So for Halloween this year, I had this brilliant idea. Wait, no that's not true. Actually the kids came up with it in August, we were watching the Wizard of Oz and E had said how he would love to be a lion for Halloween. So Miss G said she wanted to be Dorothy and it just went on from there. I have recently taken up sewing. Actually last Spring I had bought myself a sewing machine online cheap. Love it. LOVE.IT. I have been making the younger four pajama pants, wicked easy in soft flannel for this winter because we will not be running the heat like we have previous years. See:poor as shat. ~blink~ Wait. Focus Lauren! Back on topic. So anyway, I figured I would make their costumes. You see where this is going right? I lucked out, my neighbor is an ebay Goddess!!! She buys and sells on that sucker like nobodies business. So I was able to snag the tinman and the lion from her. That left Dorothy and the scarecrow for G and Z. Let me just say that making a freaking dress with !DARTS! and sleeves that YES THEY DO HAVE TO BE THE SAME LENGTH was not as easy and the damn pajama pants. I was half way through one when it ticked me off and I had to start over with a different pattern that made more sense to me. And let me tell you there are fifty million different Wiz of Oz patterns out there. AND? Sewing raffia on pants, yeah not as easy as I thought it would be. Hot glue was looking pretty good to me, but hello have you met my Z? If you had you would understand, as it was he was leaving a trail of "straw" and that is because that stuff was sewn on. All in all they looked cute as all get out, forget the fact that I had to work that night and TK is still miffed he had to do it all himself. Needless to say I am going to try and get Halloween off next year AND I need to come up with costumes for next year that were better then this year's. Heh. Competitive much? With myself, absolutely. And since it was coolish I even made a matching cape for my girl. They all looked so stinkin cute!

Speaking of sewing, I love it. Really I do, but zippers? Those scare the hell out of me. Can they come up with something that can do it with out me fiddling with it? We here in the crazy house have pretty much decided we are going to have more home made Christmas then store bought gifts, so I am wracking my brain for gifts that I can make for the kids. I have a dress for G and am going to be making her a kitty pillow for her bed. E is into writing in his journal and coloring and what not, so I am thinking a crayon roll up and a cute journal for him. Z is going to be much harder, that kid is rough and tumble so I am not sure. Actually that isn't true, I am thinking that kid needs a super cape. "HONEY, where is my super suit?" Heh Get it? ~sigh~ A is into everything and anything so he shouldn't be hard just unique. It's the big boys that are going to be super hard. Either way, it starts and it should be interesting.

We have an 18 year old in the house. I am in complete denial about that. I am in denial that he graduates from high school this year and I think when that happens I will have a melt down because hello that is huge. HUGE. =) All but one of the demon brigade is in school and she starts school next year. I seriously can't imagine now having at least one home. It's going to be weeeeird. A is playing the trombone now. So we have a trumpet player and a trombone player in the family, so far. It isn't quiet that is for sure, not like it ever was any way. And so so many other things.

I am not sure what direction, if any, this blog is going to be going. Right now Chuck and I barely have time to sit still much less sit at the computer. Well that isn't true, my job is centered around me being on the computer I just can't blog while I am doing it. Damn it. =) But if you really want to keep up with me I am on twitter. I even put it up on the side bar so you can glance at it if you so chose. My user name is loriticajane (my mom gave me that nickname when I was a teenager, no I don't get it either lol) So, yeah, uh we are back. Kinda. =)

Other than that only 2ft of snow left in the back yard and the pond is mostly unfrozen. YEAH.
Oh and one of the hens was acting broody.. Cool beans. Hoping for some interesting chicks this spring

So long and grueling story short (most of which was blogged), we were lucky to make a baby together and she decided she would rather give him up than ever have anything to do with me anymore. Hmm sounds like a heck of a deal doesn’t it.

And so she did, and I went on to find the 2nd love of my life and so on and so forth…

So after a long time in the works the final thing she is ever going to have to deal with me about is happening. Eli is being adopted by Lauren. And since of course she has to sign off on it or we have to fight it out, since she has not seen him since the day he was born, it would have been a short fight, and I am sure she figured that or still thinks anything is better than having to deal with me, she is signing the final paperwork and I am making run on sentences.

To me this is a big deal, I have always worried that if I died she would be given Eli no matter what Lauren said, and well this removes that issue, and it is wonderful. But my god, would you believe her lawyer had the audacity to demand we pay for HER lawyers bills. And I should say we talked about it for a bit and just did, cause it is worth it in the long run, but my god.

When I was given custody of Eli I will never forget the Judge looking at me and saying she was irritated with this. That if I was giving the child up and not HER there is absolutely no way she would have signed the paperwork with out forcing me to pay child support. And the Judge told me she wanted and expected to see me back in a few weeks asking for it, I of course never did. I assumed all costs for Eli the minute he was born, she never paid for a penny over her own health costs or well, anything for him. So at the last hour being forced to pay for her attorney fee’s pissed me WAY off. This is not exactly a hard form to understand, and trust me, it has to be signed in front of a judge and it is a big deal in that giving up your parental rights is not an easy thing to do, you do not just mail in a postcard. So I can understand how she might like to have it looked at by an attorney even though the judge would gladly explain it to her, but we are not paying for 30 mins of a lawyers time, no the bill was just a bit more than that. I can only guess it involves holding her hand as she meets with the judge dinner out and maybe a new outfit or two, no clue what else.

I was so tempted to send them a worksheet print out from the state on what child support would have cost her, but Lauren was right in arguing that its worth it to get it signed and never needing to think about it again. Or sending her a note saying how happy a birthday Eli will be having this year since we spent all we had on her lawyer and he wont be getting any presents.

But Lauren is right, it is better to just have it over with, but Never EVER let anyone tell you adoptions are cheap. And doing 3 of them at once is enough to make us wish we had just bought new cars instead.

But the peace of mind is worth it right? And in time I am sure I will forget how pissed off I am and be glad that she just signed it and is out of our lives.. right? Beuller? Beuller?

"um sunday?"

"Yesterday was Dr. Seuss's birthday."

"oh good"

"He is still dead though"

"um, well i guess that is good too."

My mind is turning to mush. I blame you.

We went out to Cilla's family farm on sun and the kids sledded and I snowmobiled and ferried em up the hill and we had an awesome day.
then after dinner I went to get up and my rib that had been hurting from all the coughing went spoing.

I actually felt it, was way down the fun scale since I couldn't breath for 3-4 mins. Didn't break a rib but I lulled the heck out of something. I am ok unless I move wrong then it hurts but if I cough I turn a nice white color and writhe on the ground for a few mins.

So the bed rest I never got? i am now taking it. i am trying real hard to sit my ass on the cough (By sit i mean lay) and stay there. almost imposable but I have been trying hard. and it helps some. heat helps the most though, but wow does it hurt.

Other than that the winter never ends. like never. got 8 inches or so dumped on us last night and more still coming. guess its time i put up some pic's but I have used up my off the couch time for tonight.

I am no longer coughing, the antibiotics dealt with it, so thats over with. Or well I am now coughing now and then, but not for 45 mins per hour. So I should be doing better right?

Yeah cept this, got a head cold now (WTF) totally plugged up about 90% of the time. Got a pulled muscle in my ribs and one in my back from the coughing... and my throat still feels like it was used as the luge track at the winter games.

I think I was better off smoking.

Now know that I am addicted to smoking and like a rat on a sinking ship I will find a reason why its ok to go just one more day, blah blah.. but we are on day 3? i think and I am fine. Bit irritable (HAHAHA like I am ever not) and feeling like crap but thats the cold. But as to OMG i need one right now, naa im under control. Had a few times I wanted one a bit but the lozenges WORK I can do this.. So I think we should do this next week..

Sounds like a plan right? Anyone want to enable me?? Please?

Slept in the bed last night for the first time in a few days, and i don't think I kept her up all night. Still coughing, but not continuous anymore mostly.

Not that the medication works that great, but it is a bit of help.

JJ is dating a girl and wants her to come over tomorrow.. no worries, but her sister is coming too.. why? cause she is a twin... My 13 year old is dating twins, man what a way to get that fantasy over with at a young age.. .

I spent 6 hours today doing our taxes my god. Is it supposed to be that hard? Always bums me out this time of year how much more we would get back if we were not married. its alot. EIC alone is like 3k we loose cause we can only count 2 of the kids.

Kids are fed, and now I get to finally sit down. had snow for the third day in a row, getting sick of snowblowing... the piles are taller than me o the side of the driveway.. arrggg.