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I'm baaaaaaaaaaaacccccccccccccckkkkkkkk. (for now at least)

Where the hot water tank went thru my wall in my back hall

damage done to the ceiling. They just ripped the trim off and didn't bother to cut along the caulk line.

this is what they consider fixed. Slap some drywall mud up there and don't worry about the fact that the texture is destroyed or that the colors don't match. And don't ya love the dirty handprints?

Remember the new walls that we just finished down the hall? The new shelves in Little Mans room? This is the wall AFTER supposedly being "fixed"

Remember picture one up top? Where the hot water tank went thru the drywall? This is where they "fixed" that wall. Yep folks.... This is the type of job the crew did. Great isn't it?

We're in town.

Staying at Vix and Cals.

Ice Cube, Ruth and Little Bit got in yesterday.

I got to watch Little Bit last night while the kids all went out.

I'm glad to be seeing my kids. I love to spend time with my boys. They're all good kids. Perfect? Ummmm no. Not a chance. They're young men working to find their spot in life. They do stupid, male things that make a logical female type mind go .... "say what?". And please don't tell me that men are more logical than women. In some cases, they may be. But in the case of adolescent young men vs a mature old lady- not. I'm ready to be at home though. And we're not leaving to go back to the land of sanity for 4 more days yet. There are certain perks to being here besides seeing the boys. Working internet that doesn't eat my pictures when I try to post them is one of them. So, look for a few pictures here and there as I manage to get them all off my camera and up online which has to be done here with a real internet connection. Cause let me tell you folks something --- satellite internet is nothing worth writing home about. High speed internet my tail. The lag time is horrible!

Tonight Ruth has gone to see her grandma. Ice Cube is gone to hang out with one of his friends. I'm going to sleep - maybe. Depends on if Cal gets up tonight and blares the tv till 4 am as is his normal schedule. See, they sleep till 2. Seriously. Every day. They normally go to bed between 4 and 5 and Vix doesn't even begin to consider opening her eyes till 2. P.M. that is. Me- I'm up by 8. I can go to bed at 5 and be up at 8. It's the way my body works. I have to have my kitchen cleaned, the laundry mostly done and the house clean by noon or I flip out. It's the OCD in me. If I over-sleep and don't have my house in order by noon, I'm a wreck all day. Now, let me tell you how much fun that is when I have a joint disease that prohibits me from moving at all some days. *laughing at myself here* You want a good laugh you should see me hobbling around some mornings, unable to stand up or even walk holding onto things for dear life as I try to start a load of laundry. And while making sure that laundry got done on a daily basis may have been a life altering thing when all 5 kids were at home, it sure the devil is not a mandatory thing when you are down to 2. It just doesn't matter. I might have 1 load of laundry a day now? I mean, how crazy can I be to not just let it go for one day? Chances are I'll be more mobile the next day anyhow. Or - my boys are perfectly capable of throwing a load in the washer. They've all be taught to do laundry. I'm a good mom that way. I taught my boys to cook basic meals, they can read the directions on a box if nothing else. They know how to mop a floor, clean a toilet, and run the vacuum. And they know the difference between a white and a dark. But, me? I feel the need to do it anyhow.

My mom is a wonderful woman. She is the best. But we grew up old school. Mom stayed home and did all the cooking and cleaning. We were only allowed in the kitchen as far as the bar to set our dirty plates after dinner. We were not allowed to cook. I cleaned our bathroom and my younger brother vacuumed the family room floor. Those were our chores. And I thought that she was mean for making us do that much. HA. How stupid we are in our youth. My dad was promoted to vice president and general manager of a wiper blade factory just after my younger brother graduated. Little brother was 17 at the time and he wanted to get his own place in the area we had grown up in. Not move several hundred miles away to another state for goodness sakes. I was already working and had my own place and Little brother ended up with an apartment not too far from the one I was in. He called me one day flipping out. It seems that he had blown up his microwave. He was trying to cook a hot dog. I kid you not folks. He blew up the microwave trying to cook a hot dog. He put the hot dog in there for like 20 minutes instead of 20 seconds. Killed the poor microwave. All because he'd never had to cook so much as a hot dog for himself before. Me? I ended up with the fire department at my house the first time I tried to boil chicken. Serious. Yes, you can laugh. Seems like you have to actually keep water in the pan while the chicken is boiling. Hey! What did I know? Apparently not near as much as I thought I did. If it didn't come out of a can or a box, we didn't eat it for years. I probably warped Tara's growth as a child feeding her mac and cheese (which I absolutely hate now) and canned ravioli (something else I refuse to touch now) for the longest time. Because I could not cook. Anything. So, my kids- they know how to cook. They won't be setting fire to the house (I didn't really- just filled it up with smoke) or blowing up a microwave when they move out. Nor will they live in filth because they have a clue. They know that the toilet has to be cleaned on a regular basis to avoid nasty odor. Their wives will thank me one day right?

Well, off to check on the boys. They're fairly bored here. Little Man has been ready to go home since yesterday. Seems like the new place is growing on him faster than I expected. He hasn't even started school yet and he's already making the transition.

As for Wayne Gilliland and All State Specialty Contracting --- well, nothing yet. They still have not finished the job. He still has not replaced my pool. He still will not return our calls. We are still moving forward with a law suit against him. I'm also going to turn him into the BBB. Hate to be the wicked witch in the scene but this guy is morally bankrupt. He's a con artist out to rip off as many folks as he can it appears. And he seems to have no intention of following thru on his obligations. So, thanks to all of you who have told me that I should sue him for the pool and damages. I didn't want to but he's leaving me no other alternative. I am poor folk. It took me almost a year to save the money to get the kids that pool. I just flat out can't afford to replace it. God bless all!

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He's here............

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Happy 4th!

Well, no baby yet. Ruth is miserable. She has been having contractions every 4 minutes since Monday. They have had minimal sleep. They could do the labor induction today - but today is SD's birthday. And Ice Cube did not want his son born on SD's birthday. For some reason, Tia, keeps thinking the baby will come today. This is something that we're hoping doesn't happen. Ice Cube really doesn't want his son to share a birthday with someone that he has so many hard feelings about like he does SD. I think that if that happened, it would cause more problems. SD would try to use it to claim a connection that he doesn't and won't have with the baby. Ice Cube is adamant that he does not want SD to even see a picture of his son. Now, I'm not sure how we're going to avoid that, but whatever he wants, we'll try to respect his wishes. This, of course, means that Tara will not be given a picture of her new nephew.

We have been staying at Vix's house. They do not have a big house. 2 bedrooms. Hurricane lives here so he has one room. Little Man and B have been camping out in his room. I have been sleeping on the couch. I will say that Hurricane offered me his bed. I turned him down. I can sleep thru most any noise that is not kid related. If I hear a door open in the middle of the night, I'm up like a shot. If I hear a window open on the opposite end of the house. I can process their conversations that they think to have while I'm asleep. But Cal blaring the TV till 4 am - I can sleep thru. Cal on the PS3 till 4 am - I can tune out. And with Cal's MS - his schedule is all messed up. He tends to sleep away the heat of the TX day and then be up at night when it's cooler. This means that we're trying to be quiet all day long so he can sleep. Then he gets out of bed at 9 PM and wants to go all night and not let anyone else sleep. B is not happy. I finally got him to start crawling in bed with his brother where it's not as noisy and he could get some decent rest before he ends up sick. Vix and I are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to cleaning house too. And don't get me wrong - my house is by no means ever spotless. I have never owned a new piece of furniture. Most of my wall decorations are pictures of my kids. But, I vacuum every day. My dishes stay done. My laundry is clean if not always put away promptly. You're not going to walk into my house and get eaten by a 3 year old dust bunny. Vix and I cleaned her desk off the other night. I kid you not, I was throwing away coupons that expired in 2007. Now, I might put something in a drawer and not find it for 6 months to a year before I clean that drawer out again. But, not on a counter or my desk. But then, Vix says I'm anal because I put my cans in the cupboards all together. How else are you supposed to know how many cans of corn or peas you have? We're just as opposite as night and day. She has pet rats - we have a ferret. She does cats (which I cannot do! Having a cat climb on my counters just bugs the daylights out of me!). I have dogs. She sleeps till 2 pm every day. My internal alarm goes off around 7 and it does not matter what time I went to bed the night before - or the morning of as the case may be. She is laundry helpless ( I've done no less than 10 loads of clothes since I've been here) - don't let me loose with any type of electrical saw I'm prone to chopping my fingers off (she builds beautiful wooden furniture). And yet, this woman has been my best friend for 30 years. Now, if I can only drag her out of the bed and house today to actually DO something for the 4th.

Have a happy 4th y'all! I will continue the sage of what happened when Hurricane called SD later. I will let you know that the boys escaped unscathed - they were mostly amused by it all and the emotional damage from the attempt to make contact seems minimal to none. Enjoy your fireworks, bar-b-ques or vacation plans!

Monday notes

Good Monday morning! We're settling in nicely here. The boys still aren't thrilled with being here, but they're not actively complaining as much either. They're finding alternative means of entertainment. And we're going back to old town to stay with Cal and Vix for several days next week so they're happy about that. Actually, Little Man will probably stay for a week or so. They're talking about doing a labor induction with Ruth on the 13th of next month. We should hear something else when she goes to the Dr. this week. If so, I'll be going to Austin for that. B will most likely come with me and Little Man wants to stay and hang with his friends for his birthday. He'll be 17 next month. I might leave him there for a week or so. I'm not really sure. He wants to stay with Tom and I'm just not into that idea. Tom uses Little Man. The day before we left, Tom and his gf stopped by. They didn't come to say good bye. They didn't come to visit with Little Man. They wanted Little Man to go do something for him. Well, at that point and time, we were knee deep in loading the truck to leave. Little Man told them that he was busy at that point. They didn't offer to help. They didn't stay and chat. They didn't bother to say good bye. They just left. And Little Man commented on it at the time.

Now, myself, I'm the type of parent that knows that I taught my kids right from wrong and I'm there when they want me or need me. But with some of this stuff - I don't even want to be involved. B is friends with a little boy that he's played ball with since they were 5. Great kid. Nice parents. The dad coached B's team for years. But the mom is right up in every bit of the kids business. He gets in a fight with another kid- mom is on the phone calling the other kids mom. And none of it is ever her child's fault. None. Of. It. Just ask her. That poor child is the most over-scheduled child I've ever seen. The poor kid never has time to just ... be a kid.

Yesterday they showed up and started putting my ramp together. The owner, Wayne, was very apologetic. I think it's a great case of him covering his tail. He did take a walk thru the house. He did agree that a lot of the damage could have been avoided. He's supposedly sending a drywall man out here next week to fix it all. My ramp is usable. The steps still aren't attached to it yet but that's ok. He's going to have to put some lag bolts in it instead of screws though because it's not holding together right. His guy that took the ramp apart tore it up. He's done an admirable job putting it back together but screws aren't going to cut it. Not with the weight of the chairs.

So, moving 190 miles from one town to another hasn't stopped the influx of extra kids. We ran back to old town yesterday and picked up a couple of young ladies. These girls are friends of Little Man. The one young lady has been friends with him since they were 6. She keeps telling me that she's moving in with us as soon as she convinces her parents. I'm thinking that she's never going to get away with that but in the meantime, I'm sure we'll see a bit of her. We took a short walk thru the woods last night. The girls loved it. Stopped at Vix's house while I was in town and got all my freezer stuff from her freezer. We also dropped off a box of Ice Cube's clothes so that I didn't have that extra stuff to deal with when we go down for the 4th. I am going to try to get all of my boys together for pictures while we are in town. Either with a photographer we know or in for professional portraits. With or without the girls. We're leaving Weds to go back thru the weekend. Ice Cube and Ruth are coming in from Austin too. I can't wait!

I'm sure this will be the last time I see Ice Cube and Ruth before the baby comes. They have talked about doing a labor induction on her around the 13th. We'll know more on Weds when she goes back to the Dr. Well, I'm going to close off here before another storm rolls thru. The satellite internet goes out faster than satellite tv when storms come.

moving update #9737 (just kidding....I think)

looking thru the doorway with the new doors open from what was Little Man's room into what was B's room.  Don't you just love the romex wire running thru the openings?  Most of that has been closed up now.  The top from B's side and both the side panels were hung last night.  They are now awaiting trim.  (the head is Little Man's)

This is the piece of drywall that has to come down completely.  I'm good but not that good.  The hole to the left actually went all the way thru to the hallway.  I'm still not happy about this.  

This was the doorway going from the hall into Little Man's room.  It is now going to be a built in shelving unit.  Yes, those are real guns leaning up in the corner.  Remember, this is the child that wears cowboy boots with shorts.  The 2 blocks of wood randomly sitting on a shelf were not attached to anything.  And yes, that is an Indianapolis Colts pillow.  My boys are all Colts fans.  Don't ask....

Another wall in what was Hurricane's old room.  This one has the first coat of patching done and sanded and is awaiting my lazy tail to get the next coat done.  This is the wall that I got to pull many many little metal bb's out of.  How fun!

From the hallway looking at the shelves in what was Little Man's room.  What you see in the rest of the picture....  The love seat in B's room where he was playing Call of Duty 4 on Xbox 360.  Random remodeling stuff on the floor.  And to your left, a sheet of drywall.  Yes, my house is a mess.  I really need to get this all done so I feel better....

Have I mentioned how much I adore my son, Ice Cube?  If not, it's time to bore you silly.  I really do love that young man.  He stepped up to the plate yesterday and really helped me out in a big way!  He came home from work yesterday and started packing his room.  That's to be expected as he's got to get his stuff packed to move too.  But then, he started hauling things out to the garbage from his room.  Things that he didn't want to take with him.  That was appreciated too.  Then I asked him to check the shed to see if there was any dry wall out there that I could use for a few small pieces that I had to cut.  He went out to the shed and found the dry wall I asked for, then asked me if I wanted him to haul some of the stuff out of the shed out to the street.  When I said yes, he and B went out to the shed, back his truck up to the shed and hauled a load out to the garbage.  Now, was everything that went out necessarily "garbage".  No.  I threw out a perfectly good stove.  One of the cousins gave it to me for Hurricane when he was moving into an apartment.  It's an electric stove and I have a gas hook-up.  Hurricane never took the darn thing and it's been out in my shed ever since.  The appliance man that drives around will pick it up before the garbage guys come thru.  The appliance/junk man always comes thru the night before the garbage runs.  He'll get quite a find in my garbage tonight.  I also had him take out the old dishwasher that I had.  I have a brand new one installed that sits in my counters.  The one he took out was one of the ones that hooks up to the sink.  I brought it with me when I left SD.  Do not ask me why I haven't thrown it out long ago.  I kept it for "emergencies".  Cause don't you know I'm just too lazy to hand wash a dish?  So, those are the type of things that went out to the street.  He also took all the regular trash out.  It was all much appreciated!   Especially, since Ruth was here at the time and usually we can't pry the 2 of them apart long enough for him to do anything.  

I got most of the 2nd doorway closed off last night too with Little Man and B's help.  So, all in all- a productive day.  I'm getting ready to go in there in a few and tear out the one sheet of drywall that's not patchable and has to be totally replaced.  But first, I'm watching the end of the Ranger/Yankees game.  The game is tied up and I'm still a baseball fanatic.  And Vix just asked me to find someone to do the garbage for the new place.  So, I add that to my to-do list.  

I ended up with all the kids out here last night.  They were supposed to all be here together but as it ended up, Ruth was leaving as Hurricane and Donna arrived.  Tuesday was Donna's birthday so I got a french silk cream pie.  And congratulate me folks - I didn't eat a single bite.  Not one taste!  I'm so proud of myself!   Also, Ice Cube and Ruth are going to stay in this area for one more week.  Ruth's boss asked if she could work a full-time next week while another girl went on vacation.  This will basically give her about 3 weeks pay in one week and really help them out financially.  And I'm glad that they'll be here for another week.  Her dad does not know how to not make matters worse.  He told her that if she left to move with Ice Cube that she should not consider his house her home any more.  Also, if she ever wants to come back - it would be under the condition that she was not allowed to so much as talk to Ice Cube anymore or she wasn't welcome there.  This man is an idiot.  Seriously.  I realize that no one is happy when 2 young kids make a mistake of this magnatude.  Really.  This is not where my dreams for my son were headed.  But, as Ruth's mom told him- why does he want Ruth to fail?  His terms and conditions set her up to fail.  The baby is not just Ruth's responsibility.  It's not her mom's responsibility to take care of.  It's Ruths and Ice Cubes.  And I don't mind helping with whatever.  If it's buying diapers or giving them a night off- I'm game.  And so is her mom.  We want them to succeed.  We want Ruth to be able to go to college and get her degree.  Her dad, well, he's a nice guy- he really is.  But he's holding on too tight.  There comes a time when you have to throw on your big boy/girl panties and let go.  I've mentioned this before.  I would love to hang on to Ice Cube and keep him with me.  It's time for him to fly.  It's the right thing to do.  So, we smile and kiss them goodbye.  Although,  I told the kids again last night that if they ever need me.  I'm here and my door will be open to them.  

Well, off to get some more work done.  Y'all take care now!

another post today....

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Baby shower

My thanks to everyone who has left baby shower ideas.  I've had 5 children and never had a baby shower.  I've been to a few - but it's been years!  I'm not really sure why I got myself into this at all!  I am not much of a people person.  I'm fairly shy in large groups and quite honestly, the idea of running a baby shower....  Scares the pants off me!  

Thanks to all my friends out there in blog land and some of my "in person" friends, I have a few ideas of where to go.  At least where to get started.  I have a friend who goes to a small church, she is going to check with them and see what it would be to rent her church.  And Morocco gave me the idea to check with apartments.  My son, Hurricane, lives in a very nice apartment complex.  When he gets back from his trip to Vegas, I'm going to have him check with his complex to see if that's an option.  I've gotten some good ideas for games.  So, I guess I'm moving in the right direction.  Now if someone would just come down here and run it for me.  :)

As I've mentioned, Hurricane is in Vegas this week with Vix and Cal celebrating his 21st birthday.  The trip was his birthday present from aunt and uncle.  I hear he's doing great and winning money.  That was before I went to bed last night so things may have changed after I went to sleep.  He's having a great time though and that's what really matters.  

We leave next week to go to the property to do some work and take a mini-vacation.  My blueberry bushes are being shipped to my ex-sister-in-laws house and the paint to paint the well house is already in the back of my car.  B is less than thrilled with me right now as we will be down there over his birthday.  Vix is supposed to be getting me the wasp spray to spray the shop and I'll get the fruit trees once I get down there.  

Have a good week all!

It's a boy!

Ice Cube and Ruth went to see Ruth's mom this weekend.  The basis for the trip was to go get an ultrasound done.  Ruth's mom is an OBGYN nurse and was able to take Ruth to where she works and one of the girls at work did it for them.  They brought home 7 new baby pix.  For the most part- I can't make heads nor tails out of any of them.  But they found his little "turtle" (as Ruth called it) and so - a boy it is.  No names picked out yet.  They think they're going to use B's middle name for the baby's middle name.  They're also talking about moving to where Ruth's mom lives to have the baby.  That doesn't make me so happy.  They'll still be in the same state- but 5 hours away.  but, I know it's what's best for the kids.  Ruth's mom will help her get her EMT license and then get her a job at the hospital while she works on her nursing license.  Financial stability for the kids and the grandson.  Ice Cube can switch jobs for a year or so.  And we'll just be doing a lot of traveling to see each other or meeting here where we've lived which is close to a 1/2 way point.  

Moving plans are coming right along.  We signed the paperwork to move the house on Monday.  I'm packing away.  Too early to be packing a lot of it.  What I've been working on is books, VHS tapes, things like that.  Toys that the kids have outgrown that I didn't want to get rid of.  I'm doing a lot of cleaning out and throwing away.  I've got some things that I'm going to send back to my ex sister-in-law.  Pictures of her kids and her daughters 1st Christmas ornaments.  I had the ornaments because I had the daughter for the first 17 months of her life.  From the time she was 3 days old.  Today I have to order the blueberry bushes that we're planting at the new property.  I'll be going down there over spring break and getting some work done.  For those of you that remember the PINK well house- I've gotten the paint to change that color scheme.  Pink is not my color.  

June 12 is the moving date.  I'll pick up the uhaul on the 11th, spend the morning packing and then B and I have tickets to the Ranger game that night.  I need to call today to reserve the uhaul and get hotel reservations for a few days of that time.  Another of my ex sister-in-laws, we'll call her Tia (spanish for aunt) lives down by the new property and she's been kind enough to let me have the bushes shipped there.  

I have a huge problem.  I have to put together a baby shower for May 23.  I don't know where to hold it.  I've never had a baby shower  - let alone thrown one.  And I'm pretty lost.  So, for any of you who have done these things before....  All ideas are welcome.  An idea of where to have one would be nice too.  As this is occurring about 3 weeks before I'm due to move, I don't know that my house is big enough or will be in any shape to have one.  I would have done it closer to her due date but as the kids are moving about the same time I am, we need to do it before everyone moves.  And if we go to the last weekend in May, then we get into graduations.  All idea, suggestions welcome at this point.  Finances will be a consideration at that point too so I need to put together something nice- that's fairly inexpensive.  

Thanks!

It's a soap opera week

I started to write this post 5 times today.  I was in such a mood that everything I wrote sounded more like whining than writing.  I don't like to be like that.  I've grown a lot in years past and I try to handle things with humor and lightness.  If I didn't - I'm afraid I'd bury my head in the sand and hide the rest of my life away.  It's been an eventful few days here.  I dearly love my boys and they're usually great kids but they're teenage boys.  And they're trying really hard to become men.  And filled with testosterone.  And sometimes I just want to bang their pretty little heads together to knock sense into them.  NO I don't actually do it.  It's just wishful thinking.  

We put Sky down yesterday.  And despite the fact that my son (Hurricane) got over $3,000 in his taxes 2 weeks ago- he called me to pay for it.  And when I told him I had 1/2 of it but not all of it - he cussed me out.  Seriously, he cussed at me.  He called me totally unacceptable names.  He threatened me.  Not with physical violence but told me that if I made his dog suffer any more he would see my children removed from my house.  I ended up taking the money from what I had put back to pay for moving to pay to put the dog down.  Now I don't  know where to replace the money from but as usual, I will figure it out.  I always do.  I'll cut $10 here and $20 there.  But, mind you - he QUIT his job in January and has been "borrowing" money from me for groceries, etc for the last few months.  Then when he got his tax return - he didn't pay it all back.  So, I have 2 issues going with him.  The first is easily solved.  You borrow money and don't pay it back - the bank is closed.  The 2nd is the issue of lack of respect and unacceptable behavior.  I mean, it's not like I can ground him or take his car keys anymore.  He's almost 21 and living in his own place.  I will not be disrespected the way he did though.  So, there will be consequences.  Suggestions are welcome.  

Next, I'm fighting an ongoing battle with Little Man over homework.  When his buddy died, he fell behind and he's really behind.  The 6 week grading period is over on Friday and he's missing like 5 test in 3 classes.  Now, this wouldn't upset me so much but the kid is really, really smart.  Like Duke University talent program- took his SAT's in 7th grade smart.  So, he'll have straight A's on his tests and then get a C from not turning in homework.  I can ground him, take his phone, talk till I'm blue - the more I punish- the less he does.  He will usually turn it all in LATE right before the grading period ends.  I found with him that the less I say - the more motivated he is.  I usually get him when he says "can I .... " and my response is "not till your work is caught up".  And every missing assignment will turn up done and turned in within 2 days.  I'm really hoping that the move will help this situation out.  Little Man was such a nerd (sorry -- that's meant in the most loving of ways) in elementary school that he had few friends.  He was so far above the kids in his class that he couldn't relate to them.  I mean, he taught himself to read when he was 2.  By the age of 4, he was working addition and subtraction and when he started k - he was reading at a 9th grade level.  Not just reading the words- he had a reading comprehension of 9th grade too.  So now, he's got friends.  Lots and lots of friends and it's like he's trying to make up for lost time.  So, while I understand what happened- it's aggravating the daylights out of me.   

Combine to that, I heard from my daughter.  They are on the run.  Her man stole something else and had to flee state.  I know that she's safe.  It's the first time I've heard from her since July.  She's still with the abusive jerk that she's been with.  He's committed some more felonies.  And she says she's pregnant.  I don't even know what to think.  First off, I don't know if she's even telling the truth about being pregnant.  And then I feel like a rotten, horrid person because if she is- I'm not excited.  I don't feel like I do with Ice Cube and Ruth's baby coming.  That baby is real to me.  I've seen pictures, I've watched Ruth's belly grow.  I'm involved.  With my daughter, she's claimed to be pregnant at least 7 times before this.  None of the times was it true.  She used it to get things from people.  Then I know that they're both drinking and doing drugs.  I know that there are warrants out for them.  Yes, her too.  She's listed as the accomplice.  So, then what?  A baby born with fetal alcohol syndrome?  A baby born addicted to drugs?  Maybe even a baby born with parents in prison?  Ice Cube and Ruth aren't perfect.  I wish that they had waited till they were older, more financially secure.  But, their baby has a heck of a lot better chance than if daughter really is pregnant.  I know that she's wanted a baby desperately.  I just wish I wasn't so worried about both her and now, if she is pregnant, what will happen to her baby.  We know that he abuses her.  What will he do to an innocent child.  When daughter and the jerk lived with his mom- the police were there on a weekly basis.  

I don't know that this sounds a whole lot less like whining.  I'm having a soap opera week I guess.  I miss my kids having an involved father much of the time.  I resent the fact that he could just walk away and not look back.  But, times like this- I really miss having someone to talk to about it all.  What to do?  I begin to doubt the decisions I'm making and the direction I'm going.   

Anyhow, have a good week all!

cookie decorating 101

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winter storm warning...

The queen of cold has once again come to visit us.  I decided that it was a good day to bake Christmas cookies with B, Little Miss (my 3 year old visitor) and C (her 11 year old sister).  I don't know what crazy weather bug has decided to visit our area and ruin my fun - but it needs to go away and NEVER come back again.  65- 28-43-60 those are our temperatures during the last week.  We were at 75 last weekend- 28 today- 60 for Christmas.  It's no wonder that everyone in the area is sick.  And for those of you who have never lived in the south- where the idea of snow is enough to shut down whole cities- it's incomprehensible.   It doesn't even have to really stick to the ground- just someone has to see a white flake.  They rush the stores and buy out every loaf of bread and gallon of milk.  And should snow really fall, as only major towns even think about owning a sand truck or a plow.  So like where we live- it's on the ground till it melts.  And everything shuts down.  Which we are in a winter storm warning for tonight.  And then it will be 60 on Christmas day.  Could mother nature make up her mind please?  The boys brought some wood in so we're set for the night.  I should have had them get some marshmallows.  

Little Man has been on the couch since he came in last night- sick.  There's this nice little stomach flu going around and he decided to be nice and catch it to bring it home.  Oh what fun- and how nice because I imagine he'll be kind enough to share it with anyone and everyone.  It was a hard weekend for the 2 older boys on the girlfriend front.  They both managed to get into trouble with the girls.   Ms R has been understandably upset with Ice Cube.  He fell asleep during church because he went to his brothers the night before and stayed up till 4 am after promising her that he'd go to bed early.  And then he told her he'd gone to bed at 1:30 and didn't.  She had her 1st Dr. appt today along with her 1st ultrasound.  The baby is due July 21.  I had a LONG (2 1/2) hour talk with her dad last night.  I never did figure out what Hurricane and Ms D were disagreeing over but I was getting texts from both of them till after 1 am.  Hurricane got her so worked up one night several months ago- she came out here.  Told him "I'm going to your mommas and you're not allowed to come".  I'm very lucky to have good relationships with both the girls.  Ms R called me from the Dr. today for medical information for her 1st appt.  I'm so glad that they're keeping us involved. I can't wait to see her ultrasound pictures!

Well, I'll post some pictures of my 2 little helpers and our cookie baking adventure soon.  For my friends on the east coast- stay warm!  Stay safe!  I hope everyone has a happy merry Christmas!

quick update

I've caught the bug and am not feeling very well at all so .... forgive my absence.  

Mom is home and doing well.  

My car broke down to the tune of $220 3 weeks before Christmas!  YUCK!!!!  It would have been much worse had the cousins not been the ones to fix it so thank you to them.  However, it put a HUGE crimp in my Christmas budget so....  Thank goodness the boys no longer believe in Santa! And that they shop for each other!

The papers for the property have been signed, faxed and the loans approved.  The land should be ours by Christmas!  So moving we will be.  

The new addition to the family that I spoke about on Thanksgiving is that Ice Cube's gf, Ms R is expecting.  Mixed emotions that I will get into at a later date.  She still has yet to break the news to her family which I have offered to be there for.  Guess I'm a masochist because I imagine that this is NOT going to go as well as it did with our family.  Basically because I was in shock and never got to the yelling part..... yet.  If my son doesn't straighten his act up and find a really good job really quick- then it's going to get ugly.  :)   He doesn't have time to be a boy anymore- he needs to jump right over young adult and into man.  

Hope everyone's having a good week!