Sleep At Last!

Wow...it's amazing how ya feel after getting a really good night of sleep. And of course follow it up with some morning java. Despite the overcast morn' I am feeling pretty good....for now. WARNING!!!! Mood subject to change without warning! lol

I made a pretty amazing meal on Sunday night at work (if i do say so myself). I sauteed (sp?) chicken in seasoned olive oil, added steamed broccoli and cauliflower and placed it atop a bed of pesto laced fettuccine. Yum!

I am into coming up with inexpensive meal ideas since I am now supporting 2 boys on my meager salary. Their favorite is something similar to the above concoction, but with ramen noodles and sugar snap pea stir fry. Inexpensive AND healthy! I have decided to become a ramen noodle connoisseur. lol How can you go wrong with a product that costs 10 cents!?!?!? Do you have inexpensive meal ideas? Please share!

A Break In The Action

For 90 days we are in transition (and I am sure there is more drama to come...there always is). We were awarded our divorce, I get my maiden name back but we still have some issues on the table....mostly custody which was not something we were truly fighting about. Due to some unwise choices by "him," the judge has awarded me sole physical custody with the minimum visitation. What a change to our lives. I am hopeful that during this time the right choices for our kids can be made by "him" and we can get back to our original plan for the kids.

Things That Don't Suck

*Karma

*Baking peanut butter cookies with Scotty

*Waking up to the sound of the laughter of my children

*My dad and his help with some "man-stuff" around the homestead...lol I just don't get the whole wall anchor thingies.

*Storage units....gotta move some o' the clutter!

*Wii cow racing & bowling....funfunfun!

5 Days To Go

On a nostalgic note:
Thanks to my friends for their support AND wishes for a happier year to come. We are on the BIG countdown and I must say it comes with a sense of relief as well as loads of fear. I never thought I'd be a single soccer mom doing laundry at the laundromat on a Friday night...lol. EVER! And here it is...the ugly truth of what my life has become. But what would I do without my boys. They keep me strong, focused and centered on those days when I feel I cannot get out of bed. They are the true blessings in my life. And I am so fortunate to have a loving and supportive father. I truly don't know what I would have done these past three years without him.

On a positive note:
I started getting a little artsy again the other night at work. I am fascinated by art journals. I have never been much of a journal-keeper. I remember my dear friend Sara (who I have known since 1979 and my first friend when we moved to Newark) always seemed to have deep thoughts/desires, etc. hidden away in journals. I always tried to emulate her....it lasted a couple of days. So anyway, back to my latest attempt...I busted out my beautiful set of colored pencils, ultra-fine tip black sharpie and a great spiral bound water color "notebook" and started writing/creating. I like that there are no rules in an art journal. I am sure I will be doing a little more work in it VERY soon. I need to experiment with materials other than colored pencils.

Things That Don't Suck: Part Deux
1. My little b-day celebration last night. While Alex was at a b-day party, Scotty and Scott G. created adorable, delicious AND sugar-free parfaits complete with candles. When Alex got home they gave me cards and then I made a wish and blew out my candles. I took a picture so you could see, but it's on my camera and I don't know how to get it from there to this crappy-assed computer (yes, Dell still has my laptop).
2. The beautiful winter view from my patio. We have a pair of cardinals who visit our birdfeeder, as well as a couple of fat squirrels we have named (I can't remember the names, but the kids sure can).
3. Snow days spent with my two favorite guys...Alex and Scott!

7 Days and Counting

Wow...November was the last time I posted. Lazy, preoccupied and just damned tired and fed up! A few updates on my daily/weekly routine (I am one exciting chick!) And yes, in 7 days I will be a single mom...wild and free...poor and desperate! lmao

• Sunday - sleep all day after dropping the kids off to Paul (and his girlfriend and her daughter - talk about FUN!) Then work all night (obsess about the fact that there is part-time live-in girlfriend in my husband's bed).
  
• Monday - sleep all day then work all night (and obsess about the fact that some chick has her clothing in MY closet in MY house).
• Tuesday - sleep all day and then work all night (still obsessing). Some excitement this past Tuesday though....I gave myself a concussion! My blood sugar plummeted and I passed out face first (or probably head first) onto my floor. I should have suspected something was amiss when I was feeling "blurry" while talking to Diana. She probably thought I was on crack.
  

At this point you are saying to yourself...."Wow! How does that bitch stand all the excitement!"

• Wednesday - sleep until bus-time then spend the afternoon and evening with the loves of my life...the boys! Basketball in the evenings and praying that Paul won't show up with his girlfriend and the kid. He actually planned to this week....how humiliating would THAT be?!?!?! But since a power greater than myself saw to it that school was canceled there was no game and no humiliation. PHEEEEEW!
• Thursday - get the kids to school and party like a wild woman at the Laundromat. I know...I sure know how to have a good time. No school again.
  
• Friday - kids off to school and then housework and playing catch-up with all of the things I've neglected to do all week. And of course try to squeeze in a nap (my NEW favorite hobby). And I just saw there also is no school tomorrow!
  
• Saturday - every other Sat. I get to spend with my boys. On the off Saturdays I sleep.

On a bright note, I talked with my dear Kathy R. I whined about my life while interrupting her family's dinner. It was probably a downer for them, but can you believe it....the 'ho made me laugh.....and laugh hard! Boy, did I need that!!!!! We decided I may need to post some pics on our blogs.....we are soooooo naughty (please don't ask). So a HUMONGOUS "thank you" to Kathy! Love ya, ya 'ho!

Changes and more changes!

It seems our lives are always in a state of flux. Not that change has to be a bad thing. We have been very busy with house improvements....mostly cosmetic; paint, patching, reorganizing, packing. We are busy with my crazy work schedule; I am working as much OT as I can. Basket ball takes up 4-5 days each week. We have decided to take a break from indoor soccer this winter. My work partner, Scott G., may be relocating to the Boulder area. It is a great opportunity for him...and gives me a great place to visit. Dad is in FL for the winter. But the boys and I will be visiting for Thanksgiving. We found a great apartment for when we are ready to move. So things have a way of working themselves out.

Things That Don't Suck

After spending an entire day in tears I am exhausted and look like shit! I'm sick of feeling like this.....so I thought it was time to make a list of things that don't suck.

1. My adorable and super great kids. Not only will they still snuggle with Mom, but they are such fun to take places and so well behaved (99.9% of the time).
2. Friends...what would I do without your kindness?!?
3. Kathy's blog....always full of insight and humor!
4. S.F. caramel soy lattes.
5. The dinner table scene from Talladega Nights (soooo very wrong ya gotta love it!)
6. Books...what a great way to escape.

Disclaimer: I reserve the right to add to and/or change this list at any time, without any notice - so there!

Covered Bridge Festival

On Friday, we went to the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival. The weather was perfect, the leaves were semi-colorful (not too much color to be found this year) and there was allot to see and do. We visited 4 bridges and the festival in Bridgeton. The kids ate ice cream, Scotty sampled beef jerkey and we found some little doo-dads to purchase. It was a long day but lots o' fun!