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I've got a few minutes to write. We just got an email that Clay's coach "traditionally" has batting practice (for the kids who need to work on it) on Sunday afternoons at 4pm (it's 3:55). Ches just got finished riding, so he went to take a shower, and I guess he'll take him. That bumps us up to three practices a week for just baseball! He goes again tomorrow night, but I'll have to drop him off, as Ches is teaching! I can't keep two kids there while he practices!
*Update: Just as they were pulling into the parking lot, the coach and his son were loading up to leave!! Ches and Clay got out, practiced a while, and another dad/son showed up, sans coach. Is this tradition too?*
It's much later now, as I truly only had a few minutes! I had to make dinner materialize out of not much, clean up, and then clean again as the kids went out to swim. They brought all their wet towels and wet feet through the house! Ches has been heating the pool almost every day. I usually stay in and clean up from dinner and the destroyed hearth room every day. By the time I'm done, they come back, and I'm back on clean up/bath duty! They do stay clean and have fun with daddy. Maybe I'll swim more with them next year. There's just not time right now. I'd have to abandon a lot, and then do it later. I hope the kids learn to clean up after themselves better!
Tomorrow is already looming in front of me. I've packed the kids' lunches, and I have to go by the Girl Scout office (don't worry-I'm planning to take cash) to get the brownie book, register Clay for basketball, make my doctor appointment (which I see now is at 8:15), and Clay has baseball practice (already told you..), maybe lunch with a friend, wash the kids' sheets, catch up on laundry, etc. I don't know how women work. Maybe if they have a maid. Or no kids. Or are really effective, and don't play on Facebook. Heehee
I also have to work on my Bible Study! It is supposed to take a week, and I've only spent about 20 minutes on it. I better get busy! : ) I have some St. Raphael's International Dinner and Auction tickets to sell, if you want to come join us (we're really fun!). They are $25, and go to our building committee! The ticket price includes dinner (about 5 choices), and the silent and live auction. Oh, and drinks.
Behave yourself, pray for my appointment, and limit your facebook time. : ) Doctor's orders.
Oh, and one more thing. Clay has popcorn to sell for boy scouts. He has to sell $250 dollars worth. : ) Want some popcorn?? : ) You can give it away for a gift if you have bad teeth! heehee No reason is worthy!
Finally, a moment to breathe, and not think about the Walk (although I still am...).
We had a great walk today! We had friends old and new show up, and we had a lot of fun. I'll post some pictures either in a slideshow down below or to the right. : ) I never am totally ready, and was feeling so behind this week, but it pulled together, and went fine. I didn't get the shirts printed till Thursday (and didn't get them till 5pm!). That always throws me off. I may have to look for a new place next year. I have a good hint that Logoworks could be good. I'll check into it early next year! I might do a school walk in the spring, and print two sets: one for the school kids, and one set for our walk in the fall. Do you have a good theme for us? I'm already planning, and I can't wait to plan another walk shirt! I think if I had a good general theme, they'd run with it. They always seek advice, and do really great things with it. I have to say, I got compliments on our event, planning, and organization. I can say I had nothing to do with it! : ) I'm learning to cut down on things, so this was another area...
Anyway, it was fun, tons to do for the kids, and as always, plenty of food, so Kudos! : )
AND, I got to catch up with some friends I haven't seen in a long time, and that was the best! Thanks for coming out to support Mary Claire you guys! : ) It means the world to her!
I go back to the doctor on Monday, so I'm not excited. I have no idea what this appointment is really for, so I'm nervous. Blood work, again? I'm fine, so I just don't know what to expect. It's been two weeks now, so time does continue, and things do move along. I hope I can just tell him I'm fine. Ches says I can't refuse bloodwork, but it should SO be optional!
Gosh, it's been so long, I feel like so much has happened in a week! Ethan got started in Mother's Day Out (first day was Tuesday), and he loved it! He wouldn't even say bye to me. I missed Bible Study since I wanted to take him the first day, and it started before he did. I think that Ches will take him in the future, and then drive to work. We'll get it worked out. Ches is trying to train for the Tour de Cure (100 miles), and ride every day plus get in a four hour ride every Friday-Yeah, I just tell him good luck with that. At least I can say I know someone who can do it . : )
Mary Claire was so high last Wednesday that I had to go get her at school since she couldn't eat. Her blood sugar just stayed over 240 for too long. I'm sure she had ketones by then. I got her, brought her down, then she ate with me while we were at Susan's hanging out. She ended up going with me to drop an extra shirt to print at the shirt shop, then to Rogers to pick up Ethan, then I took her back to school. It turned out to be fun for her, so she didn't mind. She absolutely loved going into the building to get Ethan! She actually used to go there, so she likes to go back.
We also have had Bank Day to turn in funds for our team for the walk, and I didn't get to tell Deb about the baby. She told Ches congratulations the week before when he went by to drop off money. He didn't have the words or heart (or time) to tell her, so he told me to tell her. How exactly do you bring that up? I haven't said anything to her. She'll figure it out.
Thursday and Friday were catch-up-and-get-ready days! That's about the time I got hyper and had to start planning. I'm so tired after my lack of sleep, but it's my own fault. I can't wait to get back into the routine, and back to my "normal" busy. Routine can be very therapeutic. For me.
We didn't go to church as a family last week, so I miss it. We also found out that our priest is being transferred to Fayetteville, and I didn't take it so well. He does such a great job of bringing our parish together, and I just don't know how someone else can do it as well. He's also sweet, and we'll miss him and his exuberance. What more can I say? Loss on all sides this month. I'll just bask in what we do have, and be thankful.
Maybe all the yucky stuff is behind me? Bad-ness travels in threes, so maybe it's over?
I got back from Branson last night. We shopped till we dropped, and we were tired! We stopped before dark, and that is not normal! We usually shop till 9pm, then eat dinner after all the stores are closed! But by Sunday, our third day, we were done.
When I met Angie there on Friday, we went into Gymboree first to see our friends Dina and Sara. Dina was there, in the back room, and not so happy. She's got a lot going on like the rest of us, but we got to cheer her up. I gave her a monogrammed cup since she liked mine the last time we were there, and she wanted one. We got to talk for a little while, and Sara called. Dina told her we had a surprise for her, and she came in. She had her baby and Dina's daughter, Ellie Mae. We talked and shopped, and then Angie and I shopped till the stores closed. At 9, we went to Olive Garden, had a wonderful dinner and got to catch up, then when we were leaving, we saw Dina and Sara and the kids again! : )
Saturday, more shopping, late meals, and we swung by to take Dina to lunch with us at Panera (and she gave us all the short cuts and back roads to help us make it faster)! She's so sweet, and sometimes we all need to reach out to others. We got to eat outside, and it was perfect. We also met Jordan, Sara's husband (who'd checked us out earlier!), who ran into Panera for lunch. He's the manager at Banana Republic at the same outlet mall as Dina and Sara. Such a small world! : )
Sunday went just as fast, and we forgot to tell Dina and Sara bye, but I'll email them. I'm monogramming Ellie Mae's Halloween costume and mailing it. She' going to be a vet, and she got a doctor's costume with a white jacket and greenish scrubs. She'll be so cute!
I got home last night before the kids went to bed, and we partied in the new clothes. Ethan got a new costume for Halloween (a monkey!) and ran around in it all night, until we persuaded him with something cooler (literally): some new dinosaur jammies. They were so cute running around in new shoes and jammies. : )
Today we went to Devil's Den near West Fork, Arkansas. Ches had left earlier to ride his bike down (and get in some long rides before the Tour de Cure), and we packed a lunch and headed south. We passed him on Highway 170, and he said he wanted to ride back up the road (yes, uphill), and then he'd ride back down and meet us near the playground. We went on, and I worried about him, it took forever! I gave him the keys, and told him to meet us at the dam. We walked halfway across, took some pictures, walked to the bottom side, and the kids saw tadpoles, fish, and threw rocks in the water. Mary Claire was feeling low, so we headed back up the hill towards the van to find Ches (and the van keys!) to check her. We met him near the van, and he took the boys back to the playground, got the meter (as Mary Claire could go NO farther). She was low, so we ate lunch. Amazingly, we ran into two families from church! It was great. The kids got to eat and play, then we headed towards the trails. Ethan had started losing it, so we knew we'd only have time for one cave. We chose the Devil's Den since it was only a half mile down the nearest trail. Ethan somehow got hurt near the entrance, and cried like crazy. I'm still not sure what happened, and I'm hoping he's okay. The kids and I went in only about 15 or 20 feet, as we forgot our flashlight. Ethan went into the opening, then wanted out. He wanted a light, and we just didn't have one! We hiked back up to the van, and went home. I had some snacks for them, but we stopped by McDonald's on the way home anyway. Some things can be made better with some french fries.
Now Ches and I are cooling off, catching up, and we're headed out tonight. We have a date! After all the chaos, we need some time. The kids go back to school tomorrow, and it's Ethan's first day of Mother's Day Out for this year! He can't wait! : ) And I guess I can't either! I have to get the rest of his supplies tonight and get him ready.
I have Bible Study tomorrow morning, but I don't know if I'll make it. I want to be there for his first day, so I'll probably miss it. And I haven't picked up my book or done my homework! And it's going to be rough. They are all so sweet, but they all either have babies or are pregnant, so it may take me some time.
We're also supposed to get our shirts printed tomorrow as long as we get the shirts in on time-some weren't ordered until Friday, so they have to be in by noon to print on tomorrow. Clay has his (boy scout) pack meeting tomorrow and Mary Claire has gymnastics. I'll have to hit the ground running!
I'm posting a few pictures of Devil's Den (yeah, bad name), and our past few days. They are just cuties. : )
A teensy update.
Biggest (Recent) Trauma Drama
On Tuesday, I went by the girl scout office/gift shop to purchase Mary Claire's new uniform (since she's a brownie now). The total for the vest, patches, etc. was $40.25. Well, by some odd mistake, the lady charged me $4025. I didn't really freak out (really). They worked on it for a while, and eventually told me they voided it. I left with some copies and signed things, and didn't really think about it again. Until yesterday.
I called to check my balance, and it was $17. I can only say that I don't think I've had that balance since I was in college. Or before. Of course, I freaked out, and immediately transferred $3000 in case anything else was to come through. Well. That was just the beginning of my exasperation. What ensued was lots of yelling and transferred phone calls to the Little Rock GS office. Longer story short, they did it AGAIN. So. Then since my savings is my overdraft protection for my checking account, all my savings transferred automatically. So, then I had $0. I really lost it then, and did lots more screaming. I was actually at a girl scout meeting with Mary Claire (and Clay was reading quietly) when I found out about the second time. I had to get the kids and leave. I thought I was going to explode.
When I got home, Ches took the kids out to swim (thank the good Lord in Heaven for the pool heater) since I had another good hour or two on the phone. Good bye, dinner and family time. They assured me that I'd receive $8050 worth of credit by morning. (trying to shorten the story..) I didn't. *Insert more anger, but I'm drained, and don't have lots more yelling in me, so just some crying* I was supposed to meet Susan at 9 this morning, so I tried to get ready (even though Ethan really wanted to play outside!). Life seems to go on even in the midst of chaos.
I had my hair appointment today. Yes, some sanity and tiny time for me. Ahh...a commercial break in the drama. Then, back to chaos. David, the finance man for GS, called *during* my appointment to check in and find out my balance. I called the bank, checked the balance, and called him back. It was up to $2900, so one of the $4025's had made it in. He told me to check in tomorrow (Friday) to let him know how it was going. I'm sure Taylor was relieved to know he'd get paid!! heehee : )
Just another crazy day in my life. Susan brought dinner to ease my crazy life-so sweet. The kids gobbled it up (including homemade chocolate chip cookies!) which I probably haven't made since Mary Claire was diagnosed! I have certainly slowed down in the bake shoppe department. Those cookies are definitely calling my name. . .
Tomorrow is my big 36th birthday. I guess I still look forward to an anniversary of the day I was born. Every year my world changes so much. I wonder where I'll be in a year. I'm just in the passenger seat, and I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.
The kids shopped and got gifts, and we ate cupcakes tonight with dinosaur rings (kinda girly, kinda boyish, the kids thought). They were wonderful, and my kids were so sweet and excited for me! Clay got me a card and recorded a little message. Mary Claire had made a card at school-you know, those are just the best, full of love! : )
Tomorrow I'm headed to Branson to shop (and maybe some relaxing?) with Angie for the weekend. It's an (bi)annual tradition, and I love it. It feels like I'm helping my family (by buying their winter clothes..or summer clothes!), yet it's for me (as I dearly love to shop!). Just perfect!
I'm praying for a coming year of blessings, whatever they may be, whatever God thinks I can handle. And after watching a great skit/video on youtube, I'm praying that God will chisel me into the masterpiece He created. I still have bits that need refining.
In the midst of crazy town, I forgot all about my Walk shirts. I had messages to turn in the final shirt (size) numbers. I totally forgot. I've emailed now, and I hope they don't push printing. I'll live if they do-I've been purified in the last week. The design is cute, I'll try to post a pix of the front. It's a vintage/tatoo kind of design. It's a heart with a crown and wings with Hero across the heart. : )
I really need some rest, so I should wrap up. I totally meant to type a tiny bit, but I always get carried away. Kinda like the way I talk! : )
