Outnumbered At Home

It's not fair!

2009-01-12T06:11:00.002-06:00

I feel like I'm being ripped off. I've been doing Wii Fit faithfully for 2 weeks. We walk the dogs for at least 30 minutes a day, sometimes more.....and I haven't lost an ounce. I'm trying to cut down on portions and really be careful about what I'm putting in my mouth but I haven't seen any progress. Not even one stinking ounce? I'm getting screwed by the Wii. Aunt Flo did come for her visit yesterday so maybe that has something to do with it but good gosh...could the scale throw me a bone?

On the other hand, I got up this morning to get ready for work and I knew I didn't have any clean/pressed slacks. I was just too lazy to get them ready. As I was blow drying my hair, I prayed, "Lord, please let those black slacks fit today. I don't have anything to wear and I need those pants to fit." They haven't fit in quite some time. Well, wouldn't you know it, today they fit. Tight, yes. But they're on and they're buckled and zipped. We'll see if I can breathe later today ;)

Day 9

2009-01-07T20:11:00.002-06:00

So I'm on day 9 on Wii Fit. I can't believe that I'm actually sticking to it. I don't have to go very far, just into the living room. I can wear whatever I want, do it whenever I want, and watch TV, talk on the phone or whatever..... My point is, I have total control of my workout. I don't have to drive any where or worry about a place being open early or late. I really love it and I HATE working out! I'm hoping this sticks and I can get into a smaller size!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T20:20:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year everyone! We have had such an awesome day. The boys stayed busy playing basketball and their new video games. My husband and I have relaxed in front of the TV all day and even took a nap. We don't get to do that very often so it was a real treat. I love having some time of and actually taking advantage of being at home.

My New Year's resolution is to try to get into better shape. I'm not going to over commit myself because I know what my reality is when it comes to spare time. Between work and school, there's no way I can commit to going to a gym. My husband bought me Wii Fit a few days ago and I've been working out with it for the past 3 days. Today I'm sore but I really look forward to getting on it every day. I'm hoping to lose about 15-20 lbs.

Since I didn't post any pictures from Christmas, here they are. Happy 2009 to all!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-28T09:24:00.003-06:00

I'm always glad when Christmas has come and gone. This year was particularly nice. We had our shopping done early and didn't feel to terribly stressed out. My husband helped with the shopping this year which made things much easier for me and since the kids wanted some higher priced items, there wasn't much to wrap! Because the economy is tightening, we decided to forgo buying gifts for our entire family. We only got gifts for our parents and each other. Our treat to everyone was an enormous Christmas day feast. They all came over (12 people) that night and I cooked a 20lb turkey and a ton of casseroles and side dishes. A few people brought food and we had a great time. My husband got the Buzz Quiz game for PS3 and we played it for hours. VERY FUN party game! Anyway...I'm so thankful that we had such a nice, low key, Christmas. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Pictures to come....Forgot the battery on my camera died last night so I couldn't download.

Our new doggy

2008-12-22T07:50:00.003-06:00

This is our new girl, Ethyl. She's the calm one on the right. Allie's on the left, glaring at me, wondering why there's a dog laying on "her" couch. They are getting along pretty well. Allie has some dominance issues but we're working on it. Ethyl is a terrible digger which is why we think she ended up in the pound. She sticks her nose in the ground and digs everywhere. We have a built up vegetable garden that we're not using right now so we're trying to train her that it's OK to dig there and not in the yard. Other than that, she's a sweetie!

Give me an award....

2008-12-21T13:13:00.002-06:00

I am officially the worst blogger ever. I've been about a month between every post. I'd like to say I'm going to get better about it but probably wont.

Anyway, school is over for the Christmas holiday. My grades were all A's for the semester and I'm proud of myself for working full time and taking 12 hours. Three more semesters left and I'm so looking forward to graduating.

We have a new family member. Two weeks ago we adopted a beautiful fox terrier mix from a rescue group in Houston. She had been turned into the city pound which has about a 90% kill rate. The rescue group got to her first and now she's ours. They named her Ethyl because they had pulled her out of the pound with another female dog named Lucy. We didn't like the name but now that we know her personality, it suits her well. She's such a sweet, gentle girl and so pretty.

I promise to get better about blogging. I know it's good for me and I really enjoy going back and seeing what I've been up to. Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!

My new hobby

2008-11-16T16:36:00.002-06:00

I had a blast this weekend going to a neighborhood garage sale in a nice, kind of upscale neighborhood. I've never been much for garage sales because I don't like the crowds and I'm never looking for anything in particular. Boy, did I change my mind this weekend!! I bought all of these goodies for way cheap! I want to decorate my house but can't bear to spend full price on things. I am so excited about my finds!

Catching up

2008-10-31T05:45:00.002-06:00

So, it's been a while. Things are finally getting back to normal around here. We got the roof fixed, the ceiling patched up and everything is getting somewhat back to normal. We had some money left over from the insurance settlement so we had a patio poured. We've been working on it the past few weekends, getting it landscaped and ready for company. Saturday we are celebrating my husband's birthday with about 15 friends. This will be the first party we're having at our house and I'm a little nervous! I'm sure after a couple of glasses of wine, I'll be having a blast! Everything is relatively back to normal (short of some missing grass in the front yard, 2 tree stumps in the back yard and a broken window) and we're looking forward to having some fun this weekend. I'll post pictures of the patio and our fun weekend later!

Moving on

2008-09-23T05:43:00.004-06:00

We're finally getting back to normal and getting cleaned up after the storm. My mom still doesn't have power so she's staying with us. Let's just say I hope her power comes back on soon. She's fine to have here but I want my house back to myself. The trees came off the roof on Saturday and now we're waiting for the insurance company to send us a check to get the roof and window fixed. The school is back open today and I think the routine of going back to work will be healing. I'm praying for a great day back.

Recovering

2008-09-16T07:25:00.002-06:00

Wow...this one hit hard. I'll get into more detail later because I really want to journal what happened the night of the storm, more for my own good than anyone elses. We're OK, just got power back yesterday. There are 2 large trees on the back of my house, 1 of which came through the ceiling and left 2 5-inch around holes. God has been so good in that the temperature has dropped to the low 80's making it bearable for the people who still don't have power. We're just waiting for the grocery stores and gas stations to get back to regular operation so we can get rolling again.

The saddest thing that happened to us in all of this is that we lost our beautiful 14 year old dog Charlie yesterday. We had to have her put down because the stress of the storm and the power outage just made her weaken. We know she's in a better place but it's so hard for us because we've had her since she was 6 weeks old (only 2 weeks after we got married.) We'll miss her and there will be a hole in my heart for a long time.

The best part is that we are all safe and relatively comfortable. We're just waiting to see when we'll go back to work and school. We should know more later today. Thanks for all of the prayers for the people of this region of Texas. I think He heard your prayers.

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-11T05:43:00.003-06:00

Ike is definitely coming to visit the Houston area and we're getting ready. We plan on staying home because we're so far inland but the forecast says that we're on the dirty side of the storm so we're expecting some pretty bad weather. The only thing that we worry about are the large pine trees that we have in the yard. I'd hate to have one of them fall on my house. I don't know what we're going to do with my mom yet. She says she wants to sit home but I think she'll be scared. My husband is going over there this morning to clean up her yard and put her lawn furniture in the shed. I'd love to have her over here but that comes with another dog in the house and I don't know if I can take it. My dog has such a hard time with storms that adding another one to the mix may push me over the edge. We're going to figure everything out tonight and get our plan made. Wish us all luck! It's going to be a rough couple of days!

Here we go again....

2008-09-07T15:45:00.002-06:00

We skirted Gustav without even a drop of rain. Here comes Ike.

Looming

2008-08-28T06:07:00.002-06:00

So the new hurricane is brewing out in the Carribean right now and we're all gearing up for another big one. My family from New Orleans are making arrangements to evacuate when the time comes, some of them going to Mississippi and others coming here to Houston. The models are showing about a 300 mile length of the Gulf Coast that could possibly hit and they say we'll know more this weekend. This weekend I will be filling up the car and making sure we have batteries and groceries in the house. We NEVER get prepared for storms but I have a bad feeling about this one. I don't want to be caught off guard.

So far so good

2008-08-27T06:02:00.003-06:00

So I'm back to work and school and everything is flowing good so far. The first day of Kinder is such a trip. The kids come in so excited about starting school but terribly nervous and missing their moms. By day 2, they're a little more confident but totally physically exhausted from the day before. We'll see today how day 3 goes. It's such a long day for those little guys and without a nap.

My classes are going good so far. I feel a little overwhelmed but like I said before, if I stay organized, I should do OK. We'll see!

Getting organized

2008-08-19T19:19:00.002-06:00

So, I'm back to work and it's not so bad. I've been working really hard to get myself organized and prepared for the school year. Not only am I working full time but I'm taking 12 hours this semester so anything I can do to make my life easier will help to keep me sane. We have decided that we want to try to eat at home every night for at least 2 weeks. We need to save some money and some calories! I made a menu for 2 weeks worth of dinners and so far so good. I've also made a chore list for the kids so they know exactly what to do when they get done with their homework.

There are also a couple of small things I'm going to do to try to save some time and keep myself sane.
1. Have kids pack their own lunch at night (with supervision from a list I put on the fridge about what to pack. What can I say.... I'm a control freak about what they eat!)
2. Make the coffee at night
3. Pick what I'm going to wear the night before
4. Shower and blow dry my hair at night so I don't have to mess with it in the morning, therefore saving some time.
5. Do one chore after school like mop, vacuum, or run a load of laundry. I don't want to wait until the weekend.

I hope that I will be able to manage work and school but since this program is for working aides that want to become teachers, I assume it will be OK.

Want to Laugh?

2008-08-12T20:35:00.002-06:00

I have been hysterical, with tears streaming down my face for the last 30 minutes. Check out Cake Wrecks. You'll pee in your pants.

Blah

2008-08-11T06:33:00.001-06:00

This is the hardest day about being a teacher. Having to go back to work after 3 months off. Wish me luck!

Sleep Over

2008-08-10T11:46:00.002-06:00

We celebrated my youngest son's 9th birthday this weekend and had a relatively manageable sleep over with 3 additional boys. We took them to the pool, had pizza, made their own sundaes, and they spent the rest of the evening playing video games and watching movies. I really enjoy low key parties where I don't have to spend a million dollars to celebrate. Don't they look like they're having fun?

Wow....

2008-08-08T08:37:00.002-06:00

I have to be very careful how I choose my words when talking about something that is really bothering me, so forgive me if I'm vague. Last night we went to dinner for my son's birthday and had a bunch of family members meet us. My husband's parents were there and his dad didn't say a word to me (or anyone else for that matter.) He gave the kids the cold shoulder and basically acted like he didn't want to be there. My MIL talked to my husband the whole time and said about 2 words to me. They haven't seen our kids in 3 months but said that they wanted to come back to our house for cake and ice cream so they could see our puppy (they LOVE her), because they haven't seen her in a long time. How can you give a crap about seeing a dog but don't make an effort to see your own grandchildren when they live 4 miles away. I don't want to alienate them from my life because I truly love his parents but I refuse to have people snub my family or give me the cold shoulder and then want to walk into my house to see a fucking dog. I wish they'd come out and tell us what the problem is.

More vacation pics

2008-08-05T09:25:00.006-06:00

An active volcano
The Waipi'o Valley. One of the prettiest sights I've ever seen.
Gorgeous flowers everywhere!
Our resort, the Marriott Waikoloa.
Jamie and I sitting on the lava rocks on the beach.

We're Back!

2008-08-03T22:26:00.002-06:00

After all of the anxiety, nerves, cold sore, and stomach cramps....the trip was amazing! We has such a great time and saw some awesome sights. I'm so glad that I didn't let my fears take control. I'll post more about the trip tomorrow when I'm not totally exhausted. Here's a picture to wet your appetite for a tropical vacation!

Am I Normal?

2008-07-23T18:38:00.003-06:00

Do you think that it's normal to be totally anxious about going on a trip that you'd almost rather cancel it? I have had headaches, stomachaches and a cold sore all because of my stupid nerves. It's a characteristic that I don't like about myself and would like to change but I don't know how (without medication). I try to put my faith in God that he will take care of us on the trip and the kids while we're away but I am so consumed with it that I can't think straight. Most people would love to be going to Hawaii in my place....I need to learn to live in the moment and appreciate what I have been given without being such a freak about it.

Aggravated

2008-07-20T21:00:00.002-06:00

We're going to Hawaii next week and we're leaving the kids with family. Originally, we had asked my mom to keep the kids and then my brother and his wife asked if they could have them for a few nights. I sent both of them a schedule to let them know where they would be and when, my mom got a little miffed that they boys are spending more time with my bro than with her. I guess I kind of understand because she doesn't have anything going on and uses the grandchildren for entertainment. The kids are very excited about staying with my brother because he and his wife have some fun things planned. I hate leaving town knowing that my mom feels put out by our decision to let the boys have a little fun with their uncle while we're gone. The boys love their granny but she's not as fun as uncle!

Summertime

2008-07-13T16:25:00.002-06:00

This has been one of the best summers I have had in a very long time. First, I'm not working. Typically I work a couple of days a week during the summer which leaves me tired and not wanting to do things with the kids. Second, I only took 1 summer class (which I got a B in, YAY!!) and I don't have school until the end of August. I feel like I am spending so much time with the kids doing productive things. I have probably read 5 books this summer and I feel like I can't get enough of reading. I don't have the time to read during the school year so I really feel transformed into another world when I curl up with a good book while it's 98 outside. We are planning a trip to Hawaii in 2 weeks without the kids. While I hate leaving them, it will give us some time to spend with each other. Between camping, the boat, our upcoming trip and no school for a while, it's been an enjoying time together.

On the same note, I've noticed a huge change in my husband lately. Even though he's been working like a dog, he's been a lot happier than I've ever seen him before. Summer is usually a difficult time for him because he gets bored easily and falls into a funk. I think buying the boat was the best thing we could have done for his mood. Even if we aren't out on the lake, he has something he can work on and keep him busy. Its sad...one of our friends came over this weekend and told us that his wife is having an affair and they are getting a divorce. They've been married for 15 years. I can't imagine. We've been married almost 14 and while it hasn't always been peaches and cream, I love him more now than I did the day I married him.

Thankful

2008-06-26T14:06:00.002-06:00

1. Summer rainstorms. They make me feel like it's OK to hang around the house and chillax.
2. One more week of algebra class and that's it for the summer.
3. My mom, who is taking my kids to the movies in the morning so I can study.
4. My kids, who like to read. It keeps them busy when I don't want to.

Griping again...

2008-06-25T22:11:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I hate my husbands job. While I am so thankful that he has a good job that pays well and provides for our family, they expect too much of him. He has been working on a project for the past week or so and he's been at work from 7am until at least 10 at night. He's even had to stay at a hotel because he's about an hour away and the nights are late and mornings are early. He said it's only going to be about another week or two of this but I hate it. I can only talk to him about 5 minutes a day. It's 11:15 here right now and I sent him a text telling him to call me. He's still in a meeting. How can a company expect a person to work from 8:00 in the morning until all hours of the night. It sounds slightly illegal to me. My biggest complaint about him traveling has always been that I can't get in touch with him when I need him. This is the pits. I hope it doesn't last long. I miss him.

Griping

2008-06-17T16:14:00.002-06:00

I'm not sure if I have a leg to stand on here but I have to complain. I'm taking a 9 week algebra course. It's terribly hard and soooo much work. I took my first test 3 weeks ago and the prof has still not graded the test. I took the second (out of 3) test yesterday without knowing what I made on the first one. I emailed him and he said he's been out of town and then had internet issues but I say BS! As a student, I'm expected to meet deadlines, and be responsible for my work but I don't get the same in return from a professor and he's being paid by the tuition that I pay! I'm so pissed because I really want to know how I'm doing in the course and there are surely people who will want to drop based on their test scores. I just don't think it's fair to do that to students (who are adults) and I want to go over his head and complain. Do you think I have a fair argument? I don't want to piss him off, just in case there's some sort of curve but UGH! I'm frustrated!

AWESOME Weekend!

2008-06-14T18:22:00.004-06:00

We had such a blast camping this weekend. I really wish we could have stayed for another night. My brother and his wife were there as well as our best friends from Austin and their kids, and some friends of ours from Houston and their children. My mom and niece also joined us. We swam, rode on the boat, hung out in the lake and just enjoyed ourselves in general. I realized that I miss my friend from Austin so much. We have so much in common and get along so well. I have never had a "best friend" as an adult but I consider her that. I wish we lived closer. It's now 7:30 at night, we're at home and the kids are sleeping on the couch. It won't be long before I join them!

Looking forward to the weekend

2008-06-11T19:45:00.003-06:00

We just bought a boat and we're headed out to the lake for the weekend. The kids are so excited about camping and getting out into the open air. I, on the other hand, hate all of the work involved with getting ready. We spend too much money and work for hours trying to get everything packed and ready to go. I know it will be so worth it once we get there. I'm looking forward to some time with friends and a nice cold beer!

Thankful

2008-06-01T08:15:00.002-06:00

1. A husband who made me feel special on my birthday
2. Co-workers who invite me to their annual crawfish boil, even though I'm their assistant.
3. A letter on my birthday informing me that I got into the teaching program that I applied to!!!
4. My kids (nuff said...they're awesome)
5. Beautiful (hot) summer weather

Lovely Weekend

2008-05-27T20:02:00.002-06:00

What an awesome weekend we had. Friday night we had movie night. We rented Wild Hogs and ordered a pizza. It was a nice way to end a busy week. I bought my new bathing suit Saturday afternoon. I'll post a picture later. Saturday night, we went out to dinner with my mom, brother and his new wife. Then they came back to our house and played Guitar Hero until late at night. Then Saturday morning, we drove up to some spring fed lakes north of us to visit our friends' property. We started by picking blackberries until we couldn't pick any more. We then went to swim in the lake, flying down the slide into the cool water. Then we finished swimming in the beautiful pool in the resort area. After a picnic under the pine trees and hours in the sun, we went to another part of the lake where the boys took the little boat around the lake. We fished for a couple of hours and had fun watching the kids enjoy being outdoors. Our friends cooked a nice BBQ dinner for us and then we got on the road home. Monday we lounged around for a while and I stressed out about my algebra homework. I finally got it under control and then we headed over to my sisters for BBQ chicken and sausage. Yummy food and good company.

Crazy....

2008-05-15T05:55:00.003-06:00

So I was thinking about something to get my husband for his birthday in November. I never get him anything original and as I was looking through his ma*im magazine, I came across a photo that sparked an idea. I would love to have a pin up style picture taken, dressed in garters and heels with an old 40's style hairdo. He would love it. No, I'm not a size 6 but a lot of the pin up girls had some junk in their trunk! Where would I go about having something like that done? Would you ever do it?

Why?

2008-05-14T20:03:00.002-06:00

Why do I have such a hard time accepting a compliment? It's so weird....people will say something nice to me and I will say think you, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking that they must be lying or laughing at me for thinking they were being nice. For instance, I just got my hair highlighted with fairly light highlights. I've had probably 10 people tell me how much they love my hair but I can't help but think they must be saying it just to make me feel good. I see this as such a character flaw and I hate being like this. I want to be able to take a compliment and feel good about myself when people are nice to me about something. Why am I like this? I know I don't have the best self esteem but I didn't know I was this bad! I need to get a grip!

2008-05-13T05:32:00.001-06:00

I went back to work yesterday after a week of sitting on the sofa. I can say that I am totally exhausted and really would love to stay home today. I haven't been sleeping well and am waking up with throbbing headaches. I'm so lucky to work with a bunch of nice ladies who will take it easy on me.

Randomness...

2008-05-08T17:22:00.002-06:00

Still sick with pneumonia. I've been home from work all week and went back to the doctor this morning for a shot in the booty and an X-ray. He said everything looks good, but to continue the antibiotics. I'm considering going back to work tomorrow but I don't want to get too tired. I've been napping on and off all day for the past week so I am concerned that I'll get totally worn out. Maybe I'll stay home and just chill out through the weekend. I'll decide later...

I am so happy that my classes are over but I am starting a new one on Monday. I have to take College Algebra so I figured there's no less painful way to take it then a 9 week class over the summer. It's an online class, so I don't have to worry about leaving the kids with anyone while I'm in class. I'm now awaiting word on my application to a local state university. They have an online teaching program that is only for people who already work in the schools so it should be nice. The advisor already said that I qualify so, it's just a matter of getting all of the paperwork filled out. I hope I get accepted because that means I don't have to sit in class every night. I can do my classwork from home and that means being with my family!!

This weekend

2008-05-06T12:20:00.002-06:00

We finally celebrated my brother's wedding this past weekend. It turned out so beautiful and we had a great time. The after party was a bunch of fun, too. I have to admit though, that I'm glad it's all over. It's been very time consuming and expensive.

On another note, I've been home for the past 2 days with pneumonia. I feel like crap. I hope this ends quickly. I'd love to feel back to normal!

Thankful

2008-04-29T05:48:00.003-06:00

Here's my list for today...

1. A good sense of humor
2. A hot cup of coffee with just the right amount of creamer
3. My husband who "gets me"
4. The ladies in my class who crack me up
5. Two smart boys that don't have to worry about standardized testing

Wedding this weekend....YAY!

2008-04-23T05:50:00.002-06:00

This is the email that I sent my professor:

Please post the fax number so I can get it to you in the next day or so. Thank you!

Jennifer

This is her response:
Jennifer,
Please be patient as I am inconveniencing a full time staff member who is going to gather these at her fax machine in her office.
I am waiting for her to send me her number and to discuss an appropriate time and date for her to receive them.
This way, they will be collected accurately.
Please do me a favor and read how you worded that.
Try to remember that I mandate the due dates and the log is not due until the end of the year.
I'm not sure she wants them all on her desk right now as she has several of her own.
Despite what you may think, not everyone revolves around this class.
Also, to put a high priority on telling me what to do is not professional or courteous.
I will admit that I take issue with the way you sent that.
Demanding an instructor get a fax so you can send it in the next few days is not the way a student should broach anyone.
Please wait since those are currently not due and I will issue a class email with the fax and the due date. This way the other instructor can simply receive them and pile them in one easy swoop.

Was I way off base? Her email previous to mine said that she would post the fax number on Monday. Tuesday morning, I asked her to post the number so I could get my log turned in. Then she went off. I didn't think I was being rude. I was just trying to be brief and to the point because I know she gets tons of emails every day that she has to sort through. I apologized to her but it pisses me off when people go off after reading an email. It's not like I'm some child being rude and demanding. I wish I hadn't filled out my course evaluation. I wouldn't have rated her very high at this point.

Ramblings...

2008-04-22T05:36:00.002-06:00

In 2 weeks, my little brother is getting married. It's hard to believe. I still remember him being about 17 and running around like a crazy person. He's finally grown up and met the right girl and is ready to settle down.

Now for the rambling....I'm getting a little stressed about standing in the wedding. I just hate being the fat bridesmaid. I'm not huge...a 14...but I'll be the biggest one there. UGH. Oh well, I can't change anything in 2 weeks so I better accept it. I've been tanning the past week to get rid of my farmer's tan. I've spent so much time on the lacrosse field that my arms are nice and toasty brown and the rest of me is stark white. It's pretty funny looking.

I am so ready for this semester to be over. I have been freaking out about my grades and stressing about getting homework and projects done in time. It's time to end.... enough said.

Thankful

2008-04-15T10:25:00.002-06:00

After a cruddy weekend of a disgusting stomach virus and the bad job news last week, I need to think about something positive.

Here is my list of things I am thankful for today...

text messaging
kids that can help around the house
beautiful spring weather
online college
and a husband who loves me even though I'm crazy

and that's my list for the day. I need to do this more often.

2008-04-09T16:02:00.002-06:00

I just found out that my position has been cut for next year due to budget cutbacks. The principal said that she can promise me a job in the building for sure, she just doesn't know what it would be. I told her point blank that I don't want to work in Special Ed. Although I love those kiddos, it's not where my heart is and I don't want to compromise. I cried my eyes out because I love my job. I have to give her a decision by the end of the week, if I want to stay or go. I have to have a job so I guess my mind is made up but I have a feeling it's going to be something I don't want to do. I'm crossing my fingers that one of my counterparts quits and I can stay in my position...

Lonely...

2008-04-08T18:14:00.002-06:00

How is it possible that I am surrounded by people all day long and come home to 2 really cool kids and still feel totally lonely. With my husband gone during the week, I don't feel like I have anyone to talk to in the evening and I miss him being here. When we lived in Austin, I had tons of friends and could call a number of people and have something to do at the drop of a hat. Now that we're back in Houston, I don't have any friends and the only person I ever talk to on the phone is my mom. I really miss having a friend to connect with, just to chat on the phone or take a walk around the neighborhood with. I need a girl friend, BAD....or a husband that doesn't travel. I just want to cry.

2008-04-06T21:16:00.002-06:00

I never post twice in one day but I just have to share this cute picture of hubby with Allie. She is so in love with him! It's funny because I'm the one that does everything for her and he get's all of the lovin!

2008-04-06T18:20:00.003-06:00

We have been working like crazy over the past couple of weeks getting our yard straightened up. I just got done putting annual ant treatment on the yard and fertilized. The fire ants are SO bad here that we use that once a year stuff to keep them at bay. Otherwise, they ruin the yard and keep the kids from playing in the grass. I hate those little boogers.

Our other project was planting a vegetable garden. The kids were super excited to help hubby build the garden and they helped me pick out all of the plants. We planted 2 types of tomatoes, bell peppers, squash, zuchinni, jalapenos, basil, and rosemary. We can't wait until we start seeing some growth and hopefully a bountiful harvest!!

This weekend was nice, we took the puppy to the dog park, watched some movies, and went to my oldest son's game. The weather was beautiful. I just wish we had one more day off!

Twinsrus...

2008-03-27T05:42:00.001-06:00

Do you have a blog? I see you always comment but I don't know who you are! Fill me in....

Spring Break

2008-03-21T07:32:00.006-06:00

We went to the Butterfly Gardens yesterday and I had a field day with my new camera. It takes such crisp up close pictures that I couldn't resist taking a bunch of pics. The kids really enjoyed seeing all of the different colors and shapes.

This week has been very low key and has gone entirely too fast. I wish we had a few more days to relax but the sooner we go back to school, the sooner it's over. I am SO ready for summer!

Family Pic

2008-03-12T05:54:00.002-06:00

This weekend was the couple's shower for my brothers upcoming wedding. The theme was "love", hence the red blazer with heart buttons that he got for $2 at the thrift store! It has been a long time since my brother and sister and I have had our picture taken together and I thought this one turned out nice. Notice the "bride" hat that he's wearing. They decided that the white hat matched his outfit better and the black went better with hers. Go figure. It was fun!

She's here!!

2008-03-10T05:43:00.002-06:00

Aunt Flo finally made her appearance and I feel soooo much better. I still want to go to the doctor this week and get some blood work done to see why I've been feeling like crap and just rule out any problems.

This weekend we went to the couple's shower for my brother and his fiance. It was really nice but because I wasn't feeling great, I just kept thinking how badly I wanted to go home. Normally, I love being at things like that but not this time. I would have been happy sitting on the sofa with a glass of water and a blanket.

H has been totally aggravated with me being so moody. I understand that I've had PMS for 3 weeks but I've been trying to explain that it's not my fault. I've been trying so hard to be nice to him so he's not being treated like crap all of the time. I feel pretty bad about it.

This week could go pretty quick....I have 3 days of field trips and then oldest son's birthday on Friday. I'm so excited about Spring Break!

Nervous

2008-03-04T19:54:00.002-06:00

This is soooo TMI but no one reads my blog anyway so I don't have anything to lose. Here goes....
I went to the OB/GYN back in October because I was bleeding after having sex. Pretty much every time. Got really annoying. Anyways, I had an ultrasound, pap and exam and she said everything is OK. It's still happening on a regular basis (when we actually have time to "do it"!) . My periods are getting progressively worse. Terrible cramps, horrible PMS and lasting for about a week. The good thing is that I'm always on schedule...until this month. I'm 8 days late and have absolutely no symptoms of starting. I'm feeling very run down and would love a day just to sit and veg but I don't see that happening any time soon. I took a preg. test and it came out negative which I fully expected and hoped, so I can cross that off my list of possible reasons to be late. I need to go to the doctor and see what's going on but it's such a pain to try to get an appointment during the work day. I just hate going in and her making me feel like I'm crazy. Anyway, it's just been bugging me. Hopefully, I'll get it straightened out soon.

YAY!

2008-02-28T21:30:00.000-06:00

I finished my paper that is due Monday night and it's only Thursday!!! I can't believe I actually worked through the boredom and monotony of it and just got it on paper. I can't wait to turn it in and have it checked off of my list!!

This week has been awesome. It is going by so fast and I feel like I'm getting a lot done. I still have some homework to take care of but that's what the weekend is for!

I love having boys

2008-02-24T12:21:00.004-06:00

This is what I made for breakfast this morning. Homemade cinnamon rolls that rose in the fridge all night. What I loved was that my youngest son wanted to add green food coloring to the icing to look like slime. Sure thing! If it's slime you want, it's slime you get!

Procrastinating

2008-02-20T21:58:00.004-06:00

I have a five page single-spaced report due on Monday on childhood obesity. I have about 2 full pages written and can't seem to get past my writer's block. I feel like I have everything I need in the paper so why does it have to be 3 (or more) pages? Anyway....I'm totally putting it of because I really don't want to do it but I have too much to do tomorrow to worry about it. AAAAGGGGHHH!!!

Nice long weekend

2008-02-19T06:47:00.004-06:00

If it were up to me, every weekend would be three days. I love the extra time that I had this weekend to spend with the kids, get some stuff done around the house and actually cross some things off of my to do list that have been on it for a while (like mop the floors!) My list for this week is wicked long but hubby is out of town and I'll have the evenings to get caught up. As you can see from the picture, the weather this weekend was gorgeous and in the low 70's. It doesn't get any better than that! Oh! and the boys won their game on Sunday!

Happy Early Valentines Day to ME!!!

2008-02-07T06:38:00.000-06:00

This little gem was waiting for me when I got home from work on Monday. It is my early Valentine's Day gift from hubby. We never celebrate Valentine's day nor do we buy each other gifts too often so I was really surprised! I can't wait to post some new pics.

I need a maid!!!

2008-01-30T07:11:00.000-06:00

Seeking housekeeper to keep me from losing mind...Job would entail at least 3-4 eight hours a day per week and includes cleaning house from top to bottom, laundry, dishes, and lots of attention paid to my disgusting bathrooms. Job also includes walking 2 dogs, cooking dinner, and making sure kids schoolwork and chores are done for next day. Extra money earned by taking care of husband's needs. Pay is $0 per week. May not sound like enough money but women have been making that for years doing same job...if interested, leave comment!

My new baby...

2008-01-24T06:53:00.001-06:00

Meet the newest addition to our family. Allie came to us a week ago and we LOVE her! My sister-in-law found her in Birmingham (hence her name "Allie-bama"!) and since she was moving back to Houston the following weekend, she asked us if we wanted her. We couldn't help but fall in love. I am super surprised at how my husband has reacted to her. He did not want another dog, much less a puppy. Now, he's like a new father, telling me how smart she is and what she's done all day when I'm at work. It's pretty cute to see a big guy like a little dog!

2008-01-23T18:38:00.001-06:00

You Belong in 1953

You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in!

What Year Do You Belong In?

2008-01-23T18:38:00.000-06:00

Schools back!

2008-01-22T19:33:00.000-06:00

So I'm taking 9 hours this semester, working full time and trying to keep my boys under control while dad is out of town. I think about doing housework but at the end of the day, it just has to go on the back burner. The weekends are full of lacrosse, studying and in the next month or so, a lot of wedding related events. I love being in school and learning new things so I have to just press on. I wish I had the money for a maid!

Dreams

2008-01-10T06:43:00.000-06:00

I have the strangest dreams. It's something that runs in the family because my mom has the same thing. They are usually very vivid, active dreams that leave me waking up full of whatever emotion was most prevalent in the dream. My favorite thing is to wake up laughing because the dream was so outlandish that, even though I'm sleeping I know that I'm dreaming. I know it sounds weird but it happens.

Last night I dreamed about my brother's rehearsal for his wedding. It went something like this....we were at the rehearsal (which was in some kind of a field, with a stage) and we were standing on the altar waiting for everything to get started. My cousin, who is a couple of years younger than me, started putting the moves on me right in front of my husband. I froze out of sheer disgust but he just kept on trying to hug and kiss on me (in a gross cousin way). Then as the rehearsal was wrapping up, my ex-boyfriend showed up. I got really nervous but avoided speaking to him somehow. I don't know why he would be there but....it's a dream, stranger things have happened! Everyone was riding around the field in our go-cart and taking turns swapping off on it. Then people started passing out because they were drunk and we found out that my ex-boyfriend was giving everyone that was drinking a sleeping pill to go along with it so they would pass out and he could rob them. Some of the guys that were at the rehearsal heard about it and were trying to grab him but he was running around avoiding being caught. Then I escaped with another bridesmaid and as I was running away, I looked down at my cell phone and noticed that my saved phone numbers were all being deleted one by one. I jumped into a waiting truck (like a moving truck) and realized that the battery was dead. We freaked out because we were trying to get away so we asked people on the street for jumper cables. One man came up to me with a pair of forceps and said that you can jump the truck with those. All I remember was thinking he was crazy because you'd shock yourself with forceps on a battery. Then I turned around and saw some kids playing chinese jump rope with a set of jumper cables so I grabbed them. That was it! My alarm went off and I never knew if we got away or not....from the crazy boyfriend with the sleeping pills!!????

I love having an active dream world. It's so interesting how your brain can conjure up stories and scenarios that make absolutely no sense yet strike up so much emotion. If anything, it's fun to get a good laugh!

Wooo Hooo!

2008-01-08T06:42:00.001-06:00

Way to go LSU on winning the BCS championship! What a great season!

Put em up...Put em up

2007-11-29T19:27:00.000-06:00

The hubby's on his way home from his business trip and he has conveniently dropped the discussion about the sleaze. Sometimes I'm just in the mood to fight so I'd bring something up just to get a rise out of him. I am typically very easy to get along with and I will avoid a fight at all costs but, NOT WHEN I'M RIGHT!!! You can't just ignore it and let him go on thinking everything is ok, right? I'll be nice, I promise ;)

Frustrated

2007-11-28T21:56:00.000-06:00

My husband is out of town on a business trip. He called tonight letting me know he'll be eating at my favorite restaurant tonight....with his sleazy employee. I was so mad because we were just talking about going there last weekend but he said he didn't want to go and spend that kind of money. Now he's there with her. The single, big breasted, sleeps with married men sleaze bag. He knows for a fact that she is sleeping with another employee who is married with children.

It's not that I don't trust my husband. I don't trust her. Maybe I'm slightly jealous because I don't like the thought of my husband eating dinner alone with another woman. Especially when he barely takes me out alone. Am I being silly? My mom told me to get over it, that he would never do anything. But, if the shoe was on the other foot, he'd have a cow don't you think?

Tough day...

2007-11-12T22:03:00.000-06:00

My youngest son is funny. Very funny. But not always at appropriate times. Lately, I've noticed a downward trend in his grades and went to talk to his teachers about what is going on. His math teacher pretty much dominated the conversation and was saying how silly and disruptive he is being. She made a big deal about him doodling on his papers and basically making jokes. I told the teachers to threaten him that they would call my husband if they found it necessary. About 45 minutes before school ended, his math teacher came to the classroom I was working in and asked me to talk to her. She said that, "our plan backfired. I threatened to call dad and he said that it wouldn't do any good". As pissed as I am about him smart mouthing the teacher, I have not liked her since the first time I have met her. She's a first time teacher and has a crappy attitude. I have been so stressed out about his grades and behavior all day and hope that he will get his little personality under control while he's in school. I've never had to deal with behavior issues in school before. I think it makes it harder since I work there. Now I just have to get the nerve to tell his math teacher to quit bothering me during the work day with things that pertain to my child. She needs to learn to send a note home or call me in the evening. UGH! I don't like her AT ALL!!!

Wow....it's been a while

2007-10-30T20:31:00.000-06:00

I guess I'm not so into the blogging thing that I even miss it. I haven't even looked at my blog in over 2 weeks. We have been so busy with the kids lacrosse, my work and school and general obligations. I am so thankful that I dropped my Geology class. It has given me so much more time to devote to my other 2 classes and I am doing well in both. I got a great letter in the mail from the college on Monday saying that I have been awarded a $500 scholarship!!! Yeah! I love free money!

My job is going really great. I tend to get very emotionally involved with the kids because for so many of them, you're the only adult who pays attention to them all day. One little boy was wearing the same 3 shirts over and over so I cleaned out my boys closet and sent them home with him through his teacher. He came up to me the other day and said, "Look at my new jacket!" and it felt good knowing that he didn't know it was from me. There's alot of stuff like that on a daily basis that just breaks your heart but I guess I just have to get used to it if I'm going to be a teacher. My mom has been teaching for a while and told me the other day, "I used to be just like you when I first started teaching. I promise you, it gets old. You get tired of spending your own money and never seeing any change in the child's life". I hope I never feel like that. The way that I look at it, if you give a child a moment of your care, time, or money you never know how that may impact them in the long run. You may never see the results of it and it really doesn't matter if you do or not, it's just that you showed the child that they mattered. Maybe I'm being idealistic but....

Feeling much better!

2007-09-23T19:02:00.000-06:00

I dropped my Geology class. I feel so much better and actually felt like I could breathe this weekend. It was sucking me dry and causing me too much unneeded stress. As excited as I am to complete my education, my 6th grader needs me a lot more than he ever has before. He's had some issues getting adjusted to the workload so I think dropping the course will free up the time I need to spend with him.

I love my new job. Kindergarten is so much fun and I am learning so much from some really great teachers. Every day, I come home with stories about some of the kooky kids that I work with and we all have a good laugh. I really enjoy going to work every day!

I'm losing my mind!!!

2007-09-04T18:10:00.000-06:00

Do you ever feel like you can't handle another thing on your plate? Like, if the phone rings, you're going to explode? That's how I feel right now. I don't want to talk to anyone, hear anything, or solve any problems for anyone. I just need to do my homework and get some housework done. I know being a mom comes first but I'm about to lose my freaking head trying to get these kids to get along and do what they are supposed to do. AAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!

New beginning

2007-08-16T05:46:00.001-06:00

I start my new job today! Kindergarten......I can't wait!!

Random thoughts...

2007-08-09T19:51:00.000-06:00

So the thing with my sister will get worked out. My husband talked to her last weekend and told her that she and I needed to talk before I'd move past what she said. At this point, I'm over it. I just want to move on.

The past few days have been busy with my youngest son's birthday party, lots and lots of work at my mom's house, and getting ready for finals. I'll be done with school next week and getting ready to start my new job. I can't wait! I'm so looking forward to the kids going back to school and getting back to a routine. I took the boys clothes shopping today. Just need to get new shoes, underwear and socks and definitely a haircut. They look like scrubs!

On another note, I'm starting to question this whole blog thing. I don't think anyone (except Supermom!) reads it and I never go back and read through it like a diary. I'm not sure why I even do it because it kind of stresses me out when i don't get to it. I think I just need to do it for myself and not worry if anyone looks at it (although i'd love a comment or two)!

Crazy Family

2007-07-29T12:49:00.000-06:00

A little over a month ago, I had a huge blowout fight with my sister. To give you a little background, she's a lunatic and everyone in the family cowers to her to keep her happy and therefore, quiet. SOOOO not my personality. The reason for the fight was that my 7 year old hit her 9 year old. I didn't scream and punish mine because she was acting obnoxious and frankly, she deserved a good whack. My sister ran after my son, threatening me that she was going to hit him next time he lays a hand on her daughter and that I need to learn how to discipline my child. This comes from a single mom, that has men in and out of her house all of the time and doesn't pay a lick of attention to the needs of her child. Not bragging, but I pride myself on being a good mom. My family and the needs of my kids come first.

Anyways, tonight I asked my brother and his fiance to dinner at my house. I then called my mom to see if she wanted to join us. She asked me if I was asking my sister and I said no. We haven't resolved everything yet and I don't want to be walking on eggshells in my own house. I think that's fair enough. So, mom cancelled dinner plans, brother called and said get over it, and I'm pissed because the rest of the family expects everyone to bend to her will and make sure that she's happy. Mom said she doesn't want to hurt her feelings by coming over here and my sister is not invited but what about my feelings? I hate living this close to family sometimes.

Super Busy

2007-07-26T06:57:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure what I was thinking but I signed up for 12 credit hours this summer. I am getting my butt kicked. I'm taking a computer course, Spanish II, and Biology II. Don't ask me why. My head has been spinning for the past 2 weeks and will be for 3 more.

I will be changing jobs mid-August and while my current job knows that I am leaving, the new job called and wants me to go to a workshop before i leave my current job. Although I am not happy right now with my current job, I don't like screwing people over and leaving them without proper coverage. I feel like I am between a rock and a hard place because the new job is MUCH better of an opportunity, twice as much money, and has SO much potential. I'm just torn. Guess this is adding to my head spinning!

On a good note, my mom is finally starting to clean her house out. Since my dad died, she has been sitting on a bunch of stuff, feeling like she's paralyzed. Last week, she cleaned out all of the closets upstairs, is having it repainted and recarpeted. She's going to have a massive garage sale pretty soon. I'm hoping that she'll want to move to a smaller house sometime in the next few years. She has a 3000 sq. ft. house and lives in one bedroom downstairs. I think she may only go upstairs once a month at the most. I'd love to see her buy something smaller and newer so she has less to worry about!

Good Old Days

2007-07-18T20:44:00.000-06:00

My mom called me tonight to come and pick up some boxes of stuff that she cleaned out of my closet. There were old photo albums, keepsakes, journals and the most interesting was a box of letters from my old boyfriend. We dated for 4 years (all through high school) and now that i look back at it, our relationship was pretty crappy. The letters were just a peek into the past that gave me a little chuckle and made me thankful for what I have today. I enjoyed looking through all of it and was especially thankful that my husband thought that it was funny. Wasn't at all threatened, (even though old boyfriend lives 2 miles from me) and that's what I like about him. He know's he's got me.

A month...

2007-06-25T06:22:00.001-06:00

....has gone by! This summer is moving right along. I can't believe how quickly it goes. We've been enjoying the summer with a weekend trip to the Bay, a day trip to the zoo, a ride on the Texas State Railroad, we're going to Austin next week and we'll be going to New Orleans soon to see family. When I'm not working, I'd rather be on the road with the boys, seeing the sights.

On a sad note, today is the year anniversary of my dad's death. We'll be going to my mom's tonight for dinner. She's cooking his favorite meal and we're going to enjoy the evening together. That's the way he'd want it. I miss him!

One Week Later

2007-05-27T21:40:00.000-06:00

...and oldest son is STILL sick. High fever, gross cough and no appetite. Took him to the doctor Monday and Friday of last week. Both doctors think that it's a virus but on Friday he had an ear infection so they put him on antibiotics. That was Friday, today is Sunday and he still feels like crap. I am so exhausted from having sick kids. It really wears on the whole family. Younger one had his first day without hives today!!! After 3 weeks, he's finally well. Thank you God.

In other news, my mom threw an early birthday party for me today. My birthday is on Thursday but the boys will all be camping so we celebrated early. I got 4 new beads for my Pandora bracelet and these new shoes from my mom.
I thought they were pretty cute in the catalog. What do you think?

1 down 1 to go...

2007-05-20T20:26:00.000-06:00

Now that youngest son is on the mend, oldest one came down with a fever this afternoon. He only has 4 days of elementary school left and I don't want him to miss it! It's going to be a fun filled week and it will stink if he's stuck on the couch.

Youngest son is still suffering with hives. His doctor says to keep him on the antibiotic that he's on and just let the hives run their course but it's very annoying and irritating. He's waking up every night covered with them and one of us has to get up to get him medication. I just wish this would get better quickly!

Tomorrow is my last day of the regular school year. I am teaching summer school but only MWF. It will be a nice break from my regular schedule. The guys are planning their big camping trip in a couple of weeks so I will have 4 nights here alone. I have no clue what I'm going to do with all of that time to myself. Maybe catch up with some movies or work on painting the house a little. Whatever I do, it won't involve housework. That's a promise!

On the mend...

2007-05-17T05:47:00.000-06:00

Poor baby has been allergic to 2 of the 5 antibiotics that we've tried over the past 2 weeks. Unfortunately, the first one doesn't work for pneumonia, the second he was allergic to, the third he was allergic to, and the last 2 seem to be working. We're going to send him to school today. He's been fever free for 3 days but is still fighting a nasty cough. He's ready to go back and see his friends so we'll see how it goes. My hubby is working from home the rest of the week so he can be at the school in 3 minutes if necessary.

It is so nice being on a break from school. I have a couple more weeks off and while I am looking forward to starting my next class, I am enjoying having nothing to worry about. It gives me so much time to spend with the kids and do things around the house. I'm taking 12 hours this summer so we'll see how that goes!

Still Sick

2007-05-12T19:47:00.000-06:00

UPDATE: After a looong morning at the doctor, a trip to get x-rays, and 5 prescriptions later, he was diagnosed with pneumonia. The doctor toyed with the idea of sending him to the hospital for iv antibiotics and a possible overnight stay but he thinks that we can get it under control with breathing treatments and lots of med. Wish us luck!

OK, now it's getting old. My son has been sick since Tuesday, running a high fever with a nasty cough and sore throat. He was diagnosed with with strep throat and the medicine isn't working. We got another antibiotic called in last night and he's still running a fever. I'm just worried that it's something other than strep. I'm just praying that he'll start feeling better soon. My poor boy.

2007-05-11T13:54:00.000-06:00

Do you ever see pictures of yourself and you're surprised that it's actually YOU that you're looking at? Of course, I see myself in the mirror every day but there's something about seeing a picture that just shocks me into reality. Today I saw a picture of me from behind and I couldn't believe how dark (almost black) my hair is. I thought it was brown. It wasn't the lighting or anything because everyone else in the picture looked normal. I saw another picture of myself the other day and I couldn't believe that my boobs were that big. Of course, I'm always surprised at how wide my hips look or how many chins I manage to display. I always wonder what other people see when they look at me, I guess now I know!

Nurse Jenn

2007-05-09T05:52:00.000-06:00

Are you ever kind of glad when your child gets sick and has to take a couple of days off of school? I hate that he feels bad but it's so nice to get to spend the day together and try to help him feel better. I don't feel like I get to spend enough time "mommying" my kids so I have enjoyed being his nurse. He's on the mend, so we'll all be back to work and school tomorrow but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

FINALLY!!!

2007-05-08T05:51:00.000-06:00

This has been the hardest semester for me. I took 11 hours, Biology, American Literature, Government and P.E. All of this on top of working 30 hours a week and taking care of 2 children and a husband. Wonder why I don't have time to blog? Anyways, it's over! I finished my finals and am waiting for my grades to come in. It will be a glorious month before my summer classes begin.

We are starting to prepare for oldest son's transition to middle school. I can't believe he wont be in elementary any more. It has gone entirely too fast. I feel like he started Kindergarten a year or so ago. Unreal...

On another note, I have been enjoying spending more time with my husband lately. Something has changed with him over the past six months or so and I think maybe he finally "gets it". He has been treating me like a queen. Maybe he finally realized that I don't HAVE to stay with him, I WANT to be with him. There's a big difference.

Neighbors

2007-04-05T05:54:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since i've blogged. I have been so busy with school that I haven't had time for much else. BUT... last night drove me to get up and blog this morning.

I was woken up at 1:00 in the morning with the people behind us dog barking. It barked NON STOP for over 45 minutes when I decided to yell at it out of the back door. It stopped for a minute and then started up again. I decided to call the police and let them deal with it. About 10 minutes later, all was silent. Then, I couldn't sleep because I was worried that the guy would get pissed and try to retaliate (and I'm home alone). Anyway, I was up from 1:00-4:00 tossing and turning. I hate neighbors.

Birthday, Spring Break and lots of catching up to do

2007-03-13T17:37:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is oldest son's 11th birthday. He is growing up so quick and so far, so good. He's such a cool kid. Yes, he is typical in his smart mouthed remarks and trying to get his brother in trouble but he's not your average kid. He's intelligent, funny and I think he's pretty darn good looking. I can't believe that 11 years ago tonight (at midnight) my water broke when I got up to pee during the night and we were on the road to being first time parents. We are so happy to have him in our lives.

Spring break is going well so far. We are trying to do some fun things around town but also catch up on some rest. It seems like we have been going 100 miles an hour for the past few months. Oldest son went to a lacrosse clinic this morning and I took my father in law to breakfast for his birthday. Youngest went to the library with granny. Since about 2:00, we've been at home, working and playing around the house. It's been a nice day, waiting for the thunderstorms to roll in. I love days like this one.

Mama tiger protecting her cubs

2007-03-02T20:58:00.000-06:00

This is one of the hardest things about being a parent and I'm not sure how to handle it. My oldest son gets good grades, plays sports, is nice looking and is an overall good kid. (Yes, I'm bragging but he's really a nice boy.) The other day on the bus a kids called him a nerd for getting good grades. He was upset but we told him the kid was probably just jealous.

Today he got off the bus very upset and started to cry as soon as he closed the front door. Another boy slapped my son in the face as he was getting off the bus. I went through the roof. I was ready to strangle this kid with my bare hands. My first thought was to tell my son to beat the hell out of him on Monday but in this day and age, he'll end up getting in more trouble than it's worth. I called the school and the bus barn and reported this other kid for hitting my son (he had a red mark across his face) and they said that they'll have to wait until Monday to deal with it.

I am so frustrated because I want to protect my kids from bullies and crappy kids but it's not reality that he'll never get picked on. How am I supposed to handle this? I want my child to show the other child kindness and love but not to the point that he's sacrificing his own self worth. I was picked on all through school and I still suffer from self esteem issues. I don't want that for my kids. No mother does. I just refuse to allow my kids to have some shit head telling them they are worthless and physically assaulting them.

What would you do in this situation? Should I just continue to build him up at home and not worry about these other kids or should I pursue disciplinary action on the bus?

Home again, Home again, Jiggety Jig....

2007-02-27T07:01:00.000-06:00

I never thought I would ever be so happy to be back in Texas. No offense to Chicago but, I don't think I could live with that little sunshine. It was cloudy and overcast the whole time I was there and snowy and windy the day before we left, closing the airport and stranding hundreds of people. It may be hot as hell here in the summer but I'll take it!

We had a good time in Chicago. It was nice spending time with DH and my brother and his girlfriend. She had a Halloween convention to go to for her party supply business and so I tagged along with her for a day. It was really interesting but kind of shocking to see how much junk there is out there. I kept walking around thinking, "there is nothing that I need in here. All of this stuff is disposable junk". I guess I'm too much of a realist. Or a grouch (whatever).

The highlight (if you can call it that) of my trip was meeting Dee Snyder, the lead singer of the hair band Twisted Sister. Remember them? He was signing autograph's and taking pictures so I had to get in line. DH is a huge, huge, hair band fan.

Anyways, it's good to be home. I missed the kids and the sun. It's off to work for me! Have a good day!

Heading out of town again...

2007-02-21T07:10:00.000-06:00

DH and I are heading to Chicago tomorrow for a long weekend. He has to work at a trade show so I will be doing some shopping and relaxing. My brother and his girlfriend just happen to be going there for a business trip for her company so we'll have some fun hanging out with them. Pray for safe travels for us. My mom is keeping the boys so, pray for her too. The kids have alot of activities this weekend that she is not used to keeping up with.

Valentines Day thoughts

2007-02-14T06:59:00.000-06:00

To all of you who like February 14th, Happy Valentine's Day! It is a day that we are expected to show our love for our honey, pass out treats to friends and classmates and over all act schmoopy. I'm so not into it. Every year, hubby asks, "What do you want for Valentine's Day?" in this voice that means, "Do I really need to get you something?". I'm over it. Don't get me anything. I'd rather give something to the kids and just ignore the rest. I don't need cards from my co-workers and ladies, don't expect to get one from me. I'm a dork like that. Sorry. So, for all of you that are waiting for a beautiful bunch of flowers, some earrings, or a nice dinner out, enjoy it for me. I'll be home with the boys enjoying a bowl of beef stew.

Do I sound bitter? I hope not...

Pissed

2007-02-07T14:53:00.000-06:00

Right this second, I hate my job, hate hate hate my boss and want to go into her office and kick her ass. But, I work in a Christian environment and shouldn't even be thinking like this. UGH!!! Why do people have to be such morons?????

Thoughts

2007-02-06T17:11:00.000-06:00

I am sitting here waiting for the oven to preheat, kids yelling for dinner, me yelling to get outside until I call them. I haven't had a chance to do much of anything lately so I feel kind of like a hamster running on a wheel. It just keeps coming around with no end in sight. I took waaay too many hours this semester (11 hrs.--I know, not that many but alot when I work full time and have kids and a traveling husband). I would love to have a weekend (or an evening for that matter) where I can just chill with family and friends and not have to think about all of the things that need to be done. I wish I could afford a housekeeper. And since the kids just came in screaming at each other, maybe I need a nanny too.

Honking BIG

2007-01-30T20:00:00.000-06:00

So, the little girl that I called her mom last night came in this morning happy as a lark. Her dad came up to me an whispered that the child took a HUGE bowel movement last night, and I quote Dad, "It looked like something out of an alien!" So she was soooo good today. Didn't cry, didn't whine. She came up to me this afternoon and said, "Mrs. Jennifer, last night I made a honking big poop!" I guess I'd feel better too after not going for almost 2 weeks! OUCH!!

My weekly break...

2007-01-30T06:55:00.000-06:00

Even though I am totally in love with my husband, it sure is nice that he's out of town a night or two a week. I can get a bunch of homework done, watch what I want on TV, and get a break from cooking. Can't beat that!

(I do miss him though...)

2007-01-29T18:26:00.000-06:00

It is so hard as a teacher to call a parent and give them not so good news about their child. Since some of my kids go to after care, I don't get to talk to their parents after school and give them the low down on how their child is doing. Tonight I had to call one of my kids parents and tell mom that her child cries all day for no reason. I was trying to see if anything is going on at home that would make this happen but she said that everything is status quo. At 4 years old, and this late into the school year, kids should be into the routine and be able to handle being away from mom and dad for a few hours. She cries at the littlest thing. The other day, her chair was slid about 2 feet from where it normally is and it resulted in a 30 minute hissy fit. It drives me crazy but I am trying to be helpful and work through this with her.

We're home!

2007-01-19T22:20:00.000-06:00

We got home late last night, and since I don't think many people read my blog anyways, I don't think anyone missed me! We got to Park City, Utah last Friday morning and it was 2 degrees. That night it got down to -15. I have never felt such cold. Even the locals were saying how cold it was. Apparently, it hasn't been like that in about 10 years. I skied and the boys all snowboarded. We stayed in an awesome hotel right on the slopes and after a day of skiing, we spent the evenings sitting in the hot tub or sledding down the mountain. My favorite thing was renting snow mobiles and cruising up the trails and going as fast as we could across the snow covered meadows. It was such a blast and the kids thought they were in heaven. What a great family trip. I can't wait to go somewhere again. I love going on vacation!

The Boss Lady

2007-01-10T18:38:00.000-06:00

I work at a Christian preschool and love my job. We had a team meeting today for the 3 year old teachers and the director decided to join us (which is very uncommon). She stroked our ego for the first few minutes, telling us how awesome we are and how we're the best team she has BUT.....
We gossip too much. Well, the whole story is that someone from my team went to the head pastor because a lot of us don't feel like the director is doing her job. She doesn't support us, she loads our classes to capacity, she expects us to work off the clock "for Jesus" and she takes so many days off that she has no idea what's going on in the school. Apparently, the pastor went to her and told her the complaints and now she's coming to us fussing that we should come to her with problems. I guess she got in trouble. I'm sorry, but she deserves to get reprimanded. She's not doing her job and we all pay for it in the end. My husband won't listen to me complain about it because I owned a preschool in Austin before we moved here and I sold it when we moved. He wants me to start another one but I don't want the hassle. I'm starting to wonder which is worse...the responsibility of owning your own business or the crap you have to put up with from a not so good boss.

Stupid Teacher!

2007-01-09T15:11:00.000-06:00

I am so pissed for my 5th grader. He is a straight A student (yes, I'm bragging!) and he is a good kid with no problems to speak of. His conduct has been all E's and S's (Excellent and Satisfactory) all year and we have never known him to act any other way. Yesterday he came home with his report card with an N in conduct (needs improvement) in Social Studies for not turning homework in. I talked to the teacher and she said that he only turned in 1 of the 3 homework assignments that were being graded for the 6 weeks. When there is a child that has a history of good behavior, good work habits and straight A's, why wouldn't a teacher talk to the child or call the parents before it affects their report card? I'm waiting for him to come home so I can see where these assignments are but I'm still ticked at the teacher for not calling it to our attention earlier. He still got an A in her class but it's just the point that there was a problem and she never said anything about it. UGH!

Whirlwind Weekend...

2007-01-07T16:15:00.000-06:00

It seems like as soon as Friday comes along, I am turning around and it's Sunday night and I'm getting ready for work the next morning. This weekend has been so hectic with gymnastics, lacrosse for my oldest son and husband yesterday, dinner guests last night, and errands and lacrosse today. We organized and packed all morning for our ski trip next weekend so I haven't had much "weekend chill" time. I sometimes feel like the whole weekend is in preparation for Monday!

On another note, my brother met this really awesome girl. I don't know how he feels about her but I like her a lot. She seems like potential wife material. Nice girl with a good personality and comes from a good family. She's also so pretty. I get the feeling that he's falling for her and that makes me happy. He deserves to find someone to love him and that he can make a life with. I know how bad he wants a family. I hope this is it for him. It's the first girl that he's brought home that I haven't half gagged over.

Been a while

2007-01-05T21:59:00.000-06:00

With the holidays, and everything else going on, I haven't had the time to sit down and think about writing. Christmas was wonderful. It was so nice to be in the same city as mine and H's parents. We've always lived a few hours away from them and have usually come in a few days before or after Christmas to celebrate with them. It was nice having everyone over for a nice meal and family time.

NewYear's Eve was a blast. What a great way to ring in the New Year. Our across the street neighbor bought tons of fireworks and we all brought hot chocolate, blankets and lawn chairs out and watched the show. Our neighbors are all a little weird, each with their own set of problems but they are basically good people with good hearts and they are fun to hang out with.

Kids went back to school today and I headed back to work. It's kind of nice to get back into a routine even though I am exhausted. I am waiting up for H to get home from a business trip tonight and will then crash as soon as I know he's safe on the ground.

We leave for our ski trip next weekend. I am looking forward to getting out of town for a few days...

Gift Exchanges

2006-12-14T06:56:00.000-06:00

We had our bunco group Christmas party last night. It was lots of fun and the food was good but I do have one question. Why do people bring total crap to a gift exchange that you're supposed to spend $15 on? It's almost like people walk around wally world or someplace similar and pick up the first thing they can find that costs around that amount. I know that it's hard to find something that would suit everyone in the group but don't buy no-name brand bottles of irish creme, neon green bathroom towels or a $15 gift card to MickeyD's for a group of adults. It's just one of those uncomfortable moments when you're sitting in the circle and and someone opens the gift that you bought and you're wondering what everyone else is thinking. I would have rather gone home with mine than what I ended up with!

2006-12-12T15:55:00.000-06:00

Six out of 12 of the kids in my class have been out sick both Monday and today. I'm assuming they are sick but I don't understand why there are always a couple of kids that their parents insist on sending them to school sick. It is so frustrating and frankly, pretty rude. I don't want to get sick nor do I want to be bringing germs home to my children. It's unfortunate that people have gotten so wrapped up in their jobs that they can't take the time to nurse their child back to health.

Wake up call...

2006-12-10T06:25:00.000-06:00

I love it when the first sound I hear in the morning is my husband grumbling that he's the only only one up. Yes, I know that oldest son has an early tournament this morning but we agreed that I would come later with younger son so he doesn't have to be out there all day. Why would I get up at 5:30 to watch him leave?? I wish he would just ask me to help without grumbling about it.

My oldest son's lacrosse team played two games yesterday. They got their butt's kicked 11-0 in the first game and tied 5-5 in the second. They have alot to work on but they are having fun playing. I guess that's all that matters!

Charlie

2006-12-07T19:48:00.000-06:00

My dog has a $500 butt hole. Curious? Twice she has had a ruputured anal gland that has cost me over $200 when it is all said and done. This time the vet is worried that she may have a tumor. I'll take her back tomorrow and see if the antibiotics have worked to shrink it. If not, then cancer is a possibility. I hope the meds work. She's my baby and I'm not ready to lose her yet.