Christmas

Very busy, very fun last few days. On Christmas Eve we attended church at 5:30 and my in-laws met us there. R and all of kids church sang beautifully. After church we came back here and had a little snack of little smokies wrapped in quartered biscuits and soft pretzels with cheese. Pretty tasty. R read us the Night Before Christmas and we opened one gift before going to bed. Christmas morning I had to wake everyone at 8:30, once we read "our" Christmas book (the story of Christmas)we opened gifts. S was very happy with the Just Dance 2 game for the Wii, and R was very happy with her keyboard. J of course loved all his Steelers stuff! We then headed over to Aunt Jul and Uncle Will's to exchange gifts and brunch. My nephew called from his Navy station and we all got to wish him a Merry Christmas. Very cool. We left about noon to come home to get the house ready to host P's family for Christmas dinner. P wanted spaghetti so that's what we had. Opening gifts took awhile since there were 14 of us, with numerous gifts each. After dinner the kids tried out the keyboard and the Wii game. Very fun! Sunday we picked P's Aunt up who was visiting from California for church and lunch out. P had to go to work, but the rest of us got to enjoy watching Alice in Wonderland with his Aunt and parents. Followed by the rest of our families coming over for game night. Very fun, but long day! Yesterday we spent the day with P's family at Amazing Jakes it was very fun. They all left about 4, but we stayed on for 3 more hours, playing more bowling, riding rides and playing games, before eating dinner before we left. It was a great family outing. When we got home we started to watch a movie, I didn't last long and was falling asleep on the couch, I was the first one to bed and then the first one up at almost 11 AM. The saddest part of yesterday was because we were gone so long I think Baby thought we would never come home, she was very, very happy when we let her in.

Merry Christmas!

Baby!

It's Saturday and I have 2 weeks off

The girls danced beautifully last weekend. I was sorry to see the weekend end, it went by so fast. This week was another busy week. And big change for our household. A puppy! Baby is 7 or 8 months old and just adorable. R brought her home the Thursday of her band concert. P finally agreed to let us keep her on Sunday. She was a stray or abandoned. Her right front leg is injured, and the vet doesn't think we should do anything about it, since she is getting around OK and it's not hurting her. We'll get her license after she gains some weight she only weighs 4 pounds now and we have her spade. Tuesday night S had her 8th grade chorus concert. Wednesday she had bible study and J needed to buy some secret Santa gifts, we went to Fry's and I did the grocery shopping while he was picking out his gifts and S was at bible study. Thursday night R had her "Pirates" play with her school's drama club. She was very good and it was a very cute play. Yesterday at work when I was walking a student out to meet his mom I fell and cut open my knee. I had to get 8 stitches to close it up. What a way to end the last day of work for 2010. NOT!!!

Busy Week followed by Snow Queen weekend

Something every night this past week. Including last night which was R's first band concert. She did very well. This afternoon they had a dress rehearsal for The Snow Queen performances this weekend. Both girls are excited about preforming! I'm tired already! But I love watching my girls and their cousins dance.

Sickness and decorating

Yesterday I woke up with horrible pain and pressure all over my face. Called and made a doctor's appointment driving to work. Worked for 45 minutes. Sinus infection. Antibiotics, stay home for at least 2 days. Managed to buy some groceries with waiting for my prescription, no list just winged it. I was planning on going back to work not shopping. Took a long afternoon nap. Started decorating for Christmas. The tree still needs to be set up, and decorated and the table for the village needs to be brought in, and then set up. I felt terrible last night I'm sure I over did it. J and R helped me. But still probably not the best thing to do. But I couldn't stand all the boxes all over the living room. The tree and ornaments are currently covering the couches in the living room. I still have lots of pressure in my head today, I won't be doing anything today. P was off yesterday and he got all the lights and things outside decorated, so the outside looks really good. I can't wait until the kids get home from school one will be sweeping the messy kitchen/family room floor and another will be vacuuming. I think I need to take a nap. I did decorate my blog and the back ground for my computer, with out much energy taken LOL.

Thanksgiving Day 2

I let the kids sleep in, while I whittled away on preparing our feast. I had to get J up to help me with the turkey, it was way to heavy for me. After everything was made, and the turkey in the oven the girls and I went shopping. I am no black Friday shopper, Blockbuster, Walgreens, Target, Michaels, and Dollar Tree weren't so bad, and I got a few deals. I think I am done with shopping, other than a movie that won't be out for a few weeks. After shopping the girls watch Eloise at Christmas, after dinner R and I tried to watch Miracle on 34th Street but I couldn't stay awake. We had a lovely dinner, then S went to spent the night at a friend's house. Other than I've been struggling with a bloody nose for days, the last few days have been wonderful.

Thanksgiving Day One

Watched the parade with the kids. S made us cinnamon rolls for breakfast. The kids played Wii nicely together. S ate her first piece of pumpkin pie. We all went to see Tangled in 3D. It was a very cute family movie (and I didn't fall asleep, which is how I rate if the movie is good, LOL) We came home and got ready to go out to dinner with P's mom, and his sister and her family. It was an enjoyable evening. It was awkward at first because we haven't seen P's sister in 16 years or so. We had never met her husband, who is very nice. Her son is very polite young man. Today P is working till 4:30, and we'll be having our own Thanksgiving meal, just the 5 of us.

Happy Thanksgving!!!!

I've been debating if I should do a sappy I'm thankful for list as I sit here watching the parade with my children. And I'm thinking that sentence is what I am most thankful for.

The week in review

Monday I went to work late, first to see my heart doctor, then an interview at R's school. I didn't think I would get the job, but I had to try. Got to Sunset Ridge and got a phone call from Sunrise that R was sick, took me forever to get a hold of P to go pick her up, jeez I had just left Sunrise. Came home from work called my brother to wish him a happy birthday, made dinner, dropped S off at her dance class. Went to my book club. It was just me and the hostess, but we had a fun discussion of the book and lives. Tuesday morning R decides she couldn't go to school, so I got to stay home and snuggle with her all day. J didn't have scouts so I got to watch S's jazz class it's been several weeks. Wednesday I worked a whole day. S had bible study, I dropped her off and P picked her up. Thursday after work I saw my neurologist who wants to try another drug for my back spasms. I called P on the way to the doctor's and told him how to start dinner, he had it almost all together when I got home, which was so wonderful I didn't have to cook! Yesterday the kids had an early release day. Most of the paras went out to lunch together. One of the dearest ones bought my lunch for me. I'd like her to adopt me, she's such the sweetest lady. And she's old enough to be my mother. After lunch we went on walk troughs of different classrooms, then had a team meeting. We went really long and I didn't clock out till almost 4. I went to my favorite teachers room and read waiting for Marcella to bring our girls to the Fall Festival, which started at 5, I'm glad Marcella thought of the awesome plan. The girls had a fun time and I got to show off Sunset Ridge and my favorite student. Slept in this morning till 9, and haven't even started laundry yet, but I guess I must soon, cause it's not gonna get done otherwise.

good news

Saw my heart doctor this morning, that horrible stress test came back normal! The irregular heartbeat is normal for a heart valve. And he'll see me in 6 months. I am so relived.

Mumbled Mess of a post

I didn't think it ever would be Saturday again. Kidding. Sort of. The week just seemed long because there weren't any days off, or earlier releases and I worked a few hours longer this week. So glad we have Thursday off this week, anyone want to go to a parade? It will be J's last Veteren's Day parade with his JROTC unit, P will be at work. So, the vicadon the doctor put me on really makes me tired. Driving to work is especially scary. I called him and asked for something else which I tried for 24 painful hours. At work I had to work with a different student for a few days, the general education teacher I work with asked if that could please stop, she needs me (there was a sub in the room for me on those days). I love working with this teacher, we have similar teaching styles, and she appreciates me. It is such a wonderful compliment that when she didn't get results from the special ed team she went to the principal to fight for me :) The mapping of our special services team is being redone and we are adding a 6th para professional to the team. I am hoping mine doesn't get all messed up. I like my day just fine as it is. I finally put out some Fall decorations today. I really didn't feel like decorating for Fall until it got cooler than 90. The forecast looks promising this week. R got up this morning to help me get the Bountiful basket, she actually offered so I treated her to McDonald's for breakfast, and fake nails at Walgreen's. She did my nails too, I lost 2 of them with out even knowing, I ripped the others off before I lost any more. J went to a chicken BBQ with his scout troop, and S to my oldest nieces Fall Festival. My friend texted me during the day on Thursday to tell me there was an on-campus reassignment posted for a part-time EL para at Sunrise. I called and left a message for the principal, only someone from Sunrise applied so they got the job, before it went out to district. I was having lots of mixed up emotions about it, therefore I just prayed and gave it to God. I really love Sunset Ridge, I hate driving there, but love the campus and staff. Love that gen ed teacher and our 1st grade class. I hate working so many hours, but we really need the income. I would love to be back at Sunrise for R, who thought it was going to be so great me not being there, only for her to realize she misses me being there. I had the worst sinus headache yesterday, lasted all day, and because of the vicadan I can't even take regular Tylenol any more. OK, that's all I can think of right now.

Stress Test

On Wednesday I took the day off for the nuclear stress test. It was horrible, I made P promise me that I would never have to do that again. Like if I'll ever forget it. First they started an IV but of course didn't get the first vein and he couldn't find a big enough one in my arms, therefore started it in my hand. Hurt something awful. Then there was a medicine that went into the IV, then some waiting, and I had my echo done. Then I had to lie perfectly still for 20 minutes for the "pictures" the machine seemed like a cross between and MRI and CT, only it was completely quite. Wait some more, then the treadmill part. My resting heart rate was 60, my O2 level 99. I was suppose to walk until my heart rate was 150, then continue walking for 1 more minute. After 2 and a half minutes and my heart rate was 90 the gal running the test asked me how I was feeling. Dizzy, she asked if I wanted to stop and I said yes without any hesitation. I then had to have medication to raise up my heart rate with out exercise, I was asked if I wanted to sit up or lie down. I thought I better lie down what if I got dizzy again. The medication was to work for 4 minutes then the 1 minute of the second medication. It was horrible, I couldn't breath. I thought I was dying. I really thought some oxygen would feel good. I had to close my eyes to focus on breathing. It took a long time for my O2 level to come back up. So scary. After that horror, I had anther period of waiting then "pictures" again. It took almost exactly 4 hours. I see the doctor on the 15th, for the results.

Arthritis in my back

Finally made it to the nuerogist yesterday after work. The muscle spasms I have been having is do to arthritis. I never heard of such a thing. I could try physcial theraphy, but he didn't recomend it. PT sometimes can cause more damage than good. I could try a chiropractor, but again it may cause more damage than help me, plus it's not covered well by our insurance so I won't try this. Another option is epidural shots, which he is nervous about because I'd have to be off my coumidin, which isn't so great of an option. Right now were going to do Vicidin for pain. If I don't like that, we'll try other pain meds. He doesn't even care if I become atticted because really I need something for pain, that's not going to just go away on it's own.

solved

One mystery is solved. I thought my back doctor's appoint was on Friday at 4 PM, when I got there the office was closed, lights off door locked. Bummer I had even remembered the films from my MRI. Of course I tried calling, but no answer go figure! They were closed. Today in church when I was digging in my purse for a pen, I found the slip of paper that had my appointment time on it. I was really supposed to have gone on Thursday at 4, not Friday. Not sure why I didn't get a reminder call, or a you missed your appointment call. Hopefully I can get in this week at 4 any day but Wednesday would work, since I have my stress test and echo followed by R's parent/teacher conference at 4:30. I guess if I have to I can try to go in between things. I'm really stressed about the stress test. I don't think that's a good sign.

things are better

P and I are talking again. R is the one who made us. She kept asking me for days to say "I'm sorry" It was killing me. I started the conversation with P that R wants me to say I'm sorry. We aired out a lot of things and for a few days now things have been pleasant. We need a budget and a plan to stick with it. I spent some time looking on our online banking yesterday and it's not I who has been spending needlessly. I'm glad this work week is over. 2 early release days and wild 1st grade kiddos and a sub in the classroom (for the past 2 weeks) I'm in for most of the day = not much fun for me. The regular teacher will be back on Monday, her grandmother died and she had to fly to Guam. Thursday after the students were dismissed we had meetings all afternoon. Then because I had a horrible sinus headache I left at 3:30, so I had to stay on Friday till 3:30. Friday afternoon I did some coping for teachers but that's about it. It was pretty boring. yesterday afternoon R spent at a friend's house, her mom dropped her off and we talked for a long time, then went outside and while we were talking ants were biting at my feet and ankles I finally had to excuse myself and go inside they were driving me crazy. I soaked them in the bathtub to no relief when J said try to soak them in tea, so I added tea to the water, that didn't really help, but then one of the bags broke and I rubbed the loose tea on my feet and ankles and what a difference! I got out grabbed some extra thick socks, reapplied the loose tea and was able to sleep last night. I think that's the worst I've ever been bitten by ants. I thought ants go in after dark?

Angry and Frustrated

P got home Thursday afternoon from the annual father and sons Grand Canyon hike. I tried being really extra nice to him, put he didn't even seem to notice and shut me down. Whatever. Friday morning I mention to him to pick up some milk when he went in to get his schedule. I called and had to remind him. Really he's a grown man, shouldn't he have at least noticed when he poured his milk on his cereal we need milk, even if he forgot the conversation with me? He said "oh, yeah I guess the milk is almost gone" But he probably had just gotten up, it was only 1:15 PM when I called. When I got home from work and picking J up, he says he forgot about the APS bill and we bounced the payment $35 extra cost. Great. He said he would take J back to school for his JROTC fun night, only when it was time to leave he was screwing together his bookshelf that I guess was coming apart. So I ended up taking J. You think he could have made sure the girls we changing clothes, brushing out their hair so we would be ready on time, for our niece's high school football game oh no. Luckily it wasn't very crowded and we didn't stand in a long line to get tickets, therefore we made it for the National Anthem. Climbing up the bleachers I nearly fell and he was behind me and he never asked if I was OK, or tried to steady me. Pretty much he sat like a lump beside me but careful not to talk or touch me, during the game. I just went to bed last night. This morning my alarm went off at 7 to go pick up our Bountiful Basket that I had to charge, since I thought he left for his trip up north with just $.50 (really we were negative) Anyway this morning he did not get up to help me get the basket. He has been coming to help, I guess he really doesn't want to help me today. I started laundry when I got home, P actually got up before noon, but didn't do one thing to help me. The girls had to clean their room today since we weren't going to go anywhere as a family like I asked about doing last week. We have no money, and I just got paid. I am so tired of not having any money to do anything. I know in his mind that if the girls didn't take dance lessons we would have money. Granted R doesn't always love dance, but I really feel like she should be involved in some sport, and right now when I never know when P is going to work from week to week I really can't sign her up for lets say soccer. 2 practices a week and a game day. ANd soccer is going to have a price tag too. It won't work for me, I need help all the time for it to work. She only has to keep dancing for 2 more years then she can join as many sports as she wants in Middle School. S on the other hand it would break her heart to stop dancing. She loves it so much. The girls discovered 2 more loads of laundry while they unearthed the floor. S did that laundry. Right before dinner P eats a snack of some lunch meat and chips. I made dinner myself as usual. P ate one chicken strip. I wanted to yell thanks for wasting a paper plate! The kids and I cleaned up while he sat there like a lump. Then got up and started getting ready for bed. It was 5:30, he has to work at 4 AM. J helped me and the girls reassemble their bunk beds and I discovered 2 more loads of laundry, we'll have to work on that tomorrow, my back is killing me. The carpets need a good vacuum too, I'll have to get one of the kids to help me with that. Tomorrow brings us serving during the first service attending the second then racing home for the girls to get ready for Snow Queen rehearsal. Then home to do their laundry, and vacuuming.

Stress

Today, since we didn't have school I made doctors appointments. So, at 9:15 I saw my neurologist, well that was after I got off the wrong floor to see him. After we talked and he poked me with his little needle and even though I kinda knew and he confirmed that both my knees are now numb on the inside, it's another rare weird thing I have wrong with me. Anyway because of the numbness and the spasms I have been having in my lower back he ordered an MRI and I get to go back to see him. After leaving that office I had a little break and went to Michael's to exchange the cord S got yesterday, but she wanted the stretchy kind and got the non stretchy kind. Then I went to the building were my cardiologist moved to, and in that building has a radiology department too, so I could schedule the MRI, did that but really they only schedule by phone so I got to do that on their phone, kinda weird. It's not like I even had their number just the order from the doctor. Then I headed to the floor I thought the cardiologist was on, but I had the wrong floor, so I tried the nest floor, only as it turned out I had the wrong building. As I was on hold with the office to find out where the freaking office was I went into one of the other offices in the wrong building and asked and the girl at the front desk who actually knew where I was supposed to be,(the building across the parking lot) which was good, because the person who came on the phone after being on hold for 10 minutes could only give me an address not directions since it was a service. My cardiologist moved in with a new group of doctors, so although I have seen him for many years, I've never seen him at this office before. I saw the doctor and had an EKG done, then he comes back to tell me that I have an irregular heartbeat, which doesn't look good. What. I've had my share of heart issues but not an irregular heartbeat before. He asked if I felt it. No, I don't think so. He orders a stress test and echo, which won't be until the 27th, and it's supposed to last 4 hours, I knew I was in trouble with how long it was going to take when the girl scheduling it says bring a snack. I called P as soon as I made it to the car because I was really quite upset. He left this morning with his Dad and brother to hike the Grand Canyon. I came home for a little bit to check on the kids both girls had friends spend the night last night. I would not have let S or R spent the night at a friends house when neither parent was going to be home all day, and the 17 year old brother was in charge. OK S is 13 and responsible, but I don't think I would like that. Both moms were OK with it. Not that J would do anything, to them but I would not be comfortable with it at all. I left the house at 1 to get some lunch and shoe shopping. It was loud at my house and I was stressed, I had to get out of here. I then went to see the Gynecologist for my yearly visit and mammogram. I thought my appointments were at 2:30 and 3, but as it turned out I was off by 30 minutes they really were @ 2 and 2:30, I still got poked and squashed, and have the results in a few weeks. The GYN gave be samples of an estrogen pill I'm going to try to see if that helps one area of me feel better.

my blog posts are turning into weekly events

I really like to blog for a few reasons, the first is purely selfish reason. I want to keep a journal of our life as a family, for us the 5 of us, and for anyone else you finds our life interesting. We had an amazing rain/hail storms on Tuesday. I got pelted on the head during the first storm which was at dismissal time. My little first grader I walk him to a parent was really scared. We had to go back in the classroom and wait out the hail. He sat cuddled on my lap with his head buried in my chest crying, I felt terrible. Driving in the rain on the freeway was not so fun, I didn't think I would ever get home. After the second rain/hail storm Boy Scouts was canceled for J. I still took S to her dance class and didn't have any trouble on the roads, but we are only about a mile away and I don't use any major streets to get there. I'm really getting burned out of having to cook dinner every night usually I have to start something as soon as I walk in the door from school I just need a little downtime before I am on to my next job so to speak. I'm praying about what to do to fix this. Friday after school P and I had to take the van in to get a tire looked at. Then it was the start of picking up friends. S and 1 friend come over to spend the night. R's friend had to wait until I was done with the grocery shopping, P went ti get this friend, then S asked if her boy whose a friend could come over, P went and picked him up. It was very loud in the house and outside with 3 teens and p - 10 year olds. R's friend left about 10, as did the boy who is a friend left. S's girlfriend spent the night. P and I got up and got out Bountiful basket together, we run into one of my sister's friends and we traded somethings. We got her artichokes and she got our red pepper and onions. The kids were pretty happy that we all got our own artichoke for dinner last night. I baked a half a tender pork roast. Yummy meal. P and J went to see nephew/cousin play during his first football game of his season. After P fixed the grill by getting a new propane tank, he took R to see "Legends of the Guardians". Took S's friend home and S and I picked up Karate Kid for us to watch as a family. Pat fell asleep so he missed it, but the rest of us watched it together. We all went to church this morning which was the first time in over a month. The guys and R stayed home to watch the Cardinals game. I have been wanting to spend time with just me and S, so I suggested we do some shopping, have Panda Express for lunch and go to a movie. We saw "Easy A" I'm not sure I really enjoyed it we did talk about some of the scenes. R really wants to see it and I don't think that's going to happen an year soon.

Much Better

I'm feeling better and it's been much nicer of a weekend so far. I'm still coughing, not as much as before but the feeling of someone sitting on my chest is gone. Friday night S spent the night at a friend's house. P took me out on a date! It's been a long time. We had a quick dinner at Chick Fil A because I took too long dropping off S. I haven't seen S's friend's mom in awhile, she's one of my best friends so it was great talking to her IRL not just texting or talking on our cells. Anyway after P and I had dinner we saw the movie Like Dandelion Dust. I loved it. It's been a long time since I read the book by Karen Kingsbury but I think the movie didn't stray far from the book. This morning P went with me to pick up our Bountiful Basket, then he took me out for breakfast. Came home and started the laundry and P was fooling around doing other stuff. My niece B came over to drop off my camera that she borrow to take pictures for me of the Deer Valley High School Homecoming parade. It was great that she was able to take her 2 year old to see J in the parade for me. B stayed and visited while I made dinner, artichokes and cheese sticks with strawberries and cookies for dessert. It sounds like a strange meal, but it was pretty awesome. Relaxing family day, which I really enjoyed after being so sick last Saturday.