was but not for quite a few hours. I went home and didn't have anymore pains for maybe 2 or 3 hours from the first. Around 4 or 5pm my water broke, but I didn't know this until much later.( I thought I was using the restroom, a lot) I made dinner for the hubs because I needed something to do, but then couldn't eat it. I was becoming more and more miserable but I knew that it was going to be awhile, at this point I didn't think my water had broke, my contractions were 10 minutes apart at least so I figured I'd ride it out at home as long as possible. No sense going to the hospital just to go through being all inspected (which is no freaking picnic) and told oh you've got awhile go on home. So I took a bath, then an hour later another bath, I tried to sleep, that didn't work so I walked, I sat, I layed, finally I took a really long shower. By then it was 1a.m and the contractions were 5 minutes apart. I figured ok nows a pretty good time to say screw it and head on over to the hospital.

When we got there I was examined and it turned out my water had been broken for quite some time. An iv was started, I was admitted and the waiting game began. I was only dialated to a 1 at 2:30 a.m by 10:30 a.m nothing had changed. Doctors deceided  to start a Pitocin drip, let the good times roll. I was on that drug for 3 hours and it was 3 hours of hell. My contractions went from every 3 minutes to every other minute and they lasted a minute to a minute and a half each time. They hurt so bad I was crying, not screaming but tears streaming down my face from pain, and I couldn't stop them, I tried. Those 3 hours were in the end pointless, I never dialeted past a 1 and they did an emergency c-section.

I was honestly 100% fine with the surgery, I've never felt robbed of a natural birth.I know many women have their perfect birth plan and that fine,but not me I didn't care one way or the other how she was born, my only goal was the end result that she was born healthy, and that she was.

Baby Girl was born 9 years ago tomorrow at 2:13 p.m weighing a healthy 8lbs 4oz. and measuring 19 inches long.


Saturday, February 5, 2011

Super Mario Brothers bringing families together

I've loved Super Mario Brothers games since the first Nintendo back when I was a kid, and their world was flat and when you died it took you back to the beginning of the game. So when I found the newer versions they have out now for  the Wii, I was geeked. I wanted them not just for me (to be honest I really wanted to play those games) but to share in all that was fabulous about that evil Bowser fighting, Italian plumber Mario, his brother Luigi, Princess Peach ( you know the chick who can't seem to stop getting kidnapped), and all the crazy looking dudes that live in their world.

It started about 2 years ago when they got the Wii system & The Super Mario Wii  game along with a few other games. They played Mario here and there but they just weren't into it like I was. My daughter enjoyed playing it more than my son,  he was only 3 and little  young for it. So the girl and I would play now and then,  but it was more a game I played when no one was around. Then they saw previews for Super Mario Galaxy 2 ( I didn't even know a Super Mario Galaxy 1 existed) but that game they wanted. We waited awhile to see if they mentioned it again and they did, several times.So for Christmas this year they got Mario Galaxy 2.

This game has been a huge success with both kids and myself. The graphics are pretty amazing and the colors are great. The levels and worlds are something else. The kids and I love playing and trying to figure out what's going to happen next, or what in the world the creators were thinking when they came up with a particular part of the game.

There are a few down sides to the game though we love to play together and to be honest multilayer mode is less than spectacular. You can only play with 2 players and the player 2 part is very limited, you have very little independent movement from player 1, if player 1 dies so does player 2.  It's an ideal part for my 4 year old to play but my 9 year old wants to play with me and she want a little bigger part in the game than to be a helper star as my kids call it. 

We have worked out a solution for the most part. The girl and I take turns being Mario so we each get to be the head guy and really because the girl is way better at some things than me. Who knew my kid would be able to school me on one of my favorite games. While we take turns with Mario the boy is the helper star, and sometimes the girl will take turns with him if I'm being Mario. He doesn't like being Mario yet so we pretty much just let him keep his controller.

We don't spend all of our time in front of this game by any means but right now it's winter and we live in the state shaped like a mitten. We also just got a ton of snow, and it currently snowing again. My kids don't love snow,I totally don't love snow, so they'll play in it a couple times, but other than that were inside so if I can find something that we all enjoy doing together and were getting along, well I'm all for it. So right now I'm thanking the heavens above for the makers of Mario Galaxy 2 because it has made plenty of crappy, cold, gray days go a whole lot smoother and stopped a lot of screaming and bickering not to mention helped make some amazing family memories.

I'm not endorsing hours of video game play, but if your sitting down as a family and interacting with one another that I'm endorsing.


Disclaimer: I received no form of compensation from Nintendo (or whoever else it would be) and the opinions stated here are solely mine

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Art in an Envelope~ Teaching third graders about Chagall~

My daughter came home from school recently with a letter requesting parent volunteers for a program called Art in an envelope. I was intrigued and figured here was a good way to volunteer my time to her school. First off  I haven't had many chances to do much with her and her end of the building, it seems all my time is spent with my son in the preschool wing. Second I love art and there aren't any art classes for these kids so yay win-win. Third I plan to enroll hopefully in the spring to get started toward my teaching degree and here's a great way to introduce me to some of what I have to look forward to in my future career choice.

Today I met with the head of the program and 2 of the other volunteers and we discussed the basic curriculum, what would be expected of us, what grades each of us would be teaching, the artist and painting that we would be teaching about etc. The meeting went really well, I like the other ladies they all seem very nice and I believe we will all be able to work well together. None of us will be working with the same grades but I have no doubts that if an issue or questions arise these ladies will be there to help each other out. I'm exceptionally happy to say I got the third graders yay I get to teach my daughters class as well as the other third grade classes, which is awesome since I know many of these kids from pre-school on and I think that will help quite a bit since many of them also know and seem to have respect for me.

I know who the artist I will be teaching the kids about is Marc Chagall and the painting  we will be studying is  "I and the Village" now I need to speak with the 3 third grade teachers and set up the dates and times for the first class, and I also need to work out a basic lesson plan. That's where I'm a little worried. I want to teach them as much as I possibly can about the artist and his work but I want to make the 45 minutes to and hour they spend with me and enjoyable experience. I want them to learn and there will be some written work but it's art and I feel that hands on should be incorporated as well. So now I have some studying to do, first I need to brush up on my history of Chagall so I can teach it to them, but also his techniques so I can bring in some kind of art projects that go with that same theme.

I have to admit I'm super excited about all of this but I'm also a wee bit nervous. A room full of 8 and 9 year olds can be very critical and if I suck at this I don't want anyone making fun of my daughter for it. So here's hoping I can do a really rockin job as the Art in an envelope teacher.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Little bit of love and the puking princess

Last night after the wee ones were all tucked away in their beds and fast asleep (or so we thought) the hubs and I decided it was time for a little loving. I excused myself for a moment to freshen up and double check that the house was all locked up for the night and while I checked my Twitter stream one last time before shut down I heard the unmistakable sounds of puking.

Lovely I walk back toward the bathroom to find the hubs and my girl standing in the hall outside the bathroom where the aroma of fresh vomit was making its way to me. Thank sweet baby jeebus that the hubs was here because just catching a glimpse of  it, ( she didn't make it to the toilet, thankfully she only got the bathroom floor) made me start dry heaving. So while he cleaned up the bathroom I gathered her gear for a shower and then got her taken care of when  he was done. Once she was all cleaned I blow dried her hair (which there is a ton of) and got her tucked back into bed. We did decide from talking to her she wasn't sick, she had watched a scary video and had worked herself up to the point she made herself sick. *Palm face* And she wonders why we won't let her watch scary movies.

Finally the puking princess was back in bed and fell asleep and I was able to get back to the hubs. At this point a little bit of loving was all either of us had left in us before we were ready to head off to dream land but hey it's better than nothing.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sometime's you just have to vent

Like 5 million other people I have a facebook page. I update it daily, sometimes multiple times a day. My posts can be random thoughts, updates on my day or little rants if I'm annoyed. Being as the hubs is the person I spend the most time with besides the kids a good number of post end up being about him, including ones that are semi complainy (I know not a word, but I like it) he knows this and thinks it's kinda funny. As long as I'm not putting like everything out there were good. Complaint post about the hubs are by no means the majority of what makes up my profile but there there, splattered though out  and this has never been a problem. If my husband doesn't care then no big deal right ? One would think.

Today started out like any other morning. I was rudely awoken by my inconsiderate alarm clock, stumbled out of bed and into the kitchen where I fired up the laptop and my coffee. I hop online to check my FB, Twitter and a few essentials for RL and boom a real life issue that's enough to tick off any wife at anytime of day, but first thing in the morning with no coffee in ya yet and still working through the first cigarette. I won't get into the details of what the situation was but it was a justifiable reason to be pissy. I couldn't confront the hubs about it as he was sleeping, and rather than being nasty and throat punching him awake I did what many a pissy woman does and hit FB and dared to tell my friends on there my hubs was on my shitlist. For shame I'm a terrible wife apparently. I was told he was the bread winner and I should give him more credit. (Wow really) And in a more indirect ( aka the cowardly way known as posting on your own wall instead of commenting directly on the person your bashings wall) told To "quit doggin my man, no one want's to hear it,Get off the computer and get a life, If it was me you would be looking for somewhere else to live." (again wow) Nothing I said was out of line, nothing I said wasn't anything my husband doesn't know about so why are you judging me.

I'm in no way dogging my husband. The man means the world to me, and I'm fully aware of how good I have it. I know how good of a man he is and I appreciate that. Just because I make a negative remark from time to time you have no idea the positive that goes on every single day. Anymore than you can know or understand the complexities of the drama. I'm allowed after 13 years next month with this man to vent when he frustrates me, and guess what so is he.I know I frustrate him and I know when he gets to work he bitches to his buddies about me when I'm driving him up a wall. I'm cool with it at least then he's not bitchin at me. I hate when he's grouchy I'd rather he get it out of his system.

It doesn't mean that we don't appreciate each other, or have respect for each other. The hubs and I we've been though so much together people don't even know. To even think from a few Fb post here and there they know anything about the kind of relationship we have and how and why it works, or think they can judge what kind of wife I am who's really the one with the problem? We didn't make it this far by accident, so we must be doing something right.

Note: This was actually written a couple days ago but I wanted to give myself a couple days to cool off before I posted it. I still feel the point is relevant. You can't judge someone from a few Facebook status updates, hell you really shouldn't judge someone regardless. If you don't live their life you have no idea what the situation is, or why they feel the way they do or say the things they do. Worry about what goes on in your own home and let them deal with what goes on in theirs. I could have retaliated and said some really rude things back about the people who thought it was ok to give me crap about things they knew nothing about, and at least what I would have been saying would have been based on fact but I didn't because it's not my business.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Yea I'm that mom

My daughter is about to be 9 years old next month, and this child is seriously so busy she has more things filled in my calendar than I do. She currently has 2 dance classes, pom team, garden club, drama club3 days a week and would like to add gymnastics, swimming and who knows what else but I told her no because the only days left in her week are Saturday and Sunday and she needs a little down time.

At first I was a little apprehensive about all these activities as I really don't want her burning herself out or becoming stressed at such a young age. But then I saw how much she enjoys each and everything she does and the amount of confidence she's gaining from her involvement in things like dance, drama, and pom.

Dance and cheer have been a part of her life since she was 4. She's been in 3 recitals multiple competitions and with each one she amazes me more. Her team has won most of the competitions but even when they haven't she took it better than I ever could have predicted and the sportsmanship I haven't seen adults with the kind of manners her and her team have displayed both when winning and losing.

I use to cringe when she would ask to join some new activity or when it was sign up time again, but now I've kind of started looking forward to it. Because even though it means more running around and double the work load for me and probably her as well the lessons she has walked away with are so worth it. Hell she's even been able to teach me a thing or two over the years. So as long as she continues to have fun, and her school and health are not affected by all the things she's involved in I will continue to support her in her choices.

In many ways I think that helping her to find these kind of passions early in life and supporting her pursuit of these dreams will keep her on the right path in the future. She will have reasons to stay out of trouble, and to choose a life without over indulgence. She is filling her life with things that have meaning to her now therefore won't be searching for that meaning later. I will never push her to do anything she doesn't want to do, but I will always encourage her not to give up just because something is difficult.

I do have one rule when it comes to anything she asks to join or participate in and that's once you start you have to finish. I want her to understand responsibility and commitment, I also want her to understand the concept of thinking over your choices before you make them. This rule makes her stop and really think about weather what she's starting is something she really wants to do or is it something she only maybe thinks she wants to possibly try because her friend is going to do it. So far this rule has worked well and we haven't had any real issues, it has made sure we really communicate. Hopefully this a foundation for the future when she hits her teen years. (keeping fingers crossed)

So while I'm pretty sure she's working her way towards being that girl that's on every page of the yearbook because there's not a club or team she's not on, I'll be that mom cheering her on, running her from practice, to practice, making sure she has everything she needs when she needs it, joining clubs to support her teams, fundraising, attending meetings, volunteering and all because well yea I'm that mom.

 

Monday, January 10, 2011

Midwestern Mamahs Seal of approval

Take One Down & Pass It Around


If you're reading this right now, you've got my Seal of Approval. 


The only thing I ask is that when you take the seal, link him back to my blog, then pass him on... asking those who take him from your blog to link him back to you. And so ... and so on .... and so on.

He has his bags packed and is ready to travel !! Lets see how far around the blogosphere we can take him.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Moms taxi service will be riding again

I'm stoked that schools back in session the Christmas break about did me in. By day 2 fighting had ensued and didn't waiver the entire 2 weeks of break. Ok so there was a few moments of peace, they were called the middle of the night when the sweet wee ones finally passed out after hours of running amok and seeing how far up the wall they could drive their already half insane mother.

So yes like after 3 months of summer break I am beyond ecstatic that school has resumed. What I'm not all gung ho about is that now my taxi service shall ride again. Before break my daughter had me running 3 days a week. Monday is Hawaiian dance class, every Tuesday is Pom-pom and Every third Tuesday is garden club right after school then on Friday is another dance class this one is Jazz. I felt she might have been over extending it a bit but she was keeping up and she wanted all of so I figured if she was happy and it wasn't affecting anything no problems.

Then the second from the last day of school before break she informs me she wants to sign up for drama club after school. Not only does she want this she begs and pleads. So I relent as long as it doesn't interfer with the other activities she's already committed to or her school work. Then I find out this is going to take up 3 days a week. My third grader now has no free days during the week. She will be involved in no less than one activity a day every day of the week. Which means I will be running her and her brother around every day of the week, to school, from school and back and forth from several different activities. Oh and lets not forget appointments like the orthodontist, doctor, and dentist.

Now my son who is only in preschool is starting to show an interest in getting involved in some kind of extra curricular activity as well. I'm not sure when or how I'm going to get him to whatever he decides to join but I'm hoping I can find a clinic that will clone me so that I can get someone to do all this extra running around. I use to like driving but that was before I became moms taxi service.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

100 things you don't know (and probably didn't realize you wanted to know)

1. I have 2 brothers named Shawn Michael both are half brothers one shares the same father with me and one shares the same mother with me neither are related to each other
 2. I have 2 younger sisters I call my M&M's
 3. I turned 30 this year
 4.I've been with my hubs for almost 13 years and married for almost 9
5.I'm totally a love child, my parents were never married (to each other) and I'm cool with that, if your not oh well
6.Fuck is my all time favorite word in the English language, it can be used in so many ways, I however don't find it super amusing when my 4 year old says it so I'm thinking it may be time to implement a swear jar
7.I use to claim I was a Democrat but have since decided I'm a member of the national party of Becky if your not an idiot and you would like to join especially if your a Becky come on over membership is free.
8. I love my family all 2.9 million of them except for about 3 or 4  really stupid members here and there that have been kicked out over the years. And those I still love I just really don't like them.
9. I'm really good at being bitchy, but I always feel really bad about it later.... I don't always do anything about it but I still feel bad
10. I carry guilt for a really long time, even over ridiculously small and petty stuff other people forget
11. I love blank paper, especially notebooks, I have this weird obsession with it, I always wanted to be a writer, I'm not very good but hey a girl can dream, but I just love what a blank notebook represents, the possibilities of what it can be filled with, the stories.
12. I want to be rich and liked but not so much famous, I don't really do well in front of large crowds.
13. I love raw cabbage, I know weird, whatev
14. My daughters name was supposed to be Francesca Marie, The husband nixed it because he hates his name and thinks it's to long, if she was a boy she was going to be Roger Dale after my daddy, that's not the boys name
15. The boy's name was supposed to be Dante Michael or Natalia Lily if he was a girl he wasn't a girl but neither is he Dante.
16. I'm easily distracted by really stupid  random things like  this website, I kill me
17. I was born and raised in the Mitten, but I dream of moving to warmer climes one day, maybe when I win the lotto I sometimes remember to buy tickets for
18. I like to dream about what I'd do if I won the lotto, even though I frequently forget to play the lotto
19. I love guns, I own several, and I know how to shoot them. Although it's been awhile since I've been to target practice, anyone feel like playing target to see if I'm still any good?
20. My husband is convinced I descend from a long line of sailors and truck drivers due to my incessant need to cuss. I can't help that I have a colorful vocabulary, and we already established what my worlds most favorite word is so the rest of the swearing should really come as no surprise.
21. Depending on the day I am either positive I am my fathers dumbest child or positive I was the most brilliant of his swimmers.
22. I am the child of a recovered/ing drug addict who is also the child of a drug addict, who is the child of an alcoholic, are you seeing a pattern here? I quit digging after 3 generations of addiction it got way to depressing to see what I was up against. Needless to say I struggle everyday not to fall into that black hole because once I do I don't think there will be any saving me.
23. I lost my father when I was 17 and have never really been the same since, a part of me broke the day he died and I don't think it can ever be fixed. In fact 13 years later I know that it can't.
24. I actually adore my Mother in law~ go ahead be jealous
25. I had plastic surgery when I was 23 if you can guess what it was I'll tell you if your right
26. I'm a descendant of Robert E. Lee
27. My dad's side of the family is all very southern, while my moms side is decidedly Yankee (could explain why I'm a love child)
28. I believe the makers of the 24 hour kids channel formerly known as Noggin are fucking geniuses and I owe them large for helping me keep large chunks of my sanity
29. I've only been reading blogs for about 6 months but my absolute fave is Aunt Becky she's also my new idol
30. I actually wanted to name my blog mommy needs a xanax but I felt it was ripping off Aunt Becky a little bit, so I went with the next random thing that popped into my head
31. I'm horrible with my personal finances but my genius husband keeps leaving me in charge of them, however I can tell anyone else exactly what they need to do to get there shit in order and be right on the money every time go figure
32. I have 2 beautiful kids and most days I'm good with that, other days I'm pretty sure I need at least 1 more, those days I clearly am off my meds
33. I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2004 a condition which can cause me such extreme amounts of pain that there are days I've thought about giving myself a hysterectomy at home, by the way my spell check doesn't recognize this condition as a real word, ughh
34. I desperately want to be organized and have a clean house but most days I can't make myself bother with shuffling the pile of papers all over from one place to another
35. I truly love my husband with every fiber of my being but there are days I wish he would go on a really long vacation without me so I could just catch a little bit of a break, I think it has something to do with the fact that we've seriously spent everyday of the last 12 years together except for a 4 day hunting trip he took in 2002, and a 5 day Florida trip I took the same year (note the trip I took was with a 3 month old so it wasn't even a real vacation) I think a little break from each other would do us both a world of good
36. I've finally decided what I want to be when I grow up, now I just have to get my but enrolled in school....oh yea I decided I want to go into teaching but only early education like Kindergarten to say third grade absolutely no teenagers I'd end up in jail for bitch slapping a mouthy student
37. I have a truly sick obsession with shoes, to the point I joined a shoe of the month club don't believe me check this out
38. I currently have 3 tattoos a butterfly for my daughter, a Irish Triquetra for my sisters and my dad, and and Irish claddagh for my husband, I'm currently trying to figure out what my fourth and probably last one will be for my son and where it's going
39. I love scrapbooking even though I never seem to have time for it anymore
40. I can also crochet a pretty mean baby blanket or Romanian Flag blanket (king sized thank you very much)  as long as you don't mind it being one of the 3 stitches I actually know
41. I love to read and if I pick up a book I actually like you might as well find something to do for the next several hours that doesn't involve speaking to me because interrupting my reading time annoys the bejeezus out of me
42. I love anything to do with vampires except for maybe those weird people who insist they're vamps and want to run around sucking each others blood and performing ritualistic sacrifices, they're just effin creepy, and sparkly vamps I like my vamps undead not all diamond in the sun
43. If it weren't for Scentsy flameless wickless candles I'd never be able to burn candles in my house. Ever since his first birthday my son insists upon blowing them out and making a wish
44. I desperately want a tummy tuck, so that answers some of those previous what plastic surgery did you have questions, but I'm waiting till I have enough money and till we decide if another rugrat is on our to do list
45. I have an unnatural obsession with lists, to the point that I will make a list of lists I need to make, I'm a sick, sick woman
46. My all time favorite car in the whole world is a 77 Special Edition Trans Am, my dad had one and I would sell my kidney to get my hands on that car especially if I could track down his
47. I love to make craft type things and dream of having my own hand made gift type business one day but I never feel like what I create is good enough
48. I'm probably my own worst critic when it comes to everything
49. Purple is the best color ever strangely enough I have like no clothing in this color
50.I have a sick, sick obsession with reality tv shows not all of them just the really trashy ones Jersey Shore,RHONJ, Bridalplasty is a new fave oh and lets not forget Sisterwives
51. I find polygomy kind of interesting and see nothing wrong with it if all parties are in agreement and no pedophilia is going on, Hell I probably wouldn't mind having a couple sister wives to share all the work it's just the sharing the hubs part I would have a problem with. Let's be honest I'd probably cut a bitch if she tried touching my man
52. Until I was 8 my paternal grandparents shared joint custody of me with my mom, which is probably one of the reasons they were such a big influence on my life, but I loved them just because they were awesome.
53.I can memorize a credit card number, phone number, social security number etc. in like 2 minutes and recite it to you 5 years later out of the blue. ( The hubs hates the credit card trick)
54. My paternal grandmother was and is still my hero and I hope to be even just a little bit like her, also I called her mommy-grandma until I was like 6 may have something to do with #52
55. I have a different sort of view on the whole god and religion thing. I 100% believe in god and heaven but I don't believe that any 1 religion has it 100% correct therefore I don't follow any. I have my own relationship with god in my own way, I totally respect everyone elses views and relationships with god all I ask is that they respect mine and don't try to push their views on me. ( I really hate that)
56. Unless I'm doing my hair (curling, straighting, etc.) I can be ready in 10 to 15 minutes usually faster than the hubs
57. The hubs works for one of the Big 3 (the one that didn't take govt $ and is actually making a profit) so yes I'm all about the union and buying American, and totally against foreign cars to the point that no matter how much I like or love you your not allowed to park them in my driveway (if this offends you sorry but I know which side my bread is buttered on)
58. I also love my hubs big truck yes it's a gas guzzeler but I still love Dirty Girl she's not afraid of any job you throw at her and she always gets the job done, plus she can push all those little shoe box cars outta my way
59. I swore I'd never drive a mini van, I've had Mini for a little over a year now and of all the cars I've had she's one of my faves
60. Yes I name my vehicles, and my firearms
61. As I've gotten older my sweet tooth has actually gotten less sweet, I still have sweet cravings from time to time but for the most part I can do with out
62. My first real job was as a bagger at Kroger
63. Speaking of jobs I'm probably the only person on earth that is ineligable for rehire at K-Mart
64. The hubs and I were married when the girl was 6 months old, during the father daughter dance I danced with my poppy (my moms ex) and the hubs danced/carried our baby girl around to Aerosmiths I don't want to miss a thing
65. My favorite flowers are Lilys and Hiabiscus
66. As far as I'm concerned the best movie ever is The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
67. I've never looked my age, when I was young I looked older and now that I'm older I look younger and I'm so ok with this, hope it lasts
68. I looovvee Monster Assault energy drinks
69. I screen all my phone calls, if the # is restricted, blocked, unknown or I just don't know it I won't answer it, so if they want to get ahold of me they better leave a message or they're never getting through
70. I have a crazy fear of bills even when I know the moneys there to pay them and they're not behind I get all sick to my stomach when they come and I don't want to open them. There's probably a name for this but I can't find it
71. Teenagers today scare and puzzle me
72. I didn't know how to use the internet until I was 18 and then everything I learned I've taught myself
73. I throw amazing parties, and really should get paid for them ( that's not ego talking that's taking pride in a job well done)
74. I make hand made candy every year for Halloween and now the kids friends start begging for it months before Halloween
75. I love music all kinds but I find myself drawn more and more to country these days
76. My name was supposed to be Kristina Marie my mom had it on the birth certificate and everything, then my dad came in and said uh uh Rebecca Lynn so it was changed. Also how cool my daddy named me
77. My first car was an 85 Mercury Grand Marquis, I called it my Land Yacht (I told you I name my vehicles) I was only 5 years older than my car
78. My second car was a 1998 Ford Ranger, it was a stick shift, I didn't know how to drive it when I bought it and couldn't drive it off the lot
79. I love taking pictures and somehow manage to get a new camera every 2 years or so, this makes me very happy ;-D
80. Black is my second favorite color at least when it comes to my wardrobe
81. I'm a pretty good baker if I do say so myself for being self taught.
82. I'm not to shabby in the cooking department either, I don't really like to do it unless I'm in a certain mood but I'm pretty good at it.
83. The hubs, myself and the boy our youngest all have brown eyes, the girl our oldest has blue/hazel apparently it's recessive
84.  I like my baked potatoes to be baked with out the peel and lots of butter
85. I absolutely hate am terrified of millipedes/centipedes , they're just f@$king creepy with all those damn legs, it's not natural
86. Decisions stress me out like mental break down stress depending on the level and gravity of  said decision
87. Karaoke singing scares the shit out of me, this is why you'll never find me at the bar on karaoke night
88. I collect shot glasses from everywhere I've been and everywhere people I know have been
89. I think fried okra with mashed potatoes and biscuits may be some of the best foods on earth
90. I love Bingo but the hubs made me stop going all the time
91. The only sport I ever paticipated in was Track in the 6th grade, I wasn't much for sports, or clubs
92. I'm a Taurus and though my horoscope isn't always right my sign describes me pretty well
93. My birthday is Cinco de Mayo which pretty much rocks if you can get to Mexican town cause it's a big ol party all day long
94. I'm the only one in my house that doesn't at least understand the Romanian language, all but my daughter can speak it
95. If I tell my husband somethings going to happen and he doesn't listen to me it always happens.
96. I love video games especially Mario for the Wii
97. People with no common sense drive me insane
98. I don't know what my IQ  or Blood type is I should probably find out at least the latter of the two
99. I adore finding the perfect gift for someone and then getting to watch them open it and knowing they love what you found them. That can be so much better than receiving anything else in return.
100. When I was little I wanted to be the first Ballerina, teacher, waitress, astronaut all at once (I was5)

There you have it my boring list of 100 things :-D