This time next year...

Just realized that this time next year I'll be signing my little girl up for Kindergarten! Crazy!

On the Mend...

Hallelujah, me and my family are finally on the mend. The pressure on me ear has finally subsided after 2 weeks. I still haven't regained all hearing, but I wait on that with great anticipation. My littlest, W, is still coughing a good bit which breaks my heart. This was his first real illness. But I must say I'm actually thrilled that he is doing so much coughing cause it seems to be very productive. I'll be fully relieved when he ups his appetite again. Hubs never got fully sick. Though he still has the sniffles, and a great deal of snoring, he seems to be managing to avoid the full blown whatever it was. My girl, M, is still doing Mucinex Cold at night, but she too avoid the full fury of this monster illness. That's a big yippee from me!

If it weren't for a small visit from my mom, I may have lost my sanity in the midst of the last 2 weeks. Not only have we been too sick to do much of anything, it has been too cold to get out. I even got to go and have a massage on Friday just before mom headed back to N.C. Used my Christmas gift card! It was just what the Dr. ordered. I recommend April from Massage Envy on Pelham (for all those of you that are in town). Which I could afford to sign up for the membership! Ha!

I am going to turn in early as W has been an early riser as of late. But I will soon post his 6 month pics and some fun ones from a princess party M attended Saturday.

Another One Bites the Dust...

Well, not really, but apparently whatever this is has now spread to my little man, W. I had to cart him off to the Dr. today and we really dodged a bullet doing so, cause I was going to try and wait. Good thing we didn't cause even after his meds this afternoon...tonight he didn't want his bottle in much the same fashion that M didn't want hers whenever she had an ear infection. ugh. here's hoping we'll all be better soon.

Still sick

Well, on thursday I began to feel a bit better, so I figured I was on the upswing. Unfortunately, by supper time that night my left ear was completely clogged and I could barely hear out of it. Then when I attempted to sleep I couldn't for the pressure and the ringing that had ensued. At that point I was admittedly desperate. I looked up on the internet, natural remedies for ear infections (i was assuming that I had one). I remembered my midwife saying something about garlic in your ear. Sure enough I found the info I needed, but didn't have any fresh garlic. It did say that you could substitute onion and get basically the same results.

Here I am at 12:30 in the morning, cutting an onion and taking a tiny piece, wrapping it in tissue and stuffing it in my ear! ha! you know you're desperate when... And actually it did help take the pressure off which remedied most of the ringing. It wasn't my favorite sleepy time smell though.

So I went to the Dr. on Friday to report both a sinus and ear infection. Medicine (3 to be exact) which I filled at a new small town pharmacy (which I love and is now my fave). And sure enough I wake up this morning with pink eye! REALLY! Anything else? Haha. So, i get yet another medicine and am resigned to washing my hands like I'm OCD so as not to spread any of this to my kids or hubs.

Still can't hear much, but I don't hurt. I feel like I'm in another world, but that's not surprising. Hoping to feel better by Sunday night/Monday morning. Next post will be Wyatt's visit! What a big boy!

Score One for FINE

So 2009 is the year of FINE. I haven't even begun to exercise seeing as I have come down with some dreadful cold/sore throat...but, I did do something for myself today. I used my $25 walmart gift card to buy some new, attractive pajamas. I thought it was about time I traipsed around the house in something other than mismatched old t-shirts and yoga pants. I'm surprised my hubs still finds me attractive. So, tonight I got two pajamas...one sleep shirt type thing that is red and silky (nothing over the top I assure you as I'm as much into comfort as the next gal), and one top and pant combo made of some other ultra soft fabric.

I'm actually wearing the combo now and loving it. Still donning the cozy socks my SIL got me for Christmas though...they don't really match but what's a girl to do on a cold winter's night?!

I feel I'm headed one step in the right direction. I always though my sis had the best pj's...fun and flirty, but not over the top...and not some old t-shirt and yoga pant combo. Givin it my best go.

out sick

well, it seems i'm out sick again! I don't usually get sick this many times in one season. I don't think it's going to be as bad as my last bout with whatever, but I hate when I can't give 100% to my family. Still, my 3 yr old is the best at being considerate when someone doesn't feel well. She doesn't understand, however, that illness doesn't just go away in a few minutes or after one nap. I think little W's body may be fighting it as well, cause he slept a lot today. I'm double dosing my vitamins and doing 1500mg of Vitamin C. That should help us both. gotta get to the store to do the honey/cinnamon thing that is said to help shorten such illnesses. ran out of honey. loving my hot tea too.

Sad to say, i went to alot of trouble to make cream of asparagus soup and was disappointed at the outcome. Not sure what to do with it either. Not sure I want to eat it all...no way could i. so i forfeited on dinner tonight, and having leftovers while hubs and M are out for daddy daughter date night. W decided that an entire jar of carrots and an entire jar of pears would make a splendid sup. The boy can eat, i'll say that! Now he's enjoy Baby MacDonald video while I write and eat. I'll be knodding off early tonight again...for sure. Will write more, when things get better. Actually, will probably update after W's appt. on Thursday.

New Years Resolutions?

I used to make these and then I stopped. I'll tell you why...my life, no matter how perfectly I attempt to plan it, seems to elude normalcy and any type of plan seems to go another way. I know why. God is in control, not me...I get that. Just funny how He continues to remind me. Constantly. Just yesterday someone commented that "Katrina" had really messed everything up for us. And I totally understood what that person was saying...and certainly there was probably a time when I looked at it that way. But I'm over it. I'm past that. I get that there are numerous pretty hefty events (and some small ones too) that have changed the course of our lives. So I chose to respond saying that I don't like to look at it as messing up our lives, but turning our lives in a different direction. I mean, if all that hadn't happened, whose to say all the good things would have happened. I like who I am today and who I am becoming, and all of that is due in part to all that I have been through. Battles with nature, motherhood, depression, job loss, health issues, the church...it has all changed my perspective. For better or worse, who is to say? I like to think better.

All that to say maybe I will try a New Years Mantra this year instead. I had a friend in New Orleans who did this. I believe the year of 2004 was the year of more. Well for me, 2009 is the year of FINE! Now interpret that as you may, and there is no spiritual significance. I simply think that I've been fighting the motherhood frump long enough. Recent pictures posted from my yesteryear on facebook indicate that I think I was smokin' hot in college (though I probably didn't think so at the time). I think I can look pretty good now...when I have the time and energy to give it a try. BUT for my own sake, my husbands sake, and the sake of any other person who has to look at me, it is time to do it up right.

I would like to bring back the blonde. For simply money and upkeep I have gone gradually more brown over the years. Girls, I'm just a blonde...Not in the intelligence sense, but in the coloring sense. I think from seeing pics that it better suits me. Now don't get me wrong, I won't blow the wad trying to get my hair did...I'll still get J to dye it for me, but as I go blonder if it doesn't come out quite right, I believe I'll work it into the budget to have a few visits to my gal Alyssa. Besides...she only charges $55 for a cut, color, and style! That's as cheap as you can get for a real salon!

Though I have lost pretty much all of the recent baby weight...thanks to the holidays I still have some of my first baby's weight...I'd love to lose about 20 pounds. Really its less about weight as it is about my shape. You gals no that things change when you have kids. Well, I'd like to lose some flab and gain some muscle tone. Not to mention stamina and strength. Taking care of kids isn't easy and its extremely exhausting, but I think it is even more so if you are out of shape. So...on with that. Not exactly sure how to work in all the exercise yet, but I did get an exercise ball that I will begin working with after the inlaw visit is all wrapped up.

Been cooking up a storm in the kitchen...from scratch. Lots of fresh veggies...very little fat and VERY little sodium. J is predisposed to high blood pressure and has been experiencing some as of late. We are certain it is due to stress and weight, but we are drastically reducing the amount of salt we all eat. Trying new recipes may be raising my blood pressure though, cause its a lot of work and half the time we don't even like the outcome! But so far there are two dishes we have REALLY liked and are very low sodium. So in changing eating habits for him, I am actually eating better too. And he has lost 10 lbs in the last month! That's great for him and me...less snoring!

so now you have something to hold me too...2009 is the year of FINE! (and wine) haha! couldn't help myself. I really thought of saying 2009 the year to wine and dine but that will be the year we finally get entirely out of debt!

Phew!

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act just issued a statement today that allows for the consigning and resale...to continue without having to test for the lead levels and such! Hallelujah, let thrift continue on! Seriously was really worried about this! Bring on the kids consignment sales my spirits are lifted!

"Some of you were aware and have expressed some concern of the new law called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. It is a law that would require lead testing in all children's clothing and items 12 years and under. Originally we thought that in the terms of the law that it would include resale and consignment shops. As of today there was a press release issued that we are not required to test items to be sold."

This was in an email I received from one of my fave consignment sales!

Best Christmas Gift!

This gift is one that is so delicate and perfect! So longed for and prayed for and cried over and dreamed about. This is the best Christmas gift that I've heard of in a long time. Go to my sister's blog to hear more.