Playstation mania spreads

My hubby is a playstation addict, and both my kids love it. Me I dont see the point or the attraction. They can have a blast jumping around while they are playing, I like watching them but am not one to get involved in a game.

I am going to blame it on boredom of being in Arizona for the 4th week....but now I am so hooked.

It started out innocent I swear I was just trying to open up some multiplayer games for the kids. See they got Frogger adventure so they could play together but the multiplayer games have to be opened by playing the 1 player storyboard. So I had to help them out. Of course I have no idea how many multiplayer games have opened up because I am too addicted to playing the game to stop and check.

I never thought I would get caught up in it but I am. I doubt it will last once we get back home but for now I am having fun telling my kids "in a minute" and "let me get through this level".

4 Walls

When we first arrived in Arizona for Braden's 5 week treatment plan the hotel room was small but okay. After 2 1/2 weeks I swears the walls are shrinking in on us.

I love my hubby and kids dearly, but 24/7 is getting too me. I am grateful that Matt's job allows him to work basically anywhere high speed internet is. But, I am either taking the kids out of the hotel so he can work without having to hush us while he is on a conference call, or I am taking Braden to clinic, or all of us are getting out in the evening. Basically 24/7 togetherness. I love parts of it but I am not afraid to admit I need some ME time.

Matt would watch them and let me run to look around a store or something but being so far from home I am not 100% comfortable off by myself. Silly but I feel better exploring even if it is just the kids with me rather than me by myself. The kids and I are having fun when it isn't clinic days, and this whole thing has brought Matt and I closer in ways, but still these 4 walls are really starting to get to me.

A lot of it is I am homesick I want my house, my friends, my dog and the ability to say hey I am running so and so be back in an hour, or even the ability to go into the bedroom and SHUT the door (something I can't do here) and just be with me.

Tooth Fairy Part Two

As I posted before my husband had forgot to put the money under my daughters pillow and she woke up in tears.

Well...Yesterday my son lost his first tooth. Which makes me feel all kinds of things because my kids are growing up too fast. Anyway, he lost his tooth so I put it in an envelope with a nice letter to the tooth fairy to please leave the tooth so that I could put it in his scrapbook. My kids are amazed that the tooth fairy will read my notes and leave the teeth for me to save. They think mom is so cool for that..lol.

I fall asleep much faster than anyone else especially since being here in Arizona in the hotel. Well last night I told hubby this is your chance to redeem yourself I put the $3.00 folded up in the side of my purse and he was going to put it under Braden's pillow. I said dont forget...I was met with "I wont forget" and "I know I know" when being reminded...so off to sleep I went.

I wake up to "Mommy the tooth fairy forgot me"...AHHH NOT AGAIN...I gave my hubby a punch in the side and got up to weave my tale of getting up and going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and seeing money laying on the island. I then went on about since it was a fold out couch I bet the tooth fairy couldnt get over there very good and that is why the tooth fairy left the money on the counter. I moved my purse (while slipping the money out of the side pocket without being seen) and was like here it is I knew I saw it when I got up last night.

So that appeased them and they are happy and still believing in the tooth fairy and my husband is so fired...I will either have to stay up or get up in the middle of the night from now on.

On another note regarding the tooth fairy I think $3.00 is VERY good for the tooth fairy but my daughter says we have a cheap tooth fairy. After asking other parents it looks like the prices range from $1.00 clear up to $45.00....I was like $45 for a tooth no way. So the tooth fairy did make the visit last night and my son is happy and so cute with his first missing tooth.

A cool find here in Arizona

Last time we were in Arizona we went to the Pheonix Zoo and we were not that impressed. It was priced high and just wasn't that great to us. Well this trip I had been searching the internet for fun inexpensive things to do and I found a site for a zoo about 30 minutes away that was called the World Wildlife Zoo. It was reasonable gate entry and free parking. I wasn't expecting much but I took the kids today.

It was the neatest Zoo I have been too. I was so impressed. The kids and I got there it wasn't crowded. They had the standard carousel and the kids did that first off. Then we headed to the exhibits they were so neat. It was a very interactive zoo. We rode the sky tram over the zoo exhibits. The train actually went through some of the exhibits. There was a boat ride that was way too hot to be on but still a neat experience. There was a show with reptiles and the coolest thing for the kids they got to feed giraffes. I took lots of pics of course I like zoos but have to say that most of the time I am like okay lets go, this time I was just going around like the kids saying "cool cool cool".

The thing about the zoo is it doesn't seem to be very widely advertised, I had really searched things before I found it. Thank goodness for the internet and the really cool find that led to a really fun time with the kids. Braden had not had a good day yesterday and needed something fun as did Brittney and we certainly had a fun away from clinic day.

Sneakin it in...

The most difficult part of having a 4 wall hotel room for 5 weeks in Arizona. Kids are in the foldout couch directly in front of our bed...so if they arent really good and asleep then there is no speacial "Mommy and Daddy time".

It is pretty bad. They seem to stay up late (I am not a night owl so I am usually crashing before or right when they do), they get up early (I am a morning person so love to sneak in that "Mommy and Daddy time" then.

This morning we did sneak in a little time for "Daddy"...HAHA. Just no fun for "Mommy".

I am determined to out last them soon and stay up late. That worked one night last week. I am not used to this I am used to putting them in their beds they watch a movie and fall out and we get our "Mommy and Daddy time". So if I am crankier than usual this will be my excuse...I am not getting near enough lovin time!

Getting caught up in Kim and Ron's lives

I remember watching Pretty Woman and movies that were rated above a PG.

Those days seem to be gone. Especially since we are in this hotel room for 5 weeks. One TV...I have no idea what is happening on the Bachelor, or Dog the Bounty Hunter since I dont want the kids watching those shows.

Back to watching movies rated above a PG....To watch those I have to stay up later than the kids and I just cant seem to keep my eyes open. Poor Matt I am falling out on him even before the kids are asleep. So instead of grown up movies I get to watch under PG movies.

The sad thing is I really get into some of these movies.

Braden purchased Racing Stripes with his birthday money and I just really liked the movie.

Tonights movie choice...Kim Possible "So the Drama"...pretty sad that I am getting all hooked on if Ron and Kim are going to get together or not.

Friends

Today was one of those days look at me wrong and you risked me breaking down into tears. I hate those days. I miss my friends, sounds childish but I have really good friends.

We have a little group of moms that are pretty close. We may not talk to each of them everyday but we all have kids the same age and have had them in the same classes since PreK.

With these moms I can have a good cry and it's left at that. Matt hates to see me upset so he tries to fix it well you cant fix this sometimes I just need to be a stress case so to speak.

I have my phone ringers set on costum rings (I was bored one day) anyway my friends are all Garth Brooks "Friends in Low Places" and sure enough to day when I was just having one of those moments here comes the ring. Thank goodness, I didnt cry and let it all at that time, because I wasnt in a place where I could do that. But even without saying it she knew and we talked and I felt better.

I am just really thankful for good friends. We tease each other and if you were around on some of our gab sessions you would wonder if we even liked each other with the insults traded, but I know that as we watch our kids grow together so will we, it feels good to know that I have them.

Jem and the Rockers

Does anyone remember the cartoon Jem and the Rockers? Well if you dont Jem had pink hair.

Last night as I looked in the mirror that was my only thought was "OMG I look like Jem".

There was a reason that the hairhighlight kit was on clearance. There was a reason it said do not use on blond hair. But I didnt care about those reasons I had wanted red highlights forever in my blond hair and hadnt been able to find a kit. Well maybe the reason is because the red on my blond hair turned PINK!

My son said it just looked a little silly. My doctor thought it was cool and looked like I drew with a pink marker in my hair.

This is what happens when I have too much time on my hands (being in the hotel with the kids and hubby). I immediately washed my hair and it isnt quite so pink.....still looks a little off to me but hubby seems to like it and I dont feel quite like a punk rocker walking around.

It looks better if I apply gel in my hair too, if I dry it and leave it natural it looks a lot more pink. Oh well live and learn I am not meant to have red highlights, but hey it brought back the good ole days of remembering that Jem cartoon I used to watch!

Made it to Arizona

We are now in Arizona.

We left Oklahoma Friday morning, stopped in Amarillo, Texas last night. We ended up leaving out at 3:00.....I had thought ti was 5:00, but then my aunt informed me that the clock that I was looking at kept time wrong and it was actually 3:00. By that time we were already up and dressed so we left.

In our trip from Amarillo to Tempe, Arizona we drove in rain, hail, partly cloudy, sunshine, saw some snow and then got here to VERY warm weather and LOTS of sunshine.

Leaving for Arizona

We leave out for Arizona this morning. We will be gone almost 6 weeks for Braden to do the treatment at the wellness center. Last night we met our friends at Chuckee Cheese, you would have thought we were going off to fight in the war the way the water works started with us all when we were saying goodbye. I had swore I would be fine, but I started getting teary eyed when I hugged the kids bye then the moms I really started in and so did they.

The van is packed and ready. I had to make a few adjustments. My hubby...oh how I love him...but oh how he doesnt know how to pack. Things can be laying around the house 8 months wihtout being used but hey we might need this in the 6 weeks we are in Arizona. In looking in one of his bags I find the 3 hole punch, I am like why are you packing this. His response was I thought we might need it......well if for some reason we need a 3 hole punch I guess I will be running to Target or WalMart because it stayed at home, along with a few other of his "we might need items".

Tooth Fairy Forgot!

snif snif...."Mommy the tooth fairy forgot me"...snif snif....

Oh no...I had worked so much Friday and was exhausted I remembered laying the kids down in her bed and leaving $3.00 on the table so that Matt could put it under the pillow after they fell asleep. I knew I would be out fast. I remember Matt telling me "dont worry I got it"...well guess what, he forgot.

Luckily, we were dog sitting for my mom and dad this weekend so Brittney had her dog and their dog in her bed. So quick thinking I took her into the kitchen and was like look the tooth fairy left the money on the table. She must have been scared of the dog, and luckily Brittney had left a note on the envelope asking for the tooth fairy to let her keep her tooth. So with a little fancy explaining Brittney got all excited about her $3.00 and the fact that the tooth fairy is scared of dogs...whew that was a close one.

I know soon enough she wont believe in tooth fairy, easter bunny and probably even santa...but I want to hold off as long as possible and let her believe in the little magics.

Hubby got a dirty look from me and a few words about forgetting to put the money under the pillow....I dont think we will forget again.

Now Braden has his first loose tooth and he is looking forward to the tooth fairy too....and mommy and daddy will make sure that the tooth fairy visits.

Field Trip

I had the "fun" of going along with 30 kids ice skating today! Doesn't that sound like fun?

Brittney is in the gifted and talented education program and this was a field trip for them. I must say of this gifted and talented group....3 left their lunch boxes at school, 2 kept trying to lick the ice, and yet another couldnt figure out why the floor that he was skating on was so cold...hmmm gifted and talented indeed...LOL.

Braden tagged along too, and I have to say he did really good. Brittney got it in her head before going on the ice that she wouldn't like it and so she didn't....ugh I was so aggrivated with her. She did go around the rink one and half times. I tried prying her arms away from the wall only to get yelled out "No I dont want to bust my head open"...I was like I dont want that either but I want you to try. Braden surprised me he really liked it, my arm will be sore from trying to keep him up but he did pretty good.

I get to brag that I didn't fall...I am sure that wont hold true if we go again, but at least I stayed on my feet today. I will admit to a few close calls though and a few wobbly moments.

Achivement Tests

I know tests are important and they have to measure what the kids are learning, but geesh they put a lot of pressure on kids with these tests.

Brittney who is in 1st grade is already an overachiever and puts way too much stress on herself, so when the teacher tells them this test is to see how much they really know. Oh man my 7 year old is a mess, "mom do you think I did alright", "mom I got a 100 on the practice test, what if I dont on the real test"....and on and on.

Braden who is in kindergarten, personally could care less. I am glad he is not stressed out, but on his I am the one stressing. I think they are expecting too much out of Kindergarten. There is a section on the test that the teacher cannot read to them 10 questions they must read themselves. Brittney could read in Kindergarten, Braden can some easy words but not much. About half of his class is the same as he is. On the practice test one questions was "Which one below is a fruit?"...I know I am 30 but I dont remember having to be able to read those kinds of sentences in Kindergarten.

I know with some of the work even in first grade circling the noun, verb and adjetive, I am very glad to already have completed school because I dont know if I could make it threw again...geesh seems they are expecting more and more younger and younger.

Scrutiny

I have been pretty stressed on financial situations due to medical issues with Braden. Some friends of mine started some fundraising. I knew that there would be more eyes on us, etc, as always when there is help being for someone.

I told Matt I felt like if I met someone at WalMart they were looking in my basket to see what I was buying. Like if we needed help for medical then we shouldn't splurge at all. What a lot don't realize is there is a big difference in buying a $5 treat for the kids and having $4,200.00 up front for medical treatment.

We are also under a lot of scrutiny it seems. Also it seems that if someone helps then they think that automatically means they can question our decisions. What has surprised me most is who is doing the scrutinizing people that I never would have thought. People who are now calling me questioning my decisions, thinking they have a right to do that.

So the fundraising is a double edge...one side a tremendous relief and blessing, the other a pain.

Playstation II

All 3 of my kids seem to be addicted to Playstation II.

Oh wait I only have 2 kids so the 3rd must be my loving hubby!

I should have know it was coming in October when we got the Christmas gift (Playstation II) off of layaway and hubby begged to try it out to make sure it worked before giving it to the kids in December.

Now that they have found a game that 3 can play at once Shrek II the fun never ends. The kids beg as soon as they come thru the door, and Matt had to go back to playing after they went to bed last night to beat a level....he said it was for the kids...but I somehow don't buy that.

I think I could easily become a play station II widow, and I think my kids would gladly ignore mommy for a game.

Losing it.

"You are just so strong"
"I couldn't hold it together like you do"
"I don't see how you do it"

These are comments I often hear from my friends, mostly in regards to things we are dealing with in relation to Braden. Well I don't think any of them will be saying those things anymore.

Yesterday was a tough day. I told Matt it wasn't that there was any more stress than usual but I just lost it. I cried all day, you couldn't speak to me without reducing me to tears several people got to witness my undoing. One doctor got to watch me almost hyperventilate. It was just all the worry seemed to work its way in to yesterday. The worry about Braden's current health, his future, the financial aspects all of it.

I worked on PTA yearbook at a friends house last night with 5 other moms and ended up leaving in heaving sobs when they started asking about what was wrong after getting a round of hugs that only made me sob worse. No doubt to them I am human now and not supermom like they thought who kept it all under control.

But in actuality I feel much better this morning, I woke up at 4:30 and thought I would go ahead and get up and I do feel better. I feel somewhat released like I needed those sobs to get out I needed not to hold it together for awhile. I feel like I can handle the challenges again and it is nice to know that my friends know that even though I say I can handle it that sometimes I need to not handle it.

So losing it was a good thing afterall.

Boy Crazy!

What does the future hold, if in first grade they are already this boy crazy?

Yesterday Brittney informed us that she loves Dillon because he loves her for who she is. Keep in mind she is 7 years old! She has been asking Matt and I why we got married, and how we knew we were in love. Dillon is equally girl crazy and him mom said he goes home crying if he thinks Brittney doesn't love him. Remember....1st graders here.

My friend Lori called me two nights ago to inform me that her daughter Macae is grounded. Why?, because she took a $100.00 bill that Lori had left out and forgot to put up. She took it so she could give it to Clayton so he would be her boyfriend again. Again...1st graders.

I have tried to have the talk about not kissing boys, and that it was for when we get older. I have tried the boys have cooties....nothing stopped it. Luckily it is kissing on the cheek..for now at least. So what I am now doing is that she has to tell me everything, and so if Daniel (another boy besides Dillon that she likes but doesnt love) kisses her she comes right home and tells me. I wish that would last forever...but somehow I doubt that it will.

So if it is this bad in first grade I really dread junior high and eeekkkk highschool and car dating....oh I am getting a migraine thinking about it.

ABC's

I saw this on Mana Babies ( I dont know how to add the http address....have I admitted before that Matt is the computer brain in this household.) Anyway I thought it was cute.

ABC's.................

Accent - Oklahoma--Okie with a little Texas twang thrown in still.
Bra size - I keep telling my hubby all my daughters friends mommies are getting boob jobs and I want them too but the oh but all my friends have them doesnt seem to be working. Of course if he ever said yes I would never spend that much money nor actually go through with it oh well.
Chore I hate - Vacuming which is why I will never leave my hubby because he does this chore without complaint! (thanks honey)
Dad's name - Jerry
Essential make-up - Mascara
Favorite perfume - I have bottles sitting under my cabinet that are rarely used but I like Elizabeth Arden's True Love and Victoria Secrets A Little Sexy. I mostly just use the scented body washes.
Gold or Silver - Gold
Hometown - Was born in Dumas, Texas and I still go back to that area not that exact town though to visit family, but we live now in Pocola and will stay (I have to say that since we built this house my hubby says the herse or the rapture are the only ways he is leaving)
Interesting fact - People tried to set my husband and I up before we accidently met in a cafeteria at the hospital, but we didnt know that until we had started dating and put two and two together and were like oh you were the one that lived in that apartment and so on.
Job title - Busy Busy Mommy
Kids - Brittney 7, and Braden soon to be 6 on May 5th
Living arrangements - 4 bedroom brick house in a new housing division built towards the outskirts of town. When we moved in we were like wow all this room now we have stuff in the attic and a storage building out back!
Mom's Birthplace - Fort Smith, Arkansas
Number of apples eaten in last week - None this week, I bought grapes, apples and bananas and I prefer the grapes.
Overnight hospital stays - When kids were born 7 days with Brittney and 4 with Braden, once with my heart a few months after Braden was born.
Phobia - Flying...my hubby is suppose to be making me fly this summer...already getting high blood pressure from the thought. I have flown before 9/11 without too much fear but just something about it now that I just get so nervous.
Question you ask yourself a lot - Why did I agree to do this for so and so?
Religious affiliation - Baptist
Siblings - Younger brother who is 25
Time I wake up - Around 6:30 during the week when I have to set an alarm and then make the kids wake up but on the weekend it is 6:30 because they are jumping in bed with us, why dont they need waking up on the weekend? It's just not fair!
Unnatural hair color - My hair was really blond when I was younger, then got darker and is more of a reddish blond. I have dyed it red red before and I loved it hubby has only seen pics and said no way no way and since I hate it when he grows a mustache I cant argue about!Vegetable I refuse to eat - Any kinds of seaweed looking greens, turnip greens, spinach..yuck
Worst habit - Not telling people no and then griping to myself because I have too much to do.
X-rays - I break bones so easily, or at least I used to knock on wood havent in about 6 years so had lots of xrays and lots of ultrasounds Matt worked at a hospital during my first pregnancy and I got lots of ultrasounds!
Yummy food I make - Enchiladas or for dessert I love making cute cakes
Zodiac sign - Cancer

Another busy week

Been a busy week, but then again that is nothing new.

We found out this week we will have to take Braden back to the clinic in Arizona in May. We had to get special permission to take the kids out of school 2 weeks early. We will leave May 6th and come back around June 12th. So trying to get everything done and organized now, that includes getting all PTA done, things for home bills and so on for the trip. Our neighbor will take care of our dogs and cats.

We also had to get rid of our bird this week. Braden's bird, poor thing ended up having an allergy to it. It was a slight allergy but we just cant risk it. He has had it over a year. I was surprised that he is not allergic to dogs or cats. So we still have 3 dogs and 2 cats.

I have to drive to Muskogee tommorow a little over an hour one way to take Braden to an appointment. We do this once a week from now till May.

He is also on meds every hour from 7am till 9pm so we are definetly keeping busy. Braden is such a little trooper hardly ever complains. We are hoping for big results after we are able to spend the 5 weeks in Arizona and actually complete a treatment program.

Brittney is working on a project for her extra program called G.A.T.E (Gifted and Talented Education). It is a board program on Pennsylvania so we are getting lots of things together on that.

We had a little more drama from the so called grown woman in PTA. But my hubby had a talk with her and told her that I had enough on my plate to lay off....(My hero...thanks hubby)!
Basically she just wanted to throw herself a pity party and when we didnt respond she decided to have a fit and that didn't work either.

That is a short synopsis on my week so far. Having a yard sale Saturday hopefully it will stay pretty.

Rainy Easter

Behind the couch cushions, in the folds of curtains, sitting behind my lighthouses....eggs...eggs...and more plastic eggs. As seems to be a tradition it is pouring rain this easter weekend. So the egg hunting has moved into the living room. Not near as many places to be inventive on hiding. But oh well at least the kids are getting the treats and to them that is what counts. This morning I made them listen to the true meaning of easter before I let them go get their baskets that had been filled overnight by the mysterious bunny. I hope it sank in. Trying to keep them cleaned and spiffied up until time to leave for church. Now we get to go outside and try to keep Brittney's white shoes white through the rain and mud. Just another fun rainy Easter!