Rolling with it ~or~ Do we go too far

I often wonder if my kids get it.  We often have to change directions without warning and while I know they do not like it, they roll with it!  But, do they get that their ability to roll with it will benefit them in the long run?  Think about it, if life only goes perfectly, would it really be life or would it be a dream.  Life is full of ups and downs.  If you are unable to deal with the roller coaster, even at 5 and almost 4, how are you going to make it in the long run.  While my kids have yet to participate in team sports, they might eventually and there will be losses!  Every game, even the game of life, has winners and losers.  If a kid does not understand this early, how devastating will it be when they first fail at 15?

I am not saying that I am a perfect parent.  In fact, I am far from it.  BUT, my kids are understanding that life does not revolve around them.  They revolve around the life of our family as a whole and that family is more than just the 4 people under our roof.  We have friends that are family.  We have employees that are family.  We have neighbors that are family.

Last week, our work family needed us.  We had an accident and coordinating the logistics of it all requires all hands on deck and then some.  The call came while I was at gymnastics with the girl.  I managed to make it through her time there by just making phone calls.  After it was over, we ran to get her brother from school early.  He was not happy, but that is life.  We rolled to the poor truck and the husband who was stranded with it and packages still to deliver.  No, the accident was not his fault, but he puts all else before himself.  After running him around, we waited on the tow truck and finally made it home.  We rolled with it.

Today, a friend needed some help.  I picked the kids up from lunch bunch early, because we needed to roll to get my friend's little girl.  The kids were not happy, but they got over it.  There was more that was important than them at that point.  It was little Gracie and her Mom and Dad and future sister.  My kids tried to make Gracie feel better when we took her away from her Mom at the hospital.  We rolled with it.

~OR~

I sometimes struggle with whether or not we go too far with being nice to our employees.  Just today, we helped 3 of our drivers in a huge way.  We do it for 2 reasons, but they aren't just self serving.  We do it because of all they do to keep our business successful.  Yes, Brown Dog Trucking, Inc. had a tough week last week with a complaint and an accident.  But, we truly know that we have a good group of employees.  So, rides to work, helping with a driver's toddler, or loaning one of them our vehicle so they can get to and from work just seems right.  We also do it, because we hope our understanding makes up for the fact that we can't pay them a million $$$$.  I think we pay them an honest wage, but I wish we could do more.

And that is the Trucker Turned Momma's thoughts for the day!

What the Hell Rants

What the hell is wrong with people today?  We are having a hard time filling a seasonal position.  Candidate #3 that is unable to pass a background check!  WTF!  Shoplifting, weed charge, and an unknown background check failure.  Really?!?!  How are these kids going to make it in life?  Where are their parental influences at age 18 and 19?

What the hell is wrong with the makers of jeans for little kids these days, especially little girls?  My kid does not need jeans to hug her ass!  My kids does not need low rise jeans!  No one needs to see the underwear of a 5 yr old!  She has outgrown all of her size 5 jeans, so I bought 3 pairs of jeans for her to try on.  They will all 3 be going back!!  The 6 slims fit the best, but they make her look like a teenager with a cupped ass!  The regular size 6 sits so low even with the waist adjusted!  The size 6x are extra snug!  REALLY!

What the hell is wrong with Wal-Mart?!?  If you have a fabric department, at least staff it with someone that knows how to measure and cut the fabric!!  The ability to use the scanner to get your cut pieces priced is also a good quality to make sure that employee has!  I cannot make that up!!  Yes, Ruth at my local Wal-Mart, you need to find a new line of work!

I could go on for longer, but I need to refill my wine and try to calm down!!

Give Thanks for Christmas Decorations??

I had to run to Target today for some last minute things for Halloween.  I needed candles but thought I might try to go eco-friendly and buy one of the LED lights.  Well, the 6 aisles of Halloween were crammed into 2 and Christmas has taken over.  Do we, as a society, just turn every holiday into a commercialized mecca for which to waste the hard earned $$$$ on?  What happened to that BIG holiday between Halloween and Christmas?  That holiday:  THANKSGIVING!?!?  A time when we GIVE thanks for all that we are so lucky to have and not GIVE plastic shit made in China to our kids to show them love.  A time to to GIVE thanks for health and freedom and eat wonderful traditional food and not GIVE gifts that we have put little thought into.  A time to GIVE a meal to others that are not as fortunate as we are and not GIVE more than can ever be enjoyed by our own family, let alone fit in our own house.

I am here to make a pact with myself and my family to ENJOY Thanksgiving and focus less on the commercialism of that other holiday that has taken over.

The Bad Side of being So Connected

The husband and I cashed in on our annual Christmas gift from my parents and hit the campground while they stayed home and watched our 2 kids!  It was wonderful, but we came to a 21st Century realization:  We are overly in touch because of being so connected.  Cell phones, smart phones, Skype, remote video surveillance and on and on have taken the human presence part out of interacting.

The husband takes the golf cart for a quick run to the real bath house to take care of business.  It is a very short ride, but while on his ride, he sees something funny, takes a picture and sends it to me back at the camper.  I comment back and we talk via text while he is in the crapper.  He gets back and we have nothing to talk about.  Hum.....this seems to happen a lot anymore.  The kids do something funny while he is at work and I send him a picture or call him.  When he gets home, he already knows about our day and we do not have a lot of new stuff to share at dinner.  He does the same during his day.

While we were gone, we punched up on the smart phone our outdoor cameras and watched the kids riding bikes and playing in the driveway.   WHY?!?!?  We knew they were in good hands!  When I was little, my parents left me at a neighbor's and went to Hawaii while I had strep throat and NEVER EVEN called!!   I still love them and do not feel too scarred by the whole issue!

Kids today are so connected with each other and society.  My kids will never understand the embarrassment of having to talk on the land line phone in the upstairs hall or having me answer the phone when a friend of theirs calls.  They will never remember a day of not having a cell phone in the car.  They will never experience having to walk home from school because they missed their bus and their Mom cannot be reached because she is outside weeding the garden.  (Trust me, it was not a short walk from school to our house.  It wasn't up hill in both directions, but it was long enough to teach me a lesson.)

So, what is the solution?  I do not have a fool proof one, but we are going to try to reduce the number of times we talk a day and try to save the good and funny stuff for family time at the dinner table.  We are not going to provide a cell phone with a data plan to our kids (or at least hold out as long as possible).

Natural vs. Store Bought

I have been going along with the husband and his challenge.  We cheated 2 times last week and twice in one day, today.  Work life made cheating on Monday a given with providing dinner from Chick-fil-A for our drivers.  Friday was the girl's birthday and lunch with friends was fitting.  Today, we lunched with friends again and went out for a nice dinner as a family.  On the way home, we stopped at Trader Joe's for some groceries.  While I was putting them away, I had a moment of "AWE"!  Since starting his challenge, I have been baking our own bread.  I saved a couple of buns that were left in the bread drawer when we returned home from vacation.  Today, the tiny end of a loaf of homemade French bread was green!  It was about a week old.

On the left are the almost 2 mo. old rolls.  On the right, my homemade bread.

A close up:

So, what is in my bread?  Organic flour (a mix of white whole wheat and whole wheat), yeast, salt, water, olive oil and semolina flour (a dusting on the bottom to keep it from sticking while baking).  

Here is the ingredient list on the store bread:

Enriched, dough conditioners that are a lot of glycerides, monocalcium phosphate, datem......What the hell is all that stuff?!?  My husband is convinced it is what gives little girls boobs at 10 yrs old and is one of the reasons he wanted to change some things in our life.  Well, here is where I call in Google and Wikipedia!

  DATEM (diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides) is an emulsifier primarily used in baking. It is used to strengthen the dough by building a strong gluten network.

Calcium dihydrogen phosphate is also used in the food industry as a leavening agent to cause baked goods to rise. Because it is acidic, when combined with an alkali ingredient, commonly sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or potassium bicarbonate, it reacts to produce carbon dioxide and asalt. Outward pressure of the carbon dioxide gas causes the rising effect. When combined in a ready-made baking powder, the acid and alkali ingredients are included in the right proportions such that they will exactly neutralize each other and not significantly affect the overall pH of the product.  **Note, if you look this up, it is also used as a fertilizer.  Great!

A monoglyceride, more correctly known as a monoacylglycerol, is a glyceride consisting of one fatty acid chain covalently bonded to a glycerol moleculethrough an ester linkage.^[1]

Monoacylglycerol can be broadly divided into two groups; 1-monoacylglycerols and 2-monoacylglycerols, depending on the position of the ester bond on the glycerol moiety.

Monoacylglycerols can be formed by both industrial chemical and biological processes. They are formed biochemically via release of a fatty acid fromdiacylglycerol by diacylglycerol lipase. Monoacylglycerols are broken down by monoacylglycerol lipase.

Mono- and diglycerides are commonly added to commercial food products in small quantities. They act as emulsifiers, helping to mix ingredients such as oil and water that would not otherwise blend well.^[2]

The commercial source may be either animal (cow- or hog-derived) or vegetable, and they may be synthetically made as well. They are often found in bakery products, beverages, ice cream, chewing gum, shortening, whipped toppings, margarine, and confections.^{[citation needed]} When used in bakery products, monoglycerides improve loaf volume, and create a smooth, soft crumb.

I guess my moment of awe and realization that my time invested in the kitchen might be worth something will make me continue on the path of better eating.  We will still enjoy special treats from time to time, but try to stick with good old homemade as much as possible!

Some words of advice for job seekers....

It is a tough market out there! If you are looking for a job and are going to apply or send resumes through ads placed on a site such as craigslist, do yourself a favor and read the following:

-Make sure your name on your email account or even the email address itself has a little class!!  I automatically hit the trash button when I read things like:

Looneyhustla
G
captainjacker
Kaveman Love
ILL SON
The Vic Man

-Sending one piss poor email is enough, but to send that thing 5 times is just going to make me need more wine!

-If you stay someplace, I could care less!!  If you live somewhere, I see a little more stability in your life.

-Grammar is a pet peeve of mine and a lot of other employers.  Proof read your shit before you send it!  No,  you are not coming to work for a publishing house as an editor, but at least act like you care!!!

-If you include a phone number, make sure it is correct, that maybe your voicemail is actually activated, and that your mailbox is not full.  I won't call back!

-If it is obvious you are replying for EVERY ad placed, I hit delete!  Read the ad before you reply!

-If the ad says, "Available to start immediately." and you are called and cannot interview until next month and cannot start until the end of the semester, you have just wasted my time and I HATE having my time wasted!

-If your resume includes a category of Braggin Rights.....DELETE that section, because I just deleted your reply!

-If a job lists an area of a metropolitan city and you live no where within a 40 mile radius, why apply?  Are you really going to make it to work on time daily?

OK....I am going to go back to reviewing my emails and hitting the trash button!

The Challenge and the Journey

So, on our return from vacation, my husband challenged me to cook with just straight natural in the rawest form ingredients.  (OK....he really said he didn't think I could) .  I love to cook and think I am pretty good at it, but to say I couldn't do something in the kitchen....GASP!!  Well, if you know me, I do not take challenges lightly!  Told him I would give it a go and we would take it further than that and give up all the yuckies (i.e. fast food, Mama Rita night at the Amigos, and processed foods).  

So, that was several weeks ago and we are adjusting.  I am so glad I have my new kitchen, because there is a lot involved in not buying from the middle of the store!  It has been great, though, because the kids are really into helping with the cooking now.  As for other parts of the challenge, we have not stopped at our favorite chicken place for breakfast or lunch since well before the last week in July.  We have only cheated once and bought lunchables for the kids.  (They love those things and it is so easy to rip that bad boy open and there is lunch without any Mommy work.)

What is a dinner these days around here with no yuckies?  It really isn't bad!!  Here is a sample:

Tonight's dinner was  homemade pierogi, piroghi or pierogie (depending on where you are from and how Polish your heritage is).  Some people have probably never heard of or enjoyed a pierogi before, but being a Pittsburgh, PA native.....I LOVE them!  There was a restaurant down the road from my old work facility in McKees Rocks that only served pierogies!!!  Yep, we ordered from Pierogies Plus weekly back in the day!! http://pierogiesplus.com/

I didn't just make regular pierogies tonight though!  Instead, I included my obsession in there and made Potato, Cabot cheddar, bacon and onion pierogies!!  They were awesome (if I can say that about my own cooking)!!

 Here is everything prepped (minus the dough which was chilling the the fridge).  Red potatoes on to boil, onion cooking with a tiny bit of olive oil, bacon cooked and crumbled, and cheese grated.  

Everything was mashed by hand to make this:

 This is where I get the kids involved!  They both took turns rolling out the dough, which was made from whole wheat flour, an egg from our own chickens, organic butter and organic sour cream.

Then, their job was to cut out the circles.  I used the sandwich sealer I got from Pampered Chef several years ago.  It worked perfectly!

I stuffed them and then they sealed them with the sandwich sealer.  Here they are ready to be cooked!

The final product with a little sour cream and a nice tomato salad!

Random Friday Thoughts

So, I am sitting here on hold with an insurance company over a stupid Mexican that cannot drive and hit one of our work trucks.  While sitting here, I thought I would make use of my time and browse the web.  Here are some random thoughts that came to me while browsing:

~ If you list shit on a facebook garage sale page, make it nice and worth the effort it took me to scroll past your garbage.  12 shirts at $3 each and each individually pictured is a waste of effort!  Also, if your shit is going to cost someone more in gas than it would for them just to pick it up at Wal-Mart when they are there, it probably is not going to sell, so quit bumping that crap to the top!

~If I advertise something as free on a facebook garage sale page, meet me when and where it is convenient for ME.  You are getting the shit for FREE!!  If I give you something for free, don't think I am an idiot and turn around and try to SELL it without asking!  Oh yeah....you think I didn't see all those dresses I gave you listed? If you are poor, ask for money, but don't yank my chain to steal it from me.  Someone who actually wanted and would have used the dresses could have had them instead of your greedy trying to make a $ ass!

~If you are going to try to sell your nasty lingerie on an on-line garage sale, why would you do it with your name attached?  Use craigslist or ebay and try to remain in the shadows!  I know there are people out there with weird and crazy fetishes, but you are going to have to meet them to deliver the goods.  I am half tempted to say I will buy and arrange to meet just so I can tell you in person that it is fucked up to sell that stuff so openly!

~If your mattress is ripped, make them take it when you buy a new one.  I doubt you are going to sell it!

~If your GA Dawgs flip-flops are so used that the G is missing from one of them, THROW THEM AWAY!  I gave shit away with lots of life left in it....those do not have any life left!

Lessons from My 2 Weeks of Camping

For two weeks, the kids and I checked out and headed with the camper to Horseshoe Trails in Mountain Lakes Resort outside of Cleveland, GA.  The kitchen in our house was being redone and the husband and I decided it would be easier if we were not there for the process.

I am not used to the single parent aspect and trust me when I say, 3 & 4 are not the easiest ages, but we had so much fun!  The husband came up for 2 weekends, but other than that, it was just the 3 of us.  Of course, there is lots to do here and that helped, but we didn't always need to do to enjoy!  That is one of the realizations I re-realize every time we leave home.  We hardly watched TV.  The kids only brought one bag of toys each, that they picked out on their own before we left.  We had our bikes as well.  So what do you do for 2 weeks if you have cramped living quarters, minimal toys, and no planned activities?

You bond!  You enjoy!  You play!

We hiked.  We biked.  We walked.  We ate outside.  We caught bugs.  We played with sticks.  We did art outside.  We found treasures.  We used our imagination.  We did lots of swimming.  We fished.  We visited the horses.  We played in the creek.  We stomped in mud puddles.  We sang songs.  We played games.

We are heading home tomorrow and even as I sit outside under the awning in the rain writing about our time away, the kids are out playing and having a grand time with a stick and jump rope.   I do want to return to a normal house, a real shower, a toilet that is real, and doors on my bedroom. BUT, I also want to try to keep the focus I so easily loose when we return from our trips.  Camping and VT are a simple life with no need to get caught up in anything besides what matters most.....Growing my family through love and fun.

Sick of it!

I am tired of picking-up!  I have been picking-up behind kids, husband, and animals for years now.  My kids are now 4 & 3 and I am DONE!

We are enacting a new House Rule!  If it is not cleaned up before bed, it is MINE!  I will take the toy (no matter what it is) and give it to a kid that will take care of it while my kids watch!  Toys are not appreciated around here and if they think that they are a given, they are 100% WRONG!  My kids act very ungrateful and I am going to fix this!

I know that some parents would view this as harsh, but I am here to parent my kids and this is one step towards Trucker Turned Momma's sanity.  Last night, the kids were instructed to clean up.  Things were thrown in a corner and left.  Items taken outside the family room were left.  I went in to get ready for bed and there were 4 trucks on the floor of the bathroom.  Guess someone had to take them in when he went potty.  Take them in, take them out.....Just like at the campground!!   We might not have any toys left by the end of summer, but I bet they will appreciate the ones they get at Christmas that much more!

Failure, while not an option, is bound to happen. PREPARE!

My life has taken many turns and twists over my adult years.  Challenges here and challenges there.  My latest challenge is parenting.  Sure, I spent about 3 years as a nanny raising someone else's kids.  That was very different than having my own kids!  I often recall on experiences and past "lives" to face the present.

One such experience I am calling upon for the current kid situations, is my management days as a management trainer for FedEx.  While I believed in my job and my trainees, it was some pumping them up before setting them free to succeed.  One of the most impactful such pumping lessons was the showing of a Charlie Plumb video.  No idea who he is?  Google him!  He is a hero, although he claims he is not!  He is a motivational speaker that shares his life experiences as a POW and how he survived through faith (not just spiritual), commitment, pride, and resilience that allowed him to overcome anger, boredom, fear, and torture.

Some of his speech that has significance right now for me and the parenting of my kids include the following:

After losing the last basketball game of the season when he was young, Coach Smith told Charlie Plumb, "Whether you think this team is a bunch of losers or a bunch of winners, you are right."  The difference in success and failure is choice.  We all have that choice.


When you start blaming others for your misfortune, you suddenly give them control over your life.


If you teach your kids nothing but success, they will never know how to overcome the first downfall.  If you never teach a kid how to overcome downfalls, they will never know how to press on and bounce back.  They will pass the blame to others, giving up control and choose to be the loser.

So how is this relevant to what I am trying to teach my kids and what we face with other people's children?

I am trying to show them that they may not always have control of the issues they face, but how they view the outcome is what really matters.  If someone makes you feel bad by saying something mean, you can believe them and let them be in control or you can know you are better than their words and be the winner!

Now, teaching this and the understanding that they will not always be the winner are tough because always being the winner means you are always in control.  For my kids, until they grow up, they can only control the things that I see fit for them to control.  No, those things do not always end with them being a winner, but it ends with them having an understanding that win or lose, they are responsible for their choice and how they deal with that outcome.   At 4 and 3, there is very little they have control over, because they are the kids and we are the parents.

I like to think that by showing them that they need to not blame others and think of themselves as winners no matter the outcome, will serve them well when they face their first big downfall.  Downfalls for kids are very different from adult downfalls, but they are often tougher for a kid to deal with.  There are try-outs for sports, big tests, school play auditions, driver exams, teenage job applications, and on and on that could result in rejection or failure.  If a kid has never had to experience a failure before these points in life, that first major failure will be far more damaging than if they have learned along the way that not all in life will go their way.  Kids that know how to think of themselves as a winner even though the result may not be positive remain in control and roll with things in life.  I hope I am helping my kids get there as a parent!

The Double Standard of Parenting or The Paradigm Shift Parents Make

My 4 yr old wanted to take dance with some of her friends this year after I talked to her about it. It is offered at the preschool she attends. I decided the price was right and it would be fun for her!  Signed her up.  It is now the end of the year and the recital is upon us.  She is petrified!  DOES NOT want to dance on the stage!  She only wants to dance with her friends.   We have paid money, taken her to the sessions, and now this!  So what do I say??
"Are all of your friends crying and scared to dance?"
"No Momma."
"Well then you should be like them.  If they want to dance then you should, too!"

WAIT ONE F'ING MINUTE!!  Did I really tell my kid that?  Yep I did!  What will I be saying in 10 years?  The EXACT opposite!  "Just because all of your friends are doing it does not mean you should!"

So, after this moment of self examination, I began an even deeper look into why I was trying to push her.  She is 4!

Is it really something to push her to do or am I better to pick more important battles that will surely present later in life when it is more important to have her grasp the insight of her decisions?  I think I would do better to wait and battle with her at 14 over a miniskirt or low cut top that would make her look poorly than push at 4.  I think I would rather help guide her through her decision about which classes to enroll in for her sophomore year than drive her to a stage at 4.

Is being scared to dance on stage at 4 normal?  Hell yes it is normal!!  It is normal at 25, even!  She has not liked Christmas or end of year recitals in any of her classes and it is OK for a kid to not want to be at the center of attention.  If it was college graduation and she didn't want to walk on stage to accept her degree, then it would be an issue, but at 4 this is normal and something I should not push.

Am I pushing her to do things because I see other people doing it and I think I should as well?  Hell yes I do!  But does that make it right for us?  Probably not.  I love my friends and I love that Burke has friends, but beyond playing with friends, she always seems overwhelmed.  She would rather be a free spirit and enjoy being a kid instead of having some structured event.  We are all at our happiest when we just are.  What is that you ask?  For me, just are is a state of being a kid and learning as I did and my parents did, which is thru love and fun!  She can be a ballerina if she wishes and it doesn't have to be to a planned dance.  She can be a doctor and does not need the fancy costume I bought her to dress up in.  She can paint masterpieces on the driveway with water and a feather!  She can run in her pink dress, red socks, blanket for long hair, and flip flops as long as she is happy doing it.

There are only so many years where you can let yourself have all the fun possible without it costing a huge toll.  So, I am going to let the girl be a girl.  I will still be her Momma and there will still be rules, and chores, and bedtimes, and respect, but I won't push her to do things that might make her have to be grown up before she needs to.  I will let her enjoy her time as a kid!

A week back with Diesel Exhaust and Cardboard

Monday, the husband suffered an injury that changed the face of Brown Dog Trucking, Inc. for the rest of the week.  Somehow, he tore a stomach muscle and was bad off!  We have always had our contingency plan in place and I have always made sure I kept my DOT physical current.  It was a good thing, too!  (My physical shape is a different story and we WILL NOT go there!)  I was back in the saddle again and he was home watching Talk TV, eating bonbons, and yelling at kids!!

It was good for both of us, given the bad circumstances and negativity he felt about me not giving him a choice but to heal.  He realized how crazy a 4 and 3 year old can drive one person (and he was on some good drugs when he didn't have to drive them anywhere, which was a good bit of the time)!  I realized the many issues our business faces daily in reality and gained some confidence back that I could do it if push came to shove.  Here are The Rantings for the week I experienced in no real order:

*People in the ATL drive like freaking idiots and that was just on the way from Dallas to Kennesaw at 5:30am.  Seriously...if it requires a bob, weave and cut-off like a football drill to get to work, LEAVE EARLIER so my insurance rates can go down stupid people!  I was driving the Chester Molester white van to and from FedEx each day (and it does have some identifiers saying FedEx Ground) but was shocked by others driving company labeled vehicles like complete assholes!!  Shame...Shame!

*My husband does not know how to turn off a single light.  We could not survive if we traded places for a year, because our electric bill would put us under!  I turned on the front porch lights each morning so I would not die on the way to the Chester Molester Mobile.  They were still on when I'd get home, as well as all lights on the first floor, in the basement and in at least one of the kids rooms!  Why?!?!  

*We have some great employees and I really appreciate their efforts.  A little Chick-fil-a goes a long way in showing someone you care!

*When you spend all your time with your kids, you become kind of immune to enjoying every minute.  When you are not there for every event for a week, the time you are home becomes very special.  I need to take this lesson into consideration and enjoy every minute all the time!!  It was actually tough to miss the Easter Egg Hunt they had at school today.  I have not missed an event at school yet.

*Driving a BIG truck is just like riding a bike:  Don't do it for awhile, just hop back in and it all comes back to you.  I have to admit, getting out of the building was a little rough that first morning, but it was a 6 speed truck that was not ours and did not have a back-up camera, plus it was wedged in like a sardine!  After I was rolling, it was all good!

*I need to keep my work at the gym up!!  I enjoyed being back in the mix and while I am not wanting to go back full time, I need to make sure I can do it again when needed!

*My daughter is a drama queen even if I am not home!  I thought it was just an act for me, but the truth came out for Daddy on day 2.  She wanted to wear a dress to play in the yard!  Daddy did not know how to fix hair to match a pretty dress.  Her shoes must match and even though she is to put her shoes away, it was Daddy's issue to make sure the right shoes were found so she could go out of the house.

All in all, we made it and life moves on!  Tomorrow is a new day and next week a new week.  Hope the back is better so I can sleep in soon and retrain my kiddos!

Trying to grasp this whole new learning thing

I am sure that there are people out there that are way smarter than me, your college educated trucker turned Momma.  I am sure these people have conducted endless research to come up with the new ways to learn, but the new ways leave me confused as a parent.

I watched a friend's kids in our date-night swap tonight and before the older daughter went to bed, I was informed we had to do her site words.  "OK great!  Let's do this!"  Of course, my daughter is a year younger pre-school wise and I had no real idea what site words were.  They are just what they sound like, one word on each card.  WHAT?  That isn't how I learned to read!  I learned to read by sounding shit out and learning those crazy I before E except after C sayings!  Now kids just learn words and phonics are not as big.  Humph!

So, I did what I usually do and turn to Google.  (Of course, there is way to much freaking info to be found and I am not sure if North is really North anymore!)  By far, the most informative thing I read is that both old school and the new version need to co-exist to help kids excel!  Here is the link I read:

http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/overview.html

Now, what am I going to do when I discover that I have no clue about that new crazy way they teach math?!?!

Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr. Obama:

I would like to thank you for all of the jobs you created!  (NOT!)  Today I received a letter from the GA Department of Labor.

"As a result of record unemployment, GA's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund was depleted to pay unemployment benefits to workers who lost their jobs.  Beginning in 2009, the stat of GA was required to borrow funds from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits.  The loan currently remains unpaid and GA employers are feeling the impact through an increase in the 2011 FUTA costs.  The costs for GA employers will continue to increase each year until the loam balance is repaid.

The GA Dept of Labor is focused on rebuilding the Trust Fund to protect against future insolvency and avoiding further borrowing from the federal government.  The loan balance, with accrued interest, must be paid as quickly as possible to lessen the impact on GA employers.  Immediate action must be taken to address the crisis that we now face.  It is therefore necessary to increase the adjustment to the base rate, which will affect your total state unemployment tax rate."

So, lets dig into this:

The federal government bailed out many banks and mortgage lenders with federal money as well as car companies.  Great!  Now, my little 7 employee company must shoulder our portion of the state of GA's responsibility for its bail out?  I have had 2 displaced workers in the last 2 years and both were discharged with ample cause and did not win unemployment benefits!  BUT....we will still have to pay to help reduce this debt.  I have not seen the huge show of support for small businesses.  Try to go get a small business loan these days and there is no support for growth there either.

I don't have a solution.  I am like many others, stuck here to complain about it.  I do think, if we made a fair tax, some of the issues would resolve.  You buy a new car, you pay.  You buy a McDonald's happy meal, you pay.  Illegals and legals will all be even.  People milking the system will have to pay back into it.  Reduce the length of benefits to people.  You are out of work, any job is better than no job!  It might be below you to wash dishes, but if it brings in money, DO IT!

Like a GIRL wouldn't know

I was on a mission to find a new used truck for our Ball Ground, GA route.  It is a high miles, rough road route!  Our current truck has 295,000 miles on it and does over 200 miles a day.  We have looked up and down and all around.  I know trucks!  I know way more than I care to let on!  Talked to a guy from Rhode Island.  He knew nothing about the trucks he was selling and was almost in shock when I asked him if the king pins were original or had he replaced them in the 145,000 miles he had owned the truck.  Since he was not real sure, I took it as a no and told him thank you for your time!  Talked to another guy out of S. Florida.  Asked him the same question, although his truck had fewer miles (but not by much).  His reply, "Of course, every 5K miles."  Again, thanked him for his time and thought IDIOT as I hung up!  So much for a used truck with a private sale. Onto the market place I went.  Found MAG Trucks, which is an authorized FedEx Ground vendor.  They take old leased equipment from linen companies and retrofit the trucks to FedEx Ground specs.  Sounds great!  They have limited inventory, so I put a deposit down and waited.  In the meantime, I found a local truck made some calls and was schooled on truck values.  Why these trucks are worth so much and hold or GAIN value is beyond me (except of course for the New Hampshire piece of SHIT that we own which we can't get anyone to touch for $14,000).  Finally, I got a call yesterday and they are getting a truck in and we are all over it!  2007 with 52,640 miles on it!  None of the fancy electronic bullshit that the new ones come with.  None of the CA emissions junk that makes for something else to have to worry about fixing.  Just a plain truck to deliver out of! I am one happy camper!

Who knew....

I am on a mission for a new and updated kitchen.  I LOVE to cook.  I want an open feel and be able to see the kids in the other room while I am creating dinner or putzing about.  We have had some plans drawn up and have decided what we kind of like but then comes the tough part.....DECISIONS!

Who knew a cook top could go from the $500 one all the way up to over $5000!  I have had 4 ranges in my adult life.  The one in my apartment was a tiny apartment sized one.  Able to cook and create wonders!  The first house I bought came with a gem like this:

It lasted for 2 years and was also able to create many wonderful dishes!  It had options on it I never figure out how to use and had to be lighted with a lighter!  I upgraded to a GE gas range, but left it with the house when I moved to GA.

I took a range demotion in the house I bought here.  It was (and still is) the original one the house came with when it was built in 1992.  I had it repaired 5 years ago when the temp sensor in the oven went.  $72 well spent.  It has created many great dishes as well!






So.....What is this going to do that the above couldn't do?

The decisions only get more intense from here.  Counter tops, lights, vent hoods, flooring, pot filler faucet, cabinets.  Maybe I will just move a grill and my butcher block into the family room and call it good!

Sad but Proud

I used to be an "on the fast track" manager.  I left the job because I didn't want to take another promotion and face all the number pressure from being a Senior Manager.  (My husband would have also had to find a different line of work, so that had some impact as well.)  I left and went to work for my husband as a driver.  Kind of a blow to my ego, but we knew we wanted to grow his business and put ourselves in a position to start a family.  It took a while and 4 routes run by me before our plan finally came to be:  A BABY!  We had planned to have me come off the road and stay home for a couple of years.  I was good with that, since we had no family around.  Baby #2 came VERY shortly after #1.  Life continues and they are growing and I love them to death!  The girl and the boy are my world!

Last at dinner, we were talking about what they wanted to be when they grew up.  The boy wants to drive a fire truck (not a FedEx truck....humph!).  The girl said, "I want to be just like Momma and just drive around and go to the store and play."  That is where I got SAD!  Is that really what my kids think I do?  I guess I should be PROUD that she wants to be like her Mother, but really?  I do way more than drive around, shop, and play.  I guess in the eyes of a 4 yr old, that is big stuff.  To me, it was kind of a low blow!

So, what do I have planned for tomorrow?  I guess I will drive to the store to shop (get my huge list for making Valentine dinner for my family and groceries for the rest of the week), and then drive to the courthouse (to finalize a variance application), and then drive home to play (unload all the shit from the store, put it away, make lunch, clean-up breakfast and lunch, make sure no kids kill each other, put kids down for naps/quiet time, work on taxes for the business, run the fur picker-upper, make dinner, serve dinner, clean-up dinner, get a load of wash in, play, bath 2 kids, say Goodnights and then CRASH)!  Yep....drive, shop, play!

The Saga with my dumbass neighbor

So the saga continues.....

His kid finally got caught riding his quad on the road or he is sick, because for 5 days now, there has been peace on the streets of Victoria Cove.  I am not so evil that I want the kid to not be able to have fun in life, but until he and his father show he knows how to ride responsibly and stay off the streets, I will continue to call the police.  I fear for the safety of my kids in the yard playing and while we are driving on the same streets that require me to have a license, insurance, and a plated car.  I have done nothing childish towards this man or his kid.  Yes, I make fun of his 17yr old Waffle House bride on facebook (he is 52) and complain about his stupidity and the stupidity he is passing on to his kid.  But, I do not stoop to childish levels like this ass or his kid are doing.  Here is a piece of mail I received yesterday:

It is from the Marines.  Isn't that nice....Fatty Fatty


I failed to take a picture of the sign he put in his yard directly pointing towards my yard that said Weight Watchers Meets Here.


I know I am fat.  Having babies, loosing my daily workout from my old job, not having time to focus on me because of said babies and a growing business, out of whack hormone levels (documented by an MD), thyroid condition and some serious PPD have all taken a toll on me.  I KNOW I need to get back in shape.  I do go to the gym, albeit not as often as I like or need.  Knowing this, I also know what else is important and it is the girl and the boy and the husband.  Most of what I do is not for me, it is for my FAMILY.  For making things right in life for them.  For making sure they know right from wrong.  For growing them into productive members of society.
My weight is something that can be fixed if I truly focused on it and gave up an hour and a half a day to go to the gym as well as really watching what I eat.  It will come some day when my kids are a little older and when they can do a little more for themselves.  Until then, call me Fatty and post stupid signs in your yard directed at me.  I can fix my problem.  But, in the words of comedian Ron White, "You can't fix stupid!".

The Up Down of Life

Remember how you used to say
You couldn't wait till tomorrow for a brand new day
no fuss when ya had to ride the bus
You just add a little blush
To paralyze your school crush

Now you're older and the weight is on your shoulder
Make the world a little colder
No more hidin in the old day
Be strong Don't you give up hope

It will get hard Life's like a jump rope

Up down
Up down
Up down
Up down yeah
Cause it will get hard
Remember life's like a jump rope
Up down
Up down
Up down
Up down yeah
It will get hard Cause it will get hard

There'll be a bump and there will be a bruise
There'll be alarms and there will be a snooze
There'll be a path that you will have to choose
There'll be a win and there will be a lose

and You gotta hold your head up high and
Watch all the negative go by
Don't ever be ashamed to cry
You go ahead

Cause life's like a jump rope

I want to tell you that everything will be okay
That everything will eventually turn itself to gold
So keep pushing through it all
Don't follow, lead the way
Don't lose yourself or your hope
Cause life's like a jump rope

~Blue October lyrics for their song JumpRope


After this week, I am trying to remind myself over and over that this is true. This week took me to the DOWN part of jump roping. I love my family and try to live a good life and be a productive member of society. This week was full of blows that make me wonder if trying to be a good person and raise good kids with morals is really the right thing to do, since it seems so much easier to be an ass and get away with it. Some news on Saturday started my "bump and bruise". A lot of respect for a family member was lost and I was shocked.

"There'll be a path that you will have to choose." I chose the path to do what is right for my family when others don't take a path at all. If my family is in line for potential hurt, this Trucker Turned Momma is going to stand up and fight. It has been a constant fight with my neighbor over his 11 or 12 yr old kid and his 4-wheeler. The kid rides like an idiot. He has no mind for traffic laws or anyone else on the road. He has scared me in my yard while playing with my kids. He has scared me while driving in the car with my kids. This week, it went beyond his 4-wheeler, but I wasn't part of the escalation yet I am the one left suffering because he thinks I called him out on his illegal business and junk in his yard. He trespassed on my property to take pictures of my chickens. I didn't realize what he was taking pictures of until I received a notice about the issue a day later. Instead, I was just shocked and scared that there was a man in my yard with a camera when I went out of my deck to check the weather before taking the kids out to play. I panicked and dialed 911. Once I realized it was dumbass, I hung up. That is not good. 911 does not like hangups. 2 officers came and I gave a report. A day later 2 detectives came and talked to the dumbass first and then to me. Basically there is nothing I can do because I do not have proof he was on my property. He claims he was on my neighbors and that he has permission, which he does not. Unless she is to go down and make a report, it is his word against mine. So now, I am left shaken because the loose cannon from across the street thinks he has a right to do whatever the hell he wants and the law is on his side more than mine.


I am going to keep pushing thru. I am going to fight it. I am going to file for a variance to keep my chickens. I have support of all direct neighbors and others on the street. I am going to keep the focus on my family and doing what is right for them. I am going to continue to call the police when the dumbass does stuff that is illegal. I am going to keep playing in the yard with my kids and not be scared of him. I am going to install a security camera system. I am not going to lose myself or my hope!

My life in oxymorons

I love a clean house, but I hate to clean.

I like to make my kids look cute, but I don't do a thing about myself.

I can load a trailer in A+ form and know the principles of how to build a good trailer wall, but I cannot get the groceries in the back of my minivan without bruising a banana or squishing the bread. (Cornerstone, base, alternate, shelf and fill are those principles, in case you were wondering!)

I love playing card games and board games, but playing them with my kids is painful because they cannot focus and be determined about it like me!

I can find most any place with a map, but program that stupid TomTom and it pisses me off.

I really like good food, but a lot of times, I am disappointed when I go out to eat because a lot of it I can make as well at home and yet I paid a place to not WOW me.

I can back a 53' trailer into a dock spot and a straight truck thru an offset alley maneuver, but I can't back up my driveway 20% of the time.

I love the lake and boating, but not real fond of swimming with the fish I'd rather catch.

I love my kids, but they both drive me crazy and the same time they are looking so cute.

I used to ride a mountain bike and was pretty hardcore about it, but now I am scared to even ride a regular bike on a paved path.

I am usually exhausted, but still have trouble sleeping.

I love my dogs and cat, but I cannot stand the fur they produce!

Other People's Kids!!

I know I cannot protect my children forever, although I would like to. In the meantime, I will rant and supervise! Here is my rant about said subject:

If your kid watches movies that are not age appropriate, kindly tell them what is not nice about the movie and what they shouldn't share about the movie. Now, I realize that if your 5 year old is watching R movies, you might not care about telling them what isn't appropriate, but I will if they are playing with my kids! My kids do not need to hear about death and killing!! We do not make killing soup to feed to others! We do not do the swing of death that will surely kill you! When it comes time, I will talk to my kids about this subject.

If your kid is out in the street riding a motorized thing without supervision and is an idiot while riding it, I will kindly take pictures, e-mail them to the police, and also call the police on them. Maybe one of these days, you will come to realize that 11 year olds still need some guidance and you as their parent need to provide it. Instead you choose to promote poor behavior! I am sure your kid will end up a productive member of society, just like you are. (Insert eyeroll and sarcastic voice!)

If you let your kid play alone in a play area and you are not around to correct them, I will kindly do so for you. I won't let my kids get run over, pushed, or disrespected because you think the play area at Chick-fil-a is a childcare center.

I want and expect my kids to show respect, act age appropriate, follow directions and rules, and MOST of all, be kind and loving towards others. Too many parents make it awful hard for others to raise our kids with these values. Do your part, parent!! Don't friend! Hold your kid accountable! Show consequences for poor choices! And again....PARENT your offspring!

What are we teaching kids??

I was watching a friend's kids last night and after jammies for the older girl, I told her to pick a book. She picked out a chapter book, Junie B. Jones. I asked her if her Mom reads her this and she said, "Oh yes." (Note, she is almost 5.) So, I started to read. Then I went from reading in normal Mom mode to having to sensor a book written for KIDS!!! Words like DUMB, STUPID, HATE. I thought back to the books I read as a kid (or those that were read to me). One of my all time favorites is Beverly Cleary's, Ramona the Pest. So, what did I spend some time doing this evening? A little compare and contrast between kid's literature of today and kid's literature of my day. Here is an excerpt from Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly School Bus:

"I hate that Jim. After that, the bus kept stopping and starting. And lots of kids kept getting on. Loud kids. And some of them were the kind who look like meanies. Then the bus began getting very noisy and hot inside. And the sun kept shining down on me and my fuzzy hot sweater. And here's another hot thing. I couldn't roll down my window because it didn't have a handle. And so I just kept on getting hotter and hotter.And it smelled in the bus, too. The bus smelled like an egg salad sandwich.
"I want to get off of here," I said right out loud.
But nobody heard me. "I hate it in this stupid smelly bus." Then my eyes got a little bit wet. I wasn't crying, though. 'Cause I'm not a baby, that's why.
After that, my nose started running. Only the bus didn't have a glove compartment. Which is where you keep the travel tissues, of course. And so I had to wipe my nose on my fuzzy pink sweater sleeve.
Then I stayed on the bus for about an hour or three. Until finally I saw a flagpole and a playground. Then Mr. Woo drove the bus into the parking lot and stopped.
I jumped up very fast. 'Cause all I wanted to do was get off that stupid smelly thing!

What do I find wrong with this? She hates. I try to teach my daughter that we don't HATE anyone. We may not like everyone the same and some people are not easy to like, but we do not HATE them. The author does not use correct grammar!! What the FUCK? The last sentence above is a prime example. I jumped up very fast, because all I wanted to do was get off that stupid smelly bus. Kids can talk like adults and use complex sentences for crying out loud! This girl also complained about everything from the beginning to the end and complained about everyone. I CANNOT stand whining, so why would I want a book to encourage my kids to do it?

Do the Ramona books have some not so perfect things in them? Yes. Dumb is used in Ramona, but only twice (not several times in the same page). NEVER is it used to describe a person.

Ramona: "Why did you have to go and do something dumb like hiding behind the trash cans?"

Junie: "HEY, Watch IT YOU DUMB JIM!" I hollered.

I think I will be censoring reading lists and library finds for many years to come!!

For my kids....

My husband and I had some real trouble awhile back. I do not forgive easily and we are still working through some things. I was tempted to give up. I debated and looked to others for guidance. In the end, I decided to work through things for my kids first and foremost and then for us, my husband and myself. Nothing in life is easy! This fact is part of my favorite kids song right now, Jump Rope by Blue October.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqh-ucVG510&feature=colike



Today was Donuts with Dad Day at preschool. I was given confirmation about my choice of sticking it out through the good, bad and ugly by a story my daughter wrote for her Dad with her teachers, Ms. Lynn and Ms. Martha. Here is what she had to say:

My Dad

My Daddy is 10 years old.
He weighs 1 lbs. and reaches the ceiling fan like Papa John tall.
His hair is black and his eyes are blue.
My Dad loves to relax by sitting on the couch. And he likes to wear a shirt and doesn't take his boots off.
He loves to cook steak, mash potatoes and rice.
His favorite household chore is cleaning up.
His favorite TV show is Monsters and his favorite song is silly Daddy songs.
Daddy always tells me he loves me.
It makes him happy when I play nice with Buddy.
When my Dad shops, he loves to buy fruit, strawberries and chicken nuggets for dinner.
If he could go on a trip, he would go to a camping place and he would take chairs.
I really love when Dad carries me on a rock.

My kids love their Dad and they need their Dad. We may have our differences and we may have our struggles, but for my 2 kids, they need to have parents that love them and each other so they have role models like I had when I was growing up. It is so much easier to run than it is to work and stay, but the work is worth the reward when you see something this special come home!

I almost did something for nothing

I did a project with the kids this morning using Borax and pipe cleaners that I found on Pinterest (of course). I see all the great stuff Borax can do and I become inspired!! I have some really awesome All-Clad pots and pans that now look UGLY from all the cooking over the years. Borax says it is great for cleaning pots and pans. Here is a picture of my skillet:

So, I start a scrubbing and a scrubbing and a scrubbing and OUCH......my wrist after 15 minutes was sore and my upper arm was as well. When I say I was a scrubbing, I mean it! What did it accomplish?

So, I could see a difference, but when I do the math 15 min x 7 more of the 8ths of a pan left x recovery time.....I might have a nice clean pot for cooking in NEXT Year!! That of course is if I don't cook in it again until after it has finished its make-over. So, I start to think.....

1. Is anyone going to come do a pot and pan inspection?

2. Are my kids having fun in the other room while I am scrubbing away?

3. Do my kids have enough strength to make this punishment for the fighting going on in the other room?

4. Does food taste any better cooked in a pan with a clean exterior?

5. Am I crazy or something?

With the exception of #5, I answered NO! to all my questions. So, what do I have now? About 1/8 of a Borax cleaned pot, a new sense about cleaning pots, and a lot more free time, because I won't be cleaning my pots anytime soon!

Are the Classics Really Good or is My Memory That Bad?

Today, the boy turned 3. We didn't have much planned, except for some pizza and cake with our houseguests and a couple of friends. It was a rainy yucky day, so we decided to go to lunch and take in a movie. 3 kid choices were playing and I picked The Muppets. I loved The Muppet Show growing up! In 7th grade ceramics, I made a Beaker I still have in the basement bookcase (MeMeMe!) One of my favorites at Christmas time is The Muppet Christmas Carol!

All I can say about the movie was, IT SUCKED!! Whole huge public dance scenes.....REALLY?!?! A weird story line and a weird co-star that still slept in a twin bed in the same room with his puppet brother......REALLY?!?!?! A teacher girlfriend that has a classic car in her classroom that she is teaching her pupils to service. Just plain WEIRD!! So, I ask myself.....were the original Muppets really that good or is my memory just that bad? How many good things came out of the original Jim Henson Muppets? He was brilliant! I wonder if he would approve of the song and dance weirdness I saw today?

Is it just me?

Am I the only person that looks at the Pinterest boards and wants a huge house, calorie burner pills, and unlimited funds? I love so many of the kitchens I see, so why would I just want one? I have found tons of great bedroom ideas for using the eave space in the kids rooms and have decided that they each need about 4 or 5 bedrooms!! The yummy cookies and cupcakes and soups and casseroles and side dishes and salads would be made with style in my new kitchens while I taste test all my works and wash it down with wine and a calorie burner pill! The outdoor living space ideas I see make me want to rent a dozer and go to town on our back 40! Might have to invest in a snow making machine so I can get some of the winter looks I love!

So, anyone want to contribute to the Kim Pinterest Envy Made a Reality Fund?? Cash, check, credit cards, and piggy banks accepted!

All Kinds of Animals at the Zoo, but REALLY.....

The weather was super here in GA today so I decided to use my zoo pass and take the things to see the animals. They love the zoo and all that it has to offer, as do I. Every visit though, I am amazed by the number of daycares there. Today was no exception. I know some people must put their kids in a daycare situation due to circumstances and what not. Hell, we looked into it and decided it would be better to stay home and cut out some of our expenses. For those that do have to put their kids in daycare, I am sure there are those that really investigate their choice of centers. The center I witnessed today must have either been real cheap or had a fake front going when parents visited! If it was the cheap side that sold parents on it, remember....you get what you pay for! If it was a faked scene for visitors, I am here to tell you what really happens at this place. Their were 2 care givers and 8 kids. Each caregiver had a double stroller and 2 kids on leashes. I saw snot like I have never seen and no mind was paid to it. I smelled a poop and it wasn't my boy or an animal. In the Gorilla arena, where they parked it for sometime, one of the caregivers was sharing her can of Coke with 2 of the kids. Now this might not seem bad to some who do not have kids, but to me, I had to hold myself back from saying something. What this Trucker turned Momma really wanted to say:

1. If you cannot control the kids in your care without the use of leash, then don't take them out. This isn't the fucking dog park! It is a zoo and a nice one at that.

2. If a kid had snot dripping into his mouth, they sell these things at not only WallyWorld, but most every convenience store around. They are called tissues. Hell, the bathroom at the zoo has TP!! Wipe that poor kid's nose and show him that at the least, you don't think he is a dog even though you are walking him on a leash! I understand it is cold and maybe the kid should not have been sent to daycare, but maybe he should have been in the stroller and not wiping his green slime all over!!

3. If I can smell a poop and I am not right on top of you, then this place must be so bad off that the caregivers are immune to the smell. Don't make that kid walk around or sit in his/her own shit!! Clean the ass up and then go back to walking them like a dog.

4. Coke will stunt your growth! (At least that used to be one of the old sayings from my youth.) A Coke has never touched the lips of my 4yr old girl and will not for many years to come! There are many great drinks for kids....MILK, WATER, and maybe on a special occasion JUICE. The Coke was only 1/2 of the issue. It was also being SHARED!! God only knows if the snot faced kid had also been given a drink!

Parents, open your eyes! Go see what is going on at the daycare, preschool, or school where you send your child!! You have every right to drop in unannounced and observe! If you see something out of place or out of sorts.....ASK!! You are trusting these people with the future of your care!! I want to make sure my kids know they are loved so when I need to be fed or changed in my senior citizen years, it is done with love and tenderness instead of being ignored, treated like a dog, or given stuff that would rot the teeth I have left out of my mouth.

Cry for Attention

I saw someone out today while I was running errands (with my kids in tow of course) that I don't really know. I do, however, know her child and have seen her on occasion at the gym where I attempt to work-out. She of course was too self absorbed to notice me, but I think everyone noticed her. Here are some Trucker turned Momma observations:

~High heel platform boots are for hookers and pole dancers. If you are going to Target, I am thinking you are not on the clock!

~Your make-up and hair must have taken you hours! I don't care to spend that time on myself and would rather have my kids hanging with me and playing and enjoying them, because they are my kids and will only be kids for so long!

~Your one outfit (hooker boots, designer jeans, ugly sweater, and fancy purse) must have cost you more than my monthly mortgage payment!! I would rather save my $$$ for my kids education and wear shit from Target, Land's End and L.L.Bean.


~The hours I have seen you spend in the gym might pay-off, but my fat ass goes long enough to get my 30 min in and then focus on other things, like the 2 kids I have already sent to school 3 mornings a week and just thrown in the gym nursery for my 30 minutes of me time.


~Your kids are not part of your accessory collection and yet, you seem to treat them as such. This leads to the behavior issues I have witnessed. I don't pick when to parent, but parent all the time, because it is my JOB! Maybe if you look to self and see how self centered you are, you would realize the dis-service you are doing for your kids. All they want is some attention and they will do what they have to to get it. Often this comes in the form of misbehaving at the expense of other kids.

Now, I DO NOT claim to be any kind of expert, but I often look to my kids and the job my parents did with my sister and me as an example. My kids are usually fairly well behaved. They don't usually get in big trouble. They are usually pretty happy go lucky! Of course, they have their moments, as we all do, but their moments are not a HUGE issue for others nor do they tend to stretch for an entire time while in school or while we are out. I hope that my beliefs are right on, but if you think you need to rock the hooker look, lead a life for yourself, and have kids that are hellish, you go on! I will read about your serial killer while I am hanging with my well adjusted doctoral candidate children. (I can dream they will be something beyond a college grad driving a truck!)

I can be happy!

So, some friends commented on my last post that I am always so angry. My Blog is called The Rantings of a "Trucker turned Momma" and not some gleaming title that makes everyone feel so wonderful about everything! It is who I am!

There are things that make me smile. Lots of things actually! (Besides my kids, even!)

~I love it when some dumbass weaves in and out of traffic and drives like an idiot only to have me (whom he just passed and then cut off to pass someone else) pull up beside him at the next red light.

~I love it when someone pays a compliment to my kid and she says "Thanks, my Mom made it on her own sewing machine!" After that, they look at me and I can see the look on their face speak volumes of disbelief!

~I love it when I make business phone calls or order parts or even take a truck into a shop and people think a woman knows nothing about a truck and they try to play me as dumb!

~I love it when I see my dumbass neighbor struggle to back his trailer in his driveway and then look at me in disbelief when I back our camper down the driveway without a pull-up!

~I love it when I find a match for a sock I have had sitting around for a month or so. Although this is joyous, it also pisses me off wondering where that stray sock had been and who in this house hides shit on me!

~I love it when I try a new recipe but tweak it and my husband says that he loves it but the next time I make it, I tweak it a little differently and he says it is better that the last time!