Vida Loca

At this moment the sun is out, it’s cold but it’s a bright sunny day.
At this moment I am at work watching the calls come in and managing the numbers.
At this moment my children are at home, sad and upset.
At this moment my husband is having to deal with a difficult decision.
At this moment our beautiful Border Collie Abby is drawing her last breath.
And he is with her, stroking her fur and letting her go into peace.

How I wish I could be there, just to let her know that she was more then just a dog but a member of our family. Our Aussie, Bruce is going to be devastated. We are all going to be devastated for a while. And even though the little ones don’t fully understand that Abby will never be better, they will understand that she won’t be here anymore. That she won’t be in the yard ever ready to chase a ball or to watch over her charges as they play in the yard. As a pet owner you expect to out live your pets. But you don’t expect to lose them after four years. Words like, genetic, nothing to be done, quality of life, aren’t helpful and don’t make the decision any easier, but the decision has to be made. And you hope it is the right one for her and for your family.

Goodbye Abby, our sweet girl. Chase chickens, run in open meadows, I hope there is someone there to endlessly throw the ball for you. Snout smooches baby girl..

Posted by Laura at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

That bitch can do everything. ~sigh~

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.

Posted by Laura at 08:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

We have a ritual for every night when I get home. First I go into Her Highness' bedroom and tuck her in then we wander up to wake up Z and E for mid night potty break and I go and give A a hug and a smooch. That being a pretty much every night sort of thing, I think A has pretty much trained himself to a be a light sleeper for around the time of night because he is usually hard to wake up. So what do I do with a kid that is a light sleeper when he has lost a tooth and is expecting a monetary gift for said tooth? This is my solution:

Dearest Alexander~
I am sorry I didn't leave your treat under your pillow. Bruce and Abby wanted to play with my wings! :) Congratulations on losing your tooth! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you see Santa, please tell him I said hello.

XOXO
T. Fairy

I cannot believe it is already the 11th of December! I blink and lose yet another day. Yes, last week was our anniversary and what can I say? These last few years have been amazing and I wouldn't trade a single moment. Well, maybe the time I fell down the stairs but really, ouch! =) I have come to think of my husband as one of those chocolates you get in the assorted chocolate boxes. He has a really hard crunchy outside but his has a sweet gooey inside, and he is REALLY good at hiding that gooey inside. =) What can I say, I love him.

Ok gotta get a kid out to the bus, in 17 degree weather. ~sigh~ I love winters in Maine. ~sigh~

Posted by Laura at 07:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

You know there are days when I swear I want to run away to Ireland, live in a castle with someone that strikes a STRONG resemblance to Bl@ke Shelton who will feed me bon bons and make sure my tiara is always on straight and the big bonus? No kids. ~gasp~ Oh the horror. Yeah, today? I don't want to play anymore. I want to take my crayons and go home. I am usually really low key when it comes to the kids. It takes A LOT for them to get to me. Unless of course you are my husband then all you have to do is breathe in the same room I am in. ~grin~

Want to know how my day with the kids has gone so far?

~Grace and Eli have decided that I don't feed them enough and felt the need to sneak into the kitchen to steal apples and then hide in a corner to partake of their booty~ What is it with them? I hate that they act like they don't get fed and instead of asking for an apple they sneak into the kitchen for one.

~Zachary, mad because his brother won't give him something decides to chuck a toy across the room making it bounce off the window. Yes bounce, lucky for me it didn't break the window. He got sent to his room.~His response at being sent to his room? Scream at the top of his lungs that no one loves him, I am never fair with him and he wants one more chance.

~I receive a letter from the high school letting me know in their lovely "We regret to inform you" tone that the eldest is in danger of failing for the year.~ Uh hello, we aren't even done with the first semester yet. Great. No matter what you tell the kid, he knows better and every damn thing. All I can say is, No more summer school for you bucko. Sucks to be you.

~JJ decides to stay after school but neglects to let me know. Granted he came home on the late bus, but would it kill him to make a freaking phone call to let me know?~ Seriously, can I have some common courtesy please? With a glass of wine to wash it down? If you are going to be late, freaking call!

~Alex has just been in my face all damn afternoon. Can I? Will you? Did I? May I?~ *Throws hands up in the air* Oh my gawd just leave me be for a bit!

Little people all around me!! ARGH!!!!

Not only am I taking my crayons but I am taking my ball too. Ya'll can sink or swim without me. ~sigh~ My kingdom for some "me" time. ~kicks rocks~

Posted by Laura at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Some ideas for Chuck's birthday gifts this year:

an Ip0d
a welder
another clock :as if we don't have enough we have a clock in every room sometime more than one:
a NEW CAR ::what? Do I LOOK like I am made of money?::
a new TV
a haircut ::Ok this one is really funny!::
A gerbil ::yeah, NOT::
Another chicken
A kung fu sword ::Zach Zach Zach, not everyone wants to be a Evil Genius Ninja Warrior like you do my love::
A call into P1mp my R1de to have them "redo" the van ::someone save me these are my children::
A cake maker ::wha?::

And these are just SOME of the ideas. Don't worry I am not ruining the surprise. His gift is no where on the list but some of those ideas are hilarious!

As for yesterday's faux paus, it was one of those moments where you go, "Oh shit, did I just say that out loud?" HA!

Posted by Laura at 06:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I said I wasn't going to cry on the first day of kindergarden AND I didn't, BUT I did tear up a bit. How in the heck did they get to be five and going to school? Sheesh What are they trying to do break my heart? We won't, and I mean WILL NOT discuss the fact that the oldest is talking about joining the N@vy. WILL.NOT.DISCUSS.IT! ~sigh~

Uh he had his shirt on backwards for the pic, I didn't notice until the bus was coming up the hill. That must have made a great impression on the bus driver while he was flipping his shirt around. What? I hadn't have my coffee yet!

Today I sent him to school with a shirt that said, "Troublemaker is my middle name" because I figure the teacher should know what she is in for, especially with two of them in class. AHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!

Looks innocent doesn't he? Don't let that fool you. I sent him to school with a shirt that says, "Monkey see, Monkey do, Monkey get in trouble too." AHAHAHAAA!! I almost, ALMOST feel sorry for the teacher.

"Uh where does the bus think it is doing without me? Come back! Uh Mom, they left without me." Miss G was NOT pleased that they left without her. She took off down the driveway to my car wanting to go somewhere. Let's say that when she realized she wasn't going anywhere she was very displeased.

I did better today, I didn't do a little dance when the bus left with them on it. AHAHAHA!!! I win! Five down, one to go. =)

Posted by Laura at 01:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Finding out after a huge schedule shift at work that instead of only having five days off next week for vacation you actually have nine days starting this Thursday! Can we get a woo hoo. Can't.wait!

Posted by Laura at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

When the hell does school start????? Some one please save me.

Posted by Laura at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last year for Mother's Day I was given a very pretty yellow rose bush. It was of course meant to withstand the frigid Maine weather we get. That being said, we didn't plant it in the ground. We planted it in a very nice pot. Which of course left it to my mercy. Have I ever mentioned that Chuck has a green thumb? He does. His father was a Master Gardener and Chuck has inherited that gift. He doesn't like it mind you but the man can make anything grow much to my disgust. Me? Black thumb. I can kill the ivy that you put a cutting of in a glass of water and leave it alone. Oh yeah, I can kill it. Although to give me some credit, I have managed to keep one alive for the past month. So far, so good. Keep your fingers crossed for the ivy, folks. Oops, what does this have to do with Mother's day? Well this past winter I brought in said yellow rose because I thought it was too cold. I shocked it and the sucker died on me. Well hell. Who knew that going from -10 outside to 78 inside ::because I put it in the kitchen where the wood stove is:: would kill it? Apparently everyone but me. Oops. This year? I was given a glorious lavender/purple rose bush that was planted in the back garden to "protect it from you" I was told. What's he trying to tell me? Gee, I wonder. So I got a beautiful rose bush, a nice painting hand made by a certain eight year old and a very nice corsage. Not to mention the assorted hugs and kisses from everyone. I did have to work later on that day but it was all in all a nice day.

Yesterday we went and registered the younger boys for kindergarten. Whoa, take two. Kindergarten? When did that happen? Wasn't it just yesterday they were one and running around finding ways to gang up on me. Wait, they still do that. But still. School? Already? Damn, I don't know if I am ready for it. On the one hand, oh hell yes I am ready. On the other? School? Aren't they a little young? ~sigh~ Obviously not. I think it is funny that they call it kindergarten screening but that is essentially what they do. There weren't any surprises. We were pretty sure about what the teachers/evaluation team was going to say. Zach was a little miffed. He thought he was going to get to play with more toys. Welcome to the beginning of your academic career there Bud. =) So, we have one in high school, one in junior high, one in elementary and two about to start kinder. When did I get so old? Then again, those teachers and administrators are going to be SO tired of us before it is all said and done!! As I have told one of the school psychologists that said some thing that I wasn't please with, "I have six kids going through this school system, you are going to be dealing with me for a long time whether you like it or not." =) But Kindergarten? ~sigh~ Wow.

Granny~ Thank you for calling this morning. It was, as always, a treat to talk to you! I am glad everything is going well. Send D our best. =)

On the computer front, we have a friend wiping my computer and reinstalling the operating system. I knew it was bad when he asked, "Is there anything on here you are going to miss?" DAMN. All my knitting patterns that I had saved on there! Double Damn! Lucky for us ::knocks on wood:: all our pictures are saved on Chuck's computer. For now I have confiscated the laptop. ~mutters~

Posted by Laura at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, let me set up the scene okay?

Chuck has a Mac. Even I, a straight PC gal, think his computer is a bad ass. Seriously. It is a bad ass computer. That being said, I have an HP. I like my little HP. It used to be his that he bought to play a game. Yes, my husband, pre marriage days, bought a computer simply because he wanted a game that would only run on a PC. Ok, I'm over it. =)

So, the 16 year old and I share my PC. Fine, whatever right? We both love playing Di@blo II. He checks his email, yaks on A1M, and checks out his buddies on My Sp@ce. Again, whatever. But then at Christmas he got a laptop from my sister. It was hers when she was in college etc. Within a month and a half he had that sucker so infected with virii that we still haven't fixed it and believe me I have tried. Short of wiping it. Which I am going to end up doing. So, after the lecture of some sites are bad even if they do say free games, blah blah blah etc, ::::You are wondering where this is going huh?::: he started puttering around on my computer. Fine whatever right? WRONG. This morning I logged into my computer and it won't let me do diddly squat. I can't get into the folders ON the computer, I can open a browser but within two minutes the whole system freezes. Needless to say I am a wee bit pissed. There I said it, I am pissed. Livid to be exact. I am thinking eternal servitude here. I can already hear the excuses.

Skipping to another topic altogether, there are ALWAYS excuses. Nothing is EVER his fault. GAH. This teen angst is hard and it's ticking me off. He argues about every freaking thing, yet wants us to bend over backwards to kiss his butt. Uh, yah right. Everything with him is gimme gimme gimme and he deoesn't seem to think that is a problem. I know, he is 16, he is supposed to be self centered, but dang I think he takes it to the extreme. You ask him to do something?? All you get back is back talk and attitude. I'm thinking military boot camp. ~evil grin~

Bah, I am just irritated. I can't use my computer, have to use Chuck's which has none of my bookmarks and what not. Email everything. And the arguement he tossed at me this morning when he was asked to do one simple thing just GAH! I know I know, he is a teenager, this is how they are. But dang it, that doesn't make it any easier when having to deal with it.

So? What are you doing with your weekend? I am going to hopefully get the front gardens cleaned up and looking pretty. =) Happy Weekend!

PS~two nights ago I paid 2.96 for gas, last night coming home from work it was at 3.01 ~shaking head~ Outrageous.

Posted by Laura at 01:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Ok I do believe I am back in the world of the living. I think. It depends on the time of day. Of couse I haven't been sleeping worth a damn and so am exhausted. Have I mentioned how much I hate being sick?
We all seem to be on the mend finally and I am so ready for warm weather I can almost taste it!

Chuck has decided to redo the chicken house today ::and he says my ducks are a pain the butt:: so that should occupy him pretty much for the rest of the day. I would like nothing more then to jsut sllllllllleeeeeeeeeep but there is so much to do around here. ~sigh~ Nothing makes housework pile up like being sick but it looks like it is going to be a glorious day. Have a great Saturday! =)

Posted by Laura at 09:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I have gone pretty much the whole year, as in fall, winter, most of Spring without so much as a damn sniffle!

This morning? I woke up with a sore throat and I feel like doggy doo. Damnit. ~sigh~ I hate being sick. Now? I have to be sick? I could have handled it when it was negative 10 out and icy. That is when you are supposed to be sick. But now? ~grumble~ It's all Chuck's fault, he is sick right now. I KNOW he gave it to me. When in doubt? Blame the husband.

Oh? Wanna have fun? Tell Chuck the full moon is tomorrow night. He seems to think my moods and the full moon tend to coincide. ~rolls eyes~ Can't imagine whatEVER gave him that idea. *heh*

To top it off the three little ones are having a "HE LOOKED AT ME" day. I have half a mind to sit them in a circle and make them watch eachother until lunch time because I am JUST that evil! =)

Posted by Laura at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)