"Last week" heard that I complained about it

So I was gifted with This Week.

I still wasn't feeling great on Monday but I went to work and we all did okay. Passable.

Tuesday, I was out of the building for a training all day. 

Wednesday was "Farm" "Safety" "Day", which meant frivolity in the morning. By the time I was getting prepped for the afternoon, I was notified that Sutton was sick. 

She had a fever of 102. Which meant, as much I would have probably preferred for her to sleep it off in a daycare crib with some Tylenol (I'm awful, I know), she had to go home. I used my "lunch" to prep a few sub things and was out the door in 20 minutes. 

She did not improve that evening, so I spent the night writing sub plans for Thursday. 

Thursday, I took both kids with me to school at 6:30am so I could prep for the day. Sutton sat in the stroller while Wells ran around and then I dropped him at breakfast at 7:15 and took Sutton home. 

At 8:00, I made her a doctor's appointment for that morning. Normally I wouldn't go this far, but I was home anyway, and she'd had a 102 fever for about 24 hours. 

 It was easier to be out of the house rather than in the house after school on Thursday. 

Anyway, all that effort to find out it was viral. The doctor predicted roseola, but couldn't be sure. She had no symptoms other than the fever and some vomiting (likely from the fever). Neither of my children have ever been on antibiotics*, which I'm grateful for, but sometimes just kicking an illness would be preferred to letting it "run its course". 

*That's just reserved for our dogs. We have spent more on dog antibiotics in the last 5 years than I care to add up.

Luckily(!) she was better overnight and we were back in school on Friday. I rolled the dice with that one. 

But don't worry, there's more: After school on Friday, Jett had his follow-up appointment after 10 days of antibiotics. Which meant both kids at the vet at 4pm, a ticked-off Scout at home alone, and Wells trying to pet a pitbull in the vet's office. I legitimately don't know who was worse at the vet: the 5 year old or the 1 year old. 

All that to find out that Jett's doing great and it was likely an abscess and not a hernia. Thank goodness. There was a day or two there that I was certain he was on death's doorstep. At least this visit only cost $23. Last time they did an xray to make sure his "organs are still in the right place in case of a hernia" which seemed like a reach, but okay.

Which brings me to the fact that the government shutdown means that the military stops getting paid first. Great, right? I'm sure the Senators and Representatives are still pulling in gold bars, bags of cash, and funding their wardrobes of gym shorts and hoodies just fine. Meanwhile, anyone who is supposed to PCS this month is being held over for 3 months because there's no money to move soldiers and new trainees are moving in and there's nowhere to put the soldiers who've graduated from schools.  

In addition, we have some major household repairs that need to happen.

And it's going to be 92 degrees today. 

Girl math.

This is a favorite of mine: the girl math trend. 

Some examples: if someone else buys it for you, it's free.

If you use cash, it's free. 

It's if pre-loaded on an app (like Starbucks), also free. 

Get it?

My favorite one is that if it's a gift card, it's legitimately free. Also, I must spend it as quickly as possible. I just held onto a Visa gift card for over a month, which is a record for me. My friend is always joking about sending me Target packages (she's the one I talked about here) and do not think that I won't spend a Target gift card same-day, if I'm given one. I mean, the money's already been spent. I think their clothes are super ugly these days so I'd probably use it to buy diapers or something boring. 

I spent my $100 Visa gift card on Saturday at Walmart and the total was $180, which means I only spent $80 at Walmart this week, which means the economy is doing better. It's Bidenomics at work! 

Jk. I bought a Keurig, skewing the grocery bill for the week, which I was not supposed to do because Scott swore he'd never buy another Keurig but our Mueller broke two years ago and I bought this Keurig with a Gift. Card. Which means it was FREE, which means it doesn't even count that I bought it in the first place! (Again, this sounds like something Bidenomics would promote.)

If it's from Amazon, it goes to my husband's credit card so it's also free. My husband buys so much from Amazon (usually tools and parts to fix things) that when I sneak in a romper or a random paperback, it's practically free because it's so small and insignificant by comparison. If I do an Amazon return and take credit to the account instead of money back, that's also free money.

If I get a discount on something, it's almost free. If it's something I was going to buy eventually anyway, might as well buy the couponed version.

If I buy myself a present for an anniversary or birthday or Christmas, it doesn't count. Might as well be free. 

If Scott takes out cash at the ATM and asks if I need any, that's free money. We went through a period of having a lot of cash on hand (covid times and when we were paying a sitter/daycare in cash) and that was f-r-e-e money for my then-Target runs for sure. If it doesn't show up on a bill, it's a sunk (free) cost, right?

I didn't even have a cup this week

I had this thought during toddler wake-up number 7 on Thursday night: You can't pour from an empty cup, true, but literally at that moment I didn't even feel like I had a cup. 

My allergies settled in my throat and I lost my voice this week. 

Sutton has been more "Sutton" than usual. Demanding, clingy, obviously teething.

Jett was sick over the weekend and I spent $400 at the vet on Tuesday. Took two kids with me. Had to leave work early. That was just as seamless as you'd think. Definitely no tears, throwing oneself on the floor, or screaming in my ear while I tried to speak to other adults. Now we have a follow-up next week and, who knows, we might get referred to Columbia or St. Louis for surgery (which sounds expensive right).

Parenting Wells is like negotiating with a terrorist...I said what I said. I told him he had to write his name with lowercase letters, per the paper that came home that said "Redo", and not like WELLS. He asked why. The willful disobedience made it so it took 3 tries (at 8pm, when I got around to emptying his backpack). 

At least he understands math. 

I've paid babysitters this week just so I don't have to haul them everywhere with me. I had two things where kids were welcomed but I would prefer not to take them.

Scott has been away.

The light bulb in the refrigerator burnt out, which is the most inconvenient thing of all. It can't be replaced until Scott gets out a special tool (a "nut" "driver") to remove the case, pull out the bulb, look at the bulb, and order a new one. 

Sutton had her 18 month appointment Thursday, which was just as much fun as it sounds. My children do not do well at doctors' offices. I was slightly surprised they didn't have a team of people on hand, after the last go-around with Wells getting his 5 year shots (There was hiding behind a chair...I had to hold him down, I think. I've honestly blocked a lot of this experience out.)

This time, he didn't want to hear Sutton cry so he....hid behind a chair again. The way a dog might at a vet, you know? Sutton, meanwhile, got one shot and flipped her lid (pre-shot) in such a way that the doctor said "I have no idea what her heart sounds like and that's going to have to be okay right now". Indeed, she would not let this doctor near her. 

We ran out of milk Thursday morning and I can't fathom the idea of taking these two into a grocery store post-4pm. So Walmart pick-up order it was. I have been apprehensive to use pick-up in the last few weeks because a couple of weeks ago, they forgot 3 of my items and I spent my weekend trying to get a refund for them, only to also have to go back to the store and buy them. They don't do refunds on the app anymore. You have to call "customer" "service". Luckily, we live in the sticks, so the actual Walmart helped me out. But I still had to go back to the store. 

Unfortunately, my order was delayed for the 4th time in two months and I was already in town and I was. not. waiting. around only to, likely, have them mess it up again. Because that's what happens when I do pick-ups during busy times. 

I canceled the order from the parking lot at the doctor's office and then went to Dollar General for milk and called it a night. 

In addition to the $$$ at the vet, Scott thought now might be the time to buy dog beds again. Each and every one we've tried in the last 10 years has been systematically shredded and destroyed. Scott bought indestructible ones (again, sounds expensive. just a guess though). 

The best part of the week was undoubtedly Thursday into Friday, in which Sutton was awake all night for the second night in a row. I managed to power through that first day (Thursday), but I also took some cold medicine on Thursday night for my sinuses and I think it hit me wrong. I was a mess on Friday morning. I took the kids to school, asked for a sub, and then went home. I even left my computer at school and didn't return to my classroom when I picked the kids up at the end of the day. I purposely had Wells meet me at the daycare so I didn't have to go into the physical school building. 

I believe this, honestly, was my body just starting to shut down after an awful week. It's the age-old "If you don't make time to rest, your body will do it for you". It's not that I don't take time to r-e-s-t. It's that 14 hours of my day, if I'm lucky, are spent surrounded by children. That leaves 10 hours for non-children + sleeping. I could've dealt with another day of not having a great projecting voice, or a day of sinus pressure, or a day of slight nausea from being tired+sinuses. However, I noticed some actual waves of anxiety rippling through my body and that was kind of it for me. White flag waved. Anxiety is a tricky subject to talk about and to deal with, but I spend my morning trying home remedies, attempting a nap, went back to get them at the school (we get out early on Fridays for PD), and then was able to nap again when Sutton napped in her crib. 

Wells enjoyed his afternoon and evening of Youtube, let me tell you. And then, miracle of miracles, Sutton slept for 12 hours. 

Anyway. 

Just thought I'd let you know what I'd been up to all week. Hopefully actual "content" will be "created" soon. 

Friday thing. 9/15

 

I have been so (so) terrible about taking pictures this week. Like, you have no idea. Unless you want to see a few random classroom photos, this is all I've got ^^^

Tuesday was our anniversary and I thought (thought) it'd be nice to go out to eat, simply because I had a chiropractor appointment anyway and then I wouldn't have to cook. So I was filled with hope as we met Scott at the local (only) Thai restaurant that is very (very) good. We hadn't been there since I was about 8ish months pregnant with Sutton. 

Well, she terrorized the place. Between the yelling and the clinging and just generally being a one year old, it wasn't a great experience. 

Wells asked the waitress for a beer.

When she laughed, he changed his mind and asked for wine. 

I think we'll go back in another 18 months. 

Things I don't understand.

This made its rounds on Twitter the other day. I added to it this morning at 5am, as one does:

In addition to all that stuff I don't like, here are some things I don't understand...

I got my hair cut on May 5th. It is now September 11th. That is 4 months. It, I swear, has not grown a single centimeter. If we compare pictures, yes, it's grown, but I was expecting it to be a whole lot longer by now. Also, my hair is too thick to be cut short. Every 2-3 years, I learn this hard, hard lesson. 

We spent an enormous amount of energy taking care of a garden. Aside from a great tomato and pepper harvest, I'm not sure where all of that energy went? We got some zucchinis and a couple of pumpkins I'm hoping making it to the end of the month. I made marinara sauce last weekend and I need to do it again this week. I ran out of time to make more yesterday. 

Unpopular opinion: Gilmore Girls is the actual worst and the worst part of #fall is that women start talking about how they like to rewatch it. The correct GG is Gossip Girl, always. 

I never understand how women keep wearing sandals into the fall season. I cannot wait to pull out my fall shoes. But I'm also aware that winter lasts forever in these parts; just miserable wet or chilly days until May sometimes. So I'm trying to pace myself.

Breakfast. I don't understand how people eat breakfast. Maybe post-9am, I can consider food.

Also, toddlers. I don't understand how moms can present themselves as functioning human beings when they have a toddler. It's like a newborn phase but worse because people expect you to have it together by now. 

Finally: belt bags. I won't do it. I will cave and buy a Stanley before you find me with a belt bag. And I refuse to buy a Stanley. 

What do you just NOT understand?

**Here's a 9/11 post I wrote a few years ago. Today we're going to be reading The Man in the Red Bandana and doing an entire morning learning about 9/11. I do not take it lightly what an incredible privilege it is to be able to teach kids about a modern-day historical event. 

Amazon lately.

 Undereye masks. 

Well, I can't vouch for the ingredients but they make my eyes *feel* better. I think it's the coolness, for sure. I don't know about the ingredients. Sometimes it's hard to argue with so many positive reviews on Amazon. 

I got these ones, which are said to be lower cost replicas of these ones. I think they're worth trying! 

Cosco Convertible carseat

We've had one of these seats for Wells and now we're in need of a 4th seat so I got one for Sutton. It's a great seat for a second car and, to be honest, I'm going to move our Graco to the second car for Wells (he still needs a full carseat) and put this in my car for Sutton right now. Wells has hit the weight limit for this seat. It's served us well for 3 years with him though. I love that it's easy to clean and doesn't have a million holes for crumbs, dirt, and dog hair to get stuck in. 

Fluorescent light covers

These light covers were actually more expensive than the ones I initially tried and returned (see below) but you pay for quality in most areas in life. These are magnetic so they were super easy to hang up. And they don't tint the room, they just dull the lights. I only put up the two in the front of the room but I might grab another pack or two sometime soon. 

New phone case and popsocket

I got tired of the Loopy here at some point. I've had it since the end of March so that's kind of a record for me. I got this one that is grippy but not overly so. I still like something to hold onto so I grabbed a matching popsocket. This is my toxic trait and I know it. 

Funny story: Scott gets iPhones for his work phone and every time his job switches or the federal government decides to upgrade to something newer, he comes home with a different one. He asked me the other day do you have a case for this? and handed me an iPhone 13. Well, no. Actually, I don't have a case for it because I went from an 8 to an 11 to a 14. But after trying the dozen or so cases I have stashed in a dresser drawer, I found one that fit and that wasn't pink. The iPhone 14 (regular) case fits an iPhone 13 (regular), fyi. This one from Casely was the winner. I never liked it much, unfortunately. What I don't like about Casely is that they don't have protection for the camera. Neither does Loopy for that matter. Just something to think about if you pay $30+ for a case. Amazon for the win. 

My favorite phone cases ever: one was from Fred Meyer and one was from Walmart. Both had a fabric feel to them. They are, sadly, both obsolete. 

Lastly:

Another pacifier. I was supposed to wean her off of these things but then I waited too long and now we own 3. Well, 2 and a half. You see, she bit through one so we have three llamas and 2 pacifiers. We call this thing "paci", never "binky", but Scott refers to it as "sucky" which is kind of hilarious. 

And then...

Bought and returned:

I ordered these protective ear muffs and they arrived two days late so I didn't need them anymore...I had to go out and buy a pair elsewhere. However, after buying a separate kids' pair for Wells, he could probably just wear adult ones at this point (I believe these go up to age 8? But he has a big head :). So Sutton will get the kid ones. 

In an effort to dull the fluorescent light in my classroom, I thought I'd go with these. However, after seeing other classrooms who had them in use, the whole room gets a light blue tint and it's kind of unsettling. In addition, these were near impossible to hang up; lots of sticky little dots that didn't hold and weren't user-friendly to apply. But the bigger issue is that I couldn't imagine trying to teach and/or learn under that weird blue tint. It was like being in a circus tent.

Linking up with Tanya!

Friday things. 9/1

 PTL. It's September. The best month. Well, actually, October is the best month, but September is close. 

Here's some things I'm loving:

This bag:

It's a great size and functionality for carrying to school. 

I also recently saw some teachers using Bogg bags for all the "stuff". Kind of genius! I still carry a reusable grocery-style tote back and forth most days for all the things I haul around. 

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We've had frozen pizza twice this week :) :) :)

Mostly because I've had a bit of a cold (sorry...though, it's hard to tell who has a cold and who has allergies) and I'm trying to do all the things and children who Demand food are hard to handle at 4pm. 

We had cake (CAKE) for an after-school snack yesterday. Cake.

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There's been two annoying disappointments in the last couple of days: my air purifier died for the third time and since it's no longer under warranty, Edenpure is like sorry about your luck and that's it. When something breaks three times with regular use, it's probably not worth ever buying from that company again.

And Walmart forgot two things in my grocery order yesterday (non-grocery items) so I have to go into the store to get my money back. There used to be an option to say "I didn't receive this", but it's not there anymore. I also got a random yellow folder in my order that I definitely didn't buy. And I waited 20-30 minutes in the parking lot for my order yesterday which almost never happens but that's the day before a long weekend, I guess. Terrible decision-making on my part. Near military bases, most people plan for a 4-day weekend. 

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Things I'm not making time for: yoga, Pilates, or physical Bible reading. 

Also: breakfast and lunch. Not making time/plans for those these days. I need to get more organized for myself next week. I pack Sutton's lunch and Wells' snack and then forget about myself. 

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I spent last night zoning out in front of reels on Instagram. I found some good ones. 

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I also called an animal shelter about a dog? A very young purebred Brittany is looking for a home. Am I insane? Maybe. Maybe they'll call me back today? Again, questioning my decision-making. 

Everyone knows that animal shelters don't let you adopt dogs unless you can prove that you'll be home with them 27 hours a day and/or will never let them off a leash. 

I am curious about the application process though because, on paper, we're the perfect situation for her. 

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I can never remember what I shared on Instagram and what I shared here. 

Happy Friday: