on the road again...

Well, I am sitting in Atlanta airport, my least favorite in the world!! I am on my way home. While I was gone, Chase broke his arm and Ryan wasn't able to be reached for a while, so that was exciting. I have to say that though I am exhausted from getting the tables and chairs set up, cooking, picking up things, washing laundry and dishes (sounds like I never left home) I am so grateful to have gone and spent some time with my family.

My poor aunt is not in good health. She and my uncle have been like second parents to me. I consider their house home more than any other besides my own. I miss them terribly. I think that I will drive out there for a while next summer. It was so great to see everyone and as my father commented, "well, we all got together, and someone didn't have to die to do it this time." It's sad, we usually all get together only when someone passes away and we have to attend a funeral.

Thanks to all those who made it possible for me to go and see my family.

another vacation alone

I get to go and see my family in Florida this week. Though I am excited, I really wish that I could take Ryan and my kids with me. It's a bummer to go fun places that I want to share with my family, and I cannot afford to get them there. On the other hand, it is worse for Ryan, who has to stay home with the kids by himself.

I finally finished cutting out the silicone caulking. I will put my room back together tomorrow and get it cleaned up for Ryan while I am gone. I have to get to the grocery store and fix the fireplace switch before I leave so they don't freeze while I am gone. I wish they could come....

major painting blunder

So, on my last few days off, I painted 3 rooms in the house. I had three days off, and decided to paint my bedroom. I listen to this coworker of mine, and he tells me that he just finished painting his entire house. He rants and raves about how putting caulking around the edges makes this perfect line and seals the tape, so I decide to try it. He tells me to use silicone caulking. I get some and put it on.

I spend two days prepping and painting the bedroom. It looks great. I go to pull the caulking off, and it is stuck. He had warned me to goop it up in the corners really well so I have something to grab on to when I remove it, so I do. It is so stuck, you can't paint it, I can't sand it off, pull it off, nothing. I call another coworker and ask him about how to get it off, and he tells me the only way is either a solvent that will eat the paint and drywall, or I have to cut it off.

So here I am, cutting it off with a utility knife. It's killing my arms! At least I just put it on the crown moulding and chair rail, and not the baseboard, too. What a pain in the butt!! I am not a happy camper for the extra work. I called the one who told me to use it. He offered to come and help me, and buy me more paint. I told him to forget it, maybe my arm muscles will grow from cutting over my head? I just want to finish it before I head back East to visit my family.

life ends with momentary lapse of responsibility

Well, I went with Ryan and Kaila to Wal-Mart Saturday night, and it's the last time I saw my planner. Not that I blame myself, because I DO!! However, when one is experiencing sensory overload.... it is difficult to stay on task. I had it at the checkout counter. Then, Ryan was griping that it wasn't fun, wished he hadn't come, etc. Kaila is bugging me to drive home, ...etc. I thought to grab my planner out of the cart when either Ryan or Kaila said, "we already got it," and shoved the cart out of my way. They didn't mean my planner, they meant that they got everything else.
I have spent the day calling the social security administration (because everyone's social security numbers were in there) and they told me that I had to call the credit reporting agency. I did, and they won't take one for a minor unless I mail in all this stuff. What a hassle!!
Not only that, but I had written down what bills were due this week, my work schedule that I have no clue about, dentist appointments that I cannot recall, all my addresses, all my accounts and passwords (which I stayed up until 1:00 AM changing,) and countless other bits of information that cannot be replaced.
Worst of all, my grandmother had written me a letter. She has arthiritis, and doesn't hand write many things. It was just after her visit with us last July, and I wanted to put it in my scrapbook. I am devastated about that one. She said how much she enjoyed her visit, how great the kids are, and how much she loves us all. I pray it will turn up somewhere, but I am sure it is long gone.
Well, I have to go to work soon,....I think....so I had better get ready. Although I am not sure where it is out there, I hope my planner knows that I miss it very much!!

investing?

Does anyone have any opinions or good information to read on investing? I anticipate paying off our debts soon, and we are interested in investing for retirement purposes, and a savings account for emergencies. I don't know much about it, just what I have read online. Does anyone have any advice, or know of any good literature on the subject?

evil emerges with sleep deprivation

Well, my evil side reared its ugly head today. I worked for 19.5 hours last night, then came home extremely sleep deprived. I was super-grouchy! I wanted to go to bed, but I had to patch our wall as I am painting tomorrow. Ryan is upset that I am even painting tomorrow, but I wanted to patch the wall, and I hate the bottom color, so I want to get it painted so there wasn't a hole in the wall.

Anyway, I hoped to have my room taped and ready to start in the morning. It isn't, and I asked Ryan to help me as I want to try caulking it with silicone to prevent my tape from tearing off the paint as happened in the bathroom I just painted. I just needed help on the area next to the ceiling as I have to hold a big cauling gun up over my head, and our room is rather large. He wasn't thrilled about it, and told me I would be mad if he didn't.

I just painted three rooms my last days off, and not once did I ever act mad except when I was trying to paint by the internet connectiond and Ryan was too close to the wall so I couldn't get close enough to paint it. I love the way it looks. It's amazing how much a little paint will change the atmosphere of a room. I can't wait to have my room painted. But, I will try to get some sleep in the process, I was crabby today. :) I called and ordered the paint, and Ryan picked it up for me. Thanks Ryan!! :)

geyser

Well, something new today...we had a geyser in our front yard. There is a pvc pipe that sticks up out of the ground and runs from our irrigation water. Somebody broke it, but Chase and his friend that were out playing by it SWEAR that it was just like that when they went outside.

To make matters worse, we didn't have a key to shut off the water valve, and we couldn't find it anyway. Our neighbors came over and loaned us a key and showed us where it was. Luckily, because it was starting to leak down into the window well. Now I get to pay to fix that. Does it ever end? I know it doesn't, but I am grateful because it could have been worse!!

it's always something

Well, I actually got a few days off, and decided to paint my front room as I didn't like the paint in it and it is the first room you see when you walk into the house. I was moving the desk when the bottom collapsed and broke. Instead of being able to order the bed I really want, I now have to buy a new desk. It is always something coming up that requires my last dime. What a bummer. At least it is a tax deduction as Ryan works from home and that makes it a business expense.
It will take four weeks to get it in, so in the meantime our computer is sitting on two card tables. We have an ancient monitor, and we will replace that on Friday when the one we want goes on sale at Costco. It's a flat screen and will allow the computer to fit onto the new desk. Ryan also went out and got a fax machine after he had to spend $20 sending one fax to a Doctor he works with. And, he had to get a digital voice recorder. Now if he just gets his first check, it will pay for all of that.

I had extra money saved up, and the some kid will get sick and the doctor bill will eat it all up, or the car breaks, or the toilet leaks and ruins my newly refinished hardwood floors, school fees were ridiculous, etc. It's always something. On a positive note, I am grateful that I can work overtime to accommodate the shortfallings in our budget!! I will paint our bedroom on my next few days off, wish me luck!!

day off and furniture woes

I would just like to say, for the record, that I need a day off!! I am trying to earn extra money to pay for school expenses and we need a new dresser for our room.....so I ordered two with the intention of getting the matching bed and nightstands later.

I searched for almost 3 months for furniture. I found a new chain called IM Home, and they have been great. But, I ordered what I wanted, and the armoire wouldn't fit up the stairs. I am sick of having random pieces of furniture, and they are all cheap and falling apart....so I wanted something durable. I am going to pay a guy to remove part of the bannister so we can get the armoire upstairs. I was going to just return the furniture and get different stuff, but I don't like the other stuff as well. I am depressed about the furniture, and not having a day off. :(

school fees are ridiculous!!!

School is quickly approaching, and I am feeling the downfall of so many school age children. School clothes and shoes were around $2,000, and two kids don't have school shoes, yet. Then, I got letters from the schools with the kids' student fees on them. I about had a heart attack!! The teenagers in high school had fees around $300 each, and the junior high kid was just under $200. What in the heck am I paying taxes for? We are one of the higher tax paying states, with next to the lowest national scores, and I have to pay even more.

Worse yet, it was itemized. I have to pay three different computer fees. Add that together with three kids with three different computer fees, and I have pretty much paid for my own computer!! Makes me sick!! I also have to pay to have my kids use textbooks, to use a locker, to park in the parking lot that my taxes have already paid for, etc. I am starting Christmas shopping as soon as I can, so I don't have to sell a kidney to get my kids each one gift!! :)

Husband is home!!!

After a year of being part-time spouses, it is finally over!! My husband is on his way home right now. I am so excited. Of course, school for him isn't over, but mostly. When it is entirely over, I am going to have a BIG party, even if I am the only one that attends. :)

the antichrist is in Utah

I believe that I met the antichrist today. He had the most horrid image tattooed on his back, worse that I could have ever imagined. It was an anti-LDS image, and I actually gasped out loud when I saw it. The man had stolen a vehicle from Salt Lake. After some investigation, I found out that he was a registered sex offender out of Kentucky. What a gem. I told him he would surely go to hell for his tattoo, and he shrugged and said, "I thought that I was already there." Nice, I have to love the part of society I encounter every day!!!

The Used?

I almost forgot, my girls love The Used. Bert McCracken, the lead singer, was a given a citation by yours truly a couple of weeks ago. He was in possession of marijuana. Shocker, huh?

moving

Moving sucks!!! I hate packing the boxes, living for a while without the things in the boxes, putting them in a truck, taking them back out, and then unpacking the boxes. It's such a pain. And, of course, it doesn't help that I have boxes and boxes of things that have no real place to be put away....so they just get stored wherever I can find the room to put them. I will be glad when the moving thing is over, because what is worse than moving is living two states away from your husband and kids. I am almost there......

house to live in

I am almost ready to bring the kids back to Utah, and I am so excited. (Not as excited as my husband, but excited nonetheless.) I can't wait to be able to beat them for fighting, take away privileges for bad grades.....lol......seriously, every time I go there the little one has a new vocabulary, the next one up is in need of serious mommy-attention, and the older ones have so much new stuff going on in their lives that I don't know about. (some of it, I am probably glad I don't know about it.) :) Anyway, I am excited. I am grateful for those who let me stay with them, but I will be glad to have my own space to live in ....and I won't have to carry my soap and things to and from the bathroom...just to get in the shower and realize I forgot something!!

ridiculous airline rationale

The airlines rationalization for things just floors me. For example, I put two suitcases into one on recent trip, knowing I would need the space on the way back. I went to check it in, and it was overweight by 5 lbs. I thought that I was making is easier on the airline, they only had to deal with one bag. I was so wrong. I had to either pay an extra $75, or separate the two suitcases. So, now I had to check two bags which took more manpower to load and unload, and the two bags took up more room in the luggage compartment. How stupid is that?

Also, they have lowered the weight on allowable luggage so much (it used to be 75 lbs, now it is 50) that I can't even fill it up with just clothing without it weighing too much. Also, how is it that my luggage is weighed and scrutinized to the pound, but I weigh about 130, but the man or woman next to me is over 300lbs and "leaks" over into my seat. Why don't they have to pay extra? It kills me. I hate flying these days, good thing it beats driving. However, with the new price hikes from Delta, the only non-stop airline between my two cities, I may just start driving!! It will be cheaper, that is for sure.

working out

I have been working out faithfully for over three months. I try to heed my husband's counsel and not worship the scales, but rather go by how I look in the mirror and how my clothes are fitting. In addition, I have been trying to eat healthy foods rather than fast foods, even though my coworkers are mocking me and ordering just a water when we meet for meals. "I'll just take a water, hold the salad." I am a woman in a man's profession. Anyway, I am not losing weight, my pants are getting tighter around the waist, and I am totally ready to give up. I do cardio 6 times a week for at least half an hour, and lift weights at least twice a week. On most days, I do over 45 minutes of cardio. What gives? I may as well just sit at home and eat what I want, I didn't gain weight that way. I was just trying to get rid of the stomache pouch and big legs/butt for bathing suit season, but it isn't working and I am very discouraged.

another overdose

I had another heroin overdose this week. It seems like the heroin addicts don't understand that if you stop using for a while, you cannot just pick back up and start using at the level you stopped at. It's sad. The dad of the 22 year old male came down while we were doing the death investigation and said, "I have been waiting for this day to come for the past 5 years. At least the waiting is over." How sad. I wish drug addicts would realize how much their addictions hurt others, or maybe I wish that they would CARE that their addictions hurt others. It's sad to see people destroy their lives, and hurt people that care about them so much. I felt bad for the dad, I didn't really know what to say to him. I had just arrested the kid a few weeks prior, and he had been arrested often. I couldn't even say I was sorry. I was sorry the family was hurting, but it didn't seem appropriate. We have been having at least one overdose per week. It's so sad.

This death investigation was less stressful than the last one. The gentleman was looking at homosexual pornography and engaged in auto-erotic play. The family redressed him before we got there, but left the rest for us to try to hide from the rest of the family that hadn't already seen it. Some people need to pick better hobbies with less risk to their health!!

bring me the warm weather!!

It has been raining/snowing, and I am SICK of cold weather. I am going to Mexico at the end of the month, I can't wait!! On days like today, I really wonder why I live where it snows!!

working

I have been working a ton of overtime, and I am TIRED. We don't get overtime until we work 86 hours in a two week period, and as of today I have 45 hours of overtime on this next check. It should be a good one, I am crossing my fingers that I have enough to pay off the Mastercard. Oh, the things we NEED!! :)