Getting old is not as much fun as I thought....I have been doing my shred DVD workout almost every day (missed 2 days but I did have yoga one of those)and running 3 times a week and I have not lost one little pound. I know I should watch what I eat more BUT COME ON!!!

The kids are all doing well and we are all happy that school has started. The twins have ballet, gymnastic and 2's class once a week and they seem to do much better with having more structure, Viv is in preschool 3 times a week and ballet and gymnastics as well.

Daniel had his first OT therapy session today. It went well and I have learned how to do the deep pressure holds on him.  He liked throwing the feathers and donkey kicks...and he loves reflexology.

Going to see if I can post some family pictures....it would help if I remember to use the real camera and not just my crackberry!

This was last Christmas. Viv was 3 and the twins 19 mths. They love everything firefighter....and not so crazy about police! Go figure!

working it out

Well.....the holidays got the best of me and it seems I have not done a post in months!

November was a busy month with me in training 2 of the 4 weeks! The first week I became an Elderly Service Officer (ESO) and the third week I attended the basic ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children)training in Appleton WI. I have to say it was fun to get away and I met a lot of great officers from all over the USA! I can't hear an 80's song without thinking of them.

Thanksgiving was short and sweet. It was wonderful to spend it with just the 5 of us. I had to go to work that night but in all it was a good day.

Christmas came to soon and I still have not recovered or removed the holiday decor from the house! The kids had a great Christmas and all did very well. My parents came in on the 25th and it was nice to visit...even if my Mom had her nose in a book the whole time. We had our big family party on the 26th with Lance's parents and his Grandmother coming. It was nice together and visit with everyone. I could have done without the huge snowstorm but it was a white Christmas!

New Years Eve was just crazy....I had to work (of course) and it was a full moon as well. Every crazy, drunk or crazy drunk must of found their way into my district that night. I can say it made the night go by quickly but WOW.

I got home at 11:40 and enjoyed a drink with Lance and we watched the ball drop and a few of the local parties on TV before we went to bed.

So....my goal for 2010 is to keep up on this blog and figure out more of the layout and how to make it look better! I know not a big goal but hey, it's one that I can do!!!!

I have had a ton of things to post but every time I get around to it something crazy happens and I can't do it. Work has been crazy we had another teenage death. This one was an OD from heroin. Sad really. I had the kid in DARE when he was 11 and a few years latter he is dead...from drugs. In this case I blame the parents and their lack of concern for their child. Yes, he was an "adult" but putting him up in a hotel for a few weeks without any supervision to detox is crap. They just wanted him out of the house and to not deal with him. So he had a few parties over the weeks and the last one he didn't make it. His friends all left him to die. They even stole his wallet and other ID before they left~nice friends.

Now Dad made a FB page and has everyone making comments...Dad is posting some crazy crap on there. I don't get rich people and how they can just write their kids out of their lives and have nothing to do with them then make a big public show of love when the kid dies.....you didn't give a crap when they were alive why care now????

Must be a full moon....

All I can say is the last 24 hours have been a blur. I had to be at work at 0900 yesterday for the homecoming parade, it was one of those fun Chicago days windy, cold, rain and then sunny quickly followed by cold, wind and rain. I then go on to work my normal 3-11 shift but damn did we get our asses kicked. I had everything from car accidents to suicides (attempts) to a possible gang fight at the homecoming dance. I got stuck at work till 0100 just to catch up on all my paperwork! Then today after no sleep the kids are up at 0645 and just a fun bunch today. I thought making cookies would be a fun idea...not so much. I think I am to much of a control freak and want everything to go so perfectly that it takes the fun out of the event and it always ends up being way to stressful on me......why can't I be one of those laid back fun Moms?????

To tired to even think straight to make light of all of last night....

Really...that is your answer...

At what point do you think to yourself "If I just play stupid maybe the cop will believe me..." While on patrol tonight I am northbound on Dundee Ave and traffic is stopped (bumper to bumper) because of the red light at Main Street. So this vehicle that is 3 cars behind me pulls to the left (crossing over double yellow lines) drives northbound in the southbound lane of traffic passing 3 vehicles PLUS a fully marked squad car and makes a left to go down a side street. She hits the side street and just guns it (I had my radar off but I would guess 35-40mph in a 25mph zone ). I get her stopped and the first words are "Gee, what could I have done wrong" REALLY??? Are you serious? Needless to say I became very sarcastic when I said well lets start with the illegal passing in the no passing zone and go from there.....her answer to her driving...she was TIRED of sitting in traffic and wanted to get home. HELLO rush hour princess...you are no more special then the other 500 cars stopped wait your turn!

OKAY~ that feels better now that I got that all out...on the Mom front I totally scored HUGE today! I was able to find the Zhu Zhu Hamsters....yep I got 4 (the limit) from Toys R Us. I went in on a whim for a birthday present for a girlfriends daughter and found the hamster she wanted along with one for each of my kids. Now Santa just has to build the hamster village for the little darlings to play in!

My favorite family...

So tonight at work I stop by the Stomp the Stigma event at the high school (that would be a whole other post) and in the lot run into one of my past DARE students. I have known this family for maybe 8 years now. I had the oldest "F" my first year of DARE and a few years after her sister "A" . ( There are also two brothers but they are both much younger (2nd marriage) and DARE is no longer in our schools...) When I started with this family I knew the Mom was a domestic violence survivor and that "F" had seen many horrible things as a toddler/young child. Mom left her abuser when "A" was an infant.....now flash forward and Mom has moved to Illinois has remarried and has had two boys "T" and "M".

Little man "M" has been the light of this family. He has endured a heart transplant, cancer, chemo....and last I had been told he was in full remission and doing well...

When I saw "A" tonight she gave me a hug and then told me "M" was back in the hospital and the cancer was back .Her mom is fighting to have him moved to another hospital for another type of treatment but insurance would not pay for it. "A" thinks this time "M" is going die and God won't save him a 3rd time.

It just breaks my heart with what this family has gone through in the last 6 years. Both"F" and "A" are beautiful girls who have seen so much. When "M" was first diagnosed with cancer "F" started getting in trouble at school and abusing alcohol. Now, I am worried that it will come to a point where she is going to get arrested or worse get hurt/killed because of a choice she has made while out drinking.

I wish I knew the answers to help this family....sometimes it just sucks to have my job...I see the path and I know how this will end and I don't want this family to have to deal with any more heartaches.

So, no funny stories about work tonight....just some of the reality of what we really deal with and think about while we "patrol".

Day One....

I gave in and thought I would start a blog to share what was going on....

I have been a police officer in the northwest burbs of Chicago for almost 14 years, a wife for 6 years and a mom for 4 years....I would like to tell you I know what I am doing but I don't. I use humor and sarcasm to get through my day.

My husband is a full time firefighter and I have 3 kids. Viv is my oldest at 4 and 2 year old twins Daniel & Audrey.

To say my hands are full is an understatement! I work my first and favorite job Mommy from 6am till 2pm and then I go to my paid job as a police officer from 3p-11p. In between all of that I try to breathe.