bits here and there

I haven't wrote in almost a week. I have been sort of busy. My sister is moving away next week so we have been spending a lot of time together. We took a walk that ended up taking a tour of the motel that we used to live in shortly before my daughter was born.. That was huge for me to be back! I will try to blog on that later.
My husband is starting his last weekend of training for the job that my sister's bf held for the past few years. We are hoping that this will work.

I am still working out but it's not quite as much. I am at 73 lbs down. I am eager to see 75lbs!!

As far as I know Alex is doing well with his job.

My ex has admitted to working and said he would try to send payment depending on the size of his check. So we will see if he actually sends payment on his own.

Stephen has stayed pretty busy this summer. My only regret is that we haven't pushed any reading. I know we should but that's the honest truth that we haven't gone it. We have focased more on getting outside and being active.

On Monday my sister, myself and my Mom are going on our road trip. Hope we have an nice time. I am looking forward to getting out without kids. Actually speaking of kids my husband is offically done babysitting our granddaughter now. I hope the new change works out for all involved. I will miss the daily chats and fun stuff we did together. But I am sure Nana will make time to see her.

Hope everyone is having a fun summer!! My other regret is that I don't get summers off like the kids!!

Today, my husband and I split the time we watched our grand daughter. We did it due to his new job overlapping the times where my step daughter won't need a babysitter anymore. He did the 5 am stuff and I got up at my normal 8 am and took my son and granddaughter to the church with me where I babysit as a part time job.

We made a day of Nana being in charge. That is something that rarely happens so it was nice to get out and do fun things. After babysitting, we went on a trolley ride and it was fun. I have been on it before and it's becoming one of our summer tradations.

A few more shots just cause I love sharing.

One more of all three of us.

After the trolley ride I had my husband drop us off at DQ and the three of us had lunch and then my grand daughter's parents picked her up and gave us a ride home.

It was a fun day. I even enjoyed staying home without the car. I did a little much needed cleaning and even cooked my husband dinner so he could eat when he comes in soon.

I was bvery excited not to have to work today so it's official I have my weekend back!!

New jobs

My husband started training for his new job today. It took some juggling of rides, babysitters and again rides coming home.

It's going to be a challenge to make it work due to the distance and the babysitter issue.

Today, my son's father and stepmom babysat him. He is officially not paying support as of right now and he let it slip that he "would be working" when I dropped Stephen off. I asked " so you have a job?" He said, "it's a temp job" I left it at that due to us needing babysitting.

I am torn to do anything with this information. I don't know how many days he is working or what the situation is. Maybe, he will send payment. One could always hope that he will do what is right and send some money even if it's twenty bucks here and there. I have back to school stuff to think about and it won't be cheap getting him back to school.

His wife works for the schools too and I know she is working part time so only partial checks for part of the summer and then no money.

We are only a month away from school starting and I really don't want to think about the school stress but that is when Dad goes back to work. So most likely, I won't do anything and let him hang himself or not hang himself. He will owe for the weeks he didn't pay.

Alex started his new job this week!! I feel so much better just knowing he will have somewhat of a way to support himself. I think he felt weird about it being McDonald's but there is no shame in that.. Especially not in a young person like him..Now if I am 29 umm mean 37 years of age and working at McDonald's running the drive thru then maybe I would admit to being ashamed of it.

Alex

Alex came into town yesterday so he could get a copy of his birth certificate. We think we gave it to him and it was lost but he says otherwise.. So he had to buy a new one. He stopped at home just for a minute to say hello. I thought he looked quite a bit better compared to what he has been looking like.

Can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it was the purple polo shirt instead of just a tshirt or the self confidence he has gained by getting a job and seeing dollar signs again. He mentioned trying to save money and hopes to get his own place in two months.

He had his orientation yesterday and tomorrow starts his new job at McDonald's. Hope he will take it serious and this is a step in the right direction for him.

There is a part of me that wishes he did this when he lived with us but maybe it took him not living with us to do it.

I am thinking that living with someone else and doing nothing and bringing nothing to the table would make him feel more like a mooch compared to if he did it living with Mom.

Anyways, I feel like a lot has been lifted off my shoulders.. not that I was paying his way but as a Mom I feel better just knowing he will have money coming in to feed himself and take care of himself.

My biggest supporter

That would happen to be my husband! He has been very supportive and encouraging of me during my weight loss journey. He does a lot to make it possible for me to give myself the time I need to do it.

He cooks more than his fair share to make it possible that I can get to the YMCA at least three times a week. He has been okay with moving dinner time around so I can make whatever class or run I want to make it to. This has helped keep my workout routine fun.

He has been willing to keep Stephen home at times when it just doesn't work to take him or to save the arguement that Stephen might give since he hasn't really been enjoying going.

My husband has shown interest and come down to the Y on National Dance day when they did zumba outside.

He has been very understanding about my need to weigh my food portions and has even been known to weigh out some leftovers and have the weights of them written down so when I thaw them later to eat I know the calorie count.

He has been very willing to do fruit runs in the middle of the week when we are out of fruit.

Hmmm.. that's all I can think about for now..

I did forget to mention on this blog that I have gotten my weight low enough to weight under 200lbs!!

What to do

My Dad might be moving into his wife's father's place so they can help take care of the old man who needs 24/7 care but can't afford it. Ironic that I work for a company and no one in my family can afford it.

My problem is that my Dad has asked me to take one of their dogs. The other one is old and is beyond needing to be put to sleep. This isn't a small dog. It's a Rot!! I belive she is older but much bigger than my lab.

We been getting used to only having two dogs and liking it.

My Dad is willing to pay all the costs of the dog but that's not our issue.

It's the issue of the extra time to care for another dog.

The issue on the size of her.

The issue of the fact that my lab doesn't want to share me and has been known to want to fight if she is jealous. I love my lab so much. She is my favorite dog even with her faults of being jealous.

I would be so upset if anything fatal happened to any dog due to her.. It doesn't help that Dad's dog is bigger than her..

At her her house she isn't the dominant one so maybe she would settle into allowing Ann (lab) to be the leader of the pack.

I feel like I am being left to decide on the fate of the dog. If we don't take her she will most likely go to the pound.

My Dad believes the Rot is 8 years old so it wouldn't be a long time right? I know that sounds horrible!!

What would you all do?? Would you take on his Dog for the sake of maybe saving it's life or go with your fears and comfort level and stick with the two dogs?

My Mom

My relationship with my Mother has always been on the rocks. I feel like because we have seen quite a bit of each there is a chance that we are at a turning point where we can make the effort and start having some sort of relationship or when my sister moves away there is also the chance that things will slip back into old patterns and I won't see her again until the holidays and that's not a for sure thing since my sister is moving away so not sure what will be happening with the holidays.

There is a part of me that wants to work things out with her but feels like their is an elephant in the room with us. I am not sure that can ever go away. I am not ready to really open up my heart and trust her with the details about Izzy and reunion. So any relationship I have with her will be at a distance.

We all did have a nice time when my sister, my mom, my son and myself went to Six flags and all that.

My sister and I had planned a road trip to a tourist town a couple hours from us and she asked me if she thought she should invite our Mom. She said Mom had mentioned liking to go so would I want to invite her or go just the two of us.

I said to invite her so I believe she is wanting to go. I was pretty honest when I said I didn't care one way or another if she went or not.

I didn't have the heart to tell my sister no to bringing our Mom.

My Mom's birthday was just a few days ago and I did write her an email telling her Happy birthday and told her what we had been up to during the weekend.

I guess only time will tell what will happen with our relationship.