Politicians

Who is Emily and how did I get on her list? Seems like promises from politicians are a dime a dozen. I have decided to vote for the person who calls me the least. I get flyers, letters, notes and pamphlets by the pound. Somewhere a forest has been cut for this nonsense. This will go on for another whole year............A monarchy looks better and better. No elections, no promises, no lies. Maybe we could ask Queen Elizabeth if she would consider taking us under her wing. Okay, that wouldn't work. Almost scared to go to the store, there are politicians under every rug. Wish they did windows though. If I promise to vote for one of them would they do my windows?

Makes me think of my sister.....(except the part about the flappy arms and lost waist line....damn her anyway!!)

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor and sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years. Here are my Christmas wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone. On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog. If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family. Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet. Yours Always, MOM...
P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children, healthy, safe and of course, young enough to always believe in Santa.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

The holidays are rapidly approaching. If you stand outside and be very quiet you can hear the call of the wild politician......They sqawk, chatter, and otherwise make rather soundless noise. Not sure how I plan to vote for, but it will not be the fool who calls my home 4 + times a night. Also all the flyers are a waste of a good tree. Lately you can't go to the store and not run into one of them. They are your best friend too. Probably shouldn't buy the new outfits to go with the invitations that are casually cast out. Iowa during election times........such foolishness......promises that cant be honored.........raising taxes.........lowering taxes..........I promise change.........no me, I will do more change......I find it beneficial to just not listen to them. This to will pass. Who knows......someone might fight through the crowd and actually be a good choice

But, is it REALLY greener over there??

I have been thinking and talking about the old saying "The grass is always greener over there" a lot lately, and it got me thinking....why is it that when we see "a greener yard" it always seems to us to be an invitation. Isn't it more likely that it is a reminder instead? Maybe, just maybe, it is meant only to let us know we have been neglecting our own yards recently. And, lets be honest...nothing and no one is perfect, no matter how they might appear on the outside. Every person comes with their own problems and quirks, and running from one to another as an escape is almost never the right answer. No man (or woman) is an island, and every decision we make has consequences for us, and the loved ones in our lives. And very often there are consequences for others that we never thought about until it was too late. I see it as a ripple effect...you throw a rock in a pond and the ripples seem to go on forever. The choices we make today will affect any number of people and there is no way to know what they may endure because of our selfishness. Now let me be clear here....I am all for finding your own happiness. God knows I have, finally. But sometimes finding that happiness is as simple as looking into the eyes of the person next to you, and knowing they are in it for the long haul, for better or worse. And realizing that when you focus more on what you have than what you don't have, you might just be surprised at what has been there all along.

The Daily Coyote

You have to visit this blog. The pictures are amazing and I am so very jealous! I would love to know this woman and her pets, but it seems very wrong to call Charlie a pet. And after reading her posts, it is obvious she doesn't see him that way either.

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Just wanted to post a quick note to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday. It is snowing pretty good here, so if you are traveling...be safe!! This is not the time of year for funeral planning! And much thanks for being a part of what I am most thankful for....good friends and amazing family!

xxoo
J

Me, Dawn and Cim circa 1981

If you are going to post a comment about how amazingly hot we were (and of course still are) save yourself the carpel tunnel....we have heard it all before. :)

The Waltons....NOT

We had our Thanksgiving today......Mexican, Oriental, turkey plus lots more. All of us were here and we spent some time talking about when my kids were young. This was a while ago as the youngest is 38. My kids and I seem to remember those years differently. My memories are something like Walton Mountain. The kids seems to agree we were a cross between Rosanne and Married With Children. Of course after some discussion I would agree!!! The bottle rocket wars.......food fights......trips that seemed endless (are we there yet) and my personal favorite - using a rubber band to hold the handle down on the kitchen sprayer. The water fight after was fun but water was everywhere. I am sure I was a trial for my kids. I was NOT the typical parent. We all grew up together and mostly I learned from them I think. Now they have kids of their own. There is justice in this world......grandkids are just like them. Now I know what my dad meant when he told me that he hoped my daughter would be just like me and they both are. The noise level today was high, confusion was rampant and kids were everywhere. Loved every minute of it.

Holiday Musing

The holidays tend to mean more as one gets older. Maybe it is the knowledge that the sand in the hour glass is running faster now. I was adopted so when I was a child there was an emptiness at that time of year. I had family and was loved, but there was always something lacking. Then I had my first child......there in my arms was blood and bone that was actually part of me. I now have 3 children and 13 grandchildren. When I look around I see part of me in all of them. I have been so blessed. On Sunday I will again count my blessings and realize how very fortunate I am. This being said, the noise level will be off the charts, there will kids everywhere and lots of confusion. This is my family.........we are not the typical family........but we have enough love to go around to all of us. We are still a square my kids and me......just a bigger one. Can't wait for them to get here.

cena de acción de gracias

Sunday should be a lot of fun! I have invited Kimmi and Emma to join us because I think it will make her smile, and we all need to laugh at families other than our own now and then.

Since I tend to live by the boy scout motto "always be prepared" I am going to Costco to buy a super-size bottle of ROLAIDS to share with everyone since this meal is surely going to cause digestive distress to more than one of us!! : ) I will also be stocking up on umbrellas and garbage bags while I am there, because sometimes you just never know...........

Smile and be happy, afterall the alternative sucks!!!
Carin

Dinner Guests

On Friday night we were invited to dinner at Critter's place. How strange it is to have him old enough to be hosting us. But it was great! Wonderful steaks, flame kissed, and sweet corn frozen this summer. And because I am such an amazing cook....we stopped at Perkins and bought a pie. After dinner we sat and watched the Wizard of Oz. I haven't seen that movie in forever, but it has always been one of my favorites. We even got to see the "hanging munchkin" that I thought was just an urban legend!! I am not convinced that it really was a suicidal little person, but there is definitely something there in the background. I remember watching that movie a hundred times and I never noticed that before. I do remember letting Burda hide behind me every time the witch would make an appearance though. The wicked witch scared the snot out of her every time! The best part of the night was just sitting on his couch together.
I miss the family time now that the kids are getting older and have their own lives. It just makes the time we can spend together that much better. Now that I am getting older, I think that is the best part of the holidays...knowing everyone will be together. I am looking forward to the first Thanksgiving this weekend, even if it will be a Mexican pot luck. Thanks Mal! :) It will be a good time with tons of good food!

That is NOT music!!

In reading through the gossip blogs today, I was informed that Britney Spears will have the #1 album in the country according to Billboard. Now I am not about to start attacking someone for trying to make an honest living here, but seriously!! Come on now! If you take away all of the electronic crap used to make her even remotely listenable what would you be left with? I personally think it would sound a lot like me trying to sing The Star Spangled Banner first thing in the morning. Now while I truly believe I have the voice of an angel...this belief is not shared by anyone with half a brain and one good ear!!!!! The true test of talent should be one person, or group, alone with an acoustic guitar or piano. No back up singers to drown out the bad notes, no synthesizers or amps, no over priced, over produced music video to hide the song in, just them and their voice. It really should be that simple. If I am going to spend my hard earned money on a CD, or iTunes, then I need that artist or group to move me. And I firmly believe this is not too much to ask.

If you want to experience some unknown music check out http://www.garageband.com/ and if you want to check out some acoustic versions of more well known artists, check out http://www.strippedmusic.com/ (be sure to add music after stripped in the web address cuz if you don't, you will end up at a site that has absolutely nothing to do with music, or talent for that matter!) And if anyone knows of more sites for acoustic or unreleased music, please leave a comment...I am always looking for new (and undiscovered old) music.

As a footnote, I want to be sure to add that Britney was actually outsold (by nearly 400,000 units) by The Eagles, but since their new CD was only sold by WalMart and at their website, it didn't count according to Billboard. Of course this is no surprise...Hotel California anyone?? Now that IS music!

Amazing Update: Billboard has decided that WalMart album sales will be included in their calculation, so it is with great pleasure that I announce The Eagles have the official #1 album. and Britney is officially #2!! Thank you music gods!

November musings

Just a note about birthdays. Time slips away from us. Just yesterday my daughter was a child. Now her children are growing up. One is in college, one in high school and one just turned 5. She is growing older and dragging me along. This seems unreasonable to me. I got her to adulthood........why must I get older. I don't want to grow up. This is something my children know. Not sure they agree with it however. I have tried being an adult, don't like it very much. Most grownups are stuffy and not much fun. Of course, eldest daughter does bring us cookies and cupcakes. Youngest daughter is the grownup of the family. The rest of us elected her after she left one holiday, don't remember which holiday it was though. She handles this very well. This is a lifetime appointment and she is not allowed to resign. I think she would like to ground me sometimes. I remember when she was a teenager, and try to channel that. Not a good at it as she was though. Anyway, happy birthday little man. You and your cousin who is also 5 helps me remember your mother's when they were young. Thank you so much for those wonderful memories.

Grandma

Happy Birthday Little Man!

Today, Cade Michael turns 5 years old! I know that everyone always talks about how fast the time flies, but I think when you are a parent this is especially true. It is amazing to watch them grow and learn, and develop their own personalities and belief structures. This is what parenting is all about. I just wish it could slow down a little...every now and then....to give me a chance to catch my breath and memorize every little thing about any given triumph and tragedy in their lives. I would not trade any single memory for all the money in the world. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE MAN! Love, Mama.

And the Universe Listened*

Just to prove that there is some kind of cosmic balance in the world, today Critter got his ISU Student ID. Yep, he has been accepted!! WOOHOO!!! (not that I ever doubted he would be, but still very exciting) And Burda made Honor Roll for first quarter. Another WOOHOO!!! (never doubted her for a minute!) I talked to my friend Dawn (the heart surgery patient) and they are sending her home tomorrow. How amazing is it that on Tuesday afternoon a very talented surgeon was holding her heart in his hand, and on Friday night she will be sleeping in her own bed. Modern medicine is pretty impressive, not to mention the power of positive healing thoughts! Thanks for that! So, this is more than enough to make up for my one lousy day. Hope everyone has an amazing weekend, I know I will!


*totally stole that from a Melissa Etheridge song, but it seemed fitting!

Pop some corn cuz this is a long one...

Have you ever had one of those days that you would love to be able to call a do over? Or maybe take your mulligan and go back to the beginning? Well, that was my day yesterday. From the very beginning it was not a good day...I woke up with a sinus infection that I am absolutely certain is well on its way to becoming SARS, or maybe Bird Flu! But at least it was a work at home day...or not...a client was supposed to be sending an overnight package to me here at my home office/extra bedroom, but instead had it shipped to my office in West Des Moines. Unfortunately, I live almost an hour from that office, and it was a school day for Little Man. But, if I head to DSM as soon as I drop him off for school at 12:30, I can get back with a little time to spare before he gets out of school at 3:30. I can make this work. So, out the door we go, sounds easy, right? Well, as the door is closing behind us I realize that it is locked, and I don't have a key with me (and this is because we have a wonky door that can still be opened from the inside without being unlocked, but of course that is not the case when you are on the outside!) Unfortunately, it took way too long for my brain to tell my hand to grab the %$#^@ door, and just like that we are locked out. Not a single door or window is open. Not even a crack! This is Iowa in November after all. Well, I still have to get Little Man to school and me to DSM, so we continue on our way. I can call someone and they can get me in, right? God, if it were only that easy. After several phone calls it becomes apparent that no one has a key, and since we live at the edge of the civilized world, it was going to cost me a kidney and a lung to get a locksmith here. All these calls are happening as I am on my way to the office because I still have to pick up that package. And, my broke butt college kid is nearly destitute, so I now need to stop at two different banks before heading back to pick up Little Man. Luckily, the banks and my office are very close, so at least I don't have to go across town. Now, anyone that has ever ridden with me from my house to DSM knows that I cannot make this trip without a bathroom break, unless I want to risk a complete rupture of my walnut sized bladder. (thanks for the genetics mom!) So, I stop at Kum & Go to use the facilities..just a quick in and out..of course, I have to take my phone with me in case I get a call back from any of the extortionists, I mean locksmiths. I will spare you the gruesome details, but eventually my cell phone winds up in the toilet at Kum & Go. I am sure you are all aware that cell phones and water do not play well together, and now my phone is dead...utterly useless. Since my friend is still in the hospital recovering from heart surgery, and I am locked out of my house, I need to have a phone now, so I have added another errand to the list of things I have to get done in my very short allotted amount of time. So now I am praying there is a Verizon store between the banks and my office so I can get in and get out. OK, so first problem with this plan...the account number for broke butt college kid was saved in a text message on my now perfectly functioning paper weight of a phone. But, I went to my bank and withdrew the money, and headed over to his bank hoping they can get this info for me. And I have to say the first bright spot in all this was the wonderful teller at the Veridian Bank in West Des Moines. Her name was Faith...I firmly believe that was no coincidence. Not only did she look up BBCK's account number, she also happened to know exactly where the closest Verizon store was! So now I am off to replace my phone. I walk into the new Verizon store in Clive, and I am met at the door by a greeter!! Seriously...a greeter, and not a nice friendly retired person like WalMart..no this is a line backer looking woman with an attitude. So, she asks me what I am looking for and I give her the readers digest version...phone + water = new phone. I explain that there is insurance on the phone so she kindly gives me a brochure that explains the steps for filing an insurance claim to get a new phone. The bottom line being it would take 2 days. Now I explain to her that I cant wait 2 days, I need a phone now. And she looks me straight in the eye and says (with an oozing bad attitude) "you mean you would rather pay full price for a phone today, and not wait just 2 days and pay $50". I was fairly certain that a laser beam was going to shoot out of my eyes at that exact moment and hit her square in the middle of her forehead, causing her to forget her name for several days. But instead I just responded with "What part of right now don't you understand??" To get the full effect of how this was said, you will need to read that line again, clenching your teeth and squinting your eyes. Now she has either realized that I am a woman on the edge, or that laser beam actually made a brief appearance, and sends me to the customer service counter. And, again...another bright spot..the young girl that helped me, Anita, was wonderful. She informed that I was eligible for an upgrade, and the new phone would cost me nothing. I did have to buy a phone charger, but only because the new phone was not fully charged and I needed to be able to use it on the drive home, but the cost was still less than if I had used the insurance. With this out of the way, I am now heading to my office. I literally sneak in the back door, and crouch down in between cubicles, like a rat in a maze, so I can get to my desk without have to stop and chat. I just didn't have time for that. So, I am in and out, and no one even knows I was there. Now I have just enough time to get to the school if I hurry. Luckily, the ride back was uneventful, although I did have to stop at a Casey's and pee, but I left the phone locked in the car this time. No sense tempting fate. So, now Little Man is with me, and we still need to get in. Since this post is becoming quite a novel, I will just tell you that the end result was a broken window in the office/spare bedroom, and what I am sure was a most hysterical looking climb over a desk and printer that are positioned right in front of said window. But now I am in, and I can begin to recover from my day. Unfortunately, I must have shot some of my bad karma my husbands way, because later in the evening while he is on his way home, he is hit by a deer. No, I did not type that wrong...a deer literally jumped up out of the ditch into the side of our car. He was looking down at his radio dial when he heard the huge thud, which of course scared the jeebus out of him, and he turned just in time to see the deers face pressed against the glass of the drivers side front window. They were very nearly eye to eye. Next time you see the hubby, please ask him to relate this story to you...it is really pretty funny coming from him. And the final chapter to our night?? This car is paid off, so there is only liability coverage on it. NICE! Needless to say, the rest of my night was spent enjoying some Captain and Prozac..errr....I mean....peace and quiet!

More on the Bad Hearts....

Well, what was supposed to be a double bypass ended up being a triple, and the surgery seemed to last forever! I can only imagine how hard the waiting must have been for her family. I talked to her husband right after he talked to the doctors, and other than the fact that she will be feeling like she was run over by a bus, twice, it all seemed to go well well. Hopefully I can talk to her tomorrow, but I don't want to rush her. At least the part of it is over and she can start healing now. What a rough week all around, and it is only Tuesday night! Another friend has a brother that is very ill...cancer.....and the prognosis for him has gotten much worse. And, still another friend that has an ill grandmother. I am not sure what the heck is going on, but I am sure that it is not OK with me. Not at all. It is just too much sadness and anxiety for all of them. I know it is all just part of the process, but they are all amazing people with so much to deal with. Wish I could take some of it from them, and give them back just a little quiet, sanity and order. So, to all of them...much love and support, and all the positive energy I can muster. Please keep them in your thoughts! Here's to better days ahead!

Old Friends and Bad Hearts (pt 2)

Well, sometimes life throws you quite a curve ball. The angioplasty wasn't as routine as they were expecting, in fact they didn't do it at all. They got in there with their camera and took a good look around and decided this was more serious than they had expected. So, sometime very soon she will be going through full on open heart surgery. So to anyone that might stumble across this little blog, please send your prayers and happy healing thoughts her way. She is a beautiful person, inside and out, and needs to come through this with flying colors. She has 2 great kids and a husband that loves her and needs her around. So, if you have a minute today, please just send some positive energy her way! I will keep you posted....

Old Friends

I spent most of the day yesterday sitting with an old friend in the hospital. And let me clarify....by old friend, I mean back in the day, not 10 minutes from dying. She is the same age as I am, in fact, we are only 12 days apart. My friend had a heart attack. A very mild one, and she was smart enough to know that something was terribly wrong, so she went to the hospital right away. She is having angioplasty right this minute to open up the blockage, and all should be just fine. Of course this will require a modification to her current lifestyle...no more fried or smothered foods, and the cigarettes have got to go. But she is OK with all of that and I am confident she will live a long and full life. Seemed so strange to get that phone call though. When she told me it was a heart attack, I was certain that I had heard her wrong. It took several seconds for my mind to actually grasp what she was saying. I have no illusions about my age, and the fact that I am getting older, but wow....still seems we are way too young for that to be happening. I guess maybe it is time for me to pay a little more attention to the twinges and aches and pains, but I don't want to become some hypochondriac either. Hard to find the balance I guess. Here's to everyone staying healthy, for themselves and the ones that love them.

Thoughts on cookies

Eldest daughter brought the grandparents "us" some great chocolate cookies. There were 6 or 7 cookies in the bag. They disappeared into that region we all have in our houses. Asked my husband......he didn't know we had cookies. The dog is a bassett hound with really short legs so leaping on the counter is not an option even if he did have a red cape. I think there are gnomes who live here. They steal cookies in the dark of the night. Not sure where to get a gnome trap though. Guess eldest daughter will have to make some more cookies. Maybe I can see what kind the gnome doesn't like..........

Words by grandma......

TGIF

Happy Friday everyone. Hope the week was kind to you all. I talked to Critter today, and he is coming home next weekend for Little Man's birthday. Hard to believe he will be 5 all ready. The time really does go by too fast, especially when you have kids. I remember when Critter was turning five and it really does only seem like it was yesterday. And now he is an amazing 19 year old man that I could not be more proud of. I miss him a lot sometimes but love being able to watch him grow and mature into such a wonderfully complicated person. His sense of humor is so unique, he can always make me laugh, and his compassion is so touching. Little Man could not ask for a better big brother, and I know they both miss each other a lot. And, I think he and his sister are even closer now that he doesnt live at home. Guess the old saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" is really true in this case. Hope everyone has a great weekend, and Carin....just throw on the shirt I bought you and know that Karma will continue to beat those that deserve it with the pudgy wand. :)

Rules of the blog

I am hoping to turn this into a bit of a family blog but want to be sure everyone understands the rules...
1) Don't say anything you cant take back...if you happen to be mad at a sister/brother/cousin/parent, just remember that they may read this too. Retaliation will probably be swift, and will more than likely include some type of pain being inflicted on your person.
2) Search engines are an amazing thing, so if you plan to run for any political office at any time in your future, do not post anything that might be used to embarrass and/or humiliate you. Trust me, it will come back to haunt you since the entire family will know you wrote it. And I am pretty sure most of us can be bought for nothing more than the price of a happy meal.
3) No criticizing what anyone else posts. I know your parents taught you that if you cant say anything nice, it is best to say nothing at all. For the consequences associated with ignoring this rule, please refer back to rule #1.

And, last but not least, be creative and have fun with it!

Just wanted to add my thoughts

This is my daughter's blog. My 2 daughters & I spent most of Saturday together as she told you. I am so very proud of them and my son. I have been so fortunate.........also have 13 grandkids. We are quite a gathering on holidays. My kids and I are a square with our backs to each other. This has been my strength for much of my life. Also want to add that there is justice in this old world. My granddaughters are just like their mothers & father. I remember during the teen years I hoped for this. Now I hear my daughters telling their daughters they can't drive in the rain/dark. I guess you have to have kids of your own to understand driving in the rain/dark.

Conversation with a 4 year old

Me: Wow...that is some new shirt you've got on!!
Little Man: Do you like it?
Me: I sure do...it makes you look pretty hot!
Little Man: Do I burn your eyes??

Where do they come up with this stuff???

Sisters and Friends

On Saturday I got to hang out with my mom and my sister for the day, and it was a pretty good time. My sister and I don't get to hang out as much as I would like anymore cuz we live about an hour apart, and life just gets in the way. But she really is my best friend. I have several friends, but she is the one that I would call if I was in real trouble. For instance if I called her and told her I had killed someone, she would offer to bring a shovel and plastic bags. Now, I have not killed anyone, so please don't think that is an actual example. But she would come, and we would bury the evidence and she would lie through her teeth for me. I think it is mandatory that everyone have someone like that in their lives. More than likely I will never need her to help me cover up a serious crime but it is comforting to know that she would, and she would not be judgemental about it. I really don't have any deep dark secrets but if I did she is the only person I would confide them to. And it goes without saying that I would do the same for her. Of course, the odds of her having a deep dark secret are about as good as the sky turning a lovely shade of plaid today. As far as moral compasses go, if north is good and south is bad, hers is always pointing due north. And someone like that is also good to have as a friend and confidant. Hope you all have someone like her in your life!

UPDATE: It has been brought to my attention that if my sister's moral compass is just strictly northward pointing, why would she help me bury a body? The answer to that is simple....for me to actually cause someone serious bodily harm, they would have to be a very evil person. And she would know that. But again....just an example. I don't plan to be doing anyone in, at least not today. :)

Dysfunctional Family Dinner

So, the big dinner was last night, with all the kids at home. Somehow I saw it going better...you know, I would be there in my June Cleaver pearls and heels, with my Ward at the head of the table in a shirt and tie. My amazing kids would come in, my oldest in his college jacket all smiles and happy, the girl in her poodle skirt and bobby socks. And of course, the littlest man perfectly enunciating "hello mother, hello father" (just that, not the song) when sliding up to the table. But, reality stepped in and kicked me in the head!! Raising teens is hard!! Why didn't those wonderful nurses in the pre-natal classes throw out a little heads up on that??? Seriously...we all knew childbirth was gonna be painful (DUH) but this...this is nothing I was prepared for at all!!! The Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde of it makes me tired and very confused sometimes. But, I wouldn't change it even if I could. And truth be told, my little dysfunctional clan could kick the crap out of the Cleaver brood, and that gives me a very strange amount of pleasure at the end of the day. I will take my reality over that kind of un-natural perfection any day!!

Pot Pies and Teenagers

So, the pot pie turned out pretty well. To be fair, it wasn't a tough recipe at all, which is really what you need when you are cuisine challenged as I am. Of course the youngest wanted no part of it cuz he saw "salad" in it...that is anything that might possibly be, or have ever been, a vegetable. He gets that from his dad, and I am hoping when he gets older he might be more open to at least trying a bite first, before he proclaims his total disdain for it. My oldest is coming home tonight for dinner so I am looking forward to that, and the girl will be home for dinner too! Not sure she is happy about it, but she will be here and I will take what I can get. Don't get me wrong, I remember being 16, vaguely, and I know I was almost never home. But I miss her being around. I am not sure when she stopped being my baby girl and turned into this semi grown up, beautiful young lady, but it has happened. Just wish I had been given some kind of notice that is was coming, ya know. There is a lot of attitude that comes with her being 16, but I will take that too. I guess it is part of what makes her who she is. She will not take shit from people, and that will serve her well as she moves through life. I wouldn't change anything about her....she is just perfect as is. Well, gotta run and do some work. Might check in later.

My First Blog

Hello world...how's it going? So, this is my first shot at this, so don't expect miracles. I am an insanely happy wife, and mother of 3 living in the middle of nowhere, and I wouldn't change it for the world. I tend to lean more to the left than right and firmly believe that all things happen for a reason. Cant always tell you what the reason is, but I am absolutely certain there is one! My oldest son is a sophomore in college, my daughter is a junior in high school, and then there is the youngest boy...turns 5 in just a few days. And I know what you are thinking, but NO, he was not an accident. I was lucky enough to find an amazing man after my divorce, and since he had no kids I was more than happy to give him one. He needed to be a father, trust me. He really is the biggest kid in the family, and just as I suspected, he is an amazing daddy. And a pretty darn good step-father too.
So, I am not sure just yet what this whole blog will be about, but I can guarantee there will be some rambling, so bare with me. :) I guess I will just post about what I know. So, thanks for checking in. Gotta run right now, I am trying out a new pot pie recipe. I'll let you know how it goes.