Bye 2009, Hi 2010

Goodbye to 2009. This has been a rough year for everyone and I have had several ups and downs this past year.  Here's a brief rundown  of my year. Randy and I fighting a lot and trying to work things out. ( Definatly Improving). Our fighting still happens as it would in any marriage and some of you have read my complaints and actions that caused the problems,  We renewed our vows in May. Got a new place to live. I finally found a job after a year of not working. I quit counseling ( but reconsidering that one). I found out this past summer that I have a heel spur that has grown more and still waiting to get it fixed. I'm learning more about my anger issues and my depression (which I refuse to take meds for).   I was made a member of my church this year. I have negleted my blogging but I'm slowly making a comeback.
  The kids have made wonderful progress this year in all aspects.  (still working on the chores issue) but doing great in school. I'm ready for a new year and hopefully more progress in the right direction. I would love to quit smoking sometime in the new year and to be  healthier mentally and physically and emotionally.  I hope we all see improvement in the economy and in the  market for jobs.  I wish you all a Happy and healthy New Year! Be Safe!

Wonderful Christmas Eve Surprise

After working an 8 hour shift I left  work went home already exhausted to pick up the kids  to go to Christmas Eve Service at our church. When we got there we talked to a few people just before services began and one of  our fellow friends brought us 3 bags wrapped up and said these were sitting on the bench in the library for you. We said Thank you of course and when we read the tags on the bags one said to Gage from Santa, To Faith from Santa Claus and to Randy and Michelle from S. Claus. We were stunned to say the least. I did fill my heart warm over such generosity and I felt the love that went into this wonderful surprise. (It made my having to go back to work for 2 more hours just a little more bearable). Here are pics of what we all received in the bags.

This was Faith's Bag of goodies.

This was Gage's Bag of goodies.

Randy's & My Bag of goodies.

I have never felt so blessed as I do with all of my blogging friends, online friends , family and church.  I hope you all had a safe and wonderful holiday and all my best for you in the new year.

Merry Christmas

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I have to work both days but we will get to have a small quick Christmas with some relatives.

My goodwill find

I have been looking for a new skirt for awhile. I could never find what I like or what I liked wasn't in my size. One day I decided to go to goodwill with my son to look for him a coat for winter. He finally found something he liked for around $6.00. We walked around just to look real quick ( I had to be at work soon). I wanted to see if they had couches in so I could price them. On our way to that section of the store I found a pretty skirt that caught my attention. Not expecting it to be in my size I went ahead and looked at it and it was in my size. I was so excited and it cost $5.00. Here is a picture of the skirt.

The skirt fit me perfect and it is so comfortable.

Happy Belated Birthday Mom

Happy Belated 58th Birthday Mom. I avoided writing this post yesterday on your actual birthday because it was to difficult for me to do. I'm dealing slowly with your death and hopefully I will find the final closure I need. I have accepted that you are gone but that doesn't make it any easier. You died way too soon and way to young. Somehow I know your still with me in spirit, I swear sometimes I feel you and dad giving me hugs. I just wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday and say I miss you so very much.

Here are a couple of photo's of my mom some you may have seen, hopefully a couple you haven't.

New Buttons on my Sidebar

Checkout the new buttons on my sidebar. They will take you to a page for links to tributes I wrote for my parents and to the recipes I have posted.

Christmas in the Park

Every year our city sponsors Christmas in the Park. This is where different organizations like schools, boy and girl scouts, and other groups enter a contest decorating the shelters for Christmas. Every year I take the kids to see the lights and we decide what one we like the best. I took a few pictures but most didn't come out right :( (I think I need a new camera). The park department will set up a little house for kids to see Santa (Faith's favorite part) and this year they added carriage rides around the park and train rides. Here are a couple of pictures I got.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (This was one of our Favorites)

This is one that plays to music. Sorry it's so blurry but my other pics looked worse.

Faith visiting the Park Santa. My pic was blurry so I paid for a copy from them.

Foggy Morning

A couple of weeks ago I got up early to keep the car and it was so foggy. I took these pictures on my way back home. I had to stop at a gas Station to get a couple of shots. I know the fog could have been worse but this is the worst I had seen here for a long time and some of this had settled before I got the pictures taken.

Update on the kitties

Our new additions to the family are doing great. Both of them are getting along well and the youngest is finally playing and not hiding so much. But today I'm preety sure we may have to change Anastasia's (Annie) to Alex lol! I think she's a boy it's still kind of hard to tell. Oh well! We'll love him just the same.

Do You Remember....

Do you remember.... wait a minute this will prove I was an 80's child lol. anyway Do you remember the commericals for the Dominos NOID. For some reason this hit me so I thought I would post it. My parents gave me a huge stuffed NOID when I was younger. It was one of my favorite toys LOL! For those of you who don't remember here is a youtube clip.

*Don't forget to turn off my music player to hear the commercial*


These old commercials use to make me laugh. Here's is actually the reason I remembered these commercials Family Guy used the NOID in one episode. Here is the clip for that.



I'm not saying I agree with Family Guys version but it did remind me of the old vintage commercials.

Need to get some thoughts off my mind

I've been plagued by some thoughts lately that I think I need to blog about to get it off my mind. First I want to say I am grateful for our new home and we love it. Secondly I am grateful I have a job now (even if its at a gas station) but I am not grateful for hardly ever seeing my family because of it. I close practically okay mostly every night. Randy works days and when he gets off work I go in. I'm usually going to work before our son ever gets home from school. By the time I get home they are in bed. We never get to spend time together as a family. Not by my definition. Randy and I don't get to go on dates because I work every weekend and by the time I get home I'm too tired to care I just want sleep and to relax my feet (which I have had to see a Dr for multiple times now). The time I do get I have to spend running errands and cleaning.

Granted one benefit is very little daycare but Randy and I have never gotten along or tend to fight more because we never really see each other. I was told when I got the job I would close 2 nights max but it is all the time now this is ridiculous. Is it too much to ask to want to spend time with your family? Maybe I'm being selfish.

All of us at work were already told that we have to work Christmas Day . It's hard telling what shift I'll get. If it s anything like Thanksgiving Day it will suck. I closed the night before and then had to make a couple of things before I went to bed to be at work the next morning at 9 till 2. I then came home and had to finish making and baking Thanksgiving Dinner. I then closed the next 2 nights and opened on Sunday. Needless to say I was extremely tired. So I doubt I will see much family this year on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. So how am I supposed to get into the holiday spirit. Its already tough to get into the spirit without both of my parents here. I guess I will have to figure out a way to make Jesus' birthday special for the kids somehow. I don't know how yet, They won't get much and I know it isn't about that but I want it to be special in some way.

I guess deep down I feel like I have abandoned the family to a point. I'm use to working days not all evenings I enjoy being with my family and I would like to have some time with them. And I liked it when Randy and I could go on a date but now I don't foresee that anytime soon. Hopefully things will change but I highly doubt it right now.

Feedback wanted.

I have been gone for so long I 'm not real sure what to post about anymore. I've considered redoing my blog or just leaving it the way it is. I know I have lost most of my readers and that is my fault. I still have somewhat writer's block but I do want to come back to all of my faithful readers and friends. I'm just not sure what to write about. I am open to feedback . Do you think I should still keep my blog the way it is or change it up some? I'm just curious to see what you all have to say.