I apologize. I did not plan to not be here so long. And after the slow, ridiculousness of weebly and my computer, I wonder why I came back. But have no fear. Life is way to interesting for me to quit blogging. Though I would give anything to find another forum for my exciting life!
We had a quiet Christmas and New Years. Liam stayed up (I should clarify, out of bed, since he is generally still awake until midnight) to watch the ball fall and drink the sparkling cider and play with the noise makers. He thought it was all great fun! Craig's schedule allowed him to be home for all the holiday days so that was also very nice. Of course we won't get that extra special paycheck but Liam loved having him with us. My sister and her family came for Christmas and after the recent upheaval in our family, things had improved so much it was the nicest time I have had with her for many years.
We had a quiet Christmas and New Years. Liam stayed up (I should clarify, out of bed, since he is generally still awake until midnight) to watch the ball fall and drink the sparkling cider and play with the noise makers. He thought it was all great fun! Craig's schedule allowed him to be home for all the holiday days so that was also very nice. Of course we won't get that extra special paycheck but Liam loved having him with us. My sister and her family came for Christmas and after the recent upheaval in our family, things had improved so much it was the nicest time I have had with her for many years.
I wanted family pictures without the expense and time of going to Picture People (who I love but wanted to save a little money). So some long time friends of ours met us at the Baptist church here in town and took our picture. I was basically happy with them. Picture People of course have the lighting and magic to make faces appear blemish free and young and bright. But this little man needs no magic! He is as perfect as they come! And the camera smiles as big as he does!
One of my dear Bible study friends got engaged around Christmas. She is the third from right. We toasted her with...yes..you guessed it...sparkling grape! I appeared to get a bit tipsy a short time later. I tried to tell a story about a wedding...it took me a few bumbling moments to figure out it was a friends wedding, not mine. But once I got all my facts straight everyone enjoyed the story. It was a funny one also. One of my best friends from high school got married in Reno. Her sister and I were the witnesses. We were all dirt poor, ate cheap and had a great time for our very short visit. Her sister had won a jackpot on a nickel machine. That was back when the machines actually spit out cold hard cash. Anyway....we ran out of gas on the way home and had to beg...I mean BEG her to part with enough change to get us home! Can you imagine...someone not wanting to get home enough that they weren't willing to donate to the cause....AND....how that gas station attendant felt getting handfuls of nickels to pay for a tank of gas!!?? Pretty funny looking back. But we are so happy for Jeri on her upcoming wedding. We set right to work planning the event. As any group of self respecting women would do you know. We planned the venue, the food, the dress (Craig gave some input there), even the honeymoon. We tried to set the date but she really felt strongly about him having some say in that. I imagine she is right. So, Mexican Train, sparkling cider and fellowship. Great evening!
This little man now has a chore chart and stickers. His jobs are emptying the silverware from the dishwasher. Taking his folded clothes upstairs and putting them away, generally helping with laundry if asked ( he is now tall enough to reach almost all the way into the washer to unload it!) and helping daddy with garbage on Sunday nights. At this point in life he is happy to do all that. Happy to help. I told him that if he gets a row of stars and no complaining he might get a nice prize. He decided he wants a grand trophy! So where do you go about ordering grand trophies?
I have had three profound thoughts in the last couple days. One, about an hour before I sat down here to blog. Do you think I can think of any of them? Noooooooo. At each one I thought 'I need to make sure I mention that on the blog'. I am hopeless! I have been dealing with a lot of pain lately. Mainly in my left shoulder (have no idea what happened) but lately also in my right shoulder and elbow. In 1988 I was involved in an on the job accident that left me with permanent damage to my right shoulder. I had years of pain and after the doctor said no more prescription pain killers I was taking 4 Exedrin 3 or 4 times a day. Then I went through several years of no pain at all. Slowly it has been coming back. And my insomnia is worse and I have a feeling pain might be part of it. I made the decision last week that I would hire someone to do a deep cleaning in my house. The things that I just hurt to bad to do....baseboards and anything above my head. She cancelled on the first day, set up for the next available time then cancelled that as well. Friday night I decided that Saturday, come heck or high water, I was going to get 'er done! When I put Liam to bed I asked if he would like to help me clean the next day. He got excited and said YES! Then he paused....put his finger to his temple and said "or you could take Be Active and then you will be active." What is Be Active? Evidently it is something he saw advertised on tv. Well...I didn't take Be Active and he did help me in two rooms. He cleaned the baseboards and chair rail'road track' in his room. And the baseboards in the classroom. So..between yesterday and this afternoon I have cleaned every thing on the list I made for the woman who never showed, except two bedrooms. Those rooms need some major organization before I can get in there and do a decent job. I am pleasantly surprised at how little pain I am actually in considering. My hips and sacroiliac are only slightly stiff and my shoulder pain is bearable. And it feels so good to have a clean house. I kid you not...you could eat off the floors around the toilets....if you had a desire to.....I know....ooooooooooooo yuck! But that is how clean this house is at this moment. My mom said she would be more than happy to come and do my baseboards.....yes...that is perfect...my 70-something mom crawling around my house cleaning baseboards....NO! But my sister also volunteered and I may take her up on that. Save my arm that pain at least. I just remembered something about Liam and cleaning yesterday. As I was getting ready to start he comes into the room shirtless. I told him he needed to put a shirt on. He said 'mommy, some workers don't wear shirts.' How do you argue with that?
So, there is the past month of my life. The good, the bad, the ugly:) Naw...my life is good. And tomorrow we are heading to Hillsboro to spend the night with Auntie Pam in her new home. We are very excited and Liam has been asking daily....'are we going to Auntie Pam's today?" And in the morning I will finally be able to say 'YES!"
And now for a Liamism: While he was eating his lunch today "Mommy, did you know there's a lot of tongue in our mouths?' Now I do!
I have had three profound thoughts in the last couple days. One, about an hour before I sat down here to blog. Do you think I can think of any of them? Noooooooo. At each one I thought 'I need to make sure I mention that on the blog'. I am hopeless! I have been dealing with a lot of pain lately. Mainly in my left shoulder (have no idea what happened) but lately also in my right shoulder and elbow. In 1988 I was involved in an on the job accident that left me with permanent damage to my right shoulder. I had years of pain and after the doctor said no more prescription pain killers I was taking 4 Exedrin 3 or 4 times a day. Then I went through several years of no pain at all. Slowly it has been coming back. And my insomnia is worse and I have a feeling pain might be part of it. I made the decision last week that I would hire someone to do a deep cleaning in my house. The things that I just hurt to bad to do....baseboards and anything above my head. She cancelled on the first day, set up for the next available time then cancelled that as well. Friday night I decided that Saturday, come heck or high water, I was going to get 'er done! When I put Liam to bed I asked if he would like to help me clean the next day. He got excited and said YES! Then he paused....put his finger to his temple and said "or you could take Be Active and then you will be active." What is Be Active? Evidently it is something he saw advertised on tv. Well...I didn't take Be Active and he did help me in two rooms. He cleaned the baseboards and chair rail'road track' in his room. And the baseboards in the classroom. So..between yesterday and this afternoon I have cleaned every thing on the list I made for the woman who never showed, except two bedrooms. Those rooms need some major organization before I can get in there and do a decent job. I am pleasantly surprised at how little pain I am actually in considering. My hips and sacroiliac are only slightly stiff and my shoulder pain is bearable. And it feels so good to have a clean house. I kid you not...you could eat off the floors around the toilets....if you had a desire to.....I know....ooooooooooooo yuck! But that is how clean this house is at this moment. My mom said she would be more than happy to come and do my baseboards.....yes...that is perfect...my 70-something mom crawling around my house cleaning baseboards....NO! But my sister also volunteered and I may take her up on that. Save my arm that pain at least. I just remembered something about Liam and cleaning yesterday. As I was getting ready to start he comes into the room shirtless. I told him he needed to put a shirt on. He said 'mommy, some workers don't wear shirts.' How do you argue with that?
So, there is the past month of my life. The good, the bad, the ugly:) Naw...my life is good. And tomorrow we are heading to Hillsboro to spend the night with Auntie Pam in her new home. We are very excited and Liam has been asking daily....'are we going to Auntie Pam's today?" And in the morning I will finally be able to say 'YES!"
And now for a Liamism: While he was eating his lunch today "Mommy, did you know there's a lot of tongue in our mouths?' Now I do!