8/20/08

Cheerleaders


These 6 girls did a great job at our first day of school Pep rally this morning and I just have to brag about them. We started out the summer a little shaky....only one has cheered before....but we went to camp, came home with 2 trophies, like a completely different squad. They are so willing to listen and learn and to work hard. I know it's just cheerleading, but I want them to learn lessons that will carry them through life and these girls get it! They are full of enthusiasm and school spirit and they really like being cheerleaders! The pep assembly this morning ROCKED! I had a ton of staff members tell me how great they thought the girls did...and I heard the girls get several compliments themselves. We have set a high standard for ourselves this year, but that's okay, we welcome the challenge! Girls, you are the BEST squad a coach could ask for!

8/19/08

Back 2 School

It's back to school for me tomorrow! I am teaching through net week for one of our first grade teachers on maternity leave. I am actually pretty excited about it....all the more reason to go back to school and get me teaching degree I think, don't you? Preston & I went to back to school night earlier and it was fun. He is feeling better, but still really tired, so he didn't have a lot of energy. He did get to see a couple of friends though and find out that he will have more boys in his afternoon class this year. Later in the evening he did tell me that he wished pre-school started tomorrow (they start the 25th). I am glad he has a few more days to get caught up on his sleep!

In the spirit of B2S, I found these cute teacher gifts. They would apply to other things besides back 2 school, but keep this in your memory so you too can brown nose next year!

I also have bad news to report about the Vue. Jeremy came home today and told me that I would be getting my car back today and I let out a very loud, enthusiastic WOOOHOOO! He went down to write the check and make arrangements to pick it up. I was busy getting ready to go to the school when he comes back in and says "You won't be getting your car back for awhile." WHAT???? Apparently there is some sort of problem with the sensor that detects the coolant level and it will most likely have to be shipped to a Saturn dealer to be fixed! Can you imagine how long this is going to take? I am panicing, because I am afraid I am going to be driving the hunting wagon forEVER! So, while Preston is feeling better (and for that I am grateful) there is still more bad news coming my direction. And, Megan....what I said earlier about things have to turn around at some point...today is not that day!

Until next time...

8/18/08

Weekend from Hell....

that's easily how our weekend can be described. If you can imagine it being much worse than the "Oh Deer" weekend that is!

Started off Friday evening about 6:30. Went to pick the kiddos up from mom's house and Preston was in the chair with her and had an ice pack on his head. Before I left them there he told me he had a headache, but I thought he was messing with me, so I went ahead and left him there and came back an hour later to the above described scene. I told myself if was no big deal, I would give him some Tylenol and life would be back to normal by morning. I have to admit I even a little selfishly thought, "Sweet, he will be asleep early and I will have some time to myself!" HAH! HAH!!! That must have been the point when God laughed out loud and said to himself..."i'll show her." Most of the night was spent in Preston's room, checking his temperature, getting him a drink, covers on, covers off, he hurt, he was scared....he didn't sleep well, I hardly slept at all! Saturday and Sunday were followed by more of the same. This morning we woke up around 3:00, burning up, but not wanting any medicine. He was managing to get some sleep, so I didn't worry about it too much. I thought it would be much easier to fight the medicine monster in the morning. Around 6:00 he and I were both awake and it was quite obvious that he was miserable, so I took his temp and it read 104.7...the highest yet. I put him in the tub and set out for the motrin. He actually took this dose relatively easy because I told him that I would have to take him to the hospital if he refused to take it. So I take a shower and get myself ready, because I have decided that he is going to the clinic today and I AM going to find out what is going on. Call the clinic, talk to nurse, she calls back with information that dr. has just been paged to deliver baby and hopefully she will get back to me by noon! WHAT?! Are you kidding me? I will never make it until noon. Second nurse call back at 9:00, P.A. has a cancellation at 10:45 if we would like to be there. I say, yes we'll take it and call Jeremy. J comes home to go with us (we know there will be drama at hospital) and Preston bounces up off couch and starts acting the most like himself he has all weekend. J & I debate about what to do now...take him and have clinic staff look at us like complete idiots or stay home and hope and pray that this thing has finally ceased and we are going to make it. Preston catches wind of the upcoming road trip and starts to talk about where we are going to eat.

Okay, so now in my mind I am thinking this kid is definitely better, cause he hasn't eaten in 3 days and now wants to. Gotta be getting better. So after much deliberation on the part of the parents and much demand on Preston's part that he isn't feeling better and needs to be looked at and oh yeah, did you say we could eat at KFC mom? (Little toot!) We call clinic back and tell them that we think the fever has broken and we are going to ride it out. I am so thankful, because I am exhausted and could really use a nap this afternoon. So we have lunch and everyone settles in for a nap (except J who reminded me that he has to go back to work to earn some more money!) BTW, did I mention that he got a complete night's sleep last night and was mad that I woke him up at 6:00 to consult about Preston's temp....my patience is getting thin about now! Anyhooo....kids fall asleep and I settle in on the couch for some much needed and deserved zzzz's. Preston wakes up only a mere 20 minutes into his nap and I know that you can guess what is coming.....

Yep, fever is back and he is acting like he is on his death bed again. I force him to take more medicine, put him in the tub and then tell him that he MUST go to sleep. Which fortunately for all of us, he is sleeping sweetly right now. I feel like a complete moron of a mother right now....should I have went ahead and taken him this morning to the clinic and had them treat me like I am crazy, did I do the right thing staying home, does he have a 'bug' or is this something more serious and I am not near concerned enough....I am about to lose my mind here! I actually think I may be losing my mind, because the days are all starting to seem to run together and I can't even think straight to determine a plan of action. All I can hope for at this point is that we all make it out alive!

Oh, and what makes this little drama even more intriguing from my standpoint is that I am supposed to start school on Wednesday, subbing for the 1st grade teacher on maternity leave! Can you imagine what my principal is going to say when I call and say that I can't make it on the first day of school? I might as well start digging the hole that I will want to crawl into now. Matter of fact, I think I will start that tonight while I am up all night once again monitoring Preston. Might as well make good use of the time and get in some of that exercise I was talking about last time!

Okay, enough already. If you have read to this point I commend you and have to say that I am a little suprised...I don't know if I would have made it through all of this. Until next time...

8/14/08

Need your help

Okay, I have been trying for some time to get volunteers to be models for me, but no one seems to be really excited about it. Sooo, I am begging you, my friends and family, if you have been thinking about having pictures taken, can't remember the last time you were in front of the camera, or would just really like to see what I am all about...would you please call me and email me. There is no cost for you, other than your time and your honest opinion when you see your proofs!

In other news, are you watching the Olympics? I can't get enough!!! I LOVE competition and something about watching all these amazing athletes in one place in awesome. Add to that my love of water sports and this week has been so much fun to watch! I just finished watching Soni win the women's 200 breast-stroke...it was great to watch, a great upset! Men's backstroke is coming up next and two great American swimmers. My kids have also taken to watching it this summer and consequently have turned all of our everyday activities into a competition. And I am both happy and a little sad to report that no one in our house likes to lose. I am glad they have the drive to win, but how do you teach preschoolers to be "good" losers? Trying to figure this one out still!

Does the Olympics also make anyone else feel like they need to start a fitness program (or up it for all you faithful morning bicyclers)? Seeing all these fit people makes me feel like I am somehow not quite making the grade and I need to get busy. Then I take a step back and realize that these people spend hours upon hours each day training and I think to myself "I am in pretty good shape for the job I do on a daily basis. If I can't get a great body taking care of my kids, then it just isn't meant to be." I really do need to get a little more consistent with my exercise routine, especially now that water aerobics is over. Anyone have any suggestions now that school is getting ready to start?

Okay, enough rambling for one day! Just had to get some things out before they were no longer thoughts! Have an amazing, cool and hopefully wet weekend here in KS!

8/9/08

Perfect Shot

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Don't you just love it when you have something you have been wanting to get a photo of all summer and when the moment comes....you get the perfect shot! These shots of the kids are priceless to me because this is what I have seen everyday all summer long. And the expression on C.J.'s face is just right....she is fearless, adventurous, and loves to jump in by herself. I know I talk alot about my kids and the pool, but it is a passion for us and I don't want to forget these years when they are learning and exploring and developing a lifelong love of the water. We can be having a horrible day and the minute we get to the pool it all goes away. We become happy, fun loving kids and mommy again.


Today I am getting a much needed break from motherhood and I have to say that I am feeling up to the challenges of the week to come. I don't know yet what they will be, but I know they will be there. Most likely it will be arguing and back-talking and total defiance. And I will lose my patience and the kids will laugh in my face. Preston will tell me that he doesn't think I am fun anymore and Cambree will make her pouty face and undeniably they will scheme together and do something completely outrageous...something that I would really like to be mad about, but just can't because they are cute and smart and just too much fun to watch when they work together towards a common goal. Even if that common goal is a totally inappropriate goal!


In other news...I have officially become a brown - nose mom. Yep, I did it. I made a "goody" for Preston's teacher for the first day of school. I always said I wouldn't do that....the teachers would like my kids for who they are, not what I send to them. But having spent 5 weeks in a classroom last year, I now know that it does make a difference when the teachers know that the parents support them. So here's what I made this year...
and filled it with lots of chocolate. Hope it scores some points with the teacher this year!
School is back in session and to all you other moms out there...let's all breathe a sigh of relief now!
AHHHHH!

8/6/08

Update

Okay, I know I promised pics of the Vue, but I unfortunately left my camera on and had no battery yesterday when I went out there. They are going to pick it up Thursday or Friday to start working on it, so I guess I am going to have to go back out today to photograph it. Because you know me, this will make a fantastic scrapbook page. I even found this paper piecing pattern of a deer that looks earily similar to the one that ran into me! I am thinking I am going to just print my last blog entry and use it to tell the story...I think it does a pretty good job!



So the damages totalled $4316.68. Not to shabby. All I can say is thank goodness for low insurance deductibles! Hopefully the Vue will be back and good as new sometime next week!



Are any of you other mothers out there ready for school to start? I know some of you start as early as next week, but Preston doesn't start until the 25th. He is somewhat excited about school, but I know he will enjoy seeing his friends again. We need to get him enrolled either this afternoon or tomorrow morning...just depends on what I feel up to this afternoon!



The flip side of school starting is that we won't be able to spend our days lounging by the pool anymore! Not all of you can relate, but this is a total bummer for me and my kids. I am pretty sure that if we had a pool in our yard we would swim well into the fall, especially if it was heated! I am starting to think that investing in a pool wouldn't be so out of line for our family! Something to hound Jeremy about for next summer!



I haven't shared a picture in awhile, so I am going to share a couple favorites of mine from my photo shoot with Harper. These are actually a couple that I managed to snap of my kids while we were there!






8/3/08

Oh Deer!

Yesterday could easily be summed up as the "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day" for me! It was that plus a lot more! The day started off wonderfully, with no hint of the things that were to come later in the afternoon.

Sleep in, snuggle with kids in chair, take a long shower, hang out at mom's for a little bit, go to the ranch for lunch and to drop kids off....this is where the good things end!

1:53 - Head back to town to attend wedding shower
1:57 - doe and fawn leap out of trees and onto hood of my car
1:57:15 - what the heck just happened!
1:57:30 - get out of car and check damages
1:58 - look at cell phone and see ZERO bars
1:58:10 - debate about walking to top of hill to make call (this means walking past the mortally wounded but not dead yet deer)
1:58:30 - decide to just try phone from current location, then proceed to hill if necessary
1:58:40 - Miraculously call goes through immediately - (remember to thank God over and over again for this tiny bit of goodness today because it's 106 degrees and I have on flip-flops. It's a good 4 miles back to the ranch)
1:59 - explain that I hit a deer and I need someone to come finish her off and to pick me up (should have mentioned how hot it was)
2:06 - what in the world could be taking this long...it's hot and this doe is suffering almost as much as I am
2:07 - oh yeah, I'm sure everyone is coming to my rescue and they had to get the pistol and oh yeah - they never get in a hurry to do anything....I should haven't told Janis I was okay, I should have said I think I broke my leg and I was bleeding from my stomach! Bet they would have been here at least one minute sooner!
2:08 - I sure wish I had a bottle of water in the car and that my legs would stop shaking...finally they come over the hill.
2:09 - Rodney gets out to finish off the deer and is patiently waiting for Jeremy to pull up so the kids don't have to witness the end of the suicide/murder first-hand
2:09:30 - Rod finally motions for Jeremy to move on, because Jeremy doesn't get the idea
2:10 - Jeremy gets out of pick-up and immediately wants to know why I drove another 50 yards from where I hit the deer - (am I crazy or would "are you sure your okay? I'm glad you weren't hurt" have been totally inappropriate to ask at this time).
2:15 - check out damages and decide to take it back to ranch to R.I.P.!
2:30 - call insurance company to make claim and polite woman asks if I'm okay (she gets it, but my husband still doesn't!)
2:45 - finish up phone call and decide to head back to town
2:50 - get all stuff out of saturn and head to town in Janis's car
3:15 - headed home on county line road, going slow, when baby calf pops up out of ditch and heads straight for me
3:15:05 - I start saying, "Please don't let me hit a calf, I am not going to hit a calf...I can't believe I just hit a calf" _ YES you read that correctly! Okay, so the real story is that I was almost completely stopped and the calf actually ran into me this time.
3:15:30 - I pull over once again to inspect damages. Upon first glance I see nothing, then I realize that maybe he hit the mirror. I honestly don't remember him hitting the car, but when I looked in my mirror he was limping, so I am assuming somehow he got ran over, maybe his foot or something..anyhoo...
3:16 - place call to ranch to let them know that I have had contact with yet another animal, but the car appears to be fine (mentally i am preparing for my in-laws to hate me forever).
3:18 - flag down pick up to see if he knows who calf might belong to...manage to keep myself together long enough to have civilized conversation.
3:20 - call Jeremy back to tell him who calf might belong to and see if he can make the call because I am coming apart at the seams
3:21 - on the verge of panic attack because I still have 5 miles left to drive home.
3:30 - arrive at home in a mess of tears
3:30:05 - get out of car and once again look for damage...see some damage to the fender and start to break down again
3:35 - call Jeremy to tell him I made it home without hitting anything else and tell him about fender damage.
4:10 - Janis calls back to say fender damage was done by Rodney two weeks ago -- Hallelujah! another miracle, no damage to the second car

Wow, when you look at it like that it seems like it took a lot longer than it really did! Keep in mind as your reading this that I managed to hit both a deer and a bovine within an hour and 15 minutes! I am thinking about submitting to Genius book of world records, because I seriously doubt this feat has ever been accomplished before!

So the bad news is that my third child (aka the Vue) is currently out of commission for an undetermined amount of time, which means that most likely I will be driving my in-laws suburban. While this is a bonus to have something to drive, it is rather noisy, the air conditioner is sketchy, and it doesn't hold the same appeal as my Vue. I intended to take pics today when we returned the car, but a change of plans has meant that the pics will have to wait until tomorrow (i'll post tomorrow evening) But, just so you have some idea, 3 out of 4 lights simply disappeared somewhere yesterday! The lonely one left is hangin' on by a thread!

The good news is that
  • I wasn't seriously injured...I am sore today, but nothing permanent.
  • The kids weren't with me.
  • the airbag didn't go off - this is another amazing miracle. I think the only thing that saved me from that was that the doe jumped and I hit her mid-air.
  • My cell phone worked in a place that it will probably never work again in my lifetime.
  • It's an amazing story to tell and one that will probably far out-live me!
  • The calf wasn't seriously injured...i don't think anyways.
  • And most importantly is that jeremy now understands the gravity of asking me whether or not I am okay before grilling me about my driving techniques!

Happy Sunday to you!