A WEDDING IN THE FAMILY FOR A GREAT COUPLE

Our family has had a busy couple of years milestone wise.  Last summer my in laws celebrated 50 years of marriage, BIL and  SIL celebrated 25 years of marriage, one of the Nephews (D) (a talented writer I might add) turned 21, The Sophomore started high school last year, Gwen graduated high school this year, Mr. Crazy starts Kindergarten in the fall, Another of our Nephews (J) graduates college in December, The Hubs and I celebrate our 20th anniversary next year and the most recent celebration is courtesy of our Nephew (J)

In ten short days he and his beautiful fiance, whom I will also call J (haha just realized they have the same initials - yeah, I'm slow) are getting married. I remember this time in my life, so busy and stressful and EXCITING. To be ready to commit to the one person you don't want to exist without is an amazing feeling.

And to top it off, these two are a great couple.  We don't get to see these relatives from the midwest very often, but we saw this pair (and met her for the first time) last summer.  As a couple they are stunning.  You can see that they are absolutely 100 percent comfortable together and 100 percent in love with each other.  They are simply AMAZING together. We can't be there for their big day, but I am already dying to see pictures.  They will light up the whole world on their special day and I am glad I will be able to see that glow from here.

As a romance writer you can bet I am a huge fan of love and marriage and I think that is why I love this couple so much. They've got what it takes, I only hope they never have to face all of the hardships and tragedies that couples in romance novels do, or that they glide through them holding tight to each other.

So J & J  I am right here and now wishing you the best of luck and a happy, full life together.  We love you and will be celebrating here. We hope that someday you can come on a family trip with us as our guests and we can get to know you  as a couple (and maybe some kids someday?) much better.

Until next time... Love, Love, Love - spouses, kids friends, doesn't matter. Just LOVE! <3

HEALTH UPDATE
Well, I started the diet today!  I load on the food and fats for two days and then I start the low cal diet along with the drops. Just by taking the three supplements I've been taking Omni IV, Charge and Nite Lite I dropped 7 pounds before the diet even began and my hip pain is about 1/4 better (stiffness and mobility has a way to go)  I'm on my way folks!  Wish me good luck :)

CRAZY DAYS, FUN TIMES, SILLY KIDS AND OTHER STORIES

Sorry I'm so late but I had to take Gwen to the doctor today for an ear infection and got waylaid by a lot of crap including a big box store's pharmacy. :/ And then it was family time and an early dinner so now here I am.

It was a weird weekend for sure. We had a lot of family turmoil going on around here (extended family not the ones who live here) but it was all straightened out quickly.  Thank goodness, I'm not up for fighting right now (or ever really). I said some things on facebook that were taken wrong and I really didn't think to explain to certain people about it.  I guess when they say be careful what you talk about on facebook, they aren't kidding right?

Poor Gwen is sick again.  The allergies are killing her this year.  She had an earache so I took her in today and they cleaned her ear out.  She had a piece of was in there so big that it is a wonder she cold even hear out of that ear.  And of course an infection was being caused and blocked by the wax.  It was painful, but thankfully the doctor was able to get it out and she is on the mend.

I am trying to teach Mr. Crazy to recognize his ABC's but it is hard.  He is not all that interested in writing them down and that would be a great way for him to learn. And he can't sit still long enough for flash cards.  If anyone has any suggestions, we'll take em!  He needs to know this by mid August!

Little Butt still amuses me every day with the cute little things she says, however I keep forgetting to write them down. And I have some short stories that I am reading so I can do reviews on them but she won't give me my kindle!  She stays up really late and won't let go of it until it dies completely.  Sigh....I stay up way too late reading now. I need to find the money to buy myself another kindle! (And no, she doesn't have a bed time yet. That will come down the road when she is older.  I like being able to stay up late and work and sleep in late or wake up early and work.)

The writing has been going great!!! People are loving my excerpts from my next book. Especially the one from chapter four.  It is a cliffhanger even! http://www.writerjjellis.com is my site for excerpts and the first four posts are from chapters 1-4 of my next novel. Check them out if you get a chance. I have also received some great reviews for my latest book

http://www.amazon.com/Alaskan-Ambush-Sunset-Destiny-Romance/dp/0615827942/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373323369&sr=8-1&keywords=Alaskan+Ambush
 My books have been called witty...hehe I love that word and think it is a great compliment. LOL

As for the health and diet. I have been  off the supplements for the last couple of days and boy am I feeling it. I feel like crud, so tomorrow it is back on the supplements.  And Wednesday I will hopefully be starting the diet and you can witness the pounds melt away.  My friend who did the diet before me has been called the incredible shrinking woman!

Until next time...Watch what you post on facebook, don't argue with relatives - you love them so it's not worth it, teach your kid to recognize ABC's way before they start school (but not too early, because they are now saying that teaching them too young doesn't do any good because they don't retain it as well as if you teach them a bit later.), and for pete's sake, write down everything your little ones say (and don't give them your kindle to use EVER!!!) ;)

BROTHERS, SISTERS, BEST FRIENDS

No matter how much my kids drive me nuts there are times when I just get this overwhelming feeling of love (Eh, maybe it's just PMS - but i'll take it).  For the last few weeks, during the day the three little ones are like a cute little train following each other everywhere Miss Crazy is in the lead, Mr. Insane is next and the Little Butt is the cutest Caboose you've ever seen.  CHOO CHOO and this time does get loud, sometimes the train is chugging along an sometimes it is full boar racing down the tracks.

My favorite times though are when they are all sitting on the loveseat playing quietly together.  The older two are on the outside and the baby is smack dab in the middle.  They play pretend, they listen to music on the kindle, the snuggle - Yes, my kids love to snuggle each other and watching them just absolutely completely warms my heart.

Just the other day, they were playing princesses and bad guys and then Little Butt wanted the kindle so they started listening to music and she was laying there with her head on brother's lap and big sister was rubbing her leg.  I was almost in tears, but I didn't want them to notice so I kept the wet little buggers at bay. Then they decided to get up and run through the house in an imitation of a bullet train. That was fun except the headache I had throbbed even more.  I did my mom duty and asked them to calm down for a while until my pain pills took effect.  They kinda did...NOT. They kept running and I kept threatening and finally just about the time my headache went away they sat down and started to play quietly and watch an episode of Good Luck Charlie together on youtube.  Ahhhh bliss (even though it was about a half hour too late)  And then I heard the first screech and then a scream and then various versions of get off of me, don't do that, get away.

I usually ignore it at first and see if it resolves itself, but this time it didn't and it kept getting louder.  When I finally look over hair is being pulled, legs and arms are flying, claws are out and I'm having to get The Sophomore to help me separate them.  This happens at least once (okay twice) a day.  But you know what? The sweet, quiet, snuggly, choo choo times are all worth it.  My two oldest kids hate each other and their little siblings, but the little ones truly do love each other. They are friends and I get the feeling that they always will be.

Until Next Time...Your kids aren't always going to grow up to be friends, I'm sad to say. But when it seems that it just might happen, enjoy it, foster it and let them know that there is no better friend than a sibling. I still haven't figured out how to get my oldest two to stop being so selfish when it comes to their siblings, but when I do figure it out, you can bet I will be writing about it. :)

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS
No new news on the health front, but if you want a copy of the book I wrote that has some of my blogs and some new commentary in it, now is the time to get it.  FREE ON KINDLE UNTIL THE 7TH!!!!! http://www.amazon.com/Until-Next-Time-ebook/dp/B00BRA7SK2/ref=sr_1_3_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373040334&sr=1-3

MY WEEK ROUNDUP

MY KIDS ARE DRIVING ME NUTS FINALLY. WHEN DOES SCHOOL START? Does anybody want a whiny little boy to reprogram after having been influenced by the devil neighbors for two weeks? (They were sent home to NM because everyone refused to babysit them.  I don't think they will be allowed over here next year, they have gotten twice as bad as normal. Thank goodness they are gone, but now we are back to trying to get Mr. Insane outside during the day. It never ends!

We celebrated our anniversary on Tuesday this week with dinner out and a lot of time together just hanging out and doing nothing. They key was that we were together.  We ended up going to Olive garden which was great because we hardly ever get to go there and they have great White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. I rarely eat dessert so that was an extra bonus.  We did a free giveaway of my latest novel that day too and had a great response.  Why not celebrate love with a free Romance book! http://www.writerjjellis.com 

So, about the new products I'm taking to boost my health, well I took two of them on Thursday for the first time and I felt so wonderful all day!  Of course my hips were still messed up so I couldn't do much physically, but I felt like I could move mountains even if I really couldn't. I did get a lot of work done on my next novel because my mind was clear and I didn't get sidetracked as easily.  I can't wait to see what more use of these products does for me!  Today I started the third product and am waiting to see what it does for me.  This is the multi vitamin one and I understand that this will make the biggest difference until the weight starts to come off. Tomorrow I start the weight loss program (I hope, my cough hasn't been allowing me to hold food down for long so we have to wait until that goes away.)

Next week I hope to have a report back to you on how I am feeling overall and then in a couple of weeks I will have my report on how my weight loss is coming along.  After my first cycle I will have a before and after picture for you. This ought to be interesting.  If you are interested in learning more about the products I'm taking I will give you the web address and you can read it over. OMNITRITION

We had Gwen at the cardiologists today and he doesn't think there is anything to be worried about but he wants to do one last test - she gets to wear a monitor for 48 hours. If that doesn't find something then she is in the clear.  I guess the things she is experiencing can be normal for girls her age.  I'm just glad they are being thorough!

UPS AND DOWNS - 19 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

Well, nineteen years ago tomorrow I had one of the busiest, yet most wonderful days of my life. I walked down the aisle and said I Do to the man I love.  Nineteen years, do you believe it?  Sometimes it seems like yesterday and sometimes it seems like twenty-nine years ago.

My memory is so bad that I often wonder if I will ever remember a lot of details from my wedding.  I remember spending the night before at my in-laws house (The Hubs and I lived together so we decided to spend the night before apart). If I remember correctly, The Hubs went to an informational meeting in north town for a police department hiring fair. I remember waking up and having breakfast. I remember at some point during the afternoon taking my bridesmaids to a salon I frequented and getting nails and hair done.

After that we headed to the church and started to get ready. I remember my stockings were the wrong kind and we had to scramble to find a different pair.  Taking pictures was next. With my mom, dad, bridesmaids etc. I remember heading up to the foyer of the church and my daddy was there.  I was worried that he was uncomfortable, he wasn't much for being out in public with strangers and he wasn't much for dressing up in monkey suits, but on that day he seemed fine.  He even seemed fine with my mom being there (they didn't talk since the divorce).

I remember walking down the aisle with my daddy at my side and seeing The Hubs waiting for me.  I was nervous about being up in front of tons of people, but not about getting married. My memory skips through most of the ceremony but I do remember a little kid saying something that made The Hubs and I laugh through some of our vows.  It really helped me break the ice with my nervousness.  All in all it was the perfect wedding ceremony for me.

I remember my new BIL driving us to our reception destination. It was in the gorgeous, huge backyard of a friend of MIL's, on a golf course. (It is this house I think of when I write about a big house on a golf course in my second novel Alaskan Ambush).  The food was flown in from the east coast by The Hubs' uncle and it was the most delicious barbecue ever.  My daddy was able to sit with friends from my hometown so I knew he was okay.

We threw the garter and I don't remember who caught it. My friend Tammy caught the Bouquet and at some point we changed clothes because my long train got in the way. I remember opening gifts and then heading to the hotel.

And guess what I remember most from the wedding night?  Yep, trying to get the pins and hairspray out of my  hair. I'm pretty sure The Hubs and I did more honeymoon activities the night after the wedding than the wedding night. But that was okay because we had lived together for a long time before the wedding.

A highlight of our honeymoon was going in to Vegas (we spent it locally to visit with family members we hadn't seen in years) and seeing the dinner show at the Excalibur.  The Hubs' whole family was there and it was a great show!!! I don't know if they still have it, but if they do and you are in Vegas, go see it!

We pretty much settled back into our normal lives after that and we haven't had a boring year since.  We've had a few moves (Oregon, Back to Nevada, Wyoming, Within Wyoming) and I feel like I am forgetting something.... hmmm Oh yeah, in those nineteen years we had five kids.  Five crazy, wonderful kids over nineteen years.  We've had rough times - a fire that destroyed our business and life as we knew it, a midlife crisis for me, financial problems, meddling relatives, job problems etc....but we somehow made it through and it seems that we get stronger every day.  Our marriage has recently rekindled some of the spark and I can't wait to see what happens when I lose weight and get healthy! ;)

Until Next Time....Good, bad, ugly -
work hard and you can get through it all. Relationships are far from easy, so if you aren't willing to work your ass off, don't bother getting involved in one.

5 KIDS = SAVE MONEY ANY WAY YOU CAN!

Today we celebrate an occasion that we go trough every 2-4 years.  We change television service.  When we first moved to Casper we had the local cable/phone/internet company and although their prices raised every year (first year locked in low rate) they didn't get too bad until the last year, so in order to save money we took advantage of a deal dish network was having (we are kind of DirecTV shy because of some previous problems so we figured we would give dish a try.).  We cancelled our cable and phone (kept internet though because they had a better price than Dish's partner company) and got our Dish hooked up.  The kids were so happy because we had Boomerang finally, but sad because we didn't have Disney Jr. when it came out. Well, after our first year, the price crept up by about twenty bucks.  After the first year and a half it crept up another thirty and we decided to get rid of it when our two years were up. Well, that time is now!!! I am so excited. I will miss boomerang if they haven't acquired it yet, but I will love Disney Jr. when I am home alone with Little Butt next year. :)

I often wonder how many people have done this.  We did it in the last place we lived too because we needed to save money.  You would think these companies would want a loyal customer base, but if you think a bit more you realize they like this happening because they can charge set up fees every time you switch and that is where they make a lot of money.  That is why we make sure to say we won't sign up for their biggest package unless we have no setup fees. It usually works, sometimes it doesn't though.

We don't really like having a landline phone, but it was part of the package we got.  We now get phone, tv and internet for less than we were paying for just Dish which is cool.  And even when the price increases in a year, we will still be playing less.  But the year after that, why do I have a feeling that we will be changing back to dish or even directv.  When you don't have much income, you do what you can to save money and so far it has worked for us.  (And in this case I actually like the channels and service I get with the local cable company better than with either of the satellite companies.)

Until Next Time...If money is low, do everything you can to save on your bills.  Someone told me I wasn't playing fair by working the system but you know what?  They work it to so I don't feel bad in the least. :)

FUNNY PICTURE CAPTION PT 4

Haven't done one of these in a long time!  Here are some cute and funny pictures that I edited when I was in a lot of pain and had nothing better to do. (Before I took up writing again)

ENJOY!!!!

That's where my chapter 4 went!

Sisterly love - Too bad only one sister still has that love now :(

She was so fascinated with her feet there for awhile!

Love her look! She does that a lot.

Used to be her favorite meal!

Chocolate lover!!!

Like I said above - loves her feet  (and Ramen)

She's a little cookie thief!

Memories of the PAST :/

haha she hates headbands!

Sister was actually yelling, but hey. ;)

Actually I think it was kweem (ice cream)

Classic wake up!  

GOOD NEWS, GOOD TIMES, GOOD DAYS!

So, I was sitting here on the couch fuming because I am not getting the drive free summer I had planned, and no one was listening to my directive that I would not be giving rides, when my phone rang.  I had no clue who it was, but I answered it because the first three numbers indicated it was from the school district. Boy am I glad I did answer it!  They were calling to let me know that they now had room for my son in our school of choice!!!  Woo hoo, that means I don't have to drive all over the place next year getting both of my smaller kids to different schools and different activities at the exact same start and end times. (You know it would have been painful having to get Little Butt in and out of the car an extra time when I would have to take my son into the school because he's not quite ready to just go himself.

I cried tears of joy. Really, I did. You guys don't realize what a relief this is to me.  With the snowy roads that aren't plowed worth a crap, and having to drag a sleepy, cold two year old everywhere, my life will now be so much better and easier and better, and did I say easier?  :D :D :D :D Oh yeah, and less painful too!

And in other great news, Gwen got a clean bill of health from the doctor. We are thinking her feeling 'off' is caused by stress and low blood pressure, which she is treated for.  That is a huge relief and weight off of our minds.

So now that the family is (maybe) finally getting healthier, we can move on to have a good summer.  I am going to be busy getting Mr. Insane ready for Kindergarten and writing my books - I have decided that I am completely insane.  I am writing the last three books at the same time.  I wrote chapter one of all three books and then onto chapter 2 of all three books and so on.  Oh, and I am also still writing that book with my daughter.  Did I mention that I am completely insane?  I do believe I did above and have many other times. :)

I am also starting a new program to try to get healthy.  I will tell you more about it when I get everything finalized, but I must say that the change I have seen in my college friend who is helping me get involved in this, is amazing.  I think she is down 121 pounds now and is feeling great. Her whole family is much healthier and that is exactly what I am hoping for my family too.  Stay tuned for details!!!

Overall things are going good now...thank goodness. I'd hate to have to bore you with my complaining again. ;)

Until Next Time...Please, please, please, enjoy the good times to the fullest!

COMPLAINING ABOUT A BAD DAY, WHY YES, I WILL

I had two kids at the doctor today. And of course the day I have to be out and about a lot, it is supposed to be 95 degrees, which means I will be getting sick. Runs to the doctor, the lab, the store for prescriptions and then to pick Gwen up from work means I will probably NOT be enjoying dinner tonight. Then this evening, we will be babysitting the neighbor kids again so I will have aching hips, an upset and hurting stomach, and a very annoyed temperament.  Oh joy!  The good news - This will be the last night we have to watch the neighbor kids.  It seems my kids overheard us talking about not doing it anymore and they told the neighbor kids who told their grandparents and woo hoo, we are free again!

I was kind of hoping that getting out of babysitting would be a punishment for my older two children who volunteered me, but hey, it's too hot to hold a grudge right now. I'm sure someday, somewhere, somehow I will punish them for their bad deed. hehe. But until then I will be trying to keep cool.

We never should have complained about winter lasting so long, because now summer is here early.  Casper, WY in the mid nineties in early June...yep we are being punished. And rightly so, I will never complain about long winters again...maybe...probably not...ah hell, I'll complain, but then I will suffer. At this point, I really don't care. I'm just trying to get through this day without hurling. So, a note to my kids - if you need to go anywhere or be picked up from anywhere tomorrow, you're on your own.  When it's hot, I stay inside so I can survive. Period. End of Story.

You may be wondering what is wrong with my two who were at the doctor. Well Miss Crazy has developed a sinus infection and sores on her throat (no strep though) thanks to the nasty coughing crud we had.  And Gwen went in for testing to see why she is feeling a bit off. They are testing for diabetes, thyroid, hemoglobin and a few other things.  Hopefully it is just a normal cycle of stuff for the end of her major growth.

Until Next Time...I just felt like complaining today.  I have had some pretty good days here recently with the release of my new book and stuff so I figured if I have a bad day thrown in here and there it's okay to complain.  It's okay for you too. Sometimes bad days are just plain hard to take. Let it all out and be happy again!!!

MY WEEK IN A NUTSHELL - 10 STEPS TO INSANITY

Okay, so I have a favor to ask. If you have bought one of my books, please leave a review somewhere - on your blog, on goodreads, on amazon, anywhere they will let you.  If you haven't bought it (I understand money can be tight) but would still be interested in reviewing it, I am willing to provide 10 PDF copies to people if they will review it on their blog (and any other site that will let them without having purchased it there).  If you are interested, please let me know at my email. To find out more about my books go here.  I only want my romances reviewed (I have two) I will warn that they are said to be sweet (romance) and spicy (sex). They are by no means erotica, but they do have their fair share of sex.  Thank you all so much!  Now on with the fun.

10 STEPS TO INSANITY

1. My 6 year old is driving me nuts.  She will not behave, she is relentless in teasing her siblings, no matter what punishment I dole out, she is driving me mad. So I send her to the neighbor who has a little girl she likes to play with. She behaves there. :/

2. My 5 year old boy has been hanging around girls too much.  He has turned into a complete cry baby whiny butt. I have got to get him out of this stage quickly - he  starts school in a couple of months!!!

3. My pain has been through the roof because of my wonderful coughing fits.

4. My two year old has also become a whiny butt.  If she doesn't get what she wants, she freaks out and can cry for an hour. If you finally offer her what she wants, she changes her mind and wants something different. (We don't give in, but sometimes when we misunderstand what she wants and finally offer her the right thing, she changes her mind.)

5. Allergies are going to kill us, all of us, dead as can be. They need to go away and leave us alone.

6. Thanks to my older daughters we are babysitting the neighbor boys five hours a night, five nights a week and I really don't want to.  I was almost in tears by the time they left the last time. I hate babysitting for one and for two when you get both of them together with both of mine, they don't know how to behave, or be quiet, or stay outside or.... yeah. I am thinking that since the teens accepted the job for me, I might have to make them go over and break the news that we can only do it for this one more week and then they will have to find someone else.

7. I had a release party for my newest novel. It was fun and we are seeing a smattering of results, but only time will tell if it was worth the work it took.

8. The hubs and I are still working on a top secret project (and hell no, it is not another damn kid).

9. I discovered that I hate hate hate marketing my book.  I'm so tired of it. This is something you don't get immediate results from usually so I will be doing it for years to come until I build my fan base. What happened to my patience....oh I covered that in another blog didn't I. ;). I guess it is a good thing I didn't follow my degree to a career (PR- business) Ah crap! I did follow it in the end. Only this time I added writing to the mix.

10. It's hot outside, the kids are driving me nuts, except for my writing, I'm bored out of my mind. Yep, sounds like a typical summer week to me!

Until Next Time...TGIF  We all need a break from a crazy week. But then my weeks lately run from Friday to Friday so I don't get a break. Sigh.....Enjoy the weekend anyway. :D

SUMMERTIME FRIENDS

I was looking forward to having the two elementary school kids out of the house, playing outside for the summer, and then...they won't go outside! They don't want to be outside without anyone to play with. Um, these are the kids who can think up the most amazing games to play together inside - so why not outside? 

The bad news is, their friends don't live here anymore. So I had to resort to making them go outside if they wanted special snacks or computer time. And what do they do? Walk around beside the porch  and sit on the steps. :/  It is like the fresh air dampens their imagination or some stupid thing like that. 

Well now for the good news.  We found out the other day that their friends are coming to visit their dad and grandparents for 2-4 weeks. I have never beens so happy to hear that trouble making kids are coming back to the neighborhood!  WOO HOO  my kids are finally going to play outside all day! Another bit of good news is that the neighbor kids are much better behaved now that they live with just their mom so maybe I won't have to work to undo any damage done this summer.  At this point, I don't care as long as my kids go outside and enjoy their vacation!

Another good bit of news is that we will be babysitting them for about five hours a night a few nights a week and will get a bit of extra money coming in to cover meals and snacks for them. Extra money is always good right?  And did I say I'm happy about my kids going outside to play without having to bribe them and listen to them whine all day?  

Gwen works all day, The Sophomore can take care of herself, the littles will be outside so that leaves me with Little Butt to cuddle while I write my next great masterpiece...umm I mean Romance Novel, erotica short story or blog.  ;)

Until Next Time...Sometimes, in this day and age, it seems you have to force kids to be kids and enjoy their free time. When I was a kid, you practically had to tie me down to get me to stay inside during the summer and I lived in Southern Nevada where the temps often topped 110!  But then again, I didn't have a computer, tablet, mp3, xbox, playstation etc.  

WE ARE HAVING A PARTY! We are celebrating the release of my latest novel - Alaskan Ambush.

Join us at http://www.facebook.com/writerjjellis for giveaways, contests and sneak peeks at future books. We would love to have you stop by

THE CRUD - IT CAUGHT ME!

Ugh! We have had a creeping crud going on around her for over a month. We were told the cough could last for weeks but to watch out for signs of an infection.  Well The Hubs and Gwen got the
infection but I had only a mild cough for a few days and thought I'd gotten off lucky because after all, I am the mom and I am needed to take care of everyone else. And then all of a sudden the cough comes back.

Cough is not good when you have bad hips. (Unless by some miracle it were to pop them back into proper place). Right now my hips feel like they have been stabbed with a million knives, but luckily it doesn't hurt worse to walk so that's good.  Then there are my ribs.  I have to hold my body just so, as to not knock my hips out so my ribs take the brunt of the force for my coughs.  OMG I feel like I've been kicked in the ribs a hundred times.

Should I even mention that I am the mother of five and my bladder is weak?  No, I won't go into detail, but I'm pretty sure  you get the idea. I am so ready for this cough to be done and I thought I was getting better, but nope, I was up most of the night last night coughing.  You know, just doze off and hack hack hack. Then calm down and just doze off and hack hack hack and repeat. It has been years since I've had a cough this bad. The last time I remember was shortly after we moved here to this town almost five years ago.  Back then I still had the chronic pain, but not the constant feeling of being out of whack and stiffness so it wasn't so bad.

I think I just have to not ever get sick again. After all the stiffness in my hips started after a bout of the stomach flu caused me to wretch almost continuously for two days.  That's it, that is my plan, do not ever get sick again....and then I remember that I will have 4 kids in 4 different schools bringing home many different viruses...Sigh. I think I will be sick for the rest of my damn life. But at least I have my blog and my novels to keep me busy in times of sickness (Unless I'm coughing too much to keep my pen straight on the paper or the laptop on my lap!)

Until Next Time...Beware of the crud! I hear it is going around everywhere. If you do get it, I recommend heating pads, pain pills and a good sturdy back.  Take care and stay healthy this summer! <3

SUMMER BREAK!

The day every mother dreads is here, except I don't dread it. I actually look forward to it.  The last day of school.

To me, the last day of school means not having to get the little one dressed (wrestling match) to get into the car (wrestling match, have to carry her on bad weather days, sprains my hips pulling her chest clip up to her chest) anymore. It means the possibility of being able to let my hips heal a bit. It means not having to interrupt naptime (when she actually naps) to go get the kids from school. And best of all, it means less pain overall.

I am weird, I look forward to summer break! I can't wait to have my kids home. But then again, by the end of summer I will probably pay you to send them back to school for a day or two because they have started to irritate each other beyond belief and I spend my day as a referee, but then I remember that I have to drive them to and from Every Day and I almost want to put up with their fighting again.

I once had someone tell me that the only reason I loved having the kids home for summer was so I could sleep in.  haha Have you ever met my kids?  The teenagers would definitely sleep all day, as would the toddler. The elementary schoolers on the other hand...not so much.  They will wake up every day between 7 and 8 a.m. I can pretty much guarantee it. During the school year, I wake up between 7 and 7:30.  Yeah, so probably no sleeping in for me.  They won't be quiet even if I pay them with ice cream and candy. I don't think they know how. I will give you one thing though, I am a night owl and will love staying up late.  I might have to wake up early still, but I don't have to be anywhere so I can enjoy my night owlness. ;)

We don't have any fun plans this summer like we did last - Alaskan Cruise :'( - so I don't have that to look forward to, but I do love having my kids home and not having to get the little one in and out of the car a million (or 2) times a day. If I want to run to the store, I just leave the littles with the bigs and my hips rejoice!

When August 19th rolls around I will definitely be crying in my soup. I will have two littles to take to two different schools every day and that is going to kill me.  I guess I should prepare now to be in even more pain next school year, but damn it I want to enjoy a summer with my kids first! (Can use some good vibes that the boy will be transferred off the waiting list to his sister's school or vice versa).

Until Next Time...Don't dread the summer, enjoy every moment with your kids even if most of it is spent playing referee and being irritated beyond belief!

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY - YOU MADE ME A LIAR ;)

Well, since I am so extremely angry at most of my family at the moment I thought I would write about something other than them.

The relatives were here over the weekend and we wanted to show them some of the cool things here in Casper but what happened?  It rained ALL DAMN WEEKEND! There are a couple of historical sites we wanted to show them, but they were all outdoors so that plan got changed to hanging out inside. Even hanging out inside museums wouldn't have worked because we would get soaked just walking to the car.

Our relatives like good weather, they live in Southern Nevada after all and they are lucky if they see a few inches of rain a year. It was finally getting warm here (we even had a couple of days close to 90) and we were excited we could show them great weather (many relatives wondered why on earth after living in the heat so long, we wanted to move to cold country)  And what happens the day they get here? Rain, rain and more rain and temps in the 40's and 50's. I think they believe we were lying to them when we said it does actually get nice here. We weren't, really, I promise.  Yeah, we don't get into the 100's, 110's, but we get into the high 90's and spring is absolutely beautiful here (once it hits) and we have told the relatives that time and time again, hoping they would come visit.  And then mother nature plays a nasty trick on them/us when they finally get here.

I feel like such a liar. I know I'm not, but I still feel like one.  I hate it when people act selfishly, and put themselves before the greater good, and lie, but I have been living with it daily so I guess I should be used to it. But the fact that the relatives could think I might be lying really, really bothers me. A lot

Oh well, maybe if they come back to visit in another eight years we will actually be able to show them a good time and some great weather! Or maybe we will be living somewhere else. But hopefully it won't be that long!

Until Next Time...Things aren't always going to be perfect, period end of story. No matter how much we hope they will be.  But when it turns out they are, run with it and have a great time! :)

GRADUATION DAY! BUSY BUSY BUSY!

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I wasn't even sure I would be able to do a blog today. (But I couldn't stay away because I'm addicted to y'all!) The last few days have been so busy and today will be too. We had a graduation lunch and party for family yesterday.  It was fun but kept us busy and going all day.  Today will be no different.

Gwen just left, headed for a three hour long mandatory Graduation practice. (Boy am I glad I only had 78 people in my graduating class, our mandatory practice took under an hour!) When the practice is over, we all meet the grandparents at the car lot to pick up Gwen's car.  She is so excited and can't wait to go out in it with her father and get the rest of the practice she needs to get her license!

After that will be lunch and possibly a trip to the thrift store in hopes that the 'chair from heaven' is there so I can work in comfort and my hips won't yell at me quite so much. Gwen gets to head

home and try to sleep so she can make it through the night at the school sponsored all night grad party.

The Freshman and Miss Crazy still have to go to school today so after a stop home that will probably involve some cleaning, they will have to be picked up from school and then we will all have to get gussied up (do people use that expression anymore, or am I showing my age?) for graduation and then we will meet the in-laws for dinner.  The next step is the scary one. We will be taking our first baby girl to her high school graduation ceremony!

Her school has 400+ students in this graduating class so the ceremony will be loooooooooonnnnnnngggggg! And of course, The Freshman and Miss Crazy will have school tomorrow. (Have I already told you guys how much I love hate this school district, I do believe I have!) Should be a fun night/morning in our house. :/ I also wonder how loud my hips will be screaming when I wake up!

The good news is, my house was clean when the relatives and friends showed up, the kids behaved

and the dog didn't piddle on them. (Although he almost peed on Gwen's boyfriend, I wonder if The Hubs has been training him in the fine art of protecting his baby girls from boys)

I hope that now that the relatives have finally (after 8 years) had a glimpse of our lives, they realize that we are indeed safe, happy and healthy, and that moving away from Nevada was in fact the best thing we could have done for our family.

Until Next Time...When your child graduates High School either wear waterproof mascara or none at all. I know for sure I am going to be a giant, crying basket case.  My new nickname would probably be 'The Weeper' ;)

CONGRATULATIONS GWEN, WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF YOU AND LOVE YOU VERY MUCH. MAY YOUR FUTURE BE HAPPY, HEALTHY AND FULL OF LOVE!

I CRIED LIKE A BABY

So, we've been having a lot of milestones and exciting changes around here lately. It's been crazy emotional.  Gwen (previously, The Senior) is out of high school now and graduates officially on Monday. Mr. Insane is officially registered for Kindergarten in the Fall, and Gwen is getting her first car on Monday.

The other day, after the car purchase decision was made, I realized something. We had my old van sitting in the driveway and undrivable for the last year waiting for someone (yeah, ended up being mom) to call and have it towed away to the junkyard. Where in the heck were we going to put Gwen's car? So yesterday was the day...The big old tow truck backed up to her (Sally) in my driveway, pulled her up on the flatbed, handed me some cash and drove away. And I cried like a baby.  I haven't been able to drive her in a year, but at least she was sitting there and she was still part of our lives.

We bought her when Gwen was almost a year old. We moved to Oregon soon after and of course, she was there with us. A few months later, we moved back to Nevada and of course, the van came with us. She literally saw us through four moves, one road trip vacation, one training session for The Hubs that required him to drive from southwestern WY to South Dakota every week, driving home to Nevada every Thanksgiving for the first few years we lived in Wyoming, and driving five kids anywhere and everywhere they went. This van was the scene of hugs and kisses, puke and poop, and fights and make ups. Toys and shoes were lost in this vehicle, never to be seen again.

Is it possible for one vehicle to see so much of a person's life.  It doesn't seem possible, but it is.  Many people trade in cars every few years, but we try to use em til they are dead! And that is exactly what we did with Sally. Just think about it, we got rid of her a few days before Gwen graduated High School, the car and Gwen were a year apart in age. That is a lot of life lived right there and Sally was there the whole time.

Now what?  Well, I don't think the mourning will last long although I will ALWAYS have piles of memories. Now a new vehicle will take her place in the driveway. Come Monday, Gwen's car will be jockeying for position with mine. I only have one word to describe this time in our lives. Bittersweet, but then again, much of life is bittersweet.

Until Next Time...Remember that the objects that represent or symbolize our lives may leave us, but the memories live on in our hearts forever.

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CLEANING MY HOUSE AND OTHER RANDOM RAMBLINGS

So, we've been trying to get the house done for guests coming up here in about twelve days.  I don't know what the hell we've been working on, but there is only one room that I consider sufficiently clean and that is my bathroom. It looks so good, you could eat off the floors (okay, maybe not - ICK, but you all know I like using those cute little sayings that in all actuality make no flippin sense)

My kitchen is trashed, there is stuff everywhere like laundry and toys and an old Christmas tree. (yes, the laundry is being dumped in a tub in the kitchen instead of being folded. Don't ask, because I have no clue.  You could always call my laundry folders if you are super curious though) And unfortunately our floors, that we are re doing, aren't even done yet. The Christmas tree box needs to go somewhere, but we aren't sure where yet.  It started off as a thin, nicely packaged box and now looks like my muffin top. (Sorry I know, ICK but after five kids, there isn't much about the human body that I'm shy about anymore)

My living room is trashed too, but with such a small house, and no playroom I don't think I will ever really like how my living room looks. It is the room that is cleaned 4-5 times a day and still, when I wake up in the morning,  it is like nightmare walking out there. Sometimes I want to cry (well, I guess not really, but I do feel like screaming sometimes).  I think that will be the last room we do the deep cleaning in too, because it just won't last.

My bedroom is halfway done, which is a good thing, but our timeline was to have it done today.  NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! You see, my room is storage for the house. We have a closet the size of a postage stamp (okay, maybe 1/2 a postage stamp) so our stuff is stored in boxes and storage tubs in the bedroom. They must all be contained and stacked neatly. ( I sometimes wonder if anyone but me knows how to do that though. I am really trying to remember if I took a class like that in college - ORGANIZING A SMALL HOUSE 101?)

The kids rooms should be quick, most of it is just toys and clothes, but keeping them clean until after guests leave will be the hard part. Our next big thing is the kids' bathroom.  I trusted them to keep it clean by teaching them how (and having two older kids who are allowed to use strong cleaners) but I ventured in there one day and....Can I have my own house condemned?  Well anyway, let's just say they have their work cut out for them.  I know they can do it, lets just hope they do.  All I can say is I will now be doing weekly inspections no matter how hard it is for me to maneuver down their hallway (our dressers are in the hall so they have more play room in their rooms, but it makes for a relatively narrow walkway, and with my hips....) And I'm sure I will be in there, sitting in a high backed support chair, with a pumice stone in one hand and a magic eraser in the other for as much as I can handle.

My biggest problem is that I used to be the one to handle most of the big cleanings like this.  But now I just can't do it.  I can do bits and pieces and help out here and there, but I just can't get busy and bust this out in two days like I used to. (If anyone can cure my hips and my sinuses I would appreciate it and then I could have this place spotless in no time at all.)  This is one of those times I post about occasionally, where I feel very inadequate because of my limitations, but I'm not gonna dwell on that so I'm just going to say -

Until Next Time...I don't have anything profound to say today so I will just say that I have enjoyed having you all here for the last 6 months (our anniversary was on the fourth!) and I hope to see you all here for the next six months and longer. :D

 

THEY LIVE ON, IN YOUR HEART

Tomorrow would have been my daddy's 74th birthday.  Some years, I don't think about it until it's over but this year I think it popped up in my mind because of The Senior's graduation.  My daddy actually got to meet her, I remember he held her when she was a baby - her head in his hand and her butt in the crook of his arm, as comfortable and safe as she could be, cradled in his large hands. I really wish he could be there to see it, or at least to receive pictures of it when it is over.  I wish he could know what is going on, but then again maybe he does know and my sadness comes from not being able to be the one to tell him.

I'm sure I will feel the same way when The Freshman graduates too. He was able to see her a few times before he passed. I remember once, after he was already sick and the strength in his arm was really bad.  He was afraid to hold her, but she was old enough to sit on his knee and balance herself. I remember her sitting there giggling as her grandfather's big shaky hand held onto her as best it could. This was a child who wasn't super smiley or giggly and she was very uncomfortable with people she didn't know well, but she was happy as could be sitting on her grandfather's knee.

And when my other kids graduate I'm sure I will think of him too because he never got to meet them and this is one life event where I will wish he could come back long enough to see their big day. Do you ever think about your lost loved ones on special days? I think for me it is the really special ones that bring up the memories.  Things like graduations, engagements and weddings.

I don't have a whole lot of beliefs about spirits and Heaven and Hell, but the one thing I do believe for sure is that my father knows his grandkids.  No matter how many times he saw them in real life, he knows them well.  He knows the struggles, triumphs and pretty much everything else in their lives. I don't know that he would be proud of them, I know that he IS proud of them.  The Senior had an award ceremony the other day the celebrated her being in the top 10 percent of graduating seniors in our district.  Her grandfather knew this and he was so proud of her.  I know that on Grad night, he will be there somewhere, the proudest grandfather ever as his Granddaughter graduates high school in the top ten of her district and as a member of the national honor society and the Japanese honor society, as he will be there and proud of all of his grandkids when they graduate.  And get engaged, and married and have kids of their own.

So on my daddy's birthday I try to feel happy and celebratory because it reminds me that he might be physically gone, but I truly believe he is still here with us, loving us and being a huge part of our lives. I save the sadness at his loss for the anniversary of the day we lost him physically.

Until Next Time...Only you can keep someone alive...in your heart. They might not be here physically, but they can still be a part of you, a part of your life if you open your heart and let them live in a tiny part
of it.  There's plenty of room, the heart is unlimited in every way. <3

GERMS AND BUGS - AND WE THOUGHT OUR KIDS DIDN'T SHARE

Well we have reached that point again.  What point you may ask?  The point where Miss Crazy is at the age when life is all about lending, borrowing and sharing stuff with friends at school.  Now, I know we all tell our kids not to share drinks, brushes and other 'personal' things because of the possibilities of bugs and germs, but there are also the harmless things like Miss Crazy letting a friend wear her precious Hello Kitty ring until the last bell, or her friend lending her a bracelet until that same last bell - harmless stuff.

Now if you have a child that is perfect and does everything mom or dad says, I commend you for being a super parent.  But in my experience, THEY DO NOT LISTEN, especially about the 'personal' stuff. The senior came home with strep in third grade.  I asked her if she shared food or drink with anyone and she said no. I asked her again and she said no. Come to find out she and her best friend had swapped gum because they each didn't like the taste of the gum they had. SMDH.

I can't remember which kid it was, but one of them came home with lice. I asked them if they had shared a brush or hat with someone and they said no.  I asked again and they said no. Turns out they had swapped jackets with a friend and wore the hood.  (Although I am pretty sure this case of the nasty bug started elsewhere - here in Wyoming in the younger grades Jackets, hats and scarves are an absolute necessity and they are all kept in close proximity so those little suckers just jump on over to everyone) My point is, the little devils don't listen (kids and lice), they are sneaky little buggers that know every which way to get around the rules. ;)

Here are some of the excuses I've heard for blatantly not following the rules. But mom my hair was a mess and tangled.  I didn't want to look like a dork so I used  'so and so's' brush.  Or how about But mom, my head was cold and she had an extra hat in her locker. And then there is But mom I was so thirsty and my drink was gone so she shared hers. And of course being the smart ass I am my responses are - haven't you ever heard of using your fingers as a brush, well maybe next time you shouldn't lose your hat and haven't you ever heard of a water fountain.

But in the end, I have just kind of learned to go with the flow.  If something serious comes out, disease or bug wise, I will strictly enforce and punish for breaking the 'rules' but until then we just have to go with the flow. I can't be with my child 24/7 and I will never know everything they do when I'm not there.  But I now expect the occasional strep throat or lice outbreak or cold or stomach bug because it really is a part of life (x7 for our family :/) Remember, severe sore throat, a sore throat that doesn't go away quickly, or sore throat with a fever should always be looked at by a doctor!

Eventually the kids will develop their own sense of what is okay to share/borrow and that will be brought on by my constant nagging when they were younger. Although I know for girls, that special group of best friends doesn't seem to apply to the no share personal stuff rule because you know, they are immune. It doesn't matter if they are hacking up a lung, they are a best friend so it doesn't count. And the same applies to boyfriends (And if you are lucky you end up with a kid who thinks everything is gross and you don't have to go through any of this. Right?) Perhaps we should rejoice in the fact that our kids are actually sharing??? Or not. ;)

Until Next Time...As long as kids are allowed to roam free in public, whether at school, the mall, sports practices, dance lessons etc. they are going to come across some unsavory things and we as parents just kind of have to deal with it as it comes and keep reinforcing what is safe/safer/safest.  Most of them will get it eventually. Aside from reinforcing, just keep a box of lice treatment in the cabinet and the doctor's phone number in your phone and you are doing what needs to be done.

LIFE LESSONS - FOR MY CHILDREN, FOR EVERYONE

Lately, I have been in a lot of pain and pretty much feeling more useless than normal.  I feel like I have been holed up in a little cocoon more than usual lately. So when I am pretty much home bound, what do you think my favorite part of the day is? Any guesses?  My favorite parts of the day are after everyone is safely at school and it is just Mr. Crazy, Little Butt and myself.

 If Mr. Crazy hasn't had a run in with one of his bossy older sisters yet that morning he is an absolute angel and when he isn't playing games on the computer, playing fighting games in real life or playing with one of his multitude of toys, he will sit by me and snuggle with me.  Sometimes he even begs me to let him use my computer so he can sit by me while I write.  He is such a good kid....until others come home and then he can turn into the devil (we figure, he has a new audience to get attention from so he works it, just not in a positive way.  He knows that if he tries to cuddle them like he does me they will shoo him away but if he acts up they give him exactly what he wants - attention.) 

Little Butt is a complete snuggle bug. She likes to sit with me and play games on the Kindle Fire or listen to music on YouTube. And best of all she likes to rock - a - bye in the rocking chair.  That is her favorite thing to do ever. And she will only do it with me if her oldest sister isn't home. (Hey, it's not my fault she started calling Little Butt up on her lap to avoid doing chores and now she is stuck with a mini shaddow who has turned into a typical two year old screamer if she doesn't get what she wants - I know it's mean to say, but I told her so...You can't complain about something your brought on yourself)

So what is my least favorite part of the day?  When all of the kids are here and the fighting and complaining starts.  OMG it drives me nuts.  They fight over the stupidest stuff.  God forbid one of them has slightly more chores than the other that day or gets slightly more food on their plate at dinner.  And the littler ones like to fight about personal space issues.  So I have come up with a list of stuff that my kids need to learn so we can all live in peace together and enjoy each other more when live goes to shit. (And they are good lessons for the future too.  You can't live life complaining, whining, waiting on others or being in control at all times, or your life is going to be awful.)

1. Do not complain about stuff your bring on yourself.  If something you do has consequences  live with it and learn to deal with it. If you created a monster, you need to work on taming it, not making it worse because it annoys you.

2. Life is not fair, not always even.  If you did more chores for a few years, that does not mean that for the next ten the others have to do more than you! It all evens out in the end and all you have to do is what your parents tell you to do and we will all be fine. (Kind of insulting that they would think I would favor one over the other. :/)

3. Worry about yourself! Just because you are

working on a project/homework/chore does not mean the other person has to do it too, at the same time.  They will get theirs done or the will get into trouble. Worry about getting your own stuff done whether the other person is working or not.  

4. You don't have to be in control all of the time. You are children, enjoy it.  Do not always think you have to be in charge of everything because eventually someone is going to get sick of it and call you on it. People don't like to be dominated all the time. If you try to take over someones life, they are going to fight back eventually and the relationship is going to suffer greatly.

So what brought this line of thought on?  With all of the bad stuff going on lately - Boston, West, TX, N. Korea etc., I feel the need to find a way to make our lives better so we can enjoy the good times more and deal with the bad times easier when they come.  We never know when a day will be our last or when someone we love will see their last day, and regrets are really hard to live with.

Until Next Time... Hold your loved ones tight and don't make life so difficult. Enjoy your time together because you don't have forever. <3 Our hearts go out to those affected by the tragedies in Massachusetts and Texas.