A Love /Hate relationship with my car

As most of you know, during an all time low point, my car was repossessed last October. It was completely humiliating and an answered prayer at the same time. Upon the loss of my transportation, and had to gather what was left of my pride, wad it up in a ball and chuck it out the window to accept a gift of pity and failure (or so it felt)

Now over the past year, I have grown fond of of car, considering it is paid for, starts every day, it's all one color, has a V8 engine... but, it is an old lady car (no offense) It's a 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII. It's a 2 door, and creme colored.

A few days ago, I picked up a scratch off lottery ticket, after we lost we speculated on what we would spend 10,000 on had we one... I said "Momma's getting a new car!" and hence planted the seed into hubby's brain.

I was just playing, it was total speculation. Yes, the cup holder broke, and the space filler around the gear shift cracked, the seat warmer doesn't work it has 140K miles on it... So what! IT WAS A FREE CAR!

So hubby decided he wants to take a loan out of his 401K to purchase me a new vehicle... I said NO! I will drive that car until it dies, and then we can consider our options. There is no need to replace something that works and have a loan we don't want or can't afford.

SO yesterday, we took my car to go to "The Living Christmas Tree" and when we left, just as we got on the long stinking bridge, we heard a horrible noise... It was a flat tire. We pull over, it was cold, hubby was slightly irritated, and mumbled something like, I sure am glad we are keeping this &*&^*&%#$ car...

Sigh... Pray that I can calm hubby down and he doesn't do anything irrational...

Sigh.

Series of unfornatuate events...

This morning I was to drop off a handful of information packets to some VERY important people as part of my job... Simple enough, right? Not so much.

I retrieved the GPS out of hubby's truck at 5:30 am this morning so that I could travel all over the county making deliveries with out worry... Even removed all the empty cups, discarded lunch sacks, lost school papers and 5 jackets belong to either me Preteen A or Little P. I plugged in the GPS on our way to school and realized... it wasn't working. We twisted and turned, plugged and unplugged and then realized that a penny had fallen into the cigerette lighter... We tried gun on the end of a pencil, a key, and any other object we could find in the car to remove it, until I remembered seeing a paper clip. Preteen straightened the paperclip and retrieved the foul penny. We re-plugged the GPS and no go. We figure the penny shorted the fuse. So I tell Preteen to grab the owners manual and see which fuse needs replaced to the lighter... The owners manual is missing! MISSING! I mean, who, wants to read an owners manual for entertainment? Now that option is out the window.

After Little P was at school and Preteen A had gotten the bus I decided to go home and map quest all my destinations... No problem right? You'd think, except, I had given Preteen my keychain with the house key minus the car key, since I knew I would be working late and she would arrive home before me. Now I am completely defeated... I don't know what to do... Then I think... I'll trade vehicles with hubby! So I call his cell, then I text him, and I call again, because, well lets face it, I'm desperate! He finally answers "WHAT!" So I quickly as possible explain the situation and he says, fine, come get it. But babe, I say, I need you to bring out a key because the spare that I keep at all times is on the key ring that I gave Preteen this morning.

Can you believe this? All before 8am. Yeah, BEFORE 8 AM. I was then lead to two yes 1, 2 closed roads via the GPS that works in my hubby's truck/dumpster.

Girls go to college to get more knowledge

So... Hubby came home from work, we had a civilized conversation, I told him that I hadn't done his laundry and felt like a total bad @ss because of that little act of rebellion...

Then I came after him with a golf club, and he ran out of the house and jumped in the car and ran into a tree to I smashed in the REAR window to get in and pull him out... oh wait, that wasn't me... lol just kidding there tiger...

So we are all good, and I took little P to girl scouts and when I returned home...

The dog had been washed
The living room cleaned and vacuumed
Dinner put away
dishes done
laundry (mine) put away
shower scrubbed...

I would like to declare that little act of rebellion...

VICTORY!!!!

Boys go to Jupiter to get more Stupid-er.

My hubby is being an idiot, so I didn't do his laundry... snicker...
He should run out of clothes any day now... tee hee
I also didn't make his side of the bed
or take his coffee mug to the sink.

Since I don't do ANYTHING to please him. I'm not.

I feel so empowered.

Christmas friendly retail???

My small group leader and I were talking on the phone last night and almost got into a fight...

She was telling me that James Dobson has in his website a list of "Christmas Friendly" stores... You can view them here. I said that i thought that was ridiculous... I don't understand why we are constantly surprised that non-Christians don't portray christian like behavior. These stores are not Christian-based stores, why would we expect them to to solely say "Merry Christmas" and not happy holidays etc...Hanukkah, or winter solace... I thought that this web site was very irresponsible, if there were facts there, as far as store policy's ect... ok, but it is all hear say and no filter... One person was upset because one store only played non religious Christmas songs, and one store didn't offer baby Jesus wrapping paper. She said "what does red/green or snowmen have to do with Christmas? My question, what does a $34 t-shirt from the GAP have to do with Christmas?

People are able to rate the stores as Christmas: Friendly. Negligent or Offensive...

One person's rated a store offensive because there web site only contained the phrase "holiday gifts" not "Christmas gifts" Really, you found that offensive? I am thinking Jesus would find it offensive that we, as Christians, save money for an entire year to splurge and spoil our family in an effort to measure our love for them in material things. What exactly does purchasing gifts of any kind have to do with the TRUE meaning of Christmas?

If anyone is going to take these "suggestions" to heart, then they should do their own research. Find out what the corporate policy is... and stick with it YEAR ROUND...

Signed,
A Born again
Baptized in the Spirit
Sinner saved by Grace

I should write...

Last week I received an e-mail from a new member in our Small Group at church. She is new to the area, (I know how that feels) a new Christian (again, I can totally relate) and feeling really inadequate in our group (totally know that feeling too). So I composed a nice e-mail, which I will share in a moment, but before I sent it I called my SG leader to make sure what I wrote was "ok". This person seems fragile right now, and my honesty can come off harsh at times... Some people love me for this, others, not so much.

Ok here is the initial e-mail I received all names have been removed to protect the innocent. It's long so I am going to edit it a bit..k?

I have something that I have attached to my desk that is good for me to read each morning, night or whatever. I am going to send it to you, Anyway, it is this...

Good Morning
I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems.
Please remember that I do not need your help.
If the devil happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle,
DO NOT attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFJTD (something for Jesus to do) box.
It will be addressed in MY time, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, DO NOT hold on to it or attempt to remove it. Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem.

LuckyWife, it's me again, we have a SFJTD box and it may sound silly but my whole family uses it, even my children, and sometimes just having it reminds us that God is in control and we just have to give it to Him. anyway, I know that I am not near where the rest of you are, and this may seem imature to the rest of you, but I just thought I would share some of what I am learning, I am really sorry I don't have the guts to speak in group. I am not sure I will stay, I think I may be in a whole different place than the rest of you, but anyway, thanks for listening to me at times and I think you are a really neat and sweet person. I will still read the next book and I will make sure to pay you for it, but please keep me in your prayer, I thought is was kind of neat, you got my card this week, I was actually thinking about you when I wrote it, I knew if anyone understood some of what I am going through it would be you. Just think though, mine are living with me permanently until, who knows, please pray. and thanks again.

So my reply:


Hi Small Group Friend,
I love that letter, I OFTEN need reminded of just that, I am not in control, and I need to let go of things so that Jesus can take care of it. The only problem with a SFJTD box at my house is that I would be tempted to read everything my kids write and then try and "help" Jesus by taking care of them myself, lol.

Wether you speak up or not, I would hate to see you leave the group, what makes our group so special is the very fact that everyone there is in a different place in their walk with the Lord. Imagine, a group of woman, in the same place, with the same knowledge... How would they grow? If they strayed, there would be no one with more experience, to guide them. And as they grow, they then woudl be given the opportunity to help someone else grow.

THink of it like this... Six woman all standing on a ledge of a mountian. Do you all reach for the next step at the exact same time? What if that next step was a tricky one? You all would slip and fall together.
Or six woman all standing on a ledge together, one person has been there before, and knows where the best step is... She can guide you and then you can help the next person to come along.

If you aren't comfortable in our group, I understand and take no offense, but consider that you might be exactally where you are meant to be.

Love Lucky Wife

Ok, yes, this is getting long, but the POINT of this story, YES I have one, was that my SG leader, the person I read this too before I hit the send button, she said, I should "write or something, like one of those on-line things" A blog? I asked, yeah, she said, I think that's what they are called...

The Ugly Truth

Height 5'9"
Weight 194 lbs
BMI 28.6 (over 25 is overweight, over 30 is obese)

:-(

So this morning I drug my sorry (extra large) hiney outta bed and walked up and down my drive way twice... Yeah, I know whoop de doo, but it's a long driveway, at least 2/10 of a mile, and it's up a hill. It was 5:30 am, pitch black, and surrounded by scary creepy forest trees and my sorry excuse for a guard dog had to be bribed to go with me... So I walked down the hill, when I got to the bottom , my dog took off and left me in the dark, I jogged up the hill, I looked up and saw a shooting star. Woo hoo... That was cool. Then, feeling slightly empowered, I went another go, walked down the hill, got totally creeped out and ran back up. Then sucked air for at least 4-5 minutes before I could compose myself and get in the shower...

It's a start... BTW- Due to last years illness, and possible depression I am about 22 pounds heavier than my 15 yr average at 172... I just want to see 172 again... That's all.

Full Pout Mode.

I am feeling pouty today… I believe this could be HIGHLY induced by the roller coasters of hormones raging through my body my "cycle". If you don't care to read along and listen to me whine like a spoiled snot nosed snob, then here is your warning to get out.

So Hubby and I cleaned out our closet Saturday, we have a huge closet that also doubles as the "catch all". In this cleaning out process, I also ditched any clothing that I hadn't worn in the past year (ok I maybe kept 3 things that I couldn't part with yet, but you get the picture) So there is currently a pile about 4x4 ft square and at least 4 ft high of clothes and shoes that were discarded by me and hubby.

On to the pouty part, I own exactly 3 pairs of dress pants (I work in an office 5 days a week, do the math) Only one dress shirt does not have either a stain or hole in it. The holes are from my idiot dog precious canine greeting me when I come home, poking an unnoticeable claw through my shirt only to be fully exposed after it has been washed and dried. Yes I scolded, the dog for jumping up on me only to have hubby come home 30 min later in his grungy work clothes and encourage the dog to jump up on him. Ugh.

Then I found the offer letter to Hubby from the company that he works for, the one offering him a nice comfortable salary to up and move to Tennessee… the same one that they retracted 10 minutes after we pulled into the driveway of our new home (IN TENNESSEE). It makes me angry that hubby feels like he isn't providing, when at the same time out of 1000 employees only 120 are left, 120 that include him. I am grateful for employment, period. So I guess I should quit pouting, huh.

What else? Well my 12 yr old car needs fixed, shocking, right? There is NO money for that, but instead I spend a few dollars every couple days putting more oil in… yea, oil leak. And I leaky tire, and I broke the cup holder this morning, my seat doesn't move forward anymore.

Have I mentioned lately that I'm fat? Fatter? More plump than my body has been used to other than two pregnancies, 10 and 12 years ago? Every night I lie in bed and think, Tomorrow I am just gonna get dressed and go outside and walk up and down the drive way a couple times. (It's really long and down a hill…) Then the next morning I wake, and drag my lifeless (fat) body to the kitchen for that cup of joe and then the thought of lugging my body outside, in the cold… well that thought just dissipates into thin air.

I will have the exact same thought tonight when I am lying in bed.

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A Family Gift...

Hubby pulled me aside last night and said that he'd been thinking... Maybe this year instead of buying each other a gift for christmas, we could purchase something together and we want.

We have done this in that past and I thought it was a grand idea... I was dreaming of :

New Couches!

New Bedroom Suit!

New Dishes!

He was dreaming of :

A laptop :-(

This may be harder than I thought.

It doesn't fit!!!

Preteen A asked me to make her an icecream cake... I found a way to make it on line that looked super duper easy...

First bake two round cakes (from a box mix, duh!) like normal and then put a 1/2 gallon of softened ice cream in a spring form pan (perferably the same size) and let the ice cream harden overnight
When you are ready to assemble, flatten your cake, unless you are betty crocker herself and it doesn't have a big dome on top. (I use thread or dental floss)

Pull out the flapjack of ice cream from the freezer and it will magically pop off the base of the pan, seriously I promise.

Put the second cake on top and...

I did use 2 jars of icing to seal in the ice cream...

It was completely iced and i had 3 hrs until the party, I turned to place the cake in the freezer and .... Clunk. The plate hit the sides of my side by side fridge/freezer.

I screamed... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So I called my neighbor who wasn't home but her husband was, she said I could place the cake in her freezer and she'd call the husband... So I ran to the car and drove down the driveway with my left hand, cell phone in my lap, and cake in my right hand balanced like a waitress bringing drinks to a table. When all of a sudden I hear "Hello, hello.. Are you there" It's my MOM! I butt dialed her!

What my mom doesn't realize is that I had lost my voice for being sick that whole week, so when I picked up the phone and cradeled is under my chin I replied with a voice of a 90 yr old chain smoker, who had all their teeth pulled and had a sore throat...

Lucky - Mom, I can't talk, I gotta go.

Mom - Are you ok, What's wrong.

Lucky - I lost my voice I gotta go mom!

Mom - Are you sure your ok?

Lucky - Yes, I butt dialed, I'll call you back, I gotta go.

When I arrived at my neighbors, the fence across the drive was still locked (I live in the country remember?) So I parked my car at the end of the drive and walked up the quarter mile drive cake in hand... all the while praying that he asks first who is there before he shoots. This was a serious, valid concern!

I bang on the door, yelling "It's me, Lucky! You there, It's just me, Lucky! Don't shoot!"

Relief, his wife JUST got ahold of him and he opened the door.

When I called my mom back she was so worried that I was in the mist of a crying fit, or something, I'm lucky she hadn't dialed 911!

This was all that was left, it was really good and everyone loved it. Just make sure you have freezer room BEFORE you make it.

So lately...

I have noticed that when my mom has been sending me e-mails, she is using a huge font. They appear and I almost feel as though she is yelling at me, but I think it is just so that she can see what she wrote without using her glasses. I am an evil child at times so I do the opposite... our e-mails look like this:

Mom - Did Pre-teen get the birthday package I sent her?
Me - Yes, got it in the mail today.



I wonder if she is running off to CVS to grab the higher voltage reading glasses yet? Tee Hee

Preteen A turns Twelve

Look at that face...

And this one on vacation?

When did it become this face?

Happy Birthday Preteen A...

Gosh you are georgous...

Better load the shotgun.

A Pain in the Arse...

Figuratively and Literally.

My husband's brother and wife came to visit... And hubby's mom and dad as well... Why do you care? Well you probably don't really except that my sister in law and mother in law are in a bit of a tiff with each other... They each claim not to be mad at the other but before our meal, MIL began to eat and I asked "Did you pray for everyone?" She replied "I prayed for myself the rest of you can die" Wow, Great example MIL, what a good Christian spirit there... And you wonder why Sister in law wants NOTHING to do it (Chistianity that is)
Sister in law locked her self in a bedroom to hide... don't really blame her there...
We went trick or treating, in the rain, and on a hay ride, in the POURING rain, and now my body aches, I have a sore throat... and for the literal part of my title, I think I have Hemmroids... Sorry was that TMI? I am dying here! Preperation H works alot better on my puffy eyes than it seems to be doing on its intended purpose.

Insert pouting face and tears.

ps - No my MIL does not live with us or even near us, it's just that she flies for free and "visits" WAY TO OFTEN!

Sigh...

Happy Birthday BFF

Today is a very important day for me... No it's not my birthday, but it is the birthday of my oldest friend (Not her age, the time WE have been friends) See the way I look at it is like this...
God knew me before he formed me. Right? So after he had figured that all out... he got busy making me just the right person to be my best friend. That could not have been an easy task, as I am not always sensible. I mean... he had to make someone that he knew, would...
1. Not give up when I was (a smidge) self centered.
2. Not desert me when time and paths stretched long apart.
3. Let me ramble on about things that she has NO interest in.
4. Laugh at my silliness.
5. Share their love of Jesus, and have awesome conversations with.
6. Relate to the baggage I carry.
7. Force me to speak truth, when I want to cover things up with half truths.
8. Let me ask hard questions, because I trust her with everything.
9. Love me...

Anyways... I just hope she knows that I feel truly blessed to have her as my friend, and that only the work of God could have created such perfection. She isn't everyone perfect friend, She's my perfect friend.

Happy Birthday... I hope you have an incredible day... I love you.

Change...

Do you ever run into someone, someone that knew you but haven't seen in YEARS and find that they are in shock over how you've changed? This summer, and old friend from school whom I lost touch with almost 18 years ago, moved back to my small home town and we got in touch... with some urging from my BFF, since we used to be 3 amigos. When I was 16, I was a model, my family was wealthy, we traveled constantly, I had expensive clothes, handbags... I was a city girl. Flash forward 18 years, I have acerage, a garden, ugly black walmart wellies (rubber boots)a snazzy hand bags from Penny's that's 3 yrs old, dreams of owning chickens and possibly a goat, and the most expensive article of clothing I own? My Levi's. Of course this transformation didn't happen over night... But for her it did. When I mention something about an apron... she howls, when she sees I sewed a bonnet for my daughter... she wants a DNA tests to make sure I'm not as robotic clone...
The best part of this new friendship... Material! I have just been dried out here in blogland.

Upcoming Topics:
Friends my own age
Babies again
The adventures of preteen eye makeup

So what big change would put an old friend in shock? Do tell!

News Article - Must Read - Woman's Head actually Explodes

Woman's Head actually Explodes

suspected Mother in Law is the cause

Today MIL called Lucky Wife to tell her that her preteen had forwarded her a creepy picture of a girl holding a knife, with a traditional scary Halloween story that implied "If you don't forward this to 10 people, you will find pictured scary girl at the foot of your bed" MIL's intentions were to "tattle" on the young girl but Lucky Wife - THE MOTHER - had already seen said item. Preteen had showed me the item herself. MIL then proceeded to try and figure out what the child's punishment was (if any) and she was dismayed to hear "it was handled" giving her NO satisfaction to her request. The MIL then told Lucky Wife that she "just feels better talking about it" to which Lucky Wife replied that she was at work and she would have to find someone else to talk to.

Unfortunately this conversation has NOT hindered her plans to visit us in 2 weeks.

Twlight zone

I entered a parallel universe yesterday...

Yesterday, hubby and I were having a small tiff, I guess. He's on edge, something seems "off" to him, but he's not sure what it is. Eh... so anyways...

Little P and I left for church, but at some point between leaving the house and returning, I somewhere entered a worm hole to a parallel universe... For when I arrived, my husbands mustache and goatee of 6+ years, the facial hair of which I love, the facial hair that made Little P remark that now he looked like a "REAL DADDY" the facial hair that binded us in a contract that while his hair remained on his face, my hair remained long... WAS GONE.

He's hoping that he just needed a change to take the uneasy feeling away.

I am frightened and confused (and scheduling a hair appt)...

that was the only close I could find on shot notice, since I really should be in the shower by now... I took that pic just as we hit a bump on the hayride...

News from the home front

1. No baby decision has been made, not that one was scheduled to be made yet... but in case you were wondering... no decision.
2. Hubby is back to work and has been transferred to the Engineering Dept. which is an awesome thing.
3. Today is my dad's birthday... He's 63, today is also my friend Penny's birthday she's 49, not that any of this matters to you. You may find it interesting that I dread this phone call... Why? Well, it is just such a painful call at times... I will post our dialogue later, you'll see.
4. I completely lost it on my daughter this morning...After I woke her 472 times, she finally dressed and went back to sleep, then I yelled and screamed and she brushed her teeth and hair and went to watch TV, I stomped, screamed, snarled and snorted and she finally put her shoes, coat and backpack on. When I went outside she was REFUSING to get in the back seat because Sissy was in the front (it's a 2 door) It was at that moment that I said:

Get in the car

Get in the car

Get in the car!!!

Which echoed off every hill, and down every hollow in the county...

Great start to the day...

just can't make any sense of my feelings

ok, blog sisters... I really need you here... I have previously mentioned the idea of having another baby... but it was really all talk and no action... Until recently.

Hubby took me out to lunch(that should have been my first clue) and toward the end of our meal he said "We need to talk" oh great, I'm thinking, what did I screw up now? "I've been thinking about this for a while now and I do want to have another baby, now I don't want you to make any decisions right away, just think about it" ok sure, I'll think about it...

Here's the problem, my decision changes with the wind. One day I feel all maternal and lovey and we took our girls to the library and hubby picked out a book "Preconception diet, Boy-Diet A, Girl-Diet B" which was fine until I saw that it was written in 1982,and it said "based on recent discoveries about the use of alcohol during pregnancy, we have omitted them from the diet" and the first day mentions Cow Tongue...Sorry sweet heart, I don't love you that much.

Then the wind blows and I remember that I have a (almost)12 yr old and 9 yr old. So that means when the new baby FINALLY starts kindergarten, the girls will be juniors and freshmen in HS. Seriously?

Then, directional wind change... we have 2 girls, and I would guess if we only had boys that I would long for a girl... Would I? Not June, do you ever wished your had gone one more time to get a girl? Stacy? any regrets ladies? I NEED TO KNOW!

Quite frankly, and I know this is might sound strange, but I am way more in love with my hubby now than when we had babies... we were still kids our selves... (I was 22 and 25 when they were born) I think experiencing having a child with this man would be exciting... and completely different from the first two, when he thought I had aliens in my belly and didn't even want to feel them kick...

And then I feel like Lynette from Desperate housewives after she found out she was pregnant... Here watch Hormones

I sometimes feel like I am too old to have more, and then realize that the reason I hang out with woman 10-15 years older than me is because we have the same ages kids and they all started at my age... Started... See I had my two girls at age 22 and age 25, I am now 34... Which I am having a hard time gripping with that I am not too old... I actually had convinced myself that it was too late... Door shut... seems it never got shut all the way...

How does anyone PLAN to have a child? I am a train wreck... My thoughts are scrambled, as is this post (sorry) One day I am ready to just let God bless me in what ever way he sees fit, and then the next I think... yeah right... have you not seen the sense of humor he has? He'll bless me alright, with twins and before you know it, I have have 3 more...

I just can't make any sense of my feelings, hormones, maternal desires... Do I want this, or do I want this for Hubby? Will I resent him? Will I flourish?

**Sigh**

I truly don't know what I want.

Hello God, Can we talk?

See I am having trouble figuring out how I can be a godly woman, and my MIL can be a godly woman, and how she makes my head want to explode and all the non-godly things that I struggle to overcome all the time come out?

Hmmm?

See, in a rational sense, I love her, but quite frankly I am tired of her ... gee I'm just a naive christian woman excuse... I mean, if she SERIOUSLY thought I was watching my weight, and on a diet, and proclaim that she desperatly needed to loose weight, then why did she buy 3 boxes of klondike bars, 3 half gallons of ice cream, 1 jumbo bag of hershey's chocolate, nacho cheese and chips?

If she really was "just about to empty the garbage", how come she never actually does?

Quite frankly, I don't care if she doesn't... it's the constant "I was just about to do that" comment, and the grand gesture she makes of everything... She actually said to my mom, "Don't worry about mopping the floor, I did that yesterday"

Then, when we are turned around in an unfamiliar part of town, and she is screaming or I mean talking on the phone and hubby askes her to be quite... and then I tell her to be quiet, and she continues SQUACK SQUACK SQUACK... and I say "Let it GO! He can't hear the GPS"

I have to apologize because I hurt her feelings...

God, I am angry and having trouble letting this go...

How come...

How come...

...my MIL can assume that I am earnestly attempting to watch my weight, but I can not assume her current hair color wasn't a freak accident?

...the television is hooked up to subwoofers so that they can hear but when I get up at 5 am and step on that one squeaky board, they wake up and invade my quiet time?

...noone offers to unload the dishwasher/fold clothes/cook dinner until I am 75% done doing it myself?

Just wondering...

The Cabin

I mentioned in a previous post that we were building a cabin... in the woods behind out house... First we had to clear out a section of wood were the trees were younger and was kinda flat... I live in the foothills of the Smokey Mountians so the term FLAT is relative... Hubby removed all the large logs and bushes adn rode John Deere in... where he chopped and chewed poison ivy and covered himself in it.

See, it's not far from the house... Just far enough for a little privacy...

I guess I forgot to take a picture when we just had the floor down and then the walls, probably cuz I was doing hard work and sweaty... We made the trusses ourself...

Ok all the trusses are up... We should have had a video of that fiasco... Hubby on a ladder, we wedging a 2x4x12 between the braces, hoisting it up in the air, while hubby grabbed an end and put it in the bracket and screwed it in before my arms completely gave out... One wall goes up... woot woot!

So this past summer when hubby and I went to Ohio I saw these old oak planks that were weathered and worn sitting in her garage... I ask hubby to beg for them, they had been sitting forever, and shes a borderline hoarder... So hubby brought is totally awesome wood home for me... Doesn't it make it look all rustic, as though the barn has been here for 50 years!

We salvaged a door from a remodel, along with a window and siding (for the back, we didn't have enough wood for the whole thing) We don't have a window for the window up stairs so we have to hang a tarp for now

Found a great futon on craigslist.org for 30 bucks, and then went to Lowe's and got a HUGE piece of carpet (beccause it was the end) for 8 DOLLARS!

Hubby built stairs up to the loft...

Ok, not the greatest picture, but we put two layers of padding, and then carpet, and the loft area is about 6'x 10' plenty of room!

The loft.

Preteen A asked to sleep out there, alone, then changed her mind and asked Little P to go with her... I wonder how long they will last??? It's 9 now and they are heading out soon... my guess, they'll be back by 11...

We'll see!

I didn't see that coming...

I had started a book report about a month ago, and finished it today. Even though I hit PUBLISH today, it posted on August 13, and I wonder if anyone would have even noticed it was there??? So that you don't have to dig through my archives... you can click here to read my review.

So, I was wondering... does anyone else ever feel rushed to unload her grocery cart in to their vehicle? What is the unpublished rule of acceptable time? If a car is waiting for your spot do you take the cart back to the cart return? I find it odd that when I am loading my cart I am careful not to crush the bread or chips, but as soon as I get to my car, I feel this overwhelming urgency to cram it in and get out...

Yesterday, Labor day, made me feel a little home sick. Mostly because it is a day for family picnics and get togethers... we don't have any extended family around... so the day seemed incomplete. Of course we were invited to spend the day with friends, I was very excited to go, but preteen A had the audacity to present a fever... so we couldn't go. :-(

Stay tuned for pictures of the cabin... (hopefully tomorrow, but maybe not, Preteen just mentioned a Science modle due TOMORROW!)

So many thoughts... no personal time.

I really would like to tell you about a book I read called the Noticer, in fact I started a "book report" post about a month ago still hanging out in the draft section...
I like to also tell you about the cabin we are building out of scrap material, and how awesome it is, with pictures!
I also would like to start sewing some aprons, in an attempt to make some Christmas money... Yes I said it. Christmas!! Christmas, christmas....
About the fact the preteen has a boyfriend, and hubby is having chest pains.
I am even considering not using birth control... But for the LOVE do not tell anyone, because everyone (my mother) would think I was completely crazy, and I'll probably just tell her it was an accident! Well how about that, I am the .01% that got prenant... tee hee hee
I probably am crazy considering that my last post mentioned that we qualify for free/reduced lunch... But hubby goes back to work Oct 6th, and we'll be gettign real paychecks then.
Oh an in reference to the bok I mentioned, my attempt to start trying to change some things about myself... like judging, and following through with my intentions... but more on that later.
So I used to blog every morning... but hubby is not working right now, so I am not alone with my thoughts... my thoughts and I are very very modest... we don't like anyone looking over my shoulder as they are revieled... So here I am at work, and everyone is at lunch, and me being the crazy rebel that I am... well, I decided to blog.

Oh HEY, Did I tell you? My house in Florida FINALLY SOLD!!!! It was a short sale, but no foreclosure me me... WOO HOO Baby!!!

not a good planner...

I have a friend that we'll call Janet, well that is her name! Janet is a dear and wonderful woman who... well... She commits to everything, and follows through with nothing.
I have been invited over to her house at least 6 times in the past year and she has canceled each one. She drug me to church to join a small group, and then 3 months in to it, quit coming.
I personally don't mind a single one of these things, because I stopped holding much weight to her commitments, but then she made a commitment to my daughter. She said she would bring her girls over to swim with my daughter and backed out. In an attempt to comfort my daughters sadness and dissappointment, I explained to her that Janet is not a good planner. She wants to do alot of things, but can't and then has to cancel.

So last night was Open house to the elementary school. I found a display of writings that the kids had done where each line started with:
I see...
I hear...
I pretend...
I think...
I understand...

Little P wrote "I understand that my mom's friend Janet is not a good planner"

I laughed to hard, I was in tears....

Fugative has been apprehended

We caught Speedo. He was behind the piano... he dodged, and hid and made a break for it, hid in my closet, but we had him cornered... He is now behind bars.

In other news...

Being the first day of school yesterday, I had a boat load of paper work to fill out last night... you know the same ole, same ole, emergency contacts, understanding of school policy's... and lastly the reduced or free lunch form... I have never in the past even glanced at this form, but last night I did...

We Qualify! You know, I thought we were doing ok, I mean we have cut out expenses to the bare bones, and we are making ends meet... We have been fine... Not vacationing anytime soon, but grocery shopping consists of more than ramen noodles... So we are good, right?

We qualify for reduced lunch... I. can. not. believe. it.

I don't feel poverty level... I was even disillusioned to think I was "middle class" lol...
Guess not.

First day of School

I really thought Iwas an old pro at the "first day of school" thing. We purged bedrooms, extracted old clothes that didn't fit or weren't cool anymore... We rearrainged bedrooms to symbloize the fresh new start of the new year. We laid out our new outfit, stuffed our new backpacks with our sharpened pencils, and new binders.

We got dressed, I asked for a couple pictures, Little P happily obliged, Preteen A rolled her eyes. I told her the pictures would go on facebook, she she'd better look normal.

So I asked my new middle schooler (preteen A) do you want me to drive you on the first day or do you want to take the bus? I don't care, was her response... "I don't care" in preteen means, I want to do the uncool choice, but PLEASE don't make me admit it.

Elementary school starts first so off we went... My little P is about an inch and a half shorter than her teacher... Preteen's old teacher asked me if I was "ok"... yea? I'm thinking, why wouldn't I be? First day of school... psssht, that's old hat.

Off we trek to the middle school... we pull up to this HUGE school, I am totally cool... we say our goodbyes, she gets out of the car and starts heading up the grand staircase to the front doors...

As I pull away I glance back... (don't glance back!) and what do you know... I'm stinking crying!

Good Grief. I really had no idea that 'd cry, really. I can NOT even image what High school or (gasp) college will bring... basically a basket case for a mother.

Fugitive among us...

This past spring Little P's hamster Smoky passed and some how that resulted in acquiring a gerbil named Mike and a Robo Mini Hamster very appropriately named "Speedo" for Preteen A. Last night as I was settling everyone down for bed preteen A comes to me and says "I need your help".
Now in case you have young children, or all your children have grown then you don't necessarily realize that preteens, teens or young adults know everything there is to know and no longer need the assistance of parents.
I am trying to look calm because I know for her to actually ASK for help means that she has tried everything known to man prior to asking... I carefully walk in to her room, apprehensive of what I might find... and then I see it...

An EMPTY hamster cage

The Robo Mini has escaped, he is very fast, and only 2 inches long... We have no idea how he got out, where he could be or if he is even still alive... I told preteen A that we would have to put food out and hope we see him come to it and catch him... Before the dog finds him!
So last night hubby got up around 3:30 am and had to, uh... tinkle. As he was standing in our bathroom, Speedo ran between his feet. Being in mid-stream, hubby was unable to capture the fugitive, but we have at least had a sighting... He is alive, and in the house...

There is a apb out with his description...
Brown Hair
2 in long
3 oz
Very athletic
will not answer to the name Speedo...

Watch for him on America's Most Wanted... if you see him, you can leave a message here on the tip line.

Book Report - The noticer

Title - The Noticer

Author - Andy Andrews


Description: Poverty. A failing marriage. Old age. Lost Dreams. A failing business. An unsure future. To the residents of Orange Beach, Alabama, these desperations are dead ends. Hopeless, barren places with no chance to change.
But an old drifter named Jones with a gift for seeing what others miss, there is no such thing as a dead end. It only takes a little "perspective" he says, to recognize the miracles in our moments, the seeds of greatness tucked in our struggles.
As Jones mysteriously makes his way through this coastal town and into the searching hearts of its residents, he offers simple wisdom and sound hope.
"My contention is that you are right where you are supposed to be. This may look like barren sand to you, but nothing could be further from the truth. I say to you as you lay your head down tonight, you are sleeping on fertile ground. THINK, LEARN, PRAY, PLAN, DREAM. For soon you will become."

My thoughts: This was one of those books that didn't just entertain me. It touched me. Do you ever look are a situation from the outside and the solution seems SO obvious, but when you are among the situation you can't see anything clearly? This is the "perspective" that Jones gives people. One thing in this book that really spoke to me was, it said we often judge ourselves by our intentions, but others by their actions. I intended to take a friend dinner after her surgery, and I intended to write a thank you note, and I intended to visit a lonely neighbor. After all my intentions, It's amazing I have a moment left to my family in any given day. But I never did any of them... So then all my friends sees after her surgery is that no one cared or bothered to bring by a meal for her family while she recovered, or the lonely neighbor is once again reassured that she has no value or purpose for someone to give her a few moments of time. I think "It's the thought that counts" only counts when you have taken action, that didn't maybe turn out as good as you planned. The thought only would have counted if I HAD taken my friend dinner, only to find out that they couldn't eat specifically what I sent. It's the thought that counts of the thank you card came a little later than it should have. It's the thought that counts, if I can only visit for 20 minutes, because 20 is better than nothing at all.
If you life is a mess, it is only a mess up until this very moment. You can change, Right now. Change doesn't take time, it can happen in an instant... what will take time is your reputation and people's opinions of you. You can tell people that you are different all you want, but they will need to SEE the change in you.

ok I could go on and on because I really liked this book, so I will stop before I give everything away... Go get this book now, I promise you will not be disappointed.

Snail Mail and of course Poison Ivy

Today I brought my 11yrs old daughter with me to work... She is keeping busy with and NCIS marathon on, but I thought I woudl give her a little task to break up the day.
Prepare envelopes.
No biggie, right? She's 11, and a half, going in to middle school and a straight A student.
She returned a little while later... with the return address stamped next to the lines in the upper left hand corner, the TO: address directly under where the retuen should be... the postage was the only thing properly placed...
She was never taught how to address an envelope! Never! Can you believe this? She says she learned how to properly write a letter... and then what? E-mail it? Obviously we are in a new day and age...
I love NOTHING more than to recieve snail mail... (that isn't a bill or junk)
In fact... I just may sit down and pen some snail mail letters to some friends... That is what you find a box of in your grandma's attic... old letters from thier friends and loves... what are our grandkids gonna find? printed off e-mails? My blog??? yuk. They should be able to see my hand writing.


I think I could write a whole seperate blog about poison ivy... My Little P has it right now, and she cried out to me this morning that it was "sobbing" and "leeping" she's just so close to the right word... seeping... yet so far away.

What I did on my Summer Vacation...

My babies left June 4th with my mom to Florida looking like this:

When I got them back 2 months later... they looked like this:

ok so maybe I am exaggerating a little... Gosh I have missed them...

So hubby and I hiked the smokey mountains... two trails Abrhams's falls and Rainbow falls...

I got poison ivy (yes AGAIN) I'll spare you the pictures...

we went boating/fishing

We swam... (I'll spare me that embarrassing picture)

Then Aunt Jenn and I took the girls to their very first concert ever. The Jonas Brothers.

It was a fun filled summer, I am glad to have my family back home and for things to settle down and get back to normal...

Blogger post 100

Since I have had some complaints from my trusty faithful readers about my lack of posting and the fact that I have lots of one line ideas...

This will be a 100 things on my mind right now.


1 - I hope this doesn't end up sucking

2 - Where is the line between normal teen angst and an actual problem?

3 - Why does this have to rear it's ugly head at the MIL's house?

4 - I am having jealousy issues.

5 - I wish I spent more time reading the bible.

6 - There is a weird sounding bird outside but I am half afraid to go see what it is.

7 - Because I saw a coyote a couple days ago.

8 - Ok, I can't stand it, I'm going to go look.

9 - Gone

10 - yummm coffeeeeeee

11 - You know I was actually starting to feel bad for preteen A. Like maybe I over reacted... Pish, not any more.

12 - Did I do something wrong? Probably, whatever.

13 - Why does no one seem to care that my brother has no faith and my sister jumps from any anti-christian faith every couple years, but when I decided to get baptized... they were offended?

14 - Can you divorce your family at 34 yrs old? Hire a new one?

15 - Wow only number 15? hmmm this may be "20 things on my mind"

16 - I am jealous that my friend is pregnant

17 - Do I want a baby? Hahahah that's the million dollar question.

18 - If I could answer that for my self, I wouldn't be so jealous, I think.

19 - I figure I have 10 months to decide... I think at 35 yrs... no more babies.

20 - Why is some people can crap in a bag and have everyone declare potpourri?

21 - I have a love/hate relationship with facebook. I love it and hate the fact that it is such a time sucker.

22 - ok back to preteen again, she told Grandma that she likes evil. MIL want to take her to counseling.

23 - Hubby agrees, I agree but would rather the counseling be here...I mean 2-3 sessions, it's not gonna do anything.

24 - How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

25 - I can't decide if this is entertaining or stupid????

26 - I KNOW I had a 100 thoughts running through my head last night... what were they?

27 - Sister in law invited Scott and I to go on vacation with them... LOL

28 - Why is that so funny? Oh because hubby is being laid off for 3 months... yeah.

29 - She said it won't be that much, we have a time share... Whatever...

30 - Speaking of too much, why do those curved shower curtain rods cost 40 dollars! It doesn't matter where I go... they all cost 40 bucks.

31 - My garden is doing AWESOME... I have a million tomatoes and cucumbers... the banana peppers are coming out... SO cool.

32 - I wish I could afford to get a facial... my face looks so old for some reason.

33 - How much gray hair is "normal" for someone my age?

34 - Is it weird that I don't want to color my hair? I guess that means I don't have a lot yet.

35 - I need to clean Mike and Speedo's cage (gerbil and hamster) whew do they stink.

36 - Hubby's BFF gave him a drum set... does that mean he doesn't like me? lol j/k

37 - Hubby want to be a one man band... not really but he want to play piano guitar and drums.

38 - I put away roughly 800 files over the past 2 days and my hands are riddled with paper cuts and they hurt.

39 - I refuse to shop at Lowes... only Home Depot for me.

40 - I need to change the sheet on my bed.

41 - I made the baby deadline of 35, that means I could also change that deadline.

42 - Please, life isn't gonna stabilize before then, who am i kidding... No more babies I guess.

43 - Maybe that realization is what is making me tear up at the very moment.

44 - Or more so that I'm losing her

45 - Ummmm coffeeeeeeeeeeee

46 - I wish we were busy enough at work for me to be full time. Oh and maybe a raise? that would be nice! It's hard to ask for a raise when you know financially they can't afford it, whether you deserve it or not.

47 - Recently, my hubby has BO when he comes home from work... I know, I am SO spoiled... he usually never smells.... even when he is sweaty.

48 - He also hasn't been doing much around the house, which is starting to get on my nerves a little.

49 - I don't expect him to take on any chores, but he could just clean up after himself, right?

50 - Woo hoo half way.... anyone still reading? anyone? hello?

51 - I know none of this is life altering... I could stew on the baby idea and preteen and frustration all day.

52 - Frustration? oh in people that are disgruntled with their employment, when I am SO grateful to have any at all.

53 - I'm jealous over other people financial stability. There I said it. I'm not proud.

54 - It not having what you want, it wanting what you got....

55 - I think I need to say some prayers...

56 - And why haven't I prayed for Preteen? Geesh, I can be such a schmuck sometimes.

57 - My spiritual love tank is empty... I need to do something for someone else and get over my pity party.

58 - I miss my kids... 4 weeks they've been gone.

59 - I can feel the sadness rolling in...

60 - I wish I were stronger, physically.

61 - It's a good thing I don't have credit cards... Retail therapy sounds SO appealing... but my pockets are empty... Dollar tree retail therapy just doesn't cut it.


62 - I wore my birthday shoes today... even put on a little blush in hopes that I could trick myself in to feeling better.


63 - It's not working, in fact I and in a constant state of keeping the tears from rolling.


64 - I am unmotivated right now


65 - Actually all I really want to do is go home and clean the house from top to bottom... it's my therapy


66 - I really love the smell of Murphy's Oil soap.


67 - I have writer's block - again...


68 - I am fearful that without my kids being here... I am extremely dull.


69 - haha 69 :-)


70 - I could use a great fart joke right now...


71 - Dang it, stupid pen leaked... I hate this stupid pen. GRRRRRrrrrrr


72 - Seriously new renter lady... if you call me again I personally will put you out on the curb.


73 - Ahhhh some background music...


74 - Counseling... Geesh... she's only 11.


75 - I really should be working


76 - Dang I REALLY would love a smoke right now


77 - It's been 11 months since my last cigarette, yea me!


78 - Did you know I have never ever eaten a twinkie... I wonder if they are any good?


79 - I have never broken a bone (knock on wood)


80 - I think it's funny that I am 5'9" and my momma is 5'3" I rest my chin on the top of her head.


81 - I've read "What to expect when your expecting, what to expect the first year and what to expect the toddler years... Where is What to expect the teen years???? Huh? This is when I need a stinking book!


82 - I think my husband is totally hot. Seriously, Way sexier even than when we married!


83 - I used to think I had my teen angst episodes because my parents divorced, remarried, widowed... I guess I would have gone through it no matter what, huh?


84 - I CAN NOT WAIT to get paid tomorrow... man I have some bills chained to my ankle... or so it feels.


85 - Yawn...


86 - I bleached my mustache last night, and waxed the top of my feet... I wasn't embarrassed that i had hair on the top of them until someone made fun of me...


87 - I would love to spent the day on a beach right now


88 - I want to snuggle my little P

89 - Actually I could really use a long hug... although the poor sap that falls for that is gonna get a wet sleave.

90 - I would REALLY like to EAT all my emotions right now

91 - Oh no... You've got to be kidding... My right kidney hurts.

92 - Cuz that's what I need, a kidney stone to take a journey...

93 - I told MIL no to counseling... now I gotta tell hubby

94 - Damn my kidney hurts.. SHIT.

95 - Can I go home and crawl into bed now?

96 - Wearing my birthday shoes did NOT work at all...

97 - Uh, dang it only 3 more stupid thoughts... this was hard!

98 - Oh hey, 97 was the year my preteen was born...

99 - I think I might throw up.

100 - Scary huh? looking into my brain...

Week two: With out children

I have resumed some normalacy since the poison ivy completely overtook my body. I am still on steriods, and don't have a mustache yet. At least no more than I already had.

Friday night hubby and I went to The World's Fair Park... for you non-Tennessee'ians... Do you remember the Simpson episode when Bart and Milhouse stole Homers car... they found a flyer for the World's Fair only it was from 1982??? Well the Sun- o- Sphere is still there, there is an observation deck, a bar and a couple businesses... So as theTennessee citizens we are we did our duty and went up to the observation deck... Boring.

We then took off and went to Bass Pro Shops...lol.. spent at LEAST 2 hours there and then promptly the next day... we took the boat out fishing. It was WONDERFUL... we put the boat in the water and decided to go a different direction and under a bridge... and then we found another bridge which opened up to this large secluded lake. We were the only ones there...We fished for 5 hours, caught a dozen fish betweeen the two of us and a WICKED sunburn on our backs. Now before ya all start lecturing... We applied new suscreen spf 30 twice! It's just our backs, and it is obvious where the sunscreen was applied and where we missed...

I have some pictures of the events that I just mentioned, but... I know... BUT they are in the camera that is in my hubby's truck that is in the gated parking lot of his work.

PS: This was post 99, so I guess that means the next one better be good, huh? The big 1-0-0... I'll post pictures... promise!

All Happiness and no Drama makes Lucky a Dull girl

I am starting to understand why some of the most talented artist, and musicians are the most mentally disturbed. Why? Well my kids are in Florida with O'ma (my mom) there are actually a few extra coins in the bank, my florida house still has a contract one it and may sell, the poison ivy is drying up, the house is clean because there are no kids to destroy it... and what does all that mean for you my readers? I have no drama requiring my sarcasm to get me through it.

Nothing.

Nada.

I would love to throw out there my sarcastic wit on some sort of topic... tell a inspiring story. Heck I can't even seem to finish reading this book I've had for...3 weeks... The last book to take me more than 5 days to read was "What to expect when your expecting" I just can't get into it.

Oh wait, I got something for ya! The first weekend the kids left, and the day before I covered my body in poison ivy, Hubby and I went hiking in Cade's Cove, an old farming village in the Great Smoky Mountains... at the end of the 2.5 mile trail was a waterfall... It was called Abrahm's Falls.

The man that took this picture for us was later seen crashed into the side of a mountain with his big ole truck... he was struggling with the hike and we think he may have had a heart attack!

So... any suggestions? Questions you like to ask, topic you'd like me to expand on? Help me out here...

O-tastic

If you've been following for a while you would know that I am a bit of a Poison Ivy connoisseur. You'd like to think that I'm immure to the stuff oh yea... Oh sorry, I broke out in song there for a moment. I have had poison ivy on several separate occasions since moving to Tennessee. I have tried about 30 different treatments some over the counter and prescription but nothing, and I mean NOTHING takes the itch away like hot hot water. I had learned that what happens when you apply the hottest water you can take to the poison ivy, your body releases all the histamine in your body in one swooping moment. Itching releases histamine, which feels good and makes you want to itch more. Benadryl is an ANTI-histamine which attempt to prevent the urge to itch... For me, it just knocks me unconscious for a while. So back to the swooping release of histamine. I have found it makes my entire body feel good. For instance, if I an running the hot water on my arm, I can feel the sensation all the way to my toes and even get light headed... and I just when I think I make actually have an "O-tastic" happy ending (wink wink) it burns. No happy ending there, but since all the histamine has been released there is none left in you body and it takes about 4-5 hours for you to create more and get that itching urge again.
I DO NOT reccomend this as an alternative to acheiving climatic results... Because there is not result... you just wind up and stop.
I have shared this sensation with my Hubby and he concurs the sensation. He also said, not to hang on because as soon as it starts to burn, the happy ending is no longer an option.

Alright Fine.

I admit it.

I'm Pissed!

My Mother bought my eleven yr old, lip peircing, lying, wanna be goth daughter black converse that go all the way to the knee.

I would never have bought those for her, I don't think I am going to allow her to wear them to school and now my mom had CREATED a fight for me. How about, "Gee Preteen A, I don't think your mom would allow her preteen to wear something like that, how about we find something a little more age appropiate" But NO....

Thanks mom for helping to drive that looming wedge between me and my daughter just a little farther.

80's hair anyone?

I have a couple things on my mind...

First, I would like to know how to spend 2 minutes on my hair and have it look as though it was professionally styled, or that I just naturally have FAB-U-LOUS hair.

Second, it there ANY way possible to have naturally curly hair AND bangs and not (let me emphasis NOT) look like and 80's hair band rock star?

:-( I hate my hair right now...

I don't need a haircut, I need a hair STYLE... I even dreamt about my old stlyist who I think lives in California now... and I begged him to help me (my hair at least)

I have a confession...

I peeked.

I wish I could say I was sorry, but I'm not.

Hubby caught me peeking and said "It was a violation of her privacy" but really, when your eleven year old pierces her lip with a thumb tack, doesn't she then forfeit her rights to privacy? I am thinking YES.

So I saw peeking out of one of her binders a piece of paper that read...

What I've learned... Age 11

I knew I had to get back to it and read the rest, so once she left the binder in the living room (I didn't even have to go in her room) and went off swimming... I snagged it and read...

I've learned that parents NEVER LEAVE YOU ALONE!
I've learned that parents don't want their kids to be Goth or Emo.
I've learned that boys get into a lot of trouble.
I've learned that lying is a lot harder than I thought.

That last lesson is a tough one for anyone to learn!

So Friday, the kids go to florida with O'ma and it will just me hubby and me for almost 2 months... One of two things will happen either

1 - I will resume blogging with a vengeance. or
2 - My kids are the source of my blogging and i will have NOTHING to write about at all...

I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Happy 14 yr anniversary

I married my best friend today, 14 years ago only at the time I had no idea how much more I could come to love him. It's the same as having a BFF is school and as you grow and mature, that friendship, which was as strong as possible then, doesn't even compare to now.

Did that make any sense?

Wanna see some pictures?

I don't have a scanner, so I took a picture of a picture... All I have to say is... Who would let those CHILDREN get married?

Hubby - Anywhere next to you, is exactly where I belong. Love you. ~a truely Lucky Wife

Am I OCD or just a snot?

Before I elaborate on my title, let me just say Preteen A got a nice big tetanus shot yesterday and additional lectures from the doctor. Grandma (MIL) thinks it "wasn't her idea" and we are being too hard on her... I should mention the bridge analogy to Grandma. Grandma also doesn't know all the stunts she has pulled in the past month or so. Grandma also doesn't know that she looked up on the internet how to do it. Grandma needs to butt out. I still don't think we are being hard enough. Kinda want to make an example out of this...

So back to my title... in my cupboard I have from left to right:
Glasses - Plastic tumblers - Mugs - Kid cups

Everyday, this set up never changes, they go in their rightful spot, they come out of their rightful spot. My kids understand this concept. So why I ask, when MIL decides to unload the dishwasher, are they all crammed in every which way, in no order, stacked all over each other?

So last night when I went to get a glass from the cupboard, and they were all askew, I didn't even care who was watching, I fixed them. Put them all away in their rightful place.
So my question... Am I OCD, or just irritated with my MIL?