I got locked in Walmart

Heather came to work with me yesterday because we got her $enior pic$ taken and we were on our way home when Sonya called to ask me to stop to get strawberry-kiwi-apple juice and club soda so she could make a concoction she heard about at school that had 0 calories, 0 fat and was "very nutritious" because it was made with 100% juice. I told her I wasn't stopping tonight, it was already late, I'd had a long day and I was ready to get home. Oh, please she said, then Heather said she needed to stop for a few things she "had to have" before tomorrow anyway. Fine, we'll stop, but we're running in and out - 5 minutes - TOPS!!!!!! Fine!

We run in - go get the juice and I remember we need bleach so we run to the back of the store and hear "Code Black", "Code Black" (What the hell does that mean?) "All customers and associates to the back of the store immediately!" "Oh Crap!" So we go to the back of the store, and people are saying there is a tornado warning, the sirens are going off in town. (We live in a very small town, very rural - so we get this alot.) So, they tell us we cannot leave, they've locked the doors and we must all stay back here until they give us the "all clear".

I tell Heather I'm not staying back here all night, this is ridiculous. They can't keep us locked in Walmart, can they? What if I call the police? Will they let us out? How can they do this? Then Colby calls, crying! Darrell is gone. Colby & Sonya are home alone. He is 11, she is 9. He only left at 6:25 and it's now 6:45, but still - there's a tornado coming and they're scared and he's not home and I'm freakin' pissed!!!!! I start calling him, texting him, Heather's on the phone with Colby calming him down, telling him to go in the basement, it'll be fine. Finally, Darrell gets back home about 10 minutes later, but we're still in Walmart. And he says "Yeah, right - like you're locked in Walmart - (like he doesn't believe me). "You need to get home!" And I said "You need to bite me - you should have been home all this time - I'll get there as soon as I get out of this place. Trust me I don't want to be locked in Walmart with all these people!"

So, I'm getting ready to throw a fit to get out of there and some "associates" come back there all walking in a line real official-like and tell us we need to move even further back like into the warehouse part. The weather is getting worse. OK, now I'm kinda getting scared. After about 30 minutes, I start to feel OK again and my sis-in-law is texting me that the sirens have stopped and it's not even raining, but they won't let us go. They are pssing out Oatmeal Creme Pies and cups of water. I'm really getting pissed.

There are no managers back there with us, only minions so I go up to them and I say "Look, I'm not staying any longer and you can't keep me here. I'll call the police if necessary, but I need to get home to my other children and I've just spoken to someone on the outside and she says the weather has calmed down so I am leaving RIGHT NOW!!!!" And he said "sure, you're free to go - just go tell the manager and he will unlock the door for you, you can't buy anythign though" WHAT? you mean, I've been sitting back here for almost an hour and I could have left the whole time as long as I didn't buy anything?

So fine, Heather and I get up and start walking out. We are badasses too. We're gonna break free - then we heard the biggest, loudest clap of thunder you ever heard and lightening struck across the sky so that it lit up the store even through the sky roof and the heavens opened up and dumped rain on the roof and it poured and poured and pelted the roof like bullets. We stopped in our tracks. I looked at Heather and she looked at me and I said, I don't know if we should leave and she said "mommy, I don't want to go out there" (remember, she's 17) so we put our tail between our legs and went back to sit on the floor of the warehouse with the others. I said to the guy next to me when we went back in "I changed my mind" and he said "I would have chickened out, too".

Some badass I am, huh?

The tornado warning finally passed at 8:45 (we were there for two hours) and the rest of the evening was fairly uneventful. - as if I needed anything else:)

Going through the motions

I'm bored at work today. I have lots and lots of stuff that needs done, but don't have the gumption to do any of it. And lots of people are out today for Good Friday, so it's pretty quiet around here. I have so much stuff going on this weekend, it's not even funny and I can't keep from thinking about everything I need to do.

DJ's 15th birthday was Tuesday. He is having a "party" tonight. He's supposed to be playing Rock Band - which we haven't bought yet. Darrell doesn't want to buy it, but I'll probably stop on my way home & get it for him. This is supposed to be a boy/girl party, but I don't know how many of the girls will really show up or boys for that matter, you really can't tell at this age. I guess I'll wait to order pizza until I know for sure who will be there.

Sonya's 9th birthday was Wednesday. Her party is tomorrow at the bowling alley. She invited everyone from her class and all her cousins so it should be a pretty good turn out except for this weekend being Easter. We already had a Dairy Queen cake for her, so I think I'm going to make cupcakes for the bowling alley. I'll have to get up early tomorrow to do that, after cleaning up from DJs party.

Then Sunday - who knows, I really didn't want to do it at my house (that's where we always get together) Typically, I really enjoy having people over, but with all the parties already happening, I'm not sure I can handle 3 in one weekend. Last night I went to my in-laws to try to get some plans made with them for Easter (No one is this family ever makes plans until the last possible minute.) They said they didn't care, they assumed we'd do it at my house. We have the best place for outside stuff, we have 26 acres and there are G-ma & G-pa, 7 kids, with spouses, kids, grandkids, great-grandkids. It's certainly a crew so it's no small feat to have everyone over. Plus it's supposed to rain some, maybe. So, I guess we'll just wait until Sunday morning and decide. Now they think they may do it at their house, so that sounds good to me.

I've been feeling pretty shittly lately, haven't been taking my meds like I should & I can feel it. I'm really testy with the kids and I've been arguing with my husband even more than normal these days.

He's going to KC to play softball in a couple of weeks and it falls on the same weekend as his 40th birthday so he wants me to go on the trip with him. I really do not want to go. I've been to KC several times in the last several years while he played there and it's a long drive to watch someone play softball, when I could do that at home. I'll go though, and give it the 'ole college try. Who knows, maybe we'll connect again. He thinks this is what life is supposed to be I guess. I know I sure want more from it, right now, it just feels like I'm going through the motions.

Friday - hardly no work and lots of docs

I've got two of my kids with me today at work. Colby had an appt with the urologist. We thought he had another hernia, he's had one on each side already and we thought the one was back, but the doc came in and felt around on his groin area for about 3 minutes, said it was fine, I paid my $30 and we left. Easy, peasy and no more surgery - oh, and I'm out $30 bucks for him to tell me my son is normal:) I know, I shouldn't gripe about the money, I should be glad nothing is wrong and I am, it just stinks that you have to pay $10 a minute to find that out - that's more expensive than the L IVE G IRLS - H OT 4 U - that all you have to do is call the 900 number:)

Heather has an appt with the therapist. She's seen her twice before and thought she should have at least one more talk before heading off to college. She's pretty normal too, just going through some teenage stuff from a girl whose stepdad is waaaaay too overprotective. She was getting depressed and crying alot (I know the feeling - he makes me cry alot too, cuz he's such an ass most of the time) - anywho, I just wanted her to know that that kind of help was available to her and that it was nothing to be ashamed about. If she needed to talk things out with someone other than me, then she has that option. Along with her physical health, I want her to understand that her mental health is just as important and that she should seek help if needed.

The show at the Fox the other night was pretty good - but the company with my sister and my friend from work was phenomenal. We had such a great time and vowed to do it more often. My sister wants she and I and Heather to all go on a weekend roadtrip this summer before Heather leaves for college. I hope we make it happen!

Sisters & Friends

My sister and I are going to see The W edding S inger tonight - not the Adam Sandler movie - the show at the F ox T heatre. I am sooooo excited. I really enjoy this kind of thing, but my hubby is more of a softball freak. He like outdoorsy, macho things and I like to add a little culture to my life now and then. I know it's just the Wedding Singer - but it is at a real theatre that's not a mega-movies:) That has to count for a little culture, at least, right?

My friend at work is so special, I love her to death. She is several years older than me, but she is teaching me how not to be a hoosier my whole life. I like being a hoosier sometimes, but it's not always appropriate.

Someone gave her the tickets and she gave them to my sister & I. My sister cleans her house (and she and her husband absolutely love her for it). I'm really close to M (my work buddy) and my sister is really close to her husband J. My sis sees J all the time while she's cleaning (he's retired) and they are really amicable. M has commented that she loves my sis for having such a great relationship with J - it gives him something to look forward to. I'm trying to explain this where it doesn't sound icky. It really is a great friendship for J and my sis and for M & me:) M is in her late 50's and J is in his mid 60's, I'm 37 and my sis is 32 - they don't have kids of their own and I think they've sort of taken the two of us under their wing since our mom is gone and our dad stinks!

Anywho, they gave us the tickets, then called last night and said we could only have the tickets if we agreed to let them take us to dinner beforehand. OK, not a problem, there. M said it was J's idea, he doesn't think we get to do anything for ourselves and wants us to have a wonderful night. How sweet! We are sooo excited. It's going to be the perfect day and the perfect night. The weather here will be 70 degrees today. We get to go to dinner with lovely friends (we've never all 4 been together before) and we get to spend time together as sisters doing something for ourselves - I am soooo looking forward to this. Yay --- us!

Anybody want to trade my puppy for a baby?

I swear it was easier to have kids than this darned dog! He is a real pain! We have him outside for long periods of time and then he comes inside to "do his business" on the carpet!

I'm sick of all the animals in my house. We have 2 outside dogs, one of which tries to come inside everytime you open the door. One inside puppy - Big mistake I'm really regretting! 3 inside cats - one of which is pregnant - they were all 3 strays - NO MORE STRAYS for me - I don't care how miserable they look! 5 fish - 4 gerbils - at least one of them is probably pregnant. I know, I'm not a very responsible pet owner. The cat is getting fixed after this litter, the other two are already fixed. The dogs are fixed. The puppy will be when he's 16 weeks - if he makes it that long! As for the gerbils, I don't know what to do about them. I'm considering letting them go "into the wild" of the woods by our house. Has anyone ever heard of wild gerbils? The pet store doesn't want them - and why the hell not. Remember the exhorbitant fee they wanted for one on Christmas?

Most of the time, I'm the one that feeds them, cleans up their poop, I force the kids to do it sometimes, but I'm the main man, so to speak and I have to take all morning duties, because everyone is in such a rush. How did this happen to me? I've completely lost control of my children, my pets, my home and my mind? Is it possible to do a total switcheroo and become someone they've never met before - someone they think they have to listen to?

Confession

I ate an entire box of girl scout cookies by myself yesterday. Can someone please absolve me of my sin and take the damned things off of my hips?

Snow - Dogs & College

Well, another snow storm is on it's way! I'm soooo ready for spring. Looks like we'll get 6-10 inches tonight and we had almost record high yesterday in the 70s - crazy weather. Kids will most likely be out of school tomorrow, if not longer and I'm sure I'll probably be home from work. We've had an unusually snowy winter and I've had to work at home alot because my commute is so long. I know the others here that live close are probably getting irritated with me because I have that luxury and it certainly is nice, but I do feel bad and sometimes feel like I'm not doing my part.

DJ is a little better about Jackson dying, but still tears up if we talk about him. We did adopt a new dog from a rescue shelter. He's a toy poodle, only 3 pounds right now - I'll post a pic when I get one. He's so cute and full of life, but it's hard work raising a puppy. You have to mix his food and constantly take him outside. He's making tons of messes and everytime I straighten the kitchen rugs, he goes in there and yanks them around until they're all flipped over. It was cute the first 10 times he did it - now I'm ready to wring his neck:) It's not the same as Jackson, but Winston is finding a place in all of our hearts - along with the 3 cats, 4 gerbils, 2 outside dogs and fish:) (one of those died yesterday, too, but it wasn't nearly as traumatic)

Heather and I visited Mizzou - It was AMAZING!!!!!!! Heather is so psyched to go there and I wish I was going with her. It is so cool! They have 3 pools, 2 indoor & 1 outdoor. One of the indoor pools looks like a hotel pool and has a hottub, sauna, lazy river and whirlpool. The other is an Olympic sized pool and has music streaming so you can hear it under water! They have a bowling alley, pool hall, independent film theatre all on campus. She won’t even have to drive, they even have a grocery store and pharmacy within walking distance. And every fast food joint you can think of. If I had known college could be like this, I might have actually left home and gone instead of getting involved with a jerk and starting a family - but then this would be a different blog altogether.

She is stoked about the dorm, so that’s good. I was afraid she’d want to get an apartment. Although, we may have been better off with the apartment, the dorm is $8,500 a semester. That is with 3 meals a day so hopefully the price will drop substantially when we tell them we only want one meal a day in one of the 5 dining halls. I know she won’t get up for breakfast anyway and with all the fast food, snacks, etc. I’m thinking one good meal a day is better than what she’s getting at home now.

I hope she won’t get homesick……….yeah right! She wants to move there now!