Growing up...

I can't believe the school year will be up in just a few short months. A couple weeks ago Bethany came home saying they needed to get their pictures turned in for the Power Point at Graduation. I'm like isn't it a little early?? But you know if you have to scan 50 kids pictures and each of them has 3, you do the math. So we did go through pictures and of course the ones I like, she's like NO. I have the cutest one of her naked little bootie on the bed, she's bout 6 or 7 months old... That was a huge NO. She had such long hair when she was little, then at 9 she had to have it cut. You know it never grows back the same.

So anyway it was a semi warm day so we headed outside to take a few shots, she of course had to have her guitar.... This one she looks so serious and so pretty. This is her Taylor Swift pose. LOL!!

I just love the ones of her laughing. We'd take a picture and she'd start laughing saying she felt so stupid, so of course I'd snap pictures.
Gordon loves this one, she looks like she's having fun and looks like she's playing.

Gordon hates this one. I think the only reason is because she looks like a grown up young lady. That and you can pretty much tell that she's a girl......

After posting about 8 pictures on MySpace to get some family opinions, she went with the close up photo. (first one posted here) She's going with the one of her laughing sitting in the chair as the wallets that she gives to her classmates.

I know that I will cry at some point during the graduation. I won't be able to help it. Not to mention that my baby will graduate kindergarten. I just can't catch a break this year.

But for now, my son will still hold my hand in public and I'm gonna hang on as tight as I can and he's gonna have to cut my hand off to get loose...

Grateful

I love technology. Anything to make what I do easier and more fun, I am all for. But the small modern things we all take for granted are surely missed when taken away.
Due to the Ice Storm we had, I had been without electric for NINE days. We had a generator, but you can't run the simplest of things like hot water tank. Vacuum, and of course we can't forget that wonderful thing that dries your clothes.
I did the old school method, boiled water on stove top for bath. I don't have a clothes line, so I had to drape clothing and towels across my deck railing. Jeans being a little stiff you can handle. T-shirts came out okay. But OMG the towels were so stiff I swear it was like drying off with sandpaper.... Poor Chase, I dried him off and he was like ouch.... what's wrong with the towels?
So Thursday morning, I was awakened by someone messing around in the back yard, I'm trying to open my eyes (only been asleep for 1 hr) when I hear the generator go off. My first thought was that someone was steeling it, so I look outside and saw an amazing sight. Two guys from the electric company. They disconnected the generator, turned my power on, replaced the cover on the meter and I had electric. It was awesome. I started to run out the front door and give them a big hug, but I don't think they would've been thrilled with my Grumpy jammies and my hair going in a hundred different directions. They may have hit my Jeep trying to leave out.
So after that I lay there trying to go back to sleep, but kept thinking about how much laundry I needed to do and that I really wanted a soft towel after a hot shower. And how nasty my carpet was, so I just got up. Did laundry, vacuumed the floors, other mild cleaning and took a hot shower. I think I used all of the hot water too.
So God Bless the makers of modern technology. I am truely grateful!!

Sweet Girl

I was watching the new earlier and there's a little girl in El Reno, Ok. Who has set up cans around the businesses to try and raise money to buy two bullet proof vests for the police departments K-9's. She's adorable, hope she makes it. Hopefully this link works.

http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=9769314

Iced In

Being iced in the last couple of days has reminded me of the time when I was a Jr or Sr in high school. We loaded up with Aunt Pearl and Uncle Lloyd and went to Berryville (I think) to spend Christmas with Bennie. We get there and get iced in. Didn't lose power or heat so that was a plus. I can't remember his half's name at that time, just that she had two daughters and one red headed creeeeeepppppyyyy son. I was afraid to go to the bathroom alone, I'd come out and he'd be standing there like he was trying to see thru the door. We watched the news, the roads, day two we saw some melting. So we loaded up and headed home. Got to Siloam and as soon as we saw the Oklahoma sign, Aunt Pearl said Praise the Lord we're home. Mom agreed with that. I always try to remember what that felt like. Coming home. I bet Mom and Aunt Pearl had that same feeling walking through the gates.
That memory leaves me with a few mixed emotions. Sadness of missing two of the most amazing women in my life, Laughter at seeing us piling into that car with just a little melting ice. Fear, because what on earth were we thinking getting into the car with Uncle Lloyd driving on ICE?
Mostly it leaves me with a smile. I may not have had much growing up, but I've had enough laughter and smiles to more than make up for the things I didn't have.
Here's a pic of my Dogwood in the front yard, still holding up. Thank God. This is the southeast part of my yard. You can see some broken limbs, some limbs on the power lines (not enough to kill my power, so who knows)

This was taken Tuesday night, Cotton Wood tree in back yard and you can see the snow coming down. It was sooooo cold in the house. No heat, no hot water, no power of any kind. It was crazy trying to entertain a 6year old boy. Reading and coloring was boring.

I do think the ice in the trees is kinda pretty, but not if I'm freezing my butt off. Thankfully we were able to borrow a generator so Chase could have his video games and TV. And a kerosene heater for a little bit of heat. My whole body is stiff from trying to sleep rolled up in blankets to keep warm. Power went out at work as well, had generator for computers and radio, but not for the heat, not sure what genius did that.... So no relief there either. I do have all power at work, so I'm warm while my babies are at home, rolled up in blankets with a little kerosene heater going to keep warm. Maybe I should've just brought them with me....

I'm thinking I should seriously consider moving some where warmer. I told Gordon I was moving to Florida, he said uh??? I said O you could come visit..... :D

No More depressing blogs...

My blog has been so depressing lately. I have been stressing but there are reasons to be happy. Bethany has been taking guitar lessons, she's had TWO. The instructor said she is doing very well. He's surprised she's never had lessons. Said she was where some of his 6 week students are. She's picking it up pretty quickly. She's pictured below with the guitar she got for her birthday back in Nov. Pink of course. Thanksgiving she had to show it to her Uncle Ed, who told her that it was in her blood that she would be able to play, she hoped it was true. And it pretty much looks like it. I forgot to tell her that my dad also played. Not sure if he still does. She was super excited when she opened the case. The look on her face was awesome, well this smile never left her face. I had to throw this one in, she's also a HUGE Twilight fan, has read all four books several times. So I had a chance to get her a cake made with "Edward" on it. She didn't want to cut it. I think the cake was almost as huge of a hit as the guitar.

So for all of her months of begging and pleading for the guitar and lessons. She won. But she did promise that if I got her a guitar that she would write me a song.... So once she learns to play and can play a few songs. I'm going to remind her of that. LOL!!

I'm hoping once she gets a few chords down that she can show a few to Chase. I bought him his first "guitar" when he was about 2. I've got some video of him strumming it singing "hey goolooking whatcha got cookin...how bout sumthin to eat". Its just the cutest. I've got to get it transferred to DVD though.

We finally managed to get our hands on a Wii, which was a chore. So Chase has pretty much kicked my butt in about every sport. He LOVES video games, so at least with this one, he actually has to move. OMG my arms and backside are sore from the boxing. Now if only I could get my hands on the Wii Fit....

Job

I sent my resume off, so we'll just have to see how that pans out. My husband was not very supportive. Kept giving a ton of "reasons" why it wouldn't be worth the 7,000 a year pay increase and the drive. Thing is he's overly involved in and with my job. He's friends with the chief, more so than I am. So not only do I hear the complaining from those I work with, then I get it at home, complaining of those complaining. I have tried to tell him that I'm off work and don't want to hear about it. But it seems to fall on deaf ears. I just believe your work life should be separate from your personal. No mixing of the two. What are you supposed to do when your hating your job on a day and you should have your spouse to vent to and he's too busy telling you what someone else said or how you shouldn't say this or you shouldn't act like that. Makes me feel like a child.
To top off my week. I get into bed already in a bad mood from listening to the above. When I wake up Friday with the worst pain I've had since childbirth. I dealt with it from 9am to 11am, couldn't take it anymore and finally made a trip to the ER. After urine and blood tests, I'm given a shot and a prescription for pain meds and sent home. Found nothing, apparently just cramps. Almost makes you feel like a wuss and pretty stupid to boot.
My child bearing years are done, why can't they just take the freaking things out? If someone had told me that once you have a tubal that cramps are a severe pain in the butt. I would've chosen a different method.
I could seriously kick Eve's butt for disobeying in the garden of Eden.

Needing a Change

Ok, so I don't have a problem really with the job I do. But what I do have a problem with is EVERYONE getting by with everything. From not logging information down, not passing information on to the next shift. Wearing hooker boots to work, I mean really we don't need to know what your part time job is!!!!
I really hate having such a bad attitude this early in the new year. I also hate feeling like the work I do is not apprecieated. I mean you might as well be a total screw-up because no one will do anything. I want structure, rules. Rules are good. They keep you on your toes, make you want to work harder, do better and make you look better in the eyes of the public. Our public thinks this department is a joke, seeing some of those on duty, I can't really blame them.

There's a job that's opened up, about 25 miles away. Its 4 dollars and hour more than what I'm making. Its not dispatching, its more admin work than anything. I have a couple days to decide if I'm going to apply. I just don't know yet. There are the pluses: More Money, daytime hours, no spouse being involved in office gossip and bringing it home to me to just piss me off even more.
I've been back here for 3 years now, I had to fight for my vacation time that they tried to take away. I am 5 minutes away to pick up the kids from school if their sick or whatever.

I'm just not happy with alot of things really. When I do try to talk to my spouse about it, he blows me off or says I'm grouchy. I'm usually thinking..... ok well we won't get into what I'm really thinking.
I know its just a job and I can be replaced tomorrow and with my kids I can never be replaced, but shouldn't you be somewhat happy with your job?
Spouse doesn't understand, he's been with the same department for 23 plus years. He has never talked over with me when he's thought about or did transfer to a different area. But then men don't worry about having to pick up the kids or making sure you're home enough with them either.
Ok, so I'm just gonna give it up and leave it in God's hands.