Nonsense From Wonderland

I’m so glad it’s almost Wednesday.  I am totally ready for another weekend!  Today was payday, so I did some first of the month shopping after school.  I do miss being able to take my time and do that in the middle of the day.  It was a little hectic trying to do it right after work and get home in time for dinner.  I did pick up a couple movies on Blu-ray; Iron Man and Sex & The City.  Haven’t seen Iron Man, but have only heard good things about it.  I did see SATC at the theater and it was so awesome!  Jason made these yummy burritos for dinner, and I have leftovers for lunch!  Tomorrow I need to get my oil changed after Peyton’s football game (the last one of the season).  It will be Breck’s last practice, so they are having a parents vs. kids game.  Should be pretty fun!  I think we are tentatively having an end of season pizza party on Monday.  Tomorrow is school picture day.  Being staff, I get pics for free I guess, which is nice, considering how much the kids’ pics are.  Basketball starts after Xmas, and we are hoping Peyton will do that.  I just got Brecken signed up for spring soccer.  They were offering a $40 discount if you signed up before the end of October!

We’ve been slowly getting through our shows that are piling up on the DVR.  Watching Dexter right now.  It’s not too bad so far, but definitely not my favorite episode so far.  Reminds me I need to buy season 2, since i didn’t get it when it first came out.  I finally watched Grey’s, and I loved it, although I was having a small heart attack at the beginning.  Californication was great, and super trashy.  We are really liking True Blood.  I know certain things from reading all the books, and it’s hard to not blurt them out to Jason and ruin something for him!  As far as new shows, we have watched Worst Week, Gary Unmarried, The Mentalist and Fringe.  Fringe is pretty cool, but I am confused, thank you very much JJ Abrams!  The Mentalist was actually really great, and kind of refreshing and different.  The comedy on the other 2 shows seemed a little forced, so I hope that it gets ironed out.  Not sure if we’ll stick w/them.  I have been watching 90210, and it’s not too bad.  I keep coming back, but sometimes the acting really irritates me.  It’s definitely not the caliber of the original.  I’m really anxious for Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy $.  My biggest problem is finding time to watch all this stuff!  I try to get some tv time on Thursdays, when Jason’s at bowling.

Okay, I guess I’ve rambled long enough.  I’m waiting for Jason to finish his poker game online so we can go to bed.  He’s not having much luck going out.

So I’m starting early w/Halloween themes, because there are some cute ones out there, and I want to be able to switch them a few times!  LOL

Cousins, 9-17-08

A picture from our short but sweet visit w/Jason’s brother and family.  From l-r, Peyton (10), Austin (5), Aubrey (1), Brecken (6) and Jacob (3).  Such a cute group of kiddos : ).

I just love these sunny fall days.  The weather has been so wonderful here the last week.  I think we were in the 80s on Thursday!  I would gladly take this weather year round, and just have snow on Xmas Day.  I REALLY am not looking forward to winter.  Our summer wasn’t unbearably hot, so the thought of cold and ice is unsettling.

We rode the bikes to Breck’s soccer game this morning.  They have one more game next Saturday.  Peyton has his last football game on Wednesday.  Maybe things will calm down a bit for us, since we won’t have to be running here and there, to practices and games.  I am finally feeling back to normal–MUCH better than I was this time last week!  I’m crossing my fingers that because I got so sick early on, that I’ll be tougher for the rest of cold and flu season.  Just have to remember my vitamins!  I was bummed that I didn’t get to hang out doing much fun stuff w/my mom and sis, since I was in bed or lying down most of the time they were here.  Peyton is spending the night w/his friend Jace.  He was so excited!  Breck’s playing the new Batman Lego game on the PS2.  They’ve been playing it non-stop since they got it on Tuesday.  I’d like to do some reading.  We went to the library this morning and I got a few new things, even though I’m still trying to finish Eclipse.  I think I have 200 pages left.  I checked out two of the Disney Fairy books.  Yes, I am a child.  LOL   I just think they look so cute!

Brecken and Jason caught a praying mantis on Breck’s bug walk last week.  It is so freaking cool!  We have been catching flies and grasshoppers for her.  Watching her eat is just wicked.  Breck named her “Little Apprentice”.  I’m not sure how much longer she will live, but we’ve really been enjoying her.  It’s the first time I have ever seen one.  I honestly didn’t think we had them in Wyoming!  Peyton’s on a kick that he needs a bearded dragon, after a kid in his class brought his in.  I told him I don’t need one more thing to clean out or up after, so that he would have to be willing to take full responsibility for it.  I think he is saving his allowance, in the hopes he’ll get one.

Yesterday I got so unbelievably sick.  It was the kind that just totally knocked me down.  Started about 2am, w/me going between freezing and sweating, and shaking.  I finally took my temp at 5:45am, and it was 102.4.  I called in sick to work at 7.  My chest was really hurting, whether I was coughing or rolling over.  Compressing it at all just made it scream.  My entire body was hurting, and I could not get comfy.  I threw up a couple times, and had horrible dry heaves another time.  Went to see my doctor at 1:30.  He didn’t hear any pneumonia, my lymph nodes weren’t swollen, tonsils looked fine.  The thing that had scared me was the the phlegm I coughed up was blood tinged.  He said it was probably just from irritation, as I wasn’t coughing up just blood.  So, I got a Z-pack, to help stop any infection.  My sis had said that when my dad and she took those, it messed up their stomachs.  I tolerate meds well, so thought I’d be fine, but no luck.  My stomach was a wreck, but thankfully it didn’t last long.  I have 4 more days of pills, and am hoping that it doesn’t do this every day, since I had to take 2 pills for the first dose.  My friend suggested eating yogurt along w/it, so I am going to do that.  All day I just felt horrible.  I took a bath, but then started freezing and shivering, and had a stomach attack thanks to the meds.  I could not get my fever to break.  It pretty much held at 101 all day.  I took more Tylenol around 7:30, and finally started to be able to just lay there w/out tossing and turning, or freezing and sweating.  I managed to make it through the night w/no troubles, just a bit of restlessness, having to look at the clock.  My fever broke, so that is a relief.  This morning I have been coughing, which is killing my chest.  I haven’t yet taken my pill, because I wanted to wait until Breck’s soccer game was over.  I’m going to go, and hopefully I am not pushing myself.  I still feel kind of weak.

Mom and sis got here Wednesday, and I am so glad they were here.  There’s nothing better than being taken care of by mom, whether you’re 4 or 34!  I’m not sure if they are leaving tomorrow or Monday.  Hopefully they will stay through Monday, since I didn’t get much time to hang out with them.  Work is still going well.  I had to go fill out paperwork at HR on Thursday, and have some more to go over this weekend and take back next week.

We had a short visit w/BIL’s family.  We got to meet our niece for the first time, and she is just a doll.  She let me hold her and was quite cuddly.  I wanted to take her home : ).  They’ll be back through on Monday, so hopefully we’ll see them again.  We just need to plan a trip to Oklahoma again, because the last time we went was so much fun!

Sometimes I hate thinking up a title for a post, especially when I am just rambling on.  I’m starting to feel somewhat better, but not completely over this yet.  It started in my head, moved to my chest, and back to my head.  Yesterday and today my sinuses were kiling me, giving me such a bad headache.  Took some meds and it seemed to help.  I’m still coughing too.  Brecken started having some coughing and sniffles mid-week, but it’s not really sticking around, which is good.  He had a soccer game this morning, and scored another goal : ).  We were so proud, of course!  Jason had gone into work early this morning, so Dana and he came to the game, then we picked up McDonald’s and had lunch w/them back at work.  Jason got home around 3.  We had a late afternoon of grocery shopping, which made for a late dinner.

Peyton had his first flag football game the other night.  I only got to see the last 6 min., because I have to work until 4, so I didn’t get to see him play much.  He’s just not an aggressive kid, but I am glad to see him out there trying.  We told him this is the one time he can shove people w/out worrying about getting in trouble : ).  We stuck around for the 6th grade game, as Jason was holding the down marker.  It got so cold, and I was in a skirt, so it was a bit miserable.  Both 5th and 6th won!

My mom and sis will be here this week!  I’m excited to see them and have some good mother/daughter/sister time : ).  Indy will enjoy having some company too, since he seems to get lonely w/me now being at work all day, when he was used to having me home all day.  My BIL, SIL, niece and nephew are here for a night this week, on their way through to SIL’s parents’, so we’re going out to dinner w/them.  We have never met our niece, so really looking forward to that!  She is such a doll, and our nephew is a cutie pie too!

I have to brag on my sister’s talent for a minute.  She just finished up this toybox for our baby cousin Tobiah.  It was his mommy Lauren’s toybox when she was little.  I think it’s absolutely phenomenal!  My aunt just took it to him today, so I can’t wait to hear what Lauren thinks.  Tobiah’s room has a jungle theme.  Check it out here:  Tobiah’s Toybox.  I am off to bed, maybe for some reading.  I am sad that my reading time has been cut way back lately.  My eyes just don’t cooperate at night.  They would rather slam shut as soon as I hit the bed!

It did not take long for me to come down w/my first cold of the school season.  I feel pretty crappy at the moment.  Started with a sore throat Thursday night, progressed to a runny nose yesterday during my cold bus duty, then sinus issues and congestion by dinner.  Fun times…ugh.  Is my immune system really that weak?  Last year I think I at least made it to November.  I need to do something, whether it’s hitting the vitamins more or drinking a lot of Emergen-C, maybe bathe in anti-bac gel, spray myself down w/Lysol.  I don’t know, but being sick all fall/winter is not something I really relish the thought of. 

We hit Farmer’s Market today, and came home w/peaches, green chiles, honey and hot salsa.  Jason is making green chile stew tomorrow for the first Bengal game.  We opted to skip Rib Fest, which was going on downtown by FM.  Last year it was held out at Frontier Days Park, and we went, but the cost of food was kind of insane, plus you pay just to get in.  That was the first and only time I tried a deep fried twinkie, and I doubt I will ever eat one again!  Kind of a big disappointment.  Brecken had soccer this morning, and we went rather ill prepared, as we were in a rush to get out and find some chairs at Walmart before the game.  We froze, until about the last 10 min., when the sun decided to grace us with its presence.  The good news though, is that Brecken scored his first goal!!  We were so excited!  I teased him yesterday and told him if he didn’t score today, he would have to quit playing.  Hee hee!

This past week of work went well, and I’m still really enjoying it.  I need to work on my housework routine.  I think I’ve got laundry relegated to the weekends, but beyond that, I don’t know.  I just kind of fit things in when I can, and it’s driving me a little bit insane that my house isn’t as perfect as I’d like it.  Sometime this next week we will probably start working w/our students, and my mornings are looking pretty full.  I don’t think I’ll mind so much though, because it makes the day go faster.  I have heard some of the funniest things out of kids’ mouths this week, and am thinking I need to start writing them in a notebook to publish in a book someday!  LOL

My top 3 funnies for the week:

1.  When a kindergarten boy was deciding which hot lunch he was having, and the teacher was pointing out what was what, the boy replied, “I think I could get on board with that!!”

2.  A different kindergarten boy, while preparing his oh-so-tasty cold Lunchables pizzas, called me over to open his sauce, then said, “Mrs. Miller, could you then take these and cook them a little for me?” 

3.  An adorable kindergarten girl asked me if the bang we heard was thunder.  I told her I didn’t think so, then she heard the bang again and decided it was thunder.  She then says, “Did you know that I am ALLERGIC to thunder and lightening?  If it’s raining and I’m inside I will be okay though.”  I had to bite my lip to not laugh!

We’ve had a pretty good 3-day weekend, and managed to get a few things done off our list.  Jason mowed yesterday while I cleaned up weeds.  It looks like our backyard is all ready starting to turn brown for fall.  My mom said that they saw leaves changing yesterday, when they were on a bike ride up to Montana.  I STILL have to get first of the month groceries, and am about to head to Walmart for that, since I need some stuff for dinner too.  We’re having crockpot meat sauce and tortellinis.  Jason made it once this summer, and it was really yummy.  This morning we headed to the Luxury Diner, aka, Hobo Homer’s, for breakfast.  Jason loves their corn beef hash (blech).  We took a long motorcycle ride after that, all around the edge of town.  It was really nice, because I haven’t ridden at all since the boys got back.  They both did pretty well on the ride.  Brecken is a better passenger for me than Peyton, because he is smaller.  Peyton moves around too much for me!  Brecken doesn’t reach the pegs easily on Jason’s bike, so it’s better for him to be with me anyway.  The Toy Run is Oct. 11, so I am hoping we get to do that again.  It’s quite a sight to see that many bikes.  Last year the weather was so-so.  We had some sprinkles early on, then it let up, but was still a bit chilly.  The ride ended out south at the Holiday Inn, where we dropped off our toys, and we could see this huge storm coming.  We made it home just before the rain let loose. 

Tomorrow is back to the grind I guess.  I am looking forward to getting a schedule set up where we’ll start having our students to work with.  The first few days of school are so hectic, figuring out how things will flow, and getting kids used to a routine again.  Brecken has soccer tomorrow after school, and Peyton has his first flag football practice.  Jason has to go to Laramie on Wed. for work, but hopefully it’s just a quick trip over and back.  He took Thurs. and Fri. off.  Our fantasy football draft is Thurs., after school.  I need to get in gear and do some research.  Don’t have a clue who to draft yet.  Jason is supposed to smoke chicken wings for lunch and a pork shoulder for dinner.  I don’t plan on having too crazy or late of a night, because I have bus duty at 8am Friday!