Spring Break! McDonald's, movies, visit cousins, Chuck E. Cheese

On this Spring Break I think we have rented movies at least 3 times. I also took Mr. A out to the movies. He and Ty got sick for a few days and no one felt like going out to do the things we had planned. I also took the kids to McDonald's for ice cream and to play on the playground. They were very excited to go to one of the buildings that had been recently remodeled. When we got there we found out that the play place had been taken out and replaced with, you guessed it, video games!! This was disappointing for everyone. I take my kids there to play and get exercise not play more video games, they get plenty of that at home. We also went and visited Aunt Monica twice and played with cousins. Today we got to go to Chuck E. Cheese. I even love going here! It was very busy today though. We had to wait for our pizza for so long and then they gave us the wrong one. I decided to just keep what I had instead of waiting for a new one to be made and brought out. The kids received a treasure hunt over email and got 50 free tickets after they answered all the clues. They always love picking out prizes before we leave! Spring break is more than half over, I don't want it to end this year!

Spring Break-Barton Burr Library and Movie Day

It is Spring Break! I decided I was not going to spend everyday doing everyday things. I really wanted to spend time with my kids doing things that they asked to do, out of the ordinary things.

Mr. A has been begging to go a library we pass by on the way to get his allergy shots. After a little research I figure out it is the Barton Burr Library. On our first day of Spring Break we went there. It is a huge library, Ty would have loved it!! There are a few exhibits, but the kids weren't interested in those. What they loved was the water under the stairs and elevators. We visited this area twice, and of course had to throw pennies in to make a wish. They also loved the elevators. Since they were glass and open on the back Mr. A was fascinated with the gears and how they worked! While on the 5th floor we also looked over the banisters all the way to the 1st floor and out the windows at the parking lot below. I got a little dizzy! I finally got the kids to go to the Children's Area! There was a garden outside that they spent time in and fun things to look at inside too! Mr. A was so happy to find a big selection of comics and graphic novels. He picked out 10 to bring home. Miss E was not very excited about this trip, but we will do other things she will enjoy.





Today is Movie Day. I took the kids to Blockbuster. Mr A picked Real Steel and Puss in Boots. Miss E picked Barbie: A Mermaid Tale 2. It will take a couple of days to watch everything, but it will be relaxing!!

No, this picture is not blurry!!

I was so happy when I heard the word "positive" coming out of the mouth of Mr. A's teacher! But then I was instantly crushed when he said "No. this isn't a good thing." Apparently no one knows what happened to Mr. A's glasses. The teacher then goes on to tell me that Mr. A doesn't know what happened to the glasses either. They were found this way after being left inside the case and left on the desk while he was in the restroom. I was told that he put them on and didn't notice they were this way until another student told him.



This picture is not blurry, but the lens is completely scratched up on one side. How he could not see there was something wrong is beyond me. Needless to say, Mr. A is paying to repair this. He was being irresponsible by leaving them on his desk or lying (this is what I believe is really happening). I just paid to have these fixed last month when they "fell on the ground" and got stepped on.

Today was not perfect!

I'm Back!

So the last time I blogged was just before the holiday season started. It has taken me this long to catch up with all the things I was behind on. I don't know how it all piles up. But when I see a pile of something I just have to do something with it. I work on it until it is done and move onto the next thing. Now my piles of things aren't just paper. It could be something that needs repair. I could be the inbox of 200+ surveys that I had. Anyway, I now feel like I can move onto things that I want to do! Things feel perfect again!

I love lists!!

I can not believe that it has been two months since I was able to blog! I don't know what has happened since then. I was sick, the dog has been sick, Mr. A's birthday came and went, Halloween came and went, and I am taking Mr. A to a holistic allergist. I will have to blog about that another time.

Now since the last time I blogged I have been wanting to share my obsession with lists. I write everything down or it will be forgotten, believe me! Sometimes if I am about to do a task and it has been crossed out and I get distracted the task leaves my brain! I just have a horrible memory. So each Sunday I get my planner out and spend time planning my whole week. For example, Monday's I plan to make any phone calls. Sometimes this can take me a whole hour to accomplish! It frightens me when I look at the clock and see how much time it has taken me. Everyday is filled with something that has to be done. I feel pressured to finish what I have planned for that day. Sometimes I just wish I could stop so that I wouldn't feel like I always had to be doing something. But that is how our society is right? I want to change that, just don't know how! So if anyone has some ideas send them my way!!

I also write lists for things that need to be bought at the store or where I am going on errand days. I keep paper in the car, in the kitchen, by my bed, and in my purse. That way when I think of something I can jot it down and not worry about trying to remember it while I do something else. I think that's a great tip!


My planner at the beginning of the week


My planner at the end of the week

Catching up!

Ok, I have been so busy I am now behind on this blog! So, this is what has happened since last month.

On the 9th of August Mr. A went to see his psychiatrist. She rose the amount of medication he is taking for ADHD. She was seeing a lot of impulsiveness in him and was hoping it would help. Fast forward to the 6th of September. Upping the dose has made his behavior worse. I just didn't realize it until she stared asking some questions and the pieces started to fit together. Now Mr. A is taking the lower ADHD medication and taking a higher dose for the OCD medication. We see the doctor in 2 weeks to see how he is doing.

On the 10th of August I met with the Dean of Students and Mr. A's behavior coach to make sure we are all on the same page for the school year and working together as a team.

On the 11th I met with the Enrichment planning committee. I love this calling I have in the LDS Church! I get to work with some really fun and interesting women! We planned for the rest of the year, one activity a month. We had some really good cake that the Relief Society President made. YUM!! I am in charge of November and have been searching for a craft to do. I think I found one and will post about it later!

On the 13th I took a much needed break with my Mom! We had an excellent time eating out, shopping, and visiting. We went to Build-A-Bear and made our own bears. I've always wanted to do this, well, because I am jealous of my kids bears. My kids never want to buy any of the cute clothes for their bears. Which is so weird! I love the clothes they have for the bears. So they were having a fabulous deal. The bear, clothes, and shoes for $30!! Here is a picture of our bears at the hotel room.



We also went to the Disney Store and looked around. I loved being able to eat out without rushing or worrying about the time. If the kids had been there I would have had to listen to them whine, "I'm full. I am ready to go!"

On the 18th I got to do a tomato tasting research. I am signed up with Delve. They call me from time to time and I answer their surveys, but I never get into the studies. The last one I did with them was on diapers when Miss E still wore diapers. So this was really a treat. I am now craving tomatoes all the time. They were so yummy and I got paid $60 for tasting them. If you are interested here is a link to their site: www.delve.com



I also went to the PTA meeting, the first one of the year. I love our new president she stays on task and the meeting is more organized. Don't get me wrong, I loved the president we had last year too. I always wanted to be more active with the PTA. I was a member last year, but only went to meetings and voted. This year I helped out with the closing of the Entertainment book sale on the 31st. I hadn't planned on helping, but as I was leaving the school I could tell they needed help. I stayed for 4 hours. I really enjoyed the work!



Earlier this year my Bishop encouraged me on some goals for the 2011 year during my tithing settlement. One of them was going to the Temple once a month. I told him I really couldn't at the time because of all the things I needed to do with my children. I told him my goal was to start when the children started school in August. Well, I did it! I moved the date back 3 times, but I finally went on the 23rd. I really enjoyed myself and I never once worried about the time. I also went to the Desert Bookstore afterward and used some Birthday money to get a Study Guide for the Old Testament.



On the 25th I went back to the allergist doctor. I, unfortunately, did not get good news. Mr. A's allergies have gotten worse! The counts in his blood have doubled on most things he was tested on. Mr. A has a condition called Eosinophilic Esophagitis, EE for short. The count in his blood should be around 100 EE cells. He is in the 3,000 range. I will also be taking him in to his GI Dr. in a few weeks. We may have to do another endoscopy. Mr. A does not know about it yet, because he gets very worked up about this procedure. I do not get to introduce any new foods at this time. I was hoping for much better news! Here is the list of foods that he is allergic to according to the blood test results: eggs, peanuts, tomatoes, beef, carrots, potatoes.
There are some new ones on this list and some that are gone. The Doctor is also thinking some of the vegetables are coming up so high is because he has extremely bad environmental allergies: grass, trees, weeds, cats, dogs, and pollens. She explained how vegetables grow on plants and so that is why it's showing up like that. So we are going to start allergy shots sometime this month and hopefully that will help him! That evening I went to the Enrichment activity Recipes and Raffles. Some of the ladies brought a dish with a recipe. There was a lot of food and a very good turnout! I shouldn't have eaten dinner. Then there was a raffle for Victoria Secret lotion. I think everyone got something!

On September 2nd we got out of town for Labor Day weekend. We stayed with my parents in Sahuarita, AZ. It was a good time, but I have been really dizzy for a week now and I feel tired. So I slept some while there.

I took Mr. A to his GI doctor on the 6th. I am so very frustrated. She did not have anything from the allergist. She does not want to do another endoscopy right now, unless Mr. A does not gain weight. So now I need to weigh him weekly. I really wonder how all of these weight issues are going to affect him as he grows up. I don't want him to always be worried about his weight! So I don't know what or where we are now with all of this. I don't know what to do next.

So this turned out to be very long, but as you can see I am one busy parent! In just the last two days I had to pick Mr. A up from school early because he hit his head on a desk and has a gash. No stitches needed and no concussion!! I had to get him from the office yesterday because he scratched a desk up because he was mad at his teacher. He is in ISS for 3 days and has to pay for a new desk top with his allowance. I really hope next week and the rest of this month is better!!

Counting

Ok, I promised that I would share what my life as a perfectionist is like. So here it goes! (Big breath). One of the first things that I do during the day is counting. This habit is not as bothersome as other habits that I have. I count how many times I rub soap on my body in the shower, washing and rinsing shampoo and conditioner in my hair, brushing my teeth, lotion and deodorant on my body, chewing food. I mean I could go on and on all day with things that I count. I love certain numbers. Usually any even number and anything divisible by 5 and 10. So, for example, when washing my hair I count to 20 before rinsing the soap out. I've always loved math and thought of it as a "game" while growing up. I took pre calculus in High School and loved it! So maybe I just love numbers!