Not Everyone's Mama

Sorry I am blogging so late and didn’t get to blog yesterday. The day just slips away to nothingness I swear.

Today Jordan was supposed to go to his dad’s.  He woke up sick again. (Still?)  He had no voice, his throat hurt, headache.  His dad’s immune system isn’t what it was before he had his spleen taken out and it’s dangerous for him to get sick.  I explained this to Jordan but it broke his heart.  He just laid in his bed, tears streaming.  Broke my heart.  I climbed up the ladder to his loft bed, since he wouldn’t come down to me, and just hugged him.  I know it hurt his dad too.  It hurts when your child is upset and there isn’t anything you can do about it.  It’s out of all of our control.  Jordan’s dad told him he would get him for quite a few days over Thanksgiving and I know Jordan is looking forward to that time with his dad.  He loves spending time with his dad.

I had an oreo pie in the fridge from Burger King that I had been saving for myself and Katiana gave it to him.  He wasn’t going to take it until I said, Jordan, chocolate makes everything better.

He tried not to crack a smile but he couldn’t help it.

He ate my piece of Oreo pie.

It’s gone.

But it was for a good cause.

He’s been asleep in his bed for a few hours.  He needs it.  Poor kid just can’t catch a break.

Here’s some good news.  You know I struggled with the decision to put Jordan back on his ADHD medicine.  The other day a note came home in his assignment notebook.

It said –

Jordan had an excellent day.  He was listening and following instructions! (It’s a small space.)

That’s a first in 5th grade for him.

I talked to his guidance counselor and the teacher is going to work with her in setting up a reward system that will give Jordan the opportunity to get more punches.  (That’s a good thing.)  Something to strive for and make himself feel like it is attainable.

Did I share this picture?  I don’t remember if I did.  I might have.  He had to make a replica of an Indian war club.  If I would have helped him, it would have been made out of cardboard and paint.  With dad’s help he came up with one made out of wood.  See that smile!  That’s a smile that shows how proud he is of it.

Earl, you made that child so happy with that project.

Thank you!

You’re a good dad.

Have a great day!  I’m off to get ready for my sister’s mom’s bachelorette party.  We’re going out on a party bus.  Woot woot!  Never been on one before.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Read these too:

• Poor Jordan
• Update on Alyce
• Alyce Is Sick
• Someone Has Some Explaining To Do
• The Diagnosis

The other night I ran up the street to the gas station to get milk and Jordan watched the kids.  (It’s a 5 minutes trip there and back.)  I came back, walked onto my porch, and started screaming like a girl.  I was on the phone with my friend and started yelling, possum!  possum!!!!!  Open the other door!  My friend was all, Heather, it’s an opossum, chill out. 

I got safely in the house.  Jordan was mad because I made him jump when he was trying to take a picture through the door.  I guess it wasn’t a good picture.  The kids went out with me saying, stay away from it!  stay away from it!  They wanted me to take a picture of it and found it in the bushes.

Look at those teeth!  I know they are supposed to actually be harmless and that unless I try to touch him, he’ll leave me alone, but he is freaky deaky looking.

Me thinks he was telling me to get back.  I was all, ok, one more picture.  1, 2, 3, ok, I’m outy!

Blech!

I love animals and nature, just not on my front porch.  Dude, hang in the bushes all you want, please?

In other news, it’s my husband’s birthday.  I’m an older woman.  He turned 28 today.  Happy birthday Pato!  Today we are 7 years apart.  In December we’ll go back to 8.  It won’t matter when I’m 98 and he’s 90 will it? 

We went to Jordan’s indoor soccer game and it was awesome.  Jordan got hurt though.  He took one dive and somebody kicked him hard in the front of his shoulder above his chest.  He got scored on AND has a really nice size bruise forming.  It was an excellent game though, he did great.

Then we went out to a Chinese restaurant where I was the lucky recipient of raw chicken in my chicken fried rice.  Blech.  I thought I was going to get sick.  They gave me 2 egg rolls to make up for it.  I got my new chicken fried rice and egg rolls to go.  I had completely lost my appetite, thank you very much.

Then we stopped at Pet Smart so I could get Junie different dog stew after reading what was in the other brand she was eating.  Look up rendered meat.  That will give you an idea of what I’ve been feeding her.  Her dry dog food (Blue Buffalo) is a good brand, it was the beneful that was nasty.  She can’t eat her dry dog food without it because of her jaw.  I got her some Blue Buffalo stew and she is INHALING her food right now.  I take it she likes lamb.  gagging Not my favorite. 

I also grabbed her some hip/joint GNC pets vitamins.  She didn’t want it, but when I snuck her pill in her lamb she scarfed it right down.  You can read why she needs that on her blog post today.

Now I’m getting ready to drop Jordan off at a friend’s house to spend the night then I’ll come home and we’ll have Pato’s cake.

I hope you have a wonderful night!

Popularity: 1% [?]

Read these too:

• Girls’ Night Out
• Cold and Soccer
• Conversation With Jordan
• Can you say Sore Loser?
• End Of The Season

GRRRRRRRR. 

You know it’s going to be a good blog post when I start out growling. 

Jordan, Jordan, Jordan.

Son, what am I going to do with you?

He’s missed the bus EVERY.SINGLE.DAY this week.  Every day.  After this morning, I know now that he is doing it on purpose. 

I woke up late this morning, a side effect to my anti-depression medicine is that I can actually sleep.  I can’t get up well in the morning.  It’s like my body is making up for all of the lost sleep from before.  I got up at 7:30 and woke up the kids.  I told them they didn’t have to take showers because we were running late.  Get dressed and get out to the bus stop.  Jordan fell asleep on the couch after he got dressed so I got his book bag ready.  I put his new snacks in it that were sitting on my desk, his binder, everything he needed.  I woke him up and sent him out to the bus stop.  As the bus pulled in, he comes running back, I forgot my snack.

I started to tell him they were in his book bag but he ignored me.  Katiana flew by me telling me the bus was coming!  I had Junie outside trying to do her thing, so I told Katiana to tell Jordan to get outside, that his snack was in his bag.  He didn’t come.

I went in and he was standing in the living room looking through his book bag for his snack.  I said, it’s in there, go!  He said, no it’s not, look!

Amazingly enough, his snack traveled from my desk, to his book bag, to UNDER his desk……..all on it’s own!  Can you believe that?  We have flying Pringles Jalapeño Sticks in our house!

He found them JUST as the bus pulled away.

Leaving me to drive them to school again.

Again.

Fourth day this week.

GRRRRRRRR!

Of course, he didn’t hide his snacks.  He didn’t take them out of his book bag.  I must have thought I put them in his book bag.  Even though they were on my desk so that they wouldn’t be forgotten.  I know!  Junie did it!  She took them out of his book bag and hid them under his desk.  Never mind, the box is almost bigger than she is.

I ranted and raved all the way to the car, all the way to school.  He doesn’t want to ride the bus because it’s just too cold on the bus.

Cold?  Cold?

Really?  I’m going to show you cold!

If you miss the bus tomorrow morning, you will walk.  I don’t care that it is almost 2 miles to school.  I don’t care that I will have to follow you, stopping in business parking lots along the way until you catch up, if I have to park my car at McDonald’s to walk you through crossing the busy road, I will do it buddy.  AND I will tell your teacher why you are so late to school.  You can deal with the repercussions of your tardy all on your own. 

Mama don’t do sneakiness or lying straight to her face.

Thank you very much.

Katiana, you will ride the bus tomorrow.  I know you think that 2 mile walk would be tons of fun, but no, you’re not going to be late for school because of your brother.

Speaking of Katiana, let’s end this on a good note.

Everybody say it – awwwwwwww!  She loves Junie so much.  We all do! I took that last night so I would have a new picture for Junie’s blog post today.  You can see  how naked she really is there.  She needs another bath.  She’s getting a little doggy like. 
Have a great day!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Read these too:

• Take This Cold And Shove It
• Finally! I Can Wash Clothes
• 5 Days In A Row
• Project 365 Day 5 and 6
• Welcome To Iowa In December

I helped Shelley get the pics off her camera and she sent me some.  Too much fun!  Here’s the post about going out – now you can see what I was talking about.

First, really quick, my little nephew Carter as the Mad Hatter – you’ll see that wig make an appearance later.  I’m not sure if Shelley did full make up the next night they went out, I’ll have to show you if she did.  She is AWESOME with halloween make up.  Wait until you see hers.  Don’t you love Carter’s tea pot?

Some of the pictures came out blurry at the club, but I tried to fix them a little.  My sister and I.  Notice the wig is now up.  I have to get that review up tomorrow.  I love that wig!

My SIL, Shelley and our friend Crystal, with the wig I loved!

2 girls in the bathroom dressed up as a girls gone wild commercial.  Come on, that’s classic!

My sister pulling Woody’s string.  Woody is the one who told me how awesome it was that at 35 I was still out hitting it in the clubs on Halloween.  Nice.

Shelley and I with the guy from The Hangover

Hey look!  It’s Napoleon Dynamite BEFORE he tried to steal my purse and Shelley’s camera. Donkey.

My face tells you these are 2 people I never thought I’d be taking a picture between.  Marilyn Manson and the Mad Hatter

The couple from Avatar

Shelley, this picture is too appropriate.

I did not touch this picture other than to resize it.  I LOVE how the coloring came out on it’s own.  Abby and Shelley.

Queen of Hearts and The Mad Hatter

I almost pull off the blonde, maybe?

Shelley obviously had a rough night BEFORE we went to the club.

I love my sister in law.  She rocks.  I don’t think I posted her pumpkin.  I must do that -

Her and Taylor’s pumpkin.

Lego Guy – the one who beat out Abby and Shelley in the most creative costume contest.  You got to admit it Lego Guy was really cool!

We call this Al-ie.  Shelley was playing with her Halloween make up on Taylor and ended up with something very Alfred E Newman like – just brighter.  Hence, Al-ie.  It reminds me of someone else too, not Carrot Top.  It’s right on the top of my tongue but I can’t think of their name.  I’ll have an ah-ha moment when I post this.

So that was our Halloween in pictures.  We had tons of fun and we’ll have to do again next year, you know at an old people’s club because I’ll turn 36 in December and I might just need a walker to get around by then, Woody.

Have a great night!

Popularity: 3% [?]

Read these too:

• What Is Scarier Than A Haunted House?
• We Be Morbid Round Here
• Get With The Program Paypal and Halloween Costumes
• First Night Going Out In How Long
• Happy Halloween!

From us to you!  We went trick or treating last night, so I’ve got some pics of the kids to wish you a fun day with!

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

Take 4

Take 5 – almost there – come on Nano, we need a smile as bright as your pink bucket you stole from your sister.

With mom in the shot we got close enough.

Happy Halloween from us to you!

Have a wonderful day!

(I’ll hopefully have more pictures tomorrow to share when I get my SIL’s.)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Read these too:

• What Are Your Kids Going To Be For Halloween
• We Be Morbid Round Here
• Get With The Program Paypal and Halloween Costumes
• First Night Going Out In How Long
• Everything is Set For Little Junie

Though, the secret was out early on my mom’s blog because she blogged last night. 

I asked Junie’s foster mom how far away she was from Pato’s work.  If she was close, I would love to drive up and meet her and Junie. 

She decided to meet us at Pato’s work with her.

While I was gushing over little Junie, she said, you can take her home with you today if you want.

If I want?  Yes I want!  Of course I want!

We brought her home and she has been the sweetest little angel you will ever meet.

That’s when she went to bed last night in her build a bear bed.  So stinking sweet!

She did get up last night when she heard Jordan and Pato coming toward the door.  She even let out a little growl.  Me thinks she thinks she’s a guard dog.  6 lbs of a guard dog.  When they came in and I was fine with them, she was fine with them, hanging out with Jordan, letting him take her out to potty.

This morning, I couldn’t get her to slow down enough for a picture.  I’ve got a couple of her bouncing around.

Hanging out with Katiana.

After I took her sweater off because the attached scarf was driving her crazy.

Breakfast!  You can tell she’s a Chinese Crested in this picture.  Yes, she’s using high school musical bowls.  I hadn’t gotten her dishes yet because I wasn’t expecting her until Sunday.  Improvising people, improvising.

I have never met a dog that is so sweet and so trusting right off the bat and I think that says so much about her foster mommy, Amanda.

She taught her that it was ok to love and trust, that all people weren’t going to hurt her.

Amanda, I think you are one of the most wonderful people in the world!  (Besides the fact that she could be my taller with a much better figure twin – love of dogs, nose rings, and Twilight?  I <3 her!)

I have to take this moment to talk about puppy mills and backyard breeders.  Not reputable breeders who love and care for their animals, backyard breeders who are just in it for the money and who don’t give 2 cents about their animals.  It happens with all animals. 

Woodstock (my lovebird) came from a parrot rescue, thank God he was never used as a breeder bird and he wasn’t really abused at all, just not wanted.

Junie Bee.  This poor dog has been through so much in her short 3 years.  Amanda told me that the vet, after spaying her, said that her uterus was all stretched out and saggy, like an old balloon that has been blown up and had the air released out of one too many times.

He said her nails are the way they are from standing in her own urine and feces in a cage all the time.

And her jaw was broke when she was a puppy.  And never fixed.  It doesn’t quite line up just right.

It makes me so angry that someone would treat this little 6 lb bundle of love like that.  It makes me angry that there are so many more dogs out there in this situation.  I am so thankful to Amanda for getting her out of the situation she was in. 

We just have to make a difference for one dog at a time.  Educate people on where (most of) their pet store puppies come from.  What these poor dogs go through.  Educate them about the fact that these mills and BYB’s don’t worry about breeding out genetic problems in the breed.  They actually increase the genetic problems in the breeds.

Know that most reputable breeders have a waiting list for their pups.  They aren’t on Craig’s List selling litter after litter (which is against Craig’s List’s rules by the way.  Craig’s List is a NO SELL site.  You can rehome your animal on there, but not sell litter after litter of puppies.  You can charge a small rehome fee that consists of RECENT vet expenses to get the dog ready to rehome – you can’t charge $400 and say, hey!  that’s a good deal for this dog!  They sell for $600.  I’m not a huge flagger on Craig’s List, but if you wonder why you get flagged, that’s most likely the reason.)

Look to rescues and shelters.  Do you know how excited I was to find a dog that was almost completely house trained?  I did not want to try to potty train a dog, I’ve done it before, I’m not good at it.    Junie hasn’t had an accident yet.  She’s gone outside every time.  Do you know how awesome that is considering the fact that she spent most of her life in a cage peeing and pooping where she was?

I am so in love with this little one.

Amanda, thank you so much for what you did for her.  You made a huge difference in this little dog’s life.  She has spent her morning hanging out with the girls, or letting me know that she wants up on my lap – then sleeping there.  She has all of our hearts.  Even my husband’s.

Tell your husband that I think she is absolutely beautiful and she has a forever home with us.  She never will have to go through that stuff again!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Read these too:

• New Cafepress Products
• Just Like The Kids
• Take This Cold And Shove It
• Finally! I Can Wash Clothes
• Project 365 Day 5 and 6

See if you can spot what it is –

I hope Bunny doesn’t mind me sharing her Facebook comment.  I have to, I was rolling!

I kind of want that witch though, she is out there, shaking her booty, crackling it up.  Scaring the pants off of Christiano.  It was all good.

$160?

Not right now.

She’s cool but not cool enough for me to break the tightwad habit. I would even spend that on document scanning software right now and that I could use year round.

We went for diapers and left with dog stuff.  Pato loves it when I do that.  But, she needs, she needs, she needs.

I didn’t do too bad.  I got her a small bag of Iams dog food, a leash, a collar, a toy, and some soft treats to reinforce housetraining.  Her foster mom said she is doing really good at it (remember the poor thing spent her the first part of her life in a cage at a puppy mill being a breeder for greedy humans’ benefit).  I haven’t housetrained a dog in more years than I can remember.  I figure I’ll just take her out ever 2 hours or so and give her a treat when she goes.  Hopefully that will reinforce it when she comes here and everything is new to her.

I think we’re taking the collar back. After I bought that last night, I won this one on Ebay –

I could only bit Junie on it, not Junie Bee, but that’s ok. I got her the pink one with the clear crystals and flower charms.  Katiana wanted the skulls, but I overruled and went with flowers.

I still need to get dishes, more sweaters, more toys, help!  If you have a small dog, what all do you keep for them?  Shampoo, brush, I’ll need those.

Pato said we’ll hit the pet store for dishes because neither of us liked the ones at Wal-Mart.

I hate going to the pet store, but I don’t have time to order them online.  I guess I don’t mind the PetSmart by our house.  The dogs and cats there are brought in by a shelter to be adopted and the birds, rodents, and fish are clean.  I just wish they educated their staff more in birds’ needs.

It’s Petco that I hate to go to.  The one near me is DISGUSTING.  You walk in and the stench is horrible.  It’s dark, dirty, dingy, gross.  I walked in to get bird pellets one time, my kids saw the birds and took off running.  I grabbed all of them and turned around, walked out, and came home to sanitize all of us.  Some of the bird illnesses, you can find them laying on something 50 feet from the birds, in the air, etc.  I was worried I’d bring something home to my birds.  Luckily, no.  But I refuse to support a place like that. 

I would just like something done about pet stores, you hear horror stories all the time. 

Like this one

and this one

and this

It all makes me sick.  I know we need pet stores.  We need a place to buy pet supplies.  Even if you buy online as I try to do most of the time for my birds, sometimes you have to have something NOW, not in 3 – 4 days.  I really wish they would pass some legislation to stop the sale of live animals in the pet stores or just enforce the laws that are on the books regarding animal neglect and cruelty.

I feel like even walking into a pet store, I am supporting these acts.  I may not be purchasing a live animal, but I’m still supporting the store by giving them my money.  (I know, I’ve changed my tune since I bought my last budgie at a pet store.  You become more educated on a subject and your opinions change.  I wish more people had their eyes opened to the abuse that goes on in some stores.  It’s the reason I turned to adopting rescued animals.)

Geeminy Christmas, I went from happy happy joy joy to downright depressing for a moment there didn’t I?

I’ll leave you with a funny Nano saying.

Alyce ran into me the other day – Mommy mommy!  Christiano’s bother me!  He won’t leave me alone!  Nano is ANNOYING me!

Christiano ran up to me – Meeee tooooooo!

My children have done it.  They are now annoying themselves.

That is awesome.

Have a great day!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Read these too:

• Everything is Set For Little Junie
• Just Like The Kids
• What Is Scarier Than A Haunted House?
• We Be Morbid Round Here
• Carving The Pumpkins

Yippie!  I love that my kids play soccer, I really truly do, but when the end of October rolls around, I am so ready to be done.  Yesterday was Kat’s last game and I only grabbed a few pictures.  I spent most of the game talking to Faith’s mom, who I adore.  Honestly, I have met some of the coolest moms since my kids joined soccer.  We’d chat with our eyes on the game, stop to cheer, and go back to chatting. 

That’s Katiana on the left side in the green shirt.  (There’s one more girl behind her in green.)

Jordan playing with the sister of one of the girls on Kat’s team.

The only pic I got of Nano and Leecy, so I thought I’d play with it.  He was mad because he wanted the ball all to himself so he turned around and tantrumed off.

Katiana, in the middle in green by the girl in the white – heading for the ball.

So, that was it.  It was a fun game. 

Today was Jordan’s last game.  Pato had to work, but my mom and dad were able to make it in.  Kind of cool.  Jordan had an awesome game.  It was almost a scoreless game for the other team, which was fab because that was the team that Jordan had such a case of the nerves against. 

He actually said he didn’t want to play goalie today because of who they were playing, but he was up as goalie for the first half.  He had a great half.  Partly because our guys were on their game today and didn’t let the ball get near the goal much and partly because Jordan put his all into it.  He had a couple of awesome diving saves and he was moving like he should.  He wasn’t thrilled that I made him wear long underwear under his shorts and after the game he came up to me and said, mom, you made me stain my underwear.

Brian, one of his coaches back up and said, I have no idea.

I started rolling when I saw Jordan’s grass stained knees – of the long underwear.

It was so close to being scoreless.

Alex, our other goalie was spot on today also.  2nd half he went in, and didn’t let a goal by.  Last 10 seconds or so, they kicked a high one.  It bounced on the corner of the post and ricocheted back out onto the field in play.  The ref blew the whistle, calling it a goal.  We all were sitting there saying, what???  It went out.  From angle it didn’t look like it actually entered the goal/crossed the white line.  It looked like Alex didn’t think it had either, but no instant replay in U12 soccer.  I don’t think there was any way Alex (or Jordan) could have blocked that.  They most likely can’t reach that high.

Game ended tied 1-1.

Ryan had a great goal at the beginning of the game that was scored because of some awesome passing our strikers did.

It was an exciting game.

And Jordan didn’t get scored on, which kind of redeemed him to himself from the last game against them.

Can I just say the other team has a few really tough girls?  And they are excellent soccer players.  The last game, I guess a couple of our guys were pushing too much and as they crowded in on her, she shoved them out of her way and yelled, STOP PUSHING!!!!  continuing on her way down the field.

I was all you go girl, you tell those boys what’s up.

Anything you can do, I can do……..

They really are good.

After Jordan’s game we headed over for pizza with his team for our end of season party.

Jordan had a lot of fun.

I had fun because my mom and dad joined us.  Christiano slept almost the whole time there on my lap.

Wish that would have happened at the game.  I didn’t get any pictures because I had to keep getting up and chasing Mr Independent.

So, fall season is over.  Jordan gets a couple of weeks break and then he starts indoor.  I’ve heard it’s tougher.  The ball moves faster, more opportunities for goals, and his coach said, be prepared because you will be scored on.  I’m hoping he’ll use this as practice for when he gets back to outdoor in the spring.  If he works on his skills indoor, then he goes to outdoor where it’s slowed down a bit and there aren’t as many chances to take a goal, he should do even better.

He rocks either way.

Both of them do.

All 4 of them do.

I love my kids.

I know, I know, we all love our kids, but we should say it more.

I love my kids.

I’ve got to go cut out the rest of Kat’s word sorts for her class or I may get sent to the principal’s office.

Have a great night!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Read these too:

• Excuse The Bad
• Cold and Soccer
• Can you say Sore Loser?
• Bruised but not Broken – Soccer
• A Serious Case Of Nerves