Happy New Year's Eve

So I'm totally down in the dumps about the job but if I can't depend on it then I've got to look for one that is going to provide some security, ok so I know no job out there is secure but I can't live in limbo. Otherwise spending tonight with my family, well at least some of them, Baby Brother is going out with his girlfriend to celebrate. We'll probably stay up and watch the ball drop and then go to bed. Yep, I know fun filled evening for this single Mom.

A little ray of light has been that quite a few of our friends have received referrals from China in the past 2 days, so please go over there and offer them some Congratulations
Sara at http://lanechinaadoption.blogspot.com/
Kelli at http://www.kelliinportland.blogspot.com/
Lisa at http://lucyin09.blogspot.com/

Just When You Think....

life is going good, something like today happens. The job I've been counting on isn't looking so good, seems the bad economy has hit the businesses we deal with hard and so that means no money coming in, which in turn means no money to pay me. So we are praying here that the economy gets better really quickly!

Bah Humbug, Sort of....

Well, I'll just say it...our Christmas was pretty much ruined by 2 people. Instead of sticking to the plans and celebrating Christmas with us, having Christmas breakfast with us or even Christmas dinner with us, they decided to lie to us all freakin' morning and afternoon until they decided to finally show up at 430pm. So basically because we were under the assumption they would be opening gifts with us, I made K wait to open the rest of her gifts from Santa, Us and her Great-Grandparents because they stressed to me how much they wanted to be here to watch her open them. So instead by the time she opened gifts she was totally burned out, she was tired of waiting and basically she had almost a melt down. And then they were pissed because she didn't want to open their 1 gift, well hell she didn't want to open almost any gifts at that point. I am just so upset, I should of just let her open her gifts, I should have put my daughter first instead of thinking about their feelings. I am so through with this crap. I mean if it would have been her grandson then things would have been completely different, she wouldn't have made him wait to open his gifts. I am just so pissed off and upset, because number 1 they did this and number 2 I didn't just tell them to f*** off and let my daughter enjoy opening her Christmas presents this morning when she was so super excited to open them and instead made her wait all freakin' day. So I hope everyone elses holiday was great, I'm just so thankful I don't have to deal with them for another freakin' year!!
Ok, so I've cooled down just a little bit while uploading pictures. Overall K had a great Christmas Morning, she loved her doll house from Santa. My Baby Brother and K had a great time playing with each other. And things were really good with my Mom. So really if I reflect only on my family, things were really great and Christmas wasn't a total bust, we had fun together, it was just the added stress of extended family and their intentional lying that upset me.

K's visit with Santa

While participating at a local craft fair (if you could call it even that). They also had Santa set up so kids could sit on Santa's lap and get pictures taken/or take your own. K was amazed by Santa but actually spoke to him unlike years past (1st year dissolved into tears upon her first meeting and last year just wouldn't talk to him at all). When he asked her what she would like, she said some toys and when he asked her what kind of toys, some nice toys. It just made me smile. Otherwise for what the craft fair turned out to be (not even 14 vendors) it really surprised me that we made any money at all. It was a far cry from even our normal 1 day craft fair totals but alot better than we expected. So all in all a good day.

I think I'm going crazy?

Ok so right now I'm working 5 days a week on overnights (10p till sometime after 6am), 2-3 days a week I'm working my daytime job. Of course we still are running our online business and doing quite a few art festivals on the weekends. I don't think I sleep more than 2-3 hours a day. And I just realized after all this that I thought my 171-H had expired and I was ok with that because I was just going to renew C's adoption under the I-800 but instead my 171-H doesn't expire until January, so for the month of December, along with working like a crazy women, our weekend art festivals selling our wares, trying to spend quality time with K, all our Christmas parties and festivites, I'm now going to be running around trying to get all the paperwork together so I can resubmit my 171-H since I won't have to pay since I get a 3rd extension on it. I guess like everything else with C's adoption it has just fallen into place and so far my faith hasn't failed me concerning my Little C's adoption and I'm thinking there is no way it's going to fail me now.

Also I got hurt at work tuesday night, a giant box was dropped on my head. I still have the headache and blurry vision. Luckily didn't have to get stitches or anything like that. Once I got home on Wednesday morning within 2 hrs of stepping in the door I come down the the flu or some virus. I was so sick yesterday and today, I'm feeling 100 times better than yesterday but still not even close to 100%, heck not even close to 70%. Also over the Thanksgiving holiday, my best and oldest friend came to visit and meet K for the first time. We have know each other since 7th grade, we stayed at each others houses almost every weekend and once we were able to drive we were together every moment of every weekend cruzing up and down the river getting ourselves into all kinds of trouble. He moved away 7 years ago, the big reason was to get away from his family but he had also meet what he thought was his true love. Which I knew from the beginning it wasn't but whatever, I was supportive because I loved him. They didn't even last 2 years but until this year he has never been able to bring himself back here and be strong enough to survive his family. I'm am so thankful that he was this year and that we got to spend all that time just hanging out. You look at the picture we took of us and K together and you think what a happy little family they make but alas even though we love each other that deeply and trust me the goodbye was a Hallmark moment it would never work out. I just can't believe how much I miss him already.

So here are a few pics from November, I've really been lacking in downloading and updating but I know everyone understands that I'm basically a warm-blooded zombie like I seem to be every holiday season.

K playing in the pit

K's first experience with a gumball machine

K was getting super fussy or having a temper tantrum, so I ran some warm water in the sink and let her play in it, next thing I know she has sat down in the sink and was splashing water everywhere.

mashing potatoes on Thanksgivinglaughing outside after getting home from braving the stores on Black Friday and we didn't buy a single thing either

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a really good Thanksgiving. My Baby Brother was home from school the last 3 days so he and K enjoyed some quality time. It was again another heart wrenching good-bye between them when it was time for him to leave for Grad school today. We were also amazed when K's Great-Grandma and YeYe showed up. He was released from the hospital on Tuesday and got the go ahead from all the doctors that he could travel. I just want to Thank everyone for their prayers because I really believe they helped. They have concluded that it wasn't a stroke (Thank you Lord!) but a very severe virus that attacked his central nervous system which cut off oxygen to his brain. This is actually a virus that is making it's rounds but is affecting everyone totally different. I do know the 2 most common signs is that you will have a severe headache and are super nauseated and beyond that is when everything is different. I'm pretty sure the same virus that attacked him, attacked me last week just I wasn't only nauseated but sick, heck my stomach and shoulder muscles still hurt.

Otherwise I'm disappointed by the Black Friday Ads. I really was expecting some great deals, I mean don't get me wrong, they are pretty good but I expected spectacular since the economy sucks. But honestly I'm done with my Christmas shopping except maybe a few very little things for stockings. I actually finished my shopping Wednesday night by buying my last gift for my bosses Daughter. K decided that she would love this gift and so that is what we got her. Lucky for me it was in the Toys R Us ad at half off the regular price plus with the extra discount I got, I paid hardly nothing. I mean it's the thought that counts anyway. So Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

A Few Prayers Please

K's YeYe (aka my Grandpa or K's Great-Grandpa) had a stroke on Thursday. Please keep him and my Grandma in your prayers that he will continue to get better and that she will keep up her strength.

Another Upward Swing

Wow, things here are really starting to turn around. I was suppose to have a Hearing today about my unemployment. The company who layed me off was being real jerks. They fought my initial claim and after I won that one, they filed their appeal which was being held today. The appeal was suppose to start at 9a and around 910a I got a call from the Judge who said that she hadn't heard from the company and she was giving them 5 more minutes and if she didn't hear from them she was denying their claim and dropping the appeal. Well it's now almost 1030a, I emailed the Judge and am waiting a response back to make sure I can go about my day but if they haven't called by now, I'm pretty sure she's dismissed their appeal. Whoo Hoo, Little Guys 1, Big Bad Company 0!

A Typical Tuesday NOT!

Well lets see, I got a second job, it's seasonal but at least it's some extra money. My other job is going well, it's only part time but it's steady work and I really enjoy it. Plus eventually I'll get to work at home 90% of the time. I mean how awesome is that. The deal originally was that I was going to be able to go full time in January as long as we got this bigger contract we were expecting, well last week we found out that they were only giving us half of what we expected. But my boss talked to me on Monday and said if I want too, she still wants to take me full time in January. So it was a happy but scary moment since this company is not even 3 months old yet and of course with the economy, it's a leap of faith that I'm going to take because my life had been in a downward spiral and finally except for the few things going on with my little C's adoption from China, our lives are starting on an upward swing. I truly have to believe that things are just going to get better from this day forward because somehow no matter how hard we have fallen in the past, we have always dusted ourselves off and survived.

Now the most amazing thing that happened today. My very Best and Closest Friend who I've know for 7 years now, never met face to face, emailed each other almost daily, who is K's Godmother and we talk about things that we talk with no one else about because there is no sense of judgement or fear that we would gossip behind each other's back because we live so far away. We talked today on the phone for the first time. How weird is that, to know someone for 7 years but never really heard their voice or their laugh (unless it was in the background of a video we sent each other of our kids). K also got to talk to her on the phone, she was going to sing her Happy Birthday but had other thoughts and then decided to hardly talk to her. Which is typical K, she has to be in the mood to talk on the phone. Our conversation was really about nothing, the weather, her kids birthday parties, things about K and just random thoughts that came to mind. But more than anything, it was so nice to finally be able to make the more human connection opposed to the intimate connection that we have with our words. I know today's call won't be the last especially because I want K to be able to have a strong connection with her Godmother. So a big Happy Birthday to K's Godmother and most of all to my Friend.

Prayers, School and This and Thats

Well today I spent over 3 1/2 hours in traffic and then had to sit through the class my new boss sent me too. It was actually a pretty easy class or at least it was while I was in the classroom. But who knows, it maybe a whole different world once I have to use what I learned in a real world setting. I also have another class next Thursday which I'm looking forward too. What I'm not looking forward to is that this class even without traffic is over 2 hrs away, across the river and out in the middle of nowwhere. I ended up not having lunch because there is no fast food or even resturants anywhere near this place because it's smack dab in the middle of the rich and famous neighborhood where all the professional baseball, football and hockey players, rap stars (I know of at least 2 that live there) and countless other rich people. I guess having a MickeyD's down the street from them would hurt their property value or something. So I guess I'll have to remember to bring myself some food next Thursday so I don't starve.

Otherwise K in the last few weeks has really been expressing her feelings. I hear sentences like "I miss __" "I'm sad because ___" or "I'm happy Mommy because ___". What breaks your heart is when she says that she is sad because she puckers out that lower lip and gets those big puppy dog eyes and it just breaks your heart. She told me yesterday this I'm sad Mommy and when I asked her why? she said because my baby sister is still in China. It took everything I had to hold it together especially with everything that has happened since Wednesday concerning my adoption from China.

So this is where the prayers come in, I get a letter from my Social worker that came directly from the head of Children & Family Services. It says that because my homestudy is 13 months old, that I must get a new one by December 15th. Ok, I'm thinking I've paid my damn homestudy agency enough over the last 4 years it shouldn't cost me anything or at least very, very little. Well they want to charge me over $2300.00 to update. This is the part that pisses me off is if I don't get this update by December 15th that they will close my file from China and I will NEVER be allowed to adopt from there if I live in this State. Actually let me put this more clearly is that I can still travel to China, adopt my little girl but I won't be able to come home because the State I live in requires that they give their approval before INS is allowed to give their approval. So basically I'll be able to adopt from China but never bring her home. What kind of crap is that?? What sucks is if my agency was in the same state I was in or even if I lived in a different state I wouldn't be going through this. My states regulations suck. I told my Mom after the year we have had I don't know how we will come up with that kind of money in such a short amount of time. I also said if I have to, I will move to another state so I can get a new homestudy and INS approval because I have not went through the hell I did with my agency fighting tooth and nail to even get my paperwork sent over to China and Logged in to not be able to bring home my future daughter and K's future baby sister. I have dreamed about my daughter from China for over 15 years and you can bet there is nothing going to stop me from bringing her home. So I'm not one to ask for a hand out because I've always done everything on my own and have always survived no matter what so this is hard for me to say I added a "ChipIn" to my sidebar in hopes that I can raise enough money to get the updated homestudy, otherwise if I don't raise enough money in time, it will be used to help me move to another state so I will be able to continue my adoption, drastic yes but if it has to come to that, then as I said I will do anything to bring my daughter home.

Election, We Won and Catching Up

Since Sunday, I have felt just exhausted. Not sure if I'm trying to come down with something, which may or may not have been caught from my boss's daughter. But that's ok, I love that little girl anyway and as long as K doesn't get sick, then were good.

I am so super excited that we won the Chicco Trevi Twin Stroller!!! YAH!! I stayed up until the polls ended to see who won since the race was so close. K would be in the lead one moment and then losing the next. It was nerve wracking. But I really have to thank all our family, friends, friends of friends, all my military buddies that I made while living in Germany, our blog friends, our yahoo groups we belong too and of course my Baby Brother's college campus buddies, graduate school buddies and Fraternity for helping K pull off her victory. This stroller has been on my wish list for so long and never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would own one since this would have been a luxury purchase. And we just don't have the extra money for that kind of purchase.

Otherwise someone has been stealing our firewood! Wonder whoo? Of course its my evil next door neighbors. I guess they think I'm stupid or something and I wouldn't have noticed all the knocked down weeds and tree branches leading to my wood pile. And the large V shape of wood taken from my nicely stacked even wood pile. So we have spent the last 2 days moving all of it up next to the house since that is our heating fuel. And you know I probably wouldn't have been so bent out of shape about it, if they didn't have piles and piles of wood of their own. Plus if I thought they were poor and freezing (which right now it's in the 80's), I wouldn't be so angry but heck they just bought a brand new boat, brand new dune buggy, plus they just spent over $7000 on a swingset for their kids, they sure aren't hurting. So it's a real shame they have to steal from people who are struggling.

So onto pictures which is why everyone is here, not to listen to my ramblings

This is K on Monday picking up pine cones to burn this winter

K with her Election Hairbows, so she could wear all of them I made her, she had 3 pigtails. Of course since we didn't want to show any partisan favoritism, I made a Republican, Democrat and Vote bottlecap center. And of course Kitty Cat had to have a bow too. Also my Mom took this picture this morning after I was already at work? Wonder what it is??? K sneezed her oatmeal all over her mirror this morning.

And here are a few pictures that I took before dinner tonight, it was so warm and beautiful outside. I was suppose to be working since I have a deadline for tomorrow on a big project but decided it could wait....guess I should be working on it instead of blogging right now.

Please Vote for K

K is a finalist in a Halloween Photo Contest and we need your vote. So please follow the link and go vote for my Little Bo Peep http://www.goodhappenings.com/?page_id=487

Remember Voting ends November 4th, ELECTION DAY :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

AHHHHHHHH!!! I just wrote this huge long post and lost it all. F*#&%(#@&@ Blogger! Guess I'll write it some other time. I leave you with one picture from today. K was on a local TV show this afternoon and won 1st prize for her costume, a $50 gift certificate. WHOO HOO!

Grandma fixing K's hat - K and the local TV co-Hostess

Pictures From our Halloween Festivites

Well I'm so behind in getting these pictures posted and stuff updated. I've worked to many hours at my part time job this week, so that means I don't work until next Monday. Trying to find some Trick or Treat activities to do tomorrow with K since it's the 30th but so far nothing down here in our area, may have to drive further North towards her Great-Grandma and Cousins houses. We have a jam packed 31st with 3 different Trick or Trunks near our house in the evening and Trick or Treat at Toys R Us in the afternoon. I love this time of year and I'm really going to miss it after Friday.

Trick or Treat on the Square which was on Friday

K and this baby Clown had so much fun together

K was Dumbo while Trick or Treating at the Zoo on Saturday

Giving the Raccoon a High Five

After Trick or Treating at the Zoo we headed over to the Science Center for some fun on Saturday

On Sunday, we went to our Secret Pal's Church for their Trick or Trunk and Halloween festivities, we had a blast and her Hubby and K were buddies the whole night

Trick or Treat on Main Street

We had so much fun tonight and we have so many more Trick or Treat events planned for the weekend and into next week. I just love this time of year! I'm too tired to download the camera so pictures will have to wait. Tomorrow is Trick or Treat at the Zoo and a Fall Festival at one of the local churches.

Pumpkin Lunch

Well it's been awhile since I made K a Bento lunch. This was actually yesterday's lunch since Grandma took care of todays since Momma was at work. It's a Grilled Cheese Pumpkin sandwich with chocolate eyes and nose and orange fruit jello (K called it a pumpkin patch) with a Kitty Cat animal cracker walking through it.

A Miracle

"When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need."

This quote was given to me by a co-worker almost 8 years ago, during a very dark time in my life. It has hung above my computer since then and has made several moves. Amazingly it has never gotten lost. There have been things going on in my private life that I haven't talked about and still won't in a public forum but what I can tell you that today through the Grace of God, I witnessed a Miracle. I saw that there is still good people in this world who are willing to help, who are able to look beyond numbers and see a face and give people a chance at redemption. Today I saw that Miracle unfold before me and it has changed my life forever.

Halloween Fall Festival

Yesterday we headed over to the next town, ok it's not even 2 miles down the road from us to attend their fall festival. They had advertised it as an affordable way to have family fun and dinner where nothing cost over a $1.00. HA! HA!HA! Needless to say I didn't expect steak but I did expect the hot dogs would only cost a $1.00, instead they were $2.00 and if you needed a drink they started at $3.00. Needless to say we ended up splitting a hot dog and bowl of chili between the 3 of us. The rides I expected to be $1.00 a piece, nope you had a buy a bracelet for $10.00 (the cheapest way) or pay per ride, which none of them was under $3.50 in cost. So we didn't ride any rides. They did have some games that only cost 25 cents a piece to play, so K got to play $2.00 worth. But our main reason to go was because we love to dress up for Halloween and they were having a Halloween Costume contest. Amazingly we were able to pull together and make K's complete Halloween costume together in about 3 hours. I also figured out that it cost in total less than $5.00 to make the entire thing. Here's why, we got all the taffeta and satin material at an estate sale which cost $2.00 a bag, the lace on her hat was from a church rummage sale that was $1.00 a bag, the pink part of her hat that helped hold up the cardboard was a foam visor which I paid 50 cents for. The stuffed lamb was a gift, her shepard's hook was a cane that was left in our very 1st house and it's just moved everytime we have moved, the ribbon I covered it with only cost 25 cents a row. So that brings our grand total to $3.75. Grandma also dressed up like a lamb, which was so adorable. Well even though I have to say that K and Grandma had the best costumes there, they ended up losing to a girl in a sweatshirt because it was a popularity contest opposed to actual judging. If we would have know that we would have brought more people along to cheer for us so we could of won. But they were happy with their Honorable Mention and the tons of people including the Director of the Festival who said we should have won.

What an Honor!

I have won quite a few awards with this photo (pictured above), which I titled "In Memory" but the greatest one came today......

I'm being inducted into the 2008 Class of International Photographers Society Hall of Fame

this is also the same Society I have won 3 previous awards with in 2001, '04 and '07. The '01 and '04 awards, they gave me an all expense paid trip to the awards ceremony. Too bad that's not going to happen this year :( I've already talked to them. Since I can't afford the trip, I decided I will just submit a video tape of me accepting this honor. But still this is so freakin cool!

Never Argue with a 2 1/2 yr old

You'll never win an argument with a 2 1/2 yr old because in the end all they will do is leave you laughing. Case in point today, my daughter insists in calling our space shuttle magnet an airplane. It was a really silly of me to argue with her but it drives me crazy to think she is identifying something wrong. So it went like this...

K: Momma look airplane
M: No, that's the space shuttle.
K: No, it's an airplane
M: No sweetie, it's a space shuttle or rocket ship
K: Rocket Ship? Nope it's an airplane
M: No it's a rocket ship (since obviously she understood that word). It goes into space to look for aliens (she is really into aliens).
K: Aliens on airplane
M: No Aliens fly rocket ships
K: (leaves room) Grandma, airplane.
G: No I think Momma called it a rocket ship or space shuttle
K: No, Airplane! (comes back into see me) Momma this is airplane (making sure to show me the magnet)
M: No it's a space shuttle
K: airplane
M: space shuttle
K airplane
M: rocket ship
K: rocket ship
AH HA, Reverse psychology!! Doesn't always work on someone so young.
K: FINE! It's a rocket ship
She then starts to walk in other room, stops and turns around and puts the magnet up to her ear like a phone. And then I hear this pretend conversation
"Hi YeYe this K. Momma say rocket ship has aliens. Mmhmm. Yeah. I know. Momma wrong it airplane. Mmhmm. Ok. ByeBye. Love you."
At this point I'm laughing so hard. I can't believe she pretends to tell on me to her Great-Grandpa. You just got to love her.

What have we been up to?

1. working on folk art items for the show which is next weekend
2. playing with K
3. K's first pony ride
4. visit with Great-Grandma
5. 2hr drive to attend a visitation of a man I didn't know
6. hugging someone who carried a burden of guilt for over 5 years and watching that burden lift from her after we talked
7. realizing how much time has passed by and how I barely know my Little Cousin's anymore
8. realizing yet again how angry my Uncle makes me
9. realizing yet again how frustrating my Grandparents can be, especially driving up to the visitation of a man they do not know and wasting the money because they didn't think we would represent the family well enough.
10. trying to arrange services so K can start therapeutic riding
11. realizing my life is not leading in the direction I want it too and realizing I need a life makeover
12. pondering if C's adoption is really going to happen from China
13. staying off the computer not for lack of time but just not enough energy to get on
14. praying for K's godmother who had a relapse and wishing I could be there to help

15. Trying to create meals with only the food we have in the house, it's been a great and really fun challenge

Our blown out window, if you look out the window, you can see all the flooding

K laying on the floor, actually she is protesting since I was working on some stuff and not giving her my full undivided attention

Dinner tonight, Enchilada Pie, all the ingredents only cost me $5.29. I need to have a show, how to feed a family of 4 on only $30.00 a week or less.

K pretending to be a Kangaroo, she is trying to jump

I decided to try this since it was on my friend, Sara's blog I have always been an Independent when it comes to voting but have also leaned a little more towards the democratic side but per this it says I'm more republican. It all has to do with the questions they asked because I'm totally on opposite sides of the spectrum on alot of these issues that they mentioned.

Your Vote Score: 56% Republican, 44% Democrat

You are truly an independent voter, and you don't fit well with either party. Maybe you should choose one issue to vote on - or look into third parties!

Should You Vote Republican or Democrat?

BOA Club

Wow, oh, Wow!!! Well my Cousin did come through with the tickets. I cannot even begin to tell you how awesome our night was. It was so great to pretend that we were super rich and could actually afford to buy these tickets, which cost $115 a piece. The other thing that was awesome was there was no hassles that we only had 2 tickets (one for me and Mom) and K didn't have one (she is 2 yrs old or younger and gets in to the stadium for free but we weren't sure how things would be when it's an exclusive area). They even gave her a drink cup and the special bracelet that said we belonged to this particular club. It was so cool because we saw parts of the Stadium that unless yo have access to BOA you don't get to see it. Plus all the attendants were so nice, they opened doors, wiped off your seats, etc. Sorry I just keep repeating myself because we had so much fun.

New Creations

Well this week, other than waiting to hear about callbacks from jobs, I also worked on hair bows since we were accepted into a local folk art show to sell our wares. The competition for the shows around here are rough to get a spot and we were lucky when they choose us as 1st time people.
So I've been toying around with lots of different methods of hair bows and I made these, Minnie Mouse Ear bows. I think they are adorable but I guess my question is, would you buy these? I mean seriously I don't want to waste my time if there is no market for them, so please let me know what you think!

Oh yeah, please disregard all the crap in the background, we are using our front room as our craft area so the place is an absolute mess. Otherwise, we initially thought we would visit Great-Grandma this weekend and have lunch/dinner together and attend the Festival of Nations. Then the plans changed to just having dinner with her since we have so much crap to do in the morning tomorrow. But then I got a call this evening from one of my long-lost Cousins and in some weird kindness act, he offered to give me 2 tickets to tomorrow nights baseball game, not only that but they are luxury box seats with all you can eat and drink privileges. So we will see how this pans out tomorrow. We have to meet up with him to get the tickets, so I hope this works out because how freakin cool is this going to be.

Labor Day

Well this weekend we spent working on stuff for a craft festival. I feel like I made no progress at all on building up my inventory for my bows. I mean I got alot done but I guess not as much as I had hoped to do. Otherwise we didn't do much of anything else the entire weekend, we ducked our heads outside for a few minutes here and there but it was too hot to be outside. The whole month of September for us is suppose to be hotter than any other month this year. Which honestly makes you think more and more about global warming and going entirely green. We have done really good about cutting our energy costs this year and especially this summer. We have been keeping the thermostat at 80 and using fans to circulate the air and keep us cool, which resulted in cutting our energy use by 75% from last year (we had our thermostat at 76 last year) at the same time. It's amazing what those few degrees on the thermostat can do, I mean yeah it's a little hot but at least the air conditioner isn't running 24/7.

Well here are 2 pictures from last week, I haven't downloaded my camera from the weekend, not that I took many pictures. I've really been slacking in that department.

Last Weekends Road Trip to Tennessee

Well basically when we left for on our Road trip we only had enough money for gas. So we packed food and water and my amazing, don't always get along with Aunt was paying for our hotel room. So we basically drove straight through but stopped at a rest stop in Tennessee to have lunch, cold mac-n-cheese and jello. We picked up some brochures and decided some we would have plenty of time to kill before the party and didn't want to be put to work when we got there decorating and cooking, so we went to the Parthenon in Centennial park. We walked around and explored for over an hour and then decided it was time to head over to Cousin J's birthday party. When we arrived, they still weren't done decorating, so of course we still ended up helping and doing alot of the setting up. Finally it was 5pm and no one was there, their guests didn't start showing up until 530-6pm. So that gave J and K lots of time to play together. They actually played pretty well, he didn't bully K around but he did grab toys away from her alot of the time but it was 100% better than it was last year about this same time. Right after the guests got there she let J get in the pool instead of playing the games, having cake or even opening presents. They didn't even blow out candles till 730pm and then played games at 8pm. Which I was really bummed because they didn't let all the little kids take a whack at the pinata before the bigger kids did, so K didn't even get a turn. I finally had to beg my Cousin M to open J's presents or at least our presents at 930pm at night because I was ready to head back to the hotel. She was put off about it but hell I didn't drive all this way to not see his face when he opened our gifts. I still couldn't believe that she didn't even care if people saw J open his gifts or at least have them opened so people could see what he got. So we got to the hotel and it was almost 11pm. My Aunt ended up staying at our hotel room until almost 1am and amazingly K was awake still at 1am (which was 4 1/2 hrs past her bedtime). But I just couldn't make K go to bed when I knew my Aunt was paying for our room and they never see each other. Also J is 6 months older than K and is also almost a Foot Taller than her too.

K and J playing in his new sandbox

Cousin M and Cousin J writing with Chalk on their house

The kids playing with glow sticks when it got darkThe next morning, we still got up bright and early. My Aunt joined us for complimentary breakfast and we continued to visit. It was a nice relaxing morning. We then headed out to my Uncle's house (about an hour outside town). He was a little miffed with us because we haven't seen him in so long but after talking he finally realized it wasn't because we didn't want to see him, it was because of everything bad that has happened in our life. After awhile K warmed up to him (he's a gruff mountain man type but has a heart of gold). Our visit was way too short! Finally it was time to head home because of course Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa decided to plan a surprise visit on us and we had to be home for them.

Aunt and K practicing a cheer in the hotel lot

Uncle and K looking into the birdhouse

Otherwise if you want to read about the rest of our week, check out the post below