Never Mock the Flu

It happened again. I made the mistake of commenting to someone we hadn't gotten the flu this winter. Silly, Silly girl. Last time I did that WHAM! the flu and again it happened. It was hideous. Five out of seven of us have gotten it and Victor and Laryssa are fighting it. It is quick and dirty. I felt a little sparky this morning and got a lot done, but felt wobby and weak by days end. Just another day in paradise.............................where's my wham burger and french cries?

Just when you think your right......... your not!

I have wondered and fantasized about how life would be with out my Mother in Law. I just knew everything would be suddenly perfect... it isn't. It is not bad or good it is different. It was my life for almost 11 years. I have lived with her, with the exception of the first five days of my daughters life, for all my Mothering years. I feel light some days without the heavy burden of caring for her and the struggles we had. I feel empty somedays and am surprised when she isn't in her room. Which is now a pre-teen haven complete with mess and ucky teen idol posters. We went to visit the cemetary for the first time Sunday and it was so strange. She wasn't there, she couldn't be there. I felt so conflicted and odd. When we leave the house I still think we are leaving her alone and I should have someone staying with her. I cannot change what is. I can only learn.

Costco

I love Costco but I hate putting everything away.

I hear music

I witnessed a miracle last night. Our entire family sat down in pj's and watched a movie together. We watched Finneans Rainbow with Fred Astair and Petula Clark. My husband even stayed awake for more than half of it and he doesn't watch musicals. We even let the kids eat ice cream in the living room! It was wonderful. I can't wait until next Saturday. I will make sure we have the red vines and milk duds.

Channeling Erma Bombeck

My morning could have been in a book written by the late, funny Erma Bombeck. A day that starts this awful should make a heck of a funny book. We got up to get ready for school. Our cleaning lady comes at 7 on Thursdays. She lets me know while I am dressing that the dog has poo pood all over the floor in the living room. I'm thinking why me why today? I get the kids ready, the ones that are not sick and get the others medicated and off I go to school to do the first drop off. I come home and sit in the car reading trying to avoid what I know is waiting for me in the living room. The kids that stayed home come to the car looking for me. I have to go in. It's still there waiting for me. I clean it up and manage delicate gagging rather than throwing up. Then I can't find the carpet cleaner. This can only happen to me. I figure out where Victor has hidden it and get to work. I hadn't cleaned it out last time I used it a week ago so it smelled precious. More delicate gagging. I have to get lunches for the kids at school and be there to volunteer in Kindergarten by 10. I clean it all up. Then the baby needs the same clean up as isle 13,dogpoop lane). He is only a little more cooperative. Vadim has a fever so I get to wrestle him to get the motrindown him. It takes two of us. I nurse him almost to sleep and then run for the school. I can relax now I will be safe ....... working with 20 five year olds. It was fun and relaxing and they were pretty well behaved. If it doesn't kill you It might make a great book.

Turning over a new leaf

I am determined to make the best of the new year. With renewed spirit and energy. I am slowly decluttering my nest. I try and get rid of at least one bag of crap a day. I still need to do better with the kids lunches, but I am even learning better ways to do this. I feel as if I am making better decisions. I am a recycling maniac and have taken our trash down to one small garbage can.

We got Martha's room repainted and it looks incredible. It is a bright and happy blue. We hope to have the two older girls moved in by Valentines day. They are very excited. Then we will move on to re-doing the little girls room and move Vadim in there with them. I am hoping the kitties will take this as a sign of good faith and stop leaving little packages beneath the bed.

I am just about to have my 43rd birthday. It is a bit wierd as my Mother was just about my age when she had me. I wish I felt I had more time. I would really think of having a number six. Alas, I am enjoying my little mess maker Vadim far too much to share him with someone new. I don't feel my age most days only when I fall down.

Just another day in paradise

Vacation

Hi there, Happy New year. We just returned from an after Christmas vacation. We needed a little down time after Grandma's funeral. We chose Las Vegas with a swing through Los Angeles to visit USC, hit a couple of Missions and go home. The girls and Victor wanted to experience Circus Circus Vegas style and I not so secretly wanted to go to the Coca Cola store and get a CSI T-shirt.

Our adventure was off with a bang the day after Christmas. We headed out at 8:30 am and everything was going well. Regular stops for bathroom, food and gas with minimal fighting in the back seats of our nine passenger Suburban. All was well as we stopped in Bakersfield to get a Cherry Lime Coke from Sonic. Momma Bear hadn't had one of these in a very long time. It was fabulous!

This is where things took a turn. Highway 58 was closed due to poor visibility and high winds. We were not deterred. We had LUCY our GPS (shortened from Lucinda meaning light bearer)! We re set it to go through LA and checked our hotel reservations. Onward Ho! Stuck in mega traffic most of the rest of the day we arrived in Vegas at about 11:30. We had arranged for two rooms with an adjoining door. We were led to two rooms on different floors. This was not going to work for us. With some yelling we received a better room but had to help get it ready. I helped make the beds and put the kids to bed, then put Victor to bed and then lay down with Vadim. Just as I was drifting off they brought up the crib. It was 3:30 am Lights out!

Next day Circus Circus buffet was a big hit and we were off. We went shopping and bought the girls new clothes as a belated Christmas gift and then headed to the Rain forest Cafe for dinner. This for me was the highlight. It was very kid friendly and great food. After dinner we headed to the Coca Cola store and had lots of fun looking at everything.

We headed back to Circus Circus and hit the game arcade. I had some strange need to win one of those large basketballs, but after many attempts could not get one. The girls won a pink guitar. The man at the game was so sweet. He kept giving Zara all these chances, but it was Laryssa who got the dart in the star and won the neon pink guitar. It was midnight and we went to bed. Victor got up early while we all slept and won $200 Yippee! We had some god awful Krispe Cream doughnuts and headed off to the Adventure dome also in Circus Circus. I was determined to get over my fear of roller coasters and go on one. I did and it wasn't bad as long as I kept my eyes closed and screamed a lot. It was very liberating. Victor one me the basketball and we had had enough of Vegas.

Can anyone say MORE TRAFFIC! It took forever to get to LA and we finally settled into a lovely suite with a loft in Long beach. We had pizza,fire and a movie and Sasha was the only one who stayed awake for the entire movie. We forged on the next morning and headed for USC to go souvenir shopping. It was a little overwhelming but we walked away with a few cheerleader outfits, several pom poms and well you name it we bought it. We were able to hear the band practice and peek at the football practice for a second. It was a lot of fun.

We were now homeward bound planning to stop at Sasha's Mission from last year and then Laryssa's from this year. Sasha's mission was Santa Barbara. It was beautiful, we got there just as evening Mass was ending and they had a lovely Nativity scene in the front with live animals. Laryssa's mission was very nice too but it was too dark to really get to appreciate it but we had fun running around anyway. We arrived home at 11:30 pm. Grateful to have arrived safely after seeing a bad accident on the PCH. We realized it was fun to get away but there is no place like home.