SUN!

We've been enjoying some lovely, sunny weather 'round here. We still have huge piles of icky snow to dodge, but the SUN! and WARM air! AHHHH!!!!

It must be the weather that is helping me--somewhat--get out of my winter funk. I'm getting organized and writing lists and planning GS outings and GS events and cleaning out the basement and making some annoying phone calls I've been putting off and just GETTING STUFF DONE. (I think the fact that I finally finished Bowser's Inside Story may have opened up a bit of free time, too--heh.)

I realized yesterday that this is the longest I've ever been unwillingly unemployed. And THEN! I went and cleaned out my bedroom! Yes, MUST keep myself from the depths of despair, folks! Even it it means distracting myself with menial household tasks!

What else has happened? Hmmm....well, I took Izzy in and cut 10 inches off her hair. Oh! She looks lovely (and WHY does my camera never seem to work when I need it to?). I miss her long hair, but her medium hair is very nice, and she seems very excited about it.

The kids got their report cards, and they all did very well. Keith went down a notch in "organization," but I was surprised the teacher rated him so highly the last term and even told her so at our last conference. (I think she gave him a bit too much of the benefit of the doubt last term!) Izzy's teacher just couldn't stop singing her praises. Keith's teacher (despite his lack of organization) also only had really nice things to say about him. We won't have Mary's conference until next week, but her report card indicates another pleasing conference to come (she's...she's just kicking BUTT in fourth grade!). John and I couldn't be more proud and let them each pick out a new (*cough* USED) DS/Wii game to reward them.

Oh and I made an ass of myself at the dentist's office the other day. Really, though--those folks up front need to give me the WHOLE picture of what is going on with my son's teeth and the cost instead of giving it to me peicemeal and then try to force me to sign a statement of "refusal of treatment" when I was most certainly NOT refusing treatment, I just wanted to know ALL of my options before my husband and I made a decision. ANYWAY, after I got ALL the information, I had to admit my own foolishness and schedule the poor boy for a baby root canal. GRRRR!

(Frankly, it didn't help that I was already in a "dither" with those folks. You see, Keith's one front tooth was coming out of his gums practically at a right angle due to the already-dropping adult tooth pushing it out. Well, the boy refused to pull it, and he wouldn't let John or me touch it. Since I have already traumatized my oldest child about her teeth, I let it go. And I asked the dentist to pull it when we got there for the cleaning. WHY was I thinking this person would be kind and just yank out this little, innocent tooth for FREE? After insurance, I had to pay $28 dollars for this guy [new dentist, ours apparently hired a partner] to yank a tooth that was DANGLING in my son's mouth. So, yes, I was already in a pissy mood when the subject of the baby root canal came up. I HATE DENTISTS.)

Ah. Well. So! Um...I'm happy spring is making a bit of an appearance. Living in Western NY, I know better than to accept it as the full-blown spring season. SURELY we'll get another snow storm this month--it's only inevitable! But! I'm enjoying what I can, and I'm trying to channel that rare solar power into my own work drive. Got a LOT done yesterday in particular. We'll see if I can keep it up.

SNOW DAY!

We got a ton of snow last Thursday and Friday, so school was canceled on Friday morning. The district now has one of those robo-calling machines, so we got the call at 5:30 in the morning. I actually didn't mind--it was nice to know. And now I don't have to worry about school getting canceled, and I don't know about it since I haven't bothered to turn on the TV!

That was all fine and good--but the kids and I all had dentist appointments starting at 8:00. I looked outside at 7:00 and determined that it wasn't really that bad. It was still snowing, but the road in front of our house was well-plowed and looked quite drivable--and the dentist is only about eight minutes from the house (if that). I called the dentist around 7:30 and said we'd be about an hour late. The kids and I all got up and got ready, and then we piled into the mini-van. There was about 4-5 inches of snow in the driveway--still should be doable, right? Well, I forgot about the END of the driveway, where snow accumulates in great, gargantuan proportions due to the speeding snow plows? (HOW could I FORGET?) Yeah--we got STUCK.

John was working from home--but he was REALLY working. He was on an important conference call that he could not get out of. So I hustled the kids into a quiet room (Shh! Daddy's on an important phone call!) and suited up in my boots and snowpants and started trying to shovel the mini-van out (my wrist = OUCH). The neighbor across the street was shoveling out HIS car, too. He came over when he was done and started helping me out. Then ANOTHER neighbor saw my dilemma and brought over his snow-thrower. Oh! We're in business now!

The guys helped push the mini-van out, and then I parked in my neighbor's driveway while he finished clearing out the driveway for me. I did tell him he didn't have to help anymore. "John's gonna be so EMBARRASSED! He right in the house! He'll come and do the rest of the driveway just as soon as he gets off the phone!" But, my neighbor is just too nice of a guy.

Well, with about a quarter of the driveway left, John finally made it outside. "Hey! Stop that! I want to use my snow-thrower, too!" The two finished our driveway, and then went over to ANOTHER neighbor's house, and removed the snow for him, too.

Meanwhile, the neighbor's wife brought over their kids, and we had all five of them playing in the snow in our yard. The snow wouldn't support the sleds, but the kids still used little shovels to try to clear a path for the adults to drag the sled down the hill. Mary spent most of her time attempting to build tunnels in the snow. She actually had a neat little network of tunnels going--but they kept collapsing as the snow just wasn't quite packing right.

After all the snow plowing/fun, we all went to the neighbor's house and had hot cocoa with marshmallows, kisses, and mint M&Ms (the sugar! gah!). John and I invited them over for pizza and Rock Band that evening.

Well, we never got around to Rock Band again. Just too much chaos with all those kids in the house. Besides, the Globe Trotters were on TV, and we were all having fun watching them (especially Keith). (We're seriously thinking of getting a sitter for all five kids for the one house while we play with our Rock Band toys in the other house!)

It was an awesome snow day.

Lemonade

Instead of the phone call I was expecting confirming a tentatively scheduled third interview, I got a letter in the mail. *sigh*


So! Let's get on with the PLEASANT part of last week, shall we? It was winter break, so I had the kids home with me all week. And since we got our tax refund, and since we had the time, and since we had a little birthday in the house (My boy! My little boy is EIGHT!), John decided to schedule a very quick, mini-vacation to an indoor water park (we were barely there!).

Mary and I spent the evening we first got there going down all the big slides. John took Izzy and Keith through the kiddie slides. The next morning, John took Keith down the big slides. I managed to get Izzy down two of the tube slides (with her screaming in fright the whole way down!). Mary kind of tagged along with Izzy and me--we would get in the same set of lines and then wait for each other.

We beat feet back home rather early, but I think we got in enough fun time for all. It was a nice change of pace for me and my gloomies. And the kids had fun, too!



Another portion of the taxes went to a couple of new appliances. Of course, we were trying to cash in on the rebate program, but the stipulations were very difficult for what we actually NEEDED in this house. John and I went through our needs and wants and ended up getting a brand! new! DISHWASHER! Yay! Ours was probably over 20 years old, didn't seem to be cleaning too well, and had a piece that was continuously falling off and basically too difficult to snap back into place, and the dishwasher was almost impossible to even START. No rebate on that baby--it was ALL us.

Since John's been doing a bit more cooking lately, he has actually discovered an amazing fact--our refrigerator is TOO SMALL! (Really? Hmmm? Didn't I tell you that a while back? Hmmm?) So, we bought ourselves a really cheap model to put in the basement for a bit of extra beer and milk storage. At least that little baby got us a rebate.

(Other new gadgets acquired since John has started cooking more--new knives, new cutting boards, a compact food processor [I HATE the big ones and refuse to use them!], and new prep bowls!)

I didn't do any dishes Sunday as John pulled out the old one to be carted away, and we DO want dishes to try out on the new one, right? Well, I forgot how quickly dishes pile up in a household of five. I could barely get to the sink by the evening. And...John didn't quite finish getting the new dishwasher installed last night. He needs a different part, and it was too late to go out and get it last night. I rolled up my sleeves and tackled the pile in my sink this morning. We will fill the new washer soon enough!



And now...on to the birthday boy! Yes, Keith turned eight and was once again spoiled by family. He got a couple of choice DS games, another snap circuits kit (we love those!), and Mary made him some Mario characters out of clay (Goomba! Yoshi! Bob-bomb! Bullet Bill!) amongst other things....

We're hoping to try to get his school buddies together next month for a little "gathering." It's just too difficult for the poor guy when his birthday falls on winter break like that.


And...Keith's birthday presents have led to ANOTHER issue. I have replaced my reading obsession with a DS obsession! MUST. SOLVE. MARIO!!!! So...I am limiting my DS time just like I do the kids' DS time. Sheesh!


Now, if you'll excuse me. I need to put away that mountain of clean dishes. And do more laundry. And follow up on a job lead. And get some more resumes out. And go to the grocery store. And get the house picked up for Keith's playdate this afternoon. And...I still haven't had any coffee!

More Shaun!

I heart Shaun the Sheep!

Go enter!

Disability-Free

I went to the doctor on Friday. They removed the cast, zapped it with radiation to take their pretty pictures, and discovered...no break! Yay! But the wrist still hurts a bit, so the doctor put me on a brace. Oh! That's so much better!

So, now I'm back to typing and lugging laundry and maybe getting the house cleaned. (Um....MAYBE.)

The kids are home from school for winter break, so I'm trying to keep them entertained while trying to get stuff done and maybe put out a resume or two. The good news is that I got called in for a second interview from the place where I interviewed last week (WITH cast, thankyouverymuch!). Of course, when they called, the kids and I were at a playdate. We got home after 5:00, and I've called them back twice now, and the phone has not rung here again yet. So now my grand plans for the day are on hold while I wait for the phone.

It really shouldn't surprise me how much job hunting is like mate-seeking. You put your ad out there (resume) with your best traits in it (MSOffice instead of SWF) in dire need of seeking attention of the perfect mate (Family-friendly, good pay, decent benefits).

I just tweaked my resume per the Resume Workshop I attended. I do find it interesting that my out of date resume has gathered SOME attention, though. We'll see how it fairs with the new! improved! version.

We got our tax money back, so we decided to spend a little of it on an impromptu trip to an indoor waterpark this week. The kids are super-excited. And Keith's birthday is this weekend, and once again, it has snuck up on everybody. Poor kid. So...the waterpark is kind of a treat for him. Now...what to GET him?

...I've asked Izzy to get dressed at least TEN TIMES NOW!! She keeps taking advantage of my computer distraction! Ugh!

Oh, yes. Back to the job search. And the kid watch/entertainment. And trying desperately NOT to pick up that book I want to finish!!!

Tuning Out

Now that I'm "disabled," I find myself at a loss of what to do with myself during the day. Chores? Naah--cast gets in the way. Knit? HA! Look for jobs? Depressing. Get caught up on all that GS stuff that 's LINGERING and TAKING OVER the living room? Also depressing. Read? Oh...YEAH!

I picked up some books from the library when I had to go to help Mary research her Colonial Project (Oh! These projects! They are going to be the death of me!). THAT was a big mistake. HUGE.

I cut myself off from the books a few months ago--even before I lost my job. I found that I was cutting myself off from my family and daily life too much. The laundry never got done, I didn't bother eating breakfast or even, sometimes, lunch, and I guess the worst part--I just seemed so down, so depressed all the time. When I finished a book, I would clamor around the house, desperately seeking another one to help fill the VOID that was NOT reading. Pretty pathetic.

So...I stopped reading. And then, after a few weeks, after I "woke up" a bit, and started enjoying the kids and my life again, and things like Keith's not doing his homework weren't slipping by me anymore, I decided I was ready to slip the reading back in again--but in controlled, small amounts.

And it worked great. I was good and only read about 20-30 minutes a day--at night when the kids were in bed and didn't need my attention. And I felt like a responsible human being again.

Then I lost my job.

Let's face it, being unemployed now means that I have a LOT of time on my hands. And while I am busy and getting things done, I was starting to feel overwhelmed. ALL that "free-time" meant that I SHOULD be getting more things done. Dinner should be punctual. The dusting should be done. GS meetings should be thought out and well-planned ahead of time. No more incomplete homework should be slipping by my notice. I should be more organized. And...oh yeah, I should be looking for jobs now, too.

Oh! The job search! The depressing job search! It started buckling me down and wearing me thin. How many times have I been asked, "Are you looking for work?" The implication being that I'm just going to sit here and live off the government now. Um...YES, I'M LOOKING FOR WORK. I've actually looked a LOT. I've actually put some EFFORT into it. But...as the weeks go by, and the searches go on, and the choices are so bleak, and the phone does NOT ring, it's been bringing me down.

SO! Hey! Throw into that mix a busted wrist, and the inability to do a good chunk of the housework, and a tendency to get the winter blues, and a trip to the library, and what do you get? A girl hooked on reading again.

I pick up a book and can't seem to do anything else AT ALL until it's done. I am forgetting important things like meetings, phone calls, to check backpacks, and my own children (OMG! Is THAT the time! The BUS! Eek!). And...I forget to eat breakfast, or lunch, or both, and I seem to have lost all sense of routine/organization. I dipped right back into the book fog....

I'm glad I caught myself before I spent the whole winter like this. I am cutting the books out again, and I am getting myself back in the groove. I can't do anything about this depressing winter weather, but I can pick myself up from my bootstraps and clear the REST of the fog that's wearing me down.

And maybe I should start meeting girlfriends for coffee or something--something to get me out of the house and then maybe I won't feel so overwhelmed.

And maybe my wrist WON'T be broken, and the cast can come off, and I get at least get the laundry caught up again....

Other Happenings

• I can't write, and I can barely type.
  
• Other new challenges: washing my hair, shaving my pits (gah! have doctor's appointment tomorrow!), putting on clothes, lifting ANYTHING, finding warm clothes/coat that fit over bulky cast....
• Keith lost a tooth a couple of weeks ago biting into some tofu. The tooth fairy left $3. Obviously, the economy isn't affecting her, AND DOES SHE NOT REALIZE HOW MANY TEETH THERE STILL ARE TO LOSE IN THIS HOUSE AND HOW MUCH THAT WILL ADD UP? *ahem*
• Under the heading of "Acting My Age:" I finally solved Mary's Zelda game, and only had to cheat a few...well, WHATEVER, I solved it, OK?
  
• Mary is just behind me on the game. With much less cheating--although she does have ME there to help her....
  
• We put Mary and Keith in swim lessons again. And Mary is doing a volleyball camp, and Keith is starting basketball this weekend. Suddenly Saturdays are crazy again.
• They are both in chess club, too.
• I'm guessing I won't be able to knit for a while.
  
• John has started downloading and COOKING healthy recipes he's finding online. I think I just fell in love with him all over again. (I'm guessing it's been almost five years since the last time he cooked--and it didn't involve picking up the phone to call Pizza Hut.)
• And...wasn't that timing just perfect since cooking would probably be a bit difficult for me right now?
• Play Doh is my new playdate friend.
• And so is the new Bissell vacuum thingy John bought--to suck it all up off the floor!
• My little boy is almost 8! It's going to sneak up on me again this year, I can just tell!
  

Acting My Age

So! This has been a fun-filled week! I won't bog you down with all the details. Just...I was really, really busy and yet didn't seem to get a lot done?

We took Mary's troop ice skating on Sunday. For Mary and me, it was only the second time we'd ever been. Both of us were doing pretty well. Mary hugged the side so that she could "gently" fall onto the edge when she lost her balance. I was more brave--especially when I realized that it really is sorta like roller skating, and I'm a pretty decent roller skater.

I actually did take the time when we first got there to warn the troop about "falling on your butt." You see, I fell roller skating when I was a teenager and broke my left wrist trying to break my fall (OK--I'm a "pretty decent roller skater" except for THAT ONE TIME). Well...guess who fell and immediately reacted by throwing out her right arm? Yeah--that would be ME. *sigh* I even had to sit by the side of the rink for a few minutes as I got a bit faint--always happens to me with any sudden injuries.

Anyway, I braved it out (and even skated more--and no, I didn't fall anymore), but when I was still having some pain this morning, I decided to get in to the doctor just in case.

He sent me for x-rays, of course. We were hoping it was just a sprain. And after spending a good chunk of my afternoon getting x-rays--and another x-ray--and an additional x-ray--I...am still not sure if my wrist is broken or not!

The way the P.A. was talking, it looked suspect, but the bone she suspected may not show a break on film for 7-10 days after the injury. "So," she says, "we're going to cast you." Um...huh? Yes. A cast. For ten days. And then I'll get to come in again and have it looked at again. If no fracture shows, I get the cast off! Joy!

I was watching Izzy's girlfriend, so I had these two extremely-chatty five-year olds following me around through all of this. They kept the technicians and doctors and P.A.s in stitches. The girls wanted me to get a "lello" cast, but since I'm sort of in the hopes of maybe having a job interview, I went for a baby blue--should go well with my suit! LOL

So...there ya have it. Mrs. Q. should probably act her age and keep AWAY from activities like ice skating with a bunch of ten-year olds! OUCH!

Nightmares and Headaches

I have been helping Keith research his 2nd grade Animal Report. He picked tarantulas. Now, I don't mind spiders, for the most part. And I admit that when I was kid I always thought it would be kinda cool to have a pet tarantula. But I also must say that despite the fact that spiders in general do NOT cause me to run and scream from the room, and that I usually just scoop up the random spiders we find in the house up in a paper towel and then set them free outside--spending two weeks reading about, researching, and printing out pictures of tarantulas, CAN get a bit creepy. Even Keith got the shivers a couple times when we were readng how they capture/eat their pray ("SLURP, SLURP, SLURP" said one of the books... Gah!), and...well, I'm not putting the other creepiness we read about down here. You see, two nights in particular when Keith and I were fact-finding, and he was diligently writing in his BEST and NEATEST handwriting (*sigh*), I had DREAMS of tarantulas that woke me from a deep sleep at four o'clock in the morning, afterwhich I could NOT go back to sleep.

*shiver*

Mary came into our room at 6:30 yesterday morning complaining of a sharp pain in her right eye. Ho boy. I tried to get her to relax in bed with John and me, but it just wasn't happening. I finally gave her some Tylenol and then shipped the other kids off to school. Mary started getting nauseous and then she started vomiting. The poor kid puked most of the morning--and it was dry heaves all the way since she felt too ill to eat her breakfast. Finally, her stomach calmed down, and by the time Izzy got home, she was nibbling on toast and playing on her DS. I guess we can't blame math/school on THIS little migraine. Perhaps the change in weather--it was almost springlike this last week and then turned cold and snowy again overnight....

Other happenings. Um...well, I did have a job interview on Monday. It was the HR person from this company, doing a screening to see if I'm good enough material to move on to the next stage of interview which is the department and department manager. I could totally see myself in this position. Whether or not I was able to impress myself on this nice HR person, I don't know. I haven't been called back yet. She did say that she would not keep me waiting long, as she knows what it's like to be on the other side of the desk.... I did discover that I have a pretty good friend who works for this company, so I was kinda hoping the connection would help me out.

Ah well. If it happens, it happens.


The job market seems to have been particularly slow this last week or so. I've been hard-pressed to find jobs for which to apply. I'm getting nervous about that since I have to keep a log of all my job attempts for the unemployment office. Seriously, folks, I AM trying! Have you SEEN the want ads lately?

In the meantime, I have a resume "righting" workshop I have to go attend. Maybe that'll help.

Keeping Up Appearances

I've been busy around here.

I'm trying to keep up with laundry. I'm trying to finish up some very LATE baby gifts. I'm SEARCHING for jobs. I'm making rice krispie treats. I'm trying to figure out what's for dinner. I'm planning last-minute GS meetings. I got my first mammogram (the joy!). I signed up at a staffing agency. I'm freaking out cuz the printer ran out of color ink and WON'T print out a black/white resume for me to bring to the staffing agency (wth?). I'm looking into going back to school. I'm VAINLY searching for jobs. I'm stuck on filling out financial aid paper work cuz I don't know WHAT kind of degree or WHAT kind of major I want. I'm trying to visualize myself in certain jobs to see what might fit. I'm all nervous when taking the skills tests at the staffing agency, so my shaky fingers are making stupid mistakes. I'm freaking out about getting a phone call from the staffing agency about setting me up for a job interview with a job I don't have experience in, but the employer is still kinda interested since I have good Excel skills!

Yes, I've been busy.

The mammogram wasn't as bad as I feared. Just...uncomfortable. And not even the smushing part--the wrapping the REST of my body around the machine so the tech could force my girls into the right position part. I...can't even describe it. But it was quick and easy, and I was in and out in a half an hour. I didn't even have time to finish my complimentary (caffeine-free!) tea.

And...I'm intrigued about this job, and I am actually hopeful that my SKILLZ get me the position and yet then worried about actually getting the position and how the day care DRAMA will start YET AGAIN. Oh...I'm not ready for that.

Maybe I'll go bake some chocolate chip cookies and then try to eat my way out of this problem.

But hey! Here's some good news! Keith's car totally kicked butt at the Pinewood Derby last weekend! Second year in a row! And...he wasn't sick, so he actually got to participate! And...I need to go find the camera and see if I can manage to download pictures! (Wish me luck.)

Some old pics for your viewing pleasure on Delurker Day!

Cuz I have a scanner. And SOMETIMES it works!


Here is a picture of me as a brand-new baby--on my brand-new baby quilt! Ready to leave the hospital (and coffee rings on the picture??? ah well....).




And here I am at 11-months old.





I'm probably about four-years old here--with my brother in front of the ol' 442! My grandmother made that outfit. Yes, my mother kept it, and yes, Izzy got to wear it when SHE was four. (I misjudged for Mary--by the time I pulled it out of storage, it was too little on her.) Oh...I MISS that beautiful hair--and hair color!




Five-years old.




Kindergarten. Five-years old. My mother CUT MY HAIR. I bawled my eyes out. How could she? My ONE BEAUTY!!!! And...in such a horrible, page-boy cut, too! And I had a boo-boo on my nose. And I remember HATING that dress, too. It had Winnie the Pooh on it. Oh, I was SO over Pooh Bear by the time I was five! LOL




First grade. Thank heavens the hair was allowed to start growing out again!




Third grade. Mom learned how to french braid!




Let's see. This was my brother and me from my sophomore year--about 1988-1989. And my best hairdo for a picture EVER. (Don't ya just love the "door-knocker" earrings?)




The snowstorm of ALL snowstorms that hit the Midwest. The photo is dated January 29, 1978. Please note that the snow banks are TALLER than my 6-foot tall father!!! (He's the skinny one with the orange hat.)

Once again: Delurking Day!

That's right! Time to come out and fess up! If you read my blog, and are a Shymie McShyster and don't comment, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!!!

That includes all of my FAMILY MEMBERS who read and for some reason HARDLY EVER write me anything! Then I go visit you and find out that you've been lurking and DO, INDEED know everything that's been going on around my house!

Oh. You need a topic? Um.... OK....

Any plans for a vacation this year? Or are you doing a stay-cation, like we Qs will probably be doing (AGAIN)?

Oh! And--what should I be when I grow up? I need a new career, and I'm trying to find one in which I can get free or next-to-free training AND is employable? Anything...? NO...? *sigh* Me either....

In other news....

Izzy can now read 95% of "Hop on Pop" without help!

Keith is pulling away from his cello group. The teacher is trying to hold him back to keep him with the other two students, but Keith keeps "teaching himself." He can figure out the notes just by listening to the music on the CD that is provided!

Mary is just about ready to pass the first book for her violin. (She should have passed it last spring, but I think softball just took away from her practice time too much.)

Where'd the days go?

We had the neighbors over for New Year's Eve with the full intention of playing Beatle's Rock Band, but once again, our chatting got in the way, and we never even turned it on. We did put all the kids down about 10:00 with the promise of waking them up to watch the Ball Dropping. Izzy and M never managed to go to sleep--they kept creeping back upstairs to see what the adults were all laughing about. Mary never really slept as Izzy and M were keeping her up. Keith--in his own room, in his own bed--was out like a light. (Of course, the poor boy had come down with a cold the last day of school--Mary's birthday--and spent ALL of his school break sick and coughing up a lung, so yeah, he was KINDA tired.) Little B ended up asleep in Izzy's bed as he's now too big for his own pack-n-play. We got the girls for the countdown, but we left the snoozing boys. They were way too comfy to disturb. ("Well, gee, honey, we TRIED to wake you!")

After we rang in the new year, we put the little girls in the big bed and Mary went into her own bed. NOW we'll get out Rock Band, right? Nah. We ended up staying up until 3:00 in the morning watching the South Park movie (it was UNCUT!!!!). Heh. Good times. And, we PROMISE to get the game out next time the neighbors come over!

The rest of our holiday was spent mostly like the first part--mostly in our comfy clothes playing on the DSs or Wii and generally hanging out. We did get to the mall once to exchange a few gifts. And on the LAST DAY, my co-leader and I decided to skip our traditional GS meeting and just go sledding (come if you want!). I brought all three kids, and we had a ball. When my toes started to get cold, we went home!

I did have to go to the Labor Department last week where I had to sit through a Power Point presentation and then get a five minute "How's your job search going?" session in a crowded room of over 30 people. Almost every tip/idea my person gave me didn't pan out. She made it sound SO EASY! I did sign up for a Resume workshop to help me tweak mine a bit (which I ended up having to cancel as then no one would have been around to get Izzy off the bus--and we're only down to one car [see below]--but I *am* rescheduling).

The brake light has been on in John's car for a few weeks now, so with all the snow we got, and the grinding becoming prevelant, he hung up his keys. Of course, that night as he's turning out all the lights in the house, he smells a gasoline smell coming out of the garage. Oh yeah--now it appears his car is leaking gas, too. John woke me up, and the two of us pushed his car out onto the driveway (didn't want to start the car until we knew just how bad the leak was!). It's not bad, but gee, that's ANOTHER repair cost, and isn't it MORTGAGE WEEK? Argh! It appears I may be feeding my family gruel for the next two weeks so that we can get Daddy's car fixed! Ugh!

This week I have spent just trying to WAKE UP. I'm just plain TIRED. I'm sure it's because I'm still out of it from the holidays and sleeping in for a week and a half. And maybe it's the weather (it snowed for over 100 hours straight from Sunday to Tuesday!). And maybe it's the fact that I basically spent two whole days attempting to sew together my first quilt (which at first I thought was looking cool, but now I'm getting antsy and having second thoughts--it's a GIFT, people!--and I don't want to spend money on more material and....). And maybe it's the pathetic job search attempts (the horror!). And...well, I'm just in a sorta funk.

It's hard to be all ambitious and career-minded in the middle of the winter. I want to just snuggle up on the couch with my Izzy and read a book. BUT! It must be done! (Or someone needs to hire me to do some free-lance editing from my home.... Anyone???) So, I shall have to fight the funk and get on the ball!

I don't really do resolutions, but I do think that I need to find a way to get more exercise in my life--and not to lose weight, but to maybe lift my spirits a bit.

Well, I do like a challenge....

Here's to a good 2010! Jobs for all!

So This Is Christmas

Christmas morning Keith woke up God-awful early, as usual (WHERE did this child come from?). John and I had been up super, duper late the night previous--you know, helping set things up for Santa--and were in no shape to get up. I had Keith come into bed with us for a little bit--just until I heard Mary stirring.

Of course the kids were amazed with their hoard. The DSs (those were *cough* "Santa's gift") only got turned off in the brief moments Mary and Keith were eating or maybe checking out another gift. Izzy went around with her new digital camera taking LOVELY candid shots of all her Littlest Pets, Dad making goofy faces, Mom and the huge zit on HER face (getting old SUCKS), and maybe a random foot here or there.

Santa was good to me and got me "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters." (I attacked it in two days, and thought SURELY Beck must have written this book?)

We went out for our Second Annual Q Holiday Tradition of Japanese food and a movie. Oh! The food! I tried some new sushi that was just HEAVENLY! We saw the "Princess and the Frog" as it seemed the better option. Mary and I had already seen it once, but we didn't mind going to see it again.

Having had very, very little restful sleep the two nights prior (and really, I've had a LOT of restless nights lately), I was practically a zombie by the time we got home. We forced the kids to unplug their games and ushered them into bed by 8:30. Me--I immediately fell asleep on the couch and didn't wake up until 3:00 in the morning.

We've all spent the last few days mostly "dropping out" of the world and playing with our presents and games (Oh! I've almost finished Mary's Zelda game! heh! Mary has been SO patient with me while I keep stealing her DS!) The TV didn't even get turned on until Sunday football.

Now it's Monday, and I informed the children that we really need to get back into the groove. Violin and cello practice needs to commence! The animal cages need to be cleaned! The laundry and dirty dish piles need to get tackled! And I have my first meeting at the unemployment office tomorrow. Bleh! (WHY just after Christmas? WHY?)

10

Yesterday, my Big Girl turned TEN. That's double digits, everybody! Oh! How could this BE?

We invited two of Mary's girlfriends to come and spend the night for her special day. John got a huge balloon, I got her a Harry Potter cake and put streamers up in the dining room.

We kept the party simple and had pizza-and-a-movie. Halfway through the movie, we turned off the TV so that Mary could open her gifts. Oh! What a treasure trove! Horse jewelry box, horse necklace and earrings, a fun game, beads, and a really neat origami day-by-day calendar...etc.... The new ten-year old kept saying, "Oh! THIS is the best party ever!"

We ate the cake and some ice cream, played the new game, finished the movie, and then all the girls settled down in the den for the evening. I owned up to my age and got out the air mattress, where Miss Izzy also settled down. The other three girls cuddled up on the floor.

This was the first that Mary's two best friends--one of this day, and one of her school of old--met and were together with Mary at the same time. John was apprehensive, but all three girls really did play well together--and stayed up giggling until almost 11:00. Mary seemed to enjoy herself so much more with this lot, than the "big" party of six girls last year. And...there were no late night visitors prowling around the living room at 2:00 in the morning!

Those hardy girls were up at 6:30. Ugh. I finally got up myself and fixed breakfast for everyone. Then all the kids played with the Wii until the first parent showed.

A great birthday for my now tired Big Girl. A nice surprise when everyone realized this morning that gosh! TOMORROW is Christmas! Yes, indeed. More gifts and more worn-out fun. I simply can't wait!



(Those sparkling candles I found were a big hit, too!)

Deck the MeMe!

Eggnog or hot chocolate? I will drink either one. I really don't have a preference between the two.

Does Santa wrap the presents or leave them open under the tree? They are usually wrapped and under the tree--unless they are HUGE gifts that simply can't be wrapped (like the bikes the girls got last year).

Colored lights on a tree or white? Contention between myself and my husband. He likes white. I like colored. But since *I* am the one who decorates the tree, guess what gets put up there? Actually, the last few years I've been putting up BOTH. I like a LOT of lights! (And, sorry, NoWheyMama, but I like them blinking!--although I don't have ALL of them blinking.)

Do you hang mistletoe? No.

When do you put your decorations up? Usually about two weeks after Thanksgiving.

What is your favorite holiday dish? Um.... The WHOLE meal.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? It's a collage of ornaments we've accumulated over the years. Mismatched storebought, handmade ones by kids, and gifts from John's mother when she was around (got one either store-bought or homemade from her every year). I love our tree.

Snow: love it or hate it? Meh. I like it fine. It's the COLD I don't like.

Can you ice skate? Have only been once a few years ago. It was a GS event, and there weren't enough adult skates to go around. Another adult took pity on me and lent me her skates. I shimmied around the rink twice. I would definitely try again if the opportunity presents itself (and there are enough skates!).

What is your favorite holiday dessert? I can only pick one? Um....ANY X-mas cookies.

What is your favorite holiday tradition? New one just started last year. We watch a movie and then go to a Japanese restaurant for X-mas dinner!

Candy canes: yum or yuck? I don't go out of my way to buy/eat them, but I don't mind them.

Favorite Christmas show? A Christmas Story.

To (Whiny) Do List

I made the fudge yesterday--but nothing else.

I started wrapping gifts this morning. Still have just over half to go.

I realized while wrapping that we still do not have a "Santa" gift for a certain little girl. (We don't push Santa on the kids, but we don't NOT push him either.... So the kids still look for a gift from Santa. ) I am trying to figure out what we can AFFORD that still has a WOW factor it it--that she will actually LIKE and PLAY WITH.

I need BIRTHDAY wrapping paper for poor Mary. Nothing is more annoying to a December baby than getting birthday gifts wrapped in X-mas paper!

I knitted a hat and ONE mitten for Keith. And...I'm afraid I don't have enough yarn for the second mitten. *sigh* Better put another skein of yarn on the shopping list!

And I don't have enough powdered sugar for the peanut butter cups. And we don't have our pizzas for pizza-and-a-movie night tonight. And the kids were about to mutiny this morning due to the lack of "good" (i.e. SUGARY) cereal.

And it's very cold, so I don't feel like leaving the house.

I desperately need help from my neighbor for a certain sewing project--and for some reason I am having difficulties finding/making the time to get together with her?

WHY am I still writing whiny lists instead of getting this crap DONE?

(Interestingly, I'm probably way ahead of where I usually am at this time of year--including the one year I took off to stay at home.)

Ah well

I was going to do more holiday treat-making today--fudge! and chocolate-covered pretzels! and peanut butter cups (thank you, Semi-Desperate Housewife, for reminding me I had that recipe!)! and Cheerios treats! and...I spent three hours on the phone with my girlfriend instead.

My BRAND NEW CELL PHONE--just purchased last October--has started dying DAILY. Clearly SOMETHING must be done about this! (If anything so that I don't have to be connected to the wall for my ENTIRE three-hour conversation with my girlfriend!) Somehow, I haven't managed to find the time to drive across town to take care of it yet?

95% of the Holiday cards went out. And now...I've lost interest. If you didn't get one it's not because we don't love you or weren't thinking of you, I just...ran out of fuel....

I drove around and around and FINALLY found the food shelter at which I was donating items from myself and from the GS troops--stuff that's been sitting in my dining room for three weeks. I get there, and the sign on the door says, "By appointment only." *sigh*

I actually went out and cleared off the sidewalk this morning--which is now covered with snow again....

I was going to wrap presents this morning (my bedroom looks like Santa's Workshop due to all these out-of-state deliveries piled up in there!), and...well, you know...three-hour phone call....

And the other kids will be home in an hour, and I didn't even get the DISHES done today!

My youngest daughter wants to PLAY! WITH! ME! and I'm online writing whiny lists instead....

OK! OK! I'm turning it off!

But...at least Mommy Daisy loves me! And...I'm soooo excited to get a package in the mail for ME! and not for my kids! Thank you! Thank you!

OK, Izzy! OK!

Just Keep Swimming

I've been settling in to this unemployed thing. I check the job listings every day and dutifully fill in my list of jobs for which I'm applying. I haven't been set up for my "peer" interview with the unemployment agency yet which makes me someone nervous and skittish, and I'm checking the mail with a fine tooth comb for any questionnaires or other paperwork coming my way (and X-mas cards! tee hee!).

I've actually seen TWO jobs that I actually WANTED and for which I felt I would be a good fit. Not holding my breath on the response, though. *sigh*

The kids are riding the bus home from school now, much to their chagrin. Mary took it the hardest, but she's already adapted. Such is life, kid!

My routine has not solidified yet--it's more of a mish-mash of tasks and activities I decide to do from day to day. I've kept the house clean-ish--there's still clutter here and there, and no, I'm not a big fan of dusting, but at least the kitchen and living room and bathrooms are usually clean, and honestly, what else needs to be a priority?

The tree is up and decorated. The house is decorated. 95% of the X-mas cards have ACTUALLY GONE OUT. Cookies have been baked and decorated (and slowly getting eaten!). I even made rice krispie treats for the kids--which were gone in a day!

I've almost finished one knitting project, and I'm about to start another. I am wishing I had just a bit more spare cash so that I could buy more needles/yarn, but I'm making due with what I've got.

I actually got the Wii Fit out the other day ("It has been 338 days since you were last on!" ha ha!). And then I used it AGAIN two days later! I know! Time to exercise--what a concept! (And wow--the hula hoop one is a killer!)

Izzy came down with the stomach bug yesterday morning, so she got to stay home, and I didn't have to worry about early morning phone calls to cranky bosses or taking time off without pay (already am! ha ha!), and we enjoyed our day home together--albeit with the Hello Kitty barf can by her side. And I kept her home today since she didn't stop puking until after lunch yesterday, and you are SUPPOSED to wait 24 hours after the last puking until you send your kid back to school. And wow--I could do that, and not have to have a second thought/fret over it!

Oh, to be home again. What a luxury!

I am trying to stay busy to keep the "worries" at bay. Yesterday was tough. Even though it was nice cuddling with the pukey child all day just watching TV, it caused me to have a lot of "thinking" time which did not help my Positive Attitude about all this. I don't want to sink into the depths of despair, and keeping busy and focusing on the fun of the upcoming holiday is definitely key to that right now.

Retail therapy would be nice. Ah well...in its absence I will enjoy wrapping the gifts being sent in from Indiana for the kids--that's always fun. My bedroom is getting re-cluttered with boxes, and I'm thinking that 10 days until X-mas is probably a good time to start the wrapping. Although, I guess I should wait until Izzy Monster is back to school before I start pulling all those out....

(A couple of X-mas gifts will be late-if we're able to buy them at all. The TIMING of all this! GRRRR!)

Keeping positive.... The holidays aren't a bad time to be home....

I heart contests!

Oh! Swistle just posted a review of Hershey kisses--with new recipes! And a chance to win a $100 gift card! And...seriously, folks. I maybe need to step this blogging thing up to get a chance to do stuff like THAT!

TODAY

I didn't remember until the kids got on the bus (in a timely manner, thankyouverymuch) that Mary was supposed to bring her violin to school for concert practice.

Neither did she.

*sigh* Another trip to the school! The school secretaries sure do get a kick out of me.

Failure to Launch

I'm trying to get a routine going together now that I'm home (for who knows how long?), and...I'm a big, fat failure. I mean, at least I HAVE managed to get up and get showered and dressed before I get the kids up--already one up on the slobby routine I had slipped into the year I was home previously--but apparently, my getting-the-kids-out-the-door routine needs some readjustments.

Yesterday after lunch I decided to make a quick run to Wally World to take a duplicate gift back. As the garage door came up, I spied...my son's backpack. WT..? He apparently took it off when he was running around on the driveway that morning while waiting for the bus. I was outside with him. I didn't even NOTICE he got on the bus without it! And...I got Izzy off HER bus before lunch without noticing it setting in front of the garage. (um...duh?)

TODAY the kids almost missed the bus. I decided to take "just one quick glance" at my emails, and then I hear the driver honking the horn. Keith, for once the most ready, ran right out there without a glance back for his two sisters. Izzy was ready--but then we couldn't find her backpack. WT...? Mary--was in the bathroom. And when she came tearing down the stairs she had neither her coat NOR her shoes on. (DIDN'T I ASK YOU TO PUT THOSE ON TEN MINUTES AGO?!!!)

(While I was helping Izzy look for her shoes, Mary was also wandering around looking for HER shoes. *I* knew exactly where they were, but I didn't say anything since I was distracted with Izzy--and Mary was RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. I figured Mary would look down in the next two seconds and notice them. Ahhh...apparently not? And WHY, WHY, WHY won't these kids put their shoes and coats and backpacks in the cubby that we bought for this very purpose???? WHY???????????)

Anyway, Mary found her things and ran out.

I walk back in the house and walk by the cubby--where I now finally notice Izzy's backpack. ARG! Mary had apparently hung HER ginormous backpack on top of Izzy's tiny one, therefore hiding it from both Izzy AND me. (THERE ARE FOUR HOOKS!!! FOUR!!! AND I ONLY HAVE *THREE* CHILDREN!!! GRRRR!!!!!)

An hour later I get a call from the school nurse. BOTH Mary AND Izzy are down there. Mary had a frustrated math moment again (ummm...I thought we were going to send her out to the hall to calm down instead of the nurse first..?), but she was already better. Izzy was down there because of her cold (oh yes, the poor thing's nose is running like a faucet, and her eyes are all watery). She had a fever of 99, but really, the cold wasn't the BIG issue. It was that she was still upset because she didn't have her backpack, so she'd been crying. *sigh* All right. If my kindergartener, who only brings papers home MAYBE once a week, needs her backpack THAT badly, I'll bring it out....

Clearly, I need some help. And I maybe should take "pays attention to details" OFF my resume.

My Grandmother's Quilts: A Gallery

My Grandmother has been making quilts for years. She makes one for every baby that comes into the family. And she'll usually try to make a NEW quilt when the baby's not a baby anymore.

I have kept every single one of my Grandmother's quilts I can get my hands on.

Here is MY baby quilt. Still in pretty good shape for 37 years old. She uses coloring book pages to make the blocks....



Close up of the darling Granny Bunny.



The fabric on the back. Big-bummed babies--I love them! (Too bad they are starting to fade.)



A quilt Grandma made for me when I was about 7. I used this quilt on my bed for years and years and years (even in my dorm in college!) until finally the poor, tired thing started wearing thin and the patches started coming off. What I loved the most about this quilt as a kid is that she used fabric leftover from clothes she had sewn for the patches--so I would look at it for ages and would pick out the patches made from the clothes she made me or my brother or whomever.... Nothing reminded me more of my Grandmother's love more than this quilt.



A quilt Grandma made for my baby doll. Because EVERY baby got a quilt--even plastic ones. I loved this quilt because it was made from flannel pieces and was sooooo soft (and the border is made from leftover fabric from another outfit she made for me).



Mary's baby quilt. Grandma made it a bit smaller so that it was "more portable." I asked for primary colors--and the coloring book patches are back!



Close up. Grandma always called me her "Little Miss Muffett," so she embroidered it on the one square.



Grandma puts a "mistake" on each quilt for the babies to find. The adults have more fun looking for them, though. Here's Mary's "mistake"--a little bear she patched on.



Keith's quilt. Grandma was having troubles with her thumbs, so the actual quilting was done by machine instead of hand. She still hand-embroidered all the patches, though! I did not know I was having a boy, but I still requested a blue quilt because I loved the one she made for my cousin's baby so much. I love this one because it's really thick, and she used flannel for the back, so it's really soft,too.



The "mistake."



Close up of the funny little pig.



Can you find the second "mistake?" (Should I ask her if she intended to that?)



Izzy's quilt. And probably my favorite. I picked purple--she did such a lovely job with it!



Close up. Mary loved horses, so Grandma made sure to put a patch of them on the quilt just for her....



The "mistake."



A close up of the American Mice Idol. heh. (This was Grandma's favorite block. "Look! He's judging them!" And I flipped the corner to show the back--gorgeous dragonfly print. Really, really pretty.



My "new" quilt she made for me a few years ago--with matching pillow shams. It really pretties up my whole room (um...when the bed is made!).




Look how pretty!




My goal is to learn how to quilt, too. I want to make sure this tradition continues. I want to quilt my grandbabies' quilts....

Ain't that a kick in the head....

The other shoe that I've been waiting to drop since APRIL finally fell with big KICK in my head.

I was let go from my job today.

Even when you're expecting it (EVERY DAY for MONTHS and MONTHS and MONTHS), it STILL sucks.

Big time.

*sigh* Back to the unemployment lines we go!

Thankfully, we made it home

The Qs are completely BEAT. Our trip to Indiana was way too short. Cramming visits to that many folks in that short of a time span is impossible and a guaranteed way to tick off the folks we couldn't squeeze in. Sorry. Only so much time to fit you all in!

Thursday morning we set out at a pretty decent hour and made it to my Dad's house around 5:00--about an hour late for the turkey. We gulped down the "leftovers" quickly and hung out with my Dad, Ruth, my brother Robert, and his wife Rae. Of course, upon first entering the front door, I heard a pretty loud "meow!" coming from the bushes. Ruth and I went out and investigated, and finally tracked down the teeny, tiny little kitten who was making all the noise. The dear little thing had a hurt leg and gunky eyes (he almost looked like he had been burned somehow), and was obviously starving. Yes, indeed, my father has a NEW KITTY in his now THREE-CAT household.

I'd been thinking of maybe ignoring my allergies and getting John a new cat, so I probably would have taken this one back home with us if my poor son didn't have a major allergy attack while staying at my Dad's house. I took my pills too late, so I was sniveling right along with him--and...it was not pretty. My poor boy just could not breathe, and then he started coughing which kept him up all night. (And I lost my voice while singing Beatle's Rock Band and had to switch to guitar/bass!) Rough night without a lot of sleep, and I actually had to get my inhaler out (thank goodness I packed it!).

Friday morning we all headed to the Big Town (tee-hee) to visit with my Grandmother and get some lunch. On the way to Grandma's house, the ever-sniveling Keith barfed his breakfast up all over the car mat and his shoes (I gave him a bag when he first started saying he didn't feel well, but he "missed"). Keith felt fine while at Grandma's house, but he managed to puke up the sprite he drank there just as we were walking into Pizza Hut. Good one, kid. Thankfully, that was the last of the puking for the day. No fever....I'm pretty sure it was from all that post-nasal drip from his allergy attack. (Ewwwwww......)

Our only Black Friday shopping took place after lunch when we went to the local Wally World to buy Keith a new jacket since he had gotten a little bit of puke on his sweater.... I kept looking, but I didn't see anyone I recognized! All my old high school friends must have gone out of town for their shopping! LOL

After that, we headed to Fort Wayne and caught up with Jeff and Paula and little Josh and Dave and JJ and their three boys. It was a crazy amount of kids all running back and forth through the house playing "puppies." And little Josh running in the back, trying to keep up. Mary was a bit too old for such nonsense and spent most of the evening watching Wall-E. Keith was still having allergy issues and didn't run around quite as much as all the other kids.

Keith was so miserable and over the top about this allergy attack, that I ended up laying down in bed with him that night. Dave set up the vaporizer for us. After some salt adjustment (um....are the lights SUPPOSED to flicker like that?), we both were breathing a little better. I was too exhausted to try to sit up talking with Dave and JJ--and then John came up a while later to tell me that they had both fallen asleep, anyway. We iz old!

Saturday morning we caught up with John's sisters and then went out to lunch with Aunt Lynnie and Aunt Michele. We left right from lunch to get home. After a dinner break at our favorite Erie restaurant (Steak n Shake! yeah!), we got home around 10:00. And for once, all three kids actually slept a bit for the trip!

Sunday the kids didn't get out of bed until 9:30 (Keith, normally the early riser, was up all night coughing again). We all just lay around the house doing absolutely NOTHING until finally I decided to maybe do a "smidge"of housework and laundry after lunch.... And John eventually started getting all the Christmas decorations out.

Izzy was whining after her bath last night that she did NOT want to go back to school this morning. Kid, I hear ya!

Special Mention

To my girlfriend Shannon, who was the first person EVER to comment on my blog!

Shannon said...

Hey Carrie! I'm so excited to be the first one to leave a comment in your blog!!! :)

I love this, it makes me want to do one!

Sounds like you are nice and busy! :)

Thank your First Commenter Day?

Thank you for this, Playgroupie!

Oh! What fun!

I set up this blog for my long-distance family and friends to read. So...what a SURPRISE to get a comment from a complete stranger! It changed the whole scope of my blog so that now I have problems figuring out my audience. Family/friends? Other bloggers? And maybe I should set up a secondary blog to keep the two apart? Ah well....thank you, Saly, for being the first to take notice of me.... And putting me on the path to MAYBE becoming a better blogger (um...once I get that "audience" thing figured out).

FIVE? REALLY?

My sweet baby turns FIVE today. I...still can't quite grasp it.




She's in Kindergarten...but she still sucks her two fingers when we're in the car, or she's in bed.

She can dress herself...but I still have to pick out the clothes--and NAG her to get up to do it.

She can wash herself...but her hair is so long, I have to do that part (and I still have to brush it, too).

She's the last baby...so I babied her as much as possible. Yes, I freely admit it. And now...she's this fun, spunky, chattering-all-the-time, lovely kid. A tad spoiled, yes, but really...I don't think my spoiling did her much harm.... MUCH.


Pics that I LOVE and must post again....

I'z Old

Thursday night my step-father and recently unemployed mother (did I tell you guys about that--the poor dear!) decided to come and visit us for the weekend. Since I knew she was debating on whether or not to come, I started cleaning the house on Thursday afternoon--just in case (lol).

It was nice to see them. Barry helped John clean up some more leaves Saturday while I took Mary to the library to do some research for a school project, and then Mom and I went to the store to get fixin's for dinner for the weekend. Saturday was a chili kind of day, so we threw that together and enjoyed it (Mom thought we made too much--boy, was she surprised when it ALL got eaten up!).

Saturday night we kept Barry up late (almost 3 am!) playing Beatles Rock Band. I used the money my Dad sent me for my birthday to buy a second microphone so that we could try harmonizing. Wow. It's been a while since I've done any sight-reading, and...that was tough! I was Paul, John was um, John--and then even Barry took the mic and traded off lead/harmony with me. By the end of the night, I hardly had any voice left and was dead tired.

Sunday was my birthday. Hey! How nice to have my mother in town for my birthday, huh? I slept in kinda late since we were up so late the night before. I could hear all the kids up (and did get up enough to verify that SOMEONE had fed Izzy breakfast before I crawled back in bed for another 20 minutes). When I finally got up at 9:00, Mary giddily showed me her Birthday Surprise for me. Mary, Keith, and Izzy made me a card and then emptied the dishwasher, picked up the den, and even cleaned the bunny cage WITHOUT BEING TOLD (and ALL before 9:00?! WOW!). Isn't that the best present ever?

I dragged my mother to our GS meeting that afternoon where the girls made paper bag turkeys for table settings for the homeless shelter (we're making them pies for their Thanksgiving dinner next weekend). We cut the meeting short so that we could all go outside and rake the leaves for the church who lets us use their facilities. It was a MASSIVE amount of leaves. It's a MASSIVELY HUGE yard. We got about a third of it done in just over an hour. It was fun--and a nice day to rake leaves!

...And this is when I just started to DRAG. I had been up late the night before, my throat still kinda hurt from singing all night, and all that raking really did me in. Thank goodness Mom and I decided to do a small Thanksgiving for my birthday meal--we kept it simple and cooked a turkey breast in the crockpot. We get home, and DINNER'S READY!

John was kinda bummed because he wanted to take me out to our favorite Japanese restaurant for my birthday. I told him it was no big deal--he can take me out ANOTHER night! LOL

Mom made me a cake, so we all enjoyed two huge pieces, and then after the kids went to bed, all but John fell asleep watching the Colts game. Sorry--my body just wasn't having it--and I missed a great finish, too!

I dragged all day yesterday, too--and then finally figured out that no, I'm not tired from the weekend's activities and my age, and no, my throat is not still sore from singing--it's because I caught Keith's cold that he'd had all weekend! I'm still dragging today, but at least I have my friend The Cold Pill to help keep me sane (Yes, I'z old--I never used to take cold pills--now I can't weather colds like I used to).

Now we're all looking forward to Izzy's birthday. She turns five on Friday, and boy, is she excited about it! And...I finally figured out a party idea for her. I invited all the girls in her class to the bowling alley on Saturday. Bowling, pizza, and cake--she's so thrilled! I can't help but be excited, too through my virus-haze. It's going to be a fun weekend!

BTW: I must give credit to my husband about the "special nights" for the kids. It was HIS idea from a couple of years ago when we realized that in the chaos of the three children, we hardly ever got to spend one-on-one time with them--particularly Izzy. We stopped doing it for some reason last year, but we decided to start them up again. It's more fun now that Izzy's old enough to play NON-toddler games. LOL. He's a great Dad.

A Thankful List....

I love it when I cook dinner and all five people in the house actually eat it. I REALLY love it if it's actually a healthy dinner and not hot dogs and Doritos.

I love "special nights." Two kids go to "bed" early, and the third one gets to stay up a bit late and hang out with Mom and Dad. I love that we get to play different games every week. I love the one-on-one time. I love that the other two "get" the rules and get ready for bed with NO complaints and happily ponder what game THEY will pick when it's their turn.

I love it when one kid voluntarily helps out another one.

I love it that my son is almost always up, dressed, and starting his breakfast before I even get out of the shower most mornings--and I didn't have to say a word!

I love how after she FINALLY gets up, and finally gets dressed, and finally gets her hair brushed, Izzy is the happiest, sweetest girl in the world--and pretty much stays that way all day.

I love my husband's sense of humor--we really need to get out together more often.

I love to watch Mary interact with her best friend everyday. Even her teacher commented on how well the two girls compliment each other. I also love how the best friend and her little sister both play well with all three of my kids. I love that I got a chance to go part-time so that we could do this. I hope we get to do this for a long time.

I love the looks on my kids' faces when I surprise them with "junk food" at snacktime. Like, you know, muffins. heh

I love that Mary wants me to teach her how to knit now (oh, dear!).

I love that we've built up a tiny, little support system so that if I need a last minute baby sitter, I just MIGHT actually find one. And I love that they know that I'd drop anything to do the SAME for them (Within reason on BOTH sides, of course! I also love that no one takes advantage of the other).

I am starting to love craft stores. (Wish my pocketbook did....*sigh*)

(I think I'll stop while I'm ahead.) :-)

These Dreams

Last Friday the kids didn't have school, so I got to sneak out of a semi-quiet house again (Mary and Keith were up by the time I left). I guess that when Izzy finally woke up, she came running out to the living room yelling, "Mary! Mary! Twilight's ALIVE! Mary! TWILIGHT'S ALIVE!" One semi-heart attack later, Mary realized that her sister had just been having a dream. "But it's NOT a dream!" says Izzy, running downstairs to find--just Brownie. I guess she then came to her senses.

Wow.

And I also had my own heart-wrenching dream over the weekend. I think poor Beck and her Baby's recent episode really affected me, as I had the most vivid and horrible dream I've ever had. Similar to those really, really vivid and horrible pregnancy dreams.... Just so awful that I refuse to even write about it here. I seriously haven't had a dream that bad since some really bad stressed-induced ones from college--and a particularly horrid one I had while pregnant with Mary, from which I woke up BAWLING MY EYES OUT and begging my poor husband to hold me. (Ah yes...THOSE were the days....) Anyway, THAT was bad... REALLY, REALLY BAD. *shudder*

Dizzy, NOT Ditsy!

Saturday morning we dropped off Izzy to play at the neighbor's, and John and I took Keith and Mary to the school to assemble the pizzas for Cub Scouts. We put on pepperoni and veggies, smeared sauce, lay down pizza dough, ran complete pizzas to the shrink-wrappers, and had a fun, but tiring time. THEN there was the problem of our order forms not being present. Um....? THEN we got to at least fill our orders off the master list (but--did not know which customers got which?). THEN we got home, and after a phone conversation with the sickly den leader, we discovered that the forms WERE at the school, just apparently x did not communicate with y, and so....back to the school we went! ugh. We dropped off the pizzas (and cookies!) to the the neighbors present, dropped off the undeliverables in our fridge, and then headed out for a quick lunch.

After lunch, the girls and I went out and delivered more cookies. When we got back, John and Keith were in full leaf-removal mode. So, we grabbed rakes and helped make up piles. I knew I'd pay for the day later, but it was just so nice and beautiful outside, I didn't even mind the yard work.

Sunday Keith, Mary, and I delivered the LAST of the pizzas and the cookies (seriously?), and then Mary and I geared up for GS. She got her new Junior pin, and I got a week "off" as my co-leader did ALL the work.

Yesterday I started feeling very, very dizzy at work. Hmmm...I'd had an achy ear for a couple of days....time to pop a Cold and Sinus pill! I didn't even drive anywhere on lunch, it was hard to keep my balance, and I wasn't comfortable driving. I spent lunch with my head on the desk of a recently-scarce employee (lot of those offices around!). By the time the meds started kicking in, it was time to get the kids, and thankfully, I wasn't quite as light-headed.

Today I'm still a bit out of sorts. Not as dizzy, but not 100% well, either. My body is still sore from all that standing/walking/assembling/raking on Saturday, too. I am feeling every bit of my age this week.... Bleh!

Headaches: Self-inflicted ones

1. I caused a stupid, idiotic fight with my husband Saturday after a perfectly wonderful day and fantastic night of Trick-or-Treating with the kids.
2. I LOST the cookie order forms. LOST them. They were IN MY HAND at one point on Halloween night and then somehow DISAPPEARED. BEFORE we sorted the cookies--BEFORE we even got them out of the back of the mini-van. (Bullet One probably had something to do with this.)
   
3. You already know about the idiotic forgetting of the time change thing.
4. I planned and planned and planned for Izzy's GS meeting. And then forgot to bring glue sticks for the craft.
5. I did not remember the time correctly for Keith's Parent-Teacher Conference--so we were five minutes late. And then the teacher had written down the wrong time, anyway, and so...we got about a seven minute conference.
6. I yelled at Mary for about 10 minutes when she REFUSED to brush her hair on Monday. In a MEAN, HURTFUL, STUBBORN way.
7. I'm overwhelmed.
   
8. I had the brain wave this morning that I'm Rushing My Life Away again, and I need to take steps to slow things down again.

Somewhat related to my whiny topic:

• Mary started coming down with a bad headache yesterday and went to the nurse. She took her pain killers, chilled out at the nurse's office for a little while, and then went back to class. We think we can pinpoint a definite trigger--Math.

The GOOD NEWS

1. He is talking to me again.
2. I did some MAJOR brain-wringing and back-tracking and FOUND the order forms. It took me two days to find them.
3. Hey, we got a LOT done.
4. I at least had ONE glue stick in my box o' craft supplies. And the girls got to learn how to SHARE.
5. There were no major issues with Keith, and we know and are comfortable with the teacher and his report card, so...seven minutes was really all we needed.
6. I SHUT UP and apologized profusely and hugged her tears away. And then self-medicated with Halloween chocolate and Milanos. And actually HELD MY BREATH to prevent any more stupid outbursts with the kids the NEXT morning. At least now I'm clued in to ONE OF THE REASONS why I was so grumpy Halloween night--and why I now have the BIGGEST ZIT EVER on the very tip of my chin.
   
7. I am trying to take steps to dump some of my load by the fall.
   
8. See #7.

And...

• We still feel Mary's headaches are legitimate, but we are working with the teacher on other ways to help Mary calm down about her Math work--which is apparently getting her so worked up and stressed out that it's helping cause her migraines (or at least giving her stress headaches). Especially considering that she doesn't even STRUGGLE at Math! She really IS good at it! And really, heading down to the nurse's office is NOT a good idea right now. The GERMS, oh my goodness, THE GERMS!

In other news: Izzy apparently really does just have a cold--and a minor one at that. Of course, I showed up at my co-leader's house last night for planning--and she now has a fever. This is just about a week after she first started showing symptoms of being sick. Am now carrier #1. Fun.

Two of the three kids had to have their pictures re-taken this year (the school used a different company--there were a LOT of complaints about the results). Izzy, the kindergartner, got hers in just fine. Keith, the mature second-grader, did not go down when re-takes were paged. We're pretty sure he just didn't want to be bothered (he KNEW he had to have them re-taken!). So, his 2nd grade school pic has some weird hair action going on. Ah well. We'll laugh about it later.... (Kind of like the ketchup incident, I suppose.)