Catch Up

I am sorry, I was doing really well there for a little bit but then Soccer stared, School started, and my time ended.

You see last year Zack's team almost didn't get a coach so when we signed up for this year I signed up to be an assistant coach so that if no one signed up at least maybe they would let me know. Well they let me know and talked me into being coach. Now we are a month or so into practices and two games into the season and I am exhaused. But we won our last game and hopefully tomorrow we will win again.

As for school, Zack is having a good time so far he really likes his teacher and is doing good with her so far. Taryn well that is complicated she has also started at her new High School and is doing well, she is taking English, Math, Science, and Spanish. Hola everyone spanish finally she loves it. She is also taking Personal Development at the college and she really likes her professor. But her schedule is nuts she needs a black berry just to keep track of it. Here is a taste of her crazy week.

Monday & Wednesday- even day -high school classes all day 7- 2:05
Tuesday & Thursday- Odd classes- College in the am and H>S> in the PM 10:10 - 2:05
Friday is the weird one even classes one week and odd the next but on odd days they don't have college classes so she doesn't go in until 12:40 to 2:05 for her English class but if that isn't weird enough they have minimum days and teacher development days then they shorten all the classes and like today she had class from 11:10- 11:55She has to take the public to and from school and days like today she is on the bus longer than she is in class.

I told your life here is crazy and that is just my kids.

Time Warp

AUGUST 5TH

This keeps coming up at work and I really wonder what is going on in our world. I know that as an adult without recess, spring and winter breaks, and summer vacation things tend to plod along same thing each day no change not much to look forward to but everyone I talk to is just amazed at how fast this last year has been buzzing by. We are talking single twenty something's, parents of babies, parents of older kids, older adults close to retirement, everyone at all different places in our lives. The summer is half over and I swear yesterday was New Years.

Yes for everyone at some point time will seem to go fast, but other times it seems to go really slow. This Balance makes it ok, but the balance is gone and everyone at every point of time hurtling at what seems as a break point speed towards some unseen wall is not good. What happened to the balance and how can we get it back? I am afraid to blink. Lets figure out a way to slow down the calendar.

I just want to scream FREEZE!

HEY MOM WHAT'S FOR DINNER!!!!!!!!!!

Any parents who haven't heard this refrain must have very small children. Not me I hear it everyday at least 3 times. I make up a dinner schedule post it on the fridge but does that keep them from asking? NO they still ask then they don't even listen to the answer. But that is a whole nother rant about kids. These days though I am starting to hit my limit of the What's for Dinner game. Every week I ask the Kids "Hey what sounds good for dinners this week?" Do I get answers? Not usually so it is up to me to figure out the entire weeks menu.

We are pretty much a Beef and Chicken family so it ends up being a ping pong match of those with the Pizza Tie breaker at the end of the week. But how many times can you eat the same things before you get tired of them and how do you deal with the "Oh ---- what else is there to eat?" answer when they ask the dreaded question.

It probably shouldn't be the answer that I have given them a few too many times lately. "Well It isn't like you gave me any ideas , I would rather not have to cook every night anyway so Starve!!! , I'll be in my room reading"

Yeah can we say stress.

I kind of like to cook but not when I have too. It's hard when no one really appreciates it and someone always wants to put "Sauce" on it.

Definition
Sauce- any type of liquidy goop to totally over power the taste of what ever you spent your time and love to prepare for your family. A Dagger through your heart.

Can we say therapy I am starting to think a nice quite padded room where someone else makes the food and brings it to me three times a day plus Jell-O for snacks sounds realllly goood!

So who want's to go out for dinner?

Cars, College and NO MONEY!!!

Wow today has been a day for revelations. As I was riding in to work this morning I started to think about the fact that in 4 years Taryn will be off to College. And honestly I haven't been able to save a cent for her yet so I have decided that starting in September (gotta wait until I am done paying for day care for the summer) I will open savings accounts for each of the kids to at least help out with some of the expenses that won't be covered by scholarships and student loans. I will put in $$ each paycheck for each of the kids and maybe other Family will want to contribute, I can save a few thousand or more for each kid by the time they start college.

Then I got to work and one of the Ladies here's son was testing for his drivers permit, another Yikes. In 1 year 2 1/2 months Taryn could actually be able to drive ( with me in the car) but then another 6 months after that she could drive by herself. So this means that then she will either want to borrow my car all the time or need her own car. EEEAAAAKKK!!!!!!

I know that my kids are growing up but it is when you start thinking about these major mile stones that you realize just how quick it all happens. We have been here in California for more than 5 years now but it seems like just last week. Zack wasn't even in school when we got here but now he is almost 10 and spending weekends with his friends families. Taryn was just a little kid, actually Zack's age when we got here now she is almost an adult thinking about Boys and College and Careers.

And me well nothing has changed and maybe that is why it all seems so weird. Time travels slower when you are an adult, you don't have the mile stones that kids have and even the ones you have you don't want to admit to. I guess it is time to start making something happen in my life that way I won't feel so disconcerted when I realize time is passing.

Any ideas on what I should do?

Oxymoron's in the forecast

Tropical Depression what the ????
Really how could anyone in the tropics be depressed. Lying on the beach is so stressful, oh and Mai Tai's and Daiquiri's really put you over the edge into depression. Wait Wait maybe it is all those hot beach body guys that make one depressed.
Well there you go now I am depressed, but only because I am not lying on the beach with a Daiquiri and a hot guy. Instead I am sitting here at work with the super freeze air conditioning blowing on me while the phone rings and not a hot guy in sight not even any semi hot guys on the entire floor.
I need a vacation.

Boy oh Boy, More Boys

Knowing that Kasha was not going to be with us for much longer we had decided that once her time was done we would look for a lap dog for Mom. She has missed having a little dog since we left Columbus, but with her room spoken for we didn't want to upset the balance. Let me put this out there first of all.
WE DID NOT PLAN ON DOING MORE THAN LOOKING.
But as they say " Best laid plans…." and tomorrow we pick up the newest member of our mostly animal family.
Jazz here is a Sheba Inu / Chihuahua mix, he is 5 months old and very happy and active. From the size of his paws we don't think he will get to much bigger though neither breed is very big to begin with. We found him at the SPCA on Saturday and on Sunday we took Lucky over for a meet and greet. The staff evaluated there interaction and it was very interesting to hear them talk about Lucky guarding us and the Puppy standing up for him self. We are animal people so we can tell even though they were both nervous and unsure that in time they would be fine together but the insight was enlightening. Today poor Jazz is getting fixed but after work tomorrow we can pick him up and take him home to meet the cats. Wish us luck.

Goodbye Princess Kitty Girl

Well as some might know Kasha our 15 year old Kitty had cancer and had to have one of her front legs amputated in February. Well though they thought they had gotten it all, it seems that it had spread farther than they knew and on Thursday she lost the use of her other front leg and Friday morning she was released from her pain.


We all will miss her terribly but we know that she is in a better place where she can run and play and still beat up all those bothersome boy kitties.

June Gloom go away!

July 8, 2010
So out here in Southern California we have June Gloom. Basically it translates to days on end that to anyone in the Midwest would foretell rain. But since It " Never rains in Southern California" it is just dreary and gross. As my friend Heather would say it's just not good when you are solar powered. But hey you say it isn't June anymore? Well that is the biggest joke it doesn't matter we are still getting this crud. At this point I would gladly trade a few days of Columbus Hot and Humid for this. All I want to do is sleep which doesn't make my boss to Happy, though he and I were having a yawning contest yesterday. I think it was a tie.
AS we all know getting through the day stuck in an office is hard enough but usually at least I can go outside at lunch and sit in the sun and read, re charge my battery and let my mind float. But the last week or so it is too cold to go out at lunch and even if I can read at my desk I still have to listen to the phone ring off the hook cause hey just because it is lunchtime and the caller have some free time that means someone should be here to answer. Ha not true. All I want it some quiet and warn sunlight.

Zack's Trip

I went to San Diego to Daniel's Aunts house and we played our DS' all day long,we went to the dock's where the big military ships were we went on 2 submarine's and the Star of India a Pirate ship that night we watched the fireworks from the dock's and then on Monday we went to the zoo and had a tour ride around the whole park and saw all the animals they were very close it seemed like they could almost touch us.

The Test -The List

Well I passed for the most part. I actually have more things marked off on the list than not. Ok so a lot of the things that I did do were easy but give me a break it WAS a holiday weekend. But one of the things I didn't get to was taking pictures of the kids and posting them so I will attach them with this entry.

This holiday weekend end was pretty relaxing though a bit confusing. So Zack was supposed to go to San Diego with his friend Daniel they were originally going to leave Saturday and come back Sunday. Then it got changed to leave Saturday and get back Monday. Then again it was changed to leave Sunday and come back late Monday. But once that was figured out Saturday morning Zack went over there to play at about 11 am and we didn't hear from him again until like 5:45 when he said they asked him to spend the night so they could leave early the next day. He came buy to pick up his stuff at 9 ish that night after they went out to dinner. So off they went Sunday morning and when they said late on Monday they meant it they didn't get back until just after 11pm. Man am I tired it is now 8 am Tuesday morning and I can barely keep my eyes open. I think I will be taking a nap when I get home today.

I will let Zack fill you in on the details of his trip.

TEACHING OUR CHILDREN

So times I wonder what kind of crazy world we are raising our children in but then I remember a song I learned I think on Nickelodian when I was a child and have to admit that things may not be that much different. Now I have this song in my head and really who put's this song on a kids album.

I am slowly going crazy 1 2 3 4 5 6 switch
Crazy going slowly am I 6 5 4 3 2 1 switch

Thank you Peter and Ellen Allard for this wonderfully catchy song to send us to the looney bin.

4th of July

Wow this is one crowded Holiday weekend.

How many of you have thought hey we will go to the beach / park to have a picnic, we'll take the dog over to the dog beach, I'll just run to the store to get some more -----. Ha then you get to these places and they are so crowded that you can't find a parking space. We all want to do fun things with our Families on the 4th but everyone else seems to have the same ideas as to what those things are. Taryn and I were talking last weekend about this, see we want to take Lucky back to the Dog Beach but we know that it will be completely over crowded this weekend so we decided that we should start celebrating Independence Day as a Floating Holiday say the second Saturday of July from now on. We can plan all the fun Family things and actually do them cause there won't be a Holiday Crowd. Yes we will have to do the Fireworks on the 4th cause that’s when the whole neighborhood does it and it would be rude to do it another weekend but the Picnics and Beach visits can be put off.

Weekend Plans

07/01/2010

We all make plans for the weekends, go to the store, the beach, work on an art project, clean out that hall closet that is starting to make noises like it is alive. But how often do we actually follow through on those plans. I know I tend to make these great lists but then it is Sunday night and yes I went to the grocery store but otherwise it was a sit and read weekend. So I am giving myself a test. I am going to put my list here for all to see and then on Tuesday (Long weekend for the holiday) I will let you know which things I did and which ones I skipped yet again. Now I will tell you now I am not even going to try to put on there that I will clean my room cause it won't happen, I know me.

THE LIST

Buy Fireworks
Go to SAM'S CLUB
Organize the kids summer camp food self
Make a Orange Jell-O Poke Cake
Grill out - Steaks, Hash brown casserole, Veggies (some kind)
Do something Artistic
Read
Put all of these Blog entries on my Blog ( I write them at work but can not attach them so I e-mail them home to post later)
Take Pictures of the Kids for the Blog
Post them too.
Read
Set off Fireworks
Make meal plan for next 2 weeks
Fix Zack's window screen- again ( Cats gotta love them)

Wow that is enough I have 3 actual days but since it isn't Friday yet maybe I can get some of them done tonight and get a head start.

Oh and yes I know I put Read on there twice but hey that one I know I will do so it makes me feel better to have more than one thing checked off at the end of the weekend.

6/30/2010 Twilight Zone

Have you ever been somewhere that is so familiar , like work or school, but so specific in what you do there that occasionally if you are in a totally different place in your brain or doing something totally out of the norm that you for just a moment see your surrounding in a haze. You are almost lost in a way. Today that happened to me here at work. You see I have had very little work to do the past couple weeks that I often stare at my computer screen for minutes at a time with out really seeing it. I surf the web and right stories, I read my book of the day or just sit and zone. But today I had to get something from a co-worker in another department where I rarely go and as I am walking through our main hall there was no one around and all was quite and if felt unreal, like a dream or another dimension familiar yet different. It was kind of nice for that split second to let the hate and despair I fell for this job just drift away.

I am back at my desk now pretending to work but I still feel disconnected from what is around me. But the noise is getting louder and I can feel myself coming back to this dimension. I hope I get to go back soon it was nice there.

06/23/2010

Some of you have seen the Not Me Monday schitck that a lot of Bloggers do, and I have to say that I read them and laugh cause hey, I have so totally been there. Most if the ones I read have to do with living with young children so my stuff with my teen and practically preteen just don't seem to fit but there are times when you just have to laugh at the stupid things you do to survive this crazy world. So here are a couple.
I so totally did not take a whole day off for what was supposed to be a major dentist appt. to have them spend less than an hour with me then say hey see you next week, Arrggh that would totally suck I mean the dentist assistant made a big deal about this when I scheduled the appt. I was expecting a long boring wait and lots of pain only to have them practically pat me on the head cause it was nothing. And on top of that they say oh well this is going to be a bunch of little appts thing and not that big a deal. I was actually a little mad that it didn't hurt more. Totally bonkers!!!
I took a second day off for Taryn's graduation that was worth the time off but seeing as part of it was unpaid do to lack of PTO I could have done without the perfect square of Sunburn on my back from sitting in the bleachers at the graduation.

I did not root for the Lakers to lose so that downtown LA would not be a mad house. Then I did not take Monday off cause said win made that day the celebration parade day. Last years was so bad I swore I wouldn't come to work that day again.

I did not take on the cleaning of Zack's room then yell at him when I found all kinds of scary boy stuff under the bed. That would just be silly cause he should be old enough to clean his own room right. HA
And I did venture in to the pit of my own accord right.

But all and all things were pretty good this last week. You notice this time all the looneyness was me.






Some thing to check out.

We had our end of year picnic for Boyscouts last weekend and well I have to say that though it is nice to have a group that is a little more laid back it was totally un organized and pretty much a flop. But we had fun so I guess it did it's job.

But what I want to share is a site that I heard about at the party.( I am better than your kid) www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=irule
We have all had our kids draw, paint and sculpt us things that are just precious to us as parents but don't ask us what they are cause your guess is as good as mine. We love our kids and think they are the best ever but really most of them will not turn out to be the next Monet. The site is a guy who has taken a look around his office and seen our masterpieces for what they really are. Grade F pictures that we would never put up if they weren't from our kids. A potato with stick coming out of it does not make a dog. I guess this has stuck with me a bit cause a few months ago my wonderful HR lady at work decided that they were going to cover some of the bare spots with a children's art instillation. OH WOW really we can't put up off color bumper stickers in our cubicles but they now have aliens shooting laser guns in our lobby. Take a look and see how you grade them. I will give you the ages of the kids who drew them later.

End of Year / Begining of Crazy

Wow, This year had really blown by, heck the last few years have gone so fast. 4 years ago we bought our house. At the time we were happy about the Elementary School that both of the kids would be going to and even ok with the Middle school that Taryn would start in a year but the problem was the High School. It is known to be bad and I knew that when the time came I would have to find an alternative for my way too smart kid. But hey that was years away and I didn't have to worry right.... Ha that seems like yesterday and now in three days my Little Girl will be Graduating from Middle school, Gown and major tahdoo and all that. Eeaakkk I am a little freaked out by this. We have resolved the High School issue buy getting her accepted to a very good High/ College school not to far from our house and right on the bus line. ( Yes to those of you in Ohio there is no school busing here and you either have to have someone to drive the kids or they have to take the public buses.) The School seems to be the perfect fit for Taryn she will take High School classes 3 days a week and College Classes the other 2 days. The school is on the campus of one of the small colleges here and the best part is that there is no cost too me. But back to now. Yesterday we had a Graduation Party for Taryn and her friends It was just a Backyard bash but out here having a backyard is pretty astonishing so the kids hung out played some games, talked and ate Pizza and other munchies and I think had a great time. Now on to the the last week of school yikes. This week is going to be a bit Crazy Monday is as usual, Tuesday I have a major Dentist appt. and hopefully I will be able to eat afterwards. Wednesday is Taryn's graduation that is being held at the high school we are planning to have Lunch out before hand so wish me luck on the eating thing. Then the Graduation Starts at 3 pm. Hopefully it won't be too long but I don't hold much hope cause this year the schools organization hasn't been to good. The rest of the week is pretty standard except that Taryn doesn't have school and Zack gets out early Friday. Then the week after we start out summer program with a twist this year since Taryn will be working at the camp instead of going as a rug rat. Wish me Luck!!!!!!

Teenagers and tornados

Most of my friends have little kids and it is great to hear about all the fun things they do with them. Mom's may seem tired but they are ok with it. Now me I am just beat. We had a nice little break there with only Girl Scout and Boy Scout stuff. Admittedly there was a lot of that stuff but at least most of it was stuff that could be done at home. But now we are in back in the soccer crunch. Our week has consisted of A Girl scout cookie booth, hiking with boyscouts, Soccer Game, awards night at Taryn's school, dentist appt for me today, and a another Soccer game Saturday. We were supposed to have Soccer practice tonight but thankfully it was cancelled. I have fun at a few of these but mostly if is a lot of waiting in the cold. I know you all think California doesn't get cold but hey it was in the low 40's last night. And when you are standing on the sidelines thats cold. I just wish that my activites with the kids were more enjoyable for me sometimes. Driving all over creation in cruddy traffic is not cutting it.
They grow up so fast I know I should enjoy every minute that I have with them now but I also work 40 hours a week spend another 10 hours commuting I just want sometime to sitt on my a-- and veg.

UUGGHHH grouchy post here oh well thats what happens

Good day to all.

Kool-Aid, Cell Phones and Hiking in the canyons

Well twice in less than a week, to bad no one is probably following this anymore.
This weekend we learned two very important lessons. One> Cell phones do not like Kool Aid, honestly I would love to say that my kids did it but really it was all my fault. We were going hiking with Zack's Boy Scout Pack and I stuffed my purse with my cell phone into the bottom of a little back pack and then proceeded to put a couple water bottle filled with Kool Aid and Juice into. All were closed and so I didn't anything of it when I put it onto the floor of the car for the ride. But the water bottles have a push button release and sometime in the ride the bag fell over the button got pushed and Kool-aid spilled all over the inside of a water proof back pack soaking my phone. The only thing I can say is that I was lucky and smart. I did get the insurance last time I bought my phone and the phone will turn on so I can at least write down all my contact info.
Two> Hiking in canyons with two asthmatics for three hours should either be done not at all or at least more than once a year. Poor Taryn and I are still recovering. We had lots of fun. I will have to attach some of the pictures Taryn took on her phone since my phone wasn't working. ( See above)
All and all we had a great weekend and learned things about our selves. Like if you have a bad knee / ankle you will always step into the holes in the trail with that foot.

Hope some one actually reads this and that they don't block it to soon.

For now Bye

New Record

Wow I think I have done it for the most boring least updated blog. Seeing as it has been almost a year since I last posted. But there is a reason. First my office usually blocks all blogs so even if I can see other peoples occasionaly I can not usually post (today is a fluke)and Second we got a new PC last year with VISTA and needless to say it hasn't worked right since a month or so after we hooked it up. No E-mail no, online shopping nothing that you have to log in for. Yikes actually I need to take in to the store to be cleaned out and updated with Windows 7.

Things are good here the kids have had a boring year of good grades and same old behavior. Both Kids played Soccer this year and though Taryn complained - A LOT she did pretty well as a defender and had a pretty good long kick. Her team went to playoffs but sadly they didn't go on any farther than the first round. Taryn twisted her ankle pretty bad and it turned purple and swelled up like a balloon. But she is fine now. Zack's team did ok but he still has bad luck of the draw with AYSO soccer picks and has gotten a really great team yet. He is now starting his second season with our City Rec teams and we are looking forward to his first game Saturday. Sadly I can not go since Taryn and I will be selling Girl Scout Cookies at a booth down by the beach at that time. Taryn's Girl Scout Troop will be going to Hawaii at the end of the month for a Three day vacation. The rest of the Family is really jealous and not wishing her fun on the trip. Just kidding we all want her to have a good time we just want to go too.

Other than that life is pretty boring it's all work scholl and driving to kid stuff for me. Reading lots of good books in the car waiting for things to be over. But the quite is nice and it isn't to cold. Sorry I know weather crack are not funny tothose suffering in Ohio.

Talk to you soon ( I hope)