Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Yard work again
Well, it is amazing what 15 - 20 boys can do in an hour and a half. Our neighbor is a sheriff and a really good guy. He is the leader of the boy scouts group in our neighborhood. He called today and asked me if I would like some help with yard work. He had some boys needing to earn community service hours. I said "sure, come on over". At 7:30 they showed up and brought lights (it was dark by that time - which is why the pictures are so bad), tools, and off they went. I think they did more work in 1 1/2 hours than I have done in two solid weeks (and one week I was off and did a lot in the yard - or so I thought it was a lot)
Well, here is the end result. - No weeds along the fence. If you look at last nights pictures of yard work there are weeds all long the fence. Lights up on the house. Front and back mowed and weeded, hedges trimmed up and all the trash piled out to the road because bulk trash pickup is this next week.
Those are some great guys!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Cousins at school
Austin, Bill's son also goes to our school. I got a picture of him in his costume also even though Bill didn't get him on Halloween though (Austin's mom's birthday is on Halloween so she always has him).
Christmas tree
Well, we have not quite done Christmas traditions the same this year. I have always gotten the tree down the weekend of Thanksgiving. The last 8 years with Darrel though it has not always happened. (One year it went up the week before Christmas!) Well, anyway, then the kids decorate it and everyone gets to help while we listen to Christmas music. This year we tried three different nights to do the tree but Mackenzie was gone each night. Twice to grannys and once to a neighbors. Each time Michael kept asking and I would say "We will do it latter when Mackenzie gets back". Good thing he knows how likely it is that she will be back. I came in the first morning and Mike had a few ornaments up. The next morning he had finished all the ornaments. The next morning he had put the garland on. I know it is not done but it still looks pretty good for just one 6 year old doing the tree. Hopefully this next weekend we will be able to finish it up and add a few other touches. I will try to get a picture of him standing by it later this week.
Yard work
Well, I have been busy this last couple of months. I don't see it slowing down any until after January either! The weather has been so nice that I have been working on the yard to try and get it presentable. It has always been about half done and then we had given up on it so it looked really bad. It is actually starting to look a little presentable now. Here I have cut out about half of the oleanders and I still have to get the rest of them out. I am only leaving two. Then I have to get the rock layed by the fence and repant the fence along with the playhouse. They both need a fresh coat of paint. (I did get the sprinkler fixed though and so it won't be hitting the playhouse any longer! yea! yea!) Next, the patio where the trampoline is, you would not believe how bad it was. I wish I had a before picture. I may be able to dig one up later. Anyway, I got most of the grass out between the bricks and cleaned up all the loose weeds and dirt. There is a lot left to be done. All the items have to come off there and then I have to fill in the back place with dirt and some flowers. It used to have a pond back there. It worked for just a little bit and then we spent a lot of time just trying to get it to! Finally, the other two pictures are of the porch. It is still cluttered and I am going to work at getting a lot of the items off it but at least it is cleaned up. Before today you couldn't walk out the door without stepping on something. Dad has been helping me finish getting the baseboards back on so it has also had a lot of dust and scraps all over it. It looks a hundred times better!
Halloween with Benjamin
Here is the beginning when Benjamin was all excited to go. However it did not take long and he was burned out. Melissa said, "Benjamin, you are the slowest puppy dog I have ever seen!" She was right. He was very slow. He sure did get a lot of candy though.
Halloween
Well, we ended up driving out to Melissa's for Halloween because mom decided to go out there.
Here is a picture of the little ones.
Here are three of the four. Amanda (decided she wanted to be Jake's bear last minute) Mackenzie (I am not sure what she was, deaths bride or something like that) and Mike was a ninja. Jake was a Diamondback (Arizona's baseball team) last minute since Amanda changed her mind.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Maybe 4 is too many...
Well, mom said I need to blog because she tried but didn't understand what happened or what they said. I am not sure.
Since I was pregnant with Jake (about 4 months in) until now I have had chest pains that radiate to the back of my shoulder blade and then down the inside of my arm and down to my elbow. The pain stops at my elbow. When it gets really bad I then have tingling from elbow to fingertips. It is not every day and is not all the time. Just everyonce in a while. Toward the end of the pregnany they got worse (hurt more and more often). Then they stopped. They started back up when Darrel decided to take the Job in Seattle and we were having to make plans for everything (about the last 2 weeks he was here). Then they went away for a while. They started back up when mom had to go to the hopsital here 2 weeks ago. They have been very consistent and off and on in strength. It was when we were at church and mom was taken by paramedics that I relized they are tied to stress. (not maybe - they are!) If I am yelling at the kids in the back of the car because they are fighting (which is often) they start up, if I am worried about a lot of things they start up.
Well, I am not sure what was wrong the other night but I had made dinner (which was a big thing because this last week we have been going so much we have been eating out). Anyway, I made dinner, nothing big (mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches). Mackenzie started hounding me about what else she could eat because "I don't like that and I am not eating it". (sorry this does not show Mackenzie in the perfect light Granny sees her in. I see the real side sometimes!) Michael then got on the band wagon and had a list a mile long of suggestions. I yelled at them (which I should not have done but the baby was crying and Amanda was wanting in her seat to eat and it wasn't even quite done yet). So of course the pains started. I got everyone's food dipped up and set to eat but they hurt so bad I couldn't eat.
Now, during my pregnancy Darrel had said it was gas or indigestion so I had always taken Gavascon for it and gone to bed (whoa and guess what when I went to bed and left him to deal with everything it all went away!)
Well, I tried Gavascon and it didn't work. Then I tried Mylanta. By this time Mom and Melissa had talked to me and I was really hurting.
Well, mom's great suggestion was I will bring you one of my Colonopin (I know I spelled this wrong but at least everyone can pronounce it phonetically).and two extra strength tylonol. Reminder: the strongest and only med. I take are Wellbutrin and Gavascon. I try to just sleep off headaches and other things because I don't get them very often and it works to get rid of them. Anyway, I took that and then went to bed. Now, I have been having bad dreams for a while now (since I was pregnant with Jake and they have just continued - he is 5 months now) Anyway, I woke up enough to know I was still hurting 2 or 3 times during the night when I would roll over. At 4 am I got up realizing I still hurt and that the kitchen was still a mess because when I was hurting so bad last night I just piled all the kids in my bed and went to sleep. By the time I made it to the kitchen it hurt so bad to breath or move my arm I knew I was not going to be able to clean it up. That is when I figured I needed to go to the ER. (I am sure subconciously I knew mom would clean it for me - Thank you mom. I forgot to tell you yesterday when I talked to you). So, mom came over and dad drove me to the ER. I explained that I was sure it was because of stress some how. Anyway, they did EKG and Xray and then Darrel called. Explained (what I would call chewing on me!) that I should have had this looked at when Jake was born and should not have waited until now since I was with all four kids alone and that I had better call when I found out what it was and he hoped I didn't plan on still going to CA. with all this going on.) then he hung up and my chest hurt so bad, worse than it had all night including when I thought it was bad enought I needed to go. Everyone came running and they put some drug in my IV to hopefully stop the pain. (don't know the name of it - something like Tetrol or something) I was holding my chest and explained when I put pressure here it releaves some of the sharp pain. The doctor came over and pushed real hard and it hurt worse.
She then diagnosed it as Costochondritis - chest wall pain. She said it is not my heart or lungs. It is the cartliage in my chest wall though. That I probably hurt it while I was pregnant lifting something too heavy (very possible since I was teaching) She gave me some literature on it and I read it and it does sound pretty accurate. Here is what it says:
Costochondritis is due to an inflammation of the cartilage joining the ribs to the brest bone. It is not caused by heart or lung problems. Although the exact cause is not known, it often occurs during times of emotional stress (YES!!!) It can be painful, but is not dangerous. It usually disappears within one to two weeks but may recur (So it looks like I will be living with this the rest of my life!)
Rarely a more serious condition may cause these symptons similar to this therefore, watch for the warning signs below.
=Change in type of pain - (no it is always the same exact pain in the exact same place)
=becomes more severe (what is more severe, they said it won't kill me so I figure I will just have to put up with it)
=Lasts longer (I am assuming when the stress is longer the pain will be longer and let me tell you the stress has been longer and more now that my schedule has become very full with kids sports and other commitments)
=Or spreads into shoulder, arm, neck, jaw or back (well it is already in the arm and back so that is two less I have to look for)
=shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, or fainting (okay if any of these occur I will be worried because I have had none of these)
= Cough up blood
= Abdominal pain (my period starts in about a week - do those cramps count)
= Dark stools (I better not eat prunes or iron pills)
=Painful breathing (that is already happening)
Well, since I only have half of these symptoms I am assuming I am okay until I get them all.
In the mean time I should find a way to releave stress. Any suggestions since I have four kids 24 - 7 .
Darrel's suggestion was get a sitter - but my questions became when? Evenings are dinner, homework, ready for tomorrow. Saturdays are shopping for groceries, soccor for the older two and any cleaning I can. Sunday is church and family things that need to be done and any more cleaning I can get done before starting to get everything ready for Monday.
It is sad when it wasn't too bad until soccor and church became consistants and those are the two items I feel I can't get rid of and don't want to but the last two weeks this has been the consistent stresser with the consistent pain.
I guess I will just have to put up with the pain. I'm sure this weekend at Disneyland should not cause any problems (ha-ha-ha).
And I have determined mom is not aloud to have any more problems because it might kill me also. She is just going to have to believe she is getting well and live up to it.
We leave tonight for Disneyland. We will bring back lots of pictures! I am going to miss my baby. I wish we could take him but not enough seats. I hope he is okay. We will be back Tuesday so we should have pictures on internet by Tuesday night.
Well, got to go to work and deal with 24 other families problems. (you would not believe the stories kindergartners tell about family problems) It scares me to think what I said when I was younger.
Since I was pregnant with Jake (about 4 months in) until now I have had chest pains that radiate to the back of my shoulder blade and then down the inside of my arm and down to my elbow. The pain stops at my elbow. When it gets really bad I then have tingling from elbow to fingertips. It is not every day and is not all the time. Just everyonce in a while. Toward the end of the pregnany they got worse (hurt more and more often). Then they stopped. They started back up when Darrel decided to take the Job in Seattle and we were having to make plans for everything (about the last 2 weeks he was here). Then they went away for a while. They started back up when mom had to go to the hopsital here 2 weeks ago. They have been very consistent and off and on in strength. It was when we were at church and mom was taken by paramedics that I relized they are tied to stress. (not maybe - they are!) If I am yelling at the kids in the back of the car because they are fighting (which is often) they start up, if I am worried about a lot of things they start up.
Well, I am not sure what was wrong the other night but I had made dinner (which was a big thing because this last week we have been going so much we have been eating out). Anyway, I made dinner, nothing big (mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches). Mackenzie started hounding me about what else she could eat because "I don't like that and I am not eating it". (sorry this does not show Mackenzie in the perfect light Granny sees her in. I see the real side sometimes!) Michael then got on the band wagon and had a list a mile long of suggestions. I yelled at them (which I should not have done but the baby was crying and Amanda was wanting in her seat to eat and it wasn't even quite done yet). So of course the pains started. I got everyone's food dipped up and set to eat but they hurt so bad I couldn't eat.
Now, during my pregnancy Darrel had said it was gas or indigestion so I had always taken Gavascon for it and gone to bed (whoa and guess what when I went to bed and left him to deal with everything it all went away!)
Well, I tried Gavascon and it didn't work. Then I tried Mylanta. By this time Mom and Melissa had talked to me and I was really hurting.
Well, mom's great suggestion was I will bring you one of my Colonopin (I know I spelled this wrong but at least everyone can pronounce it phonetically).and two extra strength tylonol. Reminder: the strongest and only med. I take are Wellbutrin and Gavascon. I try to just sleep off headaches and other things because I don't get them very often and it works to get rid of them. Anyway, I took that and then went to bed. Now, I have been having bad dreams for a while now (since I was pregnant with Jake and they have just continued - he is 5 months now) Anyway, I woke up enough to know I was still hurting 2 or 3 times during the night when I would roll over. At 4 am I got up realizing I still hurt and that the kitchen was still a mess because when I was hurting so bad last night I just piled all the kids in my bed and went to sleep. By the time I made it to the kitchen it hurt so bad to breath or move my arm I knew I was not going to be able to clean it up. That is when I figured I needed to go to the ER. (I am sure subconciously I knew mom would clean it for me - Thank you mom. I forgot to tell you yesterday when I talked to you). So, mom came over and dad drove me to the ER. I explained that I was sure it was because of stress some how. Anyway, they did EKG and Xray and then Darrel called. Explained (what I would call chewing on me!) that I should have had this looked at when Jake was born and should not have waited until now since I was with all four kids alone and that I had better call when I found out what it was and he hoped I didn't plan on still going to CA. with all this going on.) then he hung up and my chest hurt so bad, worse than it had all night including when I thought it was bad enought I needed to go. Everyone came running and they put some drug in my IV to hopefully stop the pain. (don't know the name of it - something like Tetrol or something) I was holding my chest and explained when I put pressure here it releaves some of the sharp pain. The doctor came over and pushed real hard and it hurt worse.
She then diagnosed it as Costochondritis - chest wall pain. She said it is not my heart or lungs. It is the cartliage in my chest wall though. That I probably hurt it while I was pregnant lifting something too heavy (very possible since I was teaching) She gave me some literature on it and I read it and it does sound pretty accurate. Here is what it says:
Costochondritis is due to an inflammation of the cartilage joining the ribs to the brest bone. It is not caused by heart or lung problems. Although the exact cause is not known, it often occurs during times of emotional stress (YES!!!) It can be painful, but is not dangerous. It usually disappears within one to two weeks but may recur (So it looks like I will be living with this the rest of my life!)
Rarely a more serious condition may cause these symptons similar to this therefore, watch for the warning signs below.
=Change in type of pain - (no it is always the same exact pain in the exact same place)
=becomes more severe (what is more severe, they said it won't kill me so I figure I will just have to put up with it)
=Lasts longer (I am assuming when the stress is longer the pain will be longer and let me tell you the stress has been longer and more now that my schedule has become very full with kids sports and other commitments)
=Or spreads into shoulder, arm, neck, jaw or back (well it is already in the arm and back so that is two less I have to look for)
=shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, or fainting (okay if any of these occur I will be worried because I have had none of these)
= Cough up blood
= Abdominal pain (my period starts in about a week - do those cramps count)
= Dark stools (I better not eat prunes or iron pills)
=Painful breathing (that is already happening)
Well, since I only have half of these symptoms I am assuming I am okay until I get them all.
In the mean time I should find a way to releave stress. Any suggestions since I have four kids 24 - 7 .
Darrel's suggestion was get a sitter - but my questions became when? Evenings are dinner, homework, ready for tomorrow. Saturdays are shopping for groceries, soccor for the older two and any cleaning I can. Sunday is church and family things that need to be done and any more cleaning I can get done before starting to get everything ready for Monday.
It is sad when it wasn't too bad until soccor and church became consistants and those are the two items I feel I can't get rid of and don't want to but the last two weeks this has been the consistent stresser with the consistent pain.
I guess I will just have to put up with the pain. I'm sure this weekend at Disneyland should not cause any problems (ha-ha-ha).
And I have determined mom is not aloud to have any more problems because it might kill me also. She is just going to have to believe she is getting well and live up to it.
We leave tonight for Disneyland. We will bring back lots of pictures! I am going to miss my baby. I wish we could take him but not enough seats. I hope he is okay. We will be back Tuesday so we should have pictures on internet by Tuesday night.
Well, got to go to work and deal with 24 other families problems. (you would not believe the stories kindergartners tell about family problems) It scares me to think what I said when I was younger.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Hippie Day
Well, I think mom has already blogged this but she had different pictures than I did. All three of the grand kids won best hippie for their classes. Mackenzie then won for the K-3 grade levels. It was a fun day! Mackenzie was very happy with her costume. She is even thinking about being a hippie for Halloween. Boy would that make my life easy. (I'm sure she is going to change her mind in the next month!)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Michael's Night
Well, Mom has Michael at her house. She has found that there is something at her house that he truly loves... the computer. That boy could stay on a computer forever (almost). Melissa was just telling me about a boy in China or somewhere that died from exhaustion because he did not sleep for three days and stayed up playing a game. We could both see Michael doing this. I guess it is a good thing the computer is a real treat at home. He was so excited about getting to spend the night at Granny's house. Hope he has a good night.
On another note, I have decided Melissa is nuts!... We went from a weekend at the beach, to Legoland, to Disneyland, to Disneyland and Breakfast with the characters, and now plus another child (actually exchanging the baby for a 4 year old - Austin). Don't get me wrong, he will have lots of fun - However, Michael is a handful by himself and so is Austin, but mixing the combination together spells nuts. I (who feels like I can tolerate more of the kids together than anyone in the family) can usually only take Michael and Austin for about an hour before I am looking for the drugs. It isn't fair that all the other grand kids go though and he does not.
However, the relaxing weekend at the beach is now WAY out the window!
On another note, I have decided Melissa is nuts!... We went from a weekend at the beach, to Legoland, to Disneyland, to Disneyland and Breakfast with the characters, and now plus another child (actually exchanging the baby for a 4 year old - Austin). Don't get me wrong, he will have lots of fun - However, Michael is a handful by himself and so is Austin, but mixing the combination together spells nuts. I (who feels like I can tolerate more of the kids together than anyone in the family) can usually only take Michael and Austin for about an hour before I am looking for the drugs. It isn't fair that all the other grand kids go though and he does not.
However, the relaxing weekend at the beach is now WAY out the window!
Monday, September 17, 2007
One more day..ah....
Well, I got up to go to work this morning thinking again like I did last night of how busy this weekend was and how I just wanted one more day off. Well, did I get my wish or what. My sitter (Billy's wife - Kimmie) called and said she was sick.
I called in and was able to get a sub (a good one at that which makes it easier not to worry all day unlike some days I have taken off) and typed up sub plans in 45 minutes (which sometimes takes me 2 hours) and we were home by 8 am to relax and enjoy the rest of the day and that is exactly what we did.
Amanda and Michael watched a couple movies, Jake who has been staying up a lot more lately (only napping an hour in the morning and 2 hours at nap time) slept until about 11 am then got up, ate, and went back to sleep until 1:45. I read a book (Harry Potter #3 - I saw all the movies and then I had to read all the books and find out what other good stuff they left out!) and sat on the couch with Amanda all day. Around 1 pm I got up and picked up from the breakfast and lunch mess and picked up the living room we had lived in today. I went to the bank and then made it in time to pick up Mackenzie from school. It was an overall great day!
The evening felt just as long and just as slow which was nice considering we still got dinner, homework, and playing done for the night.
And it is 8:45 and I am ready for bed. I am not even staying up late (unlike Melissa who has just started work at home and IT IS 8:45 PM)
Hope everyone is sleeping and having wonderful dreams. I hope I just sleep like Amanda is now.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Scrapbooking pages
Here are some pages I did last week. Wendy came over (a cousin) and we just had fun watching the kids play and we scrapped.
What else can I do?
Well, I really hadn't been feeling like four was that many when I was just working and taking care of them but then it seemed like things just got out of control with all the other things. We had a vehilce to sell (who wants to do that ever?), I have school things to tend to, the kids wanted to do sports, scouts, and the list keeps going. I was starting this weekend to feel the pressure. Luckly, mom helped with the car and it is now gone. I didn't get as much for it as we were wanting but I don't have to spend all weekend messing with it either. You take the good with the bad. How much was my weekend and possible week worth? The kids started soccer yesterday. They have every Saturday for the next 12 weeks. Now I have to finish my grocery shopping today that I have tried to do all day. Melissa currently has two of my oldest and they are swimming. The two younger are going down for nap. Hopefully I can get the house cleaned then. Post more later.
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