Memorial weekend recap

Friday afternoon, we saw the new X-men movie. Loved it!!! I am a super hero freak, big-time, and I especially love the X-men. So many surprises, including the one we missed after the credits.

Saturday, we spent most of the day at Easton Town Center with Casey. It was a gorgeous day and we had a lot of fun. I took the most beautiful picture of Casey in front of the big fountain:



She's growing up so quickly, it makes me sad sometimes. But I'm really proud of her, she is turning into a lovely young lady.

Saturday night Brian went to the recording studio with my brother-in-law and Casey and I watched movies with my sister. We saw The Family Stone and Cheaper By the Dozen 2. Good stuff, we had a nice time.

Sunday morning we watched Brian's niece's softball game. She is the youngest player on the team but she's actually very good. They won the game 16-2, I think. That afternoon we had a cookout with my sisters and their kids. It was almost 90 degrees out but we have a big walnut tree in our yard for shade. Still, I was pretty uncomfortable because I got a big fat sunburn on my arms at the ball game. I thought we had sunscreen in Brian's car but we didn't. So I sat in the sun for an hour and a half with no protection and my arms are fried.

Brian got sunburned too, but his legs are the worst. We're both in pain today and have been trying to take it easy, but still...ouch. Work is really going to suck tomorrow. I'll be so busy, hopefully my sunburn will feel better in the morning.

loving life

Things are so great right now. I wish everything could stay like this forever. Work is good, the kids are doing well, Brian and I are as in love as we ever have been. Family things aren't terrible, the weather is perfect and money is okay too. What more is there?

The two oldest kids have jobs! At the new Quizno's in our town and at Kroger. We're so proud of both of them.

School is almost out (six more days) and we have a long weekend coming up. The new X-men movie starts on Friday and we're planning to go as soon as the kids get home from school. Everyone is so excited to see it.

I've been feeling very crafty lately, doing a lot of scrapbooking and taking a lot of pictures to scrapbook. I decorated a lucite frame that I got from my work in celebration of my five years here. It had the company logo etched into the top left corner. Bleh. I covered that up with a big pink fabric flower, added a few other things and now it's beautiful.

I put a picture of all three kids in it. I would guess that the picture was taken ten years ago. It's so cute! I did take a picture of the frame, of course, and I'll try to post it later tonight so you can admire it's adorableness :)

Casey is going to Utah in about a month and maybe Hannah is going to Boston if she can get the time off from work. Stephen has no plans for the summer, just working and hanging out with his friends I guess. That's cool. I don't plan on doing much more than that myself.

this week so far

It's been an interesting week. On Monday, I started reporting to my new manager. This is extremely good news. I sit in a completely new area and he is very supportive and just great. I am really happy about the change, and my new neighbors are so nice :)

I got a form from the Social Security Administration regarding my mom's disability claim, which sucks. It's a bunch of questions about her daily activities and what she can and cannot do since becoming sick. I'm not allowed to tell her about it or ask her to answer any of the questions. I'm nervous that I'm going to say the wrong thing and mess this up. I truly believe that she is no longer capable of working and deserves to be on disability. Her condition is getting worse and worse. Just the other day, she got lost driving from her house to my house because she couldn't remember where we live. I've put off filling out the form for a few days, but they need it back by next week. Bleh.

Hannah and I had a meeting yesterday about her underage drinking violation. Lots of fun. She isn't going to have a court date, which is great news, and the charges against her are not going to be filed, which is also great. She was put into what the juvenile probation department calls the "Diversion Program" because this was her first offense and it was not a felony or violent crime. So, she has to write an essay for the program director and do eight hours of community service and get a job within 60 days and she's done. What an ugly paragraph that was. In fact, the whole morning was unpleasant. But I'm sure the whole situation will end well for Hannah, and that's what's really important.

okay, so I had a great Mother's Day. I got this from Hannah, and this from Casey. Stupid blogger wouldn't let me post the picture I took :(

Brian made me a yummy breakfast on Sunday, which was very sweet and delicious. We visiting all our mommies and it was uneventful and pleasant. We pretty much hung out at home all weekend, I love it when we get to do that.

mother

So Mother's Day is coming up. I really have mixed feelings about this "holiday." I love it because I am a mom, and I love the cards and the hugs and the presents (there, I said it) and the extra-special treatment. I hate it because I'm also a daughter and my feelings about my own mother are so complex and fucked up.

We've never had a traditional mother/daughter relationship. Most days she was the one who needed to be taken care of. And with her Alzheimer's getting worse every day, I know that all the issues I have with her will never be resolved. All the things I should have told her years ago will never be said. I never saw the point before and I definitely don't now. The best thing I can do for us both is to resign myself to the fact that it is as good as it's going to get.

They don't make a card that says, "It's okay, I managed to survive somehow anyway." And all the "wonderful mother" posts are making me depressed. Can I please just spend the weekend in bed?

We had such a great weekend! The weather here in Ohio was beautiful, I think we spent the whole time outside :)

Saturday my sister came over to help us with yard work. Weeding the flower beds and cleaning out the strawberry patch, trimming hedges and mowing the lawn. It was a lot of work but it was actually fun! Our nephew came over too and kept us all entertained while we worked outside.

That evening we went to her house for a seafood cookout. She grilled tilapia and shrimp, Brian made scallops wrapped in bacon. Man, was it delicious. We sat outside until it was dark, drinking some beers and wine. It was a great night, but it did get a little chilly.

Casey was gone the whole day. She and the rest of the middle school choir members took a trip to Kings Island for a choir competition. Three of their choirs (including hers) got first place, which was really exciting for them. She had a great time and was completely worn out when she got home.

Sunday we had a cookout for my parents anniversary, my stepdad's birthday, my sister's birthday and Mother's Day. It was another beautiful day once the sun came out and almost everyone from my side of the family was there. I took a ton of pictures (about 60) and Brian made a ton of food, which I took a picture of :) It was really great and the last few people left after 7pm.

The only downside was that I may have gotten a little too much sun. My lips feel sunburned and my arms and face are a little pink. Nothing terrible, just a small amount of discomfort, but totally worth it!

just some stuff

• That vanity plate I saw the other day (GOP4ME) is stupid. Made even more stupid by the fact that I read it as: Go pee for me. At least my way was funny.
• Vanilla yogurt looks like mayonnaise. That kinda grosses me out. But it is delicious if I close my eyes while I'm eating it and don't really think about it too much:)
• Everyone who drive the same roads as me sucks. I really could almost hate them. I'm just trying to get to work or home, people. Back the fuck off.
• Casey is going to an out-of-town Choir Competition this weekend. She'll be gone from 7am to 11pm on Saturday. I know she's going to have a great time but I'm really going to miss her.
• I have a Stewie Griffin postcard that says "I like you. When the world is mine, your death shall be quick and painless." I brought it in to work today and it is amusing me quite nicely. I want to put it up on my cubicle wall but I'm afraid people will think that I like them.
• Saturday the 6th is National Scrapbooking Day. I don't know what that means.

I am super bored. Is it Friday yet?