"Hey, that's a nice dog you have there!"

Taking a walk around the block with Seth was an interesting experience, to say the least. In addition to yelling at poor elderly dog walkers he also had a comment for every single person he encountered. For example:
"What are you doing? Are you doing yardwork?"
"What's your name?" ( This question was asked of about everyone)
"Your dog likes me, I'm a kid. He likes kids"
"Do you have any kids?"
" My name is Seth and this is my mommy. Her name is Jennie"
" I love dogs!"
" What are you doing? Are you building something?"
"What are you eating?"
"You have a nice tree in your yard!"
" Hi there! What are you making?"

It was a lovely evening for a walk. And actually we ran into David and Sean taking a walk on the way home. Beautiful evening. The fresh air was nice. I am still emotionally exhausted though.

Cry baby Cry (or the world is full of lovely people)

Times are tough these days so yesterday I tried to apply for some government assistance for food or cash. While we were there we took advantage of the food pantry. Yes, I am as low as I've ever been. My pride is completely gone...
I happened to mention this to someone at work, simply complaining that I am constantly annoyed that I am never poor enough to qualify for any aid. But I am so broke it's pathetic.
She whipped out $40 for me. "You don't owe me anything." she said, "I've been there before."
I wept.
Later in the day another one of my coworkers took me aside,"This is for you" She handed me a $40 gift certificate that she hadn't used and $20. Then she gave me a hug.
And I wept again.
Then another woman met me in the hallway."This is from a group of 6 women" It was $15 gift certificate for Publix.
I wept a little more.

As I was leaving work my supervisor asked if I needed any more money. I reminded her that I had received $40 in the morning. She told me to let her know if I needed any more.
Yesterday my mom bought us a few items at the grocery store and made some pancakes for the boys.
Needless to say I am all wept out. I am feeling sorry for myself but also am deeply touched at the goodness in people.
I never wanted to be where I am right now. But one day when these lean times are over, I may come across another person who might be having a difficult time as I am now. And I will help them with what I can. Because I know that a little help can make a big difference. Not just in a financial way-but it also restores your faith in people. And that means a whole lot.


We ate well tonight. Even me.

My new guilty pleasure...

Framing Hanley- Lollipop
This is a rock cover of a rap song and the lyrics are so very dirty...but I love the song! Very catchy, just hope I don't start mindlessly singing at work...
BTW, the song doesn't even start until the 2 minute mark in the video.

Yes, my boys are handsome and no, you can't have them

Poor David was long overdue for a haircut. So we all went to the hair place Saturday so I could explain to the hairdresser how his hair should look. I am never sure why he can't do that himself, but anyway...
While we were there I thought maybe Seth could get one ,too. He actually agreed to it and watching Daddy get one , maybe, made the idea more appealing for him.
So Seth got his first big boy haircut.
He told the hairdresser that she was beautiful in the process. What a nut.
Anyway, Seth looks so handsome! Oh, and David does as well, of course!
I feel so happy when I am out with my boys all looking so sharp. I feel so proud.
Since Seth was such a good boy during his hair cut I took him for ice cream and to play at the playgound at the mall.
He's not a bad kid. He's acting more grown up all the time. My oldest baby isn't a baby anymore...

More Melancholy Musings

I am just in such a blue funk lately. I find just about everything irritating. And I just feel so sad about everything. Things that are personal : house foreclosure, bank overdrafts, bills that need to be paid but there isn't any money for them...
Even things that are happening in the world sadden me: poor economy, hordes of unemployed, ridiculous govenment people that have no idea what goes on in the real world. Large stores going bankrupt and closing stores left and right. The world seems to be in a mess. A big one.
I feel like a failure for being poor.
And I really don't have anyone to talk to. No one likes to spend time with someone feeling so blah. I understand. When I feel really good I don't want someone to bring me down. So I talk with poor David who is feeling the same as I am. I am sure I drive him nuts though.

It seems that life since Hurricane Charley four years ago has been especially trying. Life has been a bumpy road.

I do hope that something good happens before too long.

Someone recently reminded me of the story of Job, about how Satan was challenging his faith in God by taking everything good away from him and making his life miserable but good 'Ol Job hung in there, faithful as ever. And eventually he got everything back and more.

Dear God, give me something good! Anything to remind me that there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

How'd I forget to mention our pool party?

At Seth's 4 th birthday party my dad told us that he was watching a house for one of his clients that was up north for much of the year and they told him he could uses their pool anytime. Now, how a guy goes from mowing lawns to being trusted with people's homes while they are away for long periods of time baffles me. But my dad is a very professional, honest person so maybe they can tell. I don't know.
Anyway, he offered to let us use the pool. After making sure it was okay with the owners, we met him at the house last Thursday for a swim. Well, my dad didn't swim. But it was my mom, sister, neice and my boys, and myself. It was beautiful day and we all had a great time. It really was alot of fun!!! Now, my boys were a little cranky towards the end of our pool party since they were simply exhausted but that's okay because they slept very, very well that night.
My mom had brought along a lovely selection of snacks so after we swam we all ate. So it wasn't really a "pool party" but if you get some of your favorite people together and have a fun time at a pool and food is involved...doesn't that sound like a party?

Melancholy musings

There never seems to be enough money to pay everything. Even when we cut important things out (like mortgage) There STILL never is enough.
I know you are thinking,"Hey, didn't you just take a vacation to Disney?"
Why, yes I did and I assure you we all needed it. We haven't been able to take one in years and we've never done a family vacation before now. I assure you we found some great deals in order to stretch the $$$ to go.
And the whole vacation still cost us less than one months mortgage would have cost us. Believe it or not.

In any case, I have two great kids, a loving and wonderful husband, and we are all generally healthy (At least physically, ha ha)
And little did I know when I went to nursing school just how very wise my decision was. These days health care is one place you can easily find a job anywhere. Thank goodness for my good sense (yes, I do have some good sense, sometimes)

I am optimistic that once David takes the phlebotomy class he will be able to find some steady work. He has scheduled his entrance test for the vocational school already. I will have to save up $300 for the 10 week Health Core program ( a prerequisite for the class) and another $300 for the 10 week phlebotomy class after that. It will take awhile since he will be going in the evenings a few days a week. But I am grasping at some hope for the future that his learning a carreer ,especially in the health care field, will be a great benefit for us. It will be hard in the meantime.

Okay enough blahness for one evening. I should sleep. Tomorrow will be a better day.

Monty Python's Holy Grail Camelot

One of my favorite movie lines EVER!
"On second thought lets not go to camelot. It is a silly place."

For Mom

Enjoy!

I love a good party

WE had Seth's 4th birthday party today and we all had a grand time. Lots of good food, good company and the kids had tons of fun playing. I think we all will sleep well tonight. Seth got some very cool gifts: A leap frog game from Mamaw, a remote control car from grampa, sea monkeys and books from Sean and me, and webkins figures from my mom. Also my Dad's next door neighbor gave him a Lightning McQueen hoodie jacket for winter. Very cool.
Thank goodness birthdays only come once a year. I couldn't do this too often!

Sean's eczema update:

The poor kid wakes up in the night itching the heck out of his feet and arms and behind his knees. We give him his anti-itch medicine nightly but it doesn't seem to work all night. So at our Dr. follow up he took some blood ( he had to move the needle around under the skin to access the vein, yuck. I know how painful that is!) to check for some food allergies in case that is contributing to his problems. He prescribed some prednisone to help- which (I might add) has worked wonderfully, his skin looks beautiful for the moment! And we also need to consult with a dermatologist. Of course, the ped dermatologist in Sarasota does not take my insurance so I am going to have to take him to an adult dermatologist somewhere.
And he's been have not just loose, but watery stools x 1 week now. This started prior to the prednisone so that is surely not the culprit.
So now instead of waking up itching, he's waking up poopy in the night. Oh, joy of joys. Poor kid. He just can't seem to get a break!
Did I mention that his appetite hasn't seemed to be affected in the least. I assure you this kid eats enough for him and Seth. And probably a couple more kids...
Seth won't eat hardly anything. Unless it's just or dry cereal. It hasn't seemed to affect his enegy level at all..

Happy 4th birthday Seth!!!

I cannot believe I am the mother of a 4 year old. It seems like only yesterday he was a little baby...
We ate at McDonalds at lunch and he played on the playground then we went for a nice walk down a nature trail looking for bugs. A very pleasant day indeed.
The big birthday party will be this Saturday.:)

Message to mom re: beef stew.

It was superb! David and I both rated it 10 stars and David wants the recipe. Unfortunately the boys didn't get any because David and I ate it ALL. Thanks!

We're back!

And we had a delightful time! We stayed at a resort in Orlando that had two bedrooms and a kitchen so the boys had plenty of room. We spent Wednesday at the Magic Kingdom and both Seth and Sean had alot of fun. And David and me also, I should add! I am truly glad that we went. More on that tomorrow, I am exhausted! :)

Disney World here we come!

First of all, why would any man start an amusement park and name it after himself. I certainly would not start a place and name it "Jennifer Dreyer World" because one would assusme the entire place would be about "Jennifer Dreyer" and really, that is not all that interesting and I am fairly sure no one would pay to see it.

We are about to embark on our first family vacation. We found a really great deal for lodging at a resort so we are going to stay for 4 nights! And included in that is two $25 tickets to the magic Kingdom. The only thing is that David and I have to sit through a high pressure 90 minute presentation. Um, we know it's high pressure because we sat through one before several years ago for EPCOT tickets..
At least we are prepared this time! But since we have been to the resort before we know it's nice place. It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a kitchen. Lovely place. So I am excited but there is going to be ALOT of stuff we need to bring and I am not sure how we will fit it in the car... I'll think of something by tomorrow. I'd better think fast since we are leaving Monday. This should be interesting!

No Tennessee this week.:(

We just don't have enough $$ to go this week. Hotels and gas would be especially expensive...
So plan B is that we are simply going to go to the Nickelodeon Hotel in Orlando and possibly go to Sea World or something for Seth's birthday. At least we are going to go do something. I was really looking forward to leaving the state.
We are going to postpone our Tennessee trip a couple months, that will give us some time to save up some more $$. As God as I my witness, I will leave this state!! Eventually..

My crazy life...

1. My mom and her husband and my sister got into an argument the other evening that apparently ended badly. It supposedly involved drunk people, cheesecake, and some foul language. The moral of the story I got was," Alcohol and cheesecake don't mix, it can only lead to trouble."
2. Today my unit manager asked my friend, Marva, what her silver bracelet said on it. Marva stated "It says 'Barbados' " To which the unit manager replied," Oh I only saw the first few letters and I thought it said 'barely legal' " We all got a good laugh about that. I can only imagine my 36-year-old friend trying to pull off wearing a bracelet stating "barely legal". It still makes my laugh thinking about it. I know what Marva's getting for Christmas...
3. Today I told Seth that I was going to take a shower as I tucked him in. He responded, " But you don't look dirty!" As I laughed he added," Do you have hair under your arms?" Huh? Where did that come from?
4. Every day is a battle of man vs. nature in my house, we are becoming overrun by ANTS!! The more I spray the ant killer and clean every nook and cranny they keep coming in through different places! I feel like it's a constant war and I think I am losing. I am thinking about giving up and moving out, they can have the stinkin' house. Maybe I should take my family with me.
5.Taking care of forgetful people is good for my self esteem: If they like your hair, or outfit, or eyes, or generally think you are pretty you will hear it every time you see that person. It could be several times in a day. But then again, if they don't like you..oh, heck they won't remember it.
6.My buddy, Herman, asked if I was getting married. I told him I already was. He asked if I was going to marry someone else. I reminded him that I can only be married to one person at a time. He said," That happened to me too. I wasn't happy about that." Good ole' Herman. I love my job.
7.One week until Tennessee!!!!This is going to be interesting.

Today is my future's past.

I need to remind myself that every day happens only once and I should appreciate it now instead of longing for it many years from now. Memories are being made every moment so I need to enjoy them. Besides, life is always changing. Who knows what changes will occur tomorrow or next week?
Why does time seem to go by so fast as I get older!?

David loves it when I sing the Robot Chicken theme song

Robot Chicken-Behind The Music

Bock,bock, bock, bock, bock, bock,
bock, bock
oh, you get the point....

September 28th..

Is when we are going to leave for Tennessee. We decided that David and I ( and the boys, of course) are going to drive up there for a week to check it out.
I'm getting excited about this upcoming adventure...