Children's Museum

Luke hopscotching outside

Caitlin and Johnny digging in the sand

Caitlin, Johnny, and Luke playing in the sand

Caitlin and Luke driving the fire truck

Jonathan in the climbing raindrops

Here are some pictures from the Children's Museum. I was expecting something more along the lines of a COSI and this reminded me more of a preschool or church nursery almost. It was nice and the kids enjoyed it so it was worth the admission. I did decide that if I ever came into lots of money, they would get a huge chunk to update. The one really cool thing was it was the last weekend for their Sand Construction exhibit. One large room was turned into a huge sand box and the kids could play in it. They were doing a dance party in the other section so we were the only ones in the exhibit. I think the kids would have been happy to spend the entire day there! They had some dress up gear and I paniced because we had just gotten over lice that Caitlin brought home from school, so the only thing I let them put on their heads were the hard plastic helmets. The boys hair is long and out of control because of the lice issue. I am finally scheduling haircuts, but they won't cut infested hair! Ahhh! Gabe never had lice so this was something new to us. It was not fun!!!!

I Can't believe it!!!!!!!!

OMG! Did you guys see the little comment thing on the side of my blog?? Bea Arthur contacted me from beyond! I am floored. I also got a message from Alan Alda! I can scarcely contain my excitement. I am going to try and take a picture with my camera of the screen. Woo Hoo!!!!!
Since Bea requested a new post, here it is.

Let's see -

I have had a rough few weeks with being sick. Who's surprised??? Yesterday my doctor laughed at me. I had a recheck and apparantly she found my ailments funny! Last week I was vomitting and going to the bathroom so much that I became severely dehydrated. Fun, fun! Sean left work to take me to the ER because he was worried. When we got there my blood pressure was 79/46. Not too good. The dr. said it was from being so dehydrated. I felt miserable! They had to get fluids in me to bring up my pressure, but couldn't find a vein anywhere. I don't know how many pokes they did, but finally got an iv started in the top of my foot. I got 2 huge bags of fluid, an anitbiotic (they found a uti), and three other medications. We were there for several hours and I came home on 4 prescriptions. Oh, and they were unable to draw blood, but needed to get it twice. So they pricked the end of my fingers and milked them to fill two tiny vials. It didn't hurt, but was the strangest feeling.
I went for my recheck yesterday and asked her to look at my foot, it is swollen and sore. Apparantly I got phlebitis from the IV being where it was, so I have a swollen, lumpy, sore foot!

The doctor said that I just don't do things the way normal people do. Gee, whatever does that mean?! The good news is that I lost 18 pounds and have kept it all off so far! Yay me!
Sean is testy at me today. He seems to think it is bad that I have lost the check register and forgot to transfer to our checking account as well so a check bounced. He gets direct deposit and has it all go to the savings and we transfer only what we need. Well, sometimes I forget. Okay, so most times I forget! I hate checkbooks!!!!

The kids are making me nutsy! They have spring fever sooo bad. Today is rainy, so they can't play outside either. :( Two weekends ago we took the triplets to the children's museum while Gabe went to a gardening workshop with my mom and Carmen. They all had fun and Gabe brought home tangerine, lemon and avacodo seeds that he planted. I am not sure how well they will grow here! The trio enjoyed the museum, I was a little disappointed in it - just not what I expected - but the kids liked it. On the way there we were pulled over for speeding by a motorcycle cop, which thrilled the kids to no end! They were so excited. Sean and I - not so much. We got off with a warning and the officer gave us directions, but we still got lost. We only passed the museum 3 times before finding it. Sean decided to take a different way home but forgot that it would add an hour on to our ride. We only got slightly lost on the way home....

Last Saturday Gabe went with Scott and Scarlett and our friends the Livingston's to OSU for the scrimmage. They had awesome seats and Gabe got an autograph from one of the players. He was so excited!!!

This week Gabe is taking the OAT's and isn't too excited about it. We are signing up for summer and fall sports this week as well. It should be a busy summer!
Have a great day!!

Farewell Bea Arthur!

Yesterday morning the world lost another comic genius. Bea Arthur lost her battle with cancer.
She was one of the funniest women in the industry and will be missed. For any of you who did not see her role in the Sex and the City spoof at the TVLand awards a few years ago, it is worth checking out. She played Sarah Jessica Parkers role and was amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKKnOnE2DHk

She still makes me laugh everyday in Golden Girl reruns and I am proud to sound just like her when I have laryngitis.
Good Bye Bea!

Whoopty-Doo!!!!

Looking for eggs, Luke found one!

Getting ready to start the egg hunt

Cool Luke

Scarlett, Carmen, Caitlin, and Old Grandpa snuggling under the blanket

Old Grandpa and maybe a preggo Maddy?

Hey y'all!

Well, this spring break week has been a real bust! We all keep getting sick! What a bummer. :(

Tomorrow we hope to have a great family day. We are still deciding on the final plans, but we want to do something fun and special with the kids.

I have been kicking butt at my studying! I am so proud of myself. I have submitted 4 projects this week and two have been graded. I got a 98% on my Microsoft Word and a 95% on the Excel. I submitted two writing projects, so I am anxious to see how they go. I feel so darn good about myself. Today I am starting Medical Terminology.... hard!

I have had no appetite for several days, so my weight is dropping some. When I weighed myself two days ago I had lost 8 pounds. I am adding exercise, so hopefully I will keep it off.

We had our consult with the orthodontist on Wednesday. Ugh. We knew it was going to be bad, I am sure you can see in pictures that Gabe's teeth are bad - he doesn't have room for the teeth to come in and it is causing a mess. I had the same problem as well as my sister. It took years of orthodontics to get our teeth where they are today and unfortunately Gabe got our teeth. He also has a bit of a deformity in his jaw that needs to be corrected, it is growing down instead of out. They can correct it now while he is still growing with a bite block and expander. So he will be starting next month getting things going. He will have to have full braces as well. The price quote is just about $6,000 and we have to have a down payment of at least $1,300 by the 30th. We are praying!

Yesterday our doorbell rang and it was the postman. He had certified mail for me. It was a large envelope and when I opened it it said summons to court! My stomach sunk and I thought I was going to throw up. Turned out it was from the mortgage company for foreclosure on the white house. No worries! We called the attorney and were told that everything is going as planned and we don't need to do anything. So it is almost done and over with. Thank God!

My mom took Maddy to be bred one more time. This time she did not go for the head! Maybe she just needed to grow up a little more. She was bred with a golden retriever, so if it took the result will be golden doodles! Isn't that crazy? I have seen one and it is such a gorgeous dog! Long Shirley Temple ringlets and kind of dopey. I loved it! We should know in a few weeks if she's knocked up or not. Keep your fingers crossed!

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Welcome to Loserville...population ME!

I am having a very low self esteem day. Actually I have had a low self esteem week.
You all know that I did all the hiring paperwork, drug testing, and all for Home Depot. All that was left was for them to call with my orientation schedule. They told me last Monday that they would call that day or the next. So I waited. When I hadn't heard by the next afternoon, I called and left a voicemail for the lady reminding her that I needed the date for orientation. Nothing. I called once a day and left messages all week. I was supposed to start today. I never have gotten a phone call. So I am assuming that for some reason they have decided not to hire me. I just don't understand why, and I don't understand why they don't return my calls. I prayed about it, Sean has prayed about it and I have come to this realization.
The good thing that has come out of this is that I have been kicking butt with my studies. I had given up - surprise, surprise.... But now I have submitted a 4 section project, am working on an English project and am beginning Excel as soon as they send me the downloads. I am excited again about the coursework and believe in myself again, and that feels darn good.
So maybe this was God's way of showing me that I was indeed a desireable employee, but that this wasn't the right job for me. He used it to wake me up to the fact that I want to do this MOA program.
So I guess that something good has come out of the whole experience.
My other thought was that Kellie's mom and my mom called with their concerns about me driving a forklift and scared Home Depot off..... that could very well be!!
I don't think I am a loser, I just liked the title. I think I am a desirable employee and I have a lot to offer the right employer which will be a doctor's office or hospital in the next few months.
Now I have a favor for all my Blog buddies. Would you please help to keep me accountable? I don't want to lose faith in myself or my abilities again. Maybe give me a gentle nudge or encouragement every once in awhile? Thanks!

Happy Birthday Cheryl!!!!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful friend Cheryl!!!

I hope you are blessed with a year as fantastic as you are! Your friendship is such a blessing and I feel honored to count you as a friend. I have truley enjoyed the bond we have formed over the computer and I cannot wait until we get a chance to meet in person. I love how thoughtful, kind, and selfless you are. Even though you say nasty things about super hot Alan Alda and beat me horribley in Scrabble, I love our friendship and I love you!!!

I hope that you get a day of fun and relaxation. Maybe Kevin will take you to the grocery store and serenade you in the parking lot. I would do that if I were there!

Love you Cheryl! Have a very, very Happy Birthday!!!!

A Boring Old Post....

Here are some fun pics taken on a day it was just me and the trio. Gabe was at Amy's and Sean was at work.

Things here are okay. I am battling a horrid cold and so I am cranky. I filled out all the paperwork yesterday and am waiting to hear when my orientation is for work. They have me scheduled for next week, but I have to have to do my orientation first. I am going to be the only female in the garden section. I am nervous about that - I hate being new, and I will hate having to tell some guy I don't know that I have to tinkle. Sean says as long as I don't try and share a joke I will be fine. He doesn't think I am gifted in repeating jokes. I can never remember the punchlines.

The kids sang Sunday and I missed it due to my crappy cold. I was really looking forward to the Palm Sunday song too. I also missed the traditional pounded chicken dinner at my mom's, but I got to stay in bed and watch Rob & Big and Fantasy Factory all day. woo - hoo.

Sean's mom is still in the nursing home. No clue on when she is getting out. I hope it will be before the end of the month, but she has to put forth an effort to do physical therapy which so far she is doing. I hope she continues.

I really have no new and exciting news so I am going to go and lay down.

Love you all!

Great Aunt Amanda x 6

Today I became a great aunt for the 6th time. My niece, Bethanie, had a baby boy this morning. They are both healthy and doing well.
My mother in law is in a nursing home, temporarily while they do physical therapy to get her leg usable again and her strength back. She has been there for two weeks and I forsee several more.
The kids are making me insane!!!!! They are having their typical listening problems.
I got a job! As soon as the drug test is back they will call me. I will be working at home depot mornings and weekends part time. We figure that I will be able to pay the car payment and put the rest into savings. I am nervous, but anxious to get back to work and make money.
The kids all had really good report cards, but Jonathan had not so good comments on his. He just doesn't want to listen or follow directions all that well.
They were playing outside this afternoon and were playing school. Most kids would play doing lessons, or games or something - mine took turns putting each other on the wall (the time out at recess). How much time must they spend there if that is how they play school!!??
Luke is picking up spelling so fast. I am so proud of him! He amazes me with the words he knows now.
I am waiting for them to go to bed so I can go in and relax. I hope that you all have a good night!