Update:

Tristan is home. Ex is a pain in the ass. And "enemy" passes, as my Delta friend calls them is no way for a 6 year old to have to fly. He was a mess when he finally got home yesterday (yes, one day earlier then last found out), but he is home, safe, and back with us. Now we have a few days of detoxing from him not having any parental guidance or supervision, and all will be back in harmony again... ha ha ha.

School starts monday the 25th...I can't believe he'll be in first grade! Just when you know it, he'll be in Junior High, then High School...then Treec will be sad because her baby will be going off to college. But at least while we have him close now...we can teach him the best way to be a good upstanding member of society. And I know one day he will look back with respect and gratitude for our patience, love, and guidance.

Saturday afternoon Treec and I decided to go to the most challenging lake for a fisherman in Utah...I swear. Silverlake up next to Brighton ski resort is miserable to say the least. The fish are jumping all around your line, you can change bait 40 times and they will still figure out that you are just baiting them...hell I almost threw them a few M&M's to see if they would bite! But it was nice to get away for a few hours together anyway...and it helped keep Treec mind off her boy.

We inherited a truck from Tree-c's grandma this weekend...we had to get it fixed...her (dumb ass) father decided to try to change a battery in it so he could drive it, put the cable's on backwards, blew up the battery and starter...luckily my dad and his buddy know what they are doing and they were able to fix it all up, now we just need a new battery and it'll run like a champ.

SO...if anyone is looking for a beater truck...I have a truck for sale (our other one) we are the 2nd owners, and have had it a year...it's a 1990 Ford F250, it needs a little work on the clutch. But it runs great.

My family will be in town this thursday through sunday. I am looking forward to them coming! It'll be a full house, but I can't wait!

TTFN

How can anyone be so inconsiderate?

So...as you all know Tristan went with the Ex this past week. They went to the Ex's new gf's sister's house just outside of New York and then I guess they went into the City for a day to see some sights. We don't know the extent of the trip yet becuase when Trist does call, it's conveniently placed in a time that they are running out the door, or have to "get off the phone" to eat dinner or whatever. So Treec got a text about 9:00pm last night that says "the flight we were supposed to be taking home is full" "I will keep you posted". Treec instantly get's upset (of course) and we have to talk though how things are out of our control, and we'll just have to take things in stride. Well this morning Trist calls, and I answer the call (Treec wasn't able to answer)and we chat for a minute. I say to him "hey buddy, what's your favorite part of your trip so far...(he tells me petting a goat at a park) I sure can't wait to see you tonight!" and he says "our flight is full and there's nothing we can do about it". So I say, "well, when are you coming home?" and his little voice says "I don't know, gotta go now bye" and he hangs up. So Treec finally get's to the phone were she has a text from the Ex saying that the flights today and tomorrow morning are full, so they have to fly to Vegas tomorrow night, and then fly home monday evening. I could litterally see the smoke billowing out of her ears! She calls the Ex and proceeds to get more and more upset, finding out that "they didn't do this on purposed, but they are flying standby to save money and the flights are all full, there is nothing they can do about it". So I head downstairs to my laptop, where I proceed to find out that there are 3 flights left on todays flight home, but that tomorrows flights are completely sold out. Treec may have not thought to look into the Ex's story to find out of it was true...but I sure as hell wasn't about to take her word for it! Why can't people be honest? Why does she have to lie, manipulate, and abuse the situation. So when Treec tried to call back to confront her on the flights...of course she conveniently doesn't answer her phone, and she has it set so you can't leave a voicemail. Makes us both want to fly to New York right now and pick him up ourselves!

Even with all the people that I know that have "joint custody" or have been taken away from their kids all together, and as sad as that makes me, the Ex's behavior would be what makes people like Treec think twice before she allows her son, her pride and joy, to be in a position of such inconsiderate dishonesty! She's abusing her rights as a co-parent and using Tristan as a pawn in her games. It's ugly and very wrong!

I do know this...Treec will NEVER let her take him on vacation again without knowing she has a ticket in hand with an exact time of arrival...none of this standby shit!

It's just really sad to me, because Treec trusted the Ex with her son, and this is how she repays that trust.

SAD...

TTFN

Tristan's FIRST vacation without his Mommy!

9:45pm saturday evening we took Tristan to meet Tree's ex at the airport. After many many long conversations between her and I, Tree finally decided that it wouldn't be fair of her if she denied the ex the experience of vacationing with her son. I convinced her also that we should encourage situations were Tristan is able to experience as many things in his life as possible. So they left on a Jet Blue flight to the JFK airport. We got a call at 4:00am our time with Tristan's excitement that after only 5 hours in the plane, which he slept through, the sun was up and he was ready to go...luckily we still had 5 more hours of sleep in our future. :) Of course the second Treec let go of Tristan at the curb, he ran with excitement because he loves security at the airport soooo much. It's his favorite part of a vacation. Taking off his shoes, walking through the metal detectors, he is compeltely facinated with the whole experience. Of course as we sat back into our seats in the car, the tears started to flow and Treec sob uncontrollably. I held her hand as I drove away, and then tried with every part of my "fix it personality" just to listen to her concerns without trying to convince her that he will be fine and she's being irrational. She knew it as well as anyone, she just needed her moment to be able to let it all come out. I am proud of myself, (as I pat myself on the back) by the time we got home the tears had stopped and we were able to enjoy the next few hours cuddling on the couch watching some of the tivo'd Olympics.
I would have liked to take the whole week off and made sure that it was packed full so Treec didn't have any time to get sad and miss her boy. But work, work, and more work will keep me from being able to devote all my time to that. But we are going to go see a couple of "adult" movies that we have wanted to see. And the rest of the week will be filled with getting things accomplished, cleaning, laundry, back to school shopping, etc. The days will fly and next saturday will come faster then we know it.

My part time job has recently become a second full time job. I have worked every day this week except thursday night. I am literally exhausted trying to work a full time day job and fill in were needed on my night/weekend job. The manager of the store had to "get out of town" on short notice(let's just say there were loan sharks, threats of beating and lots and lots of money involved-yes it happens in Utah too!) and so me being me, stepped up to take over the responsibilities of manager. I have had to bail on plans made (SORRY), and have had to pass on plans wanting to be made...but I know in a few weeks when things settle down, I will feel good about helping where needed and am certain will get a well deserved pat on the back. And honestly, in any job, what more could I ask for then recognition and gratitide for a job well done. It makes me feel really good! :)

My mom, step dad, little sis, and niece come into town the 21st for a few days. It's my mom's bro's 80th birthday, so were having a little family reunion. I am really looking forward to their visit. Then I am flying out to mom's in October for my niece Presley's 2nd birthday. The "homesick" feeling I have had the last little while seems to be dampened by the multiple visits...so I am happy about that.

We had a meeting with a general contractor a couple of weeks ago about the re-model of Tree's house. We were supposed to meet him again saturday morning, but that didn't work out with my crappy work schedule. So we hope to be having a meeting of the minds on friday afternoon/evening with him. He has some plans drawn up and some great ideas on paper. Now just cross your fingers that'll it'll be affordable so we can finally get started on the "moving in together" process! :) WOO HOO.

Guess I ought to get back to work, Lego's Indiana Jones is calling my name! :) TTFN

GLPU Campout...FINALLY!

So I can't believe it's been almost a week since our GLPU campout. Life goes so damn fast! AHHHH...we went up Fairview Canyon friday morning to meet up with some of the early birds. When we got there they were just getting their own tents and what-not set up so once we all got set up, we took a nice needed break and headed down to the lake for some water play and sun! Treec and I took the dogs and even though some of the dogs didn't completely get along, we were really glad we took them on a much need vacation too! :) On saturday afternoon I decided to make dutch oven dinner and dessert for the "pot-luck" desert and so I encouraged Treec and Trist to go off for some fishing...I AM SO GLAD THEY WENT! Tristan got creative and put two colors of power bait (Spring Green with sparkles, and Salmon Pink) onto the hook. He cast it out, and about minute later a fish hit his line and he started to reel! I guess it got a little hard but luckily Treec had the net ready and he landed a 21" Native Brown Trout. He was so excited...as they drove back into the camp they were honking and he was holding it above his head like he had just won the World Series Trophy! Everyone was amazing, following the lead and cheering him on for his catch!

We enjoyed Smore's around the campfire, the kids played and got FILTHY dirty, and we even got in a nap! What a great weekend...we can't wait for next year! For those of you that missed it, here are some of the "best of" photos! :)

I have no idea where my mind was...

This was a poem I blogged April 1st 2007 on "MySpace". I don't frequent MySpace as often as I used to, so when I pulled this Blog up and re-read the words that I wrote I thought that I would instantly be swooshed back to that time and know exactly why I wrote these words. Not so much! I do know who they are about, just not why then and what the meaning and feeling was behind them. Maybe that is a good thing, it's as if I have been able to evolve past that time and that person. It's nice to have that be the conclusion after the pain during the end of that chapter in my life. Just makes me realize even more that life is just a book, with chapters, chapters that bring in new characters, revive old ones, and sometimes bury the past so the future can be unfolded.

Thought I would share it...maybe it'll have meaning to one of you readers during this chapter in your life.

The beauty in you is so real it glitters
The beauty in you is so fake it shines
I can't stroke your ego
I can't put you on a pedestal
I have nothing to give though my habit is giving
If you have no expectations I might not fail
If you don't love me back you lose, not me

Your beauty is fading
Your beauty is lost
I can't stroke your ego
I can't put you on a pedestal
I have nothing to give though my habit is giving
Please expect me to stay and I might not fail
If you don't love me back, we both lose, but only for a moment

Your beauty is emense
Your beauty is insane
I can't stroke your ego
I can't put you on a pedestal
I have everything to give as my habit is giving
We will expect from each other and win for the moments we love

A lit'o bit'o Alex, Rachel, any other Rose would smell so sweet!

So I have a friend...she's an amazing person. Someone I have admired for many years, even so much as put her up on a pedestal. I have longed to be closer to her and secretly longed for her to sing to me (okay, maybe not so secretly...ha ha ha). She's someone, that even with lifes slight pauses, is always there when I call, email, text, whatever. She listens with openess, she always gives advice with love and patience, and is one of the most sincere people I have met.

This friend of mine writes with such intrigue and intensity, I always am left wanting more after I finish reading her words. She is an unpublished author who I continue to threaten, one day I will send her stories to a publisher and we will make millions! :)

This friend has finally come to the world of blogdom and I wanted to give her blog a shout out and welcome her to Blog Land! :) Go check her out...you'll be in for a great adventure through the mind of an amazing woman! http://quandaryuncensored.blogspot.com/