The kids and I had a busy weekend, but I captured some cool shots at the Open Doors London event where we got to tour South Street Hospital, which is closing. There are still some areas that are occupied, so lots was blocked off, but we got to see the morgue, ER, Cardiac Cath Lab and lots more. We loved it!
I don’t know why I do this to myself, but the kids and I start school in 3 weeks, and I am freaking out on the daily about all the things I need to get done in terms of prerequisites: (shots, police check, books, clothes) for me, school shopping (clothes, backpacks, lunch bags, and supplies) for the kids; and preparation (freezer meals, meal plans, back-up mother figures, car maintenance, lose 30 pounds, HAHAHA).
On top of that I’m so stuck at this awful weight and it’s bringing my mood down and my stress levels up, because I fight with myself daily to a) get off my ass and b) eat better. I’ve been getting off my ass almost daily.
However. Stuck. SO stuck.
Oh Karen, but didn’t you just write a post on how to lose weight?
Why yes, yes I did. While I wrote it, I probably was EATING. Stress eating is my favorite hobby, doncha know? THIS is why I need to run. And running makes me feel injured a lot of the time so I was doing other things like boot camp and Zumba, but still eating like a pig runner. OINK OINK.
See the dilemma? Yeah, I suck.
The fact that I suck is a recurring theme in my head. I try not to tell myself that I suck, but my brain isn’t working lately, and I fight the scale, the fridge, the pantry, and instead of tackling my to-do list*, I end up doing things like this:
(drinking beer with my sister)
and this:
(making ninja s’mores with my kids and my nephews)
and this:
(helping my husband finish building our back deck)
and this:
(hiking with my kids and nephews to a local waterfall)
and this:
(making 60 jars of pickles)
and this:
(holding hands with my love, while we drove 4 hours there and 4 hours back to my Granny’s 80th birthday party)
There have been trips to Indiana, the beach, the parks, the waterpark, the States, Toronto and so much more. It’s been a wonderful summer and there are still more things planned.
Hey, all this stuff makes my kids happy as clams and it all makes me happy too, but I thrive on routine and so do my kids and I can’t wait for school to start so we can get into that routine, but at the same time I am freaking out. It’s like a hamster wheel of stress in my brain right now. I think I need for Amazon to hurry up and deliver my textbooks so I can distract myself with this:
and this:
and this:
and this:
and this:
and this:
Oh yes, I’m going to do it again. Crazy, eh?
Just think: one day this crazy face could be your nurse’s face. Aren’t you just so HAPPY about that? I think I need to CALM DOWN. Everything will be alright, right? RIGHT?
*wink*
*most of the to-do list is done. shots are done. police check? check. books ordered. kids are ready for school in terms of clothes, supplies and backpacks/lunch-kits. Now if only I could drop 30 pounds in 3 weeks. Oh the pressure we put on ourselves…
I don’t really know where to start with this week – it’s been a wee bit nutty. Forgive the longevity of this post and the sheer raw blogging.
So, updates. You get updates and snippets and it will have to do.
Christmas Family:
The kids and I were giddy with excitement when we brought this to our Christmas Family:
It was filled with 50 – $20 dollar bills, also wrapped in ribbon. My legs were shaking as we entered the place where they are living, and I cried as I explained where it came from. She cried and hugged us and cried some more. She was so overwhelmed, you guys. It was a beautiful experience, but bittersweet, given the situation. It is very hard for me to put myself in her shoes. Her kids are not happy with the situation and have been taking it out on her. She is confused and frustrated and very emotional. I’ve been doing a lot of listening.
There is more money rolling in daily and I’ll leave the Paypal thing up probably until January. You guys have made such a difference but a few have emailed me and asked that I leave it up for a while so they can contribute a bit more on pay days. Words can’t express how grateful I am for you all, on her behalf. She is having such a hard time emotionally, that it’s nice to know we put a dent in the financial burden.
Thomas:
Thomas has been loving karate and the week before last he got two stripes on his belt in one night, totaling three! (The kids have to get 4 stripes on their white belt to move up to the next belt, which for him is red.) When my brother was a kid, I think it went white, yellow, orange, then red but it’s different now I guess.
It’s pretty big for Thomas to love a sport as much as he loves karate. We tried soccer, both indoor and outdoor, ice skating and asked him if he wanted to try hockey but he didn’t want any of that. Karate is the only sport he expressed interest in and we are so very proud of his efforts. He pays attention, works hard and I’ve seen a lot more focus in him. On top of that, he has blossomed at school this year. He is doing all his colours, days if the week, months, lots of words and numbers in French, writing stories at home and spelling things right most of the time. It’s like he has found his little comfort zones and strengths and is just coming alive in every area. Pardon my Mommyblogging, but damn I’m proud of him.
Dylan:
Oh poor Dylan. Last night before bedtime he came to Daren and I and told us his testicle hurt. Being bedtime, we shrugged it off as bedtime stalling (a pastime he is well versed at) and told him to go to bed. Since it still hurt in the morning, I made a doctor’s appointment, half expecting to be told something simple and sent away. Nope. She brought the on-staff urologist right in, and they decided to send us to children’s emergency for an ultrasound, because it looked like it might be a testicular torsion. After Googling that on my iPhone, I kinda panicked. The likely treatment for that is immediate surgery. If my kid was normal, I’d be okay, but mine has an aneurysm in his heart and let’s just say I fought back tears all the way to London worrying about aneurysms and the effect anesthesia would have on Dylan. Daren came straight home in time to pick Thomas up from school, and Dylan spent the afternoon getting poked at and eventually he got his ultrasound.
After an eternity, we learned it wasn’t a torsion at all, it was an infection, likely caused by broken skin and something getting in there. We were given a script for antibiotics and holy hell they are huge horse pills. I bought him a pill crusher.
The only thing Daren and I can figure out that would cause a problem like this would be his hockey jock. It’s so odd.
Other than that, Dylan is amazing. He’s got a job, delivering papers once a week, playing hockey and brought home an excellent report card.
I really love the people my kids are becoming. Sure they fight a bit, but mostly they are very kind to each other and others.
Ruffy:
Ruffy has been on weekly shots to get her joint pain under control. For four weeks, she got a shot in the butt. By week three, she went from falling up and down the stairs to chasing around other dogs at the (unofficial) dog park. The day before yesterday I took her for her annual shots and the last of the 4 shots, and they also drew blood for her thyroid. This morning I got the verdict I was expecting: she has hypothyroidism. Now this lucky pooch will be on a scoop of peanut butter twice a day (with a hidden pill inside). She doesn’t mind.
Yesterday after all her excitement at the vet (poor thing was muzzled for the first time as she has started nipping – come with the joint pain and being protective of her rear hips), I asked Thomas to show her lots of love all afternoon. He did a good job.
In the midst of all this, the last of the 5 babies that were due this year (in my family and circle of friends) was born. Mom and baby are doing well and I can’t wait for Christmas to meet the little guy.
Sigh. You know, despite all this busy-ness, life rocks.
Did I mention a whole bunch of jobs came in at once? And that I’ve been working at MamaPop and trying to co-run Craftastrophe too?
I haven’t been to the gym since Monday, dudes. I’m so going to lose the AvitaSugarBet with this guy.
Send chocolate! Beer! Limes! Come over! I need a party and all you assholes are in Vegas without me. *pout*
What have YOU been up to?
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