Randomness

11/30

Our Elf on the Shelf has returned and Abby is SO into it. Everyday she wants to make a gift for our elf, Jack. As soon as she wakes up she has to find him. As soon as she gets home from school, she has to talk to him. It's so cute and I wish this magic would last forever but I know I only have a year or two left with her. Notice the boots and gingerbread boy.

12/8

Abby got her cast off a week ago and was put into a boot. So glad to be done with the wheelchair. It's been a long, slow process getting her to walk on her boot. She's using crutches to help her at school but I think by Monday she'll be free of any help besides the boot. She has to wear the boot for a month - 24/7 - even when she sleeps and let me tell you, that boot already stinks!

12/10

Olivia has not been sleeping well this week and ends up in our bed most nights. Last night I slept on her floor for 3 hours hoping it would help. An hour after I left she was back in our bed. I took her to the Dr. today to see if she had an ear infection. Not an ear infection, another ruptured ear drum. Poor kid has been hurting for awhile.

Kaitlyn noticed Olivia didn't have any money in her piggy bank so she went and got some money out of hers to make sure Olivia had some too. I love it when the kids are so thoughtful and kind to each other.

I'm already feeling overwhelmed for this month - anyone else feeling that way too? I feel I've been the Grinch at home the last few days. Kids have been fighting and moody. I've been moody. I've been trying to get a lot of things done for a Primary service activity and ice-cream party that's tomorrow. I have tons of shopping still to do (poor Todd will get nothing on Christmas same with cousins). I bought myself my own present when I got a speeding ticket a couple weeks ago. I haven't had one in years and I about choked on the cost. I have to go back to the town where I got it to claim I'll do defensive driving so that will help on the cost. And I'm just so tired on top of it. Luckily Kaitlyn will watch a show in the afternoon so I can get a 30 minute power nap in. One project and day at a time...

12/12

Thank heavens for wonderful husbands. I was able to take a 3 hour nap today. I've had a headache for a couple days today and Todd just let me sleep and helped pick up the slack. He made hot chocolate for the girls and they had a little dessert party this afternoon.

Kaitlyn has broken out in a rash all over her body. It's Fifth's Disease. It's been going around in the ward. She's past the contagious part but it's not safe for pregnant women to get it so here's hoping I don't get it!

Random Thoughts as I Procrastinate Cleaning...

1. Got to eat at Costa Vida twice in 3 days! Yum! Saturday I went shopping for bunk beds for the girls and to get a new vacuum, while I was out I had to get myself some lunch. It's nice going to go shopping on your own. Todd worked from home on Monday and after presidency meeting a couple of us made the drive over to Costa Vida to get lunch. Todd took care of Olivia and Kaitlyn so I could go alone. It was so nice!

And you know you're old when you are excited about a new appliance. This new vacuum better last me a good 20+ years.

2. Kaitlyn has gone on a dinner strike. No matter what I make, even if it's one of her favorites, as soon as I set it on the table she says "YUCK!" and will only eat the sides. I have to make sure I have a couple sides so she at least eats something.

This morning Kaitlyn woke me up at 3 AM to tell me she was hungry and wanted breakfast. Unfortunately for her, she had at least 4 more hours to wait. I was nice enough to let her climb into bed with me. However, at 4 AM Olivia cried out for Mom and ended up in our bed too. I was sandwiched in between both girls and did not sleep well.

3. Olivia does not like napping in her crib she prefers taking naps in Kaitlyn's toddler bed. Last week Olivia threw such a fit when I put her in her crib for a nap, she flung herself over and took a nose dive to the ground. Scared me to death. Now she has a nice carpet burn on and under her nose. Got to get some new beds for Abby and Kaitlyn quickly! New beds for everyone for Christmas.

4. Abby had her first grade performance tonight and it was so fun to see them sing their Thanksgiving songs. Her name was flashed on the TV screen as being a WOW writer. I need to find out more about what that means.

Random Thoughts

My friend Lisa has Friday Random thoughts on her blog and I like reading some of the little things going on that are too small to really blog about but fun to look back on when you want to remember those little things. So you might start seeing some random thoughts pop up here and there on the blog. The first one is a little longer than I thought it was going to be.

Letter Detective:

Kaitlyn is loving pre-school and is growing so much in the last 2 months. She got to play letter detective and find all the B's in our house. I love the get-up that is sent home.

Sock Hop:

Every year, Abby's school does a Sock hop with cake walk and little carnival type games. The day of the activity she mentions to me that she really wants to wear a poodle skirt because that's what most of the girls do. Luckily my mom saves everything and I had my old poodle skirt from when I was in 4th or 5th grade. With a little safety pinning and rolling we made it work.

Kaitlyn won some glasses in one of the games and kept saying how cool she was with them on.

Olivia loves to eat. She had a couple scoops of ice-cream and just wanted more and more. She is obsessed right now with Baby Einstein movies, turning lights on and off, puzzles and legos.

Sand in her shoes:

Kaitlyn came home from school and said she had sand in her shoes from playing in the sandbox. I had no idea how much until she dumped it all over the floor. This was pile #1. There was another pile a little smaller that I found later. I'm just wondering how she could have been wearing her shoes for a couple hours with all that sand and wood chips in it?

Insurance:

On Tuesday when I woke Olivia up from her nap, I noticed all this orange and yellow gunk coming out of her ear. After getting Abby from school we rushed over to Acute Kids to find out if there was anything wrong. Sure enough, Olivia's eardrum had burst in her right ear and the left was just ready to go. I felt horrible! For the past few weeks the only time Olivia was fussy was around midnight. Todd and I just thought it was a phase she was going through. Had no idea it was a double ear infection. There were no other signs. Once she got on meds that night, she's been sleeping soundly. When we got home I asked her where her owie was and she put her finger in her ear! D'oh!

Here's one of the medicines we needed to get, drops in her ears. The Dr. said it was very expensive and asked if we had good insurance. It's a good thing we do because this little bottle here would have cost $150!