now I know why I work!

I now know why young woman not old ladies have the babies, I don't do daycare for a living or watch my grandkids full time!  I love these two boys but WOW are they busy!  They both were very good, but much of the time I played referee.  Jacob will be 3 in June so he is well able to play by himself, UNTIL Dakota (15 months, clueless as to how to cooperate), ---monster comes and destroys whatever his brother is playing with. 

The weather on Monday was cold and they still thought it was cool that 'ama was there so they were very good.  Jacob's being potty trained so we did great with the whole being a big boy standing up going potty thing.  Tuesday Liz came with me so again, babysitting was a snap.  By Wednesday, Grandma was old news so they decided to push me around.  We ended up going to a local park a couple a blocks away.  Silly me didn't put a pull up on Jacob and as soon as we go there he peed his pants.  BAD Grandma!  So back we went.  But first we got to watch a backhoe dig up a yard.  Great stuff when you're 2.

Yesterday was a nicer day outside so we went out again.  After fighting over toys  with Dakota in the sand box for awhile, and then getting mad because Grandma couldn't charge the battery in the powerwheel, Jacob decided to march up and down the hills in the empty lot next door.  He didn't even get in trouble for stomping down the weeds like he did when he tried to kick over daddy's scrubs!   After all that fun neither boy wanted to go inside.  But it was naptime.

The nice thing was both boys are easy to get to take a nap so I had a couple of hours of quiet time.  I picked up, swept and folded a load of laundry for Tracey.  All in all I mostly enjoyed the freedom of  being off work and not being at home.  Being at home during my break usually means I sit on the computer all day or clean.  Being with the boys was better!

Today was supposed to be a rain day for Mark and Jeremy so I didn't watch the boys.  We never got the huge rainstorm only the wind. So with Liz being gone Mark and I got a preview of being empty nesters.  So far so good.

Liz went on her Choir trip Wednesday morning to Orlando.  They performed yesterday and they do have a blog but I can't get the picutures to copy to post.  Liz is even in one.  She is having fun even though she wasn't sure she'd get along with some of the girls.  Her best friend from the other school went also so she is enjoying herself despite her pre trip bad attitude.  Today they just got to run around Disney and see the sites.  Tomorrow they are going to a clinic and then it's back on the bus to go home.  Short trip, I know!

The picture below is from her play last December, Liz is third from right, Em fourth.

My dog Trooper passed away this past Tuesday.  My husband took it very hard as he was the only dog he had for any length of time.  He was over 10 years old and a Brittney Spaniel.  He was a loyal friend.  He took his job to watch over our family seriously.  I know he was comfortable when he went and I am glad we didn't have to put him down...just like him to not make things difficult for us.  A bit hyper but always loyal that was our Trooper!  He sure will be missed!  Plus he always got a long with the cats!

               

This week went by quickly.  I am feeling much better, but now Mark has a sore throat.  He finally did go back to work on Thursday.  They owed him 3 days so he did get a full week in.  I like the routine of him being back to work, he's not good at finding things to occupy his time, like I am.  If all else fails I can usually find some thing or place to clean.

Now I need to keep Liz healthy.  Her show choir group is leaving for Disney World on Wednesday.  I don't want a runny nose to keep her from missing Mickey!

It snowed here yesterday three different times.  It was enough to coat the ground and then melt.  Next week it is expected to warm up.  My tulips are coming up, I always love this time of year.  When my garden starts to show it's beautiful face.  That should help cheer things up around here.  At least I can turn off the blasted heat. Our heating bill was ugly this winter.  Even on a budget plan. When the weather was warm in January I turned my heat down to 60, and then when it was cold in February I turned it up to 68, and the bill was exactly the same!!!  GRRRRRRRRR but you have to have heat.  So it goes.

Spring break is here!  Oh JOY!  My junior high girl that came back from her suspension was being an angel all week.  By Thursday she was not riding because of a detention along with a couple of others.  Quiet bus ride for sure.  Then Friday I heard from her foster sister that she had been suspended from school for making a racial slur at another student.  I feel bad for this girl, whatever happened to her before she was put into the foster system has really effected her.  I did try and get through to her, but when talking didn't work I had to resort to writing her up.  I don't feel guilty for doing it.  I have to keep my bus safe, I just feel bad for her, and her future.  She's only 11.

I have two dogs and the older one has been having trouble walking.  We spent the whole week taking care of him, babying him.  Pets become like family.  It's so hard to get older. 

I was telling two of my 5 th grade riders (they were the last two on the bus) that I was going to be 49 this year.   ICK!! It even shocked me!  I am old!  The boy asked me if I was going to get a colon screening, (he asked me in a very graphic way, you know finger up the you-know-what) I causally said, "ah maybe".  Kids do put it right out there don't they??  But that's what I love about my job...never a dull moment and always entertaining. 

Next week I will be with my grandbabies.  The weather is supposed to be warmer and I look forward to exploring the world they live in.  I love seeing the world through the eyes of little ones.  Makes the world a simplier place...I must remember this as I tend to get all wrapped up in the worrying about the future... I was taught a long time to live in today.  Life is good.

Have a great weekend friends...and may God bless you as He has blessed me!

 

where's spring???

Where's spring??????????????????????????????  not here! 

I haven't heard from my brother since the week we worked on his house which was over a month ago.  My brother, the one who had the twins.  I know he is busy, I know he has a job, new baby, a wife, 2 other busy kids, and a room to finish.  But an email would be nice. 

With this cold I decided to not go to the shower today.  This thing came on fast and has been passed around so much that I was probably the one who started it and it just circle back to me. 

My sister in law has always been, what can I say opinionated.  Bitchy doesn't sound nice so I will say that when we were helping Ken with the room, I felt like she wasn't being real supportive.  She made a few comments about how slow he was going, and how she felt he couldn't do it himself.  Really negative stuff.  I thought maybe she had a good excuse, you know she just lost her son, she was hormonal, etc.  Now she has always been this way, you know, a bit self absorbed, wrapped around her kids and their activities,   My feeling was to each his own, live and let live sorta thing. 

So today I call her and tell her that I won't be at the shower because of my cold.  I ask her how Rylan is..."oh he's home".  And how'd the room turn out?  "Oh it's coming along, we painted it a dark color and it shows all the imprefections."  And Ken?  "He's sick, too, but I don't let him near the baby, God know we don't want him to get sick too"

HMMMMMMMMMMM....I think, ok fine...

No really my problem is this...my brother busts his butt for this woman and he gets this crap.  And since I am not married to her, I must bite my tongue.  I can only be a little miffed that I didn't get an email or a call saying that the baby is out of the hospital and their room is done would I like to see it.  Or a least a return  phone call to Mark regarding Jeremy's tool being left at their house.  You know common courtesy?

Oh well, that's life.  My job was done there.  Now it's time to go back to my own life. 

Oh by the way, Rylan is 5 1/2 pounds now and nearly 18 inches.  She is breast feeding him so he has a great start.  He's gonna need it.  I am sure shewill have him training for the Olympics before he's in kindergarten. 

Thanks for listening !!  Love you guys!

tim's sick

                      

 

Ok I'll go back three day from the start of my running faucet nose  and that would be Tuesday.  Both my niece and my monitor were sick.  Then tonight my son calls me from Nashville where he and a few of his buddy's flew down to have a fun long weekend.   They flew out Thursday night, the night we were supposed to have the huge snow storm.  Poor guy has been sick the whole time.  SOOOO  I bet HE gave it to me!!

I am not going to the baby shower tomorrow, Lord know I don't want to give my sister-in-law or anyone else this dreaded drippiness (is that a word???).

BTW Airborne is a fizzy pill that you drop in water.  It's a supplement that has herbs and vitamins in it that help you fight off your cold ... makes it go away faster.  When I worked as a phone operator for software company I used to swear by Vitamin C.  This stuff has that in it also.

I am off to rest.  I am watching the babies in a week and there is NO WAY I am going to miss out by being sick still.

Have a good one!

 

PS Did you know that Wrestling is actually on network TV???  Is that even a sport?  ;).  Actually I need to let my husband have his guilty pleasures.  I already wrecked his beloved NASCAR by telling him that was pretend too.  It's all about the $$$ and the sponserships.  I am bad!

friday---finally

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. The rain falls soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.


-Irish blessing

                      

 

 

     I am not Irish and I didn't even pretend to be Irish today.  Someone, maybe a little tyke gave me THEIR COLD!!  Here I was all smug, thinking I had escaped the flu (for me that means barfing and the other end), and all the other various illnesses that had been floating around for the past months.  I had been a good girl and washed my hands, sprayed my bus, and used sanitizer at the Curves, THE CURVES!!  Oh I bet those lovely ladies at Curves gave me THEIR colds!  I am pretty much used to the germy little creatures that inhabit my school bus.  BUT those LADIES!  They did it!! 

 

Oh well, I dealt with my runny nose long enough today with cold pills that didn't work to head over to Walgreens and buy their version of Airborne, it's that herbal stuff that a teacher came up with and was able to quit work and get rich.  People at work swear by it and I am just miserable enough to spring for the four bucks (on sale of course) to try it.  I'll let you know if it works.  Anything is better than a red, running nose, especially on the weekend.

 

 

Mark's going back to work Monday as we did not get the huge snowstorm the professional weathermen were predicting yesterday.  So the ground is dry to work.  Thank God we only got less than an inch (not the 4 to 12 they said we would) and it was gone by noon.  Hopefully (fingers crossed) we are done with snow for the season.  I am so ready for warm weather, and green grass, and plants.  And all the great outdoor fun that comes with the warmer weather.  I so should live somewhere where it's warm all year long, but for now my life is here.  Maybe a winter home somewhere in Florida in the future???  Could be!

 

 

 

 

a normal day and a joke

here's a joke someone sent me...

YOU GOTTA LOVE CHICAGO WOMEN!! 
  
  
A woman from Chicago and another from the East coast were seated side-by-side on an airplane. The woman from Chicago, being friendly and all, said:
 
So, where are you from?"
 
The East coast woman said, "From a place where they know better than to use a preposition at the end of a sentence."
 
The woman from Chicago sat quietly for a few moments and then replied:
 
"So, where are you from, bitch?" 

That pretty much sums up Midwest woman.  

Anyway, work has been it's normal soap opera that I try to stay out of.  The place is basically filled with retired guys of various ages ranging from 55 to the 70's.  Woman too, but mostly housewives.   There's a few old gals who are still driving, mostly for the benefits, which we have great ones.  This past year we have done a lot of hiring.  Sure they always had the HELP WANTED sign up in front of our bus shop, but either we really weren't hiring or no one was coming in.  This year is different.  With the growth steams the problems.  AND we got the usually office gossip, back biting, and regular old fashion bitching.  Makes me mad because I think we have the best job around.  Guess some people will never be happy!

Hubby must of known he ticked me off because he made me the best Chicken Salad for dinner last night.  He still hasn't done much around here other than the dishes, but the complaining has stopped.  I'll settle for the dishing being done all day.  He's a good guy, but he's a man and they sure are different than we woman, which I know is the point!  I am glad he cares so much about Liz, and I do haveto remember he was just as overly protective with the boys.  I guess I have a short memory.  Besides when you are in the midst of it, it's easy to forget.  The boys turned out nice repectable types so he did do a good job with them, and I should trust him with this one too.

Eric called last night.  The kid that got in trouble went to the management company of the townhouse and told them he was the responsible one so he would move.  The rest of the guys can stay, but he has to have his name removed from the lease.  They have to pay his part of the rent.  Since it's college style townhouses  they only have a month left of rent, but can stay until the end of July.  And then they are all moving out.  They will be keeping the naughty kid's security deposit.  I guess the life of a college student is a nomad's life.  I hope when Eric's girlfriend graduates he gets out of the college type apartments.  Too much turmoil.  He wants to eventually transfer out to my area when the new Menard's store is built.  He'll probably be a department manager by then!  Yippeee!  His store will be closer for mom to shop! 

This weekend is a baby shower for my sister in law.  I haven't heard from them in weeks, hopefully no news is good news!  I would like to see how their bedroom turned out.  They are so busy with the other two very active kids so I am sure they are off to a soccer game or some other event.  I remember those day very well. 

Tomorrow I am off during my midday and I am going to go baby gift shopping at Kohls.  They always have great sales and you can get a lot of quality for your money.  Rylan I am sure is still tiny so he can grow into a lot.  Fun stuff indeed!

 

 

monday

We had huge storms last night, a lof of thunder and lightening.  AND wind!  Lots of wind.  My morning was made even more joyous by my darling husband.  He's been off for a week and will most likely be off this week too.  All the rain has made the ground really too wet to work.  Liz's boyfriend is home from college and of course they want to spend time together.  And since my husband is bored he is fixated on them....how much time they spend together, where they go, what they do.  He blew his stack  right before I went to work.  He misread a premissions slip Liz had so Mike can go to her dance this Saturday.  He was on a roll so he kept rolling. 

By the time I got back from my am route he had found something to do.  He decided he better cool it with the griping.  He was messing with his Motorcycle that is sitting in the garage needing brakes and a few other things.  This is his mission for the week, thank GOD!  He found somebody to help him put it back together.  He found something to do other than complaining.  Give me a break.  I am sorry the kid is a girl.  If she was a boy he'd be a-ok with anything she did.  But daddy's are way more protective of girls.  At least Mike's a good kid, and so is Liz.

So he stopped complaining.

Good thing because I was just getting ready to write a list of things that could fill his time!

 

my kid, Eric

My son Eric is my middle child.  He's 21 and has all the traits (real or imagined) of the middle kid.  I always down played the whole middle kid thing.  When I remarried he was 10 and ended up being toward the young side of the age range.  When you marry a guy with 5 kids your kids do change.  I'd like to think all three of mine did, for the better. When my kids were little I was from the kinder, gentler school of thought, you know kids shouldn't be spanked, talk out our feelings, and all that stuff.  All that stuff is great, but there is a time and a place for discipline and thankfully I figured it out before I remarried and got 5 more kids.  I didn't spank, but I did make sure my children showed me respect and thankfully they have all pretty much grown up to be respectful hardworking members of society.

When Eric graduated High School in 2003 he decided he wanted to be a teacher and went to a University about 1/2 hour away.  Eric is a smart kid, but he never wanted the pressure of trying too hard in advance classes like his older brother Tim did.  He's the type that has always marched to his own tune.  His first year of college was horrible, he did nothing and flunked out.  The summer before this he had been working in the Menards warehouse, then at the store near the college after he started college.  After the whole college thing, he decided to go for his job at Menards with gusto.  He's now the Assistant Manager in the large hardware department.  I could not be more proud of him.

Over the course of the last two years Eric has shared housing with two different groups of guys.  All college kids who go to school full time.  Eric works A LOT.  He also has an income.  The first group partied too much flunked out of school and left the apartment trashed.   He paid a price for that mess.  The group he's with now are a bit more responsible.  Except for last week.  Seems one kid took some drugs went nuts, kicked a wall in, and slammed his fists into some parked cars.  All this while Eric is at work, the place he's been working at for 12 straight days.  The landlords were none too happy so they are being evicted.

Brings me to last evening.  Eric visits are not real regular, usually when his girlfriend is home on school break (she goes to the same school he want to) or if he's in town visiting his friends.  Eric tells us about the situation, of course my husband is "oh sure Eric you can move back here until next fall when you move in with your friends (these are guys he's grown up with).  Which I think is ok too.  We have the room and it would be nice to see my kid on a regular basis.  I am just glad he's grown up enough to stay out of trouble.  Very glad it wasn't my kid running around bashing in walls.  I know my children are NOT angels.  I know they drink, as a matter of fact 3 of my kids have some rather nice bars in their homes.  But for me I've been there done that.  They are young they have their own lives to live.  Choices to make.  I am glad though that they at least have the sense to come home and talk things out with mom.  Oh yeah his girlfriend is driving him nuts too.  That one is all on him!

Besides his experience at the store has him offering to help me build a pond this summer in the backyard.  And my old house need a bunch of updating...besides he gets a discount!!!

 

Yesterday was the vote for the Executive council for our union.  I did not get voted in, which as I said before I would not be upset.  My feeling is this...if I got voted in I would do the best job possible, if not, well, my life is really, really full right now.  I've rediscover my 'me' time and I don't want to part with that.  Besides the ones that did get voted in, there were five, are a nice mix of our department.  Now hopefully they will get a good contract written up for 2007.  At least as good as the one we have now.  I really, really like my job and the benefits are great.  I'd like to retire there.

Mark is with Jeremy today doing remodeling stuff (oh when is it my turn??? My old house I mean!), and he called me to ask if I wanted to watch the boys over Spring break and I said, "heck yeah!"  Liz is going to DisneyWorld for show choir so I'll be here probably wasting time, so why not hang out with my two little guys!  My break is the end of the month so hopefully the weather will be good.  It's 50's now with some chance of rain, but the snow is almost gone.  Glad for that. 

Liz's concert was according to her, JUST AWFUL!  She's in an all girl dance choir, I guess the group was fighting all evening and some didn't want to perform at all.  I could tell that they hadn't practiced enough when I watched them.  Hopefully they will get their act together.  They tend to depend way too much on the teacher.  And not practice on their own.  The younger girls don't want to listen to the upperclassman.  No respect I expect.  It's a shame, they were really good last year.  But they still have time to get their act together.  Hope they do!

 

Tip of the Day......
  Always keep several get well cards on the mantel... so if unexpected guests arrive, they will think you've been sick and unable to clean...

It is now a few weeks before spring and I can feel the buzz on the school bus!  Kids are ready to be OUT!   Lucky for me spring break is a few short weeks away and their parents can enjoy them.  Don't get me wrong I love them all, but they sure do get loud and wound up this time of year.

Went to water aerobics class last night.  As a district employee it's free!  My monitor wanted to go so I went too.  It was a lot of fun.  If I had to do all that running on dry land I am sure I'd faint.  But I wasn't too sore at all.  All this exercise is going to make me one buff grandma!

Speaking of, Mark was with Jeremy today doing guy stuff.  I guess my sweet grandson Jacob has been looking for me!  Oh gotta love the grandbaby!  <3!  He's into Monster Trucks, and Tracey broke one of his favorites on accident.  His daddy said he'd take it to the shop to 'fix' it, that kid was sure mad at his mommy!  It's so funny to see how kids entertain themselves.  My oldest loved Fireman stuff, and my middle son...Ghostbusters, Liz loved dollhouses and Barbie.  She could keep up with the boys though in a mean touch football game!

Liz has a concert tonight so I am off to that.  See ya!

 

 

ick snow!

Woke up to snow and it's still coming down.  We do need it or at least some form of liquid to come and quench the thirsty earth.  This area has a pretty major drought.  I will be thankful this summer when my plants come up strong, green and healthy.  It's always a mixed bag for me...rain=pretty green garden...dry=hubby works.  Hmmmmm....

I have been keeping myself happy watching gardening shows, looking through gardening catalogs and planning my garden. 

THINK SPRING!!!

This week went by really fast.  The weather never got as warm as the weathermen said, but at least it beat sub-zero temps from last month. 

My two girls who were suspended from bus came back on Tuesday naughty and disrespectful as ever.  They shot spit wads made from tiny pieces of paper from a little straw.  The first day I told them to clean up them up as I didn't want their spit all over my bus.  That was fine, until they decided to talk back to me, harass other students, laying on the tops of the seats, walking up and down the aisle and hooking all the seat belts together so the other kids would trip.  ISH!  You'd of thought the two weeks off would have taught them something.  So now they are off for another two weeks.  By the time they come back (if ever), it'll be only for week and then it will be spring break. 

Some kids you just can't be nice to or reason with, they just don't have the ablility to understand cause and effect.  They both have dentention many times during the month so they are bad in school too.  No matter, it's going to be a nice peaceful bus ride for the next two weeks.

We watched the boys last night.  Tracey had her ultrasound picture of the new baby.  It was cool, he's definitely a boy, and looks prefect!  We watched Madagascar with the kids and during the music parts, Dakota went nuts dancing.  That kid is a funny funny boy.  They both went to bed early, must of been a long week.  We still had a lot of fun, they always make me feel like I am the best grandma ever!

Liz had a contest today for show choir in Indiana.  The choir she belongs to is all girls, and a class.  The other choir (she's not in this one) is an afterschool program with both girls and boys.  Her group wasn't ready for the preformance (they never are), but had to go to watch and be roadies (help set up).  The school is 4 1/2 hours away so I was up at 4:30 to take her to school and will be back up at 2:30 am to pick her up.   Too bad I don't know the drivers too well or I'd have them bring her home!

I've been working out all week and like the structure of a fitness center.  I am very undisciplined when it comes to any type of exercise.  I've been to the Y, and was bored to death.  I never used the machines right and hated the treadmill.  I used to be a big walker, everyday at lunch time I walked for an hour.  Walked after work and on weekends.  With and without my dogs.  But with winter I've become way too lazy.  These past few days have really helped with my energy and stress level.  I'll start walking again and will ride my bike to work.  I may be little but with age comes gravity, I know that there's not much you can do with saggy skin, but at least I can have some muscle to hold it up!! 

Hope you all have a great weekend!

 

this and that and some other things

 

I've always liked surprises especially when I had my children.  Of course back in those days ultrasounds weren't as accurate as they are now.  I have a lot of boys in my family.  I have 3 younger brothers, my father had 2 younger brothers.  Me being a girl was a suprise in itself.  I was in shock when I had my own daughter.  My husband's fourth son was a girl until he was born and his "kick stand" as my hubby calls it popped up.  My husband has five sons.  Soooooooooo I was not surprised when Mark told me that after Tracey and Jeremy went to the doctor yesterday they were told they are having another boy!  I am actually happy.  I love boys.  Boys are what I am used to.  A girl would be nice.  But as they say as long as the little guy is healthy it's all good.  But my hubby's ex wife will be unhappy she's dying for girl!

Here's my kid, Tim with his stepmom at the Auto show.  Wish he would have brought that car behind him home to his momma!  Wow could I have some fun in that car!  I actually had a 1969 Dodge Charger when I was 18, but I was too young to appreciate that car.  It was fast, blue and beautiful!  I think I ran it out of oil, drats! 

Work's been fine.  I actually was nominated to run for the Executive Board Council.  There are five positions.  We have a union and it's very new and our conctract is up in 2007.  The district is really trying to contract more buses out to companies, which we do not want.  As a resident of the district I work in I don't want that to happen either.  School owned Transportation Departments seem to do a better job of caring for the children. We had a q & a session yesterday.  The position will require someone who is not afraid to speak out or work.  I am as qualified as any of the others running, but with all departments, some things become less about quality and more a popularity contest.  I've lived here most of my life and really love my community.  We shall see how things work out. 

Today I worked out with my niece.  She goes to Curves, which to me doesn't feel like the type of workout I am used to.  I am used to sweating, but after the 30 minute circuit I felt better and less stressed.  So I'll go back.  I like it.  We can encourage each other.  Afterall I will be having more grandkids to chase after and I want to be in GREAT shape to do that!