Fall days

Well hey there! Here's another day and it was a typical chilly fall day here in Upstate, NY.  Today I was happy because I tried out a new recipe and mixed up an old favorite!

Our fall and winter staple recipe is my grandmother's famous Hot Cocoa Mix.  We make it every year and one batch makes up 3 of those nice big plastic Folger's Coffee cans.  Of course, with my SON that doesn't mean much anymore.  You only use 1/4 c per 8-10oz mug of hot water and it great with not only marshmallows or whipped cream on top if you like that.  Warning though, you need a huuuuuge bowl to mix it in!  So with even my largest big red mixing bowl, it was heaped over and made mixing a big old pain in the butt to do without spilling it all over.

Then I got to make my first ever loaf of pumpkin bread, which although didn't look as nice as I'd hoped sure tasted great, especially warm from the oven with melty butter on it.

Where have the last two years gone?

Well..um...I guess I should just say OOPS!! And grovel for forgiveness!! I finally found the link to my poor forgotten blog!  Long story short....we were burglarized, computer stolen, stuff lost, all gone, moved to rental house, lost job, car died, kids home-schooled! Phew! I think that about covers it!  Yep, so here we are two years later!

Recap:  Johnny is now 13, and 5' 8" tall.  He's still obsessed with video games (Minecraft) and Xbox 360.  He is doing much better now that he's home-schooled, but has a LOT of issues and teen attitude to overcome!  Jenna is 12, 5' tall and total tween "tude" going on with all the girly drama on the side! She's had a really tough last year dealing with bullying and a bff being a victim of child abuse and getting stuck in the middle.  She's doing good home-schooling so far and is much more relaxed.  Therapy is helping!  Jasmine is 10 and soon to be home-schooled.  I'm TRYING to hold her off til next year (the dreaded Middle School!) but it's not looking so good.  Her BFF moved and she feels invisible at her school, so her self esteem etc not so good.  Doesn't help that we pretty much had fast food 3+ times a week the year and a half I was working full time so her and I did a lot of "self-medicating" adjusting to Mom working!  Julie is almost 8 and well....she's Julie LOL! She's still miss personality and full of attitude. 

Good things that happened:  We are renting a house, with a little backyard and a deck and a decent neighborhood with a street they can ride bikes & go for walks etc.  Now that we had a house & a yard, we were able to adopt a hairy, silly, DUMB, crazy, cuddly dog named Buddy!  We also have had all our sweet ratties pass away from old age, so we moved on to Guinea piggys! 

Not so good things: Lost my job, car engine died, finances stink really big time LOL

But it's all worth it in the end, cuz if things hadn't happened the way they did, I wouldn't have been able to consider home-schooling and the kids really REALLY, and did I mention REALLY didn't adjust well to mom being away and needed their MAMA!!!!  So now we're struggling in some ways, but OH SO MUCH happier and doing better in others!!!!!   Guess that's all for now! Tune in again........until then, hold on for the ride!

First Day of School 2011!!

And here it is again! The first day of school! This is a big year too! Johnny is headed off to 6th grade....MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!!  Then my girls are off to 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades!  This is the first year they won't be in the same school....my baby boy is headed off to the middle school...SOB!!!!!

Ok, I know, suck it up and deal, right? Yeah, well it's not so easy realizing my kids are growing up so darn fast! Seems like just yesterday when I was holding myself from running after the bus and sniffling into my tissue on Johnny's first day of Pre-K!!  And now here he is, off to middle school, with lockers and schedules, and switching periods and GIRLS!!!!!! 

Sigh, so anyway, here they are, my big beautiful children, growing up way too fast despite my distinct request of them NOT to do so!!

 

Great Flood of 2011

And so here we are, September 11, 2011.  Memorable for more than one tragedy this year.  Not only is this the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S., but also now what will be know around my area as the great flood of 2011!  

The entire Southern Tier are of Upstate NY was flooded by the steady downpour of rain from Hurricane Lee.  We were evacuated from our apartment on Wed. and finally were allowed to return back home late Friday.  Here is is Sunday and we still have closed roads, destroyed homes, washed out bridges and total devastation.  Although the rivers have receded, now the cleanup and hard work begins.

YNN news has some really great arial shots of what it looks like down here. http://binghamton.ynn.com/
I know growing up in this area, it is a total shock to see and realize that we are living through this!  We were very lucky and I know so many more that were not.  We have our apartment and all our stuff is ok here, but many have lost everything.  They are still giving out water and dry ice, and hundreds are still in shelters unable to return to their homes until FEMA and the inspection  crews say its' safe to do so.


So...please keep the area in your thoughts and prayers!  And please remember, that no matter what we are going through, we still remember that terrible day 10 years ago, and how it has changed our lives forever! Go and hug a loved one! Kiss a firefighter!! Praise a cop!!!! Say a prayer! Something!

Of Science fairs, rabbits & rats

 So, haven't been so good at keeping up, have I?? Well, if there were just MORE hours in the day, I would be able to get my act together!!!!

 So, lets see.....we rescued a little bunny in February.  He is around 1-2 yrs old, and a little male english spot mix.  We named him Buddy, and he is just a wonderful pet!! The kids and I built him his own 3 story "Condo"!! He loves it! He is playful, sweet and just a doll.  I have been researching pet possibilities with the kids for a couple months now, ever since the girls all got their allergy and asthma diagnosis.  I was a little hesitant to even consider a bunny honestly.  They sounded too fragile and like a lot of work!! Then we saw this poor guy being in such a rotten situation, thrown away on Craigslist like garbage!  I couldn't just leave him in that place!  And I am really glad I did.  He was litter trained in TWO DAYS!! I never knew bunnies were such good pets! Way friendlier and with their own personalities that I thought!  He does these hilarious "binkie" bunny hops when he's really happy! LOL! He is so soft,and very low maintenance and easy to keep clean!! I love our little Buddy!
 

 Next, came in invasion....having had pet rats before, we knew what great pets they make.  So we decided to add a couple female ratties to the family.  Met with a local rescue, and ended up coming home with not 2, but 3...not girls, but boys!! So we now have a dumbo rat named Lightning, and two fancy rats named Cuddles & Oreo.  All are completely spoiled and loved!  The kids just love having something to love and cuddle again!  It was so traumatic having to leave like we did, then finding out the dogs were all neglected and confiscated in December.  It has been really horrible, and lonely without our babies.  But now being in a small apartment, and no yard, we just can't even consider a dog, and with the allergies now, dogs and cats are just out of the question for a long time.  Not to mention I just don't think we could ever get past what happened enough to even think of a dog again.  So anyway.......these little ones needed us as much as we needed them, and it's nice to not feel insane talking to myself when the kids are at school or in bed!!

It is also that time of year......Science Fair time!! This is the first year, that Johnny & Jenna HAVE to do a project for part of their grade.  The two little ones it's optional.  So of COURSE, no one wants to do a family or group project......nooooooooo......they EACH have to do their very OWN project!!  So there are 4 display boards to create, 4 experiments or demonstrations to document and one frazzled mom trying to help everyone be ready by the science fair on the 29th! LOL!  Will let you know how it goes!
The topics chosen are:  Julianna - volcano demonstation,  Jazzy - lava lamp in a bottle (Does bottle size change the amount of blobs?),  Jenna - What is our bunny's favorite food? We just did her experiment today!!!!!! It was a blast, I must admit! LOL!  We put different foods down for our hungry bunny and documented his choices......one big shocker.....he liked blueberries MORE than his favorite yogurt drops!!   Johnny will be doing a demonstration of an underwater volcano!

I sure can say right now, that I am very, very happy to have my little Cricut Create machine!!!!!! It is really getting a workout making letters for the display boards!! It also was a good excuse to spend some quite time after the kiddos are in bed, making some more "Fun" little projects, like personalized signs for the Bunny & Rattie cages! LOL!  Silly, I know, but I'm having fun! 

So ready for SPRING!

Ok, so just had to give PURPLE a springlike color to the blog today!! I wish mother nature would just hurry up and make up her mind already!! How can you deal with subzero temps one day, and 40's the next!! I can't really put up the snowsuits, hats, mittens etc, but by the time the kiddos got home today, everything was stuffed in their backpacks, coats unzipped flapping in the breeze, enjoying the sun and warmer temps! 

I am sooooo ready for SPRING to be here! I want birds chirping, flowers sprouting, leaves growing and to see GREEN again! Totally SUCKS that I won't be seeing any of the bulbs I planted at the house, or my little lilac bush bloom.  No more strawberries, or huge summer garden, or homegrown pumpkins.......sigh! Maybe my mom will let me have a little one at her house. Oh well.  We have beautiful Carosels, parks, pools and sidewalks instead to look forward to! Kids can't WAIT for swimming weather! LOL! I cant' wait for FISHING weather, bike riding with the kids, walking with my mom I hope (hint hint, Ma!) and enjoying life again!

So until then....I'll keep my stock of hot cocoa full, candles scented of cinnamon and vanilla burning, warm fleece socks and blankets at the ready! 

On a side note.....I actually have a living plant.......I know......ME!! Haven't killed it yet!! Since Christmas!! Some poor unknowing person gave me a beautiful red Poinsettia for the holidays......little did they know about my black thumb, and how plants shrivel and tremble as I pass by in stores! BUT at least I'm remembering to water the darn thing and it's still alive! 


Today's big excitement.....I sold something on Craigslist! LOL!  I am trying to get rid of a bunch of stuff the kids have outgrown and don't have room for, and figured I'd give selling them a try before just giving them to the salvation army.  Woo hoo!! Hope the rest of them sell too! That's a tank of gas baby!!! ok, so really in reality it will more likely something like a family movie nite at Redbox, but Shhhhhh don't tell!

OH YEAH! I forgot! I also got my hair cut and my first brow wax for Valentines day!! Tee hee!

New Year, many changes

Well, here it is, 2011! Hopefully it will be a heck of a lot better than 2010! To make the long story short....recap of last year.  Watched someone I cared about turn into someone I didn't even know anymore, left an abusive marriage for the sake of my kids, had to leave our beloved pets behind when we left with nothing but the clothes on our backs.  Found out our animals were neglected to the point of almost dying and starved to death by someone we trusted. Lost all our pets, never to see them again.  Had to start over in a new life.  Found support in amazing places, people and ways I could never have imagined. Found anger, hatred and cruelty from places I never would have expected.  Now am a single mom with sole custody of four kiddos. Ok, that's pretty much it.

Now, here is 2011....we have a nice little apartment, kids are thriving in our new place. Now they are doing well in school, making friends, no more nightmares and much much more peace! Don't hear much from our old life, which is just as well.  Clean break making it easier to move on.  The only  thing we miss is our furry friends.  Even though we know they have new, SAFE, loving homes........doesn't make missing them any easier.  Trying hard not to second guess decisions, hate myself for choosing the wrong ones for the pets, trying to keep going without our friends.  Its tough.  Have a lot of new info on the health front with the kids! Girls all diagnosed with athsma, allergies and all us girls will be starting allergy shots soon.  Johnny hasn't had more than two migranes in almost six months!!! He is thriving in school, and has a best friend! Julianna is still a struggle......she saw an endocrinologist last month, and now we are going to a new gastroenterologist, and getting a test for Cystic Fibrosis next week.  All the girls are on allergy meds, inhalers and rescue inhalers and for Jasmine especially, it's really made a big difference! We also went Gluten-free since September.  Seems to be helping, but hope to find out more with new Gastro.  It's really expensive and tough, but we'll do what we have to do to keep healthy.

I am now only 16 credits from finishing my BA in Business Administration from SUNY Empire State College, and have aced one Civil Service test so far, and am looking for a good full time job! Currently am working in data entry and clerical with a really nice temp. agency down here, Kelly Services.  I am LOVING being near my Mom, Grandma and brothers!! I had forgotten how much I love spending time with them! The kids just adore them and it really helps to have Muffin, Hailey, & Abby to love and cuddle with.......Grammy's sheppards and Gramma Mom's Shih Tzu!  They all just adore the kids too!

Now that things are pretty much calmed down and way way way better......I hope to be back to blogging!! Miss all my old friends, but definitely do NOT miss the drama, tension, and trauma we left behind.  We lost everything......our home, our toys, our clothes, almost all our material possessions, and our best friends.....but we have gained so much strength, love, peace and happiness.  Now to move on with our new life, and hope for the best!!!!