Men Confuse Me

I bought my husband a Keurig single-brew coffee maker that he really wanted for Christmas.  He has yet to use it.  I set it up for him.  He drinks coffee everyday but is still using the old pot right next to the Keurig. Why did he want it if he is just going to let it sit?  I can't figure out what he is doing.  I have even bought him four boxes of coffee to use.  I will never understand the male mind.

I was looking at an airpot thermos for him to take to work but I don't even know if he's going to use the new pot.  I bought him the Platinum version too.  Perhaps I should've stuck to the under $100 Keurig.  Oy.

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Disengaged Stepmom

I've reached my limit on what I can take being a stepmom after 16 years.  I disengage.  I back away.  If I need to get a Siegel pop up booth to advertise it, I will. When my stepkids were younger, it was tough but we were a family despite the ex. The "his" and "ours" blended (there were issues but there was still love and closeness).  During the teen years, the kids became their mother. The damage control with trying to teach them manners, responsibility, sympathy, compassion, etc., when they weren't being taught those things with their other parent, just didn't work any longer. My stepdaughter is 19 - old enough to know better on appropriate behavior. I don't have to put up with disrespectful, outright rude behavior or snubbing at important events. There's no excuse at this point. I don't know what happened to my sweet stepchild but I disengage. I honestly don't know if it's the Prozac the ex put her on (that she didn't need) or if their mother finally "won" with her nastiness (therapists said they behave a certain way to please their mom - - perhaps that bad behavior is just who they are now).

They aren't my kids. It's not my problem.  If my husband doesn't feel like he has any influence over them anymore - correct inappropriate behavior or at least bring it up, then I certainly don't have to deal with it over and over again.

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Disney Band Trip

My daughter is in Disney with her high school band.  They marched at Disney and then the rest of the trip was all fun, all the time.  She comes home tomorrow and I can't wait.

She texted yesterday and wanted to know what her dad and I wanted from Disney.   We told her not to spend her trip money on us, to enjoy her trip herself (and bring back the change).  On the way home, I should tell her band teacher to stop and get hubby some swisher cigars in Jacksonville but the kids won't let him smoke, lol.

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Bathroom Remodel

The bathroom remodel was halfway finished over Thanksgiving.  We replaced some of the plumbing in the walls and the fixtures.  I went with an antique bronze finish but now I'm wondering if I should have went with stainless steel faucets instead. Now to get a new bathroom vanity and lay new flooring and the bathroom will be complete. Can't wait. It seems like every project in this house is only halfway finished. We have to do it in bits and pieces because of my husband's schedule. I think for our next house, it either needs to be move-in ready or the major remodeling needs to happen BEFORE we move in.

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What's Up With Me

I just finished editing a video of my daughter and her friends acting out a scene from Of Mice and Men.  I have to say - I don't like this book at all.  How morbid. She used her horse, Tequila, in the video so we shot half of it at the barn.  Tequila didn't want to move in the shot - that was a blooper for the video.  Cold, messy, but fun!

I have a few more people on my Christmas list yet and then I am done.  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...  I did a majority of my Christmas shopping online for my kids and my husband.  With all the free shipping deals for things for my kids, it was just easier.

Not much else going on right now.  Just the way I like it.

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Horse in the Movies

My daughter used her horse for a school assignment last week.  She and a couple of her classmates have to act out a scene in a book they read so she chose a horse scene and I had to videotape her galloping off, looking like a guy on a horse running away.  Too funny.  Now I need to edit it all and put it together for them.  Tequila will be a local movie star:)

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Music in the Family

It amazes people  when they come over to see all the guitars we have in cases and hanging on the walls.  I have two acoustic guitars (Takamine and Yamaha).  My daughter has four acoustic (Yamaha and couple others).  My middle daughter has a Yamaha acoustic and Fender electric.  My youngest has a mini Fender.  I can't even keep track of what my husband has.  I know he has about five electric guitarsand an Ibanez as well as a semi-hollow body and a couple acoustic guitars.

Add in two flutes and my son's full drum set and my singing kids and we're a regular music family.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

We have finished with the big dinner.  We have it in the middle of the afternoon so we have room for dessert a few hours later!  After dessert and the kids go to bed, we will enjoy a few cocktails with my in-laws and play games probably. It will be my "few times a year" drink (definitely not a candidate for los angeles rehab).

Now to decide between chocolate pie, cherry pie, pecan pie, or pumpkin pie!  Decisions, decisions!

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Lawyer

A friend of mine is having some business issues and is in need of researching raleigh business lawyers for some help. I am not any help in the business arena of the law. Family law? I can find my way around that a little bit (went to school for paralegal and have been married to a non-custodial father with a nasty ex for almost 16 years now). Really, the real life experience with his ex and the constant court appearances have been the best experience in terms of knowing the ins and outs of the family court system. I can refer her to some bulldog family lawyers but not business.  I am sure between the Internet and word of mouth, she'll find what she needs.

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Foul T-Shirts

I just received my free t-shirt through the mail.  It says "hot 'n juicy" on it (after the Wendy's hamburger).  That's about as foul mouth as I can get because of the kids.  It REALLY means a hamburger but if you have THAT kind of mind...it doesn't mean a hamburger.  I figured it would be a great t-shirt to wear to parent teacher conferences!  Kidding! My kids just shook their heads when it came in the mail.  I could be more foul mouthed like with Foulmouthshirts funny tee shirts but hot 'n juicy is about as bad as I can get away with in this house - four kids.  Usually, I am a "do as I say and not as I do" kind of person but in this case, I better behave a little bit.

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Trail Ride with Horses

It has been a few years since I've been on a trail ride. My husband and I went to northern Michigan and rode through some nice trails with a trail guide.  The other trail rides were way in my past - childhood past.

We've never taken our own horses on the trails though. I'm not sure how they would do outside of the arena. I think Tequila would do fine on the trails. She has a great personality - look!

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Seasons Flying!! New Horse Pic!

There is Christmas stuff in the store already!! It's not even Halloween yet.  Crazy!  The next few months are going to fly.  Before you know it, it'll be Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and then Christmas! I've already started shopping. I never start this early but I started couponing so when I find a deal with a coupon, I grab it!

I went out to the stables to see my girl. Here's a recent picture of her:

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Star Wars RV

Did I show you pictures of my sister's RV she bought used?  It had Star Wars stickers all over it AND R2D2's head was screwed on top! So funny.  She bought it for an excellent price so she did the rv repairs herself on the body and everything Star Wars is now gone. Thankfully.  Imagine the looks they'd get driving that down the expressway otherwise!

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I Extreme Coupon

I have become an extreme couponer - not to the extent of the television show online (really, who needs 100 candy bars?).  However, I have a nice supply of bath, hair, feminine, and oral care products that I didn't spend a whole lot on.  Yeah me.  Who knew you could buy a high quality deodorant for little to nothing?  I do now!

I have a few sites I visit daily that helps direct me to the coupons I need.  I also do a google search when I need something that isn't on those sites - for instance, google kmart coupons and you can find coupons for a specific store. I also google by product name with "coupons" in the search engine.  It's not possible to find coupons for everything you need (butcher meat and milk coupons are few but once in awhile you come across them) but you can find enough to make a dent in your grocery budget.

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Android Tablet

Who has an Android Tablet? My son stopped to mess with a tablet while we were out shopping today. They have so many electronic gizmos available that I've lost track of what things are anymore. I used to be able to keep up and knew quite a bit about computers and such but not anymore. I think my age is showing.  Why does turning 40 feel like 60 to me?  It really shouldn't.  40 isn't really that old.  Maybe I thought 40 was old when I was 15 but I shouldn't anymore.

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Breeding Your Horse

I sometimes think about breeding my spotted draft. She's a beautiful horse (sired by Dominant Jeans).  The risk to her always stops me from thinking about it too much.  I don't want to lose her and my fear of that risk always outweighs the desire to see her with a little spotted foal by her side.

I wouldn't know where to start in terms of finding a stud for her anyway.  It's not like they have free online dating for horses. Kidding.  I'm sure our trainer would have some ideas but again, my fear is always going to stop me.  I'd rather have her and just her than risk her to have a foal by her.

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107 Days Until Christmas

I can not believe winter is coming up so fast already.  I am NOT a winter person.  I enjoy Christmas and snow days (only because I can turn off the alarm and stay in bed rather than get the kids up for school) but the cold?  Nope.  ...the ice?  Nope.  ...the snow?  Heck no.

It's time to start gathering Christmas lists (and if you like a good party at Christmas, get those 

Christmas Party Invitations ordered).  I started couponing a couple months ago and I'm wondering what kind of coupon deals I can get for toys and stuff so I am going to start window shopping now.  I did find some great coupons for board games just the other day.  Remember Connect Four?  Did I just age myself?

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Medical Field During Economy

Just received news that one of my sisters is moving into less expensive housing because her Chiropractor husband's practice that he works out of isn't doing as well as it was doing due to the economy.  He needs to find a different area to look for Chiropractor Jobs.  The area they're in now has too many rural areas surrounding it.  You'd think the medical field would be untouchable from the economy. After all, people are always going to hurt themselves or get sick.

I'm still waiting for this economy to pick up.  Seems like I've been waiting years.  Oh wait, I have been.

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Too Busy

No riding time last week.  School started and the busy summer just became the even more busy school year.  I think things will settle down - in February.  *sigh*

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GPS Camera

I am a picture taking fiend!  My kids groan whenever they see one of my cameras come out (glad the horses can't complain).  Now there's a new camera that I don't have - a digital gps camera - that will give the location of popular spots of the picture you are taking.  How cool is that?  The price is pretty reasonable too - not anymore than I've paid for my last camera.

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Recent Pics of Our Painted Girls

Woo hoo!  Waking up in the morning to cool air is such a relief after this super hot summer!  Much cooler for the horses and my spotted draft LOVES the cooler weather (that is the Clydesdale in her). She gets quite frisky! Then at night, we can light up the fire in the pit and relax (I really want to look at outdoor fireplaces but I'll have to make do with my pit until we find exactly what I want).

Here are a few recent pictures of our painted girls...

My girl.

This picture below is my daughter's horse.  In this picture, this pretty mare was watching her girl ride MY horse in the arena. She sat looking through this fence for the entire time.  Think she was a little unhappy at being left behind?  

I love color on horses, if you can't tell.

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Costs Keep Spiraling Up

I just received a notice in the mail from our life insurance company.  Our insurance rates are going to go from $26/month up to a few hundred a month! What? Obviously, we need to find a better option for insurance because that is just ridiculous.  My husband has good life insurance through his employer but I like the added cushion of having extra just in case. We have a lot of kids so it is important to make sure they would be taken care of in the event something happened to the both of us.  I am researching different options, like http://wholesaleinsurance.net/.  I have a couple months to get it figured out. I think I had until October. Maybe it was September. Oops, I don't remember now.

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Not Stabling Horses - Two Years!

We are two years away from the home of our dreams!  My stepdaughter graduated high school this past June and my stepson will graduate in two years.  After child support is done, we can move into a home that will actually allow our big family room to grow.  Right now we are stepping all over each other in the bathroom and small kitchen and our horses are at a stable.  We want them on our own property.

I am hoping to find property with a nice barn and fenced pasture already but if not, I need to start pricing different options for us.  I've also looked at metal buildings online for an indoor riding arena.  How nice would that be?!?!

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