Mom to the Screaming Masses

Extreme Makeover, blog edition

I've got a great new look, thanks to the super Sheryl over at Paper Napkin.  She was VERY easy to work with, had super ideas, and was extremely reasonable with her price. 

Everyone, go get a new skin!!!!!

Much ado about a lot of stuff

So there's a bunch of stuff afoot in the masses 'hold, and I thought I'd share:

First off, despite the trip, I lost another pound.  Whoot!  I am so glad that I decided to do this.  One of the things that spurred me on was the fact that one of my daughter's schoolmates told her that she had a fat mother.  That hurt so bad, I can't even tell you. 

I've decided to attempt my first 5K.  I can easily walk it, and I can run about half.  I wasn't really planning on it, but I recently became aware that there is going to be an Autism Awareness 5K, and since I believe so strongly in that cause, I thought I'd give it a whirl.  I've bumped up my running time on the treadmill - 15 running, 5 walking, and then as long as I can go.  Lather, rinse, repeat. I'm trying to keep it to an hour, which is about 3.5 miles.  I'm scared to do it, but I really feel like I want to.  Now that I've figured out the whole "wear a regular bra under the amazon sports bra" thing to keep me out of pain, I can only try.

Riley is going to be released from therapy!  She has one more session, and then her therapist is confident that she can be released.  Now, of course, we've got to start speech.  But she's met her goals, surpassed some of them, and since her therapist is moving, I really don't want to try to get her in with a new one.  So we will try it, for the summer, and if it doesn't work out I can try to get her in with the school system.

Allegra was given her "Packet" of girlie stuff from the health teacher - complete with a book for me to read entitled "How to help your daughter have a HAPPY period."  Oh, great.  As if there wasn't enough to think about, now I've got to make certain that she has an enjoyable, pleasant monthly??

My kids computer has been diagnosed - it needs a new hard drive.  Anyone got a new Serial ATA drive laying around, and a new CD Rom drive that they want to donate to the cause?  Ha, I crack myself up sometimes.  I've got a friend whose son wants to work for the Geek Squad and he can fix it for me for about $30, if I get the $200 worth of parts.  That has to wait, though......

Mackenzie will make her First Communion this weekend.  She's so excited, she can't stand it.  She was picked to do the Second Reading, and she's been practicing non stop - she's even taken the paper to bed with her.  Every time I see her, she's got that paper either in her hand or right next to her.  She is soooo slim, that I had to take the dress to be altered.  I bought a great dress for Allegra, and all of my girls are going to wear the same one.  I didn't want the seamstress to cut the fabric, since I was concerned that Emma and Riley wouldn't be able to wear it.  She needed to take it in FOUR inches!  What ended up happening was that the seamstress took the center buttons and put them down the right side of the dress, crossing the back over.  I think it looks ok, but even if not, she will have on her veil, right?

She was funny yesterday. We had the First communion practice, and after it was over, the local Catholic bookstore had a display set up, for gifts and veils, and such.  I had told her that we weren't going to buy anything.  She looked with some of her friends, and came flying up to me.  "Mom! Mom!  You've got to see this medal - I just love it so!  I really really want it!  Can you buy it for me?"  Um, no, remember the deal?  I've got $1.57 in my wallet and bills coming due.  I told her to put it back, and she said, "Well. Grandpa always gives me money, maybe he will give me enough for this."  She handed it to me and walked away.  A quick phone call to my father in law, who agreed that he'd love to buy her a medal, and to ask the store owner, friends of the family, to hold the necklace in the store for his pickup tomorrow.  But, here came Mackenzie again.  "Never mind the medal - I've found something else I like better.  I've just got to have this music box!"  No way - not after all I went through to get this handled!  Anyway, there is a great First Communion music box available, if anyone is looking for one.

WHAT is up with the weather?  80 degrees last week, and now that I'm back from Mexico we've got on pants and long sleeves again.  Geez.

I'm baaaacckkk!!!!!

Didja miss me? 

The trip was *awesome*.  Beyond belief.  We stayed at the Marquis Los Cabos, in Los Cabos Mexico.  It was cool that the picture on the cover of the "Best small hotels in the world" was ours.  Here is info about the hotel, if you are interested. 

We flew out way too early, and had no problems getting there.  It took almost 12 hours, though, which seemed to be forever.  We checked in, were met by the greatest welcoming staff ever with margaritas - the group that we went with, one of the warranty companies that The Hubster works for, parcels out the trip to a group that handles all of the details, and they are supposed to be available all the time in case you had any problems.  Last year was awful - I blogged about it last year, which is somewhere in last years archives, in April.   We checked in and met the rest of the management group, who gave us our $100 for dinner on Friday - there wasn't a group function planned, so everyone was given an allowance to go into Cabo.  We were told, though, that we were one of 8 couples invited to eat with the owner at his expense, if we were interested.  Of course!  But, we did have to return the $100 bill - I got great laughs when I asked if I could just hold it for a minute.  We were given the key to our room, in 702, and got onto the elevator.  Um, the floors only go up to 5, so WHERE would we find the seventh floor?  We got back out of the elevator, and went to the desk, to find out that the 700 and 800 rooms were off to the sides of the pool.  Ok, that's nice.  We found our room, opened the door, and both of us gasped and looked at each other.  There MUST have been some mistake.  You see, we were given a CASITA - a 1600 square foot casita with it's own pool.  Apparently, the top 15 were upgraded to this great room with marble floors and two bathrooms.  Here are some pics:

That last picture, my friends, is our PRIVATE POOL.  A HEATED, private pool, which was constructed to make it appear that we were swimming in the ocean, since we had an ocean front room. 

We had a function that night, and the owner of the company was there.  We greeted him, and he really put me at ease.  See, I suffer from low self esteem, and I am always convinced that people tolerate me in order to get with The Hubster.  I was also afraid that they would be uncomfortable with me and think I'm boring, since the last two trips I had brought kids with me, and that's not their way.  He was talking to us, and said that his wife didn't really want to come to the party, but he told her that we would be there, and she decided to come.  What a great feeling! Shrimp, lobster and filet were on the buffet, as well as prime rib and various sides.  And a full bar. 

Friday we were up early, and had the breakfast that they brought to our room.  Another perk, since we were given a $200 allowance for breakfast, lunch and drinks during our stay, and this gave us extra money.  The Hubster had a meeting and I went to the gym and walked for an hour.  Then I went for an anit stress aromatherapy massage - heavenly.  Probably the best massage I ever had.  The Hubster went deep sea fishing and I took a nap and laid out by the pool with some of the wives of the other men on the trip.  We drank and ate and talked all afternoon. 

  You can see the fish better if you enlarge it, but it was a 145 pound blue marlin. 

The dinner that night was amazing - great food, great company (we sat with the owner of the company!!) great drinks,  and a great view.  When we got back to the room, we had been given a gift of a silver platter.  It was huge and heavy, and very high quality.

Saturday was a repeat of the same - workout, pool and massage while he had a meeting.  Except. 

The massage was different.  She had her hands between my legs, massaged my bottom, and my breasts.  I was NOT relaxed - by the end, I felt violated and near tears.  I'm not a prude, I've had a fair share of massages, and that one wasn't right.  It felt like a lover's massage.  I went back to the room, spoke with The Hubster, and went to the management group.  She agreed and spoke with the spa staff.  I felt terrible; after all, I might have cost her a job, and the area outside of the resort was so destitute that I could have been responsible for the food for her family.  In talking with others who had massages, though, it appears that she gave a man in our group a very rough and tough massage, and he had complained as well.  I felt dirty and in bad need of a shower, that's how awful it felt.  I was given a manicure and pedicure to compensate, and the company didn't pay for the massage.  After all of the drama, he went horseback riding and I repeated the "hang out by the pool, talk and drink" of the day before.

The dinner that night was an awards dinner, and it was great to see all of the group together.  We drank tons, ate filet and lobster again, and saw a beautiful sunset. 

I always love this trip; we have friends on it every year, and it's so nice to see them, hang out with adults and have good conversation.  When we went back tot the room, we found gourmet dessert and a picture silver frame with our picture in it from the first night. 

Sunday we ate breakfast at the buffet, since we had money on our room leftover and then we grabbed a quick 20 minutes by the pool.  We packed up and checked out, and rode the bus back to the airport. 

We flew to Dallas, ate dinner with two of the couples who were on our trip (they have been on all of the other trips with us and we are good friends with them - they live in our state so we flew with them most of the way), and got onto the plane home.  We were an hour late leaving there, flew through storms, and landed over an hour late.  We got in at midnight on Sunday, and it took over 30 minutes to get our luggage.  By the time we got home and into bed, it was 2, which made Monday awful.  I had to do a week's worth of laundry and bought $300 worth of groceries, and it took Riley a few hours to get over being angry with me.  But I'm back, and already missing Mexico. 

Mish-Mash

Do you know how hard it was to come up with another word for miscellaneous, or minutia, or casserole, or another word to describe this post, which is just a mish mash of crud thrown together??

I had all of these really cool ideas, and post thoughts.  But I'm too wiped out to write them.  One day I need to tell you about the mom who was so rotten to her son at the park, belittling him in public.  Nope, it wasn't me.  Or I could tell you about the fact that my kids computer had bit the big one - apparently, even with Anti Virus in place, it caught a virus and Windows became corrupted.  It's d-e-a-d.  The Hubster's big idea is that they don't need a computer, and they can just use my laptop.  HAHAHAHA - no.

I could tell you about the load of diapers I just took out of the washer, and the Mosaic Moon wool pants were tossed in there; not by me, I can assure it.  It now fits a very, very, VERY small baby doll.  I could tell you about the aggravation I'm feeling in dealing with We suck Insurance, who has now decided that Prevacid, necessary for Allegra's reflux, which sets off her asthma, must be approved by the Medical Care manager before being dispensed at a $100 copay, and in the meantime try Prilosec.  A different, new medicine isn't on my list of things to have her try when I'm going out of the country tomorrow. 

I could tell you, I guess, about the Easter Mass that I went to where the dress that I was wearing, the really pretty one I showed you earlier, popped open along the bra line.  Apparently, the rest of me is now a 14, but not my boobs.  The dress is going back.

I could gripe about the fact that I have done all of the packing, and I'm certain to have forgotten something.  I could tell you how worried I am about leaving, and having to set out my life insurance policies, 401(k), wills and kids documents always stresses me out.  I haven't slept well for three nights, and to top it all off, I got my period.  That's right - I'm going to a sunny foreign place, where I plan to live in a bathing suit.  I could tell you that I'm trying to avoid going to the grocery, and yet I need to make four nights worth of dinners today.  I haven't exercised since Saturday.  I owe emails and have lots of groups to read. 

i could share with you this wonderful quote from M'Lynn's site:  And all those people who do not, of their own free choice, continue in our lives will be left in the realm of memory. Most will fade until there is no more than a glimmer of their existence still lurking in some dim dusty corner. And gradually, the hold of grief will lessen and we will be able to slip sideways from its grasp and run off into the future without its skeletal claw gripping us tight.  What a powerful thought, and one that has resonated with me for a while now.  Sigh.  Something I definitely plan to blog about later.

Mostly, I think I'll just tell you all that I'm worried, and nervous, but I'll miss you and have a good time.  Behave yourselves.  See you soon.

Easter at our house

Lots, and lots, and LOTS of pics - probably a pretty boring entry, but maybe not too bad.....

Riley always has this look of puzzlement on her face.  I often wonder what she's thinking.  Here she is with the eggs she found on the egg hunt.

Emma found an egg!  Nikolas helped Emma to get an egg, when she couldn't reach it. 

Riley's version of "I'm hiding my eyes while you hide the eggs!"

We had a second egg hunt, for the chocolate eggs that I bought at Starbucks.  This was the first, and one of the only, shots I got of Nikolas smiling all day.

What happens when you turn your back on a two year old....

And, finally, all the kids together:

Adventures in shopping, the weekend edition

So this weekend was the time to spend money.  Friday I took my children, and not my brain, and I went to the mall to get my hair cut.  The woman who cuts my hair agreed to come in before the salon opened - that way, I could have a spot for the kids to sit and we wouldn't overwhelm the entire, very small, store.  I had my eyebrows and lip waxed just about off my face, and then had an entire wig worth of hair cut off my head.  After stroking a check too big to be believed - she now charges $35 for a haircut, and I might need to start getting her to come to my house again - and stocking up on hair goop, we left the store and went to the tailor.  We picked up Mackenzie's First Communion dress, which had to be taken in about 4 inches since she's so thin, and then walked across the aisle to Payless. I was the only one who truly NEEDED shoes, and yet I bought three pairs and about 42 socks.  While I was paying, the kids were w-i-l-d, and so I sent the kids out into the center of the mall.  There are sofas and couches, and it's near the pet store, so my two big girls went in to look at dogs and cats.  Two of my little kids thought it would be fun to run back and forth between me and the sofas. I was busy with the shoe purchase, and then because I wasn't paying strict attention, I was overcharged and then forgot to use my gift card, and I was growing more and more annoyed with the running.  I grabbed Riley and held her, kicking and screaming, and tried to get my point across to the salesclerk.  Finally, I finished my transaction and we left.  We walked the long way out of the mall, stopping to look in various windows, and I became aware that we were being followed.  So, I stopped a few times, and he stopped each and every time.  I turned to look at him.  He caught my eye and looked the other way; a small man, really, not imposing, but pretty rough looking.  I told my big kids to grab a smaller kid, and I took the hands of two of the others.  We didn't run, but walked at a bit quicker of a pace towards the exit.  We were followed all the way out.  We were in luck, though, as when we walked out, there was a security rent a cop there, and the lurker turned around and went the other way.  What was that about?  I was thinking that he must have seen us down by the pet store, and my kids appeared to be without supervision, and he thought they were an easy target.

Saturday, I left most of my kids and took Allegra out for our Mom and Daughter time.  We went to Old Navy, and she was in heaven. I was SO THRILLED that I didn't need to tbuy the XXL, or the XL, but I bought LARGE and a few MEDIUM tops and skirts.  Is it tacky, do you think, to wear the clothes inside out so that the labels are visible?  We got lunch and I took her home, and then went to the mall for myself.  I didn't know that Black House/White Market had been closed - boo, hiss - so I walked the length of the mall, scoping out the various stores.  I walked through Coldwater Creek, but was turned off by the overwhelmingly pushy saleswomen and the gossipy feeling, so I made my way down to JJill.  I flat out LOVE that store.  Shorts, pants, a skirt, and about 6 shirts later, my wallet was lighter but my spirits were high.  After sending my niece a text message to see if it was ok for her to stay longer, I had a pedicure and then made my way home.  Slowly.

The only bad thing that happened is that Allegra washed all of her new clothing, and the dress that she LOVED more than life itself shrank.  As well as her two tank tops, so we've got to go back and do an exchange.

I love shopping.  I only wish I could afford to do it more often. 

Flashback

Last night I decided to wait up for The Hubster to get home.  I watched a dvd that a friend on one of my lists sent me - it was a copy of Wife Swap, pitting a super busy, no time for her family mom of three who sells bedroom toys against a homeschooling christian mom of 8.  The whole thing was sad, and really reaffirmed my intent to never be on the show.  "But, the money!" says The Hubster.  Tough cookies.  I can't imagine ever doing that to my family. 

After I was finished with the show, I read blogs for a while and ultimately dozed off with my laptop on my lap - duh.  It's a LAPTOP.  I woke with a start when I heard the garage door open, and I snapped my head to attention.  OUCH!  The cramp in my neck woke me thoroughly, if nothing else. 

The Hubster sat, and we talked for a while.  He flipped on the tv, and we were almost immediately sucked in by an infommercial for Time Life music - I think it was called 70's Explosion.  I was blown away, though, by the amount of songs I knew.  Remember Brandy?  Cat's in the Cradle?  Bad, Bad Leroy Brown?  Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves?   Yup, all now reside on my iPod.

There were songs that I remember singing as a kid - Delta Dawn topped that list.  Really, though, what's that song about? 

Delta Dawn, what's that flower you have on
Could it be a faded rose from days gone by
And did I hear you say he was a-meeting you here today
To take you to his mansion in the sky

I was joking around with The Hubster, since I really didn't know what it was about.  I said it's a woman who is a Moonie - you know how they are always selling flowers? - and she's joining in a suicide pact - mansion in the sky?  The real lyrics are nothing like that.  The Hubster decided I have a sick mind.

When I was a kid, though, my drop dead favorite was Gypies, Tramps and Thieves.  Really, a MOST lovely song for a school age child to sing, and yet I remember belting it out in spades, and shaking my thing a la Cher. 

Allegra was singing a song the other day, and I realized that she had the words wrong.  Our lips are sealed had become I was a seal. 

What songs do you remember from your childhood, that you still know all the words to?  What songs did you sing as a kid that maybe could have been inappropriate?  What songs have you totally screwed up the words to?

What's in your purse?

Mel over at Actual Unretouched Photo had an interesting post up a few days ago.  She asked a simple, innocent question:  What's in your purse?  Specifically, she was talking hidden stuff. 

What a loaded question.  I was in the process of changing purses, so it was a good opportunity to see exactly what I have hidden in there.   I don't think there's anything hidden, but you might be able to find Jimmy Hoffa.

My purse is divided into three sections, so I'll split it that way, and then after that I'll put the misc crap that I ended up not transferring, 'kay?

• Section 1:  Oral B brush up strips.  (wonderful invention, really) Breath mints in two flavors.  Nail clippers.  Instead cup - much preferred to tampax.  3 pacifiers.  Probably the most boring pocket.
• This is the zippered section, and it's where the good stuff lives.  About 43 pens and pencils.  A wonderfully cool Moleskin notebook, sent by Jenny and used for notes for the book I'm trying to write.  A Curious George notebook, for various and sundry uses.  An Epi pen for Gabe.  Mustela sunblock for Riley's scar on her face.  Sunblock stick.  Tissues.  Checkbook.  Arnica cream.  Two albuterol inhalers.  Ibuprofen for me and Gabe - he gets migraines and I need to have it ready at all times.  Four different hand sanitzers.  Methinks I could slim down this pocket a bit...........
• Prayer books and rosary for church, checks for the home equity loan - hey, I could go shopping today!, another thing of breath mints - maybe I obsess about this breath thing.  A Hershey bar that I keep for Gabe, in case we go somewhere that has no safe food for him.  (Honest, it's for him.  I haven't had a chocolate bar in so long, I think I've forgotten what they taste like.  You'd be suprised at how many places we can't find a safe food for him....)
• I also keep a small zipper clutch attached to the straps of my purse, kind of like a smaller handbag.  It has two sections, and it has my lipstick and lip chap, driver's license, medical cards and credit cards, and all of the various store cards that I have money on, gift cards and such.

When I emptied my other purse, I left yet two more hand sanitzers and another notebook, as well as  my mostly empty wallet and, strangely, a mostly empty bottle of antibiotics with nine pills.  I must have forgotten to finish the last dose that I was given for the strep from hell.

So, what's new and exciting in your purse?  When you looked through it, were you at all shocked by what you found?

Hmm, what to do, what to do?

So, there I stood, up to my armpits in fiber dyes.  I was working on the blanks for the craft fair.  I had split them into four groups, since I have about 50 pieces and it's too much to do at once.  Today was the second batch, using blues, purples and pinks.  I had dye on my toes, splashed under my elbows, and on the floor.  I definitely don't work neatly.  I look as if I'm jaundiced, as I was especially careless with the yellow yesterday.  I have this stupid habit of putting on one glove and grabbing the dyed fabric with the other  - almost every single time.

The door flew open and Nikolas came running in, holding his mouth.  "Mom?  Mom, look at this!"  He held out his hand, and on his finger was a chip from his front tooth.  He had been playing football in the back yard - he's not allowed to leave our yard, since he's grounded until he's 47.  I looked over at him, and played it calm.  "Oh, wow.  Is that a piece of your tooth?  Does it hurt?" 

Yes, it hurt.  His teeth had connected with another player's head.  Ok, so I guess I'll call the dentist then.  I rinsed my hands and tossed the shirt I was working on into a baggie, zipped it up and reached for the phone.  Since it was almost 6 p.m., I thought I'd probably get their answering machine, but I knew that the dentist had his phone number on it.  It's a very small practice, with just one dentist and one hygenist.  When the receptionist answered, she told me that the dentist was "indisposed" and I should hold on.  I propped the phone between my ear and shoulder and grabbed another shirt to dye.  I slipped on my cool purple rubber gloves and upended the yellow dye, and then the pink.  I worked my way through four shirts, trying to stretch out the cramp in my neck.  I finally became so annoyed that I hung up.  I waited and waited, and after about five minutes the phone rang.  It was the receptionist, telling me that the dentist was still "indisposed", but she'd be happy to make me an appointment for Saturday afternoon.  Um, no.  I asked if there was any way to see him earlier, because, after all, he's a kid and it's painful.  AND it's a chipped tooth.

Well, no, there was only an opening for a chipped tooth on Saturday.  But.  If I wanted, she could classify it as a "toothache", and he could have the emergency slot that was designated for toothache tomorrow morning at 9.

Huh?  A non toothache emergency has to wait until Saturday, but if it's a toothache he can come in tomorrow?

Of course, I told her to say it was a toothache.  I just hope the dentist will see us tomorrow when he discovers that it's not a toothache.  Semantics.

You want the recipe?

Ok, I'll provide them!

But first, some other business.  Gabe's teacher has requested that I take him for a speech evaluation.  What we think of as a little bit different way of speaking is apparently hard to understand, for both his teachers and a few of his classmates.  So, hmmmm.  Is it something that I've overlooked, being so concentrated on Riley?  I'll call today and set it up, I guess.  We also discovered the mad garbage can pee-er, and it wasn't who The Hubster thought it was.  Score one for me, as I was correct!  But, euuwww.......

9 NINE NINE days until Mexico.  The great clothes shopping event is this weekend.  I didn't meet my weight goal, but that's ok.  I'm more than 2/3 there, and that just means that when I come back, I can set a NEW goal. Whee.  How come exercise and eating right isn't NEARLY as much fun as ice cream and coffee drinks and cookies?  And lazing around on the sofa? 

Bestest Rolls EVAH

In your breadmaker, place 1 cup warm water, 2 t yeast  (or you can be lazy like me and just cut open the entire strip of three packets and toss it in), 1 egg, 4 T butter, 4T sugar, 4 T dry milk powder and 1 t salt.  Add in four cups of flour and start machine on dough cycle.  After a few minutes, check to see if dough is too wet - if it is, add more flour, if too dry add more water.  After dough cycle finishes, pull dough out and pull it into small balls.  Place in a greased pan and let rise for an hour, covered - I never do this step - and then bake at 350 until lightly browned.  Brush with butter after you remove the pan from the oven.  Or, just put clumps of butter all over the rolls and let it melt in.

Carrot souffle

Steam one pound of carrots - I totally cheat and use a bag of frozen carrot slices.  Drain off water, and add two cups of sugar, 1 T baking powder and 1T vanilla.  Mix well.  Add in 1/4 cup flour.  Mix well again.  Add in five eggs, previously whipped, and mix well.  Add in 2 sticks of butter, melted, and again with the mix well.  Pour into prepared 13x9 pan and bake at 350 until firm, about 40 minutes or so.  (Note:  I always have a terrible time mixing it smoothly enough; I don't like chunks of carrots.  So I don't drain the water and I blend the carrots in small batches, with some of each other ingredient, in the blender.  After each blending, I add a bit more, until the whole blender is full.  Then I dump it into the pan and repeat.) After baking, top with powdered sugar.

Bettr than sex chocolate cake

Into a mixing bowl, dump one chocolate cake mix, one box instant chocolate pudding mix, 4 eggs, 1/2 warm water, 1/2 cup oil, and 8 ounces sour cream.  Mix until satiny smooth - this is key here, about 5 minutes.  Stir in one bag of chocolate chips.  Bake in a bundt pan for 45-60 minutes, or until it tests done.  ( My favorite flavor combo is milk chocolate cake mix, white chocolate pudding mix, and hersheys milk chocolate mini kisses.  Or regular kisses, cut in half.)  This cake is best served warm, with whipped cream or ice cream, and strawberries or other fruit.  Frosting, to me, is too much of a good thing and I feel like I'll fall into a diabetic coma.  It has to be in a bundt pan, otherwise it just doesn't work.

Chicken enchiladas will be posted soon - I've got to find the recipe, and right now I've gotta go walk before I get too lazy.