the best parts of Mother's Day

Kids brought me flowers

our new 10 footer!

crying

posing with their successful purchase

needed a few fixes

contemplating

baked french toast! tradition..

my leg is terrible and my whole ankle and foot are all swollen, so i am still grounded, this will really mess up my plans, but it's my own fault. i took Kristin and myslef to the chiropractor thismorning, we both feel better already! so.. some good news. I better go
, shawn is getting very out of control..

what NOT to do/Happy Mother's Day!

never apply an ice pack to bare skin, wrap it with an ace bangdage and fall asleep. after the power outage, the freezer went nuts and the temp was apparently lower than normal. when i arrived home from my run, i quickly wrapped up my chronic bad leg, as I usually do, so that i could eat the fabulous Boston Market chicken dinner that Uncuh had sprung for. i didn't pay any attention to the fact that the ice pack was harder and more frozen than usual. then i ate dinner and drifted off on the couch during the thunder storm. then i woke up to this. i felt no pain until my skin started to warm up, i should have felt it at the beginning. my high pain tolerance gets me in trouble sometimes. it was kind of a long night. thismorning i popped all the blisters and cleaned it up and now i'm grounded. later i will wrap it up really good and go to the Y like a dummy. I took Monday off because of the town power outage and Friday night I went to the airport, so i MUST run/cycle today. Especially after the yummy baked french toast!!!! Yogi makes it for me every year. the kids made me the cutest cards and Kendyl made me a sun catcher at school. Kris has something up her sleeve too.. haven't seen it yet.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!! Yogi & T are off picking up my new picnic table right now! only thing I asked for. I'm a major dweeb. screw the jewelry!

homecoming!

so bummed that jack was asleep on the dang couch! this would have been a nice christmas card photo LOL Kris would KILL ME. she looked tired!

yah, its a shot glass. i didnt buy it!

doesnt she looks so much cuter with the few extra pounds? i think so!

kris cried when doug showed up thismorning, she missed her "baby brother".

costa rican dress and jewelry

new wallet, key chain and mug with his name on it( a tradition they have) and of course, spoons for his spoons of the world collection. nerd.

xylaphone. cuz she hates me lol

loud nicaraguan bird whistle. she still hates me.

BOY did i wish i had brought my camera while we were in Boston at Faneuil Hall. dark sky, big, lit buildings, north church steeple, the wharf.. im a dummy. i should have brought it. we had so much fun walking around, the live music was amazing, so was the pie. we are going back next month to have a do over! i finally pulled out the camera thismorning. Kris fell apart when she hugged her Daddy, she missed him so much. they are so close, it was so cute, made me cry.

have a wonderful Mother's day weekend! I WILL!

time for a really quick update...........

..........likely full of typos!

Jenny & Konor spent the entire day "somewhere"(not here) then finally showed up at 930 pm to move all their stuff. they were quiet about it, so i kept my mouth shut, but isnt it easier to move during the daylight hours? Doug helped them. they left Kristin's bedroom a complete pig sty, so i just spent the entire morning cleaning it, but I got it done, no harm done. It looks great. She e mailed me from the airport and all is well with travel, so far. she seems upbeat!

Jackson had fun at camp afterall! the heights scared him, but he loved the rest and came home in a good mood. he said he was "afraid" I wouldn't be there to pick him up. Atleast he can verbalize that fear. he was glad to see me waiting for him when they pulled up on the bus.

We had planeed to go to Boston as soona s the younger kids went to bed, maybe get some dinner, walk the streets before going to the airport, but I'm thinking Yogi might need to sleep for a while instead. Not sure what we're doing. I'd like to squeeze in a run before we leave, but I don't know if I can get away. Doug & Korey have already been here today to do laundry and bathe. will this ever end? now they're gone.
I baked a couple chickens, no idea when Y&T will be home from work. this siding job is taking forever because materials are back ordered.

all is well, it'll all get done. BUT I am so tired of cleaning up poop! this potty training crap is for YOUNG parents! he was doing great, but now keeps messing his pants again. OY.

i hope they charge that "Runaway Mom" with a crime. I despise her. there. I said it. yes, I am judging her. CRUEL CRUEL CRUEL. EVIL, even.
ok, i better go, still so much to do before we leave. Maybe Courtney will come babysit for me for a bit, but i hate to throw Jackson for a loop, he just got home. I don't know...
can't wait to see my girlie!

2 steps back

Konor was fired from his job thismorning. fantastic. i guess his bosses boss found out about an old arrest record of his. he used to be a thug. what will they do now?
doug is sleeping on his Father's couch, 30 minutes north of here, for now. that may go ok, but it's a small place with high rent.
i've been sick since about midnight. at first, i thought the long hard run i took last night might have upset my stomach, but I'm still sick. headache, dizzy, puking.. UGH and i just visited my parents yesterday. great.
worried about all the kids, but excited to see kris tomorow night, just after midnight sat. morning. i miss her so much.
gonna go lay down. kids are being so good!
i hope jack is having fun at camp, no calls yet! LOL

out of sync

i make decisions and then i think, "oh, crap, now i have to stick to it." Tomorrow, all the big kids are moving out. Only thing is, none of them have a place to go. Theoretically, Jenny could go to her father's house, but Konor isn't welcome so... that won't happen. Doug could go sleep on his Father's couch, but his place is small and 30 minutes away. It won't work, but he may go there temporarily. Korey is sleeping in his car, Doug is sleeping in his car & Jenny & Konor are sleeping in their car. I await my award, it must be in the mail.
I ran 5 miles in 53 minutes tonight, not too bad! last night, we had an intense storm and lost power, so i took the night off. after a day of total rest, i run harder and better. I'm so hungry i feel sick, so i better go sneak some Nutella!
I'm sad and out of sorts, but this rough patch in my life shall pass.
night all

pics and brood updates

* David moved 3 towns over to live with an aunt a few days ago, he will be able to work full time for his uncle at a jiffy lube, pay to get his driver's license back, and start over. i miss him. i think I enjoy his company the most out of all the "extras". he doesn't flip out, no anger issues, helpful, so good with the little ones, so playful.. i miss my boy. he calls me MA.

* Jenny and Konor are looking at a place today! i know, last minute, but they need more money than they have..they leave by Friday so i can clean the room for Kristin, who is coming home with LOTS of stuff, get it organized and wash windows and stuff.

* the other night, Doug & Korey went off in Korey's car to "run errands" after work. at 3am our cell phones were ringing next to our bed. the boys(along with 2 friends) were arrested because they were parked on a random street with pot in the glove box. supposedly, all the charges were dropped, pending an investigation because doug & Korey are helping the police catch some dealer in town(not theirs)who is on the run. they are going to be snitches. well, they aren't going to do that from here. both boys must be out by Friday, along with Jenny & Konor. 5 kids- GONE in fewer than 6 more days. i might pee myself with glee!cry! I'm going to missmost of them them all so much!

needless to say, Doug & Korey see no issue with this, think it's all "no big deal"(the lies about "quitting", the fact that the Army may kick doug out when they get wind of this.... all of it) and are livid and disgruntled that we are sending them on their way. they keep asking Yogi & I to "talk this out" with them. what is there to talk about? they were arrested for possession, we don't need that here, they lied, we don't trust them, we don't need the police here, we have young, impressionable kids here... etc etc etc etc etc! Yup- Jenny smokes pot too. quietly. in the woods. alone. then she sits on the couch watching the science channel all night. she's not out, in a car, parked on some random street being reported to the police. all the pot heads ARE LEAVING this week. that's my final answer.

* This will be very hard on the 2 youngest. they are so attached to Jenny & Konor, inparticular, It's been a long, fun 3 months. Lots of attention, hugs, boo boo kissing, play time, hair braiding, jumping, rough housing, cookie baking, snuggling up watching movies..... she's going to be a wonderful Mother. She's attentive, patient, invested, loving and kind. stoned, yes...but still all of the above. They will make great parents some day down the road, both of them. If only they could quit the reefer. siiiggghhhh. I so want them to succeed. we've filled the kids in about what is about to happen, but they won't take it all in until they are gone, and Kristin is in the room. They will be excited to see her again, but she doesn't really play. She & kendyl are very close, they sit on the bed and talk, make little movies with her camera, do hair... but jenny & Konor PLAY HARD LOL. It'll be different.

* i haven't lost an ounce in a while. i constantly have my period, which does not help. cant wait to have my abaltion! i run, cycle, kick box or tread climb 6 days a week, and just keep trying. trying to ignore the stupid scale for now. My sister was here yesterday and she really noticed a change. she said "WOW! HOLY CRAP!" that must be a good thing! Tonight I'm going to my first step class at 530. i did the entire 90 minute kick boxing class, so i think i can mange step aerobics! the instructors gave me 20 minutes tops. blew them away! That was FUN. the choreography was really hard, but i did it! did i already tell you this? damn. sorry if I did.

* It is so humid here, i could hardly sleep last night. Time for the AC! may talk Yogi into installing it tonight. it's HOT for early May!

Shawn is 95% potty trained, pooping on the potty and everything. He's so close! all in all, it's been quick and easy(messy though YUCK). can't complain.

* the crazo meter is sky high, Jackson has a school, 2 night camping trip coming up on wed. he's faught the packing, the planning, filled suitcase with rolled up, filthy, urine saturated clothes off the floor, refusal to get ready..... avoidance at it's best. maybe his 68 IQ is a true picture. He just doesn't understand anything or retain anything. He seems like he's 5. sometimes i really believe he's mentally retarded. He's so low. for a sleeping bag, he rolled up a wet SHEET and stuffed it in the bag.

"you want to sleep on a pine board, with nothing but this?

"yes."

"won't your bunk mates smell it?"

"i dont care."

LORD HELP HIM.

LORD HELP US ALL.