single parent

All posts tagged single parent

6 Month Check-Up

Published May 31, 2014 by Angela

I figured it was time to check back in with my 2014 to-do list, and see where I am at. My original list can be seen here: https://parenthoodandotherhorrorstories.com/2014/01/02/my-2014-to-do-list/

1) Go to church a lot more – I am pretty successful with this one. I don’t miss too often, because I can really tell when I do; my attitude pretty much tanks.

2) Tithe a lot more- Success

3) Stop swearing – doing pretty well. I still swear, but nowhere near as much as I did. I wonder if it counts if I am still thinking the words, and just not saying them?

4) Stop yelling – Better, but I still have my moments

5) Make and take some “me” time – This made me want to cry when I read this. Literally, I felt the tears behind my eyes. This has not happened, and with my kids going non-stop, and me working and going to college, it feels like it is not going to happen anytime soon. I get a 6-week break from college at the end of June, and the girls will be out of school so hopefully I can make this happen!

6) Patience – yeah. Next…

7) Exercise – LOL. Still. Next…

8) Read the Bible – I am up to 1 Samuel. I have gotten through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.

9) Improve my photography skills – I have not had the camera out very much, at all. I am trying to focus on taking it with me when I go somewhere so I have it handy all the time.

10) Allow myself to be happy – I have been feeling kind of crummy for the last couple of months. As the weather gets nicer, my mood gets more crummy. I think it is just all of the running I have been doing, along with school work. I have been Blessed with so much, and have been focusing on Thanking God for that on a daily basis 🙂

Did I Raise Her Too Well?

Published May 21, 2014 by Angela

I was thrilled to hear from my oldest today, who is in South Africa until the middle of June. It seems that she is starting to feel guilty about being there helping one little girl, when she feels like she should be here, helping her three little sisters.

I let her know she has done more than enough for her sisters, and they are my responsibility to be sure all their needs are taken care of and everything is going well with them. I also let her know that she is changing the life of this little girl, likely in many ways she may never even realize. My children have a solid support system, this girl may not.

I hope she stops feeling blue and absorbs and enjoys every single minute with this little girl, her classmates and their students, and this whole once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As I tell her all the time:
“You make my heart smile. Every single day.”

Helping In South Africa

Published May 16, 2014 by Angela

Helping In South Africa

Beyond proud of my oldest for giving her time, for nearly 6 weeks, to take a trip to South Africa with some classmates to help out those in need. I’m sure she got right to it after playing with this adorable lion cub! Words cannot express how much I miss her right now…

Adult Bullies…

Published May 2, 2014 by Angela

…Absolutely infuriate me. How can we expect our children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters, friends and relatives to not be bully’s while we are so willing to give them perfect examples of how to do it? I have 2 children who are not allowed on Facebook or any other social media because of getting bullied and harassed.

Yet I witness online on a daily basis, adults being bullied. Whether it is through Facebook, quotes on online news sites, this immediate access we now have has changed us somehow. We no longer feel the need to mind our words, and watch what we say, especially when we are hiding behind a computer screen and no one knows who we are.

What happened to basic respect, being courteous, polite, and keeping your mouth shut? Is whatever it is you need to say going to benefit anyone else, or are you just being a bully? Are you intentionally saying something for the sheer delight of being cruel and getting a complete stranger riled up?

Shame on you! It is time to be good role models, act how we would expect others to act, treat people as you want to be treated.

And if you don’t have anything nice to say, then for Goodness sake, keep your mouth shut!

OK, I am done now!

Have you been bullied online? How did you handle it?

What’s Wrong With the Neighbor’s House?

Published April 5, 2014 by Angela

Why do the neighbor kids all feel the need to hang out at my house? Now, I am not complaining, I really just do not know why everyone always seems to gather outside my door? It’s not like I’m serving cookies and milk and having craft-time at my house 🙂 Once in a while, my girls will go elsewhere, but I would certainly rather have my girls at my house so I know what is going on. I am not a big fan of my kids going to someone else’s house all the time.

Do your kids seem to be magnets to all the neighborhood kids as well?

One Down, Several More To Go

Published April 4, 2014 by Angela

I am beyond happy that my statistics class is over. It was difficult at times, but I have to say I am beyond pleased with myself on how well I did, and how much I learned and retained! I am now taking a class on Organizational Behavior, which appears to be a lot of paper writing in my very, very near future. I generally tend to enjoy these types of classes, once I get that tedious issue of citing and referencing taken care of. This will be my chance to check out the Perrla software that I purchased, and see if it actually helps me. I kind of messed with it a little bit when I first installed it on my computer, and I can’t say I was thrilled with it, but I will definitely give it the good once-over this weekend so I am comfortable with how to use it.

 

I was looking forward to a weekend of working (really, I was!) but that changed so now I am debating on what projects I want to get started on at home. The weather appears to finally be breaking in West Michigan; it sounds like only 1 day with a chance of snow in the upcoming week. I just hope it is warm enough that my girls can enjoy their spring break and not be stuck in the hosue because it is cold and rainy (and therefore, fighting, arguing, and keeping me awake, while simultaneously destroying the house).

 

Which also means I need to buy double the groceries this week. Ughhh. I don’t know how it is in your area, but here, every single type of grocery product has went up a huge amount in price over the last month. One week, I paid $2.54 for a gallon of milk; 6 days later, the same brand was $3.08 for a gallon. I have noticed at least a $0.50 increase on the majority of things I buy every week. Liquid hand soap that was $3.49 for a large container, is now $3.99. I think I will be stocking up on toilet paper this week if that hasn’t went up yet!

 

So here’s to a great weekend of getting things done, and relaxing in-between, and sunshine and warmth, and a good book to read!

Happy Friday!

Published March 28, 2014 by Angela

I have to say, this has been one long week! I am super-happy that Erin’s Friday classes I had to take her to are done for the year. I am also still waiting to hear from the K12 program to get her enrolled in online school for 8th grade. Kendall’s Drivers training got pushed out from starting Monday to starting on April 14, which makes me super-happy as well.

Statistics ends on Wednesday, so I am going to be spending my weekend getting my final assignments and exam finished.

It appears that it is going to be a very rainy weekend here in West Michigan, but it isn’t snowing and I’m not complaining!

What are your fun plans (or maybe not-so-fun chores) for this weekend? Enjoy it, no matter what you are doing 🙂

When You Would Rather Be Working Then At Home With Your Children

Published March 22, 2014 by Angela

Yes, I will admit it. I cannot wait to leave for work, so I can get some piece-and-quiet. I am so beyond tired of the bickering over “I didn’t get my turn on the laptop, she was on too long, it’s not fair, you never let me……” and on and on and on it goes.

ahhhh, if only I drank :-)

ahhhh, if only I drank 🙂

So, they are going to be super happy to hear that the laptop will be locked in my bedroom for the next week, and that I am getting rid of the cable. That’s two less things they will have to fight about, and I won’t have to pay that crapass company Comcast another 200+ for a monthly cable bill. Of course, we will be having this discussion tonight as I walk out the door for work; that gives them the whole entire night to stew about it, and hopefully start to get over it 🙂

Now I can start getting the “I’m bored song and dance. Get rid of two evils to add another one in 🙂

 

And how is the start of your weekend going?