Much more of an expensive day

On the way to church on Sunday the car made a horrible rumbling sound, then staled, we were at a traffic light, J was driving. First attempt did not start the car, I suggest he give it a little gas, knowing it will either start the car or flood the engine, but figured it wouldn't hurt to try since we were not going anywhere anyway. He started, but it was rumbling a little bit still, I was to nervous to go to church, and then it not start afterward. He turned us around for home. When P got home from work we dropped it off at the car shop. I can't even tell you what was wrong and I talked to the mechanic. The one thing I did understand him telling me was the back brakes were 90% shot. Grand total of this adventure went on my credit card because it was more than my take home pay for a month. The worst thing is I think the car is still rumbling, well maybe the engine is just loud. I think I'll just turn up the radio so I don't hear it.

expensive day

On Wednesday P's car was towed from where he had it parked while he was at work. P has been parking in the bank that is in the same parking lot as his work location, for months. When he got off work he went into the bank to find out what happened. They resurfaced their parking lot, and had the cars that were parked in the lot were towed. He was given the information to where he could pick the car up. When he called the guy who owns the towing place says he has to leave for a doctor's appointment, so P can not pick up the car until Thursday. What? P calls him on Thursday and says it will be after 3 when we can come to get the car, since I work till 3. He agrees to come back between 5-6 PM to get let us have the car and only charge us an extra $20. The grand total of the towing was $170. The whole thing was just so ridiculous. I had a hard time sleeping on Wednesday night. I took my sleeping pill, then 4 Tylenol, and at midnight when I still was not asleep, I took some night time cough medicine. I finally fell asleep around 1 AM on the couch. Not great sleep I had, and thank goodness J turned on the radio at 6:45, which woke me completely up. (P had woke me up, with his noise and lights when he was getting ready to go to work, but after he left at 6, I fell back to sleep, hard enough not to hear J getting ready for school.) I did fine all day yesterday at work, but as soon as I got home I was exhausted. Driving home after picking up P's car, I fell asleep for a second and my car swerved and when up a curb. Thank goodness it was a curb and not worse and I am fine, but there's a big chunk out of the metal thingy that covers the wheel and the tire needed to be replaced. I drove the rest of the way home with a flat tire. I was very close to home when it happened. I asked J to start to put the spare tire on, I thought it would be a good idea for him to do that and I figured he would only get as far as getting the spare out of the trunk before P got home anyway. He and S were moving the car father in the driveway, when I hear a loud crash. Everybody and everything is fine, the cabinet in family room fell over. Just use you imagination to what happened. S was in the drivers seat. P dropped off my car to Firestone last night, I fell asleep on the couch before 8, and at 8:30 I woke up to banging and went to bed. I sleep completely through the night until I woke up for the first time briefly at 5 AM. I really was tired.

Depressing

That's what I would call the professional in service I attended this afternoon. I hate that Arizona does not value our children's education. Education budget cuts, there's got to be a better way to reduce the state budget. Yes, working for a school district I see a lot of waste, but teachers being RIDed, which seems to me like will only increase classroom sizes and stress out remaining teachers, classified employees that will loss their jobs, leaving no office and a few supporting staff members to assist stressed out teachers. It's going to be tough to make it though the last 5 remaining weeks of school not knowing if you will be working come August, and if your children are going to be in classrooms with more than 35 students and one stressed out teacher. Home schooling would not be an option at this point.

Almost Friday!!!

It has been a long work week. AIMS testing week. R will test tomorrow and have 4th grade science on Monday, I'm ready for the days to go back to normal. Also steroids make you so thirsty, I feel like I could swim in my own body. And I have been needing to eat lots, too, my metabolism is way up, if I don't eat enough I'm shaky, it's a very weird feeling. I'm praying that not only am I having reactions to the medications, they are helping my body heal. Last night was the first night I remember dreaming in a long time, so I must be getting better, a sign right?

Happy Birthday to my Man!!!

P spent his day at work :( When he got home he wanted to open his presents from us before we met his parents for dinner. Dinner out was nice, but it's very hard to hear well in loud restaurants. He and J are waiting to play on the computers, I'll post some or a picture or two later. Also news worthy the antibiotics, steroids and inhaler are doing there jobs, I have felt better today. Not 100% yet, but a big improvement. YEAH!

Yeah it's Saturday!

I made it through the week, but everyday was a major battle. I was tired all day, everyday. Last night I started a coughing fit that lasted forever. The cough medicine I got for my doctor didn't work all that well, I first thought of just calling on Monday for another appointment. This morning after I didn't sleep well again (due to coughing), I went to The Little Clinic inside the Fry's P works, after dropping J off at school. (His ROTC unit is working at PIR today.) I was very impressed with the nurse practitioner, she called the doctor who is on call to make sure she didn't miss anything and was giving me the correct prescriptions. Slowly I am getting some laundry done, and I have dinner in the oven. The girls are wasting this perfectly beautiful day inside watching TV. I'd like to waste it taking a nap! I'll have to be up late tonight, it might be 11 or later before J is back and needs a ride home, UGH.

Doctor and Memorial

Yesterday when I still wasn't feeling very well, I made a doctor's appointment, and amazingly enough I got an appointment for yesterday afternoon. She gave me a prescription for the cough I can't seem to shake and something for what she thinks is wrong with my stomach (she thinks it's my ulcer, but we'll see), I had to have blood drawn and do a stool sample. Yuck was that gross this morning. My insurance wouldn't cover the medicine for my ulcer, the pharmacy and doctor's office are trying to work that out, while I wait for the results of the tests. My Uncle Penner died in January, he moved to Oregon 7 years ago, his memorial was today, he was cremated and his ashes are being buried at the Veteran's Cemetery in Phoenix, he was the last living sibling of my Mom's, there were 8 siblings/half-siblings spanning 21 years, my Mom was the baby of the family. His daughter Judy and his granddaughter Dina flew out from PA and I got to see a lot of cousins today. It was a lovely day, high of about 75, a little windy. I some how still manged to get a little sunburn.

Happy Easter!

We celebrated Easter yesterday, when P got off of work. First we decorated cookies, then colored eggs, and ate dinner (ham, cheesy potatoes, corn on the cob) then after a brief pause because my stomach hurt beyond normal, we let the kids have their Easter baskets. We were going to have strawberry shortcake, but I just couldn't eat anything, and the kids were happy with all the candy they got. This morning, we (the kids and I slept in and went to church at 11). P had to work at 7 this morning. My stomach still didn't feel good, but I made it through church, although I didn't eat anything before we left. After church I took the kids out for lunch, I ate some, but I was very nervous eating. I made it home in time to use the bathroom, luckily I wasn't vomiting too like last night. UGH. Resting and relaxing is in store for the rest of the day.

Her Glasses!

Happy Birthday to my first born!

17 years ago. I remember the day of his birth so vividly, it seems impossible that it was so long ago. Happy Birthday J! I love you!

How can it be?

It seems like the week has barely started but yet it's late on Friday night. Interesting today at lunch there was a Mom with 3 children, the Mom commented that she couldn't wait for this week to be over. My first thought was how sad. My second thought was teachers and staff don't want it to end! Really the Mom has to deal with the little darlings 3 weeks during the school year some other odds and ends days, weekends and summer break, teachers get to deal with them the rest of the time. Today R and a friend and I went to see The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It was cute. Had lunch then picked S up to go to Great Skate. S was meting a few friends there. Although R doesn't really skate she really wanted to go, it was touch in go to see if we were going to stay. She made it and had a good time.

Glasses and Movies

Took R to the eye doctor this morning. She finally needs glasses. She is very excited about that fact. Right now for school and the computer. Took the girls to see Dear John this afternoon. Not much like the book at all, I was disappointed in it, the girls sat through the whole movie but it's not one they'll want to watch again. Hopefully on Wednesday we'll all be able to see Alice in Wonderland. Tomorrow's Spring Break adventure is Chuck E Cheese, even though the kids are getting older they want to go play :)

where I've been the last few days

Just a few shots of the pictures of the beautiful Young Life's Lost Canyon retreat camp in Williams.

Nervous and Excited

The week went by fast, thank goodness. But golly it's already Friday and I'm leaving in an hour for the retreat. The newspaper said the high was supposed to be 50. It rained yesterday, so I doubt any of the snow from last weekend is still hanging around. I think I could deal with the cold if surrounding area was pretty. I think there's going to be mud! I have not left any directions for my husband and children. I did go over things with all of them. How disappointed do you think am I going to be on Sunday when I get home? I feel totally out of my comfort zone both the retreat and not leaving lists.

Better Week

Thank goodness! I don't think I could handle stress like the stress from the week before 2 weeks in a row. J went to his first Military Ball last night. His freshman year he didn't want to go, and last year he had a fever, so he missed it. He said he had a good time. I'll have to get him to tell me more about it when he's not so tired. He got home about midnight last night and was up by 6:30 showering to go to a Boy Scout meeting this morning. He is currently resting/napping in front of the TV, hopefully later I'll get to hear about the Ball. The girls and I went to bingo night at Sunrise. S was the only one who won a prize and very sweetly gave it to R when we got home. J is thinking about working at scout camp this summer. The director he had problems with last year will not be there again this year. The interviews are next Saturday. This week will be a short week work wise for me. I am taking Friday off and hopefully will be able to see S in her Middle School's talent show. I've asked her every day what time it will be and looked on the school's web page and still I don't know when it is. Hopefully P will go on Friday night and video tape it. I'm leaving early Friday afternoon to attend my church's woman's retreat in Williams. I can't wait, and the timing just seems perfect year with the next week Spring Break, a Spirit filled weekend, followed by a relaxing week of no work. No plans for Spring Break, I'm hoping we can do a few little things as a family on whatever days P has off, we'll see what we can afford and when he's off. If nothing else we'll go to see a few movies.

Stressful week

That was my week in a nut shell. I have had stomach issues all week because of it (still do), and then last night I had terrible leg cramps all night. I just couldn't go to work today. P is bringing me home bananas so hopefully at least the leg cramps will stop soon.

Bad headache=very bad mood

That was me yesterday. Every little thing made me mad. The kids didn't clean up after themselves all day, until I blew my top. P wanting to "help" me make dinner, he stood in the kitchen waiting to be told what to do. I hate that. I lost it with him too. He took the car and left for a long time. Which of course made me even madder. The kids and I had to get up to be at church at 8:30, P who had to go to work at 11 AM, stayed in bed. That behavior makes me even more angry. I guess it's no wonder my stomach has hurt something terrible all afternoon and evening.

Dear John

I think read this before, and I thought I had the book here somewhere, where I don't know. But it's the book I recommended for my book club which meets in a few weeks. I finally went out today and bought the paperback version of the book. I read a little this afternoon confirming I've read it before. R wants to read it. I think I'll let her and we can have our own discussion on the book. Do you think this is a bad idea? She's only 10.

Dance competion

My niece in PA will be competing on Sat. with her dance troop in Pittsburgh. Hopefully I'll remember to go to the site on Sat. about 7:30 PM to watch. The song is Fire Burning www.breakthefloor.com/jump/ #144

Field trip

I got to go on the 3rd grade field trip today. 2 long hours keeping track of kids as they ran, OK moved quickly from one display to another. P took R on this field trip last year and they had a lovely time. This weekend they are having a free family day, although panning for gold is $2. I will not be taking the kids. Rocks and minerals are fine to wear, but to study them or collect them other in jewelery is a bit boring for me. I brought home 3 little rocks for R, who loves rocks. J asked were his amber was? Sorry big guy I didn't remember (I only kinda remember having a conversation with him about this) nor did I take any money. R's rocks were free.