Joys In My Life

I'm so glad I posted yesterday's post.  I'm also really glad the doctor and I decided to do a throat culture on both boys when we saw her yesterday.  That face the boys were making in the last post, it's still exactly how I feel! Tommy's fast strep test came back positive.  He also has an ear infection.  The doctor ordered him to be put on Omnicef and we were crossing our fingers for no allergic reaction to it.  He's had yesterday's dose and today's and still no issues.  Whew!  Hopefully this latest antibiotic which he'll take for 10 days will do the trick. Liam's fast strep test was negative; however, I called the doctor back to check today, as she ran an overnight culture and it's positive today.  We still don't understand if the allergic reaction he had was really the Clindamycin or the Omnicef, but we do know he had a definite allergic reaction to the Rocephin he had at the urgent care, so we're going to try Biaxin tonig...

Above is how I feel about the way the boys still haven't quite seemed to be able to shake feeling under the weather.  Both boys still have swollen tonsils and Tommy has a huge lymph node in his neck that he says hurts when I touch it.  Neither boy has had a fever, they both have gotten back on a regular sleeping schedule for school days (8PM to 6:15AM) and they've been eating just fine.  However, because this doesn't seem to be getting much better this week, I'm taking them to the doctor's this afternoon for a checkup.  Hopefully, we can get over the hump of this bug and I can stop spraying everything down with antibacterial Windex or Lysol wipes obsessively.  I'd also like to stop walking around the house with a thermometer and flashlight to check out throats! The one nice doctor's appointment we had was Tommy's eye checkup with the pediatric ophthalmologist.  He sees her every six months these days.  We all agreed his eyes are looking straight o...

Another week, another menu plan - Go Me!!!  This is really helping us keep on track from wanting to just get take out during the week. Sunday Curried pumpkin soup (made by Tom, it was amazing!!! and no cream, dairy or coconut milk in it at all!), salad, crusty bread Monday Ramen noodle soup, steamed Chinese greens Tuesday Angel hair (leftover), pesto, diced tomatoes; roasted chicken sausage and crusty bread Wednesday - Tom and I are going to a comedy concert  Frozen pizza or mac n cheese (will ask Phoebe which she feels like having with the boys) Thursday - soccer practice night Leftover pumpkin soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, salad Friday Chicken wings (barbecue and hot), french fries (made from potatoes we have), steamed green beans I'm leaving Saturday and Sunday open as to what we want for dinner.  We'll probably being running errands on Saturday before Tom and I go out for our official date night.  This week will be kind of decadent, as we'...

This is in 1977. Me, my grandmother and my uncle who is only two years older than me. My grandmother passed away this week.  We're about to go up to where I'm originally from in upstate Pennsylvania for the viewing and funeral.  My Nana lived a full life, so I can't say I'm sad.  She was 83 years old, had two marriages, three kids and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren (all of those were from me).  She had a great sense of humor, wanted to be like Elizabeth Taylor (didn't they all from this generation) and was very old fashioned as she was from a time when women worked only until they became wives.  She was my last living grandparent, so this is an end of an era for me.  It was my mother's last living parent and it makes me think of how odd that will be when I'm in that situation.  However, my parents are still young, so I think that will be quite some ways off.  They think they are old, but 61 and 65 are really not that ...

The boys seem to be on the mend again and went back to school today!!!  However, Tom started feeling sick on Sunday and Phoebe stayed home sick on Friday and today.  Last night she was running a fever, but not today.  So the continuing trying to keep illness away, we had soup on Sunday's dinner and we have some leftovers we can have during the week for lunches as well.  We also have some cantelope cut up in the fridge we can finish and I need to cut up a watermelon.  I'd also like to make some gluten-free blueberry muffins and some roasted tomato salsa.  Let's see if I can get any extra time in the kitchen to do that! Sunday Homemade ramen noodle soup, steamed Chinese greens Monday Crispy chicken thighs (Liam's name for them, they are just baked with seasoning on the skin until the skin is crispy), roasted potatoes, roasted carrots Tuesday Leftover pork chops and butter beans casserole, steamed green beans Wednesday Stuffed mini peppers (stu...

Here are my new best friends.  The boys and I were hit by strep throat ....  Hopefully, Tom and Phoebe are not going to get it.  I'm looking at Phoebe's throat all the time.  I still sent her to school as she looked fine this morning.  The boys and I are home, all on antibiotics.  My job now, other than attending some work calls from home, is to obsessively wipe down every surface of this house and push healthy foods on the boys like homemade soups.  Hopefully, everyone will be feeling better tomorrow as it is picture day at the boys' school. I also need to rally myself as other than cleaning, I've got some areas of this house that need to be organized.  Right now my main areas of concern are:  boys' craft/school supply cabinet, the coat closet and the boys' pajama drawer.  I also know I need to buy the boys some more pajamas, but I want to take an inventory of what they have and what they need. I also have a lot to learn at wor...

If the September goals list looks like I've got a lot to tackle, keep in mind, I'm also practicing being kind to myself and our family.  We're going to be very busy in September with the boys in Kindergarten and starting to have homework.  They also started soccer and my husband has agreed to help coach the team.  Phoebe is back to school with 8th grade and has field hockey practice daily after school until 5PM (she's the only 8th grade goalie!). This month we are focused on learning our new routines, keeping the calendar up-to-date and menu planning.  I'm still exercising but it may not be longer than 40 minutes.  I'm working on keeping up with the routine to work out, rather than focusing on a specific goal.  A friend wanted me to do a half marathon this fall, but I told her it would be a bad idea when I knew the craziness we would be going through this month.  I'm very glad I said "no" now that we are going through the mad rush of back-to-scho...

Some of these goals for September have already been completed, as they were helpful to do last weekend before we got back into the day-to-day school year schedule.  I look forward to getting more done.  Here's the paper calendar we keep on the refrigerator mentioned as #5 under "Family". This is also updated online. Family Menu plan weekly - plan out healthy meals and keep eating out to a minimum  Organize Phoebe’s room before school starts this year - Phoebe actually did this herself!  Work with Phoebe daily on her organization this school year – both homework and activities  Keep the boys organized with school; make sure we understand what homework and activities they have with school  Keep the family calendar online and on paper up-to-date.    Did this yesterday!  Keep the boys signed up for sports with the YMCA - The boys are in soccer this fall.  Document/start chores for kids before school starts and make it fun!...