Naughty Kitty and a Poster

The naughty cat award goes to my 10 year-old daughter's cat - Jasper.  Just before the kids arrived home, on their first day back to school, I heard a loud bang from upstairs.  When they arrived home I mentioned that they might want to check it out.

Groans followed my comments and they slowly made their way up the stairs.  A few minutes later my 13 year-old stood at the bottom of the stairs.  She was holding her Twilight poster and groaning.  That little booger not only ripped the poster from her slanted ceiling, but put holes it in with his claws.  I guess he didn't like the poster, or he was looking for attention.

Now I'm on the hunt for a replacement poster.  I'm guessing she'll have to put the poster a bit higher or somewhere else.  He's the same cat who likes to chew up rolls of toilet paper, and cardboard boxes.

The "Ding Dong" award goes to my husband.  He bought the chickens a new heat lamp and now he can't find it.  He had it in his hands and was multitasking outside.  Now it is no where to be found.  I checked the other barns, the garage, the vehicles, and the chicken barn.  Nothing.  Good grief.  Poor chickens.  I'm sure their freezing their pa-toots off.  They are sitting two to a roost to stay warm right now.  I better look for that lamp again today or I'll have frozen eggs.

The creative dog award goes to my 13 year-old's dog - Jesse.  He wanted to play this morning and kept bringing me his toy.  He does that when he knows everyone is going to school.  When I didn't play with him, another one of our dogs (black lab/german shepard) decided she would play with him.  However, he wanted to part of sharing his toy.  He placed it into an open backpack that was hanging on the back of  a kitchen chair to hide it from her!  How funny!  He definitely gets an award this morning.

Life would be so boring without our animals.

School Starting and Messy House

It is amazing how fast the kids use school as an excuse to not pick up after themselves.  What will they ever do with they get a money paying job?  But then again, they see their father use his work as an excuse for everything too.  I'm a stay-at-home mom so it is assumed I have all day in the world to do the "dirty" work.  I'm so stressed today with having so many demands, I'm not sure how spring semester will go for me.  The idea is to learn, get a degree, get a job, and make money.  Lots of it.  But I'm wondering if it will ever happen now.

With demands outside of the home, and all of the demands within our home, it feels like I have no support for myself.  I spent the entire day yesterday with a meeting related to extended family, a ton of phone calls related to caring for my own home, a ton of laundry (I am not stretching the truth on this either), cleaning a flooded utility room, running errands regarding my own home........................basically the day ended and I had no time for writing whatsoever.  It doesn't mean it's the end of writing.  It just means I need family support and I'm not getting any of it.  It sure makes me feel worthless, abused and taken advantage of.

Yesterday, I did however, complete day 5 of reading the Bible in 90 days.  I read it in between stoking the firewood, desperately trying to get a fire started again.  With everyone leaving the house for school and work, not one person touched the wood burner, thus the fire went completely out.  With all of my responsibilities, demands and expectations, I never did get the fire going until almost 4pm.

I often wonder if I had an office to leave to every day, if the family would not put so many expectations on me.  I so often feel that the things I do, to keep the budget as low as possible, mean nothing to anyone but me.

I line dry my clothes all summer.  I never use the dryer.  This winter I have a retractable line, and two wooden racks to dry clothes to avoid the dryer as much as possible.  I use the library, and cannot remember the last time I bought an actual book.  I rotate the same two purses, and have not bought one for over a year or more.  My slippers have a huge hole in the toe.  I tried to buy myself a new pair yesterday but the only thing I could find was $8.00 or more and the $8 ones were white!  So I am still wearing my falling apart slippers.  I am the care taker of the wood burner and corn burner during the day, and pile on the clothes to avoid using the very expensive electric heat.  I make sure we have extra gallons of water, so that when the pipes freeze we have water for us, the pets and the chickens.  But.....does anyone care?  Nope.

I wonder if I am the only writer Mom, with more than five kids, who goes through this.  Some days I do not feel worthy of calling myself a writer, not having published a novel or an article in a well known magazine.

It all comes down to money.  If you have it, life is great.  If you don't life is miserable.  Especially kids feel this way.  When they can't have what they want, or even what they need.  It all comes down to money.  Whether my husband or kids will admit to it or not, it really boils down to money.  And they detest you for it. 

Day 4 of Read the Bible in 90 days

I have made it to day 4.  It is a lot of reading, but considering it is winter (and snowing right now) there is bound to be time for it.  Even though we are cleaning up before everyone starts school tomorrow, there is still time.

I am a little depressed that we cannot rearrange our front room furniture.  It always creates a "new" look and feeling.  This old house is lucky to have a cable and the only one keeps us from moving the television.  Then there is the wood burning stove that takes of an entire corner, and that too cannot be moved.  It's going to be a battle to find a "new" look.  Maybe a few throw pillows and something new on the wall?  One way or another we will find a way to create a nice look.

My SCRAP blog needs new ideas, so if you are a reader, and have a new idea please post a note over there.  Your name will be added to the craft or activity.  Some day, I will get the chance to open the SCRAP store I've always wanted.   I've always been a crafty person, and for several years looked for ways to recycle items into art or gifts or activities.  I see I have lost a follower on that blog already.  I'm not sure if it's due to the lack of updates or if they were a writer looking for article ideas.  Either way, that blog is on the list of to-do's this week.

Reading the Bible in 90 Days Challenge

I've decided to join this reading challenge today.  What a way to start of the New Year!?  I've printed off the reading schedule and will try my best to stick with it.

Check it out at Mom's Toolbox Blog

Burning the Mignight Oil

I'm using that title as a figure of speech.  I spend countless hours taking care of everyone else, that it's frustrating sometimes just to find one hour to write.  Then when I get my hot little hands on the key board or a pen in my hand, I simply freeze up.

I had to laugh at my son yesterday.  I told him that he reminds me of myself.  For Christmas he received a large drawing pad, and a table top easel.  For two days his drawing pad has sat on the easel, and has been moved from place to place.  However, he has not thought of what he wants to draw or paint.  I laughed because I completely understand the feeling.  My computer or paper and I can sit for days with nothing concrete.  When I saw his easel moving from place to place, I was inspired to not cave into procrastination.  To simply pick up and write, even if I have to put headphones on and blast out the kids chatter.

Well see if my son picks up his art pencils today.  I know I will be writing, even if it means turning off my phone for a few hours.  

Sunny Tueday Happenings

I cannot admit to using time wisely today, but I can say I took time for myself.  It is not a New Year's Resolution, just a matter of getting back my routine.  There's nothing more satisfying than me and my speed bag.  It releases all of my tensions and suddenly whoever or whatever that has been hanging over me like a black cloud is whisked away.

Just ask my kids.  They see my composure after a good workout.  Even though the heavy bag and speed bag are in the cold garage, I can still work up a sweat.  It is so worth it.  The kids laugh at me, but they see how I benefit from it and they encourage me to keep at it.

With all of the tension released, and spending time for myself, I can think more clearly and use my writing time more seriously.  Even if it's writing on this blog, a specific journal or writing out the day's to-do list.  Once I have a clear mind, and start writing something, anything, it all starts to come together.

Wrist Warmers ~ Otherwise known as Fingerless Mittens

Before the winter school break started, I caved and gave the girls their crocheted wrist warmers.  It was pretty (and still is) cold in this old country house.  The younger two wore theirs to school almost everyday.  After a few days, of the girls wearing them to school, my 10 year-old daughter came home to tell me she had an order.  Her friend wanted, not just one pair, but two!!  Then she precedes to tell me she is selling them for $5.00 a pair.  Ha ha ha ha ha! 

"And just who is making these for you?" I asked.

"You are Mom."

You could have heard my long drawn out sigh when this was going on.  However, last night I had time to sit and relax, and watch a movie with the older kids.  During that time I did crochet her friend a pair, but I'm charging for the second pair (ha ha ha ha).  Kids!