Just Like an Old Friend

I know, I know!  It’s been a long time!  Yes, way too long!  But, it seems like blogging is like getting in touch with old friends.  I think about it often.  I wonder how they are doing.  And, the longer I’m away, the harder it is to just come back again!  It’s hs been on my mind for awhile to start writing again, but the thought of it has seemed awkward almost to the point of impossible to accomplish.  But, here I am!  So, obviously not completely impossible.  Maybe, since I accomplished the other task, writing doesn’t seem so awkward.

This weekend was my class reunion.  So, I saw people I hadn’t seen in 10 or even 15 years!  The result- I’m still the same- only my hair is shorter.  Is that good or bad?  People have convinced me that it’s good- that it means I’m aging well.  OK- I’ll take that!

But, here’s the truth.  I’m not aging well.  This past year I’ve aged 100 years and I feel it.  When somebody starts to say “nothing worse can happen”, don’t let them! It’s only a sign- a challenge- a guarantee- that something worse will happen!  So, that, I think, is part of my absence from writing- the words were to hard to say- to look at in black and white.  On the good side, while talking to my cousin last night, I realizd something else.  For awhile, I think I had no need to write.  I was too busy talking to people to write anything.  I was being comforted, comforting, taking care of everyone else, and they were taking care of me.  So, where was the time or the energy or the need to comunicate any more than that?

So, for a quick review of my life in the past year or so, I’ll give you the condensed version.

It started with my husband having heart surgery in December- which I wrote about so I’ll spare you the details.  He is doing well now, but still on the road to recovery- it’s a long process back to normal.  A month and a week after his surgery, his sister was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She lives in the same town as us and since my husband and I got married, we have become pretty close.  Not too many days go by that we don’t talk- even before she got sick.  So, although it didn’t happen to me, in a close family what happens to one is fely by everyone.   Luckily, she’s an amazingly positive person and is doing really well!  She’s done with chemo and going 1/3 done with radiation.  Sadly, they say things happen in 3’s.  And this was the one that has me thrown- there is no real happy ending to this one.  Well, I know there is but, it still doesn’t feel like it.  My grandma- the person I admired, loved, tried to model my life after- got sick.  She got to the point where she needed 24 hour care and so, i spent as much time there as possible- savouring every moment I had left in her presence.  And then, the moments were gone.  So, I know she was ready, I know she is in a better place and there is the happy ending.  But, for me, right now, I am still reeling from the intense loss I feel.  She was someone I talked to about anything and everything- she always knew what to say and what to do.  Her unconditional love got me through so many things that I would not be who I am today had she not been there to offer it to me.  And, last, and hopefully least, my husband is currently unemployed.  After working for the same company for 7 years, the economy and company politics has sucessfully made him currentlly without a job.  So, hopefully this is the least of my list of things because it will be a short lived “vacation” for him. I’m glad he left there.  This gives him a chance the other opportunitied out there.  He’s looking at starting his own business and in the meantime has had an interview and has filled out some things online.

The good news is life has gone on.  Homeschooling is going well.  My son is now taller than me!  I should have listed that in my “tradgedies of the past year”!  He is still working at a farm and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.   In all of the hard times, the family and friends that have been there have been an amazing thing and I really do feel very blessed!

I guess I’ll end here- enough for one blog- and my husband is anxious for us to leave.  We are going to my in-laws for the afternoon.  And, I plan to hit the beach since it’s going to be a hot one!

One more great thing going on- Cubs are in 1st place and well on thier way to a world series victory!!!

Weekly Goals

Last week was not my best.  2 out of 3 of the people in my house had the flu.  I was the lucky one who didn’t get it.  But, I paid for it by being in bed with a migraine last weekend.  I think that being gone for work the first days of their flu kept it away from me. 

Since nobody wanted to really sit up and eat on a regular basis, the sitting together for meals goal was impossible.  I did work out some, but definitely not as much as the two weeks before.  I might have gotten three days in, but, it’s all such a blur I can’t be sure.  I was doing so well on the caffeine thing.  I couldn’t even remember the last time I had drank a pop.  But, after trying everything else to cure my migraine, it became inevitable that it was the only thing that would get rid of it completely.  So, I went to Burger King and got dinner- including my pop.  I had a great coupon so I really didn’t spend much money for our dinner.  And, for some reason, it sounded really good as I was trying to get over my migraine.  I usually crave things after a migraine.  Anyway, I didn’t go through a drive though during the day at all so, I am pretty happy with myself for that.  It’s still hard to figure out alternatives for lunch sometimes since I’m usually driving around. 

As far as the new budget system goes, we have successfully gotten through a month of the new envelope system.  And, my dh and I are still speaking- usually!  I really do have to give him credit.  I know he is trying and it’s been hard for him to adjust.  But, he is doing really well now.  And, I’m trying to be more patient when the system isn’t followed perfectly.  (I’m still working on that one!)  The good news is that we were able to pay off some bills off and work on our emergency fund.  That’s really good considering it’s my dh’s off season! 

The homeschool goals are on the right track.  So, I’ll just let you read my last entry to get updated on that one.  The one goal I did not even attempt to accomplish was playing a game as a family- or at least my son and me.  Was it because he was sick?  Maybe.  I was exhausted all week since I didn’t get a good nights sleep.  But, there is a family game night at church on Friday.  So, I should do better this week.  I will try to do something else during the week, too.

Here is where I should write my goals for this week.  But, since last week’s accomplishments are questionable, I’m going to stick to those this week before I add something new.

Food Blog

Awhile back, I announced I was going to be starting a food blog for the company I work for.  Well, after months of waiting for our home site to get introduced, it’s finally getting started! 

I’m very excited to be writing for it and I really want it to be a success.  But, as you all know, it takes awhile to start building up blog readers and even longer to build up readers who comment.  Since at this point, my success will be based on the feedback I recieve, I would love it if you would all check out my other site and let me know your thoughts!  I would love to hear your ideas on what you think would be a good topic, comments on the ones I’ve already writtien, etc.  Here’s the link!  http://alslakeshore.wordpress.com/

Thanks!

10 Things I Never Thought I’d Be Doing

Note: I started this a long time ago and never finished.  I’m amazed how things change so quickly with everything that has gone on in my life lately.  So, I’m adding to it now. 

I got the idea for this from a great blogger you should all check out! http://rowdyrodi.wordpress.com/ She has a great way of putting things and sharing her life in a positive and humorous way.

So, here is my version of the things I never thought I’d be doing when I grew up- wait am I really a grown-up?!

1) I never thought I’d be a homeschool mom

2) I never thought I’d work in a grocery store- and like it!

3) I never thought I’d have a tarantula living in my house!

4) I never thought I’d be taking my 13 year old son to an alpaca farm to work 5 days a week.

5) I never thought I’d have 2 cats and 2 dogs. (Update- I now have only 1 dog- long story)

6) I never thought my husband would have to have heart surgery.

7) I never thought I could be so happy to see someone sit up in a chair.

8) I never thought I would enjoy Christmas so much without exchanging gifts with my husband.

9) I never thought prayers and kind words from family and friends would be so important to me.

10) I never thought I would be going to a different church than the one I’ve known since I was a child visiting my grandparents.

Out of Hibernation

I’ve decided on the coldest day of the season- exposed skin can get frostbitten after 10 minutes- that it’s time to come out of hibernation.  Looking back, I realized it’s been almost 3 months since I’ve written anything here!

The last few months have been a whirlwind of doctors, hospitals, lack of sleep, family, friends, prayers, and emotions.  My husband had heart surgery after finding out he had a severe mitral valve prolapse.  The surgery was a month ago today.  And, although he is recovering well, it’s a long road to walk until he’s completely better!

The outpouring of love and support from family and friends was amazing!  I wouldn’t have gotten through it without them!  Words fail me to describe how wonderful people have been. 

That is my life right now- catching up with life.  Work and school fell by the wayside and now it’s time to bring my life back up to speed.  So, as part of that effort, I am going to try and get back in the habit of writing again.  I’m not promising anything…

Right now I need to take my son to work so I better get dressed first!  I hope you haven’t all given up on me and somebody finds this post.  Although since you are reading this now, I guess you haven’t and I thank you!

My New Project

Last week, I started a new project at work.  I’m really excited about it because, along with getting to do something I love, I also think it will be a great asset to my company.  Since most people I know find everything online, we are creating a new website and I will be writing a food blog to go along with the site.  So, if you want to check out some great healthy eating sites, some great recipe sites, and some health related sites, they will be linked on my other site.  Along with the info links, I will be writing about new food trends, fun seasonal food and entertaining ideas, upcoming events at our stores, or whatever comes to mind- well not whatever!

Here’s the link- http://alslakeshore.wordpress.com/ !  Tell me what you think.  I’m anxious to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly! 

I am putting a permanent link on the right of my blog under Home and Family Sites so you can find me there anytime! 

Chore Lottery Gone Bankrupt

As much as I loved the idea- as proud I was that we developed this intricate plan, the chore lottery has declared bankruptcy.  While the concept seemed simple enough, it didn’t change the effect on our routine.  Instead of asking him about the list, I was asking him about the chore lottery- and finding out it wasn’t done.  So, after giving it a few weeks of trial time, I’ve decided it’s time to try something else. 

Saturday, while looking online with my sister, we came across an interesting site.  It’s calld chore wars.  I’m just about to sign up, but the system was overloaded so I have to wait.  It seems to be in the begining stages so I’m expecting to find a few glitches.  The basic concept is that every member of the household signs up and as chores are done they log them in for points.  I think there is some game playing involved whn they log a chore, but I’m not too sure.

Has anyone else tried this?  I’ll let you know how it goes here.  Eventually something is bound to work- or eventually my son will get marrried and it’ll be somone else’s problem to get him to do his chores!  Anyway, here’s the link- http://www.chorewars.com/index.php

Where, Oh Where, Did My Weekend Go?

After a frustrating day Friday, I realized I had no choice but to work Saturday.  This was a bitter sweet discovery.  My other option was to have my garage sale I had started planning for at th beginning of the summer.  Obviously, it was not high on my list since it’s now October.  But, I really was hoping to get rid of the things cluttering up the school room/ guest room before they would make a permanent home there for the winter.  So, now I must admit my husband was probably right when he said I would never really have the sale- only gather things for it!  Sad, but true!

I worked all day Saturday because my orders didn’t arrive Friday when  I have people there to put them up.  So, guess who the lucky one who got to put the order up was?  You are so smart!

When I got home, I joined the rest of my family in not feeling very well and become a bum- laying down watching tv until bedtime.  Actually, I think my son was ok when he was doing fun things.  His illness only came on when it was time do do things around the house- or school stuff.  Hmmmm.

Today, my husband seemed even worse.  He has a temp and hasn’t really gotten out of bed.  So, besides being a nurse for him and trying to motivate my son to get some things accomplished- between his bouts with being “sick”, it’s been a real fun time around here! 

With everyone very low key today, I probably could have gotten alot accomplished without much interruption.  Instead, I was proud of myself for doing the dishes, aa load of laundry, and vacuuming!  Ys, that about covers my list of accomplishments!  What I really would have like to accomplish was a nap!  I guess we all were a little out of it this weekend.  Hopefully, next weekend will come quickly and we can try again for a fun weekend! 

lincoln- same as always

I can’t believe it’s already Thursday!  And I really can’t believe it’s been so long since I wrote anything! 

A week of vacation was a wonderful thing!  A week of recovering vacation has not been as wonderful!  I knew it would be a little rough at times- getting back into the groove.  But, not this rough!

Monday morning I gave my son the list of things to do for each subject.  Actually, it’s written on the dry erase board in the schoolroom (Yay for an excuse to visit the office supply store a few weeks ago!).  Then, I went off to do my things for the day.  That was my first mistake- thinking it was ok to leave and assume he would accomplish his tasks.  I came home to pick him up for work a couple hours later- thinking he had done 2 of his subjects.  (that’s our agreement- he can keep his job working 2 hours a day if he has 2 subjects done before he goes and finishes the rest when he gets home)  Then I brought him back home to do his chores and school stuff.  I had a meeting and then made a trip to do go grocery shopping (yuk!)  When I came home, he and my husband were watching something on the computer so I figured all was right with the world and he had completed everything.  That was mistake #2!  Being exhausted at this point, I made dinner and then collapsed for the evening without checking his stuff.  You guessed it!  Mistake #3!

Imagine my surprise when I found only two subjects in the spot I told him to put things for me to check.  I went to the first book- wordly wise- to check his vocabulary.  I found 3 out of the 10- 15 questions that he just hadn’t bothered to do.  I was not happy since he has a really easy time with this so it was obvious it was pure laziness and not something he didn’t understand.  So, I handed it back to him and told him to finish while I went on to check his history.  Since we are using History of Us and there are not questions in the book, I have a list of things he has to write in a notebook for each chapter- vocabulary, famous people, important events, culture, art and literature.  So, since we are studying the civil war, he was on a chapter about Abraham Lincoln.  Here is what he wrote- the only thing on the entire page for the chapter.  Are you ready?  Are you sitting down?  I wish I had been.  Ok.  Here it is!

lincoln- same as always

That’s it!  That’s all he had to say.  What is that supposed to mean?  So, that is what he had spent an entire Monday doing! 

As you may have guessed, Tuesday morning was not quite what you would call fun around my house!  I proceeded to load him down with the work he should have done Monday and the work for Tuesday.  The last thing I wanted was to let him think he would get away with that!

Unfortunately, bombarding him with more work when he was having a hard time handling getting into the routine of a regular day made for a really fun time for all.  It was so much fun that we rolled it into a fun day Wednesday!  This was the day I finally told him to go t bed.  I know, a normal parent thing to do.  But, not at 4:30 in the afternoon!  He was obviously so tired I could tell I wasn’t getting any work out of him until he had some sleep!  The evening was better after his nap.

Today has been pretty good.  He even got caught up on some things and now has the privilege of watching Smallville- one of those father/ son bonding things.

A statement my husband made yesterday got me thinking.  He seemed surprised when i told him a homeschooling friend I work with has these kinds of days too.  “You mean we’re not the only ones?”  I have a wonderful support group that helps me vent.  As a homeschooling father, he doesn’t have that luxury.  Most of the dad’s work alot so the mom’s can stay home.  So, they don’t get together like the mom’s.  So, he had never had the opportunity to hear other horror stories. 

This is where you come in!  Share your moments of stress and chaos- your homeschool horrors!  Vent- just as I have just done (thanks!  I feel better!)!  Give me some stories to share to tell my husband that we are not the only ones with days like these. 

I have just spent way too much time on a website that I just got sucked into. 

 http://isawyournanny.blogspot.com/

It’s about reporting nannies that are not taking good care of the children they are employed to take care of.  The stories range from a nanny who spends her time texting and talking on the phone to a nanny who actually left a 3 or 4 year old at a park in Manhattan while she went to run an errand!  How scarry is that?!

What interested me was the different viewpoints of the nannies, moms, etc.  There was a nanny who talked about never working for someone who made under $200,000 and didn’t have a full time housekeeper.  She took a job only after checking out the rock on the mom’s finger and the collection of bags the mom owned!  The cars the nannies drove- required the parents have for them to drive (BMW’s, etc)- were better than I would ever dream of driving.  That is not what I want my son to learn about from the role models in his life.

I believe children should be surrounded by good influences- people you would want your children to grow up immitating.  Right now, the people around my son fit that description.  I am blessed to have him at home instead of at school where I have no idea who he will be around.  The people he works for are good, honest, hardworking people.  That is what I want my son to grow up to be- a good, honest, hard working man.  My family and friends- his family and friends- are all good people who love and respect family and friends. 

My point is this.  I wonder about what this world is becoming.  In my job I see so many people my age and younger who have no work ethic and respect for others.  It’s people like this nanny that judge a person based on what they have instead of who they are that disturb me.  They just expect to get everything and have things handed to them without working to earn them!

OK.  That’s my rant for the day.