been a while

Just haven't had much to say, I guess. Been busy, too. Had guests for the long weekend.

Still not much to say. Taking Gray back to the pediatric dentist this morning...his 2nd pulpectomy/crown and his 2nd filling. Not expecting any problems as it all went so smoothly the first time. No problems, except for our checkbook, that is!

Today's 10 on Tuesday...
**10 Plans for the Summer**
1. finish redoing the flower garden
2. redecorate the bathroom
3. take a trip to the mid-west (Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota)
4. get some books read
5. get this year's Christmas cards made
6. lots of day trips-especially for hikes
7. lots of fun projects with the munchkins (nature journals, craft projects, etc.)
8. paint the front door and the shutters
9. attend the family reunion
10. HAVE FUN

Had a nice visit with Rich's parents. We hit some garage sales. We walked the birdsong trail and hand fed the chickadees (such a cool thing to do...we always take people there when they visit). Planted a tiny dogwood tree and some bamboo they brought us (have no idea if the bamboo can actually survive our winters, but we're giving it a try). Went for a drive to see some really funky houses (we call them the mushroom houses). Ate and ate and ate. Talked and talked and talked. Was really nice to see them without the rest of the gang...not that it's not fun to have the whole family together, but it's hard to really get to spend much time talking to anyone in particular when everyone's there.

Well, I certainly jumped from one thing to another here. But that about sums it up.

Quote of the day:
"Love the moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundries." --Corita Kent

trying for a little optimism

Annie's STILL sick (poor girl is so upset that I'm making her stay home from school--she's missing a field trip). Max is extraordinarily belligerent these days (potty training is not sitting well with him, not to mention that it's a complete failure anyway). Even the weather has turned cold and dreary. This has been one shitty (pardon the pun) week.

I know, however, in the grand scheme of things, I am one incredibly lucky woman. I'm loved. I'm fed. I'm relatively healthy. I have a roof over my head. And these are things that are way too easy to take for granted. I shouldn't, but I do. I will try harder not to.

And in the meantime, I'm going to make an effort here to look at the bright side even when it comes to the little things...
**Annie has a stomach virus and that sucks...but her asthma has been under control for a while now--no hospitalizations for quite some time, in fact, no ER trips for a while. (Actually, this is not a little thing--it's a pretty big, wonderful thing!)
**Yes, it's cold and dreary and rainy, but we actually need the rain. Winter only brought a third of our normal snowfall, so we're a bit dry around here.
**Rich has a fairly short day today...he gives his first final of the semester this morning, has a department meeting where he has to present his proposal for a class on evolution he wants to teach, then has a short budget-type meeting. Should be home by 3:00 at the latest. At which point, I am going to sneak away for at least 30 minutes of relaxation. Don't know if I'll scrapbook and watch some more of the movie I started last weekend or if I'll hide away and read Cathy Zielske's new book (already read it once, but it's soooo damn good I have to read it again!). Whatever I decide to do, I am going to thoroughly enjoy 30 minutes to myself!
**My brilliant little Gray made me laugh this morning. As I was brushing his teeth this morning, I said to him, "How on earth did you get so darn handsome?" After spitting out a mouthful of toothpaste, he looked up at me with this exasperated look and said, "Some things are just a mystery." Oh how I love this kid!
**My in-laws postponed their visit until next weekend. Don't get me wrong...it's not that I don't want to see them. I'm really looking forward to their visit, in fact. It's just that I think this family needs the weekend to recover from this crappy week...I know I certainly do.
**We got a Target gift card and a Borders gift card (rewards for credit card points). The Target one will go for necessities, I imagine (like a birthday gift for a slumber party Annie's going to this weekend if she ever gets better, diapers for Max since he needs them at night even if he ever does get this potty training thing down, etc.). But the Borders one...watch out--the Stevens family on the loose in a book store with "free" money. Woo Hoo. (This is one book-loving family!)

Yep, it's been a tough week. We all have them, right? But I really am a lucky woman...and hey, I'm even smart enough to realize it!

don't read this!

I mean...it's not going to be pretty.

What a lousy, exhausting, DISGUSTING week it has been! This damn stomach bug has truly taken its toll on this family. Gray...Friday into Saturday. Max...just a touch on Sunday. Mommy...Monday into Tuesday. Annie...Wednesday into Thursday. The "into"s really suck, for they mean up all night sick. And that, of course, goes for Mommy not just the designated sickee. Mommy is exhausted! Mommy is tired of worrying about her little angels! And Mommy simply cannot stand the thought of cleaning up any more vomit or runny poop! Or pee, for that matter (this was NOT a good week to buckle down on this whole potty training idea!).

The weekend's coming. Normally I'd consider this "my light at the end of the tunnel", because Rich will be here to give me a much needed break. But I'm not getting my hopes up. After all, I guess it's probably his turn to battle this damn stomach bug from hell.

running late

Running late--item #1:
It's Wednesday. And better late than never, here's yesterday's 10 on Tuesday...

**10 Things You Do Everyday**
1. brush teeth, brush hair, deodorize, etc.
2. wash dishes, and more dishes, and more dishes
3. laundry
4. deal with fighting children
5. kiss Rich
6. say "I love you" to Rich, Annie, Gray, and Max
7. wish I'd gotten more sleep the night before
8. read before going to sleep (even if I only manage a page or two)
9. clip on my pedometer and record my miles
10. make list(s)

Gee...my life's just bursting with excitement. Yeah, right.


Running late--item #2:
Max has passed the 3 1/2 year mark. Still no sign of using the damn potty. Getting mighty frustrated by his lack of interest. Nothing we've tried has sparked any motivation in the little guy. So we've decided to go the "no pants" route (now that the weather will hopefully stay warm enough so this doesn't qualify as cruelty). Started with this strategy Monday. I told him he could get his pants on after he peed on the potty. He managed to hold it until about 1:00, then he had his first ever success! So he then got to wear his pants. Had an accident. Not surprising. But then peed on the potty two more times that day. I must admit I was awfully happy with the progress he'd made in one day!
Day 2 rolls around. Same strategy...no pants until after that first pee in the pot. Only problem is that I'm really, really sick and not up for hauling him to the bathroom every 30 minutes. I do the best I can. 3:30 rolls around...and the kid still has not peed! How he could possibly hold it that long is beyond me! But believe me, I kept an eye out--he didn't sneak off and pee in some secret spot. Anyway, ditzy daughter (brilliant, yes...but oh-so ditzy, too) arrives home from school but has left an important folder behind. So I'm forced to let the little guy don a pull-up so we can take Annie up to school to retrieve her homework. No surprise what happened next...6 gallons of urine immediately fill the pull-up.
And here we are at Day 3. Disasterous start. Maxidoodle simply refuses to sit on the potty. He had to go soooo bad. Was crying and holding himself. I carried him to the bathroom, but he will NOT use the potty. He's trying just as hard as he can to hold it, but it's squirting out in spurts. Pee everywhere (on the floor, on the cupboards, on his socks, on me) but the potty. He's miserable. I'm miserable. Got him in the bath. Cleaned up the bathroom. And let him have a pull-up.
So, what's next? I've no idea.


Running late--item #3:
I guess "running late" isn't quite right...it's more like running behind. Took the day off from most housework, etc. on Mother's Day. Then was so sick yesterday that I simply couldn't manage to get much done beyond the kid duties. You'd think that taking a mere 2 days off wouldn't be a big deal. But you'd be WRONG! I cannot believe how much things have fallen apart here. Will probably take 2 weeks to make up the lost time. Why can't I learn to embrace clutter?

yep, I'm a mother...

Here we are, 2 hours into Mother's Day. So far the day has consisted of...
*cleaning up cat barf
*making beds
*yelling at the kids to knock off the fighting (several times)
*having no one except my darling husband remember to wish me a "Happy Mother's Day"
*having the kids decide that today is Taco's birthday (he was a stray, so we don't know the true date) and spend 30 minutes making elaborate cards for the already pampered feline (and still no "Happy Mother's Day"s for me)
*having my 9-year-old ask, "Do I need a bra yet?"

Yep, I'm a mother.

On a bright note, Rich did make me one of my favorite breakfasts (bagels and fried eggs), and refused to let me clean up.

bad days...they're not just for grown-ups

Oh, my poor sweet Gray.

Yesterday at lunch, he announced, "I'm having a bad day." And he truly was. A myriad of little things just seemed out to get him. Mostly these things were just the typical everyday nuisances...a little brother's incessant pestering, a bite from the grumpy cat, bees buzzing within his 10-foot no-fly zone. But there were a few larger issues, too. First, it was his day to be VIP at school. Now these kindergarteners take this quite seriously. They get to bring in something special on their day (sort of a show-and-tell kind of thing). Well, both he and Mommy (shame on you, Mommy!) forgot that it was his day...so he had no special treasure to share. And secondly, and this is a big one, he peed his pants at school. Poor kid hasn't peed his pants, except for a couple of night-time accidents, since he was potty-trained a few years ago. But they were watching some sort of movie in another room with all of the kindergarten classes. And as Gray put it, "The movie just wouldn't end, and I couldn't hold it any more."

And as it turned out, things were only to get worse for the little fellow. That evening, as he was getting into his pjs (his fourth set of clothing for the day to this point), he started complaining that his belly hurt. Half an hour later, all three munchkins are settled in in the boys' room reading in their beds (they consider it quite a treat when we let them all camp out together in one room). Then Gray goes running off to the bathroom and starts yelling for Mommy. Now Bad Mommy had just sat down to relax for a few minutes for the first time all day, and was slightly annoyed that Gray could not even handle a trip to the bathroom by himself. She took her sweet time getting to the bathroom. Bad, Bad Mommy. Turns out the poor little guy had an explosive case of the runs. And though he tried to get there in time, the results were everywhere...his clothes, his legs, the toilet, the floor. Not a pretty sight! Of course a Mom can deal with all manner of bodily "messes", but the sight of a small 5-year-old boy trying not cry is enough to break a Mommy's heart.

Less than 30 minutes later, both boy and bathroom are cleaned up. Boy is dressed in his fifth set of clothing and is back in bed reading.

Another 30 minutes later, boy is sound asleep. His "bad day" is finally over. Or so we assumed.

Shortly before midnight, retching sounds penetrate Mommy's sleep. There in his bed, is poor groggy little Gray throwing up. And throwing up. This clean-up operation was a 2-person job, requiring Mommy and Daddy. Daddy got the sick fellow to the bathroom, where the toilet and floor took a second major assault that evening. Mommy cleaned up Gray's floor and stripped and changed all his bedding. By this time, Gray's belly finally decided to give him a break. So Mommy got Gray into outfit #6 and got him safely tucked back into bed, while Daddy cleaned up the bathroom.

And I'm thankful to say, that put an end to "Gray's bad day". Let's hope today's a good day...he certainly deserves it!


Quote of the day:
"There is no gift nobler on this earth than to care for those to whom we've given birth." --unknown

pollen, pollen, everywhere

Geesh! I don't think I've ever been so grateful that I do not have allergies! I've never seen pollen like this before in my life! You can literally see clouds of it blow through the air. Everything is covered in layers of it. They say it's because it's been so dry. I just feel sorry for everyone who is out there suffering away!


And on a completely different note...today's 10 on Tuesday.

10 Things that Remind You of Your Mother...

1. bald eagles
2. daisies
3. toothpick holders
4. stepping stones
5. all things Christmas
6. clothes catalogs
7. Shipwreck Stew and coconut cream pie
8. crocheting
9. pressure cookers
10. Elvis Presley

O.K.-that is one odd list, now that I look at it. But Mom is not odd. She the best lady in the whole dang world!!!


Quote of the day:
"A mother is a person, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." --Tenneva Jordan

let's scrapbook! (and other stuff)

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

Wish that meant I could spend the day scrapbooking. Unfortunately this is not a recognized holiday as far as my family is concerned. But I am going to try to sneak away to the basement alone for at least a little while...I feel it's my duty.


And on a totally unrelated note...

My brain is tired of stressing out! We've been mulling over and over and over the question of whether to homeschool Annie next year for quite some time. But it's getting to be crunch time...we're going to have to make a decision soon. And I just can't get a handle on the whole issue. She is definitely stagnating academically. And this incredible boredom is affecting her love of learning and motivation. I find that absolutely tragic! But taking her out of school is such a big step, and frankly, it's scary!

Spent a great deal of time on the computer yesterday, gathering yet more piles of information. My brain may explode. There's just so much to consider.

But I think I need to give it a rest for the day. Yep, I think scrapping the day away could definitely be therapeutic.


Quote of the day:
"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles--it empties today of its strength." --unknown

time for 10 on Tuesday

This week's 10 on Tuesday:

10 Favorite Romantic Movies:
(I must admit that I'm not much of a romantic movie kind of gal, much prefer the thrillers. Not even sure if I've seen 10 romantic movies. But I'll give it my best shot. In no particular order.)

1. Ghost
2. An Officer and A Gentleman
3. Shrek
4. The Princess Bride
5. Pretty Woman
6. As Good As It Gets
7. While You Were Sleeping
8. Notting Hill

O.K., nothing too original there. What can I say...I did my best.

just some babbling...

Hey, maybe I'm a blatherskite!

Babble #1:
Actually scrapbooked 2 layouts yesterday! Here's one of them. Posted the other on my 101 list blog.


Babble #2:
I knew there had to be a reason that I didn't like perfume. I always thought the reason was simply because the strong smell of perfumes make my extremely sensitive stomach wage an assault. But I found there's more to it...

ambergris-a precious waxy substance used in perfumes, which is actually a product of the sperm whale's intestines designed to ease the passage of indigestible squid beaks

Now maybe I'm the last person on earth to know this (wouldn't be surprising, as I often find myself out of the loop), but I must say I found this little tidbit of info fascinating, in a disgusting sort of way.


Babble #3:
Quote of the day:
"Live one day at a time and make it a masterpiece." --unknown