Thursday, April 28, 2011

Old engine might get new role as an excursion train || OnlineAthens.com

I think this is the last one... this is in the Athens, GA paper, the locomotive will actually run there, they just dont know it yet

Old engine might get new role as an excursion train OnlineAthens.com

Steam train may be restored for Ga. excursions

On a Savannah news site!

All this press could be good....and very bad...

Steam train may be restored for Ga. excursions

Steam train may be restored for excursions

Marietta newspaper!!!

Steam train may be restored for excursions: "MACON — An old steam locomotive that has been on display in Macon’s Central City Park may be put back to work.
The Hartwell Railroad Co. of Bowersville wants to put the old steam engine back in se..."

Steam train may be restored for Ga. excursions - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

Steam train may be restored for Ga. excursions - WRCBtv.com Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

Now he is mentioned in Chattanooga!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Ryan's first Easter

So I posted this...and now its gone. Let's see if I can come up with a shorted version.

Last Friday we had Madison, Colin and Megan over. We dyed eggs and made sugar cookies. All of this at about 10pm Friday night! Ryan was sleeping, so I was kinda sad that he didn't get to have any of the fun. This was Meg's either 1st or 2nd time she has dyed eggs, and I think she enjoyed it. We made cookied and iced them with colored icing that I "made". It was a fun late night for all.

Saturday we were suppost to go to an Easter egg hunt at the elem school by the store. Ryan and Meg got their Easter baskets that morning cause Meg had to go home that night. Joey and I went to work, but then had to close up shortly after to go home and pick up the kids for the egg hunt. Unfortinatly Ryan was asleep, so we didn't go, but I don't think the kids minded. Joey went back to open the store again, and I stayed back with Ryan. Joeys mom took Madi and Colin home and then took Meg to the grocery store. Ryan finally woke up and he and I went back to work. It was a ghost town up there, so we closed up early...it was only 3pm...I need a nap just thinking about how busy that morning was! We went home, had dinner and took Meg and Ryan to the mall to see the Easter Bunny. Lucky for us there was only like 2 people in front of us, so it was a quick in and out. Best part was Ryan wasn't scared and even cracked a smile! We took Meg home and that was the end of Saturday!

Sunday morning, the 3 of us were up at 6am. Partly because Ryan was awake and hungry and partly because Joey was starting his smoked pork for dinner. Joey spent until about 530pm smoking his pork butt and pork ribs for our Easter dinner, and it was well worth it! Ryan and I on the other hand spent the day with Ma, Pa and Grandaddy playing. I blew up Ryans pool and he played in that for a bit, rode the lawn mower with Grandaddy and just played and played. It was a very nice family day at home.

Well...that's all for now...let's see what this weather is going to do.

Peace Love and Mickey Mouse









A dream can be a dream come true...

Old locomotive engine may be restored for tourist trips - Local & State - Macon.com

This article listed above explains all of the trips Joey has been making to Social Circle, GA and Macon, GA. He has been working on this since October of 2010 and it about to be complete. This is the beginning of a dream that actually started with me in October 2009, but has been with Joey for over 10 years now. He and I believe that this is the first step to get Project M back up and running. This will hopefully be the answer to our prays of helping us get out of the basement and into our own apartment and eventually our own home.

Hope you enjoy the article!

Peace Love and Mickey Mouse!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Another ramble...

Joey went to Macon, about 2hrs south of here, yesterday to fight for his train. I am happy to say that all of his efforts paid off, and they are moving onto the second phase with the city and it will go infront of the city councle May 3rd. Joey's dream of owning his own tourist railroad is getting closer everyday. I couldn't be prouder of him. Yeah, it gets annoying when he is on the phone all day with everyone in the train world, but he is doing it for something he loves. His family doesn't support him like they should. Which is sad, but I will always support every dream he has. Project Megan is coming closer to reality.

On a different note... joeys brother Jeff is getting married July 30th. Well, I get 2 invitations yesterday to his fiances bridal shower and bachelorette party. Guess what day its on... June 11th. That is the day before my babys 1st birthday...the day Joey and I were planning on having his party. I was heart broken. But then thought, well, maybe it was done by her brides maids, and they didn't know and she didn't remember. I told Joey and his mom (his mom was invited to the shower). Joey was not happy. He called his brother and said something about it. Turns out that Jeff's groomsmen planned it with the bridesmaids(yeah, get this shit, Joey wasn't even asked to be a groomsman btw. Jeff was Joeys best man at both of his weddings. Joey was asked to be an usher. An USHER! Joey has been heart broken about that. At first he was ok when he was told that his niece was going to be a bridemaid and his nephew was going to be the best man. But then he found out that a frat buddy and a guy from utah that Jeff knows from work are going to be standing up there. Needless to say, Joey has been upset about this ever since) anyway. So joey was invited to the bachelor party which isn't even in the state. Jeff was not apologetic and said "oh well, I guess we just won't be there." How can you say that about your only nephew? I only have Joeys family here for Ryans birthday, and his only uncle on the McCollough side doesn't even care about his birthday. My brother in law in Texas may be an asshole sometimes but he wouldn't do anything to miss a birthday of his only nephew. Sadly, my family in Texas can't make it out here for Ryans 1st birthday. So I am totally devistated and about this. I have no family of my own here, and I would expect to my son to be treated the same way all of the other McCollough/Fox grandkids are treated. Joey doesn't even want to go to the wedding now because of this. Even since Jeff started dating Dara (well, ever since it was made public, he was dating her before his divorce) he has just turned into a huge frat boy again. Last year the week of Joeys birthday we met up with Jeff and Dara and 2 of her friends at WDW. Now it was only suppost to be Jeff, Dara and 1 friend, but someone else tagged along. Joey and I had limited tickets because we were seasonal, and now we had to find a way to get 4 people in without using all of our free tickets. Anyway, so there was that, and to top it off, the reason they were down there was because it was one of the friends birthday. We went to dinner at Epcot and they had the servers come out with whatever free dessert it was and sing happy birthday to her...and Jeff didn't even THINK to include his own brother. Joey wanted to cry, he was so upset. It was his 30th bday and his brother just blew it off. I even ran my pregnant self over to Soarin and back to Mexico (I had Ryan a few weeks later...) to get fastpasses for these people, and they didn't even care. Joey just feels like he means nothing to this family and it is very heart breaking to see them transfer that to my son. They love Meg to death, but no one sees Joey as Megs dad. Yes, he left when Meg was 3, but he never stayed away for longer then 2 weeks at a time. Heck he said when he first moved down to Orlando he was going every week on his 2 days off. He did the best he could, he had to leave to protect himself and his daughter and to get away and get a fresh start. Shit, this family thinks of Meg as their own child so much that when we told his mom we were having a baby, she immediatly thought, "poor megan. What is she going to think. She might think you are replacing her and won't want to be with her anymore." I was in tears when he told me that. How could anyone say something like that. Wow...I went off on a big tangent. Way off topic.

Anyways...yeah. good and bad stuff...both happened yesterday. Guess I should get back to my store...not that we are selling anything anyway.

Peace Love and Mickey Mouse

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Need to vent...

I just need to let off some steam.

~We have made just about $200 this MONTH at the store...

~My 2nd wedding anniversary to the person who at one point worshiped the ground I spit on, is one Wednesday and the only money we have in the bank is money I get from my dad twice a month.

~My step daughter would rather go to WalMart then spend time with me and her dad.

~My mother in law treats our childern like they are hers.

~I am still not aloud to have anything, not a pair of shoes, a jacket or even a diaper bag left up stairs. If its up there too long (like a couple of days) it gets piled on a bench in the laundry hall way by the basement door.

~I miss my life in Texas and in Florida, and think that the 3 of us would be better off in Orlando.

I think that's all for now... I'm just so stressed and I have no where to go, no one to talk to and no means of escape. Its sad when I can't even do any of those with my own husband. I want to cry. I guess I will just hide in the basement whenever I get a chance. Can't be for very long though, or else people start asking questions...

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Our March Trip to Disney World

We just finished our monthly trip to WDW. Joey worked 4 days and I worked 1.  We got in Sunday night, checked into our hotel; Disney's Pop Century Resort, then headed right to the Magig Kingdom. We of course rode the Walt Disney World Railroad, and ate dinner at Pinocchios Village House. After a quick night, we headed back to the hotel.

Joey was in at 7am the next morning, he took the car and left me and Ryan at the hotel. Which I guess was a good thing, it rained all day long. I was suppost to see one of my best friends that day, but the rain put me and Ryan to sleep most of the early afternoon. Joey came back around 430, and we decided to go to Winter Garden for dinner at Mimi's Cafe, somewhere we haven't eatten at in a long time. I am alwayed amazed at how much attention my little man gets from strangers. Every waiter that walks past and guest, no matter where we are, has to stop and look at Ryan and comment on how adorable he is.

Tuesday wasn't too bad, Joey worked in the morning. That was the first time Ryan got to go swimming. I wish it wasn't just the 2 of us, I didn't get any pictures. After Joey got off work we all met up with Travis and Blake, had an early dinner and wondered for a bit before I went to work. I had a South PAC shift for The Main Street Electrical Parade, The Magic, The Memories and You and Wishes Fireworks...all for less then 4hrs. I was kinda irritated though, I was put in a meaningless postion. I ended up helping out a ton of other cast members and coordinators, and only did my assigned position for an hour.

Wednesday Joey worked the night shift, which worked out well for us. Wednesday was the first soft opening day for the new Town Square Theater and the new Mickey Mouse meet and greet. We got to be the second family to meet Mickey. We walked around the park til it was time for Joey to work. Then Ryan and I went back to the hotel, swam, napped and then went to get Joey. It rained and stormed pretty bad from Wednesday afternoon all the way to Thursday night at about 9pm.

We didn't do anything on Thursday. When Joey got off work we braved the rain so we could eat dinner at The Crystal Palace, but it rained more so we headed back to the hotel. On the bright side, Ryan got to meet Tigger, Pooh, Piglet and Eeyore. We left early Friday morning, Joey wanted to be at an antiques auction. This was a pretty uneventful week. Sad I didn't get to see any of my friends. Hopefully next time.

Peace Love and Mickey