I am dull - November 29, 2005 -
Things have been, well, busy here.
Tomorrow Quinn gets his cast off and we will get to see his improved foot. I am a bit nervous, but I am sure it will be fantastic. We are planning on making a day of it, maybe take in some RV shopping and go see a different kind of tow vehicle.
See, I told you I was dull today!
Thanksgiving, a time for over-indulgence - November 26, 2005 -
Oh dear Lord, how we love our Mama Mia
Originally uploaded by jody2ms.
My brain is so full of stuff related to RV’s and new trucks that not a witty, coherant post can squeeze out. But I did manage to load some pics to Flickr.
Mama Mia was the belle of the ball in her fall attire. Isn’t she scrumptious? (And, no, you can’t have her.) We had to beat relatives off of her with a big stick. We also had to bathe her when we got back to the hotel room to wash the million or so kisses off of her.
Thanksgiving was so fantastic, as usual. Stuffed ourselves with great food. Visited with loads of family. Hit some surf shops and crammed in much RV shopping on the way home through Houston.
You know you are pushing your limits and looking too hard when your 11yo, who is the biggest advocate of buying an RV and traveling, whines and says, “I don’t want to do it anymore. If I have to look at one more RV, I am going to DIE”. A bit of overkill on our part?
And just in case you were wondering…. yes, we spared his life and headed for home.
Our new title - November 20, 2005 -
Just in time for our new purchase, I see this.
Thanks for the link Sam
And now for my next trick, watch carefully as I make all of our salary disappear each month - November 20, 2005 -
Okay, so this is what we have decided….we will be purchasing this tomorrow. (What do you think Kathy?) It is a used one,but it is in IMMACULATE condition. It was cleaner and in better condition than any of the RV’s we saw new at the dealership. It is loaded too. It has all of the upgrades that are possible. We called several dealerships and they all agreed that it was a great deal. Plus, the people we bought it from were very particular…..and that is an understatement.
Tomorrow I am also shelling out a fortune for a Tow Vehicle, or TV. Bill is about to go insane with glee, as he will get his new diesel truck now. As I sit here typing this, he is outside dismantling the carport so as to have some place to store this behemoth RV we have insanely purchased.
Now we will be under a ruthless budget like never before seen at Chez Jody2ms. Ah, it won’t be that bad. But bad enough.
Photos to come. Maybe tomorrow.
Nite to all, or ny’tal!
********update. In a 4 am, “I can’t sleep can you?” chat session we decided not to go with the used RV above. I am off today to a dealer that can get us a new one for the same price…..
How to spend every red cent you have, or don’t have, without even trying - November 19, 2005 -
Here is one trailer we are looking at. We are hoping to get the F321QBS. The price is really high, but we are hoping to find a dealer that can get it for much cheaper than the quotes we have had, or maybe find it used.
That is basically what we are looking for. What brand we end up with is another story. It is all about $$$$. How much can we afford? Well, not much after we buy the new truck to tow it with. We are considering trading in the van for a supercab diesel. Did I just say that???????????? Some body slap me! Hurry!
Stress city here.
Oh, and I will shamelessly point out the Google ads at right. I have been tinkering with differnt codes and such, and it seems I finally have some content that matches some posts. So, click away!
Don’t use the “B” word - November 18, 2005 -
I hate to even say it….but, okay, here goes….we are so BUUUUUUSY here! So cliche.
So much going on, and not much time to post and read blogs.
I can say that one of the things we are BUSY with, is researching and deciding which travel trailer we are buying. Yeah! Going back and forth to the coast has made it evident that we would really use one. But, there are so many, it makes it hard to pick one. We are narrowing it down, and will decide very soon. I am looking forward to camping on the weekend at the beach when the surf is up!!
Other things are keeping us occupied, but more on that another time.
For now, have a great weekend with your families!!!
Wednesday 3 - November 16, 2005 -
First off, if you don’t read Dooce, todays post is worth catching.
Okay, so Wednesday 3:
1. How many times have you yelled by 10 am? 2
2. How many Brown Recluse spiders have you killed in your bathtub, the very one your kids bathe in, this week? 2
3. How many times have you vacuumed the food, paper cuttings, leaves, and glitter off the kitchen floor today by 10am? 2
Get over the hump today and do something fun! Go on an adventure with your kids or do a fun project with them. Or do like I am right now….GET OFF THE COMPUTER and get outside!!!
Off to play………now go, git.
The wind is howling - November 15, 2005 -
A cold front has finally made its way here. The wind is blowing and it is grey and overcast. Pecans and leaves are falling from the trees. I have the air conditioner off and the doors open for the first time in weeks.
Soup is on the menu for tonight, with warm bread. Mia is napping on the bed and the boys are watching a movie. In a few minutes Bill will be home, then we will all be together for a cozy evening.
Sometimes, I feel so content and happy I could almost burst.
Salmonella anyone? - November 14, 2005 -
Cory came home from the creek with this creature yesterday:
After reading this article, it will be having a very short stay at Casa del reptil y anfibio.
Exotics are out numbering the people in this house. Must……..learn……..to say…….NO!
Last night found us all huddled in pitch dark around the Red Eyed frogs habitat watching their nocturnal habits via a repto-night light. It was so interesting to watch them catch crickets………………….. I know, I know, we are very sad indeed, and must find a new hobby.
It will not be raising turtles, I’ll tell ya that much!
The details - November 14, 2005 -
So, we made it through the surgery and Quinn did so great. Thursday night at the hotel, he spiked a low grade fever of 101.2 and, well, you can just imagine how bad I was flipping out. His urticaria had returned a bit on his trunk, and FEVER dammit. His fever lasted all of 1 hour, we went to bed, and awoke with no fever and the rash gone. Go figure.
Thanks to Chris for turning me on to Lysol! It worked! Yeah! Now I am passing it back to you!
Actually, it was just meant to be and no amount of “control freaking” would have made it any different. But, hey! I am one to believe that you at least have to try! Right??
So, as I said, he flew through the surgery. He came out from the anesthesia without any difficulty, and life was grand.
He ended up with a tendo-achilles lengthening, a release of his posterior tibialis, and a release of his toe extensors (this was something Dr. W. decided to do right before surgery). The tendo achilles lengthening was not as successful as we had hoped. Without getting too technical, we were only able to gain 15% more dorsiflexion. It was hoped to increase by about 25-35%. This indicates that the problem is more likely to be in his ankle joint capsule, and this is not great news. It is quite crappy. If the release, casting and such do not work, then he will have to have surgery again, this time into the joint of the foot. Bah!
But, you know what. I have my little Quinnie. He is happy, smiling, and hs started walking on his foot. Bye, bye metal walker. He actually went to school this morning! The miracles of modern medicine!! Surgery on Friday, walking and school on Monday.
Home again - November 12, 2005 -
We are home, and trying to get settled in. Quinn is great. Sore, but great. He did not have any complications at all.
As for the surgery and was it successful?…. yes and no. The doc was pleased about some things, and disappointed about others. I will get into that on Monday when I have more time. Right now, I have a 5yo clomping around the house in a walker (yes, a walker), and 2 big kids that haven’t seen us in 2 days.
A photo journal……I also uploaded all the pics to my Flickr album at right!
Pre-op:
After the pre-op Versed……now I know what my 5yo would be like after drinking a couple of strong margaritas……(for me, this was the worst part….it was hard watching him like this):
Praise God for getting to post-op, 1 1/2 hours after surgery started:
How surgeons avoid cutting on the wrong leg:
and now, with new improved urticaria! - November 10, 2005 -
The Benadryl worked. It has faded to almost nothing. We are off.
If you would, send up some prayers for Quinn tomorrow morning!
I’ll check back in as soon as I can.
C’ya.
Now what? - November 10, 2005 -
It is almost 1pm. Quinn’s surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. He was on the list for somewhere between 11-11:30, but one of the kids ahead of him got cancelled, so now we are scheduled for 9-9:30. Quinn is a cranky boy in the morning until he gets some food in his belly. He usually eats around 7am, so we were in for a loooooong morning if he remained scheduled so late, so this is a good thing.
So, we leave in 3 hours. And guess what? I went in to the bathroom to give Quinn some toilet paper and I saw his legs looked red. I pulled his jeans off and his legs are one, big, swollen welt from toes to waist. It is the worst case of urticaria I have ever seen. It looks like a reaction to the new detergent that I bought….I hope. Lysol will not fix this problem.
Is that some impressive welting, or what?!! He has had some benadryl and I am hoping the welts disappears in the next 17 hours.
FYI….this has never happened before to Quinn. Yep, it is a first. Isn’t that speeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeecial?
And then I will disinfect THE WORLD - November 9, 2005 -
No surfing for me today. Whaaaaaaa. The lady that watches Mia is sick with a cold, and we don’t need anymore germ exposure here at Chez Jody2ms. I am already spraying Lysol on everything. 
Everytime I hear a cough, I want to dip the person in a 25% bleach solution and start them on antibiotics. Quinn is sleeping on the couch away from everyone who has coughed or even cleared their throat in the last 78 hours.
You have heard of Friday 5? Well, I am starting the Wednesday 3. Pass it on and lets get over mid-week hump day:
-number of people in your house on antibiotics? 3
-how many cans of Lysol are in your house? 3
-what brand of antiseptic hand gel you have placed at every sink in the house, in every childs backpack, and in the car : Bath & Body Works Mango Mandarin
Oh, and, last night…………………I heard Quinn coughing. I put my fingers in my ears and sang “La, la, la, la, la, la, I can’t hear that, La, la, la, la, la”. Denial, it’s not a river in Egypt.
Durn it all - November 8, 2005 -
I am not sure what the problem is, but I am turning off login for now until I can figure it out.
So, comment away. You do not need to register or login to comment.
Shesh….I was wondering why it was so quiet here!!! LOLOL!
Re-shoot? - November 8, 2005 -
Oh yes.
Quinn said, “It looks weird. I’m fluffy.”
Fluffy just about says it all.
Cory, that face! - November 7, 2005 -
Cory, that face!
Originally uploaded by jody2ms.
I don’t think finding a date will be a problem for this one.
I uploaded a couple of new photos to flickr. I upgraded to pro, because I am taking so many durn pictures with the new camera, and I really needed a place to store them for viewing by others in the family etc. Enjoy!
A bikini in November - November 7, 2005 -
So, if it is cold, snowy or wet where you live, you might want to skip this.
It was so beautiful at the beach yesterday. It was in the 80’s, water was in the 80’s, and the sun was shining bright. I even wore my triathlon bikini! Not that I looked too great in it, but who cares! I got a tan! We are all getting tan right now. The boys hair is bleaching out again, they are brown and you would think it was July here at the jody2ms house.
Oh, and the surf! It was fantastic! I even feel like I am getting stronger in my arms and getting a bit more swift on paddling out to the outside break. Three weeks ago I was feeble at it, but yesterday I felt some power returning to my arms. You would think that carrying around a 22 pound child all day long would give me some strength, but it is so different. Sure, I could probably LIFT more, but using your arms as paddles through shore break and such is a different story. I caught 2 waves in particular that made me feel so great. I was in the midst of a bunch of twentysomethings in the line up, and I imagine they thought that the old chick was a kook. Kook this, I thought when I caught a wave and rode it in.
We also collected more sand dollars. Something like 40! Last Sunday we only found 3, but the weekend before that we found 30 or so. All whole and beautiful. The best one of the bunch, so far, has been found by Mia.
Last weekend the waves were breaking hard on the shore, so the sand dollars were being pulverized. We combed the beach for hours, finding only 2 very small ones, one with a small piece broken off. When we were about to leave, Mia walked up to Bill and handed him something covered in wet sand. Yeah, it was a large, lovely sand dollar….perfect in every way. How she didn’t crush it, I will never know. But then, the sand dollar has been very meaningful (look at Feb 5th post in link) in Mia’s life with us, so it made perfect sense.
In other news, buddy ate a garden hose, Cody is home sick today with a 102.6 and, what else…..Oh! Quinn is scheduled for surgery on Friday. But, shhhhhhhhhhhh, we are not talking about it much here. We are taking appropriate measures to ward off sickness in him and another wig out by his dear mother….measures that include lots of Lysol, Zithromax, a fridge stocked with Tecate, and other masterful distraction techniques by Bill…one of which is me heading to Port A on Wednesday, BY MYSELF, to catch some waves. Whoohoooo!! He spoils me, no?
I am nuts - November 5, 2005 -
The other day when I was visiting Chookooloonks, she posted about NaNoWriMo and it intrigued me. I went to the site, registered, and started writing today while Bill was doing some brick work in the backyard (no bricks for me, babe).
While Mia napped, I wrote 2302 words in one sitting and enjoyed the heck out of it…..and I don’t think it was half bad. Not sure where I am going with it, but I have 2 chapters down! Whoo hoo!
If I can figure out how, I will post my word count daily. If I finish it, I might post it for you to read. Ya never know! Wish the crazy woman luck!
***I have just been informed by Bill that we are heading to the beach again to surf. He has GOT to be the best guy in the world, no doubt!!!
Eeny, meeny, miny, mo - November 5, 2005 -
Mia is talking more and more these days. We have little exchanges that are so adorable it just makes me want to eat her up whole.
Todays went like this:
Mia: (tugging on my shirt) Boobie, pleeeeeze.
Me: Okay, but which one. This one or this one?
Mia: ‘Dis one, pleeeeeze
Me: This one?
Mia: Jess, ‘dis one, pleeeeeeze. (as she nods her head vigorously)
Whatever you want, sweetie, it’s yours.
Zoo day - November 3, 2005 -
No, not a trip to the zoo. We have our own here, thankyouverymuch.
Today it is “clean all the animal cages” day. Our zoo now consists of:
-2 Red Eyed Tree frogs
2-Red Efts
1-Green tree frog
1- container of stinky, nasty crickets to feed the above
1-fish tank
1-cat
1-dog
and 1 monkey, baby
I love animals and it looks like I have passed that on down to my kiddos. Cody wants to be an “animal specialist” like Jeff Corwin, and I can guarantee you that it will happen. The kid has charisma. He is full of expression and personality. People, as well as animals are just drawn to him. So, keep your eye on Animal Planet in about 10 years you may see Cody in a pair of khakis chasing lizards, snakes and what-not through the Amazon rain forest. Hence, the zoo at our house, as you will see below.
Monkey Mia in action. Here she is, in this never before viewed photo, utilizing primitive tools(My Little Pony toothbrush) to get what she wants:
Mission accomplished:
The fish tank might need to be cleaned:
In other animal news, Buddy (formerly known as Milo) has been banished to the back 1/2 acre because, well, I got pretty tired of the neighbors laughing hysterically at me through their windows as I raced through the neighborhood in my jammies chasing the escaped psycho dog, who will dart out with the boys on their way to school every morning. We actually had the fence company come and put this section up just for Buddy. Now we can come and go from the yard without having to worry about being attacked by a muddy, happytoseeyouohmyGodhowIloveyou Buddy boy:
I leave you today with photos of the tree frogs. May your day be as bright as they are:
The tiger - November 2, 2005 -
The lights go out and I can’t be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought me down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead
Come out of things unsaid
Shoot an apple off my head and a
Trouble that can’t be named
A tiger’s waiting to be tamed
Clocks by Coldplay
Post partum anxiety is a weird thing. I think it differs from PPD in so many ways, but then is so like it that I can’t tell one from the other. Anxiety makes the heart race, and a feeling of being overwhelmed rolls up from the very pit of your stomach and lodges in your chest. It sits there and your mind races. I worry about my kids constantly. I am irrational in my thoughts at times, imagining something happening to one of them, and God, it brings me to my knees. I know it is a chemical imbalance…..I can almost taste the rise of the hormones/adrenaline in my mouth.
The day before Quinn’s scheduled surgery date (the one that got cancelled) Bill brought home some Zoloft for me to take. After much debate, my best friend got me to take one. That afternoon we left for the beach.
People tell me that it takes about a week to notice a difference, but I have to tell you, for me it was immediate. I was so calm. The anxiety left my body and I felt like my old self again around 12 hours after the dose. For me, it was like taking a Xanax or a Valium. I felt like I could come up for air and think clearly.
24 hours later, I did not take my second dose. Or my third etc etc. Why you might ask? I KNOW that it helped me. I KNOW that it could make a big differnce in my life. It gave me a moment to come to he surface of the racing tide and take a long, deep breath. So why not take it?
Reason # 1 My daughter is nursing and getting some of it. What long term effects will this have on her budding nervous system? They just do not know at this point. The drugs are too new.
Reason#2 I know that if I get pregnant on it, I have an increased chance of having a baby with cleft lip or clubfoot. As slight as those chance are, I just am not willing to go there. I have done clubfoot. It runs in the family. Do I want to increase odds that are already high enough? No.
Reason # 3. I want to try to calm the tiger myself. I want to wresle it to the ground and pin it down. So, I get on my bike and ride like there is no tomorrow. I grab a surf board and I paddle out into the salt water, feeling the sun on my face and the rise of the waves beneath me. I stand up on my board and the wave surges me forward. Sometimes I fall. Sometimes I ride it briefly and I feel the power of God and creation under my feet. That is my Zoloft.
Like I said, I KNOW it is a great medication and has helped many people, and God only knows, I am just a person, and maybe this beast will continue to stalk me. One day soon, I may end up taking the meds to get my life back in order.
For now, I have the tiger by his toe and am trying my damnest to tame it. With the help of my amazing husband, friends, my faith in God, and the love I have for my wonderful children, I am kicking its rear one day at a time.
Maybe we should just dry clean the whole lot - November 1, 2005 -
My husband and I argue about the laundry. We don’t have conflict about money, or jealousy. Our disagreements are about cleaning and laundry.
How many of you can say that the following has happened in your house. Raise your hand if you can relate: I walk into the room where my husband is bringing a sandwich to his mouth and yell “STOP DOING THE LAUNDRY ALREADY”. ………………….crickets chirping………………………………………………………………………………throat cleared……………………………………………………………..I don’t see a sea of hands waving in the air. What, your husbands don’t chronically do the laundry??? Ahem, so am I the only one?
You must be scratching your heads saying “He does the LAUNDRY! WHAT is her problem?!” I know I sound ungrateful, but let me finish.
Most people do laundry a certain way. You wash, dry, fold. Wash, dry, fold. You want to know how Bill does the laundry? Wash, dry, dump into a basket, wash, dry, add to the basket, wash, dry, cram into same damn basket, wash, dry stomp into freakin, fullalreadydammit basket. Bring to the bedroom for Jody to fold. I shake, shake, shake each article, cursing the hand that feeds me as I try and fold 10 loads of laundry piled on my bed. I throw at least 1/2 of it back into the hamper to be rewashed because not even an iron heated in Hell could remove the trash compacted wrinkles from the clothes.
The other thing that he does that is not consistent with laundry normality is this……….he does not sort. I bought some brand new white towels and while folding, noticed one that looked, hmm, not white anymore. I walked into the den and said, “Honey, did you wash my white towels with the darks?” Why, yessiree, he did do that. White towels, with blue jeans, black towels and red shirts. No, he is not color blind. Even if he was, he could tell white from FREAKING BLACK.
He also does not pull the socks right side out. He leaves them in little peeled balls that upon being washed, dried and then unpeeled, sends rocks, grass and assorted other playground fodder all over the floor. But, I can’t gripe about that too much, because he vacuums, remember?
So, we have this recurrent power struggle with the laundry. He wants it done NOW, and I want it done right. What’s a girl to do???
For now, we have called a truce, and he has given laundry control back to me. But be careful what you bitch ask for. I sit here watching the laundry pile up on me. It is like some huge ivy plant that is getting out of control……. Hmm, maybe tie dyed towels are kind of growing on me.
BOO! - November 1, 2005 -
BOO!
Originally uploaded by jody2ms.
We had such a great time yesterday. Lots of candy eaten, cookies devoured, haunted houses explored and a nice cold front to top off the evening.
As much fun as we had, I have to say that the beginning was rocky….the kids got home from school and were so hyped up it wasn’t funny. They dumped huge bags of candy all over the kitchen, threw off their clothes, letting them fall where they may, and got on their costumes. I went from room to room cleaning up the messes, and I would come back to where I started only to find it destroyed again…..wrappers everywhere, food crushed on the carpet. I kept telling them to pick up, eat in the kitchen etc, etc, only to have it fall on deaf ears. I finally resorted to yelling, and I yelled and yelled and yelled some more. I HATE yelling at them, and just can’t stand it when I end up doing just that.
As we got ready to leave the house, I asked Cody if he was ready to have fun. He replied “Oh yes, at least it will be”. I said, “Oh, you mean the yelling and griping is making it not fun?” and he relied “Right, but don’t worry, the night isn’t ruined….yet”.
Gotta love his truthfulness….we call him Honest Abe.
And no, it wasn’t ruined. We had a fantastic time, then all got a sugar high right before bed.
Click on the pic of those scary kids, and you will see some scenes from our Halloween fun.
