Mars2Buckeyes

All is Quiet

2010-08-18T06:41:00.002-05:00

It's early on a Wednesday and the boys are still sleeping. It is rare that I am up before them. I started a 10-day cleanse on Friday and feel great. Had always wanted to try one, but knew I could never do only liquids for that long. This program allows you to eat 3 times a day with snacks. Just lots of fruits, veggies, and nuts. Haven't been really hungry and have lost almost 6 pounds. Day 3 was ugly and struggled, but I am much better now! Not hungry, lots of energy. I went walking last night with a friend and it was so fun. Hope to get that in the exercise more often now!

School in 15 days! I think I have all of the supplies we need now. I am not one to go out and buy the kids all new wardrobes just because it is back-to-school time. They have plenty of clothes. I bought them each two new shirts...great sale as always at Aeropastle. JC will need new pants....not one pair fit him from last year. But, I will wait until the weather starts to change. He is growing too fast to buy them now! I am going to need to go clothes shopping since I am working FT now at the school. My wardrobe needs some help! Hoping to hold off awhile until I drop some more weight!

Off to tackle some freelance. I hope to be able to cut back on that a bit now that I am working FT....now enough time in the day!

People are Just Nuts!

2010-08-10T10:25:00.002-05:00

So, I am on the board of directors of our Local Little League and run one of the divisions. This dad at lacrosse camp was standing next to me at lacrosse camp yesterday complaining how the "new minor league commissioner" does not know what she is doing and never sends any information to parents. I almost bit my tongue, but instead introduced myself and shared that I did indeed send out several emails regarding the upcoming season and maybe he should check his junk mail file. He wanted to crawl into a hole! Had another parent go nuts because her husband was not chosen as a manager and they pulled their kid from the league since the dad is not in charge of a team. He was offered to be a coach...but obviously that's not good enough. The nerve of these people. My position is totally voluntary and we don't even get a break on our registration fees....I pay the same as everyone else. I put in tons of hours, especially before the season begins and these people sit back and bitch! So frustrating!

My Tough Guy

2010-08-01T17:46:00.001-05:00

JC never complains when he is sick or hurt. So, when he mentioned that his ear kind of hurt when he touched it, I took notice. When he mentioned it two days in a row, I figured it was serious. I took him to Urgent Care today and he has an inner and outer ear infection. The doc let me look and it was flaming red. The doc said an infection like this would make "a preacher cuss" and he would himself use vocabulary not in the dictionary! Now if only this tough guy routine would also be in place when his brother taps him....then we get the "Ouch, that hurt!" Sigh!

Summer Fun

2010-07-31T09:41:00.004-05:00

We had two encounters with old friends this week. First we hit the zoo with my friend LN and her four kids (including the 4-year old triplets!) We hadn't seen the kids since the triplets were like 18 months old. Nothing like seeing the zoo again from the eyes of a preschooler! LN and I have been friends for probably 20 years!

Thursday we hit Cedar Point with the girls and an old friend of JC's. She is also a bestie of cousin RM and she came to stay with them for a week. She and JC were in second and third grade together and they got to be great friends. The Point was busier than we expected for a Thursday, but they had a great time. For a change, the weather was not blazing hot and 90! They got on most of the big coasters which was a plus!

School starts in a month.....still much fun to be had by this gang!

Summer Winding Down

2010-07-23T15:07:00.002-05:00

JC finished swim team this week. He made such great progress. He shaved almost 8 seconds off of his breast stroke and about 6 off his freestyle. He made it to the consolation round for breast stroke in championships this week. They had a little party and he received the most improved award....which he ironically also received after his first Middle School season. One of the parents who has been around swimming a long time said he has just made such tremendous progress and said we really need to keep him in the pool. We are looking at options, but most range from 700-1200 and are year round! We have one option that is a short fall pre-season, so we are looking into whether he is old enough for that. Let's hope!

Baseball evaluations for fall ball are next week....hard to believe. It feels like we just finished spring ball. JM is doing a lacrosse camp in a few weeks to try it out. Figured he needs to see if he likes it before we spend the money on equipment!

I got a full-time job at the elementary school as a TA for math/literacy support, so I am less than excited than ever for summer to end! We have been gone so much this summer that it seems we are now just relaxing. The pool pass has been great with these horribly hot days. We have just had constant heat this summer.....more 90+ degrees days than ever! Been really trying to catch up on the scrapbooking before school begins. I'm not too far behind....just finishing up Christmas of 2009. Could be worse!

Wow, one year later....

2010-06-23T13:44:00.002-05:00

It has been almost a year since I posted last, and looking back there are some things that never change! 11 months later and my mother is back to scheduling surgery for what might be a cancerous growth on her kidney. My dad just finished a grueling new treatment a few weeks ago. He has a new tumor that is wrapped around his carotid artery and causing him to black out and have seizures. He still has not found out if it worked; they are hoping it shrinks it enough that he is more comfortable. Nothing else much they can do.

We are into our second week of summer vacation and so far, so good. We spend week one in North Carolina and had a great time. JM, for the first time, loved the ocean waves. The kids were swimming either in the ocean or our pool probably 6+ hours a day. Their skin shows it....very dried out! It as 90+ every day and we only had two small storms after dark. Perfect way to start the summer.

We are back to baseball, swim team, and JC volunteering at the library. JM's team got a bye in the first round and won in round two. Now we play tomorrow and if we win, Saturday is the championship. He hit in the winning run last night. It seems we are pretty booked this summer, but will definitely use our pool pass as much as possible! JC's first swim meet is tonight, should be fun.

Off to shoo the boys off of Wii and the computer to get them to do a little reading. They read a lot in the car during the vacation and trying to not slack off already!

Life in the Crazy Lane!

2009-07-21T19:50:00.002-05:00

Life has been a little nuts the last month....I know, what's new?

We just learned that my mother has cancer. She had some pre-cancerous tissue removed in the same area about 6 years ago. It is considered a "high-risk" cancer...what ever that means. So, she goes next week for a pre-surgical appointment and hopefully they can get her in soon for surgery. She is in a lot of pain and discomfort. Luckily, my dad is recovering well from his cancer surgery. He is working on talking again and is even out riding his bike. Get one better, and one falls apart...geesh!

My brother's wife went into pre-term labor last week. The little bugger was about 5 weeks early, so that was little scary. They transported her to Toledo to give birth because the hospital where they live was not a high enough level NICU. He is doing remarkably well for being so early and was home in two days. Can't wait to see him! JM is glad he is no longer the youngest.

It has been 18 weeks since I hurt my foot and it is still not 100%. I am done with PT, but still have a lack of strength and stability and pain. So, the doc is looking at some surgery to clear out what he thinks is scar tissue causing the pain. We'll see. He THINKS it is from scar tissue...can't you do a scan of some sort and know for sure before poking around in my foot and sending me back to PT...umm, I think so!

This is our first week without baseball since April 8th! It has been nice.....of course the boys are out playing catch with dad as I type. They love their baseball. Evals for fall ball and tryouts for Spring travel are next week, so the break is short lived. JM is not sure he is trying out for travel...I think the tryouts are too close to the end of the season and he is a bit burned out. He loved playing, but when he looks at tryouts already he gets a little apprehensive.

So, such is life! Crazy, busy, and full of surprises!

Summer Vacation, So Far, So Good

2009-06-17T15:46:00.004-05:00

Our summer has gotten off to a fast and furious start. School was over on a Friday and we headed out camping that Sunday. We went to Kentucky near Mammoth Cave with my Sister-in-law and her gang. The kids took the tent, and DH and I stayed in the camper (I hate tent camping!) We had great weather and the campground was great. Bathrooms and showers were super clean and the kids loved the pool. We had to drag JM out of it each day. There was a little mini-golf course and activities for the kids. They went down to watch movies most evenings and played hide and seek another night. I had to miss the trip to Mammoth Cave because of my darn foot. Way too much walking. I am at 12 weeks and still swollen and bruised. My physical therapist highly recommended I avoid the cave....figured he didn't want to seem some story on the news of me being rescued!

Between baseball, JC's fitness camp and volunteering at the library, I am back to my job as taxi driver. If only it paid as well as when I was subbing! I think I made three trips out so far today just to tote JC around town. Tonight he has convinced me to go watch playoff baseball games for his league...his team finished in first and earned a bye. JM's team won their first playoff game last night 16-11. He was 2 for 3 with two doubles. Fun stuff! They even got to play under the lights.

We are excited to see all of the cousins in a few weeks. Always a good time when we get together. Our theme for the cousin's party this year is a "50s-60's Bash". We are going to watch a "drive in" movie and the kids are all going to make cardboard cars to attach to their chairs. Should be a good time...hopefully the weather will cooperate.

It Happened Again.....

2009-05-27T20:30:00.004-05:00

I came home from subbing yesterday to find a Sheriff's car in front of my house and DH home.....2 hours early. Someone broke into our house AGAIN (2nd time in 15 months) and my oldest was the one to come home and find it. The bastards tried to kick in both doors (which DH reinforced after the last break-in). When that didn't work, they ripped the sliding screen door off our bedroom french door. When that failed, they threw a damn rock through our kitchen window. We think there were two, and one got a cut from the glass (HA HA) and bled on one of our new King size pillows. They took two entire drawers from one of my dressers....not just the contents, the whole damn drawer. Duh! They took a pillowcase....just dump the contents please. (Can you tell I'm a little pissed!) We had been saving change to help buy JC the mini-motorcycle he wants for his birthday. We had rolled about $100 in coins over the weekend....gone. I am still racking my brain to remember what all was in the drawers. The tried to take the Playstation, but left it. The alarm must have rushed them enough.

I am so angry that JC had to go through that. I found it the first time and know how much it freaked me out. I hate not feeling safe in my own home. He will no longer be coming home from school by himself, which also ticks me off. He enjoyed the responsibility, but I just can't do it. They left a lot behind, and I am afraid they will come back. DH had to replace both doors, although they didn't get in that way, they were damaged. The window is on order. Not sure what the insurance will do about the dresser...we really need to replace the whole thing. They did have a lead for a guy who cut his arm and was in the ER....he had no explanation of how it got there...DUH...make up a excuse idiot! Not sure what good it will do. I'm sure they released him, and if his blood is a match to what they found, what will they do. Issue a warrant and hope they run into him. Oh, and the detective that came was a jerk...hello, a little sympathy and consideration please.

To top it off, our well pump died Friday and was $1300 to replace. I give up at this point!

Preview of Great New Book

2009-05-22T21:19:00.002-05:00

Most of "us" are too old for this....but I am sending out a fun challenge (for our kiddos!) I was sent a copy of "The Double-Daring Book for Girls" to help with promotion. I need to throw out a challenge from the book....so (from page 120) how many jumps can your kiddos do on a pogo stick. For those of us in the 35+ crowd, don't hurt yourselves....but feel free to give it a try! Let me know how many you get in!

Weekend of fun!

2009-05-04T11:29:00.002-05:00

It rained like the dickens Friday....one strong storm after another. And, I was not surprised because Saturday was opening day for baseball. It always rains for opening day. The wonderful gentlemen on our board, with the help of some coaches, got out there at 6 am and worked the fields. Most games were pushed back an hour, but we got all of the games in. The boys both won and played well. JC got to catch for three innings and was thrilled. He loves to catch....it makes mom nervous! We had a wonderful Opening Day celebration with lots of free fun. The boys all went, I had to be at church for my niece's Confirmation. I was proud to be her sponsor. It was a beautiful service and we had a nice dinner afterwards. (even though we didn't eat until almost 8:00!)

JC was not himself Saturday, not eating.....cold, and he did have a fever. But, he felt okay and made it through the busy day. He is home today, mostly sleeping! We hit Kings Island Sunday with my nieces and the in-laws. There was a 50% chance of rain, but it worked out. The weather was perfect. We rode the new coaster and loved it. I rode around in a wheel chair, but even the walking while in line was enough! We actually ran into some family from up in Sandusky....we never even see them up at Cedar Point! We were quite surprised.

I head back to the surgeon today for my foot. It is still quite swollen, so we'll see what he says. I start subbing tomorrow and will be working until the first week of June. I hope the foot holds out. Working full-time will be an interesting adjustment!

Weekend

2009-04-28T12:34:00.001-05:00

Now that it is Tuesday, I thought I would ramble about our weekend! The boys had three baseball practices between the two of them. JC was still a little run down from camp last week. We have summer-like weather all weekend with temps in the mid-to-high 80s. DH worked on a new frame for our new bed. We are still shopping for a mattress, but have one more store to check out this week. Trying to compare prices. My niece went to a bat mitzvah and I had to go curl her hair because her mom was out of town. It was fun....something I won't ever get to do with two boys!

The boys both had Ohio Achievement Tests Monday, so we had to cut the weekend a bit short Sunday night to get them in bed early. Why test on a Monday is beyond me?? I subbed Monday and wished I hadn't. This darn walking boot kills my back, and the foot swelled like a balloon again. I need to step up the icing on a more regular basis. I go to my chiropractor Thursday, so that will help the back. I go back to the Ortho surgeon on Monday, I am dreading what he is going to say when he sees that it is still swollen!

Rainy week ahead. Our opening day for Little League is Saturday, so I am up to my ears in uniform issues. Hoping the weather hold out, we have a big opening day festival planned and my nieces Confirmation is Saturday. We may head to Kings Island on Sunday....I may need a wheel chair!

Rain and Pain!

2009-04-20T15:25:00.002-05:00

It is such a crummy day, after the beautiful weather we had on Saturday. The boys had baseball on Saturday and DH got a lot of yard work done, he also worked on the tractor....the grass is growing fast. Wish we could afford a new one this summer. He puts so much time into keep that darn thing running. He did say this would be the last summer for it thought, it is rusting through! Can't wait to smell that freshly cut grass.

JC left today for camp; each middle school team goes for three days. He is going to have such horrible weather, cool and wet every day. But, I don't think he minds much. I tried to be sure he had enough dry socks at least, nothing worse than wet feet. He has some great kids in his cabin, most of whom he has played baseball or basketball with. They will have fun despite the rain. I was a bit worried sending him off, this is really the first time he has gone somewhere for a few days where I can not reach him! His best bud went last week and had a few tips for him! He seemed to enjoy himself.

JM came home from school a little excited he gets to be an only child for a few days! I told him I would take him to dinner tomorrow; I'm sure we'll be at Bob Evan's.

The foot is still sore, especially when I am on it. Trying to stay off it, but it is hard when I can finally walk a bit. This rain doesn't help my overall pain! I am subbing one day this week and one next week, so that will be a good test. Looking forward to the high 70s we are supposed to get by week's end.

Gratitude List

2009-04-16T12:52:00.002-05:00

A rare midweek gratitude list, usually the week gets away from me and I forget to post this!

1. The sun is finally shining.
2. The cast is gone.
3. The Indians are playing an afternoon game.
4. I actually put some clothes away in the boys room today.
5. I paid bills and still have money left.....Yeah!

Easter 09

2009-04-14T12:47:00.003-05:00

We had a really nice Easter. The boys were up a little early, but not too bad! We had to leave for Mass by 8:30, so we had to be up early anyway. Mass was packed, and DH got the last spot in the main lot. Luckily the in-laws beat us there, because the main floor of church filled up fast, and there was no way I was hauling my butt up to the balcony!

The cousin's had so much fun together. They played most of the day in the basement; we could hear them singing with their Wii music and karaoke machine! The Partridge Family we are not! It was a little chilly for their scavenger hunt, but the didn't care. We even wrote a clue on the bottom of my cast, should have fun explaining that when it comes off tomorrow. It was tough getting back up for school yesterday, and the boys are still a bit tired. This gray, rainy weather doesn't help much!

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T00:45:00.002-05:00

It's about 1:45 am, so Easter has officially arrived. I have been having such a rough time sleeping the last few night; I just can't get comfortable with this cast. it itches like crazy. Part of the problem too is I can't do much physically during the day, so I'm not as tired I guess. Although today, I was up a lot, baking and getting things ready for Easter Sunday. So frustrating.

So, in my sleepy state, pardon my ramblings. I am worried about my SIL and her little bun in the oven. They had an ultrasound last week and found out it was a boy. My brother is thrilled. Going with Mason James as a name. They have to go back next week for another one because they are worried about the baby's size. Not sure why, she was so off, that there is no way they could pinpoint a due date exactly. But, she is still smoking, as is my brother. That has such a link to low birth weight, that it worries me a lot. Not sure why her doctor or her family isn't doing more to get her to quit. After my brother watching what my dad has gone through, I don't know how he can continue to smoke. Losing a voice box not enough of a deterrent for you??? Uggh!

I finally got my mom to quit last week, the her idiot of a husband pulled another one of his stunts, stressed her out, and now she is back at it. I think she may try again though, JM was really on her and she does not want to disappoint him. Just the expense of it is enough that she should quit.

Easter tomorrow should be pretty laid back. My SIL is hosting again, and there is always lots of yummy food! The boys are excited to see their cousins. JM has been counting down the days since early March, he loves doing the scavenger hunt. We worked on it yesterday, and it will be a tough one!

Going to go use my awake time more wisely and do some writing. Lots of articles due by the end of the month!

Happy Easter!

Friday Gratitude List

2009-04-10T12:40:00.003-05:00

It's Friday, the kids are off school and my cast comes off in 5 days! I keep having dreams (no, nightmares) that they take the cast off, take one look at it and say "Gee, that needs to be in a cast for another few weeks!" Hopefully I can get into the walking boot and get rid of these crutches. The boys (and DH) have been great, DH does all of the laundry and cleaning, and most of the cooking. The boys have pitched in with putting clothes away and waiting on mom. They went with me to the grocery store today and JM had to haul all of the groceries into the house by himself! You should see my get around the store in my old-lady motorized cart....nice! They do all have a better appreciation of what it takes to keep this house running smoothly! Luckily, Easter is at my SIL's house here in town, we only need to make a dessert.

Gratitude list for the day:

1. JC got all A's on his report card.
2. 5 more days of crutches.
3. DH may get off early today.
4. JM has a friend coming over and JC is at a friend's house...they deserve a little fun.
5. My mom is having a better week....last week was horrible!

In desperate need of a gratitude list....

2009-03-31T12:15:00.002-05:00

The boys are on spring break, all of JM's friends are out of town, and I am bogged down with a nice, red cast (actually, I call it Scarlet!). We were supposed to go to Castaway Bay in Sandusky for a few days, but that is just too much water, moisture, and work for mom when she is on crutches. So, we are kind of hanging around, laying low. The boys are getting a bit bored. DH is taking a day off to take them bowling or something, and we may try and get to the movies. Not quite the break we had planned, but at least the mornings are slow and quiet. It is after 1:00 and they are still in their pajamas, which they love.

Gratitude list for today:

1. I only have to wear the cast for three week, not six!
2. It is going to be pretty warm this week.
3. My mom is working on quitting smoking.
4. I may have picked up two additional clients.
5. DH's job situation is improving.

Updates

2009-03-25T11:10:00.003-05:00

My dad is doing well. They have him walking a bit and sitting up in a chair. They were a bit negligent taking care of a would on his leg from a skin graft, and that was painful once they figured it out. He is getting a bit antsy, but is healing well.

I, on the other hand, took a spill yesterday. It was so graceful, I missed the last step coming off our porch. We were taking the boys to the park. Daddy still took them after I was sent up on the couch with ice. I had x-rays today, and the doctor could not believe that it is not broken. With the amount of swelling, pain, and sensitivity, he feels there must be some tendon/ligament damage. So, I have to see a specialist on Friday and will go from there. All of this, and today is DH's 40th! Uggh! At least I got his cake baked last night....it's not frosted, but at least it's baked. I sent him to work so at least he could get his goodies there!

Dad's Surgery is Today

2009-03-17T09:48:00.003-05:00

He went under around 7am and it should take upwards of 14 hours. Two teams, the one removing the cancer and then a team of plastic surgeons to repair afterwards. He is in Cleveland; my poor grandmother is a mess. She is a feisty old Italian, strait from Sicily. She was giving the surgeons the ole "You better take good care of my Bobby!" I teased that she probably threatened some old Sicilian curse. Say a prayer!

Gratitude for today:

1. My kids are doing well in school.
2. DH still has a job.
3. The sun is shining again today.
4. Work is remaining consistent.
5. My dad has a great team of doctors working on him today.

Friday, Friday, Friday!

2009-03-13T10:52:00.002-05:00

It has been quite a week. DH worked late just about every night, but the warm temps earlier in the week were a welcomed change. With the time change and 70 degree temps, the boys were able to play outside after school and after dinner. This of course made getting homework done more of a chore. I think that is the only thing I like about winter, the don't go out after dinner, so it is a calmer evening for homework, showers, and bedtime.

I have quite a freelance list to work through, but did manage to finish the test items that were due today. I only subbed three days this week, so that always helps me get more freelance done. On top of my to-do list is tracking down two more managers for my division, our draft is supposed to be Monday....we'll see if anyone steps up.

JC turns 12 Sunday, and is having a few friends over to spend the night Saturday. He is saving his b-day money to buy an iTouch. I don't feel he needs one, so if he wants it, he will need to pay for it himself! I can not believe he is going to be 12.

My dad's surgery is Tuesday, so I will probably drive to Cleveland that afternoon. It will involve an overnight stay, because the surgery probably won't be over until 9 or so that evening. I need to call my dad and aunt to find out exactly where to track them down once I get up there. I know University Hospital is a huge place.

Gratitude list for today:

1. The sun is shining.
2. It's Friday!
3. Today is pay day
4. Our taxes are done and we are getting a pretty decent refund.
5. We got a great rate on our refinance this week...will save us tons of $$ in the long run!

Saturday Insanity!

2009-03-07T22:09:00.002-05:00

It has been such a hectic day....although I think I wouldn't want it any other way. Our day was consumed with sports, friends, and family, and a near record high temperature. Not too bad I guess.

9-12 am: JM had a baseball clinic
11 am: JC played his last bball game (they got creamed!)
12: DH picked JM from camp and I grabbed a quick lunch
12:30: I headed to the coaches clinic for baseball
1:00: DH takes JC to watch his best bud play in (and win) the basketball championship game
2:00: I bail early from the baseball clinic to pick JC up from the basketball game.
2:30: home to work on the computer until about 3:45
3:45: Drop JM off at his coaches house for their end of the year basketball party
4:00: The rest of us head off to my sister-in-laws for dinner and a little down time
6:30: pick up aforementioned best bud for a sleep over
7:00: pick JM up from his basketball party
7:30: home for more work, showers, and a rowdy nerf gun fight.

It is now 10:15 and the boys are all playing PS2. I almost forgot about the time change, so technically it is 11:15. I'm not sure the boys will buy that logic, but they will need to hit the hay soon. We hit 77 here in Central Ohio today, although we didn't get to enjoy it much with all the running. I love the warm temps, but this will sure make it much harder to accept the next 30 degree day!

My back pain is still bothering me, and I am not sure what to do next.

Gratitude list for the day:

1. JC and his best bud have been friends since preschool and I love the fact that they are still so close. They have not been in the same class together since they were 4, and even survived him moving out of state for a year or so. They are just two peas in a pod and when they are together, they just act like themselves! Love it!
2. It is officially baseball season.
3. We refinanced our mortgage and learned it will save us over $50,000 over the rest of the life of the loan....Yeah!
4. It is still going to be near 70 tomorrow.
5. The time change gives us more time to play outside after dinner!

At least the sun is shining...

2009-03-03T14:47:00.002-05:00

I have been slacking in posting my gratitude lists, I am keeping it up mentally though! It seems like time is just a blur these days. Saturday was blitzed with three basketball games. My oldest won his game on the last foul shot of the game....I was so proud of him. Sunday....not sure what happened to Sunday. I went grocery shopping and had a three hour baseball meeting.

My back started hurting Sunday night. Like, bring me to my knees pain. I went to Urgent Care, peed in a cup, nothing. He wanted me to go to the ER today, went, peed in a cup, no other tests ordered...nothing. "It's just your back". So, at least now I have some good drugs to help me sleep until it gets better.

I have some backlogged freelance that I really need to get to. The aforementioned drugs that I got at the ER will interfere with me thinking clearly enough to work on that for awhile. I think I will probably take the week of from subbing to focus on writing.

Gratitude for the day:

1. At least my back isn't something more serious. The urgent care doc was throwing out kidney stones, appendicitis, and other lovely ideas. I will take a back ache.
2. The sun is shining.
3. My kids are healthy.
4. More freelance = more $$
5. My mom is getting a handle on her messed up life!!

TGIF!

2009-02-27T06:47:00.003-05:00

My list for this morning.

1. It is raining and I don't have to go outside!
2. I exceeded by quota of 20 articles this month.
3. It's Friday!
4. Baseball is starting up.
5. Everyone is healthy.

Happy Friday!!

Wednesday Already?

2009-02-25T21:14:00.001-05:00

Man, this week is flying by! Here is my gratitude list for today.

1. It was above 50 today.
2. I did not have to do bus duty.
3. Pay day is Friday.
4. We got a lower rate on our home equity loan!!
5. I exercised 2 out of the last 3 days...not great, but better than I have been doing!

Where did the weekend go?

2009-02-23T08:38:00.002-05:00

Why must our weekends always be so crammed with activity? JM brought it home Sunday when we were planning to head out baseball evaluations and his comment was "Why can we never just stay home on the weekends?" I feel your pain. Baseball evals were nuts, we did 210 kids the first two Saturdays, and then did over 250 yesterday. JC came down with a fever Saturday night, he was a little better yesterday and went to school today. He still has a bit of a headache today, but told him if he couldn't tough it out at school to head to the nurse and give me a call. That will never happen, I don't think he has ever gone to the school nurse.

It proves to be a crazy week with three subbing days and a 4 hour web-conference Friday to start a new 2-month freelance job. I am writing test questions, I hope it isn't too monotonous. Here's hoping it is lucrative and fun to do.

Gratitude for Monday!

1. West Wing is on again...my favorite show and I love that BRAVO runs reruns.
2. It is going to be 50 by Thursday.
3. Two of my sub days are meetings where I bop around to 6-7 different rooms and I don't have to do bus duty!
4. I get paid Friday.
5. I made my own granola yesterday and it is yummo! I will share the recipe at some point.

Sunday Gratitude

2009-02-22T16:20:00.002-05:00

1. JC had a fever last night, but is feeling a little better.
2. We are done with baseball evals....did over 250 kids today in three hours.
3. I am not subbing tomorrow, so I can finish my articles for the month.
4. We didn't get as much snow as anticipated.
5. The boys are done with their cycle of fighting from earlier and are playing nicely!

Gratitude for Saturday

2009-02-21T08:16:00.001-05:00

1. JC had fun at his retreat last night.
2. I am going to exceed my goal of writing 20 goals this month.
3. My new 2 month writing job is set to start on schedule...should be good money.
4. JM has gone three nights without a bad dream...he has mastered positive thinking!
5. There is a fire in the woodburner!

Gratitude Thursday

2009-02-19T06:37:00.003-05:00

1. JC finished his science project last night.
2. One of my freelance checks came yesterday.
3. I didn't have to pack a lunch this morning.
4. JM hasn't woken up from bad dreams for two nights.
5. Our furnace is working better.

Gratitude List

2009-02-18T18:43:00.002-05:00

Happy Wednesday!

1. Wednesday is our day to sleep in!
2. The kids are doing homework.
3. It was above freezing today.
4. I came across missing freelance money!! Hopefully it will be in my pocket by the end of the month!
5. My dad has his surgery scheduled.

Gratitude List

2009-02-17T09:53:00.002-05:00

1. We had fun at the hockey game last night...even though they lost. The boys danced, cheered, and were filmed and shown on the video board dancing!
2. My chiropractor got me in earlier today, making my after school time easier to manage.
3. I finished writing two articles already this morning.
4. I already folded a load of laundry.
5. West Wing is on Bravo...I miss that show!

Here is a pic to share of the boys in the penalty box and Nationwide Arena. They skated on the ice where the players play last week!

Gratitude List

2009-02-16T10:55:00.002-05:00

We had gotten the DVD "The Secret" from the library....tried the book, couldn't get it done. DH had been reading it while he waited for the boys to be done with basketball practice, with their crazy schedules he ends up with a 1/2 hour here or there during the week to fill. So, the one thing they suggest is to get up every day and list what you are grateful for. So, I am going to attempt to start there. Many of the "changes" they suggest are more of a challenge, so I'll start small!

Today I am grateful:

1. That my kids are now quiet and reading.
2. I slept 6 hours straight last night.
3. That the hubby forced about 4 loads of laundry through yesterday, so with the one more in the dryer now, we may be caught up for 24 hours.
4. We get to take the boys to a hockey game tonight...for free!
5. I have freelance work to complete....work = money!

Creative Outlet

2009-02-11T14:25:00.004-05:00

No you are not seeing things, I am posting twice in a span of three days! I had the day off from subbing and instead of working all day, I decided to work on my scrapbooks. I do a family album for each year, one for each of the boys, and one for Cedar Point. We take so many pics there that it was taking up too much space in my annual album! I also do special albums for our Gundlach vacations and things like first communion.

Today, I worked on the Cedar Point album and thought I would share some pics of some of the recent pages that I did. Nothing fancy since I am behind a bit, I am in power scrapping mode. Just trying to make it look cute and get it done fast! With freelance breathing down my neck, I try not to go over board and spend too much time on any one page! Enjoy!

Monday Ramblings...

2009-02-09T16:13:00.003-05:00

• No news about my dad lately. I THINK they ran their own tests in Cleveland on Friday and I THINK they did exploratory surgery today to see if there was anything they could do for him. One would THINK that since I am his daughter they could return my calls so that I actually KNOW what the heck it going on!

• My mom is finally in a better place. Not sure how long it will last, but for today, I'll take it.

• I have been sick for a week and can not get rid of this cold. It has migrated from my head to my chest and now is affecting my asthma, never a good thing. I am avoiding going to the doctor as long as possible!

• I have been subbing a lot which is good the the bank account, just not good for the aforementioned cold! I was approached to cover a maternity leave for the last month of the school year and decided to take it. It is a rather crazy second grade class, but we'll be fine. I have had them the last three days, and will have them several times before the leave. I'll have them whipped into shape in no time!

• I haven't shared a pic in awhile (because my posting is so erratic!)......so here are a few pics of the boys from December when we went to an Ohio State bball game. They got to go on the floor to shoot lay-ups and then got an autograph from Evan Turner. It was a fun night!

Cancer....Shmancer!

2009-01-27T18:44:00.002-05:00

I received a call yesterday that my dad's cancer has booked a return engagement. He had throat cancer about 2 years ago and they thought they got it all in round one. He had extensive surgery, luckily stopping just short of removing his voice box. This time around, he had an ear ache and they went one step further to be sure of the cause.

They did several biopsies and they all came back positive. This is on the other side of the neck and there is concern it is in his lungs. He goes to the Cleveland Clinic tomorrow to see what they can do, if anything. Their initial thought is that any surgery would involve breaking his jaw....not pleasant. Not that being full of cancer will be very pleasant either...they just don't think at this point there is much they can do.

Now, ever since my parents divorced, I have not been as close to my dad. My boys don't know him well, he and his wife do not participate much in the lives on any of their grandkids. I went through a time where I called weekly, sent pictures of the boys, and made sure they saw him. But, they never returned the favor, so I sort of stopped. Although I resent that at times, he is still my dad. He is still the boys' grandfather. This still sucks!

My mom is going through her own hell lately, so I guess it is time to hang on. It's going to be a rough month or so! (Maybe I'll start drinking....yes...START!)

Inauguration Day 2009

2009-01-20T19:55:00.002-05:00

The boys were off today for an inservice....because of the cold we had last week, this made 6 days off in a row! The need to go back to school tomorrow! Especially since they had only been in school 1 1/2 weeks since Christmas Break ended.

I am glad they were off today though. I had them sit with me and watch the swearing in of Joe Biden and Barack Obama. I am not a politically charged person and having them watch did not have as much to do with who was being sworn as it did the whole process. Just to witness the transfer of power and the pomp and circumstance of it all. They were amazed at all of the people that were in attendance. JM was shocked President Obama didn't have a coat on. He was not impressed with Aretha Franklin, sharing that he thought those singing on his Guitar Hero game sing much better! LOL! He was concerned at one point in the process, asking "Was there a time during all of this when we didn't have a President?" At least he was thinking! We talked about how President Bush was still President until Mr. Obama was sworn in....that made him feel much better!

They listened to part of his speech, but then lost interest. Overall, a great day to share with them and something I hope they remember in years to come.

Lemonade Award

2008-11-13T18:02:00.006-05:00

My friend at Chronic Chic Talk was kind enough to give the this award for making lemonade out of lemons!

Passing in along to the following (sadly I do not have 10 friends with blogs at this point!)

Chicka Nuts
Queen of My Castle
Three Little Birds
Fighting Fatigue

The rules for giving and receiving this award are as follows:

* Put the logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
* Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
* Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

NUCCA Doctor

2008-09-03T08:36:00.001-05:00

I went to a NUCCA doctor last week for my fibromyalgia and so far am seeing some positive results. I have slept better (which was the number one goal) and have had less pain. I have slept for three nights without my Icy Hot patches on my feet which is a huge step for me. I do need to buy a new pillow today, mine just doesn't support my neck enough.

I am keeping up on my visits on my Fibromyalgia dedicated blog, so check it out when you can!

Newest Writing Gig

2008-08-27T06:48:00.004-05:00

I have been writing for a site called Bright Hub , and for the first full month, it is working out really well. It is a great site with information on everything from Office Productivity to lesson plans for teachers. It is very flexible, and the only tight schedule I follow is when I have to edit articles. I am working as a writer and managing editor. I have about 10 writers that I work with and I edit their articles as they come it. It's nice to write about what interests me, and I hope to really write a lot for the K-12 learning channel soon! I found the gig at a great site called Freelance Writing Gigs.

First Day of School!

2008-08-26T07:45:00.006-05:00

Well, they're back! JC was thrilled to be in middle school, a little nervous I think (mom too). His big changes for the year include a locker, band, and his favorite...ala carte lunch! I think it is going to cost me a fortune to feed him. But, he did okay on day one. He loves changing for all of his classes, and one of his good friends from last year is in all but one of his classes. He still got to see his best friend during lunch so that was a bonus. He is on a different team so we thought he had a different lunch. They are really big on getting the kids organized and yesterday he mainly worked on organizing his binder and getting their schedule for the week laid out. The middle school runs on a modified block schedule and on Wednesday and Thursday they alternate and only have half of their classes each day, but for longer stretches of time. This allows the classes to do labs and take hikes out to the nature preserve the district oversees. Also more time for swimming in gym class and more involved art lessons. I taught this way for a long time and it really has its advantages.

JM came home already wanting a playdate. He didn't get home until 4:15, so that was a no-go. I am hoping to get him home closer to 4:00 as the week progresses and they work out the dismissal glitches. In third grade he will change classes with one other teacher. He has her for reading, language arts, and writing. His homeroom teacher teaches science, math, and social studies. I think it will be a good experience. When JC was in third grade they only changed classes for math. It's always changing. JM got the same teacher that JC had in third grade and is thrilled with that. He already came home though with some girls phone number!?! Sigh!

Off to take advantage of a quiet house to get some work done!

Last Fling of Summer

2008-08-23T23:04:00.002-05:00

The orthodontist that JC goes to holds a big pool party the last weekend before school starts every summer. He rents out the local pool after closing and there is free pizza, snacks, ice cream, and drinks. The kids swam from 7:30-10:00 straight. Like a bad mom, I didn't bring the camera. They had a blast though and passed out as soon as they hit the pillow.

Of course, I am now up working...I am so bummed the USA basketball Olympic game is on at 2:30 AM. What the heck. I am taping it and am avoiding the TV, internet, and radio until I can watch it in the morning. The boys turn on Sports Center first thing upon wakening, so they have been warned not to spoil it for me!

Tomorrow is a school night and JC is ready as ever....JM...not so much. JC gets picked up at 6:55 for middle school and JM at 8:22. It will be so much calmer getting one ready at a time!

Two More Days of Summer Break!

2008-08-22T19:20:00.002-05:00

I am excited and bummed all at the same time! I feel like there were a few more things we could have squeezed in, but we did do a lot this summer. The boys are getting bored and I think need the time away from each other...this house gets small at the end of a long summer.

We had a great summer at Cedar Point, JM hit the 54" mark and now can ride everything in the park, so that makes our visits even more fun since we can now stay together all day. JC did 6 weeks of fitness camp and worked really hard at it. I think he is stronger and can run much better as a result. It is getting so if you don't get your kids some outside sports training outside of the season, they fall behind others. Gets pretty pricey though.

JC is so excited for middle school. He had orientation and nailed his locker combination immediately. He is thrilled with the freedom he will have, the locker, and changing classes. JM got the teacher he wanted, although she will be leaving for maternity leave in December and that always causes some anxious moments. I was pregnant with JC when I was teaching so I know how it works, and I also know that the sub has to be really good to take over and do things the same way as the teacher does. Our building has permanent subs and they usually are the ones who take these long term positions, so they are very familiar with school policy and such. He had a maternity leave sub in first grade and managed well. Third grade is a lot of work at our school, so he is in for a tough year!

Bring it on!

Website Number Two

2008-08-15T11:19:00.005-05:00

My self defense site it just about at its final editing stage and is getting some good hits. I like the broad scope of the site. I tried to cover not only Self-Defense, but also personal safety issues. It has lots of great information (if may say so myself!). Check out The Self Defense Advisor.

Enjoy!

Fibromyalgia Writing Venture

2008-07-27T14:05:00.004-05:00

I have suffered from fibromyalgia for over 17 years. I have always tried to keep up to date on the condition and stay up on the latest research, so when I had the chance to write a website on the topic I jumped on it. I am proud of how it turned out, and although it is still in the polishing stages, I hope it can soon start helping others. To check it out, visit Fibromyalgia Advice.

Rainy Fourth of July

2008-07-08T21:15:00.003-05:00

July 3rd was a miserable day around Central Ohio. We were stir crazy by the end of the day! The rain was supposed to move out by the morning of the fourth, but we woke up to showers. JC was set to march in the parade with the baseball/fitness school where he attended fitness camp (www.rhsportfit.com). He was determined to still do it despite the rain, so we suited up and braved the weather. It didn't rain as hard as we thought and it turned out okay! He had a blast and enjoyed the independence. He is growing up so quickly this summer. He is also volunteering at the library and for VBS...look out middle school....this boy is ready for responsibility!

The rain did clear out in time for fireworks that night and we had a perfect spot near the boys' school for viewing. JC is becoming quite the shutterbug and enjoyed playing with the fireworks setting on our camera. I have some of his pics and a few from the parade.

Stuff summer is made of!

My baby turned 8!

2008-06-27T10:35:00.003-05:00

JM had his 8th birthday yesterday and celebrated with 4 of his best buds, I so prefer the smaller parties! DH painted a baseball field in the side yard and set up the tetherball with a marked playing area for that too. They played wiffleball, basketball, did the water slide, had a squirt gun battle, and played in our tiny pool! They were busy the entire 2.5 hours! It was a hot and muggy day, so the water fun was perfect. The boys were pretty well behaved and there were no squabbles (outside of the typical "that was a foul ball..no it was fair")

There was a possibility of storms, so I was so glad it held off. I can not believe he is 8 and heading into the 3rd grade. He is just growing up so quickly. We took him to his favorite restaurant Bob Evans for dinner, we had a coupon for a free kid's meal and a gift card...perfect!

Enjoy the pics!

Testing new trick

2008-06-25T08:23:00.002-05:00

After a brief tutoring lesson from my friend the queen of blogging, I am going to try and apply what I have learned.

This is my My favorite site, even set up as my homepage. I'm a little nuts!

Venting!

2008-06-17T22:00:00.002-05:00

JC, my oldest, has worked very hard to get better at baseball this season. He has caught almost every inning, of every game. When he wasn't catching, he was pitching. He caught in the 95 degree heat, 5-6 innings, no complaining. He wasn't the best hitter, but his catching was phenomenal and that is such a tough position to play.

So, it came time to choose all-stars. The coach let the kids each vote for three players. (you know where this is going!) He did not make the all-star team. One of the kids that was chosen does not deserve the honor. Frankly, he is not that good and he screws around all the time. If he is not playing, he is at the concession stand or playing around with his brothers or the younger kids on the team. Which is probably why they voted for him...it became a popularity contest. He got votes because he is the fun one, and JC will quietly watch the game and cheer on his teammates. I am so sick about this, he has had a rough few month with this type of thing (ran for student council and lost, ran for mayor of their Biz Town and lost) and he holds his head up and does not ever complain. So, I will bitch and moan for him! My heart is just aching for him!

He is my all-star that's for sure! I am so proud of him!

http://mars2buckeyes.blogspot.com/

2008-06-05T19:35:00.001-05:00

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

Kings Island

2008-05-26T12:49:00.002-05:00

Our Cedar Point pass lets us in free to Kings Island again this season, and we were determined to take advantage of this perk! CP didn't open until later in May, so we headed to KI and got our pass pictures taken. We decided to take my nieces and they had a lot of fun. The weather was perfect, 70ish and a little sunshine. It was fun to try out some new rides for a change. Hubby and I grew up on CP and the kids have been going there since birth. We definitely think we will be hitting it a few more times this summer. Our favorite rides were the Stunt Coaster and we also loved the Scooby Doo Haunted Castle ride!

First Communion

2008-05-26T12:42:00.002-05:00

JM made his first communion in April, and looked so darn grown up in his suit. He was less than comfortable in it and couldn't wait to get out of it! We had beautiful weather, not the snow that arrived when JC made his first communion. Overall it was a beautiful day. He did fake drink the wine though! He was dreading it all along, so I told him he didn't have to drink it if he wasn't comfortable. He took the cup and tipped it up, just short of his lips! I do not have too many great pics of him, he wanted to make funny faces for all of them. But there are a few keepers!

Blizzard of 08

2008-04-12T12:05:00.002-05:00

We asked for it....yes we did. We spent most of the winter being jealous of our family in Boston..."Hey why to they get all of the snow and we get rain?" Yes...we asked for it.

It was fun though (of course, I didn't have to shovel.....I (for SOME strange reason don't own a pair of snow pants...go figure). Luckily our neighbor own a tractor and came over to plow us out of our driveway. I'm told it is hard to shovel over stones! The boys had a blast. They built a hill with their cousins over the back steps of the deck and had a blast sledding. They even used their skateboard ramp and the end for some added airtime. It melted pretty quickly and they only got 2 days off of school out of it, but it was fun. I think the final snow total was around 18". By far the most we have seen in Central Ohio in a very long time. Pics are giving me issues...will have to try later!

Uggh!

2008-02-15T13:10:00.002-05:00

Okay, worst Valentine's Day ever!

Our home was broken into this week. I was at work, they kicked in the front door in broad daylight and took about $7,000 is stuff. The worst part is how panicked I am every time I leave the house. I am sick to my stomach the whole time I am out thinking I am coming home to the same nightmare. I literally cry as I come down the street. Soon this will get better, now if only the insurance company will start to act like the care if this ever gets resolved. I need a new computer (two to be exact) and want my camera back!!

And might I add....shopping for home security systems is confusing.

Cousin's Party '07

2007-08-10T15:15:00.000-05:00

We had the annual cousin's party at our house this year and had so much fun. We had a football party and we painted a football field in our side yard, complete with goal posts. The kids are all getting older and we can do lot more organized activities with them now. We had a football game, with Grandpa as our referee, and then had an obstacle course....boy, are these kids getting competitive in their old age!

That Monday we all hit Cedar Point and had such a blast! The kids all love the coasters and they have fun taking turns riding with each other! The weather was perfect for the entire weekend and we really enjoyed hanging out. Tracking 18 people at Cedar Point is quite a task, but we really managed to have a fun and uneventful day!

It's a bad day....by 8:00!

2007-03-29T07:33:00.000-05:00

I knew the hardest part of taking over as Director of the Preschool was going to be dealing with parents. I have had my fair share of trouble parents this year, and another joined that list this morning, before 8 am.

First off, I don't mind parents calling me at home, but not at 7:45 in the morning.

So, background first. Our preschool schedule normally follows the school calendar of the district our school is in. Not all of our kids are from that district, but that is just how they have done it. Well, my boys are in a different district and when I was hired, one of the deal breakers was that we now follow my boys' schedule so that when they were off, so was the preschool. So, with Spring Break coming up, my boys are off next week and the other district is off the following week. This dates was in the handbook and has been in our newsletters the last two months.

So, this mom calls me this morning, asking when our Spring Break was? Hello, do you read the newsletter and handbook? She was iirate that her preschooler was not off the same week as her school-aged kids. Like this was a lightning bolt of information that I just let loose on her. I explained why it was done this way, and she yells at me that preschool decisions should not be made based on my children. Well honey, I am in charge, I don't make squat, so that was the one thing the board could give me in compensation. I will never apologize for choosing to spend time with my kids over work.

I am really thinking I can't do this job long term, just too much stress for not enough money!

Spring is slowly creeping in!

2007-03-21T21:15:00.000-05:00

Ah, 70 degrees and a little sun! We are so ready for spring around here. It has been a crazy weeks....who am I kidding....a crazy few months. The boys have both been sick the last two weeks, but I think are turning the corner. The nice weather is wonderful, but have probably let them both out more than they should be since they are still recovering. Strep is making its presence known at both schools, so I am glad they are both on antibiotics. It hasn't hit preschool yet, but we do have a lot of snotty, runny noses (nice visual, I know!)

DH took the boys to the park tonight and they loved it. They even helped clean the front room and JM dusted just to help their cause. SIL and BIL then showed up with my niece, extending their outdoor playtime a little more than I had planned. JC got the game Othello for his b-day last week and they played a game of that before bed. It is a good one for them to do alone. JM actually beat his big bro!

I am chaperoning a field trip with JC's class tomorrow. Twenty minutes on a bus with a bunch of 4th graders....better take my Excedrin Migraine before I leave! We are seeing some science show? I am then scheduled to volunteer in his room in the afternoon but am hoping they can do without me since I have some freelance to work on. My Buckeyes play at 10pm tomorrow night too....might actually need a nap tomorrow afternoon so I can last through the game and still function at work Friday morning!

Winter fun...

2007-03-20T15:48:00.000-05:00

I finally uploaded some pics of the kids making an igloo with their cousins. It was after we had freezing rain on top of tons of snow. They picked up sheets of the ice and used them to build their igloo. The dads helped too. It was "T" shaped and was big enough for all 4 kids, one uncle and a dog!

Such a long week!

2007-03-02T17:17:00.000-05:00

I started last weekend with a back ache and blood in my urine, and found out Tuesday that I had a kidney stone. By Friday I am now on the mend. Still having some pain, but not as bad. It was not as bad as I thought, I think I got off pretty lucky. I have a fairly high tolerance for pain!

I am buried in freelance...what's new. I so wish we would hit the lottery. I would love to focus more on preschool stuff. But, I am glad I have the opportunity to bring in the extra money, we would not be in a good place without it. They originally gave me 6 grades to do in a week...I could not even do one! The sickness did not help, but they sorely underestimated how long this job would take and what it entailed. It has been a real nightmare for everyone.

We have a busy Saturday ahead. JM has a birthday party from 12-3 and then an awards ceremony for basketball. I really wanted to skip the basketball thing, we did it with Jordan and it was kind of lame. There are no "awards" per say, but he really wants to go. They do have a great magician that comes in, so that is fun for the kids. It just lasts way to long and they start it at 4...making for grumpy kids when it goes way past their dinner time!

Such is life in our household. DH is extremely late getting home for dinner. He did call and the kids voted to wait until he got home to eat. Pancakes was their vote for dinner since it is a Lenten Friday! I hate Friday's in Lent...not the right attitude I know!!

Why...Why....Why are people messing with me today?

2007-02-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

I am so tired of dealing with incompetence....well, more like stupidity!

First, the church calls me yesterday saying that they have a propane leak and don't know if we will have heat. I went to their board meeting last night and insisted that they get someone out to fix it....luckily we had enough heat today to have school.

The fog here was horrible this morning, could not see the mailbox in front of the house or our neighbor's barn....our measuring sticks that it is bad. Plus is was a freezing fog so the road and sidewalks were covered with ice. Do you think we had a delay this morning....NO! Our bus driver was looking at me like "I can't believe I am driving this bus in these conditions..." Yeah, just what I want as my children slip down the walk to board her bus! My SIL called from school (she is subbing) and said buses were over an hour late and kids were sliding under the bus from the ice. Tons fell in the parking lot too. They make dumb decisions and close/delay when it isn't necessary and then don't when the conditions are horrible!

Then, to top the morning off...one of my parents came in this morning yelling at me because I did not call her and tell her we were having our Valentine's party today.....Well, I didn't call ANYONE and they all figured it out. PLUS....I told everyone last week that if school was canceled on our party day we would have it on our next day of school. Geesh, is it too much to ask that you listen and retain information for more than 20 minutes. (No wonder her child is my most difficult one!)

Okay....I'm done. Just had to get that off my chest....maybe I will go exercise instead of hitting the bottle!! LOL!

Friday ramblings!

2007-02-16T18:34:00.000-05:00

We have finally recovered from our snow/ice storm from earlier in the week. Still cold as heck, I think it only got to about 15 today, but it is winter! Another storm is coming and they think we will get another 2-3" tonight, not too bad though. The boys went out to play today and had fun despite the frigid temps. Now it seems JM has a bit of a fever, so will keep an eye on that...he has a b-ball game tomorrow, so we'll see!

The idiots that I work for are at it again. They sent me a rush job last week....that initially was to have been given to me the end of January. I worked my tail off to finish two days early and they screwed something up. Now it has to be redone.....all of it...all 6 grades! Uggh! Since it was their mistake, I will get paid for the rework, but I was literally just pulling out my scrapbooking supplies to work on my Cedar Point album when the e-mail came in....so frustrating. We need the $$ so that is the silver lining! I am hoping to finish by the end of the weekend....once they figure out what it is I am actually supposed to do......then we'll see!

Do you ever get tired of dealing with stupidity?? I sure do!

White Death is heading our way!

2007-02-12T22:37:00.000-05:00

I just can't handle winter here in Ohio. They have been talking about this darn storm since the weekend. It is barely in the state and everyone is just carrying on like the world is going to come to an end if we get 8 inches of snow. Now, the newest is ice....and okay, my world may briefly become a very miserable place if we get ice...flashback to December 2004. An ice storm knocked out our power for 5 days....and it was during Christmas. The most miserable week ever, and my worst Christmas ever!

So, if we lose power, things could get ugly! If we lose power, we have no water and that is the worse part. No flushing of the toilet unless you manually fill the tank, no water for washing, brushing your teeth...it's like camping in your house! So it will either be 8-12 inches of snow, or 6 inches of snow topped with a few inches of ice.....praying for the snow!

We will see what tomorrow brings!

Lost another preschool day today!

2007-02-09T09:02:00.000-05:00

I am so fed up with that darn building. The heat had been running I think all week, set at 70 and the thermostat read 54 this morning. (It read that yesterday when I went in too) My thermostat though read only 49. I turned the heaters off and left, called my co-teacher and had her call parents. We now have two days to make up. We are off next Friday and Monday and I know the parents are calling for us to make up days then, but I want to just wait until it is warmer so I know we can open. The lows next week are still going to be in the single digits, so why drive everyone crazy with the heat thing. I know they just want their kids ot of the house...I totally know how they are feeling...my kids were too home three days this week! But, this is a major stress for me to go in, try and heat things up, DH wants to go in at night and add insulation....I really don't get paid enough to go in on my days off and deal with this.

So, that is the update from Central Ohio....where it is the coming of the second Ice Age!

The only silver lining is I got a huge freelance job last night that is on a ridiculous deadline, so at least I can work on that this morning before heading to volunteer in Jacob's class this afternoon!

Is it only Thursday?

2007-02-08T18:04:00.000-05:00

Man, these days off are just brutal to the schedule! The boys were off Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. They should have probably been on delay this morning seeing that it was as cold and the previous three days....but at least they were out of the house! I had to close preschool of course Monday and Wednesday, and am not holding out any hope that we can open tomorrow! I went in today and although the heat was set at 70, it was a whopping 54 in there! Geesh! These folks need to get that darn thing fixed, I can't imagine what their propane bill is going to be!

I have enjoyed not having any freelance for a week, actually got my 2006 scrapbook finished! I am working on adding our summer 06 pics to my Cedar Point album now. Got a few pages done this week, but then freelance came a calling.

They have had this gosh darn job since January 30th and are just giving it to me now.....is is due the 15th. 6 grades worth of correlations in 6 days....yeah....right! Not gonna happen! I am not killing myself, staying up all hours, just because someone dropped the ball along the way! Not sure if anyone is listening at this point, but that is just the way it's going to be! People just stress me out sometimes. I have another job and, oh yeah, a family! Oiy!

Bone chilling cold

2007-02-05T18:18:00.000-05:00

It has hit rock bottom here in Central Ohio. Below zero temps and -20 wind chills. The boys were off today and I suspect they will be again tomorrow. JM was not happy school was canceled, but JC was thrilled! When I told them to be prepared to be off again tomorrow, JM cried because that meant he would miss gym! And I thought it was because he loved school so much!

I only hope the schools decide before I go to bed...no sense getting up if I don't need to....is that too much to ask. I think they are all waiting for the Big Kahuna (Columbus Public) to close! Then they all fall like dominoes! At least there is already no preschool scheduled for tomorrow, so I don't have to bother with that until Wednesday. We are now at our 3 days and will have to make up days after today....yeah!!

Trying to add some pics...

2007-02-01T13:31:00.000-05:00

Calgon.....(you know the rest!)

2007-01-31T12:53:00.000-05:00

What a crazy few days it has been here in our household. It started when I lost 6 hours of my work on Saturday, causing me to have to stay up until 3:30 Saturday night and 2:30 Sunday night to meet my Monday morning deadline. Lack of sleep and PMS....not a good combination!

Then, we have had to close preschool two days this week due to lack of heat. Parents are getting a little testy, and my board members are less than understanding. The state requires we have the room at 65.....it was barely 55. They will shut us down if we have kids there and the temps are that low....not much choice in the matter!

I need a hot bath, a drink, and a nap....not necessarily in that order!

Winter has arrived

2007-01-18T18:03:00.000-05:00

Snow....no, but the winter temperatures are here at last. Not that I missed them, the 50's were fine. If it is going to be cold, it might as well snow though. (Remind me I said that when we get a blizzard in April!) The boys got new sleds for Christmas and some cool snowball makers so they are anxious for some of the white stuff. I did not miss having to scrape my windows in the morning and would much rather take my preschool gang outside to play instead of being stuck indoors. Makes those quick trips to the bank and store much more unpleasant too!

Rain, rain...go away!

2007-01-15T21:20:00.000-05:00

We have had 4 inched of rain over the last 4 days. Way too much for the creek to handle and our yard now has a river running through it. Thankfully, the basement didn't flood this time....a little water, but nothing major. They just said that had it been snow we would have had 36+ inches! I would settle for 3-4! The boys have new sleds they are wanting to try.....just no snow!

Looks like we will finally get some winter temperatures this week....just none of the white stuff!

Work....work....work!

2007-01-10T16:31:00.000-05:00

I have a freelance deadline in a few weeks and I so can not get myself motivated to work on it. I started out by dividing up the lessons so I knew how many I had to do a night to be done on time, and now......5 days later I have yet to complete 2 days worth of lessons. Man, this stuff is so boring!

Preschool work is mounding too. Registration time is upon us and there is much to do. We are attending a Preschool fair and I have to get together pamphlets and registration packets by the 20th. And of course my deadline is the 25th. So, instead of working that Saturday I will be at the Fair and at basketball games. I must be nuts! Why can't I say no! I really need to learn to delegate more responsibility to my board members if I am going to keep my sanity through the rest of the school year!

Sad day in Buckeye Country

2007-01-09T16:16:00.000-05:00

Wow, that was a miserable way to spend a Monday night! We got absolutely embarassed by Florida. Not sure who that team was, but it surely was not the same Buckeye team I watched all season. The only good that came of it was I got the 9-year old to bed earlier since there was no chance of a come back!

I feel so badly that the seniors left on this note. They are a great group and just blew it last night. They handled defeat well and did not complain or offer excuses.....all class like their coach! I am still forever a Buckeye fan and we don't rebuild....we reload!

Buckeyes Big Game

2007-01-07T19:48:00.000-05:00

I am having a hard time concentrating on work....my Bucks play in the big game tomorrow and I am getting a little nervous. My friend Heidi is coming to watch with us....like she has for all of their big games. She was here when we won in 2003, when we beat Michigan more than once....so our track record is pretty good! Should be a great one and I am looking for at least a 7 point win!

Go Bucks!

Blog Beginning

2007-01-07T19:32:00.000-05:00

Well, I am joining the blogging revolution. I am on the computer a lot for work, so figured....why not! I often lay in bed at night with mumblings in my head, and maybe this will get them out of my head so I can get more sleep. And with two active boys, there are always stories to tell and rants to list!