Dinner out

Well, tonight was a lot of fun.  Kevin decided to take us all out to dinner!  (yeah, you guessed it, the income tax refund has hit the white trash household!)  We loaded up the van with the 5 of us and Brett's friend Marshall. 

The wait at Joe's Crab Shack (our first destination) was insane, and there wasn't a single parking space outside.  We headed next door to On The Border, where the wait was going to be nearly an hour.  Now the girls were getting whiny and the rest of us were just plain hungry.

Kevin suggested going over to Outback Steakhouse, so we climbed into the van again.  The wait at Outback was less than 30 minutes, so we decided to wait it out.  At last, we were seated.

Of course, we had a bloomin' onion...one of my favorites.  Monica ordered MacNCheese (yawn) and Natalie ordered ribs.  I wondered how she'd do with them, since the bones and sauce make them less than easy to eat.  Boy, was I worried for nothing.

She ate ribs better than almost anyone I've ever seen.  Spotless clean bones lay on the plate, her face and fingers covered in sauce, and she would pause to lick her fingers off once in a while before diving back in.  The funniest thing was watching her dab her lips in a dainty, ladylike way, while her cheeks, nose and chin were still covered in BBQ sauce!  It was great! 

Marshall and Brett both thanked us several times for the night, Monica decided some place WAS as cool as Joe's Crab Shack, Natalie had a ball, and we all loved our food.  We drove away stuffed and happy.  Kevin fell asleep moments after getting home.

That's probably all the money that we'll blow from our refund.  We did buy some feed for the horse (Kevin bought a mineral block and some treats, too) and some wormer, so that stuff would be out of the way. 

The girls have Jump-Rope-For-Heart in the morning, then we'll work on Monica's science project, then head to mom's.  I hope the weather is as nice as they predicted, maybe mom and I can sneak in a ride!

Survivor is back

Well, it's another season of Survivor, and my fantasy league team is going strong.  I know, it's an illness, but it's one that I choose to keep. 

Each Thursday, I get Pringles (the official snack of Survivor) and beer (the official snack of me) and by 7:00, I am in my chair, ready to watch.  People let their true personality show when they are hungry and thirsty.  I like to watch people fight over stupid stuff.  Nah, not when it's the kids...that's a nightly occurance...but on T.V., it's great.

I also like to root for the underdog.  This season, it's a tattoo'd chick with some self-esteem issues.  I hope she makes it to at LEAST the final four.  My picks usually change multiple times throughout the season, depending upon who annoys the heck out of me.

I am hooked on many shows, but none as strongly as Survivor.  When it loses it's appeal (and it will...they all do) and the ratings drop, and the expense doesn't prove worth it, Survivor will go off the air.  I will be sad, then I will get over it.  I already see "reality TV" waning a bit.  It was the hot thing, and now only the strongest reality series remain.  It won't last forever, but for now, it's my favorite weakness.

So sue me.

Happy Birthday to me?

Well, I found out that I have to go to work on Saturday, March 12.  Now, not only do I hate the thought of working on a Saturday during the non-busy season, but it is also the day before my birthday.  Blech!

Fortunately, there is no overtime allowed right now.  What this means is:  I have to take a full day off.  The lucky part is that I was in the office of my boss, shortly after she started making plans for us to lose our OT.  Friday the 11th was taken, but that was it.  OK...so I have to lose 8 hours and taking it in a single day is ok?  Fine then, can I have Monday the 7th?  I can?  Groovy!  I now have a three-day weekend.

Sure, it's not my birthday weekend, but it's a three-day, nonetheless.  I'll take it.  I think I'll sleep a lot, and surf the 'net a lot, and just be lazy.  Good plan?  I think so.

Back to normal

Well, after a tiring but wonderful trip, our life seems to have settled back down to our version of "normal".  We spent yesterday wrapping meat from the 2 hogs that dad butchered, and today, a typical Sunday at mom's.  I watched part of the Daytona 500, and was disappointed in the ending.  Jamie McMurray was involved in a wreck toward the end after being as high as 5th place.  Dang.

I rode my horse just a short little jaunt, since mom wanted me to see how good he was doing.  She's right, he's a totally different animal.  What a sweetie.  Dad tore down the pig pen with some "help" from the girls.  I spent quite a bit of time grooming my pretty little Arab, just talking to him and cleaning him up.  He's gonna be so pretty this spring! 

Tomorrow, it's back to work.  I'm thankful to have a job that I enjoy doing, but I still find myself dreading Monday's.  I guess it's just human nature, or maybe I'm lazier than most...who knows.  Once I get to work and get started, I'm fine, but thinking about it is almost depressing!  LOL

Home sweet home

No matter how cliche' it sounds, home is where the heart is.  My mother, my children, and I have had a wonderful adventure.  We logged close to 2500 miles on my van, ate many meals crammed into a small area, got lost a few times, and wore ourselves to a frazzle, but it was all worth it.  My kids got an education of a different kind.  We saw 4 states and another country.  We played in the gulf, shopped the streets of Mexico, and picked grapefruit fresh off the tree for breakfast.  We had pastries from a Mexican bakery in my aunts southern Texas town.  We sang, we laughed, we ate too much.  We stayed in hotels and ate continental breakfasts.  We used some very questionable restrooms in the name of desperation.  We saw some sparkling clean restrooms in some places that you wouldn't expect.

Life is good.  I am so happy to be at a place in my life that I can see these amazing things and share them with my children.  Yeah, we'll be paying for this trip for a few months, but we were able to do it, and the rewards will last a lifetime.  I am going to put the pictures in chronological order soon, but if ya want them, you'll have to check mom's journal.  I've already posted the summaries in previous entries, and she'll wanna post anyway.

Oh yeah, we may get under each other's skin from time to time, but I love my mother, and my personal opinion is that we travel quite well together.  I wonder if she thinks so?  I better go check her journal!

Day 5, the fiasco

Well, it's been a long day, that would have been great, if it weren't for Ft. Worth.  Ask me or mom about Ft. Worth sometime....dammit.  But, it's all good, now.  We should be home before midnight on Thursday.  I'm ready to be there, too! 

Shopping in Mexico

Today we took our time getting around, since there was no big hurry.  The girls sorted their seashells, we ate a great breakfast, and then we picked grapefruit to take home tomorrow.  Finally, we packed a lunch and headed to Mexico.

Just before crossing the Rio Grande, we ate a quick picnic lunch.  Then we entered Mexico and shopped.  I spent way too much money, but I was able to get the kids so many cool things.  They have a LOT of stuff from there, and some of it will last them a long time (like the blankets that I got each of them for $2.99!)

By the time we were done shopping, we were all hot and tired.  The line coming back over was real long, so they stopped paying attention to ID's and I had no trouble at all.  I had the kids' birth certificates just in case, but didn't need them.  When we got home, we had a wonderful dinner, and ate too much once again.  Then we took our evening walk.

I got everything loaded into the van that I could do without, and tomorrow, after breakfast, we will head home.  I will be checking in tomorrow evening from the hotel in Ft. Worth.  Then, we'll get home late Thursday night.  Back to work noonish Friday...yuck.

Our Day at South Padre Island

We woke up this morning, had a great breakfast, and headed out.  South Padre Island is about 90 miles from aunt Maxine's house, so it was quite a drive.  We did some shopping, then ate a picnic lunch between some sand dunes.  When we were finished, we took the kids out to play in the surf.  They all had fun, but Monica seemed beside herself with excitement.

The day was fabulous, the weather perfect.  We even got some color on our skin after a long winter!  I have many more pictures, but it's tough on dial up, so I'll post more when I get home. 

Tomorrow, we're off to Mexico!

Safe Arrival!

Well, we got here safe and sound.  Everyone was a bit more grumpy today, but still amazingly well-behaved.  The van did great (see Kevin, it *IS* fine!) and we were here by 4:15.  We had an orange, then some dinner (tortilla soup), then took a walk around the neighborhood, enjoying the interesting variety of plants and trees.

Tomorrow we will head to South Padre Island to picnic, collect shells, and build sand castles.  We will probably even buy some assorted junk at a variety of tourist traps! 

For now, though, I'm exhausted, and the girls are having a tough time settling down for bed, and the only way to fix that is for me to go in there and crash between them. I'll try to check back in tomorrow if time allows!

Halfway there

This is going to make it sound like we had a rough trip yesterday.  We didn't.  The kids were awesome!  No problems at all.  However, some interesting things can be heard in my vehicle, especially when we're in it for 10 hours. 

"Can I have a snack?"

"Where's my headphones?"

"I need something to eat."

"Do you have a doily?"

"Hand me those chips."

"The playstation is unplugged again!"

"Pass me a cookie, please."

"Are we almost there?"

"I want a snack cake."

"That's the most beautiful dirt I've ever seen."

"I need a Capri Sun."

"Is this Texas yet?"

"Do we have any pudding?"

"Hey Mom, look at this!" (while I'm driving, in the rain, in heavy traffic, downtown Ft. Worth.)

and finally, 5 minutes from the hotel....

"I'M GONNA THROW UP!" (she didn't)

Mission, TX by dinner time!

Almost gone

Well, I'm almost gone.  I have about 8 hours before I will be outta here.  I will leave at 6am to pick up mom, then back home by 7 to load the kids and hit the road.  I am so friggin' excited...there is no way to explain it.  I don't get out much, but you've probably gathered that.  I can't wait to spend this time with mom...I can't wait to see my Aunt Maxine...I can't wait to drive through a part of the country that I've only flown over before...I can't wait to see if the new DC-AC adapter works for the laptop.  I am stoked.

I have nothing to talk about tonight.  Will we forget something?  Yeah.  Will we take a wrong turn?  Probably.  Will the kids fight?  Oh yeah.  But I am happier than I've been in a long time.  I just wish Kevin could go.

Texas, ever closer

Well, two more days of work, then I'm off!  OUTTA HERE!  Work is driving me nuts, and I need a break.  Mom found out that someone had a bit of trouble with their kids at the Mexican border, and suggested that I bring proof of identity. 

We have a filing cabinet.  I'm not sure why, but we have a filing cabinet.  Yeah, we put things into it, in the proper place, but when we need them?  Nah, they're not in there.  Two years running, we've had to purchase a copy of our personal property tax receipt, because we couldn't find it.  It's only $2, but DAMN, it's aggravating.

So, tonight, I open the filing cabinet of mystery, and go the the file that I named "vital records", thinking that would be a good place for birth certificates.  Not only did I find each child's birth certificate, I found that we had TWO copies for Monica!  LOL, that just proves that I lose and replace things regularly.  I also realized that Brett now has a driver's permit, and that would have worked, but heck, I have BIRTH CERTIFICATES for ALL THREE kids!  This is a personal victory.

I won't have the money to do all I wanted to on this trip, but after reading this journal, I feel rich.  Just the fact that I can take this trip, proves that I am rich indeed!  How many folks can take off with their mom and kids and travel over 2000 miles round trip, showing the kids another climate, another lifestyle, and another country?  WaaaHoooooo!!!!!!!!  Texas, here we come!

"Sleigh Bells ring...are ya listenin'?"

I love snow.  I really do.  It started around noon today, and by the time I got off work, we had a pretty good amount on the ground.  It's beautiful out there!  Of course, my usual 30 minute commute took a bit over an hour, but the roads weren't really that bad.  People were just being cautious...a welcome relief to the normal KC drivers!

3 more day of work, then we leave for vacation!  I'm still bummed that Kevin can't go, but we'll call him each night.  The solitude will do him good, really.  He is kind of a loner, and alone time doesn't happen in this house.  Heck, you can't even take a shower without someone needing to come into the bathroom.  Yeah, we have two, but it doesn't matter.  I hope he goes to the library and finds a good book to get lost in (Kevin loves to read.)  I also hope he falls asleep early and sleeps 10 hours a night!

I have a lot to do before we leave, but I can't do it until Thursday!  Gotta have some money in the bank before buying new swimsuits for the girls and road-trip snacks.  We have our maps and reservations at hotels.  We have AAA and God on our side.  We have a healthy sense of humor and 3 days to spare, in case we're dealyed for any reason.  The kids have portable CD players, and the van has a TV/VCR.  I think we're set!

So far, the forecast for the Mission area shows 78 and sunshine both days!  Let's hope it doesn't change, except for the better!  I hope it all goes half as well as I'm expecting.  I can't wait to see the sunshine over the Gulf.  For now, though, I'm enjoying the snow!

Addictive Personality

Well, it's happened again.  Why do I get addicted to ANYTHING and EVERYTHING?!

Every time someone mentions a new site that I haven't seen, I go check it out.  Often, it's a one-time visit, other times, I stick around for a while.  If it's a cool or fun site, though, I'm hooked.  That's what happened with Jokeaday:  I signed up for the free jokes, then the paid list, and soon, the message boards were my online home, introducing me to a world of the coolest folks I've ever "met" online.  They organize gatherings, offer support, and just make me laugh.  Kevin and I each have a lifetime deluxe subscription.

Mom started an online journal through AOL.  I already had a blog at JAD, but since I was getting AOL for the girls anyway, I decided to start one and see what happened.  It's not an interesting place to stay, particularly, but I have fun doing it.  Linking from mom's journal, I've found other's that are saved to my favorites.  Linking from theirs, I've found more, and so on, and so on, and so on.  ACK!

Someone mentioned playing games at Pogo.  I like games.  I checked it out.  It's a gambler's dream!  I love the slot games, solitaire games, and several others.  Yeah, it's saved to favorites.

Now I decided to give Neopets a try.  I had looked at it before, but it seemed to overwhelming.  Friday evening, I had some extra time, so I tried again.  I now have a pet that I started with, and tonight I adopted another.  My house is under constructions, and my pets are well fed and happy. 

Dangit!  Some people do things away from their computer screen.  I've talked to these people, and know that they live happy lives without looking at the computer at all.  Heck, some don't even HAVE a computer at home.  I keep thinking that I'll spend a day with no internet soon.  Just to show that I can.  But what if I miss something????  What then????

A wonderful day!

Well, it was a great day, just as I'd expected!  Kevin got some lumber for dad, then went to the store for drinks and BBQ supplies.  Uncle Phil, Uncle Don, and Dad worked on a tractor.  The girls rode Brat (although not a lot...we was full of vinegar today!)  Finally, Mom saddled Blue and she and I rode to the "point" and back.  I was afraid of being too big to ride the little guy, but when we got back, he had just as much energy as when we left!

He's a bit wild right now.  He just hasn't been messed with enough.  He has a wonderful Arabian prance, tail up, head tucked...very pretty.  He bucked a few times, reared a few times more than that, and wanted to RUN.  I forced him into a slow prance...walking was out of the question.  Boy, my arms were worn out from fighting him when we got back, and I rode for only about 15 minutes!  He'll be OK, though, with time.  He  bucked once (half heartedly) while I was leading Monica, and she was done.  Done and mad.  She got over it, though.

Kevin cooked on the grill.  We had burgers, brats, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, chips and a choice of desserts.  Yum.  Brett did most of the dishes (thanks Son.)  Charlene and Pat (my aunt and her husband) showed up and we visited a bit.  It started getting cooler and I loaded up the kids and headed home.  It's a neat feeling to spend the day with family, feel completely at peace, and come home feeling satisfied.

Oh yeah, I forgot.  While Kevin was BBQing, the guys were discussing how wonderful it smelled.  Dad said, "yeah, I'd have cologne made out of it, but then I'd have fat girls following me around all the time."  ROFL  He is just full of Dadisms.  I should compile them someday and write a book.

Random babble

All week, I have been checking the weather for Mission, TX.  The 10 day forecast wasn't yet getting to the time that we would be there, but the outlook was scaring me.  This coming week, it's supposed to rain EVERY day.  Yesterday, that forecast included Sunday the 13th, which is our arrival day.  Rain.  Every.  Day.

This morning, that was the first thing I checked.  I mean, we have 2 days there, and they kinda both need to be sunny.  Not that I wouldn't go eat a picnic on the beach at South Padre in the rain, but the kids might object.  The 10 day forecast now shows, are ya ready?  SUNSHINE!  I know the weather folks can't predict tomorrow, let alone 10 days ahead, but as of right now, Monday the 14th is calling for Sunshine and 77 degrees!

In other good news, it is going to be 60 here today.  It will be windy, but at least it'll be warm enough for the girls to ride their horse a bit.  Uncle Don is in town, too.  He and dad will be working in the shop, telling stories and laughing like kids.  I always love hanging out there, but it's even more fun when Uncle Don joins the gang!

Tomorrow will be rainy, but mom's gonna make potato soup (my favorite!) and we'll watch the super bowl.  I hope to watch it there, if we don't think the girls will be getting home too late for school night preperations.  Maybe I'll have them shower there? 

Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  I plan to!

I'm ok, TX is a "go", life is fine

The "poor white trash" thing might have come off wrong.  It was really meant in the self-loathing way it may have "sounded" online.  I meant it more in the comical "Roseanne" way.  It's a thought process, and how the working poor deal with getting a pile of money.  Nothing more.

My trip with the kids and my mom was NOT hinging on income tax.  We will still go, and still have the same amount of money that we had originally budgeted.  Nothing has changed, since the spending-in-my-head was the only spending I did.  We are fine, and more fortunate than most.

I'm not even letting it upset me that mom keeps calling my horse a "she".  I don't think Brat cares, as long as he gets his daily portion of hay.

Poor White Trash

Well, it's time I admit it.  We are poor white trash.  Yeah, we are.  We will run out and buy McDonalds for the family if we get an extra $25 on a paycheck.  We will eat fish sticks and tater tots, while spending a stupid amount of money on cable and internet.  We will pay the electric bill a week late in order to have money for a movie while the kids are at Grandma's.  We know that a check written to Walmart on Wednesday won't clear the bank before a paycheck is direct deposited on Thursday night.  All that, and yeah...we count the days until the income tax refund.

A smart adult, good with finances, will work it out to where the tax refund, or tax liability, is as close as possible to zero.  Why let the goverment keep your money all year, drawing interest, just to give it to you later?  Why not get that money throughout the year?  It's YOUR money, after all!  You may as well ask me why I buy lottery tickets.  Poor.  White.  Trash.

We got the last W-2 tonight, and promptly did our taxes, via TurboTax software.  The federal refund pays the state liability with very little left over.  Talk about a downer.  I have (for my whole working life) called tax season "poor man's revenge."  It's when I get the windfall to pay off past due bills, buy some much-needed clothes, spoil the kids, and eat steak.  I start spending it in my head on January 1.  I want to go out on the town, buy silly things, and get my nails done.  Kevin wants to buy accessories for his truck, buy candy for the kids, and go to dinner and a movie. 

We're OK.  We live in the nicest place we've ever lived in (10 years together.)  Our bills are paid up, with no shut-off notices.  Our kids have food in their tummy's and warm coats to guard against Missouri winter.  We have dependable vehicles, good jobs, and close family who loves us.  We *ARE* rich, indeed.  I'm not whining or complaining.  At least we didn't come out with a tax liability overall, right?

Yeah, we're poor white trash.  You can bet your britches I'll be changing my withholding tomorrow!  Next year, I'm buyin' a hottub!  WoooHoooo!  Just kiddin' about the hot tub, but I *am* changing my withholdings.  Let the gubbmint borrow the money.  I need my February dreams, baby!

Heading to Texas (and beyond!)

Well, the plans are becoming solidified.  I have booked rooms near Ft. Worth for the halfway stop both directions.  Both are good sized rooms in places with indoor pools for the kids, and they're in our budget.  We'll leave on the 12th, get to Burleson, TX for a hotel stay, then Sunday to Aunt Maxine's in Mission, TX.  Monday and Tuesday will be full, with one day spent shopping in Mexico, and the other having a picnic on South Padre Island.

Wednesday morning, we'll head back, spending the night in Ft. Worth.  Thursday morning, I'll visit one of my FAVORITE customers in Colleyville, TX, then we'll head home, getting here hopefully by 10.  6 days in a van, two women and 3 kids.  Are we insane?!  Don't answer that.

Mom and I travel well together.  The kids don't get on our nerves, we aren't easily upset by wrong turns, and everything is an adventure to us.  I am sad that Kevin's job won't allow him to join us, but it will save him a few gray hairs. LOL

I am more excited than I can possibly describe.  My old van is getting up there in miles, but has no problems, and we have "AAA Plus", as well as a cell phone.  The van has a TV and VCR, and I'm buying an adapter for the Playstation and Game Cube.  All the kids have personal CD players, and we'll have a cooler full of sodas and snacks.  I have the laptop so that mom and we can update our journals, and post pictures.  I'm stoked!

Now, to get the three kids over their colds!