Busy

This winter has played out in extremes.  From sitting around the house snowbound for week long spans to running around crazy during the good weather to get everything done.

What's new?

--Andrew dislocated his right ring finger...bad enough to need a cast.  A mitten cast, which covers all his fingers completely.  On his dominant hand.  So the poor kid can't hold anything.  So while I'm helping Lily with her homework and trying to get dinner started, I now have to write all his homework.  Thank heavens he isn't in high school yet!

--My friend Alwyn's nanny was put on strict bedrest and so I am the new nanny!  I have Matthew only 3 mornings a week, but since I am getting paid, I've been busy putting together activities/crafts/educational stuff to do with the boys while he's here.  They've now come to expect it, but it really is better.  The boys start fighting after about an hour and just need a break.  The money I'm making is fun money...and we're getting a new tv.  You know, since ours has only 1 input that works reliably anymore.  Kind of annoying to have to change all the wiring to watch a movie, or play video games.  ;)

--On a sadder note, Alwyn had her first post-surgery scan last month, and they found more cancer in her lymphnodes.  She starts radiation today, and I wouldn't be surprised if I start having Matthew more than just 3 days a week...

-- Girl scout cookie sales are finally wrapping up.  I am frustrated because the troop mother just has waited until the last minute to get all our girls registered...even though I've been bugging her since November.  So we'll see what happens.  I literally cannot finish until she does her part.  Le-sigh.

-- Yearbook was supposed to be a smaller volunteering this year...until the woman who had volunteered to do it suddenly abandoned ship last month.  She had done NOTHING, and it is due early next month.  Since I am one of the few who know how to use the website, guess who has been recruited?  This is why you should never volunteer for anything.  Ever.

-- Nothing has come up on the job front for Jeff in Indianapolis.  Nothing.  But it may just be okay.  He really does like what he is doing and who he works with (he just wishes he only had one job and not two...but perhaps he can drop the 2nd job in the next year or so).  With all the snow, we came to realize how flexible his job can be with working from home.  And he joined the gym in his building so he is now fitting in workouts and avoiding traffic by leaving earlier.  Down side...he is leaving out house between 5:20-5:30.  But he never complains.  Moving is still an option, but the jobs were supposed to materialize in January...and it is now mid-March.  So I'm thinking more and more we'll just be here!

-- Paris is coming soon.  Jeff is obsessed.  I think he is going to need an anti-depressant when it is all over.  I also am very very excited...but there is so much to do between now and then it still feels far away.

-- I have come to the realization that I have lost every inch of the runner I once was.  And since that wasn't much...you know I have slid WAY back.  I didn't have a race last fall, so I lost motivation to go out and run in the heat of August.  Then I got distracted by Zumba in the fall, and the with snow storm after snow storm....here I am again.  Wheezing after 10 minutes of running.  And that is on a treadmill.  I actually tried to run outside last week, and after 6 minutes I was having such severe asthma symptoms I had to stop.  I wheezed painfully for 7 HOURS afterwards.  And, no, I do not have asthma.  My body just hates running.  Especially in the cold ;)

-- Speaking of Zumba, the elementary school is have a mother/daughter event...and it is Zumba.  If I keep blogging for no other reason, it should be to memorialize that night.

-- Shadow had her annual appointment last month.  The vet was listening to her chest and commented, "Well, her heart murmur has become quite significant."   When I explained that I'd never been told Shadow had any murmurs, she said, "Well that makes it even more significant."  So I'm supposed to watch for symptoms of congested heart failure.  And not stress her out too much.  And just love on her as much as possible.  How are we coming to the end of this?  (Note: dogs can live with this for YEARS, and she's not even in heart failure yet, also she may never go into heart failure. )

-- We got back Lily's test scores for the gifted program.  Did I mention that?  Probably not.  Anyway, she did great...but not great great, do you know what I mean?  When we got Andrew's, it was pretty clear that he had missed one question on the whole test.  Lily is much much more normal than that, although still a very smart cookie.  It was really weird, because you can go on the test website and get a description of your child's score...and it eerily described Lily to a tee.  So at least I know the results are accurate!  Jeff took it really well, especially when he read the description on line.  But then last Friday, Lily came home with an envelope that she will be moving on to the next level of testing.  Which is the individual IQ test with the school psychologist and parent and teacher write ups.  I sat down and answered the questions for Lily...and it was really easy.  She is a pretty remarkable kid.  But she doesn't need the gifted program like Andrew.  She is already challenged in school and that girl knows how to work hard and tackle challenges.  She still may not get in.  But that's just fine.  Smart little thing.

Okay, there's a million more things.  But that's what happens when I write once a month.