Goofy Pictures of my cat

If I wasn't married, I'd say I was destined to be that crazy cat lady.... LOL

Here comes Peter Cotton tail?

This is what outside my window looks likes...

Happy Spring?!

Meh. I really shouldn't be surprised. Our weather is wacky. Still pretty though.

So this is what I've got...

- Tomorrow is Good Friday and Sunday is Easter. I Have no menu planned. I have no Easter Dinner bought. I'm broke. I haven't even reminded anyone what time to be at my house. I always have an "open invite" out there for Holidays...

- Along those lines, I have no Easter Baskets for my kids, either. Some would say 12 and 10 are too old for Easter Baskets. To that, I say I was still getting an Easter Basket of some sort from my parents up until my Dad lost his job last year and the moved to Arizona...we will find a way. We always do...it's just I'm feeling a little..."meh" about it all this year. Not that I don't appreciate Jesus dying for me. I do. But, HE doesn't require I make a big dinner, Host all the family, and get everyone over priced pastel candy and put it in a basket that will get broken or thrown out in a week.

-Bee is not one for Holidays anyway so he really cares less either way. While I feel "meh" about everything, I still feel like I can't just let Easter go by without a dinner and at least a colored egg or two...

-I think it's because I spent 6 months stressing over the wedding...through the Holiday Season, that has me all like "whatevs". Because No one is getting married. And hosting a house full of people for this holiday. 

-On an unrelated note, more for my own documentation purposes if anything, Last night was a "phone call" night. C made sure she was not home. She went with Bee to his Chalk Talk Session. Little Man said he didn't want to talk to her if she called. She did not, so it was moot....but still...

- I find I haven't had a spare moment to read anything lately. However, I love reading. I also find myself hating most music lately and not in the mood to listen to anything other than talk radio (Is that a sign of getting old? I remember all the "old" people I knew listened to talk radio...) and most talk radio is tiresome at best. So, I tried Audible. It's a free app from the app store. You have to buy books, which in my opinion are expensive (most are between $15-$25), but I signed up for the $14 a month plan and you get one free book of your choosing every month. They run deals too. Right now, there are $6 mystery's to choose from. Anyway, I've listened to 4 books in the "Odd Thomas" series by Dean Koontz and one book called "14". So far, I have really enjoyed them. "Brother Odd" in my opinion was the best so far of the Odd series and "14" was amazing. Now I'm listening to "The Killing Floor". It was on the best sellers list. I think they made a movie about it with Tom Cruise. I didn't really pay too much attention, but the main character is named "John Reacher" and I know Tom just did a movie playing a guy by the same name. Maybe it's a series. Anyway. I suggest it highly!

That's all I really have for today...  

Looking Back and Looking forward!

When BFF Rose's sister named the date of the surprise going away party, I started working on a photo album for Bff Rose as a present. I went through all my pictures and gathered up copies of pretty much every photo we have together. One thing was missing though. Our vacation in  May of 2008 to Panama City Beach, Florida to see her parents after they moved down there. I didn't know where I had stashed them. They weren't on facebook, nor were they on any of my photo printing sites. It was only recently that I remembered they were on MySpace. I logged on my long ago forgotten account and there they were! Oh how fun was it to look back. That was pre-Bee even! Well, I had met him already, but we had not become friends yet.

I remembered just how much fun we had! Even the trip down to Florida was fun. The road trip part was great. The fun stuff we saw. The scenery change from chilly and dreary. Everything still in that lifeless "grey" drab, to Mountains, to warm, to warm and palm trees. Sand, Surf, Green, salty air! Oh, I would give anything to go right now!! 

I decided to google how long of a trip it would take to drive from my house to BFF Rose's new house. 16 and a half hours. The best part? Since they will be living in Tampa, it will require us to take a different route (BFF Rose's mom and dad used to live in the pan handle. It required us to drive through Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama the whole way) This new route will take us through Virginia, West Virginia, both Carolina's, Georgia, and finally, Florida! It also includes driving smack through Savannah, GA which is where I have wanted to visit for many, many, years!

So, I told Bee that next Summer, when I get my bonus, we WILL go on a family road trip to see BFF Rose. We will leave on a Thursday night after work and drive until we can't drive anymore. We will then stay the night in the cheapest hotel we can find (I figure, we can make it at least as far as North Carolina, or half way there). Then, get up early and hit the road and make it there by early afternoon. Rose has a pool and lives across the street from the Gulf coast! The kids (and us) can swim all day long, BBQ, sit out on the beach and sun, go see the sights, and maybe, if we watch our pennies carefully, spend one or two days at Disney (they live 45 minutes to an hour away). After 8 days, we will leave on a Thursday night and drive until Savannah, GA. Then, spend the day/night there, and then head out Saturday morning and make it home late Saturday night, early Sunday morning. Oh how much FUN we will have! BFF Rose is already excited too :D

I mean, how can we NOT have fun together? ;) 

Pre-Goodbye Goodbye's, and Horse Racing!

This past weekend was a bittersweet one.

Friday was BFF Rose's surprise going away party. We were late, as usual, because apparently, that's my life now, and missed the "SURPRISE!" part, but it was still nice. I made chocolate chip dark chocolate cupcakes with raspberry white chocolate frosting (thanks, new frosting's at Wal-mart!) which made every one think I was some sort of bakery genius. Not so much, lol but it did make me want to get more and try different combinations. Anyway, it was really busy in there and we ended up having to take little man because C went to the school play. He didn't really mind too much. Pop and Pizza with a side of loaded fries was his reward for sacrificing his time. Plus, he got to see BFF Rose. That's his girlfriend :)

My friend Nancy, Little Man, and BFF Rose's Boyfriend Ray. It was his party too

Bff Rose and April

The Dizzle. He is going to miss his mom like crazy.

Bff Rose was surprised and touched that the party was for her. I gave her a photo album filled with pictures from when we first met, up until now :) It was kind of fun too, to sit with her and her friends and family and reminisce about all the fun and crazy times :) In fact, just thinking about them makes me weepy. Saturday before Easter is her sister's wedding. It will be the last time I see her before she moves. It's going to be rough :( Sure, I can always visit, but it's far. Far = expensive. Especially when you have 4 other people to bring. I can (and will) go by myself sometimes, but even still. Oh well. She deserves to be happy too and I will support her wherever she is!

After the party, we left and went to Bee's practice for a bit. One of the coaches was in Florida coaching the Police team, so Bee stepped in for him since he still can not practice. We eventually came home and got to bed around midnight. I was soo tired.

The next morning, C had basketball practice. I felt like warmed over death (No, I was not drinking the night before) Thankfully, Bee said he would take her. Little Man and I stayed home and I went back to bed. I slept until 11 am when I peeled myself from the bed. I was fighting a headache and was feeling worn out and tired. Bee wasn't feeling so hot either. Just Blah. We had made plans to go with The Jones's to A Night At the Races, and they had already paid for us, or else we would have just canceled. It ended up being a fun little evening. We won a few races (we put our winnings back into betting), The Jones's won a few races, "bought" a horse that one ($25 pay out for them), and Marcus won on a side board ($78). Later, when they did the Chinese auctions, our friend Nancy won a $25 Barnes and Nobel gift certificate and a board filled with scratch off's (She won $65 off of those) and I won a really cool blanket that I really wanted. All in all, it was fun :)

Me and Bee

T, Nancy, and Me

T, and me

Scott and Nancy

Sunday, we blissfully did nothing. This kids played with their friends in the snow. You know, because Spring is when the snow comes...Anyway, it involved a lot of this...

Couldn't ask for anything better :)

Behold! The Beauty!

This. THIS masterpiece is/was Bee's Football cake :D Isn't it lovely? Don't you like how I even managed to get my feet into the picture? That's because I am an award winning photographer :D

Hehehe :) Yes, this is the cake that fell apart when I took it out of the pan. Whomp-Whomp. Oh well, It's still perfectly good and perfectly tasty. I didn't want to throw it away. Bee said he would not eat an un-frosted cake, sooo...well, here ya go! To make up for it, I made him my famous snicker doodle cookies that he LOVES. He would much rather eat those than cake :) The kids will make short work of the cake.

Last night our friend Reggie came out and met Bee and the kids at Bee's work (the kids wanted to go and "help")  to work on Bee's car. I silently rejoiced inside at the prospect of having the house (and the evening)
to myself for a few hours. It was bliss. I turned on my audio book on my phone (because I'm 80) and listened while I baked cookies and made awesome cupcakes for BFF Rose's going away party that is tonight. All without being interrupted or having to worry about someone else. Don't get me wrong. I love my family. I love the sounds they make that makes my house feel like there is life inside of it. But sometimes...sometimes it's nice to have peace. Especially after this crazy busy week we've had and how due to C having AAU Basketball, Track, Civil Air Patrol, AND Flag football, the next two months are going to be a blur. :)

I am not going to lie though. While those 3 hours were bliss, it was sure nice to have my crew come home :)

How we roll

Birthday's have always been a big deal to me. Mainly, because growing up, they were made a big deal. I'm not saying that my parents spent large amounts of money, or threw big parties, but you always could be sure that the day would be about you. Bee's family, I don't think anyway, did the same thing. At least, Bee doesn't. He prefers to let all birthday's pass with a simple "Happy birthday".

I'm still working with him...

Anyway, I am always broke when his birthday rolls around. I'm not really sure why. It's the same time every year. My cousin's birthday is the 23rd and back when her and I were thick as thieves, it was the same thing. My point is, I still try to do something to make him feel special. Normally, I cook him a favorite meal, bake him a cake, and wait on him hand and foot (the latter is actually a normal thing at our house lol) I also try to get him a sweet card and an few little goodies to mark the day as special. I guess, that's because that's what I want on my birthday. Nothing big and over blown, just simple, small, and filled with proof that someone cares.

Yesterday, before I left for work, I took the cards I had bought (one from me, and one from the kids. Theirs signed like kids do, and mine with a sweet note inside) along with a bag of goodies I bought the day before (A mega slim jim, a single serving "adult juice box" of margarita, a king sized "cookies and cream" Hershey's bar, a bag of cookies and cream Lindor truffles (drool), and a giant bag of completely frosted animal crackers) and I placed them in his chair so he would find them after work as he went to relax.I also made him a football shaped cake. Unfortunately, that fell apart as I took it out of the ban. Boo. I still have to figure out what I am going to do with that. It's a perfectly good cake. Just ugly as hell and it's going to be a pain to frost...and Mr. Birthday Boy says "I will NOT eat a cake without frosting!" Humph...

All in all, he enjoyed his birthday treats :) Instead of a home cooked dinner, we went out to BW3 because the offensive line has "chalk talk" every Wednesday there, and my guy refuses to miss football...even if his birthday happens to fall on a session this year. So, we all went. In the blizzard. Because that's what he wanted. :)

Sigh.

What the birthday boy wants, the birthday boy gets :) He also got the bill...but that's here nor there ;)

All in all, I'd say he had a pretty good birthday :) Let's hope he remembers that come November 14th ;)

Happy, Happy birthday, Baby

Today is the day that my sweet Bee was brought into this world. This world has had his special light for 43 years and it only gets brighter and better with each passing year :) I thank God every day for bringing him into my life and for our marriage this past December allowing us to be together forever :) I love this man like the dickens and even though, like anyone, he has his faults and we have our ups and downs, I only love him more in spite of all of it :) He is my rock, my laughter, my sanity, my truth. He is my best friend and I am so very happy he was born today :) Happy Birthday, Lovey :)

One tough cookie

Even with a gash on her foot big enough that it probably required a stitch or two, she is still out there giving it her all. Never once complained the whole two hours of practice....

That's my girl :)

What a week...

   I don't have a whole lot of time for posting right now. I'm taking a little break from my work. What.A.Week.

Seriously.

Tuesday evening, I spent cleaning my house. My landlords kids (who technically own the house...) were nostalgic and wanted to "come by" and walk through the house because they "missed it". I would think it was for more sneaky reasons, but really, my landlord is the type to just come out and ask if he suspects something. The kid's lived there with their mother until she died. They haven't been in the house in 3 years and the oldest boy is on his first spring break from College. I get it. However, it couldn't have come at a busier time for us. Even though they are all the nicest people around, I get really stressed and nervous in dealing with them. Add to that C had Civil Air Patrol and Bee had a meeting and it was one of those nights where I didn't sit down until 10pm.

Wednesday I was stressed at the thought of having my landlord's kids over, preparing for Bee's surgery the next day, and on top of it, a cold/sinus thing from hell that popped up outta nowhere. Luckily, last minute, the kids bailed on us and we don't have to worry about it until at least summer :) Bee went to his meeting and took C with him and Little Man was Content to play with the neighbor boy.

Thursday, I woke up sick.as.a.dog. and my throat was on fire. No matter, because we needed to get to the hospital because Bee was having surgery.  He had a hernia repaired and a cyst taken out. The procedure took way longer than I thought it was going to take, but all turned out fine. After being there all day long, we were finally able to come home around 4pm. He was sore, and uncomfortable, but he was doing ok. By the time I got dinner and his medicines, and we all sat down, it was 7:30pm. The kids were supposed to go to the Grandparents of doom's house this weekend to visit and go see their mom. Little Man told me in the car to please not make him go see his mother. He said he wanted to see his Grandpa, but not his mother. He said seeing her makes him "mad and sad" and that he hates how she constantly drills him with questions about Bee and I, which only makes him more mad. Inside I celebrated. Outside, I told him he would never have to go anywhere he didn't want to.

Friday, Bee and I stayed home together. Me, to take care of him and recover myself, and him to recover from surgery. It was glorious. There was a lot of napping going on. When the kids got home, we had Little Man call his grandparents and inform them that Little Man wasn't going to see the mother and that if they wanted, I could bring him by afterwards. The Grandpa said that he wasn't going on the visit and little man could visit with him. Then, we went to C's AAU Basketball practice, and then to Bee's football practice to drop off the footballs before heading home. It was a long time to be out running around and Bee and I were both over exhausted and tired, so right to bed we went.

Saturday Morning, we were up at 6:45am to wait for the Grandparents. They finally arrived and I went right back to bed, where I stayed until 10:30am. Saturday was filled with naps all day as well...

Sunday, We both were feeling just better enough to be bored but not well enough that it annoyed us we couldn't get out and do something. The kids came home around 5pm and told us about their weekend. Little Man did NOT go see the mother, but it wasn't like him and Grandpa did something quality like I think Little Man thought that maybe they could do. Instead, Grandpa watched TV while he ate "snacks" (they don't know what to do with him, so they just shove food at him). C said that Grandma and the "mother" got into a huge fight while she was in the bathroom. She came back and "mother" was crying and Grandma was saying how she was selfish and ungrateful. Then, the mother cried to Little Man that "he is forgetting about her". Then, at some point over the weekend, The Grandmother told C that she hated Bee and never wanted him to marry her mother in the first place. Then, tried to make everything better by buying C $120 pair of shoes and $70 jeans.

This is where I have a HUGE problem.

1: You don't say things like "I hate your father and never wanted your mother to marry him in the first place" Why don't you just go ahead and say "I wish you were never born"

2: No 12 year old needs or really, should have $70.00 jeans. From Hollister. I'm not even saying C is to blame. I m sure she never even asked for them. (She might have...who knows) but it goes against what I am trying to teach my daughter. Which is, Money isn't everything. You don't need Name Brand everything. That $70 could have bought 3 or 4 pairs of jeans at another store. Or, IE: DON'T TURN OUT LIKE YOUR MOTHER.

3: The shoes. Ok, Here's the thing on the shoes. Grandmother bought them for "school". C has 4 pairs of shoes for "school". FOUR. And they aren't cheap walmart or payless shoes. These are all easily $100 shoes. One pair, Bee bought. They were $100 on sale for $50. Another pair were $120 on sale for $45 that her Grandmother bought her 2 months ago...the other two she paid well over $100 for, but she bought them with birthday and Christmas money. She didn't need another pair. However, the blessing in there is that she starts track today and she needed track shoes (which none of her other shoes qualified because they were basketball shoes) and at least this pair can be used for track and it saved Bee and I $100 because that's how much track shoes cost. I guess it's the idea that she just bought them for her to buy them...not for any real purpose and it just so happened we actually had a purpose this time.

Meanwhile, her brother, who desperately needs shoes because his are falling a part with holes in them and needs  pants because he owns 3 pair that fit properly came home with nothing. Oh, my bad, he got a new squirt gun....

Sigh.

I'll be happy when the kids can decide not to see any of that family anymore....

Ok...back to work...

Spring Forward

Time Change + Weather = Zzzzzzzz.....

Oh, wait. I need to be productive today. It's a Monday. It's hard to form sentences today. I was dozing off on my way into work this morning. Which, would have been fine except I was driving. And it was raining. There was just enough chill in the air that required the heat be on too. So, we have a tired Monkee, plus darkness, Plus rhythmic rain, plus warm comfy atmoshpere....yeah, it was a long way in this morning :(

I went to bed at a decent hour too. Bee and I were sleeping by 10pm which, was really 9pm before the time change...Work has been hard to keep my peepers open too. Sigh. Almost lunch time.

As for the weekend, it was a pleasant one :) C's party went...well. She had 8 girls show up (out of 15) and they went and got the neighbor boys for good measure. I spent $101.00 on food. GOOD food. I even put out 5 boxes of girl scout cookies. (We're talkin the "good stuff") and not one child ate. Ok, I'm being dramatic. C had two pizza bites (From Pinterest. I will blog about them tomorrow) and a chip, and one other girl had one chip dipped into the loaded baked potato dip. THAT WAS IT. There were apparently too busy running around outside making copious amounts of noise, pissing off a neighbor, or clucking like wild turkeys in my living room (no joke, they sounded like a flock of em) playing x-box.

Oh, and tormenting my poor cats. They were the stars of the party, really. :) Ms. Kitty was not really sure what to make of it and Chubbs (Sammy) just hid. lol

Eventually, the boy came home from 4th grade fun night with a buddy who was spending the night. They were excited to hear that the girls didn't touch the food. At least  they dug in :) Then, it was off to do what they do...

The girls all eventually left, Bee came home from practice and we went to bed. On Saturday, we had Bee's scrimmage, then later, him and I went out to see a show at the local comedy club with friends of ours. It took us a sweet forever because one of the main highways was shut down due to a dump truck accidentally leaving it's dump up and taking out a pedestrian bridge...

On Sunday, it was 72 degrees!! My kids were outside all the live long day. Around 4pm, I dropped Bee off at his bosses house to help with some tree removal while I took the boy out to buy a present for his friend's birthday party, then on to the party we went! After dropping him off, I went back to Bee's bosses house to pick him up. We grabbed custard and headed home. After picking up the boy, we came home and the kiddos got showers and then went to bed and we followed soon after :) 

Hoping the week goes by fast!