Peace Out, 2011

It seems like yesterday we were saying goodbye to 2010, and here we are saying goodbye to 2011. Honestly, this year was kind of sub par for me. I'll be happy to see it go. There were ups, no doubt, but it seems the downs were WAY down.

Anyway, I have a lot of hope for 2012. I hope it will bring me a husband officially, and perhaps even a baby. Or at least the growing of a baby ;) I also hope it will bring J some independence as she starts College/training/a job as an adult. I hope that it brings my mom and dad a sale on their current house, a job for my dad, and a new home in Arizona. I will miss them, but it will make them happy, and it gives me a place to visit :) I mostly hope it brings happiness for everyone I love and care for. I know there will be bad times in 2012 too, but I hope the good ones way outshine the bad :)

Happy New Year Everyone, see you in 2012!!!

If I could Freeze Time...

Sharing a chair, quietly playing a game...not fighting... :)

Christmas is over..

And for the first time ever, I am kinda happy about it. Christmas had it's up and downs this year, and over all came out on the good side, but not good enough that I want to relive it or anything. Honestly, 2011 has kind of been a big let down and I will be looking forward to 2012.

Let me start by saying, I LOVE my mom and my sister. I would do anything for them. However, if I am being honest, anything about this Christmas that was a low point, it involved them. That sounds terrible, I know. I feel terrible for saying it. But, it's sorta true. Poppy is in Arizona and has been for the last 4 months trying to find work and living with my Aunt. My mom and sister had been living in their house, but once it went on the market, and they had their first showing which involved them taking the dogs and leaving for 4 hours, my mom thought it best to go stay with her sister in Michigan. My Aunt in Michigan then convinced her to live there until the house sells. They also convinced her she can't live in her house because she has no money to live on. That was 4 months ago. My Aunt and my mom didn't allow the thought that maybe my parents house wouldn't sell...for awhile.

Long story short, my mom and my sister are getting on their nerves. My Aunt and her family are getting my my mom and my sister's nerves. They are miserable up there. Not to mention, it's Christmas. My mom has not seen my dad since September. She misses him, my sister misses him, they are both depressed (clinically...so this makes it worse), they both are even more upset that they couldn't buy for anyone. They have spent the last week they have been at my house in severe mood swings. Which causes the mood in my house to be swinging from one extreme to the other. My sister got offended when I was having a "heated discussion" with Bee, and I snapped at her. She cried to my mom, who then came and yelled at me, and then wanted to leave. Instead, they drugged themselves up on benadryl at 6:45pm and went to bed for the night. Then next day, it was awfully "chilly" in my house....which just reminded me of why I was so happy when I moved out almost 8 years ago. I cried to bee that night that I just wanted to cancel Christmas and that if it weren't for him and the kids, I would do just that. They both got over it though and by Christmas Eve, all was well.

Then, my mom was feeling down on Christmas Eve when everyone was over celebrating. She snapped at little man, and then at my sister in front of everyone , then went into the living room by herself. Christmas day, she was fine. Festive mood, even. Then, my sister took her turn. She got upset watching my kids play with all their presents (editor's note: as kids...and even as adults, my parents always spoil us at Christmas. I am one of the few adults I know who was still getting 20-25 presents at Christmas. However, unlike my sister, I never have cared about the number of presents. I would have been just as happy with one or two)...and got upset. Started crying to my mom about how she was so depressed she wanted to die. She was feeling like she did when she went to the Lauralwood (mental hospital). She took three Xanax back to back and wanted to call her doctor to see if he would admit her. I just rolled my eyes. Drama. Not to take lightly people with mental illness, but I know my sister. 50% is real issues. The other is for attention. If she REALLY felt that way, she wouldn't tell anyone...if she wanted to die as bad as she said she would, she wouldn't have said anything, or worried about taking that many xanx. Le Sigh....she slept most of the day, but was fine later on..

Now, apparently, she is great. She is moving in with her boyfriend today. My mom is going to drop the price on the house, and hopefully, it will entice a buyer. I love them to death. I will also do my best to accommodate them, but I need for my life to go back to normal. I can't afford to feed 7 people much longer...and I clean up more after them than my kids...:/ I feel awful saying that, but it's true. I can't stand the moping and the constant sleeping...

In other news though, As far as my hive goes, we had a great Christmas. I was e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d though and took nary a photo. Ok, I took three...but that's it. My kids were spoiled. Bee was a little hesitant because of all the presents for them (especially little man...holy Christ. I started out my shopping and had a cart full of stuff for the girls, but was on my lunch break, so I had to cut it short. I then had the idea in my head they had tons of stuff, so I tried to compensate for that and concentrated on him. It wasn't until I was wrapping that I realized the stuff was mainly stocking stuff for the girls.) The wee ones also got presents from some church their grandparents go to that puts their mom's name on the gifts..so extra spoiled. :)

Bee got me some nice things too :) I got a sweet new knit hat, gloves that I can wear and are made special so that you can still use your touch screen phone, a Steelers Jersey (#7- Big Ben!), a Leather Jacket, and my precious...

I also got some coffee's to go with it :) Bee's mom got me a lb of coffee from Starbucks, an ornament with my name, and a "J" candle Charm :) BFF Rose got Bee and I margarita glasses, tequila, and margarita mix :) My dad even sent a little wood lion that was being sold at a church he went to :)

My mom and sister, for as much as I complained before gave me (and my family) a chance to spent time with them. Seriously, that means a whole lot to me, because when my mom does move, it will be few and far in between that I get to see her, or on days when I really miss her, taste her beef barely soup (which she made me a bunch of and is in containers in my freezer :)  ) :) With my sister taken care of, and the Holidays over, I think my mom's mood will greatly improve. 

I surely hope so...or else I will kill off that bottle of Tequila by myself ;)

Double Rainbow!!!

Ya'll....This rainbow was SOOOO Big, and SOOO Bright, it took my breath away when I first saw it!
God keeps his promises...

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I found Santa's house!

Wow. Christmas is kicking my butt. However, I'm not really in the "mood" this year, and because of that, I am not stressed as much. I am also, not wanting to do anything. Of course, that could be because on top of Christmas shopping, grocery shopping, needing to wrap presents, cook meals for my family, and all the baking I normally do, I also need to still make lunches, clean my filthy house (yeah, I have dust bunnies the size of Texas...and I SWEAR my bathroom sink growled at me...) take the kids to basketball practice, cheer at basketball games, and attend Hockey Games. Oh yeah, and do the laundry, fold it, and put it away.

This weekend I had planned out that Friday I would go shopping with Bee and finish the kids up. Saturday, I would take one kid shopping in the morning, attend the basketball games, and then the other two afterwards (each by themselves) then, I would wrap Saturday night everything in the house. Sunday morning, I would go to the grocery store and fill my cupboards, and then we would bake until it was time for Hockey.

Yeah, not so much....

Friday, Bee declared we would shop Saturday afternoon. Great. So, I figured I would grocery shop Friday, or even take the kids shopping Friday. I came home and we spent an hour and a half trying to figure out if we were going out to eat, or if he wanted me to go get something and bring it back. He was irritating me in his lack of ability to decide. He finally decided he wanted to have something brought home. Then, it was the great debate of "what". Then, the kids decided to do their own thing before I got back, meaning they weren't home, until I was getting ready to leave to get food...and oh, they were hungry too and because I have not been shopping in forever, there was no  food in my house. So, I got us all food, and by then I was exhausted and it was 8pm. Friday was a wash.

Saturday, I got up, took little man shopping, and got the snack for C's game. We went home, grabbed up our people and headed over for Basketball. The grandparents showed up, and we all watched little man's game. Then we headed over to C's, where her coached asked me if we would be willing to let C play for his traveling team because she is so good at the game. Um, YES! :) Unfortunately, both kids' teams lost :/ The grandparents gave us the presents for the kids, and we parted ways. Bee and I went and got lunch, and did our shopping. Then, we headed out to our friend Randy's house to hang out and watch the football game with several other friends while the kids ran rampant upstairs and terrorized their 15 year old daughter. ;) We left around 11pm and went home. I was ready for bed, but Bee wanted to stay up and have PJ time together. I fell asleep in my chair at 1am. We went to bed at 2.

Sunday, I went grocery shopping, and FILLED MY CUPBOARDS! I got most of my list (the rest I left for when mama comes. We will go together because by then I can buy it and it won't spoil before Christmas) Our friend Amy and Rob asked if we could watch their girls for them while they did their Christmas Shopping. I said sure! I figured two extra set of hands to help me make cookies (plus, it would keep everyone occupied). That was until they came over and It dawned on me, they have a 10 month old (not that I forgot about the baby...it's just that It didn't dawn on me that someone has to hold  the baby...mainly because I do not have carpet, nor a playpen, nor a highchair, nor a baby swing). When they got there she was sleeping, so they put her in my bedroom. I had just enough time to unload and put away my groceries before she woke up (10 min after they left). She was sick. Burning up, and whiny. I held her the entire time. She slept off and on, and then I fed her some of her baby food when she woke up and seemed fussy. My friends came around 5 to get the kids and had no idea she was sick. Apparently, she was fine when she went fell asleep in the car. :( I hope she's ok! Then, we left for hockey. I came home and CLEANED. I got as far as the mudroom, kitchen, and half of my dining room and bathroom. Tonight, after taking C shopping, I need to finish my cleaning. Tomorrow, I will take J, and then maybe start on some cookies....ugh...

Only a few more days left!!!

So I tried a Spinning Class.....

Yeeaahh....I am going to go with "no thanks" on that. The class is going to officially start in January if they can drum up enough interest. They held this class last night so you can try it out to see if you like it for free before you pay the class fee. There were 3 of us that showed (apparently, that's enough to start up a class if we paid) and I was pretty pumped at first. Our teacher said she would teach the class and we could follow along at our own level. She said some people, when they first start out, just pedal straight through at the same pace and don't even change positions. That was ok, because eventually, they build up to doing all the moves. So we could work at our own pace. Great. I also saw who my classmates were. Grandma and Grandpa. I figured I had this...

I was wrong...

Now, here's the thing. Was the class hard? YES. Did I follow along? Mostly. I did all the moves, changed the tension when required, etc. I did do it at my pace, which was less than the speed of light that the instructor was going at, but it was all good. There were times I wanted to shoot her in her perky face, and there were times when I thought I might throw up, but I never felt like It was out of my scope of ability. In fact, I liked the work out, and felt if I stuck with it, I could be totally like Ms. Perky-face eventually. However, none of that was enough to get me through the physical pain of that rock hard bicycle seat that was trying ever so hard to smash my no-no girlie parts to bits. Um...ow? It was hurting my pelvic bone. I don't know what man invented those seats, but really? I expected a sore bum after the class, but I did not expect a sore hoohah. Nor did I expect for parts of my anatomy to be going numb.

Now, lest you think I am being a baby, I ride on the back of Bee's motorcycle every summer. I spent a lot of time on a bicycle this summer. After awhile, they make you sore. Nature of the beast. However, this was instant smashing, instant circulation being cut off, instant seat up my hoohah. No Bueno. I suffered through for a half an hour. Just when I thought we were going to be done and I could crumble on the floor and ice my parts, she announced we had about 15 minutes left. I wasn't going to last 15 seconds. I announced I had to go get my kid from basketball (I wasn't lying. I did have to go get her...however, I didn't need to for another 25 minutes...) and I peaced out.

Yeah...I think I'll try a boot camp class, or beginners yoga :)

In other news, I would say I am about 50% done with my shopping! I bought almost  all of the "big" gifts, and my shopping for Bee is almost completely done! I don't know what ya'll have on your lists, but our big "family" gift this year besides the CFC membership, was a Konnect for the xbox. Bee was going to tie that in with a new xbox (for him), and give the kids his "old" one, which is way newer and better than theirs. I tried to surprise him with the new xbox, but he was going to stop off and use his gift cards from his bonus to get it. He almost cried. :) However, In a way, it was good I told him because I bought the wrong xbox. I bought the one he has now, only difference, it has wi-fi. He wanted the the one with the 250gb memory. It all worked out though, and I fixed it and still got a killer deal. I ordered on walmart.com (I'll have it by Tuesday) An xbox 360 that comes with 2 games and the konnect for $330.00. It had FREE shipping, and as part of the deal, I instantly got a free $100 eGiftcard to be used at walmart.com. Which I then used to buy the external hard drive (that looks like a flash drive) that simply plugs in to the xbox to expand the memory to the 250gb. Now, had I bought the xbox he wanted, I would have paid $350. I still would have had to buy the Konnect. This way, I got it all for $330! woot! 

Sweatin' away

One of our family Christmas presents this year was a family membership to the Community Fitness Center in our town. It is within a 2 minute drive from our house (in the same campus as basketball practice ;) ). I went and paid the membership fee for the year after dropping little man off at practice and when I was done, they gave me a tour. Holy Smokes, ya'll! Let me just tell you this: If a power plant wants to come in and put a factory in your town, let them! This facility is easily a 15million dollar facility! I have seen fitness clubs with less charge 3x more than what they do!

Any time between 5:30am and 9:30pm we can play basketball on any of 6 courts, walk the indoor track, play volley ball, tennis, racquetball (2 courts), ping pong, take a zumba class, spinning class, boot camp class, or water aerobics, swim in the Olympic sized pool, or use the "machine room" which has over 80 different weight machines, 40 different aerobic machines (stepper, treadmill, elliptical, bikes), and 20-20 different "free weight" weight machines! It is truly amazing! Plus, we can have as many guests with us as we want (guests are charged $5 each) and there is no limit to how many times a guest can come with you!

Bee and the kids are so excited too! In fact, we have decided to hold little man's birthday party there! He is stoked about having a POOL party in January! ;)

ps- if my Christmas shopping were in a percentage, I would tell you I am 3% done :/ I need more time! However, the 3% I have gotten done, I have gotten awesome deals!

Christmas Countdown!

I am a firm believer that bills come first, so nary a Christmas Present is bought until they are all paid. Which means, that takes my whole paycheck. However, presents can be bought with my Christmas bonus! Which happened to arrive yesterday! Now I can offically start my Christmas Shopping! Also, I have extra money, so I can stock my cupboards too! Ugh! So much shopping and no time! Then, there's the wrapping. Ohhh the wrapping. Oh well, at least mama's comin down to stay with us for Christmas! She will be here about a week, maybe two! It will be nice to have the extra help! :)

Lounging around...

After spending the last two weeks being bashful and/or anti-social, Ms. Kitty decided last night she was going to be a lounging lap cat. She spent the evening alternating sleeping in my lap and Bee's...

That is...when she wasn't getting into the Tree :/

The wee ones may have found their calling...

We have a new love in our household. It's name? It's name is Basketball! The wee ones had their first game this past Saturday. The last couple of weeks have come down to this....and they LOVED it! They did awesome too!

The day was going to be a long one for Bee and I, but no matter. We had pictures for little man at 8:15am (which was a disaster. The picture people were so unorganized), his first game was at 9am. His second game was at 11am. C had pictures at 11:15am, then little man had to be taken to a birthday party, and C's game was at 2pm! Even though little man's pictures got off to a late start and they started their game 20 minutes late, they weren't too off schedule.



Little man is in the back row, on the left. right next to his coach (looking scared ha!)


The kids did great! Bee even was able to be involved when he was asked to run the scoreboard/clock! Little Man's team won their first game 21-10! He loved the feeling of winning, and enjoying celebratory donuts and juice with his team, after! He wasn't real aggressive in the first game. He kinda stoodwith his hands in his pockets a lot, and didn't move around too much. He eventually warmed up a bit and attempted a basket. The only problem was, it was the other teams basket! Luckily, it didn't go in :) After his game, Bee ran him up to wally world to get a present for the birthday party he was going to, while I went and grabbed C for her pictures. We then headed back to the other gym to catch the last half of Little Man's second game. He was way more animated this time around, and Bee said he even made a basket and in the right goal, too! :) Unfortunately, they lost the second game 18-20, but he was still a happy kid (I think the extra donuts helped)

Bee running the clock!

Gooooo #8!

running down court

Afterwards, we ran him to his birthday party and grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading back for C's game. That kid? She is a beast :) She dominated that basketball court like she had been playing since she was 6. She made 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and scored 8 of the team's 16 points! Unfortunately, the other team was just as prepared and they ended up tying 16-16. She did great though, and played her heart out!

My little Sports star, never smiles....

She took the Starting Tip! Goooo #5!

Beast Mode...

Both kids had a blast. They both can't wait for practice and their games this week! Little man needs to work on a few little things, and I'd say he has the potential to be the star on his team too! Both kids were blessed with awesome coaches (the team little man played the second game, their coach almost got thrown out for being a jerkface on the sidelines!), and Bee and I couldn't be happier or more proud of our kiddos!

Annnd this is how she ended the night while watching movies with us...her and the dog...both exhausted...

More Holiday Concerts!

Last Night, it was C's turn! We enjoyed the musical as well as vocal styling of our young C. The first order of business was finding this girl tights! I hit up the local wally world and unless she is 3, a hooker, or 400lbs, the pickins were slim! I did manage to walk out with the last pair of tights that were in her size that at least didn't make her look like she belonged on a corner somewhere. Which honestly, is more than I can say for her classmates.

Bee, being the most lovable man around, took care of dinner for me so that when I got home, the kids were fed and ready to go and I had just enough time to shove half of a pepperoni roll down my gullet and off we went! We dropped C off at the middle school where they had to meet up, and I watched my tall, long legged, beautiful daughter saunter up to the door in tights, a pencil skirt to her knees, and a modest white sweater...while the two girls she met up with and walked in with were in a teeny tiny spandex mini skirt, and a tight, lacy tank top, with a little tight sweater. I was more than a little appalled. When we got into the auditorium, most of the girls were dressed in a similar fashion! Some with stilettos! These girls are 11 years old!

All in all, the concert was wonderful. C did a great job! We came home and Bee and I watched the Steelers win, barely, and made it to be late. I am feeling it today too. I was feeling much better yesterday, but now it seems I have taken a bit of a back slide. I think it was too much too fast :/. I better rest up though, we have a day full of basketball tomorrow!

Sickly

I am sick. I felt it coming on, then go away. I thought I had dodged a bullet, and Sunday as I sat next to a friend of ours who was sick, I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me when my throat started getting that tell-tale scrachyness half way through our meeting.

Alas, I am sick. Yesterday, I woke up with a really sore throat. After 2 diet cokes and some coffee, it felt better, but that's when the sneezing started. And the watery eyes. And the nose like a faucet. By lunch time, I wanted my bed so, I left early. I bought NyQuil on my way home and slept the evening away. Today, I feel much better, but I am in a haze from the NyQuil. I need to snap out of it though. I have C's concert tonight, and we have 3 games of basketball on Saturday (little man has 2 games), pictures for both kids, a birthday party, and Bee is off to play Santa for his boss's family. I can't afford to be down for the count!

Late Fall Pictures...

I need a vacation!

I really do! I have been on the go since January. Football, more football, C's Football, More football, School, now Basketball and Hockey. Then, Football will be starting again. Bee's cousin mentioned taking a family vacation. Cousins, aunts, everyone. I was totally on board with it. Then, two family members dropped off from the list of interested people, and it seems all talk of the vacation has stopped. I've asked, but no one seems to be working on it.

On Friday, I mentioned on facebook I wanted to go. I asked Grandma Bee if she knew of anyone in the family still serious about it. She said she could only speak for herself and Bee's Brother and sister in law. When it was first brought up, it was the plan to go to the beach for a week which, if you know me, sounds ideal. However, I looked at beach houses in Myrtle Beach and even in the off season (when it's still cold down there) you are looking at about $2,500 for the week. Three of us paying? Yeah, not really going to happen.

Someone at work mentioned Gatlinburg, TN. I looked it up and my WORD! It is breath taking!!
We could get a cabin that sleeps 12 for half off if we go mid-late fall. With three people paying, we would end up paying around $300-$400 each. That is way more reasonable.

Not to mention, I know Bee (and his brother) do not do well in heat. The burst into flames when it's above 50 degrees, and prefer to not be out in the sun and HOT if they can help it. 5 days at the beach probably would be torture for them. If we go in late fall, we can see the colors of the leaves, have hot cocoa by the fire, and enjoy nights in the hot tub!

When I posted this on facebook, none of Bee's cousin's were into it, and his mom mentioned something about preferring the beach better, so I think I will save the Smokey Mountains for a trip for Bee and I ;) OR my family and Bee and the kids :) I certainly don't mind doing both!! ;)

The tree! Good Lord, the Tree...

Friday night, we put up our Christmas decorations, including the Tree.  I was very worried because Ms. Kitty has never had Christmas before. She has never even seen a Christmas Tree. As with everything in the house, she would more than likely claim it as "hers". I didn't mind so much, as long as she didn't destroy it, knock it over, or break things on it.

Friday night, she mostly stayed in the dining room. The kids were all downstairs (including one of C's friends), and they were making a ruckus, and there was lots of movement and noises. She was quite content to lay on my dining room table, underneath my newly placed bell-tree, and claim that as "hers". Little Man was so tickled by this, that he has declared he is getting Ms. Kitty little kitty presents this year and placing them under her little tree. :)

Flash in a dark room makes for silly pictures :)

Saturday morning, we had to be up for when the grandparents came for the kids. Bee got up first and I told him to go survey any and all damage since she had had the night to explore and destroy at will. He came back and reported all was well as far as he could tell, but he hadn't seen her yet. Eventually, when the dog's whining could be ignored no longer, I got up and went to feed them. I heard a rustling, and a jingling of her bell, and then she appeared. When I went into the living room later, Bee told me she had been sleeping in the tree...However, nothing looked broken or out of place, and she ignored the tree the rest of the morning so I thought nothing of it.

She's thinking about it.....

Later, when I went to take my shower to get ready to go out for the evening, I saw her...she was curled up, in a ball, sleeping on the branches inside the tree. Apparently, she gets under it and uses the branches like steps. I really wanted to be mad at her. I don't want the cat in the tree, but she looked so adorable in there and she got in and out without knocking the tree over or any of the ornaments, so I just let her be. She woke up, seemed embarrassed, and slinked down out of the tree.

Ah Ms. Kitty, you win this one...but I can feel it's going to be a long Christmas Season....

Hot Cross Buns...

Little Man has started studying the recorder in music class. Their first day was yesterday. Their teacher taught them how to clean it, put it together, take it a part, how to hold it, and most importantly, their first 3 notes. My little budding musician figured out then when you play the three notes in succession, it is the opening notes to "Hot Cross Buns" (No doubt, the first song they will learn).

He spent the majority of the night last night walking around the house trying to teach himself how to play the song. Much to the chagrin of the dog and the cat, who went running together, for the first time ever, into Bee's and my bedroom to hide. By this morning, he had it all figured out. Then, he was working on playing it all the way through without making any "squeaks".

This makes me swell with pride. I have a strong feeling from what I have seen over the years and how he is with instruments, that he is going to most likely be musical like his Uncle Mark...It also makes me want to invent a time machine and go back in time and kill the man who invented the recorder... I am sure my dog and cat would agree ;)

Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies..

We have a problem in our house. An epidemic, really. Lies. Lying. Oh yeah, and mis truths.

Let me state for the record, I hate lying. I loathe it. It's one thing to lie, but it's another when that's the first thing you go to without hesitation. I mean, my kids suck at it, but they still do it. ALL THE TIME, lately. Little man seems to be the worst, but C is guilty too. Not that I want them to lie about big things, but really, if you are going to lie and risk getting in a lot of trouble, why not lie when it's "worth it"?

"Did you read today?" "Yep!" - He didn't. I asked him several more times because he had his "lie face" on, and I knew he had been outside playing when I got home early from work, which wasn't much longer after he got home, then he had basketball. He lied to face every time I asked him, getting increasingly more upset. I stopped, and reminded him with his lying past, I can't really trust what he says. I asked him again and he confessed. Now, why lie? I knew we were busy, and coming back from a week off is hard. I would have reminded him to read. That's all. But no, he lied over and over and over again, and now he is grounded for a week.

"Did you clean your room" "Yep!" - This one I can EASILY check, and I do. And it's not clean. And he gets in trouble.

I asked C to take the dog out. She did, and they were outside all of 4 minutes and came in. I said "Thanks" and was going to leave it at that. She announced "Gypsy went pee and poop! She must have really had to go!" Later, I went to take Gypsy out, and the baggie was still ties to the leash. So, either she didn't pick up the poop, or she didn't let her go. C lied without me even asking her a question!

Then there is the issue of the food thief in our house. The kids know if they want a snack or something to eat, they have to ask first. That is my rule. 99.9% of the time, I say yes. In fact, I usually then offer to make it for them. This way, I know what what is going out of my cupboards so I don't count on something being there that's not and requiring an extra trip to the store. Also, I like to know what goes into my kids' mouths. I buy snacks for their lunches every week. Money has been tight lately (when is it not?!) and I had just enough to buy what little snacks I did. Just enough to get us through until payday. I have told, and told, and told, and told, and TOLD the kids (specifically, little man) to stay OUT of the snacks for lunches. Little Man has gotten in trouble multiple times for sneaking and eating snacks from the snack cupbord. Yet. once again, I go to get the chips to put some in their lunches and sure enough, there is a mouthful of crumbs left in the bag that last time I had my hands on had about 1/4 of a bag left. I asked and he started to lie, but then confessed.

UGH! I WANT TO BANG MY HEAD AGAINST THE WALL!!!

I know kids sneak food. I did it. I was also almost 200lbs by the time I was 14. I know kids lie. I did it. I know kids do this stuff, but it drives me insane and I don't know how to make it stop. While they do misbehave for Bee sometimes, and they do lie to him too, it seems like they lie to my face more often, and with greater ease, which makes me feel like there is no respect.

That's what hurts the most....