Things you just don't wanna hear your kid say

This afternoon I had Lillianna slice up some strawberries to put over pound cake for dessert after dinner. I let her use a butter knife instead of a plastic knife this time because I thought she deserved to handle a real utensil. Hey,she's nine,I figured it's time.

I was cleaning up in the kitchen while she was on strawberry duty in the dining room and I knew she could see me. I started doing a goofy dance which made Lillianna laugh. I continued dancing even goofier which made her laugh even more but then she told me to stop.

"Mom,don't make me laugh....I've got a knife in my hand!"

Just put it away!

I'll admit to being lazy at home and not wanting to clean on a daily basis. I grew up in a home that was immaculate. It was comfortable and always clean. It wasn't a "don't sit down on that!" kind of home. There was no plastic covering the furniture. It was lived in but spotless. Mom has always been great at keeping a home beautiful. I totally suck at this!

A couple of weeks ago I decided to gain control of the chaos. I hate walking through the front door into the living room and seeing Rich's jacket on the chair, Lillianna's jacket on the floor, Rich's toy soldiers on the coffee table next to Lillianna's dry erase markers and board. The dining room table is covered with lunch boxes and the day's mail. It makes me want to throw my lunch box on the table and drop my sweater wherever the hell I feel like it. Generally speaking,that's exactly what I do. If you can't beat 'em.....well you can beat 'em but I think it's abuse....join 'em,right?

So,about 2 weeks ago I did a fairly thorough cleaning. I found the top of my bureau which was a surprise since it had been covered with stuff:papers,pictures,disposable cameras,spare change.....crap in general! It was nice to see it again. I cleaned the living room,dining room and kitchen and bathroom and I was pleased with the results.

Somehow,and I'm not pointing the finger at anyone in particular,the apartment got chaotic again. I had been picking up on a daily basis and it was going well. Everything was clean every day. It was a joy to come home to.

The problem is,this is a family project. I am not the maid and I do not want to be the only one straightening up every day. When Rich and Lil are too tired to clean up,it makes me tired too. So,tonight at dinner I will let them know that they have to get back on track again. I need to feel happy when I come home. I don't want to walk in the door,freak out at the mess and then turn around and bolt for the car to make a fast getaway!

How do you get your family to pick up after themselves??

Scrub-a-dubba-doo

Since I have been picking up more hours at the ophthalmology office,I decided to give in to wearing navy blue scrubs to work. This has been the dress code for the technicians for many years but since I was only there 8 hours a week,I didn't feel like investing in the outfit. We are also allowed to wear regular clothes if we want to which is what I've always done.

Saturday,I bought some scrubs and I wore them for the first time ever,yesterday. It's like going to work in my jammies!!! The down side is that I do look like a prison inmate in this boxy get-up but I'll give up style for comfort any day!

There is something to be said for wearing a uniform to work. I hate thinking of what to wear especially when I am working so much. I just don't have that many outfits right now so the scrubs make my life easier. I think I'm going to like this!

Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work? How did you feel about it?

There must be a better way,Alec

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a celebrity watcher by any stretch of the imagination but when I heard Alec Baldwin's phone call to his daughter on the news today,I was stunned.I had to find out more about what happened.
You can read about it here.

I understand that he and Kim Basinger had a bad divorce but this is no way to talk to your child. How do you call your 11 year old daughter a pig?

I have referred to Lillianna's room as a pig-pen but I would never,under any circumstances,refer to my daughter as a pig! That is just appalling.

I do call my child names but they are cutie pie names like Pumpkin Wumpkin,Noodle,
Lilly-pie....things like that. What kind of person calls his/her child a pig?

You CAN teach an old dog a new trick!

This morning,Rich was in the bathroom and I knocked on the door and said,"I need to go in before you take a shower,ok?" He said,"Ok." He came out a few minutes later and I ran in. When we buy a house,I want three bathrooms!!

The first thing I saw was a new roll of toilet paper sitting on the sink. Then I noticed there were only 4 sheets left on the old roll. My heart went pitter patter and I fell in love with him all over again. HE REMEMBERED!!

Who needs flowers when my husband remembered the toilet paper? Now that's true love.

Learning to say good-bye

This post is over at DotMoms today.

A helpful tip for my husband

Why can't husbands put on a new roll of toilet paper when it needs to be changed? Huh????? Why???? I wanna know!

I had to pee really bad after dinner tonight so I ran into the bathroom. My bladder felt like it was going to burst. I kept putting off going to the bathroom 'cuz I was cleaning up so it was my fault for having to pee so urgently but hey,what can ya do?

So,there I am about to get comfy on the toilet when I notice two thin squares of toilet paper hanging from the roll. With no time to spare,I opened the closet and grabbed a new roll before I gave my bladder it's much needed relief.

I replaced the old roll with the new one and walked into the bedroom where Rich was sitting at the computer. I waved the cardboard roll with it's 2 squares hanging on for dear life.

"Just so ya know,Rich....two squares of toilet paper are NOT enough to dry a wet vagina!!" He was stunned. Then he laughed. He just hates the word vagina so I throw it in whenever I can.

Hopefully,this little lesson will remind him to replace an empty roll in the future although I don't expect much at this point in our marriage!

Bye-bye-a Sanjaya!

Finally!!!!!! Sanjaya got the boot on American Idol tonight. It's about freakin' time!

In the beginning he was cute,humble and had a decent voice. I don't know what happened after that! Rich stopped watching the show. He hasn't taped it for me in weeks 'cuz the good people got sent home while Sanjaya croaked out a tune each week and his psychotic web site followers voted for him to stay since they really thought he was the worst and wanted to prove a point.

So,let the real competition begin!! I think the best 6 are up there now.

Lillianna writes about bra shopping

Well,we did it! We went bra shopping. Here is Lillianna's short post about it.

Unmentionables

Today,Lillianna and I are getting her hair cut and then going shopping for the matching pink camo lamp just like her comforter set and then......we will pick out some new unmentionables.

What are they? Well...if I wanted to tell you then I'd mention them but alas,they are called UNmentionables. The reality is,my nine year old child...no,make that young lady,had decided that it's time to go bra shopping. I asked her what she was planning to put in the bra but I was answered with an eye roll and her arms folded in front of her.

Have I forgotten what it is like to be 9??? I always vowed to remember so I wouldn't be a stupid mom saying things that no kid wants to hear. "If your friend jumped off a roof top would you do it too?" I always hated that question as a kid and I want to be in tune with my daughter.

When I told Rich that we were going bra shopping,he nearly drove off the road on his way home from work. He laughed and said,"HA! For a minute I thought you said bra shopping. We must have a bad connection."

I said,"Uhm...no...you heard me correctly." Long pause. I think he was trying to gain control of his car....and of his life. Good luck with that,buddy! We're on our way to puberty land and there is no turning back. In the next few years,we will realize that Linda Blair lives in our house. I pray she doesn't spew pea soup. What a mess that's gonna be!

So,wish me luck! This should be an interesting day!

A different life for all of us

So many changes have been made in the past couple of weeks.
Rich got a new job and he started 2 weeks ago. We will get medical and dental benefits starting June 1st which will cost much less than they did at his old job.

I gave my notice at one of my jobs. After I work this next 4 week schedule,I'll be gone from this job that I've had for the past 4 1/2 years. That means no more working Tuesday nights 4:30pm-11:30pm,Saturdays 1pm-7:30pm and Sundays 7:00am-3:30pm.

Then,I will add in hours to my ophthalmic technician job that I've had for almost 17 years and drop Saturdays 7:30am-12:00pm. As it stands now,I work Thursdays 8:30am-2:00pm and then the Saturday hours.
On my new schedule,I will work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:30am-2:00pm and if I feel like picking up a Monday or Friday morning,then I will. Either way,I won't be working any weekends or major holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a huge change in my life. I've always worked at least Saturdays in every job I've had since I was 15 years old! This will be so much fun. Lillianna can't even grasp the concept of having me home on the weekends and honestly,neither can I.

So,we're on a great new path now and I can't wait to have a better family life with this new schedule.

YAHOO!!!!!

Such a polite girl

I love Lillianna's friends. They are all sweet and funny. Tonight Ashley is sleeping over our house and the girls have been laughing since she got here at 3pm.

We went to Papa Gino's to pick up our dinner and while we were waiting on the bench,Ashley leaned over and whispered,"Please excuse my flatulence."

I cracked up and asked her where she learned that word. She smiled and said,"From my mother!" I said,"You're such a polite girl,Ash.....but you smell,honey!"
That made both girls laugh.

When her mom called at 7:30pm,I told her what happened. She had to laugh too.
I think little girls are pretty funny!

Finally feeling better!

Ah....the miracle of prescription drugs! Today is the first day that I can say I feel human again. I had some slight dizziness when I was food shopping this morning but it seems to have gone now.

I can actually BREATHE today! Isn't it odd that we take these things for granted and then when we get sick we realize how lucky we are when we're healthy. I'm still a bit congested but I feel so much better.

It is wonderful to be among the living again.

I'm a dizzy couch potato

I spent all last night and all day today on the couch. I'm planning on sleeping there again tonight since I still cough when I'm in my bed. I've only gotten off the couch to go to the bathroom or to get something in the kitchen. Every time I walk around my head spins just like the one and only time I had a hangover when I was 24.

My pills make me very sleepy so I spent most of the day in and out of consciousness.
I'm going to cut down to one cough pill three times a day instead of two and see if I am less dizzy that way. I have to function during the week so if the one pill doesn't work,I'll call my doctor on Monday. I can't go on like this. Feeling disoriented and dizzy all day long is ridiculous although my cough has gotten better. What a trade off!

If you want to laugh.....

....go to Lisa's blog and read this post.

It's amazing to think that until I strongly suggested that Lisa start a blog,she was keeping these thoughts to herself. She just cracks me up! She has a way of wording things that always makes me laugh.

Well.....I'm officially sick!

It's a good thing I went to the doctor today. I have an upper respiratory infection and an inner ear problem which is the cause of my dizziness. She put me on an antibiotic and cough pills that they call "beads." They do look like little gel beads but apparently they kick things into action. The doctor said they shouldn't make me tired but the pharmacist said they will definitely make me tired and I shouldn't drive while taking them. I guess I'll see how tired they make me and if it's really bad I'll try calling urgent care over the weekend and see what my options are.

The doctor said I should stay home from work tomorrow and then see how I'm feeling and determine whether I can manage work on Sunday. If I can't drive while on this med how the hell am I getting to work at 6:30am?????

I called my morning job and luckily there is only one doctor working and there are only 18 scheduled patients. Even with the usual 15 add ins on a Saturday,they will be okay with 4 technicians. I already called my coordinator and he said he won't need me. Now I don't have to feel guilty!

I called my other job and said I will not be in tomorrow but that I will call in the afternoon and let them know about Sunday. I just hope I feel 100% better and that I can work as scheduled. It's Easter. Who the heck will work if I don't???

I'm still nervous about the cough beads making me drowsy.Plus there's a huge notice on the bottle: DO NOT OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICATION! Well....let's just hope for the best,shall we?

Paying the price of being sick

Literally! Since we won't have insurance for 30 days,I had to make a decision about my health. I've been getting worse all week and I've been dizzy since yesterday off and on which I think may be a sinus problem. The bottom line is.....I feel like crap!

I checked out employee health at work but they want me to see my pcp. I was trying to avoid paying hundreds of dollars for a visit with my pcp but that is what has to happen. I can't go on like this. So,I made an appt for 2:30pm today in urgent care since my doctor has Friday's off and as long as I arrive with at least $75 today,I can be seen.
I think this is more than post nasal drip. It's never made me dizzy before.

What made me stop being stubborn was when my friend Amy called me this morning.Her daughter and Lillianna have been best friends for 6 years and they're in the same dancing class. We were talking about the costumes we got on Wednesday because there is a problem with one of them and after talking to her for 10 minutes,I went into a coughing fit.....again!!! I got so dizzy that I asked Lillianna to be in charge of snacks so that I could go in my room with a cup of tea for 15 minutes. (She had 3 of the girls who are going to the dude ranch with us in June sleep over last night.)

My poor child said,"I'll take care of it,Mom. You've done enough." She makes me want to cry sometimes. She kept thinking I would cancel this party because I was sick but since I thought it was post nasal drip,I figured I'd tough it out and let her have fun. I hope this is nothing contagious. I'll feel like the worst mom on the planet.

The problem is I have 4 hours of eye exams to do in the morning,followed my 6 1/2 hours of answering the phone at my other job and then Sunday it's 8 hours of answering the phone. That's over 18 hours of non-stop talking this weekend. I couldn't even make it through 10 minutes with Amy. I hope the doctor gives me an antibiotic. I have to get better!!!

Last night I slept in bed for the first time in a week. I had just about fallen asleep when Rich turned over suddenly as if he heard one of the kids in the other room. I asked him what was wrong. He said,"Did you hear a baby crying?" I sighed and said,"That's me. That's one of the sounds my throat and chest make now."

When will I feel better??

What's that weird noise?

Oh....it's me! At night,my throat makes this bizarre wheezing sound and wakes me up. The last time I had this I was convinced I had pneumonia but of course,it was just the stupid post nasal drip.

Instead of getting better,I've been getting worse in some ways. I'm sleeping less and less at night because of the gurgling-wheezing noise that startles me awake. Talking is impossible if I have to do it for more than 10 minutes. Both of my jobs require non stop talking so I have today and tomorrow to get well enough to work both jobs on Saturday. If I talk too long I go into a coughing fit that takes a cup of tea and a cough drop to fix before I can talk again. This is really crazy.

I called my manager last night and told him that I wasn't coming in today. Four hours of doing eye exams would've killed me. Plus,if you're the patient,do you really want me coughing all over you? I didn't think so.

Lillianna is having 3 of her friends sleep over tonight since they don't have school tomorrow. I'm not contagious so it should be fun for everyone. It's a pre-dude ranch sleep over since these are the girls going on the Brownie trip in June. We'll be making s'mores with the s'more maker which is a great invention if you don't mind spending 3 hours trying to melt a marshmallow with a light bulb!

If anyone has a magical home remedy to fix my post nasal drip other than my nasal spray and Robitussin which is what my doctor always recommends,please let me know!

I feel like the 7 dwarfs!

I'm definitely Grumpy,Sneezey and Dopey today but are Coughy and Laryngitisy dwarfs too? I'd go see Doc if we had health insurance but you know how that is.

I hate being sick. This damn post nasal drip makes me nuts! That's why I'm so Grumpy!! My ears and nose drip into my throat and irritate the hell out of it. I couldn't talk for the first hour this morning so I gestured a lot. Thank goodness Lillianna knows my thoughts without words.

I've had 5 cups of tea so far this morning. I might as well just drink them while sitting on the toilet since they make me pee a million times a day. I'm waiting for Rich to come home and bring me some soup so that I can have lunch.

I think I'm going to try to get away with not showering today. All I have to do is pick Lillianna up at school so she'll understand if I look like the mom from hell.

Last night,after Rich went out to do his internet radio show,I was in my jammies on my bed with a migraine. My throat kept dripping and I coughed so much I scared Lillianna. She wanted to know if she needed to call 911. I'll admit,I was not a pretty picture.

I put an ice pack on my head and waited for the aspirin to kick in. Then I went on the couch for the rest of the night.

Today,my ears are killing me and I think I'll go take my Robitussin and take a nap until my soup arrives.

I have no patience when I am sick!!!! I have stuff to do this week!!! I don't have time to be sick!!!