The Guilty Nap

Gus was up until 12:00am. So excited about Halloween he couldn't sleep. I completely understand; I was the same way, but I'm not now and I don't want to be involved with another person's insomnia. But being the wonderful mother I am I helped him fall asleep by rubbing his back until he passed out. Then I prompted fell asleep in his bed. Around 1:30 I awake, amble back to my bed and go immediately to sleep. At 2:30 Will comes in and sprawls himself all over our bed and wakes up Joe and I. O.k. I understand wanting to hang with your parents when there's a storm and you're scared or maybe when you're sick, but otherwise STAY OUT of OUR BED! That was our breakfast conversation. Then the kids headed off to school and I was wiped out.

I was talking to Joe about the nighttime shenanigans and he said and I quote, "Take a nap." I couldn't take a nap. Joe was probably just as tired as I was and I would just feel guilty. I mean he doesn't ever have that opportunity and besides lazy people nap. At least that's what I taught as kid. Oh my God, my dad would have a fit if he found you sleeping during the day. However, I would like to point out he had NO problem falling asleep at 6pm. He just napped later in the day and that was socially acceptable to him. So now I have this horrible guilt ridden feeling anytime I happen to fall asleep in the middle of the day. The problem is I do fall asleep, if I sit down anytime after 2pm. I have not lived with this person for 20 years and still that guilty feeling hangs over me. So I ask. How old do you have to be to get over your parents? Will I be ninety and thinking guilty thoughts about taking a little snooze?

Cub Scouts, Pumpkins and taking 4 year olds to the bar.

Friday AM -- Griffin had a field trip to a local bar. Yes, we took the four year olds to the bar. One of Griffin's classmates owns a local tavern (bar) and they invited the class over to see how a real restaurant runs. Her dad kicked out the regulars and we had the whole place to ourselves. It was great. Everyone got to order in ASL, because the waitress could sign. The kids definitely felt empowered as they paid their dollar for the meal.

Friday PM-- Oh the Cub Scout Halloween party. I'm the chair for the Halloween party two years running. I swore it off last year and then somehow I ended up with it again. This year we almost doubled our den; so rather than planning a party for a 150 I was planning a party for possibly 300. I'm not sure how many people there were there, but a lot of beady eyes were expectantly watching me. They wanted to eat. Well, they had to wait. Not all the food was set up and the flags were still in some one's car, and we have to do a flag ceremony. I mean we're the Cub Scouts. Hey, the party started at 7:00 pm we were eating by 7:30 and the whole thing was over and done with by 9:00pm. With the aid of some key helpers we were leaving at 9:30pm. I mean that was a remarkable feat. Of course, after all the planning I'd done in the weeks leading up to it there were still a couple hitches . . . like Joe had me drive his car and all the plates and cups were in my van.

--There was a really mean rant right here about a nasty person that pissed me off at the party with her I-know-it-all attitude, but I removed it. See I'm nice.--

The weird thing was as we were leaving, heading out the doors, my feet started to kill. By the time I got home my back was like a rock and my Achilles tendon was throbbing. I bottle all the stress of things up and then once it's over the stress manifests itself as physical pain. I was 85% better by morning . . . visited the chiropractor and was 100% better by noon.

On Sunday I sent out a thank you note to everyone that helped out so much, and I got back rave reviews. They liked it, they really liked it.

Today -- This is the latest we've ever purchased pumpkins. It was slim pickings up at the farmer's market; the pumpkins were almost all stemless. I've wanted to carve a pumpkin with the stem as a nose forever, but by the time we'd purchased them, came home and made dinner, cleaned out four pumpkins with little boys helping, I'd had it. Typically "Kendrea" pumpkins again this year.

Oh my God, my mouse keeps making this weird little squeaky noise. I think it's becoming real.

Clean up aisle 13!

I had a few more things to get for the Halloween party for Cub Scouts, so off we went to Party City. It was absolutely insane, but we survived. Everyone is costumed and ready to beg candy off the neighbors.

Afterwards, we had to go Costco. I really didn't think anything of consequence was going to happened . . . but it always does doesn't?

I grabbed some bagels and the boys wanted some right then and there. They asked nicely, so I let them indulge. Why not? They'll be munching, I'll be shopping; life is good. WRONG!!! Right in front of the milk refrigerator Griffin puked, because he was choking on a bagel. I was pushing the cart he was riding in and didn't even notice a thing until . . . well, the puke hit the floor (you can use that if you don't want to say the shit hit the fan). Clean up aisle 13, or whatever.

Oddly enough that just wiped me out and I couldn't make dinner, but for some reason chili sounded great. Which looks like . . . well, you know. Thank God for Wendy's.

Check the Halloween preview below.

Check out my Slide Show!

The best sunset!

There was just the best sunset last night. The sky was on fire. Even the boys stopped to take notice.

Mindy I can only imagine what it looked like from your deck.

K

Funny how a birthday can take over your day!

Sunday morning I woke pretty darn late for me, 9:30. The kids were quiet downstairs, so was the husband, so I took the opportunity to get a shower in and make the bed. Poked around getting ready wandered down to the kitchen with some clothes for Griffin. Found the boys staring blankly at the television and Joe staring blankly at the computer. A commercial for Cabbage Patch dolls came on the boob tube and I commented to Griffin that the blond one reminded me of Morgan, but he responded, "No, Lexie." This little statement made me go, "Holy Crap!!! Lexie birthday party is today!"

I look at my calendar during the week, but have some issues on the weekend. I really had trouble with that about a year ago. I was forgetting doctor's appointment, school stuff . . . birthday parties, then I had this great idea to make a wav. file. At 8am every morning my computer shouts out, "Kendrea, look at your calendar." It's really helped. I think I need to make it a bit later on the weekend, because I think I'm in bed when it goes off.

O.k. so there's no gift and no card. Will has been begging to go to Target and blow the $13.00 burning an enormous hole in his little pocket. Here's his opportunity. It's 10:30 now I realize this show has got to hit the road. Joe is also hitting the road, so he's no help at all. Gus is saying he's not going to the party and that's fine, because he wasn't invited. But still the attitude, Oy!

We head to Target in Rochester, get there and grab a card then head back to the toys passing a nicely dressed woman in the aisle. Griffin, who knows we're buying for Lexie is picking out every boy toy imaginable and pulling me away from the girls area. After some struggle I get him to pick out the gift, a kitten costume. He seems to understand we're not getting any toys, but Will is, because he has birthday money of his own to spend. "Understand?" Pause, big doe eyes, "A, huh."

O.k., here's comes Will with the chosen "waste of money" toy. We start to pull away from the toy aisle (you see is coming). AAAAHHHHHHHHWWWWWWWW!!! Griffin starts freaking out. "I want toy. I buy toy." Lots of signing, lots of screaming, lots of non-communication. We make our way back over to the gift wrap area to get a bag and some tissue paper. Griffin walking beside me screaming, as we pass the same women now on a cell phone. I over hear her saying, "Oh yes, some one's not happy."

We grab the gift wrap requirements, which cost almost as much as the gift. Crying kid now in cart, we make our way to the registers. Gus announces he has enough money for Yu-Gi-Oh cards as we pass this poor woman yet again. Finally, cards are picked, gum is picked out to appease a little boy and it's time to pay.

We've been working really hard to understand the significance of money and using our own money to pay for things. Excuse me, the kids have been been working really hard to understand the significance of money and using our own money to pay for things. So this is the opportunity I love. There's no one in line behind us, so the boys can practice their good consumer skills. Will hands the women a wad of bill and let me tell you she was not practicing her good cashier skills. What a grump. The boys were really being good and I felt bad this craggy old crone was makes the situation difficult. So with much apologizing and ass kissing on our part and lots of bitching and moaning on her part, we got the transaction complete and headed toward the door. And there was the woman we had passed again and again. Crap! She was walking toward me saying, "I normally don't do this." Oh God what was she going to say. I was going to have to have another parking garage incident. Would I soon be shouting obscenities in Target? I braced myself. She continued, "I also have a son with a hearing loss. He's in college now, but I know how difficult it can be. Here's my email address if you ever need to talk." Wow. Not what I was expecting at all. We chatted for a bit. We discussed the sheer hell of frustration you can have with the someone you love so much. As was parted in the parking lot she commented that somehow she hadn't killed her son and he survived to adulthood. I thought, hey I'd probably get to say that someday.

How do you title this?

We received a horrible call yesterday morning. My uncle's nephew was killed riding his bike on Wednesday night.

Here's the newspaper article. http://www.mlive.com/grandrapids/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-38/1192801895122380.xml&coll=6

I can't imagine what his parents, Barb and Dan, are going through. They have 8 other kids who will need help getting through their grief and pain. Meanwhile, still keeping the house going. And Barb and Dan need to deal with their grief. Barb homeschools and their family is extremely close and very religious, so hopefully their faith and family will help them.

Everything I've read sounds like Tom was an amazingly grounded kid. He was rooted in his religion and helped in the community. From what I read we all hope our children and be the kind of kid Tom was. My aunt and uncle talk about how crazy Dan's kids were. But Uncle Jim and Aunt Carol only had Amber. Life was pretty quiet at their house. I can only ponder what life with nine children is like. Since there's always at least two people talking at the same time at our house I assume there was a bit of noise. Also, there are only 3 girls, so the majority of the energy was boy energy.

Then I think about my aunt and uncle. What a horrible year they've had. They lost a daughter, a mother and a nephew in one year. I know this hasn't hit my aunt yet, at least my mom didn't think it had.

But, that's what something like this does. It really makes you think.

Kendrea

Get Ready!!! It's a Rant.

Let's talk about birth control and the insurance company for a moment.

I have only been on birth control once before, for about a minute and a half. Then in an attempt to control my aggressive behavior mid-month my doctor put me on Seasonique, generic of Seasonall. O.k. the whole idea was to keep the hormones at a constant level and hopefully I'll prove to be a nicer person. However, at about the same time I started this little experiment I was put in a cast. A cast if you do not know, may cause you to be completely irrational because of your limited mobility. So I don't know if the birth control pill helped my mood, because I've been in a pretty bitchy mood since August 1st. But maybe it did help keep me in check, but I just didn't know because I was extremely flip-out-able, but the pill kept me cool.

Now, the added side effect of this fab-bo pill is the lack of periods or at least lighter period. I'm blessed, mine are at the most four days and not a big deal. Of course, I thought this wonderful pill would eliminate them completely. OH GOD, the exact opposite. Just call my Spot. Then this week is the off week. The week I'm supposed to have an actual period and I'm still spotting.

So, I've used up the 3-month pack and it's time to get a refill. ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE DOLLARS!!!! Granted it's for three months, but that's $54.00 a month. I could have get better car, a massage a month, a mani-pedi. . . something other than spotting and possibly no mood improvement.

I know the birth control part is an important component, and yes a baby would definitely NOT improve my mood. Oddly enough with the cast and now the leg brace I'm not that into that thing that people do. And that person that does that thing with me, is not that into it right now either. So, it would be an immaculate conception. Which, I mean really, how could I complain about that.

Meanwhile, why isn't my damn insurance paying for this. Don't they understand the budgetary constraints they'll be under, if the Shenfelds have another baby. Shouldn't they be making sure we don't procreate?

The doctor told me the second round of the pill, i.e. the second three months, would be better. But I don't think I can afford it and I don't think it's worth it. So, I'm officially off the pills. If you hear police cars at my house mid-month you know what's up. I advise you stay away.

Finally the picture.

O.k. here's the picture of my hair and all my wrinkles. I don't remember having them before or the blood shot eyes. What happened?

Oh yeah . . . kids.

I was the host of book club last night and as always it fell on one of those days that I have a thousand things to do.

Griffin had a half day, I did decide to re-arrange the family (o.k. that added stress was totally my fault, but the pay off was worth it), Gus had bowling, then Will had Cub Scouts and well, I had book club. Thank God or Tinky Winky, we have our new wonderful food schedule and all I had to provide was a clean house.

We got it all accomplished, but I was about 10 minutes late to my book club. That's why I love having the kind of friends I have. They have no problem watching you as you empty your dishwasher and run around and lite candles to set the atmosphere.

By the way, can your head explode from a headache? Now remember, I think alcohol is a waste, except for my vodka and limeade/lemonade drinks, oh and 7 & 7's, . . . I had one of my lemonade drink things and my head is KILLING me. Which makes me wonder . . . why do little boys have to make sound effects to get out the door to school?

Holy Moly!

What a horrible blustery day! As I sit here in my comfy office watching the kids at the bus stop and some very dedicated mommies I think to myself, "Holy moly! I am happy the bus stop is in front of my house."

I'm being a very bad orthopedic patient today. I have a ton of stuff I want to do around the house and oddly enough I don't want to drag a giant black boot with me. So, I'm not putting my leg on today until I have to leave the house. I figure if the Achilles blows I could handle it happening at home, not so much at the Post Office.

Oh, it's a half day for Griffin today. I hope we reach some level of co-operation this afternoon. I have so much to do and really I don't need Griffin's help. Doesn't that sound horrible? He has become quite the Bioncle Builder. The only problem is he likes to dump the entire bin of Bionicles on the floor and spread them around. I have an idea for quick clean up for this that doesn't involve the vacuum. I'm going to lay down a sheet. He's done playing, pick up sheet, dump everything every thing into the bin. Voila! So when the sheets laying on the floor at book club, because I didn't pick it up, everyone will now know why.

To re-arrange of to not re-arrange that is the question. I normally re-arrange the family every 3 months. This gives me the opportunity to deep clean. But with the whole leg thing I haven't done it on schedule. But, I'm sick of the layout. I'm also sick of the couch I got for $20 at a garage sale that I was supposed to have re-covered by now, but haven't because I don't want the house trashed for two weeks with couch parts everywhere. So I've been thinking of moving it into the stupid room, also known as the dining/music/art cabinet/sitting room. It really clashes in there, so I'm confused. Life is so difficult. I must remember to be thankful that I have a crappy un-recovered couch to complain about and a dirty family room to live in.

I also drastically cut my hair. It's basically the same cut I had when Will was born. Love the upkeep. Literally, 3 minutes to cute hair. But there's something not quite right. If I'm not careful I could look like I have a wig on. Oy! I don't think I use enough product. But, I don't want it to feel like a helmet either. I tried upload a picture the thing keep bombing out. So, you'll just have to wait on that.

KS

Broken Feet and Britney Spears

In a strange turn of events both myself and my mother have "broken" feet.

On the opening morning of my garage sale, while I went to the Orthopedic place to get my CAM walker, my mom fell on our steps and tore two ligaments in her foot. Oh, she also scared the two men shopping at the garage sale. Because she is who she is, she spent the next 10 days walking around on a screwed up foot, which she knew was broken or something. Finally yesterday, she went to see Dr. Benenati and now she's in a cast, then a CAM walker in a couple of weeks. Are we the biggest geeks in the whole world? Of course it's both of our left feet. People are going to stare.

Now on to Britney Spears. Joe's been telling people that am so worried about Britney and actually I did say that. I was reading an article about her, in a VERY reputable magazine -- Us -- and turned to Joe and said and I quote, "I'm really worried about Britney Spears." Of course Joe laughed, but I am worried. I actually do not enjoy watching a person completely meltdown and now there's two little people in the middle of it. It's not that I'm losing sleep, but I want my celebrities to have their shit together. However, I did have a very elborate dream, about going on a double date with FedEx and Britney. Ends up I decided that they were very nice and normal and all of this was a set-up by . . . Us Weekly, to sell more magazines.

Kendrea