Last night, I woke up to the sound of someone leaving their room and heading into the bathroom.  After a while, I realized no one had come out of the bathroom.  Afraid that I hadn't closed the gate properly to the girls room and Maura had wandered out, I got up to check.  Nope, two girls asleep in their beds.  Checked on the boys...one missing.

Then Collin opened up the bathroom door and told me he wasn't feeling well, his stomach hurt...and then ran back into the bathroom to vomit.

ugh.

This morning, he was better, and yet in a sharing mood.  Wanted to give me details of his whole gross night.  Which I did not want to hear.

Meanwhile, the girls got up and Miriam started freaking and yelling for me.  "MOOO-OOOM!  Maura took her pull up off!  And POOPED on the PILLOWS!"

And good morning to you too.

Miriam deemed it all "disgusting", and I have to agree with her.  What's bad is at 2:30 am, as Collin threw up, I thought "Oh dang.  We're out of Lysol spray."  So today, Maura and I ran up to the market and got Lysol and crackers and Sprite.  I'm also kicking myself for not getting the pillow covers on the girls pillows.  I can only take so much, so the pillows are just going to be thrown away.  Sure, I can try washing them, but I have two hundred other things to do...like explain to Mim why she can't scream about every. little. annoying. thing. her brothers do. 

Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:19:34 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

I know you boys have reached the "wrestling and headlock" stage of boyhood.  And it's nice that you have each other to do this with, as you both enjoy it equally.

However, can you also come up with one other hobby that doesn't require sitting on your brother, or grappling his neck, or twisting arms?  Especiallhy when you're sitting next to me on the couch?  I'd REALLY appreciate that. 

Oh, and during the Sign of Peace at Mass is not the time to arm wrestle.  Arm wrestling is not peaceful.  Neither is squeezing your sibling's hand really really hard. 

Saturday, July 12, 2008 6:20:29 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

That's the bill I got today for Maura's orthotics.  $770.  Thank goodness it said "This is just a statement, waiting for insurance to pay".  Or else I might have had a heart attack on the front lawn.

Really.  $770.  For molded plastic that slides into the shoes.  No straps, no velcro, no padding. The AFO's that we got that went up past her ankle, had straps and such, those were $1700.  So by comparison, these are quite the bargain.  Either way, glad insurance covers them. 

Saturday, July 12, 2008 1:13:22 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

If there is such a thing as tech cred, I just went down a couple notches.

Okay, usually, I'm pretty somewhat knowledgeable about computer things.  I figured out Front Page and Publisher myself to build web pages.  I figured out the system to build Wonderpuzzle.  I know what an external hard drive is.  I've heard of Silverlight (but don't ask me exactly what that is...)

But, ask me to explain what I want done to a website of mine to professionals who know what they're talking about and doing, while four kids run amok inside as it's raining outside, and the dog is pacing back and forth, and you've had a fifteen minute warning that this was becoming a reality and no coffee...sigh...I even forgot the words "menu bar".  WTH?  I should know that!

So me, the four kids, the laptop and the cell phone are going up to the coffee shop.  So when these nice professionals who are working on Wonderpuzzle for this weekend's Give Camp call me back to ask more questions, maybe I'll make more sense.

Saturday, July 12, 2008 10:40:58 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

My friend's husband is in a band, that's in a contest to open for Coldplay.  It's whoever gets the most votes, so she's asking for votes.  As this would be really cool!

Here's the blurb - and we thank you :) 

Please go to http://www.coldplayontour.com/wwdc/ and vote for my band, Juniper Lane, to open Coldplay's DC show at the Verizon Center. We should be the 11th video down (or the 5th video from the bottom) - look for a woman in a white top singing into a microphone. And as you can only vote once per IP address, PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS, either through email or on here or MySpace or whatever. Please get them to vote for us.

You all rock. Thanks for showing up!

Friday, July 11, 2008 6:38:12 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

The milk Maura dumped on my laptop didn't damage the hard drive!  It started right up this morning!  Yea!

Of course, the keyboard is all sorts of scewed up, so I can't really use said laptop.  So I'm still on Josh's computer.  Boo.

Maybe God is trying to ensure that I finish decluttering my house like I started.  Guess I should begin with putting all the shoes and stuff back into the coat closet, which I spent yesterday afternoon clearing out.  What I learned from that is 6 people = a ton of shoes!  I can't even donate Maura's old shoes because most have the inner sole ripped out to accomodate her orthotics.

Which reminds me, I need to call the orthotist - Maura just doesn't seem to walk well in her new orthotics. 

Also reminds me I need to call the neurologist and geneticist for appointments (neuro, 6 month check, genetics,  because of the seizure.)  Oh, and Maura never had her 5 yr well kid check up.  Totally blanked on that...probably because she sees so many doctors!  I did however take her glasses up to get replaced, as they're all scratched up, the lenses.

Wow, I can almost hear my therapist saying "You're circling Phoebe..."  I call it mental leap frog.  What was I originally talking about?  Oh yeah, computer.  Josh has said we'll start shopping for a new computer for me.  He said laptop.  Laptops are nice because I can take them out with me.  But desktops have a longer rate of survival.  Really, they need to make a hyrbrid - a desktop that can detach and be taken out as a laptop. 

But enough computer time.  I have doctors to call and children to harrass.  Collin complained that they couldn't clean their room yesterday because they have no storage bins like the girls do. First, they do have storage containers.  Nice portable ones to hold all their Legos and Pokemon cards and such.  But obviously that's not good enough for them to pick up their room.

So I went to Target last night, got them each two baskets to put stuff in.  No excuses!  Bwahahaha! 

Friday, July 11, 2008 10:12:00 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

Maura snatched my pretty full can of Dr. Pepper today (while I was in the bathroom.  Really.  Will I ever learn?)  By the time I realized it was not on the table where I left it, the can was empty.

Apparently the caffeine high has worn off.  Because she's upstairs screeching about not being let into the boys bedroom.  As the boys have been cleaning their room, and she loves to dump and destroy, I don't blame them for barring her entrance.

However, the combination of her screeching and the dog barking up a storm because I've banished him to the yard on the lead because he keeps needing to poop...well, it's really quite a lot.

wait...all has grown quiet.  This can't be good.  Oh, wait.  The dog is barking and Maura's in her room with Miriam, who has decided to blare her iCarly cd...again...

no wonder the cat spends his days hiding in my closet.  Maybe I should join him.

Thursday, July 10, 2008 3:35:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

"Angel" by The Corrs reminds me of my friend mom, who passed away a few years ago.  She was an amazing, unforgettable person who was full of laughter, and because of organ donors, I was able to know her.  So listen to the song and look into giving up your organs when you don't need them anymore ; ) 

Wednesday, July 09, 2008 10:09:21 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

If you decide to buy one of those "pre-scored, easier to open" coconuts at the store...you still need to hammer that sucker open.  Just don't do it on a plastic plate, because the plate will break before the coconut does.

And if you ever are stranded on a deserted island full of coconuts, I hope you have a hammer to open those suckers.  Or at least a big rock. 

Wednesday, July 09, 2008 1:38:49 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

I've been listening to the new Great Big Sea album, Fortune's Favor, in the car lately...cause I like it.  A lot.  The kids seem to like it too.  Miriam was requesting the "Yeah" song. 

But Collin is the one impressing me.  He has my ear for tunes.  The other day, we were listening to one song and later on I caught him humming it.  Today, we got home nad he was humming another song.  And he's hitting all the right notes.  I am totally geeked by this.  I love music and I'm so glad my kids are loving it too.  I would be the mom going "Why SURE you can start your own band!"  We've already bought Sean a guitar.  We just need to set up lessons (Josh...if you're reading...put this on your to do list please :)

And it does seem my master plan is working.  See, I want to make sure they have good taste in music, so we've been exposing them to what we like.  Seems to be paying off.  Collin listens to jazz on Josh's iPod.  Sean likes Great Big Sea and Flogging Molly and the like.  Oh sure, I caught Collin singing along to "The Scolding Wife" one day....nothing like hearing your 11 yr old singing "And if the devil would take her, I'd thank him for his pain.  I swear to God I'll hang myself if I get married again!" 

All this is being typed out on one of Josh's laptops.  See, last night, Maura accidentally spilled milk onto my lap...which was holding my laptop.  I don't think my laptop has been harmed but I'm not turning it on.  I'll let Josh do that.  Meanwhile, we're letting it thoroughly dry out.  So any opinions expressed here are solely mine and have nothing to do with Josh ;)

Wednesday, July 09, 2008 11:41:35 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

I snapped this picture of Maura on the 4th.  Such a pretty girl!

Monday, July 07, 2008 8:42:32 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

So, in case you thought I was whining for no good reason in the post about our home improvement fun, here are some pictures...

We had to remove the old closet...the kids loved this part -

This doesn't even show all the layers of wallpaper we were dealing with.  But it does show how the old plaster was coming off...

And the ceiling tiles that had to go away...

The kids were all excited about getting to do more demolition - Josh got them each a dust mask and protective eye wear.  Safety first!

Maura watched the proceedings from outside, in the fresh air.

Miriam of course helped out.  And note that we did get the old green carpet out too.  It's ironic to think all this happened because we didn't want that stupid carpeting anymore...

And finally, drywall!

The boys helped out a lot with the walls.  Special thanks to Josh's very tall friend Dave and our neighbor Aaron with all the cool tools, who helped out with the ceiling. 

Now all I have to do is tape and mud and prime and paint...and then maybe, fnally, possibly, we can put down floors?

Monday, July 07, 2008 8:40:35 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

You may not fly the new hamster cage around even though it does sort of look like a space craft.

Monday, July 07, 2008 6:12:43 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

...can't trust that day...

Okay, so today started off with me breaking it to Collin that Leia the hamster didn't survive the night.  And then after I got dressed, I got to bury the little creature. 

Collin was understandably cranky and moody.  We went to the coffee shop so he could indulge in a blueberry scone, and then let him play some Wii.  Later on we went out and we browsed through PetSmart, where another little hamster caught his eye.  We decided to just buy a whole new cage and stuff.  The new hamster's name is Zephyr, after Collin's favorite ship from his pirate ship collection. 

I have to admit, the kid picks cool names for pets.  Which makes me wonder how the dog ended up Fred...

Meanwhile, Maura's been a handful and a half.  I had to haul her about three different stores to keep her moving, and she pooped twice.  As in "OMG, I think my eyebrows just fell out" pooped. Ugh.  The child needs to potty train.  She has either wreaked havoc or leaned on me all day.  I wish she could understand "Dinner's almost ready" so she'll stop throwing granola bars at me when I say "No." 

Oh, and to add to the fun that has been today, someone didn't shut the freezer door all the way before we left.  sigh.

Okay, I have to go cut up the pizza like a good mom. 

Monday, July 07, 2008 6:10:17 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

...that parenthood sucks.

After Lego the Hamster's demise, Collin decided that yes, he would like another hamster.  So we brought home Leia.  A feisty little female black and white dwarf hamster.  Yes, he named her after Princess Leia of "Star Wars" and no, I don't know if I'm spelling the name correctly.

Backstory - when Lego died, one of the kids talked about how there were bugs in the hamster's cage.  Sure enough, there were all these tiny bugs all over the cage.  We cleaned out the cage, disinfected it, went over it with the hot steam cleaner thing.  And then set that cage aside and put Leia in the small cage that we first got with the first hamster.

Fastforward to tonight.  The boys come down here with hamster in hand, talking about how she's breathing hard and has bugs.  My first thought was that they were over-exaggerating, that after Lego's demise, they're overreacting.  But as Collin handed me the hamster I realized quickly something was wrong.  She just laid there, definitely breathing heavy.

I just spent a good forty-five minutes using an old tooth brush to comb out some sort of litte buggers out of the hamster's coat.  She's not looking well.  She does have some fight in her and I've been praying that she makes it.  Yes,  I know God's dealing with war and hunger and all those bigger issues.  But three hamsters lost in five months just doesn't seem fair.  And my gut is telling me Leia won't make it through the night, though I will do my best to try to keep her going. 

Either way, I'll be calling that pet shop.  This is the second bug infested hamster we've gotten from them.  Pichu (our first hamster) was gotten at a different shop.  It just seems too much of a coincidence that both hamsters became bug infested in less than two months of getting them from that store. 

If Leia dies, Collin will be very sad.  As will Sean and Mim.  And I hate seeing my kids sad.  Especially Collin - he bottles it up, doesn't like to show his feelings.  It's hard to comfort a kid who doesn't want to be hugged. 

I'm stuffing my face with M&M's to compensate.

Sunday, July 06, 2008 10:01:40 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

I do believe my brain is oozing out one ear at this point.  And it's covered in plaster dust.  But, Josh has one new wall up.

New wall?  you ask.

Well, last weekend, we were going to put down new flooring in the new living room.  No big whoop.  We did have to take out the closet that was built in.  No problems.  We have sledgehammers.  And I thought "Well, we should paint before we put down the new floors, so we don't get paint on them."  Josh agreed that made sense.

Now we both believe I am a moron who should have kept her mouth shut.

Painting meant tearing down wallpaper.  Which meant scraping 7 layers of painted over, plastered over wallpaper.  Which meant the old plaster was coming down as well, as apparently it was held up by the 50+ years of wallpapering.  So we decided to just rip it all down.  Plaster, lathing, the works.

And Josh thought "Well heck, now that we have the walls open, I might as well run a couple of new outlets in that wall, for lamps and laptops and such."

The good news is that only two walls need to be redone.  The outer two are drywall.  Oh sure, it's drywall over the old plaster walls, but we don't care anymore.

Did I mention we have to redo the ceiling as well?

Today I should be sitting in my pretty new living room with the nice bamboo floors.  Instead, I went to Lowe's yet again for paint remover for the baseboards. 

woo. fun.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 2:02:36 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]