Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Time for a new blog

I just reread this blog from the first post and I have to say...I'm quitting and starting fresh. Probably over the Christmas holiday, I'll start one up. If you are on my twitter or Facebook page, I'll post the link there. If you do not have me there as a follower or friend, look me up...

The new blog will focus on the current stuff...life, kids, Susan, our new life together, and a few other surprises...

Who knows what the future holds. I am an open book and have no secrets...That is truly the way to live, ya know...XOXO

House refinance

Why is it that whenever I get an idea in my head about making my life easier, it's the hardest of stressful situations to get it there? I have been in refinance hell for the past 76 days. Hopefully, in a few days, I will have a much smaller house payment and have a lower amount to pay each year but as of now....I am going stir crazy with all the red tape and crap that goes with making it a smooth transition between two lenders. UGH!

After the refi, there will be breathing space to finally pay off some stuff and get into a nice pattern for paying off bills. In 10 years we hope to be debt free, totally, consumer debt and house debt. We just made some major renovations (new roof and new pipes and plumbing in the house and out to the street) which brings up the house value and the lower mortgage payments will make paying it off a bright spot in the near future.

I have also taken steps to get some money that someone owes me and that will help in the monthly budget to rid the debt even faster!

I love my life and looking forward to getting on with 2011. This next year will be awesome! All of our big stresses were in 2010 so 2011 should be smooth sailing.

Hoping yours is too.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

An update on the wayward children I call my offspring..

They both live with their father and hate me. Their father and step mother both hate me too. Ongoing theme here, huh?? Hmmm....not much of an update, huh?? However, I am more than happy to report that my youngest offspring, my adorable 8 year old, lives happy and healthy in our home with me and Susan and couldn't be happier. One possible reason for her to be happier than she is now is if Taylor Lautner (her current movie crush) walked through our front door and asked her to be his best friend forever!

Jessi, 19, and Allen, 15, along with their father,(my first ex) and his wife, give off so much hate to me and Susan, and the way we live, I have given them their space after the latest verbal sandblasting in July. My son only contacts me if I have something he wants (like his birth certificate so he can get his driving permit) and then it's back to "I hate mom, I hate mom". He says he has everything he wants at his dad's house and he's happy and that's ok with me. I still have visitation rights and he knows what weekend is mine so if he ever comes over to visit and is nice, I'll honestly fall on the floor from the shock.

His step mother texted me back in October when they found out Susan and I got married in Iowa and told me that both Allen and Arielle were upset about not being part of it or knowing about it. They were going to be put in counseling to help them with the adjustment. HA!! Counseling is what every child in that household needs. To make it clear, Arielle was involved in the planning of the wedding in Iowa. She helped with the rings and the flowers. She knew more about it than I did and she is perfectly happy with mommy and Susan being together. She is happy because mommy is happier than she has ever been and that's what every child should want for their parent. If Allen were to have any contact with me of his own accord, he also would have been a part of the wedding planning. His choice not to be involved in our family here.

Any human being who wants to see their parent dead, or harmed in any way, like my oldest 2 children wish upon me daily, definitely needs some counseling. Does the name Menendez come to mind?? Might want to google that family history...It is not pretty and I am not going down that road!

HAPPY DAY!! Love conquers all hate and bad thoughts. So glad I have such a wonderful support system in place to make all the bad go away...bye bye....

Merry Christmas???

I found some time in my busy schedule to finally update this blog. I also got a note from a friend of mine in Israel and said that she liked what she read so I feel an update is warranted.

I am currently listening to pod casts on my phone. I downloaded a mess of them, ranging from money to comedy and mom related issues. They are free and the only drag is that I have to charge up my phone more frequently. There is a wealth of information and things that you learn can really help you in your life.

Since it has been quite awhile, I'll update you on what's been happening in my life. When last I left this blog, it was May and summer was just beginning. Well, summer went by in a flash, as it was filled with lots of trips, family gatherings, and lots of visits to water parks. We traveled to Indiana, Missouri, through Kansas to Colorado, a flight for me to Los Angeles and a quick trip in October to Iowa. We spent many many hours in the car and it was an adjustment sometimes but on the whole, it went very well. Our trip to Colorado was 17 hours one way with a puppy dog. We had difficulties finding an appropriate doggy sitter so we ended up taking her with us. She was good and spent half the time on our laps and sleeping in the back with Arielle. We spent a week with my mom and visited with my brother and friends from my high school days. This was the first visit to see family since Susan and I had gotten together so for me, it was stressful. It was a fabulous visit, complete with my friends and mom and brother fully embracing Susan as one of the family. Susan also found out that some of my bad habits, do in fact come from my family. My mother has some of my annoying habits too. I blame heredity. :) Three different water parks were visited in three different states and we got quite a bit of sun..and had a ton of fun in the sun and surf.

I know some of you are wondering about my personal life, and I am more than happy to tell you, it is going perfectly and better than I deserve. Our families summer together was full and more fun and enlightening than any other other time in my life. As you remember from April, Susan and I got engaged to be married. The summer was spent planning that wedding and making sure that our lives together would make a smooth transition for our blended family. We went through both houses and did major cleaning up and decluttering. We moved furniture, replaced broken items, and reorganized bedrooms and by September, we had a moving van come in with a friend of ours and by Sunday evening, we were unpacking boxes and setting furniture up in all the rooms. It looks like a totally different house but it also feels more like home than it ever has before. Susan and I were both born in Germany to GI dads so our front room has artifacts from our respective German childhood homes. Brings a whole new sense of family to the home. Family pictures adorn the walls and have extended family represented. Susan is truly an asset to my disorganization and lack of creativity in decorating. She is great for Arielle too, and takes up the slack when I am not available. She is truly the best thing that has happened to both of us.

In October, we took a weekend and drove up to Iowa to visit some friends and to...get married! Iowa is one of 5 states that legally performs same sex wedding ceremonies so on October 8th, in a judges chamber in front of 2 of our friends, Susan and I got married. We had dinner at a lovely restaurant and visited a Taste of Des Moines Street Fair.

November was very busy, complete with our commitment ceremony for our family and friends. My mom from Colorado and sisters family from Indiana came in as well as friends from Las Vegas and Kansas City. We had a blast and now, are so glad we did it. But we are also glad that we only do this once, because it was a lot of stress in the planning and getting the weather to cooperate. We had 50 degree weather and a beautiful Sunday afternoon in a gorgeous park in Missouri. The pictures are gorgeous!

It is now December and we are racing to Christmas. The tree is up, presents are bought and mostly wrapped, and only 5 more school days til we have winter break for 2 weeks. YAY!! Life has been so hectic and bustling, but I know for a fact, that this year was the best I have ever had in my entire life. I finally found true happiness and know what is important to me and my family. love conquers all hate surrounding us. Tell the truth at all times and show love to all, you will be rewarded for it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!