I was reminded last night that I have been seriously shirking my blogging duties, so I thought I'd send out an update. It's been soooo crazy here, I can't even tell you.

So, I was supposed to spend last weekend in Florida, house hunting. I didn't go. About a week before I was to leave, Shelly (my best friend) came over to spend some quality time. (That "impending move" sadness) We were even working out having her come down with me. As the kids ran around the house playing, we talked. Then she asked why we didn't just rent in NJ. I explained that it was too expensive. We looked at some listings on the internet and somehow the conversation got turned to buying a house, which we obviously can't do since our credit is so screwed and the bank is about to take this one away. So out of the blue, she says, what if we buy a house and you can rent from us..... WHAT??? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? Tim would never go for that. She said, Hell, it's worth a shot. She called him and explained and do you know, he said yes. Just like that, Sure, why not. SHOCK!!! I can't even tell you how I felt. How nice it was too have friends who love you that much.

So we started scouring the internet looking for something cheap enough. We enlisted Rich to do his realtor duties and get us into some houses. We did a few days worth of drive bys. The first one we went into wasn't horrible, but it needed a ton of work, not to mention the underground oil tank that looked like it had liquid in it (not a good thing).

The second one... whoooo boy. It was a decent house, and a really nice piece of property. Not in the best area, but beggars can't be choosers. So anyway, we go to the house, knock on the door and someone answers.... no one speaks english, ok, no big deal. We walk in to see/hear a SCREAMING little naked boy (ok, so he had on undies, but the little speedo type so naked is a good call) He was running through the house, screaming and throwing cars across the floor, at windows and I may have ducked once. Then the smell hit us smack in the face. They had just cooked dinner which was some sort of .... uh.... ??food?? I'm not sure. It was a big mass of brown liquidy stuff on a plate with some beans floating in it. I don't know, but it smelled awful. We go into the bedroom to find a bed, into another bedroom to find 2 more beds. Then upstairs to find a lot more beds, 1 guy, 3 women and 4 kids. Ok. It wasn't to bad, needed work, but it was alright. We thought we'd go look in the basement to check plumbing and so forth. The only access is from bilco doors on the outside. Rich opens the doors, walks down the stairs, opens the main door and SURPRISE!! There's people down there. There were like 4 more beds and 3 or 4 more guys down there. IMMIGRATION!!!!! Holy cow. If that wasn't bad enough, someone was upstairs taking a shower and ALL the water was pouring directly down into the basement into a make-shift bucket that was overflowing onto the floor. NICE! This property had a small garage that we couldn't get in, a two car garage that was packed with crap including a large construction machine thingy and then a shed in the back that was stacked almost to the ceiling with garbage, like actual garbage. YUCK

It's so much fun looking at houses. Cause no matter how bad you think your house is, there's always one worse!

We now have our eye on a place in Dover. It's vacant (THANK GOD!), it's old and needs some work but not nearly as bad as the other two. Aunt Irene, it's like our old Dover house with the walk up attic made into bedrooms and then the actual attic off one of them. It's got a fenced in yard and is on a much nicer street. So, right now we're waiting for the mortgage chick to get back to Shell on all the financing stuff. Cross your fingers everyone. Cause if we don't find something soon.... we'll be knocking on your door with suitcases in hand. HA LOL (Sooooo not kidding!)

We had someone come look at our house on Friday, he then came back on Sunday and the realtor told me he really liked it and would probably be putting in an offer this week. Still no word on that. Ho hum, I'm really hoping this house sells instead of foreclosing. That would make it a lot easier for us to get out of the hole.

On some really happy news.... I am a GREAT AUNT!! Cassy had her baby on Saturday, April 25th at 12:19am. She was lucky to have our genetics. She had barely any labor pains and went only an hour and a half from the time it started with her water breaking to pushing him out. No drugs, to ripping or tearing. The doctor didn't even make it, he was delivered by the nurses. Madden James was 6lbs, 9oz and 19in long. YAYAY

Isn't he cute!! I can't tell who he looks like. I think he's a daddy's boy at this point. But he's so tiny, we'll have to wait until he gets some meat on his bones to really tell. Sooooo cute.

So that's where we're at right now. Still up in the air, but STAYING IN NEW JERSEY!! Woo HOOooo!! Cross all your fingers and toes, say a prayer to God or Ala or whomever, do a fire dance, I don't care, just send us some good vibes people!!

I just made the best Beef Barley Soup EVER!! And of course it was a total accident like most of my food.

I made a pot roast for dinner. Did the normal deal with that, floured and seasoned the meat, shoved some garlic into it, seared it with oil, added water half way up and threw a lid on it. Oh, I threw in a couple beef bouillon cubes in it too. An hour or so later, I tasted the broth and it was very bland so I added salt, pepper and some garlic salt. A while later I added chopped onion, fresh tomatoes and carrots. Let it finish cooking. When it was done there was a ton of liquid left so I went to make gravy with it. Added some flour but as it was thickening, I was thinking of soup. So I didn't let it get to thick.

When dinner was over, I took all the left over meat, chopped it up, threw in all the left over carrots, added a half a bag of barley and some more water. I then turned the stove back up and walked away. Uhmmmm and forgot about it. OOOPPSSS. Hee hee hee. When the kids came in for the meds/vitamins at bed time, I walked into the kitchen and said, OH CRAP!! I ran over to it and discovered that unstirred barley burns to the bottom of the pan. Ooops again. So I dumped it into another pot and scrapped the unburnt layer off the bottom of the pan and put it in the other. I stirred and tasted and WAAPOW!! IT WAS AWESOME! HA, gotta love oopses. I'll have to make sure to burn it every time I make it now. Hee hee, or maybe just figure out how to make it taste like that without burning it. Oh man, that's so much harder.

Picked up the kids from my inlaws today (they slept over last night) and took them to the park. I ran home and got the bat and ball and we played that for a while. I climbed through all the playground and even went down the slide (it was nice to fit on it). We had a good day.

Last night while the kids were at grandma and grandpa's, John and I went with the gang to a tricky tray. It was lots of fun. We won a bunch of games and a basket of italian food, pasta, sauces, dipping oil. Yummo!

(Sorry, jumping around on times here)

On the way to drop the kids off, we were chatting in the car and I can't remember what exactly was said (mommy brain) but my dear, sweet daughter ... Something was said about "10 years ago" and Calli says "10 years ago? That's when the dinosaurs were here, isn't it Mamma?" Oh my lord in heaven, Yes honey, I used to ride the dinosaurs to work every day. Those damn things crapped everywhere and were so loud. Not to mention that you had to keep them from eating you on the way. Oh boy, I'm old!

Can you imagine what it will be like when our kids have kids? I mean, so much has changed in just my life time. Our kids don't know what a black and white tv is, or what it's like to GET UP to change the 13 channels you had to choose from. They don't know what a rotary dial telephone is or how to go a day without a cell! They don't know what it's like to have no choice but to go outside and play cause there sure as hell wasn't anything to do in the house. They will never know the joy of sitting in the "way back" of the station wagon that has the roll down rear hatch window. (Thank God Mom never had an accident with us back there.) They wont know that computers were for rich people and even if you did have one, it was only really used for book keeping or typing letters since DOS didn't offer up easy game play. No internet, no cell phones, no IPods, no game systems. Just pure, unadulterated sunshine, air, a bike, or a bat and ball. Sometimes I think how nice it would be to go back to that, and then I reach from my cell to call and tell someone. HA I don't think so! Time marches on. What will this world look like in another 20 years. I can't even imagine.

Wow, I really rambled on there. hmmm interesting.

Shockingly, I'm actually feeling a little better about the move. I spent Monday on the phone with folks from the FL board of education. I got the right people this time and got to hear the things I needed to hear.

They are well prepared for all of Nick's needs. They will evaluate his IEP as soon as I get it to them and work on placement. They said that if the school district I am in does not have the services he requires, I can put him in any of the other public schools I want. Most of the public schools offer special programs for kids like Nick. If that is also not appropriate, they have Charter schools that he can go too which are even more specialized. If neither of these systems will work for him, then he can go to a specialized school as a last resort (that's the one you have to get scholarships for). Both women I spoke with were very well informed.

By some miracle, the weekend that I will be down there house hunting is the same weekend that they are having an Autism Festival. In going to this, I will be able to meet most of the teachers, the doctors in the area, the psychiatrist, the therapist, the people who run summer programs, basically everyone that I will need for his care, treatment and education will be at this event. How perfect is that!! It made me relax sooooo much, I can't even tell you. It was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. It took me 6 + months and a nervous breakdown when I had to find him all that the first time. The thought of having to do that again was daunting.

Although I'm still not 100% happy about this move, I'm at least not panicking that it will be a devastating decision for Nick. I think that was my biggest fear. He's doing so well in this school and finally had all his treatment in place, I was terrified to change that. But it looks like it will be ok. PHHHeeewwwww.

So now my only distress is to leave my friends and family. I can't tell you how much it hurts. I can't imagine not being able to go over to Shell's for no reason (which I plan to do today hee hee) or do game night, work out with Lea every morning, or have my mom stop over after work, or go to her house for the day so the kids can race around the yard and feed the deer. But, the phones work. I plan to be a telephone nuisance.

Trust me, I have gone over and over it in my head. I have tried my damndest to figure out how we could stay, but it's just not an option. I would have to get a full time job, which wouldn't be a big deal except for the fact that Calli starts Kindergarten in Sept. so I would have to be allowed an 1 1/2 for lunch to pick her up and drop her off. Not to mention that Nick can not go to an after school program so I would have to be home by 3:30. No one will hire me to work from 8:30 - 2:30 with an hour and a half lunch and still pay me over $45,000 a year. It just wont happen. So the decision is made. And although it wont make everyone happy, it's the only option there is.

So be happy for me. Encourage me. Tell me all the great things about living in FL. Send me happy vibes about all of it cause if everyone keeps telling me that we can't go cause they'll miss us, I'm going to cry for the next 2 months straight!! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!!!