Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Crap!!!!


(The F word is going to be used just a little in this post....sorry ahead of time.)

You are not going to believe this. I actually started this post prepared to tell you that my car was broken...AGAIN. We had just spent $1360.00 on the car to have a head gasket replaced for the SECOND time in a two years. I then had to take it back because after they had torn it to peices and rebuilt it, it was idling funny. They decided it needed a new battery. I went and spent another $53.99 on a battery, but that didn't fix the problem, so I took it back a third time. They then told me that I needed to let it run at the same speed for at least 10 miles and this would reset the battery and also that I needed to add some fuel injection stuff. Did that. It runs better, but not like before. So, Sunday, after church, we headed to Super' Target' to buy some prayer journals. About the time we reached our destination, the car started running hot again. Now, when I first took it to them, I asked them to figure out what was making the car run hot and causing the head gasket to blow. I am thinking now that obviously they did not do their job. So yesterday, I took it across the street to the grocery store and it started running hot again, so I took it straight to the shop, left it running and took Emma and I inside and explained the situation. He said that they would look at it immediately. A few minutes later he comes out and tells me the head gasket may be blown again and that I should not have run it hot. Basically, he was getting onto me for something I didn't feel I had done. When it ran hot, not in the red, just hotter than normal, we took it straight home and I did not drive it again. He basically continued to blame me until he made me cry. I went outside and called my stepfather who knows cars better than I and about that time Wade showed up. A much nicer man then came out and explained the situation to us. He explained that the water pump was now leaking, which was a direct result of running the vehicle hot. I got a little bit hot myself then and told him again that I DID NOT run the damn car hot. He begins to explain that when it ran hot the first time, the damage was done because it can weaken the bolts, belts, blah, blah, blah, blah. My thinking is that if you know that it can happen, why didn't they check them to see if they had been weakened. Anyways, I was probably their worst nightmare, a blubbering girl who was in hysterics with her daughter who wouldn't shut up! So, my stepdad said, "Yeah, their right, it is probably the water pump!" The mechanic did tell me that the head gasket was not blown, they didn't think." Well, halleluah for freakin' small miracles!!!

So, that is what I was planning to blog to you about, but Wade just called and tells me that I am going to hear some news that I am not going to like. I am thinking, "What? Did someone die?" No, guess who's FUCKING water pump has gone out in his car?! UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE!!! I have no fucking money for this shit. So here I am, blubbering like an idiot again with my mom telling me that this is just life and it will all be okay! YEAH, WELL FUCK YOU!

Belated July 4th



Fourth of July was uneventful with the clan. The boys were not even with me and I had to work. The boys spent the night with my friend Devin and her son and they shot off their own fireworks. So, when I got home, Emma, Wade and I shot off a few so that it would feel somewhat like the Fourth to me. I actually did all the shooting and I had never done that before. Fun! Happy Belated Birthday America!

Get Dunked...



At work, I was coordinating a fund raiser for The Children's Miracle Network. For the final day, we rented a dunk tank, but I had it for the whole weekend. So, I towed it on home and me and the fam had some fun.....

No He Didn't....


See this man? I know, it is not a good picture, but I didn't want him to know that I was taking his picture, you know, like I was making fun of him on my blog. Let me set this up...Wade and I are sitting at the QT. We are sitting there discussing what he is going to get me to drink and we see this strange man walking up the sidewalk. Now, there is a QT employee and his girlfriend standing on the sidewalk talking while he is washing it off. We both noticed the man. We look him up and down. He has on a white page boy hat, a red 70s style western shirt with white detail and then....then, as you move on down, he has on short, like to the bottom of his booty cheek, chrocheted pink, orange and yellow shorts....that's right, crocheted. shorts. Not only that...but, you could see his wad. HIS WAD! As if that wasn't bad enough, yes, there is more, you move on down his body and he has matching crocheted socks with black sandals on. People...it was over 90 degrees that day. Now, around his crocheted shorts, and I believe you can see the two liter bottle in the picture above, he has a tool belt. The tool belt holds various items, a two liter soda, some pens, some tape, etc. I have now seen everything! The QT employee and I look up at each other and he shakes his head as I laugh. We wait for the man to come back out of the store, just so that I can take his picture to show you.

We have quite a few characters in our small town, there is Ms. Jessie, the crazy black lady in Hiram with her buggy, tamborine and stick. She likes to point and preach/cuss/yell at you as you drive by. I fear for her life. There is the Danicing Man seen in Dallas and Hiram with his IPOD on, always dancing and I mean getting it! There is Preacher Man, he comes into Kroger at least three nights a week always preaching about Jesus and how Kroger is going to Hell. I guess he is spreading the word and that is all that matters. Now we have The Walking Man, he in his crocheted shorts, whom I have now also seen in my store, wearing the same ensemble. He is seen in Dallas. People, don't drink the water here.

Malia

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

A Day at the Park


I joined Wade and the children at the park, usually Wade takes them while I am at work, so they showed me the ropes. We had initially gone to the Park of Dreams where Dylan proceeded to pitch a fit about sliding down the pole. See...he is not one to take risks. He is very level-headed and just takes things in stride and walks a straight line. So, it just is not logical to him to throw yourself onto a pole and plunge to the ground. Meanwhile Jackson takes a running jump onto the pole and plummets to the earth. I spent about five minutes with Dylan trying to force him down the pole. I gave up, but was determined that he was not going to. So then, Wade took over. I heard a lot of arguing, a lot of screaming (from Dylan) and a lot of yelling (from Wade). Finally, he went down the pole. Then there was a lot of "you did goods", "we're proud of yous" and such and such and so on....

Then....they all circle around me and want to show me a new park. "Okay", ...So, we begin to walk, and walk and walk and walk. My cute sandals were rubbing blisters on my big toe and I was starting to get dizzy. Finally, we come to a teeny, tiny little contraption of a park and the children start running everywhere saying, "Look mom, here it is!" "This is it, huh?" Wade then begins to make fun of all of my complaining. It was a lot of fun though. They got to see me run, which they find funny. We played hide and seek, freeze tag and Wade and Emma played "Catch me daddy". That's the one where he chases her and she acts all scared. I was glad I got to go and that they invited me.

The Gifts


Jackson had asked for Floam about six months ago when it first came out. (Gasp! I just realized I don't have a picture of the birthday boy on his birthday! For shame!) Anyways, this is what we got him, which was a shock to my mother. Emma has already discovered the Floam...and so has dad....

Two days in a row


I am off of work. I love having two days or more off in a row. It seems like I can get so much more accomplished. I wind up at the store anyway though. I should just move in there.


Malia

Monday, July 10, 2006

The Shadow Family



Malia

I Finished the Cake...


It took three weeks, but I finished it.


JUST KIDDING

I finished it two days after his birthday and I learned a very valuable lesson. Read all of the directions before you start a recipe. I had to make a run to the store a total of three times in the middle of making the cake. I had to stop several times because many steps included refrigerating a portion of the cake for several hours. Hello...the child got his cake TWO days after his birthday...TWO DAYS. So, without further ado...here is the cake.
























Saturday, July 01, 2006

So They Say It's Your Birthday...nah,nah,nah, nah, nah..

We celebrated Jackson's birthday and today, it was my turn. I had some surprising birthday wishes from people I didn't think would remember, including my brother, (shoot, I forgot to get his picture!) I figured it would pretty much be just another day since I had to work and since my birthday is kind of overshadowed now that Jackson's is right before mine, but I had some very special friends who made it a birthday to remember, from serenades over the intercom at work (several actually), to pizza, cookie cakes, gifts and surprise visits. Thanks to all who made it a special one. Love ya.


First, I ran some errands and then I had lunch with my friend Devin, my children and her son Braedyn. We ate some wonderful mexican food with lots of cheese dip, salsa and chips.

Being that it is now 1:53 a.m., I am going to put this day to bed. I will post more birthday pictures tomorrow, promising it will flow better, but for now, I have a headache. Hope you all had an equally wonderful day.

Malia