Chocolate and more chocolate...

Thank you, Helen for all the chocolate deliciousness!!!! I didn't take a picture bc well, I can't locate my digital camera and I don't know how to upload pics from my cell. But, trust me that it is a bunch of yummy chocolate from England!!!! Enough so that I sent some to Makenneh's class (she wanted to share with her friends) and I still have an abundance!!! I am sharing with everyone bc I do not need that much chocolate! I really don't "need" any chocolate but damn if it isn't just delicious!

Today was my day off and I have accomplished very little. I did take a nap! Im thinking of another one. LOL. I got Makenneh to school....late! ONly a few mins late. But i made up for it by bringing in a bag of chocolate. The teacher didn't wanna share. LOL. I feel for the parents who will be sent home with children AND chocolate. Hahahah. Let the candy giving season begin!

Well, im off to snuggle with the hubby for a few mins!

household tips

My aunt sent me this via email and I thought I would share...sure some of ya have gotten this email or may even already know about these, but for those who don't..there are some good ones listed!

New Tips - These are good....

Bed Sheets

After drying sheets, put both sheets and one pillowcase in the other pillow case. Fold neatly in a square. Next time you change sheets, you just take the one pillow case and all the sheets and pillow case are inside. No need to loo! k for matches.

Clean your glass shower

To clean the glass in your shower easily, apply lemon juice to the glass with a sponge. Then, take newspaper and wipe the lemon juice off the glass. It will be clean and sparkle with no scrubbing!

Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same am! ount. You a lso eat less sugar/calories per serving.

Reheating r efrigerated bread

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper Weeds-Away

Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic, they will not get through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass

Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken pieces of glass - the fibers catch ones you can't see!

No More Mosquitoes

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Squirrel Away!

To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
Easier thank you

When you throw a bridal/bab! y shower, buy a pack of thank you cards for the guest of honor. During the party, pass out the envelopes and have everyone put their address on one. When the bride/new mother sends the thank you's, they're all addressed!

MINE!!!!!

If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike.

Flexible vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empt! y paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be b ent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- voila -- static is gone.

Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

Conditioner

Use your hair con! ditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair...

Good-bye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," &can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it rains, but it works &you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take baby powder to the beach

Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you're ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin

Just fish

We are rid of all pets but a few fish now! The hampster got out, kitten got him...and then we got rid of the kitten last night to a lady from freecycle who came to pick up some clothes that kenneh had outgrown. So, we are down to a few fish. Some of the fish died bc we didn't set the tank up right, i think. I found out after i had done it that you should let the tank sit without fish, all set up, for about a week or so before adding fish and whenever you add new fish you should also add this one stuff (can't remember what it's called). So, anyway, the angel fish, loaches, and neons have croaked. So, we are gonna clean this tank out and start over.

Winter is on the way...today i finally had to break and turn the furnace on. it was cold in here. I would love to just crawl back in bed, under my covers and sleep for the day. But a certain 17 month old is against the idea. He thinks it's fine to be up bc hey, there are things to get into.
And yes, Helen, I will post pics of the new carpet/furniture when it's all put together. I can't wait! It is going to seem so nice to have it all done.

Carpet!!!!!!

Jeremy is with my brother right now, picking up MY CARPET....MY NEW CARPET!!!! Yes, i picked out new carpet this week. I can't wait to get it in here. It is going to look so much better. And after the carpet is in, we can go pick up our furniture. It is going to look so nice. It's going to look like a real home, rather than a junk hole....i hope, anyway.

I have the day off work today, but am "busy" doing something today that I can't discuss bc it's a surprise for someone who may read this. But as soon as the cat's outta the bag, Ill post all about it, including pics. Or, if you are one of those who just can't wait to know.....go ahead and email me. Then, after this "thing" that I have going on today....I have my cousin's 18th bday party. So, busy me today!

Gee, as fast as I could type that about the carpet, Jeremy called to tell me that they missed the carpet guy. He was only going to be in for an hour this morning...they are usually closed on Saturday. Oh well, no big deal..gives us more time to prepare, i suppose. This place is a damn jungle of mess and chaos.

Well, this post has taken me about an hour to do bc i keep getting interruptions. How crazy is that. And I must add that these kids are driving me crazy this morning. makenneh is looking at pics and keeps yelling for me to LOOK. Sebastian keeps falling and crashing and crying. The kid doesn't stop. He is like a monkey with vertigo or something...can't keep balance but still insists on climbing and getting into stuff.

I know im wasting time....i need a shower yet, have to finish getting everything rounded up for the secret activity today, and still have a couple stores to stop at before everything gets underway. Yet, here i sit, being the procrastinator that I am. I keep fantasizing about my bed and my comfy covers...pulled up to my chin and snuggled all in...falling into a blissful slumber of dreamland. But as soon as I begin to feel the warm sun on my skin and the gentle breeze in my hair....MOOOOMMMM!! LOOOOKKKIIIITTTT!!!! MOM! LOOK! And there goes the peace and quiet.

Come on...somebody push me to get up outta this chair. (trying to think of things I can eliminate from my 'to do' list.,.,so i can procrastinate some more. Yes, im bad, i know.

Ok, really, it's time to go and get something done...or hell, even started would be great!

Take care and have a great Saturday! It's gloomy here! Where's the sun? Anyone see it?

Gee, thanks

So, our store opened today! I worked from 230-1130. Let me back track by saying that we were all out of the house by 1045am and ended up at walmart. I needed a new pair of shoes and he wanted to check some things out. Well, we ended up checking on cell phones while there...but they wanted a 400.00 deposit that we just can't afford, so we decided to see if his mom would add us to her plan. So, we go back home, i get ready for work (and this is so the short version...i had to take clothes to the laundromat bc my dryer quit and I only have 2 work outfits, both dirty). Anyway, he dropped me off at work and then went to his moms. They came back up to take care of the phone business and ended up in there for like 4 hours, bc they couldn't get service for hte cell phones to activate them. Anyway, the kids ended up falling asleep on the way home (around 6) and slept until he put them in the car to come pick me up from work. ARe you counting..yes, they slept from about 6pm til about 11pm. Can you guess who is up righ tnow? You got it...they are both bright eyed and bushy tailed and I am ready to drop! I am so irritated. I sure hope its not like this very often.

Anyway, work went great. We were steady and it made the day go fast. we had all 26 lanes open most of the day, so during my shift, we never had a major back up in lines. It was very pleasant and may every day go so smoothly! I really love my job and just hope that i can get this sitter situation figured out so that everything goes well. I did run into my aunt (uncle's ex wife, but will always be aunt to me) and my cousin. I found out that my cousin is looking for a job. She is like 16. She gets outta school at 230. So like my aunt said, if i start work at 3, cousin can babysit. Taht would work out good, but then we are back to the dilemma of jeremy not having a car to pick kids up and/or get makenneh to school.

And yes, we got cell phones! WE have finally stepped out of the stone age! I am so excited. WE got verizon service and the new samsong phones that just came out about a week ago. Getting them at Walmart made them so cheap. it was only 40.00 total for both our phones and our bill will be about 45.00 a month or something like that ....can't beat it!

OH oh oh ...we also bought new carpet today! I am so excited bout that too! by this weekend, i should have new carpet in and new (to us) furniture! I just can't wait! I wanna paint in here, but j hates painting...i do have some wall paper we could put up...we have ot do something to brighten it up in here. this dark wood paneling is going to be the very death of me! I may even get a wild hair up my ass and paint anyway! The sucky part is it is so hard to get paint to cover on this dark paneling..e.ven with Kilz. So, we will see! Either way, we are on our way to things looking better in here!

WEll, im in for a long night..unless these kids magically get tired sometime soon!

Where's the balance?

This job thing is getting overwhelming! I am stressing over the babysitting situation and getting Makenneh to and from school with only one car. Sara and Matt have been babysitting, but Sara will be starting work soon. Matt naps in the early part of the day bc he works from 4am to 9am, having to be up around 230-3am to get ready. Then the school thing...she has to be there at 430 and picked up at 730. Jeremy gets home around 430-5pm, but has no car. He rides to work with a coworker, who picks him up here. I will be working a lot of 2nd shift-type hours....like 11-8, 12-9, 2-11, etc. My mom starts work the end of this month and will be working mostly during day/afternoons. So....it's just not looking good. I feel like my only option is to take her out of headstart, but i hate to do that. It has been so good for her and she just loves going. I did put in a change on my availability, but they already have the schedules posted through this month and into next. I just feel like beating my head against a brick wall. I don't want to be a huge burden with schedule changes, but something has to change. Im thinking that on wednesday, Im going to have to call around to find a daycare that will take part time kids. The bad thing is, some days I may need care all day, others just for an hour or so. But even then, I need a place that does school transport and that is going to be hard to find. I just don't know. Maybe i need to look for a day job. One that i can be out by 330. h

Anyway, im just stressing and hopefully things will work out. They usually do. I think tomorrow I will go to my supervisor and tell him what is going on and see if we can find a solution together. I really do like the walmart thing, i just have to find a way to fit it into my family life. The bright side is next year, she should be able to go to school during the day, maybe for a full day. That will make it much easier.

Tomorrow is Picture Day at School. That is another dilemma. I have to take her up to the school during the day, bc the photographers are only there during day. So, i have to find a way to get her up there. Mom will probably do it. I hope she does. I have to call her tonight and get a plan. On a bright note here, her picture package is going to be free! My friend's mom works for the company doing the pictures and she can give so many free packages (supposed to be for family, but really, she is family....she considers herself Aunt.) Without this help, the pics would kill us. They are just so expensive.

Tomorrow evening is Family Day at our Walmart. It's a chance to bring our families in to see what we have accomplished, get a tour of the store, participate in various activities, drawings, festivities! I was hoping they would let us do shopping at a discount like other stores have done, but no such luck!

Well, im whipped and ready to settle down for the night. Did I mention that it takes 5 mins to walk from the time clock to our cars? That's at an average pace....not huffing along, but not dragging ass. Have I also mentioned that thus far, i have not lost any weight doing all this? LOL. Well, I may take some pics of our store tomorrow evening to show off our hard work...who knows. I could even decide not to go, bc i will be working tomorrow 8-3.

ok, night all!

The twins are here!

Kayleigh and Kiersten were born on Friday! (Remember my friend, Stacy who is in Germany). Kayleigh weighed, get this, 6lbs 4oz and is 18.5 inches long. Kiersten weighed 4lbs 4oz and is 17 inches long. Did I mention these girls were a month early? I can't believe how big they are. No wonder poor mama was so miserable the past couple months. The babies are doing great! Jon said the doc is more concerned with Stacy's recovery from the emergency Csection! He couldn't give me much details, bc he had to get going but, as soon as I hear from one of them, Ill post! In the meantime, please keep Stacy in your prayers....that she has a speedy full recovery from the Csection!

Im still having trouble comprehending twins, on top of 3 other kids! But she has the patience of a saint!

Congratulations, Jon & Stacy!

spending money

I had a busy weekend. Saturday we all went shopping. This is definitely blogworthy, as Jeremy hates to shop and especially at the mall, which is where i had to go. And get this: He dealt with kids while I was able to shop, hands free/hassle free! it was so nice. The only thing better than that would have been if i went alone! I got 2 pair of Jeans and two bras. Not cheap Kmart bras...but nice fancy, 30.00 a piece bras. Of course, they were on sale,which sweetens the deal.

Then Saturday evening, I went to my cousin's wedding reception. Jeremy stayed home with the kids. I didn't plan on being there very long, but that turned into like 5 hours or so! I was having a good time! My dad was drinking beer (which he doesn't do often) and got pretty drunk. Not bad drunk, happy, delightful drunk. He spent the evening on the dance floor, forgetting he is over 40 with a bad back and knees! Oh, maybe the alcohol caused the forgetfulness! At any rate, he went out and danced to songs that us younger ppl listen to...That's when i knew he was drunk. LOL. Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera, so this was not photographed by me. Im sure someone has pics and as soon as I see some, i will try to get em posted.

Oh, on saturday, we also stopped at a Verizon store...but the wait was long and the kids weren't having it. We are thinking about getting cell phones. Can you believe we don't have one? Not a one!

I guess I should explain myself too! We haven't won the lottery or anything..lol. We just made a decisioin to fix this place up, brighten it up and stay here for a year to save up. The rent here is 230.00 a month bc we only have to pay lot rent, we own the trailer. So, this way,we can save up and straighten our credit up and then get a home loan at a much better rate than we can right now. We got a personal loan and paid off both credit cards, caught up our bills and are starting basically new!

The exciting part is I get to pick out carpet and paint and all that fun stuff. We are redoing all the floors in here, except bedrooms. The kids' room got new carpet 3 yrs ago and ours, well, nobody is ever in there but us, to sleep, so who really cares. most of the time, you can't see the damn floor i nthere anyway..its the store all room! Oh and iM gonna get new window treatments too! And a new (or at least, newer to me) washer and dryer and living room furniture! I can't wait. It's all gonna be started this week!

Today the kids and I went to my parents' and we all had a big brunch. My sis, her fiance and step son were all there as well. It was nice. When i got home, Jeremy had been cleaning! It looks so much better in here! If I had known he was cleaning, I woulda stayed gone longer..hehehe! OH and speaking of cleaning, I got a new vacuum! It's bagless. I love it! Our old one died and we were having to borrow my brothers. So, with this personal loan, we went and got one.

Ok, well matt's gf just called. We are going to look at the furniture we are buying from her friend's mom. DOes that make much sense? Sara's friend's mom is selling her living room set. We are buying it! LOL. maybe that's easier to understand. Anyway, we are going to look at it and pay her for it! So, im off here!

hackers

No, im not talking about computer geeks that break into your computer and cause lots of grief. Im talking about the coughing/hacking that is going on in this place. It started with Jeremy, then both the kids came down with it and then I woke up with it this morning. I am absolutely miserable. My chest burns, my body aches, my head throbs, my sinuses are haywire and I am tired.

I went back to work today and had to go to another store for training. This way, we are able to train with real customers, rather than pretend like we have to at our store. It went well! But, it's very hard to do cashiering when you are this damn miserable. I felt guilty when older ppl and babies came through the line, bc I just know these germs are floating about! But, what can ya do? Employers don't like call ins, so to work we must go. Of course, our employer is pretty good. They realize that shit happens and sometimes you just can't make it in. Of course, we will see if they walk the walk or just talk the talk.

Well, i know i haven't been replying to everyone's blogs lately, but i have just felt crappy and by the time i do all that I usually do on here, check mail, babyzone, etc...i am just too tired to type any more! So just wanted to post something and let ya all know im here! kinda!

survey time

1. Would you marry for money? No, money is not that important to me. I like to have bills paid, but I am not a materialistic person. All the money in the world cannot buy happiness!

2. Have you had braces? Nope, I was blessed with a very near perfect set of teeth!

3. Could you live without a computer? If i really had to, i suppose. LOL. I have done it in the past, but it does suck. I mean, having two kids and housework (now a job) just isn't enough to keep me busy...lol. YOu should see the shape my place is in. Im with julieq, imagine the housework i could get done!

4. If you could live in any past time period, where would it be? I would love to live back in the prairie days...back when life was so simple and everyone was kind and looked out for each other. Life was slow paced and every little thing was a treasure!

5. Do you drink enough water? If you count the water content in a two liter of coke, sure! But something tells me that doesn't count??? Phooey on whoever decided that!

6. Do you wear shoes in the house or take 'em off? I take em off! I don't like to have shoes on any more than I have to!

7. What are your favorite fruits? starfruit, kiwi (those frustrate me though, bc htey are so small and it seems like a lot of effort for such a small taste), strawberries

8. What is your favorite place to visit? my grandma's up north! It is quiet and serene and always good times! Not to mention, grandma is there!!!!!

9. Are you photogenic? Not in snapshots, but professionally, they usually turn out ok.

10. Do you dream in color or black and white? color. My dreams are so real that I sometimes swear they were!

11. Why do you take surveys?? cuz i like to share my answers with everyone! And besides, the housework can always wait til tomorrow, right?

12. Do you drink alcohol? on occassion, yes!

13. What is the most beautiful language? I love to hear spanish and french being spoken.

14. Do you like being kissed when you are asleep? dunno that i've ever been. But if it happens, it best not wake me up, bc darnit, I love my sleep!

15. WHAT do you like MOST: spending time with family

16. Do you want to live until you're 100 yrs old? Only if i can be healthy, mobile and self sufficient...oh and of sound mind. But come to think of it, im not sure im of sound mind now!

17. Is a flat stomach important to you? apparently not important enough to have me stick to diet and excersize! But, i would sooo olove to have one. Does God grant those types of prayers?

18. When you watch movies at home, do you like the lights switched on or off? off

20. Do you believe in magic? Sure!

22. Do you like to watch cartoons? no

23. At what age did you find out that Santa Claus wasn't real? I don't remember exactly when...but to me, Santa is in all who go out of their way to make someone's holiday extra special!

24. Do you write poems? occassionally

25. Do you snore? i snore enough to wake myself up! And ya know, i can't figure out why ppl like to deny the fact that they snore. It's not like admitting to picking your nose or something. So what?! Ya snore! no crime!

26. You sleep more on your back, front, or sides? sides!

27. Would you rather have a poodle or a rottweiler? neither, not a dog fan!

28. Are you basically a happy person? during the manic phase of my manic depression, i am quite happy...lol. No really, i do try to be happy! Until someone pisses me right off!

29. Are you tired? whenever im awake ;)

30. Did you drink anything with caffeine? every day, most of the day...coca cola baby!

32. How many landline/cellphones do you have in your house? i am so behind in this dept...we have one land line, with one phone hooked up in the house. No cells either.

33. Do you get along with your parents? yes

34. Do u smoke? yes

35. Do you have a kitty? Right now, we have 2 kittens left that need new homes! Then we will be kitty free! Any takers???

36. Have you ever had a birthday party? almost every year to some extent. IN our family, bdays are a big deal. We at least have a dinner together.

37. What do you do when you're sad? sleep, cry, eat

38. What do you need most now? a new home, sleep and to get over this cold (which is trying to turn to bronchitis)

39. What song are you listening to right now? none...the sound of the crappy ceiling fan spinnin around...other than that...silence.

Pictures

In the Van, ready to go!

In the Parking lot, before entering school. No, i didn't let her keep the silly baby bottle sucker thing! LOL!

And, Finally, Makenneh, all settled in, cutting away at paper!

Today, she had an accident at school! Ironically, I had forgotten to pack a change of clothes yesterday and she was fine. I remembered the change of clothes today and low and behold, she needed them! Hmmm..i wonder if i should pack a change tomorrow? LOL.

On the home front....we applied at another community today, in Clio, my hometown. It will cost 26.00 more a month here, but really, the homes are nicer as is the community (including a heated pool) and it's a better overall area than the other community. So, like my Aunt Bev reminded me, something better is out there for us and that's why; the other place didn't go through, bc it would have kept us from the something better. I hope this home we fell in love with today was the something better. It is absolutely huge. We both were thinking how we would ever fill it. We have very little furniture and this place is full of rooms..family room, living room, dining room, huge kitchen, huge bedrooms, two bathrooms. The kitchen, dining and family room is sunken..you go down two small steps into them. There is a fireplace, garden tub in the master bedroom! Just georgeous. The downside is this place doesn't provide washer/dryer in rentals, so we will have to take our old, barely working ones. But, oh well!

I also was talking to my Mother in law today about the reasons they denied us at the other park and she said that they aren't supposed to hold non-violent crimes against an applicant, only violent/sex crimes. She works as a leasing consultant for an apt complex and is going to ask her boss who has done this work for over 20 yrs to see what she says. But, if that's the case, im gonna let them have it and we are contacting a lawyer. It's not money at all that I want. It is the principle that they are doing something they aren't supposed to and hopefully someone else will benefit from it.

Ya know, ppl cry about recidivism rates, but it's no wonder it's so high. They lock ppl up (I agree with that part, you do the crime, pay the time), set them free with a bus pass and a few bucks and that's the end of the story. Nobody goes in to see what these ppl face in the real world. Jeremy is a productive part of society, as much as the next person. If you met him, you wouldn't know that he was a heathon child. He has grown up a lot since he was 17 yrs old. The same and you and I have. Think about it...do you still do some of the stupid stuff you did at 17? 18? 21, even? Probably not! He works, he takes care of his family, he laughs, he cries (whines even sometimes..lol), he is smart, loves to learn and he is far from the idiot he was a decade ago. Yet, we/he still pay for that stupid part of his life. I really feel the urge to do something big to make a difference. Lobby for some changes in policies regarding this type of thing. For instance, non-violent crimes/petty crimes should not be left on a person's record for life. There should be a statute of limitations on it or something. People change and if we want these ppl to change for the good, we have to give them every opportunity to do so. Instead, we leave them to the bad neighborhoods to live, where crime is high, economy is bad, depression seeps everywhere and hope doesn't exist. Then, we expect them to make something of themselves. Everyone changes. The preacher could become a drug dealer in the course of a decade. The druggy could become a lawyer.

Ok, im off my vent and heading to bed!!!!

Purpose

My aunt sent me this to lift my spirits and I thought it was something good to share with everyone, as we sometimes forget the important things in life!



Subject: FW: You are here for a reason

Repeat after me:

God has kept me here for a reason. I survived because He has a plan for me. All my bad relationships, the addictions, the consequences, the bad credit, the repossessions, the death of my loved ones, the back stabbing from my friends, the negative thoughts, or the lack of support; I made it because I am blessed! I release and let go of all past hurts, misunderstandings, and grudges because I am abundantly blessed! I recognize them as the illusions they are, and sent from the enemy to kill my spirit, steal my joy, and destroy my faith; for God is all there is. All else is a lie! Now give yourself a hug, wipe your tears away, and walk in victory! I love you, but more appropriately, God loves you BEST! Be blessed and know that you are at one with THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD! In addition, may the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. Genesis 31:49. Amen! Now since you are a true child of God, you know that with every blessing, a blessing is required! So be a blessing to another.

Be Blessed. "The Will of GOD will never take you where the GRACE of GOD will not protect you."

Oh, Crappy Day

Well, first off, I have to say that Makenneh did absolutely wonderful for her first day of school! She was perfect. No crying, clinging, nothing. She hugged me, kissed me and said bye. I didn't cry either. I think her excitement about the whole thing is what made it much easier for me.

On the dump side of things...we can't get the home. Why? Because jeremy committed a crime when he was 17 (that was 12 yrs ago) and so they won't accept us. It is so stupid. What he did was stupid, but the high price we have paid and continue to pay is worse. He was at a party that got outta hand nad they punched some holes in drywall and knocked the door down. Bad, yes. Does he go around tearing shit up for the hell of it? Nope! Did he learn from his mistakes? Yep! He has paid his debt to society via incarceration and that doesn't seem to be enough. He has grown up. He is a productive part of society..he works, pays taxes, takes care of his kids, has a family and obeys the law. I am so absolutely pissed that this shit still has to hang over our heads. It just seems that we can't get ahead...we can't better ourselves and i just feel like giving up. I will die being miserable in this hell hole of a trailer we are living in. Jeremy was frustrated with me for wanting to give up...we will find something and move. Yeah...when? is this before or after hell freezes? before or after I have a nervous breakdown? I just want to go puke.

I think im going to call the park tomorrow and ask to speak to the person in charge and see why something he did 12 yrs ago has to still have a bearing on our lives. Technically, after 10 yrs, it's not supposed to be an issue. It wasn't a violent crime, it wasn't a sex crime. I can understand them not wanting sex offenders living there or violent ppl living there...but damn. Im gonna try to hold my head high and look for the light at the end of the tunnel. But every time it begins to shine ever so dimly....darkness closes in on me again. I just don't understand what i have ever done so bad in life to have to go through all this hardship!

to top it off, the check engine light came on in the car today! It is our only vehicle! Oh and jeremy and the kids are all sick with a cold or whatever. Gotta love this weather...80 one day, 60 the next! What next? Shall I dare to ask?

Well, i know it's such a downer, but im feeling quite down right now!

I will post pics and more details of Kenneh's first day tomorrow! I am tired and want to go to bed!

Bye to mama cat and a kitten

Tonight a couple came and picked up mama cat and one of the kittens! Now just 3 more kittens to find homes for. I just love Freecycle.org! If you haven't already checked it out, you really need to! it is a great sight! I also have a lady coming tomorrow to get a kitten. So, i will be down to two.

We got boxes from jeremy's mom. We have started packing. What a chore! Of course, it wouldn't be nearly as bad if the place was actually all clean and neat and organized and we didn't have a 3.5 and 1.5 yr old under feet the whole time. But, what can ya do? The kittens also do their share of hell-raisng...tearing through, knocking stuff over. I won't miss that part. Or the litter box.

Jeremy talked to his dad today and he said he would co-sign or just take out a loan for us, whichever the case need be. This way we can pay up lot rent, catch up everything, pay the $ to get in the new place and all that good stuff! This will give us a fresh start!

Well, I need to get back to cleaning/packing!

Update on Stacy. She is dialated to 4 still and 75% effaced. They sent her home in hopes that her labor will kick in on it's own. She continues to have contractions and is just miserable. The twins weigh 5 lbs and are healthy as can be. The doc said if she doesn't have them on her own by the 22, he will induce her then. She told me that when the doc came in and told her she was still only 4 and 75%, she cried. It had already been a week at that point. But when he reminded her of the importance of keeping the babies in as long as possible, she was able to see that she needs to do this for the babies! I feel for her. I couldn't imagine having contractions this darn long! I didn't like the 12 hours and less I spent in labor!

Hmmmm

Well, we went yesterday afternoon to look at a modular home/manufactured home, whatever they are called. We decided to check this route out, as we want/need to move now! The community we are looking in allows you to lease with option to buy. When you decide to buy, half of the rent you have paid goes towards the down payment to buy it. So, it's not totally throwing your money away. Not to mention, this will give us the chance to really find out if we can afford a house payment, as the rent is as much as a house payment would be, but without the commitment of a 30 yr mortgage. We looked at 3 homes yesterday. The first one I don't want. It is just too small. And funny thing, it is set up exactly like my aunt kathy's was when she had one. The 2nd one we looked at was nice. But the 3rd one we looked at was the best. The master bath has a garden tub and is decent sized whereas in the other 2, the master bath/bed weren't that big, nothing special. The kitchen is awesome with tons of cupboard and counter space! That's a big seller for me. Also, the closets are huge! i can use all the storage i can get. They come with fresh, clean, new carpet, new paint, new appliances, dishwasher, garbage disposal, new washer and dryer. I mean, you can't really go wrong. The downside is we wont be able to take any kitties with us. But, then again, that is a plus too! I won't have to change litter boxes, chase them off the table/counter, etc. So, i guess it's actually a good thing. The community has 2 parks for the kids, a track for walking, community clubhouse and i don't know what all else! I suppose I could look it up in the folder they gave us. Basketball courts, planned activities, curbside rubbish removal....And spacious lots. IT really is a nice community. Now , we just have to hope our application goes through. The plus to that is the app fee is waived right now bc they have move in specials. The deposit is only 99.00 too. So that's not bad. Keep ur fingers crossed that we get in. Then, i can relax, enjoy my home and have pride in something that isn't falling apart, dark, dirty and dingy! I am sure i will feel much better mentally.

unanswered prayers????

Jeremy got this as a forward and I just had to post it here. I read it and thought about all of the times we feel God has forgotten us or just not answered our prayers. I thought about the times we have felt that maybe he didn't exist, because he wasn't giving us the things we ask for. Hope you can find some comfort in it, as I know I have!

God Said No


I asked God to take away my habit.

God said, No.

It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No. I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares

and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all

things.

I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.




Have a blessed Day!

Random Survey

The Most Random Questions You Will Ever Fill Out
1. Have you had sex in the past 24 hours? no

2.Are you gay? not really

.3.Do you have hairy legs? Well, they aren't hairy but i must admit that they are not smooth right now either!

4.Do you smoke anything? Cigarettes

5.Do you like monkeys? They are cute!

6.How many fillings/cavities do you have? I dunno, really! BAd isn't it

7.Would you rather swim in the ocean or a lake? If i have to choose, im choosing lake, but Im with Helen on this in that i prefer to not have creatures and seaweed with me.


8.Have you ever licked one of those square batteries? nope, too chicken!


9.Have you ever read the Bible? not entirely, no


10.Did you ever go to Sunday School? Yes

11.Do you wear a lot of black? not really

12.Did you ever bring a weapon to high school? nope


13.Have you ever hugged a tree? only a time or two...lol

14.Do you know what a sphincter actually is? sure do!

15.Describe your hair: light brown, naturally curly and thinning daily

16.Are you a wild beast? Oh i can be

17.Do you like to have fun? of course!
!
18.Do you like drama? Only in movies...hate it in real life

20.Do you like mayonaise? yes

21..Are you afraid to die? no, but i don't want to go any time soon! There is still so much i haven't done!

22.Do you like playing in leaves? on occassion...when they are free of waste

.Do you think you have a good handle on spelling? yep

28.Ever won a spelling bee? no

30.Are you a television addict? not even a fan

31.Do you think O.J. is guilty?:Yes but money buys everything...even freedom

2.Do you enjoy spending time with your mother?: yes

33.Have you ever had sex in a hot tub? no, but would a jacuzzi count???

34.On a swing?no

35.Do you like Elvis? not in the sense that some devouted fans do! NO elvis impersonation shows for me and no memorabilia hanging/sitting in my home!

36.Do you enjoy watching animals "do it" on the Discovery Channel? You're kidding right?!! Im really not into that kinda thing. Surprising huh?

37.Ever been hit on at the zoo? sure, by my husband...lol

38. Do you like the smell of pools? well, i prefer that they smell chlorine clean as opposed to slimy dirty.

40.Does your mom think someones hot? Im sure she does...

41.Are you a sugar freak? No

42.When you hear a knock on the door, do you think "oh shiit the cops?OMG! OMG NO!!! Not lately...hahah..no never, really

43. Ever been arrested? nope and i think i would die of embarrassment if i ever were

44. Ever been skinny dipping?? once

45. Actually, do you like orange juice?: yes

46.What sign are you? astrologically speaking, im a leo. otherwise, im the beware sign..lol

Monday it is....

Monday, my life will change. Makenneh will start headstart! I have such mixed feelings. Mostly I am so excited! She has some new clothes, new backpack and Im getting her new shoes. Going to the orientation, seeing the classroom, the toys, meeting the teacher and teacher's aid, hearing all they had to say...I am sure she will have fun! But my baby girl is growing up! She is spreading her wings and can't i just keep her little? Why does she have to grow up?

Then I was reading JulieQ's blog about her youngest starting school this year and it just makes me feel sad. I'm sure I will at very least have to fight back tears, if they don't end up spilling over. I just hope I can contain myself til i get back out to the car after dropping her off. I have to adjust my work schedule starting Monday...bc I will have to be home by 4pm each day to get her to school on time, as she is in the evening class and we have to provide transportation. Hopefully my job continues to be flexible and understanding, as I had to leave early yesterday to go to a meeting with the teacher, I have to miss today to take care of some business and then starting monday, i hav eto leave early each day. Im sure it will be fine though, as they understand we have family and family has to come first.

Well, im off here to see if i can access the walmart associate page online from home to change my availability.

Headstart

Last night was parent orientation for headstart. So, Makenneh is all set for school. I have a 3:30 appt with the teacher today to turn in all the forms i had to fill out. I have such mixed feelings. Im excited for her, yet, my baby is growing up! To make matters worse, i got my film back and most of it is from when Sebastian was born and just seeing how little they both were a year and a half ago makes my heart sad. They grow so fast. Where did the time go? ~sigh~ She starts school monday! I can't believe it!

Well, yesterday I worked in apparel all day! everyone had to work apparel yesterday! It's a big chunk of the store. We got quite far and im sure 2nd and 3rd shift were probably able to wrap it up! go us! It does feel good to be part of a team, working hard to accomplish something and best yet, getting recognized for my hard work as part of that team! Management thanks us all the time for our hard work!

The kids had a blast with gma H yesterday! She walked them to the park, they played there and looked for bugs with the new bug kit gma got kenneh. And when i got there to get them last night....they were out on the sidewalk and both kids came running to me.....mammammmaaa!!! It felt soooo awesome! And both kids were great last night! I think they are finally getting the hang of this new job stuff! It helps a lot to know that they are with family while im at work and that they are adjusting. Today they go to my brother's and i hope I don't have any problems. I can't wait til the weekend! When i can stay home with them and hang out....stay in my pjs til im good and ready to get dressed....lol.

Well, it's about time to get the kids up and ready so we can get going! Enjoy your day!
(Boy are my meds working or what?...big change in posts over the last week or so huh?)

WalMart, cats and what nots!

16 days until our Grand Opening! We were 66% stocked by lunch today. They tried sticking me in H&BA today. HA! That area is so cluster f*cked, for lack of better description, it's not funny! 5 mins over there had me frustrated as all get out! Finally, Lorna and I found a couple pieces of merchandise that went in other areas, so we more than willingly agreed to take them to the right depts. We then decided that we would go back to organized Kim and see if we could work for her in grocery again. We told her that the merchandise supervisor (ms) for that dept doesnt know what she is doin. She told us when we got there that she didn't know what to have us do...so just go through boxes. NO explanation, no nothing. She was quite bitchy to say the least. So, Kim said as a MS, she should be able to give us something to do...but seems how she didn't she (kim) would have us straighten, front and face the shelves in grocery! Woohoo! It was nice to work basically by myself, in an aisle with just Lorna and I, doing our own thing. And it's really gravy work. We have to pull all the product to the front of the shelf, turn them all forward facing, make sure it looks all nice and pertty! LOL. We do have to do some stuff like spread the stuff out bc the ppl who put it up only put up 3 rows when the module calls for 4...but that wasn't bad. I hope to get the same job tomorrow! Anything but HBA. Unless they are gonna give me the reins to do things right over there...lol.

Mom kept Makenneh again tonight and I am taking Sebastian over there in the morning...Then wednesday, my Mother in law is supposed to watch them. We shall see though! My poor kenneh is gonna get homesick (or not!). Tomorrow night, Chris (mother in law) is going to keep her over night....gee, i miss that little girl!! I don't miss her and Sebastian fighting and carrying on though.

And finally, we are over run with these damn kittens. Everywhere you look is a kitten getting into something, climbing on something they shouldnt be.....like the counters! its just crazy! They need new homes, now! And i think Mama cat needs a new home too. She doesnt wanna keep her ass outta the garbage and she runs around here being pesty like she needs food or something when she has all that she needs. I have two kids to whine, beg and follow me around and be under my feet..i don't need my cat doing it too!

Oh, back to walmart...lol. They opened the one hour photo lab..its up and running...so they are developing our film for 1.00 (single), 2.00 (doubles) and all proceeds go to Children's Miracle Network...and the money stays in our local hospital! I have like 8 rolls of film im getting developed. And probable more...i just have to look around and find them! They also give away a free HDTV every week that we go without an accident! They put all our names in a drawing and pick one! So that's cool. Also, they are offering us 35.00 eye exams at the vision center. They are just doing all kinds of cool things for us before the opening...oh and 10.00 oil changes! Deals gallore!

My friend Stacy is in the hospital, dialated to 4 and has lost her mucus plug, last i talked to her husband. The twins are due Oct 13, but looks like they will come this month! They weigh 5lbs each, so that is good! Considering all the complicatioins she has had, I have to say she has done very well! The docs still want her to keep the babies in as long as safely possible...but im expecting to hear any day that she has had them!

Well, time to finish up on here and head to bed!!!! I have to be up extra early to take Sebastian to my moms before work! Night all...

Happy Weekend

Well, i made it through the first week of work! Things are starting to pull together and work out. My mother in law actually called last night and she said she will help out with babysitting, one day a week. So with her doing it one day, my mom a day or two, i should be able to handle the child care expense. Once the store opens, my hours will vary and so will my days. You know how retail works. That will help too though bc some days jeremy will be able to be here.

yesterday we went to Jeremy's dad's place. It was a nice visit. Dad's gf was out with her sister, so we were able to just have dad and us time. He sent us home with a lil cooler full of food, too. He works for a meat company and gets good deals on stuff. He sent us home with 11 ribeye steaks (8oz ea), a big pack of pre-cooked bacon, hard salami, hoagies, sliced cheese, and i can't remember what else. He also gave me his old cordless phone bc mine died. This is quite the deluxe model..has caller id, answering machine and more buttons than i know what to do with. I hope he has the manual to it bc i have no idea how to even delete the numbers from caller id. Im so glad to have a cordless phone again, bc with kids, especially, its hard to be tied to a cord.

Nothing much in the plans for today! Mom wants us to come over there for awhile...so we might. Then we will probably have my brother and his gf over for dinner. Then it's back to work for me tomorrow! Jeremy has monday off, so he gets to have the kids for the whole day!!!!

Well, this morning I feel like im on speeders. I have already put a load of clothes in the dryer, one in the washer, changed the litter box, fed the cats, cleaned up the dining area....on a roll! Go, go go!

Well, im off to get some stuff done...hope everyone enjoys their labor day weekend!!!!