don't you have anything better to do?

Everyone's mama

2011-02-27T12:44:00.000-08:00

I am trying to wrap my head around this and I just can't. I can not even put into words what is going on- it will all be too real. Tina MacRae you are the most amazing person I know. You are a second mother to every child you come across. You have thousands of kids calling you mom and will grieve everyday you are gone. I grieve for those who will never get to have you be their mama. I grieve for your kids, your husband, your brother, your dad. I grieve for your friends. Please pull through. I know you need a miracle among miracles but if anyone needs to prove that it can be done you will do it. We love you Tina. We do not want to miss you- we need you.

Grinding away

2011-02-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

I know for my loyal followers (just kidding) you have been waiting on bended knee for me to blog again. It's just I don't have much to say. Life is pretty much the same- busy busy busy and prett boring and mundane. But I like it that way.

I am trying to decide if we go back to public school. Do not get me wrong, I love the twins school but 30K plus a year is hard to swallow. If we had an endless amount of money of some help from relatives we could keep them where I believe they are getting the best education possible. But, having a chid with special needs who needs additional support is expensive. At public school they have to give him an aide if he needs one in the classroom-- and I know there are good teachers, but with all the budget cuts the classrooms are too big, the individualized programs such as gifted etc. are being phased out. Not sure what to do. I am going to tour the local school this week and see what kind of feeling I get from it. Then I guess I'll know.

Other than that- back to the daily grind.

Teenagers!

2010-11-27T18:56:00.001-08:00

Enough said.

real estate racket

2010-09-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

That's right. I said it. Real estate is a racket. They make you all sorts of promises in helping you sell your house, staging, painting cleaning, whatever. Guess what- it all comes out of your own pocket. Do we need a new roof we ask the agents? No, the house is priced accordingly knowing it needs a new roof. A very good thing you replaced the siding, the floors, the water heater, added a new deck, landscaped. Around $100,000. Great that you live on a greenbelt- a lot larger lot, privacy, that accounts for a lot. Bull shit! They are shady used car salesmen. Telling you anything they can to get you to sign away 15% of your house sale. That's right. I said it. 15%. They might tell you it might cost 8% total in closing but what they really mean is about 8% plus their fee of 6%. Not their fee of 6% plus 2% for a total of 8%. When do you find this out? After you get to closing, from the escrow company. Now mind you I already had a problem with the 6%. What are you doing to earn my money. Holding an open house- whoopdy doo- I can do that. Putting my house on the internet- la dee freaking da. Easy as pie in this day and age. I already felt ripped off by them and their percentage but now I feel royally screwed. They are walking away with $25K.. Know how much we are possible walking away with after 8 years and $110k in upgrades? $3k.. Yup, that's it. $3k. In order to sell our house we needed a new roof so are giving that to our buyer (something I mentioned in the beginning). People do not take into account if you have put in work, the neighborhood etc. they only look at square footage. We could have never done ANY work in our house and sold our house for the same amount and walked away with $100 at least. Note to self- never ever ever listen to agents, pay them an outrageous percentage or anything. Nothing they do is worth what they charge. They make tens of thousands with each sale and you walk away with nothing. The only positive about this entire experience is we are walking way with something. I cannot imagine after all this hassle having to write a check to the mortgage company. Although at this point I might as well. It is the same as walking away with practically nothing. It does nothing to help us financially.

I hate real estate. I hate real estate agents. What a freaking racket!

?!?!

2010-08-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

How is it possible that I have an 8th grader? Which means in one year he is in highschool?!! WHAT?!!! This is just crazy- how are we old enough to have child this age? I vividly remember this age. Holy moly! Time goes soooooooooo fast. Just yesterday Trystan was starting 1st grade and now the twins are starting 1st grade. When Trystan was in 1st grade I found out I was pregnant with the twins. Cannot believe how old they are. I wish I could turn back time or at least slow it down.

always the mom

2010-08-11T09:22:00.001-07:00

When there are 2 conflicting "appointments", or 3 or 4, depending on how many activities the kiddos have; why is always the mom who gets shafted? I have been a part of a book club for about 5 years now. It is with my twin mommies. We ALWAYS have our meetings on the second Wed of the month. That is all I ask for, one day a month. Tony plays basketball on Thursday nights, occasionally I have a conflict as well so we hire a sitter (expensive). But, Tony has been playing softball for work. My only request was as long as it is not on wed because I have book club. You guessed it, it is always on Wed. night. This wouldn't be an issue because Trystan can stay home with the twins. Well, for the last 4 months I have missed book club because of baseball practice, moving day and now of course football. His practice doesn't end until late so he can't watch the twins, mom who lives next door has plans so she can't watch the twins. Tony can't miss his game so he can't watch the twins. I am tired of having to pay for a sitter to go to book club when it would only be for an hour or so until Trystan gets home but at this point it is too late to find one as it is for tonight (my mom informed me just now she made other plans- when she was already planning on sitting). So of course, I, the mom miss out AGAIN. Why is it always the mom?

Say What?!

2010-04-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

I just looked at my last 3 posts and they were all song titles. Say What?!
RANDOM! :)

bitter sweet

2010-04-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

So, the first home Tony and I ever owned is now on the market. http://www.windermere.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=listing.listingDetailUpdated&listingID=67531012&paginate=true
We bought this house 8 years ago, about 6 months after we got married. The twins have only ever known this to be their home. Trystan has a fantastic neighborhood group of friends. He has walked with them every day to school for who knows how long. When I drive in from picking the twins up from school there is usually a contingent of 6-8 boys and girls in our driveway playing basketball or just hanging out. I love this house, I love the neighborhood. I will truely miss it and hope it brings as much happiness to the next family who owns it. Now let's just hope it moves quickly so we can begin the next chapter of our lives as a family in a new home to call our own.

comfortably numb

2009-12-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

I have that song my Led Zepplin running through my head. "hello, hello, hello is there anybody out there?" That's how I feel about this blospot. I follow all these blogs (well not that many), and nobody ever posts anymore. There was a lot of activity for a while- but now nothing. come on people, blog! :) I have become comfortably numb.............

"you're gonna miss this"

2009-10-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

I cannot stop singing that song by Trace Adkins, and I can't post this on facebook. My son is growing up too fast for me- he had his first real kiss today with his girlfriend. I am happy and sad at the same time. He was so nervous- she had wanted him to do this for weeks now and he finally did. My little man...........

convenience

2009-10-08T11:07:00.001-07:00

Alrighty- another rant- seems like that is all i do on this blog. I am so sick and tired of microsoft and their shitty applications. we are constantly getting viruses, not able to connect whatever. I don't have these issues with google, etc.. I would get rid of my hotmail but i have had it for about 15 years. it would be more of an inconvenience than anything. I have a gmail account and I am attempted to try and make it my primary. Ugh! Microsoft sucks!!!!! If my husband worked for them I might think a little differently because we would have such good benefits but we don't so..............

this is why

2009-08-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

what is wrong with some people?! so last night tony is at the mariners game with my brother ben and I get a phone call from him. turns out, tony just got a phone call from his cousin in new mexico who told tony that his little brother was dead. Oh my god! I ask tony if it happened in prison he says yes (his brother was dumn and got his ass put in a colorado prison for the second time- this time for 40+ years) but that is beside the point. So tony calls his older brother (jr) to get details. Fabian (his cousin) heard from tony's dad that brandon (the convict) had been ordered by some rival gang to kill someone and he doesn't know if brandon was s et-up or what but he was the one that got killed (or something close to this story). Jr was telling tony that his dad didn't want to tell them because of jr's wedding in a couple weeks etc... tony assumed it was because he wouldn't be able to pay to get brandon's remains etc... when tony got home he called the prison but since it was the middle of the night they had no information and told him to call back in the morning. we thought it was a little fishy when we looked up on the inmate locator and there was no mention of being deceased and when he talked to the sargent on duty they seemed confused and asked if he was killed at this prison or did we have the wrong priosn. maybe we thought they just couldn't get into details. so tony called back first thing this morning and talked to brandon's case worker- he is a live and well in his pod. WTF?!! What is wrong with his dad? why is he saying tHis stuff when it isn't true- we know he likes attention etc. but give me a break! he put his family through HELL. especailly since we just lost my dear grandfather this week. if anyone is confused why we still don't have contact with these people. this is why!

Obituaries | Civic leader Fredric Danz dies at 91 | Seattle Times Newspaper

2009-08-26T09:51:00.001-07:00

Obituaries | Civic leader Fredric Danz dies at 91 | Seattle Times Newspaper

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crackbook

2009-07-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

Well, now I am going to have to be cryptic in my facebook posts, keep it strictly G or PG and not mention anything I don't my kids friends' to know.
The reason being: Trystan is now on facebook too. He has been bugging me for at least 2 years now, he is finally 12 (even though the rules say 13), AND I am having a harder time justifying why not to have one. He definately won't be on myspace as it is not invite only exclusively- He is a good kid and promises to not add any friends without permission- easy to see as we all know, and on top of it I have his password. I let him see PG-13 and R movies (depending) even though it is recommended to wait until 17 etc..
what is the difference really? I trust him, I will "big brother" him.
let's see how it goes........................

conflicted

2009-06-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

I was on a high from a great weekend of birthday celebartions for the twins. I can't believe how big they are. I am so proud of them and glad they are happy. Once we got home I hopped on facebook (after putting together endless gifts...........) just to check in and am now heartbroken. My friend delivered her twins on Wednesday. One of them died during childbirth. I can not imagine the grief they must be feeling. It will never be the same with one of their children missing. They have a precious baby boy but will always miss his brother. it must be so hard to celebrate his life when his brother is gone............

"My Family" by Trystan Sanchez

2009-05-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

This is a poem Trystan wrote for school. I wanted to share it here.

My Family

By: Trystan Sanchez

My sister.

Just like a tiger, will eat anything in front of her.

My Brother.

Like a monkey, very curious about what he sees and what he does.

Me.

Like an apple picker, very picky about what I get.

My mom.

Just like my cat, won't stop talking.

My dad.

Just like a gorilla, leads our family to where we go.

the biggest dance of all

2009-04-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ok. so I am a gigantic loser.
I decided to create my own tournament dance of sorts. But instead of girls like kjram, I used guys!
here it is
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=321705

It is probably a huge waste of time since I already know who would win in mine- and I separated my top 4 into the 4 brackets of course :P

I'm most curious to see who other people pick...........

hours in the day...

2009-03-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Now in no way am I complaining, I like that it works this way. I'm just trying to figure out why there seem to be so many more hours in the day while one is in Hawaii (or some place similar). Beach time is sooooooooooo much slower. You can wake up, eat breakfast, spend "hours" at the beach, come up to the house, watch the kids swim, play ball. In your mind you think it must be lunch time at least, if not later- and it is only 9:30 am. FANTASTIC! There just seems to be more time in the day. How can that be wrong? :)

Footloose

2009-02-10T20:55:00.001-08:00

I forgot how much I love this movie! It is on Encore right now so I don't have to worry about commercials or anything interrupting my viewing. It is truly a classic, and so much fun :) . I know they are making a remake of it, and that scares me. First, I am worried they will ruin it, but also I am scared that I will actually like it. I don't want to like it, I love the original and if the remake does so well will people forget about the one true Footloose? I think one of the reasons I like it so much is how much I enjoyed it when it came out- we would watch it over and over, we had the soundtrack etc.. I can vividly remember getting to watch it at school one time even. :) Remakes are funny things though. I can understand why hollywood likes to do it but I'm not sure how I feel about it. I know I'm rambling but it was on my mind and I'm not quite sure how to word what i was thinking. Oh well! Back to footloose!

Mamma Mia

2009-01-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

So, my daughter Mia is obsessed with Mamma Mia the musical. She loves to sing all the songs, wants to watch the movie and then just do the sing along where it skips to certain songs during the movie. I love it! She belts the songs out at the top of her lungs and has a fabulous time. Too cute!

HE DID IT!

2008-12-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

I am so excited! Braden will finally touch the snow and PLAY IN IT!! Before he would think it was a good idea but as soon as his boots or gloves (mittens) would hit the snow, he would scream and want to be A:Picked up or B: go in the house and watch from the window or C: Both. He has made a complete turn around. We went over to our cousin's house for brunch today and Trystan, Mia and Sloane went to play in the snow, Braden wanted to go too. I knew what was next, I would have to go rescue him. He watched for a while then picked some up, no screaming, and threw it at trystan. He was having so much fun, he couldn't get enough of it. He was the last one back inside and as we were leaving wanted to pick up more snow (with his bare hands). I nixed that but Yeah Braden! He did it! Now we can all play together :) YES!!!!

What is wrong with people!!

2008-12-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

I am so tired of hearing about married cheaters. You don't have to have sex with someone for it to be cheating. If you are married and kiss someone else (not as a friend), and by kissing I mean make out with someone, then you cheated!! Stop being so high and mighty and saying welll we didn't have sex, I love my___________. You obviously don't love them. If you did you would not act on your temptations. You would not snub your nose at other people who cheated on their spouses and say you would never do the same. It happens too often- especially with in the work place and alcohol is not an excuse! It makes me sick, either leave your spouse and have your playtime or don't give in; don't do it and honor your commitment and vows. It is horrible to know someone has been or is being cheated on and they "have no idea". I'm sure if they looked deep down they would know somwthing is fishy. And if you know, do you tell? What a horrible situation to put someone in. What selfish people. I'm just sick and tired of it!

maybe next year......

2008-11-23T16:34:00.000-08:00

That is the theme for Seattle sports teams this year. The Mariners- worst in history, Huskies- haven't won a game, Seahawks- keep losing in the last minute of the game. It is pathetic. There is no one to root for. We don't have the Sonics anymore but before they left they were losers too. Maybe everyone in Seattle should start rooting for our sports enemies because then they would start losing. I am afraid to root for the Mens Husky Basketball team becuase if we do they will probably have a losing season as well. UGH!!!! It is so frustrating to be a Seattle sports fan; in fact, I am embarrassed to even be one. Is there any team here worth watching? Maybe next year....

problem?

2008-11-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

Ok. So I have a problem. An addiction. It is called facebook. This problem was made worse by the addition of a laptop to our family. Now I can check it while hanging out with the kids. I can't seem to stop from checking it constantly and now there is an even bigger issue, I am addicted to this game geo challenge. ok so it hasn't even been 24 hours since I started that game but I find it soooo fun. Now my goal is to beat Jenny but before it was to just beat myself. I have the hardest time on the cities. I am putting them in random places in teh world for some reason (even though I know where it belongs) and my flag recognition has also gone down hill. I am thinking too hard, I need to go with my 1st instinct. As for facebook, I don't know why but I love to read people's status updates etc.. It's like being a voyeur and never having to leave the house. :) Like my people addiction for my celebrites. there is that addiction word again. hmmmmmm

2008-11-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

I don't care what you believe or who you support. John McCain is an extraordinary human being. He is a passionate man on many levels. He genuinly cares for people and for this country he loves. My sister said" he makes me proud to be an American". I have to agree.

I wanted to post the remarks from Senator John McCain:

November 4, 2008

Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.
My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.
In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.
This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.
I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.
A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.
Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer in my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day, though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.
Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.
I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.
It is natural tonight to feel some disappointment, but tomorrow we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again. We fought as hard as we could.
And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.
I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends. The road was a difficult one from the outset. But your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.
I am especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign. I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.
You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign. All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude, and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.
I am also, of course, very thankful to Governor Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I have ever seen and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength. Her husband Todd and their five beautiful children with their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign. We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.
To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly month after month in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.
I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.
This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life. And my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.
I would not be an American worthy of the name, should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century. Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone and I thank the people of Arizona for it.
Tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama, I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.
And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.
Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history, we make history.
Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.

Here goes...

2008-11-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

Seems like everyone I know is blogging so I thought I'd join the party. That's it. Not sure how often I'll get to it, my kids take up most of my time but with the twins at school I seem to have a little more time on my hands but I need that time to FACEBOOK :)
That's all for now. I'm sure as soon as I sign on to facebook someone will say something in their status update I don't agree with, or after reading blogs I might have something to say, or my kids might do something cute. Who knows. This is a fun new experiment and now Auntie Jenny can stop telling me to start one.