M+B=E2O2

Think of him

If you can spare any prayers- good thoughts- positive vibes-  could you please send some my way.  My fur baby- my first baby- Bungee is not doing so well right now.  He is a 13 (nearly 14) year old lab German Shepard mix.  I've had him since his birth.  He has had some problems walking every so often in the last few months-  I thought stiffness, maybe arthritis, but all of a sudden it has taken a bad turn and he can not walk at all.  I had him into the vet this morning- x-rays are inconclusive.  He won't eat so I can't give him the pain meds that the vet prescribed.  I am absolutely sick over this.  He is my hero dog, goofy,lovable, beautiful and so protective of me.  My heart is aching right now at the unknown. I am so scared of what we may have to do.  I hope that he will wake up hungry tomorrow-  sedation meds all worn off.  Then maybe he'll be ok.  I hope. 

still alive

visiting parents + sick kids + sick me = blogging hiatus

will return with regularly scheduled blogging soon....

Olivia - our musician....

I've managed some school

We've actually done some school'n these last couple of days.  Well, we've been calling it school, but it has really been playing games that involved scholastic type stuff.  That counts right? 

We took Olivia to her 15month check up.  She weighed in at 19 lbs 4 oz.  So she still gets to look at Emma and Owen in the car.   She is in the 10th percentile in both height and weight.  Her head was in the 50th percentile though- that's my big brained girl!

She got three shots though- poor thing- her left leg was so sore last night-  she just fussed and rubbed it.  Emma was also checked up- all is well with her- nothing to report medically. 

I am slowly working on the organization of this computer room/guest room/ homeschool supply room.  Of course it always looks worse before it gets better- so it is in a pretty bad state right now.

Evan is getting really into drawing.  He has started  progressing from randoms scribbles to  less random scribbles  with several purposeful shapes.  He is too cute in telling me all about each mark.

"this is a spider and this is a telescope that O-wee made  for me and this (dot) is for you and this (dot) is for daddy and this one is for Rita. And this is a black block and there is mud and you can't drink the mud it is yucky."

They are all heading upstairs with a treasure map in hand- treasure hunting. I love their imaginative play.  It will be great when Liv can more actively join in-  when they all head upstairs she's left behind-  but when they are down here she really does her best to join in the scruff.  Battles are almost always happening here- shouts of "expecto petronum" or "wingardium levisoa" or  "turn Emma in to a lollipop"  are frequent amidst the throes of  the battle.   Love it!

A recent conversation with Owen- 

First let me say that we often go over the order of events as we hope and expect our kids to follow in life-  learn and play, discover what they want to do  in life and do what is necessary to accomplish that goal (college etc.), meet a wonderful person, get married, have kids and a happy life.  However there are a number of folks in our family who have put the cart before the horse (to quote my FIL) and  so the kids are aware that  that is not the only order possible. 

Owen let me know he was aware of this the other day.

O:  Mom, did you know  I can have kids and not have a wife?
M:  Well, yes, it is possible, but that is not really what God or Jesus or Mommy & Daddy want you to do.
O: Yeah, and Santa too.

Yeah Santa's right up there too! LOL!

So the TV is on and a Target ad is running-  shows all sorts of different stuff,  Evan and I are picking at a salad together watching it when  they show several women in little white bikinis under Beach umbrellas. 

E:  Mom look...........  umbrellas

phew

ok how cute is this!

What a little doll!

a little hope please

Have you ever had someone steal you? 

It doesn't feel too good.  In early December,  I foolishly left my truck unlocked, overnight, in my driveway- right under the master bedroom window.  Someone seems to have noticed and up and took Ben's ipod, my bluetooth headset-(for the phone I seem to have lost the week just prior), an old empty purse and a little kids PDA-really it's not much more than a clock & calculator. 

I felt stupid and angry that this happened.  I felt especially bad about Ben's ipod.  This was his lifeline for studying for the boards this past year.  And I got it gone.  I finally get over that and put it in the past-  when I notice a strange charge on my bank account.  Now I'd been doing some shopping so I didn't get too worried, but I had no idea what or where Carmen Gift Card was.  I called the bank and they requested more info for me- but that would take a week or so to get. 

We didn't close the account, because really, I thought it must have been me-  I just can't remember things sometimes.  and we had recently changed the account/checkbook# because someone had lost a check we had written.  it is a hassle to do and if it could be avoided- well, I was all for that. 

The next day- boom- there it is, a check I never wrote.  For $300 to someone I'd never heard of- Yesenia Martinez.  (shame on her for taking the check!!!) so now I have to call the bank.  We close the account.  I go to the nearest branch office- 45 minutes away.  except on that particular day- something happened on the freeway and it took me 2.5 hours! BLAH!

So there you have it- someone stole me.  I guess in that old purse, or maybe in my glove box,  there was an old checkbook.  I used to keep one in the car sometimes- as a just in case thing.  I rarely write checks. 

The police were less than helpful and so very jaded that the detective out and out told me they'll never find the guy/gal who did this.  I was upset at that- even if he just KNOWS that from years of experience- he could humor me and say he's gonna do his best and that there's nothing wrong with a little hope.    Doing my own little investigation (with zabasearch.com ) I found Yesenia and also the house that the Carmen Gift card was sent to- both live within 5 miles of me.  If I can come up with that surely Detective Hopeful can too. 

Its OFFICIAL

Yay Ben! He got the official letter with his official scores- He is now an official board certified gastroenterologist.  I am proud beyond words.  Thanks for all your P&PT!

Did I mention my house is messy?

ugh.

Happy Birthday Emma!

My baby girl is 7!!!!  I love you Emma Kate-  you are the most amazing child!

really I will blog

just not right now.  ok, maybe for a quick minute while the kids are drawing. 

Tomorrow is Emma's birthday- 7 - wow!  The time between New years and tomorrow is alway very busy for me.  I always make sure that all Christmas stuff is down - usually by around the 6th.  Ben  was on call this last weekend though, so I have been flying solo- so it's been tough.  But it is done.  almost.  We are going to a park day for a hs group tomorrow.  I am very excited because there are several young kids planning on going.  When we went last week, there were no little boys and only 1 little girl.  the average age was around 10.  One of the other local e-lists I am on has a bunch of young-ins so I let a few know we were planning on going tomorrow and several are going too! YAY! 

hmmm what else.  Mostly I haven't blogged because i just haven't felt like it.  I have not wanted to sit in this messy room next to my very messy homeschool closest, in my messy house writing about how messy everything is.  Because I've been taking down Christmas- only the bare minimum of normal cleaning is getting done-  so all the stuff that just needs some re organization and general sprucing up has been sadly neglected for several weeks.  SO i just feel sort of guilty sitting here knowing that there is so much more to do. 

I have been walking everyday with the kids.  We go just over a mile.  Olivia is the only one who gets a ride.  Evan sort of drags, but he does alright.  We take our two beasty dogs too.  I am certain anyone who sees me thinks I'm nuts, or just stupid.   but I have to get out- I have to exercise and I have decided to include the kids instead of making excuses that it can't be done because of the kids.  It is not as far or as fast as I would like to go- but it is much better than nothing and I think it will get better and longer and faster over time. - until I have to let Olivia walk- then we'll slow down again- but that's ok. 

speaking of Liv, she stinks and wants me to pick her up. 

times up