Here I sit this morning in my bathrobe at almost 11am!  Jesse is in the den teaching the girls to bowl (the new Wii system) and James is still snoring in the guest room.  Jesse-boy (the old cat) is in my bed, making it impossible for me to make the bed.  At least that's my excuse!

What does today hold for us????

James and Jesse will go see their mother, who is still in a rehab place recovering from her fall.  Jesse talked with her last night and she says she's coming home at the end of the week.  That's all Medicare would pay for and she HAS to leave.  I don't know if she's ready or not. 

We HAVE to go to the bank today and sign our papers (renewal of a home equity loan).

There's laundry to do.  (What?  ME do laundry?)

Last night, I went to bed at a more reasonable hour (close to 11pm) and Jesse didn't make it to bed until after midnight.  He was bothered by a migraine headache yesterday and I had to give him a shot.  He slept for a couple of hours and that threw off his sleep schedule.  I, on the other hand, slept ten hours and feel G-R-E-A-T!!!

I have to think about taking meat out of the freezer for tonight's dinner, showering, making the bed, and starting the ever present laundry.  Stephanie came yesterday evening and did her laundry, which prevented me from doing my 7th day of whatever needs to be washed.

This week, I REALLY want to start the girls on their social studies, science, and health textbooks.  I think we'll only do refresher math and reading things, these next few months, and concentrate more on the the 3 subjects I mentioned starting.  Now, just to get started . . .

I feel really good, so will post more another time.  I want to take advantage of my new-found energy!

We never made it to the bank last Friday.  That will be on the "To Do" list for Monday, I guess!

We rented a ton of movies and that's all I feel like I did on Saturday.  I DID do 3 loads of laundry, fix meals, and wash dishes.  But, laundry and cooking (and dishes) is a given each day around here!

No movies we watched were good enough to mention.  I was actually dismayed at the contents of the movies we had "carefully" selected and was duly reminded of WHY we don't frequent the movie theaters or movie rental stores.

We are enjoying some nice weather in the 50's and a cold, cold front is supposed to move in by Wednesday.  We may even get a light dusting of snow.  I am ready for a "real" winter!!!  I say that because I can stay home, most days, in my cozy house with a fireplace roaring!

Emily gave me some Amish friendship bread starter again.  I killed the last starter.  I think tomorrow will be the baking day for that.  We seem to be going through a lot of sweets lately.  Oh, oh!  That's not good!

Jesse is calling me to come watch yet ANOTHER movie.  He stayed up until 1:30am watching them last night.  We sound like tourists taking in all the tourist traps, don't we???  I keep hoping to hit on a movie that is "good" and not offensive.  I guess that's why I continue to watch.

P.S.  Jesse's sister, JoAnn, sent a Wii system with James and that's hooked up in the den.  That has entertained Jesse and the girls.  She sent me the game "Brain Age" and I tried my hand at it yesterday.  According to the game, after testing, I had a Brain Age of a 70yo yesterday and a 56yo today.  I guess I'm making progress?????  I wish I had the time to be brainier, but dishes, laundry, husband, and children call to me (not necessarily in that order!) and I don't have time for hand held games. 

Is being a wife/mom more important than having a young "brain age"?????  I hope so!

We had a time with Luci, yesterday.  I made her lie down for a nap before her doctor appointment and she screamed and kicked (literally) for two hours.  I was so worn out by the time I fixed her hair and led her and Annamarie out the door.  We didn't take the highway, but drove the "back roads," to kill time while Luci ate her sandwich in the car.

Both the therapist and medical doctor were running behind and I sat with both girls around 45 minutes before the therapist called me in.  I discussed the dental appointment & Annamarie's results AND the fact they were trying to order an appliance to reform the way she holds her tongue.  She's developed a lisp.  Then, I told her of Luci's regression over the past few weeks.  The medical doctor called for Luci and she & I went into his exam room while the therapist was with Annamarie.  It's exhausting - orchestrating these appointments so I can best utilize my time!  Because I was rattled from Luci's 2 hour fit, I forgot to bring a book with me.  I can usually escape and relax by reading.

We left the office and went to Wal-Mart.  They weren't able to full Luci's new prescription (it needed to be approved by Medicaid, first) and we left their pharmacy to breeze through the store.  Everyone knows, there is no such thing as "breezing through" Wal-Mart.  But, we did finish in record time (about 45 minutes) and $200 later with a cart full of stuff, we were on our way to the parking lot.  I think it took as long to get out of the parking lot as it did to shop!  It was almost 5pm and things were beginning to become hectic!

After unloading the groceries and saying hello to my bil, James, Jesse took pity on me and called in 99 cent burgers from the fast food place up the street.  James was thrilled because he doesn't have that particular fast food chain in the area he lives.  I was thrilled because I didn't have to cook.

Today I'm cooking for a couple who lost a mother 2 days ago - the funeral is Sunday.  I'll just double up and make for them what we will eat for dinner tonight.  Luci's therapy is at 4pm and is located just a mile or so away from where the couple lives.  I'll drop the food off while I'm at the appointment with Luci and head home.

Jesse and I are supposed to go into the bank today and sign some papers.  And, somewhere, sandwiched in my day, will be laundry time.  In fact, I think I'll say good bye for now and throw our bathroom rugs in the washer.

No Thursday Thirteen again this week; not unless you count my list of To Do things each day!

Jesse took all 3 girls to the dentist 2 days ago.  Luci came home with clean teeth and a good report.  Rissy had clean teeth, but one small filling (her first).  Annamarie came home with *3* fillings, and an appointment to return the next day for 4 more!!!!  She has crowded teeth, speech problems, sleep problems . . . Handling 3 children, Jesse wasn't able to get details on the future of Annamarie's mouth.  So . . .

Loving the dentist as I do (NOT), I took her to the return appointment yesterday morning.  They explained the bright, white, chalky-looking, ridged lines on her teeth would have to be dealt with when she is fully grown.  Most likely the cause is her ingesting highly fluoride-treated water as a baby; OR, experiencing a high fever (she had scarlet fever when she was 3yo).  Either one of those things could be the culprit and nothing can be reversed, only cosmetic correction.  The crowded teeth will need braces when she's a few years older.  The cavity problem (yikes! 7 cavities your first trip to the dentist???!!!) is most likely from her not understanding the importance of brushing well and USING tooth paste.  She's famous for brushing with only water for 5 seconds!

I suppose that's my fault.  I know she is handicapped (developmentally); and, I don't think I realized I should be supervising her daily care, since she'll be 8yo at the end of March.  You know?  Things like: teeth brushing, bathing (she frequently doesn't wash anything with soap except for an arm and a leg), or the washing and rinsing of her hair (she is either developing dandruff or not getting the shampoo completely out).  This week, I noticed her bottle of conditioner is empty and the shampoo is still almost half full.  I forget to be vigilant.  I tend to forget she isn't like most "almost-8yo's" and requires more supervision.  So, I'm taking responsibility for all of these things and have promised myself to do better in the future. 

Bless her heart.  She came out of the dentist's office (they used novocaine and gas) a little disoriented.  She doesn't grasp the concept of her mouth being numb or anything that really is going on while she's there.  She was actually proud the first day because she had MORE cavities than the others girls and had finally "overachieved" something her sisters hadn't accomplished.  We explained, several times, that cavities were a "bad" thing and something you didn't want.  She was still proud that "she" got to go back for more the next day.  (sigh)

Jesse's brother is arriving from WA this afternoon.  Jesse got a call yesterday (while I was at the dentist office) telling him, during Annamarie's therapy session, today, Luci also has an appointment.  Luci will be seeing our medical doctor for her check-in to see how her medications are doing.  Somehow, I never wrote down Luci's appointment and totally spaced that she was due to go in this month.  So, Luci is home today instead of at daycare, Jesse is home, and *I* slept until a little after 8am.  Jesse and I stayed up last night until close to midnight watching movies we had rented.  Don't ask me why I thought staying up late before a double appointment day with my children (and a house guest arriving the same day) was a good idea.  I no longer feel responsible for what my mind chooses to do.  It's all out of control!!!!  LOL

Leaving on an upbeat note . . . I fixed a leg of lamb last night and it came out okay.  Guess the oven was having a good night!!!!

Off to bigger and busier things! 

Jesse and I talked a little more about replacing our stove.  I think ours was only $450 five years ago, and that means it cost less than $100/year to use.  That's how I look at things, in order to keep my sanity, when they go on the blink.  I told Jesse I was pretty sure my mother had the same washing machine from when I was two, and we first moved to California, until I left at age 19 and she moved to a condo.  That's when toasters were chrome and had cloth, wrapped cords!!!

My washing machine is sounding peculiar these days, something vaguely resembling a groan, when it washes.  It's only 3 years old.  I  guess I really need a commercial grade machine, but I always settle for the home versions with the biggest tub and two other requirements: 1) hot, warm, & cold temperature settings, 2) multiple size load settings, so as not to waste water.  I'm pretty easy to please, as long as the tub is the biggest they make - without being a front loading machine.  I don't think our washing machine was terribly expensive, either.

Alas, the dishwasher isn't cleaning the dishes like it once did.  The dishwasher is the oldest of all - over 5 years old.  We brought it with us when we moved from the last house.  I AM picky about dishwashers.  I think Whirlpool is the only company that makes a dishwasher with the silverware storage in the door.  That gives me more room on the racks to hold more dishes.  I have to take what Whirlpool offers and pay the price they ask.  No compromising on dishwashers.  Like the washing machine, I use my dishwasher frequently and it HAS to be helpful to its "max"!!!!!

All of this comes in our lean financial months.  Winter time, for a lawn care business, isn't the most profitable.  Maybe we can hook up with Lowe's or Home Depot's "buy now, pay later with no finance charge" plan and pay the stuff off when the grass starts growing, again.

Thursday is the day Jesse's brother, James, arrives from WA.  Other than dusting and vacuuming, the guest room is ready for him.  He called bright and early this morning - excited as can be!  Jesse told me he thought he and James would go to Amarillo to see their dad and step-mother.  That would be a nice, mid-visit, break for James, instead of staying cooped up in our house daily.  I have a few things to get in order tomorrow, before he arrives, but our home is in pretty good shape.  Since he'll be here a whole month, I thought he might like to put his things on the closet rod and in the dresser drawers.  So, they are emptied and waiting for his arrival.

The girls and I FINALLY took the garlands down yesterday afternoon.  It really wasn't all that bad.  Jesse had the great idea of having each girl hold a sack while I collected ALL the berries, ALL the white birds, etc. from each doorway and placed them in their sacks.  We went around two more times, with two new sacks each time, until all had been divided out.    Things went more smoothly than if I had tried to take everything down at once and THEN divided it all into sacks.

Yesterday evening, the girls played in the backyard because it was 74 degrees AND humid.  Of course, this morning, it's barely 30 degrees.  They took baths last night so they wouldn't be damp going out into the cold weather this morning.  I'm really doing my best to keep everyone healthy this winter.

For anyone interested, Jesse-boy continues to do well.  No more stomach upsets.  I'm glad.  I'll never be ready to say good-bye to him but will know, when the time comes, that he had a wonderful life and was truly happy with us.

I need to get ready for Emily.  I have to clean the kitchen so she can clean the kitchen!  By that I mean, clean off the big pots I hand washed last night so she can get to the counters to clean them!  I made the girls pile all of their stuff on the bedroom floors up onto their beds so Emily can vacuum! 

It's a sad state of affairs when you have to clean up first before someone can come to your home and clean it!!!

Jesse's friend, who is also our heat & air guy and all around Mr. Fix-it, was just here looking at our oven.  He jumped through hoops looking for something wrong and it worked perfectly - AFTER it heated itself up!  It's so frustrating to have a problem and then have the problem disappear when the repairman appears!

Yesterday the oven beeped to say it was heated to 350 degrees; BUT,  the oven thermometer (I just bought) only  registered 250 degrees.  It took 2 1/2 hours to cook four frozen chicken breasts.  Really!  I put them in at 5:05 and we ate at 7:30! 

Tonight, he set the temperature at 250 degrees, the oven beeped that it had reached 250 degrees, so we checked the oven thermometer.  It registered only 150 degrees. 

Aha!  There WAS a problem with the oven and not the cook (me)! 

Then, when the oven finally DID reach 350 degrees (confirmed on the thermometer) it held steady at 350 degrees for almost an hour.  Sigh!

Emily and Jesse both think the oven is going out and, though I don't want to replace my stove, I hope it's the stove and not me.  The thought of never knowing if a meal will turn out or not is sooooo frustrating.

Our friend told me to just continue to use the oven, but to check the oven thermometer frequently and monitor the temperature.  He DOES think we'll have to replace our stove (only 5 years old) soon and that it's probably NOT me, but, rather, a temperamental heating sensor.  Whew!

Since it's 7pm and I have nothing fixed for dinner, our friend went home (he lives in the same neighborhood) and gave us a huge pan of leftover spaghetti to eat.  Somehow, him coming to fix the stove and then feeding us doesn't seem right!

I just put frozen garlic bread in the oven after the oven beeped that it was heated (set at 425 degrees) and looked at the oven thermometer.  It's registering 375 degrees!  Of course it is!!  The repairman just left!

It IS a gas appliance, and I AM holding myself back from sticking my head in the oven . . . (LOL!!!)

The vet said he was beginning to be dehydrated (the reason I didn't wait until Monday) and all else looked okay.  No masses, no  lump in his intestines, etc.  He gave him an antibiotic/anti-nausea shot and some anti-nausea gel that I place on the inside skin of his ear and it's absorbed by his body through his skin.  He told me to buy some baby food chicken and use that for 24 - 48 hours, depending on how his stomach settled.  

Chicken baby food was a treat for him and he lapped up several jars yesterday.  I tried regular cat food this morning, a small amount, and so far - so good. 

The vet mentioned that most cats don't live past 12 years of age and the oldest cat (up to now) that he's treated was 16 years old.  He said Jesse-boy was in the top 1% of geriatric cats.  I've always had a good longevity rate with my pets.  Another vet treated a parakeet of mine and said he had no idea how my bird had lived to be 8 years old (most live between 4 - 6 years) and said I must be doing something right.  That parakeet lived to be a little over 12 years old!

I realize Jesse-boy has to go sometime, and I didn't want to spend money on a lot of lab work yesterday: my main concern is him being comfortable.  He seems vastly improved today, except still some loud crying, but I think he may be hungry for his regular diet.

So . . . I didn't get the garlands down from the doorways or the new 2008 calendar up and that's on my list for today's chores.  ALL LAUNDRY IS FINISHED - at least for 48 hours!!!

 . . . like everyone's laundry, for starters!  I think I'm on my final load of clothes.  It took me part of Thursday, all day and night yesterday, and this morning to catch up.  Other than some rugs and bedding, we should all have socks and leggings and Jesse should have all the t-shirts and sweats he'll need for a week of lounging!  Poor Annamarie was borrowing socks from Luci (size 1 shoe down to Luci's size 11 1/2 shoe!) for the past two days.

I want to take the garland down from the doorways today.  I hate to lose the light shining from the mini-lights entwined in the garlands and am considering placing mini lights in some of my silk fig trees - for ambiance!  The birds and berries (etc.) have to be removed from the garlands first, but lights and greenery are now permanently "one" and will come off of their nails and go into their storage boxes.  I hope to not have to re-wrap new lights and garlands for a long time!

Another job for today:  Get the 2008 calendar out, marked with birthdays, etc. and ON THE WALL!  I don't think I've every waited this long to do that.  Normally, changing out the calendars is my New Year's Day job - but it didn't get done this year.

All of the bills are paid - at least for January - and we're thankful.  I think we have one car insurance payment due by mid month.  I balanced the checkbook last night - choke!  It's not that we "need" anything or don't have emergency funds, but it sure looks like a SMALL AMOUNT!  I'm watching all of these financial investors on different news & talk shows talking about digging out from overspending at the holidays.  We used cash and there is (thank God) no "digging out" for us.  I feel bad for wasting good food (the roast and turkey) that cost a pretty penny.  I didn't ruin them on purpose, but I detest waste.

Another "back in the groove" thing I need to start is the girls' homeschooling lessons.  We took an entire break at the end of December.  We normally school all year (including weekends) and then it's no big deal if we take off big blocks of time.  We have been concentrating on reading and math these past few months and I want to introduce the social studies and science/health stuff soon.  It works best for us to not do all of the subjects all of the time and work on only a few subjects in one block of calendar time.  But, NOTHING has been done for almost 4 weeks and it's time to get cracking.  Fortunately, they don't mind school.

I have the yucky chore today of cleaning up after my cat, Jesse-boy.  He's been throwing up since 6am and can't seem to hold anything but water down.  The older he gets the more sensitive his stomach becomes and he's lost so much weight this past year.  A fur sack of bones and meow.  January 26th I will have had him 18 years and he was at least a year old when he (a stray) came to me.  I hate caring for animals and babies because we can't communicate.  I feel so sorry for both because you can't explain to a baby or an animal why they feel bad.  Jesse-boy keeps coming up to me crying and I know he's hungry or hurting, but I'm leery of feeding him much of anything.

We are supposed to have a weekend of high temperatures.  I think they said 67 degrees today and 70 degrees tomorrow.  Several days ago it was so cold the wind chill factor was in the lower teens!  I might be able to open the windows and let in some fresh air, if the wind isn't blowing too hard.

Since I'm talking about pets and the weather, I must not have much more to say except "good-bye" and I'll try to write more tomorrow or Monday!

We were the first ones of the year to obtain a license, thus the number "1" on our license registration certificate!  Not only that, but, this was all planned VERY late the night before (at 11pm) and we actually ended up saying our vows at the very same time we had said them 10 years ago on January 2nd!  Everything fell into place so nicely!  The pastor of the church we attended for several years is a friend of ours and he did the renewal ceremony.  A very simple ceremony, but he couldn't have picked better words to speak.  Of course, I started to cry and couldn't get through the part about how Jesse HAS stuck by me through sickness and health (since I have just had such an abominable year of health); and, this time, we really looked into each others eyes as we spoke.  Knowing what was behind us and recommitting had more meaning than the first ceremony where we were just excited to be facing the future together.  We sure never thought we'd have more children - way back ten years ago!  Nor, did we foresee God blessing us with a much larger and nicer home or Jesse owning his own businesses.  Things have come a long way since January of 1998!

Since we got an Oklahoma license, we HAD to have two witnesses.  Jesse's friend (Shaun), who is a dear friend to me, was one witness and Emily was the other.  Emily and Robert came with their daughter Bethany and we decided (again, last minute, THAT morning at 8:30!!!!) to take Rissy and Annamarie with us.  A very small congregation of spectators, but still a perfect amount.

We were treated like royalty at the hotel and felt so pampered.  We tried a new restaurant for dinner that night.  Very good food, but such small portions and such high prices!  I've often found, the nicer the restaurant, the higher the price, and the smaller the portions served; however, we were pretty hungry and are both big "meat eaters," so sharing some of my meat with Jesse still left him hungry!  We watched a movie in the hotel room and the next morning they served a very nice breakfast downstairs. 

I had doubts when I looked at the itty bitty jets in the Jacuzzi tub.  We have a whirlpool bathtub in our master bathroom with five large jets and they are installed so low in the tub that they don't really reach the upper back muscles.  All of the hotel jets were so small, albeit lots of them, and situated at the very bottom of the tub.  I figured it would be like bathing in 7-Up - just fizzy, bubbling water.  I was SO WRONG!   Jesse offered me his hand and helped me into the tub.  As I sat down in the water, the pressure from the jets buoyed me up and shot me over to one side of the tub, arms flailing and all!!!  I'm sure I looked like the "Titanic" going down, as I listed to one side and Jesse grabbed my arm! LOL!  We used the tub several times and commented that our next big purchase needed to be a hot tub.  We also made the decision that it would be a hot tub outside, instead of a Jacuzzi tub inside, because the noise was deafening and made talking impossible.  I have had some muscle aches in my lower back and hips since last weekend and could have stayed in the Jacuzzi forever!!!  Now I have to decide if I want a hot tub or new carpeting.  I"m afraid new carpeting will win out over a hot tub, since ours is worn down to the cement slab foundation; but, AFTER new carpeting . . . !

Emily kept the girls during the day (and cleaned our house) and Stephanie took over for dinner and the over night shift when she got off work.  The girls had a good time with the Emily & Robert and Stephanie.  They were thrilled that Stephanie let them eat pizza in her living room on the floor.   Our house rule is food in the kitchen only!  We heard all about the huge toy room Emily and Robert have in their home!  Oh! - the world through the eyes of a child!

There won't be a Thursday Thirteen this week!  Maybe I'll get back in the regular routine of things next week.  Actually, next Thursday is when Jesse's brother will be arriving from Tacoma/Seattle.  The beginning of the year, so far, is all good!