Whew!!

It has been almost a week since I last posted and for good reason, too. Things have been crazy, and I mean crazy, at work this last week. We are all adjusting to a newer, and earlier, schedule, which, of course, makes the weekends earlier, too. We get up at 5 and the kids are now getting up between 5:30 and 5:45 AM!!!! so we can be out of the house buy about 6:10. I really think it is harder on us than it is on them, but I can't help but feel sorry for them. This is only about 30 minutes earlier than normal but it feels like years!

Landon seems to be feeling better after his double-shot of gastro-intestinal-something-or-other. He was sick Friday a week ago and was getting better Saturday and really improving by Sunday. He went to school Monday and Tuesday, but an hour after dropping him off on Wednesday he was tossing his cookies again! Brian was home with him on Wednesday and Memaw came to stay with him on Thursday. His poop "isn't very sick anymore" so we're hoping he makes a full recovery this time. You know he can't afford any weight loss! Now he "gets sick" out of convenience. He knows that when he's sick he HAS to stay home and rest or watch movies. So whenever he needs to do something that he doesn't want to, he conveniently doesn't feel good. We're gonna have to start making this staying home sick a little less appealing! I do love staying with him and snuggling on the couch watching "Meet the Robinsons" about 10 times.

Kylie has escaped this bug so far (knock on wood). She is doing great and talking more everyday. The ladies at school have definitely spoiled her. She all but insists that she be held at all times. That's not so bad on the rare occasion, but while you are trying to cook dinner and do laundry and wash dishes, let me tell you, it's borderline impossible.

To top off this week of chaos and destruction, I have hurt my back. It's bad, too. I went to see the doc today and he thinks that it's just muscular and I agree. He did, however, give me three different prescriptions, of which I can only take one while I'm at work. The muscle relaxer and pain meds should only be taken if I'm gonna be at home. He wanted me to be home until Wednesday, but that's out of the question, for sure! I will take them before bed and I hope to wake up a new woman (maybe this time I'll be skinny!).

This Thing Thucks!!!!

No joke! I have to take it out everytime I need to talk to someone because they can't understand me. I survived my first night with the toaster in my mouth. Not terrible because I didn't have to talk, so I don't mind wearing it at night so much. But I'm on the phone and talking to vendors and customers all day and this really sucks!!! Hopefully, I will only have to wear it for a week and not 10 days or more.

I have to admit, though, that my jaw feels worse when I'm not wearing it. I still can't eat much, yet. What I do eat, I have to wedge between my teeth because I can't open very wide. And chewing, ha!!! Smooshing is more like it. I won't go into the gory details but the softer the food is, the easier it is to eat. I'll be hittin' up the local cafeteria with the blue-hairs before long.

Sufferin' Succotash!!!

For the past 3 or 4 days, I have been experiencing severe pain in my jaw which has rendered me unable to open my mouth very far and, thus, unable to eat anything of substance. I was sure that my problem was a descending wisdom tooth. Not so, apparently. I called the dentist first thing this morning and he got me in rather quickly. Turns out that my TMJ (temporomandibular joint) is quite inflamed and that is what is causing all of this pain. It even hurts to smile.

Anyhow, the fix is to wear a dental "appliance" and to take some anti-inflammatory/relaxer drugs. Unfortunately, this "appliance" is a small little mouthpiece that fits over my two middle top teeth that keeps me from clenching my teeth together. Sadly, I now have an adorable little lisp. It sucks - BIG TIME! I can hardly understand what I am saying, I don't know how others will understand me. The doc said that since I involuntarily clench my teeth and am usually pretty stressed out, that these were the likely causes. Good news is that I should have fewer headaches now.

I have to wear this cute little device 24/7 for about 7-10 days or until the inflammation has gone down enough to not be painful. Then I will have to wear it while I sleep from now on. Real sexy, huh? I thought you'd think so!

Disney's Desperate Housewives

I saw this over at The Tanner Trio and I must say "I Love It!".

The Amazing Chocolate Tree

We took the kids and Grandma to the Dallas Arboretum on Saturday to see "The Amazing Chocolate Tree". It was an event to show where chocolate comes from and how it's made. They had alot of fun activities for the kids, but I was surprised how much fun we had aside from the exhibit. We couldn't have picked a better day to go. It was absolutely beautiful outside. None of us had ever been before and now we plan to go more often. Landon was especially entertained by all the squirrels and Kylie with the blackbirds that were eating everything she threw on the ground. The kids ran and played and were pretty tuckered out by the time we had to leave. We can't wait to go back in the Spring to see everything in bloom!

We rubbed our hands in the hulls of roasted cocoa beans and our hands smelled of chocolate all day. The discarded hulls are used as mulch.

Kylie was determined to pick up every fallen leaf she could find.

Landon's chocolate mustache, after inhaling the free chocolates.

Christmas...Round Three!

I know it's a little late, but this new year has been busy already!

All of Brian's side of the family was over on Saturday, 12/29, to celebrate Christmas. The kids were especially excited that Tyler and Carter were coming. There were so many gifts, I didn't know if there was going to be enough room to sit and open them, but we managed.

See what I mean about the gifts?!?!?!

Kylie got a great dress from Pam and Jack and I couldn't wait to see her in it.

It's madness!!!!

Landon and Tyler eating cupcakes or brownies, or both!

Kylie is watching all those crazy boys!

Carter riding Landon's motorcycle.

The boys had a great time playing outside, it was a beautiful day.

Most of the family.

I Am Resolute!

You know, I don't think that I have ever made any serious and concrete resolutions...ever!!! This year is different. In order to amplify the gravity of these resolutions, I thought I would share them with the world. I've heard that you are more likely to keep them if you actually put them in writing so we'll see.

1. Be a Big Loser - I mean this in the sense of dieting and exercise. I would love nothing more than to go on the show and just concentrate on that and nothing else!

2. Scrapbook more - this is something that I like to do for me. Sadly, in the past couple years this hobby has been neglected, but I'll think of it this way, I've just been busy creating memories to put in those scrapbooks.

3. Relax!! Don't get so worked up over the small stuff. Take a deep breath and ask myself "Does it really matter, in the grand scheme and all?"

4. Appreciate my husband more - After reading the awesome book I Was A Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids, I realize that I don't give him enough credit. Yes, he drives me crazy, but he is a great dad and a wonderful husband. I do wish, however, that when I give up some control and ask him to do something that I mean that I need him to do it now, not at the next commercial break or tomorrow, but I digress!

5. Read more books that don't have anything to do with childcare or parenting - while those are important and insightful, I need romance, I need imagination, I need Calgon to take me away!!

This is just a start and on a small enough scale that I don't feel so overwhelmed. I will need your help, though, to keep me on track, that is!

I hope that everyone had a great New Year's celebration and that this year will be the best ever!

A Random Ranting

This seems like a great platform for me to vent...so here goes...

how is it that no one understand that when I say tomorrow that I mean the next business day??? I mean, come on, really how hard is that to comprehend?

The only explanation that have is that the way I think is so far above their level of comprehension and they are so mesmerized by the idea that I can think into the future that they can just stare and drool :0)