Vida Loca

Heard from Gracie as she was looking out the window this morning:

Look momma!! The snow is almost gone!! Spring is coming!

Uh we got over a foot of snow yesterday, it is not even CLOSE to melting away. Gotta love that childish enthusiasm huh? Things are stressed and as always busy here. I am definitely feeling the strain and unfortunately for TK he is having to deal with me. To say that I have not been fun to be around the past few days is a major understatement. Good thing he loves me and I'm cute. =)~

Posted by Laura at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So on the 18th I said we received our first significant snowfall here in Maine. On Friday we got an additional six inches, but then, oh then, on Sunday. Sunday Sunday Sunday. We had a nor’easter blow through and dump 18 inches of snow. Yep, you read that right. 18 inches. I guess it is safe to say that we are having a white Christmas this year.

Speaking of which, can you believe it is already Christmas Eve? Neither can I!! I swear in my head it was just Halloween last week. Yet here we are.

I hope where ever you are, what ever you are doing, you are getting to spend the Holiday with loved ones and friends. I am finding myself doing a lot of self introspection this year. A lot of looking at those around me and seeing how truly lucky I am. At examining my life and seeing room for improvement within myself yet seeing my life and finding that I am so very lucky. Merry Christmas or if you don’t celebrate, have a wonderful Holiday Season.

Posted by Laura at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So yesterday saw our first significant snowfall of the season. We got about three inches of snow. Not bad. It wasn’t too bad to drive in. The kids were excited and Gracie wanted to know if S@nta was going to come. It’s hard explaining to a four year old that he only comes on ONE night not every time it snows. Ugh. She sure is cute though. =)

TK has a snowmobile. Let me say that again, TK has a snowmobile. He calls it a land shark. The sucker is massive. He has had it for who knows how long and it was sitting in a friend’s barn until sometime this past fall when he just HAD to go get it and fix it. So, now it works. Now, I don’t like to be cold. So you can bet your butt I got out as little as possible during the Maine winter. Hello this is why I picked up knitting and now sewing. (side note: Gracie wore a cute pink dress I made for her last night to A and JJ’s Christmas concert and she looked sooo cute!! I done did good!) Anyhow, last week when I got home from work there was enough slushy ice on the ground that TK asked if I wanted to take a ride on the snowmobile. I of course shocked the heck out of him and said yes. I shocked the heck out of myself by saying yes. ~blinks~ I rode on the snowmobile. In fact, I not only rode on it but I love it! It was so fun!! I asked him to not go fast. I should know better. I know. I know I should. And he went fast and……I loved it. Ok I had a death hold on TK. But wow was it fun! We are supposed to get 1-3 inches of snow tomorrow and on Sunday a nice big storm is coming and we are supposed to get around a foot of snow. And funny enough I am a bit excited about it. =) I can’t wait til he let’s me take it out by myself. Heh like that is ever going to happen! =)

Posted by Laura at 06:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

If you haven’t heard, we had a huge ice storm last week. Last Thursday to be precise. We lost power at 4:00 am Friday morning. Which hello, I live with Mr. Grizzly Doomsday Ready for Everything, means I don’t really have to worry about it. We have water under all the sinks in all the bathrooms for flushing toilets, light sticks for all the children to amuse them, plenty of canned goods to cook on the wood stove, and a generator. Now, on a side note, when we first got the generator I giggled quietly to myself thinking why on earth would we ever need one? Oh we need one. Ohhh we live in Maine so oh yeah baby we need one. Since we have gotten it a little over two years ago we have had to use it three times for outages lasting over 24 hours. And honestly? It’s awesome. TK knows how to use that sucker. He will get it going so it does the tv, the refrigerator and lights in the living room, kitchen and dining room. Then he can switch some doohickeys and get the well going so we can flush toilets and take baths. I would much rather have to deal with that inconvenience rather then have to do it all by candle light. Heat for us isn’t a problem because we have a wood stove. And if worse came to worse and it was so cold we could just all sleep downstairs where it is. But wow not having electricity stinks. I am so used to just walking into a room and flipping a switch. It sucks when you can’t. We didn’t go without for long. We got it back on Saturday morning. There are people here in Maine that still haven’t gotten it back on. Ugh. What is interesting though is that we didn’t get our cable/internet/phone back on until eight thirty this morning. We have TW for that, and it’s a package deal so if one goes out they all go out. Holy smokes you would have thought the kids were dying. Especially the older ones. You can distract the nine and under crowd with play dough, coloring, and craftsy stuff. Over that age and you would think we had cut a limb off because they hadn’t been able to play XB0X since last Thursday. Seriously, the whining!! Heck the little bits were happy to watch, W@ll-E for the 12 time. But the big ones? If I have to hear, “I AM SO BORED!!!” one more time I am going to staple a book to their face! Twerps. TK seems to be in his element when things like this happen, and me? I just go with the flow. As long as we have the generator and I can take baths and go to the bathroom. A girl has to have her priorities dontcha know. =)

I have so much fun watching the survival shows. You know the ones, where they drop off some dude in the middle of nowhere and he has to survive long enough to get rescued. TK can do that stuff hands down. In fact he is the type that might like it so much he wouldn’t want to be rescued. I love hearing him say, “That is NOT the way to use the flint you moron!” or “Use your damn knife, kill the snake and have dinner!”. I know that if we ever got lost in the woods, I would be just fine. I ask him all the time, “Gee Honey what would you do if we got lost taking a hike?” His reply, “I wouldn’t be an idiot and forget my damn compass, my knife or my damn lighter.” Heh.

Posted by Laura at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I start to post on this thing I think to myself, "My gawd, the dead has arisen". Why yes I do think I am very funny thankyouverymuch. =)

So, how was your Thanksgiving? How are you doing? Oh just tell me every lil old thang. =)

Our Thanksgiving was fantastic. May I just brag that I got out of having to cook one single thing? How do you ask? Why I had to work 8-4 that day. This being a supervisor thing can suck sometimes. =) I walked into the table being set and the turkey being pulled out of the oven. The cranberry sauce was delish. So, for dessert we of course had what just about everyone else was having. Pumpkin pie. First word out of my mouth? "Wow Honey, it's a bit sweet huh?" I got poo poohed and told it was fine. The next day he realizes that when he thought he was putting in a cup and a half of sugar he was actually putting in three cups. Yah, just a bit sweet. It was good anyway. Anytime you don't have to cook it is awesome. =)

I even went out the next morning for ohmygawd wtf time is it and why the hell am I out shopping. It was fun and I got the one big thing the big kids are getting. I do have to say that I was a wee bit disappointed. The sales weren't as good as I was expecting. And I wasn't expecting everything for free either. It was just 'eh. But I did get some good stuff. It was actually fun. This is the second year I have done it and honestly, it's fun. So what if I get a little twitchy by noon because of lack of sleep. SO!?!? =)

And so the Christmas season has begun. How did that happen? Seriously, how? I was talking with the 18 year old this morning and we were talking about how he is graduating this year and that he will be 19 in July. Why yes I did run into a tree why do you ask? Sheesh how did I get to be so old? ~sigh~ Don't answer that. Did I mention the M@rines are calling my house? Trying to get him to join up. It's great, the SSGT can hear me screaming in the background, "TELL HIM YOU CAN'T WALK UP A FLIGHT OF STAIRS WITHOUT LOSING YOUR BREATH!! DID YOU TELL HIM ABOUT YOUR ASTHMA AND HEART MURMUR?" It's been really interesting. Damnit.

So, how are you?

Posted by Laura at 05:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

First off, wow it's been a long long time. Since April. Uh wow. And SO much has happened since then.

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. =)

Posted by Laura at 08:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

"Dad, did you know what yesterday was?"

"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.

Posted by Chuck at 07:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ok well mostly at least.

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.

Posted by Chuck at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I am about 45 hours on the negative side of sleep. Everyone got a cold and then after they all were done I got it, now it is a nice sinus infection/ bronchitis/ pneumonia/ I am coughing to death arrggg… so needless to say sleep has been a zero for us both, I get an hour or two here and there but this afternoon I took a NICE nap sitting op right on the couch, you know, me the person who needs complete dark, flat quiet to sleep crashed with kids running around me, over me and a few times under me. No worries the big boys kept an aye on em mostly and how much damage can they do in 30 mins while I am right there… (I would include the broken list but it wasn’t anything important.. I still don’t know why that haven't figured hanging off curtains is a bad plan thought)

My schedule has went from sometimes hectic to very simple. Lauren is now working m-f. To the rest of the world this a good thing, for us it kinda sucks. Basically means I lost my two days/nights working at the shop and fixing things. But we have the weekends all home and that is good, but the income and the time to fix the cars and or anything with shop tools is sorly missed…. And well I worked hard, got real dirty and frustrated A LOT but I enjoyed it a lot too. 5 days a week would be 3 days to many 2 was perfect. It was nice having some time where I could and did swear loudly with out kids around…

I am WAY overdue with pictures for one and all. Got some great ones but I haven't laid em out online yet, so that’s the next project. Honest, I am going to maybe work on it tonight even if not tomorrow unless the wife drags me kicking and screaming to see a dr and well stop dieing on her.

Posted by Chuck at 06:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I have been bad bad bad about posting. Not even cause I have nothing to say, just have not felt like expressing myself much.

But recently I have been trolling blogs more and well it is only fair if I spend a minute typing now and then.

So a few topics. First off I guess I got to say I really kicked ASS when I found a new tenant for our apartment over the garage. After showing it to 30 people and leasing it TWICE to folks who backed out last minute, one even after signing the lease I found a nice whack job. And I do mean whack job, but she is our kind of whack job so all is well. We have even (Oh my god) socialized with her… on a regular basis no less. I would make her spend some time watching “to the manor born” so she could under stand the upstairs downstairs thing, but darn it we like her. Last night she drove me nuts talking a mile a minute through the important parts of the game (The commercials of course) but it was a family sort of nuts and I only wanted to throw something at her a few times, heck the wife was as bad but I want to live so we wont go there.
We are actually really happy we found her, for the first time in 5 years I have been able to consider actually going away for a weekend with the family cause I would be so comfortable with her taking care of the monsters (dogs though we could prob toss her a kid or two also now that I think of it.)

Ya know what, Ill post more later, going to go snuggle kids and then pack their little butts off to nap time.

Posted by Chuck at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Wow, 2008 already. I feel like I blinked and missed 2007. I mean a lot happened in the last year but seriously it went by way too quickly. I have so much to say and way not enough time to type it all but I will try.

In the end of November we finally got a new tenant for our apartment that we rent. Her name is Cilly. Yes, Cilly. Yes it is short for something! =) Anyhow, she is going through a really rough time right now. And it turns out that she is really a great person and we have pretty much adopted her. She spent Christmas Eve with us, getting completely knackered on wine and beer while wrapping Christmas presents. She also spent New Year's Eve with us ringing in the New Year and toasting new beginnings. Basically she is one of the family now. We think we will keep her. =)

This year we celebrated Hanukkah. That's right the Pagan and the Relaxed Agnostic ::I had atheist but HE complained about it LOL:: celebrated Hanukkah. The kids learned about it in school and all received a Driedel. I have a friend at work who is Jewish and she celebrated the Holiday with us. Granted we did it all in one night not over eight nights. But honestly, I think we are going to be incorporating it into our seasonal festivities from now on. I have developed a huge addiction to potato latkes which my husband made from scratch thankyouverymuch. Oh man they were so good with maple syrup. I made a delicious brisket. We lit the Menorah and all had a really good time. Needless to say the kids want to do it all over again next year. =)

Christmas this year was great. Well honestly, it is always great. I don't feel like I was really able to get into the Christmas spirit this year and I am aching to take the tree down. The kids made me promise to keep it up to the end of the week. Well, guess what? Tomorrow is Friday baby and that sucker is coming down! I am so glad it's over. Really I am. But it was a nice Christmas none the less. The kids didn't get everything they wanted but they got enough to make them happy. Chuck and I are seriously considering of going with a less is more kind of thing for next year. I said we were thinking about it. Stop laughing! =)

During the fall my mother sent a package full of girly things for Gracie and some videos for the boys. One was V3ggie T@les and the other was a DVD by M@x Luc@do. At the end of the movie is a little song that darn near breaks my heart every time I hear it. I have had the song stuck in my head for two days now and I just love it. It is completely Eli's song. From us to him. It just really is so sweet:
I like you I love you
I want all to see
Without you Eli
There would be no me
I wish I had a symphony
But my symphony is me.
It really is so sweet. I wish I could find the song online so everyone could hear it but unfortunately I can't. But take my word for it, it is really sweet.

Today Miss Grace was not feeling well so I gave her some meds that completely knocked her on her bum. She crawled up into my lap and promptly fell asleep. She slept for an hour and a half. Good snuggle time for me plus a bit of a cat nap in there. Well the wind was blowing something fierce today and it blew open the front door while I was snoozing with Gracie on the couch. Zachary got up to close the door and came back in and said, "WHEW it's a good thing I was here to protect you and Gracie mom. I closed the door." My little hero. I swear my kids find new and different ways to amaze me every dang day.

Ahh my husband. Really my husband. There aren't many traits that a woman would kill for that a man has but his finger nails. Holy cow those suckers are STRONG and long. He keeps his nails long because he had TSS when he was younger and his fingertips are extremely sensitive. Well I hate his nails. They are seriously strong. It never ceases to amaze how a man was blessed strong nails that a woman would absolutely murder for. So his come naturally? Mine? Brittle and frail. I now am sporting a lovely set of nails. Yes I had to pay for them, but dayum they look good. Side bonus? I took Gracie to the nail salon with me and she got her fingernails painted as well. She is now flashing nails in a sassy sparkly purple. I thought Chuck was going to faint flat out. Oh man it was great! =)

We have been getting dumped on with snow and I do mean dumped on. We got about eight inches on New Year's Eve and then another 8-10 on New Year's Day. Fun times, fun times. Not. But the kids have been loving it. Right now they are in the middle of making a HUGE snow cave that they are SURE is going to get them to the North Pole to visit S@nt@. Uh huh keep digging. =)

I recently applied for a new position at work and it is not only a new position but it is a leadership position. I got it and I am so excited. The hours are going to take a very efficient ballet between Chuck and I to make it work but hopefully we will be able to make it work. So we start the new year with new expectations, new hopes and dreams.

So here is to the start of a brand New Year! I hope it brings you peace and happiness.

Happy New Year!!!!

Posted by Laura at 05:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I tend to have conversations with myself. Yes, I do it quite a bit. More so in the car.

So, last night JJ went to a school dance
[side note: don't kids dress up for dances any more? I mean seriously. I know it was just a beginning of school dance but come on. Nice clothes? Or maybe I am just weird] Anyhow, he went to a school dance, met his girlfriend there and some friends. Okay fine. Well, I got to be the lucky one to brave the other parents to go and pick up my 13 year old. So I am in the traffic line and there is a C@dillac Esc@lade in front of me. The half truck one, not the SUV thing.

Here is the conversation I had with myself:
Oh for pities sake. If you are going to have a truck by a real freaking truck. A F15O, D0dge R@m, or a Ch3vy Silver@do. Seriously. That is nothing but a status symbol. Idiots. ~silence for a few minutes~ I am jealous because I can't buy one.

Hey at least I admit it. =)

Posted by Laura at 07:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Last night on the way home from work I needed to stop and put gasoline in my car. 37.74$ Almost forty bucks to fill up my car people. AND? I don't drive a truck. I drive a Camry!!! A Camry for pities sake! Just shoot my now. I wonder if there is going to come a time when it is actually going to be too expensive for people to drive to work. Seriously. $37.74. I was actually cringing watching the numbers fly by on the gas pump. Ugh.

Posted by Laura at 06:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

It's five in the morning and we are both up. Why? Because we are both sick, he can't sleep because he keeps having coughing fits. And I can't sleep because everytime I swallow it feels like my throat is on fire. We have both been up pretty much all night getting in snips of sleep here in there. Oh dey lawd today is going to be a long long day. Zach, Eli and Grace all have coughs. I guess we are going to get to make the rounds to the doctor today. ~sigh~ All of us. Bah.

Sleeeeep I just want to slleeeeep. OK I give up, I am going back to bed to sleep for ten minutes at a time and mutter to myself about how much I HATE being sick. ~mutters~

Posted by Laura at 04:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Ok well i am amused by the title.. but then I figures out what cinco de mayo meant like 3 years ago....

Quiet day, kids are playing board games... Not alot going on and I am doing odd chores around the house and annoying people online. great fun.

Posted by Chuck at 04:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Comments working: Check
New Site design: check
Sanity level: Out the damn window
Should prove interesting. =)

Posted by Laura at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)