It is so weird not to be glued to my laptop anymore. I spent so much time researching where to live, and now that it is done, I often find myself grabbing my laptop in a spare moment, and sitting here with NOTHING TO DO!

It's an awesome feeling.

Now, the countdown begins. I have twenty six days until we move, and I am excited. I will of course miss all my family and friends, but it is inevitable, and the only thing to do is to be postive about it all. I knew when I marred that man o' mine that moving, moving, moving was going to be a way of life.

Right now I get to concentrate on more fun things like what to get my kiddies for Christmas. Right now the Leapster bike is on the list for the J-man. Aislinn.. not so sure. Imean she spent twenty minutes at the store the other day trying to convince me to buy her the pink Sony Viao laptop she found. Yeah right sweetheart. Not while your daddy is typing on a crappy HP right now.

We got the BIG BOOK OF TOYS today, and they had a blast circling ALL the things they wanted. If only that was possible. But, it will give me some ideas.

Having kids is such a blast. Sometimes I get caught up in the whole adult world thing, I often forget that HEY YOU HAVE KIDS, and to stop and play.

Today we carved pumpkins, and to my utter amazement Aislinn did most of hers ALL BY HERSELF. I was so proud of her, and you know what? She did an amazing job! Although, she carved out what I thought was a ghost, and I said "I love the ghost you added" and she got embarrassed and said "That was supposed to be a fish" Ooops. But, she said "You know, that does look like a ghost though! Such a giving soul.

I don't think I mentioned this here, but recently Aislinn had an incident at school. She had severlely chapped lips and looked like a clown. A girl passed her in the hall, and said "Hey Ugly Girl" which of course hurt her feelings. She didn't cry though (which is what I would have done as a child) but shot her a dirty look. I really wanted to cry. It broke my heart. The next day I asked her if the girl said it again, and she said "You know what? I found out that, that girl is in KINDERGARTEN mom, and so I'm not upset anymore, because she's a little girl, and she doesn't know any better."

Wow.

What a caring girl I have, and such a smart girl to know that someone that young doesn't have the compacity for empathy yet. That at that age, you blurt out whatever is on your mind, mean or not. I wanted to cry harder that day then the previous. She just blows my mind with her intellect and wisdom at times. Then again, this is a girl that also managed to get her slinky so wrapped up on the swing set, I had to take the swing DOWN to get it off. So, wisdom... well it comes and goes. But, isn't that true for us all?

If you haven't read this blog yet, you really, really should. Thank you to Christina for showing it to me.


http://www.schuylersmonsterblog.com/

It's a blog about a dad, and his daughter who can't speak. But, talk she does. It's an amazing journey that Rob takes us through effortlessly. There is no other blog that makes me feel so GOOD about life. So GOOD about humanity. I always leave there feeling warm and fuzzy all up in my insides.

This blog has helped me with Aislinn so much. To show me that all seven year olds are strangely weird in a great way. But, it also has shown me that I can not control Aislinn's ticks and weirdies, but I can definitely enjoy them the best I can.

I got my new tattoo today, and zomg do I love it. It looks awesome, and I can't stop staring at it. When I went to my moms, I nonchalantly walked into my moms room (or so I thought) and looked at it, and my sister busted me. She said it was allowed though. LOL

My mom and my sister were both concerned about my tattoo. I was really unable to explain WHAT I was getting. The artist and I had emailed a few times to discuss ideas, but I honestly didn't know what she was going to come up with. So I guess they were assuming this horrible tribal looking design. When they saw it, they were both pleasantly surprised by the design and feminity it has.

The turquoise ribbon is just slightly cut off. I'll be honest it was bigger than I expected, but once I saw it, I fell in love. She only charged me a hundred dollars too!! I just love it. I especially love the little lime green whoopty doos (her term not mine) she added that wasn't on the original design. She said it needed a little something extra added to it.

And dare I say, it compliments my freckles? LOL

So, yes I'm in love. Tony loves it, and both kids like it too. Even Miss I hate anything new you do to yourself. Her first comment was "I hate it" but I think she is so used to saying that whenever a change occurs, but she asked to look at it a few times, and seemed to like it. Jonny wanted to know when he was going to get HIS tattoo. Not until your 18 buddy, just like the rest of us.

The artist did an amazing job. She was very sweet, and was just tickled pink that I let her design it herself, and that she was doing somethin girly for a change. She was just all "Omg, this is going to be so great!" and "This is looking awesome, I am having SO much fun!" Far cry from my other two tattoos where it was like complete intimidation walking in, picking something out, and then having some angry dude just scratch away at your skin, without much enthusiasm for what he is doing. THIS was the real deal, and it was amazing!

Perfect example. She had complete enthusiasm for what I was doing. She was downright eager to get started, excitedly pulling out her sketchbook, and showing me what she had done, making sure I liked it, assuring me that it could be changed. Making little excited noises while doing it, etc. While talking, she said something about some girl coming in to get a fairy later on in the day, and her demeanor changed almost right away. Bored, not looking forward to it, kinda pissy about it. It just kind of solidfied to me that just walking in and getting something off the wall is not going to get you a good tattoo.

The burning though after. OMG. I've had two very small tattoos done in the past, so the burning was never an issue for me. But just the AIR hitting this was killing me.

It feels good now, and I've schmeared some gunk on it, and now I'm going to bed.

Tony is home!! He got in around seven-ish this morning. He was so exhausted, but we sat up and chatted for a bit. He had a good time. He was telling me all about his friend, and how it's so weird to see his friend as a DAD (last time he saw him, his son was a baby. His son is now five) . He had a really good time. He said the kids were awesome, and it felt comfortable being around the family. I'm getting really excited about going there. At least THIS time, we'll know people.

Tony got us a place to stay and although not our first choice, we went with it anyway. Our other choice was better, nicer area, bigger townhome. But, there was a pond behind the "yard" and I use the term yard loosely, as it was teeny. Enough room for our table and that's it. Plus the pond freaked us out. With the two adventurers I have on my hands, it would not go well. Also, we'd have to get a new stackable washer and dryer, and even used, they are EXPENSIVE!!

So, we went with the smaller townhome. The best part is that it's an end unit, so there is more yard. Not much mind you, it makes our current yard look like a field. But for a townhome, a decent sized one. We can put our swingset up and still have room for the kids to play. Plus, there is a laundry ROOM not just a laundry space. At first I thought I would have to go outside to get to the laundry room, but found out that isn't so. Thank God.

It does look smallish though. But, our plan is just to live there a year and move to base housing, or if we get enough saved, buy a house. We're hoping that the current trend of foreclosed homes (not that we're hoping for people to foreclose of course) will hit that area brining house pricing down. I doubt it since there is always a new flow of people coming in and out of there, but we'll see. At this point the only thing we COULD afford would be... well a townhome. I am ready to get into a place to call my own though. To paint if I feel like it, and hang a billion pictures up if I want to. Get some critters.

So, we now have a place to live!! I'm very excited about this, and very happy. I am glad Tony went and checked it out. We just can move in immediately, and it will be awesome. Plust after his school, Tony will have close to three weeks off before he goes to his new command. So we can get settled and everything.

Today I have a tattoo appointment. I can't wait! I'll post pics for sure!

Tony arrived in Va safely. I talked to him quite a bit today, and he seems very excited. As much as I bitch, and bitch and bitch, there is no denying that it feels good to hear my man so happy. Relaxed, excited, full of nervous energy. He drove straight through the night, getting caught up in bad storms in Kentucky and West Virginia. He went to the base, got stickers for the car and the van (you need Dept. of Defense stickers on your vehicles just to get on base) and then drove straight to his new command. He met all his future co-workers.

He will get all our stuff done tomorrow. Not exactly sure what he plans on doing? But, hey whatever.

The kids have been pretty good since he's been gone. I have PMS, so I am a little short tempered, but they're being so good, that there is rarely yelling.

This morning I did have an incident with the moving company. They were scheduled to do a walk through on the 30th to see how many boxes we'd need. Well, I walk outside and someone pulls up and walks up to me. I mean I was literally putting the kids IN THE VAN to go to school. I assumed that it was just someone who wanted to inquire about the house being for rent, since our landlady put a sign up. She told me who she was and why she was here, and I told her that I was not at all prepared, and that I knew for a fact our appointment wasn't until next week. She was passively aggresive pushy, which irked me. Like being fakey nice, but really basically telling me I was inconveniencing HER. Which just blew my mind. SHE comes on the wrong day, while I'm trying to get my daughter to school on time, so she can eat breakfast there, and I'm making this hard for HER?!?

Basically she wouldn't shut the fuck up, and Aislinn didn't get to eat breakfast. Aislinn likes to eat breakfast at school, because she doesn't like to get up and have to eat right away. It works out for us all, as she is in better spirits when she leaves for school since we're not constantly nagging her to hurry up already, right when she wakes up.

I was so pissed at this lady. She KNEW, she KNEW and she came anyway. WHY? Because, she knew Tony was gone. I was home when he called her, and she wanted to make the app. for today, and he said no, he was going to be gone. So, she shows up anyway, becuase he wasn't going to be there.

I left her standing there, and went to drop A off. Then I went to my moms and made that lady wait, for like thirty minutes. LOL Totally passive aggresive on MY part, but you fight fire with fire. Then, when I got back, I told her straight out... I didn't appreciate this, it was truly inconvenient for me, my husband wanted to BE here, and I feel that she did this on purpose to suit HER scheduel and knew that Tony wouldn't be here. She left, but not before telling me that it was a 20 mile drive. Man I was pissed.

First of all, my house wasn't company worthy. Shame on me sure, but hey whatever. If you say you're going to be here on the 30th don't show up a week early. Plus, I have this thing about people in my house. I really really hate it. I usually schedule stuff when I know Tony will be home, because I hate having strangers in my home. I feel nauseous and anxious and just all around jittery.

We've had an eventful evening tonight.

After much back and forth on should he, shouldn't he, Tony decides finally that YES he is going to drive the 14 hours (he says 14, I say 17) to Va, to look at our housing options. He had actually made this decision earlier in the day.

So, tell me WHY after laying about all day doing nothing, he tells me FIVE minutes before he leaves he needs the insurance card for the car. While I'm weeding through all the credit card offers and junk mail that I've saved to be shredded, the kids are bouncing on my LAST nerve.

They had been fighting over this fucking punch ball balloon all afternoon. One would have it, and then mercilessly tease the other one for not having it, causing crying. Then, the balloon would be forgotten about by the teaser, then the teasee would quickly snatch it, and then the roles would be reversed.

I was really fucking sick of it.

Finally, after hearing "Mommy! I want the ballooon WAAAAAAHHHHHHH" 200 times, I snatched that fucking balloon, took a pen and jammed it in. The pop it made was like a cool balm for my nerves.

There. Balloon ordeal over.

Yeah right.

Both kids stared at me with their huge fucking kid eyes, lips quivering, tears welling, then oh the wailing. It was like I murdered a puppy right in front of their eyes.

Aislinn wailed "I want my bouncy friend! I want my bouncy friend. You killed my bouncy friend" Jonny wailed "My BALLLOOOOOONNN! Why'd you pop it? My BALLLOOOONNN" This went on for about fifteen minutes. Thank God the windows were down. They were running around, screaming, crying, pounding the floor, slinging tears and snot everywhere. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't help it, I felt a giggle rise in my throat. I had to run to the bathroom, where Tony was taking a shower and laugh and laugh.

I am a horrible mom.

It's COLD bitches. COLD COLD COLD. I am currently wearing a fleece jacket, socks AND slippers, and I have the heat on. It's official. I'm getting old. But, it beats being hot, so I'm not complaining.

This morning was a toughy with Aislinn. Tony is home, so of course the morning starts off with every possible ailment Aislinn could think of to keep me from sending her to school. That girl. God love her.

So, she has gotten over her socks and shoes issues. YAY! She can now put on her socks and shoes without a fuss. But, she's moved on to pants. No matter what pants she has on, they don't feel right. Whatever girl. I don't care. Wear the pants and go to school ok? Today, she bitched about SWEAT PANTS. What the hell?!? I told her I'm just going to buy her jeans if she's going to complain about her pants, because then at least she would look tidy. If I have to hear her fuss, might as well right?

I decided the other day to do a little experiment. We were at Target, and I told she could pick out her OWN outfit. Do you know what that little snot said to me? "Finally!" Ok. So, she actually picks out some really cute stuff. Sweat pants still, but at least dressier. She insisted on getting large though, which are too big. She puts her new sweat outfit on yesterday, AND SHE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PANTS. Just to let you know, she can't walk to feet without having to hike them up her ass, because they are TOO BIG.

I swear, I'm buying her jeans.

Yesterday, we went to the main library to see the founding members of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society I think is what it stands for) that have their own show on SciFi that we all love, called GhostHunters. We get there... and they were full. Aislinn was SO disappointed. So we took them to Incredible Pizza for dinner. We had a good time.