Flat Tire

Yesterday just was not a good day to start. It actually didn't get better until the second half of my day. Yesterday morning started out with me going to pick up Peaches from the vet after getting spayed. When I got home it was just UGH! Jake throwing away breakfast Steve discussing it with him and me getting upset b/c I hate aytime Jake gets in trouble ( can you see how he would get spoiled?). So that started an arguement with Steve. Our arguements are never nice or pretty and I'll leave it at that. We have come along way and only fight occasionally but everytime we do it's upsetting to us both. So around 11:30 I FINALLY decided to go into work. I should've been there around 8:30. HA! Get on highway get 7 miles away from the house and 3 miles away from work and POP! Rumble Rumble Rumble GREATTTTT flat tire. Now mind you my spare tire is sitting on my front porch ( great place for it isn't it?). I didn't even stress. Figured I'd call tow truck have them tow van to the house so I can change spare. No big deal. Mind made up I get out and start walking; did I mention my cell phone was dead? I walk for about 10 minutes when Michigan State Curtesy van pulls up and takes me home ( I LOVE THE MDOT project they help out EVERYBODY who is stranded on freeways). I get home call my dad just to see if I have to waste a tow ( i get them through the road side assistance program through All State) he says use the tow. I grumble. Then realize TIRE IS WITH ME... I AM 7 MILES AWAY FROM VAN. Still don't freak. I call Steve's mom she comes and gets me and the tire. I go sit at the van realize I have jack and tire lock in the back of van. I start to change my own tire ( yea I'm that awesome) and MDOT pulls up AGAIN and this time they change my tire for me. So during all this wait time... It's just me and Steve. I love this time together we get to spend every once in a while. We watched movies, worked on un clogging the kitchen sink ( 29$ later and it still barely moves water), dried some spices and just did around the house things with some bouncy bounce added in sporadically HEHEHEHEHE Yea buddy ;) Love Always, Nickie

So From July to October Here It Goes

JULY Jacob did come home the end of July and there was a readjustment period. We re-enrolled him at the local public school to see if he could try again to be mainstreamed with out issues. While going through the enrollment process I discuss my worries with the head of the special education department. Jacob was one of the first children IEP tested when school began. We did go back to Mancelona and Jake had a blast. I absolutly love the outdoors and living so far away from the hussle and bussle of the suberbs and cities. AUGUST This month saw more changes yet a steadying of our relationship. I am now on meds and they are working wonderully. The first two weeks were very hard but from then on it's been much easier. We held a very successful garage sale and got the idea to look into permanant flea market booths for Simple Treasures. During our garage sale a gentleman came buy looknig for jewelry. I know material possessions are everything and I rarely wear my jewelry and money was tight so Jake wouldn't have been able to go to the Warren Birthday Bash Carnival.... I sold my jewelry. nothing too big or expensive BUT it did give us 90$ to go play with for the day. To this day it's one of my FAVORITE memories. He got a wristband to ride all the rides AND he was tall enough. He was riding rides even I really don't like. He rode the Crazy Spin without me b/c i didn't have a wristband. He hated it yet rode it 3 times b/c the "girls" asked him too. Side/note I am going to have to beat them off with a stick when he's older. Then he got his face painted, got to feed the petting farm animals, ride a camel, watch fireworks, eat yummy foods and walk around downtown Warren. He had such a good time. Now work wise this month my manager left so was waiting to see how that would work out. Turns out that was the best thing EVER. Absolutly love my job now. SEPTEMBER Now school started and Jake is doing really well. His teacher is willing to help him more and he will stay in the mainstream classroom which I am really worried about. But so far it's going okay. Work is turning out to be awesome. Hours can be made up as needed. He lets us take off days that we need with no consequneces b/c our job is mainly a sit and wait job anyway. So that's made things 1,000 times easier. We also found a permanant residence for our business at a local flea market and steve is there every friday, Saturday, and Sunday. So far it's breaking even and even seeing some green weekends. MAJOR PLUS! I have also gone off of hiatis from Dollar Tree Kenn has asked if I'll come work a weekend and then he got the best surprise ever. I told him I'll work every weekend both days til christmas then I will readvise my weekends to every other full weekend and EVERY Sunday. This is my play money. I do whatever I want with it. Right now it's paying for normal stuff but starting in October it'll be put to better use. The van has turned out to be a godsend! We use it for Simple Treasures ALL The time. Love the fact the seats come in and out so easily but the next van will have stow in go if it's not a truck plain and simple. We got a DOG! She is a rescue pitbull lab mix. We were told there is a good chance she is knocked up. I got her from Tina before Tina went back to her Ex boyfriend who doesn't like me so she no longer talks to me and our moving up north with her was disgaurded. I am upset about it but at same time it's her life and if it makes her happy so be it. We are still planning on movingup north just not as quickly now. In fact we are looking at property even FARTHER NORTH now :) I have made friends with a few people who live on self sustaining properties and if I could eventually get that way we'd love it. OCTOBER Early this month we lost our beloved kitty, Bella. Animals are animals and they have animcalistic nature. New dog + scared cat= one BAD situation. In less than 45 seconds of rough play Bella's intestine was punctured fro mthe inside and she did not make it through the night. It was very sad and an eye opener that you can not always force animals to get along. We harbor no ill will towards Baby Girl. We just take extra precaution with our furbabies now. And mentioning Babies... BABY GIRL is DUE ANYTIME!!!! We're not exactly sure when she was tagged (mated with) so we're not sure when she's due but she looks HUGE!!!! I am loving working the two jobs. One garunteed 40 hours and then 16 at the other store is working out pretty decent. Especially with Steve working weekends too. For the weekends Jake either goes to his dad's or goes to work with Steve. He is a natural born salesman. When he's not grounded he LOVES gonig to work with Steve b/c the other vendor s ALWAYS have something for him. Kid is SO spoiled! Talking about Jake this child is going to DRIVE ME BONKERS! He was good all of September for school and then magically the 2nd week of October ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! He's hitting girls, not listening, doing whatever he wants, talking out of turn, telling substitutes off. WTH! So now he's grounded and we're starting the SAME PROBLEMS as last year jsut a little later in the year. His teacher this year is pregnant so I'm not sure how much she's going to tolorate... If he gets suspended so help me............. Sweetest Day was this past weekend and I got 1 lb of Steve's favorite hand picked chocolates AND a Card AND one milk chocolate rose and one dark chocolate rose. He loved them. He felt really bad he didn't get me anything. He has real issue using my money to be me any gifts and had a bad weekend at store. It's all good I don't mind doing the spoiling. Which is exactly what I am doing right now. I started my christmas shopping and Jake's main stuff is already in layaway. We're going to do the rest of it next week. I ALSO went and started Steve's shopping. He probably couldn't tell you the last time he was spoiled for christmas.... SOOO I AM SPOILING HIM THIS YEAR!!!!! He will probably have more gifts under the tree than Jake from us. Jake gets spoiled from aproximatly 16 other people so he won't be left wanting but this year I want to spoil my other love. Plus gotta get stuff for al lthe animals including little stockings. I think cats are getting scratch post and treats, toys, maybe some fancy food. Lizard is getting new foliage and scenery for his HUGE 55 gallon tank, a new lid and double lighting and maybe some special treats as well. Baby girl sigh is going to get some treats and toys. Hopefully her puppies will make great christmas presents to others but I think they won't be ready to go yet. I refuse to give up baby animals before 8 weeks old. I wish I knew of natural remodies for fleas. Because all of my animals were rescues I can't seem to get away from the little biters. GRRRRR! And vets want WAY TO MUCH MONEY FOR FLEA TREATMENTS! Which brings me to my next idea. I am thinking of making my major something to do with care of animals. It will help out greatly if we ever get the farm and I already know how to help humans so maybe if I do a duel animals and people healing we can cut out some MAJOR bills when it comes to animals. Just a thought I am entertaining. My weight loss is making slow progres. I am down 20 lbs from July. I start the gym tomorrow so I shoul see a HUGE spike in my loss. My goal is to be 200 by New Years Eve so we can dance it up BIG style :) So there's my end of summer beginning of fall synopsis. Maybe this time I'll keep up more on it :) Love Always, Nickie