I Am The Princess At My House

Princess Hateful Raquel and her husband Dan were out last night to give Mason his birthday present. They pull up on motorcycles. I couldn't believe it. What in the world did she need a motorcycle for. She is dangerous enough in a car. Austin and I had a good laugh about it after she left.
I wondered why she was so willing to come ALL the way out here. In her words it is just soooo faaaar. Now we know.
Nothing quite like having a spiteful sister-in-law to spice up life. My little sister might be a bitch but she isn't deceitful and conniving.
I'm sure grandma will be calling tomorrow to tell me something that Raquel has said. Should be fun. Good thing grandma loves me and believes me over her own granddaughter.

Swine Flu

http://www.kcci.com/health/19315056/detail.html#

My sister-in-law, Princess Hateful Raquel, is the one standing up in the top photo. She was so excited to be on tv. Best yet she thought she looked good.

I know I'm being catty and mean but I just don't care today.

I can hope can't I...

I am really hoping that Princess Hateful Raquel decides to skip my PartyLite party and not come. She is rather upset with me at the moment and I haven't even talked to her in about 3 months.

The deal is that Austin's dad got a new car (2009 Audi A4) and was going to lose money on the trade in so he is giving, yes free and clear giving, us his old car. She thinks that he should give her the car because he gave us the last one. Mind you she gets the cash value.

I found out she is upset because she talked to Grandma and I talk to Grandma. She told Grandma that and I quote "It sure would be nice if someone would just give me a car instead of me having to buy all my vehicles." That upset Grandma because Grandma and Grandpa bought Raquel her first two cars, the last being a brand new 2003 Grand Prix and didn't even get a thank you. Then she traded it off for her current vehicle a 2006 Toyota Tundra. Now all she does is complain about the gas price. Anyways... I am getting a 2005 Chrysler 300C with about 75k in miles.

Austin and I drive vehicles until they die. Well sometimes he buys vehicles that should be dead but that is a whole other story. My current little car a 99 Chrysler 300M with 182k is starting to have issues. 1. the only window that goes down is the drivers 2. the clock in the center of the dash has decided to stop working. 3. the heater settings light has gone on the fritz and I can no longer tell what the settings are for temp or fan or even where it is going to come out at. 4. the drivers seat no longer moves forward or backwards of its own accord. it is one of those things where you have to push the button and then push on it for all your worth. 5. the alarm just goes off without even being set. and the big one 6. the transmission has started to have problems on big hills by stalling or slipping.

Have I mentioned lately that I won the in-law prize. I know that we don't always get along but they really are the best. I just feel bad for Austin because he got shafted in that area.

Thanksgiving...

This year for Thanksgiving we are staying home and having friends over. Well friends and Austin's parents.
I decided that I didn't want to drive for 3+ hours to see my family for an hour. Luckily our friends felt the same way so we are all meeting at my house.
I love to cook so we are going all out. The only thing I am not making is the pies because Austin's mom wants to. That is just fine with me I don't especially like to make pie. Especially pumpkin pie.
I am really surprised that his parents decided to join us. I think they are even more antisocial than Austin. They say they don't like to come over when we have friends over because they feel as though they are intruding. Mind you, I am a sweet and wonderful daughter-in-law when they are around. Sweet and wonderful dammit!! So much so that it is just wrong, sometimes I am afraid my face will break. It really doesn't go with my personality.
We get together with our friends and their parents all the time. So it isn't like it is an unusual occurrence for one or more sets of parents to be at our gatherings. I think it is just something they will have to get over.
Thursday should be fun. Busy but fun. Austin has decided that we need to have turkey and ham. I think he just doesn't want everyone eating his turkey. Which is odd considering I have made 4 turkeys this year. This will be number 5, I figured he would be tired of it by now. I spoil him shamelessly. I really should stop. I guess it probably makes up for all my other... um... "good wife" behavior.
Now I just have to hope that Mason's black eye is gone by Thursday. Poor little kid is Austin's, that is for sure. So. I will set the scene. We were all in the kitchen and I was making supper. Austin, Mason and Hyde are all playing with a ball on the floor. I go to the fridge to get out the butter, it is one of those fridges that has the freezer on the bottom, so I had the door open and Mason gets up to chase the ball and runs right in to the corner of the fridge door. He cried a little bit but then got distracted when Hyde tried to run off with 'Mine', his bear. So his eye is to the ugly brownish greenish stage.
I realize that little kids get hurt and I wouldn't be afraid to take him to my any one of my family because they know things like this happen and aren't judgemental. They wouldn't ask where I was when it happened. Then look at me like I was the devil when I said right there beside him. So just to keep everyone happy on Thanksgiving I really hope it is gone. After all I am just the 'spoiled princess' who married her wonderful son.
It's alright I am laughing too. At least Princess Hateful Raquel isn't coming this year. I am afraid I won't be as fortunate come Christmas. She better not even think she is controlling Christmas this year. She might run her husbands families holidays but she has to remember I am the only daughter-in-law on this side and I run things. I can't wait for the fight that will ensue. It should be monumental because she wants to get together on Christmas at her parents house that is 3+ hours from where we are going to be. Can you tell I am excited just thinking about it. I really can't wait to show her who is boss exactly. I think it is about time to remind her that I always get what I want by being sweet and wonderful dammit!!
I know the holidays really bring out my... um... yeah... good side... yeah that is what it is called.

Ke`Vion Jaymes

Little Ke`Vion Jaymes 9 lbs 21 inches

He is so sweet with a cute little dimple in his right cheek. I actually got to see Amanda and Ke`Vion by myself. No one else was there. Luckily I missed out on seeing Raquel and Dan which was good. Although I hear she has dyed her hair 'poop' brown. As Amanda put it 'it looks like she tried to do something and it went horribly wrong so she tried to cover it up. Her roots are really blonde. Not a good look on her but at least it takes the attention off of her face.'

Now I am curious to see exactly how bad it is. Don't worry not bad enough to actually try to see her myself after all Amanda said she has photos. Just for a point of reference Raquel's hair is medium mousey brown, if that makes any sense. Her hair is really, really thin. Over the last year she has been getting more grown up hair cuts. Unfortunately her hair is so thin and limp that they make her look like she is balding. I don't know if she thought that now that she is married she needed to get her hair cut to look more mature. Although did she finally get away from the straight cut little girl bangs. Literally they were cut right above her eyebrows straight across her forehead. Anyways I'm done complaining about her for now. If only I had a photo of her showing exactly what she looked like this photo is from March of 2003 and she has put on probably 50 pounds since then. It does a good job of showing the bangs.

HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!

Raquel is now a grandma!! I guess that is what you get for marrying an older man. Yep, being a grandma at 28. Sounds fun!!
No seriously... Amanda had Ke`vion (kay-veon) Saturday morning. 9 lbs 21 inches. I can't wait to go see him. I have to call first and make sure that Dan and Raquel aren't going to be there. That would suck. Really bad!! I don't think I have to worry too much about it considering how Raquel is and that she doesn't like Dan's ex-wife or family but still not really wanting to run into her.
Next week I will be taking Ke`vion's newborn photos so I am really excited. Really really excited!!

Alone in a car with a mind reader... am I crazy?

Saturday, Austin's mom and I are going to a craft show in northern Iowa. Alone. As in together. Alone. In a car with a mind reader. Alone. Should be interesting. Hopefully Mason will keep her occupied. I also invited Princess Hateful Raquel, but she declined. I am sure Robin and her are going the next weekend. I can't imagine she would let this go and be left out completely.

Sunday, I am having a girls day with a couple of moms from MOPS. We are going to the same craft show. Austin is keeping Mason all day, by himself. I don't feel one bit guilty. I deserve to get out of the house too.

Going to the grocery store alone does not count, trust me. Nor does mowing the yard I don't care what Austin's argument for this is. It still does not count.

Another Long Weekend

This weekend Mason and I are going to the Vanatta family reunion. (It feels weird to type Vanatta) My husband lovingly referred to it as the circus and asked if he really had to go because he was afraid of clowns. I lovingly told him that he didn't and that I was afraid of witches but it doesn't stop me from going to his family functions.
If your keeping score that would be a point for me. None for Austin.
Everybody already knows that my family is sort of a freak show. At least they tell you how it is and don't talk behind your back. I think there is a lot to say for that. No hiding behind mama's skirts here. No, dammit, if you have something to say, then say it and shut the hell up already. Put your big girl panties on for crying out loud. If she was my sister I would have already put her in her place.
If you can't tell Princess Hateful Raquel hasn't talked to me in 6 weeks. Normally I would take this as a victory but she has been talking shit to Austin's Grandparents again. Yep! Fielded a call just this morning. Sad thing is they should have known better because Mason and I are eating supper at their place tonight.
But enough DRAMA!!
I am actually excited to see some of my family. You will notice I said some, I am afraid of clowns also after all. Maybe Mason will end up being a funny witch. I already feel sorry for his future wife. A gaggle of bitches on one side and a freak show on the other. At least the freak show is a loving one.
Don't worry I will have pictures to post when I get back on Monday. Austin leaves Tuesday!!

Lunch

Yesterday I went to lunch with Princess Hateful's Raquel's step-daughter Amanda. We had a lovely time. She is so excited about the baby and just getting married. We laughed and laughed. Mason flirted with the server. Every time she came over he gave her a french fry. It was so cute.
The topic of Raquel only came up one time. Hard to believe, I know, but we had better things to talk about than that hateful snob.
Jokingly on the way out the door of the restaurant I said "Maybe we should invite Raquel next time just to piss her off." Amanda looked at me like I was the devil. It was too funny.

Hateful Sneaky People

Well I have had quite the week. Let me start off by saying that I have done nothing wrong. Now that I've said that let me start with a little background.

Austin has this sister named Princess Hateful Raquel. Raquel got married in November to a man who is 36,Dan, and has a 19 year old daughter, Amanda. (Do the math it is important for later) Well in February Amanda announces she is pregnant. That would make Raquel a soon to be 28 year old step-grandma. We will just say that Princess Hateful Raquel did not take this very good. (I thought is was quite hilarious)

Dan and Raquel tired to convince Amanda to give the baby up for adoption. Naturally Amanda didn't want to. (This is where the math comes in.) Amanda is hurt by this because they keep bringing it up and she has told them that she absolutely will not be giving her baby up. This really angers Raquel because she is used to getting what she wants when she wants. In the meantime Amanda and her boyfriend, Kevin, are making plans to get married getting stuff around for baby and going on with life. Raquel is stewing mad. Calls to complain to her parents (don't worry they come into play also) and starts telling lies about Kevin.

Amanda not getting much support from Dad and having no friends who have had babies contacts me over myspace and we have been talking about the baby and only the baby. Raquel had not been mentioned until the topic of the baby shower came up. (more on that later) I would also like to point out that I have been talking to Amanda since around the time of the wedding.

So now we can fast forward to the end of July. Amanda is having a baby shower thrown for her by her mom. I was invited because I am more friend than step-mothers family. Raquel was also invited along with Dan because they are having a dual purpose shower. Amanda is getting married this afternoon so the shower will be a baby shower wedding reception in one.

Dan and Raquel are not going!

Dan is already missing the nuptials and now the reception. Why you might ask. Well because his new wife doesn't want to go.

So I had already told Amanda that I would go and Raquel was mad. So now she has been calling her mom and dad and telling them all these bad things about Kevin and got them all worried that I was going to take my son with me to this shower.

Well Robin, MIL, talked to Austin at work and told him all this stuff that Raquel had told her and asked him if he was aware that I was going to take his son with me to the shower and that she didn't think it was a very good idea. Mind you she expected him to come home and just put his foot down and tell me I wasn't going and that I sure wasn't going to take his son with me. Anyone that knows me knows that is not how things work in my marriage. I believe there is too much respect between us to think one could control the other. Austin told her that he trust me and doesn't trust Raquel as far as he can throw her. That he doesn't believe half of the stuff out of her mouth because we have caught her in so many lies. This really upset his mom. She asked him why Raquel and him don't get along and so he told her why. He was brutally honest and didn't leave anything out.

Austin came home and told me all that his mother said and I discounted everything and explained to him what really happened and sorted out all the lies Raquel had told. Then I mentioned to him that his mom really expected him to put his foot down and forbid me from going. He didn't believe me. I might have been pissed that she did it. After all it was really backhanded and put a blog on my myspace that said:

-I’m Tired
Current mood: bullied
My husband will no longer be acting like a middle person. If anyone has concerns involving me or our son then they need to contact me directly. I'm tired of Austin being in the middle. I don't bite and am tired of the polite conversation and cold shoulders. I'm sure things get lost in translation. I would hate to think that people don't think I can take care of Mason and myself.
10:39 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove -

Well Princess Hateful Raquel has access to my myspace and called her mom and told her what I had wrote the next morning when she saw it. Well Robin had a talk with Austin about it and it came out that she didn't expect him to talk to me about the shower conversation. (I got to say I TOLD YOU SO) He wasn't upset with me about the myspace blog. He was a little shocked but what was I to do when all they will talk to me about is the weather. They will even wait until I leave the room and then ask Austin the question then when I come back in the room Austin will ask me the question. I have started to just whisper the answers to him because we have an agreement that if one of us whispers the question or answer it is to stay between the two of us. I think it really annoys them. I know I do not care though.

It really bothered me to have to call Amanda and tell I wouldn't be going to the shower because Mason is sick and I don't want to get her sick. It is almost like they won. I can't stand that.

I am so glad that my family is loving and in your face. They don't mince words. They tell you exactly how they feel and give you opinions on everything. Austin thinks it is their way of trying to run my life but I don't see it that way because I can call them idiots and tell them I love them all in the same breath.

So that is how my week has gone. Austin told me he actually ducked into the bathroom to avoid his mom at work. How sad!

Father's Day

We did exactly what Austin wanted to do. Absolutely nothing. It was wonderful.

Saturday we went to his parents house for a cookout. Austin's sister, Raquel, was also suppose to be there. Well we were to eat at 6. At 6:30 his mom calls Raquel and she said she had "forgot" it was Saturday and "thought" we were all getting together on Sunday. Can I just say 'Are you fucking kidding me!!!' She knew better. I talked to her about it on Friday and she asked if we were going to be there Saturday. I hate her so much. We know why she didn't come. Austin's mom asked me why she would do that so I told her 'Raquel likes to believe she is an only child. She tries to dis invite us to everything or leave us out completely. If we don't get the invite directly from you and she is to let us know then she will lie to you and tell you we couldn't or didn't want to come.' Then I gave her several examples where she has pulled that kind of stuff and all she said was 'That explains a lot.' Well DUH!

Other than that it was good. Truth be told Austin and I were relieved she didn't show up. We didn't really want to have to hear how their "honeymoon" was. Sorry it was just a vacation!! They lived together for 2 f'n years before they got married.

I guess if we are going on their logic then the vacation Austin and I are going on next week can be considered a 'honeymoon'. Wish us luck we are sharing a room with my little sister Cameron!! I feel bad for her now. Okay maybe not that bad;)

"She got to us first"

I will start this one with a little background. Austin and I have been together for 12 years this June. We will have been married for 8 of these years on June 24. That is a long time. In this time I have been a fair, sweet, understanding, willing to please, and dare I say loving daughter-in-law. I have gone out of my way to be nice to my horribly spoiled sister-in-law. I have been more than fair in the way we split major holidays. Never once have I told his family no we can't do this or won't do that.

Well about a month ago I asked Austin's parents what was going on for mother’s day. I was told they would check with S-I-L and see if they were going to celebrate with us at their house. Well two weeks ago I asked again and got the same answer and that they would let us know. So last Wednesday I sent my M-I-L an e-mail and asked again. No answer so they called about asparagus and I asked, again, and was told "S-I-L is taking us out to dinner" I replied "would have been nice if she had invited everybody to celebrate the family holiday" To which they replied "She got to us first" I was simply livid. Got to them first my butt. Needless to say I ended the call rather quickly and informed Austin that I was done trying with his family. He was very loving and supportive because he has never cared one way or the other. He very nicely summed it up by saying "You can only make excuses for people for so long before you run out of them. I am out of excuses."

Well I am tired of being ignored, shoved out of the way, left out, taken for granted, and pissed on in general. I refuse for Mason to see his Mother being treated this way or to feel like she is being treated this way. I have taken control of my family. We will do what I see fit when I see fit. Austin has agreed to this by saying "Evidently playing favorites is not the way to raise children". I couldn't agree more. He can go see his parents when he wants by himself. If they want to see my child they can call and invite the whole family. Not just one or two of us. He has also agreed that as soon as Raquel says something snide we can leave no excuses need to be given. Have I said lately that I absolutely Love Love Love my husband. He is better than I deserve but I am not giving him up for anything.

So for Mothers Day I got to sleep in and then we went to town and had lunch with his parents. (How sad that you only want to spend long enough to eat with your son and grandson on Mothers Day. I told my husband that if I had known how my mothers day was going to end up being that I would have been stashing money away for gas to go to my grandmothers to spend the day with my family. Why because they were ALL there. Not one or two but all. That is the way I want Mason to remember holidays being. Warm and loving with everyone in attendance. Not an hour at a restaurant.

Blank...

It is Friday yet again. Where did my week go? My days seem to fly by and I get nothing done. It isn't that I don't try to get something done. I do! Really!! My problem is that 'the kid' is crawling and getting into everything. I can't turn my back for a second. Right now he is fascinated with the door to the office. Open, close, open, close. Stop already.
So far today he has gotten stuck in the dog kennel, on the couch, hung up on the baby gate, and tried to be a gardener. The last of which Austin isn't going to be very happy about. I have already e-mailed a warning. He shouldn't be too surprised we are on day 4 of the nap protesting. I felt bad last night because I was making supper and Mason fell asleep in his high chair. Well on second thought maybe I didn't feel that mad. He was worse yesterday than today. At least he only got in one plant today. Oh did I forget to mention that he tried to go up the stairs this morning. I couldn't believe it. He isn't even 10 months yet.
I remember when we first got Hyde we did leash training with him. That is where the pet wears a leash at all times and it is attached to your leg, wrist, or belt loop. Well the first 6 months we did leash training so that he would stay out of trouble. I wonder if it is legal to do that with your kid. It worked wonders for the dog. Although even now Hyde doesn't usually get farther than 8 feet from me. At times that can be a pain.
Next weekend we are buying Mason a baby swing so that we can go out in the afternoons. I would go on walks but the gravel (dirt, river rock, mud) road just isn't conducive to that at this time of year. It is way too muddy out. I am ready to get outside and play.
Austin asked if he was going to get to mow the yard at all this summer and I nicely replied 'NO!'. The way I figure it he has about an hour a day of alone time. Thirty minutes to work and thirty minutes home. He sure isn't going to take away the one thing that will give me alone time. Sometimes I wonder if he is truly insane. He should know better. I can't wait until next summer Mason will be old enough to follow him around. Which will hopefully keep him from doing anything that will endanger his health. Like tear anymore off the corn crib. That is a whole other post in itself. Although I do wish he would go ahead and get it torn down. The stupid thing has become an eyesore.
Now my major thought all day is what am I going to do with Austin all weekend. The drywall project will only keep him busy for so long. Don't worry his sister put in a barb at Easter about our home improvement project and hers. Evidently hers is done and we are still working on ours. Um... ya, we have a baby to take care of also and ours involved demolition not just painting and wall fixtures. Anyways I got side tracked, it is just that she really makes me mad. I've just never met someone so hateful and I have Cameron for a little sister. Sorry back to the subject at hand. What to do with Austin this weekend. I think I'll let him sleep in till noon both days and argue with him the rest of saturday. Sunday after he wakes up I am going to go to the store and leave him with the baby, I haven't decided if I will come home yet or not. I probably will after all I would miss my guys. I am just really in need of a quite day to myself. It has gotten especially bad since Mason has decided that he is afraid of my sewing machine. I don't know how that happened. He had heard it everyday of his life almost and then just decided that he was afraid of it. Hopefully he gets over soon. Maybe Grandma Robin would like to baby sit this sunday. That would be nice. I've got a curtain and an apron that I need to get finished.
Well until next time...

My New Door

I feel brave today. I am going to broach a subject that some might find controversial.

My Sister-in-law

Usually before saying something insulting I would say "Love them to death" not today. I don't love her; I don't even like her. She is ... for lack of better words... hateful, rude, condescending, malicious, etc. (What do you know there are words to describe her. They just aren't very nice.) Well she heard we were putting in a new back door. Mind you out of necessity. Well it is like she is trying to outdo us. She has decided that they absolutely need to redo the master bathroom. So she comments me on MySpace acting like she didn't know what kind of home improvement project we were doing. One: Her parents wouldn't just tell her we were doing a home improvement project. They would have told her exactly what we were doing and why. Two: They wouldn't tell her that much unless she asked. For these two reasons and many more, we avoid her. She acts like we talk all the time and tells the grandparents that we do. She tells grandma stuff and then grandma will call me all upset because I have supposedly said something. I have recently gotten tired of it and informed Grandma Hansell and Robin (mother-in-law) that I don't talk to her and that she lies, A LOT. Now mind you this did not make them too happy. They were rather upset with me for talking bad about their "perfect" little girl. Once in awhile they will look at me questioningly and all I have to do is say it has been X amount of time since I have talked to Raquel. That seems to clear up a lot of stuff. I have no idea why she dreams up these conversations and then proceeds to get me in trouble. Austin and I have come to the conclusion that it is jealousy. I have no idea why she would be jealous of us. I guess I don't really care. I just wish she wasn't such a pain in the ass.

Super Bowl Sunday

Well here we are it is Sunday morning. Super Bowl Sunday. Should be a good game. I haven't decided if I will watch it or not. I am sure I will catch bits and pieces.



Friday I had to go and get the car registrations renewed and Mason and I took a tumble on the ice. Mason didn't even touch the ground until after I was down. Evidently self preservation doesn't work if you are holding your child. My knees took most of the impact. Both are bruised and funky colors. After I had stopped falling I sat Mason on the ground. I figured he would start crying but no he started playing with the snow and giggling.



Saturday I went with my mother and sister-in-law to a pampered chef party. After the party I met Austin at his parents house for supper. Lucky for us Raquel stayed around for supper. Yeah lucky us. The only time she was pleasent was while we were at the party. O'well.

Austin cut some wood over at his parents house. Evidently all the wood we have here is too wet to burn. Whatever, I guess I don't really care. At least he didn't have me out there "helping".

Our Weekend

Is it a rule that the longer the week the shorter the weekend. I am really beginning to wonder.
My weekend went so fast. Saturday Austin's sister, Raquel, came out to visit and spent a couple of hours playing with Mason. That evening we went to Sterling and Julie's for supper and games. Six adults and six kids. It was loud to say the least. We always have fun there. We have more fun after all the kids fall asleep because then we aren't chasing them but fun anyways. We got home about midnight. Sunday we didn't do anything. Nothing it was wonderful. I love those kind of days. I would have liked to sleep in but Hyde was having none of that. He was up at 7:30 and woke Mason up so I let Austin sleep in. After all it is him that gets up every morning and goes to work. I did a couple loads of laundry and called it good for the day. Very productive.

One more day

Is it Friday yet.
Not that it should make a difference but it does. I worked for so many years that Friday became like a holiday all in itself. Now that I am home everyday all day it is still my favorite day. I know that on Saturday Mason is going to sleep in just a little longer because he won't be disturbed by Austin's alarm. I know that Austin is going to sleep in till at least 10. That is only because Mason takes a nap at 10 so I wake him at 10. It is probably the only time all weekend that we will have alone. I love Friday because it starts it all. Austin comes home in a good mood. Every other is payday which puts him in a really good mood. Even though it is already all spent. I will take a good mood when I can get it.
This Saturday Austin's sister, Raquel, is coming out to visit Mason. I know that by reading that you would think she lived hours away but she doesn't. It only takes 25 minutes to get to her house. That is it and she complains that she doesn't see us more. She knows that she is welcome anytime. Family, what do you do with them. His whole side, us included, are all homebodies. We all got so used to not having family close that we just like to do stuff alone, I guess. It has been an adjustment, of sorts, having family close. We aren't able to get together as much as we would like because his mom, Robin, is finishing up some college courses on an accelerated program and so she is studying a lot. She should be done with all that sometime this next year. I don't remember if it is spring 08 or fall 08 that she graduates. Either way she I am sure will be stealing Mason a lot more.
I have been trying to talk my sister into coming up for a weekend so that she can get all the baby stuff she loaned me. A lot of it Mason has outgrown. It is way over a carload of stuff. I could store it here but I don't want to. I don't want to be blamed when something comes up missing. Hopefully one of these weekends she will be able to get up here. I haven't seen any of my family since Christmas. That is a long time for me.