January 26, 2008

Home Show and Basketball

Yesterday I didn't have any daycare kids... so off to the Home Show we went. We left the house around 11:00am and left the Home Show around 3:00pm. We stopped at Applebees for lunch/dinner and got back home a little after 4:30. I had a headache all day and it was really bad by the time we got home so I went to bed and slept until almost 7:30pm. I got up and made the kids some snacks and sat around. Since we missed Young and the Restless, we moved the couch over in front of the computer and me, T1, T2, and my mom got comfy and watched it. It's never good to miss your soap on Friday, that's usually when all the important stuff happens. It was almost 11:00 when we got done watching that and I was tired, so we all went to bed.

Today we got up and went to T2's game. They actually did better today and got 12 points. And I'm very pleased to announce MY SON got 6 of those points! (Proud Mama Moment!) He got a silver star today for "Best Offense". And... And... they got his name right today. Yippee!

Now I'm home and catching up on laundry and it will soon be time to make dinner. I have NO idea what to have. It's hard when you have a vegetarian in the family. If it were just T2 and I , I'd open up a pack of chicken nuggets and call it a night.

Anyway... back to the Home Show... they had 2 model homes and one cottage there this year. I got some pics. (And of course I'm also throwing in some from this morning's game.)

Enjoy the pics and your weekend!

Home Show Pics

The Sugar Gliders were a big hit! Both the boys wanted one. Mama T did not. Enough said?























Basketball Pics

The first two are dark because they hadn't turned the lights back on yet, but the team is praying with their coaches before the game - why I love the Upward program!! T2 is #21 in blue.









January 23, 2008

I Am Doin' It!!!

I'm totally going to do it... I'm getting my hair cut! And I LOVE this cut! Of course, mine will have blond highlights (which will make it all look blond) but OH MY GOSH... I think I'm really going to do it! Of course it won't be until the end of February when my aunt comes for T1's b-day, but I think I have my mind made up. It's time for a change, I'm almost 35 y'all. Hmm, should I get the eyebrow pierced while I'm at it? Yeah, you're right... I'm too old.

January 22, 2008

Snow Again

But not enough to let me sleep in. (One of my daycare moms is a teacher and if it snows enough they always give a 2 hour delay but no such luck today.) I could have used the sleep too. The wonderful part of being an aging woman is all the changes that happen in your 30s. UGH! I have a long list of evil PMS symptoms (which by the way, all started once I hit 30) and to add to that list I now have heart palpitations. And I know they're PMS related because I've kept track. And thank goodness I'm not the hypochondriac I use to be or I probably would have ended up in the ER a couple times by now. I read up on it and heart palps aren't dangerous however, they are scary. And they keep you up at night!! I would lay down last night and be on the verge of falling asleep and my heart would flutter or start pounding. It's a very annoying feeling! It also happens sometimes after I eat and I need to watch my caffeine intake as I'm sure that's not helping matters. But anyway... yeah, thanks to the palps I didn't sleep well at all. The joys of getting older.

Did you watch the Democrats debate it up last night? I watched most of the first half. I can't stand "Hellary" or Obama so watching them go back and forth was a delight. They're both morons but I will give props to "Hellary" who pointed out that Obama is incapable of answering questions in regards to where he stands on issues. HELLO... I think I said this over a year ago when he made an appearance on Oprah and couldn't answer a question to save his life. Sorry, gotta throw it out there, but Oprah, PLEASE... we know you like him cause he's black! Stop frontin girlfriend! Anyhoo... it was fun to watch them go after each other's spouses and work ethics. I was in Republican heaven. And did you notice when they kept showing shots from behind... Hillary's got back!! Mr. R was here and when I mentioned that he said "Well, you know Bill likes some junk in the trunk!!" which reminded us of Monica and I said "Yeah, come to think of it, she was no small thing, huh!" Baby Got Back!

My teeth are hurting today. Mr. R went and got us doughnuts and I think the sugar got into one of my cavities. That why I like Mr. R.... last night before he left he took my SUV to the gas station and filled it up and brought back Krispy Kremes so we'd have them for breakfast this morning. AND, on his way over he stopped and got me dog food. I guess I'll keep him around for awhile.

T2 got his new basketball shoes in the mail yesterday. (I guess UPS didn't take off MLK day.) He is all excited to wear them to practice tonight. It takes so little to make that kid happy.

I had a "mini" interview this morning. A father looking for daycare came over to check the place out and I sent a handbook about the daycare and the policies home with him. He called around 11:00 and wanted to come over right then, so I told him he could but that we were really busy (preschool day) and I couldn't sit down and talk. He said he just wanted to check the place out. I'm always a little leery of things like that, especially with a man, but he seemed real nice. His son is in a center now so I was telling that a home daycare is a little different, it probably didn't look like a center but I try to make the room nice for the kids. He said it looked wonderful and just as good as a center and that it was much nicer than the last home daycare he had been to. That made me feel good. I could really use a couple more kids.

Well, I am off work early today and I think I'm going to lay down and try to take a little nap. Hopefully my heart won't decide to go all crazy and I can relax a little. I hope you're having a great Tuesday!

January 20, 2008

It's Cold In These Parts

Ummm, Brrrr! Wow, can it get any colder? Alaska has warmer weather than us right now! I want to go back to Florida!

This weekend flew by way too fast! I wish my town had more black people so I could take MLK jr off! But, yeah, that would not fly here. Unfortunately.

Friday night I didn't do much. I "thought" I was going out, but Mr. R went MIA for about 5 hours so whatever... I went to bed. (After sending him mean text messages of course. lol) Guys are so stupid sometimes. I mean, HELLO, you know Friday night is the ONLY "weekend" night I can do anything. So anyway, I ended up going to bed and getting some really good sleep.

Saturday, T2 had his first basketball game of the season. They got T2's name wrong AGAIN!!! They do this thing at the beginning of every game where they turn off the lights and have a spot light and blare "Let's Get Ready To Rumble" and they say the team's name and then call all the kids out by name and they run out... well, I knew once they got past the C's that they had T2's name wrong again. And they did, they called him by his last name first and first name last. Last year they kept calling him by T1's name which didn't really make sense since T1 has never played basketball there, but anyway... the poor kid!!! So anyway, the game started and as I was sitting there, I looked across the court and thought "Hmm, that looks just like one of the boys' pediatricians" and it was. Well little did I know his son was on T2's team. So after the game we all go into the locker room and the kids get stars for whatever the team mom thinks they excelled at during the game. T2 got a blue star for "Best Effort". Well, they were going down a list of the colors of stars and what they meant and when they gave T2 his, I forgot what the blue was for, so after we were done and back out in the gym, the team mom was walking by and I stopped her and asked what the color meant. She looked it up in her note book and said something along the lines of: "Oh, is your son (so and so)" and I said "Yes" and she said "Well, I made sure they got his name right on their sheet for next week!! I heard them say it wrong and I want you to know I fixed it!" And I was like "OH, well thank you very much!!! That was so nice of you!!!" and then her husband walked up and low and behold it was the boys' doctor and he acted like he knew us. I always like when we get him! They are in a group, so my kids have their "main" doctor (which isn't him) but sometimes if she's too booked, they get to see him and he's SO nice! He's real laid back and easy going and will answer all your questions and doesn't make you feel like you're stupid for asking. So anyway, I'm excited that his son is on T2's team and I got to sort of meet his wife. She seems really nice too!

The rest of the day was spent cleaning and doing laundry. Very exciting. We left late for Muncie and almost didn't go but my dad forgot his cell phone and just HAD to have it. lol So we went and ended up spending the night and were planning on going to church, but woke up this morning to frozen pipes and no water. So, no water... no shower... no church. My mom didn't go either so she made the boys and I a big breakfast. We ate, watched some tv and then left early. We got home and thankfully our pipes were fine and the house was nice and warm.

I was suppose to have an interview this afternoon but they didn't call so it will probably be later this week. We've been playing phone tag all weekend but hopefully they'll call back soon because I really need more daycare kids.

Well, I'm going to bed. I think I'm going to be doing daycare by myself tomorrow so I need to get some sleep. The Indianapolis Home Show is starting this week. We're going on Friday. I can't wait! Saturday is the Monster Jam Truck Show and the last time that Grave Digger will be here, so I really want to take the boys. T2 loves Grave Digger. When we went 2 years ago, he got a big stuffed Grave Digger pillow and still has it sitting in his room.

I wish you all a very happy week ahead!

January 18, 2008

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Did I forget to mention in my prior post that I spent some time yesterday afternoon tracking down "Jerk off's" (who is how we will now refer to my children's "father") friend of the court rep and probation officer? Well, I did... cause well, that's what I do.

I found them both, after having to explain over and over that I did not know who I was looking for exactly, I just knew they were people who needed to hear what I had to say.

It was no big shock that I got through to only their voice mails, but that was ok, because then I got to say exactly what I wanted to say without interruption. *grin*

I honestly figured they'd think I was just some loser single mom and wouldn't waste their time calling me back, but low and behold, Jerk off's probation officer called me bright and early this morning. He was very nice but made it very clear that this was not his fault and that he had nothing to do with his court hearing getting cancelled and in fact has nothing to do with the whole child support situation at all. I find that odd because I have court papers stating it IS part of his probation to pay child support but it was too early to argue and I was just so impressed that he called me back. I only asked him why it wasn't a part of his probation since it was at felony level now but he didn't know.

Now, I need to give credit where credit is due (hence the title) and Mr. Rose deserves credit: A. for actually calling me back, and B. he put a call in to friend of the court and said he would call me back as soon as his contact called him back and would let me know what was going on.

THAT was VERY nice of him considering this situation isn't HIS problem! Of course I apologized and said if I sounded upset at him in the message I left, I wasn't, but that I'm just frustrated that they would know his record and cancel a court date. He said the message was fine and he understood and that it was actually good for him to find out this information, because he is in charge of monitoring his employment and it is a violation if he has quit a job or changed jobs without reporting it to him.

Oops, OH NO... do you think I got him in trouble? *wink*

And before you go thinking "This girl IS white trash"... I'm not upset because of me... I left his sorry butt 11 years ago... I'm upset because he is taking money away from my kids! If it were me, I wouldn't even care, but knowing that with this money there would be extra things for my children will always keep me fighting.

January 17, 2008

Today's Loser Award Goes To...

The wonderful court system of Livingston County (Howell, Michigan). And to the judge, case worker and/or probation officer who is over my children's "father's" child support case.

Thanks to you dismissing his last show cause hearing, he is no longer paying child support. (As of Dec.10) Which leads me to ask... wasn't that part of his probation, to pay child support? Shouldn't he have to continue to show up for those hearings so you can make sure he's doing what he's suppose to be doing? Aren't you getting paid to monitor that? Isn't that your j.o.b.?

OH no... you looked at his file and saw that since he started paying child support in the fall, that he was no longer the dead beat dad he's been for the last 14 years. (You know, because he was paying support for all of 3 months.) And I'm sure you had faith and confidence that he would continue to make his support payments. I'm sure he had you all fooled into thinking he was really turning over a new leaf THIS time. (By the way, have any of you SEEN his record?? How many "new leaves" does he get?)

I guess my question to you would be... How many times are you going to fall for that? Idiots! You all are idiots!! How long have you worked with people "in the system"? They don't change. Duh!

So thanks for dismissing that hearing (that would have taken all of 5 minutes), because as soon as he got that letter in the mail telling him he didn't have to show up for court, he quit his job so he wouldn't have to pay me support. Because that's the kind of new leaf he turns over.

You are truly exceptional leaders for the Livingston County Court System. And I thank God I'm not paying your salaries!!

January 16, 2008

Thirtysomething?

Remember that show? On one of the "mom" forums I'm on, someone brought up that show. I use to love that show. I went in and looked it up to see if it was out on dvd, but no such luck. Although I did find out that it came out in 1987 which meant I was only 14 years old. It's weird that I was watching that at 14 thinking about what my life would be like when I was in my 30's and here I am... almost 35. Life is nothing like I thought it would be, but it's still all good! Can't complain!

I went tanning this morning and took one of my new cds that I got in the mail the other day. It's the conference from Dr. Wayne Dyer, "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life". I got the book too. It's really good. Although it's all about the Tao, it does mention God quite a bit. I am careful not to let things like the Tao void out the Bible. I think it's ok to read things like this and "The Secret" just as long as you remember WHO made the universe and WHO is still in charge. However, I do believe there are other things out there that can help out along the way. Anyway, I usually like to tan in the stand up because that only takes 10 minutes and the bed takes 20, but I really enjoyed laying there listening to my cd.

Mr. R started his new job this week, or rather "training" for his new job and that means he's in training/classes from 8-5 every day sitting at a table listening to people speak and doing exercises with his co-workers such as getting blindfolded and using rope to make a square together. LOL I have to laugh because he is SO not that kind of person and I know he hates it. Poor thing! Besides, he doesn't need any class to teach him how to get along with people, he's great at that! It's so sad because at some point during the day he'll text me and say: "This sucks!"

It's such a boring Wednesday here but boring is good. I think Mr. R is coming over tonight and we'll eat and watch a movie. I rented Superbad last night. I hope it's not too bad for the kids. I thought it was PG-13, but NO it's rated R. I hate that! I want to see "Mad Money". Maybe this weekend if we're not snowed in. We're suppose to get a big snowstorm this weekend but I hope is passes us, T2's first game is Saturday morning. He's so excited.

Well, Mr. R brought over some Valentine Reese cups and I'm going to go get one out of the fridge. Cause you know that's where you have to keep them, right?! Have a great day!

January 13, 2008

Tax Time

It's tax time. Just thought I'd put that out there. I have nothing to say about that, I was just sitting here trying to come up with a title and saw my attendance and food records for last year sitting on my desk just waiting for April 14.

T2 had basketball pictures yesterday and I was so irritated!! They all get uniforms which include: a jersey, shorts and a WHITE tee shirt with the Upward logo. They were suppose to wear their "uniforms" for pictures and so at 8:00 AM yesterday, I was up getting T2's white shirt in the dryer. I had washed everything else Thursday night and washed whites Friday afternoon. I forgot they were in the washer until I was tossing back and forth trying to get to sleep around 2am Saturday morning. I would have gotten up and put them in the dryer right then, but our dryer is upstairs and there were 4 other people sleeping and I was feeling nice. So, I made myself a note and put it on the bathroom sink so I'd remember. Hard work I tell ya. But, you do what you're suppose to do, right? Yeah, not everyone. As soon as we walked in, I looked over at his team and saw one little boy with his gold jersey and shorts with a BLACK tee shirt underneath. I about flipped!! A BLACK tee shirt? WHY???? I swear, there always has to be one kid that ruins all the group pictures!!!! Of course, I'm anal like that and it just bugged me all day. I looked over at the other group and they had a kid on their team in dark blue shorts with a light blue stripe down the sides... totally out of uniform. So I guess there really is one on every team. I wish this sort of thing bugged others like it bugs me. Perfectionist thinking IS good. Right?

The same thing happened at our family Christmas... we were all taking pics up against a white wall and for the separate family shots, we could have had everyone centered without any wood or trim on the sides, but it didn't happen that way. And of course, you never notice those things until after the pics are taken. Oh well, I guess I'm just picky about pictures.

We didn't do much this weekend. Friday night we went out with Mr. R and looked for basketball shoes for T2. He didn't find any he liked. Then we went to Starbucks and I got a Double Chocolate Chip frap. And as much as I loves me some chocolate, I didn't care for this. Something about the chocolate pieces coming up in the straw with the rest of the drink just didn't do it for me. I don't like chunks of things mixed in drinks. I like little pieces of ice, but not anything else. Not to mention it's 510 calories for a Grande! 510!!! Without the whipped cream it would have only been 400, but when your sippin in that many calories, what's another 110? Guess I better stick to my iced nonfat carmel macchiato. Only 190 calories. I could eat that buttery caramel sauce on everything. Anway... then we went to the video store, they had nothing so decided we'd come home, set up the home theater system I got for Christmas and watch 'Live Free or Die Hard'. Let's just say that we have half the system set up and we didn't get to watch the movie and let's leave it at that. Ok? Ok!

We went to my parent's house last night and then went to church this morning. Stayed for lunch and then came home. I decided I was going to take a nap so got in bed, flipped on the tv and ended up watching this 1963 movie. It's called 'Sunday In New York'. I'm a sucker for old movies. Have you ever noticed how much they smoked in movies back then? And the drinking... They are always making drinks and every house or apartment has a bar and when anyone walks in they make a martini for them. I also like how every restuarant has a band and dancing and how going out to eat was such an event. I love movies from the 60's. Needless to say, I didn't take my nap until later which meant I didn't wake up until oh, about 7:00... which means even though it's almost 10:00, I'm not ready to go back to bed!

And oh my gosh, I now remember why I never watch Extreme Home Makeover... I'm sitting here crying. That little girl is so sweet!! I don't think people really understand what it really is to have the gift of having healthy children! I can't imagine what some parents go through! I guess that would put the nonperfect basketball photo waaay down on the list, huh.

Well, off to bed. The weekend is over and I have a long week ahead. Kiss kiss.

January 11, 2008

Move Over Ann Coulter

Let's all welcome our newly most hated newswhore ... Wendy Murphy.

I wasn't into the whole "Duke" rape case, so I wasn't aware of this woman. I wish I could go back to that time.

While watching CNN tonight, there she was in all her glory... talking about how the government should focus on homeschooling families. How the children of homeschooling families need help and need the government to step in to make sure they're ok. WAIT! I bet you're thinking that I'm talking about their schooling, their education? OH NO, I'm talking about their well being. Because according to Miss. Wendy Murphy, homeschooled children are most likely being abused by their parents and will someday end up dead. Because WHY would a parent want to keep their child home and educate them as they want? There must be major abuse going on because they're keeping them hidden from the world.

Sorry, but I keep my kids home and educate them myself because the government's NOT doing it's job, in education or anywhere else.

I'll tell you what Miss. Murphy... when the government takes care of the neglected kids they clearly KNOW about, then you can open your big former prosecuting ex-NFL cheerleading mouth about homeschooling.

Just for giggles, here's what she has to say about shunning families:

Nice huh? So Wendy... should we send the government in to help them, or do it your way and just IGNORE them because they're different?

Anyway, she was on there to discuss the Washington case where the children were found dead in their mother's home this week. Government workers knew about these children BEFORE they stopped going to school. They asked for food stamps and were turned down. Asked for help and were turned down. Were living in a van and no one helped them. In 2006 a nurse said it was clear that both parents had substance abuse problems, but they could not receive help because they were living in a van and therefore had no permanent address. They stopped going to school in March after their father died, but no one noticed until May. At that time a social worker went to police and said the mother might be holding the children hostage, therefore making them truant. The officer went to the home and reported back to authorities that they "APPEARED to be healthy and were being homeschooled".

And can I remind you that they were very newly in the "system". They started asking for help in December of 2006 and their file was closed in May of 2007. That's only 5 months!! And you want to get our government involved in homeschooling?

I think it has enough on its hands.

January 9, 2008

I Got This In The Mail

From Mr. R... The middle one... Rose to be exact... Isn't it cute...

It's Coach lipstick, if you couldn't tell.


January 6, 2008

Let The Judgement Begin Part I

The truth will set you free right? I'm all about truth right now and I have an energy that I haven't had for awhile. I feel like I am ready to run AT the world instead of away from it. I feel like my decisions are MY decisions and if I fail... well, then I'll know who my real friends and "family friends" (*see below) are. If I fail and I hear "I told you so"... well, then those people weren't my real friends anyway. If I fail and I hear "Ok, pick yourself up and try again. I'm still here beside you and I still love you the same"... well, then those are my real friends and they are all that matters to me.

And by the way... everyone I know has some major failures or dysfunctions in their lives, so I'm pretty sure my friends and "family friends" will still be standing by me in the end. I guess it's not them, that I was worried about this whole time. No, it's all the "other" people. People that don't even really matter in my life, but people who will be the first to judge you for all your choices. I have decided this year, people like this aren't going to exist to me.

I was brought up in the church and for that I am VERY grateful!!! I love God and I'm more than happy being a Christian and living a Christian life. But life isn't perfect no matter who or what you believe in. And I will be the first to admit... Us Christians, we like to judge! I'm guilty too and it's one thing that needs to stop. I was thinking on my way home from Michigan last night about that saying "You must be the change you want to see in the world". It's true. How can you continue to judge everyone else while you're not perfect yourself. And how can you expect everyone else to change if you don't? Think about that... (And yes, I know there are plenty of bible verses that would have went along with the "judging" thing - I just don't feel like you have to preach to people to make a point.)

Anyway, to make a long story short... I am pursuing something this year that isn't going to make everyone happy. And to them I say "Deal with it!". Maybe things will work out wonderful, maybe they won't. I don't think there's a perfect plan to anything in life that guarantees it will work out just the way you wanted it to. (Except for following God.) Life is about choices and taking chances. I've sat idle for the last few years, not wanting to take risks and too afraid of failure and judgement. Not this year, this year I'm diving into risk.

And for those of you who love to judge... stay tuned honey, cause I'll give you enough to keep you busy for all of 2008!

More later...



*Family Friends - extended family members that you also consider your friends. Not everyone can be "friends" with their family members. I am lucky... my family has its dysfunctions like all the other families in the world, but we get along pretty well and some of us are actually friends.