When did it get to Thursday already?

Whoa! Did this week fly by.

I think what helped is that work was extremely busy on Tues. and last night and they completely knocked my socks off.

This morning was a rough morning. I was actually sore from running around last night and making sure all the patients didn't escape out of their beds and fall.....there were 8 of them we had to watch. I was sooooo tired and wanted to sleep in.....I was hoping and wishing that Paul would be coming home from working nights and take over...and then I realized....

NOPE...

he left for work this morning....So, I got the kids ready in 30 min. and took C-man to school just in time....he says before he gets out, "it's okay Mom, they'll start class even if I'm not there." Yes, so reassuring for a tardy!

Then came back to get ready for yoga and did a conference call with the other Homeroom mother re: valentine's party....we agreed with simplicity....exchange valentine's, limbo, and a snack..............after I got off the phone with her, I realized I was running late AGAIN!....

so off to Yoga with O fussing all the way....oh no! will this day ever improve? I thought.............

I remembered what my friend Amie said on the phone, that this is the morning that you want your mom to coax you through and say, eat your breakfast, take a shower and you'll feel better, just get up and get out of the house and it'll get better....that thought helped me out....I heard my mother and my good Lord coaxing me to just keep going to get over this little hump.......

In the end, I'm so glad we went to Yoga, it turned both of us out of our fussy moods....and now we're ready for the rest of the day....what to do? what to do? Cleaning? Laundry? It's all available!

Happy Thursday everyone! May you hear your mother and/or the good Lord encouraging you to do something that you really don't want to do today.

Funny Girl

This picture is the prelude to a cute, cute story.

I got home from work last night and I asked if Miss-O actually slept in the book case, because she started there for her nap yesterday. No, she didn't sleep in the book case for her nap, but she slept on the floor with her rain boots on....but no pictures were taken:(

Then Paul said that for bedtime, she actually did fall asleep in the bookcase and he had to move her to her bed......I asked her today if she slept in the bookcase and she said, uh-huh!

Usually, the bookcase is filled with books, but I'm amidst deep cleaning in the kids room and it's taking days to finish.....so things are all over the place and unorganized in the attempt to become organized....so Miss-O is embracing the moment and being silly while doing it!

Quotes of the Week

"How come I have to eat wiff my fingers?" Miss O asked eating her toast in the morning.

"I told the Lunch lady at Thanksgiving; that was the bestest feast I've ever had." C-man says at Dinner one night.

"How come I not my coat on?" Miss O asks when Mommy says that Grandma will be coming over soon to watch her.

"I don't want to wear my diaper, I want my princess panties." Miss O says on Thursday after I told a Mommy that O was not interested in potty-training.

"Just call me professor Jones, Mom." C-man says crawling on the floor...playing Indiana Jones.

"Mom, these legos don't have structions with them." C-man says playing with his lego ambulance.


Paul and I have shared some wonderful comments from the kids this week..hope you enjoy them too!

New Wonder

I have just discovered a new wonder..........FaceBook!
Interesting site! Get to connect and reunite with people I haven't seen in a long, long time.
It's a bit overwhelming....not sure how to manage my time yet on that site......
Do people really spend an hour on it?
I was looking at "my friends'" profiles and then would look at their friends to see if I knew them or not.
What a cool discovery, but I must limit myself to once.....no twice a week.........or I don't know what will happen!
Any advice out there, you FB experts?????
I'm still a rookie and didn't read the directions....are there directions?

Okay, gotta hand off the computer to my husband who is patiently waiting to get his Statistics homework done.

Mom's Scrapbook Club

9:30-4:30

My sister-in-law, mother-in-law and I scrapped at the Library.

It was advertised in the city's "Living" magazine in the calendar of events.

Michelle did some researching at the library and said that it was a nice, small group of women who gather once a month to scrap.

The three of us were there before anyone else got there.

A bit awkward at first when one arrived? Yes.

Inviting they were? Yes and we acquainted ourselves.

The common denominator that kept us acquainted; scrap booking & our children or(grandchildren).

So 11 pages were completed and 2 pages with scrapper's block.

When I scrap it's my "let out" one of the gals said I was glowing......yep, that's what scrapping does to me....I get to allow my creative juices to flow, document history of the children/family...chat with family and some great, new women, and have a day that's all about me!

So one of the women took our emails and will be including us into their group. How cool! They do fund-raising scrapping so it would be great to get involved into something like that......plus this would help me achieve my New Year's resolution/goal of scrapping once a month.

My favorite page!
Miss O's first Christmas, I have a lot of catching up to do!

The products of my time.....please note duplication of pages; one for C and one for O.

*SIGH*! I'm a fresh new woman!

PARTY TIME!

WE FINALLY HAD THE WINTER PARTY, IT WAS SCHEDULED A MONTH AGO BEFORE THE KIDS GOT OUT FOR WINTER BREAK, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER IT WAS POSTPONED. HERE'S C-MAN AND HIS FRIEND ISAIAH ENJOYING THEIR ICE-CREAM MADE IN A BAG. THE KIDS REALLY LIKED SHAKING THE BAGS UP AND THEN EATING THEIR ICE-CREAM!

THE CHILDREN ALSO MADE SOCK SNOWMEN, IT TURNED OUT PRETTY COOL!

ADVICE TO KINDERGARTEN ROOM PARENTS OUT THERE IN BLOGGY WORLD....LOT'S OF PREPARATION WENT INTO THIS PRIOR TO THE 45 MIN. PARTY. WITH THE HELP OF 6 OTHER PARENTS AND MRS. DAHL, OUR PARTY WOULD HAVE TAKEN FOREVER!

NOW TIME TO PREP FOR VALENTINE'S PARTY NEXT MONTH!

-6 feels like -27

That's our weather today.

Deep freeze weather.

C-man doesn't have school today because of the frigid weather.

We are hibernating, playing, cleaning, and trying to stay warm today.

This weather made me think about my college years, probably about 10 years ago, I was catering for the university. We were cleaning up and one of the guys threw out the mop water outside......it was amazing......it was sooooo cold; that it dissipated in the air.

(Now I know there is a scientific word for it, but I forget. )

So, then we decided to try hot, hot water to see if there would be any difference....nope...threw it up in the air and in a flash it was nothing.......

So anyone bored in the deep freeze weather today, try throwing some water outside and watch the magic!

• We know it's cold when our butter gets hard just sitting on our counter top!
• We know it's cold when the garage makes a wonderful deep freeze and freezes over the pop cans.
• We know it's cold when our pantry makes a wonderful second refrigerator.
• We know it's cold when Tatum doesn't even want to step foot outside to go potty, poor dog!

The only thing positive I can think of is AT LEAST IT'S SUNNY OUT!

Dear Mom & Dad.....

C-man.

Brave.

Confident.

Negotiator.

Diplomat.

Convincing.

C-man will be successful in the future if he approaches all people with his heart like he did with this note to us.

How can I put my foot down when he went into an elaborate, confident note saying that if he was good, he could play Indiana Jones Wii game............

Indiana Jones Wii is a delicious luxury that C-man gets to play with on saturdays only.....here he's trying to get some Indi Wii time during the weekday..........

We haven't made a final contract, but I think I'm going to allow him 45 min. on one special weekday; with the fact that indeed he needs to be good at school and at home and do his chores and attempt to sleep in his bed all night long. (yes, that's another blog in itself!)

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!

There's a rumor that our neighbor hospital down the road is giving their RN's two choices.....#1 retire early or #2 go part-time. The way that media protrays it, it sounds like there aren't any other choices.....not sure how much of this is sensationalized and how much is true and I'm sure this will all unveil as time goes.....The employees have until next monday the 19th to make their decision......

I guess just another way of how the economy is affecting us. Hopefully, our hospital won't be doing this...I know there is much budget cutting and much cost-effective care vigilence.........I'm already part-time so I'm okay with this...but some of the RN's that I know need the full-time job to keep their life-style up...

Maybe these RN's can have several Part-time jobs? So they are working full time???? I don't know but sounds stressful anyways, even though I'm not affected....I feel as if I am because I am an RN just like they are.....and how does it affect the patient who is #1 in our eyes?????? Do they get quality care yet? Cost-effective care? Still receive the whole art of nursing which is compassion when they are undergoing stress?

Talk about nursing shortage and then getting rid of full-time RN's....weird.....actually our state is not so much short with nursing staff....it is the coasts; east and west coasts that are really hurting. The other shortage is Nursing Instructors and Nursing Professors.....that's why there are students waiting in line to get into nursing school because the instructor population is retiring and diminishing.........that's how we contract with the schools and they use nurses with the BSN's to help with instruction....that's how I started to participate as an instructor..........

going on for Masters? yes, not now with the economy and paying for Paul's BSN education...it's his turn, he needs it for his supervisor position.....but yes, once the kids are in school...so will Mommy......

sniff...sniff....do I smell a tangent>>>>>yes, that is exactly what I went on...ooops!

anyways...will be thinking and praying for those nurses and waiting for more news about their positions.....never thought this would ever come up??

PHEW!

Now, vision me wiping a bit of sweat off of my brow...and splashing in the water......

Just got done doing H2O aerobics tonight....something that was much needed and free!

Free tonight because the heater wasn't working in the school's pool....(it was 79 instead of 82) I managed to get my sweat on....so, I was okay with the deal!

During the workout (which I find mighty relaxing and invigorating--oh, the irony!) I was thinking about how brave and honest my cousin is about listing her post-baby weight-loss on her blog (may I add she looks Fab.u.lous!).....now I can not be THAT brave, but I can list my activities.......

I think that watchful bloggy eye will help keep me motivated to keep going to H20 aerobics, yoga, walking, etc.....so with that ......I will have a new side-bar showing my activities and time doing them.

My back needs this more than anything...but knowing that my BMI is not in the appropriate area, I need this as well.....I'm not getting any younger and my metabolism isn't getting any faster.....so I'm going to try to rev up things and get healthy......

My goal is next winter; ice-skate and sled with the kids......I'm so fearful this year that I'd fall and damage my back even more....so gonna strengthen the muscles that surround my degenerating discs and I'm going to have fun with the kids....that's what my life is all about....doing things with the kids...I don't want to be on the side-lines because of debilitation...I want to be right out there too.....so here goes for a lifetime of health.

[pray for me! gulp!]

Open to Comments

I'm now open to comments again.

I received a weird one about a year ago from someone in Bahama or something, telling me my blog was likeable and then wanted to sell me something....it scared me into comment hiding for a whole year.....so, I'm ready to try it again......so bring on the comments! (please appropriate ones!)

One out and a mouthful to go!

BEFORE

"shark teeth"

AFTER

Dec. 31st; at the Science Center...C-man and I accidentally collided.......my elbow/his mouth.....

in the event, his tooth loosened and bled and was hanging by a thread.....did I mention he was absolutely angry with me because it hurt..............by the end of the Science Center visit.....C-man came running to me and gave me his tooth....he was soooo excited I couldn't tell if he was crying or whoopin' it up......sure enough he was thrilled and he was doing victory dances and victory whoo-hoo's after that.......

C-man doesn't go through all those milestones like he did when he was a babe so I too, was a proud Mommy and a tinsy-bit saddened that again a sign that my son is growing up..........

BTW....the tooth fairy still gives quarters for teeth! I'm glad that SOME things haven't changed since Paul and I were kids..........

C-man has 5 days to get the other tooth out or we go to the Dentist for a pulling.....he said he had a dream that his tooth came out and he said "good, now Mom can cancel the dentist!" remember those dreams???

In the Past Week.....

We're BAACK! Yes, you probably even didn't know that we were gone. Last evening, we went to the "BIG" mall (per the kids), went to Joe's Crab Shack, and then stayed at the hotel......swam and played "Trouble." Yep, little get-away in our metro-area. It was a nice vacation!

In the past week.......

Miss-O was caught AGAIN eating sour cream by spoon???!!!???

We celebrated the new year after our dinner.....next year we will not be doing the silly string for Miss-O was scared terribly and didn't like that the ceiling had silly string on it......

The kids trained to be fore-casters at the Science Center

We celebrated Happy Noon Year at the Science Center with Grandma R., Marin, and Angie

We watched the balloon drop....

Ready to celebrate amidst the blaring horns

Happy Birthday Jesus!

We played Indiana Jones' Adventures......

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY 2009 TO EVERYONE!

Looking back into the past year, I feel as if it flew by........

• We survived a long, cold winter
• Our toy room got a new face-lift
• We welcomed Jackie Jo into the family
• I entered the Catholic church and had my first communion
• C-man finished up his pre-school years
• We celebrated Grandma Michelle's retirement
• We celebrated cousin Brandi's wedding
• C-man turned 5
• Vacationed at Bear Paw
• Summer filled with parks, wading pools, the zoo, camping, bike riding and walks
• C-man started Kindergarten
• Miss-O turned 2
• Miss-O started Mommy-n-me pre-school
• Paul's annual fishing trip to Northern Minnesota
• Rookies, school events; field trips, Fall Fun Night
• Paul's goose and pheasant hunting adventures
• We celebrated Grandma Mehmen's retirement
• Finished another semester of being clinical instructor
• Paul got a promotion to Supervisor of ICU
• I read 12 books this past year!
• I crocheted 2 blankets
• I scrap-booked three times :( my goal was too scrap-book once a month...............

Enjoy how your life unravels in the year of 2009! One important thing that I need to remind myself is life is so out of my control and if I let go and let God.......things turn out the way they are intended. Here's to releasing and surrendering ourselves to the Lord this year! HAPPY 2009

p/s you're invited to a new blog of 2009. One I've been wanting to do for awhile. Check out www.Paulspics-hisview.blogspot.com It's still in progress but enjoy his view of life through the lens of a camera......not too many people know that on the side of working and fathering, he takes pictures for graduations, children portraits, weddings, family reunions, and just for fun............now is the time to display his work...ENJOY!