Snow, Snow, SNOW!!!
Mood:  lazy
We got a butt-load of SNOW on Friday night. Over 12"!!!!! CRAZY snow! I was out there like a dandruff-covered fool shoveling the driveway and the I heard a loud "SNAP"....after moving all of my joints, making sure it wasn't me making the bad noise (a real necessity these days, with my achey, arthritis-y joints!), I looked up and it was a pine tree bough...and it fell on me! The WHOLE &*^%$$&* branch fell on my head! The branch wasn't the bad part, it was all the SNOW!! Holy AVALANCHE BATMAN!!! I was wearing my bright yellow polar fleece jacket, so I figured someone would eventually find me...my life flashed before my eyes. YIKES! Fortuately, it didn't come to that. I was able to move a bit (even without falling or sliding down the driveway) and escaped most of the snow. So, lots of snow.

One Major PEEVE: PEOPLE...brush your damned cars off! I took the boys to the aquarium on Saturday morning. We had to take the tollway and you wouldn't BELIEVE the number of idiots who brush off just enough snow off of the front windshield and just leave the rest to blow off (into my windshield and onto MY CAR THAT I TOOK THE TIME TO BRUSH OFF!) C'mon folks...git off yer ass and brush off yer car!

We had a surprise party for my cousin today. I got the balloons out and handed them to my mom... but sadly, I accidentally touched a handful of them...crap...within about 30 seconds, my throat started itching (on the inside) and my lips started tingling...severe allergic reaction beginning within 30 seconds of touching latex...wow, a new personal record. So, needless to say, I had to chew a few benedryl and keep my epi-pen nearby. (As if chewing benedryl isn't enough!) And then slept through half of the party. That's it...NO BALLOONS next time!

OK, uh...snow on the ground, I got snowed...can't think of much else going on. I will take a pic of the yard tomorrow, it is just GORGEOUS in the snow... amazing. God's beauty just astounds me sometimes. Granted, I take just as much joy in the beauty of a 90* day with beautiful green foliage in August, maybe more...but it really is amazing.

Jonah had a very bad day today. He just had a really tough time. He even said to me that he "tried really hard to have a good day" and it breaks my heart when he cries, that really really sad cry. Broke my heart totally. I took him to Caribou and he had a decaf coffee (I couldn't convince him that hot cocoa was a good idea) and a chocolate chip cookie. The two college kids in front of us in line ordered the last two cookies and Jonah was fit to be tied (Doesn't stuff like that ALWAYS happen when you've had a bad day?!?!?!) and he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said "But they're GROWN UPS!!!" Fortunately, meldown was averted because they had more cookies in the back (Thank GOD for little favors!) So, all went well!

I have to run to the store tomorrow to get some tempeh...(Anyone have a good recipe for homemade?) and mushrooms. I got other stuff for stir fry but need some protein...I have some tofu, but was thinking a tempeh stir fry would be yummy! Alrighty. Nothing new. Sam's having lots of seizures lately, we are weaning him off of the phenobarb and aye yi yi...falling a lot, head drops, eyes a-fluttering! This too, shall pass. Daniel is fine, a sweetie! OK, ciao, later, peace, love, hugs & bare feet! Jen

American Idol, Sales and Skating with Celebrities...Am I in HEAVEN?!?!?!
OK, the title of this entry says it ALL!!! Old Navy...sale. FUN! I got a hoodie, a pair of cargos and a cool tribal print long sleeved T for under $13!!! WOO HOO!

American Idol...love it. Skating with celebs... HOLY CRAP! I've died and gone to Heaven!!! OK, any of you who know me even just a *little* bit know that I'm watching skating with celebs to see them crashing their faces into the ice (Who among us hasn't wanted to see Debbie Gibson need plastic surgery for a facial injury?!?!?) And the bruises?!?!?! YAY! I feel so normal when I watch stuff like this!

Feeling kind of guilty...I went shopping, and had some drama at the DMV today instead of going to the Y to join to get my a$$ on the treadmill. Goodness gracious...I need to exercise. So, I need to get in there tomorrow to join. I feel so lazy. I wish I were allowed to FEEL lazy and BE lazy. Because feeling lazy really does me no good if I can't actually take a day off and BE lazy. In fact, feeling lazy is a pain in the butt when you simply can't be lazy.

I bought some red tea the other day. Holy CRAP! Its nasty. Anyone want some? It tastes like cigars smell. I just love tea and you totally never know til you try...but OY VEY! NASTY!

Alrighty...not much going on. It is 9:35 and I think I am pretty ready for bed. The kids are sleeping, although I fully expect Jonah to be in my bed again...In a cruel and ironic twist of fate, Sam slept last night...but Jonah was in bed with us. The kid sleeps like a fish out of water, flopping around like a mad man. His head ends up at the foot of the bed, so he ends up kicking me severely about the head and face...then he turns around and I get my ribs and face hit some more. And...worst of all...HE IS A BLANKET HOG!!! GRRRRR! I don't know who is "worse" Jonah I just described, but Daniel...well Danny doesn't kick, he just needs to sleep right ON TOP of me. UGH...so cruel twist of fate...Sam sleeps and I still don't. Ain't that just the way?!?!? OK, gotta get a bit of work done before going to bed!

Screaming and Pooping and Fighting...OH MY!
Mood:  loud
Howdy Everyone.

Sam screamed today. A lot. A whole lot! He screamed from the time I got him up, through breakfast, running around and lunch. Calmed down a bit for his bath, started again when I was getting him dressed. WAHHHHHHH! So, I put him down in his crib and figured I might as well lay down in there, at least he won't be screaming because I left the room. Then he started screaming and grunting....AHHHHHHH, NOW I get it. OK, so I take care of the little grunting problem (Poor thing... you'd think I would understand a non verbal kid's constipation by this point in my life! DUH moment) Then he FINALLY went to sleep. And so did I!!! I was SOOOOO exhausted by the screaming. I wanted to get some grocery shopping done, but I ended up doing that (with all three kids...what am I nuts?!?!) after dinner. (Nuts because of going out to the grocery stores after dinner and so close to Sam's bed time...which of course lead to more screaming...first he wanted the store circular, then he wanted a box of cereal, then he wanted Jonah's hair...) So, I felt a bit better for having slept a bit, but still pooped!

We went to a newer store called Fresh Market. I wish we had a Whole Foods closer to us. I don't like Fresh Market as much. I think we'll go to Whole Foods tomorrow...we will be out that way anyhow for a birthday party for one of the twins' classmates. After Fresh Market, we went to Meijer. PAIN IN THE DUPA that I am, I forgot to pick up gift cards!!!!!! (For said birthday party!) So, now I have to go BACK to get gift cards before the 12:30 party. UGH! I'm such an airhead. I was so excited to get my grocery bill down to $62 because of coupons (saved over $47!!!! I ROCK!) But even saving $47 doesn't make up for forgetting the birthday gifts! I feel like such a moron sometimes. Oh well, I am a loveable moron at least. (Although I think I was pretty cranky today!) Which reminds me of a shirt I saw for Sam, that I HAVE to buy for him...it reads "I'm the reason Mommy's CRANKY"....oh how true. I need the same shirts for the twins. I got a stupid comment at Meijer today...I LOVE stupid comments when I'm cranky! HA!!!!!!! Because I don't hold back my equally rude comebacks! So, I'm picking out yogurt and this otherwise very nice lady looked at the twins (who were having a burping and farting contest, although said nice lady didn't hear any farts or burps) So nice Yuppie lady takes one look at the twins and says "Well, you two are certainly close in age." (and anytime anyone says something like this, I feel like they are saying "Well, Mommy and Daddy were busy, eh?") So I just said, pretty loudly, as this was at the time that Sam was grabbing at the organic peach kefir on the shelf... "YEP, TWO WHOLE MINUTES APART"...I really like making rude people feel uncomfortable. Not nice. Not Christian...but I think God will forgive me for this one. How much is one person supposed to tolerate? YIKES!

AIIGHT....Off to wrap up a package that has to go out in the mail tomorrow. Off to put goodies in a bag for a surprise birthday party for my cousin on Saturday. Off to make me a nice Italian Soda. YAY... kiddos are all in bed, actually, the twins are having a "sleepover" downstairs in the family room, watching cartoons. But everyone's quiet.

Hugs, Love, Blessings & Bare Feet!!! Jen

Question of the day...Are Males Genetically Capable of Being Quiet?
Mood:  not sure
Village Idiot was home all day and spent a grand total of about 3 1/2 minutes with the baby. (He's the "hard" one to handle, you know) I'm so burnt out! The boys (Village Idiot, the twins & the baby) have been SO LOUD today...I am wondering if they are even capable of being quiet for just even two minutes!

Not much going on here...just kind of hanging out. I wanted to get to Whole Foods or Fresh Market today...didn't get out.

Steelers WIN. Bears Lose. Village Idiot had a bit of a temper tantrum when the Steelers had a bad call agains them. Sure, it was a bad call (even I could see that and I really couldn't care less). And, well...the Bears just got lazy. I guess we just have to continue to revel in the awesome '85 Bears...the team to which all of Chicago refers to when we refer to the Bears. (In the game which we all refer to as THE Superbowl)

Alrighty. I'm pretty boring today. So I'll sign off for now...

Jen

They're All In BED!
Mood:  rushed
Does life EVER slow down?!?!?! I got home last night at 12:30 in the morning!!! I am so not a night owl. The worst is driving home so late. I never go faster than like 2 1/2 miles over the speed limit, but I'm always afraid I'm going to get pulled over. OK, so I got home and went in to change Sam and took him to bed with me and OH...how I love having that baby in my arms. I love the little sounds he makes and how his breath feels on my face...I'm smitten. (And smitten by such a BAD BOY! LOL) OK, wanna see something cute? OK...take a look:

Pretty cute, eh? He is such a crazy kid.

The twins and I had a brithday party today. My boys are nuts (all of em!) but after seeing some of these other kids today...HOLY MOLY!!! My boys are angels. Although Jonah does have several scratches on his face...he knows just what buttons to push and he said something to Daniel yesterday and Daniel started wrestling him and did a "fair" job in beating him up. Aye yi yi! So, they do their fair share of wrestling. I went into the motherhood gig with the attitude that I am not going to force unnecessary gender things on the kids. Well, don't worry about forcing it...they figure it out all on their own! Boys play with guns...if you don't want guns in your house...forks become guns at dinnertime. So, much to my chagrin, they wrestle and fight enough to drive me very close to the edge of sanity. (and I'm already hovering perilously close to that edge...I don't need help!)

So...nothing new going on. I'm going to try to get to sleep at a decent hour tonight. Since Sam will be up a million times. The Village Idiot says he's going to get up with the baby tonight. Yeah. Right...so this is how it will go: He will fall asleep on the couch or in the twins' room (either of which is very close to Sam's room). Sam will cry. I will wake up (The village idiot will not) and the I will have to either stomp over to the village idiot and say "Get up with the baby, don't forget to change him" or I can just do it. So, he never hears him...that's annoying. Alrighty. More later! Jen

Broken Bones, Broken Glasses, Broken Brain...
Mood:  spacey
When is enough enough?!?!?!?

The good news today is that Jonah's foot is not broken. I can hold off on getting the "Bad Mom" tattoo for right now, I suppose.

Sam's got another doc appointment tomorrow morning. I just remembered it a few minutes ago. Good thing too. Its with the eye doc. She will see that he won't wear his glasses. What a cute kid. What a cute kid who never sleeps! GRRRRRRR. He was awfully "sweet" at three o'clock this morning. I went in there, he was crying. Changed him and gave him some milk and he was fine...and very very awake and cute and playful and giggly. Aye yi yi...what gives this crazy kid the idea that 3 a.m. is playtime?!?!? He's something.

We had a couple extra kids with us today. I watched a friend's little boy for just an hour or so and my sister was watching a little girl. She is going to be watching her and her sister for a few weeks and I am so discombobulated. I'm just so used to things being a certain way and I'm just starting to get used to my sister being here, not bad...just have to get used to it. We've both got very strong personalities and butt heads frequently. So, I'm *thrilled* that there are even more people here for a time. So, my brain hurts. A lot. Headache. I wanted to slam my bedroom door last night...just my own little rebelious thing... kids were all sound asleep, and out of frustration... so I went to shut the door and my bedroom is like vapor lock...LOL...its like air-tight and I'm stomping around like an idiot "Will some one open a window so I can slam the damned door?!?!?!" My acts of rebellion are even laughed at. The universe likes me to be good. When I get naughty...things don't go my way. Its like karma. For slamming the door last night (or trying to anyhow), today, the boys had the last bag of popcorn. Jonah always gives me a couple pieces (he's so sweet) and I was like "MMM, that was good." So I went up to pop some popcorn and it was all gone. I KNOW it was because of the door thing. You can fool a lot of things and a lot of people (I'm really bad at it...so I don't bother) but you can't fool the universe. It will come back to bite you in the butt EVERY time. (NO POPCORN FOR YOU!) So, despite the fact that I haven't been able to sit back and watch ONE television program in ages, the universe (or maybe its my sister) punished me by having "The 627 Pound Woman" on the big screen TV. And as if THAT weren't bad enough...The Universe felt the need to further punish me because the village idiot got home and now CSPAN is on. What in the name of GREEN TEA did I do to deserve this?!?!?! No popcorn, no relaxing and CSPAN. WHAT have I done? I try so hard to be good. I didn't raise my voice ALL DAY today. HOLY CRAP with all this craziness in this head lately...God love me, I didn't even utter a sarcastic word (ALL sarcasm is lost on 5 year olds anyways...takes ALL the fun out of it) and I was trying to clean up after dinner, Sam was in bed and Jonah started asking for popcorn (had I only known he was gonna eat the last one!!!) I told him he had to wait because I was doing dishes. 6 seconds later for the next 15 minutes he asked for popcorn and I finally told him that if he asked one more time he was going to bed. I had already told him I'd make it after I finished cleaning up. So, not 10 seconds later, Daniel comes up and I just looked at him and he grinned. I KNEW Jonah had sent him upstairs to beg for popcorn. And my mother was asking goofy questions about if she could send a check in to pay a bill and a receipt that she needed from a bill she paid months ago and was utterly confused about lots of things.....So there is basically no point whatsoever to this tirade. I guess I need a break sums it up...but apparently the universe doesn't like me very much today, so I'm probably not getting a break. And (More proof about the universe thing...) Not only do I NOT get a break...but the village idiot has me working with clients at a Republican Convention on Friday night. Does ANYTHING sound more scintillating?!?!? HOLY CRAP....I just love my life. OK...hmmm. There was no point to this. Other than the universe hates me. I could come up with several more examples proving this, but it would only further remind me how pathetic I feel right now and certainly wouldn't solve the problem.

Alrighty... Hugs, Love, Happiness & Bare Feet! Jen

Another ER Visit?!?!?!
Mood:  d'oh
This CRAZY child is going to be the death of me! Those of you who know us well, well...you know I can only be talking about one of my children (Although the baby is well on his way to being the same way!) JONAH!!! He had a seizure (I think, I wasn't right there when it happened) and took a fall down oh...just a "few" stairs. Hurt his left foot. SIGH!!!! I NEED A BREAK! Those of you who know us well ALSO know that Jonah broke his RIGHT FOOT in September and got the cast off in the middle of October. (This one was from jumping off of the back of the couch) I am just going to get "Bad Mom" tattooed onto my forehead to remove all doubt.

OK, so we haven't yet gone to the ER, even though my child who doesn't feel pain is complaining of pain. "WHY?!?!?" you ask? OH...that would be because I was on my way out to the pharmacy today to pick up the life-saving medications that get passed out around here like they're going out of style and my VAN WOULDN'T START. Beautiful. So, as you can see...my day went well. I mean, no one turned blue, no major seizures, no one choked on anything, so all in all...things are OK. So what... it doesn't matter that I am STILL in my pajamas, didn't get a shower, didn't get ANY laundry folded and that the dishes that I did this morning are still in the dishwasher. We got brownies made. (Heck...I think that was yesterday...) Crap. I accomplished NOTHING today. Well, I DID get that load of dishes into the dishwasher! I checked the mail. See...it wasn't all for nothing.

I spent HOURS trying to figure out an email problem, just to have Verizon "HELP" people tell me that they can't help with an email problem. (HUH?). I figured out what the problem was, and it was on their end so I contacted them again and was told the same thing (GRRRR...my number one pet peeve of all time is STUPID PEOPLE!) so, I basically (and I was SO NICE...that was tough) told her that the customer service that I was receiving was unacceptable. Of course, what is it that we ALWAYS hear when the "whatever" really is unacceptable? "I'm sorry you feel that way." Notice its not "I'm sorry I'm an idiot." or "I'm sorry that our policy sucks." Its that ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY thing that drives me NUTS! And then...Jonah falls down the stairs. LOVELY! So, in the middle of me trying to explain my position to "Vicky" the faceless idiot, she pops up on my screen "The verizon representative requests that you close this resolved trouble ticket" WELL... I CERTAINLY wasn't going to close it out. HA...that showed them....right? Powerless at my own computer. Powerless. Sad...huh? Well, I showed them too...because I spent the following HOURS upgrading the software so that the problem fixed itself. YIKES....I'm so tired of this computer that I had to sit here and vent! I'm a sick puppy.

OK, when my village idiot gets home (that's his name), I may have to take Jonah for an x-ray. I love this house! Until next time...

Another Day...More Craziness!
Mood:  not sure
Hi Everyone...

Saturdays are so much fun! HA! The twins don't have school and so my brain is fried by the time bedtime rolls around! They are best friends and worst enemies all rolled into one. They locked my sister in their bedroom today. Jonah had the idea and told Daniel to go lock the door when she was in there. (I've got the doorknob turned around so that they can't lock it from the inside...not a problem now, but a couple years ago, Jonah would hide when he was having seizures, he'd get scared and he'd lock the door!) So, well, what do you say? They help each other with everything...even if its too naughty for words!

They are still awake, watching a sci-fi movie about man-eating rhinoceros beatles...hmmmm. I think I'm too tired to fight it. They just informed me that "Dinocroc" is on next...I may have to put my foot down eventually.

Still in burnout mode. I can't seem to get any good sleep. Sam only woke up once last night but I am still exhausted. Not sure what the solution to this is...maybe sleeping for a week? Oh, that sounds heavenly...but I don't guess it will happen. I'm going to go to sleep earlier tonight and maybe get some decent sleep. Not gonna hold my breath, but maybe it will happen.

Nothing new going on today. Hopefully nothing new going on tomorrow either...boring is good. Kids don't get that. Boring is SOOOO good. Boring and sleep! Jon is always gone on weekends, so I should, in theory, be able to sleep well with the lack of snoring and other bodily noises that he is very good at making...but the boys always end up in bed with me, which is fine, but I always end up getting kicked severely about the head and face as they may not fart a whole lot but they sure to wiggle and move and kick a lot. Aye yi yi! So, for right now, I'm crossing my fingers and saying a little prayer that they fall asleep while watching the "sleep-inducing" man-eating bugs movie!

Alrighty...one weekend day down, one to go... Over and out...

Can I go to bed yet? And A lesson Learned!
Mood:  hug me
Its 10 PM...and I know where MY children are!!! They are (YES, even Jonah!!!) sleeping! Sam probably won't stay in his current slumber for long, but for right now...blissful sleep!

I've been in burnout mode lately and I don't think today will come to an end soon enough. (Actually, today will end in just under 2 hours, but I'm not sure that I will be sleeping by then...) Not complaining...what good would that do anyhow? I actually went to the health food store today and picked up some Valerian Root, hoping to gently end my insomnia. So far, it hasn't worked. That stuff sure does taste nasty though...so, no sleep but the good ol' gag reflex works just fine.

I've been doing a lot of self examination lately. All of these wonderful and wise women who tell moms with extra-special kids that "you need to take care of yourself or you won't be able to take care of anyone else." What wise, wonderful advice that is. Too bad its taken me 5 1/2 years of internalizing seizures and a million other kid issues to realize that this little gem of advice is one that ALL mamas need to take to heart. Taking time for ourselves, even if it is a hot bath after a full day of chasing our babies...we need to do whatever we can to nurture our spirits because we have so many people depending on us. We need to feel fresh and as calm as we possibly can in order to be the best Mamas we can be. My fuse has been prety short of late, a sure sign of burnout. I'm starting to take time. Just a bit of time to breathe. Time to calm down. My sweet boys need me to be open to them at all times, they don't need me to be frustrated at something else when they are needing me. I don't ever want them to think they can't come to me. This parenting *thing* is harder than any other journey I've ever taken. I'm learning and want to follow the right path. And that's the right path for my children, first and foremost. We need to take time for ourselves, true, but it is a very delicate balance... keeping our selves intact, keeping our spirits fun and healthy and vibrant and alive, and being and becoming the very best mothers we can be.

So, lesson learned. Take time to nurture our spirits, keep learning how to be the best mothers we can be and keep our kids first, and throw a little fun into the mix as often as humanly possible. Childhood is a journey, not a race. Motherhood is a journey, not a competition. Peace within ourselves is a journey that we must consciously choose every minute of our lives.