Sad.....

It was brought to my attention that someone has taken over my Meet Me On Monday meme!! I was very sadden to hear this as I was never asked or told about this until after the fact. I worked really hard to establish that meme and for someone to take it over like that is very disheartening to me. I started the meme in June 2010!!!  Almost 2 years ago!!
Now that I am starting it back up again this person has decided to keep it going but changing it just a bit....and I mean bit as it is almost exactly the way I host it. All my hard work and efforts all for someone else to take it over. I hope that you will remember this and link up on the "original" Meet Me On Monday starting this Sunday night!

We have not heard back about the house yet and Wednesday it will be 1 week! That is really poor communication and we can't believe we haven't heard anything yet! I know no news is good news but its driving us crazy!!

I hope everyone had a nice Easter! Mine was really nice! Here are some picture of the boys!! They could not find their Easter baskets again and the Easter bunny hid them really quick on Saturday night because she was tired! Grande's was on the washer behind the shoe basket, Tall's was in the bathroom cabinet under a hand towel (they looked there at least 4 times and didn't see it!)...and Short's was in Venti's old room in a box! hehe....I finally had to give them hints while not being obvious as Short still believes in the Easter Bunny!

Happy Tuesday!!

A New Beginning!!

Boy does it feel good to be back and in full swing!!  I have had so much going on and feel like I am finally able to dedicate time back to blogging which I have missed very much!  I miss you guys and catching up with everyone!!

You are going to start seeing a lot more of me so I hope you don't mind! I am going to post more like a Diary entry so that you get a lot more blogging and updating from me!

So now on to what's been going on!!

The last I blogged I had just started my new job and I hated it and wanted to go back to my old job but I was unsure if i should or not.  I really appreciated all your advice and most of you said to go back to my old job so after thinking long and hard about it, I decided that I would do just that!!  So I emailed my old boss and told her that I wanted to come back!  She was all excited and said she would get right back to me.  So not too long after that I got an email from her and she said that Human Resources would be calling me!!  Later that day HR called me and burst my bubble.....she said that I could not go back to my old job because someone else bid on it within that agency and so they would get it over me....sniff!!!!  I couldn't believe it!  I finally made peace with going back and now I find out that I can't!!  My old boss was just as devastated.  She emailed me 2 weeks ago to tell me that someone just retired and she was going to check to see if I could get that job but I haven't heard anything more.  So now it is almost 2 months at my new job and I am slooooowly starting to like it....and I mean slowly!  It has its advantages (especially the free parking) and some other things so maybe its meant to be that I couldn't go back.  I honestly don't know!!  I guess time will tell but for now I am sticking it out where I'm at and letting each day run its course!!

The boys are all doing good.  Venti and Mocha have been looking for a place to buy in Maryland but haven't found anything yet.  They put bids in 3 different houses but lost each one.  They are now looking into renting since they can't find anything and are really getting tired of the 2 hour commute each day!  I can't even imagine what that is like to drive in the car 4 hours each day!
Grande and Tall only have a little over a month left of college and then the fun begins when everyone is here!  Short got all A's on his report card and his team won their last tournament!!  So proud!!

I had also told you that we are thinking about building a new house and on Friday we put an offer in and we are supposed to hear back tomorrow so I'll let you know!  We have the lot reserved but haven't listed our house yet until we get the offer signed back!  We have been doing MAJOR decluttering and have gotten rid of tons of bags of trash and donated lots to charity.  It feels so good to walk into a room and there's hardly and stuff around.  It's amazing the things you don't need!

 

Joe works night shift (8:30pm-5am) and has been for about 3 years.  He used to work daylight but they did away with all the daylight jobs which is why he works night shift.  Well he is first on the list to go back to daylight when a job becomes available and he got a call on Tuesday to go back!!  He starts May 5th an will be working 6am-2:30pm.  We will finally have a normal life again!

For those of you that have asked to be added to the "Over 40" list, I will be updating that as well so that it will be current!!

That's the low down for now.  I'm sure you noticed my blog background changed...how do you like it? 


Ozzie...relaxing!

Where'd She Go?

I know you are all probably wondering where I went!!  Here I am!!  I am sorry to abandon you like that and I certainly didn't mean to!  I'm not quite sure why I wasn't blogging.....I think I felt a little overwhelmed with the blog hops and the fact that I had to have them done...when instead I would have liked to have just blogged about myself!  I'm not sure if that makes any sense.  I do love the hops and maybe I'll start them again but for right now, when I blog, its because I want to....not because I have to!

So what's been going on in my little world?  Well I did get that job that I told you about.  I started February 6th.  Can you not hear the enthusiasm in my voice?  That's because there isn't any.  As you know I work for the State and you can bid on varies jobs that are posted.  I bid on a job with the State Police because it offered free parking (I was paying $155 month!) and it wasn't downtown.  Well I left a job that I LOVED and went to a job that I HATE!  I am so sad every day that I am there.  Plus I sit...and sit...and sit...and I can't stand it.  My butt hurts by 11am!  I know you can find some humor in that but I am being serious!  I at least got up and down in my other job...but no..not this one.  Plus the people that I work with are very different then the people that I left.  Not very friendly or helpful.....no one blesses me when I sneeze....and the work that I do is very boring!  Sigh....so I should have left well enough alone...but I thought it was a good opportunity.  It is very hard to get in there and they had to do an extensive background check and everything.  My old boss emails me everyday begging me to come back!!  I want to but going back almost seems like I failed at my new job if I go back...but I was happy there!  I don't know what to do!!  What are some of your thoughts?

The boys are all doing good.  Venti got a promotion and him and Mocha will be moving to Maryland which is where he's been working but he's been commuting from here everyday and its a 2 hour drive!  Maryland is the next closest location that he could get besides his hometown and he was hoping to get it and he did.  Otherwise he would have had to move to either California, Florida or Wisconsin.  He has to stay there a couple of years and then he can work in the office here.  The Government is confusing!  But he is very happy and they are going to look at houses this weekend.  They have been living at her parents house so it will be great for them!  Mocha applied for a job down there and got it so they are all set!


Mocha and Venti

 Grande and Tall are doing well at college.  They come home every weekend so I can wash their clothes and buy them food....lol.....Short is doing well too.  He has one more basketball tournament on March 3rd and then he will be done for the year.


Short - #21

Some other news is that we may be buying a new house!  We just started looking and think we found one but we are still deciding.  We are taking the boys on Saturday to see what they think.  We have been in this house for 19 years and it will be very hard to go.  Plus we live next door to my parents and the same neighborhood as my sisters.  My parents are going to be very upset when they hear.  We want to downsize and Joe is tired of mowing and shoveling.  Our house is soon going to need all kinds of new things...roof...furnace...central air unit....so we are taking all that into consideration.  I'll let you know!!

Well that's a quick run down on me and I promise to blog way more often!  I love and appreciate you for sticking in there with me and waiting patiently for me to return!  I am still redesigning my blog and those changes will be here soon!

Hope everyone is doing well!  I love all your comments!!!

Hugs!!!


Grande, Tall, Short and Venti

Success!!

I just got home from my interview! It went really well and they told me they would let me know tomorrow or the next day so I'll keep you posted!!

Remember me saying that I wanted to take the picture of the boys for our Christmas card this past weekend? Well I did and here it is!!

From left to right:
Grande is holding Ozzie, Short (in the middle) is holding Woody and Tall is holding Brody.

Hope you like it!!

(click to enlarge)

 

Happy hump day everyone!!!

October update!!

Its hard to believe that October is half over! I am so not a winter person and I'm definitely not looking forward to the cold weather and lately we haven't had to do that just yet! In fact yesterday and today it is in the 80's! I have shorts on today and I'm enjoying the sunshine! I remember when I was in High School it was freezing in October because I was a majorette and wore this tiny uniform that left way too much extremities bear! Heck I'm lucky I didn't loose a limb! Hopefully the warm weather will last. Maybe we won't even have a winter!!!

Things are busy as ever in my household. Venti and Mocha were over for dinner on Sunday and Grande and Tall are home for Fall break so it was really nice having everyone here. I made Venti's favorite Chicken Puffs and he was in heaven!  Venti is still in the 2 year training program for the Government (he is a Civil Engineer working for the Federal Highway Administration) and he leaves again on October 24th until December 22nd for San Diego.  Then he won't know where he will be working next which is worrisome for him.  I am just hoping and praying that he gets a job here as they have 7 opening but they are on a hiring freeze.   Their "puppy" is getting huge!  He is up to 140 lbs and he is almost a year old.  Here is Dudley...the Great Dane!

Can you believe that on Sunday its a year already that Venti and Mocha got married?? 

My Dad is doing great!  The only effects from the Fall that he is still having is his vision.  The bleeder in his brain damaged his eyes and the doctor said that it will take awhile to heal.  They are slowly improving but he can't see 100% yet.  Thank goodness that he is better.  I still relive the whole thing in my head everyday.

My job at the Dept. of Revenue goes part-time starting October 31st.  I knew when I took this job that it goes part-time from the end of October to the end of January.  As much as I want to enjoy it the fact of the missing paycheck is making hard to do so.  I will be working 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off.  It is really slow at work so I guess that's why they do that.  I may have to skip Christmas.  Ha!  I do have a job interview today with the State Police.  If I get that job I won't have to pay for parking and the hours don't go part-time.  Wish me luck!!

Grande and Tall have adjusted well to college life.  Tall had a really hard time at first but now he really likes it.  I'm glad they have each other there (they go to the same college) and they are together most of the time.  Grande met a really nice girl there so I'm happy for him.  Tall broke up with his girlfriend Kelsey but they are back together again!!

Short is doing well in 6th grade.  Basketball is starting soon that's where I'll be on the weekends!!

I have a photoshoot scheduled in November that I am excited about!  I'll be sure to post some pictures!  I will be posting more often now that I will have lots of time!  I have missed you guys so much!!

Hugs!!!

The End....

Of Summer is almost here.  Summer is my favorite time of the year and I always get a little down when its over.  Even though Fall is nice, we all know what comes after....Winter!  Blah!  Okay...enough of that subject!

I have been busy, busy, busy!  One would think that since our household has gone from 6 to 3 that I would have all the time in the world!  But no....taking Grande and Tall to college last Thursday was really hard.  They are in different buildings (same college) and so Joe and I had to run back and forth getting them all set up.  Then we ran to Walmart to pick up some things that they needed...only $100 later!  Prior to that we spend several hundred on "things"....Boy is it ever expensive getting your child ready for college!  Its like setting up an apartment!  And I had 2 at the same time!  I'm sure I'm not the only one and for those that do....you have my sympathy!  From cable wires, to nail clippers!  I think they have pretty much they need...at least for now.  Grande was super excited to go and he was mentally prepared for it because he went for 2 years at a community college but poor Tall on the other hand was very nervous and wanted to come back home with us but I thought it was best if he stayed so he could get settled in and meet some new friends.  Both of them went to high school with their roommates so I am relieved about that. 

We stayed for over 8 hours and then it was time to say goodbye!  Grande practically ushered us out of his room but Tall held on extra tight when I hugged him goodbye.  I didn't cry when I hugged Grande because he clearly could have cared less, but when I was hugging Tall the tears started to fall.  He cried too which made it even harder.  I was so upset by the time I got in the car that I wasn't watching which way Joe was driving and he mistakenly took the highway south instead of north and the next thing you know we were 45 miles the OPPOSITE way and ended up in the next state!  Laugh if you must and yes it is funny now but at the time I couldn't stop yelling at Joe because during the whole 45 miles I kept saying that things didn't look "familiar" and he insisted they did!  I see why I usually do all the driving!  So it took us 3 hours to get home instead of 1!!! 

They are coming home tomorrow (Friday) until Monday!  Short is missing them terribly and boy is our house ever quite!  As much as I miss them I am enjoying not having to worry about what to cook for dinner!  With Joe, Short and myself I can make something quick and everyone is happy but when the boys are here I have to make a full 3 course meal!  And wow the laundry!  I have to actually go around and look for things to make a load!  Amazing!  And the dishes!  Hardly any!  And the bathrooms even stay cleaner!  But I would take all of that if I could trade it for going back in time and having all of my boys here and making time stand still......

Grande and Tall at college

Venti is home (staying at Mocha's parents house) until September 12th when he leaves for San Diego until December 22nd.  After that he is done with the training program and hopefully can stay here or close to here...crossing my fingers!  Their dog Dudley is HUGE.  He is up to 150 lbs!  Here some recent pictures:

My Dad is slowly doing better!  I looked out the window yesterday and he was walking around in the yard and that is the first time that he has done that.  He still has double vision which bothers him but he said that he is starting to see clearer which I was happy to hear.  Thank you all for your words of wisdom and prayers.  It really meant a lot to me.  I read every single comment and they really brightens day!

We had a visit from Hurricane Irene last week!  She left us with a present of a $150 bill for the shingles that blew off of my roof!  Thanks Irene!

My job is going okay.  My job is considered part-time because from the end of October to the beginning of February I will be working 2 week and then off for 2 weeks.  While that does sound wonderful, I don't think we can afford it!  Especially over the holidays!  How am I going to be able to afford gifts let along paying the bills.  I knew this when I took the job but didn't really think about it.  Plus I will still have to pay for my parking space which is $145.00 a month.  I don't know what I'm going to do!  I really wish I could do something at home and make the same amount of money, but I guess I am dreaming.  I have been looking for another job but haven't found anything.  I wish I had more flexibility too.....sigh....

I will be starting the hops back up!!!  I know you all have been waiting patiently and I do appreciate that!  Give me another week or two and things should all be settled by then!

I hope everyone has a very safe and fun filled Labor Day weekend!

Vacation Pics!!!!!!!

Hi Everyone!  Thank you for your patience in my absence!  I had a much needed break and feel like I got a lot accomplished! 

Venti and Mocha move back next Thursday!  Yeah!!!  Then Sunday he leaves for a week to go to Texas and then they will be here until September.  Then he leaves for San Diego, CA until December.  We are excited to spend the remaining of Summer with them!  We haven't seen them since March so its been awhile!

Work is going okay.  My friend that started the same day as me quit last Friday which I knew she was going to and I'm so bummed that she is gone.  We got along so good and I felt like I've known her all my life.  She invited Joe and I to her Dad's beach house next weekend so that should be a lot of fun!  No kids!  hehe....

The boys are doing good...enjoying their summer.  Grande just turned 21 (pics to follow) and we took him out which I thought was pretty cool that he'd want to hang with his "cool" parents the night he turns 21....yes his friends came too and yes he drank too much!  Grande and Tall are getting ready to go to College!  They are both going to the same College (how nice is that!)....and so only Short will be left at home!  Talk about going from a full house to just one!  Should be interesting!

As you know I went to the Riviera Maya, Mexico for a week with Joe and 3 of the 4 boys.  We had a really great time.  There was a tropical storm the last 2 days there and all it did was RAIN!  Non-stop!  Then when we got to the airport in New Jersey we found that our flight to PA was canceled and had to stay in a hotel....with no luggage...I didn't even have a comb!  Boy did I look pretty!  We had to wear the same clothes any everything.  We were supposed to get home on June 28th at 10:02pm and ended up not getting home until June 29th at 2:00pm!  I had to call off of work and had to take a day off without pay...boo.....but we finally got home and I had a weeks worth of 5 people's clothing to wash.  All is done and now to enjoy the rest of summer. 

That's what's been going on with me....well at least the quick version! 
Now on to the pics!!!

How cute are those Monkey's??  And yes...they were real!

Grande

Tall

Short

Enjoying the sun!

 Short playing in the beautiful blue water!

 Joe floating on his raft!