Christmas thoughts...

The holidays seem to bring up all sorts of thoughts, anticipations, feelings, expectations. I learned a long time ago when I was perhaps 10 that we don't always get what we want out of the Day. As I aged and had children, my kid's father always had to out do me in the gift department. I bought small appropriate gifts for my then nearly 1 year old son Tim he bought the kid a bike, a wagon and I can't remember what else but it was too old for the kid.

Even after we divorced Christmas was always way too much and he and his new wife demanded much of the holiday.

Then I remarried and had to deal with Mark's ex. She's remarried and has money, even as adults the boys get way too much from her.

I don't care, seriously I don't. Christmas is not about the stuff. It's about the people. My children were here yesterday, my son minus his future wife, she was with her mother. Only leaving town after I sent her with 2 boxes of anti anxiety tea. This stuff has got me through many a holiday.

The older two stepsons had brought the kids over on Christmas Eve. They made it here at 8:00. Their mother had let another friend have the boys earlier in the day. Again I was ok, I get to see the kids often and I will always be their Grandma Roses.

Yesterday the two older ones made it over for a while. It was nice having my three and those two together. Many laughs were shared by all.

Mark didn't sleep after a night of work and went to bed at 6:30 pm. Then his middle son showed up with his wife, he got huffy that Mark was in bed and left. Mark's 4th kid, clueless son, acknowledged the holiday after Mark called him. The youngest problem son is using his new girlfriend's brother's tragic illness and most likely death to not be with the family. He says she needs him and he's been at the hospital since Monday. Not at work, not at therapy, not anywhere, but using this poor girl and after a trip to Texas in January with her he will come home go back to his old girlfriend and dump her.

Am I upset? no...the holidays brought so much happiness for me that I simply do not have the urge to get involved with my children and their own issues. Like me before them they have to find their own way in life. Maybe they will, maybe they will sit in their own selfish crap forever.

A simple card sent by an old childhood friend's mother made one of the brightest moments in my holiday. She simply told me she loved me and was proud of what I had become.

It's the little things...

another day in the midwest

Twas the night of Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring...except for the cats chasing the ornaments off the tree...

Oh and the cell phone ringing asking hubby to come in to work! At midnight.

Neither snow, nor sleet nor freezing rain stops the contracted mail trucks from slip sliding to the city to deliver our letters, bills and junk mail...oh and our netflix.

No one wanted to work last night so guess who did?

Fearless truck driver Mark.

A few calls to me in the middle of the night to calm his nerves. We had a hell of an ice storm last night. A few times he sat in traffic not moving as the tires on the vehicles just could not move.

He also said a couple of people bumped into his trailer.
A truck doing donuts down I55, a few jack knifed trucks for good measure...
Oh the joy of a Midwest winter!!

He'll be home in a bit, safe and sound after witnessing O'Hare towing pull a few snow plows from the ditch.

Then time for some sleep and it's out on the roads again.

Thank God for a rain storm and 50 degree temperatures called for the weekend!

Merry Christmas !!

My Christmas was filled with family, food and just hanging out. The way I love it!!

Hope you all had a wonderful day also!!

day of the eve...

Eggnog -- check
Rescue live tree that has been sitting in frozen water in the garage, up and decorated -- check
Abundance of Little Kids gifts wrapped and under the tree -- check
Big kid's measly gifts under tree -- check check
Camera ready for all those embarrassing pictures -- check
Snow and ice making drive way an ice rink -- check
Dad napping so he can go to work tonight -- check
Mom done cleaning so she can put her feet up and drink happy tea -- double check
Chinese take out menu ready by phone for Christmas dinner -- oh yeah check

Looks like this house is all ready for the fat boy to make his entrance!


Hope you all have a wonderful love filled Christmas, my dear friends!

Koda's birthday...

Jeremy had Dakota's birthday at every parent's or at least grandparent's nightmare...Enchanted Castle. This place is in an old store filled with screaming kids, every game known to man, a bumper car place, a go cart track and mini golf, oh and one of those climbing things with tunnels that you could lose your kid for days in. Oh and crappy pizza, no mouse in sight either.

First thing this morning I worked for Mrs H. Now I only work weekends so it usually takes me a while to get used to being bossed around or break up the arguments between her 95 year old self and her foreign live in. My smart ass mouth usually does the trick either that or a quick dance around the smallish apartment. After that I hurried home to keep my two grand kids until the party. Jeremy took birthday boy to his mom's and we were to drive the other two the 45 minutes in the snow to the party, in Saturday before Christmas shopping weather. Mark had been out on the road for work for nearly hours, with only 6 hours of sleep, so he was in a cheery mood. Needless to say we were 20 minutes late, but Dayton got a quick nap so it all worked out.

These parties are always weird, because Mark's ex gets all possessive with the kids and adult kids. She's backed off though and is playing all nice toward me as I have the power to kick her 22 year old out of my house. .. hee hee NO one should ever, ever give me that kind of power.

It's below way too cold outside. Tomorrow we finally put the tree that has been sitting in the garage up. Monday Mark and I are going Christmas shopping...I put my foot down a few years ago, refusing to be the one to do all of it. We both made this family the least he could do is help spend the money.

a snow day!

Too bad this icy slop isn't sand....just in time for Christmas break we get an ice storm. My district loves to call off school shortly before most of us must check in. Judging from the amount of school closings crawling across the screen on the morning news I figured they'd call school off. It was. I slept in.

Snow north of us, lots of it 10 inches, we got the icy mix and south of us was just plain ice. Power wire snapping ice. Mark usually travels to Indy down the crash ridden I-65, but they sent him to St Paul instead, thank God. Rather drive in snow than ice. He'll be home tonight in time for rest. Tomorrow the birthday party. Liz and I have a bunch of errands to run. I do not plan on stepping foot on a school bus until January 4...

more snow...maybe we'll be done with winter by February...time to enjoy my FREEDOM!!!! And I get paid to sit home! gotta love a union job!

doing better...

A better day. Maybe the bag of chocolate covered pretzels tossed at me by a fifth grader had something to do with it. It's still cold ... but I am here so I may as well stop crabbing about it. I am lucky person, every body's well and all have jobs and their health. I am not even grieving the fact that I am not going to Florida, which btw could be Friday night! As long as I know in my head that I am going in March, I am ok...

The kid on the junior high route was scared to death that I wrote him up, I just patted his head and said, "oh no, just stop being such a brat". he looked relieved.

Two more days and I am off for two weeks, tough job I have...

Friday is my little Dakota's birthday. He will be four. The kid is in the middle and is in his own little world...seem happy their too.

His birthday party will be at Enchanted Castle. Last years shot from Chuck-e-cheese. It was on a Friday night on the last day of school before winter break. I do not know how I stood being there, the should of screaming kids set my teeth on edge. This year my routes are better so I'll be in a much better mood, besides it's on Saturday.

One day Kody asked his dad if he could spend the night. Dad said, no as he was working. Dakota brightened and said, "well can Kody spend the night??". He is also famous for asking me if Kody can have a glass of chocolate milk. Talking in the third person, I wonder if we should show concern? ;)

The other day he wanted to watch cartoons, the kid is so addicted that he didn't even realize Dora was in Spanish...didn't even want me to switch it either.

Old pics of the boy...from last b'day...

snow and people are jerks...

The weather here in Illinois has sucked, totally and completely. It's been minus too cold for way too long and it's only mid December.
Early this week we had 50 degrees and rain, then 5 and ice.

Today the snow started at noon and is still going...predicted amount is 4 inches, but it's a heavy four inches.

The bus ride home was slow and steady. High school kids were normal, human almost. The girl who I call Jr (we share the same first name) is back from her 2 day suspension. She's ungrounded and ready to parrrrrrrtaaaaaa. Big punishment.

The snow really started to pile up during the junior high run, wet heavy stuff that made my wiper blades form snotty blobs across the windshield. The boy who gives me all sorts of crap was back from his basketball break (for me). He and his sister love to see how far they can go with me. Today was no different. He's been already written up for saying the F-word and seat hopping. I am ruining sister's holiday...she's next for a write up. I have two very tricky stops on this route both on highways and both stops cars love to go around me. The snow made it worse. As I was crossing a long bridge, 6 grader J who is usually well behaved says to me, "Why are we going so slow??". HUMPH WTH??? I snap, "are you kidding me? maybe I should write you up for being so dumb.". I hope he went home and told mommy on me.

Then this evening as I was getting gas in the neon, fun driving a little car when the road is all ruts, I heard a Blazer honk his horn at this poor guy spinning his tires at a green light. jerk...

Otherwise things were fine. I had to stop couple of times to clean my blades and traffic was horrid.

Then my treat was coming home to my stepson who disappeared for 5 days, blew off the therapist I got for him and lipped off to me and his father. When he was told to do his dishes today he also lipped off...maybe the next time he leaves I'll change the locks. By his age I was married, had a job and working on having kids...

kids and christmas party

Happy boys showing off their treats from last week's Santa fun. I do have the picture from their shot with the fat old boy, but I need to scan it and get on my computer. Liz work's at Target's photo shop so she's going to make me copies to give to their daddy and their other grandma. Other grandma took them out to eat at a restaurant today that features a train that brings their food to the table. I love it, whenever I do things with the boys she gets wind of it and participates too. Good for the kids. My belief is that all kids need all the loving attention they can get!

I had the boys here again last evening. It's nice for us all as Mark is working and they get all the attention they crave. With Jeremy next door it's easy to pack them up and shuffle them home! :) !!

This evening is my work Christmas party. I am a reformed drinker so my friend J got me off work early from Mrs. H's job and asked me to drive. She likes to have a few so I will be her driver. J was my monitor for a few years and has 3 daughters, she is also a newly single. She got me the job with Mrs. H and works all day on the bus and every evening for Mrs. H. Not an easy thing for anybody. So I'll be a nice friend and grant her the ability to drink with no worries.

Except no puking in my car.

fast week

This week has sped by!! I had extra work Wednesday and today, busing one of the high school's kids to the empty new junior high that isn't being used, because people stopped building houses, for some testing. I got over time and they got a ride.

The Christmas treats for the bus driver have begun. One dear child handed me a bag filled with at least 8 different kinds of cookies and candies. His mother is my hero! and she works! I barely have time to make sugar cookies.

We've had snow this week which made for some interesting driving. One road regularly has high school kids in the ditch going too fast for their own good.

Next week is our last before break. Should be an interesting one, already one of my high school girls, who was serving an in school suspension for texting on her cell phone too many times got an out of school suspension for passing a note to a kid telling him where she buys her pot. God kids are so dumb!

The list for the detention bus for the alternative school usually has 2 or 3 kids is up to 10. Mine are acting up, but tolerable. Guess no body's afraid of ticking Santa Claus off anymore.

Not to mention the news on TV is all about our now famous Governor. Pretty sad when a 3rd grader asks if I've heard about the governor getting arrested. At least the kid is up on her current events.

Thank God tomorrow is Friday!

breakfast with Santa & bad words...

The kids and I went to have breakfast with Santa. Jacob being the ever thoughtful oldest and worldly kindergartner wanted to pass as we were preparing to leave...no Santa for him. I told him there would be games and he lite up...games OK! It took forever to get these three out of the house. The two year old Dayton insisted on putting his own clothes on...he has the family temper so a few bad words were said. Every child says bad words I don't care who you are if you've swore in front of your kids, they repeat it. Mine did, Tim used to say, "damn it" when I corrected him he used to say, "damn it, darn it, damn it, darn it". We used to be in the car a lot when I had Liz, she used to play with her dolls in the back seat and say, "get out of my way you stupid b*tch" Sorry, never said I was an angel. My middle kid Eric just swears a lot now.

With my job I have learned to not swear on the bus. Even in bad weather and stupid drivers my swear gauge is on no. A driver who is a very good friend of mine has a very very bad route this year. She admitted losing it one day and stopped the bus, stood up and said, "shut the hell up". This was right before she had a feature article in the once a week local paper. No one's perfect.

My grand kids must be on good behavior patrol because I said dang it today and Dayton said, "don't say bad words!"

Otherwise it was a fun time. Games were a bit cheesy, but the prizes were candy and little plastic figures, which the older guys liked, the little one the candy.

I was pleased with the Santa picture, all three smiled and looked like no ones torturing them like the kid in front of us...he threw fit. Perfect mom was not happy.

Near the end I let them run the length of the gym, back and forth. Dakota even broke into some break dance moves. Most parents wouldn't allow such things, but I am grandma Roses, I allow fun.

I am happy to do these things for the kids...my patience is that of a grandma...besides all I have to do is walk next door and hand them back to daddy! Just in time for a nap.

I am telling...

I am telling...I have a bus load of the most telling on each other group ever this year. In years past they left me out of the mix, but this year I have a very large grade school route. Some 50 kids all neighbors, many related. They love to tell on each other. Fine...tell...usually it's something dumb like T is looking at me, or eating or he's saying bad words. Usually they say something like "you're stupid" and they think that's soooooo awful. One girl who I know watches too much TV because she always talks about it told on a boy because he had a cell phone, big deal. Until today said boy showed another girl his wall paper...a nearly naked lady...this girl must like him because she just smiled...good thing he didn't let tattle tale girl see, she'd report him to the police.

Another driver told on me today. My kindergartner's think it's so cool to "check out the back" of my bus. They all have to sit up front until they move on to 1st grade, an unwritten bus driver rule...keeps them from getting into trouble or being picked on. We usually have a 5 minute wait until the school opens the door for them to enter for the school day. So I let them goofy around in the back of the bus. Today I didn't make sure they were all seated when I moved up the 10 feet to unload them after a driver in front of me pulled out. Driver behind me told my boss so I got the "see me" note after routes. She was cool about it, we respect each other. But I hate getting called to the office, it's some sort of throw back to my goody two shoes days...I am over it, because I was guilty of the crime, but jeez tell me not the boss.

Telling on each other is a very popular sport at my place of employment. Every misdeed of the public, other drivers, contracted bus drivers and parents is broadcast over the radio.

Hopefully, the rest of the year they all can play nice...doubt it...welcome to the human race.

dreaming of sandy christmas

I love my family, I love my town, although it's not the town I used to know it's much bigger. It's soul is still my town. No matter how many punks break windows, write on walls, or do bad I still love my town. I love my job, the people there, my friends, my students and even the administration. I love my old home, it's like me a work in progress, I love my family, my kids, my grandsons. I love it all....but why oh why can't it all be on a beach, preferable the west coast, but I'd settle for the gulf in Florida...damn...I don't mind winter, I am used to it. I'd love it if it only lasted until about January 15, then it could go away. :::sigh::: some day...some day, I'll spend more of my year on a beach! Mark has to work over Christmas, so our Christmas break will be here, not in St Pete, although our aim is now Spring Break at the end of March. (hear that Martha??, Sharon??? and Angie???) Oh and if Suzy's feeling up to it! Can we meet up then??? I am not mad, just bummed. I know I will have many many Christmas breaks to come. It's just that his winter job is all about the mail and post offices are very busy over the holiday. He couldn't possibly get off then, and with the economy...well I'll just have to put on my big girl pants and carry on. So here I stay. but I have these happy faces to make up for it!

The boys among the Lego!

let it snow...

First real snow of the season always, always, always brings out the morons, crazy drivers who have forgotten how to drive... AND I LOVE IT!! A school bus has the best view of each and every crazy person slip sliding around. But such fun does have it's hazards...a friend of mine on a country road got to see first hand a woman in an SUV slam into a pole...ouch. I've been on the same road in years past to view a van going 50 hitting a snowy patch and veer straight at me...luck and their good driving saved me and my bus.

Seriously a bus is much easier to maneuver in a storm...but watch out everybody else! And of course fresh from a 5 day break the little darlings had to write all over my fogged over windows with their fingers, usually grade school types write their name or a stick figure. A creative high school boy wrote f*** snow... thankfully none of the junior high kids saw it...my problem girl just hooked two seat belts together across the aisle and tripped her brother. 14 days until Christmas break!

On the home front. Youngest stepson is doing better, coming home drunk less, going to work, got a new replacement girlfriend who goes to school in Texas, he even posted their pictures on MY space, a kiss off salute to the old stalker girlfriend. But as always old girlfriend will be back..