I know I’m gonna catch hell for speaking my mind once again, but that’s never stopped me before. I’m just gonna say what I’ve gotta say before my head explodes.

For months now I've been hearing a lot of folks whining & complaining about how Obama has been handling things. People seem to have forgotten that it took the Bush Administration 8 years (6 of them with a Republican-led Congress) to get us into this mess. They got us into the Iraq War based on greed and a bunch of lies and will have cost the taxpayers $687 Billion by the end of September*. This is money that would have been better spent here in the States. They gave the public the McCain/Palin ticket so that they wouldn't have to clean up the mess they knew was coming. (Who the hell is going to vote for an old guy with a bad ticker and a crazy woman?) Therefore the Republican Party couldn’t be blamed when things couldn’t be fixed in a hurry with a new administration.

The Obama administration doesn't have some sort of magic wand that is going to make everything better in a couple of months. It's not humanly possible. Obama has said from the get-go that it would take long hard work on everybody’s part to fix what’s been broken. He's only been in office for 7 months. Give the guy a break. His plate is pretty dang full right now.

The American people as a whole needs to take a step back, get over their narcissistic instant gratification fixation, and start trying to figure out on an individual level what they can do to make life better for themselves and those around them, not just expect it to be done for them.

Looking for a job? You may actually need to leave your house and apply in person, not online. Or go outside of your field of expertise. Or you may have to flip burgers for a while – a job is a job is a job! When you’re in need, no job should be beneath you. If you absolutely can’t find a job in your area, volunteer somewhere. There is always going to be someone out there that is in worse shape than you are. Help them out. Meanwhile, you’ll be meeting new people and you never know where a job opportunity will come from.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Karma can either be a wonderful thing or a total bitch. It all depends on how you play your own cards. And we, as a nation, will pull through this. We just have to stay strong, stay together, and help one another.

Nik

*Please note that I didn’t include the war in Afghanistan. I believe that to be a necessary war to find the bastards that hurt our people. Also note that I support and have the utmost respect for our men & women in uniform. Ultimately, they don’t have a choice where they are stationed or deployed. They go where their Commander in Chief tells them to go.

Wow! It's been a year since I posted last? Really? I am such a slacker!

Just to update since my last post (sorry, it's a bit non-linear):

~The yardwork continues. My front bed looks like a jungle. I hate bishop's weed with a passion. It's trying to choke out my good plants there. I lost two of the hydrangeas but all the others look great! We also added two additional veggie garden beds to the one I already had. I'll go into detail about what's planted this year in a separate post.

~Family-wise, Usher reunion is coming up in a couple of weeks. Not at all ready. Riggins reunion is cancelled after a medical issue. My aunt says it's time to pass the torch and I totally understand. Reunion planning is a pain in the heiney, although it's rewarding when it finally gets here. I wish I could take over but my hands are already full with the Usher one. Dad's doing well, thinking about buying a house. I probably haven't talked to Mom more than 5 times since she got back. I guess she's decided not to participate. I can't force her and I can't say that I really expected anything more. My oldest brother is now married, to a different gal, baby on the way, enough said. My youngest brother is getting married next month. I like his wife-to-be. Aaron, Connor, & Shawni are all standing in the wedding. My role is kid wrangler and emergency management. What can I say, I'm good at it! :^D

~Medical-wise, My original surgery date in Sept. was postponed because of kidney stones. There turned out to be a half-inch stone in my left kidney. It took 5 lithotripsies to kill the little sucker. I finally had my surgery in February and it was a bit more than I expected - rectocele/cystocele plus a hysterectomy. I wasn't expecting to bear any more kids. This just made it final. Recuperating took a long time, but I'm finally back to my normal active self. I would have posted during that time, but you guys don't need to read me whining, right?

~ We took our trip to Disney World in November with Dad & Kelsey. Kelsey had a couple of times where she missed her mom and that was expected. She was only 12 after all. But we got through it and had the best time! Connor got to hang with the Power Rangers. Kelsey got to watch street performances of High School Musical 3. And Shawni got to hug Mickey so many times that we lost count. We also got to see my cousin David and his wife DeeDee for a day while we were there. Never enough time for visiting. It was nice to see them.

~I'm going for my "Mommy Time Out" trip to Chicago in September. There's a big knitter's convention taking place. I'm going to take some classes, enjoy some Chicago cuisine, and shop till I drop. Well, as much as my budget will allow. :^P If you want to keep up with my crafty self, check out my other blog, Nemosyne Knits. I'll be getting that one updated soon as well.

Hello faithful readers! :^P"

It's been a busy few weeks. I did a bit of travelling, got over my insomnia, tore up some of my yard, did some crafty stuff, making plans, and getting news.

We went up to Oscoda, MI over the 4th of July weekend to visit family and some friends who came to town for the holiday. Aaron & I had a chance to do some canoeing. It was a lot of fun! We also took the kids to a couple of cookouts where they got to have s'mores. Talk about wired! We also got to watch fireworks out on the beach. It was so pretty to see all the fireworks going off all up and down the shoreline. Connor kept running down to the edge of the lake to get his feet wet, then running back to warm them up. Hehe... Shawni was perfectly content to stay bundled in my arms and watch the "pretties". Needless to say, with all that fresh air and activity, I was wiped out and slept like a baby the whole time there. YAY!

While we were up there I also had some time to work on my crafty stuff. For those that don't know, I knit hats for chemotherapy patients for KnitMichigan, an organization that supports Michigan cancer charities. I found out about this organization late last year, so was only able to knit a couple of hats by the time everyone got together to turn them in. This year my goal is 5 hats. Not too stressful and if I happen to make more, all the better! Anyway, I finished one up and started another while I was up north. I also had some time to do some spinning of my buffalo wool "treasure" as well. It looks so purty! I can't wait to start on Aaron's hat with it. I know... I'm a fiber geek too.

Before we left for our trip, I got a great deal on some bushes at Home Depot. I bought 10 hydrangeas and 2 dwarf lilacs. We finally got a chance to put them in the ground over the last couple of days and they are going to look great (if I don't say so myself)! I wanted to start building a hedgerow/flower bed across our front yard, both for setting a boundry for the kid's safety and for a little more curb appeal. The plan is to continue creating the flowerbeds around the bushes as time and money permit. One step at a time... Our veggie garden is doing great. I'm expecting many of my veggies to be ready soon. I can't wait!!!

I've been working with a couple of my cousins, getting this year's family reunion off the ground. (Hi Mar & Bill!!!) Things are finally coming together for that. I'm also organizing the picnic for my class reunion this year. 20 years! Can you believe it?!?! I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone and hope we can really keep in touch this time around, 'cause we ain't getting any younger!

My mom's moved back to MI from Reno. We have things to talk about, but I really hope she chooses to be part of my kids lives. They need their Gramma. My oldest brother is getting married. I wish him luck & happiness.

I finally have a date set for my surgery. September 22nd. I know that it's supposed to be a routine thing. I'm still scared to death. It's a major thing! They'll be knocking me out and tinkering with my insides. Enough to give anyone the heebie jeebies, I guess. I'm trusting to fate that things work out well. Things happen in their own way, in their own time, and for their own reasons. I'm just hoping that my children won't decide to use Momma for a trampoline while I'm recuperating for 6 weeks!

Bright side: With this date set, I'll have enough time to get better before we go to Disney at Thanksgiving!!! I'm really, really looking forward to this trip! My dad is flying my niece out and we're taking our kids for their first time. I'm also looking forward to seeing relatives while we're there. (Hi David & Aunt Myrna!(& Clay & Jake if they ever get their butts on here :^P"))

And I think that's enough for now. Don't you? I'll try to have pix up soon, so watch your bulletins and until then...

Peace & love, Baby!

Another night of insomnia... Yay.

It's 4:30 in the morning and I haven't been to sleep yet. I tried but after an hour of tossing and turning, I gave up. So I have a choice for in the morning: 1) ask Aaron to watch the kids while I get a little makeup sleep and not get much done all day or 2) I can get up with everyone else to try to get back on track but that comes with nausea and fuzzy-headedness that lasts all day and still not get much done. :^(

What really stinks about the whole deal is that I'm really very tired. It probably shows. I know that stress is my trigger and we're getting ready for some travel in the next couple of days. Not much I can do about it, unfortunately.

I guess I'll try to give Mr. Sandman another shot. He better whip out the good stuff this time around and knock my ass out.

And my week just keeps gettiing better and brighter!

I've made mention here before that I was hoping to get one of two tattoos I've been planning for the last 10 years on my upcoming trip to LA. However, I had been unable to contact the artist that I wanted to do the work and I had given up hope of getting any work done this trip.

The other day, I saw that Terry, a high school friend of mine, recently had some work done. I wrote to him and mentioned my predicament. He kindly recommended a couple of shops for me to check out.

One phone call later and I've found another artist who is quite skilled in Art Nouveau-style! YAAAAYYYYY!!! Now, I'll just need to give a call to the new shop once I get there to see when he'll have the time to take me during my stay. I am SOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!

Pardon if I have to stop once in a while. Shawni is all over me today. :D *Shawni break*

It's been a while since I've wrote. Well, since my hospital adventure anyway. Just to update, the stone is gone, the stent is out, I'm off the meds, and I'm feeling a million times better already. *Shawni break* I'm getting ready for my "Mommy Time Off" trip next week to L.A. so I'm trying to cram everything that I was supposed to do over the last month into this week. A bit frustrating at times, but fun too. *Shawni break x 2* I'm going to miss my family terribly while I'm gone, but Momma needs a break!

I recently had a couple of instances of being called a racist, a bitch, and priviliged. Those that know me in person know that I am not racist. The farthest thing from it, in fact. I have friends of all shape, size, color, & religion and I can talk freely to them about any of that subject matter. But for some reason, some folks have a real issue when a "white" person addresses a racial issue from the flip side of the coin or points out that a racial issue exists as it does in my neck of the woods. It seems to be fine if anyone else brings it up, but if you happen to be even part "European American" you are expected to keep your mouth shut and take what crap is shoveled at you. Oh, and for the record, yes, I'm a good portion EA but I'm also a good portion NA. Don't classify people purely on what is evident on the outside. You never know what their true heritage is.

Those that know me also know that I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut. That probably is where the charge of bitchiness comes in and it's probably well deserved. Actually, it's something I'm quite proud of because so much more damage comes in the long run when people DON'T speak up. I stand my ground when it's something that I feel strongly about. Sorry, it's a flaw (strength) in my system. I do know that I have to work on my delivery sometimes, but I do the best that I can with what I've got. It's all I can do. In the meanwhile, if what I say makes people think about things and make changes for the better, I can take a few emotional kicks to the groin.

And finally, about the whole being priviliged thing.... I'm not. It's called careful planning, scrimping, & saving. Having the foresight to do so allows us to take a vacation once in a while, purchase something nice once in a while, or to help friends and family when they truly need it. We're not rich, except for the love that we have in our home and for others. What more can a gal ask for?

I blame my friend, Neil. He jinxed me. :P"

I'm currently sitting in the emergency room, waiting to be seen for a kidney stone. I haven't had one of these in about 15 years. If you've never had one of these, know that my feeling is that birthing my 2 kids with no pain meds is practically a breeze in comparison painwise.

Aaron is amusing the kids as I write this. Connor hs been a total champ in helping me out when the pain hit me. He is so getting a trip to Toys R Us after this.

Gotta go. They're taking me back.

I have to ask... Why do schools have you sign kids up for kindergarten the spring before they actually go? Why not a month or so before they are actually crossing the threshold of the school? Really. This inquisitive parent would like to know.

I’m scrambling right now, trying to figure out what to do. Most of you already know that Connor is Gifted. At two years old, he brought me "Green Eggs and Ham" and read it to me cover to cover. About that time he decided to start using the computer on his own (guided by Aaron & I, of course). He currently excels at reading and math.

I feel so blessed by this but at the same time it can be very frustrating. I’ve had him in preschool since he was two to balance him socially. To say that I’m unhappy with his current preschool (where he would also be attending Kindergarten) would be putting it VERY mildly. His teacher tried telling me a couple of weeks ago that he may not be ready for Kindergarten because he wasn’t getting his crafts done in this "free range" classroom. First off, it’s preschool and he’s not getting graded. Second, if you give a four-year-old a choice between doing a craft, eating a snack, or playing building blocks with his friends with no time constraints, which two do you think he will pick? It won’t be the craft! I told her that if he wasn’t doing the things he was supposed to, maybe I should be homeschooling him. You should have seen her sputter and try to backpedal out of the situation.

I thought I had found a great program at a college prep charter school for him to go to. It has a full-day class, Spanish from K through 12th grade, placement testing. The program sounds fantastic! Then we visited the school today. To say we got a bad vibe would be an understatement. The first thing Aaron asked before we even got out of the car was, "Is that bullet holes in the windows?" I say,"Noooo. It’s got to be kids throwing stones at the building or something like that." (Still not good, but better in my mind than the bullet theory.) We get to the main office and there was no one to give us a tour and the lady we talked to hardly knew any history of the school she worked for. She gave us a bunch of pamphlets about the school and a promise of setting up a tour at a later date. There were a couple of other things that set off my mommy alarms, but nothing that I want to talk about here. Needless to say, I don’t think we’ll be enrolling him there. That makes me sad because the program showed so much promise.

So, that pretty much leaves me with his current school system, since we can’t afford a private school. I think I’m just going to have to really put some pressure on them for some answers and to provide adequate services for my child. Be the squeaky wheel, as it were. And if that doesn’t work, there’s always homeschooling. I may leave that open as an option anyway. My in-laws aren’t particularly happy that we’re even considering homeschooling, especially considering that the FIL is a retired teacher. But we have to do what’s best for Connor, not what others would be happy with. If the public school won’t cut it, then we move to plan B.

Keep your fingers crossed for us!

...And not near enough time to say it. Isn’t that the way? (Sorry. This turned into a bit of a rant.)

I’m getting ready to pack to go downstate again. My Uncle Alex passed away last night. I’ve missed my family very much, but I hate the circumstances that usually bring us together. Usually it’s a death. Not nearly enough babies or weddings for my liking. This is the fifth thing this month to happen to my extended family. One cousin has had a gall bladder infection bad enough to end up in the hospital and she is expecting surgery. Another cousin has had to have part of his leg replaced with a steel rod. My nuclear family has had that really bad flu for the last three weeks. (My dad had it twice!) My dad got really severe food poisoning and ended up at the hospital. Now, Uncle Alex has passed.

Seriously. Are we done yet? I think we’ve filled our quota for the next 10 years, ok?

Oh wait, I forgot the fact that I have to have surgery soon too. And I’m not at all happy that it’s not the one I was looking forward to. I really wanted to finally *finally* get my reduction done. I’ve been wanting and trying to get this done for about 22 years now. I am thankful that fate intevened just for the fact that I could provide for my children, but I am so ready to have people look me in the eyes when they meet me instead of my chest. It’s something I’ve been embarassed about since I was 10 when my stepdad and his friends started making "Dolly Parton" jokes aimed at me.

Instead, because of my wonderfully healthy but very large children, I have to get the plumbing fixed. Not going into detail, but I am trying to make myself feel better by repeating that this is "practicality over vanity." Maybe next year I’ll get the reduction I want so badly, but for now I have to get myself functioning correctly. I’ll be down for 6 weeks once it’s done but my MIL is coming to help us out. I am so thankful for that.

As always, I try to end on a high note. At least before the surgery, I’m finally going on my "girl’s trip" to L.A. with my bestest friend, Anne. We’re leaving May 13th and coming back on the 20th. I have to thank Aaron for pushing me to do this. Other than spending time with him and the kids, this is such a bright spot in my life right now and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m sure there will be many photos to come.

Gotta go for now. There is so much to get done tonight before we leave tomorrow. *Hugs* to all!

ETA: Yeah, so I don’t know what day it is either. We’re leaving to Dad’s on Friday. Not tomorrow. At least it gives me another day to get my act together, right?

So. There I sat at the kitchen table earlier this afternoon, with a pile of white powder on a plate... plastic card in my hand... pushing the powder into little geletin capsules.

Now, it's not what you may be thinking. I haven't turned to the dark side or anything like that. It turns out the meds that were prescribed for my dog, Jasmine, are actually human meds. They are supposed to be split in half for her dosage but they only come in capsule form. Cut them in half and you've got powder all over the countertop. I found that out the hard way.

But I have to tell ya, after growing up a cop's daughter, going through the process of filling the new capsules felt really, really wrong and icky. But I did manage to get 14 days worth done.