I am so excited...

Michaela's birthday is next week, but I have to work. So we are taking her out tonight in Dallas. She does not know, it's a total surprise. I'll take photos/video.

I called ahead to make sure it was okay for an 11 year old, and the said "Ma'am, we keep teh shtick age appropriate"...LOL

It is a CRAZY place (food fights, wet napkin fights, making fun of people all in jest, teasing, dancing, etc.) and we think she will have a BLAST!!!

I'm going crazy waiting

I hate waiting for someone to call that holds your future in their hands. It's like everything is on hold! I can't plant a garden because I don't know of we'll be here. I can't plant flowers, same reason. I can't pack if we're staying, I can't make arrangements, I CAN'T do anything but the everyday mundane and wait. I am so impatient. Well, I was patient but it's been 3 weeks already, come on!!! If it's no, just say so and let us move on! Chris won't call. He says they'll call when they're ready. *sigh*

Life and changes

Sorry I haven't written a couple of days. Everything is okay here. 

We are back to contemplating and praying about homeschooling Michaela. I think she may prosper more and bloom more. She can get socializing through homeschool groups, so don't worry about that. This is a rough point in her life and the things she is learning at school aren't necessarily the things a 10 year old needs to know. You know? Like on the bus a high schooler was educating the younger ones on Viagra and it's function. Michaela came home and told us all about this "Niagra" pill. I am tired of interceding and explaining the stuff she doesn't need to know.  That is just a part of it though, she is being bullied and though her academics are good, her spirit is not. Frankly, academics could be better. Not grade wise, but learning wise. They teach these kids to pass tests, not to actually learn. Sure, they studied the civil war, but can she tell me any details about it 2 months later? Nope... that's because she didn't learn it, she memorized it and forgot it. True learning means material recall.

Anyhow...

Here is the story with the new job since I haven't posted about it:

Chris got wind that he was going to be laid off, so he started looking for another job. Well, he found one that he was really interested in and they had a mutual interest in him. So, he goes for the 1st and 2nd interview and all went really well. When he went in for his paperwork and background check and to talk money, they informed him they had another applicant they were going to interview on Monday (this was last Friday). They asked him a few questions, and basicly it came down to there were two positions, one in AR and one in TX and one of them would go to each pace,just didn't know which to which. Told him they'd let him know Tuesday. Tuesday, they let him know that they were holding off on the AR position, and that they district manager had to decided on which guy had the job and they'd let him know Wednesday (yesterday). Well, they never called so the assumption is it wasn't Chris who got it. It makes him really sad but he does have relatively little experience in this field and with so many of these companies laying off, there are guys out there looking for jobs with 10 fold Chris experience. So, Chris went to his boss and told him he'd do whatever to save his job, and it came to a pay-cut. At least it's a job for now. I'll let you know if something changes with the *other* one.

I hit the porch on the head...

That is what Troy said the other day when he fell and hit HIS head on the porch. Now, when people ask him where he got the big bruise, he tells them "I hit the porch on the head"...cracks me up.

Anyhow, please pray for us as we have big decisions on the horizon...do we move, do we stay, which job should Chris accept, etc. 

The boys are in NY with their Dad. They arrived safely Sunday. However, they cannot start school until they have a phsyical because they moved from out of state. WHY? Isn't that crazy? It's not like they moved from another country, though I wish Texas were (then we could have our own president and not that sorry excuse that lives in the Whitehouse now).

What I'm For

This is Pat Green's new song and I really like the message of the song...

See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bsj_mwQrpA

Pat Green: "What I'm For"

I'm for wildflowers in the window, 
Mechanics you can trust 
I'm for crackers in my chili 
And leaving grudges in the dust 

I'm for drive-thru order takers 
Who can muster up a smile 
I'm for taking in that stray dog 
That's been hangin 'round a while 

I'm for turning off the TV, 
And getting off the internet 
I'm for learning all the words to the Gettysburg Address 

I'm for dusty Pawn Shop guitars 
And Boxers past their prime 
I'm for soaking up the wisdom 
When an old man speaks his mind 

I'm for laid off factory workers 
When the wolf is at the door 
You don't have to guess what I'm against 
If you know what I'm for 

I'm for Texas margaritas 
And getting of debt 
I'm for having faith in something 
That hasn't happened yet 

I'm for the shy kid in the corner 
'Fraid to ask the girl to dance 
I'm for the ex-con outta prison 
Who just wants a second chance 

I'm for the inner-city teacher 
With a heart stuck in her throat 
Who can still see God in every child 
Who never gives up hope 

I'm for dusty Pawn Shop guitars 
And Boxers past their prime 
I'm for soaking up the wisdom 
When an old man speaks his mind 

I'm for Detroit factory workers
When the wolf is at the door 
You don't have to guess what I'm against 
If you know what I'm for 

I'm a-counting all my blessings 
When the wolf is at my door
You don't have to ask what I'm against 

YEAH 

You don't have to guess what I'm against 
If you know what I'm for...

Bad day

Michaela got suspended from school, Wyatt and Tucker are going back with their Dad, and found out a friend of W&T's was killed. They'll find out today. I am sad for them.

One of my assignments doesn't want to upload, so I've been fighting it all week. Forgot to turn in an assignment on time last night, so it was late. I lost track of my days.

Ugh, I have to work this weekend. I am so ready for a new week.

Hunting anyone?

Micha​ela goes to a hunti​ng camp every​ summe​r.​​ She is able to raise​ money​ to go to this camp by selli​ng raffl​e ticke​ts.​ Every​ dime of the sale of ticke​ts goes to her camp tuiti​on!​ Pleas​e buy some raffl​e ticke​ts for your s​elf or someo​ne you love.​ Pass the word on to anyon​e you know who might​ be inter​ested​.​ We accep​t paypa​l,​ check​,​ money​ order​,​ or cash.​ Ticke​ts are $​10/​each

PRIZE​S:​

Grand​ prize​~​ White​tail Buck Hunt (​Guide​d,​ 2 white​tail bucks​,​ 2 cull bucks​,​ 4 does,​ lodgi​ng,​ meals​,​ and 1 yr membe​rship​ to Texas​ Troph​y Hunte​rs Associatio​n)​

1st Place​~​ Guide​d Combo​ Hog Hunt/​Fresh​water​ Fishi​ng Trip (​lodgi​ng,​ meals​)​

2nd Place​~​ Guide​d Combo​ Turke​y Hunt/​Fresh​water​ Fishi​ng Trip (​lodgi​ng,​ meals​)​

3rd Place​~​ Guide​d Day-​Trip Gulf Coast​ Bay Fishi​ng

Drawi​ng to be held in Septe​mber 2009,​ need not be prese​nt to win.

My kids are CRAZY!

They got suspended from the bus this morning. Just shoot me now. Why do they act like this? W&T do this a lot, more T than W but M never does stuff like this. This is her first offense but it was a bad one. Good gravy what am I gonna do with these hoodlums? 

Here's to cleaning house!

I think cleaning is what I'll be doing all day today. I got behind on things when I was sick last week, then we went out of town this past weekend. I need to get all the boys laundry done because their Dad is coming to get them Thursday. I have about 4 loads to do, probably 6 including sheets.  I've already done 2 loads and cleaned Troy's room.

I thought I was good on laundry, but the older three all cleaned their rooms yesterday and got me 3 more loads...thanks guys!

It's a gloomy day outside, but makes for good cleaning weather (& napping weather, but I must resist). 

Belle goes to live with her new rancher daddy today. Then we'll be down to just Gus and Blue. We are upset though, because Blue taught Gus to chase the cats. He would let them crawl on him before, but now he is behaving like Blue. Yuck, poor kitties.

I think I'm going to start a daily song review since I love my music so much. I'll do that later.

I was SO not in trouble!

Chris loves "Gus" too. He is a doll, so sweet. 

Weekend was crazy, have some stuff to update y'all on soon. Can't spill the beans yet though.

Wyatt and Tucker are going with their dad to NY Thursday, so I am getting ready for that.

Kids all three got written up on the bus today, and I am not having it. My kids were wrong in retaliating, but they had enough of being picked on and beat up on. Michaela has a scratch from her eye to her chin from another kid, but she moved seats to get away from Satan's spawn, and she's in trouble? So, the boys go to her rescue and they get written up too. UGH

I am so dead meat...

Let's see if I can make a long story short. We live way out in the country, and our school is down 2 dirt roads, pre-K through 12th grade. SMALL. Anyhow, I went to take Michaela her valentines stuff and there is this beautiful white puppy in the playground fence (locked in). The principal was outside and I asked him what was up with THIS one. (There are always dogs all over the school and those roads down there, but not fenced in.) He told me that someone dumped them (4, obviously same litter) last week, and the big dogs in town had killed the rest of them. They kept trying to get someone to take them home, but they didn't. They put this one on the playground and they were going to take him to the pound today after school (the principal was).  

So, I scooped him up and brought him home. We have a lot of ranches out here, and a great many of them have Great Pyrenees because of the predator problems (the dogs protect livestock). There seems to be an overabundance of them that are strays, at the shelters, and in the paper around here. Why don't they FIX their dogs? Anyhow, I am sure that is what he is. His fur is awful thin for a GP, but his tail is bushy. He may be a mix, it will take awhile to get him the right nutrition to see what he will really look like. He is so cute. I'm guessing he's about 3 to 4 months old. He is bigger than our other puppies, but I think he is younger by watching his actions. You can kinda see on his nose where he is healing from bites on his nose, there are more in his fur you can't see. :( Chris said NO more pets, but I couldn't stop myself. I love him already.  

Him He and Blue

Another day in the life of me...

I am finally feeling somewhat normal now. YAY! I have to take Troy to school and then come back and do homework and take a nap (I didn't get much sleep again last night because the storm kept me up). Then, get Troy and take him and Michaela to the doctor. Troy has a cold that is setting up in his chest and Michaela has been throwing up for 4 days, but doesn't feel bad. I think it's a surge in hormones (She sprouted little ta-ta's this week) but I'm taking her just to make sure she's okay.

Chris got me the sweetest card for valentines and wrote me the sweetest letter. I was very touched, he has never done that before. I also got my wedding ring back (long story). I am so grateful, I love my wedding ring set. I got chocolates too, and that is never a bad thing! You may be saying "but it's not Valentine's day yet?"...well, Chris doesn't like to sit on things, he gets antsy. LOL He gave Michaela a huge box of chocolates (36oz) and a cute card too. Troy got some hot wheels and a huge bag of assorted candy bars. Chris says he gave them to us early so we could enjoy them up to Valentines day. He cracks me up.

Well, I better put some clothes on, I'd look silly going into his school like this.

I'm so excited!

I got a 100 on my first project for school. I built a 3 page website composed of my biography, a fictional portfolio (as if I was already the accomplished professional I dream of being), and a resume. It sounds simple, I know, but it was not. It is graded as average if it contains all required aspects and design. (It also had to have a 30 second video of my making, an embedded sound file, at least 4 pictures, and a video from an outside source...I had 3 minute video of my own, 2 embedded sound files, 15 pictures, and two videos from outside sources.) This is the comment he left me for my feedback on grading; Heather, Super job – one of the best iWeb assignments I’ve seen in a long time!! 

On the road to recovery

I am by no means well today, but I feel much better. My fever is gone with the help from advil, and only got up to 101.7 last night! For two days before it got up to 104 a few times. With advil it would come down to 101ish. I am not in pain today, and for that I am thrilled. My kidneys finally feel normal, not like somebody had beat me in them. I keep sweating today though, like I am running a marathon. Gross...but I guess it means I'm healing.

Trying to catch up on classwork because although it's only Tuesday, I am 2 assignments behind. These classes are fast paced. I say I am behind, but really by standards you wouldn't call it that. Everything has been turned in on time, but I have a schedule on which I do everything and I am behind on it. The schedule keeps me from being behind or having to work hard to get it all done. 

Well, I'll be back to post soon.

Short & sweet

still sick, I'll be back to posting as soon as i feel better

The defination of miserable:

Having a UTI and passing a kidney stone, but still having to be at work. Wait, let me add...less than 2 hours fo sleep the night before because of your UTI and kidney stone. I feel like ca-ca, but I am still here. I will take off at 3 and head on home. I am trying to get someone to take my shift tomorrow so that I can get through this and get some rest.

We are live...all systems go

I have my sattelite internet now sittin at home typing on it now. :D

It's amazing...high speed internet again, what a concept.

Anyhow, lots of homework to do. So, I'm outta here for now.

One more day!

Tomorrow I am supposed to get my internet hooked up, so no more driving 30 miles to get on  WI-FI at Starbucks. YAY! Do you know how hard it is to concentrate on my schoolwork here?

Funny thing is, when I was younger (think high school and younger) I could study anywhere, do my homework with the radio blaring, lay on the bed, etc. NOW, I want silence at my desk with my ambient lighting and everything in place. Cracks me up. I'm such an adult now.

Also, everyone has just been staring at me lately...I say I am channeling my mother. I clean constantly. Really...I'm obsessed. I don't know what happened, I just woke up one day "in the mood" and haven't snapped out of it yet. LOL

I started taking Acai Berry liquid yesterday while doing a flush...it's like speed! I feel so good. This could become an addiction if my body doesn't get too used to it. I lost 2 lbs yesterday, TWO. 

Anyhow, thanks for the emails. Love you! I'll be back shortly to posting every day. 

I have so much homework it's not funny y'all...big projects every week. I am so overwhelmed, but still excited.

Goodbye PC, you're just not good enough for me anymore

So, I got my new Mac computer, and I am in love. This is the coolest thing. So much easier to use than a PC, but it is a learning curve to break the habits of PC steps. Everything on this Mac is so simple it gets confusing thinking "That can't POSSIBLY all there is to it?". Anyhow...I'll let you know as I go if I still feel the same.

Was supposed to have high speed internet hooked up via sattelite at the house today, but they called me THIS MORNING to let me know they don't do those on weekends. Waited 2 weeks to call me the day of? I am so pissed. They say they'll be out Thurday, but that means I have to come to town every day this week to do my coursework, and that makes me angry. But, oh well, what can you do, right?