Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!

Alrighty, I'm back from my mini-vaca (read: migraine headache). Actually, it only lasted a couple days, and didn't completely take me down. For a couple days afterwards though, the main spot of pain is actually tender to touch. I'm not sure if that's normal or not, but it happens.

We are now celebrating the Cardinals winning the division. They are playing game 2 against the Brewers as I type, and playing like there's no tomorrow. Cards in the World Series would be a hoot!

I have a low "normal" body temperature. Doctors comment on it when I'm seen. Everything comes back normal in every test they've run, so I'm not worried. I'm also hot. All the time. And when I get hot, I get cranky. VERY cranky. Believe me, my husband can attest to this. I sleep with a fan blowing directly on me at all times. I try really hard to not use the air conditioner as long as everyone else is still comfortable inside (watch out in my van though, I will have it blasting if it's even remotely warm out). It's no wonder fall and winter are my favorites when it comes to seasons. So what is this 80 degree stuff?!?! Yuck!! I'll admit, it's better than the 100's with high humidity, but boy oh boy. I want to use the oven! I want to bake bread and cookies! I want to curl up with an afghan on the couch, and snuggle with a quilt when I go to sleep! I think temps are supposed to go down here fairly soon, and I couldn't be happier about it.

Although I did get all of my errands done this past weekend, I did not get to cleaning out the garage. {sad face} It really needs to get done, and soon. I'm hopeful for this weekend, but I've got stuff lining up on my to-do list already. We'll see how it goes.

I pray everyone had a fabulous Monday, and that the rest of the week only gets better!

Don't Ever Let Anyone Tell You...

"She looks well to the ways of her household, she does not eat the bread of idleness.". Proverbs 31:27

I'm trying. I found a very inspirational website (that I will share later, for reasons you will soon hear). This wonderful, virtuous woman shared her housekeeping schedule, which included at least a couple loads of laundry a day, setting a timer to help you remember to flip it. I, however, wanted to start with the cleanest slate possible, so I spent much of today doing laundry. I also had a retirement party to attend this evening. In an effort to keep with the schedule before I even start it, I flipped a load when I got home from the party. As I'm switching the clothes from washer to dryer, I JAM my thumb against the side of the dryer hard enough to bring tears to my eyes. I think, "Great!! Another nail bent back!", and look down. I'll spare you the gory details because they're, well, gory. But I will tell you, I'll be purple for awhile, and I fear I may lose this nail. Hence my short post, as any pressure on my thumb makes me sad.

Don't ever let anyone tell you housework isn't dangerous. It just ain't truth.

Last Minute

It's late. I should be in bed. Tomorrow is an early day for me, and after a couple drug-induced nights of sleep (I love you, Nyquil!), I'm at least feeling rested, although not healthier. That being said, in an effort to post most days (not including Sundays), I've got to write a quick something.

The Cards are beating the 'Stros, 12 to 6!!! GO CARDS!!

Patrick won't be home for dinner tomorrow, so I'm trying to decide what I should make for the kids and myself. Tuna casserole sounds lovely, since Patrick doesn't like it. The kids devour it, so that sounds like a plan.

I've got clothes in the dryer that I'm leaving there. Overnight. I'm not afraid to admit this to you, even after yesterday's laundry post. This is only because I almost left them in the washing machine. Baby steps.

The baby now asks me to sing to her every night, which I absolutely love to do. I sing Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight (yes, just like Three Men and a Baby), which she now sings along with. It seems to settle her a bit.

Cardinals just hit another home run - 13 to 6. I wonder if it's safe for me to go to bed?

This is the day that the Lord has made...

Here I sit, sipping the last of my coffee, listening to the cat meow incessantly, wondering when the forecasted rain (and subsequent cooler temperatures) will start outside, waiting for my internal "time to leave for work" bell to chime.

It's quiet here for now, peaceful. The boys have been sent off, Thomas to school, and Jacob to "Steppers" before school practice (Steppers, from what I understand, is sort of a dance troop for guys. We haven't seen a performance yet, as they haven't had one, but between this and Drum Line, Jacob's pretty psyched). GinaGina is sleeping soundly, as is my husband. The only sounds here are my fingers on the keyboard and the occasional noise from Dexter as he tries to balance on top of a box of litter, on top of an unused dresser, next to the basement crawl window, watching squirrels taunt him through the glass.

It's almost Friday, thank goodness, although this week has flown by (and I even had a shift on Monday!). At the same time, this week has FLOWN by, and I understand now how my children have grown so big and tall right before my eyes, in the blink of an eye.

We've got lots of work ahead of us, none of which I will post about now, but soon, my friends. Part of me wants to clean like mad this weekend, but the other part wants to sit and read, watch my children play outside, knit or crochet a little, or perhaps get out my long lost cross stitch project I need to finish for a Christmas present, maybe go to the park for a cookout. If it's cool out, I might even bake some bread. Sounds like I need to try to find a happy medium!

Happy almost Friday!

Well well well.

I've got a confession to make:

I have 12 pages of email to go through. Yes, *twelve* pages. Some of these are pictures that I've taken from my phone, sent to my inbox with the date, and just not saved to my hard drive. But that's a far cry from 12 pages worth. Much of it is email that I know I want to read, but just don't have the time to open, or I start to read it and I hear a cry or a "Moooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyy" from upstairs, and have to stop.

Well, I've found a website that has some organizing checklists...one is daily and one is weekly. Of course, I only just found it, so I'm already behind for the month of August (let's leave going back to July alone for right now, shall we??). But one of the tasks on there that just stuck out at me like a sore thumb was to empty my inbox. What a daunting task!!

That leads me to my next confession:

I am *not* a reality tv junky. Not. One. Bit. I've never seen an episode of Survivor, not one minute of Big Brother (what are we up to now, BB 27?), nary a second of The Bachelor. However...

I *LOVE* America's Got Talent. Love it. Can't wait for the next episode. I dvr all of them so we can fast forward through the commercials. And this all happened by accident-I didn't go out seeking another show to watch...I've got enough Burn Notice episodes to choke a camel...but I saw a commercial for this season, which showed one of the best acts, of course (but not enough to actually see much of anything), and I had to tune in, you know, just to see that act.

But they suck you in. Seriously.

I've now got 2 favorites. I'd like to say that if both of these men get axed, I'll turn the channel and never watch the show again. But I also have one very unfavorite act, and I'm afraid I'll have to finish out the season just to make sure that act doesn't win.

So what do cleaning out my inbox and America's Got Talent have to do with the price of tea in China? I'll tell you. I found an email from 50's Housewife about Britain's Got Talent (uhm, which would be the British version of America's Got Talent...duh). Now I'd really never watched that before, but I'd seen little pieces of Susan Boyle, probably on America's Got Talent. Anyway, 50's posted links to Susan Boyle singing I Dreamed a Dream, and Paul Potts, singing Nessun Dorma (for some reason, my lame attempt at linking to Paul's performance wasn't working, so I'm going to make you go to youtube and search for Paul Potts, Nessun Dorma...watch the one that's NOT the BGT finals...it's much shorter, and it's worth it, I promise).

Oh. My. Goodness.

I watched, in tears with both performances. I'm afraid I might be a "Got Talent" lifer. Thank you, 50's Housewife for "forcing" me to watch the British version. If you've never gone to her website, check it out. And if you've never watched a Got Talent episode, force yourself to...the good acts make the really bad ones worth every minute...and even the bad ones get my applause for going, getting up there on stage, performing in front of a live audience and thousands of tv viewers, and giving their all.

Under Pressure

This blog was started as an outlet - someplace to come and write out the day-to-day happenings (the inner workings, if you will) of my life as a wife, mother, employee, believer, etc. How I could allow it to become a nuisance is beyond me. I don't like feeling pressured to post, and that's exactly how I felt. We took a short trip to Denver a few weeks ago, and I haven't posted since then because I wanted my first post to be the pictures and stories of that trip - now I'm 3 weeks behind because I've been stalling on *one* post! That's just not right.

So, I'm postponing the Denver post so I can continue on with other, less important yet still interesting, things. Rest assured, I will post our Denver Oddessy, Part II.

My garden has sprouted, as have the rabbits. They started after my corn, which I was unsure would germinate anyway (lack of space). Now they've taken to my cantaloupe leaves. So, I googled and found about 1,456,829 solutions to the rabbit problem. What I ended up trying was simple garlic powder sprinkled around the space (I have such an overabundance of garlic powder, it's not even funny). We shall see how the cantaloupe plants look tomorrow morning - the rabbits must be getting them either at night or *way* early in the morning, because I never catch them there during the day, and there's a difference in foliage when I do my morning garden check.

Other than that, I do have some surviving corn. I planted it rather late, so it's smaller than the corn I see in other gardens. Size aside, however, it looks alright so far. I have peas, which the rabbits also got. Every time I'd go out and see new sproutings on the ends of the vines, I'd come back later in the day to find the new shoots gone, bitten away. Ah well - hopefully the garlic will solve that as well. I have no more mini sunflowers, although I can't blame the rabbits. I only had one plant that grew, and I think it may have gotten pulled as a weed by helpful little hands. Honestly, I'd rather have the help than the lone sunflower.

We've got radishes galore, the two hopeful cantaloupe plants, tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, green peppers, and pumpkins. No pumpkins yet, but flowers out the wazoo. All in all, I'd say it's a pretty good fare so far. Everything got put into the ground late, and I didn't have near the room I'd planned (that tiller kicked my butt). At the end of this season, I'll be ready with the newspapers and mulch in order to gain more space - about three times what I've got now.

The kids are C.R.A.Z.Y. The boys have cabin fever...the heat and humidity here have been awful for the past couple weeks. Now it's beautiful out, so hopefully we'll be curing that soon. Gina got another tooth, top left, second from the middle. It may not be a vampire tooth, but she'll still look vampire-ish until those top middles come in. She's crawling, standing with support, and "cruising" against furniture like a madwoman.

This weekend marks the 3rd annual (?) trip to PawPaw's over the summer. I think it's the third, but technically it's the first time going to his house up north. We'll leave early Friday morning, and I'm going to stay for a couple days to get the lay of the land there. Then I'll come back with GinaGina, and head back to pick them up the following weekend. If this doesn't cure their cabin fever, then it's hopeless. After they get back, they'll be attending VBS at a friend's church for a week, which they're excited about.

So much going on, and so little time. Soon it'll be time to start buying school supplies again and sending them off during the day. So I'm trying to make this summer as fun as possible for them. I just can't believe how much they're changing, almost day to day.

image courtesy of babble.com

I recently received some of the best news I could receive. One of my siblings is expecting!!! Yes, I'm going to be an aunt (again)!!! My brother and his lovely wife are expecting their second child sometime, I think, in February of 2010. Congratulations all around, and sis, if you're reading (and brother too, heh), I'm praying for an easy-peasy pregnancy for you!!

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My garbage disposal isn't working. It's amazing that you don't know how much you use something until you can't use it anymore. When I flip the switch, it hums, but won't move. I've read all about unjamming the disposal with the hex wrench, which I've tried. I've read all about unjamming the disposal with the handle of a wooden broom, which I've tried. The disposal moves freely, like it's supposed to, while trying said remedies. But it still won't move when I flip the switch. I'll say this though - it forces me to take the trash out a whole lot more often than I did before.

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The woman who daycares my kids (*wonderful* woman, and I'm blessed to know her) brought over a bag of material she bought at a yard sale for a buck - a buck!!!! It's a huge bag! Then a few days later, she brought over a bunch of material she cleaned out of her basement collection. As soon as I an get electric run to that side of my basement, I'm going to be one busy sewing woman!

Montana

Yes folks, that's right. Montana. You want to know why? Because I'm really bad at giving titles to blog posts. And Montana was the first thing I saw as I looked around my half of The Bunker...that's the kind of guitar I have sitting against the keyboard. Not that I play...guitar or keyboard. My husband has been trying to convince me to pick up the bass and learn, but it hasn't happened yet.

Not that I'm not musical...I'm very musical. I played clarinet from 4th grade all through high school. I was drum major my sophomore and junior years of high school, then head drum major my senior year. I sang in choir (alto, thankyouverymuch). If I'd played a stage band-ish sort of instrument, I would've played in stage band as well - since I didn't, I was stage band manager. I'm musical. But I'm also very impatient, and get very frustrated, very easily. I expect to be able to pick up an instrument and play it, at least semi-well, by ear. I expect this because that's how I work - most instruments I really *can* do just that. But guitar? Not so much. Bass? Really not so much.

Did I mention I frustrate easily? :)

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So. I haven't blogged in awhile, and the blogging gods (a.k.a. BlogHer ads) threatened to hang me by my toes if I didn't post. Well, really they just freeze your ads and politely remind you to post. But hanging by your toes sounds much more...threatening. I think I'm going to have to bow out of BlogHer for awhile. I keep telling myself that "As soon as this is over, I'll have more time and be able to post more". Or "As soon as this happens, I'll have more interesting things to write about than how much dish soap I used in my dishes this evening".

Well, guess what kids? The extra time never knocks on my door, and neither do the interesting stories. Sure, I've got spare minutes that I spend playing on the computer, but that's where the interesting fodder comes in, or rather, doesn't come in. As much as I enjoy trying different scents, no one wants to hear about my dish soap.

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So, I've started raising sod from the-lawn-that-will-soon-be-my-garden.

Good. Lord.

Lifting sod is some tough work!! I mean, I'm a wimp and all, but even if I weren't a wimp - it would still be tough! I didn't even get one row done before I had to stop. Then, it snowed. Yes, it snowed in the Midwest on April 1st. It didn't stick, of course, but it was certainly enough to get me out of the spring-digging mood for a few days. I have next week off though, so I'm mentally ready to complete the first row and start to finish the second. I'm making two rows, about 5 feet wide and maybe 12 feet long? I don't know exactly how long they are, but long enough. I also started half of my tomatoes a few days ago as well. I just got another packet of organic Roma tomatoes from Gardens Alive, so I will have to plant those soon too. Also inside my delivery envelope was a note saying my order for lady beetles would be shipped separately, so I'm eagerly awaiting those!

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So what else is happening? OH! I've added a new website into my favorites over on the left sidebar - A Number of Things. She's actually helped me decide to stop using "code names" on my blog. I'd been thinking about it for awhile, as the baby quickly became Gina Bean here at home (among other nicknames), so Beanpole just didn't seem right for Thomas anymore. So...we've got Julie, Thomas, Jacob, and Gina. I'm Kelly, and my wonderful husband is Patrick. Nice to meet you! (And go check out her blog - she has a 4 month old, she gardens, AND she sews...so she's a good egg!)

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Let's see. The Boys have First Communion coming up! They've both experienced their first confession, and are all prepared for the upcoming occasion. We have to take a trip to Michael's this weekend to pick up a kit for a name banner. They have some really cute ones there. And no, Thomas and Jacob are not twins. Jacob is going through the normal 2nd grade PSR class, and normal 2nd grade First Communion. Thomas, however, has been going through RCIC (Right of Christian Initiation for Children), similar to what I went through to become Catholic as an adult. I'm so very proud of both of them, and pray that Patrick and I can teach them to be fine young men of God.

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Ah yes, and our hours at work finally got cut. We'd been waiting for it, as store front hours got cut awhile ago (twice, actually). We figured we were good at least until cold and flu season was over with, and sure enough - 15 hours less starting a couple weeks from now. Luckily, between my seniority, my senior tech status, and my need for at least 30 hours in order to keep insurance, my hours were not affected. However, a couple others got cut, and are feeling the pinch (or at least the fear of the upcoming pinch) already.

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Anything else? Oh yes! Gina now has two, count them, TWO teeth! Can't. Believe. It. Her second one just popped through sometime today, as it was not there this morning. They're both bottom middle teeth. This explains her chewing (again) recently. She's also discovered her tongue...again. She was "Tongue Baby" for awhile, when she first found out it was in her mouth. Now she knows that not only can she stick it out, but she can curl it too. It's too cute.

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Alright, I think that's it for now. I've got some new dish soap upstairs that I've been waiting to try! ;)

Spring is coming 'round.

At least this is what I hope. We had a breakthrough of warmer weather just a little while ago, but it gave way to nastiness and cold again. Today, the sun is shining bright in the sky; although it looks warm from my window, the breeze still has a bite to it. I hope that this is the last of it though, and that warmer winds will blow our way soon.

Spring break has arrived, and how quickly it came! The Boys are outside washing their bicycles down, getting them all purtied up. They've got cabin fever something fierce, and need to be outside!

Beanpole had a birthday...I now have a double-digits son!! *tear* He had friends over to the house to play the wii, and we had cake, ice cream and snacks. And after running out of gas on the main drag here in town, we also had pizza (ooops...apparently that low fuel light was burnt out!). Thanks to Andy for coming to pick me up, pizza and all!

Little Linebacker has also had a birthday, turning 8 years old. He did not have a party, which didn't seem to bother him in the least. Chances are, two months from now, he'll realize he never got a party, and pout about having one. That's how he rolls.

And just to my left lies a very sleepy Angel Cakes in her bouncy chair, which is decidedly *not* bouncing right now, because she's sleeping. We had a visit from my sister and nieces this morning, and Cakes' nap was way too short because of all the excitement. So I'm glad she's down now.

Big Boss Man also celebrated a birthday, same day as Little Linebacker's. One year older, adn I love him even more now than when we met.

We had a wonderful visit with my in-laws. I can honestly say, thankfully, that I have in-laws that I love dearly and actually enjoy spending time with. They came up from their home in a much more southern, much warmer state, to celebrate all the birthdays. BBM's brother was also able to visit for a couple days. It was wonderful having family near.

Oh oh oh!!! I also (drum roll please) finished my very first crocheted bag!!! Okay, so I asked Lisa about a pattern that I found online, which she has, not surprisingly, made before. Well, that's not the bag I made, ha!! Let me start at the beginning. My dear sweet mother taught me to crochet when I was younger, but taught me basic crochet...I never learned to read a pattern, and if I knew what a half double crochet was, I certainly didn't know I knew (ya follow me?). So, this bag isn't the first thing I've ever crocheted...but it is the first pattern I've ever followed. It turned out alright. I really don't like the yarn, but it was all I had on hand at the time, and I'm impatient and didn't want to wait for a trip to Michael's. And it was supposed to be a felted bag, but I didn't felt it because 1) I don't really like that look, and 2) that darned yarn again...wasn't the right type for felting. So, all in all it works for a crochet bag - it has room for a book of patterns, my travel-contact-lense--turned-crochet-supplies-bag, etc. The bag I'd originally asked Lisa about turned out to be, well, a little too complicated for my sort-of-beginner crochet brain, so I postponed it.

Now. I recently came across a website that sells incredible little hats...wait, I'm sorry, beanies and headbands for the little girls in your life. They are absolutely adorable! Well, they're having a grand opening give away (and when I went there today to copy and paste their web address, I saw a post that says they've gotten their store open as well!) So, go check out their Grand Opening Giveaway!! And take a gander at their store as well! (Plus they have a really good playlist on their website, lol! Normally those things freak me out, because I never know who's going to have them, and random music starts playing...but this one's good!)

Well the phone has been ringing off the hook, and I really should be upstairs painting, not down here playing. So until next time folks, have a sunny day!!

I am ALL about recipes...

...and in various different aspects of my life as well! Take, for instance, at work: if we get a script for a compound, we follow a recipe to make it. It doesn't happen often (we technically aren't a true "compounding" location), but when it does, I'm excited to make them.

And here at home? I'm a recipe girl! Dinners - I'm so not an experimenter when it comes to food! Sometimes I wish I were, but I think it mostly stems from having a strict grocery list and menu...if I experiment with a dinner and a) it turns out well, but the family doesn't like it, or b) it turns out like crap and the family doesn't like it, then BOOM! I've ruined dinner, and what am I going to make now??? Plus, food is expensive, in case you haven't noticed! I hate the thought of wasting food.

Also, recipes for disaster. How about this: what do you get when you have children, a day off, a list about the length of your arm full of things to do on said day off, some of which must get done during normal business hours? Well, if you're me (and probably many other moms, at some point), you get a sick child! You get a call from the school, first saying that Little Linebacker has visited the nurse's office a couple times this morning, but he doesn't have a fever and looks just fine. Then right after lunch, when you're on your way to one of the things you must do today, you get another call from that same sweet nurse, saying "Little Linebacker is green in the gills and puking into his coffee can" (apparently they've collected metal coffee cans, line them with disposable plastic liners, and let the kids sit in the nurse's office with them when their tummies are upset).

So I got to go pick up LL and head home with him. He's now laying on the couch, after being forced to head back out with me to drop Beanpole off at PSR. Cakes is also upstairs, whining away. I don't think she feels well either. She's just getting over whatever she had before. Earlier this morning (before the puking incident) she had the diaper to end all diapers, and hasn't been the same since.

I think we're all in for a long night. So, who wants to join me? Gather all your germy kids, your Clorox wipes, and your Kleenex, and maybe a pillow or two, grab a seat on the couch and hunker down for the evening.

{sigh}

It's a wonder how someone can be so content, and at the same time feel like everything is in a complete upheaval. How can things be so wrong, yet so right?

Beanpole had his first orchestra concert last night. He was fan-freakin-tastic!!! I teared up several times. He was able to sit right on the end of the second semi-circle, so the audience was right next to him. He was completely embarrassed by us, but I caught him peeking in between people's heads to see if we were looking. I smiled and winked at him every chance I got. A special treat of DQ ice cream, and all was well with the world.

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Little Linebacker was sick yesterday. I knew something was up when, the night before, he'd gone to bed on his own, falling asleep in a position only an unborn baby would find comfortable. A couple hours later, he awoke and ventured downstairs where his father and I sat working at our computers, glazed look in his eyes, sad scowl on his face. I asked if he was okay (I thought maybe he'd thrown up...it was that kind of look), but he said he was alright, nothing hurt, no accidents, nada. I ushered him back upstairs, and after a proper tucking in, he was asleep within seconds. The next morning? BAM. 102.8 degrees. My poor boy. This morning? No fever, no glazed eyes, my hyperactive child was back in business.

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Cakes has been sick as well. Her pediatrician said it could be a sinus infection, but it could also be strep (strep in babies present just like a sinus infection, not like in adults where it's accompanied by swollen tonsils and bumps and all that fun stuff). She was around someone who was diagnosed a few days prior with strep; that's the only reason he mentioned it. So she's on day 6 of medication, and although she's more like her normal self (which these days is a bubbly, talkative, squirming bundle of baby), but she's nowhere near well. We still run her humidifier at night and during naps, still suction her nose, and still change diapers affected by her antibiotics. Normally, though, she is just as cute as a button, has about a gazillion nicknames, and has transformed our home. She's quite enjoying her cereal, carrots, and butternut squash (she was supposed to get sweet potatoes last night, but the concert and all...no time for taters), and she's growing like mad. The whole starting of veggies makes me wish for spring, as I've received my Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog and am hoping to order and actually plant a veggie-full garden this year, mostly for homegrown Cakes-food, but maybe some maters and cukes for me as well (oh, if only I could get The Boys to eat a veggie besides corn, which isn't really even a veggie!).

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Big Boss Man is upstairs asleep as I type, trying to fight what we first thought was a bought of Pizza Hut thin crust pizza, but now has lasted way too long and might actually be the flu. We had grand plans to get our taxes done this morning, but we'll see. I work this afternoon, and then for the rest of the week as well. So if it doesn't happen today, we're looking at Saturday at the earliest. Here's hoping whatever this bug is doesn't completely knock him out of the race.

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Back in January, I hurt my back at work. For some reason, I can make filing a small folder a dangerous job. I thought I threw my back out (I've never done that before, but I sure felt like it looks like people in the movies and on tv feel like when it happens). But I was able to stand back up at first, so I knew that wasn't right. I thought maybe I just pulled a muscle, so I tried to walk around the back of the pharmacy for awhile. A few hours later, not only was it not getting better, it was getting decidedly worse, to the point where if I took a step, I had to support my entire body weight by leaning on the counter. I ended up leaving early to go to the emergency room at the same hospital I gave birth to Cakes. I had to be wheeled out of the store in our "for customer use" wheelchair, which was thoroughly embarrassing.

Turns out, after IV morphine and exams by a couple different doctors and xrays and more IV morphine (woohoo!!), I herniated a disc. No one told me why it happened or what to do to make it not happen again. I was sent home on 2 day bedrest, then 4 days of no lifting. I saw an occupational therapist who released me for restricted duty one week after it happened, then full duty, no restrictions, 2 weeks after it happened. Now I definitely feel better, but I still get extraordinarily sore after a day of work (we stand the whole day, except a 20-30 minute lunch break). I have been trying to reach my workman's comp claims examiner for, let's see, this would be the 6th business day, and I haven't heard a thing. I also tried calling her supervisor, left a message there too, and nothing. I should have a check coming to me (granted, it's for one day's work, but that's still one day's work), and I'd like to see if I can at least follow up with my primary to get some kind of exercises to do to strengthen my back. I'm also fighting with the subrogation department about getting my ER copay back...$100 because I wasn't thinking clearly when I was there. Oddly, I've left 3 messages with that woman as well.

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I am also embarking on an expedition of my own. I've been trying (for years, it seems) to think of some way I could make money "on the side", so to speak. I believe this plan might actually be profitable, although I'm not sure how long it might take to reap the benefits. I've started on it already, although technically just in my mind. I'm keeping a book with me at all times to jot down notes and ideas. Will this be our meal ticket? No, I'd say not (I mean maybe in my wildest dreams, but not in the reality we live in daily). But it will definitely help, and it's something I'm good at already (as opposed to sewing, where I have issues, although I've not given up on my etsy dream yet either...just on hold).

2009 is almost here!

Can you believe that a new year is already around the corner? Well wait, I guess it was around the corner maybe a month ago...now it's practically beating down our door! Or is that the sound of opportunity I hear knocking? New years always bring us the opportunity to fix things that are broken...to take the time to enjoy things again...to realize what we have now, what we dream of having, and how to get it. New years brings us the satisfaction of looking back over the past 365 days and see exactly what we've accomplished, and gives us at least one more chance of grabbing that bigger prize, or being thankful for the one we grabbed.

What exactly do you have planned for the upcoming year? World travels? Going back to school? Finishing up that dreaded project you've had sitting on the back burner for a few months while life took a hectic turn? While I have many "tangible" things on my to-do list for 2009, I have a few intangibles as well. And these are of utmost importance.

You've always heard the saying "People only treat you how you allow them to treat you"? Well, I'm taking it to heart. No longer will I play dead when I encounter something I don't like...I'll stand up for myself, and in turn, I'll be teaching my children that if they come across something that isn't working out, they can always just put up with it, or they can decide what's best for them is to clear themselves of that situation.

In 2009, I also plan on not taking the little things for granted. My children are now almost 14, almost 10, almost 8, and almost 4 months! Where did that time go??? And why don't I remember more of it? Thank goodness for digital cameras, as at least I can capture their childhoods that way from here on out. But Beanpole and Little Linebacker? Sure I have film pictures of them as wee ones, but as much as I love taking pictures, I hate developing them, and I hate filing them into photo albums even more! So I will not allow their childhoods to slip away any further...I'm going to take the time to enjoy each of them for the joys they bring to the family individually.

I am going to use the new year as a stepping stone to getting my finances in order. My bankbook looks like Bank of America's version of Chernobyl. I have been so lucky to have family and friends who want nothing more than to help us out, but those times are over. There is no good reason things shouldn't be better than they are. Living like this isn't living, it's surviving, and we've done that long enough...time to *live*...without the worry that money often brings.

So what does the new year bring down your path? Do you make resolutions? Do you just hope that things are better next year, or do you make plans and timelines and set mini-goals in order to reach the main objective? Either way, I pray that the new year brings peace and joy to you all.

The time is upon us.

It's that time again folks!! It's *HOLIDAY* time!! Now this year, I'm not going to post pictures of all the Christmas stuff lining the shelves of my second home, Walgreens, like I did last year. But I will tell you that although we haven't put up our Christmas tree, or hung the stockings with care or anything a little on the weird side like that, we *have* hung up our jingle bell wreath on our front door. Our door needed something anyway.

We're knee deep in preparation for Turkey Day here. This will be the first evah turkey I've cooked...like, in my entire life. But I've watched my dear sweet mother do it about a gazillion times, so I know who to call when I can't figure out which end of the turkey bag to put the turkey in (uhm, that would be the *open* end, silly). Other than that, we'll be having the usual: stuffing (sorry mom, it's from a box...I can't master yours), mashed spuds, green bean casserole, either biscuits or corn muffins, and yup, even PIE!! I can't wait, and although the idea of double pay really appeals to us at this time, I'm secretly hoping BBM doesn't get called in to work.

Cakes is almost 3 months old, if you can believe that!! At her two month appointment, she'd grown longer, but not heavier (if you can believe that too!). Now, The Boys were chunks at this stage of the game. Their clothes were somewhere between "fit just right" and "not quite big enough around the middle". Cakes has plenty of wiggle room round her belly. She's also babbling now...I can't really describe it, but it's a hoot to listen to. She's a smiley little bugger too, especially if you catch her just waking up in the morning, before she realizes that no one is paying attention to her.

The Boys are incredibly excited for the holiday season to begin. There is only one thing on our television every Saturday and Sunday, then Monday night, and (at least in November) Thursday nights as well: football!!! Some college, some NFL...it doesn't matter to Little Linebacker. And he's still as score/record/statistic oriented this year as he was in years past - he can remember scores from games taking place 2 years ago. I can't imagine who he got that gene from. The OB didn't tell me, but I'm pretty sure he had a football cradled in his arms when he was born!

Beanpole is still doing wonderfully on the cello. He's learned pizzicato as well as bowing, and is practicing songs for his first concert! I'm trying to be supportive without being pushy. I would love to play the cello, so while I want to live vicariously through him, I also want him to enjoy what he's doing! He is so musically inclined, so it comes very easy to him. We have music playing almost constantly in the house, and a wide variety at that.

I just spoke with my mom, who has made plans to come over here tomorrow after church and help me try to finish getting Angel's room switched over. I'll admit it, I haven't done much of anything to it since moving the bunker downstairs. However, a few days ago I finally moved the file cabinets down into the basement. There are tons of loose papers, books, drawings, etc. left up there though, and I want to go through it all instead of just tossing it. Once that's done, a good dusting a vacuuming is in order, and then patching the nail holes in the walls. Then, finally, painting and putting up chair rail. I can't wait for it to be all finished! I've got before pictures, and I'll post them and the afters once we're completely done!

And now it's time for me to throw another load of laundry in while I wait for BBM to get home from work. If I don't get a chance to post again before Thanksgiving, have a wonderful holiday!! Be safe, be happy, and be thankful!

What's in a month?

Seriously. What's a month in a lifetime full of them? Let's delve into exactly what a month brings at Whirlwind Lodge.

A month is me going back to work. This past Monday was my first official day back at work. I opened...on a Monday...which is scary. Thankfully, it didn't go badly at all. I even left on time, which is very unusual for a Monday. Also thankfully, BBM was off work, so I didn't have to think about Angel Cake being at the sitter's house all day. However, everyone and their brother (and uncle, and sister, and mother, dog, fish, etc.) wanted to talk about Cakes, or see her picture, or ask how her birth went (they may not be family, but these people have been customers for life, and went through this pregnancy with me). This means I had to think about Cakes ALL. DAY. LONG. And it means I talked about her ALL. DAY. LONG. And it means I cried A. LOT. Thankfully (I promise that's the last time I use that word), I got through it, and it's become easier throughout the week.

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A month is The Boys and Angel Cake being christened. This happened last Sunday. It was a wonderful day, as we had multitudes of family in town for the event. My father-in-law and aunt-in-law joined us for 9:30 mass, we came home for a quick bite to eat, and then joined back up with them and the rest of the family for the christening. There were 2 other babies being christened, so lots of family and friends. Angel Cake wore a family gown made by a family friend from the wedding dress of BBM's aunt (a different aunt than the one that was here). The Boys were treated to special outfits by my dad (who was also in town). I think they're growing up just a little too quickly for my tastes.


The Boys all decked out.


During the christening.


Not that I'm biased, but those are some adorable children.


With the bonnet on...{sigh}

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A month is dropping Angel Cake off at a sitter's for the first time. That happened this past Wednesday, and then again on Friday. She's only there for a little over an hour one day, and then about 7 hours on the other day. Luckily, our sitter lives just behind and down a ways from our house (within walking distance), so it's not like I'm driving all over creation before I get to see Angel Cake after work. The sitter also called me the very first day, at work, and said that BBM told her I was going to call her because, well, I'm me, and I don't like being away from Cakes. So she called to check in.


Beanpole holding Angel Cake.

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A month is winning a contest over at Lisa's blog!!! She had a giveaway for one of her awesome little notebooks, and I won!! I got a "You're a weiner!" email (oh wait, well, nevermind) that said the package would make its way to me in Misery just as soon as her little fingers could package it up. A few days later, I spy a large white envelope in our mailbox, and I know that my prize has arrived! Inside, I find these: (and you're just going to have to excuse my pictures. I live for blurriness...really, I do.)



TWO packages?!?! How do I rate?!?

Inside the littler package:



Seriously, how nifty is that? She even included a pink pen, since I'm all about the pink now! What a fantastic prize. Then, she *really* got me, however, with this other thing I found in the envelope:

***I have to preface this picture with a short story. Ever since I've "known" Lisa, I've also known about her etsy shop. She makes rockin' things like stuffed weiners with really neato names (c'mon...Balle-Weiner? Cup-Pooch-ino? You just can't get any better than that!), log carriers (don't worry gals, she's got 'em in pink too!), and reuseable produce bags, among other things. Well she'd had something for sale for quite awhile, and I wanted it. I wanted it baaaaaad. But I couldn't swing it in ye ole budget, and I selfishly continued to hope that no one else would buy it so eventually I could get my hot little hands on it.***

So, story being told, here's what was inside the bigger package:



But wait, there's more!



Of course, I cried when I opened it, but then I promptly tried on the apron.



One side has the tea towel.



And the other? A pocket. A pocket fit for...a *notebook*!!!!



And the bag? The bag is lined in green gingham. I LOVE gingham.



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A month is celebrating another year of being married to my soul mate. Big Boss Man and I reached 5 years of marriage on October 11th. We didn't go out...we didn't wrangle Mom into watching The Kids so we could invade some stuffy restaurant filled with candles...oh no. We ordered in...Steak Out, I believe. So while the celebrations weren't large, our love is, and continues to grow each and every day.


On our wedding day.

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So, while my hiatus from blogging didn't leave me with oodles of extra time in which to get the house all spic and span, or reach the bottom of DirtyClothes Mountain, or to finally finish Angel Cake's room, or to put down newspaper on the grass that we want gone for next year's hopeful flower garden...it did make way for other things. It was the last portion of the last maternity leave I'll ever take. I had precious time to spend with The Boys and Angel Cake. I think BBM and I even got to go out to dinner once.

But it's good to be back. Here's to many more months!!

Confessions.

There are some things I'd like to admit to in this post. I know, shocking, isn't it??

I'm guilty of eating Ramen noodles for the past 2 days for lunch, even though one package has enough sodium content to last me for a whole week. My feet/ankles are yelling at me right now.



I'm guilty of falling head over heels for a writer named Grace Livingston Hill, thanks to a newfound blog friend, Anna.



I'm guilty of copying recipes down that I never make, but that sound really really good, and that I'd like to say I've made.



I'm guilty of being SCARED. TO. DEATH. of being induced on Tuesday.



I'm guilty of being angry with Big Boss Man's 99 cent San Pellegrino habit, when really it's no more than my daily YooHoo on days that I work. Although I don't drink 4 a day.



I'm guilty of organized chaos. My desk is horrifying to the stranger's eye, but I can tell you what pile everything's in (uh, usually).



**Disclaimer: this is NOT a shelf in my home**

I'm guilty of loving to take pictures, then never getting them developed.



I'm guilty of eating one of life's most hideous food combinations, apparently: peanut butter bread with raisins on top. And I'm guilty of continuing to eat it even after being told it was one of life's most hideous food combos.



I'm guilty of watching movies (especially ones where the underdog wins in the end), over and over and over (and over, and over) again.



I'm guilty of having SO MANY things I want to do, but never doing them, or being scared to try.



I'm guilty (very guilty sometimes) of using sarcasm a a defense mechanism.




Whew...well I don't know about you, but I feel better. Sort of like how Dory feels better in Finding Nemo when she admits to never having eaten a fish:

I hope you all are having a fantastical Friday. And here's to a wonderful, fun-filled weekend.

And share something you're guilty of.