more progress

I got some drywall work done, and I painted all of the kitchen with the first coat of paint. I'm happy... even though I didn't get everything done that I had hoped. It snowed... I slept in, then we had a play date for the boys at the park, and to top things off I needed a tool that I know I own it just turned invisible today... so with all of that I did not get to the trim in the bathroom. I did price some counter tops while at Lowe's and Home Depot... tax return will hopefully cover it! I think even though we know it will be a grand more cost wise we are going to go with this counter top called Ice Stone. It's totally resistant... to our type of family, or and here's the really cool thing, it's made out of recycled glass and concrete so like 75-80% is recycled... very mother earth of us, very green!

I'll post pics tomorrow or maybe over the weekend because my computer is currently out of commission due to moving my desk around to paint!

Chinese New Year

yesterday was the Chinese New Year... and for this year I adopted it. I had goals, but as we all know I got sick... money had to be spent on meds, food of the carbohydrate varity had to be eaten with those meds, and staying in bed as much as possible surely doesn't get one exercise. So it's a new year! So far I've been very good with eating, and while I spent some money on the CC yesterday it was a pre-arranged outing for the little man. I even exercised yesterday... hurt a little today so I thought I'd take it easy.

Looks like snow, feels like snow... hey it's snowing, and our appt at Hopkins for the little guy was canceled. This is good for two reasons, A) if anyone calls out at work I can possibly get some additional needed hours, and B) Should be able to get all my painting done tomorrow even if I work. Maybe some more trim work in the bathroom can get done and certainly we can get the sink hardware installed! Today we got the entertainment section up and filled.

Not really reading anything at the moment... a parenting book called setting limits for your strong willed child. It's so difficult to read non-fiction though... sleeping is so much more enjoyable!

Progress

So over the last 2 weeks we did have some progress on our humble abode. As you can see the bathroom now has a tile on one half, and we are in the process of installing the sink, toilet is in, and the wall trim is complete around this area. I still have to paint a little and finish up the wall shelf behind the sink with the appropriate size wood! We also got the final piece of our new kitchen appliances installed... the microwave. We wish we had gotten around to it sooner, but the old one worked enough for us to get by. The new one is sooooooooooo quiet. Anyway this week we hope to get some painting done, and the sink
completely in. I'm going to talk to my plumber friend about the tub... hopefully we can get started on that. Maybe work on the paint in the kitchen... and I've got some decorating/storage ideas that need to be measured out. I also took a trip with Mom to Ikea this weekend and got the much needed Cd/DVD rack for the living room, so hopefully we can get that up and stuff moved around to make more space for family games in the entertainment center. Also got some magazine holders so I can make that look much neater! I got some cool planters too that I'm going to fill with lettuce... fresh lettuce, fresh salad yum!

BEFORE

It was a beautiful day, temps in the lower sixties, us Morris' suffering greatly from cabin fever had to get out. We went to the city park where the little guys had so much fun. They chased ducks, posed for pictures for Mama. Ran around a lot, the little guy always following his big brother around. I let them throw snow balls at me which they loved. We saw a train chugging down the tracks, and tooting it's horn.
The little man tried to explain to the little guy that the big white ducks where really swan's... that is the first time he has acknowledged that... and he was trying to teach his brother that. What a perfect day.
And then...

AFTER

And then we went shopping at the craft store where we definitely got more than we wanted. With two boys comes chasing, running, squealing, fighting, yelling... and today's adventure called for pushing. Dunno why the little man pushed the little guy, but he did and the the guy landed chin first into a fixture at Michael's slicing his chin about an inch in length and between a 1/4 of an inch and 1/2 deep. Took me a good hour to get out of the store, between the kind off duty paramedic that helped me and the moronic manager whom made me fill out an incident report before I left to get to the ER. At the ER we had another wonderful experience, we could not even have our name put in until I produced my physical insurance card or paid nearly a grand up front. Our insurance company is great in many ways, covering all of the little guys medical PKU needs, but they only gave us one insurance card years ago and the hubby demands he keeps it in his wallet. So after waiting for a over an hour for a copy of it faxed to the ER, they finally would take us. Lucky for the little man and me grandpa came soon after we got there and took him home and put him to bed... where he will stay all weekend, except to go to the bathroom! Luckier for the little guy the cut was clean and straight so no stitches they crazy glued him back together:) As he told grandma who was very concerned... "Good as new"

the new additions

Still slightly tender but all in all not too painful. I'm really digging the hoops in the ear, and while I've been dying to get my eyebrow pierced for months... years really, I have to say that while I like the way it looks, I didn't factor in one small thing. It's on my eyebrow, therefore I can see it in my peripheral vision and it's driving me crazy! Hubby says I have to keep it for at least 6 months... reverse torture... but who knows maybe he has a point, maybe by then I won't notice it as much.

Knock on wood

I feel almost well... kinda afraid to even say it. I still have a lingering cough, and the asthma has had some bad spells, but overall I'm feeling like 90%. That's a good thing! The little guy has had some bad episodes... two coughing fits this week that turned into projectile vomit sessions... last nights happened all over me... karma... I really wonder what I've done in my past lives. Hopefully I wasn't hitler or someone really bad like that.
I've got to get a second job, the gap has put me on as seasonal and borders has cut back as much as possible... yeah I need another job. Trying to think/decide where to apply, I did apply at Starbucks but haven't heard anything. I'm thinking pizza... maybe I should see if Walden's in the mall is hiring... I wonder if I could do that. Guess I'll start looking around this weekend, hubby thinks I should apply at Wallyworld (walmart) but I don't know, I hear really good things or really bad things.
Let's see I've been reading and reading... I finished Marley and me and I really liked it, then I moved on to a murder mystery... Chelsea Cain- Heartsick... very good, will have to get the next one, and now I'm reading the Interior by Lisa See... also very good... mystery in Asia yeah odds were I'd like it! I've also borrowed a live better book, mainly it sold me on one recipe I flipped to - oatmeal with pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spices and brown sugar... come on any book that mentions those in combination definitely deserves a go... I think the title is Small changes Better life... I'll write more on it later!

New Years Goals

Well I'm still sick, yet another visit to the Dr's confirms that I still have infections in my upper and lower respiratory systems... more antibiotics... yum-no! If I can't work on my New Years Goals then I'll just have to work on the little guys. He had a list from Johns Hopkins... we as bad parents have been letting him slide on some things but so far I'm doing well with him on 3 out of 4 things. He isn't getting bottles anymore, every time he has to drink "milk" I give him a sippy cup! There have been no binky's during waking hours. We are working on feeding himself and increasing his textures. I also fought and he will be seen by a swallow specialist, yes some
of the gagging is him refusing his food, but some is textures. The one thing I am being bad about is potty training... it's so cold and he is only good about it if he is naked. Oh well... we still have 8 months till school!

Working Vacation

Well I thought I'd try to get a few pictures of the floor, but they aren't as impressive as I thought they would be... however here is proof that I a) am working on my bathroom, and b) I will never be any good at math. I obviously did not get how much 10 square feet actually covers. I only had enough grout for 1/3 of the floor, when I thought I'd have enough for all that is so far tiled. And I went with the expensive industrial stuff, that doesn't have to be sealed and lasts for 25+ years... another bucket was financially okay... but now I'm looking at 4-5 more... silly me! On the flip side... I will never use anything else again... what an excellent product... smooth flowing, easy to spread... just like butter!

Looks like I'll be going to Lowes tomorrow!

We will have to wait until tomorrow to get the toilet back in place too... and maybe the sink can go in on Friday... I guess I did not get everything accomplished that I had hoped, but it's a good start. Now I have to start thinking more about the tub... and it's plumbing.

Buggy

That's my son's name for my new car... Buggy... kinda cute. I forgot to mention that he threw an absolute tantrum when he thought we were not buying it. He didn't understand we could go get it at another time, 4 year old minds need things now, not later... hmmmmmmmm... maybe I'm still 4 yrs old. Anyway yesterday we journeyed into Fredeneck and made the trade, said goodbye one final time to Pepi, and had "fun" at the MVA. Just me and the little guy, we had a great day of it. Right now it is getting a few little upgrades, new radio/Cd player and a remote start... I have an automatic, gosh darn it I'm not freezing anymore in the mornings!!!!!

We missed our Appt at Johns Hopkins yesterday the little guy woke up coughing, but I think he just didn't want to wake up yet! He was fine 4 hours later! I did get the rest of the tile down, and the hubby fixed the toilet wax ring issue and reinforced the floor around the toilet. Hopefully it won't rock quite as much reducing any leaks over time! Tonight I have to work on grouting, which I'm finding won't be so easy as I had hoped, some of the mortar spilled up through the tiles, so I have to go get a tool to fix that. Yeah I know crazy I don't own one!

Time to retire Pepi

So yesterday the first day of my mini vacation was adventurous. We went into fredeneck so I could get my eyebrow pierced... I've been trying to get this done forever (now I have to come up with a way to hid it from work for 3 months, thank goodness for longer bushy hair) Yeah well I ended up with the eyebrow, the tragus and the rook (both on weird ear parts) First though to kill some time we had been window shopping at cars, we need to replace Pepi... she needs about a grand worth of work, to maintain, not including the rust issue we have started, and she just hit 100000 miles. I've had Pepi almost 6 years... I love her... but we past by my 3rd top choice in dream cars, and it drove nice, and the price was acceptable and we can work it into the budget for a few months before the hubby sees some money he is expecting. All said and done today I will be picking up a navy metallic convertible beetle, black top and black interior. It's much smaller, but the boys are getting beyond the stroller way of life and next year the little man will be gone all day at school. It is used so it's life expectancy for me should be 3-4 years and then for the boys I'll have to look for something bigger for sports and friends for them. I guess a 1974 BMW2002 in hunter green will be out of the question!

On other news as planned when we got home we prepared to work on the bathroom downstairs. Hubby grabbed up the toilet and moved it away took care of the wax ring for me because I am scared of it, and periodically swept for me as I prepped the floor. I got the tile completely around the toilet laid down, some trim work up, and a good cleaning in. Today we are hoping to get the sink in place, and the toilet will be put down in a few hours. Once I get home from a few errands I'll be grouting away. Tomorrow I will paint bathroom and kitchen, and work on the backer board for the tub, and the vents we are making for the heating. I need the tub supply parts before I can really get started on the area around there.

Single parent syndrome

I'm not a single parent but it sure feels like it. Because the hubby always works weekends we never get to do any family things together... today is a perfect example... the little man had a birthday party to go to and I had the dilemma; to either not go, try to go by myself with both boys, or to enlist help from Miss Lisa. Did I mention it was a rollerskating party and neither of them have ever tried to roller skate. Oh thank heaven for Miss Lisa! I'm impressed because both boys did very well for the first time out... they looked like they were being tortured, and the little guy cried to go home... but they hardly fell and after the little man got some food into him he wanted to roll some more! Now they are both begging for skates... we shall have to see about that, although living at a dead end street and having a large unused parking lot across the street does make for a great skating adventure. Miss Lisa took pictures since I forgot my camera, so when I get them I'll post them.

On other notes while grocery shopping this evening I found out that the little man can be very helpful... which in turn keeps him busy and stops some of the chaos of shopping. He also put stuff away when he got home... I see another chore in his future!

It's Christmas

Here are some pictures from Christmas as promised!

Back to the doctor

Okay woke up still feeling crappy. Called the doctor, made an appt., went to appt to hear "by the way your strep results came back negative... we don't know what you have, sure looks like strep, but it's not" On top of the cough(with blood) the constant nose blowing(with blood) the earaches, the sore throat like you can't imagine(turning down chocolate sore) I now have a new and interesting symptom, any time I sleep even dozing for a few minutes I wake up with pink eye like symptoms that go away if wash them with warm water. Crazy. On the bright side my boss kindly used some of my vacation and personal time to make up my lost hours... had to use them by the 31st anyway! I think I'm getting 4 days off next week with a bonus day somewhere after that... truly hoping to make some headway on the first floor bathroom. But I need to take things easy at least until Monday so hopefully I can get better! I do need to upload and post Christmas photos though... that will be light house work for tomorrow.

the force is not so strong in this one

okay I still can't really talk which made for an interesting day back at a retail work place. My co-worker who shall remain nameless so I can kick his butt later when he's over pneumonia, has dubbed me Yoda. I had some interesting reactions, I tried to ask one guy if he needed help and I swear he jumped back 2 feet, another lady who called told me only to answer if I had too- so I hung up on her when we did not have the product... just kidding, but I wonder if that would have gotten the point across? Other people actually found other employees to help them... and they wonder why customer service levels have dropped, could it be that forcing an employee back to work while still deathly ill might not be as customer friendly as it seems!

I am in ways feeling better, but in others not so much, then I read up on my drug De Jure it seems that it should only be prescribed when all else has failed or for extreme infections, it apparently produces extreme diarrhea that could be fatal to patients; the pill books direct quote. yeah... somehow I'm looking forward to 8 more days of this pill... wonder how I get the Dr note for that, or perhaps I'll just bring in a sample!

ughhhhhhh...

Wow it's amazing how sick I am. I haven't been able to work out at all... or eat right... actually since the wonderful Dr prescribed me something over the phone and faxed in work notes on a Sunday for me I should not complain, but he prescribed something that I'm allergic to and there for have to eat lots of bread products to to alleviate the side effects. Of course I will admit that I'm feeling slightly better! The hubby is finding my illness kinda funny as I can no longer talk... I think he is enjoying himself. Who knew you could have complications from strep... actually here again I should have remembered this is what set off one of my dearest friends to a too close to call a near death experience. I'm just glad I'm not in the hospital as of yet and since I'm feeling better I think it can be avoided. Sad thing is I haven't seen my kids for more than a total of an hour since last Wed night... cool thing is they actually miss me and cling to my legs when I surface for a minute or so.

Found a great new author, thank you Miss Lisa, Charlaine Harris... she has all of these vampire books out, and no I was totally not going to read those but I noticed she had two mystery series so I borrowed one to see how her writing was and I finished Grave Sight in one day, and I've started on Grave Surprise today... hoping to finish that tonight so I can get the next one in the series. I also have read The Exile by Pearl S Buck... my favorite author, in the last week. Since she has passed away and although she literally wrote over a hundred books I do like to space out how many I read a year. It was very sad but also very interesting.

Happy...ugh...New... hack,hack...Year...sniffle

That's right folks, after an amusingly interesting New Year's Eve I woke up in pain, horrible pain... not the deserved I drank too much pain ( which I had not done), but the pain of being horribly sick with a mega sinus infection... oh but it was New Years day so I couldn't get to a doctor. By 9:45pm I was shaking so bad and had a 101 fever after taking advil and tylenol. So off to the doctor early on the 2nd and so I entered 2009 with strep. I'm still horribly miserable... I had it once when I was a child... I don't remember it being this bad, but then again I had my mommy to take care of me!

I want my mommy!!!!!!!

Lets hope and pray the boys do not get this, all I need with the little man off to school again on Monday is him having to miss school, and it would majorly set the little guy back on his drug schedule... which by the way I don't think I mentioned; we are measuring grams of protein instead of milligrams of PHE!!!!!