Aaahh a New Year...

I am looking forward to 2009. A fresh new start, well fresh as the date some old problems will be following...bills, lawsuit, aches, pains...did I mention bills? Any who, I am going to try and be positive which is really not like me. I am always waiting for that other shoe to drop. Always prepared for the worse this way I am not shocked. But I am really going to try this year to have a better out look. I am not going to say that I am going to lose weight, I'm just not going to gain anymore. I'm not going to say that I will eliminated debit, I'm just not going to add to it. I'm not going to say that I will be "nicer" to people, I'm just going to say things in my head instead of out loud.

However there are a few this to look forward to in 2009: I'm turning forty and I am OK with that. Celtic Thunder will be back in the states at some point YEAH!!! We have a great new camper to spend fabulous family time in. The community pool and all the fun that goes with that. Good friends are getting married and it's going to be a rockin wedding. The last year of Cub Scout obligation!!! (I do have mixed emotion about that)

So here's to 2008 you had your up and downs now go away!!!!

Happy New Year!!

How much for a Maid???

I feel the mess in my house is consuming my life. It actually affects my mood. No matter how hard I try I can't seem to dig out from under it. Of course my kids don't help...they are slobs. I'm sure it's my fault, I can be lazy. But still I am so tired of cleaning and it's still a disaster. I would love to come home one day and "PUFF" everything is away!! Maybe what I need is a Fairy Godmother and not a maid??? Hum!!!

Light weight

I'm feeling my age today which is rare. We had friends over last night for drinks. After three glasses of wine I was toast...but of course I kept going. I had to throw the towel in at glass number five. You know when you've had enough when you are laughing at yourself do the fact that you can no longer formulate words. Yes I was gone!!!!

I was rather impressed that I was able to make it to my bed without any help from hubby. Oh my pillow, how sweet it was. It never felt so good to be horizontal. I think I was able to give a good night kiss to my hubby and mumble "I love you". The last thing I remember is laughing to myself about how trashed I was.

Morning did come way to soon and I was thrilled that I didn't have a hangover. After a nice cup of coffee I was able to pull my act together...sort of. I did spend most of the day laying around and feeling really tired.

The good ole days of partying all night are long gone...oh well!!!

Christmas Eve and Food Shopping

So as usual the holidays have snuck up on me despite all me plans and I found myself in the food store today with my kids. The parking lot was a zoo, as can be expected since there is a Walmart in the same shopping center. As I pulled in I prepared myself for the possibility of long lines, bitchie people, empty selves and whinie kids however that wasn't the case at all. The store was fairly empty, the selves were stocked and people seemed cheerful. My kids even behaved, they even helped. The nine year old pushed the cart and the four year helped me pick out crackers and fruit. There was no line to check out and we breezed right through. I felt a sense of calm come over me...until we stepped out of the store and into the parking lot. WOW, people are crazed!!! Everyone is doing the Parking Lot Rodeo, beeping, yelling, using hand gestures. What a great way to spread the Holiday Spirt...cursing out an elderly couple because they took to long to pull out!!!! Merry Christmas!!!!

OK I'm on my broom now!!!!

Regarding the school not allowing parents into the Holiday Sing....they really did turn us away!!! Twentyfive to thirty parents were basically thrown out of my son's elementary school this afternoon because we "were not invited" to be there. Our children were singing in the choir and playing instruments in the orchestra for the staff, faculty and fellow students but NOT THEIR PARENTS. We don't count. Except when you need something from us...like MONEY!!!!

My son is going to be devastated when he realizes I'm not there however I did tell him that the Principle may not let me in SOooooooo I know he will spread that to his fellow classmates who will in turn tell their parents. I love to stir the pot!!! Hell I lead a revolt today!!! All those parents stood behind me and made comments as loud or louder then me. Once we were told to leave I told all my "followers" to make sure to attend the January PTO meeting. The only way to get change is to make it happen. I'm a put up or shut up kind-a gal!!!

As I walked away many parents remained. They had worked themselves up into a "Call the Cops" frenzy. I suggested the better way to handle it was to walk away and commit to making a change by attending PTO meetings and letter writing. It's amazing what an article in the local newspaper can do.

It also makes me wonder what is going on in the school that the Principle doesn't want parents in the halls to often?!?!?! It seems to me that she should be thrilled that so many parents want to be part of their children's school life yet she is not. WHY?!?!?!?!

Follow up to "I'm a Dork"

OK, look at this picture and tell me that this is not the cutest Tinker Bell you have ever seen!!!! I even had spray glitter with me and she glittered from head to toe!!!

Again I ask: "Am I really a Dork for getting all choked up?"

So disappointing

The following is a letter that I wrote to the PTO President of the Elementary School my son goes to (Not like it is going to mean a whole lot but shit I'm pissed!!!).

I am very disappointed in our elementary school (real name changed for obvious reasons) and their desire to exclude parents from school activities. My son is playing the Cello tomorrow during the Christmas Sing. He really wants me to come and see him. I had heard through the grape vine that parents were not invited and I thought that must be a mistake. Well it is not. I called the school today and was told that this was a school wide event that did not include parents. I asked if I did come would I be able to see him play and I was told that it could not be guaranteed. That is just ridiculous and unacceptable. This is an elementary school not a prison. If I want to come and see my son play Christmas songs with the school orchestra I should be able to.
I am very disappointed in this attitude of excluding parents. Something has to change. All the other elementary schools do many holiday events including a concert at night. My son is going to be devastated that I will mostly not be able to see him play.
What a great way to spread holiday cheer!!!

So does anyone else find it insane that as a parent I can not come and see my son in his Holiday Concert?!?!?!? Or is it just me????

WOW...What a Week!!!

Ok, I'm back from Disney...which was great and I will blog about it later but let me tell you about my week back so far. First, our plane had to circle Philly Airport for an extra hour because only one run way was open. Apparently a plane had to make an emergency landing earlier in the day. The landing gear didn't fully open so they filled the run way with foam and the plane had to "crash land". Now I HATE flying so the extra time in the air ascending and descending and banking was just absolute torture. We finally land in terminal A we have to walk all the way to terminal B for our luggage. Not really a big deal just annoying. Once we retrieve our luggage and catch our shuttle home our next saga began. It is max a 45 minute ride from Philly Airport to my front door but we get several other passenger on our shuttle from the Northeast which is a little inconvenient but tolerable. Well it turns out that the one older lady going to Feasterville really has no idea where the house is she is being dropped off at...NICE I know. Mean while I am so fried I just want to go HOME!!!! Finally we locate the house and drop her off. Now we are at least 20 minutes from my house. In my head I'm like "Dude get on Rt. 1 and go!!!" which he does but he is one of those drivers who can't hold the gas peddle at one steady speed and I'm about to freak out!! 60...50...55...50...60...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! JUST DRIVE ONE SPEED!!!

Finally we arrive home...Thank GOD... to begin the next stage of our saga. We have a house alarm that is hard wired into the police station and we have never had a problem with it UNTIL THAT NIGHT!!! The keypad was frozen...we could not turn the alarm off. It's very loud and very scary to my four year old. Hubby and I are frantically trying to get the alarm to turn off. I'm on the phone with the alarm service telling them not to send the police and finding out how to get this damn thing to shut off. Finally hubby yanks it out of the wall and cuts the wires. Silences!!!! Apparently there was a power surge while we were gone and the keypad got zapped.

Now it is 1AM and we can finally go to bed. Kids are asleep. Alarm is off. House is warm (I'm way cheap, I turned the heat down to 55 while we were gone) All is right with the world...NOT. Son wakes up coughing and has a fever. Give him some meds and send him back to bed. Beep, Beep, Beep...it's 7AM. I can't even open my eyes. Kids are still snoring. Screw it NO SCHOOL TODAY!!!! Yeah...back to sleep.

Once the kids and I woke up (poor hubby had to go to work) the day went fine until 5:30PM. Hubby calls "Hey hun, battery is dead in my car" and I'm like "Isn't there someone there who can jump you?! I don't want to drive out!!" Hubby works a half hour away and I really didn't want to go out. Thankfully he does get a jump and all is well. Besides the extra unexpected cost of a battery.

Tuesday night is suppose to be our Cub Scout Pack's big Christmas Party. We have the Marines come and do a uniform inspection. We collect Toys for Tots. We have a big cookie exchange. Santa comes with goody bags for all the Cubs and the siblings. It's going to be a great night...well the school district cancelled all after school actives do to the impending snow (which we DID NOT GET!!!) So I spent the afternoon calling parents and organizations to cancel our party!! It really SUCKED!!!

Wednesday, I wake up sick...stuffed head, fever, cough. Hubby goes to work late so he can drop the nine year old off at school for me. Lay around all day. Four year old and I nap on the couch. Felt better after a shower. Pull it together enough to make meatballs for dinner!! (I know, I'm awesome...LOL!!!)

Now here it is Thursday and the day is going ok...if you don't count the whack job Cub parent who calls at 8:15AM accusing us of not returning calls and asking for a refund. All I have to say to you is talk to your husband before you call me with miss information and good riddens!!! I love the way people forget that our positions with the Scouts are all volunteer!!! GEEZE!!!!

Well that's my week in a nut shell so far. I have some great Disney stories to pass along. Keep watching for those!!!!

This is great...had to share!!!

One sunny day in February 2009 an old man approached the White House from across Pennsylvania Ave where he had been sitting on a park bench. He spoke to the Marine standing guard and said "I would like to go and meet President Bush. " The Marine looked at the old man and replied "Sir Mr. bush is no longer president and no longer lives here." The old man says "OK" and walks away. The next day the same old man walks across and asks the same Marine the same question and the Marine a bit irritated gives the same reply and the old man walks away. On the third day the same old man comes again and asks the same Marine " I would like to go in and meet President Bush." Now the marine is even more irritated at the man and says "I told you yesterday and the day before that Mr. Bush is no longer president and no longer lives here. Don't you understand?" The old man looked at the Marine and said "I understand, I just love hearing it." The Marine snapped to attention, saluted and said "See you tomorrow sir."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

I can do it....

One more day until we leave for the happiest place on earth....DISNEY WORLD!!!!!! I really need this fun filled vacation. The stress of life is getting to me...mainly the lack of cash flow. I need to turn my brain off for a while and not think deep. Just surface thinking. What's the difference? Well deep thinking includes the present and the future while surface thinking is more like which ice cream do I want and what ride should we go on next. I want to be carefree even if it's just for a week.

The state of the economy scares me. My credit card bills scare me. The thought of refinancing, which I have decided not to do, scares me. The grocery bill scares me. I'm tired of being scared!!!! I just want to forget everything and have some fun!!!! The only "scared" I want to be during the next week involves a rollercoaster!!!!

DISNEY TAKE ME AWAY!!!!!!!

I HATE LAUNDRY!!!!!

OMG...I HATE LAUNDRY!!! I swear it multiplies...you throw one pair of jeans in the laundry room and by morning there are four!!! And if you don't wash them right away there will be six by lunch. It's evil, EVIL stuff. So time consuming!! Never ending!!! And once it's washed you have to dry it, fold it and put it away!! By the time you get that all done THERE ARE MORE DIRTY CLOTHES!! Where does it all come from?? Are there laundry gnomes?? Is their sole purpose in life to create piles of dirty clothes???? Do they have a look out who alerts the rest when the washer and dryer is empty. "HOLY CRAP men, she's finished it all...GET MORE!!!!" Sirens go off and gnomes search my home looking for crap for me to wash. I need a laundry holiday. National Screw Dirty Clothes Day!! Now that would be sweet. A day when the washer and dryer are silent!! But then that would mean twice as much the next day. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! DAMN I REALLY HATE LAUNDRY!!!!!!!!

Eyes

Apparently my four year old's preschool teacher told the class that "Mommy's have eyes in the back of their head" and ever since then my daughter has been curious about it. Well today while I was sitting on the floor putting in the Walle DVD, which I might add is a GREAT movie, Gracie comes up behind me and asks if she can "see the eyes in the back of my head". I tell her sure and she starts looking through my hair. Now she is really searching and I tell her to be careful and with that I yell "Ouch, you poked me in the eye!" and I start rubbing the back of my head. She pulls her hand back and say's she's sorry and runs to the couch. At this point I am cracking up on the inside. I turn to tell her that it was alright and she has the sad face again. "Mommy, I want eyes in the back of my head too" she sighs. "Well honey you will get them when you become a mommy" I comment back trying not to burst out laughing. With that she says "But I want them now...I don't want to wait 'till I'm old like you!!" and crosses her arms across her chest and makes a pouty face. "Sorry those are the rules" I tell her and leave the room.

I'm a Dork

We leave for our family vacation to Disney World in two weeks. I've been collecting Princess costumes for the little princes to wear while we are there. She has: Snow White, Mulan, Jasmine, Cinderella and Minnie Mouse. All I needed was Tinker Bell and the collection would be complete. But I didn't want just any costume, it had to be perfect!! After endless weeks of searching on Ebay, which by the way I am addicted to, I find it...the most adorable Tinker Bell costume WITH WINGS!! Brand New no less. So of course I bid and won. Now all I had to do was wait for it to get here, I was like a child waiting for Santa!! Well it arrived today and it is even more gorgeous in person than it was on the screen AND THE WINGS LIGHT UP!!!! Wasn't expecting that! Now for the Dork part...I actually welled up and a tear rolled down my cheek! I had found the Perfect Tinker Bell Costume for my princess!! I'm such a D-O-R-K!!

The ER and Nine Year Olds

Yes, I spent Wednesday night at the ER with my nine year old. It seems my four year jumped on our sleeping puppy and pulled her tail causing her to jump and snap at whatever was there. The "whatever" just happened to be my son's right hand. Petunia the Wonder Wienie bit him good. Blood every where.

OK, fast forward to the ER. My son and I are waiting to be called back, just hanging out. Five different people came and asked us the same questions about the dog. (Poor "Tunie" she's now got a mark next to her name that wasn't really her fault) After an hour, which by ER standards really wasn't all that long, we go to an examining room. Three different people look at the wound and one more asks us about the dog. Finally the doctor comes in says he needs stitches, and I'm thinking "Well DUH!!" and he leaves to get the stuff needed to take care of it. Now all this time my son has been really quiet and looked very calm but now he's a little more animated and I see him thinking hard about something. I figure he's stressed about the stitches or the shot needed to numb the area, or how is he going to write or play cello BUT NO!!! His main concern was how was he going to play Wii!!! He's got a nasty gash in his hand and his main concern was how he was going to hold the controller in his right hand!!! N-I-C-E!!!!!

Anyway I'm glad to report that he only needed four stitches but received two since it was a dog bite and they were concerned about infection so it needed to stay semi open..YUCK and that Yes he was/is able to play Wii and mainly Guitar Hero with little pain!!!!

Sad Four Year Old

I'm in working on the computer and I hear my daughter crying. So I go in to see what was wrong (I immediately thought the puppy ate one of her Barbies) and I find her sitting in the middle of the living room floor balling her eyes out. Apparently the movie "It's a Ruff Life" on Disney had just started and the beginning shows puppies in a box for people to take. Well all but the white puppy is taken. It starts to rain and the little pup is all alone in the box. It just broke my daughter heart!! "That little puppy is all alone!! Nobody wanted him!! They took all the black ones and left the white one! He's so cute...how come nobody took him?!?! I'm so sad mommy, make me feel better!!!" So I quick scoop her up in one arm and grab the remote to change the channel with the other. She was really really upset. Tears flowing, head buried in my shoulder. I tried so hard to tell her it was just a movie and it was all make believe.

After a few minutes of snuggling me and our puppy she calmed down. I felt so bad for her. Gotta love the big hearts of kids!!!

Killz means Kills

So after I get the wall paper border nightmare done I start on priming the room...keeping in mind I'm still sick. I was using Killz indoor latex low odor primer so I figured there would be no problem....RIGHT!!!! I think I poisoned myself. No kidding!! I couldn't breath, it made me even more nauseated than I already was AND talk about sneezing!!!! You think I would have learned my lesson from the last time we used Killz. Nine years ago when we first moved into the house my husband was turning said room into the nursery. He sent me out to get primer, which I did. Hubby's in painting away and he comes out looking awful. He had a headache and was seeing spots. We thought maybe he over did it or was getting sick. Well that wasn't the case. Being new to the whole painting thing I didn't realize that there is exterior and interior primer...yeah, Oops I had a blonde moment and got the exterior one. (and I'm not blonde) So that time he really was being poisoned but this time I made sure it said interior latex low order!!! So just to recap kidz....Killz=Kills!!!!

Wall Paper SUCKS!!!!!

We, meaning hubby and I...well mainly hubby, are redoing my daughters room. She has been stuck in "nursery" limbo for about a year now. We figured at four and a half it was time to update it for her. Well that has been easier said then done. The main problem was some idiot, that being ME, thought it would be so cute to have a wallpaper board in the baby's room. Yes it went up easy enough, now getting this crap down is another story. To start with, I still had this flu, cold, stomach virus thingy I have been battling for two weeks now. So needless to say I was in less than a cheery mood. So here I am scoring the boarder, rolling on the chemical that loosens the glue, waiting ten minutes and then getting down on my knees, using the scrapper thing and trying to get this paper off the wall. It's a small room, 9X9, it should only have taken an hour...NOT!!!! I lost track after two and a half!!! I swear the same man who invented four inch heals is the same man who invented wall paper paste!!! And I have learned my lesson about both. They look nice but after dealing with them for two hours they suck monkey balls!!!!

To answer "What the HELL was that?!?!?!"

Ok, I'm really not sure what it was. I thought it was a piece of lung or large flem ball but it scurried away before I had a chance to identify it. Sorry!!!

What the hell was that!!!

OK, I am still sick!! I picked my youngest up from preschool, had lunch and laid on the couch for a little rest. To my surprise the little rubber ball actually came and laid down with me AND FELL A SLEEP!!!! Even the hyper wiener dog joined the snooze feast. It was blissful until the coughing fit!! It came on slowly and built to a full blown coughing, wheezing, tears rolling down my face nightmare. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse this giant yellowish green congealed blob came hurling out of my mouth and landed on my leg. I thought to myself "What the HELL is that?!?!?!" Was it part of my lung? Had I dislodge the worlds largest flem ball? All I know is that it was gross! However, after hacking this thing up I felt much better. And miraculously the dog and child stayed asleep through this whole ordeal. N-I-C-E!!!

Why????

Why do my children have to fight like cats and dogs, especially when I'm sick???? I asked nicely, please just go do something that doesn't require yelling, screaming, slamming or jumping. I say, go do your homework now so it's done. What do I get, attitude?!!! Which in returns makes me yell, causing my throat to strain which in return sends me into a coughing fit which just makes me more mad!!! Why, why can't they just give me a break!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Gotta love 'um...or do we???

Finally

I don’t think I could have stomached anymore news or commercial coverage!! Enough is enough. Two years of political posturing is over kill!!! I’m glad..or actually THRILLED that Obama won. The Republican nightmare is almost over!!!! They have promised “change” for the last eight years…yeah we got change, change for the worse!! Now it’s time to see what the Democrats can do. Don’t screw it up!! PLEASE DON”T SCREW IT UP!!!! The thought of Caribou Barbie running in 2012 and winning is NAUSEATING!!! Oh Lord Democrats PLEASE DON’T SCREW UP this golden opportunity for change!!!!

Thanks Phils

Ok, I will admit it…I really am not a sports fan but my nine year old son is.

He’s actually a Philly Fanatic, much to my dismay. So when the Phils made it to the World Series I knew I was in for some really boring nights, or so I thought. Well yes the games themselves where boring (to me) but watching the excitement on my son’s face was awesome. To sit an enjoy watching him thoroughly submersed, biting his nails, yelling at the TV, jumping up and doing his “Oh Yeah” dance, struggling to keep his eyes open when the games ran WAY LATE, eating pounds of popcorn…it was just GREAT!! And the best part was we, as a family, watched the Phils WIN THE WORLD SERIES!!!

The Hasney’s will always be able to look back and remember being in our living room, popcorn flying in the air, clapping and screaming together when that last out was made and the Phils broke the curse!!! This is the stuff life long memories are made of!!

Thanx Phils!!!

Celtic Thunder and the Gym

Ok, so I loaded both Celtic Thunder CD’s onto my new ipod and went off to the gym (which I might add is not my favorite place to go but I go anyway ).

I drop my stuff in the locker room and take my place at my usual elliptical.

I pop in my earbuds, set the time on the machine to twenty minutes and hit play on the ipod.

It was like magic!!

All of the sudden I’m not at the gym but back at the Philly concert! I closed my eyes and saw the whole show replying in my head.

Well I must have been smiling really wide because when I opened my eyes to see how much longer I had to go the person across from me was looking at me like I was insane. Then I realized that I was not only smiling but mouthing the words and doing “Swanky” eyebrow moves . I just winked at the guy and closed my eyes and went back to the concert in my head, I had another five minutes to go.

When I was through the guy who was looking at my like I was insane was still there and he came up to me and said “I have to ask, what are you listening? It seems to bring you great joy.” I told him it was Celtic Thunder, the greatest new band that’s out. He replied with an “Oh” and walked away.

It’s funny, in this guys “weird” way he summed up how I feel about the music, the performance and the lads of Celtic Thunder…it brings me Great Joy!!!! And it also makes my workout seem not so much like torture any more!!!

Thanks Ryan, George, Paul, Keith and Damian for making me not dread the gym!!

Ms. Tammy

My name is Tammy.

I am a 39 year old woman from SE PA.

I am married and have two children.

My primary focus is towards my children. I am a stay home mother that also manages three separate business situations. Let’s just say that Life. Is. Busy.

I try to stay active. I go to the gym and work out on a regular basis. I am getting close to turning the big 40 and am cool with it. I have two great children that make me proud 90% of the time. The other 10%? We won’t go it to that here.

Husband? Yeah, Rick. Artist. Married 13+ years now.

Pets? Petunia the Wonder Weinie
Smoke? No
Extracurricular activities? Yes, please.