Two Jobs

Sometimes I feel like I have two jobs. Being a full time mom and writing. I love both jobs, but I can't go to job number 2, until job number 1 settles down a little bit. "Settles down" translates into baby napping, other children playing DOWNSTAIRS - where I can still hear the chaos they ensue but it doesn't totally interupt my genuis at work - I'm laughing even as I write this.

The baby has been so sick and not napping well, and the kids for some strange reason don't always appreciate being banished to the basement! Go figure. But I have managed to organize some of my many scattered thoughts into two rough chapters. And I've even sent them off to my editor. Thank you Dana.

Remember I'm looking for hilarious and heartwarming stories (even the sad ones) if you'd like to contribute. For now, baby is crying in the other room so I'm punching back in as "Mom" and hanging up my hat as "Writer."

And don't think I haven't noticed, neither one of these is a paying gig...yet.

My New Writing Project

I've started a new writing project. Along with my own hiliarious and heartwarming stories of raising children, I am asking for contributions. I am going to try to publish this one so, if you'd like names changed let me know. My children provide me with plenty of material, but I wanted to use some of my friends and family's stories as well. If you're interested give me a call, send me an email or just print something off and stick it in my hand! Wish me luck! Thanks, Gail.

By The Way

This post is for Mike.


Hey Babe, I changed our template. Hope it's not too girly. I tried out the pink, but decided you would appreciate this color over the cotton candy background.

Love,
Me

I couldn't sleep. Read previous post - oh and thanks for not eating Emma's brownies.

Midnight Snack

I don't usually get up in the middle of the night with a growling tummy, searching the cupboards for something sweet. But tonight I did.

Sometimes when I turn in early I suffer the consequence by waking up, also very early! But last night I was just completely wiped and couldn't keep my eyes open any longer no matter how I tried! I started the day by shoveling our drive way (which is much bigger now that we have the side pavement) and a friend's drive way, (with Bekah's help). I caught up on all the laundry I had ignored last week, we had 3 different friends over (playdates) and I fed 2 of them dinner. Aaron got a weird fever in the middle of the day, ya know the kind where they're burning up from tummy to head but their feet are like blocks of ice? So, I was worried about him too - that always drains me a little. I've been fighting a cold for the last several weeks and every time I feel like I'm getting over it, I wake up with nasty cold symptoms again...come on! By the time 8:30 rolled around, I was exhausted.

I must have slept very deeply, because by 3 am I was wide awake. I had also made brownies that night, so I wandered into the kitchen ready to cut off a bite or two. But when I checked the pan, no brownies!! Where did they go? Oh ya, there's 5 other people in this family. Then it hit me, Emma didn't finish her brownies, she took a few bites then said, "EWW, I don't like brownies." Where was her bowl, did Mike already get to it? Ah-Ha! Mike didn't see it, her left over brownies were all mine (mad scientist laugh)! So I stuffed me face and feeling very satisfied (yummy sigh) with the taste of chocolate on my tongue I went back to bed. An hour later I got up for the day. I can't sleep. I might as well go strap on my running shoes and hit the treadmill.


Time to work off all the brownies.

The Sneeze

Emma came upstairs today, all dressed for school. Okay! If you're feeling up to it, I'll take you. I replied. As I was getting the girls in the car to go pick up Aaron from kindergarten Emma came to me with a pained look on her face.

Mom - "What's wrong?"

Emma, (through a stifled cry) - "I just sneezed!"

Mom - "Do you need one more recovery day?"

Emma nods.

Speaking from experience, a cough, clearing your throat, or even something as little as a sneeze hurts sooo bad when you've just had your tonsils out. Take it easy Emma. You can go back when you're ready.

Surgery Update!

She's ALIVE!





Oh, you needed more than that? Okay, she's alive and doing great. In fact, as I type this quick post she's cleaning up the baby's chocolate pudding face for me - And No, I didn't ask her to do that, she's just an awesome little 7 year old that one!!

She did end up needing her tonsils out, as well as the adenoids - the very experienced doctor, (he did Uncle Justin's surgery 25 years ago!) said, "She had very big adenoids!"

I promise a post with more surgery details when I have the time to sit down and recall them, but for now I just wanted to let everyone know she's doing great.



Thanks to Grandma Jan-Jan for babysitting the day of the surgery and for Emma's new book - she loves it! And another shout out to Aunt Coco and Grandma Kitty for dinner and ice cream! That was so wonderful of you!

And Sharla, if you're reading this, (a lot of my friends don't do the "blog thing") Thanks for a delicious dinner the day she came home - that was so nice not to worry about dinner the day of her surgery! Even though it's a very routine proceedure and didn't have much to be concerned about I'm always a bit of a nutcase when one of my babies is sick or hurting!

Thanks to everyone who has shown their love and concern for Emma at this time! We love you!

Personal Space

To say that Rebekah is a snuggler would be a gross understatement. Lately, her affections have been directed primarily at Mommy. Gail can't watch a show, read a book, make dinner or anything else without a four-year-old hanging from her.

Last night, I was driving to the grocery store with Mo and Bekah, so I seized the intimate setting to do a little investigative reporting.

Dad: So, Bekah. Why are you always glued to Mommy?

Bekah: Because I have an invisible glue stick.

Dad: Yeah, that's fun to pretend. But really, why are you always sitting on Mommy?

Bekah: Because I love her.

Dad: I love her, too. But I don't hang on her all the time.

Bekah: Well, I love her more than you. I love her 46.

It's tough to compete with that. I guess I'll have to step it up. So, Gail, if you feel me encroaching on your personal space, just know it's for the good of the kids. We can't have them thinking they love us more than we love each other.