A Brief Announcement...

It's no secret that we decided we are ready for a new dog after having a furry houseguest for over a week!

Well... Just today we found out that we will be adding a new member to our family! She's only 3 weeks old right now, so she can't come home until the end of January! She's a tan Mastiff & St. Bernard mix... Yes, we know she will be enormous! And we've only seen pictures of her, but we're already in love! 

We hope to meet her this weekend! We're in the process of choosing a name, but we all have different opinions! 

I'm kind of scared that something will happen and that she won't be able to come home, but for now I am excited!!!

Behave!

2013 Year in Review

This will be short since I sucked at blogging a lot this year. I am ready for this year to be over!!

January - Everything is shiny and new, guest blogger, hanging with K5, deer accidents, the birth of Baby B!, Feel Good Friday lists, water bed leaks, moving mother-in-laws, baby holding, learner's permit snafu, impromptu gatherings, girl's weekend, snow, cooking, boil water advisory, work presentations.

February - Work stress, K5, Les Mis, sucky taxes, broken 'burban, driving permit obtained, crazy weekends, grandkids, scout functions.

March - Bridal shower planning, writing, starting the wedding stuff, retreat planning, dying 'burban, catching up on stuff. (I only posted 3 times in March! Yikes)

April - Brutal day job, undisclosed kid issues, wedding planning, retreat planning, Effort, prep for visitors, me not feeling so great. stressing over the diet, girl's weekend, chaos.

May - Dinner and shopping with my boys, retreat planning, things evening out some, shower planning, date night, projects, hanging in The Wilds, RETREAT!, retreat craziness.

June - Awesome bridal shower, out of town company, barbershopping, summer vacation, wedding planning, drive in movies, hanging with family, grandkids, visitors leaving, street fair, hanging with the neighbors, yard work, Summer Survival Journal.

July - Summer Survival Journal, crazy wedding prep, still writing, K3 being a man of the world, summer camp prep, making wedding flowers, still looking for my dress.

August - My girl gets married, Summer Survival Journal.

September - Sucking as a blogger, death of the clown car, crazy kids, hanging with K5 and seeing her catch her first fish, Baby B time, stressful weeks, writing time, baby showers, movie watching, Renn Faire awesomeness, general chaos.

October - Wedding picture, hanging with friends, Draumr closing, big brother sticking up for little sister awesomeness, writing conference, contract signing, Feel Good Friday, Dear..., Halloween with all of the K's.

November - Tall Tale Tuesday, day job stress, the loss of the day job, a brand new driver, trying to find my happy place, author photo, K3's play - awesome stuff!, the death of my sister's fiance and the absolutely brutal funeral, moving K1 & J, being cold, another funeral, Thanksgiving.

December - More moving people, Internet Trolls, free Christmas trees, puppy sitting, snow!, changing isp's, Ugly Sweater Party, Christmas Eve, job search progress.

...and that brings us to today! One more day left of this weird year. I'm not sure how I feel about how this year went down - there was a lot of good stuff, and much stuff I could do without.

Here's to hoping 2014 is an awesome year!!

Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Post Christmas Edition

Hey! I'm actually on time for a change!
Here's the list in no particular order:
1. Spending time with both grand kids!
2. Christmas Eve and Christmas day being very good.
3. New Internet Service Provider - yes, we switched. The new company made us an offer we couldn't refuse with a much cheaper payment, faster internet, more channels, and a big huge credit we can use for future bills.
4. Sleeping in every day except Christmas day.
5. Weekend plans, or mostly lack thereof.
6. Naps!
7. New Year's Eve plans.
8. Baby B turning 1 in 2 weeks!
9. Making progress in the job search - even though the initial position I was recommended for didn't come through. There's another one I've very excited about. *Fingers Crossed*
10. Comfy pants!
That is all. Nap time is calling me...
Behave!

Merry, Merry, Happy....

Happy Birthday to my baby girl! She won't see this because she doesn't look at my blog, but she is the very best present I have ever gotten. She may have been a little unexpected, but she has been totally loved and wanted from the very beginning. She's amazing and I can't imagine ever being without this kid! Her sarcasm and imagination are epic and she is just...the best! I love her so much... Even when she doesn't love me....
We have had a pretty fantastic day at Casa Smith. The big presents for the kids never showed, but they now know what they are and are patiently awaiting the arrival... who knows when that will be (but it better be soon or I will be very angry) We had a lot of fun... just the four of us... with presents, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. We were up as early as days past... before the sun... K4 followed me to the bathroom at 4 am asking why we had to wait so long until morning. I patted her head and said Happy Birthday and told her to go back to bed. She texted me at 6:05 and asked me why she couldn't wake me up... And then I was up... Making coffee, tea, and hot chocolate...
We opened presents... The two at home got some from their lists and some from ours... That's the thing... these kids are grateful no matter what... They know. They get it. They are awesome people! They know this Christmas sucks because of my job loss and the subsequent half income thing... They don't care... They accept what they get with a smile and a thank you. And don't even seem to realize this Christmas is different.  (Except for the fact that we should have a new TV)
I have some pretty awesome kids....
Not just the ones here this morning, but all of them...
We have had a very blessed Christmas! I hope you have had the same!
Behave!

Christmas Eve...

As I sit here at the dining room table with K4, trading funny videos and discussing the plans for today, I find myself looking at Christmas's past and at how much my family has changed.
Fourteen years ago I was heavy with child. It was K4's due date. I was running around like a crazy person trying to make Christmas as perfect as possible - cleaning (again, because it was constant), doing laundry (also constant), cooking, herding three kids ages 3, 8, and 10 and being in the early stages of labor. (and not taking the time to realize it since I was so busy)
This year I am not heavy with child. (ha ha) I am not running around like a crazy person trying to make Christmas as perfect as possible in an attempt to be Superwoman. The house is clean, the laundry is done, the food for today and tomorrow is prepped. I have to pack up the items for going to my parents later, shower, and possibly run the vacuum, but that's all I have to do. The presents are wrapped (except for two things, really four, but That Man is finishing up last minute details on two, and two will most likely not arrive in time) - most are already under the tree, except for K3's and K4's.
This is not the Christmas I envisioned two months ago, but I think it's still going to be a good one. I am blessed beyond words with great kids, awesome grandkids, fantastic family, great friends, and the best friend in the world. We don't have a lot in the way of presents, but we have more than many people - maybe not material things, but with love and a mutual enjoyment of each other's company.
I am looking forward to hanging out at my parents later and the kids coming back here after to do their Secret Santa exchange. We'll also have Christmas with K2 and J since they are with J's family this year.
In the morning, we'll have Christmas with our down-sized family. Just the four of us for the first time ever. We'll have presents, good coffee, tea, breakfast, That Man and I will have mimosa's. K1 & J will arrive and we'll do Christmas with them before switching gears for K4's 14th birthday. Tacos, friends, family, more presents for K4...
I am looking forward to it.
Many blessings upon your family!
Behave!

Ugly Sweater Head....

We had our First Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party tonight... It was low key due to funds. We weren't able to invite as many people as we would have liked. It was family this time! We're hoping next year is way better! (So if you didn't get invited, you most likely will next time!) It's going to be a tradition! Because... We had a blast!

This is That Man's Ugly Sweater Head... He and K4 had this secret scheme cooked up shortly after we decided to have this party. They went shopping for paints Friday night - hiding the whole process from me because it was a surprise. I died laughing. K4 did such a good job painting this ugly sweater on her dad's head. Yes. His head is shaved to look like male pattern baldness. It was epic!
There was a lot of food. A lot of good food. Not much booze, which was absolutely fine. (it was byob and it's Sunday night. Most people have to work tomorrow!)
The winners of the Ugliest Sweater Contest were divided into several groups.... Cutest. Most Creative. Ugliest, New Category.
My niece's boyfriend went all out. He had a really ugly sweater that included battery operated lights. He won first prize. My not-biological sister's (but should be) boyfriend won for most creative. My adorable grandson won for cutest with his elephant sweater that included a trunk and a tail. The new category was created by my awesome brother-in-law who showed up looking like an identical copy of Eddie from Christmas Vacation. Perfect and AWESOME!! (I would post the picture, but my phone is not dropping photos to iCloud like it's supposed to and I can't access the pictures! Something is wrong with my new iPhone! Yikes!)
Besides the ugly sweaters, we had a ton of fun! A ton!
I can't believe Christmas is in less than three days! That Man and I had a blast yesterday during our day mostly alone in honor of our 27th anniversary. We had K5 in the am...for breakfast and shopping for her momma - which has been our tradition with her. K5 wanted to buy her mom a razor to shave her face! LOL! Silly and no, S does not need to ever shave her face. K5 found some good and some silly gifts after not eating the pancake she was dying for... We had a snowball fight, a lot of selfies, Great-grandma visiting, pretending we were sleeping, bunny slippers, plan making, and fun. God. I love that kid. So much.
After we dropped K5 off, That Man and I tackled our immense shopping list while K1 & J took the younger K's home with them (because they are awesome!). And we got the shopping done, except for two things... Two things that are stressing me out! I hope to take care of that stress tomorrow!
Other than that, we're ready. Presents are purchased (even though some might not make it under the tree in time! Dammit!) We took care of the wrapping and had a fantastic day alone with Chinese food, adult beverages, watching movies that were then wrapped and put under the tree! LOL! I missed being with him like that! It was so good! We slept in this morning, cleaned, grocery shopped from now until Christmas, cooked, and laughed a whole hell of a lot.
So... It was a good weekend!
I hope your pre-Christmas weekend was good as well!
Behave!!

Feel Good Friday - The Anniversary Edition!!

Here's the list!
1. Celebrating 27 years married to the love of my life today! Not going to get sappy, but....
2. Christmas break... for however long it lasts for me!
3. Very good interviews! Waiting for a call!
4. Other good news I cannot disclose yet!
5. Picking up K5 tomorrow for breakfast and shopping! Yay! I miss my baby girl!
6. A semi clean house. It's passable.
7. Tomorrow's plans with just That Man and I. (After we safely deposit K5 with her momma and figure out what the younger K's are doing in our absence.)
8. Hopefully getting a handle on the shopping tomorrow!
9. Looking forward to Sunday!
10. Shrimp and mushroom rice for dinner. Tomorrow night is our night out, which may be fast food, but it doesn't matter as long as we get some time alone.
That's all for now...
Let the final weekend before the holiday begin! Woooo.....
Behave!!

Monday Madness...

Our furry-legged baby is leaving tonight. We are all very sad. And yes, we are on the search for a puppy! I wish we could find one for Christmas, but I don't think that's going to happen. We've really loved having her, even though there were moments I could have done without. You'll have stuff like that with a puppy though...

I'm trying really hard not to stress about next week. I have one present currently under construction, one in transit, and nothing else. I don't even have a complete list - just a few scraps of paper with ideas written down. My kids are doing a "Secret Santa" exchange between the four of them and spouses, only it's not a secret because everyone knows who the other has. They put a $5.00 limit on it - silly or serious gifts. We have to take care of that, too. But this weekend is our wedding anniversary and the younger K's will be hanging at their cousin's so That Man and I can have some alone time. I am very much looking forward to it, even with the metric crapton of stuff we have to do. 

This Sunday is our First Annual Ugly Sweater Party. I'm looking forward to it, but need to make a list of things to do for that as well! AND it's impossible to find ugly sweaters at the second hand store because everyone must have had the same idea! 

I am making progress on the writing front. My writing chapter does "Blast Week" every other month - basically we sign up to host and then run timed blasts in our chat room. It's always a good thing - not only do you get a chance to chat with writing friends, but there's a challenge to actually get something done. No one wants to come back at the end of the time to say they washed dishes or answered email. Plus, there's a drawing for prizes at the meeting following blast week, so there's an incentive to attend. I ran one this morning and got a lot done. 

I am not making progress on the job front. This is a very sucky time of year to be looking. There's nothing being posted on any of the job sites. I have dozens of resumes out there. I'm discouraged and kind of freaking out, but trying really hard not to. I think it'll open up after the first of the year. At least I hope so. 

And that is all for now...

Behave!

Snow Day!

I was a little worried at first....
It's snowing like crazy out there! Love it!
We've been hunkered down all day since the forecast cancelled all of our plans (not our choice). K4 and I plan to make cookies, but her older brother asked her to go shopping for his wife with him. Don't know if we'll get that done or not now.
K4 and I had a writing challenge earlier and maybe we'll have another when she gets home. She's working on a project and so am I. We were both being dorks about actually writing, so I suggested a fifteen minute blast. It was fun and we both made progress, but then chaos erupted. The cable guy stopped by to see if we were interested in switching providers. We were, especially for a savings of $60.00 a month, plus a $300.00 credit. Can't beat that! K1, J, & Baby B showed up. The dog went nuts. I was going to take a nap... that never happened. But I got cuddle time with Baby B, so it was worth it.
That man and K3 are plowing snow. Don't have any idea when they'll be home, though they'll probably stop in for dinner at some point. For now, I'm hanging with my d-i-l. Baby B is napping. The puppy is whining to go outside, even though we've already been out 3 times and she's done her business.
Nice day!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday!

Here's the list!
1. 5-8" of snow in the forecast! Whoot!
2. Grocery shopping done. Proper snack foods for a winter storm purchased as well as everything else we needed.
3. House straightened and laundry almost done.
4. Fantastic middle school concerts.
5. Spending time with my grandson.
6. Feeling like I'm getting my mojo back. At least a little.
7. Snazzy new ideas!!!
8. Ordering a Christmas present. Yes. One. That's as far as I've gotten.
9. Comfy pants, a warm house, sparkling Christmas lights, and the adult beverage in my near future.
The bad side of the forecast is that they've rescheduled K3's midyear performance for his theater school. We were all really looking forward to it. The other bad side, with a good twist, is that That Man will be plowing snow. (bad side = he's not here. good twist = paycheck)
I plan to spend my day watching the snow.
Behave!

Adventures in Puppy Sitting - Day Five

We're at five out of ten days in with this puppy sitting gig. She's a very very sweet dog. Very sweet and super smart. We've all decided we're ready for a new dog - a puppy, preferably. We've been talking about what type of dog we would like, how to train it, and all of that stuff...
Yesterday was a different kind of day though...
1. The puppy puked all over K4's floor.
2. I took this country dog for a walk. Our second one and our longest one. She doesn't do well with sidewalk walking and listening. She's too interested in smells, sounds, and other stuff. We went to the park and once we got on the trail, she did well. Until... I'd walked past her as she studiously sniffed out something. I called her and she ran. Right past me, and ended up knocking my on my butt. I hit my head. My glasses went flying. I'm sore and bruised, worse today than yesterday. Luckily, no one saw me fall. I don't know if there will be a walk today. (Plus, it's really freaking cold outside)
3. We're in the yard so she can potty. She finally decides to go number two and it's not working well. She's got something hanging from her behind and it won't come off. Probably due to the stuffed animal she tried to ingest the day before. Luckily, I had a plastic bag in my pocket... Yeah. You can imagine the rest.
4. My grandson came over today. He's sick and had to go to the doctor. The puppy scared him because she would not calm down and stop trying to greet him. Baby B is crying. The dog is out of control trying to jump on him and kiss him. Crate time.
5. That Man took the puppy for an evening walk to tire her out since yesterday was the longest time she'd spent in the crate. I was out for most of the day - first helping my mother-in-law and the grocery store, then helping J with Baby B at the docs. It went a little better than my walk with her.
Today has been better so far. She's sacked on the floor at my feet and hasn't tried to kill me yet.
That is all...
Behave!

Houseguest...

Here's our guest...
Jordan.
She's sacked on the couch. Totally sacked.
I didn't realize how much I missed having a dog until Jordan came. The weird thing is that she's only been here a few hours. She's sweet and bad and obnoxious, but smart and funny and she listens most of the time.
And we're spoiling her. She's on the couch. She'll sleep with K4.
My kids are in love. That Man and I are in love.
K4 keeps saying "I want a puppy". I want a puppy, too.
We'll see what happens next...
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

Always late..
Here's the list:
1. Spending all day with That Man.
2. Grocery shopping done.
3. Writing group Christmas party today! So excited!
4. Stromboli for dinner tonight.
5. The furry four-legged friend who will be staying with us for 10 days. That Man's sister's puppy. She's about 7 months old. This will be the deciding factor in whether we get a puppy or an older dog. The kids are very excited.
6. Tomorrow's plans - cookie making, tree decorating, turkey eating. I really, really hope it snows!
7. Teenagers hanging out here last night.
8. The fact that K3 can drive K4 where she needs to be. It was kind of a weird moment when they drove away this morning. Weird, but cool.
9. Anniversary plans with That Man. The only thing I know right now is that we will have some time alone and that's fantastic.
That's enough for now...
I need to get ready for my party!
Behave!

This & That...

Cool Things...
I won a really beautiful Christmas tree in a raffle. It's tall and one I would have picked myself. So cool!
I *think* I have a handle on this Christmas present business.
I *might* have found a nugget of Christmas spirit, too.
My kid actually seems to care about her homework. Today. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Actually, both kids appear to be homework machines right now. I wonder if aliens have invaded?
There was a big and beautiful hawk in my backyard this morning.
Catching up on and organizing stuff is a good feeling.
Giving blood.
Soon I will make my way to the thrift store to look for ugly Christmas sweaters.


Other Things...
Do you know that commercial where the guy is attacked by squirrels? I fear that will happen to me. There are squirrels all over my backyard. And I feed them.
I can't keep up with Twitter any more. It makes my eyes bleed.
Our anniversary is in 15 days. Our 27th. What I want most of all is to have alone time with That Man. We don't have to go away. We don't have to go out to dinner. We just need to be alone. Seriously.
I threw a chicken in the oven earlier and forgot to pull the guts out. Imagine me gagging and removing the uncooked bits with a spoon while trying not to burn myself. (No, they weren't in a bag, just tossed in the cavity. Gross) I'm not sure I'm going to be able to eat this chicken now...
My intent was to begin decorating today. I didn't. (I still have pumpkins out)

That's enough...
Behave!

The Internet & Trolls...

Excuse me while I rant a little...
Since when does the fact that no one can see you or know your true identity on the web give you the right to act like a complete and total jerk? Does being safely hidden behind your keyboard really mean you can purposefully cut people down, make fun of them, say evil things, and insult people? Would you say those things to your family, friends, or a total stranger in person?
I've seen a lot of nasty things posted as "anonymous" lately. Hurtful, mean things that shouldn't, but do, have the power to really impact people in a negative way. A lot of the time, that is the impact. It's human nature to sometimes remember the bad stuff and forget the good - ignore the ones who love us and support us in favor of the people who make us feel like crap about ourselves. I'm not sure why we do that to ourselves, but we do and it's a hard place to get out of.
I guess your power as a troll is that - putting people down and living high on your obnoxious behavior. How do you sleep? How do you look at yourself in the mirror? I hope you can't.
I hope one day you realize what you've done...
Behave!
Sidenote - This isn't meant to be cryptic. It's regarding an incident that happened to a friend of mine's family and past events that one of my kids have dealt with.

Feel Good Friday - The Sunday Edition

Here's the list:
1. A wonderful Thanksgiving. We had breakfast with all of the kids, including the married ones. It was chaos, but fun. Dinner was spent with That Man's family, also chaos and fun.
2. The tree lighting in our town. It was so cold, but fun, as usual.
3. My sister's beautiful new home. Helping people move isn't high on my list of fun things to do, but obviously, I'll do it. Round 2 is today. Her new house is perfect and gorgeous.
4. Seeing old friends and laughing hysterically.
5. The cousins getting some hang out time.
6. Sleeping in for all of the days the kids are on school break.
7. Free movie weekends.
That's enough for now!
Behave!

Happy Turkey Day!

I hope you have a wonderful day filled with family, food, and fun!
And if you don't have anyone to be eat turkey with, I hope you have a day filled with peace and contentment.
My Thankful List:
1. That Man because he loves me even when I don't feel like I deserve it.
2. The married K's and their spouses. I love how my family has grown and I love that all of them get along so very well.
3. The younger K's. They're amazing people.
4. K5 and Baby B. Both are huge blessings full of joy.
5. My friends and family, including my awesome writing group.
6. Being home all day for now. The money part of that is pretty awful, but the financial bull crap aside, I could get used to this.
7. Surviving this year (so far). It started okay, turned awful, got a little better, turned awful again...I hope the pattern means we'll finish okay.
8. Spending this day with family we have never been able to celebrate with on this day!
9. My kids and their big hearts. We'll be spending part of today helping to serve Thanksgiving dinner to people who wouldn't have had one otherwise. I so love that they are so willing and excited about being able to do this again.
May your day be awesome and your turkey coma satisfying!
Behave!

Weird Wednesday...

Okay, I swear I posted a few times over the past week... I have no idea what happened to those posts. I mean, I even looked at them on my blog! Where could they have gone? And why would they disappear? I guess I will investigating that as soon as I catch up with myself...
Here's my week:
Monday:
Early morning helping with the funeral of our dear friend's mother. From there, I rushed to receive 300 pies (really, 294, but what's 6 when you're dealing with those numbers?). K2 helped me sort and label the orders, then I waited for the scouts to pick them up. All alone in an over 200 year old church. By myself. It was creepy. I kept hearing footsteps like they were coming up behind me, but no one was ever there. I finally stopped looking behind me and turned the music up. That Man finally showed up with sustenance and company. Home late and then collapsed.
Tuesday:
We had a tiny bit of snow here. Enough to make me excited, but then it started raining and didn't stop until sometime overnight. I braved the grocery store. That was nine kinds of stress. Everyone and their brother had carts piled high and a crazed look in their eyes. Snow & Thanksgiving! Must shop and buy extra bread, milk, and toilet paper! (It's always interesting in my neck of the woods when snow is in the forecast!) Hung out with my grandson and daughter-in-law pretty much all day. Had to pick up a sick K4 at school. Tried to catch up on Supernatural. Stayed up way, way too late.
Wednesday: (That's today!)
Slept in, but really not considering the ridiculous time I went to bed. (A nap is in my immediate future) Began the cooking prep - bread cut for stuffing, pie ingredients organized (Yes, I am making pumpkin pies even after all of the pies I sorted on Monday. I like to make them!) Laundry. And now it's now...
Nap time!
Behave!

Brutal...

The past day and a half have been absolutely brutal.
I have been with my sister in grief. I have held her as she sobbed. More times than can be counted. I have watched her cry with those that feel his loss. I have seen the grief and heard the words that come with losing someone so young and so incredible. I have learned things about him I hadn't had the chance to learn yet. I have felt at a loss to help.
I have felt the loss of a great man.
Also...
I have almost pulled hair out.
I have almost slammed a face into a counter.
I have almost punched someone.
A bunch of times.
And multiple someones.
I have lost sleep over a woman who is so heartless she doesn't deserve this sentence.
I have bothered a funeral director to the point where he may or may not have walked away from me at one point. (I followed.)
I have been outspoken, but not loud or obnoxious.
I have been told to cool my jets.
I have also been told my bail, should I need it, would be covered.
Yes. It was that bad. Brutal.
All of this as my sister mourns her best friend, her soul mate, the person who successfully saved her from herself, and the love of her life. (All things she was to him. Without doubt and verified many times over the past day and a half)
I played it cool. I didn't start anything. I kept my mouth shut and my fists of fury in my pocket. My sister didn't want me to make a scene. My husband was the voice of reason. My dad told me to cool it. The funeral direction said he had the cops on speed dial. My uncle said he'd post my bail. (see that conflict?)
We stood together as a family - my parents, my sisters, my brother, my sister-in-law, my daughter and son-in-law, my nieces, my uncle, my sister's friends, my nephew, my niece-in-law.  (and my son and daughter-in-law who tried so hard, but couldn't be there, but were there for discussion and venting.) We constantly reminded each other that everyone knew the truth of the situation. We saw it. Everyone saw it. We witnessed people proving they also knew the truth.
But, yet, it was brutal.
From the "party scene" mentality going on in front the open casket, to the complete and total lack of respect shown to anyone who wished to express their grief. The wake was more solemn and quiet that the services.
In the end though, it's about my sister and having to make a new life without her soul mate. It's about being with her and here for her as she struggles through what comes next. It's not going to be easy.
And today we learned of another passing - the mother of a dear friend. It wasn't unexpected, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Cancer sucks.
Behave!

Things I Do Not Like...

A list for Tuesday...

1. Funerals. They suck. I'm not looking forward to tonight and tomorrow.

2. How easy it is to trash talk someone on a public forum without regard to the damage you are doing.

3. Job hunting.

4. Thinking about Christmas.

5. The dirty socks all over my living room.

6. Being cold.

7. Uncertainties.

That's enough.
Behave!

Weekend Update

1. K3's play was spectacular! The cast & crew did a phenomenal job. The set, lighting, sound, and props we perfect. The cast did a terrific job. Those kids work so well together! And of course, K3, as the lead, was incredible. (Yes, I'm a proud momma, but it's true!) He had an immense amount of lines to learn and was in nearly every scene. And he had a blast.
I went Thursday and Friday and the show was equally awesome both nights. That man went all three nights (I kept Baby B last night so K1 & J could go), and said each night was unique, but great!
Tomorrow he auditions for the next one... K4 may as well. It's for our local small theater.

2. Moving! K1 & J moved into their apartment over the weekend. I'm so proud of them for pulling themselves up by the bootstraps and getting done what needed to get done so they could be their own family in their own home. Their new place is adorable and nice. Baby B has his own room for the first time ever. The only downside to the place is that there are no closets, but the carpets are new and it's a safe place for Baby B.

3. Getting random texts from K2 & J from Boston. J had a conference to attend for work. They're having a blast.

4. Since I must now watch every penny, I have decided to become a master couponer. I saved $16.00 on today's weekly trip ($29.00 if you count my 22# free turkey!) and I only forgot one thing.

There you have it.
Behave!

Too Sad...

My sister's fiancee passed away unexpectedly Thursday night.
He was a very awesome guy - friendly, caring, a successful owner of two great businesses, a very smart man, a thinker, a genuine nice guy, a well-loved grandfather, and most of all - he loved my sister so much. So very much.
It is devastating.
They were due to get married in less than 2 weeks.
The first time I met him, I threatened him. I told him that if he broke my sister's heart that I would kick his ass in a way it had never been kicked before.
I think he did that to himself.
Because he did break her heart.
The cancer was under control. Then it wasn't. It happened so fast. A few weeks ago the docs said it had moved to his liver, but they were hopeful. They started him on a new treatment, but gave no signs of giving up - no signs of the fight being over.
The liver cancer was different than the other cancer - more aggressive and very very fast. His bad numbers doubled in a very short time frame. But no one was giving up hope yet. Chemo would start, things would be okay.
There was no hope to be had, though none of us knew it at the time.
He died in the blink of an eye. My sister, thinking he was stable and okay, left to take care of some errands seeing as she'd been at the hospital for days. She expected him to be home in the next few days. Things needed to be taken care of - wedding plans, moving into their newly built house.
Cancer sucks.
Behave.

Opening Night...

Tonight is opening night for K3's play.
He's ready and so excited. I'm excited too. I can't wait to see my baby boy in action.
Rehearsal has been brutal - every night, with set days on Saturdays. Last night was the earliest he's been home in about two weeks.
I've heard it's awesome. K2 & J had to go a few nights ago to watch rehearsal since they're unable to go on any show nights. All she would tell us is that it's fantastic. K3 said the preview they did for the high school got lots of laughs and applause.
***
The job search is not going too well. I've applied / sent my resume to a ton of places. The only response I've received was for a scam company. I was very excited to get a phone call for an interview. When I googled the address, I found a site with 8 pages of former employee / former applicant complaints. Needless to say, I emailed them to decline the interview and advise them I did not wish to reschedule. Sigh.
***
This weekend is going to be crazy! Tomorrow evening we'll have company for dinner before the play. Saturday, K1, J, & Baby B are moving into their new apartment. Then we have the show again Saturday night. Sunday is packed full of obligations - taking most of us in different directions. Yikes!
That is all!
Behave!

Why Tuesday is Good...

This Tuesday has been good...
Here is why...
1. Grocery shopping by myself. Saving $14.00 in coupons and stocking up on a few items. (And coming in way under budget)
2. Beach rental magazines! We've already picked a few houses! Beach 2014 here we come!
3. Baby B. He is so stinking cute! And so smart! And he loves his Nanners!
4. Getting the laundry caught up.
5. One more night until K3's play opens!
6. The van getting fixed and not costing as much as we expected. (Did I mention it crapped out on us Saturday night?)
7. Being able to pick up the van with K3. So strange and so cool. (And so cool that he can drive himself to and from practice every night)
8. Thanksgiving plans coming together.
9. Singing while driving. I cannot tell you how long it's been since I've done that. Seriously. I would have music on while driving home, or to, the old day job, but there was always so much on my mind... I couldn't sing. I did today and it felt so awesome (even though I am glad no one was in the car to hear me). The stress is lifting day by day.
Everything is going to be okay.
Behave!

The Author Photo...

Here it is... like it or hate it...
My sister did the best she could with what she had to work with. That's saying a lot.

But it is what it is...
Behave!

Finding My Happy Place...

I am.
It's been a really slow process, but I'm getting there. The Happy Place is coming. I can feel it. Some of the stress of the former day job is abating - I think it's very telling that it's taking so long to leave. What I miss the most is my co-workers. And the paycheck. But that's pretty much it.
So... I move on.
I will be spending a lot of time looking for gainful employment. I don't have a choice. But in the meantime, I will focus on my family, and me. I will enjoy this time. I will shake off the depression and the worries and I will do my thing.
And I will rock it.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday...

Oh! It has it been a long week...
Let me try to put a positive spin on things...
1. Losing my day job on Tuesday. Surprise! No idea that was coming. Though That Man's first words were... "Thank God." He said he felt as if a weight had lifted from him when I called to tell him. I guess that speaks volumes about the stress I was under for a very long time. Now if I could just figure out how the mortgage is going to get paid, and how we're going to have Christmas.
2. Other than the money aspect, I should be feeling less stressed? I'll let you know when that happens.
3. Getting to see Baby B twice so far this week. He is so stinking cute and getting so big.
4. Vodka.
5. Still staying in the writing challenge.
6. K3 passing his driving test! Yay!! (On the same day I lost my job. He didn't find out about the job loss until Wednesday because I just couldn't harsh his buzz...)
Okay, yes. I was completely thrown off kilter and in total shock. I had no idea I would lose my job. I had no warning. It hurts a lot and it's going to take me a little time to recover. I was there for three years and did not see this coming. It sucks.
There are a lot of good things in my life, a lot of good things...I need to remember that. My identity wasn't wrapped up in my day job - as much as I loved my coworkers and customers. My identity is in this house with the people I love and the friends I rely on.
Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise?
I'll let you know once I figure it out... Like I said, I'm still in shock. It's mind blowing, really.
Behave!

Moaning Monday...

It does come back from time to time... The moans of Monday...
This Monday...well...
1. More stress at the day job... My shoulders are killing me.
2. The documentation run not going as it should have. One part of the paperwork is done, but the most important one isn't. (Will explain later - it's not as serious as it sounds.)
3. Eating a weird dinner. Which wasn't terrible, but strange...
4. More funds spent at the grocery store. It's outrageous.
5. Being cold! I hate being cold. We haven't started the fire yet. It's ready, but we're hesitant though we normally have it started a few weeks ago. We do have heat, but it takes a little while for it to take the chill off.
The good stuff...
1. K3 is taking his driving test tomorrow. *Fingers crossed
2. Random grocery shopping antics with That Man and K3.
3. Fuzzy socks.
4. Looking forward to the holidays.
That is all. It's Monday. I'm ready for bed.
Behave!

So Then...

Here are the answers, though no one guessed....
1. K4 changed her costume at the very last minute, then was frantic that we didn't have everything she needed. Yes. And we made an awesome angle knife. She was awesome. It was stressful.  
2. My niece's boyfriend wore a sign that said "Nudist on Strike".  Also, yes. It was fantastic!
3. K3 dressed like a mermaid. No. But he did go out barefoot (which I had no idea until he came home!!)
4. K2 &J were both Spiderman. Technically, yes. They both had Spiderman T-shirts on. 
5. Some kid threw an egg at my truck. Not that I know of. 
6. K3 ate so much candy that he puked. Also no. He can't have anything with milk, so he's very careful. And he's never been a candy eater! 
7. Baby B was a smurf. Yes. And he was so adorable!
8. My folks dressed up like pirates. Nope. Not this time. 
That's about it. We had fun. 
Saturday was also fantastic. Writers meeting and lunch and being with "my people". 
That is all. 
Behave!

Trick or Treat...

Happy Halloween!
I love Halloween! I totally love trick or treat night so much more that the kids don't need me to walk the streets with them. I know they're a little old for candy grabbing, but I don't have a problem with teenage trick or treaters. I love when the older kids come by. Their costumes are mostly awesome and they're very respectful. I dig that. 
We had a houseful this year. All four K's, spouses, grandson, my niece, her boyfriend and cousins (who are like my nieces, too), and my folks. We didn't do dinner this year - no time and too busy, but we did have some snacks. The teenagers even brought snacks, which was super cool.
There weren't a lot of trick or treaters this year though. Our numbers have been steadily declining. I'm not sure why. We don't have many good neighbors left, which might be part of it. This year, we were the only porch light on in our little block. But there isn't much candy left, thanks to the K's.
Here's my trick or treat (true or false)(like Tall Tale Tuesday used to be):
1. K4 changed her costume at the very last minute, then was frantic that we didn't have everything she needed.
2. My niece's boyfriend wore a sign that said "Nudist on Strike". 
3. K3 dressed like a mermaid. 
4. K2 & J were both Spiderman.
5. Some kid threw an egg at my truck.
6. K3 ate so much candy that he puked.
7. Baby B was a smurf. 
8. My folks dressed up like pirates.
That's enough for now. Guess if you want. There are no prizes, but it might be fun. (Though I don't think anyone reads this blog anymore?)
Behave!

Dear...

Dear Day Job -

Seriously? Enough already!! I'm not keeping up and I'm tired. Slow down a little and let me catch up so I can become competent with the new stuff.

K?

Dear Children Still Living At Home -

Seriously? Enough already! I'm not your maid! Do your chores and clean up after yourselves! The next time I come home from the Day Job and find sixty-five million granola bar wrappers and forty-five million empty water bottles in the living room, I'm going to have a stroke. 

Just sayin'!

Oh, and for crying out loud! Do your stinking homework!!!

Dear Roofers - 

Thanks for cleaning up after yourselves! I know you're not done yet, but it was cool to come home and find very little evidence of your work day. And! My porch roof isn't going to leak and look crappy! Yay! 

I am afraid of the final bill though...

Dear Children Not Living At Home - 

I miss you! I love talking to you on the phone and over texts! I love that you still need me from time to time and I love that you don't need me for everything! You are growing from fantastic kids into fantastic and competent adults! 

I do miss you though!

Dear Holidays - 

Looking forward to you! Don't come too fast, okay? Give me some time to prepare after this year's total money suck (see Roofer letter above, also refer to the wedding, visitors, car trouble, and kid trips from earlier posts. Also refer to the funds that still need to go out department for more information). Thanksgiving should be pretty usual, though I have no idea where the festivities will commence. Christmas will be a little different since two K's are married and it'll be Baby B's first. I'm not planning anything at this point, but I'm looking forward to everything!

Dear Supernatural - 

Thanks for coming back and being awesome!

I'm an episode behind, but I am loving you!

Dear Cat - 

Stop shedding. 

Please!

That is all!

Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

I always seem to be a day late and a dollar short these days!! Ha!

Here's the Feel Good list:


1. K3 turning 17 tomorrow! Oy! I am old, but my boy is such a great kid! I am so proud of him! (and I love teasing him with his presents! They are wrapped and in full view, though he hasn't figured them out yet! Ha!)

2. Getting stuff done today! That Man took care of the furnace. I took care of the shopping and other house stuff (my pantry organizing skills are stellar!). We didn't get it all done, but we made great progress.

3. Shopping with K4! She cracks me up and has the best things to say! I wouldn't trade these days for anything, no matter how horrific they are at times!!

4. Talking to K1 and J. It's very nice to have an adult and meaningful conversation with my kids. These two are very intelligent and wise and have offered a lot of insight into the current family drama.

5. Hanging with K5. She's a hoot! We went for frozen yogurt and then to the toy store for ideas for Christmas. She kept zeroing in on rolled luggage, which cracked me up, but I let her take the cases with her for as long as she wanted to. (Guess what she's getting for Christmas!) And yes, she did get a treat at the toy store! We had such a good time with her!

6. Sleeping in this morning! And waking up to the bathroom being toasty warm and coffee prepared by That Man, and breakfast. And finding out he'd rescued K2 from car trouble.It was a very good morning.

7. Not forgetting anything on our shopping trip. Or... maybe getting more than I'd planned, even though it kind of broke the budget. But whatever.

8. Our new workout room in the basement. Friends were moving and gave us this gym system. K3 and That Man spent last weekend making it awesome! That Man and I have been diligent about using the new equipment - admittedly, him more than me, but I'm getting there! It's still super cool though....

And that is all for now... Tomorrow I will sleep in again. Make birthday cake, birthday dinner, and hopefully clean up my house to make it appropriate for company. I will also do laundry, enjoy my kid's birthday and try very hard not to think about what awaits me at the day job on Monday morning!

Behave!!

Thursday... Really?

It's been a long week here...

Monday's contract signing was my highlight! (Still over the moon!!)

Since then....

1. K3 with a two and a half day migraine. Two days of school missed. Play practice missed. Poor kid.

2. Drama of the family kind. From internal to external to beyond... I don't think it ever ends...

3. The day job (still need a nickname for that). So busy and so much stuff...

4. It's so freaking cold! Why?

5. K3 turns 17 on Sunday! Really? I feel so very old!

6. Sister solidarity. If you ain't got that, you ain't got nothing! We take care of each other. That's what we do. Regardless.

7. That Man. I miss him. We need some serious "just us" time.

8. Tired!

That is all for now!

Tomorrow is Friday! Thank Goodness!!

Behave!!

There Is Good News!!

So... We leave Thursday morning for the writing conference. The road trip is a blast. We arrive, check in, have some lunch, then some dinner, blah blah blah...

We're in the middle of our 50/50 challenge, so my roomie and I open our room to our chapter mate (her roomie was in bed early) for writing time. We do our thing. Simon says she's going to bed.

As she's heading out the door, I check my email... and time stops for a few seconds while I read and hyperventilate!

I'll give you more details as I have them.

Behave!!

Going to Conference...

I'm getting ready to go to a writing conference! I'm so very excited, and also, kind of nervous. And anxious.
I'm nervous because I haven't been to a conference in years, but I'm so very excited! (And I have to write pitches - which I haven't done in forever!)
I'm anxious because I have absolutely freaking nothing to wear. And because I spent hours tonight looking for black pants. (I did find some, but nothing else I need.) I have no dressy clothes. I don't have to dress up for work, so... And I'm anxious because I've only packed a little bit. I have to figure out what shirt goes with which pants, but the pants are in the dryer and it's getting late. So, I'll be doing that tomorrow night (along with finishing my pitches). And I thought I had a bad stress dream last night! Ha!
I also need to make sure this house is organized for a very busy weekend. They can all handle it, so my input is really not necessary, except for a few things - and I'm not making food, shopping, or cleaning before I leave. They can all handle that, too.
Like I said, it's been a lot time since I've been to a conference. I'm so very excited to spend the weekend with other writers and to feel the connection to my career.
Two more days at the day job!
I need to check the dryer.
Behave!

Thursday Tidbits...

Come on, Friday!!
We really need you around this place! We have big plans for the weekend (big plans which will be totally screwed up by this constant rain!), but we're not giving up yet! But let's move on to the tidbits....

Writing:
It's going really well. I'm making progress and loving the new story. Loving the edits I'm currently doing, too, but that's not for the new story.

Home:
Today, K3 met his sister at the bus stop to have a discussion with K4's nemesis. This kid has bugged her since kindergarten, but lately, he's been really rude and offensive on the bus. K3 knows the kid. So they had a "conversation" today. I don't know everything that was said, except that K3 told him if he didn't stop, there would be consequences. The kid said he didn't mean to be offensive (ha ha). We'll see what happens next.
I love, love, love that K3 stood up for his sister like he did. I love that she went to him with the problem. (No one told me anything until after! Of course!) I'm proud of both of them and we left the situation that if there's further issues, That Man and I will be involved. Sometimes, it's really better if the kids handle things themselves. There is nothing more awesome than siblings as a united force.

Day Job:
(I need a nickname for the day job.)
Still harrowing. Crazy week.

Grandkids:
Baby B is pulling himself up now. I love that he gets a huge smile on his face when he sees me! He's so adorable!
K5 is so smart and funny! She starts dance classes in the fall and asks me constantly if I'm going to come and see her dance!

More Kid Stuff:
K1 is having major vehicle issues. Major - like the transmission is broken. It sucks.
K2 is loving being married! Those two are so stinking cute together! I was showing off wedding pictures tonight and I'm still amazed at how awesome the day was.

That is all! It's late and I have crap to do!
Behave!

I Don't Know...

If you noticed, but my buy link for The Shape of Love is gone.
That's because my awesome publisher, Draumr, has closed its doors. It's sad. I know.
I have my rights back for "Sheltered" and as of right now, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the short. I love that story. It was a lot of fun to write and it was a lot of fun to be in the anthology with my awesome cohorts.
It's weird to think about this book being over. I guess it's really not, depending on what I decide to do.
I'm still thinking. I'll let you know once I decide.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Sunday Edition

Gah! The weekend is nearly over. Again! Why does this keep happening?
What a crazy weekend! I'm exhausted!
Here's the list:
1. Shopping with That Man and K4 Friday night - which included a trip to the mega warehouse store for That Man's volunteer job, seeing a 5 car pile up and a overturned tractor trailer full of olives, a quick stop in to see the newlyweds, and having pizza very late.
2. Saturday was my writing group meeting, which is always very good and much needed. I skipped lunch because we were having friends over for dinner and we had a lot to do, but then...
3. Came home to an already clean house! Nice! But then...
4. Get a call from K1. He's stranded. The clutch went out in his truck on his way to a friend's to replace the clutch. The town he's broken down in has a huge car show going on. Traffic is nasty. There's absolutely no clutch in the truck, so it has to be started in gear and immediately starts moving. A harrowing trip up the mountain to stow the truck at my sister's since it was the closest and easiest place to go. Take K1 home, then hit the store.
5. Cooking and preparing for our dinner. We made very awesome bruschetta, marinated london broil, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, corn, grilled mushrooms, and apple pockets (and ice cream for on top). Everything turned out well, though we forgot steak sauce.
6. Company to help us eat the awesome dinner! We talked and laughed and played games. They left later than they'd planned, which was fine by us. We had a really good time!
7. Had to get up early this morning to pick up K1, J, and Baby B. We then went to pick up his mechanic friend who is helping him with his truck. 3.5 hours behind the wheel and I finally arrived back home, intent on taking a nap. Never happened.
8. Seeing my grandson. He is so cute and doing so many adorable things!
9. K3 returning home after having a fantastic time at Barbershop competition. They didn't place well, but he had such a blast! It was his first competition ever and he was so excited.
10. Writing time. Today was the first day of my writing group's 50/50 challenge. 50 words a day for 50 days. I stomped those 50 words (I managed a heck of a whole lot more than 50) into the ground!! Booyah!
Sadly, no sleeping in (or naps) for me this weekend, but next weekend should be different. And... tomorrow is Monday. Oy! I'm so done with Monday!
That is all.
Behave!

Post Wedding...

I realized I'd promised you more wedding pictures and never followed through! I can't believe it's been almost two months! Wow!
So... Here's a picture.
The white dress one of the dresses my mom made for the 3 flower girls. The green ribbons hanging beside them are the sashes. K2 made the flowers out of the remnants of her dress. Then, there are the bridesmaid dresses, ending with the maid of honor's (k4) on the end. The interesting thing is that all of the green dresses are the same size. No, they don't look like it, but trust me, they are.
The backdrop to this picture is the inside of an antique barn. It's a gorgeous building.

See?
The ceremony was in the park where this barn stands - along with dozens of other cool buildings, and a covered bridge. There are hundreds of pictures from the park. Hundreds!
In my opinion, the picture taking process is the absolute worst part of the day. It was for That Man and I since we had to wait for the maid of honor and her cousin before heading to the reception. Which meant... well, waiting in the car in our nice clothes, while dying of hunger, and almost melting. (We were smart enough to pack a cooler of drinks. We did pack snacks, but they were long gone by then.)
Anyway. There you go. I might post some more later. I try not to post pictures of people, so you probably won't see any of those, but you never know.
That is all.
Behave!

Moaning Monday...

I know I retired Moaning Monday a while ago, but sometimes... You just need one!
1. This headache. Seriously?
2. Monday evening meetings! They suck! Especially when they take twice as long as they're supposed to and when you potentially think you might have to take over a committee because the chairs just quit and it's important. (I made no commitment!)
3. Teenagers! Oy!
4. Weird and unsettling, but very ridiculous, phone calls! (While I was at work, no less...)
5. The van making a weird noise.
6. Having to order a new box for the TV. I love my ISP though. The new box will be here by Wednesday.
7. My cat is shedding like crazy.
8. I'm so stinking tired.
9. This pain in my neck and shoulder. (probably the cause of my headache!)
10. I want to be home to write full time again!
That is all. Monday is almost over. Thank goodness!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Weekend Edition

Yeah, I know it's late on Sunday....
It's been quite a weekend around here. Busy and fun!
Here's the list!
1. Writing time. I've had to fight for it, but I win!
2. Not cooking Friday night! Yay for delivery and stuffs...
3. Revisions done and sent!
4. Renn Faire on Saturday. Very, very cool day! We had a blast!
5. Chilling with the younger K's and a lot of comedy videos Saturday night!
6. Sleeping in times two!
8. Laundry and grocery shopping done!
9. Meeting up with a very dear friend (and her daughter) on Saturday and getting to meet our dear friend's new man. Very fantastic to see her and he was very awesome. We are so glad for her! (Yes, they work at the Renn Faire!)
10. Managing... Because sometimes that's all you can do...
And in a few hours the week begins again... Oy! I know I'm not ready, but what can I do? (Can I get a rewind?)
Behave!

I Know...

I totally cheated on Feel Good Friday...
There's been a lot going on around here. Most of it I'm not inclined to post about at this time, but suffice it to say there was a situation That Man and I had to help with. It was hard and weird (not because of who was involved, but other people who shall not be named) and we did the best we could, and I am so thankful it worked out.
After having unexpected guests for over two weeks, we're back to just the four of us. It's a little weird.
Tonight all of the kids were here for dinner. K1, J, and Baby B, K2 & J (weird that both of my older kids have spouses whose names begin with J?), K3, & K4 (obviously because they still live here). It was pretty impromptu and the first time we'd been able to get together with the newlyweds since the wedding in a relaxed setting. (As relaxed as it gets in this house) We had a nice dinner, laughed, talked, and hung out. It was good.
So anyway...
Our weekend after Friday included a baby shower / cookout where I only knew three people. Kind of awkward, but I managed well. That Man always manages because he's not as introverted as I am. (Cookout and baby shower were for the same people, but in two different locations). We came home to a clean house (I know, right?), and silly kids. That Man crashed early, so the kids and I watched the new Evil Dead movie.
It was okay. I did like it, but I had so many questions that weren't answered. I wanted to know why and how and what happened.
Went to bed too late and didn't sleep in as long as I'd wanted.
Sunday was a gathering for my dad's birthday. It was very good. My parent's patio and back yard is gorgeous. They worked hard on it all summer to get it ready for wedding company. After that, we dropped That Man off at home and I took the kids shopping for school clothes. (We're a little late, but they had what they needed to start.) Spent way too much money, but they got a lot of what they needed and are very happy. Finally got home to a very good dinner That Man made and writing time.
And that's where the weekend ended...
Today is Monday. None of us were ready for it. But now, Monday is nearly over.
That is all for now...
Behave!!

Feel Good Friday...

Hey, it's back... at least for this week...
Here's the list...
1. Friday... Thank Goodness...
2. My grandson is crawling now... Oh boy, but so cute!
3. Back to school nights are now over.
4. Planning the beach vacation for next year.
5. Writing time...I hope to have much this weekend! Okay, so I will have much this weekend.
Ummm... it's been a really long and stressful week, so that's all I have!
Behave!!!

Exhausted Wednesday...

I know there are only two days left until Friday...
But... I don't think I can do it.
I just want to stay home and write, but I can't.
Actually... seriously... I just want to rent a hotel room and stay there until I feel like myself again... until That man and I have had some time to be "us" again.... Until I feel like I have my plan in hand again...
But I don't think that's ever going to happen...
So I will do the best I can with what I have....
Behave!

Weekend Wrap Up

Busy weekend around here... I'm tired and can't even think about starting the work week again!
Friday night was rehearsal for K3, then a small bit of relaxing before having to hit the hay early. Saturday morning K3 had to be at rehearsal again, and I picked up K5. We went to breakfast, ran a few errands, then ended up at the park to wait for Pappy. Once he got there, we loaded up and went to the meadow for an impromptu picnic. K5 loved throwing rocks into the creek, cooking hot dogs over the fire, and running across the little bridge. She reeled in her first fish and even touched it! It was a blast. We picked up K3, dropped off K5, stopped at the store to get the kids dinner, then dropped them at home before going to dinner at our friend's. That was also a blast! No kids, just us big people - good food, nice fire, fun games, and a lot of laughter.
Slept in a little this morning. Grocery shopping. Laundry. I actually took a nap! Made an awesome, but very time consuming dinner (2 hours in the kitchen, but totally worth it). Today is K1 & J's first anniversary, so they were here for dinner. Got some Baby B time in! Actually he's here for the night. K1 & J are working 3rd shift, so we're keeping him overnight until they get on day shift. I don't know if I'm up for middle of the night crying, I might be crying, too! Ha!
Now to get some writing in before I crash!
Going to be a crazy week!
Behave!

Bad Blogger

Yes, I suck!
I love this blog, and I hate not posting!
Not going to make excuses, because I always found time to blog before, so let's just move forward, okay? I will do my best to do better and maybe even try to be interesting. Maybe. No guarantees on that! Ha!
Okay... So what's been going on around here?

1. Total vehicle annihilation. Lost the tranny in That Man's Clown car a few weeks ago. Today, the drive shaft took a crap in our stupid mini-van. Which leaves my truck - my dying 'burban with over 200K miles, an electrical issue, and a tire that will need to be replaced soon. The Clown car is going to the Great Salvage Yard in the sky, but other than that, I have no idea what's going to happen, or how much anything will cost.

2. Crazy kids - Nothing has really changed in that department. It is very much chaos in this house, more lately. I really thought it would relax some once the wedding was over, but that hasn't been the case. We seem to be stuck in some kind of perpetual weird loop.

3. Writing - I am doing that! Have had to do some retraining with the new school schedule, but so far so good. Signed up for a conference in October and am very excited!

4. Other stuffs - This weather is so weird. It was so stinking hot today. I can't stand it! Time is moving by way too fast! Laundry never seems to get done. I suck at Twitter these days. I need to get some clothes for this conference. The day job is still very intense. My cat is shedding like crazy. My daughter could not move her very fat rat into their new apartment, so we are still "babysitting" the spoiled stinky beast. We will have a new driver in the house soon. (too bad there's no car for him to drive! Oy!)

Okay, I'm done blabbing for tonight. Sorry for the uninteresting content. Ha!
Behave!

Summer Survival: Year Five: Entry Three

Whoa! The warm season has passed so quickly! 
The educational camps begin in just a few days. The youngest female will begin as the top of her particular educational system. The youngest male will begin a brand new adventure with his specialized art's school, but he can still participate in his home school's programs. Very very cool and we didn't know that until yesterday!
The Man who shares this camp with me and I are stunned at the changes of this season. We have successfully managed a ceremony to pass one of the natives off, leaving us with two. How odd. And how cool, too!
Adjusting to the oldest native female having a different camp and a different schedule is weird. We go with the flow because no matter how many years it's been since our own ceremony, we remember... it's sad and it's not... and it's weird!
Now we look to the cooler season. Whoo!
Many good things are on the horizon. Many good things.
I will discuss when I can.
Behave!

Post Wedding...

I still can't believe my girl is now a wife!
They said their vows next to this archway under the shade of ancient trees and a historic home. It was gorgeous and perfect.
Except for a very few minor hiccups, the day was amazing. And yes, I cried. As That Man escorted our beautiful daughter down the aisle, I looked back at the groom. He had his hands over his mouth and tears in his eyes when he saw his bride and I lost it. So did many people.
K4 stood up for her sister as maid of honor and did a great job! K5 was absolutely adorable as a flower girl.
The reception was so much fun - from the entrance music and the best man busting a move, to K2 and her dad dancing to a mash up, J and his mom tearing up the dance floor, K3 singing for his sister, and the shoe game! The food was wonderful, the dance floor was full, the conversations fantastic. We had a blast!
After clean up, we came home to celebrate with folks that we'd wanted to invite (but couldn't due to space) and other wedding guests. That was fun, too! We ended up staying up way late, but it was worth it to hang out with my niece and her man.
None of us could move yesterday and stayed in a mostly vegetative state all day. K4 is still moaning every time she has to get up. That Man had to go back to work today. I go tomorrow. I'm still exhausted!
More on this wedding later. I need to get back to writing!
Behave!

August Already?

How did that happen?
10 days to the wedding. Still not ready. Don't know when I'm going to feel ready. Maybe never.
It's kind of stressful around here - to say the least.
If I disappear for the next 10 days, you'll know why...
Behave!

I Don't Even Know What Day It Is...

The wedding is in two weeks!
I am insane...
I do not have anything to wear yet.
Neither does That Man.
Or K3.
K4, being the Maid of Honor, does have clothing, though she needs undergarments and this tape stuff to keep everything where it belongs.
There are dozens of name tags on my table and a hundred and a half more to make.
And the flowers...
The bridesmaids flowers are mostly complete. (They turned out well. Pictures to follow once they're officially done.)
The grooms and corsages are not very complete yet, though they should be finished by the end of the weekend. I hope.
This weekend is packed full of crap - hair cuts, dress shopping, under garment shopping, items to finish the flowers shopping, revisions, sleeping in, car stuff, looking for pictures.
Next weekend is K5 sleepover, meetings, company picnics, baseball games, barbershop singing, yard work, house cleaning... I have no idea how I'm going to get everything done.
But we will.
I'm looking forward to the out of town company. No one is staying here. Thank goodness. I don't think I could handle that with everything else that must be done...Thankfully I have some days off from the day job that will help.
That is all for now... If I'm silent for days, you will know that I have lost my mind and am huddled in a corner somewhere... rocking...
Please send booze...
p.s. I am writing....
Behave!

Feel Good Friday...On Saturday

It's Friday! (Okay, now it's Saturday! Somehow I didn't post this last night!)
Here's the list:
1. Friday! Yay! Thank you!
2. Sleeping in tomorrow!
3. Tacos for dinner and Captain Morgan! (much needed that Captain)!
4. Talking to my sister. (until my phone died and it's still not charging!)
5. Watching 80's movies!
6. The work week being over! Oy for having to do my job, plus 1.5 more! I've been doing it for over a month now, and have no idea how much longer I will have to! It's wearing me down!!
7. Making progress with the writing! I am! It's good!
8. Missing K3. I miss him a whole lot. But I know he's having the best experience ever and that is awesome! It doesn't help that he comes home, then leaves right away again!
Saturday's List:
1. Hanging out with That Man.
2. Helping paint really cool medieval flags for summer camp.
3. Finding a really cool picture K4 drew for me on my computer this morning!
4. Writing time ahead.
5. K5 tomorrow!
6. K3 coming home tomorrow - even if it's short!
7. Talking to my other sister!!
8. The flowers for the wedding bouquets arriving and being prettier than I thought they'd be. Ready to put the bouquets together now!
9. Sleeping in this morning!
10. Iced Coffee!
That's all for now!
Behave!

Summer Survival: Year Five: Entry Two

It is strange at our camp.
One of the natives is gone... Yes, we know where he is, but he is still gone. Off to other camps and brand new adventures. While he has his communication devices with him, we have been strongly encouraged not to attempt contact by the authorities he is with. That is hard. I want to hear his voice, to hear how his first time in the flying contraption went, to know he is safe and good. Alas, I am at a loss. 
He will return from his far off camp and immediately head to another camp - this one not as far off, and the male companion of mine will be with him, though that doesn't help my attachment to this native. Or the male companion. 
These natives have stolen my heart and soul.
The native population has grown, though most of them do not inhabit our camp. It is still an odd pulling at the soul. The older native has a spouse - and a daughter and a son. The second oldest native will very soon have a spouse - and consequently and eventually there will be more grand natives. Our numbers have increased, and will continue to do so. As has our worry for those who are now in our lives. It is an odd feeling. The celebration time that is upon us is pressing and stressful. There are bits of shells and fluff to outlay, attire to be purchased, plans to be made, organization to be done. It is very surreal. And yet, it will be over soon. And the oldest female native will have taken her mate in a glorious ceremony. That man and I have vowed to enjoy this time as much as we can. 
We are left with the youngest female one at the moment. She does not like that man and I. At least that is how we feel when faced with her dismissal and dismay of us. We have been through this with the other natives - the eye rolling and the utter disgust at our habits and speech patterns. Still, though she believes I am dumber than a box of rocks, I am under her power. She has stolen my soul. She is bright, funny, and one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever encountered. She makes me laugh and alternately, makes me cry. She is growing and blossoming and becoming her own person. I do enjoy the journey, at times, but I am sad because I know there will be a time when she no longer feels the need to talk to me, to shock me, to fight with me. 
Camp is quiet. Too quiet. 
We have returned from our alternate camp after several days of relaxation, fun, games, fishing, good eating, and sleep. I do not think I am alone in wishing we could go back. Waking next to running water, with coffee ready and pleasant company is desirable to me. Much more desirable than the drudgery of day-to-day life. How I wish I could be at our camp for all days, but for the time being, it isn't possible if the natives want to continue to fill their bellies. The shells and bits of fluffy stuff I earn while trading for my services keep them healthy. 
I look back on years past with envy and nostalgia... I miss the early days. I miss the constant chaos and insanity. I know that brings questions of my sanity into the forefront, but I cannot help it. I long for times when those natives and I can hang out all day.
Also, I long for a brief camp with the man that does this with me. We have not had that for a very, very long time, and I am hoping being hope that we can find a night or two during this season for some much needed alone time. Maybe after the ceremonies... I can only wish...
Alas... I am an old sap. 
These Summer Survival Entries will eventually come to an end, I fear. Though I hope not for several more years.... 
This is the summer of nostalgia, I think...
Behave!!

Summer Survival: Year 5: Entry 1

Summer officially started three weeks ago, but it has been chaos at our camp...
This week is the first "real" week of down time the younger natives have had.
And they are bored...
Oh, my goodness... they are bored already! They should be relaxing and enjoying and doing what they want. But... alas... they are bored.
That Man and I need help. We have asked, begged them to decide things they would like to explore... Their suggestions are not cost effective or schedule-fitting... (or realistic) And, we began asking for these ideas weeks before the vacation started. Argh!
We have a ceremony coming up - one that sucks up all of the time from now until then. We have stuff to do. Things to make. Stuff that does not really engage the younger K's, unless they choose to participate. They have no idea of our stress and woe. We have invited them to help us, but they have declined in favor of electronic things and the Internets. They are very clueless, I think.
They spend their time pursuing movies, games, music, and, I fear, arguing about nonsense. There is no logic. 
No logic. 
The stores of food have gone missing, as always. There is no stocking, though we try. I fear the energy charge from the powers-that-be since we've had to turn on the cooling units and the natives use them far more than we think they should. Plus, they sleep far longer than is logical. Teenagers are very strange natives. There are never any clean drying cloths in this camp. There are never any clean drinking vessels, but a lot of Disney movies show up on the recently watched Que on our Internet device. What does that mean? They are not little kids anymore?
One of the natives is visiting another camp at the moment. It is very weird here without her. The male native is strutting - enjoying his status as the only native, but I am still unsettled. (though I know the female native is okay and good and having fun. And it is good that we get to have time with the male native.) There are other camps for both natives coming up, but sadly, no different camp for That Man and I. (The natives are not gone at the same time) At least for a little while. We hope to survive the ceremony and make our way to a private camp for two after, but being the head natives...
This is my fifth year journaling about this camp. (My actual time in this camp is much, much longer) I understand I've been brainwashed by the natives, but they are all very special to me. The observations perplex and confuse me though. Every native is different. As soon as I think I have them figured out....
I wonder what I will do when there are no natives left in this camp? I must not think about that yet. There are a few more hot seasons to endure... 
It is a calm night here. We have had some major water fall from the sky, but our vegetables seem okay and we are grateful for that.... 
I must now find my sleep before the harsh daylight forces me from my slumber...
More soon...
Behave!

Weekend Wrap Up!

Back to the day job tomorrow! Ugh! I don't wanna!
The sleeping in was fantastic, even though I didn't get to sleep in today. The reason was good - we kept our grandson while K1 & J worked - and man, I'd forgotten how much work is involved in taking care of a 5 month old. I'm tired!
Yesterday was spent fixing our fence, painting the picnic table, car maintenance, and working on wedding stuff. We didn't get very far with the wedding stuff, but we at least have a plan, and most of what we need to get started. Time is really ticking by pretty fast. Luckily, the big job is one that doesn't require more than Bob and I do finish, and the other job is the flowers, which is my job and one I look forward to (once I figure out what she wants).
Food - I made the family's favorite Sweet and Sour chicken with mushroom fried rice for dinner last night. Tonight was fish taco's.
Writing - I got a little bit done last night. Am heading there next and hope to make some good word count tonight.
The upcoming week - meetings, K3's rehearsal, K5's birthday, my sister's birthday, appointments, paperwork for the art's school, withdrawing K3 from high school. Fun, but busy stuff.
That is all...
Behave!

Feel Good Friday! For Real!

Here's the list:
1. Living through our town's annual street fair yesterday. I didn't go down once. We didn't make any plans at all because the guests were due to leave and we didn't know what that would be like. We figured everyone knew when it was and if they wanted to come by, they knew they could. Plus, we didn't know if we'd be up for hanging out.
2. Impromptu visits from the neighbors. It's weird because we only have a yard separating us and there was a time that we were together constantly, but life changes and we rarely see or talk to each other any more. But it was really good. We had a great visit and I love how it doesn't matter how much time has passed, we're still the same. And we were reminded of how much we love each other!
3. Being off from the day job yesterday and today. So nice! That Man was off, too. We slept in this morning, the boys went driving (K3 has his permit), we made a run for headphones, flower supplies, groceries, and fence parts. Ordered pizza and have been chilling ever since.
4. Positive news from K1 and J. It's good to hear that they have good stuff coming up, even though the end result means they're too far away from us.
5. Turning the AC on. It's hot, but not unbearable, BUT they are doing road construction right in front of our house. All night. (and have been for well over a week). It's the only way we'll sleep tonight.
6. Wedding stuff tomorrow.
7. Fence fixing tomorrow.
8. Plans for our "after party" for the wedding changing, but still coming together.
9. Writing time coming up...
10. Having two more days to sleep in... Yay!!
That is all for now.
Behave!

Mother of the Bride...

Okay... The guests have gone and it's sad. We had a whole lot of fun with them. I love, LOVE my sister-in-law. We miss them, a whole lot, but we're kind of giddy about being home by ourselves for the first time in two weeks.... It's kind of weird...
And now...
It's serious and major wedding stuff.
The wedding is in 7 weeks!! K2 and J have taken care of most of the details, but they need help with a whole bunch of stuff... Stuff we didn't know needed to be done until very recently...Oy! But okay. Easy.
It's all good. I'm so very excited for this wedding, but I have no dress yet. I have no idea of the timeline and I don't think our after party is going to happen... Dang...
But I'm excited!
Behave!!

Feel Good... Wednesday?

This is not normal, but it's so, so much needed and awesome!!

It's Wednesday and it's my Friday!! I don't have to go back to the day job until Monday! How cool is that?

So... It's been a short week, but here's the awesome!
1. Knowing we're going to miss the visitors.
2. Writing time coming back.
3. My kids. They're all made up of awesome!
4. K5 - She's so beautiful and smart!
5. Baby B! He thinks his Nanners is funny and I love it.
6. Sleeping in tomorrow!
7. Days off with That Man and those kids.
8. Wedding stuff...

Okay, it's Wednesday, so the list won't make it to 10. I need sleep and writing time...

I'll be back!
Behave!!

Still Crazy!!

Yes. It is still crazy here!
1. The visit - everything has gone very well. The kids have gotten along great. The adults have too. We're winding down now.. and it's sad. They leave Thursday afternoon. Who knows when we'll see them again. We've had a lot of fun!
2. Wedding planning - big wedding meeting last night. And the realization of how much needs to be done and planned. Plus, K2 is moving into their apartment soon. Crazy! We spent tonight going between apartment stuff and wedding stuff...
3. Tomorrow is my Friday! I am so looking forward to having 4 days off!!
4. Writing - what is that? Gah! I am missing it so much!!
5. Usual stressful stuff... not going into it... but oy!
6. We had a lot of fun this past weekend - family gatherings, drive in movies (Man of Steel and Star Trek - AWESOME!!), sleeping in, Father's Day food and fun.... I'm exhausted.
7. Finding out one of my best friend's father has stage 4 cancer sucks!! Her dad is so much like my dad! In fact, out of all of the older adult males I know, he's the only other dad I have! I'm sad!
That's all I have right now... I'm tired... So tired...
But... tomorrow is my Friday... That counts for something. Right?

Gah! I Suck!!!

Sorry about the long radio silence!! There has been a lot going on around here!
1. Bridal Shower - it was gorgeous and fun and beautiful... and the bride-to-be's phone was stolen, money was stolen... from my purse, and from my sister's purse!!! Some bridesmaids were jerks and rude, but all of that aside, my daughter had a spectacular day and that's all that matters.
2. Out of town guests - they're here (though not at the moment). It's been fun, and we're all aware that the length of time they're here is stressful. We've talked about ways to lessen the stress and are actively involved in all of that. We're having fun and that's all that matters. Plus, I love my sister-in-law and my niece and nephew... and yes, my brother-in-law, but he already know that and it makes his head swell! ha!
3. K3 joining the local barber shop group! He's so thrilled! I've yet to hear them, but I know it's awesome!
4. Summer vacation! Yay no more prying kids out of bed in the morning!
5. Lot's of funny things... you'll have to wait for them...
6. Wedding in less than 2 months!! Do I know what's going on? No!!  Will I soon? I hope!!
7. Me having some days off work soon! I cannot wait!
That's it for the moment! There's a lot more.. But damn... I'm tired...
Behave!!!

Retreat - Wrap up!

Home now and glad to be here! As glorious as retreat was, I missed my family.
So, to wrap up yesterday, the wedding crowd was mostly good. There were only a few incidents. Simon and I hung out with one of the guests until way late. She was a very nice woman and we had a great conversation. The bride invited us to their hang out after the wedding, too. So, I think it was a case of a few bad apples. Though one of our members had some crazy women pounding on her door at 4am. She told her she had the wrong room, and the woman said "who do you have in there with you" and didn't seem to understand she was in the wrong hall. But mostly, it was a quiet night. I will admit that I'm a little bummed that it wasn't more chaos, but I'm really glad it wasn't.
Retreat was fabulous.
I kicked butt in the word count department. Love my new story. Hung out with my friends. Ate way too much. And it was just what I needed. The road trip was awesome. Lunch on the way home was fun. We talked about our dreams to the universe.
Got home to lots of work being done in my house. Windows have been scraped and painted, though there are more to go. K4 has a fort going on in the living room due to late work being done in her room. That's where she slept this weekend. Except she's still in there. K3 is home from a long weekend of boy scout stuff. That Man is wiped from working so hard this weekend.
My laundry is in the dryer. I'm chilling on the couch, gearing up to write a little. We're still in the 50/50 challenge, so I have to do something, regardless of how tired I am.
And I don't want to go back to the real world tomorrow. I want the dream I talked about at lunch.
Behave!

Retreat - Day Three

Last night was interesting to say the least. I crashed around midnight, but the partying from the wedding group continued until the wee hours. To say I am a little nervous about how tonight is going to go would be an understatement. There is security in place, and our host, and the staff, but...
These people are different. They're not nice. Not pleasant at all. We're given dirty looks any time we run into them. Rude comments are made about us and they're rude to the staff here. And loud. Last night one of the women slapped another woman in the face because she "had it coming" as someone else said. The ice machine in our hall was empty all morning because even though only one room in our hall is occupied by them (grr), they'd used all of the ice from the machine where everyone else is staying. The outside area near our hall is a filthy pigsty of cigarette butts, spilled beer, and a toenail. There is beer on the building. There was a broken bottle on the sidewalk, a toilet papered car, and someone stepped on the flowers. The downstairs sitting area is covered in beer caps, beer cans, and pretzels. There's a soaking wet towel with what looks like a burn on it hanging on the railing on the way to our meeting room. And that was all last night.
What do you think tonight is going to be like? There are still 50-some guests to arrive yet. Luggage carts full of beer have been brought into rooms (not for the actual wedding, for private use).
Most of our group is going with the flow. I am trying to as well, but like I said yesterday, I am responsible for our group. I've already been down to the front desk and have been asked to come back after lunch to speak to the director.
We'll see...
I'm sure I'll be back with more later...
Behave!

Retreat - Day Two... Oh Boy...

Here we go with the wedding crowd already! Last year we dealt with an insane wedding on site. It was amusing to some of us, and not so much to others. We went into this year knowing there was already a wedding on the books for tomorrow night and knowing full well that you can never predict how a wedding with booze is going to go. (I'm very glad my daughter decided there would be no booze at her wedding. It makes my job a lot easier!)
This afternoon we heard a ruckus outside of our door. We look out to see people opening the door to the room directly across the hall from the room I share with Simon. They were talking loudly about how so-and-so had the room across the hall (right next to Simon and I). We were a little shocked, but decided to wait and see. They became loud, and a little obnoxious, and people (and copious amounts of booze) seemed to be coming out of the woodwork. Okay. Time to see what's going on. Simon and I head to the desk to talk to our coordinator.
Blah. Blah. Blah. We're given the option to change rooms if things got unbearable, promised there will be security on hand during the wedding, and more talking. After dinner, I went for a quick walk and then back to the dining room via the hall we always use. There's loud music, guys standing in doorways with beers, lots of swearing, and oy! I'm irritated and a little worried about how some of my retreaters are going to feel about the chaos.
Simon and I talk, deciding to ride the wave for now, and run into our "host" on our way back to our rooms. He takes one look at us and asks what's wrong. We pull him out of earshot and tell him. Let me just say that our host is awesome. He told us in no uncertain terms that if anyone messed with us, he would take care of it. We fully believe him. He's been down the hall several times since, though the wedding party is off getting liquored up somewhere else.
I don't really care what the other guests do, but I'm responsible for this retreat and the people here with me. Though I feel a lot better after our talk with our host, I'm still a little nervous. Also - I am taking no crap from other guests. This is my retreat and nothing will make it any less than completely awesome!
I am sure I will have more to report later...
Wait for it...
Behave!

Retreat - Day Two

Forgot to turn my regular work day alarm off. That sucked, but being at retreat is like being on vacation. Sleeping can wait. So I got up, made coffee in the conference room, showered, checked emails, paid the household bills, organized the notes I made last night, and checked in with the family. Had breakfast, of which I did not have to cook or clean up. 

Back to the room to get to work, though I will admit I did a fair amount of goofing off, but that is also what retreat is for. Managed a pretty high word count before lunch. Had lunch, again with the not cooking or cleaning up. And lunch was pretty awesome. Took care of a few retreat administrative duties, felt like a nap. Didn't work. Went to look for my roommate, who I had rudely not told I was going to nap and she ended up disappearing. Couldn't find her, but spent some time talking to another retreater and watching the beer truck for tomorrow night's wedding get unloaded. Find roommate. She's talking about taking a nap. Okay. We will both take naps (not in the same bed. For crying out loud, where is your mind?) Kind of nap until her husband calls. Nap is over. Take a quick walk. Sit down to write this blog. Get a return phone call from one of our members who had a family emergency and couldn't come. Talk to her for a few. Then, go to talk to our treasurer about the return of her funds. Sit down to finish this blog when another retreater comes in excited to have met her goal already. Now it's now. Ready to rock and roll...

My outside view:

The poor disabled bee:

That is all for now!

Behave!

Retreat! Day One!

We arrived safe and sound and in record time! The drive was fun, as always. When you're in a car with your bestest friends, it's always a blast.

Everyone that is supposed to be here now is here. Next up is dinner, then I get to the writing.

At this point, the retreat has already been hugely successful! (and we've only been here a few hours!) I will be starting a new book and I already have figured out the big bad and the end game!! That's huge! I was so very worried my brain was broken.

This is the view from my room!

More later!

Behave!