bye bye 2006~

Bye Bye 2006!  In an hour I will have  a house full of babies, well only 3 but I can't think of a better way to ring in the new year.  Doubt if they will see it,but I will.  I live in town and the village always lets off fireworks at midnight.  Last year I had just gotten home from Florida and  I think I was in bed before midnight. 

I made a mistake yesterday, the photo was taken by Tracey of the boys.  I have to figure out how to load my pictures to my  computer or even if it's possible.   My processor may be too slow.  We shall see. I was deleting stuff last night and it made a world of difference in the speed.  I always seem to make this old friend work!

Happy new year all, be well, safe and enjoy!

Love from me!

So my pictures will be coming soon! 

Oh oh she's armed and dangerous!

Hubby is in the other room watching President Ford's funeral march, Liz, fresh from a new haircut is working, Jim is walking my dog.  Me?  I am in heaven.  I got my new camera today.  It's a Canon, very nice for what I will be using it for.  Plus I can always trade up when I get the hang of modern technology.  I mean for God's sake I still have one of those slimline cameras that uses 110  film.  Do they even make that film anymore?   I am very pleased and thrilled!!

Tomorrow is New Year's eve.  Honestly I am very happy for a new year.  2006 sorta sucked, but it was certainly a year of growth for me.  And my family grew that's for sure!  My break from work is the first one that I haven't either babysat or traveled during in a few years.  It's been very pleasant except for the two times I saw my boss while out shopping, ugh!  Yesterday I made the mistake of drinking a huge cup of coffee at like 5 pm.  Wow, the effects didn't wear off until like 3 in the morning!

There is an endless amount of things I can get into while hanging around my house.

Time to go chase the cats around with my new toy, tomorrow I get baby models!

 

See that little smiling elf in the middle!  That's Rylan!  He's my nephew who was born this past February.  His twin only lived 2 days, but look at this big boy!  The other two cuties are my brother's stepchildren. 

Can you guess which of these two are my blood relations???  Heather is 3rd from the left and Haley is the little girl in front.  These two dark haired, green eyed sweethearts are my neices, Haley is so much like her Aunt Rose that she has hairy arms just like me!  Of course the other three are my youngest brother's stepchildren.  God bless poor Conner being raised with all these girls!  You can just see the look of "Joy" on his face!

I have been a big girl and not made a big deal about getting an email picture from my brothers, no Christmas card,....I guess that is why they make Walgreen's online print service!

I have made some decisions about myself and the new year.  Some wonderful things happened to me over the holiday, which for me personally has strengthed my otherwise shaky faith.  I put on a good act, but I was once told it's ok to 'fake it to you make it' and I am starting to believe that all the faith stuff I've been preaching is finally taking hold.   And it feels great!

I had all three of the grandsons here on Wednesday, but only Jacob stayed overnight.  Long story, but that was ok, big brother needs some personal attention from the grandparents, plus he loved hanging out with big old Uncle Jim.  They spent hours watching monster trucks and played some video game.  Sometimes I wonder which one acts older!

The grandbabies will be here again for New Years Eve and I can't think of three more handsome guys to ring the new year in with, even if they are fast asleep!

I did receive some gift cards that will enable me buy a very nice digital camera.  We will going out tomorrow to check some out.  It's been in the 50's here and today we took a ride on the motorcycle, tomorrow we will do the same!  

My son Eric won a gift card at Menards, he found the secret thief who was sent to "steal".  It was good amount of cash too.  He gave it to me for Christmas.  It will buy half a dryer, I will be able to pay for the other half!  I feel so blessed to have such great & thoughtful kids.

Here's to 2007 being the best yet!

 

 

humph ... 3rd try ...

Merry day after Christmas!!

Once again AOL is up to it's dirty tricks and not letting me do an entry.  This will be my third try...

Here's my weekend in a nutshell...

Christmas Eve we spent with the grandkids.  The tonka backhoe was a hit with Jacob, Dakota loved his firetruck PJ's insisting on putting them on immediately after opening them.  Tracey was thrilled with the blanket I made Dayton and to prove it wrapped him in it, he promptly fell asleep!  We got the kids mostly clothes as they have a small toy store of trucks and various vehicles at their house.  Tracey exclaimed after opening Dayton's gifts, "look Dayton now you have your own clothes", a nod to his 3rd child gets the hand me downs status.

My kids were here yesterday, it was a quiet lazy day filled with their loud happy stories.  Eric said it took over an hour past closing time to run all the last minute shoppers out of Menards on Christmas eve.  Ho ho ho.

We had our annual chinese takeout, and I even had to stop by my beloved, dependable Walgreens for cough medicine (for Mark).

I have more later, regarding my own family, but I will see if this one goes through.

 

Oh & I will be getting a dryer and a camera!  ;) 

here comes Santa Claus!!! and I can flush!

It took 4 days, but our pipes are finally clear and we can flush!!  Thanks to my handy stepson.  He not only makes pretty babies, but he figured out the power tools that cleared our pipes!

Friday we had the boys over so Tracey

could run some errands.  In a matter of weeks Dayton is learning to sit up, Dakota has become a boy and Jacob is an awesome big brother.

Yesterday I finished up my Christmas shopping.                         

Tonight will be spent with the little ones, a home cooked ham by Tracey and an ear full of holiday cheer via Liz who has to work until 6:30.  God bless the last minute shopper.

Truly I do wish to express my heartfelt graditude to YOU all my J-land buds!  You are a blessing in my life.  Merry Christmas to you all!  And to all a good night!

birthday, christmas break and spewing drains

Last Sunday was Dakota's birthday party.  If you look close on the table you can read where my children had the event.  High class, those kids.  My husband's ex took my picture too...hopefully I won't be feeling any darts hitting my head anytime soon.  Just kidding everyone was very well behaved, even the Bears fans. 

It's now Christmas break in our house and to celebrate my plumbing backed up!  As my washer was spinning, water was shooting up the drain in the basement.  Fortunately it was from the washer not the potty!  A few bottles of professional strength drain cleaner, a few hundred plunges later we are back to flushing as normal.  Thankfully, we didn't have a plumber for Christmas.

Happy last minute shopping you all!

 

here i am!!

  Here I am!  I am never and I mean never, ever going to call off work again!  EVER!  If I wasn't still quesy on Tuesday morning going to work, seeing the mess that was made of my routes did!  Actually, whatever flu bug we had, I still can't eat right...usually chicken stars keeps my tummy from jumping.

Anywho...back to Monday, the standby driver who was scheduled to run my route did not come to work.  She also did not talk to a live person when she called in, only the voice mail which doesn't get checked right away.  So.........after 45 minutes of standing on the street corner my Junior high kids head home and their parents call in and send them right back!  45 minutes!! bless their little preteen souls they actually had enough faith in me to hang out for that long!  I came in to work and my bus was in the shop.  Something to do with brakes, no way I say, I know my bus.  Ok, seems the sub driver was driving with the emergency brake on.  Filled the whole bus up with smoke.  wow!

I got my bus back, was welcomed back with, "don't you ever leave us again" lecture by parents and kids...and was on my way.  I also told them to not put coal in my stocking for my punishment!

The week actually went fine, quick too, as time tends to do this time of year.  Almost done with my Christmas shopping thanks to the fine folks at Kohl's and my daughter's amazing associate discounts.

You all will be stuck with me this Christmas break, we are staying here for the Holiday, no Florida to see dad.  Too hard to juggle it this time, with Liz's job, and the money output that come with this time of year, my car needs a new tire, my dryer needs to be replaced, blah blah blah.  BUT my spring break is the end of March.  We will aim for then.  My dad really miss us, and us him.  Besides it is 80 during that time of year and I will be very, very ready for the BEACH, after a long midwest winter!

This little guy is going to be 2 on Tuesday! 

Dakota!

 

 

sick day

Baby Dayton give the "raspberries"

In my last entry I wrote about grandma having the flu bug.  I meant to type grandpa as that is who Jacob was asking me about.  Little did I know that I too would eat  the flu bug.  Liz and I went to the kid's house on Saturday to watch them while Jeremy and Tracey went Christmas shopping.  Mark being sick was safely at home not to spread the flu bug.  He was nasty too...moaning and groaning, up in bed for 3 days!  Very unlike the man, he has never called off work in the 12 years I've been married to him.  He did that Friday.  Hopefully, I did not pass the flu on to the boys!  Liz says she feels fine, so fingers crossed the kids are ok too.

I did get the bug but only for a few hours...I felt a bit queasy yesterday, but still managed to go to Liz's Christmas Concert. It's a yearly event that has all the bands and choirs performing together.  It's very enjoyable too.

Today I am feeling much better, just a bit tired, but I have 42 sick days accumulated since I started 4 years ago.  I have only called off work one other time and that is because I nearly fainted from some type of illness that some little school child passed onto me.  At least this time I caught the bug from an adult!

I took today off to make sure I was over my bug.  Resting up for the home stretch as we only have this week and 3 days next week of school until break.  And I do not feel guilty about staying home.  The rest is welcome and I will be back tomorrow feeling like my old self again.

While babysitting Saturday Jacob did not want to take a nap for fear I'd be gone when he woke up.  I assured him he could come to my house this coming weekend and spend the night.  Dakota, too.  Now I know how my mom felt as my kids were always wanting to spend time with her. 

It's a balmy 40's here and all the snow is melting.  Mark is back to work and will be working until at least Christmas.  Possibly longer, he has another job lined up for winter.  Seasonal work is something we have had a tough time getting used to.  Mostly we can swing it financially, but having Mark home all day for 2 months is just too much.  He drives himself crazy with the down time.  But it always works out!

 

 

    

 

flu bug

 

Jacob:  Granma Rose, how did grandma eat a flu bug?

Me:   I dunno Jacob I dunno...

Newton close the door!

Winter is once again early this year!  I hate winter...don't get me wrong, I love the snow covered trees, the icicles, the flickering colored lights all a-glow...for about a week!  Then the cold and the blowing and the snotty noses, and slippery streets can go away!

It's been cold here, darn cold....1 degree and some days with the wind below zero cold.  The only good thing is our buses are started for us in the morning and all I have to do is flip my heaters on and ahhhhhhhh heat. 

Other issues with cold??  My gas bill...I have had my heat on since October, I never like to turn my heat on until at least December.  We have done some insulation in some of the breezy areas of our 150 year old house which should help this year.  In my kitchen I have a door if you don't close it tight my cat Newton will push it open and go out into the breezeway.  He likes to drink the dog's water and in the summer he likes to think I don't see him sitting behind my ficcus.  This room is always cold in the winter and is not well insulated, to put it mildly it's frigid out there, plus one of doors in only a screen door.  So the other night I hear my old boiler working hard, the poor thing is making loud noises, I think it's the neighbors and ignore it.  Until Mark goes downstairs and sees the back door wide open...$$$ out the door!   I guess I could teach the dog to shut the door!  Or at least send one of the other cats to tell on Newton!

Last weekend my dryer went out.  This dryer was given to me by a girl I used to work with 3 years ago...the dryer was on it last leg then, I guess three years with a old dryer is pretty good.  It's been so dry in my house with the freezing temperatures I just use plenty of fabric softener and I use my clothes to humidify my house!  Even jeans are dry by morning.  Works until I can get a new dryer...I see a trip to Menards in my future.  I refuse to get a dryer for Christmas!  Since my hinting for best buy gift cards may come true, I will not trade my wish for a camera for a stupid dryer!

Add the fact that the kids were all wild this week on the bus.  No recess makes for a whole lot goofing around.  Especially with the added mess of gloves, snow pants, scarves, mittens, etc.  And the bad drivers seemed to all be out when I was trying to get my midday preschoolers to school.  I think most of the stop signs were out of order in their neighborhoods.  Oh yeah a girl at work backed into my car door, lucky for me I honked my horn and she did no damage....but that was during the full moon, so that explains that.

Today, my husband spent the day in bed with the flu.  Not the cold flu, the run to the bathroom, moaning "I am dying" flu.  I saw a vision of my future with this man and I hope to God it doesn't involve adult diapers!  Thankfully he has slept most of the day, hidden away in the bedroom.

Tracey called and I think she has cabin fever.  She was telling me about her mom watching the kids tonight but she wanted to go Christmas shopping tomorrow.  She didn't think her mom would want to keep the kids both days.  I told her to please bring them to me!  I'll lock the hubby in the bedroom and we can play in the snow.  It's supposed to warm up to a tropical 40 tomorrow, prefect for rolling around in the dirty week old snow piles.  Dakota has decided I am to be called ga'ma whoa-se.  He's so funny he told on Jacob who 'scared' him.  He'll be 2 on the 19th.

Dayton now weighs in at 19 pounds!  He will be 5 months on the 20th.  What in the hell are they putting the Simalac these days!  My oldest was a fatso, he was breastfed and was a big boy, but wow 19 pounds at 5 months!

I saw this picture of Uncle Jim ( the son who is now living with us) and Dayton and thought he was Dakota at first!

Enough out of me...between the cold air cooling off my hot flashes I should be fine this lovely evening!

ooopss!

sorry about the 5 alerts!  aol hiccuped!

Saturday & shopping

I am over my pity party regarding Thanksgiving.   I was actually over it right away.  Years of therapy, self help groups and  counselors have taught me that feelings aren't facts and most likely the reason for my feelings was something other than what actually was going on that day.  Any time I mention feelings to my husband he thinks he has to do something about it.  Like defending my honor or something. This time of year I miss my mother more than ever, and no matter how hard I try I tend to be just like her.  Her only job in life was being a wife, mother and grandmother. I, too have made a career out of motherhood including my stepchildren and I take things very personally.  For instances the kid above with Jacob is Dale my stepson, I've known him since he was 8.  He lived with us for a year when he was 17.  We nearly had him graduated, but he got mad at us for our rules and went back to his mother.  He now at 20 does very little but get in trouble and drink.  He's such a cool person too.  He would never come here for a holiday, nor would his brother Dustin.  Last year when we had the pizza party Thanksgiving get together neither boy showed up.  But come to think of it the middle stepson, Matt and Dustin didn't show up for his mom's gig either.  See how irrational I can be!! 

So......enough of that.  I am so happy my kid works at Kohl's!  They have the best sales ever!  And associates get special saving at different times during the holiday.  Like the other day I got a bunch of gifts for the boys for 1/2 off the normal and then 30 percent off that.  Such a deal. 

Jacob is very much into camouflage prints for his clothes...God the kid is already into a style!  I found some camouflage long johns that are so cool.  So I am having fun buying gifts this year.  Tracey requested clothes so I am looking for unigue and 'cool' stuff.

I am doing better...my feelings are fine.  I am happy hibernating in my nice warm house.  We are having a cold spell right now.  My world with all the lights, snow covered trees and clear sky looks like a Christmas Card.  It really does wondersfor the spirit.

I am off to enjoy my evening...

SNOW DAY!

WoW!  We actually had a snow day!  Nearly every school in my area was closed.  I am thinking because it was sleeting all night and then the snow piled on top of it...made for a very dangerous mess.  Plus it's Friday!  I got up at my normal time and watched the news waiting for my school to be in the list of closings.  The news was very organized with all the counties in alphabetic order, BUT they kept going to commercial and restarting the list!  My county is in the K's.  Just as I was headed to the shower, my phone rang telling me school was called off, just as the news showed my school in the list!

We ended up with around 5 inches of snow, but it's the heavy, blowing type that makes for a heart attack when you try and shovel it.  That's what kids are for!

I went back to bed, & slept in, ever grateful that I didn't have to go out and deal with a bunch of drivers who forgot how to drive in the snow and ice.  Many of the same who have no clue how to drive in the rain either!

The above picture is from Thanksgiving.  I didn't talk about this before because I was trying not to be a big baby, but my stepson, Jeremy who has all the grandkids coddles his mother something awful.  She insists on hogging the holidays with the boys, like she is the only parent.  So...she along with the 3 of the brothers (not Matt his wife insists on him only going to her folks house!) went to Jeremy's for Thanksgiving and we were not invited.  Mark was so upset that he spent last Sunday stomping around the house being generally an ass to me and anyone else who was home, finally locking himself in the bedroom.  I ignored him and went about my day.  Tracey sent Mark some pictures from the day of the kids, I am trying very hard to be a bigger person and not be resentful.  After all she would have preferred we be there and who ever (Mark's ex) has a problem with it just not attend.  :::sigh::: I am ok, this crap went on when Jacob was born, Mark's ex used to head over to their house whenever she thought we'd be there and just take the kid and leave with him!  Now she's too involved with all her illnesses to bother.

I think Jeremy is being filled with guilt now because he is being overly nice to Mark.  Tracey's mother's house is in need of major electrical work and Jeremy is doing it.  Mark is over there right now helping.  Jeremy keeps talking about how is going to help do our kitchen some day.  Or maybe he's kissing Mark's butt for free help.  Whatever...Mark's not here bugging me. 

I truly believe in the law of cause and effect....what comes around goes around (my mom used to tell me this) and it's a round world (my bil's saying).

But all I do is look at that little face and I know life will even everything out!

Be around visiting you all... on my snow day!

 

snow...and a bunch of it or not??!

The weather forcast is for a huge snowstorm tonight into (of course) rush hour tomorrow.  The guess (my words) 'forecast' is for 6 to 16 inches of snow!  Wow!  Yesterday it was 65 today a freezing 30.  Can you say snowday?  NOPE!  Not in my district.  The head honcho is from Minnesota and supposedly doesn't believe in snow days.  We are supposed to be tough and handle the snow, weather, ice, wind even it's up over our rear ends.  Hopefully, since the guy is in Springfield, someone with a brain will call off the school day. 

And then again...we could get no snow!

Stay tuned!

I am the only one in my household not working today...or yesterday.  Yesterday I was in a post turkey daze.  So I spent it wandering my house, taking a nap, doing a bit of laundry, only venturing out to pick up some milk.  As soon as I walked into the Walgreens though I was met by only 10 minutes left of our 8 hour sale, this mascara is free after a rebate, how 'bout these watches?! 75 percent off!  AHHHHHH! 

I escaped with my milk and some dish soap. 

Liz finally got her scheduled fixed at work.  It's been three weeks of no hours or "just come in whenever",  because the computer has it she quit.  She finally went to the store manager and boy did he fix her.  She was given the hours of the Elizabeth that is no longer there.  She is working tomorrow, and Wednesday through Saturday next week.  It's good for her, her Choir is going to Texas during spring break.  We've paid for two past trips, she can help this year. Although the kid  is always generous with her money and her time.  That's what I like about her, her spirit of giving.  Now I need to teach her the spirit of saving.

Today I managed to get out to Curves.  I always mentally feel better when I go there.  Something about all those women, and all that bitching that makes me feel all warm inside.  Only thing is today a girl came in with her mom and sister who looked very familiar.  She was one of my little darlings from my route from hell last year.  She recognized me of course.  She is someone else rider this school year, but I heard on Tuesday that the sub had to take the bus back to the school because of their behavior.  They told my supervisior that they missed me because I let the do whatever they wanted.  Nice...

I  am getting my mind around the upcoming Christmas.  I always love the pictures of homes all decorated with greenary and lights.  Today it's 60 so I will be outside putting up some lights.  No ladder climbing though save that for the men.

Need to enjoy the weather though, a change is brewing ...by Thursday we will be back to the 30's ...

I am off....have a good one!

I will not be shopping today, I am not crazy!  I will be saving my Christmas shopping for my afternoon off, during the week.  Or better yet I will drag hubby out in the evening.  Over the years he has always (or I have taken this job on) expected me to shop for everyone including his sons.  I got sick of guessing at gifts and he happily (yeah right) comes now.  Although the boys are getting older and more difficult to buy for.  We usually think of something though. 

I dropped Liz at Kohl's this morning (7:30 am) and the parking lot was packed.  She should come home just beaming with  the spirit of Christmas and the Love of fellow man!

We had a very nice dinner yesterday.  My kids were here and we got to talk football and listen to the adventures of being single men (ICK! MEN??) in their twenty's.  Eric is definitely broke up with this high school sweetheart of 4 years.   He's words are he finally has his soul back.  hmmmmmm.

It was all I could do to stay awake, football talk, and turkey make me sleepy.  When the boys went to their dad's I took my dog for a walk,that snapped me out of it.  The evening was beautiful and my neighborhood peaceful.  Except for the tipsy couple taking their grandpa to the car, the lady was giggling loudly and grampas was doing his best to get to the car!  Thankfully for grampa he had other more sober folks to drive him home.

Ya gotta love the holidays!

Being a good parent involves instilling a certain amount of guilt in your children.  Mark's kids are feeling it, for missing out on Thanksgiving.  Matthew (who was recently baptist) called last evening making his normal excuses for only visiting his wife's family.  Jeremy called Mark today and invited us over on Sunday.  I figured they'd come around.  They do love their dad, but their mother is better at making them do what she wants them to do for the holidays.  Me?  I would rather be at the beach, the whole holiday season to me just seems so expensive and commercial.  I am working on the relationships rather than the stuff.

Got it?

My father called me from sunny Florida...he spent the day with my stepmom's ex's family.  I told you my family is weird.  He said it's been cold 50's...hee hee it's 60 here!

AND SUNNY!

And I am headed out to enjoy the weather!

happy cleaning, pie making, turkey day eve!

ok, this is my 3rd try my computer keeps shutting off.  so, no fancy stuff here...the brief lowdown...

spent the day cleaning and baking sara lee pies...

& defrosting my turkey....

no work until monday...yay!

my kids are coming tomorrow for dinner...

hubby's are not...

they are going to be with their mom...better luck next year...

hubby is working friday and saturday, unheard of at the company he works for...

yay!  grandma rose is going christmas shopping!

liz has to work friday and saturday at kohls, but early, (7 to 3) she's happy no cleaning up after the tornado of shoppers...

oh oh !!  the temperature tomorrow??!!  60 degrees!!  double yay

i'll close with a jacob funny...when he says his prayers at night he says..."God bless daddy, god bless mommy, god bless grandma and grandpa rose"...hee hee grandpa rose!

Hope you all have a very very happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

I am glad this week is over...I let things there get to me.  The girl that trained me to drive a school bus told me to go home, and NOT let the job bother me.  DONE!

I ordered  a cheap pizza, and now I am putting my feet up and work on a blanket I am making for Dayton...

Ah...........thank God for the weekend!

Dayton...baby drool!

Batman and Robin!

wow a week's gone by!

It's been a week since my last entry.  WOW! 

My stepson Jim is fine.  His truck is sitting in my driveway.  It was hit twice and is in pretty bad shape. The guy that hit him has no insurance, hell I doubt if he's a legal American citizen.  Jim he was behind on his truck payments so he had no insurance either. 

First let's back up.  Jim was staying at his brother Matt's house right after the accident.  They are only 13 months apart but ages apart in maturity.  Jim is the older, Matt acts older.  Mark stepped in & he invited Jim to stay here for awhile.  Jim is really not feeling like driving right now so he gets rides to the job sites, or he took Mark to work one day and drove to the job site, which was nearby.  I am leary about letting any of our kids driving any of our two cars for too long.  I know I was a bad adult/child (after my divorce I was, let's say "off" emotionally for about 3 years) and wrecked not only my own car, but my father's.  This was nearly 20 years ago, so I have outgrown that trait, especially after raising so many kids and driving children for a living.  You tend to be way more responsible and careful, at least I do. 

Anyway, Jim will most likely be here for a while, which is fine, he needs us for moral support.  Everyday we remind him to take life a day at a time, a step at a time. I actually need to realize that with so many children somebody will be back home at some point in my life.  We have plenty of room.  Funny thing is my brother and I both moved our children and us back in with my folks, history repeats itself.  And yesterday I had a sobbing Jacob telling me he wanted to stay at my house after he had just spent the day with me.  Tracey was helping her mom pack up here house, she has to have some major electricial work done and has to move out for awhile, so the kids spent the day with me.  I promised Jacob he could stay next weekend, alone with no brothers.  My kids spent a load a time with my mom and dad.  I guess being adored by grandkids is a grandma's purpose in life!

The feeling is mutual...

warm up...

Liz told me Friday night that she had no hours scheduled at work for this upcoming week.  I thought that was rather odd as she has worked every weekend and was only able to get off if she asked or gave her hours away.  I picked her up last night and she was fuming.  Seems when she clocked in one of the managers wanted to know why she was there, that she had quit!  Liz said "huh?!"  Seem the manager got her confused with two different employees a girl named Elizabeth who was on a week vacation and a girl whose last named started with an H like Liz's who had quit.  Whoa...so the boss says, " so liz you can work tomorrow 9 to 4.  Liz says, "no...I am here tonight until 12:30 am". The manager overruled and Liz went to work this morning.  This is all great experience for my kid.  If she gets tired of working retail she will work harder in school next year when she goes to College.  She is going to a nearby Junior college.  I learned that expensive lesson with her older brothers that not all children are ready to be shipped off to a four year school.  Liz is an average student, but hates math, loves english.  She would love to teach, so here you go kid, work hard and get a good education.  For some of us retail sucks, people are slobs and rude.  She told me today that she worked the kids department and kids were throwing clothes everywhere, or one mom was smacking her kid.  But with everything in life the kid gets to learn a whole lot about the working world.

Dayton & Dakota...Kota always has a ouchy somewhere on his head!

Friday morning I was dozing.  The grandkids had been up late and Dakota is a very restless sleeper.  It takes forever for the kid to give it up and then he moans & rolls around until he goes into a deep sleep.  While I was dozing I heard he was awake & I kept saying, "Koda what are you doing?"  he'd say, "I night night".  So I left him be night night.  Soon Liz comes flying in the room telling me I needed to call my husband as "im" (either my son Tim orMark's son Jim) had been in an accident.  The cell phone line was bad so she couldn't tell which kid.  I ran to the phone.  It was my stepson Jim, his pick up truck  had been hit by a car that had ran a red light.  All the brothers work together so Matt came to the scene.  I called the hospital as Mark was very upset & at work driving his dump truck.  By this time Jim was released his mom came and got him,as I had the boys.  His truck is totaled.  But he is ok.  Geez, it's hard to let your kids grow up and be adults...they still are my heart even if he's my stepson, I've been his mom for 12 years.  But hopefully this will wake this kid up.  He's been burning the candle at both ends.  Last winter his Christmas present was me paying his electric bill.  He makes great pay as a heavy machine operator, but has no skills in budgeting.  The brother that came to the scene, Matt, has a home, a wife and a savings account.  I think he is going to try and convince his brother to wake up and take responsibility for his life.  It's not all about partying.  Jim's nearly 27...

:::SIGH:::  Sometimes you just gotta step back and trust the powers that be...we all have our own time and season to learn what life is about.  But it's hard to stand back and watch....heck I am not that good at it yet either!

Jacob working....

 

~Kids, concerts and COLD~

There was no school on Friday so I asked Tracey if I could take the kids for the night.  I ended up with only 2, Jacob and Dakota.  Which was fine.  Liz had her concert at school so Mark and I took the boys.  They were absolute angels!  I gave them each a small box of raisins so that kept their hands busy during the slow songs, but during the upbeat ones Dakota bobbed his head, he loves to dance so I imagine he really enjoyed the music.  Their parents were very pleased as Tracey would like to take them to the Paramont Arts center, which has holiday shows each year.  She is such a great mother, the kids have learned so much with her home all day. 

Yesterday Tracey brought Dayton and ran some errands.  I even got the kids to take a nap.  I had planned on going to the park, but the 20 degree temperature kept us indoors.  No matter there's always playdough and monster trucks.  Oh yeah that kitty cat Ike sure does like a good scratch from the little guys!

This picture is from two summers ago.  Jacob was just 2 when he got this power wheel motorcycle for his birthday.  Dakota was only 7 months old, but his brother took good care of his little bro...I just love this photo...

eek it's dark!

I always have trouble with the time change.  My first pickups are at 6:45, before sunrise, now it is bright and sunny.  This morning my normally half asleep high school group (9th grade boys) were goofing around and stringing seat belts together.  ::sigh:::I am sure they will settle down soon.

Saturday night we watched the boys and decided since it was the last big breakfast at our campground, we help cook, that we would just stay at the trailer since it's just down the street.  Our house is about 20 minutes from the kid's house.  So we stopped by the trailer before going to the kids house to light the furnace as it would be dark & late when we came back.  And when it's dark a job like lighting the furnace involves a lot of swearing since we usually forget how to do it from year to year.  As I open the camper door I see some mouse poop, this is not unsual, the gun club is in the middle of farms and the fields are all being harvested.  Mark realizes he did not put the steel wool in the hole for the power cord so the mouse found his way in.  No biggie, I am used to cleaning up after mice.  BUT then I look up...there is a tree branch poking into my trailer...and there is a hole where the tree branch came through....more swearing (not by me, I decided to laugh...one of us has to be the calm one and this time it's my turn).  We survey the damage and decided to head to Jeremy's for the items we need to repair the damage.  It all ended up working out a-ok as after talking to some other club members we have been included in a group that will be sealing their roofs with left over roofing tar from one of the member's jobs.  We will trade work for tar...pretty nifty.

Liz's play was very, very good.  It was a Neil Simon production and I actually had a good time. This one was very well acted with an elaborate stage.  She ended up working yesterday and again tonight.  Kohl's is having a big sale for family members with 15 percent extra savings this upcoming weekend.  We can pick out what we want and then pay for it on the weekend.   We will be going Wednesday.  The boys have so many toys that Tracey requested clothes for Christmas.  I love shopping for the  little ones, but with so many boys do you think Jeremy will notice if I buy Dayton pink?!??

Jeremy with the boys at the pumpkin farm.  Look the deer even posed!

end of the week

This week went super fast.  I did have my x-ray redone on Tuesday.  At first they claimed I was never there...or at least not since 1998.  I think that was when I had my first Mammogram there!  Ish!  But somebody figured it out.  Finally... my husband, who went with me, was getting miffed. 

Tonight I am going to Liz's play.  They are doing 'Rumors'.  She is head of stage crew this year, and so far she only freaked out one time.  The Play started Wednesday night and runs until Saturday night.  I must of taught my kid well, she sure knows how to set boundaries.  She had to stop two kids from flirting when they were supposed to be working the behind the scenes props and told another kid to go home when he wouldn't help her clean up after the production.  The girl called her a 'bitch' & and complained about her.  A normal teenager would have gotten upset and backdown, not my kid.  Liz is only 18, it took me years of therapy to learn how to say 'no' let alone manage people.  I am so proud of her!  Her boyfriend is coming home for the weekend too, he's been at school since the middle of August.  What I like about these two, they were friends first since Junior high, while they are apart they do their own thing, but still are considered a couple.  They handle their young relationship very well.  Makes me stress less about her at least.

 

Tracey with the boys at the Brookfield Zoo~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Otherwise, things are going fine around my world.  We are watching the boys tomorrow night.  The kids are going to a comedy club.  I look forward to it, and weather is supposed to be a balmy 60 degrees! 

Can't wait to squeeze this little guy!

my boy is 22 today

My son Eric turned 22 today!

 

Happy birthday to my awesome son!

 

 

cold & sleepy

 

My grandson summed  my day up today.  YAWN!  The weather here resembles mid December rather than October.  It's cold, raw and gray.  Fortunately for me I came home on break at 9:00 am and took an hour nap...ah refreshed, but still hating the midwest fall/pre-winter blah!! 

FLORIDA !!!  anyone??!!!

I don't care if I use all my penny's for gas (it's $2.01 here) I am getting to Florida this winter break!

the cure for hot flashes!

My husband dared me to ride with him out to Jeremy and Tracey's house, on his motorcycle!  The temperature outside?  32 degrees...the bike does have a windshield, which helped.  The kids live 20 minutes away.  With plenty of clothes on the trip was fine, I actually wasn't cold at all...maybe the menopausal furnace inside me will workout afterall.

And I got to see the boys, too!  Dayton was asleep. Outside, Jacob was helping Jeremy cut wood for their fireplace and Dakota was wandering around (needing a nap) in a daze saying, "pa pa, pa pa".  While I was visiting with Tracey she sent me some more picutures of the boys.

Dayton from the visit last Sunday at the pumpkin farm.  I remember when Dakota could wear that Harley sweatshirt!

 

and

What a happy group, I do not have blue eyes so I don't have 'red eye'!

Have a great rest of the weekend I am off to enjoy!

 

oh it's so hard to be a woman

This week has been one emotional rollercoaster for this girl.  Being 49 and a woman is a crazy, hot flash-filled, teary-eyed experience.  I lost by bus keys this week, the school lost my kid, my youngest turned 18 yesterday, my middle kid had problems with an atm machine (debited his account gave him no $$), my oldest and my middle stepson went out to dinner and a football game with us last night, & I am still here smiling and feeling utter relief that it's Saturday & I am home safe and sound.  Oh yeah and sane too. 

Oh, and I had my yearly physical on Wednesday.  I have to have a Chest X-ray rather than a T.B. test as I test positive.  Thursday the office tells me that the clinic found 2 shadows on my x-ray.  Right where my breast (nipples) are, so I need to go back and get another x-ray.  Am I the only woman on earth who has nipples???    Of all my body parts I worry the least about my Lungs.  My blood pressure was it's usual low 117 over 67, my health great, but my x-ray?!  Ugh, I'll be going back today to take care of this.  I have to, to keep my bus permit.

 

Dakota, isn't he getting big??!

 

Aunt La La (my baby is 18!!) and baby Dayton

 

  My Jacob, he's all boy!

Photobucket re-did their picture sizing so I am still trying to figure it out.  Change sure is a hard and wonderful thing isn't it???!!!

Have a wonderful weekend !!! 

Homecoming pictures....

Thank you all so much for all your support and kind words regarding Liz.  My husband thinks I over reacted  Pooh on him.  I am mother, a mother's job is to protect her children no matter how old they are.  Mark's son is now out trouble, sort of.  He was arrested for some traffic tickets that were not paid.  His girlfriend got angry with him and called the police knowing he would go to jail.  He was out by noon.  Such drama, glad he does not live here, he's 20 years old it's time to get over his parent's divorce (happened when he was 6) and grow up.  Least that's my humble opinion.

Here's my girl at Homecoming.  Boyfriend is 6 hours away at SIU so he did not come home.  She went with friends, she has no problem showing off her own unque style. 

                                     

Dakota came with to take pictures, he is fell asleep in the car right after we left.

                                                    

I had to have my neice download the pictures to her computer and put them on photobucket :::sigh::: at least I have them. 

I have come up with a brillant idea to get a good camera though!  My kids always give me gift cards for Christmas.  SO I am asking for gift cards to a Circuit City or Best Buy.  Then I can get my own digital camera and then look out world!!                           

 

 

A moment of utter terror

Have you ever had one of those moments with your kids, where you are in utter terror because you don't know where they are???

My 17 year old daughter walks the 1 mile to school every single day. Today I got a call from school saying she had been marked absent for 3 blocks.  The message was at 11:45 and I wasn't able to get to it until 12:45 after my bus routes.  I had last talked to Liz at 6:30 am.  She was in fact at school, she was selling tickets for a play, her first hour teacher didn't change the computer from absent to present after she came in late with a pass.  She helps in the DEANS office 2nd block & they too marked her absent.  Then third block she went late to class again because a student didn't show up to help with the ticket sales, she had pass that time too.  Finally they called me, I freaked out!  My child never, ever is absent let alone skips school.  I called the school back and demanded to know where she was, they said she is marked absent for three blocks, so that means she's not at school, so I said then something bad happened to her on the way to school because she is not at home.  Fortunately I work right behind the high school and was able to go directly there and told them to search for her.  By this time I was freaking out.   It was passing period but thank God the Dean located her in gym class and I saw my precious daughter face to face and got to hug her tight.  I am so relieved but very upset at the school for such irresponsible behavior.  My kid is fine, but me, I am not so sure how fine I will be for a while.  God is an awesome God, but His people I am not so sure.  I feel like the acts of the few punish the good.  The school was so ready to tell me my always responsible child had skipped school....period.  She wasn't there and they were in the clear.  The are so lucky they have a sympathetic security person, because my first call was going to be to the police. 

It's times like this that life puts things back into prespective.  It reminds you of what's important.  Not things but people, family...especially family.

My son Eric actually called me last night and we had a nice talk.  My stepson Dale is in trouble again, and hopefully he will finally take us up on the offer to come live here and we will guide him back to school and a sober life.  Who knows, one day at a time...it'll work out.

Love you guys and thanks for listening I can breath again!!

See this funny boy!   He's getting so big!  This picture is from his mom's photo album that I swiped while I was babysitting last night & emailed it to myself.  I told you all I'd crack this picture thing yet!  The picture is over a month old & the kid's cheeks are even bigger, but that smile is all Dayton!  He is happiest kid I've ever seen!

We watched the boys last night, they are all three getting so big, Dakota will be 2 in December and 3 year old Jacob has a memory of an elephant.  His favorite thing to say to me is, "da-ma do you remember the time...".    He easily recalls things we did together over the past few months.  Tracey tried to go back to work part time this past two weeks, but there are sitter problems that I won't go in to.  I did offer to watch them in the evening if she chose to work part time around my house.  There are many stores opening as my area is growing rapidly.  She really wants get out of the house.   She has some options open and I'd love the time to spend with these boys. 

We also went to the last football game that my son Tim is helping coach.  They lost in the last half second, by which I feel was a bad call.  But it was an exciting game.

Fall is definitely here, it snowed Thursday and the kids all started singing Christmas carols.  One preschool child even told me that we are skipping Halloween, because of the snow!  No way!  I am not ready for that!  I enjoy the fall too much.

Things are coming together in an awesome way in my life.  Mark and I are finally overcomings some issues that we have regarding our money & bills.  My faith has been tested over this and I am truly growing in a new way.  God truly has blessed me and today I feel overwhelmed with JOY~

 

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr, I spent the whole day off & on trying to get my CD disc of pictures from my buddies at the local Walgreens to work.  I think my spyware thinks it's  spying on me so it will only show the main screen but no pictures.  I know I'll figure it out, I always do...I've kept this old girl up and running for many many years and I am not going to let this little 'grrrrrr' keep me from getting this disc to work.  But I have so many adorable pictures to show off!!

My day off was nice, I did not watch the boys, so Liz and I hung out here.  My bil Mitch is in from Colorado.  His daughter is back from, not sure where, she is the one who's husband is at war in Iraq and their town threw them a big wedding last summer.  My bil had a bad accident a few years ago, shortly afterward his wife of 25 years divorced him.  He was no angel, but like most bitter woman (I can say this because I was once a very bitter ex-wife), she doesn't want my bil to be happy.  She's not, so he isn't allowed to be.  Mark's ex and her met regularly to discuss my husband and my bil.  Ish girls get over it!  Take it from me, you are never truly free until you let go of the crap and move on.  And forgive for God's sake, you are only hurting yourself by hanging on to the past.

Mark's ex was brought up again too.  My son Tim has a half brother named Joey who is in the 8th grade.  He plays Youth Tackle Football, my ex is the coach.  My son helps out so we went to the game yesterday afternoon to cheer them on as they are in the playoffs.  We've attended a few times this year, it's fun watching my son be a big person.  Anyway while we are climbing the bleachers, two ladies start calling Mark's name.  They happen to be old friends of his and his ex.  So we sit with them.  Again they talk about how his ex is still bitter...they can't see why either.  They were both so sweet to us.  Gabbing like old friends.  They even hugged me after the game.  Weird, but in a nice warm fuzzy way. 

I've learned in life that resentments are deadly, they will eat you alive if you let them.  I am no angel, I still get pissed like the next guy, but I forgive & move on.  Or at least try to.  Makes life easier.

My bil came over yesterday for awhile and will be staying with us Tuesday and Wednesday nights.  It's nice for my husband, he's worked hard over the years to be close to his family. 

I'll keep working on the disc, hopefully can show off soon!

Another fun filled week, the weather has been gorgeous, hubby worked all week also, Liz started work for real (with customers, store open) at Kohl's Thursday night.  When I picked her up there was a bit of normal teen whining, "God mom it's hot in here, my feet are killing me, you remember that girl who used to date my friend Mark from freshman year?, well she works at Kohls too and you know what she did?!!"  Gad girl do you have to scream, I just woke up from a nap!!  But she did have a few positives to say, such as she's made some friends, is using her acting abilitlies to make alliances via the show Survivor.  She feels like she will do better at work if she gets along with people, has a good work ethic.  Cool!   She worked last night and is there again tonight, but off until next Saturday.  She also used her age and curfew to get out staying until 2 am as they needed the store to be opening day perfect for today.  And let me tell you when I brought her dinner the store is wonderful, but people are slobs.  Leaving clothes hanging where ever they feel like hanging them.  I never cared for that practice, whenever I didn't want something  I always waddle my happy butt to where it belongs and put it back.  I work too and do not like it when others make my own job more difficult.

Speaking of jobs, I drove a 5 hour tennis trip today.  Mostly spent the day reading trashy magazines inside my bus, although I managed to read a Newsweek.  Some new person at work brings in all their old ones and I grab them to read and return.  Always to the proper spot mind you.  The extra hours are a God sent...as are Mark's...we are blessed I will never tire of saying that, even when I am freaking out over some stupid bill.  I have much to be thankful for...indeed.  I also am scheduled for a trip next Saturday morning.  I go to one junior high pick up the girl's volleyball team.  Take them to the junior high down the street from my house, drop them off, first giving the coach my cell number.  Then I park the bus in back and walk home to do whatever until th;ey call me & get paid.  Whoo hooo love my job!

I am off on Monday and will most likely have the grandkids...Tracey has my school calendar on her frig, with all my days off...I think that is so cute too.  My pictures will be ready tonight so tomorrow look for some pictures of my boys! 

a busy girl is a happy girl

Since school started back up I've been a busy girl.  Liz has been working, her store officially opens Thursday, Homecoming was last night, & we kept the boys last night at the trailer.  Dakota has gotten so grown up, he'll be 2 in December and he finally can play side by side with Jacob or by himself.  He's talking so much too.  Tracey did Liz's hair and she looked very cute.  She had big hair, and a strapless baby doll dress.  Liz was a little sad because Mike didn't come up from college to go to homecoming.  They officially started dating 2 years ago at homecoming.  Young love, speaking of I think my 21 year old Eric broke up with his girlfriend of 4 years, Tina.  I learned this again through Liz who got the tip via my space.  What weird world we live in.  This news is from last week, I am sure they patched things up by now.   My boys never tell me anything until way after the fact.  They are not like Liz who always has an update on her feelings and life.

Camping was great, we had a huge fire, and the boys helped us make chicken.  I love it!  Dayton is getting big too, he's only 2 months and 11 days old and already weighs 14 pounds!  I knew he was getting fat, he's a shorty too only 23 inches tall!  He's like his brother though never likes to lay down, always wants to be sitting up looking at all the action. 

Jeremy brought Jacob's 4 wheeler from home and they both got to zoom around the empty campground.  I love camping late in the season, less people, but we do have to watch out for the deer hunters.  Afterall, we do camp at a sportsmen's club.

One of these days I'll get my film developed.  Hopefully before the boys can drive.

take care!

 

mia

Hi all, I really am here, just more quiet than usual.  I've had an awful cold that started last Sunday and is finally leaving me.  It was more annoying than painful.  You know the kind that keeps you up all night with a runny nose??!!  Then the cough.  I did find the right combo of over the counter stuff and finally got some rest about midweek. 

I did watch the kids Saturday night, thankfully my cold was nearly gone!  They were their usual cute selves.  Dayton is getting huge, he has a big fat baby belly and thinks I am just so funny!  Liz had to work so I got him to myself, that is after I played monster trucks with Jacob and tickled Dakota.  He took a nap during that fun.   

The kids kept my mind off the silliness of my normal life, my job, traffic, bills, the weather, my hubby's job, etc.  God does bless us in wonderful and magically ways!

 

stop rainning already!

It's been raining here since Sunday ... ick!  As I've said before:  big rain means no work for my hubby  = no pay.  He should be going back Friday which is ok, but he's driving me nuts with the sitting on Ebay...looking at motorcycle stuff, polishing his motorcycle...ok not that nuts he does cook the dinner and run Liz to school (walking the mile in the rain would stink for her), and tomorrow take her to her job.  Hopefully this little break in work will remind him that he still needs to line work up for the winter, just for his attitude alone.  He has a few things lined up already.  Besides I told him the only way he get to go to Disney when we go see my dad over break is to make some extra $$$$.  Personally, I'd rather lay on the beach like last year.  Plus he decided to buy Jeremy's fancy motorcycle...if he wants play he needs to earn the pay right??!

Gas is finally going down in these parts...$2.63 from $3.20 ish, which was one of the highest in the nation.  My little car gets great milage, we only spent $180.00 on gas on our trip last year.  I am ready for some fun on the gulf!  It's in the 60's here already and I had to try and figure out the heat on my new bus 60.  Monday the wet, hot blooded junior high kids fogged my windows up so bad I could hardly see.  I hadn't turned some knobs to make heat so now I know.

So far things are going well.   I do have a very young Early childhood group that are not very verbal.  They tend to scream alot, plus I have more girls than last year.  High pitch screeching can be a bit much...  All part of the job, my monitor is awesome, skilled and as with any new school year we will all adjust to each other. 

My junior kids are still a dream...I wonder when they will wake up and become normal??!!!

Tomorrow night Jeremy and Tracey are going out...so.......we are babysitting.  I haven't seen the kids in 2 weeks...bet Dayton is huge...hope I can pry him out of Liz's hands!!

That is if Jacob lets me, Dakota is all about Papa so at least we have enough big peoplelove to pass around...

see ya!

 

2996 project...9/11 tribute

Martin Boryczewski
A Mother's Tribute to an All-Star Son

These are not my words but from an article written about Martin.

May 17, 2002

In his mother's home, Martin Boryczewski's bedroom remains as it was the day he died -- the bed neatly made, sports posters and photographs on the wall along with some of his trophies in their usual places.

It's a room full of memories.

Boryczewski, 29, an institutional stock trader for Cantor Fitzgerald, pursued a dream before eventually joining the firm: He was a good enough baseball player to be signed by the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates, playing four years for minor league teams in their organizations.

Boryczewski was on the 104th floor of Tower One, along with several of his colleagues, when the tower was struck Sept. 11. His family thinks this is where he died that day.

Three months before the terrorist attacks, he began to gradually move out of his mother's home in Parsippany, N.J., and into a Hoboken, N.J., condominium. "Everything is left the way it was," the trader's mother, Krystyna Boryczewski, said.

Her son was a sportsman who loved fishing as well as baseball. He graduated with a business degree from St. Peter's College in Jersey City.

Before joining Cantor Fitzgerald, where he worked for about 18 months, he was employed at several other bond firms, including National Discount Brokers.

But his first love was baseball. "Marty was a catcher and a very good pitcher," his mother recalled.

Golf was also another of his passions. His mother said he started in that sport when he was about 12. She said that a week before the tragedy, he bought a new set of golf clubs, and that they stand unused in a corner of that bedroom of remembrance. An unopened box of fishing gear he ordered also is at home.

In the garage, there's a bass boat that Boryczewski used for fly fishing. He would often tow it to the Poconos in Pennsylvania with his father, Michael, who is divorced from his mother. Together, he and his dad would try their luck at a nearby lake.

Krystyna Boryczewski recalled that about 10 days before the terrorist attacks, her son went deep sea fishing off the Jersey Shore with his boss, Paul Furmato, in Furmato's larger boat, and caught a 110-pound tuna. "There are tuna steaks still in my freezer," she said.

Boryczewski was principled, his mother said. "He was full of integrity. That was very important to him." At a memorial service for him at St. Christopher's Church in Parsippany, Susan Penitone, the wife of a close friend, read from a poem Boryczewski wrote when she was pregnant.

"It was about how God was giving them a gift. Marty used to write poetry and was a very spiritual person, too," his mother said. In addition to his mother and father, Boryczewski is survived by two older sisters, Julie and Michele Boryczewski of Parsippany.--Bill Kaufman (Newsday)

Martin's family one year after 9/11 at the memorial site.

To me this young man had his whole life ahead of him.  His time was filled with his passions: his family & friends, fishing & baseball.  He is deeply missed by his family and friends....

 

The 2996 project link...

http://www.dcroe.com/2996/?page_id=2

the week in review

I feel so out of touch...I've spent most of the morning trying to get caught up with all my journal alerts.  The internet is a strange and wonderful place.  Where else can I get caught up on my kid's life except through his girlfriend's myspace?  I did learn today that they went to Chicago, had a party, his girlfriend got her carpets cleaned and isn't sure she likes her new classes at school.  She also isn't sure about "them", oh yeah and she's home today for somebody's birthday, I think her sister.  I did talk to my son last night and we are planning on getting together next weekend.  He's 21, I remember being 21, he's out livin' life, just like I did when I was 21.

 I don't ever dare go on Liz's myspace, ick teen angst is an ugly thing.  She is doing fine as far as I can tell.  She mad about her English class, says the teacher is an idiot and the kids are boring.  She likes an English class that will debate her, darn it!  She's doing her training at Kohl's.  She does not like the idea of having to 'sell' the Kohl's theme of using their credit card, which they push in their training videos, oops I almost said films...God I am old!  She is working today setting up the store.  First jobs suck, mine was at a hamburger joint (joint???) and I gained 20 pound in one summer...too much eating on the job I guess.  She'll be ok though, she's miles ahead of me in self confidence, more like me now.

My job is doing ok, the high school route that was added to my morning route, is a group of half asleep kids who are both polite and quiet.  The company that has that part of town is short 20 drivers, we are not so short so we have 5 of their buses with our drivers in them.  They were hoping to take over all our busing in the near future.  I do not see that happening anytime soon.  They have already had a couple of accidents too, minor bumping to each other, but none the less they are not making a good impression so far.

We went to the high school football game last night, beautiful full moon, and all it was a pleasant evening.  My dil is a math teacher there and does crowd control during the games.  My kids used to play high school football, this was the first game Mark and I had been to since 2000.  I always say I am stuck in the 90's...sometimes I feel so old, & I miss the days when my kids were young.  But then I remember I have now, I am wiser, and need to remember to appreciate now.  Tomorrow comes soon enough...back then I didn't appreciate all those kids or my life...now I can.

Plus I have my freedom!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

I really need to get some updated pictures...Dayton is getting huge!

 

Labor day

This weekend marks the end of summer and with it cool air and autumn fun.  I always have mixed emotions regarding fall.  I love the cool weather, the crisp feeling of the air, the leaves changing, the pumpkin farms to visit, but after fall comes winter.  I can take winter for about 2 weeks and then I am all for it to end.  Here in the midwest (northern Illinois) our winters can be harsh, cold, icy, snowy, blowy you name it we have it.  But I am not going to go there yet.  It's still only September 4th, plenty of warm days ahead.

We had a nice relaxing weekend.  There was a lot of families at the campground.  We didn't take the boys as they both had runny noses and were very crabby.  We did stop over twice to visit and get our baby hugs.  I ended up putting both Dayton (who is not sick) and Jacob to sleep last night.  

We hung out as a nice old married couple and chatted with some other campers, had a bonfire, and cooked hot dogs.  It did rain last night, loads...but fortunately we have  a trailer so we were dry.  A few others were not so dry.   I do remember our tent camping days and getting really wet during storms.

My work week last week went fine.  They did add a high school route onto my morning route.  Our district is so big that we have to contract out some of the schools as we do not have enough buses.  The company isn't able to do their routes in a timely manner so me and a couple of other drivers are taking them.  Morning high school routes are easy, high school kids are not awake at 7:00 am.  They sit, mouth hanging open, eyes glazed over or listening to CD players. (or IPods for the rich kids ;)  )

My junior high route kids were happy to see me.  The grade school kids aren't  quite sure what to make of me.   They are good so far.  My midday route is 3 and 4 year olds.  I still have the same monitor, and she awesome.  I had two little girls that I thought were twins, but they ended up being two of quads!  Mom has 2 teenagers and then the quads, 3 girls, 1 boy.  God bless her!

 

gone fishin'

 

update when I get back...it's too gorgeous to be inside!

25 things....

25 things...got this from Martha Just visiting...

1. I am getting better at asking/talking/believing in/ and having faith in God.  Being overly self reliant is distructive...for me.

2.  I love my family above anyone or anything.  They are my heart. 

3.  I was married the first time on a dare in 1985, got divorced 5 years later. 

4.  I never married Liz's birth father, and am thankful every single day

5.  I knew of my husband in high school ( 1973) but we never spoke until October 2, 1994, and have been together ever since.  We are best friends.

6.  I adopt people, animals and ones other people ignore or avoid.

7.  My brain is always ahead of my fingers or my mouth, so sometimes I write or say things that don't make since to anyone but me. 

8.  My spelling stinks, I was once told by a temp agency to carry a dictionary.

9.  I enjoy the outdoors, the beach and water are my hearts desire

10.I am a good listener, people tell me their darkest secrets.

11.I am getting better at keeping them...gossip is my curse

12.I live in the same town that I grew up in...my children went to the same high school I attended, so did my husband.

13. I worry about paying the bills, but never want for myself, only my family

14. I learn quickly, but become bored easily

15. I love my job as a bus driver...kids are smarter then most adults

16. It hurts me to see people crying.  I don't like to have people see me cry.

17. I am very hyper, therefore I am small.  I was  a chubby teenager.

18. I love to grow and eat my own veggies

19. If I had a million dollars I'd give it all away...

20. I worked for a newspaper as a paperboy for 6 years, I worked 1460 straight days without a day off.  My motto was give me something to throw and I'll do it. 

21. Death to me isn't scary...I am not afraid to talk to people about their losses.  They need to heal too.

22. I have a degree in Early Childhood Education

23. I used to be very quiet and shy, but that passed.

24. When I was in high school I was on the radio for Junior achievement ...I was Rosie the weather girl.

25. My dream is to sell everything I own, buy a hippie van and travel all over the US with my hubby...and of course visit the kids!

OMG. as my smarty pants kid would say!  I've been away for a whole week!  I do have a good excuse.  They are called grandkids!  They came to stay on Wednesday while Tracey went to see her dad.  We had a bunch of fun.  They spent the day checking out my house, and we played outside.  When it was time to go home Jacob cried his eyes out.  So she brought  him & Dakota back on Friday and they stayed until Saturday afternoon.  We went to the old park, which was fun because there was roads under construction and they got to see all the heavy equipment working.  Then we went to the new park, that is really neat and  brand new.  They both were very well behaved.  They are growing up so fast.  Dakota is really talking a lot, he still calls Liz, Lala. 

I do have pictures and will promptly post them when I get them developed. 

I go back to work full time on Thursday.  Today was a Mock school day.  Our department still has issues, like the fact that we have to come into work at 6:30 which is an hour and 15 minutes before my scheduled first pickup, which I think is crap, but I am being paid to do nothing for most of the morning so.......I'll shut up.  Then I got on my bus and it was full of dry muddy foot prints.  It must of been used for one of the football games Friday night.  I know who the driver is, (his bus inspection sheet was signed) and will be having a discussion about this with him.  I ended up taking it to the shop and mopping it out myself.  I'd rather go to the driver, not my supervisor.  It could have been an honest mistake.  Otherwise it poured all day, but my routes went fine.  For my midday I ended up getting a Early childhood route which only attends 4 days, no Wednesday.  I have my old monitor from last year.  So I am very pleased.

We have a quick meeting tomorrow for the whole district...I call it the annual brainwashing...but it's a must.  Mark's boss has already called off work for him for tomorrow so he will be around too.  Tracey has her 6 week check up, I am supposed to keep the kids, but Jeremy will be home too, so we shall see.  Wednesday I have appointments and getting Liz's last minute stuff for the first day of school.  She is my last one, so it will be my last 'first' day of school.

Unless somebody leaves a kid on my doorstep ;)

school buses, routes and kids

First of all YES the kid gets a discount!  YAY!  I am very proud of my child in that she presented herself in such a manner that they called her right away for the job.  Plus I am one of the ones who really loves that store, especially when they discount an item, they discount it really well.

Above is one of my many sunflowers.  I love these giant beauties...they grow so straight and tall and the bumble bees love them.

Today was our route bidding.  A couple of more people quit so I ended up getting a pretty sweet route.   I did not get the grade school that I usually get, but I need a break from those kids anyway.  The school is an A-1 pain to get in and out of, the neighborhood is still under construction and besides the Junior high that was offered in this package was a good group of kids so I took it.  I can tell by the neighborhoods or subdivisions which kids are good or not.  Some have some awful reps for being holy terrors and their parents back them.  Makes me sad. 

Our routes are set up into packages.  Usually a senior or a junior high route and then a grade school route pickup in the am, then you go back in the pm and take them home.  We used to be able to do all three school levels, but the powers that be changed all the school times and the area is gotten bigger so it's pretty much impossible to do that.  So again this year I actually only will be working 1/2 of my guaranteed hours.  Again...SWEET!  We go back on Thursday to bid on our Midday routes, which is usually kindergarten or early childhood.  I want early childhood because they don't go on Wednesdays I like having 5 hours off during the middle of the day.  A person can get a lot of errands done during that time.  I am only a mile from my bus barn...so for me it's perfect.

The bus I picked was bus 60, it's a 2004 model, with the manual service door I like.  I know the girl who drove it last year.  She is neat, a bit neurotic and I know she took good care of it.  It also does NOT have a camera box in it.  The newer buses all have cameras that run on a hard drive.  While camera's are nice when you have trouble they are a pain when you are just driving.  I hate the thought of being watched.  Call me paranoid, but that's me.

Oh yeah Happy birthday J-land ... 3 years... a lots changed, but nah it's the same!

Love you guys...

she got the job

See this girl??!!  She is now, (ok after some 'official' paperwork) an Kohl's employee!