Thursday, January 29, 2009

I DO Have My Big Girl Panties on...I DO

I have never been what the Sub force calls a "My wife she problem", I have never whined and complained about DH's line of work, and I ALWAYS have my big girl panties on....I think they just might be giving me a wedgie today:)

If you read several of the prior posts you know that Zach has been sick and that I took him to the ER in the wee hours of Monday morning. They looked at him(barely) and declared that he had a virus and sent us home with Motrin and Tylenol. Only they didn't work and he continued to have a fever, refused to eat, and has been lethargic (so unlike him).

So, I tried to make an appointment for today, yesterday (did you get that?) They told me that I had to call back this morning and ask for a same day appointment. Which I did at 630 this morning and God had mercy on me because I did not have to wait on hold at all...that is a miracle my friends. I got him an appointment at 1120.

Let me back track a bit and say that my three other children all had brain cramps this morning....all three of them and the bus. I told Becca three times that there was two dollars in my wallet for her to take the bus. Why doesn't she just use her bus pass you ask? Well because she lost it less than 24 hours after I bought it. So about 520am she calls me to ask me if I can get out of bed after being up with her sick brother all night and bring her bus money because I forgot to give it to her...ummmm NO! So she had to run all the way back to the house to get bus money and by some miracle of miracles they made it school in time.

Next comes Britt. She comes and asks if I have a dollar because she missed her bus and she needs to take the city bus...ummm NO your sister took all the ones I had in my purse! I told her she needed to wait until I got up and got ready to take her brother to the doctor. So we dropped her off on our way.

We get to Tripler and drive around for 45 minutes...to find a parking spot...45 minutes. So we get in there and get in to see the doctor right away...another miracle. She listens to his lungs and asks me why the ER did not do a chest xray...ummm don't know...you should ask them. So she sends us down to have a chest xray and said she would call me with the results at home later.

Let me jut say at this point I knew he had pneumonia...don't ask me how...I just knew. Just like I knew Britts nose was broken, her knee was fractured, and Becca's numerous fractures and sprains were real.

So when she called me and told me that it was pneumonia I almost cried...you see I have been well aware of the fact that today is Rick's Birthday and I was cool with it...but then when she told me he had pneumonia I kind of wavered...I cannot tell a lie I had a tiny pitty party...

Enough of a pitty party that when the pharmacy clerk at Makalpa tried to tell me that she couldn't find his prescription after I drove all the way from Ewa to Pearl...that I pulled the myhusbandisdeployedIhavebeenupfordaysandifyoudon'tfindtheprescriptionaseniorchiefswifewillmaterializebeforeyoureyes fit! I am not proud of it...but like I said I think my big girl panties were giving me a wedgie!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Traveling Tuesday...

So the only place I went yesterday was to teach my class, because Zach was sick and I couldn't go to work during the day.

Not much was going on, on the road yesterday at 9pm when I came home. But today, I had to run out and get him more medicine because the poor guy is as sick as a dog still, if he doesn't get better I will have to take him into peds tomorrow.

Anyway, there is construction on Fort Weaver Road. Now for those of you who have never been to Hawaii or have never ventured out that far in Hawaii...Ft Weaver Road is the one road in and out of Ewa Beach...one way in and one way out. They are currently working on other ways in and out, but for the most part this is our only option. So we start at the off ramp to the hwy with four lanes, one of those lanes goes back on the hwy, and another is an exit to get off Fort Weaver. So as you come over the bridge there are two lanes, just pass the bridge it looks like it opens up to four lanes...but they trick you...it really doesn't. One of those lanes turns right into the hospital, and the other one merges into the lane next to it.

So...I come over the bridge and they are merging all the lanes into one lane...except the hospital lane....how come some of the donkeys who drive out here think it is ok to turn right into the hospital, turn around in the middle of the road (blocking those coming out of the hospital) and then turn right back onto Ft Weaver, by passing all the traffic?

Who do they think they are that they should be given an express lane and permission to do what ever they please? So, of course that lane that they turn into has to merge into the lane of people that just waited patiently for their turn to come across the intersection..do you think that there is a snowballs chance in hell that they are going to let those special people who just cut in front of everyone into their lane.....you guessed it...NO WAY!!!

So it makes for very entertaining driving to see these hot shots try to cut into the lane of law abiding citizens who have been waiting their turn. I mean can they really think that they are entitled to special treatment while the rest of us have to wait? What makes them so special that they should not have to wait in line?

Monday, January 26, 2009

Mom Monday:)

Well Mom Monday started early today...like at 3am, when Zach woke up mumbling about pushing a button on his costume, a fever of 103, and the shakes(he was not cold...but hot). I jumped up, brushed my teeth and got him out the door.

Of course before I did that I did the mom flip flop....should I go to the ER or should I wait until the clinic opens...If I wait another 30 minutes and it gets worse I will be stuck in traffic with a super sick kid...but if its nothing we will wait in line for ever....but what if it is something serious and I wait. So I finally decided to get dressed and head out.

Once, we got there we spent a couple of hours waiting...taking some motrin in there somewhere. My poor baby sat in the waiting room, burning up and shaking...it was awful. He just laid his head on my lap and tried to sleep.

I say tried because...there was a family that left their 3, 4, and 5 year old in the waiting room...by themselves!!! Of course they were jumping around and being obnoxious...and there was no sleeping for anyone in there. Just as the parents came out I was debating whether or not I should say something to the lady at the desk.

So they took us back and ran all kinds of tests on him...finding that he has a viral infection that causes extremely high temperatures. We came home and he crashed. He is jut waking up now.

On a side note Britt and i had a nice chat last night when she came to apologize to me for her attitude the night before....maybe I will buy her a tiara:)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Where is my Tiara?

Tomorrow is our big Children's Ministry "Cultural Celebration" and the teachers or Dream Coaches as we call ourselves (long story) are representing America...to include "There She is Ms America"...with tiara's and sashes.

So as we were trying to get all of the states represented I asked Britt if she would like to represent a state, I got the usual noncommittal teenager answer. So yesterday when I was buying 23 tiara's @ $3.50 a piece I was not buying one for anyone who had not committed.

Tonight as Shalei and I labored over sewing the sashes, cutting out the letters, and gluing them on...Britt got down right offended because there was no tiara for her. She actually made the statement, "If you would have told me that I was going to be wearing a tiara I would have said yes!" Is that so princess?!?!?!

Melissa I know you feel my pain...Jenn take heed this will someday be your dilemma!!!

Then she proceeded to attempt to goad me into arguing about everything from dating to what she was going to be allowed to wear to church tomorrow. She was none to happy when I told her that her breasts did not to receive their own salvation and that they will go to heaven with the rest of her body...and that there was no need for them to be SO present at church and that she needed to find a top that would contain them properly.....

So my dear.....I would like to tell you where I would like to put your tiara!!!!!!!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Freaky Friday......`

#649 Being a mom means reading your child's MYSpace page daily, because that's how you learn what's really going on(Taken from 1001 Things it Means to be a Mom, by Harry Harrison Jr)

This is the truth, I don't care what anyone says. I mean I don't stalk my girls pages, but I visit a couple of times a week and when I am led to do so, more.

Many may argue (and those that do, probably do not have teenage daughters...they are most likely just past their own teenage years....) that it is an invasion of their privacy. Well, when you live under my roof privacy is a privilege, not a right. AND as a parent in today's world I can and will use all tools available to me to ensure that my children are safe and keeping on track.

So, back to the myspace.....yes, I check Britt's and I check both of their facebooks...but not in a lurky kind of way. I trust my daughters and they really don't have anything to hide. I just cruise through there to make sure that all is in order and really to see what's really going on in their lives. Sometimes, when you ask them how their day was and you get the one word answers because they think you really won't understand ...you have to dig a little deeper:)

Now Josh, he doesn't even have one...too many possible issues there:)

So call me a mean mom or whatever:)

Happy Birthday Becca Naynay!

Happy Birthday Orkut Comments
Happy Birthday Comments

Thankful Thursday....

I am catching up:)

I am thankful this week for.....

My husband...he always wants the best for me and truly has set out to take care of me in life and I appreciate all of his efforts and love:) He is swimming 20,000 leagues under the sea right now and my prayers for him are numerous and constant...this trip is going to be a stressful one for him...it usually comes once a year and he hates it....but prayerfully this is the last time he will ever have to do it:) Another thing to be thankful for:)

Brittany....she may be a moody senior who cannot wait to move on to the next phase in life, but she is a great help to me. She gets Zman up for school and out the door every morning and this week, she got her brothers and sister out the door and on the bus to go to church Wednesday night..thanks Britt.....words cannot express how much I appreciate you and will miss you when you leave in 5 months:)

Joshua has turned into quite the young man....he really wants football to be his career...so much so that after we got his report card last night, gave the appropriate lecture for the science grade, he buckled down and studied all night:) God has great things for you Joshua:)

Today is Becca's birthday she is 13...where did my baby girl go? She is 5 months (smile) from being ready for High school. Becca I am thankful for your zest for life and your refusal to allow people to put you in a box and be anything less than what God has ordained you to be:)

Zman is home sick today:( I am thankful not that he is sick, but that he is still mommas boy enough to climb up on the couch and cuddle with me when the chips are down:)

I am thankful for my job..I reallllyyyy love it. I am passionate about Early Childhood and teaching....and now they have added a military family support opportunity in there and I love it:) I also am blessed to work with a great bunch of people...smile:)

I am super duper thankful and blessed by children's ministry. This group of people is amazing:) We are getting ready for our big production Sunday and they have all worked so hard to be part of making it happen. The way we think a like and move in the same direction with the same thought with no communication is amazing and can only be credited to God:)

I am thankful:)

Walk it out Wednesday.....

Yes, it's Friday welcome to my kingdom:)

So, my walk with the Lord this week has been perplexing to say the least...not on His part of course, but mine:)

My old partner at the preschool called me this week. She says she misses my friendship and she says she's not mad at me....but her tone, words, and the number of times she told me that if anyone should be mad it is her tells me other wise.

Part of me wants the friendship back, but another part of me just wants to be free from it. The hard part is that she thinks that the reason I have disconnected myself is because I am mad because I had to leave in order to collect a paycheck....that's not even why I walked away and never looked back.

The real reason is because I was almost at my breaking point...I was so stressed out from not saying what needed to be said, because I would be accused of being judgemental or have her get upset because she would say, "I can't be the only one doing something wrong." The bottom line was that even though we talked about things before we started, like how we would treat our employees and how the business would be run with the highest integrity, never letting money speak louder than what was right....in the end those things mean different things to different people and since I had no control or say over the finances I never really had a say in what happened.

This is not to say that either of us is wrong or right....we are just both right in accordance with our life experiences, our teachings, and the way we view things. I just got tired of fighting for what I thought was right...I got tired of biting my tongue, and I got tired of being a bundle of tied up muscles. I am sure she got tired of my know it all attitude and my resistance to doing what she deemed right, as well.

We both petitioned God for direction when it came down to the wire. I asked, she asked...but we got different answers...hers was stay and mine was go...that is God not me and not her. So my question is.....I say I have forgiven her, but I'm not sure if I want things repaired....I just want healing...but can there be healing without the friendship being restored?

That is where my walk has taken me this week........

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Traveling Tuesday......

Yes, I am aware that it is Thursday and I am just getting to Tuesdays Blog....But it has been crazy in the Kingdom this week and the forecast promises that its going to stay that way.


So in my travels this week, I have encountered so interesting things, as well as some of the usual Cr**, and made a new discovery:)


Interesting things.....well I have discovered that people cannot read street signs and if they read them they cannot follow them. For example a yield sign does not mean that you automatically get to push your way in front of me in traffic.....what it means is that you have to wait and yield to oncoming traffic...I think I should give a class on such simple driving rules:)


Same old bs: As I dropped Rick off at work at o'dark thirty this morning (he won't need his car after today) I stopped at the shoppette to get some much needed coffee and I ran into one of my old co-workers. We worked together at the CDC. The second question out of her mouth after she asked where I was working was, "What rank is your husband, now?"

This has always been an issue for her. When I first started working at the CDC I didn't tell anyone my husbands rank....for good reason...its none of their business:) So this co-worker was always going around making it a point to tell everyone what her husbands rank was, mostly because I think she was sure her husband outranked mine, because they were older than us... a lot older. I never told her mine outranked hers by two paygrades...NEVER. It wasn't until my husband stopped by in his uniform to have lunch with me that she figured it out. Then she had a snippy little attitude.

She was not the only one at that job. I had several parents who my husband out ranked but because their husbands were Chiefs and they were slightly older than me, they assumed theirs out ranked mine...I just let them throw the attitude and the snobbiness around the preschool....whatever. I'll never forget the look on one of the spouses faces when she saw my husband and I at the sub ball....it was hilarious...she so wanted to be my friend after that....to bad honey I do not play that game:)

Moving on to my discovery:) I have discovered that I like to sleep a little later in Wednesday mornings and drive into work when there is less traffic, because I teach a class until 9pm on Tuesday nights. So I did just that, my dilemma came in when I was trying to figure out how I was going to get back into Ewa and get my kids to get back to church on time for Wednesday night service.(Because if I start late I get off late) Then it hit me, it is a 45 minute drive down Ft Weaver Rd in traffic, while if my kids take the bus going the opposite way of traffic to get to church it takes them only 15 minutes. So from now on I will go to work later on Wednesday and all four of them will take the bus together and meet me at church,saving me the hassle and headache of driving in traffic, just to turn around and go right back down the same road:)

Thats it for Traveling Tuesday this week:)

Monday, January 19, 2009

Cooking....

So some of us were going back and forth on Ms Hope's facebook about cooking. I stated that I don't like too cook...but after thinking about it I have decided that its not that I don't like to cook, I am just tired of eating and cooking the same old things...I am bored.

So I am on a quest to find meals that are interesting and easy to make that are yummy to eat. Last week I made this recipe and I can easily say it is the best meal I have ever made(yes even better than my lasagna)

Chicken Florentine Casserole

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup butter
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of
mushroom soup
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (13.5 ounce) cans spinach, drained
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup bacon bits
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the chicken breast halves on a baking sheet; bake 20 to 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2.
Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, mix in the garlic, lemon juice, cream of mushroom soup, Italian seasoning, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese.
4.
Arrange the spinach over the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking dish. Cover the spinach with the mushrooms. Pour half the mixture from the saucepan over the mushrooms. Arrange chicken breasts in the dish, and cover with the remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle with bacon bits, and top with mozzarella cheese.
5.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes in the 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven, until bubbly and lightly browned.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com
Printed from Allrecipes.com 1/19/2009

It was awesome:) So ladies what do you have for me?

A Little More Insight on the Monday Mom tip of the day....

Apparently, they only argue about things between them, but when it comes to things I require of them they are totally united on this front. They wanted to go to the pool and rather than argue with them about the reasons they shouldn't go....like Britt's asthma and the temperature of the air once she gets out of the pool.....I said, "Sure once you clean your rooms and bathroom," knowing that it would never happen before the sun went down:)


Sure enough every time I took a load of laundry upstairs or went to clean something up there they were sitting around Britt's room giggling....this is the view I got the last time they checked on them:
There they sit on the computer instead of cleaning their rooms....not arguing, united in Not cleaning their rooms. I am not going to fuss about the rooms...because some day they will have their own daughters to fuss at, but these days are numbered......and I am going to be in big trouble for posting pictures of them with their hair like this.....

Mom Monday...

Well, inspiration has hit me this morning and I have decided that there is no need to rely on my trusty mom book to get a quote to start this week's blogging....I will come up with it on my own.

1. Being a mom means that you wear a black and white, horizontally striped shirt and a whistle everyday!

So, Rick had to get up this morning and go to work because they are preparing to leave yet again...nothing new there. So we spent some time together this morning (wink wink) and then when he left for work I got up and had some breakfast (not a healthy one by the way, which after reading Missy's blog about committing to being healthy has me feeling guilty) and decided to catch up on my blog reading. It was peaceful and quiet, until the first one came down the stairs...then it all began. My daughters argued all through breakfast, about trivial things and things that in the big scope of things really don't matter. Then came Joshua who just wants to argue period...with anyone or anything...it doesn't matter to him.

It is now 9:15 and they are all back in their rooms where they will stay until they can act like civilized human beings...which may be quite a while. I just don't get it...ok I do but I am sick of it...

We have several types of arguing that got on in this house:

1. The I am better than you argument: So I have two cheerleaders, one in junior high and one in high school. They are no longer allowed to talk about cheer leading, dancing(both on the dance team at church...and God forbid one of them miss a practice and the other try to help them), or grades(both are brainaics in their own rights) The boys are the same way....they both play football and they cannot talk about it like humans they have to talk about it like they are both competitors for the world title. Video games are the same.....a simple game can turn into an all out brawl because one of them who I will not mention cannot handle being beaten by his brother and insists that the computer and the brother cheat...so apparently we have the only WII in the world that cheats.

2. The everything is everyone elses fault argument....some examples would be..
I can't sweep the kitchen until the dishes are done...ummm why are the dishes laying on the floor? How can the fact that you did not do your chore be the fault of the person who was suppose to do the dishes? There was a doosie yesterday......After the Youth Sports Day I had to take 3 coolers, six kids, Shalei, all the sports bags the six kids brought with them, and myself home. There was very little room for arguing (but believe me they found plenty of things to argue about...Shalei told me that the half hour drive seemed to last about 7 hours) Anyway...we get home and we have to unload all of the things(which I have to give the three older ones kudos for helping me with) Zach left his sneakers in the truck (again) so I threw them over the top of the truck so they would be closer to the front door... Well I am 5'2" and the truck is closer to 7'...so how far do you think those babies got? One ended up on the roof...so I asked Joshua to get it for me...and didn't give it another thought.....

Until Sunday morning when the boys came thundering up the stairs arguing while I was getting ready for church. As they bust into my room (a huge no-no) the phone rings and its Rick...asking me if the boys are arguing...his response was I knew it! Apparently, when he was getting ready to go to work(yes on a Sunday...gotta love the Navy) Zach was looking for his shoe...so he went to look in the truck. Rick was in the driveway with him and saw it on the roof of the truck...Zach went ballistic insisting that someone put his shoe on top of the truck....not entirely true....so he assumed it was Josh. So as Rick is pulling out of the driveway he saw him storm into the house...that is why he knew they were fighting. So Zach insists it was Josh's fault his shoe was wet....never mind taking responsibility for bringing your own shoes in the house...

3. The other argument is whose turn it is to do___________. It doesn't matter what it is, its just not thier turn. My girls will argue about whose turn it is to clean the bathroom for hours on end. My question is how am I suppose to keep track of all that goes on in this house AND remember who cleaned their bathroom last?

4. The final argument is about how unfair life is and how unbalanced the scales of justice in this house are. Well, when so and so did this you let them , so how come I am in trouble and they weren't....my response is always....well, because I like them better:)

Now I need to go find my whistle:) and get to refereeing(is that a word?)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Do Rude and Selfish People.....

Really not know how rude and selfish they are? I mean come on....can you really be that much into yourself that you don't notice how off the chain you really are?

I have four children, an active duty husband, work a full time job during the day, teach classes one night a week, am finishing my BS and getting ready to start my Masters, run the children's ministry with 53 staff members, 135 children which includes a Sunday program and a Wednesday program, a week long VBS, two full program productions a year, and two monthly meetings AND training, I am a member of the Marriage Ministry Board, Woman's Board, and the Youth Board............do you think I am busy enough?

Apparently, you don't because you think it is completely acceptable to call me and ask me to drive across town and pick up your grown son up because you have lunch plans and your husband is at work......ever heard of a bus pass? Well all three of my older ones have one and they are easy to obtain.

Never mind that I started my day with a quick meeting with Fran and Sheila about the program NEXT week, then I moved to a planning meeting to plan for the entire ministry (which you were suppose to be at, but standing around talking was more important to you), then I took 8 kids to Costco and Walmart to get food for the youth sports day, then I drove them to the sports field, unloaded the food, and headed off to pick up my niece who is spending the weekend with us. From there I went back to the church and spent two long and painful hours watching 75 children prepare for next weeks production (let me add here it is only painful because practices always are chaos and I never think we will pull it together in time for the actual production.....but those babies prove me wrong every time...the pain is just part of the process) I worked in the sound booth, watching and changing what needed to be done, correcting from there. Then I had to drive out to pick the kids up at the field and help them clean up.

All YOU did all day...was talk and go out to lunch....now please take a good look at what you asked me to do and quit acting so bloody needy, grow up and truck your own dang kids around. Please......I had a truck full of children, coolers, and left over food where was I suppose to put your large little darling?

Can you really be that clueless about what you asked me to do? AND if you are please tell me and I will gladly spell it out for you in a plain and simple language that you are able to understand!

AND finally YES all of the 10 times you called me and asked me to pick him up and I told you NO..I DID hit the IGNORE button on my phone....why if you can ignore me when I tell you no...then I can ignore you when you call me to ask me again!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Freaky Friday

Ok, so today is the first of our Freaky Friday posts.....

#673 Being a mom means talking about college even though your daughter wants to talk about what movie stars are wearing. Taken from 1001 Things It Means to be a Mom by Harry H Harrison Jr

This is ringing true in my life right now....you see my daughter is brilliant and could go to any college she chooses, probably on a full ride scholarship. HOWEVER she has in her mind an area of the country that has nothing to do with academics and everything with what she thinks she will find there.

My struggle is in several areas...

1.The first one being that what she believes she will find there could not be farther from the truth...and no matter what I tell her, she will not believe me. I no she is headed for a major disappointment if she goes through with this choice. My gut tells me that I need to limit her to two colleges that my husband and I feel are suitable for her. At least we will still be giving her the chance to spread her wings and experience freedom from mom and dad, and we will be giving her a choice...one or the other. All while keeping her safe and in an environment where she can grow and learn.

2. We are not the Rockefeller's...so I keep telling her she needs to be applying for as many scholarships as she can so that the cost will not be overwhelming to our family. She is content to cruise along on bare minimum applications....assuming that when the time comes the scholarship fairies will come and give her all the money she needs to go away from home and the awful life her parents offer her, so she can spread her wings and do what she wants all because she has reached the magical age of 18.

I refuse to do the applications and beg her to do what is right. If she cannot be bothered to fill out the scholarship applications and she does not get the funding she needs to spread her wings and move on to the mainland I will be the mean mom that will tell her that her only choices will be the University of Hawaii,Chaminade University, or Hawaii Pacific University. I made my choices and did not finish college after high school and I am just now as I type finishing my BS....she has to make her and she will have to live by them.....

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Things are going to change around here...

Ok, so I realize things have been very dry around here lately...I haven't had the energy to be controversial or even slightly amusing:) I am also sure you have all heard enough of the we may or may not be retiring saga vs my babies are growing up saga....So I have come up with a plan to take things to another level around here.....I going to have a schedule of topics...of sorts:)

Monday: Mommy Monday: I have come across this little jem of a book that has quotes as to what it means to be a mom in the different stages of motherhood...so on Monday's I will write about mothering school aged children.

Tuesday: Traveling Tuesday: I will write about all my adventures on the roadways of Oahu...promises to be interesting if nothing else:)

Wednesday: Walk it out Wednesday: I will share my walk with Christ.

Thursday: Thankful Thursday: I will list one thing about each of my family members that I am thankful for that week.

Friday: Freaky Friday(after the Disney Movie): I will share my thoughts on quotes from the motherhood book about raising teenagers.....maybe a little frightening for mothers of little angels...

Of course I have creative rights so any other time I may jump in and post about other things...but these topics are guaranteed.

Since today is Thursday....I am thankful that.....

My husband is in port right now and will be pulling in the driveway any minute now:)

Britt is at a basketball game with Netta supporting Ace whose mom is in Iraq...she's a good friend and she goes all out for those she loves.

Joshua and Becca brought all the patio furniture and my swing from the backyard to the garage...they are really growing up:)

Zman still likes to cuddle:)

Thankful Thursday:)

Please Please Please

I am super tired, it has been a very long week...which is yet to be over, all the schools in the state are closed, I am waiting for my job to wake up and smell the coffee and tell us we don't have to come to work tomorrow because of the impending wind storm, AND I my kids are on a super high because they have no school tomorrow and they are bouncing off the walls. I just want them to eat in silence ...without arguing and nonsense.....I can't take it anymore.

By the way mel that long run on sentence was for the grammar nazi in you:)

They are sitting at the table making up songs using a loud swallowing noise in their throats as the beat....as they argue about whose song or tome is better....because they all sound great.
The good news is that dad will be home very soon and he can deal with the nonsense and I am going to bed.

Friday, January 9, 2009

I did it:)

After looking at Ms Hope's new skins I got to work:) I have been trying to change the layout and skins of my blog to something that looks more like me. So I searched and I downloaded something I probably should not have....but now my blog looks prettiful:)

Thanks for your offer of help Shari...the only think I don't have is the Word of the day and I can't find it on any of your blogs...do happen to know the link?

Orders Update.....

Getting orders has always been a little stressful....only because Rick goes back and forth, talks to this one and that one, and I just want an answer:)

So last night he came home and told me the detailer locked his orders in and he won't be dropping his fleet reserve chit and retiring in August. Phew....I'm not sure we are ready to go cold turkey like that!

He got the orders he wants and he will be able to go to school and finish his degree. I am trying to talk him into a BS in nursing with a minor in psychology, so that he has options when looking for a job when he does get out.

The bad news is that because he is going to shore we lose sea pay, and because he not obliserving we will not be getting sub pay...gulp....for the first time in 19 years, and since he is not filling an ANAV billet we will lose that propay also.....so I will be paying off bills like crazy for the next several months. He says its a good thing...kind of easing us into living like civilians. Let me tell you I don't like civilian math!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Be Kind in 09

That was the message this week at church. I have to say I am struggling...I don't like stupid people. I know I know I am sure you are saying to yourself...who are you to judge who is stupid and who isn't....and Jill how do you know that you are not one of the stupid ones?

I guess I just need to learn to understand people are who they are and that it's not my place to judge them or try to improve them, when they really are just who they are. Am I making sense?

For example, there is a woman who has worked at the Navy Exchange since I was pregnant with my 17 year old. My first experience with her was in the old flower shop. It took her 35 minutes to put together a floral arrangement that included 4 carnations, some baby's breath, and some greenery. In this time the line formed and went out the door. It took me 55 minutes to reach the counter and pay for my purchase...all while standing on very swollen pregnant lady feet.

Next they moved her to the registers in the main sanctuary. That did not fair well either, I got caught in her line once and that was the last time that happened....they eventually caught on that positions that required speed were not for her...so now she stocks the shelves. I am sure she is a wonderful lady that has children and grandchildren who love her dearly...me I can't deal with her...that's on me I guess. Maybe speed is not important to her, maybe she has challenges that I no nothing about.

The there are those people who you have never met on message boards whose necks you'd like to wring...the know it alls, the hoity toity ones, and the one who always has to pick a fight or be the negative nellie. Why do I let these people get to me? It is my choice to allow their ignorance to frustrate me...I have no one to blame but myself......my bad!

I need to take a deep breath and figure out why I let these people bother me and then fix myself rather than them!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

New Years Eve









I had to wait for Carolyn to send me pictures of our kids playing in the rain on New Years Eve to blog about it:) They were outside doing sparklers when the skies opened up (a true Griswold New Years:))...and they stayed right out there and celebrated...all except Britt with her asthma she had to stay inside to avoid all the smoke.
After we rang in the new year we had a blast playing Mexican train Dominoes....can't explain it....just have to show you how:)




There's no room in my head for....

A coherent thought:) My head is so full of snot I cannot even think straight! I went to Walmart and got all the things needed for Wednesday night Bible study and Zach's camping trip. When I walked out I couldn't find my sun glasses. At this point my head hurt so bad I started to cry..I was also crying because i finally found a pair of sunglasses I liked and they were gone.

So I come home and bring everything in the house, help Zach pack his bag for camp and put around the house. I look over and there are my sunglasses on the end table....how on the earth did they get on the end table? I know I took them and I know I wore them all day...up until Wallymart. My only guess is that they fell in the bag of stuff I bought or by gigantic purse.

Anyway...so I got two pieces of really good news today...one is that they are going to diversify my position at work. What I think this means (from what I can gather) is that because we just got a new contract to train a certain organization and I am already a qualified trainer, that they will be adding training to my duties...which means I get to teach grown ups all day...how to teach little people:)

The other piece is concerning my tuition. You see I was not the model student this summer I dropped two classes half way through because there was just too much on my plate and I was tired. Dropping half way through means you have to pay for the whole course. Well, because of that it meant in order to receive my diploma I would have to pay for my remaining class...to the tune of $750. But today I was on SWC and there was a wife on there saying that she just started her first class with the school I am going to and the tuition with the military grant was only $12 a credit...that seemed a bit off to me, so I called to make sure. Unfortunately, that was not the case...BUT we did find out that my military spouses grants had not been applied to the last 6 months of school and they had to make an adjustment...which was just enough to cover my last class:)

Right now, I am sitting on the couch trying to breath and wiping my runny nose nonstop...why you aske? Well because my office is the coldest office on earth:) Even the girls who came back to my area agree that it is much colder back there than anywhere else. I was so cold yesterday that I swear my blood was cold. So today I was armed with socks, a sweatshirt, and my heating pad..I was not going to be cold today:)

Well, i am off to sneeze and take some nyquil:)

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Britt's hair cut



I knew if I just waited it out she would post pictures on facebook for me to copy instead of me hooking my phone up tp the computer and downloading the pictures...

Sunday Afternoon....

I am stilling on the chair waiting for Rick to get home from church so we can have lunch together. He had to stay even later than me to do Deacon stuff, so for the first time in a long time I have beaten him home.

Life is kind of crazy right now:) The year just ended so I have just completed all of my end of the year reports for church and I have to change everything over to 2009so I can accurately record 2009 so when the time comes I will be ready to close that year out:)

The Children's Ministry is also putting on a production called A Cultural Celebration, where each class is presenting a cultural or country, some facts about the country, and a christian praise song/dance in that countries language. It is amazing what three and four year olds can absorb...they are amazing:) All of this requires hours of practicing and behind the scenes work. Ms Fran is heading this production and I am her wing man:)That's just how we roll:) The teachers have really taken all of their classes to another level and I appreciate all of them:)

While VBS is 6 months away...we are heading into our crucial planning stages and that will require a lot of my attention once we complete this production. Our theme this year is Crocodile Dock....a swamp theme....it seems like it will be interesting:)

The beginning of the year also brings three other ministries that I work with, which are also in the planning stages of the years events....Meeting meeting and planning fill my days.

However, I am excited by the possibilities that this year holds for ministry:)

The family is just as busy:) Britt is applying for college and filling ut scholarship applications: She cut her hair and as soon as I get a chance I will download the pictures.....she cut it as short as mine...she looks like me...all grown up *sigh*

The three older ones are off of school until Jan 12th...so they have some more downtime. Zach goes back tomorrow and is excited about his camping trip ..two nights this week with his class. I am going to miss him:)

Rick is back to work and a really awesome job came his way this past week..he is checking into it to see if he can swing it. It pays more than he is currently making which is cool because we thought he would take a pay cut when he retired...but this one would be an increase...isn't that just like God. So we are being prayerful and considering what we need to do. If he gets the job...he will be out of the navy by Sept 1. Not to sure how I feel about this....

You see we have friends who retired about two years ago and they are still trying to adjust to it all. He has had trouble going from being a chief who gets respect because he's a chief and the notoriety and privileges that come with khaki's...to a civilian who nobody recognizes. I am sure some of you will not understand and will have your stank opinions of this but to you I say....until you have walked a step in khaki's SHOOSH your mouth:)

Chiefs are recognized and given privileges because of the accomplishment of making chief....do all of them deserve to wear khaki's..probably not. But the ones who do far out number the ones who don't Anyway, to go from being in charge and running the show, being recognized and getting favor because of your title to not having those perks can be and is a major life change. My husband has worked long and hard to make it to where he is and I am super proud of him. He has made quite a reputation for himself and enjoys his position in life. I am sure he will have some trials with the transition. That is my concern on the upcoming retirement:)

Time for lunch:)

Thursday, January 1, 2009