How's it going?

Here's how it's going: CJ hasn't seen the kids since Tuesday. He's out of the house before 5am and he has been home after 10pm the last two nights. He told me this morning that he'd be working until midnight (not really) again tonight and they would probably have a full day on saturday. Things really will be much better once he is not going to Brandon's shop every day. For instance last night their last job was right by lake Weatherford. Then he had to drive all the way to Brandon's shop (which is in far southeast Burleson - about 45 minutes the opposite direction from our house) to drop off the trailer and the guys and then drive over an hour home.

I went to Brandon's shop yesterday so Michelle could help me set up the software for the accounts. Torture. Pure Torture. Before we could get started I had to purchase and download a scheduling software program that they use. Easy. Get in the internet, pay for the software, download it and we're ready to rock and roll. NOT. Everything that could have gone wrong did. First I couldn't get connected to the internet on my laptop. No clue why. It said I was connected to their computers but I couldn't get out to the internet. We spent an hour and a half trying to figure that out with no success. They finally gave me a disc they had with an older version of the software to load up but I would have to call the software people to get an auth code, etc. Then Michelle just unplugged the main computer from the internet and plugged in my laptop. Solved my problem but if I was plugged in they weren't. Big problem for them. I downloaded the software from the website but it wasn't working properly. We uninstalled the older version that I had gotten from the disk and in the process jacked up the newer version even more. Had to uninstall EVERYTHING and start over. In the middle of downloading it again the battery on my laptop went kaput. Thank goodness I had thought to bring the power cord. I plugged it up but then it was stuck. So we had to reboot and start all over AGAIN. Finally worked and I got 4-5 entries in before I had to leave. What should have taken like 30 minutes took 4 1/2 hours. I almost pulled every hair in my head out. Not only did Michelle not really get to help me but she didn't get any of her real work done either. I felt really bad. And poor Becky had my kids for 7 hours. She survived (THANKS BECKY - I OWE YOU BIG!), but again I felt really bad.

Thanks for listening to me complain. I feel a little better and now I must end on a happy note....the kids are great. CJ bought Tanner a cowboy hat Monday night. Tuesday morning Tanner comes walking down the hallway in his boots, Wranglers, belt, t-shirt, button up shirt, and cowboy hat and proclaims "Look mom, I'm a real cowboy. Just like my dad." Aw.

This picture is from last week I think. Grace had just gotten out of the shower and Tanner was talking to Papa Dave (or maybe Grammy Jan). What you don't get to see is Morgan worming his way up there to be just like them and then throwing elbows because the other two are touching him. haha!

Wednesday night we had a POW. Grace comes running in shouting "there's a tortoise in the yard mom!" A what? A TORTOISE! I am screaming for her and Tanner to stay away from it until I determine whether it's a snapper or not. The last thing I need is to have to take one of the kids to the hospital for a severed finger now that we don't have any insurance! We managed to capture it so we could show CJ then we let him go. He was a big honkin' turtle though! I'm not sure you can tell by the picture but the rubbermaid tub he is in is one of those big million gallon ones that if you fill it all the way up you wish it had wheels but it doesn't. From head to tail his SHELL is as big or maybe a little bigger than a dinner plate!