Welcome to my life..my family..my world..unedited.

Mike’s job is safe (for now); he made it through the latest round of cuts with someplace to go every morning still.  I was sweating it all day – eating like an idiot, generally worried and anxious.
Of course, that’s nothing compared to what he’s been going through, especially as they dragged this round of cuts out…rumors started months ago, cuts were supposed to have started weeks ago. Every week it was supposed to be next week until finally yesterday it was supposed to be Wed or Thursday.  I got a phone call this morning that it was going to be today.  It was a tense few hours until I got word that he still had a job to go back to.
Morale there is in the toilet, to say the least.  And although he loves his job, his workplace obviously leaves a little to be desired.  Luckily he’s good at his job and not (!) at the top of his pay scale. He apparently had just enough seniority to stay.  Hell, there they could have rolled the dice or picked out of a hat for as much sense as some of the things they do make.
Either way, we’re counting our blessings …

(Left to right, top to bottom)
Preston & his orange crocs || Matt being crazy on big wheel ||  Daisy getting big || Matt zonked out after busy summer day || Boys relaxing with TimBits || Matt & his cousin Mackenzie || Same as prior with Bday party group in background || Damn, they’re cute! || Preston grinning || Wet Daisy || Sunset

There are definite advantages to the boys getting older.
Case in point our quick visit to the doctor’s office yesterday morning*. Lately I have been keeping a bag packed for the boys, filled with some diapers, extra clothes, cars and snacks. It’s nice to be able to grab and go without having to restock Every. Single. Time.
But the better part is being able to leave that bag in the car and walk in-WALK in without anything but my purse and boys. If we could ever get Preston interested in using the potty, I would be able to get rid of those damn diapers!! (he still giggles and rolls his eyes when we ask if he wants to try)
I’m pretty thrilled to not have to take the stroller everywhere we go as well. Really thrilled. Even though Preston walks s-l-o-w…
At first, the realization that Matt would be going into kindergarten in the fall was sad and scary (for me, not him), but the more I look at my boy growing up, so smart and friendly, the more I am looking forward to the adventure.  He’s going to do great in school.  We’ve signed him up to start soccer in the fall, too.  …

Dear Breeder of Maggie (really want to put link to their website here, but am torn),
While we appreciate what you did for us, taking Maggie to your home and ‘training’ her not to be aggressive, you would benefit from not being so damn arrogant and jackassy.
When you brought her back to us, she was, admittedly, better behaved.  She sat and stayed, she didn’t bark as much, and we were able to take her places.  But as you were leaving, you uttered 5 little words that rubbed me the wrong way: ‘she’s a little crate aggressive’.  At first we didn’t think anything of it, as she doesn’t spend much of her time in her crate.  Then it occured to me that by saying those 5 little words, you basically admitted lying to us the whole time she was with you.  You said you saw NOTHING wrong with her, nothing aggressive, no problems – you would trust her with YOUR two year old (if you had one).  But see, if you saw nothing as you said, then why would she be crate aggressive?  Yeah, thought so.
And since you never put her in the situations we suggested to you, and since you kept …

(blatantly stealing this from about a zillion people who also do it on their blogs – I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again, so neener neener neener!! )
Dear Lady with a bunch of kids at Red Robin last week:
Seriously? Sit down, relax and eat your freaking lunch.  It’s a family restaurant. We know what it is like to have kids.  Heck, we know what it is like to have kids that would rather peek over the back of the booth than eat their food. We don’t care. And plus, chances of seeing anyone in the 5 table radius again? Slim to none.
That said, if you need to reprimand your children (though honestly, they were totally fine), please follow through on your threats. It’s parenting 101 – if you make a threat, you have to follow through with it.  If you don’t have the cajones to follow through, please don’t make the threats. Moreso, please don’t keep repeating the threat.
And when you do finally storm out with one kid, leaving your other kids with your sister/friend and her husband, please watch where you are going, as you almost took out my fairly-decently behaved kids.
Thanks,
Woman with kids, too.
Dear Jackass in …