hello... is there anybody out there?

well... I have decided to try my hand at blogging.  some of you know me already....

but I guess I will introduce myself for those of you that do not.

I am Marie.. some call me Ree, some call me Reeners.  I am 30 years old... my 31st birthday is in 8 days.

I have two boys. 
Aidan is 10... well he'll be 11 on the 20th of this month.  he is autistic, and I'm sure sometimes I will be writing about that and everything that goes with it.  [that will NOT be the focus of this blog, however]  Aidan loves legos, transformers, power rangers, and acting out his favorite movies/cartoons [his current obsessions include smurfs and puss in boots.]  he is in 5th grade, and I am struggling to come to terms with the fact that he will be in middle school next year. 

Connor is 7.  he loves to dance and is obsessed with Michael Jackson.  I'm also getting him interested in the Beatles =)  at age two, he proclaimed himself a vegetarian- but he eats bacon and pepperoni.  lol  I think he just doesn't like chicken or beef because he does refuse to eat them.  mostly he just eats veggies, fruits, lots of beans, peanut butter, yogurt, cheese... he eats probably healthier than anyone in the house.  Connor loves to read and hates to miss school.  he is also seriously ADHD- and my decision to put him on meds so he can focus at school was one I struggled with, and probably one of the smartest I've ever made.  it has made a WORLD of difference.

I was married to their dad but left him in November of 2007.  I moved myself and my boys in with my mom and dad  - I was in school full time and did NOT want to stress bills.  The decision to leave Joe was one that was a long time coming... he was verbally abusive and had SERIOUS anger management issues.  even if I could take him screaming at me, I could not let my boys grow up thinking that was normal.

I met Robbie at school- we had a speech class together.  we sat next to each other and flirted, but didn't actually start dating until after that class was over and we didn't have a class together anymore.  our first date was to the Reggae Festival [2008] that takes place at the water tower every year on Memorial Day weekend, and we go back every year now as a celebration of our "anniversary".  This years festival will be the fifth we've been to together.

I finished school in June of 2010- I hold a bachelor's degree in Interior Design that I don't really use.  haha isn't that the case for most of us?  There were no jobs when I graduated.  While I was in school I worked the paint desk at Lowe's for 3 years.  I probably would've stayed there if they hadn't cut me back to only 16 hrs a week.  I did a six month stint selling furniture- what a nightmare that was.  I finally decided to go back into the world of paint, and applied at Sherwin Williams.  I went through their management training program [which you have to have a bachelor's degree to get into, so I guess I'm KIND OF using my degree lol] and am now the Assistant Marketing Manager of one of the oldest Sherwin Williams stores in Louisville.  [its been open 30 years!]

I've finally gotten to a point where I am financially stable, and Robbie and I are [finally] getting ready to move in together.  in the next month or so I am going to be spending all my free time painting and moving!  and I am SUPER excited about it!


this blog is going to have a wide range of topics... anything from autism, to art, to design/architecture, whatever I feel about the latest book i'm reading, cooking/weight loss adventures... raising two kids... whatever strikes my fancy to write about.  There may be step-by-step DIY tutorials from time to time- I love to share creative processes with others.  I hope some of you enjoy reading whatever I decide to write about...