You all know how much I love my In-laws *RME*

I haven't had to deal with them much over the summer because Shari, the beloved MIL has been gone. She drives fire bus during the summer. But alas she comes back as the new school year begins to drive bus for the school. So, unfortunately she is stirring up crap. Her first order of business was to go out to Aunt Marlenes' house and tell her NOT to believe anything we say because we are liars. Nice. Aunt Marlene doesn't believe her obviously because she told us what Shari said. Then I find out through the grapevine that my niece Siara is attending school here in my little town again! I do not know why, because her mother lives in Idaho. (Her father is in prison for drug charges). This poor little girl got expelled from her school last year as a 1st grader. ( I still cannot fathom what a 6/7 yr old could do to get expelled from school. She has had what I only imagine is a horrid childhood, along with her 4 yr old brother Wyatt.) She attended about a week of school here last year, then stopped going for some reason, but still lived with grandma (Shari) for the rest of the school year and all of summer) She attended summer school here to make up the rest of the year and is now in the second grade (thank goodness because Baylee is in 1st and Dallin is in 3rd). Fires didn't start til summer school was completed and then I believe Aunt Judy took care of her (Aunt Judy also lives with Shari). I do not know for sure but I think that Wyatt is still with his mother, Shanna...who is Jared's youngest sister. Shari's house is not the place for this little girl. If there wasn't so much drama surrounding this whole situation, and if I didn't have to deal with her psycho mother or grandmother I would take her in, in a heartbeat. I think she would thrive in a stable environment, but I am sure we will never find out. She is headed down a disastrous path at high speed. I know that NO parent is perfect. I am not perfect by far. Heavenly Father and mother had 1/3 of their children go astray, and that was under the best circumstances. This woman raised 4 very unstable children. She takes no responsibility for any of it. And yet as I learn about their childhoods, I can only point a finger in her direction. (along with their very abusive, now deceased father). I was always civil to my MIL though. Until she started hurting my kids. That day the relationship came to a screeching halt. They grew up poor. Now as adults they have all had trouble with money. Putting their wants first and their bills last. Buying the things they never had as children. Jason is the most selfish person I know. He has to have the best of everything but cannot afford any of it, so he uses people. He is having an affair , totally abusing his soon to be ex wife. Turning his back on a daughter that he has raised for the past 8 years, and because she was never legally adopted he doesn't legally have to father her so he shuns her. He no longer picks her up when he picks up his biological daughters. It makes me sick to think about what he is doing to that poor 9 yr old emotionally. He is smoking, drinking, living with another woman, lies like crazy, and yet he seems to be able to keep hold of his "golden child" status and can do no wrong in some peoples eyes. I just don't get it and it infuriates me. Jared has always had issues too. I have worked him through the financial ones, thankfully. He had his affair 9 yrs ago. His anger issues are under control most of the time, but when they emerge he is scary. He has anger issues. He gets mad over the stupidest things. He always thinks everyone is out to get him. He was SO dumped on by his parents. Labeled the black sheep of the family as a young boy. Anything that needed blame got put on his shoulders and he was beaten a lot. He was working full time at 12 yrs old and at times brought in more money than his parents did. Sharma was made to be the slave. She was the one who took the blame when Jared wasn't around. She became very promiscuous and has 2 boys by different fathers. The second one she isn't sure who the father is. She has severe leaning disabilities that were never addressed. (they all do actually, but their parents were too lazy to help them, or get them help). She finally got married to a man that has beat her up on at least one occasion. Shanna is the baby. Never got blamed for anything, although she was the culprit a lot of the time. She was also very promiscuous. She has been married to a druggie for 10 yrs. They have 2 children (mentioned above). Neither her or her husband have ever had a good stable job. The kids have been neglected but always seemed to maintain a look of normalcy to those who don't know. Wyatt never learned to walk til he was 2 because he was always in a carseat, bouncy seat, playpen or crib. Even as an infant he wasn't held. His bottle always propped up with a pillow. Just thinking about it all makes me furious. Her and her husband are constantly having affairs, and they don't seem to care. So now we found out that Shari's sister Patty died. We have no talked to any of the in-laws for at least 5 months. I dreamed about the funeral last night, and it was a nightmare. Seriously, probably milder than what is in store for real. Sharma's wedding (in the church) ended in punches being thrown and F-bombs and cars screeching out of the parking lot. I wish I was joking.

First Day of School

Just complaining....

Feel free to just ignore this post. I get to the point where I think things are ok financially. We pay our bills on time every month, and have money left to buy groceries and a few other needs that come along. But when something big comes along we are screwed. I took Tyleigh to the dentist yesterday. She has decay on her two front teeth (it looks horrid) and cavities on her molars. (and yes we brush every day) NO dentist will touch her without her being knocked out. So our choices are an $9,500 hospital visit (no medical insurance) Or an $2000.00 in office appointment. (and this is AFTER dental insurance) The hospital choice is totally out, and we won't have $2000.00 until we get our next tax return (NEXT YEAR maybe February if we do rapid refund). So now she gets to look like a freak and gets to take Tylenol and advil every day for 6 months for pain. I left the dentist office crying. I made a total fool of myself. Sometimes life totally and completely sucks. I just want to load everyone up in the exploder and drive off the nearest cliff.

The Best of Both Worlds?

So I got myself a job. Or the job found me actually. I NEVER advertise to watch other people's kids, and yet I seem to be able to just wish for a babysitting job and one appears. I have been watching 2 siblings on and off for a few months now. (Colt 3 and Lainey 2) Just when the regular babysitter is busy, or goes on vacation, or is sick. Some days it is ok. Other days it is overwhelming. So is it the best of both worlds to do daycare in the home? Some say it is. A job. An extra income, and I still get to stay home. I question myself..."Do I want to stay home and watch kids all day?" It doesn't seem fulfilling in a "career" sort of way. It definitely doesn't pay worth squat. And to tell you the truth, other peoples kids drive me nuts sometimes. So I get a phone call from one of my visiting teachers who just had a baby. His name is Hoss. (No I am not joking. How am I supposed to look at this baby boy and call it Hoss?) She goes back to work at the end of the month and needs me to watch him. I reluctantly say yes. This also means watching her 6 yr old daughter Lilly after school every day and all day Friday (we have a 4 day school week here). Lilly is in my class at church. Whenever I tell someone that I teach the 6 yr olds I am almost always asked "Who is in your class". I start naming names, and 9 out of 10 times when I get to Lilly I get a moan. She has been an only child for 6 years and is a little turd a lot of the time. She really isn't that bad in class though, because she knows I won't put up with her crap...LOL So I am not too worried about it. So I will get 25 bucks a day for the newborn. 20 bucks a day for Lilly (Friday) and 5 bucks a day for Lilly Mon-Thurs. 165.00 a week. Doesn't sound like a lot, but it will help ALOT. And will more than make the payment on my exploder :) So here is where I am thinking it may not be such a grand thing: For the last 2 weeks I babysat for the 2 siblings (Colt and Lainey)I mentioned above. Thursday the boy started not feeling well towards the end of the day. The next day him mom called to tell me he had strep throat. Can you take a guess what comes next? Yep, I had to spend all the money I made babysitting on Dr. Visits and prescriptions. 3 with Strep. How great is that? I am beginning to think maybe this is the worst of both worlds. Especially when we have no health insurance. Oh and I may get Colt and Lainey 3 days a week also, but I won't know til Sept when we find out if the boy gets accepted into headstart or not.

A joke....

The day finally arrived. Forrest Gump died and goes to Heaven. He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However, the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches the Gatekeeper. St. Peter said, "Well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven." Forrest responds, "It shor is good to be here, St Peter, sir. But nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. I shor hope that the test ain't too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was." St Peter continued to say, "Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions; First: What two days of the week begin with the letter 'T'? Second: How many seconds are there in a year? Third: What is God's first name?" Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and sees St. Peter who waved him up and said, "Now that you have had a chance to think over the questions, tell me your answers " Forrest replied, "Well, the first one --which two days in the week begin with the letter 'T'? Shucks, that one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow." The Saint's eyes opened wide, and he exclaimed, "Forrest that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point. I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?" asked St. Peter. How many seconds in a year? Now that one is harder," replied Forrest. But I thunk and thunk about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve." Astounded, St. Peter said, "Twelve? Twelve? Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?" Forrest replied, "Shucks, there is got to be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd.." "Hold it," interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind but I will have to give you credit for that one, too. Let us go on with the third and final question. Can you tell me God's first name?" "Sure", Forrest replied, "it's Andy." "Andy?" exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St. Peter. "OK, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name 'Andy' as the first name of God?" "Shucks, that was the easiest one of all," Forrest replied, "I learnt it from the song... 'ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN'. " St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates and said: Run, Forrest, run."

Praying for the miners.....

I am pretty sure that I do not know anyone directly involved in the mine collapse but it breaks my heart just the same. I remember Jared taking me up to see the Crandall Canyon coal mine, except he just called it "Genwal". It was a beautiful drive. Reminded me of going camping. Beautiful pine trees everywhere, little streams of water, some wildlife. There right out in the middle of it all, this coalmine. If he hadn't taken me up there I would have never know it was there. You can't see it until you are right upon it. Jared used to take several loads of coal a day out of that mine during the year we lived in Castledale, Utah. We had so many good friends there that I dearly miss. Those were good times. There always seemed to be tragedy there though. Some wife losing her husband. And not only due to the mining, there were other circumstances too. I remember when we lived there, and we were in the midst of the coal industry, the Quecreek mine cave-in happened. I remember staying up all night, and watching them pull the Nine dirty but very much alive miners out one at a time. I hope this story has the same happy ending.

Baylee is famous.....

Well, was. For a Sunday. Her drawing was featured on the front of the ward bulletin. She was so proud! Jared and I were a little proud too :)

I wonder if anyone else noticed the date was wrong? LOL (Should say August 5, 2007). Odd.

Pictures of the Exploder...

Ahh, the weekend....

I am not sure why babysitting this week has gotten to me, but it has. I am so glad that I don't have to tomorrow. And Jared will be home tonight, along with Dallin. Joshua leaves tonight. He is going to go on a weekend get away with his friend Matt and his family. It will be wierd for him not to be here. He has gone every day this week, into town to sell melons for the scout fund. He really enjoys it, and I appreciate that he wants to help. So today as my "Good Intention", I made playdough for the kids. I am going to read them a story before bed. I am going to help them all say their prayers. I also sent a sick friend a card. It was only an "e-card" but I think it counts.

So it's August......

So. I am so excited! I could start a back to school countdown if I knew when school started. I need to find that out, I suppose. Babysitting again tomorrow. Today I was physically and emotionally exhausted by time the kids were picked up at 6. 11 hours with someone else's kids is too long! LOL My biggest problem is that I am SO not a morning person, and I have to get up at 7. I will not get to bed til late tonight. Joshua went to the fair with some friends, and the mother is on clean up and they won't even leave Ontario til sometime after midnight. Maybe I will crash on the couch til he gets home. And a note...I am going to do one thing tomorrow on my "Good Intentions" list. One thing a day. Something that I don't ordinarily do. I am going to try and make habits. Slow and sure is the best way. Right? ;)