mia but I know where I am

I am so very far behind!!  It's raining on this long holiday weekend, racing is on (keeping hubby happy) so I have plenty of time to catch up with my j-land pals! 

Whenever I get behind on journals I usually start from today's alert, then go to the link to the person's journal then I go to the last entry I remember (??!!) reading and then read each day to the newest entry.  Does that make sense?  Or if I am in a really pinch for time I read all the entries I am behind & comment on the last one. 

I do weird stuff when I read a newspaper too.  I read the whole front page (unless it's the Chicago Sun times they are like a book) and then go to the continued page, which means I read about five different stories and then continue reading them on another page.  

This has been a very hot and dry week.  Very unseasonable for the Midwest.  Causing my dear hubby to be crabby each evening.  He has been working, but he's been in the water truck which is an old clunky relic that he must fill the tank with water and water the dirt that the heavy machines work.  It's been so dry that the water has been evaporating before he lays it down.   We have had high winds 40 mph or better, which blow the dust and dirt in large brown clouds.

Today's rain will correct that problem.  With it the cool, normal spring days.  Hubby also got a part for his motorcycle today so it is now running.  A must for any person with the price of gas.  Illinois is now the highest above California, at an average of $3.50 per gallon.  Such insanity. 

We had the boys last weekend, we took them to a small zoo/park and had a blast.  While we had them my stepson and dil were able to talk out some of their 'issues' they were having.  Marriage is hard work.  There were times, probably the first five years of my own marriage that I could have killed Mark, especially with  all the kids & our ex's.   But talking is the key.  Even if it's loud and some may consider it yelling, soon things iron out.  If there is a basic respect and love anything can be worked out.

School will be out on June 7th, Liz graduates on the 2nd. 

Routes for the summer are being bid on June 4th.  There seems to be enough work that I will be able to work this summer, which will keep me out of trouble...

I will still have plenty of time to enjoy the kids, but work.  My job is great that way.

Enjoy your weekend...I am off to see what you all are up to!

 

better...

My mother's day was wonderful.  My sons came over and with Liz here I had all my children here.  Besides Liz brought home an apple pie!  How can anyone be sad when there's pie!  My stepson Jim was here most of the day also, but he is not the type to get all mushy with mothers, not even his own.  Matt and Brandy did call/2-way via nextel to wish me a good mother's day.

My d-i-l Tracey also called me and told me she loved me!  Poor child is stuck in the middle of some stuff and there are some other personal type stuff going on with her and my stepson.  So I totally understand the whole problem with a MD picnic.  She ended up going to her own mother's house.  Hopefully whatever is going on will be resolved.  I am finding from my own experience the first five years of marriage are very hard, after that, you get to know the person you are vowed to be with until death, & then you either sink or make it, or chop them up and bury them in the back yard next to the dog....only joking!   Mark and I are making it.  12 years, amazing. 

Today Tracey stopped by with a bag of tea (I love tea) and the sweetest Mother's day card from the kids. 

I am over my pout, which wasn't so difficult this time.

The weather here has been super hot 90's today and dry.  But rain is in the forecast which we badly need.   My hostas aren't as perky as normal.

I thank you all for your well wishes.

Funk over!

reality

This was a busy week.  I had trips four of the five days.  I never realized how different kids could be from school to school.  One group of fourth and fifth graders had to be shuttled to the high school for choir practice...some big yearly event.  I swear to you nearly every single one of the those kids had cell phones!  They were texting and calling their friends like little pros.  Most wear make up, and dress like Brittany Spears, no maybe not that bad but close.  No one on my elementary bus has cell phones, not even the air traffic controller's kid, whose daddy just got a Prosche, has one.  My junior high kids all have them, and IPods too, but 4th grade!!!???  Pleeeeeeeeease!

Then on Wednesday I took a group of 6th graders to the Arboretum, one little snot basically stood in the aisle the whole way home.  Teacher was clue less and said, "oh they aren't being that bad"  Right.  Bad for this kid I learned her name right away.  Most of they way home I called her name over the PA and told her to sit down.  I am no dictator when it comes to bus discipline, especially to the very social Junior high kids, but this kid was all over.  THEN one of the little darlings wrote all over my seats!  God I hate that! 

Oh well all part of the job.  I got overtime pay and the only real problem was Wednesday afternoon when traffic was horrible, it was hot (85) and some truck decided to have an accident on my route back to take the 4-5 graders back to their school.

Mother's day is once again here.  Makes me miss my own mom.  My children will be here of course.  The boys will go see their step mom and their dad.  Thank God I had the good sense to teach them to respect her too.  My step sons?  Well it's a long sad, boring story, but there will be no picnic no get together.  I was sad at first, mad, hurt, but what good would it do.  Tracey is sad too, she and I are very close.  There are a lot of issues that a long session in  therapy might fix, but when someone doesn't think they are doing anything wrong... they think they are blameless.  They go along with their life as selfish as ever.  My husband's ex is that way, and her children protect her.  I really am not that hard to get along with...I behave like a good girl scout, all pleasant and friendly.  I love them and the grandkids, but that doesn't seem to matter.  Being healthy and communicating is not something that they are good at.  So it goes.  I strive for progress ... maybe next year.

To all of you, I wish a very Happy Mother's Day!!

 

Last week when I was at Tracey's, Dakota followed me outside when I was ready to leave and said, "me go with you grandma!"  So hard to say no to that little sweetheart (they had plans)...he and his brothers makes everything right!

 

Prom

Yesterday was Prom.  She is a senior, she will graduated this year... 2007.

This has been quite a thing for Liz and I.  I think I have been in denial long enough...my baby is graduating this year and I am so not ready!   We finally got her senior pictures taken and have the proofs, this week they will be ordered in time for the end of her high school career.  Her announcements are filled out, waiting for her pictures and party announcements.  Her commencement gown will be picked up soon.

Me, I still sit and deny, deny, deny.  Maybe it's because I know she will be going to the local Junior College next school year, maybe because she still has yet to have a driver's license, maybe because we are so close....

But my last kid will not be in the school system anymore!  The school I went to, Mark went to!  The one her 4 older brothers graduated from.

:::Sigh:::   there's always the grandsons!

Liz and Mike, Mike has his very long hair pulled back.  This was taken at his grandparents farm. 

BTW Prom was great.  Liz and Mike went with a group of friends and then to the house of S, for a bonfire.  S's brother was in the accident that killed the five teens.  I saw him & he's healed and doing great.  His mom and I reminisced about our high school days gone by.  It was good to see her, she is rattled, but her faith is strong.  Her daughter S is going away to college, she has her fears, but feels God will take care of her.  He did her son.  But S is like her momma, strong, fearless.

I have a very busy work week.  The teachers are spending all their field trip money before the end of the school year.  On Wednesday I get to drive a group to the Morton Arboretum.  I love that place.  The place should be showing it's spring finest.

Being busy and making extra money, makes the down days even more appreciated.