ears

michael had a check-up on his ear today.

a few days after he had the fat-patch repair done, he got an infection. it pushed the patch out of place.

it hasn't healed, and most likely won't.

in the future, certainly after cold and flu season has dropped off, we are looking at a fascia patch. a fascia patch is where they take a small piece of muscle from above the ear, and place it behind the perforation. then they pack it to make sure it stays in place. but, we don't want to do that until we have gotten through this winter season. probably apr/may/jun.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the wisdom of the prophets.

2. for the dollar store.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for cooperative health providers.

2. for positive reinforcement.

3. for an amazing hubby!

observations

my sisters came for christmas. sadly, it was a short visit, but it was better than nothing.

one of them is asd, and studying is the autism program at uvu. she made some interesting observations while she was here.

we are going to see if we can't get some more evidence to see if elizabeth's diagnoses of ptsd is incomplete.

we'll see how it goes!

coloring

this was my newest stress relieving coloring page. specific to christmas!

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. that the lord has given me the tools and resources i need to be able to be the mother my kids need.

2. for the sunshine.

3. for calming activities (coloring!)

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for working spare tires.

2. for helpful neighbors.

3. for my Savior, who is the reason for this wonderful season!

vehicles

we went to go to church this afternoon, and discovered that kronk (the suburban) had a flat tire.

we went to take the van, it's battery was dead.

so, we put the spare on kronk.

christmas

breakfast has been made and eaten.

presents have been unwrapped.

games are being played!

everything was loved!

taylor got:
a quilt top (only cause i ran out of time to get it all finished. should have started a month ago.)
an art kit
a jacket that zips all the way up to include a "mask"
a couple of books: one about dragons (i think)
a nano bot track
some pokemon cards
a sleeveless jacket from grandma brady
socks from aunt brianne

elizabeth got:
kinetic sand
facial washing stuff (burts bees!)
an art kit
some new bras
a couple of books: spiderwicks illustrated guide book
disney scene it game
socks from aunt brianne
jacket from grandma brady
raggedy anne doll

shannon got:
an i spy game
new gloves and a hat
new sunday shoes: silver sparkly ones
a couple of books: big coloring book, one about louis braille
princess lego set
raggedy anne doll
a sweater from grandma brady
socks from aunt brianne

ashley got:
6 princess puzzles
an art kit
2 new long dresses fro church
a couple books: big coloring book, a benjy book
bunchems: velcro puff balls
socks from aunt brianne
raggedy ann doll
gloves from aunt candice
a sweater from grandma brady

michael got:
an art kit
gloves and a hat
a new church outfit
couple books: paw patrol coloring book, puff the magic dragon
a v-tech learning game
raggedy andy doll
socks from aunt brianne
gloves from aunt candice
a shirt from grandma brady

shaun got:
portable usb charger: his phone is always dying on him
a book about rembrant
a bumblebee papercraft
a robotech model kit
a shirt from grandma brady

nadia got:
a storybook to color
2 new skirts
2 new shirts
a shirt from grandma brady
a new quilt book
a new wallet

family gifts:
jenga quake
raggedy anne book
science resources for school
book about bodies for school
monopoly
life

it seems like a lot, but it's much more manageable than the last few years!

completion!

i am done!

in simplifying christmas this year, i am already done. the presents are under the tree, the stockings are stuffed, and santa has landed.

my children are getting 4 gifts from the family.
something they want
something they need
something to wear
something to read (a few of them have 2 books)

then they have a santa gift.

my front room is not half way full!
there's room to sit!

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. to have made it through another year!

2. that the furnace is only old, and not broken, yet.

3. for beautiful snow on christmas eve.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for online chat assistance.

2. for store pick-up.

3. for unexpected visitors.

Gratitude

Today i'm grateful…

1. for indoor bathrooms.

2. for good friends who listen to the spirit.

3. to dejunk.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for understanding leaders.

2. for quick and easy meals.

3.

Sewing frustrations

i'm making a couple of skirts for shaun to give me for christmas. My sister kindly gave me some fabric a year or two ago, and they are uber cute patterns.

However, getting the pattern to fit on the amount i had was tricky. There was barely enough of the 1, and not quite enough of the 2nd. However, being a seamstress, i knew it wasnmt impossible.

I'm already putting a trim on the bottom of the second skirt, so there's a little bit of play room on the hem. When i laid everything out. It looked like i would be fine, until i started cutting out. Then i discovered that i wasn't going to be able to get a second piece on the fold. Oh well, a hem in the back is not the end of the world. After i had cut them out. I put them together to fold up until i was ready to sew. Turns out, i cut part of it backwards. So, i had to finagle another piece!!
Good thhing i'd already decidd that the pockets could be plain white and not out of the skirt material!!

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for locks on doors.

2. for people who follow through on their promises.

3. for the internet.

christmas decor

last week, i got the outside snowflake lights up.

today i put up my village. there's nothing new in it, and i wish it were bigger... alas, i haven't done anything new, and don't have the pieces i would like.

the kids have been informed that there will be no tree put up unless they will clean the family room. that was yesterday, today, i'm still waiting...

it's slowly getting there.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for hand-me-downs.

2. for a functioning dishwasher again!

3. for a decent night's sleep

guess what? Guess What? GUESS WHAT?!

my dishwasher is fixed! YAY!!

it took him all of 20 minutes to get the old part out, and the new part in.

my kids did a little happy dance. they no longer have to wash the dishes by hand.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for happy singing kids.

2. the the imagination of children.

3. for heat and warm water.

appeal

about 2 years ago, we got a notice that an appeal was being made to the case. today, i got the results from that appeal.

he claims that a neighbors testimony that was suppressed, claiming that there was previous exposure, was pertinent to the case.

he claims that by exercising his right to not submit to the psychosexual evaluation the court unnecessarily made his sentence harsher. 

he also says his term of confinement is too long.

the court upheld all rulings. 

previous exposure was not pertinent information because it was not sexual in nature. also, he failed to submit proof in the allotted time.

with no additional information to work with, the court had to rule "harshly."

sentencing subject to standard unless none is available.

he has 21 days to appeal again, and probably will.

crafty

yesterday, one of the things i was grateful for was knowing how to crochet. 

here's that story.

i went looking for some lacey stuff to put on the hems of a couple of skirts. with the limited resources available in rexburg, i was unable to find any i liked. then i remembered that you can crochet trims. so, i got a spool of crochet thread, and went searching for a pattern i liked. now i'm working on that, and finishing up all the rest of the projects for christmas.

torn

it's bitter cold outside today. 5 degrees when i left the house at 7:45 this morning to run an errand. as such, we are attempting to stay indoors where it's nice and warm.

on the other hand, i need to take ashley in for some testing.
elizabeth had activity days at 4.
shaun and i have a class at 6:30.

at the same time, i'm still getting over yesterdays migraine (ok, i still have the headache. not the other symptoms, but still...).

how in the world am i going to get things done...?

Gratitude

today i'm grateful…

1. That i know how to crochet.

2. For a curious, "fix-it if i can" hubby.

3. That although i don't have much, i am still able to give to others.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for appliance warranties.

   no, i just need to have more patience until we can get it fixed.

2. for changes. nothing stays the same, and that means unwanted situations will also change.

3. that we aren't homeless.

magic

while i was browsing through one of the few facebook groups i belong to, i came across a post from a mom looking for advice. she has an 8-year-old girl, whose older siblings have killed the magic of santa for her. (my heart aches for that). the mother still has a small child, and was wondering if there was anything she could do that might bring that magic back.

it reminded me of a conversation i had to have with elizabeth about a month ago.
i can no longer remember how it started, but it ended with her in tears.

there is no santa, mom and dad do it all.
there is no easter bunny, that is also mom and dad.
the tooth fairy is also made up.

last year, we had to tell her that mom and dad help santa get things, cause he's so busy, and anything we can do to help makes it that much easier for him.
this year, i had to tell shannon that same story.

it always makes me sad when they reach the age that the magic starts to crack. and even more when the magic dies.

however, my kids have been really good about keeping the magic alive for the rest.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the ability to heal and recover.

2. for the ability to see a doctor when needed.

3. for the beauty of snow.

insanity

i haven't forgotten about my gratitude posts, nor have i stopped. this last week was just a little more insane than normal, and i never could get around to putting them up.

jury duty selection took a lot out of me, and i spent wednesday recovering.
thursday i was running errands all day with a friend.
friday was our last day of momschool.
saturday we cleaned and i did a few projects. saturday night, we had friends over.
sunday i was home from church with 3 sick kids, and an emotional preteen.

today, i'm starting to get back to normal. i also started getting rid of some excess today.

christmas is almost done. i have 2 gifts to finish making, and a stocking. and 3 other gifts that i need to get figured out.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the library bookstore.

2. for a calmer day.

3. for unconditional love.

jury duty

today, i had to show up for jury duty. 

i was concerned. (ok, i was seriously stressed and concerned.)

i didn't know what the case was going to be about, and didn't try to find out.

when i got there, i had an anxiety attack that i was able to successfully work through (yeah me!). then i learned what the case was about, and my stress level went through the roof. 

a young man accused of soliciting enticing young boys for sexual acts. and sexual abuse by performing acts on or with them.

there was no way i could be an impartial juror for that.

but, i had to sit there and wait to see if i would be selected as part of the panel. 

the stress induced a migraine. 

however, i dodged jury duty by the luck of the draw. they never pulled my name out of the hat.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the luck of the draw.

2. for energy work.

3.for the ability to find something to laugh about.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for legos! my kids have a blast!

2. that the rain turned into snow.

3. for the dollar store.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. that i can be someones shoulder to cry on.

2. for a full tank of gas!

3. for the reason for the season!

dishwasher

turns out my dishwasher is still under warranty!

it will be fixed this wednesday!

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. that my kids love and want to be with me.

2. homemade gifts.

3. that kids can be easily entertained.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for warmer weather!

2. for stolen little moments of peace.

3.

ears

michael had to have a fat patch repair done on an ear drum. his post-op appointment was the day before thanksgiving. in the chaos of the week, we didn't make the appointment. so, i had to reschedule for today. the repair is failing.

about a week after the surgery, he had a lot of drainage from that ear. i called in, and started using the drops for infection. 

the doc thinks what happened, is that infection pushed the patch away and stopped it from being sealed. now it's a watch and see game again. if it fails completely, and doesn't start to close at all, we'll have to do different repair. 

along the same note, i've been hearing strange things when people talk. i KNOW my brain interprets is NOT what they have said. 

so, when i was getting groceries at sams yesterday, i had a quick hearing test done. 

the results came back within the normal range, so i'm good for now!

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for a son willing to help others.

2. that i can make something delicious out of "nothing."

3. that i am never alone, even when i am.

Gratitude

Today i'm grateful…

1. that i have an extra set of sheets and blankets for my bed. 

2. for understanding friends  

3. that there's always another solution. 

Stress

it's been a stressful night.
I was getting cool, which anymore, is nothing new. I checked the temp of the house, noticed it was cool, and went to bed. Thought to myself that i'd better check and make sure one of the kds hadn't turned the heat off. Thankfully they hadn't, but the thermostat was reading cool. I went back to bed, and decided to keep an ear open for the furnace.

20 minutes later, it still hadn't turned on. Now i'm starting to have conversations in my head with the landlord.
A. "Steven, it's nadia." "Nadia, why are you calling me at 2 in the morning?" "Well, steven, the furnace isn't turning on, and i need you to pay for a couple of hotel rooms until you can get it fixed." "Nadia, i just had to replace your fridge, i can't afford to replace the furnace too." "Too bad. While you and your family are nice and warm in your beds, my kids are huddled in blankets in the car to try and stay warm. Get your butt out of bed and get it fixed."
B. "Friend a, do you enough floor space for us for a night until i feel it's ok to call and tell the landlord the furnace is broke?" "Steven, the furnace won't work, we are staying with a friend until you get it fixed. I'm calling idaho housing in the morning and letting them know. You have 3 days to repair or replace, or we have to move." "Friend b, i can't go grocery shopping with you, i have to find a new place to move to."
C. "Idaho housing, my furnace won't turn on, my house is a frigid 50 degrees, i'm tired of the landlord complaining about everything he's had to replace, i don't want to call and tell him. What should i do?"
D. "Daddy, my heat isn't working, and i'm afraid to call landlird cause he'll just complain again. Can you help us get a couple hotel rooms for the night?" Dadday-"steven, i expect this to be fixed, and to be repaid for doing your job." Steven-"i just had to replace the fridge last week! I had to replace the carpet in may! I had to replace the linoleum last spring! I had to replace the roof next door 2 years ago!" Daddy-"none of those are relevant. It's your responsibility to take care of those things, regardless. Fix it, or i'll take you to court on behalf of my daughter."
E. "Idaho housing, i'm done with this landlord. When something needs to be fixed, he complains about what he's already had to fix. His other solution, 'you guys take care of it, and i'll pay you back.' I waited  almost a month for him to fix/repair the dishwasher. I finally got fed up and did it myself with my husbands inheritance. Are any if these enough of a reason to get us out of our lease?"
(Have i mentioned that the dishwasher isn't working again?)
(I shouldn't have to be afraid to tell my landlord that something isn't working.)

I sent shaun a message on skype…can't sleep, furnace still hasn't turned on…freaking out about having to tell landlord.
Shaun comes in…still no heat?! It's 66! Maybe we just need to reset it, remember how?
Nope
Shaun resets, another 15 minutes later, furnace turns on.

Breathe a sigh of relief!