This morning, bright and early, Hayley had her tonsils removed. This was her choice, but after having strep and tonsillitis for many years, she decided enough was enough and arranged to have her surgery. Since she's old enough to do that now, I didn't have much say about it, but I went along to provide support, a ride, and pay the bills.
The only thing in the world that could get Hayley up before the crack of noon had kicked in - nerves - and she was up a full hour or two before we needed to leave. Comfy clothes, check. Glasses, no contacts, check. Removal of all jewelry including heinous new gauges in her ears, check. We were off!
When we arrived for check-in and were answering questions, I noticed a bunch of stuffed animals in bags behind the receptionist. As we filled out forms, she rummaged around and produced a teddy bear, which Hayley snatched to her chest like the toddler she is. Then, she signed her own consent forms, very adult-like.
When we were taken into the pre-op room to wait, I explained how the operation would work. "They take this big fork thing and stick it down your throat and twist until your tonsils pop off." LOL! Nothing like some sick humor when the nerves are kicking in. Just one of the many services I provide! She changed into a gown, much chagrined that she couldn't keep her bra on, and struck a sexy pose, like no one else can wearing two cotton gowns with strings and a pair of grey fuzzy hospital socks.
As she bounced and twitched in anticipation, I explained that once the blue cap came out, it was all over. She said "I hope they give me morphine. I love that stuff!" Um......
The nurse arrived with the blue cap which means "mom leaves now" and she took my baby to rip out her organs.
And then I waited. And got coffee. And texted. And used my phone so much checking my email and Facebook, and taking selfies that I immediately deleted, that the battery nearly ran out and I had to go tell them that my phone might not work any more so they better send someone out to let me know when she was ready.
And then I remembered I was going to film her in case she said anything funny while coming out from anesthesia, but my phone wouldn't work any more so I decided to use her phone and they came to get me. And she didn't say anything funny at all!
Soon enough, we were headed home where I made her chocolate pudding and she went to bed. I charged my phone and set alarms for every four hours. Because I am taking no chances with this one - I WILL make sure meds are on board and on time. For the sake of all who know her and love her.
And then I made a Chinese chicken salad for Arlie's gymnastics banquet tonight, which I'm sure isn't Chinese at all. The salad, not the banquet. And I ate lunch. And I was very, very tired.
And then I walked by the bathroom mirror and saw my grey roots and thought, damn it! I have been meaning to color my hair for days now but I keep forgetting until I walk past a mirror. So, then I thought if I'm going to color my hair and have to get in the shower anyway, I might as well work out, because why waste a perfectly good shower when I could do something good for my heart first, and then I thought fuck it. I'm going to take a nap.
And that is the story of our morning. I'm going to nap while my baby naps. Great advice I got at that very same hospital when she was an infant. But only for 24 minutes because then it's time for the powerful meds who's names being with hydro and oxy. For Hayley, of course. Not me. Psh.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Rude!
I read a news story tonight about people who sent "anti-invites" to people to tell them they are NOT invited to their wedding. WTF? Have we really come to this? People need to be informed they didn't make the cut? Oh, and another new "trend" is to be on the "B" list for a wedding - meaning you ARE invited but only if someone on the "A" list cancels. Hmm. Do me a favor. If you feel the need to do this for your wedding, please don't invite me OR un-invite me. In fact, do us ALL a favor and elope. For crying out loud, it's a wedding! It's a celebration of love and the unity of two people (50% of whom will get divorced anyway, but I digress).
Weddings have really gone over the top. I blame YouTube and Pinterest. For one thing, after that couple did that awesome wedding entrance dance and posted it on YouTube, everyone tried to top it. Here is the epic wedding entrance dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RgMrf6Dhhs. Don't even bother watching any of the others because everything else is just an imitation.
Then, there is Pinterest, where people "pin" virtual weddings that may or may not ever happen. Even I got sucked in and I'm not planning on getting married again. But I do have daughters. So I created a board, aptly titled "Someday Their Prince Will Come." And, seriously? You can find millions of things to wear, do, decorate with, and eat at your dream wedding on Pinterest. Because, of course, everything must be perfect.
But the thing is, weddings are usually far from perfect. My first wedding consisted of handmade bridesmaids dresses, a wedding dress off the "bargain" rack (but still beautiful), and food mostly prepared by my mom, served in the church basement because it was easier and cheaper than renting out a separate venue. Even though we were budget-conscious, it was still several thousand dollars. We invited everyone and I didn't make my bridesmaids pay for their own dresses (also rude!). We never got to taste the food because we were too busy talking to our guests and it rained.
My second wedding was much different! We decided, literally, two weeks before the wedding to have it the same weekend as a big family party. That way, most everyone would already be there, including the majority of our families. We paid one price for the venue, the preacher, the flowers, cake, food and hotel. It was so easy! I bought my dress for $200, the girls' bridesmaids dresses for $50 each and the flower girl dress for $30 - all off the rack at department stores. While the wedding still ran us a few thousand dollars, it was "bargain" by today's standards, and we certainly didn't have an "A" list or a "B" list. But my son's tuxedo was a men's size small and he was seven years old, we had way too much food leftover, and I got my period. Very romantic.
I get it - weddings are expensive and you can't invite everyone. Or you CAN, and adjust your show-off party. I would much rather have everyone I love invited to my wedding than have to pick and choose. If that means hearty appetizers rather than a sit-down dinner, bring it on! The more the merrier, I say, and no one is going to remember the paper lanterns, or the table favors or your vows. If it's important to you, and you can afford it, you should certainly have the wedding of your dreams. But since when is it ok to let people know they are not invited? What happened to old-fashioned etiquette?
It seems like today weddings are more about playing a game - a chance to show-off or show-up the last person - and less about the union of two people who fell in love. If I want extravagance and a big show, I can get tickets to the circus. In the meantime, I'll choose the "C" list - cut me out!
Weddings have really gone over the top. I blame YouTube and Pinterest. For one thing, after that couple did that awesome wedding entrance dance and posted it on YouTube, everyone tried to top it. Here is the epic wedding entrance dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RgMrf6Dhhs. Don't even bother watching any of the others because everything else is just an imitation.
Then, there is Pinterest, where people "pin" virtual weddings that may or may not ever happen. Even I got sucked in and I'm not planning on getting married again. But I do have daughters. So I created a board, aptly titled "Someday Their Prince Will Come." And, seriously? You can find millions of things to wear, do, decorate with, and eat at your dream wedding on Pinterest. Because, of course, everything must be perfect.
But the thing is, weddings are usually far from perfect. My first wedding consisted of handmade bridesmaids dresses, a wedding dress off the "bargain" rack (but still beautiful), and food mostly prepared by my mom, served in the church basement because it was easier and cheaper than renting out a separate venue. Even though we were budget-conscious, it was still several thousand dollars. We invited everyone and I didn't make my bridesmaids pay for their own dresses (also rude!). We never got to taste the food because we were too busy talking to our guests and it rained.
My second wedding was much different! We decided, literally, two weeks before the wedding to have it the same weekend as a big family party. That way, most everyone would already be there, including the majority of our families. We paid one price for the venue, the preacher, the flowers, cake, food and hotel. It was so easy! I bought my dress for $200, the girls' bridesmaids dresses for $50 each and the flower girl dress for $30 - all off the rack at department stores. While the wedding still ran us a few thousand dollars, it was "bargain" by today's standards, and we certainly didn't have an "A" list or a "B" list. But my son's tuxedo was a men's size small and he was seven years old, we had way too much food leftover, and I got my period. Very romantic.
I get it - weddings are expensive and you can't invite everyone. Or you CAN, and adjust your show-off party. I would much rather have everyone I love invited to my wedding than have to pick and choose. If that means hearty appetizers rather than a sit-down dinner, bring it on! The more the merrier, I say, and no one is going to remember the paper lanterns, or the table favors or your vows. If it's important to you, and you can afford it, you should certainly have the wedding of your dreams. But since when is it ok to let people know they are not invited? What happened to old-fashioned etiquette?
It seems like today weddings are more about playing a game - a chance to show-off or show-up the last person - and less about the union of two people who fell in love. If I want extravagance and a big show, I can get tickets to the circus. In the meantime, I'll choose the "C" list - cut me out!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Turn in your technology!
We instituted a new rule a few weeks ago - no technology after 10 p.m. for the kids. Meaning cell phones, iPods, iPads, and laptops had to be "turned in" by 10 p.m. to a central location in the family room. At first, this new rule went over like a lead balloon. But we told the kids it was non-negotiable, and that was that. I'd been pretty tired of the kids staying up late and/or being tired all the time because they stayed up till 2 a.m. on Tumblr (Hayley), fooled around with their iPod till midnight (Arlie), FaceTimed with their friends till 11 p.m. (Harrison), or posted Facebook statuses at 1 a.m. (Hannah). Thus, the new world order. Or something.
Anyway, after all the hysterics were over, the kids got pretty good about turning stuff in, and lo and behold, without their technology to entertain them, they actually started going to bed. Sometimes even before 10 p.m.! In fact, it's not unusual to hear at least one person express their fatigue and desire to go to bed starting around 8:30 p.m. Mornings come and the kids are more chipper, get ready faster and easier, and all is now right with the world. Relatively speaking.
Sure, the kids could go back and get their technology after we're asleep. And maybe they have! But the point is, they actually self-regulate and go to bed on time now, with no argument or delays, and manage to get homework and other things done well before the 10 p.m. cutoff. And it seems like they are less "attached" to their technology than before (although, you won't find any of them without a phone in the face most evenings). Tonight, by 9:30 most of the house was off to bed, it not IN bed. I laughed that we were like old people now. Early to bed and early to rise. Hey, it's working! Try it!
Anyway, after all the hysterics were over, the kids got pretty good about turning stuff in, and lo and behold, without their technology to entertain them, they actually started going to bed. Sometimes even before 10 p.m.! In fact, it's not unusual to hear at least one person express their fatigue and desire to go to bed starting around 8:30 p.m. Mornings come and the kids are more chipper, get ready faster and easier, and all is now right with the world. Relatively speaking.
Sure, the kids could go back and get their technology after we're asleep. And maybe they have! But the point is, they actually self-regulate and go to bed on time now, with no argument or delays, and manage to get homework and other things done well before the 10 p.m. cutoff. And it seems like they are less "attached" to their technology than before (although, you won't find any of them without a phone in the face most evenings). Tonight, by 9:30 most of the house was off to bed, it not IN bed. I laughed that we were like old people now. Early to bed and early to rise. Hey, it's working! Try it!
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Still here..........
It's been ages since I blogged, and there are a myriad of reasons for it, but here's a little catch-up:
1. Harrison was supposed to perform in the junior high talent show this evening. He was going to sing and play the guitar. Instead we spent a couple of hours in the ER, because just before we needed to leave for the show, he developed a profuse nosebleed that stopped just long enough for us to get to the school, set up the video camera, tell everyone the dramatic story of his nosebleed, and then be informed by a random teenager that he was in the bathroom and needed us NOW. His nose had started bleeding again, and just stop reading this RIGHT NOW if you are squeamish at all, or don't like blood because I'm about to get very graphic. The sink was FULL of blood. We used up a whole roll of toilet paper sopping it up. Blood was coming out both nostrils in a stream. And huge clots that resembled leeches periodically slithered out his nose. I am not squeamish, but I think I gagged a little. And, being the mom, I had to clean up the mess and take him to the ER. So, where's my trophy? After a call to the nurse line at the hospital, we were advised to take him to the ER which we did, and it was a good thing we slipped in right before the rush because if we'd had to wait three hours for them to tape together two tongue depressors and make a pincher for his nose, I'd have been pissed. But that's exactly what they did. Super high-tech, yeah? They left it on his nose for a half hour, then he sat for another half hour to make sure it wasn't bleeding again. And then they booted us to the curb. Good times. Bonus: we got Dairy Queen on the way home!
2. That was my second trip to the ER in three weeks. Hannah spent an afternoon in the ER and then a week in the "IPU" at Children's Hospital for treatment for severe anxiety. I wrote a whole blog post about it and my computer froze up and it disappeared. I was on a roll and it was a damn good blog post if I do say so myself and I could never replicate it, but suffice it to say it was an emotionally-wrenching time, exhausting and time consuming, but overall it was a good experience and helpful. I'll write more about it in another blog post, when and if I can recreate the awesomeness of the one I lost.
3. Today at work, we had a fire alarm in the middle of calendar time, which put our already-on-the-edge kids in a frenzy and set off a day of craziness, which included screaming fits, crying (not me, the kids), and ended up with some blood. Not a great day for me, very stressful, and I spent a good deal of my time thinking about another line of work. On my way home, I spotted a group of kindergarten-aged children waiting for a bus. There were about ten of them, with one teacher, and they were holding hands and standing quietly in a semi-circle. And it struck me how that would never, could never, happen with my class. They just can't do the things other kids can. And as frustrating as that it sometimes, I have to remember that they just CAN'T and it's not always because they won't - they are just different. And my job is very, very hard and very, very exhausting.
4. We've recently instituted some technology rules in our house - everyone has to "turn in" their technology at 10 p.m. and no one sleeps with a cell phone in their room or an iPad, iPod or other gadget that is distracting to sleep. This, as you might imagine, went over like a lead balloon, but I dare say everyone is sleeping better and it's showing. Radical, eh? Yesterday I accidentally left my phone at home. I realized it just as I was exiting the neighborhood and could easily have turned around but I decided to just spend part of the day "off the grid" and see what happened. And it was kind of nice not to be bothered at work, or feel the need to check my email or Facebook at stoplights, or write a note to myself in my phone (I used a post-it note). I was really too busy to care.
5. I went out with girlfriends twice this week and it made me remember why I need to take those kinds of breaks. We all need someone to talk to. And while our lives take different directions over time, I'm grateful for those friends who are eager to catch up, even if a long time has passed. Also, a longtime friend of mine declined yet another invitation so I opened up the chance for her to put our friendship to bed and she did. Not just me, but two other friends - the four of us have been friends since our first born children were infants. And while I understood that she chose to focus on her new-found friends, I found it sad and a bit superficial that she didn't have time in her "busy" days to catch up with old friends. Which brought me back to an old thought - we are ALL busy, and we all have to decide how to budget our time, but I really treasure the friends who are not so wrapped up in themselves or their lives, no matter how challenging, that they still see the value of hanging with old friends, even if a long time passes between visits.
6. Research shows that working out before breakfast has many benefits, and also that lack of sleep can make you "fat" by increasing levels of cortisol in your body. I've been trying to work out, but I've also been staying up way too late, so some mornings I get out of bed and squeeze in 20 min of cardio before work, and some days I sleep till the last possible minute. I'm counting on it all balancing out, but I'm no fool. I caught a glimpse of myself in a dressing-room mirror today and I decided I resemble a cake pop - all round on top perched on a stick (no, my legs are hardly "sticks" but from the side I certainly have some proportional challenges). I mean, I like cake pops, so.....it's not all bad. But I'd rather resemble a slice of bacon - all curvy and hot. :)
7. I've been really frustrated by the cost of living lately, and the fact that we seem to run out of money between paychecks all the time, and that we live in this big metropolitan city with arts and entertainment galore and yet we can't afford it so it feel like being a kid in a candy shop with no access to the peanut butter cups. The treats are all around us, but we can't play. And it kind of pisses me off and puts me in a bad mood and makes me think how can I earn more money and could I work two jobs but then I remember I have these kids to take care of and they're kind of struggling right now, and so I need to be home as much as possible, so I can't work another job, so maybe we should just move somewhere more affordable, or somewhere where the entertainment is cheap, down-home and fun, and we could grow our own vegetables and churn our own butter and make handmade stuff and.....see how my thought process spirals? I just thought I'd treat you to it.
8. I LOVE Valentine's day, not because of the presents and chocolate but because I just love the color combo of pink, red and white. It's so cheery and fun! And I love hearts and want to plaster them everywhere. But as a holiday it kind of sucks because it's just too much pressure. Pressure if you're single and want to be dating, pressure if you're dating to get the perfect gift, pressure if you're the wife of a man who's really awesome at gift-giving but you suck at it.......or maybe that's just me. And then there are the kid gifts. Girls are so much easier - there are so many things you can give them for a Valentine's present - heart-shaped jewelry, clothing adorned with hearts......what do you get for boys? A candy bar with a heart wrapper? Yep. Boys get totally gypped on Valentine's Day. I think my kids will have to learn to love heart-shaped sugar cookies. Because I'm totally not buying into the whole commercial Valentine's day thing. Check back with me next week and see how I did. I'm such a sucker for cute.
9. I've recently been told that I set the tone for the household by my moods. And that when I'm stressed, the tension is in the air and everyone else gets tense. And that I try to control things too much. And I "freak out" when things don't go the way I want/expect them to. And while I acknowledge that most of that is probably true, I pointed out that I suffer from anxiety (as does everyone else in my family), I do the majority of the heavy lifting when it comes to parenting four teenagers, and I'm going through early menopause which, I'm sure, is playing havoc with my hormones. I take my anxiety meds every day like a good girl. So, everyone is just really lucky I don't rip off someone's head each and every day. And after the last two years I've had with my kids, I think every day that ends with all four kids alive and well is a good day. Parenting is not for the faint of heart. I remember thinking having a toddler who never slept was torture and I thought I'd die from lack of sleep. I'm laughing so hard now. Parents of kids under 13 take note: it gets SO MUCH HARDER! Your kids will turn into these really awesome beings who are talented and funny and with whom you really enjoy hanging out, but they will rip your heart to shreds in a millisecond. And don't you forget it.
10. I stayed up too late again. Story of my life.But no worries - because tomorrow I am going to rise early and work out. I will be on time to work. I will have a great day with cooperative kids who control themselves. I will come home and cook a delicious meal for my family. We will have a drama-free night and everyone will go to bed on time. I hope you enjoyed your bedtime story!
1. Harrison was supposed to perform in the junior high talent show this evening. He was going to sing and play the guitar. Instead we spent a couple of hours in the ER, because just before we needed to leave for the show, he developed a profuse nosebleed that stopped just long enough for us to get to the school, set up the video camera, tell everyone the dramatic story of his nosebleed, and then be informed by a random teenager that he was in the bathroom and needed us NOW. His nose had started bleeding again, and just stop reading this RIGHT NOW if you are squeamish at all, or don't like blood because I'm about to get very graphic. The sink was FULL of blood. We used up a whole roll of toilet paper sopping it up. Blood was coming out both nostrils in a stream. And huge clots that resembled leeches periodically slithered out his nose. I am not squeamish, but I think I gagged a little. And, being the mom, I had to clean up the mess and take him to the ER. So, where's my trophy? After a call to the nurse line at the hospital, we were advised to take him to the ER which we did, and it was a good thing we slipped in right before the rush because if we'd had to wait three hours for them to tape together two tongue depressors and make a pincher for his nose, I'd have been pissed. But that's exactly what they did. Super high-tech, yeah? They left it on his nose for a half hour, then he sat for another half hour to make sure it wasn't bleeding again. And then they booted us to the curb. Good times. Bonus: we got Dairy Queen on the way home!
2. That was my second trip to the ER in three weeks. Hannah spent an afternoon in the ER and then a week in the "IPU" at Children's Hospital for treatment for severe anxiety. I wrote a whole blog post about it and my computer froze up and it disappeared. I was on a roll and it was a damn good blog post if I do say so myself and I could never replicate it, but suffice it to say it was an emotionally-wrenching time, exhausting and time consuming, but overall it was a good experience and helpful. I'll write more about it in another blog post, when and if I can recreate the awesomeness of the one I lost.
3. Today at work, we had a fire alarm in the middle of calendar time, which put our already-on-the-edge kids in a frenzy and set off a day of craziness, which included screaming fits, crying (not me, the kids), and ended up with some blood. Not a great day for me, very stressful, and I spent a good deal of my time thinking about another line of work. On my way home, I spotted a group of kindergarten-aged children waiting for a bus. There were about ten of them, with one teacher, and they were holding hands and standing quietly in a semi-circle. And it struck me how that would never, could never, happen with my class. They just can't do the things other kids can. And as frustrating as that it sometimes, I have to remember that they just CAN'T and it's not always because they won't - they are just different. And my job is very, very hard and very, very exhausting.
4. We've recently instituted some technology rules in our house - everyone has to "turn in" their technology at 10 p.m. and no one sleeps with a cell phone in their room or an iPad, iPod or other gadget that is distracting to sleep. This, as you might imagine, went over like a lead balloon, but I dare say everyone is sleeping better and it's showing. Radical, eh? Yesterday I accidentally left my phone at home. I realized it just as I was exiting the neighborhood and could easily have turned around but I decided to just spend part of the day "off the grid" and see what happened. And it was kind of nice not to be bothered at work, or feel the need to check my email or Facebook at stoplights, or write a note to myself in my phone (I used a post-it note). I was really too busy to care.
5. I went out with girlfriends twice this week and it made me remember why I need to take those kinds of breaks. We all need someone to talk to. And while our lives take different directions over time, I'm grateful for those friends who are eager to catch up, even if a long time has passed. Also, a longtime friend of mine declined yet another invitation so I opened up the chance for her to put our friendship to bed and she did. Not just me, but two other friends - the four of us have been friends since our first born children were infants. And while I understood that she chose to focus on her new-found friends, I found it sad and a bit superficial that she didn't have time in her "busy" days to catch up with old friends. Which brought me back to an old thought - we are ALL busy, and we all have to decide how to budget our time, but I really treasure the friends who are not so wrapped up in themselves or their lives, no matter how challenging, that they still see the value of hanging with old friends, even if a long time passes between visits.
6. Research shows that working out before breakfast has many benefits, and also that lack of sleep can make you "fat" by increasing levels of cortisol in your body. I've been trying to work out, but I've also been staying up way too late, so some mornings I get out of bed and squeeze in 20 min of cardio before work, and some days I sleep till the last possible minute. I'm counting on it all balancing out, but I'm no fool. I caught a glimpse of myself in a dressing-room mirror today and I decided I resemble a cake pop - all round on top perched on a stick (no, my legs are hardly "sticks" but from the side I certainly have some proportional challenges). I mean, I like cake pops, so.....it's not all bad. But I'd rather resemble a slice of bacon - all curvy and hot. :)
7. I've been really frustrated by the cost of living lately, and the fact that we seem to run out of money between paychecks all the time, and that we live in this big metropolitan city with arts and entertainment galore and yet we can't afford it so it feel like being a kid in a candy shop with no access to the peanut butter cups. The treats are all around us, but we can't play. And it kind of pisses me off and puts me in a bad mood and makes me think how can I earn more money and could I work two jobs but then I remember I have these kids to take care of and they're kind of struggling right now, and so I need to be home as much as possible, so I can't work another job, so maybe we should just move somewhere more affordable, or somewhere where the entertainment is cheap, down-home and fun, and we could grow our own vegetables and churn our own butter and make handmade stuff and.....see how my thought process spirals? I just thought I'd treat you to it.
8. I LOVE Valentine's day, not because of the presents and chocolate but because I just love the color combo of pink, red and white. It's so cheery and fun! And I love hearts and want to plaster them everywhere. But as a holiday it kind of sucks because it's just too much pressure. Pressure if you're single and want to be dating, pressure if you're dating to get the perfect gift, pressure if you're the wife of a man who's really awesome at gift-giving but you suck at it.......or maybe that's just me. And then there are the kid gifts. Girls are so much easier - there are so many things you can give them for a Valentine's present - heart-shaped jewelry, clothing adorned with hearts......what do you get for boys? A candy bar with a heart wrapper? Yep. Boys get totally gypped on Valentine's Day. I think my kids will have to learn to love heart-shaped sugar cookies. Because I'm totally not buying into the whole commercial Valentine's day thing. Check back with me next week and see how I did. I'm such a sucker for cute.
9. I've recently been told that I set the tone for the household by my moods. And that when I'm stressed, the tension is in the air and everyone else gets tense. And that I try to control things too much. And I "freak out" when things don't go the way I want/expect them to. And while I acknowledge that most of that is probably true, I pointed out that I suffer from anxiety (as does everyone else in my family), I do the majority of the heavy lifting when it comes to parenting four teenagers, and I'm going through early menopause which, I'm sure, is playing havoc with my hormones. I take my anxiety meds every day like a good girl. So, everyone is just really lucky I don't rip off someone's head each and every day. And after the last two years I've had with my kids, I think every day that ends with all four kids alive and well is a good day. Parenting is not for the faint of heart. I remember thinking having a toddler who never slept was torture and I thought I'd die from lack of sleep. I'm laughing so hard now. Parents of kids under 13 take note: it gets SO MUCH HARDER! Your kids will turn into these really awesome beings who are talented and funny and with whom you really enjoy hanging out, but they will rip your heart to shreds in a millisecond. And don't you forget it.
10. I stayed up too late again. Story of my life.But no worries - because tomorrow I am going to rise early and work out. I will be on time to work. I will have a great day with cooperative kids who control themselves. I will come home and cook a delicious meal for my family. We will have a drama-free night and everyone will go to bed on time. I hope you enjoyed your bedtime story!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Unfunny.........
Things around here haven't been so much on the funny side. There's a lot going on, a lot of serious stuff, and it's hard to crack a smile these days for all the stress and chaos. So, I give you a list of the unfunny:
1. Depression.
2. Anxiety.
3. Illness.
4. People who don't get it.
5. Crisis.
6. Being torn between work and home.
7. Not being able to fix everything.
8. Sadness.
9. Worry.
10. Fear.
And, to counter that, I give you a list of the funny:
1. Scaring people.
2. Farts.
3. My hair in the morning.
4. Facebook hacks.
5. When Jeff sings "Fame!"
6. Harrison's improv songs.
7. Arlie not getting it.
8. Hannah acting like a crested gibbon.
9. Hayley doing impressions.
10. Mommy, I schmell shit! (Only my family will get this)
Laughing is good medicine. Sadness is bad medicine. Laugh, even when you're sad.
1. Depression.
2. Anxiety.
3. Illness.
4. People who don't get it.
5. Crisis.
6. Being torn between work and home.
7. Not being able to fix everything.
8. Sadness.
9. Worry.
10. Fear.
And, to counter that, I give you a list of the funny:
1. Scaring people.
2. Farts.
3. My hair in the morning.
4. Facebook hacks.
5. When Jeff sings "Fame!"
6. Harrison's improv songs.
7. Arlie not getting it.
8. Hannah acting like a crested gibbon.
9. Hayley doing impressions.
10. Mommy, I schmell shit! (Only my family will get this)
Laughing is good medicine. Sadness is bad medicine. Laugh, even when you're sad.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Traditions....and why it's ok to change them...
Tomorrow is the first birthday in our family in 2013 - and things they are a'changin! We have had a long-standing tradition of "birthday morning" meaning the birthday boy or girl wakes up to the kitchen table decorated with presents, balloons on the chandelier, and a birthday morning treat of their choosing on the table for breakfast. The thing is, this was never intended to be a tradition. It's just something I did ONCE and after that it was expected. I didn't mind this, in fact, I thought it was pretty cool we had our own little tradition. It was fun - until the oldest kid hit junior high.
Then, the school start time was much earlier, necessitating the younger crowd getting up even earlier so we could all gather 'round the festive birthday table and watch the present opening. And once the kids got even older, yours truly had to stay up later and later (or get up REALLY early) to do the "birthday fairy" thing and put out all the decorations, presents, and, often, stay up late baking something (or get up REALLY early to bake something). Ugh. Birthday tradition or not, it became more work than I wanted it to be.
So, recently I suggested we switch it to "birthday evening." And I was berated for not keeping the tradition alive and kicking. Well, then.
But then it was MY birthday and no birthday fairy came. No one decorated squat and there were no presents on the table in the morning, nor a birthday treat in sight. In the evening I had presents, but I was not happy about all the times I stayed up late or got up early to create this magic for everyone else in my family and not one person bothered to do it for me.
And I realized, a tradition is no fun if it's just work for one person. And since I started it, I can end it. So, now we are having birthday evening. Or afternoon. Or whenever I have time to get it all together. Sometimes traditions just create stress and what's the fun in that?
Birthdays are for celebrating, certainly, and I love a good birthday party and the traditions of presents and cake. I love creating that for my family. But I think as you get older you have to create new traditions or just take them as they come. My friends take me out for lunch on my birthday every year and I love it. But I would also be ok with whatever other way of celebrating I wanted to do, with or without friends.
The thing is, no one's birthday is going to go by unnoticed around here, even if there are not five mismatched balloons tied to the chandelier. There will still be presents, just not first thing in the morning. Birthday morning treat might be a trip by the coffee stand and the fact that you actually get a ride to school and get to skip the bus for one day. There will always be cake - heck this year my son got an ice cream cake tonight, a promised rainbow cake from his big sister tomorrow and cupcakes for his party on Saturday. So, yes, there will always be cake.
It's ok to take a break..........from traditions. Or to change them completely. Change is good.
Then, the school start time was much earlier, necessitating the younger crowd getting up even earlier so we could all gather 'round the festive birthday table and watch the present opening. And once the kids got even older, yours truly had to stay up later and later (or get up REALLY early) to do the "birthday fairy" thing and put out all the decorations, presents, and, often, stay up late baking something (or get up REALLY early to bake something). Ugh. Birthday tradition or not, it became more work than I wanted it to be.
So, recently I suggested we switch it to "birthday evening." And I was berated for not keeping the tradition alive and kicking. Well, then.
But then it was MY birthday and no birthday fairy came. No one decorated squat and there were no presents on the table in the morning, nor a birthday treat in sight. In the evening I had presents, but I was not happy about all the times I stayed up late or got up early to create this magic for everyone else in my family and not one person bothered to do it for me.
And I realized, a tradition is no fun if it's just work for one person. And since I started it, I can end it. So, now we are having birthday evening. Or afternoon. Or whenever I have time to get it all together. Sometimes traditions just create stress and what's the fun in that?
Birthdays are for celebrating, certainly, and I love a good birthday party and the traditions of presents and cake. I love creating that for my family. But I think as you get older you have to create new traditions or just take them as they come. My friends take me out for lunch on my birthday every year and I love it. But I would also be ok with whatever other way of celebrating I wanted to do, with or without friends.
The thing is, no one's birthday is going to go by unnoticed around here, even if there are not five mismatched balloons tied to the chandelier. There will still be presents, just not first thing in the morning. Birthday morning treat might be a trip by the coffee stand and the fact that you actually get a ride to school and get to skip the bus for one day. There will always be cake - heck this year my son got an ice cream cake tonight, a promised rainbow cake from his big sister tomorrow and cupcakes for his party on Saturday. So, yes, there will always be cake.
It's ok to take a break..........from traditions. Or to change them completely. Change is good.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Not even cool........
Today I struggled with my bangs. I straightened them, and, as anyone who knows me can clearly see, I have VERY curly hair. But sometimes I'm just sick of my "Top Ramen" noodle-curly bangs and I just want regular, straight bangs. But then, I have to straighten the rest of my hair, or, in a pinch, pull the rest of my hair up into a high ponytail and let the curls fall where they may. But my bangs just never really "blend" and so I'm stuck with this sort of half'n'half hairstyle, which I'm not even sure can be called a "style."
Then, I wore this shirt....I'm not even sure where it came from. It appears to be new, so I must have bought it at some point, but I've never worn it. And I'm not even sure what I saw in it - it's like it was love at first sight and then I wanted to break up with it. So, it sat in my closet, lonely, until I took it out today to wear it. And the color is really nice on me, but the style......well, you know how tall, willowy people can pull off a blousy shirt and it looks all bohemian and flowy? That's not me. It just made me feel frumpy. And very mom-ish. Which is not a bad thing - I mean, hey, I wear my mom badge proudly, but it just wasn't what I was trying to pull off today.
As I was out driving on my errands, I thought about my "style" which is essentially whatever I find that's on sale and cute. I have some things I obviously avoid (skinny jeans, mini skirts) and some things I really, really love (cardigans, comfortable jeans) but I tend to adopt something comfortable and cute and it becomes my uniform for a long time.
When I was in school, I never had the luxury of "in style" clothes. You know those super-cool Izod Lacoste shirts? Never had one. Nope, the closest I got was the knock-off Le Tigre brand with the obviously-not-an-alligator tiger decal on the chest. And I only had one of those (I'm sure it was in a clearance bin somewhere and I jumped with glee to score such a lucky find). My friends, however, had MULTIPLE "alligator shirts" that they actually wore together in layers of two or three, with all of the collars popped up showing layers of pink, baby blue, and soft yellow. Oh, the envy!
I think I once owned a pair of Jordache jeans but it was after they were all the rage and everyone else had moved on to another designer. I think they were acid-wash. So, probably on sale as well.
My favorite shopping experiences were going to Mervyn's at the end of the month for their clearance sale. All my friends shopped at 5-7-9 but I wore a size 11. They feathered their hair, but mine was a frizzy helmet (this was before the days of good styling products, so it was wash, "creme" rinse, blow dry, pouf!). One day in high school, a girl in my class exclaimed loudly "you're wearing makeup!" which I thought was weird, because I wore makeup every day! I guess I didn't get the memo about the several layers of Maybelline foundation, and stuck to mascara and Bonne Bell lip gloss.
Today my style is Old Navy jeans, shirts from Old Navy, Target or Fred Meyer, with an occasional splurge at Maurice's in the mall. My shoes have improved - where I once wore only what was on sale at Payless Shoes, I have now branched out to Danskos and Born clogs, but only because of a foot injury and the subsequent doctor's orders to quit buying crap shoes. I love jewelry (costume of course, I do have some real pearls but they broke years ago and I've never bothered getting them restrung). I have baubles to match any color scheme. I've amassed a collection of scarves but I never know how to wear them without making them look like a badge saying "look at my huge boobs!"
The point is, I was never cool in school and I'm not cool now. At least not where my clothes or hair is concerned. Today it's more about not having the disposable income to dress high-fashion, and the need to clothe four kids as well as a husband. That, plus my ingrained inability to not head right to the clearance rack, keeps me shopping bargain basement, all the way down the the thrift-shop. I even do it when I shop online. The other day, sick in bed with nothing better to do, I perused all 2,444 items on clearance in "my" department on the Target website. I snagged three sweaters (all the same in three different colors) for eight bucks apiece and finally found a pair of cute black boots - something I've been searching for since before Thanksgiving. Everyone else is wearing these adorable black calf-high boots over skinny jeans, but my calves were fat before I was, and I'm not willing to spend $100 on "wide-calf" boots from a mediocre designer just to try to achieve the look. Besides, I'm short so most boots go all the way up to my knee anyway. But a nice pair of shorter, low-heeled black boots would be really nice and I found some for $12. Yeah, it kind of violates the rule of "no crap shoes" but they might be really comfortable!
During the last week when I was sick, I also watched "Project Runway" for the first time. It was quite amusing - the designers were required to make a fashion garment from items found in a hardware store. Some of the results were stunning and amazing - but nothing the normal people would ever wear. But listening to them talk about clothes - all the adjectives, the comparisons, the subtle references - was hilarious. Who really wears high fashion? Who can afford it? Who doesn't love yoga pants and a comfy t-shirt? If clothes make the man, my husband is a hobo. But I think he's still pretty cool, despite the fact that some days, when he's working on his truck and runs to the auto-parts store, I'm afraid someone is going to hand him a dollar or offer to buy him a meal. I love him, scruffy and unkempt. I just hope he feels the same about me. Discount wardrobe and all. It's cool.
Then, I wore this shirt....I'm not even sure where it came from. It appears to be new, so I must have bought it at some point, but I've never worn it. And I'm not even sure what I saw in it - it's like it was love at first sight and then I wanted to break up with it. So, it sat in my closet, lonely, until I took it out today to wear it. And the color is really nice on me, but the style......well, you know how tall, willowy people can pull off a blousy shirt and it looks all bohemian and flowy? That's not me. It just made me feel frumpy. And very mom-ish. Which is not a bad thing - I mean, hey, I wear my mom badge proudly, but it just wasn't what I was trying to pull off today.
As I was out driving on my errands, I thought about my "style" which is essentially whatever I find that's on sale and cute. I have some things I obviously avoid (skinny jeans, mini skirts) and some things I really, really love (cardigans, comfortable jeans) but I tend to adopt something comfortable and cute and it becomes my uniform for a long time.
When I was in school, I never had the luxury of "in style" clothes. You know those super-cool Izod Lacoste shirts? Never had one. Nope, the closest I got was the knock-off Le Tigre brand with the obviously-not-an-alligator tiger decal on the chest. And I only had one of those (I'm sure it was in a clearance bin somewhere and I jumped with glee to score such a lucky find). My friends, however, had MULTIPLE "alligator shirts" that they actually wore together in layers of two or three, with all of the collars popped up showing layers of pink, baby blue, and soft yellow. Oh, the envy!
I think I once owned a pair of Jordache jeans but it was after they were all the rage and everyone else had moved on to another designer. I think they were acid-wash. So, probably on sale as well.
My favorite shopping experiences were going to Mervyn's at the end of the month for their clearance sale. All my friends shopped at 5-7-9 but I wore a size 11. They feathered their hair, but mine was a frizzy helmet (this was before the days of good styling products, so it was wash, "creme" rinse, blow dry, pouf!). One day in high school, a girl in my class exclaimed loudly "you're wearing makeup!" which I thought was weird, because I wore makeup every day! I guess I didn't get the memo about the several layers of Maybelline foundation, and stuck to mascara and Bonne Bell lip gloss.
Today my style is Old Navy jeans, shirts from Old Navy, Target or Fred Meyer, with an occasional splurge at Maurice's in the mall. My shoes have improved - where I once wore only what was on sale at Payless Shoes, I have now branched out to Danskos and Born clogs, but only because of a foot injury and the subsequent doctor's orders to quit buying crap shoes. I love jewelry (costume of course, I do have some real pearls but they broke years ago and I've never bothered getting them restrung). I have baubles to match any color scheme. I've amassed a collection of scarves but I never know how to wear them without making them look like a badge saying "look at my huge boobs!"
The point is, I was never cool in school and I'm not cool now. At least not where my clothes or hair is concerned. Today it's more about not having the disposable income to dress high-fashion, and the need to clothe four kids as well as a husband. That, plus my ingrained inability to not head right to the clearance rack, keeps me shopping bargain basement, all the way down the the thrift-shop. I even do it when I shop online. The other day, sick in bed with nothing better to do, I perused all 2,444 items on clearance in "my" department on the Target website. I snagged three sweaters (all the same in three different colors) for eight bucks apiece and finally found a pair of cute black boots - something I've been searching for since before Thanksgiving. Everyone else is wearing these adorable black calf-high boots over skinny jeans, but my calves were fat before I was, and I'm not willing to spend $100 on "wide-calf" boots from a mediocre designer just to try to achieve the look. Besides, I'm short so most boots go all the way up to my knee anyway. But a nice pair of shorter, low-heeled black boots would be really nice and I found some for $12. Yeah, it kind of violates the rule of "no crap shoes" but they might be really comfortable!
During the last week when I was sick, I also watched "Project Runway" for the first time. It was quite amusing - the designers were required to make a fashion garment from items found in a hardware store. Some of the results were stunning and amazing - but nothing the normal people would ever wear. But listening to them talk about clothes - all the adjectives, the comparisons, the subtle references - was hilarious. Who really wears high fashion? Who can afford it? Who doesn't love yoga pants and a comfy t-shirt? If clothes make the man, my husband is a hobo. But I think he's still pretty cool, despite the fact that some days, when he's working on his truck and runs to the auto-parts store, I'm afraid someone is going to hand him a dollar or offer to buy him a meal. I love him, scruffy and unkempt. I just hope he feels the same about me. Discount wardrobe and all. It's cool.
Doctor, doctor............
Today I went in to the doctor's office for a blood draw. I have to do this periodically to get my thyroid and blood sugar checked. No big deal - it's pretty routine for me. I made my appointment for 10:45 a.m. and arrived five minutes late. Whoops. I checked in and waited about 15 minutes before I was called back. Not bad - but it was just for the lab. When I have an appointment with the doctor, I often wait 30 minutes in the waiting room and another 30 minutes to one hour in the exam room before seeing the doctor. The wait times have increased every year I've been going there - which is almost twenty years now. My husband complains about it all the time and has suggested we change doctors for that reason alone but I've been loyal - so far.
I noticed there were no familiar faces in the lab today. It's Saturday so I just figured that must be the reason. A lab tech named Laura took me back. The first thing I noticed was that she did not smile or greet me at all. I sat down and mentioned that I had "difficult" veins and that we always used a butterfly needle. I know this about myself and I feel it's my right to inform a new person - especially since I have had some pretty awful experiences with having my blood drawn by a new person who has no idea how hard it is to find a vein, and who has spent several minutes digging around for my vein with a full-size needle, resulting in bruising that lasted two weeks. Laura did not seem to care what I had just said to her - she just put the tourniquet on my arm so tightly I had instant pain. Now, I'm no baby when it comes to getting my blood drawn. It doesn't bother me and I can watch and am naturally curious. I certainly have never cared about the tourniquet. But this one was TIGHT! I didn't say anything, figuring it's only on for a short time, but of course, she could not find a vein and proceeded to search the other arm - putting the tourniquet just as tight on that arm! After she switched back to the first arm and tried again, I said "the tourniquet is really tight" to which she replied (in a "duh" voice), "It's supposed to be!"
I let her keep trying to find my vein but the pain from the tourniquet was really bothering me. I said "you know, the tourniquet is really, really tight, I've never had it this tight before" and she snapped it off and said "You want someone else?" I was taken aback and said "No, it's ok, I just don't think the tourniquet should be this tight, it's really painful" and then I remembered a lab tech who always drew my blood well named Anh and I asked if she was there. I got a curt "no". Laura prodded my arm again looking for a vein. She then started looking at my hands and I said "I don't do my hands anymore - they bruise too badly" and she rolled her eyes. I said "That's why I wondered if Anh was here - she always did a really good job, I know my veins are tough" and Laura said "Yeah, well Anh doesn't work here anymore!" I said "I think we need to get someone else." No way was I going to let her continue with her attitude and rude demeanor. The person who replaced her was very nice and, although she had the same difficulties finding the vein, she patiently found one, and apologized for needing to leave the tourniquet on during the draw. I didn't care because although it was tight, it was not cutting off my circulation like the one Laura did.
However, the new person (I couldn't see her name tag) at first put on a pair of gloves, deemed them "too small" and pulled them off, neglecting to glove up a second time. She just drew my blood with bare hands (more her risk than mine, I guess, but still - ew!) and at one point, she dropped one of my vials on the floor (thank God they are not made of glass anymore!) and just scooped it up. I know the blood inside was sealed off, but again, ew.
On my way out, I asked to speak to the office manager. They told me she would be "right out" so I waited, standing, in the hallway, thinking it would be a minute. I waited and waited and finally was in the way of someone who asked if they could help me. I told them I was waiting for the office manager and the first person who helped me said "she's coming right out" so I sat down to wait. And waited. And waited. Mind you, I had to fast before this blood draw and it was nearing noon at this time and I was starving. I stood up again and said "You know what? I need to go." I was asked if I wanted to leave my name and number but I said no, I would just write a letter.
Which is exactly what I intend to do. I'm so disappointed in my doctor's office and, as a twenty-year patient, I think they should hear why. I haven't wanted to switch doctors, figuring it takes a while to establish a rapport with a new doctor, our doctor knows and treats our whole family, we know several of the other doctors at the clinic, etc. But the truth is, most of the staff we used to know is gone. Every time I go in I see new faces, which means there is a high turnover. Our primary care doctor is almost never available on short notice so we almost always see someone else. And when we do go in for a visit, we are often there for more than two hours when all is said and done. I block out my whole afternoon knowing I might not get out of there in time to do anything else. I've often been waiting anxiously knowing I need to pick up another kid or drive someone somewhere else, and I've scrambled to make other arrangements because the doctor's office has been running so late. And now they have signs around the office saying your appointment is for one reason only and if you have two issues, you need to make another appointment. But who has time for that?
I don't know if writing a letter will change anything but it sure seems like everything has been going downhill. I hate the thought of starting over with a whole new doctor - with six people in my family seeing the same doctor that's a lot of new health issues for a new doctor to learn and understand. But I'm not sure my family is really that important to the clinic any more and I don't like that, either.
I noticed there were no familiar faces in the lab today. It's Saturday so I just figured that must be the reason. A lab tech named Laura took me back. The first thing I noticed was that she did not smile or greet me at all. I sat down and mentioned that I had "difficult" veins and that we always used a butterfly needle. I know this about myself and I feel it's my right to inform a new person - especially since I have had some pretty awful experiences with having my blood drawn by a new person who has no idea how hard it is to find a vein, and who has spent several minutes digging around for my vein with a full-size needle, resulting in bruising that lasted two weeks. Laura did not seem to care what I had just said to her - she just put the tourniquet on my arm so tightly I had instant pain. Now, I'm no baby when it comes to getting my blood drawn. It doesn't bother me and I can watch and am naturally curious. I certainly have never cared about the tourniquet. But this one was TIGHT! I didn't say anything, figuring it's only on for a short time, but of course, she could not find a vein and proceeded to search the other arm - putting the tourniquet just as tight on that arm! After she switched back to the first arm and tried again, I said "the tourniquet is really tight" to which she replied (in a "duh" voice), "It's supposed to be!"
I let her keep trying to find my vein but the pain from the tourniquet was really bothering me. I said "you know, the tourniquet is really, really tight, I've never had it this tight before" and she snapped it off and said "You want someone else?" I was taken aback and said "No, it's ok, I just don't think the tourniquet should be this tight, it's really painful" and then I remembered a lab tech who always drew my blood well named Anh and I asked if she was there. I got a curt "no". Laura prodded my arm again looking for a vein. She then started looking at my hands and I said "I don't do my hands anymore - they bruise too badly" and she rolled her eyes. I said "That's why I wondered if Anh was here - she always did a really good job, I know my veins are tough" and Laura said "Yeah, well Anh doesn't work here anymore!" I said "I think we need to get someone else." No way was I going to let her continue with her attitude and rude demeanor. The person who replaced her was very nice and, although she had the same difficulties finding the vein, she patiently found one, and apologized for needing to leave the tourniquet on during the draw. I didn't care because although it was tight, it was not cutting off my circulation like the one Laura did.
However, the new person (I couldn't see her name tag) at first put on a pair of gloves, deemed them "too small" and pulled them off, neglecting to glove up a second time. She just drew my blood with bare hands (more her risk than mine, I guess, but still - ew!) and at one point, she dropped one of my vials on the floor (thank God they are not made of glass anymore!) and just scooped it up. I know the blood inside was sealed off, but again, ew.
On my way out, I asked to speak to the office manager. They told me she would be "right out" so I waited, standing, in the hallway, thinking it would be a minute. I waited and waited and finally was in the way of someone who asked if they could help me. I told them I was waiting for the office manager and the first person who helped me said "she's coming right out" so I sat down to wait. And waited. And waited. Mind you, I had to fast before this blood draw and it was nearing noon at this time and I was starving. I stood up again and said "You know what? I need to go." I was asked if I wanted to leave my name and number but I said no, I would just write a letter.
Which is exactly what I intend to do. I'm so disappointed in my doctor's office and, as a twenty-year patient, I think they should hear why. I haven't wanted to switch doctors, figuring it takes a while to establish a rapport with a new doctor, our doctor knows and treats our whole family, we know several of the other doctors at the clinic, etc. But the truth is, most of the staff we used to know is gone. Every time I go in I see new faces, which means there is a high turnover. Our primary care doctor is almost never available on short notice so we almost always see someone else. And when we do go in for a visit, we are often there for more than two hours when all is said and done. I block out my whole afternoon knowing I might not get out of there in time to do anything else. I've often been waiting anxiously knowing I need to pick up another kid or drive someone somewhere else, and I've scrambled to make other arrangements because the doctor's office has been running so late. And now they have signs around the office saying your appointment is for one reason only and if you have two issues, you need to make another appointment. But who has time for that?
I don't know if writing a letter will change anything but it sure seems like everything has been going downhill. I hate the thought of starting over with a whole new doctor - with six people in my family seeing the same doctor that's a lot of new health issues for a new doctor to learn and understand. But I'm not sure my family is really that important to the clinic any more and I don't like that, either.
Friday, January 4, 2013
In sickness......
I don't usually get sick. Maybe once or twice a year I get sick enough to miss work. Well, I've now been sick for five days and the last time I was sick for that long, it was a horrible bacteria that invaded my body over Thanksgiving weekend, 2011, and I thought I was dying. This time, it's more like the flu - started out with aches, chills, fever, and those things could be easily controlled by ibuprofen every four hours. And then it just became this low-energy thing - like, I do ONE thing and I feel like I need a nap! Of course, since I'm a mom, I didn't have the luxury of just lying in bed and recovering, but since it started over a school break, I actually HAVE had some time to lounge and nap and I'm sick of it!
Monday I didn't feel so bad taking a long nap because that was when it hit me first. Tuesday, I did some laundry, colored and deep-conditioned my hair - and then I was exhausted! Wednesday, I had to take Arlie to gym so I killed time for three hours until she was done by having coffee with my friend - and it was exhausting. Later on Wednesday, when I was hoping to just be done for the day, I ended up having to take Harrison to band, so I killed two more hours running errands and when I got home I went straight to bed. Yesterday I actually stayed in bed pretty much the whole day. My butt actually hurt from sitting up in bed so long. I napped a little, but mostly just lounged and did stuff on my computer, including a little bit of "work" stuff. But I called in for a sub at work, because I definitely did not feel ready to take on a room full of kindergarten kids just back from a two-week break!
Today, it's Friday and my day off work. Thank goodness, because I STILL do not feel like I have the energy for my normal activities. I'm a really high-energy person so feeling like this is disconcerting at best. I always have a list a mile long of things I need to do, take care of, etc. and just laying in bed is NEVER on my list. Sure, it's a nice sign from the universe to slow down and take care of ME, but I'm ready to "git 'er done" and laying in bed isn't accomplishing anything.
The worst part is that we had several beautiful, sunny days, and I wanted nothing more than to be out in the sunshine, walking or cleaning out my car, or just hanging out in the driveway with Jeff while he worked on his truck. But, alas, I have barely ventured outside at all. And today dawned grey and rainy. Bleh.
And....when I woke up this morning, I was faced with a houseful of upside-down and stacked furniture from getting the carpets cleaned yesterday. I REALLY do not have the strength to put it all back, but at the same time, it's going to drive me crazy if I just leave it. Jeff is gone on a half-day fishing trip so I guess I could wait for him to get back. But my control freak side has reared it's ugly head and I want to change things up so I want to have a say in where things get put back. I mean, what better time to change around the whole room when there's nothing in it, right? I have big plans, I tell you!
Right after I take a little nap................
Monday I didn't feel so bad taking a long nap because that was when it hit me first. Tuesday, I did some laundry, colored and deep-conditioned my hair - and then I was exhausted! Wednesday, I had to take Arlie to gym so I killed time for three hours until she was done by having coffee with my friend - and it was exhausting. Later on Wednesday, when I was hoping to just be done for the day, I ended up having to take Harrison to band, so I killed two more hours running errands and when I got home I went straight to bed. Yesterday I actually stayed in bed pretty much the whole day. My butt actually hurt from sitting up in bed so long. I napped a little, but mostly just lounged and did stuff on my computer, including a little bit of "work" stuff. But I called in for a sub at work, because I definitely did not feel ready to take on a room full of kindergarten kids just back from a two-week break!
Today, it's Friday and my day off work. Thank goodness, because I STILL do not feel like I have the energy for my normal activities. I'm a really high-energy person so feeling like this is disconcerting at best. I always have a list a mile long of things I need to do, take care of, etc. and just laying in bed is NEVER on my list. Sure, it's a nice sign from the universe to slow down and take care of ME, but I'm ready to "git 'er done" and laying in bed isn't accomplishing anything.
The worst part is that we had several beautiful, sunny days, and I wanted nothing more than to be out in the sunshine, walking or cleaning out my car, or just hanging out in the driveway with Jeff while he worked on his truck. But, alas, I have barely ventured outside at all. And today dawned grey and rainy. Bleh.
And....when I woke up this morning, I was faced with a houseful of upside-down and stacked furniture from getting the carpets cleaned yesterday. I REALLY do not have the strength to put it all back, but at the same time, it's going to drive me crazy if I just leave it. Jeff is gone on a half-day fishing trip so I guess I could wait for him to get back. But my control freak side has reared it's ugly head and I want to change things up so I want to have a say in where things get put back. I mean, what better time to change around the whole room when there's nothing in it, right? I have big plans, I tell you!
Right after I take a little nap................
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2012 in pix.......
Harrison turned 13!
We got snowed in!
Harrison performed with his band, Bushwhack at Big Daddy's!
Mimi turned 70 and her sisters came from Ohio! Hannah and mommy traveled to Boise.
Arlie turned 14!
We went to Teatro ZinZanni where Arlie was the star of the show!
Hayley and her friends, and Jeff and I, went to San Diego!
Spring came to Seattle!
We spent spring break at Cannon Beach!
Harrison starred as the Cowardly Lion on "On The Road Again"
We visited Hayley at Central for family weekend.
Harrison and Bushwhack did another gig at Big Daddy's
Jeff and M-L went to Folklife Festival in Seattle
Jeff turned 44!
Arlie and Harrison finished 7th and 8th grades. Harrison won Student of the Year!
Arlie performed in a dance recital
Hayley turned 19!
We went to Boise for the little boys' birthdays
Hannah turned 17!
We spent some summer nights at Camano Island
Bushwhack performed at Hard Rock Cafe, Seattle
Swimming in Lake Tapps
A day at Pike Place with Arlie
Kids saw Demi Lovato at the Evergreen State Fair
We went to the zoo
Kayaking Lake Washington
Happy Familyversary #6
Harrison and Arlie started 8th and 9th grades
Hannah performed in Broadway Musical Revue
Harrison and Arlie performed in Kids' Choir in BMR
We went to Boise again for Lila's 1st birthday!
We went back to San Diego to visit Grandpa Vern
We went to the pumpkin patch with our children of the corn!
We carved pumpkins!
Hannah performed in "Bridal Terrorism"
We went to Teatro ZinZanni again where Harrison was the star of the show!
We decorated the Christmas tree
Arlie and Harrison got braces!
We saw "Elf: The Musical" at the 5th Avenue Theater
Jeff grew a mustache for No Shave November
We said goodbye to Shade. RIP buddy!
We had an Ugly Christmas Sweater party!
Arlie performed in her first gymnastics meet for the BHS team
We went to parties!
We went to more parties!
Jeff caught two steelhead!
Santa came to our house!
We saw Christmas lights
What will 2013 bring?
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