Small Update on the case & children

Yesterday we had a treatment team meeting. It was an interesting one!
CPS has an independent evaluator come in and determine if all services are being utilized and if the case is going in a fair direction. Everything seemed to be fine, but my mother complained about having so much on her plate with 'so many' children and 'so many appointments.' I understand her lamenting as I experienced the same concerns before. I inserted that I want to see the boys in sports, and I thought it would be a bad idea for them to go to the pool on free day, what with the 2 year olds need for supervision that my mother is incapable of providing.
My husband spent the entire meeting 'trying to keep my quiet' by complaining loudly and making an embarrassment of himself. He didn't want me to say anything incriminating, so he kept talking over me, interrupting me, and not letting me say anything. I asked how my boys were, and that was all he would allow. My mother played the victim like an expert violinist plays a Stradivarius. She almost cried when my husband brought up the letter she wrote (explaining in unbridled hatred how terrible a person I am) as an example of the negative attitudes held in her household that effect the children. I am not sure how she is the victim, but she sure acted the part. It just made it so clear how much it's all about her.
My boys are not doing well. The oldest is having a very hard time and won't see me. He is completely shut off emotionally and just shuts down whenever he has to confront anything. He goes from -0- to crying or hatefully furious in no time. He is doing well in school, my mom complained that they are behind in school and insinuated that it's my fault. I occasionally inserted historical evidence to defend my children, things such as 'we worked with him on math facts for 2 years, but he just didn't seem to get it. We switched strategies and started with calculus and geometry, with the intention of helping him understand why he needed the basics so we could make more strides in that department.' The younger is having problems with frustration as well. He doesn't know what's going on and is upset about it. He told my mother that my husband wrote a letter saying he loved him, which isn't allowed. That didn't happen, the visit coordinator corroborated. He then told me that my mom tells him that I lie about everything. My mother of course denies that but has no supporting witnesses except the case worker who just defends everything she says.
The girls are making great strides. My mother intimated that it's because they were removed from my home. The girls' speech therapist mentioned twice that the girls have reached a window of opportunity in their development consistent with their age, and they are impressed with their strides. An expert in the field would attribute their willingness and ability to learn to a good home before hand. If they were abused, as is suggested by my mom, they would not be able to learn like this.
Nothing major really happened, but we were told that we might be able to progress to level 2 by the next court date, which is June 8. Level 2 means that we get to have our visitation in the community instead of locked in the little room. I am nervous about that because it will cost money that we don't have, and it will be harder to keep them entertained if we only have 1.5 hours to eat and conduct activities for them.

My apartment.

So we got an apartment. it's in a kind-of nice area. We have been living there for just over a month now, and I like having modern amenities. I am really hoping the management company comes through and fixes the swamp cooler, because the apartment is a southern-exposure upper floor, which means it is quite hot in the afternoon. The apartment is 2 bedrooms with a little eat in kitchen and an average sized living room. It has several closets which my husband won't allow me to fill because he doesn't know what he wants in them. I get really frustrated by that. We can't fit any furniture into our vehicle, so we only have the small items that he managed to get lifted over by friends. I am hoping desperately for a dresser in the near future. Right now, I have shoe cubbies that hang in the closet acting as my drawers to hold my drawers. haha.
The apartment is centrally located near the boys' schools just in case, near social services if we need to show up at a moment's notice, near walmart so we can walk there, etc. It's a decent location. The neighbor below has a male cat that bellows all night long, however, and i find that frustrating. I never knew that a tomcat could sound so much like an angry child, yelling at the top of their lungs.
The thing I love about the place is that I can bake. I have baked bread, cookies, lasagna, roasts, and more cookies and bread. I know, unhealthy... but if I can't clean to feel relieved from stress, I tend to eat.
What better thing is there to eat than cookies and bread?