And In No Particular Order....

Some random thoughts/updates:

Thanksgiving was great!  Not to brag, but I did a great job making dinner!  The maple rum turkey and the p@aula de@an stuffing were my favorites!  The ham was also delicious.  Shoot, everything was!  I have to say, I LOVED making it, and I think that rubs off on the food! ;) This was my 3rd year making Thanksgiving dinner.  The first year we had it at our house, and the last two years, I have gotten up super de duper early, loaded up the bird(s) and ham(s) and headed to my brothers house to cook. 

The BIG game was Saturday, and our Wolverines beat those damn Buckeyes.  It's been acoming.  And we knew this year was the year.  Just knew it!  GO BLUE!!

We got our tree Saturday.  It's the smallest tree that we have cut down.  But it is my favorite!  The needles are soft, but not so soft that the branches are flimsy.  And we didn't get tore up putting the decorations on! Very much a plus!!  (oh, and cross your fingers that this tree lives until Christmas.  Last year, not so lucky.  We had needles everywhere.  You just walk by, and the needles would fall)

When decorating the tree.  Gryfinn and Caelyn were putting the ornaments on, and one of the ornaments Gryfinn grabbed didn't have a hook.  So of course, he says "I need a hooker to put on the tree!"  Once you add that hooker, we have the 'friendliest' and most expensive tree in the neighborhood!  (wink wink)

Telling that story reminds me of my friends son, when he was in kindergarten, he had wrote a story about riding a horse.  But the story actually talked about 'riding the hore'.  That sure does make me laugh!  Kids really do say/write the darnedest things!

First quarter report cards came out, and all three boys did AMAZING!  Jarrod and Jayk were both on the A-B honor roll.  Gryfinn doesn't get graded with letter grades.  But he is achieving most of the standards and meeting some of them with excellence.

Jarrod got an A+ in his high school Spanish class.  And I'm proud that he brought up the 2 C's he had on his interim.

Jaykob got his 1st B - ever.  I think he was a little disappointed, but we told him that a B is still great, and that we are very proud of him!

Jaykob goes to a Gifted and Talented Class every Tuesday.  They bus him to a different school.  This is his 4th year being in it.  And he has this BIG project to do.  And he has taken it upon himself to try and get baseball back into the middle schools.  We used to have a middle school baseball program, but they did away with it.  He is working with the Superintendent, the Athletic Director, and some other people to try and get this going again.  I am really proud of all that he has done so far! 

Gryfinn is doing great in school!  He absolutely LOVES everything about school and his teacher and his principal. (have to say, his teacher and principal really are uhMAZing!)  He is reading at a 1st grade level, so he gets extra homework each night.  Two extra books and worksheets to go along with each book.  He remembers anything and everything the teacher says and does.  Including the order of the kids.  They have special helpers, and they are in alphabetical order by their last names.  And Gryfinn can recite the order.  He amazes me.  I really think he must have one of those photographic memories or something.  It is just crazy to me that he can remember all that he remembers.

Caelyn is doing good.  She misses her brothers tremendously when they are in school.  And she is so nurturing and so caring.  She is the 'little mommmy' of the house.  I have mentioned (uh-hem) a time or two, about wanting to have another baby. And I really think she would be an amazing big sister.  She loves babies so very much.  She oohs and aahs over babies at the store, at the school, at the dr's office.  Shoot, if she sees a baby on tv, she makes us come and check it out.  So - if any of you have any 'goods' lying around in a cryotank that you need taken off of your hands, shoot me a line!  I will pay shipping!  haha 

Yeah, seriously though, I would like to have another baby, but financially, it just isn't gonna happen.  Not with the cost of trying to get pregnant.  I don't even worry about once the baby gets here.  I breastfeed, so that's free.  Diapers are expensive, but shoot, we could cloth diaper some.  We make baby food, and that's cheaper than store bought.  It's the cost of the 'goods'.  They are so expensive.  And you have to have a bunch of money right up front.  And those funds just aren't available at this time.  So... unless one of you wonderful ladies offer up those goods in that cryotank you have chilling at your house.... there will not be any more babies for The Cave Clan. 

Jarrod and Jayk had their well checks last week.  We had a message from the nurse today.  She said that we needed to call her back regarding Jarrod's labs.  So, I called back, and she told me that he has protein in his urine, so we have to take him back to have his urine retested.  We have to take him back two weeks after his appt, so I will take him next week.  Pray that it is normal this time!

Kelly is off work the next 5 days!  I am really excited for her to be off.  Yes, I still have to work.  But I get off at 2:30, so we have the afternoon/evening together.  And she has been working so much here lately.  She really needs this break.  And not to mention that I need her to do that honey-do list that I made. ;)  Just kidding.  I made a list of things that I want done before Christmas... and she said that she plans to knock a couple of them out this week. 

I had to work in office today.  And I want to know WHY DO THE RESTROOMS AT WORK ALWAYS SMELL LIKE DIRTY ASS??  Not just ass, not just dirty - but DIRTY ASS!  Seriously, do the women in the office not wash their butts?  I dread working in there.  I don't want all the germs.  But, shoot, I drink so much water these days, that I have to pee ALL the time.  And that dirty ass smell just gets to me.  It's awful!

So, my weight loss has slowed down (ok, ok, ok.... I have slowed down, slacked off, I have eaten too much good tasting/bad for the healthy lifestyle food).  I have lost 56 pounds.  And I am so very proud of that loss.  I have still been exercising Monday-Friday.  But, I have not been watching what I eat.  And that, my friends, is the kicker.  Portion control, calorie content, over eating. But how was I supposed to not eat turkey and stuffing - until I was stuffed?  And baked beans and ham - until my eyes glazed over?  And the chocolate fountain.... OOOOOhhhhhh the chocolate fountain!!!  The angel food cake in the chocolate fountain is wonnnnderrful!!  But, I am back at it.  I did have some snack wells cookies today, and I should have only ate 2, but I ate all 4 in the package.  But, I am going to go and work my butt off on the elliptical here in a few.  That will make me feel better about those extra 2 cookies. 

Ok - so I will now leave you with a photo comparison.  Last Thanksgiving and this Thanksgiving. 

***Oh, and I promise to post some pic's soon.  I have sooo many to share.  They are on the netbook, and I am not.  I hate to type on that thing, since it is missing several keys, so I usually don't get on there.  But, I will do that soon.  Promise...

It's Been Nine Years...

but I can't remember what life was like before you - before us.  All I do know, was that I wasn't living life, not to the fullest.  I didn't know true love.  I didn't know true happiness.

It has been nine years.  Nine years of love, laughter and tears.  Times have been fun, happy, exciting, sad, hurtful, stressful and amazing.  We have had our ups and downs, and WAY more ups than downs.  We have forgiven hurtful words and arguments that never should have happened.  We have comforted each other when life has been hard.  We have held each others hand through the good times and the bad.  We have loved each other through it all.  And we have liked each other (almost all of the time ;).  We have been friends.  We have been parents.  We have been partners.  We have been lovers. 

It hasn't always been easy, but it has always been worth it.



Happy Anniversary Kelly
I love you
Today and every day



FOURTEEN!!

That is the age this young man turns today!!!

 I have always worried about the teenage years.  How they will be.  How he will be.  How we will handle him, and the way he is.  But, so far, so good.  I am not going to say he is a perfect angel, cause come on, what kid is?  But, he really is a good kid.  He does great in school (all A's and B's his 1st quarter! including an A+ in his high school Spanish class!!), he loves to play sports, with baseball and wrestling being his top two.  He does get mouthy, but he does know when he is starting to take it too far, and will usually back off, and he is known to sometimes come and apologize when he has stepped out of line.  He is respectful and he is loving.  He is not embarrassed to hug his Mom in public, and has been seen on numerous occassions sitting on my lap or standing with his arm around me in front of his friends.  He is still super fun, and he still likes to hang out with his Moms.  We still goof off and be silly together.  He was given different options for his birthday - having some friends over for a party, taking a group of friends to the movies, bowling, etc. or just doing a family party with a cake of his choice and then going out to dinner on his birthday.  He chose going out to dinner.  I say that he just wanted to spend the evening with his Moms - not that he is FOURTEEN and thinking with his stomach!!  ;o)

Happy 14th Birthday Jarrod!  I love you!

Make a wish baby, and make it a good one!

(and Jayk looks like he is trying to send Jarrod some vibes, 'please Jarrod, please wish for...' :)



Somedays...

You just have to get things off your chest.  You have to complain.  You have to talk about them.  You just have to.  And my blog is the place that I have to do this.  To say things I don't normally say.  To complain about things that I need to complain about.

Last week, I was in office for 2 days.  Being in office isn't a big deal.  But it does wear me out more.  I get up an hour earlier, and of course I do not go to bed any earlier.  So there is lack of sleep.  And since Kel has been in office for the pat 4 weeks and working 9.5 hours or more each day, I have been trying to make sure that I have all the house work done, so that she doesn't have to do anything.  Cause come on guys, you know if something needs done, she will do it, just like the rest of us.  And on top of that, with her not getting home until 7, I have all the running around to do for the kids, and will usually have all 4 kids in tow for the said running around.  Ok, now that I have built things up... on with the story.

Last Wednesday, no one had to be anywhere.  It was going to be an evening free, and let me tell ya.  I was looking forward to it.  After homework was done, everyone was fed, and the kitchen cleaned up from dinner, I was going to sit down on the couch and read.  It wouldn't last long, cause I would have to get up to do this or that, and then after those were done, it would be bath time.  But even if for just 15 minutes, I could not wait to just sit.  Ya know?

Well, Kel gets a call from Jaykies other Mom.  She was supposed to be coming to get him, but her girlfriend got called into work.  And Billie was too tired to take her to work (they only have one car right now), and so she was without a car.  She asked Kelly if she could bring him, and she said she doesn't get off work til 7.  So Billie asked if I would, and Kel said she would ask me.  And I said no.  I was exhausted.  I did not want to leave the house again.  I did not want to load the kids up, drive clear to the other side of town, and then drive back, knowing that the kids would have full bellies from dinner, so they would fall asleep in the car, and then that means that they would be up way too late, because they would have gotten a power nap... and by golly, I just wanted to sit down and relax.  So I said no.  And then Billie went off.  She said that I have had a problem with her for awhile now, and that I never help.  That nothing ever was said that she had to do all of the picking up and dropping off.  Ok, first off.  I do have a problem with her.  Back in July, when there were issues with her not paying child support, and actually, she wasn't having much to do with Jayk.  And Kelly and Billie were talking about her needing to pay child support.  Kelly told her that the money was needed.  That we are struggling, and it is needed.  And Billie's pissy words to Kelly were "I'm sorry that you had more kids".  Ok, so that pissed me off royally.  My kids have NOTHING to do with the fact that she was being a dead beat parent and not taking care of her child.  So yeah, I have had a problem with her ever since then.  She brought my babies into something that had nothing to do with them.  Ok, now back to the present.  You ask, Did she say she was too tired to take her girlfriend to work so she could have the car to get her son?  Why yes, that is exactly what she said.  That she was too tired.  But, let me tell ya, all hell was breaking loose because I was too tired.  Because I didn't want to drive across town.  That I did not want to load up 2 little munchkins into the car, knowing they would fall asleep.  And then you ask, Did she just say that you don't help?  Why, yes, that is what she said.  Let me tell you how I don't help.  I don't help by picking him  up from school each day.  I don't help by helping him with his homework when he needs it .  I don't help by driving him to baseball practices and baseball games.  I dont' help by taking him to/from a friends house.  I don't help by making him dinner every day.  I don't help by washing his clothes every day.  I don't help by keeping the floors swept and mopped.  I don't help by keeping the dishes done.  I don't help by loving to spend time with him.  I don't help by encouraging him to do the things that he loves.  I don't help by loving him with all of my heart.  I don't help by being the Mom that she has never been to him.  Yeah, that's how much I don't help.

I just had to 'talk' about all of this.  I don't really have anyone to talk to.  Kel is in the office so much these days, and I guess in a sense, she is in the middle.  I know I might be over reacting a little.  And I know I am a grudge holder.  But it really really bothered me that she said that to Kelly.  About her being sorry that she has more kids.  Like it's a burden.  A problem.  That if she didn't have them then she would be ok financially.  I mean it really really pissed me off.  And me being the grudge holder that I am, I have not let it go.  They are my babies, and they are not a burden, not a problem, and it is not their fault that we are struggling financially.  And it is also not their fault that she wasn't doing her part in taking care of her son.  Ya know?  And then this bs about me not helping.  It just kills me.  Just kills me!  I am on the go nonstop for these kids.  My helping just doesn't ever stop.

Thanks for listening to reading my rants.  I needed to do this.  It does make me feel better.  Not so frustrated by it.  (not that my grudge has been dropped, cause it isn't, and I don't know if it ever will). And ya know, if you want to give some words of encouragement, I will accept it... but if you want to criticize me for any of this... please just don't.  I am about to start my period... and I really don't feel like having anyones hurtful words sending me into a crying frenzy.... Thanks in advance fpr sparing my feelings! : )