it isn't easy..

This week, I thank god everyday for this magnificent place and the super-caffeinated-hot beverages ....



The new schedule kicked in .... and it's kicking my butt.....4:30am comes really, really early. I'm having great difficulty staying up past 9:30pm. And the amount of shows piling up on DVR is concerning. If I can't stay up past 9:30pm and my kids don't go to bed until 8 pm .... I'm never gonna catch up! NEVER !! I do vaguely remember seeing the Grey's Anatomy was a repeat this week, so that's good...at least one show I don't have to watch.

By 1pm, I'm feeling like this ...

I want to take a cat nap ... at my desk ... I don't care .....

Some interesting things that I am learning about 4am hour ...

• I am finding that folding laundry at 4:45am isn't that different than folding laundry at 6:15am. Just a little more dark and a little more quiet. And that the dryer has an annoying squeak in it. Which is concerning ... because I can never be without a dryer! NEVER EVER!!
• Since I can't stay up late enough to obsess over my floors and I need to clean them every night, I now can do that at 4:55am every morning and achieve the same result.
• When a certain 2 year old wakes up and tells me "You not nice. Turn the lights off", Noggin has Lazy Town at 5:30am.
• Dogs adjust faster than their owners. My dog NEVER woke up before 6am before this week. Now the whining starts at 4:30am. He needs to learn that whining won't get you outside any faster. And that he still gets walked at 6:30am. Don't care ... not happening any earlier.
• And that learning how to set the auto-start on the coffee maker should be learned before the owners manual was tossed out.

I'm adjusting ... just not very quickly ....

ETA: Duh ... I don't understand how you guys aren't mind readers ... lol .... Big Erin started a new work schedule. He now works 5:50am - 2:20pm ... Thus the reason my butt needs to be up and dressed before awakening the littles for school .... sorry, should have put that in there ...

my order.

I'm constantly reminded by my stellar employer that "You are lucky to have a job". And I know I am. Things are tough out there.

We were a 4 person office, over the past 3 years we have become a 2 person office. We no longer have a receptionist. She was one of the casualties 2 years ago. Now we have split all office duties down the middle between both of us.

But who has time to order from Staples??? And who has the time to make a list???

This works for us.....

Empty boxes...ON.MY.FLOOR.

And, yup, that's a scanner. We need one of those too !!

Rachael's Birthday Round-up

After a super wonderful weekend of winning soccer in Naples, we hurried back to celebrate her birthday at home with Daddy, Erin, & Kasey !! No kidding, I made in home by 12:45 yesterday. I'm not saying I was speeding, I am saying there wasn't much traffic :)

We went to a late lunch with Pappy Ralph and then came home to open her presents and have some birthday cupcakes. I'm not a fan of having left over birthday cake around, so a 6-pack of cupcakes and some ice cream worked just fine. Just so you know, she did have a birthday cake with her soccer buds on Saturday night, so she wasn't cake-less! This Mommy wouldn't do that.

Here are some pictures. She looks so happy. It was her birthday and soccer team just ran away with the weekend ... It doesn't get much better than that for this 11 year old.

Here is Rachael opening her last gift and it was a big one .... her Ipod touch !! She is daddy's girl and this was his idea. It was a hit, she was very excited ...

We went to lunch with Pappy at Cheddar's. Here are a couple of pics.

And finally .. I couldn't resist.... Trevor is such a little train wreck ... but boy did he love the cupcakes. He ate his and lil' Erin's and wanted Daddy's !!

So now Rachael is 11 .... but I told someone today she was 10 .... I guess there is an adjustment period!

Happy Birthday Rachael !

11 years ago today, my beautiful daughter Rachael arrived and changed my life forever. She is my first child and she was the most beautiful little baby girl!

It is amazing to me that the time has gone by this fast. She was just baby yesterday, now she is nearly a "tween". Not a child, not a teenager, but somewhere in between. She is beautiful, smart, witty, completely hysterical and has sense of humor that I struggle to understand sometimes. She has carved herself a unique place in this world for herself and we are so proud of her. She is a very confident young lady. I wouldn't change one thing about her. There are those days where she pushes me to the limits, but the majority of the time she brings us great joy and makes every day full of laughter !!

She was born pre-digi. I don't have many digital images of her when she was young. And I don't have a scanner at home. Here is a pic of her at about 3 years old .... Look at that hair. I loved it so much !!

Happy Birthday Rachael !! We love you ......

And our weekend update:

Rachael's team rocked this weekend! Yup, they rocked .... the first two games were won with shutouts and today's game we tied.. We are advancing into the quarterfinals in two weeks! We had a great time hanging out with our soccer family too. The girls think staying in a hotel room is the best thing in the world. It is so funny!! I am sure the hotel staff was doing a happy dance when they saw our team checking out this morning. Naples was well worth the trip .... And once again, Rachael's team rocked !!

rampin' up for the weekend ....

This weekend is a big weekend in the soccer world!! It's Region Cup time for this little soccer star .....

I'm heading off to Naples sometime before sunrise on Saturday morning. Two games Saturday, one game Sunday and I should be home by 1pm on Sunday if I only stop for a drive-thru lunch!

Because we have so many children, they are naturally going in different directions, which means mega-planning for me. I think, and this is bound to change 5X before I leave my driveway, I am heading south with just Trevor and Rachael. There is a possibility that Lil' E will be joining us. But for now it is just me, Rachie Power & the Trevmeister will be going.

I'm still trying to figure out why we have to play in the furthest place south, when there are very good soccer complexes near our home and within an hours driving distance. We are literally the furthest field possible. Directions are simple. Head south on 75, when you get to the Everglades, hang a right...the soccer fields are on the left...

I'm heading home fast on Sunday, because Sunday is a special day! My little girl is turning 11 on Sunday! 11 years old !! That is amazing to me. She is my little girl and she's not so little anymore ... I'm confused as to how the time went by so fast !! I'd like to request a re-do of the last 11 years, or maybe just the last 9 .... I'll skip the diaper part !!

So wish me luck in the hotel with a super crazy 2 year old boy. Wish Rachael luck .... she needs it and I would really like to advance to the Quarter Finals in two weeks .... Wish us nice weather and no traffic jams and a quiet ride to the Everglades .... Wish me sanity and patience ....

And I have something to share with all of you ....A few weeks ago, my friend Beth came to Rachael's game and took some super fab pictures of my little girl in action. She takes the best pictures and could clearly start a little home-based Mommy business of her own ..... I have so many more to share .... but here is a little piece of awesome-ness...

where did these parents come from ....

I spent the weekend at the soccer field working our annual Recreational Tournament. It all went fairly well, we had about 90 teams, and a ton of games over 3 days. I was exhausted, but with yesterday off of work for the holiday, I was able to recuperate a little bit!

Now....I've been to many, many tournaments, but the parents who attended the tournament this weekend were horrific. They need a little soccer education. They need a rule book and they need some lessons in soccer etiquette. They also need to learn it is NOT okay to call a 12 year old Referee names or intimidate them. That is not okay!!

While I was watching one of the U12 finals, a father decided to try and intimidate a 12 year old female referee. He now knows that was the wrong thing to do while I'm standing there. I very politely told him to stop or I would have to remove him from the field. He continued and became just nasty..... I was in true, tired, exhausted form and told him he was going to leave now. He then decided to call me a stupid Bi**h! ........... Here is where you all will be very proud of me ............ I looked at him and told him he was wrong about the stupid part, but this bi**h was walking him to the fence now!! Daddy boy was so mature that he took baby steps to the parking lot, calling me names the entire way. What a stellar father!! Way to make your 11 year old daughter proud !! He should be ashamed of himself, but I don't think he is .... I'm sure he thinks he is pretty damn cool !

That wasn't the only parent tossed this weekend. Another Mom was tossed for telling her daughter to "take out" another girl! Wow Mom ... it is scary to think that you are okay with violence and that as a Mom, you actually promote it. Now don't get me wrong, soccer is a contact sport. If you are afraid of contact, you should enroll your child in ballet. But there is a difference between a shoulder and a complete "take out" .... no child should ever be told to injure another.

I'm thinking that all parents who attend Recreational Soccer Tournament need a little soccer education. It may or may not save them a little embarrassment !!

And the Academy goes to...

Rachael ........

I forgot there was a 1/2 day yesterday. Completely forgot. And what's worse, my daughter knew I had forgot.

So Rachael told her teacher she didn't think that I remembered and went to the office to use the phone and called me at work to remind me.

I thought .... wow what a responsible little lady...

But she was talking very loud and being very repetitive about asking me if I remembered. It took a minute, but then I realized what she was doing. She was making sure everyone in the office knew I had forgotten too.

So .. It is only the 2nd week of February and I know that I've now officially eliminated myself from any possible Mother of the Year award ....

ooopsss ....

Getting there ....

NOTE TO SELF: EVEN THE DOGS GET FLU SHOTS NEXT YEAR!


I'm not kidding.

All 6 of us ended up with the flu. The 3 olders are on the mend and back at school. Poor Trevor is still struggling with it. It makes me feel horrible. I'm walking and upright, which is better than I was 2 days ago. Erin is up and mobile but not happy about it.

We went through 13 bottles of Gatorade, 2 lg. bottles of Children's Motrin (aka. miracle cure), 2 bottles of NyQuil and countless boxes of tissues. OH .... and a couple visits to the pediatrician!!

Apparently the kids school is being hit very hard. They had nearly 100 kids absent today alone!

Enough sick talk .... BREAKING NEWS ...I'm blogging from my bed..

YUP .... My Valentine bought me a new Laptop !! I could get addicted to this .... not good.

So I'm sitting here watching the Bachelor with my new laptop, reading my blogs and finishing my candy grams that the kids want to send to their friends at school. I'm pretty happy and content right now and I'm doing this all from my comfy bed.

Oh ... and by the way... I won the election. I'M a little crazy and I'm gonna be the President of my super awesome soccer club....

Where's the Lysol ?

I'm so tired of all the germie monsters that have invaded my home.

I have been sick for nearly 3 weeks. Rachael has been sick on and off for about 3 weeks. Trevor's not feeling so hot. Kasey is coughing again. And Erin wanted McDonald's for breakfast this morning, apparently he is doing okay...right now.

I'm not one of the mommy's who brings their child to the doctor for every sneeze or cough. I learned with Rachael that all they do is tell you its a virus and let is runs its course. But when Rachael's fever spiked to over 103 I took her in and since I was going I brought Trevor with me since his cough is sounding pretty nasty.

They swabbed Rachael for the flu and it came back positive. I can't believe how fast Rachael crashed. She was ok on Monday ... and then BOOM ....super sick little girl! As for Trevor, he probably has it, but he isn't very cooperative these days so we skipped the swabbing. I don't really need it confirmed, they treat it the same as a virus.

The doctor checked Trevor's ears and he starting laughing ... This is what he was laughing at.

Do you see the green in his ear ... He highlighted himself ..

GREEN. IN HIS EAR. HIGHLIGHTER.

We were doing some paperwork the other night and he was playing with a highlighter. It doesn't quite work like a Q-tip ...

And for the record....Erin has given the boys their baths the last couple of nights. I really didn't know the extent of the highlighting.

EDITED TO ADD: Received a call from the school clinic..Erin has a 101 fever ...

I . AM . DONE .

if at first you don't succeed...

As I was reading my daily blogs, I came across a link to this very cool mommy type blog... AlphaMom .....

Funny ... I was just thinking about this today. And thinking that I should really try again. And hoping knowing I will actually be successful this time. And thinking that Trevor is gonna be a little monster.

I tried before ....I really did and I really didn't succeed.

It wasn't a good time to start. As a family we had a lot on our plate. I realized that we will always have a lot on our plate, that's not changing. And I should really try again. He's going to college in about 16 years. I really need to try again.

Maybe AlphaMom's tips will help.

Edited to add: I don't want you to think that I let my child walk around town with the Nu-Nu. I don't!! He only really asks for it when he is tired or really needs some comfort. It is always at home and usually in bed at bedtime and naptime .....