Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Life Happens - good, bad and ugly

Wow - life has thrown us for a few loops the past couple of months.  Not horrible - nothing like that.  I'm just a bit overwhelmed.  Enough that I haven't even been able to read my blogs since before Valentines...no time.  Things are starting to ease up a little, but I know something else will be right around the corner.
First loop thrown - my daughter started feeling bad the week before Valentines - the Tuesday before my husband had to go pick her up from the nurses office.  No biggie.  She started getting hoarse, but made it through the rest of the week - Friday was a school dance, so she said she felt well enough to go (even though her voice was almost gone) - so we let her.  That night after it was over, we had planned to drive to my parents house a couple hours away.  They recently moved into a new home, and we had yet to visit, so we were excited about it.  Got there around 10:00 pm and my daughter went straight to bed.  Clue one that she wasn't feeling up to par - she's my night owl!  Next day we went to the mall and out to dinner - as soon as we got home from dinner around 7:30 pm she went to bed.  Clue 2 she really didn't feel well.  Sunday we had planned on staying until after lunch before heading home, but my girl felt so bad we went ahead and got on the road early.  In time for me to contact the Dr. and get her seen that afternoon.  Strep was a negative (I was really thinking that's what we may be dealing with).  After explaining to the Dr. all her symptoms - headache, sore throat, swollen glands, stomach pain and tirednesss the Dr. said...sounds like typical symptoms of Mono.  Want me to test her?  Ummm yes...of course.  Sure enough - my baby girl has Mono -  and it's been such a rough ride.  We are on her 5th week out of school...yep!  They have her marked out until April 13th. :(  She is missing her friends, has missed two field trips she was really looking forward to, a birthday party for a close friend, honor band rehearsals (which has her concerned) and Beta Club meetings/services.  She's ready to go back but still feels soooo tired.  I feel so bad for her - this is the girl who hardly ever gets sick, so this has been awful.  She's supposed to go on a school trip with band at the end of this month to Six Flags - but I don't see it happening.  I hate it for her (and me - I was signed up to be a chaperone) - but her health comes first.  She'll be so disappointed, and I hate that.
Second loop thrown - job related, but not bad...just crazy.  Our company was managed by a PEO - they handled our payroll, work comp, unemployment, etc.  So...we were told the second week of February that as of March 1 we were no longer going to be part of the PEO, and would be doing everything in-house.  So...basically there were 3 of us who had 3 weeks to 1.  Find a new payroll system, get all employees entered into the new payroll system/database, including direct deposit information, update federal and state withholding forms, all deductions - benefit premiums, 401k, etc. 2.  Find all new voluntary benefit providers - we had dental, vision, optional life and 401k through our PEO, and we had 3 weeks to get new quotes, and get all benefits changed over to new vendors...seriously, that's an impossible task.  3 freaking weeks.  We literally got the new quotes and the census updates sent over the week the transition took place.  3.  Payroll went live last week - after many calls with support for the new system, and ensuring we had everything in place, last Monday was the day...due to some technical issues, our time and attendance wasn't properly linking to the system so we had to manually enter payroll and commissions.  4.  Friday - direct deposit day.  Out of 130 people, we had 5 issues.  All resolved the same day, thank goodness.  I guess it could have been worse, but considering we had 3 weeks to get everything transitioned, I'll take it.  It's been exhausting, though.  I stayed at work late more than one night each week trying to ensure a smooth transition.  5.  We are getting ready to move to a new location - we have two current locations, and we are getting ready to combine both locations into one larger building.  Moving occurs at the end of this month, or the first week of next.  Lots going on at work - at least it's not boring!  Ha!  :)
Back to my daughter - just got a call that her stomach is hurting - I worry about the spleen, because it's susceptible to swelling during mono - waiting for a call back from the Dr.  Ugh!
My son  - still trying to get this gluten free diet down.  It's been a tough transition ya'll.  Luckily as time goes on, we are finding more and more items that are GF, and he's willing to try.  It's just trial and error and hoping something is good.  If he wasn't so darned picky...lol!  That's the challenge.
Anyway - took a brief break. Now back to work, and hoping to hear back from the Dr. soon.  Mono sucks!!

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Happy New Year...or January 17th (I'm a little behind).

Hope Everyone has had a great start to 2017.  So far it's been okay for our family. Thanksgiving and Christmas were great - we survived all the birthdays and events thrown at us.  I question it every year, but we always make it through somehow!  :)  Christmas was spent at home with my parents and inlaws in town.  My parents just moved in December, so during all of the craziness that the month brings, they were bringing us all sorts of things they no longer wanted...but I did...oh so much!  We got a new kitchen table, hutch and dry sink, entertainment center and bookshelf.  I can't believe they didn't want it, but since they were downsizing they decided they wouldn't have room for everything.  I'm beyond thrilled!  Not only is the furniture new to us, it is the furniture of my childhood - something I knew I would get one day, but I got it a lot sooner than I had expected or hoped!  It's all soooo pretty. :)  Oh...I forgot to mention the sofa and end tables, chairs and the homemade game boards that my mom and dad made years ago - they were going to get rid of them...I said NO!!!  See the pretty furniture below.  :)

 Hutch - all decorated for Christmas
 Entertainment Center - our tv was too big for the tv spot, so that now hides all of our board games!!  :)
 Dry sink - the match to the hutch

The table - before table cloth and after below...it's beautiful without but keep going to find out WHY we have to keep a tablecloth on it. 



 Our family and best friends celebrating New Years together - love the selfie stick!  LOL!


Finally...the reason a tablecloth is necessary...we have 4 (yes 4) cats - and no matter how hard we try to keep them from getting on the table, we gave up on that battle a long time ago.  It's like one gets down, another gets up...and so on...sigh!  It's a losing battle!  Haha!

Anyway - January has been good so far - no real resolutions, as I don't stick with them very well.  However, I do want to get back into some sort of workout routine...we'll see what happens.  Work is going well, and the kids are doing great at school.  My daughter just got back from Junior Beta Club state convention in Myrtle Beach and had a blast.  The school year is just rearing up again, and along with it the activities.  I'm hoping to make it til Spring Break...maybe a mini vacay at that time.  Who knows!  Anyway - Happy Late New Year, and have a wonderful rest of January.  I'll try to pop in more often this year.