One day soon

I haven't forgotten about this place. Life has taken over!! Stay tuned.. more to come

Still here

I'm still here I promise!! Life/Work has been crazy lately. Every time I was determined to get on here I got side tracked. I plan on update some site soon but until then go check out a couple of sites.

Uncorked

Innsane

Ashley

Weekends

The past couple of weekends we have been out exploring different State Parks with the punks. Last weekend we went to Buck's Pocket I think we all had a good time. We didn't have the littlest punk with us. It was dreary and rainy that morning so she stayed with Granny. The week before we went we had had some major flooding in our area so we were a little weary, but it was all good. You could tell how high the water had gotten by standing on the river bank near the water, you could look up about 4-5 feet above your head and see debris and leaves/sticks caught in the tree limbs from the water rushing through. We walked the river bank a while then decided to go hiking up in the woods. I could tell I am majorly out of shape. My legs haven't felt a burn like that in a long time. It looked like it would be a nice place to camp. The punks could play around in the creek to cool off, but that would depend on the current. It was a good rafting river too. We saw a group of kayaks go by while we were walking. We started losing day light so we hoped back in the van and drove down another road a little father and came upon a bridge that was still flooded. The punks wanted to try to walk across it, but you could tell that it was way to strong to try that. Plus the water was FREEZING!!! I wouldn't even try to drive across it! On our way back out we stopped and took a few pics of a waterfall that was on the side of the road. All in all we had a good day.

This weekend we went to Rickwood Caverns. Even though the cave tours were still closed for the season we decided to go ahead and check it out. It was a little windy and chilly today. We only had 3 punks with us today, little one included. As soon as we got there she hit the playground! She played there for a long long time. Her older sisters stayed there as well. For a long time we were the only ones there, then a couple more kids showed up. After a while we got the little one and started walking up the trail, well she made it about .5 miles and was ready to go back! She had a hard time walking on the rocks. She didn't like that there were caves/holes under and inbetween the rocks. She did pretty good though. This park had a swimming pool! This would be a good place to camp with the punks. The cave tours would be open during the summer for them to do, plus swimming and hiking would keep them busy! We didn't get to stay a long today as I would have liked. But long enough to figure out what we needed to know.

Hopefully within the next few weekends we can check out some other parks!

How's this look?

I love messing with stuff. My blog was in the line of fire so it got hit this time...

I'm still tweaking in so let me know what you think. Well if there is anyone out there, let me know what you think. .....Taps microphone...Is this thing on???.... Ya know, sometimes I wonder if anybody does read my ramblings. Yeah I'm off the wall, sometimes just plain loopy. But oh well, nice to meet you!

What are your resolutions for 2009? It's a new beginning remember. Like last year wasn't enough..lol My resolution for 2009: Not to make any resolutions! That way I don't kick myself in the ass for not doing what I wanted to. Now I can make a list of what I want to do, but when I don't finish them I won't be as disappointed in myself. So I'm not going to lose weight (don't need too), I'm not going to get in shape, I'm not going to quit drinking or smoking, I'm not going to save money, or stockpile things, all in all I'm not going to do anyting I'm not already doing!!!

Wanna win some $$$

Head over to Ooh La La Mama for your chance to win a gift card to Target.

Can't win if you don't enter!!!

Crash and Burn

I give up. I so sick and tired of trying to make plans only to have them crash and burn. We were planning a trip to MI, yeah it had to go and rain so now that trip is out. Ugh!!! I was so looking forward to the getaway. I needed it. But, it was par for the course for it not to happen. I should have know that it wouldn't have worked trying to plan it so quickly like we did. Some things began to unravel about a week ago, then something else would show up, then the weather tipped the bowl over this weekend and that was that. I keep hoping for a last minute miracle, but even then it's too late now. Damn it!!! I'm sure we'll go back this summer. But shit fire I wanted to go now. So did the punks. Freaking fracking fu@k a duck. I give up.

Merry Christmas

The jolly ole' man makes his appearance tonight! The countdown is almost over, it's down to the hours instead of days now. I still have a few last minute gifts to get that I overlooked last night when I thought I finished up shopping! In just a few hours we start our annual traveling to visit here and there. Dinner with the inlaws tonight, breakfast at grandmothers in the morning, then lunch at my moms. I'm already tired!!!
Here is a pic of the littlest punk with Santa:

Here I am with most of the punks!!! I'm missing punk 12! I wish she would have been there. Oh, she cut her hair off. I don't really like it, but it's her hair. She has to deal with it and man she has some thick thick hair!

A new look for the holidays

I decided to go ahead and change things up here a little. Just to try to get a little Christmas spirit in. I wish it was a simple as clicking a button to do every day things. Need to cook, click. Punks need a bath, click. House needs cleaned, click. Oh it would be so simple and add so much more time to the day.
We may decide to take a trip here soon. I think the kids will actually have the most decision holding power for once. They have mentioned wanted to do snow stuff. Well here in the south, we don't get much if any of the white stuff. So we might head north to MI. But it will come as a sacrifice to them. Less presents, trip to MI, or more presents and stay home. So we shall see what they decide.
In the meantime, I still haven't done any shopping!!! Only 9 days to go. Can we say procrastination??? That's me to a "T".

12 days till d-day

It's only 12 days till Christmas. That means I only have 12 days to buy presents. Yep, you read that right, I have done no shopping at all. Well I have bought 2 gifts. But that's not much when you consider we buy 20+ gifts not including the punks. And the 2 I have bought are for the punks. And I've yet to figure out how we're gonna do that with just me working. I'll find a way. Always have always will.

Hubby is doing good. He says that he has got so much more energy now that he has the pacemaker. He's still on restrictions of not using his arm to give plenty of healing time so he won't pull the leads out and have to re-do all this.

I think the punks are all ready for winter break. But within a couple of days (if that long) we'll be hearing I'm bored. There's nothing to do. Well I won't be I'll be at work...hehehe.

today's the day

Hubby goes in just a few hours to have his pacemaker put in. He will have to stay overnight in the hospital. He hasn't said a whole lot about being nervous or anything. But I will say that I am probably nervous enough for the both of us. Yeah it's a pretty simple procedure. Just inserted just below the skin not MAJOR surgery. But nevertheless when it evolves any procedure that you are in the hospital for I get nervous. I know that he's got some feelings about it all, but being of the male species I won't hear about it. Not out right anyway. I'll probably have my case jumped a couple of time for no real reason. He'll have a very short fuse and blow up. He'll have attitude, or excuse me he HAS attitude. Already found that out this morning. He sucks as a patient, and I've already told him that. Every time he has had some surgery or procedure done he bites my head off so many times or get so pissy. That I believe is the worst part of it all. Oh well, I'll deal with it. Always have.

Till the next five,
Jen

Inflation strikes yet again

Cost of 12 days of Christmas rises to $86,609!!!

Partridge, $20 (last year: $15) Pear Tree, $200 (last year: $150)
Two Turtle Doves, $55 (last year: $40)
Three French Hens, $30 (last year: $45)
Four Calling Birds (canaries), $600 (last year: same)
Five Gold Rings, $350 (last year: $395)
Six Geese a-Laying, $240 (last year: $360)
Seven Swans a-Swimming, $5,600 (last year: $4,200)
Eight Maids a-Milking, $52 (last year: $47)
Nine Ladies Dancing (per performance), $4,759 (last year: same)
10 Lords a-Leaping (per performance), $4,414 (last year: $4,285)
11 Pipers Piping (per performance), $2,285 (last year: $2,213)
12 Drummers Drumming (per performance), $2,475 (last year: $2,398)

It's that time again

Well it's that time of the year again. Thanksgiving has come and gone. Black Friday is past. Now it's down to the nitty gritty of Christmas. I haven't even started shopping. I don't want to either. I almost tempted to just buy for the kids and no one else. I can't afford it. 10+ nieces and nephews, brothers, sisters, mom's, dad's and grandparents adds up quick!! Now if I didn't have 5 punks to buy for it might be different. But it's not so that's the way it is. They will come first and foremost then if there's extra I'll buy, maybe.
Hubby is off work for the next month and has been off the past month. We learned last week that he is going to have to have a pacemaker. That is scheduled to happen this week. Just in time for the holiday rush. First he fractures his hip, then gets cleared for work and we find out about this. Yep, sounds like the story of my life. If it's not one things it's another. It''s amazing how quick things can change.
Speaking of change I was going to update my blog look for the holidays but decided I don't know enough to hold all my widgets without having to redo them all. So if you do happen to read this your stuck with the colors already shown. I'll try to add a few pictures to add a little holiday cheer to the place.
Oh we have a new family member now. Her name is Pebbles. She is a teacup Chihuahua. She is about 7 weeks old. And let me tell you, if you think you want another baby. Get a puppy and you'll be reminded of the lack of sleep and waking at all hours of the night. But you also get to wake up with a cute little face in yours. She's spoiled just like any other child would be. If I could somehow manage to get the punks to actually let her feet touch the floor that might would help some. And maybe, just maybe she wouldn't be sitting here at my feet whining right now. Luckily no one at work minds that she sleeps under my desk.
We had our first mix of wintery weather today. We had sleet and snow flurries. It was so beautiful. I couldn't believe how hard it would come down at times. Unfortunately our ground and all it too warm and it melted as fast as it fell. But at least it actually did something.
Ok well I guess that's all for now. Catch ya the in the next five.

Today is the Day

Well today is the big day!!! Or at least it is supposed to be. I'm thinking it will be a very slim margin separating the candidates. Hopefully it will not carry on for days or weeks and we'll know who our next Commander in Chief will be. But until then I only have one thing to say:

Happy Halloween

Today is probably one of the most exciting days for the punks, with the exception of Christmas of course. Who wouldn't love getting dressed up in a costume, going to houses & churches, and getting a shit load of candy? I usually get out the the punks at the various stops along the way, but tonight will be different. For the first time in 5 years Hubby will not be accompanying me. So I will be driving and still probably getting out of the van 500 and 50 thousand times. Ugh! This is the part of Halloween I don't like. We don't live in a neighborhood or town that you can walk to do the T-O-T. We have to drive. Hopefully I'll remember to take some pics this year. Forgot to do that last year....bad mommy!!! So what's your plans for Halloween night. Well if you live in Detroit you have a curfew of 6pm if your under 16 I believe. I can't believe people still to that crap. Oh well that's a different post for a different day.
Hope you have a wonderful scary Halloween!!!
Till next time...

Yep that's it

I think I figured it out. Well at least part of it anyway. Are you confused yet???? The funky post is what I'm referring too. Tomorrow is my b-day. One that I'm not looking forward to at all. Tomorrow I will be 30. I'm not happy about it at all. Yes I'm happy that I'm in good health, still alive to be turning another year older. But not happy about turning another year older. I don't want to leave my twenties. I've had to much fun in these years! A lot has changed in my life in these 10 years. I've went through a divorce and a long term relationship. I've married my soul-mate. I've moved several times. I've given birth to three punks and gained two step-punks. I've gotten a couple of worry lines, several several gray hairs. (Can't tell that now, I took care of that last night!!!) I've traveled to new places. I've experienced new and exciting things. Yes I know there's plenty more to see and do. But it's just something about the twenties for me I guess. What does the next 10 years old in store for me? Will the next 10 still be fun and exciting? Will I have this same problem leaving my thirties? Am I completely and utterly crazy? Ok, don't answer that one. Just think in 10 more years my baby will be a teenager!!! Yikes. Ok now I really have a problem.

Funk

Yep, that's what I'm in. I've tried everything to shake it. Everything is going ok here. Hub's is back working, everyone is well. But I'm in this funk. I'll bite your head off and not think twice about it until about 2 nano seconds later. The smallest things are bugging the shit out of me. I feel like some of the punks are bombarding me with so many damn questions/wants. Want want want then damn it it's not good enough. And the questions: do people not use common sense anymore? Some of the questions ask are so so.... stupid. They won't pertain to anything that we have said or done, more than likely the come out of the blue with no freaking rhyme or reason. Not mentioning any names.... I woke up this morning feeling like shit warmed over. Now I've got that damn mediciney feeling. And still have over an hour of work left. Speaking of work I gotta get back to it!!!

I'm still alive

Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I've been here!! Don't you just love life? Hubby is still unemployed so that make week 4 I believe. But keeping fingers crosses, hopefully he'll hear from a job tomorrow! Work sucks right now. Plain and simple I hate it some days. Two people trying to do the job of 3 or 4 isn't cutting it. Speaking of that today is the last day of the month so I've got to get back to the grind. I'll update more soon!!!

Hurrican Ike

GO AWAY!!! Simple enough. Why? I don't like paying out the ass for a tank of gas. $3.59 to +$4.00 pgal in the course of hours is a little bit uh um idiotic!!!! Yes the refineries are shutting down for a couple of days. But what about the stuff that already been refined that sitting there? And oil priced dropped today! Imagine that. It seems like every time they drop we rarely see a decrease, but let them rise the least little bit or have a hurricane blowing through the gulf and we're screwed!!! I don't see the reasoning behind all the people going berserk and filling every car they own, filling every extra container they own. This is why we are having a shortage folks! If you would just continue like normal, get gas when you NEED it things would continue to run smoothly. Now if you are an evacuee, FILL YOUR TANK!!! You my friend have the reason to be doing so. Yes, I filled my tank last night. Before I heard any talk of prices rising. And why? Because my little gas light came on, so therefore if I didn't want to be walking the 20+ miles to and from work (with a 4 year old punk), I thought it would be a good idea to fill-er-up! LIKE NORMAL!!!! Just chill people! Hopefully after tonight/tomorrow Texas will still be there. I hope for that damage will be minimal and not "certain death" as I have read online today.

week 2 of.... yeah you know

Well we have embarked on week #2. I believe in the previous post I said something about hubby cleaning and straighting stuff out. HA HA!!!! I think he did pick up 2 pieces of clothing and put them into the correct dirty clothes bin. And no people, I am not joking. I wonder if I made a list if that would help? Uh NO!! Know why, cause he'd hold on to that list until the punks got home and handed it to them. And of course there's not much of a problem with this, except that they only do a half-assed job of their particular job and consider that done. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no perfectionist by any means, but come on! When you load dishes, take the two seconds to turn around and pick up the pan sitting on the stove less than 2 feet behind you. Oh, sorry there. That will be a different post for a different day. Back to hubs! Still unemployed, no foreseeable employer in the near future, no word on unemployment compensation.

PS: Don't ever do a stupid thing like I did when researching online colleges: which would be putting your phone number out there. I have one freaking one that keeps calling and emailing, you'd think they would get the point!

week 1 of unemployment

for hubby that is....

Hubby says that since he is "off work" right now that he is going to get things 'round the house straightened out. Oh boy! He's planning on going through stuff and getting rid of a lot of things. I told him that he's done that before but the keep pile is always bigger than the go pile. LOL Isn't that how it usually works? I would really love to get in there and do some deep deep cleaning on the place. All that has been getting done lately is a light surface cleaning. S17 has been helping me out so much in that area. I know she hates doing it, but she is one of the only ones that will do it without too much attitude. I have thanked her several times for cooking dinner while I shuttle punks to soccer practice and all. I hate putting so much on her, but she takes most of it with stride. Yes she can be sneaky as all get out, and yes she will do things that she is absolutely not supposed to do, but I guess it sorta balances out in a weird kind of way.

Got a little of subject there. Anywho, anyone want to take bets on just how much junk we are rid of while hubby is unemployed? Anyone want to guess how many more gray hairs I end up with by the time this is over? Will I be able to handle the stress that comes from cleaning? As long as all my rubber bands hold together I think I'll be ok....LOL