Why Does Life Have to Be So Complicated?

I am just feeling like I want to vent. I just am so tired of life having to be so complicated! Some days I feel like I want to live in the 50's!

I guess this feeling started coming back on Halloween. I was Trick-or-Treating with Tim, my brother and his girlfriend and we were talking in between doors and John was telling us about how city's out in Colorado had cancelled Halloween due to the rise in registered sex offenders. That, and it wasn't religiously correct. Yeah, I think I just made up a word. But anyway, our thoughts were why? Are you letting your children in to the homes of people you don't know? I understand older kids, and some younger for that fact, go on their own, but I really don't believe it to be an issue. Many law enforcements do house checks the day of and the day after. If you're worried about it, be a proactive parent and get off your butt and go with them! And don't get me started on the religiously incorrect subject...that just leads to Christmas.

Have you heard the latest for Christmas this year? They want Santa's to look leaner to help promote healthy living in America. OK, if you are looking to Santa to see how you should be, we have other issues to help you with. Oh, and here's the greatest, they want Santa's to say "ha ha ha" instead of "ho ho ho" so that it doesn't offend women. I laughed at that one. I mean really? Then let's not forget Happy Holidays...no Merry Christmas because God forbid we offend anyone!

Then my personal reason for being irritated...my brother's ex-fiancee/mother of my nephew. She is the dumbest, most unqualified person to be a mother I have ever met! My brother started the process of taking full custody of my nephew about 2 months ago. Well 3 weeks ago, his homeless ex-fiancee (living with her parents and 3 sisters with my nephew, her new flavor of the week in there cramped 3 bedroom home so it looked like she had a house) wouldn't give my nephew back. She told him if he was going to hurt her like this, she was going to hurt him like this. All my nephew is to her, and all he has ever been is a pawn. So for 3 weeks, while she works 2 jobs, well 1 now because she got fired from the other one, I know she's handing her son off to everyone except his father. It's hard, but hopefully things will clear up soon. My brother's lawyer filed for a temporary full custody hearing for next Wednesday. They have since found out my nephews mother does not have a lawyer to represent her. Honestly, my brother isn't trying to hurt her, he's just trying to get stability in his life and in his son's life. Before her keeping him from my brother, this girl never wanted to take him, and she'd throw a fit when she did have to take him. She doesn't want to be a mother, so my brother is trying to be the best father he can and give this little boy a decent life!

Life is complicated...I hate complicated. When people say to me "it's complicated" I just want to scream. Is there any reason why life has to be complicated???

Yay for Halloween!

We took Maddie out last night. Her first Halloween she was 6 weeks and we dressed her up in a bunting costume as a sweet pea and just sat out on the porch at my parents house and passed out candy. Last year, I just dressed her up in her U of M cheerleader outfit. Tim couldn't go with us last year but I had Jason and Michelle Steckel to help. At that point she was 13 months old and in and out of the stroller. This year, she could walk and talk and Tim was there and it was perfect!

Maddie went as Daddy's Little Angel. My mother-in-law started making the costume to be used as a play costume and I thought it was adorable! So I asked her to get it finished for Halloween because that's what I wanted her to wear. I didn't have to buy a thing! She did a great job I think!

Maddie did great! Especially considering she only had an hour nap for the day...an hour compared to her 3 that she usually has! Anyway, we had been working with her for a while on saying "Trick-or-treat." She said it at EVERY house. She started getting into saying "Trick-or-treat please. Thank you, bye" and would wave as she walked away. She cleaned up pretty well doing that! I was proud of how she did! So looking forward to next year! Yes, we are those parents that take their small children out even though they can't eat the candy because that means WE get to eat the candy! Although, most of Maddie's candy is getting donated to the tech team, we don't need it...but it was fun to go! Here's some more pictures...