PeeBugg Press

HISTORICAL MOMENT

2007-04-18T11:21:00.000-06:00

Yep, this is now my historical site....

the new and improved me is here....

www.peebugg.com

What a Monday....

2007-04-17T09:37:00.000-06:00

Well....it was this time

I really avoid that....although I know I shouldn't.

The nurse had a nervous laugh thing going on which was just creepy. On the question sheet it asked about sexual partners...she looked at what I put and just looked at me funny. (don't you guys wish you knew what I put on there) I thought they were supposed to help make you not feel self conscious. Then, during the breast exam the doctor said "It takes longer on well-endowed women" I replied...."well I've always had these so I really didn't think about it." DUH!!

Anyway when the horrible part got there I'm looking up at the ceiling and the stupid poster up there has different sayings Here were the two that stood out...

"Be Delicious" (oh sure....pry me open like a clam and you want me to be Delicious)

"You are in control" (not right now I'm not)

Then why is it that they scrap until you flinch??? One time I was trying to be strong and didn't flinch for like 3 minutes...but the second I did they stopped. So this time I counted to 10 and fake a flinch.....and it WORKED!!! YEAH FOR FAKING!!!

and doesn't this look like fun.....

Looks like sex toy/peep show/black man......or like "Slick" from what he claims......

HOW WAS YOUR MONDAY??

Why do I do these things.....

2007-04-12T21:42:00.000-06:00

Last Friday night I was trying to move my trash can from under the sink to a different cabinet. A small cabinet that was just for the trashcan, so trash would be all over the other things in the cabinet.

Anyway, I decided on which cabinet and measured and went and bought a board to make the wall in the cabinet to keep the trash in it's place. So I start to cut the section of shelf I want out. and of course it's nailed to the back wall, I get that out. Then I can't get if off the side. I start banging and cussing...it's now 12 midnight. Still can't get it off the outside wall. Finally I got pissed off and just ripped out the whole cabinet.

Yes folks, at 2 am Saturday morning....I ripped a kitchen cabinet from the wall--in anger no less. Then about 4 hours later that same morning I was at Lowe's getting the cabinets I needed to replace the old one. I got two, one for trash and one for other stuff.

(aren't they pretty??)

Came home, and shoved them under the old counter. I can't get them all the way back because they support for the counter is nailed in and I don't want to nail anything into the cabinets just yet....So I am now in the middle of a new project that I wasn't really wanting to start on my own. I actually wanted to hire contractors to do the kitchen---but I guess I screwed that one up. I am going to wait till I get all the cabinets in to replace the counter top. Hopefully by then I will be able to get a contractor in here to do that part. But knowing my luck--the sun will be shining and there won't be a contractor in site.

The next ones to go are these.....

Who the heck would make the top cabinet as deep as the bottom one...You have no real usable counter space...it just becomes a storage jungle. I want to put a 18" 4-drawer section and a 12" or 15" cabinet on the bottom and I am thinking one of those ceiling pot racks.....don't know just yet, I just want to be able to use the counter top. I would really like that to be like the "cutting board" area...but they don't make cutting boards that slide out anymore because they are unsanitary. So maybe I will just have a huge one made!!

Ya know....If I had a boyfriend....none of this would be a problem....cause I wouldn't of been in the kitchen on a Friday at midnight with a hammer.....

BACHELOR #2

2007-04-11T09:14:00.000-06:00

Bachelor #2 comes to us from Yahoo Personals.....

He claims to be a native of Farmington and really can't get out of the past. It's fun to remember, but there is much more in life then reliving the not so glorious high school years. His thought process is so slow that when talking to him the first time on the phone I had to keep asking if he was there because there was no response to the simplest questions. His sense of humor seems to be null and void and voice overly mono-toned.

If we were in the 70's (like he is) Jaye P. Morgan would of Gonged him by now.

NEXT!!!

I now remember why I gave up on dating and became a hermit.

Romeo, Romeo Where For Art Thou.....

2007-04-08T20:15:00.000-06:00

Well, the date wasn't like that!!!

my shirt wasn't cut that low and he wasn't wearing tights!! (I think, or hope anyway)

It was fun but more like an outing instead of a date. Since we went with the old babysitter and her hubby. I did realize how much I have been missing by not going out ever with friends or otherwise. It was fun to actually get to sit down at a restaurant and have a meal without having to threaten little boys to sit down and behave. I, for once, didn't feel like I had to be on guard or was walking on egg shells. We talked, laughed and messed with each others cell phones. Then there was the bashing of the people in the restaurant that weren't keeping their children under control or paying any attention to them for that matter. It was good to laugh. I do have guilt because I left them with AJ, but I think they had fun. I hope so anyway.

I was the only one at the table without alcohol and it didn't bother any of them. Which was cool, I don't give into peer pressure so my not drinking usually pisses off whom ever I am with. The teen stayed with the little boys for 2 hours while we ate and then we all came back to my house (the heard of teens immediately vacated) and the adults watched "Blood Diamond".

Well part of it anyway. It was late and they left around 1130 pm.

Because the old baby sitter was there and the two other guys, the little boys didn't really do the whole "are you gonna marry my mom" thing. Thank goodness. Alec is on a "I want a sister" kick and I can just see him asking some guy if he will marry his mom so he can have a little sister.

5 year olds are so wonderful.

I have guilt about him paying for dinner. I have guilt with anyone paying for stuff for me or the boys. I know one must work hard for their money and I just hate for their hard work to be wasted on me. So I told him that next time I will buy. I don't know what else to do, it doesn't seem fair that the guy always buys.

This was the only date I have ever had where I didn't get a kiss.

I must be getting old or losing my touch or something.

Anyway, the Bunny was good to the boys. But no candy, they got sidewalk chalk and bubbles.

oh, and this is Alec's new bathtub toy....

Every time she hears water running in the bathtub, she finds a way to get in there. I now have to put her outside while Alec is taking a bath. When he is done I let her in and she jumps into the bathtub and plays with the wet tub. Silly puppy.

How was your Bunny Day????

ding-ding Round (oh I've lost count)

2007-04-06T10:14:00.000-06:00

Okay, the old babysitter has goals......she is trying to set me up again. The first time she set me up with the guy that I swear was more feminine than I am.

This time, I gave her guidelines. (not in any particular order)

He has to act like a MAN!!!
No ALCOHOLICS, mild social drinking is fine but I don't want or need to be with a guy that lives in a bottle, not even if he is a genie.
Likes kids.
He should have kids, for some reason guys with kids are more understanding to the devotion of time a parent must have with their children.
Like animals.
Has a job that pays. (you would be surprised on how many that weeds out)
Teeth!! Either natural or false...but one must have teeth
Has common sense.
No druggies.
Would be nice if he was taller than me.

That's not too much to ask....is it???

So this weekend she has the first mystery date lined up. We are going to have dinner with her and her husband. Bachelor #1 has two daughters that I have seen pictures of and they are just dolls. He is younger than me but not by much. Not sure about the height thing. He does have a job and teeth!!!! If he is at her house visiting he would have to like animals cause she has just as many if not more than I do. He works for a major company in town so he has to be clean cause they do the random drug and alcohol testing. So we will see......I've only thought about backing out twice so far so maybe I will actually show up!!!

WISH ME LUCK!!!

I TRIMMED MY BUSH

2007-04-03T07:40:00.000-06:00

Yes, Folks it's true...and in some spots more than 4"!!

But why PeeBugg, you ask....Let me tell you why....

While I was taking this

to get groomed.....

ThisBit this
And there was blood every where!!! But she is fine now!!

Why would that cause my bush to be trimmed??? and more than 4" in some spots...you ask...

Well, this picture should explain it all (don't look if you're not up to it)

I'm Pregnant

2007-03-30T08:26:00.000-06:00

About 6 weeks I'm thinking. I'm tired all the time, and when I do finally get to sleep my back hurts all night. I have been crying at everything. The only thing that's missing is that my boobs aren't sore and of course the exposure to the baby making cocktail.

Now if I had done that on Sunday, you guys would of thought I was just playing a prank. So I figured if I did it today, you might actually believe me.

It snowed here last night and is still snowing now. What a spring break.....

If Only the SUN would SHINE

2007-03-25T09:46:00.000-06:00

Rain Rain go away.....I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY!!!

Been raining for like 4 days now.

Since the weather sucks the little boys and I decided not to go to ABQ this week over spring break. We decided to re-do their room. They have a little room and needed more room. So We went and got bunk beds.

So yesterday everything that was in there room was moved to the front room so we could get the beds in. This time I was smart and bought them from a place that delivered and set up for FREE!!!

So two men came in yesterday, delivered and set up the beds and of course Alec was all over them!!! He stayed in there with them looking at their tools, playing with the pieces and talking non stop. I'm glad he didn't hug them when they left, that would of been weird.

He is so desperate for "a father figure" that I'm worried. So I am now thinking about looking for someone like a "big brother" or something. He has big brothers but they don't fit the "dad" profile. I really don't know what to do. I wonder if I could hire someone to hang out with them and do "guy" things???? I will look into it. Do guys do that??? I mean I know you can hire them for sex....but.....At least if I hire them I can screen them ....no "weirdos" around the little boys.....they have their dad for that position. Except I don't want them getting hurt again. They have had so many disappointing "father image" episodes.....*deep sigh* if I have ever needed help...it is with this....but there is no one to help.

anyway......pictures....

Alec in the messy too crowded "old room"

"Old Room" again...they have too many toys..

What used to be the "front room" now a storage facility

Alec in the almost empty room (They have carpet??)

Alec got to be the first one on the new beds, Ashton was at a birthday party.

It's a military jeep bunk bed with toy box (engine area)

Party boy returned. They were in there beds by 7pm....that's a first!!!

What did you do this weekend????

Columbine Relived???

2007-03-23T05:28:00.000-06:00

This is an emergency "I have to tell someone" and since I have no one to tell.....it's here

there is a real post from last night below.

The teen came in my room last night and said he wasn't going to school today. I asked why and he said that some kid from the "Tortilla Flats" gang (yes that is their name) is going to do a Columbine thing today at school. Normally I would tell him he is full of "La PooPoo" and tell him his butt is going to school. But, due to what happened at our house last week and this (CLICK ME) I am letting him stay home. His 2 closest friends are staying home too. Hey, what's one extra day of Spring Break opposed to a possible day in the ER....right????

Honestly, I think the little gang member is talking smack....but "The Teen", no matter how annoying at times, isn't worth the risk.

I will update with any news--if there is any.

T.G.I.F.

Turning Over A New Leaf

2007-03-22T20:01:00.000-06:00

NO NOT THAT ONE!!!

someone might go blind!!

We have the whole new healthy protein based family diet going on.
I have decided that I need to do something about the extra "fluff" on my body so I am doing Billy Blanks. Well not him personally or physically but his tae-bo work out stuff. I'm gonna be at my ideal weight!!!
Started jogging well actually fast walking right now every morning around 5AM. There are less people out to laugh at me at that time!!!
I'm gonna be happy no matter what!! My depressed mood is affecting and effecting my children and I can't allow that. So sad things are being pushed to the bottom dealt with or not and I am pushing thru.

Okay...those are my mini goals. I did go walking fast this morning. I felt great all morning until some office person got moody and then I just sat and stared at my screen.

I also played virtual greeting card tag with the contractor guy. I haven't heard from him in 2 weeks and it was fun, until it suddenly stopped. I know he probably got busy but my loneliness is overwhelming at times. I need to learn to not take what people say to heart and realize that most of the time sweet words are just ways of flirting not true reflections of what they truly mean or feel. Just because I say what I mean or feel and am honest about it all doesn't mean that everyone is that way. I just need to chill--I'm working on it.

What is the purpose of a FWB?? I mean can you tell me that women can have a sexual relationship with a guy and not get emotionally attached in some degree?? I don't think either partner can actually do that....but who knows. I need to be schooled in modern life I guess.

I cancelled the trip to Vegas due to Alec's blood sugar issues. But my boys will see Hoover Dam in the year 2007!!! As Bob as my witness they will!!

I think we will take a overnight trip to Albuquerque next week during spring break. It will be just me and the little boys--AJ doesn't want to go there. I called their dad to see if there was a night that we could all have dinner or something short and simple. He now wants to skip some of his classes and hang out the entire time we are there.

I told him no. He said why. I basically told him that this is my vacation too and my idea of a vacation is not hauling my ex-husband and his wife around all over Albuquerque and being made to feel uncomfortable in my own vehicle!!! He didn't get it. I guess he thinks I should feel privileged to be seen with him or something. Or maybe because I am still alone I should just accept my place. I don't know.....but I do know that I am not spending all day with him and methwife on MY vacation. I will do one meal for the boys sake.

When O'Gherkin and I were on speaking terms I told him that if I ever get married again I will have a real wedding dress. (I've never had one) and he actually understood. I've told other guys that and hey just look at me like I'm talking like the teacher from Peanuts. It's funny that the people that truly understand you are the ones you get in the most fights with. You know each other so well that you can push the buttons or do like I did and avoid the fight and hide.

Okay...I think my flashback is over........I'm gonna watch CSI Las Vegas

PEACE OUT!!

Stop This Ride--I Want To Get Off!!!

2007-03-17T10:22:00.000-06:00

Happy thought first....I got my laptop back!!! YEAH!!!

But now I have to reinstall EVERYTHING!!! boo!!

Medium Roller Coaster Ride

Still don't have the results of Alec's blood tests. His blood sugar was 42 Monday morning, which isn't good, so I called the doctor and they never called me back. I called again late Monday and she said the test results weren't back I told her that wasn't why I was calling and then we talked about the blood sugar. It was the nurse of course and she said she would call me back Tuesday after she talks to the doctor. She did call back Tuesday and they want to send Alec to a specialist in Albuquerque that deals with metabolism. An Endocrinologist.

The glucose meter I bought was an off brand so I asked if they could write a prescription for a better one so the insurance would pay for it and the supplies. They did and we have a better one that doesn't hurt when you poke yourself to get the blood out and it doesn't take as much blood. The readings seem much more accurate. I think alot of my worries were due to a faulty meter. I bought it new but it wasn't one of the high dollar ones. That's what I get for trying to be conservative I guess. Lesson learned.

WEIRD ROLLER COASTER

I got a call Friday at work about 1:35 pm.

"Hello, this is police and fire dispatch is this Elizabeth Bridges?"

"Yes"

"Do you live at #$%^ North Bla Blah Street?"

"Yes"

"Is your phone number 555-5555?"

"Yes"

"Ma'am there has been an incident at your house and police officers are on the scene we need you to go home. What kind of vehicle do you drive?"

"Blue Santa Fe. Can you tell me what happened?"

"No Ma'am I can't how long will it take you to get home?"

"About 10 minutes"

"I will let the officers know. Thank you" hang up.

First thought in my head. AJ dead on the bed with gun shot to the head. I grab my purse and head home. I'm freaking. I have two guns at home and AJ has one. Was there a teen fight??? Calm down Beth, maybe someone just drove into your back yard. I can't call my parents they would be more hassle than help. I figure out someone to call and of course no answer, it's the middle of the day everyone is working. I do text him and he calls me as I am meeting the police officer.

Some teenager had the holy crap beaten out of him. The police had received reports of a bloody teen in different locations around Farmington High School which is kinda close by. Then they had a call about someone throwing a rock thru a beauty salon window that is pretty close to my house. Then they had a 911 call from my house. The beaten teen came in thru my back gate that the roofers left unlocked last week. Came in thru Handsome's doggie door and the door from the garage to the house had been left unlocked. He came in called 911 and then waited. He didn't take the cash on the counter, still the Xboxes or anything. As I pull up, the ambulance is driving off, there are 4 police cars, one ladder fire truck and a blue ambulance thing. I have no idea what it was. My neighbors must just love me. Been here 6 months and I must look like a drama case.... I am glad that nothing happened to my kids or my house and I am sorry that the mystery teen had to result to what he did in order to get help. I still think he could of went into 7 to 11 and asked them to call 911. But when beaten and scared, one doesn't always think logically.

Freak me out ride

My boss at work has made three references about me not being married yet in the last 2 weeks. They aren't mean, they are usually like "Beth, I don't know why you aren't married yet your fun to be around." or "You are so accepting of male actions (meaning burping and gross stuff) why aren't you married?"

HELL IF I KNOW!!!

Is what I wanted to say, but I just shrugged my shoulders and kept working. I get it from my kids wanting a guy to hang with and to call a dad. I get it from work. And I sometimes get it from myself. Difficult to meet new people if you don't go anywhere but work. There is the contractor guy....... so I guess I will just let life ride and see what happens.

How was your week???

UPDATE AND PICTURES

2007-03-12T10:50:00.000-06:00

My boss isn't here right now...so I am going to get the pictures from last week's visit on here...

Blood work went good. We were up early and going and the second people in line. He cried a little bit but I bribed him with a new video game "Happy Feet" if he did good. And they couldn't hear him cry at the front door so he got the game.

I truly believe that all the hell I went thru with methhead was for a reason. And that reason was to make me strong enough to get thru life's happenings on my own. So I guess I should thank him for being a "dickhead"--well maybe someday......doubtful but I will keep my options open.

Any...pictures from the visit....

Alec (not feeling good) and Ashton outside the museum

Ashton and a 3-Horn

Alec and T-Rex

Outside the museum

Methhead and boys

Not as perverted as it looks, he is in a cave...

Alec still not feeling good at times in the museum

Muscle Alec

Alec (mad and not feeling good) Ashton, methwife and methhead

If you zoom in on methwife...this is what you see

How was your weekend????

Quickie

2007-03-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well not that kind of a quickie....but that's what was presentable when googling "quickie"

My laptop is sick and seeing the doctor as we speak. It has been sick and limping since before Christmas and I finally gave in and took it to the shop. He said it looks like a system board. Go Team!!!

So, I am on the teen's computer.....this is his desk top

Personally, she does nothing for me...but I guess for an 18 year old male....it's awesome one might even say inspiring.

Okay....we made the trip to Albuquerque and it was okay. I did take pictures and I downloaded them off the camera to my work computer thinking I could steal a few moments and blog....WRONG!!! It's been hella chaos and doesn't look like it's gonna slow down. So the pictures will have to wait till I get my laptop back.

(Slick stop staring at her)

We go to Albuquerque around 8:30 am and went to methhead's dwelling. Then we all ( me the boys, methhead and his wife) piled into my car and went to Denny's to eat. Ashton ate his breakfast but Alec wouldn't eat his. He ate 2 grapes and drank some of his apple juice. At the time I wasn't really worried because he had a few munchkins on the way down. Then we went to the Albuquerque Museum of Natural History. AWESOME we have been there before but it's always an adventure with the boys. Methhead and methchick were hoovering over Ashton like usual and Alec was my friend. Then we went to Cornado Mall to look for Ashton some Volcom shirts. Alec was fine at the museum but kinda moody at breakfast and then became Majorly moody at the mall. He insisted that someone carry him. I only lasted a little while and then methhead carried him. We got to food court and got corn dogs and cheese sticks and french fries. Alec wouldn't eat any of it. We even when to the candy store and he picked out some chocolate stuff but wouldn't eat it. Then we went to Toys-r-us and he walked there but not very quickly. So we dropped the meth couple back at their dwelling and started home. Got Mac and Don's under the rainbow in Bernalillo and headed home. Alec seemed fine, they were watching "Open Season" in the back and laughing. Then we stopped in Cuba to go potty and get a snack. Alec started crying cause he didn't want to go to the bathroom and then he didn't want a snack. As we were paying for Ashton's snack Alec just collapsed. If Ashton hadn't been standing behind him he would of hit his head on the cement floor. So I picked him up and took him to the car and checked his blood sugar. It was 32!!!! Crap!!! So I got the glucose pills and made him take one. Then got him in the car and speeded away. 2 hours from home. Got there a bit quicker. Alec fell asleep and then as we got within 10 miles of home he started moving around. Then something smelled. He had peed and pooped his pants. He hasn't done that since like 1 year old stuff. We get home I carried him in, took off his clothes, put him in a tub of water, scrubbed him clean and washed his hair and then put pj's on him and put him in my bed and he never woke up. SCARY!! I then took his blood sugar again and it was 101 so I didn't rush to the ER. I slept all night with my hand on his chest to make sure he was breathing. The next morning he was fine. But I called the doctor anyway and Saturday I have to take him in to get blood work done at the hospital. That is not going to be fun. Yet he and I will get thru it.

Then I called methhead to reconfirm his side of the family history and I broke down. I cried and sniffed and now I feel like a total loser. But he was the only one available to talk to me so he got the horrible prize of my emotional freak out.

While in ABQ we talked to Ashton about the possibility of me having a boyfriend and methead told him that it's okay and that he trusted my judgement and Ashton shouldn't be worried. Hopefully all will be good.

I will post pictures when I can.

How was your weekend?

Who Knows.......

2007-02-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

Did you know if you image google "weird shit" this is the first entry???

I will confess, I didn't know what a camel toe was until about 2 years ago...the teen had to explain it to me. He has also had to explain to me what a "sancho" was. Did I spell that right??? Methhead used to always refer to "sancho" (I don't think that's spelled right) and I didn't know what point he was trying to make until 2 years after our divorce. Not like it would of mattered.....but now I just laugh at his stupidness and I'm glad to be done with him in that capacity.

However, this Sunday--we are making the trip again. The boys haven't seen their dad since December but basketball season and the weather has prohibited us in making the 6 hour round trip. Hopefully it will be nice and we can do something fun in the public eye. I hate being seen in public with the jerk--but that is the only place I know he will semi behave. Hopefully his woman will have to work so I don't have to deal with all of her motherly advice. Like she has a clue both of her children have been legally taken from her due to her drug and mental problems. But she did take a parenting class in prison......ha

Now that I've touched on parenting.......A girl I work with lost her kids on January 25th. Their father had them for what was supposed to be a short visit and pulled some crap with the tribal court (they are both Navajo) and the stupid judge gave him temporary custody. Without a hearing or anything...the judge just signed the paper and he took the kids back to his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. She freaked and for 2 weeks she stressed and prepared for her hearing. The court gave them back to her, but their dad did not. He never returned them. Now dealing with Tribal Court is different than our NM courts. Things take longer and there really isn't a "checks and balances" system in place. So 1 week after she was awarded her kids she finally got a copy of the order that she gets them back. Being the strong headed females we are.....ROADTRIP!!! Yep, we left Farmington about 8 pm on a Thursday night and drove. She is a very mild person and not very out spoken...that is slowly changing especially after spending 18+ hours with me in a car and working in the same office with me everyday. Unfortunately, we didn't get her kids back that day....but we did get court papers for Vegas to file for future reference and we found out where the poophead lives...and payed him a visit. WHAT A FREAKIN' WUSS....Alec could take him in one kick!! I learned that not all people have that "survivor" instinct built it. It can be taught to some and others are just hopeless. She is not hopeless...just has a lot of learning ahead of her. She had court again on the 19th and she did get her kids back and there will be another hearing. I cannot imagine being without my kids for 3 weeks!!!

I have a new appreciation for what I have. I may question some things and don't understand them.....but I don't want to live without the feelings of love, happiness, understanding and security. We should never take those feelings for granted or the people who help us feel this way.

WoW....that was deep

B & A

2007-02-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

Which wouldn't get me as many hits as "T & A" but that's just not gonna happen...I would have to rename my blog to PornBugg Press....

Anyway...

BEFORE (from the door)

AFTER (from the door)

The before doesn't display all of it's true ugly-iness. I was a new home owner and I didn't want it to look bad and I forgot to take pictures the day the demolition started....so I will tell you all the horrible details. Had a 70's gold toilet and that lovely toilet had a wooden toilet seat with brass hardware that did the green tarnish/corrosion thing everywhere. The vanity was 32" wide and the lip of the sink was actually over the toilet tank lid. Very squished space!!! The medicine cabinet was okay, but small. The shower walls had been put in incorrectly and a the caulking job done on it Alec could of done better. Shower curtain...I'm not real fond of those. The bathtub had no finish left and the people before had put those icky flower non-slip stickers on it and when they pulled them up it had warped the bathtub. I didn't think the bathtub faucet leaked...but when they took the old shower walls down...there was water damage and there was water damage on the baseboard area because it hadn't been sealed. As you saw in previous posts...the plumbing was horrible. The flooring that was in there was some very dark gray stick on tile that was coming up.

24" Sink and the vanity, medicine cabinet and bathroom cabinet all match!!! White Toilet!!!! (very important when you have boys...trust me :) )

View if you were about to wash your hands. I forgot to replace the light bulb before I took the picture.

View from the shower. New fancy stainless trashcan so the teen will hopefully not be such a pig!!

As the contractors left they told me not to go in there till Monday...Like that was gonna happen. I did stay out of it till today. I had to take the boys to a movie last night to keep me out of it....but I kinda minded. And......I got to take the first bath in the bathtub. Then Alec had his turn 3 times!!! I had to keep draining the cold water and refilling it with warm water. I wouldn't let him take a bath in the other tub because it was so gross...he really missed his baths. He didn't fight the shower, but he probably will now!!

I had read somewhere on the Internet that the average cost of a bathroom remodel in 2002 was $9,600.00. My budget was $7,500.00 and with the help of cool contractors, we came in under budget. Even with all the unplanned plumbing replacement and water damage/termite damage replacement!!! And I got TILE!! I didn't think I would be able to afford it until they told me how much it would cost to put in linoleum. Tile was actually CHEAPER!!!!

I also made spring break hotel reservations at Circus Circus in Las Vegas--that's right.....one mom, 2 little boys and 3 teenagers (yes I am insane) are gonna take on the City of Sin!!!

How was your week???

Random Bugg-y-ness

2007-02-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

Okay.....they are still working on the bathroom....but it looks BEAUTIFUL!!!!

I will post final pictures hopefully Saturday.

Overly random thoughts have been going thru my head...and of course I have to share:

When looking for "the perfect mate" what do or did you look for????

With AJ's dad--my parents "forbid" (they used that exact word) me to see him....so of course I had to get pregnant.

With methhead.....he seemed sweet but was a social rebel. At the time AJ and I were living with my parents and they had pretty much clipped my wings and he was a breath of fresh air and AJ liked him too....

Now that I am out on my own and it's just me and the boys--I think I am looking for something more like my father....that is so weird!!! Someone that I feel safe with. Someone understanding of my stress moments and someone that won't use my weak or confused moments against me at a later time. I mean we all have bad days....if your with someone shouldn't they understand that??? and not make it worse but try to comfort you or at least try to cheer you up? And if they are having a bad day....shouldn't you do the same??? I am a big believer in the rules work both ways. And if you insist on someone doing something then you should also have to do it. In a non perverted sense of course. I mean like talking about things and being understanding and patient and that kind of jizz jazz. Is that asking too much???

Or do I have such a "fairy tale" vision on a relationship that I will always screw it up trying to make it perfect......or at least trying to understand and make it fair

I need input......help a bugg out....

p.s. I have no idea how that crab is related to this....but it is a way cool picture AND NO SLICK I DON'T HAVE CRABS....thank you very much

BATHROOM UPDATE.....

2007-02-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

Merlin--supervising the remodel...

This is what the inside of my pipes looked like.

The pipes in my bathroom that is....you sicko's

Awesome (both of them) and Incredibly Cute (just one of them) contractors

spent a whole day cleaning out my bathroom pipes.

The Abyss that is my bathroom plumbing

Yeah...new bathtub, paint, shower walls and the cool doors!!!!!

They had those really cool yellow light heat lamp thingies.....wonder if they tan with them?

Alec not liking the unfinished floor....

However, Alec does like a certain adult male in the house!!!

Because is was President's Day today, the boys were off from school and at home. I did coax , with money of course, two teens to take the two little boys to the movies...."Night In The Museum". So the contractors got a few hours of peace. Ashton said that while home about every 10 minutes Alec would be back at the bathroom doorway talking to them. He is so starved for a "father figure" and I think this guy would be a great one. He actually pays attention to the boys when they talk and he even answers them with complete sentences not just a "uh-huh" while watching TV.

Alec has a picture of him in his top dresser drawer. And has looked at it every morning and every night night since I printed the picture on the 14th.

I just hope our wild household doesn't scare him off.

It is a wonderful feeling to have a male adult that you get along with, attracted to, can talk to about anything and think about all the time in the house.

It's hard to let him go home at night....I just want to keep him with us.

AND

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DRAMA MAMA!!!!

(Click and go show an old lady some love!!!)

I HAVE RETURNED!!!!

2007-02-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

I HAVE JUST HAD THE BEST,

I MEAN VERY BEST,

VALENTINE'S DAY EVER....

Where to start......

Due to semi-icky weather, two very talented contractors were free for a few days for inside jobs. So YEAH!!!! I am getting the hideous front bathroom redone!!!! Here is the so far...

Ripped out the 70's toilet and way too big for the bathroom sink......

Are we in Arkansas????

And I don't care how good of a planter the toilet would be.......

IT'S NOT STAYING THERE!!

The bottom part of the sink vanity....black window's egg sacks....eeewwww

oh and water damage

Merlin is chewing on the old caulking in the tub....I honestly don't know how they got the tub out, but they did.

Now for the ultimately cool part.......but explanation first. Why I, in the past, disliked Valentine's day is not because I might be alone--but because of the past methhead memories that revolve around most holidays--Valentine's Day is just a little more outstanding.

One of the contractors is a guy that I have a HUGE HUGE, did I say HUGE, crush on--so it was really really, I mean really, fun to stand outside the bathroom and watch him. (I think the other one was in there with him....but not real sure.)

Anyway, the boys got to meet him and I pretty much got booted out of the picture. Alec just adores him and even waited outside the bathroom for him. They watched cartoonnetwork, talked, read books, played catch with the football in the house, sneaked fruit from the platter I was making for Ashton for his Valentine's Day party. Then when Ashton got back from karate---he had two shadows. I have never seen those two boys happier.......it brought tears to my eyes (just like now) to see them having so much fun and me not having to worry.

Here is a picture of him

This is a picture of the candy bowl creature that he and Alec made. Alec had to put bunnie ears for the picture. It's play dough, the play dough lids for what Alec called the "pimples" I think he meant pupils and then different colored play dough and a plastic knife for the mouth.

I hope everyone had a great V-Day,

I know I'm still smiling!!!

FIRST OFF...

2007-02-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

STOP SPAMMING MY COMMENTS...WHO EVER YOU ARE!!!!

Okay, I feel much better now.

Well, my most unfavorite time of the year is fast approaching and will be here in 11 days. I seriously doubt I will be posting again till after that.

I will spare everyone my weirdness and just not blog....

See y'all in two weeks......

PEACE OUT

2007-02-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

I can't even think of a great title...other than I'm still whining

2007-01-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

My icky week continued thru the weekend. Saturday morning (8:00 am)we went to Alec's game and it was good. He even kinda paid attention and only did 3 karate moves on the court the whole game!!!! They don't keep score on the little ones, but I think it was pretty close.

I got home and my pellet stove was making this horrible squeaking noise. I went to take the back off of it to see what it was and all the threads on it were cross-threaded and stuck so it took me forever. Finally got that done and wrote down the auger motor numbers and headed to "Raindrops" which is a stove and spa place. Talked to one guy who looked at me like I was from Mars and then another guy came up an knew what I was talking about. But they don't service that brand of stoves. I did take in my manual and showed him the layout of the stove. He said that "Englands Stoves" could only be repaired in the factory and I would have to mail it to Canada. LIKE HELL!!! I could buy a new stove cheaper than doing all of that. So, I am researching their website now to look for an auger motor. While I was there I asked him about cleaning the chimney on it. Since the people I bought this house from told me nothing, I'm a total worm when it comes to the pellet stove. We found the brush and the stick to clean it out and then he told me how the chimney pipe should have a clean out and he showed me how it worked. I got home and it did have a cleanout. I took the bottom off and a ton of crap came out. Then I looked at the top vent dealie and it look just flat out nasty. Pellet stove have some gross residue. I got it all cleaned up and then I headed for the shower cause I still had to coach Ashton's game. About half way thru my shower the bathroom door opened and I heard

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" in a rather snotty voice--It was my mom.
"I'm taking a shower. I will be out in a minute." I said in a rather irritated voice.

She shut the door and I finished rinsing out the conditioner from my hair. I get to take one non-rushed shower a week and she totally ruined it. Oh well.

Now as I have a towel on my head and one wrapped around me I walk out into my room, thinking my mother would be in the living room with the boys.....WRONG. She was standing right outside the bathroom door holding a Target bag. She held it out too me and asked "Did I get the right tea kettle?" While trying to keep my towel around my body I looked in the bag and inspected the bottom of the boxed tea kettle and told her yes. She said okay and left. As she walked down the hall she mummered "I don't know why anyone would want to take a shower in the middle of the day." Must of been one of her not so good or nice days.

The game went well, they don't keep score on them either but the teen said it was 18 to 20...we lost but it was a really good game!!!!! We go by my parents to pick up Alec (impossible to watch that beastie and keep him out of trouble and coach a game) my dad answers the door and said my mom has fallen to pieces cause the checks she ordered haven't come in yet. He is not very sympathetic to her moods. So I go find her and she is crying and said that everything she touches goes bad.....I just looked at her and said "Mom, it's been doing that to me for over 3 years....you'll get used to it" She just looked at me weird and I helped her hang up the clothes.

Then my dad came up and said they had no groceries in the house and wanted to know if I could take her to wal-mart cause his back was hurting....this was at 3:45 pm. We drive to wal-mart while the little boys stay with my dad. She got lost 3 times in wal-mart mainly due to all the people and them getting between us. She stood in front of the eggs and just stared. I got my purse and went over there and started talking to her and opening cartons finally found one that didn't have any broken ones and asked her if she thought they looked okay. She just shrugged her shoulders and took them. Did you know that wal-mart carries Grade A eggs and the grocery store carries Grade AA eggs?...... Finally get her home at 6:33 pm and groceries unloaded and then I get to go home and unload my groceries.

This morning my mom called around 10:30 am and said my dad can't get out of bed. Thursday he was having muscle spasms in his neck and went to the chiropractor. Seem to be getting better but this morning it was on the other side of his neck. I got over there, cleared out everything from around his side of the bed and got him to his feet. He could walk but very very slow. He got in the shower and stuff and seemed to be doing better, so I left. About 4 pm ish Alec and I walked over there to take them some cheese cake made from the filling mentioned in the previous post. He was in his recliner and I had to help him up to get him to the table. I honestly think he needs to be moving more instead of just laying there, but he wouldn't listen to me when I tried to tell him. Then I went to take their trash cans to the curb because tomorrow is trash day and I just about killed myself on all the ice in there side yard. So when I went in I told them I was going to get some rock salt at the store and would be right back. Salted the walk way and then my dad's oxygen was on empty so I changed it out and headed home.

As I type Ashton is talking to meth-head on the phone.......I hate it when Ashton is excited to talk to his dad. I know I shouldn't feel that way, but I still don't understand why he is so excited to talk to this man that has done what he has done. I of course never say anything to the boys about that.

However, about a week ago Alec said "Can I call the Replacements (cartoon network cartoon) and get a new dad?" I kind of giggled "Cause my dad is far away and that lady he lives with is weird." I literally had to bite my tongue. Ashton didn't say anything he just rolled his eyes....

I'm actually looking forward to the calmness of work!!

Why do they do these things to me???

2007-01-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, I saw this at Wal-mart tonight while taking my mom grocery shopping. And yes, I had to buy it. Who needs crust??? just sit down in front of the TV and dig in.

I probably should of stopped by ladies wear on the way to the check out and got a bigger pair of jeans!!!

Speaking of ladies wear.....have you ever noticed that for smaller chested women there are hundreds of styles, colors and just cool bras??? and for the larger chested women there is only white, beige and black??? Well at least on bras that will actually work???

(no, that's not me....

if they made them big enough for me you would have to wear sunglasses)

I've been looking for a teal bra. Thought I found one at target my size and everything. It's like getting two bowling balls into a marbles sack. (yes I stole Burt Reynolds quote...just different body parts). Then I found a blueish one......wore it and now I have bruises from the underwires. I hate underwires!!!!

Any input??????

What a Freakin' Week

2007-01-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger......I've also been a busy bugg...

It all started last Monday.....biker chick threw a fit at work because someone answered her "direct line" which she called her "personal line" HELLO!!!! It's a work phone.....nothing personal about it. Anyway she made a huge drama scene in front of her boss then went on a 2.5 hour "walk". Then she clocked out for lunch and took about a 2 hour lunch. Upon her return, her boss sent her home for 2 days without pay. Then she did the crying thing. Harley chicks everywhere should be ashamed of her behavior.

Anyway, Thursday she came in and turned in her resignation. She spent like 45 minutes in the president's office doing the crying, whining BS stuff and then came down to get her stuff. And our redneck HR guy (aka her boss) let her clean out her own desk....And she took about $300.00 worth of company stuff.

Then the previous post "bead nose" thing happened.

Even though work is way more happy and I actually don't dread going there, it's a lot more work on me. We are just finishing up remodeling our office and I got the great project of organizing the office supplies that biker chick used to be in charge with. Let me tell you, we could supply every person in the US with a pen, pencil and ink jet ink. CHEESE AND RICE!!!

But the extra work is way worth the happy atmosphere.

I was so tired on Friday night, couldn't wait to get to sleep...yet I didn't sleep at all and this is why......

Yes, beasties took over my bed around mid-night and I slept none. But the morning brought this.....

About 2" of snow. Basketball games were cancelled.

The teen took the little boys sledding and no one got hurt!!! I was shocked.

My mother is being overly controlling and tried to demand that I tell her everywhere I go and what I will be doing. Needless to say, her demands have not been met. I do talk to her, but I told her that I have my own house for a reason and it's so I will have my own life. She still isn't very pleased with me, but she ate the dinner I took over Tuesday night.

Do to this creature....

Ashton has decided to either be a NBA player or a fry cook!! What diversity!!

However, the most wonderful and spirit lifting words I am dwelling on

"loving, learning and living"

have kept me going.

I am striving to get by every body's place tonight....so don't give up on me or blog friends.

How's YOUR week going?

JOKE OF THE DAY..

2007-01-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

Two friends, a blonde and a redhead, are walking down the street and pass a flower shop where the redhead sees her boy friend buying her flowers.

The Redhead sighs and says: "Oh crap, my boyfriend is buying me flowers again."

The blonde looks quizzically at her and says: "You don't like getting flowers from your boyfriend?"

The redhead replies: "I love getting flowers, but he always has expectations after giving me flowers, and I just don't feel like spending the next three days on my back with my legs in the air."

The blonde says: ........"Don't you have a vase?"

NOSE BEAD

2007-01-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

I'm working away at work and at 2:15 pm the phone rings. It is the nurse at the boys school. Today is early out and they had been out for about 30 minutes and she said she had Alec in her office with his teacher from "latch key" (after school program). Alec was trying to be cool and stuck a bead up his nose. She said she could see it with a flash light but it was so far up there she was afraid to attempt to get it out. I am trying to hold in my laughter. She was relieved I was laughing and not yelling. Anyway I head that way to get him and we went to immediate care.

So....as we are driving to the doctor I ask him "What were you doing?"

"Well, I was trying to do a magic trick. I put it up there once and it fell out so the next time I stuck it way up there so it wouldn't fall out. I made the bead disappear. But I can't make it reappear, I don't know how. Megan liked my trick"

We get to immediate care and sign in and wait about 45 minutes, Alec is actually being good and playing. We get called back to go to a room and we get the "minor surgery" room and it takes everything in me not to freak out. He is bouncing all over that room waiting for the doctor. Finally he said "It feels like it's gonna fall out" So I have him look up and I can actually see the bead so I have him blow his nose and out it pops just as the doctor walks in. She laughs and checks him out just to be sure.

We head home and for dinner we have.......STAB FOOD!!!!

Chicken, green beans, piorgies from Schwans all eaten with wooden k-bob sticks--NO SILVERWARE ALLOWED.

and for the games last Saturday, they don't keep score till they get to 5th grade but for those who counted Alec's team lost by one basket and Ashton's team lost the score was 22-12. But they had a blast.

How is your week so far???

GAME DAY PICTURES

2007-01-13T20:36:00.001-07:00

There is only one of Ashton because it's kinda hard to take action pictures when you are the coach. I was a sideliner during Alec's game!!

Another Friday Night at Home

2007-01-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

Not totally alone, I have the little boys and a mountain of laundry that is almost as tall as I am

(the teen finally cleaned up his room)

*****

First off.....slick answered an age old question of "What women want" and he didn't even use porn or batteried operated devices.....click HERE

*******

Received the first garnished child support check from methhead. $78.00 woo-hoo!!! I'm not trying to seem ungrateful, but we have been separated since 2002 and the divorce was final in March, 2004 (yeah the lawyer loved me). He paid $300.00 in May of 2003 and then nothing since. . okay...enough bitching about the loser I married...

*****

I'm on the teens computer for this post cause I haven't set up my laptop yet and I felt the urge to blog!! I check my e-mail and the bank and then I start looking for the check picture and I, of course, have to save it to the hard drive to post it. Being the mom that I am....I had to look at his pictures.

One of Alec in the teens hat...very dougie if I do say so myself. AND I DO!!!

The Burger King Crown.....

That was taken in our old front yard!!! No wonder the neighbors looked at us weird!!

One of his myspace girlfriends took a picture of him and did this. I think it's cool!!!

Okay...I have invaded his privacy to a point....but oh well....all of the above pictures of him are on his myspace anyway.

Our first basketball games are tomorrow. I will post pictures after Ashton's game which starts at 4:00pm Alec's game is at 8:30 am--so no sleeping in for us tomorrow.

HAPPY WEEKEND !!! ANY PLANS??

Sam I Am (not)

2007-01-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

What extremes will a mother go to get her children to eat Good for you food???

Yes, my dear bloggers, it's true....GREEN EGGS AND HAM!!

I was hoping for .....something not a man sigh

2007-01-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, I stole this off of Malnurtured Snay's site...

Your results:
You are mild-mannered, good,
strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Add Another Line to My Resume

2007-01-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

In October, Ashton's bike had flat tires. I called the bike shop and they said it was a 6 week wait so I went to Wal-Mart and got some fix a flat. It was a temporary fix. Ashton had told his dad that his kick stand was wobbly and he wanted it taken off. The darling methhead told me to bring his bike down to ABQ (189 miles one way) and he would fix it. He was rather snippy and pissy about it. I told him I would take care of it myself.

Well the tires held till last week. They finally went flat again. So today we went to the bike store and asked them how long again, 9 weeks backed up. So I bought tubes and tires for the bike and he put that sealy gunk in the tubes.

On the way back home I tried calling a couple of guys that might be able to help or at least guide me thru the process. Of course they have their own lives....one didn't answer and one had his daughters cause his wife went to somewhere with her sister. His 2 daugheters are worse than 50 of my boys so I politely excused him and told him I would call if I needed phone help. Then we passed the teen and I asked him to fix Ashton's bike I had just bought the tubes and tires. He said "sure" then drove the other way. What a shocker. (I'm starting to feel like the Little Red Hen)

Anyway, we get home and we head for the garage. Flip the bike over and I take a look at my project. Ashton has one of those mountain bikes for kids.....meaning it has gears.....meaning there is a sprocket cluster on the back tire. I take off one of the guards so I can get to the nut. Get the tire loosened then it took some major finagling (did I spell that right?) to get the tire out. Finally....then there is the lovely chore of taking the tire off the rim......Got that done and got the new tire on, aired it up and all was Dougie with the world.

That is....until the front tire, which I thought would be the easiest that's why I saved it till the last. I get the nuts off and take the tire out and get the tire off. Get the new tube, put it in and start getting the tire on. It took a little longer than the back and I don't know why...but got it dun. Tried to air it up.....and it wouldn't let air go in. WHAT THE HECK!!!!! So I get a different pump, the one for the basketballs, and try it. It kinda worked but this oily stuff came out of the valve. So I load the tire in my car and head for the bike shop. And of course the bike shop was closed. I decided to try the massive air at the service station. It aired up the tire but then 2 seconds later the tire was flat. At first I had thought I had pinched the tube while getting the tire on, but I think that tube had valve issues. I blazed a trail over to K-Mart (shorter lines) and get 3 tubes....just in case.

Get home wrestle with the stupid new tire to get it off the rim. There is this slimy crap all over the inside of the tire. I am guessing it's the stop leak gunk from the other tube. Anyway, get the tube on the rim and I put a little air in it so it's more difficult to pinch the tube when getting the tire on. (I did learn something from the years of watching methhead fix AJ's bikes and dirt bikes) But, I realized I had put too much air in it. I had bought the tubes that already had the green slime in them. Did you know that when you try to let air out of tubes that are pre filled with green slime that the slime comes out the valve????

I now know this.

Anyway.....MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!

THE DENTI$T VI$IT$

2007-01-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, the little boys had their dentist visits. This was Alec's first one. Yes, I know I am behind and he should of been in like 2 years ago. But until now he wouldn't of been cooperative and pleasant and I didn't want them to knock him out just to check his teeth....

Alec, poor guy, has my teeth. 6 cavities and most of them are on the inside of the tooth...some weird genetic thing I've been told.....AND he has an extra tooth growing down in the roof of his mouth by his two front teeth. So in about 6 months they are going to have to remove his two front baby teeth and then surgically remove the extra tooth which by the way in coming in backwards...another weird genetic thing that I am choosing to blame on his father. And of course we will have earlier visits to fix the cavities. He was very excited to tell his teacher that he had 6 holes in his teeth!! I tried to explain that it wasn't a good thing...but it didn't seem to work.

Ashton, has only one cavity BUT........is going to need braces. Again, about 6 months aka this summer he will be going to the orthodontist.

AJ didn't need braces, I had them though. He is kinda excited.....first question out of his mouth....."Can I choose the colors they use?"

Not concerned with pain ....but what color of rubber bands.......

HOW IS YOUR NEW YEAR SO FAR????

The Unexpected Gift

2006-12-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

On Christmas Day after we had eaten breakfast at my parents' house and done the gift thing, I was getting Christmas dinner ready at my house. When my parents got there they both walked into the kitchen where I was trying to make some organization out of the meal and my dad handed me this blue plastic case and said "I didn't want to give this to you in front of your boys" I honestly looked at the box and thought it was a Dremmel Set. Then I read the front of the box and it said "Springfield Armory". I set the box down and what was in it was my father's .45 stainless steel automatic pistol.

(Springfield Armory 1911-A1 Champion)

Right there, like right now, my eyes filled up with tears and I just looked at him and he nodded.

I just said "Daddy, I can't take your gun."

"The other .45 I have is your brother's and it's time for you to have this one."

I gave him a huge hug and told him he wasn't supposed to make me cry on Christmas. And for the first time in a long time, he actually hugged me back.

Why is this so heart felt for me???? Let me tell you....

I was raised in a home with lots of guns. I shot silhouettes competitively starting at the age of 8 with a .22 rifle. My brother also competed and actually went to the Olympic training center twice. I was raised with a great respect for guns and was taught to be responsible with them at a very young age. Guns and shooting was very much a family activity for the first 12 years of my life.

Any trip we ever went on, my father always...I mean always carried a stainless .45 with him. Not this stainless mind you, but it was always a stainless .45 automatic. When we would go to the practice range, he always let me shoot it before we went home. He always made fun that I could empty a clip faster than anyone he knew....but I always hit the target several times too. At anytime I looked at the top shelf of his closet, there was a stainless .45 right in front with the magazine beside it. Over the years my dad has had hundreds of guns, but that one was always in the front. When methhead pulled the gun on me in Smith's parking lot, I called my dad and told him what happened and that I was waiting for the police, when I got home he had the .45 out just in case methhead decided to visit.

This gun symbolizes to me the respect I have for my father, as a parent, protector and teacher, and for him to pass it on to me I hope means that I have finally earned his respect as well.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

BE SAFE!!

Christmas 2006

2006-12-30T18:07:00.001-07:00

Eye Rolling Day (actually tear filled eyes day)

2006-12-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

(I do have Christmas pictures...

but I'm at work and they are at home and the computer isn't fixed yet.......

but I will get them posted)

My mom called around 10 am and she was back from her dermatologist appointment. Right before Christmas she had a "oil sack" removed from her forehead and had to get the stitches out today. Good news, it is healing great...bad news....it's skin cancer not an oil sack. She had two more removed today around her nose.

Then as I was getting off the phone with her, my other line rang. It was my dad and he was crying. I can't even remember the last time I actually heard my dad cry and I knew he was crying. He asked if I knew about mom and I said yes. Then he asked me to teach him how to run the washer and dryer. I, of course, asked why and he said cause he had to wear dirty clothes to work today because she just can't do it anymore. I told him I would start going by at lunch and starting a load and putting one in the dryer and stopping by after work to do another. Then he told me that they've been going thru the bill together to pay them, but she hasn't been paying them like they discuss when they go thru them--she keeps getting confused. They almost got their life insurance cancelled. So I need to devise a system to do that too.

While I was at their house during lunch I checked out their freezer...it's all Schwan's stuff. I guess she doesn't or can't cook anymore. So I am now surfing for freezable meals that I can make for them that is more than just one food group. I'm also thinking that if I rearrange my work schedule, I can get off at 4pm and get dinner fixed for all of us and taken over to their house so it will be ready by 530pm ish when they normally eat. Except Mondays, when we have basketball practice then they can frozen dinner it. Which wouldn't be bad cause that's what we do... I looked in their hall closet there must be 20 tubes of toothpaste...I think I need to take over the shopping too. Need to talk to dad about those things.

I did call my brother on my way at lunch and actually got to talk to him. I told him what was going on and he actually seemed concerned. I told him about dad and the crying thing and told him he needed to call dad at work. I really hope he did.

Now before I have a tear fest at work......I guess I am done for now......

Trip To Purgatory--HELLA SNOW!!!

2006-12-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well okay, I've seen more...but not in a while..

Special Note to Blog Buddies: My computer is flippin broken some kind of memory thing and I am stealing the teens to do this. I will get to everyone's blogs as soon as he leaves and I can get to his computer in his overly messy room.

Had to return the boot to the ski resort and my mother insisted on going. I don't know why....but she went with.... We of course had to stop by Starbucks on the way out of town and get two Venti White Chocolate Mocha's with vanilla and some carb snacks (butter criossant and a scone)

Note: Try to remember that mom isn't open to me taking pictures while driving down the highway at 65mph. She has no sense of adventure.

I didn't have to go see the sheriff. I went to find the head of security at Purgatory. There was massive amounts of skiers up there and I am sure he was swamped to the guy at the info kiosk radio'd him and told him I was there he said "Thank you very much" and he said he would tell the deputy that I returned it. No Foul, No Harm...I guess....

We stopped at Honeyville on the way home and I got my dad some true Honey Mustard for the meat fest tomorrow. Snagged mom some strawberry rhubarb jelly and Amaretto whipped honey.

We also had to stop at JCPenny's in Durango (mom has 500.00 in gift cards for that place she gets for selling eyeglass frames at her work) We got a few things and then headed home via A&W for a gallon of root beer for the boys.

DramaMama came by to brave the clutter filled house and had some egg nogg minus the nogg. We visited for a while then she had to return to her family festivities. It was cool. Later I had some more egg nogg with the nogg and ended up crashing out early.

I'm a cheap date, what can I say......

Note: Don't try to fix the blogger beta slide show thing while boiling eggs for deviled eggs tomorrow. when they run out of water they make a horrible smell and a very loud POP when they finally explode...

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

CHRISTMAS GIFT

2006-12-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

Ashton informed me that he is much too old to sit on Santa's lap....the Scrooge!!!

We braved the mall today to confront Zumie's about the teens ski jacket. We paid almost $300.00 for it and he has worn it twice and yesterday the zipper broke. She was way cool and gave me 25% off of the ski pants we bought and gave me the info for a seamstress the store uses for her to fix the jacket.

Because the teen will be going snowboarding for a week, he got another suit for Christmas among other items.

Then as we were snacking in the food court....ring ring goes the cell phone.

It's my mom...hysterical and in tears saying my dad's truck has been confiscated. I said..."What, it can't be I have the truck out at the mall." Quickly I have the teen go check the parking lot and it's still there.

Whilst snowboarding with friends in papa's truck yesterday....there was drama

They parked in front of a friends condo because the kid said they could. Then as they were leaving the mountain they saw a paper on the windshield that had something written on it....that the teen claims he could not read. There was a boot laying against the tire that they just picked up. It wasn't locked on or anything so they threw the boot in the back. A purgatory worker walking by told them they might as well since he knew they didn't have the money to pay the $200.00 fine. So the teens blazed a trail home.

Well of course Purgatory security got grandpa's license plate and then reported them to the sheriff's department when the same worker went and told that they removed the boot. Hence the call to grammie.

I've talked to the Sheriff's deputy and he was really cool (wonder if he is single...I have a thing for guys in uniform) I told him I didn't think they were being malicious, they were just teenage boys that thought they were in the right. He said he would talk to security. Then I told him I would be more than happy to pay the $200.00 fine and I would return the boot.

Hopefully AJ won't get banned from Purgatory.

How's your day???

After post note: The deputy just called. I only have to return the boot tomorrow morning and all is good. No fine, no banishment....YEAH ME!!! and THANK YOU MR. DEPUTY.

One of these days I will have to stop standing between the world and my teen, but I'm just not there yet.

Secret Stalker at Large!!

2006-12-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

On my last post, one of the comments said something about wishing they could of held my hand anyway. I have no idea who this is.

Because of it's sappy and Hallmark content I immediately thought it was O'Gherkin. So I made a sassy remark and he said "What???" "WHO WANTS TO HOLD YOUR HAND!!!!!" After I finished laughing I had to back track a bit and explain.

AND...... I've been getting these weird text messages from "5000" Which means someone is on the t-mobile (my service provider) and sending me text messages from there......

The one this morning said....and I quote......"THEONEFORYOU/GOOD"....I'm almost emotional....

Have you ever gotten totally pissed off when you are texting and driving down the highway at oh say 65 mph and you type in home...and it comes up "good" on the message then you have to delete and start the word over.......or...you are trying to type "me" and it pops up "of" and you don't catch it till you are like 6 lines down......

4 MORE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!!

Trip Well Done!!

2006-12-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

We survived the trip to Albuquerque and so did they!!

We left here about 600 am and made the traditional stop at Dunkin' Donuts for munchkins and chocolate milk. We were on time and all of us in a good mood. The gamecube and dvd player were hooked up and the boys had their headphones on and were actually getting along.

It is a 189 mile trip one way and about 100 miles into it my cruise control kicked out, check engine light came on, and a green flashing light came on. I pulled over and got out the trusty owners manual. The weird looking green light meant my full time 4 wheel drive had failed or broke or was just emotional....I don't know. But the book said to take it to a dealership when as soon as possible and I could keep driving....so I did.

We we stopped for a candy and bathroom run and when we got back in and I turned the car back on, the check engine light was gone. COOL!!! I drove the rest of the way without the cruise control just in case. You never realize how much you use the cruise control until you can't...

We got there and methhead's wife had been called into work so it was just him and his mom. The boys don't really remember her. Especially Alec, he was only 1 or so last time he saw her. Anyway, they opened presents. Then they gave their dad and MeeMaw their presents and they opened theirs. Then we went to eat where methhead's wife works as a a waitress. They claimed the food was great. Mexican food made by Greeks????? Needless to say it wasn't great but it was eatable. Methwife got off of work while we were there so they wanted to take the boys to a toy store to get them each one more toy of the boy's choice. So we braved Coronado Mall. This mall was the biggest in the state when I was younger and it was PACKED with people. We were gonna stand in line for Santa Clause, but the line was about 2 miles long and we had to leave ABQ by 300pm....so we just went to the toy store. The boys each picked out a toy and then a plastic weapon. Alec got a battle axe and Ashton picked out a sword.

Alec asked me to "untangle" his axe after they were purchased it. Then in the middle of the mall methhead whipped out his rather large knife (didn't think he could have one on parole and it wasn't a pocket knife) to cut the ties on Ashton's sword. I just looked at him. He quickly got the Marines' attention at the toy store for toys for tots. I told him to put that away unless he wants to get arrested in front of his kids again. He just looked at me. Idiot.

Anyway we got back to their apartment and they played and talked to their MeeMaw while I hooked back up all the electronics in the back seat so they would be entertained on the 3 hour trip back.

We actually left on time and was home by 6:03 pm....

How was your weekend???

The Fog Is Clearing!!!

2006-12-15T17:59:00.000-07:00

Feeling better now that I am not taking dayquil. What is the deal with that???? I have felt horrible for about a week now and started taking dayquil 2 days into it and I wasn't getting any better. I finally got sick of trying to swallow PILLS (thank you O'Gherkin for that snicker) and stopped taking all medicine and I was instantly over night better. Maybe my dayquils were laced with a cold virus....hhhmmmmmmmm

Anyway, I took a vacation day today and got all of my Christmas Shopping DONE!!! Well except the eyebrow powder for my mom and it's at Dillard's and I didn't want to brave the mall just yet.

I am totally insane...and got Ashton these....

But, it has a volume control.....so it's not as bad as a traditional drum set.

Alec got a keyboard and.....

And the teens main Christmas is...he is going to Park City, Utah to snow board for 5 days with his friend and his parents.....so the cash for that is his main gift.

I have ordered the smoked ham for dinner and my parents are bringing ribs from Outback Steakhouse and I am sure my father will sneak in some giant shrimp for him and the boys to munch on while dinner is getting ready. We usually have multi meat for Christmas and a few sides....my dad is a meat guy.

How is your shopping and Christmas festivities planning going???

EEErrry glow

2006-12-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

I thought there was something seriously wrong with my camera or that my house was haunted....When viewing the picture on my camera I just saw a glow...I had to down load to the computer to figure out that "Buddy" aka Damn It Cat, had managed to get on that high shelf and hide behind the pictures....

I've been in a dayquil coma the last 4 days and I have tomorrow off!!!!YEAH!!

Ashton's birthday party is Saturday. We are going for ice cream sundaes and french fries and then he and 8 of his friends are going to see "Happy Feet". I hope people show up!!!

Sunday we are venturing to see methhead for Christmas visit. Despite last weekends b.s.. His mother will there...so Joy for me... Methhead, his wife and his psycho Cajun mother....

Wish me luck.......

How's your week??

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY ASHTON!!!

2006-12-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, today is Ashton's 9th birthday.

His last year as a single digit dude!!!

He always picks out the simple cakes...but they are always good!!

He just loves it when I wake him up with the camera flash..

He isn't in the best of moods.

He is on the mend from being sick and he sneaked a pick at presents and he had major guilt!!!

I love the one sock on one sock off thing....

I finally got a smile...

My parents got him a hot wheels race track that looks like a comet. Very cool. Alec got him Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and AJ got him 2 kids rock CD's. His dad sent him $20 and ICE AGE 2 and his dad's mom sent Ashton $20. So he did pretty well and his day was looking good....

until.........................

8:12 pm ring-ring....it's meth head and he asked to speak with Ashton. No "Hi" no nothing. So I know something is up. So I have Ashton use the kitchen phone while I stay on the cordless mute button pressed. Ashton is trying to talk to him and methhead keeps rambling on about what size of basketball Ashton uses in practice. And then he tells him he is going to buy him one for his birthday....HELLO, MCFLY!!! Ashton keeps trying to tell his dad about his birthday...and methhead keeps sticking to the subjects he wants to talk about. After about 4 minutes, I tell Ashton to tell his dad that he loves him and say good bye. So Ashton did and I took the phone from him and told methhead to NEVER CALL HERE DRUNK AGAIN!!! he of course said "huh" I repeated my self and then hung up.

Then I had a crying 9 year old on my hands. Why the hell does his father always have to ruin "special moments" for us? Well now it's mainly the boys. I'm so pissed off. I gave Ashton a lotion foot rub....I don't know why he likes those but he does. I hugged him for a while then made him a peanut butter sandwich.

He became better and said.."I thought he stopped getting drunk".

I didn't know what to say. I just hugged him and said "That's why I can't leave you over night with him. I can't trust him to stay sober and take care of you the way a parent should. He isn't supposed to be drinking because of his parole and he is--so that tells me he hasn't changed some of his bad habits."

The reason I said this is that Ashton asked me last week why he can't spend a week of Christmas break with his dad like some of his friends are going to do. I freaked on this question. So I guess, depending on how you look at it. Methhead's calling drunk is a blessing in disguise because it made it easier for Ashton to understand why I won't let him stay with is dad over the holiday break.

How was your weekend???

Friday Babbling

2006-12-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

School called and Alec wasn't feeling well, so I am home today. A whole lot more work to do at home then at work...let me tell you....

So, since I have some time....I thought I would sit down and write on my blog. No rushing, no testing stuff...just write and maybe a few pictures.

so here we go!!!!

Last night about 6:45 pm (Alec and I were home alone) Handsome the wonder dog suddenly took off and headed for the front door at high speed and barking. I freak, he never barks unless it's serious or the little boys are doing something bad. So I head for the front door as well. The big wood door is open (guess Ashton didn't get it closed all the way on his way out to Twae-kwon do) and the screen door had just latched. Handsome was still on guard, but I didn't see anything. I was a bit leery since this time last year someone broke into our other house and stole my purse and Drama Mama just had a weird episode with a stranger at her door. So, I made sure the door was locked and gave Handsome a jerky treat for being such a good dog. I called my mom and told her and we kinda figured it might of been a cat climbing on the screen or something. Then this morning when I talk to my mom she told me that their neighbors (one street over from me) had 4 police cars at their house last night. Retired couple who have had their house robbed 3 times during the holiday season in the past 5 years.

So maybe it wasn't a cat!!!

I need to give Handsome another jerky treat!!!

(I know I have already used this picture in my blog....but I LOVE IT!!)

Now this is incredibly funny....

The teen got home around 10pm last night from a basketball gave.....PV vs FHS (two high schools same little town). He said it was AWESOME!!!! I go to bed and I can hear him clanging around in the kitchen getting something to eat. Then I hear him in his room, then about 12 minutes later I hear this blood curdling scream. It's the Teen!!! Handsome barrels up the hall way, the teen is now in the hall way and says "Handsome, it's okay, it's me!!" We have tile so of course the dog can't stop and he slides into AJ. They both come into my room...

"What the heck was that about?"

"I felt something in my bed, so I moved my foot and it wrapped it's self around my foot and BIT ME!!!!"

"Let me see (upon examination of the foot, I saw no red marks, puncture marks or bruises..I did however find an excessive amount of toe jam....eeewwww) Let's go check out your bed"

We go into the teens room and he is so terrified that he won't even pull back his covers. So I flip back his bedspread--nothing. Then his blanket---nothing. Then is sheet, and do you know what I found????? A COUGH DROP!!! Yes my 18 year old, second degree black belt son was terrified and attacked by a individually wrapped Hall's Cherry Cough Drop.

I just looked at him and went back to my room.

How's your week????

2006-12-07T11:24:00.001-07:00

Are you a good Girlfriend/Boyfriend??
Loyal Lover

You are a loyal love. You will stand by your mate's side through thick or thin. Hopefully your signifigant other knows they have a great catch. Just be careful not to come off to clingy, this may make you single sooner then you think.

Take this test

Turning In The Keys

2006-12-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

I turned in my keys to the old house
Saturday......

This is who I
thought I turned them in to...

When in reality, last night I realized

I turned them into this

I hired "MerryMaids" to clean the house after we moved out. We picked up
everything that couldn't be sucked up by a vacuum cleaner.

Why clean when you have hired someone to do it for you....right???

Well the maids were late getting there, so when I went thru the house with the
landwitch they were still there. They were working.

When she called last night, I asked how the maids did. Because I had
turned in my key, I couldn't go check. She said

"They did great considering what you left them."

Hello??? I was paying for it not her. Anyway the wonderful
conversation progressed and she finally said,

"To my calculations I owe you $1,000.00 plus interest which is
$66.00. Wells Fargo bill pay is down right now so I will try it again in
the morning and if it's still down, I will look for my old check book and write
you a hand check. If I were an "on top of it" landlord, I would just send
you the $66.00 and be done with it."

What the hell is she trying to say????? I paid $1,980.00 to move
in. First and last months rent, $200 cleaning deposit and $300 dog/kid
deposit (which I think is illegal to have an extra deposit for kids but they
used the dogs too). Okay so take away the first month's rent and you
have $1,240.00. So I am guessing she is keeping $240 for what
ever. I have painted the horrible bathroom, installed cable in every
room and 4 additional phone jacks, oh and had the tree branch removed...all at
my own expense on top of paying rent. AND SHE IS BEING BITCHY.

I guess I will see if I ever get my money back.....I am so glad my
renting days are behind me.

How is your week so
far???

2006-12-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

What Disney Princess are you?
Belle

You see past the bad things in people. You also don't settle for someone who is below your standards. You care about your education and you love your family. It takes a lot to win your heart, but once someone does they can count on you to be loyal.

Take this test

Week In Review

2006-12-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

The teen turned 18. He spent his $40 in birthday money buying tobacco products. He learned that you don't take long drags on cigars....it will make you puke...knowledge is a wonderful thing.

I have officially been a mother (counting 6 months preparing to be one) 1/2 of my life. I wouldn't change my children. Maybe their fathers...but that is the price for having my wonderful children and hey...it's made me strong and cautious.

Decided to paint the kitchen all one color of white (it is about 5 differnt colors of white right now and flat paint...icky)and trim the cabinets in "avid apricot" by Sherwin Williams.

What is in the garage that needs to be put in the house, with the exception of Ashton's bike

What is on the back porch that needs to be put in the garage.

Little boys watching TV today hoping I don't have anything else I am going to make them help me with

How is your weekend????

Dear O'Gherkin

2006-11-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

I noticed your last post was November 7th...

and besides I'm still moving!!!

After thought

2006-11-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

This is the only time my daddy smiled over the holiday...

My eyes have been filled with tears for the last 3 days.

My brother has now seen how it is here, and he understands. The one cool thing between us is that we really don't have to talk about things when we are together...WE JUST KNOW..

His wife still doesn't have it all understood but I am sure he will explain it to

her when they get home.

I've come to the understanding, that it's not anger I feel towards my brother, it's jealousy and the overwhelming feeling of not fitting in. It's not his fault my parents are happier when he is around and it's not mine either--it's just the way things are and I need to suck it up and just accept it. My place is to take care of them and his place is to bring them joy.

Either way, we are family

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

2006-11-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

We are having Thanksgiving dinner at my parents with my brother (visit going way better than I expect...so far). But since I have a new house and a new stove, I cooked a turkey at OUR house as well. I was going to cook more, but the move is kicking my butt--so just turkey.

Ashton stuffing his first bird

The "Big Ham" and a turkey

Alec getting in on the action...

In the new oven.....

POKE IT WITH A FORK....IT'S DUN

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and makes lots of great memories this year...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!

Early Move In!!!

2006-11-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

They let us move in early, so WE ARE!!!

Also gives me a great excuse not to hang too long with the sibling....I'm bad I know...

Please excuse the mess, we are still moving in...But I had to share!!!

as you walk in the front door

front room from front door

messy kitchen that needs paint!!
The teen's bathroom--he chose black to decorate
The hall way...to MY 1/2 of the house...

the teen's room

little boys roommy room from the door

my closet

my room still...view of that "long hallway"

Computer desk view from bed

view of the other side of my bedroom from the door that goes to the back yard

the safe

part of the MB bathroom

The other part...HUGE shower!!!!

So there is the tour, I will give you all a better one once I've moved in....

How's your Holiday week going???

Pre Golden Child Babblings

2006-11-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

Brother gets here today....go team (attempting to sound excited, and failing at it)

The little boys have been sick since Wednesday, and I had Friday off "with pay" and I was sick. So not fair!!!

I've been taking Advil since about 4 pm yesterday and it's made me overly philosophical. Medication makes me one of 3 things...philosophical, sleepy or horny. I'm glad it didn't do the last one because it's just not fair when you live alone and the only man that gets into your bed is a action figure super hero!!

Anyway, as I was zombing and thinking an amazing yet saddening thought crossed my mind....."am I difficult to love?" I don't need anyone to do things for me or to buy me things....I just want someone to love me completely and unconditionally. I'm thinking this is alot to ask. Most of the time we all like to feel needed. And being humans, we feel needed when we can do things for others. Like buying them stuff and doing difficult or tedious tasks. But those things aren't really "love", they are things that make us feel better about ourselves because we are helping those we care about. But, can't we just love someone? Can we be there for them emotionally to offer support through their difficult times without trying to fix it for them? We all need to be needed, but can we be happy to only be needed for our love and companionship? I just want someone to love me unconditionally. I wouldn't reject help in other forms, but I am not in need of them. I am, however in need of some to love me and to allow me to love them. Now I sound "loved starved". Call it what you will, it's just an observation from a sleepless and drug induced night.

I have been inside my own walled up little world for a very long time letting wounds heal and basically hidding. I have ventured out and experienced a few drops of what I want to call love and then deprived of it again. Not a great feeling,but I feel it is self induced. It is harder to have something and do without than it is to never have it to start with.

Now that I have scared everyone with a few inner thoughts.......

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

ANY PLANS?

The Teen in His Birthday Suit!!!!!

2006-11-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY AJ

16 DAYS EARLY

Stud snowboarder in his new "Dougie" suit. He already had the board, I bought the boots and the season pass. Grammie and PaPa bought the pants, coat and his gloves/mittens things. His lovely father said he will see how much money he has when he gets back from hunting to see if he will get AJ anything or not......Why did I marry such losers???

The season pass is for Purgatory, but next week he is planning to go to Wolf Creek which opened the 1st of November which is like unheard of!!!

This is the picture he is going to use on his "MySpace" profile...

How did your weekend go??

MOVING DAY IS APPROACHING

2006-11-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

For me and the boys not the blog!!

Monday, my landlord called and said he was raising my rent. Not that he was raising it a huge amount but I just didn't see me paying more for the house I struggle to exist in.

(Sorry for the bad picture, it's from my phone.)

Here is the cool part....I'M BUYING IT!!!

In a creative way.......

I am doing an occupancy agreement for 340 days starting December 1.

Meaning, I will be living there and paying a monthly payment 1/2 the payment goes towards my down payment and 1/2 if for rent.

If the house ends up being a money pit or I just don't like it, I can back out and the down payment portion will be considered rent. I will lose it but I won't be stuck with a house that I don't like or want..OR if Prince Charming happens to come riding along on his white stallion, I am still free to go to his castle...or stay at MY OWN!!!

It was kinda weird signing the papers and stuff all by myself,

I had always imagined doing that with my husband.

I guess I Stand Alone

We get to go over today and measure and stuff.

I will be getting the "Master Bedroom" this time. The first house we rented the little boys had it, the current house AJ has it....

Now, The Queen has arrived and gets the MB!!!

And it has a door TOO!!

I have the teen and two of his friends to help us move, I told them I have $400.00 for moving expenses. Then I had to tell him how much each person would get if there were only 3 of them...(he doesn't do math very quickly)

Anyone wanting a cut of the $400.00 show up Dec 1 morning and start helping us move.

I will feed you too!!

One Long Ass Post

2006-11-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

I've have build up....and as you all know this blog is my release valve.....

so without further delay.......Here I spew or whine or whatever you want to call it

I was asked to coach Ashton's Upward Basketball team. (I had played basketball in Jr. high and I actually understand and enjoy the sport) I gladly accepted. Ashton was so happy he gave me a huge hug and said "Thanks Mom" The teen and his friends, that I feed often, have volunteered to help coach and teach all the little boys. I told my mom that I was going to coach, really got no reaction till Sunday. In the car while I was taking her grocery shopping....

"You, never played basketball"
"Yes Mom I did, in Jr. High"
"I never saw you play."
"No, you never did"
"Why didn't you tell me about your games, you didn't want me there because I would embarrass you"
"No Mom, it's tough to compete with the Olympic Training Center" (my brother was there training for silhouette shooting)

Then dead silence. I don't know why she is being so hateful. I don't even think she knows she doing it, but it still hurts. Neither one of my parents ever went to any of my functions. Not basketball, band, swimming....NOTHING. They did drag me to all of my brother's ...I guess they had burn out by the time it became my turn.

I've accepted that my brother is the "golden child" (that doesn't mean I like it) and can do no wrong in their eyes. I am still dealing with the ghosts of the different parenting techniques used in raising me and my brother and the ghosts of my brother himself. You know when the older sibling says "you were an accident" I think I really was. There was a tremendous lack of physical contact when I was younger. As in hugs, kisses, back rubs or even kissing of boo-boo's. So now as an adult, I really have to struggle to enjoy some of these simple life pleasures. I strive with my children to make all them know they are always loved and that I am here for them.

My brother and his family are coming up for Thanksgiving. I am pretty sure this will be the last holiday that we are all together and most likely the next time we are all together will be due to the passing of one of my parents. If it wasn't this situation, I would take the boys and go somewhere for the Holiday just so I don't have to deal with the crap. It's can't be like a "Norman Rockwell" holiday (thank you O'Gherkin), no it has to be more like "Home for the Holidays". It is already starting with my parents saying how "wonderful your brother is" to "....you didn't want me there because I would embarrass you" bullshit digs coming from the people that spend more time cleaning and fixing their house and messes than I do my own. People that are supposed to love me unconditionally. At times, I wish I would have taken the job offer to transfer to Wyoming. But, I know I have a responsibility as their child to help them they have always been there when I needed help. I don't know what my problem is. We, me and the boys, need to be there over the holiday so I can take lots of pictures for their scrapbook I am making for 2006 for my mom.

Speaking of scrapbooks, their 49th anniversary is tomorrow. So I stole her old album and did a "together" album for them starting with their wedding and I got thru the bridal shower and honeymoon. I gave it to them yesterday, thinking they would at least look at it or something. But she flipped thru about 2 pages and put it down. My heart sunk. I've been planning on doing this for a very long time. Buying bits and pieces everywhere and then I finally got it all put together and it seemed irrelevant.

I so hate that word, but it so seems to describe me.

I know my parents love me and I love them. I just don't see how it can be such a different situation between your own two children. I have a special connection with each of my boys, but I don't love them differently or one more than the other.

I think I'm done whining....

Saturday Night Yummie

2006-11-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

I decided since I hadn't fixed dinner in 3 night (due to teaching not hot dates) I would fix homemade pizza--DEFINITELY NOT DE JOURNO!!

Thick Meaty Sauce!!

Yeast Dough in a REALLY big pan

LOTS OF CHEESE (2LBS WORTH)

Cooking nicely in the oven

Time To Eat!!!

O'gherkin is so nice to me.....

2006-11-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

HE FIXED THE PICTURE SO I FIT IN NOW!!

Am I Adopted???

2006-11-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

or....did my mom have a thing for the milk man???

This is what happens when I am NOT at home!!!

2006-11-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

I had to teach a class last night that started at 6pm. About 645pm, I got a hysterical call from the teen....Ashton had fallen while they were kicking "the bag" and hit his head on the concrete floor of the garage!!!

Poor Baby!!!

Alec was feeling left out, so here is a picture of him too!

Mindless Inspired Me

2006-10-31T15:27:00.000-07:00

I Broke the Bank

2006-10-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Yep, I did....

After a few of painful hours this weekend at my parents' house closing in the A/C, moving furniture AGAIN, and being forced to bring to my house a 9 ton wardrobe...I, for some insane reason, decided to re-arrange my bedroom. I moved my chest-o-drawers a little to quick and my piggy bit the dust...

Do you know how far coinage can scatter when it falls off of a 6 ft resting place and hits a tile floor??? Let me tell you, I am still finding change 3 rooms away!!

Poor Piggy lost his innards...kinda like Humpty Dumpty who BTW wasn't pushed.....

I'm not really fond of Halloween for meth-head reasons. Too much to go into detail here and besides O'Gherkin has been forced to listen to me and I am fortunate he does not judge me for things in my past and, thankfully, he doesn't throw it in my face at a later date.

I really don't know why people do that, especially when it doesn't involve them, I guess it's a way of feeling superior or something.

Anyway, I am counting the bruises on my legs and arms and I'm up to 19!!
What a weekend.

How was your weekend???
Make me jealous!!! I double dog dare you!!

TRUNK or TREAT

2006-10-27T20:11:00.000-06:00

The Little Boys daycare had Trunk - or -Treat at the daycare tonight...here are some pre-party pictures

Alec is a dragon

very LOUD and semi scary dragon

The boys and one of the Teen's friends....Mike

(you may remember him as the kid who tried to lick himself)

Mike before I dragged him to trunk or treat
Ashton and Mike--everyone at daycare thought he was AJ

Skeleton Ashton

Little Boys in the front yard
Candy Rewards

2006-10-25T20:55:00.000-06:00

Yep, this is me.....

Another suckie week at work.

I am still out of my office and waiting for my to get it's remodeling finished....we were supposed to be able to move back in last week!!! Yeah--Contractors....

More realization of what I thought would be perfect is far from.

Dealing with meth-head and his "Holier, than thou" attitude over parenting. (He has been lecturing me on getting Ashton's bike fixed--the kick stand is bent). Like he ever did any of that with AJ or Ashton when we lived with him or like he pays child support. I should of poisoned his food when I had the chance!!!

Alec asks me if it's Halloween yet about every 10 minutes and has for the past week. Thank goodness that Halloween is next week.

However, on a positive note......O'Gherkin and I are talking again...YEAH!!!!

How's your week going???

Ever Feel Like This????

2006-10-22T21:30:00.000-06:00

I am right now.

The Teen just brought me his "senior" stuff. $287.00 for cap, gown, tassel, announcements, thank you's and the cool name cards. $57.00 for senior pictures, $60.00 for a year book. I'm not even going to bring up the season pass to Purgatory , new snowboard boots and bindings and new snowboarding suit... or the $872.78 I just spent fixing his truck...for a new power steering pump and hoses, replaced a broken fender and some kind of bearing joint shock thingie on the front driver's side.......

I have pretty much spent my whole weekend at my parents' house helping them. Took my mom to smith's yesterday and then to wal-mart today. Somehow she hurt her arm so not only am I the watch dog...but also the heavy thing lifter and reacher for stuff on the high shelves. I redid her kitchen cabinet shelves and put all the canned food on the bottom shelf. She had a lot of food on the higher shelves but neither she or my dad could reach it and they wouldn't ask for help....I just did it and didn't say anything. Then I moved back all the stuff on the outside of the house that the painters moved. My dad started to yell at me and I just snapped back "Well, you can't do it and it needs to be done!!" he then said okay and told me where he wanted things moved too.

For Christmas, I am doing a 2006 scrapbook for her of (hopefully) everyone...even my butthead brother....well maybe him, I will include my nephew though. I am also going to sneak her falling apart wedding album out of her house and hopefully get it scrapbooked without her noticing it's gone.

Have you started your Christmas Gift Adventures yet????

What a week !!! Revisited...

2006-10-21T17:46:00.000-06:00

Can my life PLEASE calm down!!!!!!!

Thursday at 330 pm, the big boss upstairs asked me to get a PowerPoint presentation ready for him....here is the kick....he didn't have all the data yet!!! And I wasn't working Friday because I had to go get my parents in Albuquerque at the airport..... That was a very rushed 1.5 hours!! but I gotter' dun!!

Parents made it back safely and we stopped at the "Cracker Barrel" for lunch and my mom actually cleaned her plate without me fussing at her!! They told me that they didn't have a car the whole time they were there (I knew she wouldn't share) so they pretty much spent 13 days as prisoners in my brother's house...with no JUNK FOOD!!!

PURE TORTURE!!!

Then today, for some odd reason, my dad had my mom follow him to the Ford dealership.....and he lost her. So the teen and I drove around town for almost 2 hours. She finally called and she had just arrived at the Ford dealership. She had been waiting at Webb Toyota all that time. I think I grew 8 more grey hairs. I got to her before my dad did, she was crying because she thought my dad would yell at her. When he walked up he asked her where she was, I stepped in and said "She was at Webb....where the heck were you!!" he just smiled and took the hint that she was really upset and he needed to calm down. I talked to the teen later and he said that my dad was in tears worrying about her!!! He is such a crusty marshmallow----Hard and tough on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside!!

She needed to go grocery shopping so, I took her...she seemed to do okay. Only got completely freaked out twice. So that wasn't so bad!!

The cool thing I did this weekend was work for my friend Lisa at the "Parade of Homes" The house I helped show was priced at $429,000.00. The master bathroom shower is larger than my whole bathroom!!!! It was pretty but kinda small for all that money....the land was very very high.....anyway...here is my camera tour......

can you guys see that??? I just installed the Adobe C2 suite and I still have fine tuned all of my settings....

HOW IS/WAS/WILL BE YOUR WEEKEND???

Wordless Wednesday...

2006-10-17T22:00:00.000-06:00

AJ Hilton??? Should I worry that my son is wearing one of my bras??

2006-10-14T18:34:00.000-06:00

Yes, I''m tempted....

Not that I ever would...but this week has truly been suckie!!!!

At work the management decided to do away with all the "through-out-the-year bonuses" and just give everyone a raise. This all started August 1st and was supposed to go into effect on September 1st. But the HR leader didn't have the data evaluated properly so I had to redo it all and go back 20 months and record all absences and the reason so the raise would be fair and just. (we payed bonuses based on attendance so it was important). So, after I re-did all of his junk...then he calculated the correct raise amounts and then didn't give them to me he gave them to someone else (whom shall remain nameless) to enter them. Well the payday for Oct. 1 came up this Monday and HR geek was home sick....and his nameless helper hadn't done SHIT!! and when I asked her for the spread sheet...she finally complied and I entered all the changes in the payroll system...then Wednesday night comes around and I find out all the rates she had given me were WRONG!!! So I spent the rest of the week re-doing her BS again. I finally went and told the president that if I am to have anything to do with any more changes or updates I want to do the whole damn thing cause I don't like cleaning up other peoples messes cause it makes me look stupid and I'm the one who fixed it!!!

Today, my fridge that we got back in April stopped working!!!! I had just went grocery shopping with all kinds of frozen and cold stuff...got home to put it up...and the ice cream that was in there was melted!!! I called Sears....they will have a technician here the 23rd!!! I asked him what I was supposed to due till then, the unit is only 6 months old!!! He said "try dry ice.. DICKHEAD is what I should of said back....I just hung up

Called my parents to tell them that the painter had got to the outside of their house. My sister-in-law told me that they are on vacation and don't need to deal with all of that....HELLO!!! IT'S THEIR HOUSE!! I guess I shouldn't be surprised, 3 years ago my brother told me that they were taking a vacation from me!!! Yet I am the one that takes care of them. I saw a son yelling at his mother in Smith's today. Very mean-ly telling her that she can't take care of herself and she needs to quit thinking she can!! He was very loud in a very public place. I just walked by and said (rather loudly as well) "You should be nice to your mother, she puts up with you" he just glared at me and she smiled....

Like that's ever gonna happen to this peebugg.....

Been talking to Northern Guy this last week. Actually talking about deep meaningful crap...kinda scared me--then I started liking it. Then, of course, he disappeared again. I don't know why I don't get mad and tell him to take a flying leap. There is just something there that causes me to tolerate it and hope for his attention again.....

AND

I've been listing to some serious country music, "Close Enough To Perfect", "Don't Take The Girl", "Can't Unlove You", "Meet Me In Montana", "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Angels Among Us" so what else do you think I'm doing.......

YEP

Crying even more. Wishing I was able to have and feel the way they do in these songs. I long for it, but for some reason I always destroy it.... I tried to post one of the songs on here, but I failed so if you know how...tell me....and I will try...please...please!!!

How was your week???

come on make me jealous!!!!

Southwest Airlines--Survived!!!

2006-10-08T11:25:00.000-06:00

Yes, my parents made it safely and without incident to Houston Hobby.

We left the exciting puddle known as Farmington, NM at 6:30 am. 1/2 way down their street my mom tried to get me to go back and turn down the thermostat!! I told her I would turn it down when I got back to town. Then we had to stop by the post office to mail some bills she didn't mail the day before....finally we got to the highway!!

My dad was asleep in the back seat before we even got to the highway.

As we approached Albuquerque, the Balloon Fiesta was in full swing so we did get some entertainment. I tried to take a picture for you guys but for some reason my mother isn't very understand with me taking pictures while driving and going 70 mph...I just don't get it, but I appeased her and put the camera up.

Why isn't there a condom hot air balloon????

We got to the airport parking lot at 10:00 am. Traffic was thick due to the fiesta so it is good that their flight wasn't scheduled to leave till 12:30 pm. Got to the ticket counter after two flights of escalators and got their boarding passes and my pass to go to the gate with them. Their suitcase was 48 lbs and the limit was 50lbs...they cut it pretty close there......

Got to security and did the ID thing with the first guard. Then it was to the puffer machine line where we had to take off our shoes. My dad just about freaked, but he complied. Have you guys ever been in one of those puffer machines??? They are too funny. And even funnier when your mom gets a funny look on her face and tried to hold down her skirt. My dad jumped. I was cracking up.

Got thru that line and they had to do the explosive test on my dad's sleep apnea equipment. That took a while but the guard was pretty cool and got done before my dad got his shoes back on and my mom got all of her jewelry on and properly situated.

We got extremely lucky that there wasn't a line at security. We were thru by 11 am. As we were leaving security---there were about 100 people lined up there was only about 20 when we got in line.

We got to the gate and my mom told me she hadn't eaten yet.....I gave her "the look" and told them both to sit down and I would go find something. I got her sweet bread and a Carmel latte and my dad a cup of fresh fruit. He didn't want anything to drink cause he didn't want to have to go to the "potty" on the airplane. You know you can really embarrass your parents if you ask them if they need to "go potty" in public!!! You should try it!!

While waiting for the plane which ended up being 15 minutes, I got them pre-board status and then told the flight attendant that my dad would need a wheel chair in HOU so that way someone would take them to the baggage claim since my dearest sister-in-law couldn't meet them at the gate. My dad said he didn't need a wheel chair. I told him he could get in the chair without a hassle or I would kick him in the chin right before boarding and then he really would need one!!! He just smiled and agreed to play nice. I also had the job of "comic relief" to ease the stress. This job is incredibly easy in an airport. There are a ton of people to laugh at!!! My dad tried to pretend he didn't know me and my mom!!! Poor guy.

Finally, they boarded.

I left and called my sister-in-law and let them know they would be 15 minutes late due to late arrival.

They were in Houston and eating before I even got home....They survived!!!!

and amazing enough...so did the Airline!!!!

How's your weekend???

I know you're gonna be shocked...

2006-10-05T11:55:00.000-06:00

But I am going to Bitch.....

Not be one, mind you....just whine and complain.....

This Saturday, my parents are going to go see my brother.....they do this every year except this year my darling brother and his bride have convinced them to fly. THEY HAVE NEVER FLOWN!!! My dad has more breathing problems than a guy in an "iron lung" and my mom has Alzheimer's!!!! So, I am in charge of getting them on the plane in Albuquerque hassle and stress free.

I think we've got everything under control, I have already fed-ex'd all of their medications. The oxygen guy has already contacted my sister-in-law and my dad's stuff will be there when they get there.

I asked my sister-in-law if she could get my mom a bottle of St. Joseph's 81 mg Aspirin because she didn't give me any and I didn't realize it till the fed-ex was gone. They cost a whopping $2.57 a bottle. her response...."she can just pack hers in her luggage". What a #$$%^&!!
Then I told her that someone needs to meet them at the gate and help them get to the luggage claim. She said that she would and take Riley, my nephew, well do to new security measures she can't take Riley and then she told me she wants him to be at the airport when they get there because he like the airport so they will just wait at baggage claim. My brother can't go cause he is working. And I know my parents will get lost and freaked. So I am calling "Southwest" today and see if someone can escort them to baggage claim.
My parents won't have any transportation while down there because my brother needs his car and she doesn't like anyone driving hers.
For the 13 days they will be there, my brother will be off of work a total of 5 days here and there. The rest of the time my parents are stuck in my brother's house with no way to go anywhere. IS THAT A VACATION????

Okay.....I think I'm done complaining. Saturday is a full moon and there is supposed to be storms in Albuquerque....so wish me luck.....and pray for my parents....you can even do a "stink eye" voo-doo dance against my brother and his wife.....I know I will be...

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (a wee-bit early)

2006-10-03T10:49:00.000-06:00

September Visit with Meth-Head

2006-10-01T13:54:00.000-06:00

Friday we went to Wal-mart and each of the boys got a movie.....Ashton picked out "RV" and Alec got "Land Before Time X" yes there are more than 10 of those suckers.....

Anyway, we all crawled into my bed and were watching "Land Before Time" and it was the one where Little Foot found his dad.....Ashton had a breakdown....crying, sobbing....trying to hide from me...the whole thing...... so right there with him in a hug I told him we would go see his dad.

Saturday morning, we packed up and headed to Albuquerque......

....and I still hadn't talked to his dad.

I really wasn't planning on going down there for quite some time because I read on the internet that his wife was out of prison and her probation was in ABQ which means they would be together. Besides she is just as much of a druggie (or was as she claims) as he was or is or whatever...I have issues with the boys being around her because she had her own children taken from her and now she doesn't not even have visitation rights to either one of them...so why should she get to see mine...right????

Anyway, we got to his house and knocked on the door and she answered...Alec freaked out.....he wouldn't look at her or anything...Meth-head was at work...so we dropped by his work and Ashton must of hugged him for 20 minutes.....he really needed to see his dad...then we went shopping till he got off of work.....

When we got back to his house...we decided to go to a new place called "ITZ" it is awesome...same concept as Chuck E Cheese....but better...except the security stamp thing....All you can pizza and stuff buffet....very good BTW...for 8.00 per adult and 4.95 per kid under 12. Then all the games took these cards, and you could refill each card so you don't have all these tokens and stuff to deal with and you can cash in your tickets to the card so you don't have a ton of tickets to deal with.....and they had a kiddie roller coaster

and a spinny thing that even adults could ride, and a bowling alley!!!!! About 4 different themed places to sit and eat, one was a sports place with tons of TV all on a different sport, a movie theather which was playing "Grease" and a casual one...and then a Cartoon themed room.

Then we went to a putt-putt golf course....I didn't play...I was the pack mule with cokes and the clubs and whatever else...but the boys, their dad and his skank played.

But the best thing....besides Ashton feeling better was.....

yes, a new spidy suit for Alec....... he said

"My Muscles are HUGE Again!!!!"

How was your weekend???

Friday Stuff!!!!!

2006-09-29T09:53:00.000-06:00

I really have no theme today.....my life is just bland and not organized this week....

I think this guy IM'd me this week. I've been getting all kinds of weird IM's....some not even in English......One guy just sent me an invitation to see his cam....have no idea who he was....and I didn't look.... the one time I did accept one of those unknown invitations...it was a guy doing himself with a bannana on the cam!!!! I called "biker chick" in and we watched it for a bit laughing our butts off and then the guy ate the bannana.....we both grossed out.......I know..."TMI"......

No great plans for this weekend...I am helping my parents get ready to fly to Houston...my mom is majorly freaking out...so wish me luck.........

Any great weekend plans???

Step Away From the Crack Pipe....

2006-09-28T09:56:00.000-06:00

At first glance...I thought this was Cher....

She looks OLD and Horrible!!!!!

That's My Boys!!!!!

2006-09-24T16:16:00.000-06:00

I was planning on posting this on Thursday night....but Ashton has been sick...so I am just now getting here...

Parent teacher conferences were Thursday for the little boys...Alec's was first. It was a student lead conference. Meaning he took me around the room and we did different stations. There was the pattern station, the picture drawing, nursery rhymes, a poem, phonic cards, number writing, calendar, and counting.

HE DID AWESOME!!!!

New all of his zoo-phonics flash cards, new all the nursery rhymes...he even rewrote Baa-Baa Black Sheep...it's now the little boy that lives by the lake!!!!

Finally we got to the part where we talk to the teacher. He had to move his clip from green to yellow for continually thumping a girl with his pencil (a true boy) and when he refused to move his clip, his teacher put it on orange....he was horrified.....but he recovered to discover how to stick his finger down his throat and make himself throw up!!! And then he shared it with all of his class mates...all 22 of them.....So his poor teacher had 23 kindergartner's gagging themselves....Poor lady, I should send flowers or something.......

Then it was off to Ashton's conference.....He is now in 3rd grade and still loves school. Last year when school ended his reading level was 4.2 (4th grade 2nd month) he tested this year and he is at 5.4 (fifth grade fourth month) I am so proud. He is spankin' em in all of his language skills and doing great in math....semi struggling with the whole "clock" thing. So I have bought a actual clock with the hands and everything so we can work on the clock deal instead of all the digital display clocks we have. She also mentioned that she will be watching him for possible entry into the "gifted program". My heart skipped a beat!!! I was in the gifted program in grade school and I really loved it. I hope he will have the same opportunity.

The teen has yet to seriously crash on his long board (knock on wood) and is pretty much being a high school guy not settling down with any one girl. His senior picture proofs are awesome and as soon as I get my scanner hooked back up, I will post one.....

How was every one's weekend????

Talk is .........

2006-09-20T18:39:00.000-06:00

I've hesitated in posting any of this for fear of what others might think, but it's my blog...so I have decided to post.

Why when you talk to most people do they make pie crust promises??? Why are things said and certain circumstances stated and if by chance that such circumstance happens, they don't stand by what they said?

O'Gherkin and I had been conversing over the phone and messenger for about 2-1/2 weeks or so......keep in mind he was a "high school flame". When we started talking again, I really stressed the "going really slow" issue. We have both been thru alot and are still going thru alot and I just didn't want things to go wrong and lose a possible rekindled friendship if a "relationship" didn't work.

To sum up 2.5 weeks in a paragraph or two.......his version of going slowly and mine are two very different things. I understand being passionate about someone or something and doing everything to get it, but you have to consider the other person. I'm very gun shy on the whole relationship thing, especially getting serious with anyone. For a few reasons I am this way, the main one is The Boys, I don't want them to ever have to go thru a separation or anything of the sort again. The second one is me....I honestly don't know if I can live with anyone again. I mean I have built up walls and have survival tactics that I have been living by for 3+ years..these habits aren't broken easily and the security of being on my own and not depending on anyone. Although this is a lonely life, it is one I feel safe in. And if pushed into a "relationship" situation...I will just Hermit out...

Then there is the safe thing just mentioned. I would feel much safer if I was with someone...what girl doesn't........but would I be so jumpy that I wouldn't be able to enjoy it?? Would I be walking on egg shells all the time and not be able to be myself????

In all honesty what happened was that he was pushing for a little more, and I would stall him...then he would push again...stall...push....stall....push...and that final push was just too much for me to handle and my response to him wasn't what he wanted and or needed to hear. So now I've lost a friend because I wasn't able to change and adapt to his needs.

I don't believe that it is possible to change people anymore. You can push them all you want and unless they are truly ready, you won't get the result that you were wanting. I believe in taking people for face value. If you think you can change them, then you will most likely lose them. In some of our final words he said he doesn't see himself changing and yet I was expected to change. Seems unfair from my stand point, but I guess we all see things differently.

I think if a relationship of any kind is going to work, you have to accept the person as they are right then. Not what they can be in 5 years or what you can talk them into, but who they truly are inside. Two people should be able to compliment each other in life. If one is shy, one might be more of a "people person". You need to have just enough differences that when you are together...you, as a couple, make one amazing team.....

Peace Out Blog Land....

Wordless Wednesday

2006-09-19T21:36:00.000-06:00

The Countdown Starts

2006-09-18T19:26:00.000-06:00

24 hours till ~~orgasm~~ season premier of NCIS .

I am so excited!!! I have gone all summer without watching Gibs and now...Now....NOW......the season premier tomorrow night. The phone ringers will be turned off and children duct taped in their beds.........

I don't have a real version of photo shop-(yet)....so go easy on my cut an paste....

HAPPY MONDAY!!!!

Bra Delima

2006-09-17T21:15:00.000-06:00

Okay.....I went bra shopping with the boys on Friday.....(mental note to self....don't do that again...) Ashton was poking in all the padded bras and Alec was rubbing his face all over the panties.....BOYS!!!

Anyway.....I have issues with bras. I think they should make you look good and not be too painful to wear. I realize that with the load I have them carrying, they aren't going to last long, but I do expect them to keep "the girls" corralled.

I was wearing this certain style that looked good, but if I ever got cold my nipples would show thru. I would love to add saw a hot guy....but you should see the males where I work....eewwww..

Okay, so to attempt to defeat the nipple issue I switched to a style that is slightly padded. Not that I need any extra padding in that department...but it did hide the overly noticeable if it happened. But, it doesn't look as good.....

So....what do you think.....Good looks, possibly put a warning sign around my neck that all spectators need eye protection or....padded sagging????

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

My Baby is Growing Up......(sniff-sniff)

2006-09-16T13:18:00.000-06:00

Thursday we were on our way to school and out of no where Alec pipes up in the back...

"Mom, when I grow up can I have a motorcycle?? I want a Dragon 3000"

This was his first "when I grow up" statement.....I have no idea what a dragon 3000 is but I told him he could have one if he paid the insurance for it.

Ashton said "I want a slugbug". That's my boy!!!!

Then Friday morning he wanted jeans!!!! Alec, before Friday, hated anything that had snaps or buttons at the waist. I told him we would go get some after school. As soon as I got to daycare he ran up and said

'"We're going shopping?"

dang...he remembered... so we headed to Wal-mart and I picked out 3 different styles in his size. We find the dressing room and start the trying on process. The first pair he gets about half way up and says

"Nope, not these"

and he takes them off and gets the next pair. gets them on and I help him snap them and he turns around and looks at his booty in the mirror,

"nope not these"

and he takes them off and we go for the 3rd pair. He gets them on, and again looks at his booty in the mirror, spanks "the booty" and says...

"Yep, these!"

I have no idea what look he was going for...but I guess we found it.....

How is your weekend going so far???

Where were YOU when the world stopped turning??

2006-09-11T19:38:00.000-06:00

(that is outside my back door on Saturday)

Where was I......I had just dropped off my kids at daycare and was inroute to the college to teach a class when the first plane hit. We didn't watch TV or listen to the radio on the way to daycare, and I was listening to a CD after I dropped the boys off. As I entered the building of the college I was amazed that there was an open computer in the cafteria. I hoped on it, logged into Blue Mountian and sent my nephew a birthday card...He was 4 years old that day.....

I walked into my classroom, where we were supposed to be doing typing class when all of my students were pale....this was amazing because the whole class was Native Americian--Navajo Tribal officials to be exact. I asked them what was wrong, and one lady just pointed at her screen. She was on the internet and there was a video of the 1st plane crash. I just stood there, mouth open in shock. About 10 minutes later, they cancelled the class so the students could go home to their families and help those who had lost loved ones.

I was still in shock, I called meth-head (he was out working on a drilling rig) and he was all psycho. He wanted me to pack up the boys and we were going to go find a cabin up in Colorado. I told him we didn't have a cabin and he said he would just take one. Screaming on the phone telling me that if I didn't do as he said he would leave me for dead and take the boys. So my shock and sadness took back seat to dealing with a psycho. So, instead of him thinking of the others that had lost their lives...he was thinking of taking stuff from others.

In 2003, I was sitting at a stop light and a fire truck drove by--written on the back was "09/11/01 we will never forget!" I started crying. The people beside me must of thought I was insane or in need of prozac or something.

Then when I heard the song by Allen Jackson "Where were you when the world stopped turning" I cried even more, and still do most times I hear the song.

It not just the horror of someone or some group attacking our soil, it's the innocient and unknowing lives that were lost, and the brave souls that risked and lost their lives helping those in need.

I have a new found respect (in addition to the one I already had) for those in the armed services and for what they do. They follow their orders even though they might not believe in them and they risk their lives to keep us free and safe. They have to live with the memories or regrets from peforming their jobs to the best of their ability.

Then there are the rescue workers at the crash site. Those who risked their lives to save others. Those who slipped away in their hands or were just out of their reach.

Then there are those that were left in the silence that followed to pick up the pieces of broken families and keep their faith in God and their country.

I got the following in an e-mail on Friday...and yes, it made me cry.....

WHOEVER WROTE THIS SHOULD STEP FORWARD AND CLAIM IT!>

THE WORDS ARE POWERFUL:

TWO THOUSAND ONE, NINE ELEVEN (2001-911)

Two thousand one, nine eleven

Three thousand plus arrive in heaven

As they pass through the gate,

Thousands more appear in wait

A bearded man with stovepipe hat

Steps forward saying, "Lets sit, lets chat"

They settle down in seats of clouds

A man named Martin shouts out proud

"I have a dream!" and once he did

The Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."

Groups of soldiers in blue and gray

Others in khaki, and green then say

"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine"

The Newcomer said, "You died not in vain."

From a man on sticks one could hear

"The only thing we have to fear.

The Newcomer said, "We know the rest,

Trust us sir, we've passed that test."

"Courage doesn't hide in caves

You can't bury freedom, in a grave,"

The Newcomers had heard this voice before

A distinct Yankees twang from Hyannis port shores

A silence fell within the mist

Somehow the Newcomer knew that this

Meant time had come for her to say

What was in the hearts of the five thousand plus that day

"Back on Earth, we wrote reports,

Watched our children play in sports

Worked our gardens, sang our songs

Went to church and clipped coupons

We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought

Unlike you, great we're not"

The tall man in the stovepipe hat

Stood and said, "Don't talk like that!

Look at your country, look and see

You died for freedom, just like me"

Then, before them all appeared a scene

Of rubbled streets and twisted beams

Death, destruction, smoke and dust

And people working just 'cause they must

Hauling ash, lifting stones,

Knee deep in hell, but not alone

"Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, Yellowman

Side by side helping their fellow man!"

So said Martin, as he watched the scene

"Even from nightmares, can be born a dream."

Down below three firemen raised

The colors high into ashen haze

The soldiers above had seen it before

On Iwo Jima back in '45

The man on sticks studied everything closely

Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly

"I see pain, I see tears,

I see sorrow -- but I don't see fear."

"You left behind husbands and wives

Daughters and sons and so many lives

Are suffering now because of this wrong

But look very closely. You 're not really gone.

All of those people, even those who've never met you

All of their lives, they'll never forget you

Don't you see what has happened?

Don't you see what you've done?

You've brought them together, together as one.

With that the man in the stovepipe hat said

"Take my hand," and from there he led

Three thousand plus heroes, Newcomers to heaven

On this day, two thousand one, nine eleven

Author UNKNOWN (What a shame!)

I've been called a "Slacker".....

2006-09-09T19:02:00.000-06:00

Me...can you imagine????

Here is my new front gate sign....

I think it's rather fitting....

I've had another one of those weeks at work...I am tempted to bring in Midol, tequila and maybe some "ganja"(did I spell that right O'gherkin?) brownies for biker chick just so she might stop being such a "biatch"

Here is the kitten update......"Buddy" is our other cat that is about a year old and he is in some of the pictures. Buddy is not quite the social butterfly that "Merlin" or "NigNag" as the teens call her.

Here is the teen and his new "long board" I am sure we will be visiting the ER soon...

and the teen being a "cool big brother"

So, O'Gherkin........(I would say "bite me" but he is keeping track) There ya go...

How is everyone's weekend so far???

I know you guys are impressed!!!!

2006-09-06T17:01:00.000-06:00

3 days of build up......I am impressed with my own spamie-ness

Wordless Wednesday--YEAH RIGHT!!!

2006-09-05T17:04:00.000-06:00

Laboring on Labor Day!!!!

2006-09-04T12:40:00.000-06:00

More yard work this morning.......I ran the hose in the garden all night so the dirt would be soft....about 6 weeks s ago I took a sample of a garden plant to the local nursery to see if it was a weed or a flower.......he said "flower" six weeks later I wish I could go back and tell him that he lied....I have been watering weeds....filled up 4 55gal trash bags with weeds this morning....

I did find this ....

I screamed for the teen. I could of sworn I they were snake eggs and that I saw snake-ie skin thru one of them....as I danced around and freaking out, I gathered my strength and a shovel and scooped them out......it was part of a strand of beads....

Then.....as we were finishing up and putting stuff in the trash can...we found this....

Our big cat....prefers to hunt hummingbirds.....

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!

WannaBe

2006-09-01T08:53:00.000-06:00

After I drop the little boys off at school, I have to go thru a school zone and the last 2 days there is a "Community Service Officer" there who in reality isn't a full fledged police officer...basically a "wannabe cop" and this one also wants to be Vin Diesel....

He's got the shaved head and he tries to puff up his chest and struts around the cross-walk area. Takes everything in me not to laugh each time I see him.

Yesterday morning the light was red so I was stopped and when it turned green, I actually (shocking I know) accelerated my car ever so slightly. Mr. Wannabe grabbed his cute little orange vest that says "Police" and waved it at me like I was burning rubber or something. I looked down at the speedometer and it said...brace yourself.....5mph.... I just looked at him and drove on.

Today, once again the light was red but he was in the middle of the street. Go Figure...Mr. Power trip looked at me and started walking my way. BTW...he was wearing sock booties...and he had chicken legs... Anyway he walks up to my car and looks at the car behind me as he knocks on my window with his knuckle. How "studly" HA. I roll down my window and he starts to say "Seat belt" and then he looks at me and says "Oh, you have it on" and I said, "Yeah, I have it on--My boobs are just too big for you to see it clearly" He backs away and says "Sorry, wrongly accused" the light turns green and I drive away.

No I don't have a crush on him...there are just a ton and I mean a ton of pictures of him on the Internet.....and besides, he is too short. And actually I had more pictures but it won't let me load them....

How is your Friday so far??

You know it's gonna be a long day when......

2006-08-31T09:19:00.000-06:00

This is outside your work parking lot....

THE PRISONERS ARE BACK!!!

Yes, I am taking pictures while driving somewhere close to 55 mph.

Now "newbie" is all a flutter, there are single men out there and she stares at them out her window. She so needs to get a clue.

I have been teaching the last two nights and it leaves me completely frizzle fried--so I'm semi brain dead today and I still have class tonight.....wish me luck!!

How is your week going??

Another Sunday of Yard work

2006-08-28T08:47:00.000-06:00

I know you guys think I'm making up the snake stories.....

But yesterday..I had witnesses

The two smallest are the bravest when it comes to "those kind of cratures"

Work Blows

2006-08-25T14:24:00.000-06:00

(Nice Visual--huh)

At work we are doing away with the semi-annual bonuses and attendance bonuses and combining them into a higher hourly wage. So, the HR guy put out the first sheet of how much everyone's raise will be...and there was almost a riot!!!!

One guy came in and said they were all putting on their "war paint". 87% of our workers are Native American and so was he....it got kinda scary. So now, I get to go thru the past 20 months of time..that's 80 weeks at 250 employees a week and type out the reasons for the time they missed......BLEK!!! Oh well, job security I guess...it all pays the same...

TEEN UPDATE

Much to my surprise, the teen came home the other night and said he just asked for a reduction in hours. He asked for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday off--always. Tuesday and Thursday mainly due to Ashton has twae-kwon doe and has to be picked up early at daycare so he can eat before he goes and most of the time the teen does that for me if he is not working.

I was shocked and almost cried....he actually put some thought into a decision and made a good decision...

How's your week going?

What to say

2006-08-23T15:25:00.000-06:00

The teen just called--not a happy camper

He just completed the 2nd day of school and he is supposed to work tonight.

He said he wants to quit his job. He already has (and I quote) "Homework like hella".

I don't want him to flunk and I want him to do well his senior year--but should I also encourage him to take the easy way out and quit his job???

I realize it's tough working and going to school, but is he just being lazy?? or is it truely overwhelming???

What would you do?

Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

2006-08-23T08:02:00.000-06:00

Last night while talking to O'Gherkin on the phone, there came a rapping someone gently tapping tapping at my humble adobe door. Simply this--but wait!! There is More!!

Answered the door and there were some ~~guys~~ men looking for AJ. When I opened the door, Handsome was there and he walked out to smell them. I told them not to worry, he won't bite them. Then the geeky guy said "That's what the owner said of the last dog that bit me". You would be so proud--I didn't say what I really wanted to say!!

Anyway, the visit was brief mainly due to Handsome not going away. Which in reality I didn't want him too. He was doing his job, he was protecting his family. He never growled or sniffed anywhere rude. But he made his presence very much known. He got double doggie treats after they left!!

All the boys survived the first day of school. The schools are still standing and the daycare bus that Alec and Ashton ride was not vandalized or hi-jacked and the driver didn't need medical attention after she got them to daycare.

So all is well in the land of tes-tos-ta-rone.

How is your week so far?

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!

2006-08-22T08:47:00.000-06:00

sniff...sniff.....all my babies are in school!!!!
One Senior, one kindergartener and one almost in the middle in 3rd grade!!

What's in a name?

2006-08-20T20:35:00.000-06:00

Would a sweet pickle by any other name taste just as sweet?

So, I've been talking to an "old flame" who lives in Tucson....he claims he reads my blog every day....gotta be boring if he really does it because I haven't been posting every day!!!

Anyway he wanted to know what his "code name" was going to be. He thought "westernman"...but he doesn't like country (yes I still talk to him, anyway)--so that doesn't really work. One of his nicknames, according to him, is "BigO" (no Mindless, no like that) because his last name begins with an "O".

Then, we were talking about all the fast food places he got "banned" from in high school and he mentioned "a little pickle fight". I start laughing and then there was some comment about "jerkin' the gherkin"....you can see where this conversation went.... I like the name "O'gherkin" he on the other hand isn't overly thrilled....

So, what's a girl to do????

That is one Big Gherkin!!!! Looks almost like a sopository or a huge light up sex toy!!! No wonder the Swiss are so happy!!!

2006-08-18T08:57:00.000-06:00

Say Cheese!!

Went to a NEW lawyer yesterday about the child custody thing and shit (that's for you mindless).

$1,500 retaining fee...well worth it for what I consider the best family law attorney in town....Randy Roberts..(..just in case anyone local might happen to come across this...)

Why did I do this you ask.......well, meth-head's sister left her husband and moved down to Albuquerque to live with their dad and she visits meth-head alot. She is one of those pushy "do it my way" kind of females that can pretty much dominate her brother and I could just see the wheels turning -- or what wheels he has left...I think he has destroyed the "teeth" on those wheels or gears...hence the picture above....

Lawyer said is was amazed that a judge signed my divorce agreement because it was very one sided. I have "sole physical custody" of the children even though joint custody was also in there...that is just some standard mumbo-jumbo. Child support was set at $1,411.00 per month which has never been paid. I have never challenged the child support not being paid in court because the custody of my kids is more important to me than the money and I don't want to get the custody part changed...

So, now that I have a cool lawyer...watch nothing happen. Oh Well!!

WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON THIS WEEK FOR YOU?

Dougie???????

2006-08-14T20:10:00.000-06:00

What the ~~hell~~ heck does Dougie mean??? The teen keeps using it....

He was getting ready to go camping for 2 nights and his friend told him to take his toothbrush and a bottle of water....he said...
"Nah--2 days will be okay, I'm dougie that way" dougie means disgusting??

Then.......he (for some unknown reason) was showing me his chest hair and how in the center he has a "manly line" of hair going down *there*(whispering).

"Check this out (he points to it)--It's Dougie" dougie meaning--hairy? manly? looks in the mirror too much???

"Mom, check out this belt buckle--It's dougie"
"Mom, you're so Dougie..........can I stay out till 2 am?"

WHAT DOES DOUGIE MEAN???

KITTEN UPDATE....his life is hard!!

School starts the 22nd here....the two little boys can't wait.....I think the teen might even be excited...this is his first high school year girlfriend free.....and he has been loving summer!!

Sorry I've been a suckie blogger (and I mean truly suckie....with both lips even)

...this summer has kept me busy......

What's your news for the week???

SUNDAY SILENCE!!

2006-08-06T20:53:00.000-06:00

it's almost 9pm here...and it's finally almost quiet!!!!

Saturday I was doing laundry all day--trying to catch up on what I missed while teaching a class--which BTW I am doing again next week...oh joy!!! If I could get a date as much as I teach...I might be happy---or at least I would have better things to blog about!!

Had a rather loud discussion Saturday night with the teen and the last few weeks. It's mainly about having 4-8 people over here at all times. Some spend the night there are massive numbers of girls over here with the boys when I am not home and while I was teaching and he was supposed to be babysitting---there were girls and his friends. Monday night I had bought 8 frozen pizzas. Mainly so he could feed the boys something nutritional while I was teaching. When I get home Tuesday night they are all gone. The next morning I asked Ashton what they had for dinner and he said "a popsicle". Then I asked the teen what happened to the pizzas and he said his friends ate them and drank all of the gatoraide (3 8-packs). Then we discussed the mess through-out the house and outside. TRASH EVERYWHERE!! dirty dishes everywhere and empty gatoraide bottles everywhere..... and all of the bathtowls were dirty---we have a gobb of them and he sure didn't give the little boys baths.....Do I want to know????

I asked him if they all acted this way at the other kids' houses and he said "no, we aren't aloud to be over at anyone elses house in groups"....Now I know why. Hopefully going without the cell phone for 24 hours and being grounded for a Friday and Saturday night will impress upon him my eternal and internal moodiness when it comes to this subject again....

Today....we were doing yard work. Teen mowed the lawn. Screamed 3 times--saw 2 snakes and was overly lucky enough to see the same big one TWICE!!! Little boys pulled up morning glories....I SERIOUSLY THINK THOSE THINGS ARE WEEDS!!!. I trimmed back the grape vines and only found 3 earwigs and 2 centipedes and 2 daddy longlegs. Then I sent everyone inside while I did the poison thing from mosquito's and ticks. Since we have been having all this rain.....we are getting different creatures to make me scream.

Then the little boys and I took my mom to the mall to do some back to school clothes shopping. My mom has tons of gift cards to JC Penny's so we went there first. Got some cool stuff and then we had to face the rest of the mall for the teen. He wanted a black Jansen backpack from Anchor Blue. They had a black one at Penny's but the shoulder thingies were curved and he would of hated it...so got the back pack. Little boys noticed that there is now a motorcycle dealership in the mall....and they saw all the really cool colored 4 wheelers...."note to self...avoid that part of the mall at all costs!!!" Then we had to go to Pac-Sun to get Valcom shirts for the teen....Only found 3 in Size L. I think he should wear a medium --- (hell, I think he should wear whatever anyone gets him that is decent---IT'S FREE!!!) But he says they shrink up too much...so I bought the "L". (aren't you glad I shared all of this boring stuff)

My mom was wiggin' out in the mall. Freaking out on the little boys---her aging is taking it's toll. But she is always complaining about not being able to "get out" I think we've cured her of that for a while!!!

We get home...I start washing the new clothes--except for the Teen's because he has to put his seal of approval on them before I do....just in case I have to return them.

Then for some odd reason, I think I should go pull some more weeds. So I am in the rock part of the yard---gravel, not boulders--and I'm pulling up stray elm trees and weeds and something darts out of a weed and hits me on the hand. I look down and "IT'S A DAMN SNAKE!!!" in the rocks!!!!! I wasn't even looking for them...because I wasn't near the grass---It was a garder snake reacting to my reacting to my pulling and tried to scare me away with a "rattlesnake" imitation....IT WORKED!! I threw the weeds I had in hand at in and went inside---and freaked out for a while......I know I am going to have snake dreams tonight....

HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND????

p.s. anyone know any snake repellent tricks???

WHAT A WEEK!!!

2006-08-04T20:06:00.000-06:00

Whew!!! (wipes sweat from brow)

I am glad this week is over....

Started off with biker chick being a b*tch Monday, One of my classes made so I taught MicroSoft Access Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights so I didn't get home those 3 nights till around 10 pm and the teen was babysitting--and I learned he was babysitting with several friends over--so messy messy house, no food and one angry MAMA!!!

Had to take the teen's truck in to get the brakes fixed--even though his dad is a mechanic, his dad won't fix them even if I pay for it all....so $600.00 there for both front and back breaks, turn drums and roters, seals and fix a broken tail light....GREAT!!! there goes my extra money from teaching!!!!

I guess the most stressful part was dealing with "The Teen". I've been trying to be a cool and understanding parent--more so than usual because this is the summer before his senior year and I remember how I was.....

But....I have finally reached the end of my rope...he pushed too many buttons...

WATCH OUT SON----SHE'S GONNA SPEW!!!!

I was gonna say "blow" but Mindless and Mr. Fab read this at times...and well... If you don't know....you need to go read their blogs and then you will so understand....

so if any of you would like a teenager...CHEAP...might I add....I might have one for you very soon if his attitude doesn't improve!!

ANY WEEKEND PLANS???

May I present......

2006-07-26T20:58:00.000-06:00

MERLIN THE MUNCHKIN

I almost ran over him in the parking lot of Church's Chicken

I think he is barely a month old

and he wasn't really thrilled about getting a bath the second we walked in the door...but he didn't scratch me!!!

Cleo Thinks that he is her baby...and tries to nurse him and plays with him
Handsome had no comment!!!

Alec's Public 5th Birthaday Party

2006-07-23T11:02:00.000-06:00

Here are some quick shots from Alec's Birthday party at McDonaldsWe had the Pirate Theme!! (I think the you can now click on them and they will enlarge--I didn't move these around in my blog)

Monkey See--Monkey do???

These are the teens that were supposed to be helping get ready for the party the night before...after the snail inncident--

They found the collar the vet made Handsome when I got him fixed--

This is AJ's friend trying to demonstrate that "He CAN lick his privates" even though I told him he has too many ribs!!

THEY WERE SUCH A GREAT HELP!!!!

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND??

FAST TIMES IN REDNECK TOWN

2006-07-21T20:21:00.000-06:00

What is the best entertainment for us "oilfield yokels" this week???

(these are photobucket uploaded...so you can click on them for a better view)

Well, Ashton is camping out at daycare tonight--

It's been dumping rain for over an hour....

Happy Camper!!!

Alec being Alec

The MIA teen doing the "Captian" Morgan pose

And here is what we are doing--the teen and his friend found some snails at a house we were looking at earlier this week...so they brought them home....

snails and salt--yum??

rabid snail

smashed snail

Yeppers!!! I need a daughter!!

How's your weekend so far?

How True It Is--

2006-07-20T18:54:00.000-06:00

My horoscope for today--

Gemini
May 20 - June 20You should be on cloud nine for most of the day today, dear Gemini. (well..yeah I got to talk to Northern Guy yesterday...this morning ROCKED!!! ) As evening sets in, however, situations might arise that are too heavy for you to feel comfortable with. People will have had enough of your gossip by then, so give it a rest. (No gossip....my "I don't give a flying flip attitude...possibly) Kick back and plan for next week. You might also want to take a more serious approach to your romantic commitments by examining your true feelings about your partner. (Done that...I know what my true feelings are....now if I could just engage my stalker mode :P

PeeBugg Press

HISTORICAL MOMENT

What a Monday....

Why do I do these things.....

BACHELOR #2

Romeo, Romeo Where For Art Thou.....

ding-ding Round (oh I've lost count)

I TRIMMED MY BUSH

I'm Pregnant

If Only the SUN would SHINE

Columbine Relived???

Turning Over A New Leaf

Stop This Ride--I Want To Get Off!!!

UPDATE AND PICTURES

Quickie

Who Knows.......

B & A

Random Bugg-y-ness

BATHROOM UPDATE.....

I HAVE RETURNED!!!!

FIRST OFF...

I can't even think of a great title...other than I'm still whining

Why do they do these things to me???

What a Freakin' Week

JOKE OF THE DAY..

NOSE BEAD

GAME DAY PICTURES

Another Friday Night at Home

Sam I Am (not)

I was hoping for .....something not a man *sigh*

Add Another Line to My Resume

THE DENTI$T VI$IT$

The Unexpected Gift

Christmas 2006

Eye Rolling Day (actually tear filled eyes day)

Trip To Purgatory--HELLA SNOW!!!

CHRISTMAS GIFT

Secret Stalker at Large!!

Trip Well Done!!

The Fog Is Clearing!!!

EEErrry glow

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY ASHTON!!!

Friday Babbling

Turning In The Keys

Week In Review

Dear O'Gherkin

After thought

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Early Move In!!!

Pre Golden Child Babblings

The Teen in His Birthday Suit!!!!!

MOVING DAY IS APPROACHING

One Long Ass Post

Saturday Night Yummie

O'gherkin is so nice to me.....

Am I Adopted???

This is what happens when I am NOT at home!!!

Mindless Inspired Me

I Broke the Bank

TRUNK or TREAT

Ever Feel Like This????

What a week !!! Revisited...

Wordless Wednesday...

Southwest Airlines--Survived!!!

I know you're gonna be shocked...

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY (a wee-bit early)

September Visit with Meth-Head

Friday Stuff!!!!!

Step Away From the Crack Pipe....

That's My Boys!!!!!

Talk is .........

Wordless Wednesday

The Countdown Starts

Bra Delima

My Baby is Growing Up......(sniff-sniff)

Where were YOU when the world stopped turning??

I've been called a "Slacker".....

I know you guys are impressed!!!!

Wordless Wednesday--YEAH RIGHT!!!

Laboring on Labor Day!!!!

I was hoping for .....something not a man sigh