HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Count your blessings.

Appreciate what you have.

Hold onto the ones you love

and who love you.

Be Grateful.

Be Safe, Stay Warm, Feel Loved.

ttfn

Here I sit waiting for the pies in the oven to be finished. They smell fabulous.

We are doing turkey today and Friday. We are going to the in laws on Friday

but I always like to make my own turkey because when you eat at someone

Else's house there are no left overs. The left overs are the best part.



I am also sitting waiting for Sara to get up so we can go practice driving before

her test at 2pm. I wish the test was yesterday the weather was much better.

Sunshine and warmer than its been in a week but no its today with snow/sleet

going on outside. I guess we will be getting educated on slipper road driving

today too. We have heard they are more lenient when its snowy out so maybe

it will turn out to be a good thing. She is doing really well don't get me wrong

but everybody that has taken that test has got to remember the nerves no matter

how prepared you thought you were. Also when the test is done they tell you now

if you passed or failed. I remember the agonizing week waiting for the envelope and

hoping it was thin not thick.



I am off to take pies out of the oven and go driving managing to put a turkey in the

oven at some point in between.



Happy Turkey Day.



ttfn

Mount Washmore in the Bathroom

There is a battle of the wills going on

and I think I am the only one aware of it.

This is the laundry basket that I started

putting in the bathroom because they were

just throwing their clothes on the floor and

silly me figured if I put a basket there it would

make it easier for someone to take them to the back.

So I am waiting to see how long it will take before

someone decides to take it to the back laundry room.

Its on day 4 somebody will be missing that certain

cloth item they need or want to wear soon.

Stay tuned and and feel free to comment on

who you think will break down first.

To Be Continued.....

ttfn

updates

Well I didn't get rehired for my old job that in itself is a long boring story not worth getting into. But I got a call back from another job I applied for that is only 2 days a week but at least its something and gets my foot in the door at the health department. I will be working in a women's health clinic on a college campus. I am nervous as heck but am looking forward to a new challenge.

Speaking of challenges........
I have raised 4 very disorganized children and the youngest is falling into the trap and I am trying my hardest to pull her out. She is a very smart child but has trouble keeping track of things and turning homework in on time. She then turns it into stress and fights about getting up for school. Oh I so love a fight right before going to bed.

If this weather keeps up she won't have to worry about going tomorrow. It is beyond yucky outside. Off to bed to see what the morning brings.

ttfn

Sara For President

Heres a project that Sara put together for her chemistry class. Her teacher said its the best presentation he has ever seen. I just thought you would get a kick out of it. She was asked to think about doing something similar for the district for a competition to show what your school is about. She is excited about it. She was also named president of her chemistry class.

ttfn

I finally realized why I love horses so much and why I have a way with them. You have 2 types of animals, the fight or the flight type. Horses are flight animals, reacting to danger and strange situations with fear and running away and that’s me too.

I am so sick of people and personalities. I am ready to move into the woods with my horses and animals and live happily ever after, only having minimum contact on an as needed basis. Unfortunately it would probably only last a short time because in spite of it all I need human contact and people to talk to I just wish I would be drawn to real people not evil people out to rip your heart out.

I watch as my children seem to find the same type of people and in spite of trying to be a true friend they turn on them and rip their hearts out.

I have hardened some over the years but still tend to trust in the best in people only to be used and stomped on. Makes you wonder why even try anymore just become that hard as nails bitch and not let anyone close enough and scare everybody away with a look. But try as I might I can’t darn it.

I find this most lately in jobs I have done and applied for. Rejection is a whole other story but you do a great job only to get spit on and pushed aside I don’t get it. If that is how all employers treat employees no wonder we have such a lazy work force.

I am going through the nerve racking process of trying to find a job any job because we desperately need the money but one rejection after the other is killing me. I even checked into getting my old job back that I left in August that is how desperate I am. I broke my ass for 3 years and cleaned up a major mess before I left and I get the cold shoulder when I inquired. Um I think if it were them I would jump at the chance to have an employee that not only knows the job already but fixed it in the first place.

Okay I am done with the nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I’m going to eat some worms. I am just feeling very drained and unappreciated lately. Holidays always seem to just exasperate the feelings this time of year.

I will find out later tomorrow I hope if I got at least a part time job I interviewed for last week and go from there. Off to go down the hill yet again for another pickup/drop-off for someone or something.

ttfn

Sectionals and so much more!

Quick update then off to bed for me. The sectional meet went well. Sara came in 11th in the 200 free just like Thursday but she moved up a spot to 7th in the 500. Her 2 relays in the 200 and 400 free both came in 2nd. They were hoping for a repeat of the 400 free from last year but it didn't happen. They had nothing to be disappointed about, their time was even a little faster than Prelims but unfortunately not fast enough.

We finished 2nd over all out of 15 schools but the school that won shouldn't even be in our class but we keep creeping up on them every year. So they did well and finished the season proud of the accomplishment.

Now onto season 2 of boys swimming. No rest for the swim fan.

Stay warm, Stay safe, feel Loved.

ttfn

calm before the storm!!!!

In little under an hour I will have about 15 hungry teenage girls coming over for spaghetti to prepare for Sectionals tomorrow. Its a tradition to have a spaghetti dinner before each big meet and we finally got to host one.

The team did really well last night at the prelims. We had 3 school records broken and have at least one swimmer in each top eight event. It more than made up for the disappointing show at counties.

Sara has just missed out on the top eight for her 200 and 500 the past two years. She missed again in the 200 finishing in the bottom eight in 11th place. But she finished 8th in the 500 and she was wondering why I was crying. Silly girl. I know how hard she works and it just broke my heart the past 2 years when she finished in the bottom 8 but when it came time for finals she beat at least 3 of the girls in the top 8. That would be great if in the finals you can move up from the bottom 8 to the top but you can't so the best she could get was 9th. Well not this year in the 500 she is guaranteed at least 8th place but with the way they were all swimming last night anything is possible.

Both the relays she is on were smoking hot last night and it will be an exciting race for both I am sure. The 400 relay is going to try to repeat what they did last year and grab the sectional title. Sara was on that relay and again this year.

All this and Ian is coming home again this weekend. So by tomorrow night I will have no voice and will be ready to sleep for a week but its all worth it.

Stay warm, Stay safe, Feel loved.

ttfn

Hello Winter

I went for my job interview on Friday and I think it went well. It’s a job working in a women’s health clinic at one of our local campuses. It would only be 2 days a week with the possibility of more hours if needed but it would be a steady pay check every two weeks. It pays a good hourly wage more than I have ever made an hour before.

I felt pretty good when I went in and was even able to answer the lovely questions of positive things about yourself and why you think you would be good for this position. You’d be amazed what being the mother of 4 children will get you with an interviewer that has kids.

I should know by Friday if I got the position and if I do I will see if my old job is still available and try for that also. I am thinking the variety and the challenge of the new job would out weigh the boredom of the other one plus it would be a 4 day a week job put together and hopefully I can handle that.

I sat and thought long and hard to choose between the option above and the full time position at the school and decided to try for the two part time jobs. Physically I am having a hard time handling what I have on my plate right now. I really didn’t want to crash and burn but knew I still have to be a monetary contributor to the household. I realized I really never had a long term full time job, of course, if you don’t count being a mom, and sure I could probably do it but at what cost.

There is a light at the end of this financial tunnel that seems to be tightening around us. I cringe every time I put more on the credit card and plunge us deeper and deeper in that hole we worked so hard to get ourselves out of but we can’t avoid it right now.

Today is a day off for all thanks to our veterans. But not for a mother we have 3 different times to go down for practices today at school and so my day is going to be spent taxi driving.

Stay warm, stay safe, feel loved.

ttfn

Yesterdays election results were both a major up and a major down. Obama winning against McCain means I don't have to move out into the woods and live off the land while Ian writes the great novel. But the defeat of a lot of the things put to vote for equal rights being defeated was sad very sad. It was a tough loss but not the end of the fight I am sure knowing the people I know.

Yesterday also taught me what wonderful kids I have. I subbed in the Deans office as the secretary and OMG. The Dean of Students deserves a medal and a large box of chocolate. She was amazing to watch working with these kids. I didn't have much to do with it, but just watching her all day made me tired. It just made me appreciate my kids that much more.

Off to face another day and hopefully get some use out of the sunshine today.

ttfn

Rebel with a cause!!!!

It was a much quieter day today around here. Yesterday showed me that not only do I have fantastic kids but that I have a little of the rebel in me.

The full story of Sara’s protest started with not wanting to take a test that the guidance department gives every year to the junior class. The test is to pin point areas of interest and skill for possible career choices. Nothing wrong with that. The test is supplied for free to the district by the Armed Forces.
It is called the ASVAB and they send home a pamphlet to let the parents know what the kids are taking. No where on the pamphlet is there any mention of the Military being involved. The military administers the test, corrects the test, and then complies the data to send back to the district. The children when they are finished with the test sign the back allowing the military to access this information, which most being underage is illegal. Google ASVAB and you will get a rude awaking at least from my point of view. It helps the military pin point those children that would be most vulnerable to recruitment. Ian had mentioned something in passing 2 years ago when he took this test and I didn’t pay attention to it or take it seriously. He did the quiet protest by filling in one letter answer for all the questions.

Well an inside source at the school informed my daughter that she didn’t have to take the test. That it wasn’t mandatory and your parent could opt out on your behalf. She went with a friend who also didn’t want to take the test to do homework instead of reporting for the test but the room they were in the teacher was ordered to send them to their testing site. They were met in the hall by the guidance counselors and they were treated like misbehaving 2 years olds and told to report to the test. Well Sara got to the door and saw the men in uniform overseeing the test looked at her friend and said I am leaving you coming and off they went.

She called me and I went and picked them up and they proceeded to Google and check things out on the web printing out things for reference if needed. I in turn tried to call the school and talk to someone. 4 answering machines later the vice principle called me back and he was very helpful then a little later the principal called me back and said he was talking with the superintendent and was trying to figure out what was the back ground on this test and what the options are.

Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with the military in context. But I feel and have always felt that they do not belong in our school and after finding out more about this test, having access to our children’s records. Kids are vulnerable and starry eyed at this age and this test helps the military pin point which kids to target for recruitment. And in a rural area like here some kids thinks its there only hope.

On to today and the call from the superintendent, very nice man our new superintendent, he said it was his first knowledge of the test and that he agreed with me about the lack of information giving to the parents about what is going on. It was nice to deal with a rational human being for a change because the last run ins I had with the previous administration was not a pleasant experience. I once again expressed my concerns and about the lack of policy around this. He said they have a year to look into maybe alternatives and working up an opt out form letter sent out prior to the testing. Wow. But my suspicious feelings of the district will make me follow up on what occurs in the future and I am pretty sure Sara won’t let it go either.

So for now they don’t have to take the test and there is going to be no punishment for them either. I am very proud of my rebels when they are fighting things other than their father and me. They are strong young adults and look out world here they come. I was confused as to where Ian and Sara got the rebel gene from but a friend pointed out to me that I have it I have just suppressed it for a long, long time. Nothing like having kids to extract it from the deep dark hole it’s been hiding in all these years.

ttfn

These children are going to be missed when they are gone because my life will be so boring. But I said that to my hubby and we figured we could find something constructive to do with the time and energy we will have.

We survived Megan's slumber party and Ian is safely back at college, smoking now, but back at college.

He has decided to pick up the bad habit and when asked why are you doing it and give me one redeeming quality he said it helps him write. That and depression. I would rather him be a poor writer than smoking and depressed. But once again he is an adult, I can voice my concerns and dislikes but the ball is literally in his court. His little sister was in tears when she found out he was smoking and felt why should she care anymore because Ian obviously didn't.

Megan has entered into the teen hormone induced depression and she has hit the floor running with it. At least she is talking to us about it and is willing to find out how to fix it unlike some of her siblings that had to be convinced or have yet to agree about the problem.

Then there is my newest rebel, well not newest per say, just fighting against something other than her father and me. I will do a whole blog on the controversy over the test they are forcing our children to take when I get some feed back from the school but as it stands now Sara walked out on a test that is administered by the Armed Forces and there are a lot of problems I have with the Armed Forces being in the schools as it is so we are making waves and pursuing information and change.

All this on 3 hours of sleep. I just got off the phone with the high school principal and have to write down some of my thoughts before I lose them and then get a nap.

To be continued........

ttfn

Its "6:30" and the sun is coming up. It is such the trade off though. Now it will be light for the kids and me when they head off to school and I to work in the morning but it will be dark by 4:00. I hate this time of year.

I think the girls finally settled down at 4 this morning. I got up to salsa bowls and chips on the floor and girls all mixed up in sleeping bags everywhere. Wasn't sure how many I had but finally figured out I hadn't lost any over night. So if the the amount of candy wrappers, they ate most of Megan's Halloween candy, and debris is any indication that they had fun it was a smashing success. So now I hopefully will get so peace from Megan because I let her do this and she won't feel so slighted in the attention department.

I feel a little better after some sleep but I think I will get some more before I make pancakes for the ladies and send them on there way.

ttfn

Weekends are relaxing

Who ever said weekends are relaxing obviously doesn't have kids. There is nothing relaxing about most weekends around here. This weekend is no exception.



It started at 5:30am on Friday morning and hasn't let up yet. The dual surprise for Dave and Sara of going to get Ian to come home was only 4 hours of my day yesterday. That worked out really well though I think my husband thought his surprise included him getting lucky. Silly man. I also think I had him going thinking the surprise was me getting a tattoo.
Sara's reaction to Ian being home was loud and excited and so worth the 4 hours of driving.
Dave and Ian headed out for a relaxing night of dinner and a movie and I was off to drive everybody else downtown to trick or treat. It actually was the first year I didn't follow Meg and the gang around. Because of my ankle Sara took meg and her friends and I sat and had some coffee with a friend till they were done. Swim meet today that didn't go very well for the team but hopefully they can make up for it at sectional and got rid of 3 kids and gained 4. Megan is having a Halloween sleep over with some of her friends tonight so forget about any sleep tonight.
And my weekend will end getting Ian back to school tomorrow afternoon. I will need a long nap on Monday and so much for resting my ankle either.

Well I am off to pick up yet another child from somewhere else then hopefully I will be able to sit and elevate.

ttfn