Bragging rights!!!

We are SOOOO SUPER proud of Courtney!!! 
She made FRONT PAGE!!

http://www.sentinelnow.com/news/news%201.html

2013 Week #5

We are well into the start of the 2nd half of the year!!  So far so good!  :-)
There were a few "bumps" in the road for Nathan... liquid measurements... but we pulled out every thing that could measure liquid that we had in the kitchen, and now he has it!!  Seeing the him have those "light bulb" moments will NEVER get old!!!

I spent some time last week getting everything together for our taxes... going tonite to have them done!  I will be so glad when that is done and out of the way!  I did do a great job at keeping all of my shop stuff organized... GO ME!!  LOL
Speaking of my shop... I am really wanting to get back to working in my shop!  I MISS IT!!

Let's see accomplishments this week--
-HUGE shelves are up in the side kitchen... as are the new curtains.  All of the trim is stained and hung also! 
-Most of my plants that needed repotted have been done... and everything is all pruned back and looking pretty.
-List is made for what needs done to the Escort... Stacy is now working on the estimates, so I know how much money to start putting back... so THAT can get DONE!
-Started tire/wheel shopping for the truck.  Boy, what a nitemare that is turning into!!  Plus with my knee, and not really being able to get in and out of it... it is just a depressing topic.
-I aired out the house on the 60 degree day we had... it was WONDERFUL!!

Today was my first follow up since my surgery.  The Dr isnt sure if this "fix" will last as long as he thought.  I have a mess going on in there and he is afraid to do too much... since I am still far too young for a total replacement.  So, I have been cleared for 4 weeks of PT... and then he will reevaluate for a 2nd surgery.  But I am not really wanting to jump into that option... so he and I agreed on the PT for now!  LOL

Really... I should have been nicer to my body when I was younger... and crazy... BUT... shit happens.
I am just really glad to have the damn stitches out... they were driving me nuts!! LOL

I "splurged" on Etsy for some new crochet patterns!!  Cant wait to get started on them!!  I think I may need to pick up some different yarn for my little hearts for our season tree, tho.  But I already started on a cell phone case... and I am chomping at the bit to start on the Crocodile stitch purse!!
I am still working on the latch hook rug... I found one to do for Nathan's room too.  Not sure how long they will actually take for me to complete... since it seems really hard for me to focus on actually doing it. 

I managed to make my way through my first lesson in my photography work!  Boy... HUGE difference from the Penn Tech classes I took!  But I am up for the challenge.

We are still waiting on word from Courtney's Neuro Psych eval... The April start time at HGA is fading away...  which pisses me off!! She will have to wait until Fall.  Which means we will be back to the JOB fight!

I think that covers it all...  until next week!

End of the 1st half!!

Today we are finishing up ALL work and finals needed to be DONE with the first half of the school year!!

It is hard to believe we are half way through this year already!!! 
Both of my kiddos will be ending this marking period with A's and B's!!  :-)  I am VERY proud of both of them!!!

Yesterday the 3 of us had a nice lunch together at Silver Springs Diner... while Courtney was finishing up some testing she needed to have done for her admission into HGA.  We are finally moving in a forward direction with that HUGE step for Courtney!  I hope and pray every day that things keep going in a positive way  with that.

Tomorrow is my surgery day.  I am all nerves about it.  I am more worried about getting the kids where they need to go after the surgery!  Since I am the only one that does those things!  UGH!

Anyway...
Here is praying for a smooth and fun 2nd half of the school year!! 

2013 Week #3

The 3rd week of 2013 has been an interesting one! 

Anyone one my FB saw the little "blow up" between me and my dad.  Yea... that last comment he made on that comment thread... was the last I have heard from him.  That tells me alot!  It isnt like he doesnt have my number.  Oh well.  I almost took a few steps backward in my rejection/abandonment issues.  BUT... all of that therapy in my past flooded my mind... and I am moving forward.

I have way too much going on in my life to let it affect me.

Brittany is adjusting to PT and not going to gymnastics.  It is crazy to watch her learn to use muscles she never used before!

Courtney had a neuro-psych appt on Friday.  In typical Courtney fashion... she manipulated the person giving the testing... and I have to take her back tomorrow to finish.  I am NOT happy about that... especially with the snow coming AND the fact that I have TONS to do before my surgery on Wed!

I am making HUGE leaps forward in getting rid of ALL of our paper clutter!!  :-D  This makes me soooo super happy... and every day I feel like more and more of a weight is being lifted from me and our home!! 

The kids and Stacy are both liking that I make homemade snacks every week!  It is going over better than I thought it would!  I am always finding really cool snack recipes that fit our "diet" perfectly!
This weekend I am doubling up on all that I make... and half is going into the freezer for next week, since I dont know how long it will take me to get back on my feet after this surgery.  I am also stockpiling homemade bread in the freezer!

We are still doing GREAT with our budget... and have even been able to move some funds around to get some of our home projects more completed!  Again... I am super tickled about this! 

Stacy and I were able to spend some one on one time together this weekend.  It has really been a long time since we have been able to spend some time completely alone... just focusing on eachother!!  No kids... no projects or stuff that needed done.  Granted... we should have been doing something else... but we both needed the time for just eachother. 
We watched 2 great movies... we went for a nice hike... did some caching... it was soooooo nice!!! :-D

This week I took a huge step!!!
I enrolled in NYIP!!!  Yes, finally!  I have talked about it for months... and this past week I enrolled and paid the tuition... and I a super excited to get started!
I already received my first certificate from Penn Tech for the first class I took with them... I am close to finishing the 2nd class and getting my 2nd certificate!  :-)

So... 3 weeks into 2013... life is pretty damn good! 
Let's hope that week #4 is just as good!  Hoping and praying that the surgery goes well and recover is quick! 

2013--Week #2

Week #2 of 2013 has been a rough one!!
Let's see...
We went to our storage unit to find the whole damn ceiling/roof leaks!!!  A LOT of the stuff is ruined.  Soooo... I am dealing with that.  They guy is a real douche bag and wants me to put a claim into our home owner's insurance to get money from them first and he feels he should only have to pay out deductible... NOT!!!  I told him we can work this out between me and him... OR... I can take him to small claims!  I thought I was being real nice when I only asked him to pay whatever we paid on CL for the things in storage... I am not asking for replacement values!!!  I also want the 6+ months of storage rent I was paying on a DRY unit!!!!  I told him I am SURE that no judge is going to order me to put a claim in with our home owners... and then he pays the difference!!  He backed off and assured me we can come to an agreement!  I told him I want to hear from him by Wednesday.
It was bad enough he was on a nice, relaxing cruise for 10 days and I had to wait until today to get to speak to him! 

Brittany got hurt at gymnastics on Tuesday.  Well, the pain she has been having just got to the point where I got super concerned and we took her into OIP for xrays and an expert opinion.
Turns out she has Hyper Lordosis of her lumbar spine.  If left go and left to continue with gymnastics... it could cause her some real problems. 
She has a month of PT... which she started today.  It went great.  We really got a good look and understanding at how her muscles have over compensated for the back issue... and have made things worse. 
The good news is that she will be able to continue with a rec gymnastics class... but nothing hard core.  Or she could possibly go back to a competition cheer team... but not right away.  We have to get her muscles where they should be and see if that helps with the pain she is in.
It was completely devastating to her... and it broke my heart to see her so heart broken! 

Over the weekend (Stacy had 3 days off)... he and the kids managed to put redo the dog run... putting in a paver floor.  NO MORE MUD!  AND, I made a CL find for another nice kennel for HoBo!  No more out on a chain for him... THANK GOD!!!  I HATED putting him on a chain to be outside... I HATE chained dogs... it is so sad.
It is so weird... I am gearing up for spring already!  Seed catalogs have started to roll in... and I am in "garden planning" phase already!  I have some big changes to make to my garden this year!!  I am thinking of a nice ornamental picket fence...  and maybe letting 3 of the ducks make the garden their "home"... I am thinking they will keep bugs down... and it be a great fertilizer! 
At this point our back yard looks more like a mud bog... so I am pretty sure we will be doing a total till of the side yard, then some leveling... then reseeding!  The pool is going to be relocated, as is the trampoline.

This week we are working in the side kitchen.  Hoping to get the window trip finally up... and my new plant shelves across the windows (container gardening!).  Also on the back burner is the crown molding for the kitchen.  I think I will have the kids start painting it awhile... so all Stacy has to do is measure and install.

We are doing pretty good at keeping on budget!!  I am really proud!!!  We have opened up some funds to join the "Y"!!  :-)  It is so "eye opening" when we record and see exactly where every single dollar that comes in is going!!  WOW!
I am still doing really well with making ALL of the "snack foods" we are eating!!  I love it... I can control exactly what we all consume... NO artificial crap!  This week's snack box is full of homemade granola bars and perfectly portioned applesauce cake!  Oh, and of course oatmeal cookies! 

Next week is my knee surgery.  BLAH!  I am NOT looking forward to it... but I want to get it done and out of the way so come spring and summer it isnt an issue anymore. 
My diet is working out rather well... still making progress... baby steps, but in the right direction!  :-)

The only other thing that went on last week... Linda's memorial.
I didnt go.
I am having some feelings that I am just not sure what to do with.  I feel like I am chasing my dad around... and not getting anything in return.  I am not about to force on a father/daughter relationship.  I would def like to have one... but if he doesnt feel the same way, there isnt nothing I can do about it.
I did address it with him... and got some passive aggressive response... which irritated me some.  I am really not being a "bitch" about it... just trying to put my feelings out there.  I know better... or at least I should!!!  UGH! 
Whatever.  He knows where I am and how to get ahold of me... the ball is in his court now.
I understand he just lost his wife.  Lord knows I have had more than my fair share of loss over the years.  It never gets easier... but it should make you realize that tomorrow is never promised.
Really... he is talking to a person who never had real parents... and has been used and abused by most "men" I have come across.  Not to mention the other personal losses that I have experienced! 
This whole thing frustrates the hell out of me... and it hurts.

Ok... I am done with that.

Oh... FINALLY got my Keurig... LOVE IT!!!  So does Stacy and the kids!!  :-D
And I only got it because PSECU gave us free money... for being members!!  REALLY COOL!!! 

That is all I have for now!

2013 Week #1

I cant say I was awake to bring in the New Year... because I was sound asleep!!  LOL  Stacy stayed up with the kids... even tho he had to work bright and early in the morning.  He is quite the trooper!!

I have our goals up and so far we are doing a pretty good job of keeping up with them!  (Knock on wood)

I am really glad I cracked down with the budget issues we have been having!  I have even gone as far as putting our monthly "allowances" and the "family entertainment month in labeled envelopes.  Once the money is gone... it is gone for the month!  This seems to have made spending a real reality for the kids!!  I even have the kids keeping track of what we spend as we put things in the cart at the grocery store... we take along a calculator!!  THIS was a real eye opening experience for the kids!! 
I am glad that we switched to this way... it has really made EVERYONE aware of what we spend!!  It is always so easy to just whip out our check card and buy... not anymore!  :-)

Another real positive with our goals is the no more bought "quick" snacks!  I am making ALL of our snacks now!  Sooo much healthier!!  Granola bars taste so much better when I make them... and sooooo much less expensive to actually make!  I even found a recipe for "pop tarts"... havent tried it yet.  I have never really bought pop tarts for my kids... they are so unhealthy!
Another HUGE bonus to making all of the kids snacking foods--- NOTHING ARTIFICIAL!!  ;-)

I am down 3lbs since our Christmas vacation! 
My only real problem is dealing with all the Fibro pain am having right now.  This knee issue is really throwing everything off for me... so exercising isnt real easy.  My surgery day is fast approaching... and even tho I am REALLY unsure of going through with it... I am hoping it helps.

I have also set an unwritten goal of working with the rest of our dogs more. 
Gunner usually gets most of my attention... as far as training.  I am starting to focus more on the others. 
Nanuq and Sakari have a real barking issue... and I am about sick of hearing it!  I started focusing on Nanuq this weekend... and have already decreased his barking by a ton!!  Sakari will be next!
Sprocket and Gunner are both working on "tricks"!!  I have them both doing "spins" for treats... and Gunner is really picking up on that. No hand signals necessary for him anymore!  He is so damn smart!  I think next weekend I will start "duck and cover" with him!  He still wont go anywhere near the agility equipment!  Sprocket is my star agility dog!!  He LOVES to run through the tunnel.. and is pretty good at "jumping" too.

The kids are close to the end of the 2nd marking period!!  They are both ahead on all of their lessons... so that will be nice when I have my surgery! 
Next week, Stacy is taking them snow tubing!  I obviously cant do it... but I am sure those 3 will have fun! 

Tomorrow is Courtney's IEP meeting... should be interesting!  I finally got OVR to push her eligibility through... now to push them to get her enrollment for HGA started!

Josh and I are having a failure to see things eye to eye.  I found out last week that he has been lying to me, even more than I already knew.  And I am about sick of that shit!
I also think he needs to get his ass in gear and get a full time job and a place of his  own.  He is really starting to remind me of my mother!!!  BUT, my grandparents are allowing it.  He will be another person completely screwed if/when something happens to my grandfather.  I guess he and my mother will both have to learn the hard way. 
I have completely stepped out of the Josh shit now as well.  We are done paying his storage.  It has been a year now... and he is still in the exact same position as he was.  No effort at all to better his situation.  It is time to spare myself the money and heart ache. 
He and Ashley broke up... and I cant say I much blame her, if all she told me is true. 

Well, that is the going ons around here for the first week of 2013.
Time for me to cut up granola bars... and get dinner started.

2013 GOALS

So... here is when I list my goals for 2013.  This year is a bit different... I dont have nearly as many.  With all I have going  on right now, I decided to focus on keeping up with my past goals and only adding a few new ones.  I also had the kids pick 2 goals each for the year!!

Here they all are-
Mine:

-At least 6 family camping trips
-Hiking at least 2 times a month over the winter... 3 times a month during good weather
-Walks at least 3 times a week from Spring to Fall
-Keep a photo journal of all of our adventures (since a written journal didnt work out)
-Use my "NeatDesk" to its fullest
-Keep track of ALL of ourl expenses... (maybe using NeatDesk)
-Make all of the kid's snacks from scratch.  No more bought granola bars or PB crackers etc.
-Continue making 95% of the bread we eat
-Buy even MORE locally
-Make and stick to our 2013 budget!
-Enroll in Photography School... and stay on track with the classes
-Continue to SIMPLIFY all aspects of our life.
-Continue to avoid artificial dyes, flavors and perservatives
-Once again use ALL of my garden beds
-Start and maintain a fitness program-Try 1 or 2 vegetables in containers over the winter months
-Hold at least 1 "gathering" a month with friends/family (card nite, dinners, movie nite...etc)
-Start putting making and putting various crafts away for next season's craft fairs
-Keep up with our "Happy Memory" jar
-Get at least  1 weekend away ... just Stacy and I

Courtney:
-Do more cooking
-Work on becoming more independent

Brittany:
-Become a better photographer
-Try more new things... in gymnastics and out of gymnastics

Nathaniel:
-Take better pictures
-Try to airbrush things