Semester is Over!!!

So I ended my first 2 college classes with A's in both, I was so happy. I am not registered for Spring Semester 3 classes, Managerial Accounting, Accounting Software and Introduction to Business. Fun, Fun. All 3 are online although the Managerial accounting class I will go in every Monday to a real class. I think I have a hang on this online stuff and really enjoy it.

New Family

So this year my brother got married in September, so I got a new Sister in law, and 2 new nephews, yesterday they had a baby girl, Autumn Grace so I got a niece as well. Our little dysfunctional family is growing, LOL

I do have to say that I feel like things with my mom and I are getting better, still a very surface thing, but I don't stress as much when I am around her, I don't feel like I have to be so guarded and that is good, baby steps I guess.

Been awhile

Not sure why I can't remember to get on here and post it isn't like I don't have enough to say.

Well lets see last time I was whining about school, well I am doing great the semester is about over, I got a 95 on my 1st ethics paper and a 124 on my accounting portfolio. So very happy with my grades, my online class is going well too. I should have high grades in both once everything is done on the 14th.

So for Spring Semester starting in January I signed up for 3 classes, crazy I know. But Accounting 121 is a hybrid so I am in class Monday from 5:30 to 8 then the rest is online, Accounting software is online and I already use it daily so should be pretty easy for me, and Business 110 online as well not sure about this class but we shall see how it goes. So if I can fit my final 3 classes in the Summer semester I will get my accounting certificate, then can move on for my associates.

My School woes

SO I take 2 classes this semester, 1 is an online computers class not so tough but gets annoying. The other is Accounting 120 the first ever accounting class. Well this week it seems like I am realizing how not fun this can be. We have 1 week to do a full set of finacials going into a portfolio, and now I have to write and Ethics Paper. Ok English was not a requirement for this class, uggg I am dreading this and it is due in 2 weeks. Yay me!

Volunteer-Anti Social

So many people may not know but I don't do people well. I prefer to stay holed up in my house I feel comfortable there, so if at all possible I avoid going places and doing things.

So Amanda is in band and they are always begging for volunteers and my guilt was eating at me. So last Friday I offered to help, my condition were I needed to be away from the crowds and needed to be able to do the job with my 8 year old tagging along.

Of course as luck would have it Mark was home so Haley didn't need to come. So I got to the school at 6 and got set up doing split the pot on the away side. Basically a raffle ticket sale. I sat for about an hour and sold nothing people avoided me like the plague and I was happy. Then this little old lady with a cane comes up and says I am suppose to be working here. I said ok got up and left. So I was in a dilemma I could go home and say I tried right? Or I could go offer to help in concessions. Oh yeah I went into the concessions.

And truthfully it was pretty painless until the health department showed up. Oh yeah they come to high school concession stands too. I really thought it was a joke but once he started talking about hairnets I realized he was not. So we passed all except the hair nets so I think this was my one and only night working in concession, but I did it and I guess that is a thing to be proud of.

School issues #2

So lets see, Amanda's teacher said she thought Amanda's email was telling her she owed Amanda to let her go to competition. Umm I read the email and it in no way said anything like that but whatever. She told Amanda she would watch her at practice until 5 and as long as she knew the steps she could go to the competition. So of course she did. But why not just tell her that on Wednesday night instead of trying to frighten her into coming home and fighting with her parents to come up with another option.

I am proud of Amanda because she said my family comes first and was willing to walk away from bad because of this nazi lady. But thankfully it didn't come to that.

Now onto Haley, so Mark and I both went to the meeting felt it was important we be there to hear what is going on. Appointment was at 5:15 we didn't go in until 5:50 she was that behind. She said Haley tested very high above the class at the beginning of the year, but recently retested and dropped a lot and is below the class average now. She was also concerned about her behavior. She tells me Haley left the class with another child without permission then came in and told her a lie about another teacher.

Now Haley has been known to tell lies, but this doesn't sound right, and then why did my kid leave the class and no one notice. We talked to her about the little girl sitting next to Haley is distracting to Haley and we think they should be moved apart. She agreed to do this, but all in all I didn't feel ike she understaood our frustration with the grades.

So I go home and talk to Haley and find out that the little girl beside her has been sending her dirty notes in class, and Haley doesn't want to tell anyone because she is embarrassed and ashamed. Ok at this point my momma bear comes out and I am like there is not a chance in hell my kid will go back to that class.

Friday I emailed the principal with my concerns, so this morning Haley started in a new class. Yes she is talkative and we still need to work on these things but I think seperating her from this other child will make a big difference. I am happy that the pricipal saw how important this was as well.

Why people homeschool?

I guess as my kids are getting older and get further in school the whole homeschool thing starts making more since to me. Every teacher you deal with is different and you just never know how they are going to click with your child.

Amanda is in the 10th grade and with the exception of 1 really bitchy teacher I had to deal with in 4th grade she has done fine. She is a great student very quiet gets great grades. But since getting to High School Amanda's passion has been band, marching band mostly. She loved it her freshman year. I personally though wow this teacher is asking alot. I mean in August they practiced for a week 8AM to 6PM at night, seemed like a long time for 14 year olds, but she did it. I accepted my kid staying after school Tuesday and Thursday until 6PM and accepted that I would have to sit in the parking lot for an extra 15 to 25 minutes because the teacher never lets them go on time, I set even knowing dinner was in the oven and most likely burning but I waited.

I accepted my daughter staying after to school to set up for the band yard sale, I donated, Amanda stayed until 9PM then turns around comes home and goes back at 4AM to help more. Then at 2:30 after I have decided my kid has been there way too long I find Amanda in the band room looking almost comatose due to lack of sleep. No one called and said she needs to come home, no one noticed.

I accepted the paying her band dues $75.00 wind suit and shoes $75.00 along with everything else she needed. Then for concert season I bought her a $50.00 dress for her to wear 2 times. I also watched my beautiful short haired daughter stress on how to put her hair up because it is required, only to get to the concert and see almost every other girl there had their long hair hanging down? But not Amanda she doesn't break the rules.

We were so proud last year when Amanda won the Best Freshman award in band, because we knew how hard she works for this teacher. She didn't get flute lead as she wanted, she didn't get any lead position and she was bummed. But she asked the teacher if she could still come to leadership camp in August so she could learn how to help the freshman coming in. So not only did she do the normal band camp of 5 days 8 to 6 she did an extra week just to learn. And it paid off she got a lead position after school started and a girl dropped out.

But it breaks my heart to watch this amazing child suffer at the hands of a selfish bitch of a teacher. You see we are having some serious behavior and academic issues with Haley and today I have a meeting with her teacher, originally I planned to take Haley with me, but decided I really need to talk to her alone. Mark is working nights at a new job so he can not miss time, my step father is in the hospital so my mom can't watch her. So I told Amanda I need to pick her up from practice 1 hour early so she can watch Haley. She told her teacher yesterday and was informed that 1 we as her parents shouldn't expect her to babysit on a practice day, and 2 if she misses any practice she can not be in the competition on Saturday.

Amanda is hearbroke and angry, she works way harder than most kids, heck they have a cheer leader who only comes to 1 practice a week and she gets to compete, but because of a family emergency she will penalize Amanda. It is ridiculous. Amanda has emailed her and tried to ask to go to the competetion, she is talking to her this morning, but if when I pick Amanda up at 5 that lady has told her No I am going to the principal and school board if need, this teacher needs a serious attitude adjustment.

Then onto Haley's teacher, this year Haley is not doing well, last year she was the youngest kid in class and yet the highest in everything. When she is home doing her homework I always check it and out of 30 problems she may get 2 wrong. But when she does work at school or test she is bringing home horrible grades, She is also pulling several cards a day. Last year maybe 2 a week, last week she pulled 9 this week we are already at 7. She seems to hate school this year and I plan to talk to this teacher today to get to the bottom of things.

But yesterday when I got Haley off the bus she tells me she threw up at school, and then when she got on the bus her bus driver handed her a trash bag to hold. Poor Haley was mortified all her friends saw this. Now I work less than 3 minutes from the school a call and I could have been right there. I just don't think anyone ever takes into consideration kids feeling and self esteem anymore. But after today I hope they will start.

My baby is 8

So October 10th 2001 I had Haley at 7:30AM via planned C-Section. She was so beautiful and a handful from day 1. We couldn't get any milk to stay in her. I had wanted to breastfeed but after every feeding she promptly threw everything up, she was dropping weight fast it was scary. We ended up staying in the hospital and extra day until we could get things straight.

She was diagnosed with Reflux and put on some meds to help. We took her home and she literally slept 23 hours a day, she never opened both eyes at the same time, it was frustrating we were at the doctors every other day to weigh her. Every doctor we talked to had a different idea of reflux. I finally took her off the meds and she woke up, we learned to feed her in car seat so we didn't have to move her. She did fine until about 3 month she was always crying went back to the doctor and had her put on a different med for the pain. It seemed to help.

Haley has been my loud and wild child from the start, everytime we left the house you never knew what she might do. She talks to everyone, would invite cashiers from Walmart over to dinner, tell them all about our family. It was pretty embarrassing at times. Once at Walmart I went to pick something off a shelf and hear. "Moses let my people free!!!!!" Yep it was my pretty little thing mimicking The Prince of Egypt. She really does need to be in the movies.

So Saturday she turned 8 and took her first ride in a car without a booster seat, she feels so grown up now, LOL I can't wait to see what the next 8 years have in store for us.

Busy Weeks?

Wow it is so weird it seems like feast or famine at our house. We either go form being lazy bums doing absolutely nothing to going all the time. I just hate it.

We currently have me working full time, and going to school on Monday and Wednesday nights, along with an online class. Amanda has band practice Tuesdays till 6:30 and Thursday till 6PM and Fridays football games till 11PM. She also is going to church on Wednesday nights. Then add in Sunday AM Sunday school and church, Amanda taking an expressions class at 4:30PM and us all going again at 6PM. Thankfully the church feeds the kids Sunday night so I only have to worry about dinner for dh and I.

Now add to this Haley wants to do Girl Scouts and I just couldn't say no and I also agreed to be a troop helper not leader but a helper. So I think that will be Thursday evenings.

Of course Band is about to wind down. So then it wont seem so bad. Of course then I have to decide what classes to take for next semester. I am really liking my accounting class it has a ton of things I am learning about my current job.

It is funny though daily trying to stop take a breather and think I know I need to do that way more often.

A Mothers Love?

Well lets see, I was down a ton this weekend. My brother got married to a very sweet girl they are expecting a baby in January. I am very happy for them. But being happy for them doesn't seem to ease my pain at all.

You see my brother is 40 a recovering drug addict and alcoholic, last year he was in jail for over 6 months for felony theft. He got out and lived with my mom, works for my mom just moved in with Rhonda. They spend a ton of time with my mom and step dad. It kills me to hear my mom talk about all the things they do with them and yet she never ask me to do anything. She calls once a week and ask about my girls that about it.

It hurts to feel like I am the outcast of my family. I don't understand why me? I married young and my mom hated that, she hated loosing the control in my life. I am still married going on 18 years and yet you would think being married that long, having 2 beautiful, smart girls I would be the favored one. But I am the black sheep. Is it my weight? I honestly think she can't stand to look at me and see the weight without feeling disgusted.

I have been trying for a long time now to forgive my mom for the evil things she has done to me and my family. Vicious things just because she could. It amazes me how her desire to hate and hurt my husband she couldn't see that by hurting him financially she was hurting me and her grand daughters as well. And even when I get past those things, I still can not seem to forgive her for the way she has treated me most of my life once I told her about my fathers abusing me. What mother doesn't want to help their child? What mother doesn't want to comfort their child? Why couldn't she just tell me she is sorry for what happened to me, instead she made me feel like something was wrong with me for needing to talk about it.

Sometimes I think I am such a bad mother, I don't play enough games with my kids, I tell them to be quiet too much. But then I think about my mom and what I was given as a child and I know my girls without a doubt both know I love them more than anything. They know if anything bad ever happened to them I would 1) kill the bastard that hurt them, :) 2) be there to help them get through it. 3) Love them no matter what.

Growing up I remember every time we had to do creative writing and the topic was who do you admire the most. I always wrote about my mom, she worked so hard to raise us 2 kids alone. Sometimes 2 and 3 jobs, she never got help from the state. We didn't get to do ballet and sports because there wasn't money or time for that, but I never felt like I missed out because my mom was doing the best she could. So most of my life I took that hard work to be her way of showing us love, because she to this day has never told me she loves me. She tells my children and says it in emails or letters but can not bring herself to say it out loud to me.

So I guess I really kind of feel sorry for my mom, she is missing out on the love I could have given her, if she thinks giving it all to her daughter in law is what she needs to do then so be it, She losses out on me. Of course saying that doesn't make my pain go away. Doesn't make my tears not be real, doesn't make me understand 1 bit more why she is like she it, but I guess I can not control her so I have to let it go.

Weird, morbid ir just us?

So I know my family is different aren't they all? We have 4 people and 3 animals living inside a almost 1600 square foot home. We are nuts but sometimes it is so fun!

The animals are the best. Tilley and Mojo fight all the time play tug a war, and literally chase each other from room to room. The girls seem to always be nagging or fighting about something. Dh and I try to talk among the chaos and wonder why we get frustrated, LOL

So I guess we aren't weird we are just a very loud family.

Now to the morbid. Dh and Amanda think it is bad that everyday when I walk past the cat (Whiskers) I nudge her with my foot and say "Aren't you dead yet?" Now I don't want her to be, but lets face it she is somewhere between 18-20 years old and 25 pounds. She isn't healthy. Every morning when I nudge her she rubs her face on my foot and meows so I think she is ok with me. :)

Then Samson everyday he greets me at the car now, sniffs my tire and I ask him "Did you eat any kittens today?" He drops his head and heads to the backyard. In shame he knows killing that kitten last week was wrong, but it is just fun to see him walk away, you know if he could talk he would sound like a sulky teenager, "How long is she gonna keep this up?" :)

I don't know I guess I am weird but that's just me!

Rough Week!

Well lets see I finally on Friday have a few minutes to myself. Boy has it been rough.

Lets see last Thursday I busted Amanda for deleting emails, our rule is she doesn't delete, I don't discuss anything I might read with her, unless I thought it was going to hurt someone. So she got in trouble for that. Then Friday night at the football game she sticks her 500 flute under the bleachers and goes to march with the school's piccolo and the heavens open up with a horrible storm, she sits in the tunnel as her flute get soaked. Luckily for her it didn't ruin it.

Saturday AM we get up and decide to go hiking, go out to the car and Samson is sniffing my tire, then as we start to back out of the driveway he follows my tire. So we assume must be a mouse and Mark stops pops the hood. Well as he lifts the hood a frightened kitten jumps out takes off running, Samson starts chasing it and catches it and of course kills it in like 2 seconds. All in front of the girls. Poor Haley was a mess for over and hour. I guess it was just the chase and 150 pound dog versus 3 pound kitten, well you get the picture.

Then start the week, but Tuesday Amanda is home sick, now Haley is sick and they are suppose to be leaving in the morning to go to the beach with my mom. I am guessing Mark and I's kid free weekend is about to be gone.

Work is insane which is weird, it was beyond slow. Add to it my classes, took my first accounting test on Wednesdays and got a 88 it's a B so I can live with it. I have a ton of computer class stuff to do today hoping I can get it all done.

So that's it been crazy. Have a great long weekend everyone.

We survived it!

So we did it we survived the first week if back to school. Tuesday went well Haley came home a beast because she was overly tired. Amanda called at 3:15 to tell me she forgot tennis shoes and was wearing flip flops and if she marches in them she gets a demerit. So being the mom I am I hauled them up to the school. Had to park in the student lot because busses were still loading had to walk through 500 kids to get to the band room and no child in sight. Finally handed them off to a band kid and left. I have refused to bail her out anymore, she has to be responsible for herself she is 15 now. Scarey to think I left home at that age.

But other than that we made it through a week. My classes are going well, I have done all my online class stuff through Spetember 30th so that feels good. We have a test in Accounting on Wednesday I am not looking forward to but I think I am ready for. I took a test in my online class and got a 100, so that is good.

The week is a bit stressed as I go to school Monday and Wednesday nights so I don't get home till 8. Amanda has band and leadership meeting on Tuesday she gets home at 6:30 and Thursday practice till 6, Friday she stays from 8AM will 10:30 PM after the football game. So Saturday and Sundays are relax days, LOL

Struggling

SO it is no secret we have been going to church lately and I love it. I don't feel at home there yet but it is getting better. This week we are having revival and Sunday we went as a family, Monday we missed because I had school and dh was waiting on a phone call about a job interview. Last night me and the girls went as dh was on said interview.

I freak out with this stuff, Amanda goes off to sit with her friends and leaves me alone with Haley, so I try to keep her quiet until things start. It was a wonderful night awesome music, awesome drama team, awesome witnesses and the funniest preacher I am sure I have ever heard.

I came home feeling better and worse? Makes no sense but I am so longing for this relationship with god like my dh and oldest dd have, I am waiting for that Tada moment and yet I feel like we are getting closer but it doesn't happen.

My MIL and I have been talking lately about forgiveness she thinks my wall is due to my anger towards my dad for my abuse and my mom for how she handled things. And I can't say that she is wrong. I want to forgive my mom, but I know that is going to take a talk with her that I am sure scares me the most. But I think in time this can happen.

Forgive my father? Really I am not sure how to let this go, I mean of course I never want to have anything to do with him ever, but can I forgive him? Can I let it go? I really don't know if I can. It isn't like I dwell on my abuse daily and think about it all the time, I don't but can I really not have hatred in my heart for this person who chose to hurt me in the worst possible way only as a way to hurt my mother. Why use the life of a child (YOUR CHILD) to seek revenge?

I am reading an awesome book about seeking God and that is what I am doing, maybe this being on my heart and brought out is my way of rationalizing things. Who knows?

Day One!

Well day one in Principles of Financial Accounting was pretty boring we went over the Syllabus and that was it. I have homework I have to read chapter 1 before Wednesday nights class. I am not near as freaked out as I was, I think I will do well in this class.

Introduction to computers, I think I will do well in this too although the whole Online class thing is a little hard to get used to. They use discussion Boards something I am very familiar with, but it seems like there is so much info on there, I hope I don't miss anything.

Of course add to my going to school next week the girls start back on Tuesday so along with Amanda having Marching band practice 2 nights a week and a game performance every Friday, should be busy every week, my weekends I will probably sleep away, LOL

Starting School!

Just a quick post as I need to head out the door to class. I start College today, I ma pretty excited and scared. 1 in class and 1 online for this semester. I am shooting for my Associates in Accounting. Wish me luck I will post about it tomorrow.

Kids and dogs at work!!!

Yeah such a fun combination, LOL NOT!

Mark has really needed a break, Amanda is at band camp all week and he needed to mow so I brought Haley and Mojo to the office with me. Now Mojo alone is not an issue besides his barking tirade anytime anyone comes in the door. But wow the 2 of them together is like a tornado.

From the moment we got here this morning it is whens lunch? I am hungry how much longer? Of course I caved at 11:30 let her eat and now it is when's snack? My god is food all she can think about? How can mommy loose weight if you are always eating. Eveyrtime the phone rings she needs to tell me something.

Then poor Mojo can't move without her being on top of him questioning what he is doing, LOL I may just go insane today. :) Just thought I would share.

And another one Down...

Wow does the fun ever stop? We let our Director of Ops go on Friday, not a happy day as he was the oldest employee here besides the owner. But it was a much needed move. He of course will find another job quick and not live off wellfare for as long as he can like my assistant we let go.

It awes me in society today married couples are penalized for being married. But a woman who refuses to marry a man but shacks up can get full health benefits for her kids, can get help with her power, rent and phone and get food stamps. Because Social Services doesn't know about the man living with her is paying her bills. So my assistant was a lazy ass who gets to sit home and make more sitting at home doing nothing then when she was sitting here at the office doing nothing. I think it is sad that there are people out there now that really need help and can't get it because of low lifes like her.

My 2 cents :)

Busy Busy

Well Thursday I fired my assistant at the office. She was just not cutting it I had hung on to her for way too long like 11 months too long, LOL. I needed help last September when I hired her but from about day 2 I realized we weren't a good fit. She was lazy and I am not. I mean sure I can waste the day with the best of them, but I make sure all my work is done before I goof off.

So now I pay for letting her go, not that she did alot but answering the phone is such a big pain in the butt to me. I get lost in that conversation and forget what I was working on. Not sure if I will hire anyone else right away or not. Right now I am leaning towards no. Once I get a good routine going I think I will be fine.

Mr. Mann the saga continues

So after my mini vacation with the girls I came home to a very stinky and sore Mojo. He is suffering so bad with these allergies. Hair is missing from his ears, he has huge open sores on both ears, sores all over his belly. I just couldn't take it anymore and took him into the vet.

They did several skin scrapes again hoping for mites, nothing. So we have decided to put him on antibiotics, back on steroids for relief. She also gave me a medicated shampoo to use. Then she is going to try and find the best allergy test for his age so hopefully we won't have to test him but one time.

So far we are on day 2 of meds and he is feeling so much better he was so full of it last night and almost no scratching. He has however wet on the floor 2 times, he hasn't done that in months, but the steroids makes him have to go more and he forgets to let me know. But if it makes him better I can deal with it for a little bit.

Girls Weekend!

So we did it we accomplished our girls weekend. No kids, no husbands. We all met in Orlando, Sheri's home, she met me at baggage claim first, showed me where to get Dana and then we picked a meeting spot, she headed off to grab Amie. We met up headed to the van and were on our way to Daytona. Sheri is an organizational god. She had the van loaded with chairs, drinks breakfast and lunch foods.

It was amazing how fast we were all gabbing you wouldn't have thought we had never met in person before. It was so easy. We had wonderful conversations, great food and drinks. :) We had a blast at Bubba Gumps not only was the food to die for, it was Sheri's' 21st birthday so she got sang to and they tried to get her to dance, it was a riot and we so should have gotten something for all our correctly answered Forest Gump questions.

Saturday we checked out and went to Sheri's house and got to meet her family and play in the pool. Her house is awesome the pool is steps from the back door, I would kill to have one. Her family is just great they are full of life. We had a wonderful time.

Sunday Sheri drove me around Orlando to see the sites while we waited on my take off time. I can say I am pretty sure I would melt if I lived in Florida it is hot and I got burnt to a crisp. I can't wait till we decide to do it again maybe NC, maybe New Orleans, NY? Who knows but we will be doing it again.

Orlando/Daytona Bound!

So after 7 years a dream of my is finally coming true. I will explain, when Haley was a baby she had reflux and it scared me so I went online to do some research and found a parenting site that offered support. After a month or so I ventured out of the reflux forums and went to a playgroup October 2001 - December 2001 babies. I met a group of women that I am proud to say are friends for life. And from our Little group we grew and more ladies joined and I gained more close friends. After that site went way downhill, we moved over to a private site. We talk daily we know almost everything about each other sometimes maybe too much, LOL.

So tomorrow I am heading to Orlando by myself to first meet Sheri who lives there, we will be collecting Dana from Colorado and Amie from NY and heading to Daytona for 2 nights, then back to Sheri's' for a night and heading home on Sunday. I can not believe I am finally getting to meet them, I hate that so many of the others couldn't make it, I hope we can start this as a yearly tradition and change the place each year. Who knows I just know we are going to have a blast. Pictures to follow in a later post.

VBS for adults too

So 2 weeks ago Amanda played a flute duet with her friend Erin at Erin's church which Erin's father is the pastor of. Now you have to picture my family doesn't like to dress up, I have a nose ring and both dh and I have visible tattoos. We are used to going to church in places where we can wear shorts and flip flops. But for Amanda we did what was required and went.

We were so amazed and pleased with this church. The pastor is great this is a Southern Baptist Church he preaches straight from the bible, so we liked that. The music was ok old hymns from the book. The duet was amazing. So dh and I talked after and thought maybe we have been trying to go about finding a church all wrong. Maybe we are trying to find a church that fits us, instead of us going where god wants us to be. Sure Beulah has a ton of old folks who may look down on us for a nose ring and tattoos, but the pastor and his wife didn't heck they have been beyond nice to us. So last Sunday we went again and we still like it, even Haley sits with us and can make it almost 1 hour and 15 minutes without being loud.

So this Sunday we embark on our biggest adventure yet, we are all somewhat socially awkward but Sunday evening starts Vacation bible School and Haley is all signed up, Amanda is signed up to help and they are holding an adult class inside during the same time, so dh and I are going to it. I will be missing Thursday since I am heading to Orlando to hang with my girls, but I am scared and excited to start meeting some of the people of this church.

Camp

Well Amanda left Monday for camp, now mind you her church camp is way different then the church camp I attented when I was a kid.

My camp was a Friday the 13th camp, you know cabins on the lake, looked like you might get hacked to death by Jason at night, there was a bath house full of spiders you went to, to shower or use the bathroom. And no heat or A/C. I loved it though I went 4 years for a week each time. I repelled down a mountain, went playing in the river, we camped out under the stars one night, we went mud sliding in the rain. It was always fun and I hated to have to leave.

Enter Amanda's camp, they are at Libery University a Christian College in Lynchburg, VA. Sleeping in dorm rooms, yes the horror they do have to share a bathroom with all the girls on their floor but no bugs.

On Monday as we were waiting for her to load the bus, I looked down and see my dear daughter in flip flops, she is 15 so she did all her own packing, so I say you did bring some other shoes right? Sure she says I brought my gold flip flops too. Great!!! So at that point I should have went straight home and got her shoes and socks but I didn't. Later that day I FedEx'ed them to her. Of course she needed them Wednesday and they arrived just in time.

She is having a ball at camp, she is with her friend Erin, and from the updates and pics on the website I can tell she is doing well. I look forward to hearing all about it Friday when she gets home.

I miss her terribly, it is funny how I feel about her being gone, I am not sure I will survive when she leaves for college.

Getting Healthy

Well I am sure you can tell by the pictures of me I am a big girl. But I wasn't always, as a matter of fact I was a bean pole until I had my first child. I am not sure what changed but once I had her the weight never came off and even about 15 more pounds added to that. Then got pregnant again and added another 15 to that. So my all time high was 190 pounds. I lost 20 pounds on weight watchers several years ago, but then hit a plateau and just refused to exercise so I stopped losing and ended up gaining about 15 back.

Then I became diabetic and you would think I would have worked super hard to get myself on track, but no not me I sulked and refused to accept it s real. But it has started to become real to me. I am tired of feeling dizzy, having stomach issues and tired of being freaking tired. So I have been trying hard to work on things. And in the last couple of months I have lost 8 pounds. We as a family are walking at least 3 -5 times a week, and plan to start hiking every weekend. I am eating better, limiting my sodas, low carb foods and just not over eating. I feel better already and I can not wait to see if the weight continues to come off.

South Mountain

Since neither Mark nor I have local family who ever want to get together on holidays we decided to find a place to take a hike. We picked South Mountain, only about an hour and 15 minutes from our house and free. The place was jammed packed, but we found a parking spot and started hiking. We decided to go look at the waterfalls. 80 foot drop, we made it to the base of the falls which was 1.5 miles and then stopped, this was up tons of stairs so maybe next time we can make it to the top of the falls. All in all we hiked about 5 miles and it was awesome. We may make it a weekend thing from now on.

Mr. Mann

Well his real name is Mojo, but since we got him he has been called so many things, Mr. Mann, Bubby, Momo he is just so dang cute to have 1 name.

The story of how we got Mojo is pretty awesome. On October 10th Haley turned 7 and for her birthday she got Nintendo Dog for DS the Chihuahua version. That night she adopted a little girl tri color Chihuahua. I announced to the family if anyone ever wanted to surprise me with an awesome gift, it would be a little tri color Chihuahua. So the next day we went grocery shopping at Walmart and as we were leaving like every weekend, someone was sitting in front of Staples with puppies to sale or give away. They looked small so I asked dh to stop imagine my surprise when I saw a tri color Chihuahua. I was in love we bought him and brought him straight home.

He was 7 weeks old and such a little lover, he loved to be snuggled and held. I started taking him to work with me everyday and he would sleep on my desk between my arms as I typed. He has been so good until about 3 months something changed. He started to change and disliked everyone but our family and a select few in my office. He now barks at all strangers and growls, has to be muzzled to go to the vet. He also has allergies and wow has that been a ride, poor little guy scratches himself all up, but I am happy to announce we see it improving so maybe he is out growing it or the special food is helping. But he is still my Little Man and I wouldn't change him for the world.

Brown Bean Sandwiches

Yep you read that right, So last week TKW blogged about her moms Orange Potato Salad and wanted us to come out of the closet with our weird foods. And try as I might all I could think of was dh's weird Pickle and Peanut butter sandwiches, and the fact that everyone in our house but me puts peanut butter on their pancakes and waffles. But yesterday talking about growing up poor I remembered the infamous Brown Bean Sandwiches.

Mom would put 6 pieces of bread on a cookie sheet, open a can or pork and beans and spread some on each slice, place 1 kraft single on top of the beans and 1 piece of bacon on the cheese. Then she would broil it till the cheese was melted. I loved them as a kid. But in the 20 years my dh and I have been together I have not been able to bring myself to make these.

Youngest dd would for sure say no and ask for waffles, oldest dd will try anything once but I don't think she would love them, dh would love them just for the bacon factor. So maybe one day I will break down and make them. But thought I would share our weird food growing up.

Overweight America?

Last week we were a bit early for the movie so we sat in our car and people watched. It was amazing how many overweight people there are, I mean they are 4 to 1 with skinny people. And I don't mean people like me and dh who both are over weight and could easily loose 50 pounds each to be in the healthy range. I am talking people who have at least 100 pounds or more to loose.

So who's to blame? McDonald's? Society? Dh and I talked about it and you know I grew up poor, a single mom who bought only food for meals we didn't get snacks and junk food. I remember being hungry and being told not till dinner. And dinners weren't a huge thing since we were so poor. So now that I am an adult and on my own it's like I went crazy eating everything I can. I love food, I crave food thats scary but true. And I see those same traits in my oldest dd. She loves certain foods as well. We eat as a family every night and not quick fix meals at least 4 or 5 nights a week. I mean meat, potato and bread meals.

So it really isn't any wonder we are overweight and I have diabetes, I am currently trying hard to get it under control and loose some weight. But wow my desire to have what food I am craving is such a strong urge to resist.

So anyone else have thoughts on why America is getting so fat?

PG-13 and Transfromers 2

Well Transformer 1 has been a family favorite of ours, we own the DVD my youngest child watches it weekly, so it was no surprise we planned to see it Wednesday night when it premiered at the theater. I saw a PG-13 rating and looked at why, assumed the last one was kid friendly besides a few cuss words and some fighting. Boy was I wrong.

I am not sure how this PG-13 rating works or what the producer of this movie was thinking but wow. My 7 year old should not have seen this or at least not the first hour for sure. I mean really do we need to see dogs humping dogs? This isn't American Pie, right? Do we need to see Makyla's butt hanging out of her shorts while laying on a motorcycle like a porn pic? I am sure the boys like it, but really wasn't Transformers a cartoon originally? And the Decepticon girl trying to seduce Sam, really? The language was horrible too, I mean come on we all slip the occasional shit, damn, hell or even a fuck once in awhile, but really? The constant use and the use of Pussy just didn't seem right. Once again a producer took something that could have been awesome and made me wish I hadn't wasted my money.

The ending leads you to believe there will be a part 3 so should we be concerned the next on will be R rated or maybe even X?

Ok just my take but parents of young kids beware.

Who I am!

I am Amy I was born and raised in NC, I truly believe there isn't another place as beautiful in all the world. Of course I haven't been very many places, lol but the ones I have seen don't hold a candle to our Mountains.

I have been married to Mark for 17 years we got married very young and have beat the odds and the statistics by staying together. It hasn't always been a bed of roses but we have stood firm in the belief marriage means work and we don't give up, ever. We also firmly beleive god intended us to be together and without him we wouldn't be were we are today.

We have 2 beautiful girls Amanda who is 15 and Haley who is 7 they are as different as night and day which has made parenting a definite learning experience.

We have a huge animal family as well, an obese cat Whiskers, a mastiff mutt named Samson, a terrier mutt named Tilley and my pride and joy Chihuahua Mojo. They add to the chaos we call daily life, sometimes making it hectic other times making it down right hilarious.

I work Full time and in the fall am starting my Associate in accounting so I will be a Part Time college student as well. I have a few hobbies I love to read, love to play World of Warcraft and Quilt. Although I don't find time as much as I would like to do these things.

I hope my blog will be entertaining, maybe informative and hopefully a joy to read.