SCHOOL STARTS MONDAY!!! Woot!~

So Bradley and I seem to be on the mend.. He went and looked like a stud for his 3 days of pre-season soccer Oh how I hope he makes the team he wants.. normally I really could care less BUT last year was such a struggle for him that he will be CRUSHED if he doesn't make it on the "A" team...

Hunter's football camp is over YEA! and his normal two day a week practice starts next week, I can't explain to you how GREAT this is.. I mean Hunter has had a GREAT experience so far but EVERY DAY, was getting OLD!!!

So I FINALLY don't feel like I have an elephant sitting on my chest.. I still can't be far away from cough drops or else I get a tickle in my throat that turns into a coughing fit but last night was the first night in weeks I didn't OD on NyQuil before bed so I think progress is being made for sure..

So last week I was really looking forward to a day long training session to, well, tell me about my job and how I can best serve my student etc. etc. BUT it ended up being a day long sexual harassment, how to avoid bodily fluid's and some other nonsense.. I guess I know these things are important and probably even legally mandated that we have them BUT A WHOLE DAY!!!??? speaking to some veteran aids they usually do a "useful" workshop but I guess this year our number was up.. so Yesterday I had my day with the teacher I'm working with.. it was OK, she doesn't know exactly what to do with me yet and we both don't know exactly how to help this student BUT I have some good ideas some REAL fears (he's not potty trained!) but all in all I'm excited wrapped with a healthy dose of "what the heck have I gotten myself into!?"

so we ALL start school on Monday, I can't wait!!!
ta ta

Swine Flu who knew?

So I don't know what it's like anywhere else but yesterday when I went to the Dr. I was asked specifically (just like the 4 people previous to me) "do you have a cough or fever" I was being seen for a persistent cough so I was honest and said YES I have a cough.. I was handed a mask and asked that if I cough to please put on the mask but if I wasn't coughing I didn't need to.. I haven't been coughing as long as I have a cough drop in my mouth so I sat away from the population of people (just in case heaven forbid I cough) and started to read my magazine.. got called in to the office they took my temp. and low and behold it was 100.6 I had no clue I felt lousy BUT didn't really feel feverish anyway nurse leaves Dr comes in asks me about my symptoms told her persistent cough for almost 3 weeks started to feel better end of last week but got VERY much worse this week she looks at nurses notes and said "YOU HAVE A FEVER" I said yes I didn't realize I did but the nurse said infact I do.. the Dr gets out of the room AS FAST AS SHE COULD (under the guides of getting a pulse oxygen monitor) I'm sitting there for like 10 minutes and she returns with gloves, mask and a yellow gown I'm like what the heck is going on.. she says I've got all the symptoms of swine flu and asked me where I have traveled (no where!) who I've been around (no one suspicious).. etc. etc. etc. and I MUST wear my mask at all times now.. fine... she says if it's not flu then it's bronchitis... fine I say.. she says another nurse will come in and do a swab for swine I say fine.. (thinking its like the "swab" for strep) I was VERY WRONG FOLKS!!! another nurse with a surgical cap, yellow gown, gloves and a very hefty looking mask comes in and tells me how sorry she is to have to do this procedure.. "PROCEDURE" I'm getting nervous but still thinking she's going a little over board.. she then explains I'll have to lay flat and she will be putting a tube down my nose and somewhere from my ear canal and throat she will squirt saline solution and then quickly suck it back up and that's what they test for the swine flu.. but WAIT.. I have to be VERY careful and close off my throat when I'm told because if I swollow ANY of the solution the procedure has to be REPEATED!!!

OK I figure how hard can it be, I've had 4 kids for crying out loud I've had epidurals and lots of discusting procedures and this one I don't even have to take my pants off for..

let me tell you folks it was TERRIBLE!!! I cried gasped for air it was painful and felt like I was drowning all in about a 5 second time span.. I think I was hacking up blood (I closed off my throat a little bit to early and the lovely nurse scratched my throat, or what ever cavity she was in) tearing up and nose running all at once.. I couldn't wait to get out of that place but of coarse WITH MY MASK on which only meant I looked MORE Like I had the PlAGUE because the mask now was soaking wet from all my hacking, crying , nose running etc. etc.

I had a message to call the Dr's office when I got home only a few minutes before the office closed.. I was certain they were calling so quickly because it was POSITIVE.. I called them back but got their answering machine left a message to PLEASE CALL ME ASAP.. but what do I do, should I stay home for fear of infecting anyone I come in contact with??.. I think maybe I was a little foolish because I took the boy to practice but kept my cell phone with me.. still no word I took Brad to Dr this morning thinking they'd have to do the same thing with him.. NOPE he has a sinus infection and no fever so I was glad he didn't have to do the test.. I call the nurses station again this morning knowing it's a sat. but they do keep some minimal sat hours and plead my case on the phone message again.. "I REALLY NEED THESE RESULTS TODAY!" a lovely nurse called me I told her I needed my results for H1N1 (swine).. it took her a second but she said "NEGATIVE".. I was happy.. releaved but mostly glad I won't have to deal with health departments, kids going back to school, me working at the school.. it could have been quite a headache~

so all in all my anti-biotics should be kicking in anytime now YEA! and we all should be on the mend in no time!!!
ta ta

I think 35 is OLD!!!

I can remember when my Mom turned 35 we were living in our house in Chino CA. and we put 35 candles on her cake and the fire alarm went off.. she was also pregnant with my youngest brother Jeff... can I just say I am SO GLAD that tomorrow on my 35th birthday I am NOT pregnant!!!

Tomorrow Ben has the day off YEA!!! and we will probably go out to Breakfast and then grocery shopping and then something fun BEFORE having to be back to take Hunter to Football... I LOVE It that we have a live in Babysitter now.. and the fact that he's saving money for a new cell phone makes it even MORE sweet!!!

I have no inspirational anything about my turning 35 just that it feels OLD!!! I mean I'm not so much feeling that I am decrypt or anything like that I feel pretty good and things are going pretty good in life but I also feel like in some ways I feel twice the age and in some ways feel half it (does that even make since??) but mostly it feels like 35.. my teenager thinks I'm a drag and I nag too much (which I take as a HUGE badge of courage that I'm doing something RIGHT!!!) my Middle son feels like he wants to break away from me but still wants me around (nice hua!.. I know it won't last much longer).. and my youngest baby girl (not so much baby anymore I know!) goes from hating me (and telling me so) to wanting to cuddle for hours on my bed.. (it's nice when I want to cuddle not so much when I have to actually DO something)..

So all in all I think even though it is OLD it's pretty nice to be 35!
ta ta

Hunter's in LOVE

So Hunter is LOVING football.. I had a twinge of guilt that we made him wait this long to play because this is the FIRST sport he has walked onto the field where 98% of the kids LOOK just like HIM!!! the coaches were salivating as he came onto the field it was just the EGO boost he needed!!! I am so GLAD!!!

on a COMPLETELY different subject I think we may have a slight problem... KayLea watched "Toddlers in Tarrah's" for the first time a few nights ago.. it seemed like a perfectly harmless show that we all could gasp at the ridiculousness of it all and point and stair etc. etc. and because I've cut her off of "Jon and Kate plus 8" it seemed like a harmless compromise.. WRONG!!! she's now saying things like she wants a "flipper" (a mouth piece that makes teeth look perfect) and why can't she wear those kind of dresses to CHURCH!!! EEEEK!!! I told her in no way would she EVER participate in any pageant like that.. if she wanted to grow up and be a part of miss America or something then she had to be old enough to fill out the paperwork and drive her self to what ever was going on.. now the constant marital up-heavel of Jon and Kate don't seem so bad.. what am I going to do!!! I'll have to tell her the show was cancelled or something!
ta ta

MORE Musings

I know I've given the topic of "change of season" quite a run on this blog.. I've felt it for some time a "SHIFT" well ITS HAPPENING... I will no longer have ANY children at home during school hours!!! I will no longer be labeled a "stay at home mom"... OUCH that one hurt!!!

I think it's been given quite a run 13 years of wiping noses to tooshie's not that I'm going to never be doing those things ever again BUT my children (all of them!) will be influenced by someone else for the majority of their day from here on out! I can't help but wonder if I've done enough.. If I have have given them their own tools to deal with all that they will have to.. I don't have many regrets in that department at least not yet.. Brad will be entering 8th grade wow that doesn't even seem possible!!! Hunter 6th and KayLea 1st...

although I have to admit I'm also worried I'll be smothering KayLea having her Mom at the same school she goes to doesn't seem all together fair.. although I'm not in her class, I'm actually not even on her side of the school it IS a VERY small school so we WILL be seeing each other on a daily basis... she seems excited at the prospect but we'll see if she has the same attitude in a few weeks!!! does mommy guilt ever end?? I'm thinking not!!!

this is ALSO the time of year where we get a whole slew of new Law student families move into our ward, and it's also the time I'm reminded how OLD I am... these folks seem like infants to me.. and we have like 8 women who will be giving birth in the next 4-6 months... I have never for a moment felt ANY kind of regret for our decision to end our family with KayLea.. she is the PERFECT book end to our little brewd but it is ANOTHER reminder of this SHIFT although that one has long since past..

but for those who are still in the throws of it.. who can't seem to remember a time where you slept through the night or could complete a phone conversation or could go a week with out changing the sheets on your own bed because a kid smeared some sort of yuck on it.. enjoy it.. enjoy your now.. I think towards the end of this chapter I DID realize how special the moments were.. I could see the end coming fast so I did savor some of it.. but like allot of us.. I took too much time wanting to "get through" the hard stuff I remember practically MAKING Brad walk.. figuring all the stuff I did wrong with Brad and trying DESPERATELY to get Hunter to Talk early (and he DID!) and absolutely failing miserably at potty training KayLea.. and wanting so desperately for them all to become independent..

I LOVE this stage that I'm at now.... it is the FUNNEST by far so-far.. but feeling the breath of your own little infant who has just come out of you.. feeling the pride, joy and utter terrifying prospects of being in charge of this new little life.. Maybe, I wish I would have savored some of those moments a little more as they were coming.. rather than looking ahead to what was next.. and yes like everyone there were women who were older and wiser than I who told ME the same things.. but I didn't listen.. not that I didn't think they were right but I'm sure I was far too tired, or busy or pre-occupied with my kids' poop to really take them for their word..

But instead of looking BACK I will look forward (but not TOO far ahead!) and be present in THIS moment.. enjoy the milestones the kids are going through right NOW and the milestones I'M enjoying at this moment also..

that's all for now.. I'm going to bed.. and I'll sleep all night.. darn it!!! (who am I kidding that is AWESOME!)
ta ta

Life happens when your making plans.. or something like that!

So life in the Fox home has been riddled with changes.. Ben's work situation has been kind of crazy because another supervisor quit (very suddenly and with no notice or CLASS!) so it has made it so Ben's been working tons which is good for the pocketbook BUT not so good for things like sleeping and seeing him... the word came down yesterday (the guy quit a couple of weeks ago) that they ARE NOT going to replace this supervisor.. which means a few things.. the ban on all overtime is obviously out the window ESPICALLY when it starts to snow.. AND it also means Ben's 8 hour day has just turned into a 10-12 hour day and he won't be able to get off work in time to go coach soccer... he had to tell the Athletic director yesterday he can't do it.. Ben is totally bummed this has been a dream of his for a VERY long time and to have to leave so close to the season he knows it pretty much blows all chance he'll ever have of doing it again.. the bright side, he was able to quit before having to pay 50$ for finger prints and back ground checks AND he hadn't signed a contract yet... the down side.. Ben is VERY worried this will adversely affect Bradley's soccer experience this year.. we hope it won't but we are skeptical.. it just means now Brad is bound and determined to "get into shape" in the next 3 weeks so he'll make the A team.

to top it off I got called for Jury duty the first week of September.. Ben thinks I should try to get out of it being I'd have to leave before KayLea would catch the bus.. working for the school I think they have to give me the time off but I don't think they have to pay me and I'm not sure I'd want to use any of my personal days for THIS!!! I'll fill out the questioner and put my complaints and see what happens..

that's all the B*t%^ing I'll do for now!!!
ta ta

OK OK I know we aren't the FIRST

So summer is winding down.. although it doesn't seem too much like the END of summer here.. BUT it's the count down.. we start school the 31st.. Football starts a week from Wednesday (every week day until school starts EEEK) then Soccer for BEN and Brad starts the week before school... I have some training the 26th and then we'll be full time students, workers, players etc.

So I have been trying to convince my family that the dynamic is going to CHANGE with me going to work (although it isn't classified as FULL time I won't be home when the kids are at school so for all intensive purposes it's full time!) I'm trying to get things organized, trying to brain storm ideas on how we can delegate out responsibilities and keep things remaining smoothly and not eat take out every night of the week..

Some ideas I've thrown around (usually during dinner) are making a calendar with meal's on it along with who will be cooking the meal (the boys are actually becoming useful in this area) it will help me shop and not stare at the fridge and say "whats for dinner"... I've also come up with perhaps having the kids do their chores BEFORE they go to school... YES it will mean the boys getting up xtra early (they catch the bus at 6:45) BUT with all their xtra sports etc. I can envision my house going down hill FAST and if it gets done BEFORE school then think of how nice it will be to come home to things done!

The responses I usually get from the fam when I suggest these things is one of these * this isn't going to be that big of deal MOM things won't have to change that much *we aren't the only family who has 2 parents working, and my favorite * do you think your the first mother to go to work???

Honestly I get it!!! and I'm sure my friends who have juggled a job and a family are shaking your heads as you read this BUT I don't think MY family gets the gravity of this situation... THINGS ARE CHANGING.. I feel a little bit like I'm nesting right now.. trying to get all my house organized etc.. because something BIG is happening...

Ok I'm willing to admit I'm loosing it a bit, I know it will all work out but if you know me you know nothing can happen before I get a little nuts!
ta ta