A Day in the Crazy Life

Thought For Today

2010-03-31T09:04:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to give a quick thought for today.
I think it's great that a woman can now be Suzie Home Owner, not just Suzie Homemaker. A woman no longer has to get married to "put a bun in the oven". She can get her own dang bun! My favorite term Ive heard lately...house husband! It's about time they knew how hard we work.
Hooray for progress!!

Land slide

2010-03-29T14:08:00.002-04:00

Thank you all for weighing in on the Great Hair Debate. Short won by a mile! I think the hubby is getting used to it now, but if I want it to look like it did when the stylist fixed it, then I'm gonna have to invest in some more hair products. It takes alot to pull the curl out of my hair. Anyhow, I appreciate all of you and y'all made me feel great!!

I will be back for a longer post later. For now, let me say that, if you have young girls, please teach them not to bully and emotionally torture other girls. I am currently dealing with a very sad daughter because she is being treated this way.

Hope everyone has a very lovely day!

I Need Your Opinion

2010-03-26T18:49:00.003-04:00

Ok, so today I cut off all of my hair. I thought I liked the hair cut. Then, I came home, and my husband didn't like it. He is the one who had me make an appt at an expensive salon so I could "get it done right". I normally pay 10 bucks and take my chances. He could have at least lied and said he liked it for the sake of my self-confidence. So, I would like for those of you who read or follow my blog to offer your opinions. I figure y'all will be honest since you have no vested interest in my hair. So let me know which one you like better, short or long. Thankyou and have a nice weekend!

Dear Someone

2010-03-25T08:36:00.002-04:00

This prompt is from Shortmama over at http://familyofshorts.blogspot.com/. Go on over and link up to join the fun!

Dear Forces of the Universe,
Could you please explain to me why there are a million reasons that make a woman not want sex (that men don't seem to get), and yet a man's hair could be on fire and he'd want to get some one last time before he goes off to the hospital?
Sincere Thanks,
Tired Wife and Mother

Dear Kids,
Please tell me why you feel the need to throw dirty clothes and wet towels on the floor when there is a hamper just a few feet away. Just a heads up there is no magical laundry fairy any where around here. I promise.
Love,
Mommy

Dear Weatherman,
Please no more rain. I think we've had enough for quite a while!!! All this bad weather and having to find ways to entertain bored children for days on end, tends to make frazzled mothers go a bit insane.

Thanks a Bunch,
Waterlogged

Well that's all I've got for today. Have a nice Thursday. The weekend's almost here,YAY!!!!

Random Thoughts (a joke and a pic)

2010-03-24T08:11:00.004-04:00

So, first the joke. My husband told me this yesterday. (Some may find this offensive)

Three dumb hillbillies were sitting on a porch, and the first hillbilly says "My wife is so stupid". The other 2 ask him why, and he says "She bought an air conditioner.". They ask "Well why is that stupid?" He says "We ain't got no electricity." The 2nd hillbilly says"I can beat that. My wife bought a washer machine." The other 2 say "Well, why is that stupid?" He says,"Cuz we ain't got no plumbing." The 3rd hillbilly says, "I cant beat both of y'all. I looked in my wife's pocketbook, and I found 6 condoms." The other 2 asked, "Well, why is that stupid." The 3rd hillbilly said,"Cuz, she ain't got no peter."
If you thought that was offensive, I am sorry. If it made you laugh, you're welcome!

Now for the pic.

Henry would not eat breakfast this morning unless bear could come along too.

Everyone have a great hump day. Our weather is beautifully spring-like again today. Hope yours is too!!

The Doctor Scared Me

2010-03-23T10:23:00.002-04:00

I took Henry and Brooklyn for regular checkups and shots today. I went in thinking the worst thing that would happen would be crabby babies from the shots. Oh No, of course not. The doctor says that because the percentile of Henry's head growth has jumped so rapidly and because his soft spot isn't closed, he has to have a CT scan for macrocephaly. He has to be sedated. This worries me more than a little. More than likely he's fine, but I looked macrocephaly up and it is some scary stuff.

***"Macrocephaly may be due to megalencephaly (enlarged brain), hydrocephalus (water on the brain), cranial hyperostosis (bone overgrowth), and other conditions. It is called "syndromic" when it is associated with any other noteworthy condition, and "non-syndromic" otherwise. It can be caused by genetic conditions or by environmental events.[1]

Many genetic conditions are associated with macrocephaly, including familial macrocephaly, autism, PTEN mutations such as Cowden disease, neurofibromatosis type 1, and tuberous sclerosis; overgrowth syndromes such as Sotos syndrome (cerebral gigantism), Weaver syndrome, Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (Bulldog syndrome), and macrocephaly capillary malformation (M-CMTC) syndrome; neuro-cardio-facial-cutaneous syndromes such as Noonan syndrome, Costello syndrome, and cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome; Fragile X syndrome; leukodystrophies (brain white matter degeneration) such as Alexander disease, Canavan disease, and megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts; and glutaric aciduria type 1 and D-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria.[1]"

***Source Wikipedia

Anyway, he is developing normally, but the doctor obviously thought there was some cause for concern because it always takes forever to get appts with the hospital we use, and they had my son's appt within 5 min. I am trying to stay calm and think everything's alright (which it probably is), but I am a worrier by nature.

On a lighter note, Mykaela has her 2nd softball practice tonight. I think she is really getting into sports, which, is a good thing because she really needs interests of her own. She also definitely needs to learn that physical activity is important to be healthy, but it can also be fun!

OK, hope everyone has a nice Tuesday. It is sunny and 66 here today, so I am hoping to get everyone outside.

I'm Back!

2010-03-21T13:29:00.003-04:00

For those of you who missed me, I have returned. I went without the Internet since December in order to save money. I have since had the new baby, Brooklyn Rose, on January 18. She is doing great, and she is the most quiet baby I have ever seen. If I didn't know that we had added another to the brood, I would almost forget she was here!

Henry was very jealous at first, but now "kiss the baby" is his favorite activity. He is getting very big, very fast. He is saying a few words, walking well, and learning his body parts. He is still very clingy and needy, though. If anyone has any ideas on how to make him more independent, I'd love to hear them. Some days, he cries all day unless someone is holding him. I've never seen anything like it.

Jamie is BORED!!! He is so looking forward to school. I tried to find some sort of sport for him to play, but apparently, he will have to be a year or 2 older. He goes to AWANAS at church on Wednesdays, but I still think he may need more contact with children his own age. He is, however, hilarious and is always saying really off the wall things that make me laugh so hard that I'm about an inch away from needing Depends.

Mykaela is still making straight A's, and she has just started playing softball. We are trying to get her to be more physically active because she wants to spend most of her time reading, writing, and drawing. I don't think this is healthy to be inside all the time. She is being very helpful around the house and with the younger kids, and I am thankful for that.

Barry has been really great lately. He is helping with the kids a lot more. We have not had as much issue with who's getting up in the middle of the night this go round. We've been trying to share equally. He's even been doing laundry and dishes! His job has cut him down to 32 hours a week, which, isn't good, but it's better than being laid off like most of his co workers.

Well, I guess that's about it for now. I will try to post as often as possible, but lately I've been having trouble finding time to breathe. I will say, that even though my house is chaos, it's happy chaos. I feel blessed every day, even on the bad days. Hope everyone has a great Sunday and a nice week ahead.

Warm and Fuzzy

2009-11-14T19:13:00.002-05:00

I am feeling rather warm and fuzzy tonight. It turns out that we know someone who has the skills to fix what's wrong with our old house, and he needs a place for him and his wife and young son to live. We will be letting them have this place when we move out because it would otherwise just be junked. The man said he felt so blessed for them to have a place of their own which they could not have gotten any other way. Ordinarily, I would feel bad because of all the problems with this house and would not want to pass them along, but he plans to work a little at a time until it is fixed and safe. I am really glad to be able to help because we have had people help us when we needed it, so it's nice to pay it forward.
I hope everyone gets a chance to give to someone once in their lives because it's true that it really does feel better to give than receive.

I Got It!!!!!

2009-11-12T09:57:00.002-05:00

I know this speaks to the boring nature of my life, but I am so freaking excited because I got the Swine Flu Vaccine. I was also elated that I made it into line just before the time when they stopped allowing people to line up. Plus my kids got to get the nasal mist instead of the needle, which made things much easier. Only Baby Henry did not get his vaccine because he has been really sick with a cold. Now, I will be able to quit buying stock in Lysol and washing and sanitizing my hands til they bleed. Myk and Jamie still have to have the second dose in 4 weeks, though.

Also, I went to the OB yesterday, and will someone please tell me how it is possible to gain 4 lbs in 2 weeks when you have no appetite?? On the upside, they say that my humongous belly is mostly baby, and that everything looks as good and healthy as possible. I am almost to 170 and I still have to make it to the middle of January, though, so I am convinced I will not be able to walk by then. I should know within the week what day my c-sect will be scheduled for (YAY)!!!

I realize my posts have been scarce lately. This is due to sick kids and the house buying process. I have been lucky when I can find time to shower because my baby is pretty much attached to me 24/7, but I think he is finally getting better.

Hope everyone has a great a great Thursday!

Updates

2009-11-02T09:39:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that my friend's nephew will probably be fine. His body seems to be having some sort of reaction, and he will have to be on medication for the rest of his life. He is getting better though, so it doesn't seem to be the deadly infection they thought it was. Thankyou for all your prayers.

We've found out that we will be without a place to stay for up to 3 weeks while they do the grading and set up for our new home. They will have to put it where our old house currently sits because of where our septic tank is. Therefore, we will have to stay with my husband's grandmother during that time. This is not a bad thing, but it will be crowded because there are already 5 people living in her house. We'll have to sleep on an air mattress in her den. It's just a minor inconvenience on the road to something better, though. It's just that pregnant women and sleeping on (or getting up off of) floors don't really mix. We'll make do. I'm just so excited that we won't be dealing with this mold problem much longer. It's very hard on our allergies.

Also, I'm a little upset because after reading a post by The Crazy Baby Mama at http://www.thecrazybabymama.com/ about how the hospitals in her area won't let her 17 month old come to the hospital when she has her new baby, I checked with our hospital and they have the same policy. I know my 2 oldest are going to be so disappointed that they won't be there for the birth. My youngest has bad separation anxiety, and never stays with anyone, so it'll definitey be hard to leave him with someone. We will manage, though. I'm just a big ball of nerves about the whole thing. I'm especially worried about how I will manage to care for all of the kids after my c-section because my husband can only miss work for the day of the birth.

Ok, I hope everyone has a great Monday. I'm going to spend mine focusing on packing and cleaning.

The Good and the Bad

2009-10-29T08:03:00.002-04:00

My little boy's ceiling has been leaking for about a month no matter what we do. We have patched the roof and put plastic over that and still, it leaks. So, my husband decided to cut a hole in the ceiling to see where the water is coming from. Oh it was bad! It was leaking in about 4 places and there is black mold infesting our ceilings. I have wondered why we have allergies so bad and between the ceiling and the walls( they have mold too) I guess that is why. Also, our siding is rotting. We figured the cost of fixing these things, and we've decided we'd be better off buying a new house.
We have decided to by a modular home and move it on our land. I was very skeptical of this idea at first, but once we started looking I realized there were a lot of really beautiful homes. We don't have the greatest of credit, so this is the best option for us. Now, I am excited. We will have 4 bedrooms, 2 huge bathrooms, a very large kitchen (with a dishwasher, be still my heart). Also, it comes under warranty, so any issue we have is covered for 5 years. To me, this is a great blessing. I'm nervous about the house payment, but we will have a place that the kids can be proud of that isn't falling apart and filled with deadly mold.
Also, I would like to ask for prayers or positive thoughts and energy. Which ever is your belief. My best friend's nephew may have a deadly blood infection. He is 13 and he is very sick. His entire body is broken out and he can't even close his mouth. He has been sick with this for a week, and has seen 5 different doctors that couldn't figure it out. His blood work came back last night and it is more than likely a life threatening type of Staph infection. Please keep your fingers crossed for a positive outcome. He and his family have been through a lot.
Hope everyone has a great Thursday!!!

Tit For Tat

2009-10-26T08:22:00.002-04:00

OK. I am royally pissed this morning. My 10 month old had an appt for a check up at 11 am this morning. It took me two weeks to even get him an appt. This is his NINE month old check up. They called me Friday to remind me that if we didn't show up I'd have to pay for the appt time, or if we were more than 15 min late, the appt would be canceled. Then, this morning, they call my husband and tell him that the doc cant be there and can I come at 3pm or on another day! What is wrong with this picture?? Why am I always at their mercy? Why, even if I am on time, do I have to wait an hour or more to be seen? Seems to me that there is an uneven playing field here. If I am paying them, why do I have to bend to their needs? I can understand emergencies, but if I had one and called at the last minute, Id be on the hook for 80 bucks. OK, done complaining, I guess. Does anyone else have doctor issues like this?

Marrying a Southern Girl is Different

2009-10-22T07:52:00.002-04:00

A friend sent me this in an email this morning. I thought it was very funny, and it's pretty much true. Thought y'all might enjoy it. Have a nice Thursday!!

MARRYING A SOUTHERN GIRL IS DIFFERENT

The first man married a woman from OHIO . He told her that she was to do the dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple of days, but on the third day, he came home to see a clean house and dishes washed and put away.The second man married a woman from MICHIGAN . He gave his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes and the cooking.The first day he didn't see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was clean, the dishes were done and there was a huge dinner on the table.The third man married a girl from THE SOUTH. He ordered her to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed, and hot meals on the table for every meal.He said the first day he didn't see anything. The second day he didn't see anything either, but by the third day some of the swelling had gone down so that he could see a little out of his left eye and his arm was healed enough that he could fix himself a sandwich and load the dishwasher. He still pees with some difficulty....Bless his heart!

Is It Just Me?

2009-10-20T08:01:00.004-04:00

I read a post at The Mouthy House Wives yesterday (you can read it at http://www.mouthyhousewives.com/husbands/1902/), and decided to comment. Basically, the girl who wrote in was recently engaged, but she hated her ring. She didn"t want to hurt her fiance's feelings, but she felt she just couldn't wear that ring. My comment was: "Not to be rude, but I don’t get why women get so upset about what their ring looks like. My wedding ring and engagement ring set was $180 dollars at Walmart, and I didn’t care. I was in love and glad to be marrying my husband, so it could have been a ring from a gumball machine. I wouldn’t have cared. Try to focus on the marriage and not the jewelry." After I made that comment several people commented back saying that I was rude, and how could I have been happy with such a cheap ring?

I have seen women, that I knew personally, act this way several times, and I cannot understand, for the life of me. If you love someone enough to spend the rest of your life with them, why is the jewelry so important? I personally think that it's the thought that counts. My husband spent what he could, and I was happy with that. When you look at the big picture, isn't the ring just a very small part of it? The point is, love the person and not what they can buy you.

Now, I'd like to know what you think. Would you still marry a man even if he couldn't get you the ring of your dreams? Would you tell him that what he got wasn't good enough?

Thank you Thank you

2009-10-19T08:14:00.005-04:00

MJ over at http://dirtylilconfessions.blogspot.com/ has given me an award! The rules of the award say that I should tell 10 things you may not know about me.

1) I hate doing dishes and putting up laundry.

2)I love camping and the outdoors.

3)I am deathly afraid of germs.

4)I LOVE shoes.

5)I feel guilty if I buy something for myself instead of the kids. Even if I need it.

6)I am very opinionated, and I love to be right.

7)I lost my daddy to colon cancer.

8)I have a sister that I never speak to.

9)I don't like to be in social situations.

10)Before I was a mom, I dreamed of being an author.

I would like to pass this award on to :

Manic Mummy @ Kel's Corner (http://mindyourmamanow.blogspot.com/)

Ann @Halesbelles Life and Loves of G.R.I.T.S ( http://halesbelles.blogspot.com/)

Lana @Living It Loving It (http://ohboy-boys.blogspot.com/)

Chriss @ Victory True (http://victorytrue.blogspot.com/)

Thanks MJ for the honor!!

Dumb People Shouldn't Talk

2009-10-17T18:21:00.002-04:00

Image used is from http://images.search.yahoo.com .

I was at the grocery store a couple days ago, and I was trying to rush through while keeping my kids in line. We get over to the dairy section and this huge guy and his daughter walk up to us, and he says (insert sarcastic tone here) "Think you need some more kids dont you?" I just gave him a look that said "Who the hell are you to even ask?". Well then my four year old, who is very excited about the baby on the way, says "Yeah, and my mom's about to have baby girl in January.". The guy says "I can see that.". Then rolls his eyes and walks off. I should have asked him "You need a couple more cheeseburgers dont you." but I was so shocked at his gall that I was speechless (very unusual for me).
Why do people feel that they have the right to come up to someone else and inflict their views on them. Why would it be anyone else's business how many kids I have, as long as they are healthy, happy, and cared for? I mean I think I take good care of my kids and we don't ask anyone for handouts. The point is, if you don't have something intelligent to say don't say anything at all.
What would you have done?

My Past is Not My Future Part 2

2009-10-16T09:16:00.004-04:00

I know I have taken a while to get this post up. If you missed part 1 (it was a while ago) you can read it at http://kelly-adayinthecrazylife.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-past-is-not-my-future-part-1.html (still cant make a link for some reason)
Nothing was left unmarred by these illnesses, alcoholism and depression, not even holidays. In fact, holidays usually made my mom worse.It's like they set off a panic in her.She would drink more and say things like, "We're not gonna have anything for Christmas" or "Don't bother doing anything for (insert holiday here)".Then, at the last minute, after causing me weeks of misery, she'd pull it together, and act like nothing ever happened.
For the most part, they exhibited one of the biggest signs of alcoholism. My daddy and mama used to hide alcohol everywhere, even in my clubhouse out back. My friend and I were playing in there one day and found a bottle of Jim Beam under a beanbag chair. My daddy would always pour his liquor into a Mountain Dew bottle. Once, when he was passed out, i was thirsty, so I took a swig of what I thought was soda. I just about vomited. I have never again drank Mountain dew. My mama, on the other hand would buy alcohol, drink it while driving me around, and beg me not to tell my daddy.
Mama also used to go to 3 different doctors to get Xanax. She had a system. She'd get some to take, some to sell, and some to give to daddy. By the time she finally got off of them,she was up to (at times)12-14 pills a day. When I was 13, she came home from the grocery store one night, and was so messed up that she dropped all the groceries in the front door while trying to make it to the front door. She came into the house, and I begged her to just go to bed and sleep it off, but oh no that wasn't happening. My daddy wasn't home because, wonder of wonders, at this point he had made it in to AA (thank God). She proceeded to fly into a rage and tried to hit me over the head with a bottle of Evan Williams. I had to push her back to defend myself, and she fell onto an end table which busted her head open. This horrified me because the alcohol had thinned her blood, and head wounds bleed a lot anyway, so, as you can imagine, I was freaking out! I called an ambulance and they took her to the hospital. When they tested her blood, she had drank (aprox.) a pint of liquor and taken 12-14 Xanax. She was then committed. My best friend was spending the night that night and I'm pretty sure that this must have terrified her. She had the good fortune to have a "normal" family. To her this was probably like a movie of the week. At that point, we had been friends for 5 years, but after that night, not anymore. Can't say I blame her. After that I learned to hide it just like they had. No more friends over for me. I just wanted to seem normal.
Part 3 to come soon
***Editor's Note- David Gurevich has asked me to link to his article Zapped by Xanax because he feels it relates to this post. I have read the article, and I agree that it is informative. If you are interested in more info on the effects of Xanax, you can find the article at http://healthlifeandstuff.com/2009/10/xanax-side-effects-uses-withdrawal/.

Dear Someone

2009-10-15T06:48:00.003-04:00

(This image is from http://images.search.yahoo.com)

Today,Shortmama over at http://familyofshorts.blogspot.com has said that our dear someone letter should be to our ten-year-old-selves. This is a great idea. Lord knows my 10 year old self could have used some advice from someone. Sooooo, without further ado, here it is.

Dear 10 year old Kelly,
The best advice I can give you, 16 years later, is don't let the chaos that you are about to go through cloud your vision. I will tell you that your middle and high school years are going to be rough. You are going to go from having college scholarship offers after taking your SAT's at 12, to being on your own at 15. You will go from having your poetry published in The National Anthology at 11 to walking to work at a Waffle House at 16. You will be a single mother at 18. However, I would not tell you to change any of this. These things are what will make you who you are today.
Today, you are a married mother pregnant with her 4th child. You do not have much money, but you have a decent life, and you are a good person. All of the crazy things you have done have led to this moment. It might have been hard, but it was well worth it.
I will tell you, that even though trusting people in your life that didn't deserve it has hurt you in the past, it all turned out ok. Even though people told you that you would never amount to anything, they were wrong. In your children's eyes you are the world, and that is the best feeling ever. All of the fighting,drinking, and drugs that you saw as a child, they have made you realize how not to raise your children. You have also gotten the good traits from your daddy (he's gone now). You learned to never give up on your children, and to love them always, no matter what.
For now, enjoy being a child. Keep in mind that the bad never lasts forever. The clouds eventually clear, and the sunshine that comes is beautiful. Just don't give up!

Love Yourself Always,
26 year old Kelly

Who Did I Piss Off?

2009-10-14T08:29:00.003-04:00

I must have done something to anger the fates. Today started off rotten and got worse. I was awakened this morning at 5 am by a screaming hungry baby. Then, when my husband finally got up, I told him how stupid it was for him to claim that he cannot hear the baby when he's crying. I mean, come on, his crib is right next to our room, and our walls are paper thin. He, then proceeded to tell me that I was lazy for complaining, and that I should just do it. This is not a new argument, but it is a particular pet peeve of mine. I especially worry about this subject because of the next baby being due to arrive in January. It can only get worse. I just think he is lazy and doesn't want to do it. He can hear his alarm clock or his phone and they aren't as loud as the baby!
Next, I realize that the roof he "patched" 2 days ago is leaking again. It is leaking all over my son's brand new mattress. Not only is our roof gonna have to be replaced (this isnt the only bad spot), but Jamie's ceiling will have to be replaced because it has bowed out and has spots of mold on it. Wonder of wonders it is supposed to rain the next 3 days!!
Last but not least, my back is breaking out with pimples like crazy. I am hoping this is a side effect of pregnancy. I have never had this problem, but I guess I will be thankful that it is nearing winter, so I can stay covered up.
Alright, enough bitching. I did have some good things happen. I was a winner in a contest that Michelle @ www.theadventuresofsupermom.com was having. I won a $60 e-gift certificate to use at www.mikarose.com. I received the things I ordered yesterday, and (I think) they are cute. For that $60 I got a dress and a shirt (not bad). Thanks Supermom and MikaRose. Also, my best friend Kat found a bag full of 0-3 mo and 3-6mo clothes that she had stored when her daughter grew out of them, so that lessens the burden of trying to get clothes for the new baby. Yay!!! With Christmas coming, that was a real blessing!
OK, so I hope everyone has a wonderful day today, and I am going to make it my mission to look on the bright side of things no matter what else happens.
This is a pic of the new dress.(picture that I used is from www.mikarose.com)

Is Your Marriage Affair-Proof

2009-10-12T10:09:00.002-04:00

Today On Dr. Phil, he had mistresses as guests. This was supposed to shed some light on why affairs happen. It was the most disgusting thing I have ever listened to.
The leader of this group was named Sarah Symonds. She wrote a book called Hand Book for the Other Woman. She is also the founder of a support group for mistresses on the internet. Her basic premise was, that, the other woman has no responsibility for an affair, even if she knows that the man is married. She says that the men are persuing them, and that they wouldn't do so if they were getting what they need at home. She went so far as to say that these homewreckers were like therapists, and they were actually helping families by filling voids for these men.
Now, I don't know about you, but rarely do I have all my needs met on a daily basis. That is called being a married, adult, parent. However, I do not even consider going out into the world and finding another man because I took vows, and I believe in those vows! "I'm not getting what I need" is just an excuse to do wrong, and it is just a cowardly thing to do.
This 'lady' was asked what she would tell wives so that their husbands wouldnt go out and look for tramps like her. She gave the following list:
*Stay up at night and listen about your husbands day, even if you are very tired.
*Don't lay YOUR problems off on him, though.
*Look hot at all times.
*Give him lots of sex.
*pay him all the attention that he needs.
*Don't always put the kids first.(don't be the class mom in sweat pants)
Excuse me but when did it become ok to run around on your spouse instead of discussing and working out your problems? She said the wives should just deal with it because it was their fault. She basically said that misteresses are the ones who get hurt. Another lady on this show actually had the gall to say that there were no victims in a situation like that. Yes there are. How about the unknowing wife and the innocent children??
In my humble opinion, married mothers are often putting themselves at the back of the line, as it is. Are we now supposed to stretch ourselves even further to make sure our husbands live in bliss just so that we don't have to worry that they won't be stepping out on us? I think not. Cheating men need to grow up, and realize that life is not all sunshine and rainbows. If my husband is ever stupid enough to cheat on me, he better hope the girl wants to keep him. The minute I found out all of his belongings would be in the front yard and the locks would be changed.
What do y'all think about this subject?

***The statements of others noted in this post, are not to be considered as direct quotes as I didnt write everything down when I was watching. This is my interpretation of what I heard and saw on Dr. Phil today and the way I feel about the subject matter :)

Dear Someone

2009-10-08T08:25:00.003-04:00

Shortmama over at Family of Shorts (http://familyofshorts.blogspot.com) likes to write letters to whoever you have something to say to on Thursdays. I'd thought I'd link up and give it a try.

Dear Makers of Ranch Dressing,
Why have you foresaken me?!? For nearly 20 years, I have used your product on most of my food. Not just salads. Ranch is a perfect addition to alot of things. Especially chicken, or on top of my spaghetti, or pizza. Lately, it seems that you have taken it upon yourselves to make changes to your product. I have no idea why. If it ain't broke don't fix it, right? Now, all of the ranch I have tried to eat in the last month was CRAP. It was so bad that my kids won't even eat it! Don't you know that's how I got them to eat salad. Won't you at least think of my children and their nutrition??
Please, oh pretty please! Put it back like it was. My food is lonely without it. My poor little children are missing nutrients. If you don't do something soon, I just might have to start making my own! You don't want the competition right? Mine might actually be good, and then your sales would be in trouble. Help a girl out, won't ya?!?

Sincerely missing the "sauce",
Kelly

Im a Winner

2009-10-06T09:01:00.004-04:00

First off, I would like to apologize to Tami at HeartsMakeFamilies for taking so long to post this. I was trying to wait until the thing that makes links would work properly, but it doesn't seem like thats going to happen.
Anyway Tami @ www.heartsmakefamilies.com/ has given me an award!

The rules of this award are that I should give it to 5 other blogs that I am happy to have found. Here they are in no particular order. Go check them out.

Jessica @ Just another Day http://jmb1980.blogspot.com/

Anne @ Life and Times of a G.R.I.T.S in NC http://halesbelles.blogspot.com/

DakerMom @ Dakermom http://dakermom.blogspot.com/

Chriss @ VictoryTrue http://victorytrue.blogspot.com/

Dana @ Thoughts on Life and Dirty Diapers http://danaelaineellis.blogspot.com/

Also, I have to answer the following list of questions:

1. Where is your cell phone?.... In my babies mouth
2. Your hair? ......very curly
3. Your mother? ......at work
4. Your father?.....passed away
5. Your favorite food? ......anything fried
6. Your dream last night?......don't know
7. Your favorite drink?....coffee
8. Your dream/goal? ....to raise my babies right
9. What room are you in? ......livingroom
10. Your hobby? ......reading
11. Your fear? .....illness
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?......on the right path
13. Where were you last night?....home
14. Something you aren't?.....organized
15. Muffins? .....strawberries
16. Wish list item? ......money to fix the house
17. Where did you grow up?...... Greenville SC
18. Last thing you did?...... fed the baby
19. What are you wearing? ......PJs
20. Your TV? .....livingroom
21. Your pets? .........0
22. Your friends? ......the best
23. Your life?......great but boring sometimes
24. Your mood? ......tired
25. Missing someone? .....no
26. Vehicle? ......minivan
27. Something you're not wearing? ......a decent hairdo
28. Your favorite store? .......WalMart
29. Your favorite color? ......blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? ......this morning
31. Last time you cried? .....last week
32. Your best friend?......Kat
33. One place that I go over and over? .......grocery store
34. One person who emails me regularly?.......spam
35. Favorite place to eat? .......McDonalds

Soooo a big thanks to Tami, and thanks to all my winners. I love your blogs and look foward to reading them each day!

Bully's Shouldn't Win

2009-10-01T07:42:00.004-04:00

Warning: This post contains an old fashioned point of view, that is blunt, and probably isn't considered politically correct ;)

Ever since the beginning of school, Mykaela has been getting pushed around by a girl on the bus. She refuses to let Mykaela sit down, even though her assigned seat is next to her. She calls her names and teases her. Then, yesterday, she sunk her nails into Myk's arm. Mykaela has tried ignoring her, being nice, and asking the bus driver to move. All of which did no good. Some days she comes home and says "Mom, today, that girl was nice to me." I told her it is not right for someone to torment you most days and then be nice when they feel like it.

I know that this girl has some sort of probem, which, makes her feel inadequate. I know, in my adult brain, that this is why she makes my child feel bad. I am also not one of those parents who thinks my child is perfect, but why should she have to be treated this way. If all of the avenues which the school tells her to take do not solve the problem, why should she continue to be abused by this mean little girl. The answer is... she shouldn't.

Today, I am fed up with having to spare peoples feelings. I am sick of kids being conditioned that standing up and defending themselves isn't "nice". I hate when they are told to use nice words to fight off someone, who, clearly doesn't give them the same respect. Turn the other cheek, sometimes, is BS. So, I told her what my daddy always told me, "Knock the everlovin crap out of her the next time, and maybe she'll think twice!"

I know that violence isn't a solution to most problems, but in this case, I think if she doesn't stand up fo herself now, she will be trampled on all the time. Truth be told, there are alot of women who were told to act sweetly and sit quietly, and they turn out to be door mats. I want my child to know that she has right to be treated fairly, and that while she isn't better than anybody, nobody's better than her. I think the world would be a much better place if people weren't so wishy-washy, and everyone knew when to say enough is enough!

Ok I'll get off my soap box now. Hope everyone has a great day!

****UPDATE**** I spoke to the asst principal today, and she talked to Mykaela and the bully. There was really no resolution given, other than they will be separated on the bus. They get off at the same stop though, so I don't know what the bully will do now that she had to talk to the principal. I hope I didn't make things worse!

You Want a What?

2009-09-30T09:18:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, I was driving my oldest to school, and she asks me, "Mommy, when can I get a cell phone?" I told her that I don't feel she needs a cell phone until she can drive. Even then, it should only be for emegencies. Then, she says to me, "But Mom, so-and-so said that their mom and dad are gonna get them one if they make all A's this year. These kids are 7! What does a 7 year old need with a cell phone? Really, they shouldn't be anywhere their by themselves, so WTH? I think that society as a whole has become obsessed with technology. I personally am not very tech saavy. In most cases, I know the bare minimum. I don't have an Iphone, an Ipod, or any of those other Idevices. I don't allow my kids to play video or computer games unless they're educational. I feel that it is my responsibility to control their exposure to these things. Whatever happened to kids climbing trees or playing with dolls? Last year, when Myk returned to school after Christmas, she came home crying because she was the only one in her class that didn't get a tech gift of some kind. We spent alot of money to get her things, like a bike, that we thought were nice. Sometimes, I wish that the technology time clock could be turned back 20 years. Things may have taken a little more work, but life was alot simpler.

His Bark's worse than His Bite

2009-09-28T13:57:00.004-04:00

I've already posted today, but I had to share this. My 4yr old and 9 month old just had a growling contest. It was hilarious. Ok, maybe you had to be there. Henry's favorite noise right now is AHHHHHHH. So hes good at the growling thing. In fact, I think he won the contest. Also, he has taken to pulling up on the wall and talking to it. I guess he just has alot to say, and the wall can't interrupt him.

PS don't look at the mess in the pic, plz!

Worried a Little

2009-09-28T09:32:00.003-04:00

I have to say that I don't know what people, like the Duggars do.I mean, I am having trouble keeping up with the 3 I have now, and I know it will be much harder when number 4 gets here in January. I sort of feel like I am trying to be everything to everyone and I can't stretch myself far enough. I know in my heart that I am a good mother, but sometimes I feel like my older 2 don't get enough attention and that my baby is growing up faster than I would like. As they say in the south, 'he's movin out of the way'.

Recently, a rivalry has begun between the 9 month old and my 4 year old. Mostly on the part of my 4 year old. Jamie has started trying to push Henry around. I know it is just a power struggle, but it's kind of sad because the baby loves his big brother sooo much. I am trying to help Jamie keep in mind that his baby brother loves him and just wants to be near him. You should see the way that baby's face lights up when Jamie walks into the room it's a thing of beauty.

Now, as for Mykaela, she had a project due this morning called a Story Sack Project. We waited til the last minute to do it,bad idea! She had to come up with items to represent different parts of the story. The item she picked to represent the setting was a popsicle stick house, yay. We spent 2 days trying to make this thing, and it was going well. Then we started the roof. I could not get the stupid thing to stay on. Did I mention that I am not a craft person? Well, I finally got it on, but it was only hanging on with a hope and a prayer. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it made it to class in one piece.

For those of you with more than one or two kids, how do you balance everything? What are your tricks and tips for time management?

Have a great Monday!

Bitch and Moan Friday (on Sunday)

2009-09-27T08:31:00.003-04:00

It's past that time again... Annette over at http://www.fairyblogmotherblog.com/ is giving us a chance to get all of our frustrations out once a week. Anyone can do it, and trust me, it makes you feel alot better!

1)Kids that wait til the last minute to announce 'Oh, btw, my school project is due Monday' (on Satuday), and it just has to be perfect. Mine couldn't even remember where she put the book that she had to do the project on!

2)The weather. It has been raining for about 2 weeks here in SC. I say, turn the waterworks off already!!! There is so not alot to do with three kids (two of which are about to kill each other) when you are broke, and they can't go outside. Sunshine ASAP please!!!

3)Yep, you guessed it I am still mad at my husband for buying that stupid piece of junk truck. I found out that not only did he take money from the Christmas fund (that was just to buy the part the thing needed to drive it home), he didn't even pay the whole $500 yet. We're broke again this week because he'smaking payments to pay off the rest. He gave the guy $100 when he got payed without asking me how much we owed this week. We are paycheck to paycheck kind of people , so this really screws things up. He did, however, at least admit that he was wrong, but this may have been just to shut me up.

Your turn. What really ticked you off this week, and made you want to spit nails?

My Past is Not My Future (part 1)

2009-09-25T18:24:00.004-04:00

Before I start, please know that this is not a "woe is me" story. It's just simply a way of putting my past out there, and not holding onto it or letting it hold onto me. Anyway, here we go.

Growing up, for me, was definitely not what I would call normal. Both my parents were alcoholics. My dad smoked pot, and my mom was addicted to Xanax. One of my earliest memories is of going to a party with them where everyone was drinking Screw Drivers by the gallon (literally). By the time that we got home, my mama was so drunk that she fell into a cactus patch when trying to make her way to the house. My daddy had to carry her into the house and remove all the poky things from her legs. I was 3.

They fought a lot. When I was 5, I remember them getting into a drunken fight, and my Daddy grabbed my mom by the throat and held her up against the dining room wall. Believe it or not my daddy was very mild mannered. He was definitely the 'live and let live' kind of person. It always seemed that my mom would say anything she could to push him to a point of rage. Not to excuse either of their behaviors, but he was not an abuser. Alcohol just changed them both into completely different people.

When I was 7, my mama fell into a deep depression. I remember watching TV with her at night, and she would whisper to me that she was going to kill herself. Right before our yearly vacation to the beach she told me over and over that she was going to walk off into the ocean and never come back. I didn't know what to do, but I sure as hell didn't want to go on vacation! At this early age, I felt I had to be the care taker. It was a total role reversal. I was the adult and the peace keeper, and they were the children.

Nothing was left unmarred by these hellish illnesses, alcoholism and depression. They changed everything.

Part 2 to come soon.

Is It Major or Not?

2009-09-22T08:11:00.003-04:00

My husband decided to buy a truck. He insisted that it was needed. I definitely don't agree because we have one income and already have 2 other vehicles. I wasn't consulted about this, though. I am extremely ticked off because this truck needs tons of work, and he can't even drive it. Also, he didn't wait until he had cash to get it (it was $500). He, instead, used the money from our Christmas account. He is insisting that this wasn't a major purchase, so it's okay that he didn't ask me. My point of view is that he took money from our kids Christmas for something that was neither needed nor an emergency. He wouldn't even tell me how he got it. I had to figure it out myself. Am I wrong, or should this have been a joint decision? I thought decisions like this were supposed to be made together. Apparently, this marriage isn't a partnership. He gets to control the money because 'he makes the money', and I get to be the maid, babysitter, cook, breeder, etc. I just wonder, am I totally off base, or is he being completely selfish? I just don't understand why I get the amount of money he thinks I need, and he can do whatever. I just feel totally wronged and I feel like I have no recourse.

Throw Out Your KoolAid

2009-09-15T15:20:00.002-04:00

The strangest thing just happened to me. I noticed an ingredient on the back of my Kool Aid to-go (the kind that you add to a bottle of water) box called acesulfame potassium. I googled it to see what it was and if it was safe during pregnancy. It turns out that it is an artificial sweetner and the FDA has only approved the use of this product in small amounts. Well, I decided to call the company to find out how much of this substance is in their product. The customer service rep said that he had to ask a supervisor and put me on hold. When he came back he asked why I needed to know. I said because I am pregnant, and I wanted to make sure that it was a safe amount. He puts me on hold again and comes back to tell me that they will not tell me how much is in the product, but that they recommend that I don't drink their product and that I also contact my doctor.
Holy Crap Batman!!!! I smell a cover-up! I've been letting the kids drink this stuff! I called my doc and the nurse said not to worry, but when the company tells you something like that, how can you not worry?? I say we should all stop being so trusting that these companies are making safe products for us to eat and drink. Who knows what else they're putting in stuff?

Today

2009-09-15T08:12:00.002-04:00

Today, I don't have a lot to say. I am soooooo tired because the baby has had a sinus infection, stomach virus, and is cutting 2 teeth all at one time. This has, apparently, made him decide to get up at 4 am or earlier every day. I can get him back to sleep, but only if i sit in the chair, hold him on my chest and rock him. If I stop rocking or try to put him in his bed he wakes up immediately. Then, of course my husband asks the ultimate dumb question... "Why are you so tired all of the time." or "Why are you complaining? You wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. It's your job."
I caught my daughter stealing the change out of the door of my van yesterday. When I walked out and caught her, she tried to hide it. I know it's not a lot of money, but change adds up and stealing is stealing. Period.
The older two kids are fighting constantly. I am told this is normal but I had no siblings in the home when I was growing up, so i have nothing to compare it to. I am holding onto hope that they grow out of it. I know. I know. That's more of a delusion than a hope.
Finally, I am taking all of them to get their flu shots today. Keep your fingers crossed that they don't go crazy. Last time, it took four people to hold my daughter down.
Hope everyone has a nice day.

Bitch and Moan Friday

2009-09-04T08:17:00.003-04:00

It's that time again for the meme started by Annette over at Fairy Blog Mother. This gives all of us a chance to talk about the things that really got under our skin this week.

1)People who think that their time is more valuable than yours.

2)Cleaning my toilets every freakin day because my kids won't flush! Seriously, how many times do I have to remind them before they understand that pee left in the toilet= stink in the house?

3)Doing dishes without a dish washer. I think we are the only people in America that don't own one. No matter how often I do them, there is still another pile by the time I get done. Maybe the appliance fairy will take pity on me.

4) My husband thinking that just because I am a SAHM I don't do anything all day. Apparently, little elves come in and clean the house, run the errands, and take care of the kids every need. I hate when this excuse is used to get out of helping me, "You are a stay-at-home-mom, the kids and the inside of the house is your job. Going to work and the yard are mine." Makes me want to pull my hair out. Why if a man does something to help with the house or the kids are we supposed to bow and scrape and thank them 50 times, but when we do it all daily, that's just us doing our job? Where's my thankyou?

OK, I am done ranting now, I think. What really ticked you of this week? Head on over and link up to share!

The Hand Washing Song

2009-09-03T08:00:00.002-04:00

Since school started, I have been drilling hand washing into my daughter's head every morning. It occurred to me that this was probably driving her as crazy as it was me. I also know that 7 year olds have tendency to forget things in, like, 5 minutes. I was driving her to school this morning and i thought of a much more fun way to help her remember.
The Hand Washing Song
(to the tune of Shake Your Booty)

Wash wash wash
Wash wash wash
Wash your hands
Don't touch your face

Wash wash wash
Wash wash wash
Wash your hands
Don't touch your face

Wash wash
Wash wash
Just wash your hands
Don't touch your face!

Repeat

I figured this was a lot better than repeating myself til I was blue in the face. If anyone else has fun ideas on this subject, leave me a comment and let me know! I will try to post video of the kids singing it later.
Have a great Thursday!! The weekend's almost here, YAY!!!

Husbands Say the Darndest Things

2009-09-02T07:07:00.002-04:00

A couple nights ago I was just starting to get this cold, and I was exhausted and blowing my nose every 2 seconds. I asked my husband if he could give our 8 month old a bath because he had food in his hair. He said "I can't give him a bath. I don't want to get sick." As if being snotted on and coughed on til I caught it was my dream!

HELP

2009-09-01T08:37:00.002-04:00

Does anyone out there have any good tricks to soothing a sick infant. At this point, I've tried all the old stand-by's vaporizer, vapo rub, saline and the aspirator. If you have anything not on this list please leave me a comment or send me an email.

Germs Stink!! and Anniversary Update

2009-08-31T08:59:00.003-04:00

Just a quick post...I have 3 sick kids(ewwww). My daughter brought a nasty bug home from school last week and now the boys have it, too. The baby is pure pitiful. You just can't help feeling sorry for him. The worst part is that I can't give him anything. I took Mykaela to the doctor on Friday, and it was a sinus infection, so today I am going to go ahead and take the boys. I just hope that we do not have to wait an hour after our appointment time just to see anyone. That is just not a good thing to do at a pediatricians office. Little kids were not meant to sit still that long.
As for the update on how our anniversary ended, suffice it to say that it was no fairytale. We ended up eating at Burger King with the kids, he gave me $60 and told me to buy myself something nice, and then we pretty much went to bed mad. I don't like overly sensitive men. I want my man to be less feminine than me, but some sensitivity would be nice! I would have been absolutely elated with some flowers (nothing fancy), a 99cent card, and "Happy Anniversary, I love you." I'm not gonna dwell on it though because what good would that do? I will just hope he takes the hint from my anger and is way more romantic next year. It doesn't take alot of money to please me just some thoughfulness.
Well ladies, have a Wonderful Monday! I'm off to disinfect everything in my house.

What would you do?

2009-08-29T08:47:00.002-04:00

Today is mine and my husband's 1st wedding anniversary. This morning not only did he not say happy aniversary, I did not hear good morning or I love you or anything like that. What I did hear is "Where's my breakfast?".
What would you do if your husband pulled that kind of crap?

Bitch and Moan Friday

2009-08-28T08:05:00.002-04:00

Annette over at http://www.fairyblogmotherblog.com/ started a meme today, Bitch and Moan Fridays. It basically gives us all a chance to discuss things that are on our last nerve each week. I decided to link up and give it a try!
1)Selfish people drive me insane! You know who you are. People that lack empathy or compassion. People who's every thought revolves around what someone else can do for them.

2)Bad drivers also want to make me pull my hair out. I am really starting to wonder what idiot is running our DMVs around here. I think citizens should be able to report these big dummies who cause accidents, and make us late, or put us in a bad mood in general. Then, if they can't pass a driving test they should made to stay home.

3)I hate cleaning my house only to have every other member of my family (yes including the hubby) go right behind me and mess it back up! It's as though they think that the floor is a trash can and a laundry hamper. Even when those to devices are right beside the floor that they put the trash or clothes on. I have got to find a way to convince them that we do not have a magical fairy maid.

4)I hate buying a bag of potatoes for almost $6 at the store, only to get home and discover half of them are rotten. Nuff said!

5)Lastly, I hate that parents are sending their kids to school sick, so that they won't have to miss work. Now my child has caught some nasty bug, and she's only been back at school for a week. I had the common decency to keep her home as soon as I realized that she was sick so that she wouldn't pass it to any other children. Perfect attendance is not that important people. Just say no to the spread of Swine Flu. Nobody wants your germs!!! I for one am deathly afraid that one of us are going to get H1N1 before they get the vaccine out.

Well, those are my gripes this week, what are yours? Grab the button and link up with Annette at http://www.fairyblogmotherblog.com/ , and join the fun!

Dumb Drivers

2009-08-26T13:50:00.002-04:00

Dear Dumb Driver,
I would like to inform you of some things that you shouldn't do when dropping off you child at school.
1)When at a red light, in the turn lane waiting to turn left, you should NOT sit through three cycles of the light before you finally decide to try to turn. You are supposed to pull out and wait for a break in traffic, then GO!! When you do not do this properly, I can not be held responsible for my honking, screaming, and talking like a sailor.
2)You do not need to look like a beauty queen to drop of your kid. News flash, no one in the carpool line cares whether you put on mascara or not, so stop putting on your makeup in the rearview, and DRIVE!!
3)Unless a major tragedy has occured in the last 5 minutes, there is no reason why you can't put down your cell phone, Blackberry, etc. long enough to pay attention to dropping off your child.
4)If you feel the need to cut in line...DON'T! My time and the time of others is just as valuable as yours. Try waking up 10 minutes earlier if you're in that big of a hurry.
5)Finally, if someone lets you into traffic the least you could do is manage a courtesy wave. When ,you don't it's just rude, and it only takes a second to be polite.
If you could just manage these small acts of courtesy and common sense each morning, you could spare me and others like me a bad case of road rage, and make the carpool line a better place to be.
Signed,
Just Say No To Stupid

It's a Girl!!!!

2009-08-26T13:46:00.003-04:00

I went to the doctor today and we had the ultrasound. Everything is healthy, and they say it's definitely a girl! We are naming her Brooklyn Rose.

Turning Over a New Leaf

2009-08-25T14:12:00.002-04:00

I have decided to try to find new cheap recipes to make for my family to break up the boring monotony of my usual cooking. This is no easy feat because I have some picky eaters. One may like something and two others hate it. I, personally, will eat anything that doesn't eat me first.
Anyway, last night I made one of these new recipes and it went over really well. It's called Hambureger Rice Casserole. I found it at http://www.recipe4living.com. It was contributed by shar41 from Holland,MI. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients
1 lb. hamburger meat, cooked and drained ($3.29)
1 C. rice, uncooked ($0.70)
1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup ($1.00)
1 medium onion, chopped ($1.39)
6 Tbs. soy sauce ($0.72)
2 Tbs. brown sugar*
4 C. boiling water*
Salt and pepper to taste*
TOTAL COST: $7.10
Directions
Brown hamburger meat and chopped onion until hamburger is no longer pink and set aside. Pour boiling water over uncooked rice in a 2-3 qt. casserole dish. Add in cream of mushroom soup; stir until it is dissolved into water and rice. Next add soy sauce and brown sugar. Finally, add hamburger meat and onion and mix well. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.*Pantry Staple. This ingredient is common enough for Recipe4Living to consider it a staple in most kitchens, therefore it has been excldued from the overall price of the recipe.Ingredient prices are estimates and may vary depending on grocery store, location, sale prices and other factors. Individuals may find that they spend more or less than the estimated recipe amount when preparing this recipe. Recipe4Living makes no guarentee that a recipe will cost the estimated amount stated above.
This recipe is not only cheap and easy to make, but it was very filling I just steamed a frozen veggie in the microwave to go with it, and there was enough to have leftovers for lunch today. To make it healthier, you can use fat free cream of mushroom and ground turkey or sirloin instead of regular hamburger.
Let me know how you like it if you make some, and I will keep you posted if I find anymore good cheap recipes! Have a terrific Tuesday!!

Adventures in Home School

2009-08-24T09:36:00.002-04:00

This year, I have decided to home school my 4 year old since he didn't get in to public 4-K. This decision was based on the fact that kids in K-5 are expected to know so much. We have started to learn how to write the upper case alphabet and, Jamie is doing way better than I expected.
I had some concerns about how much this process was going to cost me, and whether my nerves could take it. The Internet has made it totally easy and pretty much free. It turns out that there are tons of sites that offer free learning materials, fun activities, and crafts to go along with pretty much anything that you are trying to teach. They even have tentative lesson plans, although I choose not to be to rigid because I don't want him to get frustrated and bored. At this point, I have found it to be so easy that if my oldest doesn't get along any better this year in school than she did last year, I may begin to home school her as well. So far, I have found it to be very fulfilling when I am able to teach him a new skill. He gets so excited when he understands something and gets it right.
Some of the best web sites are http://www.first-school.ws/preschool/printable-activities/index.htm and http://www.kidzone.ws/ and http://www.dltk-kids.com.

Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Have Some Compassion

2009-08-20T12:25:00.004-04:00

This morning I saw something that was very sad, and which occurs all too often. There was a man on his hands and knees crying over his pet cat that had been run over by a passing motorist. I am not saying that accidents don't happen, but the speed limit on said road at the place where the cat was killed is 10 miles per hour. This speed limit should have given anyone paying any attention to the road plenty of time to avoid the cat.
I, personally, try to never hit any animal when driving. I once had no choice but to hit a rabbit when it darted across a very narrow road, and I cried for an hour. I believe that if I can safely avoid killing a living creature, I should. In the area in which I live, it used to be very rural and was built up very quickly. The animals that live in the area have no idea that all of the sudden there habitat was claimed for suburbia, so how are they supposed to know not to run across a busy road? My point is this, I believe that we, as an "enlightened society" should take care not to hurt or maim anything regardless of how insignificant it may seem to us. As for pets, for God's sake, have the decency to at least stop, move the animal from the road, and at least attempt to inform the poor owner. Think of how you would feel if someone ran over a member of your family and just kept going.

Crazyology

2009-08-15T10:21:00.001-04:00

I found this on Confessions of a Moody Mommy. She tagged everyone reading it.
Let others know a little more about yourself, re-post this as your name followed by "ology".

***********FOODOLOGY***************

What is your salad dressing of choice?
Ranch

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
Well, since I'm pregnant right now, any place that serves edible food!

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
Fried anything

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
I love alfredo with spinach and pepperoni

What do you like to put on your toast?
strawberry jam

***********TECHNOLOGY***************

How many televisions are in your house?
2

What color cell phone do you have?
red

Do you have an Ipod?
nope. I am not really into technology. my 7 year old daughter knows more about it than I do.

***************BIOLOGY******************

Are you right-handed or left-handed?
right handed

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
Tonsils, and 3 babies

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
a dresser

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
Yup. I got dizzy in the DMV when I was pregnant with my first child, hit my face on a door knob and woke up with 50 people around me, and an ambulance on the way.

************BULLCRAPOLOGY**************

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
No. It would make life seem pointless.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I don't think I would because I would forget that I did it and tell people the wrong one.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
No that's a hospital trip waiting to happen.

************DUMBOLOGY******************

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
4. I hate to wear shoes and they are the closest thing to barefoot.

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
March of '08. Had a bad wreck in a rain storm.

Last person you talked to?
My daughter

Last person you hugged?
My husband this morning

**************FAVORITOLOGY****************

Season?
fall

Holiday?
Christmas

Day of the week?
Wednesday

Month?
December

***********CURRENTOLOGY*****************

Missing someone?
My husband. He's been working 6 day weeks.

Mood?
happy

What are you listening to?
a singing Hannah Montana doll

Watching?
my sleeping baby

Worrying about?
going grocery shopping alone with 3 kids

***************RANDOMOLOGY*****************

First place you went this morning?
To the baby's crib

What's the last movie you saw?
The Proposal

Do you smile often?
Yes

Sleeping Alone Tonight?
no

***************OTHER-OLOGY*****************

1)Do you always answer your phone?
Yes. Unless I am over my limit of doing 5 things at once

2) Its four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?
Wrong number

3) If you could change your eye color what would it be?
Bright green

4) What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic?
I dont eat at Sonic

5)Do you own a digital camera?
No

6)Have you ever had a pet fish?
Yes, but they always die too quickly

7) Favorite Christmas song(s)?
Grandma got run over by a reindeer

8) What's on your wish list for your birthday?
sleep

9) Can you do push ups?
Yeah right

10) Can you do a chin up?
I couldnt even do those when they tried to make me in front of the entire gym class

11) Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
excited

12) Do you have any saved texts?
yes I usually dont erase until the memory is full

13) Ever been in a car wreck?
Yes 2 or 3

14) Do you have an accent?
Yes very southern

15) What is the last song to make you cry?
Anything Willie Nelson...reminds me of my Daddy

16) Plans tonight?
getting a new bunk bed for Jamie

17)Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
YEAH

18) Name 3 things you bought yesterday.
an onion, cheese, and toys for the kids

19) Have you ever been given roses?
no

20) Current worry?
money

21) Current hate right now?
my idiot cousin who torments my 84 year old grandma

22) Met someone who changed your life?
my best friend Kat and my husband

23) How will you bring in the New Year?
asleep

24) What song represents you?
Redneck Woman by Gretchen Wilson

25) Name three people who might complete this?
IDK

26) Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
Definitely

27) Have you ever dated someone longer than a year?
yes

28) Do you have any tattoos/piercings?
one tattoo, Ive let all my piercings except my ears grow up

29) Will you be in a relationship 4 months from now?
I better be

30) Does anyone love you?
Yes

31) Would you be a pirate?
I would, except I dont like peg legs and scurvy sounds like it sucks.

32) What songs do you sing in the shower?
I usually have to shower in 5 min or less because if I take any longer the baby will have a melt down, so no time to sing.

33) Ever had someone sing to you?
no

34) When did you last cry?
yesterday because we were out of milk and I wanted gravy

36) Do you like to cuddle?
Yes unless I am grumpy

37) Have you held hands with anyone today?
no

38) Who was the last person you took a picture of?
The baby with food hanging out of his mouth

39) What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?
whatever my parents listened to country or classic rock

40) Do you believe in staying close with your ex's/prospects?
That's a big fat no

41) Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
old

42) Do you like pulpy orange juice?
Yuck

43) What is something your friends make fun of you for?
Germaphobia

Leave me a comment if you post this too. I'd like to see what others are saying.

EWWWWWWW

2009-07-27T14:33:00.002-04:00

Friday night, I was starving right before we went to bed, so I microwaved a Jose Ole frozen steak and cheese chimichanga. These have been my one craving for like the last 3 weeks. Well, I took about 3 bites and then I felt something hard in my mouth, and as scared as I was I pulled it out. It was a fingernail. A HUMAN fingernail. It was like someone was biting their fingernails while working in a burrito factory and just spit into my food. I am a complete and total freak when it comes to germs, so this was the ultimate gross out for me. It has been days, and I am still not over it. The only thing that could have been worse was to find the whole finger in it. I called a lawyer not because I want money, but because I don't want have this happen to anyone else. Turns out that unless there is permanent injury to me, there is nothing that I can do. How about the fact that I am so freaked out that I will NEVER eat another burrito for the rest of my life?
Anyway, if you are ever standing in the freezer section contemplating the purchase of ANY Jose Ole product, just know you may get an extra ingredient that you didnt bargain for.

why dont all kids have manners?

2009-07-14T12:43:00.002-04:00

Today, I took my kids to the local park, and when we got there there was a group of children from a church daycare. You would think church kids=nice kids right? I think not. Let me say, that, my kids are far from perfect but they have been taught the golden rule. These kids were nothing short of bratty. They threw sand in my little girl's face, and stepped on her feet repeatedly. A little girl also told my son that he couldnt play on the dinosaurs because 'his hands were dirty'. Their "teachers" sat on a bench talking a never corrected them once. Im not saying that children should never make a mistake or that they will never do anything mean, but if parents would teach their children manners, kindness, and compassion, there would be a whole lot less bullying and hurt feelings. I just dont understand why anyone would allow children to purposely be mean to another person. I think this is another sign that courtesy and common decency have gone out the window. Alot of people are afraid to parent their children because the kid might get upset. This is so bad because it does not only affect the family this child comes from, it becomes society's problem as well. Just something to think about.

Im back

2009-07-09T09:22:00.003-04:00

Well, I haven't written in a while. I have been so exhausted that it is hard to come up with inspiration.
For July 4th, we went to Charleston, SC. The trip was great....the traffic was horrible. The day we got there it took an hour (literally) to go the last 8 miles to Folly beach. I will say, however, that the beaches in Charleston are far better and way less touristy than Myrtle Beach. The beaches are also harder to get to, though. The actual city of Charleston is inland on the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. The town has lots of great historical things to look at (the battery, the open air market{formerly a slave market} museums, cannons, large mansions on Rainbow row, also the home of the Hunley submarine), but the dining left something to be desired. If it was good food you payed through the nose, and if the food was cheap it was probably something you really didnt want to eat. All in all though, the kids had a great time, and that is what's important. Their favorite part was jumping on the bed in the Best Western!
PS I only have the baby at home today. My older two spent the night at Grandma's! This means I may even be able to get something done today. The quiet is weird though.
Hope everyone has a terrific Thursday....Fridays almost here, YAY!!!!

Must be the heat

2009-06-19T19:59:00.002-04:00

What is it about the heat that makes people go crazy? My kids are cranky, and my husband and I have been arguing for days. I should mention that for some reason in the heat of the day, my air will only cool our house to a stifling 85-89 degrees no matter how low it is set. The temp was supposed to be 97 today and Im pretty sure that we surpassed that. I hate the cold of winter, but if anyone knows of a place where the median temp for the year is 70, I would definitely consider moving there. The south is a beautiful place, but the summer heat mixed with the humidity is unbearable!!!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and definitely find a place to stay cool!

2009-06-05T13:18:00.004-04:00

The quote at the bottom of my blog today just caught my eye.... does Harriet Beecher Stowe have a beard or just bad hair? Looks like a beard to me!

When they say early...By George they mean it!!

2009-06-04T06:10:00.003-04:00

So, my first positive pregnancy test this time was on May 18. I had to go to the doctor yesterday because I wasn't feeling well, and they did an ultrasound. I am only 5 weeks and 5days pregnant! By dates, I should be almost 8 weeks. This is actually good though because it means that my due date is Jan 29 instead of Jan 1. I was afraid since they will do my c-sect at 39 weeks that this baby would have almost the same bday as Henry (Dec 22). Any who, I got to hear the heart beat on the ultrasound, which, is like the best sound in the world, and the doctor said that everything looks good. She also said that depending on the amount of scarring I have when they go in, I may have a hysterectomy and a baby all in one day. I don't think this will bother me mentally at all because I think 4 is my magic number.
Today is the last day of school for my daughter, finally. They seem to really drag it out in our county. The kids start earlier every year and go later. I think that school should start after Labor day and end in May here because it is SOOOOOO hot!
Jamie went for his testing for K4 yesterday, and I think he got in! They base it on their knowledge and income level. The lady that did his paper work looked shocked and amazed when she saw our W2's and what we were supporting a total of 5 people off of. Then I told her that our fourth child was due in Jan, and she said that he would definitely get the full amount of points in the income category. I never realized that the government would consider us poor. We never go without and are able to have what we want, too, most of the time. Also, she said that they have a shuttle that would take him to Myk's school, where, he could ride the bus home with her....Yay!
Hope everyone has a terrific Thursday!!

How to hold back tears while having pee on your shirt

2009-06-02T12:48:00.002-04:00

Today, I found new meaning in the saying 'it is better to be p'd off than p'd on'. Myk had her end of the year awards ceremony today. This morning I was doing really good. I got me and both boys ready while fighting off horrible morning sickness. I was ready with minutes to spare. Then when I picked up the baby to do a last minute diaper change, I realized his diaper was leaking and I had a nice little pee spot on my (for once) clean shirt. Not only that, when I opened the diaper he had a nice big poop (small victory...at least he didn't wait til the middle of the program in a place that has no changing tables). Then I used one off the all time great mom fashion fixes....throw on perfume and hope no one notices!
Anywho, Mykaela got 3 awards, one for math, one for reading, and a certificate to show that she (we) survived first grade. Then, the teacher showed a slide show of photos of the children throughout the year. It was so sweet. You could almost see them growing up right before your eyes. I had to fight to hold back the tears so I wouldn't embarrass Mykaela. Although these days even a slightly sweet or sad commercial on tv makes the water works start. I guess it's the first trimester hormones. I didn't really cry with my other 3. I was just in a permanent bad mood for 9 months.
Tomorrow is Jamie's test to see if he gets into public K4. Everybody please send good luck thoughts his way. He tells me very often that he wants to make friends, so I think it would be so good for him if he gets in.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday!!!

The baby who never sleeps

2009-05-30T10:45:00.002-04:00

Little baby Henry seems to have sworn off his naps. I have tried to keep a routine so that he knows when it is naptime, bath time, time to eat, etc. Yeah, it isn't working right now. He is also getting up once a night every night between 1am and 3 am. This wouldn't be so odd except that he has been sleeping through the night for 3 months. Of course, he has had a stuffy nose for a while now. He has had two sinus infections and an ear infection. He is on his third round of antibiotics (Omnicef instead of Amoxicillin this time). The doctor says he isn't old enough to be tested for allergies or given allergy meds. I just wish he would decide to like naps again because Jamie, my 4 year old, has decided he doesn't need a nap either, and this majorly cuts into my cleaning time because I am trying to keep them occupied. However, June 3rd, Jamie goes to be tested to see if he Qualifies to go to K4 in our local public school system. They only take the children in the neediest demographics, though, so I'm not going to hold my breath.
On a side note, have you ever gone to change a smelly diaper only to discover that the owner of said stinky diaper is not done. Then you, the changing table or the new diaper get covered in poo? I think that is worse than the more than a few times that my sons have taken aim and peed on me, the carpet, the ceiling or their own faces. Oh well such is life!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

Mish Mosh

2009-05-26T11:25:00.003-04:00

Ok great news... My husband got called back to work today. There are only two problems with this wonderful event. The first is that the job site he was sent to only has work for 3 months. The second, is that I am having first trimester exhaustion and summer vacation starts next week, so I will have all three kids by myself. This poses a problem when I have an appointment and no one can babysit. I guess I will have to become creative and come up with a solution.
Now, on another front, my house is a complete and total mess. It seems that my resolve to stay organized has faltered. Oh well, it happens to the best of us, I suppose. I did, however, find the energy to make homemade sugar cookies from a recipe I got off the internet this weekend. They were absolutely perfect. They were easy to make and they stayed moist even after they cooled. ( I hate hard cookies.) Also, because it rained ALL weekend long, and I was afraid that my kids may be permanently glued to disney channel, we made homemade personal size pizzas on Friday night. I let the kids pick their toppings, and it was really fun. It was also half the price of delivery pizza ( so yay I saved money!).
Hope everyone has a nice Tuesday!

OMG!!!!!

2009-05-18T17:01:00.002-04:00

I know I haven't posted in a while, but things have been crazy around here. First my hubby did get layed off indefinitely, but he is getting more than expected for unemployment.
Now, the BIG news....instead of the hysterectomy, I am going to have another baby! That's right, you heard me correctly. Our youngest is 5 months and we found out today that I am PREGNANT!!!!!! Yay for good luck!

I am so proud of my Baby

2009-05-01T16:03:00.003-04:00

I know I am a little biased, but I think Mykaela is one of the smartest kids I have ever seen! At 7 yrs old she is a published (by the school) author, and her book (The Snowman Sings) is in the school library! I believe her inclination towards writing must be genetic because when I was 11 and 12 I was published in the Anthology of Poetry and I loved to write all the time. Instead of doing anything with my talent, though, I dropped out of school. I only hope Mykaela uses her talent more wisely to reach never-ending heights. Of course, what mother doesn't want better for her children than she had? I will not, however, live vicariously as some mothers do. I will be happy and supportive as long as she is happy and successful at whatever path she chooses. Anyway, I just had to brag a minute, and who can blame me?

PS to those who wished my mom well in surgery, she made out, but is just having some lung trouble. I appreciate your continued kind thoughts and well wishes!

Have a wonderful Friday!!!

I need a vacation

2009-04-29T21:35:00.004-04:00

Mykaela had a grand prix race at church tonight, and we had to have a lesson on not being a sore loser. She and Barry built and painted the car together. It broke her heart that she didn't win trophy.This was her car.

I am exhausted today. My mom is having major sugery tomorrow and I will have to be at the hospital for at least 6 hours. As stupid as it may sound, I am scared that I will come into contact with the dreaded swine flu. We have heard on the news that there are several cases here in SC.

Today, I have been trying to clean out more junk from our house and I still don't think I have made a dent. Is it just me or is it impossible to get anything done when your husband is at home from work all day? I feel like I have turned into a blob since Barry has been home this week.

Anyway, I hope that everyone has had a great Wednesday

Free Samples

2009-04-28T12:10:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to let yall know that if you go to http://www.walmart.com/ and click on free samples, you can try tons of things from diapers to fiber for free. There's not even a shipping charge. It says that you should allow 4-6 weeks for shipping, but I got my first sample (Huggies Pure and Natural diapers) today and I ordered those only about 2 wks ago. Also, if you live near upstate SC Ryan's restaurants are charging only 99 cents for kids Mon thru Sat, and Baskin Robbins is charging 31 cents per scoop from 5pm til 10pm tomorrow, April 29! Enjoy!!

FREE!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-28T10:52:00.004-04:00

I was watching the Today Show this morning and they were talking about how, in this economy, it is now chic to look for good deals and free stuff. Well, I am so glad to know that something I have had to do now makes me cool and trendy... who am I kidding? I don't care if it is trendy and even if I won the lottery I'd still shop at Walmart and the flea market. I will never turn down a a good deal. It's how I was raised, and I find that it is just plain fun to get a good deal. Anyway, because of the Today Show I found http://www.heyitsfree.net/. It is the best freebie sight I have ever seen. It is full of free stuff and is dedicated to finding offers that aren't scams AND you dont have to buy anything or do surveys to get the deals. They have an offer listed for a free card from Hallmark.com. I have tried it, and it is absolutely free. All you do is design and personalize a paper mother's day card and they will send it to the recipient before mother's day.(you choose the date you want it to get there and even the shipping is included). Just go to http://www.hallmark.com/, register,design, and when you get to the total price page enter the promotional code CARD4MOM. I think this is especially nice because it will be a surprise and everyone likes to get real mail instead of email once in a while.
I've got a couple other sights I plan to try in the near future and I will let you know if they're anywhere near as good as this one! Hope everyone has an absolutely lovely Tuesday!!

My laundry basket is a black hole and my husband's mouth needs an off switch

2009-04-27T12:45:00.004-04:00

I am starting to think my laundry baskets are magic! Every time I think I am just about done with the laundry, there is another pile. I swear you would think with all the laundry that I do in a week we would have like 15 people in our house instead of 5. I suppose if this were true though, my sink is magic too because as soon as I put away the last clean dish, I turn around and there is a mountain of dirty to replace it. On top of that, I think we are one of the last families in the free world to not own a dish washer. That would be okay if I hadn't had one at our last house and then moved here and lost it.

Now, as for my husband's mouth....I, as a SAHM, take my 3 children everywhere. I don't go anywhere that they can't go. Why is it that when he goes somewhere, there is always some reason why it would be too hard to take the baby with him?? I think he is scared of the thought of being in public alone with him ( this is his first baby). Also, yesterday, I managed to make it 2/3 of the way through the grocery store when Henry started screaming at the top of his lungs and stinking to high heaven. Of course, silly me had left the diaper bag in the car. SO, I went running like a crazy person through the store trying to comfort him control the other 2 and get the rest of the stuff on the list. The manager felt so sorry for me, he didn't even ask if i needed help out to the car with the groceries, he just told the bag boy to do it. I get home with the groceries,carry them in and change the baby because Barry wasn't home. I had just had time to sit down and breathe after making Myk and Jamie's lunch and eating 3 cookies for mine when he got back home. This morning he gets up and asks, "How come you didn't get the good trash bags?" Yep, I could've smacked him square in the mouth. I think they should seriously invent a chip linked to a button to shut men up and keep their feet out of their mouth!

Hope everyone has a wonderful monday. To close, here is a pic of all the junk (6 plus bags) I cleaned out of my daughter's room while she wasn't home Saturday. She wasn't very happy, but

her room looks great! Now you can walk in it without breaking a toe.

Teething is a pain for everyone

2009-04-26T19:50:00.002-04:00

Baby Henry is getting his first tooth! It hasn't broken the skin yet and is, apparently, causing him excruciating pain. He is whiny, and stuffy, and yes oh yes he has runny poo. My other 2 children didnt really have that much trouble with teeth. Myk would just get stuffy and out would pop a tooth. Jamie... just runny poo and out popped a tooth. Henry has been unlucky enough toget all the symptoms. Yesterday, I was so desperate for him to take a nap so that I could take a shower, I actually told Myk and Jamie that if they woke him up I would rip all my hair out, run screaming and naked through the neighborhood, and of course let everyone that rides Myk's bus know who's mother I am! Suprisingly, they didnt make any noise after that.
I know I do this alot, but I have a little side note that has nothing to do with this entry. The recession has gotten a grip on our household now. I got my wish, and my husband is now home from Arkansas for good, but now his company is basically out of work. Which means, after he takes his paid vacation this week he will more than likely be laid off. I know alot of you are dealing with this right now. This has me worried....more later.

Nobody's Perfect

2009-04-23T10:37:00.003-04:00

I read a post this morning by The Obnoxious SAHM (read it at http://findingmeinside.blogspot.com/2009/04/disgusted.html) and it really hit home, so I decided to speak on this topic as well.The topic was the way the media portrays women, and how they make us think we have to be perfect.
I had my 3rd child in Dec of '08 and as of today I am still 30 lbs heavier than I was pre-pregnancy. I am currently in a size 8, and I have come to terms with the fact that I will more than likely never be a size 2 again. Unfortunately, because of the barrage of images we see in the media every day, many women are unable to accept that they are beautiful just as they are. Magazines, movies, and tv lead us to believe that we aren't supposed to have curves, bad hair days, stretch marks, or blemishes ever. Period. However, the average woman doesn't have a stylist, plastic surgeon, or someone to airbrush out their imperfections on hand at all times. I think this leads to a lot of low self esteem and to women feeling like failures because they aren't all cut from the same cookie cutter mold. It's so sad because no matter what your imperfections may be, every person has something that makes them beautiful. As i said in my comment to The Obnoxious SAHM's post, if every woman in America refused to buy into these fallacies, maybe Hollywood would stop trying to sell them.
The real reason that this makes me so mad, is that, my beautiful 7 year old daughter is already talking about losing weight because she needs to be "skinny". She also gets frantically upset if she doesn't have just the right thing to wear to the first grade. I do not focus on her weight, only on being a healthy person, and I try to set a good example of how to do that. The only problem is that on a daily basis she gets an even stronger influence from media and kids at school who have also been influenced by the images that are drummed into their heads every day. No matter how hard you try to protect them, they will still be exposed, unless you move to a cave. If we don't do something soon, there will be a whole generation of little girls who grow up believing that their self worth is not based on who they are, but how good they look in a pair of too-tight jeans.
Just something to think about.

The Blahs

2009-04-22T10:53:00.002-04:00

I've got a major case of the blahs. I'm just in one of those moods where I know that there are a million things that need to be done, but I just can't seem to find the motivation to get them done. This could be the reason that I haven't posted lately. It seems like I have been in this house for weeks without going out anywhere that wasn't necessary to the running of the household.
I have decided to try to convince my hubby that we need a mini vacation. I need something to revitalize my spirits. We love the outdoors, so I think maybe a trip to go hiking, fishing, camping, or maybe all three sounds nice. It's supposed to be in the 80's for the next few days in this part of the world and no rain for once!!
On a side note, does anyone have a cure for children who believe that they are hungry 24/7. I think my kids simply want to eat out of boredom. I swear that while they're eating one meal they are asking about another. I truly believe they could eat a side of beef and still have room in there somewhere for more. My mom says it is just growth spurts, but if it were, they'd be 7 ft tall at this point. What's a mother to do?
Hope everyone has a great wednesday and hope your weather is as nice as ours in SC!

Oh My

2009-04-17T15:30:00.003-04:00

I just got in from the doctor. I dont really know what to think. They just told me I have to have a hysterectomy and a bladder repair. I find this very upsetting. On the one hand, I am happy someone finally listened and is trying to help, but I wanted one more baby, and finding out that it isn't ever going to happen is very disheartening. I always wanted a BIG family, and to know that I am definitely done with my childbearing years, makes me want to curl up in a little ball and cry. I don't know what I was expecting, but this definitely wasn't it. I guess I just thought they'd be able to give me the proverbial "magic pill" and all would be right with the world. Ohhhh myyy.(sigh)

PS.... if anyone has had this operation and has something uplifting to say about the aftermath, I would absolutely love to hear it. Thankyou.

I'm so nervous

2009-04-17T08:53:00.002-04:00

I have to go to the gyno today because I have had severe problems since having my last csection. I am very nervous because I really want someone to help me and I haven't been able to find anyone who doesnt just tell me to "suck it up". Really I have had female problems since I started menstruation at age 12, but it is hard to find a doctor willing to help because I don't have insurance. I finally had to go to the ER to get some help and they referred me to a clinic. To the credit of the clinic, they got me an appointment exactly one week from the date I was in the ER. I am just hoping that this time I can get a doctor that will listen to the fact that it is hard to have a normal life when you are in pain all the time. Being in pain makes you a different person.

I am very sad for this country because there are millions of uninsured and underinsured people who are honest and hard working. We are not bums. We simply cannot afford insurance that costs more per week than our grocery bill. Not only are the premiums expensive, but the deductibles are so high, that there isn't a point in paying the premiums in the first place. This country needs a major medical overhaul because there are too many people that suffer in silence with easily treatable medical conditions because they are afraid of the cost of said treatment. We as a country and the government as an entity cannot afford to ignore this problem anymore. I dont understand how the USA can go help other countries while her own people need just as much or more help.

OK. I am sorry for going off like that, but this is an issue that is very close to my heart as it has affected so many people I know, including me. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great Friday and I will update you on the 'doctor problem' later today. In the words of Tigger TTFN....ta ta for now!

Free Fun

2009-04-14T09:49:00.004-04:00

This weekend, I found a great way to spend quality time with your kids. It's fun, educational, and FREE!! Who doesn't like free? My husband stumbled on it accidentally while making a trip to Lowes for supplies to fix our bathroom. The first Saturday of every month, they have workshops that teach kid's to make things. This past Saturday, it was birdhouses. Jamie had gone with him, and he thought this activity was the greatest thing ever. In addition, they give the children safety goggles and a tool apron to keep. If you are looking for a great way to spend quality time with your kids that won't break the bank, this is probably for you. You don't even have to have any know how because they teach you everything.

Also, today since it is raining, and we can't plant our flowers, Jamie and are going to paint the bird house with paint we have already. This, should be fun as well. I'm just glad it's washable because I'm sure it wont be the cleanest activity. It's not fun unless you make a mess, though, and that's what they make washing machines and Shout(greatest invention ever!!) for.

Terrible two's my butt!

2009-04-13T19:39:00.002-04:00

My little Jamie has been a perfect angel pretty much his whole life. He's been the total opposite of Mykaela who is willful, stubborn, independent and opinionated. My mama always said that I would be payed back for my wild teenage ways 7 times over. Yeah, that's an understatement, and she's only in elementary school. I'm scared to see the high school years. Except, that I think at least she will be her own person. Anyway, back to Jamie. He is almost four now and he has started to throw the most awful temper tantrums. When I have put him in time out, he will scream and bang his head on the wall. When I take his toys away he will play with paper, or the string on the blinds, or his feet for God's sake. As I write this I am having to send him back to bed for the tenth (literally) time tonight. He was sent to bed at 6pm because he ran through Walmart like a mad man. He has to be the most hard headed child I have ever seen. It's like when you are trying to correct him he is not even remotely listening. He is already thinking of the next escapade. Don't get me wrong I love my crazy life, but a woman only has so much patience before she pulls all of her hair out, goes insane and runs down the street screaming insane nonsense for all the neighbors to see (j/k). I am going to have to get creative. If anyone has found a new creative way of correcting children, let me know. I will let you know what I come up with. I will say, that my uncle took him out to the movies the other day, and when I saw him today he said that Jamie is the most polite boy he has ever seen. I said "are you sure that you took the right child?!?" Inside I was bursting with pride, though. That's about the best compliment you could give a mother on her skills. I must not be doing so bad.

Tomorrow, I am going to take my first stab at growing flowers. I am very excited. I get to make our home look pretty, and Jamie can stay busy doing one of his favorite things, digging in the dirt. Also, Mykaela and I are going to try making calzone with white sauce, spinach, mushrooms, and mozzarella. Instead of using pizza dough we are trying pie crust rolled out with the edges pinched. As well as, putting the ingredients in a pita and toasting it. We shall see which one works better. Look out Martha Stewart...ha ha!!

Oh, the perils of owning an old home

2009-04-13T10:58:00.002-04:00

When my dad passed away I inherited his house and half of his land, so my husband and I moved in last August. Since then, it has been under the rule of murphy's law. We have made enough repairs to make anyone's head spin. Of course none of them could be cheap repairs, and most of them involve having to turn off the water supply from our well for days at a time. One of the last things that happened was that we had a terrible leak under our kitchen floor. I kept hearing this noise coming from the vent in there that sounded like a fan running. Well, I have no idea about such things, so I just mentioned it to Barry in passing, and didn't really think much else about it....until we started having more waves in our floor than the ocean. Seriously, our kitchen floor had more peaks and valleys than the Blue Ridge mountains. Then the floor fell through and we realized that a pipe was spraying water everywhere under there. Voila, new kitchen floor and a power bill for $295 because the well pump was running constantly. Then, we discovered that our master bath floor was rotting away and was infested with black mold. So, that's where that smell was coming from, huh? So, yesterday I got a brand new toilet and bathroom floor along with a new hot water heater,which, gets the water hot enough to turn my skin red in the shower, ahhhhh. My husband is now saying that he doesn't want to come home because he is afraid to know what will need fixing next.(He's doing all the work himself to save labor costs.) I told him to look on the bright side. At the rate we are replacing things, we will have a whole new house by next year, ha ha.
On a side note, my sister sold her half of the property. Well, the people have finally decided to move in, and they have put posts and string up all the way down the property line. The property line is cut weird and they have most of what used to be the front yard where my children have played all of their lives. Most of this road is owned by my family and has been for over 100 years. We have always just walked through the yards to visit or whatever, so this will take some getting used to. Does anyone else think this is rude for them to do and a bad way to start off a neighborly relationship? I am thinking of putting up a spite fence. Maybe I am just sensitive because I hated to see our family land get sold to strangers.
I hope everyone's Easter went well. My older 2 kids said it was the best day of their lives. Jamie came into my bedroom at 7am and says, "Mama, the Easter bunny has already come, and you are still in bed. GET UP!!" So sweet.
Well, gotta get started on my annual Spring Clean Out. I'm so excited. I love to throw things out. There is something very satisfying about getting rid of clutter. I love to shop at goodwill, but they will probably be getting a big donation this week. My kids don't know that yet, though. I will probably have to tackle their stuff while they are sleeping. (insert evil laugh) Have a great Monday.

Random Thoughts

2009-04-10T21:00:00.002-04:00

I am just now getting a chance to tell y'all about my easter shopping. My opinion on holidays is this: I don't think you need to do things in excess to have a great holiday experience. I had totally planned on showing pictures of the things that I bought to give the kids in their baskets , but they don't seem to want to go to bed tonight. However, I will say this, I got everything needed for a great basket for 42.00 from Walmart. That's stuff for all three kids.( I know the baby isn't old enough to remember Easter, but my other 2 kids are so tender hearted that they would freak if he didn't get something. I got him a blue cloth basket with a stuffed bunny that has a baseball. Walmart had so many great things, and a lot of them (toys included) were $1-$3. This year I even saw edible Easter grass for the baskets. This is great if you are like me and go crazy finding the plastic grass months after Easter, all over the house. Also, It's probably better for the environment. I think it is insane, especially for Christmas and birthdays that parents would go into debt for gifts. You can do something just as creative that your kids will love without breaking the bank.
Another thing about holidays besides spending money that could make them stressful, is trying to get to every family gathering in one day. This is especially hard when you have blended families. Even though my first two children have nothing to do with their biological father's family(his choice not ours, but that's a whole other blog or three) We still have 3 other gatherings that we are supposed to go to. My husband's family, my mom's, and my dad's family (even though he is deceased). There was a time when I tried to make them all because I am so sensitive and didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but it became to stressful and calorie filled. Now we either alternate or we just have the holiday at our home and tell people that if they want to see us they can come by. MUCH easier, and I don't want to cry by the end of the day.
Now this is not really on the subject of holidays, but today I found out that it is probable that my mother (48 yrs old) most likely has cancer of the adrenal gland. She originally was seeing the doctor because of some intestinal issues that she was to have surgery for , but when they were reviewing the pre-op cat scan they found a growth on the adrenal gland. After doing a 24 hour urine test they called today and said she needed to come in because the results of that test meant she needed further testing. They would not tell her why over the phone (bad sign). Any how, she was so scared that she refused to go in to get the results and the other testing today. The point of all this is I really could use all of the positive energy everyone could put out and I thank you in advance for your thoughts and prayers. You see I am not sure I can deal with a bad outcome because about a year and a half ago my daddy passed away after a 4 year fight with colon cancer. It was the hardest thing I have ever gone through and I may never get over it. I still cry and miss him sorely. I know I will have to be strong if she does have cancer, but I just don't know how much strength I have to give. Sorry for rambling and thanks for listening. That was just laying heavy on my heart.
I hope everyone has a great weekend and a wonderful Easter. The weather is supposed to be great here for the arrival of Peter Cottontail!!

Surprise, Surprise

2009-04-08T19:53:00.002-04:00

It's not often that you get a really great surprise in life, but yesterday, I did. I got home around 6pm last night after a long bad day, to find that my husband was home three days early. As you all know this week has been long and tedious since we have all been sick, and just when I thought I wasn't gonna make it, there he was! He told me all day yesterday that he was at work, and even made up stuff that was happening just so he could make me smile. Well, smile I did. In fact I was so happy I almost cried. All I could do was jump on him and hang on for dear life. On top of that, he got up with the baby at 6 this morning after driving 10 hours yesterday. He said the least he could do since he's off the rest of the week, was make sure I got a break. The moral of the story is, when life gets you down and you don't think you can go on, something will always come through. God never gives you more than you can carry.
Have a great night, and tomorrow I will tell you about my shopping trip for Easter goodies!

my new email address

2009-04-07T15:34:00.003-04:00

Just a quick update on the whole "Yahoo situation". I am still locked out of my email account with no help in sight, so if you would like to email me, I have set up a separate account at kellymcalister19@yahoo.com. Hopefully, the same thing won't happen with this one. Hope you are all having an exceptionally wonderful day. I know I am. I got SIX HOURS of sleep last night. Yayyyyyy!!!!!!!!!

Yahoo Bites the Big One

2009-04-06T09:59:00.002-04:00

So, I get up this morning and try to access my email, and can't. My password works because I can open my home page. I can even preview my email because I know that I have 8 new ones, but when I try to open my mail it asks me for my password again! I put it in and what pops up?!? They need my password AGAIN!!!! This is the 2nd time that this has happened in a month, and it is so annoying because I receive all my email there including the ones from my child's school (this is just about the only way they communicate). I have changed my password 3 times this morning and received the confirmation emails, but alas still no access to my mail. So if you have already tried or you try to email me today, I am not ignoring you. I just can't get in. Also, if any yahoo users have experienced this problem, what did you do? I suppose if this doesn't get resolved, I will have to get Gmail or something. I will keep you posted. Hope everyone has a great day!!

Oh so Tired

2009-04-05T20:05:00.002-04:00

Have you ever been so tired you started hallucinating? Add 36hours awake together with a fever and that is how my day has been. We have been passing around a nasty cold lately and I thought I won the sickness lotto because the 2 older kids got it and got over it and the baby and I were still well....should've knocked on wood. Baby Henry has now been sick since Monday, and lo and behold my fever started friday. This stuff makes you feel like dying could only be a step up. Anyway back to the story. Last night the baby sounded so bad that I was afraid to let him sleep alone. I moved him to my bed about 10:30 and we had an all night "party" from there on. Needless to say, I took him to the doctor this morning and he has an ear infection. They gave me some of that lovely pink stuff and sent us on our way. You would think with all the science in today's day and age, they would have a better remedy for a baby with a stuffy nose than saline and a bulb syringe. For those of you suffering from this mess right now, Im sorry, and I hope you feel better soon. Summer cannot come fast enough!!!!

I have a Confession

2009-04-04T10:01:00.002-04:00

I have a confession to make. I love casseroles! I know, I know in this day and age of healthy this and healthy that, they're not exactly gonna do wonders for my waist line or my cholesterol. It's just that I love comfort food. Plus they're quick, easy, and usually you can get all 4 food groups in one pan. The only problem? They usually include another food group, too. Fat and calories. What are you gonna do, though. Every day I wake up and find out something else isnt good for me. I mean at this point it isn't even healthy to go outside and take a deep breath. If anyone has a recipe for a healthy, yummy, kid-friendly casserole, please let me know.
On a side note, my little girl took a giant leap towards growing up this week. She has decided she wants to ride the school bus home. Let me tell you, I have had more than a few panic attacks over this (it drops her off at a bus stop about 500 feet from our driveway). She is only 7, and when she started school, I was afraid she wouldn't even make it to her classroom by herself. Like if I dropped her off at the door, masked kidnappers were gonna get her between the front door and the first grade hall. I guess this is the first step in letting go a little. I know it is our job to help them grow up and be independent, but even though it makes you proud, it's more than a little sad when they actually start doing it.

Consentual Parenting- HUH?!?

2009-04-03T20:52:00.002-04:00

The other morning as I was driving my daughter to school, a local radio station was talking about " a new parenting trend". It's called consentual parenting. This is a scenario where the kids have an equal say so in things such as discipline and basically how their lives are run. Now, it's really none of my business how other parents run their home. I know I certainly don't want anyone butting into how I raise my kids, but wtf? Have people not realized by now that the more loose the reigns are on kids, the worse it will be in the long run? I mean if a kid grows up hearing "If that's what you want" all the time, how's he supposed to know what lines and boundaries are? If he doesn't learn that there are consequences for his actions now, how's he gonna learn it doesn't work that way in the real world? Kids need boundaries. They crave them. No matter how hard they try to convince you otherwise, they want you to tell them what to do because they don't know. As parents, it is our job to teach kids and prepare them for life. Letting them do what they want now might seem easier, but the consequences later on are going to be severe.

Random

2009-04-02T20:43:00.002-04:00

Most kids, when you ask them what they want to be when they grow up, say something like doctor, lawyer, or even drive thru worker for McDonalds(Myk). I asked Jamie what he wants to be, and he says "A dinosaur, mama. What else?" Well, that'll save me on college, but where do you get scales and a tail? Maybe he can be Barney, the next generation.
I found a great song to listen to when you want your bad day not to seem so bad. "I hate my Life" by Theory Of A Dead Man. It'll make your life seem GREAT!
Lastly, my husband has been working In Arkansas for the last 6 weeks. Out of six weeks, I've seen him 9 days. This has been very hard on me. I was a single mom of 2 before I met him, so I know the in's and out's of that aspect. I just miss him, and I feel like the kids are growing up so fast and he is missing it. With the economy the way it is, I know that he has to go where the money is, but I feel like there's not enough hours in the day when I am trying to tend to everyone and everything. Today, he told me that when this job is over, he either has to go to Texas or be layed off. I know that other than the steady income, this will be even worse because he won't be able to come home til that job's over. But as my daddy always said, "This too shall pass, and it'll be what it'll be."

Our Kids are Not Corpses

2009-04-02T17:37:00.001-04:00

Today, I was watching The Doctors. They were discussing hidden health dangers. I was just sort of listening while I cleaned my house, but then they said something that had my full attention. The companies that have made "trusted" children's bath products for years are including preserving agents such as formaldehyde and other known carcinogens to keep these products fresh. That's right folks known cancer causing agents in the soaps and lotions you are putting on you sweet little babies every day. Their excuse? It's only small amounts. How do we know what the effects of these "small amounts" will be years from now? Who decides what amount is small enough? I found this out after Huggies "tear free" body wash burned my 3 month old's eyes so bad that they swelled, turned blood red, and he screamed bloody-murder for about 10 min. I emailed them to ask why a product that's called tear free isnt. The reply I got was "Well, we tested it" (insert uncaring shrug here). They threw in two five dollar coupons as well. Doesn't it seem that in today's society anyone can bend the truth and jump through loopholes as long as they say sorry. I think this is a very good argument for using only 100% natural items. Even then, how do you really know what you're getting? How bout that? A clean butt with a possible price tag of cancer. What do you think?
Update:April 3rd- This morning I was watching my local news and was informed that they have discovered a rocket fuel component in baby formula. No mention of taking it out or making a recall. All that was said is that it is unknown how much of this fuel component is in the milk, but that it is also found in drinking water sometimes and that the if both contain this stuff the level would be unsafe for babies. Also, this is a substance that occurs naturally in the environment. I dont care how natural it is. I dont need my baby's formula to fly him to the moon.

My Reason for Blogging

2009-04-01T20:50:00.000-04:00

Basically, this post is just an introduction of myself. I decided to start blogging because while I love my life, sometimes my mind is so busy and full of ideas, I find it hard to think straight. I feel that sharing my ideas with others will help me as well as maybe giving others some insight and another point of view. I have always loved to write and create. I also love to give advice on pretty much anything., but I don't mind getting advice either. I think mothers and women in general should stick together and help one another. I think sharing advice is a way to make us all better. Anyway, I look foward to sharing my ideas with you, and I will post more later.