Live from Tormville!

morning pose

Mark (7) crept into bed with me this morning where I was still sleeping, with my head to the side - my hand planted against my forehead and my elbow out. 

Mark: Mom. 

Me: hmmmm

Mark: You look like an Egyptian. 

Me: How do you know what an Egyptian looks like?

Mark: Doesn't everyone know the Egyptian dance? (as in. duh) 

This is how we snow day

just another day in paradise....

• Photo taken early this morning while waiting to hear if school would be closed. 
• It wasn't, but many people thought it should have been. 
• Sorry for the sporadic blog posts lately. I used to enjoy January for the lull, but we're not getting a lull this year. Life's just busy. 
• I've been working two jobs this past week and this week - so I drop the boys off at school - go to work at the print shop, head to school to work the lunch shift, head back to the print shop - quit in time to pick up the boys from school - head home, make supper, pick up Wendy from basketball tryouts, back home, eat dinner - then run the evening activities. 
• Then repeat again the next day. 
• Today I shook it up a little bit - did the work to work back to work thing, picked up the boys - then dropped them off at home since Allan was there. 
• Ran to the post office. 
• Some people say we don't live in a small town. I insist that we do. Case in point - at the post office I noticed my friend Denny was in front of me in line. We text now and then - coincidentally just yesterday - but I've not seen him since the last time we flew. We enjoyed a little catch up chat in the lobby. 
• And then walked in a friend of his that he knew through ballooning but I hadn't met. Introduced, chatted some more. 
• Then walked in my cousin Lynette. More introductions, more chatting - we laughed that we should pull up some chairs. 
• But - things to do. I was trying to get as many errands done as possible before having to pick up Wendy at five and run the evening activies. 
• Next stop - gas station. I was really trying to wait until it warmed up a bit before I had to go to the gas station, but the next two days are getting worse and riding on the fumes in the winter is a BAAAAAAAAAAAAD idea. The lecture I got from my dad the day he had to come and rescue me on the side of the road with an empty tank still rings in my ears. 
• I filled up my tank, pressed no for the receipt and went to hop back into the van only to find that somehow I'd locked myself out of it. My keys were in the ignition and my phone was on the dash. 
• Oh for crying out loud. It's been YEARS since I've done that.
• I went into the gas station and up to the register and said - do you see that van out there at pump six? The lady who owns that van has been burning both ends lately and it seems she locked her keys inside the van. 
• The guy just kinda looked at me. At first he wanted to call the cops to jimmy it open but then I asked permission to just leave it there for an hour until my husband drove through. We compromised and he let me use the phone (we're really not supposed to do this, but in this case...) to call my husband. 
• Husband left work, I dug through my pockets for enough money for some coffee (thankfully the gas station was attached to a Dunkin Donut. If you're gonna do it, do it right) 
• So I sat and waited and sipped my coffee. I figured it was God's way of getting me to sit. It worked. 
• 30 minutes later the cavalry arrived. Just in time for me to scoot up to the school and pick up Wendy. 
• Wendy made the basketball team. 
• Hooray. 
• But, boy, that's going to create a whole other type of interesting if I get picked for jury duty. She's my back up to pick up the boys from school.  I'm not even going to think about it until the time comes. 
• But if you want to say a little prayer that I don't get picked for jury duty this time, I'd totally be on board with that. 
• Home, quick non-nutritious dinner, (the 30 minutes at the gas station was supposed to be spent prepping a real dinner) and Greg headed one direction with one kid and I headed another with another. 
• And then I went to Meijer, filled up the cart, ran the groceries home and out the door again to pick up a kid. 
• And now, here I sit. 
• Tomorrow is a snow (cold) day. 
• I'll put in a few hours at the print shop at some point. 
• And today I'm grateful that Greg was in town. That worked out really well for me. 

Peace - 

be good. 

It's not them, it's me.

My kids are good about writing their thank-you notes for gifts received. 

I, however, am not good about actually getting them mailed. This one was written on Christmas Eve after opening grandma gifts. I found it in a pile while paying bills last night. Sometimes I find them months later. 

All me. 

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Things have been busy lately - just have a few minutes here and a few minutes there. 

Busy working, busy with the kids stuff, busy checking lists and stuff for Greg's upcoming trip. I still marvel at modern day technology that enables him to find his hotel on Google Earth and get a good idea of the path he has to walk from the station. 

Although using that same technology only made me more apprehensive when I used it to find the path to the courthouse in Flint. I sent in my juror questionnaire.  We shall see. 

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Time to wake the boys. I know where I put them anyway....

Happy Hump Dave. 

so much for ready

Weekend report...

• So I brought Wendy to the doctor on Friday, and while there I had been tempted to ask the doctor to just take a peek at the niggling in my throat as well, but I didn't. I should have. 
• Saturday morning came - and the niggling was a little worse, but I showered and went with my husband and boys to their first private swimming lesson. I wanted my husband to show them the locker room ropes as he won't be able to take them every time - and I wanted to settle the schedule and bill.  Their instructor asked me to give her a bit of a summary of where they are at with their swimming. They love the water, will dive up the deep end until they are shriveled prunes - but can't swim worth a lick - they do it with life jackets on. Mark wants swimming lessons more and Brian needs it more. It was interesting to watch them side by side.  Mark picked up on it quicker - but Brian would kick and kick but stay in one place.  I figured out that it's another thing he's going to have to work at just a little bit harder with his hypermobility joint syndrome. He's so flexible and bendy, his legs bend all over the place when he's supposed to be keeping them as straight and firm as he can. It's interesting to me to see his struggles so clearly when  we finally have that exact diagnosis. 
• Saturday afternoon I progressively felt worse. I accomplished nothing on my very long to do list. 
• I slept. A lot. 
• Sunday morning, Greg took the boys to Sunday School - Wendy stayed home still working off her bug and Allan drove himself to church while I drove the other direction to urgent care. 
• Strep. And an ear infection too just for fun. 
• Today I can swallow again without pain, but trying to do anything is causing me to shake and work up a sweat. 
• I'm getting ornery. 
• Bah. 
• Meanwhile, Greg booked his flight to Japan this morning. I'm excited for him. He's going to take my camera. 
• Which reminds me that I have to order a travel case for it. I should be able to do that much today. 
• oh. and I got a jury summons. my first ever.  

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As for this week...

• There's a good chance I'm working both jobs this week
• My baby turns SEVEN on Thursday. How can that be???
• Brian has his first belt test in karate this week
• I'd like to get to the Snow Festival in Frankenmuth next weekend - the temps look like it'll be a good year,.  I picked a too warm one last time I went.  We'll go either Saturday or Sunday after lunch. Join us! 
• Play catch up in my free time. 

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After several emails - I added the link to my planner in the last post. 

Happy Monday. 
Still my favorite day. 

 

Alright 2014. NOW I'm ready.

My planner finally arrived on Thursday. I can breathe again. (as per so many requests - I ordered my planner from here: link) 

Now.... to plan. Some of my hopes, plan and goals for 2014:

• To lose another 10-15 pounds, on top of the 25 that I lost in 2013. 
• To run another 5K. My knee never felt up to it last year, but I feel confident it can tackle another one this year. In fact - I'd really like to run one in my bloomers in Minnesota in August. That'd be great fun. 
• My brother is getting married this year - fun to be planning for a family wedding again. The spring catalogs already showing up in the mailbox have me looking for new dresses and duds. 
• Greg is going to Japan next month for ten days for work, but his schedule is a good mix of sight seeing and classes. We've been busy researching and getting him prepared. He bought new shoes this week and is working on gifts for his guides. My facebook friends came through with a lot of great tips and suggestions. Thank you
• This family has reservations made in Florida. This is a trip we've wanted to make for three years (none of us have ever been to Florida) but the circumstances of the last two years had us postponing. I'm still anxious to get it in while Allan is still able and game to come with us. I'll believe that it's really happening when we actually get on the road - but I've already ordered Wendy's swimsuit (Lands End has a great sale right now), sunscreen and began the travel boxes. 
• The boys start their private swimming lessons this morning - finally. It was a four month wait to get in. 
• I am not doing Project Life this year - instead I'll try to fill in the gaps of the last two years. I love Project Life, but it got more difficult to keep up with when I began working every day. 
• Speaking of working - I'm anxiously waiting to find out what happens at the board meeting the end of this month. For fifteen years I have heard rumors of our school closing (it's the oldest of the elementary schools in our district) and this year the talk is more prevalent than any other. It was shared at the PTO meeting last week that we'd know for sure at the end of this month. 
• As low man on the pole, I don't know what that would mean for me and my job - but I'm not too worried about that right now - just a little bit anxious to just know. 
• There was also talk about possibly going to a year round schedule - which we'll also find out for certain the end of this month. I feel like I can't make any summer plans until I know my schedule.
• If everything stays as normal, I'm visualizing a round trip to upper Michigan and then to MN (to run that 5K) I'd also like to stay a few nights at Boyne again - we really enjoyed our time there last year. 
• Around the house, I'm hoping to tackle a few more projects. I'd like to paint the kitchen this spring. 
• Funny thing - when Greg mentioned that he'd be gone overseas for ten days - the first thing I started thinking was ..... PROJECT.  Allan and I both agreed that Greg is lucky he's gone in the winter or we'd be tackling his garage.  I might be forced to tackle the basement instead. 

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Other Stuffs...

• I had brought Wendy to urgent care last Sunday - and they said it was just a virus that had to run its course. It got progressively worse all week, much to her teacher's annoyment. I brought her to her doctor yesterday. She has a double ear infection. meh. 
• She went to bed at 8 last night. I went to bed at 8:30. I've got the whole throat drainage, headache, ear thing going on. Sipping lots of apple cider vinegar and honey stuff. 
• I get a little - figures - when I'm not feeling well on the Saturdays that Greg is finally home. I have no energy to go to the gym today. Hopefully tomorrow. 
• As for today - time to get ready for swimming and then I'm going to knuckle down and find my desk and plan the yearly budget. 
• I love my new planner. 

be good

and it goes like this...

• Our Saturday was exactly like the above photo. It was lazy. It was rainy. It was grey and the snow was melting. Greg had left at 4am for Kentucky, and Allan was working. Lazy was the word. Motivation was nowhere to be found. By any of us. 
• Sunday was a little more active. The van was already warming up in the driveway for Sunday School when Wendy announced that her throat hurt worse than yesterday and she was hot one second and chills that next. Temp proved she had a fever.  I sighed. 
• And then I told her to be ready. After Sunday School we picked her up and hauled her to Ready Care. She tested negative for strep. Doc said it's just a virus that has to be rode out. 
• She managed to get much sympathy from her teachers yesterday. Wendy does know how to work it. 
• Sunday afternoon - Uncle George came over for lunch. We figured it was about a month since he'd been here. The holidays were busy.  
• Then our annual congregation meeting at 2 and then home to get the kids homework done and ready for Monday. 
• Yesterday it felt good to get back into a routine, work, etc. 
• Last night we finally got back to karate. There is no karate when there is no school, so we've had the last  three plus weeks off. 
• And then was this morning. I've not been sleeping well lately. which is how I happened to hear someone eating breakfast (the spoon hitting the bowl falls into the tones that I hear well. unfortunately).  At 2:30 am. 
• I figured it was Allan. While today is his day off, he tends to wake up early on his days off too. 
• And then the deck light went on. It was then that I knew it was Wendy and not Allan. Allan never turns on the deck light when he lets the dog out. 
• I sighed. 
• And then I crawled out of bed. 
• Put on my bathrobe and went downstairs. 
• Me: Wendy, what are you doing? 
  Wendy: Getting ready for school. 
  Me: Now? 
  Wendy, glancing at the clock:  HUH???????  Oh man. 
• Another few minutes and she would have walked right out the door. 

And that's probably the most boring blog post ever. 

Time for more coffee before I wake the boys. And bonus - Greg is home - he got home from Kentucky just after midnight. We'll see how long we get to hang onto him this time. 

January Studio AE Blog Hop from Technique Tuesday

The tenth day of 2014, and I still don't have my planner. *twitching* 
I did, however, get the January Studio AE set - All my Heart. 

I had fun putting a little twist on the love theme, using the Williamsburg Alphabet Small set to drop in something my kid's love. I thought the set worked really well for our trip to the candy store. My kids LOVE LOVE LOVE the candy store.  ;)   I also used a Shimelle sketch for design inspiration. (I love sketches) 

Make sure to check out how everyone else interpreted the set: 

 

Ali

http://aliedwards.com/projects

Daniela

http://danieladobson.blogspot.com/

Nichol

http://nicholmagouirk.typepad.com/

Laura

http://itsallrosie.blogspot.com/

Sharyn

http://sharyntormanen.typepad.com/

Teri

http://terisplace.wordpress.com/

 

We’ll give away a prize:

We are going to give away one $25 gift certificate to someone who comments during the hop. To be eligible to win, all you need to do is comment on any of our blog posts! The lucky winner will be announced on the 15^th on the Technique Tuesday blog.  http://techniquetuesday.typepad.com/

a day in the *it's another snow day* life

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we're so lucky, we have the chance to do it all over again tomorrow. Another snow day and our 20th day off of school in a row.  21 if you count the fact that only one of our three school kids went on that last day as two were sick. 

We' don't have cabin fever. 
NooooOOOOOooooooo..  

ice on the inside doorknobs

It's sunny and beautiful outside - from inside looking out. Feels like is -27. We have quilts hanging over the exterior doors and there is still ice on the inside doorknobs.

Brian: I wanna go outside today. 

Me: Nope. 

Brian:  *whine, pout, spunk, whine, wah, whine, wah*

Me: Okay, I changed my mind - come here. 

Brian comes here, I open the sliding door - 

Me: Okay - go to the middle of the deck and back (five steps) 

he did. he began dancing before he headed back. 

literally launched back into the kitchen....

Brian, chattering: Holy Cow It's Cold! 

Ya think. 

Me: There. You went outside today.