2 hrs sleep in two days...and still going....

Yes it's 12:12 a.m. and it's been a rough rough day. Court 9:30 a.m. was eventful. For those of you who did not know, David's ex started some stuff about a month ago and got confrontational in front of Kevin, which left him distressed, frightened, and lying to his mommy "D" (that's the ex), oh and let me add he was confused. It's been a very rough rough month for us.

With the fight of the windmill project, I have succeeded in getting through to the farmer, and I think the Horizon Wind Energy's pocketbook contributed to Mr. Farmer buying our home. We are getting out! Not for what we should have gotten for losing the home we had a love/hate relationship...but the blood sweat and tears have to be left behind.

But I digress back to mommy "D", she presented a situation as an immature child and not as an adult addressing questions and issues with discipline in front of Kevin...due to the fact that supposedly at random he says "Mommy Misty puts soap in my mouth if I call her Step Mom"....here we go again....the soap thing, he was threatened...because he dropped his bike on his leg about two weeks before and outright said G.D.!!!! in the right context...now I told him if that language was to continue, you are pretty darn tootin' we would revisit "The Christmas Story" that at one time was very acceptable for foul language usage...and in my own childhood VERY effective.

David and I's conclusion as it has been happening for two years...is that she was continually harrassing him once again about calling me step mom and that she is mom...so to shut her up...he told her that...ha ha...bright boy, but made her mad as a wet hen! And she got confrontational...so the letter was sent...yes the letter.

David asked me to compose a letter to her, stating that her behavior was uncalled for and unacceptable, and by the divorce decree, and as her wanting the title of mother, she need to pretty much (nicely stated and legally to the point) step up to the plate, but that until we met with our lawyer for advice we felt the need until we came to a formal agreement that visitation be withheld.

I came up with some "type" of agreement...but the lying idiotic twit handwrote a letter on notebook paper and filed it with the Benton Circuit County Court where they had their divorce finalized....and here we are at 9:30 a.m. documentation in hand...

The smirking judge reads her and explains to her the divorce decree she agreed to and signed and let her know in nice terms...with the struggle of not laughing in her face...that yes..she can have the change of visitation...since she got on the stand and confessed she's been doing it for two years already, but that she is responsible for the financial support of Kevin! Downfall...she fibbed and said she only made $13K last year...ha ha ha...she is requested to turn in W2's to our lawyer for 2008 so we can reevaluate...as it stands she is only $4.00 away from a pay increase to be financially "responsible"...she even tried to use her youngest "in high school unwed mother daugther and grandchild as a hardship" but then we let them know that the man she is married to, is the father of the daughter living with her, and the judge says with another smirk..."Well with that fact now mentioned, that hardship does not apply to the fact you are financially responsible for Kevin."

Point is, she left mad...we are to know follow the Indiana State Parenting guidelines...and that has been changed, and her visitation schedule that we currently do is now filed with the courts. From now on every year we are going to request W2's until she is able to be financially responsible...I have a feeling the W2 is going to come back being what we thought...much more than what she said in court...and guess what, she owes! But no back pay...and that's okay.

Mind you this started by her behavior of constantly harrassing Kevin over calling me mom...and what does she expect, I taught him how to talk, he lives with me 90% of the time, and Grace calls me mom or mommy...you expect the child not to do the same. We've told him he can label anyone in the family as he chooses, he knows our labels...our names, and who we are, and it's his choice...he's still five, and he's ADOPTED and a product of a divorce...do you really expect him to understand this? Do you expect him not to be confused? Wouldn't you just be happier, and him too, if he was allowed to have many mommies and daddies, and lots of family who loves him? I know I would, and I do...and David and I agree that that's how we are going to raise him...no psychological warfare.

Her lying made her look like an idiot..her comprehension of the agreement she signed for her divorce made her look like an idiot...and her changing her visitation to be recorded in the court...to get her to "not be responsible" for her child's welfare and support...was just plain well...do I really need to say it? Maybe it will open her eyes to the fact, that her confrontations, and her being reluctant to visit with him, the psychological warfare is not going to get her anywhere, and hopefully bring Kevin so peace and happiness when visiting his other family...we shall see.

After all, Friday is visitation day, and the Guidelines BEGIN! :0)

***Footnote, I wish that sometimes David and "D" could at least come to the understanding that I know I have with my ex...we can still be somewhat "friends" and jovial...we just couldn't communicate and be partners...just didn't work... Difference here...is that when someone is being a butt due to a bad day, we hang up on each other, and try again later...it's like riding a bike..you fall off but you get right back on...this is for the kids after all...it's not about you. If you didn't figure that out when you were in the process of making them, having them, and birthing them...you figure it out soon...the world doesn't revolve around you, it's all about THE KIDS!!!! THEY ARE OUR FUTURE!


--Back to the House.... Sold it Monday night...should be closed on deal by mid August...have to find a house and fast...we can rent up until Jan here...but well...the sooner we find a house and sign, the better...and I think we may have found "the one" already...just got to figure out where the money is coming and going from...ugh...I wish I was already driving my pink caddy... Too many houses to mention from 1 - 7:15 this evening..but the kids were drained by five...and well...it's now 12:45 a.m. and guess what...I'm still up, with only 2 hrs sleep, racking my brain on so many decisions.

And ladies! I forgot to mention...

Interested in a free makeover? Visit me, your Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant: www.marykay.com/mromack

Have fun with it...I'm still trying to assist my family in the move and adjustment to the new "beginnings" in our lives.

Hope everyone is more sane than I because I definitely know I'm not if I have had no sleep and am blogging! Love you all! Misty

Today is Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!

A weekend where David and I should not have the children but under circumstances have them both! And I couldn't be happier about that. :0) We are now going to be eating mexican food at 6:15 and I'm looking forward to the end of the day.

For those who have been personally emailed the drama...pray for us, and for little Kevin. We are going to do our best, to help him as best we can. I love little man. It was so sad this morning, he said, "Mommy, I want to go home...I miss you..I don't want you to go to work over and over again in the morning." This made me tear up, the little guy is having withdrawals because I've worked all week...we have not had much time for just kids and mommy this week.

As for so many other things going on my head, I have to get on the phone, start searching for support groups online, and do the research to manage to accumulate all I can on what we can do to make the "battle" easier over Kevin. Wether the lawyer thinks it's feasible for us to fight her to sign him over, or just to take her for the cash...who knows...but what I want...is for her to either stop harrassing the confused little boy and let him grow and be happy. David and I counted up the hours last night that she has him from friday night, to sunday afternoon...once you take into account sleep time and naps...she gets exactly 48 hrs a month with him and that's not ONE on ONE time either. You do the math... :0( So disheartening.

I can't believe in a few weeks the kids will be starting school, and Monday I have to go to the BMV to get gracie an ID, so she can go with Dianna (her father's mom) to see her aunt Eve (her father's sister) in Washington D.C. Just so amazing, it'll be her first plane ride and I won't be with her. :0( But glad she gets the opportunity to do something fun this summer with her other family.

Wow...so much to do!!!!!

Safety warning....

Okay, so everyone knows Kevin's birthday came and went on Friday July 3rd. We had a small kids pool party with Elana's boys Tristan and Donovan and Grace in the pool with Kevin, while the adults sat around and chatted. It was a great time.

Kevin received two identical Batmobiles...and they have proved to be a joy! They wind up and it shoots across the floor and makes lots of noise then shoots some type of missile. GREAATTT!!!!...the best part....he wound it up...and placed it on his chest!!!!!! WOOOUCH!!!! Screaming like a banshee....

Now thanks to Gma Phillis and her story of Uncle Brice placing his wind up van in his hair, he decided that hair was not the way to go....so let's try flesh!

Needless to say a few tears later and an ice pack placed strategically on the left side of his chest and an ibuprofren for any swelling he was fine.

Monday, he was sitting at the table still very away there is bruising, but so happy that, "Mommy see, it still pokes out! I didn't rip my nipple off!" ha ha ha ha ha

So safety warning.....wind up cars belong on the floor, not on any part of your anatomy or you may lose it. ha!

It's been a long long time.....

Yes, party people, I am alive and well. Or so I might not be so well...but what can you say about an ulcer? Or high acidity levels when it comes to stress.

In light of all that is going on, let me fill you in. Well as it comes and goes, Grace continued to have many problems when it came to school, there for a while the teacher and I really thought that she would come out of it, but then the last two weeks, the behavioral became an issue again.

So Grace was recommended for ADD/ADHD evaluation and testing. In the progressing months since I last posted, her anxiety level has skyrocketed. I can not walk out to the garage to get food from the freezer for preperation, I can not be in the yard, without her hunting me down every five minutes. Culprit is her sleep pattern. She is not sleeping near as much as she should. We met with the pediatrician in june, and grace is on a sleep aid/anti depressant. The evaluations from her teachers have yet to be returned to Dr. Woodman as of yet. After Dr. Woodman did her evaluation and interviewed Grace herself, her suspicions are of ADHD...Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder...Grace hyper? Nooooo.... Seriously.

But her constant fidgiting and unability to sit still unless she is doing a project she is performing that she PREFERS to do is the only possible way, and even then she seems to get up and dance in her seat, which I as a mother NEVER noticed before. I was in shock and disbelief. In fact if you want to know the truth, since April, I literally have dived into major research about the disorder and tried to figure out exactly what we need to do, and possibilities for treatment. I also struggled with the fact that we have to have acceptance from the family members for her treatment, which may sound easy, but RITALIN has literally has been giving treatment a bad rap for years!!!!!! It's not like they haven't improved medication since then.

I am one to be the hardest to convince that my child needs treatment. But at the same time, she is mimicking behaviors of her father...and as little time as she spends with him, not all of it is environmentally learned. This is genetic. He has graduated from borderline personality disorder to now manic behaviors and severe anxiety, which he is medicated for.

Our issue here, is that Kevin is now mimmicking some attitude and behaviors from his sister...which causes us great concern. How much of it is really him, and how much of it is his sister. We know genetically he may not be perfect (due to his biological parents, since he is adopted), but we really need to understand and define between what is what.

My current struggle is I'm writing a book on all of this.... and now Kevin's "other mother" my husband's ex wife, is now causing issues. Still after two years of Kevin talking and calling me mom, she continues to harrass Kevin about family member name labels. And was confrontational when the little boy told her, "they'll put soap in my mouth if I call her Misty." Why does he have to lie and say something like that to get her to stop, why does his rights as a child have to be compromised by not letting him be a happy child, why continue to confuse him about his upbringing? Isn't it hard enough already for him? Isn't going to be even harder when he understands and comprehends the whole adoption process? Won't this confuse him when he is older about his past and his future? It pulls at my heartstrings to hear him tell David and I, "this is too confusing." I cried that day, it saddens me alot, for his sake, he is such a loving and accepting child, and has so much potential. Where does she get off being able to do this?

Well, David has decided it's time to do something, so we ask for everyone's support with this. We sent her a letter, restricting her visitation to public places such as chuck e cheese and monkey joe's so we show up with him and leave with him. It's not like it makes much of a difference, because she cut down her visitation to every other weekend two years ago (due to $$$. She would have to pay for daycare while working and she did not want to do that). But she has not contacted us to set up a time or date of when she would like to visit with him. But this is an option for a controlled environment for visitation where we know that she can not be confrontational, and where we know there is not constant harrassment. This is for Kevin's best interest. Our first conference with the lawyer is on August 17th so we can set up for a hearing. Not sure what his opinion will be as far as what we have a better chance for fighting for, full custody, or child support.

In either case, we are hoping for him to be as happy as he can be at this point. :0)
But we are making progress in the right direction for both kids...and that's a blessing! :0)

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Happy easter!

Loving the Ex's...

Do we love them or hate them, or just wish they would dissolve like the last alka seltzer you dropped into your tumbler full of water? Okay, I prefer the alka seltzer method, but unfortunately, they are the non cancerous moles that stay on your skin unless you pay heavy amounts of money and endure more pain to erase them from your skin. So yeah, needless to say, the ex's have to stay, and surgical removal isn't an option. **Although if I figure it out, I'll be sure to have it done ASAP.

Originally for the weekend David and I had planned to visit Nikki on Saturday and since the rainy weather was in the forecast for Sunday along with a temperature drop, we thought it'd be a great idea to see her on Saturday when it was sunny. Then my sister emmie put the cherry on my merriment sundae and called to ask if we would like to come up to visit. So we decided this was an even greater idea! We planned to shop at the Lighthouse Outlet, and go back in the afternoon to South Bend to have dinner and hit a few clubs. Shopping was glorious and David bought a dress that matches the shoes and purse that he bought me on our honeymoon (a year later)!!!! It was simply amazing to find it.

Let me say, he was going to get me a new wallet...but COACH had a line that was backed up to the door, and although they say we are in a recession and that the economy sucks...COACH's spring collection and Bath&Body's Smelly Soap seems to be the things that gets our economy excited. At least it was in Michigan City. The line was so long...I decided against the wallet, but I'm soooo going back to get one sometime this summer! Same with B&B, we had Josh stand in line, while we shopped just so we could make a group effort in getting in and out of the store in record time!

We went to the Vines in South Bend, and that was some fantastic gourmet pizza...and we even got a baked brie...and yummy...to my tummy...i want more of that food!!! We decided to hit a few clubs, the first one, had an auction sign in the window, they'd sold their franchise name and got rid of the website, but they were still listed...well the walk from the parking garage was nice, and lo' and behold, we decided to walk to South Bend Chocolate Cafe' because we had a little while to wait before another club's show was to start. After molesting the oddly placed Bronze Gorilla and getting some germs on my lips and some precarious pictures we went into the cafe'. David and I had chocolate cherry cheesecake, and I ordered a "Lake Effect" which is a white chocolate espresso drink...that literally they put three ladles full of white chocolate approx 1/2 lb liquid choclate in that drink....OH MY...I did gain ten lbs saturday night. By the time I had imbibed enough caloric intake to suffice for another quadtrillion years, we walked a few more blocks to the other club, only to find, anti social security guards, lots of flashing lights, pounding music, and an empty room. We then settled to stop freezing and hop into the Pilot and purchase a few libations to take with us to Club Fairview where we were at least guaranteed to have good conversations and a hot tub to parboil in.

It was a fantastic time! But as all weekends go, they have to end.

David, Nikki, and I were traveling back and we weren't even on the road approx 10 minutes and the text message came from his ex...asking when we were picking up the son.

There are things that dig deep into the pits of your stomach like the last tamale you tried to consume with that 12 oz margarita...wether it was the tamale or the tequila...you know just something doesn't agree, and that's what is up in the ex's hood. A BADDDDD FEELING.

Kevin got in the car to say to me, "Denise and Eric told me to call you step mom over and over again."

Oh yeah, they go there every time they have him. Little do they understand in their little pea brains...that it doesn't matter what they tell my little boy, he only says that when he gets in, and then I'm "mommy" once again. They won't win, but at the same time, messing with the child's head, and trying to play word games, isn't going to work.

The other bad mojo was Grace's dad...he popped his fuel tank in southern indiana backing over a railroad tie, he was able to epoxy the tank to stop the leak on Saturday. And although he knew it was raining on Sunday,and me pointing out to him Grace has a Science Fair project she needed to work on last night, he decided to stay late, knowing his tires have no traction, and scaring him to the point of calling me to beg me to meet him at the Dayton exit because he really didn't want to drive anymore...puhleeze....did someone put STUPIDITY minerals in the water!!! Because yesterday both ex's had their daily quotient of stupid.

I seriously hope this week is better, and that Easter goes smoothly. Here comes peter cottontail...no red dye #40 in this house, but loads of high quality chocolate, and two parents that will be willing to sell their souls for an hours worth of peace and a good cup of coffee, after the chocolate consumption begins.

Wish us luck!!!! Hope life finds you well!

Grace made it home after 9.

"There's a spider on your shoulder!!!!"

"Happy Fool's Day!" Kevin exclaims to each and every person that he came across today. Yes it has been an exciting morning for sure. Grace introduced Kevin to April Fool's Day this morning and that's what lead to the predicament this morning. He even fooled a few girls who had forgotten what day it was.

Saturday of course David had to work, so the kids and I worked at home. I had the urge to cook my FIRST PRIME RIB...and low and behold there was a possibility of a full house by noon. ;0) I had a few friends Nate and Carmen who may come, then I got a call from my best friend Tera...Myles (her husband) had passed his real estate state exam! So Tera and Myles came for dinner, unfortunately Nate and Carmen got called to attend a family dinner with his father. Myles proclaimed the Prime Rib was " of restaurant quality!". I was pretty proud. I had made homemade rolls, baked potatos, salads, prime rib, and a homemade pumpkin pie. David contributed with his special strawberry margaritas...and we literally were stuffed by the end of the evening. We played a few games of mexican train dominoes...before poor myles who had been up at the wee hours of the morning had to call it a night. It was a great time, and look forward to doing yet another prime rib. ;0) Yummy!!!

Although the events of the weekend have come and gone, we spent a lot of time at home just puttering around the house and relaxing, it's not often that we get to do that.


The kids and I have started their progress charts! They get check marks for all chores accomplished. Kevin is making his bed, keeping his toys picked up (which is a little more left to be desired but he is still 4), Helping Mommy (which he LOVES to do especially in the kitchen), Eating Quietly (which he is doing outstandingly), Brushing his teeth, and Going to bed by 8:30. Grace's consist of, Sweeping Floors, Feeding and Watering the cat and scooping her litter, Doing her homework and practice within an hour, Keeping her room picked up, Making her bed, and Bedtime by 9:30....although there are areas for improvement they get 14 cks it's ice cream, at 28 check marks they get another reward (but I've forgotten what LOL) and when it triples with checks they get a trip to the park or the zoo. :0) For starting out for four days so far, they are doing amazingly well, and we hope to keep it going! I am proud of my kids buckling down and working hard for their check marks!

I have to head off to get Grace and drop off Kevin's kindergarten paperwork...so off I go!!! I will post more later!

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chiquita hiding under the blanket

I thought you knew everthing?

The Kentucky Trip this weekend was a blast!

I was thrilled to be the one to make Cody's cake for his party this past weekend. Granted, it wasn't the cake I wanted to make, but that one split in half due to the cake being very moist. That was a disappointment. The cake disaster set my schedule back severly and we didn't end up leaving the house until one a.m. on Saturday morning to drive there. The kids had went to bed by 8:30 and by the time it was time to travel, neither wanted to sleep until 4:30 by the time we got to Cody's they stayed awake until they took 1/2 hr naps right before the party.



This was the cake that should have been in Kentucky (to the left)....(To the right)This is the cake that actually made it to the party.

The cake drama infuriated me, because I didn't allow some dry time and I threw those cakes in the freezer....they have to freeze to be able to carve...well this dry time allows for some moisture to release itself from the cake. With too much moisture once carved and thawed and no extra flat support in the middle of the cake I was doomed to failure, and when the marshmallow fondant was applied it cracked in the middle and the whole rear end went kapuut! GARRRR!

We made it to the party at the skating rink unscathed with a monster truck cake in hand. Cody was desperate to see the cake the next day, so we had him have a sneak peak about an hour before.

Let me tell you skating was something else all it's own! I haven't been on skates since I was 12 or 13 when the tore down the local skating rink. :0( And to see my brother don a pair of skates, along with my kids, and myself, I was in total shock. My own legs felt like a wobbly jello mold, or maybe that jelly that falls out of the canned hams... I had already told David a million times over I used to be really good...And all my hubby saw me do was wobble from wall to wall and obligingly fall on my uncushioned knees way to many times to count. I do believe I'll be wearing bruises from this excursion for a few more weeks. By the time it was time to cut the cake, I'll be darned if I wasn't getting the hang of things all over again. Since no one knew how the cake was constructed and I was part of this wonderful celebration, I was elected to cut my own cake! This is bad mojo for me...I do not like to hack into my own creations...nope, never, not once! But I did...and I got through it just fine. :0)

We attended a mexican restaurant that is the equivalent of el rodeo here, only their salsa was PERFECTO!!!! But when I got back to Mary's I was just so tired, I crashed while everyone one else had a blast. I continue to feel like I'm still catching up on some sleep.

For the people who were there on Sunday, I'll spare the details, but my uncle had an accident, he slightly got ran over by a mud truck/rail...he's okay, and thank God he is alive and kicking...but geez...I hope that never occurs again! The ride home from Kentucky on Monday was a breeze for the first three hours...the rest of the time, not so much. Then there were kids...and they were AWAKE!!!!

When we finally reached a Starbuck's I was in heaven. I do believe that if there was one in their town, that David and I would consider moving to Kentucky...that way Mary Jo and I could open a cake business. There's only one bakery in that area other than the Walmart and the Kroger...I bet it would do well. David and I lived off of gas station cappucino's and regular coffee...but nothing beats having those espresso's...and it was my own stupid fault for not packing my espresso pot.

The off ramp to our house was a sight for sore eyes...and Grace asked, "Where are we?" And Kevin said, "I thought you knew everything." And to that, through the fit of giggles I was in, I said, "Oh snap!" Sometimes Kevin is brighter than we think...and just as much of a smarty pants as his sister. LOL

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My hubby and our baby. Lacey is visiting grandma!

Immunization Fun....

So Monday was little Kevy's Physical for Kindergarten... It is coming up!
It was so fun, until he got to the room...and when the Dr. donned his rubber gloves, he got that crazy look in his eye...of course they had to check for hernia's and what not, and he didn't like that too much, but no pain.

The eye test was also fun...the nurse was asking him what certain pictures were...on the eye chart, the first one was a BIG gigantic HOUSE...and he said it was a house, he got the tree, he got a few others, but when it came to the smaller house he kept calling it a strawberry, and the nurse kept starting over....there was an apple on the chart too. LOL...he could see it but she failed his eye exam anyway because, well that darned house looked like a strawberry. And you know what? I agree. But I give major kudos to this nurse for being so patient...and her bold hairdoo!!! Not only was it a layered short style, but it was silver white on top and the bottom layer of her hair was PURPLE....like Grape Kool-Aid Goodness purple...and that is the bomb!!!! I do believe this is a style I will move to, only with tropical punch red, when I come to terms with my silver hair...I'm just not ready for that yet. LOLOLOL

Back to kevin, he had to have some immunization shots..apparently good ol mom#1 had not taken him in since 2005...when he was ONE!!!!! So little man had to have 5 immunizations Monday night. When she covered her hands delicately with the rubber gloves, he again got the crazy eyes....then when she asked for the pants to be pulled down he went berzerk!!!!!!!!!!!! He completely started thrashing about, and she hadn't touched him yet...and screaming he was petrified...but Daddy and I were there, and we held him and told him it was okay. He got stuck seven times because he pulled away so far that the needle got yanked out twice....poor little man. The nurse was even sly about it and walked in sideways so he wouldn't see how many needles. Kudos for the nurse with very good brains! And kudos for them scheduling for us to be the last appointment they seen that day....otherwise they would have had an office full of petrified children about the kid around the corner being tortured to the point his lungs would explode.

But we are through it....he spent the rest of the evening walking around the house stiff legged...he looked more like R2D2...or a penguin, I am going to say it was a toss up. He kept asking, "Mommy, why did she have to be so mean?" "Seriously buddy, it's over and it doesn't hurt anymmore and if you want to go to school you had to have them, they are medicine. It's okay."

Today he went to visit Mom #1 because we will be taking them for the weekend that they should both be at their "other parents'" houses. This is a special occassion and trip so we were taking them since they did not get to attend last year. Anyway, she called saying that they were in the middle of dinner and he was crying and said something about a needle in his leg and pulled down his pants...she called very disturbingly upset. Really wanting to know why he needed a needle in his leg...are you serious? We've been talking to her about kindergarten for two months! Seriously....ummm....how can you be soooo ummm....light in the head? Get real! Well as it all goes...I had the convo with her and she was better about the situation, but I did get a chance to tell her he had not had a shot since 2005, the doctor showed me his record.

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My girls riding in the car.

What's up party people!

Okay, so while some of us are recovering from our green beer hangovers....us "working class" either "had no greens to buy the beers, or green to buy the green to put in their beers"....so David and I worked. (this was a quote from my girl Heather). We had moved the deck from it's current location to the sliding door on the end of the front porch/guest room.

The point in doing this is so there is an entry from the house to the deck (which will be the most awesomest thing since sliced bread), and will be arranging the guest room so that there will be access for it's said use during the summer. :0) I'm thrilled!

David spent the evening leveling the deck...while I pondered why I am not out with my hubby celebrating St. Patty's....but alas, I am almost through the production of getting the bedroom done. :0) Both kids rooms are clean and I hope they stay that way...we will be off to visit our family in Kentucky this weekend, which I am thrilled about! Nikki, if you want to run away, you have a key!!!!!! :0)

We worked until our little hearts were content. Kevin spent the night with G'ma Phillis, and Grace focused on her work, cleaned her room, and went to bed at 9:30 p.m.....ummm...yeah where did the angel come from and is my daughter coming back, cuz whoever sent the angel in her place, I don't want the other one back. LOL

Tonight is production on Cody's Monster Truck Cake....ummm...I have forgotten the flavor but I think I'm going to do yellow and chocolate...if that's okay with his mom and him. :0) I've thought ahead and gotten the kids easter items, and that's taken care of. Trying to get all my ducks in a row, between production of baking and creating the millions lbs of icing I need to do I will also be packing for the weekend.

***Back to the lovely bedroom I have been creating, I got a full length mirror and I'm pretty sure I want to take it back down. It's not the mirror that I find repulsive, it's the image it portrays of me inside it....did you know Wal-mart sells funhouse mirrors? I didn't realize that the butt of all butts has spread wider than it should have, and I hope to gain my vanity back and start running again. Seriously, ummm...what I have seen in the mirror makes me want to gag....blech... Of course the 1000 calorie butter burger I had for lunch doesn't help much, but it was a splurge, since it's been like two months since we have had a burger of any sort!

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Four Slice Toaster....

Can you believe it? Grace has discovered we got a new toaster! One of my precious valentine's day gifts for the family! No more using that $10 2 slice toaster I've had for 15 yrs that I bought at OSCO's. LOL So my fine cuisinart toaster has been used for the first time since I have gotten it. Apparently Grace was not aware that you can toast only 2 pieces at a time if you want to... I discovered this yesterday when I went to go get a piece of bread. (We keep our bread in the fridge.) And curiously enough it was a little tan on both sides, but I used it anyway. Then I realize....I'll be darned if this bread isn't TOASTED and stuffed back in the bread bag! When making toast, she toasted four slices, she made PB&J toast for Kevin and herself and stuffed the other two pieces of bread in the bread bag. LOL We had a toaster education and I'm sure I will not be eating refrigerated toast again...blech!

**On an up note...Grace's dad had his hearing on Friday, although he is ordered for major counseling and drug testing. He will have supervised visitation with Ethan, and he'll be living with his mother during this 5 - 6 week period of time, but he has temporarily lost custody of Ethan altogether. Grace was not involved at all in this situation or mentioned in the hearing, but as a guideline, I told him Wednesday night visitations are now out. It is a small victory for me, because I've been arguing with him about it since she started her gifted and talented class this year.

**Easter gifts and such....if by chance you purchase the children candy for easter...please read all labels even chocolate! NO RED DYE #40 at all. Some white chocolates may also have traces, and there is also a natural product called carmine that they use to color things. Caramel Color is a listed ingrediant (there is also red dye #40 in it. I've found that we are going to restrict BOTH children from consumption. Eczema in children is sometimes an allergic reaction to the dye's consumption, although she's had it since she was a baby, some times it's worse than others and aggrivates her to the point she scratches until she bleeds.

**Kevin is now approved through the superintendent to start Kindergarten at Mayflower this coming fall, and I've got to finish the paperwork to send it to the school. :0) I'm excited about that. It's a small victory in his education. When we had met with Mrs. Fitzgerald , Principal, and Ms. Higgins, Assistant Principal...they said he's more than qualified, he's got to learn to tie his shoes, learn our address and our phone number and he is set to go! For this reason and the incident with the Orange Fanta Pop that Denise sent him home with on Sunday we have scheduled shot updates, and physical along with allergy referral to get him tested for sure about the red dye #40, so we have legal backing as far as she is concerned. Although it's obvious he has issues with this...some people are not paying attention to it, and it's highly inconvenient for his sanity and learning.

Grace has also had an incident last Friday at Gma Phillis's...where she ate WAYYYY TOOO MANY Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Eggs, and needless to say she ate until she had gotten sick. So the mention of chocolate and marshmallow anything, along with Marshmallow now turns her green. LOL...It's funny that I threaten that Peter Cottontail will leave her another dozen carton in her basket...I know I'm a mean mommy...but it cracks us up to see her face.

Too many times I've had the discussion of her having to stop and not gorge herself, this is one of those times, and hopefully she's learned a lesson from it. :0)

**Grace's major case of the ick is doing fine. She woke up with a temp 102.3 on Tuesday and I took her to the doctor. A round of anti biotics and an anti-inflammatory for her trachea...to help with all the bronchial type aggrivation and lots of mucinex and she's doing well. No more fever. David and I also seem to be coming out of our ick too, which is awesome! :0)

**I've managed to get some of my bedroom painted yesterday, although today will be a busy day and we have parent teacher conferences, half day, and we will be volunteering at the school in the evening, I will not be able to work on it again until tomorrow...I'm excited to get it done.

I hope life is finding everyone well!

I can prove the ex's are psychos!!!!!!!!!!

First and foremost this has been a week I wish that never happened.

Started out Monday (0r some day this week)...it was going to be a great day...I found an old friend! Really he found me!!!! Jeremy Wampler the next great American novelist...he was my first original "adopted" son. When I first was married, my first apartment was next to a single mom with a young son. She worked all the time, but when she was working, we were normally home. I adopted Jeremy as my own, I was his surrogate mom and friend. Up until he turned 14, we were in constant contact. Then we moved, and he moved, and started turning into a teenager and life took us a different direction. I was thrilled to death about the new turn of developments and him hunting me down on facebook!!!!!!! Welcome to the turn of the century Jeremy! I STILL LOVE YOU!!!!!! Can't wait to get together!

Tuesday turned out not to be so well. Grace's father had an incident and his girlfriend and the daycare turned him into CPS. Something about a bruise or bruises they found on his sons behind. He smacked him for using the restroom in a corner.
The whole CPS thing is secretly something I've wished for and hoped for would happen. I wasn't the one who had done it, and mine were for very different reasons from what he was turned in for.

My reasons: he verbally abuses everyone...no one is called by their real name and Grace's name is usually "fatty" :0(
His house is very disgusting and no normal human being would live with animal feces, and human feces, and food rotting everywhere.
The children's rooms you can't even WALK in, you have to crawl over the junk.

All the same he is getting help that he needs. Although I could not withstand the constant emotional abuse, Grace thinks a lot like her father, so she does not mind as much as I did. The dilema here was...how do you tell your daughter she can't see her father, because he has lost temporary custody of his son? All I know is that CPS told me that if one child's custody is pulled it's the same for both. But I was told that at the hearing on Friday that Grace was not mentioned. This just has to do with the child at his home. All Grace knows as of now is that her dad and his girlfriend are having issues and they are working with counselors. And temporarily he will be living with his mother. I have to call the Indiana Welfare Person that is in control of the case on Monday, to see what guidelines I have to follow to protect my daughter also.He's not a dangerous man, but then again, he can get really carried away with verbal abuse so it's confusing for me. Tomorrow I will know more when I make that call. **MY SMALL VICTORY** Grace's dad has agreed that Wednesday evening visitations are out!!! During school this has been a hinderence in her learning and sleep schedule.

As far as that goes, at the beginning of the week Sunday or Monday David, Grace, and I decided to continue to get sick and get worse. Not only was my brain filled with every inch of bouncing around neurons of anxiety but it was bouncing around in cramped space with all the germie nasties that were up in there. Seriously it was not good, and still isn't to some extent. I was not happy about this. Can you believe you can be a zombie and deal with all the drama. I was on pins and needles for days!!!!! Seriously I was emotionally drained, and I would crash in bed at night without a thought as to what I needed to do the next day. It was bad. And poor David has been plum tuckered out.

Friday night was GIRRLLLZZZZ NITE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!! And boy was it FUNNNNNN!!!!!!!!
Tera, Heather, Carmen and I met at the Nine Irish on 38, started with some dining and a drink...then headed to Cox's by 8. It was a great time, by the time we got seated two of my great friends Mandy and Nate walked in and we had a mini reuinion! Totally by accident. Ann and Brian showed up with friends of theirs and the place was packed with friends and loved ones! :0) It was a great time, and hope to do it again soon, if we add Jeremy, Myles, and a few more, I believe we could take over the whole side of Cox's all with our group of friends and family members. :0) Wouldn't that be awesome?!? We should all try that some time. :0)
David and I ended up staying until closing time and it was fantastic, we caught up on our sleep by today and that was awesome!

When we went to get Kevin he had an orange ring around his mouth and they sent home a bottle of orange Fanta pop with him..>RED DYE #40 anyone, after strict warning, she has been advised. Tomorrow I'm scheduling his appointment with the doctor...I have to pre register Kevin for school at Mayflower anyway, and we will have him tested for all of his allergies. This is going to get her back in court. And that's just the way it goes. You abide by what's best with for the child, OR YOU WILL LOSE!!!!!!!! GUARANTEED!!!!

Hopefully this week will be a much more positive week!

"Mommy I won't laugh...."

As most wednesday mornings go, I was getting bathed when Kevin woke up and came to the bathroom. Seriously, I don't believe he gets the fact that knocking is a priority, he was coming to get Chiquita. Without his morning kisses from her he just isn't complete. ;0)
Then as most curious little boys go, he asks, "Mommy why are you sitting like that." I've planted myself hunched over in a half ball in the tub so I am not exposed). All be it, I was VERY uncomfortable and kept asking him to shut the door, and innocently he asks, "Why?" I tell him, "Mommy doesn't have her clothes on she is naked in the bathtub and would like him to close the door NOW." Mind you I am gritting my teeth, being pleasant but firm because the draft from the hallway to the bathroom is a little chilly and I am not very happy by this. He looks as me and says, "It's okay mommy I won't laugh." I mean SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!! HE WON'T LAUGH AT MY NUDE BODY!!! This sends my dearly beloved husband in fits of giggles, covering his face because this was tooo funny....yeah I have to agree, I was struck with the funny bone after that. We managed to get him to close the door by this time.
As things go, Grace has lost two teeth side by side each other this week. Monday morning she woke up to tell me, "MOM I JUST SPIT OUT MY TOOTH!!!" Apparently the other tooth underneath it was tired of waiting for her to pluck it out. Then that night at school her teacher had commented on the fact that she needed to pull the other one, because, "I could seeing it being a HUGE distraction during your ISTEP testing Grace." The following morning I told her, "You need to pull that tooth because it did all it's bleeding yesterday when you lost the other one." She cried and threw a fit and told me that it "HURT REALLY BAD", and I instructed her, "Don't push forward or backward just get a hold of it and pull up." Screaming and crying she swears to me that, "It's gonna hurt really bad, see I'll show you." Then boink...and the tooth is out. She looks at me and shrugs her shoulders, "Huh, I swear to you mommy it hurt really bad last night." And she merrily finished brushing her hair, then skipped to get her baggie to put the tooth in.
Although she caught the tooth fairy , apparently she still doesn't want to believe it's me because yet again, she put the tooth under her pillow Monday night and gained $1.00 and no tooth. (The tooth fairy didn't have time to get the last one, that's kinda how I got caught.) Then last night she gained $2.00 for the secondary tooth, and yet again, the tooth fairy actually took that tooth too! I guess the "tooth fairy" learned the hard way, that she would drag her biological hazardous teeth to school with her after they were plucked from her mouth, so she lost the priveledge of keeping them. LOLOL

We were at the school Monday night for Family Reading Night, and I turned in a cake that gets auctioned off for proceeds that are split between the school library and Riley's Children Hospital.
Grace's choice in book for the cake was, What Mom's Can't Do by Daniel Wood. It ddn't have a bunch of candy or use dry ice for the erupting volcano cake, and it sure didn't look like a 2D version of R2D2 but it grossed $20 for the school, although the cake was definitely worth much much more!



I was thoroughly impressed by how much time people staring at the cake in awe. And the family who purchased it, the wife carried it out like it was the biggest trophy she had ever gotten. And that made me feel really good. I didn't get anything from it other than some good quality time with my daughter, who by the way made the dinosaur boy, and helped with the orange trash can, and helped make the fondant and icing with me. So it was a good time. But Grace stated to me as we left the building that night, "We have to make a much COOOLER cake next year mom." I gently reminded her, I had her pick the book and the scene she wanted to create, so um...."MAYBE NEXT YEAR, you'll come up with the cooler idea yet." LOLOL
Kevin is learning to read some sight words, although you can't get him to recite the alphabet letter for letter he does a pretty good job as it stands with a few letters missing in between. He's doing very well in his progress. The other task is tying shoes, learning his address, and a phone number...which is going to be a little more difficult but I think we'll be able to accomplish it. :0)
Wishing everyone well!

Tball madness....

Things to have seem to become a blur for me.... I think it's because of all the fuzz in my head....I'm trying to recover, but to no avail...the sleepiness took hold of me on the couch last night about 7:30 I do believe and passed out.

David has really been great and he wants me well, so he let me sleep and put the children to bed last night.

I don't know if I ever updated you guys on the latest....big D (Kevin's other mother) really wanted him to start Tball this year. She tried to call david and let him know the details....we (I) declined by text message saying that he would have to test into school this fall so he needs to be ready for school and not doing sports already, too much hassle with as far out as we live. Her reply was, Whatever Ball is in the Summer Funny part about this is, Grace brought home the sign up sheet for us this week, and guess what? He doesn't meet the deadline for his age and birthdate to sign up for Tball this summer either!!! So was she going to lie to get him in the league?

Kev has also had the struggle with the sinus thing for a week longer than I have, and he has been doing okay with the exception of drainage...so I had to give him liquid Red#40 yesterday...two things that is very apparent....he speaks WAYYYY TOOO FAST, and he stutters and stammers a whole lot more, and the involuntary jaw movement worsens when he is on this stuff. Oh yeah and the hyperactivity....but it was well contained at home yesterday.

Today we have a 2 hr delay due to fog, so we'll be dropping grace off to turn around a few hours later and go back to get her...really why do they bother?

Tax Season is here, and we went and had that done the week before last...it takes all we have just to survive right now with the economy the way it is...(I mean in general for everyone, not just us). The scary thing that I have noticed recently is this...(There's still christmas stuff on the clearance racks, and now valentine's day stuff on the racks with it) When normally right after the holiday it all goes to 50% off and 75% off and is gone within a week or so. It is frightening to see that, because people are so scared, they are not spending....and most just can't spend. I have yet to hear near as many people talking about splurging their tax checks either....but last night on the news they report that many people are more into repairing what they have than buying new from everything from appliances to lamps and their cars.

I guess that is good, for my father and for David...auto repair is the way to go anyway...who needs a new vehicle every year....whatever happened to be faithful to your ride? You didn't see Laura Ingles and her dad going out and trading their horse every so often did you? They kept them around for a while. LOL

Trouble in the heartland....

Well with all the drama of my lovely computer and password and account changes, I was in grave fear I had lost my blog forever. Seriously...I thought it was gone.

I can still do my random photos and mini posts from my phone but nothing more. And I was sad to find that on my blog that the only thing that posted from my phone was the abbreviated version of a literal Paragraph of my outlined drama on Wednesday.

I had those cub scout cakes to do and it started out with a flat tire, which left me in town until 10:00 a.m. so I decided to stop and get an extra cake pan, and sit at Honda for an hour and a half to eat lunch with David. :0) But it was well worth it, Kevin really wanted to eat with Daddy, so I told him if he was quiet and watched his DVD we'd stay in town so we could.

Our visits to town and staying in town have become less....I really miss my hubby during the day, but it's better that I let the 4 yr old get into mischief at home...after all he won't be home for much longer during the day. "I hope" I say this with mixed feelings. I want him to attend school with his age group, but he doesn't make the deadline so he'll have to test into it. I strive for him to start with children of his own age...otherwise he'll be six before he starts kindergarten. And that places him at almost 19 by the time he graduates high school. Unfortunately this is no good for him. Boys usually want out of school earlier when they are older.

I was saddened to discover a few things this past weekend. A friend of mine that I worked with lost a wife suddenly in a car accident. He was also with her. It hit me hard although I was not VERY close with them, but at David's company Christmas party we sat with them while we dined. I was also in attendance when he showed off his purchase of engagement ring for her in 2006. She was an educated young woman you had a bachelor's in Psychology and worked with Child Protection Services here in Lafayette. It tears me up when I think about how young, and how suprisingly it happened. A northbound 18 yr old girl lost control, hit a U-haul that in turn crossed the median, hit her in the southbound lane, and put their car into a semi's path.

It makes me realize many things...one it doesn't matter where you are, you be cautious of other drivers and road conditions....no matter what road, you are not immune to on coming traffic, two life is so short and yet so sweet, don't forget to tell everyone you love them at any given moment, they may not be there to say goodbye, and three have I told everyone that I love them lately? If I haven't, I"m doing it now!

I worked really hard last week to make up for lost time, the picture of the cub scout cakes was the last order I had, and with the delay on Wednesday it seemed I would never catch up, in fact my drama had reached an all time high Friday afternoon. My kitchen aid locked up....which I had to replace. I am torn between sad and happy because I knew full well a year ago it was going to come down to this. I have been struggling with some kind of sinus infection/illness for the past week or so, and that really was bringing me to the point of tears in the evenings last week and I could not think, so this really had me on the short end of the stick.

It all worked out...with the exception I had to bail and not see my best friend all weekend. Saturday we attended a family outing with my parents and sister, brother-in-law, and my brother. I have to say it was fun...I guess. I got to play Bingo for the first time in my life...we went to Indianapolis to PF Chang's which has delightful food...but when you go to a Chinese restaurant, do not expect Bob Evans or homestyle made by mom Chicken Noodle Soup when you order it. LOL That's what Grace did, and the look of horror when I lifted the plate off the top to reveal, floating mushroom people on top of the soup, it was tears abound.

David and I had decided ordering some "normal" chinese selections to share with our lovely daughter was a good idea, and I'll be darned if we weren't right. :0) So we had her covered, it was getting her convinced that it wasn't that big of a deal...the food will be fine if she eats ours.

The Bingo experience was new....good ol' bro didn't inform the BINGO Virgins that it would be a 4 hr set, and sent my Dad to his place with Grace to be tortured by kids DVD's for the next 4 hrs. And us...we attended Ghetto Bingo...it was in a run down store that had closed up, and not the cleanest place in town, and by the occupants of the place, you could tell it was a no go for the restrooms...and they SERVED FOOD THERE!!!! All of which we did not eat, we had a coke...because it came with your bingo cards....but we were losers abound, but for my mother it was fun! And it was her birthday and that's all that mattered. I managed to make her a coconut cream cake...ultimately delicious refrigerator cake, I have mastered the perfect recipe...but when I piped out the bingo card on top...it was obvious when we got back to eat it, that I had no idea where the numbers were supposed to be on the the card...LOL...so naturally she had to give me a little verbal smacking around about that one...jokingly.

Sunday I spent most of the day recovering and sick, and Monday was a recovery day, and I think last night was too...because I fell asleep early and don't remember how when or who I was when I woke up this morning, all I knew I was 20 minutes behind schedule and so was everyone else in the house. Mom has kind of slacked on her duties because her head has been all stuffed up...there seems no place for brain matter, just mucus.

Well off to work I go, Kevin is watching his favorite shows on the PBS station, and I am going to quickly prepare his lunch, so I can prepare of reorganization of my kitchen once again, I do this often because it just needs it. :0)

OH and PS....last Tuesday Hubby and I started P90X...although we've only worked out three days of it, we've been on the diet, David has lost approximately 10 lbs so far and I'm down 5 lbs....we will begin our workouts again tonight if possible. With all the other things we do, I don't know how we manage any time for anything...but last night it was testing for his work, so we completed that, it was priority. Jobs are important in these economic hard times.

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Five cub scout cakes done and doing mom's now. Have fun!

I've spent half the morning getting a tire repaired. Leaving the school the tire pressure light came on. Ho

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My secondary heating unit aka lacey guaranteed to keep your hiney or feet just as toasty. :)

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The perfect heating pad called "the reading buddy" aka chiquita. Lol

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Sick little kevin and his concerned little puppy.

New discoveries!!!!

Well, Grace has constantly been asking about where babies come from and puberty and such....so I got her some books. These books educate her on taking care of herself. They are not too explicit but it gives her the information she needs to know since she is discovering her body is changing a little sooner than the other girls at school. I did explain that if she has more questions she can ask, but until next year, she will not learn any more, when they do sex education. I also got her a book called THE KEEPING AND CARE OF YOU...for girls. :0)

The new haircut has turned out to be a positive change, she's very happy to have that done. She also liking the maintenance of this hair cut, which is fantastic!

Kevin has had a mood change and behavioral change with his growth spurt. He's had random different mood swings and signs of aggression for no reason, and when he gets angry he threw toys last week. There are a few discoveries after a little research. He has shown signs of a random jaw movement, that looks voluntary but he seems not to realize he does it. A "tic" so to speak. Children who have ADD...(which both of his biological parents were diagnosed with at a young age), can typically show signs of severe mood swings, random aggression, and "tics". Taking Red Dye #40 out of his diet and many colored candies and foods have helped tremendousl with his behavior. Recently since the "tic" has reared it's ugly head last week, the random agression has started. This is unlike Kevin to be this way. It is linked to a magnesium deficiency which children his age and size are supposed to have 65 mg a day. His love for mexican food and bananas are cravings for magnesium and potassium (when you are magnesium deficient your body has low potassium levels in the blood) that is common in children who have ADD and tourettes syndromes.

One point to this, is that we are not "labeling" Kevin, we are trying to help him. Phillis pointed out to me that we should not label him (we agree with this too)...and David and I are not trying to. David and I though know that these signs and symptoms that we deal with everyday are all tied in with his learning. If all we have to do to help him with symptoms and behavior and learning is to give him what his body needs to function properly, he may not have a rough way to go, and this is what we want for him. We don't want teachers to "label" him either, or suggest medication. :0) He is such a good little man otherwise. :0) We love him bunches and want the best for the little guy who is growing so much, so fast. He has complained of legs hurting recently, and I swear everytime he wakes up from a nap or bedtime, he is 1/4" taller. He's made so many leaps and bounds in personality and growth in the 2 1/2 yrs I have been his mommy. :0) Many vitamin supplements remove the magnesium due to taste and the volume (size) that it would make most supplements. I however have a liquid supplement that will provide him with his daily requirements plus 20 mg of magnesium. It's progress, considering most foods other than peanut butter, cashews, macadamian nuts, spinach, and certain fish are normally about the only thing you can get a good dose of magnesium from.

Irritatingly enough though, he spent the whole morning on the couch yesterday lethargic from the weekend's events. Being with his "other mom" caused him to have no naps, and he was sooo tuckered out, he spent the whole morning recouping....he fell asleep about 10:30 and slept all morning, I woke him up at 1:30 only to get him to eat two bites of sandwich and drink half a 6 oz juice box, and back to sleep he went until it was time to leave to pick up Grace. :0( It's frustrating that they do not take care of him the way he needs when he's gone. A little afternoon nap goes a long way for this growing little boy!

It's going to begin to be a busy week this week for me. Valentine's day is just around the corner, and I have a 60 cookie order for two little boys class parties, along with Grace's party. I also have a over the hill birthday cake for saturday to produce, and next week are five cakes for a cub scout banquet. :0) I'm excited about that.

It's been an eventful weekend this past weekend, Nikki came to visit and spent the weekend with David and I. This coming weekend we plan to take the kids to lunch and a movie for valentine's day. We are thrilled the weather is warming up, soon enough we will be outside a lot more, and we are excited to get started outside. Spring can't come soon enough!

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Ready for school with her new hair cut!

Sunday Snow Fun

After the Sunday Morning Boredom, David, the kids, and I decided it was time to dig ourselves out of the driveway...so we could go to Grandma's for the Superbowl Party. The Result...The best Romack Family Snow Fort Ever!!!!

Stay tuned...we may get a roof put on it. LOLOL

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Sunday morning boredom. Grace made kevin into a cow complete with utter! Lol

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All better.

Allergies!!!

Can you believe that Chiquita has been with us since September and she has this allergic reaction today?!? We have no idea what she got into, or whatever it was...but Kevin stated tonite to his Dad..."she looked like a scary monster, daddy." Poor little thing.

Naturally I was in the middle of making a cake for a retirement party tonight.
So I freaked I would have to take a trip to the vet. Instead I opted for a benedryl wrapped in cheese and gave her the pill, she took it no problem. Then her and I laid in bed for 1/2 hour to make sure that she did not get actively any worse and that she kept the pill down. Within three hours she was somewhat normal...her snout was still puffy when we left to go to the party to deliver the cake. By the time we got home was the final picture. Back to her normal little wirey self. :0) Happy as a pea.

Still I'm racking my brain, because this little vacuum cleaner will eat ANYTHING...when I noticed it, she was chewing on my apron strings which I had tied with latex gloves on my hands....Possibly latex? or the powder on the inside of the gloves? That may have had residue left on the strings...
I had sat down on the couch for a moment to do something for kevin, and she untied my apron, then I turned around to see a red waterey bug eyed chihuahua on my couch, with a really big nose. :0(

The Retirement party went well...when we arrived with the cake...they were praying, NO ONE knew we had arrived and when they lifted their heads SUPRISE LEE had a cake sitting in front of him, it was PRICELESS!!!!! Couldn't have worked out more perfect!

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our chihuahua had an Allergic reaction to something. Poor puppy. A little benedryl and a few hours later She's all better.

Snow Day Fun!!!

As most of you know in the area, it hasn't exactly been fun. The snow didn't stop until about noon, and they are yet predicting another wave of it tomorrow afternoon. The kids have already missed enough school that Grace will be into the second week of June I believe before she is finished this year. :0(

All in all, Chiquita seems to be enjoying the snow as much as the kids. Although she shivers like crazy she likes running through the snow even if it is belly deep on her. LOL Hope everyone is staying home, being safe, and staying warm!

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Adding cheese to his pizza.

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Let's get cooking. It is now time for dinner with my sou chef by my side.

Espresso Pots are cool...Alcohol is bad

Okay, I first have to start out saying I apologize for my public display on Saturday.

I was raised that even if someone didn't see you, someone else did, and so making public apologies are best, because THE SIDEWALK TALKS.

***I got an espresso pot....I love it...got it on Wednesday, and now I can fuel my caffeine addiction craziness with my own pot on my own stove without frequenting the starbucks...so my quad venti is in my kitchen and with me in the morning. I don't know if this is good or bad, or if it was the fuel to the craziness that drove me on Saturday night.

I had my espresso....the pot is big enough for one person, one quad...mine only, no I won't share. Wasn't hungry all day. Now I don't have my kids this past weekend, one bonus to having a split family and having primary custody is scheduling so the kids are gone at the same time, and we are always together as a family. So no one child is gone while the other is here. It makes a nice family life, and gives us a weekend to ourselves.

We were celebrating my sister's birthday and it was such a great idea, seriously it was. We went to El Rodeo...and I told David I was going to start out slow. Only a large margarita nothing horribly bad, right? After the dinner and giving the rest of the yummy pina colada cake to the restaurant employees...we left and headed to J.D.'s lounge. This place is a hole in the wall, and these are older people...which we didn't blend so nicely with I guess. I don't know, after a few more drinks it didn't matter. Myles went home, and so did my folks...the rest of us went to Cox's.

Many more drinks later, and I think many more shots that I consumed but Josh bought (after recalling the number of events with Tera) I discovered that I was wayyy tooo gone for words. Apparently more than I have been in a very long time. Bad enough, that I swore to David I would never go out again, or consume anymore alcohol ever.

Mind you, in my defense...I was letting my hair down. Christmas break lasted two full weeks, and Grace had two days of school, and then another five days off due to weather. So I wanted to have some fun, I was being stir crazy.....so with espresso fueled craziness, and wanting to really relieve the stress...yeah I did just that.

Some creepy guy walked up to our table, and exclaimed how beautiful I was, and I flipped. Mind you, I've had some esteem issues...when you are sitting at home with the silence in your head drowning out Kevin and Chiquita, you don't notice that you haven't done your makeup, your wearing sweatpants everyhwere, and you plain just don't care how you look. But this guy had to make a point that I was beautiful....Mind you, I don't remember what he said (thanks to Tera now I do), I don't remember what he looked like, (my vision was a tiny bit blurred). But then I started crying like crazy. I was sooo upset...some creepy guy touched me (all he did was place his hat on my head). I was so freaked out I apologized a million times to David, swore I didn't know who the man was, and that I never talked to him before, and begged him not to break my nose.

Promptly we left the bar....there was going to be no place like home from that point. LOL
**David would never hurt me, ever in my whole entire life.**This was suppression of relationships past...which would be a whole other book.

The point of this rambling blog...if you are gonna let your hair down, don't do it with alcohol, it only induces stupidity. Gratefully my loving darling husband mentions that I don't do it often. As far as I'm concerned, never again, is tooo soon enough!

I think I will stick with espresso, at least when I crash from that I don't feel hungover the next day, and it's legal to drive with a caffeine buzz, after all, you are so much more alert and your vision is not blurred!

A Venti Quad....what????

Sbux...addicts pay attention.....
I have heard of a quad....my brother faithfully orders a quad at Sbux, he has to have his liquid crack in the morning (coffee and Starbucks are what I am referring too). Well I ventured to find the local Sbux because of my insomnia attack late last night and so early in the a.m. this morning. Home coffee, no matter how much instant coffee I added to my coffee wasn't doing it. A proper steamed Espresso was needed to satisfy the artificial awakeness I would need to function to do my motherly duties today.

So I did it, and I ordered a Quad Venti Soy White Chocolate Mocha with no whip....for serious...I did it. And now I can't even imagine laying down to nap...even though I need sleep....it hasn't crossed my mind...oh my goodness! My body won't let me, the ants are crawling up and down my arms and legs, and I feel the need to vacuum and mop my wood floors...I say mop, but I have a cleaner machine for wood floors, so it's a scrubber/slash polisher...who knows what you call it, but for explanatory purposes, it's a mop. LOLOLOL

Okay so I'm gonna go do that now! P.S. Did you see my Ricky Martin pic today? I found that shirt at the local good will and I put it on Kevin, and Wham, it hit me...dimples and all...he's simply the most adorable boy on the planet...Lock up your girls...he's a heartbreaker. :0)

FAMILY...head my warning!!!! Hide the bathroom trash!

It's umm.... 1:57 a.m. and I'm awake, wondering if the 2 tsp of tylenol nighttime cold will help. I've been drowing in my own drainage for like an hour and coughing my damn head off. I'm so freakin tired I can't stand myself, but I'm past my point of sleep. Don't ask me how David managed to help push me past that point, okay maybe he didn't, after all he mentioned I should go lay down at like 10 after going through the dry heave stage. (When I get tired I get nauseated) Needless to say, around 11 we started to get ready for bed...then at 11:48 I'm wanting a cup of tea!

So my extra efforts at the good wife thing, is reading to David at night, and we are covering some of the book, Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster to David, and guess what? He was laughing and within ten minutes his mid chuckle turned into his full blown snore...it was kind of humorous. He was actually enjoying the story as much as I was, but then WHAM, the REM fairy opened up his nasal passages and freakin gorilla glued his eyes shut...so I was stuck alone and un attended with my book, and next thing I know it's One in the morning!

My neck hurts though, the muscles are tight, and I don't know if it's from all the half sleep coughing or the reading, I'm tired, yet I'm emailing my bestest girl at 2 a.m. waiting for the tylenol to make my head clear enough to lay down again, so I can breath/sleep. REM Stage 3 might be better than whatever I was doing for the past hour whenI actually did force to close my eyes. Okay so it's now 2:12 a.m. I have to go to sleep...I mean I have to get up and take Grace to school, and be a mommy on demand tomorrow. It's Wednesday tomorrow and in the afternoon it's a grueling schedule of driving to pick her up, driving to the shop, to drop her off with the dreaded you know who for her visitation....which I think is still such a wayyyy bad idea. Visitations on Wednesdays have to stop, not only are the utterly inconvenient period, they are sooo not doing her any favors, when they are uneducational visits and emotionally damaging. You know the grill so why am I rambling....hey maybe the tylenol is setting in!

***Yeah this is how my night went..... then my BFF receives an early a.m. email from me, subject titled: WONDERING
*Whether I had a stupid attack and took that green tea pill tooo late in the evening .... then drank tea on top of it....yet still having the cold issue, may be part of my insomnia....
*Why my "feminine hygeine" products that are placed neatly back in their packages after use, are pulled out of the wrappers and laying on top of the trash, and which child did it, so I can have a serious conversation with them. (I'm sorry but I have to be blunt about this.)
*What my BFF is gonna say when she reads my facebook comments and my email rants about what a retard I am.
*Why I'm here, now talking to my son who just got up to tell me he's hungry for like the second weeknight in a row. Oh geez.
*Why I didn't buy more bananas because they are quick little snacks for the hungry four year old monkey who eats in the middle of the night.

Seriously, the culprit to the bathroom trash is my nine year old girl, who claims she didn't know what it was....then we had to talk about curiousity of bio hazard trash cans...and that it's not smart that once you've identified one package, why you would bother picking up yet one that looks the same as the last, and pluck out the contents of that package too. Yeah really I had this conversation this morning...so hide your trash, please, I beg you, cuz she's gonna dig in it. Although I hope the bio hazard talk helped....maybe leaving a piece of dog poo in the top of the trash can every so often will detour the digging. LOLOLOL Just kidding...but I have to drive the point home sometime.

She's getting overly curious about the feminine thing...she's gonna find out in another year anyway, and I told her if she has questions because of kids at school, then she can ask, but we will not have the "talk" until they watch the sex ed videos in class at school.

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My little ricky martin. Lol

Another day in motherhood....

Well the days have been below freezing in fact in the negatives here in Indiana for the past few days. Grace has not had school Thursday or Friday, and now she will not have school on Monday due to the holiday. So we are stuck here, at home.....driving mom crazy.

Why does it seem when it is a school day you practically have to drag the kids from their beds in their pajamas just to get ready? Yet on the days they can stay asleep they are up at 5 a.m. knocking on your door asking to watch cartoons even though they were asleep by 10 p.m.? Grrr...sometimes it's frustrating.

So far this year we have spent a lot of time at home. We plan on taking the kids to a movie tonight, and we are looking forward to that.

I did get to make a baby boy baby shower cake for my girlfriend Tera's co-worker. I even received a thank you card from the woman I made the cake for, praising me on the time spent and how delicious it was. :0) I hope that eventually it catches on, that I do these on the side and I may be able to sell them to the locals. I've been making tons for free, but in economic times, I can't afford to do that anymore. :0( I spent the thursday before last making the cake and then that evening hand painting the cake. :0) It was loads of fun.

My sister's birthday is coming up and I plan on making her a cake. I skipped making my dad a cake this year, because I felt that it was just way toooo much sweet stuff that we consumed this christmas, but apparently that was the wrong thing to do because my mom made him one anyway. :0( So now I feel bad. There was drama over his cake last year, since I had made one, and then my brother had bought one upon my mother's request. So everyone thought I was still bent about that. On the contrary I had forgotten the snafu....my life has been pretty hectic up until New Year's. Sorry Dad, I love you anyway, just cuz I didn't make you a cake doesn't mean I don't love you any less. But my sister will be getting one. I just haven't decided what kind yet. My girlfriend Heather is also having a bday next Saturday, but we'll be taking it to her work, because well....she has a family and usually has plans, and well I have plans to go to dinner with my family next Saturday for my sis's bday.

Kevin is going through another growth spurt, and that seems to be very fun....I may be a little sarcastic here. Every five minutes, "Mom, I'm hungry, I'm starving." After he's just eaten a full meal....and the other night, he added to it by getting up at midnight to eat something...apparently an overripe banana that I was saving for banana nut bread....but accomplished eating only half and passing out on the couch.... LOL Poor little guy. But the growth spurt has also added some attitude swings that are much for me. And no matter how many times you remind him not to poke anyone with his swords (he had received for xmas) or how he is not supposed to run in the house, he still manages to forget. But he has cabin fever and what do you expect, they can't go outside to play. It's too cold, they'll manage to freeze in 5 minutes or less.

As with all January's after the rush of the holiday season, you always end up having a little let down and then wham the January blues hit you in the face. That's where I am right now.

I have been focusing on writing a book, thanks to Tera and Myles for the inspiration for this...maybe someday soon I'll post some excerpts....Looking forward to the responses I get from it.

Hope life finds you all well. I send love to you all, and I promise blogging will begin to become a regular thing again soon!