HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Peanut!

If you loved "Achmed the Dead Terrorist" you will fall in love with Peanut!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!
Yes, I know it's a day late but better late than never.

Achmed the Dead Terrorist

Be prepared for your cheeks to hurt!!! To fucking funny!!!

Seeking Assistance....

Chris and I are looking for a new computer... possibly two. He really wants a laptop and I can go either way. I really want to know what you use and are you happy or do you have a preference? I can get a discount through my school on Dells but are they really all that?

Also... I need to really organize my life. I now know that I am NOT Wonder woman and can not do everything. Katie and Jeff have their chores and for the most part they do real well at keeping it up.
However I still feel incomplete as far as the house STAYING clean. I thought that maybe I should do a little bit everyday but I am finding myself so damn tired by the time I walk in the door. What do y'all do to organize and maintain a functioning household?
I still have to have time with my school work and of course some time set aside with my family. We still do the family dinner thing which for the most part is how we stay close. I do not want to give Jeff any additional chores because he works his butt off and maintains his grades at school. I want him to have a life outside of the home. Katie on the other hand is getting older and although she does set and clear the dinner dishes I was contemplating having her load the dishwasher also. Which means she would be rinsing the dishes as well. She is 8 years old. You think she would be ready to take that on?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks...

Mundane but fruitful...

Ok.. So I am not the best blogger in the world. I have neglected my duty to keep you posted on my horrendous life.



So... where do I begin?

Friday - We had our Christmas Party at my work. The Boss and his wife were very generous with the employees and our children. Both Jeff and Katie won at the raffle and received cool gifts along with getting $20.oo gift cards from Target. Chris won a Santa decoration for being a good and understanding "wife". This was a raffle for all the spouses and his name was included in the wives appreciation gift. I am still calling him my bitch..haha... I got $100.oo for my bonus. It's better than ZERO haha...

Saturday - Cleaning, shopping and school work. Nothing of great importance except I did it all with one big fat MIGRAINE from hell..

Sunday - More shopping and laundry. I even took a nap.. Me and my lazy self.

Not in the Holiday Mood....

I don't know why but it sure doesn't feel like a holiday is around the corner. Just not in the celebrating mood and it bothers me a little.
Chris and Katie put up the tree yesterday. All that is left to do is hang the ornaments which Katie will help me with.

The pups were watching with the most interested expressions on their cute little faces. I think Bentley has the idea that this is going to be his very own pissing tree.. so.. we will have to keep on eye on him.
Santa Paws is going to be very generous to the animals in our household. Bear, Katie's hamster, has already received his Christmas present early. He got a bigger cage. He is no ordinary hamster. He is slightly smaller than a Guinea Pig and he wasn't fitting into his tunnels all that well. He is a big boy.

I am looking forward to having a few weeks off from the hustle and bustle of school. I have been spending so much time with school that my family wonders if I even remember who they are. haha... No really.. it's a lot easier than I imagined but then again the classes that I am taking are fairly easy. Introduction to Business and Academic Strategies for the Business Professional. Next semester will be College Composition 1 and Marketing. I can't describe in words how excited I am to be doing this. I feel like I am making a positive step forward. I just hope I can maintain the commitment and finish all 3.5 years of this. OY!!!!

She's Alive!!!!

I do apologize for my absence. School has pretty much eaten any spare time that I have had and the assignments are getting more involved. It's now just starting to ease of off because Christmas break is around the corner. I just thought I would give some updates:

Jeff's ankle is healing slowly but surely. He is off crutches completely. He is still sporting an ace bandage and is walking slow but he is walking.

We are finally getting busy at work. Overtime is mandatory and that is just fine with me... more money in my pocket..

Chris' Employer had a Christmas party on Saturday and he was given a Christmas bonus.. So that helps out with the shopping.

All of the mice that we have had for snake food are now gone. No more cleaning stinky cages!!!

If anyone would like a Christmas card.. Please send me an email: mnetsrek@yahoo.com so that I can get one out to you asap!!!

Mmmmm Tequila Cookies

TEQUILA COOKIES

1 cup of dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup of granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups of dried fruit, such as dried cranberries or raisins
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila (silver or gold, as desired)-


Sample the Cuervo to check quality.Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer...Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.Add one teaspoon of sugar...Beat again. At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still OK, try another cup.... just in case.Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit,Pick the frigging fruit off floor... Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver.- Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.Next, sift two cups of salt, or something.Check the Jose Cuervo.Now shift the lemon juice and strain the nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.Don't forget to beat off the turner.Finally, throw the bowl through the window, FINISH the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.

**** CHERRY MISTMAS ****

All is well...

I didn't post the previous to make any one look bad. I just needed to vent because I was hurt. Everything is fine now and yesterday I had a pretty good day.

I didn't cook or clean. We did go to Wal Mart for some much needed necessities and I was surprised with the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie and Sims 2 for PC. I am a total Sims Addict. That is the only game I will play. Nothing else captures my interest. Of course everyone else in the family likes to play it too. I guess it's a good thing we have two computers;)

Thank you so much for those of you that wished my a Happy Birthday. Belated or not it made me feel better. I am just so happy to have Blogger Friends like you:)

Today is my birthday

I am 37 years old today. Some of you have wished me a happy one and I say thank you. For those of you that didn't know... it's ok. I wouldn't have expected you to know.
I would have expected something from the people that I would think care about me (family) to at least say "Happy Birthday" or What are you cooking for? Allow ME to make dinner tonight or why are you washing dishes? Let ME do it.. Enjoy your special day..
Didn't happen... I am hurt but not shocked.. I should have expected it and not let it get to me as it always does.

My son the GIMP

Jeff did something real stupid yesterday. He and another boy were wrestling on school grounds after school had already ended.
Jeff takes the SCAT bus (local transit here in Sarasota) and ultimately missed the bus because he could not walk to the bus stop. Why?
Well... while waiting to go the bus stop he injured himself while wrestling the other boy and sprained his ankle. Which means that I had to go pick him up. When I got there he was sitting under the pavillon where a local newstation was setting up cameras.. don't know what the were going to be filming but they were there nonetheless.
I parked my car walked over to Jeff. I helped him up and I took his backpack and he hopped to my car. I immediately took him home so his dad and I could check out the injury. His ankle on both sides was swollen but no brusing and he could move it a little. We had him all propped up in bed and alternated the heating pad and ice packs to bring the swelling down and pumped him full of Ibuprofen.
This morning the swelling went down significantly and he is able to put some pressure on his foot and limp. He now has an ace bandage on his ankle.
He still wanted to go into work but the only thing he would be able to do is strictly run the cash register. So.. he called to tell them that he injured himself and that he would still come in if they allowed him that one job. The asst. manager was appreciative that Jeff still wanted him to come in but that he should take it easy today and come in tomorrow. If he still can't do a lot of walking then he would do the register only. Sunday's are apparently the busier of the two days at the mall.
Jeff is liking the idea of being catered to... He is constantly calling my cell to ask for things. I don't mind becasue Jeff is rarely that dependant and he has been extremely healthy otherwise. He is the only one in the family that escaped the stomach virus that Katie brought home. Besides I feel needed with him. I don't normally feel needed or even wanted when it comes to my son. It must be the age. I know he loves me. I don't question that at all it's just the age where most parents are an embarrassment. I have done it with my parents.

One Wonders how safe our kids really are at school

I am talking about the incident today at Riverview High School where my son and Kat's sons attend. There was a report of a suspect with a gun on school premises.


SARASOTA - The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is investigating an incident that occurred today at Riverview High School in regards to a report of an individual on campus armed with a handgun.
A student reported having a conversation with a male subject while on campus during which the subject displayed a handgun that was tucked in the subject's waistband. The school was put on lockdown at approximately 11:50 a.m. and a thorough search of the campus was conducted however the subject was not located. At approximately 1:10 p.m. the campus was put into limited lockdown.
The subject is described as a white male, 17-19 years old, approximately 6'0" and 180 lbs with brown hair and some facial hair. The subject had a silver stud tongue piercing and two large hollow black rings within his earlobes. The subject was wearing a silver skull ring on the middle finger of his left hand. The subject was dressed in a black t-shirt with white skulls and black cargo-styled pants.

Did they say a thorough search? Here's my son's response: No one in his class was searched just some security officer opened the door took a peek and left. Hmmm

When did the parents find out? Well first of all Kat left a msg on my cell phone telling me what she had heard from her son Sebastian. I called Kat back and told her that I would call Jeff to find out what was going on. I could barely hear Jeff because the reception at that high school is shit. But at least I hear him say he was ok. Riverview's principal released an automated message to call every one's home at 6:00 this evening and the message was a joke. Chris answered the phone and just shook his head and hung up. And then looked at me and said "We have officially been notified of the lock down". WTF people? Why weren't the parents notified immediately? You know how most parents found out? Their kids calling them from their cell phones. You want to know why there was a cluster fuck at the school today and why the police didn't seem to have a clue? Because they didn't. Kat told me that when she got their to get her sons it was a fucking madhouse. Visit Kat's site because she has way more details than I do and she is so much better than I am with details.

Woot! Show me the money... NOT

So.. I am getting a 50 cent raise effective this pay check that I will receive on Friday. And I will then receive another 50 cents starting January 1st. No retro like I was promised 15 months ago. Ok... I need to go calm down...later

And the illness has spread....

Guess what? Oh come on now really take a guess. The whole damn family with exception to Jeff because that kid seems to have an immune system that kicks all virus' asses has now gone through the gauntlet. Chris and I both stayed home from work yesterday because we both had gotten what our lovely Katie brought home.

I am over it people. It never fails, I always catch what she has. Ok... can't stay on too long... gotta go:(

It never fails...

someone always gets sick during the holidays. This year it happened to Katie.
We had a wonderful feast and all and she kept up with everyone else in over indulging but at about 5am Friday morning she came running into our room crying that her tummy hurt and lo and behold she threw up right in the middle of our room.
Although she had more than a mere tummy ache, she was raging with fever too. A dose of children's Motrin and some water with a new change of pajamas and she was back in dreamland.
Daddy got to stay home with her. Luckily for Daddy he wasn't scheduled to be at work yesterday. *Bastard*
The kids didn't have school yesterday anyway and If I did not go into work "on the busiest day of the year for plumbers" I would not have been paid for Thanksgiving. By the way.... it wasn't busy at all. DAMN!!!!
She has been feverish off and on all day today so hopefully she just has a 24 bug deal going on. I so hope no one else gets it because I am usually the last one and I normally get it 10 times worse than anyone else. I think I am going to stock up on Vitamin C and Cranberry juice now so I can prevent this thing getting to me.

I am Thankful

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I hope each and every one you have found something to be thankful for. I am thankful for:

1. My Family - without their love and support I wouldn't be striving to be better myself.
2. My Friends
3. My Job - although at times I complain but I am still thankful that I have one:)

We watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a tradition in our home. Chris fried TWO turkeys (his bosses son wanted fried turkey this year so Chris volunteered to show his son how to do it) all the sides you could want:

Mashed potatoes,stuffing, green bean casserole, yams, cranberries,Waldorf salad, olives, deviled eggs and home made bread. Of course there was pies. Three of them: Pumpkin, Apple and Blueberry

None of my family fell asleep after eating but all the grandparents went home tired and wanting naps:)

This needs some serious thought.

I mentioned in October that I wanted to approach my boss regarding a raise that was promised me. Well, it was too hard to pin him down long enough to honestly talk about it without being interrupted by several people. Yesterday, he approached me. Not to talk about the raise but to convince me to go back on their company insurance. I opted out this time last year because the provider switched our plans to an outrageous Health Savings Plan. That means I would have to pay $6,000.00 dollars to have coverage but I would also had to meet my $4000.00 deductible first before any benefits kicked in. I could in no way afford that type of plan.
Needless to say I found a better plan for me and my children on my own. I only pay $265.oo a month and my co-pay is $35.oo across the board except for emergency room which is $100.00.

They have switched providers and they need 10 people to be on the policy in order to avoid divulging medical history. Coincidently they would have had enough people if he had not had let a tech go yesterday. So this was his proposition. He would give me a $2.10 an hour raise which would be exactly enough to cover the cost of including my children on the plan. They would pay my premium. My boss looked it at that he was saving me the money I had been shelling out every month for my own. I had mentioned that I was not sure I was comfortable with an HMO and due to my daughters ear issues I would not think it would be beneficial for my family to switch. I also went on to say that although I understand their situation with the insurance but that I could still use the raise since It is owed to me and retro.

I am not getting retro but instead an extra weeks vacation and a $1.00 an hour increase. He did not commit to that review over a year ago and in fact he was not apart of it. The Ex-general manager made that deal. I am not exactly happy with the outcome although it is better than nothing. They decided to put the office manager on their insurance (company paid of course) even though she is already covered on her husbands insurance.

Nothing is written in stone. I did request that he personally put it in writing and allow me to review it before signing the agreement. Personally apart of me wants the $2.10 an hour raise and an extra weeks of paid vacation. What do you think?

Damn has it been that long...

Why don't you people email me to remind me that I haven't posted since Tuesday? Geez... I need reminders all the time. The week goes by so fast and before I know it I am starting a whole new week. Sorry it's been awhile. School has taken priority and by the way it's going I have to start planning my week in advance and I mean to the minute. Otherwise I should just crawl in a hole and cower till the earth explodes.

Shall we start this day over?

Let's see... Oh, I wake up 30 minutes later than I normally do with a migraine from hell. Chris is a little perturbed with me but what else is new at that hour of the morning.
I rush everyone to where they need to be and not one "Thank you". hmm... What the hell would they do if I wasn't here?

I get to work and there is no where to park. WTF people. I have a small Chevy Malibu. Is it really too much to ask to leave me some space to park? Your big ass box trucks should not be blocking my space any way. And what is it with men not getting their asses in gear to get to their first call on time. I am going to have to get into the threatening mode again.
Can you pictures this? Me standing by the door with a long baseball bat like stick, we fondly refer to as the "rectifier" and a tube of KY Jelly. This is the only way to get them the hell out of the office and on their way to the customers. There is this one tech that we call "Fred Flinstone" because I swear people the amount of time he takes to get to a house that would normally take ME 15 minutes takes him 45 and the only way I see that happening is by foot powering the damn truck. I have even taken on the role of "Kazoo" and calling him Dum Dum. For those of you who have seen the Flintstones can relate. For those of you who have not then you are way too young to be reading my blog.. geesh.

I get home and prepare the dinners side dishes while Chris' grills the burgers. I then take Jeff to work and go to the store to pick up dog food and other odds and ends. But before leaving in the first place I started to download a free trial run for 60 days of Microsoft office 2007 so that I can open the documents I need for classes. I thought Chris would've made sure it installed correctly but by the time I get back (almost an hour later) the computer froze and I had to start all over again and Chris wonders why I give him looks of death!

Once I pick up Jeff from work we come home and I help Jeff study for an American History test and come to find out he is far from knowing the material. WTF son.. didn't you pay attention to anything? I wanted to strangle him. He tells me "no prob mom it's open book" Really? well seeing as how you don't know the material how are you going to know where to look for the answers? SMART ASS!!!

And on top of all that I still have that damn stupid fucking migraine! I'm going to bed.

I am beat...

and I feel like I have been run over by a semi. I have a feeling my migraine marathon is returning full steam on. All weekend I had a slight migraine. The kind that linger to let you know the mother of all migraines will be showing up shortly. No pain pills are available but Chris did get some muscle relaxers for his TMJ and he only needed one. I may try it to see if the tension goes away and then maybe I won't get a full blown one.

School is actually going smoothly. I am still learning the ropes on navigating through my classes. I haven't really connected with any of the other students other than in discussion boards which are quite similar to forum message boards. This coming week has me nervous because we will actually be beginning the course. The first week was to get familiar with everyone and the course material. Now it's time to really sink in.

Work is work... Apparently the techs are hyping mad because health insurance premiums have gone up 40% again. That's four times in two years people. It's getting a little ridiculous. I opted out of the employer insurance almost a year now. It's cheaper for me and my children to get it privately. Seriously!!! I am telling you guys that everything is going to go up in price, not just gas. I am positive that gas prices will reach if not exceed $4.oo a gallon here shortly. I am sure the western states have already felt that pinch. Ok.. gotta go the migraine is full blown now:(

See ya all tomorrow....

It just doesn't get any better...

About a week and a half ago Chris' license was suspended for 90 days. He will not be able to reinstate it until January 24th. Way too many speeding tickets. He got most of them driving from one inspection to another in record time:) Now he has the office manager take him to his inspections. I am seriously thinking about buying him a radar detector for Christmas either that or one of those chips that stalls the care if you exceed 80 mph.

So... not only do I have to drive my son to school which Chris used to do but now I have to take him to work and then take Katie to school. Which means we leave the house around 6:30a.m. Now I am used to it already and I actually get to work a half and hour early so I can take a full lunch hour to be able to go home and let my dogs out. Now Chris is talking about making the change permanent. *sigh* Why? because he has 23 points on his license right now and one more point and the license is gone for a full year. Men.

Seems like old times...

Today I spent a great deal with my mom. After waking up at 6am to get Jeff ready for his orchestra outing and dropping him off at his high school at 7:30 I went to meet my mom for breakfast. Chris and Katie were still sleeping when I left.

We talked about the weather difference between Florida and Ohio and how well her and my dad are adjusting to living with my moms parents until they find their own place. I haven't laughed with my mom in such a long time. My mom and aunt finished painting my grandparents bathroom (kinda had to since the wallpaper was peeling off the walls) and the next step is to paint the other bathroom. My mom treated me to a haircut. This is her way of telling me that my hair is in dire need and baby you are much too old to have hair down past the middle of your back. I didn't mind one bit because actually I have been wanting to get my haircut but didn't know exactly what I wanted. So... I got four inches taken off the length and the sides shaped to my face and bangs. Nothing drastic because then I would have to actually spend time on my hair and I don't have that luxury.

My parents and Chris' parents will all be here for Thanksgiving and that is going to be a hoot. Already my mom has committed to making Three pies: Apple, Blueberry and of course Pumpkin. During our breakfast conversation she had asked me what vegetable I had planned on and this is how our conversation went:
Her: Don't you want green bean casserole?

Me: Well, yeah that would be nice.

Her: Then I will make it. Oh and I will bring the stuffing cause you know your dad loves stuffing and while we are talking about this what kind of salad do you plan on? Wait.. I will make Waldorf salad too.

Me: Mom... Mom.....MOM!! Do you want to cook at my house? Except for the Turkey because we are frying that.

Her: Well that might not be such a bad idea but first we will need to clean your house real good before that... not saying your house is a mess but you know it could use a good cleaning

Me: Whatever... how's your sausage gravy and biscuits?

This student role is not bad at all.

So, I am officially ahead of the game and have already done my homework and submitted before the due date. I so ROCK!!As my son told me and I have a feeling he was being a little too condescending, the little twerp.
I have also started working into the next weeks work just so I can be more familiar with the subject the next time I have a seminar. I would much rather be prepared and not out of the loop like most of the students in yesterdays seminar. I was trying to pay attention to what the teacher had to say or rather type since it was like being in a chat room and although there are 30 students taking this particular class only 15 showed up for the seminar. This is all new to me and it's awkward trying to comprehend some of the material but part of that is my fault because I am so eager to learn I am traveling at a faster rate and may be a little to far into the game. So I will try and slow my pace down a tad or two. Thanks guys for all your encouraging words and please if I may ask keep them coming because it helps me strive to do good:)

First Day of School

and I am mentally drained. Not that it looks hard or anything it's just learning to navigate through the site and get familiar with the tools of communicating not only with the instructor but the other "classmates" as well. I will have my first "seminar" tomorrow night and that is basically being online live with everyone attending the class. We will basically be going over the syllabus of the course and what the instructors expectations are. I really think I am going to do well.

The clock is ticking...

and I am trying my best to go over the schools' website so that I can familiarize myself with everything before my first class starts. I will actually be in an hour long "seminar" with my professor and the rest of the online gang attending her class. We will be conversing back and forth through AOL instant messenger. That will start tomorrow at 8pm. At 7:30, my advisor will be calling me to help me log into my class to make sure everything runs smoothly and that there are no problems logging on.
Does anyone know where I can get my hands on a cheap Microsoft Word software. I thought that this computer had it but it only has Microsoft Works and it is not compatible with what the school requires. I hate having to wait to the last minute but I am pretty damn stupid when it comes to what I think is STANDARD software. Your help will be much appreciated. Ok.. I am off to pull out my hair. Wish me luck and I will be sure to post about my first night:)

Bad Credit will hinder...

I have always been one that struggled financially. It wasn't that I didn't pay my bills, it was more of not having enough money coming in to pay the necessities. Being a single mom for the first nine years of Jeff's life was rough. I didn't get help from his father and was I was way to stubborn to get all the help I could have from the government. I know I was entitled to some things because I did work and contribute. Nonetheless, I would rather work my self ragged than apply for assistance.

My credit is ok. Could be a hell of a lot better but I did my best to pay everything. There are a few marks against me because I am not perfect. I even took out bad credit loans when I was about 23 years old. I wanted to get things straightened out while I was a struggling single mom. It actually helped a great deal back then. I never got myself into deep water again after paying the loan off. I have learned to charge only what I know I can afford. I am so picky when it comes to credit cards as well. I can't believe the interest rates on some of them. I now know that the better your credit is the lower the interest you pay. I kind of wish I knew that back then.

With the housing economy coming to a stand still and many mortgage companies declaring bankruptcy, there is no telling how many people are going to be defaulting on their mortgages and how many banks will be foreclosing on homes this year and next year. There are so many houses for sale in Sarasota alone. The amounts that are being asked for are mind bending. You would think now would be the time to snatch up homes but I am telling you that the bottom will not actually drop until next summer when these people realize they are not going to get what they are asking for. Think about what I said and watch for it to happen

Busy Weekend... Busier week ahead

This weekend was daunting and exhausting.
I managed to:

• Get all the laundry done
• Take Jeff back and forth to work
• Scrub the downstairs floor ( Hardwood)
• Cook dinner
• Grocery shopping
• Clean dinner dishes
• Get all the necessary paperwork done for my online classes
• Piss Chris off several times (apparently that is what I am most excellent at;)
• Make Potato Salad AND egg salad.
• And a bunch of little odds and ends

Now that we have a second computer in the house ( I am the Queen of one computer that's all mine) mainly because of my school requirements and the fact that I will need to be on more than all the other heathens that live here. Also because Chris has takin a likin to Guild Wars and now plays with his buddy Phil, who happens to live in England. Don't even ask how many hours he played this weekend.

I am so super hyped about starting school on Wednesday. I am so nervous and anxious and really worried whether or not I will make it. I just hope my family will understand that I will need their help. Pfft.. who am I kidding. They expect me to be Wonder Woman.

It's official... I have lost my mind...

after being out of school for almost 19 years, I have decided to further my education by enrolling at a University that allows me to get my Bachelors online. I am going for Bachelors of Science in Business. I have wanted to do this for over ten years but figured my life was too hectic and with raising a young family it wouldn't be feasible to do. This is going to take me until 2011 to complete but I am so anxious to get started. My first class starts this Wednesday, November 7th.

My family is behind me 100 percent and my son has volunteered to help me with my math... haha... thanks Jeff. I just may take you up on that offer.

There are three reasons that factored my decision to pursue this. 1: Proving to Jeff just how important an education really is to getting a better paying job, 2: This will give me tremendous knowledge to get the online store where it should be and maintaining the business and 3: To get me out of my dead end, going nowhere job I have now. Before you ask whether or not I got a chance to talk to my boss about a raise, the answer is no. He has not been in long enough to corner and apparently his golf game is far more important.

Wish me luck.

I love Chinese food.

I was spoiled when I was younger because close family friends of ours that came from China would always cook us an authentic home made Chinese dinner every Sunday. By the time I was five years old I knew how to use chopsticks like a pro. I would try just about anything they made. When my family and I reminisce about that family (Uncle Ed has passed away over 15 years ago) they would remind me of the time that my Uncle Ed joked with me that I was eating Water Buffalo and I just kept on eating like it didn't phase me a bit. I do remember telling Uncle Ed that buffalo was good. So much for trying to put one over on a kid right?

Aunt San would show me how to make egg rolls which is a very tedious task and it requires some very eccentric ingredients that I would not have guessed go into them. I haven't made them from scratch in years. My favorite soup in Won ton. I could make that a meal just by itself. Shrimp chips always have to be included when I am enjoying my Won ton.

My all time favorite dish is pepper steak and fried rice. I still make my own fried rice but when the family is craving an entire meal that is when we head out to an authentic Chinese restaurant. Because let's face it I do not have enough time to really cook it all from scratch.
Ok... I am going because I am going to devour the left overs I have in the fridge:)

All is quiet on the home front...

Brittany left yesterday morning around 11:30. She is now going to experience life on her own....well with her boyfriend and his mom that is. Chris did tear up for a minute and I knew he would, after all this is still is oldest baby. I love him for that. He is not afraid to show emotions when it comes to his family.
My parents came over early to give Britt her birthday card and to say goodbye. Britt spent a lot of her time during the day for the last month with her grandmother (Chris' mom). But Kenny and Britt did stop by to say their farewells one last time before hitting the road for 2 1/2 hours.
Now that Katie gets her room back we have lots of work to do. I now have an empty closet and dresser to fill back up with Katie's clothes. We are also going to bring down the desk that she has up in her room to accommodate the extra computer we have for the kids. Just not too sure where we are going to put it yet. Katie now has a cell phone. She is soooo happy about that. We really didn't have to show her too much as far as operating it. Kids learn fast these days. All we have to do is buy a protective case for it. Brittany anticipated that we would want the phone we got her back. She wouldn't need it because her boyfriend gave one of his spare phones so it would not cost him anything to talk to her and her friends could call her free because they all have the same carrier. Jeff got himself a new phone so now everyone is happy.

Sales is the key

The Plumbing company that I work for traditionally sends a technician or two every year to a seminar that emphasis on sales training. We are one of a few companies nationwide that rely on selling the job versus charging our customers a hourly fee on top of labor and materials.
We send our technicians out to a home or business at no charge so the tech can visually see and troubleshoot for the problem and what is the best way to handle the job at hand. We give the customer a guaranteed price in writing. We also on top of correcting their plumbing issue warranty our service a full year. I know there are not many companies that do that. The one thing that stands out with our company besides the great service and our educated technicians is if our customer does not like our price for any reason they can decline and they are not charged one penny.
Our technicians are trained not only as certified plumbers but they are also trained in selling the jobs we send them out on. We pride ourselves in our customer service, specially skilled technicians and the fact that we have been in business for over 27 years.

Quick stop

and I am off for the night. So much going on and not enough time to write. I will however post some things that have been on my mind lately in a lengthy post tomorrow. Goodnight everyone.

Time to place your bets

I have so many friends that have gotten hooked on playing casino games online right from the comfort of their home. I have never been one to bet religiously or see it as a must do past time but every once in a while I would like to unwind and feel lucky and possibly win actual money playing games I like.
When visiting online casinos I really do not have the first clue about what to look for. I do know that I want to participate in a reputable site but not sure what to look for in choosing a site that promises what it advertises. There is an online casino review site that provides players with detailed feedback on gaming experience, trust factor and what bonuses that these sites offer.
This is basically a online handbook for gamblers everywhere. Whether you are looking for the best payout online Casinos, Casinos with the best bonuses, or the highest jackpots, Pro360 is a good place to get started.
Also if you are a beginner gambler than take advantage of their beginners guide to online gambling and definitely take a look at their online gambling tips. I have spent some time at this site and I have to admit there is a ton of information for the beginner like me.

I need some advice....

I have been promised a raise over a year ago that includes it to be retro to August 17th of 2006 but I have not received a raise nor have I been compensated the retro pay. What is the best way to approach my boss in reminding him of the promise? I do have a signed review which states the promise. I have thought about exchanging the retro pay for more vacation time which would help tremendously in getting my online store, Regalo Boutique, complete.

I just do not have the slightest clue on how to get what I am deserved. I know the company has suffered losses financially but during that extreme time period they have hired more plumbing technicians that make double of what I am paid and they recently have fired one. I am not asking for the world but only what I have been promised. Please guys I need your input.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE

This little one is "Pooh Bear" She was four years old when this was taken the first month we moved back to Florida from Ohio. I moved to back to Ohio when I was almost 7 months pregnant because I wanted the doctor my sister had. He specialized in high risk pregnancies and I also moved back because the doctor I had in Sarasota would not listen to one word I said. I truly believe that if I had stayed here she would have born way too early. She was three weeks early to begin with and that was delayed because of the medication I was taking to prevent premature labor. I was bed ridden for the last two months and wasn't allowed out of bed at all except to use the bathroom.

Once I stopped taking the medicine to keep me from delivering her to soon, Katie decided to stay a little while longer:) She was 8 pounds 6 ounces. A full pound heavier than her brother. She was a whopping 23 inches long. She also carries the coloboma trait that her brother also shares. This is a condition which the iris is not fully developed. Instead of a circle for a pupil she has an oblong pupil. Many people have given that condition the name "Cat eyes" She sees fine although she is like me and is nearsighted. She has been wearing glasses since she was 5.

Katie looks like me and Chris. My mom calls it a perfect blend. Although her hair is definitely mine..haha... She is a girl all the way. Princess mixed with some drama queen. She loves all animals and loves to pick on her older siblings. She is daddy's girl. All she has to do is bat her eyes and daddy melts.

This is what Katie wanted to do on her birthday. You can see Jeff and my parents behind her playing the next hole. That's Brittany to the left of Katie and Me (take a good look because this is the only picture I am posting until I shed at least 30 pounds:) to Katie's right. I always have such a stupid expression on my face.... Chris of course is taking the pictures.

After we were done here we went to eat at one of Katie's favorite places, Cheeburger Cheeburger.This is a cool diner that brings back the memories from the 50's.

We took Katie shopping for clothes and shoes. She didn't get Sketchers like she wanted because every store we went to that carried them did not have her size. She did get two outfits and shoes with Tinkerbell on them. Jeff and Brittany got her movies, Teenage mutant ninja turtles and Evan Almighty. She loves them. My mom got her clothes, camera and The Labyrinth movie. That is one of my favorites and now it is Katie's favorite too. Chris' mom got her clothes, bubble bath and a pink laundry basket filled with goodies.

I can't believe she is 8! They grow so damn fast!

I am looking forward to

having tomorrow off. The kids have no school (teacher conference day) and Chris and I took tomorrow off for a very special reason, Katie's birthday, she will be 8 years old tomorrow. We will be taking her to miniature golf, shopping for "Sketcher" shoes and whatever else she feels like doing. The grandparents will be coming over tomorrow evening to celebrate with us by having cake and ice cream.

I should've stayed in bed

Seriously... all the jerks, assholes, fucktards and shit for brains were running around today unsupervised. That's all I am going to say...

It's official... she is leaving

Chris' daughter, Britt, told her dad she is moving out on her 18th birthday in two weeks. Chris knew this was a possibility and was all ready for the announcement. I on the other hand was hoping she would stick with her original plan and go to school. She has yet to take her GED test but it is scheduled this Wednesday and Thursday. We will not know the results for another 6-8 weeks. So if she happens to fail it I don't know what she is going to do.

She is a very angry girl and she thinks she can do it own her own. The exception is that she will not be doing anything on her own. She has decided to move in with her boyfriend of 2 1/2 months. He still lives with his parents and they agreed to have her but she has to get a job.
She is going back to the city her mother lives in and that's 2 1/2 hours away. She doesn't have her drivers licence so I can really see this whole moving in with her boyfriend set up not lasting to long. He works and goes to pilot school so I highly doubt he will have time to cart her around looking for a job or giving her driving instructions.

Chris is disappointed and angry that she is doing this and there is nothing he can do to stop her once she turns 18. I am angry because I feel like we were just a pit stop until she turned 18 and all the plans that she wanted to do here was all bullshit. I really do not see her attending any college where she will be living because she can't drive herself anywhere. She is not one for taking buses because she was supposed to do that here for work and she had her grandma take her all the time. She has learned her manipulative behavior from her mother and the funny thing is she thinks she is nothing like her mother. So... I do not know if she will stay away permanently or if she will be coming back in 6 months or so. What I do know is if she does come back Chris will be laying down his rules and ruling with an iron fist. She will have to admit to him that she was wrong and only then will she be allowed back. We shall see.

I think I got my message across...

with Jeff. We had a serious discussion on the responsibilities of the teenager and what is expected. My son is smart but is a typical boy. If it's not interesting to him he feels it is not important. Well he did feel that way. Now he understands what I EXPECT from him and what I say is law:)

He felt overwhelmed taking two college level courses and was always tired and being only 16 he was starting to feel burned out. I told him that I would have no problem at all helping him out. Helping him to prepare for quizzes, tests and helping him overall in making sure he stays on track. He seemed to have a huge weight lifted off. I don't know why he thinks he has to do it all on his own and he never has asked for help. Why do guys not ask for help? I ask for help all the time ( doesn't mean I get it, but I will ask).

I constantly ask him 1) do you have homework and 2) do you need my help in studying? Now I think I have finally gotten the message burned into that thick skull of his.

I am going to kill that boy...

my son is slacking off on his school duties.. I got a call or rather a message was left for me by Jeff's Honors U.S. History teacher. He states that Jeff is not completing his class assignments. I confronted him about it and Jeff states that he has dozed off a few days and did not take notes. WTF? Dozing off? This kids goes to bed at 10pm every night and gets up a 6am every morning How can he possibly be tired? Jeff says it's not that he is tired but bored. Wonderful.. so how am I supposed to make History class interesting? Needless to say, he is grounded until report cards come home. I hate to be so stern but he needs to realize that school is important and now matter how boring the subject he has to give his best effort to succeed. Any suggestions people?

Feeling better.

I am feeling better and I will be at work tomorrow... *sigh* I so wish that I could stay home and be able to make the money I am making now.. well maybe a little more would be nice. Although I wasn't feeling up to par I still got some things done. Well I am off to see what the rest of you are up to. Hope you have a happy Monday:)

Still home...

and not feeling much better. Still have the same ailments but nausea has now joined the party. I would much rather have played hooky from work instead of actually being sick. That's par for the course right?

Place your bets here.

Have you ever gambled? Would you prefer the atmosphere of the gambling scene or would you prefer to do so in the privacy of your own home via online betting? Or would you rather obtain your game of choice via mobile phone?

There have been many times I would have loved to visit Las Vegas just for the atmospheric experience but since I am not one for crowds and noisy places I fret to visit. I love the exhilarated feeling of winning at Blackjack, which is the only game I am decent at. I would love to try my hand at poker but I would probably lose my shirt and I am not talking about strip poker.

At Bet365 they offer many facets of the gaming experience. You can bet on just about any sport that is played in the world. Ranging from American Football to Crickets. They also feature casino games like you see in Las Vegas. They offer Poker for the enthusiast . There is also an interactive games section.
This service is offered world wide and accepts most forms of currency. All you need to do is set up an account that allows you to do many options for payment and retrieval of winnings.

Migraines and Diarrhea...

not a good combination to have. I stayed home from work today. The migraines I can deal with for the most part, even at work, but having the runs also...no... no can do sorry. So feeling like I am failing my family, I still did work on the computer adding more products to Regalo Boutique.

I also lurked in a few of my favorite blogs as well. Now it's time to go... literally.

Buy it for looks: Buy it for life.

Working for a plumbing company I have found that 80% of our customer base has at least one Moen faucet in their home. Several of our customers will not choose any other brand of faucet. While we tend to work with suppliers for our faucets we will from time to time come across a Moen faucet that needs to be specially ordered from online. This is where I come in. They hand over the specifications of what the customer wants and I do the investigative work.

I have seen many elegant faucets with not only the beauty but many, many styles to fit everyone’s taste. My technicians prefer to provide Moen faucets to their customers not only for the appearance but because Moen warranties their products for life. Our customers get style and peace of mind when they purchase their faucet.

Moen provides not only kitchen sink faucets but also: Lavatory(bathroom sink) faucets, tub and shower faucets, showerheads, kitchen sinks and more. So the next time you are inclined to remodel either your kitchen or bathroom keep in mind that Moen is the brand to go with.

Cool Meme

A fun MEME, stolen from Humincat!
1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet, current car)
Lady Alliance
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (favorite ice cream, favorite cookie)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Milano
3. YOUR FLY “GUY/GIRL” NAME: (first initial first name, first 3 letters last name)
M Ker
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Blue Dog
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Jane Cleveland
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters last name, first 2 letters first name)
KerMi
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink and add” the”)
The Mauve Pepsi
8. NASCAR NAME: (first names of your grandfathers)
Norman Henry
9. STRIPPER NAME: (favorite perfume, favorite candy)
Fire Twix
10. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s and father’s middle names)
Lee Franklin

Waiting for the house market to come down.

It’s no secret that people are not buying houses like they used to. Chris and I have been shopping around for the “right” home for us for over two years and now that we have an additional family member our specifications have changed. We live in Sarasota Florida where the houses that are on the market are outrageously over priced. Although they have been slowly coming down they still are nowhere near what we want or are willing to pay. Our first step will need to be searching out different types of mortgages.


Now being that this will be our first house ever there are different mortgage home loans to consider. Chris’ parents have been very helpful in which direction would be most beneficial to us and I am sure speaking to a reliable but not an over zealous real estate agent would also prove to a good start as well. They have the knowledge when it comes to what type of mortgage would prove to be most beneficial.


Seriously looking at the market now and how the prices are falling at a snails pace I predict that we will not be actively looking until at least the end of the year but we still scan the papers and the net for that one specific home.

Show them your BOOBIES

For those of you that do not know, October is Breast Cancer awareness month. Since 2003 Boobiethon has raised a substantial amount of money in support of the finding a cure for breast cancer.

They are requesting that women submit photos of their ladies either covered or bare to this site to help with the raising of the money. Donations of $50.o0 or more will get you linked to the show all of the site. Men can also participate. Breast Cancer does not discriminate.

Just to let you know I have submitted two photos of my rack. If you would like to learn more visit here or you can visit Kat. She is one of the photo editors and she also is including pics of her girls as well!

Come on people... get moving and take them boobie pictures!!!!!

85 Shopping days left until Christmas....

If you are like me then you are not worried about the dwindling days. However, there are quite a few procrastinators I know that will be scrambling around on Christmas Eve haha...

I personally like to shop from home. I am not wild about huge crowds and I do get annoyed easy when people are out and about and pushing, shoving or plain knocking you down to get at a certain item.

If you are the same then may I suggest checking out Regalo Boutique for your Christmas shopping pleasure. There are so many items to choose from and more added regularly.
Just a suggestion or a shameless plug on my part.

And this is why I hate weekends....

I have not gotten a single thing I planned done today. I got up around 9am with the intention of starting right in on the cleaning when Chris told me that he was bored and wanted to get out of the house.
Me - Why don't you go to that Octoberfest that your mom called you about?
Him - Don't you want to go to?
Me - Nope, got shit to do.
Him - Really? What?
Me - Cleaning and laundry.
Him - Can't you do that tomorrow?
Me - *sigh* Fine, we will go do something.

It took 3 hours to plan on something because he found out that Octoberfest was being held at a meat market where the only thing going on was lunch which consisted of sausage, sauer kraut and beans for only $3.50 and a Oompa band. What the hell kind of band is that? I did not want to find out. Also Brittany took forever to get moving. If she wouldn't stay up so late talking on the phone she wouldn't be sleeping in till 11:30. My mom came over around 12:30 to learn how to put the products up on our website, which by the way, we never got around to doing.

We ended up taking my mom out to lunch at the China Buffet, visiting my dad at work on his lunch break, going into Walmart so Brittany could search for a Bluetooth for her phone and coming back home so my mom could search for jobs online and basically blowing my day to hell. We didn't even make it to the grocery store. So tomorrow will be another damn day wasted because not only will I still have the cleaning and laundry to do but also the grocery shopping. Although my mom is coming back over and she offered to help me clean. I so love my mom:)

Escape to NC: Win a Free Raleigh NC Getaway

Would you like to experience a fall getaway in Raleigh, NC or better yet a Free Raleigh Getaway? You heard me right and yes I did say free.

This free getaway includes:

*One night accommodations for two at the Courtyard by Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley.

*$25 gift certificate to Bloomsbury Bistro

*Free VIP admission for two to Rum Runners

*2 tickets to the North Carolina Theatre

*2 tickets to the N.C. Museum of Art’s Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism

*2 tickets to Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

I know I am entering and there should be no reason you don't as well. Just drop on over the their site and fill out the registration form online. That's all.

There are so many upcoming events in Raleigh that there is something for everyone to enjoy. The N.C. State fair is being held in October and of course we all know what that means. Attractions galore, great rides and awesome food! They have an awesome entertainment venue that includes operas to ballets.
If you are like me and enjoy music then the concerts alone will strike your fancy.
Spending a weekend in Raleigh, NC would be the getaway I need. Especially with the seasons changing. How I ache to see some climate changes.

Watching the trees change into beautiful hues of reds, yellows and oranges. Comfortable climate during the day with just a hint of cool brisk in the evening. I can almost feel the breeze.

I have no life....

seriously. I work from 8am to 4:30pm. Which means I usually get out of bed around 6:45 sometimes I will drag my ass out of bed at 6:15. It all depends on whether I got sleep the night before.

Jeff usually takes a bus from school to my work, provided that he is not babysitting. After work I will pick up both the girls. Britt gets picked up at Grandma's and Katie gets picked up from after school care. Then it's off to home to cook dinner. Occasionally I will get a reprieve from making dinner if Chris feels up to cooking. Normally I will get on the computer after dinner since I do not do the dishes. This is why having kids is a perk:). On Fridays as you can see I will post on my blog, spend time at my favorites blogs or watch a night of t.v. with Chris. Chris has now taken to attend "safety meetings" with colleagues after work. This consists of hanging out at their favorite bar and "chat" about work. It's cool that he gets out. I on the other hand have to ponder what needs to be done this weekend because I know no fun for me is in store.

The highlight of my Saturday so far will be to teach my mom how to input items onto our Regalo Boutique site. She is begging for stuff to do so she can get out of the house. I so know that feeling:) and of course laundry. While laundry always flow into Sunday. I get started on it early enough but I always end up finishing it the next day. That's probably because I get interrupted like a million times to other things. One day a month I would like to be completely alone and allowed to just slum that day off. I would love to be able to read an entire book in one day. That is my bliss.

Delivered as promised

Here we have Leo (on the left) and Baby.

As you can see, Chris is their master and they worship the ground he walks on. Chris will have these cuties out on his shoulder for awhile before I get home from work. They spend more time outside the cage than in it. I was told that on Sunday morning while I was still sleeping, mind you I was awake by 8a.m, that Chris was eating breakfast at the table and he had the birds walking around on the table and Baby stole a cheerio right out of Chris' bowl. So... he thinks they rock! Now I am not exactly sure what sex they are but we are just assuming that they are male and female. Generally the male bird is "prettier" than the female. I will laugh my ass off if they start to produce eggs in the next year.

Here we have Katie and her baby, Bear. Can you see how huge this boy is? He is the size of a small rat and typically they are not small. Of course my Katie being the ham that she is all for picture taking with her best bud. Bear is not your average hamster. He likes to cuddle and he is so content on just sitting in your lap and watch cartoons. I went to get him out of the cage and I noticed that he barely makes it through the tunnels. Poor little fellow. I think we need to find him another cage. The dogs have taken a liking to him and no I do not mean snack wise. Reese and Bentley are pretty calm around him and even Scooter just sniffs him and walks away. Hmm..

I know this may be a little difficult to see but those are the baby mice. This is only one of the three cages though. They have hair but their eyes are still not open.

You can see the mice better in this picture. They are cute and it is a shame that their lives are for one purpose only. I try not to think about the outcome. See them all huddled in the corner. And just so you know these little things are FAST and they hop too. They can't see yet but they hop.

Of course here are the troublemakers, Reese (left) and Bentley(right). They are so in need of a haircut. I have tried to do it myself but these stinkers just won't sit still. They are going in this weekend.

They were playing with the orange toy in the background before I snapped this but as soon as they noticed what I had in my hand this is what they do.

And this of course is Scooter, our Rot/Shep mix. I hate the way camera's always make her eyes all spooky like that. She is my big baby. Loves just about everyone. If she doesn't like you then there is a damn good reason for it. She is the protector of the household and her family.

The only ones I did not capture where Doc and Cody the snakes. It's kind of hard to get a good picture when they will not come out of their log and they are wrapped around each other.

Stupid Migraine!!!

I cannot get rid of this migraine. I have had it off and on since Saturday. I give up trying to find the cause. I am sure it's a multitude of things and my life is so hectic right now I do not have the time to dissect it.

I am at work ( feeling like crap) not getting much more than what is absolutely necessary. Hey I have covered everyone else's butt, it's about time they covered mine.

A better way to do business

Chris and I have not been very happy with our business website provider in a while now. We have been shopping around for a company that is not only economical but also meets our needs as well as our customers.

I would like to see more shopping cart software or rather ecommerce software companies compete for my business. I don't want to have to take a chance on every little company that comes along.

I have come across this one company that looks from their site to be pretty competitive. They also allow you to create your own site. You can design it the way you want it not just pick from a few available templates. You can so much as manipulate the html's if you so incline.

This ecommerce software also provides a way of keeping track of inventory and warnings when inventory is running low. It allows to categorize and sub categorize product lines and items. We could set up discounts for everyone or individual customers. Create gift certificates the way we want them. The possibilities are endless

Another thing that is important to me is giving our customers a choice on how to purchase from us. We do accept credit cards and paypal but with shopping cart software we could be able to accept many more. This might be what our company needs. I am checking this out.

I need a mini vacation..

cause I am burning the candle at both ends and I am running out of gas at the same time. I want to be able to take some time off but with "Season" (busy time in Florida, due to all the snowbirds coming down for the winter) I will be lucky to take a day off without getting the "how dare you abandon us" look.

I have been getting so "bitchy" lately because all I ever do is work. Whether at work or home. I need some me time. I wouldn't mind if Chris and I took a day or two off together so we can spend some quality time alone, but with Brittany not having to take anymore GED classes, we wouldn't even be able to do that.

So maybe I should just concentrate on me. I need a haircut in the worse way but I am so damn picky on people cutting my hair I am hardly ever satisfied with the outcome. I would like to get some new clothes but the kids grow so damn fast that by the time I want to get something for me.... one or two or all three of them need something. I need bras so badly that I am waiting for one to break at the strap completely... and my luck that would happen while at work. I have lost three bras because the underwire comes completely out of it.. I got tired of stuffing the damn things back in.

So.... tomorrow I will be turning in my time requested off form with sporadic dates to be able to take off. Katie's birthday is October 19th and it just so happens that there is no school on that day. So I may just take it off with her and do something just her and I. I haven't really done something with just Katie in a long time. I think a movie is a good start.

Jeff needs a computer.

Chris and I have discussed for several months now to get Jeff his very own computer for when he goes away to college. My thinking has been that since he will be in a dorm to start off in, a regular desktop is just going to be too much for his cramped area. So we have been searching for student laptops.

Since Jeff will not be graduating until May of 2009, we have decided that this coming March will be a good time to purchase his new laptop. I want Jeff to get familiar with his laptop and by the time he does go off to college he will have no problem with it. I know Dell computers are very reliable. Several friends have recommended Dell and even the computers where Chris and I both work are Dells.

Chris and I have been going through the the different models and figuring out which ones are right for Jeff. Right now the only thing Jeff is concerned with is if he will have enough memory for any software he will need. So we will need to take that into consideration also without breaking the bank. Although we are talking about Dell laptops and they are not really that expensive and even if you finance it they have very low monthly payments. Jeff also likes that fact that some of the models come in "cool" colors. I wouldn't have expected anything less from him.

The family is still growing....

Chris had made a trip to the pet store today to get mice to feed the snakes ( I know we have 27 baby mice but they are not big enough yet to feed to the snakes, however in the next 4-8 weeks they will be in the right range) and while he was up there he fell in love with an English Bulldog and wanted me to come back up with him to look. He told me that the store is under new ownership and that all dogs were $200.00 - $400.00 dollars off.

Chris, Katie and I went up there to look. Although I am not very fond of that type of dog I must admit she was cute. Although the price was frickin' outrageous. $3,700.00 for that puppy.

While we were there Katie wanted to look at all the animals. We saw a black bear hamster that is enormous. This hamster is the size of a small rat. Cute as hell though and very friendly. Chris was playing with the Cockatiels.

To make a long story short. We are the proud parents of Leo, Baby and Bear.
Leo and Baby are Cockatiels and Bear is our black bear hamster.

Are we done collecting? Something tells me NO:)
Tomorrow I will have a few pictures of our pride. Maybe I can get Chris to do a video.

I am still up

and the reason is clear.... no sex for me tonight... oh well.. like I expected tonight to be any different. Hmmm.. what to do.
I am seriously thinking of going outside the box. Maybe dabble in the senior citizen genre. Maybe the $$RICH$$ section of retirement central of Florida..
Hey, I wouldn't have to work, just screw some poor sap that hasn't been laid in over a century.. I could become the next Anna Nicole Smith BEFORE she lost her weight on drugs.... what! it could happen.

It's been a hard day...

and I think I am going to get drunk... I deserve it... my body needs to relax and who knows maybe I will get lucky. Nah... he'll be sleeping and that is WAY more important:) Whatever....

Another day

Just relaxing for a little while before the teens get home from work. Only two hours left until they get home. Katie is enjoying the peace and quiet in her room playing with her toys that she got out of my closet. I feel so bad that there is no room in the girls room to store her stuff.

Chris is watching his CSI show, I usually sit and watch it with him but I have been getting headaches at night for a few nights in a row and I am wondering if watching t.v. contributes to it or not... I am sure sitting in front of a computer doesn't help either, but at least I am being productive.

I am anxious for the weekend to get here but dreading it at the same time because of all the chores that need to be done. Laundry mainly. I think I am going to request some days off here and there to just get a chance to enjoy some time to myself.

I have been searching the net for grants and scholarships that Jeff can qualify for but man I just do not know where to start. Anyone have any advice on this subject? Please let me know I would really, really, really appreciate it

Dogs and diarrhea do not mix

When we first got Reese and Bentley they had a little case of diarrhea. We were told by the breeder that it is not unusual for puppies to get it after their first set of shots, similar to babies running a temp after they receive a shot.

We maintained a watchful eye on them and made sure they had access to plenty of water because I knew dehydration can occur if the diarrhea is severe enough.
Of course as they got older and explored more they were getting into everything and I am sure on more than one occasion the reason they got it was because they ate something that wasn't intended to be digested and of course their bodies way of dealing with it is diarrhea. I have often wondered if a remedy existed for dogs to help alleviate or reduce the time it takes to get rid of the diarrhea.

I came across this a product for canine diarrhea treatment and I am so willing to try it. It's all natural, pleasant taste for the dogs with a finicky pallet and it helps to keep the dog's intestinal functions regular so that they get rid of the diarrhea quicker. It also boosts their immune system. I will try anything to insure they stay healthy and live a productive life.

No one likes is when they see their pet suffer from this and of course no one including myself likes to clean up after. I have done this several times between them and Scooter, our rot/shepherd mix. The puppies also like to get into things that peek their interest and the first thing they like to do is chew on it. They chew on just about anything they can get their teeth on. I can't count the times I have found wrappers, hair ties and erasers in their stool. We have been very careful about making sure that when we throw something in the trash that it stays in the trash. Our home is once again "baby proofed" even though our youngest child is 7.

So much info, my brain cannot take it.

The meeting at Katie's school lasted about an hour and by the time we left my head was reeling.

Katie scored average in the IQ section but the other test that they gave her she fell way below the standard. They have determined that her long term memory is an area of concern. This is why she does not retain anything she has learned in the past. With our consent she has started special individual classes. She is not being taken out of her class entirely just 45 minutes a day. Our hopes is to retrain her way of processing the information she receives. Of course she will get reinforcement at home as well. We have talked to the teens to let them know that Katie's "annoying" behavior is justified and that we will not tolerated them down talking to her like they have tried to do in the past. Our house is a zero policy for bullshit.

Although I do not like the fact that Katie is being labeled with a learning disability I have resigned to the fact that she has it and it can be corrected. Her ears may have played a part in the beginning but her speech and language skills are where they should be. Her "lost in translation" or processing skills are the problem. I am confident that once Katie learns in the way that is best for her she will take of running at the gate once the light bulb goes on.

My mother and I attended the College Night Seminar last night. We got a few brochures from schools specializing in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. I have yet to sit down with Jeff to look them over. We intended to do that tonight but we will have to wait until my mom, Katie and Jeff to get back from mid week service at the church.

Off to relax, I hope.

I have been running

since I got out of bed this morning. Brittany did not have her class today, so she got to sleep in. That was fine with me because waiting for her I tend to be pushing the limit on getting to work in time. Teenagers are a breed all their own. I don't take Jeff to school that is on Chris' way to work so he gets that pleasure and I am sure it's not much better for Chris either.

Work is hectic, but I would rather be busy than slow any day. I have a semi short work day today and that is due to meeting with the Liaison teachers at Katie's school.

Chris and I are meeting with her 1st grade teacher, the school psychiatrist, and a few other "specialist" to go over Katie's results from the test she took over the summer. Katie has had difficulty learning, hence repeating kindergarten, so they wanted to do everything possible to get to the root of the problem early on. She is in first grade now and seems to be doing better. I 100% truly believe it's her hearing loss that has caused this poor child all this strife. So who knows we'll see at 3:30 today when we go.

Jeff has to work tonight from 6-close. He had asked for today off three weeks ago so he could go to the college seminar being held tonight. Dumbass Aunti Anne's Pretzle retards!!!! He wants to see what all the colleges have to offer and a rep from all the schools in Florida will be there. So... my mom and I will go and search it out for him.

My co worker's nephew has started his own site. He is a talented artist that is trying to take off with one of his characters. Check it out. I just wanted to leave on a happy note.

Living Abroad

My friends, Alana and Phil, reside in England at the moment. Phil is currently going to college earning a bachelor degree in "gaming" and Alana has already graduated. They have been married just over a year and currently reside with her father. Phil works full time while attending classes but Alana has yet to find a job. She would like to go back to school to earn her Doctorate degree in the Literary arts.

They have been doing home improvements to make their own living area spacious and not so cramped. The home they share with her dad is not very big to begin with so doing anything they possibly can to make it more habitable for three adults is their primary focus.

They have many "projects" going right now and one of the them is to renovate the garage. I know Phil needs a place to study and to also work on his computers. Alana needs an office area to accommodate her computer and do some freelancing side work for a few magazines she is involved with.

One of the cool things they are thinking about adding on is what they call Conservatories. These remind me of what Americans call Florida rooms or Sun rooms. They sort of remind me of an internal green house the way they are constructed.

Alana's dad from what I hear is a superb chef and spends a lot of time in his kitchen. For Christmas they plan on revamping his kitchen for him. I know one of the items to be replaced is the kitchen "worktops". They have also decided to give him additional storage space in the kitchen.

I can not wait to see pictures after they are done. They do not plan on living there forever but while Phil is attending college they will be there.

I love this man!

Mr. Fabulous is by far the best off the wall blogger I have had the honor to come across. He is the author of Pointless Drivel and Pointless Directives (his whore site for blogging for money) There is never a post written by him that does not make me laugh and on more than one occasion he has made me laugh so hard that I have actually tinkled a little!
Let me explain why I have chosen to dedicate an entire post to this crazy and wildly funny man. His blog, Pointless Drivel, has been nominated for Best Humor Blog. The awards are sponsored by PayperPost which both he and I participate in. Come this November, PayPerPost will be hosting a Postie convention in Las Vegas and at that time they will be announcing the winners from several categories. I would very much like to see my favorite of course take home the prize. So if you love me, you will at least go and check him out. If you agree with me and would like to cast your vote for him then do not hesitate to go here and submit your vote.




















Here is an example of his genius and demented mind.
His humor is off the charts and you never know which direction he is going to take. He entertains with a wide area of talents. He has done several Sculpey posts which are amazing. Take for example the sculpey above. This is a title of a song. Go on guess the name. I know you can do it. He will also from time to time run contest with this idea. He offers prizes from straight cash via Paypal, goofy prizes (cologne that offer unique fragrances: Weed, playdoh etc...) and if you are really lucky he might just make a Sculpey figure of you!

He will do Vlogs (Videos) that will make you blush or spit coffee out onto your computer screen. My advice is that you never drink or eat while visiting his site.

Seriously check him out!
***UPDATE***
Mr. Fab is now holding a contest to generate more votes for the best humor blog. All you have to do is write a post to help him generate more votes. Visit here to get the details and Good Luck to all!

Our family is growing still...

We have 20 additional mouth's to feed... well their mamas do anyways. I told you about our mice before if not see this post and catch up.

All three of the female mice are/were pregnant. Wednesday night before retiring of to slumberland, I went to the kitchen to get some Ibuprofen and notice little pink critters crawling around one of the cages. So immediately we had to take that Mama out along with her pups and put them into their own cage. We had to use the tank that we normally feed the snakes in to temporarily house them.

Chris and I discussed having to get two additional small cages to allow the other two mice to quietly take care of their litters. We decided to go the very next day to do just that.

When we woke up the next morning we found that another of the prego's gave birth to her brood. 8 little pink and blind critters squirmed around and we hesitantly left them in their with the other female hoping that would be ok.

We finally did get two other cages for them and all three Mamas/Mamas to be are content. We are not sure when the last one will give birth but I am sure it will be before the weekend is over.
In order to be fair each person in the family is caring for a cage of critters:

Jeff has the cage with all three males (the one that used to house Potter)

Britt and Katie get two small cages: one with the mama and 8 pups and one that is expecting.

Chris and I have "Big mama" with her twelve pups.

I know.... we are crazy:)

***UPDATE*** We know have 27 total! The third mouse delivered her pups sometime this morning!!!

9-11-2007

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001. Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say "Good-Bye." I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, "Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK...I am ready to go."

I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. "I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!" I said. "Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now."

I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.

I was in Texas, Kansas, London. I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; "Come to Me... this way... take my hand." Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me?

September 11, 2001 was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are "ready to go."

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

Remember...I love you.

Original Title: Meet Me In The Stairwell Author: Ms. Stacey Randall

Reader: Bob Holiday of KFSH/KKLA/KRLA

Music Performance: Mannehiem Steamroller

So it begins...

Yesterday until about 3:30pm I had forgotten that Katie's Brownie meeting was at 5:30. So I frantically called Chris to see if he could possibly pick Katie up from After School Care and take her to her meeting while I hurry up and make dinner for everyone. I get home from work about 4:45.

Jeff of course has to be at work at 6:00. So as soon as I get home I immediately start work on dinner. I made the easiest possible meal which everyone loves, Enchiladas.
I make it with time to spare and Jeff hurries and eats his meal and then goes to get ready for work. Chris and Brittany walk in the door and Brittany proceeds upstairs stating she is not hungry because she had a late lunch. She is the one that requested the meal in the morning. But whatever, teenagers. Chris eats his dinner and leaves to pick up Katie and take her to Brownies while I take Jeff to work.

I drop Jeff off at 10 minutes to 6 and decide to head over the the Girl Scout headquarters to wait for Katie. I get there about 6:15 and decide to call Chris while I have time to wait to see what homework Katie has to do when we get home and after she has her dinner. After our short conversation I go inside to pick up Katie and we head home. Come to find out that we have our first Brownie outing on Saturday at Oscar Shearer park for the Clean up patch. Which starts at 8am. Chris tells me that Brittany has to be at work at 8 so I can drop Brittany off a few minutes early and then go to the park with Katie.

Hmmm.. wonder what Chris will be doing? NOTHING.. except for sitting on his ass watching t.v.