When sick, for pete's sake, STAY HOME!!!

Close your eyes (figuratively speaking, of course) and picture with me my morning as only a video could truly do justice to what a time I had. This may not interest you, but for me, it's therapy. Where do I begin???

Ok, let's set the stage for today. Titus is still running a fever and his nose is dripping like an Olsen who's been out in the cold too long (that means dripping like a faucet). This nose issue has him frustrated. It drips, he sniffs, he cries. He sneezes then he sniffs and cries because the sneeze hurt. He's tired and crabby because we haven't slept much since Saturday night, he and I, and I'm feeling it too.

Well, we managed to get the boys off to school, but since we were running late, Levi, Titus and Micah didn't have time to eat. Titus wouldn't have anyways. After I drop the boys off, I call to make an appointment to take Titus to the Doc because while a fever doesn't get me huffing off to the doctor, the goopy eyes do and I'm supposed to clean today which means my kids have to go to Erin's house and I need to know what's going on before then. I really can't cancel on cleaning again. The only appointment I could get was at 10am, smack in the middle of Micah's morning nap. We can do without. This is more important, right (trying to convince myself)?!?

I certainly wasn't going to go home for an hour and then go back out, so what would any good mom do? Go to Walmart, of course. Micah was wearing her last diaper and I had to exchange a movie anyways, so off we went to use up our hour and a half.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, Tim's grandparents gave the kids money to spend when we went shopping, so I got movies for them. Alvin and the Chipmunks was among them. I didn't take the receipt because I didn't need it, but when we got home and we finally saw the movie, the audio cuts out after 30 minutes. So I call Wally World and explain to them that I need to exchange it but they said I'd need the receipt. Well, for ME to ask for a receipt back is not a good thing. Their family has some sort of stigma about returning things in the first place and then an even bigger issue concerning ME and returns. I guess you return one thing and they assume you return EVERYTHING, so I didn't want to ask for it back. It's a touchy subject. Call it my pride, whatever.

Instead, I decided I'd go get another movie because by now we are sick and doing movie days back to back and I kinda wanted it for our marathon, as it has become. All Walmart said was that I'd need a receipt and I'd be ok. I had to drive in to Hobart to go to Sam's club Monday to get the Christmas cards I committed to sending out this year and to make a return and so I thought I'd stop by Walmart to take care of this too. ***precursor***if you ever get the feeling you shouldn't go out because your kid's a little sick...just don't go. It won't be worth it!!!

I made my return at Office Max and we managed to get out of there unscathed so we went on to Sam's club where I was just going to pick up my cards and then eat lunch and then go to Walmart and go home for naps before getting back up to pick up the boys.

i feel like i haven't even begun this story yet...hang on...the fun is yet to come

Ok, so we get into Sam's club and imagine this, I can't find my card. No big deal, I'm just picking up pictures and eating lunch; I should be ok. I go to the photo counter and get my cards only to find out that they aren't the 4x8 size I thought I ordered, but 4x6 regular photo size. I told the counter clerk that I didn't find many selections online, let alone the cute one that I was looking at on display at the counter. The lady behind me said she just ordered that cute one. So, I'm an idiot who can't find Christmas cards on the Sam's club website. Nice to know. But now I have 4x6 cards and that's not what I wanted, not to mention they don't come with envelopes and I didn't want to go hunt those down, so I wanted to reorder them the right way right away.

Well, since I did them online, they didn't have my picture file and couldn't do them there while I waited. Frustrating that this is happening in the first place, but what can I do. Apparently I messed up. Well, I needed to pay for them since they were my error but, wait, I guess I do need my card to buy them since I didn't pay for them online like I thought I did. The kids are getting hungry and remember, Titus is sick. I look over at the line for customer service to get a temporary card and there were 8-10 people in line and I wasn't waiting. I went to get lunch instead. Forgetting completely about the cards, we finished lunch to go to Walmart to take care of the movie and then go home for naps...much needed naps!

We were in Walmart for over an hour waiting in the customer service line, trying to find the movie-which they didn't have-and then waiting to get my copy of the Chipmunks back just to get out of there and back on the road having accomplished nothing except to find out that I'm and Internet idiot. Now it's 1:35, I'm 25 minutes from home and school gets out at 3:00. There is no practicality in going home for a 45 minute, just make the kids more cranky nap, so I guess today is an early day for the boys. I got them out of school early. Problem solved.

My movie still isn't taken care of and that brings us to this morning. I go in, get the video and take it to customer service only to find out that they open the wrapping on the exchange, so I am not able to return it to get my money back. I am not one to get overheated at these people but I did politely ask to talk to the manager. Keep in mind I haven't had a full night's rest since last Friday night, so I am tired!!! By the time a manager finally shows up, the kids are crying (because they're tired and hungry) and I was making small talk with the ladies about this stupid movie and I end up so frustrated about the whole thing, I start crying. How embarrassing!!!

So now, here I am, 2 crying children, 1 teary mother and I'm trying to explain to the male manager what's going on, but to no avail. I am now the proud owner of not one, but two copies of Alvin and the Chipmunks. I'm too nice. I should have gotten all "NW Indiana" on them. Ok, maybe not.

It's only 9:30 but I'm not going anywhere else before the doctor, so I go early and get in right away. I told them it may be a noisy room, so beware. How right I was. Titus doesn't want to be there so he starts crying. Then he sneezes and since that hurts, he cries even more. I let Micah out of her seat because I had no idea how long we'd be there and I didn't need her crying to get out of there. Big mistake!

The doctor comes in right away (had I only known) and automatically Micah thinks it's for her and she starts into a full on scream. Well, Titus is still crying -just because- and it's starting to get really loud in there. I put Micah in my lap to get her to calm down, but that only confirmed to her that the doctor was indeed there for her. I put her in the stroller but couldn't get to her to buckle her because I am now holding Titus for his exam. Micah is writhing in her seat, still screaming, and so I go to pull her up, Titus still in my lap, only Micah's feet get caught in the foot rest of the stroller and I can't get her out. I put her back down only to have to get her again.

The doctor is kindly trying to look at Titus while I take care of Micah, only they are both screaming and fighting the adult who is taking care of them. I get Micah out of her seat only to have the stroller fall backwards because I have my purse and the diaper bag on the handle. I know better than that...I reached around to put her back by Eden (who is sitting in the corner with her fingers in her ears) and Micah falls over. More crying.

I am about to crawl under the bench out of sheer desperation for a moment to myself, not to mention to get away from the humiliation I am feeling at this moment. Boy am I thankful right about now that I knew when I got dressed this morning that I wasn't going to the gym or I'd totally look like the stay-at-home mom who took her kids to the doctor in her pajamas, disheveled hair and all. I did look decent.

I get Micah situated, although she is still screaming and then I have to literally pin Titus' arms down with one arm and hold his head still with the other so the doctor can look in his ears.

We're done.

The Doctor backs away, Titus climbs in my lap the way HE wants, Micah climbs in my lap, their thumbs are in their mouths and it's like nothing ever happened. One second a flippin' hurricane; the next second, nothing.

I'm worn out and dog gone it, it's not even 10am and I'm supposed to go to Linda's house to clean today??? Boy do I need the break more than ever! I would count down the minutes, but I can't in good conscience leave Titus with Erin today. She doesn't need to go through a day like this. So, my reprieve has been cancelled. Drat! I think I will just stay in and make some Christmas gifts.

This looks like the beginning of a LONG winter season for the Svoboda home.

If you imagined all that with me and now need a nap, then I did good telling the story. If not, it really was a nut job type of day. What I need is a glass of wine (except for that thing about I don't really drink), a good book and my whirlpool. Perhaps a Pepsi, my Bible and a whirlpool. Not as poetic, but what I need right now is not poetry, that's for sure!!!

Sick days on the couch

We've all had them, right? We even looked forward to them and quite possibly when we got older, tried our best to get them as often as possible. A sick day on the couch watching videos. Titus has been sick since Saturday night with fever and "huwrt belly" and "legs huwrts" and all. Today he's watching "Koofa Pandabeawr" or Kungfu Panda, as we know it. Another totally great video for young kid and older kid alike! I laughed so hard at this one. It's also full of some good one-liners that I'll be sure to be using in the near future!

Did you know...?

Did you know that 500Q-tips don't go back in the box the same way twice? I do!Courtesy of Titus, of course. He has been running a high fever since Saturday night and has just been lying around, quite lethargic, but when the Tylenol kicks in, so does he.

Winter Swap

I Decided to participate in a Winter Swap that my cousin was hosting and for some reason I was nervous...sort of meeting new people and then getting a gift for them...that's not easy!!! Well, nonetheless, I did it and I mailed off the gift I made (I totally forgot to take a picture of it...rats!) and then my gift came in the mail. In anticipation I yanked and pulled and wiggled and tore the package out of my mailbox that the mailman crammed in as hard as he could. I guess the 20 step walk to my door was too much for him! At anyrate, this was what I got for me and the girls.These are 2 handmade dresses that I Noe Design made (Imogene Noe) and I believe that's what's called a Tea Towel (sorry for my towel illiteracy!) I love them. The dress on the left is sized for Micah, though she will probably have to wear it next year, hopefully. I love the fact that it says Joy all over it. Joy is Micah's middle name. The other one is a vintage fabric that I think is very pretty. That one was for Eden, but sadly is too short, so Micah will be the proud wearer of that one as well. Actually, perhaps leggings will do the trick. I will have to see before doing it as leggings don't work for everything. Thank you so much for your wonderful swap gifts!!! Imogene makes these and many other gifts and you can read more about them on her site, inoedesign.com. Thank you, Imogene! I look forward to the next one!

Turkeys on the farm

First to catch up the pre-thanksgiving posts...ugh, this blogging stuff is busy work! When does the check come in? It's been several months now and nothing...
The coolest and awesomest and bestest daddy came home from work today with the makings for S'mores. After dinner and for some reason after jammies we put the 2x4's on the fireplace (it's nice living in and around new construction sometimes) and had some yummy s'mores before bed! Thank you, daddy!

She's just cute...do I need to say more???

Speaking of cute, here's a time when Titus disappeared for a bit and it wasn't disastrous. Well, only in the fashion world. He got himself dressed this morning. Catch the full ensemble lest you get behind on the latest trends in [almost] 3 year old dress these days. Yes, those are jammies, and yes, I let him wear that...until we had to go out in public, that is. Like I'd let him out in his jammies...

Ok, now for our Thanksgiving weekend...I finally got to meet my darling and precious little niece, Nadia Renee. I was so excited to finally get to hold the little doll and what a chunk. She is 4 months old and she and Micah are in the same size, for the most part. I practically melted when the first thing Nadia did was give me this ginormous cheeky smile when she saw me for the first time. She just knew that I was her bestest auntie and she was beaming. Ok, that's a bit dramatic, but I felt it!

We had a good trip to the farm. Eden and uncle Phil posed for me. That's my girl...too hot for her long sleeved sweater!

Our ever-goofy Elijah boy. He just wants to make people laugh. Unfortunately he is still learning when to be funny and when not to be, but I'll tell you what, he makes me laugh, but mostly when he isn't trying. He is training his siblings rather well in the comedic sense. Look out mama...stand-up is running rampant around here.

MomS, grandma, Shelley and I all went out on Black Friday. Not crazy early like some, but out nonetheless. I guess I got a bit bored. Boredom + a camera crazy mother-in-law = flattering photo.

Our first pose in our first photo session (done by uncle Phil) of all the cousins was interesting, to say the least. I have pity on all photographers, relatives or not. This is no easy task. Elijah was the only one to have the same look plastered on his face through out the whole time. You know the one...the school yearbook face. Mother's across the world know this one. We don't love it, but we know it!

Between poses, we sat these girls together and took this shot. It was too cute. Micah has her hand on Nadia's shoulder, as you can see, but a video would show her patting Nadia as if to say, from one chunk to another, "Hang in there kid. I'll show you the ropes" or "It could be worse; there could be 5 kids in your family..." No matter the thoughts running through their heads, it was a Kodak moment for sure.

Second pose...too much playing went on during this, but I loved it!!!

We certainly can't get through a visit to the farm with out football. Unfortunately, we didn't have a football. Only this green soccer ball, but no one seemed to mind. Perhaps we should consider getting one. Ahh the memories that are being made on this grass!

Here's the next Chicago Bears draftee going for a diving catch. He just LOVES football and wonders why he can't play in our town. I'll have to check into that my chicken legged little boy. Little does he know he'd be snapped in two.

Eden is so cutely and patiently sitting while aunt Shelley braids her hair. I have since started to braid her hair also, but oddly Eden won't sit still for me...hmmm. Do we have a favorite???

I put Micah's hair in pigtails just to see what it would look like. It doesn't look so much from this picture, but she was a cutie p tootie...

Even after I took them out, she kept her cuteness...crazy hair and all.

It was kinda neat, for me at least, to see "uncle Tim" fall into daddy mode with Nadia. He-voluntarily-took over some feedings and didn't bat an eye. He's an old pro at work. Hmm, did we really have to go and put the kibosh on all of this?!? What's done is done.
Nadia didn't seem to mind uncle Timmy's nurturing. She is happy and full; a good combination for mommy to come back to when she's done getting her shower.

So, I notice there are no pictures of Titus and Levi. Not too sure why, but we did bring them. I promise. Next post should be my Christmas swap and then Christmas. Yay! Have a happy holiday everyone...