Power Wheel battle over!

Yesterday afternoon, I get a call. Hubs was out to Walmart to buy a carpet cleaner because the kid threw up all over my car, and I was home to tend to said yacking kid. I was not even going to to answer the ringing phone, but I was able to see it was the in-laws. What the heck, I was already in a mood, bring it on. 

I answer the phone. Conversation plays out (somewhat) like this...

HearTheirEverywear (HTE): "Hello?!" (Said with a mix of haste and surprise)

Father-in-Law: "Hey, Hon!" (Yes, that is what they refer to me as. Makes me sound mean doesn't it?), "We wanted to know what ya'll were up to today..."

HTE: "Well, we are home (brief explanation about yacking kid and not getting any errands run, and Hubs being out getting a carpet cleaner. When I get nervous, I talk too much...). 

FIL: "We thought we would bring the car (the infamous Barbie Jeep) over today. Have you eaten? Well, we would like to bring ya'll lunch too."

(Well at this time I am feeling really bad about sending bad ju-ju via the Internet about them)

HTE: "Well, OK. (Hey I am 7 months preggo, I would not turn down food from anyone!)

FIL: We'll see you in a hour.

I note the time, because now I have been promised food and am now hungry. It is 11:30AM. 12:30PM is not to late, I can snack, I will be cool. The kid is sick, so she is not hungry, and Hubs will eat any time. Now that eating is off the slate to be scheduled, I have to clean. My in-laws seriously believe we live in a slum house full of filth. Considering it is still close to Christmas, our house is full of gifts that have yet to find a home. So the rush is on to put everything away. I have 1 hour and counting to clean, mop and vacuum (at least the down stairs....)

After the fastest, most frantic hour of cleaning my house is spotless! During this time, Hubs is home, and instead of letting him get to work on cleaning my puke car, I make him clean too. I mean, the house looks like Southern Living could have showed up any minute. We are sparkling! So, we all take a minute to relax on the couch. 

A minute passes, 2 minutes pass, a half hour, then a second full hour. To tell you the truth, I am not surprised. I should have known this would happen. It always does. THey offer up something, but it is under their control. Evidently, this includes our (my) feedings. 

2 and 1/2 hours later the arrive. Lasagna and Barbie Jeep in tow. We are polite, but hungry. I figure, we;ll all sit eat , get the car our of their SUV, thank them and send them on their way. Wrong. So wrong. 

After eating, they decide to ask my sick kid if she would like to go ride her car. OK, quick trip around the driveway. Wrong, again. After the Jeep ride (and about a hour of DVD filming later) they push her to ride her bike. Then her scooter. Then she wants to ride her trike. 

All the while MIL is commenting on how they wish they could watch her all the time and how she needs to come stay with them tonight and maybe for a few nights. They "need" time with her. Maybe she could take the Jeep back so they could continue the day at their house. What part of sick kid who is on antibiotics do they not understand?!

Just because they gave me a few shirts from Walmart, 2 pair of shoes 2 sizes to big and a pair of fake diamond earrings does not mean they get cart blanch of my kids life. But does the kid understand this? No. All she knows is the Nana & Pop who buy her anything, let to do anything and eat anything she wants. Who would not want to LIVE at their house?! Seriously, I wish I was their grandkid and not their DIL. It makes me (mom) sound like a total and complete biotch to say no. You know, because I am concerned about my child health and well being. Silly me.  

The image

You know, I talk (whine) a lot about my in-laws, but most of you guys have never had the pleasure of seeing an actual image of them. It would be hard to run over them in the parking lot if you did not know what they look like, so here you go. I present Cruellia DeVil and her not as bad Hubs. Enjoy!

To get but not take home.

Well, it happened again. Another holiday has passed with the infamous in-laws. Needless to say I would not be blogging if all went well, so here is the story....

I have to admit, they had been on very good behavior lately, so my hopes were set for a drama-less-Christmas. All started well. They were set to come to our house the morning of Christmas for the "Santa present reaction" from Bridge. I was set to make a great light brunch of fat free pancakes, eggs and low sodium bacon (because everyone knows that they do not really eat food, they just graze here and there so they can maintain some life force....)

The moment comes when they arrive. The presents are set, and Hubs and I are feeling like we have rocked-out this Christmas for our kid. She got a bike, a wooden puppet stage, a laptop, and more books and small toys one child should be allowed. 

All goes well with the first round of gift giving. Bridge is a true Christmas veteran unwrapping and moving on the the next. Wrapping is everywhere, and the "ohhs and ahhs" are flying. After our "brunch" the in-laws headed to their home to prepare for round two: early dinner and more gifts. 

Now, we had gifts for them. When we give gifts, we expect them to take them home. What is the point of giving a gift and saying, "Hey, I know you really like/wanted/need this, but how about leaving it here for when you come visit?!" This is the wall we hit, and hit hard, during round two. 

The Bridge is going to town opening all her "expensive" grandparent gifts. We are talking the blinged out electric Barbie Jeep (w/ working radio), a V-Tech V-Motion video game system, a reading system with a pen that talks and roller-skates. All of which are awesome gifts, don't get me wrong. But none of them were allowed to come home with us. Seriously!! 

How the heck do you tell a 3 year that the Barbie Jeep she so desperately wanted will not be coming home to ride for days to come. The video game will only be able to be played once a week when she visits, and only if they (the in-laws) are up to it. They explained about how they would love for everything to "move between the houses". But, I just do not understand?! My arse is so not lifting a Barbie Jeep into the back of my car because Bridge might have time to ride it the one day a week she is there. 

I would rather them have nothing to give but respect and love, than to give such elaborate gifts and not allow her to take them home. It is not that our house needs them, but still. What is the point? We do not have the income (nor were we notified what they were purchasing so we could prepare to buy duplicates) so just getting one for here too is out of the picture right now. 

So now it is the morning after, and like a bad hangover, the guilt of having to explain to Bridge about the "Nana and Pop" gifts, is not going away.  We are doing our best to play every game Santa left and get her out on her new bike. But, humph, I had such high hopes this year would be better... there is always next year, right?!

I feel like something is missing

I have been keeping insane hours. 

I have no time to do anything (laundry, cook, breath) least of all blog. With that said, I do still feel like something is missing. 

With the numerous events taking place in the next few months, I should be roaring up a storm, but all I can find time to do it let out a little whimper. So here you go... my meagerness 

1) Baby #2 is "cooking" away. He is growing out (unlike my 1st) so at 6 months I look like I have eaten a prize winning watermelons. 

2) Yes, we have finally picked a name for baby "Arthur". Yes, I love the name. No, it is not weird. Yes, Hubs picked it. No, I am not going to share it. ;)

3) I FINALLY graduate on December 12th, 2008. Congrats to me! I feel like I'm going to have to find another program to enroll in since I will actually have free time on my hands, even if it is temporary...

4) The in-laws are back in our lives, somewhat.... They actually sought some professional help (spiritual at least) but still... You know what the church elders said? "Ya'll are crazy and your kids are right." OK, well, not exact words, but close enough. I guess they just needed to hear it from someone else. It is by no means perfect, but I no longer fear a blow-up every time they call. Just every 3rd time....LOL

Well, that is it for now. I am off to finish my last and final school project. I can practically smell the diploma now! :) 

Been Tagged

Ok, I have not been on the radar for awhile, but I am here to say, "I am alive and well, just busy." 

So here we go...I got tagged by the rocking Kimtastic. The rules, as I understand them, are to go into your "pictures" file and download the 6th picture in the 6th folder. Since I have a newer laptop there is no telling what the Hell I am going to dig up, so off we go....

I guess now those 3 of you who still stop by once in a blue moon may actually want to know why I am being smacked down by my toddler. Well, it was my birthday (June 1st) and it also happened to be the infamous Birmingham, AL icon Vulcan's birthday. Needless to say he has a larger fan base, so he had a celebration planned in his honor. 

We packed the family up, and went out to celebrate with some fellow locals up at Vulcan Park. We (hubs and I) were having a blast, but the kid was not. She was soooooo over balloon animals, live wildlife rescue animals, free cookies and ice cream, and bounce houses. About this time we realized we had taken few pictures, so began to cram a full days worth of photo-ops in about 15 minutes. Surprisingly, the kid was not having it. Hence the picture above. 

Now is the time I am to "Tag" some other bloggers to share their picture. Here we go...

Aubiegirl - even though her picture will probably have some sort of Aurburn logo in it, I bet it will be cute...

QueenBee - she has 2 cute little ones, so somewhere must be some pics with a story

Poodlehead - If she still reads me (Obama logo and all......)

Nattiebug -  She always has a lot of pictures!

My2Sons - we'll see what she can dig on her boys...LOL

Good luck girls!

To busy for a thank you?!

You know, I understand being busy. I go to school, have a kid, am preggers again, and have a life outside of my house (no matter how sad it is). One thing I always have time for, is to say thank you. Whether it is to someone for letting me in traffic or my mom for making Bridge awesome stuff. So when I see people not taking that split second to give someone who has helped them a simple thank you, it truly makes me mad. 

Today, while I was at my second home, Publix, I observed this sheer lack of concern first hand. If you have never been a patron of Publix, it is part of their service to help you load groceries, without a tip. I have taken advantage of this many times as I usually have bought half the store and have a kid covered in some treat to keep her happy while shopping. 

So, as Bridge and I load into the car with our small bounty, I can't help but notice the car parked directly in front of me. Attractive lady, nice car, cart full of groceries, and a Publix bagger in tow. She opens her doors and trunk for the loader, she gets in the front seat, cranks up the air and sits there until he is done loading. 

After the bagger is done he shuts the trunk, just in time for her to practically back over him in her hurry to get out the lot. He just loaded her $300+ worth of groceries and she thanks him by nearly crushing his feet. I swear her actually had to back out of her way!

I guess you can pay for nice hair, jewelry, clothes and car, but you cannot buy yourself manners. 

In-Law-Gate: E-mail Recap

I know a lot of you have asked for updates on the In-law situation. The best thing that I can think of is to post the last e-mail received from them. Please take into account all that I have posted about before, and you may see the manipulation coming out. Also, please note that we have never said they have mistreated Bridge, but how they treat us as parents and grown-up in general. 

They (specifically my MIL) have a way of making everyone feel like it is their fault and not their own. I am not ready to "forget anything". I want to talk about it and resolve, not sweep into a closet. I just do not feel that is safe for our future!

Feel free to disagree with me and give me you own opinion. Enjoy!

Dear HearTheirEverywear's Hubby,

This is Mother. My heart is breaking for you right now. Nothing has to be
this hard, and Dad and I will gladly do exactly as you say. Just remember
one thing....there is nothing but goodness and light in our home. Bridge
takes us to her special place every time we are with her. There is never a
harsh word, tone, or action in our home when she is in our care. We are
brokenhearted that all seem to think we are bad-hearted and need to be
punished. This discord has come out from who knows where???  Please forgive us, if you think we are to blame. We are ready to stop trying to find
answers and let it go. We know our place. I hope this reply is right and
that I haven't insulted you. Please have your heart ready for a phone call
from Daddy. We love you all.

Life is hard: it bites hard. We were misguided, and our actions
misinterpreted, because we only wanted "to be there;"
we just did it so wrong, didn't we?

Love, 
Mom