Times are changing..

I was gonna post this last weekend, but of course I got busy with life and it didn't get done.

So last Friday night, I decided to have a nice bonfire in the back yard and a few marshmallows.  There was a time this would have brought all the kids running.  Not so much anymore, my big guys were at their dad's.  My son was watching some sports something or other w/ his dad...so it was just me and baby girl(she's 8..almost 9), OH! and our retarded, marshmallow, loving dog.  We didn't mind, it was nice.  So we sat and enjoyed the fire for a while chatted a bit, roasted some marshmallows, tossed a few to the dog.  Then as I was mellowing out, she was getting bored.  I could tell cause she was getting wiggly.  It was fairly dark, and the fire was nice, the neighborhood was quiet.  I was content to just sit there and watch the logs burn.  Finally she asked me, "Mom..can I play w/ your phone?"  I figured, what the heck, I don't let her use it very often, no big deal, so I handed it to her.  She says, "Ya got any games on this thing?".  It's fairly new and I don't really like games, so no I don't have any games.  Then she decided to go on Twitter and figured that out.  She was off in phone la la land, happily amusing herself quietly beside me. I enjoyed the fire, she enjoyed the company and the electronics and we coexisted.  I sat there thinking to myself, "I never would have pictured this when I was a kid"   Really, sitting in my back yard letting my 9 yr old play w/ a cell phone that was smaller than my hand, fits in my pocket, doesn't require a "BAG" to carry it around because it weighs 12 pounds, didn't cost me $4000, AND has the internet w/o being plugged in.  WOW!  Culture shock.  When I was her age I would have just been content to sit and watch the fire.  Things were simpler, slower...we didn't have to go go go all the time.  Maybe it was just because I was a kid, maybe it still felt hectic to my Mom, I don't know.  We didn't have all day kids programming, if you missed cartoons when they were on, you missed them, we didn't have DVR's, hell we didn't even have cable cause we lived to far out of town.  We lived on a lake, we had bikes, my girlfriend had horses, we were busy having fun, being kids.  Life is so much different for kids now.  They'll never have to open an encyclopedia or a dictionary, you can find all that online.  You never have to miss your favorite show, and heck if by some chance you did, they'll rerun it so many times you'll be sick of it.  You don't have to worry about talking on the phone somewhere the cord doesn't reach (we still have a land line, but cordless phones of course).  One of the BIGGEST things when I was a kid was to have a phone in your room, hell now ya just walk it right in there, no big deal.  Ours even work outside.  You don't have to leave your house to rent a movie, you don't have to rent a VCR to watch it LOL (ever do that? we did!).  No one cares about going to the arcade, cause you just play video games at your house.  You don't need to ask for directions to anywhere just look it up on your phone, and it will take you there.  SO many more things, it's just amazing how fast it all changes.  You know when your a kid and your parents or other adults say things like, "In a flash you'll be a grown up, time goes by so fast" and you laugh it off, SURE I will.. It's so true.  You blink and the week is over, blink again and it's been a year.  My oldest son turned 18 in July, the middle one is 15, the youngest son is 10 almost 11, and baby girl will be 9, another year of school starts on Tuesday, where did the time go?  Tonight, if it's not raining, you'll find me sitting by the fire, trying to hold on to one more night while time flies by.

Life can be exhausting.

Holy shit!  OK I have to give a GREAT big hand to all the full time working Moms out there.  You ladies are incredible.  I don't know how you do it.  I've now been working full time for 2 and a half weeks.  This is HARD! I had no idea, I worked part time for a few years, it's hard but not too bad.

  Full time is "OMG when the fuck do I get anything done?! "  I'm lucky to have an 8 to 5 job and no weekends.  However my husband can't drive because of his brain cancer, and I have four kids.  So as soon as I get home the running starts, if I'm lucky the hubs has cooked dinner, and I can grab some bit of it on my way back out the door.  I usually finally get home from all the shit I have to do after work, around 9 pm each night.  Then, while I AM tired, I don't want to go to bed, I just want to chill for a while, so I end up stay up to 11:30/12:00.  THEN I have to turn around and get up at 6:00 am to do it all over again the next day.  STUPID!  I just need to learn to go to bed but I don't want to!

I used to get groceries on Monday mornings, now if I don't go on the weekend I have to go after work.  I don't even like shopping in the first place!  Why can't they just deliver like the pizza place?  I have to make important phone calls on lunch, and everyone I'm trying to call is on lunch so it's a phone tag of epic proportions.  The house is a wreck, the laundry gets done on an 'as I need clothes for work' basis, and the kids and hubs are laying around doing nothing but jack shit all day long.  That's about to change.  They are going to think they just hit an episode of Wife Swap, cause it's time for MY RULES and everyone has to play.

I need a weekend from my weekend, I think we all should have mandatory 2 weeks vacation every month!  Don't get me wrong I'm THANKFUL to have a job I like it, and I NEED it, but it's taking some getting used to.  For those of you that have been doing it for years, I had no idea, you really are SUPER MOMS!  So drink an extra margarita and take a nap, it's Sunday!

I got a job!

Hell to the Yeah!

I got a job, I can't tell you how excited I am to get OUT of my house for 9 hours a day!  It's also at a company that a good friend of mine works at, so bonus I already know someone there.  My coworkers all seem pretty cool (time will tell, you know how an office full of women can be), the job is not to hard, yet still challenging I think it'll be great.  It was sorely needed w/ the hubs and Disability and no health insurance, it was going downhill fast, I've been looking and then my friend mentioned this job.  Hallelujah!!  A few interviews later and I got the call!  I'm so thrilled! 

I started last Thursday, and it's pretty good.  Few things I gotta mention.  It's an office job so a LOT of sitting, which is actually making my body hurt.  Let's not get confused, I'm no stranger to sitting and my derriere has PLENTY of padding, but it's usually not in an office chair or for that long.  I'm a Mom of four, I'm always moving, I sit at my desk, or on the floor in the living room, sometimes the Lay Z Boy if I'm lucky, though if I sit there it seems like open invitation for all the children to pile on to me.  I'm always up and running to do a load of laundry, clean up a mess, check the pool filter, water the garden...SOMEthing.  This is a full time job, I haven't actually worked a full time job, I think EVER(well besides being a Mom).  Maybe a full time week or two during different jobs, but not consistently.  I've been a SAHM twice, and worked part time jobs on and off over the years.  It sure takes some getting used to.

I've never been one to take showers first thing in the morning, more like a mid morning chore.  I also don't like going to bed w/ wet hair.  Now I have no choice it's one or the other, so morning gets it.  That means I have to get up earlier.  Which is technically no problem as I'm a morning person anyway, but I like to get up early and just CHILL, not do anything but listen to the quiet.  Now I actually have to get myself around and get the day figured out, make my lunch, start the pool filter, water the flowers and get moving.  What are the kids doing, do they need a ride anywhere, does the hubs have a doc appointment??? I feel like my head is spinning.  Oh and guess what?  You can't do anything w/ any business at all,  unless you call on your lunch hour, which hopefully isn't also their lunch hour, it kinda sucks.  I feel bad that the kids are home all day w/ their dad and nothing to do.  He can't drive so he can't take them anywhere, and he's such a pain in the ass, that I know they aren't having a good time.  Oh well, sooner than ya know school will start and they'll be back w/ their friends all day.  

Not only that, but I still have all the other household crap to do that I always do.  This does not make life easy.  THEN this weekend is my daughter's Pom/Baton Nationals, so I keep getting assigned tasks to do in the evening for the teams.  I can't wait til Nationals is over, this is TOO much!  I just want to come home from work and relax for once.  

I don't know how my Mom did it, I'd type some more, but I can't keep my eyes open.  Good night.

Rotten kids, it's not just for buses anymore...

Have you seen the Bus Monitor video?

Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate factory.

If you haven't seen the video, you should really watch it.  It's a PERFECT picture of how ROTTEN kids can be.  These kids are assholes as are their parents for raising them this way.    If they treat an adult this bad, imagine how they treat each other?  I'm 38 years old, and have lived through this shit.  When I was in middle/high school I was teased unmercifully, I had acne, and I was one of the first girls in my class to get big boobs.  I would wait to get off the bus to cry, I cried at night, I contemplated suicide but even then, I didn't really think hard about it.  I had friends, and a good home, and a great Mom, I knew I was loved...but what would have happened if I didn't have that support at home?  A LOT of that teasing was done on the bus, but it happened at school too.  If you ever wonder why these poor kids commit suicide you only need to watch that video.  They made a GROWN WOMAN CRY, she's an adult, she knows they are just punk kids, she knows it really holds no weight for her, and still it made her cry.   When you're that age, other kids opinions of you is basically your world, you are constantly trying to keep up and fit in.  Should it be that way? Hell no, but it is.  Have you ever watched the movie "Mean Girls"  if not you should, it's so true.  I love that movie, I love the way she gets them all back at the end, but how many times in real life does that actually happen?  I don't know of any, eventually if you ignore them long enough they will find someone else to pick on, if you're lucky.  Or some teens take what they think is the last resort, and kill themselves...so sad.   I think it's great the outpouring of love and support for Karen, however how many people/children have died/killed themselves over the same treatment and gone unnoticed, or unsupported?  

Bullying laws?  Really?  You know if someone from the past were to look into this they'd be laughing.  How did kids get so spoiled rotten that they can get away w/ this shit and we have to have LAWS against it?  I'm not saying these things didn't happen then, but SOMETHING would have been done and in a hurry.  This doesn't just happen on the bus, it happens at school, to the teachers, bus drivers and they can do NOTHING.  They are taught not to respond and send the kid to the office.  What if the kid won't go to the office?  Teachers NEED something, they need to have some sort of good punishment for these assholes, community service or SOMEthing.   No wonder we have schools full of shitty teachers, if I had to live through what they do everyday, I'd be a bitch too.  Bullying taught me to be a bitch, trust no one, don't give a shit what other people think, and that I have thick skin, blotchy or not.  

My principal had a paddle on the wall in his office.  I don't know if he ever used it, but we knew he would if he had to.  Do I want someone else paddling my kid? NO!  But if I teach my kids right from wrong, I shouldn't have to worry about it.  It's the people who count on society to raise their little assholes, those are the people's kids who will get paddled by someone else, because their parents don't care enough to discipline them. For example this article about a 10 yr kid getting punched by an adult because he was being too noisy and throwing popcorn at the man and his girlfriend.  Did that man get any support?  Nope, he got charged w/ Second degree assault and the whole U.S. was crying over the little douche bag getting punched.  I bet that kid will never act up in a theater again.  Do I think it's right? No, but who else is going to punish the kid?  Who drops off a 10 yr old w/ his friends to a PG-13 movie and leaves?  If you don't know your kid can behave in public w/o you, then you better not be leaving them.  Isn't that abandonment?  Where I live your kids have to be 12 yrs old to leave them alone somewhere, WTH?  No, this guy didn't get any support and he'll probably get sued by the parents because he hurt their poor little douche bag child. 

   There are still some good kids out there, that have good parents that don't let them act like assholes, too bad we're a dying breed.  If your kid yells at you,  swears in front of you, screams until they get what they want, does whatever the hell they want no matter what you say...your kid is probably an asshole.  If they will treat you that way, what's to stop them from treating ANYone else that way?  At least the little douche bags recorded it and got caught, how many other instances go unrecorded?

There are days I hate air conditioning!

Today is one of those days!

I was sitting outside reading the rest of a good book on my Nook (Through a Glass Darkly...pretty good).  PERFECT night about 75 degrees, no humidity, sun is slowly sinking, no wind, not too hot, not too cold, just lovely.  Ahhh...for once the kids and the hubs are leaving me alone, I can't believe it, and I'm not sure it's safe to go inside and find out why, but it was so peaceful.  One of those rare moments as a parent of four.  

I get to the end of my book, and it's getting darker, so I decide to go in.  I walk in the door and it's colder INside my house than the perfect temp OUTside my house.  This INSTANTLY pisses me off (hence the "Mommy on the Edge" it doesn't take much) so I march over to the thermostat to see what it's set at.   The gauge says it's set at 70 degrees.  WHAT. THE. HELL.!!??  This is the second time in a week my husband has messed w/ it, it wasn't even that hot today, the high was 81, there is NO reason to even turn it on.  So I give him the look of death and say, between my teeth...you know what I mean..real evil-like.."I swear to God if that is set lower than 74 degrees again this summer I will take it OFF the wall!!!"  and stomp away.  I will.  He is not mechanical AT ALL and I can fix just about anything.  I installed it, I shall take it away.  MAN I hate that!  I just got  the electric bill from last month at $210 HOLY SHIT!  I can't afford that kind of bill.  He'll be lucky if I don't take if off the wall anyway.  It wasn't even on all month, just a few days here and there, between that and SOMEone leaving the hose leaking for 3 days (yeah water and electric on the same bill..we're so blessed) it added up.

Overall I don't like A/C anyway, I hate walking around my house in the summer and seeing the kids wrapped in blankets to watch a movie, or sleeping in winter pajamas or my feet feeling like icicles.  It's summer for Christ's sake, sleep in a T-shirt!  Enjoy the warmth, because this is Michigan and we will be plunged back into darkness and cold before you know it!  I should NOT have to walk outside to get warm.  The ONLY time it's tolerable is when it's 85 or above and high humidity, even then there's NO reason for it to be set lower than 74.  I hate being cold.

Separate beds HELL! Separate rooms sounds more like it!

They had the beginning of the idea anyway.  While separate beds would be great, I'm thinking separate rooms would be the ultimate AWESOME.  Here's why:

1. I hate walking into my bedroom and it smells like shit because my husband got there first and has been farting like a bean-fed cowboy for at least an hour.   You can spray air freshener but then it just smells like shit and flowers, and that's not real conducive to sleep either.

2.  Keep your body OFF my side of the bed.  Don't touch my pillow, my side of the blankets..NOTHING!

3.  Even if he isn't farting he stinks, guys pretty much just smell like ass all the time I've discovered, and the ass  smell permeates the whole room.

4. I don't want to cuddle, EVER, not before sex, not after sex, just never, stay the hell away from me.  No I do not want your hot sweaty arm thrown over me while you are sleeping, I feel like a caged animal AND it's too hot, just no.

5. Snoring, I think I've mentioned before that my husband snores, like a grizzly bear and no , that's NOT an understatement.  Well we thought we fixed that w/ the CPAP machine..and yes it did fixed the snoring, that is BLISS.  HOWEVER, when he gets up in the middle of the night to pee, if he doesn't turn it off  it sounds like the TV left on while the cable box is turned off.  STATIC  EXTREMELY LOUD STATIC!!!  I've asked him nicely not to leave it on, he still does it.  Next time it happens I'm throwing the damn machine out the window!  At least the snoring is not his fault, being inconsiderate is a WHOLE OTHER issue!  So not only am I awake in the middle of the night, but instantly MAD AS HELL Because he left it on, so I know I will be awake for hours.  Last night this happened.  3:27 am.  Still awake.  I counted backwards from 100 3 times. I prayed for everyone on the planet and then prayed for sleep, and then prayed for patience so I wouldn't smother him in his sleep.   I read a book.  Finally I just got up...what the hell is the point.  Look out world I got my bitch shoes on and I ain't afraid to stomp on you w/ them!

IF my house was big enough for me to have my own room I would totally be sleeping in it tonight!  

Why can't you just buy the cream?

Seriously, why haven't they just come up w/ a way to sell you the creme/cream?  That shit is AMAZING!  I know I know it's probably full of preservatives and chemicals and addictive endorphins or some shit, but it's DELICIOUS.  I would really like to be able to buy the creme from Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, or the filling from the Swiss cake rolls, and the Icing from Toaster Strudel. 

You can't make this at home, I know..I've tried every top secret recipe out there.  It's just not the same w/o the chemicals.  Sad but true.  They know this, that's why they are so damned stingy w/ it.  You can't buy it w/o the oatmeal cookie parts, you can't buy it w/o the cake roll, and that icing, be careful w/ the damn package or you'll lose it all.  I'm POSITIVE I'm not the only Mother on the planet whose toddler turned into a crying, screaming, ball of liquid snot because I screwed up opening the package and now I/they can't draw on their Toaster Strudel.  AND there are NO extras in the package, so unless SOMEONE want's to go w/o their icing (and let's face it, NO ONE is going to do that) there's nothing you can do.  You know how it goes, you try to rip them apart and you slit the whole side seam open, there's no drawing w/ that, it's time to get the butter knife and the Kleenex.  It slips out of your hands while trying to open it and lands in the dog water...it's always something.  I don't even like the strudel part, just give me a packet of icing! Why can't they just put a few extra packages in there?   Don't they know SHIT HAPPENS!?  I though all of America knew that.

It's like they know what the best parts are, so they torture you by putting the bare minimum on it.  They are all sitting around laughing after work saying, "Dude!  We could put that shit between two pieces of cardboard and people would still buy it!"  Yea..they know they've got us by our wallets.  

So much to blog...so little time.

My oldest son is supposed to be graduating today, but the high school screwed him over so he doesn't get to walk w/ his class.  I'm not going to go into detail, because I'm so mad I could spit nails...yes he has some fault in it, but it's not completely his fault, and it's ridiculous.  So he will be getting his diploma on June 30th.

 About 3 years ago our school district decided to give trimesters a try as apposed to the age old semester system.  Over those last 3 years they've discovered that MORE students failed classes(including my son) because the classes were too short and rushed and the kids weren't getting the instruction they needed.  They then decided to switch back because it was obviously not working.  This then being the last year of the trimester system they changed the rule for graduation.  If a senior is missing 1 or more credits as of final grades they can't walk in the graduation ceremony.  So on the last year of a system they know to be inferior they make it so a BUNCH of seniors can't participate in graduation.  Great idea.

Summer is so close, thank God I'm overly irritated w/ all four of the schools I have to deal w/ on a daily basis.  What used to be a good school district has gotten too big and they are NOT coping well.  The high school has 10, 11, and 12th grade there are 1348 students in those three classes.  The current 9th grade class has 548 students.  This is NOT a big school district, and it was never meant to handle that many students.  Holt is not even a city or a village it's a corporation.  Michigan has what is called "Schools of Choice"  that means you can enroll your kids in ANY public school you want IN Michigan as long as you can get them there.  You have to apply to that school ,but there is no fee, and since they make money based on how many students they have, you're not likely to be turned away.  This is not a bad thing, that's how my children were enrolled in Holt schools, I live a 1/4 of a mile from the edge of the district, and the schools they would go to are not that great, so I thought I was doing the right thing taking them to a better district.  I guess the grass really isn't greener.   I think it's probably still better than where they would go, but the differences are evening out faster than I like.

The whole "Zero tolerance" for bullies policy is the biggest load of bullshit they've ever come up with.  They preach it , the teach it, and they don't enforce it. Three out of four of my kids have been bullied at least once each in the last year, and nothing was done to the bullying child besides a talk w/ the principle.  The principle can do absolutely NOTHING but TALK to the opposing child, wow, big deal.   They don't do detention anymore, there's no staying after school cleaning chalk board, there's not In school suspension, they do nothing.  The high school used to have Saturday school if you had more than 3 tardy's in a trimester...no more.  The 'middle' school my youngest son goes to has anti-bullying posters on every wall MADE by the students.  So when he tells me that a GIRL told him she was going to POISON HIS FOOD in his lunch bag, I was LIVID.  I called the principal who didn't even KNOW about the incident.  WHAT?!  The girl didn't even have to go to the principals office?  What. The. Hell.  Why put the posters all over the school if no one is going to do anything about it?   What a crock.

I'm strongly considering homeschooling if things don't improve.

Tag you're it!

Thor

Well I've been tagged...shit, caught again.  Anyway I was tagged by Mod Mom Beyond IndieDom and her answers rocked, so don't unfollow me and follow her because she's cooler than me ok?!  I'm watching you!

I also enjoyed doing these things on Facebook and they don't come up so often anymore...neither does "Poking" people, but that was always a bit strange anyway.  

Your mission(a.k.a. the rules) should you choose to accept it:

You must post these rules.  Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.  Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.  You have to choose 11 people to tag and and link them on the post.  Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.  No tag backs and you legitimately have to tag 11 people.

Eleven things about me:

1.  I can out burp all the males in my household, I mean LOUD.  I have 3 sons and a husband so that's saying something.

2. I know how to give vaccinations to pets and horses.

3. I've wanted a pony for Christmas(or any holiday really) since I was 9, still haven't got it.  I bought my own horse, it was a divorce present to myself, so that doesn't count.

4. I don't like people.

5. I love cars, MUSCLE cars, BIG engines..purr like a kitten, HORSEPOWER.  I LOVE to drive and I love to drive fast.   I got a ticket when I was 17 for going 82 in a 55, I was racing...had to take a class for that one...whoops. 

6. I always said I would never have kids, now I have four...yes, I actually do know how that happens.  I guess that's my hidden talent.

7. I can sew, crochet, knit, draw, or make just about anything I can see.  I'm not much of an original creator, but I'm one HELL of a copycat.

8. I use to show dogs in 4H

9. Babies freak me out, I much prefer kids that can talk and walk and do shit for themselves...like when their about 13.  Of course my daughter has not hit that age yet, so I may change my tune on that.

10.  I love to read, I'll read anything, if I'm bored and out of reading material...I'll read instruction manuals...it may be dorky but guess who knows how to run every electronic device or appliance in our house...OH YEAH THIS GIRL...don't hate me because I'm beautiful!

11.  I'm basically still afraid of the dark.

The questions from the blogger who tagged me:

1.  Which celebrity would you like to have dinner with and why?

Chris Hemsworth (Thor in Avengers) because...drool...he can hammer me anytime!
2.  What is your biggest vice?

Sweets, not just chocolate but anything that has an astronomical sugar content...BRING IT!
3.  What's your favorite Johnny Cash song?

Ring of Fire...it makes me laugh, I always though it should have been the theme song for hemorrhoid cream.
4.  Beatles or Stones?

Beatles every time.
5.  Red or Blue and why?

Red White AND Blue baby, I'm American that's why!
6.  Favorite SNL sketch of all time and why?

Was never a big fan of SNL, the Today Show is more my time of the day.
7.  The meal you would order as your last if you were on death row would be?

Carraba's Maria Pollo Chicken, it's MELT in your mouth good.
8.  The song you find most repulsive.

Whichever one my 14 yr old son is listening to at the moment.
9.  Your favorite president and why. 

None, they are all a bunch of crooks!
10. Catch phrase you hate the most.

"I know right?"  it just sounds so stupid...but of course I've used it.
11. How you would've like the last Oprah show to end instead of how it did.

She should have had me on there and built me a new house and gave me a couple million dollars.

Here are the people I tagged:

Because Nobody Likes Mondays

Blissfully Discontented

Graceful Disaster

Just Another Day in Paradise

Life as I know it

People I want to Punch in the Throat

The Foley Fam

Dating after Disney

Inside These Walls

Recovering Working Mom

My Delicious Ambiguity

Here's your questions...IF you're up to the challenge:

1. Why do you blog and how'd you get started?

2. Dogs or Cats?

3. What's your hobby?

4. Lots of besties, or a few besties and lots of acquaintances?

5. Facebook...love it or hate it?

6. Your favorite band and why?

7. Do you read the gossip rags while waiting in line at the supermarket?

8. If you could sleep w/any celebrity who would it be?

9. How many people know your deepest, darkest secret?

10. What's your dream vehicle?

11. If you lived to be 100 what is the one thing you'd still want to be able to do on your own?

Should it be your RIGHT?

I live in Michigan, a state which, up until April 12, has had a helmet law for Motorcyclist since I can remember.  I can't rightly say when it was enacted I just know for sure it has been that way for as  long as I have been alive. If you're riding a motorcycle you have to wear a helmet, that was the law.  Well they changed it April 12, 2012, now if they have had their motorcycle license for more than two years, and have extra insurance they don't have to wear one.

This one is from BMW

Why did they change it, because the bikers have been whining about it for years and apparently if affects tourism of bikers in our state.  Their biggest argument? "It should be our RIGHT to choose whether or not to wear a helmet."  To me that is just a childish statement.  OK if we are going to go there, it should be my RIGHT to choose to wear my seatbelt(it is not, it's a law, I have to wear it...which I don't mind at all), it should be my RIGHT to choose to carry a concealed weapon, it should be my RIGHT to choose whether or not to stop at a red light, it should be my RIGHT to choose whether or not you can smoke a cigarette, it should be my RIGHT to choose whether or not to drive on the right side of the road.  See what I'm getting at here?  It's no more a RIGHT than any of these other things it was there to make us all safer.  It's pure stupidity to not wear one, I don't care if you like the wind in your hair, I don't care if some doctor said, your buddy who miraculously lived through a motorcycle accident, would have died if he had on a helmet.

  I own a horse, I ride in a helmet EVERY SINGLE time.  Did I used to? NO!  But I've seen what can happen,  my horse has a limit to how fast he can go, and it's a lot slower than most motorcycles.  You might argue that horses are unpredictable and a motorcycle is a machine that you control.  OK, I can see that, but how many motorcycle accidents happen because the rider is IN CONTROL?  Probably only those caused by other drivers. The simplest of road conditions can cause you to lose control of your bike.  I've ridden motorcycles, I know.  I have lots of friends who ride, I love them just the same and my non-motorcycle riding friends to me there is no difference, but when they start whining about their RIGHT to choose about whether or not to wear a helmet, I just have to walk away.  You want to act like children, go ahead, but I'm not going to get in that pissin' match.  The law is passed at this point, there's no changing it now, but I'm still seeing the argument about it being their right to choose, and I still have to wear my seatbelt, have a CCW permit, stop at a red light, walk through your smoke to get into the building, and drive on the right side of the road.  There have been 6 deaths of helmetless riders since the law passed, would they have died if they were wearing a helmet?   Maybe.  I hope it's worth it to the bikers and the tourists.

Mothering from the trenches...

I'm sure you've all seen the Time Magazine cover.  REALLY?!  Why?  I haven't read the article, nor  do I care to, the cover is a HUGE turn off to me.  I Breastfed all  4 of my kids, but I sure as hell never did it like that.  I feel sorry for that kid in the future, no one is going to forget who he is.

Anyway. Being a Mother is like being in a war zone whether you work or you don't whether you breastfeed or you don't, the first... I'd say the first 4 years are just trying to keep yourself and your child alive.  As I said, I breastfed my kids, I never planned on keeping them in my bed they had their own little bassinet but I will tell you all of them ended up in my bed at some point.  It was just so much easier for ME to sleep if I didn't have to get all the way awake to nurse them in the middle of the night.  I'm a horrible sleeper, and a light sleeper, it doesn't take much for me to get fully awake and then my brain goes into overload.  I'm sure it's going: "Holy shit she's awake, well guess what, it's time for her to do quantum physics, and schedule doctors appointments, and worry about the bills and the kids and the dog, and the car, and solve all the world's problems....that should keep her up for a while!".   So they may have started out in their bassinet, but they ended up in my bed, right in the middle, wiggling and kicking and taking up space.  I'm happy to say that they all now sleep in their own beds thank God.

These are not my people but I've been in this position, borrowed(Stolen) from this  blog 

I did not breastfeed them til they were 4, because..I guess I'm just selfish, but I wanted my body back, 2 years was all I could handle.  Those things belong to me and I don't want to share them for the rest of my life. 2 of the boys gave it up before that, they were just too busy to nurse and that was perfectly ok w/ me.  The girls were already large and now they are forever doomed to be X-Large and of course saggy, thank God for underwire bras!  4 kids, that's a lot of breastfeeding, I'm SO SO thankful that they are all grown out of that, no more leaky boobs, no more nursing pads, no more special bras or shirts that I can't tuck in, no more pumping milk while at work,  no more trying to find a quiet place that's somewhat secluded if we are out in public.  I guess I could have just found a stool for them to step up on and whipped one out though, apparently that's acceptable. Who Knew?

I did NOT ever chew up my kids food for them and spit it in their little birdy mouths, I guess I'll have to answer for that when I hit the pearly gates.  I just figured that's for birds and not for humans because Euwww.

  I did of course test it w/ my own lips to make sure it wasn't too hot.  I also fed them while their food was warm and then ate mine cold, or had to reheat it by the time I finally got to it.  It's a wonder all Moms aren't anorexic looking but here's the secret.  You get fat because you end up eating the food that your kid didn't eat  on their plate.  It's a shame to waste all that food so I should eat it!  OR you hardly got any at all because you were so busy running around getting everything for everyone else so you eat it.  

I am apparently NOT a good potty trainer because all four of them took forever, I swear I thought they would be going to school in diapers, but they all finally got it before going.  Stubborn little shits!  I tried everything, treats, toys, charts, stickers, fancy toilet seats, they just all had their own agenda I guess.

When I was in high school I kept saying I would never have kids, don't say that folks, cause now I have four and only 1 of them was planned.  Yes I'm completely aware of how that happens, but when contraceptives fail, they fail, I tried.  I never thought I would put my hands out to catch puke before it hit the floor, couch, car, etc.,  I never thought I would drive a little recklessly so I could get home faster and get the SCREAMING child OUT of the car(my daughter HATED riding in the car), I never thought I would have to clean kid crap off the carpet, I never thought I would find the kitten in the refrigerator, I never thought boobs could leak enough to soak you to your undewear and...I never thought I could love someone as much as I love my kids.  All the crazy moments, all the nights of hardly any sleep, getting peed on, getting puked on, leaky boobs, eating cold meals, waking up w/ aches and pains because of the kids hogging the bed...it was all worth it.  I have four fabulous humans that I can call mine.  

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms, the world wouldn't spin w/o us!

My boys

I feel like I'm always writing about my daughter.  She's the youngest (and the neediest...boys are SO much easier, you people w/ both genders can admit it, it's ok), and I spend the most time w/ her by default, my husband can't coach baton/pom team(I don't either, but he has coached the boy's baseball, basketball and football teams over the years), he can't help her change costumes in the locker room, he can't drive so he can't take her to competitions...so I have a LOT of time w/ her.

I have 3 sons also, that I love dearly and each of them are AMAZING for their own reasons.

My oldest son...we'll call him Bob Shingles, that's one of his user names to something or other.   Bob is 17 and on the verge of graduating(crossing my fingers and toes and praying really hard on that).  He's the first, the one who had me all to himself the longest.  Good thing because he was a difficult baby, I was just 20 when he was born, he didn't know what he wanted, I didn't know what he wanted, but we came out ok on the other side.  He wasn't colicky he was just...I don't know what.  I'm surprised I ever had any other kids after that.  Anyway, he's amazingly smart(like genius smart, and I'm not just saying that because I'm his Mom), he's patient w/ other people, tolerant of everyone, friendly with everyone, not aggressive in any way... he's a lover, not a fighter.  He can fix a computer, he can solve Calculus equations, and he likes to cook, you can't beat that :D  He's a free spirit, goes w/ the flow, loves everyone...a true hippie, he would've fit right in w/ the 60's.  He's tall, blonde and adorable, loves music, loves Marching Band and just a good kid.  His teachers love him, his friends love him, his friend's parents love him.  I'm so proud of who he is and who he's become.  I wish he'd turn in his homework on time more often (hence the free spirit thing), but he's a great human being and that was my ultimate goal.

My middle son is 15..we'll call him Bigfoot because he does have HUGE feet.  He was and still is almost the exact opposite of Bob Shingles.  He was an EASY baby, sweet, smiley, nursed well, went to bed well, slept through the night good... night and day.  He's ALL boy, always was.  From the time he was 18 months til he was 2 I think he only quit making the "motorboat" noise when he was fully asleep.  He was always driving trucks or cars or something.  He's my animal lover, doesn't matter what type of animal he has a BIG 'ole soft spot for them.  Animals like him too.  He's quiet, and for a long time was painfully shy.  He was never one of those crazy over bearing little kids w/ animals, there was never any "I want to love you and squeeze you and call you George..." he would just sit quietly sucking on his fingers and the animals would just come to him.  He's an AMAZING builder, he once built a whole skate park out of cardboard for his little tech deck's and it looked like a real skate park.  He can build anything.   He's a great teenager too(not without faults of course, he's still human) he's kind, he's helpful, he is a good friend, great in an emergency, he's also amazingly smart, and will make a great man someday.

We were at a restaurant.

My youngest son...we'll call him Poose, that's really his nickname, he hates it now, but it was so cute when he was little.  My oldest son was playing w/ him when he was a baby, talking baby talk to him to get him to smile, he said, "aren't you just a cute little Babypoose.." and it stuck.  We leave off the "Baby" part now, but he's not real fond of Poose either.  He's smart, outgoing, inventive, loving, loyal, aggressive, and a good kid.   He was a great baby, so sweet and easy going.   He was always amazing at entertaining himself, still is.  He would make a 'track' in the living room and race his little Monster Trucks all over it for HOURS.  He would welcome you to play w/ him, but he was fine w/ playing alone too.  He would set up elaborate Monster Truck rallies and race them through the course.  He's SO creative, if he wants something and doesn't have it, he'll make his own.  He made himself a NASCAR track to race his cars around by taping together several sheets of paper and cutting them in an oval, then marking the lanes, pit row, the Finish line.  Pretty cool.  He's sweet and sensitive and rough and tough at the same time.  He's a good kid w/ his heart in the right place.

That's my boys in a nutshell, there are so many stories and so many other great things about them, they are all amazing in their own way, and frustrating, and nerve wracking and loving and wonderful.  The oldest two tower over me and love every minute of it, and the 3rd one can't wait til he's that big.  "Hey Mom, how's the weather down there?"  I'm not even that short at 5'6", "Mom do you need me to reach that for you?"  They think it's SO funny.

Livin' the dream.

Slacking off...because I can.

I'm slacking off this week, I've not posted anything great or funny..I'm pissed off mostly, and letting it simmer down for a bit.

Monday Sucked of course because I lost my job, that a really enjoyed...most the time.

Tuesday was just really busy, pom/baton practice, baseball practice, and a band concert all on the same night, Lord help me.

Wednesday I actually had nothing to do after school, but had to run down to see my Aunt about 100 miles roundtrip..hence eating up most the gas I bought for 3.72 a gallon the day before.  However the visit was enlightening and helpful overall.  I'm glad I went.

Thursday, my youngest son had a doctors appt for a well child/sports physical, and I asked about some bloodwork.  Well that of course takes for-FREAKIN-ever.  I hate going to the doctors office because it takes months for them to get me/us in and then once you get there it's a GUARANTEED 2 hours every single time.  I need to find a new family doc, but I just don't want to deal w/ the hassle.  He(my son) had asked me if he was going to have to get shots, and I told him "I honestly don't know" I really didn't, it's been ya know...since he was 5 since he's been in for a physical (he's 10) so I had no idea.  Turns out he does need boosters, so he was REALLY Not happy about that, and of course that adds another 30 minutes to the visit.  He did well, got his two out of four shots(they said the others could wait til fall).

  Then we have to head to the lab for a blood draw, because "we no longer do that in the office.."  Obviously!  Why in the world would anyone tax your overworked staff more, they already can't get you in and out in a reasonable time frame.  The the poor boy is asking me about blood draws, does it hurt, is it worse than the shots??  I said no, because to me, it really isn't worse.  I told him that sometimes it doesn't hurt at all...I never should have said that.  So he's worried but resolved himself to the fact that it "can't be that bad".  So we get there and they get us right in.  I told the nurse(or whatever she is) that he faints at the sight of blood, consider yourself forewarned.  She pulls out the baby sized butterfly needle, I tell him to look the other way.  He looks away, she sticks him and he hollers "OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWCH!  That HURTS!  "  I don't know if she hit a nerve or what, but the poor kid obviously isn't faking.  Then I felt bad because I told him it wasn't gonna be that bad.  Then he starts to go downhill, he's right on the edge of passing out, white as a sheet, hands are cold, he's seeing colorful spots.  Great.  He didn't pass out, but it was close, poor little guy.  Got him a cup of juice, some cool cloths and let the fan blow on him for a few minutes and he was better.  I asked him if he wanted to go back to school, or go home.  He said school, so off we went.  He was fine by the time we got there and ready to go, what a trooper!

Friday, had to take the dog to get her shot, and new license.  What a cluster.  Our county does these vaccination clinics and they are usually pretty quick, but apparently they didn't have enough volunteers for this one, because I was 10th in line and I was there for an hour.  I'm EXTREMELY thankful that they do these as it sure makes owning a dog more affordable.

  Maybe I need to volunteer next year to help it go faster.  Meanwhile people are in line w/ their dogs on leashes, which is great.  Only...here's the thing, the Joe Schmoe average dog owner doesn't seem to be smart enough to leave some damn room between the dog in front of them and the dog behind them.  Also the majority of them have NEVER taught their dog to walk on a leash, so they are being dragged all over hell and back, half of them have more dog than they can handle or it outweighs them, so it's really like a lesson in WHAT NOT TO DO as a dog owner. Of course 80% of them are pit bulls..which is not a problem in itself, if the owners knew what the hell they were doing.  Last year there was a dog fight in line, this year...not while I was there thank God. After my hour in pergatory (feel sorry for the lone vet, usually there are two or more) I got to go home and do the rest of my running around.
Enjoyed a LOVELY fire last night it was a beautiful evening, the kids played outside, we had s'mores, just perfect.  At least it was a great end to a shitty week.

Monday sucked.

Thank God!

So I go to work on Monday, nothing special, it's Monday.  I work from 12 to 4 so the day goes along uneventfully.  About 3:30 my Supervisor walks in, says "Hey, the Big C(my overall boss) wants to see you in his office."  So I jokingly hummed the death march and headed that direction.  I should have been suspicious when my supervisor didn't laugh.  She and I have a great working relationship, and we are chummy.  Walk into Big C's office and he also has the regional manager there.  Exchange pleasantries..."have a seat"  me: ok.  

Then the big "talk" happens. "well as you know our company's been taken over by National and in this merger there are lots of things going on.  You've done a PHENOMENAL job in your position and we thank you for all your hard work(Oh shit! this isn't good), unfortunately your position has been deemed unnecessary.  You can of course leave right away if you so choose and you will be paid til the end of today(at this point there's only 15 mins left of my day).  Also there's an offer of a severance package if you choose to sign the agreement, of three weeks pay."  (FUCK!)  So I was caught of guard, no...that would be an understatement, I was just drop kicked off a cliff.  WHAT. THE. HELL?  

OK we all knew about the merger, we all knew that these things were going to happen, but our boss, the Big C, had PROMISED us that we would get at least 2 weeks notice.  Uh huh...RIGHT!  You'd be proud though, I didn't cry, I didn't scream...I asked a few questions, and walked out of his office with my chin up.  I made it all the way to my office before I bawled, and my supervisor bawled w/ me.  She knew but wasn't allowed to tell me until the big C did.  She said she begged him not to do it, to give me at least a few days, but he wouldn't do it.  Knowing her, I'm sure she really did.  It took me the rest of my time to pack up my stuff so I could leave.  

Now I'm the proud owner of 3 weeks paid vacation, and a spot in the unemployment line.  Also four kids, a dog, a  horse, various bills, and a terminally ill husband on disability.   To say I'm stressed might be putting it a big lightly.  Just a tad.

I was already taking a class to get a better job, but I was hoping I'd at least have the other job until the test for the new position.  Looks like that got shit on. So off I go a'job huntin' to hopefully tide us over til the test for the new one.  My supervisor did write me a kick-ass recommendation so at least I have that.  ON the upside, it's Wednesday and I haven't killed anyone yet, so looks like I'll survive.

I'm probably an ass...

My daughter had Baton practice last night, for her team and I make her practice her solo afterwards too.  She is the "class clown" of her team, which irritates the hell out of me.  I love my daughter, of course, she's my baby girl, the youngest of four w/ three older brothers.  I don't know why she's this way, being the only girl not only in our house, but the only granddaughter out of 6 to boot, she's just a *TAD* spoiled.  She's the kid that would have pissed me off if I was a kid on her team, the one who's always wasting time.  I talk to her about it a LOT.  She's doing better, but still throws in stuff if she knows I'm paying attention and the coach isn't.

I'm always telling her, "you have to set a good example, you have to show the younger girls how to behave, LISTEN when the coach is talking to you, sit STILL!"  Etc.  Like I said, she's doing better, the coach has given her more responsibility which seems to help.

Anyway.

She is good, she could be GREAT at baton, she could walk on the floor and take first every time.  BUT! she's lackadaisical about it.  Last night she was practicing her solo and she was dropping stupid stuff, REALLY easy passes, tosses, stuff I can do, and I never did baton at all, just watched her.  She's been doing baton for 3 years now and nearly every week has a half hour private lesson, I don't want to see her drop this easy stuff when she practices.  It IRRITATES me!  It's all because she's not paying attention, not focusing on what she's doing, busy looking around the gym to see what the other team is doing.  She catches the harder stuff because she HAS to pay attention or it will hit her in the head.  

So last night I called her over to talk to her, after she was getting an attitude because I kept correcting her on the way she was doing something.  I told her(remember she's 8), "I'm getting really tired of seeing you drop the easy stuff, and I'm REALLY NOT going to tolerate an attitude. After I've paid for private lessons for 3 years, AND teams, and costumes, and driving all over MI and OH to go to competitions, AND entry fees, I sit here and watch you drop a pass that ANY girl on your team could do, and probably learned the first day.  You can LOSE The attitude and get out there and practice right!  If you want to practice all mamby pamby and act like a doofus, then I'd be happy to not pay entry fees for solo and you can just do teams like everyone else.  Don't you want to take 1st place?!" 

To which she stated/asked w/ attitude:"I thought it was all about having fun?"

Damn IT! She nailed me, I do say that to her a lot, "I don't care how you place just have fun".  SHIT!

So I come back w/ "It is about having fun, but isn't it fun to win, and progress than to just stay the same? You say you love doing baton but I have to nag(force) you to practice, and nag you to do it right, and frankly I'm not getting my money's worth, this is NOT what I'm paying for.  Maybe we need to quit baton if this is how it's going to be, because I'm tired.  I DON'T care how you place if you did your best, but are you really doing your best?"

Now her tune changed,"No Mom...I want to do it"

Me, " then you better straighten up and fly right!" (Damn I didn't think I'd ever say those words, Mother!)

Maybe I'm a class A jerk for getting that tough on an 8 yr old, but it's because I see some of the behaviors of the older girls who think they are entitled to competitions and all that goes w/ it, and act like it.  I don't want her to turn into one of them.  Also I don't want to spend all this time, energy and money if she's only lukewarm about competing. That's fine, anytime she wants to quit solos and just do teams, GREAT! I can do that.  Hell if she wants to quit teams, I have to admit I'd miss the great folks I've met and wouldn't see very often, but ok.  She's told me that she wants to twirl for a college when she grows up(her coach's daughter is the feature twirler for Western's band, that's where she gets the idea), ok great, but she(coach's daughter) didn't get there by being half-assed about it!  If you're gonna do it, lets do it.  Not half-ass it and decide that watching some rerun on Disney channel for the millionth time is more important than practicing. Grrrr! Kids!

Confessions of an 8 yr old

I was driving my daughter to practice the other day and she was jabbering on about something as usual. One thing I notice about girls over boys is they just have a need to be making SOME type of sound ALL THE TIME.  Anyway...she started talking about boys.

DD: "None of the boys like me...I mean like LIKE me"

Me: "It's ok, you're in 3rd grade, boys are GROSS! anyway, they have COOTIES!"

DD: "Well I have a boyfriend...he used to be my EX-boyfriend but then we got back together, so now we're dating."

Me: "What does 'dating' mean these days, what do you do when you're "dating"?"

DD:  "We play together at recess, play games, pretend stuff, and swing on the swings together.  Swinging together is TOTALLY romantic."

Me: "Hmmm...swinging huh?"

DD: "Yep, Swinging."

Me: "Ok...sounds interesting, try not to get cooties!"

DD: "OH Mom! Really nobody gets cooties these days, that must have been something you old people got...now all kids get is Lice."

Me: "YIKES!!  No Lice either, I'd rather have cooties!"

DD giggles and moves on to another subject. Car conversations are always informative.


Upon further investigation(or rather the image results when I searched for "Cooties" on google images) it seems that Cooties and Lice are the same thing...so I don't want anything to do w/ either one! YUCK!

80's Party! Things that make ya go Hmmmm...

Last night we attended an 80's Bunco party w/ The Crew(our particular group of friends).  What a great time!

Here's some pics, almost everyone got dressed up.  I ran out of time to shop for an outfit, so mine was pretty lame, but the other girls jumped into the spirit. "Like Totally!"

The Garage Crew

Complete w/ obnoxious blue eye shadow, and frosty pink lipgloss.  No I wasn't stoned, it's just really hard to take a pic of yourself.  This is the best of like 5 pics.

The Breakfast Club Look :D

Madonna and Kid Rock LOL

The Dudes!

Just hanging out

Girls just wanna have FUN!

Rockin'

Things that make ya go Hmmmmmm...  

1. It's hard to "peg" your jeans when your old and fat, it also makes my fat little legs look more like sausages then they already do.

2. My hair was shorter in the 80's so easier to make it stand at attention and stay there, oh and you CAN still buy Aqua Net.

3. I probably should have wore heals w/ my jeans, but after working all day, I just couldn't do it. Complete fail on my obviously 2012 Nike's.

4. I really need to listen to 80's music more often, so many great songs that I'd forgotten about...Pandora here I come.

5. Who would've thought back then, that we would be listening to our favorite songs from a pocket sized device that could hold 1000's of songs!(Ipod touch).  We thought "Boom Boxes" were the SHIT back then, 8 "D" sized batteries and a pocket full of tapes :D

6. Who would have thought you could shop "online" and go to the store almost any time of day. Most stores weren't open 24 hours, nor were they open on Sundays.  By the time I got out of work yesterday I'd have had to FLY to get to the store on time to get my Aqua Net fix!(I actually used Aussie, and it works just as well).

7. "Like Totally", "Gag me w/ a SPOON", "Righteous!" "Bitchin!" nobody says that anymore :D

8. One of the girls brought a 110 camera!  Holy cow! Of course we were all clicking away w/ our digitals that hold 100's to 1000's of pics and we can delete the ones we don't like instead of having to drop off the film and hope for the best, but be disappointed when we got them back.

Ultimate Blog Party 2012

Hey Bloggers!  Join in the fun!

Head on over to 5minutesformom.com and find out what it's all about and then share your linky and blog away.

If you've hit my blog by browsing through, I'm a married Mom of four.  I work, I drive my kids all over the place(when they're not driving me crazy), and try to have fun doing it.  I say what a mean, I don't sugar coat stuff, and I like to swear sometimes.  That's me in a nutshell peruse my recent blog posts for a better picture.

"Never worked a day in her life.."

Today I was perusing Google News, and came across this story: Ann Romney Defends her SAHM status

And to quote the controversial subject:
"Hillary Rosen, a Democratic strategist, started the exchange during an interview on CNN yesterday in which she said of Mitt Romney: “Guess what, his wife has actually never worked a day in her life.” Rosen said: “She’s never dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of women in this country are facing.”"

That blonde kid is creepy, guess that's why their trying to hide him in the back.

Now, there's all kinds of backlash against this Hillary Rosen woman, but I have to say.  I kind of agree w/ her.  I have been both a SAHM and a working Mom so I feel I can have an opinion on both fronts.  Yes being a SAHM is hard, it's hard for middle class folks who are barely living on their husband's single income.  I haven't done any research on the Romney's because mostly I just don't give a shit, but I have a REALLY HARD time believing she ever had to decide between paying bills, the rent, or buying groceries.  That's what this Hillary person is getting at, at least that's my interpretation of her above quote.

    She may be the best SAHM there ever was, but if she's never had to work and pay daycare and help support the family then she can't relate to that, she can't speak to that.  Unless you've lived it, you have no idea.   So what if she has 5 boys?  I have 3 boys and a daughter...does her having 5 kids make her better, did she work harder than I(or any other Mom w/ more or less kids)did?  Did she ever have to bounce a check to pay for a prescription?  Did she ever have to use a Check N Go to pay the rent til the next paycheck came in?  I don't know, maybe they have...but I doubt it.   I'm just saying, that in a way I completely agree w/ Hillary Rosen and I think she should stand behind what she said and not back down and beg for forgiveness w/ her tail between her legs!  I bet you there's not one congressmen/woman that knows what it's really like for 90% of Americans, how we live day to day.   I know I'll get hateful comments for this one, so fire away.