Stepkid Birthdays

My stepson turns 17 this year.  Then it will be one more year of having a legal relationship with the ex!  Yeah for us.

I'm sure he'll be asking for something music-related for his birthday (he's like his dad in that regard).  Usually, he picks uber expensive gifts. Maybe we can nip that request in the bud and find him an appropriately priced mixer before he sends us his gift list and head off the frustration those requests bring.

I have a love/hate thing going with my stepchildren's birthdays.  On one hand, I LOVE them because it means one less year of having a legal relationship with the ex.  On the other hand, I don't like holidays gift buying for my stepkids anymore.  Their gift requests are always SO huge.  Maybe that's ok with their mom (she always did go big at holidays for them so it's really expected anymore) but that's hard for us.  I think we'll jump start the gift buying ideas ahead of time and find him a nice mixer for his recording without breaking the bank.

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I Deserve Flowers

Seattle, Washington Stepmoms:

When dad messes up, give him this link for incredibley priced Seattle Flowers to make up for his faux pas.  I'd go for something like these in the picture above.  It'd be $40 well-spent!

My husband gave up asking me for pictures of the dog that tried to bite me for his daughter.  At least, I haven't heard a word about it in several days.  Maybe he figured with one child with the flu and another with pneumonia, finding pictures for his adult child was not going to happen.  Maybe he figured if he kept pushing, he'd be investing in some flowers for me to apologize.  Maybe he figured out that I just don't care to help my SD tattoo a picture of a dog on herself that tried to bite me (the dog, not the SD...SS would've been the stepchild I'd worry about getting a bite from).

Actually, with the lack of sleep over taking care of sick children this week, I think he should buy me flowers anyway! He actually thought sweeping the living room and carrying a laundry basket to the laundry room was "cleaning the house" yesterday...perhaps he should take care of a vomiting child and another hacking child for several days before he brags about his awesome house cleaning skills while actually DOING the laundry, and dishes, and cleaning bathroom sinks, toilets and tubs?

Yeah, I think I should expect some flowers from hubby soon!

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The Almost Vacation

The two new (expensive) tires I put on our SUV 1-1/2 years ago have worn bald on the insides - you can see the belt!  As I drive behind my husband to take the truck to be dropped off and fixed, I sadly (and admittedly, angrily) think about the huge chunk of $$ that is going to come out of our vacation fund to pay for the new tires that shouldn't need to be replaced and whatever caused it (and if it's rods and joints that I just replaced 1-1/2 years ago at almost $500, I will fall over in a heap of tears).

We haven't been on vacation in eight years.  We were going to be ready to go in May this year.  Now?

:(

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Flu & Pneumonia

My house should have a bio-hazard sign out front!

My six-year-old has been out of school all week because of the flu and now, my teenager was diagnosed with pneumonia today.

*sigh*

Come on, spring!!!  Hurry up and get here!

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What a Weekend!!!

What a weekend!

My freshman was asked to the junior/senior prom.  Car date?  That sure puts butterflies in my stomach!

My six-year-old has been spiking fevers all weekend!  She shot up to 104.8! I can handle the headaches, stomachaches, and vomiting she's been having but when a fever shoots that high - scary! I was able to get her fever down from that high spike so it wasn't an ER trip for her.  Poor thing. She is still pretty sick today but the fevers are within manageable range at least.  I heard that there is a virus going around the school.  There always is.  *sigh*  Now I wait to see if my other three children get the virus.

The dog pictures SD wants for her tattoo?  She's still asking her dad. DH asked me again over the weekend.  Seriously? With all the stuff going on at home that I am handling by myself because of dh's work schedule, what my disrespectful SD wants to tattoo on her body is the LAST thing on my list to do!

Definition of DISENGAGE:

dis·en·gage/ˌdisenˈgāj/

Verb:

Detach, free, loosen, or separate (something). Detach oneself; get loose.

v. dis·en·gaged, dis·en·gag·ing, dis·en·gag·es. v.tr. 1. To release from something that holds fast, connects, or entangles

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SD Says Jump, Stepmom Doesn't Ask "How High?" - Bad Stepmom!

My adult SD texted me earlier this week, asking for pictures of a dog we used to have 7-8 years ago.  I hear from my SD a couple times a year and it is only when she wants something or to insult me pretty damn publicly in front of family. Excuse me if I don't ask "how high" when expected to jump by SD (who seems to prefer I not exist the last few years) or a dog (that tried to rip into me with her big teeth). SD wants to tattoo a picture of this dog on herself. Just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!

I didn't jump right on that little request so she texted her dad a few days ago who then asked me to look for pictures of this dog and email them to his computer.  I didn't appreciate that either - why ask in a way that would make me think HE wanted them, like SD wasn't involved. I told hubby that SD had already asked me so HE knew I knew.  Hubby should know better.

He asked me again yesterday for them (SD must be getting impatient and since I don't give her a reaction...).  Nope, I told him I haven't had time to go through thousands of pictures (literally - I take hundreds of pics monthly and we owned this dog around 2004) between gymnastics, cheer, work, housecleaning, sleepovers, his 7-day work week leaving me basically single mom to our own four kids - two who are sick - and chauffeuring kids to sports and end of season winter sport parties/activities and their friends around the last few days...while sick myself.

I don't care to waste what little down time I can find for myself looking for pictures to send to somebody who couldn't care less about me so she can permanently ink a dog who tried to bite me on herself.

There are consequences to disrespectful behavior. I disengage from it.  That means when they want something from me - pfft. Disengaged!

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Almost Down to One Year Left

Spring is going to start to feel like it's ready to spring in about a month (though we've had such a mild winter anyway).  In a few months, we will be down to one year left before the legal relationship with the ex is completely done.  One year!!  Holy cow!! Can't wait for that one year mark.

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DIY Floor Tile Project

I have a basement family room that needs flooring.  It's just a cement floor at the moment. I know I don't want carpeting because the dogs use the door in the basement to go in and out and that would just be a big mess.  Do I want to put a one-piece laminate down (that looks sort of like stone I am thinking) or would basement floor tiles be better? The floor tiles could be installed as a DIY project but a one piece laminate would definitely need installation.

These are the laminate, interlocking floor tiles (below).  It looks really nice.  Decisions, decisions...

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