Back to Normal?

Last week was totally crazy and out of control. Too much to do and too little time. Why do I do this to myself every year? It's not like the date of Christmas changes and sneaks up on me every year!

Well, wrecking my truck on Tuesday certainly did not help things along, but that is a mishap of life. The adjuster is supposed to look at it tomorrow.

So hear it is Wednesday already and I am feeling like it is Monday. I am working the temp job at DePuy the rest of this week. It was a great job to get me back into the routine and all of that but this week is not going to be fun. More than half of the staff has taken this week off for vacation and very few people are going to be calling in, the time is going to drag by.

I am taking my puzzle book and my appraising quick study book with me. I am actually going to try to study as much as I can from the Appraisal Standards this week since it is the first course I have to take. Next week I work all week at my mom's and I am really excited to finally settle into a normal routine. I love everything I have learned so far. I love the appraising job so much I actually went in and did info pages on three reports and all the research for two reports yesterday after everything quieted down!

Well I need to go get ready to head to town! I am so excited to get to have a salad for lunch today~

Merry Christmas Eve

So here it is, 5:30 Christmas Eve morning. I zonked out around midnight and am starting again this morning, I have been up for about an hour now wrapping presents. Man the money just didn't go as far this year. I always fret and worry at this point every year that good enough just isn't good enough.....but by the end of the day tomorrow, as the kids go thru their stacks of stuff they won't even remember who got them what.

However, I really did scale back this year. And I also am realizing that Christmases are going to start changing drastically, so I am absorbing as much quality time as I can with the kids now. My oldest one wants to graduate early next year and then head off to college. I need to grab all of the time I can get now.

I blogged last week about our date night. We had a great time. We have had a couple of baking nights and this year we did all of the decorating together. Last night we drove into town, got some hot chocolate and drove around and looked at Christmas displays. There is a house in Winona Lake that the lights are synchronized to music so we looked at that for quite a while. Of course for the boys, I had to top off their night with a stop at McDonald's for a "snack". I really am trying to absorb as much time with these kids as I can.

Tonight the family is coming to our house for dinner so I have been busy preparing for that, today will be one long day. I already have my bottle of Asti chilling for as soon as my parents leave tonight! I am 43 years old and still won't drink in front of my parents, but then again, neither will my sister!

Here's to wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas with peace, joy and comfort filling your days!

Merry Christmas from the Cats

Grrrrr

Well apparently I am not the only person who chose yesterday to wreck a vehicle. It's 9:30 and I am still waiting on a rental car. My insurance company has only approved one place for me to get a car and they don't have any available yet. They "might" have a minivan soon that rents higher than what I am allotted on my policy, but they are going to eat the difference if they can get it plated today.

I don't mean to offend anyone, but I am NOT the mom mobile type. I have always had cars and suv's and granted I was not happy with my last (wrecked) vehicle, it was still a small suv and not a mom mobile. This is going to be very interesting.

Christmas Eve Dinner

As it turns out, Scrooge (my ex) had a change of heart and is letting me have the kids for Christmas Eve and morning. I honestly think its because that way the visitation will jive with his girlfriend's son and they will have all the kids at the same time. I don't care what the reason is, I am just glad he agreed.

Now, I am faced with cooking a family meal on Christmas Eve. I haven't done that in such a long time..... I think I am going to bake a ham, scalloped potatoes, apple salad, corn bread, relish tray, salad, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, appetizers, and of course the Christmas cookies and desserts. Its been a really long time since I have done all of this, so I hope I can pull it all together.

I have shopping to finish, I have only bought four presents, so I guess I have to kick it into high gear now....looks like its going to be a busy week.

One step forward, two steps back....

I was really loving this recent snow. So pretty and so much of it, it really helped to get me in the Christmas spirit. Things have been going along really smoothly and falling into place so that it all seemed good. Til today.

School got cancelled again. The kids were fussing and calling me at work so I came home for lunch. I was on my way back to the office, (I work for my mom, less than a mile from my house), and I lost control on the road that goes back to my subdivision and I ended up doing a 360 and hitting a tree. I have a few bruises and had some glass in my hands from the shattered window on the passenger side.....but I am fine. I am waiting for word on my truck - wannabe truck that is - to see how much damage or if I have finally totalled it. The poor little thing has been through so much and has 170k miles on it so I am guessing its close if its totalled or not. Sigh.

No one was hurt so that is all that really matters.

Christmas Shopping

I am having a really hard time doing my Christmas shopping this year. I just can't quite figure out what to get everyone and I am waiting on my best friend to uphold our Christmas tradition of shopping together one night and stopping for a drink here and there in the process.

Meanwhile, I got a bit sidetracked and started looking at furniture. I have wanted a comfy, snuggly couch for quite sometime now. Well I found one and ran back and forth between 3 stores until I got them at their lowest price and then I went back to the store I really wanted to do business with and showed them the lowest quote and said I really wanted to do business with them. They met the price and I ordered a new sectional sofa, it will be here in 2-3 weeks.

I have a date Friday night!!!!!

It's been such a long time since I have had a date. In fact, its been since Labor Day weekend when I spent time with a very special someone.

But this is different. This is not your ordinary date. This one is really special. Tomorrow night, all three of my kids, even my 16 yr old daughter, have cleared their calendar for dear old Mom!!!! We are going to go see the new chipmunk movie and then after that dinner, probably at Mickey D's - but that's ok, and then we are going to Somethin' Funn so they can race go karts and play laser tag. I am so excited that all three could "pencil me in" on the same day at the same time!

A forever problem

Divorce. A solution to a lot of very real problems. And yet the source of many more problems, forever problems. Maybe not so much if the couple never had children. But if you had children, even though you have eliminated your spouse from your life, the spouse is still there in the lives of your children and mucking up things every chance they can.

When the divorce was finalized, it was strongly suggested that we adhere to the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines. Before that we had a system worked out that worked quite well. We talked things through and worked with each other with the thought of what was best for the kids. No matter what things come up and you just need to deviate from the guidelines.

Two years ago the kids and I had moved into our new home. I talked my ex into letting me have the kids (boys), keep in mind he doesn't see our daughter, for Christmas Eve and morning. Last year he moved into his home and he had the boys with him for Christmas Eve and morning. I realize, according to the guidelines, its his year to have them again.....but since we have been flip-flopping I called him today and asked if I could have them this year. Remember, since he doesn't see our daughter anymore, he separates the kids on Christmas Eve and morning when he has them.....:( Well anyhow, in the course of the conversation he had to be his usual azzhole self.....sigh......It ended with him needing to sleep on it and think about it and he will call me tomorrow. I hate this stuff so much.

Well lets all just say a prayer tonight that he can dig down deep inside of his selfish little soul and find some Christmas spirit.

Still alive and kicking

I am back and alive and well. I have been laying low for awhile, reflecting and recollecting and getting back on track.

I had some tests done at the hospital today and it appears that I am doing fine after my surgeries in the past year. I still have a large abdominal mass that we are hoping will go away in time, for now its just embarassing and uncomfortable. But otherwise all is well.

I have been working as a full time temp at a local orthopaedic company, but now I am just part time with a day or two here and there as needed. Its good, the job came at the right time to get me back out in the world where I needed to be.

Another opportunity has come to me to join the family business. It is real estate related and something I tried over 20 years ago that just didn't work for me. Sometimes opportunity knocks twice, and it did for me. I am working with my mother and sister and learning the biz. Its a slow market right now, with enough biz to keep us busy, and allow me to get the training, schooling and licenses that I need in order to be at the right place at the right time. This time around, I am truly enjoying the work and I "get it" - 20 years ago when i was "young, dumb and stupid" it just wasn't for me. Amazing, sometimes we do grow up!

The kids are good, the cat and kittens are good, the house is decorated for Christmas and yes I said CHRISTMAS and not Holidays.....however, the shopping? I haven't started! All is well and normal here. And how are you?

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