One of THOSE Days

It is a rainy, dreary day.

I have a headache I just can't shake.

I feel down in the dumps.

And just to make things interesting...

I opened the paper work* for Chase's appointment tomorrow with the nephrologist. There was a request stating they did not have the results from her recent tests/etc and I should have them faxed over or bring them with me. So I call the pediatricians to see if this had been done as part of the referral. They said no, that I needed to sign a piece of paper in order for them to fax the records [Never mind that I have been there on 3 separate occasions since the referral and they never mentioned my signature even ONCE.] I picked Chase up at school, drove into the office and signed the paper. Only to get home and have the specialists office call and tell me that they were mistaken and already had the records.** [Looks like my signature wasn't needed after all!]

So tomorrow we get to meet our specialist. And of course part of me feels like this is going to be a big waste of time. And then that little nagging voice tells me that there is SOMETHING going on and just wish we had a name for it...

So I am hoping to see some sun tomorrow. Literally and figuratively.

*One thing that did make me smile was page 5 of the questionnaire. Keep in mind that this is a pediatric specialist. These two questions were in this order--
1. Does your child smoke?
2. Is your child toilet trained?

** The specialists office also wants me to collect the first morning urine. I asked what I should collect it in. She answered "Oh, anything with a lid." Yeah. That sounds sterile.

So What?

So, it was in the 80's this weekend and today started out in the 70's and now it is 45 and raining.
We used the air conditioning last night, and I am guessing that the furnace will be on tonight.

That's just Spring in Ohio.

So, Mark had his alarm set for 5:55 this morning.
At the loudest possible setting.

That's just my my life some mornings.

So, once I am awake, I'm awake.

That just gave me the opportunity to enjoy this:

Flowering Apple Tree in the back yard.

and this:

Flowering Pear Trees on our tree lawn.

And yes, I was wandering my street with a camera in my pjs.

Just Wondering

This is going to be a random thought post... of all the things that have been nagging at me this weekend...

If you try to pay your bills online and the bank website is unavailable and it delays me paying my bill on time, should the bank waive the late fee? [Somehow I think they will tell me I should have done this earlier in the week... but I had to wait for payday. Ugh.]

Why is it that my husband [and my MIL] refer to any time he watches the kids as BABYSITTING. I would refer to it as PARENTING.

If I have pity on my MIL and accompany her to a church tea party and hat demonstration. [Yes, you read that correctly.] And said husband babysits, and later in the evening he suggest that I rub his feet for payment for babysitting so I could have an afternoon outing, do I have permission to totally lose it? [I nearly popped my top.]

Why in the world is the stretch of Bissel Road near Waldon 25 MPH? It suddenly goes from 45 to 25 and back again for no other apparent reason than to be speed trap. [No, I did not get a ticket, but I could anytime, because most times I forget and go 40.]

Not to be TOTALLY snarky. But, SERIOUSLY!. Just being outside is not a green light to smoke. If I am stuck in a long line buying mulch at Marc's and you are directly in front of me, and you bump my daughters HEAD getting your smokes out of your pocket. And then light up and blow smoke in my face and nearly drop ash on my other daughter's head, don't get all disgusted with ME when I ask you [as politely as I can given the circumstances] to either step out of line or put out your smoke.

How is it that a few inches of mulch can transform a flower bed from looking horrid to great. After all, it is just shredded trees. But WOW. It really works.

And when Did BW3s lose the 3rd W? [and what did it stand for in the first place?] Now they are just Buffalo Wild Wings. And when did it transform into the FAMILY hangout? Not that I am complaining... the girls LOVE the mini corn dogs [that come with Art tattoos!]. I enjoy the Honey BBQ wings. Mark enjoys full sports immersion. I'm just saying...

Dishing it up

Monday
City Chicken
Rice Pilaf
Parmesan Almond Asparagus

Tuesday
Fried Rice and Tofu

Wednesday
Crock Pot Chicken Divan
Whole Wheat Egg Noodles

Crock Pot Chicken Divan- with a twist.
We went GREEN for Earth day. [Well, the food was green!]

This is a VERY tasty dish-but as my hubby says, and pardon the language- "It looks like a@#."

It is not the prettiest looking dish, but there were NO leftovers. And very empty bowls. So there. Just don't stare too closely at what you are eating. *LOL*

There are TONS of this recipe online. Here was my version. And SO tasty. And a little less sludgy looking then when made in the past. [Since it was not only broccoli]

4 boneless Skinless chicken breasts
1 bag frozen broccoli and cauliflower florets [most recipes call for only broccoli]
1 small bunch of celery, cubed
1 cup cut up [in my case left over and needing to be used] asparagus
1 can 98% Fat free Cream of Mushroom soup. [most recipes call for Cream of Chicken or Celery]
1 cup of mayo or salad dressing. [I used fat free miracle whip]
Dash of Garlic
Dash of Curry

Place Chicken on the bottom. Then veggies. Then the soup/dressing/seasoning mix. Cook on high for about 5 hours. This is one that you probably want to be home for the last hour or so of the cooking. It needs to be stirred a bit.

Serve over egg noodles. Eat by candle light. It looks better that way! But tastes great no matter how you eat it!

Thursday
Shrimp Aglio e Olio
Whole Wheat Pasta
Salad
Birthday Cake!
[We took a cake over the the in-laws to celebrate Grandma Marge's 70th Birthday.]

Friday
Taco night

Simple Things

Earth Day.

A reminder that we live on a great planet and have been tasked with a great responsibility.

Now, I know that I do not always do as much as I should.

But even a few simple things, over time, can make a big impact.

So I thought that I would make a quick list of some SIMPLE things:

I recycle as much stuff as I can. [As a testament to this, my neighbor complained to the city that I often have TOO MANY things in my recycle bins. Of course, some of those things are ones that we collect when on walks. If the other neighbors would get their acts together... ]

I bring my own bags. [For some reason this baffles most checkers and baggers. I actually had a checker this week ask if I HAD to use my own bags. It was busy and she thought it would slow down the line too much.]

I have replaced chemical cleaners with things like white vinegar. [Just don't make the mistake I did last week when I decided to clean the dishwasher and left the vinegar in while I was at work. I came home to a house that smelled like we were coloring Easter eggs.]

I buy things with recycled content - toilet paper, aluminum foil, and trash bags. The cost is about the same, and if it helps even just a little bit...

Start adding up everyone's little things and great things can be done.

Similes and Metaphors

Ellis is working on mastering our, every crazy, English Language.

And it is charming. But sometimes just a little off. [I suppose depends on who you ask.]

Today has been full of similes and metaphors. Maybe everyday is and I just noticed because they were just a little off.

This morning as we snuggled together in a chair reading a book:
E: Mommy, we are as cozy as popcorn and hot chocolate.
M: Hmmm?
E: I am popcorn! [As she pops up to her feet.] And you are hot chocolate. But we need marshmallows. Zack! [She yells for the cat.]

I am not sure that we have ever had this combo. Or if it would even taste good together... Anyone?

This evening:
E: Mommy, I need whipped cream. Right in my mouth.
M: Why?
E: I want to be just like a bumble bee!
M: Why would that be like a bee?
E: Some bees have that in their hives.
M: Do you mean honey?
E: Some bees don't like honey. They like whipped cream instead. Don't you know???

Bath time offered another:
E: Now I am as clean as a strawberry pie and a pink cupcake.

I personally have never considered those the epitome of cleanliness, but I do like my food to be clean! [Maybe she is on to something with this one.]

Have I mentioned that her thinking on things might be just a little off?

And I love it!

MckLesson

MckMamma is going to have a lot on her plate this week. Looks very much like Stellan will be having his heart surgery this week, after all.

But in the spirit of "Not Me" Monday--Stellan style, I will post just a few things...

I did not use my Facebook status to try to recruit the running team headed to Boston to carry Stellan's name across the finish line.

I was not totally irritated that no one from our local running club took me up on the suggestion.

I was not just a little happy that I did recruit a few new prayer warriors for the cause.

I was not brought to tears most days that I read updates on Stellan this week.

I did not feel just a little guilty that I have been praying so diligently for this little boy--perhaps more than for my own little ones--and dedicated an entire evening to praying for my own family.

*One thing I WILL be doing this week is praying for this boy, his family-- and lesson learned-- my own.

Gun Fire

Happy Patriots' Day.

This holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. This was the first armed conflict between Great Britain and the colonies. Emerson called the first shot fired by the colonies the "shot heard around the world."

Today, Mark will be running his umpteenth* Boston Marathon to celebrate. Bib 1171--should you care to follow. The starting gun will fire at 10AM EDT. By 1PM I expect the beer to be flowing.

Cheers.

*Perhaps I should be a little more accurate here... this is Mark's 16th Boston Marathon. An accomplishment to qualify year after year.

Dishing it up

I had all kinds of plans. And this is what happened instead.

Monday
Steak
Sauteed Portabella Mushrooms with garlic and butter
Baked potatoes with cheese and sour cream
Salad

Tuesday
Mark ate Chipotle after his track work out.
Chase ate Spagettios.
Ellis ate pink grapefruit and a yogurt.
I ate a yogurt and sourdough pretzels.
It was just one of those nights.

Wednesday
Poached Salmon with capers and dill
Spinach and Carrots sauteed with garlic
Bow tie pasta (Mark insisted the carbo loading start... this was a last minute addition)
Salad

Thursday
Whole wheat spaghetti
Homemade sauce
Meatballs
Veggie plate (celery and carrot sticks with blue cheese dressing for dipping... I didn't realize I was out of lettuce until dinner was almost ready to go)

Friday
Mark on his way to Boston
Pizza with friends!

In the Dark Night

What keeps you up at night?

I seem to have an endless list these days. Mostly the typical worries we all have-- work, bills, kids, health [and this week add TAXES.] And of course I have that added occasional middle of the night call for "MOMMY, I need a drink... Need to use the potty... ________" And there was that random strange call in the middle of the night from my DAD that was... him calling the wrong number... at 2am... [Thanks Dad. I thought someone had been in an accident, or died.]

But in addition to all those normal things that lead to sleep interuptis, we have had a new one at our house this week.

SHARKS.

Chase woke up at 3am on Tuesday morning, screaming and hysterical, because there were sharks in her bed. And sharks in her blankets [they came with her when she climbed into bed with me. She threw her blanket across the room and they moved into my closet.] They were biting her. She screamed and cried for 2 straight hours. NOTHING, and believe me--I tried, could convince her that there were no sharks in the house.

The sharks came back the next night, too.

Last night was shark free. I woke this morning to daylight, and was surprised and PLEASED.

I really needed that uninterrupted sleep.

SHARK free dreams [both of the Chase variety and the worry variety!]

And, hoping to keep the sharks at bay....

A Little Bubbly

Things have been a little stressful this past week.

Work is having a rough, slow patch. Which means I am having a rough, slow patch and scrambling to find some billable projects. I need to keep working. [I do see a small glimmer of hope on the horizon, though.]

The Easter holiday, as fun as it was, added to the craziness of preparing for, and participating in lots of activities.

And then, there is that looming tax deadline [and my total procrastination this year]... need I say more?

All this could drive a girl to drinking...


Maybe just one glass...


Maybe even something a little...


Bubbly!



She makes me feel better--every time!

Pretty in Pink

Chase refused to be in the family picture with us.
We tried. We really tried.

Last Minute

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! hosted by MckMama. You can head over to her blog check out what everyone else have not been doing this week.



I did NOT nearly throw the phone out the window. And did not want to put my hand through the computer screen because I could not access some information that I need to complete my taxes. And that would not in ANY way be my fault because I was waiting until the last minute to do taxes.

I did not iron my husband's shirt and the sashes on the girl's Easter dresses using my flat iron. [and it did not work TREMENDOUSLY well] And my husband would not have walked past the bathroom, seen what I was doing and been grossed out, because after all, I use that iron on my hair. And I would not have told him to get over it or iron it himself.

Egg Hunt

The Four Season's Community Park Egg Hunt.

Low key. Small Crowd.

Just my kids' speed.

Dishing it up

Monday
Pad Thai with Shrimp [for Mark] and Tofu [for the ladies]
Salad

Tuesday
Mark was at the track, and getting Chipotle... I think Chase ate Spaghetti O's, Ellis had yogurt and grapefruit, and I ate yogurt and sourdough pretzels. Sometimes you need a day like this...

Wednesday
Marinated Balsamic Vinaigrette Chicken Breasts
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Salad

Thursday
Poached Salmon with Hollandaise
Brown Rice Pilaf
Asparagus with Hollandaise
Salad

Friday
Steak
Portabella Mushrooms with Garlic Butter
Baked Potatoes
Salad

The Good, The Bad, and the Mysterious

Quick update on Chase's medical tests.

The good news:
All of her hormone levels and blood calcium levels have come back normal. This rules out most of the really scary stuff.
Chase came back clear for allergies. At least all the basic environmental and food ones.

The bad [and mysterious] news:
Chase's urine tested positive for high levels of blood. She was not even having a flare-up of symptoms when the test was done. We will be seeing a Nephrologist on May 1st to investigate further.
Since we can no longer blame her perpetually stuffy nose [nearly 365] and snoring on the cat--or my lack of dusting-- and the two week test of Claritin® didn't touch the symptoms [in case the allergy scan missed something] we are back to not having a clue. Obviously, she does not have a cold ALL the time.

I'll let you know if, and when, we get any answers...

Danger Zone

"Out along the edges
Always where I burn to be
The further on the edge
The hotter the intensity"*

Sad but true. When I first saw Ellis [who to my previous knowledge was drowsy and in bed] BOUNCING at the top of the stairs in the dark [you can't tell this because apparently the flash works REALLY well] and wearing sunglasses, I thought


"Whoa, Danger Zone." [and the tune popped into my head and STUCK there.]

She is just a wild and crazy girl. Determined to give her parents heart attacks. I was so happy that the THUMP, THUMP, THUMP down the hall was not followed by a THUD at the bottom of the steps.

Keeping my eyes on this one...

*Danger Zone, Top Gun Sound Track

Serenade

Ellis has been serenading me all morning. She follows me from room to room... and has been singing the same song. One of her own making.

What mom wouldn't love this???



Ignore Chase Booing in the background! What a stinker...

Time Warp

Apparently I drive a time machine.

At least that might be the conclusion one might make after listening to Chase on this afternoon's ride. We were driving to meet up with Mark's cousins from Arkansas. We were meeting at a restaurant in Independence, so it was a bit of a drive. I decided to go the scenic route-- as we approached Macedonia, Chase started a commentary...

C: Whoa! What's going on here. Looks like we are in the 1950's. Is this a time machine, or what?

A few minutes later.

C: This is definitely the 1980's. Maybe '88. What do you think Ellis?

E: Meow. [Sounded like a meow of agreement, to me.]

A few minutes later.

C: What is going on here. Looks like we are in 1991. '91, I tell you!

Mommy decides to interject.

M: Chase? Do you know what year we live in?

C: No.

M: Right now it is April of 2009.

C: WHAT? Are you CRAZY WOMAN??? There is just no way. Absolutely NO WAY.

There are days that I feel exactly that way... how did we ever get to here?

Dishing it up

Wow... it was a total slacker week for me...

Monday
Leftovers from the Kam Bake [I wish he cooked for us more often!]:
Chinese Green Beans and Pork Tenderloin Dish
Shitaki and Wood Ear Mushroom Dish
Cornish Game Hen
Brown Rice
Salad

Tuesday
A long day at work... and I burned the homemade spaghetti sauce I had in the crock pot[I got home 2 hours later than expected.] I was bummed.
DiGiorno to the rescue.

Wednesday
Take two on the homemade sauce
Whole wheat spaghetti
Meat sauce
Salad

Thursday
Grilled Chicken Breasts
Mushroom Rice Pilaf
Parmesan Almond Asparagus
Salad

Friday
Leftover Spaghetti
Salad

Spring Concert

Chase's Spring Concert [her first school concert of any type, really] was this morning at 9:25 AM. Thought that was strange timing. There were about two dads and a few sprinklings of grandfathers, but for the most part, we were an audience of moms and small children. Ellis was trying to hide from the 1 year old that wanted to sit on MY lap. And no. That child had never seen me before!

I won't make you suffer through all four songs that her class sung--but this one was cute so I thought I would share. Disregard the few sudden shakes. That was Ellis climbing into my sweater and trying to hide her head in my armpit.

Evidence

Milestone

It is official. Chase lost her first tooth.

I just noticed it.

It is a bottom front tooth. Chase was complaining that it was very wiggly last night at bedtime. And now it is gone. There is NO sign of it anywhere. I checked the bedding. [I got Chase up, dressed, and out the door this morning in 7 minutes... I did not look at her teeth!] I suspect that she swallowed it in her sleep. This makes me a little sad, because I wanted to save this tooth... but I am not interested in investigating what I would have to in order to find the tooth [would you? really?]

So we are all a little bummed.

Chase wanted to play the tooth fairy game.

I asked if maybe the Tooth Fairy came and stole it out of her mouth last night [A suggestion that went over like a ton of bricks.]

But maybe I could sneak a quarter under her pillow for her to find at bedtime...

No Fooling...

Chase slept in her own room last night. And slept the ENTIRE night.

I got my hair into a pony tail for the first time since October. It wasn't much on one, but it got the job done.

We ate fortune cookies for breakfast. And I don't feel badly about it.

I saw a Gas Company worker, at the neighbors house, using his leak detector and SMOKING.

After combing the ENTIRE house--looking under every bed--searching for Chase's missing school library book, I asked at story time at Aurora's library and they had the book there waiting for someone to claim it. It had been there almost a MONTH. [Took a while for the school to tell me that it was due back...]

And it isn't even noon.