Ozzy Update

Ozzy is feeling better. He has started to want to play again, and can bark without coughing. I am so glad and I think that if he was going to have a problem, it would have happened by now. He goes for another test in 2 weeks, then another 4 weeks after that. If both those tests are negative, we will resume HeartGard and be considered heart worm free. Thanks to everyone who thought of us and prayed for Ozzy. I felt silly asking for doggy prayers, but St. Francis himself showed us that to care for God's creatures touches God.......

I'm Baaackkk!

I am home but had a chance to post. Yesterday I had a job interview (first one in 10 years). It went well and I've got a pretty good shot at it. Helen passed her karate test (I was surprised since she hasn't been to class in 2 weeks and hasn't practiced either). The school is adjusting its curriculum, so she got 3 stripes this month and will get her blue belt early (August instead of October). As I said, she really didn't work this month and it probably sent her the wrong message to receive all those stripes this month. At her school, the stripes on the belt are part of rank.

I will post more later, as I need to get myself outside and get the last of my junk out of David's car.

Gettin' ready

Here we go- again. I am packing today. I was going to the river to swim again, but I think I will stay close to home (and Ozzy, who is at the vets receiving the first treatment for heart worms today). Maybe we'll go to the park later since it is supposed to be cooler today. Can't play X-Box ALL day.......

So I need to make yet another list of stuff to do, clean bedrooms and pack clothes, in addition to cleaning out my car for David. It is full of cookie crumbs, toys and dog fur. I do try very hard to keep my car presentable, but darn it's hard. And the back windows are covered in something- I think Helen licks the windows. And under Zachary's car seat is enough crumbs to keep an army of ants alive four months. So we have to visit the car wash today, too.

Yeah, maybe skipping the swim is a good idea. The river is about 20 miles away, so it's not like I can just drop in for a an hour and come home- I usually stay all day.

Perfect Packing Plan

This is based on FlyLady.

For each child for one week:

3 pairs pjs

7 pairs underwear (plus "pullups" if needed)

5 play outfits

3 "nice" outfits

2 bathing suits

1 pair of sneakers, one pair of "nice" shoes

(they wear crocs in the car because I am NOT putting on 2 pairs of shoes for every stop, lol)

I typically take the number of days away and add one "extra". SO for a weekend, I'd take 2 pairs of pjs, 3 pairs undies, etc. I follow a similar plan for myself. It seems kinda lame now in print, but as I said it works for me. I usually don't have leftover "clean" clothing. Traveling alone with the kids is very different from traveling with Dad. When I go with just the kids, I take a picnic lunch, snacks and drinks. We stop at a rest area to eat and always stop at South of the Border on the way to GA. We drive about 6 hours the first day and then stop for the night. We go swimming, eat dinner and hang out in the room. They like to buy a soda from the vending machine (indeed a novelty) and then fight over who sleeps with me. (truthfully I cannot sleep with Helen, so I usually move after she goes to sleep and then tell her I was cold or something- does that make me a bad mom?).

Just another stop at home

We returned from camping yesterday and met up with the in laws for David's brother's 40th birthday. I had the best shrimp (yes, not very vegetarian of me, but I just cannot give up some things- coffee, candy, shrimp and eggs are too difficult.

Now I have 2 days to get laundry done, deal with the dog and clean my house before I pack up to go to Georgia for the remainder of he month. Why did I think that traveling for an entire month was a good idea? We will have 4 weeks after we return before school starts back and I do hope it is relaxing....... Yeah, right- have you MET my kids- no relaxing there. They always want to GO GO GO........

Any way, over the years I have developed a perfect packing plan and it has never let me down. I will share it with you in a later post.

Is it really back to school?

Well, Target is already putting out their wares, and I am making my lists. Since I've got 2 this year, I am spreading out the spending and starting early. I just ordered Zachary's lunchbox. Helen already has a pink one just like it. I just get the bento box, not the carrier. It proved too small to carry snack and drink plus the lunchbox. I went with a softsided cooler type bag for holding it all. The Laptop Lunch system was pricey ($20), but if you consider that Helen has been using hers for 3 years now and I didn't have to buy a lunchbox ($12), plus inside containers ($5+), plus ziploc bags ($2.50 for 50), etc, it has proven cost effective in the long run.

Next week we'll go to Stride Rite and get these lovely school shoes.
Helen hates these things. Can't say I blame her- they aren't very feminine. Zachary already has pants, shorts and two shirts. We still need:
3 jumpers (if hers don't still fit)
3 blouses (I'll get long sleeved later)
1 gym uniform
2 short sleeved white polos (will need long sleeved later, along with some button-down oxfords)
2 ties
1 belt

And then there are the school supplies- what is a "flexible binder" any way?

Clean clothes, doctor's visit and camping

The washer turned out to be a minor problem. The hose connecting the little bleach cup to the washer had come undone. The Big Strong Man fixed it and now I'm rockin' the laundry. Yeah. Now I guess he expects gratitude......

Helen goes to the doctor for her overdue well child visit (it is July and her bday is in May). I just dread going because of the whole growth chart. She has been consistently off the chart since she was 3. The curve has remained the same for 5 years, so I think it is just the way she is built. She could get more exercise and eat healthier, but so can most skinny kids I know. Overall she is healthier in most respects than our toothpick neighbor who eats pizza, fruit snacks and Burger King daily. It is sad that I stress so much about the weight of an 8 year old, as if lifetime of worry about my own hasn't been burden enough. I am pretty much sick of it and wish I didn't have to think about it ever again. But that isn't going to happen, is it? UPDATE- Dr. visit went well. She got 1 shot and barely flinched (better than the time it took 5 nurses to hold her down for an allergy test and blood draw). She is tall and heavy, but he said her weight gain has been consistent for years and is just how she grows. Make sure she exercises and makes healthy choices, etc. Not as bad as I was thinking it would be.

Lastly, we are getting ready to go camping. Yep, one day at home and it is spent getting ready to do the next thing. Fun. I love camping, though, so it will be nice. Just the packing and organizing part that is work.

Home Crap Home

We're back and I am tired. My washing machine is tired, too. I went to start all the laundry and as I am loading clothes, my feet are gettin' wet. I am standing in a puddle. Great. Flat tires, dented car, sick dog, broken washer........ Any clue what a broken washer means to a SAHM? Here is a f;ash back to the SAT's fer ya:

washer:SAHM::truck:trucker::pen:writer::money:banker::taxi:driver::script:actor

Does that clarify it? I do at least 2 loads daily. Help me.

Happy Fourth of July!

GOD BLESS THE USA!

Goin' on Vacay

We're leavin' in the am; destination Greenville, Maine. We'll be there for the fourth and will no doubt be takin' a ride in the boat to your left. We'll be back around next Wednesday. Then we go camping on Friday. Ozzy is supposed to have his procedure on Tuesday/Wednesday of that week. Then I leave for GA on the next Wednesday, which will give Ozzy 10 kid free days to rest. After that we're home until school starts and then I need to find something that pays me to do something.

heartworms=heartbreak

Ozzy has heartworms. I wasn't going to test him, but I did so that I could get him back on HeartGard. I'm glad I did. He is not showing any clinical signs yet, but I did have another test run to confirm the result and will have an answer tomorrow. The false positive for this test is rare, so it looks like we have to come up with a treatment plan. $887 was the estimate (high end, so chances of it being more is slim). I am sick about this. It feels like I have let him down. HE is my fur child and I am supposed to protect him. I would have never let Helen and Zachary go without a vaccine, why did I let the HeartGard lapse? TO save a couple of dollars? I am so mad at myself right now and so upset for the kids, especially Helen. She wanted a dog for so long and she loves Ozzy so much. He is such a wonderful and beautiful dog. I love him and so does everyone who comes around him. So, if you have a dog and you really care, get the heartworm treatment. Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes and left untreated, the heart is pretty much destroyed. Heart failure is likely. I am guessing at this point we have to decide if we can afford to treat him or if we have to have him put down.. I know that it would have to be soon- I can't watch him suffer and then have him put down. We just don't have all the money in the world and what if it doesn't work? Treatment can also fail and has its own risks. Arsenic is used to kill the adult worms and can have side effects on the dog. I am so very upset right now.

My child is strange some days

I've had a lot of posts about Zachy lately, but none about Bean. Ever since the Big Storm That Blew Our Roof and Tree Down, she feels the need to check the weather several times a day. The Yahoo Weather site is on her faves list, right under Webkinz. Now we have a new phobia. Last night she stayed up too late watching Verminators on the Discovery channel. When I put her to bed, she quietly asked when was the last time I changed her sheets (yesterday) and then picked up her toys. Later she got up and asked me if that noise was Zachary hitting his wall or did we have rats in the attic. OK, so I guess no more Verminator for you. Her other favorite shows are Clean House on the Style channel And Jon & Kate Plus 8. I find it strange that she enjoys shows about clearing clutter, pest infestation and a super control freak with 8 children (no offense Kate, I think you rock and I'm a control freak with 1/4 as many kids as you).

On another note, we are going to see the Kit movie tomorrow night with our friends, Erin and Emily. I'm more excited than Helen! Z is staying at Grandma's because he talks too much at movies and he won't like this girl fest any way!

I cannot believe this

Dad took Zachary for his hair cut. I kinda thought this would happen, but I am in shock still. I am going to visit MY family in a few weeks- how fast does hair grow? At least he can't have it after August 25- school doesn't allow Mohawks. And, yes, it is green- his favorite color.

I should be OK with this, but I'm not yet.

Zachary's Room

I sort of finished Zachy's bedroom. It looks much better....

The bed The pool table Under the bed- I need to organize

The dresser- notice the excess of Webkinz and Pez dispensers. I had to buy an extra set of sheets. As the bed is difficult to make, I am only using a fitted sheet and blanket, so the top sheet was transformed into a valance curtain and then I made a "hiding spot" curtain for the under bed area. I put his bookshelf behind the door. It looks nicer with the furniture moved around. Yes, his bed covers the window and is almost sitting on top of the air register, but his room is so tiny and awkward, there is just no way to have it perfect. I just bought this poster (eBay- hello) for his wall. Of course, I had to buy a General Greivous action figure (doll?) also.

For the uneducated, this is Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Boba Fett is cool because he has a jet pack and awesome weapons. And Darth, well, he is just a bad ass. Should I be concerned about my son's adoration of the Dark Side?

:0(

Dear XXXX,

It has been a while since I actually talked to you. Weirdly enough, I don't miss you. I thought that I would, but I don't. Maybe the truth was there all along and I just couldn't see. You are a user and a liar. I was fooled for too many years and I believed you, supported you, defended you and protected you. When I finally started to question you and your actions, you call me names and accuse me of disloyalty.

You have turned out to be the worst kind of friend. Since the demise of our "friendship" I hear from another person that you misrepresented me for years. Perhaps to keep me from forming a relationship with that person? Perhaps. It really doesn't matter any more and I really don't even care. I am, quite honestly, relieved to be done with your baggage and drama. I didn't realize how very much you drained out of me until I got away. I can honestly say that you seem to enjoy putting yourself into the victim role. You play it well. And then use it for blackmail. You are a fraud and a phoney. Get a really big grip on reality and come live with all of us in the genuine world. Until then, and then only after you apologize, I have absolutely nothing to say to you and don't even want to look at you. I tried to apologize and asked you to set the record straight and you responded with more insults and names. I do hope that I am never this blind again in my lifetime. I thought I was too old to be so fooled.

Sincerely, Susan

PURSES!

I have solved my purse quandary with the following purchases:

The first is a Vera Bradley Hipster in the Pink Elephant pattern, the second is a Matt & Nat Montreal Vegan bag. Both are new with tags and I scored AWESOME deals on eBay. Hooray! Now I am taking myself, the kids and a home made iced coffee to karate.

ADDITION- forgot to post the pics I picked up last night before I lost my bank card (I am a dumb ass).

Helen, age 8

Wasted trip

We were supposed to go to the farm yesterday. Unfortunately someone else had planned the trip for my moms group and did not check to see if they are open on Monday. They are not. So we went to a little park instead and then got lunch at Pizza Hut. Helen insisted on Pizza (go figure) and actually didn't have too many problems afterward. Maybe she is outgrowing it.

Ozzy is still shedding like a beast. Helen is using this FurBuster to brush him and fur is literally all over the place. I was about to vacuum, but I guess I will wait. There is fur everywhere he has been this morning. I love my dog, but the fur has been unreal this year!

We are going Gunpowder to swim today. Will post more later.

It is later and here are some pictures.

Zachary and Helen and our lunch. I had a fakon, lettuce and tomato sammie; they had ham. Those are cherries mixed with the melon. The square thingies are the cracker chips from Lay's.

More food shenanigans

Just read this article as linked by Jennifer over at Vegan Lunchbox. The article indicates that snack food choices are changing. It is good thing as more children are snacking on fruit, yogurt and water rather than soda and cookies. Even Cookie Monster is in on the change!

Now, what I would like to see is this. Get all that sugar, food coloring, candy and gelatin out of that yogurt. Fruit snacks and roll ups are very popular with the under 10 set, but are really glorified candy. My kids love these, and they are fruit, but oh so difficult to find, and pricey compared to the $1 box of candy fruit snacks. Times are a changin..... that's a good thing. But don't forget we are responsible for reading labels and making decisions, not the guys who make money peddling snacks.

First Communion Cards

Here are the cards I finally finished for Helen's first Communion (back in May- hey, I'm slack). I cannot get the hang of posting images. They are never where I want them in the layout. Here are the details:

Image-Elegant Cross by Rubber Stampede; Ink- Versamark, Emboss powder- Stampendous White Pearls; Scallop circle- Nestablilites; Emboss background- Cuttlebug filigree; Ribbon- organza by Morex Corp

I am sending them out with the portraits I had taken a while back- I would post one but I deleted the smiles by wire email, I am guessing.

The writing on the inside was done with Word and printed. It reads:

And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that beleiveth in me shall never thirst." John 6:15

My awesome sister sent me the link for the portraits!

I LOVE the laughing one so much. It looks like she sees angels.

Big Boy Bed

Zachary finally has a big boy bed. About time....at 5 years, 3 months and 3 days, he is 49 pounds and about 48 inches tall. His poor little feet were sticking off the bottom of the mattress (of course, his dad hangs off our bed, too, but that is another problem). Here he is showing off his new bed. And what appears to be a very large bullet. Have I mentioned he is into weapons (his fave color is camouflage)? I still need to arrange the furniture and decorate, but Las Vegas was not built in a day....

I never say too much about my son- I really wonder what he is going to be when he grows up. My thoughts are Naval Academy, followed by Marine Corps and some sort of FBI/Secret Ops....... Or a Ninja Baseball Player Rock Star Golfer. Could go either way.

UPDATE- there are now a million X's scratched all over the wall and ceiling courtesy of using the smaller bullet (see attached) as a "pencil" ARRRG. I know what I am doing tomorrow.

Purchased at Aberdeen Proving Ground