Bills, god i hate them.

Why does it feel like when i feel like i take one step forward, all of a sudden i am taking 3 steps back. Just as soon as i pay one bill the same bill is back in my mail box the next day. I hope work for my husband picks up soon or I will be in a mental institute for a breakdown cuz of stress! I hope and pray that things get like they used to be soon.

Even my work has started to stress me out, they are cutting hours like mad and talking about lay offs and there has even been mention that blockbuster may fold. I don't know how that can be cuz only a few short months ago they were talking about buying out hollywood video. I don't know what to believe. All i know is if I do lose my job I am screwed!!!!! I will never find a job that makes me near what i make now. And my check is the only thing keeping us going. I really don't want to have to do the job hunting thing and learning how to do things all over again. But like they say things happen for a reason and god don't give you more than you can handle. But i think in the past few years i have had my fill.

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On the good news part- The project that i helped Darin do about the animal cell earned him an excellent A+!

well i can't think of anything else...this is what i was thinking all day
Take Care all and have a great weekend!

I Can't believe my daughter

O.k...I am trying to stay calm...buttttttttttttttttttttttt....why does my daughter do the things she does? It's late and i just got home from work and one thing that i like to do is check the rooms and see what the kids have done while i have been gone for my 8 hour shifts. I grab up any dirty clothes or any minor things that need to be done so i don't have to do much but vacuum or sweep after driving the kids to school.

Lets start off by saying 2 days ago i came home to my daughters room and found that she had taken down all her pictures in her room and rearranged them. Ok fine...i let that slide and in fact don't look that bad.

Today i walk in pick up some dirty clothes and look over at her dresser and see chalk on it i took a closer look into one of her drawers and she has stashed every piece of sidewalk chalk she and her brother owns in her drawer!!!!!!!! This is not a little chalk, i am talking a heaping pile in her dresser drawer!!!

All i can say is let her give me some sh** in the morning and she will have me to deal with!!!

Before i posted this i had read another blogger by the name of Monica, and she was telling about how bad her daughter has been lately! And it reminded me of the little talk i had with my daughter about why she does what she does to upset me....I asked her "Don't you ever listen to the little voice inside you that says that you may get in trouble for this or that" her response
"I don't have little voices!" To be honest i did not know whether to get mad or laugh or what!!! lol Just thought i would vent a bit and share a humorous moment. now where did i put my rope...lol...

Just a Monday

Well Bowling went pretty well on Sunday, Darin bowled is all time high of 125. Darin was so excited when he found out his score, then all of a sudden a screw from his eye glasses popped out and he lost a lens and was blind for the next 2 games. I was hoping to see if he would have bowled even better for the next 2 games since his first game is usually pretty low. Frank also bowled a 156 his all time high game.

This Sunday is the banquet, were they are all getting their trophies and such. I'm looking forward to it. I think when they start up that league again we will all join this time.
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Today i was geeked when I was taking my mother out I happened to come across a dresser that i really liked for my son that needs one because his is falling apart. And i really liked the price for it!!! Free!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone threw away a great dresser only thing wrong with it is they were missing 1 handle for it and it could use a bit of paint, but i probably can get away with it being like it is because alot of shows show that the distressed look is very in. He really likes his new dresser. I love curb shopping...but i usually don't find such a great find.
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Movies
"Lemony Snicket" was alright after you get past the first half hour. But if i had paid for that movie at the theatre i would have been upset.
"Birth" was very very boring...i strongly suggest not renting that movie!
"Meet the Fokkers" was EXCELLENT! Way better than Meet the Parents. i laughed thru every minute of it!!!

Not looking forward to going back to work

I get to go back to work on Tuesday :P . I really got used to being home and doing what i want when i wanted to. Good news is i put in for another vacation the beginning of August. My husband and i are going to try and drive down to New Jersey for a few days and see his fathers house that he just recently started to rent. Anyways that's my plan! hope it will come to pass..lol I really need my brakes checked out first! And now i am thinking that i need my air conditioning charged also...If it's not one thing it's another...

I am convinced that Frank's dad is moving to Michigan after he retires. I am not against it, but i am really not big on change. To have him around all the time is probably not going to be the best thing for my husband and i. Only reason being is his dad likes to drink and drink and drink. Now i am not a stick in the mudd at all. But i just don't believe that you need to drink for no reason at all. Parties ok., social gatherings ok. but not for just watching tv or doing nothing.
When i met Frank he drank so much that i did not think that we would be an item at all, but i just talked to him about my feelings and he quit drinking like a fish just for me. I knew he was a keeper after that.

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Bowling today was awesome....My family was against a family that really actually know and we kicked butt!!!! They won first game but the 2nd game we won with about 60 pins to spare and the 3rd game we won by one pin! Serves them right to get a good ass kicking..lol

Franks scores was 108, 123, 123
Darin 90, 97, 121
Amber 59, 56, 37
She only got a 37 because she was having a pout fest on me.
Long story that i won't bore ya with here..lol

We just found out that their banquet is on the 24th. They are supposed to be getting trophy's and things on that day. Darin is truly loving bowling. He really wants to participate in another family one. I think that we will definitely do this again. And i am definitely doing with them next time.
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Movies
sorry due to the fact that i was on vacation i did not watch any films.
Altho i did watch a film on T.V. that i had been wanting to watch but never got a chance to ...that was "Fried Green Tomatoes" I have to say that i thoroughly enjoyed this film. I guess that i just loved the actresses that played in this movie. And that i relate to the lady that decides that she had enough of people walking all over her and she finally takes a stand towards her husband and any other person that was not kind to her.
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Mom
Mom is doing great! I got her to come over and get involved in something other than the television set and supervise me in my shelf installation. :)
She was a big help...
But the more i work on my house the more i realize that things that are supposed to work in houses or usually work, or rather standard operations in a house, the more i realise that my house is none of those things! My house is cursed with non standard living everything! lol
Anyways ......I really think that she enjoyed getting away from her house and actually doing something.
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I have really been enjoying the last week not only because i did not have to work, but because the weather has been totally awesome. Buttttttttttt....Has anyone else been suffering from allergies? omg i feel like a bus parked on my face some days.

Well all i am tired now and tomorrow is a school day ...lol

IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HOME

This is my second day at home on my vacation. I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to be home. Although at times i feel like i am working harder now then at work. I'm actually getting to some things that need to be done, that i was waiting for some free time for. Like yesterday i took the kids to the dentist. I'm sure when i am done i will have spent a small fortune in the near future. Today i was informed from my son that he had a project that he needs to work on and you know what that means....MOM....HELP! So i went to a place called "Michaels" it's a craft store around here....God they carry everything. Well he has to make a animal cell, so i got a rather big styrofoam(i hope that i got that spelling right or close) ball, and some paint and some glue. I hope i get a good grade...lol.... i mean he. I also picked up some shelfs that i have been looking for the kids rooms. Better yet, they were on sale, orginally $16.00 i got them for $8.47 each. Mom is going to come over and supervise my installation of these.

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I can't believe how nice the weather has been lately. It has been so nice that i purchased a 4 square ball and have been out playing with the kids with it. I used to love that game when i was younger.
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Well people i get to go to bed early tonight. laters.

Hello All

Things have been pretty boring lately. But i hope that i can come up with something to say.
Easter turned out pretty good, my father treated us all out to eat. I thought that was really awesome. Everything was fine, quiet but fine. Mom was proud because me and my sister did not go on the war path. I have figured out that it is just not worth it.

The kids had to go on a scavenger hunt for the things they got. I would have paid money to see my kids first thing in the morning when they looked for easter baskets and they did not find them. My husband was up and he said that they walked out and looked around with the look of well where are they. He sent them in to wake me up, mind you that i went to bed around 4 in the morning making notes and hiding the items and was woke up at 7 in the morning. So i stumbled into the living room and their daddy pointed to the notes on the entertainment center. The kids were all over the house. One outfit sent them to another outfit, then to another. Finally my daughter goes "Is this it?" ""clothes?" I said" I don't know...keep following the notes." Finally they got to the baskets of candy.

You know they dropped all the clothes and dived right into the chocolate. So then i went back to bed for a few more hours of sleep, but you know how that goes, a big YEH RIGHT! I was woke up every 15 minutes for something. Oh well , anyways we then went out to eat and then i went to work! :( It always gets to me that the customers say "I feel sorry for you because you have to work on Easter" I always want to say "yeh right, that's why your here now!"
This goes with any holidays mind ya.
How was everyone elses holiday?
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Movies....

To be honest i have not been watching much lately. I rented "Ray" this was pretty good...I had no idea that he was so heavy into the drugs and things. I can't believe how much crap his wife put up with.
It's just been a slow couple weeks for blockbuster, but we are getting some that i know i want to check out.
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I had a customer come to my register and i asked "how are you today" he answered "shitty, not that you care". First i did not know how to take it, but honestly...does anyone care anymore?
I answered him with " I care, I can at least say I'm sorry that your having a bad day"
I honestly know how it feels when you are having a horrible day and someone asks, and you want to be honest and say crappy but instead you say fine. Well by the end of our little conversation he left with a smile on his face and thanked me for being nice.
Lately i can say that i have not been that nice to my customers and that's why i know its time for a break from work. Thank God for April 4th. This is the start of a weeks worth of staying home and getting paid for it! VACATION! I'm not going anywhere...just a break from the hub bub of work.
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The electricity is done in my house....Yehhhhhhhhhhhhh! No more fuses. I've got my ceiling fan up. I feel like i am in heaven. Frank is in love with the lights in the garage! I really hated spending all that money on that. But honestly it's worth it. Especially when the guy said that the wire outside was in very bad condition and it was definitely a fire hazard!

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Well folks i'm starting to babble and get tired so you all have a great weekend.

I Need Spring!

I cannot wait for spring! I am anxious to be outside and working on the yard and watching the kids ride bikes and playing ball. I love winter but i'm all wintered out. Frank pulled out his boat today to make room for the electricians to work in there. But alas the poor electrician broke a tooth and he won't make it here till Thursday now. We are so ready for Easter, i went and bought the kids 3 new summer outfits and one bathing suit along with a little candy. They don't really need alot of candy, clothes are more important and i thought instead of toys i would get them a paint by number set or something they have to make. It's getting harder and harder to buy for these kids. Although they can rack up a list if they had to i'm sure.
I think i am going to follow what my mother did a long time ago and send them on a scavenger hunt for their things. I thought that was the funnest thing when she had us do it.
Does anyone have any memorable Easters they would like to share?

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Bowling was better this Sunday then in the past and all because we brought a deck of cards. For each spare or strike they got they were able to take a card. The one with the best hand won. They really did not win anything but it made it fun for the kids. All the kids did try their hardest. (mine and the neighbors kids)
Frank bowled a 134, 134, and a 128...that's going to bring his average up.
Darin bowled a 92, 63, 90 ...This is really good!
Amber bowled 73, 58, 72....wooohoooo she really tried hard!
They are so getting into this now. They asked if we were going to continue this...i told them if you really want to and show me that you really want to..sure.
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Movies.
Movies that come out this week were pretty good i really have to recommend "Finding Neverland" this movie is supposed to be about the man that wrote the story Peter Pan. What his inspiration was in writing it. I warn you that it does get a bit sad but well worth a hour and a half of your time. The movie "Bridgett Jones Diary 2" is o.k. something to watch if your bored. I was not too keen on the first Bridgett Jones but i guess alot of people did like it.
And the last movie that i got to watch was the movie "Fat Albert". This movie is great for kids! But that's all i can say about it. My kids watched it a minimal of 8 times but I did not care for this movie. It had some really good parts to it but just did not really peak my interest.

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I'm really getting excited about my vacation in April. No i am not going anywhere, just a break from work is all i need. I feel myself getting too crabby at my job so a break is definately in order.

Well if i don't get on here and blog again i hope that ALL of ya have a great Easter!!!! and THINK SPRING :)

Just a Monday :)

This weekend was pretty busy for us. Saturday my neighbor asked if we would like to go to the home and garden show at the Pontiac Silverdome. We said sure, we are always looking for ideas for our house and besides we are looking for electricians to work on some electrical around the house. We walked around and i got all sorts of ideas for my house but sure wish i had the $$$ to back up my plans.

Speaking of electrical i have had 2 quotes so far and the first was outrageous! One wanted $2600 for the work i wanted done. Today i had another and i get a little more out of the deal and they are $1,000 dollars cheaper! Can you believe that? I have one more quote coming and unless they beat the $1,600 dollar one. Guess who is getting the job! I will be excited to get this work around the house done because the electical has been a little frightening! Having a switchbox instead of fuses will be the best ever!!!!

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Sunday was bowling day. Everyone tried really hard.
Darin managed a 62, 69, and an 85
Amber had a 56, 52, and an 68
Frank was all over the place with his bowling a 95, 143, 111
I bowled with one of our neighbors and i pulled off a 112, 110 and 84
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Movies

Well to be honest i have not watched to much. "The Final Cut" was alright...i really liked the idea that they went with, but the ending screwed up the whole movie...i give it a 5 in entertainment value. Robin Williams did an excellent job of acting in it. Just the ending really was messed up.

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Mom

Mom found some time this weekend to do something special for my sister and I. She had drawn all 4 grandchildren and then colored them in colored pencils and framed them to give to us. They turned out great and got a special spot in my bedroom so that i can look at them everytime i walk into the room. Now you can see why i LOVE MY MOM so much! Big kisses to her!


Well i am getting tired.. Take care all

Can someone find me my bed?

I'm so exhausted that i cannot sleep, so i guess i will sit up and chat a bit on here. Today my husband and kids went bowling like every Sunday morning, and i came to watch. My neighbor across the street asked if i would like to bowl with him. Even tho i am afraid that i am going to reinjure my arm, i did bowl a few and had fun doing it. Amazingly i have not bowled in about 2 years and pulled off some pretty good scores! My first game was not the greatest only a 79 but i was just getting warmed up. Second game I was hitting it pretty good, managed a 112 this is not bad for someone that has not bowled in a long time. But my third game was the charm a 119! Just think what i could probably do if i was bowling more. I think i will join the next family bowling league. Won't Frank be mad if i started bowling better than him! lol.

The kids tried really hard this week because i told that if they showed me that they were trying really hard to knock some pins down i would give them a $5.00. Since money worked so awesomely the last time. Amber bowled: 47, 46, and a 51. Darin bowled: 66, 92, 69.
At least they are having fun! Darin asked if we could start bowling 2 day a week. I wouldn't mind but its a little expensive so it will just have to be the 1 day a week.

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Movies:

I checked out a few movies and i am really impressed with them.

I definitely must see is "The Notebook"! The greatest love story there is out there! It's about a boy that sees this girl and really wants her to go out with him. Well eventually they fall in love and of course they are from different backgrounds and the parents don't agree. Well I better stop there or i will ruin it for everyone. Make sure you have some tissue close by. This movie is available now in your video stores.

Now a couple of movies that are not on the shelves yet but will be.
Coming out 3-8-05 is "Ladder 49" is a great movie about firefighting. Basically follows one man's career in firefighting. John Travolta plays the captain and was really excellent in it. I do warn you to keep a box of kleenex nearby, my mother let the water works out on this movie.
Coming out 3-15-05 is "The Incredibles" and i have to hand it to my friend "Mal" it was everything that he said it was INCREDIBLE! Anyone with kids must see this with them.

Well those are the movies that i was able to get to this week. I hope that we get some really good movies on Tuesday, but it has been a slow month for movies.
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Now hear this "MOM HAS LEFT THE BUILDING" LOL. While driving home from bowling we saw my fathers truck at a gas station and guess who was in the truck! Yep my mother!!!!
I am shocked! Excited! Words cannot express how i feel about that! I'm sure it was really hard for my father to get her in the truck but i am just so glad that she finally got out of the house. Monday is her first doctor visit since she was released...I am hoping that everything is going well, I am sure there will be lots of blood work done. Lets all cross our fingers!

Ok I'm getting tired now...Goodnight everyone.

Miscellaneous

The kids bowled this Sunday and they did not do as good as a did the past Sunday. Darin was a bit under the weather with a bad cough. But Amber was just plain not trying to hard unless money was mentioned...lol... Her daddy told her if she got a strike he would give her a dollar, well she said "give me 2 dollars!" Frank not thinking that she would do it said "ok." Well guess what folks! Amber after not getting any strikes in all the games pulls a strike and we ended up coughing up some money for that mistake...lol.. You should have seen our faces! We looked at each other and started laughing!

Darin's scores for this Sunday was a 99, 73, 103
Amber's scores for this Sunday was a 45,45,50

pretty low compared to what they had done...Maybe it was just something in the air because Frank was having an off Bowling day also. He scored 103,120,125 . It's been better for him.

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The movie that i finally got to check out today was a movie called "Little Black Book". This movie was pretty good, but not one of my favorites. On a rating scale of 1-10 i will give it a entertainment score of about 7.

Something totally funny happened Saturday at work, this totally falls into kids say the darndest things. A family came in and they looked around a bit and when they checked out they had picked out a game that they wanted to purchase. I noticed the little girl crying not hysterically but enough for me to say "hi" and "whats wrong". She said "they won't get me a movie" I looked at the parents they said "we told you that we are going to Family video later"( ugggggg the f word!) is what i was thinking...lol.... So after that i said "but they got you a game" she says "what kind of game" I say " Finding Nemo" ....She then got excited! She says " I thought you were getting a basketball game" so i say " I think they were teasing you" She says with hands on hips and with an attitude "UH! They are driving me crazy!" I laughed so hard that i almost fell to the floor !!!!!!!!!! Guess you would have had to be there to get the full effect.
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Mom is doing pretty good. She is even trying to get around without the walker, this makes me nervous of her falling. She is still weak, not able to stand for long periods of time. But i think she is trying to push herself so that she can get things back to normal. I have to say that she is really trying. She's holding down food a bit better and she is able to do most of her excercises. Next step is to get her to visit the doctors.

Well, I gotta go to bed. take care all

DO I OR DON'T I

Today was the first day that i had nothing to do. It was my day off from work, the kids did not have school and my sister had to take care of my mother. So today i did what i wanted to do and when i wanted to do it in.

I started off by sleeping until 1:00 p.m. God that felt good!!! The kids got their own breakfast together. And for the most part behaved themselves. I had to shout out a few STOP THATS but all in all they behaved. Then i got up and cleaned up my house a bit, the kids even pitched in which is unusual! After that we went to the grocery store and came home and just blobbed in front of the television, while watching t.v. i folded some laundry.

About 6 in the evening my neighbor called and asked me to come and chit chat for a bit. Well one thing lead to another we ended up playing a few games. I love trivia games! Around 11 in the evening i decided to come home and watch a movie that i had been dying to watch for a while. Turns out that the movie was not all that it is cracked up to be. If you haven't seen "Without a paddle" don't rush to see it. I was disappointed in seeing it.

I work at a video store and you would think that i would be talking alot about movies in my blog. Well truth is i don't watch alot of them because of my time schedule with my day to day life but i will try to incorporate it more in my blogs. Maybe someone would find it interesting..Do ya think?

The last video i watched was "Taxi" with Queen Latifa. This movie i recommend to watch! I love comedies. Don't ever ask me about scary movies! I try not to watch those unless they are so hyped up that i can't help myself. I did bring myself to watch a few thrillers like "Gothika" that was almost to the verge of not watching it because i thought a few parts were to scary.
"Shark Tale" was a great movie! I am dying to watch the "Incredibles" when it comes to our store thanks to my friend Mal's recommendations.

Maybe i will start sharing some thoughts on movies that i get to watch that i am able to get before they make it to our shelves.

Well like i said...a nothing to do day but blog! or blob...
Take care people

Just a little something

Sorry about the posts lately, hopefully there will be no need for anything like that again. Just a sibling arguement, not that's anything out of the ordinary.

My neighbors were good enough to give my kids their old bowling balls. Their kids got too big and had to get new bowling balls. Darin used his new ball on Sunday and one of his games he scored a 124! I'm impressed! Amber started to actually use the finger holes in her ball and really did excellent, her high score was 78 which i think is great for using her finger holes for the first time. Now its going to be all about practice. They really seem to be enjoying bowling on Sunday's . Plus when you factor in the family quality time together its really worth it.

I can't bowl because of my severe tennis elbow, it finally feels in better shape than it has and i don't want to reinjure myself. But i watch and i cheer! High fives! Give advice. Ya know?
I've been told they do this every year and i am seriously thinking that we may do this again.
Everyone we have bowled against or met or talk to are really sweet!

Friday i had to chaperone for my son's school field trip to the Detriot science center. I recommend this place for everyone. We really had fun with all the hands on things that they had. The 2 girls that i had really loved the glass elevator, so we went on that about a billion times. The boys that i had really loved the music room where they had a couple of electric guitars and a drum set to play on.

The kids are out of school this week for winter break. They may go to my friends up north but that is not cut in stone yet.
Hope all is well...i'm really tired now i think i will hit the hay..

To my Sister

Just leave me alone....stay away from me...I don't need your crap! Just take care of mom on fridays. That's all i want from you! The only ones suffering is our children. Lets just face that you and me are oil and water...will never mix. So just drop it and stay away from me.

HAPPY VALENTINES

Today was an ok day. KIDS went to school, hubby went to work and i went on with my day to day thing. First cleaning my house then going to my mothers. Mom is doing much better, she is even getting up on her own. She is just not able to keep herself standing for very long.

The kids had thier parties at school, Amber passed out cards and candy just like she wanted to. Darin chose not to participate in that. He said its kid stuff. I thought i had this last year in elementary before i would hear those words. Next year he is off to middle school. They are growing up so fast. I was writing my Aunt in Florida and was telling her that i still want to bring them down to Florida, but i realized that i have been saying that for almost 11 years now. Darin was barely walking the last time i was there, and Amber was 2 weeks before delivery then.
I will get them there again hopefully. :)

Last night i got home to find my Valentine's card on the kitchen table for me to find. Frank surprised me with a card, the card was really nice! All the mushy stuff that i needed to hear. But i also had a card that i had bought weeks ago, so when he got up in the morning he had his to read. Since i did not have to work today and he got home at a descent hour, i took him out to eat, it was not an expensive restaurant but just fast food..Burger King...that's what the kids wanted. Hey we are not rich people and things are tight right now. It was good enough for us.
Then we visited the neighbors and played a couple games.

This Friday i am going with my son's class to the Detroit Science Center, he is really excited about going because they are showing the monster trucks there. I hope that i do not get the class misfits in my group. The last field trip i did with my daughter was my worst nightmare, all i can pray for is a a good couple of kids.

Well i am getting tired. Hope that Everyone had a great day...and if ya like...tell me about your Valentines day. :)

FUN FILLED FRIDAY?

Amber stayed home from schoo yesterday and today due to fever. God this bug is really attacking this family. I'm thanking god that i can finally breathe without the rattling in my chest. Today i went to my mothers for a little while to help her in the shower. Then i did my grocery shopping. After Darin got home from school we went out for dinner.

We visited our neighbors across the street and she asked me to run her up to the carpet store down the street. She saw a rug in a medium blue that she liked and purchased it, she will be getting that tomorrow. So we run home and she has her son and some others move the furniture and pull up the carpet. I don't know how i got involved but i ended up doing alot of scraping the floor because the old padding that had been down there for at least 10 years (so i was told) was sticking to the floor something awful. If you ever have to due this...here is a tip for ya. BOIL the water and then scrap with a putty knife...alot easier this way.

I can tell ya that I was wishing that i was at work. I work harder at home than at my job! At least i get paid there...I just told her that she better remember me when i have a big project at the house.

I have so many plans for my house. I love my kitchen...but I have a half paneled wall that i want to take down and put up some notty pine wood instead....i seen it at my best friends new home and i fell in love with it...so i think that would look super in my kitchen. I also have to replace alot of wood trim around the doors and stuff. I'm also planning on building a little porch in my front yard. Just pour some cement under my picture window so i can set some chairs out there instead of on my grass.

Maybe with our income tax i will get some things done...but not sure...because another thing that is huge that we have to get done is replace and repair some of the electrical in this house...we still have fuses in the house...i want to change that to a circuit breaker box and run a line out to the garage for Frank. We also need the front porch light to work again. And one of my kitchen lights gave out when the porch did. I also want to install a ceiling fan in our bedroom because we have a lamp for light in there and i would love a fan running in our room. Plus hook up a box outside for electrical for the christmas decorations instead of running off my porch light.

Well that's what we have planned so far. Lots of work ahead of us.
I'm getting tired...so i will bid you all a good night...
take care

Give me a break

I can't even believe that i am sick again. I just got over the flu last week. Now i have a bad chest cold! The worst part about it, i have no time to be sick! My mother needs me and i am trying real hard to stay as far as i possible can so that she don't get it! Honestly who takes care of us mothers when we are sick???? I asked Frank today to cook dinner because i was in bad shape. I thought he went to the bathroom but after a few minutes i called out to him and guess where he was...the BED! Really WTF why is he so tired? He does not do nearly anything that i do in a day! So i got really angry and started throwing pans and slamming cupboards...You think that he would come and see why I was doing it? HELL NO! Geesh ladies....why do we want to be married so bad??? I can do this badly on my own..lol.. Honestly, if something happened to Frank their would never be another marriage I can tell you that! I'm just venting like any other wife would do. But who does take care of us sickly wifes? Ok...i don't know why i can't make the lines separate so this will be one big blog..lol...The kids went bowling this Sunday and Darin was not up to par he only bowled 46 and a 58 and then 85. He could not find the right ball to work for him. Amber bowled 63 and a 43 and then 56. Not great scores but they did try. Right after we left i was going to open my car door and all of a sudden i puked all over the ground. I have alot of sinus drainage and it caught up to me. Well me and my fever are going to bed. GOD I LOVE BEING SICK! NOT!

I don't know what to title this..

Yes it's about 2 in the morning and i feel like posting even tho i know i have to get up at 7:30 to take my kids and hubby to their bowling league. Genually i don't really have to go but Frank has a hard time with the kids and if i get up and help it usually goes a bit smoother.

Last Sunday my kids had a blast bowling, Darin bowled a 67 by a 86 then finally he bowled a 111...we were proud of him. He at one point bowled 2 strikes and was going for his 3rd when only 9 pins fell and the last one just teased him by wiggling. The dissappointment in his face was the worst thing, he really wanted the turkey to flash on the screen. I even went so far as to jump on the lane only to be unsuccessful but i had to try.

Amber bowled pretty good for not using a bowl with holes and rolling it. She bowled a 47 a 52 and a 60. She bowled one strike in all 3 games. I thought it was pretty good anyways!

While we were bowling a family came in with their daughter...all i can say is OH MY GOD! She had shaved the sides of her hair and and what hair she did have left was pink and blonde! and all sorts of pony tails in it. She was wearing baggy, black jeans with the huge legs and all kinds of chains dangling off of them. Topped off with a belly shirt with a skull in the center.

I looked at Amber and i told her "You see her?" she of course said "yeh" I said " I don't ever want you to look like that!" Of course i got "ahhhh mom she looks cool!" WHAT!!!! I said if you want to do that you will do that when you are 18 and your no longer my responsibility!

That's my dispute to some parents! They complain on tv about their kids dressing like this or that. Think about it, if your buying their clothes how can you complain. I can tell you right now that's not going to happen!

I really don't see alot of trouble out of my boy, but my girl is a handful and i hope that i am ready for the teenage days. I may be searching for some help right around that time by someone that's been there and done that. I have been watching my neighbor with her kids and how she handles the teenage situations.

Kids these days don't seem like they care if they have a education or not. I remember when i was a kid I would not dare to bring bad grades as long as i could help it! As long as i put forth the effort things were good.

Well...I'm tired and like i said i have to get up in a few...Plus i am just rambling.
See ya

I Love Games!!!!

I've talked about my neighbors before I'm sure. My across the street neighbor are great friends with us. We give advice about our kids, borrow things to one another and even have spent some time camping with one another. Well lately we have been building up our games pile we have been purchasing dvd games, like Scene It or Shout It! I recommend both games for everyone! They really test your knowledge on movies. Believe me when i say that even with me working for Blockbusters does not give me any advantage at all!!! We have been playing in teams and it really makes the night fun. Lord knows that i can use some of that from time to time.

I really like games that tests your mind or makes your mind work like trivial pursuit. I may not know the answers to everything, but you learn as you go.

Does anyone have a favorite game that they like to play?

Yeah!

Mom has been home for a week now and I have to say that I am glad to finally have her home. She has been doing much better at home! She is starting to hold down her food and walking a bit more for me at home. I wish she would do a bit more tho. But i will give a little while to recooperate. I have been working at her house and helping with a few things. My sister came over today and really cleaned my mom's kitchen for her. I have to admit she did an excellent job. She also do a few other things around my mothers house. That was really nice on my sisters part. I don't often get to say something nice about my sister but I will now. Never let it be said that i never had one nice thing to say about her!!!!!

Things have just been way to hectic for me. Worries of money always cascade thru my mind! Work has me worried with all the thiefs that our store gets. I have caught a few shoplifters in this one week and i let them now that i knew that they stole from our store. I really cursed out one thief as he was running from the building. Not that it helped any, but i let him know how much i was sick of thieves in the store. I wish the police could have caught him, that would have showed him! I had a another that was a guy that came in every night and talked to all of the crew. You can't trust anyone anymore! Pity!

Today was good because my family got their glasses in today. For Amber its going to be a big adjustment for her. So far she is not really wanting to put them on. Darin looks as handsome as ever! And for Frank, he says they are perfect for him.


Well I'm getting tired. Just a quick update for you all!.. I know my mother had posted a spot..but for some reason it did not publish...I will have to check into that for her.

WHEN IS IT GOING TO END?

Day 45! Mom is looking really good. She is not in as much pain as she was. She is making pretty good strides in her therapy. She is able to get out of bed with some help. She is able to walk a few steps but is too weak to do much more than that. She has completed all her ivy medicine, so now it is just strengthening her legs to walk.

I have to admit that i was a little angry with her on Saturday. The physical therapist had told her not to lay in bed, and screw up what they had accomplished up till friday. They wanted her at least sitting up in a chair and do her leg exercises. Well my mother stayed in bed on Saturday, so when i got there i was very stern in telling her that i was not happy about it. So Sunday i went to visit she was in bed but had promised that after lunch she would get into a chair. About an hour after i left I recieved a phone call that she was sitting in a chair. I was tickled!

I think that's enough about my mother. On Friday I took my children and my husband to have their eyes examined. Found out my son's eyes had gotten a tad worse. My daughter is now going to have glasses because she is a tad near sighted, plus she is getting lazy eyes in both of her eyes and the doctor wants to see her in 6 months to see if the glasses are going to help her with that. My husband was told that his right eye is a mess! He is near sighted plus has a stigmatism and lazy eye. I had my eyes checked last year and i am perfectly fine so far.
This was all done by my Christmas miracle from my Aunt. She gave me a present that helped me take care of my family. Well i think that i am going to keep this short and sweet.

2005 IS HERE!

My god! Where has the time gone? And day 34 in the hospital for mom. She looks great...way better than she did! Now just to get her out of the bed and moving! I really hate seeing her in the nursing home. She has a wacko for a neighbor, she was caught smoking in the room with my mother...mind you that my mother is on oxygen! She could have blew up the joint! She is very buligerent to the nurses and her own children that visit her. Slapping the nurses and hitting her grown kids. My mom has requested a different room, but was told it would have to wait till Monday. I only hope that she won't go to a worse neighbor.

I wish there was a way to take care of her at home. But with her not being able to walk, that makes it a bit hard. Plus the fact that she needs medication via ivy's.

She did say that she watched the ball fall on television. I barely made that long but i was thinking about her while hugging and kissing my kids and husband for the New Year. Me and my husband Frank got alot done yesterday because it was a very nice day outside. It was so nice out that we took off our coats and put all the Christmas decorations away. Now i just need to go put my mothers decorations away. I think that i will try and do that Monday, when the children go back to school! Thank God!!!!!

I hope that everyone had a great and safe New Years! My husband tried a new thing last night, it was the first New Year's in 12 years that he did not drink a drop of alcohol! Not that he did not have any at home...he did..he just did not feel the need to drink. Plus this was the first year in many years that we were not around a group of people..it was quiet and peaceful. I enjoyed not going or doing anything, especially with he way my life has been lately!

How did your New Years go? What did you do? What is your favorite drink? Mine is a strawberry daquari...My Aunt in Florida really got me to love those while visiting her one year! Anyone have any favorite drinking games? Any fond New Years memories that anyone wants to share?

Well take care all!

CHRISTMAS WITHOUT MOM

For those that are following along about my mother, this is day 29. I missed her horribly for Christmas, nothing felt right! I tried to make everything as she would have. I even tried making her special stuffed cabbages, i have to say that they did turn out pretty good. I had never tried it by myself before.

I recorded the grandkids opening their presents from them so that she will see what their expressions were when she does come home. The kids could not believe what they did get. Most of it was purchased before my mom had gotten ill. Some i picked up for my father. I took one day and worked on wrapping everything for my father.

My husband came up to me and told me that my Sister had come up to him and thanked him for all the help with my mother. I know i don't talk much about my sister and with good reason, we just don't get along! But after he told me that, i could not believe it! Thanking him????? I'm the one that has bent over backwards! Running errands for my father, wrapping all the presents, cooking Christmas dinner for her and her family and mine, and for dad. I even helped out by making and sending all of my mother and father's christmas cards. I can tell ya that not one Thank You to me from her has been said!!! Do i sound bitter? Good! Anyways!
Well after the presents had been opened it was time for dinner. My mother has a pot that must not have the ability to cook. We put the potatoes on at 4 in the afternoon and at 6 they still were not able to eat. So while we stuffed ourselves with stuffed cabbage i transferred the potatoes into another pot and within 15 minutes they were ready. By then noone wanted any. It trully was funny, guess you had to be there.

After dinner i made a plate for my mother and took it to her with her gifts in tow. I let her open the kids presents to her which was a cute little ring that will have to be put on a chain cuz its too small and a pendant that says #1 grandma. Now that christmas is over and she has her present i can tell you what i got her. I searched all over for a ring that says MOM across it. The letters are made up of diamond chips. It's really sparklely. She was excited about that present.

After all that, mom was ready to try my stuffed cabbage. Mind you that my mother has not been tolerating food these days. So she took a few bites and told me that it was really good. After a couple more bites my mother ended up throwing it up all over herself. She was more upset about throwing it up then i was. She kept stating "it was really good" "i'm sorry" "my stomach can't handle food right now." I knew it was going to be iffy before hand so i was not upset. She just wanted to reassure me that it was not because that they were bad.

Today they moved my mother to a nursing home for the remainder of her treatment. The nursing home is closer to our house, which is great of course. If mom really can't stand it there she could literally walk home. My mother in her younger days had worked for that nursing home. She was nervous about going there because of that reason. She remembers nurses not being very nice over there. I hope that will not be the case. I was not able to get there tonight, but my father assured me that she had a really nice lady nurse. I was going to visit but i had heard that my Aunt and my Sister and her family had gone up there. I just did not want to bumbard her. I had visited her before she got transfered to the nursing home earlier in the day.

Well that's the scoop for now. Take care all and if i don't get on here before New Year's ...You all have a great and safe one!

MOM SAGA CONTINUED

Well after the doctors telling my mother that she will probably be home before the holidays we just got news that will not be the case. In fact they are talking another 4 weeks of agrressive therapy for her fluid on the lungs and the infection in her blood. The doctor said that both of these things could kill her if she was let out early. So we sit and wait to hear about what they are going to do next. My dad don't know what to do without my mother at the house. He depends on me to do alot for him. I don't mind, but i do get tired. Plus i must have caught a bug somewhere, I have not been feeling well. I left work early yesterday, but today i have to stay and put up with it. TAKE CARE ALL and if i don't get to write before the holidays MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

21 days or 3 weeks, however you wanna look at it.

Poor mom has been in the hospital that long! She's getting better and hopefully will be out before christmas. This is all that we can hope for! If she is not out we will have to celebrate when she does come home. She still had water on the lungs that's why she is still in the hospital. Her back really was hurting her from laying in the bed for so long. The doctors are really trying to make her comfortable. The nurses seem to be very nice and have tried really hard to help my mother.

Thursday I decided to visit my mother in the afternoon so that i could stay home and wrap some christmas presents. While i had presents scattered all over my living room floor, my phone rang , i listened to see who was calling. (those that know me, know that i won't answer the phone till i know who's calling) (damn telemarketers, bill collectors) So no one left a message or talked. My cell phone battery died, i was not aware of that either. So when my neighbor called my house and said pick up, i did not think much.

May(my neighbor) says "you better go to the school, they just called me!" I said "why? no one called here." She said "they had been trying to get ahold of you but could not". She says "apparently your daughter decided to bring a baby mouse to school". I said "She did what?" She told me again, and then said they need you to go and pick it up or tell them what to do with it. So i go running up to the school, all embarrassed that my daughter would do this.

I got in the office and there were a couple ladies standing there and my daughter was in there crying. (from being sent to the office) According to the ladies Amber said she found the mouse at the school the day before and that we said she could keep it. According to her daddy, (my husband) says she found it in one of her cages. Apparently one of the cave mice had a baby. Well she brought it into school and was feeding it milk from a syringe that we use to give my dogs their medicine.

The worst part about it, i knew she was up to something that particular morning. She was extra nice that morning. She is never like that! It was yes mother, ok mother, right away mother. So when i found out that she had done that, I put 2 and 2 together and everything that morning started to make sense. GOOD OLD FASHION MOTHERS INSTINCT! Just could not put my finger on it at the time.

I Need More of me to go around

This is officially moms 18th day in the hospital. She went through hell! She seems to be getting better, but she is not able to move due to her back. Some how she pulled a muscle in her back and is in alot of pain.
I have been to the hospital everyday but 2 and that was because of work. Everyone is counting on me and i never want to let them down. Sometimes i want to cry because of all the stress that i am under, not all of it has to do with my mom. Money is a major factor to my stress, my bills are not getting paid like they should be. Christmas presents are my next stress. All of my family, Frank, Darin, Amber need glasses. Frank reuined his glasses and needs them for driving in case he gets pulled over. Darin's glasses work but his head must have gotten bigger because they look like they are getting tight. Amber did not pass her school exam, so i need to have her looked at. I'm looking at least $300.00 in that alone! I worry and worry and worry! On top of everything else, i have to take care of my house, mom's house, my kids, my husband,and help my dad with normal everyday things, and work a fulltime job. Don't get me started about the stress that i am under there!
Just had to vent a little to get it off my chest. I'm going to bed!

The Best 3 letter Word is "MOM"

Mom has been thru alot in the past 11 days. Good news is she is getting better, bad news is she has a whole lot going on with her body. Eleven doctors evaluate her everyday. She has blood doctors, liver doctors, heart doctors, infectious desease doctors, the whole nine yards. You can basicly say that half the hospital is working on my mom.

Mom has a blood infection, a fungus in her blood, hepatitis c, emphasyma, urinary tract infection, lung infection, fluid on her lungs. And they are testing her to find out why her blood cells that fight infection are not multiplying.

But thru it all she has been very couragous thru test after test after test. Only really complaining about the food they send her. Today i snuck in some goodies for her, her favorite jello's and puddings and some cashews.

Mom is black and blue all over her body, she has more holes then a collander! But everyday i see her she improves a bit. I really hope that she will be out before Christmas! It won't feel like Christmas without her!

Alot of people have been asking how i am doing. I think i have already been thru my nervous breakdown. Just the mere thought of her would send me into tears. But I am exhausted.
My day starts off by waking my kids for school, while they are eating and dressing i am cleaning my house. I vacuum, feed the animals, let the dogs out, take a shower, take the kids to school. When i come back i finish anything else that i did not get done. Then i go see my mother and spend a few hours with her. Leave the hospital and go to my moms house and check the house out for my dad, i vacuum, do the dishes, laundry, let his dog out. Not that it needs a whole lot, but i just don't want it to get nasty over there. Dad does not normally work on things like that. But i have to say that he is keeping it neat!

Then i leave there and come home to start dinner, pick up the kids, do homework with the kids, eat dinner and then get to go work my 8 hours! I'm exhausted just typing this!
But to answer your question...how am i? I'm better than some and worse than others. I love that saying and sticking to it!
Thanks to all for their kind comments!

Just a Saturday

I feel really bad today because i did not go see my mother at the hospital for the first time this week. I had to get some sleep because i had not been able to get any all week. When i got up i looked at my house and about screamed. Those that know me know that i am a neatness freak, theres a place for everything and everything in it's place. But because i had been at the hospital all week I had let things slide a bit.
When i got up me and my hubby started cleaning up the mess. By then it was time for me to go to work. When i got off visiting hours were over.
Yesterday I was off and between visits to the hospital me and my hubby managed to put up our christmas tree. It turned out really nice! About 5 strands of multicolored lights on the thing! Lots and Lots of red garland, topped off with gold and silver beads. With all of our ornaments that we have been collecting throughout the years...eventually it will be covered in memories of christmases past. I want everthing on it to mean something. We buy those ornaments that you engrave your name and year on, or those ornaments that the kids make throughout the year are decorating my tree. Every year it's the kids job to decorate the tree with the ornaments after i put on the lights and garland and beads. It's great to watch their face when they see Darin and the year and say i was 2 then. Or they say they remember picking that out. Amber separates them and investigates each one. Showing me as if i had never seen them before. "Remember this mom?" she says. Kids are the greatest!

Update on my Mom!

It's been a full week and my mother is nowhere near coming home any time soon. Everyday it's some kind of bad news! She had a severe urinary tract infection, her diabetes is all out of whack and Now they think that she has Hepatitis C. That has not been confirmed, because of the meds and infection it could be a false positive. I pray that she don't have that. Then they say that she has a yeast infection in her blood.

What scares me the most that after a week her breathing has improved some, but not enough to make me feel like she is alright. The doctors say she is going to be fine. But to look at her its still scary.

My husband came with me tonight to the hospital, it's the first time since we admitted her to the hospital that he was able to go. He even says she doesn't look good! The breathing was scaring him also.

Today she was hallucinating things. Like she said that we were in a hospital room that had many people inside it, but the room was a semi private..her and one other in the room. The other day my dad said that she saw a carousel outside her window. I hope this is the pain drugs that is doing that.

I want to thank everyone for their kind words and prayers.

WHY?

On Thanksgiving day we got up early to go to the parade downtown, the parade was excellent! It get better every year. After the parade we rushed over to my mothers to help with dinner, when we got there my mother was sleeping. When she realized we were there she got up and went to the kitchen to help with the fixings. She did not act right or sound like my mother, but she said that she was tired. Me and my husband finished preparing dinner and my mother went back to relax.
I kept asking her if she was alright, she would just say i am tired. I just figured she was coming down with something, especially after she threw up her dinner. Thursday came and went and i let my mother sleep. Friday i called her and she sounded better than she had, but she still was sleeping the day away. I went over and felt her forehead, she did have a fever. So i took it as the flu, seeing how she threw up the day before, made her take some aspirins and sent her off to bed. Saturday i had the day off work and i told myself that when i woke up i was going over to her house and if i did not like what i saw she was going to the doctors. Wouldn't you know that she called me before i even woke up and asked me to take her to the doctors. The doctor went back and forth about sending her to the hospital, but i pretty much made his mind up for him. I told him that she is not right and there is something wrong and i would rather not have to wait a few days to find out what was wrong.
So off to emergency we went and in a very short time we found out that she has a severe urinary tract infection that was causing her fever. But some other stuff they found out was that because she was sick she was still taking her pills and she was not eating which made her sugar drop to 30. I overheard a nurse that usually at 30 most patients go into a diabetic coma. That scared me to death! But what scared me more is the way she has been breathing. If i had to attempt to breath like her i would hyper ventalate! She was admitted to the hospital on Saturday and on Sunday i called her to see if everything was fine. She assured me everything was fine, so i went off and did some things around my house and spent some time with my kids because i had been gone the whole day at the hospital on my day off.
Well today Monday, i dropped off my kids to school and went straight to the room i had left her only to find out that they moved her during the night. I thought this was a good thing till i got on the floor and they said that she was in the ICU of the hospital due to her breathing had gotten worse and she was struggling for air. When i seen her it was too scary for words! She was still struggling for a breath. She looked at me like she did not want to take this anymore. I just tried to reassure her everything would be fine.
The doctors came in and said that they took a chest xray and that she has chronic emphasyma and that they were going to play with her breathing treatments till they found something that works. When i left to check out my household and feed the kids, also to go and have a good cry from what i had saw. I couldn't cry in front of her like things were hopeless. When i got back later in the evening I found her in better spirits. She was still struggling with breathing but not as bad. I am hoping that even better news will follow! I am hoping that tomorrow will bring her back to talking again!
I love my mother with all my heart and the thought of losing her is killing me! Three times in one year we have had one thing after another happen with my mother. Last July she was diagnosed with flesh eating disease in her private area. Then her stroke in May of this year. And now this!
My mother does not deserve what is happening to her! She is the sweetest, kindest, would help you with anything in her reach kind of woman! My mother has done many things to help me and my sister when we needed it! I just want to know WHY, WHY HER? I bet there is many people out there that ask the same question when trials and tribulations happen in there family!
I know i have written about my heart attack and what other trials i went thru during that month. Is there anyone out there that has gone thru such turmoil that would like to share? And how did you get thru it?

challenges answered

1. a movie - Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - Peter O'Toole's eyes, those scenes that make you thirsty just watching them...
2. a book - "The Far Road", George Johnston 1962. A novel set amongst the horrific side-affects of war in China.
3. a musical artist, song, or album - "Black Sea" album by XTC (1980).
Three questions? Hmmmm.....
.i) How did you first find out about 'blogging'? I had heard of live journals...but i actually started when mom started to do it. She started a few and i said maybe i should it would be a way to vent or tell my story.
iiWhat does your favourite colour remind you of?I don't really have a favorite color I usually buy black or darker colors cuz i have a nak for getting things dirty..lol
iii) Why do you like living in the community where you do? I live her cuz i am very comfortable with my surroundings, I have traveled to alot of places and always find myself wanting to go back home. I love having 4 seasons. But I really like spring and fall because its not to hot and not to cold.

challenge

A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie
2. a book
3. a musical artist, song, or album
(B) I want everyone who reads this to ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.
(C) Then I want you to go to your blog/journal, copy and paste this allowing your friends to ask you anything & say that you stole it from me

I stole this from Mal...tee hee!

Too Young to have a heart attack!

Back in January of 2003 i was having a very stressful month! I had just went to court for a ticket that i should not have had to pay...had i been armed with a camera at the time it would have been dismissed. But anyways, wouldn't you know that i got called to jury duty! I had to do that in the morning, and work in the evenings. Well just after i finished jury duty which i believe was January 10th, i started having a weird feeling like someone was strangling me, and my left arm would go numb. I did not think anything about i just rested and dealt with the pain. Jan. 11th was the same feeling, and i got scared, went to my mothers to get my blood pressure cuff that i had recieved while pregnant with Amber. I took my blood pressure and it was 180 over 110. This concerned me...but yet i thought maybe my blood pressure medicine just needed to be highered. So on the 3rd day Jan. 12, I called and left a message to my doctor that i was concerned about my blood pressure and wanted to talk to him.
I recieved no phone call and i was still having pain! So the next morning Jan. 14th i called the office again and i said look this is whats happening and I'm scared! She put me on hold for a moment and then came back and said come up here immediately! I went up there and they hooked me up to a machine that checks your heart, and immediately the doctor came in and said she found some abnormalities and said i needed to go to emergency!

When i got to emergency things happened really fast. Hooked me up to all kinds of things. But nobody was saying anything, but they gave me alot of attention. They put me in a room for the night to monitor me and said that i would be going to a stress test in the morning, but if i was to get the pains again to call a nurse. Well about 5 in the morning i got up to go to the bathroom and on the way back to my bed i had the worst pain that i had in all 4 days! I called the nurse and i told her that the pains were there and she came in with the blood pressure cuff and it read 210 over 120 then she popped me a nitro pill and yet another. Finally the pain went away, and i asked her wonder how come it took so long for the pain to come...and that's because they had been putting nitro patches on my legs and i never even new that! Well the doctor came in shortly after that and said no stress test, he thought that would have killed me on the spot! So i went straight for a catherization(i hope i got that close) they put a device up my leg and into my heart while shooting dye in my heart you could see it all on a monitor. At first they saw nothing, till they went to the Left Anterior Descending Artery and said that i had a 95% blockage. I was dumbfounded! 33 years old and i was having a heart attack! The doctor said that Artery was called the Widow maker, had that blown i would be dead! There would have been no saving me. She guesses that within a day or 2 i would have been gone.


Well they sent me to another hospital with more capabilities, and fixed the artery with angioplasty and a stent. It's been almost 2 years now and I feel pretty good! I passed my stress test back in June. (this is my birthday present to myself every year)

So not only did i have court, jury duty, heart attack, in one month! you would think that would be enough! I came home to someone called on me about my dog, (something i was going to take care of) but just waiting for a little money come my way. On the same day my drains decided to back up and i had to pay for a plumber to come and snake the drains. My greatest aunt in the whole world helped me thru all that hardship when i needed her. Then my van's transmission broke down, but thankfully that was covered under warrantee!

So this is what happened to me one horrible January "2003"

MY BOY

He graduated his DARE program today. I of course was heavily armed with video camera and put my husband on the photo camera. He did great with his speech, i was very impressed because he was so nervous, and wouldn't you figure that he was the first to read his speech. His speech included a segment where he mentions my heart attack, and his grandmother's stroke, due to the effects of smoking. I looked at my mother and saw her crying. (I have to admit i had steamy eyes during that part) .

For being the Winner of the DARE essay he recieved all kinds of prizes. He got a tote bag, 2 shirts(one long sleeve and one short sleeve), a pen, hat, cup, football, a pretty neat watch, and a certificate. Someone told me to save his certificate because he might be able to get a discount or something for tuition to college. Not sure about that..something to look into.

It was a great day for my son..and I'm awful proud!

GETTING EXCITED!

Just sitting here thinking about the holidays. Frank and I have a tradition that every Thanksgiving we take the kids to the Detroit parade. We get up around 5:30 so that we can leave by 6:30 to hold a spot up front! It is well worth going to, and kinda sets your minds to the up coming holidays. The kids adore the huge balloons, and shout out SPIN IT, SPIN IT! They like when the balloon holders do that. They LOVE when floats throw out stuff to the kids.

After the parade we go to my mother's and father's house for a huge dinner! Mom does the works for Thanksgiving. Normally she can do most of it herself, but this year me and my sister are going over the day before and get alot of the preparation done for her, since she has a hard time because of the stroke. I would do it here at my house but my house is way to small to entertain so many folks.

I can't believe that Christmas is around the corner! I'm trying to put together some kind of Christmas for my kids. Between my mother and father and I, the kids should get everything that they asked for and more. Times get tight in this house but i will always try and make do.

I wanted to put out my x-mas decorations on Friday but it rained alllllll day! I am hoping to get to that Sunday day or some where on Monday. This will be exciting because last year after x-mas i bought so much stuff after the holidays (really cheap) that i don't even remember what i got, but i know that there is alot.

I went Friday and got my mother's gift for Christmas, I am just hoping that she likes it! I'm pretty sure that she will. I looked everywhere for it...I knew what i wanted to get her and i finally found it. I will have to tell you what it is after the holidays, because she reads my blogs..lol

Well i will write more later..

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT OR MIRACLE?

A co-worker and I have both witnessed a miracle! Customers came into our store to return some films, while walking into the store they found a wallet! I'm not sure if they looked into the wallet or not, but they turned in to us. I guess they hoped that whoever's wallet it was belonged to one of our customers. When they handed it to me, i opened it up and saw that it was a cutomer that comes in all the time. I looked on the account and tried to call him but no answer. While putting it away i quickly checked to see if there was any money in the wallet. I was shocked to find out that there was money alright, only a couple thousand in 100 dollar bills! After I found the money in the wallet i asked Raycine if she knew who returned it, she said they returned some movies...so we quickly pulled up the account and got their phone number just in case the owner of the wallet wanted to call and thank them for turning it in, or give a reward for such a good deed! I thought i would try to call the number one more time...This time getting an answering machine, i left a message for the gentleman that i had his wallet. Just as i hung the phone up, i turned towards the door and he walked in! The wife came in, i said maam i have your wallet. I told her that a couple found the wallet and turned it in to me.

I asked her if she wanted me to call them so that she may thank them for turning in the wallet. She of course said yes. I called the house and the father of the girl said that she was not home and he gave me her cell phone number. I called her and told her that the owner of the wallet wanted to thank her. The owner of the wallet thanked her in tears! And explained how grateful she was because they had took out a loan to pay for some furniture that she was buying tomorrow. She also offered her a reward for finding it and turning it in. But the kind couple refused it, just was grateful for the thank you and glad they could do it!

They then offered me a reward for going thru so much trouble for them. I told them that i was happy to do it and was not necessary. They insisted, and left a 20 dollar bill. I took that 20 and split it with Raycine, after all if it weren't for Raycine remembering they turned in some videos, i would have never gotten the phone numbers.

Sometimes i forget that their are good, kind, descent people still out there! That's a wake up call for me!

After that a gentleman left his cell phone on the counter, I tried to find a number to call. But in the midst of doing that, he called his phone and i told him where he had left it. I waited for him to come and get it. He was very grateful that i was holding it for him.

Hope this brings some spirit to the real meaning of Christmas for ya!
God Bless!

THIS IS FOR MY BLOCKBUSTER BUDDIES!

As you all know by now i work for Blockbuster Video. Most of my crew are really awesome and I enjoy working with them on a day to day basis. My boss Paula is really nice. She will do anything she can to help you out and work with you on certain things. She is a very funny lady and i have told her that she should go on tour for a comedy show. I work with other managers, some i like and some i just don't care for. But i'm always civil to everyone.

Michelle is our ASM(assistant store manager) she really knows her job! I think she studies our SOP (store operating procedures) just for the fun of it! She is in charge of all the drama that blockbuster hands to us. And she keeps us filled in on certain duties and things that we need to know. Michelle is a very nice lady to me, but if she don't like you she is very obvious about how she feels towards you.

Now my crew, ahhhhhhhh my crew....Some of them i have very fond things to say. Raycine is a very nice lady, a mommy like me. We swap out things for eachother's children, this really helps because her daughter is growing up and Amber gets to reap the rewards of all her smaller clothing! And i do what i can to send whatever she can use her way. Raycine is a really quick learning and she is doing a really great job. I have her just the way i like her now. She is able to work on things without me telling her what to do and volunteering to do other tasks when needed.I see her moving up in the company and becoming an asset. I just have to watch out for my job...She understands that managers have alot of duties other than help customers all day. But i really have to give it to her today....She was scheduled to work till 10 but she stayed for me because she knows i was sick. I can't thank her enough! I don't know what i got but i'm really not feeling myself!

Then their is Paul, Paul is a sweetheart of a guy! There is nothing he would not do for ya. I knew he was going to move up in the company fast. He has not been working for us very long and he just became a certified manager. I will give him credit for being able to learn things fast. And i welcome him to the management team. He is hard working don't get me wrong, but if he can find the fast way out of doing things he will...I hope that changes as he will learn that his crew may do the same to him and see how frustrated he gets. I think he will do fine!

Stephanie is the next crew member that i can talk about. When she first started i was not sure how well she was going to work out. But now i can tell you that she is doing very well! She is very hard working, not just at our store, but she has another job. She is starting to catch on very quickly and knows exactly what i expect out of her. On a personal note: She deserves alot better than she has right now. She will know what i mean about that!

I would really like to add Kim to this, even tho she quit on us! Kim was a very smart and fast learner! I enjoyed talking to her and working with her! She is missed! But i hope that what she needed to get at another job is their for her.

Their are others that i work with, but these are the people that i work the most often with. And they deserve mentioning! They work their butts off for me and always go above and beyond what's expected of them.
All i have to say is Thank You, Thank You!!!

My little Princess

My little Amber was born September 26th, 1995 at 10:32 a.m. Amber weighed 8 lbs 51/2 oz. and was 19 in. long.

When I found out that i was pregnant with Amber on New Years Eve of what was going to be "95" I was awful sick all the time. I threw up all the time, not just 3 months likes most, but the whole pregnancy

Delivered by c-section by choice! Only for the sole purpose of a tubal ligation right after birth. I knew she was the last child that i would have. I had very hard pregancies, dealing with diabetes, giving myself injections and checking my blood 5 times a day, and Amber always was on my back causing severe pain. Just before going home she recieved a first shot which caused her to get a fever before we were able to leave. Landing her in baby intensive care. That was the worst time of my life! To see my little girl with ivy's in her head and feet. So Amber could not come home for the first week, which devasted me! I knew it was the shot, but the doctors could not rule that out.

Amber was immediately daddy's girl! Only because I was really busy with a 13 month old boy
so when daddy came home she was taken by her father while i was able to focus on Darin's needs.

Amber is a very very busy girl! She is more into playing, coloring, taking care of her animals, babies, stuffed animals as well as plastic animals. Ok, my daughter is an animal lover and she says that she inspires to be a vet or zookeeper. I help to keep this dream alive by actually having animals in the house. Ambers list of animals are as follows:

2 parakeets
10 austrailian cave mice (started with 3 "supposedly boys") well someone screwed up..lol
1 spiked tail frog
1 nothern frog
2 hamsters
1 hermit crab
2 red ear turtles
3 dogs! one great pyrenees, 2 chihuahaus
1 ball python
5 fish

I hope that i did not forget about any of her animals
She really takes care of them, especially her dogs!

Amber is a very outspoken child. The one thing about Amber is that she will say whatever she is thinking about, whether she will hurt your feelings or not. If she is thinking it-it will come out her mouth. This can be embarrassing at times, and i worry about what she will say next!

Amber is in the 3rd grade, and from what the teacher tells me she is doing pretty good. Reading is at grade level, writing is improving, and behavior is just fine. Math is the main thing that we need to tackle. Amber is a great person to have around if you need help with something..she is always willing to have a helping hand. She always wants to help the younger children in the neighborhood or at school. As her teacher says she is a "nuturer". You can get Amber to do most anything if you ask her for "help". Don't tell her to do anything tho! That's like talking to a brick wall!

She is a great child, she gives me a run for my money at times.. but she keeps things interesting!
I see her doing great things. But the only thing that i hope for is that BOTH of my kids are happy with anything they do!

BOY am I a PROUD mother! Or PROUD of my Boy!

Well I said that i would talk about my children later, but my son just gave me a great reason to talk about him. I just found out today that my son Darin won the D.A.R.E essay contest! He gets a prize that is probably eating at any restaurant with the officer that is in charge of the D.A.R.E. program, which is very exciting to a 10 year old. He will get some other stuff, courtesy of D.A.R.E.
He has to read his essay to the whole school on the 22nd when he graduates the D.A.R.E. program. This scares him, but i told him that we will practice every day until he feels comfortable reading the essay. I admit i did help with the essay by typing it out for him, but he wrote it and threw ideas for it. I focused on what he got out of the whole program. For him it was all about the health issues do to smoking, alcohol, and drugs.

Well that's enough of the mother bragging rights of her kid.

My son was born August 16th 1994, weighing in at a hefty 9 lbs and 11 oz. He was immediately nicknamed uncle fester, due to his bald head and chubby cheeksand big eyes. He was a really cute baby! Not really bald, but his hair was so light light blonde you could not see it...like peach fuzz. He was born c-section due to his size. When he came out...he came out screaming, the nurses went to work on him and he hosed 3 of them down right away! The nurses laughed and yelled he got 3 of us! Darin was a very easy going baby, but when he was not feeling good he loved to be walked while you patted him on his butt.

Darin works really hard at school, he is in the 5th grade now and has many friends that he likes to play with. He loves to play football outside with his friends, he also loves to stay indoors and play with his playstation 2 or his game boy advance...he is really good at games...and computers...he shows me a few things from time to time.

Darin is almost as tall as me and i'm 5'4". I think he is ranging easily 5' or 5' 1" . The last time that i took him to the well baby clinic they guessed him to grow at least 6' or 6'1' , if that is true me and his father are going to have to look up to him full grown. We might want to watch what we say to him also...lol...

Don't get me wrong about Darin he is a good boy, but he does have an evil streak to him. When he gets an itch to be mean to his sister he can be! But for the most part he is very caring towards her. He will always lend a helping hand when needed.

We just went thru some old home videos of the kids and its amazing how little and cute and some of the things that they used to say and do came flooding back. Darin used to want to play with daddy boxing, or fighting. He would climb up on daddy and pull him by the hair and say "wanna fight?" and pull him down to the ground...of course daddy always played with his baby boy! Daddy would always lose! I'm not sure if that was planned....cuz Darin can play hard! I also remember bouncy bounce on the belly.....That was my personal favorite...Darin would sit on daddy's tummy and bounce away on his stomach...I always shouted "do it again!" ...kinda sounded like the A.O.L. commercial with the kid on the computer and the dad making the frog jump on the screen saying hiya. I only remember that because it was played on our blockbuster trailer tape forever! It seems so far away ago that he was born, but yet not that far away. You forget how small they used to be.

I learn everyday something new about my kids...With Darin it is his willing to help, his personality, how humerous he can be! I'm going to take credit for that! From his Dad , i think he gets his taste for certain foods...he eats things that i would never think to eat...but his dad is that way also...But from both of us its his way of getting along with anyone that he meets.

Well that's my son in a nutshell. Next will be my loving daughter Amber.

About me and my hubby Frank :)

I was working at a mobil gas station back in "92" when some friends of some other friends of mine came in one day...I had not seen them in awhile and I asked them for a friends phone number. When i called they asked me to come over and see their new house. It was a good starter home...well i would from time to time stop by and play games and party and such, when one day another friend had come back to Michigan after going to Vermont for a visit with his mother, but he was not alone, he had brought a friend with him to visit Michigan. I was interested in him from the start, he had beautiful salt and pepper hair, that's what attracted me to him from the start. Frank is only 4 years older than me...but he explained that he had going grey since he was 18 years old. For the next couple of weeks i would find excuses to go over their house to see him. At the time i did not know that he was planning on staying in Michigan because of me. We were both telling our friends that we liked each other. He then got a job and worked there for a couple weeks and got his first paycheck. I had spent the whole night playing games and talking to him and other friends that had spent the night there, when i decided to go home and get some shut eye. While walking me to my car he leaned over and asked me if I wanted to go on a date with him. I was shocked, but not that shocked because my good friend had told me that he was. Our first date was awesome! He took me to a chinese restaurant, knowing that i liked oriental items. While there he spent all of his first paycheck on me....buying me a beautiful tea set for my collection of oriental things. We spent so much time together and under the circustances that he was living in, i begged my mother and father to let him move in with us, by surprise they said yes. Frank was hard working and did all he could to help out around the house and became close to my mother and father. After 9 months of living with me, for some reason just packed up and went back home to Vermont. To this day i have no idea why...his excuse then was that his brother was graduating and he wanted to be there. This is true...but he was suppose to come back after a week. This did not happen! Four months went by without nothing. All of a sudden, out of the blue, my friend called me and asked me to come over there was something she wanted to show me. I was leary because 2 days prior i had gotten into a fight over there and was not sure if there was some ill will over there. She told me that Frank was back and that he really wanted to see me. When i saw him i just kept asking "why?"
He could not tell me one good reason...But that he came back to be with me again. Alot of my friends think it was just to see if I was the one that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
Because about two weeks later he proposed to me at a party that was given for our friends wedding....he was drunk, so naturally i thought yeh right! I told him "if you still feel the same ask me in the morning when your not drunk!" By the next morning he delivered the same question over again and i accepted! This was back in October of "93". I had picked our hall, our caterer, and the dj...but still had no ring. He had just started working again so i knew in time i would have one. Two weeks before Christmas my friends came to visit and brought their baby over the baby fell asleep under the Christmas tree. My mother and father were talking in the living room when they got our attention in the kitchen and said without fail "See that, that's our Christmas wish!" me and Frank looked at each other and shrugged it off....After all we were planning our wedding! By Christmas Eve i was not feeling like myself and we were about to buy some alcohol to party with for the occasion when i said to Frank "let me get a pregnancy test before we do this" I went home and straight to the bathroom i went.....after about a minute it sunk in that i WAS pregnant! I started balling right away....thinking that my wedding was ruined! I was not walking down the isle pregnant!!!! I was afraid to tell my folks ...but after walking out with Frank and my mother could see that i was crying, i had to tell them....Mom was dissapointed...only because of all the plans that was in the works....My dad...well he was tickled pink! I think he had been hoping all the while! After all the excitement of learning that i was pregnant, Frank insisted that i open my Christmas gift early, he handed me a big box, i opened it...then was another box, then yet another box....when i finally got to the last box and opened it their was my engagement ring! I was crying beyond believe! To be pregnant and officially engaged on Christmas Eve!

Our son Darin was born on August 16th, 1994. He was 9 lbs and 11 oz. and 21 inches long! born at 10:29 p.m. We were the happiest that we had ever been. That is until our wedding day!

Our wedding day was September 17th, 1994. It was beautiful! I have to say that everything went really well! I rained on that day, which is supposed to be good luck! But thank God that when it did rain we were already in buildings.

You would think that all of that would be enough...but fortunately New Years Eve of what was going to be the year of "95" I was really sick! Puking all the time....while at work, I said that i had the flu...another manager said "I think your pregnant!" I said no way! Darin was only 4 months old...and i was on something that was suppose to be better than the pill....well i shrugged him off and said i will take a test today and New Years Day i will know if your right or if i am. SURPRISE! God wanted me to had 2 right away!

Amber was born on September 26th, 1995. weighing in at 8 lbs and 5 and a half oz and 19 inches long She was born at 10:32 in the morning. She was all the way a daddy's girl because i was really busy taking care of Darin who was 13 months old when she was born and getting into everything...Darin did not like me taking care of his sister so when daddy came home guess who he had to take of.

I will talk more about my children in later blogs.

Well back to the story, we lived with my folks all the while....and about "98" is when we finally purchased our own home! We live in Warren, and making due with what we have! We love our house and we love our block, and our neighbors....

Me and Frank have been married now for 10 years this past September. We still love each other....altho i won't say that it has all been peaches and creme...but compared to other couples i have seen ....i think that we are doing awesome!!!

A ode to Paul

Coodles for Paul for taking my extra hour and letting me off early! God it feels great to be home a tad early...Thank You Thank You!!

People

Sometimes i just don't understand people. I don't understand how some people can be so cruel to others. The other day i was working and i received a phone call by some kids wanting the new game grand theft auto...they thought it would be funny to imitate arabic children and because of that, threatened to blow up our blockbusters... I'm sure that they thought it would be funny...but I sure did not!! What are parents teaching these days? I remember when i was a kid i was not able to use the phone other than to call my mom at work or friends near by. When i was a kid i did not think about playing games like those! I try my best with my kids and so far i think that i have done a pretty good job with them. I am astonished when i hear little kids swearing, and acting like they don't have any sense to them what-so-ever. I know if i ever heard my kids attempting to curse or do things that i dissaprove of i would be all over them. I can understand that some kids have bad lives. I for one am a product of a very dysfunctional family...My father did things in his past that his is not proud of...but he has changed and he is a perfect example of changing what you want to be... It was all because of alcolhol that he was the way he was ....But i also know that you can choose what you want to be...God has blessed me with a mind and i chose not to be those things that i dispised when i was younger... Yes i did go thru the teenage typical crap that any youth would go through. Trying alcohol, weed and all that ....but like everyone says you learn from your mistakes and i have! But i did not become an alcholic and i don't beat anyone unless they have hit me for some reason. It is really hard because my children can push me to a limit that i don't want to go... when that happens i get them to their rooms and take 5. If i really need a break i call my mom and have the kids spend a night or some other way of taking the edge off of a busy week, day or whatever.

I just don't understand why people don't actually listen to people...last night i had 4 phone calls at work and we always have to answer the phone like this "thank you for calling blockbuster, 11 and hoover, Caroline speaking can i help you?" Each and everytime i was called Kelly! or i was asked "is this blockbuster?" If people would just listen!!!! We have to tell you your due dates and we tell you the time they are due, before noon!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We always get they did not tell us before noon.....I just say...possibly you were not listening to us! DON'T get me started about cell phone use during checkout! That is about the rudist thing ever!!! I understand having a phone call ...but when your checking out can ya just take a second to let the phone call wait till your done? Or maybe say can i call ya back? I do! but then again i was brought up with a great mother, No matter how things were back then, she always instilled manners...God Bless Her!

Another thing, i never bothered employees that looked like they were working their butts off doing something, I always try to grab someone that looks like they need something to do.... or i never go to the beginning of a line to interupt the cashier that is helping someone else! Rude!

Sorrry just venting some frustrations...and maybe someone can use some of these pointers of manners that i have outlined!

Friends

I just got done talking to my best friend Barb, she is more than a best friend she is more like a sister to me. I miss her alot! She moved a few months ago 3 hrs away, i know that it isn't that far but to me it feels like its forever away. I used to be able to drive over in 10 minutes to go do this, that or the other thing...whenever we need to get away from kids, husbands or whatever, we would just call one another and go on a girls night out and just get away. I miss that with all my heart. Barb has always been there for me, we started off as classmates in jr. high we had the same typing class. We did not however become friends till high school, we were very close and did alot of the rebellious things that teenage girls do. It got magnified with the presense of my first car! Skipping school to go to a place called butterfly suite (a arcade) and sneeking around to different houses to drink during lunch. Those were the days! Alot of fun times were had back when we were 16. It's going on 18 years of knowing Barb and we've only had one big fight that ended our relationship...to this day i don't even know what the fight was about...and neither does she...but i think that it was the fact that she had a boyfriend at the time and me and another mutual friend did not have boyfriends...she wanted to spend all of her time with him...sounds petty now...but then it was a big deal! I'm not sure if that was it...but who cares now! Barb and i have been there for each other throughout the years...during her pregnancy's her weddings...1st and 2nd to the same man. And she for me during mine. We have been there for each other thru thick and thin...and i think that we will always be there. I always introduced her as my adopted sister. We have the relationship that i wished that i had with my real sister...but sadly that is not the case...

My family has excepted Barb as a sister to me...and hers with me!!!!! They know that we are special special friends and that i would do anything that was in reach to help her.

Now it sounds like that Barb has been my only friend...but that is not the case...I have been blessed with many friends in my life...some of which were boys....I had a really great "boy that was a friend" by the name of Gary....Gary was a great boy that grew up to be a special man. And i am honored that we still chat today. Whether it is by email or instant messanger from time to time...I miss him!!! Gary i have known longer than i have known Barb...Gary and i went to elementary school together. He was a friend of another friend of mine by the name of Charlie...that's how we met... Gary and i stayed really close throughout the years and it did not take long to figure out that i had a crush on him during high school....but we both figured out that it would not be a good idea for nothing to come of it, we would have ruined a great friendship!
I treasure that...Even after fighting with one of his old girlfriends, he did not leave my side and that was the only thing that i worried about after the fight. That he would never talk to me again. Thank God that was not so. He grew up and started working for a hospital and he made a really good life for himself in Illinois. He married and had the cutest little girl named Sophia.

I also have another "boy that is a friend" by the name of Dave I don't remember exactly how that we became friends but i am really sure that it came about thru Gary....We still have contact with eachother thru the computer even after he moved to tennessee... He is really into computers and he is who i turn to when i have problems with mine...or trying to figure out how something works. He always had a computer i can remember him having a computer in his bedroom before i even knew what a computer could do. He is a sweetheart of a guy that me and my gal pals would love to tease and shock him with different things that teenagers did back then.. He was always a great sport about those things... He has given me alot of good advice throughout the years and i am honored to be his friend and i hope that we will always be friends.

I also had a girlfiend named Jeanette back in the day....between me and Barb and Jeanette we were pistols! Always never in school, I would take them to school and i would say i am going back home to bed...they would say if your not going ...i'm not going...so instead of going to bed we would always scronge for money to go to the butterfly suite. At one point in time she was kicked out of her house for some reason and my mother and father gave her a break and let her move into out house...it was great for awhile and we were really close...we both had boyfriends and would go out alot with them. We stayed in touch for awhile but sadly we lost touch! i miss her...she was always very hyper...the last i heard she had alot of medical problems and God i hope that all is well with her today...I hope that we can someday regain that friendship back!

I've been thru alot in my life and the one thing that i can honestly say is that i always had and have great friends that i can depend on! Most of which have never let me down....
and on that note i will leave this...hoping that my friendship means as much to them as theirs means to me!!!!!!!!!