I knew it was too good to be true!

Well, over the last two weeks, my life has gotten crazy!  When school started back, I expected it to be so busy, busy, busy like it usually is, but it wasn’t.  We had some quiet nights and lazy weekends.  I didn’t say anything though, because I was afraid to jinx us.  And, it appears I did anyway.  We really cut back on the activities for the girls (or so I thought!) this year.  No soccer or piano lessons this year.  Thayer had to take over the youth at church over the summer and we wanted to make sure that, since our church responsibilities were more, we didn’t overschedule ourselves.

Bailey, Madi and Avery all take 1 hour of dance…and its all on Thursday, except that there is a 2 hour gap between two of their classes.  Julia and Bailey are both in the Carolina Cotillion, which only meets one weekend night a month beginning next week.  Now, Julia, Bailey and Madi have all auditioned for and got a part in a play that will run Nov. 20-22 and that requires 3 practices a week.  Julia is playing in the student band on Wednesday, so she has to be at church  around 4 that day for rehearsal.  Bailey is also on the Safety Patrol so she has to be at school early or stay late.  And, the dropping off/picking up at 2 schools is no fun!  We got spoiled last year when we carpooled with a neighbor.  It doesn’t seem like that much compared to some schedules we’ve had, but between school, church work, homework and trying to keep up with laundry and housework, I am always going!

We have made a committment to eat at home so I have been cooking Monday and Tuesday nights.  That leaves leftovers for Wednesday and Thursday (or we do frozen pizzas) and we usually have invitations to eat with someone on one of the weekend nights.  Our Life Group meets here on Sunday nights, and we all contribute to the meal for that night.  I am enjoying being at home more for meals because we really talk more when we are around our own table…less distractions, I guess.

So, I guess its just not in the cards for us to be home-bodies!  We love the craziness of it, but wish that we could just relax and have nothing to do every now and then.  Nah, we’d be bored and find something to do anyway!

They don’t make them like they used to…

I’ve mentioned before that this is the longest we have lived in one house since we got married.  After  moving 8 times in 10 years, we settled in this brand new construction on May 25, 2005.  A few weeks ago, I was walking to the bathroom downstairs and got a little too close to the french door that goes out to the patio.  There was a dip in the floor right next to the door.  I called Thayer down to look at it and he said it was probably rotten wood where the water splashes up from the patio or termite damage.

We called someone to look at it, and sure enough, it is rotten wood from water damage…but they saw a few small termites.  So, we’ll have a bill to fix the floor (and the linoleum had to be cut to get to the damage…that will just be glued back down and covered with a large rug), put up gutters on the back of the house and we’ll have to have a termite treatment.  Yay!  Just what I wanted to be paying on right when I normally start Christmas shopping.

I know when you own a home, you have to be ready for repairs, but honestly, after just 4 years!  My parents have lived in their house over 30 years and they have never had rotten wood by their door leading out to their patio.  The neighborhood we live in has nice houses, but people are having issues you shouldn’t be having this soon.  Our carpet began “buckle-ing” last year in every room.  The guys who did the carpet at church for us told us that when you use fairly cheap carpet and don’t uses an electric stretcher, that happens.  Oneof our neighbors had theirs fixed and the guy had to cut almost 3 inches off the edge of each room when he had finished stretching it.

All of this right when we wanted to start changing some of the paint colors…when you’ve never lived anywhere over 3 1/2 years, you are not used to being stuck with the same color bedrooms!  We are actually going out today to check out a clearance sale at Target.  We saw the comforters on clearance last Thursday and I told the girls if they were still there this week, we’d get them.  But, we aren’t redecorating until next summer.  They were a really good deal (twins for just $14) but we don’t have time to paint during the school year.  Now, I’m wondering if we should be worried about paint and bedspreads, or if we should put our money away for the next big project due to a shoddy builder.

Here’s the hole in my floor…they are getting supplies at Lowe’s to fix it right now.  The cats are locked in my bedroom…the old one wouldn’t mean to, but might fall in.  The younger one would jump in on purpose!

Even the beams under the floor are damaged.

These are the pieces of wood they tore out…don’t know why the dogs’ bowls are on the wood!

Happy Birthday to me…a week late!

My birthday was last Tuesday…the day I had to start preschool and get shots.  I did not blog much about it but other than those two things, it was a good day.  The girls and Thayer picked out a really good cake…you know me, its all about the cake!  There were these big frosting balloons…even I had to say that there could possibly be a little too much frosting in a few bites!  We didn’t do much because our weeks are so busy.  We had already celebrated over the weeked (especially since Monday was Labor Day and we had a 3 day weekend.)  We tried a new restaurant in Wilson, called Anthony’s.  It was a great, Italian place that reminded us of a place we used to go to once a week in Rocky Mount.  The cool thing was they were playing contemporary Christian music!

Yep, those candles do not lie…I am 37.  The age doesn’t bother me…I love my life and all that goes with being that age…except having to color my gray every 10-12 weeks.

Avery’s Last “First Day” of Preschool

Tuesday was Avery’s last First Day of Preschool.  She started the Frog class at Protestant Preschool.  She is the only one of our girls who didn’t have Mrs. Stamper as her 4 year old teacher…but she does have me for music (and has for 2 years!).  I can’t believe that this time next year, she’ll be in Kindergarten.  She really loves school!

Someone else had to have shots!

I guess as payback for all the times I scheduled the girls checkups on their actual birthdays (where they had to have shots), I found myself having to go to get a TB skin test and have a TDaP shot on Tuesday…my birthday.  It was totally my fault…I knew I had to have the TB test to continue teaching at my school.  We have to have one each year.  The school pays for the test at the Health Department.  In Goldsboro, all city offices are closed on Fridays, so the only days you can get the TB test are Monday and Tuesday so they can be read 48 hours after you get it.  I  could have gone on Monday or Tuesday last week, but somehow, both of those days were too busy.  And, of course, since Monday was Labor Day, that left only Tuesday.  School started on Tuesday (which is another story of how my birthday was soooo joyful…sense the sarcasm), so I had to have the test done this week.

I know the skin test doesn’t hurt…but I have had reactions to them in the past where they were only declared negative after two or three nurses looked at them.  As I have gotten older, my skin seems to have issues:  you know how many times I’ve blogged about my latest rash!  So, I was worried about getting the test done.  To top it off, our director has requested that we also get a TDaP (tetnus booster).  That is one of the shots Avery had to have last week.  Man, did that thing hurt!  The nurse did not ask me which arm I wanted it in before she came and jabbed it in my left arm.  I am left handed and have had a hard time this week because of the soreness in that arm!  No wonder that shot left a bruise on little Avery’s leg!

We are both all better now.  And, I’m happy to say, there was no reaction to the skin test this time.  But, I know that I will never again schedule checkups on anyone’s actual birthday!

***On another note:  football season is back.  After the TV was on nonstop from last Thursday night until Monday night, I could not deny it.  My husband is a football junkie!  And, I am really upset that they put on night games.  He gets so riled up about games (most especially those involving the Tigers from Clemson, SC!) that if the game doesn’t turn out the way  he wants (or sometimes even if it does!), he can’t go to sleep until nearly morning…which is way I am up now at 2:30 writing this blog.  I went to bed before 11 pm.  He tried to come to bed at 1:30 am but woke me up.  He’s back on the couch now.  I’m hoping that blogging will have the same effect on me that reading does at night!  Yeah, I think its working!  Catch you later!

Someone had to have shots!

Since preschool starts for Avery on Tuesday, I was filling out her paperwork last week.  I realized that we never went for her 4 year old checkup.  It wouldn’t be that bad, except that they give what used to be known as the “kindergarten shots” at the 4 year old checkup now instead of the 5 year old one.  So, I called the doctor’s office and set up her appointment for today.  I went ahead and begin preparing her for it on Monday.  She  had a horrible experience at her 3 year old checkup.  She had her finger pricked for the first time and they also did some kind of “tooth varnish” to protect her teeth from cavities.  It was so nasty and she almost vomited for 30 minutes afterwards.  Plus, she doesn’t remember the last shots she personally got, but she has seen Julia have them recently, so she was really nervous about having to get some.  I didn’t tell her that she’d have to have 4!

We got to the appointment and she was doing fine with the hearing and vision screenings…she got a sticker for doing each one of those.  Then, she was weighed (she’s in the 38th percentile for weight) and measured (she’s in the 74th percentile for height).  Then, they pricked her finger without warning her.  Although that was probably the best way, she about had a fit.  The sight of the blood was what bothered her more than the prick!  But, she dried up quickly when the nurse gave her the cup to pee in!  I don’t know why she thinks that is so much fun…when she has to hold her own cup and pee on her hand instead of mine, maybe it will loose some of its appeal!

The doctor went through the 4 year old check list to make sure she was on track…seriously, there should be a list for 4 year olds that have been to preschool and have parents that do their jobs and one for the poor kids that don’t.  Colors, shapes…really!  Even the eye chart was funny to me because they made her read the one with pictures on it instead of the letter chart.  There was a house, an apple, a square and a circle on it.  When the nurse pointed to the circle, Avery said, “O.”  The shots went quickly, but not without much crying.  They did the flu mist first (they all get the mist except Madi because she has asthma  and has to have the shot) but she was already starting to cry then.  Too bad they couldn’t have tag-teamed to do them all at once instead of 4 separate sticks…she did so well getting her ears pierced but it was over all at once.  But, some Tylenol and a milkshake from Cookout(caramel fudge) was enough to make her forget it all!  So glad those are the last ones she’ll have until she starts 6th grade.  Bailey will have to have 5 at her checkup in February…she’ll need a milkshake too!

Avery Sings

We’ve been trying to catch  Avery singing for a while.  She has a CD player in her room and she is known for playing her music really, really loud (like her dad!).  She’ll find something to pretend is her microphone and belt out all kinds of songs.  Bailey was able to get a little bit on video before she realized it tonight.  This is a song we did in our VBS…I’m amazed that she remembered some of the motions.  She is really doing more dancing than singing.  Unfortunately, Bailey didn’t know you can’t turn video upright like you can photos, so you have to turn your head sideways to see it…and you may feel like you’re on a rollercoaster!  But, I think you’ll enjoy it!  Oh, and ignore the room…this is what it looks like when she’s been home with Daddy all day!

Week One–Done!

We finished the first week of  school and so far, so good.  We have the carpool situation working now so that Madi doesn’t have to be at school so early for Bailey to work on the Safety Patrol.  And, even more exciting, I found out one of our neighbor’s has dance with Madi!  I had signed up all 3 girls (Bailey, Madi and Avery) for dance on the same day.  That should have been great, right?!  But, Avery is supposed to be there at 3:15 and that has always been a stretch to get the big girls out of school and get into town by then.   I also didn’t know when I signed her up that the elementary schools were all changing their hours, so they get out 10 minutes later than before.  Avery was 10 minutes late last week.  I knew that wouldn’t work for every week, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it differently.  I have to have Madi with me because her class starts at 4:15.  So, now Thayer will pick everyone up on Thursdays and Madi will ride to dance with our neighbor.  I will already be there because I’ll be able to take Avery and get her there on time.  Once Madi is done at 5:15, we come home for supper and Thayer takes Bailey back at 7:15 while I go to Praise Team practice.  Yeah, it takes rocket science to figure out our schedules!  But, Thursdays seem to be our only crazy day.

I’ll try to remember to take a picture of Avery this week.  She has been so excited about dance that she wears leotards all the time…I’ve had to force her to keep her shoes in the dance bag because she almost scuffed up the floor with her tap shoes and we thought she had lost them ($48 shoes that she only wore to dance class twice!) last Friday, but thankfully, they were just hiding in one of my shoe boxes in my room (along with her new tennis shoes).  She is going to be very, very good at dance if the first two weeks are any indication.

The girls will be trying out for a play in 2 weeks.  This will be the second time all 3 have tried out together.  The last time, they all got parts, so I’m hopeful the same will be the case this time.  I’m not sure how we’ll handle it if 1 or 2 get parts and not all 3.  It is “Miracle on 34th Street” and will held the week before Thanksgiving.  It would be a great way to get into the Christmas spirit…not that I need help in that department!!  But, if they get in, our calendar will be much more full.  But, I’m up for the challenge!

First Day of School ‘09

Today was our first day back.  Everyone had to go today, including me, which means Avery had to go too even though she doesn’t start until Sept. 8.  Aside from horrible traffic this morning and this afternoon, they had had smooth, great days.  Bailey was thrilled to learn she was on Safety Patrol.  I’m not so thrilled since she volunteered to do morning duty and afternoon duty while her friend is in a cast for the first 8 weeks of school.  So, she has to be there 15 minutes earlier in the mornings and stay about 10 minutes later each day.  Madi was even less thrilled…but her time is coming next year and we’ve already done this once for Julia.  I was surprised that the elementary school decided to move the pick up time to 3 pm.  Every other year it has been 2:50.  How am I supposed to pick up at two schools at the same time?  We decided we’d start picking up Julia first since Bailey has to stay later anyway.  Even more of a question is how will we ever get Avery to dance by 3:15 on Thursdays?

Not that I expect I can keep this up, but I was smart enough to have them shower, fix lunches and decided what they wanted for breakfast last night.  I also thawed a roast that I started this morning so our supper is just about ready.   Homework is done and being checked while I type.  Looks like I will have time to get my walk in tonight before dark!  But, before I start thinking “mom of the year,”   I need to remember that dance is on Thursdays and the fall play auditions are Sept. 15.  Maybe I can hold it together for a few weeks anyway!

We’re Back!

We were so glad to be back with our church family this Sunday.  We missed last Sunday while we were vacationing in SC.  Although we had a wonderful, restful time, it was great to get back and see everyone.  I think the break was really good for Thayer…he needed time to recharge!

We had a great membership class today after church and also enjoyed a great night out with our Life Group tonight.  We aren’t officially meeting this year yet (we’ll start the Sunday after Labor Day), but we have had a fellowship in July and August to get to know each other better before we start our Bible studies.  We decided that although we love having our kids right upstairs, we should all go out (Adults Only!) for the August fellowship.  We were missing 3 people, but had 14 meet at Logan’s and we had a blast talking, eating and laughing!  11 of the 17 adults (13 counting us) have been together in group before, either last year or the year before, so we already have some great relationships!  I can’t wait to see what God does in our midst this year!  We love being at church, but Life Groups are where its at!!

The girls are about to have to go to bed…9 pm is super early for the summer, but I’m getting them up around 7:30 tomorrow so that they’ll be ready for the 7 am wake-up call on Tuesday.  I can’t believe the summer is already gone!  We’ll enjoy one more fun day tomorrow and then, back to the grind!  I’m really dreading this year…it will fly by just like all the other ones and this time next year, Avery will be starting school…and I’ll have to go to my 20th high school reunion.  Ouch!

Have a great week everyone!