Superman is to Kryponite as I am to my “outlaws”

Ok ok I know i talked about this in my last post….. i talked about my “outlaws” but i have to tell you this subject brings me to my knees.  I do wish there was some sort of guide or rule book or hell someone else who has dealt with this kinda of stuff. Now i know there are others out there but it is not a subject that comes up often.

Well a little back story, I have sole custody of my boys and my ex is not allowed to have any contact with us and if he would like to he has to have testing done to prove he is not a threat to the children.  Now his parents have seen my boys a grand total of 5 times in their 10 years on this earth.  They were never nice to me, writing letters to me telling me what an awful person i was.  Then to have my “husband” at the time defend them and take their side.  Now he married me not his parents!  But whatever, the bottom line in it all, they KNEW he had a problem before he married me and started having children.

So i feel bad they do not know how wonderful my kids are.  They are growing up to be great kids, they are smart, funny, and beautiful.  I am not doing so bad and who would not want to brag about their wonderful kids?  And guess what, it has nothing to do with them  or their son have done for me or the boys.  I really feel it is a privilege to be a parent or a grandparent, it is not a right. The have not earned the right to be their grandparents.  They did not protect them before they came to the earth what makes me think they will protect them now?

I feel as though my boys do not need such negititivy in their lives, or such mean spirited people.  I have not allow contact with them.  I am sure with this age of computers i will not be able to keep it away for ever.  They sent me an email yesterday asking in not a very nice way to send them pictures of their grandsons.   I just do not know what to do? i want to do what is right and what is best for the boys…….but i have to wonder am i doing the right thing by not allowing contact? should i share pictures with them? should i share stories? will that lead them to want to see them? is it opening pandora’s box?  oh god this kills me.

A week goes by so fast!

Phew this week passed so quickly!  Gym, sailing through a squall, camp inspector coming to camp.  Then getting sick.  YUCK!!

Gym was good.  I am starting to notice clothes fit different, my dad noticed, he said why do you keep pulling up your pants? ’cause they are to big!!  how cool is that?  I have lost 16 lbs and inches of my body!  it is cool!  It is hard work as well!  I like the way it makes me feel. and i am feeling better.

Sailing through the squall, holy shit! tallen and i were getting ready for the start, i said to him, i am having a hard time seeing the start.  We were getting heavier wind and then as the starting gun goes off, the wind changes directions 180 degrees and picks up to 20 plus knots!  YIKES, four boats drop out and tallen and i pull ourselves together cross the start line a little late but finish the race.  It was heavy wind, we got banged around a little, but all in all we had a great time.

Friday i could tell i was getting sick but went to the gym anyway to see if i could sweat it out.  THat is after the camp inspector came.  We passed.  I came home and went straight to bed. Wayne called on his way home from practice, to see what was going on.  He offered help, it was so nice!  thanks!

They boys were tired they watch tv,i picked up some chinese food for them and i crawled back into bed until noon the next day.  phew!

Went shopping for Jordan’s big camp he is off to in a couple of weeks.  Picked up granny at the airport, hung with mom and dad then made my way home.

To put a damper on the weekend, the “outlaws” emailed me asking me to send pictures “of their grandsons”  I am torn. I do not know what to do about this….what the right thing to do…they were so mean to me.  I can count the times they have seen my boys on one hand.  but as a proud mother i want to share my boys and show the world what great kids they are! UGH i just do not know what to do…..I wish there was a rule book or guidelines to follow in this case… share your thoughts.

Happy 4th of July

Wow! Party, party, Race comittee and another party tomorrow!  OMG  Stop me now!

So yesterday after work i went to the gym, it felt good! then home for a quick shower and change to go to an annual beach party with reggae band, good food and great rum punch!  Then up early for the Breakfast on the beach! We always start off the summers with breakfast on the beach party.  WAHOO! that is early!  I cooked 9 dozen eggs to order and had a great time cooking next to my brother.  We had four grills on the beach going, bacon, eggs, sausage, pancakes, fruit and baked goodies.  Honestly i never saw the baked goodies i was to busy cooking eggs!

While at the party i hear they are taking APHRODITE out for Race Committee.  What you do not know this boat? OMG she is beautiful!Oh you want to get closer to the boat??

Oh my goodness! I have dreamed of getting on this boat!  Well today was the day! Today Out i went, happy as a calm and boy can she move!  She is beautiful in and out! and to learn of her and her who’s who guest list! Shirley Temple had a birthday party on her! OMG how cool!

Well it was a fun day watching the races, and I took lots of pictures!

Tomorrow ANOTHER party! Who knew such a party girl!?!

Happy 4th!  here are a few photos of the races!

Food Friday: Apple avocado Salad with Tangerine dressing

So I have to tell you I have been concentrating on eating better and exercising.  I see a wonderful health counselor.  I feel as though she understands me and is helping me to make life changes.  Not necessarily a “diet” but a healthier lifestyle.  She is awesome!

As i said i see a personal trainer! I LOVE him.  I think I would have given up going to the gym with out him.  Funny story, when i first went, i said to him, “Look, I know I am a princess, I tell people what to do, I am the boss at work and as much as I do not like to admit it, I like it. So I am not sure how this is ever going to work”  Well the first couple of sessions, I was very unsure of what we were doing.  And he finally said to me, ” I do not take no for an answer” UGH.  But you know what?  He is awesome!  He keeps me in line, encourages me to continue, shows me that I am stronger than i think, he believes in me as well.  When we first met, he told me he thinks i should be working out “cardio” 6 days a week! Holy shit, i believed he was on crack.  I was going from NO EXERCISE to 6 days a week? Are you kidding me?  Well I am up to four days a week minimum now.  I hate to admit it, but I kinda like going.  It is time for me, and only me.  I feel as though i have more energy! I love that!  Plus I have lost 15lbs! PHEW! who knew!??

Well I figured I would share an awesome recipe that i found and changed to be more what i like! Try it and let me know what you think! This is awesome!!

Apple Avocado Salad with Tangerine Dressing

• 1 (10 ounce) package baby greens
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 apple – peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 avocado – peeled, pitted and diced
• 4 mandarin oranges, juiced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, toss together the baby greens, red onion, walnuts, blue cheese, and lemon zest. Mix in the apple and avocado just before serving.
2. In a container with a lid, mix the mandarin orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Drizzle over the salad as desired.

Well enjoy the 4th!  Big plans! Parties to go to!  Good times!  I promise to post pictures of my brother on the billboard!

“Do you have a squeegee to help push the water out?”

Yesterday was like no other day i have had.  what happened? the day starts with the alarm going off at 6am….ugh drag my butt out of bed.  check weather report, it says rain rain rain, thunderstorms, and more rain.  But really? no rain, nothing on radar…hummm, okay well kids up, off to orthodontist, OMG twins are going to need to have impressions and xrays, to the tune of $250 each. ouch! this is not going to be fun! I hate the dentist…..anyway off to camp.  It is like prying barnacles off the bottom of a boat to get them out of the van.

Kids reluctantly go off to camp and that mother’s guilt kicks in. OMG what a horrible parent i am for forcing my kids to go to camp. I question why i had not found a way to find something they would have liked to do….like sailing. the heart strings were pulled, still a little tired, a little overwhelmed by the fact i am going to have to pay $500 for the dentist to tell me the twins will need braces! but  I trudge off to camp. A bit frustrated and in need of a friendly face! Thank god for Amanda, that is all i have to say….

They have a plan, sailing! OMG have they seen the weather report? Did they read what NOAA had to say? SEVERE WEATHER.  Okay, well go for it, not sure they would have listened to me even if i said no.

I left for the gym, and let me tell you I really like going to see a personal trainer! He is awesome, he does not take my crap.  It is good.  I will have to write more about that later…anyway, leave gym and buckets of rain are coming down. HOLY SHIT.  Get to seaport, the water level is so high, not a dry bone in the place.  Lunch goes on, and i explain they need a rainy day plan for all the kids.  Lunch was so loud. I was still grumpy. I get a voice mail from someone on the seaport grounds explaining, no one is answering her calls.  Did I have anyone that could help or did i have a squeegee to help push the water out of her room.

HMMMMM, feeling like i needed to go investigate as she was not answering her phone.  I took a couple of sailing assistants, walked through water that was up my thighs to cross the “road”.  I was so wet already it really did not matter.  Found out there was a leak in the classroom.  So we walked over with a driveway broom and a mop. How bad could it be?

IT WAS BAD!! Water was hemraging out of this building.  It was pouring out and there was SO MUCH WATER!  I have never ever seen so much water. The facilities people were so unorganized. They had no direction, and i do not do well with that. I felt the need to do SOMETHING and a squeegee was NOT GOING TO DO A THING!! The water was not only coming through the wall but it was coming in through the door!  I had Sailing Assistants that wanted to help and did! They did what ever i said and we rocked!  After the water slowed down and sandbags were put down. We picked up everything that was on the floor.  and felt the clean up was now their problem I knew i had boats sinking.

Walk back after feeling as though the a dam was broken into one of our buildings to find my awesome staff hauling all 42 dyers out of the water, first capsizing it as it had so much water in it no one would have been able to lift them.  We helped with the last few. Bailed out the launches that were sinking.

I then noticed there were marks left out on the water….i figured lets go get them. Yup, hopped into the bailed out launch, pull out and get across the channel to find the gas tanks were taken out because they were weighing down the boats during the storm. OMG, Evan came out to us with a tank and hose. But it was the WRONG HOSE.  Got a tow in.  Started to take all the sails off the dyers.

Washed 42 Dyer sails. Completely whipped just like everyone else!  I was proud of the staff.  They all did a wonderful job but next time when NOAA says SEVERE WEATHER, no sailing please.

Yup just another day on the job!