Going,going, going gone.....

Learning is so important for children. There fore we do all we can to help encourage or kids with their learning. For Michael we have plastered the house with words. Everywhere you look you see a word.

But, Brittany is another story. Where do I begin. She has yet to get a good report card. Her science teacher said even though she does not turn in her assignments she passes all her test with flying colors. Therefore he could not fail her. She just is not doing the work required from her. We have done everything that we can do and she just does not care. Those are her words. We took the TV, Stereo, Video Games, Phones, hanging out with friends and now all wants. We even took her $ money From Christmas. It is hers but she can not spend it on what she wants. We have tried all sorts of incentives. Example we bought her a prepaid cell phone and told her if she got good grades and proved it by using her progress reports we would put $25 on it each month. Well, that did not work. Our friends have offered $ for good grades. Nope, that failed also. Driving lessons. Nope that failed. I offered up a skip day. Good grades we would skip a day and hang out and go shopping. Nope, no go. She is a smart kid. I told her in the beginning of the year when we got the first mid quarter that if your classes are to easy prove it to me and I will champion you and have them move you up a grade. Nope, no proof. She is either not doing the work or not turning it in and leaving it in her locker. And still not turning it in.

We hear from all her teachers how smart she is but she is just not putting in the effort. We are just lost and frustrated. We do not know what else to do.

Warning: Really cute sick kids

Here is my youngest sleeping on the couch. He slept 4 hours straight yesterday afternoon. don't you just want to cuddle him I did. (look at that Marylin Monroe Mole. Hopefully it will not inhibit his shaving in the future)
Here is my oldest she is still feeling crappy. She has been dealing with a cough now all week.
First started out like a normal cold then look out because here comes the high fevers 102+F. Coughing, sniffles, stuffed up yukness. And it just keeps going and going and going. Brit is on week 2 Michael is just starting week 2 Jim is just starting week 2 and I am on day 2.

The cute dog with Brit is Charlie the wonder dog. Why wonder you ask. Because you wonder when he is going to listen. He is just like the kids selective hearing. But he knows everyone is feeling bad so he is just doing his job of cuddling.

Round Robin Challenge : Landmarks

Welcome to my rendition of Landmarks. Please check out the other Robin's.
I of course could not decide on landmarks so I choose to put up two of them.
First we have Big Ole. He greets visitors in Alexandria, MN The two angels at his feet are my children
Here for the second we have the historic Chisago county court house that now resides at the Aulmund Threshing show grounds. It was moved from its original sight to it new home to preserve it.

The woman coming down the stairs of the courthouse had received her marriage license in this building in the 30's. Thanks for stopping by and see you at the next challange.

**just to note I have tried to comment on those who have AOL journal and am unable to comment. Sorry. But they all look great.

Sarah

Family Ties

My sister wrote about the Bloopers people say because you are a step family or a step-mom. Very good read if I say so myself. They make a great duo her and Lori. Due to that we have the step family situation here in our home also.
I have never had the comments like they have. Nor has Jim.
Unfortunately, I do not have a very friendly relationship with my daughters father. We try to communicate on a civil level. Not, that there was a lack of trying. I have very strong opinions on him. But that is for another day.
Now, Jim is Brittany's "Step-Father" but if you ask her he is her dad. We have never hear her refer to Michael her brother as her half brother. He is just her brother. And her Father is her father and Jim is her dad. She does refer to her Step-Mother as her Step-mom or by her first name. But never by "mom".
We have had issues where people have confused her with being Jim's Biological daughter and he never corrects them because in his eyes she is. In the beginning we had issues with his family about her being his step-daughter or our step-grandchild but we nipped that in the butt right away.

Break Down

Yesterday we had to go a do our grocery shopping. Where else to go for us is Walmart Supercenter. They were having there Women's Health weekend and I came across a woman who you had a scarf on her head and was handing out info and samples. I had asked her what type of cancer she had and she told me it was Breast and it was terminal. I lost it right there. Tears flowed and heart ached. Seeing a strong woman like my mom was going to god soon. I felt very sad. But, her like my mom was so strong and doing what she could with the time she had. She hugged me and said she would keep me in her prayer. And all I could think was what a selfless act her praying for me and she is the one who is dying not me. I felt my mom was there with me wanting me to continue on and do what I felt was right and follow the directions she has taught me in my life.

Round Robin Challange

So, I came across this cool challenge to today. So I thought what the heck I'll join in.

This challenge is hosted at http://roundrobinphoto.blogspot.com/. This challenge is about the Railroad. So I thought I would show the photos again from this spring when we had the Steam train come through our town. Back in the 30's the town we live in was a booming town with a regular stop for the railroad. Now it is just a shell of a town.

We enjoyed see these pieces of history come through our town. And can not wait to see them next year.

Reality

As everyone knows the housing market is WAY DOWN. And when that happens it effects a lot of companies. The company I work for has been effected by this decline. We were told that things would get slow and they did some layoffs late 2007 of some management in our company and we were told things look to be better in the future. Then after Christmas they started to ask us to take volunteer time off with the help of the Shared Work Program through the Unemployment office here in MN. I have been using that this past week. Hoping it would look good and that with others doing the same we would not have to worry about our jobs being in jeopardy. So, instead of working 4 10hour days I worked 4 8hour days this week.
Wednesday I went home at 2pm and yesterday when I got to work in the morning I was informed by one of the other employees that they have laid off 12+ people that I worked with on the floor. I was in awe. My stomach was doing flips and my heart was racing. I felt bad for those who were let go but, was very happy that it was not me. Now, moving I will be running a machine that requires 2 people to run by my self and doing all the other work that I need to do. I can only hope that this is the end of the lay offs.

Other news, Jim will be having surgery at the end of this month. The doctor has decided to put a metal plate in his arm to help and fix the break after the surgery he will be out of work for another 6 weeks and then we will be back to a 2 income household again.

Evening With Dad

So, yesterday we went to spend the night at my fathers house. He had planned to have Jim and I go out for a nice dinner and him and the kids were going to hang out together.

Jim and I got all dressed up and went to Jax for a nice evening without kids.(wow, that was weird). We did kind of feel like fish out of water since the nicest place we have ever gone to was Outback Steakhouse. Which we do like to go to. I am a pretty low maintenance kind of girl. When it comes to restaurants. I had Perogis as an appetizer and Fillet Mignon as main course. Jim had Prime Rib and Shrimp. Now I started to take pictures of our food but then I got so hungry when my steak got there I forgot to take a photo.

We had our photo taken but it is kind of fuzzy. They were very busy.

The kids and Grandpa went to the movies and saw Water Horse. They seem to have enjoyed it.

Afterward everyone got home to relax. We brought a Screener movie called Bordertown to watch. Everyone went to bed and I stayed up watching it. Very good movie if you like based on true events.

This morning the kids hanging out by Adrianne

This morning I got up before everyone and made Monkey bread(yum-o)

What you need:

Butter (has to be butter )

Brown Sugar

Cinnamon

Sugar

Corn Syrup(if you do not have it sub in pancake syrup)

Frozen Bread Dough

Bunt Pan

Let 2 loaves of dough rise till they double in size (I let mine rise over night)

Oven at 400-425 cook time 15-20 min depending on oven

Carmel sauce:

3/4 stick of butter

1/4C packed Brown sugar

2T Syrup

Melt in sauce pan make sure the sugar melts also.

Stir to not burn the butter or sugar

Pour into bunt pan

Rip dough in to small balls and roll in Cinnamon sugar (1/2t cinnamon and 3T of sugar)

place in pan randomly until you have used up all the dough. Making sure to get all pieces in the sauce.

After you take it out of oven place a large plate over top a carefully and fast flip over. Wait about 5 min and then remove pan and enjoy.

Week in Review

Well, this has been a long week for me. I rescued two dogs on New Years Eve. One is a Pug and the other is a Peek. Both ran in front of my car and now I have posters up all around town hoping to find their owners.
Went back to work on Wednesday. Sometimes I feel that I am asked to do more than my job description. Do this and supervise them doing that hand help them with this and oh yeah do your job all at the same time. By the end of the day on Thursday I felt like a rubber band ready to break.
Friday I tried to not do much. Watched a movie and ate pizza.
Tonight my family is going to hang out with my Dad. The kids are going to watch some movies with Grandpa and I guess Jim and I are going to dinner.

Tomorrow I am going to make breakfast for everyone. I decided on Monkey Bread.
Stay tune for recipe and pictures to come.