Just Another Blog

Voting Again Please

2012-01-26T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hey you guys, I'm wondering if you could do me a favor? Can you please visit this site and vote for Give Kids The World, please.

They are trying to win an American Idol autographed guitar to auction off at a gala.

Give Kids The World is where we stayed for Joey's Wish Trip. They provided entertainment daily. There are 2 swimming pools, a train, put-put golf course, game room, and an ice cream shop that opens at 7am and endless drinks and ice cream from that place. We were given a large hot breakfast daily, (lunch if we were actually at the village at lunch time), hot dinner daily and pizza delivered to our door every evening if we wanted it. There was also a cookie cart that drove around and if they saw you out walking they would give you cookies and lemonade. A gift fairy delivered presents to the kids every single day.

There is a giant playground that is handicapped accessible a nature garden and a spa for little girls to get make overs (boys aren't left out on the fun, they can get tattoos).

All of this is FREE for the Wish Families so please take a few seconds and click on the link to vote for Give Kids The World

You can vote as many times as you want from now until Friday Jan 27 at 8:30am So vote often for Give Kids The World, please.

Also, if you could just copy this whole post and put it up on your blog, that would be awesome. The more votes the better their chances of winning. I really want Give Kids The World to win.

Benefits of Blogging

2012-01-25T09:09:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago something leaked that made me very, extremely excited. I heard that Jennifer Fosberry had written a new book and it was going to be released soon. So I sent Jennifer an E-mail and ~~begged~~, ~~bribed~~, asked her to send me a copy. She told me to talk to her ~~hand~~, publicist and she gave me the contact information. I crafted a letter where I ~~begged~~, ~~pleaded~~, ~~bribed~~, asked for a copy of the new book and mentioned that I would blog about the book in return. To my amazement, she said yes!!!

The book was delivered yesterday and boy oh boy am I smitten!

If you have young children, maybe you have seen and checked out one of her books from the library. She is the New York Times best selling author of My Name Is Not Isabella. She also wrote the book, My Name Is Not Alexander. Both books are filled with inspiring people of history and would make a great first resource for biography writing. Do you guys remember writing biographies in school? I really didn't like writing biographies because most of the books that I used were encyclopedias. For those of you younger than 30 an encyclopedia is a single book from a whole large series of books that sat on a shelf in the study and gathered lots of dust. The only time they were dusted off was when the teacher at school said we had to write a biography on some famous person in history.

Each book continues the story by giving a paragraph of more detailed and factual information on each of the people that Alexander and Isabella pretend to be. Love It!

Anyway, I am thrilled to announce that Jennifer Fosberry is at it again and she has written another Isabella book and this time instead of pretending to be famous women in history, Isabella pretends to travel the world and at each new destination she reveals a new career in the book Isabella Girl On the Go.(Available February 20. You can pre-order through Amazon)

I really can't say enough about how much I love the fact that Jennifer Fosberry books are easy to read picture books that educate. In the new book Isabella Girl On the Go , Isabella travels the world as she visits a lot of familiar and some unfamiliar (to me) places; Pyramids of Giza, Eiffel Tower, Great Wall of China, Chichen Itza, Big Ben, Statue of Liberty. Again, at the end of the story Jennifer Fosberry continues the text to an informational page spread that gives more details and facts (including websites) on each of the places that Isabella pretends to visit. These books are so filled with information that I honestly believe teachers could write an entire unit on each of the books. I think this is a fun way to introduce new places and people and keeping the books around would make it an easy way to remember the lessons taught throughout the year.

Education and Fire

2012-01-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

I think that I need to be taught how to build a fire in the fireplace because that is a skill they did not teach me in Girl Scouts (I only went to something like four meetings and then quit...long story) and apparently Kevin went to the prissy boy's Boy Scout club because he said and I need to quote this, "I grew up in a civilized area where we didn't need to learn fire skills." *eye roll* That was an obvious jab at my country bumpkin upbringing, so what if the nearest mall was over 2 hours away or the nearest hospital over an hour away (sure our town had a hospital but people only went there to die).

So yeah, I had it in my head that we needed to build a fire in our fireplace because we had some firewood that I bought last year from the gas station sitting in the garage and I figured we should at least use some of it, right?! Well, after nagging endlessly, Kevin wads up some newspaper and puts in the fireplace and adds a couple of pieces of the wood I had purchased for the fireplace and the paper was the only thing that burned. Repeat, repeat, repeat......after about an hour we gave up.

The next morning I had a great idea, I wanted to give it a try, I pulled the bark off of the wood pieces and cris-crossed the 2 pieces of wood and stuck the bark pieces under the wood.....oh yeah, and I had a cardboard box that I had all of that sitting on top of and I swear to you the cardboard box must have been flame resistant because that darn thing did not want to light for the love of all things fire. EVENTUALLY, after stuffing it with newspaper and lighting the newspaper, the cardboard box caught on fire but the wood did not really burn so much as it kinda flamed up a little and then the flames went down and an hour later there were no signs of fire. So next time I'm going to buy the fire-starter logs that go for about $5 each and then put on my real wood logs and see if I can get a warm fire going in the fireplace.

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And on a completely different tangent when the homework list was sent home with Isabella on Monday I looked over the list and thought the vocabulary words looked very familiar so I looked through the past vocabulary tests and saw that they were familiar, in fact all six vocabulary words were the exact same words as a list we got back when it was still warm (maybe even hot) outside. I sent a quick e-mail to the teacher wanting to know if this was a review week or if there was a mistake. No, it wasn't a review week, there was a mistake. The new words were sent out today.

I'm relieved.

It Is What You Think

2012-01-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

If you read this in Google reader or whatnot then don't click on the link to take you directly to the page because I did the same thing that Annabelle did, I approached the poop subject except I took it a step farther and took a picture of the offensive matter. Except for when it comes from kids it's not as offensive, right?

Still offensive I totally get that and for that I am completely sorry. But Joey has pooped in the potty about three times in the past 8-10 days or so and I'm so completely excited. This most recent time, today, is the best time because it kinda came from him "Mommy I need to poopie" and he willingly sat on the toilet (usually many bribes are included) and after about fifteen minutes he produced what he lovingly refers to "Mommy, this looks like Dairy Queen ice cream." (He named it Sponge Bob) Then he asked me to take a photo of it (I did) and he asked me to send it to his teachers (I did NOT) and tell them about his potty success (I did).

So since Annabelle from Don't Make It Like I'm Dumb posted her crazy poop story, I wanted to share some poop success myself. I'm just a oneupper so without further ado here is Joey's Dairy Queen Ice Cream poop named Sponge Bob

Dairy Queen Ice Cream Poop named SpongeBob

Education and Hospital Advocate

2012-01-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

You know what I want to do, you guys? I want to become an advocate. It's something that I've been thinking about for a really long time but only just recently voiced my thoughts on the matter to Kevin.

He thinks I can be pretty hard core when it comes to the kids and speaking up for kids rights when school and doctors are concerned (he is also embarrassed by the process but always thrilled and impressed with the results) so he's all for it but the thing is; how does one get started in something like that?

I would guess that there are agencies who do that sort of thing, right? If there is not, then there should be because 9 times out of 10 schools and hospitals aren't going to pull out the super premium gold plan as soon as you walk in the door. They never do. They first try to sell you on the rusty iron plan because if that's good enough for you it saves them a lot of time and money. And with all the federal and state funding cuts being made by congress and the like to both education and health care then saving money is the name of the game. I don't like that game either but that's just what it is and you either need to just accept it, or fight for what you deserve and if you don't know the turbulent waters of the game then you'll be fighting a lot harder for what you want and you'll end up not getting what you deserve.

And ya know I could google agencies who advocate for children when it pertains to school and hospitals and the like but I don't like the idea of working for an agency because you know that education advocates and hospital advocates probably charge the families a whole lot of money and that's the part that I really, really don't like because I think a lot of the times the families who are too poor to afford to hire someone to represent them are the ones who need it the most.

So that is my big plan for when both kids are in school. Help people who need an advocate for their child's education or health through the confusing and scary battle of schools and hospitals. It won't bring home any bacon, or ya know I'd settle for money but it won't bring that home either but it'll be helping and didn't the Dali Lama once say something like 'We all live in a very small world so if you can't help people then don't hurt them.' Well, I want to help and this is the best way I think I can help.

The mall with the huge carousel that my kids love.

Maggiano's Chicken and Spinach Manicotti

And the above photos have nothing to do with the above post, I just wanted to share the photo of the kids on the carousel at the mall. This carousel is 2 stories tall (my kids never ride the animals on the bottom floor) and it spins really fast (my opinion). And the bottom photo is my favorite dish at Maggiano's. The chicken and spinach manicotti is the best food ever in the history of the whole entire world. I've loved that dish now for at least 6 years, maybe 7.

Kindergarten IEP Time

2012-01-19T15:58:00.000-08:00

I was called a few weeks ago to discuss possible dates for the kindergarten IEP for Joey. Wow, he's really going to go to kindergarten this fall?!! Where on earth has the time gone? Wasn't he an infant with severe reflux just a few months ago? Didn't I enroll him in preschool just a couple of weeks ago? Is he really going to be five years old in a couple of months? Man alive it is true what they say, 'The days are long but the years are short'.

So yeah, the IEP is scheduled and I've been busy making a list of my ~~demands~~ suggestions. I have asked for certain teachers and assistants to be a part of Joey's team. I fully believe my request for specific teachers and assistants is reasonable. I have requested for two specific children to be in his kindergarten classroom. Again I think this is reasonable. One child worships the ground Joey walks on and the other is a typical child ~~that may be a good little tattle tale~~ who has parents who are good friends of the family. I have asked that occupational therapy to take place in the classroom during an appropriate time. I have asked that physical therapy take place either during PE or recess time. I've asked for a lot of other things but I just don't know.

What should I ask for? What should I consider? What do you think I should tell the people where he will go to kindergarten? How much information is enough? Is there a such thing as too much information?

A New Time Sucker

2012-01-19T08:52:00.000-08:00

I have belonged to BzzAgent for quite some time now and just today I received an invite to join the BzzCampaign for Smart(erer). Yeah, it's a really intellectual sight reserved only for those who would qualify for MENSA or the like. (NOT!)

Here's the thing. I have been answering questions for what seems like forty years and the questions still keep coming. I just don't know if the questions will ever end so if you don't hear from me for a really long time, know that I was sucked into the question-a-saurus and am being eaten alive by answering multiple choice questions.

The site will let you answer one sample question so you can get familiar with the process and then when you sign up you answer multiple choice questions about whatever online thing you want. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media places. I had no idea that a kagillion questions could be asked about BzzAgent. And since you are timed on the questions it's stressful, you guys! I didn't realize I'd be signing up for Stress 101.

Did I ever tell you that I really tanked the ACT (SAT equivalent for those of you who take that test) the first two times I took it because I wig out on the whole multiple choice and being timed thing?! I think the first time I took that test I only made an 18 and then I took it again and did better (scored a 20) but to get into the teacher education program at the school I was attending I needed to score a 23 or they wouldn't let me take any classes at all!!! So, you know what they say about the third time being the charm, I took it the third time and made a 23. I left the testing room in tears. Big ugly cry, with red sploches across my face, puffy eyes and wet stuck together eyelashes. I like to keep things sexy like that.

So yeah, pray I won't need to get a script for Xanax before this BzzCampaign for Smarterer through BzzAgent is over.

Super Baskets of Hope

2012-01-18T11:41:00.000-08:00

An easy way to help out someone who has helped our family out.

Super Baskets of Hope

If you have the time, please visit the site and vote for Super Baskets of Hope. You can vote daily. They have given baskets to myself but most importantly Joey.

Also if you can share this on your blog or on your Facebook or Tweet this, it would be nice.

A Job By Any Other Name

2012-01-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

You guys, the clock is ticking and pretty soon I'm going to need to get a J-O-B. You have no idea how that word sends chills through my spine.

I think that I started 'working' back when I was around 14 years old. Babysitting all the neighborhood youngsters. A little secret that I'll share with you just because I'm a whole lot older now is that when I would babysit the kids up until around midnight (sometimes as late as 1am!) I was scared out of my whits as soon as the sun would sit beyond the horizon. I just kept thinking of Guess jeans and fifty dollars, Guess jeans and fifty dollars, Guess jeans and fifty dollars. Over and over again. And the walk home at 1am was just as horrifying. It was an extremely short walk and the adults would always walk me to the point where they could see my parents home but I was still frightened because it was dark outside you guys! My parents lived way out in the country in the middle of nowhere.

As soon as I was old enough to be legally employed, I started working in a fast food joint and on my days off I would still babysit. Then once I graduated high school, I worked as a DJ at a small market radio station along with a movie theater and at a fast food joint. After awhile I quit the DJ and fast food job to work as a teachers assistant (did I mention I was a full time student in the local college all at the same time?)

And eventually I quit both jobs and moved up to the big city to attend a 'big' university and that's when I started substitute teaching. Then I eventually graduated college and couldn't find a 'real' job so I just did some work as a teachers assistant but that didn't really work for me so I ended up working as a math coach (bawahahaha!!) while I was pregnant with Isabella and as soon as I popped her out of my girly bits I thought a minimum wage job just isn't worth leaving her in the care of someone else. The school who had employed me as a math coach called me before school started the following year to ask me to come back as a math coach (bwahahahahha!!) but I told them that I was planning on staying home until she was in school.

Then Joey came along and plans were pushed back a couple of years. But this fall, Joey, will be in school and I'll need to do something. If money wasn't so tight, I'd just be room mom for both of the kids classrooms. BUT that isn't the case. We are barely treading the very rough waters of financial security and I still owe about $12,000 in student loans (OUCH!) and we both need new cars. They are about 12 years old and each have well over 100,000 miles on them. Yikes!

My big idea was to start babysitting a child, maybe two children. I could still clean the house, fix meals, go to the park, run errands, go to the library for story time, etc. . .with a couple of kids hanging around me the majority of the day. I mean that's what I've been doing for the past *counts on fingers* few years, right?!

Most people around here charge around $20-$30 per day for childcare in the home. From what I understand the lower end babysitters only provide supervision. Parents bring food/snacks and such. The upper end takes the kids out in the community to parks and playgrounds and bookstores and teaches something throughout the day. Bingo! That's what I'd do naturally!

So after the first year of watching just one or two, I could double my clientele and my salary!! And I'm thinking that's about it on what I'd take in because four kids would outnumber me and that's about as much as I'd be willing to try. So if I'd charge $30 per day times four kids (that second year) that's about $120 per day which is $600 per week!!!

In all of my live long life, I have never, ever made $500 per week. The most I've ever made was about $800 per MONTH!!

So yeah, I really want to babysit. Getting paid for doing what I'm doing now, except with the children of other people. Sounds like a win win to me.

For some reason Kevin thinks I should get a 'real job'. I think he wants me to be sad and unhappy with a job that is not fulfilling. He keeps saying how hard it would be to babysit (huh? It's called pretending to be mommy, kinda. I've been doing this for a really long time now.)

What are the pros and cons of babysitting?
What are the pros and cons of a 'real job'?

Keep in mind I do have a bachelor of science in elementary education that has gone completely unused in my professional life. This area graduates THOUSANDS of teachers each semester and only a few hundred jobs open up each year. For each job opening in the elementary area there are thousands of resumes sent in. I know I do not want to teach anymore. Takes way too much time and commitment. If you think that teachers work from 8-3 on M-F you are oh so wrong. Think Sun-Sat as soon as you wake up until the wee hours of the night. (Not all the time but a lot of the time)

I also think I'm unemployable because I have been at home for the past 7 years. So for me I think babysitting is the way to go.

Choking Me Up

2012-01-15T12:08:00.000-08:00

There is this song that is kinda old. I loved it the very first time I ever heard it back in 1998. I don't know if it's just me or if anyone else out there experienced this but when I heard this song, back when I was in my prime of going to parties and having a blast, my mind went to babies. I couldn't listen to this song and not imagine myself with an infant cradled in my arms.

Because I was always too exhausted to speak let alone sing, (thank you very much colic gods) I would just hold the kids in my arms when they were infants and think about this song. I'd daydream the song and think about how no truer words were ever spoken.

The lyrics to the best baby lullaby ever. I heard this song today while the family and I were at Dairy Queen and my eyes began to sweat.

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My best friend, who is about to have a baby really wants this CD for her lullaby collection. I haven't heard the CD but they used to be my most favorite band forever and ever. I camped out in Downtown St. Louis to be the first (but didn't make it there first) in line to buy tickets for a February show. I think my best friend and I got there at 2am. I think the tickets went on sale in January. January in Missouri is flipping cold. Dear young me......You Are An Idiot! The concert was phenomenal and I had a blast, but I don't really like the 'preview' versions of each song on that CD and have a bit of a mental barrier that would keep me from playing that music to an infant.

Freezing Fragments

2012-01-13T08:13:00.000-08:00

I don't know it it was big enough news to make it to your world but yesterday morning we awoke to about an eighth of an inch of snow. No freezing rain fell, no sleet. Just snow. All you who live up in the frozen tundra where you get 'real' snow will laugh to find out that bitty amount of snow practically shut down the entire region. Ninety-five percent of schools were either on a snow delay schedule or completely called off. Most called school off. Here is a news story about how MODOT failed. It took Kevin 2 1/2 hours to get to work. Typically it takes him about a half hour.

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For the snow day we baked cookies without eggs. I promised cookies but didn't think about how the refrigerator is practically empty because it was grocery getting day Thursday (which didn't happen!). Anyway, the cookies turned out extra yummy.

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Earlier this week, I watched this video and wanted to share it with all of you because it's really powerful and moving. I think I saw it first on "A Few Clowns Short" blog. But I have a terrible memory so if you had this video on your blog leave a comment so people will know where it came from.

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Ohhh I think I found a fun way to make a product that is SIMILAR but not really like Moon Dough. You basically mix flour and baby oil. The recipe that I pulled from "Play At Home Mom" (if you haven't checked her out, please do so Caroline, you'll LOVE her place.) It's 8 cups of flour and 1 cup of baby oil. Or you can do what I did. 8 tablespoons of flour and 1-2 tablespoons of baby oil. I did this two times and it made a small amount for the kids to play with.

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We played with the above mentioned stuff for awhile yesterday. The kids washed the kitchen floors, we made the above mentioned cookies, we set the kitchen chairs up in a line and played train, we played with Play-Doh and made 'pizza', we did some water play in the sink, dance recital, skate party, Lincoln logs, watched the traffic jam on television, watched it snow, science experiments complete with hypothesis and illustrations, and I'm just too beat still to remember what else we did.........all in all, it was a fun day.

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Know what I did not do? I didn't shovel the driveway. Oh well, maybe there is a reason?

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A Jerk By Any Other Name

2012-01-11T18:34:00.000-08:00

I bet you guys thought you were done with my silly banter didn't you? I mean, I already made one post today, right? Well the thing is; I have had something bugging me. But like an annoying little gnat I've been ignoring it and swiping it away but that pesky little annoyance keeps coming back. It's kinda like pouring salt in a slow to heal wound. It just keeps on hurting and hurting and hurting!

So, I need to do what I've been wanting to do since the first time that stupid gnat buzzed around my face. I'm blogging about the heartless, thankless, uncouth jerk.*

You see, here in Missouri we have been on the receiving end of some pretty blissful weather. The weather we have experienced for the past week or so would be considered beautiful for any time of the year, especially for January. (Don't hate, our terrible weather is on its way as we speak and snow is in the forecast for tonight into tomorrow night. Up to about 3 inches, probably. And last winter, we ended up getting about 35 inches of snow.....started in November and we didn't see our ground until March)

So, being the good mother and wife that I am, I took Joey and Isabella outside daily to experience the wonderful weather as soon as they got out of school. While the kids were playing I was working. I cleaned up the fallen leaves and the dead annuals that were not cleaned up in the fall. We did not have any lawn bags (around here it is illegal to mix yard waste with regular trash so we have trash pick up days, recycle pick up days, and lawn pick up days) so I just did a temporary bagging job. The bags that I used were the ultra large bags from Toys R Us. I filled three of those bad boys. I raked lots of leaves, and cleaned up lots of dead flowers and in the end, I gave myself some terrible sinus problems. (I'm allergic to all that crap)

Knowing that yard work is difficult labor (I gashed my middle finger open pulling up dead flowers and the gash is still painful) I figured that Kevin would be thrilled at the progress I made in the yard so as soon as he came home, I skipped to him, kissed him and bounced up and down like a circus monkey all while clapping and saying "Guess what?! Guess what?! Come here and look what I did. You're going to be so happy and proud of me! Lookie lookie!! See see!!" I grab his hand and pull him toward the door but he grumbles to me that he wants to get something to drink and change his clothes wash his hands and blah blah blah waaah waaaah waaahhhhhh work is so hard and stressful and he needed to be left alone.

Fair enough, I leave him alone and later that evening when we are headed out (did I mention that I told him on Friday and we were going out to eat that evening) I open the garage service door and clap my hands and bounce up and down and then I point out the door and say, "Look!! See what I did?!" He looks and says, "What did you do that for? Don't you know we don't even have any lawn bags? What did you put them in those bags for? Now we have to go out and buy some lawn bags and put them in the right bags. I can't believe you did that."

((Whatever he wasn't ruining all my joyfulness because I was happy that I did such a good job and made such great progress!!))

So we go to Home Depot after eating dinner and while we are at Home Depot he's grumbling, "They probably don't even sell them this time of year because nobody is doing yard work this time of year. We probably drove all the way out here to find out they don't even stock them this time of year."

I asked the good man in the orange vest about the lawn bags and he told us where to go to find them and they had a HUGE supply of lawn bags, thankyouverymuch!

We come home and he transfers the lawn waste to the lawn bags (which I totally would have done!) and of course, he grumbles about all the work it took to transfer the waste to the lawn bags and then he starts complaining again, "I don't even know if they are still doing pick up for lawn waste. You know they don't do that all year long. It stops for a couple of months and if it's already stopped do you realize that we'll have those bags in the garage until the spring when pick up starts again and do you realize what kind of bugs that's going to attract?! Why did you do that?"

FYI??!! Pick up came today. They picked up the lawn waste this morning.

This evening when he came home from work he said, "The bags are gone? Did they come today?" I told him that I was volunteering at Joey's school (today and yesterday) so I wasn't home when they took the waste but it's all gone so I suppose they came.

But then I told him.......I said, "Ya know. Not one time have you said, Thank you, not one time have you said, I appreciate that. Not one time have you said anything positive about all the work it took to clean up that mess. But at least five times you have complained about it."

Then he said, "Well not that I don't appreciate it but it's like if I started a job that you had to not only finish but also had buy something to complete. How would that make you feel?"

I just said, "I just thought you would have been happy that you didn't need to clean all that mess up. I thought you'd be thankful that I helped out with yard work. But you're not or else you wouldn't have complained so much."

A few minutes later he said, "Thank you and I appreciate it...." But I told him that it's way too late and that I knew he didn't mean it.

*You have to realize that I am PMSing and I have a bit of a cold (allergies from cleaning the lawn) and I have this problem with my wrist that HURTS LIKE A CRAZY SONAGUN called thumbtino synovitis. While what I am saying is true, it's also a bit one sided because I'm in that kind of mood

Weird Things That Make Me Feel Weird

2012-01-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

I've always been an awkward person. I don't know if I show it on the outside but on the inside I always feel awkward. Standing in a room full of people. Makes me feel awkward. Talking to any of those people = awkward. Walking is awkward, sitting is awkward. Everything is all weird inside of my brain and I'm never really relaxed. Weird and tense and all those awkward things are always just floating around inside of me. I should probably have a drinking problem. Then I'd feel relaxed inside instead of awkward and weird. I wonder what that would do with my personality?

Well anyway, this week was "Dad's Week" at Joey's preschool. Well, since Kevin is ~~a stinky face~~ still 'new' at his job he didn't want to take the day off to spend at preschool. I ~~am upset about it~~ kinda understand but I didn't want Joey to not have someone there so I signed up to be the parent volunteer both days the dad's were invited. Which worked out because he loves me there and I have a good time volunteering at the school.

I was the only mom there both days. Oh well. Some of these kids have 'mom candy' dads. (Kinda like eye candy but mom candy sounds better to me). It was pretty sweet having a little candy to look at both days.

Anyway, as everyone was packing up to go home today, Little E, came to say goodbye to Joey. I spoke with Little E's dad and told him how sweet I think his boy is and said that I would like to pass my information along to him to give to his wife so that she and I could set up a play date sometime for the boys. As I was handing my telephone number to the guy the awkward hit me and I almost wanted to wad the paper up and put it in the trash because I thought, 'oh boy this looks funny'. Would you guys feel like you were slutting it if you gave your telephone number to some guy (to give to his wife) so that a play date could be arranged for the kids?

Now in my head, the wife will be cleaning out his pockets for laundry this evening and find my name and phone number and you know what will hit the fan. He'll tell the story of how he was at preschool today and about Joey and such but she won't believe him and they'll get all mad and fight some more because she won't believe him and...............over-active imagination much? I know.

Conversations With Kids

2012-01-09T07:53:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I've blogged this before but back when we went to Orlando for Joey's Wish Trip the kids visited with Santa (they celebrate Christmas every Thursday at The Village) and they were allowed to walk through a small Santa Workshop and pick out a toy. The toy Isabella picked came with a little yellow rubber duck. Ever since we returned from the Wish Trip, the following conversation has occurred every single time she has had a bath.

(Isabella squeezes the duck underwater)
Me: *Knowing exactly what happened but ya know I love a good ribbing every now and then* Isabella did you just toot?!
Isabella: No! It's the duck!
Me: Yeah right, blame it on the duck. You're so rotten!

Well that conversation was so funny to her that the next time she took a bath she recited the conversation and said we need to do that again. Rinse, Repeat, over and over again for every single bath. The End.

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Another conversation with some ribbing involved is as follows.....

We are driving down the street past our church and I read the marquee that says, "God loves you, and you, and you."

Me: Hey you guys, that sign says that God loves you and you and you. That's only three yous and there are four people in this car. That must mean that there is someone in this car who he doesn't love. I wonder who it is? I hope it's not me!
Joey: I hope it's not me either.
Kevin ............

Isabella ...........

Me: No you guys. I'm just kidding. God loves everybody.

Isabella: Yes! God loves everybody in all the countries of all the world.

Me: That's right.
Joey: Even the people in Canada?
Me: Yes, Joey, even the people in Canada

Mathmatically Challenged

2012-01-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

As far back as I can remember I was expected to just know my math facts without using my fingers or anything else. If the numbers 7 and 3 were written on a piece of paper along side an addition symbol the answer was supposed to magically appear in my brain and I was supposed to write it down and move on to the next problem to solve. It was the same with subtraction and then multiplication and then division. Sometime around 5th grade the teachers got the timed tests out of their systems and we weren't forced to magically know the answers anymore. I honestly have to count up three to get the answer to the 7 + 3 problem. Though these days I'm much quicker at adding in my head.

I have a HUGE math anxiety. When I enrolled for college, every single semester that I signed up for a math class I cried my head off when I turned in the enrollment papers and on the first day of class and anytime I had a test, until I graduated. I took, elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, college algebra (twice!), statistics, math 050, math 051. In that order. And yes, math 050 and math 051 are idiot classes. I have no idea why I had to take them at the END of everything. Stupid transfer requirements.

I'm worried because in the first grade my daughter is starting timed math tests and the answers don't magically appear in her head either. She knows (knew even before kindergarten started) how to count to 100. She now knows that numbers go on and on forever and has a strong concept of 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 etc. . .She kinda gets odd and even numbers and can count by 5's, 10's and 2's. But when she sees 7 + 3 she gets frustrated because she is told not to use her fingers to add. This pains me. How on earth is she supposed to gain confidence if her first two guesses are incorrect? How is she supposed to learn seven and three are ten unless she uses her fingers a half dozen times and then has the answer memorized? I have full confidence that once she memorizes the answers to the timed tests she'll do fabulously well, but until then why can't she use her fingers?

I was told not to use my fingers and I normally didn't and when I did, I hid the fact that I was using my fingers and was so ashamed and embarrassed and felt like a failure. And you know what? My math skills still suck. I can do some basic math equations in my head but for the most part I'm either using my fingers, pulling out a calculator, or asking someone else.

So I ask you this......what are some good ways to learn the math facts? I need to help Isabella through this and right now I am lost because my theory is to let her use her fingers but her teacher says No No No!

A Math Question

2012-01-04T07:39:00.000-08:00

I'm making a Shutterfly photo book.

The said photo book is on sale for $26.24. It is a 20 page 8x11 hard photo cover.

If I go a size bigger or add a few more pages to bring the total to $30.00 shipping is free.

I have a $20 gift card.

So, as it stands, I will pay $6.24 plus shipping (what is standard shipping?)

BUT, if shipping is free, I'll only pay about $10.00.

Can anyone help me out with what shipping might be?

Which would be cheaper?

Chit Chat With Me

2012-01-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

I walked into the kitchen and Kevin has all this paperwork all over the place and the computer was showing some financial institution webpage. The following conversation occurred.

Kevin- I need to open you a Roth account

Me- What have you developed a lisp? Who is Ross?

Kevin- Roooth?

Me- .............*eyebrows scrunched*

Kevin- Well I have an IRA opened up in your name at my old job but now that needs to be transferred*

Me-..............*Senses he is serious. Trying to look serious. Fighting away a smile but he looks at me and recognizes that my lights are on but nobody is home. Strike that, the lights aren't even on. Once he's on to me, I bust out with a knee slapping, foot stomping rolling laughter.

Kevin- You know, you'll need some money when you are old.

Me- Nah, I'm a pistol. I'll hold my own well.

Kevin- .........

Me- Besides, you just took a $10,000 pay cut. We can't afford to save. We need to live now so we'll be alive to spend the money you're trying to save when we are old.

Kevin-............

Me- Oh yeah, that reminds me. That girl keeps calling from (one of the offices of your old job). The past couple of times, I've been out and she left a message that I just deleted because I don't understand that woman.

Kevin- She has all our information. Just answer her questions.

Me- Do you understand that her questions put me in a coma.

Kevin-.................

Me- You know, the next time she calls and I answer the phone I'm going to tell her that she HAS to call back when you are home because grown up talk puts me in a coma. And you know I will tell her that.

I am obviously not mature enough to be considered a grown up. At least when it comes to money talk. How did I make it as long as I did without Kevin in my life is beyond me.

But just so you guys know I'm not a complete imbecile I hold the title of doctor (I think I'm a specialist, not just the general doctor) and the pharmacist. I am also a therapist of many hats including but not limited to; emotional well being...and that's all I can think of now.

*He used some grown up financial speak lingo.

Post-Op

2011-12-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

We arrived at the hospital at 6am, didn't make it to the pre-op holding until 8:30, taken back to OR around 9am, out of OR before 10am, out of post-op holding and on our way home around 11am.

I've made it home, made it to the pharmacy to pick up the Lortab (wasted $25!) and when I came home Joey wanted to go potty. I carried him to the bathroom, carefully placed him on the floor to stand and when he was all done he took off! Walking all over the place. Keep in mind he just had his knee sliced open an eight-plate that was screwed into his bones! taken out of the said knee and now he's running. I have to keep telling him No Running!!! No Running!!

Thanks for all of your prayers.

While we were in the same day surgery room getting checked in.

They have to ask important questions like, Does he have any piercings? Does he have any tattoos?

After that was taken care of, it was time to play in the big playroom

Technically, the room was closed but same day surgery patients are allowed to enter whenever they want.

So he had the whole entire room to himself.

He didn't have to share a thing!

He was in heaven!

But the phone rang and it was the OR staff and they wanted us to check in at the pre-op holding area.

The photo on the left is an x-ray that was taken before they put the 8-plate in. The x-ray in the center was taken when they were drilling the screws in his leg. The x-ray on the right was taken a couple of weeks ago and shows how it's time for the 8-plate to come out.

Surgery and Christmas

2011-12-28T08:19:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is another surgery day for Joey. Keep him in your prayers. This is a 'good' surgery because some hardware they put in his leg is ready to come out. It has done its job and the LE Valgus is technically cured. So since things are so good, they can take the plate out of his leg and of course that has to be done in surgery. No surgery is without risk or worry so keep us in your prayers. We do have the first thing in the morning surgery so that's a great thing but it also means that I have to wake up around 5am (or sooner). So glad the roads are free of ice and snow.

Isabella shared one of her Christmas presents with Joey. This is probably one of her favorite toys she received this year. It's Whipple.

Joey received a few Chuggington Interactive trains and two Chuggington train sets. One was from Santa and the other was from Uncle Christopher. He was so thrilled to receive the Chuggington Interactive sets and trains.

Isabella was so excited to open so many presents. She practically had two entire days of opening presents and just like her little brother, she deserved all the great things that came her way because she was a great girl all year long.

Christmas

2011-12-26T12:52:00.000-08:00

For Christmas we enjoyed such nice, beautiful weather that we were able to hang out on the deck at my parent's house. The kids had a blast. I loved it that the weather was gorgeous. Presents were a plenty, love was abound, and family was all around.

Sucky Things

2011-12-23T14:16:00.000-08:00

Do you guys want to know what really sucks? Disciplining your special needs child. All of you out there think that you feel guilty when you have to use some creative measures to get your typical children to behave when they are misbehaving. Try thinking about this next time your delicate little snowflake is sitting in time out (or is being punished for doing something wrong). Surgery. Three in just one year. Doctors visits. So many in just this one year the count was lost sometime around June.

It's easy to think that any amount of discipline is for the greater good but when your child started out 2011 with surgery, and then went into surgery again a few months later. Of course there were all the follow-up visits after each of those surgeries. Then of course there were visits to all of the other specialists that Joey sees throughout the year.....and will soon head into the OR once again just a few days after Christmas, well it really stinks to follow through with a few threats. (I will put such and such toys in the basement if you throw it again) Of course he screamed and cried and I just put him in his room after trying to give him some hugs and getting pushed away. He eventually cried himself to sleep. You guys, it broke my heart because all I could think about was the little guy who had the 'spica cast surgery' just a few months ago and I feel like I'm just so thankful he can walk and that he still has his leg and that it should be okay to let him act like a rabid beast because....well he's been through a lot, not only THIS year, but every year he's been alive.

Which got me to thinking about how there was that new article about how crying it out damages the brains of kids/babies. Isabella was about 10 months old when I let her cry it out. (She had been a through the night sleeper since she was an infant!...but don't hate me because she screamed her head off All. Day. Long!). Anyway, she had gotten her first ever cold when she was about 10 months old and she was running a fever so every single time she woke up (fifteen times a night?) I got up to hold, snuggle, and feed her to replenish her fluids from the fever. Well about a month after she had been feeling better she still thought it was great fun to wake up eleventy thousand times a night. I felt like I had just given birth to quads I was up so much. And just laying in a chair with her wouldn't cut it either. She would pitch a huge fit if I didn't hold her and stand up and sway. Lets not forget the little stinker wouldn't sleep a wink the entire flipping day AND add to that she would freak out if I wasn't constantly singing, reading, or entertaining her in some way. Life sucked. Until someone told me about the whole, "She can cry in her crib a little bit. As long as all her other needs are taken care of don't sweat it. Let her cry." So I let her cry and it was the best advice I had ever been given. About three days later she was sleeping through the night again and all was well in this house.

So anyway, I'm thinking that letting a perfectly healthy cry in her/his crib, a child who has been feed, diaper changed, played with all day, and other basic needs met.....I'm thinking it's okay to let that child fuss for a few minutes before falling asleep in his/her own room. Because what Joey has gone through is so much more than a night or two crying in a safe warm crib. No pain, no scary nurses, no scary doctors, no needles, no tests, no hospital stays, no hospital visits.........And Joey's not the first and certainly won't be the last child to grow up visiting doctors practically every other day. He's not the first and won't be the last child to experience pain practically every day of his life. If the majority of these 'hospital' kids grow up just fine then I think the kids who spend a few nights in their babyhood fussing in their safe warm crib will not be harmed. But you know, that's just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions. Everyone has one and they all stink.

Which all that crying and fussing alone in the crib also got me to thinking. Have you ever said "Just leave me alone" before? I know I've said it. There have been times that I have been so mad and frustrated I had to wait until I was alone to just scream and yell and bite my pillow and stomp my feet. I just don't feel right throwing a tantrum in front of people. Sometimes I don't feel right crying in front of people. I just want to grieve and cry and tantrum all alone. There is nothing wrong with that. I sometimes wonder if kids (babies even) want that too. It seems after I get all of my aggression out (alone) I can think more clearly. I can talk about what is wrong and work on fixing whatever is going on.

Anyway.............I'm just so sad that Joey will have to go in for surgery again. Again! And of course there will be another surgery sometime in the future to drill the rod up higher in his leg. Right now, the spot the rod is in is just fine but once it moves (as he grows it moves) into the ankle cartilage it will need to be moved and that will mean more surgery. It makes me so sad to see him in pain.

But yeah we will be busy, busy, busy the next few days so from my family to your family

Merry Christmas!!

Smart and Evil

2011-12-21T18:49:00.000-08:00

This evening I was watching some special on PBS where the Air Force Band was playing Christmas songs (among others). The special was called Holiday in Blue. Anyway, one of the songs they played was John Philip Sousa Stars and Stripes Forever. Isabella said, "I know this song mommy but I forgot the words. Will you sing them to me?" Well, I waited for the part where they say "Hurrah for the flag of the free........." and just sang that portion because that's all I actually know. After the song was over, Isabella said, "I wish we could go to (the city where we used to live) and visit that library and check out the book that had that song and keep it forever."

You guys, we moved to where we currently live a little more than two and a half years ago. We stopped checking out books from that library a solid month before we moved out. I don't remember when we last checked out the book of which she is speaking but I'm impressed. She remembered the name of where our old house was located. She remembered going to the library there. She remembered a specific book that we checked out. Color me impressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On to the evil portion. My sweet as pie little boy with a smile that flew in on angel wings straight from heaven has an evil streak in him. I swear to you guys I have no idea where he gets it because we don't really watch slap stick comedy and practically live a very G rated life here in our household. Anyway, at one point during the PBS special the kids were dancing on the rug in the living room. The rug is only about 3 foot by 4 foot and Isabella is dancing on one end and Joey looks at her and then looks at the rug and I swear to you I saw his evil eye glistening in the twinkle of the Christmas tree lights and I read his mind. I swear I read his mind! I kept a close eye on him and he did exactly what I thought he was going to do. He slid down and sat right on the opposite end of that rug and he picked it up and just before he was about to jerk that rug out from under Isabella's feet I stopped him. Only because I didn't want to see Isabella get hurt. But the thought of what he was THINKING about doing. Makes me laugh inside.

Child Labor

2011-12-21T13:01:00.000-08:00

I don't know why people get so upset when schools let out for vacations I mean don't school breaks mean that it's time to open the child sweat shops? Indeed my child sweat shop is open and the staff are working hard.

My floors are all spic n span! The kids were scrubbing the floors and doing a great job. So glad that job is done!


Not only did they clean this table but all the tables in the whole house. I love Pledge! The house smells great with clean floors and clean tables.

A Phone Call and ProBiotics

2011-12-20T08:24:00.000-08:00

The other day I answered the phone and the voice on the other end was young. Obviously a child, young. After saying, "Hello" and such the voice says, "Can I talk to Isabella." I was a little shocked because nobody has ever called Isabella. I responded with, "Who is this?" She replied with her name and I had never, ever heard Isabella talk about this person before. So I explained that so-in-so was on the phone and I handed the phone to Isabella and darted out of her field of vision. I really wanted to listen in on the conversation.

What I heard was mildly amusing. Isabella said, "Who are you?...............Oh, hi................Umm, I will see you at school tomorrow.......................I said, I will see you tomorrow at school......................Listen, I have to go now. Good-bye."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Right on the heels of getting fully recovered from the flu last week, I started feeling that heavy feeling in my chest area. I don't know how many of you frequently get bronchitis but I've had it so many times I can feel it before I actually get it. So I don't know when, maybe it was Thursday of this past week or something and I got that heavy feeling in my upper chest area. Anytime I get that feeling I end up at the doctors office three days later with severe coughing. I can hardly breathe when I have that feeling. No amount of over the counter anti-coughing medicine will make me feel even just a small bit better. Nothing works except for some strong antibiotics and some narcotic cough medicine. Did you know that narcotics not only shut off your pain receptors they also shut off your cough reflex receptors? When I end up with bronchitis, I take the medicine around the clock and start feeling better within about a week to ten days. WELL!!!!!!!! This time, I was prepared. I've been consulting with Doctor Google and he said that while it's not good to take a pro-biotic every single day it is good to take if you feel like you're going to get sick enough to need an antibiotic or great to take alongside the antibiotic to restore your good bacteria.

Well, since I was getting my three day warning of bronchitis I figured I'd start taking the pro-biotic. I took it for about five days and even on that third and fourth day (and of course the fifth day) I started feeling loads better and not at all heavy chest feeling anymore!! I am so excited that for the very first time ever, I was able to get over bronchitis before it fully hit me and I was able to avoid the all night long coughing fits entirely!! So, if you start getting that 'uh-oh, I'm going to get sick enough to visit the Dr. soon' feeling, run out and get some pro-biotic. It helped me!! And, just so you know I got the 4x...something or other Target brand.

Mater The Greater

2011-12-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

So today we had the appointment with the orthopedic. It was a good visit. The x-rays revealed that Joey's leg is growing nicely. It is still healing and that the rod has moved up a little. Which is a good thing. We also discovered that the 8-Plate that was put in over a year ago has done its job and is ready to come out. It's good that the plan worked but now it's time to remove the thing and that can only be done in surgery.

Remember how back around this time last year I knew something was wrong and Joey was in pain and refusing to walk and I was demanding something to be done and FINALLY they found a break in his bone and we had to schedule a surgery and the surgery wasn't even scheduled for a couple of MONTHS and the poor kid was in some major pain?! Well, I found it humorous that they told me the date for this next OR visit is in just a couple of weeks. Actually, less than two weeks. He's not in any pain and there is no need to rush this surgery. *eye roll*

We discussed the fact that eventually the rod in Joey's leg will need to be moved up higher in his bone and discussed doing so when they go in for the eight-plate removal. I asked the doctor, 'Well I get that moving the rod up in his leg when you take out the eight plate would be kind of like a two for one. Getting two things done at the same time and not having to bother with another surgery a few months later but what problems could happen if you go ahead and do this now.' He said something like, 'Well, if the bone isn't strong enough it could shatter it.' I replied, "Well then, it's settled. We'll wait to move the rod up. He's not even a year out".

So they will only remove the 8-plate and sometime this summer or this coming fall, we will need to move the rod. Which won't "NEED" to be moved until it moves into the cartilage in Joey's ankle. Which I think will be a lot longer than even this fall. Maybe spring 2013. Which kinda gets me a little excited. Will 2012 be the first year Joey goes all year long with out a surgery??!!!!! You have no idea how excited this makes me.

Finally, while it may be a chili day the skies are clear and there isn't much of a breeze so we stopped by to visit one of Joey's most favorite friends.

He was so excited to be standing next to Mater.

It was so sunny he had problems looking at the camera.

I love how Mater looks right here.

Joey was so excited, "I touch Mater mommy?!!"

So yeah, he was so happy to be right by his friend.

We have passed Mater a few times before (every time we see Joey's orthopedic)

We even stopped once before but I didn't have my camera and I think the weather wasn't as 'nice'.

He kept talking to Mater and telling him stuff.

I sure wish someone was inside Mater and could talk back.

Mater The Greater