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!!

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.  

I'm Still Alive!

Well, I know it's been a while since I've posted.  I had a nice, long, post a while back and it somehow got eaten up.  So...a recap of the past several months.
December 2015 - lost my job of 14 years due to restructuring within the company.  That sucked - it was hard, but I did have several weeks of severance to get me through until I found something else.
January - March - I searched jobs, enjoyed some much needed downtime with the family, and got a few (not as many as I had hoped) projects done.
March - started a new, better job with a smaller, more family friendly company.  Became an HR Generalist for them, and loved it - 2 weeks later, their sister company asked me to transfer over.  I did, where I worked until August (it was crazy, hectic, long hours - but I loved it) and then the original company asked me to come back...it was a hard decision, but I decided that, for the sake of my family and my sanity, that yes...I would go back.  The same pay, but better hours and more laid back atmosphere did it for me.  Started back with them on August 22nd, and I'm loving it!  HR always has it's challenges and craziness...but it's never boring.
Family - kids have been doing amazing!  Both are now in middle school - daughter in 7th grade, and son in 6th.  My daughter has taken middle school by the reigns, man - last year she made A/B honor roll all year, and just pounded out the work.  This year she was inducted into the Jr. Beta Club, is joining Honor Band, and has already received her first Administrative Acknowledgement, in which a letter was sent home by the Principal that a Teacher submitted a recommendation of recognition - she got a Chick-Fil-A gift card too...I couldn't be more proud of her, though!  She's truly matured over the past year - 6th grade started a little rocky, but she's a joy to be around this year.  Report cards come out Wednesday, but I already know she's got straight A's...this is a first ever...can I say proud mama!?!  :)
My son is in 6th grade, and is also doing amazing.  He's been in GATE (gifted program) and really struggled with it the past couple of years.  We were going to pull him, but his teacher recommended he only be pulled from two...after talking to the principal, he tried to push us to keep him in, but I was insistent on pulling him from ELA - he really struggled hard with it last year...all that darn Ceasar's English and the Stems...he still has them this year, but the teacher he would have had for GATE was the hardest English teacher at the school...my daughter had him last year for non-GATE, and he was HARD.  Good...but hard.  I just couldn't put my son through that - he's good, but not as much of a go-getter as his sister when it comes to school work.  I'm so proud of him, though - he's also getting great grades - all A's and one B.  I'll take it!  Earlier this year we had some health issues with my son - at his pediatrician's office during his well-visit, I pointed out a patch of skin around my son's neck - it looks dirty, but it doesn't come clean...even after I scrub it.  Turns out it's a sign of pre-diabetes, and I was told that it's not dirt...it just looks like it.  So, the Dr. sent a referral to an Endocrinologist for him to be tested.  We started watching everything we ate, and tried to make all meals healthier for the family.  We went in early September for the testing - took a couple weeks for the results to come back.  I happened to mention to the Dr. that my son had a very weak stomach, and had a tendency to vomit often...this was literally an afterthought, as I didn't think it had anything to do with the diabetes...but my husband wanted me to mention it.  Turns out they ended up running some other tests, and lo and behold my son does not have Diabetes, at all...however, he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease!!!  Never, from all the times I've carried him to the Dr. over his vomiting fits, has anyone ever even brought this up as a suggestion.  So...now my son has to go completely gluten free.  Ya'll - that's hard.   I know they have lots of items out there, but some of them really suck.  We have yet to find a bread that tastes good.  I bought GF hotdog buns the other day, and when I opened the pack they were so hard I could have knocked someone out if I had hit them over the head.  :(  I was so disappointed.  But...we're learning as we go.  It really makes sense now, though.  I didn't realize just how sensitive he was until a couple weeks ago, after going almost a solid month of gluten free, we decided to make pot roast.  My old recipe called for Au Jus, which turns out to have gluten.  So, my husband decided lets just take some beef bullion and use that instead.  Seriously like 2 hours after eating, he got sick.  I searched beef bullion, and I'll be damned if it didn't contain gluten!!!!  So...now we have to try to find GF beef bullion.  It's a struggle, but at least now we have answers that we can address.
Hubby - recovering well after his double neck fusion in January.  Took a few months, but he's getting better.  Unfortunately, the Dr. said this is his new normal, so whatever state he is in now is how he's going to be...no more surgeries.  He still gets headaches after too much activity, and still has neck/shoulder pain often, but he's still able to do most things within reason.  No more roller coasters or shaky rides for him, though.  He can still ride his bike and tentatively lift some weights (again, within reason), but all in all can't complain.  He's still working in real estate - it's been a bit slow, but he's got a couple leads.  Would be nice if he could make a sale before Christmas - that always makes it easier with all the birthdays that fall in December, and Christmas. :)
With the job change this year, we did not get a real vacation.  We got to make it up to Lake Lure for a long weekend with our best friends, but that's about it.  A short trip home to visit my parents, and best friend - and to go to the Okra Strut (local festival).  My parents are selling their home - they just bought a new patio home, about 5 miles from their current home - the home I lived in the longest before moving out on my own.  They bought that house when I was 10...I'm now 42.  :(  Going to be sad, but the house they are buying is truly beautiful, and I'm excited for them.  So many memories made in the old house, but looking forward to making many more in the new.  They close on it in November...just around the corner.
The last few weeks have been a bit rough - my best friend lost her sister, and she was buried in my town.  She and her family came up last weekend and stayed with us, and we all went to the funeral.  It was sad - her sister was only 49, but lived a rough life...she and my friend weren't close, due to the lifestyles, but that doesn't make it any easier.  Its been a tough time, in many ways, and although I'm glad I was able to be there for her, I'm emotionally drained.  She's been through so much in the past few years - honestly I could write a book...but it's not my story to tell.  Just send good thoughts out to her, because if anyone could use them she could!!!
Well - taking a quick break from work.  Need to get back.  I'll try to write more often, if I can find the time.  Between work, kids, band booster, PTA, tennis and other activities I'm stretched a bit thin. :)
Til next time!  Later. 

Bittersweet - Endings and New Beginnings

Darn...I had a whole post written on Friday, and it didn't save.  :( So...I will write again when I can! 

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping...into the future!

Time for my quarterly update - or so it seems.  Ha!  So much has happened in the last few months I don't even know if I can remember it all.  We'll start with July vacation!  Spent an absolutely wonderful week with great friends in Florida.  My friend's in-laws own two time-shares based in Las Vegas, and they were able to get them transferred to Orlando - so we spent $180 for a 2 bedroom suite for the whole week...not too shabby!  We thought about Disney, but ended up spending two days at LEGOLAND - the first day at the water park, and the second riding the rides and watching shows.  So much fun!  Aside from the park, we spent most of the time at the resort - there was tons to do - arts and crafts (we did tie dye shirts with the kids), paddle boats, 14 swimming pools, a water park on site (we didn't spend the extra it cost to do that since we already went to one), a movie theater, game room, gym, tennis courts and they even had Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, and Hershey's Ice Cream Shoppe right across the street - plus a restaurant and pizza shop!  So...we stayed busy and had a blast!  We found this amazing Italian Restaurant that was a few miles away, and thanks to Restaurant.com, we had a fabulous meal for all 11 of us at a very reasonable price.  Fun times - many laughs, busy days, and tons of pictures to capture the memories.  After we got home it was go, go, go time!  One week before school started back, so it was shopping for supplies, clothes and getting haircuts.  Since we were gone for registration, I had to go to the schools (plural because my daughter started middle school this year) to get them registered, and in the process they messed up her schedule...so we had to get that fixed.  She's playing in the band this year, so had to get my old clarinet to the shop to get re-padded (BTW - if you have a wooden clarinet, that starts out at almost $300!!!!!  OMG - who knew???)  I'm still waiting for it - we have a loaner in the meantime. 
August - So...school started out smoothly.  The weekend after school started my hubby's aunt turned 90 - they had a big ice cream social to celebrate her big day.  Since she lives about 5 hours from us, the thought of driving up there for a 2 hour gathering seemed a little crazy...but at the same time, we did not want to miss out on it, because...she's 90!  So - we went, and on the way home decided to take an overnight trip near Charlotte and brought the kids to Carowinds - we had such an amazing time, and enjoyed ourselves immensely.  All the fun, crazy rides, and then there were a couple torrential downpours, so we got soaked, then waited out the rain while watching a show...it was truly a great day.  Then...all hell broke loose.  The third week of school, my daughter (who is usually fairly easy to get along with - although she is at that horrible hormonal stage that makes her seem like the many faces of Eve at times)...Anyway - she got mad at me one night over what I thought was a minor argument - my son and I went out for yogurt (and even asked if she wanted to go), and when we got back she was gone.  Like GONE!  My husband was in the bedroom and thought she was with me - after 30 minutes of driving around (at night, in the dark) and trying not to have a panic attack, I see her walking on the side of the road...2 MILES from our house!!!  I swear, I have never been so scared, and so relieved, in my life! I just don't know what she was thinking, and I'm not sure she does either - she is now really upset and embarrassed by the whole situation and has sworn all of us to never, ever speak of it again.  Before we stopped talking about it, we had a nice, long chat - honestly we didn't ground her or do anything rash - she was upset, and scared and I think she honestly didn't know what she was doing, and had gone so far from home, I think she truly frightened herself (and all of us in the process).  It was a rough few days for everyone, because as parents we were questioning everything! Where did we go wrong, what did we do, will this happen again, why??? - we aren't overly strict, but we do have expectations...anyway.  Hard time, rough patch, but we're doing better now. I had to go to work the next day, and I walked into my bosses office, closed the door and burst into tears.  It was such an emotional day - I could get NOTHING done at work stewing over everything that had happened.  This happened on Monday night right before Labor Day. We had contemplated not allowing her out with friends, but then she got invited to go back to Florida with one of her best friends - LEGOLAND and Sea World...we didn't have the heart to tell her no, and honestly ...we figured it would be good for her to be with a good friend, and have a bit of distance from the situation -for everyone!  She's been a completely different person since then. 
I wondered if all the stress of middle school was causing some of this, but I'm not sure. Her grades are the best she has ever had!  Her lowest grade is a 92 - I am so proud of her!  She has really stepped up to the plate. 
We got her a phone - I did not look at it as a reward (and told her as much) but we had promised her months ago that she would have one before school started...well, it was a little later than originally promised, but she has one now.  I feel better knowing I can reach her at anytime. 
My son - oh...that whole situation broke his heart!  He idolizes his sister, and being my sensitive child, it has made a mark on him.  When we came in the house and she was gone, he started keening - I don't know another way to put it, but it was a moaning, sobbing wail. :(  Breaks my heart.  He has adjusted to school okay - not as well as his sister, and I'm supposed to meet with the teacher next week.  He's not doing "bad" but he's lazy when it comes to homework, and we are struggling to get him to understand the importance of why it has to be done.  He tells us his teacher doesn't always check it...ack!  That's not the point!  Grrrrr - it's been an ongoing argument, and have I mentioned that my son is a Taurus?  Oh he can be so bull-headed when he wants to be!  True to his sign!  Haha! He's been busy with lots of sleepovers and birthday parties lately, which has been good. 
This past week - well...it's been rough for our state.  I'm sure anyone who has watched the news has seen the horrific pictures of the flooding in SC - well, our house is okay, as is my parents and most of my friends.  But...I know several people who have significant flood damage, and my kids are still out of school - today makes day 6 because so many roads are washed out and or still covered with water. I've been in SC since I was 2 (now 41) and I have NEVER seen anything like this.  It's incredible, and so sad to see the devastation.  My dad is over at a friend's house today tearing out drywall, carpet and scraping mud out of the house.  I know of so many more having to do the same thing.  There were so many dams in the Columbia area that are now spilling down the rivers towards our area.  Guess we'll have to see what the weekend holds, and hope the rivers don't rise and cause more flooding.  We don't need it!! 
So - it's been a crazy 3 months. Love it now that it's fall, and football is here!  Tennis starts soon for my son - my daughter decided she did not want to play this year. Maybe next year!  My son also tried out for, and made, the Lego Robotics Team at his school - I'm so proud of him.  Hopefully that will help him with discipline in other areas he's lacking - lol!  I can only hope!!
Upcoming - Well...Halloween is almost here.  My son has decided he wants to be the Creeper from MineCraft, and my daughter wants to be a security guard??  Not sure why, but we found an awesome security guard shirt  - they are both easy outfits, so I'm not complaining.  My daughter is also into Anime at the moment -I'm not sure where she picked that up, but hey...if she enjoys it, good for her!  She has decided for her birthday and some of Christmas that she wants her room redecorated - paint, bed and bedspread, and décor - so that's what we are going to do for her.  I'm kind of excited, and think she is too - something to look forward to doing together.  Seems with this strange, awkward age it's really hard to find things we both enjoy doing together.  That makes me sad, and trust me...I try - so I'm really, really looking forward to this.  Hoping for some quality mother daughter bonding. 
I'm a bit worn out lately - so many things running through my head, and I really need some time for myself - I seriously want a day to do nothing, and for everyone to go out for the day.  My house needs major cleaning, and I don't do well with that while others are home.  I do soooo much more when it's just me.  But...my husband (whom I love dearly) is a home body...and won't go away! LOL!  My kids do, but when they are gone hubby is 2 feet away at all times.  No joke!!  I am reading a book, that I've been trying to finish for about 4 weeks now...I just want to sit and have a glass of wine (or actually, a Moscow Mule) and just read and relax.  Not enough hours in the day, or days in the week. 
Last weekend (before all the flooding mess began) my best friend threw her daughter a birthday party.  We drove up to Columbia, and after dropping off my stuff at my parent's house I headed to the b-day party.  My poor friend is dealing with a mess - she is in a custody battle with her ex and it has gotten so, so, so ugly.  He has never been nice (left her when their youngest was 3 months old, and literally took everything out of the account - left her with nothing).  Anyway - it's gotten nasty, and she was sooooo down over some things that had  just happened.  I had to bake cupcakes, and help set up the food - she was so lost that I'm really glad I was there to help...but, at one point I had to tell her to snap out of it for her daughters sake - that kids were on the way and she needed to step up!  (Hey - that's what best friends are for, right?)  So...she pulled herself together, and it ended up being great.  My son and I went back to my parents' while my daughter stayed for the sleepover.  We went to church with my parents and then picked her up on the way back - had a nice lunch with my parents, before heading back home.  The weather was JUST starting - the prelude to what happened last week.  Yuck! 
Okay - it's now Friday, and I can't tell you how happy I am that the weekend is here.  Maybe I can sit and enjoy a book - I'm currently reading All The Light We Cannot See -and I'm dying to finish it.  Seriously, I started it like a month ago, and I'm not even halfway through...and it's not because it isn't good...it's really good, and I want to devour it!!!!  Just that darn time thing - hence the title!
Well - have a great weekend, and for anyone who is in SC - stay strong, and stay safe. Hopefully everyone will continue to stay dry! 

Random thoughts as I listen to the rain

So I don't have anything wonderful to write about - just random thoughts as I sit at work and wish the day away wishing it was Friday. It's been one of those weeks - not that it's been bad, just trying.  I had two "focus group" meetings at work - they were more of what I would call bitch sessions than anything else, but we did get a few ideas out of them...but one Tuesday and one today - they wore me out!  Mostly gripes about things I have absolutely no control over what-so-ever.  But, employees don't like to hear that from HR - they want answers, solutions, and immediately.  Sigh!  Sometimes it just doesn't work that way - trust me...I want answers and solutions to many things immediately as well.  Seriously - is it Friday yet? 
I'm sitting here listening to the rain outside - it's actually rather soothing.  It's been so dang hot this summer, that the rain may cool it off a little...either that or turn the outside into one big sauna...living in the south you just never know what you're going to get!  But I'll take it over the cold any day.
My son finally got his braces off - yay!  His teeth look pretty amazing.  Not even a week later my daughter got them. Ack! So - braces back to back.  Yay! My baby girl starts middle school in just a month - I'm still struggling with that.  My first born heading to middle school...how is it possible?  Wasn't she just in diapers, like, yesterday???  Hold them close while you can - before you know it they are grown!  I know I still have a few years left with her at home, but if it goes as fast as the first 11 years....well yikes!!!  She's already at the age of pulling away, and oh it hurts.  She is still mama's girl, and will still come sit in my lap (even though she's only 1 inch shorter than me - haha).  But...day in and day out she wants to hang out with her friends, have privacy in her room - makes me knock on the door (which I do...it's the polite thing to do). I'll go in her room to put away clothes and she's like "Why are you always in my room?" with that sassy tone...seriously?  You go do your laundry and put it away, then...you are well past old enough!  So...it can be crazy.  However, there are those wonderful moments, like on the 4th of July, where we just rented an old 80's movie (it was raining so we didn't do fireworks) and had a girls night in - it was fun. 
My son - oh my son.  Still my heart!  He is my sweet child and has such an old soul.  This is the one who, as the judge during apples to apples, chooses waterfall as being closest card to "sad" - because the waterfall is the earth's way of crying!!! What??  He's 10 -  how does he come up with that???  Naturally no one else questioned him.  He's getting ready to go into the top of elementary - only one year away before he goes to middle school...not sure which will be tougher.  My first going, or my last???!!!  Yikes!
I'm ready for vacation - summer so far has not been fun. I mean, don't get me wrong - weekends are nice.  My mother-in-law has been down, so it's been a good visit.  My kids have been so busy with friends that on days I can go to the pool, they aren't here or don't want to go.  My parents did have the kids for a week, and hubby and I had a nice break - we did enjoy some alone time - cuddled watching movies, had a few mixed drinks and danced to our music...silly things, but it was good. But...vacation is almost upon us, and I am sooooo excited.  Only one thing may put a kink in our plans, but I'm trying to stay positive -either way it will be fun.  My friends family has a time share, and we get to go to Orlando for a week - we were going to do Disney, but with so many people and kids it was just waaaaaaay too much mooolah!  Wow - those tickets aren't cheap!  Yow! So...we are going to LEGOLAND for two days - one the park, the other day the water park.  The kids are thrilled.  Heck - I'd be thrilled just to go to Orlando without the park passes, but it will be great. The possible kink...my husband is a realtor, and they just wrote a contract up on a home yesterday for his buyer - the date of the closing just might happen to fall during the week we are supposed to be on vacation...which means 1.  We drive two cars and he leave early.  2.  He miss the entire week due to having to assist the buyer with the home inspections.  or 3. praying that the closing miss vacation by a week and we can all enjoy ourselves.  Otherwise it will be my family (minus hubby) plus my friends family - and her husband being the only guy all week long.  :(  I REALLY don't want that to happen, especially considering they invited us.  However, this is a significant sale, and it is my husband's job...so what can he do? Adulting at times can be really hard, ya know!? 
One truly, truly awesome thing that has happened this summer - about 8 weeks ago I gave up sodas - completely, and cold turkey.  I have never been a diet soda fan, but decided I was tired of the extra empty calories.  So....that was step one.  Second, I got a zumba set for Christmas last year - I set my mind to doing it at LEAST every other day (no less) and signed up on My Fitness Pal - tracking my food and exercise has been the best thing ever - In 8 weeks I've lost 13 pounds.  I have 2 new bathing suits I'm not afraid to go out in, and I feel better than I ever have!  Monday I twisted my ankle, and had to take 2 days off....today was my first day back, and even one extra day had me feeling icky!  I'm addicted to Zumba!  I love it - so much fun!  And seeing results...so exciting!  So - not getting to the pool more often has kind of bummed me out. Darn it,  I finally lose weight, get 2 bathing suits I like, and no one wants me to show them off...hahaha (not that I'm all that...truly, I have a ways to go). 
Books - been trying to keep up my reading over the summer.  I just finished The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks - good book, but it took me a while to get through it. His books read so similar, but they are pretty easy reads.  I just finished another one last night that really turned the wheels in my head!  It was so different from anything I'd read before, and just based on the cover I figured it was some type of crazy erotic romance - however, it's not - I don't normally read those type books, and if it hadn't been recommended by a friend I would have passed right over it without a second glance.  The book is Mud Vein by Terryn Fisher - amazing book!!!  If you like psychological strangeness (I really don't know if I would say "thriller", per se), read this book - it's bizarre, but truly amazing!  I've never read any of her books before, but will be checking more of them out. 
I'm also reading Wonder - I've been wanting to for a long time, as I've heard wonderful reviews on it. Turns out that my son has to read over the summer for his upcoming class, and Wonder happens to be one of the choices on his list.  We are reading it together - I'm trying to get him to love reading like me - he just doesn't.  But...reading it together has been fun, and he's enjoying the storyline. We take turns reading chapters. :)
Anyway - it's almost time to go home - seriously...all of these words were typed in about 15 minutes...just random stuff on my mind and a quick set of typing fingers.  LOL! I should get on here more often, but sometimes the thoughts flow more freely when I don't.  Til next time - hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!!!

Spring is Here!!!

Oh Spring Break - How I miss you already!!!  I worked two days last, and took the rest of the week off to have some fun time with the family, and out of town company.  It is always so hard returning to work after a nice long break...extra work to catch up on, trying to adjust to having to get up early again (oh how I miss sleeping in...even if for only an hour or two longer), and having to get the day started with the hustle and bustle of getting the kids ready and to the bus stop on time...luckily it's right across the street, but it has passed right by a couple of times with the kids halfway down the driveway. 
Spring Break was nice, though.  Wednesday my son and I got haircuts - my daughter needs one desperately, but she was out at the time and I figured we could get her later.  Thursday, my best friend and her 4 kids came for a visit.  Hubby made a delicious pasta and smoked sausage meal, and then we caught up and vegged and had a movie marathon until 3:00 a.m. - I'm still trying to recoup from the lack of sleep!  Friday we went to Charlestown Landing - always a fun place to go.  The kids love the natural zoo area - we actually saw the Bobcat -I think for the first time ever. It's usually hiding in the tress.  This time the park had placed a huge cardboard box sideways in the natural enclosure, and it was sitting in the box (typical cat) and meowing at us from the shade.  My kids now want a bobcat!  Hahahaha!  Right...although it was really cute.  :)  We saw Puma's, a black bear, deer, a skunk, all sorts of wild birds, red wolves, bison and sheep.  They have a really cool otter habitat, and they are usually a riot to watch - very fun and interactive with the people...but they were curled up in a log fast asleep.  :(  Kids really enjoyed this part.  If you have every been to Charleston, Charlestown Landing is a great family place. We went on the replica of the original boat, and they have the stockades for where they punished naughty people...the kids love to stick their head and feet in the stockades, and it's a great photo op.  The kids enjoyed going in a replica of the settler's house - when asked if they would like to live in something like that they looked horrified - my daughter said "There are gaps in the walls - think of all the bugs that would get in!!!"  After about 3 hours of wandering around the park and being a bit hot and sweaty (it was 85 degrees) we headed home for hotdogs, burgers and fries!  Who wanted to eat good on a day like that???  Not me - give me some chili for my dog!!!  My friend's hubby, who had to work all week, was able to join us Friday night - then he picked up his daughter (from prior marriage) and brought her back on Saturday...so we had 4 adults and 7 kids, ranging in age from 11 to almost 2...it was crazy, but fun.  Although my friends oldest son got sick Friday night, and stayed sick the rest of the weekend.  :(  Poor guy - he was such a trooper the entire time!!  Saturday we left the kids with the guys and got out for Easter Basket shopping and a stop at Sally's Beauty to get some items to highlight my hair - my friend took care of my rather blah hair and gave it a little flair.  :)  It was way overdue, and it looks so much better!!  We stopped on the way home and got pizzas (no one wanted to cook again).  We joked around and said we probably both gained 5 lbs. over 3 days - she could afford to, as she is a little size 6...me - not so little.  Haha!  I don't need to be gaining anything anywhere, but Spring Break is a time to splurge.  First thing yesterday morning I got up and did my Zumba!!!  I didn't have the energy this morning, but we'll see about tomorrow. 
Last week (before Spring Break) we had something in our household that I've lived 41 years without having to deal with...my kids got lice!  OMG - what????  Ewwww!  A note went out from our school that someone in my son's class had it, and sure enough he must have picked it up.  Last weekend I spent hours treating both kids.  Both of them have super duper curly hair - my son's was manageable...my daughter - well, I wanted to cry because her's is in a constant state of thick, curly knottiness.  Ugh!  Brushing out her long locks with that tiny little metal comb was not at all fun.  But...we managed.  But oh the cleaning - and cleaning - and cleaning more was such a chore!!!  I have never done so much laundry in my life in one weekend!!!!  From sheets, blankets and pillows to stuffed animals, towels and clothes - soooooo much laundry!!!!  But - I did a second treatment Sunday night (just to be sure those suckers are gone) and I am satisfied that our house is now louse free (shudder) - thank goodness!!  I felt so dirty...but then when I found out most of my friends have already had to deal with it (my really, really clean freak friends) I didn't feel quite as bad.  Just hopefully that was a one time thing...do NOT want to deal with that ever, ever again!!!
So now that Spring Break is over, and it's back to real life...I'm playing catchup at work and I'm already looking forward to the next holiday...which isn't until Memorial Day.  Sigh!  My son's birthday is in May - so something fun to look forward to.  He wants to have a movie theater party the weekend the Avengers comes out.  My daughter wants me to put it off until the following weekend so that the girls can go see Pitch Perfect 2. LOL!  We'll see...it is HIS birthday. 
Anyway- lots going on, as always - hardly ever have time to write.  I've left so much out, but oh well - I write when I can.  :)
Spring is here and I'm so glad...but these allergies can go away now!!!