Secular Confessions

[demigraf]

chrissy - shoplifting is among the things that is on my imaginary rap sheet. you should have seen my makeup boxes. :/ like Lydia, I snapped back the other way like a rubber band and now feel very strongly about respecting other people's property/space/boundaries, etc. I'm glad it was such a minor infraction for Bobbie.

AmeriAsh, whoo hoo for getting to be a queen bee at your reunion. My TWENTIETH reunion is this year, and I have a bunch of friends bugging me on Facebook to go. There are some people I really want to see, and there are others that I just don't.

Bridget - I'm thinking of you today.

[demigraf]

P.S. AmeriAsh - did I just read that gypsies stole something from you guys? As in like Romany gypsies?

[AmeriBrit]

Yes, they did! They're more what they call the "travelling gypsies" around here but they got in to my FIL's garage and took the lawnmower and some beer but left all of DH's band gear....the idiots! I said I hope they get drunk while trying to mow the lawn and chop off their feet! Argh!

[missychrissy]

Yes, they did! They're more what they call the "travelling gypsies" around here but they got in to my FIL's garage and took the lawnmower and some beer but left all of DH's band gear....the idiots! I said I hope they get drunk while trying to mow the lawn and chop off their feet! Argh!

Even though I know gypsies exist, I'm always amazed when I hear about them. How do you know it was them?

We were supposed to have a bon fire & bbq tonight. We did manage to get the bbq done through the rain drops, but I have no hope that there's gonna be a bon fire. It's thundering & lightening out. My brother (who's had a few) is trying to get the fire going.

[The10Eels]

I confess I texted B today and asked if he would be interested in having an early birthday party for Audri while we are in town so that everyone could see the girls.

HE ACTUALLY RESPONDED! and said that would be great.


I don't know why I care, but I am really trying to show everyone that its not ME that is keeping him from seeing the girls. He doesn't put out the effort

[demigraf]

Good for B, Ashley.

Boo to the getting your stuff stolen, AmeriAsh.

--------------

Lydia, I have but 4 magical words to say about the county fair: Baby. Pot. Belly. Pigs.

I wouldn't say they're as tiny as a teacup, but as I start to tell more and more people about these adorable little guys, I'm sure I'll start to make that exaggeration.

DH, B & I are planning to get there when it opens tomorrow. I really hope you can go too. I'll call in the morning to let you know we're on our way, just in case you don't see this.

[The10Eels]

This just made my night!!

[3andMe]

Lydia, I have but 4 magical words to say about the county fair: Baby. Pot. Belly. Pigs.

I wouldn't say they're as tiny as a teacup, but as I start to tell more and more people about these adorable little guys, I'm sure I'll start to make that exaggeration.

DH, B & I are planning to get there when it opens tomorrow. I really hope you can go too. I'll call in the morning to let you know we're on our way, just in case you don't see this.

Oh, cool! I just PM'd you but should have thought to check in here first. I wasn't sure if you could stand two days in a row, but now that I know, we'll plan on being there around opening time as well. Yay!

[missychrissy]

That's great about B Ash. It's so important for the girls that he be involved in their life, despite how your relationship with him turned out.

[daylilies]

Yay, I'm glad B is showing interest in the party!
LOL, baby pot bellied pigs. Adorable.
Love that picture of the protester!
The show was great! On the drive up a Boston station was playing all nkotb/bsb songs. I got stuck in some major traffic and I missed most of the opening acts. When I got there Jordin Sparks was on. (I think she won Idol a few years ago). She's good. She's so cute and seems really down to earth.

The mayor of Boston came out and declared it nkotbsb day Then Mark Wahlberg came out (his brother Donnie is in nkotb) and announced the guys. They all came running out onto the field like baseball teams do at a game. It was cute!

The rain held off for a while but then it poured. It's funny because most nkotb outdoor events are met with rain It was awesome. Luckily I brought a poncho. The guys had a lot of fun with it, sliding around on the stage.

My seats sucked but I got some good pictures of the screens ;) Joe came and danced in the rain in front of my section during one of the songs. I had put my camera away when it started to rain so I didn't get pics but it was awesome.

Oh...and Naughty by Nature was there...they've been special guests of nkotb before, and I kind of don't get it. I only know that one song they did, OPP? Whatever. LOL

[Bridget]

Hi Ladies. Thanks for thinking of me yesterday. It was a good day. My dad seemed really really down and I hate that. We all went up to her grave and brought flowers. My kids were kind of running wild and I had Sawyer so i couldn't really take a moment but I looked over to see my dad and brother crying together. That's hard to see, you know? Her absence is really magnified when we are all together because she lived for those times. She could really fill a room. I wanted to share this pic from my brother's fb page. It's one of my favorites.

[Bridget]

Chrissy, it sounds stupid to say but I'm glad it was just shoplifting. I was so worried!

[3andMe]

Sounds like a fun evening, Kate!

Dh and Soren and I watched the beginning of a really cool documentary last night called Microcosmos. Here is a link to the trailer, although the version we were watching was in English. I had selected it primarily for Ronin while browsing through science and nature documentaries to add to our Instant Queue on Netflix, because he loves those. He will watch anything about birds or dinosaurs or sea creatures or mammals over and over again, and his favorite movie of all time is Baraka, which is a collection of expertly photographed scenes from around the world. Anyway, we only got partially through, but Soren loved it and so did we. It was incredible.

Back to my original thought, and my reason for bringing it up. Bridget, I don't know if your dbf would be tolerant of it, but there are a lot of really good science and nature documentaries - more and more all time.

[Bridget]

Thanks, Lydia. That's a great idea. Our kids love nature movies. We have a set of National Geographic dvd's but we've seen them all now more than once. Bummer we canceled netflix but our local movie place might have some. I also rented some Little House on the Prairie dvd's from the library. Thanks!

[Bridget]

Kate, I like Naughty by Nature. I like Mark Wahlberg too. He's delicious.

Dbf is really bugging me right now. I want to take the kids on a hike at a local bird conservatory and I can tell he doesn't want to go. I'm fine with that, we can go without him. But suddenly he's throwing out all of these other enticing things for them to do like go fishing and worm hunting. I want to get some excersize! I may just take Sawyer and go.

[3andMe]

I was posting at the same time you were, Bridget. Thanks for sharing that picture. I'm so sorry that she isn't with you any more.

Claire's been crying inconsolably a few times lately. She's decided that she doesn't want to die. She isn't reassured by us saying that with any luck she won't die until she's very old. I've told her that she needs to try to make her life as important and as meaningful as possible while she's living it, and that when she's dead she won't even notice, that the people left behind will be the sad ones. It reminds me of when we were at the natural history museum last December and she started crying at the fossils, about why things had to die and become extinct.

[Bridget]

Gosh, Lydia. That is heartbreaking. Savana has shed more than a few tears over animals that are endangered/extinct. Sometimes it really makes me waiver between being so totally honest with them when answering questions and just wanting to make everything daisies and rainbows so they don't have to think about it at all.

[missychrissy]

Your mom certainly looks like she was a lot of fun Bridget. I love that picture.

I should look for some of those documentary videos for Conner. And the girls really. We did watch one about dinosaurs a few months ago and Conner was really into it. I love how kids are so interested in things.

[daylilies]

Hehe, Mark looked good but his hair was a little long and shaggy!

I love the picture of your mom.

Josh has asked me about death too, like he wants to know when I'll die, and when he'll die. I tell him it will be a very long time before he dies. I don't want to tell him it's possible to die when you're young. I don't want him worrying about that. When he's older he'll understand and be able to deal with it better, I think.

So I sent a message to my church minister telling her of my cooking skills and ability to babysit or petsit or whatever, just to make a little money. She said if I make a document she'll put it in the church newsletter.

I told DH about it and he had what I thought was a really weird reaction. He said it would be a waste of time and I should get a real job.

Here I thought he'd appreciate my efforts to help out financially but it's not good enough. I have a hard time in structured jobs and since I'm generally unhappy I thought I'd try to make work at least a little bit on my own terms. Is that so wrong? Now I don't even want to do it.
He says "do it and prove me wrong". Well I feel like shouldn't have to prove him wrong. I feel like I should have his unconditional support.

[missychrissy]

Kate, I'm sorry your dh wasn't as supportive as he should have been. That's very odd. I don't understand why he'd have an issue with that. I think it's a great idea.

Our drier died. Well, our landlord's. When they were here a few weeks ago they asked about it and yesterday the box that the start button is attached to burned out. We have an old drier that we've been storing in a shed but we have no idea if it still works. And the power cord was 3 prong and I guess the one in the house is 4 prong. It looks like we'll be buying a dryer. Maybe even two.

[AmeriBrit]

Oh, no, Chrissy. That sucks about your drier. I hate having to buy new appliances...they are too expensive!

Bridget, that is a lovely photo of your momma.

Lydia, that is so sad that Claire is upset about dying; I've not talked much about death to Travis yet. I've used euphemisms with him lately to talk about dangerous situations, like, when we're walking to the car, I've said to him, "please stay beside me because if a car runs you over, you'll go to the hospital and never come back." He's seen dead spiders and things outside and I've just told him their sleeping...I suppose we shiould eventually talk about death but he's one of those kids that sticks with a subject for awhile, so he'll end up talking about death with everyone if I do bring it up. His current fascination is talking about emotions. When we were in America, he asked about his Gran back here in England and I told him she'd be a little sad because she missed him. When we got back home, he kept asking her, "Gran, were you sad?" "Are you happy now?" And when he gets upset over things, he'll say "I'm upset" or "I'm angry."

[daylilies]

I just deleted a bunch of 'friends' off twitter and fb and now I'm having some anxiety about any possible backlash. I don't think anyone will really care but they feed on drama so I wouldn't be surprised. I also took the chance to delete a bunch of people I never talk to.

[missychrissy]

I hope there's no drama Kate. Sometimes I get a little anxious when I remove someone too. I mean, I don't care what they think, but I don't want to deal with pm's or nasty emails about it either.

Bobbie has been suspended from school for 5 days and there's going to be a superintendent hearing about whether or not she can participate in the graduation ceremony. I told the principal on the phone that I could fully appreciate her being suspended and I have no issue with that, but if they kept her out of the ceremony I'd have huge issues with it because historically she's been a great student and respectful to her teachers. He said that he'd mention that, but it's not his decision. Then when I got to school to pick Bobbie up she said she doesn't want to participate anyway because all the kids are really razzing her and she's afraid they'll holler things out or boo when they call her name.

[AmeriBrit]

Gosh, Chrissy, that sounds like a really harsh punishment for what she did. And that's really sad about how the other kids are treating her.

[missychrissy]

Well, the buses did wait 2 hours while they were being processed through the police department. All the parents were expecting their kids to return to school at 11:30 and it was 1:30 a.m. instead. I shudder to think if any actually waiting in the school's parking lot all that time. Many people don't have cell phones in this school district. And I think about the bus drivers that started their day at 5:00 a.m. then having to wait all that extra time as well. The 5 day suspension doesn't really surprise me.

[AmeriBrit]

But to not be allowed to be in the graduation ceremony? That would have really been hard on me as a high school graduate.

[Bridget]

I hope the kids ease up on Bobbie. Sometimes the natural consequences of our actions far outweigh any punishment. I do hope they don't take away her chance to participate in graduation.
If y'all remember me saying I wanted to go on a hike, we went. I was stupid to try and do it in the afternoon. While Savana and Kai no longer nap, we do always have quiet time with lights out, candles lit, reading and playing with quiet toys. Dbf decided to come even after I told him several times not to because his way of deciding was, "Well, I guess I have to come."
But of course Kai got tired right away and wanted to be carried. Savana got stung by something. She didn't care but dbf made a big deal about it and he had the worst case of I told you So's I have ever heard. I told him, yes, it wasn't going well but his pissy attitude only makes it worse. He said, and I quote, "I just think you make bad choices when it comes to deciding what to do with the kids."
Oh boy. Ok. There he goes again with trying to use the child rearing lingo and effing it up majorly on top of using it on ME which is not cool. Because of course one bad hike equals a lifetime of me making bad choices.

On a happy note, I have the day off today unexpectedly and he has a job so me and the kids are going to go do whatever we want and make all our bad choices without the big man whining to us about it.

[missychrissy]

But to not be allowed to be in the graduation ceremony? That would have really been hard on me as a high school graduate.

Right now Bobbie really doesn't want to go. She doesn't feel like she has a single friend there, aside from the one that got busted with her.

I'm torn on whether I should press the issue or not. I've told her that there are a lot of other people that want to see her graduate, plus she should do it for herself. But she's saying the ceremony is not important to her at all. I did tell her I wouldn't force her if she really didn't want to.

On a happy note, I have the day off today unexpectedly and he has a job so me and the kids are going to go do whatever we want and make all our bad choices without the big man whining to us about it.

He's really unbelievable sometimes.

[Cosmosmom]

Wow, stay away from the computer for one weekend and so much to catch up on!

Bridget. You mom looked like a lot of fun and sounds like she was a great lady. I'm so sorry that you have to deal with not having her. It's so unfair.

Ameri Ash....welcome back! Sounds like a great visit for the most part.

Ash, that was so good of you to extend the branch to B for the girls sake.

Kate, sorry your DH wasn't supportive. Mine does that sometimes too except in dealing with weight loss. I mean yeah I get that I suck at losing weight but that doesn't mean I should just quit trying.
But at least the concert sounded like fun.

Chrissy...OMG....you really need to catch a break already! Did they give the kids a list of rules beforehand and what the consequences would be of breaking those rules?

Oh me....my sister was visiting this weekend. I adore my sister and wished that we got to visit more often and that the visit would have been longer but it's about a five hour drive to the other side of WI. She helped me get started on the portfolio! We have 24 pages to do plus a cover times two. We have 8 or 9 pages done or mostly done now. But I need some help with phrases to use.
So far we have used Home Sweet Home, Game Night, Fun Times Friends, Being Silly.

So what else is there? I have written down to maybe use Seize the Moment, Dream Big, Live, Laugh, Love, Happy Memories

I was really stressing about this thing because I have never scrapbooked before and had no clue where to start. Turns out it's not too bad with the right tools. The pages are looking cute and like my vision...and DH said they are looking even better than he expected. And that we look more interesting than he thought we were. LOL But really even if we aren't that exciting on a daily basis...in 13 years we have done fun and interesting things.

[missychrissy]

I'm glad you had a nice visit with your sister. I have no ideas about scrapbooking, but I think the other options you listed sound nice.