TOGETHERNESS

YESTERDAY WAS A GREAT DAY WE DID HAVE SOME COMPANY LATE YESTERDAY EVENING. BRANDON MY NEPHEW, HIS FIANCE LESLIE, AND MY NIECE HANNAH. BUT BEFORE THAT WE JUST HUNG OUT WITH THE GIRLS. AND EVEN AFTER THEY GOT HERE WE ALL SIT DOWN TO EAT A BIG FAMILY MEAL AND JUMPED IN THE POOL AGAIN AFTER. TODAY WAS REALLY GOOD AS WELL. JORDAN FOUND THE CLOTHES AND SHOES SHE WANTED WITHOUT MUCH FUSS AND MY MOM WAS THRILLED. AS WAS I. CHUCKIE CHEESE WAS GREAT. WE HAVE BEEN RAISING CHILDREN SINCE I WAS 17 AND I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT WE DID FOR ENTERTAINMENT BEFORE KIDS. RILEY WAS CONVINCED TODAY THAT ALL THE KIDS THERE CAME JUST FOR HER BIRTHDAY. AND BEFORE WE GOT THERE SHE SAID THAT CHUCKIE CHEESE WOULD GREET HER AT THE FRONT DOOR AND SAY"COME RIGHT IN RILEY AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY" TOO CUTE. THEN MY MOM AND I MADE JORDAN CRINGE WHEN FIRST MOM STARTED TO DANCE AND THEN SEEING HER FACE GET RED IHAD TO GET UP FROM THE TABLE TO DO A LITTLE JIG MYSELF. WE GOT COTTON CANDY BEFORE WE LEFT AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL. I GOT UP EARLY AND DONE MOST ALL OF MY HOUSE WORK AND LAUNDRY BEFORE THE KIDS GOT UP SO IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER RELAXING DAY. BACK TO WORK AND REALITY TOMORROW. WELL IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED. I WISH THAT I HAD NOTHING AT ALL TO DO BUT TO SPEND TIME WITH MY CHILDREN AND FAMILY. IF I COULD JUST SNAP MY FINGERS AND EVERYTHING BE DONE ESPECIALLY LAUNDRY IT IS NEVER ENDINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

JUST US

I THOUGHT I WOULD POST REAL QUICK WHILE EVERETT AND RILEY WERE GONE TO TOWN AND SAY THAT I AM SO EXCITED THAT IT WILL BE A DAY WITH JUST US! IT IS REALLY HOT SO WE PLAN ON PLAYING IN THE POOL AND RELAXING AND JUST SPENDING TIME TOGETHER JUST THE 4 OF US. YAY! LATER I WILL BE FIXING A BIG SUPPER AND THE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE MAKING BROWNIES FOR DESSERT. TOMORROW IS MY DAY OFF BUT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF MEETING AT BOB EVANS. TO BAD I WILL HAVE TO MISS IT. YOU SEE MY MOM ALWAYS TAKES ALL OF THE GRANDKIDS TO CHUCKIE CHEESES FOR THEIR BIRTHDAYS BUT AROUND MY KIDS BIRTHDAYS WAS WHEN SHE WAS HELPING CARE FOR MY GRANDFATHER. SO TOMORROW IS THE DAY WE GO AND MOM, JORDAN, RILEY, AND I ARE TAKING OFF EARLY BECAUSE SHE IS ALSO BUYING CLOTHES FOR JORDAN FOR HER BIRTHDAY. SO SORRY BOB EVANS I HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT OUT OF TOWN APPOINTMENT TO KEEP. WELL THEY ARE BACK FROM TOWN. EVERYONE HAVE A GOOD DAY!

HELP I CANT ESCAPE IT!

SO I HAVE TOLD JORDAN NO EXTRA KIDS OVER FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THAT HER AND RILEY CAN JUST STAY HOME WITH THE EXEPTION OF GOING TO MOM AND DADS. AM I A TERRIBLE PERSON FOR JUST NOT WANTING TO DEAL WITH LICE FOR A WHILE? SO I TALKED TO SHARON EARLIER AND SHE STILL WANTS THE 3 GIRLS HAIR DONE BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO BACK TO CALIFORNIA AND SAID SHE WOULD BRING THEM UP ONE DAY THIS WEEK. I TOLD HER I WOULD COME DOWN AND DO IT AND THAT SHE WANTS MY GIRLS TO COME TO HER HOUSE AND PLAY FOR THE DAY. I TOLD HER WE WOULD WORK OUT THE DETAILS LATER. AM I SO BAD THAT I DO NOT WANT THEM AROUND THE OTHER GIRLS? I KNOW ITS NOT THEIR FAULT. THEN THE THE GIRL COUSIN WHO GAVE IT TO JORDAN A WHILE BACK WANTS TO COME OUT AND SWIM AND PLAY ON MONDAY. I TOLD HER THAT WE WOULD NOT BE HOME. THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE OTHER PLANS. AND MY 3 NEICES ARE SUPPOSED TO COME OVER AND SWIM SOME TIME THIS WEEK. NOT THAT THEY HAVE IT OR ANYTHING BUT RECENTLY I HAVE WONDERED ABOUT CHECKING EVERY SINGLE KID THAT COMES TO THE HOUSE BEFORE THEY COME IN. THERE ARE NEVER JUST MY 2 HERE. IT RANGES ANYWHERE FROM 2 - 10 KIDS. SOMEDAYS 3, SOME DAYS 5, SOMEDAYS 7, MAYBE 8. I NEVER REALLY KNOW UNTIL SOMEONE CALLS. I FEEL BAD ABOUT NOT WANTING THEM HERE AND ITS NOT THAT I DONT WANT THEM ITS JUST THAT I DONT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE DREADED LICE ANYMORE! I LOVE ALL THE KIDS AND EJOY HAVING LOTS OF KIDS AROUND BUT I JUST NEED A BREAK FROM WHAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. CLEANING , LAUNDRY , BOILING COMBS, AND TREATING WELL EVERYTHING.

MY LIFE

OH LICE HOW I HATE THEE! I AM ALWAYS TELLING MY GIRL THAT THEY MAY NOT LIKE SOMETHING VERY MUCH BUT THEY DONT HATE IT BECAUSE HATE IS SUCH A STRONG WORD. BUT WITH LICE IT IS TRUE I HATE IT. A FEW WEEKS AGO JORDAN GOT IT FROM A COUSIN AND WE OF COURSE GOT RID OF IT ASAP. I CHECK THE GIRLS ONCE A WEEK AND BOTH HAVE CHECKED OUT CLEAN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. WE HAVE A FRIEND OF OURS WHO HAS 3 GIRLS FROM CALIFORNIA THAT VISIT FOR A FEW WEEKS IN THE SUMMER EVERY YEAR. EVERY YEAR I CUT THEIR HAIR FOR THEM WHILE THEY ARE HERE. OF COURSE THEY COME TO SWIM AND THE OLDEST BEING JORDANS AGE SPENT THE NIGHT WITH US ON WED. NIGHT. SO YESTERDAY WHEN SHARON BROUGHT THE OTHER 2 UP I WAS GOING TO CUT THE YOUNGEST GIRLS HAIR FIRST. BEFORE I EVEN TOUCHED HER HAIR I SEEN A BUG. WELL BEING OUT IN THE COUTRY I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A BUG. THEN I SAW ANOTHER. I PARTED HER HAIR AND SHE WAS FULL OF LICE AND EGGS. I HAVE BEEN A HAIRDRESSER FOR 16YRS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN BUGS THAT BIG AND SO MANY EGGS IN HAIR EVER. OF COURSE THE OTHER 2 GIRLS HAD IT AS WELL. AFTER THEY LEFT I CHECKED MY GIRLS OVER REAL GOOD AND NEITHER ONE HAD IT BUT I STILL TREATED THEM AND THE HOUSE BECAUSE THE OLDEST GIRL HAD JUST SPENT THE NIGHT. JORDAN WAS VERY UPSET AND SAID WE JUST GOT RID OF IT. I SAID I KNOW BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO. I TOLD HER NO FRIEND OVER TO STAY FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS BECAUSE I JUST DONT WANT TO DEAL WITH IT AGAIN ANY TIME SOON WELL-----NEVER. THE FUNNY THING IS THEY HAD A WATER MAIN BREAK AND BOB EVANS WAS CLOSED THURS SO I DID NOT HAVE TO WORK. I WAS SO EXCITED TO SPEND THE EVENING WITH THE FAMILY BUT INSTEAD SPENT IT CLEANING, DOING LAUNDRY, CHECKING HEADS, AND EVEN THOUGH MY GIRLS DID NOT HAVE IT I TREATED HEADS TOO. THEREFORE OH LICE HOW I HATE THEE.

MY LIFE

WHATS WITH THE TIME--THE FIRST TIME I POSTED THE TIME WAS RIGHT. THEN I NOTICED THAT THE NEXT TWO POSTS WERE AT AROUND 8:30 WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY AROUND 11:30 SO I WENT IN AND CHANGED MY SETTINGS FOR THE RIGHT TIME ZONE AND THEY ARE STILL AN HOUR BEHIND. WHICH BY ALL RIGHTS IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE. BUT THIS BEING THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE HAD TO SPRING AHEAD AND THE BIG DEAL THAT WAS MADE OVER IT YOU WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD BE RIGHT. NOT ONLY THAT BUT MY FIRST POST TIME JUMPED AHEAD BY TWO HOURS. OH WELL NOT THAT IT MATTERS ANYWAY BUT I ALMOST ALWAYS WAIT TO POST AFTER ALL ARE TUCKED INTO BED AROUND 11 OR11:30. ISNT IT STRANGE HOW THOSE LITTLE THINGS CAN BE ANNOYING. I CAN ALREADY HEAR MY SISTER LAUGHING AT ME AND SAYING "TO FUNNY" LAUGH ALL YOU WANT SIS I STILL LOVE YA.

MY LIFE

WELL IT IS OFFICIAL THAT THE ONLY ONES WHO LIKE ME WORKING IS THE DOGS. THEY GREET ME AS SOON AS I OPEN THE DOOR AND ARE ALL SMELLING ME ALL OVER ALL THE WAY TO THE HOUSE. I JUST HAVE TO KEEP TELLING MYSELF THAT IT IS NOT FOREVER......ITS NOT FOREVER.......ITS NOT FOREVER

MY LIFE

MY LIFE
SO TODAY MY OLDEST DAUGHTER JORDAN IS GETTING A TASTE OF WHAT IT MEANS FOR MOM TO BE WORKING EVENINGS WHEN SHE ASKED IF A FRIEND CAN STAY OVER TONIGHT. I SAID NO BECAUSE IT IS NOT FAIR FOR ME TO ADD ANOTHER CHILD FOR MY MOM AND DAD TO WATCH ON TOP OF MY OWN EVEN IF IT IS ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME. HER RESPONSE WAS THAT I AM ALWAYS AT WORK. WHICH MADE ME FEEL REALLY CRAPPY. BUT WAIT THIS WAS ONLY MY SECOND FULL EVENING OF WORK. BOTH ARE SO SPOILED. SO I OFFERED FOR HER FRIEND TO STAY ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SHE INFORMED ME THAT THIS WEEKEND WAS WHEN SHE MIGHT BE CAMPING OUT WITH ANOTHER FRIEND. I TOLD HER THAT SHE HAD A DECISION TO MAKE. SO SHE WILL BE THINKING ABOUT IT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. IT IS FUNNY HOW IF THEY WANT TO GO TO A FRIEND OR MAM-MA AND PAP-PAS HOUSE AND THEY ARE LEAVING ME FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME THATS FINE BUT IF I EVEN THINK OF GOING TO THE MAILBOX ON MY OWN I GET STATIC. WHATS UP WITH THAT?

ANYHOW I GOT TO WAIT A FEW TABLES TONIGHT. EVERYTHING THAT I DO THERE , EXCEPT THOSE DARN ORDER TICKETS, IS NOTHING I DONT DO AT HOME---SERVE FOOD, GET DRINKS, CLEAN TABLES, WORK WITH A BUNCH OF KIDS, PUT THINGS BACK IN ORDER. ONLY AT BOB EVANS I GET TIPS. YEAH I KEEP TRYING TO TELL MYSELF THAT ITS NOT SO BAD AND REALLY IT ISNT---I AM JUST SO HUNG UP ON WANTING TO BE HOME THAT I JUST CANT SEEM TO QUITE COME TO TERMS WITH IT. I GOT MY PERMANENT SCHEDULE AND I WILL BE WORKING TUES-FRIDAY EVENINGS. FOR NOW ,BUT I HAVE NEWS FOR THEM WHEN JORDAN STARTS SOCCER THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES IN THAT. I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED

SO FRIDAY WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL DAY FOR ME. YOU SEE MY 91 YEAR OLD GRANDFATHER PASSED AWAY LAST SATURDAY EVENING. HE HAD CANCER AND WE KNEW IT WAS COMING AND HE GOT HIS WISH AND DIED ON THE FARM. ANYWAY I HAVE BEEN UP THERE A LOT THIS PAST WEEK AND THERE WERE ALWAYS PEOPLE THERE. ON FRIDAY WHEN I WENT UP TO CLEAN HOUSE FOR MY GRANDMA AND IT WAS JUST HER AND I AND THE KIDS, I SOOO MISSED THE EVER FAMILIAR ROUTINE OF PAP-PA SAYING "HELLO GIRL" WHEN I WALKED IN THE DOOR AND THEN I WOULD ALWAYS GO OVER AND HUG AND KISS HIM AND HE WOULD SAY "HOWS MY GIRL TODAY?" IT WAS JUST LAST SUMMER WHEN HE WAS 90 AND ALREADY HAD SEVERAL BOUTS OF CANCER HE PUT UP A WOVEN WIRE FENCE BY HIMSELF IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY AROUND SEVERAL ACRES WHERE HE KEPT HIS COWS. WHAT AN AMAZING MAN HE WAS.

ANYWAY FRIDAY NIGHT WAS MY FIRST FULL EVENING AT BOB EVANS. I KNEW GOING IN THAT I WOULD NOT BE SPENDING THE EVENING AS I USUALLY DO------WITH MY FAMILY. IT MAY SOUND DUMB TO SOME BUT I STARTED CRYING ON THE WAY THERE JUST BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE THEM. BUT IT WILL ALL BE FOR THE GREATER GOOD FOR MY FAMILY IN THE LONG RUN--IT IS JUST GETTING THERE. ONE STEP AT A TIME. I AM THANKFUL THAT I WILL STILL GET TO SPEND ALL DAY WITH THE KIDS AND ON WEEKNIGHTS WILL BE GONE FROM 4:45-9:15. AND STILL BE HOME IN TIME TO TUCK THEM IN OF A NIGHT. IT HELPS TO HAVE A GREAT HUSBAND OF 15 YEARS WHO PICK UP AFTER THEM AND DOES DISHES AND LAUNDRY AND IS JUST AN ALL AROUND GREAT DAD.

SO I HAVE BEEN A STAY AT HOME MOM NOW FOR FOUR YEARS. WHEN MY OLDEST DAUGHTER JORDAN WAS BORN I DECIDED THAT IF ANYONE OTHER THAN MY HUSBAND AND I HAD TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY CHILD THAN WE DID IT WOULD NOT BE WORTH IT TO WORK. WELL I HAVE BEEN A HAIRDRESSER FOR 16 YEARS AND AT THAT TIME (11YRS AGO) MY BOSS WORKED WITH ME AND I WORKED 2 DAYS A WEEK AND EVERY OTHER SATURDAY. SO SHE ONLY HAD TO GO TO THE SITTER 2 DAYS AND MY HUSBAND HAD HER ON ANY SATURDAY THAT I WORKED. THEN WHEN SHE WAS ALMOST 7 LITTLE MISS RILEY CAME ALONG AND I QUIT WORKING OUTSIDE OF THE HOME. STAYING HOME HAS BEEN THE HARDEST AND MOST REWARDING JOB I HAVE EVER HAD. I SOOO LOVE IT.

I HAVE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS FILLED IN AT WHERE I USED TO WORK AS A HAIRDRESSER WHEN THEY NEEDED ME. RECENTLY MY HUSBANDS JOB HAS SLOWED WAY DOWN AND WELL THE FUNDS JUST ARE NOT WHAT THE ONCE WERE. SO STARTING THIS WEEK WILL BE THE ACTUAL START DATE OF ME WORKING BACK AT THE SHOP ON SATURDAY. AND IF SOMETHING EVER COMES UP WHERE HE HAS TO WORK I CAN CUT MY DAY SHORT AND TAKE MY KIDS WITH ME.

I HAVE ALSO JUST GOT HIRED TO WAITRESS AT THE LOCAL BOB EVANS. I WAS HARD ON THEM BECAUSE I WANT MY CAKE AND EAT IT TOO. NO WEEKENDS AND I WILL ONLY WORK FROM 5PM TO CLOSE. MY MOM AND SOME VERY CLOSE FRIENDS WILL BE KEEPING THE KIDS FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS ON THE EVENINGS I HAVE TO WORK UNTIL EVERETT COMES HOME. I TOLD THEM I AM A MOTHER FIRST AND FORMOST AND IF MY KIDS ARE SICK I WONT BE THERE. THEY AGREED TO TAKE ME ON AND I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP MY HUSBAND GET OUT OF THE JOB HE IS NOW IN. YOU SEE IT IS HARD TO FIND A NEW JOB WHEN ITS THE ONLY INCOME. SOME IS BETTER THAN NONE. ANYWAY I DO NOT PLAN ON IT BEING LONG TERM----JUST LONG ENOUGH TO GET OUR FEET BACK ON SOLID GROUND. WISH ME LUCK!