home at last!!!

So I am home again from my week in st Louis. It was a very intense week of training and learning a new system and the best way to train others on said system. i was with 6 other ladies from my market. It was a very wide sampling of ladies, they ranged from early 20's to late 50's. They are from rural and not so rural areas of Ohio an west Virginia. It was a great time just watching the personalities mix. We had class from 8-5/6 daily and the nights were open to sight see and relax. we did all kinds of stuff. we went to the hard rock cafe, we went to hooters, we went to union station and saw the factory where they make tums. Our hotel was very nice and right across the street from the arch. We never did make it into the arch, they have weird hours for the ride to the top. We did take some great pics. Our hotel was also very close to cardinal stadium. On the first night we met a very nice gay man that took us on the best carriage ride. He was so sweet we paid him for a 1/2 hour ride and he took us out for about an hour and a half. he told us all the places to hit. on the last night we went to the casino. did not win any money but I did have a brush or should I say almost brush with a celebrity. My friend and I were coming back to the gaming floor from getting some great sushi and As I was trying to get m gaming card out I almost tripped into Barry Manilo! I was not sure who he was at first, I thought he was Rod Stewart, they both have a very plastic look. But we did get to see him and I was not all that impressed. he was SOOOOO drunk that he looked like one of those punching bag clowns bouncing around between his handlers.
all in all it was a great trip, I learned lots of new stuff and had time to relax and see a beautiful city. now I am able to relax and enjoy my wife and kids I think they missed me. later
S

daughter/wife

so I have been sitting on two very large things that have happened this week because I wanted to make sure that I had time to put what was in my head on screen with some care.

1st the wife came home from work the other night and told me that she had an experience at work. Now the wife works for a major reatail chain overnights, most of the people that she works with are younG and some are fairly culturaly stupid. Anywhoo, the other night one of her co-workers was having an issue with a cell phone and told it to stop being "gay", right in front of the wife.Now on any given day I can pass for straight if I want, but the wife no chance.(I am sooo jealouse). the big deal here is that My wife went on the offensive she let this young girl have it for a good 5-10 mins . She let her knwo that saying things like that is not acceptable at work or in life for taht matter, she went as far as to tell her that those kinds of remarks can even get people killed. the little girl apologized to the wife and told her it would not happen again. Now the surprising part about this is my wife is a very soft spoken don't rock the boat type of girl. she told me that she came down so hard on this girl because she is still young and moldable, she thinks she can be saved. I was just so shocked that she said anything. I guess that she finally found her breaking point. I am so so proud of her. Oh and the little girl is still apologizing days later.

2nd My wonderful beautiful 14 yr old daughter K came home and told the wife that she has a crush, no big deal right but it's on a GIRL. I was floored. She also waited till she was driving to work to tell me a good 4 hours after I got home from work!!! I know that this is going to sound weird comming from me but I am afraid for her. We live in a small town that is very redneck, I feel safe here but I worry for her, I wonder if this girl is just messing with her , I worry she will get hurt, because we all know that a woman can hurt you sooo bad. I worry that her father will blame me for this, as well as everyone else. I am also excited for her I love knowing that she is open to the idea of loving a person for who they are and what they can bring to a relationship. I am proud of her worried but proud.. thanks for letting me rant
s

working vacation

So 1 week from tonight I will be sitting in the Millennium hotel in downtown St Louis. I am excited and nervous. I am going for a 1 week training class, to bring my Market up to speed with digital photography!!! This i am excited for, it's the leaving my family for a week that has me concerned. I know that my wife is very capable of taking care of the kids, I also know that we have enlisted my mom, the mother in law and are good friend T to help with the kids at night(the wife works nights) It is just the complete and total lack of control that has me going insane. I know that it is nuts, I do It's just how I do things. I have to have things in order at least in my mind. I have to know that my children are taken care of at all times and who will be doing said taking care of. It should help me knowing that no matter who has them they are with K but it doesn't I know that she will help with the boys and that most of the time she is a bigger mother hen than I am but it still doesn't help knowing that I will be hours away. I have left them overnight quite a few time and that doesn't bother me I get through letting the older two go with their father for a week at a time in the summer, I'm just nervous that something will go wrong while I'm gone. I know that i will get over it and I am sure I will find some way to enjoy myself. I am going with a great group of ladies( no family ) and have told them that they must come out with me one night to a strip club!!! We shall see if that happens, our boss is going with us and she may need the most convincing to go but I will work on that . so for now I am off to pack after all i only have 6 days and a few hours
later
S

sunny days!

I have a rare extra Sunday off today, it's rare because I usually take my Sundays off when we have all the kids, the oldest 2 go see there "father " every weekend and spend every other Sunday with him as well, but I have worked the last 12 days in a row(even with my little injury). So I decided to take today off it is so nice outside and babyS and I have taken full advantage of it. I love spring I get all excited to clean up the yard and watch the flowers start to bloom. This time of year is soo good for my spirit. I love to take the dogs on long walks and listen to the little spring peepers in the evenings. It was fun today to watch baby S discover spring and all its joys. I like this time in a child's development, before that first bee sting when outside just holds wonder and adventure. he noticed the birds today and I think this means we will need more bird feeders so that he can watch them from his window. I have decided to pack a picnic supper wake up the wife go get the kids and go to the park with the dogs, what better way to spend a lovely spring evening! hope you all have enjoyed this wonderful wonderful happy spring day.

I am a klutz!!

So is it bad when they know you by name at urgent care? I have once again just gotten home from urgent care. Yesterday morning while running to put the dogs out before the puppy piddled on the rug I kicked a 5lbs hand weight and broke my pinkie toe. now I know stubbing your toe hurts like hell and I have done it before and thought I had broken my toe, but this time It was sticking out side ways.Yuck!
i did this just as the wife was getting home from work and she came in and pulled my toe back where it was suppose to be and taped it to the other toe. She thought that I should have gone to urgent care right then, however I was on my way out of town for store meetings that I had scheduled a week ago, so I thought it's just my toe it will be fine. well heels were out of the question and ballet flats still hurt like hell, but work must go on. So I drove 275 miles and took 2 store meetings. It hurt like hell and when I got back to my hotel I took off shoe and my hole foot was swollen and bruised. I called the wife and she told me she didn't want to hear it that I should have let her take me to the Dr. So i whined a little bit more and went to bed. Let me just say it sucks to be 275 miles from home and the strongest pain relief that I had was midol. so I drove home today and the wife took me to urgent care and To my surprise and the docs I have a broken toe. He gave me a copy of my x-rays, a lovely black orthopedic shoe and a note for no heels for 3-4 weeks. Normally this would not be a big deal but I fly out in 3 weeks for a big corporate meeting and I can not imagine not wearing heels with half of the suits that I own. The wife has made fun of me because she knows how neurotic I am about planning and my wardrobe. each suit has it's own pair of shoes and most of my suits require heels since I am vertically challenged. My boss told me I would not be wearing my ortho shoe to corporate. I just love my job!! I am however enjoying the nice pain meds that came with the ortho shoe.