Ok, they are gone. Now I am down to 2. Two little ones to keep me company. Until September 6th, then I will lose Dan to Pre-K/preschool. Sigh. I am fine. I just have to remember how much I used to get done when they weren't here, asking for meals, snacks and juice all the time! Back to the days of a schedule. Maybe that is what I am sad about. The dreaded SCHEDULE! EEk! Just kidding. I am really not upset. I just hate summer to end, carefree summer days. Love them with all my heart! When there is frost again and no flowers I will really be sad! Carpe Diem! Right Girls? Becki, I can totally relate to trying to control a crowd of kids when trying to shop for clothing in the store. I am going to tell you the cure all story that has worked for me. My mother totally cured me of bad public behavior. She used this method on me exactly 1 time in my life. In church. I have not had to use it yet, but the children all know about it, how bad it is, and how it has left a very serious impression on me since I was 5 years old. I recommend only telling your children about it as a threat. Look away if you do not have a strong stomach for torture and psychological manipulation of small people. Here it comes: My mother was not too happy with my squirming in church one Sunday morning, I was talking, fooling around with my brother, I believe we were both knuckle punching each other. I nailed him hard enough for him to yelp. My Mom had reached her limit! She lightly looped her hand under my upper arm, I thought she was going to move me away from my brother. Then shock appeared in my eyes, then pain registered in my brain, next the tears started welling up in my eyes. My mother leaned down to my ear and whispered "If you cry or make any noise, I will do it AGAIN." While she had looped her arm through mine she pinched the soft underside of my little upper arm with her long nails and twisted the skin over 180 degrees. I sucked it up as hard as I could, little gulps, heaving chest and silent sniffs. I sat perfectly still and never goofed off in church again, (unless I was seated next to Dad, then I quietly goofed off with him, careful not to be caught by mom). I absolutely never ever embarassed her in public again, gone were the days of hiding in clothes racks, and tormenting my brother anywhere near her! Oh yeah, and I made sure that I always made Tom sit next to mom in church after that.

When we moved out here in the middle of nowhere, I wondered what I would do without a Sam's Club. Well, it didn't take us long to realize that we absolutely wouldn't 'do without'. Our nearest Sam's is a 3-hour round trip so now we go once every two or three months. Yes, when we go, we spend about $400, but we save a ton even with the cost of gas over what we would spend at the local grocery (which is 1-hr. round trip). Also, I do lots of canning with tomatoes, peppers, veggies, apples and other fruits that come into season. I can't imagine spending $.50 for a pepper in the winter when I have lots of chopped peppers in the freezer. If you really want to save, you can.

In the process of getting ready for the hearing, the court required me to contact ALL grandparents & let them know about the hearing. I left a message for DIL's mom. A short time later, I got a call from DIL yelling at me to leave her family alone & stop harassing them. Her mom never called me back. I left a message for DIL's dad. Her stepmom called me back and filled me in on why they have very little to do with DIL. According to her, it is DIL that refuses to call or see them, not the other way around. Seems DIL has burned her bridges. She even told me of an incident where DIL sat and watched her half sister (her mom's bio daughter with SD) almost drown. She had fallen into water & DIL (a teenager at the time) did nothing to help her & after that, the mom sent DIL to dad. Dad put DIL into what she called "discipline" schools. She told me that DIL told them my son was an illegal drug user. She told me that her dad was racist & didn't like my son because he's Mexican. She also told me how DIL uses sex to manipulate men (I already knew this) and seemed very supportive of my petition for guardianship. and then I got a call from my son's father. I had left a message with my son's aunt. THAT was fun!!! [dripping with sarcasm!!!] The aunt got on the phone and tried to negotiate me giving my son's father every other weekend with the baby. Then he got on the phone & said he wants to be able to see my DGS. I told him that it's been a few years since I've been to the town where he lives, but if he wants to come up here... I have no problem letting him see DGS. He has been in & out of prison over the years & stopped seeing DS for several years, isn't working, has no car & the chances of him showing up is pretty safe to say 'nil'... so I humored him & said 'whatever'. Then he agreed to not object to my petition but said he couldn't make it because he has no way to get here. Talking to him almost made me physically ill. That was pretty much to hardest thing I have had to do. Glad THAT is over. We have a hearing for permanent guardianship on July 8th & the court investigator will be doing a report for that. My son & I have been discussing all of it & he knows this is what needs to be done. Now if she calls him, he can say that he has no authority either. Guardianship suspends BOTH parent's rights.. so my son has no say. Of course, as long as what they want is in my DGS's best interests.. I am inclined to do what both parents want. Just that right now, it's not best for him to be with her while she is out getting drunk, bringing home guys, & leaving DGS with strangers... especially when she told me that the only reason the guy was there was to take pictures of her having sex with him!

Looking forward to your starting to build and us seeing it come together PI. I don't want to carry a phone with me all over my house, and before I had my whole-house generator, having just a cell phone would have meant it spent much of the time in the car charging. Carrying a phone around with you in the house can be the smartest thing you can do as you age in place. Why? If you fall for example, your phone will be right there to call. DH and I never even answer our home phone anymore because we know the only calls we get on the home phone are spam calls.