Pride I get, this I don't understand

I had heard last week on the news of a family in Texas who was selling many of their possessions to help cover mounting medical bills and create an emergency fund for their kids. Their story is here.
Now, they did get a buyer for the lot of items, and that sounds great, right?
The selling Family is not happy about it. The buyers want to give the family the money and the sellers can keep their items. The selling family has tried to pull the auction and convince the buyers to take all the items.
Why? They don't want a handout. Oh, and they are trying to return donations, even thought there is a donation button on the blog.
Ok, I understand we all have pride and want to earn what we have and make our way through life, but they are in a situation sometimes we have to say thank you, accept the blessings and go forward rebuilding their lives. I am in a similar situation, and if some came forward and said, here is all you need to fix the situation, I would bake them cookies, say a big thank you on the news and in person and move forward with my life. I COULD move forward with my life at that point. Give the furniture to another family who has nothing or lost everything in a fire.
I have a special needs child and I can understand how much care can cost for the kids. A lot is not covered under insurance and many organizations have "Sliding Scale" fees. They look at your tax return and determine you can pay X per month. There is no negotiations in this part. The organizations don't care your mortgage takes one whole check and then there are the other bills and you are living on a cash basis since you have maxed out the cards dealing with the disability (and the doc visits, and the meals around the doc visits, and the medical bills not paid for the visits, and missed income from meetings for the disability). This is why I still owe the State of Illinois $300 that I hope to pay off this year at tax time.
There are grants available. When the organizations that have the grants look at your tax return, you make too much, even thought you pay $1600 in child care each month to have a good job that allows you to have good insurance that covers things like immunizations and OT.
Then you have to figure out what goes first and how you're going to get through it. You sell anything that holds still on Ebay. You're handed solutions you don't want to use, but you have no choice sometimes. The alternative is much worse.
I know what some people are thinking, go to your parents and family. I am sure they didn't want to either. I don't want to. I save that for the big stuff, like when the State decided to suspend James' license for parking tickets were were fighting and had a payment plan worked out for. Oops, the law firm sent it to the state as a suspension by mistake. I needed help immediately and asked for it, and was able to get it and I am thankful. I don't ask my parents or family to pay my utilities or my cell phone bill because I forgot and didn't budget for it. I don't bother my family with my mortgage problems. They are going to tell me to figure it out. I don't ask my family to buy me a new TV for my one that is dying, that is my problem to figure out how I will get it and if I can get it. I know people my age who turn around constantly and view their family as a personal bank account. I don't. I HATE having to ask for money or help. But sometimes you just have to because there is no choice.

Its time for a kid story!

Yeah, don't really want to dwell on the fact tomorrow morning I have to go to the hospital and pass through a magnetic donut to get a scan of my sinuses.
So, let's talk about after school care.
The school/church our daughter goes to has after school care available for the students. Its run by moms and costs $12 a day.
Better than having to quit my job.
Every other Monday after school is her Daisy meeting. I pick her up afterwards so she doesn't have to go to after care.
Last meeting she wasn't happy to see me. At all.
She wanted to go to aftercare with her friends. I was taking her home.
I told her I hoped in a couple years that I could be there to pick up her brother and her from school every day and they would not have to go to aftercare.
She wants to stay. But then she said she wants to go Tuesdays and Fridays only.
I asked her why.
Tuesdays, they have cheese balls and Sunny D for a snack (banned in our house due to food dyes.) and Fridays, they watch movies I don't let her see, such as Open Season and Madagascar.
I'm glad she's happy, but I could buy cheese balls and rent a movie and it would be cheaper than 5 days a week of this.
Think they make Feingold approved cheese balls?

You mean its only Tuesday????

Ugh.
Its only Tuesday?
Its been a week.
My work friend Terri is taking a few days off. Fine. Things have TOTALLY SUCKED for her in the past week and a half with her sister's sudden passing and she's trying to get to something that resembles sanity back. She calls me for sanity, not sure what she's thinking.
Anyhow.
She's off until Thursday and I have been the bearer of bad news for anyone who stops by looking for her, since she sits across from me. Most people have been understanding about it. Even our boss was understanding about it.
I went to get coffee Monday morning and ran into Muffy* in the lunch room. She asked when Terri was getting back. I told her Thursday. Muffy's reply was:

Well that must be nice. I wish I could take that kind of time off. (sarcasm and all)

First off, Terri has been with our company since she was 4**. She has a buttload of vacation time and if she needs to take off to take care of personal things, so what? She comes in early, leaves late, shows up on Saturdays, neglects her furry and human kids to get everything done and you DARE question her taking any time off.
Nice. I'll remember that the next time you take off for Vegas or Michigan on a short notice. Like telling people as you walk out the door. Or not telling ANYONE.
Then, we have the whole Blago embarrasment.
Ok, you're going to lose your job and INSTEAD of going to his trial, he goes on a ton of news shows. Has he totally lost his mind? Umm, the man is a lawyer, doesn't he understand how things work. Its kinda like having to go to court for a personal matter and defending yourself on a blog, Twitter and Facebook. Makes no sense. Act like you give a damn.
I have to hunt down 4 cookie forms before Friday or no cookies for them. The leader and I reminded people when they were due and get them to us in time. Repeatedly. Most people complied. I hate having to be the bad guy.
I still feel like garbage from the sinus infection. My face constantly hurts. I want some narcotics. Tylenol does nothing. Sufaded does nothing. I get my CT scan on Friday.
Wake me when its Friday, ok?

* Not her real name. Wouldn't give her the recognition here.
** Kidding. But she did worked there before they used computers.

Yes, my daughter is nuts, thanks for asking

This weekend is the winter camp out for Princesses. I did it once in all my years in the Princesses. ONCE. It sucked that bad in my opinion. I ran into a tree going down the tobaggon hill in a Thundertube. I also ran over a teenage guy. At meals, we could only have one helping of food that was awful and DID I MENTION IT WAS COLD???????? And no, I do not have any pictures from that one and really don't want to remember it.
Yeah, so I tried my hardest to talk Bri out of this. She was not being talked out of it. She's one of those kids you tell her not to do something because X will happen and she will try it to see if X will happen. And if X does not happen, you will hear about it. For weeks. Strong willed, have NO clue where she gets THAT from.......
So, after two weeks of hunting down snow pants for both and boots, long underwear and fixing a jacket for James, they were off as the sun rose this morning to drive two and half hours to freeze their butts off for the weekend. This was not the same camp I went to. The one I went to is now a Salvation Army camp and about an hour drive. So, the cell phone service sucks so bad up there James can send me texts, but cannot call on either phone. Its cold, Bri's acting up and they were watching a juggler from the Tommy Bartlett show after dinner. Hopefully, they are not sharing a cabin with the same circle from the Fall campout and the dads don't have to stay up to make sure the other circle does not burn down the cabin by spraying white gas on their firepit.
Meanwhile, Jimmy has been up since 8:30, we had McDonald's for lunch. Had to bribe him with M&M's to get my prescription from Target. Did not get new print cartridges for the Epson, since now its demanding Cyan, Yellow and Magenta. (Gee, didn't we get this printer less than a month ago?) His nap sucked and we had a bloody nose this morning because he picks it too much. He got upset because I wanted to order a pizza for dinner, but accepted a microwave one from the freezer. Meanwhile, I ate waffles and the rest of a yogurt he started for dinner.
Ah, so is the life of a mom.

I guess the DS was the right present

Jimmy was really off today. He took his DS and went to the couch after we gave him a time out for something yet again. Guess what we found?

Yup, he loves it so much he naps with it. Its the perfect gift.

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Also, please pray for my work friend Terri. Her youngest sister died unexpectly last night from unknown causes and her family is stressing out right now.

My hopes for 2009 are going out the window

So, remember that lovely sinus infection that I began the year with? The Christmas gift I couldn't return and didn't need really?
Well, urgent care suggested I see an ENT. Since it was 2 months since my last infection.
So I did. FINALLY. I picked my daughter's ENT and made an appointment.
She's one of those doctors that is nice, but to the point. She's going to tell it how it is and what needs to be done. She'll ask how you are, but isn't bringing you Starbucks.
So I went yesterday and saw Dr. D in the morning. I told her of the sinus migraines and the repeat infections (3-5 a year). I told her how I take a lot of meds and still get blocked up and then get an infection. I told her how the Neti Pot and the SinuRinse machine make me feel like I am drowning.
So she took a look and gave me the good news.
After 10 days of antibiotics, I STILL have the INFECTION!
So I got a stronger antibiotic, and a script for a CT scan.
And then we will talk.
I'm getting the feeling this isn't good.
So much for getting to Disney this year.
Pass the yogurt.

I do nutsy things, just ask my husband

Ok, remember last January when I did the 24 hr crop that I felt was a big rip off?
Well, I'm not dealing with that person anymore and have a new person I deal with for scrapbooking. And supplying my addiction.
She does a Weekend Crop twice a year. At a local hotel.
She had one at the beginning of November, but I found out at the end of September and it was already closed. Completly full. With a wait list.
That, and something was going on that weekend, so it was out.
She is doing another one in March. I put my deposit down IMMEDIATELY when she announced it at a crop night in November. So I thought, I have to get my remaining money to her in a few months, no problem.
However, she kept reminding us to get hotel reservations. Why? I live 10 minutes away, I forgot about it. Until this week. Thought this was the same as the overnight crop.
I went to the hotel website and found an AWESOME room deal. Thought, what the hell, I'll stay at the hotel this time. Have a king sized bed to myself this time and it truly is a 24 hr thing. People scrapbook all night I've been told.
So I doubled checked with the woman running the weekend, I just had this feeling.
Well. Per this woman, cannot book throught web site, have to call hotel for their deal for this weekend, which is $35 more a night than the rate on the web site. OK, I told her, I'll just go home at night.
No can do. If I don't get the hotel room, I don't get meals or space to scrap. Then what is the registration fee for????
But I really want to go. I need some peace and quiet for once. But I feel bait and switched on this. I re-read her e-mails and this is not the impression I get.
So, tomorrow, I will call the hotel and make my reservations. With the refund I got for BlissDom. Since I didn't have the money to travel for that (this is really cheaper than going to Nashville).
Wish me luck. Hopefully, there is a room available.

I just wrote a sucky e-mail

Yeah, I just asked for a refund for BlissDom. No money for travel/hotel at this point.

Today has sucked. In so many ways.

I'm just not ready for this

My little boy turned 4 yesterday morning at 5:39 am. He wore up for school going, I'm 4 today I'm no longer 3 I'm 4.
OH boy, I'm not ready for this.
It seems like yesterday that I was woken up by the voice telling me, you have to take a pregnancy test NOW!
It seems like yesterday that I had an emergency ultrasound and found out I could have lost him. I waited 7 weeks to find out I wasn't going to lose him.
It seems like yesterday my OB was telling me, he's breech, what do you want to do? (I secretly think she was rooting for a C-section and was disapointed I said no).
Now, I have a 4 year old with opinions and objections and not potty trained yet. I'm not getting soaked when I try to change a diaper or vomited on after his feedings. Or watching him wiggle around the floor and cry in pain. I can understand most of what he tells me and try to interpret the rest. He uses a fork and can get himself dressed. He's learning to read and write his name.
He still is hyper and has the attention span of a hamster. But we're working on that.
I look at the pictures and cannot believe he's growing up. I look at him and cannot believe I brought home a 8.2 lb infant that long ago. Now he's a 46 lb preschooler, after he stayed the same weight for so long. He's growing by leaps and bounds every time I look at him.
It just seems like a week passed, maybe a month, but not 4 years.
Happy Birthday my little prince.

Mamma's putting her foot down and setting new rules in her house

This week has been crazy, but things are getting out of hand.
Bri has been tardy three times this week, and there has only been three days of school.
Every morning is a huge strugle with her. She tries to take naps between things, like getting out of bed and coming downstairs. Or between finishing breakfast and getting dressed.
Then there's the "what do you want for lunch debate." Every.Single.Morning. We've been in school since August, its old. Very old.
Homework is a huge struggle. She never wants to get it done and waits for the last possible minute, but can bug me every 5 minutes if we will sign her up for milk at school. Last night she finished her homework (10 vocab words three times) at 9:30 at night. Yes, you read that right. I nearly lost it at that point. We're only in first grade and there is not homework every night.

So we gave Bri some new rules. We have had enought.
1) Any homework not done by 8pm the night before its due, is done. If she didn't finish it, too bad. A few times and I think we will have this problem fixed.
2) Bedtime is now 8:30. She may read books quietly in her bed, but she needs to be in her bed IN HER ROOM.
3) Lunch needs to be picked out the night before or she will not have a lunch. (there will be emergency exceptions to this, but I don't want to get back into the habit) I thought of making her take an "emergency lunch" if she forgot, but I'm not that nice when I have a sinus infection.
4) Her alarm is set for 6:30 am. We need to be out of the house at 7:30 (hey I have to cross the Metra tracks to get her to school. You try with all the people going across a two lane road and have forgotten there are Rules of the Road.)

We didn't give Jimmy any new rules of late. He still has the potty training bribe/reward/sanity saver. Its simple. If he uses the potty and keeps dry all day, he gets a Mr Men figure from the show. Shipped from Australia. I have a box of 24 of the brightly colored plastic in a air mail box. Know how many he's earned? None. Nada. Zilch.
We gave him one as a incentive. Know which one he picked? Mr Stubborn.
Yeah, we have a long road ahead of us. Pass the Glowtinis.

I should write a real post but my face is numb

yeah, we made it 5 days without illness. Technically it was 0 days since I haven't felt good since Christmas. First my sinuses were running down my throat. Then everything pretty much blocked up. Then, I was blowing my nose every 15 seconds, so I looked like Rudolph's sober cousin.
Now, its alternates. Mostly stopped up with numbness in my face.
I skipped my daughter's rescheduled Christmas show and stayed home with Jimmy who tried to talk me into making him Mac & Cheese, grilled cheese, hamburgers, and chips after he ate his dinner.
Yeah, good times here. And I will probably have to go to the walk in clinic on my way to work tomorrow am if this does not get better.
It kinda sucks that people tell you to leave and go to the doc, but then complain they are doing your work. They will complain you are sick, then complain you are not there.
Does it get easier?

Hammie's new name will be Extra Crispy if this keeps up.

Even thought Hammie isn't my hampster per se, I do keep an eye on her. Especially when Bri isn't home. I don't want to be blamed if something happens while she is at Eema's
So when we get back from being out, I check her cage.
We got home tonight and she was gone. I moved things around and she was gone. I asked James to check for her. Nothing.
So she was gone again. We looked around and nothing. We called her listening for scratching or seeing her pop out.
She escaped AGAIN!
So we figured we could put out a couple traps and wait.
So I set one in Bri's room and went to set one downstairs and do some laundry.
I was putting clothes in the wash when I heard the following:
SCRAPESCRAPESCRAPESLIDETHUD
Oh crap.
I called James down. He listened and looked in the furnance and found her. He stopped the furnance from running again and started looking how we were getting her out. We found her in the furnance. James took the front off and got her into coffee container I had that was going to be a trap. I guess she took off down Bri's return, which does not end in the living room, but rather goes downstairs and heads to the furnance.
She's safe, minus dusty. She had a puff of dust on her nose when I took her back to her cage. She spent extra time cleaning herself. She got out the same way again. So we put a 5lb bag of rice on top of the cage to try and keep her in. I guess its time for a new cage.
Or we're calling her Extra Crispy and keeping her in a bucket.

All I need to know about Ethics and Morals, I learned from my son watching infomercials

We have our nighttime routine around here that we watch TV in our bed together and discuss what is going on as a family. We will talk about how silly Sopnge Bob is and how mean Vicki is, we talk about the news and Cara and Mady's behavior and such.
Unfortunatly, at night there are A LOT of infomercials on. So Jimmy has been exposed to many of them. Over and over. Also, he is still in a repeating phase, so one he's heard something a few times, he can recite it along with the ad/show/song.
Last night, Jimmy started with telling Jim he needed the slider press while we were watching TV. Jimmy wants small burgers. James said he can make small burgers on his own. We went back to watching Sponge Bob.
The next commercial on was the Shoulder Organizer. Jimmy turns to me and goes, mommy you need that purse. Then the commercial goes to a part where a purse is taken off the back of a chair. They are trying to illustrate the organizer's strap is long enought to wear over a shoulder. Jimmy starts with, you don't take a purse that's not nice he needs to give the purse back that's wrong.
We explained to Jimmy that was stealing and we don't steal. We've had to explain this concept a lot of late as he has tried to walk out of stores with stuff he wants since he doesn't want to wait in line. He seemed satisfied with the explanation, but brought up again that I need the purse so my purse cannot be taken off a chair.
I can't wait until he sees the Spinlash Mascara ad.