Shopping, a Parade, and Bones

July 24, 2010

1. We went to Erie for the afternoon.

Curtis told me last week about a "Bakugan" event at Toys R Us. He had asked the boys to get their toys out the night before, but did not tell them why. The kids haven't been playing with their Bakugan for a while, so we weren't even sure we'd attend. But, when Curtis asked me if I wanted to go, I said I did. I thought the boys could go do their thing while Zoey and I went shopping. So, that's just what we did. As usual, we did not tell the kids where we were going. But, as we approached, they were going crazy with curiosity. As they guessed, they got even more excited. When we got to the toy store, we weren't really sure where to go, but there was a little boy who was obviously there for it, too, who know where the brawl was to occur. He had his little Bakugan kit, and wristband, and was well-equipped for the event. I kissed the kids good-bye, and Zoey and I went shopping. I was looking for a new purse, and sundresses. I didn't want to spend a lot, though, so we went to "Clothes Mentor", a store which sells almost new things. I found several purses, and Zoey found a pink one that she's still upset I didn't buy. I ended up getting on that is very different from my normal purse. I am happy with it. Then we went to look for some things for Zoey. She ended up getting a pair of red clogs that are so cute. I wish I had a pair! By the time we met up with Curtis and the boys, I was exhausted. The boys had an excellent time with the Bakugan stuff, and Zoey and I had fun shopping. She's really good at helping me pick out stuff.

2. We went to the parade.

Cambridge Springs has a parade every year. It's at 5:00 in the afternoon, which is different for parades. It's always worked out well for us, though, because I've always had to work on Saturdays. We decided to go with my friend Autumn and her family. When we got to her house, we decided to leave a little bit early because I had to walk so slowly. I was still tired from the day in Erie, walking around with Zoey, and shopping, but I did my best anyhow. I was so happy to have a place to sit once we got to our spot. We watched the parade for a couple of minutes when the rain started. It was just a sprinkle at first, but before long, it was a torrential downpour. We had umbrellas, but with rain like that, it didn't matter. Curtis ended up running for the van, while the kids and I waited under the umbrella in front of the church. It was still fun to get out, but we sure got wet!

3. Curtis and I stayed up late watching Bones.

Our friends let us borrow the "Bones" season one set of DVDs. We watched one episode a while ago, and last night decided to watch some more. Even though it was getting late, we watched two episodes. It was nice to just cuddle up and rest after a long day.

A Doctor's Appointment, A Little Stitching, and Inspiring a Friend

I have had a pretty uneventful week, so I'll write the three best things about the rest of my week:

1. My doctor's appointment went well.

On Wednesday, I had a doctor's appointment in Erie. My doctor said I could resume driving. Since I hadn't been able to drive, I have not been able to leave the house unless my husband took all of us somewhere. Now that I can drive, I will be able to get out a bit more. The doctor also said that things were looking good, and that I could gradually increase my activity. I am feeling much better, and much more alive. Hopefully, the next four weeks will continue to go well.

2. I taught the kids how to do a new craft.

When I was young, my mom and sisters taught me how to sew, cross-stitch, and yarn-stitch on plastic. We've been trying to do little arts and crafts from day to day to try to mix things up a bit. Max had asked if I could please teach him how to sew. I am not very good at it. It's been years since I've done any sewing, but every time I do something like that, the kids want to learn. I picked up some of the plastic grids and some yarn needles, and taught the kids how to do that type of stitching. Max and Alex caught right on, and literally worked for hours on their little projects. Gavin and Zoey needed more help, but they are younger. I think it went pretty well.

3. My friend liked my idea.

My friend Sarah called me to tell me she liked my idea of writing about the best things, and wanted my blessing in writing her own. Of course, I was flattered that she asked, and thought it would be wonderful if she did it!

A Good Book, Arts and Crafts, and the Laundry

July 20, 2010

1. I finished another book.

Since my surgery, I've finished four books. Yesterday, I finished my fourth. It was a book about a young woman, sorceress, caught in some turmoil in her world of Mermeia. I've had the book for a couple of years. Curtis got it for me, and for some reason, I just never read it. But, since my surgery, I've had a lot of time to sit around reading. And, when I read a book, I generally sit and read it until I've read the whole thing. I love getting lost in a book!

2. I helped Zoey finish making a bracelet.

We have many, many craft-y books for our children. The other day, they found one of these books, and asked if we could make some of the crafts. I love doing arts and crafts, and therefore, was very excited to get some of the projects started. Max and I started making a beach bag, until we realized we didn't have all of the materials needed. And, the other night, Curtis started a bracelet with Zoey. So, Zoey and I sat down with a needle and thread to sew the charms onto the bracelet. And, of course, when we were finished, Zoey was so proud of it. That's the best part about making things. The kids feel such a sense of accomplishment.

3. I did the laundry myself!

Most mothers are probably not excited to do the laundry by themselves. The idea of not being capable of doing the laundry, and needing someone else to do it for me was just not working for me. I'm one of the pickiest people in the world when it comes to laundry. I'm not perfect, and sometimes when I put stuff in, it doesn't come out the way we expect it to, but I really prefer to wash my own clothes. I just don't like other people doing it for me. I'm finally feeling up to doing some work around the house, so I was excited to be able to do the laundry myself. I was even able to fold it myself. I still encouraged (told them they had to) the kids to put their clothes away. After all, they need to be doing that anyway!

Autumn, the Freezer, and My Schedule

July 19, 2010

1. Autumn and her daughters visited.

As much as I love being home every day with my children, it's nice to have a visitor. Autumn called to see if I wanted some company. During the school year, I get to see Autumn almost every day because she lives right across from the school. During the summers, we try to see each other, but it's not as easy since we aren't at the school to pick up our kids. So, I think during the summers we go through a bit of withdrawal! When she came out to visit, it was so great. We just sat and talked and hung out together.

2. The freezer is still working!

So far, so good on Curtis' freezer repair.

3. I think I have a schedule for school.

When I finally got my major declared and an advisor assigned, most of the classes at Edinboro were closed or not at a time that would work for me. So, for the last couple of months, I've been stalking the online site where you can add and drop classes. Sometimes, I'd find an opening where someone would have just dropped a class. I've been doing this almost every day for the last couple of months. So, I was thrilled to finally have a schedule that will work. And, amazingly enough, I've been able to get 18 credits, and all my classes but one in the afternoon before I have to pick up the kids from school. It seems like an almost perfect schedule.

Church, Curtis and Curtis

July 18, 2010

1. We went to church, and then to Walmart.

Sunday mornings are about my favorite morning of the week. We don't have to get up and rush to work or school, like we do during the school year. On Sundays, we sometimes have a big breakfast and then get ready for church. It's usually a pretty relaxing morning, since we don't have to leave until 10:00. I was so excited to get out and see people. I got to see a few friends. And, one of them invited us to go to the beach this week. I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to go, but it was nice to be invited. After church, we went to Wal Mart. It probably doesn't sound too exciting, but for me, it was great. We even had a nice lunch at Subway.

2. Curtis got a bunch of stuff done.

When we got home, we were able to relax. I was really tired from all the activity, but Curtis got a few things done. He had been working on putting up a new mailbox and fixing our freezer. Our freezer has been leaking water into the refrigerator part for months now. Curtis has been trying different things here and there to try to fix it for a couple months now, without success. This weekend, he finally felt more positive about having fixed it. He also got the mailbox fixed. It has been missing the flag since the last time it was hit with the snow plow. He put in a new mailbox on a very sturdy beam. It looks great. While Curtis was hard at work, I was busy relaxing!

3. Curtis was home.

Since I've been off for my surgery, I've gotten to spend a lot of time with my kids. The weekends are wonderful because Curtis is not at work. And, normally, I have to work on Saturdays, so Sundays tend to be pretty busy for us. I love the hustle and bustle of life, but it was really nice to just be here, and have a steady pace about getting things done around the house.

Green Vegetables, Lasagna, and Ice Cream

7/16/2010

1. Gavin ate lettuce!

I have four children. Generally speaking, they are well-behaved, and fairly good eaters. And, then there's Gavin. He won't eat anything green, or slightly resembling a vegetable. When he was a teeny-tiny toddler, he ate just fine. And, like every other child, he went through the "I'm not eating anything you want me to eat" stage. His stage stuck. We've always been consistent with our rule that if you don't eat what's served for dinner, you don't eat anything until the next meal. We have the kids try things over and over. If they really don't like something, and they've tried them several times, we don't force them to eat it. We're not mean about it, but we do not make a separate meal for each child. Last night, one of my friends made us a lasagna for dinner. It was wonderful. I can't eat red sauce, so I just scraped a lot of it off the lasagna, and ate what I could. Gavin really didn't want to eat it. And, since we were planning to go for ice cream after dinner, we told him he had to at least attempt it, or he wouldn't get the ice cream. We said he could just scrape stuff off, and just eat the noodles with the cheese, but he wanted no part of it. So, Curtis said, "You can have a bowl of salad and still get ice cream, but you can't just go get ice cream if you don't eat anything." And, to our surprise, he ate a bowl of lettuce. He doesn't like salad dressing, so he ate it plain. I was shocked at his choice! It was really something to see Gavin willingly eat something green!

2. My friend, Elaine, brought us lasagna for dinner.

My friend had said earlier in the week that she had gotten the ingredients for lasagna for me. She brought it in the afternoon, and even stopped at the store to get Italian bread to go with it. It was awesome. She even bought two cartoon-like movies so that I could let the kids watch a movie and take a break. What a great friend.

3. We went out for ice cream after dinner.

I've been going a little crazy since I haven't been able to do any driving. I've been home every day since I got home from the hospital. For me, that seems like an eternity. When we were loading the kids into the van, they were remarking at how long it had been since they had even been in the van, or since they had gone anywhere. We have been home every day. In a sense, it's been somewhat cleansing to just be at home, just eating what we have here, and just being happy with each other. I had asked Curtis if he could take us somewhere--anywhere. So, we thought getting ice cream would be perfect because it wasn't too far away, but it was still a change of scenery.

Play-doh, Friends, and Time With My Children

7/15/2010

1. Play-doh is amazing, and entertaining, again!

In the morning, the kids played with play-doh for hours. They dusted off their imaginations, which had been stifled from too much video game exposure. They were building amusement park rides, animals, roads, cars, and anything else you can think of. I was amazed at how long they played together without fighting. The hard part about the play-doh is the mess that is made, although I feel it is completely worth it. I just have trouble getting down on the floor and picking up the tiny pieces before they get ground into the floor and throw rug. I will, however, continue to let them play with play-doh on a daily basis.

2. I have great friends.

I was able to talk to some of my friends on the phone. I have been enjoying my time off of work with my children, but feeling a bit stir crazy here at home, not being able to do a whole lot of work, or go anywhere. I got an email from another, new friend, saying that she was making lasagna, and had bought a couple of dvds for the kids. She wanted to make sure we had dinner and a movie for the kids so that I could get lots of rest. I love my friends.

3. I have had some amazing time with my children.

Curtis and I realized a long time ago that I need to work outside of the home for my own sanity, and financially, it is better for us. So, I've always had a job. It's been a very long time since I've had this many days off in a row to spend with my children. Each night when I'm putting the children to bed Zoey asks who will be babysitting her tomorrow. And, I just smile saying that I will be home tomorrow. It will be hard when I do have to go back to work. And, I know that now. But, I am grateful for the time I get to have with my children.

Beth, Play-Doh, and A Card

1. My friend, Beth, came to visit.

Since I was four-years-old, I've had a friend named Beth. We grew up together. We were friends growing up, and have remained close as adults. Our children love to play together. She decided to come for a visit today. Things always seem better when she is around.

2. My children played with play-doh so nicely.

Who doesn't love to play with play-doh? I think it's one of those things that brings out the creativity in everyone. We haven't played it in a while, so I let the kids get it out. I know it gets messy, but the play time is worth it. For an hour and a half, the kids sat and played with play-doh without bickering or fighting. It's such a nice sound, to hear them playing nicely, using their imaginations, rather than fighting over the same toy.

3. I got a "Get Well" card from my co-workers at the post office.

Usually I'm at the post office, helping to send the card around for peoples' birthdays, or a get well wish. In fact, I've hand made some of the cards. Today, I got a card in the mail from the post office. And, the best part was that Bill signed it. He doesn't sign anything, but signed this. He signed Holly's birthday card a month or so ago, so I was curious to see if he would sign it. It made my day to get the card. I called my boss after receiving it, and it was nice to talk to her. I really do miss my friends at work.

Roller Skates, a Good Book, and Curtis (Again)

1. Zoey loves roller skating.

Well, what kid doesn't love roller skating? Gavin had a pair of tenners that has optional wheels on the bottom. You press a button, and out pops the wheels. He tried to wear them today, but unfortunately, found them to be too small. And, being the awesome brother that he is, he immediately gave them to Zoey. I think we will have to surgically remove them from her feet. She wore them all day. She was so excited about them. It reminded me of my roller skates I had when I was little. My parents let us skate right through the living room. We really didn't have room to do it outside, so going through the kitchen and through the living room was a great alternative. And, seeing Zoey wearing these skates brings back a lot of memories. I told the kids that when I'm allowed to drive again, I'd take them to the roller rink.

2. I got a lot of my book read today.

I started the third title in the "time quintet" from Madeline L'Engle. These are supposed to be kids books, but I've found that I love them. Besides, when I'm done with them, I'm sure my kids will enjoy reading them. It's like the Harry Potter books. All ages can enjoy them.

3. Curtis came home from work early.

My husband has been an amazing friend during this difficult time for me. And, as a husband, that's his job, right? Well, I think Curtis is doing an excellent job of making me feel comfortable, easing my burden of not being able to do chores, and trying to cheer me up. I really think he takes great care of me. This morning, I may have done more than I should have, but he came home early from work so that I could get some rest.

A Serenade, Feeling Good, and a Board Game

1. Max came in to our room to sing us a song.

Tonight, after we tucked in all the kids, I was getting ready for bed, and Max asked if he could sing me a song. He had the words written on a folder in crayon, but the song itself was beautiful. I have to say, my son has a beautiful voice. He had to avoid looking at me, or he would embarrass himself. But, I thought the serenade was beautiful.

2. I felt pretty good today.

I had surgery almost a week ago. Today, I felt pretty good. I had asked my mom to stay an extra day since I had been so sore, but this afternoon I felt it would be ok if my mom went home. I was able to fix dinner myself, and didn't feel overly tired. And, tonight, I'm still feeling pretty good. I limited my trips up and down stairs, so I think that helped, too.

3. We played "RangerRickopoly" earlier today.

Ranger Rickopoly is an "animal" version of Monopoly. Before lunch, Gavin asked if anyone wanted to play. None of the other kids wanted to play, so I said I would. When I sat down to play, pretty soon, all of the kids were gathered around the game. We didn't play for that long, but we still had a pretty good time. I love board games.

Gavin and Zoey, a Manicure, and a Motivated Hubby

1. Gavin and Zoey came home today.

I missed them so much! This was such a hard week, beginning with bringing Gavin home from camp, only to send him to his grandparents' house for the week. I addressed how difficult that was in an earlier blog. Zoey needed a vacation. Max and Alex had already gone to visit the grandparents right after school let out for the summer, and Gavin got to go to camp with the boys, so Zoey was kind of stuck here all along. I was so excited this morning that they would be coming home, I could hardly wait. I kept trying to find things to do while waiting, but it was really hard to occupy my mind. When they finally pulled in, I ran right outside (in my head I was running, in reality I was walking just as slowly as normal since I've just had surgery). I had to remind them to be gentle on my belly, but they still needed to give me big huge hugs. And, tonight when I was tucking them in to bed, I told Gavin my arms wanted to hold him. So, he stood up so that I could pretend to hold him. What a sweetheart!

2. Zoey gave me a manicure and did my hair.

My little girl is such a cutie pie. She wasn't home ten minutes and wanted to do my nails! I told her I would love to play with her, but I had to really stay down, so she had to think of something to do that I could stay down for. So, she decided to do my hair and nails. My hair had a braid in the front with little berets on it, and a small pony tail in the back. How fun! My nails are orange, lime green, pink, purple, blue, and even red. She made sure each nail got a different color.

3. Curtis did all sorts of work today.

Curtis must have been motivated to get things done today. He got a lot of the trim work done on the hill behind the house, and even started installing a new mailbox. We've had it in the garage for about a year. The snowplow keeps hitting ours, so he was reluctant to put up a new one, just to see it get smashed again in the winter. I think he's come up with a good system, and hopefully, this one won't get smashed, at least not right away. Curtis and I also decided he'd rather be in my position, resting all day. I'd so much rather be in his position, up and able to work. He just needs to have surgery and he'll get all sorts of rest!

Curtis, HGTV, and Curtis

Saturday, July 10, 2010

1. My husband takes such good care of me.

Yesterday Curtis took such good care of me. I was a little nervous on Friday when he left for work because I was home by myself with the boys. The boys were awesome, and my mom came up after lunch anyhow. Yesterday, Curtis was home. He went to the store for me in the morning, then he put in our new ceiling fan when he got home. He is so good about making sure I am comfortable. He never understands why I have a hard time taking it easy! I can't understand, most of the time, how he can relax so much! I guess we are a little bit opposite on that one!

2. I've gotten to watch HGTV all day!

I used to love watching HGTV shows every now and then. For the last couple of days, I've gotten to watch all the shows I love. In fact, the boys were enjoying it, too. They were saying how much they'd love to do some of the projects they saw. It was kind of funny.

3. Curtis made an excellent steak dinner.

My mom had gotten some steak out of the freezer yesterday, and left it for Curtis to prepare for dinner. He put them on the grill, and they turned out so well. My mom just gushed over how good it was. I must say, I picked a good husband!

My mom, Surgery, and My Husband

I had great intentions of continuing this blog this week, but it just couldn't happen. I had my surgery on Tuesday. It went really well. I got home from the hospital yesterday, and now I'm working on resting! So, here are the three best things this week:

1. My mom said, "I love you" to me the other night on the phone.

I could probably count on one hand the amount of times my mom has said that to me. I know she loves me, and I love her, but it's one of those things that doesn't get said. I'm sure we both assume the other one knows. After the surgery, I called her to let her know everything went well, and she said it. I feel pretty happy about that.

2. My doctor said the surgery went very well.

There were no complications with my surgery. And, with the way my life has been lately, I half-expected something to come up. My doctor was wonderful. She said I did very well, and there were no problems. I lost very little blood, so that was also good. I'm feeling pretty good, or as good as I can feel for having just had a hysterectomy. I'm tired and sore, but otherwise, feeling pretty good.

3. My husband...

I could say, my husband, period. On Tuesday, he was with me all day, through the surgery, the waiting, and even my sleeping. He had to go home around 5:00 to pick up the boys, but he was there all day. The next day, he took the boys to work with him so they could visit me. I know those sound like things a husband should do, but he is so caring. I just don't thank him enough for what he does for me. He was wonderful this week.

Max, Alex, and Gavin

In no particular order:

1. Max

2. Alex

3. Gavin

I missed them so much.

They were home much of the day, but Gavin went w/ Zoey to Grandma Mae's and Grandpa Joe's house. He was sad and not sure he wanted to go. But, we talked and decided since I'll be in the hospital anyhow, he might as well go have fun. Max and Alex went to spend the night at a friend's house, again, since Curtis and I'll be at the hospital, they'll be more comfortable there than at the hospital with us. It's so quiet here again, but I have to be up early and ready to go. I'm just looking forward to this being done.

Fireworks, a Nice Family Picnic, and Sleep

July 4, 2010

1. Fireworks!

I love fireworks, even if it means sitting in traffic when they are finished. Last night, Cambridge Springs had fireworks, so we did not have to drive very far to see them. I can't remember Cambridge Springs having fireworks before this. I looked forward to it all day.

2. Curtis' parents came up, and we had a nice picnic.

Curtis' parents came up so that they could take Gavin and Zoey home with them. That way, I don't have to worry about them while I'm having surgery. Max and Alex got to go with them right after school was out for the summer, now it's Gavin's and Zoey's turn. After not getting to see Gavin for a week, it's going to be hard to not get to see him again. But, I'll be in the hospital for a couple days, anyway, and probably wouldn't see him anyway. Zoey needs a little vacation, and we need a little break from her. She's been very, very needy lately! I think she misses her brothers.

3. Curtis and I got to sleep in.

We had church, but it wasn't until 10:30. And, since Zoey didn't get up at the crack of dawn, we actually got to sleep in a little bit. It was so nice to not have to get up and get moving.

Food, Cleaning, and Friendship

1. Today at work, Holly, Michelle, Karl, and I made food since I'll be gone for a while.

Today was my last day of work before my surgery on Tuesday. We decided that meant we needed to make food as a going away party of sorts. It was great. Holly and I ate way too much, but enjoyed every bit of it!

2. We got part of the back room cleared out.

We've been trying to get a room in the back of our house cleaned out so we can put Teya's crate there. That way, she can sort of have her own room. And, during the winter, it will give her a place to be out of the way when people are here, or for when we need to leave her during the day for work. I got two boxes of old documents burned, which ended up taking almost all day. I feel pretty good about getting that accomplished.

3. I have some of the best friends.

My friend Theresa is going to take Max and Alex while I am having my surgery. I think she is awesome! In so many different situations, my friends have always stepped in to help me. So, I have to say I have some of the best friends...

Sunny Quiet Time, Time with Zoey, and a New Dinner

1. The sun was shining, so I sat outside to read.

When I got home today after work, and after picking up Zoey, I sat outside to soak up the sun. It felt so good to sit and read for a little while. Zoey was taking a little quiet time on the couch, so I decided to take some quiet time outside. I usually try to get as much done as possible. I thought about running the weed-eater, mowing the lawn, or cleaning, but that's as far as I got. I just decided I would rather get some rest. I took my little netbook out to read, but it's really hard to read the screen of a computer in the sun!

2. Zoey and I had puzzle time.

After we had our little quiet time, Zoey and I went up to the Family Room and put together a few puzzles. It was nice to just work some puzzles together. We didn't have any music, so we sang. We tried to sing every kids song we could think of. It was great quality time.

3. I tried something new for dinner, and it turned out alright.

Every once in a while, I try putting together something new. Tonight, I made a broccoli/ham/cheese dish. It was really good. I made rice on the side, which got burnt?? I'm not exactly sure about that one. I also made pasta for a side. We ended up stirring the pasta into the casserole, and it was very tasty. Zoey actually ate mostly broccoli for dinner. I love seeing a child eat vegetables so willingly.

Lunch, Haircut, Dr. Wismer

Yesterday--7.1.10

1. I had lunch with Zoey at The Big Skinny.

When I picked up Zoey from my friend Autumn's house, Zoey was very sad. We decided lunch at The Big Skinny was just the cure for "having the worst-est day ever"! When we pulled into the parking lot, I realized I had left my purse at work. We had to drive all the way back to Saegertown to get my purse. It worked out well, though, because when we went back to work, Alisha invited Zoey to spend the night with her daughter, Aubrey. Zoey loves Aubrey, and was very excited! While having lunch, some friends who were walking stopped in to say hi. Not only was it a nice meal, but having time with my daughter was wonderful. I hope that Zoey and I can continue to do this type of bonding. Since she will be going to Kindergarten in the fall, she won't be able to have lunch with me during the week. I have to get my "Zoey fix" now.

2. I got a hair cut at Tina's.

Lately, it's been a bit of a challenge making plans, like getting a hair cut. Between doctor appointments, work, getting kids to and from babysitters, preparing meals, and having less money than usual, getting a haircut has been at the bottom of my priority list. Kerry, my friend, has been doing my hair, but she moved to a salon in Erie. I used to go to Tina all the time, so it was refreshing to get to see her. She was very excited to see me. It was nice to get to catch up with her.

3. I had a great doctor's appointment with Dr. Wismer.

I was really dreading the possibility that since I'm still getting acid reflux, even though I'm taking medication daily, that I would have severe repercussions. I was so relieved to learn more about my condition, especially that the medication that I am taking is helping me, and that the acid reflux may be uncomfortable, but isn't necessarily as detrimental to my health as I had before thought. Since I've got Barrett's Esophagus, the tissue in the lining of my esophagus is changing, and therefore, replaced with pre-cancerous cells. So, every time I get a little bit of pain, I literally panic. And, after yesterday's appointment, I know now that I don't have to panic.