Wow! That is all I have to say! We had our photo session with my friend Jenn yesterday. She posted some sneak previews Pics and that is all I can say. If the rest look this awesome, then I totally can't wait! I am so excited. The kids had a great time too! They like hanging out with her! We should try to do that more often!

After we were finished with the photo's yesterday, we stopped by my dad's. They just got back from Gaitlinburg, and their dog had puppies. So the kids wanted to see them. They are so cute! Then we took Jenn back to her car. Dess had a birthday party to go to for a friend from school, so I dropped her off, and Jess and I got our haircut. Then had to do some shopping, after which we went back to where Dess was, and played for a while! And Tristan got to drive a go cart!! Noo.. I didn't have my camera with me. It was a last minute totally unexpected thing. But was way cool!

The band had a show last night, so the kids and I went by the venue, Laura's Backyard Tavern. And helped set up a bit, and waited for Cindy to get there. Then the five of us went to eat. That was fun too. I like Cindy alot. She is a new friend, and fits in great with us.. Good job Fred!!! (Oh, she and he are seeing each other, that is how we met!)

I then brought the kids back home, and went back to the backyard for the show. It was good, but had some sound and technical difficulties. Which every band has a bad show everyonce in a while. So no biggie. And they didn't totally suck. Just had a few issues. I really like where the band is going though. The different elements they are trying to bring to the music scene in Augusta, which is almost non-existant but getting better. Billy and a couple of the other guys have some really very good ideas. But there is one or two guys.. well one, that is trying to take the band in a different direction than everyone else wants to go with it. This is supposed to be fun, not support the family. And Augusta GA is probably not the place to try to start going that direction in.

Well got to get going. Carving pumpkins today! Yeah.. Pray for me!

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Relaxing, I guess.

Today we are relaxing. Well the kiddo's and I are, for the most part. Billy had to go to work, and I did drive out to Wrens earlier to pick up an absolutely gorgeous coffee table from a co-worker, (I love it!) So we have spent the rest of the day cleaning and watching movies. It has been nice.

Yesterday we went to the Boshears Sky Festival. It was good. We haven't been to an air show since we left California. So we had a good time. The two little ones loved seeing all of the planes, and the helicopters. Especially the ones they got to sit in.

Boo in the Huey.


T in the Huey.


T and Daddy



Even the teenager had a little bit of fun!!

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Friday Night.

Well, the game was rained out. I hate to admit it, but I am a little happy. Don't get me wrong. I love going to the games, getting out in the community, meeting people that are involved in the high school, and watching my baby girl march! But, once in a while, I just want to sit at home.. although this is the first one I have missed.

But since the game was rained out, tonight the little ones and I are chillin at home, Hubby is driving back from Newberry, and Jess is at school, they decided to let the kids watch a movie in the band room, so she gets to hang with her friends! LOL

Halloween is going to be crazy, Jess has homecoming game that night, so no trick-or-treating for her. Dess wants to go, but T was invited to a Halloween party. So how does a person manage to be in three different places at the same time?? If anyone figures that one out, please let me know!!


Alright, my mind is mush. I will write more tomorrow, and probably post some more pics!

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Football time again in Harlem Bulldog Country!!!


My cool Halloween decorations in the front!!



Wow, I am so bad at this. I really thought when I started this blog that I would be able to update everyday, or even every other day.. but lately my life has been so much more busy than normal. Maybe I am actually growing up huh?? What a scary thought!!! But seriously, it seems as though the last few months have been alot more running around after work. Instead of the usual coming home from work, cooking dinner, maybe a little laundry, then pretty much veg in front of the t.v. until everyone's bedtime. Not lately!

First, I know I now have a high schooler, that is a big part of it! Band, Football games, friends houses and such. Second, the other two are in seperate after school programs which means one has to be picked up the other rides the bus, so that is one more little errand I have to run after work. Third, I know this is bad, but I am terrible at making shopping lists, and remembering everything we need from the store, be it grocery or other. So, I tend to have to run to at least one store two or three times a week. It is horrible, I know! I have tried the list thing too, and I either forget to write things we need on it, or it disappears. I know most people with children probably share this little problem I am about to tell you. My children think they are artists! So they tend to draw or write on ANY piece of paper they come across. Whether it has writing on it already or not. It doesn't matter. Why should there be a single piece of paper in the world without their artwork on it?? That is just depriving everyone of their talent!! So you see, even if I managed to write a list, and then remember to write half of the things we really need on it.. chances are greater than not that, that piece of paper, will become part of the magnitude of self expressions by my middle child! (Funny thing, bought her a sketch book and nice sketching pencils for Christmas, but she won't use it!)

Needless to say, I have been more tired than usual in the last few months also, but am surviving. Quitting smoking last year has helped boost my energy and tolerance levels tremendously!! Now I need to work on my diet and start excersing more. I tried to start taking walks in the evenings. My oldest loves it cause it gives her and I great opportunity to be alone and talk about things without the little ones interrupting. I need to try to get back into that!

Tonight is Football night! I hope it doesn't rain.. I am not sure if they would still play. But the weather is calling for a 50% chance.
Tomorrow is the Boshears Skyfest. We are talking about taking the kids. I think it will be a blast. Last year we drove by during the fest, and saw some of the planes, this year we will actually pay to go in!!

Oh, last night, the teenager went to a birthday party at a friends, and Billy worked late, so the two little ones and I had some just us time. I decided to treat them, since they were out of school for fall break and had been stuck at home, so we went the Chuck E. Cheese. We hadn't been there since moving from Cali. And T has never been there! I have to say, IT WAS A BLAST! Just the three of us, a medium pizza, some hot wings, and two cups full of tokens!!! AWESOME!!! I need to try to start doing things like that more often. Just one kid at a time, or maybe the two, until she gets older and becomes a smelly, nasty teen like her sister!!! :)

Ok, gots to go to work! TTYL!!


The front window up close!! I did that!!! Yeah so proud!


The inflatable I got at Lowe's!! Where else?!?! LOL


I am very proud of this one! We made this. Everyone thought it was T standing there dressed up. But it's not!! This is Harvey.. I think that is what Jess calls him!! I love him!!

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Monday night..

Whoo.. what an exhausting couple of days! I was going to try to write some this morning, but ran out of time quickly! So I will talk about my exciting, fun- filled weekend!!

First off, Friday afternoon my wonderful boss Jo-Anne let me leave work an hour and a half early!! Yeah! She knew what a horendous week I had been having so far, with Billy being sick and all, and that my night was only going to get worse, not to mention that I completely packed up and moved four big filing cabinets. Moving a whole years worth of registers upstairs in boxes, and making room in my tiny office. So I was filthy and tired, but I got to go home a little early. Seeing as it was Friday night though, my night was not peaceful.

It was once again time for HARLEM FOOTBALL IN BULLDOG COUNTRY!!! Another home game, which I was very thankful of. And another long Friday night. The band is definitely getting better, I think! Although the football leaves something to be desired. Amazingly though, we actually won our first game! Albeit this is was the fifth game of the season. But hey who's counting?!?!

Saturday morning, well that could have gone a lot better than what it did. For some reason, none of us seemed to be chipper and bright. Billy actually got up pretty early, well early for him (I guess since he had been sick he got enough sleep during the week!) I was laying in bed and could tell he was getting dressed. He shocked me when he said he was going to the grocery store for breakfast food, and that he would just shop for the rest of the week while he was there. I was trying to let him know what we needed and didn't need when I just decided to get up and go with him.. who needs sleep anyway? We got home, and were suddenly struck with these uncontrolabe urges to clean.. must have been an alignement of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and the Galaxy M81. But we cleaned the crap out of this house!! I was so proud of us.. although, maybe that is what caused our ill moods for the remainder of the day. Anywhoo, after our little Mr. Clean episode, we had talked about running errands, including shopping for Halloween costumes. (which I must mention here, that Dessiree did not get one, due to her very bad attitude and the fact that it took her 2 hours to clean a cat box)

Well, we ended up at the Halloween store, I cried a little inside with the over excitement! Okay, so if you don't know, Halloween is my all time most favorite holiday out of the year. Not exactly sure why, I tend to be a chicken when it comes to most things scary. Maybe it is my overactive imagination? But, yes I would prefer Halloween to Christmas any day. So we are at the Halloween store, and Tristan picks out a costume. Dessiree is looking but not getting anything, and I am trying my hardest not to empty our bank account in this one store!! Tristan picked out Iron Man.. I think he likes the movie but it's not really is favorite.. but with Daddy standing right beside him going "Ooohh Tristan loooookkkkk it's Iroonnnnn Mannnnn" then yeah, a 5 year old is probably going to pick that one. No biggie. Jessica and I ended up getting some face kits, to paint up our faces. And I got a couple of decorations for the house. And still spent to much money!

Saturday night, we went to dinner with some friends. One of Billy's co-workers and his wife, and my BFF and his girlfriend. Yep that's right, my bff is a guy and he is 20 years older than me! I will introduce him more later! We went to a restaurant called The Snug. It was fabulous! It was our first time eating there.. and I can still taste it!!!
After dinner we went to Laura's Backyard Tavern, another co-worker actually owns it with his wife, and Billy's band plays there sometimes. We had a great time, another of our friends met up with us all, and we just sat around a picnic table and talked, laughed, joked and had a great time. It was really a fabulous evening!!

Sunday, we took the kids to Louisville (lewis-ville) more precisely the Kackleberry Farms. A cool place that is a pumpkin patch, corn maize, jumping pillow (huge I might add) corn cannon, pig race, and lots of fun stuff to do. I will put some pics below. We were joined by, my BFF and his gf, Reid my other BFF, my co-worker and friend Jenn her husband and her nephew, and her friend and her son!! We had a blast! It was a great end to the weekend! The kids had fun. I think the grown-ups had a little fun too.. maybe!!

Now I just want to relax, but it is 9:18 at night, and I am just going to go to bed!!

P.S. I bought my plane tickets last night to go to Cali!! YEAH!!!! More to come on that!
The pillow thing!


My Dess!


My boy!


The Teenager!


My Ittie Wittie Flowers!


And as my Teenager so graciously put it.. The Old Guys!!
My hubby, and my two BFF's!!

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Friday morning.. and another crazy weekend!

I am going crazy. So much to do. I liked it when the kids were still to small to really be active!! Anyhow. Here it is another crazy morning in our house. Me on the kids heals to get them ready for school, because naturally they only want to do things that are the least bit important or relavant to school.

I have a million things running through my mind. Football game tonight. Need to try to leave work early, but after the other day, probably shouldn't push my luck. Have to have the oldest to the h.s. as soon as I can humanly get her there, meaning call time is at 5 pm, and I don't get off of work till 5, and I work 30 minutes away from home and the school. (Talk about needing to be in two places at once) Then I have to pick up the boy, rush home, try to feed him, wait for Boo to get home (middle child!) Try to feed her, deal with my still ailing husband, which I know will be a complete chore in and of itself. And rush to the game, the whole time hoping and praying we don't get rained out! Tomorrow, can we just skip it??


Will try more later!!

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Thursday Morning.

Here I am another Thursday morning. Again, fighting with children to get them out the door for the bus. My middle child, the greatest procrastinator in the world, is once again progressing at a glacial pace. I know she doesn't get that from my gene pool, it has got to be her fathers. (If I am not 20 minutes early, then I am late.) My son, well he tries his hardest, but I still have to help alot. It is funny how one day they are so dependent, and the next, they are sooo independent.

Yesterday, was aweful. I once again, had to take time off from work to tend to one of my family members, my husband. He thought he had the flu Monday, and it got worse (Monday by the way was his birthday) So he got worse and by Tuesday, he thought he was going to die. Whenever he gets sick, I always think in the back of my mind, he is a man, and it really isn't as bad as he makes it out to be. He really does tend to make things seem alot worse than they really are, with all the moaning, and groaning, and the world is ending stuff. But this time, well, by yesterday morning, I had had enough, and told him I was taking him to the doctor, and didn't care what he said. So I called the doctor and got him in around lunch time. While I was still at work, I had talked to a co-worker about his ailments, and she suggested that it my be his appendix. This was completely logical to me, considering his symptoms and the fact that we went through the whole emergency appendectomy thing with my middle child when she was 2.
When we got to the doctor, after a brief examination the doctor said he thought it was appendicitis also. I swear I didn't say anything to the doctor to coherse his theory. My husband wasn't pleased, the last thing in the world he wanted was to be faced with the possibility of surgery.

The doctor sent us over to a specialist to determine if that was the course of action that was needed, and if the diagnosis was accurate. The specialist seemed to think it might be a possibility, but had a little doubt so he ordered a CT scan before they started cutting. My husband felt better about this, until we found out he had to drink this stuff and then we had to wait around the hospital for 3 hours for it to get into his system. By this time it is 3pm, I haven't eaten lunch, and had been hoping all morning that I might make it back to work sometime that day, but suddenly realized that wasn't happening.

Well, after waiting for 3 hours in the patient registration waiting room, he finally had the CT scan done, then we had to wait for the doctors to read the results and decide if it was the appendix. I should also mention, that while all of this was going on, I have three children spread out all over Harlem, and I am in Augusta, 30 minutes away. I had to scramble. We know people here, but everyone we know, we work with. So obviously they are all at work. Not only that, but I never thought to put any of them on the pick up list for any of the kids. My oldest I really wasn't worried about, she was riding the bus home. My middle one, I wasn't terribly worried about, she too would ride the bus home from her after school program, but wouldn't be home till after 6. My son, well, he too is in an afterschool program, but it is more like a daycare, and someone has to pick him up, they don't provide bus service. So, I pulled together all of my courage, and called my dad, yes my biological father. I never ask him to do things for me. Especially not like this. But I was in a very tough spot. He also works in Augusta but lives in Thompson, so he basically drives right past our house, and Harlem everyday, yet for some odd reason, we only see him once or twice a month, if we are lucky. Now, I am not a completel moron, I did think enough to list him as the only other person that could pick up the kids from school besides myself and my husband!! Yeah for me!

I called him, explained the situation and pretty much begged him to help. Promising I would not do it again. He said he would and that it wasn't a big deal, but the tone of his voice made me feel otherwise.. but I will get more into that another time, I don't want to get angry right now.

Back to my hubby, after all the tests were said and done, they told us it wasn't his appendix. Sigh of relief... that means no surgery today. But they do think it might be his gull bladder, which I had mine out in February. So he may still have to have surgery, just not immediately. I took him home thinking, he is feeling better because all day he hasn't moaned or groaned or complained that it hurts, or did the whiny baby thing.. WRONG. Half way home in the car he started doing it again. So I decided to drop him at home before picking up the kids.

I went and got the kids from dads, apologized profusely, and we went to eat. It is nice sometimes just the four of us. When they aren't being horrible little monsters! Just us, sitting there joking and laughing, not worrying about being told to sit still, or be quiet, or stop that, or any of those darn adult things!! :) I love those times!! ............ that is until we got home!!!!!!

(P.S. To just make the whole day even better, it was raining!)

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Hello out there...


Well, here I am. New to this, but not to the wonderful world of blogging. For the last several years I have had a myspace account. Or should I say my"drama"space. People are so fake on there. I really used to not mind the annonimity of it all was awesome. Only letting those you want to know the real you in, and playing the fool with everyone else. I did however have a few very good friends that kept up with wonderful blogs on myspace, that I will miss reading. Though my husband still has his myspace page, so I will not miss out on to much! Anyhow, back to what I was saying. Myspace became to drama filled. Between my friends in my home state of California, and people that I met online trying to start drama where it didn't belong, I finally decided enough was enough, (for me anyhow) My daughter has a myspace account, that I monitor and police very heavily. She uses it to keep in touch with her family back in Cali. So I don't mind to much. Don't get me wrong, I won't hesitate to delete it in a heartbeat. She really doesn't get on it that often though, so I don't worry to much.


So, now let me introduce myself. My name is Brandi. I am 30 years old, married to a wonderful, yet sometimes typical, man. He just turned 34 and thinks it is the end of the world! I have three beautiful children. Two fabulous girls, and one tougher than tough yet still my baby boy. My girls are actually from my first marriage, yep thats right, I, much like more than half of the rest of the population has been married once before which ended in divorce (I am sure I will be talking alot about him, unfortunately) He is not the best dad in the world, but sometimes he tries, albeit that is rare. We were young when we got married, and had a lot of issues, and in reality probably shouldn't have gotten married, but thought we could beat the odds. We are friends now, most of the time, much better friends than we ever were a couple. My girls typically go to visit him in California every summer. Although if you ask them, they spend more time with everyone but him. I hope one day he will change that.


My husband doesn't have any children other than our son. I guess you could say, I found a rarity where I am from. Where I used to live the "Babies having Babies" ratio was phenomenal. I would say much higher than pretty much everywhere else in the U.S. It is truely sad. (I, myself had my oldest daughter when I was 16.) Alas, my husband was married once before, but they didn't have any children. They too, were young when they married. He joined the military not long after they were married, and was later discharged for medical, and she decided she didn't want to be married to him anymore. There is more to that whole story, but it really isn't my story to tell.


As for me. I was born and raised in California. My parents divorced when I was very young, less than 2 yrs old. My mother lived with my grandparents for a while, then met my step-dad, Mike. My biological father, claims he tried to see me as much as he could, but was kept away by my mother. Nonetheless he joined the army when I was about 5, and was soon after sent to Europe for several years. He did re-marry, a women with two boys about my age. But I just didn't see him for many years. (More to come on him and that situation!) My step-dad raised me as if I was his biological daughter. Even when my sister was born, he showed no favoritism between us. He is definitely my hero. He was an absolutely awe-inspiring musician, and just Superman to me. He spoiled us three girls, to no end, as often and as much as he could. But when I had my daughter, the three of us lost him, he became hers, no questions asked. From the moment he saw her, all she had to do was stick out her little finger and he wrapped himself around it! And when her sister came along, well, he had to unwrap just enough to wrap around her little finger too. He loved his granddaughters more than I could, I think. He would do anything and everything for them, no matter what I said, or what my mom said. If they wanted to go to the store for candy, 10 minutes before dinner, he would go for them, or take them. It would make me so angry!! We lost my dad in 2004. Unexpectedly and suddenly, from a stroke. He was cleaning the carpets one minute, and took a bathroom break, and never spoke to any of us again. It has been devastating to all of us, but especially my children. My oldest lost the only man that was a constant in her life. My youngest daughter lost a movie partner, and playmate, and my son lost the only grandpa he could have ever known, my son was only a year and a half old. When it all happened I had to step up and take care of everyone. My mother and sister, my husband and children, and be the rock for the rest of the family. I should add here that the night my dad had his stroke, while we were all at the hospital, my parents house had a fire. Something in the garage shorted out, and it went up in a blaze. Luckily, well as lucky as you can get when you are sitting at the hospital being told your husband, father, grandfather will never wake up again, one of my sisters friends had gone to the house to get a sweater and check on the dogs, and found the fire in time to save the house itself. But everything that had been in the garage was lost, christmas ornaments, my dad's model trains, his tools, his workbench, everything. So while planning a funeral, we also had to figure out where everyone was going to stay, and schedule insurance adjusters, and contractors, and cleaning people. It was the ultimate nightmare I think. We had been staying with my grandparents about a 30 min drive away from my parents house, so everyday, I would take my daughters to school, go to my part time job and then go to my mothers house, to help with everything there. My cousins were supposed to help out too, but they flaked, and my husband and I ended up doing more and more. I almost lost my mind during that time. I know the rest of my family was going through a very difficult time also, but in my mind I had to take care of everyone because he wasn't there to do it anymore. I remember one night, very late, driving back to my grandmothers house, knowing I had once again missed tucking my children into bed, driving past a telephone pole, wondering if it would hurt if I was doing about 95. I also, couldn't help but wonder what would happen to everyone if I just drove off into the sunset. You see people do it all the time. Hear about fathers just abandoning their families everyday, what about a mother? But I knew I could never do that. So, my husband and I had a long talk and decided it was time to move. For our families sake, and for our sanity. It was the best for everyone.


So we find ourselves here in Georgia. It has been nearly 4 years since we moved out here. And I don't believe I have ever been so happy. I love it here. During the first year here, I felt so much stress dissolve. I hadn't ever realized, how unhappy I really was in California. Don't get me wrong, I miss my family beyond words. But, our lives and far beyond what they could have been in California. We both have awesome jobs. I love mine, my husband, well, he wouldn't mind a new one. Our children are doing great. The girls miss California alot, but they have more memories of it than my son. So that is natural. They do like it here though, and have made alot of friends.


Well, I guess for an intro blog, this has taken the cake! I hope to write more and more. I love to write, and write a mis of both fiction and non-fiction. I tend to rant and rave, and blubber and cry. I can go off on a tangent, and then write about a fabulous weekend. That is what blogging is for though.... isn't it!


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