Thielen Tidbits

peace and quiet

2012-01-26T18:46:00.002-06:00

My plate is full and it's making me crabby trying to figure out how to do everything. I probably wouldn't have such a hard time with everything if I wasn't so tired all the time. By the time I get home from work, I am so famished I can't even get on the treadmill, or gather laundry, or barely cook supper. I'm sleeping by 9:30. And ready to sleep now.

This week has been crazy busy at work. The worst part about it is that I can't get my job done in 40 hours, so I end up working over 40 hours, but I don't get paid for it. That's the crappy part. I'm such a perfectionist and I want to do a good job because that's how I roll.

The housework is never ending and I seem to get no help with the laundry. Boo hoo, right? Well having 8 people in the house creates a lot of laundry. Last weekend I washed over 12 loads of clothes and then started on the bedding. Well here we are again at Thursday night and nobody has put their dirty clothes in the laundry room. I think I'm on strike. At some point, somebody is going to run out of clean clothes and complain, I assume.

Girls are still busy with basketball and now Shaylee is doing club volleyball along with the basketball. All the kids seem to have homework, or projects, or books to read, or rooms to pick up, or toys all over the place. I'm just so tired and want some quiet. For once....peace and quiet with nothing to do would be awesome.

stitches out

2012-01-24T19:06:00.003-06:00

Devin got her stitches out while I was working today. Mike said she just giggled and giggled and showed no signs of pain, once again. Seems to be a constant thing with her. It's still wrapped and protected by the finger guard.

I also learned a little more about Devin's reaction to when this all happened. I was giving her a bad time tonight because she won't look at her finger. Today she still wouldn't look at her finger. So I asked her if she looked at it when it happened and she said she did just to see if it was bleeding. She said it was and said there was a big drop of blood hanging on the bottom. Mike failed to tell me the rest of the story.

Devin was going into shock. She looked at her finger and then started to shake, so the teachers had to keep talking to her to keep her alert. They asked her questions constantly and asked her about Christmas. Then, one of the teachers even rode with Mike in the truck to keep talking to her on the way to Brookings. I guess the teacher later got a ride with one of her roommates.

Sure would have been nice to know the whole story, but I guess that's what I get for not asking questions.

Devin's finger is still white on the side. The tip is still pink. That is good. The stuff on the side will likely fall off yet. As will her nail.

Devin's doctor visit for finger

2012-01-21T10:59:00.005-06:00

Devin had a doctor visit yesterday for her finger, so I picked her up from school and the 4 of us headed to the clinic. Jayden was pretty excited to see the scale. I'm glad simple things can entertain him! There will be a link at the bottom of this post you can click on to see Devin's finger uncovered if you are interested in that type of stuff. These pictures that follow are safe. :)

Devin wasn't nervous at all, as you can see. The only thing she said is she didn't want to see her finger. She hasn't even complained that it hurts. She's one tough cookie that's for sure!I think the kids thought I was silly for bringing my camera along to the doctor, so they had to pose for some silly pictures too. I hadn't seen Devin's finger until they unwrapped it at the clinic, which was a big deal to begin with because the gauze they used was supposed to stay wet and not dry so it doesn't stick to the finger. Well, this gauze did the opposite and dried tightly to her finger. She had to soak her finger in a bowl of hydrogen peroxide, which I would have thought it would hurt. However, Devin said it didn't. The peroxide sure fizzed a lot though.Devin said she would probably have to lay on the table, so she popped right up there to wait. She still didn't want to see her nail.This is how she stayed the entire time. Facing the wall, making sure not to get a glimpse of her finger. This is the portion of the gauze that glued to her finger that had to be soaked. As she lounged on the table, she laughed and giggled. Sometimes she would have one eye open, but just ONE. :)The doctor was happy with how her finger is healing. He showed me how the nail had been pulled upright and why they had to stitch through the nail. He tapped on the tip of the finger and it was pink, so he was very happy to see that as well. There must have been a concern with how bad the cut was that she may lose the tip of her finger or the feeling in it, but he never told us that initially. Devin's finger is wrapped up again and has a plastic finger guard to help protect it. It's very important she doesn't bump her finger as it would cause intense pain.

The doctor said Devin will certainly lose her finger nail. And based on how the finger looks, she will have a pretty good scar. The finger was cut all the way around the tip and really chewed up on the one side. She will go back on Tuesday to have the stitches out and continue healing from there.

If you are interested in seeing pictures of her finger, uncovered and in all it's gory, click here. It will take you to a different spot that will contain those pictures. I didn't want to post them directly into this post because not everyone wants to see gruesome photos.

Devin's cut finger

2012-01-18T19:54:00.002-06:00

Mike called me at work this afternoon and asked when I was done working because he had received a call that Devin got her finger stuck in a hole and got cut and they think she needs stitches. I couldn't get away from work at that moment, so he arranged to get her picked up and took her to the clinic. In the meantime, I called the teacher to ask how bad it was, to which she said it was pretty bad.

Mike got her picked up and took her in. He told me it was bad. She had stuck her finger in a small hole on a basketball hoop pole and then someone turned the hoop which caused her finger to be cut in a perfect circle. There should have been a bolt or a screw or something inside that hole, but it was open, so when the hoop turns, the hole essentially gets blocked off by the inside pole. Except this time, Devin's finger was in the hole and got pretty mangled.

Devin ended up getting 6 stitches in her finger. Even after being bandaged up it still continued to bleed. It has stopped at this point, so that's good. She's been in quite a bit of pain and didn't eat her supper. I will be taking her back to the doctor on Friday morning because he wants to see her again.

We went back to the school after Mike was done at the clinic to see what exactly happened. We were told that the janitor was going to find something to go in that hole right away, whether it be a bolt or screw or something. The director of the after school program talked to the principal about insurance because I had questioned who would be paying for the medical bills? My theory is it happened during the after school program, which we pay for, so they should have some type of insurance to cover accidents and liabilities like this. Well she didn't know the answer either, so now the Superintendent has been emailed.

I understand that sporting events are not covered when accidents happen, but when something happens to my child when I am paying for them to keep them safe, I would expect them to cover the bill. It will be a battle to get the answer we want, I suspect, but I do plan to investigate further and not back down. I questioned why that old basketball hoop is even there. And then to hear other people say that they have seen that very hole before and didn't do anything about it really strikes me as odd.

In the meantime, we will continue to take care of Devin and get her finger healed. Hopefully the pain and long term effects are minimal.

Sunday

2012-01-15T21:20:00.003-06:00

Not much to write about. Mike has been sick with a headache all day. Puking sick. He's in bed sleeping now, so I'm hoping he will feel better tomorrow. That's typically how this works for him. He gets a headache every few months and spends an entire day puking and then he's fine.

Shaylee is at a birthday party tonight. I thought it was last night, however, I am glad it's tonight instead because she didn't get home from her basketball tournament until almost 5pm. She would have been too tired to have fun at a party. I dropped her off at 3:30 today at the motel. It should be fun. There were a lot of squealing, giggling girls in bikini's! I'm sure there won't be much sleep tonight.

Back to work for me tomorrow. I'm taking my holiday on Friday instead. Keeps my work schedule much easier to keep straight and since my job allows us to use our holidays as floaters, I thought why not!

The other kids come home tomorrow. We'll have to go to Watertown to meet them and do the switch. I think there's also snow on the way tomorrow.

should be

2012-01-14T08:35:00.001-06:00

I should be dressed.

I should be on my way to Clear Lake.

I should be anticipating the day watching my oldest in her basketball tournament.

I should be enjoying some time away. Just me. Watching her.

I should be getting bleacher butt (aka...sore butt from bleachers).

I should be happy that it snowed.

I should be doing laundry.

I should be letting the dog out.

I should be picking up the house.

But alas, I am sitting under a warm blanket, watching two boys play the Wii, listening to the dryer sing, the washer clean, the dog snore, the cats hiss, the floors creek, the furnace hum, and the wind blow because it snowed. And when it snows, even just a small amount, it means my husband works and my motherly duties of watching the younger two kicks in. Therefore, I stay home, until my husband comes home, and if there is still time, I will then head to the tournament. In the meantime, I stay warm under my blanket, typing to you.

tidbits

2012-01-13T22:37:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I did the same workout, with a combination of walking and jogging. It wasn't as easy as the day before. I'm guessing it's because my body was still tired from pushing it the day before. Today and tonight I have been too busy to get any activity in. Not good.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Clear Lake for Shaylee's basketball tournament. I guess it's just an 8th grade tournament, so Shawndra won't be going. She can't anyhow since she went to her mom's house for the weekend.

Mike will be hanging out at home with the boys. Dalton and Jayden that is. Dalton ended up staying home this weekend and it had nothing to do with his choice. He wanted to go see his mom, but since grandpa is the one who meets us in Watertown and he only drives a single cab pickup, there isn't enough room for all four kids and grandpa. He was pretty bummed and we felt bad that he couldn't go. Shawndra doesn't usually go to her mom's because she has practice or games going on, so since she decided to go this time that meant one of the other had to stay home. It sucks that their mom can't get her act together, but that's a whole nother story that I'm not getting into now.

Sunday we get to meet Jayden's preschool teacher for his last semester in preschool. It's hard to believe he will be starting Kindergarten in the fall.

I'm hoping to get some decent pictures at the tournament tomorrow. It seems lately the pictures I am taking aren't turning out great. Really hoping tomorrow is different.

me jogging

2012-01-11T19:41:00.002-06:00

Yep you read that title correctly. Me jogging. I always dreamed I would get to that point, but never thought I would actually be able to do it. When I've tried in years past, I have started to fast and almost been at a sprint. Not tonight though. While walking on the treadmill, I wanted to see what I could do. I actually pushed myself into jogging mode. 2 minutes without walking. I actually did it. That may not seem like much to you who read this blog, but to me it's a huge monument. To make it even better, I actually jogged 2 minutes 4 different times tonight.

I'm so proud of myself! It wasn't fast, but it wasn't at a speed where I could walk. This is my year! This is the year I will do this!!

a great day

2012-01-09T21:25:00.002-06:00

Today was an awesome day. The weather was beautiful, even though I am bothered by the lack of snow. I took the dog on a long walk while wearing no coat. It's just not right that it's January and it's this warm and there is no snow. By this time of year it should be cold and the ground should be white. I'm really hoping the snow comes soon because it is my favorite season. However, with it being my favorite season, I can't complain that I'm outside in the fresh air getting my activity it.

Tonight Mike and I went to Shawndra and Shaylee's basketball games. We didn't win. But it's OK because my parents were there and it's always fun to sit and chat during these times. Poor Shaylee took off towards the other teams court and just about crossed over, but everybody screamed and she stopped. She felt so embarrassed and bad. It happens though and that's what we told her. Life goes on.

fitness challenge thoughts

2012-01-08T17:20:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new eight week fitness challenge we are starting at work. I'm excited and anxious about it because we've never done anything like this at work and I feel like it will be an extra boost to what I am already doing at home.

After taking a month long hiatus after Thanksgiving and through Christmas, I find myself re-losing a few pounds I had already lost. I was bummed to see I had gained some weight back, but in reality, I knew I would gain over Christmas because of all the good food. I also knew that I would be getting back on track to how well I was doing after New Year's Day, so for me there was always a light at then end of the tunnel. Or a guide for me.

The first few days after New Year's were definitely hard for me. I have such an addiction to food that after I binge like I did over Christmas my body starts reacting with signs of withdrawal to the junk food I used to feed it. I feel a sense of panic when I crave a food and don't let myself have it. I make my willpower kick in and get me through the moment. Food thoughts consume my thoughts a majority of the day.

I'm an emotional eater and I eat more so when I am bored. The minute I start wanting to eat, I take the time to figure out how I am feeling. I am physically full, but my body is reacting with hunger signs which make feel like I want to eat, or chew, should I say. It's not that my body is hungry or needing fuel, it's my mind playing tricks on me making me feel like that's the normal thing to do. Eat.

Now that the accountability will follow me at work as well as home, I am excited about what the future holds. My mind is on track. I'm getting in activity every day, drinking lots of water, and focusing on my good healthy guidelines. Sometimes those guidelines are hard, especially getting 5 fruits or veggies in every day. Today when I was walking the dog, we even jogged three different times. It's not far or long, but it really gets my heart rate up. I have a goal of completing a 5K by this summer.

Wish me good thoughts and luck! I know I can do this.

name writing

2012-01-07T18:49:00.002-06:00

I am so proud of my baby right now. OK, so he's not my baby so to speak, but he is the youngest and he is mine. Anyhow, he has always had troubles with fine motor skills due to low muscle tone in his hands and arms. Tonight we worked hard on counting and using his fingers in the positions to represent numbers, then progressed to name writing since he was still interested. This was the end result. I am one proud mama.

computer

2012-01-06T20:48:00.002-06:00

My new laptop finally arrived yesterday. I'm so thankful for my husband because he is a computer whiz and he knows how to set everything up. The best thing he did was to transfer everything from the old laptop to the new one. It took 25 hours! But it was all done through the network, so he didn't have to do it manually. I talk like I know what I'm talking about. :)

The funnest part of tonight was when I finally got to put my hands on it and Skype with my sister in Florida! We had tried on my old computer, but the microphone didn't work. The kids got to see her and talk to her and she got to see them and talk to them. It was great.

After 5 years, I think it was time for a new one!

volleyball

2012-01-04T19:29:00.001-06:00

Somebody must have informed the person in charge of the calendars....finally.....because the link finally works! The calendar is up and practices are coming soon.

club volleyball

2012-01-03T19:53:00.002-06:00

Club Volleyball is stressing me out. Considering I have to pay a big chunk of money for this program, I would expect a better support system when asking questions and getting information out. It all started when there were tryouts, but I learned that day that they aren't really tryouts that it's more of a "if you choose to pay the fees, you are in", so then I was faced with the decision of if we could afford to do it or not.

After we sent in our registration papers once we decided we would do it, we were told we would receive a phone call from the coach letting us know what team she would be on. We didn't receive a phone call, but rather an email, and a day late from when we should know.

The next irritating factor was that I had specific questions to ask the director, which I had done a week prior to the forms being due. I forwarded the same email to the same person the day the forms were due. After all, I had questions on how volleyball practices and basketball practices and games work together. I never received any replies until 5 days after the forms were sent in.

After we were told what team she was on, we were told we would receive the practice schedule before Christmas. Today is January 3rd and we still haven't received it. However, today they sent out an email saying the Academy calendar is up on the website. So I go to the site and click on the link that says "click here" (haha) for the volleyball schedule and all it does is takes me to the homepage (again), but in a new window. Frustrated, I replied to the email from the director about the calendar. I have still received no replies and I continue to check the site, which still has the incorrect hyperlink.

I fished around on the site trying to find someone who I could email my questions to, but of course that is the same person that sent the original email that hasn't replied to my email.

I am so frustrated with this process so far. It's like waiting for nothing when everything is on the line. Did that make sense? Ha, probably not. All I know is practice starts in two weeks, but I don't know anything more than that. So trying to put together volleyball and basketball will be a last minute arrangement, I guess.

Or maybe I just need to turn to dog bones to destress myself. :)

another year...this and that

2012-01-01T13:13:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year! We welcome yet another year into our lives, with new hopeful resolutions. Each year it seems the same things get started, the same dreams and resolutions. To lose weight. To save money. To be a better parent. To spend more time with the kids. And the list goes on and on.

Last year I made a typical resolution to lose weight, but the most exciting resolution was to stay on top of developing pictures and put them into albums. I made huge progress on this one. I have gotten all of the pictures (all 13,000) sorted, prints ordered, and albums started. I did run out of empty photo albums, so until I can purchase more, I have lots of prints sorted by date in a box waiting to be put into an album. The albums I do have done have been flipped through many times by the kids. Why didn't I do this sooner?!

We have also ordered a new computer which should be here in 1-2 weeks (hopefully sooner). I have never backed up my pictures, so I finally got that done this week with many thanks to my husband. I bought an external hard drive and transferred everything over. It was a little trickier than I expected, but with Mike being such a whiz at computers, I let him do the work.

The first resolution about losing weight, I made some progress on this fall, but went on hiatus at Thanksgiving. I plan on getting back on track this week. I would like to make a ticker to put on the blog to show the progress I make towards this, but haven't got around to it yet. Plus, it's still a hard subject to be so publicly honest about. We'll see how I sort out these feelings and how I choose to project them or not.

Over the last 5-6 months I have often thought of ending my writing and sharing in this blog. However, something keeps me coming back. I think it has something to do with the fact I have been blogging for almost 4 years now and I hate to end something that is fun to go back and look at. My goal this year is to continue blogging and update more regularly. Initially it may be daily, but I honestly can't foresee staying that on top of it as time passes!

I have opened up comments on here again to anonymous people, so feel free to leave your comments. If the spam starts up again, I may have to stop, but for now, let me know what you think...if you want.

Happy New Year! Let's bring on 2012!

it's catchy

2011-12-02T15:19:00.003-06:00

Whatever is going on around here sure is catchy! I have heard of so many people who are sick with the stomach flu, but that it's really fast moving. I have to agree. It comes on so fast you have about 30 minutes warning. Seriously. And it's gone about 12 hours later.

Jayden was sick Tuesday. Shawndra was sick last night. Mike got it in the middle of the night and now Joseph just came home from school after getting sick.

I'm still praying I can avoid this one. Yuck. No fun for sure.

Christmas concert and sickness

2011-12-01T21:20:00.002-06:00

The elementary Christmas concert was tonight. It was fun to see the kids sing the songs and all the cute actions that went with them. I have pictures, but haven't uploaded them yet.

Jayden is feeling much better. He stayed home with daddy yesterday and was fine all day, so he went back to daycare today and got to go to the Children's Museum with his preschool class. He was sure excited.

Shawndra has started puking tonight and her stomach hurts so bad she thinks she's going to die, or at least that's what she tells me. Stomach aches are the toughest to deal with because there isn't a lot you can do for them, especially when vomiting accompanies it.

Jayden is sick

2011-11-29T16:10:00.002-06:00

This morning started out completely normal with Jayden bouncing around before the sun was up and asking for breakfast the second he hears someone stirring. That all changed when I got a call from his preschool teacher and they said he was feeling feverish and had spit up some. I talked to them for awhile about how it's very hard for Jayden to puke because he has a stomach wrap done. I left it at that and carried out a sick little boy.

About 5 blocks later I could hear gurgling in the backseat and knew exactly what it was. Jayden was vomiting in the car. And he continued to do so the entire way back home. I didn't know if I should stop or keep going. I knew there was nothing I could do if I stopped, so I kept driving. I feel bad for making him sit in it, but just didn't have the means to clean it up on the side of the road.

We got in the house and got him stripped down and into the bathtub. He sat there not really moving or saying anything. I washed his hair and got him out and he was covered in goosebumps, so I knew he was cold. He started to shake and shiver. I got him dressed in some jammies that were comfortable and put him to bed. He said he was tired. I gave him a bucket in case he got sick again. Before long I could hear that sound, so I went and checked on him and sure enough he was puking again. I rinsed out the bucket and brought it back.

15 minutes later I thought I would check on him. He was laying in bed throwing up. All over the bed, his jammies. Ok since I started this paragraph I have had to clean this up 3 more times. I've lost my thoughts.

Jayden has it coming out of both ends and is mad on top of it, so it's making this really challenging. Not to mention I'm running out of clean sheets and blankets. Got to run. Say a prayer for him!

giving away grapefruit

2011-11-27T10:37:00.002-06:00

We spent quite a bit of time on Friday night and then again on Saturday morning preparing to give away mass quantities of grapefruit. We went through all of our bags, plus the bags that people brought on Saturday morning. Several cars filled up their trunks and backseats to the top with bags of grapefruit.

One friend of mine came with her husband and bagged up bag after bag of fruit. I learned later that they delivered 500 pounds of grapefruit to one of the dairy farms they own for the workers there to enjoy. She said all of the grapefruit were gone within 2 hours.

Another friend filled her entire car up to take the to Brookings Habitat Restore to give away as customers came in.

A third friend came and also filled up her car and trunk and delivered bag to more than 20 families here in town.

My friend's mom took 13 bags to give to the assisted living center where she works, to neighbors who live on a low income, and to her own family. She was extremely grateful and felt so blessed.

There were other friends who came and appreciated the opportunity to pick out grapefruit for their own families to enjoy.

Towards the end of the giveaway yesterday, we had 2 men from a local colony show up with boxes. They filled the boxes and filled the back of their truck. When asked what they owed us we said absolutely nothing. One of the men asked if he could bring us a smoked turkey, to which we said sure. Later last night, Mike received word that 2 more colonies want to come get grapefruit today.

We are down to 1/4 of a truck full of fruit and a big cow water bin. I have also contacted 2 local churches in attempt to give them fruit to giveaway.

It has been such a good feeling to know that these fruits could have all been dumped at the landfill, but instead will be going to many people who were so appreciative to receive them. Whatever isn't gone by the middle of the week will likely go to the landfill, but I'm guessing that after the colonies are done there won't be much left.

grapefruit

2011-11-25T21:12:00.005-06:00

I'm used to having my plans in the winter changed because of the weather with Mike's job. What happened today though I wasn't prepared for. My plans changed because of grapefruit. We were supposed to go to Sioux Falls to finish shopping fairly early this morning, but after Mike received a phone call that there was a rollover on the interstate plans changed.

The driver of a semi fell asleep and hit a guard rail, later swerving and then rolling over, spilling his loaded trailer of grapefruit all over the median and road.

The tractor came to rest on the road.
And the top peeled open just like a can. Full boxes of grapefruit spilled everywhere. Mike called me and said it was probably going to take awhile to clean up the mess.

Little did I know it was going to take 6 1/2 hours to get the mess cleaned up. They had to hand pick every fruit, finish unloading the truck, and continue to clean up the median. Two tow trucks hooked up to the wrecked rig and pulled it upright.

The employees of the DOT and Dakota Service came to help get things stacked up. I'm sure they didn't expect that call either....to find out they were coming in to clean up grapefruit.

They loaded some of the grapefruit into another truck. Then the rest of the grapefruits filled an entire plow truck and half of another one.

Tonight we have been dumping the fruits out of the plow truck through the sander chute into a cow water bin, then sorting out the bad ones, which are very few. The good ones are getting tossed into sacks and will be given away. Tomorrow we have many people coming to get fruit, including people who are eating them and even a farmer who wants them for his chickens! Whatever is leftover will go to the landfill. So like I said, I've seen my plans change because of snow and ice, but not because of grapefruits. :)

time change

2011-11-06T10:25:00.002-06:00

I really dislike time change as an adult. It doesn't mean we get an extra hour of sleep. What it really means is that my kids internal clocks haven't changed meaning they will wake up at 5am for the day. After many attempts at telling them it was still dark out and it was still bedtime, I crawled out of bed, crabby none the less. Oh well, I've gotten a ton of housework done this morning.

fall

2011-10-22T08:55:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, Jayden made a pile of leaves and was kicking them around and throwing them up in the air. He had a lot of fun and his giggle could be heard by the neighbors.

Mike has been busy helping his dad in the field for the last month. They have finally finished up corn and are now starting to do their own tiling. One day, I got to ride in the tractor with him for the day. It was fun, but my butt was sure sore by the time we were done! Here we are watching his dad go ahead of us while we waited for him to come back on the other side.

This was our ride, or should I say Mike's ride. The auger is 24 inches, so it didn't take more than a minute to fill the semi-truck when we were full. It was a fun process to watch.

As the sun set and the combine still rolled, the view became really magnificent.

I stumbled upon this adorable donkey on a gravel road one day. He let me take many photos of him. What a fun creature they are!

As for me, I'm still battling a cold. It's mainly turned into an annoying cough more than anything. Devin got hit in the mouth with the car door and had to have her lip stitched. They were removed yesterday and looks like there will be minimal scarring. Dalton went to a birthday party last night where he got to shoot a bb gun, a bow and arrow, and swing from willow tree branches. Joseph has been sick with the pukies for a couple of days. Shaylee and Shawndra have been busy with volleyball games this week. And Jayden, well he's just been full of chatter.....constantly.

sick

2011-10-14T16:15:00.002-05:00

I'm sick and just in time for the weekend. I feel so tired, my throat hurts and my nose is stuffed up. Hopefully I can get some rest this weekend and be ready for the week ahead. 4 of the kids are going to their mom's house, so it will just be Shaylee and Jayden home with me this weekend. She came home sick from school today after she threw up, so it sounds like a good resting weekend. Jayden is also coughing and having a runny nose.

it's been awhile

2011-09-29T20:24:00.003-05:00

I have been neglecting my blog for awhile now, 9 days to be exact. Just using the time to reflect to myself, make some changes in my life and all for the better, and trying to decide where to go from this point with this blog. On top of everything, Mike's back is out again, plus he's working in the field for his dad so I've been on "everything" duty.

I also can't blog for crap on my computer because the keyboard is shot and only picks random letters to type. It's a very tedious process to type a word, wait to see what letters appear, then backspace and attempt to fix it. Maybe someday I will have money to buy a new one. HA!

brutal honesty

2011-09-20T19:37:00.003-05:00

I hate anxiety. Social anxiety. Any anxiety. I also hate my "e" on my keyboard because it sticks or it doesn't work. That's beside the point. Except for it makes my typing on here take much longer and makes me much more frustrated.

I have terrible anxiety that I have had for years. The fear of being judged, fear of being talked about, fear of not doing things right and facing consequences and the fear of what others think of me. I've always felt this way, but it's so bad that I don't go out with friends, avoid many situations where I may have to talk to someone, and would much rather be at home. I believe this has gotten worse over the years as I have put on weight and my self esteem has been demolished. Then when I add backstabbers and judgemental people into the equation that brings out even negative feelings.

I even feel judged in my own church, which I haven't been to yet this year. And I think this sucks. My youngest tells me that's our church when we drive by it, but I cannot bring myself to walk through those doors.

Today was a rough day. I was confronted on something that happened over a year ago. And it was something that was so petty I was shocked it came up. I did nothing wrong in this case. Whatever it was doesn't matter, but what matters is how this person made me feel. I felt like crap, like everyone was looking at me and like people have been talking about me. I felt naive. Good thing I have one good person I can talk to, who helped me stay calm and just walk away from it. After all, I am the better person in this case. I walked away and tried to keep my head held high. It sucked.

I look at myself in my job. I am a professional who many people look up to. They rely on me for advice and resources. They call me a teacher. They say they don't want to lose me. They like me. I can honestly say I am good at my job and I am able to look like the strong person that I desire to be. So what's different? Is it that I am a person within an entity...my employer? Is it that I can relate to so many people? How can I be two different people? The person I am in my job is not like the person I am at home. Doesn't that mean I am two-faced? Why can't I see the good in myself and build on that in my personal life?

These questions plague me. They eat me up. They make me think. I think I need to get a life. Literally. And start living. Because this being that I am living in now isn't life. Somethings got to give.

I am not going to proofread this post because I will delete it all. Instead, I have typed with an open flow of words coming straight from my conscious.

me and my boy

2011-09-12T20:33:00.002-05:00

Me and my boy and a picture that I love.

A true favorite that was quickly taken and a boy who won my heart.

wedding fun

2011-09-11T15:02:00.002-05:00

The wedding we went to outside yesterday was beautiful and full of people. In fact, so many people that it was impossible to see the bride's dress! Even when she came into the reception the place was so packed I still couldn't see! The kids had fun outside after the wedding. They made trains and chugged around the grass.

They also played Duck Duck Goose with a couple of cousins.
Waiting for the food to be served was especially dragging for the kids, but the entertained themselves quite well...

by playing random games and you know...continuously putting their hands on other people over and over even when told to keep their hands to themselves. LOL

Everyone was tired when we got home last night and crashed until late this morning.

Jayden preschool

2011-09-10T11:20:00.003-05:00

I finally got my blog to a point where I am happy with it again. Yay! We've been a busy crew as I'm sure you can understand being a family of eight. Jayden had a rough day at open house for preschool resulting in a tantrum or laying on the floor the entire time. After thirty minutes I had experienced enough and left. The tears ran down my face uncontrollably for over 20 minutes. I was so frustrated and embarrassed and confused. I had no idea if I should spend the money on preschool or put it towards something else. The question of paying for him to have tantrums and not enjoy himself was tough.

I sent a long email to the mentor teacher. She replied with some encouraging advice. I talked to Jayden ALOT about his feelings, being happy, being scared, the new classroom, new teachers, but also how fun it would be and how he really did want to play. That night we talked, the next morning and even when I picked him up to go to preschool. He said he was happy and I was hopeful.

Jayden and I went into the room. He held my hand, but thing were going ok. He picked out his name tag and then we sat at the art table where I helped him cut. Jayden ended up having a great day! He was quiet at first, but after about 20 minutes he warmed up and started to smile and laugh. I pray next week goes as well as last Thursday. Things will be a bit different because daddy will be taking him instead of me. Hopefully Mike can handle it all and Jayden will be fine.

---------------------------------------

Last night we went to Flandreau for a wedding rehearsal supper. All of Mike's family was there so it was a big get together. Today is the wedding and it looks like it will be a glorious day. I plan to take a few pictures tonight, so will share soon.

2011-09-06T06:39:00.003-05:00

I've been avoiding the whole blogging thing lately because I have honestly felt burned out from it. I haven't used my camera for much since the birthdays have passed and haven't made it to any games yet. It's tough to make those when they start at 4 or 5pm out of town. There are only 3 home games. :( We'll see if I can come up the desire to continue this blog soon.....until then....

it's back...sort of

2011-08-26T22:20:00.002-05:00

So I was finally able to find the newer template to my blog and miraculously the blogs I read and twitter all showed back up! There's still work to be done, but at least I can see everything on here now. Oofta and the font is really small and things are a bit crooked, but I'll get that fixed...soon...I swear.

Shaylee and Shawndra have their first volleyball game in Howard tomorrow. Not sure if I will be able to make it. Honestly, finances are a bit out of control right now and I don't think I can spare the extra gas money. :( Sad I know. I'm sure they will do well and they will tell me all about it if I don't make it there.

We're also getting up super early tomorrow to go put a recliner on a friends rummage sale that we have been trying to get rid of. I'm really hoping that sells because I'm tired of it sitting in my garage.

This weekend is also another family reunion at Oakwood Park. I guess we'll see how the weekend pans out whether we get over there or not.

blogs

2011-08-24T11:09:00.001-05:00

Bummed. Just realized I have lost the list of all the blogs I like to read and had listed on my blog. I remember some of them, but others I don't. :(

under construction

2011-08-22T16:41:00.003-05:00

In attempt to make some changes to my blog, I got a little click happy and ended up deleting my entire blog. It was all blank except for the background. I've spent almost two hours messing with it. Until I figure out how to get things back to normal, it will be under construction. Blah. I guess I'm just very happy that I didn't lose all of the posts for good. For awhile, I thought they weren't coming back. As it stands right now, I don't have my Twitter information or the Feedjit on there. Neither are life or death....

Going back to work tomorrow, so it could be a few days before you see many changes.

braces

2011-08-22T15:34:00.001-05:00

Don't mind the squinting eyes,but here is Miss Shawndra with her braces on the top. Beginning of October she will get the bottoms put on.

tidbits

2011-08-19T12:05:00.003-05:00

It's been a busy week in our house again. We celebrated Dalton's birthday on Monday.

On Tuesday we went to Sioux Falls for dentist appointments for all 6 kids. None of the kids had cavities once again!! Shawndra got to adult teeth pulled which we planned on doing. She did not develop 2 adult teeth on top, so they had to pull 2 adult teeth on the bottom so her braces can pull her teeth together for her bite to line up. Braces get put on Monday morning.

Wednesday I worked a long day and Mike went to the farm to work, which left me busy when I finally got home from work. Shaylee and Shawndra were nice and cooked supper...chicken nuggets and frozen sweet corn. Thanks girls!

Thursday I worked a long day again and Mike also went to the farm until the combine broke down. I made 3 homemade pizzas, which is the typical amount for our family. He came home after supper was done and cleaned up. We got the kids to bed and I went to bed too!

That brings us to Friday. So far so good. I have to say it's been a crazy week at work. I wish the crisis' would stop, as it makes my work life much harder. Not much for plans this weekend that I know of. And that's my kind of weekend!!

Pheasants Game

2011-08-16T19:49:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we went to a Pheasants game and it was so fun. 19 of us were able to use the Coca-Cola Suite. There was food to eat, drinks, plus we could sit inside the suite in the A/C or outside. The night was gorgeous, so we were outside except when we went in to get more food.

We were right beside home plate, so the view was awesome, but from what we could see, there isn't a bad seat in the place. I was surprised at how many empty seats there were.
The view inside the suite looking towards the field. Pretty fun, huh?! There was also a flat screen tv on the wall which we had tuned to the Twins game followed by the Vikings game.

Princess Leah sang the National Anthem. This was later on when she was walking around. The night was a Star Wars theme.

One of the players up to bat. It was amazing how fast the balls were pitched. They ranged from 75-90mph!

More Star Wars characters roaming around.

Inside the suite again.

Even though the Pheasants lost it was still a fun time.

Happy 9th Birthday Dalton

2011-08-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

There once was a day when I met this little guy who was 2 years old, but soon turning 3, who later became my step-son. Dalton rode this truck out at grandpa and grandma's until he was way to big to be in it.

A usually happy kid, was not so happy to be as bored as he was waiting for his time to come down the aisle at his Aunt Lisa's wedding.
He proves to be full of spunk and curiosity and was loving this day so long ago when I took a bunch of pictures of him and his shadow. This one tops it all though.

Dalton has always been so full of excitement come time for presents. In fact, we've had to get pretty sneaky at hiding them so they can wait until it is time to open them. Dalton thinks the bigger the better and was way excited for this truck.

Enjoying cake at a birthday party a few years back. He is just like me in that respect...he loves sweets, including cake!

Dalton is so full of persistence and determination when he starts something.

And is willing to jump into perfect picture taking places...even if it means it might show up at his graduation. :)

A handsome and reserved young guy, he is.

Dalton proved himself to be a team play this summer during ball. He also made us laugh with how entertaining he can be.

Running through the sprinkler is a sure way to keep him amused and busied when younger ones are in the pool. His giggle is heard all the way around the house.

Happy Birthday Dalton! Your dad and I love you and are proud of you!

cicada

2011-08-14T20:57:00.002-05:00

Just in case you've ever wondered what those noisy bugs look like that you hear at various times through the day...

a cicada caught in our backyard...resting next to a quarter...disgusting as heck.

Ok, carry on.

Happy 13th Birthday Shaylee

2011-08-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

13 years ago today my first born, beautiful, loved, amazing little girl was born weighing in at 9lbs 7 ounces and full of love for the world.

She started sleeping through the night after a few short weeks, had the funnest spunk of a personality and won everyone over instantly.
Helping herself to donuts when mom and dad weren't looking, crawling into the cupboards or boxes, or just finding anything mischievous to get into was one of her specialties. Of course she would look at us with her brilliant blue eyes and stay out of trouble.

Grandmas and Grandpas, Aunts and Uncles, Moms and Dads were completely in love...even when she sported a nice pair of bottle thick glasses!

Around this age, Shaylee was known to steal the entire bowl of cookie dough and go hide in her closet until I found her eating it.

Shaylee at Grandpa Mark's house holding up his most recent rack. She was pretty amused how big they were compared to her.

Becoming a big sister to her half brother Jayden was one of her proudest days at this point. She has adored him since the day he was born.

Always sporting a smile, a bow, a hug....

or even challenging her family to the silliest face contest.

She has continued to impress us with an awesome singing voice, great grades, and the love for friends and sports.

Over the last 13 years, my daughter has transformed into a young lady who reminds me so much of myself....

Shaylee I want to wish you a very Happy 13th Birthday. You amaze me every day and I cannot believe where the time has gone. It seems like yesterday you were my baby with little sausages for toes that I swore we were going to eat for supper. I love you!

Now......just because you are an official teenager doesn't mean you have to cause me to grow gray hair....just sayin. :)

cows

2011-08-08T15:37:00.001-05:00

I have always

loved cows and will stop anywhere
to take their picture, especially when they are up close or standing in water

simply because I love cows.

Shaylee's Home Run

2011-08-07T17:21:00.005-05:00

Shaylee got a home run yesterday and was so excited. I got it all on pictures, which tell the story below. Up to bat and clearly focused. She was determined to nail that ball.

Made it to first base.
Running towards second and still keeping her eye on where the ball was....over by the fence!

So much speed and determination as she nears second base.

Made it to second and literally flying through the air towards third base!

Cruising towards third base. What a stride!

Almost there. Other team is still working on getting the ball in!

Just about to third and you can see her coach in the gray shirt pointing towards home. More times than not, he tells the girls to stay on third. But this time it was clear she could go for HOME!

Tearing past third and the coach is still telling her to GO! Bound and determined.

Almost home. All eyes are on her!

So close...

And she's HOME. Almost a grand slam. 2 bases were loaded.

She was so excited and so proud of her HOME RUN. You can see it all over her face.

Way to go Shaylee!!

tomorrow is busy

2011-08-05T11:10:00.003-05:00

I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to juggle everything tomorrow. The girls have their end of summer softball tournament all day tomorrow, plus it's the 40th anniversary for 3M, so they are having lots of fun stuff.

I think we'll all try for a tour at 8:30am, then the game starts at 10am and depending on if they win or lose will depend on the next game. The fun stuff for kids starts at 2pm tomorrow at the Swiftel Center. They will have bouncy toys, BINGO, games, and lots more for the kids until 6pm. Then at 6pm the doors will open for the concert, which starts with White Creek Band followed by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The concert is only for adults and we have tickets!

The last game, depending on if they make it to the championship like last year, will be played at 7pm. Well the concert starts at 7pm and the girls are supposed to babysit. So you can see I'm in a bit of a bind. Mike and I have 4 friends/family that are coming with us to the concert.

Hopefully everything works out! Eeeek!!

painting

2011-08-04T19:51:00.002-05:00

Jayden thinks he just had his birthday, but it was really 6 months ago. It's mainly my fault. You see, I got him paints and paintbrushes for his birthday, but he didn't really understand what they were for, so I put them up and never got them down.

But the other night when it was just him and I, I got them down. I think he thought it was like being in heaven. He kept saying, "this is fun". And if you know my Jayden, he doesn't say stuff like that very often. It was almost like a kid in a candy shop.
He painted two pages almost completely full. I had him copying shapes I made and even made a letter "J". It was cute watching him try to copy those.

After he was all done painting, he kept saying it was his birthday for several days. But I think that fad has worn off now.

so sad

2011-07-28T09:48:00.004-05:00

I just found out my doctor of 20 years is leaving his practice. Two years ago my OBGYN left the clinic after a 12 year complex history with me. At the same time my chiropracter of 15 years left the practice with another complex history of my neck. And now my doctor. My kids doctor. My husbands doctor.

My doctor is my kids doctor. He knows Jayden's entire case. He was there from the beginning, with the episodes of turning blue in his office, the trachiamalacia, deciding to send him to the University of Minnesota, arranging for the LifeFlight jet to come get us in the middle of a blizzard, learning with me through the surgeries and tube feeding year, the years of terrible screaming tantrums in his office, the MRSA in his ears. The list goes on and on. Jayden has a huge history with him. How in the world am I ever going to find another doctor that is as good as him?!

I remember first meeting him. It was in the Emergency Room after I stuck my head through a windshield in a car accident. I remember him quietly waking me up in the hospital when Jayden was admitted to see how the night was or to talk to me about the plans. I can remember him rubbing my back with sympathy when we seemed so hopeless about Jayden's tantrums.

I have all the trust in the world for this doctor. I am so sad he is leaving.

rants

2011-07-22T22:10:00.002-05:00

I gave three cats a bath today in the kitchen sink. Then I gave my dog a bath in the bath tub. And none of my kids got baths today. The older ones got showers though. I guess there is tomorrow for the younger two.

I think the weather has been messing with me because today was an off and on crabby day for me. Simple things set me off, like the entire container of toothpicks that disappeared when I really needed one to see if my banana bread was done, which was then later found hiding behind 6 cans of soup, but of course I had checked there. (Whew, long sentence.) However once they were found it was too late and the bread was out. I think it's done enough to enjoy.

We're also having all kinds of TV issues. I spent a half hour, or it seems like a half hour, on the phone with Dish Network in regards to our Dish not working. They are sending a new remote because they think ours is faulty. It's supposed to be here on Monday. Right now we can't watch TV in the living room because the entire receiver doesn't work. That really leads me to believe it's the receiver, not the remote. But we'll wait and see if it fixes things. It's funny how much a person relies on TV for some entertainment. I've never considered us much of TV watchers until late evening. But even then in the evening, there's not much to do but watch TV.

Did a little grocery shopping in the lovely super center that has once again rearranged everything. I wish they would just leave things the same. We also went into another local store to see about finding my daughter some shoes today, but we couldn't get a single person to help us find a shoe. We walked out and I'm pretty sure I won't go back. And people wonder why so many people shop out of town.

boys

2011-07-20T18:30:00.002-05:00

Boys riding 4 wheelers

or catching fish.

Either way, they're my boys. My husband. My son. And my father.

draining ear

2011-07-19T11:03:00.001-05:00

Jayden has been sick with minor symptoms for about a month now. He started out with a bad cough, but not other symptoms, so we just waited it out. Then he started with a clear runny nose, so we waited again. But now on Sunday his ear started to drain. Daycare called yesterday and said he was running a low fever, so we made him an appointment to see the doctor today. Dr. T cultured his ear to see what it grows. In past times, he has grown MRSA, but that was several years ago already. He was also placed on Augmentin.

hot

2011-07-17T21:29:00.002-05:00

My gosh it's hot out. Yesterday we went to a wedding in Sioux Falls that was held outside at Tuthill Park. I have to say it is a beautiful place for a wedding. It's too bad it felt like we were sitting in an oven. Looks to me like this week is going to be much of the same. Earlier on twitter, I seen the heat index was 116. Crazy!

We went to an auction this morning, but only stayed for a few minutes. We decided based on the heat, Mike's back, and the huge amount of stuff we would be there all day, and that, we did not want to do. So we've been home the rest of the day just hanging out in the A/C.

My cousin pointed out to me last night that I haven't been very good at blogging lately. I will try to get better at it and throw a few pictures on here once in awhile.

catch up

2011-07-14T21:47:00.002-05:00

Catching up on almost 2 weeks. Geez, I guess I really slacked off.

We watched fireworks in town. They were good, except I think they forgot the grand finale as I didn't feel the show was finished when apparently it was.

We went to the lake, rode 4 wheelers, putzed around in the golf cart, threw bean bags, and ate a lot of food. Karaoke was set up, so lots of people sang. Not me though, I can't sing.

The weather got really hot and really miserable. I hate the heat more than anything in the world. I even skipped the Arts Festival because of the heat. My entire family stayed inside in pajamas on Sunday.

My niece and nephew were here on Saturday. We played on the playset out side, in the pool, with trains, and whatever else was found.

My niece goes to sleep by just laying her down and giving her a pacifier. It was so crazy how easy it was.

My husband has been seeing the chiropractor every day this week, is wearing a back brace, and can't work. Really hoping it gets resolved soon as he's pretty miserable.

I mowed the lawn tonight...and remember how I mentioned I hate the heat? Well I hate the humidity too. My pants and shirt were soaked from sweat and my face was beat red by the time I was done. I sure wish we had a riding mower.

My uncle gave us a life or death scare and ended up with a total of 7 stints placed in his heart.

The kids have been busy with ball at night several nights a week.

We've laughed a lot and played games and just been busy with life.

Overall, all is good. And I can't complain. Except for the heat and humidity and nothing will change there. Unless I move to Alaska! :)

Jayden

2011-07-03T09:59:00.002-05:00

This bright eyed little boy

who rarely looks at the camera
has been spending the entire long weekend

without any of his siblings and I think he's getting bored.

We're headed to the lake today!

Devin in t-ball

2011-06-30T20:43:00.002-05:00

I forgot how unbelievably cute little children are when playing t-ball. They all run after the ball, even from across the field, they have no concept of batting or throwing or catching, and they think being in the outfield is the perfect time to twirl around or pick flowers or play in the sand.

Devin was picking out a bat.

Yes, she's left-handed. Yes, she's got her arms switched. But, she still managed to hit the ball!
And run safely to first base.

Which eventually brought her home. Most of the girls had to be told when to run and where to go. It was cute.

And when she wakes up in the morning on Monday, she reminds me she has a game that night.

2011-06-23T22:16:00.002-05:00

Some things are ok to put on here and others are best left behind closed doors. I have quite a few things that are bothering me and stressing me out right now, which has led for a very emotional day today. Simple things set the tears off. My eyes are tired and burn. Yet I can't stop thinking about the things that hurt so bad.

I've always tried to think of myself as a good person who puts other people and their needs first. I do as much for my children as I can do, putting their needs first above my own. I'm trying to raise them with values. But I feel like I'm failing and don't know what more I can do. It's hard.

The last few days have been really tough on me. I'm hoping things can straighten around soon.

busy

2011-06-22T09:09:00.002-05:00

I'm bad.

Look at how much time has passed since I updated this blog.

We've been busy, what can I say. Summer is in full swing, lots of ball practices and games, swimming lessons and volleyball, plus us parents fitting in a work schedule or two.

I have taken a few pictures at some of the games, so I will put together a post of Dalton and Devin.

Until then, I'm here, just super busy living life!

first softball game

2011-06-08T22:00:00.002-05:00

Shaylee and Shawndra had their first softball game of the season tonight in Bruce. It's unbelievable how hot Monday and Tuesday were and how freezing cold tonight was. I didn't think it was that bad outside tonight, but did grab my Columbia on the way out. Sadly, I was still in capri's and flip flops and froze anyhow.

They played two games and won both of them. Everybody was so cold. Some of the girls in the field were squatted down trying to stay warm. The games went on and on. One inning our girls went through batting two complete cycles, walking each base, until the other team finally switched out the pitcher. It was ridiculous. A few spectators that braved the cold were begging to call the game or for the girls to strike out just to be done. All of the girls on both teams wanted to go home, but I think none of them wanted to quit. 3 hours later, numb toes and cold bodies we were done.

We drove home with the heat on....in June. I hate the heat and don't usually mind the chilly evenings, but tonight I wish I would have had a blanket. Oh well, lesson learned. I'm sure next week will be blazing hot again with my luck. :)

Omaha zoo

2011-06-07T20:15:00.000-05:00

Man oh man, you better enjoy these pictures because it took two hours to get them to download. It's a good thing I'm a multi-tasker and can keep up with uploading, kids, and cooking supper all at the same time! Up first, is the hippo, which was one of the very last things we saw on the 3rd day at the zoo. He was inside the Lied Jungle and was neat to watch, even though he was slow and eating.

My beautiful daughter, Shaylee, stopping for a pose inside the jungle and a very narrow, rickety, rope bridge. I of course, stayed off of that bridge. I prefer to have my two feet planted firmly on ground that is safe.
We got lucky and got to see the baby, or should I say babies. I didn't realize there were two babies until I got home and started sorting through pictures and found this one with two little heads. See them both?

Sweet Devin and Jayden looking like they're up to some mischief. I have no idea what they were looking for, but every single time I tried to get them both to look at me one would and the other wouldn't. I ended up with this classic. They were inside a museum sitting inside an old jeep.

Shawndra and Shaylee inside the bird area. This was really cool too. There were baby ducks, flamingos and all sorts of birds that I didn't recognize. We walked through bridge type walkways as we looked at the birds. I also noticed tons of bird poop and was ever so thankful that none of that gooey white stuff landed on me!

It was hot and the chairs at the zoo provided some much needed rest occasionally and obviously a few funny photos as well. I love how Shaylee is posing so nice, yet Mike is making a face and then Shawndra is oblivious. Guess that's what a phone does to a pre-teen.

Jayden is so genuinely happy here. I love how it looks nothing like him, yet being in the moment, he was in pure bliss as he was riding on a train. He was so excited for the train every time it came through the zoo.

The giraffes were awesome. They had exhibits outside and inside. This one kept cleaning his nostrils, one at a time. Yuck.

Meet the driver and the organizer, otherwise known as dad, Mike, mom, or Val. You pick. Oh and it's a self portrait. Not bad considering my camera is bulky and hard to hold backwards.

Did I mention it was hot? Because it was. The kids found some running water and a small waterfall to splash around in. Mike and I sat in the shade and took the above picture. Before I knew it, we had 3 soaked kids. Dalton had been dunking his head in the water. At least he stayed cool!

Dalton and Joseph taking a pose on one of the many animal statues. Joseph wanted his picture taken on every single one. I started to, but it got old quick.

From youngest to oldest, including one who hates having his picture taken, especially in groups, meet my children.

The fish were crazy. They were like big goldfish that you would have in a tank, but they went bananas over any food pebbles that were dropped in the water. And they were huge!

Here is the train heading away from Jayden. This is the train we rode on. And like I said earlier, he loved it. Watching the train come around the bend.

Overall, the trip was amazingly fun. We spent four hours at the zoo the first day, six hours the second day and then on the third day we spent about two hours there and then headed to an IMAX Tornado Alley film.

vacation

2011-06-05T20:31:00.002-05:00

We had a great time on vacation. I've been trying to upload pictures several times now and once again blogger isn't letting me upload them. Hopefully later or tomorrow blogger will cooperate and you can see a few pictures. I only took 300 of them! :-)

Omaha-bound

2011-05-31T05:36:00.004-05:00

We're off to Omaha for 3 days! The kids have been wound really tight ever since finding out we are going. Hoping all goes smooth! Other than one kid having viral bronchitis, we're healthy. Let's hope that doesn't transfer to the others.

the story of the frog

2011-05-29T11:06:00.000-05:00

I have been asked to share this story on here. It was posted on facebook very briefly and has given many people laughs. This ~~little~~ big frog caused quite a ruckus. You see, my husband and my youngest, Jayden, found this frog by the swing set. They thought it would be nice to come show me.

Jayden brings it inside and I can hear him talking quietly to his dad. Since I was fiddling with my phone while standing in the living room, I didn't pay much attention to what they were doing or saying. The next thing I know is something really gross hit me in the foot and Jayden busts out laughing. Here's how the conversation went.

Jayden who is holding the frog says: "Can I throw it?"

Mike hears Jayden say: "Can I show it?" and replies "yes" to him.

Jayden throws the frog at me and it lands on my foot and I let out two very freakishly loud screams. Jayden busts out laughing, which soon followed by his dad.

The bad thing is, I almost stepped on the frog in the midst of my freak out session. Eek.

Stewie was not sure what to think of the frog hopping on the deck. He acted like he was going to try to catch it with his paw one time and then his mouth another time, but never did anything to it other than try to smell it.
Jayden and daddy let the frog go back in the yard where they found it. And I am left with another very funny memory of this creature.

dead bird

2011-05-28T16:59:00.002-05:00

I had been told ever since being a child that birds can die on power lines.

But never, have I seen a dead bird hanging from a power line until today.

If you click on the picture, it will make it larger so you can see it better. So weird!

going to the zoo

2011-05-26T22:02:00.002-05:00

I've been procrastinating and putting off reserving a hotel. But tonight I finally did it. All 8 of us are headed to Omaha next week for 3 days! We've never been to the zoo and I can't wait to tell them tomorrow! Woot woot!!

I have literally spent hours and hours searching, reading reviews, checking other sites, and just looking for a great deal. I guess it pays to wait til the last minute and have a husband who works for the government because a great deal we indeed got!

This will be our first family vacation!!

backyard birds

2011-05-22T15:02:00.002-05:00

This morning I heard a chirping bird that didn't sound familiar. Mike thought it was coming from my computer because we have been following the Decorah Bald Eagles for over a month now. If you haven't heard of these eagles, it's a group that has attached cameras to trees so you can watch the nest. The babies are about 6 weeks old now and are over 2 feet tall. Anyhow, when we are watching the eaglecam we can hear the chirping and that's what we thought it was.

However, my computer had shut down, so the bird was outside. This is the little fellow that was in one of our apple trees.

You can see him chirping here. It was a neat sound. I have no idea what he is, maybe a finch of some type?
Then earlier in the week, our love birds came back. I have seen them on our playset in the backyard every summer.

auctions

2011-05-16T06:59:00.002-05:00

I love auctions. On Saturday we spent 6 1/2 hours in the wind and rain to attend the SDSU surplus auction. Originally I didn't want to go, but thought about it and decided why not. My girls have been asking for a desk for their room. They currently have a piece of plywood over totes as a make shift desk. Well, after Saturday, they have a desk! I actually got 4 wooden shelves, 2 desks, a computer chair and a child size wooden chair for $17! Yep!

Then yesterday after being completely deflated by someone I love, I went to another auction all by myself. I hung around all day for a patio table I wanted, but it went too high, so I left with nothing.

With all the auctions coming up, I hope to find some decent furniture for our basement. The stuff we have now is old and it's time for something new!

our big tree

2011-05-14T16:31:00.005-05:00

We have an enormous tree in our backyard that I think is an ash tree, but both Mike and I can't officially call it that because we aren't for sure. But it's huge. In fact, as you come into our town, look at the tops of the trees, just find the tallest tree and that's ours! Ever since we have owned our house there has been a very large branch that was broken way up high, but didn't fall down far enough for us to take care of it. At one point, Mike climbed the tree and almost got to it, but he finally respected my wishes and came down. Earlier this week, during a very calm day, we heard a snapping sound. When we looked out at the tree we noticed the branch had come down much lower.

Mike climbed up and started sawing down the branch because it was still stuck in the tree. Plus he took care of some other branches.
Like I said, it was a huge branch!

It was quite a site to be seen. The kids were thinking it was pretty cool. They volunteered to help pick up the branches and take them to the trailer so we could get rid of them.

Then Mike decided to cut the biggest part up for wood in our fire pit. Devin was so curious that she had to keep stopping to watch. I was nervous because I thought he was sawing awfully close to his thigh!

Joseph putting smaller branches into the trailer.

And Devin with her twigs as she continues to watch Mike saw.

finally can post

2011-05-13T18:22:00.001-05:00

Blogger has been in "read-only" mode for several days and has been having issues getting back up. It's been frustrating because I've had pictures to share and a post to write and I couldn't. But looky here...it's up and running and I can finally post. Except I don't have time right now, so I'll be back later!

flu or food poisoning

2011-05-09T23:07:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to decide if I'm sick with the flu or food poisoning. Started out just not feeling right, which then turned into a low grade fever that quickly shot up to 103, chills, no appetite, and then diarrhea and lots of it. I was just sick with similar symptoms a little over a week ago, so I'm not thrilled at all to have this again.

I stayed home from work today and have slept half of yesterday, all last night and until 2pm today. My stomach is gurgling and grumbling and being loud. For the whole day!

I'm ready to be healthy again...

Considering I haven't heard of anyone else getting sick after eating where we ate, I would assume it's not food poisoning, but many of these symptoms are classified under that too. Hmmmmmm....

stuttering

2011-05-06T21:45:00.002-05:00

I have noticed lately that Jayden stutters at the beginning of nearly every sentence. They typically start out with, "I, I, I want" or whatever other word is in there. The first word is repeated three times though. It's gotten worse over the last week now and of course I forgot to bring it up at Jayden's IEP meeting.

Today I called his speech therapist to see if she has noticed it, which she has. She told me it's more common in boys between the ages of 2-6 and is considered developmental. It can last from a few weeks to a few months, but is also something we need to keep an eye on. She said we don't want it to become a habit for him, or go longer than a year.

When I asked if there was anything we could do about it she just said to watch it, but not to draw attention to it or correct as that can lead to self confidence problems. And I think he already has a bit of that going on too.

So as if there isn't enough going on with him, let's toss this on top too. When is this little boy going to be given a break?

IEP

2011-05-04T21:30:00.002-05:00

This morning I attended Jayden's IEP addendum meeting. I had requested for him to be evaluated in articulation with speech and in occupational therapy. The short of it is he didn't qualify for OT, but did qualify for articulation. The longer of it follows below.

I have been noticing lately that Jayden has a very lose fisted grasp on any writing utensil and he cannot imitate anything I write, nor can he trace or cut things out. The OT came and did an initial screen on him and she was concerned, so I signed the consent forms to allow her to do a formal evaluation. Because he has such a good pincher grasp his score was boosted on the evaluation, which really stinks because he would certainly benefit from OT services. Although the are going to consult with the preschool next fall and make sure they make a few special arrangements for him with his writing.

Jayden also has low muscle tone in his arms, which is why his grip is so loose and he has difficulties with his fine motor skills. OT sent me home with a special grip to put on crayons and pencils and such to force him to hold his pencil the correct way. It's a really neat device! She also sent us home with activities we should do with him to help strengthen his arms. Jayden also has small hands, or so she says.

Since he already receives speech and early childhood not much will change. He will receive 2 sessions of speech instead of 1 and will continue to receive his weekly early childhood sessions. However, he won't receive services through the summer.

With that being said, I'm off to bed.

treadmill

2011-05-01T17:28:00.002-05:00

I sat on my couching looking at my treadmill as it seemed to holler my name. For months I have been saying tomorrow, but when tomorrow comes, I don't. But today I did. I got on the treadmill and walked on the classic workout for 30 minutes. It raised my incline and increased my speed throughout the workout. Let me tell you that I about died at incline 7! Now, let's see what tomorrow brings.

not feeling well

2011-04-29T19:44:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was a bad day all around. It started in the morning with the typical grunting and saying "no" from Jayden while refusing to get dressed and doing anything possible to make it difficult or impossible for me. It was to the point yesterday that I finally had a breakdown and cried for 30 minutes straight. Jayden stopped his fit and stared at me. He let me put his shoes on. Then when I headed downstairs he went to his room, took off his shoes and hid them, and then ripped up a book. It was an awful morning.

Crying does not make me feel better physically. I spent the entire day yesterday feeling tired, nauseated and had no appetite. I chalked it up to the rough start. But during the night I started having it come out the lower half, if you know what I mean. Sorry TMI.

This morning I woke up and still didn't feel quite right, but knew it was a busy day at work. I was thankful Mike was home, so I didn't have to fight with Jayden. The nausea came and went. Still not much of an appetite. I ate a little for supper, but now my stomach hurts worse and is grumbling, so I'm sure that means it's gonna come out the other end sooner or later. I pray not. I'm freezing, so I took a shower, but then my face feels like it's burning up. No fever.

Here's to hoping I'm not getting the flu, especially at the beginning of the weekend. As I sit here typing this, Mike has brought Jayden up to the table for a timeout and Jayden is screaming at the top of his lungs.

Welcome to an evening in the Thielen house.

last day of preschool

2011-04-27T21:55:00.002-05:00

Jayden had his last day of preschool today. Or he should have had his last day of preschool. I was busy with work and asked Mike to take him. He called me about 20 minutes after preschool started and said Jayden was going back to daycare because he was in hysterics, throwing things, thrashing about, ripping things from the wall, and having the worst tantrum he's seen.

I was sad when he told me this. It was supposed to be his last day, a field trip day, a day with ice cream from SDSU, a final good bye to his teachers day. But Jayden was so angry and so out of control he had to leave.

He was still upset when I picked him up from daycare, but he seen the look on my face and knew I wasn't happy. Then he refused to walk, even as I gently pushed him along with my hand on the back of his head. He dug his feet in and would not budge. I ended up carrying him to the truck where he was like a limp doll and refused to cooperate.

And all I can think about is he acts this way because of our parenting and we should see a family counselor to figure out how to best deal with it. And my view is that there is something wrong and I want answers.

We've changed our ways. We mean what we say. We follow through with what we say. We don't give in. We give consequences and time outs. I'm just hoping something gives, and soon.

handsome little Jayden

2011-04-23T18:49:00.001-05:00

Just brought in the camera from the car and snapped 3 pictures of Jayden, never imagining one would come out as cute as this one!

new neighbors

2011-04-21T08:27:00.002-05:00

We have been so spoiled since moving into our house three years ago. We have a nice big corner lot, essentially the size of two lots combined. Our back yard is lined with lilac bushes and apple trees and one really big, almost dead, oak tree. There is a house behind us where we share a back yard, or actually property lines meet. It used to be owned by an elderly couple who have since moved out. It sat empty for over a year and was up for sale.

Well there has been movement over there lately and lights on and people walking around the back yard looking at our trees and such. Mike broke the news the other day that we have new neighbors. Right now they are painting and whatnot, but will be moving in this weekend.

It's such a privacy shock for me I can't believe it. I used to stand at my patio door in my pajamas and look around or wander out onto the deck. But now I am greeted with shades pulled, lights on, people in the back yard smoking, people in the yard. It's crazy.

We never, not once, seen the elderly couple. The only movement in the back yard was the hired help who mowed the lawn. I guess we're in for a change. I wonder how this will affect the kids and the dog. Hmmmmm. I dislike change.

blog changes

2011-04-19T19:34:00.001-05:00

If you've stopped into my blog the last week or so, you may have noticed it was bright orange. I liked it at first, but decided quickly it was too bright. Let's give this a try and see how it tastes.

shaved Macie

2011-04-12T21:32:00.003-05:00

Macie has had bad mats on her fur and has needed shaving or trimming for months now. Last night we finally tackled that. From the front you can't tell we did much.

She then got a bath. The sounds coming out of her mouth were hilarious, not to mention she climbed the shower wall. Mike and I were laughing. Don't mind the pile of rugs and laundry...by the time we had finished there was fur everywhere! She's a cross between a pretty kitty and a drowned rat.

Tonight we were able to grab her and get a few more pictures. The kids were shocked to see that her skin is also calico.

Isn't she funny!

Jayden

2011-04-11T22:07:00.002-05:00

We took Jayden to the doctor on Friday for his behavior and to make sure he was healthy, or not, which it just so happens that he is not. He was put on an antibiotic again for drainage in his ear and very thick crap in his throat. That could be partially why his tantrum-like behavior has escalated lately, but definitely not the culprit.

The other part is considered to be a control issue. Surprise surprise, right? Yep, the doctor said Jayden is controlling us and basically has us paralyzed. We kind of knew that. He suggested we see a family counselor to learn different techniques on how to handle him. I've got my own thoughts on that right now and right now I plan to try something else.

Following through is what we are trying really hard with. Meaning what we say and treating him equally just like we do with the other kids. For so many years he has had "special" treatment in a way because of everything he went through the first year and so on. He's just kind of gotten away with getting his way more often than not. But not anymore.

Remember how he wouldn't clean his room? Well finally on day 3 after telling him he had to pick up his toys and throw away the wipes before he could eat lunch, he did it. But first he sat in the same corner of his room for 5 hours. How's that for stubborn and strong willed? Once he started to pick up his room it took him 20 minutes and then he came out and ate his lunch entirely. We even went to the Children's Museum that afternoon...but that's a whole 'nother post. :-)

Today we were told he had a great day at preschool with no tantrums. We'll take it as a successful day.

homemade play dough

2011-04-10T13:50:00.004-05:00

I love to make homemade play dough, especially Kool-Aid play dough because it's much cheaper to make than peanut butter play dough. Both are edible, but with Kool-Aid play dough, you get to pick the color and flavor depending on the flavor of Kool-Aid you pick.

First, you have to fill the measuring cup full of flour,

using one spoonful at a time. Then you carefully add the salt.

And some vegetable oil and stir. You really don't have to stir, but it gives your helper something to do while you wait for the water to boil.

Add the Kool-Aid whenever you want. We sprinkle ours in with the dry ingredients and add the water last. I stir the water and finish making the dough because it's hot for the first five minutes or so.

It looks kind of nasty when you first start to stir. This batch was orange.

Once it's cooled, let your little ones play in it, roll it out, and use any simple household items to use while playing. We use orange peelers for knives, measuring cups to fill, cookie cutters to cut out, and rolling pins. Sometimes for the older kids I give them toothpicks.

After the dough is about done, I usually add another 1-2 spoonfuls of flour, just to make the dough a little less sticky.

Even the older kids love play dough.

Like I said, measuring cups and orange peelers make for some simple toys.

The imaginative play has been going on for over 3 hours now. No lie. Play dough is such a good stress reliever for kids because they can squeeze it and mold it and it also works so many of their senses. It can be kept in the fridge for a long time in bags.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

2 1/2 C Flour

1/2 C Salt

3 TB Vegetable Oil

2 Packets Kool-Aid

2 Cups Boiling Water

Mix it all together and you have lots of fun on a rainy day! Like I said, you can add more flour or water, depending on if it's too sticky or too dry. I always add extra flour. Enjoy!

taking back control

2011-04-08T20:29:00.002-05:00

Jayden has continued to be uncooperative today. He threw himself down on the clinic floor, grunted, said no, and refused to cooperate for me, Mike or the doctor. But it's typical. And the doctor told me pretty much what I expected him to tell me. That Jayden is in control and he has us paralyzed. Oh and that he does have an infection, so he's on antibiotics.

Our doctor recommends we get use a family counselor to learn ways to get control of Jayden. This is so ironic, since this is something I would be telling one of the families I work with. However, doctor said many times with our own children we don't see it. I do see it, which is why my life is an open book to anyone who will listen about it. We've known about these problems with Jayden for years and have reached out for help, but once again, I guess the changes that need to be made are on us.

I imagine this will be tough. Jayden has had some special treatments all of his life because of our traumatic his life was for the first year. He has gained control and we have lost it. Cracking down and meaning what we say and treating everyone equal (as bad as that sounds) will be the new attempted norm until we figure out what to do with a counselor.

We started tonight. Actually continued from last night. Meaning what we say. Cleaning his room. Simply, putting his toys in his toy box. He's trying to prove he won't do it by not doing it and we're trying to prove he will do this. It could be a long weekend. Slamming his door, opening and closing, and asking questions are some of his ways of controlling us in this situation. And locking us out of his room. We changed that. His door knob is now switched around, so he cannot lock him out, but we can lock him in. In a nicer put way, he cannot continually open the door, slam it, or ask questions. He has lost that control.

So let's see how this goes, shall we?

parenting is hard

2011-04-07T20:46:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness is parenting hard. At some point a few years ago I thought parenting was hard, but I think I have crossed a whole new era. Jayden has been completely defiant since 12:30 today. He was uncooperative the entire day at preschool and just kept it up at home. He refuses to do anything anyone asks. Me, his teachers, his dad. He has spent the entire afternoon and evening in his room, simply because he won't pick up his toys or throw away the garbage.

Now don't shake your head at me like that....I can tell what some of you are probably thinking and that's why I hate to put the brutal truth on here. But I'm so done letting him run my life and him choosing where we can go or what we can do. I don't think it's too much to ask for a 4 year old to pick up a few toys and put them in the toy box and to throw away the wipes that he has strewn all around his room.

However, Jayden doesn't think he needs to do this either. All we have heard tonight is "NO" in refusing to do this.

He came out to eat supper and thought he was going to play after that, but was told he had to pick up his room. How one little person can be so defiant and so stubborn and refuse to do the simplest tasks is beyond me.

I have gone as far as scheduling an appointment with his doctor tomorrow because we are at a loss as to what to do. A long time ago his doctor suggested we try a medication to help reduce the amount of energy or stamina he has during these fits, but we all agreed to wait it out a little longer. Now is the time to figure out what we do next. Is it time for another visit to behavioral health? Medicine? A deeper look into his behavior?

I find all of this to be even more frustrating because I have a degree to work with children and I currently work with several children who exhibit similar tendancies, except with my own child, I cannot figure out what works and what doesn't.

I say parenting is hard for other reasons too, but tonight, Jayden is taking the cake, and is still going strong in refusing to go to bed. It's 9pm and I'm exhausted.

shot of Cortisone

2011-04-06T19:42:00.003-05:00

I've had a lack of blogging again I see. Tonight I'm so very tired, but my own husband was kind enough to tell me that it's been almost a week since I updated our blog. Maybe it's because I feel like nobody reads what I write or it's a fear of writing what I really want to say in moments of lull. Either way, here I am.

I went to the Orthopedic Institute on Monday to see the doctor regarding the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my wrist. I've already had the Nerve Conduction Test done, which definitely diagnosed it. On Monday I received my first ever shot of Cortisone. Painful is the best way to describe that. Not the kind of pain where you cry, but the kind where you tense up tight and scream OUCH. That's when the doctor asked me if it felt like he was shooting electricity up my hand. You betcha, that was it. Just like I was holding a high voltage electric fence.

Then he said my hand would feel funny and feel like it was getting full. He had me make a fist and I couldn't really do it. My whole hand felt swollen and full. It was so weird. And then it went numb for several hours. Ever try signing your name when you have zero feeling in your hand? Well, it's quite amusing. Holding the pen is a challenge in itself, yet alone trying to control a pen when you have no feeling.

I'm also in a splint for the next 8 weeks at night. And I have to take 3 Ibuprofen and 2 Tylenol all a the same time 4 times a day. That is 20 pills a day. Crazy, huh! But my hand feels amazing. It hasn't gone to sleep, itched, or tingled since I received the shot.

Devin & Dalton's concert

2011-03-31T21:41:00.003-05:00

Devin and Dalton had their concert tonight, which was really super cute, but first you have to see how really super cute they were before the concert.

First, they love each other...

and then one is too cool for the other. But really, this picture was taken first, so the love grew later.

Dalton is sure changing. He's taller and his overall look seems to be changing.

Miss Devin is still petite, but is slowly growing taller. She is very dynamic when taking pictures, so it's tough to find the sweet picture with the sweet dress. But this one was good.

The concert was full of movements that were adorable. And Miss Devin has the drama down to a perfection. I can easily see theater in her future.

carbon monoxide scare

2011-03-27T11:56:00.003-05:00

We had a scare with our carbon monoxide detector on Friday night. I was busy cleaning out the laundry room and going through totes of clothes in the garage and was going in and out of the house when the carbon monoxide detector started going off. It said 59 and kept beeping. The only other time we have heard it beep is when is showed LB for low battery. We changed out the batteries and it climbed right back up to 57. The kids were scared, but I figured it out.

Mike had moved the truck back a foot in the garage so I could get to the totes. We never opened the garage doors for that quick 20 second run. Then with me in the garage and Jayden coming in and out, I figured out the exhaust had gotten into the house.

I opened the windows downstairs and the front door, the garage door and the door leading to our laundry room, so we could cycle fresh air through the house. We blew a fan out the window. The numbers slowly started to drop to 0. Once everything was down, we closed up the house and kept a close eye on the detector. It stayed at 0.

As scary as it was, we're glad to see that it actually works and alerted us to carbon monoxide. Thankfully it was just from the garage and wasn't anything else.

road washed away

2011-03-24T18:51:00.002-05:00

Driving to a home visit today, I came upon this ugly scene, which used to a road. I needed to get to the other side of this road, but obviously wasn't going to happen.

So I had to back up the van on a narrow gravel road that had pretty good drop offs on each side in order to get turned around. After venturing around for a few minutes, I found an alternative route.
After hitting what appeared to be nothing, I realized the culverts on this road were sunken in and feeling like massive speed dips. There were four of these so called dips on this gravel road. Taking it slow worked, but wow, what a day!

family tidbits

2011-03-21T21:04:00.004-05:00

Mike and I went on an actual date on Friday. I had won some tickets to the benefit for the Humane Society, which was a wine tasting event. Ironically, we don't drink, or very, very rarely if we do. So this was a funny win to us. But we went none the less and had fun. We walked around pretending we knew what we were doing, chatted with a friend who was bar tending, and ate hor d'oeuvres. Oh and we tasted wine. One took my breath away and make me cough, partially because I choked as I swallowed. Embarrassing either way.

Saturday we took the kids and bought some groceries and got Devin her dress and shoes for her concert next week. I still need to find stuff for Dalton to wear, but I have over a week. It looks like there is no concert for Joseph. Sometimes our school is like that...not having concerts for all grades.

Shaylee starts her Oral Interp Contests on Saturday. I'm anxious to see how she does as this will be her first year doing this. She's not thrilled to be up before 6am though. I'm so proud of her for being involved in so many opportunities in school. And she does so well, too!

I've started putting together the kids' summer rec activities and the prices. I've only got them down for ball and a few for swimming lessons and I'm already up to $300. I wish there was a limit on how much you could spend as a family because that amount of money is ridiculous, not to mention all the shoes and sports equipment that comes with each one.

Sunday we drove around and checked out the river, which was just starting to rise to a moderate flood level. Today it has left the banks and started to flow over roads and fields everywhere. So far it's not bad like it was in September last year.

We grilled tonight. Second time in the last week or so. I sure have missed grilled food. But the kids weren't totally impressed because they had hamburgers at school today and then tonight we gave them grilled cheeseburgers. They were big. At least they said our burgers were better than the school. I'm sure that doesn't take much!

do you see what I see

2011-03-17T21:52:00.004-05:00

Do you see what I see? That the water is emerging?

And the geese are near?
And the fields are flooded with geese galore? Do you see what I see? The beauty of melting snow, birds returning, temperatures warming?

Remnants of the flood last year with hay bales still surrounded by ice and water?

Do you see what I see? Geese landing on a spot of open water? The sure signs of warmer days ahead?

The work of something ancient, yet so amazing?

Do you see what I see? Better days, hard work, a story told?

The melting snow that fills the fields?

Another attempt to get through a road that has been closed all winter? Do you see?

Because I see the end of winter, the beginning of spring, a year of flooding, warmer temperatures and the amazing beauty in old structures. Do you see what I see?

festival for young voices

2011-03-15T22:26:00.002-05:00

Shaylee did a great job in her concert tonight. Of course I had my little 50mm lens on my camera and she was fairly far away from me, so the pictures I did take also include at least 25 other girls. Oh boy...some day I'll learn to take the zoom lens with me to these events.

On my way to work this morning I saw the huge pack of deer along the road again. They were there the other night too. It's just amazing to see over 30 deer together. The other night we stopped and I was making sounds at them and giggling as their ears perked up. Again no camera.

We are currently in a flood watch and are supposed to be in one of the worst floods in many years. We'll see how it effects us. Our sump hole has always been dry and there isn't even a sump pump in the hole. For some reason though, I'm wondering what this year will bring.

I've had a headache for 4 days now and as I was laying in bed tonight, I could feel my nose plugging up and my throat starting to feel funny, so I'm guessing I'm in for another round of sickness. I'm so ready for spring.

time change

2011-03-14T22:15:00.002-05:00

The time change sure is hard to get used to. Instead of being tired at my normal time, I'm finding I'm getting tired an hour later. Funny how that works, huh?

Mike is feeling great today. He actually woke up at 1am and was hungry as a dog...yes, that is exactly what he says.

Shaylee has her concert tomorrow for Festival for Young Voices. Only 4 kids from her school are going, so it's another big accomplishment.

Coming home from town tonight I seen about 30 deer at the end of our road. It was really cool. Of course I was kicking myself for not having my camera with me.

I guess it's time to go lay in bed and try to unwind. Hopefully sleep will come soon!

pictures are finished

2011-03-13T19:02:00.003-05:00

I finally have all the pictures that I want to develop uploaded to Snapfish. Of course, only the pictures that are on my computer are uploaded, but that's what counts right now. It was 2 years worth of pictures. I've already bought albums to put the pictures in. Now the hard part is to figure out why I can't burn these pictures to disk. That's been beyond frustrating and pretty much what led me to leaving over 2 years worth of pictures on my computer. Eek!

______________________________

Mike has been really sick today. It started out kind of as a joke with me poking fun at him, but now he's really sick. I've lost track of how many times he's thrown up, but I think he's surpassed 5 times. The reason I started poking fun is because he pukes so often. Seriously! If he ever has a headache, I always ask if he's going to puke. Because that's usually the case. He typically is puking every 2-3 weeks, but for sure once a month. However, today he feels miserable and has kept nothing down.

cleaning

2011-03-12T09:07:00.001-06:00

It's a cleaning day and so far so good. Just had to stop to give my body some fuel since I hadn't eaten breakfast yet. Every area of my house is a mess, so this could take awhile!

bedtime tantrums

2011-03-10T22:27:00.002-06:00

Jayden's bedtime tantrums are really getting old quick. The tantrums in general are getting old. Almost every night I have to fight him to bed...for at least an hour of constant screaming, throwing toys, stomping, throwing things against the door, and yelling for daddy. Then he doesn't sleep through the night and will have a tantrum in the night or just need to be covered up again. He's 4 and I wish he would grow out of these tantrums because I fear he will still be doing this at 8! None of our other kids have tantrums or fight bedtime or throw toys against doors or stomp.

Stewie

2011-03-09T17:55:00.004-06:00

Oh Stewie, now that you have been in our home, rescued from the Humane Society, for 1 1/2 years now, we have really started to notice your quirkiness. Like randomly deciding to lay on a tall snow bank leftover from a plow,

or asserting yourself to look like you are tough, even though you roll over on your back because you want your belly rubbed,
or lick your chops and everything else with your 7 inch long tongue,

or refuse to look at the camera when your owner decides to take a picture of you,

or find a live mouse in the snow while you are out for a run and proceed to kill all while looking like the biggest chicken dog ever.
Even though you tip over garbages and have been known to put your paws on the counter to eat a full loaf of bread on my bed and to drink from the toilet and then come offer me a kiss, I have to say Stewie, I am still glad I rescued you and gave you this home.

it's hump day

2011-03-09T07:16:00.003-06:00

It's hump day! A reason to celebrate because we are almost to another weekend. Yay! Yesterday was our anniversary. I had guessed I wouldn't see much of him because of the big storm that was coming, but thankfully it went south of us and we only ended up with a dusting. Mike and I went out to eat at Qdoba for lunch and then met up in time to see Shaylee's Honor Band Concert at 7pm last night. That was fun. I'm so proud of her for all of her accomplishments with music. She's got talent that's for sure!

I do have a cute story from yesterday, but I'll have to share later as it's time to get the little guy to daycare and me to work.

another storm

2011-03-04T10:06:00.002-06:00

It looks like another winter storm is going to take over the week next week. I shouldn't be surprised anymore, though! However, with Tuesday being our anniversary, it's not looking like we'll be spending it together....and that's a real bummer. :(

tidbits

2011-03-01T20:01:00.002-06:00

I'm very crabby at winter and the lack of time my husband has for our family because of it.
I'm finally recuperating from my cold, which turned to a near case of laryngitis.
Jayden continues to have tantrums on a daily basis at all hours of the day or should I say, night?
All of my kids went to bed early tonight. A consequence for none of them doing anything they were told when they came home from school, including their homework, which is to be done first thing.
I'm ready for flip flops, but not the heat.
I'm ready for capri's too.
I have a tingling hand as I type this.
I have so many things I want to do personally and things that I want to do to this house, but no money to do either of them.
Shawndra got a letter in the mail from one of her teachers saying how wonderful she is and what a great job she is doing in class.
Joseph finally got his glasses fixed after several months with the nose pads missing.

lazy day

2011-02-26T22:43:00.002-06:00

Just another lazy day in our house, for us anyhow. Poor hubby had to work another 14 hour day. But I think spring is right around the corner and then it will be the end of the snow for awhile and then I'll have to adjust to him being home again. I think I can handle that. :)

All of us who were home stayed in our jammies all day today and it was great. I ventured out to the mailbox in hopes no one would see me because I was still in my capri jammies and messy hair. Thankfully no one drove by and I think most of my neighbors were gone. :)

My cold is getting a little better. Although now I'm fighting with a headache. No plans for tomorrow except maybe a trip to Walmart!

sick again

2011-02-25T08:17:00.002-06:00

I'm sick again. The kind of sick where I look like a (stereotyped) stoner with her mouth hanging open, tears running from eyes which are probably glazed over, red nose that runs similar to a faucet but can be stuffy at the same time, cough and just feeling like I'm drugged up, which I'm not.

And now I have to take Jayden to Sioux Falls for an appointment that will likely only last about 3 minutes. More on that later.

carpal tunnel syndrome

2011-02-24T20:57:00.002-06:00

I went to Sioux Falls today to the Orthopedic Institute and had a nerve conduction test done. The doctor discovered I have moderate carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand. My left hand is ok, thankfully. He said I will likely need surgery. First, I was scheduled to see a surgeon, but that isn't until April. It sounds like we will explore non-surgical options first, such as injections. I have no clue what type of injection, but am hoping it's a possibility because being gone for another surgery is really not an option right now. In the meantime, I will continue to deal with the numb, tingling and itchy hand that is caused by this.

the birthday cake

2011-02-24T10:19:00.003-06:00

So my little Jayden doesn't usually like to be the center of attention, unless it's on his own terms. And even then, that can flip faster than a light switch. He was happy and smiling cute for his pictures and admiring his cake, when I think he decided he had enough.

I stopped taking pictures and went back into the living room because I was waiting for Mike to stop in so we could eat cake. (Bad weather, he was working.) The next thing I heard was Joseph screaming that Jayden was pulling the cake towards him, so I flew back into the kitchen just in time for Jayden to take a good smack at his cake.
It wasn't the cutest cake, but it was big. And now it was missing a chunk and there was a birthday boy who refused to come out of his room for over 20 minutes. We ate cake without him, didn't sing happy birthday, and didn't light candles. He came out eventually and ate some cake and opened presents and was fine.

it's over

2011-02-23T19:56:00.004-06:00

Well today is over. I prayed for it to come and to leave quickly. I guess it didn't leave quickly, but at least it's done and over with. I sat in the court room for the entire day and testified for over an 1 1/2 hours. Although that time seemed to have gone quickly.

I had a nice quick supper with my husband at The Valley here in town. It was a good way to end a long day. Now bed is sounding delish. I just hope Jayden sleeps. He's got a bad ear infection, fever, runny nose, and cough, so his nights are miserable.

I felt fine when I woke up today, but now tonight, I can tell I have a cold coming on. Besides our family sharing it with each other right now, I'm sure the stress wore me down some.

On a side note, does anybody know what to do when you smell mildew or mold and you suspect it's coming from the attic? We're very afraid of what we're going to find up there and just wondered if anybody knows of any local people we could call?

feeling anxious

2011-02-22T06:30:00.000-06:00

I have been so stressed and feeling anxious the last few days and weeks that I didn't even put up a birthday post for my sweet Jayden yesterday. He turned 4. Can you believe that?! I will put up some pictures of the day because it's worth it, trust me. But it will be later today or tomorrow.

Right now I am feeling anxious. I am about to meet with the deputy state's attorney in regards to the subpoena I received. Since it is confidential, I cannot speak of any details, so please understand. What I can say, is that I am feeling very anxious. My stomach is in knots and sick at the same time. My insides are turning. Tomorrow is court. It will take all day.

my feelings

2011-02-20T13:33:00.002-06:00

Every year during this time of the winter I find my fuse to be much shorter and my tolerance of many things previously accepted to be much smaller. My children have cabin fever and are wound tighter than a cork screw. As I try to deal with my children while my husband is working because of yet another blizzard, I find my temper is easily set off. Today my feelings are all over the place, along with many other days this winter. I need my husband to be home. He keeps my feelings in check and keeps me more grounded.

I'm extremely sick of one of my kids compulsively lying. This has been an ongoing issue for years, yet nothing changes. Today he let me know that he doesn't think any consequences apply to him, which is why he does what he's not supposed to do, does things without asking, and continues to get under my skin. He is not allowed to be on the computer or Wii and this morning I find him on the computer, without asking, not that it would have mattered since he's grounded from it, and then lied to me saying he wasn't on it. After a quick call to my husband he told me he did this yesterday too while I was gone. My feelings are full of anger and confusion because I don't know what to do anymore.

All I know is my feelings cycle through the same vicious roller coaster every year at almost precisely the same time. :(

wall collage

2011-02-13T19:33:00.002-06:00

Finally! We finally got our pictures done in June of 2010 and slowly but surely got them developed and then framed. Then today we got them on the wall. It took me awhile to figure out how I wanted them. The lighting was not good, so this picture is without flash to try to get closer.
This one is with flash and at an angle otherwise you see the light on the ceiling in the big picture. Plus this wall is directly in front of the enormous picture window, so we're having issues with glare anyhow.

The big pictures were professionally done by my mother-in-law with non glare glass. The other frames are from IKEA and are cheap. They don't even have a glass front....it's plastic! So my bad for thinking the frames would work. I guess you pay for what you get. Anyhow, we were too far along and I just wanted them up on the wall, so here they are. Finally. What do you think?