"Shrek" is my kids' favorite movie. If you are familiar with the movie you might remember the scene where donkey asks "who would want to live in a place like that?!" Well I would. It's pretty! And the whole walk there was covered in moss and flowers. Lovely. I wear whatever I'm wearing (usually jeans and a T or tank) to work in the yard. If I KNOW I'm gonna be doing dirty work I put on my OLD jeans or overalls and the ratty sneakers. But mostly I just end up getting my "good" jeans dirty. I have been known to pluck weeds on the way out dressed up for a wedding or a party. Dirt under the nails is constant and I have to keep them short. And, to stray from the clothing topic, I credit weeding with sending me into labor with my daughter the next day. One of my husbands favorite pictures is of me out there on a little stool weeding the day before she was born. Or it might have been the mexican food we ate that night... -Ais.

Well, I had a friend who sold Pampered Chef and she talked me into hosting a party after my first kitchen remodel about five years ago -- I think I was vulnerable because I did want to show off the new kitchen. She is someone who has had a lot of bad luck and never seems to have money for the unexpected or sometimes even the necessities, so I was an easy mark and a softy and agreed to do it. BIG MISTAKE!!! She did a fine job with the presentation, and a good number of my friends came and bought stuff. But the processing of the orders was a nightmare, and she messed things up so badly that it took months and months to straighten them out, and was an embarrassment for me with those who had come and made purchases. It definitely affected our friendship, and I was relieved when she moved away because I was always afraid she was going to ask me to do it again. And while I did get some free stuff (which, other than the toast tongs, I don't use very often) I spent a fortune on the ingredients for the food that was prepared. So, be warned, while attending them can be painful and anxiety-producing for some, hosting the party can take you to a whole other level of torture.

I thought I was done here, but feel the need to come back for clarification, and another beating, because I know that no matter how I try to explain away what I totally screwed up saying, the backlash will continue. Thank you, Les. There's one person who understands what I meant by all of it. 1. If you were offended by the post, I am truly apologetic, because I didn't mean to offend. I should have chosen to put more of a separation between the 'unwavering' comment and the "opinion and objective" comments. The only part that I truly meant to refer to 'staunch republican' was was the unwavering part, and that was only a MINOR reference, and not intended to provoke political commentary or debate. I shouldn't have said it at all because... FWIW, I've never heard the term "bleeding democrat" but only "staunch republican." I was ignorant, and I thought it was a "coined phrase" like a metaphor that people used generically to mean "unwavering in general," and had I realized that it was not something you "just say," I certainly wouldn't have used it at all. I never EVER intend to insult anyone, or their beliefs/affiliations. Ever. Commentary on my sister's personality should have not been implied to refer back to the (R) comment, which again, was stated out of ignorance in using the phrase. 2. For the record...and who really cares...up until recently, I WAS a registered Republican, but, like Les, wanted the ability to vote for who I thought was the best candidate, so changed to undeclared status. More often than not, I do vote (R). I never meant to lump all Rs or Ds into a category. If anyone fits the mold of "unwavering," so be it. I applaud your willingness to take a firm position and defend it. 3. Nicole- going back to item #1, again, sorry for not putting more space between the comments, because you now have formed your own opinion based on my ignorance, and having added your own emphasis to the statements I made (and how they were presented), only fueled that fire. Ref #2 above regarding being biased and unable to be objective; I like to think that being undeclared gives some justification that I truly CAN be objective, because I DON'T sit on one side of the fence or the other. Because I can see both sides of most issues, I find it very difficult when trying to "choose sides." And for what all that is worth, I'm sorry to have caused such hate & discontent on the forum. I may stick around; I may not, but wanted to sincerely apologize for the disruption.

This is the first time the boys are going without the whole family to visit GM. It really wasn't double UM fee was $100 each so for a few extra $$ I got my own ticket so they wouldn't fly alone ... Mainly because BM is trying to convince everyone that SS11 is bi-polar and has anxiety too. I didn't want there to be any confusion about him so I thought I would go to and save some stress all around. As for what BM is doing to her children ... granted my SC can be stubborn when they want to be and they have lots of sibling rivalry at her home ... it has basically stopped here there is no competition here (IMO) at mom's they have to compete for her attention so it seems the one who can behave the worse gets the most attention. The boys were fighting with each other over the XBOX at her home so after she hollered and screamed at them for 45 minutes she began flailing her arms and hit both of them multiple times. (gee I wonder why they hit each other when they get frustrated) SS11 was pushed out the door with only sweatpants on in 22 degree weather after he threatened to run away so she told to get the f&*( out and stay out. She told the boys your dad has custody of you so if you never come back here I don't give a F^&* ... SD screaming she wanted to come here and BM told her no daddy has no rights to you if I say you can't see him you won't. (mom has sole custody of SD) BM screaming she doesn't even know why she had children if she knew they would turn out like this she would have never had any kids. SS13 was told you're my first born I thought I could love you more than the others I should have never had you. SD during all this had an "anxiety attack" mom told her to take a fu&%ing pill and get over it. They had an I hate you more contest. Screaming at each other who hates who more ... Most of this occurred on a wed night between 8:30PM and 10:30PM. They called here multiple times through the course of the 2 hours. And because hubby will not make waves or even call her and tell her to stop they continued to call .... no action on his part ... even though I was prompting him to go get them, get her on the phone, or call the police he took no action. When they came home this Sunday at 3:30pm from mom's all 3 were in the same clothes they had on friday when left for school... all came in starving I asked didn't you have lunch no mom left early this morning so we didn't get breakfast or lunch she came home and got us to bring us here. I said I know you all are quite capable of making yourselves something to eat they then rambled off how there wasn't any milk or bread nothing easy only oven food ... and they are not allowed to use the oven with out an adult around. We have had DSS involved in our lives since July when mom called because we didn't take SD's anxiety issues seriously and we didn't allow her to contact her mother.... DSS meets with mom bi-weekly because of her parenting skills and we meet monthly with them because hubby has sole custody of the boys. In Aug 2 days before they went to court .... SS11 was flipping out because hubby wouldn't him play xbox so he put him in his room he called his mom 2 hours later (big ordeal) mom came and picked SS11 up and took him to the police station to file an abuse report against hubby because he physically put SS in his room. Then she filed an Ex-parte order saying SS11 was "terrified" of his father and shouldn't have to return home ... judge granted hubby sole custody of SS's. So we asked SS11 if he wanted to file a police report against mom he said no ... I said well why did you against daddy he said mommy said he wouldn't get in trouble and she said he wouldn't be able to hit him anymore ... I said so its ok for mom to hit you but not daddy? he said yeah she's my mom she can hit me. I said no one should be hitting you when they are angry. No bruises but emotional abuse doesn't leave visible wounds. So after I calmed down and talked with hubby again we decided to sit the boys down and told them if you do not want to go there don't ... no one has the right to put their hands on you (but she's our mom she can hit us). Hubby and I decided next time they call here like that he is to send the police there and also head out and pick them up ... if there is any hesitation on his part I will just be his wife I will step back completely from them and uninvest any emotional attachment I have to them ... (this was my decision) I have to save myself before I can save them.