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.

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

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.

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,

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.



 

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.

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.