Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Happy Birthday Bumpy!

Happy Birthday Bumpy!
(Hubby's dad)
.
This is what Iz and I did on Saturday....


Here's what we were making:
A Paper Plate Robin for Bumpy's Birthday!
(not the best pic of Iz, huh?)


We all met at Longhorn for lunch...Grammy and Bumpy were thrilled to see us all....
don't they look thrilled?


It was great that Liz & Jake were able to make it :)
Hubby was, as always, heart-burstingly happy to see his big kids!
(even if he doesn't look like it in this pic!)

Bumpy's Cake


Good thing he's full of hot air to blow out all those candles :)


Hubby and I and Iz went bed shopping but everyone else walked around the mall...Liz called her cousins "chicken" and convinced them to have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny!
Cute!


Definitely a fun weekend with Hubby's family...love them all. And, talking to SIL, R, we would like to try to get all together at least twice a year for a weekend lunch!

Next up....
Iz and I are headed to the movies tomorrow! Or maybe just storytime at the library!
Gymnastics on Thursday!
Staying home on Friday!
Shopping at the outlets with Mel on Saturday!!!
Busy! Busy! Busy!


Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Weekend...

...has begun (well, a few hours ago!) and it should be a good one. Today is a day at home getting things done, although I might sneak out in a little while for a couple things. Tonight will be relaxation with Hubby and tomorrow is lunch with Hubby's WHOLE family for Bumpy's birthday!. We're meeting at Longhorn and there will be 11 of us! Will definitely remember the camera and take LOTS of pictures!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Updates..

First of all, I can't believe I forgot to include this picture from Sunday of a HUGE bunny made out of bales of hay! Loved it!


Secondly, a few weeks back (when Iz & I were sick) I mentioned a basket making class. I know you've just been hanging on the edge of your seat wondering whether I went or not and what I made if I DID go.

Well, I did go and here it is:

Solid-Bottom Leather-Handled Tote Basket
.

...which has pretty much replaced any sort of purse or bag I was carrying before....it's just big enough to carry a wallet, a bottle of water, snacks a drink for Iz, my cell phone, my camera (when I remember it!) and a small notebook and pen...but it's not so big that it's a nuisance.


Thirdly, I ordered a bunch of yarn last week from Knitpicks which I am very excited to receive. Six hanks of sock yarn! and two hanks of 100% baby alpaca which I intend to use to knit a sweater and booties for my grand niece or nephew joining the family in a few months. My nephew, S, is obsessed with alpaca socks so what could be better for his little babe? Will definately post pictures of those when they are complete.


Last, but not least, I think I am back on track. Worked out Monday and yesterday and feel great! Sore, but in a good way :) I'm going to keep it up and hopefully see some progress when I weigh in on Friday (for the first time in WEEKS!)


Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Maple Sunday

So, this is the walkway to our house....nice, huh? It's quite an adventure bringing in groceries or going out to meet the bus on days we have Jimmy...I REALLY need to invest in a pair of "puddle boots." And, if they have cherries on them like Iz's...all the better :)

Of course, you can't see the cherries on her boots because they are buried in the mud!!!


So, Iz and I left Hubby home alone on Sunday afternoon (to do the taxes) and we went to a couple local farms because it was Maple Sunday!

Besides sampling (and buying!) some yummy, locally made syrup, we....

sat on some tractors....


Got some baby cow kisses....

And, finally, stopped at the alpaca farm that is 3 miles from our house, yet we have never been...


What a great time we had....and Hubby got the taxes done!

P.S. Happy Birthday to my nephew Jim....17 years old! WOW! Hope you have a great day!

P.P.S. Just looked through some old entries and realize there are a few updates I need to make...will try and do that tomorrow!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

By Gosh! I Think I've Done It!

Well, here it is....the post I started trying to write 5 days ago! It probably won't live up to any one's expectations but it's taken days and days and days to write so humor me and tell me that it's deep and moving and inspirational and blah, blah, blah :)

Issue #1...Exercise.

I was doing great! Working out almost every day, replacing my normal grazing in the afternoons with a salad and a yogurt, limiting my portions at dinnertime and being very careful about my snacking at night; the result...I lost 10 pounds, had a TON of energy, was sleeping well, and feeling really good in my body AND in my head. Then, the ball dropped... Iz and I were sick for almost 2 weeks. I could barely make a piece of toast, never mind getting on my bike or getting "shredded" with Jillian. Now it's been 2 weeks that we've been healthy and I have worked out exactly ZERO times....zilch, nada, none. Every day I think to myself, "This is the day I get back on track. This is the day I take back control. This is the day I start again...new, fresh and ready to conquer all the issues I have, inside and out." and every day I find myself exhausted, making excuses and ending the day having not accomplished a single thing. So here we are, Sunday afternoon and looking over the edge into a new week. Will this be it? Will this be the week that I succeed? Will tomorrow be the day that I break the cycle? ....I hope so...I really do.

Issue #2 N/A

I know that the other day I had 2 life-altering issues...well, #2 resolved itself and will not be discussed today or any other day....my lips are sealed...sorry :(

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

UGH....

I have been trying to write this post for the last day and a half...writing and deleting, writing and editing, writing and backspace, backspace backspace....and cursing a lot because I just can't make the words come out right on the page! UGH!The main gist of it is that I am frustrated with myself about 2 HUGE, IMPORTANT, LIFE-ALTERING issues and I just cannot get myself turned in the right direction. To get it written in a way that makes it understandable to someone not inside my head is, I believe, impossible. I'm still trying though and if I can figure it out I will post it soon.

Until then...you can wonder what the 2 issues are. Evil? Yes,I know!

To appease you until then though, here's a cute pic I dug out


Monday, March 16, 2009

Ahhhh.....Monday!

First things first...
HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY
to my stepson J!

Miss you! Love you! Hope you can come visit soon!
Have a fun day!

The weekend was...BUSY! But very nice. It actually started on Friday when Iz and I went over to visit Dan & Shan and the kiddos - had not seen them in a LONG time and had a nice morning chatting and catching up.

Friday night we stayed in and, after battling with Iz at bedtime, Hubby and I hit the sack early which was GREAT! We get into this habit of being up until 10, 10:30, 11......ugh! It just catches up with us after a while and a night comes along that we're in bed and sleeping by 9:30 and Friday was one of those nights!

Saturday was a visit from my in-laws (who brought me shrimp and scallops....YUM!). They were her for lunch and a nice visit. Hubby and I decided to stay in again on Saturday night even though we were invited to a friend's house for game night. It's best to keep Iz at home at bedtime for a while...she's been having a lot of trouble falling asleep at night (we got rid of her bottle a few weeks ago and she is relearning how to fall asleep) and she seems to have given up napping, plus, all of a sudden, she has been wetting her pants....several times a day....with no regret/remorse/apology. So, we stayed in Saturday night, got Iz to bed and then Hubby & I got a pay-per-view movie, Zack & Miri...VERY raunchy, but FUNNY! Then hit the hay.

Sunday was all about me - I love days like that! - I went off in the afternoon to go see West Side Story preformed at GHS, a local high school. It was phenomenal! I couldn't believe how good it was considering it was put on by teenagers. I really enjoyed it and got to see my high school chorus director since he now teaches at GHS...he encouraged me to come back for a chorus concert they are having next month and I probably will, and bring Iz since she loves music so much.

Oh, we did let Iz play in the mud a little bit too :)


And, now it's Monday. Some people hate Mondays...not me...I LOVE MONDAYS! Why? Because Monday represents the beginning of a new week, a new to-do list and getting back to a routine. Now, don't get me wrong - I love the weekends too. Hubby is home from work and we do a lot of relaxing and hanging out as a family. I also tend to get a couple hours out of the house on my own during the weekend, which keeps me sane, but I love getting back into the week. Sunday night I make my list...the things I want to accomplish in the coming week, the meals we will have every night and any plans we have. I don't always get everything done, the meals sometimes change, and so do plans but I make the list and feel such a sense of accomplishment every time I cross something off. I am a compulsive list maker and my "Weekly List" keeps me motivated and keeps me busy (like Iz doesn't do that all on her own!).

Enough is enough - time to get the week started!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Is It Just Me...

...or does Iz look so long, lean and tall in this picture???


Oh, my baby is growing up :(
It all just goes too fast.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Back to the Old Grindstone...

Iz is back home with us...she did a great job at her sleepover at Auntie D's last night and Hubby and I had a quiet evening at home sans child :) The greatest part is that Auntie D has agreed to let her sleepover again some time soon!

I also spoke to my heartbroken friend, on the phone this afternoon...she received (and loved!) the package I sent her. I found out what happened between her and her ex and, although I am still sad for her, I think the end of their relationship was the right decision.

Next up for us: Tomorrow a visit to D & S and kids tomorrow (maybe..and I'll remember my camera!), a potential visit from my in-laws Saturday and I am going to see West Side Story put on by a local high school on Sunday. Everything is pretty much up in the air except my Sunday plans - we'll see what actually happens over the next few days :)

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Too Many Things to Say to Come Up With a Clever, Witty Title :)

I did not get the chance to post yesterday because it was such a busy day...met an old friend from High School at 10am at the mall. Hubby started my van for me then left for work - good thing I went out to put some stuff in it because it was locked! and running! and my cell phone was inside! and I had no idea what Hubby's work cell # was! I did get hold of him before he was too far away and he came back to unlock it....on the top of my list for this week is to get another key made to keep in the house should this happen again. I could only think "What if I had done this when he was working in Mass. or something? hours away, instead of only minutes?"

We did make it to the mall in time though and had a wonderful visit with Ro and her boys, playing on the indoor playground and then having lunch and walking around the mall. I was a little concerned because I had not seen Ro in YEARS and the last time I did see her was at a wedding and we didn't really talk, but we fell into conversation like no time had passed and it was wonderful to immediately be comfortable with someone. Can't wait to do it again! Maybe next time I'll actually remember my camera (definitely have to get better at that if I'm going to continue this BLOG thing). Then we had to stop at the grocery store for all the things I forgot on Saturday AND a stop at the post office to mail that package to my heartbroken friend...Whew! Got home around 3 and then it was nap time, and dinnertime, and bedtime, and American Idol time :)

Today is a BIG day at our house. Isabella is preparing for her first night away from home without Mommy and Daddy...that's right, a SLEEPOVER! It's just at Auntie D's house but, still, it totally counts and it will give us a night away from her, only the 2nd one since she was born. The first night we spent away from her she was only a few months old and she stayed with Nannie and Papa...so that one does not count! Auntie D knows that the past few weeks have been rough around here with the sickness and the introduction of demon child. So, we will be cleaning up outside from the sleet and rain we got overnight, then packing her things and getting ready for Auntie D to come get her. Hubby and I will be enjoying a night on our own, probably watch a movie (without interruptions!) and have a little wine....act like a couple instead of parents for a while!

We're still having issues with Iz being miserable and everything being a battle but I've been doing a lot of reading and will be trying to implement some strategies to avoid all the little battles we are having on a daily basis. For an example, Iz woke me up in the middle of the night claiming that she did not want to sleep. I stayed very calm and told her she did not have to sleep, she could stay awake in her bed, without any toys, that she could look at a book but she had to be quiet because it was the middle of the night and other people were sleeping. She cried for a second and then said "but, if I'm sleepy I can lay down and go to sleep"...and that's just what she did :) The same thing at bedtime - she did not want to go to bed so I just gave her the option of doing it the easy way where I tuck her in and kiss her and she gets to look at books or I could start yelling and screaming and she could go to bed crying and all upset...of course, she chose the easy way. I think I need to approach more issues like that...laying out options in a way that the right one is also the most appealing.

Monday, March 9, 2009

All is Well....Almost

Things have pretty much returned to normal here...this was last week:


This was today:

DEFINITELY an improvement!!!

Yes, we are pretty much healthy again, although we both still have a hacking cough (whichI hear lingers for weeks, so I'm not too concerned) and I am still not back %100 but I figure in another day or 2 I'll be well. The house is a mess from not being cleaned for a week, I haven't worked out in a week, and the laundry has piled up a bit. This week will be a catch-up week and, even though we'll be home for most of it, will be a busy one!

We do have a couple things planned, though. Making a quick trip to the P.O. to mail a package to my heartbroken friend in hopes that it will make her smile...I am still so sad for her. Tomorrow we are headed to a "local" mall (this one is an hour away...up here, anything less than 100 miles is local!) to meet a friend that I went to high school with that I have not seen in years and years and years! She has 2 boys that I have never met and she has never met Iz. We reconnected on Facebook which, I am convinced, is one of the best things that I've joined in a long time. Hubby brushes it off as silly, and a lot of it is, but reconnecting with old family, friends, and co-workers has been great. It makes me feel connected to the outside world even on days when I don't leave the house.

Plus, we are going to attempt to go to gymnastics/Auntie D's/library on Thursday which we were unable to do last week. Here's to hoping that things begin to resemble some sense of normalcy.

Friday, March 6, 2009

How Was I Supposed to Know?

Last night was awful! Neither Iz nor I got any decent sleep to speak of although I did finally figure out that she is having night terrors; whether it's because she is sick or not will wait to be seen. I did read up on it and discover that we have been treating them entirely wrong but now that we know we will do what needs to be done. Unfortunately, what needs to be done is that when she has a night terror we just need to let her cry it out and wait for her to go back to sleep.

That will be difficult.

I ended up sleeping with her...or should I say, I ended up tossing and turning in the same bed that Iz was tossing and turning in. So, Hubby encouraged me today to call the doctor to see if I could bring Iz in to find out what was going on with her. I was able to bring her in right away and what I found out was alarming, interesting and a relief all at the same time.

Here it is:

Iz's left ear is very infected and her right ear is starting to get red...on it's way to a full-blown infection. She also has some fluid build-up in her lungs which could potentially lead to pneumonia (although the doctor did reassure me that the chance of that is VERY slim - thank goodness!). So, she has been put on a 10-day antibiotic and we have a follow-up appointment on the 16th to re-check her ears and lungs.What a relief it was to find out that there is a reason why Iz has been miserable. The doctor was pretty amazed that she had not shown any indication of her ear hurting and, because she has never had an ear infection, I had no clue either. I feel so bad about all the yelling and frustration and lack of sympathy that has been going on in this house but now I know better. I have learned my lesson and know that calling the doctor is OK - it doesn't make you a bad parent, or an over-protective one...it makes you a loving parent, a responsible parent, a selfless parent. I wish I had called days ago instead of "waiting it out." But, how was I supposed to know?

Hoping that things look up over the weekend...

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Sickness & Heartache....What a Terrible Week!

So, Iz and I are STILL sick although we did venture out of the house with Auntie D today to do a little shopping....hacking up our lungs the entire time. It needed to be done though - we were on our last box of tissues, I needed more OJ and Iz has not left the house since LAST Thursday so we needed to get out! Iz seems to be getting better; she's actually started eating but she has not slept in her own bed in 3 nights, won't nap and I have not gotten a decent night's sleep in a week. Needless to say, I am stretched thin and am not sure how long I will last. Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday and then Hubby will be home for the weekend.

As if that wasn't enough, I just found out this morning that my dear friend from Vermont, G, who I have known since I was 5 has had her heart broken. I do not have all the details but anyone who would intentionally hurt this fabulous woman is crazy. I know that she will be o.k. in the end and that she will learn and move on from this but, truly, my heart is broken for her and if she wasn't ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY I would be crying with her and doing my best to be the friend that she has always been for me. Instead, I will be putting together a care package to send out to her and keep her in my heart and my thoughts..it's all I can do.


*But, on a better note...Survivor's on tonight :) *
So, I guess that's one good thing in an otherwise awful week.
If only Grey's Anatomy wasn't a repeat...then things would really be looking up...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

STILL Sick

My poor baby is still sick! Sunday night was extremely rough and ended with she and I sleeping on opposite ends of the couch...OK I was sleeping and she was watching Noggin (thank God for 24 hour cartoon channels!) because I needed sleep so that I would be able to take care of her when Hubby went to work Monday. Buuut, we got a foot of snow yesterday morning so Hubby stayed home to clean it up and only left for a couple hours to get more gas for the snow blower and orange sherbet for Iz and I. Oh, did I mention that I've caught her cold? Oh yes! Of course I've been coughed on, sneezed, on, puked on and in almost constant contact with a very sick little girl so it was inevitable.

Today it is just us girls at home. Hubby just left for work and we are on our own. It will be another day of laying around, watching tv and trying to get well, although Iz seems to be A LOT better this morning, probably because of all the napping she did yesterday and the reasonably good night's sleep she got (in our bed, of course).I have plans tonight to go make a basket through the local adult ed program - it's something I've done several times but have not been able to do for a couple years and I am really looking forward to it. Going to try and get as much rest as possible and bulk up on fluids to try and make myself well enough to go.

We'll see what happens....

Sunday, March 1, 2009

I Have Bad News.....and I Have GOOD News!

The bad news is....it's been a rough couple of days. Thursday, which used to be my favorite day, was the beginning of a cold that has turned Iz into a red-nosed, hacking, sleep deprived, starving little monster. Poor little thing. She was fine Thursday until she got up from her nap; it was like I put my sweet, funny, loving Iz down for a nap and a very sick little girl replaced her and that is who has been here ALL WEEKEND! She had a fever Thursday which, thankfully, broke by bedtime, but since then has developed a hacking cough and a terrible runny nose. Hopefully she will be over it soon since both she and I have not had a good night's sleep in 3 days and we both show it. Plus, I am supposed to be meeting a friend from high school that I have not seen in YEARS and YEARS and YEARS on Tuesday and I really do not want to cancel, but probably will have to anyway :(


So, on a different note, these 2 gorgeous people are my nephew and his girlfriend whom I will fondly refer to as "SnL"

The good news is...they told Auntie D (S's mom) Thursday night that they are expecting a BABY in September! YAY! Just when Iz has pretty much completely left the baby stage (even though she'll always be MY BABY), a new baby will be showing up. Well, needless to say, Auntie D and Uncle Skip are thrilled, as is Nannie, who will now be a great-grandmother and Aunt Ju (my younger older sister) and, of course, ME who will be Great-Aunts!

I have already started searching knitting patterns and have found several that I will start soon. I do have a project in the works and a couple in the wings but as soon as they are done it's baby stuff, baby stuff, and MORE baby stuff!!!
 

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