Spring training

What a busy day I've had. I started with counting over $22,000 to deposit in the PTO account, and of course a $15,000 bill goes with that. But I'm finally trying to wrap up this whole fundraiser. I had late people that missed the pick up date, so they finally turned in the money and I got thier stuff delivered to the school today, so now I have to get it sent home with kids. So that took many phone calls. Then I realized about 45 minutes before Ryan had to be at school that I was supposed to go on a field trip to the pony farm today. So I had to call work and let them know that I was going to miss a meeting today and I would also be late. So I drove myself to the pony farm so I could go right to work after we were done. Bradley was also starting his baseball practices tonight, at 5:30, last spring I didn't work on Mondays' so there was no conflict, but I now work on Mondays we are scheduled till 5, but I rarely get out before 5:30, tonight was no exception, I got out at 5:55pm. I picked Bradley up from Camp Blackhawk at 3:45 ( Before Nancy left the office) brought him back to the office, warmed up some food for him and he ate ( supper early) then he hung out with me at the office until his best friend's ( Vincent ) mom ( Becky) stopped and picked him up. I finally got to the field at 6:00. Brad seems to be doing fairly well, The coaches ( same as last year) were suprised to see how well he was throwing this year, wait until they see him hit! Next practice Wednesday night, thankfully, I only work until 1 on Wednesdays! Hopefully the weather will hold out for us! So far it looks like a chance of rain and a high of 50, better dress warm! Bradley's team will be called the Bats.
I go Monday for some minor surgery, just office surgery to have a lump of scar tissue removed from my arm. It seems to be getting bigger and is really starting to bother me, so it's time to go. I will have some stitches for 2 weeks. I'm a little worried about how sore it will be, it's where all the muscles are too. I also have a field trip on Friday the 6th with Bradley too. I think I will skip the bus ride. We are going to the Grossology exhibit at the VanAndle museum and the the Planetarium, I'm pretty excited as is Bradley.
I'm off to read to Ryan....

A little more chilly

It's noonish... and only 52 out. It was 60 when I went to work this morning. Brrrrrr
I had to leave work for awhile to go work at a bake sale for 3rd grade ( at the request of my son) and as the 3rd grade is coming, Brad comes up to me and says his tummy hurt and his color was off and his eyes looked so droopy, so I signed him out and took him home, which, messed up my going back to work and I also have a Dr. s appt this afternoon, So I'm hoping Mimi will call me back and be able to come sit with Bradley so I can go. I know Bradley will be fine. He saw a movie at school that freaked him out a little bit, and I sometimes think he could have Irritable bowel syndrome, when he gets stressed so does his tummy... Must take after his mother... Poor kid.

Another beautiful day!

Today's high is supposed to be 82, it's already 62 at 7:30am. A cold front is supposed to go through tonight and then the temps tumble and hopefully we'll get some MUCH needed rain! The temps aren't supposed to get very warm for at least the next 10 days or so. We'll have more "normal" temps. upper 50's low 60's. Although, Saturday will struggle to get to 50 I guess. The kids wore shorts to school yesturday and will again today. I'm sure at Camp Blackhawk they will get to go outside to play. They LOVE that! Yesturday thier Dad picked them up early. Doug had to go to the Dr. yesturday to get a Physical. He hasn't had one since it was required for Middle School sports. That's a little toooo long. His BP was good, and now he has to have a fasting blood test next Tuesday morning. They will check his sugar, thyroid, cholesterol , stuff like that. He's felt really run down lately, so hopefully we'll get to the bottom of it. He was also told to cut back on coffee and drink more water and get out and walk once in awhile.... HA and he is always telling me to get out and walk, while he lays on the couch. So maybe now I can get him to walk with me. I always walk in the Cemetary, so it works well to take the kids on thier bikes, they can ride around while we walk! Maybe I can get him out there tonight! ( Doubtful)
It was back to normal around here for me yesturday, Back to work with patients. It felt like it had been weeks since I'd done that, I guess because it had been almost 3 weeks for me. It did feel pretty good!
Guess I'd better run, I need to bake for 3rd grade bake sales tomorrow and make sure the house is clean before I leave ( I just like to see if it still looks that way when I get home, which it never does!) Have a great day!

A quiet weekend

I had a reallly quiet weekend. Mimi called Saturday morning at 8:30am and asked what Bradley was doing this weekend, I said nothing he had been at Student Activity night at the school the night before. So she asked if he could go with them to Aunt Debbies in Mt. Pleasant, so I asked him if he wanted to go, and Doug comes running to where I was on the phone and said, Only Brad?? And of course Mimi said, yes only Brad ( she treats Ryan totally different, but that's a whole other post) So she said she'd be here in 1-1/2 hrs to pick him up. Ryan was all bummed, he wanted to go, but I saidwe'd find fun things to do, but that didn't matter, he wanted to go. About 2 minutes later, Mimi called back and said to pack for Ryan too, Papa says' he's going with. Ryan was beaming, he was so excited, almost as excited as Doug! ha ha. I asked Ryan what I was supposed to do all day, with them being gone, He said I should do laundry because that's fun! silly kid. Doug was gone before the kids left, he had to go to the Fire Dept. to help the chief with the Explorers group, and then he had to go work his 3rd job, and then as the day went on, he ended up going to 4 fires, 3 where for mutal aid to other stations. He had said that we would leave around 5pm and go out to eat somewhere, well, 5 came and went, then 6 came and went, then 7 came and went, then around 7:30 Doug finally came home. We ended up at Logan's Roadhouse to eat at 8:30pm. Better late then never. I actually sat around the house all day, did a manicure, pedicure all those girly things I never have time for. I will admit, I did get a little bored, but it was sort of a nice change. Sunday morning, Doug had training, so he was gone before 7am. I got up at 8 and start laundry, boy was that fun! ha ha Doug came home for lunch and so we went downtown and ate at the Blue Goose ( why cook when the kids are gone) then after lunch, he went back to the Fire Station and so I went shopping. I had to take back some shorts I got for Brad last week, kids growing like a weed. So then I got him 2 more pair, and I got both boys some new sunglasses and I got Ryan a shirt. I also went to Meijers to take back cans. Then I went to Target and got a glow in the dark basketball ( we needed an extra, and I knew plain orange wouldn't be exciting enough) . Then I came back home and continued on laundry and did ironing. How exciting! Then Doug came home after I started the charcoal for the grill and then he got in the shower and ended up getting another fire call, this time for someone in town with a grenade... Or so it ended up just looking like one. Anyway, until they knew that it wasn't a real one, the FD had to block off all streets in town. Doug left his pager with me, so I could hear what was going on. So when I heard them say they were clear of the scene and in route back to the station, I knew I could put the pork chops on the grill. The boys got home around 7:30 pm . Ryan napped until they got home, so needless to say, Ryan was up till 11pm and was again up at 7:20am, Boy will he be grumpy this afternoon. Good thing Doug will be able to pick them up from Camp Blackhawk early! He has a physical this afternoon at 3pm, first one since..... Middle school sports! YIKES~ Hope it all goes well!!
Guess I'd better get on with my day!

Back to school

Spring Break has come to an end. We have had the best weather! I kept waiting for a cold rainy day to take the kids to a movie or some indoor activity, It never happened. We pretty much stayed home most of the week, besides the occasional trip to Holland for lunch and landscaping supplies ( the front of the house is done!) The kids love to play outside, (mostly in the dirt with thier John Deere toys) So they did a lot of that! I also got them a Tee for baseball, so they can practice thier hitting. Bradley really doesn't need a tee, but Ryan does, and Brad demonstates for him. Doug also finally got our basketball hoop up. He grumbled about the pole directions the whole time he was putting it together. (It's adjustable) But once it was up and done, he was pretty happy with the pole I got. It's really easy to adjust, even for me (and I'm NOT tall!!) The kids love it! I had 6 kids over here yesturday playing. My dad would be so proud that there is a basketball hoop in the yard, and baseball's laying around.. and of course, John Deere toys and dirt! Boy stuff!
Speaking of Doug, We haven't seen very much of him. He pretty much spent all day at the Fire Station yesturday. It's been so warm and dry that there have been lots of grass fires, illegal burns, and people burning strange things ( TV's, fridges.... I know , very odd ). He did make it home for supper, ( steak on the grill) Then he got another call and was off. According to our forcast, there isn't much of a break in sight. The FD has had 1/3 of thier calls since January in the last week. They had 4 yesturday. They get paid twice a year. Once in June, the other in December. Doug's in all his glory , he lives for this stuff.
I bought a new charcoal grill Saturday. We bought one last year ( on sale for $25) to see if we'd like it better than gas and found out we really do! So I got an Aussie Walkabout at Lowes. The best part, it was already assembled, which was good , because Doug was at a fire when I got home from Holland. ( I had to go to the FD to find the boys) So I was able to fire up the grill before Doug came home. ( Oh, last years grill was pretty much on it's last wobbly leg, we use it that much!) When it's nice, that's my main mode of cooking .
Bradley will be starting baseball within the next few weeks, he can hardley wait. I got him 2 new pair of baseball pants, and a new pair of cleats ( last years cleats were size 1, I had to buy a size 3, kids growing like crazy!!) He also wants me to get "athletic" pants for him for practice, not sweat pants. He's got a good swing, he's finally getting some power behind it. Ryan is excited because he will be starting Tee ball in May. We will have a ball game on Monday , Wednesday and Thursday nights and Saturdays. Spring will be busy. Ryan's Tee ball should be done by Mid June and Bradley will have baseball from the end of April until July. I also have to go sign the kids up for swimming lessons at the Aquatic Center. This will be Brad's 6th year in lessons. He really doesn't "need" them, but they work on his strokes and helps with his diving, and he just loves it. This will be Ryan's second year, he also loves it!
I guess I'd better get on with my day, it looks like another beautiful one, and Bradley got off to school and Ryan is excited that he goes back today too. I've got laundry going already, and just took Chicken out of the freezer ... to grill and need to make beds yet, then Ryan and I can go out and play until it's time to go to school. I'll try not to be such a stranger, but when it's so nice out, I rarely turn on the computer! Have a GREAT day!!

More beautiful sunshine!!!

Wow, where have I been? The couple weeks leading up to Spring break have been very hectic. I finally have pretty much wrapped up the fundraiser I was in charge of. It's amazing to me how many people either .. don't can't or just doesn't want to read and follow directions! Our pick up day came and went, The orders were to be paid for when they picked them up, I can't tell you how many people said they didn't know they were supposed to do that. Well, gosh, it told them in the original fundraiser letter that explained the whole thing, then again in the letter about the pick up night. UGH Then people didn't show up to pick up thier items, and then called the next day to pick them up. We sent them back to the company! So I gave everyone one last chance to pick up thier stuff, they have to turn in the money, and then I can schedule another pick up date for those orders. we made between $9000-$10,000 so I guess it was worth all the headaches and stress.
We are now on Spring Break, the kids were off on Friday, talk about, fighting ect. The kids actually drove me crazy, I know hard to belive that could happen! The weekend was better, it hasn't been yucky out, so they've been outside playing a lot. Guess who woke up crouping Saturday morning though... You guessed it, Ryan. We ended up going out to lunch and to Sam's club with my friend Pam and her 2 kids on Friday and then we went back to her house, so the kids could play, and then Pam had to run a couple errands and wanted us to go with, so we rode along, and we ended up going to the lab with her, she had to have some blood drawn, and while we were sitting in the waiting room (which luckly was empty besides us) I was reading a book to the kids ( which kept them quiet, Reading to Ryan works like a charm he loves to be read to, and now he likes the read the words he knows) And Ryan decided to start wheezing right them, Pam looked and us and said, What's that noise, I said, Ryan's wheezing. So we left after we got back to her house and I ran to Family Fare ( groceries) and got stuff to make burgers for supper, and then got Ryan home and hooked him up to his nebulizer. I had that feeling when he went to bed that night, that he would wake up crouping and he did. Now he's got the yucky nose with it, and we just keep doing his nebulizer treatments. It's still not stopping us from sending him outside to play. Yesturday was in the mid to upper 50's and the sunshine was plentiful! I just looked at Ryan and his little face got sunburned... He and Bradley were outside ALL day long! Today is supposed to be in the lower to mid 60's and tomorrow lower to mid 70's and sunny both days! I actually got outside and worked in the front yard yesturday. Last year we got landscape blocks and then put down some weed barrier right in front of the front window and then put down red lava pebbles, we chose not to do mulch because we had a carpenter ant problem when we moved in and the bug people said mulch would be bad especially with all the trees we have, so we went with the pebbles, anyway, we only got that one little section done, so in the Menards ad yesturday they had them on sale , so I got 10 bags ( all I could get in the van ) and so now I am about 1/2 the length of the house. So today, I need to run to Menards again and get more weed barrier, and get more rocks, so hopefully, I'll have the front done by the time Doug gets home from work. It looks so much better then just being started, but we only have so much money and time. We'd like to go around the side of the house around to the back, but we'll see, just getting to the side by fall would be good. We are also going to need a load of river rocks for around the pool, I put new weed barrier down last year, after moving all the rocks and putting them back down, so we need more rocks to fill in the gaps. Way better than the weeds before!!!
Today, I also have to deposit paychecks into the accounts of co-workers who are away on Spring Break and pay 2 bills for one of them. It's a good thing we didn't go anywhere, I can take care of everything for everyone! ha ha I don't mind, that's what friends are for! I'm also taking care of 2 fish a frog and a cat and a hot tub! There really is a lot of work with a hot tub, I checked the chemicals last night and added chlorine and ph decreaser. So today , I will check it before I go to Holland so if it's still not balanced, I can take a water sample to Zagers so it will be nicely balanced. People put thier trust in me, I won't let them down.
Well, Ryan is up and has his 3 medications to get him started for the day, and Bradley is still sleeping, so I think I will get in the shower and start breakfast. Have a great day!