About my week ... About a week ...

Okay, so it's Monday. And I really blogged last Tuesday ... so what's gone on ... Can _I_ even remember?

Wednesday, Mom came up. As is usual. And totally welcome. We took the kids to swim lessons and then to the library for storytime, then to McDonalds ... where we had another less-than-stellar encounter with their peers.

It wasn't ALL bad. There was one little girl, about the kids' age, who enjoyed playing with them. However, there was a group of older boys. Maybe ten? And they were all there with one lady. Who was much more interested and involved with her iPhone (or whatever), complete with earbuds popped in, texting away, than in keeping an eye on the play structure.

Bucket came to us crying. Because the boys had laughed at her.
Yes, she HAS inherited my skin (soft as rose petals and just as thin. Even metaphorically. *sigh*).

They laughed at her because she told them that she was four. At least, that's all we could get out of her.
Still, NOT COOL. Making kids cry? NOT COOL. Not well-played.

Later, the boys decided that a portion of the playplace was THEIRS -- Their fort or whatever. They weren't letting the other ... um ... twelve or so kids in it or around it at all.

So Mom and I (with out background in education showing) got up and  ... well, Mom handled it later.
I took care of this time.
Using the stern teacher voice (aka "Mess with me and I'll make your life a living Hell where the angels will weep for you AND I'll call your parents" tone), I told them that  ... how exactly did I put it ... Oh well, I was a little caught up and pretty much told them to play nicely and SHARE or to get out.
Yes, I was pretty fed up. Kids were crying  ... and these kids were big enough NOT to need to be taking over the playplace at McDonald's. If they needed to be bullies, they could go to the mall or down to LA or something. I had had enough.

Later, when they were acting up again (and this isn't just to Bruise and Bucket. We try and look out for the other littles, too), Mom was the one who told them to behave.
And their mom (or whatever, since I think that at least one of the boys wasn't from that litter) barely looked up from her phone. *sigh*

Some children's parents. *rolls eyes*

And, yes, I do talk to Bruise and Bucket about NOT SCREAMING in the playplace. They're generally pretty good about playing nicely with others. But, oh my, INSIDE VOICE is not a concept they're learning very easily. *sigh*

Then I volunteered at the library as Mom took the kiddos to the park to play ... and they came in a bit early since the transients around the park decided to have a top-of-the-lungs profanity match. As children were playing. Mom had left her phone in the car -- or she'd have called the police to get the guys calmed down. (I told her that, if it ever happens again, she could come to the front desk at the library and call. They'd help her out.)

Then, the kids watched the magician for the Summer Reading program.
HE HAD A BUNNY. (Can you tell what I REALLY liked?)

(THE BUNNY. Such a nice bunny. And pretty. And sedate. ... I kinda want a bunny.)

Then we picked up some groceries and went home and made dinner.
And had ice cream cake to celebrate my Mom's birthday.

She's 29 now. We're the same age. Isn't it swell????
(Of course, about ten years ago, someone asked my aunt  -- Mom's younger sister -- if Mom and I were her daughters. :S)

And I had Mom bleach some more highlights in my hair. At first, I felt VERY like Sweeney Todd -- you know, that stark white streak against the dark hair?
I overall like it ... but I ... Well, I think that within a month or so, I'll just go platinum and get it over with. ^_^

It's just hair ... and I am having fun with it.

 .... Oh, at storytime Wednesday, Bruise was on my lap. I had rearranged the Jibbitz on his Crocs. He had me take the Jolly Roger one off his shoe. He was holding it and I really didn't want him to lose it. I asked him to give it to me.

"Say da magic word!"
"Um ... what?"
"Say da magic word!!"
"...Please?"
"No. Dat's not it."
" ... Thank you?"
"No."
"Abracadabra?"
"Not it."
" ... What's the magic word?"
"Erff."
"Earth??"

And he handed it right over.

Yeah ... That's almost as good as him running around the other day with a water pistol, "Kill shot!!! Kill shot!!!!"

... I think I figured it out. On one of the shows they watch, the DVD has one of the previews for "Date Night" (with Steve Carell and Tina Fey), and Steve Carell's character does that bit about, "Oh no! He turned the gun! That's a kill shot! Kill shot!!!!" ... I'm pretty sure THAT'S where THAT came from.

Yup, this is what excellent parenting looks like. Yup. Totally made of awesome. Yeeeeeeeeeesssssssssss.

Thursday .... what happened Thursday? Mom left after we got back from swim lessons. She and I did some online shopping and got some good deals online. Some clothes for the kids (Christmas!) and some new shoes (for me! Sandals!!) ... and some shirts since Shade Clothing's going out of business. At least until the economy is better.

I was starting to feel kinda puny. Scratchy and itchy throat.

Wished Mom a happy birthday. Unlike on Wednesday ... when I wished her a "Happy Your-Mother's-Labor Day!" ... Sometimes I wonder why anyone puts up with me ...

It's because I'm just so, so special. That must be it.

Michael and I watched Chuck in the evening . We got through Season 2 now. Chuck is an awesome show. Just sayin'.

Friday, I drove Michael to work 9kids came with), went home, got the kids ready for swim lessons. After swim lessons, we came home and packed up  ... then we headed back to pick up Michael. Then we drove down to visit family.

I had taken an allergy pill ... but just felt pretty miserable. I slept a bit on the way down. And was thoroughly crabby when I woke up (the kids were being SO loud).

We visited with Nana -- and she gave me two bags of cough drops.
We visited with Dad and L ... who also gave me cough drops and some money to buy medicine.

The kids and I did play in Dad and L's pool. L got some cute pictures and complimented my swimsuit. I didn't get very wet. Mostly just my legs. The pool was only about two feet deep.

We went to Mom and Cecil's. After dinner, I was really feeling poorly, so I went and laid down. I was feeling REALLY cold, hunkering in the blankets with my jeans and a long-sleeved shirt on, so Michael gave me his socks. I was running a fever. FUN. And I slept on and off for at least an hour, until the kids came to bed (turning on the light, being noisy ... the usual). Mom read them their bedtime story, since my voice was pretty much dead, and we all went to sleep.

I think that I slept and sweated out the worst of the bug, since when I woke up, I did feel much better.
Mom had me do a couple Nebulizer treatments Saturday, and Cecil gave me a bottle of cough syrup.
The kids watched cartoons, played, and waded in the pool at Mom's.

After an early dinner, we headed back home. And stopped by Walgreen's where I picked up saline solution packets for my Neti pot ... since using the Neti pot helps a LOT. (I also picked up deodorant and ... guilty pleasure ... DCT (Daily Contitioning Treatment) Blistex lip balm. I LOVED it when I was in high school. I thought that they'd stopped making it. I saw it at Walgreen's a couple months ago. And, hey, I'm sick. And part of being sick is having nasty, dry lips. And it was SO worth it. I love this gloss.)
(No, Blistex doesn't know me from Adam.  I haven't received any free products or kickbacks or anything .... though, hey, if they'd LIKE to send me swag, I'd totally accept. I love lip schmear!!)

When we got home, we discovered that ants had totally taken over the kitchen counter. GROSS. So I went all nuclear on them with the OrthoMax spray (Hey, it's MY version of chemical warfare!! And this weekend, dude, those ants are gonna GET it. We're bombing under the house. They're going DOWN. And I don't mean to the corner store. We're so gonna bring it. And I don't mean a hostess gift.)

(Can you tell that I'm a little loopy from having to catch my breath from coughing and from the DayQuil I downed a couple hours ago? Yeah ... THIS is yet another reason I don't drink or do drugs. I get buzzed from DAYQUIL!!! This is so stupid!)

Sunday, Michael sat on the stand (and had early meetings) so I managed to get everything together for taking the kids to church, [trying] not to hack my lungs out throughout church, and teach the lesson to the Beehives (the 12-13 year-olds' class) during the last hour.

Good thing I was feeling better ... ^_^

The kids SAID that they'd take a nap after church.

LIE.

Oh well.

This morning, I let the kids watch shows until I could roll out of bed (sleeping off the shot of NyQuil from last night) and then I got dressed and ready.
Thankfully, the kids were already in their swimsuits for class, so I just had to do up Bucket's hair. And I still had 30 minutes to spend on Facebook and STILL get to class on time.

(Unlike Thursday, where we were ALMOST late. Oops. Lost track of time!)

The kids had another instructor today. She's good with the class. (The other regular student showed up again. Phew! I was worried that maybe kids were dropping out or something. And this other munchkin-girl is GOOD. Tiny thing, but she LOVES swimming.) ... Bruise and Bucket tell me that they like the guy-instructor best ... but I think this gal is good, too.

Then we came home and they watched a couple shows, had a snack, and played in their room. Which is now .... well ... trashed.

I'm trying to work up the motivation/energy to clean up. I need to dust and sweep, and put away laundry, and do a load of dishes ... and fix dinner ... and clean up their room. Or not.

And I dealt with a bit of a melt-down when we were leaving the Star Wars activity (arts & crafts and games) over at the local library. I managed to deal with that AND to get the kids into the library's book sale room. I paid eight dollars for:

• a DVD of "The Truth About Cats and Dogs"
• a paperback copy of "The Eight" which my Jonnie-Bean lent me ages ago and I very much enjoyed.
• a copy of "Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging" since it is HILARIOUS
• two hardback bilingual picture books for the kiddos. One's about ambulances. The other's about rescue boats.

Overall, not half bad at all for the library shop.

My aunt, this week, had to cut a trip to the coast short. She had an ingrown toenail that became infected. And, since she has Rheumatoid Arthritis, she doesn't heal quickly.
Yesterday, she had to go have the bandage changed .... and went to the ER.
I don't know what all has gone on since then, but there was talk last night about her toe being removed. There's blood poisoning and her bone is infected.

So ... if you could say a prayer (or, if that's not your bag, send her good wishes/thoughts/mojo or healing energies or whatever), I'd appreciate it.

Yeah ... I always have some kind of drama. 

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In completely unrelated news, I REALLY like the Trader Joe's Rooibos Chai. (Rooibos tea isn't TEA-tea ... it's a tisane. Like herbal tea ... and I LOVE chai!!!) ... You know the Oregon Chai concentrate? If you add plenty of honey and a splash of milk, this tea tastes just as good as the latte from concentrate. ^_^ Yum!

While having the plague (or whatever fresh Hell-type virus this is), a cup of Rooibos Chai latte does help. 

No, I'm not receiving anything for this. I had to PAY for my little box of tea from Trader Joe's. And the electricity to heat up the teapot (which we also bought ... years ago, after I accidentally melted the last two teapots that we had.), and the water bill, and the milk from the grocery store. And the jug of honey (also from the grocery store ... not the COOL honey from a family in our ward). Oh! And the SPOON with which I STIR my tea. 

Just for clarification. ^_^

I will report about the girly post -- No ingrown hairs or anything thus far. There are places where I've had to pluck a few hairs ... but nothing really terrible. I've read that once you wax a few times, you'll get to where the hair is all growing on the same cycle. And that would stop the need to pluck any areas. But I am enjoying not shaving. That's a big bonus. ^_^

Okay ... I can't think of anything more to write. I need to make dinner and clean the house. And go lay down or something. Sleep really is my drug of choice when I'm sick ... it's so cheap! I love that ... now, if only I didn't have to watch my kids ... :P And THAT's probably why I'm sick in the first place. Since I do try and be here and awake for them. (Since, even if I DO fall asleep around here, they don't let me sleep long -- if at all -- during their waking hours. *sigh*)