Finally Making It Back - Friday

We were struck by the stomach virus (4 of us), head cold with severe runny nose and ear infection this week... I had to visit the ER on Wednesday night for 3 liters of fluid... So, this virus was a nasty one! We are all starting to feel better... Still have one with a faucet like runny nose and on antibiotics for the ear infection (same child)... They still having the daily sickies... UGH!!! Hopefully this child will be able to keep more down the juicy water (100% juice extremely water down) and antibiotic... My oldest was also struck with strep this week and is on antibiotics as well... So, it seems all that nice weather we had revived all the 'bugs' that froze for the winter... Hopefully we are done with all that and can enjoy our spring... It is chilly again here... I sure miss those 60 degree days... My family back east was saying it was 90! Now that is just wrong for spring... I would very upset if it was that hot... However I prefer not to find a thick layer of frost on my wind shield at 1/4 to 8 in the morning that takes the defroster 5-10 minutes to melt so you can leave... For those who don't follow on FB... I add our family to our new van...

Not the best picture but you get the idea... LOL... Need to break out our Mr. Clean Car Wash Kit (we picked ours up at Walmart and love it) once it is warm enough... We sold our old van to the junk yard yesterday... I'm going to rest some more because after spending several hours in the ER and L&D in the middle of the night... I'm still tired... I'm not sure if I will write tomorrow or not... I may take the weekend off and just pick back up on Monday... Let's all pray I have uneventful rest of the day and weekend... Gotta catch up on Laundry... So, I will be doing a lot of sitting and folding...

Saturday-Sunday

I was still not feeling well either yesterday or today... Engineer was upset because the air show is in town and the jets have been zooming across the sky... Fr. W. had a fantastic homily... Linebacker's fever is finally starting to go away... Fr. W. gave him a blessing after Mass... We ate subs and watched the air show from the sub parking lots with the younger children on Sunday... I have finished Peanuts, Monkey, and Linebacker's winter hats and currently working on Engineer's... We watched Nim's Island for our family movie night on tonight... We have a Yes and final move in date for Engineer... We will meet soon to talk out more of the details and start setting up dates to being the transition... He is very excited... I am excited too... I can't wait to see how much this helps him...

More of the Same - Monday

The ills seems to be circling our home... I now have a pretty bad cough and sore throat... My nose is either running or I can't breathe... I guess this is round 2! Peanut woke up with what I thought might be a fever... She had ST and then became warmer... I gave her medicine and she has slept most of the day... Hopefully that won't mean she will be up all night... She also has a mild cough... My oldest was sent home from school early... He has an ear infection in his right hear... They also 'cleaned' his ears... He should be able to hear better now and hopefully be in a better mood once the antibiotic kicks in good... Linebacker has an on and off caught and runny nose... Monkey has the occasional runny nose... I hope we are well enough to attend Ash Wednesday Mass this week... I'm glad today isn't Wednesday because I don't feel like going any where but to bed... I did two loads of laundry this morning while Peanut snoozed... I also emptied dishwasher... I made NC Pulled Pork BBCUE in the crock pot (will share recipe on Thursday)... It turned out delicious... We make it on the grill in the warm months and in the crock pot in the cool months... I picked up oldest RX for his ear and a bulletin so I know what's going on at the Parish this week... Completely slipped my mind on yesterday... My oldest went on a road trip with his respite worker... To see the new 'stage' finished... His respite worker is in a band... My oldest helped them build the 'stage'... Praying for a quiet, peaceful night... Hopefully some sleepy medicine and full nights sleep so I can wake up well... I would write about Sunday but I really need to lay down... We did start watching Hancock together... Sad and Funny at the same time... So far pretty good...

Might Be Over - Monday

My head cold might be over... I'm feeling better and didn't take any medicine today... So, hopefully that's a good sign... I'm still very tired... Linebacker is 9 months old today... Nothing much happened on Sunday... Spent the day laying around taking medicine... I went to bed early... Today was a quiet day... I paid a lot of bills today... It was a long day of crunching numbers to decide how much of the tax refund to devote to different debts... I'm almost finished with my new book - The Duggars: 20 and Counting! I have learned so much more about their family that the 'TV Shows' could possibly cover... It is well written and an easy read... Tomorrow promises to be a jam packed busy day... I'm headed off to bed...

Still Not Feeling So Well - Saturday

This head cold is still going strong... I picked up more medicine for the children and I today... I did manage to have a nap on and off this afternoon while my oldest was out... The other children who are also part of the sick ones settled down for a nap too... Hopefully the sleep did us some good...

Not Feeling So Well - Friday

Head colds have struck our household and taken down 4 out of 6... One of those is me... So, no message... I will probably take tomorrow off too... Happy Saint Valentine's Day...

Wadding Through The Water - Wednesday

Not sure where to begin to tell you about the events of today... Peanut had ST... The slushy / icy lake at the end of the drive way was still there... It didn't freeze solid like I thought it would... Monkey still had a fever today so we did no schooling with him... Peanut had ST... I went and had Linebacker weighed... We didn't make it to the monthly Breastfeeding group... He is now 15 lbs and 7-1/2 oz... Up from his ER weight of 14 lbs 4 oz on January 19th... So, over a lb in less then a month... We are thrilled! I dropped two NetFlix DVDs in the mail box and two more are 'estimated' to arrive tomorrow... I picked up my oldest and canceled Monkey's ST... I rescheduled my oldest psych appointment because I had scheduled it on the same day/time as my dentist appointment... I fried more chicken today... We loved it so much my husband had me another batch of what we had Monday... The recipe to be shared tomorrow... All the children went to bed easily... Linebacker was asleep but has woke up again when my oldest came home after going out for the a bit tonight to the mall for some Valentine's day shopping... Linebacker ate some veggie and cereal... Hopefully after some 'mommy milk' he will snooze back to sleep so I can have an 'early' night tonight... I slept wrong or the stress of all this water has my back in knots... I ache from the hair line on my neck all the way down to my waist... I did have a 5-10 minute hot soak in the tub... That helped a bit... I'm hoping it is from stress and not how I slept because it makes me not want to go to sleep for fear to wake up in even more pain... I'm trying to avoid taking medicine since I am still nursing... I feel a cold coming on so I soon will probably have to take medicine for that... Again I'm waiting till it's so bad I can't stand it... I wish there was something all natural I could take (oral) that was also safe with nursing...

This, That and the other Thing Tuesday

We had some mild ills go through our house on Sunday... All is well now...

I know many of you will not be happy to read this but there is approximately 35 days till Christmas as shocking as that is... I'm currently trying to figure out what to put on my list... Christmas is a hard time for me one reason I never know what to tell people when they ask what I want... It is so much easier for me to say oh well such in such child needs x or my husband would really love x? For me I'm like uhhh... hmmm... ::silence::

So far on my list I have:

Book: The Duggars: 20 & Counting!: Raising One of America's Largest Families-How They Do It
Music CD: Johnny Cash The Millennium Collection (2 volumes)

Plastic Storage Container Set

Massage Gift Card

Gift Card to Favorite Hobby Supplies Store

?

So, I'd love people to write in the comment section ideas of things I might like or things they might be giving as suggestions for themselves... Thanks!

Time Tuesday

I just didn't seem to have enough time today... I had my dental visit today... My peridontal count went down (19/13 to 17/11) but my bleeding went up (zero last visit one this visit)... However it was an overall very good appointment and I go back in November... I haven't been able to do a thing as far as housework so as soon as Linebacker lets me put him down without too much fussing that is where I'm headed... Dishes, Laundry, General Pick-Up... My DH isn't feeling well... He is having cramping, fever, fatigue... He has been having back problems... Those are improving and now this... Poor guy... I took Monkey to the eye doctor today... He's eye sightis normal for his age... However the appointment took almost 2 hours... I dropped off Faith Formation Registration... I'm not sure how much homeschooling I will do this fall... I'm really struggling right now... I might have to take a year off... I really don't want to do that... We picked up my oldest RX... These two things I wanted to do while I had respite but the eye doctor appointment took so long... So, I had to do them with all four of them in tow... Thank goodness the son of a family friend watched them while I dropped off the registration form... They were mostly good at the pharmacy... I was driving home from the pharmacy thinking gee we are almost out of gas... I'm glad I don't have any where to go... I can just fill up on Thursday (pay day)... I walk in and look at the calendar... Nope, we have stuff tomorrow and Thursday before I can FILL the tank... Grrrrrrrrr... Is it August yet?

Friday

Today was feeling much better... I still had a few lingering symptoms that made me nervous about going out and about but still went out any way... Monkey and Peanut had ST this morning... I then went by the organization that maybe working with my oldest to sign some release of information... They need to talk to people who work them him before they meet and decide if they are going to work with him... I'm praying all goes well... He really needs this place to help him... More remodeling was done today... I hang out during the afternoon with a friend... We went and bought more remodeling materials... We had cheese burgers and hot dogs on the grill... We even worked on the garden a bit... So, I have 2 boxes completed, 3 in the inbetween stages and 1 that I haven't done a thing to... Hopefully I can do more tomorrow if my ills continue to improve...

Tricky Thursday

I don't if I feel better or worse... I'm having different symptoms... I talked with a friend on the phone and it seems to be a popular 'bug' that is going around... I wasn't sure if I was going to make it to my oldest ESY program or not... I did manage to make it... I also picked up a box of food for Monkey... I felt a little bit better and did some things then I felt awful again... Monkey had ST and we didn't make it to the Family Picnic that Peanut had been invited to... ::sigh:: I had really been looking forward to going even if I had to go alone with all 4 of the children... Oh well... Hopefully we will be able to go to the next event that they have...

Will I Make It To The Weekend Wednesday?

Today was a rough day... To top it all off I'm catching the children's cold (started with Peanut/Monkey then next my oldest)... Runny Nose, Sore Throat and Fever... Linebacker was warm at nap time but seems find now... I'm just praying this is gone fast... I feel like a truck has run over me... ::sigh:: Despite not feeling so well... I paid the rest of the bills online that hadn't been paid this month... I also made a trip to the store and stocked up on meats for the freezer... For less then $30 I bought almost 7 lbs of hamburger, 2 pkgs bacon, 2 pkgs hot dogs, 2 bags of frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts and a couple miscellaneous things... I divided the hamburger up into 7 pkgs and put everything into our deep freezer... Peanut also had ST... I took a long soak in the tub after nap... That helped a little bit...

Welcome Back Wednesday

I'm back!!!! Not 100% but well enough I can let you all know what is going on... My oldest was home all day on Friday... My illness continued to worsen so I canceled my oldest psychiatrist appointment... I didn't do but two things... I picked up Blessings car seat... I ran in quick to Walmart to pick out cough syrup for the two little ones who had very mild coughs but needed a little something... I road around and sat in the vehicle with the children while my husband ran in and out of places... My husband's friend (he's the wife of my friend expecting twins #7 & #8) came over they worked on remodeling in the living room... They made quite a bit of progress in the little time they were here... We will pick it back on next weekend... I wrote a little bit about Saturday... I was pretty much just miserable all day and night... I debated going to the doctor decided to wait because of the snow storm...
Sunday I decided enough was enough! I went to the doctor... They sent me up to L&D floor for observation for an hour because I had a headache and was dizzy (who wouldn't be with all that sinus pressure)... Baby and I both checked out fine... So, they released me... I went back downstairs to the ground floor to finish my doctors visit... He diagnosed me with Bronchitis... He gave me some medicine... I stopped at the pharmacy (located in same building) and headed home... My husband took the boys out for errands... Peanut and I took a nap or at least I tried to nap after I was medicated... My husband help me prepare and put homemade sloppy joes in the crock pot... I spent most of the day on the couch recovering... We missed the Potluck and Annual Business meeting for FMCHE... We had all been looking forward to attending...
Monday I took my oldest in to see the eye doctor... That was quite fun... ::sarcasm:: His appointment was almost 2 hours... The end result is he sees perfectly and doesn't need glasses at all... They dilated his eyes (took 20 minutes) and everything... I was impressed with the nurse working with the doctor... She either has worked with children like my oldest or she picked up instantly on our 'language'... She started talking how I talk with I work with my oldest and he is acting out behaviorally... So, I was glad to have someone who seemed to understand... That is the "hardest" part about parenting a child with Autism... Is finding people who REALLY understand what it means... Even other parents of children with Autism don't understand what it is like for another parent because each child can be so different... I know many people when they find out my oldest diagnoses they say things like 'oh that must be hard'... All that is involved is not hard per se... He has been like this for the whole time we known so many things we do we do because it's just the way he is and we don't know any different... It's the lack of having others who you can relate to and truly know what your life is like... Sometimes you feel very alone... It's hard to reach out and tell others about what is really going on because you feel that they would never understand (even though they 'say' they do) until they have experienced it first hand themselves... Peanut had her session while we were gone... I arrived just as she was leaving... My oldest had his last in home ST session... Due to his behavior she can no longer see him until he calms down... He is too much of a liability risk... She will still be available to consult... Tuesday:
I signed paper work for our 'overnight' service... I then stopped at the hardware store... I picked up new handles for the tub... Only to discover there were no screws to attach the new handles and we lost one of the old screws down the drain... So, I will have return that tomorrow... I headed downtown to refill one of my oldest RX... One of them was added at a different time so now I have to go to the pharmacy twice a month until I can move them closer together so they all together being refilled at the same time of the month... I stopped a picked up milk, eggs, cheese and juice because heading home... Monkey had more testing today... He still has another day before he finishes up... We then will meet to discuss the results... Tonight was K orientation night... I had our 'overnight' worker come to observe our family to give her a sense of how our evenings go... While I was at orientation with Monkey and Peanut... She took my oldest recycling... Which is located on the same block at the building I was in... So, she was with him but I near by in case she needed me... Everything went very well... We walked there and back... We made dinner and she had another family to work with so she left...
Today:
I had a meeting this morning with our new respite company... We should have staff up and running real soon... Right now I'm trying to figure out our schedule so they can fill it with staff... They like a concrete schedule vs me calling in a couple week ahead of time and saying oh can I have someone on this day and time... So, that will be a change... Nothing I can't work out though... The 'overnight' worker came today to observe how the after school routine works and observe talk with the OT... It was a really productive 2 hours... She learned a lot about our oldest... She is looking forward to watching him a few hours at her home and overnights will follow as everyone because more comfortable... Peanut had ST and did well... I was busy pick up the house to have it ready for the afternoon since I was out during the morning... So, I didn't really talk with the ST to much today about Peanut and what they are working on... I went back to the hardware store to find out the handles no longer come with handles... So, I bought 12 cents worth of screws... I installed one handle... The other is a bit more difficult... It has some old hardware that is not compatible with the new handles I have to remove... Before I can install the new handle... So, that is something I will need to work on... Tomorrow will be a regular message day... Sorry for the long publishing today... I'm glad to be back...

Sad Saturday

Well, this cold has turned into a horrible head cold with a nasty cough... A cough so bad it takes your breath away and you think you might suffocate before you stop and breathe again... Sometimes I think I will be sick because the cough is so violent... My nose is either constantly running or I can't breathe at all... Sneezes that make you dizzy... My head and body just aches as if I've been flattened by a steam roller...Right now just sitting in a semi upright position is extremly painful... I'm here alone with all the children because my husband has an odd working schedule... Not to mention the almost 1/2 foot of snow or whatever that fell yesterday... So, here I am sick, spouseless, and snowed in... I'm not feeling so positive at the moment... ::sigh:: I'm not sure when I will be back... Depends on how long this lasts...

Thirty Five: Weeks or Days?

Take your pick... Either guess is correct... I am 35 weeks today and have 35 days left... How interesting is that... My friend came over this morning and we met with the food lady... That was fun... She will be back in a couple weeks to help us some more... Today we talked about what we want to learn... We discussed dry milk and potato flakes... Other uses besides drinking and mashed potatoes... We also talked some about beans and ways to add them into foods unnoticed to help them stretch further... ST is still sick so she didn't see my oldest today... I had a meeting with the doulas (I have two now on board) and my friend... We spent almost 2 hours talking about the upcoming labor and birth... We napped late and I recieved an exciting call at the end that woke me up early... #4's carseat is in!!! So, I'm very excited and happy about that... I'm still battling a mild head cold and added a mild cough... Hopefully it won't last too long... I really want to be HEALTHY for a bit before I go into labor... The weather has been roller coastering again with warms and colds... I'm sure we will all be well once it stablizes and is just warm... I'm going to go rest and heal...

Why Wednesday?

I have yet another ill... I have a head cold... ::sigh:: Hopefully it will go away quickly... Peanut also has it and I caught it from her who orginally caught it from Monkey but he managed to escape with just a drippy nose for a few days... So, we are just passin it around... I'm trying not to take anything but may have to tonight if I'm going to sleep... I just tossed and turned during nap time... Luckily it was my quiet day this week... I dropped off my oldest... Stopped at the grocery store for the rest of today's meal I was making before my husband woke up for work... I made Chicken Roll Ups (recipe to follow soon)... I had all the ingredients prepared and was about to fix my husband a plate and opened the drawer to discover that we were out of foil... Something that never happens... My husband is always right on top of that and makes sure all our wraps are in ample supply... He said we ran out on Sunday when we used foil for our cookout... I'm like what? I would have thought he would have picked it up... He did go to the store Monday and last night... So, I ran back out for foil... I made our meal and it was as delicious as ever... I tried to rest and then picked up our oldest... He had OT... He did so so today... At times he was wonderful and other times he fell apart so it was an up and down roller coaster session... He did behave for the most part and his reward was some time outside even though I felt awful and wanted to lay down ASAP when the OT left... He did an amazing thing... I will try to take a PIC tomorrow in between the rain drops (predicted to rain ALL day)... He put the little dividers back in my garden that he had ripped out and threw around the yard the last few months since the thickest of the snow melted... He also put back all the plant markers which he pulled up in the boxes like they are labeling what is planted there... This brought a smile to my face and warmed my heart... I told him what a good job he did and how happy I was... I gave him a big hug... Through all the bad times he does so many amazing things that make me love him more and more... They are just a tiny peek into what he could really do... I just wish I knew how to 'unlock' they say in the Autism world so he could be that way all the time... He has so much potential but something is holding him back... We haven't figured out what that is or how to remove that obstacle... I can't imagine life without him... He is truly special!

Trip to ER and other Woes

I'm feeling a bit better after an ER visit but still not well enough to write... I hope to update and be back to writing daily soon!

Can I take much more? Monday

Sunday didn't go so well... Peanut had a fever during the night... So, I gave her some medicine hoping she would get at least a little bit of sleep... I officially took her temp under her arm at 9 in the morning and it was 101.5... I gave her some more medicine and we stayed home from Mass... She napped on and off a bit but never fell completely asleep... We had a bit of lunch, gave her a bath to see if it would help cool her off... Time for more medicine and I gave her another temp check under the arm and it was 101.1... At least it went down a tiny bit... We finished watching Barbie Princess and the Pauper then took our regularly scheduled nap... She slept restlessly... She woke up hotter then ever and due for another dose of medicine... I gave her yet another dose and took her temp again under the arm... It was 102.1... I said enough is enough we are going to the doctor... It was now into the evening and every where was closed but the ER... We arrived and checked in at the first desk... We then waited 45 minutes to an hour to be seen by triage... We waited another 1/2 hour for a room to become available... Another 15 minutes went by after the nurse finished her questions before the doctor arrived... Peanut has strep... Doctor leaves and nurse comes back in 5 minutes with discharge paper work and a RX for antibiotics... We go up stairs to the only open pharmacy and wait 10 minutes for the people in front of us... We then waited another 15 minutes for ours to be filled... We headed home... I gave Peanut her dose of antibiotic and another dose of fever reducer and put her to bed... I also gave Monkey his evening dose of antibiotic (he will be done on Thursday) so he could go to bed as well... It was off to Walmart way out west... I picked up stain remover... I used the last of it washing tons of laundry while being nurse to Peanut... I picked up more fever reducer because between Monkey and Peanut we were almost out again... I didn't want to run out and have to head out in the middle of the night... I picked up an ear thermometer... The under the arm temp taking was stressful for both Monkey and Peanut... They just aren't old enough to use it in the mouth like my husband and I... :ast was a box of our favorite butter that only Walmart carries... Next I headed way south to the grocery store... I picked up chicken, stuffing, and soups for casserole I made today... I also picked up Milk and OJ... I've been craving it ever since Hardee's was out on Thursday morning when I ran through the drive thru with my oldest after his psych appointment... Back home I headed to eat some dinner and some much needed sleep... So, besides the 2nd case of strep and the last night shopping the weekend had gone surprisingly well... So, my oldest and I loaded up to drop him off... I arrive home take off my coat and go to sit for a minute before having some breakfast and the phone rings... I'm thinking can't I sit one minute? It was his program... He was out of hand... Physically agressive and destroying property... He hadn't made more then 2 feet from where I had dropped him off... His teacher was there, para, principal and maintance man... So, out I went to pick him up... He came home and has spent the day in his room... He was not happy about it but hopefully that will shop him that if he misbehaves it doesn't mean a free ticket home to play... He said he will be better tomorrow and doesn't want to spend another day in his room alone... I called his case manager to discuss the morning events... He agrees the program we are setting up on Wednesday will be very valueable in this sort of situation... We will see how the rest of the day goes...

Sick Saturday AGAIN!!!

Well, it appears I have another cold... ::sigh:: I don't know what it is... I'm catching cold that is going around... Today was beautiful... It was above freezing and nice... I went to the PO to mail a few packages... I headed to the oil change place with my husband's car... He was there yesterday and they forgot something... Next I headed to Walmart... I bought Cane Sugar, Salt (boy you don't buy that often!), Broccoli, Corn (my oldest is eating a vegetable again!), Applesauce, Baking Chocolate Squares so I can finally make Christmas Fudge, and an Italian wrap to snack on... Next it was to the library to toss a few DVD's in the return box... I headed home to relax and help my husband off to work... I scheduled one of my many online payments to pay off our first debt today... I can't wait till it comes out (schedule a few days ahead because of holiday)... One less person coming to us every month with their hand out! Around nap time I realized that I must have a cold so I took OTC stuff... When I woke up I felt great till it wore off... So, another dose... I usually don't take anything but I feel awful... ::sigh:: Anyone know which St. is the Patron St. of Avoiding Colds?

Money, Mail, Mall, and Many More things Monday

As you know I spent a large part of last week sick... I'm finally able to function without OTC medicine and wouldn't necessarily call what I did while taking medication functioning... I felt just awful and didn't do much of anything unless I had to... Life doesn't stop for a sick mom! Hopefully that is the last of the illiness for me... To make matters worse when I was almost over my cold yesterday I was helping my husband off to Mass since he was late and feel down our front steps outside... I twisted both ankles pretty bad and scraped up my lower right leg/ankle... So, needless to say despite the fact I felt almost well enough to leave the house I didn't go any where and sat with my legs/feet up all day... I was able to get up for a bit to make my husband Super Bowl snacks I had promised... I made Hot Wings, Chili/Cheese Dip, and Chili (that I had already made from scratch and just had to thaw and heat)... I will share Hot Wing Recipe and Chili/Cheese Dip recipes later... Today we filed our taxes... So, it is a very HAPPY day in our house... Despite we made more this year we still received a LARGER refund then last year... We were very surprised and happy... We have a lot of things we need to buy new refrigerator, new clothes washer, our oldest needs a mattress/box spring set, middle son needs a mattress since he is changing locations when #4 arrives, then of course there is like for everyone all those BILLS, BILLS, BILLS, we will be paying on and paying OFF!!! That is the exciting part... We will be kissing a few bills GOOD BYE!!! That's always a good feeling... I also finally made it to the store after wanting to go and buy some things for 4-5 days... That was a good feeling to be able to go out and do something for yourself! I also made a stop at the PO to mail some packages and monthly bills... Made a quick stop at the Mall to pay on my husband's store card before heading back east to pick up my oldest... He was kind of wild in ST today... Not sure why... I did some beginning of the month paper work to keep the homestead running... Our schedule is going well... Still need to work on a few areas but I'm pleased with the results so far...