Music takes you back, doesn't it?

I'm sitting here listening to Pandora while I'm working and a song came on that took me back.

Count on Me from Waiting to Exhale

This is a song that I chose for my wedding reception. A song that I dedicated to my bridal party. My girls. We all got together in the middle of the dance floor and cried as we hugged each other.

It was a beautiful moment. My message to each of them that they could always count on me. Even though I was going to start a new life as a wife that they could always turn to me.

Are there any songs that immediately take you back to a specific moment in your life?

Count on me through thick and thin
A friendship that will never end
When you are weak, I will be strong
Helping you to carry on
Call on me, I will be there
Don't be afraid
Please believe me when I say
Count on....

I can see it's hurting you
I can feel your pain
It's hard to see the sunshine through the rain oh
I know sometimes it seems as if it’s never gonna end
But you'll get through it
just don't give in

Count on me through thick and thin
A friendship that will never end
When you are weak I will be strong
Helping you to carry on
Call on me I will be there
Don't be afraid
Please believe me when I say
Count on....

I know sometimes it seems as if
we're standing all alone
But we'll get through cause love wouldn't let us fall

Count on me through thick and thin
A friendship that would never end
When you are weak I will be strong
Helping you to carry on
Call on me I will be there
Don't be afraid
Please believe me when I say count on

There's a place inside of all of us
Where our faith in love begins
You should reach to find the truth in love
The answers there within, ohhhh
I know that life can make you feel
It's much harder than it really is
But we'll get through it
Just don't give in...

Count on me through thick and thin
A friendship that would never end
When you are weak
I will be strong
Helping you to carry on
Call on me I will be there
Don't be afraid
Please believe me when I say
Count on
Count on
Count on
Count on
Count on
Count on
Count on me...
Ohh yes you can, I know I can, sure I can, so glad I can, so glad I can, Count on me

Health concerns all around

My co-worker has been MIA for the past week. She just came back online to work last night and I found out that she and her son (she's a single Mom) have both been WAY sick. But that they both were finally feeling better.

She also let me know that her nephew was in the ICU. Apparently he suffered a bad asthma attack that was so bad that they called an ambulance. He ended up coding twice on the way to the hospital and ended up in a coma. That's right folks, a COMA! Thankfully he woke up after about a week and is now on his way to recovering from the ordeal. A 19-year-old ended up in a coma after a severe asthma attack. Can you believe it?

On my own family front, my oldest niece ended up in the hospital over the weekend. She had a migraine and was feeling more weird than normal. Her parents (my oldest sister & BIL) MADE her go to Urgent Care. Within a few minutes of evaluating her, the medical staff TOLD them to go to the Emergency Room. Why? Because her blood pressure was 190/110. Yes. THAT. HIGH.

The hospital admitted her and they ran a gamut of tests. Blood work. CT Scan. Lumbar puncture where they found blood. CT Angiogram. Ultrasound on the kidneys. MRI. Thankfully they didn't find anything weird. She was finally released yesterday. Clean bill of health. Just the high blood pressure along with the migraine. My 29-year-old niece is now on high blood pressure meds. Ay-yay-yay!

No matter how young you are, you can still have health issues. Appreciate the life you've got and enjoy it all.

Dinner is always questionable

I never know how dinner is going to pan out.

Sometimes the kids eat only a little bit of what I've made.

Sometimes the kids eat a whole slew of what I've made.

Last night we had a typically traditional dinner. Mac-n-cheese. Green beans. Meatloaf.

Most times there will a whole lot left so that I can have at least 2 lunches. There is only a sliver of meatloaf left from last night's meal. A. SLIVER.

ARGH!

It's crazy how the kids' appetite and taste can swing.

[sigh]

But at least they ate dinner, eh? Too bad there's not much left for me.

I guess I'll just have to make something else for lunch today!

Crying all over the place

The kids came home from school without any fighting in the car.

The Bear finished his homework right off the bat.

The Princess lagged a bit after him.

Around 4pm they both were in the loft together. I figured they were playing.

Suddenly, I hear some angry backtalk and a cry.

I ran over from the front of the house to the back and looked up.

I saw the Bear through the banister with his hand over his mouth.

He moved his hand away from his face and I saw him look down at it.

Bear: I'm BLEEDING!
Me: Come down here!

He ran downstairs with his hand clamped over his mouth/nose.

There was more blood than a simple bloody nose.

We scooted quickly to the half bath.

I grabbed some toilet paper and then had him remove his hand.

I rinsed of the blood from his hand and had him wipe it while I pinched his nose.

There was still a little bit of blood on his hand so he left a mark on our white towels.

Since there was a lot of blood then I was very concerned.

I was afraid that she'd broken his nose.

I wasn't sure if it would stop.

I have to tell you I was a nervous.

Me: Get in here Prin!
Prin: Coming! [sounding nervous]
Me: What happened?
Prin: I accidentally kicked him in the face...
Me: What?
Prin: I was kicking the truck and my leg hit him in the face.
Me: Say sorry to your brother.
Prin: I'm SORRY! Please don't tell Dad! [she wrapped her arms around me and the Bear sobbing]

My kids? They know when they've done something bad that their Daddy will get on them in a major way. My daughter was afraid of what he would do if he found out. She was afraid that she'd get a major whooping. 

Thankfully? The bleeding stopped in only a little bit of time. There wasn't any swelling or discoloration after it happened. And you know what? The Hubs doesn't know. The kids and I are keeping this incident from him. They were both upset about what happened. Nothing was broken. So it'll stay between us.

Now do you and your kids have any secrets like this from your spouse?

I "think" I'm over the hump

The holidays do a whammy on me every year. But this year? I seemed to be more significantly tired than in the past.

Thanksgiving. Check!
MIL's birthday? Check!
Christmas Decorations up? Check!
Christmas Cards? Passed this year.
Christmas Gifts? Check!
Christmas? Check!
Sister's birthday? Check!
Other Sister's birthday? Check!
Second niece's birthday? Check!
Bear's birthday gifts? Check!
Bear's birthday party? Check!
Christmas Decorations down? Check!

Finally. My year-end events are all done.

[sigh]

And with me being swamped with work? That's also burning out my brain. My motivation to do other things is low. I'm barely getting around to doing a couple runs each week.

Hopefully I'll be able to get back into my normal groove now. [crossing fingers]

Presents in the mail

Now that it's January, most Americans come to the realization of how much the holidays REALLY hit them.

That's right. Little presents in the mail. A loving way to say bills. Oy!

This year, like last, we purchased all our gifts with cash/debit card. That way we only spent with the extra money we'd set aside.

Therefore? We didn't receive any "bill" related presents in the mail.

But we did receive SOMETHING special in the mail.

A photo-radar speeding ticket.

Yes. That's right. The Hubs doing 81 in a 65 mph zone. He told me he thought it was a 75 mph zone. Umm...yeah...right Dear.


Did YOU or your loved ones receive one of these lovely presents in the mail?

Making Mommy Laugh

While we were out doing errands, the Princess starting humming a song.

Duh-duh-de-de-da-doh-da. Duh-duh-de-de-da-doh-da. Duh-duh-de-de-da-doh-da. De-da-doh-doh-duh-de.

It's the tune to the Addams Family.

She repeated the verse a few times.

I giggled up at the front seat because she was doing it with SUCH enthusiasm.

The Bear suddenly joined in.

POP! Goes the Weasel!

How he figured that his response somehow went with his sister's tune just made me laugh SO hard.