Today is a good day...

... Or so I hope.  LOL

This morning has been rough.  Apparently my kids dont understand that they will have consequences when they dont do what they are suppose to.

I am still struggling with being unable to keep up and remember everything for everyone!  When we add anything extra to just our daily routine and school... all hell breaks loose!! 
Yesterday I did our grocery shopping... had to do the shop banking...came home, put groceries away... made chicken pot pie, and Nathan's cake...  Did my daily animal routines. 
On top of that... there was my mom and Josh drama.  Then I am suppose to remind everyone of their chores (WE HAVE A CHART!!  How hard is this??)... and make sure everyone's projects for school are done (at the last minute), stay up late  printing them all for everyone.  I am in charge of making sure all of the bills are paid... which is still being done creatively, since we put in my shop AND we are carrying the other house and all that it needs.
I just dont understand how thin people want me to be spread.
I get to the point where I feel like I am suffocating!!!!  I NEED A BREAK!

Apparently, I cant be what EVERYONE needs me to be.  And that really starts to break me down.

I am trying really hard to be positive. 
I can get through this.  Today will be a better day. 

I will move forward... tackling my list... 
I think today will be a classic vinyl kind of day!! 

On a good note... we are starting to get responses for our Thanksgiving Feast!!  It appears it is going to turn out to be a GREAT day!!  I am so glad we will get to share it with family.
I still think sending invites is the best way for me to go... that way I dont have to worry about calling everyone, trying to get answers while ppl try to coordinate what they have planned with others for that day. 
This way... I send... they figure it out... they let me know!  ;-)
And I make sure we have enough tables space and chairs for everyone!! 

I am actually really looking forward to Thanksgiving! 

Ok... time for breakfast... it is going to be another beautiful, sunny, rain free day!!!  ENJOY!!!

Day from HELL... and Day 3

 Today I am thankful for my fur babies... ALL of them!! Even my ducks and chickens!!! They never have a problem bringing a smile to my face... and I love their kisses and cuddles. They dont care what I look like, what I say or how I say it... they love me just the way that I am!!! And I loved each one of them like they were one of my kids!

Seriously... I would prefer animals over most ppl anyday!!  I cant imagine how boring my life would be without my animals!!  They entertain me... they help me get exercise... they listen (and never say a word or have an opinion)... and dont care what I look like... hell, I can even feed them late and they dont much mind!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Now... on to my day from  hell.
I am at my breaking point, seriously.  I have strict orders, from my Cardiologist, to NOT have stress in my life.  But, for some reason it is lurking around every turn!!!

I can no longer handle my mother telling me she wants to die... and is going take handfuls of  pills. 

I have done everything I can do... I am sorry if it isnt good enough.

I cant sit back and watch her or Josh make it so miserable that the other one has to move.  This is absurd!!! 
They are both lucky to have a roof over their heads... which, at the end of the day, neither one is fully paying for!!  WE ARE!!!  Sooo... they both can get their heads out of their asses... and make it work.  Seems a bit ungrateful, if you ask me!  Go ahead... find a place to live, as nice as this one, on what either of them are spending!!!  NOT going to happen!!!
I dont want to hear about what is wrong with the house.  No, it isnt perfect.  TOUGH!  But it is a nice place to live.  We have supplied a cheaper way to heat the place... a new fridge to keep their food cold...  WHAT MORE CAN I FUCKING DO?!?!?

Well, it doesnt matter.  Because I am done. 
I have my own home and family to worry about.  I have my own issues to deal with.  I have my own life to think about.

I cant make either one of them act mature... or be more independent.  BUT, I can set the limits on what I am willing to do!
And I WILL NOT help people that dont want to help themselves!! 

On top of all of this bullshit...
Josh's car is having more troubles.... and Nathan burnt his hand in the oven.

I have been running around like a nut all day... got my business banking taken care of... did the grocery shopping...dealt on and off with my psycho family members and their silly issues and drama...put all of the groceries away... bottled our wine... made chicken pot pie... baked Nathan the birthday cake of his choice (yes, this is late... he had cupcakes on his bday)... paid bills... sent out the 2nd round of Thanksgiving invites... coordinated Stacy looking at Josh's car... dealt with Nathans hand burn... took care of dogs... and now I am trying to get ready to head out to Reigles Church!!!

Soooooo.... I think I have done my fair share for one day... so can I PLEASE get a freakin break!?!?!

Let me rephrase that... I am officially "gone for the day"!

UGH!!! 

Countdown...

I guess I should start a countdown until our BIG Thanksgiving Feast!!
We have started to get responses back... and within the next couple of days I will be planning the menu!  I am very excited about our annual feast! 

I didnt get as much done as I had planned yesterday.  To be honest... I just started playing with dogs and bunnies... and well, that is how some of my time was spent.  LOL

The bunnies had another nice day to hop around the yard!  I love watching them... they do the cutest happy hops!!
I managed to rearrange chin living arrangements and clean cages... The 2 girls are sharing a cage now... and seem to be getting along nicely!!  Since we lost Dutchess... I added some supplements to their water... in hopes that they dont fall ill to whatever it was that hit her.  I am def keeping a close eye!

I managed to make my way through the checkbook yesterday... and got bills paid.  Good time there!!  NOT!!

I let Stacy take my truck to work today... he is going to bring home a load of fire wood.  I am still trying to figure out why he has the bronco... since he can never use it.  I was also informed that my truck will be needed when they go hunting!!  Perfect.

Speaking of hunting... Stacy is taking opening day off... to take Brittany hunting (and Josh, if he chooses to go)!  I am not real sure which of them is more excited!!  It is nice to see Stacy get that spark to hunt again... even cooler that he is an awesome Dad and cant wait to get his kids out there!!

Ohhh... exciting news...  The pieces that I ordered for this years Christmas gifts started to arrive!!  And I ordered the last few supplies yesterday!!!  I am pretty excited to start crafting!!!!

I have so much I really need to get done today. 
Get my wine bottles sanitized and bottle my wine.
Make a grocery run.
Get a big pot of chicken pot pie on
Make a choc cake with peanut butter icing for Nathan
I MUST hit the bank today
And this evening we have a 4-H meeting

I had a horrible nites sleep last nite... so I think that once Nathan is on the bus... I will curl up and nap for a bit (wishful thinking...LOL)

More sun today!!!  Let's enjoy it!!!!  We lose an hour this weekend... BOOOO!

Day 2

Today I am thankful for Stacy!
He is an amazing husband and wonder father. I truly was blessed to have him enter our lives!!!

There are some days that I just have no idea what I would do without him.  Although, just like the kids, he can also bring out the worst in me...LOL!!

He is such an awesome hubby!!  He is always here for me, ready to do whatever needs done... he puts up with my moods... and he loves me just the way I am!  He is supportive and ... my ROCK!  I would be lost without him.
Stacy is also the best dad my kids could ever have!  He loves them as much as I do, treats him as they are his own... Loves their individuality, on their good days or their bad days.  He really enjoys doing things with them... and is disappointed when he misses out on something.

Yep... we are so very  lucky to have him in our lives!  And I look forward to spending the rest of my life with him by my side!

I love you, Stacy!  And I appreciate every ounce of you and what you do for me and the kids!  <3

So much progress...

I have been making so much progress around here lately!!  I am LOVING it!!!
I think I way over did it yesterday tho... My back is KILLING me today!

Everything on my dining room hutch is now CLEAN... finally cleared all of the drywall dust!!  Yes, it took awhile.  I took everything down... hand washed it all... cleaned the hutch... put everything back up.  I think the up and down...on and off the chair, because I am short... is what did my back in.  I also continued on my redecorating!! 
I also put the fall leaves on our season tree!  I just have to change my photo window pics... but I need some help for that one.

Since it was sunny and nice yesterday... I also did some work outside!  I rearranged the lean-to...I think lifting and moving the extra bronco seats did a number on my back too!!  Ugh!  I made room for the bikes to be stored over the winter... and I found a home and put away all of the pool frame work!  I also made sure that there was room for Nathan's pedal car!  (I couldnt move all of the extra windows we have sitting up there... so I couldnt get Nathan's pedal car into place)

The bunnies got to spend some time outside, hopping around the yard yesterday!  They LOVED it!!  So did I.  It is so fun to watch them hop from one end of the yard to the other... doing "happy hops"!  Now... if only we had more bunnies...we wouldnt need to mow!  LOL!!
Speaking of more bunnies.. there are more in our future.  I have been talking to the breeder I got my E. Lops from... she is getting out of bunnies.  So, I think a few may find their new home here!  I will need to find a nice male E. Lop... because she only has a female.  The rest are all Holland Lops... all show quality.
We are turning the "kennel" that is in the lean-to... into a "BUNgalo"... LOL!! 

The side porch project is moving along rather nicely!!  The exterior walls are up... so is the exterior foam insulation.  Windows are all in, steel exterior door is in.  Stacy has been working on the interior insulation... then the interior walls will go in... then the doggie door... then the floor!!   I absolutely LOVE it!!  I will finally have my "out kitchen".  Stacy is already planning how to get my big cast iron sink put in out there!!  Like I have said many, many times... BEST HUBBY EVER!

OHHHH... I even managed to start my Christmas shopping yesterday!!

We lost a chin yesterday.  :-(  Dutchess... Mom of Duke.  She was making some pretty weird sounds in the morning... I thought she had a hair ball.  So I dug out the hair ball remedy.  She seemed to snap back after she had that.  But, when I came in from working outside later in the day... she was dead.
Ugh...   Of course I am very sad. 

Today's list...
Grocery store
Business banking
Continue with the Fall cleaning of our house
Start moving things to the basement that belong down there (coolers, grill utensils, art supplies, etc)
Get more boxes packed up properly to be moved to the attic (Extra dishes, extra decorating items, Halloween things)
Clean Chin cages... move Stumpy to Dutchess cage.  Perhaps put Stumpy and Ouisser together... and Duke and Bella together.
Spend 30 minutes on my Elliptical
Put Bunnies out to play in the yard
Drink my 32 oz of water
Clear off the kitchen island
Make dinner
Clean up from dinner
Hmmm... I am sure I am forgeting a bunch of things!  LOL

I hope everyone has a good day today... Dont forget this weekend is the dreadful "Fall Back" of our clocks!
Soooo... enjoy every second of sun you can get today!!!

Day One...

Well... it is that time of the year!! 
Time for me to count my blessings... one day at a time!!

Day1-
Today I am thankful for the 4 people in my life that call me "Mom"! I love them more than words could ever describe... they bring out the best (and the worst...lol) in me. They make me smile every day... and give me a reason to keep on moving forward. I dont know what I would do without them... or where my life would be if I didnt have them. So yes, today I am thankful for Josh, Courtney, Brittany and Nathaniel!! I love you guys so very, very much! ♥ xoxo

My kids will ALWAYS be #1... will ALWAYS come first... and will ALWAYS be in my heart.  No one will ever come before them.

I couldnt even begin to imagine my life without them... nor would I ever want to.  I have learned so much through my kids.  They have given me the ability to see the world in a whole different way. 

I am so proud of who they are growing up to be. 

I may not have done much right in my life... but I KNOW I did something right with my kids!  They are respectful, bright, creative, outgoing, adventureous, daring, and all around AWESOME kids!!!

I am sooooo blessed to have them... I am forever thankful for the twists and turns my life took to bring them into my life... and I dont regret for a second ever choosing to bring them into this world!

Dear God,
Thank you a million times over for my 4 wonderful children!!

November already

Where has this year gone?? 

I guess I am going to throw out there some of my 'spiritual' thoughts and beliefs.  Not to be confused with religious!!  And quite possibly make myself look weird.  Oh well... this is who I am!

Tonght is the celebration of "summer's end"... Samhain.  Now, me 4-5 yrs ago, would be preparing to make my way up to the mountain with friends to light a huge bonfire!  And celebrate! 
Me, in the present time, can only make my way outside, light a small fire and just "listen".
What am I listening for??
Tonight is one of the two "spirit-nights" each year (the other being Beltane). It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time.  (Even the Catholic Religion honors "All Saint's Day" on November 1st... hmmm).

I am not real sure why I love this time of year so much.  I guess there is more to it then just how beautiful the world seems to be...so full of color and smells and sounds.  Maybe I am really intriqued by the thought of fairies and ghosts... and our passed on ancestors walking and talking among us. 

So... this evening... you will find me outside, sitting by a fire... even if it is just a little one.  And I will be listening!!  I can always hope that I will learn some great wisdom from those who have walked this world before me!