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?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Last Minute
Monday, September 06, 2010
Happy holiday!
Did all of you have a refreshing long weekend? I certainly hope it was filled with fun, sun, gorgeous weather, football, barbecue and cold drinks! Mine had some of that, but also had work today (boo!). That also means, however, that I will get holiday pay on my next check - that's a yippee right there!
Over the weekend, my younger daughter turned 2 years old. I can't believe how time has completely flown by...seems like just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital and sat and stared at her for hours on end. Now, she runs around like some crazy baby, and we still sit around watching her.
Her party (and I use that term loosely, since it was nothing significantly planned out at all) was successful. Snacks, homemade chili, and a frosted pink birthday cake made it great.
GinaGina's favorite thing is, by far, Dora the Explorer (much to my chagrin). She runs when she hears it on tv. We have several episodes DVR'd for her viewing pleasure, as well as a DVD of 4 episodes. If she's upset, you can always get her to calm by singing the Dora song and quoting the beginning of an episode. She'll continue quoting and forget what she was upset about.
Along with Backpack and Map, my mom got her another Dora DVD with 3 episodes we didn't have DVR'd! SCORE!
One of her favorite episodes of Dora is the cowboy episode, where Dora and Boots are dressed in their cowboy gear and have to deliver cowboy cookies to Benny. She loves it, and rides her stuffed unicorn around yelling, "Yeehaw!". So, we had to get her some gear.
Zachary also gave her a stick horse, which is awesome except that it talks and whinnies when a button is pressed on its ear, which really freaks GinaGina out. So she's sticking with the unicorn, from what I can tell. She's also going for the country singer gig, which she can totally pull off.
So even though I had to work today, the weekend was an utter success. The weather was just stunning as well - we were able to keep the windows open all weekend long (until today, because I'm a wimp). I can't say it was relaxing, although we didn't DO much of anything. We were all exhausted by the end. Again, I hope your weekend was beautiful and special.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Happy Halloween, folks!
How could it possibly be October 31st, already?!?! I am continually amazed at how quickly the year is passing by. It always moves fast, but once cold and flu season hits, it goes faster because of how busy it gets at work.
Today has been spent working around the house. I hit the ground FLYing and although I've taken a couple breaks, I've gotten so much done! I'm going through The Boys' room and the basement, 15 minutes at a time, collecting stuff that's just plain trash (*why* have we been keeping broken toys, games missing pieces, etc.????). Then I'm collecting stuff that's still good, but not in use by us anymore - we can certainly let it bless someone else's life! I'll take that to one of my favorite stores,Value Village, tomorrow. I also went to the grocery store and had dinner planned out, but my husband woke up feeling sick to his stomach, and the meal I'd planned wasn't sounding too appealing at all. So I'll save that for tomorrow night's supper and try something quick and easy for tonight.
We'll be heading out for trick or treating later this evening - The Boys are going as zombies (yeah, I really tried to convince them otherwise, to no avail), and GinaGina will be THE cutest bumble bee I've ever seen. We'd planned on heading over to a friend's house for her yearly party, but oddly, she woke up not feeling well either, and isn't sure if the party's a go or not. If not, we'll come back home, sort through the candy, and maybe have family movie night (or family football night, which we enjoy even more!).
Everyone have a safe, happy Halloween! Don't eat too much candy!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Vacation!!
Do you know what happens when you have a vacation? Not necessarily a time when you travel away from home, but simply a time in which you are not required to go to work. I'll tell you what happens...
You get even further behind than you have been! How does that happen?? I guess things aren't that bad. The kids are out of school for the summer, so if I'm stuck in the throes of paperwork, it's my own, not theirs. They are begging every single day to have so-and-so over, or to go over to so-and-so's house to play, but that's no biggie, and not atypical for them (they would ask that after homework was done during the school year anyway).
I at least had a handle on laundry, sorta kinda, at the beginning of the vacation. Now it's backed up again, but I've started on it early this morning in the hopes that we might actually be getting out of here for a few days. Later today, I plan on going around the house with trash can in hand, to collect "stuff". How said stuff accumulates without actually going anywhere or doing anything is Beyond. Me.
So what have we done? Well, I've begged my older son to let me cut his hair (just a trim!), to no avail. I've watched Jacob get very angry at a V.I.D.E.O. G.A.M.E. because it won't move fast enough. I've seen GinaGina not only begin to actually *crawl*, but to pull up on her knees as well (sigh). I've gotten to watch my entire DVR collection of Burn Notice, or at least start watching it. I've got today to finish, as tonight is the season premiere for the third season. I told Patrick that's what I want for Christmas - seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.
Still haven't gotten the electricity wired to my sewing machine downstairs - that might be a later summer thing. My garden is in full swing as well! My corn has popped up, the tomatoes look terrific, and yesterday a friend brought over another plant for it - he said "It's either an eggplant or brussel sprouts, but I'm not sure which". Then he said he hoped it was eggplant because he doesn't like brussel sprouts. I said I'm the opposite - I was hoping for brussel sprouts because I don't like eggplant. This, of course, led to an entire discussion on how to prepare each veggie. I don't think I convinced him, but he didn't quite convince me either!
My dryer calls!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
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!!
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.
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!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Backed UP
Well, I know I'm preaching to the choir, considering several of my readers (yup, all 3 of you:P ) have Multi-tasker's Disease just like I do...but how do things get so backed up???
I think spring has officially sprung here in the Midwest. I was actually {gasp!} sweating on my walk home from work today. Truly, it wasn't that warm, but I had my smock on, plus carrying my purse and a bag for my lunch. Plus, I'm no slouch when walking home...it's my exercise, so I'm semi-booking it. But the bottom line is, I *hate* being hot. I mean, there's only so many clothes one can take off, right?
Gina has been...down. We're not quite sure what's hit her, but it's wreaking havoc on our diaper pail! Our supply of infant's tylenol has been depleted as well. She's had a low to mid-grade fever for a few days now, and just isn't herself. It makes it even harder (if that was possible) to leave for work every morning - I'd much rather just sit and cuddle her until she's back to her beanie self.
Thomas and Jacob are SO ready for summer break! I can't remember exactly when they get out of school, but I know it's soon, and so do they! And they're glad to be able to wear shorts to school too, although they still insist they're "freeeeeeeeezing" every morning and want to take their winter coats. By the time we get out to the van, however, they're good to go. Both have field trips coming up too, and they are super excited about that! Oh and Thomas might be getting a lizard...and anole? I think that's what it's called. They have a whole bunch in their class, and anyone who turns in a permission slip gets one (if they don't have enough, then the names get dropped into a hat).
My tomato plants sprouted not long ago (yes, I'm behind!), and I bought one of those little $1 mini-pot things from Target that had sweet basil seeds in it - they're growing as well. I also got strawberries and...something else that I can't quite think of at the moment. I planted those later, however,and they've not sprouted yet. I've got to get the rest of the garden done this weekend...it's been raining so much here that I've not been able to even dig anything more since first starting. As far as I've heard though, this weekend is supposed to be beautiful.
Any other guesses as to what's on my weekend list? SPRING CLEANING, baby!!! Especially now, since the house seems to be in a hand basket here recently. There are a few things on my mental list that *must* get done, but some of the others are just "in the near future" tasks.
And since the baby was up much of the night last night, I think I'm going to hit the sack here shortly. Maybe I'll be able to catch a few z's before she wakes up tonight.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
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? :)
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.
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!
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!)
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.
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.
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.
Alright, I think that's it for now. I've got some new dish soap upstairs that I've been waiting to try! ;)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
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!!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Right quick!!
Hurry! I know, I know, I'm being pushy. But desperate times call for desperate measures. I just found out about a great giveaway, but it's ending soon (like a coupla hours soon). And I haven't linked to a giveaway in SO long. But this one's worth it. Go check it out. And you know what? If you don't make it over to the site before the giveaway closes, check it out anyway. It's an excellent site, and it links to more excellent sites. I've created a link to her place on my sidebar, for easy access.
Seriously folks (especially mom's of young lasses), get yer hineys over there and check her out.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
{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.
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.
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!).
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.
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.
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).
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
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.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
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!
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Awww nuts.
Well, I had promised myself that I was going to, ya know, like, post once in awhile when I posted after that month-long break. So much for that...I make pie crust promises to myself all the time.
Halloween was spooky. Little Linebacker was perfectly happy going as a race car driver. They both went as race car drivers last year, but Beanpole's was just a tad too short (try about 6 inches too short)...and Little Linebacker's had holes in all the wrong places. So LL decided to wear Beanpole's old one, which fit wonderfully. 
Beanpole decided on a last minute cape, combined with the pants/shirt combo that PawPaw got for his christening (there's something oddly ironic about this). 
Angel Cake went as...a baby. :) After a slight mix-up with a costume I was getting from a friend, it was too late to go get her anything that would meet her standards and still trick or treat for any grand amount of time. She did, however, get compliments from anyone and everyone that passed by.
Other than that, not much happens here. Big Boss Man is on a new shift. well, same shift, different days (bwahahahahaaaaa!! I kill me!). Work for me is still work...we're gearing up for cold and flu season. You have to mentally prepare for that kind of chaos, you know. And that's the best word for it - CHAOS. At least we're stocked up on Tamiflu this year (ya know, because a prescription will help with the flu). But I digress.
This week, I'm hoping to get enough cardboard boxes from work to lay out over the grass that now covers my future garden. I'll keep it covered over the winter, and hopefully will be close to grass and weed-free by next spring! My other task this week is to fill all the nail holes in the walls of Cake's room. We've got colors picked out for both her and The Boys' rooms. So hole-plugging, wall-priming, and chair rail-installing must happen before the colors will be purchased and used. We'll get it done, sometime before her first birthday...maybe.
OH!!! I almost forgot! As we speak, the last load of BBM's laundry is in the washing machine...after that, every single article of clothing he owns (besides the threads on his bod, of course) will be clean!! Now to complete The Boys (sigh).
Well, Angel Cake just woke up from her Mass-induced nap, and football started 18 minutes ago and I haven't watched a single second of it yet. So I must depart for now.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Hellooooooooo out there!!
Well what a week it's been!! I've got to admit to my bloggy buddies: I'm dead tired. I'm running on fumes right now, although I've been trying for days to convince myself (and others around me) that sleep is highly overrated.
It's not working.
As of right now, I've been up for 8 hours, and it's just almost noon. I've got a couple errands to run this afternoon, and unfortunately, they *must* be done this afternoon...so there's no chance of catching a nap before The Boys come home. If tonight is anything like the past week, Angel Cake will be up from about 9pm on (yeah, right after The Boys go to bed...how convenient!)...last night it was about midnight when she finally slept...otherwise, she's attached to my boobs! She's a cluster-feeder. Sometimes that's a good thing, because she'll sleep for maybe 5 hours after a cluster feed. Other times, not so much...she's still up every 2-3 hours to fill her belly. Mommy's tired.
Big Boss Man went back to work a couple days ago, and that's made life harder as well. No longer can he take her during any late morning/early afternoon wakey wakey time while I grab a nap. I'm lucky to take a shower before he leaves for work. Luckily, my mom, brother and his fam, and possibly sister and her girls will be over tomorrow. Maybe I'll be able to do the dishes (all of them this time, since there's a stack).
Angel Cake is just precious. The Boys are *still* in love with her, which is a miracle to me...I figured, even if she was cute (which she is), even if she didn't wake them in the middle of the night (which she doesn't), that the novelty would eventually wear off. It hasn't happened yet. But we haven't reached the girly toys all over their bedroom floor stage yet ;)
The Boys started PSR recently, and are enjoying themselves immensely. 2 weeks from now, they'll start their baptism classes, which will enable them to be christened on the same day of Angel Cake's christening, to which the whole fam appears to be coming. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, although I'm not looking forward to planning what I imagine to be a big post-christening bash at our home. We'd tentatively planned on BBQing, but I'm going to try to convince BBM to order fried chicken from our *favorite* restaurant across the river, which has THE BEST fried chicken evah!! Saves time for me, and everyone (well, at least everyone here) knows that it's all. about. me.
**Oddly, BBM just came downstairs and I asked if he'd be against the idea of getting Moonlight chicken. His response? I can't figure out how to type the noise he made, but it loosely translates to "Yeah, NO problem with Moonlight chicken at all, thankyouverymuch."**
Speaking of downstairs, I got to the bottom of the pile of dirty laundry in our closet, and underneath it all, BBM found some motivation to *finally* move the computers/musical instruments/recording equipment down into the basement. The only things left in now-Angel Cake's room are my filing cabinets and lots of paperwork to sort through and file in said filing cabinets. That's my job. Granted, all of our posters/pictures/children's portraits are still affixed to the walls, but those won't be taken down just yet. Once they are, however, a-painting we will go, in that room AND The Boys' room.
Now, I started this post this morning...and now it's almost 5pm and I've just gotten back to it...and I still haven't slept. *Sigh*
I'm off to make dinner and quiet a crying Angel Cake. Could it be her dinner time (again) too? I guess the last one was just an afternoon snack, right?
Peace, dudes!
Monday, September 01, 2008
My, how time flies!!
Little Linebacker had a neighbor friend over today...just from across the street, playing in his room. All of a sudden they come out, and LL says they're going over to Neighbor Boy's house to catch monsters in his basement. And yes, they are real monsters, because they've seen them! I tell them to be careful, because LL has a baby sister to meet tomorrow and he wants to be completely healthy for that...can't meet your new baby sister when you're tired and recovering from a hard day of monster chasing!
His eyes get big and he says, "Tomorrow?!?! Tomorrow's Tuesday?!?!?"
Yes baby, tomorrow's Tuesday, and you'll go to school in the morning, but when you're called to come down to the office, we'll be on our way to the hospital to have LMJM.
His eyes get *real* big, and his mouth drops. He walks out of the house, silent, with Neighbor Boy telling him how he has to tell LMJM that he's the friend, when she gets older, of course.
Now I'm wondering if I should inform Beanpole that tomorrow's Tuesday, and he'll have a baby sister...maybe he's lost track of time as well.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
67½ hours
In no more than 67½ hours, we will begin welcoming the 4th child into our family. Today, we finally went and got the carseat, a nice orangey model (BBM was right...the pink ones were just a tad too...P.I.N.K., even for me, and everything else was so boyish). With my $20 off coupon, we were able to get the extended warranty thingy, still spend less than the original cost of the carseat, and ended up with 97 cents left on a gift card!! W00T!! Now I have to admit, we bought a package of size 1 diapers as well (for convenience, since we were already there), and a box of baby wipes, and got those on the gift cards as well. Now I have a bunch of newborn diapers from a diaper cake made by a friend (she's awesome...it's her gift every time someone gets pregnant, and it's a wonderful gift...socks folded up like candles, all sorts of baby notions like thermometers, spoons, a cute little frog thing to test bathwater temps, and diapers, individually rolled & tied with ribbon...it's incredible). I also have a pack of size 2 diapers from the shower as well. We don't think LMJM will be fitting into NB diapers though (if she does, it certainly won't be for long), but I think size 2s would be a bit big. And obviously, I opened the wipes as soon as we got home, simply because now it smells baby fresh in the house!! (I know, I know...a coupla poops from LMJM, and that baby fresh thing will be long gone!).
So...I don't think it's too early to start counting down by hours, even if I don't know a specific time...they said no later than 2pm to start the induction. Of course, it could take hours after the pitocin starts dripping into my IV, but still...the whole process will have begun, and that's half the battle! The Boys are completely excited and overcome with anticipation. I had hoped to order them Big Brother and Bigger Brother t-shirts, but it just wasn't in the cards. Maybe I'll go to Michaels and get something to make them buttons or something...maybe a hat...t-shirts are outgrown anyway. I know they have big brother stuff at the gift shop in the hospital as well...I seem to remember hats there too, but I could be mistaken. Either way, they're just excited as all get out. Aww, and looking online at the hospital gift shop, they don't have clickable links to products or anything, but things can be purchased over the phone if you're not able to visit in person...how cool is that??? I really like this hospital.
So...carseat is installed, clothes and blankets have been washed and put away, bag is packed (complete with extra digital batteries), mommy is sufficiently sleep deprived already and has become accustomed to it...I think we've got everything (really everything this time) needed for LMJM to make her arrival.
So...although I've been doing better at posting more than 3 times a month, I'm going to warn everyone...if I'm not back on for a week or so, you'll know why!!! I'm sure as soon as we're home and semi-settled (hopefully just in time for kick-off of the first game of the season [the Skins vs. the Giants...BBM's team vs. one of my favorites, although not as much anymore now that Tiki's retired]) I'll be long overdue for a sit-down at my trusty computer to catch up on my own blog, plus catch up on my daily blogroll.
So...have a wonderful Labor Day, whatever your plans - be safe, be fun!!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
My last prenatal appointment
Well, it's almost here!! In a little over an hour, I have my last prenatal appointment, ever. Should I take a picture as I go in the door or something? As much as I'm W.A.I.T.I.N.G. for this to be done, I'm sad about it too. Maybe I'll go in today and he'll tell me "Uhm, whoah! You're dilated to 5 centimeters...don't you feel those contractions?!?"
Hey, a girl can dream, right?
Other than that, I've got errands to run today...more of them. Well really, I just need to go to Babies R Us, because I found some old gift cards that I *think* will give us enough to buy the last big thing we need to get...we have one, but it's old and I can't figure it out and it will be safer to get a new one. We were going to buy it tomorrow, but I'll go today with the gift cards and purchase it. I also have some forms to fax off to work, and I have to call disability, because:
Yesterday was my last official day at work!!! W00t w00t!! So that must be done today so my pay won't get screwed up (hopefully). I've heard horror stories, so think good payroll thoughts for me, 'kay?
I also need to call The Boys' school and explain to them what'll be happening next Tuesday, and see if their teachers might have some extra worksheets or something to send home with them that day...to help occupy their time at the hospital. I'm also going to print out some coloring pages or puzzle pages I think, and have those packed with some crayons and colored pencils and plain paper. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated! And thankfully, I'm not worried about snacks, because this hospital *rocks* as far as keeping family members happy goes...seriously...it's like being in a hotel...they are there for no other reason than the patient and their family...it's refreshing, actually.
I think the rest of the stuff is home stuff to do...laundry (but no baby items...those are ALL. DONE), and that includes clothing and sheets, tidying up the living room/hall/kitchen, and vacuuming. This sounds like a lot, doesn't it? Well, first, I don't want LMJM coming home to an untidy house. Second, it'll feel so much better if I get it done now, then the upkeep will be easier once we come home. Third, I'm trying to go into labor here, people!!! But I promise to go easy and not do anything that makes me feel icky. Pinky swear.
*********AUTHOR'S EDIT: I haven't posted about a giveaway in awhile, but my morning blogroll found me staring this one straight in the face over at Around the Quilt Block. What an adorable bag!! Plus there's chocolate...and fabric (which I have a serious lack of). Check it out!
*********AUTHOR'S EDIT #2: Let me pose a question for all you etsyers out there. I found a fantastical book at the library this afternoon with patterns for some kitchen accessories...stuff that's probably way out of my league, since I was recently excited for a straight line; however, I looked through the book and although it says "no portion of the publication can be reproduced or transmitted", it doesn't mention anything about making things off the patterns and selling them. What's protocol on this? What if I make the cutsie-wootsie things, but change something slightly about the pattern? What if I don't change anything, sew it as is, but link to the author/book when trying to sell it? I've got no clue how to proceed.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Ladies and Gents, I have an announcement...
*GRIN* Don't you love the catchy titles I'm finding that could mean I've given birth, but I'm not really using them that way??? I'm sure you love it that I'm doing that...I'm sure you do.
But I really do have news! As of this morning, barring any earlier baby-arrival, I'm scheduled to be induced on September 2nd!! Later than we'd hoped, as no one seemed to think I would even make it this far. But this baby is proving to be like every other child of mine, stubborn and on her schedule :) So...there are 4 morning slots on that day, and I've got the 4th one. I don't know how long it takes to have a baby by induction...God help me if I don't give birth until September 3rd (yikes)...but it looks like around that time is the time!
We'll be busy tonight, discussing whether or not to send the boys to school that day, then pick them up when we get the phone call from the hospital saying "time to come in". I went today and returned/exchanged all things newborn-like (or at least the smallish newborn ones), and ran a few other errands, hoping to walk this baby out of me. Nothing yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
As for the sewing, I've not gotten on the machine again. But I truly have good reason...I've got no material to work with!! I will go this weekend (again, barring any baby-arrivals) to goodwill and buy some cheap sheets to do some practicing with (thanks for the advice, Lisa!!!), that way any boredom I experience once we're home and settled can be thwarted by the machine. I'm sure the gentle hum will provide some white noise for the baby as well.
Oh, and I swear to either find my usb cord or to purchase another one by the time LMJM gets here...no way am I going to miss out on sharing her and the rest of the family!!!
**********AUTHOR'S EDIT: I *found* the usb cord!! I sincerely apologize for implying that I thought any one of you, my fine readers, had crept into my home and snatched it from my possession. Prepare for a barrage of pictures, since I can't even remember what's on that camera worth sharing.
**********AUTHOR'S EDIT #2: I got the most awesome stuff from a longtime friend, known to the blogworld as Falcor. She got LMJM some really awesome stuff, and although I thought the bassi sheet I received from her a few days ago was the last of the absolute *needs*, I was wrong...today I opened a box that included, among other wonders, hooded bath towels! And that's it folks...we're completely prepared. LMJM can make her long-awaited appearance ANY TIME NOW.
