It must be in the water

When I found out I was pregnant with Joey I was working at the Child Development Center in Turkey. What was funny was 3 other women found out they were pregnant, all within 2 weeks of each other. We couldn't blame the water because no one drank the tap water there (think Mexico) and not all of us drank the same brand of bottled. But when the one male working at the center found out his wife was pregnant, we all turned out heads to our cook.
What's the point? Just one of those weird things about working with a bunch of women. In my building, we have 3 ladies pregnant right now. One of them on my shift. Its making the rest of us a little paranoid though, most of us consider our baby making days over. Some are in the clear (by age or design or surgery) but some of us, not so much. We are about to resort to wearing garlic around our necks just in case.
In other news...
I experienced another local tradition yesterday. The meat market. We got about a months worth of meat in one day. It was totally cheap and fresh, but buying it in bulk that way meant breaking it up into servicable sizes once we got home. Elbow deep in raw meat is always fun. Now I just need to come up with recipes for all this stuff!
Joel takes a little too much after me sometimes. If he can't do things the way he has it in his head to do, he blows a gasket. Example: The other night we ate dinner a little late, so he was finishing up his dessert right before bedtime. He put his bowl in the sink then came out to me to get a kiss and hug goodnight (he always insists on both). He'd left the lights on in the kitchen, so I made him go back to turn them off. He did, whining the whole way. I assume its because I actually made him do something. No, on his way back he yelled at me, "I wanted to turn off the light AFTER my hug and kiss!" He does the same thing in the mornings sometimes. If I don't have to wake him up to take Joey to school, he gets dressed before he comes downstairs, but if we take Joey to school, he has to eat breakfast first. Sometimes I try to buy a few minutes and ask him to get dressed first. You'd think I was asking him to step on nails all the way up the stairs!

Back to our regularly scheduled programming

Just some bits and pieces from the last few days. Saturday night we did Chinese. I made the pork fried rice, Wes tackled the egg rolls. Later that evening, Wes and Mackenzie were battling on Guitar Hero. After a sudden death play off....Mackenzie won.

He said she said

I apologize in advance for this post. This is not what I want my blog to be about, but I feel I can't sit here and take what has been thrown at me.
I have never used this blog as a forum to launch a smear campaign against people. Yes, I've complained about my job and my supervisors, but I didn't name names and I'm pretty sure nobody even associated with them read my blog. I don't set out to humiliate people. My other reason is that I know I'm not perfect. I know that before I say things about other people I need to look at myself.
Yes, there are things about me that could change for the better. I have the tendency to put things off until the last second, and those things that I think will be unpleasant for me I will put off until even longer because I stupidly hope they will go away. This is why I have avoided doing this, because it is a pointless game of back and forth. You did this, I did that. Please world see that I am the better person because of what has been done to me.
I don't blame my life on other people. I never have. I suppose some people could see it that way because of things I've said in frustration in the past, but I take responsibility for my life. I'm the one that got married in stead of going to college. I'm the one that had kids early instead of going to college. I'm the one that chose to stay home with my kids as much as I could instead of working all the time. Sometimes I had to work, other times I was able to stay home. I agree that in staying home the majority of housework should have been on me, but I also admit that I suck at it. I'm good at being a mom, but I'm no good at being a house wife.
For the record, from the time I got married, here is my job history:
In Turkey there were few jobs available for military family members, even less for a 19 year old just out of high school with little job experience. But I put in my applications and waited. And waited. In the meantime I volunteered once a week at the vet clinic. I did real work there. I assisted in exams, cleaned up messes, gave shots, got scratched, scrubbed cages. Then a job at the child development center became available. Then I got pregnant. About that time my hours at the cdc were diminished, and my choices for child birth in the area did not appeal to me. My sister offered to pay to babysit her kids, and my mom offered up her spare room, and Ft Lewis had an excellent Labor & Delivery ward. So, I went back to Washington, this was a mutual decision.
After Joey was born we moved to Ft. Campbell. I spent my days with a new born and unpacking and setting up our house. When Joey was 9 months old it became apparent that we needed a second income, so I went and found work. Another daycare center. After a few months internal issues at that day care center made it a volatile place to work. I developed stress related medical issues, so I gave my notice and found a new job. I was only without work for a week. Then we moved to Germany. Again a place with few jobs for spouses. Even less than in Turkey. No cdc, no commissary, no px. But I had another baby on the way, so I would be busy enough. But I was offered a job at an international preschool. My kids were able to go for free since I worked there. It was across the street form out apartment, and I really liked being a teacher. It was a great job. When the director saw me during a visit back to Germany a couple of years ago, she tried to offer me the same job again, so I think I was good at it. I worked there right up until we moved again. In New Jersey it was now apparent that any job I could get would not offset the cost of child care. We would have to pay before and after school care for Joey, and full time care for Mackenzie. But when Mackenzie was able to go to full time preschool that was subsidized (free), I got a part time job. I was still there to see them off to school, and there when they got home. It was a great situation. Then came Joel. I didn't work when Joel was young. Well, except for when I was in Washington while Mike was in Drill Sergeant school. And then I worked part time and only because my parents were able to look after my kids. But I stayed home the whole time we were in Columbia because that is what made the most sense. We couldn't afford all the child care expenses that would be necessary if I worked, and because of Mike's schedule, alternative work schedules (like 2nd or 3rd shift) were not an option either. So I chose to stay home. To say I was lazy is an insult not just to me, but to all stay at home moms. I felt blessed that I was able to stay home and take care of my kids. Yes maybe my house wasn't spotless, and maybe we ate frozen foods more often than not, but my kids were well cared for. I saw them off to school, helped with homework, volunteered at the school, drove everyone to dr's appointments, sports, and other activities. Not to mention I was going to school at the time, pulling off a 4.0 gpa. I have always been my children's primary care giver and I am proud of that.
What I'm getting at is, people should get their facts straight before they try to diminish what I have done with my life. And those that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I don't blame my life circumstances on anyone else, I am not a victim. If other people want to be victims, that is fine, but to say that I am the cause of where your life is gives me a lot more power than I actually possess.

I can only do one thing at once

I used to be good at meal planning, I think I mentioned that, but I suck at it now. I think it is because my budget works differently, so I need to adjust according to that, but haven't figured out how yet.
I had caught up on laundry, then I got sick and decided to take the weekend off. Now I'm behind again, but also had to go back to work, so I'm not catching up either.
The state provides an opportunity as an employee for me to purchase budget life insurance for my kids, but the system thinks they're already covered. I don't know how that's possible, but now I have to figure that out too.
Joey is trying out for baseball. If he makes the team, he needs a physical, so I'm going to have to figure out the whole medical insurance thing.
I was out of cat litter. A pet store near me has a deal where I can refill a pre purchased bucket for x amount of dollars. I should have known they close at 6 on Sundays. I forgot to go yesterday, what with trying to slepp enough to be able to go back to work last night, but I finally made it out there tonight. After the cat pooped on the floor.
The nurses at work swear that a certain consumer's meds haven't been altered, but then why out of no where is she up ALL night and ALL day for a week straight now?
With Joey possibly playing baseball, Mackenzie really wants to play soccer again. The going rate is $80 to register. That doesn't count equipment. And Joey would like to do Little League if he doesn't make the school team, another $80. And Joel has (seriously) said he wants to play football next fall. (all together now) Another $80.
After taking care of the cat, and helping Joey walk the dog (he's having issues, so we're going through a sort of training program) I forgot to feed the fish. So, I guess I can really only take care of 3 animals at a time. Thank goodness Mackenzie has to guinea pigs care under control.
Moral of the story:
Mom's aren't allowed sick leave.

UTI's and URI's otherwise entitled Brenda goes to the doctor

Between losing and gaining medical insurance a couple of times in the past couple years, I haven't been the most frequent visitor of medical centers for myself. But I was having some "potty" issues and finally decided to give my new insurance a work out. Now, I've had a bit of a cold for a couple of days too, but its a cold, we just have to wait those out right? Right. So, I go in, get my vitals done, give a urine sample and wait for the doctor to give me 2 minutes, write me scrip and send me home. I had the great fortune of seeing a Nurse Practioner that believes in spending more than 2 minutes with a patient. She took one look at me and said we're gonna take a look at that cold too.
So, I walked out of the doctor's office diagnosed with a UTI (urinary tract infection), URI (upper respitory infection), bronchitis, and an ear infection. I got to have a cortizone shot in my butt, nose spray for my nose and a fun antibiotic that doesn't have a generic equivalent yet.
Remind me not to complain the next time one of my kids breaks a bone.

Happy Birthday Joel!!!

So my baby turned 5 today. I've been sick the last few days, so it wasn't a big extravaganza, but the great thing about 5 year olds - they don't need it. We went to McDonald's for dinner (some place that at one point wasn't all that out of the ordinary, but lately is) and actually went inside (which hardly ever happens) and played "at the park" as the kids call it (which we NEVER do except on road trips.) I did manage to get a cake made, but didn't grease the pan well enough, so it was stuck to the bottom. I started to write "Happy Birthday Joel" with one of those gel pens you get from the super market, but ran out before I got to the Joel. But, I had some left over white icing. I added a little milk to it, the nuked it for about 10 seconds (it had been in the fridge), put some in a ziplock, cut a corner off and used it to write the Joel. So all's well that ends well. Enjoy the pics.

Not wanting to add to my list...

But I'm going to try to blog more. I say this today, and it will probably be a month until I blog again. So today was a pretty basic day. I'm surrounded by laundry, but making headway. This week I'm trying to catch up enough to do laundry twice a week. The hope is that this will cut down the size of the loads and the amount of time spent sorting, drying, folding, and putting away. Good luck to me.
I was also behind on my meal planning, so there was nothing for dinner tonight. And we were out of bread. Mackenzie and I headed out to grab something to eat, and this is what we came home to:


I woke them up to say that dinner was here, but they are both still asleep on the couch.
Speaking of laundry, the drier has gone off, back to the folding board.

Apparantly I don't blog enough

I've received a complaint that it is too long between blogs. Now I'm in a pickle. My life is boring. Really, nothing happens around here. And I'm usually asleep when the kids do anything blog worthy. But, I'll give it a try...
Joel doesn't like it when Wes and I hug each other. Or maybe its just that he doesn't like being left out. Every time we hug, he wedges himself in between us, taking turns as to which on of us he grans onto. He gets really mad when we see him coming and "close the gap". Then he'll start slapping one of us on the rump until we let him in.
Joey had his first official band concert. Ok, his first official one here. Being a former band nerd myself, I am quite prepared for middle school level band playing. The rhythm section is usually off and there are usually quite a few sqeeks from various instruments that aren't quite finding the right note. Not to mention middle school bands tend to be "top" heavy. Lots of wind intruments, lots of trumpets, very little bass section. I must say, I was very impressed. They were quite good. I'm in the process of securing a copy of the recording from Joey's teachers, so I will try to post the video.
Mackenzie is her usual self, although her attitude is getting to new levels. She employs the foot stomp more often than she used to, and the range of her whining seems to go up with age. I'd rather hoped it would be the opposite. She's already planning her birhtday...in May, and for anyone that wants to know, she wants earrings. I told her that was actually a quite reasonable request. She seemed shocked to hear that.
Me, well I go to work, I sleep, then I work around here. Then I do it all over again. But that's the story of many people's lives. My biggest project right now is staying on top of the laundry and finding new and simple things to make for dinner. I miss having the internet at work. I seem to have more down time there than at home. Although not so much last night. They all seem to be on a similar cycle with their behavior, and last night was the night too be throwing fits and seeing things that aren't there. Its one of those frustrating things about an insitutional surrounding. When your child is on medication of any kind, it is the parent's job to monitor behavior. In the case of where I work, we HSA's are the closest thing, we are the day to day care providers, and the only information anyone takes from us is on a little worksheet where we right down who's sleeping, whose hallucinating, etc. No one ever asks us to ellaborate, then the doctors adjust medications without telling us and we have to wonder why someone is acting funny. Oh well, c'est la ville.