Happy New Year! I am HOME!

 

I am home!!  I am HOME!  Not willingly, but we made it home at noon today after 20 hours on the road.  The hardest part was leaving the SUN, the BEACH, the 75 degrees of lovely WARMTH! 

My father and stepmom were so happy to have us...they have a nice home in a neighborhood in St Petersburg.  The area is where my stepmom (who by the way is only 5 years older than me, at 53, my dad is 69 ), spend every summer there while she was growing up, so she knew the area and while she had to work a couple of hours during the week she showed us around.  We also spent some nice alone time with dad.  She tends to like to stop and let we girls stop and look, dad gets impatient really easy, and boom it's time to go.

The last two days we spent on the beach, on the gulf of Mexico.  Which was pure HEAVEN to me!  I am now just a bit burned but have plenty of proof of my getaway!  Besides I tan really quickly.   Give me a week and I'd be native.

I took pictures so you all can see my good time...while my first true love is the west coast, I really, really enjoyed Florida...my "only old people live there" attitude was broken and the weather and the laidback attitude sure won me over.

So I am home still barefoot, refusing to wear real shoes until I have to go back to work on Tuesday, is that wrong???   Keeping the sunshine and relaxing thoughts in my soul...

We are staying in tonight.  Welcoming 2006 whiile watching a favorite band on TV...

Here's to 2006....it will be the best, yes the best year yet....

i am better now!

ok , ok, I am better now.  I usually don't like to over react.  I learned a long time ago that doing that only makes matters worse, raises my blood pressure, makes my cats run for cover and usually causes more harm than good.  BUT...I felt justified in my frustration which really never helps...my husband called his son who we had asked to housesit & was worried about leaving his own cats and bribed him with a $75.00 Dominicks gift card...Gotta love that boy, the way to his heart has always been through his stomach.  Here, he gets cable, a computer AND $75.00 worth of food.

He's coming to sit with the dogs...whew! 

Just talked to my dad he's still excited and so now am I.

Mark is a little miffed at his youngest two sons who not only did not come to the Thanksgiving party didn't show up today.  The youngest called but he has no car to drive here.  The other one, whom I let borrow/or I should say I gave $140.00 for  a windshield for his truck, called yesterday, but it is now at 5:30pm he is officially MIA. 

Mark's now taking a nap.  He's getting up at 10:00 pm and we will be off to sunny skies and warm beaches....

AND finally some rest for my weary soul...

 

 

Why are my children such pains!

I ask you all this question.  Why are our adult children such world class pains in the butt????  So far my son is too busy building a ping pong table for a drinking game to stay here and take care of my dogs, my stepson came over yesterday got his Christmas gift of money to keep his electricity on, & he thinks he's cats can't be without him for a few days and the other stepson is with his in-laws.  The other two are so irresponsible I wouldn't trust them to pick up my mail let alone have them take care of my pets.  My son Eric is 1/2 hour away and will be working all week.

 

HUGE :::::::::::::sigh:::::::::::::

 

So I have asked Liz to ask Mike to let the dogs out....he lives less than a mile from us and he's very very responsible PLUS he loves my daughter...

more later...

christmas eve

The bags are packed, shorts and swimsuits located, flip flops have been dug out from the back of the closet, my happy feet will be out in the warm Florida air soon!

Dog and Cat food have been bought, along with clean litter boxes.  My responsible working son, says he will let out the dogs.  The sorta responsible laid off son will stay here too. 

We are having a heat wave here, it's 40 and foggy.  Since we have so much snow it's still cold.  I changed my homepage to St Pete, it's 64 and sunny....next week it will be 70's....

Tonight we will be going to the grandkids to bring them their gifts.  I only bought a few toys, mostly clothes, but cool clothes, like mini flannel shirts, painter pants, and spiderman PJ's.  Oh! And Purdue stuff, a cute mini football outfit.  And a hooded Purdue sweatshirt for Jacob.  Sorry can't be cool like the kids and call them hoodies sounds too dumb!

I am off to finish up my house, Eric and Tim are spending the night and will wake up here for Santa's arrival tomorrow morning.  Liz is happy, she's not used to being the only child.  Afterall, she's used to a huge crowd on Christmas morning. Having 7 older brothers does that!

 

If I don't get a chance to go back online tomorrow...

to you and yours!

Rose~

3 more days!

3 more days and the fat man comes!  We will be going to Jeremy's on Christmas Eve to celebrate with the grandbabies, And on Christmas Day we hang out here, my sons come over, and we of course eat my favorite tradition...Chinese food!  I even told my monitor, Julie about it and she's doing the same.  Much easier on the cook!

We plan on leaving here at 10:00 pm and drive straight through to Florida.  We are troopers that way.  Mark will drive most of the way.  Liz and I can also drive, she needs the practice as the kid still doesn't have her license.  Mark was an over the road trucker for awhile.  We once went straight to California with 3 drivers in 34 hours, I know we are nuts. But I will be so excited to find the sun...

Families should drive more anyway so much to see of this wonderful country.  I've only been as far south as Tennessee, so this should be a real experience for me.  Mark, he was in the Navy, took many road trips as a kid, but he's excited too.

I am using some of time off to catch up on the household stuff...

bye for now

 

Yesterday was my last day of work until January 3rd.  Mark is also off until then too.  AND he will be going back to work!  They have work for him to do!  So it will be hopefully a short layoff for him this season.  We will be ok because of unemployment, but it's the him staying home all day that drives both of us nutty!  He's worked most of his life and he needs to do that to stay out of trouble! 

We spent today finishing up our Christmas gift shopping.  It wasn't painful at all.  This evening we went to my daughter in law Brandy's basketball game.  She is the one that got married last summer to Matt.  She is a math teacher at Oswego East and the assistant coach for the Varsity girls team.  Liz came too, some of her friends are on the team also.  It was weird to be at a game and not get paid to sit and watch!  Sorry bus driver in me coming out!  Speaking of that, I now know why people that deal with children all day get time off, because we have EARN IT!  I really am going to appreciate the break.

Last Saturday Dakota had his 1st birthday party.

He received every noisy toy you could think of.  We gave him a savings bond and a toy bus (of course!).  The boys get so many toys so we are going to purchase a group of bonds and then give them as birthday gifts so they all mature at the same time.  If they decided to go to college they will have something to help them out.

Then on Sunday Tracey dropped the boys off to make Christmas cookies (I have to develop the film, pictures will be displayed later).  Jacob had a great time.  The kid has finally figured out how to very clearly express himself.  He kept saying LIZZZZZZZZZZ come here we're making Christmas Ookies!  Dakota was his usual busy self only now the kid can walk very very well, he only took 2 tumbles, once into the kitchen cabinet and another time he came inches from the Christmas tree!

The next day on Monday, my phone rings and I hear breathing, I see it's my stepson's phone number on the caller ID.  I hear, "ama? I come to your house??  Where's ampa?, I want Aunt Lizzzzzzzzz!".  Seems the little stinker had such a good time with us he refused to go to his other grandma's house to be babysat while Tracey worked!  Gotta love that boy! 

We decided today that since we will be off next week we are going to head on down to Florida to see my father and stepmother.  They live in St Petersburg.  Gas is finally cheap enough so I won't feel guilty.  Plus we both need a break from the blasted cold, it's been below freezing for forever!  Most days below zero with a high of like 6!  We plan on leaving Christmas night and be back the next Saturday.  Mark was an over the road truckdriver in the past so he knows how to do a road trip.  I plan on sitting by the pool and/or beach and doing absolutely nothing but relax!  AND I think I've earned it, I haven't had a real vacation since 2002! As my hubby Mark said just this evening it's so nice to feel like everything is right in the world....

 

 

I am sooooo busy!

Been super busy, getting my shopping finished up, still have a few of Mark's kids to do, but he's off tomorrow so we will be going out then.  Kids get harder to buy for when they get older and can buy their own stuff. 

I'd rather buy for the grandkids, they are so fun and easy!

Friday night is Liz's theater groups play and Saturday I have trip, Dakota's 1st birthday party and my works party.  WHEW!  Luckily schools out next Tuesday!

Then I'll have time to bake and make cookies.  I always have Chinese for Christmas, I don't cook anymore! 

It's my gift to myself!

Today we were supposed to get a huge snowstorm, instead we got freezing rain.  Fun, fun, I only had to scrape a sheet of ice off a huge bus before I went out...

I made it though...time to hop around J-land!

I will behave I promise

Last night was Liz's choir concert, they have 4 shows.  2 Friday night and 2 on Sunday.

 

Yesterday my dear sweet 17 year old daughter told me she no longer is wearing a dress that never came in, so as I said I didn't have to buy those red spanky things that cheerleaders wear, BUT she needed black pants and a sweater.  I hear this as I am sitting in my bus, (she stops to see me as she walking home from High School), at 2:45 in the afternoon on a Friday, the day of the CONCERT.  I am thinking MY GOD does this kid have a presentable pair of black pants or a sweater!  She hates sweaters, she has always been my hot child, so she really has a limited supply.  The thought did cross my mind to go to the thrift store or is it resale shop down the block and get her one of those old lady sweaters with all the Christmas ornaments on it, sorry no offense, if you like these, but a 17 year old would never like these.  I am still controlling my rage with her choir director, I am still behaving!

She did have a sweater, and she said she'd wear her black dance pants.  I didn't see her very well as I whisked her off to school after work.  15 minutes later she called me to say she needed a white shirt also!  UGH!  So I searched found a white turtle neck (which I know she hated) and brought it to her.  When I looked closer at her on my return trip I realized her black pants were pretty worse for wear.  BIG SIGH!

So today after my field trip we went out into the hustle and bustle of Saturday shoppers to buy a pair of black slacks.  Which we found at the first store, near my home.  The kid is very short not even 5 foot so I'll be hemming pants tomorrow, but at least she will look presentable.  This is a huge annual show, with all the choirs and bands playing in a seamless concert.  Very very nice.  And tomorrow my kid will look good for the last two shows, one of which Mark and I will be attending.

So as we are wandering around Target I ask my daughter if she wants a robe for Christmas, how about slippers?  She says yes and I buy them -- am I an awful mom or what??  Buying gifts with her right there!  She said it was ok, she'd act surprised on Christmas morning.  I already have other ideas for her.  She will be suprised!  She is my last child.  She is the 8th one.  I've only known masses of children for 11 years.  Mark's 5 and my 3.  It's sad to see her be the last.  Last year my 2 boys spent Christmas eve here, so the morning was ok, the tree was a little more naked then when they were little, but there were kids here all the same.  Now I am down to one, and she's a great one! 

BUT now I have the grandkids...they will bring a packed Christmas tree!

Liz and Tracey!

So I am off again, there's a Christmas party for Mark's work we are going to.  whoo the fun begins!

everything is alright-snow and all!

I am about 45 miles southwest of Chicago.  Last night we had a big snow storm.  It was a typical northern Illinois storm with most of the snow being toward Lake Michigan.  We ended up getting around 5 inches here, but the southern part of the city got 10 inches.

The above picture is of an airplane that skidded at Midway Airport.  Midway is a very small airport so the pilot I am sure only had little room for error.  This could have been a real bad accident because the plane actually went into a wall and then into traffic!  A child did die, but everyone else survived. 

My neice, who works with me, lives near this airport and it took her 5 hours to drive a 2 hour drive.  I tried to talk her into staying here with us, but you know kids they know everything! ;) 

My route was fine, I was a few minutes late to the 2nd school, because of traffic.  BUT the KIDS were awful.  Loud, naughty and bouncing off the walls.  I need to remember to bring my whistle, that usually gets their attention very quickly.  They're pretty much trained in school to respond to a whistle.  Otherwise I really had fun driving in the snow, but I did refrain from doing donuts, it was hard but I didn't do it! 

My daughter has her Christmas show this weekend.  Her director is so unprepared that the outfits that they were supposed to wear were only ordered 2 weeks ago and will not make it for the show.  She is in an all girls show choir that is actually a graded class.  They were going to be very nice too, red velvet with fur.  Oh well, at least I stopped myself from calling her teacher and yelling about the dresses and the little shorts that we were supposed to run out and buy.  I've gained some wisdom in my old age.  I am a lot more able to think before I react...well usually!  And my kid appreciates it too!

I am in shock, but my husband, Mark is actually working today.  Our very cold weather has caused the ground to freeze too deeply for the work crews to do their grading work. His work is an excavation company.  Four of my stepsons work for the company and they were laid off yesterday.  It's a bit earlier than usually.  Mark is one of two truck drivers he still has a lot of work to do, so !! THANKFULLY!!  he will probably work until the end of the year.

It's a true blessing because we are still digging out of our debt from our failed owner operator truck  position from 2003.  I have finally made agreements with all my past creditors.  Only two actually went to a legal agency.  I am so glad that I have dealt with lawyers in my past divorce and custody situations, because legal types DO NOT scare me.  Even though the poor unfortunates that they hire to threaten people think they can scare you into court.  One firm, that I have had the displeasure of dealing with is rude and crude.  I even asked the guy to stop being rude and he said it wasn't against any laws to be rude, and he could talk anyway he felt like.  UGH ! There is a letter in the future from me to this office, it's so unprofessional and down right wrong to think they can bully people.  I am not a deadbeat, I've had problems, but they are being corrected one step at a time.

I have found my way around their threats, it's called knowledge, and I know my rights and I refuse to deal with them.  I send them checks and they leave me alone.  It's quite nice.   All this I owe to God, very hard work and a level head.  And helping others, that's a big one.  I truly believe that what goes around comes around -- and that was taught to me by my wonderful mother...during my divorce.

I am off to play in the snow! 

there she blows!!!

 

Whoo hooo the weathermen/women are finally gonna be right!!  It's snowing like crazy outside and I still have a pm bus route to do!!  Hopefully the other drivers will behave!

I'd rather drive a school bus in a snowstorm any old day.  Much heavier and we have way less pick up then a car.  But you have to watch the ditches, one false move or get too close to the side of the road and your in!

 

Wish me luck!  I am putting on my snowpants and boots and I am hitting the road~!

more Dakota and Jacob

I know, I know I am Grandma Picture taking freak, BUT I LOVE THESE BOYS!

Here's a few from the outing to the museum------>

This is Dakota playing in the hands-on baby area at the DuPage Children's Muesum-of course Aunt Liz is in charge of him.  Which is a double duty thing...1.) he love her, and 2.) She at 17 won't be in a big hurry to run off and have babies of her own, the kid wears HER out!

Jacob and Dakota playing with the air that was blowing through the pipes....

Liz and Dakota in the Wind Tunnel....everything in this museum is kid's level.  Dakota had just learned to walk and the kid was walking everywhere!  Jacob loves his Grandpa and loves to build.  He had fun doing that.

And Little Jacob deciding he wanted to take ALL the cars home with him.  Behind him is the baby doll he 'mothered' all evening...I feel all boys should learn to be good mothers!  But my stepson made him leave the baby here, won't my stepson freak when I buy the boys a kitchen to play with while they are here!

OH YEAH & WE ONLY GOT 2 INCHES OF SNOW!!!!

snow

Today after my sports trip I decided to go to the grocery store.  Now I normally like to go during the week between routes.  It's easier, faster and less crowded.   But sometimes I throw caution to wind and go for it, for the excitement...yes, I sometimes have a very boring life.

The kid that checked my groceries out for me told me that people were 'stocking' up for the BIG storm.  They were spending $400.00 and loading up for the long haul.  The weather forcast is for 2-4 INCHES, which by Illinois standards is not much.  Unless it's the first snow of the year, then it's crashing, bashing and flying in the ditch for the unskilled or speed demons.  You'd of thought it was 2 - 4 FEET that was being predicted.  People are strange.  At one point a few years ago I considered studying to be a counselor, I even took a few classes.  But I saw the pay and decided I'd rather deal with kids, at least they make some sort of sense..  And usually you can get through to them.

Of course won't I be surprised when I wake in the morning to 4 FEET of snow.   Guess I'll be trudging down the street to the Gas Station for bread and milk!

christmas walk

Tonight is our annual Christmas Walk.  I like these types of things because I LOVE to people watch.  Sometimes I go to socialize with my neighbors, co-workers, or some of the kids I know.  Sometimes Mark comes with me.  When he does he usually isn't all that interested in socializing or looking at the different shops.  We usually walk down the street stop at the Barber Shop to say "hi" to his friend Jimmy from high school, maybe get a hot chocolate or some food and race home.

Tonight I simply enjoyed being quiet and being by myself in the crowd.  For a cold night of 10 degrees, there were a lot of people out.

I love to walk and look, listen, and smell.  There's usually some girl scout troop singing carols, a little band playing, and some piped in music.  And there's this mime dressed up and skating on roller skates.  He's fun.  There's lots more too.

My favorite part though is the silent Fire Truck parade.  Different trucks from area communities dress up their Fire Trucks with lights and they parade down the road.  One year it was really warm and foggy, so they looked like they were floating  down the street.  Another year they took a turn too tight and ripped off the back bumper of a van.  Liz and I saw it too, it was a jaw dropper.

I got to see them tonight and I still got a thrill.  My grandfather was a fireman, I have a lot of respect for them.  Big towns or small towns they are still are and always will be my heroes.  I sometimes wish I was younger, I would loved to carry on the family tradition.

Oh yeah this year I didn't eat the free cookies or nacho's, not even the cider.  I came home and ate the last piece of BLUEBERRY PIE from Thanksgiving and was it every yummy!

Night all, I have a basketball trip bright and early tomorrow morning!

  I do believe in SANTA!  I DO!  I DO!!

pics from the thanksgiving party

 

 

Thanksgiving party pics at Gario's Pizza------------------->

 

  My stepson Jeremy, with Koda and my daughter in law Tracey ... she's my hero!

  "Common Koda you can walk!!!" (he's leaning on Grandpa)

  Jeremy, Liz, Tracey and Liz's boyfriend Mike with Koda

  My newlywed stepson Matt with Jacob playing games

  My son Eric with his girlfriend Tina

I have another camera, to get developed, that has the other two kids, Jim and Tim maybe even me on it.  Mark's youngest two didn't attend the party, Dustin and Dale are still stuck in their own little world.  But that is part of growing up I guess.  Rebellion, wow I wouldn't want to be that age again!

But it was still a great nightand a great time!

KODA!!!

Say bye to fall

          

This picture is the street in front of my house.  It was taken this fall, the across the street neighbor's tree is the one with all the leaves that blow (along with everyone else's) into my yard.  Mark's lucky he has a leave blower, plus I leave  a lot of them on my plant beds, so we had an easy time with all these leaves.  Which I don't mind, my old neighborhood has many stately, lovely old elms and maples that grace us with their beauty. 

Now the trees are bare and it's cold.  Very cold, 20 degrees cold with biting wind.  The forecast is for around an inch of snow tonight.  Today being the last day of November I know that tomorrow will be the beginning of a landslide of activity.  Parties, concerts, our town's annual Christmas Walks, gift buying...This time of year always goes so fast for we as adults.  We have to deal with all the stores, the rush the hustle and bustle.   For kids it's magic....I am blessed to witness the excitement of the little kids who still believe in Santa Claus.  They grow more excited daily.  Today one of my little ones, whom I had last year also, lost her tooth, she was so excited.  A 5th grader did all he could to not spill the beans about the tooth fairy.  It's magic.  It's magic being young and still believing in fairies and Santa.

I am lucky that my two little ones will be experiencing that magic also, Santa hasn't been at my house in a long time.  Sure I did all I could to encourage Liz to keep believing ...I think she was almost in Junior High before she actually officially gave into the truth.  This is a magic time of year, even as adults we should try hard to be a little bit nicer, a little bit kinder, a little bit more generous not with just our money, but our words, our deeds...then the Spirit of the Season will shine....at least for a little while.

                                       

I guess nearly getting into an accident yesterday in my school bus made me take a step back.  I nearly hit a car that turned suddenly in front of me.  Fortunately the person behind me stopped too, and didn't rear end me.  Everyday I have to watch traffic, think for others and predict their driving skills, this one I didn't even see coming, he turned that quickly.  Made me count my blessing...made me realize, again, that one simple act can effect another, in a major way.  Thank God it didn't happen, thank God I didn't hit him.

I had nightmares all night last night.  These things really stir up your imagination.  I am the type that works out some of my life in my dream world.  I am doing ok today.  Just a little edgy still, but I'll be ok.  I don't have my midday today, but I am going to a nearby College to pick up a group before my afternoon run.  Loads of traffic, but I will leave early and do as I always do, the job I was trained so well to do.

Mark and I are taking Jim and Tim to the Blackhawks game tonight.  Jim's birthday is today and Tim's is in February.  What a great place to blow off some steam!!  Nothing like a group of grown men knocking the snot out of each other over a little round puck.

Gotta love it!  Have a great day my friends and thanks for listening, I feel much better!  :)

Shhhh babies sleeping!

The boys are here!  We picked them up today and took them to  a Children's Muesum.  Very interactive and fun.  It was awesome.

My Thanksgiving was nice and quiet and did involve lots of pie.  We cooked, we watched the parades, I took a nap and went to see RENT with Liz in the evening with Mike, and her friends.

Oh and I got this news...I am going to be a grandma...again!  Tracey is going to have #3 sometime next summer.  I need a bigger car....

Gotta go...Kota needs to be put to bed.

 

BUT YIPEEE!!  More babies!!

Happy Thanksgiving

                               

 

One of the things I am thankful for this year is YOU ALL!

Thanks for letting me be part of your life!

Enjoy the holiday!!

I love you!! 

I am free!

                                  

Thanksgiving 8000 calorie poem

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
and your pies take the prize,
and may your Thanksgiving dinner
stay off your thighs!
-Unknown

Whoo hooo!  I am free!  Gotta love a school district job!  I am off until Monday morning!

I am going to spend my days baking, cooking and EATING!  Although I do have to go to the dentist and get a crown tomorrow.  Thank God for pain pills and pie!

Our party on Saturday went great.  The pizza place is a family style place with a big fire place, with games that the kids can play.  I gave Jacob a 5 for the change machine and 20 dollars of quarters came pouring out.  Wow was Grandma popular that night!

The kids were grateful and even thanked us for taking the pressure off them.  Hopefully they will start their own traditions for their new families.  And as for me I get to cook all my favorites for Turkey day.  My kids will be over so it will be fun filled day of eating and of course Football.  Hmmmmm pie!

 

pre thanksgiving bash

 

Mark and I have decided to save all our children the pain of trying to figure out whose house to go to for Thanksgiving.  We are having tonight a Pre-Thanksgiving bash at a local Pizza Place.   And it's NOT Chuck-e-cheese!  All the kids (8), their spouses and girlfriends/boyfriends are invited.  Plus my grandsons, Oh yeah, Dakota is walking!! and he won't be one until December 21st!  The fun begins!!  :)

Fun should be have by all!  you know me there will be pictures!

 

ENJOY!

AOL, J-land changes and the $500 cat

 

Wow!  People in J-land are in an uproar...I have been getting alerts all day of people moving their journals, cursing out AOL, their journal alerts stating they are now private...etc.   I am really only close to maybe 10 j-land people that I regularly read, comment and have formed a nice friendship with.  Some of these folks I even would consider friends and if I met them on the street I would gladly share lunch with them.  The rest I think are interesting, they may have a different perceptive on life, or they may have some cool things to write about.  

I have what you would call a pretty normal life, been married twice, have kids, stepkids, grandkids a job and a husband I care for and put a lot of my time and effort into, oh yeah A LOT of effort into.  I have a rather colorful past, one I learned much from and try not to repeat.  Most of my children are grown and don't need me as much as they used to.  Good friendships are hard to find in this world.  I lost my mother who was my rock, my only other really close friend is my husband.  I have a few casual friends at work, but no one I really like to hang with.  I am pretty much a loner and while I can dish out advice I really don't like to take it, I know this about myself and accept it.  I have gone to this medium, the internet for many reasons, to express myself, meet people and just to hang out.  I have met some really awesome, inspiring people here.

Now it seems so many are bolting to other areas of computer land (is there such a place?).  I am pretty lazy that is why I keep AOL.  It's easy for my husband to use, and I like  how easy the browser is.  NOW if some of my friends go to parts unknown I will be very sad.  Change is difficult, ads are a fact, and really J-land isn't ours, we pay for it, what in life do we truly own? 

So that's my two cents.  I am not going anywhere, I can deal with the stupid ad at the top of my Journal, now when they put an ad on my kid or my cat, (maybe I should have thought of that as a way to raise money to pay for his hospital bill), THEN I am screaming, but not for this...life too short to get upset over this.  Plus they added spell check my spelling sucks!

 

THE cat and THE Kid!

 

I have a boring life

I was thinking about what to write today and realize I lead a pretty boring life...well, lately it's boring.  THANK GOD!  I like boring...

In my youth I liked excitement, I used to look for it, now I like boring.  Give me a warm autumn day, a two year old and a big back yard and I can find all sorts of things to do.  Give me my husband, a windy Sunday afternoon and our pickup truck and I can find all sorts of sites to see.  Or give me a 17 year old teenager, a good pair of shoes and a neighborhood and we'll find all sorts of things to talk about.  In my past I would have called all that boring....boring...boring!

My past has been filled with one crisis after another, some I created some not.  Now things are calm, every day I do what I call the utmost act of spiritual grace...I get up thank God I am alive, go to work, do a good job and come home and take care of my family.  Some look for more out of life, some want big cars, big houses and big vacations.  Me?  It's all about appreciating what I have...life is short kids, and sometimes you just have to step back, breath in the boredom and realize that life is pretty darn good!

 

Have an awesome day!

 

I hate aol!

I had this really interesting entry all written up and of course it wouldn't save!  I am going to learn to type elsewhere and paste it here!  UGH! 

Here's Mike and Liz from his visit from school last month.  He's not using a barber these days, but hey he's a college kid now!

He'll be home next weekend so the house will be filled with the joy of my teenage daughter smiles again.  Actually she has snapped out of her funk.  I knew when she went back to drama she'd have a place to channel her 'feelings'.  Sorry feelings always freak me out, so I am not as helpful as her drama-mates.

She is doing well in school and I thinks she is actually trying this year.  She's the type that just getting by means C's and I expect more out of her.  So she took my threat of taking away her social life to heart and got a B+ in here dreaded Math class.  A's in everything else.  She's just not "into" math and her Math teacher is awful (her words) so she did poorly last year and had to take two math classes this year.  Actually most of the district did poorly so our Math program screams out for a revamping.  But no excuses for being lazy, do the work, ask for help and she'll be fine.

Anyway this week was long, my school bus kids were awful and we are reaching a turning point...it's shape up or I get mean... which means assigned seats and write ups....actually I had to write up a kindergartener, the little booger was pulling his pants down and singing about kissing people in the dark.  Hmmmmm I wonder what's going on at home?  So now he has a prime seat behind me all alone with my Early childhood kids car seat.  That should keep him out of trouble.

The world is a weird place, I am hoping my kids do a better job raising their kids.

Anyway, I am going back to enjoy my weekend!  Have a good one!

A nice quiet sunday

My 21 year old son, Eric came over for a visit. I love that kid he is so much like his mother it's sometimes frightening. But mostly he's got my good qualities. He brought Tina, his girlfriend, and we all had a nice visit. Since the kid is an assistant manager at Menards I dropped some hints about my Christmas gift. He works at the best store, I love all the yard stuff. Over the years he along with his brother and sister have gotten me the pond, a yard bench and a birdbath.  My hint was for some yard lights as mine are very old and not all working.

My son Tim and son, Eric this past summer at the Prairiefest Parade

The rest of the day I just hung out, did some laundry, normal stuff. My ritual of napping during all the boring sports my husband watches.  I try not to complain, afterall it's his only day off, plus he's won 2 football pools at work. 

Last night we missed a pretty big storm, it skipped Illinois and did some pretty heavy duty damage in Indiana. I am used to bad storms, they used to freak me out when I was a kid, but then everything freaked me out back then. As I've grown older I lived through a lot, so I guess I am less fearful. I think I've done a good job of passing that freeless attitude on to my kids & stepkids. At least I hope so, of course there is a difference between fearlessness and stupidity, and that usually comes with age---where you gain something called wisdom. I guess I'll get to the wisdom stage someday, maybe when I finally grow up.

Also, Dale my youngest stepson has been calling my husband. He lived with us for a year from November 2003 to November 2004, he's 19 now and after he moved back home with his mother he basically went to school which should have been his Senior year and did nothing, earned straight F's and did not graduate. His mother got what she wanted but you don't always like what get and she is tired of the way he acts. So much so she wants him out again. Hopefully he'll get his GED so he can get a job and support himself. One can always hope, right?

So that's my day, it's back to work tomorrow, we have two full weeks then Thanksgiving week will be here, and we only go two 5 hour days that week.  Gotta love the public school system just when you get totally frustrated with your job they give you a day off to recover.

I guess nobody would do our job if they didn't bribe us with days off for good behavior! :)

I am the type of person who has learned over the years that it's part of life to make mistakes. Mistakes are to be learned from, sometimes you may have to repeat the lesson, but for me I try and learn the first time. Mark and I gave up on our trucking business a year ago this past June. We are so blessed to have the jobs we have and have worked very hard to go above and behind the norm to get rid of our past debt. We sold our truck in June, which was huge. My main goals have been to take each bill and work my way from there. We try hard not to spend money needlessly, I've learned that through hard work comes rewards. Mark's job is seasonal, they usually stop work in January until March, last year he had to take a tempory job in February,. The company often had him drive illegal, he worked way too many hours, down dangerous highways, where it was not uncommon for a trucker to fall asleep at the wheel and plow into unsuspecting other drivers. We really don't want him to take this job this year. The money just isn't worth it. Besides, he does qualify for unemployment this year. I have been trying super hard to get the important bills like my house, my utitilties, my cars ahead, extra work at my job, Mark not having any rain days (which mean no pay) have really helped out. I've really tried to stay in an attitude of being grateful, being thankful and just plan being positive. Things have been going merrily along...then on Wednesday of this week I get a nice yellow envelope in the mail. It's from the state, and I can tell it's a check...usually these checks are money collect on my behalf from back child support, my daughter's father has never willing paid a cent, my order is form 1989 and for only $45/week, at one time he was $10,000.00 behind. Anyway, this check was not little it was quite large and put it this way...we will be ok this winter. I still want my husband to find something to do over the winter as he will drive me nuts if he's home, but we will now be able to stay ahead of the bill paying. My daughter also has a choir trip to Florida over spring break that needs to be paid for, she will need clothes and spending money. I have to remember that it is her father's responsiblity to contribute to the household, not just to her fun. Anyway, I am excited about the holidays now,my grandkids will be old enough to understand Santa, the lights, and the snow. I already did some shopping yesterday, the Osh Gosh store at the Mall is closing and I got each grandson a flannel shirt and lined pants. They were half price and are just so darn cute! I love the fact that I have kids now that will be thrilled with the magic of the Holiday season. Wow! Thanksgiving is starting to sneak up too! On that note, I am going to do some housework. Have an awesome weekend!

Happy Halloween!!!!

                                    

 

Happy Halloween Everybody!

I am feeling much better thank you!

We had an awesome evening with the grandkids...we went to the pumpkin farm.  Jacob thought he should be able to drive the tractor that the farmer was using to pull the haywagon. The kid is 2 years old and he already wants to drive the big tractor!  This place was geared to younger kids so they both had fun.  Even grandpa had fun!They even had a huge pile of corn kernals for the kids to dig in.  I volunteered to babysit Friday as I am off work.  Whoo hoo more baby fun!

Time to go back to work and pick up my little goblins from school...hopefully they won't be too sugared up!

Have a safe evening!  And no haunting allowed!

 

Pumpkin farm and a runny nose

                  

We all have the sniffles in our house, actually it's more like a running faucet, but since Mark and I are troopers we go on.  Neither one of us makes it a habit to ever call in sick.  At my job we get 10 sick days a year, plus 2 personal days, which really aren't personal because the dispatcher always wants to know what we want the days for.  She's like a cop when it comes to calling in sick.  But it hasn't stop the masses that have been off for the past week.  A few are off on sick leave.  It's the nature of the beast at my type of job, we get many retired folks, mom's, and such.  Although quite a few of the men aren't all that old ---many in there 50's.  Must be nice.  Retired at 50.   Not me I'll be working until they pry the key's out of my cold dead hand. :)

 

I am feeling a lot better right at this moment.  I am at the point though were I want to spray disinfectant in the faces of my bus passengers.  Those germly little creatures are spreading the love around and it's very annoying.  I haven't felt sick enough to be down, but I had a sore throat and an annoying cough when I try to sleep.  But last night was better. 

I have been resting every evening, pre napping as Mark calls it before bed.

Besides the day is too beautiful to be sick!

 

This afternoon we have plans to take the grandkids to a pumpkin farm.  And since Jacob has been sick too, I don't feel bad bringing my germs over.  I am sure I am no longer contagious anyway.  He'll probably give me what he has.  Afterward we will be babysitting as Tracey and Jeremy are going to a comedy show.

 

The day is glorious here in the Midwest.  Bright sun, no clouds and a high in the 70's.

 

So we should have a great time.

Of course I'll take pictures.

 

Have a wonderful weekend everybody!

~ERIC's 21~

                

21 years ago today I gave birth to my son Eric, time flys.

He is my most unique child...he will always be my boy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!

 

mike's home! mike's home!

MIKE'S HOME!

Life is now happy again in our household, because a happy teen is a happy home!

Monika also is in town so the little group plus their friend Jimmy are off doing what teens do.  Eat, visit, and talk!

I have no trips this weekend so I am going to spend the day doing housework...and then grocery shopping.

Suzy the below picture is for you-------------->  BUZZ<-----------------

I am thinking he was the one who took the above picture and kept these two in line!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Happy birthday LIZ!

                          

My baby girl is 17 years old today!  She was born on October 20th 1988, at 1:10 in the afternoon, weighing 6 pound 3 ounces, 18 inches, blond hair and blue eyes...my beautiful only daughter!  She is my pride and JOY!  AND the best daughter a mom could have!  I love her!

      

Liz and Mike's beagle...they love each other!

She's spending her birthday at drama club doing tech for the upcoming play.  Then she is joining the club at the other school for their play, Hamlet.

Turtle pie (Baskin Robbins frozen ice cream pie) will have to wait until tomorrow night...we will just have to have a birthday weekend!

Oh yeah, Mike's coming home for a visit on Friday night so I am sure I will not see my child the whole weekend.  Oh well I am used to teens...but I love it!

everything's alright...

Ok so this afternoon I don't have a midday because my kid's don't go on Wednesdays.  So I spent the day torturing my poor niece.  Whining about my junior high bus situation and how I could have done things different and guess what?  I couldn't have done it any different!

When I came back to work for PM routes my supervisor talked to me again and said that she thought I was a great driver and did a fine job.  She had another driver ride with me.  Seems the other driver stuck up for me, said I had a hard route, and that the kids were very tough, but had respect for me. 

The girls that had the 'situation' were dealt with at school as the mother called everybody in town and complained about what happened, and I guess that meant she called the school.  Since her daughter was also getting in trouble she called my boss again and said I was a liar, which I asked what did I lie about and she said I dunno she wouldn't say.  I am thinking this mom has issues, so I am not worried afterall, what happened was really an accident.  The girl bumped into another girl who had a bottle of water and oil (a science project, was supposed to be a lava lamp), which spilled on her book bag.  She claims the girl threw it at her.  Which I doubt happened, but I didn't see it.  I feel bad for the accused because she said she just said she did it because she knew they wouldn't believe her.  I guess I didn't react well enough, like calling the cops in or the swat team, to make this mom happy.

OH WELL!

All I know is what I know and I am sticking to that.  I did my job, I care about her children, and I am fair.  I want to get them home safely, her daughters both are disruptive about as much as the rest of them.  So live goes on and so do I!

Now I am off to spend time with my family...my son Tim bought a new car last night it's a program car, with some miles, not much.  It's a 2005 Impala, silver and very classy.  He got a deceit rate too, with no co-signer...not badfor a kid who just got out of college.  Mark and I went with and since we knew the kid there it was quite quick and painless!

Enjoy~!

I am a horrible bus driver

It's times like these that make a person lose faith in humanity.  I am being accused of being an horrible bus driver.  Now I don't take this personally, but a situation happened on my junior high route that I think is being blown out of proportion. Of course one of the kids had to have mother who loves to defend her, even when she had a part in the drama.  The driver whom I inherited this rowdy group from made the error in judgement and gave this mom the phone number to our base. Therefore, said mother could call my work and scream at whomever would listen to her. These girls have issues with each other that I was not aware of.  This situtation is an ongoing school issue, NOT a bus issue.  Actually, it's a neighborhood issue, so if I am horrible so are the teachers, the principal, the assistant principal and that stupid real estate agent that sold the house to the 'bad' girls who pick on this mom's kid.  Hopefully my boss will do as she said and give this mother what she wants a GOOD bus driver who will properly defend her poor innocent 7th grader.  And I go on & be horrible to some more worthy children.

 

'nough said, I am going shopping to buy my perfect daughter some birthday gifts!

Which include a frozen turtle ice cream pie, thank God for ice cream!

PS the black eye is a prop...she was in a play...

 

BEAUTIFUL!

The weather is great, get out and smell the air!  Autumn is finally here!

We drove around yesterday, just my kid, my hubby and me!  Just looking at the awe of autumn.  Then we had food! 

 

A prefect Sunday!

sunny saturday

great day !!!   i have a trip, but was able to drop the volleyball team at the school right down the block.  so i have few hours to kill and the coach knows were i am at.

 

gonna catch up on some stuff ...then go outside where it is a gorgeous midwest fall day!  spending time with grandkids tomorrow...A PERFECT WEEKEND!

Have a great one!

it's beginning to look a lot like fall!!

                    

This is one of my BIG sunflowers.  I planted some other seeds but the lack of rain made them either not come up or they are just now popping out.  Anyway, the old neighborhood is finally showing it's colors and I LOVE IT!  Oranges, reds and yellows, brightens any day.  That's my house in the background, Mark and I are fighting over what color to paint it, it really needs it to.  I think I'll just drag him to the store and see what strikes me at the time.

On Monday I went to the Botanical Gardens for my field trip and it was lovely.  With the exception of a few screaming little darlings being forced by their mothers to gain some culture on a school holiday, I had a nice peaceful walk.  My group was very small so I let them go on and I went out on my own.  I visited the Japanese Gardens, and really enjoyed the Rose garden also.  The place is awesome and am going to try and get my husband out there before the fall comes to an end.  I met an older couple pushing another lady in a wheelchair and they were commenting on the Lambs ears, and how soft they were. We had a nice conversation and I was really struck by what the one lady said...she said, " that the plants gave her hope "...I found it very good advice and hanging on to that.

Everybody needs a little hope now and then...so I am sending some your way also...have a wonderful day and get out and get some fresh air! 

LIZ<3

Liz and Tracey

My daughter Liz has finally snapped out of her funk!  Most likely not because of my nagging about being happy, or enjoy high school, or that she'll see her boyfriend Mike soon enough BUT because Mike is coming home sooner than she thought.  He's coming on October 21st the day after her birthday.  Even though she went to the dance with a friend which is a boy she and Mike still consider themselves "going" out.  They have a great friendship which I think is what keeps them from getting their feelings in the way.  Pretty amazing for teens today.

I am so proud of my daughter...she is truly a miracle and I am blessed to have her in my life! 

I am going to the antique auto show with Mark, and his son Jeremy and Tracey.  My trip lasted until 11:15 last night.  I feel a cold coming on, but I slept in and rested most of the morning.  So it'll be fun and I'll be fine.

I somehow signed up for a trip on Monday (our day off Columbus day).  It's to the Chicago Botanical Gradens.  An awesome place, but it's all tollway driving North of the City.  But it won't be bad driving and I am going to really enjoy the place.  I love plants and am allowed to go in with  the class for free!, so I am very excited.  PLUS I get paid to enjoy!

Enjoy the weekend!!  My brother-in-law Mitch made it Colorado, today it's supposed to be 80's there and then by Monday snow and 30"s!  Wow!