Oh, the Grand Canyon Curly, I hope you do get to see it.   I have only a couple hundred photos, from when my sons went.  But I haven't been..

I am also getting company this friday for one day/night only.   We are going to a pizza sports bar near my house.. Their choice...  They are staying in a hotel on Speedway Blvd near Concord Mills Mall instead of my house because they have a dog.   

I let dogs stay when I have company, even my son brings his big lab and his wife brings her weiner dog....

But they just wanted to have the freedom of a hotel room.... I always prefer that too.

My two sisters and I are planning another "sisters weekend" to WVa.. we want to go to the Greenbrier Hotel to shoppe, and to the Bunker..

Nothing new here,  spring is happening I can see it all around.

Theresa.. how you doing today?

..   Duke and Georgia..... 1 oclock..  Go duke.

Hello to you all,

Well my company from ND left and I am breathing a a sigh of releif.  I love it when they come to see me cause I needed the company.  I get a bit homesick here.  However, you know how it is when company leaves and you can go back to just a sandwich if you want or not.  You can run around in your undies or not....just let down your hair in your own home. 

That said, today hubbys cousin is coming to see us with her husband.  I like them and they will only be here for the day and then go home.  I will make lunch and we will go out for dinner.  I made that soup I posted yesterday and I have enough left to have that and some cold sandwiches for lunch and I will make some strawberry shortcake for dessert with the real thing whipped cream.  I think we will take them to Chris' diner for dinner.  I am too lazy to cook again and I wnat to just visit instead of cook.

Theresa, I hope you can get on the happy side soon. Have you ever thought of going and using a tanning bed a few times just for the sun we lack in ND?  I know that used to get to me when  was there all winter.  Just a thought.  I was really kind of down about two weeks ago.  I got myself some pills for mood elevation at Costco.  Something has helped me and I am glad.  I am not sure what helped, might just be hubby is doing a little better.  Still far from pain free but he is a bit better. 

I will be home sometime in April.  I have a dentist appointment in April sometime.  Have to call and find out when.  Want to be home by then.  We are thinking of going home past the Grand Canyon this time.  We have not been there for a while and we love the views.  I am missing the pool at the YMCA and am looking forward to getting back there and going there with my friends and I miss the family too.  Sounds like things are going well for our son and family.  He is only there for another week and then back to Kosovo.  I guess when he got of the plane and walked into the terminal at Fargo the his children all ran to him and just clung to them.  We talked to him one afternoon.  I miss him and wish I could see him but he promises us he will make time for us in August when he comes home to stay.  He is applying for a managemnt job at Microsoft and had interviews all afternoon on the 11th.

Well, better get dressed for the day.  I need to pick up around the house and water my outdoor plants before the company comes.

Have a nice Sunday ladies

D

This thread is awesome.... 65 pages already.... Kewl..

Today was fun,   the grandsons (on same team) had a basketball game.  TRIPLE OVERTIME.... lost by 5.  But My 9 yr old said with a big smile at the end.. In my world I win all the time... he is funny..

Its been cold and rainy also.   But we do have the daffys coming up.   My cat OG (original gangster) has been missing 5 days now.  She was very old, about 14 yrs so I  imagine she is gone to the great beyond.   I had one cat that lived to be 18 yrs..

Nothing new here either.

Theresa.   Still hoping you can start having a good day again.. Love ya..v

Hi everyone how are you today? It is another dreary day here in North Dakota, I think it is about 36 degrees and cloudy.  It was so beautiful this morning doing the papers, the sky was bright and full of stars; I haven’t seen them in a long time.  Still sad, so I have to find a project, or something. My husband and I were talking about what to do with the money from his raise, we need a new carpet, and he needs a motorcycle. Curly and KO, I hope you see Care II is up and running again, I begged forgiveness yesterday. I am really not dealing with everything well.

I haven’t got much to say, I have been updating the Antivirus software in four computers today. They all expired today, so I renewed everyone today, it takes time. You have to remove the old McAfee security to put in the new McAfee security, takes time.  So I just wanted to check in and make sure everyone is okay.  See you all someday. Theresa

I Demanded too Fair!     Then rewarded them because I wanted too..  

Paid most of the money for the 3 kids college,  they paid a good bit by working themselves.   They always worked hard.  Not a lazy one in the bunch.  

None are paying Child support, none have kids out of wedlock,  none do drugs.  I think the boys may drink beer occasional (if they do I don't know about it)  They don't waste money on Cigs.

Daughter and her family attend church, she teaches awana.   sons go only about once a month, but I would like to see them go more.  I think once they have kids (if ), they will be encouraged to get kids in sunday school, and that will help them attend more often.

I AM so darn proud of all my kids.  couldn't have asked for better.

They have NEVER raised their voice to me or dad.. Never been a bully at school.  

so,  I don't see the pittance I rewarded them with, for Good high school grades harmed them in any way.

Yes, we helped with first cars too, unless they could make small payments to the dealers. (without prior credit it was hard to go that route)

So... I am ok, you are OK..

I was kidding about the demanding part...I never had to demand.  They already knew what had to be done to get into college of their choice  and they did it..

Rye, we pay them for geting pregnant and always will, maybe we should change our strategy and pay those who are responsible after all, they will be the likely people leading tmmmorrows future.... Why do we always pay the morons.... it is like some kind of a reward.... and I understand who should get rewarded.... This is not a right to children on any bill of rights, so why is there automatically a right to lifetime welfare because of of your irresponsibility....

Teresa, we bought our kids new cars too, but that was because they got (or are getting) scholarships to college.... we took the money we were saving for them and used it to buy them cars instead... I never bribed my kids to get good grades, I demanded it and provided the tools necessary, like backing the teachers, making them go to bed at a decent hour, doing homework, volunteering ( you must do this in order to get most scholarships, you know).

Your son will meet my nephew ( Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineer for Lockheed Martin) a robotics guy with a PHD and a future with NASA. We are very proud of him also....the sweetest kid

Yes, Theresa it was around Christmas and you didn't dump it on me,  you shared it with me.  And I feel the pain you are going thru..

I pray you get out of that Depression in the name of Jesus!   For some reason most that I have talked too on kx and other places have also had a touch of depression lately.  Not sure why ... Its hard to get out of, but I hope you do.

Yes, those walmart photos (at least a few) have to be staged, but they are fun to watch anyway.

MAKES ME FEEL MORE NORMAL, HOW ABOUT YOU GUYS?  LOL

almost 60 here too.  Spring flowers are popping.  I will see my husband this coming thur after him being away another month..

I hope work picks up in Charlotte so he doesn't have to work with our son.

I know its spring because we are into BASEBALL ..yea.. the 9 yr old is playing, and the 6 yr old is in soccer.... Love watching the games.

Nothing new here really.

Theresa... Thoughts are with you friend.

Love yall

vivian

Yes, let NASA pay him now.  He sounds brilliant.   Or just studies very hard...

We quit our incentives at high school, even though the 3 of them went on too College...  My youngest is a few credits short of graduation and may or may not finish.   He is doing well at Verizon and I think has lost some incentive to study..

My oldest is working on his PHD in Quantum Physics, with a Masters in Space Engineering. We stopped any incentives after he received his firs Bachelors degree.  Now he is getting paid by NASA to get his PHD.

Hello everyone, and forgive me for leaving you for a few days.  I am in a very dark depression and can’t seem to shake it. I talked to a doctor and everything, I am probably going through that thing that women go through he said.  I just feel like I am in deep hole and I can’t breathe.  Maybe it is this time of year, I had something awful happen 22 years ago, and it plays like a video in my head, day after day. All I will say is that I had a son murdered by a drunk driver; he was a baby 4 years old. Sometimes I can smell him; I kept two of his shirts.  I am just so depressed. I am not going to kill myself or anything, I am past that, I am just sad. Please don’t ask for any more information, because I really can’t give it. I dumped it all on Shoppe one day, I am pretty sure it was around Christmas.  So I am sorry.

   The 9/11 forum was difficult for me. I did not read it past my post, it was painful.

So otherwise everything is okay, I went to the soup kitchen yesterday and had a good time. There was some new people there yesterday, I love meeting new people. 

Curly I can’t wait to go power walking with you, we can meet at Oak Park and walk and talk.  Does your friend drink a bottle of wine often by herself?  I have done it also, just a small bottle, mostly on Thanksgiving, I get depressed on that day, and sit in my hot tub all day and drink wine and listen to oldies, while my husband cooks and watches the Cowboys.  He says this will be the year for Cowboys, but he says that every year.  . Well I haven’t got much more to say for today, except I am sorry for leaving you for a bit!  Shoppe I think you are right about the Wal-Mart Photos some of them have to be staged; it seems like the same mullet in every picture.  Thank for being here, I am sorry I dumped on you there for a bit.

Well this is for Shoppe,

Okay so this is a Mohawk! You know I have to go through pages of Wal-Mart photos to find one. I have been living in North Dakota too long; I have seen everything at this Wal-Mart.

Theresa

My kids didn't get any allowances.  They did their chores and kept their rooms up just because.   But If I saw them working  hard to get the best grade , an A,  then we decided to reward their efforts.    I am glad I did.   They were always so proud of their report cards.

Its fine if you didn't, to each his own.   We both, you and I,  did the right things for our individual kids.

I just don't want the gov doing it.. :)

Thanks, I thought I was going to get hammered!

 PS-Working on Care II it takes me a while to go on about things.

Theresa, dear twin... Big difference.   You are not asking me to buy your daughter a focus or give your son 200 a month.. :)  Halallujah, you are doing it right, you are doing it because you can and want too..

My kids got money for every A they brought home all their life, but they didn't get weekly allowances so this was some extra spending money....

Incentive that you are paying for is a great idea...

I know this will make you mad, but I bought my daughter a 2009 Focus, with all the features. She gets to keep it as long as she stays in college, not pregnant or married, and keeps GPA over 3.0 (I can’t ask for everything).

My son gets $200.00 a month for keeping a 4.0. He gets $50.00 for each scholarship he applies for and I will buy him a nice computer for a graduation present, if he graduates with high honors.

Cenex gives free gas for each A on a report card.

Planet Pizza gives a coupon for $10.00 for High honors.

Why not pay for grades, as long as it keeps him and her in school.

I want to add my 2 cents in this hot topic, let me say first that I fought tooth and nail for the custody of my son, all the way to supreme court, and before they gave us our decision from supreme court she just handed my son over to me,(he was 16) she was starting her next divorce and she did not have the time or place to take care of my son, 10 months later the courts finally changed the CS payments from me to her and she has just now started to pay me, its been just over a year ago now that my son has been with me, his grades have gone up, he is happier and seems to be enjoying life with a smile on his face! I think he is a happier person now.

this all started back in 2000, it was her who had an affair, it was her who left with my son, it was her who filed for divorce, it was her who left town with my son, it was her who lied in court, it was her who got custody of my son, it was her who laughed about it with some of our mutual friends thinking it was funny, it was her who seemed to have lots of money with working, getting remarried, and getting child support, it was my son who suffered by having to sleep on the floor for 3 years for lack of having a bed, he suffered in school as I was the one who made sure he did his work and passed his tests, I suffered, my family suffered, all over a poorly run system, we lost a lot of time together that we will never get back due to this system and poor judgement from judges, (about 4 different ones) she was able to lie, drink and party, run like a dog in heat, and is now looking for hubby #3, I was husband #1, she hurt alot of others in the last divorce and thats not over yet! and more kids were hurt, she is in the same place right now as she was 20 years ago, broke with nothing! and she will do it again just as soon as she can find the next one! its really to bad that things go this way, I know that my situation is like many others, the law shines on the women as care giver and the men are just working mules who bring home the money, not true anymore! I know many men, who, like me could and would do a better job raising the kids than the mother would! something needs to be done!! my fight is about over once my son turns 18, but many of the men are just getting into it, I think there should be a much better way to pick the "lessor" out of a set of parents so the children could have the best chance right out of the gate, also perhaps there should be a law of some sort to make them do some counceling before a divorce is granted..... anything would be better then what we have to work with now.