So What Wednesday

  Happy Wednesday!!!   So What If...........   I haven't done this in at least a couple months.  I haven't done much in the blog world not even reading :(   I am pretty excited that my post on Being a Mom has had more views than any of my other posts.  I am talking over a 100, nearly 200.  Crazy!   I have read said post like 10 times since I posted it to make sure I didn't sound like a fruit.   I have started running again and I now realize I am so out of shape.  It took me 12 minutes to run a damn mile.  I am hoping to improve that.   I am missing my bf pretty badly (don't tell him).  He is on a fishing trip with his Dad in Alabama.  I am very supportive of him getting to spend time with his Dad and do what he enjoys but I still miss him.  So here are a couple new pics of he and I.  We had a crawfish boil for his birthday, so we are kinda bummy in the first two but the other bw pic is from my birthday celebration.  

  I think this little riddle or whatever you would like to call it is funny:    

  Hope to see you all next week.    

Being A Mom

Warning:  I am a horrible writer as I have mentioned before.  I have no train of thought and tend to jumble my thoughts.  So please forgive my insanity :)

If truth be told, I wasn't given the best role model in life as far as being a mother.  As a matter of fact, I don't even like to call her Mom.  To me a mother is someone who is there for their children, who always puts herself and her needs last.  When I say that, I don't mean we forget what we need also but our children, should be ultimately the most important part of our lives.  If you chose to have a child or four in her instance, I would think that you would have some desire to be their "Mother". 

My mother has been gone for every bit of 14 years now.  Gone as in she left the area to yet again be with some glorious man (enter sarcasm).  You see our mother never cared for any of us.  She pawned us off on whoever she could, a lot of the time we took care of ourselves too.  Which by the way I can remember as early as 5 years old being home alone. 

My mother got pregnant at the age of 14 with my older brother.  First time having sex in a cornfield.  So that is the story anyway.  She gave him up to a lady that I am not even sure was related.  I literally did not know I had a older brother until one day out of the blue, we drove to Miami and picked him up.  I was 5ish.  I had a little brother at the time, he is four years younger than me.  So to say we were confused is an understatement. 

He came home with us very unwillingly.  I don't know what possessed her to regain custody of him.  I really don't.  She doesn't speak of things.  We have asked numerous questions regarding his childhood, who his father was, etc. but never would she answer.  It took until about 4 years ago before we finally pieced the puzzle together to figure out who his father was only to find out he was deceased.  Talk about heartbreaking.  He has began a relationship with his dads family though.

Sorry, sidetracked again...... 

I don't write this for sympathy.  It has taken so many years for me to even talk about her or my childhood.  I have learned so much from my counseling.  I remember as a child trying to make up an imaginary family that had a loving mother and father.  I tried to let on like my family life was that of every other child's.  Sadly, it was far from it.  Just for a little insight, my mother and father were together since they were young.  I was their first child together.  My Dad was my hero.  I mean we were two peas in a pod.  I looked up to him so much and mainly because he was the most loving individual in my life.  He hugged me, he kissed me goodnight and told me he loved him.  I honestly cannot remember my mother every doing so.  The only times I remember her telling me she loved me was when she had been drinking heavily.

My parents were not good together.  They fought physically.  They mentally abused one another.  I seen this all first hand.  The cops were regulars at my house.  We even frequented the women's shelters.  When we would stay there, it was like a mini vacation away from all the chaos.  I have seen more violence than any one child should.  If you have never been a child who has witnessed your parents physically fight, you may not understand what I am about to say but I felt torn when this happened.  I loved my Dad so much but at the same time I didn't understand why or how he could strike a woman.  Then I would be so mad at my Mom because I knew what had led up to the altercations.  She had either been with another man or my Dad had found her crack spoon (which she hid under my mattress and told me never to tell him).  I just begged for them to separate.  I couldn't handle the insanity anymore.  I was constantly sleep deprived at school.  I looked like a damn rag doll most of the time because I probably hadn't bathed in days due to lack of supervision and probably wore the same clothes for days.  I mean this is the hard truth people.  I can't believe I am actually going to publish this.  I wish I was making this up.

Eventually without reliving all the many years of horror, they did go their separate ways.  Well kind of.....you see it was then a war of jealousy when one was with someone else.  I begged to stay with my Dad.  So most of the time, I lived with him.  My little brother did also.  As far as my older brother, he had began staying with my grandparents which was for the best really.  He needed to be loved and feel loved.  After all she ripped the carpet from under him when she picked him up that night and made him come live through all the insanity.

So finally, the mother meets a guy and he is of course an alcoholic and they love the drugs together...surprise, surprise.  They marry and have a daughter, my sister.  She is ten years younger than me.  They also have a very violent relationship.  My new responsibility becomes taking care of her.  Literally raising her as they sit in the bar every night.  Do you know what that is like for a ten year old, that just lost her father???  I was so mentally exhausted that I didn't know which way was up.  My Dad had just suddenly passed away and here I was having to live with her again and take care of a baby.  All while trying to go to school and heal myself.  For years the usual happens, fights occur, abuse is running rapid, they're spending their times in the bars drinking and doing drugs and we are just left to take care of ourselves.

Then one day they have the brilliant idea of packing up and moving to Illinois.  Why?  Because that is where he is from (the step-dad).  So we do.  I then have little to no contact with my dads family nor my older brother.

So once we are here, things continue as they always have.  Now however we are here with no one we know and in a strange place, new schools, friends, etc.  We move a couple times and switch to yet another school.  Eventually, they divorced.  I ended up living with a girl in my class's family.  They were God sent for taking me in.  My older brother had since gotten with my sister in law and they had a daughter.  They were doing really well.  My little brother actually stayed with her.  I can't recall why.  I really have a hard time remembering most of my childhood.  I know it is because I block it out.  Trust me there are many times that I will literally make myself stop and focus on the past just to try and get it out but it is hard.  Once that sick feeling comes to mind, I immediately stop.

Sorry for the confusion.....

As we got older, obviously we did what we wanted.  There were no rules, no one to stop us from doing the wrong thing.  No one to get advice from.  The teenage years were rough.  I can't even begin to explain all that.  There were times that the mother would try to be a "normal" mom but the fact was, she was never going to be.  No matter how much I prayed for a sense of normalcy, it was never going to happen. 

There were times I honestly just prayed that if I couldn't get normalcy with her around, I wished she would just disappear.  Sounds harsh you say?  Until you are in my shoes, you will never, ever know what it felt like to think that way. 

Fast forward a couple more years.......

My little brother was a sophomore in school I believe, I was 20 and my older brother who had made the move here about 5 years previously was about 24 and the little sister was 10 and was at the time in the custody of her grandmother basically but her father lived there.  I had literally just found out I was pregnant with Dayne and my little brother had just found out his girlfriend was pregnant with my nephew Dalton. 

Clearly, these are crucial times in our lives.  I mean if anyone my little brother probably needed more guidance now than ever.  I can only give so much support in those areas.  After all, I was pregnant too.  Not in a planned way either.  I was scared, nervous and wondering what on earth I was going to do with myself.  You see, after all I went through raising my siblings, I always thought to myself, I do not want kids.  I need time to just be me because for as long as I can remember, I was taking care of a child.  Not my own either. 

She finally left......

Shortly after all this came out, she finally packed up and left.  Moved to be with some man she had not known long.  There was nothing to it, she was gone.  For awhile after she left, she tried to contact us but I think once we got use to the chaos being out of our lives, we started to enjoy it.  There was no more guilt being put on us, no more blame, no more mental/emotional/physical abuse.  It was a like a breath of fresh air.  She has never met but one of her 6 grandchildren.  She has attempted to contact us through Facebook but we continue to block her.  She still in her mind thinks that she has done nothing wrong.  She is our mother and we should be grateful for that. 

There are a million things I think a Mother should be.  She has none of them.  Over the years I have forgiven her.  However, I don't have to forget and I don't have to have a relationship with her.  As for my siblings, they do not have a relationship with her either.  At least not that I am aware of. 

So you see.......

I can say I am proud of myself and the mother I have become.  Am I perfect, hell no!  Do I have a lot to learn?  Absolutely!  Do I love my children unconditionally?  You have no idea!  They melt my heart and are by far are my most prized possessions!  Okay, they are not really possessions but you get the point.  They are handsome, smart, funny and loving.  I think they see me as a "good" Mom.  The thought of ever leaving my children behind makes me sick.  I don't know what I will do when they are both gone from home.

Thank you.....

Yes, I thank her for being the mother she was.  Why?  Without her lack of motherly skills, I probably wouldn't strive as much to be the Mom I am today.  Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't.  I probably love too much, I probably overwhelm them with my worry that something will happen to them, I probably am too protective but one thing I am not is a bad role model for those two boys I love so dearly.  I can only hope that no matter the storm, they believe in me and believe that they are my heart and soul.

I love you with every ounce of my soul Dayne Alan and Jaxin Austin.  You are my world!

Sorry for the long post.  Sometimes my heart just overflows and spills out.  I want to write a book so bad but I have no idea where to start.  If any of you know how to get started with that, please let me know.  I am super serious about this by the way.

The Yearbook Years Link Up

Who could resist this link up????

I love seeing pics of everyone in thier young days.

Please forgive me as I only have a very few on my computer.

I think I started out as a cute little baby but as you see, I went through one hell of an awkward looking stage.  I didn't wear make up really in high school and I even fixed my own hair for prom.  I just didn't get into the whole prissy thing I guess.  Still to this day, I am pretty relaxed.  I like to be comfy!!!

Around 6 months

My Daddy and I - 3 years old

This hair style is hidious, me on the right, age 7/8

Sweet Senior Pic for the Yearbook

Random Senior Prom Pic with Friends

Now hope on over and link up! 

She is Dancing in Heaven

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A couple of weeks ago, my best friend lost her precious baby girl.  Victoria Grace "Torie" was 1 year and 7 months old.  She was beautiful and special to so many.  I posted after her 1st Birthday here.

If you go back to the day she was born, it was a whirlwind.  I waited anxiously for her to call me after the c-section and let me know just how precious her little girl was.  You see, I had a meeting that  morning and I couldn't be at the hospital.  So instead I sat with my phone next to me waiting and waiting for that call or even a picture of sweet baby Torie.

Instead hours went by and I heard nothing.  I of course became very concerned and thought maybe they were just enjoying their time together and she would eventually let me know all is well.

Unfortunately, the call I got was that she was being flown immediately to St Louis as she was seizing upon birth.  Throughout my friends pregnancy, nothing was noted as a problem.  No signs of defects.  Just a perfect little girl growing on schedule.

They spent countless days in St Louis.  I feared she would never be discharged to come home.  My heart was breaking for them.  You see, I may be a strong person but children, they have my heart.  I can't bear the thought of a child in pain or danger.  I would venture to say that I may be a little extreme with the amount of sadness that comes over me when it comes to sick children.

Nonetheless, Torie was there for many, many months.  You see, she puzzled the doctors.  There were no certain answers they could give my friends.  It seemed to be a mystery.  She seen the best of the best from St Louis to Memphis and they just never could come to a diagnosis.  She did get to come home and although she was still in and out of the hospitals, she made progress which continued to stump the doctors.  Everything it seemed that they would say she would never be able to do, she did.  One thing that stands out to me is that they said she wouldn't smile and let me tell you, Torie smiled.  She smiled a smile I will never forget.

As for my friends, they were so amazing in Torie's short life.  I can't even begin to tell you the amount of strength and belief in the Lord they have.  I pray I never have to experience such a loss but as I have told Torie's Mommy, if I do, I hope I can be as strong as her.

I just wanted to take a moment to remember Torie.  I continue to pray for her family and miss her sweet face so much but in time, we will see her again.  As they said at her funeral, Torie is healthy and dancing in Heaven.  I can see her doing so now. 

Life is short, love your babies and everyone around you.  I know I do!

Finish the Sentence Link Up

1. If calories didn't count, I would eat...all day every day.  Okay, maybe not all day, I do have to sleep.

2. On my Prom night....I was so in love or was that lust?  No, really I loved that boy!  Oh and yes, we did the dirty.  Hell we dated for a thousand years.

*Here is I believe my senior year prom in another town.  My steady and I took a break and I got to go hang with some of my favorite Marion girls.  No laughing :)

3. When I go to the store, I always buy...shit I don't need.  True story.  If I don't go through quickly, I will pick up such unnecessary crap.

4. Family functions typically...turn into someone being pissed about something.  Drives me bananas!

5. I think my blog readers...don't exist.  I know it is my fault because I suck at blogging but you should really just want to be my blog friend for shits and giggles.

6. I'd much rather be.....on a tropical island with a cold drink and listening to the ocean.  I am over this SNOW!!!

7. I have an obsession with...mexican food.  I know you people don't understand but I think about it all the time.  I swear I am insane.

8. My work friends....think I am fruiter than a fruit cake.  True story, ask them.  They tell me I am funny yet extremely blunt.  Am not!

9. When I created my Facebook account....uh, well I don't remember it actually.  Seems like an eternity ago and I actually hated FB forever and refused to give up MySpace.  However, I eventually gave in and joined the rest of the world.

10. My least favorite word is...P***Y!  Makes me cringe and possibly gag.  I bet I have said that word less than 5 times in my life and most likely I was reading something or talking about a cat. 

11. I really don't remember....most of my childhood.  Sucks but it is true.  Every once in awhile I will remember something totally random and it makes me smile.

12. Justin Bieber....needs to go away!

Happy St Patrick's Day

Happy St Patrick's Day everyone!  Hope you all had your fair share of green beer, pancakes, waffles and whatever other items I seen posted all over the place Facebook and Instagram.

I promise this is the last time I will mention that it is Jaxin's Birthday!  Today is actually his birthday.  Yes, he is my little leprechaun. 

Here is one of my favorite pictures of him taken by Leigh Bedokis Photography here in Carterville, Illinois.  She has done all Jaxin's pictures and I have no complaints.

It has been raining all.day.long and I am pretty sure the Ark is going to arrive at any time.

 

So we did a whole lot of nothing today other than take a few pics with the birthday boy!  Yes, you are about to be overloaded with more pics!

 

Have a great week everyone!

It's A Party

Come One, Come All

This weekend we have celebrated my "Bubbers" 4th birthday.  We have had so much fun!

 

Although the weather dropped off to the cool side again on Saturday, we still managed to have a great party and spent time outside.

 

We were going for a Circus theme.  I am not going to lie, I have big ideas but once I try to make those ideas reality, I tend to get overwhelmed and well it doesn't turn out so elaborate as these Pinterest parties.

 

*Picture Overload In Progress*

 

 

 Well I think the pictures pretty well sum it up.  Can't wait for another party....or maybe not ;)

 

 

 

Finish the Sentence LinkUp

Alright so I just found this awesome link up through Shannon at L.A.I.D. and I think it is too fun to pass up.

Here goes nothing.......

1. People always tell me that I look like Sarah Palin, generally when I wear my glasses.  I have had people purposely walk over to me in restaurants and say, "I don't know if anyone has ever told you but you look identical to Sarah Palin".  Weird.....

2. In the movie based on my life, you would leave thoroughly confused.  I am a hot mess.

3. Typically, I end up regretting eating or better yet gorging myself with Mexican food.  But damn, it is good.

4. I always ask to leave off the pants, yep, I like them off.....okay, that was bad but you laughed didn't you?

5. Kim and Kanye really need to keep their pants on ;)  Actually, I have no clue about those two people.  Sorry!

6. My Parents always reminded me if you're going to be dumb, you gotta be tough.  Thank heavens I am tough.

7. Every single day I remind myself that someone, somewhere has it worse then me. 

8. This one time in College a girl puked in my face.  True story!  I am still pissed.

9. My grossest habit is I run my hands through my hair just to see how many hairs come out.  Maybe not gross but weird at least.

10. My latest white lie was nonexistent, well unless you count the ones I tell my 3 year old to keep him quiet.

11. I know all the words to most of DMB songs.

12. When I grow up I want to be a sexy bitch....sorry just heard that song.  I would like to be ME!

13. Sexy time is if I shave my legs.  Woot! Woot!

14. I will never, ever be a deadbeat parent.

15. I think it's hilarious when my son randomly calls people Stinky Poopy Diapers.  No idea.....but it is random and funny.

So What Wednesday

  Happy Wednesday!!!   So What If........................   I just realized I have been using the old SWW pic.  HA!  Oops!  Sorry Shannon.   My dog just smacked me in the face with a huge rubber snake.  That's gonna leave a mark!!!   I bought my son an early birthday present, like 2 months early.  Laptops were on sale.   I may have also bought myself one.  Yikes!    I also have been taking ridiculous pics trying to figure it all out :)  

  I am more excited about Jaxin's Circus Party than he is.  I mean seriously it is going to be so cute!

Got these personalized candy jar favors at Shindigz for a great price.

  I am looking for to daylight savings time.  I need more sunshine!!!!  This weather stinks.   I should be in the shower instead of "texting" this.  That is what my baby calls typing on anything.  The things kids say just makes me smile.   Hope to see you all next week.    

Fab Fridays

  Thought I would join in on this link up again.  It is nice to take a moment and reflect on the good of the past week.   - We had a great night last night at Scooby Doo Live!     - All the work on my house is finally done and it looks so good.  I will post about that later when this insane weather breaks and I can get semi decent pics.   - Tomorrow evening we are taking the boys to see the Monster Trucks.  That should be a good time for all!   - I scored an awesome piece at Kirklands and after I posted it on Instagram, Kirklands liked it ;)  I thought that was neat.  Don't you love it?  If so, click here.  

I am sure I could keep going but no need to bore anyone :)  Have a great weekend.

What I am Loving Wednesday

I am linking up over at This Kind of Love for what I'm loving Wednesday! 

Today I am loving.....

WANELO

If you haven't yet downloaded this app, then you should NOW or click on the word above! 

However, if you are on a spending freeze you may not want to!

That Dillards had 40% off already marked down prices. Scored some good stuff for the boys.

Banana clips...yes, you heard me right.  Straight outta 1980.  Okay, they are a tad better looking than those but still, they are banana clips.  I think they make the best pony tails ever!  Don't be jealous!

1980

Now

What are you loving this week?

So What Wednesday

  Linking up with Shannon again over at L.A.I.D.   Today I am saying SO WHAT if......   It has been a really long time since I participated in SWW.   I am gonna cash my BIG FAT CHECK as EBATES calls it and probably spend it on ridiculous stuff even though I vowed it was going straight to my credit card.  Maybe I won't ;)   I think you should all shop through EBATES.  I mean who doesn't like to get money back?  If you want to sign up, you can do so here.

  There are some pretty good ideas going through my head on home projects but yet again I am scared to just do them!  Why?  No idea.   I went blonde already and it is still freezing out.  Okay, not totally blonde but I jumped the gun and went to my lighter spring hair coor already.  I mean it was 60 at least one day.   I planned to add some pics to this post but my phone is apparently on the fritz.  I have had such a problem with keeping my internet signal lately.  Annyoing.   I totally bored you all with this post.  It is awful I admit.  Better luck next time, right?   Happy Hump Day!        

It's Friday and I am COLD!!!

Welcome again dearest Friday.  What a crazy week it has been.  Not only did they begin the wiring on my house, the deck is built and the windows are in.  Wowzers!!  I have done an excellent job of not freaking out about the constant mess during the day.  When I get home, they have done a very nice job of cleaning up for the most part.....they are men and we all know how that works.

I need to take some pics to post but I guess I should just wait until they are finished now.  Today I left them Italian Beef for lunch.  Yes, I can be nice sometimes.  Only sometimes.  They were pretty thrilled when they got there this morning and I told them. 

Other than all this, it has been a very uneventful week.  I am just so happy that tomorrow Matt and I actually get to hang out....ALONE!!!  We are taking off to STL for a boat show.  I know, probably not the most exciting way to spend the day but I know he loves it.  I am hoping to stop off at The Wooden Ladder.  Fingers crossed.

We are in full birthday party planning mode.  I have most everything ordered for the circus party :)  I scored some stuff at Hobby Lobby for a great price too.  Can't wait to see it all come together.  I am attempting to do this at my house so I hope all the work is done by then.  I also hope the weather is nice enough to be outside.  I even made a board of Pinterest.  Isn't that how we organize things these days?

Until next time, have a great weekend!

Trouble Is.....

Here's the trouble, I am busy.  I am so consumed with daily life that I seem to never make time for ME!  I started to blog because I truly think I have good things to say.  Plus writing has always put me at ease.  No idea why.

I was reading my Prevention magazine this month and there was a paragraph that I took a pic of and posted about why we are so busy.  It is totally true.  Maybe not everyone is willing to admit it but I think it is absolutely true.  Here is how it went:

It takes courage to look at why we're so crazy busy.  Yes, there's a lot to do, but it's more than that.  The hard answer-the courageous answer- is that most of us may stay really busy so the truth of our lives doesn't catch up with us. 

I have read that paragraph over and over and it did go on to say much more and the article itself was good but those few lines stuck in my head.

I can see that in people I know.  The ones that I know are having difficulties.  Whether it be financially, medically or in their marriage.  I see how busy they are all the time because I am going to guess if they slowed down, they'd have to face reality.

I am guilty of this, I am guilty of simply erasing things from the front burner and focusing on piddly things to keep my mind off reality.

Do you find yourself doing this?



Fab Fridays

  Found a cute little link up and thought I would join in.  I mean what could change your mood than to think of a couple fab things that are making you happy.   - It is lunch time ;)  Mexican at that!   - My taxes are done and I am waiting for that not so big refund but at least I am not paying in.   - We actually have plans this weekend.  I am so ready for the weather to change so we can be outside and not have to depend on finding something to do inside ;)   - I just ordered some pretty awesome stuff from Through the Country Door for my home.   Have a great weekend!