I'm back in the land of the living.

Hello folks. Sorry I have been away, sick as two dogs. I did not have the flu, I had bronchitis and two ear infections. When I first went to the doctor, I only had one ear infection. I had to tell the doctor that only four year olds get ear infections, he laughed at me. I also had to go back to the doctor, because, even on antibiotics, I had gotten worse instead of better. I hate that. So more antibiotics, stronger ones and lots of sleep and I am better. Sort of. I am still coughing up stuff, but I at least can function.

So, I apologize for being away so long. How is everyone? Everyone eat too much on turkey day? We will be taking on some issues of Christmas and family and all that jazz in the coming weeks.

God bless you and yours and we will be talking tomorrow.

So sick, so sorry

Sorry to say I have not been blogging because I have the flu. I do not know if it is the 'swine' because going to the doctor so he can tell me I have the flu is ridiculous. I am pushing fluids and should be up and running next week. God bless.

Getting hurt or lying, which is worse.....

So yesterday, I come home from a nice Home Depot trip to see the whole family one the front porch. It was a beautiful fall day here in Michigan, 66 degrees and sunny. So no surprise there. Then I see Tatum, tears streaming, sitting there with ice on her shoulder. What happened you ask? Well do you want what the cousins and her brother and the neighborhood kids came up with or do you want the truth?

What they all came up with, to avoid getting in trouble (which was ten times worse for lying) was that she tripped in the woods and fell. What actually happened was that she was being lifted up by three of them to touch a rope in a tree in the woods and someone slipped and she fell directly on her shoulder. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, a simple fall or falling from five feet up. Which would make her cry and scream when we try to move her arm???

So after a trip to the Urgent Care, which is anything but urgent, no broken bones, but a severe bruise. I get out of the minivan and there are all the little liars in the driveway. So I yell at them all, because I am ticked off. I am not angry that Tatum got hurt, that is just kid stuff that happens. For the love of Pete, the day before JJ Kosek was jumping out of our tree into a pile of leaves, from 15 feet up. Of course, when I saw him, I made him stop, but he had already done it three or four times. Kids are kids and stuff happens. I was mad that they lied how she was hurt, because it does matter. It matters, because a fall from a hight is worse than a trip and fall.

Of course, all the kids think I am insane, but I am used to that. I really am mad about it. My question to all of you is, am I way off base or right on the mark. Seriously, I want to know.

God bless you and yours.

The Swine Flu

Okay, our youth group has started to ask, "do you have the swine?" when anyone coughs or does not feel good. Schools are closing, although, much to my children's chagrin, ours have not. People are standing in long lines to get the H1N1 vaccine. The question is to vaccinate or not to vaccinate my kids.

Here's my problem, when I brought it up, that I was going to call the pediatrician and take them in, my fifteen year old flat out refused to go. He has watched the youtube video of the cheerleader who, because of the H1N1 vaccine, can no longer walk straight and has various motor skill difficulties now. He feels that there is no long term studies on the vaccine and does not want to get it. I hate to say it, but he makes a great point. In all of our panicking, are we going too far?

My other problem is that there is mercury in the vaccine. Manufacturers use mercury as a preservative in vaccines. Cooper has Asperger's syndrome, which is a form of autism. I don't think he should have the vaccine because there is so much research about autistic children not being able to filter out certain metals and other products out of their bodies. The metals then form proteins in their brain that mimic opiates, thus the rocking back and forth, etc. You have to do your own research, and make your own decisions, but mine is to not get Cooper the vaccine.

That leaves me two children, who if they get vaccinated and the others don't and the swine gets into my house, we are all going to be sick. So I made the decision to not get my kids vaccinated against the swine. Quite frankly, everyone I know who has had it touch their homes, if watched and managed properly, have been fine after some very rough days. I am not taking this lightly, I am just wondering if we are all overreacting ever so slightly. I know this is serious, and if my kids run a fever for more than ten straight hours, I will be hitting the doctor's office. I am not being foolish, I am being cautious. I have lysoled and cleaned and make use of hand sanitizer.

What are you doing about the Swine? Share the love and wash your hands.

God bless you and yours.

Thanksgiving approaches.....

As thoughts of turkeys and stuffing and yumminess, I have to think about all the work that goes into the day. It is a lot of work. If you are the one cooking, it's a long day. My husband says that it is the best meal I make all year. Wow, that is a compliment. I do love to cook, and I love thanksgiving, so I don't really mind cooking, but it is a tiring day.

What do you make for Thanksgiving? I make a roasted turkey, stuffing (traditional sage with celery and onion),mashed potatoes, corn, green bean cassarole, sweet potatoes with apples and cinnamon, creamed spinach, crescent rolls, pumpkin pie and apple pie. Oh and gravy, lots of gravy.

Some friends fry a turkey, which I have tried, and it is awesome. Some smoke a turkey. Some barbeque a turkey. I love turkey. I talk to mine when I am preparing it. My kids think I am nuts. I have to talk to it so it turns out right.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Share the love.

God bless you and yours.

Halloween is approaching

I have to say, I do like Halloween. Candy, apple cider and all that jazz. I have pumpkin lights up, much like Christmas lights. I bought pumpkins. Unlike a lot of people in Michigan, I have no problem buying my pumpkins at Walmart. I do not have to go to a patch and pick my own and pay for the experience. I may try to grow some at some point in my life, but this year, I got them at Wallyworld.

I have made candy bags. I just cannot hand out one piece of candy. This is my mother-in-law's fault, as she started me on this journey. I do really miss Halloweenie. In our neighborhood in Az, we had hotdogs down in Kim's cul-de-sac and everyone brought something to share. Yummo. We all sat down there to hand out candy. If you were VIP, you could go into Kim's house to get some chili, a closely guarded secret. It was our own personal block party of fun. I miss that.

Here in Shelby Township, Michigan they have the BEST trick or treating protocol. At 7:00 p.m. the tornado siren goes off signaling the start of trick or treating. At 8:00 p.m. the same alarm goes off to signal the end of trick or treating. No late night ringing of the bell. No chaos. No children wandering until all times of the night. Awesome. Done in an hour. Love it. Everyone should do this everywhere, it just makes sense. The only thing that would make it safer would be to ban driving of all kinds on side streets during this time. I know that is a pipe dream, but there you go.

What Halloween traditions to you observe? Share the love.

God bless you and yours.

Twelve Year Old Boys

All I can say is, if I did not know I would get through this, I would ship him off to military school. I have a fifteen year old boy, so I know this is a phase. But working our way through the phase may kill me. Let me explain.

Progress reports came in the mail. After weeks of asking the proper questions..."have any homework?" "Any missing assignments?" "How is middle school?" we get the ugly truth. Grant is failing English (I believe it is now called Language Arts) and getting a D in tech ed. Now, all I have heard about tech ed is how easy it is. That it is a no brainer and super easy. Well apparently, so is getting a D. My mother taught english for over forty years and I am actually scared to tell her of this. She will die. Maybe literally. Seriously, this is her grandson and he is failing at his native language.

So Scott and I lower the boom. Grant is grounded, this gets a shrug. Grant is down to three meals a day, no snacks, the hair gets cut off, he has more chores to do and he has to get all his grades up to a B. Not a B-, a B. All this and all I get is a shrug of the shoulders like so what? So then, I ground him from youth group and the David Crowder concert this sunday, which is a youth group event. Now I get the tears rolling. You see, if you don't take away something they care about, they will just keep doing what they are doing.

Twelve year old boys are an odd bunch. They are hormonal, but do not know why. They are trying to be "men" but are still boys at heart. Middle school, which we all remember, has it's own set of horrors to deal with. I get all that. I just hate, and I do mean hate, the shoulder shrug, the constant arguing of his point, and the dreaded eye roll. When Bill Cosby, in Himself, talks about, "Don't you roll your eyes at me, I will roll them right back into your head" I get it. I am also quite familiar with the "I don't know" Really? Really, really? You don't know how your sister got a bloody nose? You don't know how my nail clippers got onto your bed. You don't know why you have four missing assignments? Which I found at the bottom of your locker when I went to your middle school and helped you clean it out. He would have had a B in English but for the missing assignments. Why? Why, why, why, why why?

Maybe it's seventh grade. Maybe it's middle school. Maybe it's just me as a mom. I don't know. Wait a minute........that is not acceptable. Oh no, maybe they really don't know.

So any twelve year olds out there in your life? Share the chaos.

God bless you and yours.