Return of "the Bug"

Stomach bug that is. Or is it? Scott's teacher called this morning to say he wasn't feeling well. He is not one to "fake" at school (although at home may be another story), but I will say that since he had the bug a few weeks ago, he's been a bit super sensitive to slight feelings of tummy unrest and seems to confuse nausea with the simple need to "go".

His teachers felt it best he come come home since we was very upset and kept running to the bathroom so here we are at home. We've been here for a while now and have yet to get sick, so I'm not so sure it's a real bug. But he does still seem out of sorts, not that typical "fake it till you get home and then miraculously recover". Guess we got an early start to our weekend!! Hope he feels better soon! And if it IS a bug, hope he doesn't SHARE!!!

Impromptu Date Night

Hubby and I found ourselves in the nice situation tonight. Sara went on a sleepover and the neighbor offerred to keep Scott for a few hours so we could go out dinner....alone! Oddly enough, we both passed on the offer at first. It's kinda nice to spend time with the kids one at a time. Scott is a totally different child when he doesn't feel the need to compete for attention. But he was also feeling sad and wanted a playdate since Sara got to spend time with friends so we took them up on it.

We decided to have an early dinner and enjoyed a great dinner at the Japanese steak house. We got a regular table rather than sitting at the grill. It was wonderful! I hadn't had this food in ages! But I ate WAY too much! We had a great time just talking. Normally when we go out, we don't really talk....just eat and stare around the room. But tonight it felt so comfortable. It's been a long time since I felt so connected. What a great day!!

Make Your Own Weather

I've been making changes in my life. I'm making a concerted effort to be more positive--focusing on the things over which I have control--basically ME. I have spent too long listening to the negative voices in my head and their impact on my life and the lives of my family is no longer acceptable. I had let my Faith fall and forgotten to hand it all up to God.

Stephen Covey says you must make your own weather. Each and every day, I have the choice to find the bright spots, the Sunny spots 0r to dwell on the dark things, the Clouds. I've seen how staying positive and in control of my emotions can influence how my day goes with my family, my friends and, well basically everything.

So to celebrate and commit to this new approach to my life where I strive to promote the positive and silence those negative voices, I am changing the name of my blog to Sunny, With a Chance... As we make our own weather, each day has the chance to be a great day and with God's help, it will be.

Oh What a Night!!!

But it wasn't Late December back in '63. It was last Friday night. You may well remember we have been fighting the tummy yuks here on the homefront. Sara had it 2 weeks ago and Scott had it last week. It's been a weird virus that hits hard with the nausea for a day then kinda hides behind a general bellyache and lack of appetite before swooping in for the kill 3 days later with the lower GI woes.

Well, Friday night, NO ONE in the house wanted me to sleep!! Sara woke up just as I got in bed about midnight. A drink of water and reassurances and she was back to sleep. I lay on the couch for a while to make sure she was down. After about a half hour, the Hyper Dog started to whine in the garage. Now this dog rarely makes a sound so this was odd. And if you remember, SHE was sick last week too!!! She continued to whine off and on until about 2AM so I got out of my nice warm bed to go outside in the cold with her. Poor thing pee'd a river but went right back to bed.

So now it is 2:30am and I hear, "Mommy!!" It was Scott, who also sleeps like a rock. "My tummy hurts really bad!!!" This is when the tummy bug delivered the finally blow with the lower GI flood. Poor guy!! Finally got him back into bed by 3:30 and I just collapsed on the couch for the rest of night. I don't think I slept more than a hour at a time that night! And I'm still exhausted!!! I hate this time of year!!

Deja vu

Ever get up, get showered, get ready for work............... and then wake up and realize you have to do it all over again???

Let's Party!!!!!

Sarah over at Real Life and the Wii Fit Mommies are having a Twitter Party--a Wiimoms ‘Lots of Love (Handles) to Give’ Twitter Bling Party to be exact and you could win some fabo stuff!!! The party is Friday, 2/13 from 8-10pm EST. Sarah has all the specifics on her blog so go check her out. And while you are there, sit and visit for a spell. She has lots of great info including money saving tips and awesome web designs!!

Hope to see you there!!!

Quarantine

I've hung the white sheet on my door. Added a sign "Quarantine--Do Not Enter". Believe me, you do NOT want to visit me now.

Sara started it last Monday night. Said she didn't feel well right before bed. Then it was painfully apparent. Thankfully, she was already in the bathroom. Better the next day but home from school. Fast forward to Friday morning. She came to my room at 7am. "Mom, there's something all over my bed and it smells really bad." UGHH!!! I had to take the comforter to a cleaner to try to save it!!!

And now, today. Scott was sick at after school care. We barely made it home before he was sick again. Poor thing!! And the icing on the cake? The dog is sick too!!! I'll spare you the gory details but let's just say she needs a new bed and we had the windows open in 30 degree weather!!!!

I have worn my hands to the nub washing them because I do NOT want to share this! Sure hope Hubby stays well, because you know how men are when they are sick!!

Aloha Friday

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Kailani at An Island Life thought that on Fridays she would take it easy on posting, too so she started Aloha Friday posts on her blog where she asks a simple question to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just answer my question, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link at An Island Life. Don't forget to visit the other participants!

Today’s question is:

Do you make New Year's Resolutions?

I don't. I've tried and they are too hard to meet. But I did pledge to live a healthier happier life this year so I guess that kinda counts as one.

Santa Meets The Tooth Fairy

Well, it's Christmas here! Merry Christmas to you all!!

I am still up. We are anxiously awaiting TWO magical icons tonight! Santa, of course, will be here---just as soon as Sara gives up and falls asleep!!!!! She has been having bedtime troubles for sometime now. I thought the fear of being skipped by Santa for still being awake would help tonight, but alas, the excitement is too great and she is STILL up requesting curtain calls--what was that noise? I'm too hot. My tummy hurts. I thought I heard prancing and pawing!! Ah.....perhaps she eventually will fall asleep so St. Nick can stop in!

But the REAL excitement is for Scott. You see, he lost his very first tooth today! Yes, he IS almost 7 and we were beginning to think he'd keep his baby teeth until college! He is so excited!!! He put the tooth at the edge of the bed so the Tooth Fairy can find it! I can't wait to see what is more exciting to him in the morning: Tooth Money or Santa Gifts!!

Oh and it's Piper, The Hyperdog's Birthday today! She's 2!! Lot's going on at our house today!!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and ask that we all remember the reason for the season. Happy Birthday, Jesus!!!

Aloha Friday

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. Kailani at An Island Life thought that on Fridays she would take it easy on posting, too so she started Aloha Friday posts on her blog where she asks a simple question to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link at An Island Life. Don't forget to visit the other participants!

Today’s question is:

What is your favorite Holiday movie?

I have several. I still love It's a Wonderful Life. It's just so uplifting. I also love A Christmas Story, National Lampoon's Christmas and The Santa Clause. I can't wait until Christmas Eve when I can start watching A Christmas Story over and over again!!!

What's Your Christmas Spirit Level?

Your Christmas Sprit Level: 65%

You have a lot of Christmas spirit, and it's evident to most people who know you. You love most things Christmas, and you do your best to make sure everyone has a great holiday. While you like the more commercial aspects of Christmas, you truly know what the spirit of Christmas is about. You're all about giving, being kind, and sharing the spirit of Christmas with everyone you know.

Do You Have the Christmas Spirit?

Hey, better than I thought!!

I am Checkers

You Are Checkers

You are very logical and rational. You are able to understand what is and isn't a factor. You're able to compartmentalize and focus on the essentials. You appreciate simplicity. You can see the layers of complexity and beauty in anything. You are also playful and good natured. You don't take life too seriously!

What Board Game Are You?

Christmas Carol Fill In

Fill in the lyrics...with the correct ones or ones of your own :-) Have fun with this, don't worry if you don't know 'em...just make up something silly or do a silly one and a serious one! The most important part is to have fun with it.Here we go!

1. Said the night wind to the little lamb, _Do you hear what I hear__?

2. The first Noel, the angel did say, __Was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay__.

3. __Go, tell it on the mountain__, Over the hills and everywhere.

4. It came upon the midnight clear, _That glorious song of old_.

5. _Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas_, Let your heart be light.

6. And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing _right within your heart_.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _just chillin' with my family_, tomorrow my plans include _hockey practice and a holiday party with our best friends_ and Sunday, I want to _watch Scott play hockey and make cookies with the children_!

Get LOST

We have gotten LOST! Hubby found it surfing one night on the SciFi Channel. I asked him, "why is that on the SciFi Channel?" Well, it's actually SciFi and we are total SciFi buffs! I watched one episode and I was hooked! It comes on for 4 hrs each Monday night. We TiVo it of course and stay up late to watch it after the children go to bed. Once we start, we just cannot stop until all the episodes recorded are watched. Yes, we are totally addicted!!!! The new season starts January 21st so we expect SciFi will go through all the old episodes by then so we'll be caught up. Check out this cool widget but don't look ahead, it will ruin all the fun!! Come get LOST with me!!!

Need A Little Christmas...

I’m so not into the spirit this year. The tree is STILL not decorated. Hubby put it up a week ago and I JUST finished fluffing it last night. The kids have been begging to hang the ornaments but I just could not get my butt in gear. I didn’t sing in the Christmas concert this year…..didn’t even go to hear it. Hubby was supposed to take Friday off with me to do the shopping but now he can’t. The shopping is mostly NOT done!! And Christmas is just a mere 10 days away!!! I think…………..

We need a little Christmas
Right this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute.
It hasn't snowed a single flurry,
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry;
So climb down the chimney;
Put up the brightest string of lights I've ever seen.
Slice up the fruitcake;
It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
For we need a little music,
Need a little laughter,
Need a little singing
Ringing through the rafter,
And we need a little snappy
"Happy ever after,"
Need a little Christmas now!!!

Coming around?

So…..this morning, I laid out Scott’s jeans for him to wear. He whined asking, “why do I have to wear those?”. I replied, “because it’s cold and I said so.” And he put them on without another word.

He's just not ready...

Nope, he doesn’t care that it is 20 degrees outside. So what if it’s only going to be 40 degrees today. We’ve been struggling to get Scott into long pants for over a month now. The teachers in carpool line are always exclaiming, Oh, my gosh, he’s in shorts!!

We compromised with jacket and shorts but the time has come. I even bribed him with an extra marble for his incentive rewards jar. That excited him but when the time came to put those long pants on………………..

BOOM!!!!

It was like World War 3 in my living room!!!! A tantrum ensued reminiscent of the terrible twos. Stomping, screaming, falling on the floor and flailing around. And it did not end well. Oh, he DID wear his jeans. But in the process he lost his video games for a week and TV for tonight.
Hubby said he whined all the way to school. When he got out at carpool, the teacher said, Son, where’s your coat? Scott’s reply? A scowling "HHHUMMPHHHHH!!!!"

Friday Fill-In

1. Please feel free to leave a comment. I love comments!!
2. When I do laundry I can't help sniffing it occasionally.
3. My favorite thing to cook is chicken enchiladas.
4. Hugs from my family is something I can't get enough of.
5. That's the thing I love most about autumn.
6. Reality TV always makes me think to myself, what the heck?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to spagetti dinner at home and Stargate Atlantis on TV, tomorrow my plans include hockey practice with William and fundraiser at school and Sunday, I want to REST but I'll be going to more hockey with William and cleaning house.

In No Particular Order

Okay, so I tagged myself for the 7 random things from Kim at And She Lived. Since it’s November and Thanksgiving is around the corner, I’m going to do 7 random things I’m thankful for. So here they are in no particular order:

1. Intermittent wipers. I hate when it’s raining just enough to need a quick swipe but not enough to keep the wipers going. Before intermittent wipers, it was either turn them on and off every 30 seconds or leave them on and listen to them squeak across the windshield. SHUDDER!!!

2. Automatic door locks and windows. We had an unfortunate run in recently when a deer “run in” to the side of my van. Said van is now all healthy now (the deer? Not so much) but while it was getting nipped/tucked, my insurance company was gracious enough to let me use a rental car. Of course the only thing they would cover was a tiny little sardine can which is very nerve wracking when you are used to a Honda mini van. I got in the car and could not for the life of me figure out how to lock the doors or roll down the windows. Scott got in and was checking it all out when I heard him say, “oh, weird, what’s this?”, then “hey, cool, this handle thingy rolls the window down!”. Oh yeah, THAT’s how we use to do it!!

3. Fast food places that take plastic. Need I say more?

4. DVR. Seriously folks, how did we ever watch TV without one? No more missed shows, no more flashing 12:00, no more mad fast rewinding of VHS tapes trying to find an empty one to record on. How else could I watch 4 seasons of LOST on SciFi Mondays without missing a single episode. Me love my TiVo!!

5. Febreze laundry additive. Hey, Scott and Hubby both play hockey and the clothing and gear live in those dark, damp equipment bags so teeming with bacteria you need a gas mask to open them!! EEWWW!!!

6. Invisible dog fences. Our darling Piper, the Hyper Dog (aka—The Mud Pup) would have a much different life if it weren’t for invisible fences. She loves trying to herd every car that goes down the street, digging her way to China under the back porch and running a trench along the property line trying to get the neighbor’s dog to play with her. Our other neighbor says, “I look at her and say that’s a happy dog. She’s so filthy, she must be happy!”

7. Drive-thru Pharmacies. Have I ever told you guys about the time I schlepped Sara (2yrs) and Scott (infant in carrier) into an Eckerds to get a prescription filled only to have Sara lay down on the nasty floor and then proceed to barf up stuff MY grandmother ate and then have the little blond chippy cashier walk by and tell me, “I don’t do throwup”, and THEN after cleaning up floor myself have to stand in line behind 10 people at the counter with infant in carrier in tow and little 2yo covered in stinky vomit and wailing because of being covered in stinky vomit because no one would let me in front of them???? Yes, thank God for drive in pharmacies!!!!

I’m not sure anyone reads this anymore so if you happen by and want to play along, jump in!!!!

Angels

I have experienced the guardianship of angels before. There were the Angels who guided my brother and husband back to shore when they were caught in a rip tide at the beach.

There was the Angel who held my 16mo old daughter when she fell down the stairs so that she only had a carpet burn on her little nose.

There was the Angel who moved the truck my husband and son were riding in off the road keeping them from being hit head on and the Angel in the car with that driver who protected him as his car flipped end over end.

There was the Angel that slowed the deer that ran into our van a couple of months ago so that it hit the front fender instead of us hitting it head on.

And there was the Angel that grabbed my steering wheel last night as I swerved to avoid some trash in the road who maintained control of my van back to protect my children and me.

Yes, I believe there are Angels among us—each and every day.