Answering the Call

10:54 am

Well, although I really should be baking for my party tomorrow night, or doing laundry or continuing on with the project I started this morning (painting the area above and beside the desk first with magnetic paint and then with chalkboard paint)


I decided I would take advantage of a little quiet time and respond to Martha's tag. This was a great thought since Adia was sleeping and Steele and Justin went to get snow tires on the car until... Adia decided to wake up at just about the same time Steele came clomping in the house with his new snow boots on and Justin told me he decided he didn't want to wait at the tire shop with a 2 year old for an hour and a half (come on, sounds like fun to me). All this, literally a couple minutes ago. So I'll keep you all on the edge of your seats and return to this later....

Snow!

Snow!
It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow
Snow!
I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow
Snow!

I long to clear a path and lift a spade of snow
Snow!
Oh, to see a great big man entirely made of snow

Where it's snowing
All winter through
That's where I want to be
Snowball throwing
That's what I'll do
How I'm longing to ski
Through the snow-oh-oh-oh-oh

Those glist'ning houses that seem to be built of snow
Snow!
Oh, to see a mountain covered with a quilt of snow

What is Christmas with no snow?
No white Christmas with no snow
Snow!

(from White Christmas)

That's right folks! It's snowing! And you know I love it! Justin is so excited 'cause that means the mountain is opening. He has a pass this year and is planning on taking Steele up. They both went and got little I.D.s with their pictures on them. There hanging on our rear view mirror in the Euro and are so cute. Let the skiing begin!


On another note - the Dancing With the Stars finale just finished and it was totally disappointing! And I'm so tired of all the fans booing when the judges give their critique. I, for one, think they're usually right on. And they're professionals! They know their stuff. Sheesh. Well, it will be interesting to see how it all turns out. Marie needs to go if you ask me. The doll dance tonight was uncomfortable just to watch.

It Might Be PMS

I'm tired. Like, physically tired (my eyes are aching) and mentally tired (think Jazzercise). I feel like crying (in fact, I already have once today). I haven't done school with Steele in who knows how long. Justin will be gone most of the week and I already feel stressed over the week's upcoming events. Wednesday my Bible study group is coming over after we meet. I decided I want to make chocolate peppermint bark cookies which means I'll need to make peppermint bark first. (Can you see me starting to drag already?). Our Junior Jazzercise Holiday Hop is supposed to start Friday and we only have 2 kids signed up. Doesn't that sound like a barrel of fun? (moving even more slowly) Saturday I decided to have a little (turning huge) get-together after our town's lighted Christmas parade (slumping over). My guests would probably enjoy some warm beverages and treats so I better get on that too (flinging myself onto my bed and into my cozy wintry flannel sheets).

And now? I'm practicing my set for tomorrow so that my students can have some new songs to dance to. The problem is that all of this fun stuff should be just that. Fun. And it would be if I didn't have Jazzercise always hanging over my head. All of it wouldn't really be that much to do if that were all there was. It would be a blast! I'm just gonna to be honest here. I don't need to work, I don't want to work, I don't make any money for myself doing this. So far it's just a glorified hobby. (A nice new pair of shoes every so often would be sufficient pay for me) All I really want to do is stay home with my babies, bake, cook, decorate, home school (and probably get fat without Jazzercise...) I've had 2 or 3 anxiety attacks in the last few months (they suck). I'm a grown, mature (that's arguable sometimes) woman and it's silly that I get to that point. Hmph. I hesitated to write all of this and finally decided to just do it. To be honest, as well-intentioned as everyone might be, I don't usually care for shallow "I'm sorry"s and "You're doing a great job"s (if you know what I mean). I just need to logically think it through, pray, and make a decision.

But like I said, it might just be PMS. (don't you just love parenthesis?)

Since I'm talking Jazzercise...
Last year's 80's themed Halloween Class
Yes. That's me. Yes. That's my hair.

PS. I went searching for reminders of why Jazzercise is so much fun. Here's one. I found these pictures of me at a former students' wedding. We were bustin' out the Jazzercise moves!

Lose My Breath

Scenes of the Season

And by the way, did you know that when vultures get scared they vomit? A little known fact I just learned thanks to the discovery channel....

Ha, Ha, HA!!

I found this too...


Poor guy... doesn't know the difference between "your" and "you're". (Stacy?) He can fight a darn good fire though!

Ha Ha!

I just pulled out an old spiral notebook and found something that gave Justin and I a good laugh. Check it out for yourself....

(circa 2002)

Some change is good.....

Double Drat!

So, to catch you all up - Justin had surgery on his shoulder at the beginning of October and hasn't been back to work since. Aside from the first couple weeks when he couldn't do much, we've been having a great time hanging out, getting some work done and doing fun things together as a family. He reminded me today that the last time he went to work was September 28th - or something crazy like that.

Justin's a firefighter and works about 9 (or less) shifts a month. He works a couple hours away which works for us since he works long shifts. We love it - he gets paid according to the cost of living in a big city, works for a great established department and we get to live in a quaint little rural town. It's great.

Unfortunately, though, his shoulder is not quite healed yet and his sick leave is running out. We discussed the possibility of him using some of his vacation days but in the end decided it would be better for him to go back to work a little earlier on light duty. Now that I think about it, that may have been the only option the department gave him but it actually works out better for us... in the long run.

In the short run it means that Justin has to go back to work tomorrow - 2 hours away - for 8 hour shifts. Blech!!! So I'm going from having him home ALL the time, to having him home NONE of the time. I'm in a surprisingly bad mood about it. And does anyone else do this? I'm sad about him going back to work and I almost feel mad at him for it. It's not his fault. He doesn't want to be gone any more than I want him to be gone. In fact, he specifically told me that he's going to drive home every night because he wants to be able to kiss the kids goodnight and at least be able to sleep in the same bed with me. He said if he stayed at his sister's house he'd just be sitting there bored, by himself for a few hours every night when he could at least see us even if it's only for a few moments. Isn't he great? He really is such a wonderful husband.

And, to top it all off, this is going to be the busiest week I've had in a long while. Wednesday both the kids have a doctor's appointment. I have to miss BSF for that which is sort of ok since it will be one less thing for me to do - and I don't have anyone to watch Adia anyway. Friday night my instructors and I are having a Friends and Family night at Jazzercise - so I'll be running around getting food and prizes and making general preparations for that all week. And if I really wanted to - I was invited to a home party and a baby shower this week which I'm going to opt out on. Saturday? One pumpkin cheesecake, two pumpkin pies and one apple pie for Thanksgiving with Justin's family on Sunday. And I really should put together a new set to teach, my students are getting tired of my current songs.

One day at a time.

And finally, I couldn't believe what happened today. I had an appointment with the "woman" doctor. I've been waiting and waiting for this appointment since I was overdue and also wanted to talk to her a bit about fertility treatment - you know, since Justin's grandparents have offered to "pay for the fertilization" and all. Another long story but I had surgery last year and never made it to my post-op appointment in the middle of the craziness of adopting Adia. So, lots to catch up on. Anyway, I'm sitting there, robe on, sheet over my lap and from the next room I can hear my doctor explaining to another patient that she got a labor and delivery call from the hospital and had to leave. No!!! I am so bad at making appointments - it will probably be months before I get back in there.

Oh well, I'm really not that excited about being pregnant. It can wait a little bit longer. Seriously. I've been hearing so many bad pregnancy stories lately. I'm perfectly content to watch the babies come out, have them handed to me and walk out of the hospital in my same jeans. It's worked brilliantly for me twice already. I am SO not being sarcastic here. It's true. Just ask Amy.

Ramble, ramble, ramble....



I just went back and re-read that post. I guess I really needed to vent about some stuff! Now I can go to sleep.