One of those days....

Did ya ever have one of those days where you just wish you could crawl back into bed and pretend you weren't an adult with responsibilities? That was my day today. Starting the day taking the 5 yr old to mom's while I went to PT, because little fuss was too sick to go to day care and her 14 yr old sister was up all night throwing up so I couldn't leave her with her. While I wait for the dr to call me back for my appt., I call our family dr to try to get the little one in, because she just finished her 3rd round of antibiotics in 2 months and I'm really worried at this point. RSV is the least of what I am thinking. After PT, I pick fussy up and take her to the doc, who checks her out and gives her a stronger cough/decongestant syrup and then tells me to take her to get a chest xray to rule out anything she may not be hearing on her stethoscope. So I do that, finishing just in the nick of time to get her and me both a happy meal (I devour mine while driving) and get her back to Mom's while I take her 14 yr old brother to the orthodontist. Keep in mind that the other 14 yr old is home sleeping off being sick all night and I'm keeping in touch with her by phone. Which is more than her own mom did, but that's another story. (She was nursing the 16 yr old through her round of it.) I left the house at 8 am and did not get back until about 3pm. Kate is still semi asleep, I put Shel to bed with her care bear, and put Chris on his homework while I wait for the 12 yr old to come home from school, plus try to catch up on the phone calls from while I was gone. Sheesh........Is it too late to not have kids? Just kidding, I wouldn't trade any of them.
Just another day in the life.......
I did accomplish one thing--I finished the cross stitch that Ben gave me for Christmas;now I'm trying to figure out the next project......
Darling hubby is still trying to kick the flu, and I'm trying real hard not to succumb to it. Good news is I don't go back to work til midnight Monday, just ot sit while the floor cleaners do their thing, so I at least have plenty of time to rest.
Maybe......
Can someone tell the kids that?
I keep telling myself that too soon they will be gone with their own lives........then I feel guilty for wanting time to myself...........
Ah well.............

Hi ho Hi ho it's back to work I go.....

Boo Hoo......I like being a stay home mommy. But my physical therapist says it's time to gradually get back to work---part time at first then working into my full time plus hours, eventually with no restrictions. I go back with no lifting, climbing, pushing, pulling, standing or stooping for prolonged periods of time, etc. So what will I be doing? Hell if I know. Probably catching up on emails, receivers, markdowns, etc. We inventory in less than 3 weeks, and that's about the time the dr says I should be good to go. What timing!!

Anyway, it's been fun. Not the pain part, but just being here for my kids. my hubby says he has really liked me being at home (and no he's not a complete caveman) and he worries about how much longer my back will hold out. The dr says how I take care of it willdetermine the next relapse, which we all know will come--but if I am real careful abut keeping up with the strengthening exercises and watching severely what I do with my back, then that only will help lengthen the time between this time out and the next. Of course he also said losing even a little bit of weight will help, too, but I already knew that and have started working on it. Being back at work and not being next to the tv and fridge will be a plus too.

I've already told the kids that just because I may not be here when they get home from school doesn';t mean they can slack. We finally got Chris's grades, I think, back to where they belong, and Ben has maintained his, so I don't want them losing progress. That means I will have to be supermommy, but ok, whatever gets it done.

Just a question........

Why can't I copy and paste onto this blog? I'm sure I can, but I can';t figure it out right now.

I hope everyone's New Year's Eve is going well. I am nursing a sick husband and kid, but anyone with kids knows that someone is bound to be ill as the holidays roll around. As long as I don't get it too, it's ok. And right now, I'm not so sure that I won't get sick--not feeling great.

Just want to wish everyone a very happy new year! God Bless!

Time Warner again.....

Well, TW is at it again. Now supposedly on Monday, we are going to lose our ABC and FOX affiliates, due to corporate greed---whose depends on which side of the negotiating table you are on, I guess. It just strengthens my resolve to get Dish or Directv; I just have to number crunch to check their prices against what I can afford--and check their fine print very carefully.

I have found a number of cross stitch websites--how's that for a transition?--that I really like. One is called The Scarlet Quince. Very cool. I would like 4 or 5 of their designs but they would take me a lifetime to complete. No topstitching or partial stitches or beads, etc, just pure cross stitch. And the designs are as detailed as the original art pieces.

I wish I had the talent to design my own pieces, but since I can't draw a straight line even with a ruler, much less transfer my idea to graph paper without barfing at the result, I'll settle for stitching other people's designs. God put my talent somewhere else, I suppose.

I hope everyone's New Year is wonderful. Here is to a great 2007!!!!

new pet peeve....

Ok, so it's not like it' searth sahttering or anything, but I would really like A&E to get some new CSI:Miami shows. Or at least run them in order, instead of skipping season to season. I swear they have a contract with CBS or something to keep us from taping the darn things so we have to buy the pricey DVD sets to get what we want. My kids are at their dad's in CT right now for Christmas break and they got gift cards to Barnes and Noble--where they saw the DVD sets for upwards of $90. Ouch. Double ouch. Sorry guys I have to wait until they are released to Wally World so I might have a chance of affording them.
I paid $60 a year or so ago for the DVD set of the North and South mini-series that ran in the mid to late '80's. Sorry y'all, I am a Civil War nut, sort of, and a big John Jakes fan, ever since reading his Kent Family Chronicles years ago. So therefore, since no one will re-run the series, I had to buy it.
My kids want all the Family guy and Simpsons episodes. I don't know. At least they are not asking for South Park or Jackass---both of which are banned at my house. We don't currently have Comedy Central on our crappy cable (see prior posts!!!!) and I have MTV blocked, as well as E!, much to the dismay of the 16 yr old stepdaughter who apparently is a Laguna Beach fan. I'm getting ready to block Noggin (or the "N") when she is here, because I'm a little concerned about the Degrassi show. But at least there doesn;t seem to be the language and flesh on it.

I am tired of Christmas--I am waiting until my boys come home Monday before I take the decorations down---seems to be a tradition that if they are here for the holiday, then the tree is down long before New Year's, but when they are not, due to visitation, it waits until they go back to school after the break. I don't honestly know how Shel is going to react when she no longer has the lights in her window to leave on while she goes to sleep each night.

She went to the dr today--upper respiratory infection (Ron has the flu!!), but then she went birthday shopping for my niece and grocery shopping. We hit Wally World for food and got some wrapping paper and bows and stuff half price for next year. I used part of the gift card money my MIL gave me to get one of those huge cosmetic kits at half price and got Shel a kiddie one with makeup---eye shadow, blush, lipgloss, nail polish----for the girly girl in her, with the understanding that should she have the stuff on when we have to go somewhere, her face gets washed before we go. She is only 5 after all----no JonBenet here. My older girls and other assorted relatives have all been informed that she does not wear the real stuff out until she is a teenager, and then only in graduated steps. She's happy just to be able to "play" with it---and the scary thing is she is pretty good at putting the stuff on. LOL!!!!

I have found some really good blogs about stitching---I cross stitch and knit and sometimes hit a sewing jag. One was through a link from the DMC site's message board, to a blogger who lists a challenge-----I think I am going to do it to clear out some of my stock. And I think one of the first projects I will work at clearing is all the hand and fingertip and kitchen towels--I have a big plastic tote full of these x-stitchables, and tons of patterns to do on them, so there we go! I also need to find Shellie's 1st Christmas stocking and finish it-----she's 5!!

Anyway, need to go surf for some low carb/low fat recipes that might actually taste good---I am determined to shed major weight this year, but my family still has to eat too!!And I refuse to eat cardboard tasting foods, or do the diet drink thing until I have to stay in the bathroom all the time.......work is cut out for me----my goal is 25 pounds by next Christmas. I gues I need to find the scale too. Now that job might work come weight off me!!!!!

Here we go.....

My daughter--the 5 yr old---got a great gift from Santa and his elf----her first boombox. As well as her first two cd's. Now as she is 5, I monitor what she listens to--right now she has WorshipJamz2 and Faith Hill "Fireflies". She wants every Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban, plus Sugarland. I guess that tells you she is most exposed to country and contemporary Christian. No Mom she is not going to get any Gretchen Wilson "All Jacked up" and etc. What does worry me to a degree is that with her dad, she is exposed to a whole different set of music--I.e. hard rock and metal/alternative. He is a lot more conscious of song lyrics she hears, ever since she quoted a song called "Crazy Bitch" to my mom. I thought we were all gonna get our butts whipped on that one. So I showed her how to work the machine, but I sat her down seriously and told her that she could listen to any station she wanted, but I and Daddy had final say on what songs were ok or not. She's huge into music, so I hate to keep any type from her, but I won't have filthy lyrics or vulgar innuendos that I have to explain to her on the radio. Which cuts out most rap/hiphop that the local station airs (not that I can take that stuff anyway), and quite a number of rock and country songs, too. Fortunately, Christian music has evolved over the years from the old time gospel songs (No, I am NOT knocking those down!) to songs in every genre of music, from pop to rock to rap to country, etc. so at least she will have all the styles, if not a number of individual tunes.
Headphones are not an option at her age either, as I think that's half the reason Ron and I have trouble hearing sometimes. So far she has done real well on the volume control--I've only had to tell her once to turn it down.
And to think when I was 5 I don;t honestly think I had a record player (I know--what's that?).
I was 16 before I got my first boombox----I was hot stuff with dual cassettes. Hey we are talking early '80's!!!!!

Pretty girl......

Well, if the image will actually upload, you should see my baby opening gifts at her mom-maw's on Christmas Eve. If not, then you will jsut have to imagine the bright eyes and pleased smile as she gets yet another Polly Pocket gift.

I'm trying to stay positive and upbeat and out of politics, etc., right now. Just enjoying my kid. My boys are at their dad's over break and we assume the girls are at their mom's so we just have our baby to enjoy. Poor thing hasn't felt good all day--this cold has hit her hard. Still no sign of infection, so treating symptoms at this point. No sense wasting my time and money to have the dr tell me to treat syptoms and force fluids down her. I know that much. She's only the third I birthed. Of course she may wake up in horrible shape tomorrow and I'll have to take her in, but one day at a time---she could also wake up super hungry and feeling great. I hope for the second option!

I found a great blog through a cross stitch message board---the lady writing it has a challenge to fellow stitchers to not buy any more cross stitch stuff until you have finished x number of works in progress---pick a number based on your on hand unfinished objects. I may take her up on it, as I have oodles and oodles--just ask my darling husband who is so patient with me on this, even though it may end up scattered from room to room at times. So different from my ex, who resented every penny I squeezed from the budget to do this hobby--as well as being jealous of the time I spent on it, never mind that his hobby (fantasy sports) was very expensive and time consuming and not something I had any interest in either. Of course he also resented my using coupons and shopping at discount stores too. Oh well. He's gone and I am better off for it. Of course, my husband now will tell you that I am high maintenance, but he married me knowing that! And he is in awe of the stitching I do, as I am in awe of his musical ability.

Mutual admiration society? Why not?!