Greetings from Tennessee

Our week, just kept getting worse. I came down with the flu, the real flu. Knock you on your ass for days flu. Jacob got the stomach bug. We had 2 boys sick one night, one throwing up in the bathroom, one in the bedroom in a trash bucket-one of us went downstairs with Joshua to allow him to sit up sleep in the recliner as I am convinced that stops his cycle of 20 minute intervals, while the other stayed upstairs with Jacob and his bucket. So then we were three down. Next Daddy joined with the flu and I'm pretty sure Joshua got the flu on top of his stomach bug...ugh! Through it all, we postponed our flight to Tennessee so 1-we wouldn't get Auntie Jeanne sick and interrupt her surgery, 2-to not infect innocent people on the plane (not really, more so I couldn't deal with Jacob throwing up on the plane) and 3-so I could actually move. Today we did get on the plane, 2 days later, leaving Daddy still flat out on the couch. I have never gotten the flu shot and have never gotten the flu. After this week, I will reconsider it next year :)

Rough and Tough

I know sometimes I may go on about how tough my boys are but it's true. One time Jacob needed to get stitches in his eyebrow. In come six nurses whose job it was to hold him down. A couple for each leg, arm..etc. probably more overwhelming than the needed itself. The kid didn't even flinch as they poked him repeatedly with the lidocane (sp?).

When Joshua gets the stomach bug he really gets it. And night before last he got it. Throwing up empty stomach after empty stomach every 20-30 like clockwork...all night long. Usually it does this and then lets up. This time it continued the next day, at least this time only every 1 1/2 - 2 hours. After calling the nurse twice she suggested that we go in to the er. He got a big bad and a small bag of fluids. Not one tear, not through throwing up, not through getting the iv placed...none. Now that it a tough boy.

Heading to Tennessee tomorrow.

How embarrassing...

I just really feel that things seem to be spiraling out of control all around me. I have spent several hours the last couple of days trying to figure my computer craziness out. I was getting all kinds of error messages and was unable to get into my online banking. Well after an hour and 23 minutes online with the security support person, he changed the calendar on my computer to the correct date and VOILA we have lift off. The funny part was that when I was working on taxes, I was using the time/calendar stamp for a calendar, without returning it to the current date. It screwed the whole computer up, wasted a ton of my time and poor Rakeash the tech support guy's as well. I am so embarrassed...and my sister is going to trust me to take care of her and her kids next week. Is it too late to get her a back up????

The other day at school, my classroom phone rang and I answered it, "Is this Calgon?" I think I need it.

More info to share later, but as I said, I've been in this chair for a while :)

So far behind

Ok, so where to start? It has been a while. Sometimes it is just hard to sit down and write, especially when you are feeling swamped.

Card night was fun. Lost a bunch of pennies, ate yummy snacks and had lots of belly laughs. It has been a while since we've had one and it was good to get back to it. A nice break from the reality of tax season, the recession and for me...the start of IEP season. Emily, Chris and I were deserted a little early by the old folks, so we made up our own rules to Scat. We played for a nickel a hand...we are in a recession you know.

We've also been snow tubing. Chris and I brought the boys. For me it was ok. It was nice enough that I didn't need my snow pants, which was good because it was the day after card night, but the slope was so fast and the track wasn't long enough so you came down real fast at the end and had to go up the hill they created. And as many of you know, those of us with a little more weight, go a little faster and take more to stop. I dragged my feet from the top to the bottom but it didn't do much good. The boys loved it. They each got to go on their own. Jacob loved the freedom. Jeffrey brought a friend but would have prefered snow boarding to the tubing. I don't think I would go to Pat's Peak again but would be interested in finding out about other places. I totally forgot that there is a place right in Manchester.

You've gotta love anytime you don't have to walk up the hill. It's just like Thanksgiving dinner. It takes so long to get to it but is over in a flash.

This is what teenagers do when you ask them to smile...

Jacob also had his first friend over. Boy it was a busy weekend. All of this happened in one weekend. He loved it. It was much less stressful than when Joshua had his friend over.

Jacob decided he wanted to make his Valentine's for school. His idea=more work for mom...and money. I wanted them to look good and not be too easily destroyed. He wanted them to have hearts and cute dogs. So we compromised. These are what we came out with. He has been doing all of the writing on the front and back and is such a trooper. Joshua on the other hand doesn't want to participate but I told him he has too. That of course means that we will be doing them tomorrow night as he hasn't started yet...a boy after my own heart.

Can't eat just one...

EEK...Chris and I were planning on bringing the boys snowtubing tomorrow. That should be fun. The problem is tonight is card night and everyone is bringing a yummy appetizer. That means I don't know that I will be able to zip and button my darn snowpants. Thank goodness it should be about 40. Hopefully I will get some pictures tomorrow, and remember to charge my camera tonight.

You know I'm losing my mind when....

1-I'm on day 18 of my thyroid prescription and I have had to count my pills four times because I can't remember if I took it. I can tell with my BC pills because they are lined up in the pack by day. Now I'm destined to have to use a daily pill caddy at age 34.

2- I forgot to have someone pick up Jacob at school and didn't even remember until 3 o'clock. His babysitter usually picks him up but when her son is sick she can not. I usually run to get him and go back to school. He has been sick a lot lately so I asked Auntie Chris to come to my rescue. The only catch was that I was supposed to call her to wake her up and let her know. I went to the bathroom at 9:40 knowing I had five minutes before I had to call her. I walked out of the bathroom and poof it was gone from my mind and I never called.

3- As I am typing this and hear the laundry rinsing and going to spin that I remember, I didn't put soap in the damn thing. What a waste of water.........

PS-For Bonus points...what is the picture of?

OMG

Yesterday Joshua had a friend over. It took me a while to calm down after it. It about killed me, not because of wild behavior but because of Joshua's tude. His friend was all about the video games and Joshua wanted to play outside or with toys...which I can understand...but he was very vocal about it and I was stressed. Then he kept telling his friend not to talk to his brother. He always does this one and I can't stand it especially because Jacob doesn't really have friends over yet. It's just mean. I understand it is probably a sibling rivalry thing...god knows Jeffrey did not want Joshua around when his friends were over...but it doesn't make it ok. "I thought you were my friend?" I tried to remind him of how cool his brother is and that is why his friends want to play with him too. I think next time (it's good that I'm saying next time, yesterday it was the last time :) ) I will set a timer. 30 minutes for video games and then they go away. That way the kid gets to play, Joshua knows there will be an end and then they can play other things. I kept trying to tell him that having friends over was about compromise.

It will be pretty low key here tonight for the SuperBowl. Without our team being in it (not even the playoffs) it will just be about the tradition and the snacks. Of course I am totally bumming because I was looking forward to making my new stuffed chili pepper recipe and there were no chili peppers at the two stores I went to (today of course). I mean who would have thought. I totally spaced that the two most popular sports snacks are chicken wings and poppers. Whaaa, I guess I'll have to save it for Card Night next weekend.