Whats on my Tivo

Alright I got this from Dena, I don't know if I can remember it all and if its in order but here goes. My season pass. No laughing

1. 24- Its number one on my list and I still have 5 episodes to watch
2. Greys- I still have 6 episodes to watch
3. Regis and Kelly
4. The View
5. Dr. Phil
6. Oprah- I am such a daytime junkie
7. American Idol
8. So You Think You Can Dance
9. World Series of Poker
10. High Stakes Poker
11. Heads up Poker- OK I am a poker junkie too
12. Poker After Dark- I forgot one
13. Real World
14. Bacholor
15. Lost
16. 7th Heaven - I know I can take this one off now
17. Tori and Dean- They are going to start the new season with the baby
18. Dancing with the Stars.

I can't think of anymore. I know I am missing some because there are like 22 things on my season pass. Remember this is just mine, Brian has his own too. Its bad, we never watch tv together. After the kids go to bed I head upstairs and he heads downstairs.

Day at the beach

It was a beautiful day and I didn't feel like spending it cleaning or doing laundry, so we decided to take a ride to the beach. We had lunch at Mac and Manko's on the boardwalk and then let the kids play on the beach for a little while.


Well, I was going to post pictures but I have no clue how to, so if you want to see them you will have to check them out on my myspace page.

I would lose my head if it weren't attached!

This has to be the worse week in losing things.

1st- I lost my paper that has all my log-in's and passwords for every bill I pay on the computer, which is about all of them.

2nd- I lost my cell phone. I was on the phone with my friend around 5, I was outside watering my plants and spreading preen in the flowers and by 6 when I was looking for it to leave it was gone. I have checked everywhere from the preen to the fridge to the drawers where I keep my pots and pans. It gone and I am going through withdraw.

3rd- I am making a montage for my 8th graders for graduation, I have been working on it all year and yesterday I took some final shots to end it with and I erased all my pics in my camera before I uploaded them. My goal was to finish it up this weekend and now I don't have the pictures to finish it with.

Brian wanted to go to the casino last night and I told him the way I have been losing things I didnt want to go because I knew I would lose my money.

Happy and Sad

I have kid of mixed emotions about school being over. I am excited to finally get stuff done in my house and spend some time with my family, but my kids are like my family. We loop at our school, which means I have the same kids for two years. During that 2 years you really become attached to them. I joke with them that I have probably seen them as much as Connor. My homeroom especially I am going to miss. They seemed so little last year and now I am sending them off to the highschool. They are a good bunch of kids, some of them I would never want to see what they go home to because I would probably adopt half of them. One of the boys in my room had the lead in our school play and I went to see him, he was so excited to see me. I don't think anyone from his family was there to support him. In the program book, there were no messages for him. I felt so bad because this was different for him, he is a popular kid who plays football, not has the lead in the play. Another one of my girls comes to school every morning hungry, she never eats at home, so of course I have cheese sticks and applesauce in my little fridge I keep in my class and feed her. She is another one I would take home, she lives with her boyfriend because her mom doesn't have time for her. Yes, I teach 8th grade! So its going to be hard, but it will be worth it when they come back to visit and I can do the same thing all over with a new bunch of kids. I guess as much as I complain about my job, I love it and wouldn't change what I do for the world.

Is it Friday Yet!!!

This has been one crazy week. I can't wait till it is over.

Last weekend was baseball game on Friday and Saturday. Mothers Day we just chilled and planted flowers and final my lilac bushes, it sucks because they are done blooming already so I am going to have to wait till next year to see and smell them. Monday was baseball again, Tuesday was karate, Wednesday was pre screening of Shrek, and tonight I went to see the play at my school. I hate weeks where everynight we are rushing around to get out of the house again. I am so behind on my tv that I am going to be able to watch first runs all summer long.

BTW: 21 days left til school.

Give me a sick kid anyday of the week.

I would take two sick kids instead of one sick husband. He is the worse. Its funny how the world stops when a man is sick, but god forbid if we get sick. Everything must still go on.

One down one to go!

When we built our house Brian wanted a small pond in the front yard. It was perfect easy to take care of, low maintaince and looks nice as you walk to our front door. Then after my dog died, we looked at where her pen was and wanted to do something nice. So, what did he want to do build another pond, but this one when he first layed it out was the size of a built in pool. After making is a bit smaller we started this pond. We did it all ourselves, the only thing we did was have someone dig the hole. The funny thing is we were out there with shovels thinking we could do it. That was about 4 years ago. So now it is just the upkeep we have to worry about and the blue heron coming and eating our fish.

Every year at this time we have to drain it and clean it so it looks nice for the summer. It is the worse job in the entire world. It took us all day, drain it, catch the fish, clean the muck and restart the filters and fill it back up. But of course our filter was shot, so off to our favorite store this time of year and shell out 400 bucks for a new filter, good thing the pump was working. I weeded all around it, and dug out a few bushes. Today I want to go by lilac bushes and plant them around it, I want to edge the front of it and mulch. Hopefully I will have the energy to do that considering I feel like I have been hit by a truck from what we did yesterday. We also have to clean and start up the little one in the front, but that one is easy.

I said to Brian last night when we crashed, what are we going to do when we get old. There is no way we can do what we did today. He said fill it in, my suggestion- that is why we have kids.

My new weekness

Mini Waffers!!! If I see them I buy them, if I buy them I eat them all till they are gone. They are the devil. I have to lose weight and they don't help. Between summer and a wedding I am in in September I will never lose the 20 lbs I need to lose. I have to stop buying them. Maybe that will be my excuse to never have to go food shopping again.

Saturday

Saturdays are my days to sleep in, but I was up by 7 because I knew I had a lot to do. I got a lot accomplished by the end of the day, but I was in bed by 9 because I was so tired. I started my day by paying bills, fun, fun. Then started to clean. I wanted to get the upstairs done first because I knew Brian was going to be working all day and I can't get much accomplished with Connor running around. So dusted and vacuumed the boys rooms then did their bathroom. At this point Brian had to leave so I gated him upstairs with me. (gasp- I used a gate, LOL sorry I had to add that, I ran out of bubble wrap) Anyway, I started my room and Connor was quiet so I was able to get my room and bathroom done. Well, when I was done I found out why he was so quiet. He took his bath crayons and wrote all over the tub and toliet I just cleaned. Nothing stays clean for long in my house. At this point its almost time for Zachs baseball game, get both kids dressed, my mom picked up Connor so I didn't have to take him and my friend came and grabbed Zach, because he has to be there early. I got dressed in peace and quiet and headed to the field. Zach did a great job, he is getting much better. After the game, we went to my mom's for lunch. We eat there every Saturday. On the way home Connor was falling asleep, so I thought great, while he naps I'm napping. Layed him down in his bed and he started to shake his head no, so I got him up and we went shopping. I wanted to go to Toys R Us to get him a sand and water table for the deck. He had gift cards from his birthday and easter to use. Then we headed to BJ"s. I love that place, but I didn't buy a whole lot and still spent 200 bucks. By the time I got home and unloaded everything it was about 3:30 and Brian came home. For the rest of the day, I layed around and didn't do much. I even fell asleep on the couch for a couple of minutes until Connor did his wake up Jeff immitation. Connor was so tired from not napping he fell asleep in his highchair watching the Wiggles about 7. He did great last night, he slept from 7-7.

So today still have to finish my house and Brian has yard work to do, but we will get that done today. Zach is going to the circus in Philly with his Aunt Jenny and her boyfriend. Hopefully Connor will nap today so I can nap today.

The school year is almost over and its only going to get worse!!

Yesterday was a crazy day at school. I think the warm weather is making the kids nut. There was almost a fight in gym. The gym teacher broke it up the kids were sent to the VP and they were suspended. The only problem is the suspention starts the next day, so they went back to class. Later that afternoon there was a fire drill, so now there are 600 kids in a football field. To me it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is going to happen next. Of course the one kids finds the other and makes a bee line to him. Well, I saw what was going to happenen and I saw a teacher put her arms around the one kid, so I figured everything was ok and went the other way with my kids. But it wasn't the kid took off after the other and sucker punched him from behind. Now, both of these kids are about 250 lbs each, probably the biggest boys in the school. The teacher I work with and the gym teacher, both females, both about 150 lbs try to break them up. The teacher I work with was covered in blood, needless to say they couldn't break them up. Finally security comes to help. I told her she should have never gotten in the middle of them. My students told me they saw her get punched in the head a couple of times and were worried because she doesn't remember getting punched. She said what was I suppose to do they were beating the crap out of each other. I don't know what I would have done if I were there. I don't know if I would have tried, our job is to yell "stop" "break it up" and techinally that is it. If I knew I could break it up, I would. But with 2 boys both twice my size I don't know if I would have. I told my students I love them and would protect them the best I could, but my kids need me more. I guess it depends on the situation. I just think both of those teachers were crazy to try. I wished I saw it though, it sounded kind of funny now that it is over, the one teacher was on one kids back and the other had his shirt and was tring to drag him to the ground until his shirt ripped. You got to love 8th grade.

Mens Clubs!!!

I just don't get it, why are there clubs for men only? In the last 2 months my husband has joined 2 different clubs for men only. Why aren't there any women's clubs? And he has the nerve to say something about BBC. The one club is full of old men who play cards. I was lucky enough to be allowed in to play in a tournament. But the next tournament no women were allowed. I thought that was against the law. The other club is all different ages, but there are guys there in the morning drinking. They do allow women in only if they are with a member. I love it Brian says its for "business". He feels the more things he belongs too the more people he can meet the more he can get his name out there. I guess it makes sense. Now he wants to joint the Italian American Club, one more club for men only. Come on girls we need a club.

Feeling Better

My house is still a nut house and always will be with 2 kids and 2 dogs, but I am feeling much better. I vented to Brian, he vented to me and we realize we both need to help each other out and support each other a little more. I think we both feel very overwhelmed and I know he has a lot to worry about, because this business is our future and if he doesn't work at it now and get if off and running we are in trouble. He is doing great and we can really see the potential, its just the waiting. I have to learn to be more patient, I have to learn to support him and not get on his case so much, I have to learn not to sweat the small stuff. And he knows there is a lot he needs to work on. We have been together for 18 years and have been through a lot these last 18 years and there have been tougher times then this. We know we can get through anything together, if we couldn't we wouldn't have made it this long.

40 Days of school left!!!!!!!!!!!! That helps too.

Big Boy Bed

Connor's sleeping habits slowly progressed this week. At least he would lay down with out screaming. We would lay with him until he fell asleep. Each night it was less time that we had to stay in there, but he was still waking up in the middle of the night, so the first night I went and slept with him the next night Brian did. Which was fine, he wasn't screaming and he wasn't demanding Elmo and Big Bird. He would lay back down when we got in there and go back to sleep. Yesterday, we got his real mattress, he had been using the futon mattress from Zach's room. He seemed excited, we got rid of the crib and the toddler bed that was in there, decorated his big boy bed with all his favorite blankie's and animals. The first test was nap time, he was exhausted, he was falling a sleep in the car, so we bring him up lay him down give him kisses and walk out the door, well two hours later I went and woke him up for Zach's baseball game. He didn't move from where we layed him down. One point for us!!

Yesterday after noon, we kept him busy. We had Zach's game, then went to dinner, ran some errands, then came home and played outside. He ran up and down the street chasing his dad and brother on the four wheeler, he drove in his little jeep and then daddy took him for a ride on the "broom broom". Then took the kids for ice cream. By the time we got home it was about 7:30, gave him a bath, played a little then off to bed. When we walked into his room he looked in and said "bed" all excited. So, I was thinking this could work, so we do our night night routine and lay him down, Brian was all set to lay with him, but he looked like he didn't need it. I gave him a kiss and said goodnight and Brian did the same and we didn't hear from him til 7 this morning. Two points for us!!!

Of course, the worry wart I am layed in bed this morning wondering if something is wrong with him and I should go check on him, but if I go in I could wake him if he is just sleeping, but if I don't go in something could go wrong. Any way, one day down hopefully many more to go.

Why my title is Welcome to the nut house!

Here is a brief summary of my last 2 days and you will see my nut house.

12 am Sunday- We just finished playing poker and everyone left about 12:30. Yes, I have to be at work at 7 and I still have people at my house at 12:30 on a Sunday. Anyway, Connor was stirring all night, just not sleeping right. So we get to bed watch the Apprentice, I am wired at this point and can't sleep. Finally start to doze off and Connor starts to cough so now I am laying in bed just listening to him and waiting. Then he starts to cough so much he puked. Now I have to clean up Connor and strip his crib. At this point its about 2 and we get Connor settled in our bed to sleep. My alarm goes off at 6 and we realize Connor can't go to the babysitter, he was burning up and puked again. So I call sub finder and head to school about 6:30 to do lesson plans. Well come to find out I called to late and had no substitute, so different people covered my class all day. What a mess, but that is another blog. So I take a sick day, I don't have many left since we have all been sick so much. But I get the day to cuddle with Connor, which was nice. At this point I am going stir crazy being in the house for days with all the rain we got. Brian takes Zach to school and goes to work. He comes in at 5:30 we eat dinner and then Zach is off to karate for 6. While Zach is gone, I clean up dinner give Connor his bath and play unitl Zach gets home. Zach gets home about 7:30 he does his homework and heads up for a shower. Brian plays with Connor for a little while and then at 8 we put him down. Two minutes later he climbs out and starts knocking at his door. At this point I am drained and all I want to do is take a shower and go to bed. So, Connor gets up we bring him down stairs, put him in his highchair and put on tv, not Sesame because that is what he wants. He starts to fall asleep so we try again. Doesn't work, he climbs into my bed and hides under the covers. I guess he is getting used to sleeping in our bed, not a good thing. So we try the big boy bed approach to see if he wants to sleep. Nope, that didn't work either. Now its about 9, we drag in Zach's extra mattress from his bunk bed and see if he wants to sleep with his big brother. Nice to have older kids, so they cuddle up together and lay in bed. Zach is starting to fall asleep, but Connor has this new little game he plays that if you pretend to fall asleep he screams wake up, but in Connor it sounds like it "caw caw". So of course, we he Connor screaming " caw caw" to his brother, plan d doesn't work. Zach goes off to bed and now Brian goes and lays with him and finally about 10:30 he falls asleep. What a long day. But he doesn't sleep long because by 4:30 he is up and in our bed again but of course he is not ready to sleep and is wide awake. It is hard for me to be up at 4 and fall back to sleep to be up by 6 to start my day all over again. Now its 6 am on Tuesday, I am up and out the door by 7, go to work with my crazy kids all day. It is hard to keep 60 motivated when I am ready to sleep. Especially, since they think school is done. I get done at 2:30, have a meeting til 3:15, go pick up Connor at the babysitters, about 20 minutes from my school, go get Zach at my aunts, he had a half day today, have a quick cup of coffe and head home. I get home about 4:30, get dinner ready for 5 because Brian has a meeting to go to by 6. Of, course he walks in the door at 5:15 eats dinner gets changed and heads out. Now in the mean time, Zach let the dogs out and my little one likes to get out from under our fence, so while cleaning up I stop to try and find my little white dog. I find her but she is not white any more and smells, so I stop cleaning up and go give my dog a bath. I give her a bath and finish cleaning up. Now, its time for the kids bath, I give them a bubble bath in my tub because I haven't had a chance to clean up the kids tub. They play for a little while, they love baths in my tub because its like a small pool to them. Get them out and dressed and it is now a little after 7.

I need to sit and get this out because if I don't get it out I am going to scream. Something has to give and I can't give anymore. I am so stress and am about to burst. Believe me I love my husband and my kids, but I have no quiet time or just time to sit and do nothing and hear nothing. I tell Brian he doesn't understand, if he needs quiet he can close his office door turn his cell phone off and get quiet. With my job I hear whinny, complaining, loud kids all day then have to come home to whinny, complaining, loud kids. I used to have a little quiet time when Connor went to bed at 7, but now he isn't doing that and by the time I get him to bed I am going to bed. I know Brian is doing everything possible to get his business up and running and I know he doesn't like leaving us and going to these meetings or having appointments on Saturdays, but I still take it out on him. It is hard for me to stop, because I haven't seen anything from it yet, he hasn't been able to get a paycheck yet and we need to get one soon. I know I need to stop being so moody and negative, but I just need a break. I went a couple of weeks ago for a massage, pedicure and manicure. It was suppose to be relaxing, but in the middle of it I got a phone call, when are you coming home. I need to go to the office. Thank you for interupting my two hours of peacefullness. I just have to keep telling myself, it will get better, try and stay positive, quit being so hard on Brian and just relax. Well, that made me feel a little better.

Sickness sucks!!

This has to be the worse year of sickness in my house. My husband blames my lysol addition. He says I am killing all the germs and we are not getting immuned to them. What ever. Anyway, I have been sick for the last month, congestion, head ache so I finally went to the doctor last week when I was off for Easter break. I have a sinus infection, ear infection and fluid in my ears, fun. Zach had one major battle with the flu that took him out of school for a week, but Connor on the other hand seems to be sick all the time and I am getting a little annoyed. My babysitter is wonderful and will do anything for Connor, but she will do anything to help someone out. So when there is a sick kid who can't go to school, she will take them. So Connor is constantly around sick kids, no wonder he is always sick. So back to yesterday, he was fine normal crazy Connor. Last night when he was in bed he was very noisy, moaning, tossing and turning, you could tell he wasn't sleeping soundly. We get to bed late because it is poker night and as soon as we lay down he starts coughing, like the croupy cough. So of course, I can't fall asleep I lay there and listen to him and apparently Brian was doing the same thing. About a half hour later he starts coughing real bad and starts throwing up. We jump out of bed Brian grabs Connor and cleans him up. I strip his crib and throw everything in the wash at 2 in the morning. He climbs into bed with us and sleeps the rest of the night, needless to say I didn't. He was wheezing so bad when he was breathing it was making me nervous, plus I was afraid he would puke again and in my bed. So we are home today. One minute he feels like he is burning up and his laying on the couch, the next he is jumping with Cookie Monster. I can't figure it out. Hopefully it is a one day thing. I am running out of sick days.

This weather sucks!!

I have a theme going with the whole sucks thing. My next blog will follow suit. Anyway, It has been raining since Saturday night, my ponds are overflowing, there is a pool on top of my pool and there is another pool in my yard that is not supose to be there. The good news is even with all the rain my basement is dry, thank god. So today, not only did we wake up to sleet and freezing rain, but there was snow. It is so nasty, I want summer. Please someone hit me if I complain that it is too hot.

I suck!!!

Well, this is my first official new blog and I am only doing it because I am out of my poker game already. It is only 8:30 and we only started an hour ago. I was the first one out. I am usually a better player but for some reason I wasn't really into it, and not getting cards doesn't help either. So pocket queens and short stacked I'm all in and of course my dad has pocket kings and beats me. Oh, well.

I am going to try this out. I don't post too much on my other blog because my entire family is on myspace and reads it. There is stuff I would like to post but not want my family reading it. So we will see if I keep up with this and post a little more.