So it Begins....

It all starts now. 

First it is school, my daughter starts second grade on Wednesday! She is so excited, she is in a new school (hopefully this is the last "new school" in a while)and she LOVES school. This year she actually got a character back pack (for the first time) Disney Fairies! She also has some great back to school outfits thanks to her Gramma and Memere back in CT! My son started middle school this past week and he is a little less excited than his sister. He has always had a little trouble with school because of his ADHD but with the program he is a part of he has been doing well. He is an excellent speller and pretty good at word math problems (like his Mama ;) ). It bums me out a little that I don't get to see him when he goes to school and such but I know it won't always be that way. I am a little disappointed that his father (the photographer) couldn't get a good picture of Andrew on his first day I mean seriously, I thought he prided himself on picture taking skills! 

Now soon to follow after school starts is Halloween, my mother's favorite holiday! This will be Spencer's first Halloween where he can actually walk on his own AND have (some) of the treats he gets. I am hoping that I can make a Halloween dinner or treat sometime close to it just to make it really fun for them this year! 

 This picture is from about 4 years ago and to this day is still one of my favorite shots from pumpkin picking when I had my oldest boy and daughter with me! They are so cute in this picture! My mom thinks I should send it in to Jones Soda for their photo bottles! 

Before I know it after Halloween passes it will be time for Thanksgiving and then *YIKES* CHRISTMAS!!! 

This Christmas will be DJs and my first one on our own without anyone else in the house! Just us and the kids! We even have our own ornaments and everything so I am kinda excited for it to come...except for the recent job loss part that totally bites! 

We are making it all work and we are doing it on our own. We are going to make the best of whatever we can in this holiday season and for many more to come! 

Well that is all I have time for right now readers! Hope you enjoyed and know that BECAUSE my little girls starts school on Wednesday, there will be a picture filled blog of her *YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED* :) 

#MakingItWorkTogether 

Do you believe......?

Just a little bit about my hobbies, when I am not child wrangling I like to write and draw. Since my art supplies are low I am focusing on the writing more than I usually do. I am currently writing a novel that I am about halfway through now. The reason I am telling you this is because the story I am writing is about supernatural abilities, people, places etc. This is important to know because as I am sitting here attempting to write I am also watching Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel!  I am beginning to think that maybe this is not a good combo before bedtime.

(On a random note I think the neighbor is making Tuna Casserole)

Anyways,  I have to say that I am a believer in the supernatural, I do think that there is a possibility of spirits and energies that cannot always be seen but can be experienced. Sitting here watching this show I am feeling a little uneasy and of course VERY jumpy, more so than I would be for watching a horror movie. Which is silly because I am not where they are, and I am fairly certain that where I live is not haunted in any way, but still my hair is standing up on my arms and I keep looking around the well lit room like a crazy person. I actually had to stop my writing to do this blog post because I could not concentrate on the writing at all! The more of this show I watch the more shivers I get and the more creeped out I feel but for some reason I cannot turn it off! *shaky laugh*

Now I am so morbidly curious in this show to the point of recording future episodes, how crazy is that. I think it is the adrenaline rush of the scary thought that there could be supernatural spirits anywhere that not only makes me jumpy but so curious to find it in my own world/home/life.

Well I am going to go finish watching this show because it is getting very interesting and I would love to hear your views on the supernatural/spirits.

DO YOU BELIEVE?

#Spirits #Fear

Bragging About Baby

Today I feel like talking a little about Spencer, or rather bragging about him. Since his sister is in CT on vacation with her Gramma I am getting some one on one time with my littlest boy and learning all kinds of new things about him. 

Today I was able to catch him singing "Let it Go" from Disney's Frozen (as if ANYONE out there doesn't know that). The video I got of him was only maybe 5 seconds worth of him singing but it was enough to get the jist. He is adorable! 

He likes to repeat EVERYTHING!!! So of course now is the time for me to keep a hold on my tongue so I don't teach him a new word he is a little too young to say or understand. He can say a good amount of words now too such as:

Ball
Juice
Milk
Eat
Night Night
Bye bye
Hi
No
Uh-oh
Ouch
More
Go
Bath
Daddy
Mama
I 
You

and he understands words like:

Dance
Sing
Sit
Down
Up
Hug
Kiss
Love

Nothing beats the sound of him saying these words or seeing him dance or sing. His little tiny voice is so darn cute I want to hug him all the time! Okay maybe not ALL the time, when he is knocking over a shelf or pulling out all the DVDs or trying to raid the garbage can I am NOT his biggest fan. So yeah MOST of the time I want to love him up and give him kisses! 

That's all I have to say about that! Brag over! 

Spencer -now 16 months and 17 days old! 

Love This Boy!!! 

An Anxious Mama

Her suitcase is packed, her clothes set out for the morning and here I sit wondering if there is anything I may have forgotten. Like any mother would I am worrying about her flying to CT without me and her father. However this trip she is taking to her Grandma's house is going to be good for her. She will see her Memere, Grandma, Grandpa, her Aunts and Uncles, and possibly Andrew if the times sync up right. (insert the eyeroll at his bio-father being a bit of a jerk) I am just hoping she has a good time and comes back in one piece (small laugh) 

I just wanted to get this out, now I am going to finish the horror movie I foolishly put in before bed, and then crawl under my covers and hide like a sissy until I fall asleep!

Goodnight Blog-World! 

Video Fumbles and Movie Critics

So I discovered today that when I am on the spot in our own videos I freeze like a deer in the headlights. I have no idea what happened, in my head I had plenty to say and if DJ hadn't been sitting right there I may have been able to just talk but I felt pressured and a bit scared that I was going to say something stupid which is just CRAZY because it is our own project and there is no one that can say a thing about it.

Oh and for those who are not sure what I am referring to go on and visit this page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hers-His-and-Ours-Movie-Project/783119048400825   

My fiance and I have started our fun page showing our reviews and experiences in watching EVERY movie we own each one time together until we have gone through our entire collection. Today we did our intro video and our movie follow-up video. In both videos I am a bit of a dip, I am a total girl and the whole time I see it recording I am thinking in my head "Is it too dark" and "Oh my god is that what my hair looks like right now" and "Oh shit, what was I gonna say?!" Then when I had to talk I was mute, unable to form a word of what I had originally planned!

I am hoping that as we go on I will get a little better and that each video will seem a little more informed and less duh on my part. Our hope is that other couples, singles, families will get together with whoever or whatever (ie cats, dogs, friends) and either watch the movies along with us or just get inspired to take the time to enjoy a movie together maybe one they have never seen, one they have been wanting to see, or one they would refuse to watch before but have decided to compromise and see what their (significant other, friend, cat) has been fussing about!

So visit the page, I am sure if nothing else you will laugh at my speechless self trying to review movies that were not FANTASTIC but not BAD either. Enjoy!

#MoviesWithOthers #300PlusMovies

A Fun Idea!

So today my fiance had to fix a shelf in our living room that holds all of our movies (well all of the grown up ones, the kid ones have their own shelf) and he came up with a fun idea of something for us to do together. 

We own a LOT of movies, over 300 and we like to watch movies together but trying to agree on one is a struggle, there are very "guy" movies I am not really into...ie: The A-Team and there are "girly" movies he isn't exactly dancing with joy about watching, ie: The Notebook. 

So....we are going to start a FB page/Blog where we watch one movie at a time, maybe one a day when possible or as often as we can and then we will video blog about our experiences while watching and review/rate the movie on a scale for couples. When we get to a family friendly movie will will include our Mckenzee and hear what she has to say about enjoying the movie together as well.  I think this is not only a fantastic idea but a great way to inspire other couples or families to maybe try to find something like this to do together and share with others! 

We are probably going to start it around the beginning of next month (September 1st) and plan on getting the FB page up soon and invite those of you we think may enjoy the fun with us. Keep an eye on your invites and on your our pages to see when we have it up to check it out! We would love the feedback and hope it becomes a fun thing we all can share together (maybe you can check out the same movies that night and share YOUR experiences too). 

#ComingSoon #MamaMovieFun

Hard to stay standing, when again I have fallen....

This morning I woke up and was tired, I had worked a new shift at work yesterday, had trouble sleeping last night and was not entirely ready to greet my alarm at 2:15am with a smile. Still I got up, ate my Special K and headed to work ready to bust my butt for that paycheck like I do everytime I go in! 

Little did I know that my day was about to take a turn for the worst not even an hour into my shift...Apparently today marked the 90th day of being an employee and it was once again review time. As my name was called to the front office and I was leaving my area of work I looked at my supervisor and said uh oh, he laughed and said not to worry it was probably just my review and I'd be back to finish up my work in no time....WELL he was wrong and he had no idea how wrong, I was terminated. 

The reasons were:

I called out twice during my time there (yet if I had gone to work sick I would have gotten in trouble) and....I wasn't a fast enough worker (even though I worked faster than a girl who had been there for 3 years) 

I was devastated, hell I still am! When I was told that I would not even be finishing my shift and to turn in my badge and employee card my heart broke and it took everything in my power not to cry right there in front of my boss....but I held it together as I gave her what she needed and held my head high until I was back at my car...but then I was taken over with my emotion and I sat in my car for about ten minutes crying my eyes out before finally making the 1/2 hour drive home.  As soon as I got home I looked around at the dark house and checked on the kids to make sure they were still asleep (as it was only 5:30am) then I grabbed my laptop, flipped on my DVR and started job searching. By the time the kids woke up at 7:00am I had found about 6 jobs to apply to and had completed the process (including questionnaires and such) of three of the places! I have a few more to do as well as checking out some new leads that I found today when talking to others in the area, but I am too tired to attempt that right now since I have been up since 2am. 

One of the parts that really stings is that I was FINALLY making some friends, people that maybe I could be social with outside of work and now....that is over since I have no way of communicating with them and I was not allowed back on the floor to say goodbye to them before being locked out of the building...the only chance I really have of seeing them again is when I get my check on Friday next week but that is a slim chance as it is not a day they usually work. 

Time to start over again and hope for the best, I am also going to work on losing the weight I have been wanting to lose and getting the help with my unshakeable depression that seems to be looming over me in a bubble of grayness. (I am beginning to think I have a chemical imbalance.) It is just hard for me to feel positive after this setback, especially when this job was my first after ten years of stay at home mom status...It makes me feel like I have failed...but I think finding some help with get me through that. Here is hoping.

May tomorrow be a new day! A better day! 

#MamaHurts #NewFocus

Feeling Like ...

I think there are a few things I have to do soon. Lately my head doesn't feel right and my body doesn't feel right. I am doing my best to ignore some of it but lately it is catching up with me. I think with everything I have been through the past few years I have never really grasped it all and felt it all the way I should. There is so much in my past that is haunting me and I know I have to find an outlet, a way to get it out of me and say goodbye to it all. I know that not all the hurt I feel will go away because things are not as ideal as I would like (Andy). I also know that it is not what holds me back in anyway. What holds me back is my regrets, my mistakes, my history and I need to move on for it. Otherwise it will eat me up from the inside out and that is not what makes my life any better. I know I have issues and I know that there are some things that I will never have (a father who cares) but I can't live with the feeling that I am not good enough from it, I cannot keep putting my self down and pushing myself because I will break some day if I keep it up.....that is all I have to say right now...guess I really just need a good (girl)friend to hang out with and here I don't have one...but maybe someday...

#BrokenDownMama

I've Got Betty Crocker Fantasies and June Cleaver Dreams

For many years I have wished to be the kind of mom that was there when the kids got home from school, with fresh baked cookies, cold milk, and a smile. Yeah I had delusions that I was a 50s housewife....I now know better.

Now when the kids get home from school I have a vacuum in one hand, a screaming toddler on my hip, and a burning smell coming from the oven. My dreams have been shattered into to unrecognizable pieces due to the way the world works. 

One income is just not enough unless that person who works is 

A: a celebrity

B: A CEO of something

C: Donald Trump! 

To provide for our family takes two incomes, one of which I make at 3am! I get up between 2:15 and 2:30 am go to work and get home sometime between 8:30 and 10 am depending on the amount of work to be done and how many people decided to call out that day. When I get home the kids are either just getting up or just finishing breakfast and their father is wrangling them on his own. Sometimes I take the time he is home before heading to work himself and I lay down for a little bit since odds are I didn't sleep much the night before. (I average about 3 1/2-4 hours a night on a good night) After my nap it is usually time for me to take over anything else that needs to be done with the kids/dinner/housework so that my fiance can head out to work himself. He (most days) works from 4pm-midnight and sometimes even later! (I just got a call from him saying he is working extra tonight because he has to do inventory now since the person scheduled to do it is "sick") *sigh* ANYWAYS even with us BOTH working we just barely find ways to make ends meet. We do it and we make it work, but it is tough and stressful and tiring. I just want to bake cookies!!! 

Now don't get me wrong I try to find time to bake yummy treats and around the holiday season (October-January) I am a goddess in an apron cooking up all kinds of seasonal favorites which I will privy you to when the time comes. However it would be great to have an always clean house, no overwhelming laundry pile, the smell of yummy chocolate chip cookies wafting from the oven and a constant smile but this is not an episode of Leave it to Beaver! This is "The Avery-Mather-Hacketts" and we work hard, play hard, and are doing the best we can. 

I can find some solace in the fact that my kids are happy (most of the time), I wake each morning with the opportunity to breathe and make the day special, and that I KNOW I am doing the best I can and have FINALLY moved up in the world to a place where I can feel like a strong, confident, mother who loves her family! 

Now to change the subject a little just because I can. I made an excellent EASY stir fry last night that I threw together using little things I happened to have! 

Here is what I used:

1 chicken breast (cut into small bite size pieces)

{1/2 cup of orange juice

1 tsp garlic powder (I would have used fresh if I had it) 

1/4 cup of honey 

1/4 cup of Kikkoman Soy Sauce} 

mix all these together for your marinade and toss with chicken and refrigerate for 20 mins.

You will also need 

1 pkg. McCormack Brown Gravy Mix

1 cup water 

1 or 2 pkgs of Ramen (I used chicken flavored) or Mashed potatoes works well too! 

1 pkg of frozen stir fry veggies (I used Bird's Eye) 

Mix gravy mix and water and set aside...

Heat a 10 in skillet and 2 tbs of oil (use whichever you would like) cook chicken until no longer pink. In separate pan cook Ramen or Mashed potatoes using their cooking directions on the package. Once chicken is cooked add frozen stir fry veggies and cook until thawed and heated through. Stir the gravy liquid and slowly add to hot pan of veggies and chicken and cook until thickened. Toss with cooked Ramen or spoon over mashed potatoes. It is so good and so easy! 

I hope you take the time to try this at least once because it is so yummy. You can adjust this in any way and I invite you to post in the comments how it comes out so maybe I could try it as well! Happy Eating Faithful Readers, I hope you enjoyed my small dream...and my wacky reality! I would love you hear about what some of your dreams or accomplishments are feel free to share! 

#MamaBettyJuneDreamer #NewRecipes