In the Holiday Spirit?

This year has been so odd for me. I just am not in the spirit. If being in the spirit means, eager to shop, bake, decorate. I do have the tree up, but there are so many more things to drag out from the attic to decorate. Honestly, I don't even want to drag it all out. I think a tree is good enough, isn't it? Well, the stocking's too.

DH is so upset with my faux tree, he's declared war! He's told his coworkers he plans to piss on it! Oh, DH, that is just not nice at all! My tree is just fine. His initial response to Beau's excitement showing him the tree, "Oh, that smells just like a fresh cut tree..." GET OVER IT! A tree is a tree. Only with this one, no mess, no worry to water it, no mess, no struggling with hanging the lights, and, Oh! Did I mention NO MESS?! Personally, I am thrilled with it. I just don't see the point in cutting down a tree, paying $40 for it only to have it dry out, die, and MAKE A MESS IN MY HOUSE! Oh anal, OCD me... Beau and Leah can't wait to get up in the morning to step on this lovely, convenient little pedal/button that turns the tree lights on. They love it! The only thing I don't like, the lights are still, never blinking. I loved the old tree lights, how they had 7 different settings, I loved the slow blink, and fade. Oh well...

I did get the kids' ornaments for this year. Grace is so obsessed with her hair, she got a mini blowdryer/brush ornament. Drew, a talking soccer ball/goal ornament. Beau, cars, as in Lightning McQueen cars. And, sweet little Leah Lou, fairytopia Elina and bibble. My sissy got me my Tinkerbell! THANKS SIS! Every year I get a new tink. I think I have atleast 6 or 7 now.

GIFT REQUESTS ARE IN:














A FEW OF MOMMY'S WISHES:

Go Elf Yourself!

Saw this on the Goody Blog. Hilarious! Check out my ELFS here. Then make your own!

Faux it WILL be

Every year my husband gets a tree that's too tall, brings it into the house, and saws the top off on my living room carpet! This irks me so bad! I hate the mess.

Every year my husband leaves me to take the tree out by myself. I had it last year. The mess was horrendous. Dragging that dry thing out through 2 rooms left me with 2 rooms covered in needles! Our shop vac died on me 1/4 of the way through clean-up, I was left to sweep most of it, just so I could feasibly use my indoor vaccume to clean up the rest. I had a breakdown! I balled my head off as I swept. Never again will I go through that much time cleaning up.

I went out and bought a fake tree. Got a great deal, 75% off, I think I only paid around $25 for a 7.5 ft. pre-lit tree. The EXACT height we need. Ditched all my old, mostly broken glass bulbs in pink/moss green/white, and my angel topper broke. When I bought my tree last year, I also bought a tree skirt, another thing that I purchased for 75% off, I paid under $5 for it. The other day I went and got some new bulbs. This time, a wine red color called woodland, and gold. I still have to find a topper, not too worried about it. And, I'm not done decorating it. I want to try using some ribbon, and bead garland. It looks pretty, and I've never used it before. I think I will only add on my ornaments this year that coordinate, and the kids' annual hallmark ones. Maybe my tinkerbell collection, but that's it.

DH hasn't seen it yet. He told me he was not putting up 'that' tree. Well, DH, I did it for you! Mwahahaha! Faux it is, whether he likes it or not this year!

To be a Mother...

As a mother, you try to do your best to keep your children healthy. And, in almost all ways, succeed if true effort is expended. I am very concerned about my childrens health. Being a Nurse, I know a bit more than the lay person, or Mother. But, sometimes, things still get by my watchful eye. Just as well, I can no better prevent certain things than any other Mother. This said...
My 7 yo dtr has been having episodes of bowel incontinence since early July. She has been hiding her underwear from me in corners of her drawers, wearing the same ones for days at a time to prevent my finding them. She locks the door to the bathroom to prevent me from coming in, and if she forgets, she flushes the toilet before I get close enough to see any results. This is affecting her daily life, her ability to focus at school, and I can see the worry in her face daily. She has had extreme urgency and frequency of urination as well within the past few days. I have talked with her over and over, getting nowhere with her. She doesn't tell me what she needs to. She continues to hold her bowel, and it is now to the point that she has an impaction. The impaction is rather high, in the area of her colon (left abdomen), large, and firm. This was not there just a week or so ago, I had felt her abdomen, it was soft. And, for the past week or more, I have been having her take 1tsp. to 1tbsp. of mineral oil once a day in her juice, and forcing fluids on her. This impaction is what has been recently causing her the urgency and frequency of urination by putting pressure on her bladder whenever she sits down. My dtr does not sit down to eat but 2 bites of a meal before she is up and running to the bathroom. She goes to the BR atleast 2x during a meal, every meal. She is full rather quickly. Her teacher called me at work the other day to tell me she had gone to the bathroom at least 20x in that school day. NOW I KNOW WHY.
So, now I have been instructed by my doctor to continue giving her the mineral oil, but to add to her daily routine a dose of Miralax. Also, to give her an enema, hopefully bringing that impaction down nearer for me to assist her with removing it. Which may even possibly require a suppository as well.
I feel so bad. I feel like it's my fault in some way. But,I know it isn't. I have been doing what I know to do to help her, and urging her not to hold it so that this would not happen. Many kids go through this type of thing, I know. But, I just hate that it is my dtr going through it.
Have any of you Mom's out there had an experience similar to this with any of your kids?

Tagged: 8 Random Things

Sher, my christmas ornament exchange partner, has tagged me for this Meme. To list 8 random things about myself. I may have done this before, or something similar, but here goes.

Instructions: When tagged, you have to link to the person who tagged you. Post the rules just before your list, then list eight random facts about yourself. At the end of your post, you must tag and link to eight other people.

1. I failed my written drivers license test 2 times
2. I grew up wanting to have 10 kids!
3. I have worked in health care for 10 years
4. I love Starbucks coffee
5. My favorite cereal is Quaker OHs!
6. I love gum, my fave is Wrigley's Big Red
7. I have seen Cindi Lauper, Gwen Stefani, Dave Matthews Band, and Brandi Carlile in concert
8. I have used Noxema face wash since I was 13, never straying from it, only switching to the exfoliating one(like you wanted to know that huh? lol)

Ok, now I am supposed to tag 8 people...I'm sure I can't, but I'll try
How about a few of the blogs I stop in to read:
Donna @ Blessings of Love
Margo @ A Mixed Up Momma
Shanilie @ A Mom's Love
Drea @ Fina Drea
Elizabeth @ Pointless Babbling's by M&T's Mom
MotherBumper (she is hilarious!)
The Diva over @ The Domestic Diva (her baby is a doll)
Andrea @ The Laughs will go On

Boycott Golden Compass

I found this video on Comcast news. I rarely watch TV, so I missed this. But, it is worth watching. If you are unfamiliar, The Golden Compass, is a movie based on books written about atheism, and killing God. The intent is to make this movie so appealing to children, and families, unaware that it is loosely introducing the idea of Atheism to your children. The overall goal is to make not just this movie, but sequels 2 and 3, the 3rd movie being the one in which God is killed. This is dependent upon the success of The Golden Compass. All 3 movies being based on books written by Philip Pullman, an Atheist himself. It is so disturbing to think that anyone would candy coat Atheism. I am one Momma NOT taking my children to this movie!

Headed to OR

Yep, headed to the operating room. I'm going to have a cholycystectomy. Not something I enjoy thinking about. But, this is not open surgery, just laparascopic. Hopefully all goes well, and I will be back to 'normal' ASAP. Surgery date is going to probably be 12/10. Same day surgery, few days recovery. Gotta get some help with the kids...

Holiday Photo contest

I entered a Holiday Photo contest at SuperMomz . This is the pic I decided to enter. I changed it up to black and white to take away from the glare the sun had, which had created some blurr to the right of the pic. Please take some time, if you don't mind...Vote for me here!

Pics here already!

I already got my Shutterfly prints of the Holiday Pictures I took this past friday! What an amazing turnaround! I am so happy with them. This was a great experience. I took the kids near to our home to take the pictures, edited them all by myself with Picasa2, then ordered prints in wallet, 4x6, and 5x7 sizes for family directly thru Picasa2, using Shutterfly to process and ship. I spent a total of 13.83, give or take a few cents, including shipping, and got them in 3 days time! Drew said, "Mom, it was much funner having you take our pictures, I hate waiting in line!" And, Beau keeps telling every one about goin' to the forest to take pictures, and wearing his "big man" clothes. I will never go to another studio! Enjoy the pic of Beau making his 'popeye' face...he kept doing this, not sure why! I did not print this one.

Working too much?

I worked back to back, last eve then again this morning. Got to bed my midnight, then up at 5am to go back. I love my job, that wasn't the issue. I am beat, but cannot rest during the day, I just can't. Beau let me know what he thought, "You should not be workin' again Mom! You need to stay home!" Gotta love 'em! I am always home in the morning. Funny how they get so used to that, and how much it disrupts thier routine for me to be gone...

Holiday Pics

I finally got all of the 4 together for some holiday pics. The area I chose turned out to be much muckier than I had thought the closer to the trees we walked, so we had to take many of them far from the trees. But, we had a lot of fun. Nice sunny day, with an icy wind. The kids handled it great though. Beau was quite the character. Very silly faces. You can see a little of it in the pics. I had found the black suit jacket for Beau at Goodwill believe it or not, it was under 2.00. When I got him dressed he kept saying over and over, "I'm a big man!" So cute! I did not post all pictures, but most. I think I am going to use the very bottom row, 2nd pic in from the right, of all 4 of them for the christmas cards. Not for sure yet. Enjoy! Just roll over to enlarge picture.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

*Beau and Leah full of giggles after their "Nap"

We had a wonderul (well, mostly) Thanksgiving dinner. I say mostly since, I had planned the day to include a nap for the little ones BEFORE we left for my Grandma's house, allowing for me to finish cooking, and get ready myself. I did get done what I had planned, the girls had some TV time without B&L taking it over with movie demands. But, as quiet as they were, they DID NOT NAP! I was so mad. I know that when Beau, especially, does not take a nap, he is a terribly mouthy, rude little thing. I was dreading taking him along. I love that boy, but I become so embarassed by his behaviour when he is over tired. And, he said some things I cringed at. I knew he would. Made me so mad, but it was out! I mean, how can I control what he says when he is like this. I have absolutely NO idea what he plans to say, or thinks about, so by the time it comes out of his mouth, it's too late! Sorry Grandma!

Dinner was great, all the kids ate well. And, my Grandpa, who hardly eats anything, actually ate all of his BIG plate of food my Grandma made for him. That made me happy. My Grandpa is getting older, he is having trouble walking around, a big fall risk and he is a very tall man. He has a walker, but he refuses to use it. He still has quite a bit of wit about him, and I'm sure it is partially a pride thing. I see this with a lot of elderly men, as a nurse. They are very proud. Debilitation, physical decline, illness...it often hurts their pride to be placed in a position of being unable to care for themselves as they did before. And, no matter if I were to say to him how important it is to use that walker, I saw him stumbling, he would still refuse.

It is really sad to see your grandparents declining. My Grandpa has alwasy been a very soft spoken man, a very talented man. He was a singer, played, and still does sometimes play, guitar very well. He had a band when he was younger. My kids have always enjoyed listening to him play guitar for them when they were small. Mostly Grace, and Drew remember this. Beau and Leah came along after he stopped playing so much, although, Beau would love it too for sure.

As we were saying grace before dinner, Beau kept giggling. Do any of your children do this? I am bad, I do not say prayers with my kids for every meal, and I really need to get back to taking them to church. I have failed at this. I have gone sporadically, but not regularly as I should, they need it. I need it. I would love for my little ones to be able to recite The Lords Prayer on their own. So precious are they, that HE hath given to me. I Thank the Lord everyday for my children. My Family. I am very blessed, and today, not more than any other, I Thank God for all I have.

Most years, I join that horrendous crowd of extremely rude, and greedy shoppers waiting in line for Target, Fred Meyer, Kmart, or Toys R Us to open up. All the while, freezing my butt off, and wishing I was still in bed. This year, however, I'm not gonna do it! My bed is a much more desirable place to be at 4am anyway. We are totally downsizing Christmas this year as well. I purchased a fake tree last year after my breakdown over all the clean up I ended up doing BY MYSELF, after taking the tree out BY MYSELF! I swore I would never be vaccuming up 2 rooms full of fallen pine needles ever again! Each kid has one 'gotta have it' request, and that's the only thing they will recieve. We are in no hurry to get those items either. So, this black friday, you will find me in my nice warm bed, sleeping while all you other MAD people are freezing your butts off waiting in line for an hour or more, then being pushed around by other MAD shoppers on a mission with their little notepads and pens in hand, cussing at random persons to get out of their way, then standing in line for an hour yet again to check out. No, I won't miss it, not one bit!

Christmas Giveaway at 5minutesformom

5 Minutes for Mom is having a giveaway for a darling Pink Princess pedal car, or retro record player. Check it out here! There are also many other giveaways, up to 13 different things you can win! Worth a try.

Pomegranate 7up?

I indeed did gather up enough energy after my sleepless night to venture out to the grocery store for a few last minute Thanksgiving groceries, and ofcourse, diapers, laundry detergent, foil, air freshener...the list goes on, it always does...

I came across this new, limited edition 7up! I personally, love my pepsi, but I can't seem to be able to drink it as of late. This 7up has the added flavor of pomegranate! I LOVE POMEGRANATE! I just hate the mess it makes when you cut it open. I love to eat the seeds with Christmas dinner. And, it's good for you! It has antioxidants in it. I am going to save this 2 liter for our dinner tomorrow.

Another thing we love for Thanksgiving dinner, if we can't make homemade dinner rolls, is King's Hawaiian rolls. They are so yummy! Something the kids love too! I am getting so hungry for a big Thanksgiving dinner now. I really hope I am able to eat it without any pain coming on.

Update...Yummy Recipe

Had a terrible, sleepless night due to recurrent pain in my chest, spent morning feverish and vomiting ;) I am not too pleasant today. Got call from MD, looks like I have a few gall stones, and so I now have an apptmt to consult with a surgeon.

B&L are demanding something to eat every stinking 10 minutes! What is up with this?

Leah found the diaper rash cream, and, well, she decided she needed some lipstick and lotion on her legs...no pic.

Gotta go pick up a prescription for pain meds to get my by till the appointment on the 28th, and pick up some random food items for Thanksgiving. I hope I can atleast eat some turkey and salad! I am making my MIL's Sweet Potatoe Casserole, recipe below:


4 yams, average size (I use 3 large ones usually)
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk *only if too thick of consistency when mixed
*Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Bake yams whole until soft, then remove from oven, let cool, and peel, chop smaller in bowl.
Add all ingredients except the milk, mix. Add milk, if needed to thin.
Once all mixed together, pour into baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon, bake for 35 Minutes at 350 degrees, add marshmallows on top, then bake a bit longer till marshmallows melt.

This is so yummy! I would never eat yams, or sweet potatoes until I had this the first year I spent christmas with my Husband. The kids even love it!

"It looks like hot chocwat Mom!"

I returned the torn pillow cases, only to find they did not have any more in the same color. Oh well, I did find some that were as close as I could get to the comforter I had chosen. I think it goes well enough. Need some throw pillows to accent, maybe that's where I can toss in some color? I just can't stand floral comforters, I love solids. Same with my clothing. Simple, solid color. What do you think? I like the dark brown color, we had a khaki one before. I like this one a lot better. Kids say it looks like hot chocolate! LOL.

Ultrasound...NEW BEDSET...pics?

Had my abdominal ultrasound today. I'm thinking whatever is going on with me, has nothing to do with my gallbladder or acid reflux. I have had the pain another few days in this past week. It is coming on so randomly, mid chest, sometimes radiating to my back. I was talking to my Grandma, who has esophageal spasms, and everything she experiences with one of her episodes sound identical to what happens to me. I have been taking pain pills to function, but this is not what I want to have to do forever. I will find out the results of my abd U/S in a couple of days. If everything comes back negative, I guess I will then have to see a gastroenterologist to further test me. DH says it's time to trade me in for a newer model...lol.

Being out and about so early thing morning, I went to look for a new comforter. Last winter my down comforter became unusable after my son vomited on it during his illness with c-diff. We have been using a loaner from my Mom until I found one I liked.
I love the colors dark brown, and blue/aqua type blue together. No bed SET I found did anything for me, and it was really hard to find something at Ross in a King size. I finally found a dark brown faux down comforter at Target, then got some new white sheets, very nice 300 TC, and some blue pillow cases for the top pillows. Sort of MOD, I love that look, straight, clean. I was so excited to get home and make my bed, but when I opened the blue pillow cases, one was half the size of the other? and one had a big torn hole on one side...bad Ross deal..needless to say, takin' it back! I hope they have more in the same color!

Sunny day, very cold, but sunny day today. Maybe I'll be able to get those outdoorsy holiday pics done when the girls get home from school!

I get frequent emails from Parent Center, you should take the time to read these articles...
7 Medications you Shouldn't Give your Children
What you Should Keep in your Medicine Cabinet

Crazy 8

I wasn't really tagged per say, for this Crazy 8 Meme, but I am always up for a random blog idea. And, nothing to terribly exciting has happened for me this weekend :(
So, trying my best, here goes...

8 things I am passionate about:
1. Our God
2. My Children...being a Mother is all I thought about in childhood
3. My Husband, well, I try to be passionate
4. My Job ( I love being a Nurse, I was meant to do this work)
5. My Friends, the few I am close to
6. Taking pictures of my Family BY MYSELF, I will never go to another photo studio!
7. Taking care of my Home, Yard
8. Sleep, which I seem to lack in quality and quantity

8 things often said by ME:
1. "Come on!"
2. I Love You...to my children
3. "Good Lord!"
4. "Are you kidding me?!" Beau loves this saying this one.
5. "Stop it!"
6. "Are you serious?" Must say it alot, Leah is now using it on me!
7. "Be quiet!"
8. "Will you calm down?!"

8 books I plan to read, or recently read...
1. Your Bodies Many Cries for Water, by F Batmanghelidj, on loan to a friend right now.
2. Re read, PROTECTING THE GIFT, by Gavin DeBecker
3. The Bible
4. A Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren
5. The Mermaid Chair, by Sue Monk Kidd
6. The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
7. YA YA'S in Bloom, by Rebecca Wells...love the ya ya sisterhood books!
8. To kids, T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, my Grandma Georgia always read it to my sister and I when we were young.

8 Things I want to do before I die:
1. Travel to another country
2. Vacation on an Island
3. Go on a Cruise to Alaska
4. Learn to dance, salsa/ethnic style of dance
5. Build a Log Cabin home, my husband wants one very bad!
6. See my sister marry, and be an Aunt to her children :)
7. See all my children finish college, and marry, be a Grandmother
8. Reunite with "lost" family, see grudges forgotten

8 songs/albums I can listen to over and over...
1. I hope you dance, by Leann Womack
2. Apologize, by One Republic
3. Brandi Carlile, The Story
5. Beautiful Boy, as sung by Celine Dion
6. Dave Matthews Band, Under the Table and Dreaming
7. 1-2-3-4, by Feist
8. I have always liked the B-52's, Love Shack

8 things I look for in friends:
1. Honesty
2. Compatability
3. Cleanliness
4. Fun
5. Nonjudgemental
6. Maturity
7. Kindness
8. Reliability

8 things I've learned over the past year:
1. To let some things go
2. To be more calm
3. That I need to give in a little more, sometimes
4. That I can leave the house without making my bed, I'm a little OCD
5. To spend less, shopaholic talking
6. That I need to pay more attention to my Husband
7. That the preteen drama queen, does indeed desire my approval, love
8. That I 'appear unapproachable', I am more serious now than ever, I guess I need to relax a bit more?

What is THAT?

The preteen drama queen has been searching for a certain purse. I have no idea why she needed another, she has 3 or 4! I have never been one for purses, I hate carrying one, really. But, I carry a very small black one since I have to.
We went shopping, she had her own money, she went off to a store named DEB, and came out with this absolutely hideous giant blue THING! Totally initiated an 80's flashback. I would not be caught dead carring this thing around. She, however, thinks it is the "coolest thing, like...EVER!" She is so one for getting all the attention she can, not a shy one AT ALL. And, she has indeed toted this thing to school everyday since she bought it. To her, well worth the entire $13 she wasted spent. Wonder what she'll think 6 years from now at the age of 18.

Christmas Ornament Exchange

This looks like so much fun! Blogger Donna had this posted in her blog, so I joined in. You can too, just go here and read the instructions on how to join in! You don't have to have a blog to do it, so Mom, go ahead and check it out!!!