Problems

SO this morning I was about to do a load of laundry, and the phone rings. It is a cellular number I don’t recognize. When I answer, it is my sister. She starts off saying, “This is my new cell number.” I ask why a new number? She says its a long story. Ugh! Not what I wanted to hear. She told me she is being accused of having an affair with a very close family friend. Now the wife called my sister and was yelling at her, then called my sisters husband. He (BIL) texted my sister and just wrote, “The cat is out of the bag” My poor sister. Though she never came out and said it was false, I really did not want to know the answer. I love her and would do anything to help her, I don’t know what to do about this one. Luckily I had sent her some money, so she had cash to get a new phone, and I told her I was there for her if she needed anything. Ugh is about all I have to say. It is a very sticky situation that they will have to work ot between themselves.

My little liar

So yesterday morning I went upstairs to get something from my bedroom. I walked past our hall bathroom that has our 3 Beta fish tanks. (Small tanks on the counter) I looked on the floor, and was shocked to see one of the fish lying there. I quickly scooped it up and threw it in the nearest tank. Of course it was the wrong tank and the fish occupying that tank was not too pleased. So to add more trauma to the poor fishes day, I had to get the net and scoop her up from the males tank back to her own. I have no idea how long poor Fire was out of water, but she seems none the worse for wear.

Now when I asked both kids how the fish got out, daughter said with a very straight face, It wasn’t me. Son started coming up with scenarios like, “I slammed my door and she got scared and jumped out” and “I touched the bamboo and she jumped out”. After many times asking what happened, I thought for sure it was the boy. He just started crying and making up stories, so I thought it was him. When I said we would not be going to the pool, because no one would tell the truth. Suddenly, daughter said, “I did it”. How in the world does a 4 year old learn to lie so early? And so good?

Then I felt horrible because I was putting the blame on the boy. I said I was sorry to him, and explained to him to just tell the truth and we would not have to go through all that again.

I don’t know if my cleaning lady will work out. She came on Monday at about 3:30 and was still there at 7pm. Husband was all mad, but realized that it would take awhile since it was her first time here, and my house is far from spotless. I had to tell her not to clean the kitchen and go home. She came back yesterday and was here from 3:15 to 5:30. She only charged us $70. My husband gave her $100. He at frst was saying not to use her again, but then I think he realized how hard she worked. I think if she could come in the morning it would be ok, but I can’t have her here when it is dinner time, and I am stuck in the basement or outside waiting. I just read what I wrote, and realized I sound like a stuck up bitch. Please please know that I am far from one. I am very uncomfortable with fancy things. I like having money in the bank and bills paid on time, and a nice car and clothes, but it is hard when my sister is struggling working 2 jobs it is hard to enjoy. It gave me a stomach ache when she saw our new truck, and yesterday, while listening to her talk about getting a new, higher paying job, I hoped she would not hear the vacuum going in the background. That is hard to handle, Uh yeah thats my cleaning lady, while I can stay at home with my 2 kids, you work 2& 1/2 jobs and struggle daily with money issues. We have 2 cars under 2 years old and she has 2 older than 6 years. (Of course we have the payments to go along with those cars) Some of her troubles are her own fault. Like the fact she just keeps buying clothes for her girls, without checking what they already have. Their drawers are bursting with shirts worn once or never. I call her house the house of excess. In her shower, there are probably not 2 kinds of shampoo, but 8. If my sister would need a dress for an occasion, she would go out and get 3, without trying them on, and then return the others. Her oldest daughter, my goddaughter, just keeps getting more and more clothes, that she does not need. My sister does not say no to any of them, so they just get more. I have told her to give me their extras, to sell on Ebay, but she has not. Of course I don’t know how much I could get, since all the clothes are cheap. But any money is good.

Now we have had our share of financial trouble, but I have learned to get only what I need, or if I really want it, I wait till it is on sale. This makes husband mad, but I really don’t need much, being a SAHM. My hubby makes about triple what he made when we first moved into our house, but I think it has made me even more frugal. Now I don’t deny buying a few impulse purchases here and there, and I do like to spoil my kids and family.  When I shop with my sister I try to not take interest in any one particular item, because that said item will be my next gift for either Xmas or birthday. One year I took a leopard print t-shirt off the rack, then put it back. My sister then went back and got it for me. Her memory was not so good, because it was a totally different color and style, but it was a good try.

Ok, I have rambled on about alot of nothing, so I will go.

Mumbo Jumbo

I am so pathetic that I can’t even keep a promise to my blog that I will be back! But, of course, it would have been a very boring entry had I written anything. Not that this one will be a thriller!

I have a list of websites I come across with interesting items for sale. This one will appeal to you Becky! They have bacon flavored dental floss and bacon shaped band-aids! This year I plan to buy a bunch of these type of items for everyone for Christmas. It gets harder and harder to buy stuff for everyone for the Holidays, so I figure I will shop from these online stores and Etsy, and everyone will get something unique and original. And, as a bonus for me, everything will be sent to me, so no wandering aimlessly around the mall trying to think of gifts. I already have a few things on order to stick in the closet until December. When both kids are in school I will try and get all their gifts done before November. At least that is my goal-but I say that every year, so who knows!

Today I have a cleaning person coming to my house. Hopefully she will work out and we can have her come on a regular basis. I do the basics, but suck at the dusting and deep cleaning of it all. The only problem I see is the fact that she does not speak much English, but I figure if worse comes to worse, I can ask my neighbors to translate. Either that, or I need to get some Spanish lessons-more than Dora can teach me.

My shower is calling my name, so I will cut this boring entry short-

Long time, no post

I can really tell how boring my life is by this blog. This has been a very uneventful summer, for which I am glad. Really the only thing I have been doing is trying to avoid the dreaded neighbor boy I don’t like. As soon as we come out, I hear his garage door open and I fell like grabbing the kids and running back in. We did manage to avoid the kids birthday party, but did sacrifice my big blow up slide/pool to them. It was something I did not want to do, but I had lent it to the other neighbor, and how do you get out of that? Luckily it was a family party and we bribed the son to have him not want to go. Of course right now he is over playing in the slip and slide. Our slide is hanging on their fence drying. Ugh I can’t wait to move.

On another note, my dear husband bought me an Escalade for my 40th birthday/15 year anniversary present. He has been telling everyone it was a birthday present, because he turns 40 next year and he wants a new car too. The gas has not been too bad, mostly because I don’t drive anywhere. The best thing about it is the DVDs in the headrests, that the kids can work themselves. They are great in the car now, not bitching about going to the grocery store or running errands.

Well I will have to cut this entry short, because the son has his bike out now and I am anal about watching him. I will write tomorrow though-promise for my limited readership!

Happy St. Pats Day!

Although my last name is Irish, I am 100% German, so I have no green on except my underwear! And unless someone catches a glimpse as I bend over at the grocery store, no-one will see them except my kids. My hubby is away tonight, staying downtown after meeting his colleagues for dinner. I hate that he is gone again-but like that I don’t have to worry about him on the expressway late at night after a few drinks.

The kids and I will pass the time coloring Easter eggs. It will be our first time doing so. I can’t believe I have never done it with my son, but I just figured he was not old enough to master it. Now both kids love crafty things, so I think we will have fun. We don’t have any firm plans for next Sunday. My family is not getting together, and I don’t know if hubby’s brother or Mother is going to plan anything. Hubby wanted to do it here, but I was not that keen on the idea. Our house is not always spotless, and I would be frantic cleaning it for the one day. (Both his brother & Mom have cleaning ladies) But I told him if he really wanted too, I would be up for it. Let ya know…..

I just glanced outside, and there are flurries coming down! Where the hell is spring????

My new ideal man

I have just decided, if I had to chose a new husband (not that I would, but if I HAD too!) he would be Billy Mays. You know, the dude from all the commercials? Wouldn’t life be so easy and clean? And energy filled too, now that he is hawking some energy pills alongside Kaboom and OxyClean. Not to mention the Vidalia food slicer and the Hercules hooks and Magic Putty. There would never be leaks or pictures waiting to be hung or onions not sliced or stains on your favorite shirt.

A girl can only dream……..

The big one missed us.

Well the big snowstorm they predicted for us did not amount to much, except very slippery roads this morning. We probably got baout 4 inches or so, but of course, the temperature dropped. And, I, having grown up with this crappy weather, was like everyone else and forgot how to drive. Taking my daughter to school, I tried to stop at the enterance to our subdivision. Stop being the operative word. I slid into the intersection. Luckily no one was coming or in front of me. Just enough to get my heart racing and my stomach dropping. I will be sooooo happy to see winter end this year. Yes, the snow falling last night was beautiful, but enough already!

There is nothing even remotely exciting going on in my life right now. I am dealing with sleep issues and bed wetting issues in our house right now. My son still wears a pull up to bed, even though he is 5. Daughter was doing great for awhile, waking up to go potty, but that has all but stopped. I have tried to stop them drinking a few hours before bed, but they still wet. I am tired of washing sheets and mattress covers 2-3 times a week. Anyone have any tips or suggestions on how to get them to stay dry?

Well I will end this now, as not to bore anyone further. Off to finish my homemade cinnamon dolce latte and take a shower.

The husky saga continues….

So today I took the kids to various stores to find son son jeans. He is a very hard to fit size, being he weighs about 60lbs but is only 5 years old. Try and find a husky size 6 ANYWHERE! Of course I only tried a few stores today, but it is a hard size to find. Especially dragging a 5 year old along with you, that would rather go find the toy aisle than try on pants. When I can’t find a husky, I grab every available elastic waist in the store. So Kohls had no husky or elastic waists beside sweat pants. But I stil managed to spend $88 bucks, because the clearance flip flops for the kids will come in handy in the next few weeks-NOT! I tried Wal-Mart next. Nothing below a size 8 in husky. Is my boy the only one? Is there not another chubby little guy anywhere in the Northern Burbs of Chicago? But luckily they had some elastic jobs on clearance, so son has new pants, just no jeans. How can a big store like Wal-Mart not have one pair of elastic waist jeans??

Then I had to return a bra I bought last week on my hour alone trip. Because, stupid me, with no kids to talk loudly in the dressing room about my boobs, I don’t try it on. I see my step sister and her daughter at Vicky’s Secret. Son decides to hide behind me, because he has a crush on his cousin, even though she is 12 years his senoir. As we talk he continues to be shy. After we part I said to him that it was rude not to say hello to his cousin. He says, “Mom! It’s because I didn’t take a shower!” Pretty funny coming from a 5 year old!

And on the son front, he is adopted, and we kept in touch with his Birthmother for the first year and a half. Then she stopped calling and emailing, so I let it drop. We had moved, I was pregnant, and I figured she needed some space. Well it turned out she got pregnant a year after son was born. She let us know about her new son, which she kept, and I told her about my daughter. Then nothing for almost 4 years. Last night I was checking an old email account I have, and there was a message form her. She was just saying hello, and how were we doing. I noticed her email address was 2 names, and neither hers. I wrote her back, and yes, she had another child, a daughter. She said she lives with her fiance. I did not ask if it was the father of either or both of these kids. She is only 23 and already has had 3 kids. Yikes. I just can’t imagine being in her shoes, no good job, no husband or boyfriend to help. I know you don’t need a guy around to help-so please no hate mail-but you get what I mean. So now my son has a half brother and sister too. Who knows if he will ever meet them, but I was actually glad to hear that she is doing ok.

Husband gets home tonight, so I need to go run to the grocery store and get some dinner-Later!

Dinner @ the MILs

So yesterday MIl invites me and the kiddies over for dinner. I, being the most wonderful DIL said yes. Kids were not happy. They are like me and would rather eat dinner at home. Now I really like my MIL, but she has gotten increasingly obnoxious over the last year. She moved closer to us, to an over 55 type community. Now it is about 20 miles from her townhouse she lived in, in a town she lived in for over 36 years. No one told her she must move out here, she is an adult. But you would think we forced her to move. She acts as if we stuck her out in the woods with nary a car to take her anywhere. (She has a brand new car with a nav system, and 4 wheel drive. ) She constantly complains there is nothing near her, that everything was closer at her old house. She lives about 8 miles from one of the busiest retail streets around. But in her mind, she is out in the boonies.

Back to dinner. For some reason, my kids never want to eat a full meal there. Just to punish me for taking them there, they act out. Often. Now, MIL is what I would call an alcholic. She had a heart attack 2 1/2 years ago, stopped drinking for a while, but went right back to it. As soon as you are in the door, she is pushing wine on you. And husband and I are now her designated drivers. She will get toasted faster than a piece of white bread on a BBQ grill. I gave up drinking so I declined the wine, 5 minutes later, “Do you want a glass of wine?” Uh, no. Then dinner, its ok, but I stress about the kids, so I don’t get to enjoy it, plus she has the very annoying habit over talking over you. If you start to say something, she just starts her sentence, not caring if you finished or not. Now I spend all day with 2 preschoolers, so adult conversation is important to me. Not here. I kept looking at my watch to see when I could flee.

Then kids finished eating, and she jumps on th dessert wagon. I say “No”. She is appalled. Like I am horrible that I don’t give them ice cream. But I feel if they don’t eat good, no sweets. Then, she pulls out a plate of cookies. HELLO-I said no! Lucky for me, the cookies were nut covered which son & daughter don’t like. Then she informs me that they are form Christmas. Yuck-I am sorry but frozen and re-frozen cookies don’t get me going. But it really makes me mad that she tries to overstep my boundries by bringing the plate out at all. I know it seems petty, but she does it all the time.

Her one thing that she does that pisses me off the most is by bringing up (or should I say beating the dead horse) about the first time she watched my son. He cried for her. It was the first time in his 11 month life that he had been watched by someone other than husband or I. Hello-this woman has 5 children, I am sure one of them cried for her. But this is brought up at every opportunity. “He cried so!” I have said it was the first time blah blah blah. The blah blahs are because she does not listen. And she wonders why I do’t ask her to babysit.

Deleted

I wrote a whole 2 paragraph post, then deleted it. It was so dull I could not hit the publish button. That is how my day is going. Hopefully something exciting will happen in the next few days, or I have a brainstorm of something intelligent to write about. Right now I am just frying my brain by watching Maggie and the Ferocious Beast and Franklin over and over.