Just breathe

Hello all! I know I haven't written in a while, but it's been so crazy around here that I have to remind myself to breathe some days. I think I am having a harder time adjusting to this new schedule than Audrey is, although she does have some mornings when she pulls the blanket back over her head and doesn't want to get up. I feel ya, honey! I was getting up to run before coming home and waking her up, but since my treadmill died the first week of school, I have been walking her to school with the little ones in the stroller and then going for a walk/run while she's in school. This half day Kindergarten is a nice way to break them in, but it certainly messes up my day. It's just long enough that it's hard to find something to do for the whole 2 1/2 hours, but short enough that you can't really get much done. I know that sounds weird, but it's really true. So, basically what I do is just walk/run most of the time and then take the little ones to the park or something for 45 minutes or so. It's nice because there are several nice parks and places to run within 10 minutes of our house and Audrey's school. So I don't have to load everyone in the car and take them some place to exercise. School and dance and YMCA and play dates and errands and MOPS and church and doctor's visits and... I feel like I never sit down! Plus, we have to squeeze in meals and naps somewhere. My house is, naturally, a total wreck. Instead of Vince sleeping next to me (he's in California for 3 weeks), I sleep with a pile of laundry. Usually it sits in the chair in the LR, but I moved it because we had company last week. What's that you say? I should fold it and put it away? Ha! That would be quitting.

I am happy to report that dance classes are going very well so far. *knock on wood* Katie's first class she danced halfway through and then quit. I talked to the teacher afterward and she told me to give her at least a month and that she thought Katie would stop being "shy" and start participating more. She was right. This week Katie danced the whole class and not just by herself. I mean she fully participated in the class. This is a different studio that we are enrolled in now. It's better. Nothing against the other one, but this teacher is much better with the little kids. Audrey really enjoyed her class too. I'm glad they are having fun. They also started AWANA on Wed. nights. Audrey was going to a little church up the road on Wednesdays, but they didn't really have an organized program. My friend Michelle takes her kids to AWANA at a church right up the road from us. (She lives around the corner). They love it, so we decided to give it a shot. Our regular church is about 15 minutes out of town and I hate to drive that far. See what city living has done to me? Anyway, the girls are LOVING it! They have books and have memory verses to learn every week and it's just a great program. They earn patches to put on their little vests. It's really cute.

Sam landed himself in the ER on Labor Day. This kid, I tell ya. I told you that he was running a fever. Well, it kept shooting up to 104+under the arm. I could not keep it down. After 2 days of temps that high, I took him to the ER. Of course that was the same day that V left for Cali, so the girls went next door with Jim and Sherri-bless 'em-and Sam I and went to the hospital with every other Joe in town. Gosh, was it busy. By the time they took his temp it was 104.5 so they popped him with Tylenol and Motrin all at once and then took him back for a chest x-ray and blood work because they couldn't see anything outwardly wrong that would be causing those kinds of temps. His lungs looked a little cloudy, so they gave him an antibiotic and there was nothing in his blood work that was off, so they sent us home. His fever broke in the hospital after they gave him the Tylenol and Motrin. The next day, he seemed better but he started developing a rash all over his belly and back. I called the Dr. and they wanted to see him, of course, so they could tell me that it looks a lot like Roseola. Classic. Another virus that they can do nothing about. That'll be $15 please. I asked the Dr. what the deal was with Sam. Why does he keep getting sick? He said it's nothing to be concerned about, just normal childhood illnesses, but that Sam seems to be getting them all at once. Tell me about it! He said they would be worried about his immune system if he was getting sicker with serious problems like pneumonia. But these viruses are really common. He said by the time he's 2, it should slow down. Fabulous. Sam is better. For now. He's a little spitfire. He's talking even more than he was a week ago. At his well baby check this week (that'll be another $15 please), the doctor was surprised by all his words and everything he understands. He said he was a sharp kid. It's nice to hear that from the doctor. He also said we were very loud. Thanks doc! Don't I know it. Here are some pics of him getting into trouble. He is demonstrating how to eat Shepard's Pie without a fork and the proper use of the computer. Yes, that is meat in his nose and yes, he climbs up there all the time by himself to play with the mouse. Perhaps that is why my computer died not too long ago!

Yesterday was our 9th anniversary. I was at the YMCA and was having a pretty crappy morning when I got roses delivered! They are beautiful. I bawled. Thanks, honey! They really turned my day around. I thought I'd post a picture since he hasn't even seen them and won't get home before they die. Today I have to take one of the dogs to the vet. He has been sneezing blood and has a big lump under one eye on the side of his nose. I never could determine where the blood was coming from until I noticed the lump last night. Great! The only reason this is happening is because I went and bought a big-screen TV the other day. It never fails! We think we have a little extra and BOOM! Out the window it goes. Some day I'll learn. Maybe.