This is How it Goes

This is What We Do When We're Bored on a Friday Night

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 03:31:00 +0000

When we bought this house nearly seven years ago, it had been an unloved rental house for the past twenty years. We have SLOWLY tackled the many repairs it needed, including: new roof, fence, air conditioner unit, kitchen tile floor (thought the rest of the kitchen is still shabby) some laminate flooring, french doors leading to the back yard, all new water pipes in the attic. But there has been one project that has been like a black cloud over our heads.... the back bathroom. It was still working, but incredibly dingy and ugly. The cost and work involved intimidated us, so we ignored it as long as we could. But today Eddie said he felt like tackling it, and I decided to let him. We sure as heck had better get a good income tax return this year.

Our buddy Todd volunteered to come help with the demo, and from the looks of him he likes doing it.

We uncovered a lot of termite damage once we ripped out the shower, but that was expected. The house was treated for termites when we bought it, and we still pay the yearly fee to monitor/attack them. Seeing what's underneath the shower tile makes me want to keep paying.

Our "plan," and I use that term very loosely... is to at least get new drywall up, new floor, and a new toilet this week. That should be a good stopping point before Eddie has to go back to work.

Stay tuned for updates.

Stay tuned.

Duran Duran at the Verizon in Houston.

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:02:00 +0000

Going to see your favorite band at thirty-seven is a bit of a different experience than when you are fifteen. Vacation days must be taken, babysitters found, and everything at home squared away first.

Before the concert I wondered how my tired feet and arthritic hip would hold up. Foam inserts were bought and stuffed into high-heeled boots. But, by the end of the first song, I was dancing on top of my folding seat, and stayed that way for most of Duran Duran's two-hour set.

The Houston show almost did not happen. Keyboardist Nick Rhodes had been stuck in Panama for a week with a severe ear infection, unable to fly. I watched the DD myspace page frantically, hoping for some news about Houston. Finally, the day before, vocalist Simon LeBon was on a live radio show. He mentioned that he was in LA but leaving tomorrow. The show host asked where he was going, and he said, "Houston."

Eddie and I stayed at a downtown hotel that was close to the theater, called The Magnolia. It was a beautiful place with a very upscale and spa-like feel to it. (Paid for by my credit card rewards I must add, in case any of you thought I'd won the Lottery or something.) Eddie took a nap, and I had a nice QUIET soak in the large bathtub. Room service hamburgers were also very unexpectedly good.

We headed downstairs to leave for the show, hoping to use the hotel's free car service. It was very busy in the valet area, so we ended up getting a cab for the five-block ride.

Our seats were the best I'd ever had at any concert; about mid-way back in the floor section, to the very left of the stage.

The opening band was Your Vegas, an unknown to me. They were incredibly, painfully loud, and I regretted forgetting to bring my ear plugs. Because again, when you are a thirtysomething concert-goer, you worry about silly things like noise exposure. I enjoyed Your Vegas in spite of the volume because their sound reminds me a lot of The Killers.

Duran Duran was on about thirty minutes later, to the screams of a frantic crowd. They began with The Valley, from 2007's Red Carpet Massacre. Everyone was right to their feet, but I discovered that there were some TALL women in front of me. I am not short, and I was wearing heels, but I still had to crane my neck and strain to see.

I looked behind me; there was a small empty section. Nobody at all to our left, so I grabbed Eddie's shoulder and hopped on top of my seat. It was a great view. I could see facial expressions and the muscles move in bassist John Taylor's face as he played. For once I could see Nick, even though he was behind his usual mountain of electronics. Every now and then an usher would peek around the left side of us or appear a few rows down from us, but they never said a word to me.

The next song was one that they are probably most well-known for, Hungry Like the Wolf. I like that song well enough, though it is not my absolute favorite.

Simon paused to say how they had almost not made it to Houston because of Nick, and then sidled up to Nick to ask what he wanted to play. Something in me knew it would be a new song, and it was, Nite Runner. The crowd was a little less hyped over the new material, but it was still well-recieved. All around people were dancing and hands were in the air for every song.

The set list for this show was nearly everything I had hoped, including a couple I have never heard live before.... the early 80's hit Is There Something I Should Know," "The Reflex," and their cover version of "White Lines." Standout songs were "Notorious," which is alway good live, and "Ordinary World."

Simon's voice and charisma were in top form. He was often chatty with the audience, and there was lots of singing along. I'd seen this guy a few rows back dancing throughout the show. By the time we were to the encore, he was steadily jumping up and down.

It is funny though, if you go to enough DD concerts you notice that they do certain things over and over. The audience was thrilled when Simon described their "nice little dressing room" backstage, and that he "wished we could all come back for a drink." Hmmm gee, he said the same exact thing at the show in Grand Prairie last December.

Guitarist Dom Brown, who has been touring with the band since Andy Taylor left, did a fine job with some harder-edged playing. Andy was at one time the most "hard rock"musician in the band, but I think now Dom's got him beat.

After nearly two hours the show ended Girls on Film and then Rio. As I have seen before, they did band introductions during Girls on Film. It would have been nice to hear the original version of that one, since it is one of my favorites, and one of their best live songs.

Eddie, who was mildly interested in the band, stole my DD CD's from my car the next day to put on his itunes. I think a new (closet) Duran Duran fan was born.

I have posted a link to a video of Girls on Film from youtube, taken by someone else that night. My pal Tressa was next to the person with the camera, and at about 1:48 when John pauses and points, he was pointing at her. I don't think she's recovered yet....

Maybe someday I'll be on that front row.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99bGKly0F0s

Twas The Night Before Christmas Eve

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:56:00 +0000

It's 11:56 p.m. and I should be in bed. I have spent the day cleaning the house for Eddie's family's Christmas Eve thing and entertained a bored and antsy-for-Christmas eight-year-old. I happened to look on the blog, and was flabbergasted that I have not posted anything since October. I mean, our wonderful wedding anniversary is such old news.

When I have my wits about me, I will write that post I've been meaning to about seeing Duran Duran in Houston, and whatever else that seems important. Maybe there will be some Christmas stuff thrown in there too.

A Dozen

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 15:31:00 +0000

Today is our 12 year wedding anniversary. A lot of what they say about marriage is true. The first year was very hard. We had no money and lived in a tiny OLD duplex apartment in the absolute worst part of town. Eddie and I had different expectations about how we would spend our time once married. He was either working one of his three jobs or drinking beer out on the front porch with our neighbor. While I respected his determination to work and pay off his sizable credit card debt, I frowned upon the constant hanging out with the troubled neighbor.

Fast forward to now, and things between us are much more settled. We occasionally disagree on money... he has a penchant for buying project cars, but never has the time of funds to complete them. But I have to say.... we really rarely ever disagree on anything else. His working shiftwork has been hard on us since we've had children. But for the past 6 months or so, he has been helping with the kids a lot more on his days off.

He has been so supportive of anything I do... whether it was working part-time again at the clinic, running my stepmother to medical appointments in Houston, and now my starting a degree and always studying or obsessing about studying. He also doesn't make fun of my Duran Duran obsession, and is even taking a night of vacation in December so he can go to a concert with me.

I am trying to be more supportive of what he enjoys. We still don't have the money for him to buy cars as he likes. But I try not to roll my eyes too much when he buys parts for his current toy, a 1966 VW Bug. I would like to see it in prime driving shape someday soon. I make fun of his geek model airplane club friends, but am actually pleased he has joined. I keep nagging him to go ahead and get his gun club membership, because he likes collecting guns and needs a place to actually shoot them.

These days we hang out with friends some, but also enjoy time alone. Last week we spent the night at the condo in Galveston and had fun. OK, so he spent half the time sleeping, but when he was conscious he had me howling with laughter.

It is good to be married these days. I enjoy our friendship, love, and partnership more and more each day. Happy Anniversary, Eddie!

Above is a pic of us drinking the controversial champagne wedding toast. Eddie's very churchgoing grandpa was not pleased we had alcohol... and was worried we would have a wreck on the drive to the Houston hotel.... on SIPS of champagne.

October

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:22:00 +0000

It has been so long since I've written anything that I decided it was time for another "What The Heck Has Amanda Been Doing?" post.

1. Evacuated with the kids for Hurricane Ike and spent a week at my brother's house.

2. Came home to no electricity for eleven days. Provided meals for my family from an ice chest and gas grill. It was kind of like camping, except that it was not fun at all after about two days.

3. Got back into school routines for kids and self, all while STILL with no electricity.

4. Took a day off from all of the powerless fun to go to Raquels' husband's 40th birthday party in Houston.... a paintball playing party. The bruises on my body actually made my female teammates gasp.

5. Came home that evening to lights and AIR conditioning. The next day I joyfully filled my refrigerator.

6. We spent the night in Galveston of all places in honor of our 12th wedding anniversary, which is tomorrow. The San Luis condo is up and running fine, as are a few of the nearby restaurants. But, the waterline and wrecked boats from Ike's storm surge comes inland about five miles on I-45.

7. I have taken two tests in A&P lecture, and have a biggie coming up again this week. I have also been spending extra time in the lab preparing for lab quizzes.

8. Last night I took the kids to the Fall Festival at the girl's school, and also worked the tatoo booth.

9. Today Dad, Charlene, and I took the kids to the pumpkin patch and out to eat at Fudrucker's.

10. Big stuff coming up includes Halloween and a birthday party for both kids at a pizza/jumping place. I could not figure out how to slash the 24-kid guest list. I hope it is not too chaotic and everyone has fun.

Sometimes It Gets a Little Crazy

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:16:00 +0000

I am still trying to figure out how to fit school in with my family life, and this week was not even a "full" week of school. We missed the first lab due to the Labor Day holiday.

Today, by 9:20 a.m. I had :

Gotten the kids fed, dressed and off to their respective schools. I had to walk the boy inside to meet his counselor, who is hoping to distract him and help his nervous stomach problems.

Talked twice to my friend whose dog died unexpectedly this morning.

Picked up a shopping list from Eddie's grandparents

Arrived just in time for class to start.

The rest of the day never slowed down. After class I ran by the pharmacy, grocery shopped for my family and the grandparents, with barely enough time left to eat a sandwhich and go get the girl from school.

An hour later it was the boy's dismissal time, then homework and snack time.

I also unwisely decided to try a new Rachel Ray 30 minute meal recipe. When will I learn that none of her recipes truly are easy and 30 minutes to make?

Today's lecture was waaaaayyyy over my head. I hope this weekend, when I am not so tired, I can look at a video of the lecture and make some sense of it.

Old

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:21:00 +0000

This post is for my brother, who says he is tired of looking at the horny cowboy pic from the previous post. :)

Today was the long-awaited first day of school for The Girl at her preschool, and for me at community college. As I gave little bit a kiss and handed her off to the teacher, I could not believe that she is going to be in her PreK 4 year old program from 9-2, almost as long as a Kindergarten child. I hope it is not too much and that she has fun this year. She seemed a little shy with her new teacher, but she'll be fine.

I pulled into the college parking lot and noted that when you arrive at 9:15, the only parking spots are in the middle of nowhere. I hopped out of the car, limped to class, and cursed the plantar fasciitishttp://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/plantar-fasciitis-topic-overview problem in my left foot.

I found a seat where I could see the screen at the front of the room and waited for the professor. I purposely chose the one I used do some work for in the Math and Science department when I had a work/study job back in 1990-91. Professor J was always fairly pleasant, and his class had a reputation for being hard. I decided it would be best to at least know what I was getting into as far as instructors go.

A quick glance around the room confirmed what I already felt would happen. I am the oldest person in class. There is a male student who is probably close to my age. If he shows up in lab I am going to snag him as my lab partner because, well, he doesn't look like a TEENAGER like everyone else!

Professor J handed out the syllabus and asked if anyone was nervous about taking the class. Several people raised their hands and he replied, "Good. A little nervousness is good because it makes your brain work better."

Large signs at the front of the room reminded us to turn off cell phones. I did not, as I am the only person my children's schools can call if something turns up. I furtively turned my phone to silent and looked for missed calls occasionally. Nothing came up.

One interesting thing about being a non-traditional (older) student is how technology plays a role in learning. Instead of marker board there is Powerpoint and a screen. We are encouraged to use some resources on the Internet, instead of the professor's former favorite reference book. If we miss a lecture he has a video of it on his website.

He began with discussing the syllabus, absentee policy, and how taking A&P is the first step to a career in health care. Then he dived into the semester's first lecture, about homeostasis. He first asked us to list the body's eleven different systems on our paper, just what we could come up with. I got stuck at eight. The young girl, ahem, woman next to me had zero. Professor J commented that he saw papers with none, and some with 8 or 10 systems listed. That gave me some hope that maybe my previous (and comparatively superficial) knowledge of human anatomy from LVN school will resurface.

I was absorbed in what Professor J was saying and taking notes for the rest of class. The tension from being cooped up with my kids for three months while my husband worked lots of overtime, managed his parents' business affairs, rehabbed our trashed rent house, and took care of his elderly grandparents faded. I was no longer worried about my son, who again had a stomach ache before school and was tardy because he was in the bathroom.

It is more clear than ever that I need to be something more than wife, mother, dog poop cleaner, and kid shuffler.

Class ended. I rose from my seat, and my left hip painfully popped, a reminder that there will probably be an MRI in my near future. I hobbled again out to my car with a smile on my face.

Saddle Up Your Horses

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:17:00 +0000

In spite of my misgivings about going for a second year at the dude ranch... the lack of electric power in our cabin last year, the keeping up with two small kids on a very physically active vacation, and Hurricane Dolly... we had a great time.

The night before departure Hurricane Dolly was bearing down on South Texas. We were not scheduled to get a direct hit, but did have some pretty loud thunderstorms from about 3 am till morning. The girl came to our bed and slept with Eddie, while I went alone to her bed. I would not call that night sleeping; it was more like dozing between thunderclaps.

We arrived at the ranch around 3pm, and the first thing Todd did was flip on the porch light on his side of the duplex. "The power works!" he said. Inside our cabin it was true. I could have the luxury of being able to see inside, plug in the movie player, AND my beloved hair dryer. I was instantly at ease.

The first ride was scheduled at 4 pm. The boy made it clear that he had zero interest in riding horses or even taking lessons to get more comfortable with it. I did not care at the point. It was too hot for me to want to ride either, so the boy and I headed for the pool. Later all of our families had a delicious dinner together and relaxed on our front porch.

The weather Thursday morning was just as I had feared it would be. Hurricane Dolly was sending Gulf moisture up to our area. It was a steady rain all day, and actually pretty chilly too. None of us had expected to be cold in July in the Texas Hill country, so nobody had brought a long-sleeved shirt or jacket. We headed to town with Bryan and Kari in search of warmer clothes. The only clothing available in Bandera seems to be from the western wear store or Dollar General. We did some shopping and then it was back to the ranch for a 2:30 game of bingo inside the main lodge. We enjoyed some coffee and there was hot chocolate for the kids. Our family did not win anything but it was fun anyway. The boys also got to play in the rain in their bathing suits and a few mud puddles too. Nobody got too bored, but we were glad to see the sun shining on Friday morning.

The girl and I took our first ride together. There were all new cowboys guiding us this year. They seemed a little less friendly than last year's guys. The one in charge, "Brian" reminded me a little of the "Cowboy Curly" character in the City Slickers movie as he took a drag from his cigarette and squinted at us. Buddy was our horse, and he was kind of a slowpoke. After the ride we had lunch and spent lots of time in the pool. I put lifejackets on both of my kids so I did not have to be right next to them at all times, and actually relaxed by the pool some.

I don't remember which night this was, but Bryan and I got busted trying to steal.... SALT from the main lodge. He'd made some salsa (awesome!) but felt it needed salt. It was after the 10 pm lodge closing time, but we decided to try anyway. We opened the door to complete darkness. "Don't let that cowbell thing ring," he whispered. Just then a female voice came out of a corner. It was Melissa, one of the people who gives riding lessons. "Can I help you?" We both jumped, and he rapidly explained that we needed some salt. She helped us out. I hope she didn't think we were up to something worse!

Saturday came, and everyone stayed pretty busy trying to pack in as much as possible that last day. The girl and I took a walk by the pond with the family's three yellow labs.

We did the usual horse rides, and several members of the group also did an evening fast ride. Some of the guys and boys went fossil hunting and had some luck. We also made sure to take full advantage of the great food at this place. What were we having for the next meal was a frequent topic of conversation.

Saturday evening the ladies and I dressed in our identical Dixie Dude Ranch t-shirts and had pics taken together. The fastest way to make a somber cowboy smile is to ask him to pose for a photo with a bunch of attractive women! He'd been out working all day, and kindly warned us about the b.o. I took no chances and did not breathe at all.

Dinner that night was barbecue brisket, sausage, potato salad, beans, and deviled eggs, served under the lattice-covered patio. After dinner we hopped on a trailer for a hayride. The dogs went too.

After the hayride we had a campfire and marshmallow roast. Some of the kids played with light sticks, and some went swimming. We all stayed up way too late talking, looking at the stars, and wishing we didn't have to go home the next day.

Packed and Ready to Go

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:04:00 +0000

The suitcases are packed, the car is filled up with a Medium-grade splurge, and the dog is tucked away at his favorite kennel. In nine short hours we will depart for the 2nd annual Dude Ranch Adventure. Hopefully Hurricane Dolly won't send any of her excess Gulf moisture up to drench Bandera.

Shaking out the Cobwebs

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:53:00 +0000

I am kind of sleepy and have a little bit of stomach trouble this morning, because I lived it up last night. I went to Cafe Annice with a group of ladies and had TWO mixed drinks, a full meal, and dessert. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Eddie has been working on our vacant rent house that the tenant left in a mess. We have a long way to go on that, but it has to be ready by the end of August for the next person. I am so incredibly done with being a landlord. Two people in a row have destroyed the place, and I am tired of emptying out our savings account every two years to fix it.

The boy did art class last week and enjoyed it. His teacher told me he has great potential. This week he is at Camp Hope and Maddie is in her first year of vacation bible school at the church where she goes to preschool.

Eddie works nights this weekend, so it will be a long one for me. Trying to keep them from bickering and waking him up sucks. I also have no money for entertaining them, due to the previously mentioned extravagant dinner and wrecked rent house.

Next Wednesday we leave for our second annual Dude Ranch adventure. I was feeling pretty ambivalent about it last week. The kids have fun, but it is pretty tiring for me because they are so active and we're trying to keep up with them. But I am mellowing out about it, and am looking forward to four days where I do not have to cook. This morning the girl and I are headed to Walmart to stock up on drinks and snacks.

Summer Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:35:00 +0000

It is once again time for the annual "how the kids and I are surviving the summer" post. This year has been.... not bad. The first several weeks of June were filled with swim lessons for both kids. Both kids had a blast. The boy is now an official "Beginning Swordfish," which is about halfway through Coach Bob's list of skills. The girl is a certified "Goldfish," at the very beginning level. It is amazing to watch the coach develop trust with my son and get him to do unthinkable things, such as float on his back, or dive off the side of the pool.

We've also had several kid birthday parties, including two with waterslides. I am tickled to say that the boy no longer fears these things.

Last night the kids and I attended a dance for the 40th birthday of my dear friend Holly's husband. She has been planning this surprise bash for all of his out-of-town family for several months, and it went perfectly. She is an absolute dynamo. Holly runs two successful home-based businesses, gives her special needs child excellent care, has a smart, beautiful daughter, and pretty much accomplishes more in one day than I do in ten years. She is the kind of gal who decided against renting the expensive resort hall, and instead opted for the grimy, neglected hall at her church. So she cleaned it herself from top to bottom, decorated it, organized, made, and delegated a little of the food, and kept all of it a secret from her husband.

The kids and I had a fun time dancing to dj tunes, including The Chicken and YMCA. I admit to being a poor Texan, because I could not quite remember the steps to the Cotton Eyed Joe.

Holly and Chris are a hardworking couple, and it was great to seem them dancing and smiling at the very same church hall they used for their wedding 11.5 years ago.

The Details

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:40:00 +0000

This is a copy of an email I sent Ruth, because I am feeling too lazy to write an actual post. I've got other things to do, like drink this gallon of coffee to try and wake up... and listen to the plumbers drill my house apart while the $$ meter runs. You know, I am back to my fun real life!

"It was absolutely great. Carnival has this reputation of being a less classy, lower-rung type of operation. I did not find any of that to be true. Our room was very nice, everything clean, the food and service awesome. I thought of you while we were there, and the fact that you had gone on a very culturally enriching type of vacation. A cruise is definitely more of a hedonistic, narcissistic experience! And you know what, I was completely OK with that!

We enjoyed the company of Bryan and Kari. They live in Austin now, and whenever we see them it is briefly, and all of our kids are running around. I haven't laughed so much in a long time.

The four of us plopped our butts on deck chairs, only rising to get something to eat or get more booze. I did my usual heavy drinking, and lived it up with TWO drinks on a couple of the days. We ate sushi for a snack every day at 5:30 when the sushi bar opened. Then we had formal dinner at 8:15. Eddie and I had a couples massage that was awesome. He had never had one before (and I had only done it once; this one was far better). I was thrilled to see how much he loved it. I also giggled when it was over, and I peeked over at my 6'2 husband laid out on the table, with a purple towel turbaned around his head, only his nose and lips visible. I got my hair done for formal night, which was kind of a disaster. But, Kari was able to take what the stylist had done and turn it into what I wanted.

Kari and I got temporary tattoos, and the ladybug is still on my left ankle.

We did not even bother going into Progresso, because there is not much there, and laying out on deck was more appealing.

In Cozumel we went to a beach resort called Paradise Beach that had gotten rave reviews. I was pleased with the facilities, clean restrooms, good food. But, the water near the beach that day was pretty murky and brown. But it was gorgeous further out. We rented a jet ski and zipped out over the beautiful part for half an hour. Then we went back to the pier, where there was a mall of sorts, and did a little shopping. The kids loved the little parrot toys we got. I got an opal and silver bracelet. It was originally priced at 200-something bucks. I told the guy (honestly) that I did not have that kind of money on me. We'd been out all day and spent it. So I got it for $50, which is probably still too expensive, but at least not ridiculous.

I found out, upon calling my dad when we hit land, that Eddie's mom had major dental work done one day while the kids were at school. She had an implant and a tooth pulled. She swore Dad to secrecy, knowing I'd worry. One day she even locked herself out of my house and had to call the locksmith. But she swears up and down she had a good week!"

We're Back

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 18 May 2008 20:02:00 +0000

We had an amazing time on the cruise. It was probably the closest thing to a perfect vacation that I have ever had. Now I am back to the reality of dishes, bills, and a laundry pile that is as tall as my washing machine. A real post about the trip is soon to come.

Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:46:00 +0000

I have just returned from Dallas and attending Brian's graduation ceremony. He is the proud recipient of a Master's of Science in Mental Health Counseling. He began this process three years ago, on a probationary status with the school, because he did not have enough psychology hours. He prevailed through job changes, working fulltime, penny-pinching, vehicles dying, and raising two kids.

So now he has this cool degree, and lots of important initials behind his name. This marks the beginning of some great new things for him.

Dad, Charlene, Whit, Kelli, and I were thrilled to be there!

I Have Not Abandoned the Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:47:00 +0000

My brain is just off in a million different directions. So, I am pretty much in the same shape I was in for my last post from April.

I am getting everything ready so that Eddie's mom can take over the kids, house, and dog while we are on the cruise. I have just finished typing the (don't laugh at me) four pages of instructions for our kids. I still have beds to change, showers to scrub (so that MIL will think we are actually clean people) and groceries to buy.

The cool part of all of this is that I get to sneak off Friday night to attend Brian's graduation. And, my folks are well enough to go too!

The next update will probably include more about a cruise to Cozumel than you ever wanted to know.

I will leave you with a funny conversation our family recently had in the car.

When my son was born, he had this weak cry that sounded exactly like a lamb. He did this for about two months.

He was asking some questions about the circumstances of his birth, and Eddie told him that he said, "Baaaaaa" instead of really crying.

The girl added, "And when I was born, I sounded like a cow MOOOOOOOO!" And she was completely serious.

Still Here

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:24:00 +0000

Two of my four loyal readers have commented that it is time for an update. I just want to let everyone know that I have been too busy, exhausted, vacation-obsessed, and brain scrambled to write anything exciting. My days have involved lots of cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundry, letting the dog out for 5 am. potty breaks, and purchasing a new oven. I have also spent many hours prodding the boy to do his homework, shuffling him to Tae Kwon Do, and listening to his frustration over not yet knowing how to tie his own belt.

I have also been thinking a lot about when/how I can get back in school.... what programs will the college offer as part of the expansion of their health professions programs. I know they are adding programs, but nothing more specific. The new science building won't be up and running until 2011, but I might be able to get some more basics out of the way if I knew more of what programs they plan to offer.

I also have a possible lead on a medical transcripton job, which I just found out about today.

Eddie is working nights and overtime this week, weekend, and next week.

El Presidente

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:18:00 +0000

The boy has been very interested in U.S. presidents lately. They have recently studied them in school. Plus, the elections have caught his attention. Ron Paul lives close by, and he has seen the signs all over these parts. We've also explained to him that Ron Paul is also a doctor who happened to deliver his daddy and his Uncle Brian.

I was going through his school folder, and read this assignment he'd written.

If I were the president I would eat pand cakes lik gorg washingtotn. And have snow masheens in every store. And I would buy a pool. And one last thing I would make it summer every day.

I love reading the things that come home in his school folders. It is awesome to get this little glimpse inside his brain.

Food

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:38:00 +0000

You Are Chinese Food

Exotic yet ordinary.

People think they've had enough of you, but they're back for more in an hour.

What Kind of Food Are You?

So true, so true.

Hobble

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Nearly four and a half years ago, I'd just made a trip to the women's hospital for preterm labor. We'd left the boy with Eddie's mom, driven an hour, and trekked up to the triage area. I was hooked up to the monitor, and could hear my nurse on the phone outside my room speaking to my doctor. "She's contracting every 5 minutes." Considering I'd already had a child at 33 weeks, spent a week in the hospital on the evil Mag Sulfate drip, these were not words I wanted to hear again, 33 weeks into pregnancy #2.

The nurse shot me up with some Brethine, and I hung out on the monitor some more. My stomach churned in anticipation of another hospital stay, another agonizing week in the hospital on Mag. But, everything stopped. I got to come home, with orders for bedrest. "Don't fix anything but maybe a sandwhich for yourself. Don't drive anyone to school. Just rest."

We got home and I hoisted my big self up on the couch, feeling kind of crummy. The Brethine made me shaky and my heart race. I was supposed to take pills every 4 hours, day and night. Fun.

Eddie's mom arrived at the door, with our son, then 3, in tow. She asked if we were hungry, if she could go pick us up anything to eat. My mind screamed, "Yes, I am starving!" But Eddie told his mom no thanks and she was on her way.

It got later and later, with no signs of anyone other than me cooking dinner. Finally, I got up and made eggs and toast for the three of us. Luckily, I was only on bedrest for the those last two weeks. My dad and Eddie's mom cooked for us. His mom also watched the boy a lot and took him to preschool for me.

Yesterday I had a rather unpleasant procedure at the podiatrist's office. My big toe was shot full of lidocaine, and parts of my nail were removed, and the nail bed lasered. I'd had this done 9 months ago, but it did not work, and the problem parts of the nail had grown back. This happens in a lucky 2% of people.

Last time the narcotic pain medicine made me feel like puking, so I am going with just Tylenol.

Today I needed to change the dressing and apply medicine. Eddie helped me remove the bandage very gently. He also found and sanitized a basin to soak my foot in. Right now he is out running errands and took the girl with him to keep her busy.

So I guess I am a little closer to forgiving him for being less than helpful during the preterm labor episode.

He has no memory of being thoughtless during the preterm labor episode. I don't think he was really trying to be difficult. Just not thinking.

A Survey, from a Myspace friend

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:14:00 +0000

70 Questions Guaranteed You've (probably) Never Answered.

1.would you bang your neighbor?
No, because a) I am married and b) to "bang" someone is not really part of my moral code

2. What word describes your relationship?
Stable

3. What does the 3rd text on your phone say?
"yeah the jerk just rubbed us wrong the whole time," from my brother, in reference to a car salesman.

4. What's the last movie you saw?
can't remember

5. I've come to realize the last person who held my hand:
has sticky hands (my baby girl)

6. When's the last time you danced?
a few days ago, with my girl

7. Who have you talked to most today?
Eddie

8. Do you carve pumpkins every year?
without fail

9. Color of your underwear?
gonna skip that one, just to be ornery

10. Color of your shirt?
brown

11. I'm always..
sleep deprived

12. Who's on speed dial 2? 4? 6?
BB, stepmom, ed

13. Honestly, how many boys/girls have you been in love with?
4

14. Whats your favorite season?
Fall

15. How do you feel right now?
ok

16. Are you a bad influence?
No, I am pure as the driven snow

17. Been drunk in the last week?
No

18. Do you play Texas Hold 'Em ?
No

19. Would you do anything for someone else?
Depends on the person

20. Have you ever been called a bitch?
It's happened

21. Beer or Wine?
Beer....wine bad!

22. What is your ringtone?
Pretty in Pink, Psychadelic Furs

23. What song is on?
Not listening to music right now

24. Are your grades good?
Not in school anymore, but usually they were good

25. Do you hate anyone/anything?
I'd have to think hard on that one.

26. Does your best friend have a myspace?
yes

27. Do you have a secret?
A few.

28. Last time you went out to lunch?
a few days ago

29. How old are you?
36

30. Is today a good day?
So far, so good.

31. What's your nickname?
no nicknames

32. Been to a concert in the past 6 months?
Duran Duran

33. Do you have one or more Britney Spears cd?
no way

34. What did you do last night ?
Had friends over

35. Do you like drunk girls/guys?
Mostly no

36. Say you were given a drug test right now. Would you pass or fail?
Pass

37. Do you have a song by Ozzy Osbourne in your library?
Does spouse's count?

42. What's the last thing you bought?
Gas

43. What's the last thing someone bought you:
a cd

44. Do you ever sing in the shower?
no way

44. Whats your favorite movie?
Sixteen Candles is one

48. Do you believe everyone has a soulmate?
Yes I do and I think that it's possible to have more than one.

49. Can you sing?
Not at all

53. Are you ever a freak about cleanliness or organization?
Eddie calls me a germ phobe, but I dont' think I am that bad.

54. Have you ever been to South America or Africa?
no.

55. Do you know how to knit?
No

56. Do you have a job?
Fulltime mom, occasional office nurse as of recently

58. What are you doing right now besides this survey?
Supposed to be making the shopping list and paying bills

60. Baskin Robbins or Coldstone?
Baskin Robbins, because I have never heard of the other place

61. Physics or chemistry?
physics

65. G's or R's?
WTH?

66. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or Star Wars?
Star Wars

67. Fly or road trip?
Fly! Driving to Augusta, GA and back in about 32 hours' time cured me of ever wanting to do a road trip again. Did I mention that I went straight to a job interview upon returning? (and got the job somehow!)

68. Batman, Spiderman, or Superman?
Gimme Superman

69. What's your favorite Disney movie?
Cinderella or Little Mermaid

70. What are your plans for tonight?
Feed kids, homework, off to bed with them!

Germs

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:08:00 +0000

Daughter has been on Amoxicillin for nearly a week due to strep throat. Son was coughing up green junk this morning. The PA confirmed my suspicion of a sinus infection this afternoon. While picking up the Zithromax prescription at Walgreen's tonight, I told the pharmacy tech, "Now I have two kids on antibiotics. Maybe I should just get a job here."

This evening I noticed my throat has a tickle. And after eating some new Schwann's chocolate malt ice cream, I felt.... nauseous.

I guess we'll see what develops.

All Over the Place

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:26:00 +0000

Sometimes I just don't have much to write about. The at-home mom life can be downright boring, and tortuously the same day after day at times. So here is the brief run-down of my most recent activities.

1. Yesterday I got tired of looking at the grimy kitchen floor, so I scrubbed all of grout with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

2. We got the boy a two-wheeled bike because his body has outgrown his training wheels bike. But he still needs the trainers, so we bought a pair that was supposed to fit a 20-inch bike. That was a joke. He has been trying to scoot along without the trainers, and is very frustrated with the whole process. We have another set on order from Toys R Us.

3. Watched Eddie shock himself on the frayed cord on our toaster. Today's big outing will be going to buy a new one.

4. Having sudden cravings for Eggs and toast. The I remembered a recipe of Toad in A Hole, which is in progress now.

5. Staying up waaaaaay too late. Last night it was on the phone with a good friend, playing catchup for the last three months or so. Lots of computer time. So, is it normal to need 2 cups of coffee at 3 in the afternoon?

6. Counting down till the cruise. Something like 82 days left. I have been bathing suit shopping online, and have just about concluded I am just not going to wear one. I am sure LOTS of people go on Cozumel cruises without swimming, right?

Weekend Update

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:16:00 +0000

We celebrated my dad's 60th birthday this weekend. It was quite a milestone, considering all of the medical things he and my stepmom have faced recently. (And there are more things to come this week). They haven't had much of a chance to get out and enjoy life, but this weekend I think they did.

Friday night started with a celebration at a really good Mexican food place. We all lined up at a huge table and visited. We had to wait a long time for the food, but the kids were good. The girl fell asleep with her head resting on the table, so I took her into my lap for a nowadays rare cuddle. We had cake, and the waiters sang and made Dad wear a big sombrero. He hates that sort of thing, I am sure because he was obsessing over how many other people had that same hat on their heads... but he was a good sport about it.

The only thing missing was my brother, who was on the road from Dallas. We kept him up to date and entertained in traffic with text messages and photos.

He arrived at my house shortly after we got home from the restaurant. Brian decided he needed a snack, and pulled out all of the stuff he'd brought. He is apparently prepared for any snack emergency... he had Sun Chips, mini chocolate chip cookies in handy 100 calorie pouches, and chocolate praying hands.

Something about the idea of chocolate praying hands struck me as funny, because I laughed... Kind of like the time my dad got tickled at this movie called Used Cars and ended up giggling and under the coffee table with tears rolling out of his eyes.

Yesterday Dad brought his pot and propane bottle, and boiled 5 pounds of shrimp for us. I made salad, baked potatoes, and his favorite pineapple cake. After we'd eaten, the boys all went to Academy to look and guns, knives, and other man-stuff.

Brian went to see a friend last night. After he got home we watched Rock n Roll High School. For those of you who aren't familiar with The Ramones, it's a circa 1980 moving tale of teenage groupies who turn their high school upside down in the quest for fun and concert tickets.

This morning Brian got doughnuts and then hit the trail to home. My kids were sorry to see him go. And so was I. We welcome adult company and conversation anytime.

Wasting Time

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:08:00 +0000

You Are 40% Impulsive

You're a pretty stable and serious person. You don't take things lightly.
This doesn't mean you can't have fun - you just have fun responsibly.
You definitely have a spontaneous side, but you only let loose when it's appropriate.

Are You Impulsive?

Have I Mentioned Lately that Winter Sucks?

noreply@blogger.com (Amanda) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:05:00 +0000

The weather is gray and rainy. My head pounds on alternating days for no reason. Well, maybe there is a reason. I blame cold fronts.

The triops is growing and is about an inch long. It amazes me that a little three-eyed, supposedly preshistoric creature is already conditioned to become excited when we get near him with food pellets.

I'm getting more of the working mother experience this week. I now know without a doubt, that being a working mom is more difficult than an at-home mom.

I've never been one of those rabid, "Why do people have kids if they just send them to daycare anyway" kind of at-home moms. I made the decision to leave my job when I was about 7 months pregnant with the boy. This was fueled largely by some issues from my childhood. I never enjoyed daycare as a a kid, and did not want to put my own child in one. And once the boy was born prematurely, the doctor did not want him in daycare around germs. Besides, I was too busy addressing his developmental problems and juggling therapy appointments to even think of working.

The entire time I was grateful to "just" have to focus on my family and children. But I have always felt that mothers who work have it harder, to have to divide themselves between office and home. The amount of work it takes to run a home and care for the family is impressive. I never could grasp having the energy to manage home and a job.

Now I am getting a small taste of it. Tuesday morning I got kids and myself ready and took the boy to school. The plan was to take the girl and her backpack of clothes and stuff for the day, straight to Eddie's mom. But since I am not a morning person, her backpack was forgotten. So that was an extra trip around town. I finally made it to the office with 15 minutes to spare, only to find my key-bearing coworker had not arrived yet.

It was a full, busy day at work. I came home at lunch to let the dog out and inhale some food. Around 4p.m. I got a chance to catch my breath, and then finished up the day around 5:15. Next it was straight to my inlaw's to get the kids. I had to wait for them a little bit because they were gone for a walk or something. After a little chat with them we got home around 6:15. I had leftover spaghetti but was too tired to fight the kids to get them to eat it. So they got to eat Kid Cuisine TV dinners, which they think is great. I hate feeding them those things.

After dinner I had to manage homework and bathe the girl. Son got to skip his bath because he and daddy were playing checkers and I did not want to prolong the bedtime process. I did not even clean up the kitchen, and the dishwasher remained full of clean dishes that needed unloading.

I think this is so tiring because I have to do everything for the kids in the morning since Eddie is already at work. And, he is not especially helpful with them in the evening. But he'd been up since 4:15 a.m. so I know he was tired too.

Today the office was closed. I sent the girl for an extended day at school and caught up on housework. Tomorrow I have to work again. I am happy to have the chance to use some of my rusty skills again, and to make some money. But I will also be glad when they go awhile without needing me.

The real highlight of the day was when I woke Tuesday morning. I stumbled to the bathroom, turned on the light, and confronted my bright sunburnish red face in the mirror. It seems the skin care products I'd used the night before did not agree with me. It looked like I'd had a chemical peel, and felt hot. I laughed because it was so comically bad. I couldn't wait to face patients looking like that. The boss and coworker were kind enough to say I just looked like I'd been in the Carribbean.