Creepy

We ended up not buying the correct amount of tickets for the Snow Queen shows. It left us 1 adult short for the 2 PM show today, and 2 extra tickets for tomorrow's shows and J doesn't get to see his sisters and cousins at all. J was gone all day, I've been home alone for about 5 hours now. I had several projects I was working on at first. and then when they were done, I planned on resting/relaxing for a few hours. I know houses make noises, and there are lots of outside noises coming it, and I've always been OK with this by myself. However, today I was jumpy. And a little freaked out. Maybe J was to last night when he was home alone and that explains why the TV was so loud, or maybe not, he is a teenager. I think I wouldn't have been so freaked out if P would not have said not to leave the "big" Christmas gift in the house after it's wrapped, in case we get broken into again. Thanks a lot buddy. Made me much more alert to souds, and not at all relaxing.

Long week

Lots of drama at school this week, nothing I can get into here on the blog, I'm just saying too much drama adds for long stressful days. Monday night I was so thankful I didn't have to go out anywhere (J's driver's ed classes are over!) Tuesday night I spent a few hours at my sister's chatting with her and my oldest niece, and holding my great nephew for a little bit. J had his scout meeting there (the boys had to clean and prepare the mistletoe for sale this weekend) Wednesday after the girls' dance classes, we hosted out bible study Christmas potluck. I needed a few things at Fry's afterwards J drove me, then he springs on my how he needs a new jacket and could we go to Kohl's. They are open till midnight till Christmas. I asked J if we could make this painless as possible for me (like making up his mind quickly) While, he was poking around I decide to look around and ended up finishing my Christmas shopping. It was a pretty painful $$$ shopping trip so late at night. Last night I thought I'd take it easy on myself and just do some laundry and start wrapping some gifts. I am a terrible wrapper, and even then it took my a couple of hours and it feels like I've barely started. UGH. This morning I managed to forget to have S take her medicine, didn't put my camera in the car, and a few other things. P who was in bed when we left for school, heard my whining message I left after arriving to school and brought S her medicine. Today after school the girls and I drove downtown for their rehearsal for this weekend's Snow Queen shows. It was tough getting there by 4, when I work until 3:15. But we did it, but a lot of other girls didn't. R kept moving around and couldn't sit still at all, waiting for her turn to dance. S on the other hand sat still but was whispering to me the whole time she wasn't dancing. Basically they drove me nuts. Then there's the whole drive home nightmare. I hate driving at night, I don't know downtown very well at all, I totally get mixed up and confused. It took awhile before I figured out how to get on a freeway to get home, only that didn't start out very fast because of an accident further up the freeway. We made it safely home but my nerves are shot.

Saw this at Party of Six (Bold what you have done. I also italicized what I’d still like to do.) 1. Started my own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than I can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland/world Both 8. Climbed a mountain Hated it 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sung a solo long time ago 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched lightning at sea 14. Taught myself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown my own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France. 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitchhiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught myself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40.Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karaoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had my portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie Just eh home made ones 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies for S 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten caviar 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had my picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House not inside 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee 100. Ridden an elephant

opps

My memory is not what it used to be. I thought I remembered to set my alarm for this morning, to be at church for the 9 O'clock service because we were supposed to be at a meeting/party for leaders then. I must have dreamt it because it didn't go off. I heard P around 8 and wondered why he didn't wake me. He didn't feel good he decided not to go, but he didn't wake me to tell me this. I decided then to have a relaxing morning and go to church at 11 with the girls (J was at my sister's house), only at 9:15, I get a call from someone at church asking me were am I because I am supposed to be in charge this morning of the nursery to 3 year olds. As the morning progressed I remembered the conversation from last week about me doing this. But to be fair with myself, I was asked to do 3 different things in the next month and just got them mixed up. OK, so obviously I had not gotten this right, but say I'll be there at 10:30 to do the second service and clean up, which is a pain in the butt, packing everything away since we don't have our own building. I was supposed to over see set up, and felt terrible when I got there and heard it didn't go so well. Had I set my alarm to begin with I would have at least been there for the beginning of the 9 o'clock service and made sure everything was OK. I think it might be easier if I worked every week, then I wouldn't have a problem remembering which week I'm serving and which week I'm not.

Our tree, a tired girl, and a good reminder

I felt on hold this week in my preparations of getting the house decorated for our life group party and Christmas. And still the week seemed to fly by. (I was on hold waiting for P to get the decorations out of the attic) I thought he'd work on that on Tuesday when he was off, but I was wrong. Thursday when he got off work, I mentioned to him that J would not be home on Saturday when he would be off next (other than getting the tree, which was an all day affair with his Dad on Friday, I knew it would be, it's always an all day affair when he does anything with his Dad), P figured out for himself if he wanted help getting the stuff down and in the house, he needed to do it then. I was much too tried Friday after school to start anything. And I had to have my blood level checked again. It's now higher now than it was a month ago. The nurse suggested not walking into any walls or getting in a car accident, very comforting. NOT. Now I have to go back in a week for a another check, but it won't be for 10 days, because my schedule and the nurses didn't work out. Today after I got up way to early for a Saturday morning, and dropping J off, I started unpacking boxes, woke the girls up for dance, then while S was at dance R and I got quite a lot accomplished. P has been working on the tree since about 1 and may just be finished now. I didn't help at all I've already been struggling with a headache, I really don't want to get so close to the tree.

Driving

I am liking J having his permit, and him wanted to drive all the time. This afternoon I had errands to do and he drove. He had fun too, he thanksed me for letting him drive me around :) And he filled up the gas tank, which was the cheapest I have bought gas in a long, long, time. Yeah for lower gas prices! J had his last Driver's ED class last night. The DMV could waive him taking the driving test in March, because of this class. My back is no better, I know I need to schedule a doctor's appointment, I think I'll try my regular family doctor and skip the neurologist, that I saw in Oct. Taking Tylenol all day only slightly dulls the pain, and I'm taking 4 tablets at500 mg 3 times a day. So not good for my liver.

my aching back

I've been having different issues with my back since about school started in August. I thought it was due to all the new physical strain from working. And it probably is. I can usually take some Tylenol before work and am fine until I get home, not always, some days I am hurting a lot before the end of the day. I did have an MRI in October to see if there is anything new wrong. Nothing new. This weekend I really put a lot of strain on it. Doing too much in such a little time frame. Last night I took some of the heavy pain killers left over from my foot surgery, I'm thinking I need to do the same tonight. We are hosting a small Christmas party on Dec. 10th, thus feeling a time crunch to get the house decorated for Christmas and goodies made. (I'm not sure how much time or energy I'll have after working) Today I started putting away our every day decorations, so I'll be able to out the Christmas stuff out faster when P and J get it out of the attic. I ran out of boxes, so I'm not quite done. I also need to clean, but I'm thinking right now that will have to wait until at least tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Feelings this morning

I am feeling at the moment so thankful no one was home yesterday when we were robbed. And J did not walk into finding them. Thank you God for keeping my family safe. I can't keep thinking about this, and how violated I feel because our stuff was touched. The police didn't get any finger prints, so they must have worn gloves. I have thought of other jewelry that is gone, while it breaks my heart that these irreplaceable things are gone, I can't keep thinking that things could have been so much worse.

Theft

Our house got broken in today. While we were all at work and school. J came home to find the house a wreck. He called P, who beat us home by seconds. I'm pretty sure they got in through the back french door, and left through the front door. A few replaceable things, like mine and R's cell phones, S's bike. But irreplaceable rings. My mom's wedding band, the ring that was once a pendent or necklace of my grandmother's, my class ring. R was pretty upset. We went to my friend's house until it was time to go to dance. Then I took the girls to dinner after their classes, while P and J waited for the police. I really hopped the police would have came, but they still haven't came. It could be hours yet P says, since it's not an emergency. Nothing big like TV's, computers, etc.) was taken, but they sure made a mess. They really must have been after cash and jewelry. The house will be a mess until the police come.

I think my memory is going

Yesterday I was going to post and talk about last week, but I was thinking oh no was last Monday the 17th? and I missed going to my book club. Not only was it the 17th, but I went to my book club! None of us read the book, Faukner- The Sound and The Fury. I was strange the first few chapters I read. Before my book club I had a meeting at church. Luckily P was off and made dinner and took J to his driver's ED class. Tuesday all I had to do extra was laundry and take J to scouts. Wednesday the girls had a dance class each, then P and I met some friends for dinner. We left dinner early, so we went to Fry's to pick up a few things. We almost never shop together, it was kinda fun, and felt like a little date. Thursday morning R wakes up not feeling good, I call in sick and stay home with her.(P actually had to work during the day, Rest all day with R really did help my cold get so much better. It's not completely gone, but I'm feeling way better. Friday after work, I had to have my blood level checked, The number went down by a point, but it's still a little to high. I'll be going back again in two weeks to recheck it again. I was starving when I left the doctor's office, I picked up Taco Bell for our dinner on the way home. Sunday we skipped church again, took the girls to their Snow Queen rehearsal. Dropped them off at home, and had J drive to Costco, then he wanted something to eat, so he drove through his first drive thru. I goofed around with my ebay items I sold and finally made it to bed at 10. Way past my bed time. The kids are just getting there second wind then, but I've been trying to teach them responsibiltiy and they know if the goof off at night they have to play the price and be tired the next day, I used to fight with them on it, but why should I then we all would be tired the next day. And that's not so pretty. Must be off now to pick J up from his class.

Can you see much of a differance?

My first Christmas present came yesterday in the mail, I'm not waiting to open it on Christmas morning. I want it now!

Thanksgiving Lunch at school

P can out today to eat lunch with his little girls.

Last week was Kinda short

But not quite long enough for me to get rid of this stupid cold, that's been dragging on for ever (well not really just kinda feels like it)Monday J had driver's Ed, the girls and I went shopping, while he was there, then S went and spent the night with her oldest cousin. Tuesday J had his 2 hour drive with his driver's ED teacher. He even wanted to drive to his high school to met her, which was a first. He was pumped up about driving, when he got home. He was supposed to march on the Veteran's Day parade with his ROTC class, but they only could take 50 students, and it was the ones who signed up first and sold their quota for the fundraiser they had, got to march. J didn't do well making his quota, if he would have started sooner, he might have made it. It was a tough lesson for him, he really wanted to march in the parade. Wednesday night was the 6th and final 6 weeks in a row bible study meeting. We are going to go out for dinner to celebrate the fact we made it, this week coming up, then take a few weeks off, have a Christmas party, then start back up every other week in January. Sounds very refreshing to me! Thursday Pat was off and I felt terrible, he cooked dinner, and I stayed in our room. I tried to watch all my shows, feel asleep about 15 minutes into one, and woke up for the last 15 minutes of the second one. Watched those 15 minutes then went to sleep for real. Friday I got to go on the kindergarten field trip to the Wild Life Zoo. It weather was lovely until it hit 85 degrees around lunch time. Yesterday was dance and laundry day. I did 8 loads of laundry during the week, how is it the hamper is full again on Saturday? R and I did watch a couple of movies to relax when the laundry was done again. Penelope and Star Wars-Clone Wars. On the way to Snow Queen rehearsals today the girls and I called my big brother in PA to wish him a happy 50th birthday. It was great talking to him, and maybe someday he'll start a blog of his own and I can read about his daily life, and not just him reading mine. DO you get the hint big brother? After rehearsal the girls and I stopped at Big 5 Sporting Goods to get something for J for Christmas, I noticed in their ad this morning something he really wants and it was $15 dollars off, I wanted to get it right away before I forgot, or they sold out of the item. While the girls were off goofing around, I spend 2 hours listing somethings on ebay, to help with my ebay shopping of late. Now I'd like to go off to bed, and dream of not so wacky dreams like I have had the last several nights.

Scary, doctors, and movies

Monday morning J missed the school bus again. Up until this year he has never missed the bus. It's really frustrating when he does, since I am in the middle of getting myself and the girls ready for school. I don't talk to him much on the way, for two reasons I'm usually taking my medicine (at the red lights) and eating an energy bar, and I want to talk to him logically instead of out of anger. When we got home from school that afternoon he was not home. Very unusual. I tried calling his cell phone but had to leave a message. I call P at work to see if he knew anything, he doesn't. I had a doctor's appointment and had to leave. I left S in charge of R and told her to call me if he came home. Surprisingly enough my blood pressure was almost normal and the appointment was fast. I tried calling J again 3-4 more times during this time and checked in with S twice. I had tried calling the school before I left home but couldn't get anyone but I could have left voice mails on all the office numbers! I started driving to J's school after my appointment, because now it's 4:40 and I'm really starting to get a little freaked out. I have my cell phone in my hand, and just before I reach the school he calls. He had asked me about doing wrestling this year, and I had filled out the paperwork, but he had failed to tell me when practice was/started. Yep, that's where he was. I was way more relived that he was OK than angry, but we did talk about both missing the bus and this when we got home, and he had to do extra chores for missing the bus. Not that that helped on Tuesday when he missed the bus again, grrr. Tuesday afternoon, I had to see my heart doctor, and had my blood levels checked. It was very high. I guess I know why I've been feeling off lately, and bruising easier. He was pretty concerned, and wants to me come back in 2 weeks to retest, and then see him 2 weeks after that. He doesn't want it to get too high and that it lands me in the hospital. Nor do I want that to happen. Finally on Thursday some fun happened. P and I went out for dinner then saw Changeling, it was very good. I was out of my prescription sleeping pill and so I thought taking 2 over the counter ones would help me sleep. They did not work at all. I wasn't the least bit groggy, and not getting any sleep does not help the body fight a cold. Yesterday P and I took the girls to see Madagascar 2, other than the mean old lady it was good. (J was spending the night at my sister's so he could get up early today to go fishing with his uncle) I gage that on not falling asleep during the movie, even with no sleep the night before. After the movie we went to Fry's and picked up my prescription. I had no trouble sleeping last night. I have no idea why I can't sleep without them, no matter how tired I am. R had to sit though S's dance classes this morning, since J wasn't home and P had to work at 9 today (now that's unusual too!)S got invited to help grandpa today, he picked her up from the dance studio and so she didn't have to sit through R's classes. But I got to sit thought all 4, and now I get to do laundry.

Note to self

Check your own pockets for things before you wash clothes. Otherwise you might find redish lipstick all over all the clothes you just washed. Which ruins quite a bit of clothes.

Halloween

Because my kids attend public school, they don't get to dress up on Halloween, they do get to have a fall festival party, and kindergarten kids can dress up in fairy tail characters. Since I spend my day with a kindergartner, I had to dress up too. I really wanted to find a red cap with a hood and be Little Red Riding Hood. no such like, except for a very sexy looking one that would not be OK for school. Therefore I ended up dressing as the Evil Step Mother from Cinderella. It was fun dressing up and walking around campus, all the upper grades come out and watch the parade. It made me feel special when students would call out my name. I think we all need to feel special, makes the bad days so much better. After dinner S and R went out trick or treating, S as a baseball player her costume from the last dance recital. R wore the baseball costume of S's for the recital 2 years ago. I didn't take any pictures :( They went up and down our street and were done. before I could get my camera they were out of the costumes. But I added a few of R in the Hannah Montana wig she wore to my flikr pictures soon.

Time spent and money too

Dropped S off at dance at 9 this morning, then went to the grocery store. I have been avoiding this trip because I knew I would be spending lots of money. I really try to only go to the grocery store myself every 3 weeks or longer if I plan right. Since P works at a grocery store, he can keep us supplied with milk and bananas, and if a few things are needed we'll just call him to bring it home, because if I go to the store I will find other things that are on sale and buy more than just what I needed. This way we save money. Dropped off the groceries, and picked up R for dance. S and I went to Khol's, next week is spirit week at school. S needed pajamas for Monday's pajamas day. We looked around a little spending some time together, then we stopped and got drinks and burgers at Sonic (love the 99 cent large drink all day deal they have right now and I had a BOGO free burger coupon). Dropped S off at home, then went to the dance studio to spend a little time watching R. We went home and worked on a few loads of laundry. P went to work. R was bored. S was going to go spend the night with her oldest cousin. So R and I went to Saver's and I got a brand new Lucy looking gown (Narnia's Lucy)for R 50% off. And we found some prairie skirts for hippie day on Friday. R and I went to eat (see previous post) Then we went to the Halloween store near our house, we found some hippie colored glasses, a fringed vest, and a peace sign necklace all 50% off. When we got home, and we bought J back something to eat. R and I watched the American Girl Kit movie. It's been a fun day, spending time with my girls and spending money :)

plastic gloves

Used correctly, can protect food service workers from spreading germs. I'm thinking the gloves get contaminated more often then they are changed. For example tonight R and I went out for dinner to a fast food restaurant. I observed picking teeth, sticking hands in pockets, taking money, slapping other employees backs and preparing food, with out changing the gloves. And this person seemed to be the management on duty. Yuck, and I just ate there.