My favorite tunes from 2010...And the 1st decade of the new century in review.

The following has happened in and around my home, within my life in the last decade (2000 to 2010)....

1) I'd had two more children (2001 & 2004) since having my first in 1999.
2) In 2009 I required an emergency Corneal transplant.
3) Found out that my son indeed has ADHD (along with a host of other mental problems).
4) Sent my youngest off for her very first day of school in 2009.
5) Got married a second time to my soul-mate in 2002 after he proposed to me in a WalMart parking lot in early 2001.
6) Had my divorce papers come in the mail, finalizing my divorce from my first husband (and father of my oldest) on my birthday in December of 2000.
7) Had lost my grandmother that helped raise me after the loss of my mom. She passed in August of 2002.
8) Have now taken three separate trips back home to Nevada. One as a family while Nana was still alive. Another alone when she was passing away. The last for an extended, three-week visit in 2007 (also on my own).

There's much more that has happened. Including the loss of a baby in 2003 and another loss within my husband's family. And of course many good and happy things as well. But these all stand out above the rest.

As you can see, the first decade of this (still) new century has been both good and bad to me and my family. But I'm looking ahead and hoping for the best where the next decade is concerned. I try hard to keep looking forward, instead of where I have been.

Now, here's a few (but not nearly all) of my favorite songs from the 2000 to 2010 years.

**DISCLAIMER!...There is no copyright infringement intended with the following videos. Nor does this blog's author endorse any singer/band in this post, nor is getting monetary gain for doing so.**

Come Hop With Me On New Years!

It's a new year and a new weekend. First of all...

Do you make resolutions? What are they??

Personally, I don't. Because I don't need to lose weight, I live a pretty peaceful life, generally we are financially stable (excluding medical bills). And I know that I won't keep any resolutions that I make.

Now, as usual, it's Weekend Wandering with For The Love Blogs. So be sure to get with them and join the community if you have yet to do so and add your button to their hop.



BUT!! Before you do so, be sure to also ADD YOUR LINK to my link up tool (below).

Just please remember if you participate in MY hop...The *ONLY* stipulation I have is to please LEAVE A *GENUINE* COMMENT here on my page to show that you have read it. Not a copy/paste thing or a "I followed you/follow me back" comment... I am okay with people stating if they came from another blog hop and found me. But I don't play the "followed you/follow me back" game.

**If you cannot abide by that one simple rule for linking on my page, I wish for you to NOT link it at all, nor even leave a COMMENT on my page.

If *anyone* is caught breaking the rules for MY BLOG PAGE and the way I wish to run MY blog hop/link up, then the comment and/or blog link and button will be DELETED.

Now leave your link here, and then get hopping over to FTLOB (via their button) and join in the community and the fun!

Week One Down... 2 1/2 More To Go.

Technically, it's another two weeks. But us parents count in the weekends as well. Not just Monday through Friday.

It all started at about 1:00 on Wednesday, December 22nd. It will not end until January 18th of the new year.

What is that, you ask? Winter-freaking-Break! Three (by their counting standards) weeks of hellish holiday bliss.

The counties surrounding our city will all go back next week. I think on Wednesday. Or is it Tuesday? Oh who knows! All I know is that we WON'T be included.

Thanks to the lovely budget cuts, in part due to the fact that there was a severe deficit in the 2009-2010 school year (thanks to "accounting officials" that apparently cannot add or subtract) this school year had to take a budgeting hit. This meant going on to a "College Schedule" and having the same break times as the secondary level schools.

Also, city schools have an extra twenty minutes added to their school day. We still go five days a week though. And also, there are only two "teacher workdays" penciled in for the entire school year.

So, you can imagine how much fun this first week has gone. Especially with all of the holiday hullabaloo.

Sure! The kids were (for the most part) complete gems when Christmas came and gone. Plus I booted my oldest daughter over to her father's on Christmas day afternoon.

We had "split" the day this year, seeing as he was a no call/no show last year (though it was HIS Christmas to have her). I may be a bitch in his eyes, but he apparently is like a kid in that respect. All is good and well as long as HE gets what HE wants. And for the record, I OFFERED TO SPLIT with him.

We also are now almost completely done piecing the house back together post-Christmas. Yes, even BOTH trees are down. But the two younger kids are giving me more gray hairs. Like I need anymore, right?

There are times that I just want to bang those two's heads together and tell them to shut it up. All they do is fuss at one another, pick on one another, Bryce is constantly trying to "parent" Skyler (which I have been trying VERY hard for the last like year to break), and they are just generally grating one another's nerves.

All of that makes MY nerves quiver. Add in that the oldest will come back home (more than likely) with a shitty attitude and the need to be bitchy to her siblings, and it's going to once again be a five-ring circus.

In the end, I will be SOOOOOOO happy when school lets back in and I can once again see them get on the bus (or walk, as the older two do on the 'warmer' days).

Hell, on their first day back, the following is what I plan on posting on my FaceBook (via Status Shuffle)...

"It's the most wonderful time of the year ... ahhh ... The sound of the school bus pulling away with all the little inmates screaming!"

I love my kids. It doesn't mean that I always have to like living with them. So once school starts up again, I think that my stress level will finally go back to normal levels. But until then, it's going to take lots of coffee and wine to calm these nerves.

First Day of School...In pictures.

This is going to be pretty much, a picture-filled post. So, be prepared, and don't say that I didn't warn you! (=

Yesterday it was the first day back to school for most of my area. Including the city, as well as one county next to us. Another county above us started back LAST week (had to make up for time lost from last year's Winter Storm). 

I'd been waiting for the day to come for a good part of the Summer. Now, don't get me wrong here. I love my kids. I love spending time with them. What I don't love was the CONSTANT bickering, fighting, not cleaning up after themselves, eating me out of house and home, and thinking that I could take them places EVERY single day.

So, as their vacation ended, with having to board the bus for school, my vacation started, and I am now slowly getting my sanity back once more.

Here's some pictures from the start of the day...

As you can see, Hayley is not very happy. Why? Because I was *all* smiles as I took this picture as I hummed "Aud Lang Syne" (the 'Happy New Year' song).

Weebles was making the wait for the school bus a tab bit less excruciating.

"Where in the heck is that danged school bus? I'm ready to get them out of here FINALLY and get some peace and quiet!"... Don't worry Weebles, Mommy was thinking the exact same thing.

Weebles gave Bryce one last "kiss and hug" before the bus started up to the house.

This mom's a happy camper now! The bus is just about to start up from the corner street behind me. I saw the kids getting on, and knew we were next in less than a minute.

Here it comes! Skyler I think was the ONLY one out of the bunch to be THAT excited.

Run on to the bus my children!!...I even yelled out 'Happy New (School) Year!!' as they were boarding the bus. Not a tear shed, either. I was more than ready and happy to see them go.

...And off they go! On their two-minute ride up the street to school.

Then right after, I had to walk up to the school and take care of some minor business concerning a couple of the kids. While there, I was able to get a few pictures of my nephew, who is also, along with Skyler, starting Kindergarten.

Isn't he just handsome?? In his white polo shirt, khaki pants, and holding on tight to the bag, and having his big-boy back-pack on his shoulders.

All in all, the first day of school went quiet well for most of the students and the staff. I'm glad that they are back in class. And now, old friends can reconnect, and new friendships and bonds can be formed. I so can't wait to start volunteering. I'm looking forward to this being a great school year!

New Years, Shmoo Years....When it comes to Resolutions.

Do you make New Years Resolutions?

Not me. Nope. No way.

Why? Because I know for a fact that I won't keep them. Plus most of what I could use, I have already done.

Let's see here.... I stopped smoking over a year ago. I rarely ever drink. I have no weight to lose. I'm pretty healthy (for the most part).

If anything I should resolve to GAIN some weight. Maybe to have a glass of wine each night. Take up smokelss tobacco. And clog the arteries.

Maybe then, on New Years of 2011, I will have some resolutions to make use of in 2012.

Then again, I think I will just leave as is thank you. (=