Thursday, December 21, 2006

'Tis the season to be jolly.

Falalalalalalalala

One gift left. That's all we have to get. It's for my oldest nephew, poor guy. I wanted to buy him a refurbished ipod and haven't been able to get the one I want (can afford). So we don't have anything for him, yet. Now we're thinking about a jersey for the KC Chiefs, but I just discovered that they are as much as a new ipod.

Also, El broke her favorite up and down shoes, so I want to try and have Santa replace those. And Em wants a snow globe. WTF? So, I want to look for a snow globe for her.

The inlaws were here for dinner, and I have decided that my house isn't really big enough for fil. He just talks so loud. He was giving me a headache. I suppose it's left over from his preaching days, but damn, man, you aren't standing in a pulpit anymore, you're sitting at the dinner table.

I keep contemplating the bottle of hard cider in the fridge, but I'm so tired, I think it might be a waste. lol

I've made 3 batches of cookies, have sugar cookie dough in the fridge and the stuff to make rice crispie treats. And one neighbor brought us two plates of cookies today. I think I'll send those with the husband to work.

Yes, I think I want that cider.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The sound of silence and wonderful doctors.

Here that? No, you say? Me either. The husband has taken the children to get ice cream and I chose to stay home and have some me time rather than go. I know, I know. That's crazy talk. But sometimes, you've got to take a few minutes when you can get them.

Silence is a sound that is totally underrated and under appreciated, I think. Even now, it's not totally silent here. I have some xmas music playing softly, and I can still hear the traffic outside. We live entirely too close to an interstate and I can hear the traffic from inside the house. It could be worse. We're about 1/4 of a mile away. The houses at the end of the street back right up to it.

But, at times I crave silence and start to think about moving. For now, I have to content myself with visits to my parents' home, or my inlaws', who had the good sense not to live close to, well anything. Both sets of our parents live out in the country. It is like a vacation for the ears when we are there.

The silence is such a relief for my ears and my brain and I am much calmer there. So, take a few moments and turn off as much noise as you can and listen to the silence.


Sam had his 18 month check up yesterday. All is well, except for the upper respiratory infection he has. I was totally floored. I knew he was getting over a cold, but didn't realize he had an infection.

I have to say, I really love the kids' doctors. We see a practice with 3 doctors and a PA and they are all great. I told Dr M that yesterday, too. Just a small example: The girls were 10 weeks premature and had to have a series of shots to prevent rsv (which is basically a cold in healthy babies, but can kill preemies). They had to have 1 shot every 28 days from Oct to April. Each shot cost $1000. Yes, that is one thousand dollars. Actually, the bigger the baby is, the more the shot is, but my girls were so tiny they only needed one vial.

Our pediatricians made sure the insurance company paid for them. All we ever paid was our copay.

A few days ago, I was talking to another mother at preschool, who also has twins that were preemies. Her husband used to work with mine, so when their girls were babies, they had the same insurance we did. They had to pay out of pocket a huge amount for their kids' shots. She said 20%, I think, which because their kids were bigger worked out to about $1000 a month for them. Out of their own pocket. And we had the same insurance. But, we had different pediatricians, and apparently theirs didn't make the effort to make sure they didn't have to pay.
So, I'm pretty convince our doctor hung the moon. lol

Monday, December 18, 2006

Well damn.

I just posted the same sob story twice, because I thought it didn't publish the first time. Oh well.

Making Xmas traditions

No one ever tells you how hard this is to do as an adult. You grow up with traditions that your parents have all worked out and then you get married and have kids and the grandparents have their ideas about how they want you to spend Xmas and you have your ideas and it's just a pain in the ass.

This year, we told dh's parents that we wanted to have Xmas at our house. We wanted them to come and stay Sat and Sun night and have Xmas on Mon morning. But they were resistant, and dh finally had a talk with them about it. It seems that since they have their house, that they have this fantasy of all of us gathered to their nest for any and all occasions. Well, la de da. Because they built a big house just for the two of them, we have to be the ones to go through the hassle every year? Apparently, that is their wish, yes.

So, we caved for this year, with the threat that they will have to come to our house next year, and since Sam will be taking over the guest room, someone will have to sleep on the floor.


And now, I have to go make brownies for a bunch of preschoolers. Merry Xmas, indeed.

Inner Piece

Inner Piece

Well, I've left this a bit neglected, I think. Writing can be such good therapy and I tend to take it out on my mommy message board. They do not appreciate the fine pleasure of being annoyed, even pissed at one's in-laws because they won't do what I want them to do for the holidays. Gasp! The horror that I want to have Xmas at home and not have to pack up and spend 2 days at their house, to be followed by several days with my parents. Sheesh, how unreasonable can I be?

Xmas is a time for family, no doubt about that. And I want to spend it with family, even it means traveling during the day on Xmas day. I think we just haven't forged our own traditions yet, as a family. Dh's grandmother died 3 yrs ago on Xmas day, so before that we always went to her, and well, we just haven't figured it out yet. His parents have a fantasy about how they want to spend Xmas and so do we and they don't always mesh.

I sort of secretly hope that one of them says something this weekend so I can spout off a little.


On the greedy side of things, I know dh hasn't gotten me a present yet. I swear, that man needs a map to shop with. I love him dearly, but he is not a good present buyer. If I don't give him a detailed list of my wants, he falls back to jewelry, which is ok, but I really don't need anymore. And I like pearls and he buys diamonds.

I have to go bake brownies. Why am I such a food snob that I have to bake homemade brownies for dds preschool? Kroger is calling louder by the minute.