My Irish is definately up this time!

I know big surprise.  Let me start by saying I am not anti teacher, anti board, or anti admin.  I see all sides of it.  And I'm going to rant and rave about all of it.

First the board.  I am going to defend them.  A petition is going around for a vote of no confidence against the board.  why?  Because they have said their piece and they are sticking to their guns.  NO matter how many times C3 asks for ice cream before bed, I am going to say no and I am not going to relent.  So, C3 goes to bed mad at me and hates me. Oh well.  I have to do what is right, regardless of how he FEELS about it.  Guess what...the dist is broke.  NO matter how big a tantrum we throw, it doesn't change the facts.  I feel bad for the board members.  Especially the ones who said 10 years ago not to give the teacher a new contract that was padded with gold because in the long run we couldn't afford it and not to build new schools because there was no money and we might not win the lottery.  Oh wait..I'm going to go out and buy a 100K car because I just bought a lotto ticket.  Damn, didn't win.  Have to sell the car or something else to make up for it! 

Admin...whatever...There are always to many cooks in the kitchen wherever you go.  That is why big companies clean house once in a while.  To many VP's.  So they come through and fire them all and rebuild. Such is life

Teacher...oh I am annoyed at teachers.  NOT ALL OF THEM AND I AM NOT ANTI TEACHER, SO BACK OFF!.  The real world sucks people.  Welcome to it.  You have a difficult job.  I totally agree to that.  Lots of hours, kids who are a pain, parents who are worse.  But...this has been the job description for teachers since teaching existed!  This IS NOT A SURPRISE!.   You have to work long hours, work at home, sometimes on the weekends, work through your lunch hour...sometimes not have time to get up from your desk to use the bathroom.  Wait, this sounds just like my husbands job...probably a lot of our husbands jobs, or not to be sexists, our job.  ITS CALLED WORK!  How bout trying it someday. 
oh I bet that last sentence ticked off some people! 

Here is why I am mad a teachers.  We have a gym teacher making 108K a year.  Yes, its teaching, but its GYM!  I'm sorry, but honestly, its only GYM!  There are no new ways to learn how to hit a volleyball is there?  Did you have to get your masters to teach kickball?  When they came out with new textbooks, did you have to re do your plans...oh wait, gym doesn't have text books cause its GYM!  I know, I am making light of the gym teachers out there, buts its GYM!

Last year, C3 had his math homework graded and sent home once a month.  Yes, that's right, once a month!  That's one teacher who only worked 5 hours a day! 

This year, C2 brought home  spelling paper with 100% and EXCELLENT  written across the top.  She had to write sentences that contained a word that started with the letter A.  And guess what, She know hows to spell across and are!  We are so proud!  C3's spelling words are harder than that.  C3 is in 2nd grade and C2 is in 6TH!!!  But the kicker is, she got 100% but there were 7 spelling and grammatical errors!  Lazy Lazy Lazy teacher!!!!

Hey board members, remember at the meeting that was overflowing and people were yelling at you.  You had a presentation up and most of it was right but a few things were wrong.  And you were yelled at for it.  It was thrown in your face!  However, some of our teachers are teaching my child that its ok to get most of it right.  What do you think board members...

Pay cuts...hey teachers...life sucks.  NO one should have to take a pay cut!  Its is horrible.  And Ms. Whiny teacher who keeps complaining that she will lose her house if she takes a pay cut...and her students wont be able to stop by and say hi anymore  TOUGH SHIT! 

Wow...I am angry..Wish my fingers could type as fast as my thoughts are flying...I am angry..Friday, my husband will be unemployed.  We have no severance.  We have no unemployment pay.  We are just dead in the water.  My husband would have gladly taken a pay cut!!!  So, Ms. Whiny teacher...welcome to life.  If you are going to lose your house because of a pay cut, perhaps you overextended yourself in the first place!  Turn off your cable!  Shut down your cell phone, shop second hand...IN OTHER WORDS, WELCOME TO LIFE! 

Whew...that should have made me feel better, ranting that is, but it just made me sad....

I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!

I am so fed up in more ways than one! 

First...Children....(big surprise) 
Dear Children,
every single time you start arguing with either eachother or even think about questioning me, you WILL be sent to your room.  I am the parent you are the dumb child.  If I say no, I HAVE A GOOD REASON AND I DONT NEED TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU!
Love Mom


To C1..one more bit of attitude, and that long hair that you are hiding behind is GONE! 
C2. cause i said so
c3 stop growling at people, its not nice

Now on to the world in general.  WTF!  For the second time in two years we are waiting to see if we will be unemployed next week. Actually, we will be unemployed next week.  Why you ask...because yet another American company has seen fit to take my hubbies job and ship it overseas.  WTF!!!    Screw the business world!  There is nothing safe in it anymore.  I going to send my children to computer repair, or appliance or car repair school.  Lord knows you cannot ship that overseas and it will always be needed!  So now, after more interviews than we can count, I truly dont know how he keeps them all straight, we are waiting.  He has had three with one company...now one of the guys is traveling.  LORD MAN!  dont you have a phone.  Call someone.  make a damn decision!  And no, I am not just ticked off because the Midwest Yarn Expo is her this weekend and I had planned on going and spending money.  Well, ok maybe that i a little bit of it.  I'm going anyway, but cant spend any money!  DAMNIT!

I am so fed up with this.  I am fed up with arguing children, yes at least they are in school for 6+ hours, but then  they come home and lordy do I pay for it! 

I am fed up with this whole job crap...and no its not just about being able to spend money on stupid things, like yarn,  *gasp...yarn is not stupid!*  but its about being comfortable with anything.  Do buy C3 new socks, or wait because we might need that 10$ for food.  Did I mention that we dont get unemployment!  CRAP! 


I am annoyed because my lawnmower is busted.  I am using my neighbors, I know she doesn't mind, but I do.  And the repair guy is not answering his phone.  So what to do what to do.  I dont think its worth fixing, but I cant go out and replace it.  GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR 

I am so annoyed at life right now......I could just scream...but we have new neighbors, and it just might frighten them away. 

Dear Mr. Corporate dude who has our lives in your hand right now
Please pick up the damn phone and make a decision!!  Recruiter keeps saying she expects an offer any second and that all three interviews went great, but we have been burned by that before!  Last time he was laid off and interviewing.  I dont care if you are traveling...we hare unraveling here!  I'll pay for the damn call, just let us know one way or the other...
Sincerely
Crazed Mom!

I'm done...thanks for listening.....

How to balance it all???

Well, its that time of year again.  School getting ready to start, scouting getting ready to start, football has started. 
So, in my world, we have to balance, Boy scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Piano lessons, Band, Football, committee meetings, Mom meetings(wine is usually involved!) and stuff that that older kids have not yet signed up for.  so basically, your typical family. 

How the heck do we fit it all in.  This year is going to be even more interesting!  Hubby is the Cub Master of sons pack.  Son has started football.  Football, once school starts is three days a week.  Right now its 5 days a week.  CS meetings are on Mondays.  Football is on Monday, Tues, Thurs. 

Yeah conflict!  Bs's is on Tuesday nights, I have no idea when to schedule Piano lessons right now.  I think Band is 4 afternoons a week? 

You should see my calendar!!!

So, basically its like this.  At least in my world its like this.  WE DO THE BEST WE CAN.  Yes, my son will miss a lot of CS's due to footbal.  Oh well.  He will not be the only one.  We will miss pack activities due to Football.  Oh well.  He will not be the only one. 

When our oldest was a CS, we didn't get it.  We figured if you made a commitment to CS's you should be there!  Of course, we had the luxury of thinking that way since our other children were in diapers!  Boy were we clueless!!!


You can't do it all, and if you try to do it all, you will destroy the fun in it for your scouter.  If he's exhausted from football practice and you drag him to scouts, he will learn to hate scouts. 

Dont force it, enjoy it.  Relax...the world will not end if you miss an event, or your son doesn't get a rocker, or daughter misses an activity.  Such is life. 

This time we have with them, the running around, dropping kids off at the wrong place at the wrong time, sitting in the rain for 3 hours at practice(last night for me), eating dinner at 9pm, stuffing newspapers in the toes of cleats to dry them, finding music books, running a quick load of laundry at 10 pm that you will forget about for two days, etc etc etc....forgot my point here!

Its hard enough.   Dont add more stress into it.  If you miss a meeting, oh well.  If your leader or CM is not cool with it, inform that that this is life.  sometimes things get  missed.  Then, feel free to cuss at them under your breath as you walk away.  Its probably their only child, or they have a live in nanny :)

Day from hell?

For the first time in months and I am not kidding, ( i cant spell exaggerate)  We had the family together for the day!  I was thrilled.  We decided to head to the IRM in Union for their WWII re enactment.  We went last year sans hubby and it was AMAZING!  So, I pack lunches the night before, drinks the color, gather gear, you know, the mom stuff.

So, This morning, We all get up, I pack the cooler, get our gear, make sure everyone is dressed neatly, get the sunscreen the chairs, etc etc.  Drag hubby away from his dungeon(he had to work this morning) and head out to Union. 

About 20 minutes after we pay $45.00 to get in, the skies open up and it explodes on us.  Now, I did check the radar before we left, but this storm was in Iowa, not even across the border yet, so I figured we had plenty of time to check things out.  We couldn't go Sat as hubby was out of town and we can't go tomorrow as Hubby has to work.  Well, this storm decided to move very very fast and it was a downpour along with huge lightning etc.  So, now we are holed up in a old Zephyr train car, in one of the sleeping compartments.  It wasn't so bad.  Except were were trapped in there with no where to go. 

After about an hour, hubby heads out to the bathroom then calls me and tells me that the Zephyr is running and getting ready to leave.  We head out into the storm and get on board.  It was wonderful.  Well, as much as a slow 40 min train ride in the rain can be.  I played on my phone most of the time :)

We get back to the station and its still pouring.  We have been here for about 3.5 hours.  We are done.  We race to the car and decide just to head home.  We were supposed to head to the G's house for a cook out but due to the weather, decided to head home instead. 

We are about half way home (45 min drive) when hubby says, somethings wrong with the car.  I look up from my phone, I had left my knitting at home, and notice that no electronics are working.  NOTHING.  The dash gauges are at 0, the radio is black, and the windshield wipers are barely moving. 

Well, I ask if he still has acceleration, he said yes, so I suggested we get to my parents house which was the closest.  Or at least try.  We get to a major intersection and hubby starts to slow down.  Reports, I have lost acceleration.  Hmm...ok..gas station on the left, with difficult turn in....go for it! 
Luckily there was no traffic coming towards us and we make it into the gas station.  Where...it dies.  Literally, just dies on us. 

Hmm....this is odd.  Ok...I call tow truck...tell them to send flat bed.  I call parents, Ask if they can come get the kids and leave us a car so I can get back to their house to get the kids.  And we sit..In the pouring rain, and wait.  Three kids, hot car, can't open the windows since there is no power.  Kids start writing on the windows, poking each other, tossing things at each other.  After 8 hours(10 min actually, Grandpa had to finish his sandwich) The G's show up and take the kids and the cooler and leave me their truck. 

With the kids gone, I let out a string of cuss words that would have made a sailor blush.  I mean really!  First time in MONTHS we get to spend time together, and this happens!  I felt horrible about the rain, but now my car dies! 

Up until this point, I had been without a cigarette all day(go ahead and gasp, I'll wait for the shock to wear off)  I look at my hubby and said, GO.  I am only human after all and today would have tested Gandhi!

Tow truck shows up.  ITS PINK!  But its not a flat bed.  Sigh...guy says I have to call for a flat bed.  I TOLD THEM TO SEND A FLAT BED!.  My truck is AWD.  It cannot be towed.  But it was cool the tow truck was pink.  So, they leave my car, take my hubby(my hubby got towed instead of my car!) and I drive to the G's house. 

They took hubby to our house where he got his car to come to the G's to get us.

THANK YOU G'S FOR SAVING US AND FEEDING US DINNER. 

Lets just say, It will be a while before I plan another one of these dumb outings.  I'm out $45 bucks on the Train Musuem and god only knows how much this stupid car is going to cost me.

Sounds like my free mulch, which costs me $175 after the tow of my trailer and the repairs to the tire. 

Well, at least I am getting the most out of my tow insurance!  sigh......

Kinda fed up

The word, I Forgot, has been way overused in my house.  Along with the words, I'm Sorry!  I am a little fed up by it. 

I dont get to get away with saying I forgot, or i'm sorry.  God forbid if I forget to go to volunteer day at C3's school.  He comes home bawling making me feel horrible.  (He did save and bring me the two oreos that the moms' were given, then asked if he could eat them)
C2 guilts me into volunteering for her schools field days.  Lord knows that if I hadn't shown up for that, I would have listened to sobbing for hours. 

Last night, Hubby and I were both heading in opposite directions.  I asked C1 to remember to take the trash out to the curb before it got dark, and asked both C1 and C2 to make lunches for the next day.  I figured that at least one of them would remember to do it. 

I get home around 10:30 and am informed by hubby that he just had C1 take out the trash, (he forgot, sorry) and in the morning asked how come no one  made lunches like I asked (we forgot, sorry) 

I also had asked hubby to drive through walgreens for me.  (i forgot, sorry) and after C3's bb game, he forgot to remove the bat bag from the trunk which I need tonight before he gets home from work(i forgot, sorry) 

Now, annoyed at the kids yes, really ticked at hubby yes.  But, if I get mad at him and yell at him, ok not quite yell but you know what I mean, he will get annoyed at me.  Like its my fault he forgot! 

I am so annoyed right now!  BTW. My garbage cans are still out at the curb..C1 has not taken them in yet.  20 bucks says that when I remind him, he will I forgot, sorry

Oh..I think I wont cook dinner tonight...I'm just going to say, I forgot, sorry.

did she really just say that?

Odd thing happened tonight, and for once It only slightly involved one of my kids. 

I had C1's cellphone in the car with me.  For the record, it is not officially C1's phone.  It is the Kids phone, and which ever older kid needs it, gets to take it.  Since C1 is the oldest, he has it most.

Phone rings this evening while I'm out.  I answer it, C1's Phone.  Girl on other end, while laughing and chatting with her friends, demand to know why I am answering C1's phone.  I reply because I happen to have it with me.   She demands to know why, I reply because I do, then she calls me a bitch.

Ummm...wait?!  what! 

Yes, she actually calls me a bitch for having my sons phone.  I demand to know who it is, and she says a friend.  I look at the phone and see the name.  Then, the mom in me comes out. 

'who in the world do you think you are talking to someone like that on the phone.  This is C1's mother, how dare you talk to someone on the phone like that when you dont even know who you are talking to' 

You get the picture.  This quickly sobers up stupid girl.  Apparently I have a really really good mom voice.  Next I hear, 'oh my god, oh my god, I am so sorry, i am sorry. blah blah blah'

I found it amusing but trust me, I was ticked off!  What if it had been C2 who answered the phone.  She would have been so hurt to have been called a name!

I inform stupid girl, that she should be more careful about calling people she does not know, names.  She is now apologizing up and down!  I could actually hear the shock in her voice. 

So I get home and inform c1 what had happened.  He does not sound surprised?  Oh well, kids are stupid kids after all.  The kid phone rings at 9:30.  All my kids are in bed.  I let it to go voice mail, then listen to the vmail.  Hey!  Its my phone!  and I knew it was stupid girl calling.

She sounds horrible on the phone.  Apologizes to Ryan, says she would understand if he never talked to her again, and deleted her number from his phone blah blah blah. 

I figure it this way...when I was a kid, even a young adult, I made stupid mistakes, said things that shouldn't have been said and felt bad about it.  Bad enough that I have NEVER forgotten it and to this day, keep these little reminders in my head. 

From the sound of her voice, I am guessing she will never forget the day she called her friends mom a bitch!

why do I knit?

Why do I knit?  Good question.  I am fully aware that I can buy socks in a 10 pack at Walmart for 6.99 rather than getting two pair for $20 at my local yarn store(I have expensive feet!)    I can buy a shawl with no holes in it from mistakes at Khols.  I can buy a Cardigan sweater that will actually fit my husband right.  Hats, I wouldn't care how many hats and mittens the kids lose if I bought them at the dollar store. 

But I thank my sister each and every day for teaching me the art of knitting!

Let me preference with this, I have no patience!  (my mom just fainted upon reading that)  I have never had patience.  Three kids and I still didn't have patience.  Life was hurry hurry hurry.  Hurry do laundry, Hurry do dishes, Hurry read a story, Hurry do homework, Hurry take a bath, hurry have sex, (hahaha, mom just fainted again), hurry go to school.  I never felt as though I had any time to relax.  Heck, who can relax with three kids!  Baseball, Softball, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Band, life!  I am always in  a hurry to try something new, to master something, to do something!  I cannot sit still!(hush mom!) 

So, during Christmas vacation a couple of years ago, (4 already?) my sisters family came to visit and she brought her knitting needles.  Hallelujah!*bowing down to my sister*  And a knitting fanatic was born! 

I go NOWHERE without my needles.  Dr's offices, of course!  who doesn't!  Baseball games  Yup!  Boring meetings!  GOD YES.  Er visits(three kids remember) YES, Family get togethers!  anyplace I am the passenger!  Oh yeah! At the roller rink while the kids skate, at the park! KIP! Heck, one time, while waiting for an ambulance for my daughter after she broke her leg at school, my GF grabbed my knitting bag for me! 

Anytime I have a spare moment, I Knit!  I learned to knit to learn patience.  Knitting a project is not an overnight event.  It takes weeks, or even months, and for some of us, years to finish a project.  Yes, I do find myself sometimes racing through a pair of socks, but only because I can, I still have to take my time a little bit or I wind up with holes.  Ok, yes, I did find a way to knit two at a time to save time...but on the upside...when I am kitting and a child comes up to me with a question, all I have to do is start counting out loud and they walk away!  SWEET!

My husband once asked me how much the yarn cost and how much I actually needed to have at one time.  I glanced up from my knitting (pretending to count doesn't work on him, he still wont go away) and patiently informed him that it was safer than drinking and cheaper than a therapist!