Ringing In the New Year!!

The countdown to me getting intoxicated has begun....lmfao!! I made the trip to the liquor store yesterday.....bought some raspberry vodka for me, and some plain vodka for the old man. We're heading to my friend Char's tonight....I can't wait. Char is the sister to our friend Carol, who was Mike's best friend in high school. Carol, Char, their sister, Dora, and their families have all gotten to be good friends of ours, and hanging out with them is always a riot! Jake's new "squeeze" is actually Char's daughter, Erika. The kids are going with us, and they're just as excited as we are. Well, I say "we".....Mike, honestly, could give two shits if we went or not. That's just how he is. It takes ALOT to get him excited about ANYTHING.....well.....except for one thing....and that only takes as little as a light breeze....but that's a whole other story! lol

I had to work today. Kind of stupid if you ask me. I have done absolutely nothing today, and we have only had a handful of calls. I have to say that I am getting rather sick of people looking for handouts. I realize that times are tough....and that many, may people in our area are having a hard time making ends meet.....BUT.....I have never seen such irresponsibility in my life since I started working here. You wouldn't believe the number of people that call here looking for help with their heat, their fuel, their prescriptions, BATTERIES for their flashlights! My God people.....get off your asses and do SOMETHING about your situation!! I could go on about this all day....but better save it for another day, as I am sure that I'll have many more days in the very near future where I am going to be even more disgusted.....our "Care & Share" program opens tomorrow, which means that we are going to be BOMBARED with calls from people looking for help with their heating bills. Ugggggggh. Can't wait til Friday.

Well, I think the boss is letting me leave a WHOLE HOUR EARLY.....so I better get things picked up here. Hope you all have a WONDERFUL New Year full of wonderful blessings!

Rod's At It Again.......

Here I am at work early again this morning, and good ol' Rod is bugging the ever loving shit out of me again today! Do you think I'd get any leniency at my hearing for killing him if I plead INSANITY??

OK.....I'm over my "episode" from earlier!

Do you ever just have that urgency to wrap your hands around someone's throat and strangle the life out of them?? That's how I was feeling earlier....lol. But I am over that.....for now. The day is still young.

So, our Christmas was wonderful! Kind of sad to see it be over with already. It just seems like such a shame that all the preparing you do for the big day is over with in one day.

We went to my Grandma Smith's on Christmas Eve for the festivites there. I made my turkey divan and a cherry dump cake.....both which, in my opinion, were fantastic. Things there are always hectic. The family has gotten so big (both in numbers AND physical size), that every year there seems to be less and less room. Every family has that ONE asshole that you have to continuously bite your tongue around.....our family included. In our case, however, that asshole MARRIED an asshole, and produced and are raising an ASSHOLE. Lovely, huh? But, we all bit our tongues and smiled like little retards for my Grandmother's sake.

We came home from my Gram's and got Lukas ready for bed. I read "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and, of course, "The Night Before Christmas", both books bought by my parents for the kids this year. We then got right to fixing Santa's plate of milk and cookies, and a bowl of sugar for the reindeer (they have QUITE the sugar tooth!). Lukas went to bed with ease, and went fast to sleep. Jake, on the other hand.....not so much. At 14, he knows there is no Santa Claus....but he totally knows the routine at this point.....that Mom and Dad spare no expense to make their precious little gems happy on Christmas. SO.....he was full of excitement, and just couldn't get to sleep. I threatened to make him sleep in our room on the floor again this year, but he wasn't having it. Eventually, I gave up on waiting for HIM to go to sleep, and Mike and I headed off to bed. At 5 a.m., the phone rang. It was my dad. He told me to get up, that he and my mother were on there way up. Ugggggh. So, up we all get. My parents arrived at 5:30. Turns out that my dad tried waking my mother up at 4:30 to come to our house, but she informed him that I would kill him. At 5 o'clock, he woke her again, this time telling her that I had called him and told him that we were up and it was ok for them to come up! LIAR!! LOL!! He's as big of a kid as our 2!!

The kids made out like bandits, of course. Jake got a 14-gun metal safe from us, a PS 3 from my parents, clothes, basketball sneakers, games for his PS2 and his PS3, and LOTS of "Sure Fuck" (that's what Mike calls his cologne....."Sure FUCKIN' stinks!"). He of course, got more than that, but there's just too much to go item for item. Lukas' big gift was a Nintendo DS, some games for it, the case, and a bunch of TONKA trucks. In true "kid fashion:....the $40 worth of TONKA trucks were his favorite things....not the $200+ we have wrapped up in the DS that he HAD to have....lol. Turns out though......Mikey has an incredible OBSESSION with the DS and the JOHN DEERE, HARVEST IN THE HEARTLAND game that we got for it! He spent 7 hours straight playing with it on Friday, and over 3 hours on Saturday. I got a breadmachine from my Grandmother (which I have already used twice!), a mini photo kiosk (VERY cool), LOTS of "Sure Fuck" (lol), clothes & jammies. My parents bought Mike some black Carhart bibs and a jacket, I got him new sneakers, some cologne, a boot dryer, and some snowmobiling gloves.

The days following Christmas have been pretty relaxing. We've done alot of napping and alot of eating....lol. Mike goes back to work tonight for a couple of days, and then is off New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Me....I'm only off New Year's day. We're going to my friend Char's house for New Year's Eve....should be a good time. We always have a riot when we are there.

Well....time for lunch. I haven't done anything else since I have been here.....might as well eat! lol

Going to FLIP my F'ing Lid!!

So, my co-worker, JoAnn, is on vacation this week.....and our new executive director, Dan, is like I said, "NEW", so here I am....trying to run the show! We have a "volunteer".....Rod......who for a lack of better words is a FUCKING IDIOT.....and he's answering phones. Rather than use the intercom to summon me to the phone, he feels the need to come in and tell me EVERY TIME I have a call. Then, he stands there, with a BIG, STUPID look on his face, staring at me! WHAT THE FUCK!?! Aside from that, he doesn't know what the FUCK he's talking about when he answers calls, and only gets bits and pieces of vital information. He just received a call from PAPA JOHN's pizza, who I am guessing is looking for a CPR STATION rather than a CPR KIT. The idiot told them that we had them, which we do not....and now they're on their way here to get them. Uggggggggggggggggggggh. MORON! Then he stands there staring at me! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME BEFORE I POKE YOUR DAMN EYES OUT OF YOUR IDIOT SKULL!!

Sorry....just had to vent about that!!

Well, it's FINALLY here....Christmas is just a few hours away. I am proud to say that even though I didn't start our shopping 'til last Friday, I am all done, and everything is wrapped (with the exception of a couple of "Santa" gifts for the boys!). I am working today, but it doesn't really bother me. I'd rather be here than at home with the kids driving me nuts...lol!! Our boss is letting us go at noon, and I just have to run to the grocery store for a couple of things....then home to take my turkey out (I put it in before I left for work this morning). We have to go to my Grandmother Smith's tonight for our annual doings there, and I am making Turkey Divan and a Cherry Dump cake to bring! Mmmmmm! While at the store I have to pick up some "break-n-bake" cookies for Lukas and I to make for The Big Guy (Mike...lol). Mike has yet to start his shopping. He came home from work this morning to nap a bit before heading out the mall. Not sure why he does this year after year, though I have to say, he does a pretty good job and isn't usually gone very long (bastard!). I, as do most of the moms out there, get the SHAFT when it comes to the holiday preparations! We do the decorating, the shopping, the wrapping, the cooking, the Christmas cards, the clean-up, the putting away.....uggggggh.....I get tired just thinking about it. That's alright.....Mike flipped the bill.....lol....so I guess I'll shut up and put up! Well, guess it's time to start shutting things down here at work. Hope you and your families have a wonderful Christmas! I'll be sure to update you on our holiday when I return to work on Monday (Mike and I are both off until then.....THAT OUGHTTA BE FUN!).

Hell of a Morning.......

Mike got home early this morning, which was nice for a change. He was going to stop and get gas on his way home but the gas station in Burrville had no gas, so he came straight home. He came home, ate, and immediately passed out. I ended up running late for work for one reason or another and ran out of the house only to find that that PIECE OF SHIT grocery getter of mine won't start! Karma? Perhaps....because earlier I was thinking I would call into work and tell them that I was running late because my car wouldn't start. ANYWAY.....so I thought I would just take Mike's truck. As I made my way across the driveway to the truck......I slipped on the fucking ice rink we call a driveway. I slid...much like a penguin.....across the driveway on my gut! My purse spilled....I fell on my glasses....my cell phone was buried in the snow....my bottle of water ended up about 10 feet away from me....and best yet....I was soaked! No...I didn't hurt myself, but I was kind of wishing I had so that I would have an excuse not to go to work...lol. SO....I get in the truck (finally) and proceed on to work. LOW AND BEHOLD....Mike's truck is right on EMPTY. So, I think I will stop in Burrville to get gas.....that is, until I get to Burrville and remember that they have none! So I stopped in Watertown and got it, not knowing for sure if I was going to actually make it to Watertown or not, but I did. Then I get to work and pull the big ass Chevy into our tiny parking lot and there is only one parking space, and there was no way in hell I was going to fit the truck in there, so I had to circle the block and park in the f'ing road. Ugggggggggggggh. Just thought I'd bitch about my wonderful morning. Can you say CLUSTER FUCK?!? Mike's in for a surprise when he wake's up and has to go screw with the van. That'll make for a pleasant evening, I am sure!

Dear Santa.......

Dear Santa,

Dont bother coming to my house this year....I was NAUGHTY.....and I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT YOU JUDGEMENTAL BASTARD!!

OMG....Where has the time gone?!

Wow....has it been a while since my last post or what?! Let's see if I can bring you up to speed...quickly.

*Thanksgiving was nice. Went to my Grandmother Hunt's for the first time in YEARS and I think she really enjoyed that. What was even better....no mess for me to clean up at my house!

*Had our "Xmas Dinner" with the FedEx crew. We had a great time....though I didn't drink as much as I had planned thanks to our wonderfully tastey meal. That's ok.....OTHER PEOPLE WHOM SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS drank enough for both of us....lol!!

*The PTO Evening With Santa went off without any problems. Thank God that's over for another year!

*We have my Aunt & Uncles Xmas party to go to this weekend. I do plan on getting highly intoxicated this weekend....we have a d.d.!!

*Today is my little sister's 16th birthday! Happy Birthday Katie!

*Jake was chosen by the school administration to serve on a group called "Friends of Rachel". The group was formed by family member's of Rachel Scott, the first student killed in the Columbine School Shootings. He was chosen based on his personality and sense of citizenship. I am so proud of him!

*I have NO Christmas shopping done. Ok....one thing for Lukas, and that's it. Ugggggh. I don't even have my Christmas cards out! And actually, one of my 4 trees is STILL not decorated, though it's been set up for 2 weeks now!

So, that's basically what's been going on here for the last few weeks! I'll try not to fall so behind again!

Sick Of Hearing About Pies Yet??

The pie sale went well, surprisingly! Other than freezing my ASS off, that is. The truck was at the school when I arrived, and we ended up with plenty of help, so the sorting went rather quickly. It was the standing around part that drove me nuts. We had to sit there and wait for the parents to come pick up their orders. At 7 o'clock....an hour early....I told the girls to go on home. It was too damn cold for us to stand out there anymore. I went home and took a hot bath, bundled up in my jammies, slippers and housecoat (quite a visual, I know!). I had to be back at the school at 9 am. I then had to call about 20 families to "remind" them that they had to come pick their orders up by 11 am. At 11, I had only 1 order left! That's great, I think. I really anticipated having to deliver a bunch of pies, and being highly pissed off in the process! Now that the pie sale is finally over (AMEN!), we are on to the annual "Evening With Santa" fiasco. I'll post more on that as it gets closer.

The kids spent the weekend with my parents, which gave Mike and I a nice break. It was really nice just to hang out with each other! No fighting or bickering with the kids...nice and quiet....almost eerily quiet, actually! I made Mikey a nice candlelit dinner Saturday and then watched a really f'ed up movie (Premonition with Sandra Bullock). The kids came home late yesterday afternoon....and things at the Slate house were back in full swing MIGHTY quick. God, I love parenting :-)

Sacbies and Pies.....Intersting Topics, eh?

Jake and Lukas both had dental cleanings this morning, which meant I had to take them to school afterwards. I took them both to the nurse's office so I could give her their excuses. There, she proceeds to tell me that a child in Lukas' class has SCABIES. All of the kids were checked, except for Lukas because he wasn't there. She told me what to look out for (knowing I'm not a moron and can check him myself). I then walked him to his class where his teacher also informed me of the Scabies incident. She had me bring home his towel that they use for nap time so that I can wash it. I didn't even realize that Scabies still exist!

Today is the day that the PTO pies come in. When I placed the order, I made sure to inform the salesman that we absolutely, positively needed a MORNING delivery, because with only a couple of people to sort through the some 1,000 pies, it would take us most of the day, and the parents are to start arriving to pick up at 4 pm. WELL--nothing EVER goes as planned, as most of you are well aware of. The salesman called me at 6:45 this morning to tell me that the earliest they could get the order there was 2:00 pm (maybe even 2:30!). So....what do ya do? Bite the bullet I guess. Christ. I'll be damn glad when this friggin' pie sale is over. It's been so damn time consuming and frustrating. Our profit is down $1,000 from last year, so you have to ask yourself, "Is it worth it"?? I'm sure come my Monday post, I'll have lots more to bitch about....for example, parents not coming to pick up their pies, despite being reminded a zillion times.

Rachel invited us up for drinks Saturday night....and I can't wait! WOO HOO!! Something to look forward to....and after the week I have had, I can certainly use a couple!

A New Day.......

I guess I have calmed down a bit since yesterday. I still have not told Jake, but I think I may just so that it's done in an appropriate way. This will depend on my mood over the next couple of days. I think I have convinced myself that I need not worry myself over those idiots. God knows I have lost too much sleep and spent too much of my life pissed off over Tom's actions. I have a wonderful life now, and MUCH better things to do with my time than to waste it on him. In time, Jake will come to learn that he's a loser (if he hasn't already). I am finding great comfort in the fact that Gina will undoubtedly PORK right up during this pregnancy.....and I know first hand that Tommy Boy doesn't like that ;-) I also find it quite humorous that they're just starting their little family, and she's pushing 40. Tom is in for a HUGELY rude awakening-he has NEVER had to get up in the night with a crying baby, he's never had to take care of a sick child or call into work to take care of one, he's never had to find or pay for daycare, and most of all, he's never had to put anyone ahead of his own wants and needs.

Shocking News.....

If you're not up to listening to me bitch and have a pity party for myself, you'd better scroll to the top of the page and click the red "X" button now..........



So.........I was grocery shopping after work yesterday, and ran into my sperm donor's mother. She proceeded to tell me that Tom and his girlfriend, Gina, are "expecting", and that they haven't told Jake yet. They're guessing she's about 10 weeks along. I was shocked, floored....down for the count. I felt like I had been hit right in the gut. I just stood there, not knowing what to say. Luckily, that's all I did, because when it occured to me to say something, the first thing I thought of saying was "Well, I hope to hell he's a better father to this child than he is to Jake!". But I didn't. I managed to choke out the words "That's great" in a not-so-convincing voice. I still had to finish my shopping, all the while fighting back tears and rage. When I got to my car, I lost it. I'm not sure exactly what it is that I'm having a hard time grasping. First and foremost, I am furious at the fact that Tom has NO relationship with Jake, never has, and that Jake basically got the shaft where Tom is concerned. Not only that, but I'm pretty pissed at the fact that when I was pregnant for the 2nd time by that idiot, he was so determined that he didn't want anymore kids, that he beat the shit out of me, causing me to miscarry!! He and his girlfriend are two of THE most SELFISH people I have ever met, and FAR from being "parental" material. I know that people can change.....and I would say this is true in this case.....but for the worst as far as I am concerned. At least a few years ago, Tom made some kind of half-assed attempts to see Jake....but has made NO attempt the last few years. I am not planning on telling Jake....it's not MY place to. I will wait and see how long it takes them to tell him. I am furious beyond belief and hate that no-good-son-of-a-bitch even more now.

Much Better Than I Expected.....

That's how I can explain my parent/teacher conference. We discussed everything that I figured we would, and then some. She is a super teacher....I'm thrilled that he has her. Just wish we didn't have the next Charles Manson in his class (Aaron). That's a whole other story though. She is concerned with this thing he's doing with his tongue....he kind of sticks it out and bites on it while he's concentrating. I tried to convince her that it's a hereditary trait, and that Mike does it all of the time (LOL), but she went on to explain that the occupational therapist at the school said that it has something to do with him missing some kind of a reflex. She said it's nothing major, but something that they want to keep an eye on. Honestly, I've been this route before with Jake, and I'm no stranger to the bullshit that they try to convince you of. I swear, there's always someone, somewhere, looking to pick your kid apart. I'd be the first one to say "Yes, let's get him the help he needs" if there was truly something wrong, don't get me wrong. But sometimes I think it's a bit much. I guess I shouldn't be so negative about it....guess I should be thankful that other people are looking out for the well-being of my child.....but at the same time....I think too many people have too much of a say and too much information about MY child....ya know?? If I'd have listened to Jake's pre-school teacher's back then, they'd have had him drugged out of his gourd on Ridaline after "assuming" he had ADHD. Whatever. You parents with younger children....just go with you gut and don't let people push you and your children around. Alright....I'm done bitching for now I guess. LOL.

He's still alive.......

Mike made it through his surgery with virtually no pain or problems! It was a much better weekend than I had anticipated. He swears he never had any pain, just slight discomfort in his belly. He only used the frozen corn two or three times (I decided on corn as I despise peas!)....lol. He had to work the night before his surgery, so had not slept at all when we got to his appointment. That, combined with the valium they had him take, led to him sleeping through the entire procedure. We got home around 3:15, and he slept from 3:30 until 8 am the next morning....thanks in part to the Tylenol w/ codeine he took before bed and at 8:30 pm. That's all he took of that though (hahaha....more for me!). He has behaved pretty well as far as not doing anything too exerting. He did load the woodstove, but swore that the pieces of wood were only about 2 pounds....LIAR! I helped stack those friggers, and I know for a fact that they're more than that! He goes back to work tonight, and I just hope to hell he remembers to take it easy.

I have Lukas' first parent/teacher conference today at 2:40. Should be interesting to say the least...lol. I absolutely LOVE his teacher (Jake had her when he was in 2nd grade!) and she is definately what he needed for a teacher. She'll hold no punches, and I like that. I am sure she'll tell me all about his booger picking (she has a thing about that!), and how he likes to immitate Jeff Dunham...and how she's asked him to stop singing that "Cheater, Cheater" song....and God knows what else. He brought home his report card on Friday, and it seemed to be very good, so I'm sure that the majority of our meeting will be about his behavior :)

"V" Day

Today is the day.....Mike's big "V". He doesn't seem too nervous about it. I know that it's not a major procedure....but a procedure all the same. My guts have been knotted up all morning. Though we're both positive this is what we want, it's just SUCH a MAJOR decision....and I don't make major decisions well. I won't be posting again until Monday, but I'm sure I will have LOTS to talk about then :-)

"T & A"

Mike informed me yesterday that we needed to watch "Desperate Housewives" last night. Upon questioning him further, it came out that he wanted to watch it because Terri Hatcher (whom he's had a crush on for YEARS) would be showing "T & A" (tits and ass). SO...we sat through an hour of that crap, only to have her strip down to a camisole 5 minutes before the show was over. What a queer bait. I told him I was going to be sure to post this on my blog so that everyone knows and can pick on him!

The weekend was an uneventful one. I sooo love these gloomy, cold days and nights. Mike enclosed the back porch with some plexi-glass, plastic crap.....it actually looks ok and I think it will serve the purpose....but to me, it reminds me of the whole "cardboard blinds" ordeal in our bedroom. Be sure to ask Mike about that sometime! We had a b-day party to go to Saturday night for Mike's nephew, and Sunday I spent the day cleaning. Jake decided he was going to get lippy, so he ended up doing more than his fair share of house work. I found tedious shit for him to do.....like dusting the walls, dusting the legs on the coffee tables, and dusting the dining room chairs. Just call my "Mommy Dearest"!!

Friday I had to go have an ingrown toenail removed. Yeah.....uggggh. That bitch was SOOOOO sore for TWO weeks, that when Friday came, they could have removed the whole damn toe for all I cared! The worst part was when they stuck me with the needles to numb the toe. It's healing nicely now.

Mike has his big "surgery" on Friday. The big "V" (vasectomy). Poor fucker. LOL. I have to go pick up his prescription for VALIUM today...lol. Seriously. They want him to take a Valium before we leave for the dr's office. I can't wait for this part of the whole deal. Mike doesn't handle alcohol well.....so I can't wait to see him stoned out of his gourd on Valium!! Should make for an interesting drive to Watertown, that's for sure! I have to go shopping after work today, and have to make sure I pick up a couple of bags of frozen peas...lmfao. Hey....I've had TWO c-sections...it's time HE manned up! We started this whole process right after Lukas was born....but we both chickened out. We weren't sure at the time if more babies were in our future. Now....we're positive! The two that we have....as much as we love them....are sucking the life out of us....lol!! Lukas is a pisser....and Jake, well, he's a teenager now...enough said. I just hope that in a couple of years I don't get that longing for another. I keep telling myself that if that happens, I'll be too old by then to be having another.....I don't want to be raising kids into my 60's for God's sake!

I learned this morning that my mother has been in the hospital for 2 days now. I won't get into the whole story, but it pisses me off to no end that my brother and I are still treated like we are kids! We're 33 and 28 now, damn it! My parents tell me it's "nothing" and that they didn't tell us because they didn't want us to freak. Well....when they don't tell you for 2 days, and then you find out by accident....you DO tend to freak...even if it really IS nothing. Thing is....this isn't the first time they've done this....or the 2nd....or even the 3rd. They have a terrible habit of keeping Matt and I out of the loop. I promise I will never do this to my kids.

My Crazy Couple of Days

I had to go to school Tuesday night to tally the Pie Orders for our PTO Pie Sale. I decided to have everyone meet an hour earlier than we had planned. Good idea. At 9 o'clock, we were just finishing up counting the orders, and still had alot more work to do with them. I scooped everything up, threw it in my bag, took it home and worked on it until 12:30 am. We did much better than I thought we were going to.....we sold almost 1,000 pies (900 and 70 something)....and made a profit of over $ 2,000. Our PTO is officially broke since ordering the new piece of playground equipment, so this extra money will certainly help. I counted over $10,000 in money.....most of it in 1's and checks.....not fun.

I was up to see the election results, so that was a plus. I am thrilled beyond belief that Obama won.....I don't care what anyone says. It's time for some serious changes in the White House, and it'll seem nice to A.) have a Democrat in there, and B.) have some YOUTH in there!

So I went to bed at 12:30, but didn't actually go to sleep then.....I had to take a bath first to relax...THEN to bed. So, it was after 1 when I finally fell asleep. I was up at 5:30 to get ready to go to Syracuse for a Client Casework Class for work. I dropped the kids off at Rachel and Jeff's at 7 so they could get on the bus there, and I headed off to Syracuse. My class started at 9...and it was without a doubt THE most BORING ass day of my life! But, I stuck it out and I am now officially a Disaster Caseworker for the American Red Cross. I am now able to assist victims of disasters (like a fire) with things like finding them shelter at a hotel, providing monetary assistance for things like food, clothing, and replacing prescriptions, etc. As I said before, I hope to take JoAnn's place here at the ARC next year when she retires (she is our Director of Programs and Services)....and I intend to take any and all classes/courses that will help me be able to do that! I didn't get home last night until 6:30. I brought subs home for dinner. Lukas goes to bed at 7:30, so that left little time for us to spend together, so I crawled into bed with him and read to him. Then I had to do laundry, pick up the house (again), and fart around with the PTO pie order.....again. Then to bet at 9:30.

I worked 2 extra hours at work today, and now I am heading to my brother Matt's new house to put up wallpaper border for him.

I am REALLY looking forward to tomorrow night when I have NOTHING to do! Silly me though....I almost put my foot in my mouth and almost offered to go to Potsdam tomorrow night to help our ARC there with a Bowl-a-Thon.....but I didn't.....Thank God. I think the kid's and I will have a movie and pizza night tomorrow....perhaps a little slumber party in the family room.....they love that!

Jake's First Deer!

Jake "bagged" his first deer last night! A doe. I have been worrying for some time now about how this would go. Jake may not seem it, but he really is a sensitive kid, and I worried that his first "kill" would be a really bad experience.....but he seemed to handle himself well. He was with my dad, Shawn, down in Sackets at Shawn's cousin's house. He called me right after, and he sounded really shook up, but he later told me that his adrenaline was pumping! Right now, it's hanging in Mike's brother's barn. I am going to call the butcher later today and make arrangements to take it there. I told him and Mike both that they may as well have it made into croghan bologna and beef sticks becuase there is no way in hell that I am having my freezer full of that shit! I hate venison, and I refuse to cook with it. I will make the obligatory venison stew ONCE....and perhaps some steaks....but that will be it. Besides, I don't think there will be much meat.....if the deer weighs more than 90 pounds I will be surprised...lol.

Halloween went well. We went to Copenhagen and trick-or-treated with my cousin Heidi and her family, and Rachel brought her kids, and I brought my kids and my neice and nephew. It was "fun" I guess.....as fun as it gets anymore....lol. It seems that I got a little "treat" of my own that night....looks like someone hit my windshield with a BB. It's a small hole for now, but I am sure that it will be spidering out soon. Lukas ended up being a cop. His "best friend", Garrett Tufo, was also a cop, and they had identical outfits! Is it just me, or does Lukas bare a STRONG resemblense to one of the "Village People"?? LOL! Sorry bud....Mommy thinks you're cute as a button!

So, I still love my job. It's been almost 2 months now. Our executive director is going to be leaving us.....his last day is November 7th. He's re-enlisted in the ARMY....he's a retired "Major" who has been retired for like 13+ years! He will be going to Afghanistan at the end of November for one year. He is also my BFF, Beth, father-in-law. I'm sad to see him go, as I think he's an excellent boss, and very flexible and understanding (though I haven't had any major incidents thus far!). You never know what you're going to get for a new boss. I've been told that the hiring process could take months, which hopefully means that I'll be a little more busy here at work with just JoAnn and I in the office. Things have been VERY slow here, and I find myself sitting at my desk with absolutely NOTHING to do! To some, this would sound like a great deal....but I find it to be very boring! I am scheduled to take a Client Casework class in Syracuse next week. That should be interesting. I am up for learning anything new that will help me as I build my "career". I do see myself making a career at the Red Cross. JoAnn will be retiring in a year and a half (she's been here 22 years!)....and I'm not sure what the pre-requiste's are....but I'd be interested in taking her position as Director of Programs and Services.

I'm finding that routine is everything now that I have a job....even if I do only work 4 hours a day. You'd be surprised with what a difference NOT having those 4 hours makes! I get up with the kids at 6:30, and I'm on a dead run 'till 7:30 pm when I get Lukas in bed for the night. Before I leave for work, I make the beds, clean the kitchen, throw in laundry, pick up the house, and usually throw dinner in the crockpot. When I get home, it's more laundry, homework, finishing up cooking dinner, cleaning UP after dinner, then getting Lukas ready for bed (which is a major act in itself!). I am exhausted by nightfall, and I'm usually in bed by 9:30. Oddly enough though, I do enjoy it. I do, however, miss my naps! LOL! I have also found that I honestly believe that my bout of "depression" was caused by the fact that I wasn't working....as much as I enjoyed being home. I find myself now to be very upbeat....without my medication. I rarely have headaches anymore, and my body aches and pains are few and far between. Big improvement from just a few months ago. And the best part....I have some money coming in! Mike and I have not had even one fight over money or bills since I started working!

Tomorrow is Lukas' Halloween party and parade at school. The parade is at 1:30, but they are starting to get the kids ready around 12:30. I have been fortunate enough to find a job and boss that are allowing me to leave work early to attend. I always had the luxury of being there for EVERY SINGLE one of Jake's parties (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's, etc.).....every single one. I have been concerned for sometime now that when the time came for me to go back to work, if I'd be lucky enough to have that luxury again. I am....and I am so thankful. Tonight we have to make cookies for him to take in for his party. I chintzed out though...and I bought those chocolate chip break and bake cookies by NESTLE. LOL. HEY.....I'M A WORKING MOM NOW!

Lukas is going to be a "police officer", I think. Either that or he'll wear the wicked cute "cowboy" costume that I bought him for his birthday party. I wish he'd wear that. Jake won't be dressing up this year :( He does have an orange t-shirt that I bought him that says "THIS IS my costume!"...I'm sure he'll wear that tomorrow. I think I am going to take the kids to Copenhagen trick-or-treating this year....which will be a first. We've always gone to Watertown, with the exception of last year when I took them to Tylerville. Jake has a Halloween party to go to at 9 pm tomorrow night. Odd time, don't you think? It's 'till midnight! It's at my friend Char's house (her daughter is Jake's "girlfriend"), so I supposed I'll let it slide. Not quite sure how I am going to keep Lukas up 'till then.....I'll have to take him with me to go get him seeing as though Mike will be working.

Well, enough rambling I guess. Here is a pic of my office at work:

The Big "Nor'Easter"

So....we got the snow that I talked about yesterday....a SHITLOAD of it! We woke up to about 2 foot of snow at our house. Luckily we didn't lose power, but getting out of the house proved to be tricky. The drifts outside the back door were probably 4 1/2 feet deep. My poor Terra had to do her business on the porch this morning! You all know how I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the winter months....but this is a bit ridiculous! It's only October for God's sake! There was no way I was getting to work on time today....I had to wait for Mike to get home and plow out the driveway with the big tractor. Besides, the town didn't come up through with the plow until well after 9. I did end up getting to work around 10:30, but it was a hairy ride in. The roads were slippery as hell. But I made it, and I guess that's what counts! Gotta love life in the North Country.....I know I do!

Here are some pics. The first one is a picture of our house as the snow was first starting to fall. The second pic was taken from my back door, looking down the stairs at the drift that surrounded my car this morning!

Our 7th Anniversary

Yesterday was our 7th Anniversary, as well as Mike's 37th birthday. Seems so hard to believe that it's only been 7 years, when in reality, it seems like an eternity (not in a bad way!). I looked through our wedding photos yesterday. It's always a bittersweet experience. So many people that were at our wedding have since passed away.....my Grandfather Hunt, Mike's dad, and my good friend Heather, just to name a few. The kids have all gotten so big....Jake, my little brother and sister, my nephew Ryan, Heather's daughter Genny, and Beth's daughter Marisa....they were all sooooo little back then! We've seen alot of good times since then, sprinkled with a few bad. But all in all, I think it's safe to say that we're both just as happy, if not happier, now, then we were then.

We celebrated Saturday night by going out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse....our favorite! This was a big deal for me because we NEVER go out! Mike's mom made dinner for us on Sunday night. Last night I picked up some pizza and made a salad. I also got an ice cream cake. Mike had to rush through the whole thing because the idiots from the woodstove place were there AGAIN trying to get the damn thing working right, and they didn't leave til well after 6 o'clock. I bought Mike some RED WING work boots for his birthday. He was thrilled, to say the least. He sent me flowers at work. They are my favorite: carnations....and in my favorite fall colors! Here is a picture:

This weekend is going to be another busy one for us. At least Friday and Saturday are! Friday, of course, is Halloween. My boss is letting me get out of work early on Friday so I can go to Lukas' parade and party at school. Then we have to go trick-or-treating. Then....at 9 pm on Friday, Jake has a Halloween party to go to at his "girlfriends" house 'til midnight of all times! Not quite sure how I am going to swing that....I'll either have to keep Lukas up 'til then, or have Jake try to find a ride home with a friend. Then on Saturday, we have 2 parties to go to....one is a surprise 40th b-day party for our friend Rusty....and then Rachel is having a "hide and seek tournament" which is basically going to be a big drunk fest...lol.

We're supposed to get SNOW today!! WOO HOO!! I love winter, love the snow....and I can't wait!

Nothing Ever Goes The Way It Should....

Today is the day that we are FINALLY getting the damn outdoor wood furnace installed. Mike has been antsy all month waiting for today....lol. We both knew this morning, before they even showed up with the stove, that things would not run smoothly....simply because that's our luck. Plain and simple. Sure enough. I get a call at work from a very unhappy Mike, telling me that because we have a central air unit, they need to install antifreeze in the heating lines so that the a/c lines don't freeze the heater lines this summer (or something to that effect). To summarize: it's going to cost us ANOTHER $700! Woo-fucking-hoo! Was I shocked? Nope. Not one bit, because as I said, THIS, my friends, is our luck.

My New Vehicle (I wish!)

Just thought I'd post this picture! It's a picture of the SUV I have decided that I want! It's called a CHRYSLER ASPEN....and I think I am in love ;-) I would want it in Black, of course. Hey....a girl can dream, can't she?!?

Autumn Adventure Weekend

Again...we couldn't have asked for a better weekend! The weather was gorgeous.....a tad cold....but at least it didn't rain!! In all, there were 5 campers and a total of 19 people. We didn't even place in our costume category...we went as OLD FORGE CAMPING RESORT STAFF...all of us having matching sweathshirts, rakes, garbage bags, etc. I even rented a bear costume which Jake was going to wear. When I went to take it out of the bag, there was no head! Needless to say, I was LIVID. I called Party Rentals immediately. They appologized up and down and told me that they'd reimburse my money. DAMN STRAIGHT they will!! I am proud to say that my precious girl, Terra, placed 3rd in the Dog Costume Category!! She was a skunk. Here is a picture of her in her costume, and one of her certificate and prize they gave her (a bone!):

I think the kids had a great time...though they were both exhausted beyond belief. I have been sick since arriving in Old Forge on Friday. Lost my voice, coughing, congested, etc. I'm still sick, but at work today. Hope that I am on the tail-end of this cold.

The Slate's 2nd Annual Camper Jam!

The weather was super for our 2nd Annual Camper Jam! We couldn't have asked for it to be any nicer, that's for sure. We had 5 campers (inluding us), and a total of 21 people, with a few more popping in and out over the weekend. We did the "garbage can turkey" thing again, but with not as much luck as last year. LONG story made short, it came time to eat, and not even one of the 3 turkeys that we had were done. None. 60 pounds of turkey in all, and not even a bite of it was ready to eat. We ran out of charcoal for the cans, so couldn't finish cooking them that way....so on the grills they went. Wen ate at about 9:15....which was so late that people ate, then pooped out. Moral of the story for next year....smaller turkeys, or PIZZA both nights!! I worked my ass off all weekend....way too much time in the kitchen with that much company.

We're off to OLD FORGE CAMPING RESORT this weekend for their AUTUMN ADVENTURE WEEKEND. Again, there'll be 5 campers and the same amount of people.....our camping "posse" you could say. I am really looking forward to this! I love it in Old Forge, especially at this time of year. This will also be our last camping excursion until Spring, which saddens me a bit. It saddens me even more that we have to make payments on the camper all winter, and not be able to use it....lol!!

I am working late today. I came in early too. I am working 8:30 to 4 today to help out as we are short staffed this week. My boss did give me Friday off, which is awesome, and come to find out, I get paid for not working on Monday (Columbus Day)! I have also been asked to take a class in Syracuse next weekend which will help me to assist when a person or family is misplaced after a disaster such as a fire (I get paid for this too, as well as mileage!).

Well, suppose I had better wrap this up and get my desk cleaned off. Can't wait to see what kind of mess the kids have for me when I get home.....Jake and Lukas are off today, and have been home by themselves all day (well, Mike is in bed sleeping). Ugggggh.

WOW...have I been BUSY!!

OK....so it's been well over a month since I have had time to update this blog. Actually, it's not that I don't have the TIME....it's that I can't stomach the friggin' dial-up at my house now that I have high-speed at work! So, here I am at work, and I am the only one in the office for the entire day, so I figured I would update this damn thing and get you people off my back...lol!!



So I love my job! Yup....I said it! It feels good to be back in the swing of things, and it feels good to have a routine again. Yes, I do miss my naps like hell....but if I come home right after work, I still have time to get one in ;-) There are only 3 of us in our office, my boss, myself and another lady...so that's nice. No cattiness or bitching. I have my own office too! A real office, not like my office at Standard that was on the main fairway to the shitter. There are days that I find it hard to get everything done that needs to be doneat home, but somehow, I do it! I am exhausted at night, and find that I am in bed most nights by 9 or 9:30. I have a new respect for working moms. I only work part-time and have a hard time juggling everything....how do moms that work full-time do it?? Routine is everything, so I try to stick to one as much as possible. I get up in the morning and hit the floor running.....laundry, making beds, making lunches, giving Lukas his bath, getting him dressed, ironing, picking up the house. I like to have things done before I go to work so that when I get home, I can just relax....which doesn't happen too often, unfortunately, because when I get home, there's homework, more laundry, dinner to make, and Lukas to get in bed.



On top of everything else, I was recently elected as PTO President! And if THAT weren't enough, I also got to keep my position as PTO Secretary. Not because I wanted to....but because with only 4 members and 5 officer positions....someone had to take 2 positions. I also recently joined the Tylerville Volunteer Fire Dept. Ladies Auxilliary. That doesn't require too much of a committment though, thank God. The PTO thing will prove to be challenging. You would think that in a tight knit community like Copenhagen, people would love to volunteer their time to help out organizations like the PTO. Not the case. Even our Booster Club is struggling with membership. People either don't have the time, or their just too wrapped up in their own lives. We have a major fundraiser coming up....our SYSCO pie sale....and I'm trying to get that going quickly as we got a very late start. Would like to have them here in time for Thanksgiving....that's the whole point of having the sale now. Uggggggggh.



This weekend is our annual "Camper Jam" at our house. We are expecting a few more people than last year. I am really looking forward to having some toddies, let me tell you what!! Tomorrow we cook our "garbage can turkeys"....yummmmmm!! The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, so that's just wonderful!!



Hunting season is in full-tilt at my house. Jake is legal to hunt big-game this year! He and Grandpa Shawn are all about hunting anymore. The sun rises and sets around hunting and preparing to hunt. Lukas' nose was a little bent out of shape because Jake and Papa had camoflage clothes and stuff....so Mommy had to go buy him some too! He LOVES them! Of course, Lukas loves any kind of "dress-up".

Well, suppose I had better get some work done. I am bored out of my skull...but I'm getting paid, so that's great! I'll try to post more regularly.

Finally.....Some Peace and Quiet

Lukas hasn't had a good time of getting up for school the past 2 mornings, even though he's had 10 1/2 hours of sleep (in bed at 8 and up at 6:30). So, I put him in bed at 7:30 tonight and he fell fast asleep. Jake was in bed at 8:30 do to a VERY sassy mouth this morning.....obviously he's not getting enough sleep either! So, here it is, 8:56 p.m......and the house is so peaceful! It feels wonderful. Summer is so hectic, and the kids are up till all hours of the night (my fault, I know), and it's just mass chaos around here. I love being back into a routine, and better yet, having some time to myself at night. It's good for the kids to be back on a schedule too. It's only been a couple of days, and I'm hoping that by next week, our mornings won't be so miserable.

Back to School!! Woo Hoo!!

Our morning started out early. It's going to take some time to get used to that again! We were up at 6:30. I'd like to get Lukas to eat breakfast first, then his bath, then get dressed and have his teeth brushed....then of course, a little t.v. We're not big breakfast eaters, so this morning was not fun trying to get him to eat a bowl of cereal. Bath's usually go smoothly, and I've always given them to him in the morning for the simple fact that he still wets the bed from time to time, so it's just more hygenic to give him a bath in the morning rather than at night. Here are a couple of pics of the boys right before the bus came:

Neither one of them had any earthshattering news when they came home. Lots of papers to sign...more supplies to buy. Lukas seemed very tired and glad to be home. He fell right off to sleep easily tonight.

I got a call from the Red Cross today.....I am hired!! I start Monday!! I am so excited!! I was chosen out of 65 applicants. Pretty impressive, huh? It's going to feel wierd going back to work, but I am so looking forward to it. I didn't think I'd ever be excited to be going back to work, but seeing as though the hours are perfect and the pay is decent....I'm elated! It would be different if I were going to work an 8 to 5 job, or worse yet, a part-time job that required me to work weekends at minimum wage. I wouldn't be too thrilled about either. But this job will still allow me to be home with the kids before and after school, and still be able to attend functions at school.

On Saturday we went to put a downpayment on our outdoor woodstove. Yee-Ha. It's supposed to be here in October sometime. Mike spent Sunday digging a trench under the back porch. The trench is for the pipe that will lead from the stove to the house. We got our first load of wood today. Yes, there's another load coming. Uggggggh. Let's just say.....there's already a shitload of wood out there. So....guess what we'll be doing this weekend??? I took a picture of the truck backing up the driveway so that I could show Lukas when he got home from school, knowing full-well that he would be pissed that he missed the dump truck!

Well, 6:30 comes early....so I'm heading to bed! Slate....out!!

My Job Interview!

I was browsing Craigslist yesterday and came across a job announcement for an Administrative Assistant with the American Red Cross here in Watertown. Everything about it seemed to be just what I'm looking for now that both kids will be in school all day, every day. I applied online, then sat by the phone all day waiting for a phone call. The name of the person that the email went to was "B. Otis". That name drove me crazy all day. It sounded so familiar. Then it clicked. I called my BFF, Beth, and asked her where here father-in-law worked. She told me "the American Red Cross"!! Excellent!! I thought so!! So, she called her father-in-law, Bill, and put a bug in his ear for me. Not long after that, I received a call from him asking me to come in today for an interview. My interview was at 1. I tried not to get too nervous so that I wouldn't get all sweaty and go in there looking like a sweaty pig....lol.....so I took my time getting ready today, and looked pretty professional, I must say. My hair even looked great! The interview went great, I thought, but I was the first of 10 interviews :( He won't have a decision until Tuesday when he's interviewed everyone. On a promising note, everything that they're looking for, I've done. The hours are PERFECT for me! M-F, 9:30 to 2, and $10.50 an hour!! Woo Hoo!! I really, really, really, REALLY hope I get this! I need a job of some sort so that I can have some MONEY!! I'm sick of being broke (as is Mike!). This job would allow me to be home when the kids get on and off the bus. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!

Kindergarten Orientation

We had to be at the school at 3:30 for Kindergarten Registration. Like I said in my earlier post, I almost forgot about it (Thanks Jess!). Lukas was excited that he would be seeing his friends from Pre-K. I was excited to be seeing some of their moms! We met in the music room and the 2 Kindgergarten teachers, Mrs. Scholler and Mrs. Graves, both spoke first. Then they took the children to their classrooms while the rest of the administration spoke to us. With the exception of about 4 of us, most of the parents are "newbies"....this is their first time going through this. Most of them were emotional....lol. Me....not so much. I can not wait 'til he goes! Yes, it makes me sad to some extent that he's growing so quickly, but he needs and wants this, so there'll be no tears from me! I remember when Jake started Kindergarten. He was so THRILLED to be getting away from me, lol! That first morning I dropped him off at school, I started getting teary eyed as he walked away from me. He turned around and said "MOM!! JUST GO!! GOD!!" Anyway. Kind of got off track there for a minute. So, Lukas went with his teacher, Mrs. Graves, to what will be his new classroom. When I went to pick him up about a half an hour later, he was fully involved with some way cool tractors! His best buddy, Ethen, is in his class again this year, as are his friends Garrett Tufo & Cody Powis. Unfortunately, so is the spawn of Satan....Aaron Eves. This kid is without a doubt the BIGGEST asshole kid you will ever want to meet (then wish you never had!). Honest. It's an awful thing to say about a kid, but it's the truth. He's the WORST kid I've ever seen in my life. I'm sure this will be an interesting year, as was Pre-K, with Aaron in the classroom. He's a total distraction and the kids can not stand him. Mrs. Graves is an excellent teacher, and had his sister in her class last year, so hopefully she has an idea of how to handle this kid. She's an excellent teacher, and I requested in writing that she be Lukas' teacher this year. Well, here are some pictures of Lukas at orientation. Again, these were taken with my cell and are a little fuzzy. That's Lukas in the orange (in case you didn't know!).

Running My Ass Off

Our weekend at Westcott's was wonderful. Mike and I had yet another great weekend together. The weather was great, with the exception of Sunday night when it downpoured most of the evening. Jake didn't end up joining us. My parents picked him up at the Nadelen's and took him to the cottage with them (My Dad has it for 2 weeks). We had a really good time camping with Beth and her sister, Terrilynn, and their families.....we always do! Terrilynn had a little accident on Saturday. While turning her camper table back into a table from a bed, she dropped the table on her finger and broke it. Beth took her to short wait where they took an X-ray and concluded that yes, indeed, it was broken. They then gave her 3 shots of novacaine and proceeded to manipulate it back into place. She has a splint and has to wear it for 8 weeks. They doped her up with Vicodin (Lucky Girl!!), and the weekend continued! Here's a picture of her finger (before and after!).

While we were packing up to go home on Monday, my Grandmother called my cell. She wanted to know what time we were going to be leaving Westcott's. I told her that we had to be out of there by 11. She wanted to know if I could pick her up from work in Watertown and take her to the cottage. Irritated, I said yes....but explained that I would have to a.) get the camper home, b.) unload it, c.) do a load of laundry, and d.) take a bath. This didn't seem to bother her at all. So, I did just what I said.....rushing my ass off the entire time. I figured as long as I had to take her to the cottage, that I would go spend a couple of days with my parents at THEIR cottage like they wanted me to. I couldn't see the sense in driving all the way down there, then home, just to go back down in a couple of days. So, I spent 2 nights with my parents. The kids had a good time, and so did I, actually. My mom and I took the canoe out for a ride yesterday.....it's been about 10 years since I have been canoeing! Then, my ever graceful mom took a major digger on the flat rocks out front. I think she may have broke her foot, but of course she wouldn't go get it checked out. Nurses are the worst! She says that she's going to have it looked at at work tonight. We'll see. I had planned on staying another night, but received a text message from a friend of mine who's little boy and Lukas are friends. She reminded me that there was a Kindergarten Orientation today at 3:30. Ugggggh. So....I had to pack up and head home. And here I am....home at last!! And I can not wait to sleep in my own bed tonight!

Finally..........

My baby brother, Richie, finally graduated from High School tonight. He was supposed to graduate in May with the rest of his class, but failed a couple of classes and had to retake them in summer school. Mike and I went to my Dad and Judy's for dinner (pizza from Fairgrounds....oh so good!) and then went to the ceremony. 29 kids in all. It went pretty fast....about 25 minutes. It really is amazing how time flies. I was sitting at my Dad's tonight looking at a picture of Rich taken just minutes after he was born.....and it really doesn't seem like that long ago. In just 5 short years we'll be seeing jake graduate from high school (hopefully....lol!). Richie won't be going on to college. If you couldn't tell from him graduating in AUGUST....he's not much of a student. He did get hired with Purcell Construction here in Watertown. He had done an internship through BOCES with them. They liked him so well that they promised him a job after graduation. He started just a couple of weeks ago. Seems like he's making pretty good money too.

My damn camera died just as Richie was walking into the auditorium in his cap and gown! It never, EVER fails. I swear that these damn cameras have a mind of their own, and are capable of telling when it is truly a "Kodak Moment"....and they shut right down for you! Like the time that I took Jake to Shea Stadium to see a Mets game for his 12th b-day, and my f'ing camera died as soon as we walked through the gate! Same deal tonight. I did get 1 picture but it was so fuzzy that you can't tell that it's him....so no need to post it.

Tomorrow we leave for another camping trip to Westcott's Beach with my BFF, Beth, Beth's kids, Beth's sister Terrilynn, and Terrilynn's hubby. Terrilynn has a brand new camper, so all of them will be staying in that. Should be a good time.....it usually is.

Jake won't be going with us this weekend. He's with his Grandma and Grandpa Nadelen through Sunday, then he'll be joining us for one night. The Nadelen's are having their family reunion at their house, and of course Jake wanted to be there. I kind of wish I could go....lol. Tom may have been a MAJOR asshole, but I loved his family (still do!). I would never dream of telling Jake he couldn't go. I think that it's important that he know and see that side of his family, especially the family that comes from far away. But what pisses me off, and I KNOW this is going to happen, is this.......Tom's family will rave about what a good kid Jake is (I hear it all of the time....he's a pisser at home, but is a great kid around others....whatever!).....and Tom will take credit for it. Asshole. The moron hasn't called that kid in YEARS....no lie. The only time that he sees him anymore is on Christmas, and that is because his parents make arrangements to take Jake. The last 2 times Jake spent the weekend with the Nadelen's, the idiot never even bothered to go up and see him. He comes to no games. Gives nothing more than his court ordered child support. Does NOTHING for that child.....and yet he'll take credit for raising a good kid. Bitter?? Yeah....I still am....after 10 years.

Well, Lukas is FREAKING out about going to bed so I better go help Mike wrangle him. Slate...out.

Ok......So We're WHACKED!!

Yesterday was our beloved Terra's 2nd Birthday!! Mike had to stop and get cat litter and cat food for the Skank (Maggie), and without me telling him to.....he picked Terra up some treats and a toy for her special day. I tore the treats open just enough so she could smell them, put them in a gift bag and gave them to her as we sang "Happy Birthday to My Pooch" (a more upbeat version of the original....lol). I had to go to Walmart after that, and while I was there I picked her up MORE treats and 2 more toys as well as a little "doggie cake" (a can of Caesar dog food). After dinner last night, I took the "cake", put it on a pretty paper plate with 2 candles in it. I also put the stuff that I got her in a gift bag. We sang "Happy Birthday", took pictures, and gave her the gift bag. All in all, I think she had a pretty good birthday! I sent the pictures to a bunch of people with my cell phone, all who wrote back and told me how WHACKED I am....lol. But, ya know, I just can't explain the love that we all feel for this dog. As corny as it sounds, I really believe that she was put on this earth for us to love. 5 1/2 years ago, our wonderful dog Molly was killed by the school bus. I felt like my heart had been torn out and stomped on. It was awful. Then we got Macy....and you all know how that worked out....Uggggggh. Molly was a part of our family and I really didn't think that we'd ever have another dog that could ever compare to her. Then we got Terra. She is in every way wonderful. And I am not the only one this crazy over her....Mike and the kids are equally smitten with her (Mike especially....lol). Ok. Enough sentimental crap....I'm starting to tear up here....lol. JOKING.....JOKING!!

Here are some pics from her party! They were taken with my cell, so they're a tad fuzzy.

MY HEART BELONGS TO A JACK RUSSELL TERRIER

A little Jack Russell Terrier

Fills my life

With laughter, love and play.

When we first met

I knew at once

My heart was won away.

Fiesty and intelligent

Delightful to behold

A sweet and loving spirit

With a heart of purest gold.

Our Wonderful Weekend

Our weekend at Happy Hollow was by far the best weekend that we've had camping this year. The weather was perfect too, so that helps alot. We thought a couple of times that we were going to get rained on, but it passed us by every time. When we left here Friday around noon it was a TORRENTIAL downpour! I honestly haven't seen it rain that hard here in a LONG time (the news that night said that we got 3 inches of rain in an hour!). We were a few campsites away from my friends, but that proved to be ok.....they're early risers and have a tendency to have wild food fights at breakfast :) The kids seemed to have a good time too....especially Jake. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Jake has himself a new girlfriend as a result of our camping weekend ;) I just wish that the people that own the campground weren't so damn bitchy....the old lady in particular. It just makes you so uneasy whwen you've got to go into the store for something. Ugggggh. What makes the weekend even better was that there was no arguing between Michael and I. We had a great time together. Things have been alot better between he and I since he got that f'ing truck of his fixed. Now we're on to bigger and better things to argue about.......

Which leads me to my next story. Mike has his mind set on buying an outdoor woodstove. His theory is a good one: it's going to save us a ton in heating bills. This is true. But not 'till the damn thing is paid off!! I figure that after about 4-5 years it will have paid for itself in what we'll save on our heating bills......but until then....we'll still be in debt from the damn thing! But....there's no changing his mind once he has it set on something. So that's going to be our next big project here, and the next big strain in our relationship. My yard is going to be dug up.....again. Mike has to dig a trench for the piping for the stove, and he also has to dig under the back porch. Now, for those of you who don't TRULY know Mike, you must know that he can not do ANYTHING without bitching......NOTHING. I love him to death, and he's a good provider and husband......but his is a HUGE BITCH.....lol. More stories will follow, trust me.

Tomorrow is Terra's 2nd birthday. My beautfiul baby girl. I have to run to town tomorrow to pick her up a little something....lol. I'll be sure to post some pics tomorrow.

TTFN!!

My Chaperone Gig

Yesterday was the kid's trip to Enchanted Forest/Water Safari with the Rec program, and I went along as a chaperone. I thought that it would be a nice little day trip with the kids.....and better yet....it was free for me to go! Well, I had 4 little boys in my group....no big deal, I thought. Better than 4 little girls, for sure! 3 of the 4 were pretty good. The one....Gunner...yes....Gunner....was a little pain in the fucking ass!! I get the impression that he's been there before, and that his parents just let him do whatever the hell he wants, and let him go wherever the hell he wants. That wasn't flying with me. I must have told the kid a hundred times or more that he could NOT go on the "big" rides without an adult, and that I couldn't go with him because there were 3 other kids with us! Uggggh. Plus, it rained like a bastard for about 2 hours....45 minutes before we ate lunch....and 45 minutes after we ate lunch. All in all, it was a pretty fun day (for the kids!). Me....I was friggin EXHAUSTED when we got home! WHOOPED!! Ugggggggh. Here is a picture take yesterday. Dakota is the first one on the left, then the pain in the ass, Gunner, then Lukas, and then my friend, Hope's little boy, Drew.

On our way to Old Forge, I got a phone call from my cousin, Heidi. Her and her family were supposed to meet us up there (her oldest child, Dakota, was one of the kids in my group). They stopped at Walmart in Lowville to pick up some lunch stuff to bring up. While they were in there, her husband had their 3 1/2 year old, Dylan, on his shoulders. He somehow fell off Matt's shoulders and smashed his head on the concrete floor. They took him to the ER in Lowville where they did an immediate catscan. They found a brain bleed and arranged for an ambulance transport to Upstate Hospital in Syracuse. Tonight will be his second night there. He's doing much better, though he does have a concussion. The brain bleed has stopped, thank God. I kept Dakota overnight and Heidi's mom picked him up today. I got to talk to Dilly yesterday and today, so that has set me at ease some. I was so worried yesterday that I think that attributed to my exhaustion last night. Here's a picture of Dilly playing in the playroom at the hospital today. Poor little man! Look at his cute little mohawk!!

Update on Lukas' fish: Another one bites the dust. Jerry Michael has joined Nemo in that big septic abyss in our front yard. Oddly enough....his death was nowhere near as tragic as Nemo's. I'm chalking that episode up to Lukas being overtired that night. When Lukas saw the empty bowl last night (Mike disposed of the corpse while we were in Old Forge), he simply asked "Did Jerry Michael die too?". I said yes. He walked away and said nothing. Went right about his business like nothing happened. Whatever.

We're getting ready for another camping excursion this weekend. We're heading to Happy Hollow for 3 nights. It's "Happy Hollow Weekend".....whatever the hell that means....lol. Should be a good time, and I'm wicked excited!! A bunch of my friends and their families are going too. One of them is my friend, Carol, who was actually Mike's best friend through high school. She is a RIOT!! We've gotten to be really close, and I have gotten to be really close to her sister's, Dora and Char, and their families too. They'll all be there as well. Like I said, I'm wicked excited about going!

Well, it's been a long day of making salads, stew and cookies and doing laundry for the weekend, so I'm heading to bed! Slate, out!

The Legend Of Nemo

On Saturday, Tylerville had it's annual "Old Homes Day"....which basically is a long-standing joke of a tradition. They have a "parade" which consists of the Tylerville Fire Departments 2 trucks, the Town of Rutland fire trucks, a couple of horses, 1 float and a couple of little kids with their decorated bicycles. They also have the "Rollo" game (which the kids and I love!), a couple of games, a cake walk (which I would NEVER in a million years try to win anything from....gag!), and a concession stand that is run by the Tylerville Grange. Jake wasn't home to go with us this year, and Mike was sleeping, so Lukas and I went with all of Mike's family. Lukas had a great time....it doesn't take much to amuse him (like his dad!). He won 2 goldfish in a round-about-sort of way.....actually....he cheated his ass off.....but got to take 2 fish home nonetheless. He named them Nemo and Jerry Michael....lol. I had a goldfish bowl and some rocks and have just been feeding them some little pieces of bread. Well, about a half an hour ago, I found Nemo belly up on the bottom of the bowl. Lukas took the news pretty hard. Poor kid. I know it's only a fish...but it's so hard trying to explain "The Circle of Life" to a 5 year old. Lukas only knew Nemo 2 days......but he informed me that Nemo was his best friend :( He asked me if we had to flush him, and of course I had to say yes. He took the Dixie cup with Nemo in it, poured the little guy into the porcelain throne, and flushed him down into "Fishie Heaven". He's just so upset....but yet wants me to go get him another fish tomorrow. He's so pitiful that I am almost tempted, but know without a doubt that if I do....we'll be going through this again in another 2 days!! He asked me if I killed him by feeding him too much (apparently he killed my cousin's fish by feeding it too much, and never told me 'till the other day....lol). In my head I thought "No....not by feeding it TOO much....perhaps by not feeding it ENOUGH"....lol. Was the bread enough? Probably not. But c'mon....let's face it....would it really have mattered if I'd have bought a $3 jar of food just to take 2 pinches out of it and THEN have them die?? Ugggggggh. And the BEST part of the story.....Michael missed the whole thing....AGAIN. This is at least the 3rd or 4th fish that we've had that has bit the big one while Mike was working. Why is that, do you suppose?? I made sure that Lukas gave Daddy a call while he was full-flegged flipping out :)

The last couple of days have been nice! Perhaps not for you....but as you know....I love the cool weather! It's been getting me all excited for Fall!! All I could think about yesterday was going to the cider mill to get some pumpkins, some Mums, some cider and some nice, hot cider donuts!! Mmmmmmm!! I do hope that it warms up a little bit in the next day or two, and that Mother Nature gets the rain out of her system. The kids and I are going to Water Safari with the Summer Rec program on Wednesday, and this weekend we're camping up to Happy Hollow with a bunch of my friends from Copenhagen.

Jake and I went out on the porch a little while ago to see if we could see the big Meteor Shower tonight....but saw nothing. They said that you should be able to see 1 to 2 meteors per minute. We sat out there for at least 5 minutes and saw nothing.

Guess I had better go check on Jerry Michael and make sure that he's not belly up now. I don't think I could go through another tragedy again tonight! Rest in peace, beloved Nemo.

Smith Family Camping

We left for the cottage on Wednesday and just got home today. It was another nice little "vacation" for us. The kids just love being down there, and as I may have said before, I love watching them enjoy it there. In 3 years, my grandmother will have owned the cottage 50 years! Mike's sister and her family brought their camper down on Friday night, and my Uncle Shawn and his family, and my Uncle Scott and his family had their campers down there too....so we had our own little campground.

We did alot of swimming. Lukas is becoming such an awesome little swimmer! He jumps right off the dock with no help what so ever. Last night, he and I went TUBING!! Yup! TUBING!! I friggin' went TUBING!! What a sight.....lol. But hey....I give myself a TON of credit! Lukas LOVED it. He was hooting and hollaring and laughing....lol. When we were out there, he said "I've been waiting 20 years for this!" LOL. After he and I went, I went out with my neice. She liked it too, but she was too cold to really say much. I haven't been tubing in at least 20 years, and actually, it wasn't really a tube then....it was some kind of pull behind the boat contraption that my friends had. I was a tad bit sore last night, but it was nothing that a few whiskey sours and a Captain and Coke couldn't cure!

So, Lukas' hair cut is growing on me. It actually looks really cute now that I am used to it. I think that I may keep it this way and save myself some money. His hair grows SOOO fast that I really need to take him about once a month to get it cut. Jake is in desperate need of a cut too. I may actually buzz his off tonight.

Mike's out mowing right now. Ugggggh. Our "Yard Rangler"....lol. He is O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with the yard. When he finally comes in tonight, we're going to watch a movie. Right now, I think I'm going to go buzz Jake's hair. Slate.....out!

So....I'm not a beautician!!

I got the clippers out last night to give Lukas a hair cut. He was in desperate need of one, and quite honestly, things are very tight around here lately....so thought I would save $10 and do it myself. I should know better. All went well until I got to the "bangs". That always throws me for a loop. Mike doesn't have any bangs....or much hair at all, for that matter....so I don't ever have to fart around with bangs. So I start snipping away at them....and Lukas is FREAKING out! He was covered in hair and even had it in his mouth....and hating every second of sitting there. Oddly enough, when he goes to Heidi's or Sportsmans for a cut...he sits nice and still. Anyway....in a spur of the moment decision, I decided "Piss on it!", and buzzed the bangs right off. He now has a buzz cut and looks SOOOOO much like his dad!! I figured as long as I had the clippers out, I'd give Mike a buzz too. Here's the finished product:

Lukas seems to be pretty cool with the idea that he has practically no hair now.....but I'm not sure that I am cool with it. I tend to get nauseous when I think about it, or see just how short it is! I know that it will grow back....now I'm just hoping that it doesn't grow back all "fuzzy"....you know....that growing out look.

Jake has been gone for almost a week. He spent a few days at the cottage with Gert last week, came home on Thursday, then left again on Friday to go with his Grandma and Grandpa Nadelen. He's not due back 'til tomorrow. It's nice that he's with them.....though it was HIS idea, not theirs. Not sure if he'll see the sperm donor this weekend. He usually doesn't bother to go see Jake, even when he knows that he's up to his parents house. Idiot.

Our truck will FINALLY be done this week. It's been almost 2 months since the engine blew on our way to Pennsylvania. It'll seem so nice to have 2 vehicles again. I've been having to share mine with Mike, which hasn't been too bad, I guess. He keeps gas in it...so that's a good thing! But, wouldn't you know it....now that one vehicle will finally be up to snuff....mine is having problems again. I have a bad right, front wheel bearing....again. Just replaced it last year. So now we have to shell out MORE money to fix this problem. Ugggggggh. It's never ending, I swear.

I have been making plans for August camping now that we'll have a truck again! We'll be going to our old stomping ground, Happy Hollow, for the weekend of August 15th-17th. The following Thursday, we are taking the kids to Water Safari for the day, then on Friday the 22nd we take the camper back down to Westcott's for a long weekend. Not sure what else we have planned. I know that we're going to Old Forge again in September and October to camp as we weren't able to get reservations there this summer.

Well, got to go clean up the kitchen from dinner and get Lukas ready for bed.

Poor Kid.......

We got home from the cottage yesterday around 1 o'clock, and Jake immediately started complaining of an ear ache. As the day passed, the pain got worse, so I had to take him to Quik Med. Low and behold, he has a double ear infection. They gave us 2 prescriptions....one for an oral antibiotic and one for ear drops. By the time we got out of Quik Med, it was almost 6 o'clock. We went to 5 pharmacies before we found one that was open....the Walgreens on Arsenal St. (they are open 'til 9 on Sunday's for future reference). The 2 prescriptions were $220, but our insurance paid all but $50 of it, so I guess that's not too bad....but still alot more than I had anticipated. He had a rough night last night. The pain was so bad that he was literally freaking out. went up to my mother-in-laws at 10 p.m. to see if she had anything that would help him sleep. She finally found some Tylenol with codeine, and that seemed to do the trick, though it took forever for him to fall asleep. I I stayed up with him till well after midnight when he finally fell asleep. I guess that he woke up a few times in the night in pain, too. I got up at 4 a.m. to give him some more Tylenol. As I walked past Lukas' bedroom on my way back to bed, I noticed that the damn cat had puked directly in front of Lukas' door. I knew that if I didn't clean it up then, he'd undoubtedly step in it when he got up. So, there I am, on my hands and knees at 4 a.m. cleaning up cat puke when I hear singing coming from Lukas' room!! I thought "What the HELL is that?!?". I open the door slowly and quietly to see Lukas laying in bed, wide awake, singing the Chipmunks Christmas song ("Me, I want a HULA HOOP....we can hardly stay away....it's Christmas don't be late!"). I asked him what he was doing, and he informed me that he couldn't sleep anymore. Well, I informed him that it was 4 a.m. and he was NOT getting up. I did let him get into bed with me though. It was at least 5 before either one of us fell back to asleep. Ugggggggggggh. Today was the kids' first day of Summer Rec , though Jake was far too tired to go. Sounds like Lukas had a good time. Jake spent the entire day asleep, I kid you not. It'll be a miracle if he sleeps at all tonight.

As you know, it was hotter than blazes out today....and our friggin central a/c decided that it wasn't going to work!! Not sure what is going on with it. When we first got it, we used to run it too cold, and it would make the unit freeze up. So we listened to the guy that installed it (what a novel idea!), and we kept it between 65-68 degrees, and just let it rip. We had no problems with it last year by doing that. So we were doing the same thing with it this year, but it seems to have froze up. Right now we're trying to let it thaw out and hopefully that'll do that trick. I can't stand the heat.....actually, none of us can! Just bugs me more than anything that we have a $2400 paper weight sitting out there! I have the windows open right now, and it's the coolest in here that it has been all day.

Lukas has a severe obsession with puppets. I have always been convinced that my kids enherited the "Henson Gene", which I enherited from MY mother. By "Henson", I mean Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets. I love, love, love the Muppets....always have....still do. So do my kids. Well, a few months ago, Lukas watched a comedy routine by Jeff Dunham who has about 5 or 6 puppets as part of his routine....and the kids is CONSTANTLY repeating the entire routine!! Well, tonight, I was scrolling through the guide on t.v. to see what was on, and there were 4 re-runs in a row of the old show "ALF". I knew immediately that he would love it. How right I was!! He has been watching it for an hour and a half now.....and LAUGHS hysterically!! He just loves the fact that ALF is a talking, walking puppet and has an insatiable desire for CATS!! It's actually nice to have a tv show that the kids and I can watch together. There is nothing on tv at night for families anymore.

Well, suppose I had better go back to ALF! Slate......out.

I haven't posted in a while.....

Lukas' party turned out great! We were a little worried about the weather. According to the news, that day was supposed to be a "washout". Turned out to be gorgeous, which meant that I could do all of the activities that I had planned for outside. We had 17 kids show up! I think that everyone (adults included) had a great time. The "panning for gold" was a huge hit with the kids! Lukas received a TON of gifts. We immediately sent out thank you notes....he wasn't too keen on the idea of signing his name to all of them. Typical man.

The Tuesday following Lukas' party, my childhood friend, Cyndy, paid me a visit! Cyndy lives in NC now and is a 5th grade school teacher. She is expecting her first child, a boy, in December. We had a really nice visit, and I was sad to see her go. Unless I get down there when the baby is born, I probably won't see her again until next summer when she pays me my annual visit :(

Lukas "graduated" from Pre-K on Wednesday! What a nice ceremony it was! The children put on a little play, followed by a tear-jerking slideshow, and a luncheon. It was all so nice. His teachers are wonderful and they work so hard at everything they do. The program has been wonderful for Lukas. I'm so sad for Lukas that he has no idea what a milestone this is, and that he can never relive this wonderful time in his life.

Jake's last day of school was Monday. Lukas' was Wednesday. That means......summer vacation is in full gear. Ugggggggh. Why, oh why do the school's do this to us?!? Summer rec starts on July 7th. It runs 5 days a week from 9 am to 3 pm....which means 6 hours of peace on the days that I choose to send them!! Woo hoo!! Aren't I awful??

This past weekend we went camping at Westcott's Beach. My best friend, Beth, and her family went as well, and so did Beth's sister and her family. Turns out, my cousin Heidi and her family were camping just down from us! We had a great time, and the weather cooperated for the most part. We did have a storm on Sunday evening though. That was a little hairy for a few minutes. We brought the camper home, restocked it with more food and clean laundry, and we will be heading to the cottage tomorrow for the 4th of July.

Gotta keep this short as it is getting late. Thought I had better update this thing before I get too behind!!

Our Baby Is 5!!

Lukas turned 5 on Monday (the 16th). The day was pretty uneventful because we are having his party tomorrow. We did do cake and presents from Mommy and Daddy on Monday though. Seems so hard to believe that it was 5 years ago already. Tomorrow's party is a COWBOY party! Lukas finally gets to wear his new cowboy outfit! Well, he's worn it a number of times, but everytime we let him wear it, he thinks that it's time for his party! I am not sure how many kids we'll have, but I invite something like 24 kids. Uggggg. Now you all know that I can't do anything small....lol. If you remember, Jake had like 41 kids here for his Halloween party a couple of years ago, and thirteen 13-year old boys for his 13th birthday sleepover. Hey.....they're only young once. Michael is absolutely NO fun what-so-ever. He has no imagination, and thinks that all of my ideas are ridiculous.....so I've kept him right of the loop as to what we're doing tomorrow. On the agenda....sack races....a game called "there's a snake in my boot"....horse relays.....nd the most awesome of them all.....panning for gold!! I took 2 lbs of aquarium rocks and spray painted them gold. I bought a small pool.....and we'll put a bunch of sand in there along with the rocks, and let the kids pan for gold with pans (pie tins with holes in the bottom!). I've been doing alot of research for ideas! I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow! Well, gotta go get the cupcakes out of the oven!

We Must Be Doing Something Right

I took Lukas to the mall today to do some Father's Day shopping. On our way into the mall, he was a few steps ahead of me. When he got to the door, not only did he hold the door open for me, but also for the elderly lady behind me! I gave him a hug once we got inside and told him how proud of him I was. Then, later at Walmart, he walked in front of someone and I heard him say "Excuse me". Again, I hugged him and told him how proud of him I was. So, like I told Michael....he may be a piss pot most of the time, but we must be doing something right. It's a good feeling, and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy.....until I heard him going "BEEP, BEEP....OUTTA THE WAY!!" while I was pushing him in the shopping cart.....lol. You never know what he's going to say or do!

I took him to pick up his tux........and just as I suspected.....it didn't fit. Far from it as a matter of fact. The day that I took him into to be fitted, the chick doing the measurements was busier than hell and was rushing. So I have had a feeling from day one that we were going to have problems. Today she took everything out of the bag, handed it to me, then left the room to help someone else. I got a hold of the pants and new immediately that they were NEVER going to fit. I kid you not....these pants looked like they were made to fit a fat midget!! They were HUGE around the waist, and the legs were super short. Out of curiosity, I decided to try them on anyway. If you were to hold the waist band out in front of him, there had to have been a good 10 inches of space. They were a MEN'S SIZE 27 WAIST!! They had taken the legs of the pants, stuffed them up inside the pant leg, then "stitch witched" the leg to the inside of the pant. The bottom cuff was almost up to his crotch. The chick came in, asked how things were going and I told her "Not so good!" She looked at it and asked who had measured him. I told her that she had. She measured him again, and she said that his waist is measuring 27" (which I still find hard to believe). On the sides of the pants there are some fastener thingies that can take the waist in or out. She adjusted them all the way in, and they were still HUGE! She sat there gawking at them, then started to say "Hmmmm....well, I could probably take them in here...." and I had to cut her off and tell her that they looked terrible and that he needed all new pants. DUH!! I'm no seamstress.....far from it.....but you didn't have to be to figure out that there was something DRASTICALLY wrong with these pants! Even if she could fix the waist, the crotch of the pants was hanging down to his knees! Then, if the pants situation wasn't enough, I went to try the shoes on him. They were a size 11 and I had ordered a size 1. Ridiculous. I am furious at the fact that I have to take him back in either tomorrow or Friday, depending on when the new pants come in. They'd damn well better have gotten it right when I go back or I'm going to raise holy hell. I'm glad that I went today rather than wait till Friday! The wedding is Saturday for God's sake! Why in the hell they would send a 5 year old MENS pants is beyond me! It's not like he's some kind of freak of nature, 150 pound 5 year old! He's just a BIT bigger than average.

What A Wicked Storm!

There was a tornado watch posted across the bottom of the tv when I got up yesterday morning, but I didn't think much about it, as most people probably didn't either. It was a super hot, sunny day, just like the past few days have been around the area. Shortly before noon it got really, really dark and the wind picked up ALOT. I stood with the front door open, watching the sheets of rain come across our front yard. It was really amazing! Suddenly there was a huge burst of wind, and the glass bottom part of our door blew right in and the inside door smashed against the wall!! I let out a screech like you wouldn't believe! I got the door shut, grabbed Lukas and ran into our bedroom to get Michael....not that that helped any. He was so totally out of it that a freight train could have ripped through the house and he wouldn't have flinched. Of course, he had been awake for over 24 hours prior to going to bed. The storm went as quickly as it came, and within a few minutes, the noon news was reporting damage allover the north country. We sustained no damage here except a ew things throw about the yard. Lukas' Little Tykes Pirate Ship was thrown a few hundred feet across the back yard and into the wood lot out back, Jake's basketball hoop was flipped over (and that weighs a TON!), our 4-wheeler trailer was pushed back about 20 feet, and we lost something off the roof....some kind of "cap"? Other people weren't so lucky in neighboring towns. Roofs were blown off, trees fell on cars. Mass chaos! Kind of exciting though...lol. Ever since I've lived up here on Gobbler's Knob, I've been dying for a real good storm...especially in the winter! I love the excitement.

Lukas went to school today. His "poison ivy" is alot better since I started putting the calamine lotion on him. I'm not really sure now if this is poison ivy because it nevr itched him at all....but it sure does resemble it. Either way, I'm glad it' clearing up. His legs look terrible! I'm thankful that it's not all over his face or neck. He's in my cousin Kyle's wedding this weekend. I have to take him to pick up his tuxedo today. He's going to be so stinkin' cute in it!! His birthday is less than a week away (the 16th). He's going to be 5! So hard to believe. I did up the invitations to his birthday party last night. He's having a "cowboy party". I'm having a dillema over who to invite in his class. The "right" thing to do would be to invite everyone in his class. But there is one kid in his class that is a total little asshole, and to be quite honest, I don't want the kid at my house. He's a HUGE disruption in the classroom, and he drives the kids NUTS! There's also a little girl in his class that isn't quite as bad, but still ranks right up there. So, I'm doing the "wrong" thing and inviting a select few and sending their invitations to them at their home. Awful, I know. But besides everything else, I have enough other kids to invite that if I were to invite all 20 out of his class, I'd have a zillion kids here. So screw it!

Off to take a shower, pick up the house, pick up Lukas then off to town to get groceries and Lukas' tux!