Thursday, July 18, 2013

Holy Heat Wave

It is July 18, 2013 and we have had temps in the 90s for days.  We are so lucky to have central air. We are also lucky that we have to pay for it.  Not!  I can't complain as I am just sitting here now catching up and it is cool in the room.  However, I have also been taking the kids to swimming lessons and doing errands and such. All in this heat and it has been gross to say the least.  So the last time I was here was June 25, 2013. As of late, I can't get here more often. As I said before, I should probably step away from blogging as life has gotten too busy with the three kids. However, come September, all three of my kids go to school till 3:00 pm.  I can't wait. First time in five years. Whatever will I do with myself? Can't wait to find out.

So what have we been up to since I have been here last you wonder. What haven't we been up to.  The kids got out of school. I signed them up for swimming lessons and so we have been at the pool non-stop!  It has been great though.  Since checking in last we have also celebrated our 10th year of marriage.  Go us!

We have had our sprinkler system turned on. That costs a fortune and a half to run. Supposedly I don't have any leaks. That is great, but disturbing since I paid so much money in water bills last year and nobody can tell me why!  I really hope that this year we don't have that issue or I am going to be pretty angry.  We also had our gutters cleaned by a company in Natick that I got a Groupon too. He did a nice job.  We also spent some time with my friend Audra and her daughters Ava and Elise. We went over for lunch and hung around and chatted while the girls played. That was a great day.

On Friday the 28th, it was our anniversary. We went to the church and the Chocksett Inn to have some pictures taken. Ping was our photographer. She did pretty good. We then drove out to the Yankee Candle store in Deerfield. We looked around and then had dinner at Chandler's restaurant before heading home. We had a good size gift certificate for the place, so it didn't cost us a dime to go with the exception of having to pay for gas. Mind you I spent the money on candles at another time. We had a great day. The kids had fun as well and dinner was great.

On Saturday, Bill took Manny to Higgins Armory for Jordan's birthday party. They had a ball.  We spent the rest of the day at home doing some things around here.

On Sunday, we went to the Drawbridge Puppet Theater for a show with my friend Lisa and her family.  Her daughter Erica and Yamira are friends. Then our friend Wendy who also teaches Sunday School came and watched the three kids while Bill and I went into Boston to have Afternoon Tea at the Sea Grille at Rowes Wharf.  It was beautiful out. Hot, but a nice clear day.  Bill wasn't thrilled with the food. I have to admit, I wasn't either. However, it was nice to be out.

On Monday July 1, 2013, the kids started their swim lessons.  They are every single day. Manny and Ping go from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm and Yamira goes from 12:30 pm till 1:00 pm. I started my water aerobics class that night at 6:00 pm. I went alone as Bill didn't have school that night. That was great. I enjoyed the class a lot and it was nice not having the kids with me!

Tuesday we had an appointment in the morning with our financial adviser and then we took the kids to their swimming lesson. In the afternoon we went with Katie and her three over to the splash pad in Northboro. We had a great time.

Bill had driver training on the new ambulance on Wednesday. We then took the kids to swimming.  In the afternoon we had the gutters cleaned.  That night I took the kids to the Rutland fireworks with Ayi Meri, Joe and their kids. Bill stayed home as he was on at 10:00 pm and was concerned he wouldn't be home in time if there was a call.

The next day the kids had swimming lessons even thought it was the fourth of July. We then went to Norwood for Liam's birthday party.  It was so disgustingly hot out, but we all had a nice time. We were going to walk down to the parade, but it was too darn hot.  Hopefully next year we can do that if we are in Norwood.

The next day Bill had an appointment with the car because the Buick has not been blowing cold air.  The kids had swimming and Bill was on at night.

I honestly can't remember what we did that Saturday. I had no specific plans on my calendar. I am sure we either cleaned in the house or organized something.

On Sunday, Bill worked for the entire day.  I took the kids to see The Croods with Shayla's friend and her mom. We went to the West Boylston movie theater. Never been before. Nice and cheap!  Didn't like the movie, but the kids were happy.

The kids started VBS today. We dropped them off at 9:00 am and then Bill took the kids to the pool for their lessons as I had an appointment in Norwood with my primary care. I waited over an hour and a half to see her. I was not happy. It isn't worth leaving and going back another time though as it takes an hour to drive there and back. It is costly in gas too!  That night I had to take the three kids to the pool with me for my aerobics class. That stunk. Manny was so awful he lost his swimming privilege, so he whined and ran around and threw stuff at the pool. I was horrified.  However, I got through the class.  Then it was home and bed time for the kids.

On Tuesday, I dropped the kids off at VBS in the am and then we took them to swimming for noon.  That afternoon I took the kids to therapy. All three of them had to go because Bill has class that night. Ping did her origami and didn't complain at all. Made for a very long day.

On Wednesday the kids had VBS and then swimming. In the afternoon, I went to Barnes and Noble to meet my friend Lisa for some chit chat. She went to the Starbucks in Worcester and I went to the one in Millbury. Once we discovered that mess though, we got to sit down and chat. It was nice to be out and not interrupted every two seconds.

Thursday we dropped off Shayla at VBS and brought Manny and Yamira to the dentist. I tried to reschedule the dentist, but they would have had to wait till October and it wasn't worth it. So they just skipped it. We picked up Shayla and then we went to swimming.  That afternoon I went to see my podiatrist to have him look at my big toe as the nail seemed to be growing funny. However it is fine.

On Friday, Ping's friend came over to play after VBS and swimming. The kids loved VBS. They were sad to see it come to an end.  The girls had a nice afternoon playing.  Manny and Yamira played a little bit by themselves, but then with Ping and her friend.

On Saturday we stayed in the house and did stuff around here because that night we had plans to attend Bill's class reunion.  Ayi Meri came and babysat for us. Bill and I went to the CBS restaurant at Patriot Place for the reunion.  Boring as all hell!!!!!!!!  I was bored stiff anyway. Bill enjoyed himself for the most part. There were only appetizers to be eaten and if I must say so myself, they were crappy. Cheap food.  So that was disappointing. I also was upset due to a message and friend of mine sent. She blasted me for something she didn't have the facts on. Me being the sensitive jerk I am was upset by it all.  Oh well, sometimes these things happen. All is well now.

On Sunday Bill worked from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. It was an awful day. The kids were absolutely fit to be tied and really bothering me.  We did a few errands. When I got home, Manny put the garage door down on the trunk of the Toyota. I was bullshit.  That is actually an understatement.  He knows that you ask permission to put the door up or down. We discuss this daily!!!!  We have for three years. Bill had to rush home to help me separate the trunk from the garage door. I was so upset. However, at 6:00 pm we went to Applebees with Ayi Meri, Joe and the kids and had a nice time. So the night wasn't lost!

On Monday it was Shayla's 8th birthday!!!!!!!  She had a nice day I believe. In the morning, I took the three of them to the dermatologist. Manny had an appointment to have his wart looked at.  I brought Yamira because she has had some weird pigmentation on her neck behind the ears and so I wanted that looked at and Ping asked to go with us and so off we went. We had to freeze the wart again. That was fun. Not. Manny screamed and cried.  Yamira's neck was looked at and the doctor thinks it is a specific skin issue. She has never seen it in a kid this young.  The treatment is to take medicine, but she is actually too young for it.  So we are starting with a cream and are going to have her sugar levels tested to make sure she isn't insulin resistant. This isn't the condition that usually indicates that, but it can be an indicator, so it is worth having it checked.  After we left there we bought a small cake and some cookies for Ping and then we went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and the bank. We got home in time to open gifts and then we went to swimming. Ping loved her gifts. She got some balloon making stuff, Origami stuff and some other things.  She was thrilled. Swimming went fine. We then went home so that Manny and Yamira could nap as they were exhausted. Shayla did some crafts. Bill went to school and I fed the kids and then we went to my water aerobics class. That went okay. Not as bad as the week before. Then it was home and bed time.

Tuesday was a mess of a day. Well not a mess per se, but a waste of a day perhaps?  We took the kids to swimming and then I rushed home and dropped them off and rushed off to Fitchburg District Court for 2:00 pm because my CASA case was being dismissed today. I sat there for over two hours and the case was never called. It was called after I left. I had to be home for Bill as he had school and had the kids. So I sat there wasting two hours. I don't get paid. I don't get gas money or parking money. The case is not about me. So basically I sat there for two hours for nothing. I did hear that the case was called finally and the custody from DCF transferred back to mom.  She deserves it. I am happy for her. Anyway, I raced home. Bill went to school and I fed the kids. We then went and did a bunch of errands. By the time we got home it was almost 9:00 pm.  I hated every minute of it. It was hot. The kids were tired. I was tired.  However, these errands had to be done!  I did run into the Raphael's and my cousin Stephanie at the bank's open house.  I tried to avoid Stephanie, but I didn't get away with it unfortunately.  Once home, Bill walked in the door right after and we decided to give Ping her iPod for her birthday as it had come in. She was beside herself. So excited for her.

Wednesday was supposed to be a day with my friend Bobby-Jo, but she was unable to get together in the afternoon like we were going to. So after swimming, the kids did open swim for a little over an hour. Ended up being a great day as my friend Renee met us at the pool with her daughter. We then had lunch in Clinton and headed home. Stupid me then started a project of cleaning my shoes. That was a nightmare. I didn't get to finish, but I got a bulk of the stuff done.  I then fed the kids and put them to bed since Bill had a call. He was on 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm.

Today we took the kids to the pool and let them swim for over an hour after lessons. We then came home. Bill did a few errands and headed off to school while the kids played at home and I caught up on some stuff I needed to do at my desk. I also did some cleaning and went back to doing a little bit of work in my closet.  It is now Thursday night and time to post some pictures and get back to what I was doing before it gets to be any later than it is.

I will just say one more thing.  Two weeks ago, I let go of two friends of mine. To be honest, I am not sure they were my friends. I thought they were. Last year they treated me very poorly. In September, I decided to give them another chance. I didn't want to get sucked in, but I did and ended up doing all of the work in the relationship.  As the end of the school year, I suggested that we keep in touch as we had during the school year. They were always together and decided no longer to include me in their emails.  After evaluating the friendship and speaking to a few others to see if my feelings were dead on, I decided to completely walk away from them. I defriended them and blocked them on FB.  Neither one ever called me to discuss being defriended. So as I have said to a friend, the proof is in the pudding. By not contacting me, they proved that I was indeed right and being completely excluded from their lives. I can't take back the time I wasted with them. There were some good times. However, they aren't the true friends that they confessed to be. I have not been happier truly since defriending them. I no longer have to wonder if they have forgotten about me.  They have and so I have joyfully moved on. I am a very loyal friend and it is hard for me to let go, but I have enough stuff to keep me busy. I don't need to be chasing down dead ends!  Plus when I evaluated them as people, I realized that I am very different from them. I am more sensitive, considerate, tolerant and truthful.  I don't go off on rampages nor do I cheat the government or the school system.  They were not adding anything to my life except to make me feel less important. True friends don't do that.  Onward and upward!

Hope your summer is going well for you and that you are being treated well by your loved ones!

Mama Out!!!!!
10 years later at the church we got married in
Our reception place Chocksett Inn
Our chickens at Yankee Candle
Drawbridge Theater
Afternoon Tea

Birthday girl