Where to start?

Ok, Jeanne, I get the message! ;-) It's kind of funny that you (and I'm including myself in that generic sort of "you") don't write for a bit because there's not much worth writing about and then it becomes a "Oh my gosh, all of this has gone on and I don't even know where to begin!" Not that I think my life is overly exciting and what movies are made of, mind you, I have no delusions of grandeur!



Let's just stick with the boy for this entry, shall we? There are days I feel like it's one step forward and three steps back. I can only imagine what it feels like to his nine year old mind! The "anti-touching" thing is still an issue. Long story short they did a med change thinking it would help and it actually got worse, noticeably worse. Even to himself. The doc's solution? Let's add back the old medicine on top of the new so now he's taking three pills a day which makes me more than nervous. I keep expressing my concern about this and the docs keep telling me "It's not forever....it's just until HE can manage to control these things himself without use of the meds." Ok, I get that. And I get that they are far more trained in this area than I am or will ever be BUT....(you knew there was one coming, didn't you?! heehee) he is NINE YEARS OLD. The boy is intelligent (he gets it from his mama!) but at nine years old does he even possess the skills to "apply tools" for this? I'm...um...NOT nine years old and I'm not sure I could do it all the time.



And it's one thing to take a medical cocktail myself not sure of the results but it's an entirely different story when you're basically forcing your child to do it. You have to wonder what long term affects will be. And could this come back to bite him later on down the road if he wants to apply for some job and he has to say yes, he took some of these medications? It's just so harrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd! And now for a moment of bare naked honesty....there are days I just don't want to do it anymore. Take the basic parenting stresses and irritations that pop up and then throw a mental health issue on top of it and it's "no gouda" as we say around here. There are a couple of online scrapping buddies that help me hold on to whatever scrap of sanity I have left. And on those days I hear one of them saying "Just get through this minute, then the hour, and then the day". And that's what I do. And I remind myself that as frustrating as it is on my end it has to be even worse on his. Which also adds to my angst because I CAN'T take this thing from my child so he doesn't have to deal with it but that's a whole other post!



We are blessed this year in that he got a wonderful teacher. She's used to "quirky" kids because she's been teaching the gifted and talented class for a few years now. She is one of those teachers that still enjoys their career and she goes out and studies up on methods and things on her own personal time. I try to remember to thank God for her every day! I love that she will make allowances for some of the boy's issues but she also holds him accountable when he needs to be. She called me to warn me about his grades but assured me that he knows his stuff. He's just not taking the time to get it down on the homework and tests like he should. He wants to rush through those things but could talk about it to her for hours she said. She told me that she will catch him doing something else when he's supposed to be listening so she'll call him out on it. She said "And darn it if he can't repeat to me what I said word for word and then expand on it!" I said "I know! Don't you hate when he can do that because he does it to me too!" We got a good (and probably much needed laugh) over it.


The other night at supper Robbie was telling us that his teacher changed the seating around in class. He said "It's a test! She put girls with girls and boys with boys! And she put my two best friends right next to me!" I told him "Well son, I hope you can pass it!" Then he said she told them she changed seats around because they were being loud and obnoxious! I about spit peas across the table at Katie from laughing so hard! I asked "Well, where you all being loud and obnoxious?" After a few beats of silence he said "Um...probably." LOL I know some parents would be up in arms over it but in the context Robbie told me and from chats I've had with her I LOVE the fact she called them all out on it! And he owned it. She told me that's another good thing is that Robbie will own his mistakes in class. So he'll admit to them, he just won't slow down to prevent them from happening again!

And so there is the novella on the boy. Jeanne, that should keep you reading for awhile! Hugs my friend!

Blog entry coming soon

I just saw Jeanne's comment about my falling off the face of the Earth! LOL I'm still here, it's just been either "nothing to say" or "way too much to say" lately! Right now I'm fighting a headache for the past few days so I'm not in much of a bloggin' kind of mood but I will be back! Don't worry, there will be new entries for you insominacs ("I wish she'd write something so I could fall asleep! heehee) soon!

It's that time of year again!

Time to start meeting the kids at their bus stops and hosing them down with the Lysol before they enter the house! Friday afternoon I was suddenly hit with the dizzies that lasted a few hours. Since the dogs were acting fine I assumed it was sinus and/or weather related and not a gas leak. We all have our own testing methods! Yesterday I had some stuffiness but felt ok. This morning I woke up feeling pretty icky as did Samantha and Robbie. Robbie definitely sounds like he has a "cold in the nold". Katie's head is hurting her and Mark said he doesn't feel too badly right now but not good either, just sort of wiped out. Eight school days in and we got hit! I'm thinking that has to be some sort of record for us! So I've been pushing fluids on everyone today and Mark and I scrubbed down the bathrooms. Hopefully tomorrow everyone will have some sort of miraculous healing!

We went to Borders yesterday so Katie could spend her prize from the summer reading program. She was second place in the teen category and won a $25 g.c. to Borders. I saw a couple of books from The Biggest Loser that picqued my interest. I have a "membership" card to B&N and had an internet coupon so I ordered the family cookbook and the 30 day jump start books today. I believe it's September 15 when the new season starts. I'm hoping with some motivation, the books and watching the show I can make some changes and can answer their question of "What have you done today to make you feel proud?!" I'm a stress eater. Bury the crap under food! But then that just creates more stress and blah blah blah. I know why I bawling along with the contestants EVERY time I watch an episode! It's a very emotional thing. Hopefully this year will be THE year! I think once I'm ready to make it official I might blog it just to make myself a little more accountable. I don't know if that will work or not or if I'll just say "blank it"! We'll have to see. And I doubt I tell y0u my starting weight either! Hopefully I'll be able to just list pounds and/or inches lost!!! There's only so much accountability a gal can handle! ;-)

Surprise for Katie

We've been a little worried about Katie feeling lost in the shuffle with all that's gone on around here the past few months. All of the things Robbie's dealing with (along with the rest of us in trying to help him) and then Samantha moving in here this summer had us worried she'd feel resentful or ignored. So far she's showed no signs of it other than reminding people that it IS her room! ;-) And she's made some comments in comparing herself to her brother or sister but no major acting out or anything like that, thankfully!

She was so sad that Celtic Thunder wasn't coming to Indianapolis and asked "If they EVER come here will you please take me???" She even offered to find a way to pay for her own ticket. We saw they were coming to South Bend, IN which according to Mapquest is a little over 2.5 hours away from our house. But it's on a Monday night and with work and school we just thought it would be too hard. Then a week or so ago Mark asked me something in passing about when and where they were going to be. I think it stewed in both our brains for a few days and then Saturday afternoon we made the stealthy decision to order tickets online because "she can sleep on the way home" and Mark could take a vacation day if he needed.

We kept it a secret from her. Today the tickets came in the mail. When Mark got home from work he handed the envelope to Katie and said he had a nasty paper cut bugging him so could she open it for him. She did and tried to hand it back without looking inside. He told her to pull whatever it was out of the envelope. She did and said "It's tickets." I said "Tickets?! To what???" The following pictures (taken while I was "adjusting the light settings on my camera because I think they're messed up" heehee) tell how excited she was far better than I ever could write it!

Sunday in Chicago

Edited to add: For some reason Blogger won't leave my spaces between paragraphs in once I publish it. Sorry for the seemingly run on paragraph if it doesn't take again this time!

We sort of decided at the last minute to take a day trip to Chicago Sunday. We talked about it off and on but didn't really make the decision until Saturday. We went to American Girl Place and the Lego Store and walked along the Magnificent Mile between the two. A lot of walking in some very warm and humid weather! Along with a gazillion other people since the Boat and Air Show was last week-end and just a short distance away! I was worried how Robbie would do (and myself a bit too since I'm NOT a crowd person) but he did great!

Katie and Samantha both got to fulfill a childhood dream (Sam a little later than Katie which we heard about!) by visiting the American Girl Place. They were both sad that their dolls, Samantha and Nellie, were retired last year (which we knew about) and that the store had nothing for those dolls. Books and videos but no clothes or accessories. Sam got a Bitty Baby and said ( a few times) "I used to go through those catalogs at Christmas and add up what it would costs to get one and all the stuff to go with her!" We just bought her the Bitty Baby, she's 22 yo, she can handle any accessories! Katie got her picture on a magazine cover and a contemporary dress for Nellie.

Robbie was almost quivering with excitement as we rode up the two escalators to get to the Lego Store. I think I was as bad, if not worse, as he was exclaiming over all the Lego sculptures! Monday was his birthday so Sam let him pick out his present from her there and we got him something too since the girls got something. Great Lego haul for the boy! That was a cool store but VERY crowded. One of the sales people told me it was a "little more" crowded than typically on a Sunday. I just know there were a lot of people in there!

We've decided that parking garages are THE business to go into up there! We paid a LOT in parking and ended up paying in two different garages since we weren't sure where we were going to eat so drove around a bit while deciding.

I took a lot of pictures of the buildings. I loved all the different shapes and angles and materials! The new up against the old. I wish I was talented enough to get some fantastic shots with the right camera equipment but I think I got a few decent ones with just me and my Canon!

It was neat to see how one little butterfly could make so many passer-bys smile! I actually did the "Yesssssssss!" when I saw I had captured the photo I wanted! Yes, I am that much of a dork! lol

I thought it was great that all my kids, even down to the a day away from 9 yo, knew this couple was from "American Gothic". I don't think I knew it was called that at age 9 or 12. I just always thought of it as "That picture with the grumpy looking farm couple"! Hey, I already mentioned my dorkiness, don't act surprised!

I have a lot more pictures that if anyone wants to see just let me know and I'll send you a link to Snapfish. Facebook won't let me upload photos this week for some reason.

Just some pic-a-tures

Robbie, Samantha and Katie at the local state park

See the little bug on the petal?

Me Tarzan....


You Jane!

It doesn't seem to be showing well here but you could see the clouds reflecting in the water that day. Sort of a Monet feeling going on!

I wanted to tweak this one but the editing software that came with the camera is limited but that was one humongous spider web!!!

Sweet, sweet bliss!

Today, for the first time since the end of May, I am completely alone in the house! Well, with the exception of Belle, Daisy and Lucky but they're all fairly quiet housemates! I am fighting another stupid barometer headache but it's tolerable since it's quiet! The sad thing is I have less than 30 mintues until the first one is due home! I love my family but it's so true that absence makes the heart grow fonder sometimes, especially after a crappy summer! lol

I talked to Mary for an hour today and while talking to her the mailman brought me the cardstock I ordered from Rocky Mountain Hobbies. Absolutely wuuuuuuuuuunerful hour!!! Archiver's was out of all the cardstock that the Bazzill matchmaker said matches the Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday line. I found maybe half of it online at RMH but they were out of colors too. What gives? Inspiration struck everyone at once?! Oh well, I also ordered some clearanced paper from RMH too to make it "worth the shipping costs". ;-) And surprisingly it was only a few sheets! Showing restraint in my old age!

Tuesday we had the meeting at school and I thought it went very well. His teacher this year really seems to enjoy her job and the challenges of teaching "gifted" kids and she had already done some online research on the issues Robbie's dealing with. She said, and I agree, that she thought we were going to work well together and get the boy successfully through 4th grade! I think I'm just going to love her!

We had some MAJOR snafus with the bus routes but I THINK (knock wood) that as of this morning we've worked our problems out. It sounds like there were problems throughout the district. I got thanked for being so pleasant everytime I called the transportation office. I didn't think I was acting all that special so they must have been getting some really cranky calls. There's some road construction messing things up on our side of town so I'm sure that isn't helping the bus drivers either. Not a job I'd want to do so I'll stay pleasant until they give me reason otherwise. I can't blame the first day snafus or construction on them though!

I know another round of Tropical Storm Crap is out there but for now I'm just going to enjoy the lull! And maybe....eventually....scrapbook something!