So sad!

Yesterday, we decided to take a trip to the Hatchery in Moncks Corner. What we saw was completely depressing. We took the kids fishing there last year and it was such fun. When we went over the summer, the water level had dropped a couple of feet but was still fishable. This. This was just devestating! There's no way to fish now. Boats can no longer enjoy a ride through the lake...not that that mattered to me since we have no boat. LOL

Here are some pics I took...

We used to stand by the tree closest to the water on the left.

A view from the boat ramp...that is blocked off now. We're actually walking where the lake should be. A tree or something, that used to be under water. A dead snake I almost stepped on. I didn't realize it was dead until after I screamed and ran. LOL It was curled when I almost stepped on it. Jimmy said it was a water mocassin.

Grrrrrr

There went my goal of posting every day this month. Something happened to my computer yesterday. I have no idea what. I was online in the morning, logged off to watch The Nanny Diaries. (Loved the movie, by the way.) I looked over at one point and saw my screensaver on. When the movie was finished, the monitor was black, like the computer had been turned off. So I turned it back on. However Windows wouldn't load. No matter what I did. I called my computer guy and left a message.

So I plugged in our other computer, but it couldn't detect my cable modem. I talked to my computer guy this morning and we went through all kinds of things on the first computer to get Windows to load. No luck. So next time he's down here (he lives in Columbia) he'll take the computer back with him and fix it. So he tried helping me get my comcast to work on computer 2. No luck there.

I called Comcast and after talking to three different people and being on hold collectively for 30 minutes, I was told all I had to do was hit the reset button on the modem. I didn't see a reset button. It was so small and I had to use a safety pin to hit it. Obviously, it worked! LOL I'm back online. I can now breath a sigh of relief. LOL

Busy day

Today was laundry day this week due to the Holidays. LOL Also had to pay bills. That's always a chore itself. The kids were all good for a change. Jackson insisted on napping with Korinne and me. So we all snuggled together in my bed. I had to go back to work tonight. But time seemed to fly. Now here I am, everyone else is passed out and I'm trying to wind down. That's about it for me today.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!!!!!!!!!

Oh I had such a wonderful day! I cooked my first ham...ever. I cooked it in my electric oven roaster I bought just before Thanksgiving. It turned out awesome! I didn't do anything to it, no glaze or anything. Just stuck it in the roaster. We also cooked a whole chicken, homemade mac and cheese, homemade mashed taters, corn on the cob and rolls. Oh it was delish!

We went no where! Not one outing. That was awesome. LOL My sister, brother and my sister's kids came over this evening. We called our Dad together. My house is now more trashed than it was. LOL But I have all four kids home this week, so guess who will be cleaning while I'm doing laundry tomorrow. LOL

The kids LOVED their MP3 players and digicams. They've been walking around half the day either listening to the music they picked, or taking pictures. LOL

Me? I've been enjoying my new digicam. Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure...

Dusk shot, just to see how the camera worked. From left to right...Justin, nephew Ronnie, nephew Alex, Korinne, Jackson, brother Billy, nephew Christopher, Jay Jackson playing with Justin's Flywheel, with Jimmy in the background peeling potatoes. Me and Jackson last night after I took my contacts out. LOL

New Digicam!

I got a new digicam today. My old one somehow got moisture under the lens. So the pics were all funny looking. I got a Nikon Coolpix. Here are some pics I took this evening...

Jackson with Jay in the background

Korinne with parts of Jackson Jimmy and the three older ones...Jackson was in bed. Jay giving a real smile. LOL

Free ham

Did I mention I got a free 10 lb ham yesterday? During our second trip to the store for ingredients needed for all the stuff I cooked, I was behind this man buying over $777 worth of ham for his employees. After he finished paying, he asked if the bagger could help him load the ham into his truck. Said he was going to pull his truck up front. So I told Jay to help him since I could see his truck and see Jay. We pay for our items and go outside to help also. When I pick up the last ham (he had 4 carts full) to hand it to him, he said, "It's yours." I protested. And he said, "I always buy extra just in case. You and your kids helped me with the ham. You keep it." I didn't catch his name but he had on a shirt with the name Lawn-O-Green, Inc. So thank you to the man that gave us a ham.

I don't even know how to cook a ham. But I'll figure it out. LOL I'm searching for how to cook it in an electric oven roaster. So if anyone has any tips, please share them with me by Monday night. LOL Thanks in advance.

Are you kidding me?!

I came across this article about a 60 year old man that works for Reader's Digest suing an 8 year old boy for a ski collision. I just recently bought a subscription to Reader's Digest and if this asinine lawsuit continues, I will most definitely cancel the subscription. This is just ridiculous!

Cooking up a storm!

That's what I did today. Jimmy "volunteered" me to make some things to bring to his work today for the Christmas fiesta. Oh he told me about it last week so it wasn't like it was last minute. Today, I made homemade mac and cheese, stuffed shrooms, mushroom crab melts and artichoke cheese puffs.

We went to the shop at 3:30, dropped off the food then went to the bank. When we got back the stuff was almost gone! LOL Well except the mac and cheese. They waited for that until the turkey was finished frying. There was a lot of excellent food. Something for everyone it seemed. We couldn't stay long though because I had to work. But I had a great time. And of course, the kids were being fawned over. LOL

Exam scheduled

for December 29. That gives me just over a week to study more.

We're finishing our Christmas shopping this weekend. Jimmy will do his sometime this weekend. I'll do mine when he's finished. Not much left to do. But the wrapping will keep me busy Christmas Eve. LOL I actually look forward to all the wrapping. Even though the kids rip into it in the morning. LOL I can't wait! LOL

I PASSED!!!!!

Yes! I passed the simulation exam! Barely. But I passed. Talk about a relief! Now I have to schedule the actual exam and I can study more on the questions I missed. Oh man. Breathing deeply! LOL

Heebie Jeebies!

::::::Shuddering::::::This afternoon after we got up from our naps, we decided to go check the mail. On the way back, we stopped to talk to some of the kids' friends. I'm standing there and I hear this squeal. I look down to see I'm standing on....ready for this? A FRICKING BAT! Its little head was up and its mouth was wide open. So, I of course do the whole girl thing and scream and run away dragging Jackson with me and yelling for Korinne to follow. LOL The bat doesn't move. So I creep back thinking I've killed the little thing. I see the body moving with the heartbeat. So I drag all the kids away with me to hunt down a maintenance worker. (I didn't want any kids playing with it and get hurt.) When I tracked one down, he followed me and teased me for killing the bat. Like I knew I was standing on a fricking bat. LOL So he grabs a piece of trash and carefully tries to lift it. He gets one wing off the ground and the bat takes off flying. Again, I do the whole girl thing, grab my kids and run. LOL Oh I laughed about it the entire time.

Busy week

I'm going to be so busy this week. I work every night but Wednesday. Though Wednesday, Justin has basketball practice and I'm taking my exam. (I'll be off Sunday, Monday and Tuesday so that'll be cool.)

Jackson is still sick. I guess that's another doctor's appointment. He's so congested that when he coughs he gags. But he doesn't understand to just let it come up. Tonight while at work, Jimmy brought out some towels and told Jackson if he needed to get sick to do it on the towel. Jimmy simulated getting sick. So Jackson would lean over the towel and just make the noises. It was a lot funnier when Jimmy was showing me and making the sound effects. LOL

Now let's add in laundry, a trip to the WIC office, oh and tomorrow is the boys' last day before Christmas break. I'm looking forward to things calming down.

Celebrating Christmas early

Well not too early. LOL

Jimmy will be off Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. (Well he's supposed to be off Monday.) Because of the way we alternate the Saturdays and Sundays I work, I'll be off on Sunday. The store closes at 6pm on Monday and closed Tuesday. Well since I don't work during the week until after 6, I won't be working on Monday either. So I'll have Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off! Our plan is to celebrate most of Christmas either Sunday or Monday so Jimmy and enjoy watching the kids play with their new items before he goes back to work. (I think so he can play too. LOL)

I had full intentions of taking my exam tonight, but by the time I got home from work and finished dinner it was late. I feel like I'm disapppointing my "boss" because I haven't finished this course yet. But I'm going to use Monday and Tuesday to study hard. I have to work both evenings, so I'll take my exam Wednesday night, come hell or high water! Have I mentioned that I hate tests? I always feel such pressure to do good so I don't disappoint anyone.

Just rambling....

Jimmy went into work this morning. His sister left her mustang convertible with us for the week while she goes to Tennessee to visit their parents. He's supposed to just be painting one side of the car that's peeling. But because of everything she's done to help us, he's planning on painting the entire car. Anyway, so he drove that to work and I loaded the kids into Lucy Blue and went grocery shopping. Started out at the store I work at. Got cereal for the kids for 99 cents (Shrek and chocholate Cookie Crisp) and YOGOs for 99 cents! Not to mention some awesome deals on chicken quarters. For those that have a Food Lion around and have kids that eat those particular items, go check it out. If the store is out, get a raincheck!

Afterwards, we went to the store I regularly shop at. OMG I could have beaten Jay and Justin. They were so hyper and bouncing all over the place. Playing and fighting with each other that I was tempted to just pop them both, not caring who saw. LOL

After the shopping, we had just enough time for the kids to eat lunch before Korinne had cheerleading practice. I let Jay stay home by himself...though it was only 30 minutes. I think he peeked into the Christmas presents because the tape was different on the boxes they're in. LOL

Practice was a joke! Her coaches didn't even show up. So we had some guy...that was so obviously gay...trying to teach them how to jump. Now I'm not opposed to gay people. I have a couple of relatives that are gay. But they don't talk condescendingly towards people. This guy talked so not only to the girls but to us team moms. I just sat down and let him do his own thing. It was obvious he didn't want the help we were asked to give.

I was supposed to study this afternoon, but I just couldn't get myself into it. The kids were too distracting. LOL I work tomorrow from 8:30-3:30, so I'll study after that.

Almost done for real now. LOL

I finished the last chapter and quiz of my online course. All that's left is the simulation exam they provide. I'll study for that tomorrow and take the exam Sunday afternoon/evening. No pressure there. @@ It's apparent that my brain is not as young as it was a decade ago because I have a case of the CSRs! LOL Wish me luck.

Cheerleading and Band concerts

Korinne had her first practice tonight. Though had to leave 30 minutes early. I somehow got roped into being a "team Mom." LOL I'm not quite sure what that entails yet. But I have gathered that I have to learn the cheers also and help the girls learn it. I think I'll have to make phone calls every once in awhile. I'll find out more at her Saturday practice.

So onto Jay's band concert (the reason we left early). He did so well! I'm so proud of him. We took the camcorder, of course. But I haven't uploaded it to the puter yet. I'll try that this weekend. Yeah I got all teary eyed. LOL I could tell he was nervous. But he did wonderful. And I was very impressed with the 8th grade band, not so much the 8th grade strings. But the band was excellent!

Whew!

I think I'm almost finished with my online course! WOOHOO! I have two more chapters and quizzes. Then the exam. I hope to get another chapter done in the morning. And the other after Jay's concert tomorrow night.

It's about time!

I finally got a call today concerning Korinne's cheerleading. (I signed her up for cheerleading through the city parks. Justin signed up for basketball and has already had 3 practices.) Her practices are Thursday nights from 5:30-7:00 and Saturdays from 12:00-1:00. Not really a big deal. I can just tell whoever does the scheduling at work that I can't work those times. I can't wait to take pictures of them in their uniforms. (They get to keep them, btw.)

However, this Thursday, Jay has a band concert at school at 7. He's planning on staying after school to practice and help set up, so we'll just meet him at the concert. That actually helps because then I can take Korinne to practice for at least an hour, swing home and pick the rest of the brood up before heading to the concert. I'll make sure the camcorder is charged that day.

Now Justin has never played basketball before, but he's doing wonderful. He made quite a few shots tonight at practice. He's getting good at bloacking also. The games will start after the first of the year.

Me and my online course. I didn't realize until this weekend, that there are individual little quizzes on each chapter. I'd read through 9/12 chapters before I realized that. And these are not short chapters. I printed out one tonight to read during Justin's practice and it was 55 fricken pages long! So now I've actually completed reading and the quizzes on 7/12 chapters. I did two today. In between laundry and the kids. Jimmy said he'll do more so I can get these done by this weekend. That would be so nice. I can't wait to get this stress out of the way. After I finish the chapters and subsequent quizzes, I have to take an exam simulation.

I'll probably print out all the chapters so that when I go for the state exam, I have a study guide.

Pajama Day

Justin has been talking about being able to wear pajamas to school for a week now. The kids get to wear pajamas and they're going to watch The Polar Express. We get to the bus stop and he's the only one in pajamas. I just knew I would have to make the trek to the school. LOL

I get home and call the school and sure enough, no pajamas today. It's NEXT Monday. LOL So we took Jimmy to work, went to the school and ran some errands. We were all ready for our nap today. LOL

Lottery

I really want to win the lottery! I want to be able to pay my bills on time every month without stressing. I want to be able to buy the kids things they need without putting off paying a bill. I want to be able to buy a house. I want to be able to pay whatever medical bill the insurance doesn't cover. I want to be able to pay off my van and get all the little problems fixed. No I don't want a new vehicle, I'm quite partial to the one I have now.

I know it's unlikely that I'll ever win the lottery. Even more so, since I've never bought a lottery ticket. LOL But it's nice to dream. LOL

I'm quite proud of myself...

Usually when someone comes at me yelling and cursing, I yell and curse back. Today, I held myself in check, surprising both myself and Jimmy. LOL

Today, Justin was playing with his friend, Koby, at Koby's apartment. Justin comes home saying Koby was starting fires and stomping them out. Then started a fire in a tree close to Koby's apartment. Justin swore he was not starting any fires. When I asked him where the lighter came from he said Koby got it from his apartment. So we told Justin he was to stay inside the rest of the day. I went to find Koby's mother to talk to her and find out what was going on. I'd just stepped onto my porch when she comes marching up yelling that Justin was no longer allowed at her home for starting fires. I said, "Ok but wasn't Koby doing it too?" She went on yelling and cussing. I told her there was no need to get an attitude or curse at me. That seemed to only enrage her more. I told her, her behavior was making her an immature mother (which she really is...she had Koby at 15 and another baby at 17 and her attitude matches her maturity.) She told me I was an immature mother and that I should watch my son better. I said, "They were at YOUR home. So obviously YOU weren't watching them." Then she got in her car and peeled out. @@ I told Justin he was no longer allowed to play with Koby.

It's sad that Koby has to pay for his mother's attitude. I'm just not putting up with that bullshit. I take responsibility for my children. But she's the type of mom that blames others when Koby gets in trouble. I know I posted about her last summer when the boys were playing on a trailer that rolled down and hit another car. She and her mother were beligerent and saying the trailer shouldn't have been there. They didn't like me reminding them that regardless, our children were playing on it so we were responsible for any damages. They said they weren't paying a dime.

It's interesting to me that when the boys are playing over here they don't get into trouble. Why? Because I'm constantly checking on them. My windows are open so I can hear them.

I'm curious to see what, if anything, Koby's grandmother says to me at the bus stop Monday morning. That'll be interesting (evil gleam in eye. LOL) Oh yeah, Koby, his sister, mother and mother's boyfriend live with Koby's grandma

My day

Jimmy had a follow up appointment for his knee this morning. All is well. He wanted us to go with him for support, though all we did was sit in the waiting room. Then we took him to work. One of the higher ups told me to come back around 2 to pick up Jimmy's check. So 2 comes around and the two little ones and I head to the shop. After standing around for 30 minutes, I'm told by one of the guys in the office that the big boss isn't there and he doesn't know where the checks are, if they're even ready, but said he'd call me as soon as he had Jimmy's check in hand. Of course, I'm trying not to panic, because I know I have to be home from 3:30-4:00 for the boys to get off their buses. I know I have to deposit some money into Jimmy's account to make the van payment.

So I leave to head home. I get 5 minutes from home (10 minutes from Jimmy's work) when I get a call saying he has Jimmy's check. That they had been ready but the big boss hadn't told anyone. So I make this big circle back to Jimmy's work. I get his check, head to my bank for a deposit, then Jimmy's bank for a deposit. At Jimmy's bank my low fuel light comes on. Now my gas gauge doesn't work. It either says full or low fuel, so we've learned to calculate when to put gas in...well somewhat. LOL So while in the drive thru for Jimmy's bank, I'm repeating, "Oh please let me make it to the gas station, please let me make it to the gas station." Oh I made it, thankfully. LOL

I get home 5 minutes before Justin got off the bus. When Jay got home, we headed to the store to get something for dinner before going to get Jimmy from work. After dinner, Jackson and I went to Kmart to get our stuff off lay-a-way.

Lay-a-way was a pain in the ass. We went to one area to pay it off then had to wait in another area to pick it up. Apparently, instead of going in order of those in line, they were picking things at random. Oh I won't complain since mine was one picked in random and I didn't wait as long as I thought. LOL Jackson and I head to the van. There's this explorer parked beside us with this guy and toddler in the front. I assumed they were waiting for someone. The guy must not have noticed us because I hear him say, "Boy, I will punch you in f-ing mouth!" At that point he notices me putting Jackson in his car seat cause I hear, "Baby, you can't do that. Don't write on that." Sounding all sweet and shit. That's when I loudly remarked to Jackson, "I'd be damned if I'd ever let your Daddy talk to you that way. Some people shouldn't breed." The guy didn't have a chance to respond because I was getting in the van and had shut the door. What the hell? That poor baby. I can only imagine how he's treated when no one is looking.

Well there's one goal out

I set a goal for myself to finish my online course by the end of this week. I have 4 more chapters to go. Only tonight I realized there were tests for each chapter. In addition to the final test I'll have to take. And this is just for pre-licensing. After I finish the course, I'll have to take a final exam. Do you know how hard it is to try to read a bunch of stuff with a screaming 2 year old in the background that doesn't want to be pleased, just doesn't feel good and wants to cry? LOL

I got two chapters read today....and they're long...like 2 hours long. I did one this morning in between laundry and trying to calm Jackson down. Read another tonight after dinner and had to listen to the kids trying to talk to me while I'm trying to read.

I know I'm okay as long as I get my license by the end of the month. But it really shouldn't take this long. If I'd just gone to the classes, I'd be done by now. But I can't find a sitter for 5 days for 8 hours a day.

Eventually I'm going to have to admit that I'm not Superwoman. I cannot do it all at once. Otherwise, I'm just going to be worse than I already am. I'm not liking who I've been lately. Snapping at the kids over the smallest things. Snapping at Jimmy for no reason. That's not me. And I don't like it one bit.

One for the day

I am begrudgingly admitting that I'm liking having a job. Getting a paycheck today was such a wonderful thing. I was able to pay rent. WOOHOO! Granted I hate that it went up again. But my check helped pay it. Plus it gives me gas money and this and that money until Jimmy gets paid on Friday.

I have to get stuff off Lay-a-way on Saturday. No idea where I'm gonna stash it so the kids don't find it. LOL The other things are in the trunk of Jimmy's car at his work. But he no longer has a key so we can't stash it there until Monday. That's two days I have to figure out where to hide them. LOL Wish me luck.

Things that make you go hmmm...

So I'm at work tonight and this guy comes in, drunkoff his ass. I mean he totally reeked. I'm ringing up a customer (who bought over $330 worth of stuff) and a coworker is bagging (customer wanted everything in paper bags.) Well this drunk guy comes in and is telling Chris (the bagger) that he's plugging in his laptop outside and wants Chris to go watch it for him. Chris tells him he can't do that, he's working. So the guy mumbles something and leaves. He comes back about an hour or so later and buys a bag of chips and dip. I wondered if he'd fallen outside because one hand was missing several chunks of skin. Well he pays for the chips then hands me a corner of a 5 dollar bill. Like where the serial numbers are, but opposite side. He goes to hand this to me and asks if I can give him a different 5 in exchange. Trying not to laugh, I told him I couldn't do that. After he left, I told the other cashier about it. Well then he comes back in to buy a pack of cigarettes but goes through the other lane. He tries to use the corner of the 5. But again is told he would have to go to the bank or something. Though the other cashier went a step further and asked where the rest of the 5 was. LOL I really was thinking, "Hmmmmm." LOL

2 Down, 2 to go...

Well I now have two on antibiotics. I called the ped's office as soon as they opened at 8am. His appointment was made for 9:10. We left home at 8am to take Jimmy to work. We left his work and made our way to the interstate. Traffic was at a stand still. So I got right back off and decided to take the scenic route. Figured I had an hour, no problem. Not so! Traffic was bad all over. What normally takes me about 30 minutes took me 65 minutes.

Because of Jackson's medical history, his doctor was concerned. They pricked his finger to check his white blood count. Thankfully, it came back normal or I would have had to take him for a chest xray. So now both he and Korinne are on antibiotics. I'm waiting for the boys, fervently hoping they don't catch whatever is going around. My voice sounds a little better today and I haven't been coughing too bad.

I still have so much pressure on me, but I know that I just have to plow through or give something up. What's funny is I signed Justin up for basketball this season and Korinne for cheerleading. Justin had his 2nd practice tonight, yet I haven't heard anything for Korinne. I called today and was told they were still trying to find cheerleading coaches. Of course, then I was quite disappointed that I have a part time job because I'd love to coach Korinne's team. I just don't see where I can make time with my part time job, online course, and trying to keep the apartment clean. (Oh and just once I'd love to come home from work and find the apartment at least as neat as it was when I left. But that's another rant.)

After talking to Jimmy, it seems there is a way I can coach Korinne's cheerleading team. I know she'd have practice once a week. So that's another day during the week I'd not be able to work at the store. So if I'm already taking that evening off, why not be coaching? It's not like I'll have to come up with the cheers, right? LOL I'll call tomorrow and check it out.

I'm tired of sick babies!

Jackson has been coughing so bad today he gags. I was to go to MUSC tomorrow for a visit with an oral surgeon. But I'll be cancelling so I can take Jackson to the doctor. He sounds congested and with his history, his doctor doesn't take any chances. I hope he doesn't have to have a chest xray. I'm tired of doctor's bills.

10 Things

Came across this while perusing my friends' blogs. This is from my friend Sonia.

1. The number of bottles of water I’ve drank today.
2. The number of alcoholic drinks I've had so far.
3. The number of times I went to the store I work at to buy something.
4. The number of children I'm raising.
5. The number of people I can truly count on.
6. The number of babies I've given birth to.
7. The number of jobs I've ever had.
8. The number of hours I spend cleaning in any given day.
9. The number of jeans I own...and not all fit. LOL
10. The number of days I usually work in a 2 week period.

So who's next....tagging Ami, for sure. LOL Cause I know she regularly reads my blog. LOL

Let's try this again. LOL

I'm going to really make a conscious effort to post every day this month. Wish me luck! LOL

We're starting off the month with two sick kids. Korinne is on antibiotics for a sinus infection. And now Jackson's running a fever. Both are coughing a lot. Jackson to the point of gagging. Looks like we'll be going back to the doctor on Monday. With Jackson's history, his doctors don't take any chances when he has a cold and is congested. At this moment, he is curled up on the couch sleeping. My poor baby. :(

Jay is grumbling because he has to clean the kitchen. Oh boohoo! I did a whole hell of a lot more when I was his age. Justin is impatiently waiting for Jay to finish so we can all watch a movie together. LOL

Jimmy's fine and my voice sounds like I've been at a concert all night. LOL Oh and I can't believe I'm going to admit this, but I'm so glad I have my part time job. I get paid Wednesday, and thank goodness! Cause rent went up, due this week, plus the van payment is due. Oh and I have to say, it's a reprieve from instigating, whiny, annoying kids. LOL