Living in a Daze

I just realized that since I started my new work schedule my blogging has become even more sparse. Something about working 60 hours in one week with the last 20 hours being a graveyard shift has been interesting. I get off of work at 6 am Monday morning (which is the end of the 60 hours)and go back in Tuesday morning at 6 am for the next 2 days to finish off the last 20 hours. I thought this would be great so that I would have 4 days off in a row. Instead I spend those four days just trying to get my sleep and sanity back. One may ask why I do this to myself and the answer is easy. I'm doing it so that Brian can study on the weekend and so I can spend more daytime hours with my kiddos. Oh, the things we do for our family.

Mornings with Daddy

Brian has been taking the kids to school for the last few months since the majority of my shifts start at 6 am. I really don't know how he manages to get everyone up and out the door. This morning I had to laugh when I found this email in my inbox.

"Allyson wanted to know why William's penis was red and had an erection this morning. I did not know what to tell her."

My response, "LOL, so what did you tell her."

His response, "That is just the way it is for boys. She said that girls do not have that right? Only boys do. You have one right Daddy."

I can only imagine what goes on in my house on school days in the morning.

I'm not your 4 am Florist

It is 4 o'clock Monday morning and I'm just about to finish up my 60 hour work week. I have been on the graveyard shift the last two nights and I'm running on about 3.5 hours of sleep. It would be an understatement to say that my temperament is a little short at the moment. For the last 30 minutes I have be receiving calls from the old guy who is trying to order a Valentine bear. Is he serious? Who orders a Valentine gift at 4 am? Well, apparently this old guy does. After numerous (okay only 3 times) of telling this guy he has the wrong number he wants me to dial this number that he heard on the radio for the Valentine bear. So sure, I do this just out of my own curiosity. So I dial the 1-800-dotbear to get the automatic recording that this is an invalid recording. At the end of the recording it gives the identity code of something like 0232. I guess he thinks that is my number that he is supposed to be calling. After going over with him once again that this is not the dot bear hotline he then calls back to ask what my number is for. I tell him that it is for people that take their medications incorrectly or if you get bitten by something like a spider or a snake. He then proceeds to tell me that he takes several medications but luckily for me he doesn’t elaborate on them. So I tell him once again that this is an emergency hotline so hopefully he will get it this time…I can only pray he does.

Walking for Andrew

Brian and I have decided to help the Scott & White Medical Education Alliance and Children's Miracle Network by being an online fundraiser for the 3rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day 5K Run/Walk & Kids’ 1K Fun Run. I am supporting this great event by asking my friends and family members for donations. The money raised from this event will be donated to The Children's Hospital at Scott & White in Temple, Texas. The money was used to purchase 6 laptop computers for the Child Life Department to be used by immunocompromised children to stay current with their school work and stay in touch with the outside world. We realize times are tough right now, so we appreciate donations large and small. Please help us meet our fundraising goal! This is our annual fundraiser that we do in memory of our own little angel Andrew Reed.

Month 1 of the Biggest Loser Contest

For those that may not know I'm doing the three month Biggest Loser Contest again this year. This year I'm doing the contest with my playgroup and it is so much fun because these women are a blast! Last year I lost 30 pounds and maintained 25 pounds for the rest of the year. This year my goal is 15 pounds for the contest. I know at this point that goal is a little unrealistic but if you are going to aim then aim high. So in order to find some accountablity I'm just laying it all out there. So my goal is 15 pounds and for month one I have lost 6 pounds! I know it could have been more but I seemed to have found a few social hours for the month. So 9 more pounds to go and 12 weeks until swimsuit season!

I'm Waving the White Flag

Let's just say that I'm about to have to quit one of my posting boards soon. Between the website and the BlogSpot I just can't keep up with both and I feel like I'm not giving my best to either site. The website is dear to me because I have had it since Allyson was an infant and I don't want to give it up. I know that long term I will have to either convert it to its own webpage or do something because I don't want to have teenagers and their website is on babyhomepages.net. I love BlogSpot because this is where I started posting all of my feelings and my journey with grief after we lost Andrew. I still have a story that I would like to share one day but I'm still not emotionally ready for that. I'm still not doing so hot about starting my New Year resolutions but hopefully I can get my butt in gear soon. Maybe I should do a post about that...lol. After my friend, Tracy, shut her blog down I keep questioning if I should do the same. So for now I'm surrendering to my goals and whatever happens, happens. Please let me know if you have a solution to my dilemma.

Hello 2009

Again this year I thought it would be best that I post my 2009 resolutions or goals. This way I will have some accountability and if that doesn't work at least I can look back and remember what I didn't do this year. Last year I posted a general list of what I would like to do. I have to admit that I'm really impressed with myself for 2008. Overall, I accomplished many things that I wanted to do in order to really "find myself" again. First of all, we have found a home church and have been attending regularly. Brian and I have really enjoyed going and they have a wonderful children’s program. Brian and I are doing better than ever. The last 2.5 years have been really hard on us but we have made it a point to focus on each other and make our marriage a priority. Personally, I have kept off 25 pounds that I lost back in April. Professionally, I passed my certification test so that will be out of my mind for the next 6 years. So this year, along with setting my resolutions I’m also make more of a list of things that I have been procrastinating. So here goes….

1. Becoming more involved in the church. It has been really difficult this year
with work and Brian’s school schedule but I need to stop using that as an excuse. I would like to become more involved in a small group.

2. Keeping Brian and my marriage a priority. Planning at least two dates a month and trying to find little things to remind him what he means to me.

3. Focusing more on the kids. I have been consistently spending quite time with the kids at night with reading and prayers and want to make sure I continue this. I would also like to spend time with each kid individually by doing girl time and teaching skills for kindergarten with Allyson and alone time with William by reading books, going on walks, and to the park.

4. To spend more time with my Grandmother.

5. I would like to read one book a month. A real book, not a children’s book.

6. I would like to maintain the weight that I have lost and lose another 15 pounds. I’m starting another 3 month Biggest Loser challenge with my play group on the 8th!

7. To start the kids’ baby albums. Sad to say I have never printed off one baby picture since Allyson has been born. I’m determined to make digital albums this year! I welcome any ideas or tips for this project.

8. To update my blog and website weekly.

9. Finally organizing my closet. That is the one place in my house that I just get overwhelmed.

10. Start to use coupons and learn the Walgreens or CVS game. With this economy we need to save our pennies.

11. Being a better friend because I’m so blessed to have the friends that I have!