HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
*PICTURES TO COME LATER

"TT" Takes Care Of Me :)

My sister is the coolest and BEST sister ever!! She's always there to take care of me. Connor has been sick, and we hadn't gotten around to getting a humidifier yet. Well, Kortney came over the other day and gave us one! How nice is she?! It's the cutest thing too. It looks like an aquarium and has little fish that "swim" in this tank with bubbles, and color changing lights. It's darling! Connor has slept better since he got it. (Except tonight because he's being a snot and doesn't want to go to sleep). I love my "TT", "Ninners", "Kort-short", just my big sis!! Thanks Kortney!! I love you!!

Update

I wanted to update on my last blog. Things have gotten a little better. I tried talking to John about how I felt and how his response made me feel. After a short rebuttal from him, he calmed down and said "you're right. I'm sorry." Ahh, that was so nice to hear. Then he took the garbage out without me asking and put a load of laundry in the dryer. Hopefully it'll last! But I feel better about it anyway!

Why Only Me???

I'm having a really bad week. I got sick, the baby is sick, the house looks terrible, but NOBODY will help me clean it or do anything. I asked John for a little extra help which shouldn't be a big deal since he lives here too. It's not only MY responsibility to do anything around here. But guess what he said... "You're home all day why should I have to help you do laundry, or do dishes? That's YOUR job." EXCUSE ME???? Uh... how about because I'm sick, I'm taking care of a sick baby, and I'm not freakin' Cinderella!! I can not believe he said that! When we lived in the apartment, he was great about helping me do everything. He helped with dishes, laundry, vacuuming, garbage.. he was great. We moved into the house and he has not helped me once with the laundry. He only does the dishes when I ask, and now I'm usually the one taking out the trash unless I ask him to do it. I asked him to help me during the night with the baby. Just getting up once so I can get a little extra rest because I'm sick. This was my response. "I can't get up with him I have work, school, and everything else. I'm sorry but you're just going to have to do it." I'm about in tears. Seriously. Why won't he help me?? I feel like I have to hire someone just to get anything done. Yeah, he's busy, but so are a lot of other people and I bet they still help out at home. I'm sorry to be such a killjoy. But this is weighing down on me and I needed to get it off my chest.

AND THE WINNER IS.......

Brynnley!!
Congrats! K, so all my winners (Shana, Kim, Kortney, and Brynnley) I need your addresses so I can get your prizes sent out. Kortney, I have yours already so you don't have to get me yours. But everyone else email me them...
Kami831@hotmail.com

I'll have them sent out in a few days! Now don't forget to pay it forward on your blogs if you haven't already!

One More Day!!

K, Everyone has until tonight to get entered into the drawing if you haven't already! I'll announce the winner tomorrow! Shana and Kim, email me your addresses so I can get your prizes out to you! Kami831@hotmail.com

Here Kam, You're Missing The Knife In Your Back.. There 'Ya Go!

Today in the mail, John and Alex got a package from Pam (my mother-in-law). She sent a nice note telling John, Alex, and Connor hi and she loves them. Then hoped that they were well. Not one mention of me, or to say hi to me or anything. She sent pictures of everyone in our family BUT me. Ok... I think I get the picture. True Pam and I have never been the best of friends. But I have been trying to be nice to her and accommodating whenever she's here. I offer up our home for them to stay for dinner (which she never accepts) I try and find positive things to say to her. I've just been trying to fix what was damaged from when the baby was born. Well.. looks like I'm the only one trying. That really makes me mad. Poor John too who has to be stuck in the middle of it. He tried to not let me see the note because he knew I'd get offended that she put no mention of me. He tries so hard to make the best of things between us. And I've been trying hard too. But now what do you do when they won't? Pam and I are going to be family for the rest of our lives now. I'm not going anywhere, and I'd like some acceptance.

Pay It Forward Gift Exchange

I'm doing this too after I saw Shana's.

The first 3 people to comment on my blog will receive a special gift from me! And since I like the drawing idea, If you comment after the first 3, I'll enter you into a drawing for a 4th prize!

The first 3 winners should email me their address at Kami831@hotmail.com. Then, you need to have a blog so you can Pay It Forward yourself! This is a great idea so let's all do it!

TOO CUUUTE!

I wish that stupid laptop wasn't in the picture. Oh well. I love this picture. I want to blow it up and frame it but somehow crop out the laptop. (John did it) ;) Alex is 8, Connor is 5 months.

Goodbye? Hopefully!

Yesterday I got a call from a guy named Scott about the cats. He and his wife were looking for a new cat and were interested in coming to see mine. He explained to me that he had a disability and the companionship from a cat was something he felt really helped him. He stays home, so they would always have someone there. I was thrilled! We have been battling the thought and action of taking them to the shelter. They are such sweet animals I couldn't stand the thought of them not having a good home. But we knew they couldn't stay with us anymore, so this was such perfect timing! They came over around 5:00 and spent about an hour with them. They seemed like really nice people. They were younger, and I could tell they would be excellent care givers for both of them. The cats were very loving towards them and affectionate, as they always are with everyone. Mini layed on his lap and demonstrated how playful she is with Daisy; trying to grab her tail as she walked by. They were a bit hesitant about taking them only because she is pregnant and I guess cats carry some sort of illness or disease that can effect the fetus. But they don't always have it. I'm guessing mine don't because my baby came out ok. But they wanted to have them checked anyway. So what they've done is they have taken them home, but only for a trial run for a few days to see how they do. If it doesn't work out, they'll call me back and I'll take them again. Hopefully it will work out!! I will have to take them to the shelter for sure if they can't keep them. Cross your fingers! My babies need a good home!!

What Do You Do?

I think it's time I tell you guys a little about the relationship between Alex and I. I also would love to hear feedback on the problems I'm having with her and what I should do. Alex is a smart kid. She's incredible at math, and reading, and she has always gotten really good grades in school. But she knows how to argue, and she does it every single day with me. That is not an exaggeration by far. I have at least an hour with her every day after school, except friday when she's out early, every tuesday and wednesday night, and all day saturday by myself while John is at school. It's when John isn't home that she acts up. She fights me on every little possible thing she can. I feel like I'm in a debate class with her. Then, when she doesn't get her way it's nothing but attitude from her. Tonight for example, she found John's math ruler in a folder he gave her and forgot it was in there. I told her he still needed it and she couldn't keep it so she needed to put it back with his school things. "NO" she said. "I want it". I said Alex, it's not yours, put it back. "It was in my folder he gave it to me". Again I said no Alex. He still needs that for school you can't keep it put it back. She continued to argue with me until I got mad and just yelled DO IT. At which point she rolled her eyes at me and with a nasty tone said fine. How do you handle a kid that refuses to listen to you? And that's not even all I've had to deal with tonight. We've sat her down and talked to her about how she needs to treat me with the same respect she treats John. We've taken away privileges and even grounded her for the way she treats me and doesn't listen. She has even gotten a spanking for one time in particular that was truly horrible. I mean.. I'm trying to love her and be her friend. But how on earth do you do that when she gives you this much grief?? We have tried everything to make her understand that she needs to be more respectful to me. It just goes in one ear and out the other. John's mom has had a lot of the same problems with her also. The only person she is truly good for is John. She'll behave most of the time at friends' houses and when she's visiting family, but at home it's like flipping on a switch. She's a completely different person. I'm at a loss you guys. I really am. I don't know what to do and I'm stressed out all the time by it. Which doesn't help how I interact with her. But I seriously can't go one day without having some sort of problem with her. She is CONSTANTLY pushing her boundaries with me and I'll admit I have no more ideas on how to handle it. John has tried everything I have tried everything. Nothing so far has worked. If any of you know what I should try PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! Let me know!!!

Fun Halloween Treats

Anyone want to know how to make these cute "ghosts on broomsticks"? I'm going to make them and thought I'd share how. :)
You'll need:
1 Fruit by the Foot fruit snack (any flavor)
14 pretzel sticks (2-3 inches long)
2/3 c. white vanilla chips, melted
1 1/2 tsp. mini semisweet chocolate chips (52 chips)

Line a large cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Unroll fruit snack. With kitchen scissors cut 3/4 inch long fringe on one long side of the snack roll. Cut fringed roll into 2 inch pieces.
To make each broomstick, wrap a piece of fringe around one end of pretzel; press to seal. Place broomsticks on waxed paper lined cookie sheet.
Drop rounded 1/2 teaspoonfuls of melted white vanilla chips crosswise onto pretzels and shape to resemble ghosts on broomsticks. Press 3 mini chocolate chips into each ghost for eyes and mouth. Let stand at room temp. for 45 minutes or in the freezer for 5 minutes or until set. Peel off wax paper.

Oven-Fried Ranch Chicken

This chicken is AWESOME!! I thought I'd post the recipe for anyone who'd like to try it!

Yields: 4-6

Chicken:
2 c. buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, you can pour 2 tbs. vinegar or lemon juice into a 2 c. measuring cup and add regular milk to the 2 c. mark. Stir, and let stand for 5 minutes)
1 twin-package (2 oz. total) Ranch dressing mix
3 1/2 lb. cut-up whole chicken
cooking spray

Breading:
1 pouch (6.5 oz.) cornbread and muffin mix
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)

In a large resealable food-storage bag, mix buttermilk, dressing mix, and chicken. Seal bag; turn bag over several times to coat chicken. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan with cooking spray. In shallow dish, mix breading ingredients. Remove chicken pieces one at a time from buttermilk mixture. Dip chicken in breading, turn to coat completely and shake off excess. Place chicken, bone side down,
in pan. Lightly spray top of chicken with cooking spray. Bake 35-40 minutes or until juice of chicken runs clear when cut to the bone.

Poor Shelby :(

Shelby has not been spayed yet. And since she's a girl, she does bleed. So... she's wearing a diaper. We cut a hole out for the tail, and now we hear the swishy sounds of her diaper whenever she walks by. Funny, but sad. We're going to see if we can get her spayed now. I wanted to put a picture of her on but John won't let me. He said it's too mean. (I might sneak one on later)

Where Did The Time Go?

I realized today that it's been over a week since I blogged last. I guess it's not too big of a deal. A lot us get busy and just don't find the time to do it. Here's a little update on what's been going on the past week.
Connor for some reason doesn't want to sleep anymore. During the day he absolutely refuses to take naps. You'd think then at night he'd sleep good since he hadn't slept all day. Not really. He wakes up at least 3 times during the night. He'll go back to sleep a lot of the time, but not without a little persuasion. Usually just rolling him back over on his side. I don't know why he doesn't want to sleep anymore. The poor guy is just exhausted all the time now which just makes him miserable, which in turn is hard on me. I don't understand it. I did get him to fall asleep this morning luckily. I need to actually go check on him though to make sure he hasn't woke up again. When he did nap yesterday, he only slept for two half hour naps. He was not a happy baby yesterday as you can imagine.
Alex has actually been grounded for the last week. She got in trouble twice at school in less then a week. She has been reading most of the day when she comes home to pass the time. Right now she's reading the book "Matilda" and hasn't been able to put it down. Her school actually does a type of contest for reading. If she reads 100 hours in a month, she gets a pizza party and some prizes. I think that's a ridiculous amount to have an 8 year old read. Most adults don't read that much in a month. But Alex wants to try for it. They do it every month, so if she doesn't get it this month, she can try next month. Being grounded she has a lot of time on her hands, and she's been reading pretty much all day. Maybe she'll get it.
John has still been keeping busy with work and school. He's finally finished his resumes and he's going to start handing them out at places so he can quit his job. They have been wanting him to work more overtime the last 2 weeks but he keeps telling them no. That's making them kind of mad, but he doesn't care. His thinking is if they threaten to fire him for not wanting to give up his family time and work instead, then oh well. I have been pressuring him to get his resumes done for a while so he could get out of that place. They treat him like crap and I don't like the management he works with. Even the receptionist thinks she's the boss of him and treats him like crap. I don't like her. Mostly because she insulted the intelligence of my son though on top of it. Not cool!
So that's pretty much been the past week. I'll see if this next week maybe I can update sooner. :)

I Need Some Advice..

Ok guys, I'm feeling really mad right now. Jessica (Alex's mom) has always had rules to how she may and may not deal with Alex. But John doesn't seem to care about those rules. Minor as they may be, they are there for a reason. She has never been allowed to pick Alex up any earlier then 10am. For the reason that Alex needs time in the morning to get ready, eat breakfast, and have some time with us before she leaves. Jessica didn't ask, but just told John she'll be here at 9. John didn't say anything. It's not up to her to change the rules. She screwed up that part and that's why she lost all custody rights. Am I wrong to feel like she's out of line? This happens ALL THE TIME with her. John won't say anything only because he doesn't want to fight. So he just lets her do whatever she wants. Tell me what you think?

Proud Mama!

Yesterday Connor reached on of his milestones. He sat up all by himself!! I was so proud of him! He still gets a little wobbly and falls after a minute, but he sat there without me holding him! What a big boy!!

*5 Months Old*

My little man is getting big! Here's some things he's been doing.

Eating rice cereal 3 times a day. (unless he doesn't drink his bottle good)

Sleeps a little better through the night most nights now.

"Talks" CONSTANTLY!

Fits into 9 months old clothes!!! (Some of them anyway, but a lot of 6 month old ones)

He's such a sweetheart and we love him!