Since You've (actually, I've) Been Gone

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaacccccckkkk!

Did you miss me? I did miss you all! And, I lurked here and there just to make sure all was well, but probably not as often as I should have done.

It was a combination of things that made me take a break from blogging and I have to say there was not one thing to blame more than another.

Mostly, I was in a rut. And, our computer situation had been very kooky.

I will be back now, but I don't think I will blog as much as before and definitely not now with the kids home for summer.

A quick update is in order for sure!

The kids are all good. Fuzzy graduated from 8th grade and will begin high school in September. He was on honor roll for all 4 marking periods this year! He didn't make it into the charter high school that he wanted to attend and was quite disappointed. But, as they say, it was a character building experience. He has one merit badge to complete before beginning to work on his Eagle Scout project.

Which brings us to Hammer, who HAS completed his last merit badge and will shortly begin research to start his Eagle Scout project proposal. Hammer will be 17 in a month, however he is not ready to learn to drive and we are just okie dokie fine with that. In fact, I am very proud of him that he realized that he is just not ready. Next month, my dad, Hammer and I will be taking a train trip to Chicago to visit the Field Museum. This is something Hammer has wanted to do since kindergarten and I am very happy to be finally getting this done! lol

Pumpkin completed 6th Grade with flying colors! She was on the Distinguished Honor Roll for all 4 marking periods which was her goal at the beginning of the year! All of her final grades were 96 and above and we couldn't be more proud! Unfortunately, she is on a break from piano, but I am very hopeful that she will return to it soon.

Hubby has finally left his awful company and hooked up with a wonderful new firm, just this June. I am very relieved and this promises to help alleviate some of our financial woes as time passes. All good things.

Now, for me. I am still very happy and counting my blessings daily! Health wise has been a bit of a struggle. I began to become sensitive to the Enbrel and began to have an allergic reaction which came to a head in April. I saw my rheumatologist in May and she wants me to start taking Humira instead. All at the same time as the insurance was trying to get approval, Hubby's old company changed insurance and then he left them, putting us on cobra, and starting September 1, we will have a new insurance.

Long story short no Humira until then which has resulted in a few flares for me. So far I have had to do 2 tapers of prednisone, which sucks, but it had to be done.

Oh, and the brain thingy is still there, but still not growing. So far. Yay.

So there you have it. Some good, some bad. And, it could ALWAYS be worse!

Right now the kids are home and we are enjoying summer!!! No schedule, later bedtime, lots of reading. It has been really nice. The kids had Scout Camp last week and had a blast. Pumpkin even went along (registered through Campfire Girls) and stayed with them. She had a tough time with the bugs and came home midweek with me on visitation day. I couldn't blame her. All the rain we had in NJ has created quite the bug fest. Eww.

So, that is that! Tomorrow, I hope to pop on and catch up with some of your blogs.

Oh and I still love my coffee as always!!!

And, I love facebook. I am sorry if I have not friended you but I have a lot of family and kid connections on there and I am trying to keep it more private than here, just something I feel I need to do!

be well,
Dawn

From My House to Yours...

Merry Christmas!

I will be back in the New Year!

May all your holiday dreams come true

and may 2009 be filled with blessings!

Love,

Dawn and family!

The Gambler (Returns!)

I'm baaaack!!!

Omg, you have all been very busy! I cannot go back and read everything without a time-stopper, but I will try to catch the new ones!

Although this is a busy week, too!

First thing is first... Atlantic City was awesome! Truly an adult playland! Lots of fun had by all! Especially my mom, since she was winning! I was up, then down, then up, then down, and on the last night back up! Mom let me keep that last night's winnings.

I promised to spend it on myself, and I did. Books! Yay!

We also had lots of great food! 4 and 5 star restaurants... yum! Il Verdi, Cuba Libre, and The Palm. Also, lunch at the Irish pub, Ri Ra!

Kathy joined us Thursday and stayed overnight. It was so much fun to just play and eat and drink together! No kids! No Hubby's! Just us three girls!

The kids and all the pets were thrilled to see us when we got home! Only one traumatic event happened while I was gone. The kids went to Boy Scouts and all the boys were playing football. And, Pumpkin Muffin. She tackled Fuzzy and somehow hyperextended his elbow. Again. Same one he injured playing 'real' football 2 years ago. Hubby had to take him to the pediatric orthopedist. Fuzzy is fine, but needs to be in a sling for two weeks total. Never a dull moment!

My birthday was very nice! We had dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe. The kids gave me a Starbucks gift card, and Hubby had already given me the iphone. My parents had bought me some clothes, my mom took me away, and I got to keep some winnings. Kathy gave me and itunes gift card!

A great birthday booty! 43! I am clinging to saying 'early 40's' but I am pushing it! LOL

This week will be busy! Yesterday and today, I am mostly trying to rest. I rested in AC when I needed to do so, but I needed more once I got home. All in all, the rheumatoid arthritis behaved pretty well! Thank goodness for the vitamins, they are really helping. And, taking a pain killer helps when needed, too.

I have an appointment for bloodwork on Wednesday followed by an award ceremony at the school. Both kids made the honor roll, with Pumpkin on the 'distiguished'. All good! I am very proud of them!

Thanksgiving will be here, too! We go to Kathy's house and I am really looking forward to it! I will be making and bringing my maple glazed carrots!

Okay... gotta go!

be well...

Thankful Thursday

Ahh... Thankful Thursday... you do like to sneak up on me! Like now, very late on Thursday... actually Friday am! I am having trouble relaxing because I needed to drink an extra cup of coffee at about 4pm today, and now the caffeine has me up.

I drank it in order to have a little extra 'oomph' because tonight we had a high school 'open house' to attend with Fuzzy. It was good, but long. Whew.

Here are my thankfuls...

1. I am thankful for Hubby, and that the biggest complaint I have about him is that he is a big baby.

2. I am very thankful for coffee! Especially, GINGERBREAD! Yay! It is a seasonal k-cup that I can only get for my Keurig coffeemaker during November, December and January! My first cup of it yesterday was just heavenly! I made a big deal out of it and Hammer was laughing at my lunacy as I turned the first cup into a momentous occasion!

3. I am thankful that on Monday I will be heading to Atlantic City with mom! YAY!

4. I am thankful for my upgrade to the iphone so I can keep in touch with home easier while I am away! I will send them pictures and texts and emails.

5. I am thankful for my early birthday/Christmas clothes from my mom and dad since I needed some new winter things and I can wear them next week on my trip first! (ps... My birthday is coming up on 11/22, since a few of you asked)

6. I am thankful for my kids and my family and my wonderful busy life! And, although it has kept me away from the keyboard, I know you are here and will be here when I am able to get back and catch up properly!

7. I am thankful that I have good healthcare and access to medicines that are helping me to manage my chronic issues! Today, I would never have made it all day and through and 2 1/2 hour Open House without the aid of vicodin. I was really hurting, but after the vicodin I was able to focus on my son and all the info that I needed to absorb tonight.

I will be keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers! This may be my last post until somewhere around 11/24! I will try to pop in and leave a quickie if I can, but if now, know that I am okay!

Maybe I will even win some money in AC! Wish me luck!

be well...

The Long Run

It was quite a weekend around here!

Friday, my cousin Karol and bf/sister Kathy came to visit with children in tow. We had a really nice get together! Lots of coffee, donuts, and chit chat! Then, the teenaged boys stayed in with McD's, and the rest went to dinner. It was very nice. Especially for my mom, whose birthday was the next day.

Saturday, for the first time in close to 20 odd years, my mom, dad, and I went out to dinner for my mom's birthday! Just the three of us! We went to a posh local Italian restaurant and ate like royalty! Yum!

Hubby was away with the kids on a scout camping trip. Pumpkin was able to go because it was camp tenting. It was her first time, and she had fun! In spite of the rainy weather, they were able to have 2 great campfire cooked meals and S'mores!

I got an upgrade on my cell phone to an iphone as an early birthday present today from Hubby and the kids and I am having fun playing with it!

Sunday was our anniversary. It wasn't Shakespeare and roses, but it was okay. Dinner was out at Houlihan's with the kids and my parents. A combo celebrating Grandma's birthday, which they missed, and our anniversary.

Hubby was the one who screwed up and actually scheduled the camping trip on our anniversary. I was not happy. I figured that knowing that, he would come home and take me to lunch or at least coffee together alone, trying to squeeze in some romance.

Oh no. Instead, he came home overtired, cranky, slept on the couch for most of the day, when not watching football, complained about how his hands hurt, and has been snippy with me on and off since then.

As you can imagine, this sunk the sails on the 'Love Boat' pretty fast. Happy freakin' 17th! Today, he is still the same bundle of overtired sludge and complaining about his poor arthritic hands.

Yeah. Complaining to me. Who lives with that all the time, 24/7. He promptly fell asleep at 9:30pm on the couch because being in pain makes you tired. Really? No foolin'? Imagine that. And, it makes it hard for you to sleep too? Wow. AMAZING. If you didn't tell me I wouldn't know. Okay, enough sarcasm for tonight! lol

So, as you can see, I am not particularly happy with him right now.

I can't wait to go to Atlantic City next week with my mom. It is the biggest treat to get away and have the special time together that we get then. It is a HUGE break for me which is really nice.

I just let the dog out and stood on my back stairs admiring the crisp air and gorgeous clear skies and big bright moon. Just magical.

My hubby may be wallowing in his mire and trying to sink me into it, but I refuse to go there!

I am still wayyyy behind reading journals! Ack! This time of year is so crazy for me, I will do my best! Hopefully, tomorrow will be quiet.

be well...

True

Since today is a day that I count my blessings, I want to share with you.

This is my favorite sonnet by William Shakespeare. I fell in love with it, if you will, in high school. Sophmore year we had to pick a sonnet to memorize, and this was mine. It was prophetic since I am blessed to have a love as described in it's verses.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments, love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove.

O no, it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wand'ring bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come,

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom:

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

I hope you enjoy it. The beautiful words make me smile still and they hold so much more richness of meaning now that I truly understand what it is to have a love that lasts and does not alter, nor bend.

Thank you, honey. Our anniversary is coming this Sunday... I guess that is why I am feeling so nostalgic. 17 years...

be well...

Thankful Thursday

Wow, Thankful Thursday time again. Time waits for no one.

1. I am thankful that my 13 yo son and 11 yo daughter are healthy enough to fight with each other so loud that they wake me up. Feh.

2. I am thankful that I have had the patience so far not to punish their butts. That has more to do with the fact that they each have a friend here. Mish and Tiara slept over last night.

3. I am thankful that I was able to help my friends Bob and Ilene, and that I had the opportunity to be inspired by Bonnie.

4. I am thankful for old jewelry. I had a bunch from old boyfriends that I never wore. I was able to sell it back for the gold weight and get enough to reset a ring. :-)

5. Coffee. I haven't had my second cup yet. Dang kids.

The kids are off today and tomorrow for the NJ teacher's convention. So, I let them each have a friend sleep over.

Tomorrow, my cousin Karol and her boys are coming, and Kathy and my nephew J, too! Yay! The house will be filled to the brim and we will all get to catch up with each other! I really enjoy that.

Thank you all for your kindness and support. You are the best. I am wayyyy behind on visiting your journals, but I will catch up I hope over the weekend.

be well...

What About Now? VOTE!

Did you VOTE? I did! So did Hubby! This election, no matter who your candidate, is going to be historic, so get in there and DO IT!



Today, was Bonnie's Memorial. It was very moving, and hit me hard. I didn't expect that. In fact, I felt like a blubbering idiot. Apparently, I identified with her struggle with chronic illness more than I realized. It was also the first memorial I had been to since the brain tumor... I don't know... but I was wrecked. I have such a headache from crying and trying not to cry! Ack.



Ilene and Bob are holding up as well as they can. DogBoy and his sis, Peanut, too. The eulogies by Bonnie's nephew and brother were wonderful. The family is really pulled together and supporting each other. It was beautiful to see.



Bonnie didn't see the glass as half empty, or even half full. She always saw the glass and full to overflowing. I will not forget that and will try my damndest to always do the same. Thanks for the inspiration, Bonnie.




Go vote!


be well...

Sad Songs

Bonnie crossed over to the Other Side last night, peacefully, and surrounded by family.

It was pins and needles, the waiting, since Friday. We gladly helped out by having DogBoy spend the weekend here. It was no longer good for the kids to be there at the hospice. We had a good weekend. DogBoy is a mature kid, and he talked freely about his Grandma and his feelings.

My family was happy to help.

Tomorrow will be the service.

Remember to get out and VOTE!

be well...