In search of a crafty person!

I am in search for the perfect Christmas decor for my family... I have an idea, I'm just not telling Gary, I want him to come home and see it. I need to find someone who can make Christmas stockings and tree skirts... Oh, and an angel for my tree whose dress will match my stockings and tree skirt if at all possible. Even if this angel has a white (or black if I could find that) dress and we just make some accents to match the other material, I think it would be fine.
The key is, the person who makes these items for me will need access to an embroidering machine. Also, each stocking will be different, just made of the same fabric.
Does anyone think that they might be able to help me find such a person? I would make these myself, but I don't know how to sew, so that would be interesting...
Well, I've got to run... Getting ready for work!

It's Official!!!

While I was working on installing my bamboo shades tonight, Gary got Mack out of his crate and started playing with him. He's falling for him!!! His exact words were "Let me check out this mutt!" as he smiled and opened the door to the crate. Mack went running, but went right back to him and stayed at his feet. Gary petted him and Mack just rolled over on his back... I think they're in love!
That's all for now, I have to get to bed....

We're keeping Mack!

It's official! Gary adopted Mack... He loves him because I love him and the kids love him. One day he'll just flat out love him, but I'm willing to work with him on that for now...
I'd like to take this moment to introduce Mack, the sweetest little dog in the world. Believe me when I say that he only looks sad, he is so happy and full of energy!

Mack resting on a clean living room floor:

Mack wishing I would stop taking his picture:

Mack playing with a tennis ball:

I believe you have already met Kyle:

Micheal and his daddy:

It's a long, long story involving me wheeling and dealing as to why we get to keep Mack, but it basically is just the fact that my husband really does love me after all and just wants me and the kids to be happy... I am thrilled beyond belief right now. He really is such a sweet dog and I'm so happy that I don't have to worry anymore about Gary giving him away... I'm not sure what his parents think of the idea, I know his mom is happy for me (please don't ask) but I think his dad is against the idea entirely.

And even more news... Today is new blinds day! I'm finally finishing the living room and getting new blinds for it! I guess the kitchen will be next, but that will wait another week or two... Gotta get bills paid first. And one of these days I'll get curtains and blinds for the boys room again...

We'll I've gotta run, I was supposed to have woken Gary up 15 minutes ago...

Gary's home...

Gary came home and we got into a screaming match as soon as I walked in the door. He told me that Mack had to go... This went on for well over an hour. I am hoping that he will change his mind very soon. He got to see how close Micheal is to him and how much both of the kids love him. He told me to get him out of here before he runs out of food... We have two huge bags of dog food. He did change that later to within a week. I just want him to fall in love with him like the kids and I have. He's such a good dog.
I have to say that with everything that happened yesterday, I'm not exactly enjoying Gary being home. I got out my planner and started counting down the days until he leaves again. I know that's awful. Believe me, I know. I just hate the fact that he feels the need to control me so much and that he thinks that what he says goes and no one else matters. It never used to be that way.
I did, however, sleep better last night than I have in weeks, even with the fighting. I love him, and I hate it when he's away, he just needs to get his attitude in check.
Well, that's all for now...

I have been through a lot...

I have been through so much as a daughter, sister, friend, employee, wife, neighbor, and mother. The past few days have been awful though. I LOVE my new job. My new boss is great, everything is better than I ever expected there. I am really glad to have left Lifetouch though. I am trying to remain calm as I write this, but my temper has just really flared over the past 48 hours about all of this... I was told Friday that I would have to go pick up my paycheck because they cancelled my direct deposit when I quit. I double-checked that I would be able to pick it up on Saturday with no problems and was promised that it wouldn't be an issue at all. Well, my paycheck was nowhere to be found when I got there. My boss was there and just told me that since I left them in a bind, I should expect to be left in a bind as well. Yep, I was extremely upset. I set my neighbor loose on him and everyone that answered the phone in that office yesterday.
I went to get my hair done after that. It looks awesome. I love my hair, although I know when Gary gets home he's going to hate it. I'll post some pictures later today.
Today, I went shopping at Walmart. The kids are acting up because they miss their daddy. I'm trying to just get what I need and get out. This old woman comes up to me and asks if Micheal has had his meds today. I tell her that he isn't on anything, and she tells me that I might want to consider putting him on something... I LOST it. I told her exactly what I thought of her and asked her just what made her qualified to recommend that I drug my kid. This went on for a few minutes until a member of management asked me to leave! I lost my mind on them as well and told them that I was sick and tired of being treated this way just because I decided to better myself and get a better job. After a few minutes, another member of management decided that Walmart would be buying my groceries today...
So, that's the last few days in a nutshell...

Just so danged tired....

As many of you know, or as you can guess, I don't sleep very well with Gary gone. I don't get scared, I know most people in this neighborhood would warn anyone not to break in my house and if they did not to get caught, I don't have a gun, but I have knives... LOL! Stab first, ask questions later, isn't that how it goes? Anyhow, that is the non-sleep talking. I don't have Gary to fight with and then yell at about the snoring, then to try with all my might to turn him over (which is no easy feat while he's sleeping), and I don't sleep. Supposedly he goes through the same thing... I don't know.
Yesterday, his car was broken into. He had left his GPS in there and they got it. They tried to get his change jar, but they dropped it. I guess they tried to get into the van, but ran when the alarm went off. They got several others in the neighborhood last night as well. I called the police, had to play the scared female role to get them out here, and they at least got a good palm print out of it, so if whoever it was has been arrested before, they will find them. That makes me very happy! I just wish they had come out when my van was broken into...
Mack is doing great. Driving me crazy this morning... He won't eat his food. He's going to get professionally groomed today. That's rather exciting. He should come back nice and pretty!
Work is wonderful. I was 45 minutes late yesterday due to the car being broken into, but they didn't mind too much. It's nice being appreciated and having a set schedule. I'm still getting the hang of everything there, but the people are great and always willing to help me.
This morning I'll be leaving a little early, I think I'll get doughnuts for everyone at work... I also need to get a desk organizer.... I'm feeling a bit disorganized at work.
Well, I need to go so I can get ready... Talk to you all later!

Craig's List...

Well, I have finally joined the rest of the world in using Craig's List. I posted a few things for sale that I just really want to get out of the house. Hopefully I'll have it all gone soon and some cash in my pocket to boot! I'm going to look around and see if there's anything else around here that I can get rid of... I like the idea of free listings.
We're going to get Max today! I'm so excited... I can't wait to bring him home. I'm sure that the boys will really love him, I know I will.
I start work tomorrow. I'm really nervous about that. I'm sure I will be fine and that I will learn the ins and outs of the job by the end of the week, I am just always nervous about starting something new.
Well, I need to get going... I've got some cleaning to do and I also need to shower.

SOOOOOO Excited!!!

We get to pick up Max tomorrow. I have almost everything ready for him now... I have his crate put together with a blanket waiting for him, his food is sitting in here, and I have toys and treats. I brought the boys to a local shelter today so that they could see dogs other than the ones that they're used to. That was a bad idea, I fell in love with so many of them, I really wanted to bring them all home. They actually started the application process with one of them and I had to stop them and apologize, explaining that I couldn't actually take her home with me. Talk about feeling like an ass...
On a different subject, I got my living room curtains changed out today. It really made the living room look nicer. I moved the kitchen table back to where I originally wanted it, I think it looks better there. I'm just picking up around the house now and tweaking things... Thinking of renting a carpet cleaner. Can you tell it's boring without the husband here?
Well, I need to get going... Who knows, the house might get rearranged today...