Haven't blogged in a loooong time!  So much stuff has happened that I don't even know where to begin.  I am trying to think of what happened first.  I joined the local squad department I guess would be first.  Joining wasn't supposed to be this big of a deal.  Or so I thought.  But it was.  It was a great idea in the beginning. Then the classes started.  It was definitely more in depth than I thought it was going to be.  But I enjoyed it.  I went to all but one class (I had a kidney stone and was in surgery).  I passed CPR and it was time for my observation runs!  I was so excited to finally be able to tag along.  It was fun, lots of adrenaline, and I fell in love.  I was the first one in my class to complete my observation runs.  Next was class final, practicals, and then the National Registry.  I was pumped.  In the middle of all of this going on, I got a divorce.  It was not dramatic and was for the most part non-eventful.  My ex-husband and I remain friends.  I passed my practicals and I failed my first attempt at the National Registry.  I took a break, studied for 3 months, and took a shot at it again.  I passed!  I'm now a volunteer EMT and I love every minute of it.  I'm listening to a run with my department as we speak and truthfully a little disappointed I wasn't on duty right now.  HAHA.

The divorce.  The divorce happened for a culmination of reasons but it turned out to be a really good thing for us.  Eric and I are friends.  The kids are happy for the most part.  We're able to go to sporting events and sit with each other and also talk like friends.  There are times where we get annoyed with each other but we always seem to talk it out or let it go. We promised each other we would remain friends and I'm happy to report we have done just that.  Do people understand our relationship???  NO!  They don't but we don't really care.  I think some people think he should be mad at me for the divorce.  And I think those same people are intimidated by it.  Most people say we are weird.  That's probably an accurate description.  But we put the kids first and that's all that matters.  We've been divorced a little over a year now and we both seem to be doing fine.

The dating.  Oh my goodness!!!!  Dating sucks!  Maybe it's because truly I didn't ever do it before.  I was married and pregnant at 19 and didn't really date around much.  But I swear it sucks!!!  It's hard for me to not be in a relationship.  Eric and I have both dated a few people and for the most part it was fine.  There are a lot of liars out there and I'm very naive.  But I'm working on it.  I went on a date Friday and I had a good time.

The future.  I have some big plans for the future.  I'm going to return to school and get my RN.  It's a two year process.  But in the end it will be worth it.  I'll be able to provide for myself and the boys on my own and never have depend on anyone else.  I've become a little more independent but I want more. I demand more and I will achieve more.  Hopefully in the process I will find someone that will ride along but if I don't I'll be okay.  And it took a long time for me to realize that.  

Resolutions and such

What are resolutions? Are they empty promises to ourselves or to the people surrounding us? Is starting out the New Year with these limits and promises that you may or may not hold yourself up to, a healthy way to start the New Year? I made a list this year. There wasn't just one resolution I have a slew of them. Self destruct much?? hehehehe In all seriousness, I have 15 resolutions. Let's take a look.

1. Be more patient with everyone.
2. Be more positive.
3. have a flat tummy by June.
4. Slow down/quit smoking.
5. Be more organized (financially & home)
6. wake up earlier and be more productive.
7. Spend more time with Cody one on one.
8. Get Austin in his own bed all night long by 2013.
9. Get family pictures done this year.
10. Make more time for friends.
11. Exercise more.
12. Take better care of my skin.
13. Get my hair done more often.
14. Wear make-up/do my hair at least 4 times a week.
15. Actually get dressed everyday.

Some of these you read and are like seriously you don't get dressed everyday?? Well, I don't. I stay at home and spend seriously 98% of my time cleaning and I just can't understand why I would get dressed to do this. But I'm working on it, even if I'm just changing into some grungy "mom" jeans and a holy t-shirt. My hair is always in a pony tail and therefore never actually done. I need to moisturize more and find a good face moisturizer because the one that I have did nothing but cause a huge breakout (which I can honestly say I have NEVER had a huge breakout on my face a day in my life). I have no social life outside of family so I'm working on that.

There are a few of these that I have done!!! I have accomplished #'s-4,5,11,15. I quit smoking a week ago Thursday. I'm really excited about that. I have completely overhauled my finances and we are working on cleaning up in that area. I walk on the treadmill for a minimum of 30 minutes every day. I watch what I am eating and I'm drinking more water (I have lost 3.6 lbs in one week).

I'm hoping that all this resoluting isn't futile. I'm pretty happy with my goals and I'm hoping that it's do-able.

Unemployment Nonsense

Eric got laid off for the winter...yaay (boo hiss). I'm glad we get to spend so much time together. When he gets laid off we truly have fun. We're broke, but, we have fun! While filing yesterday we ran into some complications and needed some answers...their help forum SUCKS! There is no where to go to ask simple questions and if you call your are on hold for 3 days (not really but it is seriously like 3 hours). There has to be some way they can make that website easier to maneuver. It's old, outdated, and just a plain pain in the rear end. Surely with all this technology that is everywhere could help them out, I mean geesh. Okay seriously I was mad. A paragraph rant on unemployment is suffice. hehehe

I'm taking Grandma to the doctor today. She's not feeling very well so this should be an interesting trip. Her bones are aching and she's having trouble getting around.

We got all our Christmas presents bought. So much stuff...geesh...no wonder my pocket book is so skinny. =)

It's the most Wonderful Time of the Year!.........

Here we are in December and every single weekend is plugged...lol. This weekend we have basketball practice and then a game later this evening. My in-laws are coming to show their support to Cody. He has never played basketball before and so he's in the instructional league. He's getting better all the time. Most of these kids have been playing in a league for 2 years so he's a little behind. I didn't know that you could sign up at 2nd grade and he didn't want to play last year. He has a lot of talent, however, our basketball hoop at the house is a couple of feet short...so he feels inadequate at best.

Next weekend I have deemed "The In-law Marathon". It all starts Saturday morning. Not as early as we planned because Cody has a basketball game...but everyone gets to come so that makes my Sister-in-law happy! Then food, presents, food, playing cards, food, playing with kiddos, food...hmm might be a pattern there...lol. Then we spend the night and get up the next morning for a family reunion. Then we are heading to Eric's gma's house to spend a Thanksmas. We are combining Thanksgiving and Christmas. Then home.

The next weekend is Christmas weekend so enough said. hehehe

The next weekend is New Year's weekend and we are staying home as usual. We don't like driving on this holiday as there are too many drunks out. Next year's plans are to get a hotel somewhere close and swim into the new year ;)

I love the hustle and bustle of the season. For right now that is...ask me when it's over...lol. It's cold here now and there were some flurries yesterday. One of my favorite things about Christmas is the snow, the smell of snow in the air, and the smell of wood burning stoves....I will literally roll the window down and sniff the air! Drives my husband and kids crazy but I love it! It's almost as bad as fall..ya know when you can just smell the leaves and everything fall? That's my favorite...but Christmas snow and wood burners are 2nd and it's a close race ;)

I'm hoping to get to town at some point this week and finish up my list. The boys and I made some ring garland last night with construction paper. It was fun. Cody and I finished up because Austin was bored. We hooked both of their strands together and hung it up in the doorway of the dining room. Mom just ordered some more Christmas crafts from www.orientaltrading.com . Those will be in soon and while on Christmas break we will make those. Looking for more ideas to keep the kiddos busy during break. Without using electric. Well other than lighting of course...lol. Homemade play dough is in our future! Christmas colors of course.

Geesh

Why is it I blog for a few days and quit? What is wrong with me? I like doing it. I just don't understand why I don't do it more often. It may be because I keep a paper journal too and I feel like I'm telling the same stories over and over again and again. Alot has actually been going on since September so let me start there.

September

Eric and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary! We celebrated by taking a drive, going out to eat, and then we went to the Hollywood casino with $20 a piece. We stayed maybe all of 20 minutes...hehehe.

We found out that my Great Grandmother has been being abused by her daughter (my paternal grandmother), and my Aunt (my dad's 1/2 sister). It was all emotional and verbal abuse and so far we have only learned of one instance of physical abuse, when they threw plastic flowers at her face. So we rescued her. She is now living with us and APS (adult protective services) has been called. We had no clue how to start out taking care of an elderly person. I was a home health aide before I had Austin, but, being on the other side is waaaay different. It amazes me every day the things that have done or said to my Grandma. It's despicable! You hear all these stories about things like this happening but I would have NEVER thought it would happen in my family. Needless to say, we have NO contact with them. It has been arranged that they cannot find out any information on her (medically and financially). They even stole some of her teddy bears!!!! Really? How low can you go? It's heart wrenching to hear the stories of what they have done to her. As I type this I'm sitting here crying for her. Who does this and to your own mother????

October
October brought the Fall Festival of Leaves! One of my favorite times of the year. We got to visit with our friends from Boston that came to visit us for a couple of weeks during the festival. Jane is building a house right next door to us and so it's been fun to watch it go up! It's completely done now! So pretty! She will be moving here in a few months.

November
November brought a lot of Dr.'s appointments for G-ma. We are switching almost all of her doctors to more local ones. We have found an amazing cardiologist here in Chillicothe. Gma likes him really well and says she likes "looking at him". He's younger which in her eyes is a total plus! She cracks me up. She's 86 mind you....lol.

We had too much food and visited lots of family during Thanksgiving. I love being able to spend time with my 2 beautiful nieces and my 1 gorgeous nephew. Eric's sister's girls are absolutely a couple of the most pretty little girls I have ever seen and my nephew can literally make you do things with just his eyes! His eyes are absolutely GORGEOUS! He was born with a faux hawk and has yet to outgrow it! So cute!

December
We are barely in December and we have almost ALL of our Christmas shopping done! YAY!!!! We have gotten the boys completely done and almost everybody else done too. It would help if people would actually give us a list to go by or something...you know who you are! lol

Other than all of that we are doing really well! Cody is doing really good in school. He has struggled yet again with bullies but it's getting better. I hate that he feels compelled to believe these kids! He is soo smart and advanced at most things I just don't understand. Cody has always been such a social kid and has never had any trouble like he's had the last couple of years. He used to be so confident (almost cocky to tell the truth) and now he has NONE. He thinks he is stupid and ugly. And after a summer break from his ADHD meds and a little weight gain he has determined he's obese. He's definitely NOT obese, but, he has gained about 20 lbs. 10 of which he needed to gain to have a normal healthy weight. I have harped on him some, not because of his weight gain, but, because he's not making healthy choices. You can have a snack, but, you don't need to eat a WHOLE tub of chip dip...you know what I mean?

Austin, oh Lord do I pray over this kid. He worries me constantly. I would bet money that he is as well ADHD, but, he sure does give me a run for my money. There couldn't be a funnier kid, but geez oh louise...he keeps me on my toes for sure. He is a sponge and picks up on anything Cody says or does. Which isn't always a good thing when your kids are spaced 6 years apart....lol.

Maybe I'll remember to post more ;)

Storms and such

We had a nasty storm this morning and then it was B-E-A-utiful out! I managed to get the whole house cleaned (other than bedrooms) and supper made. Then it was time to leave for Cody's game and we watched 1 inning. Let me tell you some background. This game was actually last week and we got 1 inning in. Then today we got another inning in, before, the whole sky turned black and they "paused" it again until next week. Stupid rain. I know, I know, I know someone out there right now is singing the rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey song. I know we need some rain, but, in all seriousness enough is enough. Remind me of my distaste of rain here in about a month or two when the well has dried up and I'm complaining because we need rain for the garden etc... lol

Cody was beaned with the ball. This was his first time in an actual game. It hit his helmet and then slammed down on his little bony shoulder. Thread marks and bruise right then and there. P.S. When this game starts AGAIN next week, we start where we left off. 4-0 so far. We're up!

He has another game tomorrow night and Wednesday night. Although, at this rate we may be playing ball into next spring. lol It makes it rough on this Momma when his games start at 7:15 (more like 7:40) at night. Um, hello Cody's bedtime is 8:30. Seriously??? He won't be in bed before 10 until possibly Thursday. By then, what's the point? lol

He has approximately 8 days left. He's getting out early Wed. for a Dr. appt. and Friday is field day so technically it doesn't count either ;).

Ever have those days when people don't even have to say anything and they tick you off? I've been having a week like that. I don't know what is up with me but, I'm telling you everyone everywhere are getting on my nerves!!! (Insert: Red Hot Chili Peppers song: "Somebody's gettin' on my nerves" here)

I'm pretty sure I'm done subbing for this school year. Too close to the end of school for aides and such to be taking off. We'll see. I would like to add a few more days to my June check ;)

Other than things have been pretty good. I'm at a point in my life where I am happy with "most" of my choices. I have come to terms with alot this past year or so. So so so happy that I married my best friend! I <3 our marriage!

Oh and P.S. I need a personal drill sergeant to motivate my hiney into losing some weight. I have the WANT to do it, but, when it comes down to it....................nothing........lol

Before you thought of Spring by Emily Dickinson

Before you thought of Spring
Except as a Surmise
You see--God bless his suddenness--
A fellow in the Skies
Of Independent Hues
A little weather worn
Inspiriting habiliments
Of Indigo and Brown--
With specimens of Song
As if for you to choose--
Discretion in the interval
With gay delays he goes
Without a single Leaf
And shouts for joy to Nobody
But his seraphic self--