The Cousins

Just a quick update on these grandbabies to date.  We are expecting our 8th in June. (a boy to even out the crew) They all have such different little personalities.  But they are all so much fun an.
Left to right:

Benji... He is stubborn and sweet.  He wants things done his way and does not have patients for your issues. He likes tractors, cars and dinosaurs.  He could play outside all day.

Wakely... she is smart and a go getter.  She already knows how to ride a bike without training wheels, (she is 3) and she can make her own waffles.  She is independent, but wants you to play with her.  If it comes with a cape, shes wearing it!

Sammi... She is the ring leader.  She is sassy and sweet.  She is out growing Benji and she is one solid muscle. She likes gymnastics, already has a best friend and is the best person to pick up toys.

Danny... He is super sweet, loving, loves dinosaurs and has recently found he likes to compose songs on his new guitar.  He mostly sings about his mommy.

Joanie... She is smart and very kind  She likes to have her nails painted and loves it when she gets new clothes.  She is very appreciative of any gift she receives like her daddy is.  She is a big helper and a great artist

Evelyn.... She is fierce.  She is an independant player and will bop you square in the nose if you mess with her.  She works a puzzle in record time... even if it is upside down.  She carries a doll, has on sunglasses and carries a play phone at all times!

Joshua.... He is a brute!  He thinks a lot, but I see him as a big goofball.  He eats like he is starving and will run from you if he thinks you are after his food.  He is a big old mommas boy

SUrely I am not alone in this....

I don’t like being inconvenienced and I don’t like moving backwards I like to go forward all the time plan ahead work ahead get things done.

The Cousins

Just a quick update on these grandbabies to date.  We are expecting our 8th in June. (a boy to even out the crew) They all have such different little personalities.  But they are all so much fun an. 

From Left to Right

Benji... He is stubborn and sweet.  He wants things done his way and does not have patients for your issues.  He likes cars and dinosaurs, and anything he can throw.  

Wakely... she is smart and a go getter.  She already knows how to ride a bike without training wheels, (she is 3) and she can make her own waffles.  She is independent, but wants you to play with her.  If it comes with a cape, shes wearing it!

Sammi... She is the ring leader.  She is sassy and sweet.  She is out growing Benji and she is one solid muscle. She likes gymnastics, already has a best friend and is the best person to pick up toys.  We are all understanding her better, or we have learned to speak Sammi... one of the two.

Danny... He is super sweet, loving, loves dinasours and has recently found he likes to compose songs on his new guitar.  He mostly sings about his mommy. 

Joanie... She is smart and very kind.  She likes to have her nails painted and loves it when she gets new clothes.  She is very appreciative of any gift she receives like her daddy is.  She is a big helper and a great artist.

Evelyn.... She is fierce.  She is an independant player and will bop you square in the nose if you mess with her.  She works a puzzle in record time... even if it is upside down.  She carries a doll, has on sunglasses and carries a play phone at all times!

Joshua.... He is a brute!  He thinks alot, but I see him as a big goofball. He has a smile on his face just about the entire time he is awake.  He eats like he is starving and will run from you if he thinks you are after his food.  He is a big old mommas boy.

A Gem from 2018

Dennis:  I ruined some of your clothes doing laundry.

Me: which ones?

Dennis:  all the ones I washed yesterday....Sorry.

(My mind is scrambling trying to remember what clothes I have worn recently)

Dennis:  and you know that DVD player that the door wouldn't  shut anymore?

Me:  yeeeaaahhh?

Dennis:  it's broke now too, I tried to fix it.

Me:  but the VHS worked that's why I kept it!

Dennis:  not any more... 

Me:  ummm maybe you should call it a day Dennis Carter!!

Empty Nest is Kinda Alright!

Sometimes I get the empty nest blues.  But they I remember how great my kids have turned out and I know my job was well done.  And the longer they are gone... the more you get use to it because it becomes the new normal.

It took me about 5 years to be at peace with the new way of things.  But now I feel like a teenager with money and parents that are always out of town.  I am enjoying this time in my life!  And having grandkids really help the empty nest!

So if you are experiencing the empty nest blues, just give it time, soon you will love the independance that the freedom you gave up years ago to be a mom.  Now you are still a mom, but you can alway be so many other things!

Covid be like......

I saw that the crime rate in every city has gone way down.  I am happy to hear that.  But Schools are closed... so..... of course no school shootings.  Churches either!  That's a definite win. But soon we will hear of riots and looting.  (It's coming)  Have you seen the cars in the drive through lines at fast food? 40 minute wait time.  People can't find meat... everyone is picking up and bringing it home. Sonic is making a killing!  So is Walmart and Lowes!  I would gladly pay $6.00 a gallon for gas if it puts families back to work!  

Ben was laid off yesterday.  and even though that has NOTHING to do with COvid19,  It's very frustrating that Russia and Saudi Arabia when Russia failed to deepen an existing  production cut of 1.8 million barrels a day.   As far as family goes.... I haven't seen my mother in 6 weeks.  It's like this is stealing what could be her last months from us. We weren't able to spend Easter together as a family either. I thrive on schedules and so do people with mental illnesses.  Depression is setting in on several people, especially those that live alone.  Domestic and child Abuse is up and so is drinking.  Glad they left those liquor stores open! lol  People are not showering or washing their hair (Many are buzzing it off) and if you watch Tic Toc they will tell you they are wearing the same clothes from last tuesday! lol However... I am saving money!!!  Which is good cause I am not making much after I pay all my overhead to run an essential business during a pandemic! (Not all bills are being deferred)  I personally know of 14 nurses and there are hundreds more that got laid off work just last week because elective surgeries are canceled and that is the type of work they do in the hospital.  Many are stressed out single moms and unemployment does not cover the cost of their bills.  (Nurses bank it!)  Also deaconess hospital  in okc closed last week because they are not making money because elective surgeries are not being done. That's 313 beds and that's hundreds of jobs lost.  They do not have plans to reopen, possibly a buy out but nothing set in stone.  I love that doctors are being praised more then hollywood people! Now if they would just quit posting videos trying to be famous on tic toc like hollywood people... with balloons as their asses and acting like they are sailing on the titanic, and care for dying patients, find a cure or a vaccine.. that would be time well spent!   This slow down thing that God wants us to do..  would have been a great idea had it lasted for 2 /3 weeks and he made sure we all had tickets to our bucket list vacation spot!  This is going to be bad.  Not slowing down... Dead Stopping.  Ruining lives.  Ruining futures.   Staying positive is not an option.  Staying afloat may not be... with  millions of people receiving unemployment  that will eventually run out (which it does in about 5 months, possibly sooner since so many are collecting) and 1 job for every 500 people to compete for, assuming that over a half open back up businesses. No good side to Covid19.

One out of Four does not a Great Week Make!

Been a rough couple of days.  Lots of irons in the fire.  Work pretty much can blow me right now!  Lord!!   Noone wants to do a real job anymore....  They want easy money.  And people think it's vacation time to collect unemployment.  They are not understanding what it takes to make America, AMERICA.  Hand outs and bail outs are not how it started.  What loons!

I had Monday's all week... Friday was acceptable.  Removing dead weight is exhausting and it stresses out the masses!  One girl was a no show... Bye felicia... she was fast becoming a very infected thorn in my side anyway.  One over slept... so missed the entire day, and one turned in her notice which is fine because she didn't think any rule applied to her.  GREAT!  Where does this leave me.... Looking yet again for teachers!

I am forever looking for teachers!  If we could take that out of the equation, my job would be relatively easy.  Not completely, but I could focus on more important matters.

For now, I am hiring for three classrooms.  And ready to find someone that will be a great asset!  Literally, if I had all the good teachers that I have had over the years... I still would be looking for help!  It's that hard!

I keep thinking..... soon I will sell it and retire... in the meantime, I will build it up and take care of business. 

This too shall pass.

Just a Text from my oldest.....

The Family on Mothers Day

I sewed something for my mom today

My mother made me clothes growing up.  I can remember her spending hours at the sewing machine making me clothes and costumes.    Today I made my mother three masks to wear.  I was very careful and took great pride in making these three masks.  I have made 12 prior to these, so I am polishing my mask making skills... still it was my honor to spend the time making them for her.  I tried to find material that I thought she would like.  I bought an expensive Organic 300 count sheet.  I used three layers.  Two of them were the 300 thread count sheet and the cover was 100% cotton too, but I am not sure of the thread count.  Three layers are suppose to be 95% effective.  Anyway, I hope she enjoys them, looks fashionable in them and gets some use out of them.  I also took her hand hand sanitizer and lots of candy bars!  I think those were a big hit!  lol  

I am not the one....

If I’m to be slaughtered, I will not be the one that walks willfully.

I’m a rebel.  Tell me I can’t... i say “hold my beer”..... I think the government is up to no good.  I think they are trying to control a mass of people and how else do you do it besides fear? Now that most Americans are done with the staying in .... now they are trying to get you back in the house by using our children to scare us.   I’m too skeptical to be fooled and I’m paying attention to the big picture..... 

An Accomplishment Means Something

So during the pandemic I decided to finish a book that I’ve been writing for the past 10 years... yeah you read that right 10 years!  I really enjoy coming up with the story.  I enjoy being the creator of a story... that’s probably why I like to direct plays.  I can be the person who helps you see how the story unfolds.

Used to, I would set up with a good book almost every single night and since technology is taking over it’s been hard for me to concentrate on reading a book when tick-tock is available or Facebook or texting with friends. It's really sad because storytelling is so important not only for our minds but to help the person who’s reading it get away, have an escape... to be in a different place for even just an hour or two that you read a book.

I really need to get back into reading. I feel like my vocabulary is really slipping and I think writing this fourth book has proven that fact. I can’t think of a lot of the words that I want to use and I don’t know how to word things like I used to.  Reading does make a difference.

I cannot tell you why I feel the need to write... I just really really like it, and I want to have it accomplished so when I die I want to know that it was accomplished.  I put all my effort into this body of work and I did it just for me.

Photo books that I’ve made... all those creative memory things that I’ve done so that my kids can look back and have some sort of history.

but these books...
         these books for just for me>

 My kids might read them, who knows, but I want to see them on my library shelf and I hopefully they will end up on someone else's library shelves. Accomplishments doesn’t always have to have monetary value, sometimes it just has to be something that you complete.

I call BS

You know what wrong with groups on facebook? or "facebook friends"?  We aren't friends.  This sociology media makes you feel like you have friends without having to put the work in.  

Back Burner

Man I know I haven’t written very much in the blog department lately... it’s because I’ve been really working on getting these books finished. Two of them are done, one of them needs edited -badly- so that’s three, and then I started on the fourth.  The fourth one is kicking my ass I’m having a hard time getting it started. 
I really want to tell this one story, but for some reason I’m not feeling it so I’m putting it on the back burner just for a little bit to get caught up with my blog, get my house clean, and then maybe I’ll clear my head a little bit be able to sit down and think of a story for this person.
Sometimes you gotta leave something behind of your creative mind to clear a path.  I don’t know I don’t care.  I’ve read them I think they’re good they’re as good as any that I bought. So I want them on my shelf in my library.

The Owls in my home

It's Not Me! It's You!

You know... sometimes I worry about my thought process and my empathy level.  Am I too hard on people, do I take what I have for granted?  I mean I know not everyone has it as good as me or is as blessed.  Right?  But then I realized, if I am surrounded by happy people that have their shit together, I'm all shits and giggles.  Pink candy and unicorns!   It's the people that are sore at life that seem to bring my beast out.   She is my alter ego,  Tabitha.  See, It's not that I don't have empathy or care for my fellow humans... It's that I can't do stupid.  Those people drive me nuts!  I can't see past the BS.  I also believe you make your own bed with the choices you make.  So, instead of me feeling like I should be more supportive I will just sip this wine and blog.

Ready for Life Again

We are still in the middle of this pandemic. It has been crazy. Oklahoma has open back up now and a lot of people are still in an uproar about having to go to work. I get that people are still afraid I do not necessarily want to be out and catch this bug... neither but I, also want there to be a life for my grandchildren and for me when I retire.
The best thing we can do is take precautions. Wash hands, limit our social life, pay attention to those around us, and stay in when you don’t need to go out. Some people think that because we did a shut in that the virus was just going to miraculously disappear and that was not the case.  The idea behind staying home was so we could slow it so that the hospitals and the medical staff were able to help us when/if we do contract the virus. My hope is that the heat from the summer will suppress it like it does for the flu.   Hopefully will be able to get back to somewhat of a normal life this summer and hopefully they will come up with a vaccine or an effective treatment so when it starts around again in the fall we are better prepared