stress/strain

So, Joy left yesterday morning to go to South Padre Island with the choir.  Thursday night was spent packing her bag and when it came time for her to go to bed, tears from me and an "I don't have to go" from her.  Oh, yes you do!!! We paid for it, you're going.  Ok, so I got texts from her all day.  Nothing earth shattering, just stuff.  

This morning at 8:08am I got this "I left my walet in my bag -.-' no lunch for Joy". (her spelling, not mine)  Ugh (on both counts)!!!  Back and forth with texts, I find out that they moved hotels last night because the power kept going out at the one they were in.  So, rush, rush, rush = no money.  

Her teacher was off the bus unloading the bags, etc, so Joy couldn't get to her. So, being the concerned mom of a diabetic kid with high blood pressure, I called the teacher.  Keep in mind that these texts have taken about 45 minutes.  On the phone with the teacher explaining that her money is in her bag. There's some kind of giant drill in the background there blocking every other word...sounds like fun, right...she says, "Oh my God, does she have her pills? Money?  Oh, there are about 55 bags to go through and we still have to have breakfast." No kidding while I'm on the phone with her Joy texts and says "nvm".  I disconnected with the teacher and called Joy back.  "I found my money."  Exhale!  "Ok, do you have your pills?"  (Just figured I should ask.)  "No."  Ugh all over again!!!

Joy then tells me that she can make it through the day without the pills.  She'll be fine.  I tell her it's a bad idea and go to text her teacher.  Yes, I'm totally gonna tattle, but I'm not calling her again.  I feel too bad about this whole thing, plus that drill was really loud!  Then I get a text from Joy saying, "other teacher was eves dropping." (again her spelling not mine) Yay! (for teacher eaves dropping not the spelling) She had to go get her pills and is now enjoying breakfast with other 54 students. 

Moral to the story?  Hmmm.

Don't let them go anywhere ever?  No.  

Take away cell phone when they leave so you don't know anything's wrong the whole time?  Maybe.  

Make twin sister go next time because they help keep track of each other?  Yes. (maybe not for those exact reasons)

Learn to let her take care of herself more? Definitely.

Right about now, my guilt complex would normally be kicking in, however, I find that it's not.  Todd and I have done all we can to help her be more responsible to almost no avail. I think she's a teenager and that covers a lot of ground.  We've recently enrolled her in Sylvan to help her get more organized with school.  We hope it works and maybe some of it will roll over to other parts of her life.  

Can't write a blog about one kid and leave the other one completely out so...As for Josi, she is organized and does well in school, but is very closed off.  She refused to go on the choir trip because she didn't know anybody that was going.  Ummm, your sister is gonna be there!  Ok, I can let that one pass.  There's something wrong there, but, frankly, I'm just too tired right now to figure it out.  I'll think about it tomorrow!  (best Scarlet impression ever!!!) 

Later!!

 

Pay it forward

I copied and pasted the below from my wonderful mother-in-law.  Sounds fun!!

This was a game that a neighbor and friend of mine (a young woman who is in Germany with her Army husband) put on her blog. I thought it seemed like fun, especially since I was one of her first three to respond. Read the rules and post a comment so I can send you something from Wild, Wonderful West Virginia. I may even go more than three people if I don't get too many. Then post the rules on your blog and pay it forward!!

Here are the rules:


1.Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me - something crafty or yummy, who knows?! 

2. Winners must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward by creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your 3 friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember - It’s the spirit and the thought that count! (I think 365 days is too long myself, but that's what was in the rules. Believe me, you won't have to wait that long to get your gift from me!!)

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love! If you are not one of the top three commenters on this post, you can still play along. Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!

That's it. Pretty simple. Hope some of you decide to play along.

The good, the bad, and the...well, you know

I woke up with a sense of purpose this morning.  Now, I just have to figure out what that purpose is.  Lose weight...yes.  Find a new job...maybe.  Figure out how to get through to Joy...I hope so.  Change anything in my marriage...no way.  

There are lots of things that need change, but I am so thankful for my husband.  He's constant, plus, he's just enough of a jerk to keep it interesting.  :)   We're actually a pretty good mix.  He wants to make me happy and I want to be happy.  LOL.  I tell him all the time he can't make me happy.  I have to do it myself.  

So, to that end, here's what I know.  I am a melancholy person.  I let guilt and worry get me down on a regular basis.  Guilt about just any little thing and worry about even more.  My jaw is so tight from gritting my teeth at night, I can't even chew right...which, by the way, might make you think the weight thing wouldn't be an issue...go figure.  

Lose weight...I'm just very lazy about doing it.  I know I'll feel better, so I'm really going to try.  I have a treadmill now and the tools to eat right.  So, let's see where we get with that over the next couple of months.

Find a new job...I really like my job, but I'm bored with it.  I wish I didn't have to work, but there's nothing to be done about that right now.  Maybe someday I won't, but for now, I'm more than willing to do my part for our family.  I just think I would like to look forward to work rather than dreading it every day.  I know I want to stay with the District, so maybe something will open up soon that I can try for.  Or, maybe this feeling will pass.  We'll see.

Figure out how to get through to Joy...she is completely disinterested in school and has the grades to show it.  I'm completely at a loss here.  We've tried just about everything.  She just doesn't care.  I think our next step may be Sylvan.  They can teach her study habits.  I just hate to put the money out there if she's going to continue to resist.  I just asked her if she had any homework due for the two days she was absent (sick) before spring break and she said, "I don't know. I don't think so."  I don't know where I failed, but I must have somewhere (true feelings I have that demonstrate my guilt and worry.  Todd's always telling me it's silly.)  

So, this is how I reflect sitting here this morning.  No one but God knows what the future holds.  I will pray and hope for the best.  

health stuff

So, we bought a treadmill Saturday night.  We put it together yesterday, which was its own workout.  I walked half a mile yesterday and half a mile today.  I felt like I could have done more, but don't want to push too hard.  I can't wait for tomorrow's walk.  Nice.

Todd is still losing weight.  I'm so proud of him.  Joy is doing well on her meds and Josi started walking on the treadmill today too.  I'm hoping some of the healthy stuff will wear off on Joy.  Maybe she can ditch her meds.  That would be nice.  

I know I haven't said much, but that's about all I have to say for now.  I'll try to do this more often.

prattle

Last night the girls went to see a movie with friends, so Todd and I got to go out on a date.  We went to Garden Ridge to look at some chairs that were on sale earlier in the week for $100 apiece.  They were theatre reclincers, but the price had gone back up, so no chairs.  But, let me tell you, I could spend bookoos of money in that place.  In fact, I may go back today.  

We went to Gino's for dinner.  As soon as the waitress put my water down on the table, I knocked it over.  Goober move.  Dinner was good.  We love that place. 

I've discovered lately that I want to plant flowers.  Not sure where that is coming from since I've never been interested in it before and I've killed almost every plant I've ever owned, even a cactus.  Now, mind you, I haven't acted on this inclination at all, so, so far, laziness reigns supreme.  However, if I keep feeling this way, I may have to actually do something about it.   Who would have thought?!?!  All I can think is that I'm getting older.  Hmmm.

Josi has a bowling tournament today, but we're not sure if she's going to get to bowl.  They put the kids with the higher scores in the tournaments.  She's got heart, but is still learning.  I just hope she sticks with it.  She made A's and B's on her report card for the first time this year, and I think it's because she is involved in the bowling.

Joy is setting a new world record for finding a way to send texts that cost money even though we're on an unlimited texting plan.  Ugh!!!  We've been talking about her grades.  Not a happy conversation, but we realized that her outlook on math has completely changed.  Where she used to hate math and fail, she is now passing and, while I can't say enjoying, she's looking at it differently.  Progress!!!

So, I guess I've run on enough for now.  Nothing exciting I know, but that means no drama and that's good too.

Trying a new thing!

I've blogged very little in the past...ever, really.  I thought I'd see if I could come up with something interesting.  We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year here in the Bailey/Green/Pelton house.  

Poor Kayla got strep throat and couldn't come to visit, but we had Brandon.  Christmas morning was a disappointment, but only in that we made the girls wait to open any presents until we got back to the house with Brandon Christmas afternoon.  We went to Todd's Dad's for Christmas breakfast and gift card exchange.  We love gift cards as much as opening shiny boxes that contain fabulous knives (and of course the block to put them in. It would have been tacky not to have gotten that).  We went over to Kayla's and watched her open her presents which seemed to please her very much.  She got a Hot Topic gift card and an iPod Shuffle.  Then we threw Brandon into the back of the rented vehicle, waved sadly at Kayla and drove back to Round Rock.  

The library of our house (called the library because that's where we keep most of the books) was covered in wrapping paper within an hour and there were squeals of delight from the three younger ones.  Brandon and Josi each got a DS and Joy got a Nano.  All in all it was a great Christmas.  I'm very pleased with everything I got.  As I type this, I'm sitting a fabulous office chair that is very comfortable. (one of my many presents)

We got a new floor in half of our bedroom compliments of lots of work from Todd's dad, Jerry, oh, yeah and Todd too.  He/they did a fantastic job and we really love it.  The need arose because one of the temperamental cats decided that she didn't like to use the cat box and thought the carpet was a fair replacement.  I'm sure little by little our whole house will be tiled.  :)

New Years was celebrated with cans of silly string and a call to Mom.  Today it was back to the grindstone and I'm half glad, half sad about that.  Glad I have a job to go to (and a great job at that) and sad because I had to go back to it.  I'd much rather be at home...I think anyway.  

Some things I'm grateful for:  Family! A great job that gives me two weeks off at Christmas (not to mention all the other time off)! Four good kids!  A fabulous husband that, for some reason, loves me in spite of me.  God bless!