What a Crummy Night

So the girls and I were hanging out in the Wii room yesterday when I noticed it start getting warmer. I could tell the air conditioning was on, but it was blowing warm! Are you kidding me? We just got the stupid thing. So, I called the a/c company and they sent someone over, of course, after we sat in a rapidly heating house for over an hour. The guy told me that they needed to replace the air compressor, probably having something to do with the electrical storms we have been having. We bought the 10 year warranty, which meant it was totally free, but he didn't have the part and wouldn't until Friday morning. So, we set ourselves up for another hot night in the house. We have had quite a few, with lack of power after Hurricane Ike and then two times when the capacitor in our old air conditioner blew. I told Td if the guy wasn't able to fix it by Friday I would go and buy the $100 window unit at Home Depot. I wanted to have one on hand to run with a generator in case of another prolonged power outage.

So, I went back to the guest bedroom, TD toughed it out in our room and the girls got two big fans in the wii room. I managed to fall asleep at 11:30, but woke up at 2:30am. This was when I made the big mistake of checking my facebook page on my phone. A dear friend from Oregon posted that she was at our old hospital waiting for a surgery for her little boy to remove a newly discovered brain tumor. Ever since I read this my heart has been literally hurting. I can't believe this is happening to them, or to someone I know, or just some poor little kid. It made me think of that August night 4 years ago, when we had just learned of Fiona's tumor and how I couldn't sleep very well on the bed in her PICU hospital room. I would wake, regularly, with a start and the news would hit me all over again. That whole night I just couldn't stop crying.

This friend was one of the good ones. It's amazing what a great sifter something like cancer is. You think you know who your good friends are until they disappear into the woodwork, or say they will do anything and then never follow through. Even people in your own family don't make the cut and it's shocking. These people, who you have poured time and energy into a relationship with, don't return your phone calls, don't send your baby cards, and generally pretend the whole situation doesn't exist. She brought meals, sat and talked with me, sent her husband up to help give Fiona a church blessing. And here I sit, 2,000 miles away, unable to do anything.

I know that it is uncomfortable, you don't know what to say, how to help. Well, who cares? How do you think they feel? I know for a fact they don't know what to do and they feel horrible. Just a note, a card, a meal, something to let a friend know that you are thinking of them. My thoughts are with my friends and their little boy. I hope that the surgeons are able to get all of the tumor, without any effects, and that the prognosis is very favorable. And, if you know someone who is dealing with something and you aren't sure what to do about it? Ask them, sometimes they will have specific wishes and other times I have found it necessary to just barrel over them and take charge by bringing meals or taking their kids. It's hard to accept help and sometimes it's hard to give it, but I guarantee everyone will feel better.

Fiona's Funny

Monday was Fiona's trip to Texas Childrens. As a treat, I like to take the girls to the nice food court when we are done. Buttercup got a kid's meal at Chik Fil A because she promised to share the soda with Fiona. They took turns drinking it and then asked me if they could get a refill. I told them I didn't think there was a problem. Fiona grabbed the cup and I told her to look for a sign prohibiting free refills and if there wasn't one, then she could definitely get a refill.

She came back the opposite way. When I asked why she said just in case. She said there weren't any signs, so she refilled. She stopped and then said, " I think I cut in front of a whole bunch of people." She glanced each direction and pulled her chair out all of the way from under the table. Then she crawled underneath it. I asked her who she was hiding from. She pops back up, totally deadpan, and says, " The angry mob." She waited a few seconds, grinned at me and went back under the table.

I swear that kid just totally cracks me up.

Writing Camp

This week was a bit different in my summer time game plan. I signed the girls up for writing camp through the school district and they went every day this week from 8:30am to 11:30am. The camp was at the high school and I spent part of my morning ferrying them back and forth. That doesn't sound so bad, except, currently, the only high school in our district is 10 and a half miles away. Seriously! Thank heavens they are building a new high school much closer and I believe that Buttercup is scheduled to be in the third class to graduate from it. I had enough time to go to the Y and run an errand or to before it was time to go get them again.
I am glad I was able to go to the Y early this week because it has been insane. I did finally get to show TD the insanity that are Zumba classes. We went to our usual class Tuesday night, but got there in time to see the Zumba class, that meets before us, file out. The guy next to TD said it was like a clown car where they just kept coming. All of the parking lots were filled, when we came, and we had to park on grass between two lots. I have decided to sacrifice two of my weekly Zumba classes to keep the girls from going nuts at Childwatch and to ensure I get a good workout, which is hard when you can't move like you are supposed to.
Also, Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I woke up with a return of my birth control pill nausea. I am not sure what made this week any different and after having taken the same pill for many months I would hope I would no longer be susceptible to it. That made me not want to do anything after I picked up the girls. I have to go back to lots of small meals because even a larger sized bowl of cereal makes it worse. Yesterday and today have been better.
Friday we again went to the neighborhood pool. How funny that we have been three times this month when we hadn't gone at all before, since we moved here. The girls are enjoying playing with their friends and I enjoy the social aspect. I just need to be better about packing snacks. Apparently an hour of swimming and the fact that your friends have candy bars and potato chips makes you horribly hungry!

Post Script: I looked back over my calendar and realized that we had friends over to watch a movie and eat sundaes, plus we went over to a friend's house for some really fun swimming (thanks Jamie, we are coming over again!) and then Buttercup had a pool party with her church group. I guess all of that swimming just starts running together. Next week will be more interesting as Fiona starts Monday with her last every three months visit to Texas Childrens. We should be starting an every six months rotation after that, YAY!

Summer Fun

So, after the party of Tuesday, the weather seemed to calm down. The weatherman keeps telling me how horribly hot everything is, but when you go from a cranked a/c car, to an equally cranked up a/c building, it's kind of hard to tell. In fact, sometimes I have to convince myself to go swimming. Why would I take off my comfortable clothes and put on my swimsuit when it's fairly cool in the house? I did make it more fun for myself, I bought myself a new swimsuit, which I have not done in years! I have gotten by with swim shorts and tankini tops. The swim shorts are too big and make it difficult to really swim and the tankini tops are usually too small, length wise. It's tough being tall. If I can get something long enough, they usually presume I am over weight and I am drowning in extra fabric. But, I found out that JcPenney online has tall swimsuits, plus they were half price. That's the other thing, I can find tall swimsuits online, but I am not willing to pay $100 for them! I can't steal the picture, but here's the link. The smallest size fit, which is good because, like I said, they assume that you are bigger if you are taller.

We went to the neighborhood pool, with some friends, on Friday. It's only the second time I have been to the neighborhood pool since we moved here. I mean, we have a pool in the backyard for crying out loud. But part of my fun summer included taking the girls to the end of school party. Apparently, most of Fiona's class lives in our neighborhood. I got to hang out with the moms and so when one suggested we do it again, I was more than willing. The girls thought we were really fancy when we had pizza delivered to the pool. I have to laugh, I felt a bit fancy myself.

We also went to the Half Price Book store and got our first set of gift cards. Now, you can't collect them and buy something really wild at the end, but you have to use them one at a time. Fiona picked out Holes. She has loved this book ever since her teacher read it to the class this year. Her book was cheap enough that she got a bookmark as well. This bookmark said a house without a cat is not a home. She and I both agreed it was an appropriate sentiment for our house. Buttercup could not decide, but ended up with one of the Princess Diary books. I had to pay $1 for hers, but all in all, pretty cheap! On the way home we stopped at Taco Bell because I had coupons for a free Limeade or Margarita. The girls were concerned that they would get all liquored up if they got a Margarita, LOL. I told them it simply wasn't possible. I also figured out that I had purchased multiple copies of the newspaper that this coupon had come in, so they are going to be able to try different flavors.

Fiona and I also took a friend shopping. She had recently had surgery and needed some comfier clothes than what she had. Buttercup stayed to help watch her kids. We had fun, Fiona was her usual opinionated self when it comes to fashion. She's so funny, some things you are just born with.

Then, on Saturday, we got up and did something early, which is totally not like us. TD thought he needed to go into work and was intent on having company, not that everyone wanted to go. Right after we got in the car he found out that someone had already taken care of it. So, we went to Shipleys and bought doughnuts...YUM! They have this glazed cinnamon twist that I always get at Texas Childrens when Fiona has to skip breakfast before a CT scan. Then we took the girls to a park to eat their doughnuts and play. We ended up skipping our usual Saturday morning body pump class because I just didn't want to go. Our Y is getting SO overcrowded it's insane and sucking the fun out of working out. Seriously, on Monday, I wanted to take a cell phone pic and post it showing how the Zumba class is a case for the Fire Marshall. But this week, I won't be doing most of my usual stuff because the girls are taking a writing camp through the school district and I will be taking pity on them and working out while they are gone, so they can avoid the mess that is Childwatch.

I know that this was the first week and a half of summer vacation, but it has been wonderful. It's honestly the first summer vacation that I didn't dread the loss of my freedom. I also don't feel like I have to constantly keep going. I don't have many deadlines, like during school when I know the girls are going to be home at a certain time and I HAVE to accomplish things. I hope your summer is going fabulous and of course, for those of you in Oregon, welcome to summer break!

Par-Tay

Monday was one of our chore days. We spend those days doing several chores, which leaves other days open for field trips. I did take the girls to a Magic Show at the local library that afternoon. Always, always check your local library for those sort of things. We went to several in Sherwood, many years ago. I have to say many years because we disappeared for a bit when Fiona was ill. I did have the distinct privilege of watching my 4 year old pet a rattlesnake at one! EW!

Anyway, Tuesday was a fun day and we literally made it a party. One of our absolutely favorite families at church is moving away at the end of the month. We are so very much going to miss them. Anyway, the mom told me that her daughter was really bummed about being gone for her 8th birthday and the baptism it entails in our church. We had previously asked her to come over and play today, so last night Buttercup and I dreamed up a surprise party for her.

It was kind of a bummer this morning because we had planned a beach/pool party and it was a monsoon today! So, we just decided to move it indoors.

She arrived a few hours before our other guests, so we hung out until they got here, at which time Buttercup corralled everyone in the back of the house while I raced around putting some decorations up and getting presents and cake out.

Boy was she surprised!

I was pretty lucky not to have to scramble. We have a running joke about how Mom always has something in the back. This also includes presents that I get rather cheaply during the year, usually at Target clearance racks. I buy stuff and put it in the bins for just such an emergency.
I made some cupcakes this morning and some of the frosting I refer to on the side of the blog. It is always SO good.
Then we decided to play our indoor games. One of my old family favorites is called Don't Eat Freddy. You make a paper that looks sort of like a Bingo card and put something in each square. Normally it's M&Ms but a couple of our girls didn't like the peanut ones, so I got out chocolate chips.
Then, you send one person out of the room. While they are gone, you label (in your head) one of the squares, Freddy. Then you let the person back and have them eat a goody out of each square. Once they picked up the right goody, everyone screams, " Don't eat Freddy!"
It was a fun time and I think the birthday girl really enjoyed it. I hope she did. We are going to miss her entire family.

Farmer's 7-11

So, the first day out could've been considered a bust. We started out at the Y, where we (my good friend and I) didn't make it more than 40 minutes because it was too stinkin' hot. Seriously, I am all about working up a good sweat, but I don't want to be dripping in my eyes simply because the Y is too cheap to turn up the A/C. Let's face it, summertime is already in full force and since they have no problem raising my rates, they should have no problem turning on the air conditioner to match.

After the Y we headed to one of the farmer's markets I had found listed on the internet. It boasted a farmer's market and garden. It sounded pretty good. However, it was very disappointing when we got there. Instead of a supermarket, aka Walmart Supercenter, it was more of an On the Run or for you Oregonians, a 7-11. Seriously, we could've fit the whole thing in the main area of my house. We were especially hoping for berries, but they didn't have any. I mean, I even applied sunscreen because I expected us to be outside. Instead, it was in an old house.

Wanna know how I make it up to my girls? We go celebrate National Doughnut at Dunkin' Donuts. What won't a doughnut cure? I got a tasty toasted coconut doughnut and we sat around and ate our special treats. I figured out that we were close to the Half Price Bookstore I had been discussing with my girls. That was a wise move. The girls kept bringing me books they wanted me to buy and I had to remind them that next week we could return and they could buy it themselves. The bookstore had gotten a bit more expensive, I mean an used Disney DVD for $15? I could buy a new one at Target that didn't have a bunch of scratches and greasy fingerprints all over it. But, $4 used books, only $1 after the gift card....that I can do.

Then we headed to Burger King to let the girls play and then on to our house for some swimming. What could've been a real disappointment ended up being a fabulous day. I had a good time and I also figured that if we wanted to see a real farmer's market, we could head downtown some Saturday and check it out.

Entertainment Book

Here is another way I am going to have fun, cheaply, with the girls this summer. First, follow this link to Shop At Home.com. This website gives you money back when you shop through them and you get $5 just for signing up. The nice thing is that often they give things like 25% back for shopping at Old Navy, or some other place that you might often frequent. What a deal! Okay, so I had to plug Old Navy because I just love buying tall shirts on their website.

After you sign up, look for the Entertainment Book on their website. I know, it's that book that little kids are always trying to sell you, only there is no way that you are going to pay $35 or whatever the exorbitant price is. Right now, if you search for this book and scroll down about half way, through the offers, there is a link to buy the book for $12, plus free shipping. If you figure in the $5 you get just for signing up, it's only $7. There are tons of movie coupons and after just one buy one, get one free, the book pays for itself. The neat thing, for us, is that there are only 3 of us, so one of the girls get to bring a friend when we go. There are coupons for other things, so we can be out and decide we want a treat and stop by Shipley's donuts for some free doughnut holes or other neat deals. I am also going to use this to teach the girls how to stretch their fun money. Well, that is, if they had any fun money.

Silly Bandz Deal today only

For you poor moms out there suffering through Silly Bandz deprivation, there is a great deal. Today only though

http://www.dailysteals.com/

Activities for Summer

I promised that I would tell you what I am doing to entertain the girls this summer. I think of entertaining the girls, more as keeping them out of my hair. One activity we all enjoy is reading, including going to the library or Barnes and Noble. We don't necessarily have to buy anything. More often than not, I write down titles to request from the library. I will never go over to the dark side of e-readers because I just absolutely love the touch and feel of real books, as well as the size of the print and pictures.
We are going to do several reading programs. Barnes and Noble, Borders (Waldenbooks), our local library, and Half Priced Bookstores all have programs. The really cool thing is that you can read all of the same books for one program as well as another. I think my favorite this year is going to be Half Priced Books. For every week you read 15 minutes a day you get a $3 gift card to their store. At half price, it's practically a book a week.
Borders
Half Price Books
Barnes and Noble

Those are the links to the summer reading program. For the most part it seems to be geared toward the 12 and under crowd. I have little trouble getting my girls excited about new books. Just this morning we went to a dollar store that had a Goodwill next door. We went into the Goodwill looking for games and found several deals, including three Nancy Drew books for 79 cents each. Fiona was delighted. I like it when I can find an inexpensive way to continue to encourage my girls to enjoy reading.

Working out the Hubby

So, remember in my last post I talked about getting TD into better shape? I started a new class in April, at the Y, called Body Pump. It was one of two classes that I swore I would save for when I was really desperate about keeping down my weight. That and spinning class. I still haven't tried spin. I can't imagine sitting on the bike for an hour, I have pretty wussy legs and don't like those bike seats! Anyway, I broke down and tried a Body Pump class, even though I don't feel too desperate.

When I first walked in I noticed two old ladies and a visibly pregnant woman. That made me relax right away, I mean, if they can do it, I should have no problem. The great thing about it is that each body part gets worked out for only a song. Even when it comes to squats and lunges, I can do them for a song length. I actually don't mind the lunges any more. I have pretty good form. But I still hate the squats. My legs are so long that it seems to take forever to go all of the way down and come all of the way back up. Luckily, squats are first. By the time I really want it to be over, it generally is. We do squats, bench press, back (rows and dead lifts), triceps, biceps, lunges, shoulders, abs and cooldown. I never stay for the abs because it makes me sick to my stomach to do abs on the floor. The class goes by really fast and I always feel good about doing it.

I came home extolling the virtues of the class and TD thought it was something he could try. So, I've started going with him on Tuesday nights and then, instead of step class on Saturday morning, I go to Body Pump with him. What cracks me up is that TD comes out of the class totally soaked in sweat. I don't find it that aerobic, but apparently, his aerobic level is so bad that it totally works him over.

I took a new class this past week, taught by Buttercup's home room teacher, called Body Combat. I had the best time, but there is no way I would take TD to that one. He needs a LOT more activity before he can do that one. I had the best time, most likely because I found it hysterically funny to imagine beating the crud out of someone like it. It was even better to watch Buttercup's petite teacher do some awesome jump kicks.

I Disappeared!

Well, no, not really. Things have just been crazy around here with school winding up, for the kids, and school starting again for TD. Not to mention, his ongoing recovery and my new resolve to make TD healthier. Which, I am sure you can understand, is harder than it looks.

So, TD is back to almost full time at work. He spends most of his down time reading dull and boring books and tinkering with our pool filter, which seems to have a mind of its own. There seems to be air in a line somewhere and we just can't figure it out.

I have been dealing with magic school bus problems, which really don't affect me too much. We bought the full warranty when we bought the van. I LOVE that we did that. They say that warranties aren't worth it and they cost too much. We bought a great van with a good deal and knew we were going to drive it until it can't be driven another mile. This allows me to greet it happily every morning. I can't say the same about TD's Civic. We did buy the van outright as well, which also makes me happier. We are about half way done paying off TD's Civic and I can't wait until that's done. Of course, our warranty will end about that time as well. Anyway, the other morning I stopped at Walgreens on my way to Zumba and when I came out, there was a small puddle seeping out from under the van. It didn't look like the water condensing off the A/C, so I checked and sure enough....it was oil! So I missed out on my class while waiting for the diagnosis. I had TD come and pick me up while they tinkered with it some more. They are pretty sure they fixed it, but they wanted it back yesterday to make sure. This time I got a loaner.

Now, around our house, the girls give names to a lot of things. Our van is the Magic School bus, which is pretty obvious. It plays movies and the doors open with a push of a button, I consider it to be pretty magical myself and sing its praises any chance I get. Squirt cleans our pool. Stevie was our first big TV and is still around and kickin'. This time, the girls climbed in our loaner and promptly named themselves the Box Car children. (Which I highly recommend as a series for kids Fiona's age). Anyway, this is what they gave me:


They offered me a newer Accord, but I told him that I was very happy when I didn't have to climb out of a car. At 5'10", that's another reason why I consider the van to be magical. I sit up like a regular person. I am only okay with this vehicle. I miss my van. This doesn't have power door locks, or a fob, or the sunroof, etc. I think I am pretty spoiled when it comes to all of those things. I was also worried driving the girls around because I was sure these doors were going to cause one of the girls (let's be realistic, I was worried about Fiona) to lose a finger. Luckily, I should be hearing about the van at any time and can trade this back in. It's nice to have a loaner, but I really miss the van.

I am going to be posting more because I promised some people that I would tell what we are doing this summer. I have some cool plans for the girls and it's the first time I am really excited for summer. Part of that might have to do with Buttercup's 6:30am wake up call. An hour earlier than Fiona even needs to attempt to be up at. I also promised to talk about how I get such good deals. I haven't paid hardly anything for most of my toiletries for months. I have almost a year's supply of laundry detergent that didn't cost me even $10. I have 20 boxes of cereal that cost me less than $20. I haven't paid for toothpaste in forever, etc. I am going to try and see if we can severely cut our grocery/toiletry bill this summer and put a significant dent into our A/C payoff. We are half way through and I would like cut it even more!