Elizabeth updates...

I will tell you what, I surely do miss Elizabeth....however look at the smile on her Mama's face, it's priceless. She has really fought to keep her family together and I am truely proud of her! Elizabeth got a haircut and got her bangs done...I love it!! They look adorable!!

Vinnie, Vinnie, Vinnie...

My child has an extremely bizarre sense of humor...I went to use my cell phone and this was the wallpaper on my phone...Welcome to my world! LOL.

Of all days for my kids to behave like angels...

Okay so here goes...Today is my day that I have designated to clean...ewww. Not just clean, but organize, unclutter, etc. Then why on earth am I blogging?? answer-because my Stacker hasnt kicked in yet...lol. That is sad, but I do have one heck of a job ahead of me. I am starting with my truck. I love my truck and we almost live in it! Therefore, we have toys, clothes and I am sure a chicken nugget or two...This is the job I dread the most because it is so hot outside. The kids have been so good lately...usually this job is designated for the smart allec that crosses my path on a day like this. Damn, why do my kids have to be so well behaved, lol?? I will have to sugar them up after school! JK, I guess I need to get on it...Have a nice day!

Bye-Bye to Our Beautiful Elizabeth!

Well last week Elizabeth's family had their court hearing and she is officially back with her family in North Carolina. It is bitter-sweet for me. There is a part of me that wanted to keep her forever...But the expression on her Mama's face when she came to get her was priceless! I would do it over in a hearbeat! Elizabeth was very excited to be with her Mommy. Even though I miss her I am happy for the turnout. The family has let me talk to her several times to say hello and she sounds so happy!!! They have also invited us to come visit her whenever we like. I let them know that if ever down the road they needed us to keep her, that there will always be an open door. Amazing how something that can bring tears to your eyes can also be the same thing to put a smile on your face.

Newfound Family

Anyone who knows me knows the story of my first love, Bobby Killeen, well finally I have the happy ending, I am thrilled!!...But to those that dont know the story here goes from the beginning...

Bobby was my first love in high school. We dated for my first year and a half of high school untill he was taken by social services to live in a group home in North Florida. With my family living in South Florida it was next to impossible for us to keep in touch. Especially with neither of us having a car or way of contacting eachother. Both of us moved on with our lives and the year I got married to Dominick and had Vinnie he contacted me and told me he was happy for our new family, but that if I ever needed anything I could call on him. I told him likewise. That was our LAST conversation. I married at 18. When I was 25 years old I had a dream that he knocked on my front door and was telling me about the son he had and that he felt like he let him down. In this dream he asked me to check on his boy. When I woke up the next morning I couldnt get past the dream. Everytime I attempted to proceed with my day I would start thinking about the dream. I called my first husband at work and he encouraged me to try to find him on the internet (something that was brand new to us back in the 90's), so I did. Funny enough, I found a phone number by the same name that lived on the same street Bobby did growing up...I believed that he moved back to that street to raise his family, which of course I thought was sweet. I called the number and spoke with a man that told me he was also Bob Killeen, just not the one I was looking for. He paused for a moment and told me that he hated to be the bearer of bad news but because they had the same name it caught his attention that in the newspaper was a Bob Killen that was found dead from an Overdose. Stunned of course at the line of coincidences...I rushed down to south florida (I live in Central Florida now) to try to find his family. I found his mother and she told me that he had in fact died and...get this...he had a son! I couldnt believe it!! Could all of that had been conincidences? or was I somehow contacted by him?? Well, at that point his mother gave me what she had left of his ashes and asked me to try to find Tyler (his son) when he got older and tell him about the times when Bobby had it together. Which was all I knew of him. So for the last 10 years I have searched high and low for this little boy and his mother. Last week......I FOUND THEM!!! On myspace! I got together with them and was instantly drawn into them! They are an adorable family! This little boy needed closure, he has no memory of his father and was like a sponge when it came to learning about him. I gave him his fathers ashes and he was very happy. I also had pictures of Tyler when he was a baby...with his dad that I gave him. He in return gave me some wonderful pictures of himself and one of his Dad at 12 years old. Everyone has their opingion as to what happens to us after we die. After this happened to me, I have a very hard time believing that there isnt an afterlife. Pictured above is Bobby when he was a teenager and also Tyler his beautiful son!!

Okay so a little time has gone by since I last posted...So now I need to fill in the time gap...The past week or so has been eventful, both happy and sad...I cannot wait to share...

Well...Here it is the day we find out if Lizzy will stay with us or go to North Carolina with her Grandma. I am on the fence with this one. I sure do love this little girl, but at the same time, she needs time to bond with her family. I knew this day was coming, just wasnt sure when. I know if she leaves it will be the greater good... But man am I gonna miss her. Pray for the best outcome possible!

Very sweet, yes, Very messy, Yes

The picture says it all, LOL! (Condoms...They're just the first thing that breaks)Yesterday was a teacher workday for school and boy an interesting day I had!! Of course this was also the day my body decides that it is going to be all PMS'ey! Upon waking up (after sleeping in) I woke up to, well, hell. Kyler - mr resourceful- decided to make him and I Cinnamon toast...With LOTS of sugar. Very sweet, yes, Very messy, Yes. He even served me in bed. Very sweet, yes, Very messy, Yes. Somehow I managed to get a grain of sugar stuck in my laptop during this and now My L key is being a pain the butt! Upon walking into the kitchen was the real gift though, lol...I can laugh or cry...I guess I will laugh, right? For the most part I just took it easy for the afternoon, and I am paying for it today. I woke up and after taking the kids to school, I went grocery shopping, ran a couple of loads of laundry, dishes and now I am ready to put my feet up and watch some Ti-Vo'd Desperate Housewives.

Already 15!

So today is my baby's birthday. Anthony that is...he is 15 today!! I cannot believe it! He was just born! I think we are going to have a pool party for him on Saturday at my Mom's complex. I have encouraged him to jump on the Driver's license exam, but he doesnt seem to be in any rush. Funny, because Vinnie wasnt either...Not now though. I cannot keep him off the roads! I worked this morning but it was close, that was great! Tomorrow is at the same place. I will actually be home when the kids get off the bus! I think after tomorrow I will be off for the rest of the week! I think I am gonna attempt to try to tackle the wallpaper I started the week Elizabeth moved in (July 12)...Talk about procrastinating! If there was ever gonna be a time to do it, this week would be it! Next mission: The laundry room (ewwww...). Although the kids have Wednesday off of school for a teacher workday. Anywho...Pray for my Anthony to have a wonderful 15th year!!

Preparing for a late day...

Well, Today is gonna be a long one...I am doing surveillance late in the day into the night. The job itself is an easy one, but I will be away from home tonight. Thats always a tough one for me. This weekend is our off weekend so if we can find a sitter for the little ones maybe Terry can come meet me after work and we can be together. I will be in Orlando, so maybe when I am done we can catch dinner or movie or something. That is IF we can find a sitter. Everyone is dragging this morning, especially me. It is very cloudy this morning and feels earlier than it really is. I wish we could all just crawl back into bed! I am concerned about my doggie, she is not being herself. Yesterday I was hungry and drove to Wendy's to grab a burger...I brought her with me and got her a bacon cheeseburger...lol. I laid it in front of her (the meat part) and she wouldnt eat it. She ate it many hours later at home though. But for a dog to pass up bacon and hamburger?? she is also being super lazy, I will have to keep an eye on her. Wish me luck for a good surveillance!! Pictured above is my dog Happy!

My beautiful boys Anthony and Nicholas...gotta love em!

It's A Boy!!

I just found out that Mitchell and Alyssa (my baby brother and sister in law) are expecting a baby boy in January!! I am very excited for them!! She really wanted a boy! I think my brother was good with either a boy or girl, but it is awesome because he is naming him after his late father. His name will be Andrew Mitchell. Alyssa has made it very clear that we are to call him Andrew...Not Andy or Drew she said, lol. So Andrew it is! I wish my Step-father could've lived to see this day!! My Mom is thrilled to have another baby in the family...especially by her 'baby'. Mitchell has always been the family favorite...not just by my Mom and Step-father...but by me and my sister as well. He was much younger than my sister and I so we always loved to fuss over him...Still do, lol. We play around and call him by his baby name "Mitchie Mouse", and it is funny because he is like well over 6 foot tall...and a big, bad Marine. He is so happy now, he has found the love of his life, expecting his first child, and doing well in his Military career. I am very proud of him! I think he is looking forward to getting out of the service and moving back home with his new family. We are excited to have them all close again. My boys really look up to him and to see him do so well with himself really sets a great example for my boys. Pictured above is My brother Mitchell and his beautiful wife Alyssa. Below is baby Andrew due in January!

Today Terry and I both had off from work. It was wonderful! We got the kids dressed for school, and
Terry drove them while I slept in a few more minutes...boy that was nice! We went out to lunch together, ALONE!!! In the afternoon hours we were over at Donna's and managed to talk her into letting us take her to Wal-Mart. We brought a wheelchair for her and although she was just pushed around she thoroughly enjoyed getting out of the house. While we were shopping she bought both Kyler and Lizzie toys and then Happy Meals at McDonalds. They were thrilled! I could see by the time we got home she was completely wore out. She at this point cannot walk by herself, get up or even keep her eyes open for very long due to motion sickness. So a trip to the store was definately a brave move for her. She seems determined to get better. I spoke with my step-mom Julie and learned that my Dad is still not doing so hot. He has RA. They were cutting back his meds in hopes that he was getting better; however his body isnt ready just yet as he was having inflammation again. We pray for him everynight, I cannot imagine what he is going through. He is the strongest person I know and to see him not diving into life the way he always has makes me realize how terrible this disease actually is. They live in South Florida and it is about 3.5 hours from us. Julie really has her hands full with my Dad and her mother has cancer as well. I am concerned for her health in a different way. There's only so much stress one person can endure and she has passed that a long time ago. She still manages to balance things out and still hasnt totally lost it! Better than I couldve done, I'll tell you that! To boot, she still carries herself with grace and is a trip to be around...she's always happy, or at least she carries herself that way, even in rough times. I believe that is a gift that she inherited from her Mom. She is the exact same way. Her needs ALWAYS fall behind everyone elses, and is happy to do it. She has been my step mother since I was 5 and I tell you what, she is the ONLY person that could give my Dad the attention he needs right now...She is type A to the core and will only have the best for my father. For that I am truely greatful. Being so far away, theres not really much support I can offer her...But anything I can is hers for the taking : )

Pictured above is my Dad and Julie (I told you she always looks happy) and then Elizabeth and Kyler on our trip to Wal-Mart today

Fishie...MIA

A funny incident happened today that I couldn't let go without a post...This afternoon Caitlin came screaming down the hallway "MOM!!!!! MY FISH ARE MISSING!!!" What did she mean, fish are missing?? Apparently Elizabeth had decided to feed Caitlin's fish during her nap time, and fed the fish an entire can of food, then took them out to play...out of the 3 fish...We only have 1 and a half left...half meaning it is about gone. This is horrible yet, I have not been able to help myself by laughing about it. Elizabeth has been describing her adventures with the fish, yet we have not been able to find the last one. ..lol. I am sure if it is still in the house, well find it in the next day or two. Ewww...She claims that when we went outside she took it on the swingset, Don't know how I managed to overlook her carrying around a goldfish?? In her little mind she must believe we are being cruel to the poor little fishie by keeping it in a tank all day, she was just giving them a little freedom, lol.

My Mom, Lizzie and I at swimming at her pool!!

Me and my little ones after a great day in the pool!!

Tami saves the day!!

Dont you just love when a day that you anticipate as being cruddy ends up being a blast!! Yesterday I had surveillance in the morning and early afternoon...blah, blah...and planned to clean house, do laundry etc. Instead after my surveillance I headed over to my Mimi's (grandma's) house and enjoyed an amazing lunch with my Mim, Aunti 'm' and my mama. We had such a good time just enjoying each other's company! It was also Mimi's birthday! Afterwards I headed home and spent some time resting with Elizabeth and then we headed over to my mother's complex and went to a pool party! It was a blast, Bar-B-Q, kids playing in the pool, my family, and new friends! This day was much needed. Since school started we have been rolling a mile a minute! Between school, work and taking care of Donna...Homework, bedtimes, swim practice, etc. We havent really had any down time. At the pool we had an incident...Kyler had brough his 'Incredible Hulk' action figure, which he adores, to the pool. He had let a few of the little kids play with it and then a while later he couldn't find it...A much older boy on the other end of the pool claimed that he also had the exact same action figure that he had received at church and that it was his. Of course Kyler was crushed!! To be honest, I didnt know for sure if that was in fact Kyler's toy. When Tami (my sister) caught word of it (my sister who is known for her straight forward, in-your-face personality), she walked over to the boy and demanded to speak with his mother to verify that it was his toy...Needless to say he handed back the toy and walked away with his tail between his legs. Why the heck didnt I think of that?? She was awesome! This was a middle school aged boy, and my son is only 6...so her intervention was much needed! On a brighter note...Caitlin got Lizzie over her fear of swimming in the pool with her floaties on! Now if we could just get her swimming we would be great!! When I woke up this morning and was doing my daily myspace monitoring and came across Vinnie's page and learned that he had a rough night with his girlfriend. I am anxious to speak to him this morning to make sure he is okay. I will let him sleep in, knowing how he is I am sure that he didnt sleep much last night. Other than that it was a great day!!

Pictured above is my brut of a sister Tami...lol! with her daughter Ashlynn!