What I wanted to say.....

...why yes, dear Substitute School Nurse, I do understand what you are saying.

But you see, Carsten was diagnosed with Strep throat on Tuesday and started on antibiotics. Naturally, I kept him home Wednesday and checked him for fever throughout the day, a day that was 97 degrees outside and in out apartment where the A/C runs for hours without making the temperature drop more than a degree. Until it's fixed, I am not paying for it to run and I turn on the ceiling fans. "Sick" boys who are running tireless around the playing hide and go seek and giving his equally "sick" sisters piggy back rides will naturally feel hot. So yes, he was really, really hot at home yesterday, as he reports, but it was not a fever. And no, I am did not mask the fever by giving him Advil before sending him to school today. (Seriously.....)

And of course his throat hurts. He had strep. It looked painful. Antibiotics do no magically take away the pain, particularly when it's further irritated by vomit. And of course he couldn't eat his lunch today. Did you ask him what he ordered. It was Nacho day and he can't resist a Nacho, so I am betting that instead of ordering the soft Pasta as we discussed this morning, he ordered nachos. Hard, Crunchy, sharp pointed, Nachos. (Seriously...) What's that Carsten? You did order the nachos?

So yes, Dear Substitute School Nurse, I would like Carsten do be given a salt water gargle, some reassurance and sent back to class for the last 90 minutes of school. Tell him I'll see him this afternoon.

Afraid to answer the phone at work today...

11:00 am -- "Mrs. Gallini, we're calling to tell you Abrielle just isn't quite herself at preschool today. You don't need to pick her up, but we wanted to let you know."

12:00pm -- "Mrs. Gallini, Abrielle has spiked a temperature of 102.6F, has crawled under the teachers table and refuses to come out. Can you come pick her up?"

12:30 pm -- "Honey, the school said they couldn't get a hold of you so they called Papa. Carsten has a fever of 103.6F and they wanted permission to give him Motrin. We need to pick him up."

3:00pm -- "The kids are all asleep, but other than the fever, no complaints."

7:00pm -- "Honey, the kids are now both complaining of sore throats and have spots and gunk in their throats. What do you want me to do?"

7:30pm -- "Honey, I made it to MinuteClinic in Round Rock. They're running the strep tests, but Carsten threw up all over the clinic and Abrielle almost did. I'll let you know what the test show."

Drama always happens when Mommy has to work. My poor kiddos are so sick.

Today, I am so thankful for Daddy's who had the afternoon off, awesome colleagues who stayed late and didn't even flinch when my son vomited all over the clinic and everyone in it (Bless you, Lance!!!!), Motrin, Amoxicillin, soft waffles, hand sanitizer, apple juice and the RedBox.

Things that aren't funny.....

1. Boys who break one bone per year of school
2. Dogs who push boys off of the 2nd floor of the play scape. (OK, so that's a little funny...)
3. Boys who have a goal to break more bones than his dad (I believe that count is at 4 or 5)
4. Toddlers who face plant into asphalt the week they're scheduled for pictures
5. Little girls with BIG estrogen.
6. Apartment kitchens with no pantry.
7. Patients who get all of their medical advice from Dr. Oz...and apparently only watch the previews (Note to readers: occasional gas after eating at Chuy's is not diagnostic of colon cancer)
8. Letters that come 3 days after the deadline of being out of your rental house saying they've decided to extend your deadline until October.
9. Lawyer husbands who think # 8 is funny.

Toddler Tantrums....

It's official. We have a toddler. If there was any doubt, it was removed this week. Evidence?

1. The constant squeal of "No!!!" More like "NNNNNo!"
2. I never have to wonder who owns something. Why? Because according to Lissi, it's "Mine!"
3. There is nothing that can't be climbed or opened. Nothing.
4. My assistance with anything is no longer needed. She can do it herself.

However, there is the comic relief. Last night she wanted more soymilk, I said no. (Just no, not "NNNNNNo!") She threw her cup on the floor. I ignored it (I don't do tantrums.) She took 2 steps closer and threw it on the floor again. I ignored it. She picked it up and took 3 steps closer, pursed her little lips and threw it on the floor again really hard --- It bounced up and hit her head. She was so shocked and I could not stop laughing. (No injury and hugs given, but I couldn't stop laughing.)

Really, we're OK.... Part 1

I find myself saying this a lot lately. Usually to faces oozing with disbelief, pity, confusion.....

Why you ask?

A few weeks ago, I went for my weekly run to that mailbox (I see no point in going more frequently), and found an odd looking letter addressed to "occupant." Now, usually this would go directly to the shred and recycle pile with the other junk mail, but this one just looked different. Plus, the day before, I had an attempted delivery notification on my door for a certified letter also addressed to "occupant." Being the "occupant" I was curious. So I opened it.

It was a lovely letter notifying us that we were to move in 2 weeks.

You see, we have been leasing a house since moving to Round Rock. We still own our home in Houston (and are leasing it out) and we've been waiting to figure out exactly where we wanted to buy or build. The plan was to buy/build this summer.

But, apparently, the owner of the house we have been leasing has not been using our rent money to pay his mortgage. Or any other money to pay his mortgage. In fact, he apparently has not paid his mortgage for a long time. So he was foreclosed on, and the bank now owns his house...our house. And they don't want to lease it and wanted us gone, like, yesterday.

(Insert tender mercy here------neighbor came by just after I opened the letter. Poor thing was greeted at the door by a slightly shaken Shelly saying, "I just really need a hug right now...." Hug given, and I pulled myself together. )

After much negotiation, we were able to stretch things out a bit more and are moving this Friday. Where, you ask?

To a 2 bedroom, 1129 square foot apartment. Current house.... 4 bedroom, 3000 square feet.

No, really. I'm serious. Really, I'm serious.

Why would we do such a thing, you ask?
#1 It's only temporary--6 months max
#2 No one around here would lease a house with less than a 12-15 month lease
#3 It's close....same ward, same school boundaries, same friends, same babysitters
#4 If you're going to uproot your kids unexpectedly, you might as well make it fun. We're basically moving to a hotel...2 pools, 2 spas, mini-theatre, 2 lounges (one with a wall of 3 TV's --- don't even get Carsten started on the possibilities there), park on site, billiards, shuffle board (new fave of the kiddos) They are wondering why we ever lived in a house when THIS kind of place was available.
#5 Because I don't like 3000 square feet. Really, I don't. I don't like cleaning it. I don't like having my family so spread out all the time. I don't like the stuff that spreads out to fill it. I don't like having to yell just to talk to someone in the next room. (I do love my kitchen...I will miss my big kitchen).
#6 Because since the beginning of the year, I have felt an overwhelming need and desire to simplify...and what could be simpler than getting rid of 2/3 of your stuff and moving to a smaller, easier to maintain space.

So, really, it all sounds rather traumatic, but we're OK....Really....

Overheard...

Abrielle: "Mom, when it stops raining, that means Jesus doesn't have to pee anymore."


Mom: Speechless....didn't quite know what to do with that one at the time.......I was too occupied picturing all the times she has spent hours dancing in the rain in her bathing suit, wondering what she was thinking at the time......

In the works.....

No, my dear Blog....I have not forgotten you. You see, I've been occupied. Physically and Mentally (we won't mention Emotionally) occupied. Soon (I hope), you shall have momentous things placed upon your Bytes....Big things are happening, hopefully fast, but probably drawn out over several months, but Big, nonetheless. Hold tight, little Blog......Patience....

P.S. And no, I'm not pregnant.......