It is bedtime yet?

I'm taking more and more after my mother, most often by necessity.

This morning, I've already made my bed, walked both big kids off to the bus, let the dog in and out (which actually involves going out with her, tying her out, undoing her tie and letting her in as the new house's yard isn't fenced), done breakfast, started the dishwasher, started a load of kid laundry, given Damon a haircut and a bath. I'm pooped.

As I was making my bed, I was musing about the places you love the most being the places you seem to spend the least amount of time. I love bed. I love sleeping. Yet it feels like my poor bed is a long lost friend. Most nights I fall into it and mutter, "yay! Bedtime! My favorite!" or something along those lines and Dada laughs at me.

But then I got to thinking about camp, and how there is, quite simply, never enough time spent there. We were only there for 3 days this year, over July 4 weekend. That's not nearly long enough to survive on for someone who started counting down the weeks until camp the day she got home from camp! There might need to be an intervention, and soon. We missed the Epic Fall Getaway of our Dreams; the third one was held this year but wasn't well advertised. I am really, really missing both the people and the physical place.

I suppose that has something to do with the fact that I've been running on almost empty for about a month now. The week before Thanksgiving Dada came home after a week out of town and a Saturday spent at an auction to find me curled up on the couch in tears because I was just so pooped out. Then the madness of Thanksgiving and all the wonderful blessings it brings hit. We had a houseful, 18 people, and it was wonderful. Then the germs hit.

Liam started coughing on Thanksgiving morning. By Sunday afternoon, I knew I was in trouble. We all stayed home Monday, even Dada, downing cough syrup like it was going out of style. Dada made it back to work Tuesday, the kids all went back to school Wednesday, then Thursday I got a call "to please come get Damon as he is not himself" when he spiked a fever and slept from about 2 minutes into the car ride home, all afternoon, all evening, and all night, when he wasn't coughing his brains out. I dragged him to poor Dr. Jon Friday, but I could already tell he was getting back to being his normal self. Sure enough, Dr. Jon said he'd be coughing less hard and feeling way better by the same time next week. I don't think I heard him cough at all last night...

I am feeling better, too, though I am still coughing. So is Carrie, who's been fighting it off and on for a month now. There is just not enough sunshine to keep me healthy in Ohio in the winter. Bah.

And, Mother, as I stated on Facebook, I find it completely ironic and cruel that we were all healthy and fine until we started taking the vitamins you brought us! Further proof Shick was right to save four years of his and return them to his mother. Pbbbbt.

Anyway, it isn't even 10 AM and I'm ready for a nap. Alas, there are more Christmas decorations that need A) found and B) displayed. As well as never-ending laundry, the dishes that need hand washed, etc.

We are very much looking forward to Dada taking this Friday and next Monday off so we can spend some time with him and not be running around like total nuts. I've gotten a handle on the Christmas shopping, though I'm pretty sure cards won't be happening, once again. As much as I'd like to bake up a storm, I just don't have the energy yet. I did, however, bake a chocolate cake with buttercream frosting all from scratch yesterday. We had friends over for dinner, so thankfully we only have half of the cake to finish ourselves. It is YUMMY.

Be on the lookout for how you see your Savior this Christmas season. He's always with you, but may you find Him in unexpected moments and encounters! Be blessed!

Comparison shopping

 

This photo, above, is Damon. He's four and a half and in preschool.

 

This photo, below, is Liam's preschool picture.

 

And this is Damon, four and a half, asleep in the big chair. Some of you already saw it on Facebook.

 

Dada's decided we really need to start writing their names on the backs of photographs since they look so much alike.

 

Ha.

 

Who has printed out photographs!?

Sausage

Our sweet Zita brought this outfit from India for Liam many years ago. In cleaning out Damon's closet recently, I thought we'd give it a go:

 

If ever a cheeseball were mated with a sausage, this would be the end result.

Karma is a righteous pain in the...

I must apologize to my parents. I was That Kid. You know, the embarrassingly picky one who wouldn't eat. Who sat, forever at the dinner table because parents were taught to not back down, to not negotiate with terrorists, to enforce the eating of everything on one's plate. So I sat.

And sat.

And sat.

And now, guess whose child(ren) sit and hope the food fairies will come spirit away whatever offense sits on their plate?

*siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh*

It must be gratifying to see things come full circle.

Things that make you go hmmm?

Today was another two hour delay day due to frigid temperatures and icy roads, especially north/south routes. It's sunny and windy and there's snow everywhere though most of the roads are clear.

Afternoon preschool still runs on delay days, so I dropped the Damonater off at school. On my way home, I see a guy, all bundled up, walking along the sidewalk. He's carrying a case of beer. It's 16 degrees. On a Tuesday afternoon.

I'm trying not to judge.

And failing.

I can see leaving the warmth of my house to A) drop off a school child who can't get there any other way, B) run to the store to get ice cream or toilet paper, C) make it to a doctor's appointment or a job interview, or even D) dash to a coffeeshop to have a hot drink with a friend while complaining about the bitter weather.

But to WALK to go get BEER on a Tuesday afternoon?!

Must have one heck of a party planned...

***

I called the doctor's office today to ask for a meds refill and to make an appointment for one of the kids and to see if there are still flu mists available. I was informed that during their lunch break they can only field emergency calls and that I'd have to call back.

Wait. This is a pediatrician's office. They won't do prescription refill requests or schedule office appointments until after 1:30? Whose idea is it to have the entire office staff take lunch together during flu season? What happens to the parents who aren't allowed to make personal calls on company time and only have their lunch break which may coincide with the office staff's lunch break TO call to set up an appointment? What the?

This is 2014, people. The end of 2014, even. How can there be these kinds of policies? I could Twitter and name names, but I think that lacks class. I wonder if that would get the policy changed. How could it benefit an office, any office, to have your patrons call BACK just because someone isn't authorized to do a simple request or because all the people who DO know what they're doing are on lunch break at the same time? Is it just me? Or does this seem unreasonable? Is there something I'm missing? I'm stymied.

***

And another thing. Since there's tagless technology these days, why does anyone stick tags in clothing anymore? For all the buzz about seamless panty lines and slimming this and shaping control that, why would you stick a flippy, itchy piece of material on your garments?

This personally doesn't bother me, but it drives one of my children absolutely up the wall. He won't even tolerate tags on the OUTSIDE of clothing, like the little tabs that are meant to make the piece of clothing even cuter.

They would have to cost extra money to add, so why are companies forking it out to add something most of us cut off or tear out or avoid by wearing an extra layer anyway? When are people going to get with the program?

***

"Is there anything as disgusting as frozen sweat?" ~Jon Snow, A Storm of Swords

Enough with the #winteriscoming already. It's not even Thanksgiving and records are being broken. Those in my camp, the Haters, can blame Liam for the snow. He confessed this morning to praying for it. Those of you in his camp, I believe it's called #FrozenAndLovingIt, can rejoice with him.

I don't know about you, but cold makes me downright hostile. There are two positives about snow, in my opinion, and that's it. It's quiet. And my snow pants are AmAzInG. That's it. I don't know how people live in Upper Michigan or Wisconsin or North Dakota... or anywhere north of Hawaii, now that I think about it. It's too bad my hate can't keep me warm... I also don't understand the thrill of skiing, as I've never been. To have to wear that many clothes to play outside seems ridiculous to me. I am much more a tank top and flip flops girl, myself. MUCH.

Anyway, must call the doctor's office back. Wish me luck!

First half of November

 

We've certainly run the gamut of crazy November weather. I don't know how it's possible that every single year I forget how fickle fall is. We started off with gorgeous sunrises before the time change and have had snow since. Bah humbug! I prefer the sunrises to the snow any day.

 

Ick ick and double ick. You should see it all now. There's at least three inches out there on all those chairs, but I hear Sherri and crew have a foot on theirs, so I'm shutting up.

 

 

Okay, karate pictures. The big kids graduated from their orange belts to the purple belt level. That's their fourth stage of lessons, for those of you who are keeping track.

 

 

Now now, Care Bear, no kicking classmates off the stage.

 

Liam was selected by one of his teachers, Mr. Stanford, to spar a little bit. He was delighted, and he did an excellent job. You can see how proud Mr. Stanford is of their class a few photos down.

 

 

Great job, big kids! We enjoyed watching you!

 

And have we mentioned there's lots of leaves at the new house? Two Saturdays ago we had everyone out, including one Damonator dressed as Skeletor, raking and hauling leaves curbside. Since we don't have a curb, oh anyway...

 

 

There was a fair share of messing around, as you can see...

 

 

The one above is my favorite. Heh heh heh. Remember, you can always click on a photo to see it larger!

 

 

Yep, even I ended up in there. Twice.

 

 

Yesterday Dada borrowed a neighbor's leaf-sucker-upper-thingie and worked out front some more. Then it started to snow, and lo and behold, a two hour delay today. We got to shovel instead of rake. Yaaaaaay. Not.

 

Anyhoo, now it's already 2:30 and I still have some stuff to accomplish before leaving to get Damon from preschool, so I must go.

 

Happy birthday to Hinrew! We love you oodles and bunches and tons! Incidentally, everyone needs to quit with the birthdays. Every time a family member has a birthday, it snows. Just cut it out already.

 

 

 

Why post in one day when it could take three and still not be right? =P *amended*

It's 65 degrees on Veteran's Day. I'll take it. Tomorrow it's supposed to drop to... *cringing while searching*... 38 and then 35 with snow on Thursday. Ooh, I said the s word! Eep! So not ready. SO NOT READY.

I know I said I'd post karate graduation pictures, but I haven't uploaded them yet. So all y'all will have to wait. And yippie, PaPa just got here to visit!

I'd forgotten that when blogging I am perpetually behind. Here are the pictures from Halloween and Liam's birthday:

 

HOORAY, IT WORKED!!

...

Or not. Picasa and Blogger are apparently not updating each other, again. I've been trying for three days.

GOT 'EM. YIPPIE!


It is frizzering out there... 31 the last time I was in my car. When I needed to get gas. Not when it was 65. Figures. Oh well. And guess who the Mom of the Year is... the one who forgot to send gloves with Damon to preschool. He informed me, "the guys were mopping the floor, so we went outside instead." Good thing his coat has pockets. Whaddaya do?

Tomorrow Liam has a field trip assembly honoring veterans. They're riding a bus to the high school, so that'll be a big deal, I'm sure. I think he's forgotten all about it, but he may just surprise me.

We had several snow flurries today, and the deck chairs still have a coat of snow on  the seats. The weather reminded me very much of Rafiki's comment in The Lion King where he lectures Simba, "the weather, pbbbbbbbbbt, very peculiar!" The only constant today was cold.

PaPa made it home safe after his short visit. He and Grandmama are going out to eat tonight for her birthday. Thanks for visiting, for working, for the early Christmas money, and happy birthday to Grandmama!

Stay toasty, everyone. I'll see what I can do about the photos. Gotta go let Triskal in. She's forgotten she wears two coats of fur and is looking forlornly through the deck fencing like she's a Newfcicle.

Status Quo

As usual, I should be cleaning.

So I'm blogging, instead.

We had parent-teacher conferences this week for all three kiddos. Apparently we're raising decent, funny, bright individuals, because we heard mostly good things!  They're adjusting well post-move, making friends, fitting right into the swing of things, and academically doing well. Hooray! Thanks for all the prayers covering all those aspects. I was impressed by all the teachers, also. You could tell that Carrie's team enjoys working with each other AND with the kids. I think that's priceless- having people at work who you actually like being around.

It's gotten cold, but at least today the sun is out and it has stopped raining. I think it's rained the last three Tuesdays in a row, at least. The leaves, the millions of leaves, are lovely and have taken over the yard. Carrie and I attempted to rake them up and decided she'd be learning to drive by the time we finished. Might have something to do with the humungous oak trees out front who are thinking about dropping some leaves. And then some more. And then a few more.

Karate belt tests were yesterday and graduation is this Saturday. The kids are excited to show off their skills.  I'll try to get some pictures and get them up soon.

Tonight is home group, so I must go tidy up while Damon is still snoozing in the big chair. I promised brownies as well, so better get crackin'. Have a wonderful weekend!

Halloweenie

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

I have no idea who wrote it or what it's from, but it sums up our Trick or Treat experience yesterday. Candy is always awesome, always. So the dressing up and the acquiring of candy was the best.

The weather, though, the weather... ye gods.

It was windy (around 25 mph) and spitty rain/sleet mix. The kind that stings when you turn to face into it unsuspecting. Ick. Liam started freezing the first house we went to. I tried to be encouraging and said that the faster we went the warmer he'd be, but our birthday boy pooped out early with Grandmama. Carrie and Damon soldiered on in spite of freezing cold and red hands until even I'd had enough.

They felt like they got enough loot to last them and we all went home to have more birthday cake and candy. Then we all pooped out. Just one of those years, I guess. You can always Trick or Treat in your snowsuit, but rain is a different beast altogether. Even the parents were griping, "the things we do for our kids..."

Happy birthday, anyway, Liam!

Photo Friday

Yep, that would be the SOLD sign for the new house.

 

Their second first day of school, hehe.

 

You find things in the oddest places when you move...

 

A forlorn Newfie in the background. Buckeyes in the foreground.

 

Scrumdiddlieumptious cookies from our neighbors

 

White breasted nuthatch above, goldfinch below

 

Stinkbug. He tried to climb up into my jeans =/

 

A cattail from out back. Fortunately we got him outside before he finished poofing seeds!

 

Home sweet home, Lalaith Havens. Lalaith is Elvish for "laughter", something we have plenty of around here.