Sunday, October 19, 2008

Random Updates

Isn't California beautiful?
Never promise to tell about stuff you will forget about before getting a chance to tell it. I vaguely remember the stomach bug, but I don't remember anything except that I stayed home with Thing 1 who had been barfing the night before, only to have him act healthier than I felt by a long shot the whole day. To one degree or another, the bug ran through the family.

I can't recall Enigma's escapades, except that she went to Homecoming with her cousin, just for fun. No pressure there, and they had a good time.

Before our little trip to California, I went shopping with a gift card I got from my siblings after our fun little celebration the day after my birthday. I got a dress. It was too expensive, really, but I love it. It just slid right on when I tried it. It is so soft and buttery, I could sleep in it. And I love the print, and it has a fun little detail on the empire waist. I'm in love with it. I don't have a good picture of me in it, because Carino took one back lighted picture that just made it look like a silhouette, so it's just hanging here.

Here's the details up close.

Now I need a full time job making and taking people to appointments. Would someone like to pay me to do this job, seeing as how the appointments kind of wreck our budget? I won't bore you with all the gory details, but I have been setting up appointments with audiologists, PCPs, speech therapists, orthodontists, dentists, ENT's and opthalmologists, psychiatrists and it's time for the flu shots, too! Ugh! This isn't all going to fit into the budget either.

Oh, and Enigma donated blood and found out she bleeds really fast. In the future, she shouldn't have them make her squeeze her fist or anything. And she lost her lunch. And it was a long, drawn out crazy story she told about it. She should blog it, but she won't blog, because, and I quote, "I have a life" I don't see how it's any lamer than my space and text messaging. The kid buzzes wherever she goes.

You'll be glad to know I didn't have too very many neurotic thoughts on my trip, thanks to prayer. I was wigging out because there was no way to prepare all the farewell messages to my family, or do all the things I want to do before I die in one day, and I didn't really want to be a nervous wreck so I just prayed. That big guy in the sky returned me to sanity and peace. SO, the only times I feel really kinda nervous are at take off and landing times, because that's usually when things go wrong. Although sometimes things go wrong in the middle of a flight. A friend who built planes told me there was no way that metal will break, even if you twist it in a knot. Like that stops me from worrying, because I think if the plane gets bent in two, it's not going to exactly be aerodynamic. We were on teeny planes that kind of gave off an air of claustrophobia and they are a bit noisier than usual. I don't really like to listen to all those noises, but if they all cut off, we would probably drop like a rock, so I lived with them. This is the first time I remember feeling weird, though. First my legs felt tight, and I thought of blood clots. Then my chest and head felt tight. I could just imagine having a heart attack or something on a little plane. I would be toast. I could just hear Dr. G saying, "If this lady had just taken the time to take care of herself and eat right, this would have been totally avoidable. She wasn't even truly anorexic, she just forgot to eat. People need to at least take enough time for themselves to eat enough that their heart doesn't give out on them. It's sad, really." Or something like, "People don't realize it but you can actually die from lack of sleep. After a while, your body starts shutting down, one system at a time." Other than that, I was a completely sane person the whole weekend. Aren't you proud of me?

Now, to make good all my promises, I will tell the wasp tale. One morning I sent the kids off to the neighbor who takes everyone to school and I was on my way out the door to court when Gigio reappears crying. He says he was stung by a bee. It's in his shirt. I have him pull out the shirttails and he shook it out. It fell on the floor and I ran for the baking soda, made a paste, and slapped it and a bandaid over a red spot on his chest and he pulled his shirt back on, wiped his eyes and headed on his way. Then I headed off but wondered on the way. Was it a bee? Or was it a wasp? What if it was a bee and he has a stinger in his chest? And it will swell up to the size of a grapefruit. And put pressure on his heart. Mother of the year, slapping a bandaid over a stinger. So when I got to court, I called the school and asked the secretary to have someone look at his chest and make sure he didn't have a stinger in it. Afterward, I was telling a court clerk about my morning and she commented, "So you come here to relax." She got me, and they even pay me to relax there! No wonder I'm so willing to come in. Not only did Gigio not have a stinger in his chest, he had a little cluster of stings, but then all the attention made him worry, so he called me. When I got home, I found the wasp on the floor and saved it for him so he could see it wasn't a bee.

This weekend the kids had "Fall Break" which is a euphemism for the "Deer Hunt". It's easier on the people going through culture shock that way. We went to a little Italian place that Papi is obsessing over now. He finds a place and visits it incessantly till he gets tired of it and finds a new place. A little Italian lady makes and serves you great authentic Italian food, talking to you in Italian the whole time and doting on you. It's so fun. Thing 2 insisted on wearing the cherry rain boots, and Thing 1 had to have a Bionicle along for the ride. Other than Gigio shooting a straw paper at a waiter, things went well. Gigio was a little overwhelmed at the lady giving him so much attention over his Italian name in real life. Honestly, I'm loving this obsession. Minestrone, mmmmm! At home, I sent my purchasing agent to grocery shop while I paid bills, seeing as I'm about to go to collections over a $7.99 bill I just haven't had time to pay, among other things. So, she came home with a recipe and ingredients for monster tacos. The Things were thrilled. They thought they didn't like tacos, but now they changed their minds.

Carino gave some of his money to his brothers and then got a toy he's already destroyed and heelies, he's driving us all crazy with. Gigio has a friend who gave him his old pogo stick. He decided to paint it with the red paint leftover from the pinewood derby that supposedly was all used up on Carino's skateboard, but it wasn't all gone and it got snatched out of the garbage can. Now there is red paint all over the stick, the walls, the TILE FLOOR, the bed, and Carino's sheets. It looks like a crime scene. Even worse, is up in my room, Gigio picked a scab off his leg and bled all over my sheets and blanket, and I didn't get to it in time to salvage them. Even hydrogen peroxide didn't take it all out. Somebody watches too much CSI and said that now if something happens to Gigio, I will be the prime suspect. Just so you know, I didn't do anything. But, he broke the blinds above my bed and a string hangs onto my bed if I don't twist it back up, so if anyone finds me strangled, you'll know where the weapon came from. I need to just snip the thing. Papi hung a quilt in the window now to keep out the cold, so it hides all the blinds and I keep forgetting.

A few sillies before I go. We were watching a home video of Enigma when she was a new born and Papi was taping her lying in a crib, through the slats. Thing 2 exclaimed, "You put her in a cage?!" Thing 1 is always wanting to visit "MoreMart" so he can get more Bionicles. And Thing 2 has become an artist lately. He gives me drawings all the time. He also staples his masterpieces onto the walls. They have said and done a bunch more cute things I can't remember now. Thing 2 always busts out with some thing random that cracks you up. We went to get in the car one day and he starts to sing and dance, "I like to move it, move it!" Now, I've gotta move it and get everyone in bed.

6 comments:

Kellan said...

California is beautiful - cute picture and that is a beautiful dress.

Have a good week, Shellie - see you soon - Kellan

RAQ said...

I told you that you need to write a book! This was hilarious, esp. since it's true! You are amazing! E and T's photo turned out darling!

snaH said...

I want the monster taco recipe! I can mostly get it from the picture. It looks like an ordinary taco, with sour cream and olives to make the eyes, but I'm not certain what the tongue is made from. Anything else I should know?

Pancake said...

Cali is gorgeous!!! LOVE your dress! AND about the fast bleeding, if that happens after the pull the needle out, try using a cold pack, that helps slow it down!

The Cranes said...

Ah, Shellie! I'm with you--I too am afraid that I will die because I didn't take enough time out for myself to eat or from lack of sleep. Feels like my body is already shutting down system by system. My brain was first. Love the dress! The monster tacos are cute.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

The tacos are great! What little boy wouldn't WANT to eat those?!
The CA pix are super!
The dress... yeah,get a pix!
Lots of business going on around your house! Makes me tired, cause I feel like I have to read it in a rush! wheew!