10-2012 Kids Photos

Dragged my lovely children out for this year's pictures. I had to force Drew into the grass to take this shot but we are both very pleased with the result. (It's obvious how the camera loves her too.)

And my darling, Wolfie, is growing up so fast that I can hardly stand it. I am thankful for his sweet, loving spirit and that he still lets my hug and kiss on him.

I have such a love for tile - this is my favorite spot and angle for pictures.

You can't even tell how eager they were during this shoot to get finished and get home again.

Changes

Because of his work schedule, on his days off Roy usually doesn't sleep most nights. He tends to get up about two in the morning and play on the computer until 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. then returns to bed to finally sleep again.  This morning was the same, except this time on the way to bed he had to maneuver past boxes which Paige had moved into the hallway.  

Roy slid into bed next to me and asked what was going on with Jr and Paige - I knew nothing.  He informed me of the boxes in the hallway and suggested, "maybe they're cleaning?" Unusual as that may be, it could happen.

A couple of hours later, I finally start moving around the house. I shower and start cooking breakfast for Drew, who falls back to sleep before I can finish getting it ready.  

Standing in the kitchen, Jr enters the room to discuss cashing his income tax check, paying on his truck, college, and an unexpected deposit into his checking account.  I ask him about the boxes and he responds that Paige is leaving for Vegas for her brother's wedding.  I was aware of the impending marriage but never new the exact date.  He elaborates that he is not invited to the wedding, and his tone is indication that his feelings are, understandably, hurt by this.  He goes on to say that Paige is moving all of her belongings from our home to a friend's home with the idea that she may not return to Jr.  Again, he is understandably agitated. I feel badly for him but don't know what to say in response; there really is nothing that can make this better right now. I change the subject back to school and let him know that I will help all I can with it.

A Suburban pulls up to our driveway and waits.  Shortly thereafter, Paige and her friends begin loading the Suburban with her belongings.  Afterward, she hugs Jr and manages a sniffle, then leaves.

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On another note, I began texting Corey here and there in an effort to move things forward between us.  I think it's working.  My hope, though, is that he has come to understand what is, and is not, acceptable in our home and with me.  I hope there will be no further issue with lies and fights. Consequently, I have invited him home for Thanksgiving and to attend dinner on that day with us at my sister's home.  He has accepted and I am looking forward to it.

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The end of the year is coming, and I am so looking forward to the beginning of 2013.  I have extremely high expectation for the house this year as we are paying off the Jeep in March and with the additional savings, we will be catching up on other bills and remodeling the casa! <squealing with excitement>

Presidential Election FYI

Last night, as the presidential election was coming to a close, I sat down to discuss some of it with my kids (who I homeschool).  We talked about the two frontrunners and touched on popular votes and electoral votes.  They seemed completely lost, inspiring the following analogy.  

Instead of referring to "electoral votes" (which is where I would completely "lose" them), I changed it up to say, consider, or think of "electoral votes" as a "bucket of candy".  And each state has a bucket of candy with a different amount of candy inside.  For instance, Texas has a bucket with 38 pieces of candy in their bucket (or 38 electoral votes), and Ohio has 18 pieces of candy in their bucket (or 18 electoral votes), New York has 29 pieces of candy in their bucket (or 29 electoral votes), but Wyoming only has 3 pieces of candy in their bucket (or 3 electoral votes), and so on and so on. 

(We use this candy analogy for our division lessons as well, and personalize it by using family names, because they can get lost in the numbers but should we be dividing candy - you can bet your bottom dollar they understanding dividing that correctly!)

During election, we (the people of the United States of America), go to a voting booth and cast our vote (also referred to as a ballot).  This can be done either on paper or electronically (these days, typically electronically).  When everyone is done voting, the votes are tallied up (or counted).  These votes are also referred to as "popular votes". 

Now, back to the "candy in the bucket".

Who ever has the most "popular votes" in a state wins the that states "bucket of candy" (or electoral votes).  There are only two states whose "candy" can be split up between the candidates: Nebraska, who has 5 pieces of candy in the bucket (or 5 electoral votes), and Maine, who has 4 pieces of candy in the bucket (or 4 electoral votes).

In the end, they guy with the most candy - wins!

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How many total electoral votes?

The number of electoral votes is 538, based on the total voting membership of the United States Congress:  435 Representatives, 100 Senators, and 3 from the District of Columbia.

How is the number of electoral votes for each state determined?

The number of electoral votes for each state is equal to the number of Senators plus the number of the House of Representatives. The number of senators is fixed at two but the number of Representatives for each state varies with the population of the state but is always at least one. The District of Columbia (also known as Washington D.C.) gets the same amount of electoral votes as the state with the least amount of electoral votes (this is currently 3).

    2 - Number of Senators for the state

+ X - Number of Representatives for the state (varies with population)

    Y - Total Number of Electoral Votes ("candy in the bucket") for the state

The number of representatives that a state has is determined by the population. After the official census is completed every ten years, Congress adjusts the number of Representatives based on the new population figures. Consequently, the number of electoral votes (or "candy in the bucket") can increase or decrease.

How does the census effect the electoral votes?

A census is a process of collecting data (or information) pertaining to each person in the United States.  This information is used to determine, among other things, funding for a state, and how many Representatives each state is allowed.  This is also referred to as “Apportionment”. Apportionment is the process of dividing the 435 memberships (also called "seats") in the House of Representatives among the 50 states.  This division (or Apportionment) is based on the population numbers collected during the census.  A new census is taken every 10 years.

The total number of Representatives for each state is currently fixed at 435 (this means it must stay at 435 - each state can increase or decrease but the total number for the entire U.S. must stay at 435).  Therefore, if one state increases in population enough to merit (or earn) another representative, then some other state must also lose a representative to keep the number at 435.  In the past, the total number of Representatives has increased, but the last time that happened was in 1913.

The last U.S. Census was taken in 2010, and based on that information, some of the numbers of electoral votes ("candy") was increased and decreased for some states.  

Here's the updated totals for each state for 2012:

Alabama - 9

Alaska - 3

Arizona - 11

Arkansas - 6

California - 55

Colorado - 9 (swing state)

Connecticut - 7

Delaware - 3

Florida - 29 (swing state)

Georgia - 16

Hawaii - 4

Idaho - 4

Illinois - 20

Indiana - 11 (swing state)

Iowa - 6 (swing state)

Kansas - 6

Kentucky - 8

Louisiana - 8

Maine - 4

Maryland - 10

Massachusetts - 11

Michigan - 16

Minnesota - 10

Mississippi - 6

Missouri - 10

Montana - 3

Nebraska - 5

Nevada - 6 (swing state)

New Hampshire - 4 (swing state)

New Jersey - 14

New Mexico - 5 (swing state)

New York - 29

North Carolina - 15 (swing state)

North Dakota - 3

Ohio - 18 (swing state)

Oklahoma - 7

Oregon - 7

Pennsylvania - 20

Rhode Island - 4

South Carolina - 9

South Dakota - 3

Tennessee - 11

Texas - 38

Utah - 6

Vermont - 3

Virginia - 13 (swing state)

Washington - 12

West Virginia - 5

Wisconsin - 10

Wyoming - 3

District of Columbia - 3

Some critics of the electoral voting system argue that it is undemocratic and gives swing states disproportionate influence in electing the President and Vice President.  Supporters of the electoral voting system argue that it is an important, distinguishing feature of federalism in the United States and that it protects the rights of smaller states.

What is a swing state?

 A swing states is a state in which no single candidate or party has overwhelming support in securing that state's electoral votes.  (For instance, certain states almost always lean one direction or another (Republican or Democrat). Swing states show a tendency to go either way and are targets for both of Republican and Democratic political parties during a presidential election because winning these states help secure winning the election.

Which U.S. states get to vote in the presidential election?

All 50 U.S. states are allowed to participate the voting process including the District of Columbia (also known as Washington D.C.) which is not considered a U.S. state.  (The "D.C." in "Washington D.C." stands for District of Columbia.)

How many electoral votes does Washington DC get?

Washington DC gets 3 electoral votes as if it were a state, but will never get more than the least populous state.

Explanation excerpt via Wikipedia:

Voting rights of citizens in the District of Columbia differ from the rights of citizens in each of the 50 U.S. States.  The United States Constitution grants each state voting representation in both houses of the United States Congress. As the U.S. capital, the District of Columbia is a special federal district, not a state, and therefore does not have voting representation in the Congress. The Constitution grants the Congress  exclusive jurisdiction over the District in "all cases whatsoever."

The District's lack of voting representation in Congress has been an issue since the capital's foundation. Numerous proposals have been introduced to change this situation including legislation and constitutional amendments, returning the District to the state of Maryland, and making the District into a new state. All proposals have been met with political or constitutional challenges and there has been no change in the District's representation in the Congress.

Why Isn't Washington DC a State?

Basically, Washington D. C. (or District of Columbia) is not a state because it is actually a Federal District. Without getting into too much detail, and in effort to avoid being too vague as well, the founders of the country did not want the federal government to be run by state laws nor to mingle.  State laws can differ from federal laws creating conflict.  Historically, states had more rights and power than the federal government, especially in the early days of the republic.  But in 1783, there was an attack on Congress in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania authorities would not help in stopping the attack and the congressmen had to flee across the Delaware to neighboring New Jersey. Consequently, the federal government decided that the new capital would need to be in a "federal town" over which the federal government would have control so a similar scene would never play out again.

2012 Presidential Election map via Politico

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On a personal note, I'm not one to debate sensitive topics much, such as abortion, politics, religion, etc. They are important to me and I have my take on each, but I discuss my stance with my mother, my husband, and on occasion, my children.  Just as I do not affiliate myself with any one organized religion, I do not attach to a particular political party (and I rarely vote straight Republic or straight Democrat - it all just depends...). I enjoyed this election process but only because the older I get, the more interested I am.  I, frankly, did not care for either of our choices this year - but... insert The Serenity Prayer here.  

I would like to address here (since I did create this is my forum to do so), all the drama I've seen from my Facebook "friends".  Because of my political position and despite my political position - I am not an Obama hater, nor do I believe him to be the "anti-Christ", nor do I feel a desire to leave the country, nor do I feel a need for Texas to succeed now.  It is curious to me that so many people seem to grab tidbits (which are not in any way,  completely or even partially, verified) in order to validate their position (which also seems to stem from a hate that originates on a personal level first).  It is increasingly difficult to siphon through these haters to the legitimate verifiable issues.  I do know that (without revealing who I voted for, because it's nobody damn business) that it only takes one racial slur to register (for me) who is racist and, consequently, invalidate their entire political argument.

Listening with Your Heart

My mom sent the following by email to me recently, and I really enjoyed it (especially paragraphs 6 and 7), so I wanted to share it here as well.

LISTENING WITH YOUR HEART

This is an actual advertisement found in a Utah (USA) newspaper from a man trying to sell his motorcycle.

"2006 Suzuki 1000. This bike is perfect! It has 1000 miles and has had its 500 mile dealer service. (Expensive Service!) It's been adult ridden, all wheels have always been on the ground. I use it as a cruiser/commuter. I'm selling it because it was purchased without proper consent of a loving wife! Apparently "do whatever the heck you want" doesn't mean what I thought!!! Call me, Steve. [phone number]"

Her sarcasm was lost on him. Somehow he didn't hear the words behind the words.

Why is it? We own cell phones and send email. We talk, text and tweet. We have more ways of communicating than ever before, but communication is still a major problem.

Maybe they hear our words, but they're deaf to what is behind the words. So what do we do? We say it LOUDER. If we can't be understood at conversational level, maybe they'll understand if we blast it into their heads.

And sometimes we simply don't listen well. Perhaps that is because many of us are afflicted with what communicator Nido Qubein terms "agenda anxiety" - the feeling that what we want to say to others is more important than what they might want to say to us. So we don't listen. We try to impress rather than express, not realizing that two monologues do not make a dialogue.

"Please understand me," is the desperate cry of too many relationships. "You don't have to make me feel better; you don't have to do anything; you don't even have to agree with me. But don't judge me. Just understand me. Please."

The truth is that our relationships work when communication works. And communication works when we hear the words behind the words; when it becomes as important for us to listen as it is for us to speak; and, when we truly understand each other. For me, it takes more than merely listening with my ears. I also have to listen with my heart.

My colleague and friend Roy Trueblood collaborated on the book MANAGING FROM THE HEART. In it, the authors discuss what it means to communicate from the heart as well as from the head. Here are five principles of "H-E-A-R-T" communication. These are great tips for better talking and listening in personal relationships.

H - Hear and understand me.

E - Even if you disagree, please don't make me wrong.

A - Acknowledge the greatness within me.

R - Remember to look for my loving intentions.

T - Tell me the truth with compassion.

Noted author and psychotherapist Virginia Satir said this about communication: "Once a human being has arrived on this earth, communication is the largest single factor determining what kinds of relationships he makes with others and what happens to him in the world about him." It seems important that we get it right.

I realize that the quality of my life will be largely determined by the quality of my relationships. And my relationships will improve when I learn to listen with my heart.

(Steve Goodier)

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P.S. Speaking of listening, it's said that the only people who listen to both sides of an argument are the neighbors.

going batty

Back on June 5, 2012, my husband was trimming our trees and came across this momma bat with her three babies. 

A Lasiurus Intermedius, or northern yellow bat, with her babies

Since it's illegal to attempt to relocate bats, he returned them to one of our trees.  These are a prettier species than some of the other bats I've seen in our area.

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Today, my husband found one of these pretty little bats in our driveway.  Having appeared to have been caught and killed by one of our cats, questions were raised about rabies and how to handle this situation.  The kids, overhearing our conversation, began their own investigations on the internet; so, I believe a homeschooling lesson on bats (and rabies) is in order now.

I contacted our local Animal Control Center expecting them to pick up the bat and test it for rabies, but as it had not bitten anyone, they were less than concerned and directed us to simply throw it out in the trash.  

For the next 2 weeks, we will be keeping a sharp eye on our three cats for any sign of illness.  Should the cats show signs of rabies and/or bite or scratch one of us, we will report to Animal Control (again) and a rabies test will be done on our pet. Although, we strongly doubt these bats are infected as they have not been aggressive towards us or our animals in the past.  

Sunday's date night!

Sapling and I arranged a girls' night out - just the two of us.

We went out to eat, followed by the Finding Nemo in 3-D flick, and then wrapped things up at Cherry Berry.  There's already talk of our next girls' night too.

busy blogger

Flip flopping between my responsibilities and my blogs - just finished a new banner on the homeschooling blog.  It's a cute one of Drew, but I'd really like both Wolfie and Drew on the banner.  Well, we've got a photo shoot planned (hope it pans out okay and the weather cooperates).

My sister-in-law, Marina, dropped off her son, Blade, for some tutoring.  She had mentioned yesterday that she was having trouble helping him with homework and jokingly said that he would have to get with me about it (because I homeschool).  I said, "sure" but I honestly didn't think she would take me up on it so soon.  It went fine except that it did seem like an extra distraction for Wolfie and Drew (I could tell they were trying, but it was still a distraction).  At first it appeared that Marina and her husband, Jimmy, were going to stay and watch, but I quickly kicked them out (I don't need that distraction too).  I am hoping this does not become a daily thing because I don't think it will serve Wolfie and Drew too good.  Hopefully they call before coming next time, rather than just popping in unexpectedly the way they did yesterday - this way I can veto, if necessary.

The Big Talk

Talk about sick.  Roy and I were stressing SO much over talking with Jr and Paige about our new stipulations and the deadline to move out.  By the time the moment seemed to present itself, it was about 10:00 p.m.  

Knocked on their door and they called to us to come in. We entered to find them both laying on their bed just relaxing and watching television.  We asked if it was a good time to talk and flipped the light on when they agreed.  I hem hawed throughout the conversation as I stumbled around for the right wording.  The room is ridiculously crammed with boxes that have been opened, muddled through, and then pushed aside.  Clothes are flung all over the room but nothing hangs in the closet.  Dirty dishes are stacked here and there and it appears one area of the floor is designated for trash.  This is ridiculous.  This is a sign too.  I can honestly say, for all of their big talk about getting together, getting on their own and starting a family, these two weren't planning to move out any time soon.  And so, I put a damper on things...

It went something like, "...well, we want to talk to you and it's nothing that will surprise you, I don't think, ...I mean to say, we've already talked about it some before.... and I don't know how to handle this either, but I've Googled the situation... and your dad and I have talked and we've decided... since it doesn't appear that you (Jr) are really trying, with any real effort, to get a job... and ya'll aren't going to get out on your own with only Paige's income... and if you're wanting to be married and start your own family, you really need to be financially independent of us.  We've decided to start charging rent for the space.  It will be $300.00 a month due on the first of each month... and by the end of March, ya'll need to be moved out... and we don't want your money, we plan to give it back when you move out... but we just want you to get used to paying some sort of rent, and saving some money too... we really hope to do renovations this coming year, and the kids (Drew and Wolfie) really need their own spaces... so, I'll be rearranging Aaron as well... but we're just trying to help ya'll..."

Oh gawd.  It didn't sound very parental or "authorative" at all, but I do think I got the point across - to an extent.  We'll work it out more as we go along.  They didn't respond much except in the affirmative now and then, as if to say they understand or agreed.  We left the room to let them talk.  That was Sunday night, and they haven't really spoken much to me any further about it.

Moving around the kitchen yesterday, Drew and I nearly collided with Paige and I laughed and tried to joke about it, but she said absolutely nothing.  I told Roy about this later and he said, "Good. Maybe she 'gets' it now."  He blames Paige a lot for the situation, but I am quick to remind him that Jr is as much to blame as she is (then Roy agrees).

As much as (I'm sure) Jr and Paige do not like being put in this position, I (as well) do not like being put in this position either.  If only they had taken more initiative to get out on their own (like they had first said), none of us would be in this position. And I truly hate when people put me in a position I don't like to be in - but shit happens.  Either way, my priority is to be a mother and guide these kids into the direction of independence.  They'll be angry at me now, but they'll understand and even appreciate it later (I'm pretty sure - at least, I did after my mother pulled out her tough-love card with me back in the day).  And! They always have options! They have the option of living with Jr's brother (Corey), living with Jr's grandparents, living with his cousin (maybe), living with Jr's bio-mom (haha), living with Paige's family (in Alaska), or living on their own (which I thought was their preference anyhow).

If I know Jr, he doesn't like being told what to do nor being given an ultimatum; so, he'll likely sit on it for a month or so and do more of nothing - just to get his point across, that he's not going to be told what to do. (A huge sign of immaturity). Eventually (I hope), he'll get out there and secure a job.  I'm hoping Paige will get enthusiastic about apartment or house-hunting and begin encouraging him to work.  It's ironic really, because as much as Jr hates taking direction from anyone, he requires direction from Paige (he's become more the follower than I ever thought he would be).

tick-tock * tick-tock

Announcements & Deadlines

If you've been following my blog at all lately, then you already know that my husband and I are struggling with our son (Jr) and his girlfriend (Paige) "squatting" here. It's come to our attention, after encouraging Jr on many occassions to get a job, that he is not working because Paige does not want him to work (and that Jr feels this is Paige's way of controlling him).

Well, firstly, we had agreed to let them move in on a temporary basis, until they are able to move out on their own.

Secondly, they are never going to be able to move out on Paige's income alone. And! Jr told us that his savings is dwindling down to nothing again.

Thirdly, Jr does have the option of telling Paige, "I understand that you don't want me to work but I have to, and I'm going to, because that's the only way we can afford our own place."

And finally, to top it off, Paige announced to me yesterday that she is having her (birth control) pin in her arm removed on Monday. And, having previously informed me a couple of months back that they wanted to rush right into having babies, this can only mean one thing - impending pregnancy.

So, let me make it clear - my grandbabies, I will hug and kiss and squeeze and love 'em all over. But it would give me great pride if their PARENTS would make more responsible decisions and maybe allow themselves to become financially independent before rushing into having babies.  I mean, these kids have not even made it through one year without breaking up.  The first year, Jr was in Afghanistan, and even then, they were breaking up so many times it was ridiculous.  Then, we have this year, when Jr left the military and moved home with Paige after she had spent every last penny in his bank account on boobs and B.S. (then, she leaves him again (when there was no more money to spend) and went back to Alaska).

So, Roy and I have been talking for months now about giving the kids a deadline to move out.  Our plan is, Sunday we will sit down with both Paige and Jr and do our own announcing which includes:  (1) beginning January 1st they will be required to pay $300 rent on the 1st of each month, (2) by the last day of March they will be required to move out, and (3) we'll tell them that we do not want their money, but will return their rent money to them IF they move out by the end of March (incentives).  Now, secretly, of course Roy and I will be flexible with them IF they are showing reasonable effort.  We just feel, they need a taste of being on their own, in order to really know whether or not it's really going to work out between them, and to know the struggles young families go through.  Again, getting into that "tough love" stuff.

schooling/unschooling

While investigating our homeschooling options and throughout my decision-making-process, I have repeatedly come across the "unschooling" option.  After my initial research, my feeling about "unschooling" was disinterest and I brushed it off.  Having had my own education through the "bricks and mortar" schools, and having had my three eldest sons graduate from the "bricks and mortar" schools (albeit, a couple of them by a hair's breadth and simply because of lack of interest, rebellion, and lack of accountability in the school), I wanted our homeschooling experience to be very scheduled in conjunction with a core curriculum reflective to that of the public school's.  Homeschooling was not an easy decision to make; my biggest fear being that I would end up doing a disservice to my children; on the other hand, I felt by leaving my babies in our local public schools, I was already doing a disservice to them.  

Two years ago, we took the "plunge" and never looked back.  To this day, I cannot fathom even entertaining the idea of returning into our local school district.  We began by entering into a public school affiliated program called Connections Academy (CA).  Connections Academy has spread rapidly through the states, and ours was linked (at the time) to the Harris County school district.  All of the CA classes are done at home and over the computer (which is provided by the school).  It was a fantastic program, and the only beef I had was that the standards for progression were (still) rushing my children through their academics too fast.  Consequently, having dipped my toes slowly into the homeschooling pool, we left CA to dive right into the homeschooling pool; by this, I mean to say that we continue to work from textbooks (previously used in the bricks and mortar schools) but we work at our own pace.

Today, I had a new spark of interest regarding the "unschooling" experience; so, I researched, and I find that unschooling is to allow a child-led interest-driven learning, or to allow the child to learn through their own natural life experiences.  <hmmmm> In this rite, what child isn't unschooled to some extent?  I'm supposing, there are those parents that solely "unschool" their children... but still, I don't feel this is for us - I mean, exclusively.

So, we homeschool and unschool here.

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"Made" the kids go to lunch with us again today - I like that it's another opportunity for them to get our of the house, as well as being another opportunity for me and Roy to pick their brains.

I plan to run by the store after work for a few supplies for today's art project.  We'll be learning about, and creating our own Zen sand garden.  I'll post more on it tomorrow.

memories in the making

Spent yesterday evening homeschooling with my babes.  Wolfie was lacking the appropriate amount of sleep; I sympathized so we took things slow and a little on the lazy side.  Regardless, I immersed myself in enjoying every moment with them.  

After schooling, Drew and I made strawberry cupcakes together and she decorated each with her signature (generous) dose of candied toppings.  

Today for lunch, Roy and I, along with Wolfie and Drew, went out to eat at a new burger joint (Burger Nation) and while I'm certain the kids would have preferred to stay home and be lazy, I enjoyed making the memory.

A video I'll share with Drew tonite...

disturbing dreams

I had another bad dream last night.  For the past two weeks I've been remembering some of my dreams each night.  Some of them have been bad, others just plain confusing or funny.  Last night was similar to another I'd had in the recent past in that I'd forgotten Drew at the park.

In the first dream, I'd left Drew in an open grassy area of the park to play with a little friend.  From there, I'd left with a few people to go shopping.  It wasn't until I'd returned home after nightfall that I remembered Drew.  My stomach instantly knotted up with the knowledge that I'd probably never see her again; that my life had now changed, and that a stranger had surely snatched her away.  Roy and I jumped in the car to go look for her, stopping at Drew's friend's home down the road to see if she had seen Drew.  Initially, Roy was going to drive around town to see if we spotted her and I urged him to start at the park where we'd left her.  Arriving at the field, it was dark and no one was in sight.  We made our way over to a small building several yards away from where we'd last seen Drew.  The lights were turned off and only a couple of people exited the building.  We entered into a dark hallway and I called out for Drew.  Instantly she turns the corner, arms crossed and a very stern look on her face making it obvious she was not pleased.  She informed me that the Veterinarian (whose office must have been in the building) had said that it was against the rules to leave her there alone.  I scooped her up and hugged her tightly - waking instantly, and stressed.

In last nights dream, I'd left Drew in the park to go out of town with a couple of friends.  We returned a few hours later and I remembered Drew.  I jumped in a sort of little scooter type vehicle and raced as fast as it would go, making my way down the block, I only had a couple more to go to reach the park where I'd last seen Drew; but just as I reached the corner at the end of the block, I woke.  I was so stressed after waking that I had to immediately daydream the finish on a positive note.

What does this mean?  My initial thought was that I'm not spending enough time with them.  It has been stressing me but I haven't said anything to anyone about it; after all, we're starting our homeschooling again and I'll be spending every evening after work with them.  I relayed the dreams to Roy and he agreed - from now on, we FORCE the kids to go with us when we go out to eat (they prefer to stay home and play their electronic games, but tough cookies!)!!

Then, I went to work today and made an internet search for "dreams of forgetting child in park" and one of the first results that jumped out at me was a wiki answer: "Your subconscious is trying to tell you that you are neglecting a very important aspect of your life." - not surprised by this (always trust your instincts).

Next week I'm planning an outing for a yearly photo shoot of Wolfie and Drew.  We're overdue.

Date with my Babes

Me, Wolfie, and Drew went to pester our hunny, Candice, at her employment.  We ordered some yummy cups of fruit and just relaxed and talked.

Drew couldn't take a bad picture even if she wanted to.

Wolfie is so adorable in my sunglasses. We HAD to take picts.

lazy Sunday...

Sunday!! It's Kardashian day!! (Yes, I'm a fan...)

Today, Roy and I dropped off our laptops for estimates. Turns out, mine needs a new motherboard ($250), and Roy's simply needs a new charger.  I also, purchased two charge plugs last week for Drew's Lenova tablet as well as called the manufacturer on Wolfie's Blackberry tablet.  The Blackberry has been a pain in the butt since day one as it has always had problems charging.  Ultimately, we are sending it in to the manufacturer for repair. In the meantime, we are limping along. 

I got my Sam's card today compliments of Paige and the browsed around.  I'd forgotten something of the yummy groceries you can find there.  Getting bored with the dinners lately, we may be frequenting the store again in search of something new.  I purchased an applewood flavoured porkloin and it was so tasty - with no leftovers. 

Bathing baby girl tonight, her hair has gotten so long, we discussed cutting it eventually and donating to Locks of Love. I explained to her what the program means and she's excited about helping someone.

Spent the evening laying in bed, watching my Kardashian girls and reading blogs.  Lazy is nice.

cest la vie

Today, I am resolved to living together in somewhat harmony with all these (adult) kiddos... 

I asked Roy at lunch today, "a year from now, will I still be bitching about these kids living with us, but never saying anything to them about moving out?" He affirmed...  *sigh*

I just love them - well, especially when they're sweet... but it doesn't take much.  For example, I was walking down the hallway last night, half asleep, and stumbled falling against the wall clumsily. Jr was walking towards me at the time and simply said, "whoa" and reached out to steady me.  (I grin.)  That's it. That's all it took and my heart melts and then, he can stay as long as he likes.  And then, today, I asked Aaron for his part of the phone money (which he is, once again, late with), and he responded with a sort of surprise and urgency, "oh! I forgot! I'll go get it now!"  That's it.  That's all it took was an act of sweet consideration, and he too can stay as long as he likes.  (I grin again.) 

So, as I said, I am resolved to our living situation - for today.  Tomorrow though - we'll see what that holds.

Today was a cooking day!  I don't know why.  It's not usual that I go to work all day and then feel like coming home to cook and clean.  Family dined on Shake-n-Bake pork chops, Stove Top stuffing, macaroni and cheese, and sweet corn.  It was a lot of food and I was happy when there was nothing left to put away.