Tonight when I got home from work I was greeted at by one of my friends mothers. She is a wonderful lady who has “taken us in” as family. I have been friends with her daughter for the past 19 years. My kids call her grandma and I am truthfully not sure that they know that she is really not there “real grandma”. Hey, a kid cant have too many grandma’s…right?
She always spoils them. She feels this is her “job” and I cant deprive her of that.
She brought treats for each. Both of the healthy variety and the sugar kind.
I didn’t bawk.
For some reason my middle son decided to act like a complete fool while she was visiting. He was loud and obnoxious and down right rude. He flailed around the living room like we have never had a visitor before. I was waiting for the outright screaming to commence.
I TWICE warned him with the “look at me” and “stop IT”… still no signs of slowing the very excited child.
I was embarrassed most of all.
Even though this woman KNOWS that this is not how he usually is, it bothered me. I don’t expect PERFECT behavior ALL the time but my son wont be one of “THOSE” kids, no matter who is visiting.
While still bouncing off the walls and the couch and the…You get the picture….
the kid actually asked me if he could have one of his sugary treats. The nerve…
Needless to say, he didn’t get one.
THEN…just as soon as the door shut on her departure (I would have ran too)
he was reformed from that alien child back to regular middle child.
(insert vroommmm sound)
We managed to finish the evening with no more abductions, a bath and off to bed. I think I will spend the rest of the night searching the skies for that mothership.

Do you remember being 18? I do. It wasn’t THAT long ago…and I do remember it like it was yesterday. My oldest son turned 18 last July. We have had our ups and downs but otherwise we have a pretty solid relationship. I know not to try to talk to him about anything important in the morning. He is a night person as his mother once was. I know he thinks he knows EVERYTHING and that I know NOTHING. He has made mistakes. So have I. He is learning. So am I.
The hardest struggle for me is watching him fall.
I am thankful for what he hasn’t done so far in his young life but also upset about some of things he has done. I will not list his mistakes but lets say there are a few that I would like to forget.
Some of his traits that I hate the most are ones that are the ones he got from me.
I have tried to talk to him about a few of these but that’s like talking to a brick wall. He is just as stubborn as I am.
I look at him now and I am grateful that he is not expecting his first child at this age like I was. I don’t regret having him so young but I do know what changes occurred in my life because of that decision.
I am happy that he doesn’t drink or do drugs. He works and is showing signs of maturity there. He is planning on college in the fall.
I wish I could spare him some of the twists and turns of paths taken by me in my younger years but yet some of those paths are necessary to become strong.
My little boy is becoming a man. I am proud to call him my son.

Hey everyone…Look what I got invited to…
NO NO- not a boring old Thanksgiving dinner with family…WAY better…
Grab a cup of coffee and let that Turkey dinner settle…
be careful though..laughter may cause coffee to emerge from your nose.
These ladies are the BEST!!!

I was SO looking forward to 4 days off of work but not really looking forward to spending Thanksgiving alone. I was really thinking this was going to be tuff.
Tonight while cleaning out her backpack, my daughter produced my salvation from feeling really bad about the holiday upon us.
Out of the backpack came a very first grade yet very meaningful picture of the crayon variety. It has a hand drawn picture of me,her and her brother on it. We are standing on level ground with fall colored leaves at our feet. The sky is gray.
On the bottom in her very best printing penmanship it says…and I quote…
“I am thankful for my mom because she loves me.”
It brought me to tears.
I carefully folded it up and inserted it in my purse. I am sure I will be looking at it more than a bazillion times in the next 24 hours.
Thank you sweet daughter of mine.
I am thankful for you too. (all my kids actually)
More than anyone will ever know.
Happy Turkey Day internet.
Let the Eat-A-Thon begin…

The house deal is on hold. It may have to wait until spring. DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh- by the way…did anyone else KNOW that this week is Thanksgiving???
When and how did that sneak up on me? Ex has the kids so it’s just me and the eldest for turkey day. Nothing exciting planned. I have a free 17 pound bird from work but its kinda silly to cook ALL that for just us two.
He wants to sleep since he is working ALL fricken day on Black Friday. Poor kid.
Retail during the holiday stinks. Been there. UGH.
Maybe I will just DRINK my thanksgiving…gotta be less calories than all that food.

In my life I have moved more than 40 times. I went to several grade schools and even went to three different high schools all within about a twenty mile radius.
The ONE thing I wanted for my children was stability.
I wanted that one house that they would forever drive by and be able to say “I grew up THERE”
Since my divorce I have been a renter again. My initial place was nice but to expensive. I found a nice place for less money and moved in here two years ago.
Maybe it’s the holidays approaching or maybe it’s that craving for SOLID again in my life but I am trying to buy my very own HOUSE.
I have been shopping around and though it wont be huge or perfect…but it will be MINE.
It will be home.
It will mean doing things how I want to…paint etc.
It will mean we can have our cat back.
I am awaiting final approval and then I will make an offer….
Christmas in my new HOME.

It will be solid.

Rushed home to go out trick or treating. Kids were SO excited. The weather was perfect.

The neighborhood was lit.
Candy to be had.
We tricked…We treated…
Candy pumpkins got filled to the brim.
Candy was checked out and the trading began.
Kids were exhausted….
Chocolate for MOM…

A spooky fun HALLOWEEN…
just perfect.