Dads

First I need to apologize for skipping my blog yesterday but I was REALLY sick.  I was in bed all day and all night.  I had issues with nausea all day.  Thank goodness my husband was willing to take care of me. 

So I have no idea what to write about tonight.  I have had the most uneventful day.  I had another job interview.  Eventually I have to find a job doing something.  If nothing else, there is always amateur night at the strip club.  I am only half joking about that. 

I guess I will write about what has been annoying me most today.  Child Support, or lack there of.  I have not received child support for some time now for my son.  Between not receiving this and being unemployed our budget has been really tight lately.  We are never a wasteful family but times are getting hard. 

I often wonder if my son's bio-dad thinks my son eats less food or needs less just because bio-dad cannot send child support.  Thank God I have my husband that makes sure my son does not do without anything he needs. 

It may not be easy but we always find a way.  I am blessed to have such a loving man that not only accepts my son but also treats him better than his real father ever has. 

Ok I am done venting.  Sorry for the bitchy blog tonight!

Commune Reunion

I am writing this blog earlier than usual because I have plans tonight with some really good friends.  These people were the first people I met when I moved to WA three years ago.  This group of people made the first few months here bearable. Their children became friends with  my son and we all did a lot of stuff together.  We referred to ourselves as "the commune" since we all lived in the same apartment building.  We were the best neighbors.

These people were so amazing when they welcomed us into the complex. That year was great.  We would barbecue together, share birthday parties, drink together, help with each others children.  We really were like a little commune.  They were some of my favorite people. 

As time has passed we have all moved away from the apartments.  We live in different cities and are not able to get together anymore. Some of us work at night and some travel for work.  It takes effort and planning for us to all get together now. 

Well this afternoon we are all doing just that.  We have planned a potluck barbecue.  I am so excited.  Last time we all hung out we ended up wearing side pony tail and acting like fools lol.  It was a blast.  I have missed these people.  Especially my girls. 

Needless to say I am super excited about tonight and 5:30pm cannot get here soon enough.  I have some vanilla vodka waiting for us to drink it up.  Oh I also have potato salad i am taking ot the pot luck but vodka is most important lol.  The commune reunion will begin in T-minus 3 hours and 6 minutes.  I am so ready to party!

Internet Cats

Many times as I sit around and surf the Internet, I find myself looking at Internet cats. It usually happens as such a random thing. I may not even notice I am doing it until I have lost an hour or more of my life. 

Like I said, when it happens it is very random. I may start out looking for coupons or searching for a music video and suddenly I see a cat in the side bar. I cannot resist clicking on the link and looking at the stupid thing. It is like Internet crack and I cannot get enough of it. 


Those stupid, furry, irresistible kitty cats. All dressed up in costumes or dancing. Some of them in photos (as the ones you see posted).  The website http://icanhascheezburger.com/ has been given so many hours of my life.  Hours I can never get back yet I do not regret spending it browsing these LOL CATS.  They are so entertaining and addicting. 

Hell, Keyboard Cat is now on a pistachio commercial; and they are all so cute.  Well all but the hairless ones. I am not a fan of the hairless cats. They scare me. But that is an entirely other blog lol.  Burger has to be my all time favorite cat though.  Burger and Fries the Angry Lunatic Cat, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z_3EZWkM1c, is a classic.  Everyone should see this crazy kitty.  I really love this one. 

I think one of the reasons I love looking at these cats is because it makes me miss our cat less. Our cat was about 16 years old when he passed away. He died while my husband was deployed so it was hard on me and our son. My husband had this cat since he was 13 so it was REALLY hard to tell him his best little fur ball friend was gone.


We have looked into getting a new cat but no other cat will ever replace Jo. Jo was a special cat. Old, fat, cute, cuddly and loved bacon.  He was the best cuddler.  He also was a great comfort while I was alone.  He would lay with me on the couch as I watched stupid mindless television.  His purring was always relaxing and comforting. 

We also cannot afford the $500 pet deposit to have a pet. Thus we remain pet less and I find myself distracted daily by the cute Internet felines.  As I watch people make them dance around, I remember how Jo would look at me all hatefully when I would make him dance.  I always laugh when I have these memories. 

One of these days we will have a new cat.  Hopefully, when that happens, I will not get distracted by so many Internet cats.  Unless of course, I make the new cat watch them with me so I can teach it tricks.  HAHHAHA....if I do this I will post videos and this will then become a cat VLOG! 



RIP Jougert.  We will forever miss you!

Damned Laundry Chime

There is nothing I love more than being able to take care of my family and home.  As much as I want to work toward a professional career, I must admit I enjoy being at home to do the household things my family need me to do.  It comforts me knowing my husband and son do not have to do a lot around the house.  However, I also have to admit laundry is my most hated chore.  It is the one chore that is never done because we are always wearing clothes lol. 

Whether in a basket in the bathroom, in my sons bedroom floor, or in a hamper in the laundry room I can ALWAYS find dirty laundry that need to be taken care of.  On any given day I can have a load of laundry.  Gathering the laundry, as annoying as it is, is the easiest part of this chore. 

After gathering, there is the sorting.  All the sorting.  Separate whites from colors, towels from shirts and jeans, delicates, wash cold,...it just goes on and on.  Once everything is sorted there is the washing and drying.  While this part is going I am able to do other things but 48-65 minutes, I hear the damned laundry chime. 

Both my washer and dryer play the most whimsical little tune when the cycle is done.  When I purchased the washer and dryer I thought the chime would be so much better than a buzzer.  A fun friendly song to let me know it was time to change out the loads.  Well this is simply not the way I hear this chime anymore. 

After hearing it at least 10 times per week for the last year, it now seems like a taunt.  When I hear the chime I imagine it is singing "Time to do more work.  You just wish you were done."  UGH always laundry lol. 

Even after I have it out of the dryer, I then have to fold it.  While I am folding I can hear the washer and dryer continuing to rumble; knowing it will only be a short time before it sings to me once again.  The ever singing damned laundry chime. 

When everything is folded, I then have the task of taking everything up stairs and putting it away.  I have recently been having my husband and son putting away their own laundry.  If I do all the other work, they can at least put it away.  Or so I thought.  My husband will walk past his folded clothes for a week before he FINALLY puts them away.  My son will sit them on his desk and eventually the clothes get put back in the laundry WITHOUT even being worn.  They make me crazy with this at times.  But whatever, I should just do it myself.  After all, the chime sings to me and me alone as no one else is home when I do the laundry.  If I hear the song I should complete the task. 

I just wish I could find a way to connect my soundtrack to the washer and dryer.  Like make the washer play Evenflow by Pearl Jam or Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple.  Any song that has to do with water or flow.  The dryer should play Fire in the Disco by Electric Six or Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash.  Better yet, they could both play All Apologies by Nirvana.  At least I would have real entertainment and an apology to go along with my chore that NEVER EVER ends!

My Birthday 2012

I have had such a busy, fun filled day.  I have nearly ran out of enough time to get my blog published before midnight.  The reason I am so late getting this done is because today is my birthday.  It has been wonderful. 

First my husband brought me breakfast in bed.  It was a wonderful English muffin and coffee.  I later received many phone calls from my family and friends on the other side of the country.  All calling to tell me happy birthday and how much they missed.  I was able to talk to my uncle, whose birthday is tomorrow, for over an hour.   It was the first time I had talked to him in over a year.  So it was nice to hear his voice and I really enjoyed our conversation!  I really felt loved. 

After that my husband made me a wonderful turkey wrap for lunch.  It was so good with the melted cheese and spicy mustard.  He then baked me a cake.  He said it was the first cake he had ever made.  Unfortunately, he forgot to use cooking spray in the pan so the cake stuck to the pan but it tastes AMAZING.  I could care less if it is pretty.  It is the taste and thought that counts!

A bit later my son returned home from school and  he and I had to go to the dentist.  Not the most exciting thing to do on your birthday but I did not want to cancel the appointment.  Well we both got great reports.  No cavities and no work needed!  Apparently it is amazing that I have all of my teeth and none of them have any dental work.  I have never needed fillings or crowns.  The dentist was really impressed.  This also made me feel great, as I am getting older lol. 

Once I returned from the dentist my husband made dinner for our family.  He made chicken alfredo.  Again, it was really good.  I could get accustomed to this type of treatment.  A girl could get spoiled quickly when being treated like this!

Lastly, my two best Washington girl friends came to visit me.  They brought me a yummy cupcake and I got stuff to make homemade sushi.  I also got a sweater and tank set and a HELLO KITTY key chain.  I love Hello Kitty and so does my friend.

All I can say is I have the most amazing family and friends.  I love them all and feel so grateful to have them in my life.  I hope I can continue to remain close to my family even thought we are so far apart.  I also want to stay in contact with my friends no matter I am transferred in this world.  They have made this portion of my life so fantastic.  I never want to lose contact with them.  It may take effort for us to stay in touch but we can make it happen.  We are Team Panda! 

So all-in-all, I had a great day and I owe it all to my incredible family and friends.  I love you all!

Mother was right...

Have you ever had one of those "ah-ha' moments when you realize your mother was correct?  My friend and I had one of those moments today.  We both agreed we would never admit such a thing to our respective mothers but we had to admit it to ourselves and each other. 

So the story beings with my friend and I chatting on Facebook.  She told me the next time we were together to remind her to give me a birthday gift her mom had gotten me.  I thought it was so nice that her mom got me a gift.  I told her to be sure to tell her mom I said thanks and that it was completely unexpected.  She went on to tell me how her mom really had compassion for me because  her mom was once a military wife just as I am now.  Therefore, her mom understood how it felt to be so far from your family and how lonely holidays and birthdays could be.  My friend explained how her dad had some issues with PTSD just as my husband has, so her mom can relate to me in that area of my life as well.  She stated her mom liked how I was a strong person and that her mom really appreciated how I was a good friend to her.

This made me feel great as a friend.  I mean, if someones mom notices you are a good friend, that is a compliment.  I feel like I try to be nice to everyone but if a mom notices me as a good person...whew!  I felt awesome. 

Then she went on to tell me how her mom stated, and I quote the message she sent me about her and her mom's conversation..."we were talking awhile back and I was just saying that we were having difficulties figuring out when we could meet up for your birthday and she said, "Oh... her birthday is coming up? I'm going to get her something because I like her! She's not weird like that cancer girl you hang out with!" 

This made me laugh and I asked, "cancer girl?"  Well apparently my friend once hung out with this girl that everyone thought had cancer even though she did not.  It seems this girl just looked really frail and did not take care of herself.  My friend stated it really bothered her mom that "cancer girl" never washed her hands.  My friend stated how she could go on and on about complaints her mom had with her friends but it would be a long mean list.  I was about to die laughing because this reminded me of things my mom said about some of my friends. 

My mom always had an opinion of the people I hung out with.  She would tell me how they were a bad influence.  Some of them were dirty and needed to bathe, or they were "bad girls" who had no self respect.  Just like my friend I could make a long mean list of complaints.  My friend and I both agreed how rude this was and how it had once annoyed us.  However, I had to admit my mom was right about all the people she complained about.  My friend stated, in retrospect her mom was always right too. 

Maybe we should have listened to our mothers but I think not listening taught us how to be a good judge of character.  I mean, we found one another and she is one of the best friends I have.  Apparently I am a great friend too, because like I said, if mama notices I must be doing something correctly.  Hell, I know I am because my friend's mom is so blunt she would tell me if I wasn't.  Just like my own mama would! 

Gotta love those mamas!!! Even if we refuse to admit to them directly they were right and we should have listened all along.  Nope, never ever going to admt it...  :)

Gender Roles

Several decades ago gender roles seemed very defined.  Women stayed at home and cared for her family while the man worked to earn income to provide for the family.  As we all know, this is no longer how things are. 

In today's society it is almost necessary for both parents to work.  The economic system makes it difficult to provide for a family on one income alone.  Cost of living seems to be expensive no matter where you live. 

As I have been searching for employment I have thought a lot about these gender roles.  I love being able to be at home for my son.  I am able to be at every event he has.  I am able to help with his homework.  I am able to guide him with any advice he needs from day to day.  It makes me happy to be able to do these things and not have to rely on daycare; especially when my husband is deployed.

However, lately I have wondered if I am doing my son an injustice.  I noticed how he loves to help me in the kitchen.  He also quotes things he hears from my girly television shows.  For example, he made the comment about a photo where he said "that girl is not smeyesing".  That is a total ANTM reference.  This concerned me.   I was talking to my husband and asked him if he thought I had done something wrong.  I don't honestly know what that something would have been but as a mom I always blame myself.  Anyway, my husband said no and told me to notice all the things my son quotes.  Thus child quotes everything from Pokemon to Locked and Loaded's R. Lee Ermy.  He also wants to know how to do everything, not just help me in the kitchen.  I think he is just inquisitive.  


I would love my son no matter which gender role he chose but I know everyone is not like me.  Some people really stress societal norms on others.  I personally do not care who works, who stays at home, if both parents work, etc. m We all do what we need to do to survive.  I just hope I can raise my son to be a healthy, well adjusted adult.  I do not want to do any damage therapy cannot fix when he grows up!