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Sunday, April 25, 2010

A Date

I went on a date.

A wonderful date.

With an amazing guy.

We were together for 8 hours.

All we did was walk around, window shop, and talk.

It was great :o)

I'm so excited!!!

Friday, April 23, 2010

86,400

Seconds in a day.

To turn it all around or throw it all away.

Gotta tell em that we love em while we got the chance to say.

Gotta live like we're dying.



I should understand this more than most people.

When Anthony died, one of the first coherent thoughts that ran through my mind was "OMGGG I'm so glad I kissed him goodnight and told him I loved him last night".




Even having been through an experience like that myself...

It's easy to forget what's really important.




What is important?

My kids.

My friends.

My family.




Yes, we can't live in a nasty pigsty.

I do have to get things done, wash laundry, sweep the floor.




But the people are more important.




So, my plan for today is to sit down with the kids for a little while, maybe read some books together.

Then I'll toss in a load of laundry and do a little more picking up.

Then maybe we'll do a craft together.




And tonight, when the kids ask me to read another story and sing another song, I will.

But just one more :o)


Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Don't wanna be

I don't wanna be sick.

But I'm feeling like I'm starting to get sick.

Last night my throat felt a little scratchy.

I was coughing a little.

Then overnight my nose got stuffy.

Now, after being out with the kids all morning, I'm feeling slightly achey and very tired.

The tired is normal.

The achey, not so much.

I can't get sick.

I've got to much to do.

I don't wanna be sick.

Don't.

Wanna be.

Period.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Never done.

I spent literally all day today cleaning.

First, I cleaned some of the upstairs.

I always do the downstairs first, and then the upstairs doesn't get done.

So I threw a load of laundry in first, like always.

Then I cleaned off and vacuumed the stairs.

Then the hallway.

Then the upstairs bathroom.

Then the boys room.

Then I cleaned the downstairs, and swept.

Switching laundry in between, every time the dryer was done.

I got a lot done.

Still got the girls room and my own room to clean, and mountains of laundry to put away, as always.

But I got a LOT done.

I'm tired.

But it feels good.

Since I didn't have the boys over the weekend because Charlize might have been contagious, I'm picking them up tonight and keeping them until tomorrow night.

I'm going to pack a lunch, spend the morning at the PAL center with the 4 not old enough for school, then if I'm still up for it, take them to the park.

But I probably won't be up for it, after everything I've done today and everything I'll do tonight and tomorrow morning with all the kids.

So I won't tell them we might go to the park, until I'm sure.

I'm exhausted.




Charlize's glands are still about the same. A little smaller, I think, the ones behind her ear anyway. Under her jawline they're the same.

Liliya's fingers look pretty good.

Compared to yesterday, anyway.

Did I write about that? Charlize slammed Liliya's fingers in the bedroom door. We went to the ER for x-rays and steri-strips.

The steri-strips were supposed to stay on for 2-3 days if she left them alone.

She left them alone, they came off last night anyway. I grabbed the other half of the ones she cut and brought them home, I put them on Liliya's finger after the first set fell off.

The second set fell off by this morning.

Whatever.

I'm keeping bandaids on it when she's tired so she remembers not to suck on them.

But the skin is staying closed, which is good.

The skin flap that tore back... it looks dead. It's white, doesn't look like it has blood flow.

I hope it doesn't fall off, cuz it will leave a terribly sore spot open.

Ew.




Anyway, Mom took Rayce to the store with her... girls are passed out in the living room.

I think I might position myself in the big beanbag and close my eyes for a few minutes...

Friday, April 16, 2010

Weekend Blahhh

Charlize has been telling me her neck hurt for the past few days. I felt a few small swollen lymph nodes, nothing serious, no big deal.

This morning she woke up and told me her neck hurt again, and I could see the glands on the right side of her neck :o(

To the walk-in we went.

The Dr didn't know what it was.

Said her teeth looked fine, ears looked fine, that if it was allergies it would swell on both sides, that she didn't have any rashes or scratches near the swelling, so he basically had no idea what the issue was.

He was not happy that the swelling was on just one side, because that's not normal.

He said it could possibly be an infection of the gland itself, but she doesn't have a fever or any other symptoms.

He said even though she had the vaccination for mumps, there is a small chance it could be that.

He said that in very rare cases, random swollen lymph nodes could indicate something more serious like some kind of cancer.

Sooo I've been instructed to give her children's ibuprofen 3 times a day for the next few days, hope it goes away on it's own, follow up with her Dr next week, and hope that they don't decide to biopsy it if it doesn't go away and other symptoms don't appear.

Fun stuff.

Sooo I don't have the boys this weekend, in case whatever she may or may not have in contagious :o(

I HATE it when I miss time with my stepsons. We miss them. I try not to let it happen, I only cancel if someone is sick and contagious or if I'm so sick that I can't even take care of my own three kids, which only happens maybe a half dozen times a year. But it's still hard to miss time with them, at all.

It was terrrrible when I had strep throat, I missed them for 2 visits in a row, an entire week, it was like adding insult to injury.

But we've gotta do whatever we can to keep everyone as healthy as possible.

It's going to be a long weekend.

I've been feeling so blahhh and tired and worn down for the last few days, I'm sure this rainy weekend will be no different.

I need to get a ton of laundry put away, all of our bedding washed and bedrooms cleaned. I need to clean the ferret cage and give them baths and clip their nails. I need to work in the basement to get more stuff out of there.

I need to try to get some extra rest, if at all possible.

Bedtime is going to come early tonight. I hope I can manage to get some good sleep, it's been hard to come by lately.

Anyway, enough for now, I've got kiddos to put in bed.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

I'm tired.

I haven't been sleeping well the last few nights.

Thinking a lot about Anthony.

A couple days ago, Liliya said, out of the blue, "Where's my daddy?"

I told her he passed away and went to heaven. She's 2 years old and she's never known him, she doesn't get it.

So finally I said "he died".

Then she kept repeating it.

It was rough.

Then last night, Rayce came into my room crying at almost 10pm, saying he missed Daddy.

He has NEVER done that before.

Never.

He has never cried for his daddy.

Rayce just accepted it, from the beginning.

It was strange, but I was glad he didn't seem to be permanently damaged by losing his father.

But last night made me realize that just because he doesn't say it out loud often, he is missing his daddy.

And that breaks my heart :o(



So anyway, I let Rayce sleep with me last night, and that added to my lack of good sleep.



I've had my nephews more lately than normal, and I haven't been able to get much done.

So today, even though I'm exhausted, I'm trying to get as much done as possible.

I got the girls dressed when I got Rayce dressed.

I jumped in the shower as soon as Rayce got on the bus.

I put in a load of laundry, cleaned, swept, and mopped the kitchen and the downstairs bathroom.

Now I'm just sitting here, thinking about how tired I am, among other things.



I need to get moving again to keep myself awake and going.

Its only 10am.

Gonna be another long day.



I'm tired.



But here I go, off and running.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Camp Isaac Says, 1st edition

According to Rayce, firstborn, leader of the pack, smartie pants, 5 3/4 years old.

Tell me the five best things about you.

Hmm, I don't know. I'm smart. I am... I don't know. Am I talking on the computer? Am I talking on the computer? I get up early. I know what month it is. Oh wait, no I don't. I clean my room. Actually I don't really clean my room. I don't know. I love my family. Am I talking on the computer? Ok, am I talking on the computer? I'm Rayce!

If you had ONE wish, what would you wish for?

Butterscotch. It's a horse toy that looks like a real pony.

What is your favorite toy?

Dinosaurs. All of them.

What is your favorite thing to do with Mama?

Go to the movie theater and play games.

How old do  you think Mama is?

twenty six

How old do you think Grandma is?

fifty.

(well those questions weren't any fun, he was one year off of my age and exact on Grandmas!!)

What's one thing you think Mama is really good at?

puzzles. You're so smart when you do puzzles.



What makes mom happy?

when I be good




What makes mom sad?

when I don't be good



How does your mom make you laugh?

you say 'don't smile'



What was your mom like as a child?

i think you were a kid




 How tall is your mom?

fifty and a half inches



What is her favorite thing to do?

clean and wash the dishes



What does your mom do when you're not around?

clean



If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

i dunno




What is your mom not very good at?

putting away the clothes


What does your mom do for a job?

you used to work at the mall at the toy store but now it's to stay in the house and clean and drive us places



What is your mom's favorite food?

chicken


What makes you proud of your mom?

putting the bathroom window up?



If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

Dora



What do you and your mom do together?

ummm. read?

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Camp Isaac Says...

I've decided to add a little something new to my blog, to make it a little more interesting and more regular.

I'm calling it "Camp Isaac Says", or CIS for short.

A few times a week I plan to sit down with one or more of the kids and ask them some open ended questions, typing their answers word for word.

It should be fun :o)

So, look for the first edition of CIS later this afternoon or this evening!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Not Much

Not much going on around here.

Spring Break is almost over. On Monday, Rayce goes back to school and we all resume our normal schedule.

Rayce misses school. He's been making himself 'kidwriting' sheets to work on :o)

Everyone is doing pretty well, myself included.

We were enjoying the warmer weather, and not really enjoying the cooler temps that rushed back in yesterday. We're excited for it to warm up again soon.

Tomorrow we'll be planting some seeds in a little greenhouse box. I've got the seeds soaking, and I am soooo excited for the kids.

This will teach them a little about patience.

The actual 'poking the seeds into the dirt pellets' will be fun for them, but waiting for them to grow... that's the real treat.

I'll be posting some recent pictures within the next few days.

I've got lots to get done today before I pick the boys up this afternoon.

Bedding to wash, floors to sweep, mop, vacuum, tons and tons of laundry to put away.

Sooooo, that's all for now, folks :o)

Monday, April 5, 2010

Easter Pics












We had a wonderful Easter :o)

To see pics of my sister Ashley's photoshoot, head on over to my photography blog.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Easter

Is one of my favorite holidays.

We're not very religious people. We don't go to church, although I am looking to change that.

It's just a nice day for togetherness, a nice dinner with family, and fun for the kids.

Today has been a great day, and it's only 10am.

I stayed up late last night putting baskets together.

The kids each got a couple Littlest Pet Shop toys (they LOVE those things!), a small chocolate bunny, a few lollipops, some gummies, startburst, smarties, and m&m's.

I try hard not to overdue it as a gift giving holiday. I try hard not to get too much candy. I try hard to only put in their baskets what I will allow them to eat in a day or two, because they get frantic about finding it and eating it, wherever I hide it.

My kids don't get candy regularly, at all.

I don't buy junk food to bring into the house. We don't keep chips or ice cream or candy here.

So Easter and Halloween are especially exciting for the kiddos :o)

Today, the kids got their Easter baskets, ate candy for breakfast, colored some eggs (we're simple people, we dip dye them and that's it!), baked some ready made cookies (less mess!!!), now I'm trying to clean up before I toss the kids in the bath.

Would be pointless to bathe them and THEN clean up, because they would get filthy again as soon as they got out, with all this candy laying around.

After we're all showered and dressed, we're going to my dad and stepmom's for an easter egg hunt and a photoshoot.

The sun is shining, it's warm, I have all 5 babies with me today...

it doesn't get any better than this!

Pictures to follow, tonight after the kids are in bed :o)

Friday, April 2, 2010

Vitamin D

I'm sooo enjoying this sunshine, soaking in as much vitamin D as I can.

Getting some sun always makes me feel better, no matter what nonsense is happening.

Today we spent a bit at the PAL center, went to lunch with Pauline and Sadie, and then went to the park.

It's so warm out, even the walk to the park (3 blocks) and back was enough to make us sweat. The kids were all rosy-cheeked and exhausted by the time we got home.

I loooove spring.

I loooooove sunshine.




I am sooo looking forward to tomorrow.

Up to find Easter Baskets.

Egg coloring.

Cookie baking.

Bathtime.

Getting dressed in Easter clothes.

(yes we are 'celebrating' Easter tomorrow because my stepsons aren't here on Sunday)

A photoshoot with all 5 kiddos dressed up.

A photoshoot for just Holden, for his 4th birthday, almost a month late    :-/

An egg hunt and lunch at Grampa and MiMa's.

A photoshoot with Grampa and MiMa and Auntie Ashley.

How much better could it get?

Seriously?!?!

Tomorrow is going to be a perfect day and I am going to do everything in my power to soak it all in and just live in the moments.