Our Christmas Road Trip(s)

So, Christmas seemed to go OK this year. We started our holiday Wednesday evening with a road trip up state to Tallahassee where Ben's former colleague from FedEx lives. Mr. D. has his own plane and a hanger on a private grass runway and offered on many occasions to take the kids up if we ever got out there. Ben called the week before and set it up so we were on our way. 6.5 hours later we arrived at our hotel and attempted to sneak all 6 of us in without anyone noticing, as to avoid the extra room fee. It was either too late at night or they just didn't care because we were never charged extra. Whew!

Thursday morning we drove the 30 or so miles remaining to Mr. D's hanger where the fun would take place. The plane only had room for 4 people at a time so there were 2 shifts. Ellie and Andy went up 1st followed by Benny and Danny. Ellie got queezy about half-way through and Ben told me that Benny got really quiet also. When they landed, Benny was the 1st one out and went to sit in the truck for about 10 minutes. His way of curing air-sickness. They enjoyed their first airplane ride though. Ellie even got to become a member of the Young Eagle's Club.

 

After the flying lessons we headed back to Mr. D's house, which was maybe a mile down the road from the airport. This made me truly miss living outside the city limits. It was hard to keep the kids inside the house. There was so much to do 'Outside'. Imagine that! No one wanting to play on the computer or XBOX and they played TOGETHER! No fighting. Ellie spent most of the day raking leaves while the boys either played with toys, rode the adult sized bike, or played baseball. They all took turns destroying the leaf pile in the end and I got some really great pictures with my new camera.

We left Tallahassee around 2ish in the afternoon to allow enough time to get to Jacksonville before dinner. By the way, 6.5 years old is the age NOT to take your child on a car trip. At least if they are as impatient as Danny. He must have asked every 5 minutes "How much further", "How much longer"..! AAAAHHH! We made it to Jacksonville in one piece and got settled in and rested up for our multiple family visits we had in store over the next few days.

On Friday we went for a ride to check out previous homes in the area. We had a kind of lazy day ending with family gathering at my Grandma's house for dinner. We even had a visit from Santa on a Tow truck! Seriously! When I was younger Santa used to come around Grandma's neighborhood on the firetruck with the sirens blaring. THAT was awesome. They don't do that anymore, maybe because of budget cutbacks, or noise complaints! But these wonderful people picked up where the firefighters left off a few years ago and volunteer their Christmas Eve to bring Santa around on the Tow Truck. They hand out presents and candy to the kids and let them climb up to sit on Santa's lap for a photo. This year my cousin Joel got a proposition from one of the ladies near the front of the truck who had obviously been partying already that evening.

Christmas morning was good. I heard the door to our room open pretty early but then I heard Danny ask Andy if he could sleep with him. When I woke up about an hour later I found Benny and Ellie sitting on the couch waiting for everyone else to wake up. I had to literally wake Andy and Danny up. The 2 early birds waiting on the couch had already peeked and knew what Santa brought. Grandma made cinnamon rolls and we opened all of our presents. We got ready and went to church with MY Grandma at our old church and came back home just in time for my younger sister and her family to arrive. Ben left to go check on his grandparents who were up from the Tampa area house-sitting for his parents. Around 4 ALL of us (including Ben's grandparents :p) headed to my Aunt's house to have Christmas dinner with my step-mom's family. We missed Thanksgiving in Jacksonville so it was nice to see everyone we hadn't seen in several months. Ellie the girl scout cookie salesgirl spared no one with her sales pitch. Well, more like mom saying "Go ask her".

Sunday brought another visit to church with my Grandma and lunch at my younger sister's house in Yulee. Oh, I neglected to mention that my younger sister had offered to have a sleep over but only had seats to take 3 kids so she took the boys home with her on Saturday night from my Aunt's house. It was really, really strange only having one child and it was eerie how quiet it was. So we headed to my sister's house to have our Christmas with my Mom and other sister and her family. We all got a nice surprise when PeePaw walked in the door too. I noticed while eating my lunch that Andy had left the table and I didn't hear him anywhere yelling like he normally does. I walked around the corner and found this.

He was so exhausted from playing so hard that he fell asleep without lunch. My nephew also fell asleep and we waited about 30 minutes to start opening presents as to allow them at least that long to nap. Well for Andy it wasn't long enough. He always wakes up grouchy and it took him probably a good 30 minutes to lose the grouch but we still couldn't get him into the picture of all the grandkids.

 Monday morning brought a slow start and a long drive home. We got everything packed and loaded and headed out just before noon. This drive was a little shorter but felt just as long with 4 kids in the car. We made it home just in time to order chinese take-out for dinner. Hoppy Famiwy!

Ba Humbug

Yeah, I said it. Ba Humbug! I am just not feeling the Christmas spirit this year. I don't know what it is but this funk is just lingering. I got all of my Christmas shopping done already for those that were on our very short list. I have the tree up and decorated and other decorations around the house. I'm going to church every Sunday and attempting to pay attention. I just don't know what is going on.

I have been feeling down lately, maybe even depressed, so I am most definitely sure this is contributing to the problem. I just feel like I am waiting for the part where this is the worst part and things will only get better but it still seems like there is more to come. You know the "things will only get worse before they get better" saying. There are so many things that are either unsaid or not resolved for many reasons I don't understand. I am crying all of the time. I don't know what to do anymore. I wish I was eloquent and could explain my feelings in a more poetic way so that others could understand what I am trying to say. I don't always know what I am feeling either. I just cry for whatever reason. Like now, I am crying as I am typing this. I have wanted to post something for a while now but struggled with what to write about or how much detail I could add and if I had to leave things out to keep it vague what kind of story would that be to tell. Details make all the difference, even the small little minute ones. I just want to say it like it is and not hurt anyone's feelings or divulge more of the story to those who really don't need to know.

I'm feeling lonely, and unappreciated, and worn out, exhausted, ignored, confused, lost, fed up, disappointed, angry, ashamed, not worthy, blah.... I am trying to be optimistic and keep looking for that silver lining and try to remember "this too shall pass" but am beginning to give up hope.

I have noticed that things have changed. I no longer like watching romantic movies, even if it's a romantic comedy. I don't like reading those kind of books either (never have). What's the point in feeling those emotions and hoping for something even minutely close to that if it's never going to happen.

I am very stressed about Christmas too. I hate having to plan it out and make sure everyone fits in (and where they want to be) and tip toeing around trying not to hurt anyone's feelings.

I wish I had been given better tools to deal with adulthood but "You get what you get, and don't get upset". Now I am stuck with trying to figure things out and stressing about other things too much, on my own of course. It's so hard! And if I ask for help I either get ignored or am left like dirt. I don't know what to do anymore. I am trying. I just don't know what more to do. I know whatever doesn't kill me will only make me stronger and that I will learn some great Life Lesson from all of this but I wish it were over already. I want to be at the part where I can look back and laugh. I'm tired of feeling like this.

UUGGGGHHHH!

I am so frustrated!

The Bull Stops Here!

I am so proud of myself for sticking to my guns. I meant what I said about not taking any crap anymore. I have no desire to converse with anyone who continually puts people down and has nothing nice to say ever. Before you accuse others of falsehoods against you, take a long, hard look in the mirror! Hipocracy is ugly.

difficult adjustment

I am having alot of difficulty lately trying to help everyone adjust after this last move, myself included. I thought things were going ok but the little things are starting to add up. Last Thursday Danny's teacher stopped me to tell me about an incident that happened that day in school and then once we got home I received a call from Ellie's teacher about her behavior. Granted her behavior is completely opposite of Danny's. He acts out and is loud and rude and obnoxious where as Ellie cries. She has always been the weepy sort but I guess it has gotten magnified lately somehow.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I think the other two are acting out also, in their own ways. Andy is constantly talking back and yelling at us and Benny is becoming a bully of sorts. For me this is all becoming a little overwhelming, especially since I don't quite know what to do anymore. To add to the behavior issues I now have 4 classrooms to keep up with this year. I had a taste of 3 early this year but 4 is much different. More paperwork to keep up with and more HOMEWORK to get done. That is the toughest few hours for me. They get out at 2pm and we start as soon as we get home and they have an after school snack. It can sometimes take several hours. It all depends on the attitudes at that time of day. Usually everyone is cranky and needs a nap.

I do have one trick to fall back on to decompress a little. I can send them all out to ride their bikes. No one every tells me no when I suggest this since the oldest three can now ride their big bikes without any assistance. They will stay out for hours too. I love it!

Who's on First?

I think it's funny that I am the one watching the baseball game tonight. Go Braves!!!

 The man of the house is of course sitting in front of the computer playing whatever.

I guess that is what you get growing up in a house with 3 brothers.

You are now entering a "No Bullying Zone"!

So I have grown a pair for lack of a better explanation. I have recently decided that I will no longer be subject to bullying. I am a grown woman of almost 31 years and find it sickening that I am still subjugated to bullying. What's worse is that I am allowing it to happen. You would think that one would have learned how to deal with it after so long!

No more for me! I will no longer allow myself to be pushed and pulled in a million different directions. I will not allow myself to drown in YOUR sorrow. I will not allow myself to lift you up when you do nothing to lift me up.

I WILL be strong. I WILL demand better treatment. I WILL stand my ground.

No MORE!

tmi

Just found out that my neighbor wears tighty whiteys. Who walks around in their garage in their underwear with the garage door open?

Wiping the slate clean

I can't for the life of me understand why people always think things are one-sided. They always expect others to give and give but never give themselves.

I find it sad that people have to degrade and belittle others through a public forum just to make themselves feel better. Knowing that the other person is not going to stoop to their level and has no desire to hurt them the way they have her. It's all about the attention. Me Me Me! It always has been. It's not just on the public forums either but in real life.

Well, I have come to a point in my life where I can no longer tolerate it and will NOT tolerate it. I choose to be happy and having all of this drama in my life does not make me happy. I have been respectful and asked nicely and prayed about it and now I am just going to leave it in God's hands. If it is meant to be then it is meant to be. I just need a break so I am taking it!

Dr. Benny

I had to take Spot, our 15 year old cat, to the Vet this afternoon after finding some blood in the litter box. After a thorough exam it was decided that he has a UTI and needed to change his diet along with 2 shots.

The Vet was impressed at how well behaved the kids were being and asked them if they wanted to watch Spot get his shots or not. Danny of course piped up first with a roaring "NO". Ellie was reading a pamphlet about Ticks and Andy wasn't sure. Benny on the other hand was right at the Vet's side full of curiosity. The Vet was so tickled by his enthusiasm that he asked if Benny would like to give the shots. Well, Benny said yes and that is where the fun begins. The Vet gave Benny his coat and stethascope to wear.

He then said, "Wait a minute" and ran into another room. He came out a few seconds later with a blue surgical hat and mask. The Vet techs gave him some gloves and he was all set.

Of course he didn't actually give the shots. The Vet gave the shot and Benny got to push the plungers. He was so excited and then proud of himself.

I do have pictures but for some reason am unable to upload them into here. Sorry. They are cute too.

Size XL please!!!

Hooray!!! I am so excited. I went shopping for the first time since we joined the foreign service and I started do physical activity in an attempt to shed some pounds. When we got to VA in January I was pushing the seam limits of my size 22 jeans and wearing 2X shirts (an attempt to hide the many rolls that exist in the middle of my body). This is hard to tell everyone. What woman wants everyone to know her size? Especially when it's a PLUS size. It's hard to shop for that size too. The only clothes that exist in the larger sizes within my budget are very, pardon me for saying, "Old Lady-ish". There is no style whatsoever to them and I would like to look my age if not younger. And those stores that do cater to the younger larger woman are more pricey and I can only afford the clearance items that have been marked down several times in an attempt to get rid of last years styles.

So, back to the story. Oakwood offered Yoga twice a week and I had always wanted to try it so I jumped in and add Yoga to my schedule for the Lent season. I bought a pair of XXL yoga pants on the clearance rack at Wal*Mart (sounds funny to say clearance and Wal*Mart in the same sentence) and a yoga mat and hid in the back of the room each week. It was more of a work out than I thought it would be but I kept telling myself that this is what I needed. I usually eat right but have always lacked the physical activity needed to loose any weight.

I knew that something was happening when I was able to touch my toes again, probably the first time since having kids. I was so excited at this new found flexibility but Ben didn't quite get it, even though he is still not able to touch his toes. Then I started noticing that my size 22 was no longer bulging and I was having to roll down the waist of my pants to keep them up. Since all of our summer clothes were in storage we were forced to buy some summer clothes while there so that we could dress weather appropriate. I was able to buy a size 20, and even got a pair of capris that said size 18 (I guess it all depends on the brand). SCORE! I think I only bought one shirt and it was of course a 2X. I remember trying the smaller sizes and feeling a little discouraged but I was still able to buy a size smaller than I was wearing before so....happy, happy, joy, joy.

I didn't buy too much because I knew I still had some clothes in storage that I would need to try on and that maybe would fit me right now that I had "Flexability". And I was right. When we finally got our shipment from storage I had a couple of pairs of shorts that I was embarrased to wear last summer that I love wearing now. They are size 20 and are fitting a little loose, which is ok with me. I always prefer things to be a little loose than skin tight. I also had several pairs of capris that were the larger size that I have since retired to the Goodwill. My dresses fit better too. Big thumbs up there because I like wearing dresses, it makes me feel girly even though I am most definately NOT.

So for lack of anything better to do, and out of a need for a little de-stressing, I went shopping last week. I had no intentions of buying anything but ended up with several new items to add to my wardrobe. One day it was Kohl's only because it was across the street from BJ's and I had about 20 minutes to kill before picking up Andy from school. Those clearance racks really paid off for me. I got 2 shirts for $12 and the girl circled the receipt and told me that I had saved something like $54. WOW!!! Next it was Ross where I found a cute little knit dress for everyday wear. I actually took pictures with my phone in the dressing room and emailed them to Ben and he let me know which one he liked best. Isn't technology great?! Finally I hit Target after a big blow up with Danny the day before and spent 2 whole hours there alone! LOVED IT! I don't think I have ever been anywhere for that long by myself before. It wasn't too dangerous either. I managed to find a 12 person tent, original price of $199.99, on clearance for $50! I snatched that up very quickly. I also bought 2 more shirts and a bathing suit coverup, costing me no more than $3 each.  I almost forgot that I hit up Wal*Mart on Friday and found a pair of size 18 shorts that fit perfectly for only $4. Yipee! The best part of all is that the 4 shirts that I bought in all last week were all sized XL! Who would have thought that I would ever be able to fit into an XL and it look good on me. I took a picture with my sisters this weekend and love the way I look in it. I have a waist again, and even my chin looks thinner. Now I am just being too vain! I know that I still have a long way to go but am proud of myself for how far I have already come, even if it is only 2 sizes.

This made my whole weekend, and made up for everything that had gone wrong last week. I was, and still am, so proud of myself and excited that I finally look the size I feel. Now I guess I should start feeling a size 10 or so?! Naaa, I think I will stick to a 16/18 for a little while. That is where I always wanted to get back to. Baby Steps.

UUGGHHH!!!!!!!

WHY? Why, when you are going to be out of the country for 2 weeks would you want to sit in front of your computer and ignore your family? I just don't understand it. Your son comes to you and asks if he can read to you and you tell him you will after you are done on the computer. I go in and you are playing a game, not doing work on said computer, while downloading another game on your laptop nearby. WTF?

Why do you not help put the kids to bed? Why, after they are in bed do you remain on the computer while your neglected-feeling wife sits in the living room watching a show that YOU want to see but sluff her off saying "It's recording"? Ugh! I don't get it.

I wish I could understand the rationale that goes through that head. It sure does make one feel horrible and makes crystal clear where the priorities are. Just sayin.

So agravated right now!

Mean Mommy

I am now the Meanest Mommy ever. Over the weekend the boys lost ALL of their toys in their room. ALL of them! Is it wrong to make your kids sit and watch you get rid of all of their toys?

The 3 boys share one huge room and it has been a never-ending battle to get them to keep it picked up. They have plastic bins for each collection they have; legos, transformers, star wars.... These storage bins fit nicely under their beds and are easily accessible for them to play with so it's  not like these toys don't have any where to go. We ask everyday for them to clean it up with the same result, Danny runs off screaming that we "Always make him clean by himself" and the other 2 run upstairs and play with said toys. Thus causing Danny to yell at the other two more with phrases like "Clean up" or "Come on guys" and then he starts screaming at the top of his lungs to them.

Danny is quite a good cleaner-uper. I think that I have encouraged him too much in the past, letting him stop once he has done half of the cleaning for the others to finish it. He is used to this now and always asks "Do I only have to clean half?". Well I did this. He now just sits around waiting for Benny and Andy to help him. Well Benny is lazy and sits around watching everyone else do the hard work and Andy follows whatever his big brother does. Someone to play with, WOO HOO! This drives Danny insane.

So after a whole weekend of asking them to clean up their room Ben and I decided we would do it for them. We had already taken the 3 large under bed bins full of Legos away the week prior. Didn't phase them at all. This time we made them come down and sit on the couch while we went up and cleaned house. It took a little while because we had to sort things into the right boxes but then we got everything cleaned out and moved to the garage. There was now NOTHING in their room but a bookshelf with plenty of books to read and a few plastic chairs and some small blankets. That's IT!

Danny was so upset, as he usually is, letting us know that he did not like that we took all of his toys away. They were sitting on the couch so they got to see each box coming down and heading to the garage. They all went up to inspect the damage when we were done. They expressed some disappointment but within 15 minutes were playing something in their room together. Later when I went up for bedtime I saw the plastic chairs with the blankets over top of them like they were trying to make a fort. At least they were using their imagination and there wasn't a huge mess. You could actually walk across the room.

Day 1 after the toys were gone was amusing to me. The morning went ok beccause they don't really play before school. After school, though, and after homework was done I was asked several times "What can I do?" to which I replied "Read a book". Ellie piped up and told the boys that they could play with her Barbies. They jumped on that opportunity immediately. It is quite funny though that they have nothing to play with in their rooms but can find something to do. Amazing isn't it.

I don't know how long we will keep them deprived but 1 day is definately not long enough. I am waiting for any signs of understanding, which may never come knowing these 3 boys. 

ALL of their toys, now taking up room in the garage.

Suzy Homemaker

So I decided that I would try to start making bread for the kids to use for lunches since we go through so much of it each week. I started when we were up in VA with some feeble attempts that didn't turn out right. The bread was really good a few days later though as french toast.I bought a few books with recipes and found a magazine with a very easy recipe in it also but so far have not gotten around to trying any in the books. I guess it was just that they required so many things that I didn't already have in my pantry so I was waiting until that one moment in time when I have a few extra dollars to get those things, but sadly it never happens. I did have the whole wheat flour and some Gluten from previous though that I packed and brought south with us. I think I never made any of these recipes also because they just didn't sound exciting to me. I couldn't get involved emotionally enough to want to do them. They were just too complicated.

So I googled and found The New Homemaker and a wonderful blog about making whole wheat bread. The blog itself was a little intimidating at first because who wants to read page after page just to get to the recipe. I sent the link in an email to myself so I could go back to it later and forgot about it for about 2 weeks. I also put off buying bread because I kept telling myself, and Ben, that I was going to make bread. This 2 weeks of procrastination worked out for the kid's lunches because the week before school started Lunchables were on sale at Publix and I thought it would be a nice gesture to let the kids take them in their lunches for the 1st week of school. So there I had one week that we didn't need bread. Last week I had to break down and buy a loaf just to tide us over until I got of my butt. Well in the 1st 2 days of this week the loaf is GONE! It only lasted for 8 sandwiches. WOW!

So Sunday I decided I would start reading the blog part of the recipe. It was great! It was so informative explaining the different types of flour and why you need certain ingredients. Then I got to the recipe. I made sure that I read the whole thing before attempting any part of it so that I would have some idea of what to expect and how long it would take me. On Monday I set out.

The day started a little hectic with the rain and having to drive the kids to school because it was pouring when we walked out the door and then by the time we got across the street to the school and around the millions of other cars loaded with kids and rude parents the rain had stopped enough that we just parked on the grass and walked anyway. We could have waited and walked from the house and saved the gas but I was trying to be nice and not make the kids walk through the wet streets.

So by the time I got back home from taking Andy to school an hour later I was ready. It was a long process and I needed to get the ball rolling. I was able to get the yeast going before getting Andy and then adding the other ingredients while he was eating lunch to get the 1st rise going. This includes almost burning up my Kitchen Aide mixer using it to do some of the kneading for me. After getting the other 3 from school I was able to get the loaves shaped and in the pans for the proofing/2nd rise so it would be ready for the oven at about 5pm. Yeah, right! Like anything ever happens on time around here.

Ben got home from work around 4:30, changed the battery in my truck, and then we were out the door to mail some boxes (books sold on ebay) and get dinner since it was already so late and we needed to get to the post office before closing. So the bread got to rise longer than needed. That's ok because, as they say, The longer you let it rise, the more flavor will develop.

So I finally I was able to get the bread into the oven around 7:00 and they cooked for about 40-50 minutes and smelled sooooo very wonderfull. They looked gorgeous too. I can't believe how pretty the look. I am impressed with myself. I let the loaves cool until about 9:30ish and then HAD to cut into them to taste my handywork. Not bad! It's not the best bread I have ever had but I think I know how I can make it better next time using the same recipe. It was much better than the bread I made in VA. So now it is all sliced up and ready for lunches. Let's see if the kids like it!

WTH?

I am so frustrated by the Sense of Entitlement that a huge majority of people in this country have. What makes you so special that you should receive whatever you want just because you asked for it while sitting on your rear? What about those people who are working their butts off to EARN the things we have and want? What ever happened to "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger!"?

And so it begins...

Well, we all woke up early this morning and drove south to the Miami airport(only took about 45minutes-surprisingly).  Ben headed out on his way to Cananda for business and will be gone until Saturday. While I am excited for him to be able to travel as much as he will I am also kinda freaking out inside knowing that it will be just ME with the kids. I can handle them, I am just worried about those days where I really need to take a step away from what's going on to catch my breath and that is easier to do with someone else here to supervise. There is always the XBOX to give me a little time away. Like right now, we got home from lunch after the airport and Dr.'s appointments and I let them turn the XBOX on and so far it has been uneventful. This is not always the case though. Usually there is some arguing over who's turn it is and which game is to be played. But so far, so good (said while knocking on the desk a couple of times).

We are planning to head to Jacksonville on Thursday and visit with family until Sunday or Monday, I haven't decided which day to come back yet. We have more Dr.'s appointments on Tuesday so definately have to be back before then. I have arranged for the kids to hang out with Grandma Friday night so that I can go hang out with my Jacksonville friends and play some Bunco. I haven't played in 6 months and am soooo excited! I can't wait. I just hope that the kids don't act up for Grandma. They are usually pretty good kids but I think I expect too much out of them sometimes. I hate to be embarrased by their actions and have to remember that they, most of the time, are just acting their age.
Here's hoping for a good week. :)

We made it back to Florida!!!

It seems like so long ago we left the "Sunshine State" behind for our adventure in the "Nation's Capital". When we left we thought we would be gone for 2 years but as it turns out Ben was posted to Ft. Lauderdale, FL for his 1st assignment. This was both good and bad for me. I was already in the mindset that we would be staying in VA for at least 2 years. I had mentally prepared myself for VA and already researched the area where I wanted to live and schools and the weather and the list goes on and on. I had already accepted it. Florida on the other hand is a good choice for us because Andy gets to go to VPK for free, cost of living is lower than VA, we are already accustomed to the weather, and we are only 2 hours away from Ben's grandparents and 5 hours away from the rest of our family. I guess in the end Florida is better for us, I think I was just a little dissappointed that we already had our minds set on Virginia and then we had to change. Thus is the life in the Foreign Service, so I have been told. Everything "Depends" is the famous saying.

So we left our wonderful temporary home in Virginia and headed south via Amtrak (which the kids loved). I didn't mind it much except for the almost 3 hour delay once we got into Florida, which almost made us late to sign our lease.
 It all worked out in the end though. It was very hard to leave too because of the wonderful friendships we had made with other FS families in Virginia. I hope that we will see them again and be able to keep in contact via our social networking skills we all share.
6 months of having all of your stuff in storage and living with the bare essentials makes you appreciate life more. When our shipments of furniture and household goods arrived we were sooooo excited to have our "Stuff" back. That is until we started opening boxes and realized how much "Stuff" we actually had. To be fair we did move from a 2000+ sq ft. home on 1 acre of land so we had plenty of room to store things. We were able to unpack the essentials in the first few days, TOYS being at the top of the list of course. Everything else in being stored in our garage (so Ben's new car has to sit out in the elements, hehe). It has been about 2 weeks here now and we are still going through things. We have taken 2 loads of donations to Goodwill already (that's 2 YUKON's full of donations) and sold our master bedroom furniture via Craigslist. We have more furniture to sell as it does not all fit in this small apartment we are in now. Ellie has down sized from a full size bed to a twin and Ben and I have settled into the smallest of the bedrooms with minimal furniture and the computer on a table on one wall. I think a few more weeks of going through at least 1 box a day will get the job done. It's so hot and I really can't stand to be out there longer than it takes to go through 1 box at a time.
I am still trying to get my bearings down and figure out where things are in Ft. Lauderdale. I did find IKEA and we were able to get 2 bookshelves on clearance, as well as have the kids eat lunch for free while there. Double Score! The kid's schools are right across the street, literally. Andy will be going to Pre-K at the church across the street behind our complex and the other 3 will be at the Elementary school across the street from the front of the complex. I can actually look out the window and see the Elementary school from our apartment. Super Wal*Mart and Publix are about 3 blocks away on the other side of the expressway so we are set. I have yet to find a beach access that I don't have to pay to park at, though. This is a little disturbing to me and I will have to research this one thoroughly. I do NOT want to have to pay to visit the beach, especially in Florida. The good news is that we are close to the Keys and will be taking a trip down, hopefully soon! I can't wait.

AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I think that I am experiencing a BP swing right now. I am so easily frustrated and upset at things. My kids are driving me crazy. They don't listen and insist on whining all day. Maybe I have too high of standards for them but the need limits and rules. I am keeping them home from the park today because they can't listen. I asked them to pick up the house and that turned into a big fiasco. Danny is of course the only one who ever picks up but whines the whole time that no one is helping him and acts like his world is coming to an end. Benny sits back and watches everyone else do everything and Andy follows his big brother (Benny). Ellie is always off in her own world. They cleaned up the living room after many yelling episodes on my part and I sent them to clean up their bedroom. Three times someone came out and told me that Benny hit them. Danny keeps coming out and tattling on everyone else. Ellie is still sitting in the living room playing with Legos, not even helping the boys. Danny continues to whine every second, telling me in his whine voice that he will be quiet but has yet to accomplish that. I finally came to the conclusion that I need to put my foot down and really show them who is boss. It's hard to single anyone out today so they all are confined to their bedroom for the day. I really don't see that as such a hard punishment as they have someone to play with and there is plenty to do all be it the toys are in the living room. So far it has been about 30 minutes and I hear Benny being the bully he is, Andy yelling that Benny is a "Meany", and Danny knocking on the door trying to come out. I will re-evaluate around lunch time to see how things are going and decide then whether they can come out or not. I do have some grocery shopping to do today but don't feel like taking everyone and making a scene in the store which is what will happen. Please say a prayer for me. It's horrible to say but I am counting down the days until VBS starts next week and they will all be gone for at least half the day.

New Car

So we got the car. A 2007 Pontiac Solstice. 2-seater convertible, manual transmission (so it's super fun to drive). I still can't believe this went through. I really hope this helps us out financially in the long run.
Ben loves his car. Complained about having to move the seat back and change the radio station when he got in it to go to work yesterday. Waaahhh! Poor baby! He spent about a week looking at sites online about Solstices. I think the newness is starting to wear off now, he is back to looking for a condo in FL.

I will admit that it IS fun to drive, Andy and I have taken it out to the store during the week a few times. He loves it. The kids call the car "Jazz" because there was a solstice in TransFormers named Jazz.

June is finally here.

So, everyone seems to be feeling better now (knock on wood). FINALLY!
Ben has made up his mind that we are trading the mini-van for a sports car for him. He is looking at a Pontiac Solstice at CarMax. I think we are driving out there tomorrow to finalize it. He had this particular car transferred from another CarMax location so I am assuming this is the one he will choose. I don't mind but I do. At first the idea was to just get rid of the van because little things were starting to break and we wanted out before something big breaks. Also the idea was to lower our monthly payments. Guess thhat is out the door now...
more later

Sick and Tired!

I am SOOOOOO tired of sick people! Ellie had Strept again last week and then Andy threw up on the same day. Took her to the doctor and got a different ABX this time. Andy was seen too but he just had a viral thing (typical in our house). So Ellie and Andy were better. My ears started hurting a few days after Ellie went to the Dr. A sore throat came a few days later too. I might have had strept too but couldn't tell you. I think I had an ear infection that I still have. Haven't gone to the Dr. Not sure if I will. It seems to be getting better all be it very slowly. I woke up earlier this week not able to talk because everything was so sore. I have a horrible cough and earache. I have some leftover medicine for cough but it doesn't really help.
Andy got sick again this week too. He threw up in the bank of all places while we were getting some papers notarized. It was all over the two of us. Gross! We didn't eat lunch out that day as we planned, just came home and did laundry. He barely had a fever later in the day but has been fine since. Benny has a runny nose and cough again. I am sure that someone else will have it tomorrow. I just wish we could get rid of it. I'm so tired of it. Ben complained that he had a bad headache the other day too, probably sinus related! UGGHH!

This week....

Well, home with sick kids AGAIN! It's never-ending. Andy has had a horrible cough that is now accompanied by a fever. Ellie got up in the middle of the night and said she didn't feel good then threw up. She has and outrageous fever and I am trying to control it. Laying around on the couch with just a sheet on and the window cracked to help. We have a Dr. appt today for her. She has also been complaining about her ear ringing. I thought it was just swimmer's ear but maybe it's an ear infection. We will see. It seems like the "Star of the Week" is more like an omen for our house. Benny was 'Star of the Week' last week and came home early (although he wasn't really sick). Both Ellie and Danny are "Star of the Week" this week so we will see what is in store for Danny later on this week. I hope nothing.

Other news:

MIL, FIL were here over the weekend. Andy and I took a trip to the National Mall on Friday with them and we all just hung out on Saturday before driving them to BWI. There is a great little play area/overlook at the airport that the kids loved. Andy kept saying he wanted to go to Grandma's house. He was just there a few weeks ago. :p

BIL, SIL and nephew in Bangkok are in our thoughts as the embassy there has been closed and they have been issued a voluntary evacuation. They are choosing to stay as it is not affecting them too much other than having to stay inside most of the day. Here's hoping everything goes ok over there.

A friend from high school has been in the news back home. He and his brother and a friend went out fishing in their boat Sunday morning and haven't returned. There has been no contact and the Coast Guard has been actively searching for them for over 48hours now. His wife is also a friend from high school and I just can't imagine what she is going through right now. I see the news reports online and can't keep the tears out of my eyes. I really hope that they are able to find them soon and that everything will turn out ok. Lots of prayers are going up for the family right now. It's hard to say this but "May God's will be done". If they are meant to be found safe and sound all the better. If not, he has his reasons although they may not be clear in our minds just yet.

Something positive: We received word that closing on our house is scheduled for next Friday! Finally! I can't wait and I hope everything goes as scheduled. We really need to have this finished as our finances can really use the mortgage payment added back into them. I just wish it had happened a little sooner, like last month. Every little bit helps though.

Stage-Fright/Nervousness

My kindergarteners had a muscial performance at school today. Andy and I were a little later getting there than we wanted to be so we had to park pretty far away and then hike up a steep hill to the school. At least I got some exercise in for the day (my heart was a-pumpin). So Andy and I took our seats at the back of the "Multi-purpose" room with about 5 minutes to spare. We ended up standing the whole time as I was either taking pictures or video of the performance (I had to stand because Danny was on the bottom row and I couldn't see him over all of the parent's heads).

The show started off fine with everyone participating. After a song or two I noticed that Benny was just barely mouthing the words and not doing ANY of the hand motions. I thought nothing of it since he is not a showman like his other half Danny, who was all into the hand motions and singing VERY loudly. He yawned a couple of times in the middle of a song and at one point had his hands wrapped around his head doing I couldn't tell you what.

As the program ended and the kids were leaving the risers I noticed that Benny started crying, ALOT. I figured he was just super tired since he had yawned so often during the program. The kids were heading out to the playground and we were allowed to join them so I figured I would inquire what was wrong once we got out there. I immediately found Danny and praised him for his wonderful performance but after searching the whole playground for about 5 minutes I couldn't find Benny. I went looking for his teacher when Danny's teacher stopped me and told me she had taken him to the clinic because he looked very pale and said his tummy hurt as he was leaving the multi-purpose room. I let Andy play on the playground for a few more minutes before telling Danny bye and heading to the front office to the clinic.

When I got there, Benny was sitting in a chair with the trash can beside him so I figured he was still feeling queazy. He didn't feel fevered but was still VERY pale. Of course the tears started. I decided to take him on home and let him rest, maybe he just had a stomach bug or something (Daddy was complaining of a sore throat this morning so maybe that). Taking him home was kind of an embarrasment for me since, only the day before I was in the very same clinic signing Ellie out of school because she said her teeth hurt and she couldn't stand it. Upon further investigation there I learned that she was just "really tired" so she came home and took a long nap.

Once we got home Andy and Benny watched Thomas the Train movies until lunch time. They both ate corn dogs and plain chips. Once Benny was done eating he asked what he had to do if he felt better and his stomach didn't hurt anymore. I wasn't going to drive him back to school (but next time I will) just because he was hungry. I figured that is all it was since they probably didn't get their morning snack they were used to. Then it was naptime. I didn't have to push him to take a nap, he actually fell asleep before Andy.

After they had been awake for a while and we were watching tv I overheard Benny say something about being nervous with all of the mommys and daddys there. I didn't think that I heard him right so I didn't say anything. Later on as we were getting ready to go to the bus stop to pick up Danny and Ellie he told me again that he was just "Nervous" because of all of the people there. Looking back at the video I took you can clearly see the progression of "nervous"ness coming on and thinking back I should have known better. When we told Daddy about it when he got home from work his response was "That is what I thought" since he himself is an introvert and does not like performing or speaking in front of any kind of crowd.

It makes sense now to look back and put the pieces together. Oh well! You live and you learn and now we know for next time around. It made for a very long day with the rain outside and I am exhausted. Back to school tomorrow he goes.

May is here...

May is here and the weather is improving. The pool opened early and we now spend most of our free time down there. We of course had to go and buy bathing suits for everyone since ours are in storage but the kids probably needed new ones anyway, I can't remember. I do remember that my daughter has at least 2 new bathing suits that she got last year that were a little big on her then. This means that they should fit her perfectly now. Bummer. The bathing suit that I bought her here was big on her so I stitched it up on both sides of the bottom and it remains baggy in the butt. The top was a little floppy too so I decided to go buy her a new one, against the wishes of DH of course. I bought a one piece from Old Navy since I have had so much luck with their's in the past. The only thing to complain about is the top sits a little low for my taste but my daughter's response was "these are covered" pointing to that area that area. She comes up with the funniest things sometimes.

Andy and I are venturing out, having play dates and involving him in a "Spanish Circle Time". I am excited for him to interact with other kids not related to him. The poor kid is stuck with me all day and I sometimes don't have the energy to play with him. Those are movie days, when he watches movies all day! He seems to enjoy it so far. He needs to get used to the idea of being in a group since he will be starting VPK next year. I am excited to have them all in school but won't know what to do with no one home. I will need to find something to keep me busy. Once I have my sewing machine and scrapbooking supplies I think I will be set. Reading is only good for a few weeks for me.

Ben is "Graduating" from his training courses this coming Thursday. It was originally scheduled for Friday up until today. Some how the scheduling got garbled and they decided to push it back a day. Andy and I will attend. I am still debating whether I should take the other 3 out of school for it. It doesn't start until 2 so they wouldn't miss much in school. Ben's parents were scheduled to fly in Thursday evening to attend the ceremony since they missed his previous one due to the blizzard. They of course will miss the ceremony but plan to still come and spend the weekend with us.

We made reservations to ride the Amtrak train to FL when we head south. Andy will love this! The only problem, which I pointed out by the way, is that Amtrak does not allow pets. We happen to have a certain feline who needs to go with us. Ben forgot all about him when he made the reservations. So now he is researching alternate modes of trasportation for Spot. He doesn't want to pay $75 to fly him back with his parents next week but what other option do we have. We won't use a pet shipping service as they are toooooooo expensive. $75 is reasonable to me but he keeps telling me that it is more than the price of a ticket for a human to fly. I think it is a necessary evil. The only other thing I can think of is for someone to drive him down. Maybe my brother can if he comes to visit later this month. Something to think about.

catch up

So I have been out of touch for a few weeks. Last week was spent in Florida with my 4year old as my maternal Grandmother passed away Monday evening. We drove down Tuesday and spent the remainder of the week with various family members. Somehow the drive down didn't seem as long as the drive back. Maybe it was because I had caught my son's cough/congestion and it was basically rush hour when we reached the NOVA/DC area. I was also tired from not sleeping well and was very agravated with the traffic. I was able to convince DH to meet us with the other kids and have dinner. This helped ALOT! I was able to get out and move around a little and refuel for the remainder of the drive home.

I am really becoming anxious for our move back down to Florida. So many things are up in the air and I would really like for them to be concrete at this point. Things like housing and school for the kids. I want to go ahead and register them but don't know which school yet since this will depend on where we live. I just don't like that I will only have a small window to get these things done in as we leave here the 2nd week of July and the schools start in mid-August there. I am sure that it will all work out though in the end.

On a more positive note I was able to attend mass at our old church and was so amazed at how at home I feel there. There is nothing better than the feeling I felt just walking into that church let alone actually receiving a message. I truly miss my church family there.

I haven't posted anything new in a while. Not much has been going on.
We had a sick child over the weekend. I picked her up from school Thurs and took her to the Dr. only to find out it was Strept throat. Got her started on her ABX and back to school today with her. One of her brothers was complaining of nausea Friday night before bed so I was planning to take him to the Dr. today but he never complained any after that. His throat was swollen as everyone else's was but no fever or vomiting so off to school he went today. We tried to keep him isolated over the weekend just to be sure.
Went shopping for some shorts for DH and I on Sunday and both of us ended up buying a size smaller than we normally do. SOOO exciting! I think I have lost more inches than lbs because it's not showing on the scale yet but I notice little things here and there.
Bought "The South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook" on our venture to the mall this weekend. Can't wait to start with that this week. I am going to mix in some of my own recipes as I did some very frugal shopping and now have lots of stuff in the freezer to use up. I just hope that the family will be happy with the changes to the meals. DH says he will cook whatever I fix but we will see since it will contain lots of veggies that he doesn't care for.
Class 2 of Wilton Course 2 tomorrow night. I love learning how to make pretty things and actually being somewhat good at it. I hope to use my skills in the near future. Maybe for the twin's birthday cake.

Easter

This year we were away from all of our family for Easter. It was kind of relaxing not having to worry about who's house we were going to first and who we would be upsetting by not being there at a specific time. It was a little boring for me though. We went to church Sunday morning and then did NOTHING for the rest of the day. DH and the kids went down and played tennis for a little while and then they played XBOX for the rest of the day. Nothing really exciting there. The kids got to hunt eggs on Saturday here at the apartment complex. They had fun with their friends and got candy and prizes.

My problem child was good this past week and was able to get his 10 stickers and get his prize. He immediately wanted to take a bath and play with it. He worked hard for it. I am very proud of him. Now if he could just keep it up.

We had to do some shopping on saturday much to the dismay of DH. Everyone needs shorts! It's going to be in the 80's this week, Finally! Everyone got shorts except for me which is typical. It's frustrating for me because I am in between sizes and everything in my size is not suited for my age, it's all older. Oh well, looks like i will be rolling up the legs of my jeans for a while.

whit's end

The kids are out of school this week for spring break. It has already proved to be quite a challenge because it was raining the first 2 days and we couldn't go outside for anything physical to wear them out. They did get naps but that doesn't help. One of the twins thrives on being active and has a very high metabolism and never sits still. And if he gets upset, Look OUT!

Such is the case this week. He has been cooped up inside for a few days and not able to get any energy out. So when he got frustruated at something he just went off. I sent him to his room and told him to stay in there until he could calm himself down. He didn't like that very much and slammed the door and screamed at the top of his lungs at me. So he was asked to stay in there for the rest of the day (no biggie since it was already 4pm, right?) End of the world for him. The screaming got louder and banging on walls and yelling and whinning and crying and slamming and more yelling....etc. I hit bottom. I don't know what else to do for this kid. There is no talking to him when he is upset and getting him to calm down is what he needs. This is just about impossible unless you give him some kind of reward. Well, what's the good in rewards if he never learns anything and pitches a fit until he gets it? I was boo hooing while trying to keep busy folding clothes. The other kids noticed and starting asking why I was crying but mostly didn't care. They were more consumed with PBS on tv. Fine with me as long as it was only the one giving me grief at the moment.

I just wish I knew what to do for him. We started a sticker reward system where they get a sticker for each day that they are good. After they get 10 stickers they get a small prize (toy) and when they fill their chart (25 stickers) they get a bigger prize. Everyone has gotten a prize so far except this one kid who insists on making everything a battle. He really lost it a few nights ago when we decided to take stickers away because he would not calm down or listen to us. We quickly decided that you can only have 1 sticker taken away per day, this way it is not so traumatic getting them taken away. And we added that once a sticker is taken away it can not be given back that day, you have to earn it back the next day.

This sticker thing is hit or miss with him though. He was doing really good in the beginning and then had his bad spell a few days ago where he lost about 4 stickers total. Devastating to him! I think he is starting to get it though. He tells me everyday how many more stickers he has to get to get his prize (which he already picked out and is on the top of the closet). He asks me frequently throughout the day if he is being good and the answer has generally been "Yes, Keep it up". I do find that I need to remind him when he starts to whine or I can see a tantrum coming on about his stickers and then he thinks about it for a second and adjusts. I just hope he can stay on track and keep it up. I really want him to get this down now so that is won't be a struggle in the future for his sake.

Here's hoping.

Growing up too soon.

So my 7 year old daughter told her daddy the other day that she had a boyfriend and that he told her he had never kissed anyone before. Thus the spart that started the whole conversation about 7 year olds not being allowed to kiss and you had to be at LEAST 18 before you could. She seemed ok with that.

This morning, while waiting at the bus stop, one of the moms mentioned that her daughter told her last night about someone in the class, "I think it was your daughter" she said pointing at me, kissed a boy on the cheek yesterday on the playground. WHAT!!! After the talk we had.

I immediately called my daughter over and inquired as to the truth of this story. She didn't deny it at all but looked up to me almost smirking and confirmed it. Little Snot! I wanted to laugh so hard, and I think I actually did a little. But then I had to explain it to her again and remind her that 7 year olds are NOT allowed to kiss, even if it is on the cheek.

My head is still swirling an hour later. Oh the things I will most likely have to deal with in the future. A very non-enthusiastic "Yipee" is all I have to say.

Sunshine, Finally!

Today is beautiful. No jackets needed. Even considered shorts, but all of ours are in storage at the moment. So we headed out to get some much needed groceries and were right next to the ever ellusive Wal-Mart so we got the kids some short-sleeved shirts. They had a blast picking out their own shirts. Cost a little more than hubby expected but it would have cost MUCH more if we were anywhere else.
Now for the parents to get some new clothes.

Stretch....

I made a wonderful realization last night as I was partaking in a Yoga class. I have been going to the class for about a month now twice a week. I realized that I could once again hold the sole of my foot in my hand and straighten my knee without pain. Yipee! Small achievement for some but wonderful for me. I am so enthused. I had always been able to do this and meagerly tried to get back to it over the last 10 years or so (since kids) with no luck. I was not persistent enough and would make excuses. I am glad that I have made it a point to go twice a week now. I think what really encourages me is the fact that I have had surgery on both heels now and keeping the muscles stretched out is the best way to keep my foot working. I have noticed a big difference. I surprise myself each week as I learn that I can do more and more (sometimes better than others who are are smaller than me in class). Can't wait to see what else I discover.

Keeping Busy

I have determined that I need to keep myself busy so that I don't just sit around and eat all day. It's hard though to find things to do. There are only so many times you can go to the park in one day and you can't go walk around any more stores because there is no more money left. I went to Target today with my 4 year old to get some sand toys and the new Princess and the Frog movie and ended up spending $50. Geesh. Guess I better hit the library tomorrow for a new book.

So it is 8:45 am on Friday. I thought that I would log on and try to fill today's slot for blogging.

I got nothing.

Doing laundry (as always) and running some errands today. Maybe I will have something by this evening.

In the Kitchen

A few weeks ago I attended a cooking class put on by the apartment complex where we learned how to make Crab Rangoons, Veggie Potstickers, and Mu Shu. It was so much fun not only to learn how to make some of my favorite food but to be able to enjoy the company of some of my neighbors who I had not previously met. I brought a few things home for my hubby and he loved it.

Last Friday I attempted to recreate these items on my own. It was during lent so I decided to add some scallops that I already had in the fridge to the Rangoons as Crab was WAAAYYYY too expensive. They turned out ok. I also added the scallops to the potstickers. It was a little rough at first but I soon got the hang of it. It is tough not having my kitchen. I am using what is provided by the apartment complex which is sufficient for the task. I would just feel more comfortable having my own items (pots, pans, utensils...). Hubby liked them but we both agreed that the ginger was too much.

So now I am loving the potstickers and made them again last night (Sunday), this time adjusting the amount of ginger and adding more garlic. I also added some sausage to the cabbage filling and it turned out great. I told my hubby that he better prepare himself for more asian cooking because I had such a great time doing this. I even got the kids involved. I found a new blog to follow also that has given me some ideas and tips. I found a dessert idea using bananas and nutella in wonton wrappers and then frying them. SOOO Yummy! Looking forward to my next asian meal at home.

Laundry

Not sure what to write about today. Sometimes there are so many things swirling around in my head that I can't think straight. Then there are days like today when I can't catch a thought. Just Blah I guess. The times when I have the most things running through my head is when I hit the pillow at night. Maybe I should start doing this before I go to bed every night. That might help me to get to sleep faster. The only problem with that is competing for the computer with the hubby. He is usually on it most of the night and I have it to myself during the day when he is at work. That is until my little one wants to play pbskids.org or something like that. I am usually up later so we will see how that works out.

Realized today that I let the laundry slip and now have at least 6 loads worth. But it has to be done! When I walked down to the laundry just now all but 1 of the washers was taken. Here is something that confuses me. Who designs a laundry room with 6 washing machines and only 3 dryers? I put EVERYTHING in the dryer! This limits the amount I can do at any one time. I have learned to seperate the clothes for the wash and then combine them in the dryer if they are smaller loads. Hopefully I can get it all done today. I have some adventuring I want to do tomorrow.

something new.

Not much has happened over the last couple of days. I did make it to a Yoga class on Monday which was awesome. Going back for more tonight. I figure I will just stick with the Yoga a couple of times a week and pick the cardio back up in a few weeks. My heel was killing me Monday so lots of icing and resting for tonight. It sure is easy to go to that 1st class and then reason your way out of not going anymore, which is probably what I just did with Cardio but I think being only 1 month post-op I really should not overdo it on my foot. I am going to push to get to Yoga each week. I really need to do something!

I have added something else to worry about this week. My husband will have to be at his new post in mid-May which means the kids will have to move to a new school AGAIN and this time only for the 3-4 weeks that remain in the school year. That's harsh for them. This will be their 3rd school this school year. Not to mention that the boys started out with one teacher, had a sub for a few months while she was out with her adoption, teacher came back and then they move. Uggghh! We are thinking that if we HAVE to leave in May that the kids and I will just go back to the 1st school and stay with family for the month left in school then head to the new post for summer. I am really hoping that they can get back into their original school if we have to leave here. That would be ideal and I think less stressful for the kids.

We shall see. All will be revealed in time. So for now we are going to focus on what's here and let the chips fall where they may.

Work it out

Ok, so this is turning out to be an every couple of days thing as opposed to an everyday thing. That's ok, as long as I remember to do it and it is helping me out.

So, yesterday I went to my first cardio class in about 10 years. I was proud of myself for keeping up for the whole hour even if it was at my own slower pace. It was kind of embarrassing being in there with those smaller women and they could keep up but everyone has to start somewhere. I feel confident that if I keep it up I will be able to pick up the pace and run with the pack. I plan on taking advantage of the other classes offered here (free of course) like Yoga. I even have my daughter doing Yoga once a week with the other kids. She likes it because she gets to hang out with someone other than her brothers.

Some shopping to do today and then picking Daddy up from work. I think we will be heading to the main medical building today to get any vaccinations/shots we need.

Valentine's Day

Well today was Valentine's Day and I have to say that I am greatly disappointed. I guess I need to give up on waiting for him to plan anything romantic or anything at all. The kids said Happy Valentine's Day and that's about it. We did get out to church this morning which was great because we haven't been in 4 weeks for many reasons that remain excuses. The rest of the day just sucked! Sorry to say it that way but it is what it is. Got home from church/grocery store and the kids play on the XBOX and he on the computer. What am I supposed to do just sit around and twiddle my thumbs? I am sorry that I don't want to sit in front of the tv all day, which ironically is what I ended up doing. I tried to watch a movie but that was interrupted by the kids and their yelling. I thought we could have at least gone out to dinner even if we did have the kids with us. That is not too much to ask. Show me something. Do I even matter or am I just a figment here. I am so aggravated right now. Now when I get done with this and head to bed he is going to be expecting something because it is Valentine's Day. I'm sorry but it doesn't work that way! PERIOD! Oh Well. I just wish at least for 1 hour someone would take care of me and make me feel special.

It's Snowing

So we are right smack in the middle of the Blizzard of 2010 in the D.C. area. I think we have had about 18 inches of snow since yesterday afternoon. The kids are loving it. I am freezing but must go outside to keep them entertained. Wears Daddy out too.

I enrolled the kids in school to start on Monday but if the snow keeps coming it will be later in the week. Ellie has to take a reading test so they can place her in the right class before she starts. I can't wait to get back onto a regular schedule and to be able to sit down with Andy during the day and get him caught up.

catch-up

Ok, so I kept forgetting to sit down and do this for the past couple of days so here it is. I guess I have to make up for lost time now.

We found out yesterday that we will be posted in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Yipee! Back to Florida we go. My husband will have a few more months of training here and then we will head south just in time for Summer.

So now I can enroll the kids in school for them to start next week. That was the plan for today but the schools were closed because of the snow last night. Tomorrow it is.

Friday will be my husband's Swearing-In ceremony and then he will officially be done with Orientation. He seems to like it so far so we will see how this goes.

I had a hard time getting to sleep last night with all of this running thru my head. Lots of unanswered questions that I shouldn't be worried about. Getting the kids in school for the rest of the year here. Can I make it for 4 months without my things from storage? Where will we live in FL? Where will the kids go to school? Everyone is going to need more than the 3 weeks worth of clothes we brought in our suitcases. It is actually on about 1 weeks worth and we are washing them frequently. I need to do at least 1 load a day just to keep up. One day's clothing is several loads worth.

Will the kids be able to cope here in this 2 bedroom apartment? I think they will be fine (as well as me) once they start school and are not stuck inside most of the day.

There is probably more but I just can't think of it right now. I have to go stop the boys from jumping on the beds, AGAIN!

On my mind

So, my husband has this new job where we will be moving every 2 years from here on out. I am quite excited for the opportunities this will pose for our 4 children as they are just starting out in school and will have just about their whole childhoods to spend learning about different cultures and people and traveling all over the globe.

What doesn't excite me about this new job is that we will be moving every 2 years. We have made our 1st move to NOVA while he is in training. Of course we are here in temporary housing until he finds out where he will be posted for the next 2 years, which he will not know until this coming Tuesday. Temporary housing means that we only brought enough "stuff" for the 3 weeks that we are here waiting on posting. I am not even sure where the rest of our things from our home are. They are supposed to be on their way to a storage facility in MD but I have not received any confirmation that they are there yet. I guess I need to call and find out if it is there yet.

Meanwhile I am washing clothes everyday (which really is nothing new with such a large family). The good news is I don't have to pay for the laundry services. We do, however have a new finance to figure in though: Dry Cleaning. I am still working out the details with that one since Ben only has 5 pairs of suit pants. My wardrobe is very limited also since I did not have alot to begin with and brought most of what I did have. 3 pairs of jeans is just not enough.

I AM looking forward to Tuesday, though. It should clear up some things for us about where we will be going and if we need to find a place to stay here in NOVA for the next 2 years. The only problem is that if we are staying here we only have the rest of the week to find something. We still have financial responsibilities back in Florida and can't really afford being close to his office here. So we are looking about 30 miles out of town where things are a little less crowded and the prices are lower. It's crazy to me that the monthly rent on a 1BR apt/TH here is the same if not more than our mortgage on our 2000 sq ft home on 1ac back in FL. I just hope that if we do end up way out of the area that the drive will not be too bad for Ben in the mornings.

I think I am beginning to ramble a bit. More tomorrow.

And so it begins...

Well, today is Day 1 of my 1st blog ever. I thought I would try this out. I have always wanted to write down my thoughts but can never seem to sit down and do it. I am always interrupted if I sit down for more than 2 minutes at a time.

I hope to use this blog as a means to understand and sort out things that are on my mind, questions I have about life, and the like. I am by no means a writer in the eloquent sense. This will just be a collection of my thoughts and sometimes frustrations as I try to navigate my way through life.