Its Over!

Well my 46th Christmas is over and done. I must say I am glad and I mean that in the nicest way possible. Having teenagers in general is rough but having teenagers around the holidays is even rougher. Its seems every problem is bigger during the holidays and we have had our share this year. The expectations of what they want, what you should get them and what you can afford to get them is very stressful. Plus the fact that Rodney and I seem to always to put each other on the back burner cause there is either no time left or no money left. I miss opening presents from him and I miss the surprise of opening presents. Alright we begin again and hope for the best!

Held Hostage

This is the most recent picture of myself since I have been locked in my home without my car. I have changed a lot since I have been held hostage without my car. Chase hit the curb on Forrest Park hill Wednesday night and broke my tire and tire rod. When I called to check on the status of my car Saturday, they still had not had a chance to look at it as they are very busy I was told. I have no car. Why is it if my car was in the garage I would probably not want to go anywhere, but since I have no car I want to go out and do stuff. I really have no stuff to do its just the principle of it. I have no car. My captors wouldn't even let me go to knit night last Thursday. I have no car.................

Rose

I want you to meet Rose. She is my mom's mom and this is her high school graduation photo from 1933 when she was 18. Its weird how you just think of your grandma as this older lady who you saw a couple times a year when you went to visit. Its weird to think that at one time she was a teenager who was absolutely beautiful, who had boyfriends and girlfriends and who had hopes and dreams of her own.

I am sad to say I never really knew her and never took the time so sit and talk to her. I guess its because I was so young myself when she was alive and never really felt a connection to her, the way my kids feel towards my mom. The big difference is that she lived in Iowa while we lived in Illinois.

I wish I knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. I wish I knew what she liked to do, what hobbies she had, what movies she liked. What kinds of boys she liked, was it love at first site when she met my grandpa. What kinds of things did they do.

There was a fire at their house so there are not a lot of pictures of both of them. I would love to know what their wedding was like, what she wore.

The one thing I do know is that she raised a wonderful person who turned out to be my mom. If she was still here or if I could tell her one thing, it would be thank you for my mom, you would be really proud of her and how she turned out.

Its the most wonderful time of the year!

This picture makes me laugh out loud! The look on Shelby's face is how I feel most of the time. She even has her arms crossed to complete the look. She is still accessorized properly though, she has her candy necklace on and her purse just in case.

Chase looks so happy and carefree, I must have given him money to look like that.

Christmas is a whole different ball game now that they are teenagers, but Shelby still looks like that most of the time so some memories will always stay fresh in my mind.

Cheerleaders Girls

Oh how things come back around when you get older. Shelby was a cheerleader for Halloween 10 years ago when she was 5. How cute is that outfit!

Fast forward 10 years and now Shelby is a cheerleader her Freshman year in high school! This picture was taken homecoming weekend when she was all dolled up.

Not a big fan most cheerleaders as I had my fair share of them in high school, too many Brittanys, Stephanies, Tiffanys, gag me's, but I think Shelby looks too cute for words and I know this brings out her feminine side. Over the years Shelby went on to be a ballerina, a cat, a witch (twice), (hey we might have something there) and my favorite was the year she was a flapper and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Everyone needs a little girl to dress up on Halloween, its awesome. Love you honey!

Family Christmas

So this is how I picture my family at Christmas. All my little children (they are actually 15, 16 & 17) standing around the Christmas tree we just cut down (or tried to buy at Lou's, but had to go to Chillicothe because Lou's did not have any) and we would all decorate the tree with a roaring fire in the living room (we don't have a fireplace) while Christmas carols softly play in the background (still trying to find out if snoop dog recorded a Christmas album, nothing says Christmas like rap carols).

Wait a minute.....................Sorry I dozed off there for a minute and came back to reality. So I got this tree which is wayyy to short for my tastes, climbed up in the attic and brought down all the Christmas tree ornaments, lights and garland by myself, put all the lights on the tree myself as Shelby was at a basketball game, Rodney was on the couch complaining about a migraine and Chase was downstairs on facebook with his headphones in. I decorated the entire tree myself and put all the mess away. Ahhh Christmas memories!

Step Son

I am amazed at the number of people who have step kids but dont really like them. I have won the step son lottery by having in my life for almost 18 years now an awesome young man who I love to be around. Brandon has been in my life since the day he was born. I changed his diaper, gave him bottles, potty trained him, hugged him, kissed him, yelled at him, put him in time out, and was there when he got his first car! He is smart, caring, and I swear he is a 50 year old man in disguise! He is such an old soul, and I really miss him when he is not around. I know I am not biologically his mother, but I love him and hope I had a part in making him into the man he has become. Thanks for being such a great son.

Oh how I love my knitting group! I am paying homage to all the knitters of the world. Its the first thing I have ever done that I really love and am getting really good at. I just wish I had more time to knit and then I would find true happiness.

Thank you to all my sister knitters in Morton!

Driver's License Day

October 21, 2010 a day that will go down in infamy, ok maybe not that exciting, but today my 16 year old son was granted the right by the State of Illinois to drive a car and hit the road. Right, wrong or indifferent my nine months of driving with him is over. My second 9 month stint with him! This one so far is much less painful! Please watch out if you see him coming down the road. I would like to officially change the driving age in Illinois to 17. I wonder if other parents would agree with me. Good luck Chase, be safe and no texting!!!!

So today was a great fall day and I wish I could duplicate it tomorrow instead of going to work :(

Shelby spent time with Kathleen which I think they both needed. Its hard to keep a friend when you go to different schools.

Chase lost his girlfriend tonight. He says as soon as they go out for a month that's it! Her loss. No problem he will have his license is 4 days and all will be well in his world.

I am still attempting to complete my first pair of knitted socks. Yes I know they sell them in the store, but its a challenge now and I plan to conquer........

Driving Ms. Daisy

Dear Chase:

Next Thursday October 21, 2010, you will have had your permit for 9 months, and its time for you to get your driver's license. I have mixed feelings about this, but its a rite of passage for every kid. I can only hope you keep in mind everything I taught you and that those 50 hours we drove together were not lost on you. God knows I have the extra gray hairs for all the 50 hours I drove with you. Please be safe and be respectful of other drivers and I will say a little prayer every time you drive away from me.

Mom

April, 1997

This was taken at Jubilee State Park when Chase was 3 and Shelby was 2. We used to make a point of taking the whole family to the park for a cookout once a year. I am not sure why we stopped doing this, I guess it got too hard with job schedules to work around, school functions to go to, boyfriends and girlfriends to see....... I miss this.

Ok on a much lighter note, a lot of the reason for me doing this blog is for my kids as I have mentioned before. This photo was taken roughly in 1961 ish, cause god knows there are no dates on it! These are my parents. The lovely lady on your right is my mom Jeanne and the handsome stud muffin on your left is my dad Jack.

Jack and Jeanne will be celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss this October 22nd! They said it would never last. This photos was taken at your Grandma Kilborn's house in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Maybe if my mom really reads my blog like she says she does, she can post a comment and tell me how old she is in the pictures??????

Today my husband's father died. I looked up the word Father in the dictionary and this is what it said: "a man who has begotten a child; esp., a man as he is related to his child or children"

Kinda of a generic description for the one man who should have the most impact in your life. My father-in-law was not the kind of "father" I am used to being around. The pain I see in my husband's eyes upon realizing his father is dead is for what he cannot remember about his father. No fishing trips, no car rides, no baseball games in the backyard, no love and affection. At least that he can remember.

Maybe it has to do with being one of 6 boys, but how does a person have 6 kids and not be a "father"??

I dont know enough about my father-in-law to understand how you walk away from your kids. I know it works both ways and maybe my husband should have reached out to his dad, but I am not sure it would have been welcomed.

The one thing I hope my husband takes away from this is to tell your kids you love them, show your kids you love them no matter how old they get or no matter how old you get before it too late.

Just a quick shout out to my Father---- I love you dad :)

This is where it all began for our family. Rodney and I were married at the Botanical Gardens in Glen Oak Park on May 15, 1993. I was 28 and Rodney was 27. We actually have matching 80's hair!! Its been 17 years and they said it would never last! He is one lucky guy......... just ask me I will tell you.

I want to share as much of our life with our kids as I can so they realize that we were once young and weren't always called "mom and dad".

These are my kids and boy do I have stories to tell about them!

First Post

Ok my kids say I have nothing to write about, hope they are not correct. This is my tester page.