My sister, Laurie, makes this statement a lot. She is a happy person. Tonight, I am sitting here thinking...can I tell you how happy I am. I had a great day. Nothing to exciting but I just thought I would share.
It was a late start day so the kids didn't have to be to school until 9:35am. They were able to sleep in so it wasn't a difficult morning. I had a doctors appointment and was told I actually lost 5 pounds! I couldn't believe it. I have been walking on the treadmill. Brooks said to me yesterday that I looked SKINNY! He said it 3 times and didn't even want anything. I am far from skinny but at least I'm getting on the right track. After my appointment, I came home and did laundry and pick up the house. My parents were coming to pick up our furniture and other garage sale items.
The folks showed up around 1:00. I didn't think they were coming until later. Anyway, it was nice that they just came to hang out. Usually, they won't sit down and always want to do things around the house. Laurie got home from work around 2. I fixed dinner and we ate at 4:30! Are we getting old or what? Then we loaded up the furniture and they went home. It was a nice afternoon.
Our new furniture is being delivered on Friday. I'm so excited! I'm having the carpet cleaned tomorrow. It is a mess. Hopefully, with the clean carpet and new furniture, I can enforce the "no food or drinks out of the kitchen" rule. The kids don't like to follow the rules.
I love the kids and love to have them around. They are staying with their dad tonight and it has been SO nice. It was nice not having to pick them up from school or help with homework or make supper and hear how they don't like what I'm fixing or making sure they have showered or ask them to put their clean clothes away for the 27th time or make sure they are in bed by 9 but ends up being 10 or 10:30. I could go on and on. It is just nice having a break.
We have joint custody with their dad. They stay with us on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and with their dad on Wednesday and Thursday. We get them every other Friday and Saturday. Basically, since I moved in, they have been with us full time. Their dad has been "working" out of town, I use the term loosely. Laurie and I love having them with us, although, it's nice to have some peace and quite. By the time Sunday rolls around, we will be ready for them to be back home!!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
All things are mmm, POSSIBLE
That was the sermon today. If you take the I out of impossible everything is mmm, possible. I'm so glad that was the sermon today because when we got home our basement and backyard were flooded. The kids, of course, had stuff all over the floor. It was a mess.
Even though, tempers were elevated, we all worked together. The kids were great! They really pitched in. It was a lot of hard work. We got everything off the floors and got the water out of the basement. I have TONS of laundry to do but hopefully, nothing is ruined. We pumped out all of the water from the back yard to the street so hopefully there won't be more water in the basement in the morning.
I'm exhausted. It's going to be a long day tomorrow so I'm off to bed!
(Thanks for the heads up girls - as you can see, no more semon!)
Even though, tempers were elevated, we all worked together. The kids were great! They really pitched in. It was a lot of hard work. We got everything off the floors and got the water out of the basement. I have TONS of laundry to do but hopefully, nothing is ruined. We pumped out all of the water from the back yard to the street so hopefully there won't be more water in the basement in the morning.
I'm exhausted. It's going to be a long day tomorrow so I'm off to bed!
(Thanks for the heads up girls - as you can see, no more semon!)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Getting started...
A good friend of mine, PYi...PI, is an EXCELLENT blogger. She is hilarious, insightful and truly is the "mother of the year". :) I hope my blog is half as good as hers.
Since I am new at blogging, I have several issues that I need to get off my chest! So, welcome to 4cryinnmybeer....be afraid, very afraid...
My issue today is my sister, niece and nephew NOT PICKING UP after themselves. This January, I moved in with my sister to help out with the kids. I say "the" kids and not "her" kids because I consider them "our" kids. I am very much a part of their life and always have been for their 13 and 11 years of their life. You would think being 13 and 11 y.o. they could listen to and follow directions (or rules). I can't really blame them. Both of their parents are procrastinators.
My sister is a very loving, caring mother. She lacks in discipline and structure. I love her with all my heart and appreciate her allowing me to be part of her family. She is divorced. She has a very stressful job, which she is very good at. She works Monday and Friday's 8 - 4:30 and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday's 6am - 2:30. She works at a hospital is the surgery center supervisor. She has to deal with many different situations each day, including informing a family of a 4 y.o. that their daughter has a brain tumor, to hugging and comforting a family that just lost a loved one. Of course, not all situations are bad...just harder to deal with. She is always there to give a hug, smile or support to the families or the physicians or co-workers. With that being said, I still have to b*tch...
I have to give some background and will probably start to ramble on and on and on...I have lived with my sister on and off for years. We are best friends. Yes, we have had our differences but usually get a long great. As I said before, I moved in with her in January of this year after deciding to quit working in my family's small business located in southwest Iowa. I have a beautiful home back in Greenfield. I am trying to sell my house. There is not much opportunity there. So moving to Des Moines was the most logical answer. I did not want to commute the 120 miles each day for employment. Laurie, my sister, asked if I would move in with her to help with the kids. She needed someone to take the kids to school and pick them up, take them to appointments and take care of the house, something she doesn't do. I loved the idea! I have ALWAYS wanted to be a mom and a homemaker, just haven't had the opportunity.
My sister doesn't clean and there is always clutter. When I moved in, I started going through all of the cupboards, closets and rooms trying to get everything organized. Organization is not a strong suit for my sissy. I have worked my butt off and I know she appreciates it but now I am getting frustrated. In the being, we had a family meeting. I'm the new "sheriff" in town and have made rules that we are all to follow. The rules were not difficult, just basically PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF. By cleaning, there is a spot for everything, how hard is it to put it back??? I think now, the kids and Laurie just assume I am going to clean up after them. I am not their maid. I now know what it means to be a mom and a homemaker. What's sad is I've only been doing it for a couple of months. That's why I need to get some control. I'm sure all moms feel the same way except I have the option of leaving...
I want Laurie to help me enforce the rules. Unfortunately, she comes home from work and takes a "nap", gets up for supper and goes to "chill" for a while, which means she is down for the night. She has done this for years, thus leaving the kids to do whatever, whenever they want...until now. I created a schedule for each of the kids. I even told them I would pay them $10.00 a day if they follow it. I know they have basically been "on their own" for the last several years and they aren't going to change over night but I am getting so frustrated. Lexi, 13, is a typical teenager, complete with the attitude and eye rolling. Brooks, 11, has ADHD (which is a whole other issue) and is a handful.
That's why I decided today to start this blog to relieve some of my frustration. Laurie knows how much I appreciate letting me live here and I know how much she appreciates me cleaning and doing everything. I decided I'm not going to do anything today, as far as picking up after them. I might even just make supper for myself tonight!
Since I am new at blogging, I have several issues that I need to get off my chest! So, welcome to 4cryinnmybeer....be afraid, very afraid...
My issue today is my sister, niece and nephew NOT PICKING UP after themselves. This January, I moved in with my sister to help out with the kids. I say "the" kids and not "her" kids because I consider them "our" kids. I am very much a part of their life and always have been for their 13 and 11 years of their life. You would think being 13 and 11 y.o. they could listen to and follow directions (or rules). I can't really blame them. Both of their parents are procrastinators.
My sister is a very loving, caring mother. She lacks in discipline and structure. I love her with all my heart and appreciate her allowing me to be part of her family. She is divorced. She has a very stressful job, which she is very good at. She works Monday and Friday's 8 - 4:30 and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday's 6am - 2:30. She works at a hospital is the surgery center supervisor. She has to deal with many different situations each day, including informing a family of a 4 y.o. that their daughter has a brain tumor, to hugging and comforting a family that just lost a loved one. Of course, not all situations are bad...just harder to deal with. She is always there to give a hug, smile or support to the families or the physicians or co-workers. With that being said, I still have to b*tch...
I have to give some background and will probably start to ramble on and on and on...I have lived with my sister on and off for years. We are best friends. Yes, we have had our differences but usually get a long great. As I said before, I moved in with her in January of this year after deciding to quit working in my family's small business located in southwest Iowa. I have a beautiful home back in Greenfield. I am trying to sell my house. There is not much opportunity there. So moving to Des Moines was the most logical answer. I did not want to commute the 120 miles each day for employment. Laurie, my sister, asked if I would move in with her to help with the kids. She needed someone to take the kids to school and pick them up, take them to appointments and take care of the house, something she doesn't do. I loved the idea! I have ALWAYS wanted to be a mom and a homemaker, just haven't had the opportunity.
My sister doesn't clean and there is always clutter. When I moved in, I started going through all of the cupboards, closets and rooms trying to get everything organized. Organization is not a strong suit for my sissy. I have worked my butt off and I know she appreciates it but now I am getting frustrated. In the being, we had a family meeting. I'm the new "sheriff" in town and have made rules that we are all to follow. The rules were not difficult, just basically PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF. By cleaning, there is a spot for everything, how hard is it to put it back??? I think now, the kids and Laurie just assume I am going to clean up after them. I am not their maid. I now know what it means to be a mom and a homemaker. What's sad is I've only been doing it for a couple of months. That's why I need to get some control. I'm sure all moms feel the same way except I have the option of leaving...
I want Laurie to help me enforce the rules. Unfortunately, she comes home from work and takes a "nap", gets up for supper and goes to "chill" for a while, which means she is down for the night. She has done this for years, thus leaving the kids to do whatever, whenever they want...until now. I created a schedule for each of the kids. I even told them I would pay them $10.00 a day if they follow it. I know they have basically been "on their own" for the last several years and they aren't going to change over night but I am getting so frustrated. Lexi, 13, is a typical teenager, complete with the attitude and eye rolling. Brooks, 11, has ADHD (which is a whole other issue) and is a handful.
That's why I decided today to start this blog to relieve some of my frustration. Laurie knows how much I appreciate letting me live here and I know how much she appreciates me cleaning and doing everything. I decided I'm not going to do anything today, as far as picking up after them. I might even just make supper for myself tonight!
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