Our Crazy Weekend

I am slowly recovering from our weekend. It was a crazy one.Our plans were recital on Saturday and Charleston and wedding on Sunday.  We did just that plus some.

I started my morning as usual, telling my mom what was going on that day.  Normally she has no interest in going out for our activities.  However, she told me she wanted to go to the recital.  I had a mild panic because I knew that the kids had dress rehearsal from 1 until at least 5.  We had to be at the school for the recital at 6:30.  I didn't feel that I had enough time to get my mom ready and loaded.  Taking my mom meant taking two cars because I can not lift her into the van.

I called Charlotte, she helps with my mom during the week.  I asked her if she could come and help get my mom ready.  She said she would get her cleaned and dressed.  That was a huge relief.

A little after noon I was getting the girls ready, hair and make-up , when Sarah came down in a panic because her cat was bleeding.  Quickly I gave my husband emergency vet duty and prepared to take the baby and Emma with me.  We got to dress rehearsal without make-up done.

We were at rehearsal until after 5:30.  We had less than an hour to feed the kids and get them ready for recital.  I was so glad that I had asked Charlotte to help with my mom because I really didn't have time to prepare her to go out.

My husband found an emergency vet for Clyde and after over $500 worth of tests they determined that he had a bladder issue and would have to stay.  estimates were from $800 to $1000.  We had already done over $500 in tests so we were already committed.

In the meantime Jason had gone to Charleston for the weekend and started to have car trouble.  During all my stressful time he was constantly calling me, at one point he was tuck on the road with a dead car.  Good news was he had found a job at one of his previous employers.  This was a sudden thing and he had no place to live.  He was talking about living in his car.

As we were panicking about the cat and trying to get out of the house Kim showed up to pack up her stuff.  She is officially moved out and all of her stuff is gone.

Kassi texted me during this time asking for a ride.  I just wasn't able to do that.  She is in the next town over but I didn't have any time to spare.

We got to the recital on time and it went great.  Larissa did 5 dances so I was often on the sidelines having her make costume changes in the hallway so she could go back out.  It was crazy but she loved it.  My mom really enjoyed it, I was glad that she was able to go.

Recital was finished around 9pm and we went to our favorite restaurant, San Jose.

After surviving Saturday we got up Sunday morning to head to Charleston.  We stopped to pick Kassi up along the way (really out fo the way).  Joselin was stuck at Myrtle Beach with friends and couldn't get back.

We got a parking spot in downtown Charleston on Memorial Day weekend and were only a few minutes late.

After the wedding we all headed out to eat at Sesame, a fancy burger joint.  It was a great day.  We are so excited to have Ethan join our family, we feel that he has already been a part of our family for a long time.

Jason's car was determined to be a lost cause, he was given a $600 car from his dad.  He also found a roommate so he doesn't have to live in his car.

Clyde is still in the hospital.  They have determined that he actually had nerve damage from an injury in his rear area.  He is not able to pee by himself.  Tomorrow I will be heading to the vets to learn how to bleed the bladder. I will have to do this several times a day!  Hopefully over time he will heal because I am not sure how long I can do that extra duty.  John and Sarah visited with him today....

Today was Anthony's award ceremony, tomorrow is Michelle's.  Emma's is on Friday and I also meet with administration on Friday to discuss Larissa.

There is a lot going on right now so hopefully I haven't confused you too much. 

It was a stressful weekend. 

It was a great weekend.

Dance Pictures Part 2

Dance pictures are finished. They take pictures and then practice their routines a few times. On Saturday we will spend most of the day doing a dress rehearsal and then have the recital at 7. I worry about Larissa and eating. She is in 5 dances so will spend most of the day up there. Their last practice is scheduled for 4 which should leave time for dinner.  However, in my experience practice always runs over.  Guess I will pack lots of food.

Larissa had a headache all afternoon and during the pictures.  Sometimes she worked through it and other times she struggled.

Picture overload.

Dance Pictures Part 1

We spent 3 hours at the dance studio doing pictures and practice. By the end Larissa was hungry and ready to go eat!Thursday I do this again with Anthony, Larissa and Michelle then Saturday will be a long day with dress rehearsal during the day and recital at night.

Eyeball

I had noticed this little spot on Larissa's eye but hadn't thought much of it. When I looked back to pictures a year ago I can see it to a small degree. I don't see it in her baby pictures.

It doesn't look like much but the neurologist mentioned it.  It is that little smudge on the bottom of her left pupil. It appears to have gotten a little bigger in the last year.

We will go get an eye exam and pray that it is nothing.  Anyone have this?

Trampoline

While hanging out around the treadmill I also feel that I spend a lot of time on the trampoline.  Up and down, up and down.  It seems like many of my kids are just not able to regulate their behaviors very well.  They spend a lot of time going up and down. 


At this time Emma is back to stage 1.  Total restriction. Her door is alarmed and the food is all in the pantry again.  we had gotten a little lax and in true form she took advantage of it. She had been doing so well.  However, last night after her shower I went into her room after she was in bed.  I noticed that her face was dirty and said to get up and wash up.  I thought it was odd because she was clean after her shower.  As she got up the can of chocolate frosting fell out of her bed.  Aha, I guess that dirty face she had earlier was actually chocolate frosting.  I felt rather slow at that moment.


Michelle is doing rather well.  She is getting along with Larissa and they are actually sharing a room on the weekends.  When school is out she will have the opportunity to share all the time with Larissa.  She is well aware that any bullying will land her back in the room with Emma and she doesn't want that.  We have tried this before and are slowly trying it again.  I am willing to try again but feel that it is a matter of time before she is back with Emma.  Does that make me an optimist or pessimist?


Anthony is bouncing up and down.  He has his good moments and his not so good moments.  Writing on the sidewalks inappropriate things was not a good idea, doing it where I always walk was really not a good choice.  He even questioned himself on that one when I asked him what was he thinking.


Larissa's mood seems to be bouncing back and they want to increase her medication.  Ugh.  Over the summer she will be doing another sleep study.  I also have to make an appointment with an eye doctor.  The neurologist wants her to be seen because her pupil is bleeding out into her eye.  Something else.


What I don't understand is why I am not losing any weight considering I spend al this time on the treadmill and trampoline!

Unfinished Projects

I decided to tackle two projects today...the garage

And a section of the floor in the kitchen.

When doing the flooring a very long time ago I was stopped by the vinyl tile under the cabinets.  It was impossible to cut it with a knife, I tried.  I got the idea to use the Dremel tool.  It did the job but was very slow going.

Lots of cleaning and scraping with George for company.

The corner cabinet is taller and further back than the other cabinets so I had to build it up to match.
I also had an 8 inch gap between the cabinets where I put tall, skinny items.  I built a shelf in that area.

I was able to get the flooring finished and the cabinets to match but am waiting for the wood filler to dry.  To finish this project it needs to be sanded, painted and the some areas stained.

The garage has gotten terrible.  Kim pulled out all of the shelving (without asking) and her boys destroyed things.  They jammed the wii so I had banned my kids from the room.  I purchased a new to us wii and waited until the boys left before I put it out.

I bought some shelving and brought out an old cabinet for storage.  The girls brought out all their dolls and I had them pick three dolls each (after taking out the American Girl dolls).  Interesting to me was that Larissa picked white dolls and Michelle picked black dolls.  The rest went into a bag for donation.

Their books got organized and they can use their table again.

The wii/playing area is organized.

However, I was not able to get to my space.  I have lots of work to do there since I need to get back to painting.

Emily, what do you think of these two items.  The one on the left is a very old wooden dresser and the one on the right opens on the top for a desk area.

Let me know if either one will work.  If not I will keep in the look out for something different.  (Still waiting on the fabric samples).

Improvement but still work to do.

We attempted to get a good picture of George next to the cart he used to ride in.  He didn't cooperate.  This picture shows the gate which I didn't get to finish because it rained of and on all day.