My mom

Happy mother's day to you mom.  Over the years, I have often thought about just how incredible you are.  I have had the most outstanding example to follow with my own children.  You are the most generous person that I know and you never hesitate to help when you are able.  Your support over the years has been invaluable.  I have cherished your phone calls and friendship especially when Terry has been gone.  You have become more than a  mother to me but I now consider you to be my best friend. 

She is far more precious than jewels... Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle. Her sons rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her: 

Many women are capable, but you surpass them all! Proverbs 31:10, 25-29. 

I love you mom.  

Challenge group

My friend Liz started a challenge group which I joined.  Basically, it is a support group for twelve weeks for a few women to motivate each other to exercise and get healthy.  I have been working out for a few years now and felt that I could help encourage these other women and at the same time support Liz in her new endeavor.  The group is one week in and the ladies are doing a really fantastic job.  

Lately, I have been really pushing  myself.  For the last month or so, I have been doing double or triple work outs.  For instance, I start with a 45 minute or so aerobics video, then do a P90x strength video, followed by an abdominal video.  All in all, it is an hour and a half to two hours of exercise.  But lately it just does not feel like it is enough.

I have not been seeing results.  To be honest, I do not feel like I need to lose weight.  But when measurements do not change over a long period of time, it is discouraging to think you have done all of this work without any results.  So I have begun a new work out regime  (Insanity) and so far, it is disappointing.  Just not challenging me enough.

So here is the good news.  Yesterday after I did my Insanity work out, Terry was home and encouraged me to run.  He really thinks that will be the break through that I need.  I have not run seriously since the marathon as I injured my IT band.  But since he was home and I didn't get enough in the video, I did it.  Hit the pavement and did two miles.  And it was incredible!  I felt so good, so free.  It was absolutely marvelous.  Best part was that I had NO knee pain!!!!  I am so encouraged now!  I have always wanted to run another marathon and thought it was forever out of reach but maybe it is not!  Maybe my knee has healed and I have strengthened my quads and glutes enough to let me run again!  Maybe I have had progress in the last year but I could not see it, but it was there!

So now I am super encouraged.  Maybe I can run again!  Maybe my body has changed!  Hopefully, I will be able to incorporate more running.  I will take it slowly as I want to be sure that my knee is strong enough, but I am so happy about this!  Maybe I'll even go buy new running shoes:)

Ants

For a long time, I have been battling ants in our house.   No matter how well the counters were wiped or the floor was swept, I would wake up with ants all over my kitchen.  And they have spread to the kids' bathroom and the living room.  Finally, I have had enough!

I called pest control.  No matter what I did they would not go away and I was not willing to buy some recommended products as they are harmful for pets and kids.  It was a truly wonderful day when the exterminator came!

He put this gel down around the exterior of the house and the ants attacked it.  This is what you see them eating.  He also sprayed everywhere inside.

Already, we have seen a dramatic decrease in ants.  They are not entirely gone.  But I have a 100% guarantee so I get to call them back at any time to spray again!  I cannot express how freaking happy this has made me!!!  Death to all ants!

Sick madi

I do not know what it is about Madison, but poor girl just keeps catching every single bug out there.

We had a dinner invitation for Sunday and she started to say that her stomach did not feel well.  To be honest I did not believe her but Terry stayed behind with her while the other two and I went to dinner.  Good thing too, as she did throw up.  For the next two days she was down for the count with a fever staying mostly at 104.  It seems that lately, she is just catching every single bug around.  I hope that this is the last illness for her for a long time.  After all, summer is coming and we have lots of fun plans to look forward to!

Bella

Friends of ours went to Disneyworld for the week, so we were able to watch their dog, Bella.

She was super sweet.  And the kids adored her!

They keep asking for a second dog, so this was a good test run to see just how that would feel.  Terry and I feel that we are good with just Kailey.  Walking two dogs is no easy task!  I was so tangled up every time!

With Bella here, it was as if I had two shadows all of the time.  Kailey often follows me from room to room.  But Bella would follow me every few feet!  Several times I nearly stepped on her, she was so close!

Madison adored her and was super disappointed when she did not sleep with her but kept jumping from her bed.

Our resident squirrel was out and about a lot this week and those dogs just cracked me up.  They would wait under that tree for thirty minutes at a time.  And if the squirrel went to another tree, they would follow it there.  They loved it!

The exterminator came this week and we needed to be in my room for a couple of hours.  Bella was a mess barking constantly until I joined her.  But once there, she slept quite peacefully.  In fact, she had to sleep with me the entire week.  But she was an easy bedtime companion as she stayed at the foot of the bed as you can see.  If Kailey slept like that and not curled right next to us, she also, could sleep with us.  Bella goes home today and it has been an adventure with two dogs.  But for now, I think we will stick with just Kailey.

Craft Show

This morning was the neighborhood's craft show.  Since we live just across the street from the park and the clubhouse, the kids decided to set up a stand of their own.  Emilie successfully sold some art pieces, Madi sold a ball, and Tim was just happy to participate.  I was impressed that they stayed out there as long as they did.  It was cold with drizzly rain.  They even perused the other stands and ended up buying a few items.  I absolutely adore these kids!

Aquarium

Thursday, I was able to chaperon Madison's class trip to the aquarium. 

I had a group of six, three boys and three girls.  I am happy to say that they did a good job of staying with me!  It really was a necessity as the aquarium had over 1200 kids that day!  It was madness!

After we had explored for a while, we watched the IMAX movie about the migration of monarch butterflies.  Have to admit that I had a moment in the movie.  As it started and the first 3D images popped up and all of the kids were reaching to grab them, I got a little teary eyed thinking what a privilege it was to be there with all of them.  I was very touched.

After the movie, we got back on the bus and headed to a park where the kids ate lunch.  It was a really fabulous day and I think Madi was quite pleased that I was there to share it with her!

IHOP

Poor Kailey has been very sick.  She has been throwing up and vomiting for five days (and of course Terry was gone for this).  The dog has had to sleep with me as she has been waking up several times a night to go out to do her business.  I have been very grateful that she has been waiting to go outside!  Although, I have had to lock  her in the laundry room several times to limit the mess while we were gone during the week.  

Tuesday morning, I dropped her at the vet very early.  She ended up getting loads of meds and is now much better.  But since were out and about so early, I took Tim and Madi to IHOP.  Poor Em had already left on the bus for her art school-she leaves very early indeed and missed out breakfast.  But Madi and Timmy thoroughly enjoyed it!

Park

Last week was absolutely gorgeous so we headed out for a picnic and fun at a neighborhood park.  The kids brought our parachute and it was an instant hit!

There were some boys playing basketball and Tim joined right in.  I have never seen him play so what he lacked in skills he made up for in effort.  And I LOVED this dad who jumped in and gave an impromptu basketball lesson!

We stayed and played for several hours.  They made a tent on the playground with the parachute.

They used it to slide faster.  Overall, it was a great afternoon outside enjoying the weather!

Neighbor

Life has been very busy for the last two weeks.  Firstly, Terry has been gone.  That always  makes life a bit more hectic.  Add that I have been really involved in the school, as in almost every day, and have also begun volunteering at church again.  So life is good, but busy.

Saturday, I had an incident with my neighbor.  Left me very angry.  It began with an encounter at the park.  The kids were feeding the ducks and he joined us with his daughter.  Small talk ensued.  Plans for the weekend, he said he was going to visit people that afternoon. Then he asked how my eyes were since the LASIK.  I replied that they were really great.  Then he followed that up with, what are you getting done next, a boob job?  I was seriously rendered speechless.  I did not have an immediate reply other than no.  Now, this man has made plenty of inappropriate comments to  me before such as, "I really like women." And "You look good, you keep very fit.", etc.  I get the super creepy vibe from him.  I have told Terry as much and he agrees that I should just steer clear.  So when Terry is around, it is him who deals with "D".  But remember, Terry is not here.  And did I mention that he is in his mid-50's at least?

So I gathered the kids to walk the dog and he tells his daughter to join us.  Now, this is also a problem that I have with my neighbor.  He will send his daughter to my house and then take off and leave without informing me.  There has been at least two incidents where Terry and I needed to leave and he was MIA.  The first time, although inconvenient, we took his daughter with us.  The second, we left her with a neighbor who also had no idea where he was.  It angers me that he thinks that he can just send his daughter to my house and disappear like I am some free baby-sitting service.  Now just to add a caveat, we adore his daughter.  She is wonderful and my kids love her so we do like her coming over to play.  However, I get very resentful when I feel used so it is a catch 22 for me.

So, back to Saturday.  After the walk, we dropped the daughter at her house.  We went home.  She was sent over an hour or so later to play about 1pm.  She stayed at my house until after 8pm.  Several times I looked out to make sure that he was home and sure enough, for several hours he was not.  Made me so stinking hot mad.  So when the teenage son came over after 8 to see when daughter would be coming home, I told him that they were watching a movie and it would be done in an hour or so, but to tell  his father that I did not like him leaving without telling me.  Now, yes, I know I should  have been the grown up and called him  myself instead of sending the teenager but I really didn't think it would have any impact anyway.

[Side note, last February while I was at the bachelorette party, neighbor's daughter called me to play with my kids.  I said that I was not there but she could ask the baby sitter if she could play.  I was unsure as to whether it would be my brother in law, which then it would probably have been fine, or if it was my niece which would not have been acceptable.  Well, he went over dropped his daughter with my niece, did not ask anything, said if you need me call me, did not leave a number, and took off.  When Terry came  home, he immediately called neighbor to come get his daughter and told him that his behavior was absolutely unacceptable and said that I do not like it when  he leaves his daughter with me and then leaves his house either.  He claimed we were not the people he thought we were and that we were implying he was a bad parent, etc.  We have not seen his little girl since-nearly three months.]

I was wrong, he called straightaway and asked what was the meaning of my message.  I told  him that I did not appreciate him leaving his daughter at my house and then leaving his house.  He said he never left and that there was a car in the driveway the entire time.  I told him that was incorrect and that the car he drove was gone for several  hours.  (Remember earlier he said he was going to visit people that afternoon?)  He insisted there was a car  in the driveway.  I said he cannot drive two cars at once and therefore I did not appreciate him leaving while I had his daughter.  Then he began with I am accusing him of being a bad parent and very disrespectful to him.  I countered with he was extremely disrespectful to me to leave his daughter without consulting me for the entire day.  He claimed it was not all day.  I said it was from 1-8pm and was therefore most of the day.  Then, he said he teenage son (13) was home and that sufficed.  I said it did not suffice-if there were an emergency a 13 year old is not able to  make decisions for the daughter.  I said that he needed to inform me if he was to leave.  He then says that he does not need a baby sitter at all.  I told him that that was exactly what I did all day while he was gone-was baby-sitting his daughter.  At this point, we are yelling at each other.  It was bad.  I was shaking I was so mad.  He then told me to send his daughter home right away and I said that I would not send his daughter home to walk in the dark and that he could come collect her.  He then did just that and said not a word to me.

He  called me later that night but I refused to answer.  He said that although we disagreed, it was no reason to prevent the kids from playing together.  I did not respond.  He then texted the next day saying that we had a communication problem and that the kids friendship should continue and I could send my kids to play over there for the entire afternoon.  I replied that I too, wanted the kids to be friends but that I need some time to process what has happened.

I have come to two conclusions.  First, my kids will not be going to play at his house.  They really have only done it once or twice-they normally play at my house.  They will definitely not be going to play at his house again.  Secondly, I plan to have a conversation with him where first:  I explain that what he said about the boob job was completely inappropriate and unacceptable, and second:  I think that the daughter will be able to play at my house only if he is home.  I am tired of being used for hours at a time.