Thurs Apr 26

Aaaah, the return to the relatively calm, stress-free routine of everyday life. Although it feels like a routine, it's certainly not calm this week.

Had scouts on Monday, where we planned an outing for Saturday with Matt's den to visit the fire station. I won't be able to go (well, maybe I will) cause of conflict in schedule. Tuesday night was the first band board meeting I have gone to since Mar 1. Lots of stuff going on there that I had mentally checked out from this last month. Last nite, Wed, Esther invited me to the Angel's game. We went and talked the whole time and walked out at the top of the seventh cause it was getting late, the score being 3-1 Angels. We get to the car and hear a huge roar - the score was 9-1 Angels by the time we got home...aaargh.... we missed the best part.

Today Jacob and Kevin sang with their school classes at Knott's. RJ is still at home and had another lab appt. and cardiologist appt. this afternoon, conflicting with Knotts, so I had to write my questions down. The p/t pharmicist in me wants to know what's going on now. The cardiologist asked where I was - I guess he missed me. He's good at bantering with the patients, so that is a real plus in all this. He has a note to be out of work until at least June 20, they want to have his sternum completely healed before heading back.

Tomorrow night is the BBQ and concert with the band. I have not been able to see any of the concert performances this year since they have all been in the month of March/April. Jacob gets to go on his very first Weblos campout for the weekend... and needs to be dropped off in Brea the same time as the BBQ. Saturday is the aforementioned fire station trip and Music in the Parks festival that the band is hosting at the school - again, at the same time. Sunday is our first cow chip bingo, and Lisa and I are swimming in notes about voided, reissued, and extra tickets being handed out. Need to straighten them all out by Saturday so we know which plots are sold vs. unsold. . . It would be awesome to actually win some of this money we are dealing with! And we round out Sunday night with a softball game, where we will see how well my 4 times at Curves this month (I haven't had any time!!) has kept me in shape. I know, round is a shape, but not particularly a good one to be in.

I think Monday we might just skip scouts, turn off the phones, and sleep - 12 days in a row with something going on each day is tough! I won't tell if you don't. . .

Can't you see the boys? They are wearing a white shirt with a yellow kerchief - see 'em? They're RIGHT THERE!!

Extreme Decorating: Headdress Edition

Spent the last 48 hours with Tracy, Cindy, and Andrea decorating Tracy's debut piece for the Las Floristas Headdress Ball. She went out and not only placed, but took the Sweepstakes Award on her very first try!

No matter how much I was told what to expect, it isn't the same as actually being there and doing it. It is a float detailers dream - or nightmare, depending on if you are working with cocos and spider leaves. There isn't time to stand around very long debating on the merits of this pattern or that flower, you go- go- go- until the judging deadline. Put it on, "that looks good", what next? You don't have time to sit down and hit that wall of exhaustion that will stop you for the night.

Since I was the newbie, I got to spray and glitter every flower that went on the piece. I feel like I have a lining of clear spray paint and glitter on the inside of my nose now. This was OK, cause then I couldn't smell myself (or Cindy) at 3:30am when we went to bed. I also had a lovely purple, pink, and red glitter manicure thing going for awhile. All great fun if you are into this kind of stuff - I don't mind being the worker-bee at all - just don't ask me to ever create one of these from scratch. Here's some photos:

Tracy applying a spider mum

L-R: Cindy, Andrea, Nina, Tracy, and Lori
The back of the headdress:

Tracy and Gary:

Lori, Lisa, Tracy, Cindy:

Tuesday 4/17

Ronnie came out this last weekend, we hung out around the house and watched videos, ate enchiladas and ice cream, saw the stupidest Will Ferrell movie EVER, and got into it with a plumber who wanted $800 for a new pipe. Thank God my softball game on Sunday nite was a forfeit, cause I was under the weather and didn't want to be out in it. (You know you're over 40 when ... you are GLAD that you don't have a game!)

One doctor down - two to go. We went to the surgeon's office today and got a clean bill of health and a release from his care. Also got the all-important, never taken for granted, much-needed, "OK to drive a car"! Now RJ can drive himself to a couple of doctor appointments and/or lab tests and even pick up the kids from school if needed.

Still have two doctors on the docket, as well as some more weekly blood tests, but we need to get past the initial 6-8 week mark before those will die down.

Got a phone call reminder this afternoon from the pediatrician, Kevin has a physical tomorrow for Boy Scouts - I completely forgot to put this one on the calendar, glad they called. Maybe I don't have to drive him ..... hmmmmm ...

Oooooo - Friday the 13th - Oooooo

Well, we had two doctor appointments this week, and have not been readmitted to the hospital. Woo hoo!! Actually, I went to three appointments - an oncologist, a GP, and a cardiologist. Had to cancel the pediatric dentist appointment because of lack of time. Have not even scheduled my own doctor appointments, or the followup dental appts for the kids. Oh well. But since the rest of April includes at least two more doctor appointments, a followup surgery for mom, three blood tests, a Headdress Ball, a BBQ, a Weblos campout, and four different band activities, I'm thinking there's always May! But that month's calendar is looking rather filled as well.

Earlier today I finally made it to the day spa - got the knot rubbed out of my shoulder and neck that had been plaguing me since the middle of March - aaaaahhhhh, worth every penny. Tonite we went to see "Disturbia" at the movie theater... billed as a suspense movie along the lines of Rear Window. Esther and Cliff met us there (their pick) and we jumped a few times throughout. The whole theater was packed with high school kids, I think there were only a dozen folks there that were old enough to be parents.

Tomorrow Ronnie is flying in to come visit for the weekend. I don't know who is more excited, the big boy or the four little boys. The plan is to hang out and see if we can gross him out with looking at the zipper.

Tuesday 4/10

Hi ho, hi ho, it's back to work I go.. actually, leaving one work for the other "work", which in some cases is easier than the work at home. But this is not news to any of the working moms out there!

Sam and Kevin are home on easter break this week, and staying home with dad. He is practicing his supervisory skills on them, directing them in the fine art of lawn-mowing, edging, trimming, sweeping, vacumming, making lunches, and picking up their room. I can handle the dishes that are only half clean, but I still won't let them near the washer and dryer. The other two boys are going to daycare for the week, as four boys at home is taxing for even the healthiest parent's sanity.

RJ was home for the a/c cleanup and inspection, and today got a second visit from the home nurse. She declared him healthy enough to not have to return, as his bp is back in normal ranges and heartbeat is steady. She even canceled the physical therapist that was scheduled to come out to the house to put him through his paces on the exercises they gave him, and said we could do it on our own. I guess she figured that I can now be a part-time PT on top of being a part-time pharmacist, and full-time appointment scheduler and medical paperwork inspector. You think I could sneak him into Curves with me?

Yesterday I went to mom's oncologist appt. for the diagnosis of stage three cancer and the year's worth of upcoming treatments for that. Went in to work a couple hours late, and spent the afternoon digging through stuff that accumulated on my desk the last 2 1/2 weeks. Today and tomorrow I am in a project management class - nothing there of great suprise to a working mom, everything just has a corporate name to it.

Later this week we have two doctor appointments, a kids dentist appointment, and a postponed massage (woo hoo!!) to look forward to.

PS - Happy Birthday to Brenda and Tracy ~