Today definately ended a bit differently than I would have predicted at 7am this morning. We were up in plenty of time to visit my grandma, run errands, go to church, or any combination of the above. However, as we were reading the paper, Gage pititifully (is that a word?) announced, "I don't feel very good." In all honesty, I should have seen this coming. He had been complaining off and on for about 4 days. "My nose is really snotty. My throat is sore. I didn't sleep very good last night." But, as it always goes, life keeps moving and the tough, brave kids keep rolling along with it. Gage is that kid. It takes a lot to knock him down. He has never taken an antibiotic. He misses very few days of school. He just keeps keepin' on.
So I look at him this morning, after the announcement, and he just doesn't look well. So I do all the mom stuff. Quiz him about how sore his throat is, how bad does his tummy feel? He eventually throws up a couple times, falls asleep, and just hangs out on the couch. Garth is trying to convince me that he's throwing up because of all the drainage, etc. I, however, all day am hearing this voice whispering "Strep. Strep." Why do these voices whisper on Sunday afternoons?
After googling "strep" upsidedown and backwards, I was thoroughly convinced that's what we had and decided to take him to urgent care. Well, long story short, he's got strep. Bad news, all the pharmacies in the burbs close at 6 on Sundays. I didn't feel like driving into the city tonight. A carjacking would have really wrecked our day. So we will be at the Meijer pharmacy in our jammies (well, not really) bright and early tomorrow morning. At least I won't have to spend 1/2 the day dragging my poor sick boy around town for a diagnosis. We got that part out of the way!
Good news: Made 1 of 3 curtains for our back door/windows. At least I got something done today. Oh, and picked up Gage a new bike. That was actually the errand we were planning to run as a family today, but it sounds better to say we bought him a new bike because he came down with strep throat!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
A bit of a conundrum...
I'm at a bit of an impasse. In my family when something irritating occurs, see where you're at after 24 hours. Is it still making you cringe, or have you moved on? So dear readers, all 11 of you, what would you do?
I had the pleasure of accompanying my 3rd grade son on his field trip yesterday. Said trip was to Rollhaven in Grand Blanc. The trip is $4.00 and advertises that the 3rd graders will be joining the 2nd graders, therefore having a chance to say "Hi" to their teachers from last year. The 2nd graders will have a chance to meet the 3rd grade teachers, in preparation for next year. Awesome.
Here's the thing, in a dark, NOISY rollerskating arena, ain't nobody meeting or talking to nobody. What you have instead is about 250ish 7-9 year olds running CRAZY...CRAZY. Here's the other thing, the arena doesn't just have rollerskating. There is also laser tag and a jump house (think Micky D's playland) at an additional cost of $3 each. ALSO, there is a minature Chuckee Cheese area. Games can be played for 25 or 50 cents each, and tickets are spit out to redeem for prizes. (((sigh))) There is also a snack stand if a field tripper wishes to purchase a snack.
Here is my problem. If you pay only the $4 for your kid to attend, they will just be skating. Which is great. Although, my estimate would be, at least 1/2 the children appeared to have little interest in skating. Most were mobbing the games, buying candy/ice cream, hanging from the bounce house, and engaging in rowsing battles in the laser tag room. These kids were pumped full of cash before they left the house in the morning. Gage and I stood in line at the change machine and watched 2 kids change $10 bills for quarters. (That was in the 5 minutes we were in line.) WHAT? Who gives their 2nd/3rd grader that much money for a field trip? Maybe the intention was they would use part of it for a snack. Clearly, that wasn't happening. Makes me wonder how much money was spent total by all the kids...
Anyway, the kids take this field trip in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. It seems to be some sort of a reward for March is Reading Month. Or as my dad says, a nice break day for the teachers. He's allowed to say that. He retired from the trenches. I personally think they could be a little more creative. If you're not a rich kid (here we would say if you don't live on the lake), you're at a clear disadvantage on this trip. I think they need to figure out a way to level the playing field, or put the old cabosh on this one. It's a stupid, dumb trip. Yes, I'm swearing. Please don't show this to my children.
So the conundrum is, do I write a carefully worded letter to the powers at be? Or do I just let it go? Weigh in with your thoughts, or send me an email. If you totally disagree with me, that's OK with me to. Just putting out my feelers. Cuz you know, if I write the letter, I will be further classified as "freak mom". Oh look, it's one of those crazy religious/conservative lunatics that plans to shelter her children from everything until they rebel into a crazy frenzy and start drinking soda and watching Sponge Bob and are never heard from again....Whatever. It's hard trying to be a mom that gives a crap.
I had the pleasure of accompanying my 3rd grade son on his field trip yesterday. Said trip was to Rollhaven in Grand Blanc. The trip is $4.00 and advertises that the 3rd graders will be joining the 2nd graders, therefore having a chance to say "Hi" to their teachers from last year. The 2nd graders will have a chance to meet the 3rd grade teachers, in preparation for next year. Awesome.
Here's the thing, in a dark, NOISY rollerskating arena, ain't nobody meeting or talking to nobody. What you have instead is about 250ish 7-9 year olds running CRAZY...CRAZY. Here's the other thing, the arena doesn't just have rollerskating. There is also laser tag and a jump house (think Micky D's playland) at an additional cost of $3 each. ALSO, there is a minature Chuckee Cheese area. Games can be played for 25 or 50 cents each, and tickets are spit out to redeem for prizes. (((sigh))) There is also a snack stand if a field tripper wishes to purchase a snack.
Here is my problem. If you pay only the $4 for your kid to attend, they will just be skating. Which is great. Although, my estimate would be, at least 1/2 the children appeared to have little interest in skating. Most were mobbing the games, buying candy/ice cream, hanging from the bounce house, and engaging in rowsing battles in the laser tag room. These kids were pumped full of cash before they left the house in the morning. Gage and I stood in line at the change machine and watched 2 kids change $10 bills for quarters. (That was in the 5 minutes we were in line.) WHAT? Who gives their 2nd/3rd grader that much money for a field trip? Maybe the intention was they would use part of it for a snack. Clearly, that wasn't happening. Makes me wonder how much money was spent total by all the kids...
Anyway, the kids take this field trip in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. It seems to be some sort of a reward for March is Reading Month. Or as my dad says, a nice break day for the teachers. He's allowed to say that. He retired from the trenches. I personally think they could be a little more creative. If you're not a rich kid (here we would say if you don't live on the lake), you're at a clear disadvantage on this trip. I think they need to figure out a way to level the playing field, or put the old cabosh on this one. It's a stupid, dumb trip. Yes, I'm swearing. Please don't show this to my children.
So the conundrum is, do I write a carefully worded letter to the powers at be? Or do I just let it go? Weigh in with your thoughts, or send me an email. If you totally disagree with me, that's OK with me to. Just putting out my feelers. Cuz you know, if I write the letter, I will be further classified as "freak mom". Oh look, it's one of those crazy religious/conservative lunatics that plans to shelter her children from everything until they rebel into a crazy frenzy and start drinking soda and watching Sponge Bob and are never heard from again....Whatever. It's hard trying to be a mom that gives a crap.
Friday, March 25, 2011
It's All About Perspective
We watched a real tear jerker on tv last night. You know, one of those where you can just feel the pain of the family coming through the tv screen. Here's the cliff notes version. After a recent job reduction/layoff situation, a family of 6 was choosing to move from their 7500 sq ft...errr...musuem?...I mean, house. Anyway, they were downgrading with a budget of $400,000, somewhere in TX, I believe. Right? Truly heartbreaking...
They were clearly rattled by laminate countertops, brass fixtures, and oak kitchens. A first floor master was a must. They also couldn't stomach the idea that their master bathroom wouldn't be connected to the bedroom. A step out into the hallway appeared to be a deal breaker. They finally did choose a 3300 sq ft house with potential. He had a background in construction.
I'm really not being fair. They actually seemed like a very nice family who had learned a valuable lesson in materialism. They were choosing to cutback. They appartently ended up cutting their mortgage in half, which was their goal. What the heck would a mortgage payment be on a 7500 sq ft house? Insurance, taxes...can you imagine?
But, like I said it's all in your perspective. We become so used to what we have everyday, what we "deserve" that's it's sometimes hard to adjust our thinking. My biggest complaints about our house are: no walk-in closet, laundry room is actually a closet, and a 4th bedroom would be handy. Which are all ridiculous to someone living with their family in a 1 bedroom apartment, or worse yet, having no home at all. I know we're fortunate. Our house is very comfortable (and affordable!) for our family. We truly don't need anything more. Anything more than what we have would be a luxury, not a necessity. (Don't tell the HGTV people, but I have laminate floors (gasp!), no granite (ewwww!), and...hold on for this one...no double sinks (I am being serious!). Our house would never make it on House Hunters. People would faint as soon as they walked in the door.)
So, I guess dreaming of a larger, more luxurious house can be fun. But sometimes, it's better to look around and appreciate what I have. Which usually leads to dreaming of future projects...plus, I hate cleaning. There is no way those commercial stoves and theatre rooms clean themselves...
They were clearly rattled by laminate countertops, brass fixtures, and oak kitchens. A first floor master was a must. They also couldn't stomach the idea that their master bathroom wouldn't be connected to the bedroom. A step out into the hallway appeared to be a deal breaker. They finally did choose a 3300 sq ft house with potential. He had a background in construction.
I'm really not being fair. They actually seemed like a very nice family who had learned a valuable lesson in materialism. They were choosing to cutback. They appartently ended up cutting their mortgage in half, which was their goal. What the heck would a mortgage payment be on a 7500 sq ft house? Insurance, taxes...can you imagine?
But, like I said it's all in your perspective. We become so used to what we have everyday, what we "deserve" that's it's sometimes hard to adjust our thinking. My biggest complaints about our house are: no walk-in closet, laundry room is actually a closet, and a 4th bedroom would be handy. Which are all ridiculous to someone living with their family in a 1 bedroom apartment, or worse yet, having no home at all. I know we're fortunate. Our house is very comfortable (and affordable!) for our family. We truly don't need anything more. Anything more than what we have would be a luxury, not a necessity. (Don't tell the HGTV people, but I have laminate floors (gasp!), no granite (ewwww!), and...hold on for this one...no double sinks (I am being serious!). Our house would never make it on House Hunters. People would faint as soon as they walked in the door.)
So, I guess dreaming of a larger, more luxurious house can be fun. But sometimes, it's better to look around and appreciate what I have. Which usually leads to dreaming of future projects...plus, I hate cleaning. There is no way those commercial stoves and theatre rooms clean themselves...
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A few random things...
So I heard on the radio this morning, two planes had to land without assistance yesterday, I believe. Apparently the air traffic controller fell asleep. That is ONE job you can not fall asleep at. Someone get that man/woman a Red Bull!
Gage's Little League practices start in two weeks. Do you think the ground will be thawed about by then. I hope summer is just as warm and sunny, as winter was cold and snowy!
Topic that came up today: For those of you who are interested, pluggedin.com has great reviews of movies, and how appropriate they may or may not be for your family. They give a nice broken down review with the positives and negatives. Basically written from a parent's perspective. I believe they review other media as well, but I've only used the movie reviews. I'm a bit of a nazi. Pretty much if I haven't read the review, we aren't watching it! It's amazing how you forgot some of the content in the movies we watched growing up. "PG" was apparently used more loosely in the 80s!
Just a few things I had thought of! Enjoy your day!
Gage's Little League practices start in two weeks. Do you think the ground will be thawed about by then. I hope summer is just as warm and sunny, as winter was cold and snowy!
Topic that came up today: For those of you who are interested, pluggedin.com has great reviews of movies, and how appropriate they may or may not be for your family. They give a nice broken down review with the positives and negatives. Basically written from a parent's perspective. I believe they review other media as well, but I've only used the movie reviews. I'm a bit of a nazi. Pretty much if I haven't read the review, we aren't watching it! It's amazing how you forgot some of the content in the movies we watched growing up. "PG" was apparently used more loosely in the 80s!
Just a few things I had thought of! Enjoy your day!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
No fair!
I never sleep right, anticipating the "winter storm". Tossing and turning, waiting for that call, but knowing I won't hear it. I turn the phone off whenever there is icky weather predicted. I don't necessarily need to know at 5am that there is no school that day. So basically, I wait all night for a silent phone to ring. Don't judge. In my world that makes perfect sense.
To wake up...and there IS school! What? No one else has school! Why do I have to get out of bed? It's so not fair. For the kids that is. It's all about the kids. It's not that I wanted to sleep in or anything. I didn't already have the chore list planned for the kids. And I certainly hadn't contemplated making cinnamon rolls last night, on the off chance we would all be home in the morning. That would be ridiculous. I mean, geesh...what am I? Like 5 years old or something?
For the record, it's still not fair...
To wake up...and there IS school! What? No one else has school! Why do I have to get out of bed? It's so not fair. For the kids that is. It's all about the kids. It's not that I wanted to sleep in or anything. I didn't already have the chore list planned for the kids. And I certainly hadn't contemplated making cinnamon rolls last night, on the off chance we would all be home in the morning. That would be ridiculous. I mean, geesh...what am I? Like 5 years old or something?
For the record, it's still not fair...
Monday, March 21, 2011
A few pictures...
Just thought I would share a few pictures of the princess and her daddy! They had a wonderful time. She is already asking when there is another dance for her to go to with her daddy. Oh, AND, Garth told her since they had such a great time, he figured it would be ok that he go on her first date as well. Great news! She said he could go, as well as me and her brothers. In fact, we're all going for ice cream, a large banana split to share. How awesome is that? All her idea. Can't wait! If she starts dating when she's 25...we still have awhile :-)
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Daddy Daughter Dance
A couple weeks ago, Claire received a flier advertising the Daddy-Daughter Dance taking place at school this Saturday. I thought maybe this would be a good year to send her and Garth off to what I pictured as a gaggle of ruffles, lace, and giggles. I showed it to Garth and he said "Sure. Why not?" So I did a little nosing around and found out, yes, we did know other families that would be attending. An idea was born...
Okay, so now we need a dress. That one was easy. She has a really cute, dressy dress from Easter last year. Shoes...yup easy. The silver shoes from the holidays are still fitting just fine. (Probably the good moms go out and a buy a brand new dress with matching shoes.) So far this is turning out to be pretty painless (and cheap! I love cheap!).
Fast forward to last night. I finally got out of Garth that he really didn't want to wear a suit. He was pretty sure khaki pants would look better with her dress. If you know him, you know he's quite the fashionista. You can tell by his high maintenance hairstyle. So anyway, I had this little dream in my head that his shirt/tie should at least somewhat match Claire's dress. I assume that could be accomplished at Target. We popped in there last night and they had all of 6 ties choices, and about the same choices of button down shirts. Claire really liked the baby pink tie, which her agreeable daddy said was fine, but I didn't. Her dress isn't baby pink, it's more coral pink. A baby pink tie simply wasn't going to work. I was starting to sweat just a little.
We're on the way home and a plan was forming in my head. The kids were really looking forward to watching "Megamind" for their Friday Night Movie. So, Garth can settle in with them and I'll run up to Kohls. About this time it occurs to me, that we never really settled "the corsage" issue. Do we need one? Do we not? Time to call in the experts. I texted a veteran mom. Me: What's the deal with the corsage for the Daddy-Daughter Dance? Do we need one? She immediately texts me back: Oh yes. Some sort of flower is highly advised. Me: Fine. I'll find something to strap to her wrist. Geesh!
So now I'm on my way to Kohls, with a side trip to Hobby Lobby. I can accomplish anything with a glue gun! I'm thinking the chances of just popping into a florist and picking up a corsage are slim. Plus, I have no idea what that costs. So at this point, I'm taking control of the situation, and making it myself. Totally, lucked out. The whole aisle of brideal gaudiness was 1/2 off. I picked up enough stuff to make a gorgeous (well, maybe slightly tacky) wrist corsage fit for a princess. Fortunately she's at that age, where lots of ribbons, pearls, and fluff make for a successful fashion statement.
Next stop Kohls, PERFECT tie! Matches her dress and everything! I was quite excited. Ran home, plugged in the glue gun and got busy being the florist that I'm not! Corsage came togehter. Shirt and tie fit hubby. All is well.
So tonight they embark on their big adventure. I did not make them reservations at a 4 star restaurant or rent a limo. Hopefully, those things aren't mandatory. She will be rightfully claiming her role as Daddy's Princess. She picked out a little tiara comb hair accessory at Target that I must get into her hair (oh, the pressue!). I'm sure they will look adorable. An evening to remember...
Okay, so now we need a dress. That one was easy. She has a really cute, dressy dress from Easter last year. Shoes...yup easy. The silver shoes from the holidays are still fitting just fine. (Probably the good moms go out and a buy a brand new dress with matching shoes.) So far this is turning out to be pretty painless (and cheap! I love cheap!).
Fast forward to last night. I finally got out of Garth that he really didn't want to wear a suit. He was pretty sure khaki pants would look better with her dress. If you know him, you know he's quite the fashionista. You can tell by his high maintenance hairstyle. So anyway, I had this little dream in my head that his shirt/tie should at least somewhat match Claire's dress. I assume that could be accomplished at Target. We popped in there last night and they had all of 6 ties choices, and about the same choices of button down shirts. Claire really liked the baby pink tie, which her agreeable daddy said was fine, but I didn't. Her dress isn't baby pink, it's more coral pink. A baby pink tie simply wasn't going to work. I was starting to sweat just a little.
We're on the way home and a plan was forming in my head. The kids were really looking forward to watching "Megamind" for their Friday Night Movie. So, Garth can settle in with them and I'll run up to Kohls. About this time it occurs to me, that we never really settled "the corsage" issue. Do we need one? Do we not? Time to call in the experts. I texted a veteran mom. Me: What's the deal with the corsage for the Daddy-Daughter Dance? Do we need one? She immediately texts me back: Oh yes. Some sort of flower is highly advised. Me: Fine. I'll find something to strap to her wrist. Geesh!
So now I'm on my way to Kohls, with a side trip to Hobby Lobby. I can accomplish anything with a glue gun! I'm thinking the chances of just popping into a florist and picking up a corsage are slim. Plus, I have no idea what that costs. So at this point, I'm taking control of the situation, and making it myself. Totally, lucked out. The whole aisle of brideal gaudiness was 1/2 off. I picked up enough stuff to make a gorgeous (well, maybe slightly tacky) wrist corsage fit for a princess. Fortunately she's at that age, where lots of ribbons, pearls, and fluff make for a successful fashion statement.
Next stop Kohls, PERFECT tie! Matches her dress and everything! I was quite excited. Ran home, plugged in the glue gun and got busy being the florist that I'm not! Corsage came togehter. Shirt and tie fit hubby. All is well.
So tonight they embark on their big adventure. I did not make them reservations at a 4 star restaurant or rent a limo. Hopefully, those things aren't mandatory. She will be rightfully claiming her role as Daddy's Princess. She picked out a little tiara comb hair accessory at Target that I must get into her hair (oh, the pressue!). I'm sure they will look adorable. An evening to remember...
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Power of "Thank You"
I think we underestimate the value of two little words...Thank. You. There is no better way to express our appreciation, than a sincere "Thank You"!
Let us all not forget, it's not just for those who we feel deserve the praise. Yes, we try to express our gratitude to our loved ones every chance we get. Sometimes, we get the kids right on making those nice handmade cards, sometimes not...but the point is we keep trying, witht the best of intentions. Actually, that wasn't my point. The real point is, EVERYONE deserves a thank you. The person working at the store where you are making a return, is not obligated to to perform miracles on your behalf. However, when you are treated with kindness, or heck, let's get crazy and say the clerk has his/her grumpy shorts on that day, smile at the end of your transaction. Tell him or her "Thank you". If it was an especially tricky request/problem, and that person was able to help you, live on the edge and throw out a "Thank you so much. You just made my day a little easier".
I've worked in customer service, and I'm pretty sure most of us have at one time or another. If you haven't, you should. At least for 30 days or so to get the "flavor" of dealing with the public. It isn't always pretty. Go out there and be that customer that defies the rules!
(Darn keystroke! Who knows on Windows 7 why this keeps happening?) Anyway, I can not stress enough, you children are watching. Every word you say, every move you make. They are learning from you! That is a huge responsibility. Kindness and consideration ranks pretty high in my book. Now I know my husband and my mom may be reading this...quit making faces. We all have our grumpy days. However, if my children grow up as self-centered individuals...I will have failed. Flat out F.A.I.L.E.D. I really do try to show them a way of life that puts others first. I remind them often, you're part of a family, and families do things for each other. I heard one time, if you are dating someone, watch how they treat a waiter/waitress. That will give you huge insight on the way they respect people in general. I don't wanna raise a naughty kid.
I hope this doesn't sound preachy. That wasn't what I intended. This topic has just come up in my house recently. (No. It wasn't my children or husband. Husband is very considerate. I just ignore the kids.) Just two little words. That's all I want to hear...
(These blogs would totally get all marked up with a red pen in English 101. Yikes! Hopefully the flow improves soon! My sincere apologies :-)
Let us all not forget, it's not just for those who we feel deserve the praise. Yes, we try to express our gratitude to our loved ones every chance we get. Sometimes, we get the kids right on making those nice handmade cards, sometimes not...but the point is we keep trying, witht the best of intentions. Actually, that wasn't my point. The real point is, EVERYONE deserves a thank you. The person working at the store where you are making a return, is not obligated to to perform miracles on your behalf. However, when you are treated with kindness, or heck, let's get crazy and say the clerk has his/her grumpy shorts on that day, smile at the end of your transaction. Tell him or her "Thank you". If it was an especially tricky request/problem, and that person was able to help you, live on the edge and throw out a "Thank you so much. You just made my day a little easier".
I've worked in customer service, and I'm pretty sure most of us have at one time or another. If you haven't, you should. At least for 30 days or so to get the "flavor" of dealing with the public. It isn't always pretty. Go out there and be that customer that defies the rules!
(Darn keystroke! Who knows on Windows 7 why this keeps happening?) Anyway, I can not stress enough, you children are watching. Every word you say, every move you make. They are learning from you! That is a huge responsibility. Kindness and consideration ranks pretty high in my book. Now I know my husband and my mom may be reading this...quit making faces. We all have our grumpy days. However, if my children grow up as self-centered individuals...I will have failed. Flat out F.A.I.L.E.D. I really do try to show them a way of life that puts others first. I remind them often, you're part of a family, and families do things for each other. I heard one time, if you are dating someone, watch how they treat a waiter/waitress. That will give you huge insight on the way they respect people in general. I don't wanna raise a naughty kid.
I hope this doesn't sound preachy. That wasn't what I intended. This topic has just come up in my house recently. (No. It wasn't my children or husband. Husband is very considerate. I just ignore the kids.) Just two little words. That's all I want to hear...
(These blogs would totally get all marked up with a red pen in English 101. Yikes! Hopefully the flow improves soon! My sincere apologies :-)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Spring is in the air!
A few things that say spring is right around the corner:
*end of basketball season
*time change
*raindrops instead of snow
*the countdown to two birthdays in the next month
*flannel sheets are finally feeling too warm (hard to believe!)
*muddy boots
*welcome call from Gage's Little League coach
*meatless Fridays
*spotting items in the yard I forgot we even had
*Daddy Daughter Dance
*beautiful Michigan potholes
This winter seemed very long this year. Even spending a week in Florida, didn't seem to shorten it too much. I lost count of the number of mornings that it had snowed/iced just enough to make for slippery conditions. So glad that we seem to be coming out of the doldrums of winter and into the new life of SPRING!
Looking so forward to putting the furniture back on the front porch, opening up the pool, weekends at the cabin, and the breeze blowing through the windows. This time of year I always swear I will never turn the air on again, once we are able to open the windows. Well, and I promise to water my flowers in August too, that occasionally (!) doesn't happen...I'm glad you all aren't the judgemental type :-)
I HAVE. GOT. TO. figure out what keystroke on this silly laptop makes an entire paragraph delete. It completely just deleted everything I had written on my Facebook fast, oh well. Guess you weren't meant to read that. PS. Holly, I definately miss you!!!
I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful sunshine. Getting ready to fire up the oven for a loaf of bread (I know! Very domesticate of me!). Might have to crack open a window to inhale that first smell of SPRING!
Enjoy the weather while it lasts!
*end of basketball season
*time change
*raindrops instead of snow
*the countdown to two birthdays in the next month
*flannel sheets are finally feeling too warm (hard to believe!)
*muddy boots
*welcome call from Gage's Little League coach
*meatless Fridays
*spotting items in the yard I forgot we even had
*Daddy Daughter Dance
*beautiful Michigan potholes
This winter seemed very long this year. Even spending a week in Florida, didn't seem to shorten it too much. I lost count of the number of mornings that it had snowed/iced just enough to make for slippery conditions. So glad that we seem to be coming out of the doldrums of winter and into the new life of SPRING!
Looking so forward to putting the furniture back on the front porch, opening up the pool, weekends at the cabin, and the breeze blowing through the windows. This time of year I always swear I will never turn the air on again, once we are able to open the windows. Well, and I promise to water my flowers in August too, that occasionally (!) doesn't happen...I'm glad you all aren't the judgemental type :-)
I HAVE. GOT. TO. figure out what keystroke on this silly laptop makes an entire paragraph delete. It completely just deleted everything I had written on my Facebook fast, oh well. Guess you weren't meant to read that. PS. Holly, I definately miss you!!!
I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful sunshine. Getting ready to fire up the oven for a loaf of bread (I know! Very domesticate of me!). Might have to crack open a window to inhale that first smell of SPRING!
Enjoy the weather while it lasts!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wacky Week
The last week has been one of those that feels like Ground Hog's Day, well I guess that would be week. After Brady pulled the ER shenanigans last Wednesday, Claire came home sick from school on Thursday. We then woke up Friday morning to a light layer of ice, which closed school for the day.
Saturday morning Garth and Gage left for Camp Copneconic. They spent 24 hours in blissful, boy heaven. They did tons of outdoor activities that involved rain, sleet, snow, and mud. They were fed and treated wonderfully by the staff of Camp Copneconic...and can NOT WAIT to go again next year! The night they were gone, a true miracle occurred. Claire and Brady both REQUESTED to go to bed at 7:00pm. They were all set up for a slumber party in my room, so I guess they were excited to settle in? I don't know. All I do know, is I could not get to sleep for the life of me that night. It was nearly 2am and I was STILL tossing and turning.
Sunday, Claire and I had our "girls day out" with Grandma Patti, Aunt Laura, Skye, and Gennafer. We got to go see the Flint Young People's Ballet (I think I've got that right) perform Cinderella. It was great. So great, in fact, Claire is thinking about taking ballet lessons again next year...well, and Girl Scouts, piano lessons, horseback riding lessons, etc. I think the only thing she hasn't mentioned is Yiddish. I'm sure that will eventually be added to the list!
The Ground Hog's day thing came into play yesterday, when Brady decided to celebrate Wednesday "Brady style". He got out of bed yesterday morning, puked, and proceeded to spend all day on the couch with a fever. Today he's at least 90% back to normal. Hopefully, the crud doesn't sweep through the house. So pretty much, when Wednesday rolls around again, I will make sure I don't have any big plans. Apparently we like to acknowledge the middle of the week in some sort of "big way" around here. How do people with more than one child find time to work? I would have been totally fired by now. Since the first of the year, I can't think of one week that has gone by without some sort of "irregularity" to our schedule. I guess that secures my "job position" here though. It doesn't pay very well, but heck, you can't beat the flexibility.
Can't really think of a catchy ending to this entry. I'm kind of feeling just a little tired and a little zapped. This cloudy weather doesn't help. The countdown to spring IS ON!
On a side note, looking very forward to attending a book discussion at church tonight, finishing up the last of the basketball season this weekend, and welcoming my parents home on Saturday. Things are looking up!
This was incredibly choppy and not very exciting. But it's what we've been up to. I'll try to come up with something catchy or, better yet, controversial for next time!
Saturday morning Garth and Gage left for Camp Copneconic. They spent 24 hours in blissful, boy heaven. They did tons of outdoor activities that involved rain, sleet, snow, and mud. They were fed and treated wonderfully by the staff of Camp Copneconic...and can NOT WAIT to go again next year! The night they were gone, a true miracle occurred. Claire and Brady both REQUESTED to go to bed at 7:00pm. They were all set up for a slumber party in my room, so I guess they were excited to settle in? I don't know. All I do know, is I could not get to sleep for the life of me that night. It was nearly 2am and I was STILL tossing and turning.
Sunday, Claire and I had our "girls day out" with Grandma Patti, Aunt Laura, Skye, and Gennafer. We got to go see the Flint Young People's Ballet (I think I've got that right) perform Cinderella. It was great. So great, in fact, Claire is thinking about taking ballet lessons again next year...well, and Girl Scouts, piano lessons, horseback riding lessons, etc. I think the only thing she hasn't mentioned is Yiddish. I'm sure that will eventually be added to the list!
The Ground Hog's day thing came into play yesterday, when Brady decided to celebrate Wednesday "Brady style". He got out of bed yesterday morning, puked, and proceeded to spend all day on the couch with a fever. Today he's at least 90% back to normal. Hopefully, the crud doesn't sweep through the house. So pretty much, when Wednesday rolls around again, I will make sure I don't have any big plans. Apparently we like to acknowledge the middle of the week in some sort of "big way" around here. How do people with more than one child find time to work? I would have been totally fired by now. Since the first of the year, I can't think of one week that has gone by without some sort of "irregularity" to our schedule. I guess that secures my "job position" here though. It doesn't pay very well, but heck, you can't beat the flexibility.
Can't really think of a catchy ending to this entry. I'm kind of feeling just a little tired and a little zapped. This cloudy weather doesn't help. The countdown to spring IS ON!
On a side note, looking very forward to attending a book discussion at church tonight, finishing up the last of the basketball season this weekend, and welcoming my parents home on Saturday. Things are looking up!
This was incredibly choppy and not very exciting. But it's what we've been up to. I'll try to come up with something catchy or, better yet, controversial for next time!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!
Last night, after a very eventful day, I updated my Facebook status with a complete and utter lie. In my defense, I didn't realize this until the middle of the night. I advertised my trip to the emergency room with Brady, as my first trip to the ER. However, that is not true.
My very first trip to the ER was with, you guessed it, Brady as well. When he was 2 weeks old, we were wisked to Hurley after a brief visit at the pediatricians office. He arrived by ambulance and went directly to the ER. I eventually figured out where and how to park my car, that can be challenging for a person who was probably in shock at that point. His heart was racing and he needed some immediate TLC from the lovely people at Hurley's PICU. That little incident created more worry, than long term harm. It's not even relevant to put on his medical forms at this point. Technicaly, our FIRST trip to the ER.
Fast forward almost 4 years, and he shoves a purple crayon tip so far up his nose, no one in Genesee county can manage to get it out. Off to the Genesys ER. (Love you Hurley, but was sooooo happy we didn't have to take a field trip to your lovely establishment.) Now follow along. This is sort of like a really, really not fun board game. Remeber every time you pass the space that says "Medical Professional" you pay $40. So the crayon is stuck, I can't get it out with any of the mom tricks. Fine, we'll go to the peditrician (Wednesday...by far our most chaotic day. FYI) Pediatrician tries, can't get it out. We should go to an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat). Fine. That was actually getting us closer to home. Dr. Robins. Highly recommend. Met us at the office after his hospital hours. His office is closed on Wednesday. He swaddles Brady. I lay on top of him, holding his head. Hoping it's not SUPER easy to snap your own child's neck. After 10 or so minutes of this, we were all exhausted, kicking, and screaming. BRADY, not me...geesh!
Which is how we ended up in the emergency room. Again, other than the above mentioned, I had never been a patient of, or taken the children to the emergency room. I didn't even know how. I asked the Doctor. He probably thought I was blonde. So (I'm thinking) we really just go up to the desk (past the bleeding woman and the very, very stout woman in the wheelchair with all of her earthly belongings) and just say "Hi. He has a crayon is his nose?" That just seemed...too easy. Won't they want to know if this is REALLY an emergency. I mean, they have huge letters on the outside that indicate you should only be here in an EMERGENCY. For the record, I'm no doc, but all the people there were not experiencing an emergency. That sign is false advertising. Just so you know.
So long, painful story short. The crayon is out of the nose. I did not choose to keep it for the baby book. I did however take a couple pictures of him in his minature hospital gown with my camera phone. You have to document those exciting days somehow.
One more point that should be noted: I like to talk to people, just a little. Even in the worst situations, having someone to talk to makes me feel tons better. There we were, in what I believe is the triage area. Really trying to block out the moaning woman who needed a bed pan and had a CHARLIE HORSE (her emphasis, not mine)...and what to my wondering eyes should appear? One of my neighbors! See? Our God is good...all the time! He gave me someone to chat with in the emergency room. How cool is that?
I'm sure now that we've "let the horse out of the barn", we will surely experience multiple trips to the ER in the next several years. The good news, I now know where to check in and what to expect. Maybe I'll see you there? (For the record. I really hope not.)
My very first trip to the ER was with, you guessed it, Brady as well. When he was 2 weeks old, we were wisked to Hurley after a brief visit at the pediatricians office. He arrived by ambulance and went directly to the ER. I eventually figured out where and how to park my car, that can be challenging for a person who was probably in shock at that point. His heart was racing and he needed some immediate TLC from the lovely people at Hurley's PICU. That little incident created more worry, than long term harm. It's not even relevant to put on his medical forms at this point. Technicaly, our FIRST trip to the ER.
Fast forward almost 4 years, and he shoves a purple crayon tip so far up his nose, no one in Genesee county can manage to get it out. Off to the Genesys ER. (Love you Hurley, but was sooooo happy we didn't have to take a field trip to your lovely establishment.) Now follow along. This is sort of like a really, really not fun board game. Remeber every time you pass the space that says "Medical Professional" you pay $40. So the crayon is stuck, I can't get it out with any of the mom tricks. Fine, we'll go to the peditrician (Wednesday...by far our most chaotic day. FYI) Pediatrician tries, can't get it out. We should go to an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat). Fine. That was actually getting us closer to home. Dr. Robins. Highly recommend. Met us at the office after his hospital hours. His office is closed on Wednesday. He swaddles Brady. I lay on top of him, holding his head. Hoping it's not SUPER easy to snap your own child's neck. After 10 or so minutes of this, we were all exhausted, kicking, and screaming. BRADY, not me...geesh!
Which is how we ended up in the emergency room. Again, other than the above mentioned, I had never been a patient of, or taken the children to the emergency room. I didn't even know how. I asked the Doctor. He probably thought I was blonde. So (I'm thinking) we really just go up to the desk (past the bleeding woman and the very, very stout woman in the wheelchair with all of her earthly belongings) and just say "Hi. He has a crayon is his nose?" That just seemed...too easy. Won't they want to know if this is REALLY an emergency. I mean, they have huge letters on the outside that indicate you should only be here in an EMERGENCY. For the record, I'm no doc, but all the people there were not experiencing an emergency. That sign is false advertising. Just so you know.
So long, painful story short. The crayon is out of the nose. I did not choose to keep it for the baby book. I did however take a couple pictures of him in his minature hospital gown with my camera phone. You have to document those exciting days somehow.
One more point that should be noted: I like to talk to people, just a little. Even in the worst situations, having someone to talk to makes me feel tons better. There we were, in what I believe is the triage area. Really trying to block out the moaning woman who needed a bed pan and had a CHARLIE HORSE (her emphasis, not mine)...and what to my wondering eyes should appear? One of my neighbors! See? Our God is good...all the time! He gave me someone to chat with in the emergency room. How cool is that?
I'm sure now that we've "let the horse out of the barn", we will surely experience multiple trips to the ER in the next several years. The good news, I now know where to check in and what to expect. Maybe I'll see you there? (For the record. I really hope not.)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Step #1-Review the Budget
Probably a year ago I stumbled onto the Money Saving Mom website. She has so many incredible ideas, coupons, etc. I think she's one of those people who feeds her family of 26 for 37 cents per day. I long to be that person. To find all those great deals, without really having to look or exert any effort. Oh, the problem is becoming a little clearer. I do need a "plan".
So I've decided to try following her http://moneysavingmom.com/31-days-to-a-better-budget-series. It's a little step-by-step plan to steer a person toward making better use of her grocery dollars. It looks doable to me. Lots of examples. Written in a nice tone. She doesn't seem "freaky" at all. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean....
Who knew buying groceries was right up there with rocket science? I did pass college algebra, so let's hope I can pass this "challenge" as well. I will keep you all updated. Not to impress you (although that would be fun), more to hold me accountable.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
My rationalization (I think)
When I announced I would be taking a "breather" from Facebook land, I had hinted I might try and do a little more blogging. A great gal, I like to call her O'Malley, called me out on that. I know what she's saying, saying I'm never going swimming again, and then thinking maybe I could just stay in the shallow end.
However, I have my reasons why I think this will work. A friend of mine, the fabulous Rachel K., once pointed out that sometimes our egos get fed just a tiny bit too much from our dabblings in Facebook. I'm not saying this happens to everyone, but some of us have egos that thrive on all that attention. Egos who are giddy when their post gets positive attention, and so disappointed when not even one person comments. Facebook should not define me. Not goood...
Sometimes what I read on Facebook just makes me angry. I'll be checking in and read something that I find just down right irritating. Which 9 times out of 10 leads to. My child: Mommy. Your shirt is pretty. Me: umm-hmm (still trying to figure out why the idiot on FB posted what they did. Child: May I please... Me: Would you just find something to do! Ok folks, that just can't be healthy. In that case I'm giving Facebook a little too much say in my emotional state for the day.
So in blog land it's the best of both worlds. I get to share whatever is rattling around in my mind at that time. It's sort of out of the way. Like those cookies you actually have to get the step stool out to reach. My blog is here, if you want to take the extra time to click on it, it's available. You might decide after all that effort, it really wasn't worth the time to read. That's ok with me. I will never even know.
My hope would be to share something that someone else can realate to. Maybe something positive. Maybe a no-good, horrible, bad day (love that book). Motherhood can be a lonely place sometimes. Ultimately, we're all in it together. Nobody gets to win. Don't waste the energy trying to. Until next time...
However, I have my reasons why I think this will work. A friend of mine, the fabulous Rachel K., once pointed out that sometimes our egos get fed just a tiny bit too much from our dabblings in Facebook. I'm not saying this happens to everyone, but some of us have egos that thrive on all that attention. Egos who are giddy when their post gets positive attention, and so disappointed when not even one person comments. Facebook should not define me. Not goood...
Sometimes what I read on Facebook just makes me angry. I'll be checking in and read something that I find just down right irritating. Which 9 times out of 10 leads to. My child: Mommy. Your shirt is pretty. Me: umm-hmm (still trying to figure out why the idiot on FB posted what they did. Child: May I please... Me: Would you just find something to do! Ok folks, that just can't be healthy. In that case I'm giving Facebook a little too much say in my emotional state for the day.
So in blog land it's the best of both worlds. I get to share whatever is rattling around in my mind at that time. It's sort of out of the way. Like those cookies you actually have to get the step stool out to reach. My blog is here, if you want to take the extra time to click on it, it's available. You might decide after all that effort, it really wasn't worth the time to read. That's ok with me. I will never even know.
My hope would be to share something that someone else can realate to. Maybe something positive. Maybe a no-good, horrible, bad day (love that book). Motherhood can be a lonely place sometimes. Ultimately, we're all in it together. Nobody gets to win. Don't waste the energy trying to. Until next time...
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