Fuck You, Last Week.

I really hope that title was subtle enough.

This entry will present itself as one of those letters you're told to write to a dead friend.  Or mayhaps a letter a  psychiatrist tells their crazy patient to write and then burn.  Either way... it'll help me feel better.  Better than a lot of other responses I could have presented.  Better than being imprisoned for blowing something up or running down the street waving my arms and screaming obscenities.  Maybe you'll get a giggle.

Last Monday was the Hubs birthday.  *My* birthday was pretty awesome 2 weeks before.  Not because our babysitter decided to go party and cut us short, and a friend of mine was a no-show, but because the Hubs somehow managed to present me with a Kindle Fire.  We're pretty old fashioned up in this hizzy so this thing has been treated like the brand new Nintendo our family got circa...uh...  1990??  It hardly ever gets put down.  I am in love.  And I've managed to still regularly go to the library, so I still stand on my soapbox.

Anyway... point:  my birthday was good.  I wish his had just been bad at least... or maybe a little sucky.  I myself began this day with a 'Bad Max Day'.  Insane behavior all over the place.  The kind that makes you call the school system you've been dealing with SINCE EARLY MAY and quite nearly spurt out, "WHAT THE HELL?" literally.  I instead gently reminded this waste-of-oxygen of a woman that we had seen the system's psychologist a month ago.  She giggled.  The woman fucking giggled that my son's paperwork with the psych had been lost, in fact, never evaluated and whoopsy...  they had done it again.  This is where I considered driving to her place of employment, calmly punching her in the nose, and getting back in my car.  Instead I flatly said, "This is my number.  Straighten this out.  Set up the IEP meeting" and hung up.

Meanwhile, at work, the Hubs apparently was taking a psychological beating.  He had an interview for a promotion weeks ago and was waiting to hear what was decided.  Managers and co-workers had congratulated him ahead of time.  Hearing through the grapevine he had gotten it, assuming really.  It was not going to be major, but rather a landmark for our family.  A place where we were growing.  Hope that things are always getting better.  He came home bleary eyed.  I asked him what was wrong and he promptly went to puke.  On his birthday the company told him he should just stay at his position at his meager pay.  He's simply too 'good' to move up.  They need him right where he is.  You are awesome.  Please except this lack o'raise.  Thank you.  This made me incredibly sad.  Hopes dashed.  There it was.  It's done.  But to hear who got it.  OH.  MY.  GOD.  It was a slap in the face and in mere seconds my mind raced to things I had heard and realized this asshole had been groomed for the job right under our noses.  And the very person that will have to help train this person will be, of course, The Hubs.

I left him at the kitchen table, amazingly upset and bewildered.  I had to get to a doctor's appointment that I was sure to be late for.  Sitting down after finding out I weigh a million pounds, I exclaimed to the nurse (the same idiot as this) "I will have high blood pressure.  It's been a very stressful day".  "Man troubles?", she asked.  WHAT?  Sure enough, I had to talk my way out of a situation that could have been very complicated by what seemed to be a 35-week-pregnant woman with high blood pressure.  I could only imagine calling the Hubs sitting back at home at the kitchen table and telling him, "eh... headed to the hospital...guess I'll see you in a few days..."

What was swimming in our heads, the weatherman threatened to make a reality.  Storms.  Wind.  Possible hail.  I have dead trees.  We called someone who was going to help out with these back in May.  And June.  And July.  And then 2 weeks ago.  One of the trees is so dead I lie in bed at night praying to the Lord Baby Jesus to keep me and all those sleeping on my corner of the house safe.  Friday I finally called a tree guy who proudly pointed out a few trees that need to go.  Pregnant, barefoot and embarrassed I asked him which ones were the most dangerous for lack of the million dollars per tree he was asking for.  He chose my target of prayer and said, "I do not even want to be parked here".  This is where my brain turned to oooze and flowed out my ears.  Keeping my big girl panties on, I asked..."you'll be able to cut it down before the storms tonight?"  He cackled and said, "Oh, no ma'am! It'll be late next week before I can get to it."  sigh.  This is where I thanked him politely, scheduled it up and calmly ran into the house before calling the Hubs and completely losing my shit.

I am tired.

And I am tired of people.

Really tired of people that say, 'Ima do this for you'... only to disappear.

Maybe prayers worked.  It never rained on Friday.  Not one iota.  It had been a 70% chance of storms earlier that morning.  The Hubs came home on time.  His 'new boss' had declared no more over-time.  We played music, made finger paints and painted models with the big kids.  I ordered pizza.  I declared it over.  All the ridiculousness.  I'm not taking it anymore.  There won't be another week like the last.  Things are going to change around here.  It's already happening. 

Wordless Weekend

Pictures, Part I

Welp, I said I'd do it, so I'm gonna.  This is just a sneak peak at the pictures taken at Lola's birthday.  I've probably looked at them 10 times already today.  If ya don't know me personally, this may just be a very boring entry.  You'll get over it.

 

 

You'll probably notice I know nothing of picture placement or formatting....  Yes, I considered having people sign a waiver saying they wouldn't breathe a word if they noticed things from Pinterest.  At least I can say I've done more than just gawk at The Pinterest!

This was just one of the best days.  It was a sacrifice to have someone there to take pictures, but I am still so glad we did it.  I think I'll just be pleased forever.  We've got amazing pictures to look back on.  I can't wait 'til he brings the disc!!

I Got Balls.

...told ya.

I busted these out for The Sis' birthday.  She requested a post about it...  This puts pressure on me.  hmmm...

Anyway.. I asked the kids what we should make and/or do for her birfday.  I was at a loss and frankly don't feel my brain is at 100% lately.  Coop shouted, "I know!".  He has a way of coming up with crap no one would think of.  Since we were throwin' down at her place Sunday, he suggested we bring sausage balls... 'because she ate all of ours last Christmas!'  I doubt she ate all of ours, but it was funny none the less, so she got a shit-ton for her b-day.  Along with 'V' sugar cookies, since that was Z's letter of the previous week and some homemade doggie cookies for her pup.  I wanted to buy her the windshield wipers she had requested since Christmas, but ASSumed since it had been since Christmas, she surely had them.  Wrong.  So those will be on the way...  I left Sunday with a box of goodies from both The Sis and the bestie, but nothing reciprocated.  I hate that.  Makes me feel terrible. 

So while at the par-tay we all got some much needed social entertainment.  I, being The Mom, always seem to become chief babysitter of all young children at social functions.  My bestie was there too and it's always fun hanging with her... but the other mama of the crowd just let her kid roam free.  Hoppin on people, screamin', running amok.  That's cool... I guess. I feel sorry for the kid.  The mom even left the premises twice without telling anyone where she was going... and why not?  We were all there to watch her kid.  I just wonder why she gives away her power like that... why she wouldn't want to be chief and manager of the kid, more importantly, is it always like this?  A kid needs his mama.  I offered to set up a playdate with the kid... through The Sis...  the kid's behavior may be off the chain, but obviously he needs a little lovin'.

So it was a good day.  The whole weekend right through last night consisted of cookies, doughnuts, cakes, pizza, chicken nuggets and icecream.  Time to get back on track.  It's been junk city lately.  I'm not gonna lie... it's nice to just open a box of nuggets sometimes.  Pop 'em in the oven.  Feed the minions.  Done and done.  Not good for the bods and not good for the wallet though.

And The Sis, it may not be long til you can receive an actual note from the Z.  Here he is, with his V's today.  Still hard at it. 

I'm gonna go get back at it though... this cute picture becomes complete chaos in 0-30 seconds. 

Monkey, Meatball, Museum

What a fun whirlwind of a weekend.  Having such a exhausting crazy exciting tiring great weekend makes Monday somehow more bearable. It seems that we've been celebrating Coopster's birthday for at least four days.  It began with monkey bread (fabulous, if I do say so myself) Wednesday morning and FINALLY ended Saturday with family at Tellus Science Museum and ye ol' Cracker Barrel.  I think it was all a pretty big hit.  I'm just slightly worried the next kid in line will expect such a huge shindig, if ya know what I mean.

Get this, my friends...  It takes monkey bread 3 hours total to rise...  This makes it both one of the most ridiculous and tasty things I can make all at the same time.

 We gained a new member of our crazy family this weekend as well.  Meet Meatball, the guinea pig.

This tiny creature is scared shitless right now, but I'm told if we have patience, he will get used to us.  Most humans are not used to us, what with all the noise and commotion and such... so I do wonder if poor Meatball stands a chance of living free of ...much anxiety, to say the least.

Another surprise we had in store was Grandma and Uncle Bro coming into town.  They live 8 hours away and we frankly do not see them enough.  The kids adore both of them and I hope they don't mind that they show their love in a very loud and obnoxious way.  Grandma was so excited, when she arrived at 4am on Thursday morning, she never went to bed!  As each kid came out of their bed, they freaked out when they saw her just sitting on the couch.   

By Saturday we were ready for our big trip to the Science Museum.  My nerdy 6 year old (I say that with nothing but love) has been talking about going for months.  I'm always so proud when we take the kids somewhere we wouldn't normally go in our everyday lives.  We live strictly on a cash budget.  When we can do something like this for them after careful budgeting, saving and planning it means a whole lot to all of us.  

 The Hubs and the Bro put on their suavest look outside of the museum.  We are openly weird people who can't take normal pictures.  There are other examples below.

Below is the first picture I took inside the museum.  Coop was very calm about it, but had been waiting to see "actual dinosaur bones" for a pretty long time.  He was quiet about it while there, but hasn't stopped talking about it since. 

Uncle "the Bro" is teaching.  Love the face.

Coop could have stayed and "dug" for dinosaur bones all day, I think.  I really think he was in heaven.  This kid has loved dinosaurs from the get-go.  I wonder if he has a future in it?

At the museum, they also had "panning for gems".  Z racked up some souvenirs.  

Z examines some tiny shrimpies.

Maximus pounds out a loud tune.

Once inside the kid section of the museum, both Z and Max tried to sit on this one dimensional couch.  Like any good mother would, I laughed my ass off. 

This is what happens when you have more than one kid...  no picture ever has any of them looking up at the same time again.  ...Until they're like 13 or something I guess... even then there's probably no hope:

Everyone had a wonderful time.  We're back to the grind today... that's my excuse for why this entry seems to bounce all over the place.  We're all trying to get back in the swing of things.  Our school starts Thursday and with the whole Tourette's thing, I guess I plumb forgot to plan one. damn. thing.  ...but I've got most of the curriculum, so time to get to work!

 

Maybe my next entry will be a little better thought out.  But then again...