Promises or Reality?

My ears are filled with yet more promises and a few questions come to mind.

• Do I take the time to even listen? 
• Do I even care to listen IF I do take the time? 
• Do I get my hopes up again only to have them thrown into the dirt once again?
• How many times will I hear the words I will show you? 
• How many times will I fall for it and believe? 

The answer is until the day one of us dies. That's how much I love you. 

Tell me. 

• Do you have someone: a lover, a boy/girl friend, a BFF, a child or someone else that you are so forever tied to that you will always be there when they cry help? 
• If so, how do you deal with that constant roller coaster? 
• If not how did you get away from it? 

Tell me...give me, something, anything. I am banging my head on this up and

down roller coaster in my life that I want to get off of but don't have the key to. 

Because folks I tell you that I am really tired of being this person. (Especially when it's not even my shit!)

It comes in threes......

Well, I haven't ever been a big superstitious believer or anything.  I mean I have made the jokes of oh no there goes a black cat crossing my path or it must be in the stars, but I really haven't ever gotten much into all that mumbo jumbo superstitious stuff.

However, after a day like yesterday I may just change my mind.  You know that old saying it comes in threes?  Well, yesterday it sure did!

First: I sliced (and when I say slice I do mean SLICE!) my thumb open!  I think that I must have mistaken it for a fish that I wanted to cook or something!  My entire left thumb is wrapped up completely now (thanks to the school nurse!) with a huge bandage making it very hard to type.  This brilliant act of carving happened when I was trying to take off the little plastic cover that is on the el cheapo razor I decided to buy last week. There I was fiddling with it and getting quite frustrated while watching TV (yes I see the mistake here) when my thumb slipped and off came the plastic cover.  This was all fine and dandy since I wanted the cover off BUT in the process my thumb slid straight across that double bladed weapon razor and filleted the skin right open!

Second: Poor Megan Beth slammed her finger in the van's sliding door after school yesterday.  Now, it was most horrific because I had already walked all the way up to the front door when I heard her scream: OPEN THE DOOR.   I tell you that I dropped what I had in my hands, ran to the van and then as fast as my fumbling hands would allow (remember my thumb is all bandaged up) I got the keys to unlock the door.  Now, of course since I am such a cheap skate (remember I bought el cheapo razors??) I have a basic vehicle without the push button unlockey thingy.  So, I had to actually put the key in the door and turn the damn thing to unlock the doors.  All the time she is yelling: HURRY HURRY HURRY. IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS! 

Third: As if that isn't enough (remember things happen in threes right?) Nay Nay (my oldest) went into the ER last night and was admitted to the hospital with a collapsed lung.  It is apparently a side effect of her heart condition she has, her thin body structure, her smoking (yes I know!  Believe me she hears about this all the time from me!) and her neglectful manner of her required daily medicine taking.  I think pray this is a wake up call for her and she will now go to the dr. and take her daily medicine she is supposed to be doing because honestly I just can't imagine a world without my Nay Nay.  No matter how annoying I may be to her she can be to me, I will always only have one Nay Nay.  I just can't imagine a life without my annoying baby girl Nay Nay.

So, there it is in a nutshell.  Things happen in threes or so they say.  (Just who are THEY?)  As long as nothing happens with Chris at school, the hubs at work today or with Kelsey K tonight at Cirque Du Soleil (can you believe she gets to go to that????  I never had those kind of cool field trips with my foreign language clubs in school!)  then I will be able to breathe easy again.

As my step daughter would say:

**Le Sigh**

God, not again! Where did the $ go?

I am just sitting here ready to bang my head and not because I am attending a rock concert with a band from the '80's.  I did that last week.  Remember, Bon Jovi? (I do!) 

I am ready to bang my head because once again I can't believe that our household money is once again depleted.  Now, let me make sure you understand that money does not make my world go round.  I am not one of those greedy little Beverly Hills housewives who just spend, spend, spend.

I would like to think that I am actually pretty good at stretching the dollar as far as I can in most cases.  I mean for so very long I was a single mom working 3 jobs and believe me I valued every single dollar I worked so hard to earn.

Now, I do admit that things certainly aren't as tough as they once were but I still can't seem to get that money hungry monster from chasing us every single month.  It's just some months that monster gets closer than others.

While I do admit that we enjoy a nice dinner at my favorite bakery or we do get something special once in a while we don't overspend on anything for the most part.  In fact compared to the typical American we may even be considered a few steps ahead because we don't own/use credit cards of any type and we pay cash for what we need/want.

Even with all of this it seems that around every corner there is another bill, a new charge on the cell phone bill, light bill or water bill.  Worse yet it seems almost daily I have another amount to pay for school pictures, after school activities or whatever else the kids are involved in.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't allow them to just join anything they want.  Each kid is limited in their activities but being the type of parent that wants my kids well rounded and have many opportunities and experiences that I missed out on as a kid they are involved in some.  It's just with 3 kids in school those little $5 or $10 here and there does add up quickly.

So, my question today is this:

What do you do to help stretch your family dollars?  Do you coupon?  Do you carpool?  Just what do you do?  Let's get our heads together and see what we can come up with!

The Party's Over...but oh the surprises it brought!

Yes, the big event is finally over.  I planned it for months and it had so many surprises both planned and unplanned that I cannot possibly cover it all in one post.  So, be ready as I go through the pics and my emotions are triggered to read more about the FABOO party we had last Saturday night to document the hubs 50th birthday. 

The calm before the storm

I sit here this morning drinking a cup of nice hot coffee and trying to get myself vamped up to go shower and start the day.  lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggg sigh

Today is the day for the BIG party, hubs 50th bday party.  I have been working on it for over 2 months now and the day is finally here.  There are people of all walks of life coming in from all over to converge in one room to hopefully have a calm, relaxed fun evening of remembering, laughing and catching up. 

This is the first time since we moved to San Antonio 7 years ago that we are introducing so many of our friends, family etc in the same room.  I made the comment recently that it was like all aspects of our life were finally converging into one location.  Up until now we have unintentionally had these parts of our life separate.

This is the variety of invites for the party today: 

• Chuck's family
• Some of my family
• School friends
• Scout acquaintances and friends
• Railroad coworkers/friends
• Chuck's music friends from back in the day
• My friends from back in the day (two of which are now divorced)
• San Antonio friends
• My friends from back in my hometown 

The list is pretty extensive and it will be a site to watch and see how this crowd works.  I wonder if this will become the melting pot of the Jones?  Till later............

A new blog for you! (What the fuckety fuck?)

Ok, I started this morning out with the dreaded feeling of shit... I got woke up on ANOTHER Saturday morning by the little monsters, shits, kids and have been sitting here at the computer all morning in an attempt to avoid killing, screaming, eliminating those that breathe too close to me being grouchy.

I first thought well I will write a post.  That idea sucked because all I could think of was if I could just close my eyes and dream of the hottie waiting for me on that island in the corner of my mind eagerly wanting hot ravishing sex catch a few more minutes of peaceful sleep.

So, I started a round of blog hopping and of course I check out this new one I found Confessions of a Recovering Cynic just simply because I love the fact that someone thinks they can recover from being a true cynic.  I have been secretly stalking her for ohhh I would say a month or so and laughing vicariously through her posts.  I had not yet decided if I would grace her with the honor of being on my permanent list of Blogs I Stalk until TODAY!

And what tipped the scale in her favor you ask?  Well this line of course:

What the fuckety fuck?

I literally laughed out loud!  Which I normally refrain from doing because that action usually draws the attention of one of the demon children my loving off spring to rudely come and peer over my shoulder.  And we all know that blogging is an outlet FROM our family not FOR our family.  

Anyways, I being the queen of sarcasm and being crowned titles such as Always Right Janet (Thank you Sarah! ) and Queen Janet (thank you my understanding hubs) love, love, love the fact that I have found someone else in the universe with my sense of superiority and disregard of everyday occurrences.  

So, everyone if you love reading my blog you truly have to go visit Tricia over at Confessions of a Recovering Cynic and tell her that Queen Janet sent you!  

And Tricia, I bow to you on this shitty Saturday morning chica!  Because anyone that has a line like What the fuckety fuck is MY queen!  

Growing up... A new phase of Life

Well, I have put off writing this entry because I figured if I wrote it then it would be true. However, as the days pass I must realize accept that my children are growing up at an alarming rate.  

With Ashley Renee now graduated from high school and living on her own, Kelsey asking me to teach her how to drive, Chris going on dates with his girlfriend (chaperoned of course) and now Megan having the gall of reaching the milestone of a double digit birthday (10 yrs old now!) I seriously have to take a deep breath and remember that this is truly the way life is supposed to move forward (even if it does make me feel old!).

Of course I do have advantages that come with each growing up such as no more bottles, diapers or nasty burp rags but also gone are the innocent questions of why is the sky blue or why can't I put the cat in the dryer mommy?   In their place I have questions of Mom can I do laundry at your house or Mom can you take me _______________ (fill in the blank).  (I won't go into the Mom can I borrow the car because I am still trying to get used to the fact that when I get in the car the gas tank is empty! **grin**)

Lately I have wondered if I have done a good my job as a mother  teaching each of them the important points of life.  Important points such as:

• You are never alone for God is always on your side.
• Never compromise your morals or values. 
• Remember that you only have one family. 
• Mama is always there to lend a shoulder to cry on or route you on in your adventures.

Of course things were hard throughout the years like working 3 jobs at one time not only to pay the basic bills but also to provide a few extras for the kids to enjoy.  Looking back I can honestly say that I don't regret a thing.

While age slowly creeps quickly runs up on me and tackles me to the ground I am learning to sit quietly and enjoy the beautiful people my children are becoming, knowing that, yes, I am doing a good job as a mother, friend and confidant because while they may venture out to explore and learn new things I can often see them looking back for assurance that I am still there.

But I must say little do they realize that no matter how old they get they will always and forever be my babies.  I will always be able to look into their eyes and get lost in the memories as well as the hopes for the future. 

Summer Fun at Canyon Lake

As I sit here thinking about the pool outside and the fact that summer is officially here I am smiling.  Here it is barely a few days into summer and already we have had some awesome fun.  

A few weeks back  the 3 younger kids and I joined our friends, the Dunn family, to spend a day relaxing at Canyon Lake.  This was really my first visit to the lake and I fell in love with it!  

The kids immediately took off on kayaks loaned to us. While some of the adults were cautious of the kids being out on the water my kid's scout experience kicked into overdrive.   

Chris quickly fell into the role of kayak instructor for the younger kids.

Our friend Mark Dunn had brought out his boat which was a huge hit!
Of course Mark is always Mr. Cool!

He even let Megan Beth take a turn at driving the boat! 

I also met two amazing young ladies, one of which is an outstanding photographer.  The girls and I agreed to be her subjects for her photos.  These are just a few that she took. 

All in all the entire day was filled with friends

food, fun

 

and games for the kids!

It was a great day and many new friends were made!