Saturday, March 31, 2012
POTD: March 31, 2012
Come on, it was the day of crabs....
First crab of the season deserves to be the picture of the day.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Journal, March 30, 2012
This morning's sunrise...
Another productive day, I must say. Did my Zumba this morning, got one half of the house clean and the other half straightened up. Still need to do laundry though....
I submitted my expense reports (this system is much easier than the last one I worked with).
There was an error in yesterday's post. When I went to take my pills this morning, I realized that Thursday's were gone, then I remembered, oh yeah, I took them with lunch yesterday. So, chalk that one up to the bad memory.
I did some planning for my scraproom remodel. Stew and I are working out a list of things we want to change about the house and that room is definitely on it so I've been pricing some things out so we can work them into the budget. Don't know when it's going to happen, but it's going to be lovely.
Speaking of the budget, I cancelled my scrapbook kit club memberships today. Just not enough time to use them all. Now I'll just use that money to buy the things I want when I want them. We'll see how it works out. Stew and I have agreed on my scrapbooking budget. Now I just need to keep to it.
Stew and I had planned to have dinner tonight with Phill and Christina to celebrate Phill's birthday but it turned out not to be a good night for them so we didn't go - but since Stew and I were dressed up (meaning that I wasn't in hang around the house sweats anymore) we decided to go to dinner. La Tolteca - which is an okay Mexican place, though it's not Chapalla - duh!
We always get the same things - I get the Tilapia and Stew gets chicken fajitas. I ordered a mango Margarita - not a good idea. They use a mix. It wasn't so good.
During dinner Stew updated me on his day. He's caught up at work now since being off for being sick. He got ravioli for lunch that the lunch group brought back for him from The Olive Garden because he wanted to get his work done and didn't want to leave for lunch. He said it was okay. The House apparently passed a bill that would freeze federal worker salaries through 2015 and require federal employees to put more money in their retirement accounts. So basically, it's a pay cut cause God only knows if that retirement money will be there. I don't often let myself get riled up over these matters because goodness knows Stew and I are extremely blessed to both have the jobs that we have and to be able to live the way that we do - but sometimes you just have to ask, When will it stop. Tolls went up, gas is crazy expensive, the cost of all products are going up because of different things and salaries are going down. And to me nothing is being done. Like I said, Stew and I are blessed and I really have no reason to complain, but I really feel for those with kids to support and other expenses like that. I don't know how they expect families to make it. Anyway....back to my ignorant bliss....
Not much happening in sports news - Ed Reed wants to play again next year. I say as long as he's healthy let him and that's being completely objective because you know damn well as a Steelers' fan I want to see no parts of him. Saw a funny post on Facebook tonight, it was from someone to a Ravens' fan, it said, "if I win the mega millions, I'll buy you season tickets to the Ravens. Then I'll buy the team and move them to the women's league." Hilarity!
Following dinner, we're both tired, Stew getting over being sick still and me just from getting up way before the alarm this morning. So we laid down on the couch to watch some tv. Person of Interest - still loving this show. Big Bang Theory - Love Sheldon. Vampire Diaries - not exactly sure why I still watch this show. It must be Ian and those freaky eyes.
The phone rang while we were watching The Big Bang Theory and my little WTK was on the other end. The first question he asked me was, "Where are the kids?" HAHA - they're with their parents now. I'll have to see about setting up another time for them all to get together. WTK told me about his Easter Egg hunt today where he found 9 eggs. He was putting stickers on the living room wall (stick and peel) and when I asked him why he said, "Cause I feel like it." Well, okay then. I said, "Does mommy want them on the wall?" He said, "Nope." So I asked him why he was putting them there and again I got the, "cause I feel like it." He was eating a pear while we talked. He likes them and eats the whole thing so he informed me. He had pizza tonight for dinner that the Ciao ladies made for him. And apparently he loves coffee. HAHA.
Laura called to tell me that there's a scrapbooking store going out of business sale tomorrow - I'm so hitting that. Got to get up at the crack of dawn and Stew will have to drop off my deviled eggs to church for the funeral (I'm on the bereavement committee), but I'm heading up to Jersey for that and to see WTK. Apparently, he has some Easter Egg hunts to do tomorrow. Oh speaking of which, I asked him if he had his picture taken with the Easter Bunny yet - he told me no because it's still March and you don't do that until April.
Now I have to go make the deviled eggs and then I'm going to bed. I have serious shopping to do tomorrow.
Another productive day, I must say. Did my Zumba this morning, got one half of the house clean and the other half straightened up. Still need to do laundry though....
I submitted my expense reports (this system is much easier than the last one I worked with).
There was an error in yesterday's post. When I went to take my pills this morning, I realized that Thursday's were gone, then I remembered, oh yeah, I took them with lunch yesterday. So, chalk that one up to the bad memory.
I did some planning for my scraproom remodel. Stew and I are working out a list of things we want to change about the house and that room is definitely on it so I've been pricing some things out so we can work them into the budget. Don't know when it's going to happen, but it's going to be lovely.
Speaking of the budget, I cancelled my scrapbook kit club memberships today. Just not enough time to use them all. Now I'll just use that money to buy the things I want when I want them. We'll see how it works out. Stew and I have agreed on my scrapbooking budget. Now I just need to keep to it.
Stew and I had planned to have dinner tonight with Phill and Christina to celebrate Phill's birthday but it turned out not to be a good night for them so we didn't go - but since Stew and I were dressed up (meaning that I wasn't in hang around the house sweats anymore) we decided to go to dinner. La Tolteca - which is an okay Mexican place, though it's not Chapalla - duh!
We always get the same things - I get the Tilapia and Stew gets chicken fajitas. I ordered a mango Margarita - not a good idea. They use a mix. It wasn't so good.
During dinner Stew updated me on his day. He's caught up at work now since being off for being sick. He got ravioli for lunch that the lunch group brought back for him from The Olive Garden because he wanted to get his work done and didn't want to leave for lunch. He said it was okay. The House apparently passed a bill that would freeze federal worker salaries through 2015 and require federal employees to put more money in their retirement accounts. So basically, it's a pay cut cause God only knows if that retirement money will be there. I don't often let myself get riled up over these matters because goodness knows Stew and I are extremely blessed to both have the jobs that we have and to be able to live the way that we do - but sometimes you just have to ask, When will it stop. Tolls went up, gas is crazy expensive, the cost of all products are going up because of different things and salaries are going down. And to me nothing is being done. Like I said, Stew and I are blessed and I really have no reason to complain, but I really feel for those with kids to support and other expenses like that. I don't know how they expect families to make it. Anyway....back to my ignorant bliss....
Not much happening in sports news - Ed Reed wants to play again next year. I say as long as he's healthy let him and that's being completely objective because you know damn well as a Steelers' fan I want to see no parts of him. Saw a funny post on Facebook tonight, it was from someone to a Ravens' fan, it said, "if I win the mega millions, I'll buy you season tickets to the Ravens. Then I'll buy the team and move them to the women's league." Hilarity!
Following dinner, we're both tired, Stew getting over being sick still and me just from getting up way before the alarm this morning. So we laid down on the couch to watch some tv. Person of Interest - still loving this show. Big Bang Theory - Love Sheldon. Vampire Diaries - not exactly sure why I still watch this show. It must be Ian and those freaky eyes.
The phone rang while we were watching The Big Bang Theory and my little WTK was on the other end. The first question he asked me was, "Where are the kids?" HAHA - they're with their parents now. I'll have to see about setting up another time for them all to get together. WTK told me about his Easter Egg hunt today where he found 9 eggs. He was putting stickers on the living room wall (stick and peel) and when I asked him why he said, "Cause I feel like it." Well, okay then. I said, "Does mommy want them on the wall?" He said, "Nope." So I asked him why he was putting them there and again I got the, "cause I feel like it." He was eating a pear while we talked. He likes them and eats the whole thing so he informed me. He had pizza tonight for dinner that the Ciao ladies made for him. And apparently he loves coffee. HAHA.
Laura called to tell me that there's a scrapbooking store going out of business sale tomorrow - I'm so hitting that. Got to get up at the crack of dawn and Stew will have to drop off my deviled eggs to church for the funeral (I'm on the bereavement committee), but I'm heading up to Jersey for that and to see WTK. Apparently, he has some Easter Egg hunts to do tomorrow. Oh speaking of which, I asked him if he had his picture taken with the Easter Bunny yet - he told me no because it's still March and you don't do that until April.
Now I have to go make the deviled eggs and then I'm going to bed. I have serious shopping to do tomorrow.
Stitch Antics
Every once in awhile, I'll find Stitch in the oddest locations, doing the weirdest things.
Last night, I walked in the bedroom to find him on my pillow.
He can't hear me....
Last night, I walked in the bedroom to find him on my pillow.
He can't hear me....
Fast Fact Friday, March 30, 2012
1. What is your earliest memory?
My earliest memory is a little unclear. I'm sitting on a bed in a hotel room and I'm playing with a child's make up set putting blush on my mom. It was one of those plastic sets, no real make up. I think that the balcony of our room looks over the ocean and it may have been Atlantic City. My Aunt Margaret and my father's mother was there, as well.
2. What hair style did you wear when you about 10 years old?
My mom's hair never left the 70s and when she did my hair when I was a kid, neither did I. Tease it up and then tease it some more.
3. What was one of your favorite recess activities?
I remember sitting on the window ledges outside playing Miss Mary Mack Mack. There were a lot of hand movements that went along with it. We also played dodge ball a lot.
Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack
All dressed in black, black, black
With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
All down her back, back, back.
She asked her mother, mother, mother
For 50 cents, cents, cents
To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
Jump over the fence, fence, fence.
They jumped so high, high, high
They reached the sky, sky, sky
And they didn't come back, back, back
'Til the 4th of July, ly, ly!
4. Who was your favorite teacher?
Ms. Watson - 6th grade English, without a doubt. She made an everlasting impression and the values she taught me I carry with me today.
5. What was one of the funniest styles or outfits you sported as a kid?
I had this turquoise corduroy skirt and this turquoise and black print sweater that I'd wear with white tights and black shoes. I thought it was so cute - I think back on it now. My goodness. And let's not talk about middle and high school. I am a child of the late 80s after all. Slouch socks, cuffed jeans (I've seen people cuffing their jeans now - is that coming back?), high topped tennis shoes, ack!!! The memories.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
POTD: March 29, 2012
Journal, March 29, 2012
Happy Birthday to Phill, happy birthday to Phill. I called Phill this morning while I was eating breakfast but he didn't answer so I sort of sang happy birthday to him on his voice mail. It probably saved his ear drums from hearing that live. We're still trying to figure out what we're going to do to celebrate his birthday - but whatever it is, it'll be great.
The routine worked well today on day 1. Got up on time, did zumba, had breakfast (oatmeal), and was ready for work at 8:30. Had lunch (tuna) at 12:30 and then started dinner at 5. It's now 9, Stew and I are upstairs doing our nightly things that we have to do before bed. Didn't take my pills today and still ate too many things that aren't on my approved list, but it's a process, so hopefully, tomorrow will be better.
(Had this oatmeal for breakfast. Got it at Kroger while I was in Cincinnati - too bad there's no Kroger by me, this stuff is really good.)
The sunrise was gorgeous this morning. Really, really need to start grabbing the big camera for these types of pictures. Maybe this weekend I'll just go out for a few hours and play with the camera and see what happens. But anyway....here's the sunrise:
Dinner tonight was pork chops, corn and couscous. I had apple sauce as well - have to have apple sauce with the pork chops. Dinner all told took about 30 minutes to prepare. We would have waited longer for take out and it wouldn't have been as good. I need to remember this the next time I don't feel like cooking.
I had the meeting with my supervisor this morning to discuss tasks for me to complete. He's going to work on getting me some things to do so that will be good. This boredom is for the birds.
Stew was uber productive today. He's feeling somewhat better on the Mucinex and antibiotics and he went to work. He had 89 emails waiting for him, mostly requests for software as they transition into windows 7 and reset all of the machines. There's more technical terms for this of course but damn if I know what they are. He said he was really busy at work just catching up from being off for four days. After work, he went to the library, renewed his library card and returned my books. He dropped off his dry cleaning and went to the grocery store. We now have food to last through the weekend. No eating out, unless we go somewhere to celebrate Phill's birthday. He also put together my new office chair. High tech it is.
(Will insert picture when I can hook my phone up to the computer.)
I took a ride to Target today. They didn't have what I went for so I actually walked out of Target without buying a thing - someone call Guinness that's like a first ever.
Stew's news for today included:
1. Mike Mussina will be inducted in to the Orioles' Hall of Fame
2. People from the auction message board have been to Moe's (Pawn Stars Texas) store and say that his items are overpriced though there is room for negotiation.
3. Our goalie for the Flyers - Bobs - wants to stay in the zone and doesn't want to talk to the media. Only problem with that is the team gets fined if he doesn't talk. As mom would say, he's acting like a weenie.
4. The lottery is up to $500 million - yeah, I could spend that. We have some tickets!
5. Best Buy is laying off workers and closing stores. I think we're going to see more and more of this for electronic stores.
6. Bones has been renewed for another season.
I posted my first few youtube videos over the weekend and have been really pleased with the comments. I enjoy watching everyone's videos and happy to now share mine. It's a really cool thing.
Got my Two Peas order today. Lots of new goodies to play with. May be my last order for a while depending on how the budget meeting goes on Sunday - ha!
I uploaded a number of layouts to facebook. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to upload them to the blog and also to the gallery at scrapbook.com for critique by members of the critiquing group that I belong to.
A pretty normal week day around here.
Off to wash my face, brush my teeth, get Stew's hands ready for bed and reading.
Liking the new routine. Hoping it lasts.
The routine worked well today on day 1. Got up on time, did zumba, had breakfast (oatmeal), and was ready for work at 8:30. Had lunch (tuna) at 12:30 and then started dinner at 5. It's now 9, Stew and I are upstairs doing our nightly things that we have to do before bed. Didn't take my pills today and still ate too many things that aren't on my approved list, but it's a process, so hopefully, tomorrow will be better.
(Had this oatmeal for breakfast. Got it at Kroger while I was in Cincinnati - too bad there's no Kroger by me, this stuff is really good.)
The sunrise was gorgeous this morning. Really, really need to start grabbing the big camera for these types of pictures. Maybe this weekend I'll just go out for a few hours and play with the camera and see what happens. But anyway....here's the sunrise:
Dinner tonight was pork chops, corn and couscous. I had apple sauce as well - have to have apple sauce with the pork chops. Dinner all told took about 30 minutes to prepare. We would have waited longer for take out and it wouldn't have been as good. I need to remember this the next time I don't feel like cooking.
I had the meeting with my supervisor this morning to discuss tasks for me to complete. He's going to work on getting me some things to do so that will be good. This boredom is for the birds.
Stew was uber productive today. He's feeling somewhat better on the Mucinex and antibiotics and he went to work. He had 89 emails waiting for him, mostly requests for software as they transition into windows 7 and reset all of the machines. There's more technical terms for this of course but damn if I know what they are. He said he was really busy at work just catching up from being off for four days. After work, he went to the library, renewed his library card and returned my books. He dropped off his dry cleaning and went to the grocery store. We now have food to last through the weekend. No eating out, unless we go somewhere to celebrate Phill's birthday. He also put together my new office chair. High tech it is.
(Will insert picture when I can hook my phone up to the computer.)
I took a ride to Target today. They didn't have what I went for so I actually walked out of Target without buying a thing - someone call Guinness that's like a first ever.
Stew's news for today included:
1. Mike Mussina will be inducted in to the Orioles' Hall of Fame
2. People from the auction message board have been to Moe's (Pawn Stars Texas) store and say that his items are overpriced though there is room for negotiation.
3. Our goalie for the Flyers - Bobs - wants to stay in the zone and doesn't want to talk to the media. Only problem with that is the team gets fined if he doesn't talk. As mom would say, he's acting like a weenie.
4. The lottery is up to $500 million - yeah, I could spend that. We have some tickets!
5. Best Buy is laying off workers and closing stores. I think we're going to see more and more of this for electronic stores.
6. Bones has been renewed for another season.
I posted my first few youtube videos over the weekend and have been really pleased with the comments. I enjoy watching everyone's videos and happy to now share mine. It's a really cool thing.
Got my Two Peas order today. Lots of new goodies to play with. May be my last order for a while depending on how the budget meeting goes on Sunday - ha!
I uploaded a number of layouts to facebook. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to upload them to the blog and also to the gallery at scrapbook.com for critique by members of the critiquing group that I belong to.
A pretty normal week day around here.
Off to wash my face, brush my teeth, get Stew's hands ready for bed and reading.
Liking the new routine. Hoping it lasts.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Journal, March 28, 2012
Stew's home sick still. He started his antibiotic this morning because he's still having a productive cough. He's feeling better though and thinks that he'll probably go back to work tomorrow.
Today wasn't such a good day in the eating right or exercising department. In fact, I'm feeling pretty blah lately. Like my life is directionless. I think that a lot of it has to do with work. The study to which I'm assigned has had some delays and so there isn't clear cut objectives about what I should be doing. I've done a lot of reading about the disease group and the standards of care for such and I've watched a lot of training, but other than that, it's a lot of boredom right now. Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy it while it lasts and while I know that's true, I'm just feeling a lack of productiveness. I have a meeting with my manager tomorrow, maybe he'll get me more on a directed path. I sure hope so. I'm getting really bored.
Stew and I went out to the two Goodwill stores and the one consignment shop that are near our house tonight. The consignment shop is a complete rip off. They're selling used stamps for what the stamps cost from Stampin Up new. And they're selling stuff I've seen at the craft store in the clearance section at full price. Buyer beware. They did have a good selection of kids' clothes though and I think in order to fill the closet for summer for my kids, I'll shop there. Those kids are growing like weeds, it's hard to keep them in clothes that fit.
The two Goodwill stores were just terrible. Nothing to see. Not even anything cool or funny that would even qualify for a good picture. Just a total bust. There's another, bigger Goodwill store in Bel Air we may visit at another time and Stew has a list of consignment stores so we may go check some of them out. It's just interesting to look at what people have once owned and are now selling.
It was Bertucci's for dinner. They're getting rid of our crostada dessert. That's a full on outrage. I guess in the long run it's a good thing since neither of us really needed any of that. Stew got the spaghetti and meatballs tonight with pomodoro sauce. Google said that pomodoro was a lot like marinara only thicker. Stew said it looked like they threw a can of diced tomatoes on his plate. He said the meatballs were okay, but he wasn't liking the spaghetti and sauce. I got my tried and true Rigatoni Abruzzi - delicious and that's what I'm having for lunch tomorrow.
We got home and sat down to make a chore list and a kind of household calendar. We have go to get more organized with things. I'm serious. It's not like the house is a mess or that things aren't taken care of, it's just we could be a lot more efficient and on top of things so we're going to work on that. It's just all those little things or really I guess you could say they're big things - like eating right and exercising. It's so cliche to start on Monday but that's what we're going to do. We're going to spend the next four days preparing and then we'll get started. And hopefully this time one of us will stick with it and drag the other one along even if they're kicking and screaming.
No plans yet for the weekend. Trying to figure out what to do for Phill's birthday. He turns the big 3-2 tomorrow. The weather's not supposed to be nice on Saturday so the plans to clean out the garage may need to be delayed. May turn that into a movie day or something.
For now, we're starting our night time routine since this will be the hardest part for me. Upstairs at 9 so that I can do all of those things I need to do before bed before I drop dead to sleep - like journal - which is what I'm doing now. I'm tired since I only got a few hours sleep last night. JR Ward and her damn book. I couldn't rest until I finished it. 5AM came early when you went to bed at 3. Loooong day. (I'll do a full review on the book, Lover Reborn, but suffice it to say it was probably my 4th favorite. I hope Quinn's book is next. He and Blay just need to get together already and stop being weenies as mom would call them.)
Don't know what I'm going to read now. That's the problem with getting through a book so fast. Now the interminable wait until the next one is released starts.
Looking forward to getting up in the morning and doing Zumba - routine, routine, routine. What do they say, 28 days and it's a habit. Let's hope I keep it up long enough to see that.
Night, ya'll. More tomorrow if the routine holds.
Today wasn't such a good day in the eating right or exercising department. In fact, I'm feeling pretty blah lately. Like my life is directionless. I think that a lot of it has to do with work. The study to which I'm assigned has had some delays and so there isn't clear cut objectives about what I should be doing. I've done a lot of reading about the disease group and the standards of care for such and I've watched a lot of training, but other than that, it's a lot of boredom right now. Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy it while it lasts and while I know that's true, I'm just feeling a lack of productiveness. I have a meeting with my manager tomorrow, maybe he'll get me more on a directed path. I sure hope so. I'm getting really bored.
Stew and I went out to the two Goodwill stores and the one consignment shop that are near our house tonight. The consignment shop is a complete rip off. They're selling used stamps for what the stamps cost from Stampin Up new. And they're selling stuff I've seen at the craft store in the clearance section at full price. Buyer beware. They did have a good selection of kids' clothes though and I think in order to fill the closet for summer for my kids, I'll shop there. Those kids are growing like weeds, it's hard to keep them in clothes that fit.
The two Goodwill stores were just terrible. Nothing to see. Not even anything cool or funny that would even qualify for a good picture. Just a total bust. There's another, bigger Goodwill store in Bel Air we may visit at another time and Stew has a list of consignment stores so we may go check some of them out. It's just interesting to look at what people have once owned and are now selling.
It was Bertucci's for dinner. They're getting rid of our crostada dessert. That's a full on outrage. I guess in the long run it's a good thing since neither of us really needed any of that. Stew got the spaghetti and meatballs tonight with pomodoro sauce. Google said that pomodoro was a lot like marinara only thicker. Stew said it looked like they threw a can of diced tomatoes on his plate. He said the meatballs were okay, but he wasn't liking the spaghetti and sauce. I got my tried and true Rigatoni Abruzzi - delicious and that's what I'm having for lunch tomorrow.
We got home and sat down to make a chore list and a kind of household calendar. We have go to get more organized with things. I'm serious. It's not like the house is a mess or that things aren't taken care of, it's just we could be a lot more efficient and on top of things so we're going to work on that. It's just all those little things or really I guess you could say they're big things - like eating right and exercising. It's so cliche to start on Monday but that's what we're going to do. We're going to spend the next four days preparing and then we'll get started. And hopefully this time one of us will stick with it and drag the other one along even if they're kicking and screaming.
No plans yet for the weekend. Trying to figure out what to do for Phill's birthday. He turns the big 3-2 tomorrow. The weather's not supposed to be nice on Saturday so the plans to clean out the garage may need to be delayed. May turn that into a movie day or something.
For now, we're starting our night time routine since this will be the hardest part for me. Upstairs at 9 so that I can do all of those things I need to do before bed before I drop dead to sleep - like journal - which is what I'm doing now. I'm tired since I only got a few hours sleep last night. JR Ward and her damn book. I couldn't rest until I finished it. 5AM came early when you went to bed at 3. Loooong day. (I'll do a full review on the book, Lover Reborn, but suffice it to say it was probably my 4th favorite. I hope Quinn's book is next. He and Blay just need to get together already and stop being weenies as mom would call them.)
Don't know what I'm going to read now. That's the problem with getting through a book so fast. Now the interminable wait until the next one is released starts.
Looking forward to getting up in the morning and doing Zumba - routine, routine, routine. What do they say, 28 days and it's a habit. Let's hope I keep it up long enough to see that.
Night, ya'll. More tomorrow if the routine holds.
POTD: March 28, 2012
Stew writing on his massive phone while we were at Bertucci's for dinner - we're talking about plans to get our lives more organized.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
POTD: March 27, 2012
Journal, March 27, 2012
I've waited forever and it's finally here. JR Ward's new book, Lover Reborn is here. Thor's story. I'm so excited. Was so excited that I told Stew that we weren't doing anything today - that I was going to curl up on the couch and read. He knows me too well though - enticed me with some Pizza Johns.
He's still not feeling all that great. Didn't go to work today either, so I think we're going to get his prescription filled.
I was up at 4 and planned to Zumba, but couldn't find my workout clothes so to hell with that. Sigh. So really need to get back on my routine.
I'm still waiting for my systems authorizations at work. I sure hope they come soon. I'm going stir crazy trying to find things to do.
I uploaded my first process video to You Tube today - we'll see how that goes.
(Funny GEP story for today: he told me that he didn't like ice cream. I said, "What you don't like ice cream?" He replied, "Bazinga." That kid - too much.)
He's still not feeling all that great. Didn't go to work today either, so I think we're going to get his prescription filled.
I was up at 4 and planned to Zumba, but couldn't find my workout clothes so to hell with that. Sigh. So really need to get back on my routine.
I'm still waiting for my systems authorizations at work. I sure hope they come soon. I'm going stir crazy trying to find things to do.
I uploaded my first process video to You Tube today - we'll see how that goes.
(Funny GEP story for today: he told me that he didn't like ice cream. I said, "What you don't like ice cream?" He replied, "Bazinga." That kid - too much.)
Monday, March 26, 2012
POTD: March 26, 2012
Journal: March 26, 2012
Doctors, doctors and more doctors.
Believe it or not, Stew is still sick. I had an appointment with the psychologist this morning and then following that, we took Stew to Patient First. The doc there thinks he has some kind of viral infection and he's on day three of it. Typically, people start to feel better around day 4 after being hit with a viral infection and Stew's on day 3 today (or four if you count Thursday night) - so the doctor gave him an antibiotic just in case this doesn't turn the corner. We're not going to get the prescription filled until we see how he's feeling.
My psychologist is going to work on getting me a new counselor now that my beloved Paula has left me for greener pastures. I don't think I'll find anyone like Paula - but not going to therapy isn't a good idea for me, so I need to find someone. She also talked about this new genetic testing that is being done for people who suffer from depression. Like every one who has ever had any kind of mental health problem knows, when they first start prescribing medication it's like taking a shot in the dark. Apparently, this new genetic testing that they're performing will help clinicians to make better decisions regarding whether or not the drugs chosen will have the desired effect. It costs $600, but if it can figure that out, I think it would be worth it. It's pretty interesting stuff to say the least.
Information I've taken from their website :
http://www.genomind.com/products/assay
The Genecept™ Assay is an integrated approach that analyzes neurotransmitter variations to help the clinician arrive at informed and differentiated therapeutic decisions. Our assay combines a proprietary panel of biomarker tests and an analytical report. The Genecept Assay is coupled with emerging education and information concerning mood disorders and pharmacogenomics.
Patients should discuss with their clinician whether the Genecept test is right for them.
Gene guided assay-based tests like the Genecept Assay offer a paradigm shift in the manner in which psychotropic agents are prescribed. This technology quickly provides clinicians with existing as well as new information to help them better understand the biochemistry of their patient. And ideally, patient quality of life will significantly improve.
The targets included in our assay are: Serotonin Transporter; Glutamate; Dopamine; Metabolism
________________________________
Otherwise, she's going to keep everything the same and I'll see her in six months.
I played in the scraproom some and Stew and I watched Pawn Stars.
I heard a McDonald's ad on my way back from the doctor. It said, "Do you consider running late a form of exercise?" Hell, that's sometimes the only exercise I get. I wish it counted for more - I'd be skinning in a minute, well maybe two minutes, since I'd be running late.
I beat Stew's score in Word Search today! HA - go me!
Stew wanted pot pies for dinner. I said, "there's some in the freezer." He goes up, comes back down. "No there's not." I walk upstairs, move one thing and want to throw the damn things at his head. What is with men and their inability to move things when they look for something. It's ridiculous.
I'm getting some followers on You Tube - that's awesome.
I so need to re-establish my routine. All out of whack, that's for sure.
Believe it or not, Stew is still sick. I had an appointment with the psychologist this morning and then following that, we took Stew to Patient First. The doc there thinks he has some kind of viral infection and he's on day three of it. Typically, people start to feel better around day 4 after being hit with a viral infection and Stew's on day 3 today (or four if you count Thursday night) - so the doctor gave him an antibiotic just in case this doesn't turn the corner. We're not going to get the prescription filled until we see how he's feeling.
My psychologist is going to work on getting me a new counselor now that my beloved Paula has left me for greener pastures. I don't think I'll find anyone like Paula - but not going to therapy isn't a good idea for me, so I need to find someone. She also talked about this new genetic testing that is being done for people who suffer from depression. Like every one who has ever had any kind of mental health problem knows, when they first start prescribing medication it's like taking a shot in the dark. Apparently, this new genetic testing that they're performing will help clinicians to make better decisions regarding whether or not the drugs chosen will have the desired effect. It costs $600, but if it can figure that out, I think it would be worth it. It's pretty interesting stuff to say the least.
Information I've taken from their website :
http://www.genomind.com/products/assay
How the Genecept Assay Works
The Genecept™ Assay is an integrated approach that analyzes neurotransmitter variations to help the clinician arrive at informed and differentiated therapeutic decisions. Our assay combines a proprietary panel of biomarker tests and an analytical report. The Genecept Assay is coupled with emerging education and information concerning mood disorders and pharmacogenomics.
Patients should discuss with their clinician whether the Genecept test is right for them.
Gene guided assay-based tests like the Genecept Assay offer a paradigm shift in the manner in which psychotropic agents are prescribed. This technology quickly provides clinicians with existing as well as new information to help them better understand the biochemistry of their patient. And ideally, patient quality of life will significantly improve.
The targets included in our assay are: Serotonin Transporter; Glutamate; Dopamine; Metabolism
________________________________
Otherwise, she's going to keep everything the same and I'll see her in six months.
I played in the scraproom some and Stew and I watched Pawn Stars.
I heard a McDonald's ad on my way back from the doctor. It said, "Do you consider running late a form of exercise?" Hell, that's sometimes the only exercise I get. I wish it counted for more - I'd be skinning in a minute, well maybe two minutes, since I'd be running late.
I beat Stew's score in Word Search today! HA - go me!
Stew wanted pot pies for dinner. I said, "there's some in the freezer." He goes up, comes back down. "No there's not." I walk upstairs, move one thing and want to throw the damn things at his head. What is with men and their inability to move things when they look for something. It's ridiculous.
I'm getting some followers on You Tube - that's awesome.
I so need to re-establish my routine. All out of whack, that's for sure.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Journal, March 25, 2012
Pretty lazy day around here with Stew not feeling well. I played in the scrap room the majority of the time. Really hitting my stride there. Stew rested and watched tv. We did watch the race, or again, parts of it. Racing is boring, but Tony won!!! So I'm not sad about that. With this win, he knocks another track off the list of tracks he hasn't won at yet. Kentucky and Darlington the only two current tracks left and Kentucky they just started running last year. He never won at Rockingham, either - but they don't race there anymore.
Also got a cool app today - can't wait to go to my next concert. HA!
Also got a cool app today - can't wait to go to my next concert. HA!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Journal, March 24, 2012
Stew's been sick since yesterday morning so it's kind of derailed our weekend plans. We were supposed to head up to Jersey today to spend some time with mom and dad, but with the weather being less than pleasant and Stew still feeling bad, we thought it be better if he stayed home. He got some good rest this morning and I've been in the scrap room all day. Well, between the scraproom, fail booking and people of walmart my day has been complete. We did watch some Pawn Stars. Love the Old man - he's funny as hell. I've been teaching myself video editing today. It's not going as easy as I thought it would. I don't know if it is just complicated in general or there's something in my brain that isn't allowing me to wrap my head around it but either way, it's taken a long time and I'm just scratching the surface. So much more to learn.
Corn muffins for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, home made pizza for dinner (okay, not completely homemade, the crusts were bought, but hey I had to put it together and bake it - so that's homemade by me).
For the rest of the night, I'm staying in the craft room and Stew's resting in the family room watching whatever garbage he watches on tv when I'm not there.
Hope he feels better tomorrow. We're supposed to head to DC to take a boat tour to see the cherry blossoms. I don't want to miss them again this year.
(I'm still working on catching up the last few week's journal entries...if we don't go to DC maybe I'll finish that tomorrow - we'll see - thank goodness I take good notes.)
Corn muffins for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, home made pizza for dinner (okay, not completely homemade, the crusts were bought, but hey I had to put it together and bake it - so that's homemade by me).
For the rest of the night, I'm staying in the craft room and Stew's resting in the family room watching whatever garbage he watches on tv when I'm not there.
Hope he feels better tomorrow. We're supposed to head to DC to take a boat tour to see the cherry blossoms. I don't want to miss them again this year.
(I'm still working on catching up the last few week's journal entries...if we don't go to DC maybe I'll finish that tomorrow - we'll see - thank goodness I take good notes.)
Friday, March 23, 2012
Journal, March 23, 2012
For Stew to stay home from work, he must be really sick. Today, he's really sick. I thought it was allergies at first, but now I'm not too sure. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. We had plans with Amber and Chuck tonight, but with Stew being sick and PAM and PEM suffering through much illness this winter - I won't risk it with Stew feeling like he is. So we just chilled out at home. Stew drank lots of fluids, took a lot of Mucinex (okay only 1 every 12 hours), rested and I worked during the day and then played in the scrap room tonight. I guess we'll see how he's feeling tomorrow to decide on our weekend plans.
Hope he starts feeling better soon. His father said it best, "he doesn't get sick a lot but when he does, he's sick for a long time." I'm crossing my fingers it's not one of those times now.
Hope he starts feeling better soon. His father said it best, "he doesn't get sick a lot but when he does, he's sick for a long time." I'm crossing my fingers it's not one of those times now.
Fast Fact Friday, March 23, 2012
1. What/where was your first job?
I babysat for family and close family friends before I started working for someone else. One summer, Rachel and I worked on a snowball truck - that was my first, I guess, real paying job. The first job where I paid taxes was at Pizza Johns. Started June of 1991 - on the day that my grandfather passed away, of all things.
2. How old were you?
I was 15 when I started working at Pizza Johns.
3. How did you get there?
I walked.
4. How long did you work there?
Too long. I left in 1996. It was the only high school job I ever had and I continued to work there on the weekends after getting my first post school full time job.
5. What did you like/dislike about it?
I liked the people I worked with. I hated filling the ice bins. The ice maker was way in the back and you had to use this cart to go get the ice and then bring it back - what a pain.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Journal, March 22, 2012
I'm writing this well past March 22, 2012. I try to keep notes every day so I can go back and update this blog with the journaling of our lives when I get around to it. In a perfect world, I'd do an entry every night before I went to bed, but come on now, that would be some kind of routine and I thumb my nose at routine. I try not to, but my body just says, routine - to hell with routine, and so we end up with days lost or something where I couldn't tell you one thing that happened.
The notes I have for March 22, 2012 are seriously lacking - they say, this and only this:
Stew allergies; Shop Rite
That's all I got.
What I seem to recall is that Stew came home from work feeling bad. I got him settled on the couch and I went off to Shop Rite to get him some orange juice and some medicine - beyond that, I got nothing. I'm sure I worked. I'm sure I spent some time in the scrap room. I'm even pretty sure that we watched some tv - but that's all folks - all I got. March 22, 2012 - not exactly a day to remember.
The notes I have for March 22, 2012 are seriously lacking - they say, this and only this:
Stew allergies; Shop Rite
That's all I got.
What I seem to recall is that Stew came home from work feeling bad. I got him settled on the couch and I went off to Shop Rite to get him some orange juice and some medicine - beyond that, I got nothing. I'm sure I worked. I'm sure I spent some time in the scrap room. I'm even pretty sure that we watched some tv - but that's all folks - all I got. March 22, 2012 - not exactly a day to remember.
Menu Planning
This menu plan is actually for next week. The remainder of this week is filled with activities.
Tonight: Pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn
Friday: Steamed Crabs with my CPAP machine - that would be Chuck, Amber, PEM and PAM
Saturday: Spending the day with Mom and Dad in Jersey
Sunday: Going to DC - taking a boat tour of the cherry blossoms and then maybe some museum hopping.
Then on to next week:
Stew eats breakfast at work which is why I don't plan for his breakfast - though this might change, he and I are still talking about it. He has baked potato bar at work on Thursdays for lunch.
Tonight: Pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn
Friday: Steamed Crabs with my CPAP machine - that would be Chuck, Amber, PEM and PAM
Saturday: Spending the day with Mom and Dad in Jersey
Sunday: Going to DC - taking a boat tour of the cherry blossoms and then maybe some museum hopping.
Then on to next week:
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Journal, March 21, 2012
Got up at 2:15 this morning and couldn’t go back to
sleep. Spent some time taking pictures
of things around the house that I wanted to document. I need to get better about documenting things
throughout the day. I got the Momento
app that was supposed to help me to do that, but I don’t use it consistently. It seems that whenever I’m in one of these
blah moods of mine, my record keeping of our daily lives goes right out the
window. I need to figure out how to stop
these blah moods.
Not a whole lot going on around the homestead today (see above). I did make an observation though - Stew didn't shave today. Today is Wednesday. I said to him, "don't you meet with your boss on Wednesdays?" He said, "ahh, that's not the important boss. The important boss is tomorrow - I'll shave tomorrow." What am I going to do with him, especially when he busts out with his version of the seated moon walk. He thinks he's cool - dear God, please set him straight.
We went out to the Outback tonight. I was really feeling like having a drink and a steak. Stew near gives me a heart attack and tells me that Miller is gone from the Steelers. WHAT? You mean to tell me the Steelers got rid of Heath Miller - turns out he got Miller confused with another player. Whew. Took years off of my life.
Spring is definitely in the air - the blossoms outside of Outback - driving everyone's allergies crazy.
Stew was hungry. He felt that the Outback provided him with an appropriate sign.
Yummy goodness.
I ended the night protecting Stew from the big bad spider. My night is complete.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Journal, March 20, 2012
First day of Spring.
Allergies suck. Another blah day
around here. Being bored at work doesn’t
suit me. My manager is back in the
office on Thursday and I’m going to have to talk to him about this. I need some stuff to do.
McDonalds for dinner tonight followed by a 7-11 run – this
sure as hell isn’t getting me back in my cute clothes or ready for the damn 5K
I want to run in May. I have two
months. I think I should start by going
back to eating things that aren’t full of sugar for breakfast. As much as I love you Peaches and Cream
instant oatmeal, you’re not doing anything for my metabolism. And for the love of all that is holy, I need
to start doing Zumba in the morning again.
It sets off the whole day. Need
to make the meal plan, go to the grocery store and get back on track. Yes, must.
Cause tonight I wanted Red Hots and there must have been a
run on them. 7-11 didn’t have them. Walgreens’ shelves were bare – so because I’m
a sugar addicted fiend, I searched high and low and what did I find – bags of
mixed candy. There are only two small
boxes of Red Hots in each bag – so I had to buy four bags. There’s something wrong with me. LOL.
While I was out I got fuel in Stew’s car. Holy crap gas is getting expensive. I hardly notice because when I get fuel, I’m
not normally the one paying for it.
Sheesh - $60 to fill up and you know Stew’s car wasn’t on E – it was at
a quarter of a tank – Stew’s normal threshold for a fill up. Not mine of course but I felt like being nice
to him. Who knows when that might happen
again. HA!
Got pretty much caught up on the DVR tonight – another thing
we’re not supposed to be doing.
Grrrrr. Making plans is easy,
sticking to them – yeah nope. I think
the funniest thing about tv watching tonight didn’t even occur on any of the
shows we watched, though there were two episodes of Archer in there – my
goodness, I love the not political correctness of that show, but the funniest
thing was Jack Dagger – the impalement artist of the year. I kid you not, this is an actual thing. Who knew?
Here’s ol’ Jack.
There’s so much I didn’t know about the world before reality
tv came along…
The Project Runway from last week was a complete let
down. A completely wasted show. I really just watch to see the runway, not
the drama and diva behavior that goes on while these people are designing.
And the writers for How I Met Your Mother is
killing my show – Barney a monogamous male – please, I watch for his
womanizing, heartless ways.
Also watched
tonight’s episode of NCIS LA – I love Deeks.
Called mom and dad tonight to make plans for this
weekend. We’re on for Saturday and I’m
excited to see them. We haven’t seen
them in awhile. Stew emailed them after
I spoke with them to suggest some things to do on Saturday and he missed the A
on the end of my name so the email read “Gin suggested…” I said, Gin, really – he said, “I’m drunk on
your love.” Oh, please make the
corniness stop.
Can’t believe the outcome of the appeal hearing for the 48
team today. Only penalty left is the
100K fine – Johnson gets the points back and Chad’s suspension is lifted. Wow is all I can say, didn’t see that
coming. I’m glad, since Chad’s my
favorite. LOL. Tony’s my driver, but Chad’s my CC.
I did something today that I never do – I skipped two books
in the new series I started to read in order to get to the book I really want
to read (Whispers in the Dark). Started
it this morning. It’s got a supernatural
kind of twist to it which so far is okay.
I hope she doesn’t get too kooky with it.
The new Brockmann book is out today. I pre-ordered it in November and then
promptly forgot about it. Lovely
surprise. I know the writing will be
good, hers always is – I just hope that the concept of the book isn’t off
putting. I normally don’t like
futuristic stuff. We’ll see. And only one more week until JR Ward’s new
book – that one I’m super excited about, but after the disappointment of the
much anticipated Showalter book, I don’t want to get my hopes up too high. Cause Showalter’s book was awful.
Off to bed to read – too late again. Stew and I so definitely need to get on our
schedule.
POTD, March 20, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Journal, March 19, 2012
I think the packed weekend just took the wind right out of
my sails. So tired today. Didn’t get up and Zumba like I wanted, didn’t
eat well. Just a blah sort of day. Rather bored at work right now because the
study to which I’m assigned is delayed.
I’ve been viewing some training modules, but I can only watch them for
so long. Excited to get started, though
honestly everyone thinks I’m nuts. Enjoy
the slow pace while it’s here. It’s surely
not going to last for long. Just really
bored. Attended FDA inspection training
today. Didn’t really learn anything that
I didn’t already know. I’ve been through
FDA audits, so it’s nothing new to me.
I ordered Stew and I tickets to go on a boat cruise to see
the Cherry Blossoms in DC. I’ve never
been down there around this time of the year – so I’m excited about that. Going on Sunday. Should be a blast.
Received all of my desk equipment today from work. The monitor is huge!! Stew got that all set up for me so now I’m
ready to go. Just have to call the phone
company to get a phone line placed in my office so I won’t need to use the
cordless anymore. I have the budget to
do it now.
Stew and I paid our April bills and did our budget. Made some money decisions. Boooo.
Just have a lot of expenses right now to cover. It’ll all work out.
The rest of the night, we took it easy. We ordered Pizza Hut and watched DVR’ed
shows. Still can’t believe the stuff
that the show Archer gets away with putting on the air. It truly is a half hour of, “they didn’t just
say that, did they?” The designer that I
wanted to go left (this is the 3/2 episode of Project Runway – we’re a bit
behind on the DVR) so the ones that I wanted to make the finale did. The Hotch got to shoot someone on Criminal
Minds – always a good thing and thank goodness Penelope isn’t going to marry
that dork – she needs to be with Morgan damn it. I’m way too into my television shows. LOL.
Went to bed around 10:30.
Read some more of the book I downloaded.
I saw the book “Whispers in the Dark” by Maya Banks in Target last week
and it sounded interesting – come on military men – love them! But of course it wasn’t the first book in the
series, so this morning I downloaded “The Darkest Hour” which is the first
book. Not too bad so far. I like how everything isn’t spelled out as
you read. There are these little
questions that pop up and you have to keep reading to find out what happened
and how it will be resolved. I like
that. It’s a good hold over until the
series I love come out.
Hoping for a more productive day tomorrow.
POTD, March 19, 2012
The new equipment is all set up. My new monitor is huge! Who said size doesn't matter.....?
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Journal, March 18, 2012
I think the theme of the day was silliness. The kids woke up this morning I think having gotten too much sleep. I didn't hear them until 7:30 this morning which is some kind of record.
GEP told me that he had a weird dream about a flute. He was playing the flute and when he went to give it back the woman was a skeleton. He said it was okay though because he fixed her and then gave the flute back. MNP said that he dreams about making new friends and MTP says that she doesn't dream.
I let them go downstairs and play while I was upstairs getting caught up on the Facebook, Twitter, Internet world. While I was in the living room I heard MTP say, "I'm telling," to which, GEP replied, "Oh my goodness, woman." Too damn funny. Where does this kid get this stuff. I heard feet on the steps, but they never made their way to the living room so all must have been resolved.
At the auction on Friday night Stew got me a very old typewriter - like really old. My darling nephew GEP was telling one of the other kids that the typewriter is "really old, it must be from the 1980s." Kid, watch your mouth.
After Uncle Stew got up, he went to Target to get the D batteries the guns that GEP and MNP got for Christmas needed - all 8 of them. That's right, each gun takes 4 D batteries. Since I knew that was going to be expensive, Stew and I decided that we'd let MTP pick out something for herself at Target. Ends up she got a Barbie and some kiddie make up and nail stuff. My little girlie girl.
When Stew got back he set up their guns and took them outside. What he didn't take was the camera so I don't have one picture of them with the guns. What I do know is that Stew got himself into time out. I came out to see the kids shooting the bullets at my front window and I told them to knock it off. Turns out Uncle Stew told them it was okay. Grrrrr.
After playing with the guns, they played ball outside, acted completely silly. Made funny faces while surfing on Uncle Stew's PARKED car and were just generally the rambunctious lot that they are.
Stew and I took them home shortly after their time outside and headed back home. Having the kids for the weekend tires us out. We watched some of the boring as hell Bristol race (well we fast forwarded through most of it) and generally, we just rested to get ready for the week in front of us. Stew wanted WaWa for dinner so that's what we had. They have cinnamon buns now. I didn't have any, but Stew says they're pretty good.
There was definitely evidence that the kids were here...
This is how I find their toothbrushes after they leave. There are suction cups on the bottom and they stick them to the medicine cabinet.
Not quite getting a little body wash goes a long way - this bottle was full when they arrived.
And the most successful part of my weekend besides the fact that I returned my kids to their parents in much the same way I found them - all of their sleeping bags were rolled up and put back in the pouches so that the zippers could close - now that's what I call a productive weekend.
GEP told me that he had a weird dream about a flute. He was playing the flute and when he went to give it back the woman was a skeleton. He said it was okay though because he fixed her and then gave the flute back. MNP said that he dreams about making new friends and MTP says that she doesn't dream.
I let them go downstairs and play while I was upstairs getting caught up on the Facebook, Twitter, Internet world. While I was in the living room I heard MTP say, "I'm telling," to which, GEP replied, "Oh my goodness, woman." Too damn funny. Where does this kid get this stuff. I heard feet on the steps, but they never made their way to the living room so all must have been resolved.
At the auction on Friday night Stew got me a very old typewriter - like really old. My darling nephew GEP was telling one of the other kids that the typewriter is "really old, it must be from the 1980s." Kid, watch your mouth.
After Uncle Stew got up, he went to Target to get the D batteries the guns that GEP and MNP got for Christmas needed - all 8 of them. That's right, each gun takes 4 D batteries. Since I knew that was going to be expensive, Stew and I decided that we'd let MTP pick out something for herself at Target. Ends up she got a Barbie and some kiddie make up and nail stuff. My little girlie girl.
When Stew got back he set up their guns and took them outside. What he didn't take was the camera so I don't have one picture of them with the guns. What I do know is that Stew got himself into time out. I came out to see the kids shooting the bullets at my front window and I told them to knock it off. Turns out Uncle Stew told them it was okay. Grrrrr.
After playing with the guns, they played ball outside, acted completely silly. Made funny faces while surfing on Uncle Stew's PARKED car and were just generally the rambunctious lot that they are.
Stew and I took them home shortly after their time outside and headed back home. Having the kids for the weekend tires us out. We watched some of the boring as hell Bristol race (well we fast forwarded through most of it) and generally, we just rested to get ready for the week in front of us. Stew wanted WaWa for dinner so that's what we had. They have cinnamon buns now. I didn't have any, but Stew says they're pretty good.
There was definitely evidence that the kids were here...
This is how I find their toothbrushes after they leave. There are suction cups on the bottom and they stick them to the medicine cabinet.
Not quite getting a little body wash goes a long way - this bottle was full when they arrived.
And the most successful part of my weekend besides the fact that I returned my kids to their parents in much the same way I found them - all of their sleeping bags were rolled up and put back in the pouches so that the zippers could close - now that's what I call a productive weekend.
POTD, March 18, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Journal, March 17, 2012
Do the Irish say Top O'the Evening to ya - or is it bottom O'the evening - either way, another full and when I say full, I mean, packed day.
The kids woke up far earlier than they should have this morning considering the time they went to bed. The problem with having them all in one room is the minute one of them is up, all of them are up. My MTP is usually the first one to open her eyes and she wakes GEP up and then inevitably MNP is woken up and GEP and MNP aren't normally happy about it. This morning we had the added layer of WTK added to the mix. Laura was concerned about him not getting enough sleep, but nothing, not even hell or high water was going to get that child back to sleep. So I sent Laura back to bed and took the four munchkins downstairs with me. MTP played with the boys for awhile, they were playing Hungry, Hungry, Hippos, but she soon bailed out in order to play with her Barbie house and then when she grew bored of that, she went to draw. Every time MTP comes over, I have more artwork than I know what to do with. In fact, yesterday, when she arrived she pulled out her school bag and gave me some of her school work even. Writing, drawing and coloring are just her thing. The boys on the other hand had a heated discussion about the rules of Hungry Hungry Hippos - GEP wanted to play one way, in the very orderly one marble at a time, by the rules, kind of way. WTK's idea was to just let all the marbles go at once as fast as you can and let all the hippos gooble them up. MNP didn't care about the rules as long as he won. It was an interesting interaction.
I let them watch some Phineas and Ferb on tv - the one show they all agree on and then I got them started making shamrocks. WTK wasn't interested in the least. Apparently he doesn't do crafts outside of school - so no shamrock for him. He sat on the couch and continued watching Phineas and Ferb while the other three and I painted and glued to make shamrocks. They dove in feet first and left with green hands. Poor Laura - it seems the only time WTK wants to do crafts is at school. He's such a little ornery one.
Kids were finally ready for breakfast so once again I sat them down in the kitchen and they helped me cook. I let them crack the eggs and mix the pancake batter. Unfortunately, they didn't get to turn their pancakes this morning because I had the heat up too high and the pancakes were getting done way too fast. I put green food coloring in the pancake batter to make them green - unfortunately it wasn't enough, but the kids still had a good time.
After breakfast was story time. I picked up a few books on St. Patrick at the library and we sat on the couch to read it. We had a long discussion about saints and God and then MNP told me that Jesus died by a crocodile. Now, I'm Catholic, his family is Baptist - but still, I've never heard of any such story. MNP told me, "Yeah, Jesus died by the crocodile and then came back to life." MTP saved me from my confusion. She said, "MNP, not a crocodile, the crucifix." Giggles abounded after that. It's amazing what kids' ears hear sometimes.
We got them dressed and shipped them out front. They spent a large amount of time blowing bubbles. All four of them running around the yard blowing and chasing bubbles. WTK liked to blow his bubbles directly on the sidewalk so that he'd get a very big bubble there that he could pop. By the time it was over, they were mostly a soapy, sudsy mess.
Didn't stop them from playing ball (we banned tackle football this morning - touch football only), doing cartwheels and just generally running around and having a good time.
While we were out there, the mail carrier was making her way around the cul-de-sac. Since our mail box was blocked, I knew we weren't going to get mail so I ran down to the mail truck to collect the mail. GEP ran down with me and the mail carrier asked if he could come out in the street. She gave each of the kids a lollipop - they were the hardest lollipops to open, too. I eventually got some scissors to use. Unfortunately, I snipped GEP's a little too hard and cut right through the stick. He still ate it, but I made him sit with me while I did. I got some pretty cute pictures out of that.
Laura tried to get WTK to pose with everyone else and you can kind of see them behind the kids in this picture - but it was no dice. He was done having his picture taken.
What he was interested in was going around the yard and picking up any kind of yard debris, like leaves and sticks and putting them in the recycling. That boy and his recycling, too much.
It was bath time next. Got them all set to take what GEP likes to call "daddy showers". No fooling around - we have to go.
Then it was off to see The Lorax. I thought the movie was cute and surprisingly except for one trip to the bathroom near the very end of the movie MNP got through it. GEP and MTP of course loved it. WTK thought it was good, but he didn't get to sit in the very front like he wanted. Maybe next time.
On our way out, each of the kids were given a tree to plant.
There's a mini golf course right across the street from the movies. I wasn't quite ready to go home yet so we headed there. Thankfully it wasn't crowded and all the kids could play by their own rules, which sometimes included just picking the ball up and putting it in the hole. Mike and Stew played and kept score. I'm not sure who won - I think it was Mike actually. I was on bathroom duty. I'd take one kid to the bathroom just to come back in time for one of the others to tell me that they had to go. They couldn't have all decided at the same time - nope, that would have been too easy.
We headed back to the house after mini golf. Since I drove MTP down to the movie theater, she rode back with Stew and I took the boys. She told me when she got back that she kept asking Uncle Stew "are we there yet." I was surprised to hear he kept telling her, "not yet," instead of "five more minutes" a la Nan. She told me that she did it to get on his nerves. It didn't work. We're still trying.
MTP and Stew picked up Little Ceasars on their way home. WTK devoured the breadsticks and all of the other kids like them as well. After dinner, WTK, Laura and Mike headed home. I got the other three ready for bed and they went without complaint. Right to sleep. Must have worn them out.
I know they wore me out. Stew and I finished the night with just a glimpse of the TV before we crashed ourselves.
The kids woke up far earlier than they should have this morning considering the time they went to bed. The problem with having them all in one room is the minute one of them is up, all of them are up. My MTP is usually the first one to open her eyes and she wakes GEP up and then inevitably MNP is woken up and GEP and MNP aren't normally happy about it. This morning we had the added layer of WTK added to the mix. Laura was concerned about him not getting enough sleep, but nothing, not even hell or high water was going to get that child back to sleep. So I sent Laura back to bed and took the four munchkins downstairs with me. MTP played with the boys for awhile, they were playing Hungry, Hungry, Hippos, but she soon bailed out in order to play with her Barbie house and then when she grew bored of that, she went to draw. Every time MTP comes over, I have more artwork than I know what to do with. In fact, yesterday, when she arrived she pulled out her school bag and gave me some of her school work even. Writing, drawing and coloring are just her thing. The boys on the other hand had a heated discussion about the rules of Hungry Hungry Hippos - GEP wanted to play one way, in the very orderly one marble at a time, by the rules, kind of way. WTK's idea was to just let all the marbles go at once as fast as you can and let all the hippos gooble them up. MNP didn't care about the rules as long as he won. It was an interesting interaction.
I let them watch some Phineas and Ferb on tv - the one show they all agree on and then I got them started making shamrocks. WTK wasn't interested in the least. Apparently he doesn't do crafts outside of school - so no shamrock for him. He sat on the couch and continued watching Phineas and Ferb while the other three and I painted and glued to make shamrocks. They dove in feet first and left with green hands. Poor Laura - it seems the only time WTK wants to do crafts is at school. He's such a little ornery one.
Kids were finally ready for breakfast so once again I sat them down in the kitchen and they helped me cook. I let them crack the eggs and mix the pancake batter. Unfortunately, they didn't get to turn their pancakes this morning because I had the heat up too high and the pancakes were getting done way too fast. I put green food coloring in the pancake batter to make them green - unfortunately it wasn't enough, but the kids still had a good time.
After breakfast was story time. I picked up a few books on St. Patrick at the library and we sat on the couch to read it. We had a long discussion about saints and God and then MNP told me that Jesus died by a crocodile. Now, I'm Catholic, his family is Baptist - but still, I've never heard of any such story. MNP told me, "Yeah, Jesus died by the crocodile and then came back to life." MTP saved me from my confusion. She said, "MNP, not a crocodile, the crucifix." Giggles abounded after that. It's amazing what kids' ears hear sometimes.
We got them dressed and shipped them out front. They spent a large amount of time blowing bubbles. All four of them running around the yard blowing and chasing bubbles. WTK liked to blow his bubbles directly on the sidewalk so that he'd get a very big bubble there that he could pop. By the time it was over, they were mostly a soapy, sudsy mess.
Didn't stop them from playing ball (we banned tackle football this morning - touch football only), doing cartwheels and just generally running around and having a good time.
(MNP watch your head!)
(I just love how he stuck his bubble stick thing in the belt buckle of his pants. So inventive, that child)
While we were out there, the mail carrier was making her way around the cul-de-sac. Since our mail box was blocked, I knew we weren't going to get mail so I ran down to the mail truck to collect the mail. GEP ran down with me and the mail carrier asked if he could come out in the street. She gave each of the kids a lollipop - they were the hardest lollipops to open, too. I eventually got some scissors to use. Unfortunately, I snipped GEP's a little too hard and cut right through the stick. He still ate it, but I made him sit with me while I did. I got some pretty cute pictures out of that.
(They look so grown up here - and I don't like it. I don't like it one bit.)
Laura tried to get WTK to pose with everyone else and you can kind of see them behind the kids in this picture - but it was no dice. He was done having his picture taken.
What he was interested in was going around the yard and picking up any kind of yard debris, like leaves and sticks and putting them in the recycling. That boy and his recycling, too much.
It was bath time next. Got them all set to take what GEP likes to call "daddy showers". No fooling around - we have to go.
Then it was off to see The Lorax. I thought the movie was cute and surprisingly except for one trip to the bathroom near the very end of the movie MNP got through it. GEP and MTP of course loved it. WTK thought it was good, but he didn't get to sit in the very front like he wanted. Maybe next time.
On our way out, each of the kids were given a tree to plant.
There's a mini golf course right across the street from the movies. I wasn't quite ready to go home yet so we headed there. Thankfully it wasn't crowded and all the kids could play by their own rules, which sometimes included just picking the ball up and putting it in the hole. Mike and Stew played and kept score. I'm not sure who won - I think it was Mike actually. I was on bathroom duty. I'd take one kid to the bathroom just to come back in time for one of the others to tell me that they had to go. They couldn't have all decided at the same time - nope, that would have been too easy.
We headed back to the house after mini golf. Since I drove MTP down to the movie theater, she rode back with Stew and I took the boys. She told me when she got back that she kept asking Uncle Stew "are we there yet." I was surprised to hear he kept telling her, "not yet," instead of "five more minutes" a la Nan. She told me that she did it to get on his nerves. It didn't work. We're still trying.
MTP and Stew picked up Little Ceasars on their way home. WTK devoured the breadsticks and all of the other kids like them as well. After dinner, WTK, Laura and Mike headed home. I got the other three ready for bed and they went without complaint. Right to sleep. Must have worn them out.
I know they wore me out. Stew and I finished the night with just a glimpse of the TV before we crashed ourselves.
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