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Monday, April 30, 2007

Washington DC and beyond!!!!!!!!!!!!


Saturday ......I leave Maddi with her Grandparents for the week and drive away weeping!!!!


Sunday....... our first stop is Monticello.... Beautiful!!!


Monday ...... Jamestown Settlement......"we all live in a hollow, brown log"



Tuesday.... at the Lincoln Memorial looking at the reflecting pool and Washington Memorial (yes, just like in Forrest Gump)




Wednesday ....... The White House



Thursday ..... Mt. Vernon ...... by this point we are ready to head to the house, due to complete and total exhaustion!!


I prayed for a stampede of people to run over me and put me out of my misery. Like everyone else, I had blisters and leg stiffness and soreness.


I had a wonderful time, much better than last year. It is amazing how things look different when you feel better. For that I am thankful.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Trips and the 4-Legged Toddler

I know it has been a while since my last post, but I have been super busy with TCAPS and preparing for the much anticipated 8th Grade Trip to Washington, D.C.!!!!!!!!!!

We leave at 6:00 tomorrow morning and will be back at midnite on the 26th. I am excited, nervous, and anxious. I have been the one planning the trip with the help of Ms. Kim. Kim has been training me to take over the annual trip. I have learned so much and am grateful she has chosen me to be here "OCD" twin. She and I are very much alike. I pay (way too much sometimes) close attention to details and presentation. I have a lot on my plate, so to speak, and I guess that is why I am nervous. Stress and anxiety tend to affect me in negative ways. I have packed all the necessary medications for the trip, including the lovely nerve pills that the doctor prescribed me.
On a sad note (for both of us), My Bestest Friend, Yvette, will not be going on the trip. She is having some health issues and the doctor told her Wednesday that she couldn't go with us. Needless to say, this tidbit of information led to a teeny, tiney, come-apart!!!!! I am worried about her and was disappointed that we are not going to be able to spend our much needed chick time together. I needed that come-apart to relieve the stress I have been under and knew it was coming. I had great support during those moments.
Maddi and I at the vet.....
Waiting for the Vet.......
Maddi with the Vet Tech.........
Maddi is growing by leaps and bounds. She went to the vet last week and weighed in at 20. 5 lbs. A gain of 5.1 from the 3 weeks before. Of course, she is still fiesty as ever!! I knew it would be a matter of time before she succeeded at jumping on my bed. She still struggles and usually has to get a running start to get up there. She sleeps on the bed with me, which is good and bad. Bad: when she wants to play or chew on me, barking b/c she needs to go potty (okay that is a good thing too), or deciding she would be more comfortable with her body laying across my face!!!!!!!Good: when she snuggles by my feet or wakes me up with "kisses" and taps from her paws. All in all, she is a lean, mean, chewing machine. If she can grab it with her mouth in the blink of an eye, it's hers and I have to chase her down to claim the item. Maddi's chew toys have included; items from the dryer, as well as her new discovery of remote controls. Yes, she does have a collection of pre-approved toys scattered all over my house. I feel like I have a toddler in the house, stepping over toys and picking up after her.
Maddi will be spending this next week with her Grandma and Grandpa. I know her Grandpa will probably rough-house with her. She will enjoy that and I hope that they enjoy her being there. I will definitely miss my Maddi-girl.
I have a day of visiting with my sister Kathy and 2 of her Wonders, mowing the lawn, finishing packing, taking Maddi to her grandparents, and packing up the car.
My wake-up time of 3:00 AM will come soon enough!!!!
Pray for our safe trip and Take Care :)

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Cleaning and Shopping and Teaching Oh My

Much has happened since my last post, so I will try to hit the high points of the last week and half. Bear with me, as I may ramble...................

The remainder of my Spring Break was spent completing piddly little projects around the house, ripping the carpet out of Maddi's room, as well as teaching my boys, potting training my four-legged child, and actually cleaning my house. Approximately 2 days after my kitchen floor was clean, you couldn't tell it at all. Maddi needs a list of chores to do if she is going to track dirt, leaves, and twigs into my house.

Saturday, I was invited to go First Communion shopping for Arissa, with Anne in tow. Our Mission: find shoes, a veil, and after-party paper products. Would we be able to find those items in a timely fashion? Would we argue, snap, and whine? NO and YES...................Upon my arrival at the Mall at 10:30, I was shown the dress Arissa will wear, which is very Arissa-like of course. We headed into Dilliards, walked to the main part of the mall and decided which store we should try first. Parisian won our votes and off we headed, in a slow fashion because Arissa and Anne were already whining about the footwear they had chosen for the day. I knew it wouldn't be long before we were purchasing new footwear. Parisian didn't offer us anything, a total bust! On our way to our next destination, we stopped at a store to visit a dear friend of mine. Then it was off to the trusty Rack Room where they were offering "Buy One, Get the 2nd Half off", lucky for Anne. The purchase of 2 pairs of flip flop/slides were made and we were off to another store. NOT! By this point, my hypoglycemic self and niece were ready to eat, especially the niece! She was a pistol until she ate her slice of pizza. Then we were ready to shop again. Our next victim, I mean store, was Belk. We made it a mere half way thru the cosmetic section and thanks to my curiousity of a new line of makeup (Benefits), we succumbed to makeovers. By this point, we had been in the mall about 2 hours and had found nothing for Arissa's First Communion. After our makeovers, we were supposed to go to the children's section, only to run into a friend of mine I hadn't seen in about 5 years. I explained what had gone in my life, the Reader's Digest version of course. We found nothing in Belk or any other store so our plan was to go to a local bridal store. SCORE..... we found a veil that matches her dress. Next, shoes and paper products, which leads us to Party City and the Shoe Carnival. By this point, Arissa all but begged to ride with me to have some away time from her Mommy. I really hate to see what they are going to be like when Arissa is a teenager. Arissa is stubborn like her Aunt Carol and her Mommy and knows what she wants and won't settle for anything less. Party City was successful, as well as the Shoe Carnival. We called it a day after that and went our separate ways.

Sunday, like I hadn't had enough shopping and bonding on Saturday, being the polite daughters we are, felt and expressed the urge for our mother to return the dress purchased for Easter. We loaded up in our cars and made our way to Goody's where Mother got a much better Easter ensemble, and looks absolutely beautiful in it. SCORE, she threw in a stinkin cute pair of black flip flops with red and white polka dots. (She didn't have to do that, but I am thankful she did.) Every new outfit needs a new pair of shoes, so we found ourselves at the Shoe Carnival Again. We had fun and laughed and whined and Arissa and I compared blisters from our cute, but not sensible footwear. (Being a girl is tough work)

Monday was hard. My body has been in shock all week because I have to get up so dang early. Maddi has done well this week (so far) with her accidents. She goes outside, and has finally learned to jump on the couch all by herself. I have a feeling it won't be long before she is successful at leaping onto my bed.

On a side note, Anne went to the doctor on Tuesday and was diagnosed with an apparent case of strep throat. After vomitting from Tuesday evening until Wednesday morning (the last 2 times being in the ER), she was tested and admitted to the hospital for a case of Mono!!!!! She is pitiful, hooked up to an IV, massive headache, and ready to get into her bed. We are hoping she comes home tomorrow. But more than that, I want her to get better.

This is Easter Break/Weekend and my plans are up in the air for Saturday. Anne and her health comes first. I hope you all have a hippity, hoppity, weekend.