Life in Hillville is getting crazy as school starts again.  Aerik started last Monday the 16th (his 9th birthday too – not so much fun) and Maddie starts this Monday, the 23rd…not her birthday

After homeschooling for 7th grade, Janet our neighbor and Homeschool teacher extraordinaire procured herself a full time job with me at Blizzard, and so the girls are on their way back to public school.  We’ll see how that goes – altho I suspect it will be rocky to begin with.  She’s used to getting all of her work done in a few hours a day – school is going to hurt for a bit.  Also she’s shown she can get straight A’s – so this year I’m expecting the same – or dang close to it.

Toodles is getting ready for hunting season – Next weekend is the drop dead date – well for the elk anyway.  We’re gearing up for an 8 day pack trip he’s headed on somewhere around the 9th of September.  I think he’s crazy – its been 20 years since the man has been on a horse…but we’ll see how my urban cowboy does.  Hopefully someone takes pictures because this will be something I have to see!

No post would be complete without my promise to write more…altho it could very well be another six months before I even log in again….here’s hoping

Before you lambast me for having children who hunt – just dont even start – we’re a hunting family.  We eat what we harvest – and dont go for trophies.

Ok – I personally don’t hunt, but support the hunters by letting them go and cleaning up their mess – they get up at 4am for that shit – I’m sooo not that into it.

I also believe in my kids knowing how to safely handle a firearm…..even if they never hunt – just that knowledge can save a life

5) They understand and dont complain about my addiction to the internet – in fact they enable it. My 8yo can spot a “Free WIFI” sign like nobody’s business

4) They are a constant source of hilarity – from my 13yo’s innocent retelling of jokes she doesnt understsand yet (thank god) to my 8yo’s constant misinterpretation of everyday things…those who remember 4th of July 2007 trip to the Gypsum Rec Center – “Shots?! I Hate Shots!!”

3) My 13yo is a pretty dang good shopping companion as long as i dont ask her opinion on something. My 8yo will sit and play his DS for HOURS while i hem and haw over a bag or shoes….#mommylovesyou

2) They like my friends – and dont complain when we have huge poker parties or get togethers…even tho most of our friends dont have kids.

1) They luv mommie and both know how to fetch & open a beer….who could ask for anything more???

#thatisall

Tonight I think we’re going to carve pumpkins – I’m not 100% sure – but I hope so. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and decorating and carving pumpkins is the best part. I coulddo without the trick-or-treating in the freezing cold but the kids love it.

Roasting pumpkin seeds is probably one of the best memories I have of my childhood. My mom was a single parent and we would spend an evening digging out the gunk and sorting out the seeds. Stirring them in the oven as they toasted into a golden brown and salty goodness.

This halloween Aerik will be dressing as Darth Vader – which means he’s like a pig in mud – and Madison will be the Mad Hatter “only with better hair” she says. I’ll come back and post photos of them in their costumes after the 31st.

pumpkin photo by Teo

Fast forward 1/2 hr and they’re getting ready to go to the bus stop.  She steps outside and deems it too cold for her and refuses to walk to the bus stop, about 100yards away.  She is told to make a choice – walk to bus stop – no punishment – I give her a ride to bus stop 1 week grounding – miss the bus, 2 week grounding.  After much crying and bitching she gets in the car and receives her 1 week grounding.  Next she REFUSES to get out of the car at the bus stop until the bus comes.  UGH

Since boarding said bus she has called me a total of 27 times (in the last 45minutes) to complain that the lunch she has packed HERSELF is inadequate and i am to bring her something else to eat.  Her school is about 25 miles 1 way from my office.  I gave her about 3 firm “NO!” answers and shut my phone off.  She tried harassing me via my work phone, but that was the last straw – and I told her if she called me again her phone would be turned off permanently.

She’s strong willed, emotional, and a pain in the ass…but I love her. 

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Yesterday my daugther walked into the house sobbing.  this doesnt happen VERY often -as Maddie’s first inclination is to punch someone who is mean to her…but apparently she went to the neighbor girl’s  house (one of the axis of evil members) and another snotty little girl was there.  Maddie knocked on the door and the girl’s mom answered and told Maddie she wasnt welcome in the house anymore because these two girls had told the mom Maddie called her a “fat cow.”  I can pretty much guarantee that didnt happen – because I’M a fat cow – and Maddie understands how sensitive adults can be about weight issues.

This mom took her spoiled rotten little brat’s word over Maddie’s of course – and my daughter stumbles home in tears.  I was so torn – do I storm down the street and demand an apology?  Would it do any good or just make it worse?  My best advice to my child was to work on being the best person she knows how to be – and to have friends – because they were great – but not to let them manipuate and control her life.

My mom’s favorite saying is “Dont let them live rent free in your mind.”  I use that often with Maddie and her quest for popularity.  She’s wicked smart (invited to take the ACTs at 11 years old) and has a TON of common sense (well – a ton for an 11yo.)  So here’s my question – who out there will build me an intuitive search engine that will deliver step by step instructions for mom to handle situations like that just by typing in “bitchy little girls?”

I told her to walk her own path – and let the little bitches try to follow.  They’re too dumb to keep up.

Dear Maddie,

Every day you leave this house – remember I love you
Every time you are faced with a tough decision – remember I love you
Every time you’re stabbed in the back – remember I love you
Every time you brush yourself off and get up again – remember I love you
Every time you make the wrong decision – remember I love you
Every time you make the right decision – remember I love you
Every time you sass me back – remember I love you
Every time I raise my voice – remember I love you
Every time you ace a test – remember I love you
Every time you tank a test – remember I love you
Every time you walk in that door – remember I love you

I’m so very proud of the young woman you’ve become.  It’s hard to be your age!  You’re going through changes in who you are and what you stand for that will stay with you forever.  There are times you will feel like everyone is out to get you.  Take a deep breath – remember how much mommy loves you – give yourself a mental hug and push ahead.  Never be a doormat, never stay quiet when you know it’s right to speak, and never – ever forget that I love you.

I imagine in my mind a bookie, scummy back room gambling hall, and my son, Aerik playing a gangster and loving every second of it.  In reality they probably bet Skittles.