Raising the Bar

A new show on TNT (at least new to me?!). My mother DVR'ed all 10 episodes. (And yes, my mother has DVR and we don't. I'm not ready to talk about it yet.)

So guess what we did over Thanksgiving break? Yep, all 10 in 2 days. It was a Raising the Bar marathon!

If you've not seen this show, you must try when the new season comes out! It is really, really good! I'm not much of a Law & Order girl or anything like that, I pretty much have only committed to Grey's Anatomy. It's all I have time for, but this one, it's worth letting the load of laundry remain in the dryer and eating a bowl of cereal for dinner. It's that good. I'm not even sure what time it comes on, though I think it's around 9PM on Monday nights? Check it out here.

And do you recognize the guy in the picture above? Check out the one below ...does that help? It's our friend Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell. Come on, you remember Zack, right? Did you have a crush on him? I did not, but you can admit it if you did. He was a cutie pie, my type isn't blondes normally --unless you are Matthew McConnaughey.Here he is in the show:

And he's really good. It's your typical law show I guess...Public Defenders and District Attorneys. It is really good. It has some other people you'd recognize in it too--like the mother from Malcolm in the Middle and a lady from ER. I'd link you to them, but I'm too lazy. (Am back in the car driving home from Tgiving with family.)

So, is this old news and I'm just not with-it again? These offspring of mine get in the way when trying too keep up-to-date with the latest on anything....unless it's an episode from Noggin or Disney!

I'm not really okay with his hair. I can appreciate long hair on guys when it looks good, but on him........ewwwwwwwww. I just can't get into it. He is so much cuter with shorter hair. What do you think?

MIL drama continued

Ladies, I don't really know where or how to start this one. I'll probably have to get more in-depth when I have a longer amount of time to tell you everything. I'll try to give it to you in a nutshell:

Inlaws said they wanted to come for Hubby's 40th birthday and Christmas. We said that was fine. We told them that we would have an agreed-upon agenda. They sent 'fluff' email stating that they wanted to 'make memories, sing Christmas carols around the piano and just enjoy 'being' together'. (I swear, this was verbatim...who are we Norman Rockwell?) Well that is what we thought we had been doing for the last several visits.

But after we received the email that they felt like we used them, we decided to take a different route. We set an agenda of what we could do and they said that we sounded militaristic and couldn't move on. The words they used were ones that we were 'cold & unwelcoming'. So, we told them that we weren't being cold, we were just trying to make a plan because we wanted to make sure that no one felt used. They responded with a 'until you can move on and not move backward, thank you but NO THANK YOU'. Those are exact words. We replied stating that we were not moving backward, but rather feeling like we were at a stand-still because we needed answers to these questions and that we couldn't move on until we knew exactly what we did so that we can make it right.

So, that is it. How sad that they have to be so controlling and struggle for power all the time. I feel very badly for my husband most of all. I can't imagine growing up in such a conditional-love atmosphere. He is such a good man and I consider him one of my many blessings to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. And, hubby, when you read this, know how much I love you sweetie, and am so proud of who you are!

I will fill you in if anything else happens!

Over the River and Through the Woods...

...to Mamaw and Papaw's house we go. We are in the car as I type. I'm sitting in the back, in the middle between both children. Miss Bug is alternating between complaining ("naaaaanaaaahhhh") while Big Brother sings the Transformers song as the show begins. I tell you, you are missing some goooooooooood times here in the Mad About Plaid Mobile. Good times.

Miss Bug just isn't much into TV. We got her a portable DVD for just her and she is back here acting like we are slowly torturing her to her little bitty death. Big Brother has asked 33 times if we are there yet. We've only been in the car for 2 hours. We have 5 1/2 more to go.

And the hits just keep on coming! Does this sound familiar to anyone else? :)

Are we theeeerrreeee yet? Can you say ben-a-dryl?

Bakugan Brawlers!

My son is wanting THESE!!!! Are you familiar? Are you all too familiar? These are the hot item this Christmas. My son wants them...specific ones too. I've tried all over--Target, Wal-Mart, ToysRUs, Amazon, Ebay, etc. & they are sold out. I mean 100% out of stock! I can't believe it! He's been into these for a while and I remember being able to just pick one up at Target, and now they are selling on Ebay for twice the price! If I'd have only known! I could be making a killing off of Bakugans!

Here is THE one....Serpenoid. You seen it? You have it? Want to sell it to me? :)

These are little balls that when placed on their special magnetic baseball-type card, pop out into these beings. There's a game to it, but he doesn't know anything about that. He just likes these little things. (And his sister LOVES putting them right into her mouth!) They are the size of a large gumball. Or you can get the 2 inch ones, but he doesn't want those.

This is Centoipod (or something like that). He wants that one too. So, I'm off to rummage through the stores again. I keep telling myself I'm not going to give in to Ebay and buy it.

I can't believe I'm old enough to

#1. not want that 'hot' item from Santa, and

#2. have a child old enough to want that 'hot' item!

It's crazy! It's on his list to Santa, and Santa can do anything, right?

In Search Of...

...the ultimate eye make-up removing solution.

Anyone?

I am using Neutrogena, but am having to use a lot of it and rub pretty hard. I don't wear a lot of make-up either. At least I don't think I do?! I am using Mary Kay mascara. Thanks!

Getting geared up for a full week ahead...

Wow--it's already Sunday and Daddy is going out of town again this week. This is the third week in a row. It is hard. He's been out of town Mon. through Wed. of every week since I started my job, and that has been a bit of juggling on my part! Yes, I wanted the job, but the starting of it has been hard with no help. I have had my parents here--well, staying in a condo on St. Simons Island-for a week and that has helped. If only they'd just take both my children and let me sit and drink coffee and veg for several hours a day, I'd be great.

These kids are exhausting. Is it just me or are one-year-olds completely exhausting? Miss Bug isn't walking yet, but she gets into everything! I can't take my eyes off of her for a minute because if I do she's at the dog bowl playing in the water or trying to unplug something or looking for an open electrical outlet. Big Brother was nothing like this. And I mean nothing. He just hung out and watched The Weather Channel. Seriously. I guess he didn't know there was anything else to do. I think Miss Bug is a combination of trying to do everything her big brother does, and also is just a busier kid. I'm.not.used.to.that. It's killing me. I am looking forward to my 1/2 day of work tomorrow!

So, tomorrow is work. Tuesday is nada (but I'm sure it will turn into something). Wed is Big Brother's Thanksgiving Feast at school and I'm supposed to work. Thursday I think my parents are going to take the kids to FL to see their great-grandma. That will be good. They will be gone practically all day. I can handle that. I'll go in and work a few hours. Friday Miss Bug is back to the babysitter for a 1/2 day. Yeeeesss! I feel a little guilty for saying that, but I do need a break. I keep trying to be this stay-at-home-mom/Betty Crocker/Martha Stewart Wannabe and it's really not 100% me. Being a stay-at-home mom is so hard and so challenging. I need the break. I need to use the rest of my brain!

And just so you know--I had been really stressing about my work and making sure I got my hours done and really trying to just be a workhorse. Then I got my paycheck. And let's just say that it made me put everything into perspective. I'm working for my church. I know part of it is the 'service' for the Lord, and I'm good with that. But I"m also remembering to be of 'service' to my family and not worry so much about making sure I get every little thing done. Baby steps. I'll get my groove soon. Just takes some time.

Hope you guys have a great week!

I'm rambling. I'm sorry. It's what I do when I'm tired.

So Much To Say, So Much To Say....

Title is from a Dave Matthew's song. Which one? I don't remember-unless that is the title already! :)

OK. Here is a serious update. Get something to drink because if I get to tell you all that I want and need to, you'll get thirsty and/or hungry!


First things first:

Psychologist--hmmmmm, how do I make this short? She was an older lady, grey-ish hair, frumpy, etc, which was all fine until she started to pick her ear with her fingernail. She continued to do this until our session ended whereby I found myself staring at the white crumbly deposits left on her black lapel. Needless to say, I was a little distracted. To top it off, while I was rescheduling for my next appointment, she says to me, "My ear is really itching" and then took her fingernail and swiped it around her ear and then flicked it off. EWWWWWW! I just couldn't go back. It took all that was within me not to say anything. I wonder if she noticed how I was just staring at her with my mouth gaping open?

That's my psychology appointment. I did learn (while not watching ear crumbs fall) that this situation with my MIL is not my fault. I did nothing wrong. I will have to realize that this is her problem. Not mine. And that it will never go away. I just have to learn how to deal with it. I basically already knew this, but hearing it from a professional is just what I needed. Now I have to find one that has clean ears. I have another appointment in December. Stay tuned.

Ok. Next on the list. Big Brother has been coughing since having his tonsils and adenoids removed mid-October. The ENT thought it was mucus, etc. from his adenoids. Then when it continued, he put him in Singulair. This did nothing. We have been through a week of Singulair and a full bottle of Delsym and 2 boxes of Mucinex. My next purchase was Zyrtec. This didn't help either. Made an appointment with Pediatrician. Big Brother has Respiratory Airway Disease, or something like that. His Bronchial System is in bad shape. They put him on a Nebulizer, and doing breathing treatments for 3 times a day. 3 TIMES A DAY!!! He's on that thing like 20 minutes at a time. They put him on Pulmacort and Xenopex or something like that. One takes care of the 'immediate' situations and one is for 'maintenance'. Big Brother was less than enthusiastic to breathe through a mask. They even found a cute fishy one. He wasn't having it. I go to hold the tube in front of his face while he took in the meds.

We just did another one. He did better and let Daddy put on the mask. We had to go and get a Nebulizer at the hospital too. Man, this must happen to so many kids. These Nebulizer people are making bundles! He had so many to choose from--a penguin, a cow, a yellow taxi, etc., and the one he picked was Legos. You build with Legos on the dang thing. Of course he'd find one that has toys to go with it. I told him those are his Breathing Treatment Legos and he can only play with them when he is doing his breathing treatments. So far, so good. We'll see. He's way into the Legos.


Miss Bug has some sort of virus which means she has a fever and can't go to school which means I can't go to work! This also means that she is up at least half the damn night crying and yelling at me! I swear, to be so young she is the boss of this house! I think she was more pissed off than anything. She was up at 11, 3 and then up for the morning at 5am. When I tried to rock her and give her some milk with the intent to put her back in her bed, she did the whole back-arching thing and roaring at me. I got very close to setting her little booty back in her crib, turning on her aquarium and l.e.a.v.i.n.g.

I tried to remember that she feels bad, but it is really hard when you have a small child screaming bloody murder right in your ear and Big Brother is right down the hall! Man o man, what a freaking day. What a week, really!

She went to the Dr. yesterday (yes, we are just making it a daily trip these days...) and he said she had an irritated throat. Checked for strep (Oh Dear God, please don't make me go through this again). It was negative. So, it's viral. Don't send her to babysitter. Don't go to work. He did prescribe her Paregoric for her. She is getting at least 4 teeth--2 of them are molars. And you know that's gotta hurt. Anyone else have any experience with Paregoric?

Ok. Now to the good stuff. I started a job part time at our church. It is Methodist-based, and SOOOOOOOOO cool. I am the Administrative Assistant to the person in charge of Family Ministry. She is the interim Children's Minister right now. My job is a bunch of different things, from filing and paperwork to making brochures and media-type stuff for the Children's Ministry. I really like it. It is part time-20 hours a week and I can work from home quite a bit. I do go in 3 days a week and then on Sunday. I really like it. It is a learning experience and I enjoy the creative outlet...not to mention the fact that I get a break from my beautiful children.

That's all for now. I have a home sales party to go to--which means free desserts and cool things to buy!

Any of you deal with breathing treatments? Dr. is saying not to call it allergies or asthma that it may just be a reaction to some type of virus or Bronchitis that he could've even caught while in the hospital getting his tonsils out! My poor boy has been sick for over a month though!