2010

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

thankful

Have I mentioned how thankful I am to find myself right smack dab in the middle of beautiful?

I am so lucky.

I hear their stories of *crazy* and J&I just look at each other like ~seriously?~

These people have so little to complain about and what I love most about them, is they don't!

Life in GA has held little beautiful treasures, like simplicity.

Since day 1 of moving here, I've been blown away by southern hospitality, a big thank you to my pugmama lovin' friend for the initial kickoff of love. Regardless of what may or may not come our way, I am thankful, for all the unspoken reasons and more.

Hurt, Tired and Done

Many of you have followed the past 2 blogs where you know the history of our B0D issues. If you haven't, then you won't grasp the feeling behind this post, but I am only writing to dump my brain and put some words behind what I'm feeling. It's really a post for me and a place to exhale. I apologize in advance.

I am walking around in my life with a heavy weight, more in my heart, but in my head as well.

After giving my old neighborhood my all, I am exhausted. Hurt & exhausted and we have come to a cross roads, yet again. After the closing of our FL company, we built something new and held 2 contracts in our old neighborhood. They needed my DH's expertise and we needed a paycheck. We worked hard and J spent endless hours serving all the homeowners and not billing them for all that he could have, because we felt it was better to establish a long term relationship. We moved to GA and maintained those 2 contracts from here. J has been back and forth and spent endless hours on the phone pleasing everyone.

I promised one of those contracts to my good friend who had been let go from her company due to the economy and she NEEDED the job and would have worked very hard for us, but she couldn't start till August, so in the mean time, another *very good* friend told me that she & her husband would love the job until the other gal could start. She was a sitting B0D member, my dear friend and someone that had went all the way with me in the bullshit trenches of the bad B0D days. I handed over the keys to her, the night before pulling out of paradise & that was that....until she called me up one day and threatened to not vote for our large contract if she couldn't keep the smaller one that they were maintaining. She blackmailed us for her vote for the large contract. My only response was, "Wow, this is uncomfortable."

Fast forward another month and she continued to call about the importance of her maintaining the contract because her husband decided to cheat and he would need the extra income to pay her child support. I sat on the phone with her and cried with her. My heart was just as broken because it was a family that I loved. I gave her a safe place to escape and think and endless hours of a shoulder to cry on and I never judged what he did or what she might do. I was her friend, not her therapist and I would support her with any decision she made. We left the contract with them because we felt cornered.

Fast forward to Oct.

The B0d decided to rebid the contracts in order to save the community money, which was contractually ours for 3 years. J submitted our bids before the deadline and that was that.

2 weeks after the deadline, there was another bid submitted by our good friends for our contract. The contract was awarded to them and we received notice that the community would no longer need us as of Jan 1. My *good friend* had propriety information and copied our bid. We were shocked. In fact, the president and pr0perty manager were shocked as well. But the illegal business doesn't stop there....they awarded the contract to them and they don't even have a legit business established. No worker's comp, no insurance, no LLC, no liability coverage, nothing. The state of FL doesn't even recognize them as business owners. Go figure.

Now listen, I am all for seeing an open door and bidding on something. What hurt us was the fact they didn't tell us. They went behind our back, waited for our contract to be submitted and because she is a sitting B0D member, she had full access to our contract and then chose to copy it and submitted it as their own and the B0D awarded it to them. Only after they awarded it to them, they called us to tell us, because they suddenly felt the need to be transparent with us. I guess they forgot that we used to live there and still had friends that would call us. We knew 5 minutes after they faxed the bid into the pr0perty manager. The fun little kicker is it wasn't even awarded to the lowest bidder. How's that for saving the community money???

The DH basically asked for all his subcontractor insurance, knowing full well he didn't have it, and told him the job was no longer his. Granted, he would be taking over the contract on Jan 1, but we decided to give it to someone else for the last 3 months because we felt so screwed over by a couple we called *friends.* Needless to say, he hasn't provided the paperwork necessary to work for us and there has been no further payment made to them and he refused to quit doing the job for the last 3 months because....we were served papers. Our once *dear friends* are suing us of all things, even for December's payment, which hadn't even began when he filed suit. Are they crazy? or am I? Again, I am more hurt by their actions and saddened that they have decided to take this path when all they had to do was produce the paperwork to become a 'legal' employee. It seems frivolous and he really has no grounds for a lawsuit because we have no contract with him, but needless to say, I am not sleeping at night. I am hurt.

As far as the larger contract goes, we were served papers to be off the property within 30 days. Again, my *dear friend* sits on the B0D. This is all so illegal that I don't know how they sleep at night. J&I have taken all of them off our Faceb00k page and blocked them. I am glad to be out of that community because if they don't have something to bitch about, somebody to harass and people to sue, then they find someone. That's just how they roll. The president can not believe how far down hill it's gone and the pr0perty manager told me that she trusts nobody anymore and that they are all crazy and she can't predict what they will do.

It's so sad because these were people that we trusted. I knocked on doors with these people to insure that the original B0D never got back in office. They called me to get votes. They called me to sit for hours watching security cameras, they called me to unlock doors for people in the clubhouse, it was J&I who knew every person and every access code in that place. I don't know if I'm more shocked, bewildered or hurt.

We will begin 2o11 85k short.

J hasn't decided rather to fight the legalities of his contracts or move on and take a chance in GA that doors will open and God will continue to provide in ways that we can't see yet. Yes he still has a job here and we are very thankful for the way he has moved up in this company in such a short period. We take none of this for granted and we see how these doors have been opened on the exact same days that our news worsened in Fl. They day of the 1st B0D meeting of deciding on our contract, J was offered a permanent position as an account manager dealing with their biggest contract. Answered prayer.

Just yesterday, I signed for more papers from Fl with bad news and J was informed the company is being bought out by a larger company and

will only improve the benefits for us.

Without a doubt, we have legal grounds for a lawsuit to at least be bought out of our contracts, but have yet to decide the path we will take. As much as I want the money owed to us for all the headaches of those assholes, I also want to walk away and not look back. I'm tired of the constant drama and now the pain of losing people in our lives that we once called friends. Our life is here now and I'm very happy for that, but I'm still upset over the position they have put us in. We have lots of mutual friends and that will only make things uncomfortable for all involved.

It's just a heavy matter on my heart and I apologize for the miserable post, I just needed to dump my brain somewhere.

Santa Visit!

We had ourselves a successful Santa visit!

Girlfriend kept telling me "Noooo" to Santa and then she saw a photo of her good friend, LL, on Santa's lap and decided she was ready.

So we loaded up and headed to the mall where we waited in line for no less than 45 minutes.

She walked right up to him, without me!

A big step for a little girl with much anxiety.

She didn't smile.

But...

she didn't cry,

she didn't vomit,

she didn't hyperventilate

& she even whispered to the jolly man that she would like a baby doll.

How 'bout that?!?

W told Santa that he is still working on his list...which is accurate.

Considering I've been throwing him all those big toy books that have been coming in the mail and he's yet to circle a thing....

& there has yet to be anything purchased for him...

so if anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears!

17

November 2oth marked 17 years for us...

When I said "I do" 17 years ago, I thought I loved him, but now I know that those words were just the beginning of something beautiful. He is my everything & I didn't want to let the year go by without acknowledging it here. I really can't believe it's been that long...

where did the time go?

Thanksgiving 2010

We had a wonderful GA Thanksgiving at our house this year. Most all of j's family arrived on Tuesday night and left on Sunday and we thoroughly enjoyed having one to many cooks in the kitchen, to many wet kitchen towels, lots of random candy wrappers, lots of chatter, laughter and loud football noise blaring from the tv. It was our first GA Thanksgiving and we couldn't have been more grateful.

This year was a bit different than all years past, because we are missing one of J's brother, his wife & their 2 children. They have decided within the last 2 months to cut all of us out of their lives...for reasons that are so shallow, that if I told you, you wouldn't believe it....

My SIL's & I have a Faceb00k friend that is an ex wife from over 14 years ago, they are so jealous that they can't see straight. Not only have they cut us out of their lives, but they have the 2 children hating on their own family who have been nothing but wonderful to them. We hate the whole situation and I am about to blow a gasket on them for putting my fabulous in-laws through this bullshit. Their behavior is unacceptable, but not shocking. My SIL has cut out her entire family, including her own mother and 2 of her own children....I just hate it for my in-laws who have never done a damn thing wrong to them.

However, even though they are not apart of our life right now, we still kept with tradition and gathered together at a new location and enjoyed being together 24/7.

I am truly blessed and grateful for my husbands amazing family and anyone would be proud to call them their own.

Preparing for the annual cornhole tournament!
EG preparing to unwrap a special gift...

The grandkids unwrapping...

A special wooden *treasure* box that Gra*mps had built for each grand child. Each child's wood is hand picked for them and W has a piece of wood over a 100 years old in his box on the lid. They even come equipped with a pull out drawer. I love how special it is and it's a gift that they will keep their entire lives.

My beautiful SIL's~

Aunt*e Ann putting make up on EG...

Gawwww, she LOVES make up!!!

She has encouraged my daughter to lose her God lovin' make up desiring self....

We had 2 turkey's and a ham being prepared along with about 482 sides of complete yum. I was very excited to see how a turkey was deep fried, that was a new concept for me and it was yummy~!

My other BIL made the most terrific organic, free roaming turkey I had ever had! I know he followed a specific recipe and I will share it if anyone has interest, but I gotta say, it was to die for yummy.

The DH's famous carmel applie pie~!

W loves food, he loves to cook it, taste it, help stir it and look at it. He spends countless hours thinking about food...I swear he's going to be a cook. He wanted a picture of him with all the deserts, so there ya have it...

~ W's Thanksgiving drawing~

I hope your home was as full of laughter, chatter & love as ours was this Thanksgiving year!

A Ge0rgia update

Helloooo? Anyone still there?

I thought I should give an update on life in GA as we know it...

When I came to GA, I never imagined that I would like it as much as I do living here. I've met some really spectacular people, many of which have become life long friends...cause I can already tell like that. If you've been a really long time reader & have leaped over from the first blog of way back when, then you know the drama we lived with behind our neighborhood gates. Though I loved my home and dreaded leaving my lil' cul de sac of bliss, I have found myself living in a neighborhood that is really cool.

Let me rewind to May 24, 2010: I pulled out of paradise with 4 kids, a dog on only a few hours of sleep. We literally cried all the way to Ge0rgia. When we arrived, we really didn't like this house. I remember standing on the outside looking in as all my kids took off inside to see where their new rooms would be thinking that I was cheating on my other house. For the next few days, my neighbor kept coming over to meet me and I hid in the bedroom, not ready to meet people, thinking I could never meet better neighbors than the ones I left behind. I kept telling myself I was only here for the over the top fabulous school zone.

Fast forward to today: I have met some amazing people. People that no doubt have become life long friends. Friends that I can honestly say I love being around. We girls have laughed, cried, shared, dreamed and spent a lot of time chatting about our lives, our kids, our families & our lives together. It has been my honor to get to know these new neighbors who live in a neighborhood where there is no drama, no hate, no calling the lawyer to stop the madness, no door to door knocking for BOD votes...nothing. And the big bonus is all the husbands really like each other & they get together all on their own. We have gone from not liking this house to falling in love with it and hoping the owner will one day sell it. I'm not sure if it's the house or the calm environment of life that I love. Everyone here is for the schools, so nobody wants to leave. It's an older neighborhood with lots of privacy and fully matured trees. We see no neighbors =0) I look at the million dollar neighborhoods all around me and I feel like we are so house rich at this time in our life.

My old neighbor called me the other day to chat and she asked me point blank, "If J was offered the same job making the same money, would we go back to paradise?" I said, "If J was offered the same job making MORE money, we wouldn't want to leave here." Something changed in me & I really love it here. Now don't get me wrong, I REALLY miss island time. Just the other day we were watching EG's video and as soon as the island pictures came up, my eyes filled with tears. I really miss spending island time with Pr*ncess Ann & her fun family. I desperately miss the salty air and hanging out with my girlfriends down there, but I can honestly say that our life has grown together as a family in a much better way than I ever dreamed. Life here is more family friendly, more affordable and tons more things to do.

My fresh outlook does have a lot to do with the same old drama that is still circulating our old neighborhood. I can't really speak about it yet, but after next weeks BOD meeting, I can tell you how I really feel and just how happy I am to not be living in that environment anymore!

So who's shocked about my new perspective on life not by the sea anymore?

Hall0ween 2010

We had an over the top good time for our first Hall0ween in Georgia.

We adults attended a party at my neighbors home and then went trick or treating the next night after all the fun kid activities at our neighborhood rec center.

I have to say, it was more fun than all the past Hall0weens.

We are really loving our new neighborhood and the lack of drama that goes with it.

My dh costume is a bit much, but we just told the kids he was JT from the 80's ;0)

It was an adult party afterall!

I went as a spider witch with big frizzy hair and lots of heavy makeup...so not me...

my neighbors

Jessica Rabbit, a spider witch & a candy corn witch~

Bam!

an adorable frog!

my little chef, there is no better costume for my little guy

the mummy wrap game

the donut on a string game

Trick 0r Treat

Pumpkin Patch 2010

We went to the pumpkin patch, somewhere in the sticks of Ge0rgia.

It was really pretty with all the leaves changing and what started off as a cool morning, quickly turned to hot before noon. EG trying to kiss a pig~

that's my girl!
turkey watching

watching the tractor coming for the hay ride~

C, finding the perfect lil' pumpkin

~just my boys & me~

EG, finding the perfect lil' pumpkin~

Mommy trying to get her interested in the pimply gourds, she wasn't having anything to do with them~