My computer is running much too slow.  It is quite depressing.  OK, that's out of the way.  I thought I would update on our Christmas fun.  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures right now but hopefully my mom will send me some soon.  We had a good time for the most part.  My parents, sister and brother came up to PA to visit.  They were supposed to get in on Saturday but decided to split the trip up and spent a night in DC.  Then on Sunday I had to be at work at 8AM for a Breakfast with Santa.  This was after closing Saturday night and not getting out until almost 2.  I was the first manager in.  I kept trying to get as much done as possible so my GM would let me go but he didn't until almost 9 so I didn't see my family Sunday night either.  Monday they came over to our house and my dad got to meet his granddaughter.  Then we went to the mall and my parents ate lunch at Garfields.  After I got off that night (we closed early, at 6, and I was out by 8) I went over to their hotel to pick up the kids.  Tuesday started off at the house.  I think this was the first Christmas morning Jermaine had spent with the kids.  I went over to the hotel after that.  We opened gifts downstairs in the lobby next to the Christmas tree.  AJ got a lot of really cool things.  So did Zaria but I cannot lie, this year she was definately more interested in the wrapping paper.  AJ, Zaria, and I spent the afternoon and evening there and then went home and spent the nighttime with Daddy.  My parents left bright and early on Wednesday so I didn't get to see them again but it was a wonderful visit.  We need to get down to SC.  It has been way too long since Jermaine has seen his family and they haven't met Zaria or seen AJ since he was probably 18 months old.  We'll see.

I have so much to get done today before I go into work.  I close tonight so I am supposed to be there at 3 but I am going to try to get there around 1 so I can work on some paperwork.  Before that though I need to go past my real estate agent to get the address to send the rent check to.  Also, I need to go to the bank to deposit my check.  I have to get my brand new snow tires put on my truck...I am so excited about that.  That was my gift from my parents.  Hopefully that will be the last little umph or truck needs to be able to make it this winter.  I would also like to go to the Post Office as I still have not changed my address and this should have been done a LONG long time ago. If I have time I'd like to go to the DMV to get my license changed too but we'll see about that.  That really is my lowest priority today.  Jermaine is supposed to be calling the babysitter today and calling and setting up doctor's appointements for the kids but again, we'll see.  Why am I sitting here updating...because my clothes are in the wash.  Before I leave I have to wash, dry clothes, take a quick shower, hopefully find my keys and do a little bit of cleaning up.  My goal today is the kids room, tomorrow is our room and the upstairs bathroom, and Sunday is the kitchen, living room and downstairs bathroom.  Jermaine is responsible for the computer room in my opinion so I'll have him do that today. At some point in the next couple of days I want to do a recap of 07.  It has been quite a year and I like to be able to go back and read posts about the year in a nutshell.  Anyway, going to start my cleaning for the day.  Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and that all is well.

Time for another undate I think.  Nothing much new going on.  Work has been interesting to say the least.  I actually had big issues with one of our cooks on Sunday and in the end he was let go.  This is going to sound wierd but it was kind of nice to see how everyone had my back during and after the whole situation.  Even a guest heard what was going on and he offered to "rough him up" if I needed which of course I didn't but it definately was a nice offer.  I had two days off this week, Monday and Tuesday and I didn't get nearly enough done.  Our house if pretty/very messy so we have some work ahead of us.  Both of us have been working so much that when we are at the house it's like we need some down time but now it's time to kick it up one more notch.  I dropped Jermaine off at work this morning and have some back to the house to clean for a couple of hours until it's time to go back into town.  Kids are doing great.  My kids are actually doing well with sleeping.  AJ still has an off night every now and then but overall I can't complain at all.  Normally both kids are asleep before 9 or 9:30 and they sleep until around 7.  Pretty perfect.  Then every now and then AJ will have a night like last night where he just didn't want to go to sleep.  But he has learned the art of playing quietly in his room until he is ready to go to sleep so the baby gets to sleep and he gets to unwind in his own way.  Now for some pictures.

This first one is our new house (rented but it's still ours for now).  This was right before we got proabably another 3-4 inches of snow.  Thank goodness for 400lbs of sandbags in the truck, a shovel, and some salt.

Daddy bought AJ his very first bicycle.  AJ has been talking about it for about a month and a half now and we finally just gave in.  I thought we were going to get it for Christmas but Jermaine really wanted it to come from us and so it did.  This was right when Daddy brought the box in from the car. Please excuse the mess.

My big girl sitting up on her own.  She can move around now by either rolling all around or by inching with her toes.  Only problem with that is I don't think she can control whether she moves forwards or backwards but still...she's getting there.

The next morning after Daddy put the bike together.  At first he thought the bike was going to be too small for AJ but with the seat pulled up some it's perfect.  Now we just need to work on the pedaling concept.  It's probably going to stay inside until Spring time though.  With all this snow on the ground there really is no where to ride it.  We'll see though.

I think that's about it for now.  I ran out of space on my memory card so I have to get some CDs to burn the pictures on before I erase them. I have them on the computer but I am super paranoid about losing pictures.  I'd like to have at least 2 back-ups of them in case something happens to the computer or something.  So by the weekend I should be taking more pictures.  Hope all is well!

Been awhile so I have lots to update on.  Normally when I feel that way I don't end up writing very much but for some reason I have a feeling this time will be different. 

First, the reason I haven't been updating.  We decided to cut off our cable.  Cable, phone and Internet were all connected so alas, we are without Internet and I'm no longer allowed to use the Internet at work.  I guess I never have been allowed but the old GM didn't care at all because he was on all the time so it didn't really matter.  The reason we decided to do without cable is what really bothers me. I have been "fighting" with them for awhile now because one day in June after I was on maternity leave the bill says that over $200 in movies were ordered in less than an hour.  Now, if I hadn't taken precautions against this and if I hadn't been on leave then I would maybe believe it.  But I have parental lock on and it got changed about every two weeks and I was home and Jermaine was at work and there is just no way that all of that was ordered.  They had been saying they were looking into it and stuff and finally said that there wasn't anything they could do.  So we have cancelled it and are going to not have any until sometime after we move into our new place.

That's next.  By October 31 we are going to be in a new place.  Hopefully a rented house or at least a townhouse.  There is a bunch of stuff that goes along with that but I don't even want to get into all of that.  It miserable.  But it is for the best because we don't want to stay at our place anyway.  Now the challenge is going to be finding a place, a nice place, that is going to be hopefully cheaper than what we are paying now.  We moved into that apartment because we were in a time crunch and didn't look around the area enough but this time we have more time.  Hopefully something good will come up and quickly so I can stop worrying about it.

We had to get two new rotors a couple of weeks ago which stinks.  It's like every time things start to look better something like that happens.  Not something huge to knock us down but something big enough to knock us back.  That was almost $500 which, believe me, could have gone to so many other places.  I just got my first full paycheck at work.  I was so so excited.  But it is already gone...rent and bills, food and diapers.  I am just so impressed with the fact that we were able to make it on the little bit of savings, Jermaine's paychecks and my messed up short term disability for my leave.  Today was my first day off after working 15 straight.  My GM was a god-send and let me pick up a couple of serving shifts for just a little bit of extra money.  Because of that I worked a shift on my day off as a host/manager.  My body said enough is enough on Monday.  I worked opening shift and had to put the truck away myself and then did the floors and cooked by myself for about 4 hours and I was exhausted by the time I got home.

Jermaine has been doing so well helping keep the house clean and cooking and stuff so I have been able to enjoy my time with the kids so much.  I really have loved it.  AJ is almost 3.  He amazes me more and more every single day.  He learns things that I have no idea how he is learning.  I came home the other day from work and said "AJ, can Mommy have a hug".  He responds..."Mommy, I'm Bam Bam."  I was floored.  Today he told me something was a coaster and he was right.  I've never told him what a coaster was.  He is doing so well potty training again.  After Zaria was born I was very laid back about it.  I knew that the baby sister was a huge change for him and I didn't want there to be too much stress for him.  He has started wanting to do it now.  Monday morning he woke himself up at 6AM and went potty and then climbed up in bed with me and Daddy and watched PBS while I got ready for work. I was so proud of him.  Next Thursday is his birthday and I have Friday and Saturday off.  I went and talked to the manager at Build-a-Bear.  Garfields is their food-partner at our mall so it was a good "meeting" but she said that I can get a $25 bear for $20.  I don't know that we want to spend that much on the bear but we might because that opens up a ton of options for him.  Also, I think I'm going to get my kids pictures taken sometime in the next two weeks.  Zaria still hasn't had professional pictures taken.

Zaria is my little princess.  She was 11 pounds 7 ounces at her last appointment.  75% for height and weight so that is good.  I'm still breastfeeding as much as possible but it is getting hard being at work for as long as I have to be.  I express sometimes but my job really isn't condusive to breaks like that.  She is smiling and cooing so much.  I want to get a swing for her so much but again, right now I can't really afford it.  She has rolled over but doesn't do it on a regular basis.  She and her brother are the bestest of friends right now.  AJ adores her and I think she might smile more at him than she does me.  I must admit though...he is definately funnier than me...especially coming for an infant's point of view. 

My kids really are my loves.  Between them and the fact that Jermaine and I are doing so well life overall is good.  I can't stand the fact that I can't pay my bills.  Really it eats at me all the time but it's almost like as long as the four of us are happy than its ok.  Not OK in that I don't have to worry about it but OK in that the really important things are in place.  I still am going to sorry and stress out about bills...especially the household ones like electricity and rent and car insurance but within the next two paychecks those will be all back into place.  The medical ones I can just call and talk to them and pay what I can for now.  My parents, God bless them for real, have been very patient with the money we owe them.  Hopefully with next years tax refund I can really start getting some bills paid off.  We still need a car but I am looking in the paper on Sundays after I clip my coupons but nothing has popped up that we can afford right now.  Anyway, Jermaine's friends are making fun of me that I am writing a book which I guess I have so I am going to get off now.  I hope all is well!